I've never seen an unhappy astronaut on the ISS :P

fwiw, I largely agree with mkovach's interpretation because of the direct analogy to modern work culture. But I do admire your view as well, I get a lot of satisfaction from deep cleaning and maintaining things, and there's a commensurate amount of pride watching the item transform back into something clean again.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_American_Act

I'd wager that having spent so long in Taiwan you've probably never heard the term because there it would just be "sauce" :P (or less tongue-in-cheek, it's just something that is implicitly and silently understood and recognized rather than having some kind of formal name).

Even if we were interested in using monoclonal antibodies as a prophylactic, the current monoclonal antibody treatments that we have available are delivered via IV infusion. That's much more time-consuming and resource intensive than two vaccine shots imo.

Paper straws break down relatively quickly and can lose suction effectiveness as a result. Reusable metal straws can cause chipped teeth or gum damage if bitten down on by someone with poor fine motor control. No straws at all can leave an individual unable to ingest liquids entirely. Reusable soft plastic straws would be ideal, but the tradeoff is that now we've placed yet an extra burden on an impaired person (or their caretakers) in our society because now they'll need to maintain a supply of clean, reusable straws that they need to transport with them. Disposable plastic straws are "soft" enough to not damage someone's teeth or gums too severely when bitten down on, but are more durable than paper straws to ensure reliable suction over time, and they do not require any upkeep or maintenance for proper hygiene due to their disposable nature.

The very first thing you should type after your initial greeting should be your question(s). Don't bury the lede.

You can provide all the additional explanation (i.e. what you were doing when it broke, where you've looked, what you've tried, etc) after you ask your questions. By asking up front, you frame the conversation so that the person you are communicating with can read your supporting information with the correct context.

[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/07/18/s...

No idea on equipment costs; it's likely that OPs company had an overhead disbursement for mistakes.

The gate itself was probably a good ways away from the actual facility. If they weren't driven all the way from hotel to site by a driver, then they almost certainly stopped and parked at the gate and were driven the rest of the way under escort and blindfold.