Infrastructure Failures

 Dear Readers,

As you know, I currently teach science at a small liberal arts school.  Classes are scheduled to maybe start again in a couple weeks (no, they haven't told us what's actually happening yet).  All of this is mere background to the fact that I am ordering lab supplies for teaching labs.

You know how messed up shipping and ordering are in general?  Science supplies are worse. The most basic pipette tips are backordered until May.  Some have a delivery date of July. Things that should have already shipped two weeks ago are still in limbo.  I ordered eppies and I have no idea when they will arrive (I can filch some from someone else and replace them later but... what???).  These aren't even medical supplies.  This is the science equivalent of toilet paper: basic necessities without which everything becomes difficult and unpleasant.

I don't know how much further our basic supply chain will degrade, and I don't know when it will recover, but this is not good.