IIDD, Jan 9th

In November of 2011, a team of researchers at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, published a study which suggested that entering and exiting rooms can cause our short term memories to fail us. Their theory: our brains take items in our short term memories and stick them into virtual compartments, with different ideas in different areas — much like a house or office has different rooms.  When we cross through doorways in the physical world, our mental world also passes through what psychology professor and head researcher Gabriel Radvansky calls an “event boundary” — an action which, in his words, “separates episodes of activity and files them away.”  Basically, when your body leaves the room, your mind leaves that “to do” list behind.

 

A chart that explains it all:

monopoly:	one seller, many buyers
duopoly:	two sellers, many buyers
oligopoly:	a few sellers, many buyers
monopsony:	one buyer, many sellers
duopsony:	two buyers, many sellers
oligopsony:	a few buyers, many sellers

Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility. -James Thurber, writer and cartoonist (1894-1961) 

Dear Pat and Corinne I am so looking forward to seeing you next week. Plans for a dinner on Monday sound very nice.  I am not completely escaping work as it turns out. I am part of a Web Conference on Tuesday Jan 17 at 10 am PST. The meeting will last 1 hr and is chaired out of General Council Office in Toronto. To save me bringing a lap top, I am wondering I you have a computer with microphone and speakers available for that hour. It isn't a big deal to bring my own, and I could likely do it all on my Blackberry--but I am just confirming options. Jim H Hi Zircon! You are more than welcome to use either our desktop or our laptop, or Cora Lee's iPad II, for that matter. You can look at them all once you are here and decide. Just to remind you, however, desktop and laptop are Macs as well! With respect to dinner, Bob and Kjell will be attending, sans soul mates! Will invite Rosita and Dusty as we know they'd both like to see you. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! Hi Sir James and Lady Patrizzia!! Wonderful to chat with you on Saturday night, our time at least! Glad all goes so well. Thanks for New Year's' wishes! Fondestos and Cheers to you and Lady Patrizzia!!!, Patrizzio! Hi Melbournites! Trust you had a safe flight home and are both well and enjoying 2012 in The Antipodes! Wonderful to see you both, finally! The sting of farewell is ameliorated, knowing we will see you in a little over two months! Had a wonderful dinner with Rosita and Dusty, at their place, after I showered and changed. Clara had prepared a delicious pot roast, potatoes with onions, carrot/turnip mash and a tangy coleslaw salad. Christmas pudding for dessert! After dinner we chatted about our upcoming trip. (Gather it will be the Easter Weekend when we are in Hunter. Will that make a difference in terms of accommo?) Then went back to our place, Cora Lee to watch latest British series on life of Jane Austen, I to work on The Email Blues!!! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!