r.i.c.e.

Today, March 15th 2013, would be the 200th birthday of John Snow. A pioneer of careful statistical thinking about health and disease, Snow helped stop a cholera outbreak in London by noticing its waterborne transmission: people who drank water from one pump, but not from another, became sick. As Snow later reported, "in consequence of what I said the pump handle was removed," setting a high standard of impact for those of us hoping to follow in his example today.

You can read more about Snow in this excellent article by David Freedman "Statistical models and shoe leather," or here at the John Snow Society, where I am honored to report that my coauthor Ollie Cumming has recently made me a member! Celebrate today's occasion with something cholera-free to drink!