Crash Course Weekend: The Omicron variant, explained

Plus: What went wrong with American men? none Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgphjlFvo2GkrxXHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). none What's going on with the Omicron variant? What do we know about the latest COVID-19 variant? Not a lot, apparently. The World Health Organization named it "Omicron" Friday, giving the strain its most serious designation: a "variant of concern." Scientists were startled to find that it had more than 30 mutations along the virus cell's spike protein — which it uses to breach host cells and serves as the main target for antibodies fighting against COVID-19. It was a serious enough development for President Joe Biden to ban travel from South Africa, where Omicron was first identified Wednesday, and seven other countries. A number of other nations took similar steps to limit travel, including the European Union, where officials with the bloc's health agency said there was a "high to very high" risk that it would spread across the continent. So far, Omicron cases have been confirmed in just four other countries: Belgium, Botswana, Hong Kong and Israel. But just as the world began to worry — stocks took a steep nosedive Friday in reaction to the news — scientists also cautioned the public about jumping ahead of still-limited research on the subject. It remains unclear whether Omicron will prove more contagious, deadly or whether it can more effectively evade protection from a previous infection or vaccine. Other variants, like Beta, prompted a round of concern before eventually sputtering out. "Epidemiologists are trying to say, 'Easy, tiger,'" William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told the New York Times Friday. "This could be bad. This could be very bad. But we don't know enough to roll that tape forward." [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvZXZlcnl0aGluZy13ZS1rbm93LWFib3V0LXRoZS1vbWljcm9uLTE5LXZhcmlhbnQvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). none none Ex-neo-Nazi: America is becoming "the skinhead's dream" Former neo-Nazi-turned-deradicalization expert Christian Picciolini has spent more than two decades disengaging American extremists from hate movements — but he tells Salon it's time to stop focusing on individuals and more on changing society as a whole. "Everything happening right now is the skinhead's dream of the 1990s coming true," Picciolini said during an interview with contributor David Masciotra. "Donald Trump's ideas are not new, but he has made people in influential positions comfortable in expressing racism. In a relatively short time, we've gone from not talking about these things, even if they were always there, to no longer feeling shame about it. Tucker Carlson, other right-wing pundits, congressional representatives like Paul Gosar and Mo Brooks, are saying exactly what I was saying when I was a Nazi. They are using softer terms, but the message is the same." [Read the whole interview](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0SFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvZmFtb3VzLWV4LW5lby1uYXppLWhhcy1oYWQtZW5vdWdoLWFtZXJpY2Etbm93LWlzLXRoZS1za2luaGVhZHMtZHJlYW0tb2YtdGhlLTE5OTBzLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphjlFvo2GkrxXHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). none - Did the FBI order Malcolm X's murder? [New revelations](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvZGlkLXRoZS1mYmktb3JkZXItbWFsY29sbS14cy1tdXJkZXItbmV3LXJldmVsYXRpb25zLXJhaXNlLWFuLW9sZC1xdWVzdGlvbi8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYY5Rb6NhpK8Vx1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) raise an old question - How [one discredited 1998 study](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvaG93LW9uZS1kaXNjcmVkaXRlZC0xOTk4LXN0dWR5LXBhdmVkLXRoZS13YXktZm9yLXRvZGF5cy1hbnRpLXZheHhlcnMvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) paved the way for today's anti-vaxxers - More women are [giving birth after uterus transplants](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0SWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvbW9yZS13b21lbi1hcmUtZ2l2aW5nLWJpcnRoLWFmdGVyLXV0ZXJ1cy10cmFuc3BsYW50cy1hbmQtZXhwZXJ0cy1zYXktdGhleS1jb3VsZC1ldmVuLWJlLXB1dC1pbi1tZW4vP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) — and experts say they could even be put in men - Chick-fil-A, the National Prayer Breakfast and right-wing Christianity: A [delicious combo](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0SRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjYvY2hpY2stZmlsLWEtdGhlLW5hdGlvbmFsLXByYXllci1icmVha2Zhc3QtYW5kLXJpZ2h0LXdpbmctY2hyaXN0aWFuaXR5LWRlbGljaW91cy1jb21ib19wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphjlFvo2GkrxXHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)! - 16 Muppets who [moved to “Sesame Street,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjYvc2VzYW1lLXN0cmVldC1pbmNsdXNpdmUtbXVwcGV0cy1qaS15b3VuZy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYY5Rb6NhpK8Vx1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) from Ji-Young to Abby Cadabby - [Is science stuck](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjYvaXMtc2NpZW5jZS1zdGFnbmF0aW5nLXRoZS1ncmVhdC1zdGFnbmF0aW9uLWRlYmF0ZS1leHBsYWluZWQvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)? The "Great Stagnation Debate," explained - QAnon congressional candidate sets up [Bitcoin fundraising operation](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0STaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvcWFub24tY29uZ3Jlc3Npb25hbC1jYW5kaWRhdGUtc2V0cy11cC1iaXRjb2luLWZ1bmRyYWlzaW5nLW9wZXJhdGlvbi10aGF0LW1heS1iZS1pbGxlZ2FsX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) that may be illegal - "Lyric writing is not easy": [Michael Stipe looks back](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvcmVtLW1pY2hhZWwtc3RpcGUtbmV3LWFkdmVudHVyZXMtb2YtaGktZmkvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) on creating REM's "New Adventures of Hi-Fi" - [Donald Trump still livid](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0SNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvZG9uYWxkLWlzLXN0aWxsLWxpdmlkLWJvYi13b29kd2FyZC13YXMtYWxsb3dlZC10by13cml0ZS1ib29rLXB1Ymxpc2hlZC1tb250aHMtYWdvX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Bob Woodward was "allowed" to write books about him - [Dr. Anthony Fauci expresses concerns](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0SVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvZHItYW50aG9ueS1mYXVjaS1leHByZXNzZXMtY29uY2VybnMtb3Zlci1uZXctdmFyaWFudC1pbmNsdWRpbmctZXZhc2lvbi1vZi1pbW11bmUtcmVzcG9uc2VfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYY5Rb6NhpK8Vx1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) over new variant, including "evasion of immune response" - Marvel really should [consider a real version](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjYvaGF3a2V5ZS1yb2dlcnMtdGhlLW11c2ljYWwtbWFydmVsLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphjlFvo2GkrxXHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) of "Rogers: The Musical" - And, finally, try this celebratory and [seasonal Hanukkah menu](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0QyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjc_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYY5Rb6NhpK8Vx1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), featuring sweet potato latkes and blood orange sufganiyot Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgphjlFvo2GkrxXHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. none none What went wrong in America Something made middle-aged white American men go desperately off the rails, Salon contributor Kirk Swearingen argues — and he's got some poorly developed theories for why exactly this happened. Was it frat boys, light beer or LynyrdSkynyrd? All of the above? "With the Republican Party's platform morphing from obstruction to fascism (e.g., CPAC is planning a spring fling in authoritarian Hungary), citizens losing their minds over wearing masks and talking up anything but a safe and free vaccine in a deadly pandemic that has taken more American lives than were lost in our Civil War (in an era before doctors could do much more than use a saw), and school board members facing violent threats for supporting basic inclusion and diversity efforts in public schools — for many, the concept of American exceptionalism has been turned on its head," Swearingen writes. "One could easily contend, as was argued back in the day, that the country 'went south' (literally) when it was first truly established because too much had to be given to the South to get the Constitution ratified. We are still suffering from those compromises, and still making them, to this day. America's hidden wound, as writer Wendell Berry termed it, our collective unwillingness to fully acknowledge our history of slavery, is now producing the bad-faith arguments about critical race theory being taught in public schools and the banning of books that address the history of slavery in this country. This wound may prove mortal." [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjYvd2hhdC1leGFjdGx5LWhhcy1nb25lLWluLWFtZXJpY2EtZnJhdC1ib3lzLWxpZ2h0LWJlZXItb3Itc2t5bnlyZC1pZGsvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). (Photo via Getty Images) none - "I'm Black. My Son Is White. Here's What We Deal With When We Leave The House," [The Huffington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaHVmZnBvc3QuY29tL2VudHJ5L2JsYWNrLWRhZC13aGl0ZS1zb24tYWRvcHRpb25fbl82MThiZTc4N2U0YjBhNTE4YWNhOTFmMzZXA3NwY0IKYY5Rb6NhpK8Vx1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "How Austin Became One of the Least Affordable Cities in America," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8xMS8yNy91cy9hdXN0aW4tdGV4YXMtdW5hZmZvcmRhYmxlLWNpdHkuaHRtbD9yZWZlcnJpbmdTb3VyY2U9YXJ0aWNsZVNoYXJlVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "How to save a ski town," [Outside Magazine](How to Save a Ski Town) - "TOSSING A BIRD THAT DOES NOT FLY OUT OF A PLANE," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL2lkZWFzL2FyY2hpdmUvMjAxOC8xMS95ZWxsdmlsbGUtdHVya2V5LXRyb3QvNTc2MTg0L1cDc3BjQgphjlFvo2GkrxXHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Cold-blooded killers or misunderstood victims? Why a gruesome Beverly Hills murder case is back in the spotlight, three decades later," [The Telegraph](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLW5ld3MvMjAyMS8xMS8yNy9tZW5lbmRlei1icm90aGVycy1tdXJkZXItMjAyMS1seWxlLWludGVydmlldy9XA3NwY0IKYY5Rb6NhpK8Vx1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) none none Mike Lindell's failed rally It's been more than a year since Joe Biden beat Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election — but MyPillow CEO-turned-conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell is still pushing debunked election fraud stories. What's unclear, however, is who's still buying them. Lindell held a last-ditch rally on Wednesday morning outside Fox News' Manhattan headquarters to pressure the network to dedicate more coverage to election conspiracies. The only problem? Almost nobody showed up. [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0SPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMjcvbWlrZS1saW5kZWxsLWhlbGQtYS1yYWxseS10by1kZW1hbmQtbW9yZS1mb3gtbmV3cy1jb3ZlcmFnZS1hbmQtZmFpbGVkLXNwZWN0YWN1bGFybHlfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYY5Rb6NhpK8Vx1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Photo via Getty Images) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, 19801 DE [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmGOUW-jYaSvFcdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2021 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjhfRQP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgphjlFvo2GkrxXHUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)