* The color green reduces anxiety, adding more chill to the pill.
* White tablets—particularly those labeled “antacid”—are superior for soothing ulcers, even when they contain nothing but lactose.
* More is better, scientists say. Placebos taken four times a day deliver greater relief than those taken twice daily.
* Branding matters. Placebos stamped or packaged with widely recognized trademarks are more effective than “generic” placebos.
* Clever names can add a placebo boost to the physiological punch in real drugs. Viagra implies both vitality and an unstoppable Niagara of sexy.

Why not?

Linky

The rest are here

Each time the space shuttle rises from its launchpad at Cape Canaveral, Fla., an Air Force officer waits anxiously for the first 2 minutes to pass safely. If the spaceship were to veer off course and endanger a populated area, this range safety officer would bear the terrible responsibility of flipping a pair of switches under a stenciled panel reading “Flight Termination.” The first switch arms explosives on the shuttle’s two solid rocket boosters. Flipping the second switch would detonate them, destroying the shuttle and crew.

Article with pictures of the switch and the no-fly zones.