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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 »

Shunted to the background, and often ignored, public health professionals at the state and local levels who have been working long hours with few breaks are starting to burn out and lose momentum. Many have left office; a number of them were pushed out, either by their bosses or in the face of vehement public opposition. A recent analysis from Kaiser Health News and the Associated Press found that at least 27 state or local public health leaders across 13 states had resigned, retired or been fired since April. From the beginning of the pandemic, Lori Tremmel Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials and other experts say, the White House set the tone for this unprecedented circumvention of public health agencies. more »

Ferida Wolff writes: Each year the hibiscus plants in our yard seem to be finished. Other flowers come and go and still, no hint of the hibiscus coming back. And then... The leaves start to pop up from the seemingly non-fertile earth. And once they do, the plants are on their way to growing the most amazing blossoms. And even when times seem bleak, let’s try to remember that like the hibiscus we can, we will, blossom again. Meanwhile, I am into jigsaw puzzles. It is called “Safe Travels” and it reminds me of what traveling is all about. It isn’t an easy puzzle but its 1,000 pieces provide a meditative process that helps me focus on the now and not obsess on the “what’s next?” more »

How do the new sensors work? They’re easy to operate -- in fact there is nothing to operate. They indicate changing CO2 levels by changing color, like pH strips we are familiar with. If the color indicates a high level of CO2 the person would know that they need to open a window, go outside or adjust the building HVAC. The sensor operates without any electrical power. High surface area also means we need very little material, so the sensor can be very small and lightweight. more »