Crap, P-C, I'm sorry your place is going through it -- even though you're safe (and I dearly hope that keeps on being the case, obvsly), it's shit for the whole atmosphere. I wish I could buy a round for everyone getting hit, but higher ed just doesn't pay enough to booze up this economy...

Well, I got one Cyber Monday deal -- round trip from DC to SF for about $200 + fees.

When you put two companies together, people get cut. It's just not supposed to be people I care about!

it's shit for the whole atmosphere

Yeah, I feel like I'm on the verge of tears, and I can barely think straight.

Calli, that is really scary and I sure hope they find out what caused the seizures and momentary loss of memory. I'm sorry your family was hit with this.

P-C, that's sad. One of the aspects of the biotech world is constant "reorganizing", and it's brutal to get used to. I've been laid off twice in this industry alone, and both times were because of failed Phase 3 studies. It's so typical but it's still jarring and hurtful when it happens.

"Yikes, four police officers were killed in Lakewood, near Seattle. Looks like they might have been targeted since they were meeting before their shift."

totally targetted assasination. Bad guy walked into a coffee shop where officers get coffee before work, mowed down three officers (in uniform) then killed the fourth who tried to take him down. Didn't attempt to hurt any employees or other customers who were not uniformed police officers. Total ambush.

I think there are a total of 16 children now without a parent since yesterday morning. Lots of help going out to the bereaved families but of course nothing can make up for the senseless loss.

Crappy situation, and no one has yet been able to find the guy in spite of the fact that witnesses say he was shot in the left by the fourth officer who fought with him. Needless to say it's a rather big deal around work here, what with the dispatching police officers and more than half our employees being related to officers.

(and as a geographical/jurisdictional fyi, the shootings occured in Parkland, an unincorporated community just south of Lakewood and about 10 miles from Tacoma. The assasinated officers were part of the Lakewood Police Department)

In a way, her LOA was retroactively practice for working without her

t shudder

That sucks and should not be legal.

I have my own personal thing about it, of course- my mom got laid off on Wednesday soon after coming back from LTD leave recovering from knee replacement surgery.

Seska, congrats on getting it done and turned in!

OMG! 5! Crazy. Happy B-day to lil Em!!

P-C, tons of KeepTheJob~ma for you. I'm surprised that they didn't do this all on Friday? End of pay period and all type of thing.

So far my "day off" has been * some sleep * flurry of e-mails * scrub tub and toilet. Mmm fun! Now to do dishes and make something to eat. The bitch of it is, the work that I need to do is waiting for others to firm up contracts to understand what equipment we need. Boss knows I can't progress until that is hammered out. But wants progress either way. Ugg.

I'm surprised that they didn't do this all on Friday?

Well, at least everyone could actually enjoy their holiday! (unlike, say, my mom.)

That sucks and should not be legal.

I have my own personal thing about it, of course- my mom got laid off on Wednesday soon after coming back from LTD leave recovering from knee replacement surgery.

To be honest, I had been fearing something like this might happen for a while since before her LOA (for a major surgery), she had to take sick days constantly because of her pain. Sometimes she would work from home, though. It soon became an issue for us since we had to unexpectedly work around her absence at times. And then when she got back, she still had to take a couple sick days; I guess her first week back was too exhausting. In any case, I can't help but think that it was a factor in the decision to lay her off.

I'm surprised that they didn't do this all on Friday? End of pay period and all type of thing.

They committed to informing everyone by the "end of the month." Which is the end of our pay period, so everyone's last paychecks were deposited before the weekend anyway. We weren't here on Friday.

Well, at least everyone could actually enjoy their holiday! (unlike, say, my mom.)

Oh shit, you mean THIS Wednesday? Before Thanksgiving? Damn.

I would suggest donating it. while unpleasant, it's still part of history. I think that we should not whitewash (heh) embarassing or unpleasant historical facts, because then people can't learn from others' mistakes.

I think this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to email the Jim Crow museum up at Ferris State [link] and see if they want it.