Before the pandemic, maintaining a stubble (especially as a corporate worker) made a man look disheveled to his peers; the equivalent of going to a job interview with bed-head, or wearing shorts to Mass. But post-pandemic, this type of facial hair became beloved — even fashionable. Declining to clean-shave or commit to a full beard could be a conscious effort to reject the old normal or a refusal to move on. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
