2014-6Onachillydaylastspringafewdozendevelopersofchildren’sappsforphonesandtablets(平板電腦)gatheredatanoldbeachresortinMontereyCalifornia,toshowofftheirgames.ThegatheringwasorganizedbyWarrenBuckleitner,alongtimereviewerofinctivechildren’smedia.Buckleitnerspentthebreakstestingwhetherhisownremote-controlhelicoptercouldreachthehall’ssecondstorywhilevariouschildrenwhohadcomewiththeirparentslookedupinawe(敬畏)anddelight.Butmostlytheylookeddown,attheiPadsandothertabletsdisyedaroundthehalllikesomanyopenboxesofcandyIwalkedaroundandtalkedwithdevelopersandseveralparaphrasedafamoussayingofMariaMontessori’s,“Thehandsaretheinstrumentsofman’sinligence.”What,really,wouldMariaMontessorihavemadeofthisscene?The30orsochildrenherewerenotdownattheshorepoking(戳)theirfingersinthesandorrunningthemalongmossystonesorpickingseass.Insteadtheywereallinside,aloneoringroupsoftwoorthree,theirfacesafewinchesfromascreen,theirhandsngthingsMontessorisurelydidnotimagine.In2011,theAmericanAcademyofPediatricsupdateditsonveryyoungchildrenandmedia.In1999,thegrouphaddiscouragedevisionviewingforchildrenyoungerthan2,citingresearchonbraindevelopmentthatshowedthisagegroup’scriticalneedfor“directinctionswithparentsandothersignificantcaregivers.”Theupdatedreportbeganbyacknowledgingthatthingshadchangedsignificantlysincethen.In200690percentofparentssaidthattheirchildrenyoungerthan2consumedsomeformofelectronicmedia.Nonethelessthegrouptooklargelythesameapproachitdidin1999uniformlydiscouragingpassivemediause,onanytypeofscreenforthesekids.(Forolderchildren,theacademynoted,“high-qualityprograms”couldhave“educationalbenefits.”)The2011reportmentioned“smartcellphone”and“newscreen”,butdidnotaddressinctiveapps.Nordiditbroachthepossibilitythathaslikelyoccurredtothose90percentofAmericanparentsthatsomegoodmightcomefromthoselittleswi(在電子產(chǎn)品上刷)fingers.Ihadcometothedevelopers’conferencepartlybecauseIhopedthatthisparticularsetofparents,enthusiasticastheywereaboutinctivemedia,mighthelpmeoutofthisproblem,thattheymightoffersomeguidingprincipleforAmericanparentswhoareclearlynevergoingtomeettheacademy’sideals,andatsomeleveldonotwantto.Perhapsthisgroupwouldbeabletoarticulatesomebenefitsofthenewtechnologythatthemorecautiousdoctorsweren’treadytoIfellintoconversationwithawomanwhohadhelpeddevelopMontessoriLetterSounds,anappthatteachespreschoolerstheMontessorimethodsofspelling.ShewasaformerMontessoriteacherandamotheroffour.Imyselfhavethreechildrenwhoareallfansofthetouchscreen.Whatgamesdidherkidsliketoy?,Iasked,hoforsuggestionsIcouldtakehome.“Theydon’tyallthatmuch.”Really?Whynot?“BecauseIdon’tallowit.Wehavearuleofnoscreentimeduringtheweek,”unlessit’sclearlyNoscreentime?Noneatall?Thatseemsattheouteredgeofrestrictive,evenbythestandardsofmyovercontrollingparentingset.“Ontheweekends,theycany.Igivethemalimitofhalfanhourandthenstop.HeranswersosurprisedmethatIdecidedtoasksomeoftheotherdeveloperswhowerealsoparentswhattheirdomesticgroundrulesforscreentimewere.Onesaidonlyonairnesandlongcarrides.AnothersaidWednesdaysandweekends,forhalfanhour.Themostpermissivesaidhalfanhouraday,whichwasaboutmyruleathome.AtonepointIsatwithoneofthebiggestdevelopersofe-bookappsforkids,andhisfamily.Thesmallkidwasstartingtofussinherhighchair,sothemomstuckaniPadinfrontofherandyedashortmoviesoeveryoneelsecouldenjoytheirlunch.Whenshesawmewatching,shegavemetheuniversaltenselookofmothersBytheirreactions,theseparentsmademetheproblemofourage:astechnology almosteverywhereinourlives,Americanparentsare ingmore,notlessdistrustfulofwhatandease.Ontheonehandparentswanttheirchildrentoswimexpertlyinthedigitalstreamthattheywillhavetonavigate(航行)alltheirlives;ontheotherhand,theyfearthattoomuchdigitalmedia,tooearly,willsinkthem.Parentsenduptreatingtabletslikeprecisionsurgical(外科的)instrumentsdevicesthatmightperformmiraclesfortheirchild’sIQandhelphimwinsomeniftyroboticscompetition—butonlyiftheyareusedjustsoOtherwise,theirchildcouldenduponeofthosesad,palecreatureswhocan’tmakeeyecontactandhasagirlfriendwhilivesonlyinthevirtualworld.NormanRockwell,a20th-century,neverpaintedBoySwiFingeronScreen,andourownvisionofaperfectchildhoodhasneveradjustedto modatethat montableau.Addtothatourmodernfearthateveryparentingdecisionmayhavelastingconsequences—thateveryminuteofenrientlostormindlessentertainmentindulged(的)willadduptosomepermanenthandicap()inthefuture—andyouhavedeepguiltandconfusion.Todate,nobodyofresearchhasdefinitivelyprovedthattheiPadwillmakeyourpreschoolersmarterorteachhertospeak,oralternativelythatitwillrusthernervoussystem—thedevicehasbeenoutforonlythreeyears,notmuchmorethanthetimeittakessomeacademicstofindfundingandgatherresearchsubjects.Sowhatisaparenttodo?2Theauthorattendedtheconference,hotofindsomeguidingprinciplesforparentingintheelectronicage.Americanparentsare ingmoredoubtfulaboutthebenefitstechnologyissaidtobringtotheirchildren.SomeexpertsbelievethathumaninligencedevelopsbytheuseifTheauthorfoundaformerMontessoriteacherexercisingstrictcontroloverherkids’screenResearchshows ctionwithpeopleiskeytobabies’brainSofartherehasbeennoscientificproofoftheeducationalbenefitsofAmericanparentsworrythatoveruseoftabletswillcreateproblemswiththeirkids’interalrelationships.ThekidsatthegatheringweremorefascinatedbytheiPadsthanbytheTheauthorpermitsherchildrentousethescreenforatmosthalfanhoura2015-6TheChangesFacingFastFast-foodfirmshavetobeathick-skinnedbunch.Healthexpertsregularlycriticisethemseverelyforsellingfoodthatmakespeoplefat.CriticsevencominthatMcDonald's,whoselogosymbolisescalorieexcess,shouldnothavebeenallowedtosponsortheWorldCup.Thesearethingsfast-foodfirmshavelearnttocopewith.Butnotperhapsformuchlonger.Theinresponsetoshiftsintheglobaleconomy.Fastfoodwasoncethoughttoberecession-proof.Whenconsumersneedtocutspending,thelogicgoes,cheapmealslikeBigMacsandWhoppers eevenmoreattractive.Such"tradingdown"provedtrueformuchofthelatestrecession,whenfast-foodcompaniespickedupcustomerswhocouldnolongeraffordtoeatatcasualrestaurants.TrafficwasboostedinAmerica,thehomeoffastfood,withdiscountsandpromotions,suchas$1 sandcheapcombinationAsaresult,fast-foodchainshaveweatheredtherecessionbetterthantheirmoreexpensivecompetitors.In2009salesatfull-servicerestaurantsinAmericafellbymorethan6%,buttotalsalesremainedaboutthesameatfast-foodchains.Insomemarkets,suchasJapan,FranceandBritain,totalspendingonfastfoodincreased.Same-storesalesinAmericaatMcDonald's,theworld'slargestfast-fooddidnotdeclinethroughoutthedownturn.PaneraBread,anAmericanfast-foodchainknownforitsfreshingredients,performedwell,too,becauseitoffershigher-qualityfoodatlowerpricesthanrestaurants.Butnotallfast-foodcompanieshavebeenasfortunate.Many,suchasBurgerKing,haveseensalesfall.Inasevererecession,whilesomepeopletradedowntofastfood,manyotherseatathomemorefrequentlytosavemoney.DavidPalmer,anystatUBS,abank,sayssmallerfast-foodchainsinAmerica,suchasJackintheBoxandCarl'sJr.,havebeenhitparticularlyhardinthisonadvertisingbymorethan7%lastyearasotherscutback.Somefast-foodcompaniesalsosacrificedtheirownprofitsbytryingtogivecustomersbettervalue.Duringtherecessioncompaniessetpriceslow,hothatoncetheyhadtemptedcustomersthroughthedoortheywouldbepersuadedtoordermoreexpensiveitems.Butinmanycasesthatstrategydidnotwork.LastyearBurgerKingfranchisees(特許經(jīng)營人)sued()theoveritsdouble-cheeseburgerpromotion,claimingitwasunfairforthemtoberepuiredtosellthesefor$1whentheycost$1.10tomake.InMayajudgeruledinfavourofBurgerKing.Nevertheless,themaystillbecursingitsdecisiontopromotecheapchoicesovermoreexpensiveonesbecauseitemsonits"value "nowaccountforaround20%ofallsales,upfrom12%lastOctober.ystsexpectthefast-foodindustrytogrowmodestlythisyear.Butthedownturnispaniesrethinktheirstrategies.Manyarenowintroducinghigher-priceditemstoentice(引誘)consumersawayfrom$1specials.KFC,adivisionofYum!Brands,whichalsoownsTacoBellandPizzaHut,haslaunchedachickensandwichthatcostsaround$5.AndinMayBurgerKingintroducedbarbecue(燒烤)porkribsat$7foreight.Companiesarealsotryingtogetcustomerstobuynewandmoreitems,includingdrinks.McDonald'sstartedsellingbettercoffeeasachallengetoStarbucks.Its"McCafe"linenowaccountsforanestimated6%ofsalesinAmerica.StarbuckshassoldrightstoitsSeattle'sBestcoffeebrandtoBurgerKing,whichwillstartsellingitlaterthisAsfast-foodcompaniesshiftfrom"supersize"to"morebuys",theyneedtokeepcustomertraffichighthroughouttheday.Manyseebreakfastasabigopporttmity,andnotjustforfattyfood.McDonald'swillstartsellingporridge(粥)inAmericanextyear.Breakfasthasthepotentialtobeveryprofitable,saysSaraSenatoreofBernstein,aresearchfirm,becausethemarginscanbehigh.Fast-foodcompaniesarealsoaddingmiddayandlate-nightsnacks,suchasblendeddrinksandwraps.Theideaisthatbyhavingagreaterrangeofthingsonthe ,"wecanselltoButwhataboutthosegrowingwaistlines?Sofar,fast-foodfirmshavecleverlyavoidedernmentregulation.Byprovidinghealthyoptions,likesaladsandlow-caloriesandwiches,theyhaveatleastgiventheimpressionof offeringsarenotnecessarilyloss-leadersastheybroadentheappealofoutletstogroupsofdinersthatincludesomepeoplewhodon'twanttoeataburger.ButcustomerscannotbedordersaladsinsteadofInthefuture,simplyofferingahealthyoptionmaynotbegoodenough."Everypackaged-foodandrestaurantIknowisconcernedaboutregulationrightnow,"saysMr.PalmerofUBS.America'shealth-reformbill,whichCongresspassedthisyear,requiresrestaurantchainswith20ormoreoutletstoputthecalorie-contentofitemstheyserveonthe .AstudybytheNationalBureauofEconomicResearch,whichtrackedtheeffectsonStarbucksofasimilarcalorie-postinglawinNewYorkCityin2007,foundthattheaveragecalorie-countpertransactionfell6%andrevenueincreased3%atStarbucksstoreswhereaDunldnDonutsoutletwasnearby--asign,itissaid,that -labellingcouldfavourchainsthathavemorehealthyofferings.InordertoavoidotherlegislationinAmericaandelsewhere,fast-foodcompanieswillhavetocontinueinnovating