text:
Summary and Keywords
While in phonology Middle Indo-Aryan (MIA) dialects preserved the phonological system of Old Indo-Aryan (OIA) virtually intact, their morphosyntax underwent far-reaching changes, which altered fundamentally the synthetic morphology of earlier Prākrits in the direction of the analytic typology of New Indo-Aryan (NIA). Speaking holistically, the "accusative alignment" of OIA (Vedic Sanskrit) was restructured as an "ergative alignment" in Western IA languages, and it is precisely during the Late MIA period (ca. 5th–12th centuries ce) when we can observe these matters in statu nascendi. There is copious literature on the origin of the ergative construction: passive-to-ergative reanalysis; the ergative hypothesis, i.e., that the passive construction of OIA was already ergative; and a compromise stance that neither the former nor the latter approach is fully adequate. In the spirit of the complementary view of these matters, more attention has to be paid to various pathways in which typological changes operated over different kinds of nominal, pronominal and verbal constituents during the crucial MIA period.
(a) We shall start with the restructuring of the nominal case system in terms of the reduction of the number of cases from seven to four. This phonologically motivated process resulted ultimately in the rise of the binary distinction of the "absolutive" versus "oblique" case at the end of the MIA period). (b) The crucial role of animacy in the restructuring of the pronominal system and the rise of the "double-oblique" system in Ardha-Māgadhī and Western Apabhramśa will be explicated. (c) In the verbal system we witness complete remodeling of the aspectual system as a consequence of the loss of earlier synthetic forms expressing the perfective (Aorist) and "retrospective" (Perfect) aspect. Early Prākrits (Pāli) preserved their sigmatic Aorists (and the sigmatic Future) until late MIA centuries, while on the Iranian side the loss of the "sigmatic" aorist was accelerated in Middle Persian by the "weakening" of s > h > Ø. (d) The development and the establishment of "ergative alignment" at the end of the MIA period will be presented as a consequence of the above typological changes: the rise of the "absolutive" vs. "oblique" case system; the loss of the finite morphology of the perfective and retrospective aspect; and the recreation of the aspectual contrast of perfectivity by means of quasinominal (participial) forms. (e) Concurrently with the development toward the analyticity in grammatical aspect, we witness the evolution of lexical aspect (Aktionsart) ushering in the florescence of "serial" verbs in New Indo-Aryan.
On the whole, a contingency view of alignment considers the increase in ergativity as a by-product of the restoration of the OIA aspectual triad: Imperfective–Perfective–Perfect (in morphological terms Present–Aorist–Perfect). The NIA Perfective and Perfect are aligned ergatively, while their finite OIA ancestors (Aorist and Perfect) were aligned accusatively. Detailed linguistic analysis of Middle Indo-Aryan texts offers us a unique opportunity for a deeper comprehension of the formative period of the NIA state of affairs.
Keywords: nominal system, phrasal case, pronominal system, lexical aspect, grammatical aspect, tense, ergative alignment, Middle Indo-Aryan
Access to the complete content on Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Linguistics requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter without a subscription. If you are a student or academic complete our librarian recommendation form to recommend the Oxford Research Encyclopedias to your librarians for an institutional free trial.
Please subscribe or login to access full text content.
If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.
For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.


text:
MONTREAL — Did you enjoy watching the Canadian women kick the crap out of their opponents during the preliminary round of the women's hockey tournament at the Olympics?
I apologize for my choice of words, but that's exactly what the Canadian women did . . . and I certainly didn't enjoy watching it.
In fact, I found myself getting upset as I watched Team Canada continue to run up the score in its opening game, an 18-0 romp over Slovakia. Canada scored twice as many goals as the Slovaks had shots, outshooting its opponent 67-9.
After every goal . . . 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 . . . the music blared at Canada Hockey Place and the hyped-up crowd of 16,496 roared its approval. It was like watching the schoolyard bully beat up on the little skinny kid while everyone stood around and cheered.
I wanted to scream out: "OK . . . enough already!"
As the goals kept coming, the Canadian TV announcers actually talked about how Team Canada coach Melody Davidson would still be grilling her players at practice the next day about their mistakes — what, were they not supposed to allow any shots on goal? — and when a Slovak player shoved a Canadian from behind near the end of the game it was called "unfortunate."
Unfortunate? If it was an NHL game there probably would have been a brawl.
The Olympic motto is supposed to be swifter, higher, stronger; not beat, crush, destroy. It was an ugly game . . . and it should never have been allowed to happen.
Of course, it happened again when Canada beat Switzerland 10-1, outshooting its opponent 62-12, and there was an encore performance in a 13-1 romp over Sweden, when the shots were 52-13.
For those of you keeping score at home, that means Canada outscored its opponents 41-2 in its three preliminary-round victories and outshot them 181-34.
Go, Canada, Go!
Meanwhile, the United States also went 3-0 in the preliminary round while outscoring its opponents 31-1.
I don't think those are the types of scores Stompin' Tom Connors was thinking about when he wrote the lyrics: "The good old hockey game! It's the best game you can name! And the best game you can name, is the good old hockey game!"
These lopsided results have become too predictable in women's hockey — Canada outscored its opponents 36-1 while going 3-0 in the preliminary round en route to the gold medal at the 2006 Olympics in Turin — and should not have been allowed to happen again. If there was ever a sport in need of a mercy rule, it's women's hockey at the Olympics. But instead, goal differential is still used as a tiebreaker in the preliminary-round standings, which encourages Canada and the U.S. to run up the score.
When International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel of Switzerland was asked to comment on the blowouts last Thursday in Vancouver, he responded:
"I just remember sometime in the 1930s, Canada, with just an ordinary (men's club) hockey team, played Switzerland and it was 22-0. And on this day, four years ago, we beat Canada with the best team they could provide, 2-0. Around 70 years it took to have Swiss men's hockey on the level of the Canadians.
"The women will come, don't worry. But it will take time."
The way things are going, it will probably take more than 70 years, and long before that I can see women's hockey being kicked out of the Olympics the same way women's softball was dropped after the 2008 summer Games in Beijing largely because of the American domination of the sport. I don't want to see that happen, because it would kill the Olympic hockey dream for so many young girls in Canada and the United States who don't have a Stanley Cup.
So, here's my suggestion for a solution to the problem for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Instead of the current Pool A and Pool B format for the preliminary round, create a Gold Division and a Bronze Division. The Gold Division would consist of the three medal-winners from Vancouver . . . most likely Canada, the United States and Sweden, the only three countries that seem to take women's hockey seriously at this point. The other five teams would be in the Bronze Division.
The Gold Division would play a double round-robin preliminary round, with the top two teams advancing to the gold-medal game and the third-place team going to the bronze-medal game. The Bronze Division would play a single round robin with the winner advancing to the bronze-medal game.
It might not be perfect, but it would put an end to the endless string of meaningless blowouts and also set the stage for the possibility of three Canada-U.S. games on the Olympic stage.
That's something I know I would want to watch.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Serie P5 Ai Proactive - Chipset Intel 915G - CPU Pentium 4 Intel LGA775 - Dual-Channel DDR 400 - Arquitectura PCI Express - Gráficos Integrados de Gran Potencia - Soporta Máx. 8 puertos USB 2.0 - Tecnología Q-Fan de ASUS - CrashFree BIOS2 de ASUS Shop Modal header CPU Chipset SATA FSB LAN USB 2.0 1394 DDR P4 LGA775 915G 4 800 10/100 8 0 400(Dual channel) 64bit CPU support 64-bit computing, the next generation technology to replace current 32-bit architecture, delivers advanced system performance, faster memory access and increased productivity. This motherboard provides excellent compatibility and flexibility by supporting either 64-bit or 32-bit architecture. Intel EM64T Intel EM64T (Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology) allows processors to run newly written 64-bit code and to access larger amounts of memory, which delivers exceptional graphic performance and higher data processing speed. Digital media applications can take advantage of Intel EM64T in high quality video and audio processing as well as 3D rendering. Intel EIST Intel EIST (Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology) automatically adjusts Intel 64-bit processor voltage and core frequency according to system performance demand, establishing a self-managed, lower-power consumption, less heat and quieter environment. Combined Intel EIST and ASUS Q-fan technology (adjusts fan speeds according to system loading), this motherboard provides excellently quiet, cool and efficient platform for Intel lovers. Intel 915G ChipsetThe Intel 915G chipset supports the latest PC technologies such as LGA775 Pentium 4 CPU, dual-channel DDR memory architecture, and PCI Express x16 graphics card interface. Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 provides a significant increase in graphics performance. The ICH6 Southbridge further provides PCI Express x1 interfaces and 8 high-speed USB 2.0 ports. ports. Intel LGA775 Pentium 4 CPUThis motherboard supports the latest Pentium 4 CPU from Intel in LGA775 package. With 800MHz FSB, MB L2 cache, Hyper-Threading Technology and core-speeds up to 3.6GHz and beyond, Intel's LGA775 Pentium 4 is one of the fastest desktop processors to date."Attention!! CPU Installation" Dual-channel DDRDual-channel DDR technology doubles the bandwidth of your system memory and hence boost the system performance to out perform any memory existing solutions in the market. System bottlenecks are eliminated with balanced architecture and peak bandwidths up . Powerful Integrated GraphicsThe new Intel Graphics engine has new capabilities that provide a significant increase in graphics performance. DirectX 9 hardware acceleration, 333MHz core clock, and large video memory all together provide a full-value, high performance graphic PCI Express ArchitecturePCI Express is the latest I/O interconnect technology that will replace the existing PCI. With a bus bandwidth 4 times higher than that of AGP 8X interface, PCI Express x16 bus performs much better than AGP 8X in applications such as 3D gaming. PCI Express x1 also outperforms PCI interface with its exceptional high bandwidth up to 500MB/s. The high speed PCI Express interface creates new usages on desktop PCs e.g., Gigabit LAN, 1394b, and high-speed RAID systems. High Definition Audio Enjoy high-end sound system on your PC! The onboard 8-channel HD audio (High Definition Audio, previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio output, jack-sensing feature and retasking functions. With the 8-channel audio ports and S/PDIF out interface, you can connect your computer to home theater decoders to produce crystal-clear digital audio. Max. 8 USB 2.0 ports supportsUSB 2.0 is the latest connectivity standard for next generation components and peripherals. Backwards compatible with current USB 1.1 peripherals, USB 2.0 delivers transfer speeds up to 40 times faster at 480Mb/s, for easy connectivity and ultra-fast data transfers. ASUS CrashFree BIOS2The CrashFree BIOS2 feature now includes the BIOS auto-recovery function in a support CD. Users can reboot their system through the support CD when a bootable disk is not available, and go through the simple BIOS auto-recovery process. ASUS motherboards now enable users to enjoy this protection feature without the need to pay for an optional ROM.


text:
Coming to Understand Our Mysterious Elder Brothers
Father Marcel Dubois deciphers the complex Christian-Jewish relationship
Father Marcel Dubois, an expert on Christian-Jewish relations who makes his home in the Holy Land, recently met with Joop Koopman in Jerusalem. The Dominican priest reflected on political tensions in Israel, as well as the Vatican's efforts to engage the Jewish community in interreligious dialogue.
Koopman: Violence continues to disturb the Holy Land. While terrorist acts are almost universally condemned, Israeli policies under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are also blamed for the continued crisis. How does the political situation affect your work of examining the mystery of the Jewish people and their relationship with the Church?
Father Dubois: There is no doubt that some of the actions of the Israeli government have damaged the beauty of the Jewish image, the Jewish likeness of God. The benevolence toward Jewish suffering throughout history remains. However, there is little doubt that the conservative government is hurting the Jewish cause some.
The crisis goes beyond the political. Jewish consciousness in Israel is broken up; there is no unanimity. The religious dimension of Jewish life here has been falsified as it has been used for strictly political purposes. Paradoxically, the prime minister has availed himself of the country's religious parties, but he himself is not religious. All these contradictions make for an unhealthy situation.
The Israeli government has invited the Pope to visit the Holy Land as soon as possible, in conjunction with the Jubilee Year 2000. Palestinian officials have protested that such a visit would lend legitimacy to the Israeli policies with regard to Jerusalem and their claim of exclusive sovereignty over the city. What is your opinion on this?
I would not want to be in charge of protocol for such a visit. The significance of such a trip would be ambiguous at best. The Pope would have to meet with Israelis, Palestinians, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Muslims, Jews—but which kind of Jews, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform? The only way it could be done, I suppose, is that the Pontiff would arrive by helicopter—without traversing any particular territory—say Mass, and leave again. That would not be useful, though.
Regardless of whether John Paul II will visit Israel or not, he certainly is a friend of the Jews, having made the fostering of Catholic-Jewish relations and mutual understanding a key element in his pontificate. That also has been the heart of your work among the Jewish people. You have often spoken of the "Christic dimension" of Judaism, of the Jewish people. Do you have only faithful, practicing Jews in mind or all Jews?
It is not my job to judge whether someone is faithful or not. For starters, I must pay close attention, which is something many Christian pilgrims coming here don't do. We have to be mindful of the teleology of the Jewish people—no matter what, a Jew is a member of the Jewish people, a member of the people chosen by God to prepare for the coming of the Messiah and to promote his word in the world. Hence, I must consider the existence of the Jews as a sacrament of the presence of God in Israel.
Regardless of whether individual Jews are practicing or not?
Indeed. That requires a great deal of silence and respect on our part, as well as compassion, and sadness—but, of course, those faithful to the Torah have a special place. For Christians, Jesus mediates between God and my heart; the Torah is there for the Jews. I can deplore the fact that when Jews pray, they do not mention Christ or acknowledge his presence. But, in light of my own Christian faith, I can say that they still address the Father through the Son, but without being aware of it.
That would be hard to make explicit in dialogue with the Jews; it would turn them away.
Of course, we have to remain silent, or risk closing their hearts. I am becoming more and more convinced that the most realistic way of being present as Christians among the Jewish people is to remain silent—or to encourage their faithfulness to their tradition. From this point of view, the best witness of the Church in this country are the monastic communities, precisely because they are contemplative.
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah last spring spoke of the need for authentic dialogue with the Jewish people, calling on his own people and, it seemed, the Muslim community at large, to show a greater willingness in this regard. Though the archbishop is often critical of Israeli policies, his talk appeared to signal a softening of his position.
The patriarch is very open-minded. Don't forget the following: The language of the Palestinian Christian community is Arabic and since Arabic is the language of the Koran, the cultural milieu of the Christian Arab community is Muslim. Hence, Church leaders must tread gingerly in dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and not appear to be choosing sides.
But is real dialogue possible then?
The true encounter called for at the moment is not dialogue. It requires, first of all, an objective mutual knowledge and respect for the identity and faithfulness of the potential dialogue partners. This process requires a deep silence and in-depth study. Atrue encounter means recognizing that the "other" does not want to be considered as an object. Two kinds of faithfulness—Jewish and Christian—can respect each other.
How does Jewish faithfulness relate to Christian faithfulness?
The monastic vocation is an icon of sanctity within the Church. I would use the same definition for a people called by God to listen to his word, to meditate on it, day and night, and to realize it in daily life. That is the function of the Jewish people in the Bible and still today and that is also the function of monks and nuns in the Church, who, as it were, represent the continuity of the vocation of Israel, as they live out a dimension of Christianity which is a heritage of Israel.
It would seem, then, that even the non-practicing Jew upholds something of this heritage, just by virtue of being?
Faithfulness involves both consciousness of a certain identity and knowledge of the Torah. To admit that one shares the Jewish identity can be a first step, to accept to belong to a mysterious community with a very mysterious vocation that is so important for the world. That already is a kind of faithfulness.
That is clearly different for non-Jews, who, to be elected, too, must be baptized.
That election, indeed, is not inscribed in their nature, if you will. But there is an analogy, as in baptism we, too, join the people of Israel.
What about Muslims? They do not seem to fit this model of "chosen-ness" in the same way at all.
I am not an expert on Islam, but the relationship between Israel and the Church is central and exemplary for all other interreligious relationships. There is a purity in the link between the Jews and the Church. The relationship between Muslims and Jesus involves different sources, a different soil. There is something in the purity of the link between Israel and the Church which is exemplary for the link between Muslims and Jesus, which, nevertheless, can never be seen on the same level. We must think, though, of the calling of the Jewish people and their response to it as a model for all religions.
You have said in the past that a healthy relationship between Jews and Catholics, between Jews and Christians, is vital for the good of the world. Please explain your position.
Consider God's mysterious proposal, his promise of salvation, as revealed in the Bible, in the New Testament, and how it is experienced in the history of Israel and the Church. It is clear that God wants to unite all the world in one people. But here we have two communities, who each pretend to be that people—the people of Israel and the Church, which even has referred to herself as "the new Israel," which was clearly a mistake. Here we have Israel ordered by law, according to the flesh, and Israel announced by the New Testament, followers of Christ. The two side by side are a mystery, an unfathomable mystery.
Again, it calls for mutual respect.
For Jews it is important to see the Church as a mysterious relative—a Church, like the people of Israel, that is faithful and aware of its vocation— and to consider the sanctity of Christ. For Christians, it is important to consider the Christic dynamism of the Jewish people. Faithfulness itself speaks of Christ. In this faithfulness of the Jews [to their divine calling, to their election] there is something which is already Christian.
And this would not be true for the faithful Buddhist?
There are degrees of proximity [to Christ]. And Judaism is at the center, along with the Church. But all of humanity is drawn to the center. In Christ, God has given divine value to human life, to every authentic—and I underline authentic—human feeling and action, each discovery, art, friendship, love, and suffering. All this has received new value in the beauty of Christ.
In the love of a mother for her child we see an image of God's tenderness for his creatures. But especially every human suffering—through the power of the cross and Christ's victory—has been given a sacramental value. It is not a sacrament like the seven sacraments we know, but we will be amazed when we enter the kingdom of paradise to find huge crowds of people who have never heard of Christ, or met him, but who will recognize that we are all saved by the sacrament of the Cross, and the suffering and death of Jesus.
It depends on how people suffer, whether they accept it.
Indeed, whether they suffer with open-mindedness and without selfishness or bitterness. If we look at the world in this light, everything changes. That is the fruit of the Incarnation—God has visited all dimensions of human feelings.
What about the suffering of the Jews, who appear to be singled out in a particular way.
It is not easy to speak of the sacramental value of suffering before the Jews, who exemplify in many respects the tragedy of human suffering. Still, their suffering, too, receives its mysterious value from the cross of Christ.
Still, that wouldn't justify, for example, the controversial cross at Auschwitz?
No, not at all. All of these truths require an ocean of silence. We must be prepared to recognize Jewish faithfulness. The closest to the mystery of Christ are the people of his people. We are called to look at the Jewish people as Jesus himself looks at his people.
The Vatican is due to publish a document and discuss the Church's role during World War II and the holocaust. How important will that text be?
Very important, of course. Christians must understand the mystery of Jewish suffering. Jews, for their part, must accept other people pondering [and to an extent] participating in this suffering. For the Jews, there is the temptation of self-sufficiency, selfishness, and the notion that this suffering is a purely Jewish affair, a stance made worse, of course, by the fact that Christians were often to blame for Jewish pain.
Just as there must be a contemplation of the mystery of the Jewish people, and justice and kindness toward them, the Jews are challenged to contemplate the mystery of the cross.
—Joop Koopman
- Keywords:
- November 16-22, 1997


text:
I recently switched from Visual C++ 6.0 to Visual C++ 2008.
With Visual C++ 6.0, I used a callback method to get available font styles for a given font. I don't think that is working correctly anymore.
What is the best approach for determining which font styles (e.g., bold, italic, etc.) are available for a given font. I am not using .Net.


text:
St. Elsewhere, E.R., Grey's Anatomy. TV has been home to some great medical dramas and now The CW is hoping to add to that legacy with the freshman dramedy Emily Owens, M.D.
Starring Mamie Gummer (The Good Wife, Off the Map), Emily Owens, M.D. follows a first-year intern who, while working alongside her best friend/crush (Justin Hartley) and her childhood nemesis (Aja Naomi King), must learn the hard way that hospitals are a lot like high school.
Fall TV Popularity Contest: Vote for your favorite new shows now!
Although the show doesn't premiere on The CW until Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 9/8c, the network has posted the first episode free online to let fans check in early. Watch the series premiere of Emily Owens, M.D. here:
Will you watch Emily Owens, M.D.?


text:
Kitchen Remodeling
123ContractorQuotes.com helps you find qualified home improvement professionals
for all of your project needs. For many people, the most difficult part of
planning your home improvement or home repair projects is locating the right
contractors to help you estimate the cost, materials, manpower and time
involved with your plans.
Our mission is to provide you with a service to quickly match your needs with
local professionals who are available when you need them. Simply fill in our
easy-to-use request form, and we will connect you
with pre-screened contractors with proper service specialties and
Do you need a local kitchen remodeling contractor? From kitchen remodeling to kitchen renovation, it's always safer and less stressful to hire a professional kitchen remodeling contractor for your project.
Be sure to talk with several contractors to find the best one for your needs. Use our free, easy form to contact several kitchen remodeling contractors in your area to find the best service and price quote in the time frame needed.


text:
Fund for the Advancement
of the Discipline
Application Deadline: June 15 & December 15
The ASA invites submissions for the Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline (FAD) awards. FAD is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation with matching monies from ASA. The goal of this award is to nurture the development of scientific knowledge by funding small, groundbreaking research initiatives that will advance the discipline. FAD awards provide scholars with "seed money" for innovative research that provides opportunities for substantive and methodological breakthroughs, broadens the dissemination of scientific knowledge, and provides leverage for acquisition of additional research funds.
Selection Criteria and Funding Requirements
Proposals are reviewed for scientific merit and the importance of the proposed research project or a conference for sociology as a discipline. Specific evaluation criteria include the following:
- Innovativeness and promise of the research idea;
- Originality and significance of research goals;
- The potential of the study as a building block in the development of future research;
- Appropriateness and significance of the research hypothesis;
- Feasibility and adequacy of project design;
- Plans for dissemination of results; and
- Appropriateness of requested budget.
Principal investigators (PI) and co-PI(s) must have a PhD or equivalent. Preference is given to applicants who have not previously received a FAD award. Awards shall not exceed $7,000. Payment can go directly to the PI and is not taxed. Checks will be sent to the PI's institution, but PIs should be aware that no overhead can be charged. Award money may not be used for convention expenses, honoraria, or PI's salary. Awardees must agree to meet the reporting requirements of the award and must be ASA members when they receive the award.
Online Application Process
Proposals must be submitted online at asanet.org/cs/funding/FAD. Applications must include title of project, name of lead author and additional author(s), 100-200-word abstract, maximum of five (5) single spaced pages describing the project, detailed budget and time schedule, statement of pending support, bibliography, applicable appendices, and vitas for all authors.
Contact Information
For more information, see the "Funding" page at www.asanet.org. For questions prior to submitting proposals, contact project director Roberta Spalter-Roth, (202) 383-9005 x317, email@example.com or Nicole Van Vooren, (202) 383-9005 x313, firstname.lastname@example.com. For examples of recent FAD awards see the May/June 2009 issue of Footnotes.


text:
The Alamo Express. (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, August 18, 1860
Description: Weekly newspaper from San Antonio, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.
Date: August 18, 1860
Creator: Newcomb, James P.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Newspaper
Partner: The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History


text:
Disruptors are ushering in the future. From disruption comes the new.
Change can happen in the blink of an eye. But not always. The strength and nature of disruption is defined by the value it releases and it is often predictable. It can be anticipated, met, controlled, and even courted.
What does disruption look like?
Accenture research shows that industry disruption, while complicated, follows a discernible, and understandable, pattern.
Discover how your industry could be affected by disruption with the disruptability index.
Pivot to the Future
This book is much more than the story of Accenture. It includes numerous case studies that show how some of the world's most prestigious companies are reinventing themselves. Learn how to continuously invest across all three stages of the business lifecycle; the old, the now and the new.
Brave enough to disrupt?
Listen to the podcast with co-hosts Omar Abbosh and will.i.am as they break it down with courageous leaders who are not afraid to continuously reinvent.
Are you getting the most out of your innovation investments?
Converting an opportunity into reality is not easy. The process begins with understanding the nature of trapped value. Accenture research uncovers how high-growth companies are using innovation to achieve deep organizational change and unlock value trapped in their enterprise.LEARN MORE
What do you need to do today to lead in the new?
So, let's imagine you're managing disruption and uncovering new value—but your organization is still stuck in a loop of doing things how they have always been done. Take a look at the four steps that can help to reinvent your business culture and operations.
Build competitive agility and more competitive cost structures to improve flexibility, increase profits and drive up investment capacity in the existing core business model.
Use new investment capacity to support digital marketing and analytics (to gain new operational insights) and improve Web/mobile interactions (to activate new demand and expand into new markets).
Build and scale an innovation architecture inside the business (for example, innovation hubs, Labs, partnerships) that is reflective of the different levels of maturity of those innovations.
Strike a delicate balance. If businesses pivot too quickly from the core to the new, they will over-invest and stretch themselves too thin financially. If they pivot too slowly from the core to the new, they risk becoming obsolete.
How leading companies invest and innovate to harness the power of disruption
To pivot the business for growth
understand and be ready to embrace the future possibilities
Organizations must continuously reinvent themselves to stay relevant and meet the demands of a fast-forward future. They need to know what not to fear, and be decisive in making momentous, strategic choices.
Intelligent enterprises master an organizational architecture that brings together new capabilities and existing operating models to create a step-change in agility, efficiency, productivity, and creativity.
New levels of efficiency and agility - driven by smart, connected digital technologies, products and services.
Creating adaptable and relevant workforces whose capabilities are augmented by new technologies.
Increase business agility to innovate at speed, continuously reinvent and be resilient.
Forms of disruption:


text:
Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the U.S., and the third leading cause of death, killing 137,000 Americans each year.[1]
There are two types of stroke – ischemic and hemorrhagic. Most strokes (about 85%) are ischemic strokes, in which blood flow to the brain becomes blocked either by a clot or a ruptured atherosclerotic plaque. The minority of strokes are hemorrhagic strokes, caused by the rupture of a blood vessel leading to bleeding in the brain. Ischemic stroke, similar to a heart attack, is caused by atherosclerosis, whereas hemorrhagic stroke is primarily caused by vessel damage due to years of elevated blood pressure.
A recent study has found that the consumption of red meat, at quantities similar to the average American's intake, is associated with a large increase in risk of ischemic stroke. Processed meats were also associated with ischemic stroke risk. [2]
In this study, dietary patterns of 34,670 Swedish women were recorded, and the incidence of stroke was recorded over the following 10 years. The women had no cancer or cardiovascular disease at the start of the study. Women who ate at least 3.6 ounces of red meat daily were 42% more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke, compared to those who ate less than one ounce per day. The average American eats 3 ounces of red meat daily, which in this study was associated with a 22% increase in risk. Also, women who ate 1.5 ounces or more of processed meat per day had a 24% increase in risk for ischemic stroke compared to those who ate less than 0.5 ounces per day.[3, 4]
In contrast, there is new evidence that dietary antioxidants, as measured by total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the diet are protective against ischemic stroke. Participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), with the highest vs. lowest TAC had a 59% reduction in risk. Of course the foods with the highest antioxidant capacity are the nutrient-dense plant foods like green vegetables and berries. [5]
What is the connection between red and processed meats and ischemic stroke?
Atherosclerosis. First, red meat is a calorie-dense, protein-concentrated, saturated fat-rich food with a low content of micronutrients – these characteristics promote inflammation, weight gain and increased cholesterol levels, leading to formation of atherosclerotic plaque. As such, red meat consumption is associated with increased risk of ischemic heart disease and all-cause mortality. [6-9] Since atherosclerotic heart disease and ischemic stroke are so similar, it makes sense that red meat consumption would also increase stroke risk.
Blood pressure is another potential connection. Processed meats are usually high in sodium, which contributes to elevated blood pressure, the most important risk factor for both types of stroke; elevated blood pressure accounts for 62% of strokes.[10] Although salt intake is the dietary factor most known for increasing blood pressure, red meat intake is also associated with high blood pressure. Women who consumed 3.5 servings of red meat per week were found to have a 24% increase in risk of hypertension over a ten-year follow-up period.[11] A 7-year study of middle-aged men similarly found that meat intake was associated with larger increases in blood pressure, while vegetable and fruit intake were associated with smaller increases in blood pressure over time.[12]
Heme iron present in red meat is another factor, which may raise blood pressure and increase oxidative stress. Positive associations were found between heme iron (found only in animal foods) and blood pressure, and negative associations were found between non-heme iron (found in plant foods) intake and blood pressure. [13] Also, the heme iron in red meat can accumulate and cause free radical damage, which is known to contribute to the atherosclerotic process. [14]
These studies paint a clear picture – high nutrient, high antioxidant foods like vegetables and fruit are protective against stroke, and red and processed meats – low nutrient, low antioxidant foods - increase the risk of stroke.
Dr. Fuhrman is a best-selling author and board certified family physician specializing in lifestyle and nutritional medicine. Visit his website at DrFuhrman.com.
1. U.S. Centers for Disease Control: Stroke. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/.
2. Larsson, S.C., J. Virtamo, and A. Wolk, Red meat consumption and risk of stroke in Swedish women. Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation, 2011. 42(2): p. 324-9.
3. Reuters: Red meat raises women's stroke risk: study. The Montreal Gazette.
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Loss-adjusted Food Availibility: Spreadsheets. Available from: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FoodConsumption/FoodGuideSpreadsheets.htm#meat.
5. Del Rio, D., et al., Total antioxidant capacity of the diet is associated with lower risk of ischemic stroke in a large Italian cohort. The Journal of nutrition, 2011. 141(1): p. 118-23.
6. Preis, S.R., et al., Dietary protein and risk of ischemic heart disease in middle-aged men. Am J Clin Nutr, 2010. 92(5): p. 1265-72.
7. Sinha, R., et al., Meat intake and mortality: a prospective study of over half a million people. Arch Intern Med, 2009. 169(6): p. 562-71.
8. Jakobsen, M.U., et al., Major types of dietary fat and risk of coronary heart disease: a pooled analysis of 11 cohort studies. Am J Clin Nutr, 2009. 89(5): p. 1425-32.
9. Fraser, G.E., Vegetarian diets: what do we know of their effects on common chronic diseases? The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2009. 89(5): p. 1607S-1612S.
10. He, F.J. and G.A. MacGregor, A comprehensive review on salt and health and current experience of worldwide salt reduction programmes. J Hum Hypertens, 2009. 23(6): p. 363-84.
11. Wang, L., et al., Meat intake and the risk of hypertension in middle-aged and older women. Journal of hypertension, 2008. 26(2): p. 215-22.
12. Miura, K., et al., Relation of vegetable, fruit, and meat intake to 7-year blood pressure change in middle-aged men: the Chicago Western Electric Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 2004. 159(6): p. 572-80.
13. Tzoulaki, I., et al., Relation of iron and red meat intake to blood pressure: cross sectional epidemiological study. Bmj, 2008. 337: p. a258.
14. Brewer, G.J., Iron and copper toxicity in diseases of aging, particularly atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Experimental Biology and Medicine, 2007. 232(2): p. 323-35.


text:
Can't find what you need?
Speak to one of our friendly executives by calling
4 Easy Steps To Print Online With Gogoprint
Select the product you want to order and choose formats, papers, colors, etc.
Then, select the quantity and how fast you need the products delivered
High quality at a low price!! Check our prices on the website 24 hours
We will help you through the configuration of the product
Bank Transfer Tranfer money into account (Bangkok Bank, Kasikornbank)
Credit Card Conveniently pay by credit card or Thai debit card (no extra fee)
Cash on Delivery Pay for the products on delivery (orders below 1,000฿)
Credit terms If you have high print volumes, click here to request credit terms
Upload Artwork File
Do you have an artwork file already? Great! Upload it after you complete the checkout.
Design Service
Don't have an artwork file yet? Please contact us with your design requirements for a qoute.
Delivery is always free all over Thailand! We deliver via Kerry Express & motorcycle messenger
24-Hour Production available
(1 day for production + 1 day for shipping)
Tracking code is provided both for Kerry Express & motorcycle messenger
Why Print With Us?
Traditional Printing
High Quality At Low / Transparent Prices
Instant Quotation
Free and Fast Delivery
Convenient Ordering Process
24 Hour Availability
Credit terms


text:
If you want to track potential damage from Frankenstorm in real time, or find the nearest shelters, Google has put together a fantastic crisis map for the New York City area. It's a constantly-updating record not of where the storm has gone, but of where it's likely to go based on the data that's coming in from weather satellites. On the map, you can see predictions of areas that are likely to be flooded, alongside helpful information about local shelters and medical stations.
One of the best parts of the map are the webcams, where you can see recent photos taken in areas likely to be affected by the storm. This is precisely the kind of disaster modeling that we'd hope to see more of in the future — it can help people plan where to evacuate if things get worse, and also provide people with a good way to visualize different possible outcomes depending on storm severity.
This is what it means to predict the future using science. Track the storm's future on Google's crisis map.


text:
Cradle of Filth Begin Writing 11th Studio Album
The work of the wicked is never done. Black metal extremists Cradle of Filth are hard at work on their new album: the follow up to 2012's 'The Manticore and Other Horrors.' This new album will not be rushed, though, as the English band hopes to release it in 2015.
Frontman Dani Filth checked in and offered an update on the progress of the new Cradle material, revealing that the band's recent spate of live gigs has gotten the creative juices coursing through the musicians' veins. He also suggested that the new material falls in line with classic and beloved albums in the Cradle catalog.
He posted the update on the band's Facebook page, along with a creepy cool photo of himself, and the full text is below.
Fired up from the recent spate of shows in Europe with co-headliners Behemoth, the band have decided to forego the year away from writing, and leap back into the fray with vigour anew.
The crux of three songs have already been broached and I can say the material is comparable to that of 'Dusk,' 'Cruelty' and 'Midian,' albeit with a fresher sound. I can't define it exactly as it incorporates a wide variety of styles and dark emotions as one would come to expect from a Cradle record. One thing is certain though, this next release is going to be pushing the boundaries of what the band can achieve, and with forthcoming live shows peppering the writing process, I know this album is going to be fueled by 101% metal fury!
In other CoF news, the band's 'Total F—king Darkness' demo has been remastered and will be released on May 5. It will include rare bonus material, as well. To order the double vinyl gatefold which has been limited to, appropriately, 666 copies worldwide, go here. The order the CD version, go here.


text:
Alafair Biosciences, Inc.( Alafair) is a medical equipment company. It develops cross-linked polysaccharide hydrogel films to address the post-surgical complication of unwanted soft tissue attachments or tethering between opposing tissue surface. Alafairs initial product is a film that shows superior handling and mechanical properties. Its follow-on product pipeline includes membrane, bilayer, and injectable gel solutions for applications in scar prevention, wound care, and tissue reconstruction. The company has a sponsored research agreement with the university of Texas and has acquired world-wide exclusive rights to the hydrogel platform technology from the university for all fields of use. The company is headquartered at Austin, Texas, the US.
Reasons to Buy
- To Buy a Copy Of This Report: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis-details/alafair-biosciences-inc-product-pipeline-analysis
This report is a source for data, analysis and actionable intelligence on the Alafair Biosciences, Inc. portfolio of pipeline products. The report provides detailed analysis on each pipeline product with information on the indication, the development stage, trial phase, product milestones, pipeline territory, estimated approval date, and estimated launch date
Each pipeline product is profiled to cover information on product description, function, technology, indication, and application. The report is also supplemented with a detailed company profile and information on clinical trials, wherever applicable.
This report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis by GlobalDatas team of industry experts.
Each pipeline product is profiled to cover information on product description, function, technology, indication, and application. The report is also supplemented with a detailed company profile and information on clinical trials, wherever applicable.
This report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis by GlobalDatas team of industry experts.
- For All Reports Kindly Visit: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/
- Scope
- Detailed company profile with information on business description, key company facts, major products and services, key competitors, key employees, locations and subsidiaries and recent developments.
- Detailed coverage on all the pipeline products, by equipment type, by therapy area, by development stage, and by trial phase.
- Information on product milestones and pipeline territory for each product, the estimated approval date, and estimated launch date.
- Profile of each pipeline product with additional information on product description, function, technology, indication(s), and application.
- Data on relevant clinical trials and product patent details, wherever applicable.
- Information on clinical trial, wherever applicable, is supplemented with information on trial phase, trial status, trial objective, trial design, target patients, unique physician identifier, primary point, secondary point, acronym, participants inclusion, participants exclusion, interventions, trial results, trial start date, trial end date, study type, trial site, trial funding, age eligibility, and gender eligibility.
Reasons to Buy
- Develop business strategies by understanding the trends and developments driving the medical devices pipeline and technology landscape globally.
- Design and develop your product development, marketing and sales strategies.
- Exploit M&A opportunities by identifying market players with the most innovative pipeline.
- Develop market-entry and market expansion strategies.
- Exploit in-licensing and out-licensing opportunities by identifying products, most likely to ensure a robust return.
- Identify emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter-strategies to gain competitive advantage.
- Develop competition strategies by identifying the status and likely launch of your competitors pipeline products through review of the clinical trials, stage and phase of development, etc.- Which are the next high-value products that your competitor would add in its portfolio? identify, understand and capitalize.
- To Read The Complete Report with TOC: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/157981


text:
I did my civic duty of voting today. It was not thrilling or even mildly exciting, but it was important. I knew years ago who I was voting for today for the national races. The local stuff is always the ones that I have to wait until the last-minute to decide who or what to vote for. Most of the time I will just vote along the party lines, but every now and then I want to shake things up. This year I voted for the "write in" on three different races.
In SC, the national race always goes for the Republicans. My vote means very little there. But I think the real way to make a difference is on the local positions. Often one or two votes decides who will fill some of these positions. Because many of these people are locals, you can actually vote for someone who you know and not just from a campaign ad or what the media says about someone. But in three of these I did not know the person, and there was only one person in these, so I used the "write in"
I did not know the person on the ticket for one of the county council seats. I had not seen a sign nor an ad, so in this one I wrote in my youth pastor. I think that he would do a fine job. If you ask him, he would tell you that he does not have a clue about what this position does, so I figure that he is perfect for the job and will fit in nicely with the others who don't have a clue.
I did not know the person running for the water and sewage person. I am not sure why this is an elected position and I don't remember the actual title of the position, so I wrote in my youth pastor's wife. She would be the first to tell you that she has to put up with a bunch of crap, so I think that she will do a fine job. Between the two of them, I am confident that my little portion of our country will rapidly start improving.
The last position that I used the "write in" for was a school board position. Again I saw no sign nor ad for the only person on the ballot so I wrote in my wife. As I have said before, she loves kids and can't seem to get enough of them around her. She thinks that she knows everything, and she will be the first to tell you that, so a position in the education part of politics is perfect for her. I know that once these guys read this and especially if any of them get elected, that they will thank me later.
Yes, the American political system is working well in my precinct. I can't wait to see the results of this year's voting. I hope that my wife and my friends serve us well and if they don't, I can't wait until next election to vote the bums out of office!


text:
TYLER PERRY's "For COLORED GIRLS" The MOVIE!
October 19th, 2010 | By QGODFEAR
Tyler Perry has been at it again! Going by this Movie Trailer below "For COLORED GIRLS" is sure to be another Box Office Smash. This Movie features: Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Macy Gray, Thandie Newton, Anika Nonie Rose, Kimberly Elise, and Kerry Washington. This film is based on the Award Winning Play, "FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE, WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF". Tyler Perry has mastered the art of capturing the female audience as where the ladies are the Men are sure to follow! "For COLORED GIRLS" is Coming to a theatre near you November 2010
Tags: Anika Nonie Rose, For Colored Girls Movie, Janet Jackson, Kerry Washington, Kimberly Elise, Loretta Devine, Macy Gray, Phylicia Rashad, Thandie Newton, Tyler Perry, Whoopi Goldberg
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments: 1 Comment »
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments: 1 Comment »


text:
Discover a whole new way to train with the Century Versys V.SPAR.1 Spar Simulator. Get an in depth look at this groundbreaking bag at: www.CenturyVersys.com.The Versys V.SPAR.1, a versatile simulator designed specifically for youth, is ideal for inspiring physical activity including aerobic conditioning, endurance, speed, and technique training.The size and weight of V.SPAR.1 provides youth a large striking surface while still small enough to pick up, toss, and take down. It can also be used as a tool to enhance young athletes coordination and development, thus opening new doors to exploration, learning, and creative expression. The V.SPAR.1 is a fun and healthy way to keep youth active and in shape.BENEFITS:-Engineered for youth: unlike most freestanding bags, children have a limited reach when performing kicking drills due to the large base and overall size of most freestanding bags-Practice a full range of combination strikes including low/high punches and kicks, knees, and elbows-Training versatility: stand up sparring, take down, and ground workouts-Natural rebounding properties provide low impact even when practicing maximum force strikes and kicks-Convenient to move and easy to storeFEATURES:-Top handles enable knee strikes-Durable heavy duty vinyl construction-Constructed of durable polyurethane/high-impact foam-Requires no hanging fixtures, bag stands, or permanent installation-Easy to assemble, move, and store after training-Pre-filled base requires no additional water or sand filling-One-year replacement warranty on all Versys Fight Simulators**Some assembly requiredUSA/ImportedSize: Bag-11 DIA.; Bas- 14 DIA; Total Height: 48 TALLWeight: Approx. 40 LBSColor: Black/Red**For details, visit www.CenturyMartialArts.com/warrantyWARRANTY INFORMATION:Warning: These products are sold for use in high risk activities. Before using this product, read all information.
Write an Online Review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Give us a call
(240) 375-1688
For questions or to report
technical difficulties, contact


text:
Answers about Bank Errors
Select from the following questions about bank errors, correcting errors, and reporting errors.
- My checking account statement contains an error due to an electronic funds transfer (debit card / ACH / preauthorized withdrawal)? What should I do?
- How long can the bank take to correct an electronic funds transfer (EFT) error and credit the checking account?
- I filed a claim with the bank regarding an electronic fund transfer (EFT) error that happened five days ago. The bank has not responded. What can I do?
- What can I do about a check that was encoded incorrectly?
- I wrote a check for $89 but incorrectly wrote out the amount as "eight-hundred and ninety dollars." The bank paid it as $890. Shouldn't the bank have paid according to the numeric amount?
- I wrote a check for $300, but the bank posted it as $3,000. The bank told me to get the money from the other party. Is this correct?
- My bank owes a refund/reimbursement to my checking/savings account. How long does the bank have to reimburse these funds?
- A deposit was credited to my account by mistake. Does the bank have to get my permission before removing the funds?
- A deposit was credited to my account by mistake. Can the bank freeze the account?
- I made a deposit by check/cash and received a receipt, but the bank says that its records do not reflect the deposit. Since I have a receipt, doesn't the bank have to credit my account?
- The bank paid a check from my account that was for the wrong amount. The bank stated that I waited too long to report the loss. How long is too long?


text:
Independent expert reports has been saved
Independent expert reports
An Independent Expert's Report (IER) provides impartial and credible advice to investors and is commissioned by a company's board for the purpose of an independent assessment of a transaction to assist shareholders in assessing whether or not to approve a transaction.
The opinion provided is typically whether the transaction contemplated is fair and reasonable to shareholders. For transaction undertaken pursuant to a scheme of arrangement (and in certain other circumstances) the expert is required to opine whether the transaction contemplated is in the best interests of shareholders.
Explore Content
An IER is often commissioned in accordance with the requirement of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Listing Rules, the provisions within the Corporations Act or Regulatory Guides issued by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). In addition, company boards may voluntarily commission an IER to provide shareholders with an independent opinion regarding a potential transaction.
Typically an IER is structured such that it contains:
- A summary of the proposed transaction
- A description of the purpose and objectives of the report, including a discussion of the basis for providing an opinion
- An analysis of the businesses involved
- A description of the industries in which those businesses operate
- Detailed analysis of the proposed transaction, usually including a valuation of one or more entities
- An opinion as to whether the contemplated transaction is fair and reasonable or in the best interest of investors as a whole.
We have extensive experience in the preparation of IERs across a broad range of industries and transaction types including takeovers, mergers, schemes of arrangement and other corporate actions for some of the largest transaction in Australia.


text:
Last Sunday, Percy and Connie Emert of the lamentably named Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania discovered a purple squirrel in their backyard.
The couple found the fuchsia beast in a squirrel trap that they'd left out to prevent the rodents from stealing food from bird feeders. To glean further insight on this animal's odd hue, Accuweather interviewed a "local squirrel enthusiast" about this catch:
If it has white hair on it at all, it's probably not dyed. I've had multiple squirrels as pets, though, and I've certainly never seen a purple one. I've seen dark red, light red, gray and brown, but never purple. Also, I've tried to dye my dog before, and trust me it didn't look like this. Though, I've only seen a picture, so your guess is as good as mine.
Let's table the fact that a man tried to dye his dog purple and instead silently ponder how one qualifies for the honorific of "local squirrel enthusiast."
The Emerts claim to have released the purprrel back into the wild, thereby bringing this saga to a thrilling anticlimax. Hat tip to Ian.


text:
Home : All Designs : For Couples : Spanish Boyfriend Funny Couples : Personalized Women's Tank Top - White
Spanish Boyfriend couples matching Valentine's Day Women's Tank Tops has phrase that says I love my crazy Spanish Boyfriend.
Design First Loaded: 2015-01-14 16:25:19
White, Black, Hot Pink Womens 5.5 oz. Cotton Tank Top 5.5 oz., 100% combed, ringspun, heavyweight cotton tank. wide straps, quarter inch binding on neck and armhole. side seamed. Available in adult sizes Small, Medium, Large, XL, 2X . Lilac Womens Baby Rib Tank top is5.8 oz., 100% combed ringspun cotton
Side seamed for a fashionable custom contoured fit.
Three-eighths inch self binding on armholes and neckline


text:
PS4: The Dark Sorcerer "the minimum quality you can get on the console"
Quantic Dream's stunning PlayStation 4 demo The Dark Sorcerer is just the beginning of unlocking the hardware's potential, according to David Cage.
Speaking with TechRadar, Cage said the PS4's potential is still being unlocked; The Dark Sorcerer is just the start.
"This is basically Beyond's engine, and we were so excited with what we could achieve. Some people were really impressed with the Dark Sorcerer but this is just the beginning, it's the minimum quality you can get on the console," he said.
"It was done with a very small team, a very small amount of time and small resources. Now we have a full team and we hope to make something really impressive."
Quantic Dream's new PS4 project has been in the works since mid-2012 and although Sony boss Shuhei Yoshida wasn't super impressed with Beyond: Two Souls he's excited for the new game. We think it might be called Singularity but then again we had a lot of crazy theories before Beyond was revealed, too.
The PS4 launches in November. Since developers are still squeezing more power out of the PS3 we can expect the new hardware to really hit its stride in about 45,000 AD.
Thanks, NeoGAF.


text:
Isak Dinesen
The Art of Fiction
The Paris Review
No. 14
Inteviewed by Eugene Walter
It was, in a sense, typecasting, when a few years ago a film was planned that would have shown us Garbo playing the role of Isak Dinesen in a screen version of Out of Africa . . . for the writer is, like the actress, a Mysterious Creature of the North. Isak Dinesen is really the Danish Baroness Karen Christentze Blixen-Finecke and is the daughter of Wilhelm Dinesen, author of a classic nineteenth-century work, Boganis' Jagtbreve (Letters from the Hunt). Baroness Blixen has published under different names in various countries: usually Isak Dinesen, but also Tania Blixen and Karen Blixen. Old friends call her Tanne, Tanya, and Tania. Then there is a delightful novel she preferred not to acknowledge for a while, though any reader with half an eye could guess the baroness hiding behind the second pseudonym, Pierre Andrézel. Literary circles have buzzed with legends about her: She is really a man, he is really a woman, "Isak Dinesen" is really a brother-and-sister collaboration, "Isak Dinesen" came to America in the 1870s, she is really a Parisienne, he lives at Elsinore, she stays mostly in London, she is a nun, he is very hospitable and receives young writers, she is difficult to see and lives a recluse, she writes in French; no, in English; no, in Danish; she is really—and so the buzzing never stopped.
In 1934 the house of Haas & Smith (later absorbed by Random House) brought out a book called Seven Gothic Tales which Mr. Haas had accepted on first reading. It became a best-seller. A favorite among writers and painters, the book was discussed from first appearance as of some permanence.
Outside the canon of modern literature, like an oriole outside a cage of moulting linnets, "Isak Dinesen" offers to her readers the unending satisfaction of the tale told: "And then what happened? . . . Well, then . . ." Her storyteller's, or ballad maker's, instinct, coupled with an individual style of well-ornamented clarity, led Hemingway, accepting the Nobel Prize, to protest it should have gone to Dinesen.
Rome, Early Summer, 1956. The first dialogue takes place in a sidewalk restaurant in the Piazza Navona, that long space, once flooded, where mock naval battles raged. The twilight is darkening the sky to an iris color; against it the obelisk that stands amidst Bernini's figures seems pale and weightless. At a café table sit Baroness Blixen, her secretary-traveling companion, Clara Svendsen, and the Interviewer. The Baroness is like a personage from one of her own tales. Slim, straight, chic, she is dressed in black, with long black gloves and a black Parisian hat that comes forward to shadow her remarkable eyes that are lighter in color at the top than at the bottom. Her face is slender and distinguished; around her mouth and eyes play the faint ghosts of smiles, changing constantly. Her voice is pleasing, being soft but with enough force and timbre for one to hear at once that this is a lady with opinions of both grave profundity and of most enchanting frivolity. Her companion, Miss Svendsen, is a fresh-faced young person with a charming smile.
Interview? Oh, dear . . . . Well, yes, I suppose so . . . but not a list of questions or a third degree, I hope. . . . . I was interviewed a short time ago . . . . Terrible . . . .
Yes, there was a man who came for a documentary film . . . . It was like a catechism lesson . . . .
Couldn't we just talk together as we've been doing, you could write down what you like?
Yes, then you could scratch out some things and scribble in others.
Yes. I ought not to undertake too much. I've been ill for over a year and in a nursing home. I really thought I should die. I planned to die, that is, I made preparations. I expected to.
The doctor in Copenhagen told me: "Tania Blixen is very clever, but the cleverest thing she's ever done is to survive these two operations."
I even planned a last radio talk . . . . I have made a number of radio talks on all kinds of subjects, in Denmark . . . . They seem to enjoy me as a radio speaker there . . . . I planned a talk on how easy it was to die . . . . Not a morbid message, I don't mean that, but a message of, well, cheer . . . that it was a great and lovely experience to die. But I was too ill, you know, to get it done. Now, after being so long in the nursing home and so ill, I don't feel I do really belong to this life. I am hovering like a seagull. I feel that the world is happy and splendid and goes on but that I'm not part of it. I've come to Rome to try and get into the world again. Oh, look at the sky now!
Do you know Rome well? How long since you've been here?
A few years ago, when I had an audience with the Pope. I first came in 1912 as a young girl, staying with my cousin and best friend, who was married to our Danish ambassador to Rome. We rode in the Borghese Gardens then, every day. There were carriages with all the great beauties of the day in them, and one stopped and chatted. It was delightful. Now look at these motors and motor-bicycles and noise and rushing about. It's what the young today want, though: Speed is the greatest thing for them. But when I think of riding my horse—I always had a horse when I was a girl—I feel that something very precious is lost to them today. Children of my day lived differently. We had little in the way of toys, even in great houses. Modern mechanical playthings, which furnish their own motion, had hardly come into existence. We had simpler toys and had to animate them. My love of marionettes springs from this, I think. I've tried my hand at writing marionette plays. One might, of course, buy a hobbyhorse, but we loved better a knotted stick personally chosen in the woods, which our imagination could turn into Bucephalus or Pegasus. Unlike children of today, who are content from birth to be observers . . . we were creators. Young people today are not acquainted with the elements or in touch with them. Everything is mechanical and urban: Children are raised up without knowing live fire, living water, the earth. Young people want to break with the past, they hate the past, they don't want to even hear of it, and one can partly understand it. The near past to them is nothing but a long history of wars, which to them is without interest. It may be the end of something, of a kind of civilization.
But loathe leads to love: They may be led in a circle back to a tradition. I should be frightened of indifference more.
Perhaps. And I myself, you know, I should like to love what they love. Now, I love jazz. I think it's the only new thing in music in my lifetime. I don't prefer it to the old music, but I enjoy it very much.
Much of your work seems to belong to the last century. For instance, The Angelic Avengers.
DINESEN (laughing)
Oh, that's my illegitimate child! During the German occupation of Denmark I thought I should go mad with boredom and dullness. I wanted so to be amused, to amuse myself, and besides I was short of money, so I went to my publisher in Copenhagen and said, Look here, will you give me an advance on a novel and send me a stenographer to dictate it to? They said they would, and she appeared, and I started dictating. I had no idea at all of what the story would be about when I began. I added a little every day, improvising. It was very baffling to the poor stenographer.
Yes, she was used to business letters, and when she'd type the story from her shorthand notes, she'd put numbers sometimes like "the 2 terrified girls" or "his 1 love."
I'd start one day by saying, "Then Mr. So-and-so entered the room," and the stenographer would cry out, "Oh dear, but he can't! He died yesterday in Chapter Seventeen." No, I prefer to keep The Angelic Avengers my secret.
I loved it, and I remember it had excellent notices. Did many people guess that you had written it?
A few.
And what about Winter's Tales? That came out in the midst of the war—how did you get the book to America?
I went to Stockholm—not in itself an easy thing to accomplish—and what was even more difficult took the manuscript with me. I went to the American embassy and asked them if they didn't have planes going to the United States every day, and if they couldn't take the manuscript, but they said they only carried strictly political or diplomatic papers, so I went to the British embassy and asked them, and they asked could I supply references in England, and I could (I had many friends in the cabinet, among them Anthony Eden), so they cabled to check this, then said yes they could, which started the manuscript on its way to America.
I'm ashamed of the American embassy. They surely could have taken it.
Oh, don't be too hard on them. I owe a lot to my American public. Anyway, with the manuscript I sent a letter to my American publishers just telling them that everything was in their hands, and that I couldn't communicate with them at all, and I never knew anything of how Winter's Tales was received until after the war ended, when suddenly I received dozens of charming letters from American soldiers and sailors all over the world: The book had been put into Armed Forces Editions—little paper books to fit a soldier's pocket. I was very touched. They sent me two copies of it; I gave one to the King of Denmark and he was pleased to see that, after all, some voice had spoken from his silent country during that dark time.
And you were saying about your American public?
Yes, I shall never forget that they took me in at once. When I came back from Africa in 1931, after living there since 1914, I had lost all the money I had when I married because the coffee plantation didn't pay, you know; I asked my brother to finance me for two years while I prepared Seven Gothic Tales, and I told him that at the end of two years I'd be on my own. When the manuscript was ready, I went to England, and one day at luncheon there was the publisher Huntington, and I said, "Please, I have a manuscript and I wish you'd look at it." He said, "What is it?" and when I replied, "A book of short stories," he threw up his hands and cried, "No!" and I begged, "Won't you even look at it?" and he said, "A book of short stories by an unknown writer? No hope!" Then I sent it to America, and it was taken right away by Robert Haas, who published it, and the general public took it and liked it, and they have always been faithful. No, thank you, no more coffee. I'll have a cigarette.
Publishers everywhere are boneheaded. It's the traditional lament of the author.
The amusing thing is that after the book was published in America, Huntington wrote to Robert Haas praising it and begging for the address of the author, saying he must have the book for England. He had met me as Baroness Blixen, while Mr. Haas and I had never seen one another. Huntington never connected me with Isak Dinesen. Later he did publish the book in England.
That's delightful; it's like something from one of the tales.
How lovely to sit here in the open, but we must be going, I think. Shall we continue our discussion on Sunday? I should like to see the Etruscan things at the Villa Giulia: We might chat a little then. Oh, look at the moon!
Splendid. I'll find a taxi.
Rainy, warm Sunday noon. The Etruscan Collection in the Villa Giulia is not too crowded because of the weather. The Baroness Blixen is now attired in a suit of reddish brown wool and a conical ochre-colored straw hat that again shadows her extraordinary eyes. As she strolls through the newly arranged Etruscan figures, pottery, and jewelry, she seems as remote as they from the ordinary gallery goers who are pattering through. She walks slowly, very erect, stopping to gaze lingeringly at those details that please her.
How could they get that blue, do you suppose? Powdered lazuli? Look at that pig! In the north we give a great mythological importance to the pig. He's a kind of minion of the sun. I suppose because his sweet fat helps to keep us warm in the darkest and coldest time. Very intelligent animal . . . . I love all animals. I have a huge dog in Denmark, an Alsatian; he's enormous. I take him walking. If I survive him, I think I shall get a very small dog—a pug. Though I wonder if it's possible to get a pug now. They used to be very fashionable. Look at the lions on that sarcophagus. How could the Etruscans have known the lion? In Africa it was the animal that I loved the most.
You must have known Africa at its best. What made you decide to go?
When I was a young girl, it was very far from my thoughts to go to Africa, nor did I dream then that an African farm should be the place in which I should be perfectly happy. That goes to prove that God has a greater and finer power of imagination than we have. But at the time when I was engaged to be married to my cousin Bror Blixen, an uncle of ours went out to Africa big-game hunting and came back all filled with praise of the country. Theodore Roosevelt had been hunting there then, too; East Africa was in the news. So Bror and I made up our minds to try our luck there, and our relations on both sides financed us in buying the farm, which was in the highlands of Kenya, not far from Nairobi. The first day I arrived there, I loved the country and felt at home, even among unfamiliar flowers, trees, and animals, and changing clouds over the Ngong hills, unlike any clouds I had ever known. East Africa then was really a paradise, what the Red Indians called "happy hunting grounds." I was very keen on shooting in my young days, but my great interest all through my many years in Africa was the African natives of all tribes, in particular the Somali and the Masai. They were beautiful, noble, fearless, and wise people. Life was not easy running a coffee plantation. Ten thousand acres of farmland, and locusts and drought . . . and too late we realized that the table land where we were located was really too high for raising coffee successfully. Life out there was, I believe, rather like eighteenth-century England: one might often be hard up for cash, but life was still rich in many ways, with the lovely landscape, dozens of horses and dogs, and a multitude of servants.
I suppose that you began to write seriously there?
No, I really began writing before I went to Africa, but I never once wanted to be a writer. I published a few short stories in literary reviews in Denmark when I was twenty years old, and the reviews encouraged me, but I didn't go on—I don't know, I think I had an intuitive fear of being trapped. Also, when I was quite young, for a while I studied painting at the Danish Royal Academy of Fine Arts; then I went to Paris in 1910 to study with Simon and Menard, but (she chuckles) . . . but I did little work. The impact of Paris was too great; I felt it was more important to go about and see pictures, to see Paris, in fact. I painted a little in Africa, portraits of the natives mostly, but every time I'd get to work, someone would come up and say an ox has died or something, and I'd have to go out in the fields. Later, when I knew in my heart I should have to sell the farm and go back to Denmark, I did begin to write. To put my mind to other things I began to write tales. Two of the Gothic Tales were written there. But earlier, I learned how to tell tales. For, you see, I had the perfect audience. White people can no longer listen to a tale recited. They fidget or become drowsy. But the natives have an ear still. I told stories constantly to them, all kinds. And all kinds of nonsense. I'd say, "Once there was a man who had an elephant with two heads . . . " and at once they were eager to hear more. "Oh? Yes, but Memsahib, how did he find it, and how did he manage to feed it?" or whatever. They loved such invention. I delighted my people there by speaking in rhyme for them; they have no rhyme, you know, had never discovered it. I'd say things like "Wakamba na kula mamba" ("The Wakamba tribe eats snakes"), which in prose would have infuriated them, but which amused them mightily in rhyme. Afterwards they'd say, "Please, Memsahib, talk like rain," so then I knew they had liked it, for rain was very precious to us there. Oh, here's Miss Svendsen. She's Catholic, so she went off today to hear a special cardinal. Now we'll go buy some postcards. Hope there is one of the lions.
Good morning.
Clara, you must see the delightful lions; then we'll get some postcards and go for lunch.
Postcards are found, a taxi is summoned, umbrellas opened, the party runs for taxi, drives off through the rainy Borghese Gardens.
The Casino Valadier is a fashionable restaurant in the Gardens, just above the Piazza del Popolo, and commands a fine view of Rome. After a brief glimpse of the rain-grayed city from the flooded terrace, the party goes into a brocaded room, with considerately shaded girandoles, brightly colored carpets, and pictures.
I'll sit here so I can see everything.
(Lights cigarette.)
Pleasant place, isn't it?
Yes, very pleasant, and I recognize it. I was here in 1912. Every now and again here in Rome I recognize very vividly a place I've visited then. (Pause.) Oh, I shall go mad!
INTERVIEWER (startled)
What is it?
Look how crooked that picture is!
(Indicates blackened portrait across room.)
I'll straighten it.
(Goes to it.)
No, more to the right.
Like this?
That's better.
(Two solemn gentlemen at table beneath portrait indicate bewilderment.)
It's like that at home. So much traffic passes, and I have always to straighten the pictures.
I live on the North Sea, halfway between Copenhagen and Elsinore.
Perhaps halfway between Shiraz and Atlantis?
. . . Halfway between that island in The Tempest and wherever I am.
(Waiter takes order; luncheon is served.)
I'll have a cigarette now. Do you mind if we just stay here for a while? I hate to change once I'm installed in a décor I like. People are always telling me to hurry up or come on and do this or do that. Once when I was sailing around the Cape of Good Hope and there were albatrosses, people kept saying, "Why do you stay on deck? Come on in." They said, "It's time for lunch," and I said, "Damn lunch." I said, "I can eat lunch any day, but I shan't see albatrosses again." Such wingspread!
Tell me about your father.
He was in the French army, as was my grandfather. After the Franco-Prussian War, he went to America and lived with the Plains Indians in the great middle part of your country. He built himself a little hut and named it after a place in Denmark where he had been very happy as a young man—Frydenlund ("Happy Grove"). He hunted animals for their skins and became a fur trader. He sold his skins mostly to the Indians, then used his profits to buy them gifts. A little community grew up around him, and now Frydenlund is, I believe, the name of a locality in the state of Wisconsin. When he returned to Denmark, he wrote his books. So you see, it was natural for me, his daughter, to go off to Africa and live with the natives and after return home to write about it. He also, incidentally, wrote a volume of his war experiences called Paris Under the Commune.
And how is it that you write in English?
It was quite natural to do so. I was partly schooled in England after being taught always by governesses at home. Because of that, I lack knowledge of plain facts which are common coinage for others. But those governesses were ambitious: They did teach languages, and one of them put me to translating The Lady of the Lake into Danish. Then, in Africa, I had been seeing only English people, really. I had spoken English or Swahili for twenty years. And I read the English poets and English novelists. I prefer the older writers, but I remember when I first read Huxley's Chrome Yellow, it was like biting into an unknown and refreshing fruit.
Most of your tales are laid in the last century, aren't they? You never write about modern times.
I do, if you consider that the time of our grandparents, that just-out-of-reach time, is so much a part of us. We absorb so much without being aware. Also, I write about characters who together are the tale. I begin, you see, with a flavor of the tale. Then I find the characters, and they take over. They make the design, I simply permit them their liberty. Now, in modern life and in modern fiction there is a kind of atmosphere and above all an interior movement—inside the characters—which is something else again. I feel that in life and in art people have drawn a little apart in this century. Solitude is now the universal theme. But I write about characters within a design, how they act upon one another. Relation with others is important to me, you see, friendship is precious to me, and I have been blessed with heroic friendships. But time in my tales is flexible. I may begin in the eighteenth century and come right up to World War I. Those times have been sorted out, they are clearly visible. Besides, so many novels that we think are contemporary in subject with their date of publication—think of Dickens or Faulkner or Tolstoy or Turgenev—are really set in an earlier period, a generation or so back. The present is always unsettled, no one has had time to contemplate it in tranquillity . . . . I was a painter before I was a writer . . . and a painter never wants the subject right under his nose; he wants to stand back and study a landscape with half-closed eyes.
Have you written poetry?
I did as a young girl.
What is your favorite fruit?
Do you like monkeys?
Yes, I love them in art: In pictures, in stories, in porcelain, but in life they somehow look so sad. They make me nervous. I like lions and gazelles.
Now we are on the parapets of the central tower of the Castle of Sermonetta, perched on a hill amidst a clustering town, about an hour and a half south of Rome. We have crossed a moated drawbridge, climbed a rickety ladder-stair. We have seen remains of fourteenth-century frescoes, and in the tower stronghold seen scrawled phrases and drawings on the wall, fresh as new, from when Napoleonic soldiers were incarcerated here. Now the party comes out, shading their eyes. Below, the Pontine plain stretches green and gold to the sea, bathed in bright afternoon sunlight. We can see tiny figures miles below working amidst the bean fields and the peach orchards.
I think it is curious that practically no critic nor reviewer in either America or England has pointed out the great comic element in your works. I hope we might speak a little of the comic spirit in your tales.
Oh, I'm glad you mentioned that! People are always asking me what is the significance of this or that in the tales—"What does this symbolize? What does that stand for?" And I always have a difficult time making them believe that I intend everything as it's stated. It would be terrible if the explanation of the work were outside the work itself. And I do often intend a comic sense, I love a joke, I love the humorous. The name Isak means "laughter." I often think that what we most need now is a great humorist.
What humorists in the English language please you?
Well, Mark Twain, for example. But then all the writers I admire usually have a vein of comic spirit. Writers of tales always do, at least.
Who are writers of tales that appeal to you, or with whom you feel a kinship?
E.T.A. Hoffman, Hans Andersen, Barbey d'Aurevilly, La Motte Fouqué, Chamisso, Turgenev, Hemingway, Maupassant, Stendhal, Chekhov, Conrad, Voltaire . . .
Don't forget Melville! She calls me Babu after the character in Benito Cereno, when she doesn't refer to me as Sancho Panza.
Heavens, you've read them all!
I am really three thousand years old and have dined with Socrates.
(laughing and lighting a cigarette). Because I was never told what I must read or what I mustn't read, I did read everything that fell into my hands. I discovered Shakespeare very early in life, and now I feel that life would be nothing without him. One of my new stories is about a company of actors playing The Tempest, incidentally. I love some of the Victorian novelists no one reads anymore: Walter Scott, for instance. Oh, and I like Melville very much, and the Odyssey, the Norse sagas—Have you read the Norse sagas? I love Racine, too.
I remember your observation on the Norse mythology in one of the Winter's Tales.* It's very interesting to me, incidentally, how you have chosen the tale for your form.
It came naturally to me. My literary friends at home tell me that the heart of my work is not in the idea but in the line of the tale. Something you can tell, like one can tell Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves but one could not tell Anna Karenina.
I should be most interested to know a little of how you work; for instance, how such a tale as The Deluge at Norderney took shape. It seems so ordered and inevitable, yet on study one is amazed at the design, of the tales-within-the-tale.
(Smiling mischievously). Read it, read it, and you'll see how it's written.
For epilogue here, let's append a passage from the Baroness Blixen's Albondocani, a long series of connected tales still unfinished at the time of the author's death in 1962. This excerpt is from "The Blank Page," published in Last Tales (1957). An old woman who earns her living by storytelling is speaking:
"With my grandmother," she said, "I went through a hard school. 'Be loyal to the story,' the old hag would say to me, 'Be eternally and unswervingly loyal to the story.' 'Why must I be that, Grandmother?'' I asked her. 'Am I to furnish you with reasons, baggage?' she cried. 'And you mean to be a story-teller! Why, you are to become a story-teller, and I shall give you the reasons! Hear then: Where the story-teller is loyal, eternally and unswervingly loyal to the story, there, in the end, silence will speak. Where the story has been betrayed, silence is but emptiness. But we, the faithful, when we have spoken our last word, will hear the voice of silence. Whether a small snotty lass understands it or not.'
"Who then," she continues, "tells a finer tale than any of us? Silence does. And where does one read a deeper tale than upon the most perfectly printed page of the most precious book? Upon the blank page. When a royal, and gallant pen, in the moment of its highest inspiration, has written down its tale with the rarest ink of all—where, then, may one read a still deeper, sweeter, merrier, and more cruel tale than that? Upon the blank page.
*"And I have wondered, while I read," says the young nobleman in "Sorrow-Acre," "that we have not till now understood how much our Nordic mythology in moral greatness surpasses that of Greece and Rome. If it had not been for the physical beauty of the ancient gods, which has come down to us in marble, no modern mind could hold them worthy of worship. They were mean, capricious and treacherous. The gods of our Danish forefathers are as much more divine than they as the Druid is nobler than the Augur."