Greg Mitchell has authored 14 books and directed four PBS films since 2022. His latest, “The Atomic Bowl: Football at Ground Zero—and Nuclear Peril Today” has been airing over PBS stations and now streaming for free (key links to watch now and more here). A companion book is available, and you can read more or order here. The New Yorker magazine this week has a piece about the PBS film, which you can read here. And subscribing to this newsletter is still somehow FREE.
Random tweets: “Multiple mass shootings over the last 24 hours, and Donald Trump is online bragging about the amount of gold in his office.” “One thing all these mass shooters have in common is than none of them are women.”
And from The Guardian:
US fan ugliness at the Ryder Cup was merely a reflection of Trump’s all-caps America
European players were subjected to slurs and crude insults about their families. They were no surprise as public discourse in America has broken down
This did happen, from Heather Cox Richardson:
Late last night [Saturday], Trump shared on social media a deep fake video that appeared to be a clip from his daughter-in-law Lara Trump’s Fox News talk show My View. In the video’s split screen, Lara Trump, on the left, says: “President Donald J. Trump has announced a historic new healthcare system, the launch of America’s first MedBed hospitals and a national MedBed card for every citizen.” As she speaks, the video shows a building with the caption: “MEDBED HOSPITALS: THE NEW ERA IN HEALTHCARE.”
Then the video shows a clip of Trump saying: “Every American will soon receive their own MedBed card.” As the video shows what looks like a futuristic hospital, complete with what appear to be podlike beds, he continues: “With it, you’ll have guaranteed access to our new hospitals led by the top doctors in the nation, equipped with the most advanced technology in the world.”
The camera then goes back to Trump saying, “These facilities are safe”—the camera switches back to a hospital scene—“modern, and designed to restore every citizen to full health and strength.” The video then switches back to Trump, who says: “This is the beginning of a new era in American healthcare.”
MedBeds are imaginary magical beds, sort of like a tanning bed, that diagnose or cure health problems instantly and painlessly. The idea is popular in QAnon forums, and believers claim that Trump is already secretly installing the beds in hospitals.
It is unclear why Trump posted an obviously fake video, touting an obviously fake product, although healthcare is uppermost in politics these days.
Bruce appeared at the premiere of the new bio-pic at the New York Film Festival, said a few words (including about the current American crisis) and then sang “Land of Hope and Dreams,” all here:
I’ve been touting the new Jeff Tweedy triple-album, but here is a bonus: He debuted one song, with the guitar riff from The Kinks’ immortal “Waterloo Sunset” (and a Dylan quote) with his two sons, months ago
The inspiration riff live back in 1973, one of the years I got to interview Ray Davies:
Still trying to encourage Comments and dialogue, so here ya go:
From Tunes to Toons
Three from Steve Brodner:
Sorry for obvious brain cramp, originally had called "Waterloo Sunset" as "same song" as Jeff's while obviously just inspiration for guitar riff.
Your cartoons are so accurate and timely. Thank you for speaking out!