The latest trend in neuroscience is to stick volunteers inside MRI machines and see which part of their brain lights up as they undertake various tasks. They've found the area of the brain that makes you feel like you're being followed, the bit o' gray matter that provides for mystic religious experiences, and the neurons that over-react to scary movies if you happen to be the kind of person--like myself--who walked out of "The Ring" the moment they showed the little dried up girl crouched in the closet corner.

Scanning my brain this past week may have revealed very little activity. Yesterday I put my stethoscope on someone's chest and heard nothing. It took me more than one moment to realize that I had not yet stuck the ear pieces in my ear.

If I access my frontal lobe later today, I'll tell you what happens to people's brains when they shop.