Crash Course: Did you lose touch with a pre-pandemic acquaintance? You’re not alone

Casual acquaintances disappeared from the lives of many during the pandemic — to the detriment of our happiness Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Did you lose touch with a pre-pandemic acquaintance? You’re not alone Before the pandemic, I started a friendship with a woman named Erin. We met on an organized women's group camping trip in Northern California, late summer in 2019. After the trip, Erin and I started a text conversation, and soon went out on a hike together. But shortly after, COVID-19 came to the San Francisco Bay Area, and I knew for certain that I probably wouldn't see Erin again until this all blew over. Though I felt that we had become casual acquaintances, we weren't close enough to stay in touch indefinitely, and the group hikes— our main connection — ended indefinitely. [Read the rest from Nicole Karlis](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvZGlkLXlvdS1sb3NlLXRvdWNoLXdpdGgtYS1wcmUtYWNxdWFpbnRhbmNlLXlvdXJlLW5vdC1hbG9uZS9XA3NwY0IKYipBCTdibtIcaFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Getty Images/Nevena1987) How nuclear weapon safeguards work — or fail During the nadir of the Watergate scandal in the 1970s, President Richard Nixon hit the bottle hard — to the point that the American security establishment was scared that he might drunkenly cause an international incident. Given that Nixon had control over the American nuclear arsenal, this was, to say the least, a sobering prospect. Yet thankfully for humanity (if not as much for the integrity of American democracy), the military figured out a way to circumvent the elected commander in chief. [Read the rest from Matthew Rozsa](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvaG93LW51Y2xlYXItd2VhcG9uLXNhZmVndWFyZHMtd29yay1vci1mYWlsL1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Getty Images/Anton Petrus) - This [5-ingredient marinade](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvdGhpcy01LWluZ3JlZGllbnQtbWFyaW5hZGUtZm9yLXNoZWV0LXBhbi1maXNoLXRhc3Rlcy1saWtlLXNwcmluZy1vbi1hLXBsYXRlL1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) for sheet pan fish tastes like spring on a plate - Elon Musk's Jet: The Twitter account that [uses a bot to track Musk in flight](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvZWxvbi1tdXNrcy1qZXQtdGhlLXR3aXR0ZXItYWNjb3VudC10aGF0LXVzZXMtYS1ib3QtdG8tdHJhY2stbXVzay1pbi1mbGlnaHQvVwNzcGNCCmIqQQk3Ym7SHGhSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - The true story behind the [Midge Maisel-Sophie Lennon rivalry](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvbXJzLW1haXNlbC1zb3BoaWUtbGVubm9uLWpvYW4tcml2ZXJzLXBoeWxsaXMtZGlsbGVyLXRvdGllLWZpZWxkcy9XA3NwY0IKYipBCTdibtIcaFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Growing up in "[Another Appalachia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvYW5vdGhlci1hcHBhbGFjaGlhLW5lZW1hLWF2YXNoaWEvVwNzcGNCCmIqQQk3Ym7SHGhSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)" is more relatable than you think: "I keep finding myself here " - "I decide with my heart": [Penélope Cruz](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvcGVubG9wZS1jcnV6LXBhcmFsbGVsLW1vdGhlcnMtb3NjYXIvVwNzcGNCCmIqQQk3Ym7SHGhSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) on her marriage, career and working with Pedro Almodóvar - Riz Ahmed rapping and a dark comedy about prison: [A look at the Oscar-nominated live action shorts](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvYmVzdC1vc2NhcnMtc2hvcnRzLWxpdmUtYWN0aW9uLXRvLXdhdGNoL1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - [Feeling hotter](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RhaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvZmVlbGluZy1ob3R0ZXItdGhhbi1pdC1zaG91bGQtYmUtd2hlcmUteW91LWxpdmUteW91cmUtbm90LWFsb25lL1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) than it should be where you live? You're not alone - Bombed out: [Why we keep on making war](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvYm9tYmVkLW91dC13aHktd2Uta2VlcC1vbi1tYWtpbmctd2FyLWFuZC10b2xlcmF0aW5nLWl0L1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), and tolerating it - Disney, DeSantis and the "[Don't Say Gay](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0R8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvZGlzbmV5LWRlc2FudGlzLWFuZC10aGUtZG9udC1zYXktZ2F5LWJpbGwtYS1mbG9yaWRhLXNob3dkb3duLW92ZXItbW9uZXktcG93ZXItYW5kLWVxdWFsaXR5L1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)" bill: A Florida showdown over money, power and equality - "[Servant of the People](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTgvc2VydmFudC1vZi10aGUtcGVvcGxlLW5ldGZsaXgtemVsZW5za3l5L1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)" is an example of a politician living up to the promise he plays out on TV Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. America is united on the Ukraine war, right? Still, let's follow the money Walk a few blocks in Manhattan, where I live, and you'll find many reminders of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. People in West Village cafes talking about Vladimir Putin's "madness." A poster tacked to a deli window advertising a solidarity march in Times Square. A hashtag on the local barista's iPad, right below the option to add a tip, that reads: #WeStandWithUkraine. And that's on top of the condemnations online and on television, the boycotts and the declamatory emails from universities, banks and corporations. [Read more from Shaan Sachdev](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTkvYW1lcmljYS1pcy11bml0ZWQtb24tdGhlLXVrcmFpbmUtd2FyLXJpZ2h0LXN0aWxsLWxldHMtZm9sbG93LXRoZS1tb25leS9XA3NwY0IKYipBCTdibtIcaFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Omar Marques/Getty Images) - "Kyiv calling: famous Clash anthem reborn as call to arms," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0S5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3dvcmxkLzIwMjIvbWFyLzE5L2t5aXYtY2FsbGluZy1mYW1vdXMtY2xhc2gtYW50aGVtLXJlYm9ybi1hcy1jYWxsLXRvLWFybXMtYmV0b24_dXRtX3Rlcm09QXV0b2ZlZWQmQ01QPXR3dF9ndSZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9VHdpdHRlciNFY2hvYm94PTE2NDc3MTgyMjVXA3NwY0IKYipBCTdibtIcaFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "The Hottest Flavor in Snacks Is ‘Cooked Too Long,'" [Eater](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWF0ZXIuY29tLzIyOTc3NjU5L2J1cm50LXBvdGF0by1jaGlwcy1leHRyYS10b2FzdHktY2hlZXotaXQtdHJlbmRXA3NwY0IKYipBCTdibtIcaFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Ukrainian media outlet says Russia holding one of its journalists captive," [The Hill](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RzaHR0cHM6Ly90aGVoaWxsLmNvbS9ob21lbmV3cy9tZWRpYS81OTg4OTYtdWtyYWluaWFuLW1lZGlhLW91dGxldC1zYXlzLXJ1c3NpYS1ob2xkaW5nLW9uZS1vZi1pdHMtam91cm5hbGlzdHMtY2FwdGl2ZVcDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "No, cryptocurrencies shouldn’t be added to 401(k) plans," [The Washington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0SMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL2J1c2luZXNzLzIwMjIvMDMvMTgvY3J5cHRvLWJpdGNvaW4tcmV0aXJlbWVudC00MDFrLz91dG1fc291cmNlPXR3aXR0ZXImdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXdwX21haW4mdXRtX21lZGl1bT1zb2NpYWxXA3NwY0IKYipBCTdibtIcaFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Beloved 87-year-old NYC vocal coach dead from random attack Police are currently on the hunt for the person responsible for shoving 87-year-old vocal coach Barbara Maier Gustern to the ground the evening of March 10, resulting in a brain injury that took her life. The incident occurred outside of Gustern's apartment on Manhattan's Lower West Side when an unidentified woman came up behind Gustern and pushed her, causing her to fall and hit her head, according to CNN. The woman fled the scene, leaving Gustern where she lay until a man on a bicycle who witnessed the attack brought her into the lobby and an ambulance was called, according to The New York Times. Gustern had been rehearsing a cabaret show with friends in the apartment, and left to see a performance at Joe's Pub. "I've never been hit so hard in my life," Gustern reportedly told one of her friends following the attack. [Read the rest from Kelly McClure](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDMvMTgvYmVsb3ZlZC04Ny15ZWFyLW9sZC1ueWMtdm9jYWwtY29hY2gtZnJvbS1yYW5kb20vVwNzcGNCCmIqQQk3Ym7SHGhSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). (Tamara Beckwith/NY Post) 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, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmIqQQk3Ym7SHGhSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkGY4_P0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpiKkEJN2Ju0hxoUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)