Brain Graphic.(COVER STORY)(decision making)(Brief article)

Decision:

Where Should I Get My News?

Choices: Print versus online. Blog versus old-media site. Drudge Report versus Huffington Post. RSS feeds versus Twitter.

Noise: Can you trust what you read in newspapers? Can you trust what you read on the Internet? Are liberals more or less trustworthy than conservatives? Do you want to know a lot about one thing or a little about everything?

Best Strategy: Mix it up. Read the top story in The New York Times--and then let the bloggers tell you what it missed.

Decision:

Which Jeans Should I buy?

CHOICES: Low-rise versus high-waisted. Boot-cut versus straight-legged. Regular cut versus painter's pants with a hammer loop.

NOISE: Input from fashion blogs, celebrity photos, store employees, and your hips.

BEST STRATEGY: Find a pair that fits. Buy 20 of them.

Decision:

Should I Run for President?

CHOICES: A posh gig on cable versus leader of the free world. Millions in greasy lobbying dollars versus a flat rate of $400,000 per year. An ounce of privacy versus endless questions about your place of birth.

NOISE: Input from political pros, pundits, your spouse, your spiritual adviser, and Ohio-based plumbers.

Best Strategy: Write a book. If you run out of material before you hit page 200, forget it.

Decision

Which Coffee Drink Should I Order?

CHOICES: Dunkin' Donuts versus Starbucks. Fattening frappe versus low-cal. Venti versus grande. Fair trade versus cruel exploitation of low-wage workers.

NOISE: Input from TV ads, liberal bloggers, Dr. Atkins, and your nagging caffeine headache.

BEST STRATEGY: Find a cup that meets at least two of your requirements. Buy it till the end of time.