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The Western Renewable Energy Zone (WREZ) initiative brings together a diverse set of voices to develop data, tools, and a unique forum for coordinating transmission expansion in the Western Interconnection. In this paper we use a new tool developed in the WREZ initiative to evaluate possible renewable resource selection and transmission expansion decisions. We evaluate these decisions under a number of alternative future scenarios centered on meeting 33percent of the annual load in the Western Interconnection with new renewable resources located within WREZ-identified resource hubs. Our analysis finds that wind energy is the largest source of renewable energy procured to meet the 33percent RE target across nearly all scenarios analyzed (38-65percent). Solar energy is almost always the second largest source (14-41percent). We find several load zones where wind energy is the least cost resource under a wide range of sensitivity scenarios. Load zones in the Southwest, on the other hand, are found to switch between wind and solar, and therefore to vary transmission expansion decisions, depending on uncertainties and policies that affect the relative economics of each renewable option. Further, we find that even with total transmission expenditures of $17-34 billion these costs still represent just 10-19percent of the total delivered cost of renewable energy.

Viewing the process of lexical acquisition as a joint activity, this study proposes an alternative to the dominant approaches to lexical acquisition. Based on longitudinal data, it discusses the various types of conversational exchanges in which new words are introduced in everyday interaction. By exploring the full range of explicit lexical introductions, this study also points out the limitations of many experimental studies. In particular, the types of introduction often examined in experimental studies—namely, adult-initiated labeling, anchoring, and explanation—account for only 8% of all the explicit introductions identified in this study. Other types of explicit introductions, such as repairs, are examined in the context of introducing verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and prepositions. I suggest that by using experiments to determine if there is a correlation between the rate of uptake and the type of introduction, it is possible to explain why words belonging to certain grammatical categories are learned before others.

Shorebirds often feed in multispecies groups that display interesting niche dynamics. On Moorea, French Polynesia, the Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana) and Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) are the dominant shorebird species during the northern winter. These species’ feeding behavior was observed at the Temae estuary on the northeast side of the island. Relative abundance of the two species was determined using transect counts at the estuary and an adjacent beach. T. incana displayed more striking and sprinting behavior, while P. fulva displayed more picking and walking behavior. T. incana also consumed more crabs than P. fulva. The two species existed in relatively equal abundance in the estuary; T. incana was more common on the beach. Though these data suggest some differences in feeding niche, a great deal of overlap was observed. The degree of niche partitioning appears to be greater in this study than in similar studies conducted on these species’ breeding grounds.

This paper highlights a series of areas deemed worthy of attention by language researchers. In some cases the research effort would entail following up on studies initiated some years ago and in other cases the effort would involve relatively new research thrusts. The paper includes ideas about research regarding: (1) pathways to success in language learning – language learners as informed consumers, the role of motivation in the L2-FL interface, the language of thought for learning the target language, the impact of L2/FL error correction over time, the use and impact of websites accessed in support of language learning, and language attrition over time; (2) language learner strategies – the fluctuating functions of strategies, refining strategies for language learning, the language strategies of hyperpolyglots, and test-taking strategies; and (3) pushing the envelope with regard to TL pragmatics – the less researched speech acts, the effects of explicit instruction in pragmatics, the learning of pragmatics in the TL classroom from native- and non-native teachers, and the teaching of pragmatics in World Englishes.