Thursday, May 22, 2008

Friday, May 16, 2008

"Depression: Out of the Shadows"

5/16/08. Ninety minutes (9:00-10:30 PM, EDT) on clinical depression will air on PBS this Wednesday (5/21/08) portraying the stories of seven individuals struggling with the onslaught of the anguish, and unfathomable mental torture of their depressions. There is a treasure of information and explanation in this television documentary.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121088957712196719.html

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Kluge and Evolution

5/14/08. From Newsweek Magazine --- a review of the new book "Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind," by New York University psychologist Gary Marcus.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/136061/output/print

The Neural Buddhists

5/13/08. In the New York Times, David Brooks writes about religion, neuroscience, evolution, belief, and the Buddhists --- all in one article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/opinion/13brooks.html?em&ex=1210824000&en=787e405a3a54e904&ei=5087%0A

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Nudge: Libertarian Paternalism

5/7/08. An economist and a legal scholar argue that policy makers should nudge people into making good decisions.

Two examples cited in the book. Studies show that placing fruit at eye level in school cafeterias enhances its popularity by as much as 25 percent. An economist in Amsterdam charged with cleaning up the restrooms at the Schiphol Airport: He had a fly etched into the walls of urinals, giving male patrons something to aim at. Spillage was reduced by 80 percent. The fly on the urinals is now in some Michigan rest areas along the highways.

http://chronicle.com/temp/reprint.php?id=pwq4w52rk7wg916xkfflm6r43x0h2d5s