That "Noooooooo!!" you heard yesterday afternoon was Morning Brew's writers reacting to the death of David Lynch, the visionary director who died at 78. Lynch was beloved for his surrealist, macabre depictions of American life. Many tried to evoke a similar vibe, but as the Brew's Lynch expert Jen Walsh reminds us, "no one has matched his freak since." For your Lynch starter pack, she recommends watching Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive, and Blue Velvet.
Lynch's family announced his death on Facebook, writing, "There's a big hole in the world now that he's no longer with us. But, as he would say, 'Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.'"
On Jan. 5, New York enacted the country's first policy that charges drivers a toll for entering a central business district in an attempt to reduce traffic and raise $15 billion for mass transit infrastructure. People coming into Manhattan at or below 60th Street during peak hours by car are now paying $9 ($14.40 for small trucks and charter buses, $21.60 for large trucks and tour buses) on top of existing tolls and any parking fees.
According to the MTA, congestion pricing is having the desired effect:
- There's been an average of 7.5% fewer vehicles in the central business district.
- Travel time between New York and New Jersey via the George Washington Bridge, Holland Tunnel, and Lincoln Tunnel has been reduced between 30% and 40%. During the morning rush hour, the speed through the Holland Tunnel has nearly doubled to 28 mph.
- Crosstown drives are taking 20% to 30% less time.
While less pollution and more space for people in run clubs to meet their soulmates are clear benefits for NYC, some inside the congestion zone aren't happy:
Parking garage owners: Business has declined by 20%.
Restaurant owners: Facing higher delivery surcharges and consolidating deliveries.
Restaurant workers: Must either pay $9 per day to commute or drive and park outside the congestion zone.
Trump's Treasury secretary pick backs tariffs, tax cuts, and Russia sanctions. Scott Bessent, the hedge fund billionaire President-elect Donald Trump tapped to lead the Treasury Department, was the latest nominee to be grilled at a Senate confirmation hearing. Telling lawmakers that Trump could usher in a "new economic golden age," Bessent said tariffs could be a "revenue raiser" for the government while pushing for an extension of the 2017 tax cuts. He also called for more sanctions on Russian oil producers to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table with Ukraine.
Zyn authorized by FDA. The Food and Drug Administration formally OK'd Zyn nicotine pouches for sale after reviewing their safety. The agency authorized the sale of 10 flavors of the popular product, marking the first time it signed off on nicotine pouches.
Legendary baseball announcer Bob Uecker dies at 90. Known as "Mr. Baseball," Uecker was the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers since 1971. He became a national icon through his appearances on late-night shows, Miller Lite commercials, and his role as announcer Harry Doyle in the 1989 baseball classic Major League.
Legendary short seller Nate Anderson announced this week that he is shutting down his firm, Hindenburg Research, due to extreme job stress. With only 11 employees, Anderson took gargantuan swings at companies—and their billionaire leaders.
Hindenburg published deeply researched reports about companies it believed were overvalued and rife with corruption. It got its big break when it shorted electric truck-maker Nikola in 2020, calling the company an "intricate fraud."
Some other Hindenburg hits include billionaire investor Carl Icahn's Icahn Enterprises, Jack Dorsey's Block Inc., and India's powerful Adani family. Anderson claimed nearly 100 individuals have been charged civilly or criminally by regulators at least in part through his work.
After years of rumor-filled hype, Nintendo showed the first looks at its next console, the Switch 2, which is expected to be a power-up for the gaming industry when it launches later this year.
Top notes include a larger screen and bigger controllers that connect magnetically. The console will be backward-compatible with Switch games, and a new Mario Kart is expected.
The original 2017 Switch is the No. 2 best-selling console in the US, propelling Nintendo to its most profitable era ever, though profits have been declining for more than a year.
Duolingo reports a ~216% jump in new Mandarin learners in the US compared to the same period a year ago, likely due to the potential TikTok ban. The language learning app is emerging as a winner as users prepare to migrate away from the platform.