I often hear people use the expression "In my book..." to express their view of something. What is this "book" that everybody supposedly has? I've looked everywhere and I can't seem to find mine. Where do you get one? What's actually in it? Are they supposed to give you one when you're born? And is it the same one with all those tricks in it?

PBI # 3: Seven percent of what?

It's a common expression: "Well, we only use X percent of our brain's capacity." Sometimes it's "fifteen percent"; sometimes it's a more scientific-sounding "seven percent" or a similarly precise number. Here's an inconvenient question: how does anybody know what the brain's "capacity" is? Has someone measured it? What are the units of measure? Gigabytes? Gigahertz? RPM? Furlongs per fortnight? Could this be one of those popular slogans that fall apart when you think about them?

PBI # 4: Who said it?

Studies show that the most-often quoted philosopher is a Greek named Anonymous.

PBI # 5: War is Fun?

Maybe General Sherman was mistaken.

War is only "hell" if you're one of the people getting maimed, killed, or driven out of your home. But if you're one of the heads of state, politicians, senior generals, diplomats, promoters, facilitators, arms makers, arms dealers, or suppliers of war materiel, war can be a lot of fun. If you're a president or a prime minister, it can keep you in your job.

Even if you're a soldier, it can be fun if you come back in one piece and have some great stories to tell. If you're a reporter, you get to have fun writing stories about it. If you're an historian, you get to write books about it. If you're a college student, you get to protest it. War has something in it for just about everybody - except the ones on the receiving end of it.

Maybe that's why we've had so much of it for so many centuries.

PBI # 6: Outsourcing War? Sure.

Business experts are fond of advising companies to "outsource" - i.e. have somebody else do - everything but their "core competencies." This has led to a global shake-out as various business functions get outsourced to countries (and companies in those countries) that are able to do it cheaper, and sometimes better.

This leads to an intriguing proposition: all countries could outsource their war making efforts to the United States. After all, the US is clearly the leading military force in the world, with the latest technology and the most highly trained, expert fighters. No other country makes war as well as the US does.

If all countries outsourced their war making to the US, they could be sure of getting the best operations for their money. Where would this lead? For one thing, the country willing to put up the most money would always win, because both sides would be buying military operations of identical quality.

The drawback, one might say, would be that Americans would be fighting each other. But, if the best-funded side would always win, then Americans could simply scale down the battles to make sure the right sponsor won, but with minimum casualties - and higher profits.

In the end, maybe the wars could be fought with computers, and the losing side would have to pay money to the winning side. Maybe one soldier would have to die to make it a real war.

Would this work?

PBI # 7: Thirty lies per second

Next time you're watching a TV documentary about people doing something dangerous or arduous - climbing up a mountain face, slashing their way through a jungle, or opening an ancient tomb - step out of the TV-induced trance for a moment and ask yourself "Who's filming this?"

How did the camera operator get to the top of the mountain before the climbers got there, in order to film them from above, making that last heroic ascent? Could that be a re-enactment?

Then consider that there's not only a camera operator, but also a sound technician with a boom mike, a couple of "go-fers", a producer, and probably a retinue of people cooking their meals and driving them around.

If you saw all of that - a wide-angle shot they never show - the danger and drama might seem less compelling. TV, as they say, is "thirty lies per second."

PBI # 8: The psychology of risk

Human beings are notoriously incapable of realistically estimating risk in situations that arouse emotions like fear or greed (e.g. the stock market).

Immediately after the 9-11 bombing, millions of Americans swore they would never fly on airplanes again. With 6,000 + flights over the continental US every day, one's chances of being on a hijacked airliner - even if there were a hijacking every day - would be about 1 in 6,000.

This is roughly the same as one's chances of getting run down by an elephant. Yet thousands of people would drive their cars to Las Vegas or Atlantic City, hoping to beat the odds against the casinos - while cleverly cheating death at the hands of hijackers.

PBI # 9: A picture is worth ...

One of our traditional slogans is "a picture is worth a thousand words." Possibly so, but the situation might have a big effect on the trade-off. If you're drowning, then one word - "HELP!" - might be worth more than a thousand pictures.

PBI # 10: What Shall We Name the Baby?

These days, advertisers try to place their commercials in every conceivable spot where they might get attention. One popular strategy is to buy "naming rights" to some well-known public place such as a sport stadium, a racetrack, or a conference center.

The obvious extension of this, of course, is naming babies. If you need to build up a little extra cash flow, and you have a baby on the way, why not sell naming rights for your child?

Think of the possibilities: your kid will be telling everybody "My name is Verizon Williams," or "Hi, I'm Nabisco Jones." All through their life they'll be advertising their sponsor every time they answer a phone, send an email, sign a check, or fill out a form. They should get paid for it.

Come to think of it, why not sell the rights to the family name? You might be able to get a good package price. Meet John and Mary Citibank, and the little Citibanks.

Or, maybe not...

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Dr. Karl Albrecht is an executive management consultant, futurist, lecturer, and author of more than 20 books on business strategy, organizational performance, and professional achievement. He is also a leading authority on cognitive styles and the development of advanced thinking skills. His book Practical Intelligence: the Art & Science of Common Sense, and his Mindex Thinking Style Profile are widely used in business and education. Originally a physicist, and having served as a military intelligence officer and business executive, he now consults, lectures, and writes about whatever he thinks would be fun. Visit him at http://www.KarlAlbrecht.com.