Some index funds I like

iShares MSCI Canada Index (ETF)	EWC
Fidelity US Bond Index	FBIDX
Schwab International Index	SWISX
Schwab Total Bond Market	SWLBX
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Inv	VBISX
Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Inv	VBMFX
Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Adm	VBTLX
Vanguard Interm-Term Invmt-Grade Inv	VFICX
Vanguard Interm-Term Investment-Grade Ad	VFIDX
Vanguard 500 Index Investor	VFINX
Vanguard European ETF	VGK
Vanguard Total Intl Stock Index Inv	VGTSX
Vanguard Mid Capitalization Index Inv	VIMSX
Vanguard Small Cap Value Index Inv	VISVX
Vanguard Inst Total Bond Market Index	VITBX
Vanguard Pacific ETF	VPL
Vanguard Total World Stock Idx Fd (ETF)	VT
Vanguard Total Stock Mkt Idx Adm	VTSAX
Vanguard Total World Stock Index Inv	VTWSX
Vanguard Emerging Markets ETF	VWO

My academic genealogy, back to Newton !

Link to the Mathematics Genealogy Project

Image of my academic genealogy back to Newton , with a mere 18 links ! (courtesy of C Chothia)

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Text of the above (18 links to Newton)

**1.** Mark Gerstein
2. Cyrus Chothia UCL (+ R Lynden Bell)
3. Peter Pauling P 1931-2003
4. John Kendrew P 1917-1997
5. Max Perutz P 1914-2002
6. John Desmond Bernal RI 1901-1971
7. William Henry Bragg T 1862-1942
8. J. J. Thompson T 1856-1940
- - - I Lord Rayleigh T 1842-1919
9. Edward Routh P 1831-1907
10. William Hopkins T 1793-1866
- - -Augustus De Morgan (T) 1806-1871
11. Adam Sedgwich T 1785-1873
- - - William Whewell T 1794-1866
- - - John Hudson T 1773-1843
12. Thomas Jones T 1756-1807
- - - John Cranke T 1746-1816
13. Thomas Postlethwaite T 1731-1798
14. Stephen Whisson T ~ 1718-1783
15. Walter Taylor T 1700-1744
16. Robert Smith T 1689-1768
17. Roger Cotes T 1682-1716
**18.** Isaac Newton T 1643-1727
Isaac Barrow T 1630-1677
James Duport T 1606-1679

T: Trinity College; P: Peterhouse; RI Royal Institution, London; UCL: University College, London

Random Info. about Yale Club in NYC

* Dress code (2000,07.23)

M-Th, F, Sa-Su
C = casual
F = formal
N = no service

roof din. rm breakfast - C, C, C
roof din. rm lunch/dinner - F, F, N
Tap rm lunch - C,C, N
Grill rm dinner - C,C,N
main lounge and bar - F,C,C
(casual in main dining rm on Fri betw mem. and labor)

* Breakfast

Business casual (no jeans, collared shirt, no tee-shirt) necessary for breakfast.
Quiet use of wi-fi is briefly available in the library but there really is no place in the club for an extensive business meeting with open laptops, so if this is necessary it probably best to walk to Starbucks

* Yale Club
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=en&geocode=&q=yale+club&near=44th+st.+and+vanderbilt+ave.,+ny,+ny&ie=UTF8&ll=40.754064,-73.977208&spn=0.00139,0.002883&z=19&iwloc=A&om=1
http://www.yaleclubnyc.com/

* Nearby locations one could probably sit with a computer

Cucina & Co At Metlife Building
200 Park Ave, New York, NY
(212) 682-2700 - Rated 3.8 out of 5.0 - 0.1 mi NE
+ Sit down place where one could probably bring laptops

Cosi
38 E 45th St, New York, NY
(212) 883-6814

Blake & Todd
52 Vanderbilt Ave, New York, NY
(212) 883-0010

Starbucks
400 Madison Ave, New York, NY
(212) 319-1676

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/locator/PrxResults.aspx?a=1&LOC=40.7516440790587%3a-73.9759210889539&CT=40.7516440790587%3a-73.97592108895391.78126408441369%3a1.33594806331027&countryID=244&FC=RETAIL&dataSource=MapPoint.NA&Radius=5&GAD2=Lexington+Ave&GAD3=New+York%2c+NY+10017&GAD4=United+States&IC=40.7516440790587%3a-73.9759210889539%3a32%3aLexington+Ave

* Nearby Kinkos

New York NY Vanderbilt
230 Park Ave
New York, NY 10169
USA
Phone: (212) 949-2534
Fax: (212) 949-2540
+ has full service computers and printers

* Nearby Restaurants

mike jordans (gct), Metrazur (gct), cafe centro, cafe naples, grand hyatt hotel

Some random quick thoughts on wines

zinfandel & merlot - strong
chianti - fruity & goes with stripped bass
chateau du quint (merlot + cab mixture) - goes with fish
pinot noir - goes with fish

Quick thoughts on Reading Supercrunchers

Liked this book. Some things that I remembered:

* Nice ending with a motivation of Bayesian stats with a test for breast cancer afflicting 1% wtih a high FP rate.
* Useful stat that SD on pregnancy 9 months +/- 15 days.
* Suggestion of "mining free" products.
* Privacy concerns as the "darkside of digitization".
* Potential of a face recognition company to ID photos on flickr.
* Mentions that AOL search was comprimised by one keystroke (correct?).
* Discusses centralizing shift of power implicit in move to supercrunchers
* Some characters Donaghue (?), Levitt vs....
* Mentions Ec. miner who find evidence of cheating in wide point spreads
* Some dubious stuff: Is regression really exponential complexity (???) and NN the main new mining technique ?
* Buying and selling race

http://del.icio.us/mbgmbg/link_supercrunchers

Some Useful Tidbits on Asthma

The Harvard Medical School Guide To Taking Control Of Asthma

by Christopher H. Fanta (Author), Lynda M. Cristiano (Author), Kenan Haver (Author)
http://www.amazon.com/Harvard-Medical-School-Taking-Control/dp/0743224787/ref=ed_oe_p/104-6142984-5779139?ie=UTF8&qid=1190536146&sr=1-6
http://books.google.com/books?id=ohIbOrVcRBwC

Leukotriene Inhibitors

[From link above:]
"Molecular biology promises to provide drugs that will control our immunologic and biochemical reactions. Several pharmaceutical companies are now producing leukotriene receptor blockers - the first of the new line of agents being developed to control the inflammatory response in asthma. The first agents coming to market in Canada are zafirlukast (Accolate) and montelukast (Singulair). Both act by blocking the most potent of the leukotrienes, L4. Asthma is felt to be due to allergens triggering an inflammatory response. .... Leukotrienes were found to be the active factor in the old SRSA (slow releasing substance of anaphylaxis) first described in 1938. They are 1000x more potent in inducing bronchospasm than histamine. They are part of the lipoxygenase pathway that is also involved in prostoglandin production. These pathways are also used in allergic rhinitis. At the moment, leukotrienes are hoped to be the appendix of the immune system - of no good use, but known to cause problems....."

Beta Blockers & Asthma

[From link above:]
"What is a beta-blocker? A beta-blocker is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure and heart problems. Some beta-blockers are atenolol (brand name: Tenormin), metoprolol (brand names: Lopressor, Toprol XL) and propranolol (brand name: Inderal). A beta-blocker blocks the harmful effects of stress hormones on your heart. This medicine also slows your heart rate. Beta-blockers can also be used to prevent migraine headaches in people who get them frequently. Can I take a beta-blocker if I have asthma or chronic lung disease? Beta-blockers are generally not used in people with asthma. A beta-blocker can cause asthma attacks.... "

Beta-agonists

[From link above:]
"Beta-agonists are bronchodilator medicines that open airways by relaxing the muscles around the airways that tighten during an asthma attack....
Beta-agonists come in many different forms. Some common beta-agonist medicines are: albuterol, Alupent, Brethine, metaproteronol, Metaprel, Proventil, Salbutamol, terbutaline, Ventolin. "

The concept of "Pre-treatment" with beta-agonist

Preventing Respiratory Viruses

[From Harvard Med. Guide above:]
"Most viruses are spread from oral or nasal secretions onto surfaces, are picked up by hand contact, and are then spread from your hands to your nose and mouth. So wash your hands frequently..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purell

Eosinophils: mischief-makers in asthma

[From link above:]
"Whatever are eosinophils?

Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell (corpuscle) and take up the red dye eosin when blood is examined under a microscope by the commonest method.

They accumulate wherever allergic reactions like those in asthma take place. Their natural role is to defend us against parasites. In fact allergies such as asthma are probably a malfunction of our protective mechanism against parasites...."

A particular only bacterial fold

A particular only bacterial fold -- beta-lactamases and D-Ala carboxypeptidases.
These enzymes perform functions associated with the unique structure of the bacterial cell wall (i.e. antibiotic resistance and cleavage of D-Ala peptides).