(Originally posted to my GoFundMe earlier today, so I didn't bother to change the timestamp. This is basically copied verbatim (modulo formatting), including the fundraising stuff at the end; I *was* posting to GoFundMe after all. Feel free to ignore those bits if you want. Link to the fundraiser will be provided in the comments and upon request.)
It's almost the end of May, and as predicted, it's been a crazy busy month on a number of fronts. (Though alas, not the job front.) So it is unsurprising that it's been over 3 weeks since the last installment of "SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 related PSA / traditional weblogging plus the usual begging post" and thus I must play a bit of catch-up. Warning: June looks to be just as busy, but I hope to get in at least a couple of these during that month! For now, let's take a look at what pharmacological chemist and blogger Derek Lowe has been talking about so far this month in his blog for Science Translational Medicine.
His most recent post points out that he's likely to continue decreasing the number of COVID-focused posts as time goes on:
A Word on Blog Topics
Here's one that's not really SARS-CoV-2 related but highlights one of the conundrums many folks in the sciences (especially the biological ones) face all the time:
Clearing Cellular Dead Wood
One opinion (from someone in the industry) on waiving intellectual property rights as a way to get more vaccines out there faster:
Waiving IP
The following article STARTS with "I’m going to regret writing about this..."
Coronavirus Origins
And to cap it off, here's a few more technically oriented posts.
Spike Protein Behavior
Integration Into the Human Genome?
An Outside Perspective
And now, as the prophecy (or at least the opening paragraph) foretold, it's time to move on to the usual PSA-and-begging part of this post. Regular readers of these tyoe of posts pretty much know what comes next: the plea for those of you who are able to SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES. Some of these were "essential" and never closed during the lockdowns. Others, after having opened back up, are now trying to figure out the best safe ways to stay open as we move back and forth between varying levels of semi-lockdown, highly dependent on location. What these businesses have in common is that locally owned and operated businesses give better "bang for the buck" when it comes to keeping the local economy moving. So please do what you can to help keep your local economy a little bit more afloat. Locally owned businesses are, and will continue to be, struggling to survive and get back on their feet, so please patronize them as much as you can. BUY LOCAL. Please however, do so in a safe manner. Keep on wearing masks and other protective equipment when going shopping in person, continue social distancing. Act intelligently, because I know you can.
And now, for ourselves. Rent on the storage units is either past due or due right now, the medical bills aren't going away, and neither are any of the others. And thus, because after so long we STILL can't afford shame, here's my shameless and desperate plea for help. Please PLEASE spread the word as much as you feel able; share this fundraiser on lots of social media, by email, even by writing the link on pieces of paper and passing them around. Encourage folks you know to donate and to spread the word themselves. I've long since estimated that I'll need about 1,000 different contributors to make the goal, so getting the word out is important. And IF YOU ARE ABLE TO, please donate! We know that some of you have done so over the past year or so (for which A GREAT BIG THANK YOU) and lots of you just can't. For those of you who can, even a spare fin or sawbuck, if that's all you can afford, is appreciated. Every little bit helps. (Remember, NO FEELING GUILTY if you don't have the means to contribute, or enough spoons to spread the word as far as you'd like.) And as I also keep saying: unlikely as it may be in these times of pandemic-fueled recession, if you have any job leads for either of us, PLEASE contact us! Relocation is TOTALLY an option. (90-plus-percent remote-work is the best option in the current circumstances, at least through 2021.)
Again, if anyone here actually is in a position to help out, now would be a truly awesome time to do so. If you can't, you can't; I understand that better than most... thanks in advance for whatever you are able to do. And remember to take care of yourselves, folks. Whatever the local restrictions may be now where you are, please practice the UTMOST caution: stay home as much as you can, go out to do what you must, and as I've been saying, keep tabs on the infection rate for your vicinity, not just your state/province/country. STAY SAFE. Wash your hands, keep hydrated, boost your immune system by whatever means works for you. Practice social distancing as much you realistically can. WEAR MASKS THAT COVER THE NOSE AND MOUTH and make sure you're actually COVERING both your nose and mouth with them. Get vaccinated as soon as you realistically can. Keep in touch with your friends and loved ones from a safe distance. Tell them you care and that you're thinking of them. And as always, thank you for your continued support.
It's almost the end of May, and as predicted, it's been a crazy busy month on a number of fronts. (Though alas, not the job front.) So it is unsurprising that it's been over 3 weeks since the last installment of "SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 related PSA / traditional weblogging plus the usual begging post" and thus I must play a bit of catch-up. Warning: June looks to be just as busy, but I hope to get in at least a couple of these during that month! For now, let's take a look at what pharmacological chemist and blogger Derek Lowe has been talking about so far this month in his blog for Science Translational Medicine.
His most recent post points out that he's likely to continue decreasing the number of COVID-focused posts as time goes on:
A Word on Blog Topics
Here's one that's not really SARS-CoV-2 related but highlights one of the conundrums many folks in the sciences (especially the biological ones) face all the time:
Clearing Cellular Dead Wood
One opinion (from someone in the industry) on waiving intellectual property rights as a way to get more vaccines out there faster:
Waiving IP
The following article STARTS with "I’m going to regret writing about this..."
Coronavirus Origins
And to cap it off, here's a few more technically oriented posts.
Spike Protein Behavior
Integration Into the Human Genome?
An Outside Perspective
And now, as the prophecy (or at least the opening paragraph) foretold, it's time to move on to the usual PSA-and-begging part of this post. Regular readers of these tyoe of posts pretty much know what comes next: the plea for those of you who are able to SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES. Some of these were "essential" and never closed during the lockdowns. Others, after having opened back up, are now trying to figure out the best safe ways to stay open as we move back and forth between varying levels of semi-lockdown, highly dependent on location. What these businesses have in common is that locally owned and operated businesses give better "bang for the buck" when it comes to keeping the local economy moving. So please do what you can to help keep your local economy a little bit more afloat. Locally owned businesses are, and will continue to be, struggling to survive and get back on their feet, so please patronize them as much as you can. BUY LOCAL. Please however, do so in a safe manner. Keep on wearing masks and other protective equipment when going shopping in person, continue social distancing. Act intelligently, because I know you can.
And now, for ourselves. Rent on the storage units is either past due or due right now, the medical bills aren't going away, and neither are any of the others. And thus, because after so long we STILL can't afford shame, here's my shameless and desperate plea for help. Please PLEASE spread the word as much as you feel able; share this fundraiser on lots of social media, by email, even by writing the link on pieces of paper and passing them around. Encourage folks you know to donate and to spread the word themselves. I've long since estimated that I'll need about 1,000 different contributors to make the goal, so getting the word out is important. And IF YOU ARE ABLE TO, please donate! We know that some of you have done so over the past year or so (for which A GREAT BIG THANK YOU) and lots of you just can't. For those of you who can, even a spare fin or sawbuck, if that's all you can afford, is appreciated. Every little bit helps. (Remember, NO FEELING GUILTY if you don't have the means to contribute, or enough spoons to spread the word as far as you'd like.) And as I also keep saying: unlikely as it may be in these times of pandemic-fueled recession, if you have any job leads for either of us, PLEASE contact us! Relocation is TOTALLY an option. (90-plus-percent remote-work is the best option in the current circumstances, at least through 2021.)
Again, if anyone here actually is in a position to help out, now would be a truly awesome time to do so. If you can't, you can't; I understand that better than most... thanks in advance for whatever you are able to do. And remember to take care of yourselves, folks. Whatever the local restrictions may be now where you are, please practice the UTMOST caution: stay home as much as you can, go out to do what you must, and as I've been saying, keep tabs on the infection rate for your vicinity, not just your state/province/country. STAY SAFE. Wash your hands, keep hydrated, boost your immune system by whatever means works for you. Practice social distancing as much you realistically can. WEAR MASKS THAT COVER THE NOSE AND MOUTH and make sure you're actually COVERING both your nose and mouth with them. Get vaccinated as soon as you realistically can. Keep in touch with your friends and loved ones from a safe distance. Tell them you care and that you're thinking of them. And as always, thank you for your continued support.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-27 03:35 am (UTC)