Harlan County USA

 Tuned into the 1976 documentary "Harlan County USA" in medias res on the Criterion 24/7 channel and was unprepared to quickly be gutted by the raw grief of a mother at the funeral of a son who had been killed as part of a coal miner strike. These brave people standing up to the power for their rights, for workers' rights and the injustice of the rich getting richer on their backs. Knew in my heart that this county must have swung hard right and re-elected Trump in the 2024 election, probably believe they are "fiercely independent" and are voting for an iconoclast rather than dupes letting a billionaire pick their pocket. Oh well. Everything goes in cycles? Anyway, an incredible documentary, I can see why it won an Academy Award. The place looks awful enough in they heyday of the coal industry, it must be even more of a hellhole now that the industry has basically collapsed. They all have such bad teeth and I bet that's still true. Dental care should be free for all.