Hes now only in midstride in the midst of this marathon turnaround, but analysts and investors have formed a cheering section as he takes on Target and Wal-Mart.
There was much discussion albeit mostly on the sidelines of poor countries taking on targets for emissions per head, or per unit of output in certain industries.All this hints at the shape of things to come.
While taking on targets like fame, Hollywood, friendship and depression with laserlike precision, the show also built up some of the most realistic and complicated characters on TV.
Mr. Ackman took on Target, battling with the retailer's board in 2009 over how to improve its stock price.
These commitments take on targets that range from reducing deforestation to mitigating aviation sector emissions.
His 2009 album, Relapse, included the single We Made You, which took on targets including Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson, Amy Winehouse, Spears (again) and Kim Kardashian.
Poor countries might be induced to take on targets of some sort, albeit of a less exacting sort than the straight emissions cuts faced by rich countries.
The Internet group Anonymous, which in the past has taken on targets as diverse as the Church of Scientology and Iran, disseminated a seven-point manifesto via Twitter and other social networking sites pledging to "kick back for Julian".
The Kyoto process envisages that poor countries will take on targets at a later stage.That Mr Bush is challenging Kyoto on this point troubles many, because it suggests that he may have deeper philosophical problems with the Rio approach to climate change.
Many of them, as a new report issued last week by the Pew Centre points out, are conducting audits of the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by their plants and are taking on voluntary targets for emissions cuts.
