Tuesday, February 21, 2012

OK, Now  You Have A Reason
To Be Depressed

laist:
Two people attempted to commit suicide Monday by leaping from freeway overpasses, and both victims survived their jumps.
Quite a fucking country where potential avenues to suicide must be kept from the people.
In addition to investigating motives, the LAPD will likely examine the overpasses above the 101 near Hollywood and Sunset boulevards, as they were built in the 1950s and never equipped with pedestrian-proof fences.
Ah, the Fabled Fifties, when not everybody was ready to heave themselves over a railing to plunge 20+ ft. into traffic. What the hell happened?

5 comments:

Substance McGravitas said...

I think Valium was freely available then.

M. Bouffant said...

Picky Pharmacopeia Editor:

A precursor, "Miltown."

Meprobamate was first synthesized by Bernard John Ludwig, PhD, and Frank Milan Berger, MD, at Carter Products in May 1950. Wallace Laboratories, a subsidiary of Carter Products, bought the license and named it Miltown after the borough of Milltown in New Jersey. Launched in 1955, it rapidly became the first blockbuster psychotropic drug in American history, becoming popular in Hollywood and gaining notoriety for its seemingly miraculous effects.[1]

Glennis said...

That's really not the best method to choose, I think.

BadTux said...

Forget about pedestrian-proof fences. I'll settle for concrete-block-proof fences, 'cause there's some jerk ghetto kids who enjoy tossing concrete blocks off those things and watching them smash car windshields. "It's fun!", they shout when you ask them why. Hrm?

But since falling bodies have roughly the same effect on a car windshield as concrete blocks... err, yeah. Good fences make good, uhm, bridges? Or at least one that ya don't gotta cringe when ya pass under'em...

- Badtux the "Sky is falling!" Penguin

M. Bouffant said...

Kids Today! Editor:

Cheeze, we limited our younger selves to eggs on strings over the side, & just on Hallowe'en.

They should at least put up FALLING BODIES AHEAD signs.