I was looking out the window early this morning - and noticed all the brown (garden refuse) wheelie bins out for collection (it's every other Thursday if you need to know). Thank goodness for the wisdom of crowds, as it had slipped my mind yet again. This despite my wife ("the expert") advising me of the need to roll out said bin only the night before....
Collective judgement is a better bet than any small number of individual experts, according to James Surowiecki, author of the very readable Wisdom of Crowds.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wisdom-Crowds-Many-Smarter-Than/dp/0349116059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239880849&sr=1-1
One 'neat' (yes he's a native New Yorker) stat to drop into your next dinner party: contestants who "ask the audience" in Who Wants to be a Millionaire can expect 91% of their answers to be correct. Ask your chosen 'expert' via phone a friend - and it's just 65%.
Not a brand new book, but a good one none the less... the official microsite to the book is a good place to start if you' want to find out more...
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/wisdomofcrowds/index.html
Now when's the green recycling bin due?
