Crash Course: Heard about Joe Biden and the crack pipes?

From the good people who brought you "death panels" none Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpiAVf-BGKsQWHzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). none none Is Joe Biden a crack dealer? Another burning question from the folks who brought us “death panels” Maybe you didn’t actually wonder why “Joe Biden” and “crack cocaine,” two things that rarely appear on social media and have never previously been associated, were trending on Wednesday. But we did! Because journalism is all about curiosity — sometimes, morbid curiosity. As Salon’s [Jon Skolnik discovered](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDkvcmlnaHQtZ29lcy13aWxkLXdpdGgtY2xhaW1zLWJpZGVuLWhhbmRpbmctb3V0LWNyYWNrLXBpcGVzLXRvLWVuZC1yYWNpc20taGVzLW5vdC9XA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), someone in the right-wing media ecosystem had noticed an insignificant provision in a “harm reduction program” announced by the Department of Health and Human Services and — in the grand tradition of hysterical Republican lies that are 1.8% true — turned that into “Joe Biden is handing out crack pipes.” Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee [literally tweeted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0Q-aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9NYXJzaGFCbGFja2J1cm4vc3RhdHVzLzE0OTEyNTc5MTQyMzMwOTgyNDBXA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), “End government-funded crack pipes,” and we would almost think she was tryna be funny — if we believed she had a sense of humor. As for what was actually going on beneath this completely manufactured and malicious outrage, it was an entirely genuine and reputable public health program, expanding "overdose prevention centers," which have helped save lives in many parts of the world. Jon explains: So here's where we get to the crack pipes: As one of the 20 "harm reduction activities" in Biden's plan, HHS would provide "safe smoking kits," which might include rubber mouthpieces for glass pipes to prevent injuries, as the fact-check site Snopes has [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc25vcGVzLmNvbS9mYWN0LWNoZWNrL2JpZGVuLWNyYWNrLXBpcGVzLXJhY2lhbC1lcXVpdHkvVwNzcGNCCmIBV_4EYqxBYfNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). It's this relatively minor provision within a much larger program that provoked conservatives into spinning Biden's entire plan as a massive crack-pipe giveaway. To be even clearer, no actual crack pipes will be given away, and the rubber mouthpieces are one small piece of a plan intended to save lives and reduce the public-health consequences of drug addiction. Late on Wednesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was forced to address this non-issue, assuring the nation that the president is not giving away crack pipes — and there’s no toll-free number you can call or website to click if you want one. Sorry! (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) none none Republicans in N.Y. learn a great truth of politics, and life: Payback is a b**ch That photograph is of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who won a signal victory for the Republican Party in 2020 by winning back a New York City seat from the Democrats. (OK, her district is mostly in Staten Island, which doesn't really want to be part of New York City, but we digress.) Well, Malliotakis had better not count on a long tenure in D.C., given the ruthlessly efficient congressional map just drawn by New York Democrats, which carves up her seat — and at least two others now held by Republicans — such that it now has a majority of Democratic voters. After a decade plus of Republican legislators in state after state locking themselves into power, it's pretty rich to hear them complaining about this reversal of fortune — but complain they will. Salon's [Igor Derysh explains](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMTAva2FybWEtYml0ZXMtaW4tbnktd2hpbmUtYWZ0ZXItZGVtLWdlcnJ5bWFuZGVyLW1heS1mbGlwLXRocmVlLXNlYXRzL1cDc3BjQgpiAVf-BGKsQWHzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~): The [New York] map is one of the most aggressive gerrymanders of the cycle, which Democrats hope will help offset expected Republican gains in states like Texas, Florida and Georgia. Redistricting analyst Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report said the New York map was "probably the biggest shift in the country," giving national Democrats their [first redistricting edge](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY29va3BvbGl0aWNhbC5jb20vYW5hbHlzaXMvaG91c2UvcmVkaXN0cmljdGluZy9maXJzdC10aW1lLWRlbW9jcmF0cy10YWtlLWxlYWQtb3VyLXJlZGlzdHJpY3Rpbmctc2NvcmVjYXJkVwNzcGNCCmIBV_4EYqxBYfNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) over the GOP this cycle. Though Republicans were expected to extend their redistricting advantage after an ultra-aggressive 2010-11 cycle, the New York map is "so skewed toward Democrats that it could single-handedly change that," [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly9maXZldGhpcnR5ZWlnaHQuY29tL2ZlYXR1cmVzL25ldy15b3Jrcy1wcm9wb3NlZC1jb25ncmVzc2lvbmFsLW1hcC1pcy1oZWF2aWx5LWJpYXNlZC10b3dhcmQtZGVtb2NyYXRzLXdpbGwtaXQtcGFzcy9XA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) FiveThirtyEight's Nathaniel Rakich. "It's a very carefully constructed aggressive gerrymander and clearly is designed to take out a number of Republican incumbents," Michael Li of NYU's Brennan Center told Igor. For her part, Rep. Malliotakis accused Democrats of ignoring the "will of the people." Former Salon editor David Daley, author of "[Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0QpaHR0cHM6Ly9ib29rc2hvcC5vcmcvYS8yNDY0Lzk3ODE2MzE0OTMyMThXA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)," observes that Republicans didn't end partisan gerrymandering when they had the chance and that this New York map represents the next stage of an "inevitable arms race" between the parties that started with "a decade of Republican cheating and unfair play," (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images) Promotion from Nutrisystem [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP4ROAWh0dHBzOi8vd3c0NC5hZmZpbml0eS5uZXQvc3Nzd2ViP2Vuaz0zNGU4ZDRiZTA2MDJjZjE4YTExMzM4NzE0NjBkMGUzYTYzM2RjMTljMmU4MTAxNmUyNzIyNTRiNzI0MDJhMzUzNWZjOTE3NGQ2MjFkOGFiM2I4ZWFlZDNmNjRiMGIwZjhjYjY3NDI5ZDQyMWFhNDZkOTEzMzExMjE1OWRlNDY5YzZjOTIyYjc4N2M3OTNlNDU4ZWE5NjljNGFmZTZhYmFlYjg4ZWI1MWVkMGQwOTA2Yzg5ZTVkYTIyNzUwNjQwZmYzNjBjYWI1YTRjMWM5ZTBkNWFkNzI2NGVkMDc4YjVjODViZGE1MDgzMTdmMzhiODQ1MDMyOTAwN2VlMDY4MzU0NjhjODZiNzRkZGM2MDA4MCZjYz1VUyZzdWJpZD1jcmFzaC1jb3Vyc2VXA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Get 50% OFF ALL PLANS! [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP4ROAWh0dHBzOi8vd3c0NC5hZmZpbml0eS5uZXQvc3Nzd2ViP2Vuaz0zNGU4ZDRiZTA2MDJjZjE4YTExMzM4NzE0NjBkMGUzYTYzM2RjMTljMmU4MTAxNmUyNzIyNTRiNzI0MDJhMzUzNWZjOTE3NGQ2MjFkOGFiM2I4ZWFlZDNmNjRiMGIwZjhjYjY3NDI5ZDQyMWFhNDZkOTEzMzExMjE1OWRlNDY5YzZjOTIyYjc4N2M3OTNlNDU4ZWE5NjljNGFmZTZhYmFlYjg4ZWI1MWVkMGQwOTA2Yzg5ZTVkYTIyNzUwNjQwZmYzNjBjYWI1YTRjMWM5ZTBkNWFkNzI2NGVkMDc4YjVjODViZGE1MDgzMTdmMzhiODQ1MDMyOTAwN2VlMDY4MzU0NjhjODZiNzRkZGM2MDA4MCZjYz1VUyZzdWJpZD1jcmFzaC1jb3Vyc2VXA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) none - This is the first Winter Olympics to use [entirely fake snow](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDkvYmVpamluZy1tYW51ZmFjdHVyZWQtd2ludGVyLWZvci0yMDIyLW9seW1waWNzL1cDc3BjQgpiAVf-BGKsQWHzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). That's not good news. - Why is Norway's government [banning the breeding](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDkvaW5icmVlZGluZy1idWxsZG9ncy1jYXZhbGllci1raW5nLWNoYXJsZXMtc3BhbmllbHMtbm9yd2F5LWV0aGljcy9XA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) of this breed of bulldog? - Forging a home in New Mexico through [Hatch green chile pasta](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDkvbXktcGFzdGEtbXlzZWxmLWZvcmdpbmctYS1ob21lLWluLW5ldy1tZXhpY28tdGhyb3VnaC1oYXRjaC1ncmVlbi1jaGlsZS1wYXN0YS9XA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Joe Rogan claims he's just "asking questions" — but that makes his COVID misinformation [even more dangerous](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDkvd2h5LWpvZS1yb2dhbnMtdmFjY2luZS1taXNpbmZvcm1hdGlvbi1pcy1zby1hbmQtZGFuZ2Vyb3VzbHktYXBwZWFsaW5nLXRvLWhpcy1hdWRpZW5jZS9XA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - A new compilation album lovingly covers [Todd Rundgren's masterpiece](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDkvYS10b2RkLXJ1bmRncmVuLXRyaWJ1dGUtc29tZW9uZWFueW9uZS1jb21waWxhdGlvbi1sb3ZpbmdseS1jb3ZlcnMtc29tZXRoaW5nYW55dGhpbmcvVwNzcGNCCmIBV_4EYqxBYfNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), 50 years later Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpiAVf-BGKsQWHzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. none none This season of "The Book of Boba Fett" is over. How can we possibly move on? Even if you haven't been watching the above-mentioned (and highly controversial, in the fan universe) "Star Wars" series, read [Melanie McFarland'swrap of a season](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0REaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDkvYm9vay1vZi1ib2JhLWZldHQtZmluYWxlLWdvZGZhdGhlci9XA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) she calls "so unfortunate, so unnecessary." Melanie's main thread is that this entire show is essentially "The Mandalorian Chronicles" by another name, only not smelling quite as sweet. Still and all, she knows fans want to go densely into this world, and that she does: We remain grateful to "The Book of Boba Fett" for its effort, mainly granting [Temuera] Morrison the chance to bring to life the titular bounty-hunter-turned-kindhearted mob boss. For he is as charming a figure as Boba Fett is, inexplicably, a modest man, despite his reputation as one of the baddest killers in the galaxy.Yes, but here, he is too modest. He had all the credits in his pocket, and refused to use them to purchase some common sense. Years of bounty hunting somehow brought him up short on contacts in the criminal world, it seems. In the end, as the cruel Pyke Syndicate invaded Tatooine and blew up the best bar in town (Jennifer Beals, we miss your shady Twi'lek lady already!) all he could rustle up were a few adorable scooter kids, a hotheaded Wookiee, and Pascal's popularity. (Even that is something of a trust fall; who even knows if that was the actor under that shiny bucket?) Did we at Crash Course follow all that? We did not. But as Melanie concludes, this beloved and be-hated show is terminally betwixt and between — and with much more to come: The season finale of "The Book of Boba Fett" is the culmination of six episodes' worth of missed opportunities in a seven-episode mash-up between the original "Star Wars" trilogy, the franchise's first successful spinoff and [a future that includes a series starring Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson)](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMDUvMDQvc3Rhci13YXJzLWNsb25lLXdhcnMtYWhzb2thLXRhbm8tamVkaS1kaXNuZXktcGx1cy9XA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), one of this season's cameos of convenience. (Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd/Disney+) none - Yeah, now there's a Canadian-style "freedom convoy" in France too, [Reuters](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV1dGVycy5jb20vd29ybGQvZXVyb3BlL3dhdmluZy1jYW5hZGlhbi1mbGFncy1mcmVuY2gtZnJlZWRvbS1jb252b3ktZ2V0cy11bmRlcndheS0yMDIyLTAyLTA5L1cDc3BjQgpiAVf-BGKsQWHzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - MLB spring training almost certainly delayed by continuing lockout; players vow "solidarity," [NJ.com](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmouY29tL3lhbmtlZXMvMjAyMi8wMi95YW5rZWVzLWdlcnJpdC1jb2xlLW9uLWV2ZS1vZi1leHBlY3RlZC1zb2xlbW4tbWxiLWFubm91bmNlbWVudC1zb2xpZGFyaXR5LWhpZ2guaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpiAVf-BGKsQWHzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Will NYC's already-legendary outdoor dining sheds have to come down post-COVID? [Eater](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RQaHR0cHM6Ly9ueS5lYXRlci5jb20vMjAyMi8yLzkvMjI5MjQwMTcvcmVzdGF1cmFudC1zaGVkcy1ueWMtcmVtb3ZlZC1kb3QtcGFuZGVtaWNXA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Parker Solar Probe captures first visible-light images of surface of Venus, [NASA](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0SGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmFzYS5nb3YvZmVhdHVyZS9nb2RkYXJkLzIwMjIvc3VuL3Bhcmtlci1zb2xhci1wcm9iZS1jYXB0dXJlcy1pdHMtZmlyc3QtaW1hZ2VzLW9mLXZlbnVzLXN1cmZhY2UtaW4tdmlzaWJsZS1saWdodC1jb25maXJtZWRXA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Omicron detected in white-tailed deer: Does that signal a new variant? [Deseret News](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVzZXJldC5jb20vY29yb25hdmlydXMvMjAyMi8yLzkvMjI5MjMzNTkvbmV3LXlvcmstZGVlci1vbWljcm9uLXZhcmlhbnQtbmV3LWNvdmlkLTE5LW11dGF0aW9uc1cDc3BjQgpiAVf-BGKsQWHzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) none none "Tinder Swindler" victims go for GoFundMe solution Here at Crash Course HQ Towers we haven't quite decided whether to take on the Netflix documentary "[The Tinder Swindler](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDYvaXMtdGhlLXRpbmRlci1zd2luZGxlci1vbmUtb2YtdGhvc2UtdHJ1ZS10YWxlcy10aGF0LW1pZ2h0LXN0cmVuZ3RoZW4tcmVsYXRpb25zaGlwcy9XA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)," but good Lord is it a byzantine fable — at least according to [Joy Saha's account](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0Q_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDkvdGluZGVyLXN3aW5kbGVyLWdvZnVuZG1lLXBhZ2UvVwNzcGNCCmIBV_4EYqxBYfNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) of how the women allegedly swindled by a guy who definitely wasn't the son of an Israeli diamond tycoon plan to recoup their losses: Earlier this week, Cecilie Fjellhøy, Pernilla Sjoholm and Ayleen Charlotte collectively launched a [GoFundMe page](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29mdW5kbWUuY29tL2YvNzVjOGdnLWhlbHAtdGhlLXZpY3RpbXMtb2YtdGhlLXRpbmRlci1zd2luZGxlclcDc3BjQgpiAVf-BGKsQWHzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to help them clear their debts. The three victims all met [Shimon] Hayut on the [dating app Tinder,](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTkvMDgvMDgvaW0taW4tbG92ZS13aXRoLWEtbWFuLWZvci10aGUtZmlyc3QtdGltZS1hbmQtaXRzLWEtYmlnLWNoYW5nZS1iZXN0LXNleC1ldmVyLWhhcy1hZHZpY2UvVwNzcGNCCmIBV_4EYqxBYfNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) where he posed as "Simon Leviev" — the swanky son of Israeli diamond tycoon Lev Leviev — and [meticulously conned them out of millions of dollars.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRj54NTP0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDUvMDkvaGVyZS1hcmUtNi1tdXN0LXNlZS1kb2N1bWVudGFyaWVzLWFib3V0LWNvbi1hcnRpc3RzLWZyb20tYW4tZXh0cmVtZS1jYXRmaXNoZXItdG8tYS13aW5lLWZyYXVkc3Rlci9XA3NwY0IKYgFX_gRirEFh81IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) In 2019, Leviev was extradited to Israel and served just five months of a 15-month sentence.  The three women hope to raise slightly north of $800,000, and at last report have pulled in less than one-tenth that amount. But wait, that's not all! Because no story of a scam ever ends without the accused scammer protesting that s/he has been wronged by an unfair world, Hayut/Leviev recently posted on Instagram to suggest that his own narrative has yet to be told: "I will share my side of the story in the next few days when I have sorted out the best and most respectful way to tell it, both to the involved parties and myself. Until then, please keep an open mind and heart." (Photos: Netflix) 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~/RgRj54NTP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmIBV_4EYqxBYfNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. 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