Hot tip . . .

You probably won't read this unless I tell you to, because it sounds like it's gonna be really, really boring. It's the NYT supplement called The Business of Health. No, it's not for Absolut-swilling assholes with Gucci briefcases and Republican National Committee donor cards, it's for you.

For the 4 1/2 fans of this site, I particularly recommend "Pinning Down the Money Value of a Person's Life," by Alex Berenson, and "Need a Knee Replaced? Check Your Zip Code" by Stephanie Saul. These are excellent primers that will help you think about the stuff we talk about here just like a Ph.D. - and save you five or six years and 80 grand in the process. So check it out.