Shop for Yourself
Ferida Wolff's Backyard: Hostas and Us; Waving Beans
Ferida Wolff writes: I try not to casually dismiss each plant’s possibilities of expressing itself. I feel the same about people. We each have the possibility of offering the best of ourselves and especially in this difficult pandemic time, I hope that consideration of others is part of our social interaction. I notice lately that neighbors are waving and smiling when I take a walk, a friendly and welcome but sensitive distant greeting. more »
OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS: GAO's Information on FDA's Regulation of Most OTC Drugs
For years, most over-the-counter drugs followed requirements called "monographs" for each category of drugs (e.g., sunscreen or cough and cold medicine). To update a monograph, FDA followed the federal rulemaking process, which could take years. FDA said this process and insufficient resources limited its ability to quickly respond to safety issues. In March 2020, the CARES Act gave FDA new tools to regulate these over-the-counter drugs, such as a new process for updating and finalizing requirements, authority for FDA to collect user fees to support its activities, an expedited process for addressing serious safety issues. more »
Julia Sneden Writes: DisGRAYceful (A hair-raising tale)
Julia Sneden writes: The tendency to pair older, male anchormen with pretty young women is almost universal. I will concede that TV has done a good job of hiring women of color or of differing ethnicity. It seems to me that what's really missing is female newscasters who are over 40. Once they hit that magic mark, they are relegated to interview shows, or TV news magazines like "60 Minutes" or "Dateline NBC." I mean no disrespect to those very accomplished women, but I can't help noting that not a one of them has let her hair go honestly gray. more »
Rose Madeline Mula Writes: Addicted to Amazon
Rose Madeline Mula writes: My other impulse purchases on Amazon include a string of mini, solar-powered lights to brighten my quarantined balcony; a label maker (which I have used to make two labels since buying it a year ago); a roll-up keyboard (in place of the Steinway I can’t afford and have no room for) which I immediately rolled up and put in a drawer before plinking even one melody; a five-pound bag of gum drops (yes, five pounds!); essential oils (which were certainly not essential); make up (too little, too late), and a garden kneeler. No, I don’t have a garden. I live in a third-floor condo. But I’m hoping it will help me get up when (not if) I fall so I don’t have to call the firemen (though, actually, their visits are the highlight of my social life). more »