track down memory bloat

ruby memory usage

# Report how much memory is being used right now
# and call it from different places to debug:

  def report_memory(note)
    memory_usage = `ps -o rss= -p #{$$}`.to_i
    mem_mb = sprintf('%.2f MB', memory_usage/1000.0)
    puts "mem [#{note}]: #{mem_mb}"
  end


# To force ruby to do garbage collection:

  GC.start

# remember that garbage cant be collected unless it's been freed.

  @that_big_array = nil
  that_var = nil
  etc...