An interesting little paper by Christopher K. Hsee and Reid Hastie, Center for Decision Research, Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago.
see full paper here:
faculty.chicagobooth.edu/chris...ce.pdf

Taken from their conclusion:

"In recent years, decision researchers have studied directly when decisions are sub-optimal, in particular, when decisions fail to maximize happiness. We have examined two general reasons for the failur... read more

Yes, boys and girls it's time to once again award those prizes for well-intentioned but superfluous research that are the Ig Nobel prizes. It is as usual brought to you by the prestigious journal, "The Annals of Improbable Research". Here is a sampling...

PEACE PRIZE: Stephan Bolliger, Steffen Ross, Lars Oesterhelweg, Michael Thali and Beat Kneubuehl of the University of Bern, Switzerland, for determining — by experiment — whether it is better to be smashed over the head with a full bott... read more

As a mycophile, I just love this talk
See video here:
www.youtube.com/watch

From a nice essay in the New Stateman by George Friedman

"Geopolitics assumes two things: first, that human beings organise themselves into units larger than families and that they have a natural loyalty to the things they were born into, the people and the places; second, that the character of a nation is determined to a great extent by geography, as is the relationship between nations. We use the term "geography" broadly. It includes the physical characteristics of a location, but it goe... read more

"The basic definition of lucid dreaming requires nothing more than becoming aware that you are dreaming. However, the quality of lucidity can vary greatly. When lucidity is at a high level, you are aware that everything experienced in the dream is occurring in your mind, that there is no real danger, and that you are asleep in bed and will awaken shortly. With low-level lucidity you may be aware to a certain extent that you are dreaming, perhaps enough to fly or alter what you are doing, but ... read more