Yes, it’s still somehow free to subscribe to this nearly daily newsletter! Greg Mitchell is the author of fourteen books and director of four films for PBS since 2022. In a previous life, he was a longtime editor at the legendary Crawdaddy.
Pope drops diss track re: Trump, courtesy Colbert show…
Then enjoy this brief “Simpsons” parody of “The Pitt” with Noah Wyle as Dr. Rotty.
From The Atlantic:
Kash Patel’s colleagues are alarmed by what they describe as erratic behavior and excessive drinking—conduct that could cost him his job, Sarah Fitzpatrick reports. She spoke with more than two dozen people with knowledge of his conduct, some of whom described it as a national-security vulnerability.
And red flag this morning:
Iran’s Military Says It Has Reimposed ‘Strict Control’ of Strait of Hormuz
The military said it would keep the vital waterway under its control until the U.S. ended its blockade of Iranian ports. The statement added to the uncertainty over access to the strait.
Best title of a Congressional bill ever, via Heather Cox Richardson:
On Wednesday, Democratic representatives Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Dave Min of California, along with Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and minority leader Chuck Schumer of New York, introduced the Ban Presidential Plunder of Taxpayer Funds Act to ban presidents and vice presidents from stealing taxpayer money.
Pointing to the Department of Justice’s recent settlement of $1.2 million with Trump’s former national security advisor Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians before Trump took office, after he sued for $50 million on the grounds that the criminal case against him was malicious prosecution, Raskin warned of an “emerging MAGA grift of suing the government as a ‘plaintiff’ on bogus grounds and then settling the suit as a ‘defendant’ for big bucks.”
Music Pick
Fun moment in the harrowing finale of “The Pitt” season the other night, when Dr. Robby’s best pal Dr. Abbot tells him that sometimes you have to “dance through the darkness.” When Robby ask where he got that from, his friend vaguely says maybe from a song lyric, he’s not sure. Anyway, I immediately wondered if this was a sly, subtle references to Bruce’s “Dancing in the Dark.” Probably not. But in any case, here’s a video of Bruce doing the song in the current tour, as it gives you an unusual up close look—from behind—at what he sees every night looking out at the audience in his own “pit.”
From Tunes to Toons for Today
Bramhall
Molina:
Sheneman:
Anderson:
Davies:
Yes, Sarah Palin posted this:
Photo Finish
San Marco, going to the birds, after the rain.
Colbert! Great selection of cartoons.
What an excellent photo, Greg