Oregon father of four who told President Biden 'Let's Go Brandon' on Christmas Eve call said he meant it in jest  —  A Central Point father of four who wished President Joe Biden and the first lady a wonderful Christmas and added “Let's go, Brandon,” at the end of a live streamed Santa tracker call told …

A U.S. Navy combat ship is stranded in Guantánamo Bay with a virus outbreak.  —  A Navy combat ship deployed to intercept drug trafficking in the Caribbean and East Pacific is stuck in the port at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, with a coronavirus outbreak among its fully vaccinated crew.

As Omicron Spreads and Cases Soar, the Unvaccinated Remain Defiant  —  To some who are steadfastly opposed to the shot, the evasiveness of the coronavirus has only reaffirmed their stance.  —  CLEVELAND — As a fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus swarms across the country …

A Dangerous Ruling About The Times, Project Veritas and Press Freedom  —  The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values.  It is separate from the newsroom.  —  Half a century ago …

Why you should upgrade your mask as the Omicron variant spreads  —  (CNN)As the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread, some experts say it's past time to reconsider your face mask options — especially if you're still wearing the cloth variety.

James Webb Space Telescope Launches on Journey to See the Dawn of Starlight  —  Astronomers were jubilant as the spacecraft made it off the launchpad following decades of delays and cost overruns.  The Webb is set to offer a new keyhole into the earliest moments of our universe.

Why Christmas was the best time of year to escape slavery  —  It was the night before Christmas, and as Jarm would remember it later, “though cold, it was as clear and beautiful as Tennessee sky could make it.”  —  He stood outside the slave cabin with his enslaver's horse, a stolen saddle full of food and a forged travel pass.

Joan Didion and the Opposite of Magical Thinking  —  You didn't have to agree with her, but you had to submit to her sentences.  —  It is a peculiarity of Joan Didion's work that her most ironic formulations are now read as sincere, and her sincerest provocations taken with a large pinch of salt.

Jim Jordan ‘Very Scared’ as 1/6 Committee Seeks Info on Trump Calls, Fellow Lawmaker Says  —  The January 6 committee wants to speak with Representative Jim Jordan about his communication with former President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, and a Democratic lawmaker urged him to offer up “everything” he knows.

The Worst Political Predictions of 2021  —  What did you get totally wrong about 2021?  Here's my answer: I was sure — sure — that as soon as the Covid vaccines were widely available, all but an infinitesimally small percentage of American adults would line up to take the shot, crush the pandemic and get back to life as normal-ish.