The Big Pharma-Dollars-for-Doctors Database, at ProPublica

Haven’t had much time to blog, or eat, or sleep in the past few months because of this project, but the first part just rolled out today (at about 2am, actually): at ProPublica, my colleagues and I collected the past two years of reports (albeit just from 7 companies) disclosing what they pay doctors to speak on their behalf. I still have a few posts and articles to write about what undertaking and background, but it’s the first time that someone has compiled all these reports and made them available to the public, something that will be mandated by law in 2013.

Our first investigation related to the data looked at how some of the companies’ top earners, who are ostensibly supposed to be experts in their field, had either shady or slim expertise. I did most of the datawork, including collecting the data and managing it, polling the various state websites to look up physician disciplinary records, and designing and coding (with the help of my genius coder co-worker Jeff Larson) the website. Whew!

Check it out.

  

The Rosé Bull Cocktail

I just wanted to post this so if it becomes a big hit among the sophisticated Red Bull crowd, I get some credit for creating it while bored at my friend’s engagement party:

Rosé Bull

• Three parts rosé wine
• One part Red Bull, chilled
• Served neat, in a plastic cup

The name not only refers to the ingredients, but can be considered a play on the phrases “red bull” or The Rose Bowl, depending on whether you’re socializing with bullfighters or football fans.

  

Hacks/Hackers NYC’s Open(source).athon…coding for news/public interest is kind of cool

If you’re a coder looking to hack for the public interest, or a hack wanting to join the coding world, there’s no better club to join than NYC’s Hacks/Hackers (if you’re in NYC, at least). Last weekend, they hosted a daylong code-a-thon, where programmers and writers teamed together to knock out (and document) their open-source projects. It was held at the swank OpenPlans penthouse and catered (thanks to Google’s sponsorship) with Baohaus’ amazing pork buns.

  

Cracks in Apple’s Magic Trackpad



Cracks in Apple’s Magic Trackpad, originally uploaded by zokuga.

I’ve owned the Apple Magic Trackpad since it came out in late July. Even at its steep price, I’ve considered it a worthwhile purchase…essential when my laptop is on a stand, and useful even at the coffeeshop, when paired with the wireless keyboard, so I can keep the coffee away from the actual laptop.

I’ve carried it uncovered inside my leather messenger bag…I don’t exactly throw that bag around, since it almost always has my laptop in it. But at some point last week, something cracked the trackpad, and now it’s grown into a crack halfway across the pad.

So far, no changes in functionality, and the crack is pretty much imperceptible. Not promising, though…

  

NYC Hacks/Hackers and Facebook’s Justin Osofsky

Justin Osofsky, Facebook’s Director of Media Partnerships, came to talk to the NYC branch of Hacks/Hackers. Had some interesting, general things to say about how traffic patterns change with the use of Facebook to promote articles. I also liked the OpenPlans penthouse and the catering by Xi’an Famous Foods.