Extra, Extra

The Big Chill: “A rapidly intensifying storm that could be one of the most intense on record for the Midwest in January is helping to prompt watches and warnings for the entire Lower 48 states on Friday.” Extreme weather alerts cover every state as bomb cyclone intensifies. (It’s currently 54 and partly sunny in the Bay Area doom loop.)

+ Net Results: “The net is intended to make people rethink their decision. Some opponents to the project argued that people would just go somewhere else to kill themselves. But the research does not illustrate that. A U.C. Berkeley study followed people after they had been stopped on the bridge during a suicide attempt. The vast majority did not go on to die by suicide somewhere else, even years later.” After decades of advocacy, suicide deterrent finally comes to the Golden Gate Bridge.

+ Vax Americana: “Americans aren’t now suspicious of inoculations on the whole—the nation isn’t anti-vax—but we have lost faith in yearly COVID shots.” A very interesting look at the state of vaccinations from The Atlantic (Gift Article): America Is Having a Senior Moment on Vaccines.

+ Steaming Stack: “One of the newsletter platform Substack’s most prominent writers is abandoning the platform over its decision not to moderate praise for Nazis and pro-Holocaust material.” Substack’s woes deepen as tech blog leaves over Nazi content. (I’ll likely do the same. Stay tuned.)

+ Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect : A 71-year-old serial bank robber who spent 40 years in prison strikes again in LA.

+ Gum Dropped: “Fruit Stripe came in five flavors — Wet n’ Wild Melon, Cherry, Lemon, Orange and Peach Smash — and was striped in appropriately matching colors. Each stick included a temporary tattoo of mascot Yipes the Zebra, too.” Fruit Stripe gum has been discontinued. (The gum lasted 54 years. The flavor lasted 54 seconds.)