Crash Course: Benghazi! The day that launched America's dizzying downward spiral

Obama didn't tell the truth — and the right weaponized that viciously. This is how America drove itself nuts [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci82MDgwVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjY0zzaGPeA6DRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Benghazi! The day that launched America's dizzying downward spiral — and I was there In the early hours of Oct. 28, a conspiracy theorist broke into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco home and hit her 82-year-old husband on the head with a hammer, fracturing his skull. The previous July, President Biden visited Saudi Arabia, hoping to persuade Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to ease oil production to make up for flows disrupted by Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine: It was an obvious bid to head off inflation at home and improve Democrats' chances in the midterm elections. The Saudi-led oil cartel OPEC decided to cut production instead. [Read the rest from Dr. Ethan Chorin.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvYmVuZ2hhemktdGhhdC1kYXktbGF1bmNoZWQtYW1lcmljYXMtb25nb2luZy1leGVyY2lzZS1pbi1zZWxmLWhhcm0tLWFuZC1pLXdhcy10aGVyZS9XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Getty Images/Shannon Fagan) Why are so many young people having less sex and fewer friendships? The right-wing media ecosystem wants more sex. Specifically, [conservative and far-right pundits](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDgvMjgvYW5kLXRoZS1vZi1tYW5ob29kLWFyZS10aGUtcmVhbC1vYnNlc3NlZC1wZXJ2cy1pbi1hbWVyaWNhL1cDc3BjQgpjY0zzaGPeA6DRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) are worried that young men specifically aren't having enough of it. That's their take on an analysis of the [General Social Survey](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0Q1aHR0cHM6Ly9nc3NkYXRhZXhwbG9yZXIubm9yYy5vcmcvdmFyaWFibGVzLzUwNTcvdnNob3dXA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), a bi-annual survey conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago, which shows that since 2010 the rate at which both men and women (18-34) are having sex has declined dramatically since 2008. In 2021, the survey found over 20 percent of males under 35 reported not having had sex in the past year, and 19 percent of females of the same age group; in 2008, those groups' numbers were 8 and 7 percent, respectively. [Read the rest from Christopher T. Conner.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvd2h5LWFyZS1zby1tYW55LXlvdW5nLXBlb3BsZS1hcmUtaGF2aW5nLWxlc3MtYW5kLWZld2VyLWZyaWVuZHNoaXBzL1cDc3BjQgpjY0zzaGPeA6DRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - The enduring seduction of [“Dangerous Liaisons”](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvdGhlLWVuZHVyaW5nLXNlZHVjdGlvbi1vZi1kYW5nZXJvdXMtbGlhaXNvbnMtLW9uLXN0YWdlLWZpbG0tYW5kLW5vdy10di9XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) — on stage, film, and now TV - [Marjorie Taylor Greene](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvbWFyam9yaWUtdGF5bG9yLWdyZWVuZS1zYXlzLWNvbW11bmlzdHMtZ290LWhlci1iYW5uZWQtZnJvbS10d2l0dGVyX3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) says communists got her banned from Twitter - 33 [best vegetarian soup recipes](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvMzMtYmVzdC12ZWdldGFyaWFuLXNvdXAtcmVjaXBlcy1iZWNhdXNlLWJhYnktaXRzLWNvbGQtb3V0c2lkZV9wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpjY0zzaGPeA6DRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) because baby, it’s cold outside - ["Blockbuster"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvYmxvY2tidXN0ZXItYW5kLW1pc3NpbmctdGhlLWNvbW11bml0eS1vZi12aWRlby1zdG9yZXMvVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) and missing the community of video stores - “We need a renaissance”: [Photographer Devin Allen](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvd2UtbmVlZC1hLXJlbmFpc3NhbmNlLXBob3RvZ3JhcGhlci1kZXZpbi1hbGxlbi1vbi13aHktYXJ0LWlzLW5lY2Vzc2FyeS1mb3Itc29jaWFsLWNoYW5nZS9XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) on why art is necessary for social change - [DeSantis](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvZGVzYW50aXMtcm9hc3RlZC1ieS1mb3JtZXItc3R1ZGVudHMtYXQtZ2VvcmdpYS1ib2FyZGluZy1zY2hvb2xfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) roasted by former students at Georgia boarding school - [Mike Davis](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvbWlrZS1kYXZpcy1ibHVlLWNvbGxhci1vZHlzc2V5LXRvLWNpdHktb2YtcXVhcnR6LWZyb20tdHJ1Y2tlci10by1sZWdlbmRhcnktbGVmdGlzdC13cml0ZXIvVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)' blue-collar odyssey to "City of Quartz": From trucker to legendary leftist writer - "God made me a fighter," [DeSantis](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvZ29kLW1hZGUtbWUtYS1maWdodGVyLWRlc2FudGlzLXNheXMtaW4tbmV3LWNhbXBhaWduLWFkX3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) says in new campaign ad - How [Vietnam](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDUvaG93LXZpZXRuYW0tY2hhbmdlZC1tZS0tYW5kLWNoYW5nZWQtYW1lcmljYS9XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) changed me — and changed America - Piles of churros and carnitas costra de queso: [What a travel writer eats in Mexico City](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDUvcGlsZXMtb2YtY2h1cnJvcy1hbmQtY2Fybml0YXMtY29zdHJhLWRlLXF1ZXNvLXdoYXQtYS10cmF2ZWwtd3JpdGVyLWVhdHMtaW4tbWV4aWNvLWNpdHkvVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjY0zzaGPeA6DRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (Photo courtesy of Netflix/Mark Bourdillon) Bake fails: Is this the most disappointing season of "The Great British Baking Show"? Following in the footsteps of his seafaring predecessors in[ the Plymouth Company and London Company](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0QvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL3RvcGljL2JyaXRpc2gtY29sb25pYWxpc21XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), Paul Hollywood journeyed to North America, tasted the fruit of the land, and announced, "Yeah, OK, I am now an expert in this." And lo, in the tradition of [the shocked people who received those uninvited English travelers](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDkvMTgvdGF0dG9vcy1oYXZlLWEtbG9uZy1oaXN0b3J5LWdvaW5nLWJhY2stdG8tdGhlLWFuY2llbnQtd29ybGQtLWFuZC1hbHNvLXRvLWNvbG9uaWFsaXNtX3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) hundreds of years ago and wondered what in the heck they thought they were doing, the North American audiences of ["The Great British Baking Show"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0Q5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL3RvcGljL3RoZS1ncmVhdC1icml0aXNoLWJha2luZy1zaG93VwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) have generally reacted to his declaration of expertise with statements along the lines of, "Oh, hell no." Perhaps you've seen or heard of the cringe-tastic debacle that was "Mexican Week," an episode in which Hollywood deemed tacos an example of that nation's traditional baking style. Yes, according to Hollywood, tacos qualify as baking, and [creamy tres leches cakes](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMTIvMTgvaG93LXRvLXVzZS11cC10aGUtcmVzdC1vZi1hLWNhbi1vZi1zd2VldGVuZWQtY29uZGVuc2VkLW1pbGtfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), usually a single-decker sweet, can be layered and tiered. [Read the rest from Melanie McFarland.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvYmFrZS1mYWlscy1pcy10aGlzLXRoZS1tb3N0LWRpc2FwcG9pbnRpbmctc2Vhc29uLW9mLXRoZS1ncmVhdC1icml0aXNoLWJha2luZy1zaG93L1cDc3BjQgpjY0zzaGPeA6DRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "20 climate photographs that changed the world," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RhaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL2Vudmlyb25tZW50LzIwMjIvbm92LzA1LzIwLWNsaW1hdGUtcGhvdG9ncmFwaHMtdGhhdC1jaGFuZ2VkLXRoZS13b3JsZFcDc3BjQgpjY0zzaGPeA6DRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Two Kenyans win New York City Marathon after race’s leader collapses," [New York Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RiaHR0cHM6Ly9ueXBvc3QuY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDYvNTBrLXJ1bm5lcnMtc2V0LW9mZi1vbi1maXJzdC1mdWxsLWNhcGFjaXR5LW55Yy1tYXJhdGhvbi1zaW5jZS1jb3ZpZC9XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Nonprofit Watchdog Group Promises to Sue Trump If He Tries to Run for President," [Truthout](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RuaHR0cHM6Ly90cnV0aG91dC5vcmcvYXJ0aWNsZXMvbm9ucHJvZml0LXdhdGNoZG9nLWdyb3VwLXByb21pc2VzLXRvLXN1ZS10cnVtcC1pZi1oZS10cmllcy10by1ydW4tZm9yLXByZXNpZGVudC9XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Dolly Parton Declares Herself a ‘Rock Star Now’ in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Speech," [Rolling Stone](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RhaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucm9sbGluZ3N0b25lLmNvbS9tdXNpYy9tdXNpYy1uZXdzL2RvbGx5LXBhcnRvbi1yb2NrLWhhbGwtaW5kdWN0aW9uLXNwZWVjaC0xMjM0NjI0NzA2L1cDc3BjQgpjY0zzaGPeA6DRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images) Hurricane Ian’s deadly impact on Florida seniors exposes need for new preparation strategies All kinds of natural disasters — hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, dangerous heat waves — pose [substantial risks to older adults](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0SgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmVkY3Jvc3Mub3JnL2NvbnRlbnQvZGFtL3JlZGNyb3NzL3RyYWluaW5nLXNlcnZpY2VzL3NjaWVudGlmaWMtYWR2aXNvcnktY291bmNpbC8yNTM5MDEtMDMlMjBCUkNSLU9sZGVyJTIwQWR1bHRzJTIwV2hpdGVwYXBlciUyMEZJTkFMJTIwMS4yMy4yMDIwLnBkZlcDc3BjQgpjY0zzaGPeA6DRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Yet, not enough seniors prepare for these events in advance, and efforts to encourage them to do so have been largely unsuccessful. The most recent horrific example was Hurricane Ian, the massive storm that in September smashed into Florida's southwestern coast — a haven for retirees — with winds up to 150 mph and storm surges [exceeding 12 feet](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL2NsaW1hdGUtZW52aXJvbm1lbnQvMjAyMi8xMC8xOC9odXJyaWNhbmUtaWFuLXN0b3JtLXN1cmdlLWRhbWFnZS9XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) in some areas. [At least 120 people died](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0SVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8xMC8yMS91cy9odXJyaWNhbmUtaWFuLXZpY3RpbXMuaHRtbCM6fjp0ZXh0PUlhbiUyMGNhdXNlZCUyMG1vcmUlMjBkZWF0aHMlMjBpbixpbiUyMGZsb29kd2F0ZXJzJTIwaW5zaWRlJTIwdGhlaXIlMjBob21lcy5XA3NwY0IKY2NM82hj3gOg0VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), most of them in Florida. Of those who perished, two-thirds were 60 or older. Many [reportedly drowned](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0RIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8xMC8wNy91cy9odXJyaWNhbmUtaWFuLXZpY3RpbXMtZHJvd25lZC5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) and were found in their homes. [Read the rest from Judith Graham.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlS3hLP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDUvaHVycmljYW5lLWlhbnMtaW1wYWN0LW9uLWZsb3JpZGEtc2VuaW9ycy1leHBvc2VzLW5lZWQtZm9yLW5ldy1wcmVwYXJhdGlvbi1zdHJhdGVnaWVzX3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) 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~/RgRlS3hLP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmNjTPNoY94DoNFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. 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