October 18, 2009
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Every year, the loggers and farmers of the world chop and burn an area of forest the size of New York State. That's bad news for the creatures who live in those woods, but it's also grim for the rest of us: Deforestation accounts for 20% of the carbon emissions that cause global warming. Which is why the tree-saving policies recommended by foresters and scientists at this summit are so crucial. The trendy talk may be about nascent energy-efficient technologies and promising innovations that could someday sequester our CO2, but as Gerald Steindlegger, head of the World Wildlife Fund's Global Forest Program, points out, "We can immediately reduce emissions by taking action on deforestation now." -- TB
sun, october 18
Branch Out
World Forestry Congress
Buenos Aires
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[Photo From World Resources Institute]
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October 16, 2009
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Forget the beloved storyline (a kid wakes up in monsterland); the all-star director (Spike Jonze); a famous author as screenwriter (Dave Eggers cowrote with Jonze); stunning visuals (Imax); and the kiddie-lit legend who penned the story in the first place (Maurice Sendak). The film's luckiest charm might be Catherine O'Hara. Best known for her roles in Christopher Guest's mockumentaries (Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind) and for playing Macaulay Culkin's mom in Home Alone, the 55-year-old comic actress -- who voices a monster in Wild Things -- has something of a Midas touch with kiddie pics. Since 2004, she has starred in Over the Hedge, Chicken Little, Monster House, and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Every one of those films grossed at least $140 million worldwide. -- DM
fri, october 16
Daydream
Where The Wild Things Are
Directed by Spike Jonze
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October 15, 2009
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Whatever you do, don't confuse the BlogWorld & New Media Expo with that other techie meeting in Austin. "South by Southwest is spring break for geeks," sniffs event chief Rick Calvert. "We're more focused on educating online content creators from all communities," including sports, business, and politics. In the past, the expo has lured boffo bloggers such as Guy Kawasaki and Glenn Reynolds. This year, Calvert expects even more "social-media rock stars," and he hopes that they will all embrace BlogWorld's latest tradition. "We're going to do tech karaoke," he says, "and it's going to be grand." -- DM
thu, october 15
Post
BlogWorld & New Media Expo
Las Vegas
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October 13, 2009
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At a surgery conference, doctors were polled on two treatment options for a hypothetical patient. The vast majority voted for a newer procedure that is more complicated but yields higher payment. But when the surgeons were asked, "What if this patient is your wife?" the results reversed. It's a stark example of the power of inappropriate incentives, and as Michael Mauboussin, chief investment strategist at Legg Mason Capital Management, notes in Think Twice, just one of the many reasons smart people make stupid decisions. (Another: We tend to be hyperoptimistic pattern seekers hungry for control.) Peppered with research, case studies, and a smidge of self-help talk, the book makes an engaging case for going against your gut. -- KR
tue, october 13
Read
Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
By Michael J. Mauboussin
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October 13, 2009
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This book could be nick-named "The Hangover." Journalist and social critic Barbara Ehrenreich saw America binge on the power of positive thinking, and now tries to piece together what the hell happened. In the process, she dissects our obsession with deluded optimism and how it has been sold as a palliative to everyone from breast-cancer victims to white-collar workers. The reader is routinely confronted with the pervasiveness of the rot: If you've ever called a layoff an "opportunity," you're as guilty as the prosperity preachers, religious (Joel "Your Best Life Now" Osteen) and secular (Rhonda "The Secret" Byrne), who profit by peddling mindless optimism. As you realize how this chirpiness has drowned out dissent, the effect is as bracing -- and necessary -- as a splash of cold water the morning after. -- David Lidsky
tue, october 13
Read
Bright-Sided
By Barbara Ehrenreich
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October 12, 2009
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Motel 6 says it'll leave the light on for you, but these nights, some hotels can't afford to. In the first half of 2009, average revenue per available room in the U.S. fell nearly 19% from 2008, according to Smith Travel Research. Foreclosure has hit hotels as plush as California's St. Regis Monarch Beach, the site of AIG's post-bailout junket. So 300 affected hospitality pros will meet at the first-ever Distressed Hotel Summit to snack, schmooze, and discuss loan restructuring, and, presumably, where to buy cheaper pillow mints. -- Nia Arnold
mon, october 12
Sleep
Distressed Hotel Summit
Arlington, Virginia
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October 11, 2009
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Since the holiday falls on a Sunday this year, just show him some love -- it's a bear market for teddy bears. Plush-toy revenues are down 17% this year, according to market-research firm NPD Group. Build-A-Bear posted a $6.8 million loss in the first half, a 525% decline in profit from the same period in 2008, and sales at the Vermont Teddy Bear Co. have halved since 2005. Asked for comment, Winnie the Pooh, a Hundred Acre Wood -- based toy analyst, stuck his head into an empty honey jar and mumbled, "Oh, bother." -- DM
sun, october 11
Hibernate
Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day
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October 10, 2009
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Half of all U.S. adults have taken an adventure-travel vacation in the past five years, and the sector has grown solidly among women -- especially for no-boys-allowed trips. Susan Eckert, founder of the Montana firm Adventure Women, says that a girls-only river-rafting trip in Colorado is one of her most popular products. From her description, it's easy to understand why. "We have gourmet chefs, the staff sets up tents with cots, we eat on tables with white tablecloths," she says. "We go to a different campsite each night, have wine, and relax." But the economy has hit this niche as it has the whole industry, and Eckert says that travelers are opting for shorter vacations. In fact, the biggest adventure might not be taking the trips but selling them. -- Stephanie Schomer
SAT, october 10
Rough It
Adventures in Travel Expo
New York
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October 8, 2009
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Food banks have reported a 30% increase in requests for aid since 2007, and it's estimated that one in eight Americans doesn't have stable access to sufficient food. Leave it to do-gooder foodies to find a way to feed the hungry by stuffing their own faces. At the second annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, some 25,000 people will raise more than $1 million for hunger-relief organizations through sales of tickets to talks, tastings, and cooking demos by celebrity chefs/Food Network stars including Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray, and Ina Garten. This four-day festival shows that opening the heart -- by way of the mouth -- can sure be tasty. -- KR
thu, october 08
Eat
Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival
New York
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October 8, 2009
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Forget the networking and the keynote speeches at the American Institute for Graphic Artists' summit -- for true design geeks, there's only one reason to attend this biennial creative meet-up: the typographic quiz. Some 200 contestants will attempt to identify typefaces from Albany to Zephyr, with the winner earning the title "Typophile of the Year." Quizmaster Allan Haley (day job: director of words and letters at font giant Monotype Imaging) recommends that this year's challengers bone up on typefaces linked to host city Memphis. We bet Elvis was a Rockwell man. -- TB
thu, october 08
AIGA Design Conference
Memphis, Tennessee
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