Crash Course: "Mild" omicron isn't so mild, after all

Plus: A Jan. 6 for the Great White North? none Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgph4NJ99mGEoOEqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). none none "Mild" omicron isn't so mild, after all Language is all relative, as many of those who have been stricken with the omicron variant of COVID-19 have discovered. It's been billed by doctors and pundits alike as a more "mild" version of the virus that's already killed millions worldwide — but Salon's Nicole Karlis spoke with some people who've had omicron, and say there's more to the story: - Tom Womack, 54, of Texas, said he experienced "bone-crushing cold chills that literally had me shaking, a pounding headache and fever [that all] started at the same time. I wore a jacket to bed under the blankets and comforter and still couldn't get warm." - Marcos Martinez, 36, from New York City, said she had an ear infection that "was so bad I couldn't even fall asleep." - Donna Gleize, of Toulon, France, said her symptoms weren't "fierce" but still knocked her out for several days due to a "fever, feeling cold, heavy headache, sore throat and body aches." In response to reports like these, Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus suggests reframing the language surrounding omicron. Rather than saying it's "mild," he suggests using the phrase "less severe" — which is true, given that fewer people are seeking hospitalization and dying (though there are definitely a worrying number of those cases as well). [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjkvb21pY3Jvbi1ub3Qtc28tbWlsZC8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Photo via Getty Images) none none A Jan. 6 for the Great White North? All eyes turned to Canada Saturday for a protest billed as the "Freedom Convoy" — thousands of motorists who flooded the roadways of the country's capital, Ottawa, in a bid to gridlock the city until vaccine mandates are repealed. Reports suggest the result was a largely-disjointed effort that failed to bring Canadian commerce to a halt in the way proponents were hoping — or force any changes to the country's vaccination rules. As of this writing, there hasn't been any violence to speak of — certainly not a Jan. 6-level event, as some had hoped — but Canadian Anti-Hate Network executive director Evan Balgord warned Salon's Kathryn Joyce that the event serves as proof that the extremist rhetoric plaguing the United States' right-wing movement has nonetheless spread north and is a worrying sign of what's to come: For your American readers, describing the people on the overpasses — they're somewhere between, or an amalgamation of, MAGA and Jan. 6. Meaning, with Jan. 6, there were some people that got really organized and wanted to do what happened, or even worse. And then there were plenty of people who were just there and got swept up and started to participate because somebody lit that match. With the convoy, it's similar: Not everybody that's there is a racist who wants to do violence. But there's elements of that in there. Every single hate group and insurrectionary element that we have in our country is there, or is supporting it from the sidelines. So it does create a volatile situation. I don't think we're quite at critical mass. We don't have all the right ingredients, I think, to make this a Jan. 6. But the point is, there's people here who want it to be. [Read the full interview](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjkvY2FuYWRhcy1mcmVlZG9tLWNvbnZveS1pcy10aGlzLWphbi02LWZvci10aGUtZ3JlYXQtbm9ydGgvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). (Photo via Getty Images) none - Deep dive: How George Visger [survived the NFL](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0SHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjkvZm9vdGJhbGwtaGVyby1ob3ctZ2VvcmdlLXZpc2dlci1zdXJ2aXZlZC10aGUtbmZsLWFuZC10cmF1bWF0aWMtYnJhaW4taW5qdXJ5LS1iYXJlbHkvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) and traumatic brain injury — barely - Jan. 6 committee says [Mark Meadows' game of "hokey pokey"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0SNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjgvamFuLTYtY29tbWl0dGVlLXNheXMtbWFyay1tZWFkb3dzLWhva2V5LXBva2V5LWhhcy1zbG93ZWQtZG93bi1wbGFuLWZvci1wcmltZXRpbWUtaGVhcmluZ3MvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) has slowed down plan for primetime hearings - No amount of wine can make ["The Woman in the House" spoof](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjgvdGhlLXdvbWFuLWluLXRoZS1hY3Jvc3MtdGhlLXN0cmVldC1yZXZpZXctbmV0ZmxpeC8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) work, despite its charismatic star - Boredom reigns at border as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott [drags out National Guard deployment](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0SPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjkvYm9yZWRvbS1yZWlnbnMtYXQtYm9yZGVyLWFzLXRleGFzLWdvdi1ncmVnLWFiYm90dC1ib3RjaGVzLW5hdGlvbmFsLWd1YXJkLWRlcGxveW1lbnRfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - The tragedy of Steve on "And Just Like That" is that [he's a lot like the rest of us](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjkvYW5kLWp1c3QtbGlrZS10aGF0LXN0ZXZlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NJ99mGEoOEqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), Salon TV critic Melanie McFarland writes - Why serial killers are [drawn to politics](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjkvd2h5LXNlcmlhbC1raWxsZXJzLWFyZS1kcmF3bi10by8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Try this naturally creamy [fennel and leek soup](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjkvdGhpcy1uYXR1cmFsbHktY3JlYW15LXNvdXAtaXMtbWFkZS13aXRob3V0LWRhaXJ5LW9yLWRhaXJ5LWFsdGVybmF0aXZlcy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) that's made without dairy — or dairy alternatives - Republicans are [barring medical boards from punishing doctors](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjgvYXJlLWJhcnJpbmctYm9hcmRzLWZyb20tcHVuaXNoaW5nLWRvY3RvcnMtcHJlc2NyaWJlLWl2ZXJtZWN0aW4tcmVwb3J0Lz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NJ99mGEoOEqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) who prescribe ivermectin - When Harry met Asta: Why [Syfy's kooky "Resident Alien"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RSaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjkvcmVzaWRlbnQtYWxpZW4tc3lmeS1oYXJyeS1hc3RhLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NJ99mGEoOEqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) is a love story - Tucker Carlson went to Hungary to "expose" George Soros, and all we got was [this white nationalist propaganda video](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0SJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjgvdHVja2VyLWNhcmxzb25zLWh1bmdhcmlhbi1yaGFwc29keS1yaWdodC13aW5nLW5hdGlvbmFsaXNtLWNhbi13aW4tdGhlLWRlbW9ncmFwaGljLXdhci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Nurses are [suffering physical ailments](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjgvbnVyc2VzLWFyZS1zdWZmZXJpbmctcGh5c2ljYWwtYWlsbWVudHMtYXMtdGhleS1maWdodC0xOS1mb3ItdGhlLXJlc3Qtb2YtdXMvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) as they fight COVID-19 for the rest of us - "Clean" star Adrien Brody [talks with Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjgvYWRyaWVuLWJyb2R5LWNsZWFuLXN1Y2Nlc3Npb24vP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) about "Succession" & daily injustice: "There is a lot to be angry about" - And, finally, try [Beverly Kim's Kimchi jjigae](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0SOaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjkva2ltY2hpLWpqaWdhZS1pcy1vbmUtb2YtYmV2ZXJseS1raW1zLWFsbC10aW1lLWZhdm9yaXRlLXNvdXBzLWl0LWhpdHMtdGhlLWNvcmUtb2YteW91ci1zb3VsLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NJ99mGEoOEqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) — it will "hit the core of your soul" Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0QgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL25ld3NsZXR0ZXJXA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to receive Crash Course. none none Critics were right about the CRT panic Republicans said they wouldn't ban books or erase history in their zeal to reshape American education— but that appears to be exactly what they're doing. Via Dana Milbank at the Washington Post: "The American Library Association [tells me](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL29waW5pb25zLzIwMjIvMDEvMjgvdGVubmVzc2VlLWJhbnMtbWF1cy1zbm93Zmxha2UtcmVkLXN0YXRlcy9XA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) that there were 330 'challenges' in the three months between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1, 2021, with December still to be tallied. That compares with just 156 in all of 2020, and 377 in 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. This means book bannings are happening at roughly quadruple the previous pace." In the words of Salon's Amanda Marcotte: "It's not hard to detect the history they're trying to erase." Books that were targeted include "Martin Luther King, Jr. and the March on Washington," "We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball," and "Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation." A couple of books about Greek mythology were also tossed on the list because heaven forbid kids learn about lost religions and start to ask hard questions about existing ones. Of the challenged books, one was outright banned — Newberry winner "Walk Two Moons," which clearly offends by humanizing Native Americans. Seven other books are being hobbled with "restrictions" on what parts of the book kids are allowed to read. Targeted for censorship: Admitting that male seahorses nurture their young, a book that says it's okay to have feelings, a book about the fight to desegregate schools, a book about how it's okay for boys to like poetry, and a book that features interracial relationships. So now the truth is out: Republicans weren't upset about "critical race theory" or anything like it. It was a fake panic, propped up to cover for what they really want to do: Erase the history of racism from schools. As a side bonus, they also wish to force extremely rigid gender roles on children. [Read the full commentary](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0SHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjgvdGhlLWNyaXRpY3Mtd2VyZS1yaWdodC1jcml0aWNhbC1yYWNlLXRoZW9yeS1pcy1qdXN0LWEtY292ZXItZm9yLXNpbGVuY2luZy1lZHVjYXRvcnMvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) none - "Here is the Spotify COVID content policy that lets Joe Rogan slide," [The Verge](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhldmVyZ2UuY29tLzIwMjIvMS8yOC8yMjkwNzA2OS9zcG90aWZ5LWpvZS1yb2dhbi1uZWlsLXlvdW5nLWNvdmlkLTE5LW1vZGVyYXRpb24tcG9saWNpZXNXA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Everyone Has Left the Group Chat," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMS8yOS9zdHlsZS9ncm91cC1jaGF0LXRleHQtcGFuZGVtaWMuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgph4NJ99mGEoOEqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Kazakhstan shut down its internet. These programmers opened a backdoor," [Coda Story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY29kYXN0b3J5LmNvbS9hdXRob3JpdGFyaWFuLXRlY2gva2F6YWtoc3Rhbi1zaHV0LWRvd24taXRzLWludGVybmV0LXRoZXNlLXByb2dyYW1tZXJzLW9wZW5lZC1hLWJhY2tkb29yL1cDc3BjQgph4NJ99mGEoOEqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "The Story of Capitalism in One Family," [The Nation](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0Q5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlbmF0aW9uLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlL2N1bHR1cmUvbGVobWFuLXRyaWxvZ3kvVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "How 'Sesame Street' Is Handling the Pandemic," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0TQaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL2ZhbWlseS9hcmNoaXZlLzIwMjIvMDEva2lkcy1tZWRpYS1jb3ZpZC12YWNjaW5lLXNob3RzLzYyMTM1Ni8_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT10d2l0dGVyJnV0bV9jb250ZW50PWVkaXQtcHJvbW8mdXRtX3Rlcm09MjAyMi0wMS0yOVQxNSUzQTIyJTNBMzImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1zb2NpYWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXRoZS1hdGxhbnRpY1cDc3BjQgph4NJ99mGEoOEqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) none none Fake Trump elector fallout hits NRA The latest round of subpoenas issued by the Jan. 6 committee targeted 14 people accused of submitting falsified Electoral College paperwork across seven states — an important but complicated story that legal experts predict may yield criminal charges against dozens of people in the coming months. But one name stuck out to me while reading through Friday's list of subpoena recipients: Bill Bachenberg, who has been on the National Rifle Association's Board of Directors since 2005. He also has a documented history with TrumpWorld — he reportedly hosted Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., at a skeet shooting range he owns in Pennsylvania, and served as co-chair of an official campaign group called Sportsmen for Trump. Flashback: [NRA laid the groundwork for deadly Capitol riot for years, say gun control advocates](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0SHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDEvMzAvbnJhLWxhaWQtdGhlLWdyb3VuZHdvcmstZm9yLWRlYWRseS1jYXBpdG9sLXJpb3QtZm9yLXllYXJzLXNheS1ndW4tY29udHJvbC1hZHZvY2F0ZXMvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) The organization has so far skirted much official Jan. 6 scrutiny — but the idea that a board member may have been involved in efforts to subvert the 2020 election was called "both deeply concerning and unsurprising" by gun control advocates who spoke with Salon. [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjgvbnJhLWJvYXJkLW1lbWJlci1zdWJwb2VuYWVkLWJ5LWphbi02LWNvbW1pdHRlZS1vdmVyLXJvbGUtaW4tZmFrZS1lbGVjdG9yLXNjaGVtZS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDSffZhhKDhKlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (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~/RgRj2QLRP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmHg0n32YYSg4SpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj2QLRP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgph4NJ99mGEoOEqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)