Cindy, you'd asked about the link I'd posted on FB--here it is. A Cambridge professor and head of their biomedical research program with a crapton of experience in clinical trials explaining what usually goes into all the many years it takes to get any medication from the lab to the patient, and why the abbreviated timeline in this case isn't as worrisome as it might seem.

Thank you, JZ. That's a great piece.

JenP, taste > inspiration.

Hey, smonster.

Well, today started off as a Monday of all Mondays. Got into the office and couldn't get my computer started. We have laptops, connected by a docking station to the office network, full-size monitor, separate keyboard and mouse. The computer had been turned off (which I don't do) and I couldn't get the monitor, keyboard or mouse to register on the laptop. Tried logging on to the laptop and it wouldn't accept my password. Checked all connections, tried various tricks, finally ended up searching the office for a docking station to match the one I had (we have at least five different models ... which causes all kinds of problems). FINALLY got the computer up with monitor, keyboard and mouse working and got it to accept my password. Someone else called me to reset something at their desk and I noticed there was a test sheet printed out on their printer, so something was going on. Turns out it may be the result of a building-wide power shut-down over the weekend. sigh ....

edited to add: and I can't access our office database, so I can't look up members or run reports ... bah!

And may I point out that this is the 79th anniversary of my father joining that noted antifa organization, the U.S. Army.

Toddson, after all that, you ought to be able to call it a day and go home. Maybe even a week.

And may I point out that this is the 79th anniversary of my father joining that noted antifa organization, the U.S. Army.

Are you now, or have you ever been against *checks notes* fascism?

It just gets me that being against fascism now seems to be a BAD thing ... what happened to the "good old days" when nazis were the bad guys?

Thank you, dcp!

JenP, taste > inspiration

Concur. Especially when there's so little work involved, just sayin'.

I'm going in to work on the home office now. If you don't hear from me in a day or so, send help. Or fudge. Fudge is helpful.

My mom usually makes us fudge for Christmas, Jen. I don't know if she's doing it this year, I don't want to ask, because I don't want her sneaking off to the store for ingredients.

Has anyone watched any of the 100-Hour recipes on YouTube? I don't think they're the best recipes ever, but my word they are relaxing to watch. They're from Alvin Zhou, who is a producer for Buzzfeed's Tasty.

The lasagna video (which isn't cheesy enough for me, if we're talking recipes, but I'm really just talking YouTube escape) was my gateway drug. It's here: [link]

I started chasing the dragon with The 100-Hour Fudgy Brownies recipe, and even though I then watched Emmy Made in Japan's test of the recipe ( [link] ), which convinced me it wasn't my cuppa cocoa, I still found watching the recipe itself absolutely lovely: [link]

I ended up a little hooked on Emmy's videos too. Right now, I'm restraining myself from watching either, so that we don't end up with no supper, because I was watching cooking videos, instead of cooking.

If punching out Nazis is wrong, I don't want to be right.

If punching out Nazis is wrong, I don't want to be right.

We had to close early on Friday. We had gotten a message from our warming center that a frequent unhomed patron had tested positive for COVID. He'd been banned for coming in drunk so we were on the lookout for him but he showed up. Refused to wear a mask, refused to leave and stood there arguing with the reference desk person. We emptied the building for cleaning and had to move to curbside only this week.

It's a shit show. Reference is running around and we are swamped with phone calls. And I'm here alone until 6.

We didn't get around to putting up our decorations because Lack of Energy and Holiday Cheer. (tm)

Today I dropped off some materials I'd developed for a class the #2 guy at the U is teaching next semester. I saw six people in the Executive suite, and three of them weren't wearing masks (required on campus) and one of them was the #2 guy, who stepped right up, stuck out his hand (dodged that by shoving the books and outline in his hand) and started asking me questions from a pre-covid distance. I'm still kind of shocked at the stupid. I am glad I didn't send the person I am supposed to send on these errands, because I'd hate it if I put a staff member in that position.

Also, my ER doc niece in Ohio won't be getting vaccinated in the first round because instead of health care they are sending it to nursing homes? I haven't checked on this, but I believe her outline. She's not angry - she knows those folks need protection, too -- she's just disappointed, I think? Because she'd been lead to believe she and her team would be first? I think she'd had hope, and was thinking about how her future self would be protected soon and could come home to their 8 month old baby with more peace? Hard to explain, but I think you can feel it.