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Monday, April 09, 2007

Local Symbols of Globalization

Found this on a Sunday drive in the country: Bement, Illinois, population 350. The "O" in "Topflight" is a globe with North and South America showing, and bean and corn stalks growing out the North Pole. As I listen to the local agricultural radio report telling me about the weather in the growing areas of southern Brazil (where more than a few big Illinois farmers have land, apparently), I wonder if this logo is a symbol of globalization or empire? Both? Discuss.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it's a symbol of global warming...there's a plant growing out of the north pole.

Tim Lacy said...

I think I agree with anonymous. This picture looks like perfect fodder for Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. [BTW: I just saw that movie over the weekend. My critique? Somewhat predictable, but good nonetheless.]

With Gore's movie and the first comment in mind, maybe "Topflight" means that the company flies over the North Pole and drops corn seeds along the way, hoping (in futility) that the corn will grow either on the remaining ice patches or in dead polar bear carcasses?! - TL

Don Appleman said...

Topflight in Bement (they have a bunch of locations) has a facility that can store ~2.5 million bushels of grain. Bement, by the way, has a population of about 1750 ... you probably came through Ivesdale (population 350) on the way into town.

I'd guess that the info on the Brazilian crop is more because South American farms are in direct international competition with local farmers, rather than because local farmers own land in Brazil.

Thanks for stopping by Bement. Visitors are always welcome.

Toby Higbie said...

Thanks for the comments and for the corrections. Don, you're right I got the population of Ivesdale in there. Was in a hurry to post and that was the number in my mind.

I'm on the lookout for other global and globe-like images in Central Illinois. I know there's one in Arthur, and I'll get down there soon to snap a picture.