A good idea or 100

The New York Time's 6th Year in ideas issue is awfully entertaining. I read all of them and here are my faves:

1) Bicycle helmets put you at risk
My friend Mark actually told me about this already. I still wear a helmet though. After all, for the effect to work, the driver will actually have to see you, register that you have a helmet on, and decide to give you less leeway (at least subconsciously) as a result of it. It won't save you being t-boned by a crazed taxi driver who charges into the intersection or the bus drivers who never bother checking their mirrors before moving in and out of stops.

2) Digital Maoism
The flipside of the hivemind.

3) The Lady Macbeth Effect
I'm fond of psychological studies that sheds light on unexpected facets of the human consciousness. According to this study, we're really quite literal beings when it comes to washing our hands of something. Quite interesting, as long as this is not an example of...

4) Publication Probity
...publication bias.

5) Voting Booth Feng Shui
Does voting in a church effect how one votes on questions of abortion? Does voting in a school, on public funding for education?