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Language development
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Language development is a process starting early in human life. Infants start without language, yet by 4 months of age, babies can discriminate speech sounds and engage in babbling. Some research has shown that the earliest learning begins in utero when the fetus starts to recognize the sounds and speech patterns of its mother's voice.
Usually, productive language is considered to begin with a stage of preverbal communication in which infants use gestures and vocalizations to make their intents known to others. According to a general principle of development, new forms then take over old functions, so that children learn words to express the same communicative functions which they had already expressed by preverbal means.[citation needed]
- 1 Theoretical frameworks of language development
- 2 Biological preconditions
- 3 Gender Differences
- 4 Environmental Influences
- 5 Social preconditions
- 6 Language Disorders
- 7 See also
- 8 Reference list
- 9 Further reading
- 10 External links
Theoretical frameworks of language development[edit]
Language development is thought to proceed by ordinary processes of learning in which children acquire the forms, meanings and uses of words and utterances from the linguistic input.[citation needed] The method in which we develop language skills is universal however, the major debate is how the rules of syntax are acquired.[citation needed] There are two major approaches to syntactic development, an empiricist account by which children learn all syntactic rules from the linguistic input, and a nativist approach by which some principles of syntax are innate and are transmitted through the human genome.[citation needed]
The nativist theory, proposed by Noam Chomsky, argues that language is a unique human accomplishment.[citation needed] Chomsky says that all children have what is called an innate language acquisition device (LAD). Theoretically, the LAD is an area of the brain that has a set of universal syntactic rules for all languages. This device provides children with the ability to construct novel sentences using learned vocabulary. Chomsky's claim is based upon the view that what children hear - their linguistic input - is insufficient to explain how they come to learn language.[citation needed] He argues that linguistic input from the environment is limited and full of errors. Therefore, nativists assume that it is impossible for children to learn linguistic information solely from their environment.[citation needed] However, because children possess this LAD, they are in fact, able to learn language despite incomplete information from their environment. This view has dominated linguistic theory for over fifty years and remains highly influential, as witnessed by the number of articles in journals and books.[citation needed]
The empiricist theory suggests, contra Chomsky, that there is enough information in the linguistic input children receive and therefore, there is no need to assume an innate language acquisition device exists (see above). Rather than a LAD which evolved specifically for language, empiricists believe that general brain processes are sufficient enough for language acquisition. During this process, it is necessary for the child to be actively engaged with their environment. In order for a child to learn language, the parent or caregiver adopts a particular way of appropriately communicating with the child; this is known as child-directed speech (CDS).[citation needed] CDS is used so that children are given the necessary linguistic information needed for their language. Empiricism is a general approach and sometimes goes along with the interactionist approach. Statistical language acquisition, which falls under empiricist theory, suggests that infants acquire language by means of pattern perception.[citation needed]
Other researchers embrace an interactionist perspective, consisting of social-interactionist theories of language development. In such approaches, children learn language in the interactive and communicative context, learning language forms for meaningful moves of communication. These theories focus mainly on the caregiver's attitudes and attentiveness to their children in order to promote productive language habits.[1]
An older empiricist theory, the behaviorist theory proposed by B. F. Skinner suggested that language is learned through operant conditioning, namely, by imitation of stimuli and by reinforcement of correct responses. This perspective has not been widely accepted at any time, but by some accounts, is experiencing a resurgence. New studies use this theory now to treat individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Additionally, Relational Frame Theory is growing from the behaviorist theory which is important for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.[2] Some empiricist theory accounts today use behaviorist models.[3]
Other relevant theories about language development include Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which considers the development of language as a continuation of general cognitive development[4] and Vygotsky's social theories that attribute the development of language to an individual's social interactions and growth.[5]
Biological preconditions[edit]
Evolutionary biologists are skeptical of the claim that syntactic knowledge is transmitted in the human genome. However, many researchers claim that the ability to acquire such a complicated system is unique to the human species. Non-biologists also tend to believe that our ability to learn spoken language may have been developed through the evolutionary process and that the foundation for language may be passed down genetically. The ability to speak and understand human language requires speech production skills and abilities as well as multisensory integration of sensory processing abilities.[citation needed]
One hotly debated issue is whether the biological contribution includes capacities specific to language acquisition, often referred to as universal grammar. For fifty years, linguist Noam Chomsky has argued for the hypothesis that children have innate, language-specific abilities that facilitate and constrain language learning.[citation needed] In particular, he has proposed that humans are biologically prewired to learn language at a certain time and in a certain way, arguing that children are born with a Language Acquisition Device (LAD).[6] However, since he developed the Minimalist Program, his latest version of theory of syntactic structure, Chomsky has reduced the elements of universal grammar which are in his opinion to be prewired in humans to just the principle of recursion, thus voiding most of the nativist endeavor.[7]
Researchers who believe that grammar is learned rather than innate, have hypothesized that language learning results from general cognitive abilities and the interaction between learners and their human interactants. It has also recently been suggested that the relatively slow development of the prefrontal cortex in humans may be one reason that humans are able to learn language, whereas other species are not.[8][9] Further research has indicated the influence of the FOXP2 gene.[10]
Gender Differences[edit]
Children versus adults[edit]
It seems as if during the early years of language development females exhibit an advantage over males of the same age. When infants between the age of 16 to 22 months were observed interacting with their mothers, a female advantage was obvious. The females in this age range showed more spontaneous speech production than the males and this finding was not due to mothers speaking more with daughters than sons.[11] In addition, boys between 2 and 6 years as a group did not show higher performance in language development over their girl counterparts on experimental assessments. In studies using adult populations, 18 and over, it seems that the female advantage may be task dependent. Depending on the task provided, a female advantage may or may not be present.[12]
Lateralization effect on language[edit]
It is currently believed that in regards to brain lateralization males are left lateralized, while females are bilateralized. Studies on patients with unilateral lesions have provided evidence that females are in fact more bilateralized with their verbal abilities. It seems that when a female has experienced a lesion to the left hemisphere she is better able to compensate for this damage than a male can. If a male has a lesion in the left hemisphere his verbal abilities are greatly impaired in comparison to a control male of the same age without that damage.[13] However, these results may also be task dependent as well as time dependent.[14]
Environmental Influences[edit]
The environment a child develops in has influences on language development. The environment provides language input for the child to process. Speech by adults to children help provide the child with correct language usage repetitively.[citation needed] Environmental influences on language development are explored in the tradition of social interactionist theory by such researchers as Jerome Bruner, Alison Gopnik, Andrew Meltzoff, Anat Ninio, Roy Pea, Catherine Snow, Ernest Moerk and Michael Tomasello. Jerome Bruner who laid the foundations of this approach in the 1970s, emphasized that adult "scaffolding" of the child's attempts to master linguistic communication is an important factor in the developmental process.[citation needed]
One component of the young child's linguistic environment is child-directed speech (also known as baby talk or motherese), which is language spoken in a higher pitch than normal with simple words and sentences. Although the importance of its role in developing language has been debated, many linguists think that it may aid in capturing the infant's attention and maintaining communication.[15] When children begin to communicate with adults, this motherese speech allows the child the ability to discern the patterns in language and to experiment with language.
Throughout research done, it is concluded that children exposed to extensive vocabulary and complex grammatical structures more quickly develop language and also have a more accurate syntax than children raised in environments without complex grammar exposed to them. With motherese, the mother talks to the child and responds back to the child, whether it be a babble the child made or a short sentence. While doing this, the adult is prompting the child to continue communicating which may help a child develop language sooner than children raised in environments where communication is not fostered.[citation needed]
Child-directed speech will concentrate on small core vocabulary, here and now topics, exaggerated facial expressions and gestures, frequent questioning, paralinguistic changes, and verbal rituals.[16] An infant is least likely to produce vocalizations when changed, fed, or rocked. The infant will more likely produce vocalizations when a nonverbal behavior such as touching or smiling is directed at the infant.[citation needed]
Child-directed speech will also catch the child's attention and in situations where words for new objects are being expressed to the child this form of speech may help the child recognize the speech cues and the new information provided. Data shows that children raised in highly verbal families had higher language scores than those children raised in low verbal families. Continuously hearing complicated sentences throughout language development increases the child's ability to understand these sentences and then to use complicated sentences as they develop. Studies have shown that students enrolled in high language classrooms have two times the growth in complex sentences usage than students in classrooms where teachers do not frequently use complex sentences.[citation needed]
Adults use strategies other than child-directed speech like recasting, expanding, and labeling: Recasting is rephrasing something the child has said, perhaps turning it into a question or restating the child's immature utterance in the form of a fully grammatical sentence. For example, a child saying "cookie now" a parent may respond with "Would you like a cookie now?"[citation needed] Expanding is restating, in a linguistically sophisticated form, what a child has said. For example, a child may say "car move road" and the parent may respond "A car drives on the road."[citation needed] Labeling is identifying the names of objects[6] If a child points to an object such as a couch the mother may say "couch" in response. Labeling can also be characterized as referencing.[16]
Some language development experts have characterized child directed speech in stages. Primarily, the parents will use repetition and also variation to maintain the infant's attention. Secondly, the parent will simplify speech to help in language learning. Third, any modifications in speech will maintain the responsiveness of the child. These modifications develop into a conversation that provides context for the development.[16]
Cultural and Socioeconomic Effects on Language Development[edit]
While most children throughout the world develop language at similar rates and without difficulty, cultural and socioeconomic differences have been shown to influence development. An example of cultural differences in language development can be seen when comparing the interactions of mothers in the United States with their infants with mothers in Japan.[citation needed] Mothers in the United States use more questions, are more information oriented, and use more grammatically correct utterances with their 3-month-olds.[citation needed] Mothers in Japan, on the other hand, use more physical contact with their infants, and more emotion-oriented, nonsense, and environmental sounds, as well as baby talk, with their infants. These differences in interaction techniques reflect differences in "each society's assumptions about infants and adult-to adult cultural styles of talking."[16]
Specifically in North American culture, maternal race, education, and socioeconomic class influence parent-child interactions in the early linguistic environment.[citation needed] When speaking to their infants, mothers from middle class "incorporate language goals more frequently in their play with their infants," and in turn, their infants produce twice as many vocalizations as lower class infants.[16] Mothers from higher social classes who are better educated also tend to be more verbal, and have more time to spend engaging with their infants in language. Additionally, lower class infants may receive more language input from their siblings and peers than from their mothers.[citation needed]
Social preconditions[edit]
It is crucial that children are allowed to socially interact with other people who can vocalize and respond to questions. For language acquisition to develop successfully, children must be in an environment that allows them to communicate socially in that language.[citation needed]
There are a few different theories as to why and how children develop language. The most popular—and yet heavily debated—explanation is that language is acquired through imitation.[citation needed] The two most accepted theories in language development are psychological and functional.[citation needed] Psychological explanations focus on the mental processes involved in childhood language learning. Functional explanations look at the social processes involved in learning the first language.
There are four main components of language:
- Phonology involves the rules about the structure and sequence of speech sounds.
- Semantics consists of vocabulary and how concepts are expressed through words.
- Grammar involves two parts.
- The first, syntax, is the rules in which words are arranged into sentences.
- The second, morphology, is the use of grammatical markers (indicating tense, active or passive voice etc.).
- Pragmatics involves the rules for appropriate and effective communication. Pragmatics involves three skills:
- using language for greeting, demanding etc.
- changing language for talking differently depending on who it is you are talking to
- following rules such as turn taking, staying on topic
Each component has its own appropriate developmental periods.
Phonological development[edit]
From shortly after birth to around one year, the baby starts to make speech sounds. At around two months, the baby will engage in cooing, which mostly consists of vowel sounds. At around four months, cooing turns into babbling which is the repetitive consonant-vowel combinations. Babies understand more than they are able to say. In this 0–8 months range, the child is engaged in vocal play of vegetative sounds, laughing, and cooing.[citation needed]
Once the child hits the 8-12 month range the child engages in canonical babbling i.e. dada as well as variegated babbling. This jargon babbling with intonational contours the language being learned.[citation needed]
From 12–24 months, babies can recognize the correct pronunciation of familiar words. Babies will also use phonological strategies to simplify word pronunciation. Some strategies include repeating the first consonant-vowel in a multisyllable word ('TV'--> 'didi') or deleting unstressed syllables in a multisyllable word ('banana'-->'nana'). Within this first year, two word utterances and two syllable words emerge. This period is often called the holophrastic stage of development, because one word conveys as much meaning as an entire phrase. For instance, the simple word "milk" can imply that the child is requesting milk, noting spilled milk, sees a cat drinking milk, etc.[17]
By 24–30 months awareness of rhyme emerges as well as rising intonation.[citation needed]
By 36–60 months, phonological awareness continues to improve as well as pronunciation.[citation needed]
By 6–10 years, children can master syllable stress patterns which helps distinguish slight differences between similar words.[citation needed]
Semantic development[edit]
From birth to one year, comprehension (the language we understand) develops before production (the language we use). There is about a 5 month lag in between the two. Babies have an innate preference to listen to their mother's voice. Babies can recognize familiar words and use preverbal gestures.[citation needed]
Within the first '12–18 months semantic roles are expressed in one word speech including agent, object, location, possession, nonexistence and denial. Words are understood outside of routine games but the child still needs contextual support for lexical comprehension.[18]
18–24 months Prevalent relations are expressed such as agent-action, agent-object, action-location[18] Also, there is a vocabulary spurt between 18–24 months, which includes fast mapping. Fast mapping is the babies' ability to learn a lot of new things quickly. The majority of the babies' new vocabulary consists of object words (nouns) and action words (verbs).
30–36 months The child is able to use and understand why question and basic spatial terms such as in, on or under.[citation needed]
36–42 months There is an understanding of basic color words and kinship terms. Also, the child has an understanding of the semantic relationship between adjacent and conjoined sentences, including casual and contrastive.[citation needed]
42–48 months When and how questions are comprehended as well as basic shape words such as circle, square and triangle.[citation needed]
48–60 months Knowledge of letter names and sounds emerges, as well as numbers.
By 3–5 years, children usually have difficulty using words correctly. Children experience many problems such as underextensions, taking a general word and applying it specifically (for example, 'blankie') and overextensions, taking a specific word and applying it too generally (example, 'car' for 'van'). However, children coin words to fill in for words not yet learned (for example, someone is a cooker rather than a chef because a child will not know what a chef is). Children can also understand metaphors.[citation needed]
From 6–10 years, children can understand meanings of words based on their definitions. They also are able to appreciate the multiple meanings of words and use words precisely through metaphors and puns. Fast mapping continues.[citation needed] Within these years, children are now able to acquire new information from written texts and can explain relationships between multiple meaning words. Common idioms are also understood.[citation needed]
Grammatical development[edit]
From 1–2 years, children start using telegraphic speech, which are two word combinations, for example 'wet diaper'. Brown (1973)[19] observed that 75% of children's two-word utterances could be summarised in the existence of 11 semantic relations:
Eleven important early semantic relations and examples based on Brown 1973[19]
At around 3 years, children engage in simple sentences, which are 3 word sentences. Simple sentences follow adult rules and get refined gradually. Grammatical morphemes get added as these simple sentences start to emerge.[citation needed]
By 3–5 years, children continue to add grammatical morphemes and gradually produce complex grammatical structures.[citation needed]
By 6–10 years, children refine the complex grammatical structures such as passive voice.[citation needed]
Pragmatics development[edit]
From birth to one year, babies can engage in joint attention (sharing the attention of something with someone else). Babies also can engage in turn taking activities.[citation needed]
- By 1–2 years, they can engage in conversational turn taking and topic maintenance.[citation needed]
- By ages 3–5, children can master illocutionary intent, knowing what you meant to say even though you might not have said it and turnabout, which is turning the conversation over to another person.[citation needed]
- By age 6-10, shading occurs, which is changing the conversation topic gradually. Children are able to communicate effectively in demanding settings, such as on the telephone.[citation needed]
The Consequences of Bilingualism on Language Development[edit]
There is a large debate regarding whether or not bilingualism is truly beneficial to children. Parents of children often view learning a second language throughout elementary and high school education beneficial to the child.[20] Another perspective dictates that the second language will just confuse the child and prevent them from mastering their primary language.[21] Studies have shown that American bilingual children have greater cognitive flexibility, better perceptual skills and tend to be divergent thinkers than monolingual children between the ages of five to ten.[20][21] However, studies comparing Swedish-Finnish bilingual children and Swedish monolingual children between the ages of five to seven have also shown that the bilingual children have a smaller vocabulary than monolingual children.[22] In another study throughout America, elementary school English-monolingual children performed better in mathematics and reading activities than their non-English-dominant bilingual and non-English monolingual peers from kindergarten to grade five.[23] Learning two languages simultaneously can be beneficial or a hindrance to a child's language and intellectual development. Further research is necessary to continue to shed light on this debate.
Language Disorders[edit]
A language disorder is the impaired comprehension and or use of a spoken, written, and/or other symbol system. A disorder may involve problems in the following areas:
- The form of language i.e. phonology, morphology, or syntax[citation needed]
- The content i.e. semantics[citation needed]
- The function of language in communication i.e. pragmatics[citation needed]
Olswang and colleagues have identified a series of behaviors in children in the 18-36 month range that are predictors for the need of language intervention.[24]
These predictors include:
- A smaller than average vocabulary
- A language comprehension delay of 6 months or a comprehension deficit with a large comprehension production gap
- Phonological problems such as restricted babbling or limited vocalizations
- Few spontaneous vocal imitations and reliance on direct modeling in imitation tasks
- Little combinatorial or symbolic play
- Few communicative or symbolic gestures
- Behavior problems[24]
Language disorders and conditions which can cause language development problems are many including:
See also[edit]
Reference list[edit]
- ^ Poll, G. H. (2011). "Increasing the Odds: Applying Emergentist Theory in Language Intervention". Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools 42 (4): 580–591. doi:10.1044/0161-1461(2011/10-0041). PMC 3164388. PMID 21616988.
- ^ Roediger, R. (2004) "What happened to Behaviorism." American Psychological Society.
- ^ Ramscar M, Yarlett D (November 2007). "Linguistic self-correction in the absence of feedback: a new approach to the logical problem of language acquisition". Cogn Sci 31 (6): 927–60. doi:10.1080/03640210701703576. PMID 21635323.
- ^ Clibbens, John (October 1993). "From theory to practice in child language development". Down Syndrome Research and Practice 1 (3): 101–106. doi:10.3104/reviews.20. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
- ^ Schneider, Phyllis; Watkins, Ruth (April 1996). "Applying Vygotskian Developmental Theory to Language Intervention". Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools 27 (2): 157–170.
- ^ a b Santrock, John W. (2007). A Topical Approach to Lifespan Development. McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages. ISBN 0-07-338264-7. OCLC 171151508.
- ^ Hauser MD, Chomsky N, Fitch WT (November 2002). "The faculty of language: what is it, who has it, and how did it evolve?". Science 298 (5598): 1569–79. doi:10.1126/science.298.5598.1569. PMID 12446899.
- ^ Thompson-Schill SL, Ramscar M, Chrysikou EG (2009). "Cognition without control: When a little frontal lobe goes a long way". Curr Dir Psychol Sci 18 (5): 259–263. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8721.2009.01648.x. PMC 2855545. PMID 20401341.
- ^ Ramscar M, Gitcho N (July 2007). "Developmental change and the nature of learning in childhood". Trends Cogn. Sci. (Regul. Ed.) 11 (7): 274–9. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2007.05.007. PMID 17560161.
- ^ Scharff C, Petri J (July 2011). "Evo-devo, deep homology and FoxP2: implications for the evolution of speech and language". Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond., B, Biol. Sci. 366 (1574): 2124–40. doi:10.1098/rstb.2011.0001. PMC 3130369. PMID 21690130.
- ^ Huttenlocher J., Haight W., Bryk A., Seltzer M., Lyons T. (1991). "Early vocabulary growth: Relation to language input and gender". Developmental Psychology 27 (2): 236–248. doi:10.1037/0012-16220.127.116.11.
- ^ Bornstein, M. H. (2004). "Specific and general language performance across early childhood: Stability and gender considerations". First Language 24 (3): 267–304. doi:10.1177/0142723704045681.
- ^ Frith, Uta; Vargha-Khadem, Faraneh (2001). "Are there sex differences in the brain basis of literacy related skills? Evidence from reading and spelling impairments after early unilateral brain damage". Neuropsychologia 39 (13): 1485–1488. doi:10.1016/S0028-3932(01)00063-X.
- ^ Kansaku, Kenji; Kitazawa, Shigeru (2001). "Imaging studies on sex differences in the lateralization of language". Neuroscience Research 41 (4): 333–337. doi:10.1016/S0168-0102(01)00292-9.
- ^ Mani, Nivedita; Plunkett, Kim (2010). "Twelve-Month-Olds Know Their Cups From Their Keps and Tups". Infancy 15 (5): 445–470. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7078.2009.00027.x. ISSN 1525-0008.
- ^ a b c d e Owens, Robert E. (2012). Language development : an introduction. Boston: Pearson. pp. 130–135. ISBN 978-0-13-258252-0. OCLC 682896734.
- ^ Fernandez, Eva (2011). Fundamentals of Psycholinguistics. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 110.
- ^ a b Brandone, Amanda C; Salkind, Sara J.; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy (2006). "Language Development". In George G Bear; Kathleen M Minke. Children's needs III : development, prevention, and intervention (Bethesda, Md: National Association of School Psychologists). ISBN 9780932955791. OCLC 70691810. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
- ^ a b Brown, R. (1973). A first language: The early stages. Harvard University Press.
- ^ a b Bialystok, E.; Craik, FI.; Luk, G. (Apr 2012). "Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain.". Trends Cogn Sci 16 (4): 240–50. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2012.03.001. PMC 3322418. PMID 22464592.
- ^ a b Blumenfeld, H; Faroqi-Shah, Y (2009). "Bilingualism: Consequences for language, cognition, development, and the brain". American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 14 (13): 10.
- ^ Korkman, M.; Stenroos, M.; Mickos, A.; Westman, M.; Ekholm, P.; Byring, R. (Sep 2012). "Does simultaneous bilingualism aggravate children's specific language problems?". Acta Paediatr 101 (9): 946–52. doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2012.02733.x. PMID 22591054.
- ^ Han, WJ. (2012). "Bilingualism and academic achievement.". Child Dev 83 (1): 300–21. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01686.x. PMID 22098584.
- ^ a b Olswang, Lesley B; Rodriguez, Barbara; Timler, Geralyn (1998). "Recommending Intervention for Toddlers With Specific Language Learning Difficulties" 7. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. pp. 23–32. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
Further reading[edit]
- Abbot-Smith, Kirsten; Tomasello, Michael (2006). "Exemplar-learning and schematization in a usage-based account of syntactic acquisition". The Linguistic Review 23 (3): 275–290. doi:10.1515/TLR.2006.011.
- Balari S, Benítez-Burraco A, Camps M, Longa VM, Lorenzo G, Uriagereka J (2011). "The archaeological record speaks: bridging anthropology and linguistics". Int J Evol Biol 2011: 382679. doi:10.4061/2011/382679. PMC 3123707. PMID 21716806.
- Berk, Laura E. (2009). "9, Language Development". Child development. Boston: Pearson Education/Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 0-205-61559-7. OCLC 637146042.
- Bornstein, MH.; Putnick, DL. (Mar 2012). "Stability of language in childhood: a multiage, multidomain, multimeasure, and multisource study.". Dev Psychol 48 (2): 477–91. doi:10.1037/a0025889. PMC 3412562. PMID 22004343.
- Campbell R (March 2008). "The processing of audio-visual speech: empirical and neural bases". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 363 (1493): 1001–10. doi:10.1098/rstb.2007.2155. PMC 2606792. PMID 17827105.
- Chomsky, Noam (1963–65). "Three models for the description of language". In Robert Duncan Luce,. Readings in mathematical psychology. (New York: Wiley). OCLC 190574.
- Chomsky, Noam (1965). Aspects of the theory of syntax. Cambridge: M.I.T. Press. ISBN 9780262530071. OCLC 309976.
- Hickok G, Poeppel D (2004). "Dorsal and ventral streams: a framework for understanding aspects of the functional anatomy of language". Cognition 92 (1-2): 67–99. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2003.10.011. PMID 15037127.
- Kuhl PK, Conboy BT, Coffey-Corina S, Padden D, Rivera-Gaxiola M, Nelson T (March 2008). "Phonetic learning as a pathway to language: new data and native language magnet theory expanded (NLM-e)". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 363 (1493): 979–1000. doi:10.1098/rstb.2007.2154. PMC 2606791. PMID 17846016.
- Perani D, Saccuman MC, Scifo P, et al. (September 2011). "Neural language networks at birth". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 108 (38): 16056–61. doi:10.1073/pnas.1102991108. PMC 3179044. PMID 21896765.
- Richardson FM, Price CJ (October 2009). "Structural MRI studies of language function in the undamaged brain". Brain Struct Funct 213 (6): 511–23. doi:10.1007/s00429-009-0211-y. PMC 2749930. PMID 19618210.
- Rowe, ML.; Ozçalişkan, S.; Goldin-Meadow, S. (Jan 2008). "Learning words by hand: Gesture's role in predicting vocabulary development.". First Lang 28 (2): 182–199. doi:10.1177/0142723707088310. PMC 2745165. PMID 19763249.
- Wandell BA, Rauschecker AM, Yeatman JD (January 2012). "Learning to see words". Annu Rev Psychol 63: 31–53. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-120710-100434. PMC 3228885. PMID 21801018.
External links[edit]
|Library resources about
Language development


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GOP hopes Obama heath care woes have staying powerBy JULIE PACE
and NANCY BENAC
The Associated Press | October 27,2013AP Photo
President Barack Obama speaks in the Rose Garden last week about the problem-ridden rollout of his health care overhaul.WASHINGTON For nearly five years, Republicans have struggled to make a scandal stick to President Barack Obamas White House.
One by one, the controversies with shorthand names such as Solyndra, Benghazi, and Fast and Furious hit a fever pitch, then faded away.
But some Republicans see the disastrous rollout of Obamas health law as a problem with the kind of staying power they have sought.
The health care failures are tangible for millions of Americans and can be experienced by anyone with Internet access. The law itself is more closely associated with Obama personally and long has been unpopular with the majority of the American people.
The longer the technical problems persist, the more likely they are to affect the delicate balance of enrollees needed in the insurance marketplace in order to keep costs down.
Theres no question the issue has legs, in part because it affects so many Americans very directly and in part because the glitches with the website are simply one of many fundamental problems with this law, GOP pollster Whit Ayres said.
The cascade of computer problems began Oct. 1, when sign-ups opened for the marketplaces at the center of the law. Administration officials blamed the problems on high volume, but have since acknowledged more systemic issues with HealthCare.gov.
White House officials contend the website is just one piece of the broader law offering an array of benefits. They say that when the online issues are fixed the latest estimate is the site will be working normally for most users by the end of November few people will remember the problems that have marred the opening weeks of the six-month enrollment window.
It says a lot about Republicans that their focus here is not on helping Americans get insured, but on making political hay of this mess, said Dan Pfeiffer, Obamas senior adviser.
Theres another mess the White House is dealing with that could have long-lasting implications, too: U.S. government spying on foreign leaders. The scope of the surveillance programs was first made public in June and the revelations keep coming. The latest concern: the alleged monitoring of German Chancellor Angela Merkels cellphone communications.
But unlike with the health law, many Republicans support the government surveillance policies, making it more difficult for the party to create a political furor over the revelations.
For GOP lawmakers, the White Houses stumbles on the Affordable Care Act have come at an optimal time, just one week after their strategy to shut down the government in exchange for concessions on health care imploded.
The health care debacle has overshadowed some of the Republican missteps and the GOP appears more than happy to keep the spotlight where it is.
Republicans have scheduled a series of congressional hearings on the programs shortcomings, and have called for officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, to be fired. She is set to testify this coming week before a House committee.
Kevin Madden, a GOP strategist, said Republicans should be wary of overreach, and he urged the party to focus on the basics in the hearings. If they do, he said, they can really align themselves with a lot of public anxiety about whats wrong with Washington.
Anxiety about the websites problems also appears to be on the rise among members of the presidents own party, a worrisome sign for the White House.
Ten Democratic senators urged Sebelius in a letter to extend the insurance enrollment window beyond the March 31 deadline; White House officials say they dont believe that will be necessary. Also, Democratic leaders have been critical about the seeming lack of preparedness for the sign-up rollout.
As far as Im concerned there is no excuse for that, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told Las Vegas radio station KNPR. I think the administration should have known how difficult it was going to be to have 35 million or 40 million people to suddenly hook up to a place to go on the Internet.
The health care law has been unpopular with large swaths of the American public ever since Obama signed it into law in 2010. A CBS News survey taken last week found that 43 percent of Americans approve of the law, compared with 35 percent in May.
Crisis management expert Eric Dezenhall said that if the White House wants to prevent the current troubles from being a long-term problem, it will have to do some basic damage control.
There has to be a component of hand-holding, clarity and bedside manner with the early stages of Obamacare, he said.MORE IN This Just InStaff Report Full StoryBENNINGTON — A local man was killed in a one-car accident Saturday. Full StoryMONTPELIER Drivers who use hand-held cellphones and other electronic devices while driving... Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Patrick McArdle reports and the theft of an $89,000 shotgun, police release a video of the Monday Castleton robbery, O'Gorman reports a lawsuit by a local man claiming his vehicle unlawfully seized, police leave him in cold.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Giles Corey of Salem, Mass., is pressed to death during the Salem witch trials; on this day in 1952, film comedian Charlie Chaplin, while traveling to England, is denied re-entry into the United States by U.S. attorney general.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Dutch father of microbiology Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovers the existence of one-celled organisms; in 1967, The Doors are booked to play the Ed Sullivan show; in 1858, freedom fighter Dred Scott dies on this day in St. Louis.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: No money this year for western rail project, Lola Aiken memorialized in Montpelier, Supreme Court Castleton murder suspect will remain in jail, Shaftbury man fires shots from his AK-47 into neighbor's home.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev arrives in U.S. for historic 13-day visit; in 1987, Secretary of State George Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze sign nuclear reduction agreement.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: City celebrates completion of its newest mural, on West Street opposite the post office, more than $2 million in federal grants will bolster Vermont's health centers, Patrick McArdle reports on pending sale of Vermont papers.


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Hold down Control (PC) or Command (Mac) key + mouseclick to select more than one option
|Avg. Dinner Entrée
|Greater than $25
|$18.01 - $25
|$12.01 - $18
|$7.01 - $12
|Less than $7
Posted by anonymous on 12/20/2008
A serious change is required in Village Den starting from service to the food delivered. It used to be a nice and homely environment before but something is totally wrong. Is it due to the change in the management or due to the change in the employees. Anyways it requires a change!
Posted by Very disappointed customers on 11/06/2008
This used to be our favorite delivery restaurant. But it's gone down. The quality of all the food has gone down several notches. The eggs arrive overcooked, The hash browns , dry and black around the edges. The whole wheat toast, now the cheap kind. Order a Grilled chicken sandwich on a hard roll, now it comes on a cheap hamburger roll, the kind you get 12 in a bag for a buck. Order the fish sandwich, it's frozen and thin and dry. Even the french fries are now of the pedestrian variety. The soup is still OK. Even if you ask again and again, they won't bring menus. The delivery men are no longer professional, but new ones who arrive with the food all askew. The whole place is being run differently somehow. All the food seems tossed together, carelessly and is in no way what it used to be, which was nicely prepared and quite tasty. Too bad. Because they also raised their prices which means after fifteen years of ordering from them six times a week, I'm going to be going elsewhere.
Posted by choiseul on 04/18/2008
... and in the thirty-five years I've been coming here (and the old place) the dedication to quality and professionalism has been maintained. My favorites are the beef stroganoff with a tasty light cream sauce and noodles that are tender w/o being over cooked or too al dente, bagel w/smoked norwegian salmon, cream cheese and onion, broiled calves liver, center cut pork chop w/apple sauce, Tex-mex chili w/rice, mousakka, tuna salad garni, Rockford burger (like a roquefort burger) or mushroom burger with a nice slice of raw onion. The chicken noodle is everyone's favorite with its big chunks of tender chicken.
Posted by Chris on 03/24/2008
Everything is great about this place
Posted by Toad on 10/10/2007
I've been eating dinners at The Village Den for many years. Everything has always been first–rate. It is my favorite restaurant in Manhattan. It is a very comfortable and friendly place and it is always a real pleasure to go there. I have such good memories of this place. The food is always very fresh and wholesome and good. Portions are very generous and the meals are inexpensive. My favorite dinner is the bluefish. It is absolutely delicious.
Posted by Anonymous on 10/03/2007
Never had a bad experience with this place. All of their food is great!! It is by far the best diner in the area.
Posted by friend of a farmer on 06/17/2007
I've been eating at the Village den for years. The food and the quality is consistent. For a diner, they use high quality ingredients and the food is always fresh. Today, I ordered delivery of yellow split pea soup and a salmon burger. The salmon burger was made of fresh salmon, not canned, and was seasoned to perfection. It also came with a wonderful mesclun green salad with radishes and seedless cucumbers(easier to digest). The split pea soup was also great and came with homemade seasoned croutons. All the utensils were all there and delivery came within 15 minutes. They totally paid attention to all the details and didn't miss a beat. Even after all these years, Village Den is the best diner in the village!


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Welcome to the Lowcountry
Our land may be low but we're your destination for high times and great events along the Southeast coast. From stately plantation lanes lined with moss-draped live oaks and palmettos, to world class golf and tennis, pristine beaches, music festivals, outlet shopping, folk art and crafts, and easy access to nature's best, the Lowcountry offers a wealth of venues and events for enjoying life.
The word Lowcountry (some spell it as "Low Country") has long been associated with the southern South Carolina coast, adjacent marshes and swampy areas, broken up by ribbons, fans and islands of dry land. But the Lowcountry's geographical, political, economic and cultural influence extends from Florida's northern border all the way to North Carolina. Here, we consider the region as comprising all the coastal and immediately inland areas from Myrtle Beach south to Amelia Island, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Interstate 95 corridor.
This includes the tony resorts of Hilton Head Island and Georgia's Golden Isles, the historic and cultural centers of Beaufort, Charleston and Savannah, and a string of wildlife sanctuaries that dot the coasts. You'll find here historic forts, such as Fort Pulaski and Fort Sumter, international sporting events such as the RBC Heritage golf tournament and Family Circle Open women's tennis, Charleston's fabulous Spoleto arts celebration, Savannah's annual music festival, Broadway shows and country music legends with their own theaters in Myrtle Beach, surrounded by thousands of square miles of magical creeks and marshes that drain toward a long string of sugary sand on the coast's unique barrier islands.
Ours is also a region rich in natural resources, from oysters, shrimp and gamefish, to rich farmland, wide timber tracts and good harbors, to incredible habitats that support many endangered and threatened species. We offer a bird watcher's paradise, where you can count more than 100 species in a single day. Bald eagles are becoming common in the sky. Wood storks have extended their range here from the everglades. Owls and Chuck Will's widows call through spring nights, over a background chorus of rare tree frogs and cicadas. Dolphins romp in the inlets and creeks, showing off unique behaviors found few places in the world.


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Stonehaven Vineyard Homestay
Bed and Breakfast / Renwick
Set amongst 20 acres of Sauvignon Blanc vines, Stonehaven is surrounded by stunning gardens and within walking or cycling distance of Marlborough's most outstanding wineries and restaurants.
Stonehaven offers peaceful, luxury accommodation in a beautifully constructed stone & cedar home. Both guests' rooms are serviced daily (King & Queen with ensuites) and have magnificent mountain and vineyard views.
A sumptuous full 'White Linen' breakfast is included and often served in the summer house overlooking the pool.
Dinner comprising three courses and offering home-grown & local produce is available by prior arrangement.
For a fun way of exploring the region we have scooters and bikes for hire. Stonehaven is the home of Book-a-Bike.co.nz
Contact Us
414 Rapaura Road RD3 Blenheim
Phone: 03 572 9730
From $275.00 to $295.00 Per Night.Check Availability & Book Online
Breakfasts Check-in Time: 3:00pm Check-out Time: 10:30am Clothesline Fax High Speed wireless internet Iron / Ironing Board Laundry Facilities Lounge Area with Fireplace Non Smoking Off Street Parking Serviced Rooms Daily Swimming Pool Washing machine and dryer
Book Online
Booking availability for Stonehaven Vineyard Homestay
Want to talk to a local?
Click here to contact our iSITE Visitor Centre


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Thank You Bouquet
Say thank you with this assortment straight from the Eleni's garden!
Cookie Count: 28 hand-iced sugar cookies
Box Size: Double Medium Gift Box (8.25"x8.25")
Here at Eleni's New York, our custom sugar cookies are delicious, adorable, Nut Free and Kosher! These decorative hand-iced cookies are gift packaged in our signature brown and pink Eleni's gift box, making it the perfect gift for any occasion.


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The U.S. Chamber of Carbon Commerce Does Not Speak for Us
Come, y'all, and check out 350.org's new campaign (which GOOD is partnering on), and stick up for local businesses and us normal, not-so-rich folks who are getting fucked by the 16 obscenely rich companies that dictate everything the U.S. Chamber of Commerce does, and who just want to pollute our air and atmosphere until every bit of fossil fuel has been burned. So go to the campaign page, take the pledge then actually go down to your local bodega/hair dresser/florist/hardware store/grocer/fishmonger and get them to declare that the "U.S. Chamber doesn't speak for us."


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Supra Stacks Skate Shoes - Grey/Gum
£49.99 £39.99
Supra The Hammer Skate Shoes - Navy
£64.99 £44.99
Supra Amigo Skate Shoes - Chocolate/Red/White
£54.99 £39.99
Supra Vaider Boys Skate Shoes
£49.99 £44.99
Supra Vaider LC Boys Skate Shoes
£44.99 £39.99
Supra Vaider Toddler Skate Shoes
£39.99 £34.99
Supra Skytop Boys Skate Shoes
£54.99 £49.99
Supra Vaider Boys Skate Shoes
£49.99 £44.99
Supra Westway Boys Skate Shoes
£34.99 £29.99
Supra Bandit Skate Shoes - Charcoal/Burgundy
£64.99 £49.99
Supra Skytop Boys Skate Shoes - BAT Grey
£49.99 £44.99
Supra Vaider Boys Skate Shoes - BKL Black
£49.99 £44.99
Fusing music, skateboarding, art and overall street sense, Supra kicks stand above the rest. Focusing on distinctive materials and unique designs, their quality and craftsmanship is unparalleled. The famous Supra Skytop combines progressive, fashion forward design with modern street styling, while the infamous TK Society pushes the envelope even further with its innovative meld of skate style and raw street fashion. Supra Footwear continues to push the envelope with cutting-edge technology and contemporary design.


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Huskers to play two Saturday
Champaign, Ill. › Due to impending weather on Sunday, Nebraska and Illinois will play a doubleheader on Saturday staring at Noon (CT).
The two teams open their three-game series today at 4:05 p.m. (CT). Today is the Big Ten opener for both teams and Illinois' 2013 home opener.
Saturday will mark the Nebraska's third doubleheader of the season, with the Huskers holding a 3-3 record.
© 2014 Rural Radio Network. All rights reserved. Republishing, rebroadcasting, rewriting, redistributing prohibited. Copyright Information


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Gender, Politics, Public Policy, Sociology
Feminist Intersectionality and Political Discourse
Feminist Intersectionality and Political Discourse
July 5 - 9, 2010
|In cooperation with Center for Policy Studies, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
|Extended application deadline:
|31 March, 2010
Purchasing the ticket
Those receiving a travel grant need to book their ticket as soon as possible after notification. In most cases the amount of travel grant is less than the actual ticket price, and participants need to cover the difference from their own budget. This is why it is most important to make the ticket booking at the earliest date in order to secure the cheapest possible ticket.
In case your travel grant exceeds 500 Euro, the pre-approval of your booking is required. Please contact us via with your ticket reservation information. Travel grants only cover economy flights between Budapest and the city of your residence. No other destinations can be included. If your itinerary must include more than two destinations, reimbursement will be based upon direct flight airfares.
Reimbursement policy (for scholarship participants)
- Recipients of a travel grant from SUN will be reimbursed in Budapest upon their arrival based on the granted amount of travel specified in the acceptance letter. Reimbursement will be made only up to the actual travel expenditure supported by the submitted documents.
- Shorter domestic trips and visa costs are not reimbursed.
- The travel grant amount will be returned to grant recipients in Budapest on arrival if they can submit valid documentation (see details below). If there is no sufficient documentation available, the original ticket has to be mailed back and reimbursement will be made via bank transfer or check.
- Necessary documents for reimbursement:
- an original invoice issued by the travel agency addressed to CEU 1051 Budapest Nador utca 9. or to your name
- or the original travel ticket
- or the e-ticket AND the boarding pass
- an original invoice issued by the travel agency addressed to CEU 1051 Budapest Nador utca 9. or to your name
Arrival and Departure
- Check in: July 4, 2010
- Check out: July 10, 2010
Contact person: Sarolta Szabo at
Useful links
Discount Airlines operating in Hungary:


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Eyeball PoppersItem: 209-1064
Recently Viewed:
Haunted Halloween Fun
Looking for something unique to pass out to your trick-or-treaters? This year, give away Eyeball Poppers. These spooky popper toys are a great alternative to candy for your trick-or-treaters. The children trick-or-treating at your house will be delighted to get something different they can use again and again!
- 12 poppers per package.
- Assorted red, blue, and green eyes in every package.
- Approximately 1¾″ popper balls.
Halloween favors and gifts are a fun twist for your trick-or-treaters. Halloween toys make great give-a-ways for spooky events and Halloween school parties. Send home your little ghosts and goblins with spooky favors, toys, and gifts for a Halloween to remember!
We also recommend


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Narrow your search
A programmer who is part of the class action lawsuit against several tech giants says $324 million isn't enough.
Social network's detractors say proposed class-action settlement over ad feature that displays images of users doesn't go far enough. Facebook argues otherwise; says if plaintiffs don't like it, they can opt out of deal.
Dozens of class-action lawsuits have been filed against the social network, and now a judge has named several state pension funds as head plaintiffs to lead the charge against the company.
One of the plaintiffs in breach of contract lawsuit in Mexico against the Web pioneer tells Reuters his partners are willing to settle for less than the court's judgment.
The plaintiffs will own a 16.5 percent stake of the new Mt. Gox and split 200,000 Bitcoins recovered by the failed exchange.
Plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe say they should be able to use all Jobs-related evidence to make their case.
Innovation Act aims to discourage frivolous lawsuits by creating new requirements plaintiffs must meet to file patent infringement lawsuits.
Judge Lucy Koh finds that the plaintiffs failed to prove they had been taken in by any alleged company misrepresentation or had suffered any harm.
Judge finds that plaintiffs suffered no real harm over Web giant's bypass of users' privacy controls in the Safari and Internet Explorer browsers.


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Britney Spears™ Fantasy Eau De Parfum - 3.3 fl. oz.
by Britney Spears | Item #: 184147 |Model #: BSTF40003SS |
Britney Spears™ Fantasy Eau De Parfum is a magic love potion of sweet temptation.
Enchantment...the fantasy begins with an enticing mix of lush red lychee, golden quince, and exotic kiwi. Chase...a playful tease with a delicious trail of temptation, laced with yummy Cupcake Accord, Jasmine Petals, and sexy White Chocolate Orchid. Captivate...as the story ends a spell is cast with a surprising finish of Creamy Musk, Enchanted Orris Root, and Sensual Woods. This is Britney Spears™ Fantasy Eau De Parfum.
- Comes in a 3.3 oz. spritzer
Assembled Country
Component Country
Ask & Answer
Warranty Information
This product is covered by the Sam's Club Member Satisfaction Guarantee.
There is no additional information available for this item.


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ASSE Joins 221 Stakeholders in Fight for NIOSH ERCs and Ag, Farm and Fishing Research Program
For the third year, the Obama Administration has proposed eliminating funding for the National Insitute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Education and Research Centers (ERCs) and the NORA Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (AgFF) research program. In response, ASSE has joined with 220 other stakeholders in NIOSH and these programs to oppose the programs' elimination in letters to leaders of the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, HHS, Education. To date, this growing list of Friends of NIOSH have succeeded in saving these programs. NIOSH is valued on both sides of the political aisle on Capitol Hill. Given the uncertain fiscal environment in the political process, however, nothing is certain. In the recent meetings ASSE's Government Affairs Committee had on Capitol Hill May 6-7, support for NIOSH was one of the key talking points. ASSE will continue that work.


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Any act including the combination of a Dwarf (i.e. Diastrophic Dysplasia), a domed topped rubbish bin and a young male with blonde hair is a swap or forest setting.
Any reenactment of Luke Skywalker meeting Yoda on planet Dagobah, as this was the name of the scene "The Yoda" became a game amongst the film crew, the idea was to try and catch suprise someone by doing iIt
od uživatele JubJubs 02. Říjen 2013


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The Corsica Sling collection has 2" wide x 3/4" thick arms. All of Windward's sling furniture is double stitched for increased durability for residential and commercial settings. Windward also offers the ability to up-grade any sling furniture to padded sling, giving you not only added comfort but also more design options.
Frame Finish- GRCO
Sling- C154, D123
Table- Roma
Umbrella- Eclipse


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Fashionable Films— A Series.
As you all know, I find inspiration from films all the time. I fall in love with a character, a scene, a mood, and I translate it into what I have in my closet or what I'm looking for on my next shopping adventure. Here is the beginning of another month-long series of Fashionable Films. This week, I give you Midnight in Paris.
Rachel McAdams plays Inez, an unequivocally driven, somewhat bossy fiancee of Owen Wilson's character, Gil— who is quite the opposite. What I loved about this film were the juxtapositions of modern day simplicity worn by Inez and her friends, compared with the beaded, bedazzled gowns of The Golden Age girls you see after Midnight when Gil ventures out into the City of Light.
I think the costume designers portrayed the "uniform" of an American traveling in Europe quite well— simple t-shirts, jeans, belted dresses, signature sunglasses, and a great throw-over-everything jacket. Most often, we look and feel our best when we are wearing clothes that fit well, require little effort to put on, and remain inelaborate and modest. I've returned to this strategy of American simplicity, and I must say, I've had many more "I really like my outfit" days.
(Quote & photos from IMDB.)
Tags: film fashion fashionable films clothes inspiration mood scene characters midnight paris woody allen owen wilson carla bruni rachel mcadams city of light rain writers artists quotes style beauty
Wise Words Wednesdays. Fashion always relates to a story, whether that story is public or private, is up to you.
Tags: marion cotillard WSJ wisdom quotes fashion style quote
Wise Words Wednesdays. Be kind.
Tags: quotes mark twain wise words wednesdays wise words wisdom advice positive optimism be kind quote
Wise Words Wednesdays.
Tags: wise words wednesdays quotes advice tips people handwriting
Wise Words Wednesdays. True happiness does not rely on emotion.
Tags: thomas jefferson quotes wise words wednesdays wisdom quote advice positive tips true happiness
Gucci fall 2014 makeup
Reese Witherspoon in GoldSign 'Glam' jeans, Club Monaco 'Kaylan' jacket...


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On July 30, 2013, John McCain called the ATF to speak with Director B. Todd Jones. McCain wanted to talk about condors. What happened next is a labyrinthine adventure highlighting the sometimes bizarre nature of American politics.Continue reading
Big guns, big money and California
Though California has some of the nation's toughest gun control laws, gun rights groups have a big money footprint there.Continue reading
NRA increasing investment in Florida House race
So far, the NRA has invested more than $108,000 to help a Republican candidate win a hotly contested special election next month in Florida.Continue reading
Want to buy a machine gun without a background check? Federal law allows it — for now
Gun rights advocates are trying to keep the federal government from closing a loophole that allows purchasers of heavy weaponry to avoid background checks by transferring their guns to a legal trust.Continue reading
One year since Sandy Hook, has the NRA made any progress on its plans to curb gun violence?
After Sandy Hook, the NRA heaped blamed on violent video games and a failing mental health system, while proposing that schools arm more personnel. A Sunlight review finds little progress on any of the gun rights group's agenda.Continue reading
Follow the gun money with Sunlight tools
How we did this guns series, and how you can follow the money too using Sunlight's tools.Continue reading
Did guns beat money in Colorado recalls?
Pro-gun advocates appear to have defeated better-funded gun control supporters in this year's Colorado recall races, but loopholes in the reporting laws make it hard to determine exactly who spent how much.Continue reading
On gun control, states are where the action is
While their efforts to win new federal gun regulations stalled out this year, gun control advocates did win some victories in big states.Continue reading
Explore gun influence state by state
Use Sunlight's interactive table to get a state by state breakdown how much groups on either side of the gun debate gave candidates for state and federal office.Continue reading


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Custom Soapmaking
Systems & Design
We can help
Design your Complete
Soap Making System
Our Business Hours
USA - Eastern Time Zone
Monday thru Friday
Great Gift
For any Occasion!
What Our Customers
Have To Say...
Need Printable Pages?
Click Here
Customer FeedBack
We Recycle!
Satisfied Customers From All Around the World
"The helpful people at Willow Way have gone out of their way to
assist us and equip our business with a custom plan to fit our
needs. Their attention to detail, amazing customer service, and
extensive experience in the industry are assets that set them
apart from the competition."
LR - Murphy, NC
made a custom lip balm filling tray for me and I could not be
happier with it! I was frustrated using those commonplace
50-tube trays to fill my lip balm tubes. The lip between the rim
of the tube and the surface of the filling tray was so large and
every time I pulled a tube out of the tray, the top layer of my
product would be stuck in the tray. This led to a few hours of
extra work scraping the tops of my tubes before capping them. I
hated making lip balm because of this! It was messy,
time-consuming and wasted a lot of product (i.e. wasted money
and time!). Then I found the Soap Equipment website and their
large lip balm filling trays. I thought the tray was expensive
but I was so tired of the old way of filling the tubes that I
purchased their large filling tray because they promised there
would be a minimum lip on the filled tube. They had me send them
some of the lip balm tubes I use to ensure an accurate fit. When
it turned out that my tubes did not fit their standard tray, I
had the option to buy a custom one. I baulked a bit at the price
but ordered it anyway. SO WORTH EVERY PENNY!! I made my money
back with the very first batch of lip balms that I made using
that tray because it was easier, less time-consuming and the
finished product came out perfectly! No extra scraping necessary
before capping. JOY!! Get yourself one of these trays it will
change your manufacturing process if you are hand crafting your
lip balm.
DH - Collins, CO
As always, thanks for your help and valuable
insights. I truly appreciate the information and experience you
have shared with us to assist in our success. We are beginning
to set up and use the equipment. Your design and expertise in
fabricating is being admired by our friends and associates who
stop by to see our baby steps. I tell them we have mysteriously
found A. Einstein living in Indiana
and they believe it!
Your brilliant!!!
Brett - USA
Thank you again for taking back the wooden
When you recommended I contact Willow Way as an alternative I
had already found them and we were working on a proposal.
I also looked into the other company you suggested and found
that they only had one item which was not adequate for me and
which Willow Way has a better comparable item. So I would stick
with Willow Way if I were you.
The soap mold and cutter system I purchased from Willow Way
is everything I wanted it to be.
Ron Jonas at Willow Way consulted with me to determine a wet
cut bar size that will result in the cured bar size and weight
that I want.
When the mold and cutters arrived I was really surprised at
how small and compact they are for the quantity they produce.
The system works every bit as well as I expected.
Bars are easily and quickly cut to precisely the same
measurements every time.
For anyone wholesaling soap to retailers or who wants a
consistent professional looking bar, nothing less than this will
I'm sure many of your customers will appreciate being
informed of the advantages of professional mold and cutter
systems. I'm sure you can work out an affiliate arrangement with
Willow Way that will be a great benefit to both your businesses
and your customers.
Edward - USA
Just wanted to let you know that the cutter
worked perfectly!! The pour was actually a little more than you
calculated and I get an extra bar from each loaf. So the total
yield is 200 bars. Thanks for all of your help and I will be
calling you soon to order the frames for the other size bar that
we produce.
Randy - USA
Hope you are well! I really am impressed with
your new website. Lots and lots of stuff that I am drooling
I wanted to ask you a question, back when I was
speaking to you when I first ordered my manual soap cutter
(which we love love love by the way), you had mentioned that you
make a lot of soap balls. Can I ask you how you grate up your
flakes? We use a cuisinart, but I'm guessing you use a meat
grinder? I would love to have a hint in this area since xmas is
coming and soap balls are a popular item for us.
Debbie - USA
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I have some pictures of soaps that are ready for
sale. They look great! They are about 100g or 3.5oz which is
very nice and hard. I have made thousands of soaps and like you
said, its efficient to make them. I enjoy soap making more and
more now. Thank you for sharing your experience with me and very
nice equipment. I am setting up a website and it will be up
shortly. Please feel free to give me some ideas on marketing
suggestions or comments.
I wish you and your family a wonderful new year
and health and happiness!
Best wishes,
Jim - British Columbia
We really enjoy the molds and cutters we bought
from you. They are saving a tremendous amount of time and the
soap looks so much better.
Hope all is well.
Tim - USA
The soap stamper has arrived - I set it up in
two minutes flat, and very
quickly stamped a few bars of soap.
Beautiful. Beautiful!
I can't believe what this adds to my product. I
really appreciate your craftsmanship. This device is worth every
single penny (actually, more!).
Thank you SO MUCH!
I'll pass the word re the quality of your
Dori - USA
Just to let you know our soap moulds arrived
safely today. We are very pleased with them; well built and
sturdy. Our import duty was only 1.7% better than expected.
So we will look forward to further business in
the future.
Bill - England
Oh, an here is some nice feedback for you:
I also want to say how pleased I am with the
Bath Bomb Press with the Mini-Ball mold and the custom stamp.
Congratulations on a job that was well done!
Victor - USA
The new molds arrived and we of course had to
test drive them right away. A bit of a trick getting the first
one together, but after that, they all went together in a snap
(literally). The size is PERFECT and I have not had to adjust my
batch size or my cutters. The soap used to come out of my old
wooden molds (now a bit out of square, and wider at the top than
at the bottom) ragged on the edges because of the plastic we
used to line the molds. The new block of soap is flawless,
looking like a brick of polished marble. We all oohed and aahed
over the first one out. They cut easily and the end pieces are
perfectly square and clean, ideal for using as samples or
stacking in a pile, tying with a ribbon and selling as tester
packs. The soap goes into gel quickly and Im convinced the
plastic (Plexiglas?) material holds the heat in better. The
bricks are hard as a rock when they are unmolded two days after
pouring. We are totally amazed at the how hard the soap is so
We couldnt be more pleased with our investment
and wonder why we waited so long. It is going to make life so
much easier and soap so much more profitable. Thank you both for
getting me on the right track!
Scott - USA
I wanted to let you know that I figured out the
soapmakers software program.
It is the coolest thing ever!
Cory - USA
I just wanted to let you know how great our
equipment from you is. We really love it and are amazed how it
helps speed up our production times.
Thank you for such a great product. As we get
busier we will be ordering more molds.
Thanks again,
Cory - USA
This is Hiroki
Remember me?
I hope you are well.
Thanks to your great soap making equipments, we
have made and sold our cold pressed handmade natural soap by our
own in Japan.
Yuzu (Japanese citrus) soap is very famous now.
I have a favor to ask you today.
We are out of paper for soap making (air cutter
We tried other papers too but yours were the
You gave us 2 kinds (size) paper for the air
cutter mold.(ACM1C)
I hope to hear from you soon.
Best regards,
Hiroki - Japan
I can't thank you enough for your patience and
I appreciate the extras too. I'd recommend your
co. in a New York minute.
Can't wait to get the equipment. (sending
balance this week)
Bridget - USA
Hello to every one just a small note to let you
know that I just got back in town to find my new bomb machine at
the school house....it is fantastic!!!! better than I even
imagine, can not thank you enough for your work on this project
it has definitely improve my product and increased my production
Thanks again
Bernardine - USA
We have been using the new press on a daily
basis and it has surely increased our bath bomb output. We had
to adjust our formula and technique a little, but it is working
just fine. Thank you for your effective design.
DuWayne - USA
My order arrived today in good shape, thanks.
Always a pleasure dealing with you (and you can
quote me!).
Kind regards,
Ellinor - New Zealand
I found a good beam...thanks. Well, I think you
are dispelling another incorrect soap myth. I was told that you
had to use filtered water. You have cut down my manufacturing
time in more than half this week. I'm tracing with the pot
whipper in 10 minutes. I don't know why it took me so long to
figure this out :)
Thanks Ron!!!!!
Wendy - USA
I have your press and absolutely can't do
without it. I am now wondering about the Mini-Rounds. Will it
work with my current press? Can you tell me approximately how
much they weight?
Hope all is well...
Cindy - USA
Couldn't agree more. I purchased the bath bomb
press and have been nothing but happy, happy. Good quality
equipment, and great customer service.
I'll be honest: I hadn't tried the press until
today. It came the day I was leaving on vacation (to New
Orleans) and we got back the end of last week, and the past days
have been crammed with work and family concerns. So...
I had to make skull fizzies today, and I made a
double batch of material so I could try half on the press. Wow!
I made the skull ones by hand (pack into molds, press with
fingers, add more material, press with a flat cup, tip out with
fingers crossed) and then tried the press. The material was
already drying (it's 90 here today) and has always been harder
to work with on the second round. Not so with the press. It took
me twice to figure out how much to put in the mold (packed
loosely, but not just poured in), but no problems tipping out
once the material was in at the right volume.
The only unexpected thing--which is likely
unavoidable--is the hole in the press foot, which made a little
round cylinder of excess material on the back of each bee. I
just knocked it off with my finger and smoothed the area prior
to turning it out.
I have them drying now and am looking forward to
comparing the density with my hand-pressed ones. I can already
tell they're quite superior, as the edges didn't crumble at all
when I tipped them out. The flexible area on the back seems
about the right thickness--as long as the mold is fully packed,
there's no depression from pressing it out. I love it! I can
hardly wait for my next order to come in so we can use it in
full-scale production!
Thanks very much,
Rebekah - USA
I got everything unpacked, and moved into place.
Tomorrow I am going to work on putting it together. You can sure
be proud of that equipment! Man, has it evolved since the first
unit, which I always thought was great! Wow!
(Note: Talking about difference between the
first Air Cutters sold and those we make today. Barb bought our
very first Custom Air Cutter in "1997")
Barb - USA
WOW!!!! In this age, we all need a hero. You have become one for this ol'
grandmother. Believe me. I'll let you know how this scenario plays out.
It will go priority tomorrow. I have a face letter and copies of the
emails and the paid invoice you sent in the box. I'll keep you informed.
Thank you so much for not dropping the ball. I cannot tell you how much
I appreciate you
Fondly...Charlotte - USA
Got the stamp today. LOVE IT! Can't wait to try it out. If we ever
finish all these custom order soaps, we'll get to play. Can you send me
an invoice please?
Thanks Ron.
Maggie - USA
Thanks for your quick response and your terrific customer service. I
knew you'd make it right! I'm definitely one of your most satisfied
customers and I'm looking forward to meeting Raye at the TX Soapmakers
convention in a couple of weekends. Will she have a soap stamper there
by any chance for me to look at? (hint hint)
I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I love my new
trough soap mold. This mold is absolutely awesome, and is a major time
saver. We can now produce 4 loaves of soap in the time it used to take
us to make 1. We are also making good use of our soap shaper. It is a
pleasure to do business with someone that is knowledgeable in the
soapmaking industry. Thanks for the great quality products, and keep up
the good work. I am off to order another trough mold now!!
Judy - USA
The package was arrived a few days ago.
We did not try the extruder yet, but it seems work well.
Also I like the custom made feeling of the extruder and the shapers.
Thank you for your great work.
We are planning to introduce your Soap Cutter as I wrote previous mail.
I'll mail you again when we decide the specification and the other
Thanks Again,
Naoko - Japan
I just wanted to let you know how pleased we are with the soap equipment
you manufactured for us. We have made 6 batches and have learned some
things each time. Such as: which way to turn the handle to close the oil
heater, how thick to have the trace to pour the soap, and that the oil
heater does not cool down very fast!
The soft ware is an excellent tool.
The cutter works like a charm.
We are brainstorming to come up with a display rack to offer to stores.
Thank you very much for a job well done and making our work we enjoy so
much more enjoyable.
Ruth - USA
Just a note to let you know how much I appreciate your STELLAR customer
service and support. Your patience in helping me choose and set up a
system is greatly appreciated. You had awesome ideas for production
efficiency, always keeping future growth in mind. I was especially
appreciative of your efforts to save me money (Even trying to connect me
with another one of your customers who had an unused piece of your
equipment in her inventory!! A gift to both of us.) Your curious
engineering mind is an asset to all of your customers.
Our efficiency and productivity have gone through the roof. Not only
that, we love to play with our equipment. OK, admittedly we're a little
geeky to get so excited about spatulas, infrared thermometers, and pot
tippers, but we think they're loads of fun! Anyway, a million thanks and
continued success-you deserve it!
Be well,
Jen - USA
All I can say Ron, is Thank You Thank You Thank You! And we'll take one
of the .15 oz. ovals as SOON as you get 'em done! So go ahead and charge
that one on this order and include shipping even if you split ship them!
We use the SKS white oval version for our Bug Balm Sticks. Yahoo!
Okay, so here's the card to use for the entire purchase and DO make us
THREE of the single row strips and just send two more trays! We need
only one more stainless steel spatula:-)
Donna - USA
Go Willow Way! We love you guys!
We received the lip balm tray and it is
wonderful!! Thank you so much for the extra work on it, we
really appreciate it!!
Thanks again for the 1st class service!
Debbie - USA
I just wanted to let you know that the new bottle filler we
from you earlier this year is doing its job well! I just did time
studies and the updated cost of labor for bottle filling has changed
from $.22 each to $.01 each! This along with the greater accuracy in the
amounts we put in the bottles has really helped our business.
Sandy - USA
Just to say that we picked up the heater Tuesday - very easy process at
Lyon. Have tested the heater the last few days and are very impressed
how long the wax is kept in liquid state. It has surpassed our
expectations and will help our business enormously.
Thanks for all your help in shipping it across.
Kind regards
Chrissie - France
I just wanted to let everybody know that I'm bringing my brand new
Willow Way Soap Stamper to the convention for display on the Strut Your
Stuff Table. I believe there'll be a money saving coupon in the goodie
bag for Willow Way equipment (is that right Raye?), so if you're in the
market for professional soapmaking equipment and accessories, you'll
want to take advantage of that before it expires.
This is not really an ad, but rather a testimonial from a satisfied
customer. I've had the good fortune of owning and using several pieces
of WW equipment and I can tell you one thing, their stuff is top notch
and the customer service is UNbeatable! Ron will bend over backwards to
help you get exactly what you need and his expert advice is invaluable.
I love my bathbomb maker from Willow way, it sure makes the job go
and easier.
Janis - USA
Ok you guys, just had to tell you this. I just got off the phone with
Jonas from Willow Way. I gotta tell ya........he is THE nicest guy!
And I now have a FLAT sided tablet mold on the way to me.
Awesome company to do business with.
Pam - USA
What a wonderful blessing to do business with you again. I am so
thankful that I was able to get in contact with you and order more soap
making equipment. Throughout the years I have many times over been so
grateful for the molds and manual cutter that I purchased from you some
years back. They have made my work so much easier. I will recommend your
equipment to others whenever the opportunity arises. Thank you for
making and selling great equipment that even the "little" soapmaker can
Yvonne - USA
Yvonne bought our very first Manual Cutter in "1998"
Just wanted to say hello and thank you for the great cutter and molds!
We are so happy that we purchased them and they continue to work really
well. Hope all is well with you!
Lisa - USA
I just wanted to follow-up briefly and let you know that the soap I made
over the weekend (four batches with temps around 100-105) turned out
beautifully. Im still outraged at all my wasted effort trying to follow
the instructions in that stupid book! I was getting very discouraged and
about ready to give up.
Thanks again for the advice. You got me soaping again!
Michele - USA
Very Nice
I just poured my c.p. soap into your soap mold. No leaks. The
construction of your mold compared to the one I bought on EBay...
You can't compare them. Your mold is 100% quality.
Thank You
Kenneth - USA
Dear Mr. Ron: Thank you so much for the quick shipment of the soap
cutter. It works great! I appreciate your wanting to help me.
Thank you
Barbara - USA
We got our pouring trays and like them very much!
Thanks for offering such great and affordable products! We will be purchasing more products from you soon!
Krisitna - USA
Thanks so much as always, for sharing your knowledge, time and advice.
You always make me feel confident in selecting and using new equipment.
Also, your products are of the highest quality and workmanship. You are
a pleasure to do business with!!! Thanks Again!
Your beveling tool arrived today....and it's great! It's soo much faster
and safer to use! And it gives a nicer look. Thank you so much for
sharing it with me! I love it!
Patrick - USA
First, I wanted to thank you, again, for spending time with me on the
phone the other day to help me with my bath bomb maker. That was SO nice
of you!
Secondly, I tried a different recipe (using baking soda,
citric acid, Epsom salt, and witch hazel) and I used my hand
mixer to mix. Although I used too much liquid in my recipe (my
bath bombs squished as they dried), the point is that it worked
WONDERFULLY in my bath bomb maker! All bombs (except the last
one, which by that time was practically hard!) came out
Like I said, because I over-wet my dry ingredients,
my bombs are a little flat on the bottom, but other than that,
less than 24 hours later, they're hard as rocks and (on the
tops!) perfectly rounded!
Thanks again!! I love my bath bomb
Take care...
Judy - USA
Just wanted to tell you THANK YOU!!! I absolutely love the press, its
incredible (and makes perfect bombes).
If you ever need someone to
recommend it, give them my email address...the reality is people
would spend that money over time on those horrible plastic
molds....a great investment!!
Jodee - Canada
I didn't know that the soap stamper could also be a bath bomb press.
How very cool is that? Is it a brand new design or could we convert our
soap stamper to a bath bomb press if we wanted? (We don't make bath
bombs but ya never know.) We LOVE our soap stamper! I can't recommend it
enough! Worth every penny and then some.
Maggie - USA
Just to confirm that the press arrived this morning, even the young
women at the post office were excited! Although Adelaide has a
population of 1 million, and we are 15 minutes from the city centre, it
still has a community feel.
One of my staff dropped several boxes of
ingredients to my home and then we were invaded by 18 year olds,
friends of my daughter. I cooked dinner while we all
experimented with the various molds, seriously supervised by 21
year old son. We used our normal recipe. We use rose water and
orange blossom water instead of witch-hazel. It all worked
beautifully. We made pure cocoa butter, vanilla with Dutch
chocolate powder (very decadent), calendula petals with mandarin
& lemongrass, essential oil of rose geranium with rosewater,
touch of pink colour and tiny rose buds, spearmint and lavender
with some magnesium carbonate (great muscle soak!)
It was
great fun and all the kids wrapped their various efforts and
took them home to their Mums. Many thanks for your quick
response and we are now ready for the maxi ball.
Kind regards
Sonya - Australia
Still having good success with the MaxiBall press. Wondering if you
have any suggestions as to what to use for drying racks? We're producing
about 200 bombs a day, and the blankets aren't working out so well
anymore :-)
Steven - USA
Just a quick note to say how much I am enjoying my Soapmaker
software. It really is incredible. I've figured out ways to include
bottles and even labour into the mix so that I can accurately calculate
how much stuff costs to make. Yeah! Keep me posted on any upgrades.
Darla -
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text:
Dr. John G Ewen
Research Fellow
Curriculum Vitae:
- 2004-present: Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology.
- 2002-2004: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Université Pierre et Marie Currie, Paris.
- 1998-2002: PhD Zoology, La Trobe University, Australia.
- 1995-1998: MSc Ecology, Massey University, New Zealand.
Research Interests:
My research aims to improve the success of reintroduction management of the threatened and endemic New Zealand hihi and to understand more about this birds unique and sometimes bizarre ecology.
Please find more detail about the hihi project at my research group's website: http://www.hihiconservation.com
Hihi / Stitchbird Conservation and Reintroduction Biology
I work at the interface between the varied scientific disciplines which together make the scientific tool kit required for improved reintroduction management. The umbrella field is the growing discipline of reintroduction biology. Reintroduction is a widespread technique for conservation of endangered species and one that is highly visible and has tangible outcomes. This often means reintroduction becomes a showcase for conservation and a way to generate public support and involvement. Birds are the major taxa in reintroduction projects globally, and provide excellent examples of the significant advances and failures that reintroduction practitioners have made. However, the overall success of bird reintroductions is poor. Reintroduction practice has evolved with little scientific rigour and poorly established monitoring and reporting protocols. The result is we often fail to learn from our mistakes. Reintroduction biology is increasingly addressing this and benefits from the wide scientific base reintroductions draw from. Yet this raises its own problems. Wildlife ecologists, population modelers, geneticists, animal husbandry professionals, and veterinarians all contribute expertise with sometimes conflicting goals and approaches. We need to coordinate these disciplines for more efficient and successful reintroductions in the future.
The primary focus of hihi conservation is the establishment of populations through reintroduction and their subsequent management. Hihi make an ideal model system to study many of the challenges reintroduction biology faces and you can find out much more about this project by visiting my research group's website.
Hihi behavioural ecology and carotenoid based signalling
I am a behavioural ecologist by training and have always maintained a strong interest in evolutionary processes including the study of mating systems, sex allocation and signalling (including parent – offspring interactions and sexually selected adult plumage ornamentation). Hihi are a sexually dimorphic species with extreme mating behaviours (including forced face-to-face copulations unique in the bird world) resulting in intense competition to reproduce. We continue to study these behaviours to learn more about the varied mating strategies individuals adopt, how these translate into fitness and the demographic consequences this has for hihi populations.
I also continue to develop an interest in carotenoids and their use in hihi for pigmentation and health. My research group has been investigating the possible trade-off between investing carotenoids (dietary biochemicals) in self maintenance (carotenoids act as antioxidants and are important in the immune system) versus investment in signals (male plumage pigments and nestling mouth colour) and reproduction (female investment in egg yolk).
Perhaps most interesting for me is exploring and identifying when application of evolutionary theory can inform or provide novel solutions to conservation and this continues to underpin much of my research. Again please explore my research groups website for more details.
Blood-borne parasites in the New Zealand avifauna and avifauna of the Torres Strait Islands, Australia
Biological invasions are renowned for their negative impacts on native fauna. I am investigating this issue with a focus on malarial parasites in New Zealand. My first aim is to determine the extent to which avian malaria is present in the native avifauna and whether the parasites are native or the result of introduction from exotic species. I am also investigating patterns of parasitism across host species to understand the variable threats to New Zealand's birds.
The Torres Strait islands offer another malarial parasites – avian hosts system with likely high species diversity and prevalence (given the tropical climate and abundance of vectors). These islands sit on a major migratory flyway between Southeast Asia and Australia and we are interested in investigating the dynamics of hosts and parasites during both non-migratory and migratory seasons. Malarial parasites and their bird hosts are less well studied in the tropical regions of the world especially in Australasia. Furthermore this region of Australia is poorly studied in terms of bird ecology and movements.
My main collaborators in this work are;
Dr Javier Pérez-Tris based in Madrid.
Dr Rohan Clarke based in Melbourne.
Professor Staffan Bensch based in Lund.
Dr Phillip Cassey based in Adelaide.
Recent and Representative Publications:
Thorogood, R., Ewen, J.G. & Kilner, R. (2011) Sense and sensitivity: responsiveness to offspring signals varies with the parents' potential to breed again. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B (doi: 10.1098/rspb.2010.2594)
Ewen, J.G., Thorogood, R. & Armstrong, D.P. (2011) Demographic consequences of adult sex ratio in a reintroduced hihi population. Journal of Animal Ecology 80: 448-455.
Brekke, P., Bennett, P.M., Santure, A.W. & Ewen, J.G. (2011) High genetic diversity in the remnant island population of hihi and the genetic consequences of re-introduction. Molecular Ecology 20: 29-45.
Richardson, K., Ewen, J.G., Armstrong, D.P. & Hauber, M.E. (2010) Sex-specific shifts in natal dispersal dynamics during establishment of a reintroduced hihi population. Behaviour 147: 1517-1532.
Brekke, P., Bennett, P.M., Wang, J., Pettorelli, N. & Ewen, J.G. (2010) Sensitive males: inbreeding depression in an endangered bird. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 277: 3677-3684.
Sutherland, W.J., Armstrong, D.P., Butchart, S.H.M., Earnhardt, J., Ewen, J.G., Jamieson, I., Jones, C.G., Lee, R., Newberry. P., Nichols, J.D., Parker, K.A., Sarrazin, F., Seddon, P., Shah, N. & Tatayah, V. (2010) Standards for documenting and monitoring bird reintroduction projects. Conservation Letters 3: 229-235.
Ewen, J.G., Thorogood, R., Brekke, P., Cassey, P., Karadas, F. & Armstrong, D.P. (2009) Maternally invested carotenoids compensate costly ectoparasitism in the hihi.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 106: 12798-12802.
Ewen, J.G. & Armstrong, D.P. (2007) Strategic monitoring of reintroductions in ecological restoration programmes. Ecoscience 14: 401-409.


text:
Duro Matador Tire
|(2 Reviews)
Store PriceBuy Now
Product DescriptionWhenTheTerrain changes, you need aTreadThat responds. Has a low rounded profileTo ensure a fast roll rate in every condition. Cross-blocked angled chevrons bite intoThe sand and shed loose dirt and mud. - Intended Use: Crosscountry - Weight: 660 grams (claimed) - Durometer: 60A - Bead: Folding
Review Options: Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating
|Reviews 1 - 2 (2 Reviews Total)
User Reviews
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2014
Strengths: Price. Excellent traction.
Weaknesses: Not super heavy, but not lightweight either. Feels like they will wear fast (soft compound).
Bottom Line:
I have not ridden it in wet/muddy conditions yet, but when compared to other tread designs, it appears that it should do ok.
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 1 ride so far
Price Paid: $12.00
Purchased At: Online
Similar Products Used: WTB Velociraptor. IRC Mythos XC. Panaracer FirePro XC. Kenda Excavators.
Date Reviewed: December 30, 2012
Strengths: low price, durable, kevlar bead
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Bike Setup: stock Airborne Goblin29
|Reviews 1 - 2 (2 Reviews Total)
Review Options: Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating
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MIAMI, FL - AUGUST 05: Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge for DEA Miami, (L) and United States Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer speak to the media about those arrested today in connection with the Major League Baseball steroid scandal on August 5, 2014 in Miami, Florida. Federal authorities say that ten people were arrested including Anthony Bosch, the former Biogenesis of America clinic owner, who was charged Tuesday with conspiracy to distribute steroids. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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Julian Treasure:
The 4 ways sound affects us
Playing sound effects both pleasant and awful, Julian Treasure shows how sound affects us in four significant ways. Listen carefully for a shocking fact about noisy open-plan offices.
pin This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page.
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