World Street Food Congress: Why We Spent Over $2million

By KF Seetoh, Makansutra

We’ve spent over $2 million bucks on the World Street Food Congress thus far, including the upcoming 2ndedition of WSFC held this coming April 8-12 in Singapore (you’ll know the cost if you’ve done this before on this scale and we don’t get up front discounts on flights, ingredients nor locations etc, just because it’s a street food event).


The curious and hungry hordes at WSFC 2013, at the F1 Pit Building.

Father of Indonesian food, Chef William Wongso, shows off a rare dish here – Asinan.

I admit I am one of those who put my money where my mouth is. You see, if you want special fruits, you have to plant, toil and nurture the special seedlings. And no, we are not fully sponsored by the government (if you’ve asked for funding before, you know what it’s like). It’s a fruit tree everybody in the groove can pluck from eventually and perhaps we get first pickings. If you think about it, the opportunities are immense (tourism, social enterprise, entrepreneurism, branding, skills education, trade etc.). Sure, I can invest that money in property, stocks etc, but that’s not me. It’s that stubborn desire in me that insists that I concieve and make ideas happen. No profits are guaranteed (if you are in it for a quick buck) overnight, and although poorer, we can still plod, for now.

One of the most popular item at WSFC 2013- the grilled banana and glutinious rice wrap from Vietnam.

Another street food crowd favourite at the Jamboree- Hoy Tod, or Thai style oyster omelette.

So this year’s World Street Food Congress (Apr 8-12th) at the open field opposite Bugis Junction along North Bridge Road, again has two elements- The Dialogue-Hackathon now has a new format, where half a day is devoted to YOU- at the open floor conference chat with the audience, tapping on your wishes and ideas for all to share. Speakers like Stephen Werther, the main engine behind the upcoming Bourdain Market, will give updates and announce its consultancy partnership with Makansutra and myself. Fronted by fearless celebrity foodie and traveller Anthony Bourdain, this Singapore inspired hawker centre in New York, is set to be a game changer for the world of heritage street food culture. You should also listen to how a private company (instead of the government in Indonesia) Bango, which makes kicap manis, is attempting to revolutionise the under-celebrated 600 year old Indonesian food culture. They believe in championing it for the future generations.

“Street food is an opportunity to create a brand” says Anthony Bourdain, at the Dialogue (2013).

The ideas are unlimited in the world of street food culture. You just need imagination.

This year, we are bringing in 24 stalls from 12 cities offering rare stuff on our menus and flavours here that I , too, personally adore. There’s a rare Black Satay from Penang, Truffle Paella Lechon from Philippines, Unesco Heritage recognised Banh Can (making a comeback) from Vietnam and even Ayam Taliwang (the most spicy grilled chicken from Lombok, Indonesia). Pak Sadi Soto Ambengan, the Street Food Master winner in our 2013 World Street Food Awards, will also make his debut here. His grown up educated kids are so keen now to take the brand international. An SG50 culinary campaign, to be launched by Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong will also be launched at the event. Watch for this one, it is very interesting.

WSFC presenting awards to the Indonesian World Street Food Award winner (2013).

I know many of you firm believers of this cause out there too desire to preserve and create more opportunities in the world of heritage and street food culture and business. If anything else, you’ll realise it’s just too great a food culture to let fade away into the bowels of fast food machines and behemoths. Do come to the event, speak up and raise your ideas (however complex or simple) at the WSF Dialogue –Hackathon. Or, just come chow down and support these international street food vendors at the Jamboree who flew in, spent monies and took time off just to create more buzz and share with you their heritage culinary craft for posterity and prosperity’s sake.

The World Street Food Congress
8-12th April 2015
Open field opposite Bugis Junction along North Bridge Road (above Bugis MRT station)
Dialogue-Hackathon (8- 9th April, 9am-5pm)
Jamboree (8-12th April , from 5pm)
www.wsfcongress.com

World Street Food Congress: Why We Spent Over $2million

By KF Seetoh, Makansutra

We’ve spent over $2 million bucks on the World Street Food Congress thus far, including the upcoming 2ndedition of WSFC held this coming April 8-12 in Singapore (you’ll know the cost if you’ve done this before on this scale and we don’t get up front discounts on flights, ingredients nor locations etc, just because it’s a street food event).


The curious and hungry hordes at WSFC 2013, at the F1 Pit Building.

Father of Indonesian food, Chef William Wongso, shows off a rare dish here – Asinan.

I admit I am one of those who put my money where my mouth is. You see, if you want special fruits, you have to plant, toil and nurture the special seedlings. And no, we are not fully sponsored by the government (if you’ve asked for funding before, you know what it’s like). It’s a fruit tree everybody in the groove can pluck from eventually and perhaps we get first pickings. If you think about it, the opportunities are immense (tourism, social enterprise, entrepreneurism, branding, skills education, trade etc.). Sure, I can invest that money in property, stocks etc, but that’s not me. It’s that stubborn desire in me that insists that I concieve and make ideas happen. No profits are guaranteed (if you are in it for a quick buck) overnight, and although poorer, we can still plod, for now.

One of the most popular item at WSFC 2013- the grilled banana and glutinious rice wrap from Vietnam.

Another street food crowd favourite at the Jamboree- Hoy Tod, or Thai style oyster omelette.

So this year’s World Street Food Congress (Apr 8-12th) at the open field opposite Bugis Junction along North Bridge Road, again has two elements- The Dialogue-Hackathon now has a new format, where half a day is devoted to YOU- at the open floor conference chat with the audience, tapping on your wishes and ideas for all to share. Speakers like Stephen Werther, the main engine behind the upcoming Bourdain Market, will give updates and announce its consultancy partnership with Makansutra and myself. Fronted by fearless celebrity foodie and traveller Anthony Bourdain, this Singapore inspired hawker centre in New York, is set to be a game changer for the world of heritage street food culture. You should also listen to how a private company (instead of the government in Indonesia) Bango, which makes kicap manis, is attempting to revolutionise the under-celebrated 600 year old Indonesian food culture. They believe in championing it for the future generations.

“Street food is an opportunity to create a brand” says Anthony Bourdain, at the Dialogue (2013).

The ideas are unlimited in the world of street food culture. You just need imagination.

This year, we are bringing in 24 stalls from 12 cities offering rare stuff on our menus and flavours here that I , too, personally adore. There’s a rare Black Satay from Penang, Truffle Paella Lechon from Philippines, Unesco Heritage recognised Banh Can (making a comeback) from Vietnam and even Ayam Taliwang (the most spicy grilled chicken from Lombok, Indonesia). Pak Sadi Soto Ambengan, the Street Food Master winner in our 2013 World Street Food Awards, will also make his debut here. His grown up educated kids are so keen now to take the brand international. An SG50 culinary campaign, to be launched by Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong will also be launched at the event. Watch for this one, it is very interesting.

WSFC presenting awards to the Indonesian World Street Food Award winner (2013).

I know many of you firm believers of this cause out there too desire to preserve and create more opportunities in the world of heritage and street food culture and business. If anything else, you’ll realise it’s just too great a food culture to let fade away into the bowels of fast food machines and behemoths. Do come to the event, speak up and raise your ideas (however complex or simple) at the WSF Dialogue –Hackathon. Or, just come chow down and support these international street food vendors at the Jamboree who flew in, spent monies and took time off just to create more buzz and share with you their heritage culinary craft for posterity and prosperity’s sake.

The World Street Food Congress
8-12th April 2015
Open field opposite Bugis Junction along North Bridge Road (above Bugis MRT station)
Dialogue-Hackathon (8- 9th April, 9am-5pm)
Jamboree (8-12th April , from 5pm)
www.wsfcongress.com

World's first successful penis transplant performed in S. Africa

World's first successful penis transplant performed in S. Africa




South African doctors announced Friday that they had performed the world's first successful penis transplant, three months after the ground-breaking operation.

The 21-year-old patient had his penis amputated three years ago after a botched circumcision at a traditional initiation ceremony.

In a nine-hour operation at the Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, he received his new penis from a deceased donor, whose family were praised by doctors.

"We've proved that it can be done –- we can give someone an organ that is just as good as the one that he had," said Professor Frank Graewe, head of plastic reconstructive surgery at Stellenbosch University.

"It was a privilege to be part of this first successful penis transplant in the world."

Doctors say the man, whose identity has not been disclosed, has made a full recovery since the operation on December 11 and has regained all urinary and reproductive functions.

"Our goal was that he would be fully functional at two years and we are very surprised by his rapid recovery," said Professor Andre van der Merwe, head of Stellenbosch's urology division.

In 2006, a Chinese man had a penis transplant but his doctors removed the organ after two weeks due to "a severe psychological problem of the recipient and his wife".

Scores of South African teenage boys and young men have their penises amputated each year after botched circumcisions during rite-of-passage ceremonies.

"There is a greater need in South Africa for this type of procedure than elsewhere in the world," Van der Merwe said in a statement.

- Dangerous rituals -

African teenagers from some ethnic groups spend about a month in secluded bush or mountain regions as part of their initiation to manhood.

The experience includes circumcision as well as lessons on masculine courage and discipline.

A commission last year found 486 boys had died at the winter initiation schools between 2008 and 2013, with a major cause being complications such as infection after circumcision.

"For a young man of 18 or 19 years, the loss of his penis can be deeply traumatic," said Van der Merwe.

"He doesn't necessarily have the psychological capability to process this. There are even reports of suicide among these young men."

Van der Merwe described the anonymous donor and his family as "the heroes" of the story.

"They saved the lives of many people because they donated the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, skin, corneas and then the penis," he said.

The South African team included three senior doctors, transplant coordinators, anaesthetists, theatre nurses, a psychologist and an ethicist.

Surgeons from Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital had searched extensively for a suitable donor as part of a pilot study to develop penis transplants in Africa.

Some techniques were developed from the first facial transplant in France in 2005.

They now plan to perform nine more similar operations.

South Africa has long been a pioneer of transplant surgery.

In 1967, Chris Barnard performed the world's first heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town.

The Chinese man who rejected his new penis in 2006 received his transplant after parents of a brain-dead man agreed to donate their son's organ.

Read more:

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/worlds-first-successful-penis-transplant-performed-africa-153815720.html 

World's first successful penis transplant performed in S. Africa

World's first successful penis transplant performed in S. Africa




South African doctors announced Friday that they had performed the world's first successful penis transplant, three months after the ground-breaking operation.

The 21-year-old patient had his penis amputated three years ago after a botched circumcision at a traditional initiation ceremony.

In a nine-hour operation at the Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, he received his new penis from a deceased donor, whose family were praised by doctors.

"We've proved that it can be done –- we can give someone an organ that is just as good as the one that he had," said Professor Frank Graewe, head of plastic reconstructive surgery at Stellenbosch University.

"It was a privilege to be part of this first successful penis transplant in the world."

Doctors say the man, whose identity has not been disclosed, has made a full recovery since the operation on December 11 and has regained all urinary and reproductive functions.

"Our goal was that he would be fully functional at two years and we are very surprised by his rapid recovery," said Professor Andre van der Merwe, head of Stellenbosch's urology division.

In 2006, a Chinese man had a penis transplant but his doctors removed the organ after two weeks due to "a severe psychological problem of the recipient and his wife".

Scores of South African teenage boys and young men have their penises amputated each year after botched circumcisions during rite-of-passage ceremonies.

"There is a greater need in South Africa for this type of procedure than elsewhere in the world," Van der Merwe said in a statement.

- Dangerous rituals -

African teenagers from some ethnic groups spend about a month in secluded bush or mountain regions as part of their initiation to manhood.

The experience includes circumcision as well as lessons on masculine courage and discipline.

A commission last year found 486 boys had died at the winter initiation schools between 2008 and 2013, with a major cause being complications such as infection after circumcision.

"For a young man of 18 or 19 years, the loss of his penis can be deeply traumatic," said Van der Merwe.

"He doesn't necessarily have the psychological capability to process this. There are even reports of suicide among these young men."

Van der Merwe described the anonymous donor and his family as "the heroes" of the story.

"They saved the lives of many people because they donated the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, skin, corneas and then the penis," he said.

The South African team included three senior doctors, transplant coordinators, anaesthetists, theatre nurses, a psychologist and an ethicist.

Surgeons from Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital had searched extensively for a suitable donor as part of a pilot study to develop penis transplants in Africa.

Some techniques were developed from the first facial transplant in France in 2005.

They now plan to perform nine more similar operations.

South Africa has long been a pioneer of transplant surgery.

In 1967, Chris Barnard performed the world's first heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town.

The Chinese man who rejected his new penis in 2006 received his transplant after parents of a brain-dead man agreed to donate their son's organ.

Read more:

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/worlds-first-successful-penis-transplant-performed-africa-153815720.html 

Successful Immigrant

Comfort Spiral: Successful Immigrant: A  L  O  H  A   from  Honolulu ! Native to Indonesia, Java Finch was  introduced to Hawaii in 1867. She has established breeding ...

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7 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD EXERCISE IN MORNING

7 Reasons Why You Should Exercise In Morning

1) You will get a better workout in morning as our body is technically programmed to perform at its peak during early part of the day. Also you are less likely to be disturbed by others in early mornings. (Definitely your boss won’t assign a task during early morning) Your body also adjusts with your routine over time and might even surpass your performance in other activities during the day.

2) Stimulants like coffee can fuel your workouts. Studies reveal that caffeine in coffee before a workout can boost your overall workout efficiency. Also drinking a cup of coffee can burn more calories during exercise. But remember, too much of coffee can give you negative impacts.

3) You can be clean and fresh rest of the day without sweat. You can have a clean hair wash make it clean and shiny. Your skin too will have a better glow. You remain fresh for the rest of the day. Less sweaty !

4. People who exercise regularly in the morning feel less stressed than people who doesn’t. Research says stress can be effectively controlled by working out in early morning.

5) If you are a breakfast skipper then you must plunge into those morning workouts. After a morning workout your appetite increases forcing you to take your breakfast. Skipping breakfast doesn’t do any wonders to your body.

6) Your metabolism gets a big boost with morning workouts. You burn significantly more calories in morning workouts than you would do in an evening workout with same intensity.

7) Burn more fat with morning workouts. You can burn upto 25% more visceral fat by exercising on emply stomach just before your breakfast. Your metabolism also improves greatly thereby aiding in faster burning of body fat.

So get up early and lace those exercise shoes and start working out.

7 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD EXERCISE IN MORNING

7 Reasons Why You Should Exercise In Morning

1) You will get a better workout in morning as our body is technically programmed to perform at its peak during early part of the day. Also you are less likely to be disturbed by others in early mornings. (Definitely your boss won’t assign a task during early morning) Your body also adjusts with your routine over time and might even surpass your performance in other activities during the day.

2) Stimulants like coffee can fuel your workouts. Studies reveal that caffeine in coffee before a workout can boost your overall workout efficiency. Also drinking a cup of coffee can burn more calories during exercise. But remember, too much of coffee can give you negative impacts.

3) You can be clean and fresh rest of the day without sweat. You can have a clean hair wash make it clean and shiny. Your skin too will have a better glow. You remain fresh for the rest of the day. Less sweaty !

4. People who exercise regularly in the morning feel less stressed than people who doesn’t. Research says stress can be effectively controlled by working out in early morning.

5) If you are a breakfast skipper then you must plunge into those morning workouts. After a morning workout your appetite increases forcing you to take your breakfast. Skipping breakfast doesn’t do any wonders to your body.

6) Your metabolism gets a big boost with morning workouts. You burn significantly more calories in morning workouts than you would do in an evening workout with same intensity.

7) Burn more fat with morning workouts. You can burn upto 25% more visceral fat by exercising on emply stomach just before your breakfast. Your metabolism also improves greatly thereby aiding in faster burning of body fat.

So get up early and lace those exercise shoes and start working out.

Medicine for Blood Cancer has been found !!!

This is what i read this morning, it might be a god's gift.

This below mail came from one of my friend. Pl read as it is important.

 GOOD
 NEWS.............

Medicine for Blood Cancer has been found !!! Please don't delete this without
forwarding. I am forwarding itto the maximum I can. 'Imitinef  Mercilet' is a
 medicine which cures blood cancer. Its available at
"Adyar Cancer  Institute in Chennai". Create Awareness. It might help
someone. Forward to as many as u can, kindness costs nothing.

 Cancer Institute  Adyar,Chennai.

Address: East Canal
 Bank Road
 ,

 Gandhi
Nagar,

 Adyar, Chennai -600020
 Landmark: Near Michael School

 Phone:

 044-24910754

 044-24910754
 044-24911526
 044-24911526 , 044-22350241

 044-22350241



Velayudan Jayachithra
Programme Officer - Media

Women and Media Collective
No. 56/1, Sarasavi Lane, Castle Street, Colombo 08. Sri Lanka.

Phone : + 94-11-5632045/2690201/5635900
Fax : + 94-11-2690192
Email : wmcsrilanka@gmail.com
Web : http://www.womenandmedia.org
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/womenandmediacollective
Twitter : http://twitter.com/womenandmedia

http://ladything.com/imitinef-mercilet-can-cure-blood-cancer/


IMITINEF MERCILET CAN CURE BLOOD CANCER



Imitinef Mercilet – No Side Effect Drug For Blood Cancer

Blood cancer or the malignancy, which affects human lymphatic systemincluding blood or bone marrow can develop at any age. Blood cancer adversely affects the lifestyle of the patients suffering from it.

Imitinef Mercilet a drug to effectively cure blood cancer is recently unveiled by scientists. It works in such a way that it inhibits irregular enzymes which is responsible for the development of leukemia. The drug also blocks the productions of excess protein which is responsible of enlargement of tumor and cancer cells.
Side Effects of The Drugs -

Most cancer treatment methods carry a lot of side-effects with it. But The side effects of the drug is minimal since Imitinef Mercilet acts only through the cancerous cells and does not harm some other vital organ in your body. Since the drug is taken orally and it reaches bloodstream quickly and acts directly upon it there is no adverse long term side effects.

Although, few mild side-effects may occur while using Imitinef Mercilet, which lasts for a short while during just the term of the treatment. But few short-term side effects is noted by patients which includes rash, diarhoea, musculoskeletal ache, and vomiting. This drug also doesn’t affects liver.
Imitinef Mercilet – Free of Cost

Adyar Cancer Institute in chennai provides Imitinef Mercilet free of cost to patients who are admitted in the hospital to get cure from blood cancer. This vital information is circulated through internet and newspapers for creating awareness among people.

Medicine for Blood Cancer has been found !!!

This is what i read this morning, it might be a god's gift.

This below mail came from one of my friend. Pl read as it is important.

 GOOD
 NEWS.............

Medicine for Blood Cancer has been found !!! Please don't delete this without
forwarding. I am forwarding itto the maximum I can. 'Imitinef  Mercilet' is a
 medicine which cures blood cancer. Its available at
"Adyar Cancer  Institute in Chennai". Create Awareness. It might help
someone. Forward to as many as u can, kindness costs nothing.

 Cancer Institute  Adyar,Chennai.

Address: East Canal
 Bank Road
 ,

 Gandhi
Nagar,

 Adyar, Chennai -600020
 Landmark: Near Michael School

 Phone:

 044-24910754

 044-24910754
 044-24911526
 044-24911526 , 044-22350241

 044-22350241



Velayudan Jayachithra
Programme Officer - Media

Women and Media Collective
No. 56/1, Sarasavi Lane, Castle Street, Colombo 08. Sri Lanka.

Phone : + 94-11-5632045/2690201/5635900
Fax : + 94-11-2690192
Email : wmcsrilanka@gmail.com
Web : http://www.womenandmedia.org
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/womenandmediacollective
Twitter : http://twitter.com/womenandmedia

http://ladything.com/imitinef-mercilet-can-cure-blood-cancer/


IMITINEF MERCILET CAN CURE BLOOD CANCER



Imitinef Mercilet – No Side Effect Drug For Blood Cancer

Blood cancer or the malignancy, which affects human lymphatic systemincluding blood or bone marrow can develop at any age. Blood cancer adversely affects the lifestyle of the patients suffering from it.

Imitinef Mercilet a drug to effectively cure blood cancer is recently unveiled by scientists. It works in such a way that it inhibits irregular enzymes which is responsible for the development of leukemia. The drug also blocks the productions of excess protein which is responsible of enlargement of tumor and cancer cells.
Side Effects of The Drugs -

Most cancer treatment methods carry a lot of side-effects with it. But The side effects of the drug is minimal since Imitinef Mercilet acts only through the cancerous cells and does not harm some other vital organ in your body. Since the drug is taken orally and it reaches bloodstream quickly and acts directly upon it there is no adverse long term side effects.

Although, few mild side-effects may occur while using Imitinef Mercilet, which lasts for a short while during just the term of the treatment. But few short-term side effects is noted by patients which includes rash, diarhoea, musculoskeletal ache, and vomiting. This drug also doesn’t affects liver.
Imitinef Mercilet – Free of Cost

Adyar Cancer Institute in chennai provides Imitinef Mercilet free of cost to patients who are admitted in the hospital to get cure from blood cancer. This vital information is circulated through internet and newspapers for creating awareness among people.

FIS Takes Top Honors at BPO Excellence Awards

FIS Takes Top Honors at BPO Excellence Awards

FIS Takes Top Honors at BPO Excellence Awards

FIS Takes Top Honors at BPO Excellence Awards

Global and Chinese Chloro Sulfonic Acid (CSA) (CAS 7790-94-5) Market Report 2014-2019

Research and Markets: Global and Chinese Chloro Sulfonic Acid (CSA) (CAS 7790-94-5) Market Report 2014-2019

Global and Chinese Chloro Sulfonic Acid (CSA) (CAS 7790-94-5) Market Report 2014-2019

Research and Markets: Global and Chinese Chloro Sulfonic Acid (CSA) (CAS 7790-94-5) Market Report 2014-2019

Research and Markets: Global and Chinese 4-Nitro 1-Chloro Benzene 2-Sulphonic Acid Market Report 2014-2019

Research and Markets: Global and Chinese 4-Nitro 1-Chloro Benzene 2-Sulphonic Acid Market Report 2014-2019

Research and Markets: Global and Chinese 4-Nitro 1-Chloro Benzene 2-Sulphonic Acid Market Report 2014-2019

Research and Markets: Global and Chinese 4-Nitro 1-Chloro Benzene 2-Sulphonic Acid Market Report 2014-2019

EPF says 80% of workers have savings below poverty line as they turn 55

EPF says 80% of workers have savings below poverty line as they turn 55

EPF says 80% of workers have savings below poverty line as they turn 55

EPF says 80% of workers have savings below poverty line as they turn 55

Japan Analytical & Scientific Instruments Show 2015 (JASIS 2015) Calls for International Exhibitors

Japan Analytical & Scientific Instruments Show 2015 (JASIS 2015) Calls for International Exhibitors

Law Firm Gurol Law Firm Announces Lawsuit Against Land Rover Set for 17 September in Turkey

Law Firm Gurol Law Firm Announces Lawsuit Against Land Rover Set for 17 September in Turkey

Law Firm Gurol Law Firm Announces Lawsuit Against Land Rover Set for 17 September in Turkey

Law Firm Gurol Law Firm Announces Lawsuit Against Land Rover Set for 17 September in Turkey

Japan Analytical & Scientific Instruments Show 2015 (JASIS 2015) Calls for International Exhibitors

Japan Analytical & Scientific Instruments Show 2015 (JASIS 2015) Calls for International Exhibitors

Law Firm Gurol Law Firm Announces Lawsuit Against Land Rover Set for 17 September in Turkey

Law Firm Gurol Law Firm Announces Lawsuit Against Land Rover Set for 17 September in Turkey

Law Firm Gurol Law Firm Announces Lawsuit Against Land Rover Set for 17 September in Turkey

Law Firm Gurol Law Firm Announces Lawsuit Against Land Rover Set for 17 September in Turkey

65,000 jobs available at three-day Career and Education fair

65,000 jobs available at three-day Career and Education fair

Richard Riot: 587 companies found not implementing minimum wage

Richard Riot: 587 companies found not implementing minimum wage

Richard Riot: 587 companies found not implementing minimum wage

Richard Riot: 587 companies found not implementing minimum wage

65,000 jobs available at three-day Career and Education fair

65,000 jobs available at three-day Career and Education fair

CyberSource Invited to Join China’s Anti-Information Fraud Society to Ensure a Safe eCommerce Environment for Chinese Consumers

CyberSource Invited to Join China’s Anti-Information Fraud Society to Ensure a Safe eCommerce Environment for Chinese Consumers

CyberSource Invited to Join China’s Anti-Information Fraud Society to Ensure a Safe eCommerce Environment for Chinese Consumers

CyberSource Invited to Join China’s Anti-Information Fraud Society to Ensure a Safe eCommerce Environment for Chinese Consumers

Quality Training at a Fraction of the Cost

Quality Training at a Fraction of the Cost

ACE Makes New Appointments for Its Casualty Business

ACE Makes New Appointments for Its Casualty Business

ACE Makes New Appointments for Its Casualty Business

ACE Makes New Appointments for Its Casualty Business

Quality Training at a Fraction of the Cost

Quality Training at a Fraction of the Cost

Michael Young, World Famous Industrial Designer, to Speak at Indonesia International Furniture Expo

Michael Young, World Famous Industrial Designer, to Speak at Indonesia International Furniture Expo

Michael Young, World Famous Industrial Designer, to Speak at Indonesia International Furniture Expo

Michael Young, World Famous Industrial Designer, to Speak at Indonesia International Furniture Expo

VIBER LETS THE MINIONS DO THE TALKING

VIBER LETS THE MINIONS DO THE TALKING

VIBER LETS THE MINIONS DO THE TALKING

VIBER LETS THE MINIONS DO THE TALKING

Facebook Buys Mobile Messaging App

Facebook Buys Mobile Messaging App

Facebook Buys Mobile Messaging App

Facebook Buys Mobile Messaging App

Epsilon and Farice Deliver Network Accessibility from 170 countries into Verne Global’s Sustainable Data Centre

Epsilon and Farice Deliver Network Accessibility from 170 countries into Verne Global’s Sustainable Data Centre

Epsilon and Farice Deliver Network Accessibility from 170 countries into Verne Global’s Sustainable Data Centre

Epsilon and Farice Deliver Network Accessibility from 170 countries into Verne Global’s Sustainable Data Centre

Children are not better learners of Languages compared to Adults

Everybody’s favorite stereotypical excuse to not learning a foreign language is that adults can’t learn languages as well as children. The common misconception is that children’s brains are more elastic and more capable of remembering new languages and that our adult brains are rigid and incapable of adapting to the newlanguage’s structure and remembering vocabulary. However, in the last few years, many researchers have found this statement to be false. So while there may be some truth to that statement, it´s not completely accurate. So let’s take a look at why adults may actually be betterlanguage learners than children.

Adults already understand how language works

Adults have the ability to effectively analyze foreign language grammar structures and compare them to their own language. For example, an adult already knows how to properly form sentences and the difference between the functions of the different parts of speech. Adults also have the ability to recognize common structures and patterns and apply them to similar situations. Children, while they can remember vocabulary, are unable to do this. This gives adults a huge advantage over them.

Adults and children use language differently

The communication expectations for children are very different from those of adults. Children are only expected to communicate basic ideas, using simple vocabulary and in uncomplicated situations. Adults, on the other hand, are expected to use language in much more complex situations at work or among peers that reflects adult-level thought and critical thinking. Therefore, the amount and complexity of the language that a child must know in order to reach a fluent level for their age is much lower. Therefore, fluency cannot be compared so easily between adults and children, as the expectations of each are quite distinct.

Adults have access to more resources

Adults possess determination, self-discipline and access to resources, all which are things that children do not have. An adult, if he or she so wishes, can actively enroll in classes, seek out other language learners and native speakers to practice with and force themselves to study and improve. Children haven’t developed these resources yet and rather rely on exposure to foreign languages through family.

Children do however have one main advantage over adults; they generally lack the inhibitions of adults. Adults are used to being able to communicate perfectly without having to try too hard or think about what they are trying to communicate. For most adults, it can be quite embarrassing to speak using improper grammar or simple vocabulary, or to sound silly (all which are normal when learning a language). Children are much less self-conscious than adults in this regard. This fear of embarrassing one’s self is what often holds many adults back from studying a foreign language. Once it is overcome however, there are no limits to your language-learning potential!

Children are not better learners of Languages compared to Adults

Everybody’s favorite stereotypical excuse to not learning a foreign language is that adults can’t learn languages as well as children. The common misconception is that children’s brains are more elastic and more capable of remembering new languages and that our adult brains are rigid and incapable of adapting to the newlanguage’s structure and remembering vocabulary. However, in the last few years, many researchers have found this statement to be false. So while there may be some truth to that statement, it´s not completely accurate. So let’s take a look at why adults may actually be betterlanguage learners than children.

Adults already understand how language works

Adults have the ability to effectively analyze foreign language grammar structures and compare them to their own language. For example, an adult already knows how to properly form sentences and the difference between the functions of the different parts of speech. Adults also have the ability to recognize common structures and patterns and apply them to similar situations. Children, while they can remember vocabulary, are unable to do this. This gives adults a huge advantage over them.

Adults and children use language differently

The communication expectations for children are very different from those of adults. Children are only expected to communicate basic ideas, using simple vocabulary and in uncomplicated situations. Adults, on the other hand, are expected to use language in much more complex situations at work or among peers that reflects adult-level thought and critical thinking. Therefore, the amount and complexity of the language that a child must know in order to reach a fluent level for their age is much lower. Therefore, fluency cannot be compared so easily between adults and children, as the expectations of each are quite distinct.

Adults have access to more resources

Adults possess determination, self-discipline and access to resources, all which are things that children do not have. An adult, if he or she so wishes, can actively enroll in classes, seek out other language learners and native speakers to practice with and force themselves to study and improve. Children haven’t developed these resources yet and rather rely on exposure to foreign languages through family.

Children do however have one main advantage over adults; they generally lack the inhibitions of adults. Adults are used to being able to communicate perfectly without having to try too hard or think about what they are trying to communicate. For most adults, it can be quite embarrassing to speak using improper grammar or simple vocabulary, or to sound silly (all which are normal when learning a language). Children are much less self-conscious than adults in this regard. This fear of embarrassing one’s self is what often holds many adults back from studying a foreign language. Once it is overcome however, there are no limits to your language-learning potential!

Translation + Interpretation

How Do Translation and Interpretation Differ?

There is a common misunderstanding about those who work in the field of translation andinterpretation. Sometimes these professionals are referred to using the umbrella term ‘translators’, and are believed to be linguists capable of providing all kinds of linguistic services simply because they possess a very advanced knowledge of a foreign language. This assumption is not only incorrect, but furthermore plays down the level of training and skill required to work effectively intranslation and interpretation respectively.

Translators and interpreters have much in common. They both start life as linguists, when they acquire competency in foreign language(s) either through formal education, as a result of a bi- or sometimes even trilingual upbringing, or from having grown up in various countries where different languages are spoken. Many of those who choose to embark on careers as professional linguists gain a professional qualification in translation, interpretation, or both – the mere ability to speak a foreign language very well usually isn’t enough to work in the field, and neither can a qualified translator automatically do an interpreter’s job, or vice versa. While it is possible to work in translation and interpretation without a formal qualification in the field, it is less common and more difficult to do so.

Despite their having many similarities, there is one fundamental difference between these two forms of cross-cultural communication. Translation deals with the written word, while interpretation the spoken one.

So, how does the work of translators and interpreters differ?

Translators work with written texts and have (a relative amount of) time to think their work through, edit it and revise it before deciding it is complete and delivering it before an agreed deadline. Their work is largely done on a computer, and so they can work from almost anywhere – but normally from home (in the case of freelance translators), or in an office (in the case of in-house translators), and are able to consult any reference texts, if need be. Since translators often work alone as many are self-employed individuals, it can be quite a solitary job.

Interpreters deal with oral communication, often working in conferences or the public sector (for example in courts, for police forces, and more), but also for private clients who are frequently individuals requiring interpretation services. They work under significant amounts of pressure, and, unlike translators, once they have rendered their message in the target language, they can’t return to their work and change it. There is therefore a pressing need for them to get things right the first time round. Interpreters, especially conference interpreters, tend to prepare for their interpreting sessions beforehand to make sure they understand the context of what it is they are interpreting. It is a somewhat more social job than translating, since interpreters always work alongside other people.

If you are seeking interpretation services, please click here to find out about what Trusted Translations has to offer.

Translation + Interpretation

How Do Translation and Interpretation Differ?

There is a common misunderstanding about those who work in the field of translation andinterpretation. Sometimes these professionals are referred to using the umbrella term ‘translators’, and are believed to be linguists capable of providing all kinds of linguistic services simply because they possess a very advanced knowledge of a foreign language. This assumption is not only incorrect, but furthermore plays down the level of training and skill required to work effectively intranslation and interpretation respectively.

Translators and interpreters have much in common. They both start life as linguists, when they acquire competency in foreign language(s) either through formal education, as a result of a bi- or sometimes even trilingual upbringing, or from having grown up in various countries where different languages are spoken. Many of those who choose to embark on careers as professional linguists gain a professional qualification in translation, interpretation, or both – the mere ability to speak a foreign language very well usually isn’t enough to work in the field, and neither can a qualified translator automatically do an interpreter’s job, or vice versa. While it is possible to work in translation and interpretation without a formal qualification in the field, it is less common and more difficult to do so.

Despite their having many similarities, there is one fundamental difference between these two forms of cross-cultural communication. Translation deals with the written word, while interpretation the spoken one.

So, how does the work of translators and interpreters differ?

Translators work with written texts and have (a relative amount of) time to think their work through, edit it and revise it before deciding it is complete and delivering it before an agreed deadline. Their work is largely done on a computer, and so they can work from almost anywhere – but normally from home (in the case of freelance translators), or in an office (in the case of in-house translators), and are able to consult any reference texts, if need be. Since translators often work alone as many are self-employed individuals, it can be quite a solitary job.

Interpreters deal with oral communication, often working in conferences or the public sector (for example in courts, for police forces, and more), but also for private clients who are frequently individuals requiring interpretation services. They work under significant amounts of pressure, and, unlike translators, once they have rendered their message in the target language, they can’t return to their work and change it. There is therefore a pressing need for them to get things right the first time round. Interpreters, especially conference interpreters, tend to prepare for their interpreting sessions beforehand to make sure they understand the context of what it is they are interpreting. It is a somewhat more social job than translating, since interpreters always work alongside other people.

If you are seeking interpretation services, please click here to find out about what Trusted Translations has to offer.

Wisdom: A Return To Discovery

Wisdom: A Return To Discovery: The river of discovery beckons... Though my hiatuses (hiati?) from blogging are never deliberate, they happen sometimes. Since you las...

Wisdom: A Return To Discovery

Wisdom: A Return To Discovery: The river of discovery beckons... Though my hiatuses (hiati?) from blogging are never deliberate, they happen sometimes. Since you las...

Wisdom: Skip Breakfast

Wisdom: Skip Breakfast: Skip Breakfast? Once considered the foundation of any healthy diet, the morning meal may now be negotiable. The belief that we...

Wisdom: Skip Breakfast

Wisdom: Skip Breakfast: Skip Breakfast? Once considered the foundation of any healthy diet, the morning meal may now be negotiable. The belief that we...

PRISONERS OF THE MIND - Filming

PRISONERS OF THE MIND

By Trisha Gupta

Credit: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/columns/columnists/trisha-gupta/Prisoners-of-the-mind/articleshow/46415385.cms 

The jail as a space holds an abiding interest for Badlapur's director Sriram Raghavan, serving as an instrument to analyse power relationships between the characters in his films.

Sriram Raghavan was a movie buff much before he became a director, and it's something he's always worn on his sleeve. In 2007's Johnny Gaddaar, his best-received film till date, Raghavan paid cinematic tribute to Vijay Anand's thriller Johnny Mera Naam, Stanley Kubrick's noir The Killing, and the celebrated murder sequence from the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Parwana - among many classics. His last outing, the rollicking (and unfairly panned) Agent Vinod, was a spy thriller: A James Bond homage served with an Indian flavour and a twinkle in the eye. In his latest, Badlapur, when the heist-andmurder-accused Laik arrives in jail for what is going to be a long stretch in captivity, the prisoners gather round a television on which Sholay is playing. "Bees baras jail mein rehne ke baad sab kucch bhool jaoge, Gabbar," announces Sanjeev's Kumar's Thakur to Amjad Khan's iconic dacoit.

Unlike Gabbar, Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Laik completes most of his 15-year jail sentence. But as Raghavan makes clear, in Badlapurand in his gripping first feature, Ek Hasina Thi (2004), time in jail needn't wipe out memories of one's past.

Badlapur comes a decade after Ek Hasina Thi, but the two films have much in common: The hardening of innocents, and the passage of time in expectation of revenge. In EHT, it was the trusting Sarika (Urmila Matondkar), jailed on a trumpedup charge of being the mistress of an underworld don, who went from wide-eyed child-woman to steely avenger. In Badlapur, it is Varun Dhawan's youthful family man Raghu who makes the transition to a man solely possessed by the idea of vengeance. Female revenge sagas seem to necessarily involve a physical transformation - think Khoon Bhari Maang for a classic Hindi movie example - and EHT was no exception. Matondkar's Sarika went from long crinkly locks, bell sleeves and ultra-feminine gathered skirts to a more practical crop and fitted trousers. Raghu, too, goes from wholesome and clean-shaven to stubbly and then bearded in his grief-stricken avatar.

But Raghavan's journey from EHTto Badlapur involves much more than a simple change in the gender of his protagonist. He's playing with the same concerns - tragedy, revenge, innocence, evil - but the game feels quite different. For one, unlike in EHT, it isn't the clean-cut middle class young person (Dhawan) who is thrown into prison. It is the bad apple, the petty thief who's never done anything right, the guy who we've just seen shooting two innocents for no fault of their own.

So, logically we ought to spend the film feeling glad: The bad guy's in prison, isn't he? But Raghavan pushes the knife in, and then turns it slowly - Siddiqui's unforgettable portrayal of Laik makes him powerfully, unmistakeably human. He may lie in court and ogle girls on the street, but he is also a man who truly loves - and is loved back by - at least one woman. What is truly appealing is his zest for life. His longing for chicken korma and Thai massage remains undimmed by years in the wilderness of jail.

Jail itself is clearly of interest to Raghavan. In EHT, it was a women's prison, a place of madness and misery, as places of female incarceration have been in films from Bimal Roy's Bandini to Bruno Dumont's affecting Camille(2013), about the reallife sculptress Camille Claudel. For the gentle Sarika, the cruel truth of her lover's betrayal only sinks in alongside the horror of what she must endure because of it. The rats in her prison cell and the terrible food are not the worst of it. It is the casual humiliations, the mindless fights, the power games and the bullying that come to make jail seem, in her mind and ours, a microcosm of the world outside. If you learn to survive this, Raghavan seems to suggest, you're equipped for anything the outside world can throw at you.

And yet there are also those for whom jail is a refuge of sorts: The half-crazed Dolly, with whom Sarika shares her cell, declares quite seriously that prison food is delicious, while Pratima Kazmi's impressive Pramila, playing the widow of a mafia don, stays in prison voluntarily because it is a safe haven, away from both the police and gangs.

The depiction of jail in Badlapur is quite different from that in EHT. There is the occasional bout of violence here, too. But unlike the wild, unsupervised catfights and free-for-all sense of the women's prison he created in 2007, Raghavan paints Badlapur's jail as a Foucauldian space: Beds in straight lines, a place of discipline and punishment. Laiq even inhabits it as a space of labour: He learns to make chairs, which will earn him money. And eventually it is the medicalisation of jail as a space, its recognition of his diseased body, which allows him to gain a few months of physical freedom.

Meanwhile we have Raghu, who immerses himself in his grief, churning it deeper and deeper until it curdles into violence. He is physically free, but mentally incarcerated. If the relentless passage of the years, without being able to move on with one's life, is prison's real punishment, then Raghu has done as the film says: Imprisoned himself in his own jail. He has made time stand still.

Badlapur's eventual take on revenge seems to me more ambitious than film noir in the traditional sense. It reverses our ideas about what justice might mean, but also our idea of who is deserving of it.

PRISONERS OF THE MIND - Filming

PRISONERS OF THE MIND

By Trisha Gupta

Credit: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/columns/columnists/trisha-gupta/Prisoners-of-the-mind/articleshow/46415385.cms 

The jail as a space holds an abiding interest for Badlapur's director Sriram Raghavan, serving as an instrument to analyse power relationships between the characters in his films.

Sriram Raghavan was a movie buff much before he became a director, and it's something he's always worn on his sleeve. In 2007's Johnny Gaddaar, his best-received film till date, Raghavan paid cinematic tribute to Vijay Anand's thriller Johnny Mera Naam, Stanley Kubrick's noir The Killing, and the celebrated murder sequence from the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Parwana - among many classics. His last outing, the rollicking (and unfairly panned) Agent Vinod, was a spy thriller: A James Bond homage served with an Indian flavour and a twinkle in the eye. In his latest, Badlapur, when the heist-andmurder-accused Laik arrives in jail for what is going to be a long stretch in captivity, the prisoners gather round a television on which Sholay is playing. "Bees baras jail mein rehne ke baad sab kucch bhool jaoge, Gabbar," announces Sanjeev's Kumar's Thakur to Amjad Khan's iconic dacoit.

Unlike Gabbar, Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Laik completes most of his 15-year jail sentence. But as Raghavan makes clear, in Badlapurand in his gripping first feature, Ek Hasina Thi (2004), time in jail needn't wipe out memories of one's past.

Badlapur comes a decade after Ek Hasina Thi, but the two films have much in common: The hardening of innocents, and the passage of time in expectation of revenge. In EHT, it was the trusting Sarika (Urmila Matondkar), jailed on a trumpedup charge of being the mistress of an underworld don, who went from wide-eyed child-woman to steely avenger. In Badlapur, it is Varun Dhawan's youthful family man Raghu who makes the transition to a man solely possessed by the idea of vengeance. Female revenge sagas seem to necessarily involve a physical transformation - think Khoon Bhari Maang for a classic Hindi movie example - and EHT was no exception. Matondkar's Sarika went from long crinkly locks, bell sleeves and ultra-feminine gathered skirts to a more practical crop and fitted trousers. Raghu, too, goes from wholesome and clean-shaven to stubbly and then bearded in his grief-stricken avatar.

But Raghavan's journey from EHTto Badlapur involves much more than a simple change in the gender of his protagonist. He's playing with the same concerns - tragedy, revenge, innocence, evil - but the game feels quite different. For one, unlike in EHT, it isn't the clean-cut middle class young person (Dhawan) who is thrown into prison. It is the bad apple, the petty thief who's never done anything right, the guy who we've just seen shooting two innocents for no fault of their own.

So, logically we ought to spend the film feeling glad: The bad guy's in prison, isn't he? But Raghavan pushes the knife in, and then turns it slowly - Siddiqui's unforgettable portrayal of Laik makes him powerfully, unmistakeably human. He may lie in court and ogle girls on the street, but he is also a man who truly loves - and is loved back by - at least one woman. What is truly appealing is his zest for life. His longing for chicken korma and Thai massage remains undimmed by years in the wilderness of jail.

Jail itself is clearly of interest to Raghavan. In EHT, it was a women's prison, a place of madness and misery, as places of female incarceration have been in films from Bimal Roy's Bandini to Bruno Dumont's affecting Camille(2013), about the reallife sculptress Camille Claudel. For the gentle Sarika, the cruel truth of her lover's betrayal only sinks in alongside the horror of what she must endure because of it. The rats in her prison cell and the terrible food are not the worst of it. It is the casual humiliations, the mindless fights, the power games and the bullying that come to make jail seem, in her mind and ours, a microcosm of the world outside. If you learn to survive this, Raghavan seems to suggest, you're equipped for anything the outside world can throw at you.

And yet there are also those for whom jail is a refuge of sorts: The half-crazed Dolly, with whom Sarika shares her cell, declares quite seriously that prison food is delicious, while Pratima Kazmi's impressive Pramila, playing the widow of a mafia don, stays in prison voluntarily because it is a safe haven, away from both the police and gangs.

The depiction of jail in Badlapur is quite different from that in EHT. There is the occasional bout of violence here, too. But unlike the wild, unsupervised catfights and free-for-all sense of the women's prison he created in 2007, Raghavan paints Badlapur's jail as a Foucauldian space: Beds in straight lines, a place of discipline and punishment. Laiq even inhabits it as a space of labour: He learns to make chairs, which will earn him money. And eventually it is the medicalisation of jail as a space, its recognition of his diseased body, which allows him to gain a few months of physical freedom.

Meanwhile we have Raghu, who immerses himself in his grief, churning it deeper and deeper until it curdles into violence. He is physically free, but mentally incarcerated. If the relentless passage of the years, without being able to move on with one's life, is prison's real punishment, then Raghu has done as the film says: Imprisoned himself in his own jail. He has made time stand still.

Badlapur's eventual take on revenge seems to me more ambitious than film noir in the traditional sense. It reverses our ideas about what justice might mean, but also our idea of who is deserving of it.

Panasonic and Sansha Electric Jointly Develop a Compact SiC Power Module With Low Operating Loss

Panasonic and Sansha Electric Jointly Develop a Compact SiC Power Module With Low Operating Loss

Panasonic and Sansha Electric Jointly Develop a Compact SiC Power Module With Low Operating Loss

Panasonic and Sansha Electric Jointly Develop a Compact SiC Power Module With Low Operating Loss

Bird Nest Design

Bird Nest Design - More Complex and Fascinating than you Ever Would Have Suspected

Nest design in birds is fascinating, and not just because it's, well, er, fascinating, but also because studying it forces us to rethink what we've assumed to be true. Science is, in spite of what we'd like to think, rife with assumptions. Luckily, most of these assumptions are small, insignificant, and don't influence many decisions. But, alas, they are there, and they're often cryptic. Clearing out that ambiguity can be a challenge, but when done as part of the quest to find truth rather than to be proved right, the results can be breathtakingly interesting.

Such is the case in a recent "review" paper called The design and function of birds’ nests. In this paper, the authors have systematically sleuthed through their own and a great variety of other authors' research to produce a succinct, and elegant, set of overarching themes. Quick digression. Why do I love these kinds of papers so much? If one is researching a topic, typically he/she would have to hop between a great number of potentially unconnected papers, hoping to draw the right conclusions between them all. In review papers, fulltime, professional scientists have done that for you, and they've done it with access to more research, more great minds, and more cutting edge ideas. In short, they're laying out all the research--and with it the prevailing ideas--on a particular subject for your convenience. It's good stuff.

Anyway, back to the research. In birds, there's a significant behavior that we--lay people and ornithologists--take for granted all too often: the nest. In ornithology, the prevailing assumption has been that nests are purely used by birds for nesting and nothing more. More specifically, the assumption is that nest design--and time spent building--is determined purely by natural selection, with the selective pressure, of course, being predation risk.

But there are lots of strange behaviors, found both in observational and experimental studies, that challenge seemingly obvious assumption. The best part? There are a lot of questions left to be answered. Let's dive into some of the interesting bits (read as much or as little as you please):

Nest site selection is highly influenced by predation risk. Interestingly, birds who nest high in the forest strata are at greater risk of predation from avian predators, but much lower risk from mammalian predators. Conversely, birds that nest low in forest strata are at high risk from mammalian predators and low risk from avian predators. Birds nesting halfway up are at equal risk from both. So (#FieldSkills), if you're in an area where most of the bird species nest high, for example, it can be reasonably assumed that mammalian predation is more prevalent than avian predation. There are some other interesting observations from studies on nest placement in relation to predation risk:

Some birds nest near wasp nests or other aggressive species like kestrels to reduce risk of predation, even if it puts them in a certain amount of danger

Some birds will actively shift their nest site halfway through the breeding season if the previous site proved to be rather predator-laden. This is interesting because it indicates that nest site selection is not purely genetic/instinctive, but rather that it is a combination of instinct and learning.

Some birds will even track the amounts of rodents in their area and colonize more heavily in areas with heavy rodent concentrations. They do this because species that would prey on them prefer rodents, and with heavy rodent population, the predation risk is lower.

Ground nesting birds instinctively "know" the color of their eggs and actively seek potential laying areas where their eggs will blend in

Nests can be used to express the fitness of a potential mate...in other words, nest design is also subject to sexual selection (BIG IDEA)

Sexual selection favors larger nests, able to house more eggs. This is in direct contrast to natural selection for small nests.

Birds with high body condition invest more in nest building, indicating that the quality of a male's nest can be used by the female to gauge the quality of the male as a mate.

Male starlings integrate green plant material into their nests, and females respond by integrating feathers into the same nest. This is fascinating because it indicates that females are "impressed" by male presentation of green plant material, and are actively responding by investing more in the nest.

Birds change their nesting habits with altitude as well. Nesting high in trees, and thus closer to the sun and its head, is common in high-altitude species. These nests average more insulated as well to account for more radical changes in temperature.

A quick look at the paper.

These points are only the tip of an iceberg of interesting information in this paper (which, by the way, is open access...click the image to the right!). The most important overarching theme is this: nest design is subject to natural selection AND sexual selection. An inconspicuous nest can hide chicks from predators, but it may also leave females unimpressed. Birds designing nests have a lot to take into account to protect offspring: microclimate, color of the environment, parasites, what nest insulation is necessary, how impressive a nest may be to the opposite sex, etc. And all this is reflective of the health (quality) of the nest site selector and builder.

I don't know about you, but this stuff gets me excited. There are so many little details, so much nuance, that remind us of the staggering complexity of the world around us. What a privilege it is that we can even begin to figure it out.

I encourage you all to read the paper yourselves, and, as with any perpetual learner, to ask as many questions as possible. This paper does a good job of highlighting what's yet to be learned; seize that opportunity!

Bird Nest Design

Bird Nest Design - More Complex and Fascinating than you Ever Would Have Suspected

Nest design in birds is fascinating, and not just because it's, well, er, fascinating, but also because studying it forces us to rethink what we've assumed to be true. Science is, in spite of what we'd like to think, rife with assumptions. Luckily, most of these assumptions are small, insignificant, and don't influence many decisions. But, alas, they are there, and they're often cryptic. Clearing out that ambiguity can be a challenge, but when done as part of the quest to find truth rather than to be proved right, the results can be breathtakingly interesting.

Such is the case in a recent "review" paper called The design and function of birds’ nests. In this paper, the authors have systematically sleuthed through their own and a great variety of other authors' research to produce a succinct, and elegant, set of overarching themes. Quick digression. Why do I love these kinds of papers so much? If one is researching a topic, typically he/she would have to hop between a great number of potentially unconnected papers, hoping to draw the right conclusions between them all. In review papers, fulltime, professional scientists have done that for you, and they've done it with access to more research, more great minds, and more cutting edge ideas. In short, they're laying out all the research--and with it the prevailing ideas--on a particular subject for your convenience. It's good stuff.

Anyway, back to the research. In birds, there's a significant behavior that we--lay people and ornithologists--take for granted all too often: the nest. In ornithology, the prevailing assumption has been that nests are purely used by birds for nesting and nothing more. More specifically, the assumption is that nest design--and time spent building--is determined purely by natural selection, with the selective pressure, of course, being predation risk.

But there are lots of strange behaviors, found both in observational and experimental studies, that challenge seemingly obvious assumption. The best part? There are a lot of questions left to be answered. Let's dive into some of the interesting bits (read as much or as little as you please):

Nest site selection is highly influenced by predation risk. Interestingly, birds who nest high in the forest strata are at greater risk of predation from avian predators, but much lower risk from mammalian predators. Conversely, birds that nest low in forest strata are at high risk from mammalian predators and low risk from avian predators. Birds nesting halfway up are at equal risk from both. So (#FieldSkills), if you're in an area where most of the bird species nest high, for example, it can be reasonably assumed that mammalian predation is more prevalent than avian predation. There are some other interesting observations from studies on nest placement in relation to predation risk:

Some birds nest near wasp nests or other aggressive species like kestrels to reduce risk of predation, even if it puts them in a certain amount of danger

Some birds will actively shift their nest site halfway through the breeding season if the previous site proved to be rather predator-laden. This is interesting because it indicates that nest site selection is not purely genetic/instinctive, but rather that it is a combination of instinct and learning.

Some birds will even track the amounts of rodents in their area and colonize more heavily in areas with heavy rodent concentrations. They do this because species that would prey on them prefer rodents, and with heavy rodent population, the predation risk is lower.

Ground nesting birds instinctively "know" the color of their eggs and actively seek potential laying areas where their eggs will blend in

Nests can be used to express the fitness of a potential mate...in other words, nest design is also subject to sexual selection (BIG IDEA)

Sexual selection favors larger nests, able to house more eggs. This is in direct contrast to natural selection for small nests.

Birds with high body condition invest more in nest building, indicating that the quality of a male's nest can be used by the female to gauge the quality of the male as a mate.

Male starlings integrate green plant material into their nests, and females respond by integrating feathers into the same nest. This is fascinating because it indicates that females are "impressed" by male presentation of green plant material, and are actively responding by investing more in the nest.

Birds change their nesting habits with altitude as well. Nesting high in trees, and thus closer to the sun and its head, is common in high-altitude species. These nests average more insulated as well to account for more radical changes in temperature.

A quick look at the paper.

These points are only the tip of an iceberg of interesting information in this paper (which, by the way, is open access...click the image to the right!). The most important overarching theme is this: nest design is subject to natural selection AND sexual selection. An inconspicuous nest can hide chicks from predators, but it may also leave females unimpressed. Birds designing nests have a lot to take into account to protect offspring: microclimate, color of the environment, parasites, what nest insulation is necessary, how impressive a nest may be to the opposite sex, etc. And all this is reflective of the health (quality) of the nest site selector and builder.

I don't know about you, but this stuff gets me excited. There are so many little details, so much nuance, that remind us of the staggering complexity of the world around us. What a privilege it is that we can even begin to figure it out.

I encourage you all to read the paper yourselves, and, as with any perpetual learner, to ask as many questions as possible. This paper does a good job of highlighting what's yet to be learned; seize that opportunity!