Cry Me a River: One of my kids is back on Zoom school and a highway exit down the hill from me is closed because of flooding. And this is just the beginning of a California bomb cyclone atmospheric river that I really hope doesn’t live up the hype. (If I lose power, I’ll deliver tomorrow’s NextDraft via smoke signal.)

+ Salesforce Cower: The big tech layoffs continue. Salesforce just announced a 10% staff reduction.

+ The Best Western Wall: “Critics accused the government of declaring war against the legal system, saying the plan will upend Israel’s system of checks and balances and undermine its democratic institutions by giving absolute power to the most right-wing coalition in the country’s history.” Israel’s new government is, sadly, living up to the worst fears. Israel’s new government unveils plan to weaken Supreme Court.

+ Church on the Hill: “Even though nearly three in 10 Americans claim no religious affiliation — a rate that has steadily risen in recent years — only two of the 534 incoming members of Congress publicly identify as such.” Religiously, Congress doesn’t reflect America. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is more Catholic than the Vatican.

+ Varsity Orange: Rick Singer, “the mastermind of the nationwide college admissions bribery scheme that ensnared celebrities, prominent businesspeople and other parents who used their wealth and privilege to buy their kids’ way into top-tier schools was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison Wednesday.” (And that was after cutting a deal and giving prosecutors the dirt on many others.)

+ Bury the Hatchet: “A former Colorado funeral home owner was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on Tuesday for defrauding relatives of the dead by dissecting 560 corpses and selling body parts without permission.”

+ That which we call their clothes by any other word would smell as sweet: “Now in their 70s, Hussey and Whiting filed a lawsuit in Santa Monica Superior Court on Friday, accusing Paramount of sexually exploiting them and distributing nude images of adolescent children.” Romeo and Juliet Stars Sue Paramount for Child Abuse Over Nude Scene in 1968 Film. (For never was a story of more whoa!)

+ Hamlin Upate: Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin remains in critical condition, but there are signs of improvement. Here’s the latest. I shared my take on the incident on the field, and the coverage off the field, yesterday. Are You Ready for Some Commentary?