A room with a view

The inside

Stereo setup

Man Crush

Atul Gawande

The WHO launched their "Safe Surgery Saves Lives" initiative in D.C. today; unfortunately, I was too busy learning the intricacies of Virginia's insurance system to be able to attend. To say that I love Atul Gawande would not be an entirely inaccurate, nor an entirely heterosexual, statement. If you haven't read Better or Complications, you really owe it to yourself to take some time at the B&N. One of my personal favorites is The Bell Curve, about cystic fibrosis and the egalitarian notion that all doctors are created equal (I don't want to ruin the ending for you--but they're not).

When Gawande was assigned to lead the WHO, I was ecstatic. I could hardly imagine what amazing solutions he would come up with--maybe some sort of box with mirrors. So after two years, what'd he get? A checklist[pdf]. In truth, I'm a little dissapointed. I guess when you win $500,000 you can start phoning it in.

Billy the Billdad

Saltipiscator falcorostratus

Billy enjoys hopping, migrating to warmer climes, and eluding Maine's lumberjacks. Each leg has three degrees of freedom for maximum hopping power.

If you'd like to make your own mythical creature, check out spore.

On the road 'gain

The Score Report

 

The dream team

nba.com

• The Bowers & Wilkins 800D--you know, with the diamond tweeter and all?
• Harman Kardon AVR 745--purists may argue that you should get a separate pre-pro and an amp, but I really like HK's stuff; plus it still has pre-outs if you want to connect outboard amps.
• av123's MFW-15--chances are you're not going to need this what with the 800's giant woofers, but you never know when you'll need to violate the sound ordinances in your apartment building.

A gift

The cerebral vasculature is beautiful. This is an etching I made using one of Vesalius's drawings as a stencil. The idea is wholly credited to John Lucas. He has several other very professional etchings up for sale.

This is a gift for my mentor.

Some excellent beers

Sierra Nevada Porter	$4	If Sierra made a poop flavored beer, I'd still drink it.
Xingu Black	$4	Its color belies a surprisingly light beer.
Young's Double Choclate Stout	$6	Is there another word for delicious?

The opportunity cost of war

The Physiologist. 50(24)

There's a physician that scuttles about our hallways with a bit of a limp and some of the most severe kyphosis this side of the Mississippi. She's seventy years old, and has been funded by the NIH for close to forty years. Someday (in the not too distant future) she would have likely turned to dust along one of her treks on our campus.

That's not going to happen anymore--she lost her funding. Check out the FY 2008 senate address from Dr. Zerhouni, director of NIH.

The retrovolution

Used turntable on craigslist	$25
New Shure cartridge	$47
Musichall MM/MC phono preamp	$60
Listening to Warrant on vinyl	Priceless

What's in a name?

One of the many patients to whom I gave mediocre care was packing to go home. She wanted to thank everyone on the team (she was likely delirious). As I was taking care of another patient at the time, she innocently inquired, "Where's Dr. Cujo?"

SPM: Statistical Parametric Mapping

There's nothing quite like the general linear model to help you obsess over some blobs on the screen. Under the projects section you will see some old projects; unfortunately, it is unlikely that I will continue to actively develop them. I will, of course, be happy to lend any help if you need it--with the PSPM in particular.