From Ed Boyden’s blog….

When I applied for my faculty job at the MIT Media Lab, I had to write a teaching statement. One of the things I proposed was to teach a class called “How to Think,” which would focus on how to be creative, thoughtful, and powerful in a world where problems are extremely complex, targets are continuously moving, and our brains often seem like nodes of enormous networks that constantly reconfigure. In the process of thinking about this, I composed 10 rules, which I sometimes share with students. I’ve listed them here, followed by some practical advice on implementation….

Thanks to Andrew for the link.

We went to a ravishing production of La Nozze di Figaro in the Royal Opera House on Saturday evening and had supper beforehand in Boswell’s at 8 Russell Street. Fans of Samuel Johnson will recognise the address. It was built in 1759-60 and owned by Thomas Davies, an actor turned bookseller and publisher and, by all accounts, a very hospitable soul. At 7pm on May 16, 1763 he was giving tea to a young reprobate named James Boswell when who should walk in but Dr. Johnson. Boswell was apprehensive about meeting the great man because he knew that he disapproved of the Scots, and so begged Davies not to mention his nationality. His host either did not hear the request, or mischeviously ignored it. Either way, the fact that Boswell was Scottish (or Scotch, as Dr. Johnson would have said) was mentioned. Boswell said defensively that he “could not help it”. “That, Sir”, boomed Johnson, “is what I find a great many of your countrymen cannot help”. (He also famously observed that “The fairest prospect for a Scotchman is the high road to England”.)

Not an auspicious beginning, you’ll admit; but still it led to one of the greatest collaborations in English literature.

Here’s a rare sighting of a public man behaving honourably.

Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, has turned down a pay rise of around £100,000 because he did not feel it was appropriate in the current economic climate.

Mr King rejected the near-40pc pay rise to £400,000 when he was reappointed as Bank of England Governor this summer, according to the Bank’s annual report.

It is thought he did so fearing that an above-inflation pay increase might prompt workers to demand higher salaries.