Back in the heyday of Intel 80486 processors, there were many opportunities to run software on underpowered hardware. I remember those days when Doom! required a math co-processor (DX chip), for its polygonal rendering. Most of us still had the standard SX chips. We found ways to bypass that, as well as the 4mb extended memory requirement. In the end, the software ran, albeit sluggishly.

It seems like hardware has caught up the power race, and most desktop systems are capable of handling all but the most processor-intense applications. I’ve been one to believe that current computers are overpowered for their intended purposes. Who needs a dual-core with 2gb memory and 1gb video ram to browse the ‘net and word process? Indeed, there is no role for this in routine use, but I recently discovered that new hardware helps even with light software use.

I recently installed Microsoft’s Visual Studio with SQL Server onto my 1.7ghz Thinkpad. The installation burned through about 15gb of disk space (out of a 40gb disk) and took over an hour to complete. After the ancillary drivers were installed in place (.NET, Powershell…etc), the laptop ran like a 500-lb man after going through a Vegas buffet. I promptly uninstalled the software.

It’s probably time for an upgrade.

computing rant, tech

On average, I’d say my clinic patients spend at least 3 hours in total at every appointment. Sometimes they are here even longer, if I send them for imaging. Most of the time in the clinic is spent waiting. Additional, many patients arrive at least an hour before their scheduled appointment, adding to the wait.

I try to explain to them that there is no need to arrive so early, especially if the normal wait is already painfully long. Apparently there is a loss of communication. I suspect that there is a rumor among the patients that arriving early at an appointment translates to leaving early. This is as likely to happen as winning at Pai Gao Poker.

I once had a patient who I needed to follow daily for a herpetic corneal ulcer. After four days, he simply stopped showing up. Later, he told me that it was impossible for him to work if he spent hours at the eye clinic daily. Other patients of mine come to clinic ad lib, for prescription refills only. Then there’s the majority of them who sit patiently for 3 hours in the waiting room to be sent to fluorescein angiography for 2 more hours for a proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) workup.

Indeed, to be a clinic patient is to be a special patient.

medicine medicine

I have always been fascinated by playing card manipulation, partly because there is an analytical component to card games. For the masses,  Hollywood has  been responsible for publicizing card gaming, through Rounders and 21.

However, the appeal of gambling as a profession is attributed to Jon Chang, who spearheaded the MIT card club into a lucrative business. “Lucrative” is certainly not exactly an accurate description of the profession anymore, but much can be gleaned from gaming history nonetheless.

The game of choice at the time was Blackjack, which was simple enough at the time produce a probabilistic advantage to the player. The fundamental premise behind winning in Blackjack is to keep count of which cards have been cycled out, and increase your bet when there is a higher chance of obtaining face cards (table is hot).  Casinos have since implemented strategies to discourage card counting. One frequent finding in casinos is simply shoe recycling. Dealers and pit bosses have much lower thresholds to reshuffling the shoe even after about 50 cards in a 6-deck shoe. In Vegas, the tables with more lenient shuffling policies tend to have a higher minimum bet. Overall, winning in Blackjack consistently is more of a chore. Read more…

misc work

Several months ago, I signed up for TruthOnCall, a new VC company designed to survey physicians on commonly asked questions. As a physician, you can offer to complete surveys via SMS for reimbursement $10 apiece.  From a financial standpoint, the deal sounded potentially lucrative, depending on the number of surveys you complete.

Unfortunately, I have yet to receive any surveys in the months that I’ve enrolled. Perhaps they are a front to harvest physician data? Or have they run their fund dry?

In actuality, I think that there is a limited market for ophthalmology-based medical opinions. The service appears to mediate data harvesting. In order for the physician to receive a survey, there much be a client investor on the other end to field medical questions. No funding, no money. Simple as that.

Are there any other physicians out there who have actually received surveys or been paid by TruthOnCall? Let me know!

medicine medicine

I saw a guy in the clinic several weeks ago who sprayed Hongo Killer in his eye. He had a 100% epithelial defect with descemet’s folds. The cornea was pretty much in endothelial shock, although he was not hypotonous.

I chuckled when he showed me the bottle. I suppose that it was entertaining only because of my limited Spanish knowledge and I had been basking in our underground clinic’s flickering fluorescent lights the entire day.

medicine medicine, ophthalmology