Issue 6 2010: June
WHERE TO GET A JOB
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has identified the 30 occupations most likely to post the greatest growth in the next decade. Seventeen of the 30 are in health care. ..... DailyFinance.com
BRIGHT IDEA
In cartoons, the appearance of a light bulb above one's head signifies the onset of a good idea. That popular association is so entrenched, says LiveScience.com, that showing a real light bulb to people can actually trigger insights. Psychologists at Tufts University gave volunteers a series of puzzles to solve under time pressure. Partway through the test, either a bare light bulb or an overhead fluorescent light was turned on in the room. The researchers found that volunteers exposed to the light bulb were 50 percent to 70 percent more successful at the puzzles than than the subjects given the fluorescent light. This "priming effect" is common; for instance, people play economic games more competitively after looking at briefcases. But if something as simple as turning on a light bulb can prompt creativity, study author Michael Slepian says, imagine "if this works in the classroom or in the workplace." ..... The Week
LOST AND DESPERATE
A man who was lost in Saskatchewan's northern wilderness chopped down four power poles, causing a blackout. The helicopter that came to investigate rescued him. ..... The Week
FOWL PLAY
Indian police recently detained a pigeon under the suspicion that it was on "a special mission of spying" for Pakistan. The pigeon is being kept under armed guard, without visitors. ..... The Week
JOBS
Despite the high unemployment rate, 41 percent of new college graduates have turned down job offers. "Almost universally, they want to find a job that's not a job but an expression of their identity," says Clark University professor Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, who has studied young job-seekers. ..... The New York Times
THE GREATEST GENERATION
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, about 2.2 million are still alive. Some 263,000 are projected to pass away this year. ..... USA Today
CENTER OF THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY
Forget Silicon Valley: Taiwan is the real capital of the global computer industry. More than 50 percent of all chips, 70 percent of computer displays, and 90 percent of laptops are now produced on the island. ..... The Economist
APPLE
Capping a stunning comeback from its near-collapse in the early 1990s, Apple recently surpassed Microsoft as the world's largest technology company, as measured by stock market value. Apple is now worth $222 billion, compared with Microsoft's $219 billion. ..... Financial Times
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EVERYTHING
The "Fake TV" can "prevent your real one from being stolen." Using the same amount of electricity as a night light , this "fist-size" lamp is designed to fool potential burglars by producing flickering lights that mimic those emitted by an expensive flat screen TV. When set on a timer, the Fake TV can make sure that your "living room appears lived in" for up to seven hours. Price $29.95, available at Faketv.com. ..... Chicago Tribune
UNBELIEVABLE! BP PR
BP has bought search terms related to "oil spill" and "Gulf oil disaster" on major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing, so that an ad on top of the results directs readers to a BP site with pictures, videos, and news releases that provide the company's view of cleanup efforts. "Learn more about how BP is helping," the site says. ..... New York Post
JIM'S STETHASCOOP
"One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness." ..... Humorist Josh Billings, quoted in The Kansas City Star
MILT'S MORSEL OF THE MONTH
"Vision without execution is hallucination." ..... Thomas Edison, quoted in The Wall Street Journal
