JL;DR SUMMARY Eric Lander, the new Cabinet-level science advisor for the White House, made history by taking his oath of office on a 1492 edition of Pirkei Avot, pointing to its ethical guidance on tikkun olam and diversity, values central to his Jewish identity and professional mission. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.