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RE: America vs. The World (was: Dupla's Barley Straw Contraption)

Dwight wrote:

> It amazes me why Europeans (and I am generalizing here) react so strongly
> to "American Cultural Hegemony" as US companies experience marketing
> success in Europe yet when they (European companies) have
> products or ideas
> of great value they seem to treat our markets like "the Yanks arnt ready
> for this technology yet".
<SNIP>

I don't wish this thread to move into a discussion of "America vs. The
World". Especially this close to the 4th of July, when American patriotism
will be expressing itself in all it's glory <g>.

The North American market is DIFFERENT from both the European and the
Japanese market. PERIOD. FULL STOP. END OF STORY. The reasons WHY are not
really germaine to this discussion or this list.

Here in North America, we tend to want to know "why" something works and
"how" it works. We also tend to be willing to innovate and improvise, and
judging by the comments which get posted every time anyone brings up the
name "Dupla", we are interested in doing things as inexpensively as
possible. The attitude scares many people, but it obviously works. I don't
think that Americans (or Canadians either, for that matter) need take a
second seat to _anybody_ when it comes to their abilities to set up and
maintain a beautiful and healthy aquarium. Expensive, hi tech equipment is
NOT necessary, nor is technology or products which are shrouded in
advertising hype. If you can afford them and want them, fine, buy them and
use them (I love all of my expensive little Dupla gadgets), but you
certainly don't _need_ them.

My point is that ancecdotal evidence and thought experiments can only take
an idea so far and with a system as complicated and involving as many
variables as an aquarium, it can be quite easy to be led down the wrong path
without objective, real, science. Such work is possible by hobbyists -
witness the many articles in TAG and (hopefully) upcoming issues of PAM.

The danger lies in people half reading things posted here and running to
their cupboards and emptying all sorts of things into their aquariums (we've
already seen that - someone asked AFTER the fact how much Peroxide was
dangerous, as his plants are melting since he poured in half a bottle of the
stuff).

James Purchase
Toronto

P.S. Happy Independence Day and Happy 224th Birthday to all of the American
list members.