Stuff We Like: Special interest groups, easy science, and more

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
"From Friendship to Fascism in One Short Step" (Times (London), Jun. 21, 2009)
Like-minded people are the most dangerous company we can keep, because of the phenomenon of group polarization, says Law School professor Cass Sunstein.

EASY SCIENCE
"The Science of Talking so People Want to Listen" (Symmetry, Jun. 19, 2009)
When teaching science, astrophysicist Michael Turner keeps things simple and gets to the point: "We don't have to use jargon. We can leave some things out. Leave them wanting more."

MORE ALIKE THAN DIFFERENT
"Among Many Peoples, There's Little Genomic Variety" (Daily Herald (Everett, Washington), Jun. 22, 2009)
"Adaptations to the environment absolutely do occur," says graduate student Joseph Pickrell. "But they don't occur according to this simple model that we and others have been looking for."

FUNDING FIREWORKS
"Who Pays for Chicago's Fireworks?" (This Young Economist blog, Jun. 18, 2009)
Economics graduate student Tony Cookson looks into how Chicago funds its fireworks displays and examines how the shows are an example of a government solution to a public goods problem that works.

NUDGE TO STEP UP
"What Would It Take to Get You to Take the Stairs More? How About Music and a View?" (Nudge blog, Jun. 23, 2009)
Chicago Booth Richard Thaler suggests making stairs more centrally located, attractive, and easy-to-use to nudge more people to use elevators less.

ART OF WAR
"Doc Featuring Children’s Drawings from Darfur to Screen at Philly Independent Film Festival" (Philadelphia Independent Media Center, Jun. 16, 2009)
The documentary Crayons and Paper directed by Bruce David Janu as part of his Master's thesis, follows the work of Philadelphia-based pediatrician Jerry Ehrlich, who encourages children to draw the atrocities they endured in war-torn areas.

WINDY CITY PRESSES
"Can Chicago be a Hub for Independent Publishing?" (City Room, Chicago Public Radio, Jun. 19, 2009)
University of Chicago Press director Garrett Kiely talks about Chicago as a publishing city.

ECONOMIC INTERVIEW
"Kevin Murphy Interview" (Banking and Policy Issues, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, June 2009)
Chicago Booth professor Kevin Murphy discusses the causes of inequality, the value of medical research, and rational addition.

TROUBLE FOR TYPE 2 CHILDREN
"Experts: Most Type 2 Diabetes Can Be Stopped in Childhood" (USA Today, Jun. 21, 2009)
"It's really stunning how the percentages for type 2 diabetes are going up in younger and younger Americans," says Siri Atma Greeley, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Medical Center. "Clearly, diabetes is following obesity, and both have huge ramifications on long-term health."

June 23, 2009