... but sometimes your lens does

Your camera doesn't matter, but sometimes your lens does.

In optical image formation, the box-with-the-film-in-it behind the lens matters a lot less than the lens.

Sometimes, the lens does matter, a lot:

But most of the time, in my opinion, you can grab good shots with an iPhone:

Similarly, for the most part, your scanner doesn't matter (much), but your pulse sequence sure does. When zeugmatographers discuss various kinds of MRIs – something we love to do, by the way – we talk about functional imaging vs. diffusion imaging vs. angiographic imaging, about spin echoes vs. gradient echoes, but not (much) about which manufacturer (e.g., GE, Philips, Siemens) made our scanners...

[First illustration: Backyard yesterday, in the first snow of the season. Nikon 105 mm f/2.0 lens on D200 camera (1/4000 s, ISO 3200).]

[Second illustration (slideshow): iPhone photos, from a weekend visit to NY & NJ last year.]

[Disclaimer: Brand names are the property of their respective owners, & their appearance here does not denote sponsorship or endorsement; NeuroCooking is also not supported by General Motors, makers of Cadillac vehicles, which combine legendary luxury with state of the art performance.]

8/day

I apologize for not remembering where I saw this estimate, but somewhere recently I read that the rate of publication of peer reviewed research papers using functional MRI is currently running at about eight per day. Don't know if that's calendar days or business days.

theory vs. practice

In theory, theory & practice are the same.

In practice, however...

a note on noise

Although scientists try to be precise with language, they are often imprecise regarding the word "noise". Sometimes, noise refers specifically to that random jiggling, of thermal origin, that makes the signals we are looking for harder to see. But often, researchers use "noise" simply to mean signals they don't want, whatever their origin. And in fact, noise is a hot topic in functional MRI.

[P.S. NeuroCooking friends, thank you for staying with us as we reach this, our 200th post.]

The Trouble with Values

My new essay at PhilanTopic, the Philanthropy News Digest blog: The Trouble with Values.

You will learn:

• How values are utterly subjective
• My story about my journey to working with story
• When values collide - then what?

Q & A

War! What is it good for?

Writing as "Helvidius" in 1793, James Madison (1751 – 1836), who would go on to serve as the fourth President of the United States, explained:

War is in fact the true nurse of executive aggrandizement. In war, a physical force is to be created; and it is the executive will, which is to direct it. In war, the public treasures are to be unlocked; and it is the executive hand which is to dispense them. In war, the honours and emoluments of office are to be multiplied; and it is the executive patronage under which they are to be enjoyed. It is in war, finally, that laurels are to be gathered, and it is the executive brow they are to encircle.

as a courtesy to our readers

We at NeuroCooking are not affiliated with the Pekar Project.

Remembering through Story

I recently participated in a storytelling workshop presented by Narativ, and gained insight into how story can actually be an embodiment of a person, in the sense that it can presence them in a community.

Participants were directed to tell a 3-minute story as if we were one of our grandparents. All 13 participants shared a pivotal moment, told in the voice of one of their grandparents, as well as a brief biography of that relative's life. At the end of the storytelling, it felt as if 13 additional chairs had been added to our circle, as if each of the grandparents who had "spoken" were now sitting amongst us.

Murray Nossel, the Director of Narativ, introduced the anthropological concept of "re-membering" (also used in narrative therapy) and offered this summary: "When people die, they are no longer members of our community, and we must re-member them by telling their stories."

This exercise got me thinking about why it is so critical that organizations share the stories of their founders.

I have the tremendous pleasure of working with Enterprise Community Partners, for whom Jim Rouse, their extraordinary founder, is very much a felt presence. I get the feeling that most decisions at Enterprise are made with Jim at the table, so to speak; he is often quoted, and many staff and board members continue to share personal and professional stories about him.

And I was reminded of a story David Beckwith, of The Needmor Fund, shared with me about their founder, Virginia Secor Stranahan. Very much focused on the family legacy of community stewardship, their board now contains family members who once played under the very table at which they currently meet. The Needmor Fund not only shares stories about the organization's history at every meeting, they even have an effigy of Virginia Secor Stranahan seated at the table!

Start now, when your founders are alive, so that their values and motivations live on to forever spark understanding and innovation within your organization. A great example of a young organization sharing the story of their founding can be found here, from Mercy Corps.

And certainly remember friends, family, mentors, and other people who have touched your life. Re-member their way back around your proverbial campfire.

"...like teaching art history, and then testing by..."

It's oddly common across a variety of disciplines: teaching analysis but testing on synthesis.

In chemical engineering, teaching reagents and reactions – what chemicals do – and testing by asking students to design reactors and processes – to build a factory, in essence.

In pure mathematics, teaching axioms and theorems – what mathematical objects do – and testing by asking students to prove a novel theorem – to build a new proof.

It's like teaching art history, and then testing by asking students to paint.

X is a culture of Y

"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt."

- Richard P. Feynman