text:
As always, there was lots of comment-worthy developments in the world of digital marketing this year.
Here's my summation of 2013 in quotes, from changes at Google, to acquisitions and mergers, and developments across social networks.
Got other quotes worthy of inclusion? Do leave them in the comments section below.
We promise not to screw it up.
Marissa Meyer as Yahoo acquires Tumblr for $990m.
The CMO is expected to spend more on technology than the CIO by 2017.
Marc Benioff, Salesforce CEO, as his company acquires ExactTarget for $2.5bn.
Publicis and Omnicom
It doesn't make much sense and it's nil premium. They're going to have co-CEOs…which is a very uncomfortable structure.
Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP, on the merger of Publicis and Omnicom.
We share a culture focused on our clients.
Maurice Levy, CEO Publicis, on the $35.1bn deal.
Washington Post
Amazon.com founder and chief executive Jeffrey P. Bezos formally took over as the owner of The Washington Post on Tuesday, officially ending 80 years of local control of the newspaper by the Graham family.
Paul Farhi writing in the Washington Post about its sale to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
The big G
We mark our 15th birthday with a renewed excitement for what's still to come. We continue to look for the next "10x" project that will change the world in ways we can't yet imagine.
Google turned 15.
We at Google have made tremendous advances in understanding language. Our knowledge graph has been fundamental to that. The new algorithm that we launched today called Hummingbird has been a great leap forward.
Amit Singhal on the launch of Hummingbird.
Cross device tracking
We're making it easier to build better cross-device experiences.
Andrew Wales, Engineer at GA, on the launch of cross device tracking in Universal Analytics.
40,000,000 people discovered a brand new way to share life in six seconds.
Vine was launched in February of this year and is already in many a big brands' creative toolbox.
You can still dunk in the dark.
Oreo finds new ground in real-time marketing, tweeting during the Super Bowl blackout.
Power out? No problem. pic.twitter.com/dnQ7pOgC
— Oreo Cookie (@Oreo) February 4, 2013
Twitter's year in review:
Tasteful. Transparent. Relevant. Improved based on your feedback.
Pinterest launched promoted pins, September 2013.
It's a completely human-programmed experience.
Tim Vanderhook on the relaunch of MySpace in June.
iOS7 started with a desire to take an experience people love and make it better. To make it even simpler, more useful and more enjoyable – but still feel instantly familiar.
Many people disagreed, with the new OS undoing thousands of hours of learning for many users thanks to its changes to many key features and aesthetics.
We are giving you the first email service that is connected to Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Google, and soon, Skype, to bring relevant context and communications to your email.
Chris Jones from Microsoft on Hotmail becoming Outlook.com.
Not only because the product wasn't a great product, but remember it took us five or six years to ship it. Then we had to sort of fix it. That was what I might call Windows 7.
On exiting Microsoft, Steve Ballmer names Windows Vista as his biggest regret.


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exterminating roaches, flat, India, insecticides, living in a flat, Neighbours, nuclear holocaust, roaches, Travel, Zombie apocalypse
When my new neighbours across moved in, I got a little more than just new neighbours. I got some visitors too, the unwanted type. Short ugly creatures, you know. The kind that would survive a nuclear holocaust. Who knows, maybe even a zombie apocalypse. Should we be invaded by zombies, these creatures would probably move in with them. They have a lot in common, all that ugly to start with.
Wait for it, drum rolls please…
There have been roach sightings in my flat ever since my lovely new neighbours came around. Roaches, in my house! I'm pretty certain there were none prior. And then, voila – new neighbours, roach sightings.
Drum rolls off please, you may now boo and eew.
And I'll sing along with you. I absolutely abhor the creatures. Because of them, I'm a compulsive insecticide-sprayer. Every room in my flat has a can of Mortein Doom Fast Kill. Sounds effective, huh? It promises to 'kill cockroaches and the eggs they carry.' It doesn't get much better than that in roach termination.
Nightmares sometimes come true too, you know. I had never thought about it until I decided to take a trip to New Delhi over a year ago. I was working in Ahmedabad and thought I should tour a bit of the rest of India. A lovely friend at work got me in touch with a friend of hers in New Delhi, who agreed to book me a room in a student hostel so that I would find my accomodation waiting for me. At this point you're probably wondering what any of this has to do with my neighbours and their roaches. Just hang in there for a bit longer, the end is nigh.
So I get to New Delhi, and eventually to the hostel, unfortunately at night. Un-huh. This room was like an anthill full of ants only this time they were bigger. Yes, roaches. Hoards and hoards of them. They were everywhere. What's more, the roaches in Delhi did not scurry when they saw you coming. They just went about minding their own business, and you had to get out of their way. The shower, the toilet, the bed, they were everywhere, and I had no where else to spend the night. It was a nightmare.
Suffice it to say, I managed to stand on one foot in the shower and take what should be known as the shortest shower ever, in history. Let's not even discuss how I managed to pee. Continue reading

subset: commoncrawl


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Because of default in the payment of the indebtedness, secured by a Security Deed executed by Todd L. Hayes to Bank of America, N.A. dated June 7, 2007 in the amount of $65,200.00, and recorded in Deed Book 432, Page 445, Appling County, Georgia Records; as last transferred to BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP by assignment; the undersigned, BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP pursuant to said deed and the note thereby secured, has declared the entire amount of said indebtedness due and payable and pursuant to the power of sale contained in said deed, will on the first Tuesday in May, 2011 , during the legal hours of sale, at the Courthouse door in Appling County, sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, the property described in said deed to-wit:
All that tract or parcel of land lying and being in the City of Baxley, Appling County, Georgia, being a portion of Fendig`s Addition to the City of Baxley, being designated as Lots No. 3 and 4 of Block No. 27 as shown on the hereinbelow referred to plat and being bound now or formerly as follows: Northerly by the Right-of-Way of Penniman Street, Easterly by Lots No. 5 and 6 of Block 27 as shown on said plat; Southerly by Lot No. 2 of Block 27 as shown on said plat; and Westerly by the Right-of-Way of McRorie Street.
For a more particular description reference is hereby made to a survey and plat thereof prepared by Nolan Ray, County Surveyor, dated September 20, 1952, recorded in Plat Book 3, Page 9, in the Office of the Clerk of Superior Court of Appling County, Georgia, incorporated herein for all purpose.
This being the same property conveyed to Todd Hayes by deed from James W. Cox, Jr. and Linda M. Cox recorded in the Office of the Clerk of the Superior Court of Appling County, Georgia, in Deed Book 412, Page 269, and re-recorded in Deed Book 413, Page 597.
Which has the property address of 204 North McCrorie Street, Baxley, Georgia., together with all fixtures and other personal property conveyed by said deed.
The sale will be held subject to any unpaid taxes, assessments, rights-of-way, easements, protective covenants or restrictions, liens, and other superior matters of record which may affect said property.
The sale will be conducted subject (1) to confirmation that the sale is not prohibited under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and (2) to final confirmation and audit of the status of the loan with the holder of the security deed.
Notice has been given of intention to collect attorneys' fees in accordance with the terms of the note secured by said deed.
Said property will be sold as the property of Todd L. Hayes and the proceeds of said sale will be applied to the payment of said indebtedness, the expense of said sale, all as provided in said deed, and the undersigned will execute a deed to the purchaser as provided in the aforementioned Security Deed.
BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP
Attorney in Fact for
Todd L. Hayes
Anthony DeMarlo, Attorney/mtucker
McCurdy & Candler, L.L.C.
(404) 373-1612
File No. 10-25939 /FHLMC
4-6, 4-13, 4-20 & 4-27ch
gpn11 NOTICE OF SALE UNDER POWER GEORGIA, APPLING COUNTY
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Credit: Ginger Liu. Ginger Media & Entertainment
Last night Sharon Stone attended "An Evening with Women: Celebrating Art, Music & Equality."
The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center presented a star-studded event and cocktail reception to benefit the Center's Women services. The night honored lesbians and bisexual women who have made a contribution to the LGBT community.
The event was held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel and other guests included, Paris Hilton, Sarah Silverman, Cybill Shepherd, Eliza Dushku, Rose McGowan, Sharon and Kelly Osbourne, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch.
Photographs by Ginger Liu


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Results 13 to 24 of 24
Thread: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
08-10-2007, 11:14 PM #13Rookie Poster
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Posts
- 1
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
I have no problem if Sgt. Colt or any other Indy fan wants to embrace both "volumes" of the Colts. They can do whatever they want. I don't quite understand it. As a lifelong Oriole fans, I have never had the slighest interest in the history of the St. Louis Browns, but hey,to each his own. My problem comes when the NFL and Hall of Fame pretends that there is only one volume of the Colts.
I also find it funny that Sgt. Colt mentions the Dodgers. Has he ever seen Jackie Robinson's Hall of Fame plaque? It does not say he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers or even the "Dodgers." It says Brooklyn NL. MLB and the Hall of Fame goes out of its way to ensure that no one will ever confuse the LA Dodgers with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The shame is that the NFL & its Hall of Fame could not do the same thing. The solution is really simple. The Baltimore Colts died in 1984. Just like the Canton Bulldogs and Pottstown Maroons, they no longer exist. It is time that the NFL accepts reality and seperate/retire the Baltimore Colts records, as Johnny Unitas long ago requested. Why? Because it is the right and decent thing to do. Then, if they so choose, the Indy Colts could publish the Baltimore Colts records as a seperate section of their media guide and the Ravens could do the same thing. That way, everybody could be happy.
By the way, it was a classy thing that Jimmy Irsay did. The NFL needs to get with the program and follow suit.
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
Same with Tom Matte, Art Donovan, and all of the old Colts from the glory years. They stayed loyal to Baltimore, and all of them support the Ravens. Matte was the color man on all Ravens radio broadcasts. You still see Donovan around the local Bmore crab houses.
Face it, the old Colts consider themselves Ravens supporters today, and want nothing to do with your stolen team. They know the team they played for is now in limbo and have to live with that until Irsay does the REAL decent thing and separates all of the Baltimore history from Indy.
If you want to latch onto the history and accomplishments of another city in another era, that's your prerogative, but just know that #19 died a Ravens fan living in the Baltimore suburbs.
09-05-2007, 02:12 AM #15Rookie Poster
- Join Date
- Sep 2007
- Posts
- 11
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
It is good to see that Irsay did the right thing by leaving the BALTIMORE Colts super bowl off of the current colts super bowl rings. It truly is two different histories Baltimore and Indianapolis. People in Indy will never know what it is like to be a true colts fan they will never get to step foot in Memorial Stadium and they will never have the support from the old Baltimore colts players who still come to Ravens games. People in Baltimore are the luckiest fans in the NFL because they have legends from a different era who still live in Baltimore and attend ravens games Baltimore fans also still have possession of the only Baltimore Colts Super bowl trophy it is at sports legends museum at Camden Yards if you would like to see it. Indy can take our team but they can never take our memories our history our legends and the Ravens truly carry on that tradition I would not trade them for any franchise in the NFL because I am a Baltimore fan and that is what truly is special.
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
Read the article on #19 in the Baltimore Sun today and you will see why the franchise in Indianapolis is a fraud. Their fans suck - go get your own history. What, you all couldn't come up with your own name that reflects your city and state?
Midwestern losers.Baltimore Football Championships
Ravens 2000, 2012
Stallions 95 CFL
Stars 85 USFL
Colts 58, 59, 70
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
What means more?
Baltimore and the Colts and it's players who still live here?
The fact that a drunken ass with money purchased the rights to the name, and ruined it. And then his kid, who is an ok guy by all accounts, doesn't want to part with it because it's been in his family all his life?
Baltimore Colts - championships, Unitas, Berry, Moore, insane aslum
My daddy owned the team and it's all I know.
:(Baltimore Football Championships
Ravens 2000, 2012
Stallions 95 CFL
Stars 85 USFL
Colts 58, 59, 70
09-18-2007, 10:44 PM #18Rookie Poster
- Join Date
- Sep 2007
- Location
- Towson
- Posts
- 6
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
I have a very wise friend that once told me to "Build a bridge and get over it."
We have our team now. Move on.
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
I agree with everyone, Irsay will never change
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
The Baltmore Colts were a big part of my early sports thoughts and dreams.
The Ravens are my sports passion now, but I just HAVE to rub Johnnys shoe before I enter M&T..........
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
Whether it is Baltimore Colts or Ravens, no one can ever take away our memories of the Five NFL championship we celebrated here in Baltimore. Four with the Baltimore Colts and one with the Baltimore RAVENS!!! We are very lucky fans to have had two such great NFL teams to cheer for. When you think of it Baltimore has only had an NFL team in the league for a total of 45 years and we have five NFL championships during that time. It took the Steelers from 1933 - 1974 to win their first and only have 6 in 77 years of being in the NFL. Not a bad NFL championship winning percentage, per years in the league if you ask me......
Ask any Indy Colt fan what it was like when the Colts won an NFl championship in 1968, 59, 68, and 1970??? What can they say?? Baltimore Colt fans own those Championship memories......
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
I don't care about the ring. I want the records and HOF display separated. At that point I will be fine. And not until.
Manning should be setting Indy Colt records not breaking Johnny U records.
Re: Superbowl Ring - Olive Branch
I'm with T and they're not like any other team that left. People in Brooklyn still hurt
over the Dodgers.
It was nice of Jimmy to do this but he could have corrected a big wrong by giving
our name, colors and history back like Art did with Cleve but Jimmy refused to do it.
Up til then I didn't have a problem with him and I know old Colts like Joe Erhmann
thought he was cool. It was the old man but he showed the same colors by making
the asking price too rich for Art to buy. He should have given the name back.
Bud Adams changed the name of the Oilers when he moved them to Tenn and called
them the Titans and went to the SB with them.
Here's the pics of the rings. The Colts SBV and Ravens SB35 rings are amongst the
coolest but as much as I hate saying it, there is no denying how cool that damn last ring
won by Squeelers is boss sporting those 6 diamonds.
Last edited by AirFlacco; 03-20-2011 at 08:39 PM.


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Solution: Aussie Designer Launches World's First Zero-Waste Bra
If you wear bras, chances are you haven't thought too much about their environmental impact. But bras can be made from a variety of unsustainable materials, from water-intensive cotton, to spandex, to petroleum-based polyurethane foam for padding. So once they're tossed, these synthetic fabrics will sit in landfills and take forever to disappear.
It's no wonder Australian lingerie designer Stephanie Devine launched The Very Good Bra, the world's first zero-waste bra.
The biodegradable bra, Devine claims, is so Earth-friendly that "you could bury it in your garden at the end of its lifespan and it would leave no toxic waste."
The bra comes with no wire and is made of Aussie-made tencel, a sustainable textile made from the wood pulp of eucalyptus trees, which requires a fraction of the water used by cotton. Tencel, as it happens, is also ideal for lingerie due to its soft, absorbent and durable qualities.
Devine's bra features elastic made from sustainably farmed rubber trees, organic cotton for sewing thread and is dyed to meet the Global Organic Trading Standard. She even thought of organic inks for labeling and completely compostable packaging to make sure it's as clean as possible.
The designer crunched the numbers and determined that if the two billion women currently on the planet own, on average, nine bras each, that means 18 billion bras are headed for landfill. In her native country, Australia, 6,000 kilos of clothing and textile waste ends up in the landfill every 10 minutes.
A Kickstarter for the product was launched May 19 and fulfilled its AUD $20,000 (US $15,300) fundraising goal within 48 hours.
The Very Good Bra is available on the crowdfunding site for roughly US $65 and comes in 24 cup sizes. Early bird delivery expected for this August with another run in October.
Additional funds raised during the Kickstarter campaign will go towards completing Cradle to Cradle certification, which would make The Very Good Bra the world's first lingerie label and the first Australian fashion product to do so.
Devine hopes to continue to design more zero-waste products following her current campaign.
"For me this isn't about one bra, I want to develop a brand to cover a broader, inclusive range of zero-waste, low waste and recycled basics for both men and women," she said.
"Together we can start cleaning up the fashion industry and help protect our fragile planet for future generations."
Fast Fashion Is the Second Dirtiest Industry in the World, Next to Big Oil http://t.co/yO2nMHrUYr @greenpeaceusa @HuffPostGreen— EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)1439863264.0
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
U.S. Breaks World Record With More Than 55,000 New Coronavirus Cases in a Day
The U.S. reported more than 55,000 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, in a sign that the outbreak is not letting up as the Fourth of July weekend kicks off.
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Researchers Are Creating a Drone to Study Wild Dolphins With Help From Trained Dolphins
By Jason Bruck
Human actions have taken a steep toll on whales and dolphins. Some studies estimate that small whale abundance, which includes dolphins, has fallen 87% since 1980 and thousands of whales die from rope entanglement annually. But humans also cause less obvious harm. Researchers have found changes in the stress levels, reproductive health and respiratory health of these animals, but this valuable data is extremely hard to collect.
Researchers work with trained dolphins to learn more about their sensory abilities, seen here testing a dolphin's hearing. Jason Bruck / CC BY-ND
A Lot to Learn From Hormones
When sampling the blow, we are looking for hormones in mucus as these can be used to gauge psychological and physiological health. We are specifically interested in hormones like cortisol and progesterone, which indicate stress levels and reproductive ability respectively, but can also help determine overall health.

Additionally, blow samples can detect respiratory pathogens in the lungs or nasal passages - blowholes evolved from noses after all.

This health analysis is especially important in areas with oil spills as the chemicals can cause hormonal problems that harm development, metabolism and reproduction in dolphins.

Hormone samples can provide scientists with valuable data, but collecting them from intelligent and unpredictable animals is challenging.

Cetacean Collaborators
To build a drone that can stealthily collect spray from moving dolphins, we needed more data on their eyesight and hearing, and this is data that couldn't be collected in the wild nor simulated in a lab.

We worked with dolphins at facilities like Dolphin Quest in Bermuda, which provides guests opportunities to learn about dolphins while allowing scientists access to animals for noninvasive research. Here the dolphins can swim away if they choose not to work with us, so we had to design the study like a game; the way a kindergarten teacher entertains a class. If the dolphins aren't interested, we don't get to do the science.

Over the course of hundreds of sessions, we sought to answer two questions: What can dolphins hear and what can they see around their heads?

To test dolphin hearing, we set up microphones and cameras to record dolphin behavior as we played drone noise in the air. We analyzed the responses to each noise – such as how many dolphins looked at the speaker – and used these as a proxy for their ability to hear the sounds.

Robodolphin doesn't look like a real dolphin, but it doesn't need to in order to train our drone pilots. C.J. Barton / Oklahoma State University / CC BY-ND
To build robodolphin, we worked with dolphins trained to "chuff" or sneeze on command to measure spray characteristics. We used high-speed photography to see the dolphins' breath as it moved through the air. Then we conducted high resolution CT scans of a dolphin head and 3D-printed a replica of a nasal passage.

Now, we have a complete robodolphin and are tweaking its sprays to be nearly identical to the real thing. This will allow us to determine how close we need to get to collect the samples, and therefore, how quiet our drone needs to be.

The replica dolphin blowhole was designed from a scan of a real blowhole passage, and the spray it produces closely matches the real thing. Alvin Ngo, Mitch Ford and CJ Barton / Oklahoma State University / CC BY-ND
A Bit of Practice, Then Into the Wild
In the next few months, we will test flights over robodolphin with existing drones to determine the timing and strategy for collection. From there, we will fabricate a low-noise drone that can fly fast enough and with sufficient maneuverability to capture samples from wild dolphins. Like a video game, we will use the visual field data to develop approach trajectories to stay in the visual blindspots.

We plan to test our drones on a truck-mounted robodolphin moving down a runway, then using a boat to simulate realistic conditions. The next steps will involve ocean testing with dolphins trained for open ocean swimming. These tests will determine if our devices can catch and hold the hormones as the drone flies back to a researcher's boat.

Finally, we will deploy the system to collect data on wild dolphins. Our first goal is to test resident dolphins – animals that live on the coasts and deal directly with boat and oil industry noise – which will allow us to learn more about stress resulting from human impacts.

Those samples are a way off, but if all goes well we will have a specially built drone capable of flying long distances and capturing samples undetected in a few years. The samples collected will allow researchers to do better science with impact on the animals they study.

- Drone Footage Captures Rare Finless Porpoises in Hong Kong ... ›
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- 10 Surprising Dolphin 'Superpowers' - EcoWatch ›
Florida Gov. DeSantis Prohibits Cities From Banning Sunscreens, Even Ones That Harm Coral
Sunscreen pollution is accelerating the demise of coral reefs globally by causing permanent DNA damage to coral. gonzalo martinez / iStock / Getty Images Plus
On July 29, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a controversial bill prohibiting local governments from banning certain types of sunscreens.
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By Kelli McGrane
Oat milk is popping up at coffee shops and grocery stores alike, quickly becoming one of the trendiest plant-based milks.
- Is Oat Milk Gluten-Free? - EcoWatch ›
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Popular Fireworks Emit High Levels of Lead and Toxins
"Emissions from pyrotechnic displays are composed of numerous organic compounds as well as metals," a new study reports. Nodar Chernishev / EyeEm / Getty Images
Fireworks have taken a lot of heat recently. In South Dakota, fire experts have said President Trump's plan to hold a fireworks show is dangerous and public health experts have criticized the lack of plans to enforce mask wearing or social distancing. Now, a new study shows that shooting off fireworks at home may expose you and your family to dangerous levels of lead, copper and other toxins.
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By Ashutosh Pandey
Billions worth of valuable metals such as gold, silver and copper were dumped or burned last year as electronic waste produced globally jumped to a record 53.6 million tons (Mt), or 7.3 kilogram per person, a UN report showed on Thursday.
Environmental and Health Hazard
Experts say e-waste, which is now the world's fastest-growing domestic waste stream, poses serious environmental and health risks.

Simply throwing away electronic items without ensuring they get properly recycled leads to the loss of key materials such as iron, copper and gold, which can otherwise be recovered and used as primary raw materials to make new equipment, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions from extraction and refinement of raw materials.

Refrigerants found in electronic equipment such as fridge and air conditioners also contribute to global warming. A total of 98 Mt of CO2-equivalents, or about 0.3% of global energy-related emissions, were released into the atmosphere in 2019 from discarded refrigerators and ACs that were not recycled properly, the report said.

E-waste contains several toxic additives or hazardous substances, such as mercury and brominated flame retardants (BFR), and simply burning it or throwing it away could lead to serious health issues. Several studies have linked unregulated recycling of e-waste to adverse birth outcomes like stillbirth and premature birth, damages to the human brain or nervous system and in some cases hearing loss and heart troubles.

"Informal and improper e-waste recycling is a major emerging hazard silently affecting our health and that of future generations. One in four children are dying from avoidable environmental exposures," said Maria Neira, director of the Environment, Climate Change and Health Department at the World Health Organization. "One in four children could be saved, if we take action to protect their health and ensure a safe environment."

Europe Leads the Way
While most of the e-waste was generated in Asia (24.9 Mt) in 2019, Europe led the charts on a per person basis with 16.2 kg per capita, the report said.

But the continent also recorded the highest documented formal e-waste collection and recycling rate at 42.5%, still below its target of 65%. Europe was well ahead of the others on this front. Asia ranked second with 11.7%.

The authors said while more that 70% of the world's population was covered by some form of e-waste policy or laws, not much was being done toward implementation and enforcement of the regulations to encourage the take-up of a collection and recycling infrastructure due to lack of investment and political motivation.

"You have to think about new economic systems," said Kühr.

One approach could be that consumers no longer buy the products, but only the service they offer. The device would remain the property of the maker, who would then have an interest in offering his customers the best service and the necessary equipment. The maker would also be interested in designing his products in such a way that they are easier to repair and easier to recycle, Kühr said.

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3 Ways to Go Plastic-Free This July While Staying Safe From Coronavirus
This month is Plastic Free July, the 31 days every year when millions of people pledge to give up single-use plastics.
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- Coronavirus Plastic Waste Polluting the Environment - EcoWatch ›


text:
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Tiger Mother I am not
I'm almost loathe to start this post as I don't think Amy Chua, and her book, could possibly have more press. I also fully disclose that I did not read this book, having only read (the scary) excerpts and multiple articles and blogs about the book. I did hear her on NPR with Diane Rehm when she defended the "tongue-in-cheek" nature of the book and how it represents an evolution of her own parenting. (Although, it seems that many people who have read her book in its entirety seem to have missed that subtlety.) My friend Joanne wonders whether her form of parenting represents child abuse.
I grew up the daughter of Chinese immigrants who, if anything, were on the permissive side. Sure, they valued good grades and hard work but honestly never pushed me. This might be, in part, due to the fact that I was doing well anyway, but I remember their mantras whenever I called home from college were two: 1) make sure you get enough rest; 2) don't study too hard. In high school, I did cause quite a bit of their concern when I declared I wanted to get a part-time job during the school year. Not out of necessity, I didn't need the money, but, what can I say? I wanted the experiences my friends had. I promised them that I would stop if my grades suffered. (And looking back, the experience of working minimum wage in discount retail was enlightening.) My parents' parenting style was the envy of my circle of friends: I had no curfew (although my dad would nonchalantly stay up, probably developing an ulcer, while waiting for me to return home on Saturday nights). I watched a lot of TV. They allowed me to give up piano lessons when I likened my times with my mid-life-crisising piano teacher to extreme torture.
I did have ABC (American Born Chinese) classmates that had proverbial Tiger Mothers. These women terrified me. Their children were polite, respectful, disciplined and high-achieving, but something was off. There was a hardness to these boys (they were often boys), and, often, a social awkwardness. I felt for them. And very glad I had a different upbringing.
On the flip side, the criticism that American parenting culture is too permissive is interesting to explore. Are we not pushing our children enough (not to TM extremes but isn't some pushing necessary)? I semi-struggled with this as I've watched my 5 year-old daughter beg for piano lessons...then totally lose interest a few months later. Same with dance class. When it got to be a monumental struggle to get her to even pay attention to her teachers or go to class, we've allowed her to stop. The feeling was that maybe she's not ready and when she finds something that she is truly passionate about, it wouldn't be such a Herculean effort to get her to practice. More physical activities, like swimming and gymnastics, have held her attention week after week. We are "following the child" as her Montessori teachers say. This makes a great deal of sense to me. I don't want her to do something for me, or for the sake of doing something. I want her to do something and work hard at it because she loves it and derives happiness in the process (That's possible, right?). But I sometimes wonder if I'm doing her justice by letting things go too easily.
One possible ill consequence of the TM method is raising children where conformity over individuality and creativity is selected. The Chinese have produced a nation of math and science heavyweights, but where are the visionaries? The Apples? The break-out ideas?
Chua, on NPR, wanted it to be known that her book was not a how-to-guide to parenting but a memoir. She clearly has struck a chord with mothers (and parents) everywhere. As much as she's been demonized in the media, I think this comes from a place of insecurity, that we all carry, about how we are doing as parents. Could we not be giving our children the best advantages in life? Are we doing it wrong? At the heart of the "Mommy Wars, " afterall, is insecurity and wanting to believe that our parenting, one of our most precious tasks --to "successfully" raise a child -- is right.
I hope that her daughters grow up to be successful, as defined by their own beliefs and that this backlash towards her mother's memoir doesn't do any permanent damage. We are all mothers, doing what we think is right, in the best way we know how. After all.
16 comments:
Such a thoughtful reflection and balance to what has been discussed so far on TM's, thanks for sharing your perspective.ReplyDelete
Most of us have a range within us, or I'll speak for myself, my permissive foster their growth but let them make their own mistakes and have fun every day style still comes up against my high achiever tendencies. I find the balance with helping them grow into what they are both enjoying and good at (drums and drawing), and that they should try their best at all they do, rather than this is what I think is the best and you have to meet that.
I too heard her say it's not a how to but a memoir, and I'm very curious to read the memoirs AND how to guides (and how not to) by her children someday.
Thanks KC.
- AnonymousJanuary 20, 2011 at 5:17 PM
I do try to be led by their interests but I do think that a little encouragement to stick with things even when they are hard is good for my girls. We have made a deal that if they really want to do an activity, they have to commit for a year. That way the doldrums that happen in month three have lifted, they have accomplished something and then we can evaluate if they should continue. This is especially critical since I work full time and do not have the schedule flexibility to change activities every few months. I do not expect genius or prodigy with every activity and do lavish praise for achievement, but I do expect some effort. (Disclaimer: I have never threatened stuffed animals with harm) I think Amy Chua took the easy way out because nuanced parenting is more difficult than one size fits all.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 20, 2011 at 6:41 PM
I love my Tiger Mother. She wasn't exactly like Chua, but she taught me to be self-disciplined. It was hard, but thanks to her, I am self-disciplined, a hard-worker, and creative. Thanks to her, I did well in school and never settled for less. And, she was very supportive and understanding when she needed to be. While she demanded a lot from me, she demanded a lot from herself. She never went out to parties, she worked hard, and she dedicated her life to me and my brother. She served as the example of what she wanted me to be. How could a mother not demand the best from her children? How could a mother not want her children to be BETTER than her?ReplyDelete
I'm not here to say that what my mother did was THE WAY, or the RIGHT WAY, or BETTER than other types of parenting. I am here to say that it what was she did with me and I love her for all her effort and dedication to us. In the end, if you can't appreciate your mother for everything she has been through to teach you all she can and to TRY to be the best mother she can be for you, then I'm sorry for you and your mother.
After all, mothers are human, too. Even if a mother did wrong, and made big, serious mistakes in her life (ex. being alcoholic, cheating, etc), and if she apologized later , all you can do is forgive her. You only have one mother and she isn't eternal. Most mothers want the very best for their children. That's all.
- AnonymousJanuary 20, 2011 at 7:13 PM
The Tiger Mother techniques my mom used worked with me because I happened to be good at science, piano, and violin. They didn't work on my sister, who is a freelance artist. The poor woman is 35 years old and my mother still tells her daily, "You're lazy. Why can't you get a real job? How come you're not married yet?"ReplyDelete
While I haven't read the book, I've been reading all the hoopla surrounding it, too. I really liked David Brooks' article about how not letting your kids socialize enough with other children makes them lose out on learning how to negotiate social relationships - some of the toughest roads to navigate as children, where some of the most valuable lessons are learned (TM as wimp by protecting kids from this), - maybe that is what you were sensing when you described the social awkwardness in the boys.ReplyDelete
My style of parenting is more like yours - try to find their strengths and channel them in that direction. At 5 and 6 this was tough, but I am finding it easier now that my daughter is 7/8 - she is a clear art/drama/dance girl and enjoys sticking with activities that allow that form of expression much better. We also had trouble with piano. Swimming only works for summer fun, so far. Maybe Jack will be my swimmer.
We are all trying our hardest, aren't we? As my mom and dad say, just do what you think is best and if it isn't working, fix it. Hindsight is certainly 20/20, and we all make mistakes, no matter how hard we try.
This is a very thoughtful commentary on a story that is possible more nuanced than the media has made out (and disclosure: I also have not read the book, nor do I have any intention of reading it), but is nonetheless deeply disturbing to me. It has been interesting to hear Amy Chua talking and talked about in the immediate wake of my seeing Black Swan. I'm not sure that going to the movies falls into her repertoire of meaningful pursuits, but if any mother ever needed to see any movie currently in a theater, it is Amy Chua and Black Swan. Her children may one day deliver their "perfect" performance while Ms. Chua looks on contentedly (or smugly?). Whether her girls will survive to bear and raise their own children using all the insight they have gained from growing up in Tiger Mom's cage is altogether a different question. And that's a tragedy.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 21, 2011 at 5:31 PM
I love how everyone on here is so judgmental. You can be a psycho-b*tch mother like in Black Swan and not be half as punishing as Amy Chua.ReplyDelete
Also, read the book Chua wrote. It's a MEMOIR about how she LEARNS that some of her tactics don't work, so she uses other better ones.
Obviously you all didn't pick up on her brilliant way to advertise her book.
"My sweet girl" - mother in Black Swan...
- AnonymousJanuary 21, 2011 at 8:40 PM
Actually Anon @5:31, I read the book and watched her interview and I do think she did learn as she went and I do not think the book is a how to. The one really good point she makes is about the tyranny of low expectations. She argues that if you expect success, your child will succeed but what happens if they do not? Would she be writing if her kids were not doing well? Of course not.ReplyDelete
- juliainkJanuary 22, 2011 at 10:44 AM
You said this better than I could! We need to set goals for our kids and to respect the ones they set for themselves. If my parents hadn't pushed me through several tantrums, I would never have mastered the multiplication tables. And I wish I had been pressed a little bit more to stick with the piano, which I gave up quickly. But I also am grateful that the older I grew, the more I could follow my own inclinations. I used to be afraid I was only motivated by external pressure, but when I went to a medical school without grades, I found I had the ability to work hard when I didn't have to--a value that has sustained me throughout my professional life.ReplyDelete
@Anon @ 5:31pm: I'm not sure her approach to promoting her book was exactly genius. I'd venture to guess that for every mom who rushed on to amazon.com to purchase it, there is at least one more who decided she wouldn't spend $20 on that book for...all the tea in China.ReplyDelete
I haven't read the book and won't, but just reading Joanne's review of it over there was enough for me. Yikes.ReplyDelete
I parent much like you, I take my kids' lead on most things, but we expect them to give their best effort in things like academics. Thus far, they do their best and make straight A's. Josh and I try to set a good example in our own studies, but when something is difficult (like o-chem), I discuss it with them and let them know that sometimes--GASP--even Mom pulls a C. LOL. The effort is the important thing. My son was horrified by my C, by the way.
- AnonymousJanuary 24, 2011 at 8:51 AM
Because Amy Chua made sure her kids worked hard on any task they had there was no chance they would not be successful. Hard work and perseverance produce miricles. Sadly both of these are more intrinsic to non-western cultures, who are taking over the world in economics now. Surprise? Cruelty of her methods is not necessary, but her vision is shared by all ethnic proefessional parents. I notice that kids of indian, asian doctors always turn out ot be doctors. While american doctors I've met produce hair dressers and surfers. I sense a lot of insecurity in most above comments. Local parents prefer to follow child, and have her do "what she loves" since its easire and more comforting mentally. OK, she hates math, finbe but she is "creative". Who loves math at first encounter (by the way I did,as it was tought superbly in my country)? You do not get to love any subject untill you work hard at it and feel confident. My kid is "loving" math now, because we made sure he learned it first. American kids are not expected to study half as hard as their global peers. But all parents/media/educators are terrified if they do not follow the lead of american child....ReplyDelete
I do plan on reading Amy Chua's book. I would be particularly interested to see how her parenting methods changed in response to her rebeliious younger daughter. I can certainly identify with many elements of her approach in my own upbringing, but my mom was nowhere as exteme as Amy Chua. I would recommend for anyone interested to read the "open letter" the older daughter wrote to her mom. She is not warped and scarred for life. She appears to be plenty sensible.ReplyDelete
Interesting to read the range of comments above - thanks to all.ReplyDelete
Just came across this:
- AnonymousJanuary 24, 2011 at 10:08 PM
KC - thank you for brilliant and timely post.ReplyDelete
1) last week Times magazine has an a) article sharing ...Amy Chua methods are SUPPORTED by psychology research b)Article from american farther who loves chinese parenting methods for his daughter, born and living in China with chinese mother
2) I find your last link hilarious - you must take it personally being an "inferior Montessouri parent"! (I was one too, but luckily steered toward traditional approach. Montessori is good when you follow the child on a level of bulding blocks play and art/drama/etc. Kids who stay in Montessouri through middle school though have significant problems assimilating academic demands of regular school)
3) I wish we could hear Fizzy's voice here - who admitted she was being pushed by her mother a lot. And ... as we all know turned into a brilliant writer, smart and humorous, making light of all gruesome staff we all have gone through. Fizzy does not strike me as "damaged" victim of tyrany parenting - Fizzy sorry for using you.. but this is very positive and compliments you... By the way I am always on your side in all your posts. Keep wirting, do not give up if those comments are pouring in.
4) I refer you to a link for ethnic math school in Boston just to read children's letters about their experiences in this demanding learning center - some admit they resented going at first, and now enjoy so much, spend every summer in their math camps, and finally amount to scholarships in Ivy Leage schools. This tutoring school produced 8 out of 20 national perfect scorers on SAT math tests (800/800). And all letters say students are enthusiastic about their experience.
So if you expose child to challenging task, try to keep them at it enough for them to get a feel for success
5) I am totally with Gizabeth and KC on trying out extra-curricular activities, as these are meant for fun, relaxation, but paradoxically are turned into competative business by american mothers. Why? Why go on out of town soccer trips, when your kid hates academics? Is this where focus and money should be?
6) I can understand why your friend Joanne wrote what she wrote about amy chua. I would be surprised if writer has a "successful" kid.
7) The real strength of Amy Chua's story is that she admits a lot of regrets, mistakes, and states she changed. You cannot judge her too harsh. She was raised by harsh parents. Research reveals we behave a lot like our own parents with our children (subconsciuosly ). But she rose above her cruel childhood, and changed. And her daughters open letter is a testimony to the balance they all achieved as a family.
8) Finally, be proud of your ethnic background, without completely separating yourself from it. I sense high work ethic in you. And I sense your "permissive" parents gave you no curfew because they trusted you entirely, told you to rest in college, because they worried you were overdoing it.Ask yourself did these high standards come at least in part from your parents as vehicles of asian culture in your life?
- SunnidayJanuary 31, 2011 at 10:25 AM
I really love all the comments. I guess we all want our methods to be judged the best but really proof is in the pudding. The open letter from her older daughter showed the "sense and sensibility" of her daughter which was not warped by the harshness she described.ReplyDelete
I think that sticking with a task is important. See Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers about 10,000 hours of practice. Now talent/success definitely has a part to play. My older daughter loves piano, so does not need any reminding to practice. My younger one loves dance, so same. The reverse is not the case. However, both are sticking to both activities for the time being because they provide different lifelong skills they may use in a different setting.


text:
Bindenstrich-Ethik: Hyphen-Ethics
April 10, 2008
During breaks I would walk through empty rooms to discover changes curators had made in their spaces. I was a teenager when I began to feel at home in the silent, often light-filled buildings that held public art collections. I was annoyed by, resented, then was intrigued by, read about, studied, spent time with pieces that came to be my favourites. Visual artists were deeply informed about and experimenting with emerging, complex theories, cultural studies, political philosophy . . . academics did their best to avoid them until it became impossible to do so.
Reading Slavoj Žižek's Organs without Bodies is a lot like my non-linear NGC meanderings in the 1990s. His writing provokes me but there is enough brilliance there that makes me keep his book in the reading stand beside my monitor, opened at different pages on different days. He is not a lazy thinker. Each page is like a hypertext reader indexing a myriad of artists, philosophers, scientists and entrepreneurs. He discusses Hawkins, Hegel, Heidegger and Hitchcock with equal comfort because he has actually 'read' and analysed' their work.
I was drawn to his chapter section on hyphen-ethics more because of the probing, unsettling questions it raises than because of his conclusions. It will be one of those recurring themes that will be part of my own lifelong teaching, learning and research.
"What is false with todays discussion concerning the ethical consequences of biogenetics is that it is rapidly turning into what Germans call Bindenstrich-Ethik, the ethics of the hyphen – technology-ethics, environment-ethics, and so on. This ethics does have a role to play, a role homologous to that of the provisional ethic Descartes mentions at the beginning of his Discourse on Method: when we engage on a new path, full of dangers and shattering new insights, we need to stick to old established rules as a practical guide for our daily lives, although we are well aware that the new insights will compel us to provide a fresh foundation for our entire ethical edifice (in Descartes case, this new foundation was provided by Kant, in his ethics of subjective autonomy). Today, we are in the same predicament: the provisional ethics cannot replace the need for a thorough reflection of the emerging New (Žižek 2004:123)."
"In short, what gets lost here, in this hyphen-ethics, is simply ethics as such. The problem is not that universal ethics gets dissolved in particular topics but, on the contrary, that particular scientific breakthroughs are directly confronted with the old humanist "values" (say, how biogenetics affects our sense of dignity and autonomy). This, then, is the choice we are confronting today: either we choose the typically postmodern stance of reticence (let's not go to the end, let's keep a proper distance toward the scientific Thing so that this Thing will not draw us into a black hole, destroying all our moral and human notions), or we dare to "tarry with the negative (das Verweilen beim Negativen)," that is, we dare to fully examine the consequences of scientific modernity with the wager that "our Mind is a genome" will also function as an infinite judgment (Žižek 2004:123-4)."
"The main consequence of the scientific breakthrough in biogenetics is the end of nature. Once we know the rules of its construction, natural organisms are transformed into objects amenable to manipulation. Nature, human and inhuman, is thus "desubstantialized," deprived of its impenetrable density, of what Heidegger called "earth." Biogenetics, with its reduction of the human psyche itself to an object of technological manipulation, is therefore effectively a kind of empirical instantiation of what Heidegger perceived as the "danger" inherent to modern technology. Crucial here is the interdepedence of man and nature: by reducing man to just another object whose properties can be manipulated, what we lose is not (only) humanity but nature itself. In this sense, Francis Fukuyama is right. Humanity itself relies on some notion of "human nature" as what we inherited and was simply given to us, the impenetrable dimension in/of ourselves into which we are born/thrown. The paradox is thus that there is man only insofar as there is inhuman nature (Heidegger's "earth"). (Žižek 2004:124)."
Slavoj Žižek is a dialectical-materialist philosopher and psychoanalyst. He also co-directs the International Centre for Humanities at Birkbeck College. The Parallax View appeared last year.
Webliography and Bibliography
Žižek, Slavoj. 2004. "Against hyphen-ethics." Organs without Bodies: on Deleuze and Consequences. New York/London: Routledge. pp. 123-132.
Titles >> Subtitles: Organs without Bodies >> on Deleuze and Consequences >> Consequences >> Science >> Cognitivism with Freud, Autopoiesis, Memes, Memes Everywhere, Against Hyphen-Ethics, Cognitive Closure?, "Little Jolts of Enjoyment",
folksonomy: cultural studies, theory, philosophy, Deleuze, globalization, democracy, democratization, war on terror, Joan Copjec, biogenetics, hyphen-ethics, capitalism, Richard Dawkins, Jacques Derrida, Daniel Dennett, ethics, Ethical turn, Habermas, Kant, Laclau, Levinas, Lacan, Varela, religion, Pascal, Spinoza, The Quite American, Hegel, Heidegger, Massumi, Fukuyama, liberal democracy, Self, personhood, ethics, mind/brain, mind body, psychoanalysis, nature/culture, technology, mind and consciousness,
More by Slavoj Žižek:
Žižek, Slavoj. 2003. "Bring me my Philips Mental Jacket: Slavoj Žižek welcomes the prospect of biogenetic intervention." London Review of Books. 25:10. May.
Žižek, Slavoj. 1999. "Attempts to Escape the Logic of Capitalism." Review of Vaclav Havel: A Political Tragedy in Six Acts by John Keane." London Review of Books. 21:21. October 28.
Žižek, Slavoj. 1999. 'You May!' London Review of Books. 21:6. 18 March.


text:
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#1 2004-08-07 04:18:09
- zem
- Developer emeritus
- From: Melbourne, Australia
- Registered: 2004-04-08
- Posts: 2,579
- Website
[plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
A number of people have been asking about a 'staticize' clone for Textpattern. I'm not yet convinced that such a thing is necessary, but I've thrown together a quick plugin to test the idea. This is not a complete solution – flushing is a bit inconvenient, and there's still database activity because plugins, config settings etc are loaded from a table.
http://thresholdstate.com/download/zem_cache-0.5.txt [wet]
It's a little rough, and probably has some bugs.
If you try it out, please post before and after runtimes to this thread.
To use it, surround a page with the txp:zem_cache tag, like this:
<txp:zem_cache><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

note – your image directory must be writable. Cached content will be stored in images/cache.
You don't have to cache the entire page. If you're using more than one zem_cache tag per page, see the 'id' and 'ctx' attributes below.
The cache must be flushed manually; it won't happen automatically when you post or edit an article. To flush the cache, append "?flush_cache=1" to any Textpattern URL. Alternatively, place a
<txp:zem_flush /> tag on a seldom-used page, and load that page in your browser to force a flush.
You can check if it's working by viewing the source of a cached page and scrolling to the bottom. There should be a message that says "fresh copy", "cached copy" or "cache flushed".
Supported attributes:
- timeout
Specifies the expiry time in seconds. Default is 3600. A small figure like 120 will give you some protection against heavy load, and eliminate the need for manual flushing.
- id
Use this if you're using multiple zem_cache tags per page. Each tag should have a different id. It doesn't matter what the id is set to – a number is fine – as long as each one is different.
- ctx
Use this to cache a single copy of something globally across all pages, rather than once per page. For example,
<txp:zem_cache ctx="recent1"><txp:recent_articles /></txp:zem_cache>
Last edited by wet (2009-05-28 11:50:54)
#2 2004-08-07 04:41:35
- zem
- Developer emeritus
- From: Melbourne, Australia
- Registered: 2004-04-08
- Posts: 2,579
- Website
Re: [plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
BTW: I get runtime figures around 0.017-0.018 with my front page cached, and 0.035-0.04 without.
Hardly earth shattering, but it's an improvement.
Incidentally, Staticize 2.5 doesn't bother caching content if the runtime is less than 0.05.
Last edited by zem (2004-08-07 10:09:50)
#3 2004-08-07 15:02:15
- reid
- Member
- From: Atlanta, Ga.
- Registered: 2004-04-04
- Posts: 224
- Website
Re: [plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
Wow. Since I'm on TextDrive (runtime of 0.11), I don't think I need this one, but I'm going to nominate you as TXP Plug-In Developer of the Year.
Once I figure out where to do that…
TextPattern user since 04/04/04
#4 2004-08-07 17:36:35
- michaelkpate
- Moderator
- From: Avon Park, FL
- Registered: 2004-02-24
- Posts: 1,288
- Website
Re: [plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
Before: 0.0685, 0.0577, 0.1410 Avg: 0.0890
After: 0.0564, 0.0315, 0.0446 Avg: 0.0441
Maybe not a huge improvement but I think it will payoff in the long run.
Thanks, Zem
#5 2004-08-07 23:14:51
- zem
- Developer emeritus
- From: Melbourne, Australia
- Registered: 2004-04-08
- Posts: 2,579
- Website
Re: [plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
I've uploaded a new version:
The previous one prevented comments from working; this one fixes that. It also hooks into the admin side plugin stuff, if you've installed the patch, to automatically flush the cache when an article is posted or edited.
My guess is that caching won't have a dramatic effect on run-times (not nearly as much as removing the dns lookup from the logging code). It might be effective in reducing server load, however, particularly on pages that have long article lists – this could make it worthwhile on sites with heavy traffic.
#6 2005-04-13 14:38:05
- vaughn-taylor
- Member
- From: New Orleans
- Registered: 2004-08-06
- Posts: 17
- Website
Re: [plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
DUH! Disregard the post below. I need to redo my testing because I'm stupid.
I installed this plugin. There seems to be no difference in runtimes. I tested 4 separate pages, recording 10 samples per page. The numbers below represent the average of each page:
Before: 0.1450, 0.1124, 0.1270, 0.0879
After: 0.1475, 0.1011, 0.1245, 0.1086
I'm using 1.0rc3
Last edited by vaughn-taylor (2005-04-13 14:45:23)
Work until your carpal tunnel makes you cry.
My "bloggy" TP site >> liberalrevolt.com
#7 2005-04-29 11:48:14
- Sencer
- Developer emeritus
- From: cgn, de
- Registered: 2004-03-23
- Posts: 1,803
- Website
Re: [plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
zem, this is a very nice plugin. And you are right on point with:
"It might be effective in reducing server load, however, particularly on pages that have long article lists – this could make it worthwhile on sites with heavy traffic."
|requests per second with zem_cache
|requests per second regular
|7.7 #sec
|4.9 #/sec
|7.5 #sec
|3.9 #/sec
(Note: The articles are quite long.)
Especially on long article-lists it saves dozens of [admittedly very short and light] queries. Currently with txp-code there are at least three additional queries made for each item in a list of articles: one for number of comments, one for real-name of author and one for the neighbouring article. For my example with 20 articles, total queries dropped from 75 (without cache) to 9 (with zem_cache wrapped around the article-tag).
Peak-Memory Usage stayed the same, since even after retrieving the cached portions from cache, the content is passed around in functions to be processed as if it might contain further txp-tags.
Note: I had to edit the code of the plugin to correct the path: I used $path_to_site instead $txpcfg['root']. Maybe you can update the plugin at some point, zem?
Last edited by Sencer (2005-04-29 14:13:52)
#8 2005-04-29 15:25:14
- rob_roy
- Plugin Author
- Registered: 2005-02-28
- Posts: 18
Re: [plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
I'm getting an error that looks like this "Warning: unlink(/home/nomo/public_html/ve/cache/1a3b829ae3a79f11ea074fe25307ecdf): No such file or directory in /home/nomo/public_html/ve/textpattern/lib/txplib_misc.php(304) : eval()'d code on line 2031" on individual articles on ve.nomo.us.
It seems to work fine on auto.nomo.us, and even on the front page of ve.nomo.us, but individual articles bomb out. Though, I just thought of something…. turning off sgb_url_handler seems to fix it.
Zem_cache and sgb_url_handler don't seem to play well together. Which is a shame, because I absolutely love how sgb_url_handler and sgb_error_documents work.
#9 2005-04-29 19:08:20
- zem
- Developer emeritus
- From: Melbourne, Australia
- Registered: 2004-04-08
- Posts: 2,579
- Website
Re: [plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
Try http://thresholdstate.com/download/zem_cache-0.4.txt. Should work with RC3, and might be a little faster than the older one with PHP 4.3 and higher.
#10 2005-04-29 20:33:40
- rob_roy
- Plugin Author
- Registered: 2005-02-28
- Posts: 18
Re: [plugin] [ORPHAN] zem_cache: experiment
That seems to play perfectly nicely with my other plugins. Thanks.


text:
Following the Crew's 3-0 win against D.C. United on Saturday night, the Black & Gold's reserves returned to action on Sunday morning to take on the West Virginia University Mountaineers at Crew Stadium. Fueled by first half goals from Ryan Finley and Ethan Finlay and second half tallies by way of Aaron Schoenfeld and Bernardo Anor, the Crew topped the Mountaineers 4-0.
The Black & Gold reserves take on the New York Red Bulls in a return to MLS Reserve League action Saturday evening following the First Team's match against New York (4:00 p.m. ET/NBC Sports Network).
First Half
Finley (Hyland)
Finlay (Speas)
Second Half
Schoenfeld (Finlay)
Anor (Unassisted)
Crew Lineup: Matt Lampson (Daniel Withrow); Chad Barson, Eric Gehrig, Kevan George, Kyle Hyland; Ethan Finlay (Shawn Sloan), Konrad Warzycha (Drew Beckie), Matías Sánchez, Ben Speas (Bernardo Anor); Justin Meram, Ryan Finley (Aaron Schoenfeld).


text:
Bad Habits That Can Harm Your Smile
|A number of us have developed habits that can have a negative effect on our oral health. Learn about smile-damaging habits and how to break them.
You could be destroying your smile without even knowing it. It's true: many of us have a number of habits that could be harming our teeth. Read on to learn about some of these habits, then do your best to break them - before your smile suffers the consequences.
Thumb Sucking
It's not uncommon for babies and small children to suck their thumbs: in fact, this may help newborns strengthen the oral muscles they need to feed. However, if a child sucks his thumb after his permanent teeth begin to surface (usually at about 5 years of age), permanent damage may be done. Thumb sucking could lead to teeth that are misaligned, which may cause cosmetic issues as well as problems with chewing and breathing. If your child is too old to be sucking his thumb, try working with your pediatrician to develop an effective system to help him quit this habit.
Brushing Too Hard
Everybody knows that regularly brushing their teeth is an essential part of a good oral hygiene routine. It's good to be thorough, but brushing too hard can actually do more harm than good. Excessive or high-pressure brushing can irritate the gums and erode the enamel, potentially leading to increased sensitivity and even cavities. The solution? Try to be a bit gentler on your teeth when you brush, and look for a soft-bristled toothbrush approved by the ADA (American Dental Association).
Tooth Grinding and Jaw Clenching
Many of us clench our jaws unconsciously and grind our teeth while we sleep. This can cause tooth fracture and may also damage dental work. If you clench, try to become more aware of when you are doing this so that you can focus on relaxing your jaw muscles. For grinding (also known as bruxism), talk to your dentist about being fitted for a mouth guard that will not only reduce grinding but will also protect your teeth.
Chewing on Ice
This is a common one, and another unconscious bad habit that may be difficult to break. Ice is both hard and cold, and both of these qualities can do some serious damage to your teeth. Try to become aware of when you are chewing on ice and stop as soon as you can.
Using Teeth as a Tool
We have all done this one: using teeth to snap off a clothing price tag, open a bag of chips, or unscrew a bottle top. Try to remember that your teeth can be delicate and easily broken (and dental work, as well). Use your teeth for chewing and smiling, and leave the other work to the tools.
Chewing on Pencils (Pens, Eyeglasses, etc.)
Another subconscious habit that may be difficult to break, chewing on pencils or simply holding them between the teeth can place a large amount of pressure on the teeth. This can cause teeth to shift or crack, and can even break dental work.
Biting your Nails
This is a habit you should break for a number of reasons. Not only is it harmful to the hands and nails, but it looks tacky and can really do a number on your teeth. Nail biting can cause the teeth to shift or break and can also splinter the tooth enamel. If you do this, work to find another way to displace nervous energy.
Drinking Soda
This is a tough one for many of us! Soda and carbonated beverages often have a high acid level, which leads to erosion of the enamel, the protective layer that covers our teeth. This can lead to decay and cavities. If you must drink soda, try using a straw so that most of the acid bypasses your teeth.
Our staff of dental professionals are dedicated to helping you achieve your dental wellness objectives. Thank you for subscribing to our dental wellness newsletter.


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Visit our Is it allergy? website and take a step closer towards finding the real cause of your child's symptoms – and find out how to improve your child's health.
If you suspect allergy to be the cause of a child's or an adult's symptoms, the first step is to make an adequate diagnosis, based on detailed case history, clinical observation and testing for specific antibodies.
The result of these tests help to confirm a suspicion of allergy, and to determine the offending allergens, or to rule out allergy all together.
Ruling out allergy can be as important as confirming it. If allergy is ruled out as the cause of the symptoms, you may reduce worry and unnecessary food avoidance or medication. You can also continue to search for other causes. With an allergy blood test, you get a precise and reliable answer to a patient's allergy profile. Which also may help you discover hidden risks, such as allergies due to cross-reactions.
The result of these tests are used to confirm a suspicion of allergy and to determine the offending allergens, or to rule out allergy all together.
Guided by the result, an individual plan to manage and treat the allergy can be tailored, in order to achieve improved quality of life and overall well-being.
Do you manage allergy tests in a lab? In that case, these pages will provide you with further information on our wide array of products and solutions. Resources that will help you take allergy testing to the next level and deliver excellent results with high operational efficiency.
Thermo Scientific: Helping scientists meet the challenges they face in the lab or in the field every day.
As in all diagnostic testing, the diagnosis is made by the physican based on both test results and the patient history.


text: In the Joomla install, it suggests that I turn off output_buffering. I had a look in /etc/php5/apache2/php.ini file (I'm running Ubuntu 10.04 LTS), and noticed that it is set to 4096 (presumably by ISPConfig as the default value is off). I wanted to check with the guru's here before I went and set it to off, because there must have been a good reason why you set it to 4096. My VPS has 512M memory allocated to it, and plenty of bandwidth. Should I do what Joomla is asking? Cheers, Nap


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Supermarkets finally get serious about shopping bags
A few weeks ago we were waiting at a checkout counter in an Aeon supermarket and placed in the basket one of those laminated cards that say you don't need a shopping bag. When our turn came the cashier gave us a funny look and asked us if we really needed a bag for one item. We then read the card, which said that you should put it in your basket if you want a shopping bag.
We made a false assumption because we don't usually shop at Aeon. The supermarket we normally patronize asks you to indicate if you don't want a bag, and they'll knock ¥2 off the total if you do. Apparently, that practice is now giving way to the opposite tactic: You have to tell the cashier if you want a bag, in which case they will charge you for it.
Aeon, Japan's biggest supermarket chain, started this practice way back in 2007, and as of Nov. 1 every outlet follows the policy, which is ¥5 for an extra large bag and ¥3 for a large bag. Even Aeon's discount food chain, MaxValu, has adopted the charge-for-bags policy. For that matter, so has every other major supermarket chain. Ito Yokado charges ¥2 per bag, Uny ¥5, Seiyu ¥2 for a medium and ¥3 for a large, and Daiei ¥3 to ¥5, depending on the size.
According to Sankei Shimbun, Aeon donates all the money it collects for bags to various environmental causes, while Uny donates half the money it collects. Saving the environment is what bag reduction is all about, though the government stresses it from a different angle than you might think. A study sponsored by the Environmental Ministry looked at the shopping bag problem in terms of resources. One bag requires 18.3 ml of oil and Japan uses 30.5 billion shopping bags a year, which is the equivalent of more than 600,000 kiloliters of oil.
The study also calculates that 967 shopping bags are given away every second in Japan, or the equivalent of 8.82 two-liter PET bottles of oil. The study says that shopping bags waste precious resources, which is of course a relevant situation in resource-starved Japan, though in most other countries the plastic bag problem is associated with pollution.
The main reason bags aren't considered a waste problem in Japan is that they are routinely incinerated here. In America plastics generally are not burned, which is why the campaign against shopping bags is older, since most end up as landfill. Then again, more European countries are starting to burn plastic refuse, but they are also more strict about shopping bags. In Ireland, for example, a shopping bag will cost you ¥15, which is why there are almost none in Ireland any more.
Refuse officials in Japan say there is no problem with burning plastic. Dioxin emissions are almost non-existent because Japanese incinerators use very high temperatures, an assertion some environmentalists are skeptical of. But in any case, people still use shopping bags and plastic bags mandated by local governments to dispose of household waste, and the real problem with incineration isn't plastic but organic waste and kitchen scraps, which tend to be wet and thus require a lot more heat to burn up.
So while the bags themselves may not be a problem, what they contain is. San Francisco realized this and went beyond limiting plastic bags, requiring residents to dispose of organic waste in composting boxes, and it's been a success.
So while every reduction helps, environmentalists belief that only limiting shopping bag usage isn't enough. One person on the Internet (scroll down to commenter qqme9839) calculated that in 2009 burning garbage accounted for only 3 percent of all CO2 emissions. And since plastic constituted 45 percent of the garbage being burned, it created only 1.35 percent of the CO2 that was emitted that year. And since production of shopping bags in 2009 accounted for 0.55 percent of all discarded plastic by weight, that means plastic bags' contribution to CO2 was 0.075 percent. Reducing people's reliance on shopping bags is a good thing, but it's not the only thing.
Tags: Aeon, CO2 emissions, Ito Yokado, plastic bags


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Judith and Jack Rosenberg founded their luxury jewellery company back in 1980. Driven by a passion for estate and antique accessories, the pair began to develop their own contemporary designs using semi-precious stones. Judith Jack bracelets are timeless and classic. This gorgeous collection features everything from delicate silver gemstone bangles, sterling silver toggle bracelets, and stunning combinations of tassels and pearls.


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We're recruiting to fill one permanent position for a market analyst in our Tumwater, Wash. building.
The person will be responsible for conducting market analysis of regulated entities (e.g. insurance companies) under the direction of our chief market analyst. We provide regulatory oversight of market interactions between consumers and companies, in order to protect consumers and promote a healthy business environment.
Please see the full job listing for a description of the job duties, salary, benefits, etc.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
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Five-year-old Anthony and 8-year-old Elijah were adopted on Nov. 23, National Adoption Day. Their parents are Antoinnette and James Poindexter, residents of Lorton. They have been foster parents to the boys for three years.
"We ran a basketball program for about 12 years, the Alexandria Aces" said James Poindexter. "During that time, we took kids all over the country to play basketball, and we realized how many children don't have parental support. We got involved in that program when our son started playing basketball and we wanted to support him. We became foster parents because we wanted to help other kids that weren't so lucky."
The Poindexters lived in the Mount Vernon area throughout the time they ran the "Aces". Players from Mt. Vernon High School, West Potomac High School and Hayfield Secondary School thought of them as surrogate parents.
The couple works with Alexandria's Department of Human Services. "When Anthony and Elijah came to us, we just immediately took to them and they took to us," said Antoinnette Poindexter. "We just knew that we wanted to adopt them and make them a permanent part of our family, and that's happening today."
The Poindexters have three children of their own – James has a daughter by a previous marriage and the couple has two sons. Carlos is 21 and a junior at Virginia State University. "Ever since they came to live with us, they have been my brothers," he said. "The adoption ceremony won't make that any different."
Tawnya Brown explained about National Adoption Day. "About a year and a half ago, Judge (Stephen) Rideout came to our Model Courts Project and suggested that we participate in National Adoption Day," she said. "This is the second year that we have done so. We did our first Adoption Saturday in May 2002, and we hope to do two a year. We decided to do it that way because we don't want the families to be in such a large group; we want them to feel special."
There was not just a symbolic ceremony. The judges signed eight final orders of adoption, making the adoptions official. Judge Nolan Dawkins has seen Anthony and Elijah every six months since they came into foster care. "This is a wonderful day," he said. "You hear so much about the downsides, but not so much about the really great outcomes. These families, like the Poindexters, are truly wonderful to make themselves available to these children. This is a wonderful day."
"This is such a great occasion because it gives us all an opportunity to celebrate with these families and see these kids who maybe haven't had such an easy time, get a sense of permanency and feel that they are loved," Beverly Steele, acting director of the city's Department of Human Services, said.
Anthony and Elijah weren't so sure what the fuss was all about. They didn't know exactly what "being adopted" meant, but they did know who James and Antoinnette Poindexter are. "Mommy and Daddy," both boys said.


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Princess Maker 2 (GP32)
Published by
Developed by
Also For
Not an American user?
DescriptionA hero saved the human race from utter annihilation by the gods. This same hero then was charged by the heavens to take care of young seed dropped from there. This seed becomes his daughter, and her guardian will be watching her progress.
In Princess Maker 2 the player assumes the role of a father to the blessed daughter of the heavens. For the next eight years, the hero will nurture and guide her in the path of the player's own choosing.
It is possible to choose the path of the zodiac-influenced daughter by scheduling her to jobs and schools, which will raise her statistics (strength, combat skills, cooking, faith, etc.) Each month allows the player to designate three different tasks for her to follow. Balancing between character development, stress level, health and financial income is the focus of this game.
Mini sub-quests and various plot options revolve around the young lady adventuring in the wilderness, provided that she's strong enough to tame the wilds. The player can equip her with armor and weapons to fight off wandering random monsters in turn-based combat.
The game starts with the daughter at age ten, from which point the player guides her until her adult years. Choices made during the course of the game will determine her eventual marital status, accomplishments and her relationships with other people. There are 74 unique endings in the game.
There are no GP32 user screenshots for this game.
There are 109 other screenshots from other versions of this game or official promotional screenshots.
Promo Images
Alternate Titles
- "美少女梦工厂2" -- Chinese spelling (simplified)
- "美少女夢工埸2" -- Chinese spelling (traditional)
- "Princess Maker 2: special mini drama" -- TurboGrafx CD in-game title
- "Princess Maker 2 Refine" -- Steam release title
- "PM2" -- Common abbreviation
- "プリンセスメーカー1" -- Japanese spelling
Part of the Following Groups
- Gameplay feature: Multiple endings
- Genre: Simulation - Human life
- Princess Maker series
- Satakore (SegaSaturn Collection) releases
User Reviews
There are no reviews for the GP32 release of this game. You can use the links below to write your own review or read reviews for the other platforms of this game.
Critic Reviews
|Insert Credit
|Mar 31, 2003
|8.6 out of 10
|# Posts
|Last Post
|Indra was here (20905)
Feb 19, 2014
|Gold pieces
|Jonathan Cope
Feb 08, 2010
TriviaThe default name for your daughter is Olive Oyl; she's named after the character in the Popeye series. You can get the default daughter by typing a bunch of random letters and symbols when prompted for a name at the beginning.
This default name exists for both the Japanese version and the beta English version.
Related Web Sites
- Awful Anime review (A humorous review on Something Awful)
- Nuriko's Princess Maker 2 Page (Contains a brief description of the game as well as a fairly extensive game guide along with maps of the different areas.)
- Press Release (Entitled "Adventions Licenses Princess Maker 2 from Anime Prioneers Gainax.")
- Princess Maker 2 (This official story explaining what happened to the English language release of PM2.)
Alsy (18648) added Princess Maker 2 (GP32) on Feb 09, 2012
Other platforms contributed by Hong Sik Jeon (177), Trypticon (11037), firefang9212 (68281), Sciere (636586), breakyboy (1634), Terok Nor (29061) and Игги Друге (46367)
There are no game credits on file for this release of the game. Everything in MobyGames is contributable by users.


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Plaid is no longer just for farmers or Al from Home Improvement. The fashion world has officially taken plaid and made it a cool trend (looks like all you farmers are in luck this season).
As the title says, I am "mad for plaid" so of course this trend makes me very happy. Flannel (plaid) shirts made a comeback in the 90s and a few years ago we saw a resurgence of the trend, but now we are seeing it everywhere. It can be worn relaxed and fun or dressed up and chic. Get some plaid inspiration below!
…even stars like Kat Graham (TVD) and Katy Perry are loving this trend!
Are you mad for plaid or do you think this trend is bad? << Sorry I couldn't help myself there!
Tara Wikoff/CW44 Tampa Bay


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Brochures and information sheets about our products, applications and environmental issues.
Read technical papers and presentations that have been written by our industry experts.
Register here to receive news stories, showcases, technical presentations and literature as soon as they are published.
Anna-Lena RaikulaPhone: +32 2 758 92 56E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
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AddictedToRadio's DJ Lori Features Kevin Doherty And Amba Shepherd's Lifeline
AddictedToRadio.com's resident Ms. Thang, smokin' hot mixologist DJ Lori, is one of the country's hottest DJ's. As a Billboard Reporter and club jock, DJ Lori's busy but never too busy to put together an incredibly unique set that will have you screaming for more. DJ Lori recently featured the new single from Kevin Doherty and Amba Shepherd, Lifeline. Click Here to check out her massive set where she also features tracks from Richard Grey, Cedric Gervais, Sebastian Ingrosso, and More!


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A government commission co-led by former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre said on Wednesday that the U.S. federal and local governments are not doing enough to identify and treat child victims of abuse and violence.
At a meeting with representatives from major federal departments, the commission of academics, law enforcement officials and others, issued 56 recommendations to help child victims, including expanded training for social workers.
Torre, whose own childhood with an abusive father led him to start a charitable foundation focusing on the issue of child abuse, said many social workers and law-enforcement officials simply did not know how to spot signs of domestic abuse.
"I don't think society knows how to react, even if they think something's going on," said Torre, who won four World Series championships with the Yankees and is now an executive in Major League Baseball.
The failure of Penn State University to report former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky for child abuse – charges Sandusky was convicted of this year – was one example, Torre said.
The commission, set up by the Justice Department and known as the Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence, has held hearings for the past year. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has made the issue a priority.
Banging his fist on a table for emphasis, Holder told the commission its ideas would not sit on a shelf gathering dust, and that he would push the White House for support.
"The Justice Department is a big organization with a lot of tentacles in a lot of places, and my hope is to use the time I have as attorney general to continue the effort," Holder said at a news conference after the meeting.
President Barack Obama has not said whether he wants Holder to serve into a second term, though Holder is expected to stay on as the chief U.S. law enforcement official at least into early 2013.
Holder said there was a moral imperative for the U.S. government to support child victims – whether they have witnessed violence at home, in gangs or elsewhere – and a financial incentive to do so if those children are kept off a path to crime.
Reporting by David Ingram; Editing by David Brunnstrom


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Quick: where were you when the Pope came to Ireland? Me, I've got no idea. Before I'm excommunicated, I should point out that's because I'm not Irish, and wasn't living in Ireland at the time of the papal visit.
Ask me, though, where I was for the Queen's Silver Jublilee (two years before all Irish babies started being called John Paul) or where I was for Charles and Diana's wedding, and I'm sorted. I can describe the bunting, my dress (no, I wasn't invited, but that didn't stop me dressing up), our village street party, the works.
Here's the thing. I'm not Royalist, but I'm hugely pro big, communal events. It's a relatively unfashionable stance, but I ADORE those nation-binding moments. The non-demonstrative English most often break down the reserve (and break down) at sporting events. Jonny Wilkinson's last-ditch drop kick in the Rugby World Cup. Tiny Michael Owen's mazy run against Argentina in 1998 (if only I'd had to Google that date; but alas, no). These are times when we drop our polite 'each wo/man is an island' masks and stand together, roaring our heads off. For me, nothing can beat that sort of collective emotion.
It's something I've always liked about weddings, too. Whenever I'm on my way to a wedding, I think about all the other people who've woken up that morning and thought, 'today I'm going to see X&X get married'. There's something incredibly rousing about the collective spirit, the joint goodwill. I have no idea why it moves me so much, but it always has.
(image c/o scripting.com)
God, even at the London marathon a couple of weeks ago, 24 miles in and feeling as if I was encased in a steel tube, I looked around at the crowds yelling encouragement at hordes of random strangers, heard the band playing (yes, really) and beamed a Cheshire cat grin of 'I'm bloody DOING this'. Running long distances is the world's dullest thing, usually. Running long distances with 40,000 other people and a crowd of probably double that is incredibly uplifting (though not so uplifting that I'd ever want to do it again).
It's in that same vein that I'm looking forward to the Big Day today. I'm hardly going to be in my wedding finery, and I'm certainly not going to be down at Trafalgar Square, but it's an Occasion, one that nobody is escaping, cynical or not. In this day and age, there's a lot to be said for that.


text: Ireland Large Color Map Description Famous Natives Flags Fast Facts Links Maps Symbols Time Geo. Statistics Geography Lat / Long Timeline Travel Info. Weather Print this map Print this map Find below a large coloured map of Ireland. print this map About the Author John Moen Founder / Cartographer John Moen is a cartographer who along with his wife are the orignal founders of worldatlas.com. He and his wife, Chris Woolwine-Moen, produced thousands of award-winning maps that are used all over the world and content that aids students, teachers, travelers and parents with their geography and map questions. Today, it's one of the most popular educational sites on the web. Trending on WorldAtlas The Largest Countries in the World 29 Largest Armies In The World Countries That Start With the Letter A 10 of the Most Beautiful Countries in the World The Most Popular Sports in the World The Smallest Countries In The World By Total Land Area The World's Population By Eye Color Percentages Largest Ethnic Groups And Nationalities In The United States A List of All Presidents of the United States


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How to Make a Survival Shelter From Leaves and Debris With Your Kids
Do you and your kids love survival shows like Man vs. Wild and Survivorman?
Have you ever slept outdoors in a tent, lean-to or teepee you built yourself?
Want to share an experience like that with your kids?
Even if you have little or no experience in the great outdoors, you can help your kids learn some basic survival skills and enjoy some creative fun together!
It's easy—we'll practice with a toy model first.
In this article I'll show you how to make a fun outdoor shelter out of leaves and debris, and share an important survival skill with your kids without them even knowing it.
Why Teach Your Kids How to Make a Shelter?
A shelter is the first thing to consider if you're ever lost in the great outdoors. In fact, if you get lost, you should make some kind of shelter first—before finding food or even water.
A debris hut is an easy-to-make outdoor shelter that can shield you from the elements like rain and wind, help you stay in one place and make it easier for searchers to rescue you.
Even if you don't need to make a shelter for survival, it's a pretty cool thing to know how to do and it's lots of fun to build together with your kids.


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The entire list of Purim blogsites is on the Muqata Purim blogroll to your right.
Guess ten correctly out of the whole list, and you'll win a picture of me, Jameel, dressed up in my pre-purim costume (definitely going to be a big seller on ebay...and it has NOT been digitally modified by Photoshop)
In any event - I'm posting the whole list of spoofers (those that won't mind getting credit) on Thursday afternoon, Israel Time.
Good Luck!
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael


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Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce on Economic Implications of EPA Greenhouse Gas Regulationsby and -
In February 9th testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Dr. Margo Thorning of the American Council for Capital Formation presented on the economic implications of EPA regulation on greenhouse gases. Following the hearing, analysts from WRI and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy issued the following statement in response to Dr. Thorning's testimony. WRI's response highlights questionable assumptions in Dr. Thorning's modeling and outlines the benefits of industrial sector energy efficiency improvements.
In her February 9th testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Dr. Margo Thorning based her primary conclusions regarding possible negative economic implications of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations on modeling and policy analysis supported by questionable assumptions that have been criticized by expert economists on several recent occasions. Dr. Thorning's approach to economic modeling has been commonly used by opponents of environmental regulations for years. Peer-reviewed studies, based on more supportable modeling assumptions (i.e., grounded in empirical data), have demonstrated that her pessimistic assumptions and one-sided, cost-only modeling practices will inevitably yield gross over-estimates of the economic costs of such regulations. Based on our careful review of Dr. Thorning's testimony and our own research on the subjects of public policy, industrial energy efficiency and economic modeling, we reached the following conclusions:
The EPA is proceeding in a reasonable manner with the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions by focusing on cost-effective opportunities for energy efficiency and by limiting requirements to the largest pollution sources.
Dr. Thorning makes the unrealistic, unfounded assumption that the U.S. economy is constantly operating under optimal conditions – and that all resources are efficiently allocated at all times – leading her directly to the following incorrect conclusions of core significance to her testimony.
First, Dr. Thorning's economic model operates under the assumption that business-as-usual is always optimal and any public policy – including energy efficiency policies – can only slow economic growth and yield net job losses.
Second, she asserts, without supporting evidence, that U.S. manufacturers are currently operating at optimal energy productivity and that public policy has no role to play in removing barriers or otherwise increasing private sector investments in industrial energy efficiency.
In fact, there are many untapped opportunities for cost-effective investments in industrial energy-efficiency. With roughly half of industrial boilers in the United States now more than 46 years old (Energy and Environment Analysis, 2005), for example, there is abundant evidence that facility upgrades could increase productivity, with net benefits for manufacturers and for the economy as a whole.
John A. "Skip" Laitner is Director, Economic and Social Analysis Program at the American Council for an Energy‐Efficient Economy.


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Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives
Video returning soon
This week in Best of Publib covers January 24th through January 31st 2010. This week includes discussions about the Broadband Stimulus Programs, collection development, technology planning, library programming, access to archives, and the effect of library reference poaching. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include:
- Topic » Library Fines – Lynda Dydo in Los Gatos, CA wants to know who raised fines – What was the impact on revenue?
- Topic » Author Meet & Greets – Rhonda Jessup in Whitby, ON Canada wants to know how you introduce authors – What is most effective?
- Topic » Employment applications – Kathleen McCorkle in Sedan, KS would like examples of library specific employment applications
- Topic » Documented LJ Index Problems – Thomas J. Hennen Jr. in Racine, WI provides analysis of issues with LJ Index – Will the problems be answered or resolved?
- Topic » program attendance question – Elizabeth Fraser in Charleston WV is looking for program statistics – Which programs are successful?
- Topic » GED revisions? – Kevin O'Kelly in Somerville, MA wanted to know about GED updates – the NETLS Coordinator provided the answers
- Topic » Astoria Library Birthday Party Invitation – Jane Tucker in Astoria, OR lets us know about the 118th Birthday of Astoria Public Library
- Topic » Question for Frequent Travelers – Jennifer Ray in Cassopolis, MI wants to know how to predict the best deals on flights – Sharon Foster offered Bing
- Topic » Church Partnerships? – Tony Ross in Washington, DC wants to know how to build relationships with local churches – Are there constitutional considerations?
- Topic » CD shelving – Lynne S. Ingersoll in Blue Island, IL is looking at functional storage and display for 3000 CDs – What works?
- Topic » RFID Implementation – Andrea Taylor in Fullerton, CA wants your story on setting up RFID – What were the processes and pitfalls?
- Topic » Challenges to newspaper index entries – Bruce Brigell in Skokie, Illinois relates the effect of newspaper archives that disparage – What is the balance between public access and public disparagement?
- Topic » CD and DVD protectors – Margaret (Meg) Van Patten in Baldwinsville, New York wants to know what works best – How do you protect the data side surface of your DVDs?
- Topic » which Speaker System to use – Amy Blossom in Ashland, Oregon wants a low-cost speaker system with portable mikes for library programs – Which products work for you?
- Topic » iPad and what it means to the library – Andrea Taylor in Fullerton, CA discusses the potential impact of the Apple iPad on similar products and libraries – What do you think?
- Topic » Tax season – Elisa Babel in Washington, DC provides a great link to Closed Stacks discussing tax season effect on libraries and the types of tax filers librarians are most likely to encounter – How did libraries become in loco IRS ?
- Topic » Social Networking and the Library – Jane Genzel in Muskego, WI wants to know how your library benefits from blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social networking tools – How do you measure success?
- Topic » New Blog: Quid est veritas? – Bob Watson in Lake Villa, IL has started a new blog offering his expertise on reference issues Quid est veritas?
- Topic » Appointments for in-depth Reference Assistance – Theresa Grieshaber in Modesto CA is reviewing methods for exclusive reference services
- Topic » PR/Marketing Masterpieces – Dinah Harris in Lexington, TN is presenting on library public relations and marketing at Tennessee Library Association Conference 2010 – What are some of your success stories?
- Topic » Reference Question Poaching – What happens when a collegue interupts the reference interview with their own answers? How do you handle it?
- Topic » Library Humor for the month of January was compiled in Best of PubLib Library Humor
- Topic » Get Connected now available – Diedre Conkling in Newport, OR links to Broadband Stimulus Program information
- Topic » NTIA sending out 1,400 rejection letters! – James Casey in Oak Lawn, IL points to some of the faults in the bureacratic process – Are Broadband Stimulus Applications too complicated? Is resistance useless?
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