Venezualan Gang Overtakes Colorado Town, "Swifties for Trump" an Election Favor?,Bud Light's Impossible Comeback Thanks to 1990's Style Ads?, (The Five for 08/30/24)
Plus, John Wick star joins beloved children's series. Game of Thrones alum spy show sounds awesome. The 90's most volatile band re-unites...can they survive this time?
Hey, welcome to The Five, a publication about the stories that matter.
One note before we get started. If you missed Tuesday’s issue, earlier this week I was shot at by criminals in Forest Park, St. Louis. There’s a lot more to share…and so I’m starting a new Substack: Staying Alive with Seth Tower Hurd.
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Now, let’s dive into Culture & Commentary.
[one]
Well, Time Magazine set social media ablaze this week with an article titled “What if Ultra Processed Foods Aren’t as Bad as You Think:
In 2025, the U.S. government will release an updated version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which tell people what they should eat and policymakers how to shape things like school lunches and SNAP education programs. The new edition may include, for the first time, guidance on ultra-processed foods. Officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are also reportedly weighing new regulatory approaches for these products.
The food industry, predictably, maintains that ultra-processed foods have been unfairly demonized and can be part of a healthy diet. Likely sensing a threat to their bottom line, large food companies have reportedly already started lobbying against recommendations around processed-food consumption.
What’s more surprising is that even one dietitian would take their side, defending a group of foods that, according to 2024 research, has been linked to dozens of poor health outcomes ranging from depression and diabetes to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment. Wilson has endured plenty of criticism for her position, which is not popular among the nutrition-science establishment. But she stands by it. Sweeping recommendations to avoid all ultra-processed foods stand to confuse people and make them feel bad about their diets, Wilson says—with questionable upside for their health.
What is a processed food, anyway? It’s a rather new concept. Foods are mainly judged by how many vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients (think fat, protein, and carbs) they contain, as well as their sugar, salt, and saturated-fat contents. There’s no level of processing on a food label.
Scientists don’t agree on exactly how to define processed foods. If you give two experts the same ingredient list, “they will have different opinions about whether something is processed or not,” says Giulia Menichetti, a principal investigator at Harvard Medical School who researches food chemistry. Take milk. Some experts consider it a processed food because it goes through pasteurization to kill pathogens. Others don’t think it belongs in that category because plain milk typically contains few additives beyond vitamins.
The whole article is worth a read, as Time does report on both sides of this issue…but can we just recap what you just read. On one hand, ultra-processed foods are linked to depression, diabetes and cancer…but a dietician doesn’t think we should make Americans “feel bad” about their diets?!
Does the dietician in question think Americans will feel better living with cancer, diabetes and depression than from putting down the Doritos in the short term?
It’s certainly interesting that this article dropped just two days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shocked the world by dropping out of the race and throwing the most iconic last name in American politics behind a Republican.
RFK’s speech at the first Trump rally focused on “Make America Healthy Again,” (MAHA) a tagline that seemed to invigorate conflicted suburban moms, who may lean Conservative or moderate, but find Trump off-putting.
(The full 12 minute speech is worth your time. Also, props to Bobby Jr. on the skinny, 1960’s era tie that’s an obvious callback to the suits of his father and uncle).
We can’t know for sure that Time was politically motivated, but the timing can’t be ignored. If a corporate press outlet is willing to tell people to eat fake garbage until they die from it because “Orange Man Bad,” well…then journalism has fallen even further than I thought possible.
[two]
One of the strangest political fights of 2024…is whether or not a Venezuelan gang taking over apartment complexes in Aurora, CO is a big deal or not.
A video showing people carrying guns in a hallway of an Aurora apartment complex is making rounds on social media and conservative media outlets with the narrative that the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, is taking over the building.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said Thursday the situation is being exaggerated.
A former tenant shared the video of people carrying guns at The Edge at Lowry on 12th Avenue and Dallas Street on Aug. 18 with 9NEWS.
Police have had this video for days and they have not said it shows members of the gang.
The story gained national prominence after End Wokeness tweeted it. To be fair, this account has some pretty serious issues with telling the truth.
But several members of the city council, along with the police, are contradicting the idea that gangs taking over apartments are “not that big of a deal.”
Also from NBC Denver:
Some of Coffman’s fellow conservatives on Aurora City Council, which is elected in nonpartisan municipal elections, said they don’t believe the city.
“We have a Venezuelan gang problem that has taken over a number of our apartment complexes,” Aurora City Councilman Steve Sundberg said at a Thursday meeting.
The claim has been widely promoted by anonymous, far-right social media accounts. The city of Aurora said the apartment building being closed is not under the control of a gang.
Councilmembers Stephanie Hancock and Danielle Jurinsky expressed similar concerns, rejecting assurances from Aurora Police and Mayor Coffman that gang activity was being investigated.
Coffman said that Aurora Police have recently formed a task force to investigate the presence of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua.
APD Deputy Chief Chris Juul told City Council that “there is some influence” from Tren de Aragua, known as TDA, in the city.
Elsewhere, a group of migrants tried to board a buss full of kids…whether to take them hostage, or just desperately seeking aid…the motivation isn’t clear.
What is clear is that the world has changed, and the most dangerous threat to your family may not be increasing crime alone, but mixed with the human instinct towards normalcy bias.
Normalcy bias is a cognitive bias that can cause people to underestimate the likelihood of a disaster or the impact of a potential threat. This can lead to people failing to take preventive measures or coping effectively with a situation, even when in the face of imminent danger.
Here are some examples of normalcy bias when things turn violent:
Gunfire: People may stand up and look around instead of ducking for cover.
Police: Officers may overlook warning signs of violence or unrest, thinking that everything will remain calm.
Dangerous situations: People may not move to action, believing that the “normal” experience will overtake the abnormal one.
I’m not going to tell you to run out and get a gun…but I would tell you that you need to learn to own and operate firearms in an environment when violent crime, and organized gangs, are increasing so rapidly.
One more pitch for my new Substack, publishing every Sunday: Stay Alive with Seth Tower Hurd
[three]
Well, this is new. It’s no secret that Taylor Swift hates Donald Trump…but not all her fans do.
Jenna Piwowarczyk, a student at Concordia College, started a group called "Swifites for Trump," to encourage Taylor Swift fans to vote for former President Donald Trump in this year's presidential election.
On Sunday, the former president reposted content on his social media plaftorm Truth Social about the "Swifties for Trump" group and even reposted an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated photo of Swift telling people to vote for him. In his caption, Trump wrote: "I accept!"
Piwowarczyk, 19, celebrated Trump acknowledging the group and said in a video posted to YouTube that she met Trump at a Wisconsin rally in June while wearing her "Swifties for Trump" shirt.
"I think this movement is super awesome and also super important because it's no secret that millions of young female voters consider themselves Swifties and we don't want them to have to choose between loving Taylor Swift and supporting conservative ideologies at the ballot box in November," Piwowarczyk said in the video
Taylor Swfit famously tweeted “we WILL vote you out in November” during the 2020 election, but has been mum on 2024. YouTuber Brett Cooper has an interesting theory here.
Taylor Swift has stayed out of this election cycle so far. No endorsements, no posts, nothing. She's been busy on tour and being in love with her very, very normal, all American football playing boyfriend, and getting to know all of his relatively Republican friends, like Harrison Butker, Brittany Mahomes
Wherever Swift is personally, this is noteworthy for a couple of reasons:
A). Gen Z males are skewing heavily for Trump, but their female counterparts are pretty into Kamala. The fact that there’s a Gen-Z female Trump movement is worth mentioning.
B). The idea of “Swifties for Trump” would have been unthinkable in 2020 or 2024.
[four]
I realize that it’s odd to put a commercial where the movie and TV features go…but in this case, comedian Shane Gillis has made an ad worthy of Budweiser’s advertising glory days, in which the beer giant.
Comedy the 2020’s has been heavily censored due to “Cancel Culture,” (Hollywood even puts less funny movies into production), and the fact that Gillis is returning Budweiser’s ads to their 90’s heyday says more about Americans’ desire to laugh again than it does about watered down, mass produced beer.
[five]
As always, let’s head into the weekend with a pop culture roundup:
Ted Lasso is getting a 4th season. Most people seem to like that one. It’s a mild shrug for me, as I didn’t get past episode three or four, although I may try it again at some point in the future.
If you have young kids, expect to find yourself in a movie theater around December 20th, because Sonic The Hedgehog 3 drops. Oh yeah, and Keanu Reeves (John Wick, Speed) joins this one. (Trailer).
Emelia Clark aka Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones hasn’t found a breakout role to distinguish her acting career from her 8 season run as the Mother of Dragons. That may change, as she’s starring alongside Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, Pacific rim) for Prime Video in Criminal, which is based on a graphic novel that’s described as a “Bonnie and Clyde” type affair. Clarke will also lead PONIES (which stands of “Person Of No INterESt”), in which she plays an American spy in the USSR, from the creators of Booksmart, The Flight Attendant and Mr. Robot.
It’s possible that the famed Once Upon a Time in Shaolin album from 90’s hip-hop icons Wu Tang Clan will see the light of day. The album was sold as a “one of one” copy to “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli, who could choose whether or not to release it to the public, or keep it for himself. Shkreli chose to hold onto the album, although he made a few backup copies for himself. Well, Martin committed some financial crimes, and forfeited the album to the U.S. Government. Now, the government is demanding his backup copies of the album as well. It’s possible the album back to auction, and the next buyer lets the world hear it…although at this point, the story of the album is probably better than the album itself.
90’s Brit rockers Oasis disbanded forever due to brothers Noel and Liam being absolutely crazy. At one point, Liam pulled out of an MTV unplugged set, citing a sore throat. Noel took the stage alone, and despite his alleged sore throat, Liam sat in the crowd and heckled his brother. The pair have famously fought each other with cricket bats, guitars and tambourines. Against all odds, Oasis has reformed, and will be playing shows in the UK and Ireland in 2025. You know, if they don’t try to murder each other between now and then.
This looks interesting and cool. If I’m going to sit down for a horror/psychological thriller…it needs to have an interesting angle. Only being able to leave a remote cabin when tethered to a rope is a heck of a plot hook. Halle Berry is pretty hit-or-miss, with some great work (John Wick 3, X-Men, Monster’s Ball), but has also appeared in too many b-movies and flops to even go into.
The producers of Stranger Things have a credit on this, which gives me some mild optimism. In theaters 09/20.
Yup, spooky season is upon us. You can pretty much count on about half of all movies coming out from now until November 1st to be horror—and most of them are just cheap cash grabs. But Azrael, also looks like it could have something to say beyond just cheap thrills.
Set in a post-Biblical rapture, a young woman is hunted by a mute cult. And…monsters too?
Huh. I can’t believe I’ve recommended three animated projects in two weeks (Netflix upcoming Tomb Raider, out in September, and Lord of the Rings: War of the Rorhirrim being the other two), but it appears that animation is where stories go that are are worth telling, but can’t get funding for live action.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day is my all time favorite action film, and although none of the movie sequels have been very good, the short lived Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles TV show (which lasted just two excellent, but under-viewed seasons) was a fitting continuation of the story. TERMINATOR ZERO is rated TV-MA and VERY violent…so, don’t pop this one one with the kiddos as a Saturday morning cartoon.
At it’s best, the IP told stories around technology with world-ending potential (which is more real than ever in 2024), and how familial love overcomes seemingly impossible odds…layered with big questions about destiny and free will, with the official motto for the series being “no fate but what we make.” If this show can do that stuff…I don’t mind that the story won’t be told with flesh-and-blood actors. Average critic reviews are currently at 67/100 on Metacritic, with positive marks from Paste Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter and The A.V. Club.[new music]
Lainey Wilson supported her latest album on NPR’s Tiny Desk, and its absolutely worth a stream. If you only know Lainey from her role on Yellowtone, check out her album, Whirlwind: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music.
[read & learn]
Harlan Coben has released about a bajillion mysteries (putting out 1-2 books per year, without fail, since 1995) and there’s no bad place to start. But if you want to jump in with his latest, Think Twice (which just released in May) is a heck of a page turner in which a former NBA player, believed to be dead for three years, is suspected of murder when his DNA is found at the crime scene. It’s up to the basketball star’s former agent to figure out what the heck is going on. Oh and the audiobook has a top notch narrator if you've got a spare Audible credit to burn.
Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Pocket Cast
This one is HEAVY, but worth your time. Former House Speaker (and VP Candidate) Paul Ryan dives into how Crypto in general, and stable coins in particular, could save the U.S. Dollar from collapsing.
Until the next one,
-sth