Crash Course: Omicron's risk to children

Plus: Jan. 6 committee zeroes in on pair of GOP Congressmen none Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgphu-xkxGGGN1oaUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmG77GTEYYY3WhpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). none none Jan. 6 committee zeroes in on GOP Congressmen The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack has zeroed in on two Republican Congressmen in particular: Jim Jordan and Scott Perry. Jordan became the latest target Wednesday, when the committee asked for his "voluntary cooperation" in sharing documents and testimony with the Democratic-led panel. Given his past public statements, it's highly unlikely he will do so. Perry, for his part, has already denied an interview request, releasing a scathing statement calling the committee's purpose "illegitimate." Members of the panel will have to decide whether to issue subpoena requests and, ultimately, whether to hold each member in contempt if they refuse to honor those requests. For now, the pair are the only current members of Congress actively being scrutinized by the committee for their activities leading up to the attempted insurrection. [Learn more about the Jan. 6 committee's recent moves](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvamFuLTYtY29tbWl0dGVlLXplcm9lcy1pbi1vbi1jb25ncmVzc21lbi8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Photo via Getty Images) none Omicron's risk to children The rise of omicron has also coincided with an unfortunate reality: children are the last demographic not eligible yet for vaccination. The fact that this new variant is still not fully understood is making parents more nervous about traveling over the holidays — though doctors stress that there's nothing to suggest children are at any higher risk for severe disease with omicron than any past variant. One pediatrician who spoke with Salon's Nicole Karlis advised worried parents to weigh their own "risk tolerance." "I think that we all can respect that people are tired of the impacts that all the lockdowns have had on people," said Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases and associate professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of California. "If people have underlying risk factors for more severe disease, you might want to rethink your plans. If everybody is healthy and you think that infection or breakthrough infections can likely result in mild disease and you have to get together, you think it's important for the mental and emotional health of your family then you should do that." [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvdHJhdmVsaW5nLXdpdGgta2lkcy1kdXJpbmctb21pY3Jvbi8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). none - Trump's COVID army [turns against him](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvYXJteS10dXJucy1hZ2FpbnN0LWhpbS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - No one can say if "The Matrix Resurrections" is good or bad. Either way,[it makes you think](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0SLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvbm8tb25lLWNhbi1zYXktaWYtdGhlLW1hdHJpeC1yZXN1cnJlY3Rpb25zLWlzLWdvb2Qtb3ItYmFkLWVpdGhlci13YXktaXQtbWFrZXMteW91LXRoaW5rLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphu-xkxGGGN1oaUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Biden [extends pause](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvdW5kZXItcHJlc3N1cmUtZnJvbS1wcm9ncmVzc2l2ZXMtYmlkZW4tZXh0ZW5kcy1wYXVzZS1vbi1zdHVkZW50LWxvYW4tcmVwYXltZW50cy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) on student loan repayments - Yes, Dolly Parton really did turn down the presidential medal of freedom (twice) – [here’s why](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0SUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIveWVzLWRvbGx5LXBhcnRvbi1yZWFsbHktZGlkLXR1cm4tZG93bi10aGUtcHJlc2lkZW50aWFsLW1lZGFsLW9mLWZyZWVkb20tdHdpY2UtLWhlcmVzLXdoeV9wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphu-xkxGGGN1oaUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - The heroes of "Hawkeye" [dress like us](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvdGhlLWhlcm9lcy1vZi1oYXdrZXllLWRyZXNzLWxpa2UtdXMvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmG77GTEYYY3WhpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - Republican Congressman [publicly admits regret](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvY29uZ3Jlc3NtYW4tcHVibGljbHktYWRtaXRzLXJlZ3JldC1mb3Itdm90aW5nLXRvLW92ZXJ0dXJuLTIwMjBfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) for voting to overturn 2020 election - "The King's Man": Come for the goofy revisionist history, but stay for [scenery-chewing Rasputin](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvdGhlLWtpbmdzLW1hbi1yZXZpZXctcmFzcHV0aW4td3dpLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphu-xkxGGGN1oaUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Rep. Madison Cawthorn [getting divorced](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0R8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvcmVwLW1hZGlzb24tY2F3dGhvcm4tZ2V0dGluZy1kaXZvcmNlZC1hZnRlci1sZXNzLXRoYW4tYS15ZWFyLW9mLW1hcnJpYWdlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphu-xkxGGGN1oaUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) after less than a year of marriage - There are some mysteries Patricia Cornwell, crime novelist and creator of Kay Scarpetta, [can't crack](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0SPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvdGhlcmUtYXJlLXNvbWUtbXlzdGVyaWVzLXBhdHJpY2lhLWNvcm53ZWxsLW5vdmVsaXN0LWFuZC1jcmVhdG9yLW9mLWtheS1zY2FycGV0dGEtY2FudC1jcmFjay8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance [falls for online hoax](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvb2hpby1zZW5hdGUtY2FuZGlkYXRlLWpkLXZhbmNlLWZhbGxzLWZvci1ob2F4LXdlYnNpdGVfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - In George Clooney's coming-of-age flick "The Tender Bar," Ben Affleck [provides the gooey center](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvdGhlLXRlbmRlci1iYXItcmV2aWV3LWJlbi1hZmZsZWNrLWdlb3JnZS1jbG9vbmV5Lz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphu-xkxGGGN1oaUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - And, finally, Italian pastry chef Nicola Olivieri dishes on [why you need to try fresh panettone](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvaWYteW91dmUtbmV2ZXItaGFkLWZyZXNoLXBhbmV0dG9uZS0teW91dmUtbmV2ZXItcmVhbGx5LWhhZC1wYW5ldHRvbmUvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmG77GTEYYY3WhpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0QgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL25ld3NsZXR0ZXJXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to receive Crash Course. none none Why the right hates Dr. Fauci so much It's a strange development that many people outside the Fox News fever swamps haven't quite figured out: Why does Dr. Anthony Fauci inspire such hatred from diehard Trump supporters? Salon's Amanda Marcotte has a few ideas, writing that it all comes down to "the defensive rage the willfully ignorant have towards those who look at the larger world with curiosity, instead of fear." Dr. Fauci has been the favorite target of "who does he think he is"-style rants by pretty much every right-wing pundit and politician out there for over a year now. He's easily the most reliable hate object they've had since Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Those three are some readers — and that reliably triggers the bullying response in the Jesse Watters types. Despite all of their chest-thumping bravado, this knee-jerk hostility to those perceived as intellectually curious evinces a deep insecurity driving right-wingers. We also see this in the furious reaction on the right to polling data showing that young Democrats are not interested in socializing with, much less dating, Republicans. Considering how much liberals are demonized in right-wing media, you'd think the last thing conservatives would want is their company. But so much of that anger is driven by conservative insecurity, knowing that ultimately, their company is mostly irritating and definitely not interesting, and lashing out at others for perceiving that. [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0SPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvd2h5LXRoZXktaGF0ZS1oaW0tZHItZmF1Y2ktdHJpZ2dlcnMtdGhlLXJpZ2h0LWJlY2F1c2UtaGUtcmV2ZWFscy10aGVpci1kZWVwZXN0LWluc2VjdXJpdGllcy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) none - "The Rise of Eric Adams and Black New York," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8xMi8yMi9vcGluaW9uL2VyaWMtYWRhbXMtYmxhY2stbmV3LXlvcmsuaHRtbD9yZWZlcnJpbmdTb3VyY2U9YXJ0aWNsZVNoYXJlVwNzcGNCCmG77GTEYYY3WhpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "‘Have I Hit Bottom?’: Michael Avenatti and the Fall of a Trump-Era Antihero," [POLITICO](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucG9saXRpY28uY29tL25ld3MvbWFnYXppbmUvMjAyMS8xMi8yMi9taWNoYWVsLWF2ZW5hdHRpLXJpc2UtYW5kLWZhbGwtaG91c2UtYXJyZXN0LXByb2ZpbGUtNTI1MzAxVwNzcGNCCmG77GTEYYY3WhpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The Twisted, Stolen Legacy of the ‘Matrix’ Red Pill," [The Ringer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlcmluZ2VyLmNvbS9tb3ZpZXMvMjAyMS8xMi8yMS8yMjg0NzE1Ny90aGUtbWF0cml4LXJlZC1waWxsLWxlZ2FjeVcDc3BjQgphu-xkxGGGN1oaUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "The Prisoner-Run Radio Station That’s Reaching Men on Death Row," [The Marshall Project](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlbWFyc2hhbGxwcm9qZWN0Lm9yZy8yMDIxLzEyLzIwL3RoZS1wcmlzb24tcmFkaW8tc3RhdGlvbi10aGF0LXMtcmVhY2hpbmctbWVuLW9uLWRlYXRoLXJvd1cDc3BjQgphu-xkxGGGN1oaUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Neo’s Stunt Guy Chad Stahelski on How The Matrix Changed Movie Action Forever," [Vulture](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0SYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudnVsdHVyZS5jb20vMjAyMS8xMi9uZW8tc3R1bnQtZG91YmxlLW9uLWhvdy10aGUtbWF0cml4LWNoYW5nZWQtYWN0aW9uLWZvcmV2ZXIuaHRtbCNfZ2E9Mi4zNDc4MDQ1MS4zNjk1ODY3NDIuMTY0MDIzMjkxMi0xMDkzNTQwODcxLjE2MjU2ODY0NzdXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) none "Anthrax" outbreak hits far-right rally Attendees of a far-right rally in Texas a few weeks ago have begun complaining of coughing, shortness of breath and fever — symptoms most people would commonly associate with COVID-19. But these people have instead connected their mysterious illness to a biological weapons attack. Anthrax, to be exact. It all happened at the "Reawaken America" tour stop in Dallas on Dec. 10, an event that saw appearances from ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn, longtime GOP operative Roger Stone and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. The former president's son, Eric Trump, even spoke at the gathering. The anthrax claims first surfaced after right-wing podcaster Joe Oltmann shared the outlandish theory on his "Conservative Daily" show. From there, it gained steam when a number of Trumpworld hangers-on boosted the idea — despite the fact that nobody seems to have any evidence. "There was no anthrax at the event and we have sniffing dogs," Clay Clark, the lead organizer of "Reawaken America" said, adding that he had hired a reputable security firm to sweep the venue ahead of time. Clark also added that similar incidents have happened at each of the "Reawaken America" tour's stops — and that it didn't phase him to be dealing with another conspiracy. "All I know is that we have done seven events of these so far, and at each event, people have claimed they have been attacked by a bio-weapon," he said. "This is actually normal for me." [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMjIvcGVvcGxlLWdvdC1zaWNrLWFmdGVyLWZhci1yaWdodC1jb25mZXJlbmNlLWNsYWltLWl0cy1hbnRocmF4LW5vdC0xOS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYbvsZMRhhjdaGlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). 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~/RgRjpunqP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmG77GTEYYY3WhpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2021 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjpunqP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgphu-xkxGGGN1oaUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)