1. Brain Jolting Scientists have discovered that stimulating the brain with a "transcranial magnetic stimulator" enhances brain function and creativity. "You could call this a creativity-amplifying machine. It's a way of altering our states of mind without taking drugs like mescaline. You can make people see the raw data of the world as it is. As it is actually represented in the unconscious mind of all of us." New York Times Magazine 06/22/03
   
   
2. Do Computers Slow Us Down? "Computers are tremendous labor-saving devices. They give us power to accomplish extraordinary amounts of work in extraordinarily short intervals of time. But they also give us the capability to do things like play solitaire. Or send instant messages. Fiddle with fonts. Futz with PowerPoint. Twiddle with images. Reconfigure link rollovers. Large investments in computers and communications seem necessary for rapid, industry-level productivity growth. Still, there is a strong sense that computers are less of an asset to the economy than they might be if we truly knew what they were good for and how to use them." Wired 06/03
   
   
3. How The World Solves Big Problems (But They Don't Work) The world has lots of big problems. But at present there are only "four types of mechanisms to finesse the world's world-sized problems. Unfortunately, none of them are of much use."
   Wired 06/03
   
   
4. Sistine Chapel Online Now you don't have to travel to Rome to see Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel paintings. The Vatican has put its art online. "Now, at the click of a mouse, they will now be able to zoom up to the recently restored ceiling, under which the painter - who only wanted to be a sculptor - spent endless months, between 1508 and 1512." The Vatican website gets 50 million visitors a month. The Guardian (UK) 06/24/03
   
   
5. Is Corporate Philanthropy On The Rise Again? "Overall corporate giving decreased in 2001, according to the American Association of Fundraising Counsel, which will release 2002 estimates Monday. But anecdotal evidence suggests that Philanthropy Inc. is growing again. Despite the struggling economy, many socially responsible companies are not only matching past giving, they're increasing it." The Star-Tribune (Newhouse) 06/22/03