Millions of people have watched the video of baby boys, clothed only in diapers and socks, appear to have a full-fledged conversation in their kitchen relying on just one syllable repeated over and over. “Da” becomes a question, an exclamation, a statement. There is cadence and inflection and intuitive understanding of the need to take turns, with one listening while the other babbles. Babies should be babbling by 10 months and using identifiable words by 14 months, on their road to slapping full sentences together. The twins in the video are using what's known as “reduplicated babbling,” in which they repeat a sound, according to Hope Dickinson, coordinator of Speech-Language Pathology Services at Children's Hospital Boston at Waltham, who spoke with Thrive, the pediatric health blog of Children's Hospital Boston: It's fun because these two are demonstrating great mimicking of multiple aspects of conversation. It really demonstrates how very young children communicate and know how a conversation works, even before they have the words to use. They will eventually begin to replace the babbling strings with words. One thing they are using wonderfully is turn taking, as in first one “talks” and then pauses and the other responds. They are also imitating the various intonations we use in conversation and speaking. There is fantastic rise and fall to their pitch and tones. Sentences or exclamations end loudly and emphatically, and there is also some questioning (rising) intonation. They are using gestures to supplement their talking, much like adults do.
http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/07/millions-watch-twin-baby-boys-babble-are-they-truly-talking/

Alain de Botton (born 1969) is a Swiss writer, television presenter, and entrepreneur, resident in the UK. His books and television programmes discuss various contemporary subjects and themes in a philosophical style, emphasising philosophy's relevance to everyday life. In August 2008, he was a founding member of a new educational establishment in central London called The School of Life. In May 2009, he was a founding member of a new architectural organisation called "Living Architecture". In October that year, de Botton was appointed an honorary fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, in recognition of his services to architecture – which proposes to build a series of innovative houses in the U.K. using leading contemporary architects. These include Peter Zumthor, MVRDV, JVA, NORD and Michael and Patti Hopkins. The houses will be rented out to the general public. De Botton's aim is to improve the appreciation of good contemporary architecture – and seems a practical continuation of his theoretical work on architecture in his book The Architecture of Happiness. In October 2009, de Botton was appointed an honorary fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, in recognition of his services to architecture. See much more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_de_Botton

The Balancing Barn, built by Living Architecture, has been announced as one of the winners of a red dot design award, one of the world's most prestigious design competitions. The Balancing Barn received an 'honourable mention' in the 'Architecture and Urban Design' category, selected from more than 4,433 entries from 60 countries. The official awards ceremony will take place in Essen, Germany on 4th July 2011. See picture plus links to other pictures of other modernist homes at: http://www.living-architecture.co.uk/the-houses/balancing-barn/overview/

Quotes
An individual human existence should be like a river: small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.
Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) British philosopher, mathematician, essayist, Nobel laureate

On 27 November 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament, giving the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace - the Nobel Prizes. See Nobel prize facts at: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/nobelprize_facts.html

All Nobel prizes http://nbelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all/

What Nobel laureates read when they were young http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/laureate_reading.html

A sampling of William Wordsworth
Composed At The Same Time And On The Same Occasion
I dropped my pen; and listened to the Wind
Composed By The Sea-Side, Near Calais, August 1802
Fair Star of evening, Splendour of the west,
Composed By The Seashore
What mischief cleaves to unsubdued regret,
Composed By The Side Of Grasmere Lake 1806
Clouds, lingering yet, extend in solid bars
Composed During A Storm
One who was suffering tumult in his soul,
Composed In One Of The Valleys Of Westmoreland, On Easter Sunday
With each recurrence of this glorious morn
Composed In Roslin Chapel During A Storm
The wind is now thy organist; a clank
Composed In The Glen Of Loch Etive
"This Land of Rainbows spanning glens whose walls,
Find other poems and links to complete poems at:
http://www.poetrycat.com/william-wordsworth

beau geste (bo ZHEST) plural beaux gestes (bo ZHEST) noun
A gracious, but often meaningless, gesture.
From French, literally fine gesture. Earliest documented use: 1920.
A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg