Crash Course: We saw this coming: For Russia's neighbors, Putin's brutal invasion came as no surprise

For Lithuanians like our writer, raised on Russian propaganda, all of this was expected. The West didn't want to listen Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). We saw this coming: For Russia's neighbors, Putin's brutal invasion came as no surprise For Lithuanians or Poles, Russia's invasion of Ukraine did not come as a shock. It was always plausible — for more than a decade, Russia has rehearsed attacks on its neighbors during military exercises, going as far as a simulated "cut-off" of the Baltic states from the EU or simulated nuclear strikes on Warsaw or Berlin. As I write, children are dying, Ukrainian women and girls are being raped by Russian soldiers, civilians are shot in the back; schools, hospitals and UNESCO-protected cathedrals are being carpet-bombed. The death and deportation lists for thousands of Ukrainians have reportedly been drawn up, just as they were under Stalin and Hitler. [Read the rest from Kristina Sabaliauskaitė](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvd2Utc2F3LXRoaXMtY29taW5nLWZvci1uZWlnaGJvcnMtcHV0aW5zLWJydXRhbC1pbnZhc2lvbi1jYW1lLWFzLW5vLXN1cnByaXNlL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images) In "Severance" a sham work/life balance cuts the same when the body keeps the score "Severance," the [Apple TV+](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMzEvaW52YXNpb24tYW5kLTUtb3RoZXItZ3JlYXQtYXBwbGUtdHYtc2hvd3MtdG8td2F0Y2gtb24tbmV3LXllYXJzLWV2ZV9wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) sci-fi thriller that wrapped its head-scratchingly captivating first season on Friday, has sent viewers and critics into a heady clue-piecing whirlwind that I'm seeing many compare to the puzzle box of Showtime's "[Yellowjackets](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTAveWVsbG93amFja2V0cy15YS15b3VuZy1hZHVsdC1zaG93dGltZS9XA3NwY0IKYku_uFJiag0UM1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)." But where the mysteries of "Yellowjackets" sprout from the duality of pre- and post-trauma female athletes, "Severance" is spun around a group of office drones who elected to have the memories of their work lives and personal lives surgically severed. Executive produced and primarily directed by [Ben Stiller](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTYvMTAvMDUvYmVuLXN0aWxsZXItYW5kLXRvbS1icm9rYXctY2hhbmdlLXRoZS1zY3JpcHQtb24tY2FuY2VyL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), which is a fun little pondering all its own, "Severance" opens with the voice of Mark Scout ([Adam Scott](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0SSaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTUvMDIvMjAvYXNfbG9uZ19hc19odW1hbnNfYXJlX2Fyb3VuZF90aGVyZV93aWxsX2JlX2Rja19qb2tlc19hZGFtX3Njb3R0X29uX3RoZV9lbmR1cmluZ19hcHBlYWxfb2ZfaG90X3R1Yl90aW1lX21hY2hpbmVfMi9XA3NwY0IKYku_uFJiag0UM1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)) asking, "Who are you?" Everything we experience thereafter echoes that same question. [Read the rest from Kelly McClure](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0Q4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvc2V2ZXJhbmNlLWVuZGluZy1hcHBsZS9XA3NwY0IKYku_uFJiag0UM1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Apple TV+) - Why teens are [self-diagnosing](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvd2h5LXRlZW5zLWFyZS1zZWxmLWRpYWdub3Npbmctb24tdGlrdG9rL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) on TikTok - American actors with [the best onscreen British accents](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvYW1lcmljYW4tYWN0b3JzLWJlc3QtYnJpdGlzaC1hY2NlbnRzL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), from Peter Dinklage to Renee Zellwegger - Bill Maher on why [republicans are obsessed with pedophilia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RQaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvYmlsbC1tYWhlci1vbi13aHktYXJlLW9ic2Vzc2VkLXdpdGgtcGVkb3BoaWxpYS9XA3NwY0IKYku_uFJiag0UM1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Rating "Bridgerton" on its [South Asian authenticity](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvYnJpZGdlcnRvbi1pbmRpYW4tc291dGgtYXNpYW4taGFsZGkvVwNzcGNCCmJLv7hSYmoNFDNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), from its hair oiling to the haldi ceremony - What is a ”[warrior poet](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvd2hhdC1pcy1hLXdhcnJpb3ItcG9ldC10aGUtbmVvbG9naXNtLXRoYXQtY29ubmVjdHMtbmV3LWFnZXJzLWFuZC1tYWRpc29uLWNhd3Rob3JuLWV4cGxhaW5lZC9XA3NwY0IKYku_uFJiag0UM1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)”? The neologism that connects New Agers and Madison Cawthorn, explained - [Mitch McConnell](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RhaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvbWl0Y2gtbWNjb25uZWxsLWxlYWRzLWluLXByb2ZpdGluZy1vZmYtb2YtY29ycG9yYXRlLXByaWNlLWhpa2VzL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) leads Republicans in profiting off of corporate price hikes - [Lady Gaga's dog walker shooting](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDgvbGFkeS1nYWdhcy1kb2ctd2Fsa2VyLXN1c3BlY3QtbWlzdGFraW5nbHktZnJlZWQtZnJvbS1qYWlsL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) suspect mistakenly freed from jail - Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton heat up Amazon's sleepy thriller "[All the Old Knives"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDgvYWxsLXRoZS1vbGQta25pdmVzLXJldmlldy1wcmltZS12aWRlby9XA3NwY0IKYku_uFJiag0UM1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - ["The View" calls Marjorie Taylor Greene a "snowflake"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDgvdGhlLXZpZXctY2FsbHMtbWFyam9yaWUtdGF5bG9yLWdyZWVuZS1hLXNub3dmbGFrZS1mb3Itb3ZlcnJlYWN0aW9uLXRvLWppbW15LWtpbW1lbC1qb2tlL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) for overreaction to Jimmy Kimmel joke - Charithra Chandran on how "Bridgerton" [helped her internalized colorism](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDgvYnJpZGdlcnRvbi1jaGFyaXRocmEtY2hhbmRyYW4tY29sb3Jpc20vVwNzcGNCCmJLv7hSYmoNFDNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~): "I'm trying to unlearn it" - [Scientists arrested for peaceful climate protests](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDgvc2NpZW50aXN0cy1hcnJlc3RlZC1mb3ItcGVhY2VmdWwtY2xpbWF0ZS1hcm91bmQtdGhlLXdvcmxkLXNheS1jbGltYXRlLXJldm9sdXRpb24tbm93L1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) around the world say "climate revolution now" Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. Why is the right so obsessed with bathroom issues? Behind the new wave of anti-LGBTQ attacks Republicans have become increasingly obsessed with bathrooms, toilets, locker rooms and other such spaces. At Donald Trump's recent rally in Georgia, for instance, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told the audience that "Pete Buttigieg can take his electric vehicles and his bicycles and he and his husband can stay out of our girls' bathrooms." Greene was wallowing in obvious anti-gay bigotry and stereotypes. But she knows her audience well: Trumpists and Republican voters generally share her vile beliefs. Of course the facts do not matter: Like other so-called conservatives, Greene is fomenting a moral panic around the specious claim that the LGBTQ community somehow poses a "threat" to the "traditional family" and offers another example of how "real Americans" — meaning white, supposedly Christian conservatives — are somehow being oppressed or discriminated against in "their own country." [Read the rest from Chauncey DeVega](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvd2h5LWlzLXRoZS1yaWdodC1zby1vYnNlc3NlZC13aXRoLWJhdGhyb29tLWlzc3Vlcy1iZWhpbmQtdGhlLW5ldy13YXZlLW9mLWFudGktbGdidHEvVwNzcGNCCmJLv7hSYmoNFDNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). (Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) - "Jussie Smollett Proclaims His Innocence in New Song ‘Thank You God’," [Vulture](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0TVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudnVsdHVyZS5jb20vMjAyMi8wNC9qdXNzaWUtc21vbGxldHQtcHJvY2xhaW1zLWlubm9jZW5jZS1uZXctc29uZy10aGFuay15b3UtZ29kLmh0bWw_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1mYiZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPXMxJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj12dWx0dXJlJmZiY2xpZD1Jd0FSMU9GYTVkWTVaVHlaM0VIY04wQTZ3cVFGYlZEUkNzeHRmOGZVNzEtck4ya1ZVZldQMEpHczZReFRNVwNzcGNCCmJLv7hSYmoNFDNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "John Hinckley, failed assassin-turned-musician, books NYC concert," [NY Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0TVaHR0cHM6Ly9ueXBvc3QuY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDgvam9obi1oaW5ja2xleS1mYWlsZWQtYXNzYXNzaW4tdHVybmVkLW11c2ljaWFuLWJvb2tzLW55Yy1jb25jZXJ0Lz91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249aXBob25lX255cCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPXBhc3RlYm9hcmRfYXBwJmZiY2xpZD1Jd0FSMlFMM3kwUFV5WlNVZmxPV0tBS2VndWpUTFN5QVJHVHlLaEdkOFR4ekZrNTVfQ1otdzdrb0c3SW1ZVwNzcGNCCmJLv7hSYmoNFDNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "YES, GIANT SPIDERS ALSO EXIST IN THE OCEAN," [Nerdist](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0TLaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXJkaXN0LmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlL2dpYW50LW9jZWFuLXNwaWRlcnMtc3BvdHRlZC1pbi10aGUtc2VhLz91dG1fbWVkaXVtPXNvY2lhbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249c29jaWFsK2Zsb3cmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1mYWNlYm9vay5jb20mZmJjbGlkPUl3QVIxcWFXbDFOSW9EMHFvVGdzZ2pUSF95QUpJTjNHQi1ZSFQ5eWtKRmMxd2dGR3oxdGttMW5SdTJmR0VXA3NwY0IKYku_uFJiag0UM1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "These Are the Best Plant-Based Meat Items from Fast Food Chains," [Thrillist](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhyaWxsaXN0LmNvbS9uZXdzL25hdGlvbi9iZXN0LXBsYW50LWJhc2VkLW1lYXQtaXRlbXMtZnJvbS1mYXN0LWZvb2QtY2hhaW5zVwNzcGNCCmJLv7hSYmoNFDNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Ominous cloud seen over Alaska sparks conspiracies. What’s the official explanation?" [The Bellingham Herald](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmVsbGluZ2hhbWhlcmFsZC5jb20vbmV3cy9uYXRpb24td29ybGQvbmF0aW9uYWwvYXJ0aWNsZTI2MDIzMDk3MC5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmJLv7hSYmoNFDNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Woman charged with murder for self-induced abortion A 26-year-old woman named Lizelle Herrera was arrested on Thursday and faces a murder charge in relation to her own self-induced [abortion](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDcvb2tsYWhvbWEtcmVhZGllcy1mb3ItbmVhci10b3RhbC1hYm9ydGlvbi1iYW5fcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYku_uFJiag0UM1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). Herrera is currently being held on a $500 thousand bond in the custody of the Starr County Sheriff's Office, according to local station [KVEO-TV](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudmFsbGV5Y2VudHJhbC5jb20vbmV3cy9sb2NhbC1uZXdzL3N0YXJyLWNvdW50eS13b21hbi1hcnJlc3RlZC1mb3Itc2VsZi1pbmR1Y2VkLWFib3J0aW9uL1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). A spokesperson for the sheriff's office gave a statement to news outlets saying that Herrera's arrest came about when their office learned she had "intentionally and knowingly cause(d) the death of an individual by self-induced abortion." [Read the rest from Kelly McClure](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0ROaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDkvd29tYW4tY2hhcmdlZC13aXRoLWZvci1zZWxmLWluZHVjZWQtYWJvcnRpb24vVwNzcGNCCmJLv7hSYmoNFDNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). (Wendy P. Romero/Long Visual Press/Universal Images Group 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, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmJLv7hSYmoNFDNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkNT29P0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpiS7-4UmJqDRQzUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)