3.032 event, fopal, new restrictions

Monday 01/03/2022

The big event for today was a “book talk” that was originally to be a zoom simulcast, with the speaker in the auditorium but also on Zoom. However with new restrictions setting a max of 20 people in the auditorium, the event organizer George opted to go pure zoom, which frankly was a relief. That came off very smoothly.

Before the event I finished polishing my proposal for the RA exec committee and sent it off to all committee members.

Which took us to lunch time. This is the first week of a new recipe regime in our kitchen and the chef is trying, I will admit. Despite a critical lack of staff, owing to now three staff members testing positive and quarantining at home. Today was Mexican day with a choice of a tostada and relleno at lunch (two entrees, which is another improvement).

Next down to FOPAL where I didn’t expect to find much, holiday week and all, but in fact found something like 14 boxes of books. I processed about half, and will have to go back tomorrow. But: a big strike! A donor had tossed in a copy of the Bell System Technical Journal Vol. 57 No. 6 (July-August 1978). This was the issue of that journal that announced the availability of the UNIX system and described it in detail. It includes papers by Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson, a paper describing the shell by Bourne (the Bourne shell?) and so on. All the now-famous programmers who created UNIX. I found a single copy on Amazon priced at $2,999. (OK, settle down, it is available from other used book sellers for as low as $60.) That one went in the “high value” box for sure.

In the afternoon arrived an email about a new county health order; visitors must now show proof of a negative covid test, just like for boarding an airplane. A separate email told about the third person testing positive — fully vaxxed and boosted, and having symptoms, just like the prior two. Rhonda is having a special meeting tomorrow. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to hear we are closing the dining room and eating in our rooms again. I hear the Sequoias (senior residence where lots of my neighbors have friends) has closed their dining room.

Regarding restrictions and Omicron, I asked the usual people if they want to ride to the SWBB game Friday night, and two of them expressed doubt about going into a crowd. “May give this one a miss” said one and the other thought likely Stanford would close Maples to audiences entirely.

In the evening I had supper with 6th floor neighbors Margaret and Leon Beeler and Cindy.

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