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Saturday, July 24, 2010
What Worked?--Revisiting Childhood Favorites: Tatsinda
Tatsinda is a middle grade fantasy by Elizabeth Enright, published in 1963. I still have my childhood copy with the enchanting illustrations by Irene Haas--pen and ink drawings, rich with texture and crosshatching. It was reissued in 1991 with new illustrations by Katie Thamer Treherne.
This is not what I expected to say ... but honestly, as I reread Tatsinda, there are some things that just don't work for me any more:
• It starts out slo-o-o-ow. Lots of description and back story. I probably skipped a lot of it. At eight, I was not a fan of long descriptive passages (confession: I'm still not).
• There's a distant, grown-up narrative style. Lots of telling. I don't mind this too much--but I hope we get to some action and dialogue soon.
• For some reason, Enright gave all the characters names that began with TA. This is considered a no-no today, and for good reason. I was forever having to check back--was Tagador the king and Tataspan the queen?--or was it the other way 'round?
• The problem that starts the book isn't something kids are likely to relate to. Tatsinda's foster mother is obsessed with the fact that she and her husband are getting older. Nobody's going to marry Tatsinda with that weird hair; someday she might be lonely. This is not Tatsinda's problem. She's only ten.
Okay, right now, I'm not too impressed with my child-self's taste in literature. Why did I like it? Maybe it was because…
• The lyrical fairy-tale quality of the story is appealing.
• I love Irene Haas' evocative illustrations.
• It's got exotic animals! The small racing tidwell that looks like a squirrel and purrs like a kitten. The "shy, wiry timbertock that skipped along the treetops". The graceful timtik ("…every Tatran child had a timtik to ride to school on. Some of them had two."). Man, I wanted a timtik to ride to school!
• Tatsinda is an interesting heroine. The Tatrajanni have "glittering white hair like snow crystals" and "cool, greenish-blue eyes"--but not foster child Tatsinda. With her golden hair and brown eyes, she is considered a freak. But she's really excellent at weaving totles (the luxurious rugs with which Tatrajanni cover their floors). This is classic--a protagonist who is somehow different, set apart from the others, but has a unique talent.
The Story:
Tatsinda wonders why Tanda-nan, the wise woman, lives in a bare cave with no totle--so she weaves her one. Tanda-nan is so touched, she promises her the gift of a little magic some day. This little scene is masterful: by showing Tatsinda performing an act of kindness without thought of personal gain, Enright instantly engages the reader's sympathy. The book doesn't devote much space to characterization, but what is there is spot-on.
There are giants outside the kingdom. There's also a visiting owl--a cranky one, named Skoodoon. He broke his wing, so he's got to stay in Tatrajan until it mends. A whole chapter about giants and Skoodoon. Not a word about Tatsinda!
Yikes--eight years passed while we were reading about giants! Suddenly, Tatsinda's eighteen. Her parents are dead. She loves Prince Tackatan, but he's betrothed to someone else. Tanda-nan gives her a spell--she's to make the prince a totle for his 18th birthday, weaving in three hairs from her own head. At the party, along comes a giant. He grabs Tatsinda, wanting to take her to his niece as a "lively dolly". As he carries her off, Prince Tackatan shouts, 'I will find a way to save you!"
Tanda-nan gives the prince magic powder… if he sprinkles it around the giant, it will turn him into music. But, oops--the owl gets turned into music instead, and that was the last of the magic. The prince and Tatsinda (who is tethered nearby) decide to weave a net to ensnare the giant.
After the giant is dealt with, Prince Tackatan asks Tatsinda to marry him--he's always loved her. And then he opens his birthday presents. Cool--he loved her even without the magic! They marry, and three of their kids are white-haired and blue-green-eyed, and three are golden-haired and brown-eyed.
My Kids Weigh In:
My oldest son (23), saw me holding Tatsinda and said, "Oh, that's a good one."
I asked him what he remembered and why he liked it. Amazingly, he could retell practically the whole story. He thinks the appeal lies in the unique world-building--they're up in this mountain kingdom, isolated, and giants are outside the mist. It gives it a feeling of space; a sense of dreamlike unreality. I can see his point, I think--he reads a lot of sci fi and fantasy, and the kingdom of Tatrajan certainly has the feel of an alien culture. Maybe Tatsinda was one of his earlier exposures to that sort of literature.
Son #2 (18) has no memory of reading Tatsinda, but offers an opinion anyway. His theory is that a young reader will accept the protagonist's problem at face value without being too picky about whether it's a valid problem or not. He contends that kids relate to the main character's struggle simply because they are struggling. (I still say Tatsinda wasn't struggling--at least not until she fell in love with the unavailable prince and got snatched by the giant--but he makes an interesting, if debatable, point.)
This book was memorable, but for me it didn't stand the test of time. Yes, the world is very cool. But the protagonist's goal is sort of a muddle. Tatsinda doesn't do much. She assists in her own rescue (by weaving the net) but she doesn't initiate the action.
What do you think--am I a critical crankypants, or does the story not measure up to today's standards? If you read Tatsinda as a child, did you like it? Would you recommend it to kids? Is there something about it that you'd want to emulate in your own writing?
In a future post, I'll take a look at one of Enright's realistic novels, like The Saturdays.
8 comments:
- Jess said...
I've never heard of this one, but I'll be checking for it at the local library~ thanks for the review!
- July 24, 2010 at 12:28 PM
- Ruth Donnelly said...
Thanks for visiting & following, Jess. If you read it, let me know what you think.
- July 24, 2010 at 2:01 PM
- Charlotte said...
I loved Enright's Melendy books with a passion, and when I found that she had actually published the story that Randy tells to Oliver after he falls in the well, I thought I was like to die with excitement. And then I ended up being disappointed, because it wasn't as wonderful as I had wanted it to be...
- July 24, 2010 at 7:33 PM
- Kate Coombs said...
I remember reading this as a child and liking parts, but not being completely blown away by the book and wondering why. I reread it about two years ago to figure it out, and I agree with you--it's a little bland. Lots of description and inaction, especially from the title character. Great to hear about the Melendy tie-in, though!
- July 25, 2010 at 9:11 AM
- Ruth Donnelly said...
Charlotte, I loved them too--I wanted to be Randy! I'm looking forward to rereading them.
Kate, you're right. Giving Tatsinda a more vital role would have strengthened the story. I think the Melendy books have a lot more character development.
- July 25, 2010 at 1:05 PM
- Nora MacFarlane said...
I've not heard of this one. It's interesting how our likes and dislikes change, and how differently my kids feel about reading than I did. My daughter likes to read, but she doesn't LOVE books like I did. I've tried to get her to read some of my favorites, but the pacing isn't fast enough for her. I wonder if I'd feel the same if I revisited some of my childhood favorites.
- July 26, 2010 at 12:03 PM
- Ruth Donnelly said...
Same here, Nora. My daughter and I have somewhat similar tastes, but she LOVES certain books that just leave me cold...and vice versa. A lot of current middle grade and YA is very dramatic and fast-paced ... I guess b/c it has to compete with the internet, tv, and movies.
- July 26, 2010 at 2:00 PM
- Lola Montez said...
Yes, you are a cranky pants! This is a book for CHILDREN -- it is clearly a fairy tale. Do fairy tales have all kinds of action & backstory? It's written for children ages 7-10! (I am impressed your oldest son not only read it -- since it has a female protagonist and not much action -- and that he remembered it perfectly after 15 years!).
"Tatsinda" came out the year I turned 8; I was an avid reader. It was promoted by the school librarian, in part because of its message of tolerance for people who "look different". Remember this was 1963! The Civil Rights movement was beginning. There were still Jim Crow laws in the South. "Tatsinda" was actually kind of edgy for its time, and soft-pedaling a message of racial tolerance (while still having conventional fairy tale characters like the handsome prince and ordinary girl he picks from all the princesses in the land).
Clearly the title "Tatsinda" alludes to Cinderella, and the story has many fairy tale elements, also calling to mind "Thumbelina" (the old childless couple who adopt a mysterious infant who is "different"). I am sure there are also other stories where the protagonist is a weaver or seamstress of some kind.
Remember this was LONG before the modern day interest in fantasy and sword & sorcery fiction, or the countless YA novels about such things. "Tatsinda" was really a generation or so ahead of its time, with its fantasy world-building.
NOTE: you mentioned the lovely line drawings, but NOT the wonderful watercolors. Irene Haas was mostly celebrated for her watercolors, and her work here is magnificent -- maybe her very best. In retrospect, I am really surprised this did not win a Caldecott! though the early 60s was so chock-full of such wonderful children's fiction and illustrated works, that the competition must have been fierce. Really, there is nothing today that is of the calibre of the books that came out then, and I feel awesomely privileged that I got to read these as a child, just as they were published!
BTW: this is the SAME YEAR that Garth Williams did all of the "Little House on the Prairie" books, which I think is still considered the "official gold standard edition" and still in print (amazingly). I read these books at nearly the same time as "Tatsinda". They still glow in my mind, as some of the literature I loved best and influenced me the most.
I suggest you go back, re-read this book some balmy summer afternoon and remember, it was written for grade-schoolers, and even if you dislike the story or find Tatsinda herself to be too conventional a "pretty heroine" -- the illustrations ALONE make it a classic.
One sad note: there are not one but TWO newer illustrated editions of this book, VASTLY inferior to this one with the Irene Haas pictures. I don't know if the copyright on the illustrations ran out or what! If you order this on Amazon or at the library, chances are very good you will get stuck with one of these newer editions. To me, the illustrations and text here work as one -- it's like trying to read "Alice in Wonderland" WITHOUT the famous classic Sir John Tenniel drawings.....not the same, not the same. Missing some essential element.
Anyways, thanks for the mention. One of my very favorite books of my childhood.
- February 12, 2016 at 2:47 AM


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Executive Recruiting For Dummies
Read an ExcerptDownload Acrobat
Table of Contents
Author Information
Foreword xiii
Introduction 1
About This Book 2
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: The World of Executive Recruiting 5
Chapter 1: 3, 2, 1, Blastoff! Getting Started with Executive Recruiting 7
What Is Executive Recruiting? 8
Ace of Case: The Business Case for Executive Recruiting 9
A Demanding Supply Issue 10
Oh, Grow Up! The Growth of Executive Recruiting 11
Chapter 2: Talent Show: Why Talent Matters 13
Value Pack: Redefining Value in the Knowledge Economy 14
Paradigm Shift: Understanding the New Recruiting Paradigm 15
Triple Play: Three Steps for Tapping Top Talent 16
Step 1: Figure out what you're looking for 16
Step 2: Find people with the knowledge and qualities you seek 18
Step 3: Hire the person who best matches your needs 18
Chapter 3: Rock and Role: The Role of Recruiting in Business 21
That'll Cost You: The High Cost of Poor Hiring 23
Hocus Focus: Putting the Focus on Hiring 25
Fitty Cent: Fitting In and Fading Out 26
Chapter 4: Key Club: Identifying Key Personal Characteristics 29
Work Your Core: 28 Attributes of Successful Executives 30
Character 31
Intellect 32
Business intelligence 33
Leadership 34
Emotional intelligence 35
Super Fly: Avoiding Superficial Evaluation Factors 36
Flew the Coop: Building a Cooperative Culture 37
Part 2: Planning Your Search 39
Chapter 5: Plan Do! Devising a Plan 41
Plan Up: Putting Your Plan Together 42
Sharing your plan 45
Looking at a sample plan 46
You SLA Me! Hammering Out the Service-Level Agreement 48
Defining expectations in an SLA 48
Looking at a simple SLA 49
Chapter 6: Team Up: Assembling Your Search Team 51
Who's on Your Executive Search Team? 51
The hiring team 52
The recruiting team 52
The support team 53
Search Me! Assembling a Solid Search Committee 54
Chair-y Picking: Selecting the Search Chair 55
External Affairs: Choosing an External Recruiter 56
Budgetary considerations 57
Retained recruiters versus contingency recruiters 58
Niche recruiters versus generalists 59
Big firms versus boutiques 60
Critical questions for external recruiters 61
The recruiter scorecard 65
Chapter 7: Dividing to Conquer: Parceling Out Your Process 69
Analyze This: Performing a Needs Analysis 70
Confirming the need 70
Defining the requirements 71
What's Up, Doc? Generating the Necessary Documentation 71
Research Engine: Researching the Market 72
Source Code: Sourcing Candidates 74
Recruit Pursuit: Recruiting Candidates 74
The Big Short: Interviewing Your Short List 75
Point of Reference: Checking References 76
Sound Off: Making an Offer 76
All Aboard: Onboarding the New Hire 77
Get Your Kicks: Hosting a Kickoff Meeting 78
Here Comes Trouble: Troubleshooting Your Hiring Project 80
When your search hasn't yielded enough qualified candidates 80
When your hiring process takes too long 83
When good candidates drop out after the first interview 83
When good candidates refuse the offer 84
Chapter 8: Don't Be a Tool: Exploring the Tools of the Trade 85
Daily Digest: Our Everyday Tools 86
Tools for connecting with professionals 86
Project-management tools 87
Assessment tools 87
Communication tools 88
Recruitment Rock Stars: Following Top Thought Leaders 89
Even More Recruiter Tools 90
Leading social networks 90
Recruiter associations 94
Mobile recruiting apps 95
Miscellaneous recruiter resources 96
Part 3: Doing the Pre-Search Prep Work 99
Chapter 9: Resign of the Times: Reacting to a Resignation 101
Lizard Warning: Getting Control of Your Lizard Brain 101
What not to do 102
Reprogramming the simulator 103
Next Steps: Key Decisions after a Resignation 104
Do we really need a replacement? 104
Can you use the succession plan? 105
What level of competency is required? 106
Chapter 10: Documentation Station: Generating the Necessary Documentation 109
First Things First: Who Is Your Client? 110
Order Up: Writing the Job Order 112
What is the job title? 114
Where is the job located? 114
Who will the new hire report to? 114
What does the position entail? 115
What kind of compensation are we talking? 116
Why is the position open? 116
What type of educational background is required? 116
What type of experience are you looking for? 117
What type of management style would you prefer? 118
What personality type would be the best fit? 119
How important is executive presence? 119
What is the pattern of growth or decline for the company, division, and/or group during the last two years? 120
How quickly does the client expect the new hire to make a contribution and what results does the client expect? 120
What is the key to success for this position? 120
Detail Work: Detailing the Job Description 120
Performing a SWOT analysis 121
Drafting the job description 124
Comparing apples to apples 127
Finding wiggle room 127
Soliciting input 128
Styling and Profiling: Composing the Position Profile 129
Ad It Up: Writing a Solid Job Ad 132
Bad job ad 132
Attention-grabbing ad 133
No Résumé? No Worries! Collecting a Confidential Candidate Brief 138
Building the form for a confidential candidate brief 139
A sample confidential candidate brief for a CFO 140
Reviewing a confidential candidate brief 143
Guidance System: Creating a Detailed Interview Guide 143
Contents of the interview guide 144
Sample questions 145
Chapter 11: Research Party: Conducting Candidate Research 147
Hope Is Not a Strategy: The Importance of Candidate Research 147
Texas Hold 'Em or Fantasy Football? 148
Your Step-by-Step Research Guide 150
Meeting with the search committee 151
Meeting with individual committee members 151
Seeking help from former candidates and from colleagues 154
Scouring public databases for candidates 154
Researching companies 155
Researching industries 157
Chapter 12: What Is This Sourcer-y? Sourcing Candidates 159
Back to the Future: Modern Sourcing 160
Sock It to Ya: Sourcing's One-Two Punch 161
High-level sourcing 162
Ferreting out the details by phone 164
Wooly Boolie: Using Boolean Logic to Simplify Sourcing 164
Sample Size: Conducting a Sample Search 166
Searching on LinkedIn 166
Searching on Google 170
Keep It Going: Sourcing on an Ongoing Basis 172
Cruising alumni networks 172
Reaching out to your extended network 172
Keeping track of the competition 172
Building your brand 173
Stacking your bench 173
Powering up HR 174
Part 4: Locating and Evaluating Candidates 175
Chapter 13: Recruit Reboot: Recruiting Top Candidates 177
Passive Aggressive: Passive versus Active Candidates 177
A-Listers: Paring Down Your List 180
Assessing your farm team 180
Sifting through résumés and online applications 181
Evaluating referrals from your network 181
Checking the hot list 183
Following up on your targeted list 184
Bench Press: Benchmarking Your Search 184
Choosing the benchmark candidate 186
Approaching and interviewing the benchmark candidate 186
After the interview 187
Head Case: Headhunting Prospects 188
Making initial contact 188
(Dis)qualifying the candidate 192
What's next? 196
Chapter 14: Interview Interlude: Interviewing Top Candidates 197
Stage Right: Understanding the Progressive Two-Stage Interview Process 198
Stage 1: Identify, evaluate, engage 199
Stage 2: The five-part robust interview 199
Preppy Handbook: Prepping for Each Interview 201
Sending the itinerary 201
Reviewing documentation about the candidate and position 202
Getting the hiring team up to speed 203
Preparing documentation for the candidate 203
Afterburner: After the Interview 204
Face Time: Conducting the First Face-to-Face Interview 205
Getting the candidate's story (again) 205
Fact-checking the candidate's story 208
Closing the interview 209
Chair Up! Conducting the Search Chair Interview 209
Getting the candidate's story (yet again) 210
Assessing whether the candidate can deliver the desired outcomes 210
Determining whether the candidate has solid interpersonal skills 212
Answering the candidate's questions and wrapping up the session 212
Closing the interview 213
Next steps 213
Hire Rise: Handling the Hiring Manager Interview 213
Assessing the candidate's systems thinking 214
Gauging the candidate's creative thinking 214
Evaluating the candidate's leadership style 214
Closing the interview 215
Finishing the Search Committee Interview 215
Prepping for the interview 216
Conducting the formal interview 217
Meeting informally 217
Next steps 217
Present Tense: Carrying Out the Candidate Presentation Interview 219
Candidate as Customer: The Importance of Candidate Experience 220
Chapter 15: Point of Reference: Checking References 223
Identifying the Two Big Questions Reference Checks Will Help You Answer 224
Can the candidate do the job? 224
Is the candidate a danger to others or to your company? 225
Who Should Do Reference Checks? (Hint: The Hiring Manager) 226
Formulating a Plan 227
Who You Gonna Call? 228
Direct references 230
Indirect references 233
Steering the Conversation 234
Chapter 16: Happily Ever After: Sealing the Deal 239
Pay Up: Calculating Compensation 240
Compensation tips 241
Assembling a compensation checklist 242
Everything's Negotiable: Negotiating Like a Pro 245
Preparing for negotiations 246
Choosing the negotiator 247
Projecting a positive attitude 248
Breaking an impasse 248
Special Delivery: Delivering the Offer 249
Counter-Intuition: Dealing with Counteroffers 250
Agree to Agree: Composing a Solid Employment Agreement 252
All Aboard! Onboarding 253
Finders Keepers: Retaining Top Talent 254
Challenge 254
Communication 255
Compensation 256
Part 5: The Part of Tens 257
Chapter 17: Ten Key Principles of Effective Executive Recruiting 259
Remember It's Always a Seller's Market 259
Sell First, Buy Later 260
Be Opportunistic 260
Use a Boutique Search Firm 260
Be the First to Walk Away 261
Build a Farm Team and Draft Only A-Players 261
Seal the Deal with Psychic Cash 261
Leverage Your "Manning Factor" 261
Qualify for Integrity 262
Don't Hire a Liar 262
Chapter 18: Ten Keys to Working Successfully with the Search Committee 263
Identify a Clear Agenda for the Board 263
Agree on a Prioritized Sourcing Strategy 264
Articulate the Organization's Return on Investment for Recruiting 264
Set Realistic Expectations 264
Do a Reality Check 265
Be Consistent with the Messaging 265
Create an Emotional Link 266
Conduct a Discerning Candidate Analysis 266
Negotiate a Successful Offer 266
Let the Search Chair Close the Sale 267
Chapter 19: Ten Reasons to Use a Professional Recruiter 269
Satisfying Stakeholders 269
Easing Your Burden 270
Reducing Opportunity Cost 270
Being Nimble 270
Building Trust 271
Being Discreet 271
Inviting Continuous Improvement 271
Bringing Competitive Intelligence 272
Increasing Retention 272
Getting Your Money's Worth 272
Glossary 273
Index 281

subset: commoncrawl


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Seventy Years Since World War II: Historical Perceptions and Present RealitiesPolitics
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It seems to me that Western media coverage of historical perceptions in East Asia is misleading. While Japan's acts of violence against the global order in the past should certainly be criticized, attention should also be directed at the aggressive challenges to the international order in our own time.
Missing the Point?
This year marks the seventieth anniversary of the end of World War II, bringing a greater focus than usual on discussion of issues relating to history and historical perceptions. There is strong interest from not only China and South Korea but also North America and Europe in Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzō's historical views and in the content of the statement he will deliver on August 15, the anniversary of Japan's surrender. This interest reflects concern that disputes over the historical record might stoke the fires of nationalism in both Japan and China, leading to confrontation and increasing the chances of a military clash.
If the purpose of the commentary carried by major Western media organs concerning the historical views of Abe and his administration is to avert conflicts and promote stability in Asia, so far it has failed to do so. Unconstructive and counterproductive opinions are what catch the eye. Commentators do not scrutinize or give details of the history in question, confining themselves to presenting superficial arguments about perceptions of the past based on modern political principles and ethical standpoints. And they seem little aware of the serious reality that the war of words over Japan's past has deflected attention from current efforts to upset the international order in East Asia.
Abe's Stance
The Western media has focused recently on the question of whether historical revisionists in Japan are seeking to justify the nation's aggressive actions in China in the 1930s. It is undeniable that there are some people who are doing so. Japan is a democratic country that guarantees freedom of expression, and such talk is not restricted.
If there were any signs that Japan was boosting its military power to the point where it could pose a threat to neighboring countries and pursuing expansionism with the aim of changing the existing international order through force, one could understand Western sensitivity toward Japanese revisionism. But this is not the case.
Some articles describe Abe himself as a historical revisionist. In fact, though he is a political conservative, he is also a firm supporter of Japan's partnership with the United States, which was the prime mover in establishing the postwar international order. And although he has shown an individual insistence on mourning Japan's war dead at Yasukuni Shrine, he is not working to change this postwar order; on the contrary, he strongly upholds it.
The fear that justification of past aggression could pave the way for future destabilizing acts by Japan is presumably why historical revisionism is seen as a significant issue. Ironically, however, the country that is now causing the most anxiety by throwing its weight around in Asia is not Japan but China, the country that so fiercely criticizes Japanese perceptions of history.
Coercive Efforts to Redraw Borders
I think it is natural for China to worry about Japanese historical perceptions. Having suffered from Japanese aggression in the 1930s, it has a right to express such concerns. The problem is that Western experts do not carefully separate their criticism of Japanese historical views from discussion of China's current efforts to extend its borders in the South and East China Seas. This complicates the issues, and ends up hindering reconciliation.
I was once asked by a European reporter, "Why does Japan take a stance that causes unnecessary antagonism with China for the sake of defending a group of small uninhabited islands [the Senkaku Islands]?" I replied, "If Japan compromised on the Senkaku Islands, it would mean giving in to the pressure that China has applied by dispatching large numbers of government vessels to the vicinity. Allowing a powerful country like China to impose border changes on its neighbors would set a dangerous precedent in terms of maintaining the international order." This is the same kind of issue as Russia's annexation of Crimea, which sparked criticism and sanctions from Western countries.
On September 3 this year, a Russian government delegation will take part in the planned Chinese celebrations on Victory Day of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. But the ceremony's message of condemnation against past Japanese belligerence will be valid only if the participants themselves are recognizing and observing the principle that the existing order is not to be changed by force.
Seven Decades of Nonaggression and Economic Assistance
The revisionist words and deeds of some Japanese, while deserving of criticism, are not representative of the thinking of most of the Japanese people, nor do they match Japan's conduct as a nation since 1945.
Over the seven decades since the end of World War II, Japan has strictly observed Article 9 of its Constitution, which prohibits the use of military force to resolve international disputes, and has earnestly pursued a nonaggressive defense policy. What has made it possible for Japan to maintain this posture in a tough international environment is its alliance with the United States, a country with formidable military power. But until July 1, 2014, even the right to exercise collective self-defense, fundamental for maintaining a smoothly operating alliance, was interpreted as contrary to the spirit of Article 9 and therefore unconstitutional. This extreme self-restraint on Japan's part had the potential to destroy the bilateral alliance, which, like any such pact, depends on give and take. So last July the Abe cabinet adopted a revised interpretation of the Constitution, one that allows limited exercise of collective self-defense. This new interpretation maintains the basic spirit of Article 9, under which Japan pursues a nonaggressive defense policy with the minimum necessary level of military capability.
In 1952, the Kuomintang government of Taiwan (Republic of China) led by Chiang Kai-Shek, who had previously fought the Japanese in mainland China, waived the right to war reparations from Japan in the spirit of forgiveness. The Japanese people were deeply moved by this act and Japan subsequently helped to boost Taiwan's economic development. When Japan normalized its relations with the People's Republic of China in 1972, Chairman Mao Zedong similarly did not demand reparations. In addition to expressing remorse for its colonialism and wartime actions and apologizing to China and other Asian countries on a number of occasions, Japan has provided significant economic assistance to its neighbors and promoted friendly relations with them.
As calculated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan has provided more than ¥3 trillion in official development assistance to China since it began doing so in 1979. It ceased providing yen loans in 2007, but grant aid, which does not have to be repaid, and technical assistance continue to this day. The Sankei Shimbun calculated that in 2011, based on an exchange rate of ¥100 to the dollar, Japan supplied China with $300 million in ODA, consisting of $13 million in grant aid and $287 million in technical assistance. The conservative daily sharply questioned why Japan should bankroll a country that was pursuing expansionist policies, such as repeatedly violating the territorial waters of the Senkaku Islands and unilaterally establishing an air defense identification zone over the East China Sea.
Media Obstacles to Reconciliation
The Western media's coverage and criticism of historical perceptions in Japan focus heavily on the words of a few conservatives, ignoring the Japanese government's composed stance toward China and other neighboring countries. This kind of blinkered coverage is liable to hinder resolution of the friction between China and Japan.
For example, Western criticism of Japanese views of history provides international support, even if unintentionally, for the anti-Japanese nationalism of Chinese people, who are fed a steady stream of patriotic World War II dramas about the struggle against Japan on domestic television. This sentiment presents a major hurdle to reconciliation for both Japanese leaders and their Chinese counterparts, who in reality gain neither economic nor political profit from extended confrontation with Japan. I respect President Xi Jinping's decision to shake Prime Minister Abe's hand at last November's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, but his pained expression on doing so is still fresh in Japanese memories.
To avoid conflict between Japan and China, it is not enough merely to criticize Japanese perceptions of history. The international community must take a balanced approach and seek to control Chinese expansionism. As the world marks the seventieth anniversary of the end of World War II, opposition to historical revisionism that seeks to justify the behavior of Germany and Japan in the years leading up to the war needs to be grounded in a common understanding that contemporary challenges to the international order, such as Russia's annexation of Crimea and Chinese efforts to extend its borders in the East and South China Seas, cannot be accepted. And we must ensure that the existence of revisionist views of history is not taken as grounds to justify such present-day behavior.
What I would like to see from the Western media, which should be an impartial referee on Japan-China issues, is cool-headed discussion and adoption of a perspective informed by a careful look at East Asian history so as not to inflame the unproductive antagonism over historical issues. Historical perceptions are important as a source of lessons to be learned and as a basis for avoidance of needless confrontation in contemporary relations between countries. But concern over these perceptions must not be allowed to keep us from seeing the true nature of the problems in international relations today.
(Originally written in Japanese and published on April 2, 2015. Banner photo: Prime Minister Abe Shinzō and President Xi Jinping shake hands at their meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Beijing on November 10, 2014. © Jiji.)
China Abe Shinzō collective self-defense history Senkaku Islands historical perceptions Article 9 World War II historical revisionism


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Oregon State Ecampus will provide financial assistance to currently serving military members who entered the service while they were residents of Oregon and who are using military tuition assistance to help pay for their online classes.
The assistance OSU Ecampus provides will allow service members to take up to 4 credits per term, at the undergraduate or graduate level, at no additional cost above what the military tuition assistance program will pay. This award is in addition to your other military education benefits.
(NOTE: The OSU Ecampus military tuition assistance program is not transferrable to military dependents.)
This program is currently available only to service members who joined the United States military while a resident of Oregon and are currently serving on active duty or as a member of the National Guard or Reserves.
In order to qualify for the OSU Ecampus military tuition assistance, you must be:
- a current or newly admitted Ecampus degree-seeking student at Oregon State
- listed in good academic standing with no registration flags
- an Oregon resident at the time of your enlistment
Award process
OSU's Office of Military and Veteran Resources will determine which students are eligible based on the stated criteria. The tuition award will be provided to eligible students in the form of a voucher through OSU's Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, and it is not needs-based.
There is no need to apply. Eligible students will be notified that they are receiving the tuition assistance.
Tuition award
Each service member will have a maximum benefit of 4 credits per term for a total possible benefit of 16 credits per academic year.
Undergraduate students
- Ecampus tuition and fees: $309 per credit
- Military pays $166.67 per credit (3 credits = $500.01; 4 credits= $666.68)
- Ecampus tuition assistance covers the remaining $142.33 per credit
- Maximum award per term (one voucher for summer) is one 4-credit course
- Tuition differentials will be added to the award calculations.
Graduate students
- Ecampus tuition and fees: $560 per credit
- Military pays $166.67 per credit (3 credits = $500.01; 4 credits= $666.68)
- Ecampus tuition assistance covers the remaining $393.33 per credit
- Maximum award per term (one voucher for summer) is one 4-credit course
- Tuition differentials will be added to the award calculations.
(NOTE: Awards are rounded to the nearest dollar amount. In some instances, students may owe a balance of less than $1.)
Funding limit
There is an established funding limit for the program. If that funding limit is met, you will be notified and no more awards will be granted for this academic year.
Please contact Joan Oakes at 541-737-4166 or email@example.com if you have any questions.
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LAFAYETTE JOURNAL & COURIER / SEARCH: 409 N Nancy Street Warren, IN 46792
Single Family Detached
- 2 beds
- 1 baths
- $59,900 price
- 201920325 mls id
- Square Feet: 821 sqft
- Year Built: 1900
Move in ready and affordable. This home has much to offer. A fenced in yard, detached garage, newer roof-furnace-water heater, new paint and much more. Enjoy siting on the front porch or a camp fire in your own back yard.
- Site Link
- Style Other Style
Courtesy of: Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group
Office Phone: +12603597000
Listing Agent: SHARON HOCH
Updated: 13th December, 2019 12:01 AM.
409 N Nancy Street Warren, IN
Real Estate | Lafayette Journal and Courier Powered by Placester


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Take a look at why businesses are switching to a cloud solution model in droves. With this infographic, we dive into some helpful insights into the cloud.
Rise of the Cloud-First Enterprise
Businesses are moving to the cloud in droves, but few are monitoring and protecting data in the cloud with the same vigilance they apply to their physical network environments. To keep mission-critical data and applications safe, businesses must avoid four big risks as they make the move.


text: If you are a fan of Minecraft, you should check out the so-called Break: 3D Block Style FPS right away! This is such a wonderful Shooting game that requires your excellent skills. Let's stand up and battle for your life! The nasty zombies are trying to kill you. Therefore, you must pick your weapon and start annihilating all of them. You can select your character then head out for the quest. You should move and observe carefully everything surrounding you, the wicked foes might turn up anytime suddenly. Make sure you will kill all them, construct new places by using the materials you have found. Alright, click to play the game and have fun!


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The graph below belongs in the "what were they thinking category".
After Tuesday's dividend massacre, it's plain as day that Kinder Morgan (KMI) wasn't the greatest thing since slice bread after all. That is, a "growth" business paying rich dividends out of rock solid profit margins and flourishing cash flow.
In fact, it was just a momo stock on a borrowing spree.
During the 27 quarters since the beginning of 2009, the consolidated entities which comprise KMI generated $20.8 billion of operating cash flow, but spent $24.3 billion on CapEx and acquisitions.
So the "growth" side of the house ended-up in the red by $3.5 billion. Presumably that's because it was "investing" for long haul value gains.
But wait. It also had to finance those juicy dividends, and there was a reassuring answer for that, too. The payout was held to be ultra safe owing to KMI's business model as strictly a toll gate operator in the oil and gas midstream, harvesting risk-free fees from gathering systems, transportation pipelines and gas processing plants.
Accordingly, even when its stock price was riding high north of $40 per share, the yield was 5%. So over the last 27 quarters KMI paid out $17.3 billion in dividends from cash it didn't have.
It borrowed the difference, of course, swelling its net debt load from $14 billion at the end of 2009 to $44 billion at present. And that's exactly the modus operandi of our entire present regime of Bubble Finance.
Kinder Morgan is the poster boy.
Yes, you can chalk this off to another "lesson learned" in the Wall Street casino. After all, some definable group of investors and speculators thought they owned $98 billion of market cap a few months ago, and now their accounts are suddenly $60 billion lighter-----including about $7 billion of bottled air that evaporated from the net worth of its founder and indefatigable promoter, Richard Kinder.
But in the alternative, perhaps its time to recognize that healthy, properly functioning free markets do not make egregious $60 billion "mistakes" such as this one over and over. What surely led to the insane peak valuation of KMI is the relentless scramble for yield that has been triggered by 84 months of ZIRP and endless coddling of the stock market by the Fed and other central banks.
The fact is, during the last 31 quarter (i.e. since Q1 2008) KMI has posted the grand total of $900 million in cumulative net income. This means that at its peak April valuation it was trading a 100X the totality of what it had earned during nearly an entire decade; and that during that period it paid out 17 times more in dividends than it earned.
That's right. The Wall Street gamblers and punters had followed the pied piper of Houston right out of Enron, and into an even greater bubble predicated on the same old scam.
Indeed, KMI is a pipeline company just like Enron. It's original building block, Enron Liquids Pipeline, was purchased by Richard Kinder and his partner for $40 million back in the late 1990s.
Yet it had no more chance of being worth $100 billion than Enron had of being worth $60 billion before its implosion. It didn't even have the razz mataz of a fiber optics trading business or a franchise to bring power and light to impoverished villages of India.
The apologists are want to argue, of course, that net income doesn't mean anything when it comes to valuation. Perhaps we should therefore dispense with the several billions spent annually by the SEC, DOJ and sundry state attorneys general hauling business executives to court and jail for violating GAAP.
On the other hand, there is a reason why GAAP accounting statements require that asset write-offs, goodwill impairments, restructuring charges and stock option costs be charged to net income. At one point or another every one of these charges involved the waste of cash or other corporate assets.
They are not merely "non-recurring" expenses. They always and everywhere generate a recurring loss of value because these charges reflect a business mistake or the impact of Mr. Market's penchant for "creative destruction".
Even then, clamber on board with the LBO boys and consider the LTM results for KMI on a so-called cash flow basis. During the year ended September, it posted $5.89 billion of EBITDA and spent $3.9 billion on CapEx and $1 billion on acquisitions. So its free cash flow was a round $1 billion.
Let's see. At its April stock market peak, Kinder Morgan's total unlevered enterprise value (TEV) was $140 billion. So the casino was valuing the company at 24X EBITDA, 70X EBITDA less CapEx and 140X free cash flow!
If you have another pipeline company in Houston, I've got some swampland in Florida that I will swap for it.
If not, at least believe this. Two decades of Wall Street coddling by the Fed and 84 months of free carry trade money means that the casino is riddled with momo plays and debt-fueled scams like Kinder Morgan.
Now would be an excellent time to get out of harm's way-----as any sensible KMI shareholder would have done long before Bloody Tuesday.


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Developmental Psychopathology
Developmental Psychopathology
Course Description
Addresses emotional and behavior pathology most likely to be encountered by school psychologists and school counselors working in school settings. It examines human development, and the biological, psychosocial, and cultural variables in the etiology of these disorders. Students will become familiar with characteristics, classification, assessment and diagnosis of such disorders, as well as developmental theories and stages of human development.
Learning Outcomes
- Examine the basic principles of diagnosing and classifying emotional, developmental, and behavioral disorders encountered in school settings.
- Evaluate the various information from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) with information from the California Education Code (Ed Code) as it pertains to various diagnoses.
- Analyze the biological, psycho-social and cultural systems and their ability to influence development, behavior, learning and psychopathology.
- Appraise the major developmental theories and stages of development, and the impact these stages have on behavior and learning in the school settings.
Why Choose National University?
We're proud to be a veteran-founded, San Diego-based nonprofit. Since 1971, our mission has been to provide accessible, achievable higher education to adult learners. Today, we educate students from across the U.S. and around the globe, with over 170,000 alumni worldwide.
#1 Choice for CA Teachers
NU has recommended more candidates for teaching credentials in CA than any other university in the state.
Accredited by NCATE
Sanford College of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Four-Week Classes
Focus on one subject at a time — one month at a time — and finish your degree faster.
On Campus or Online
Study when and where it's convenient for you with evening, weekend, and 100% online classes.
20+ Campus Locations
Attend class onsite at one of over 20 campus locations across California or in Nevada.
Military Friendly
As a Yellow Ribbon school, we offer tuition discounts to servicemembers and dependents.
Sanford College of Education
"Our goal is to deliver high quality educator preparation programs that feature social-emotional learning and evolve inspiring professionals who have positive impact in PK-12 school settings."Sanford College of Education


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"I want to send a message to the people of the Ukraine to let them know that I wish them all the best of luck
in their peaceful struggle for democracy and freedom. Peace!"
Charity founder, Sergey Melnikoff, was granted the Order of St. Volodymyr Equal-to-the-Apostles Second Degree by the Patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Filaret. The Patriarch's residence, July 22, 2019. Photo of the Ukrainian Kyiv Patriarchate Press Service


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Get this original Mickey half helmet for riding in style, safety & fun! Made of thermoplastic shell with D-ring chin strap, it's equipped with a shield. Complied with safety standards. Show off your taste for glamorous style in the Mickey helmet.
●In Compliance with international safety standards.
●Brand New Item
●Depth : 10 cm / 3'95 Inner measurements: 20 x 17 cm / 7"7 x 6"6
●Circumference: 57~60 cm / approx. 22.4"~23.6"
●Material: ABS
●Practical and chic item for your style statement!
|Brand Logo


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Kedarnath NR
no trailer availableTrailer
Coming Soon
Kedarnath is a potent combination of love and religion, of passion and spirituality set on a 14-kilometer pilgrimage from Gauri Kund to Kedarnath - the 2000-year-old holy temple of Lord Shiva. Mansoor, a reserved and reticent porter, helps pilgrims make an arduous journey to the temple town. His world turns around when he meets the beautiful and rebellious Mukku, who draws him into a whirlwind of intense love. Destiny has plans for lovers amidst the uncertainties of life, nature, and broken hearts.
DetailsDrama , Romance
1 hr. 55 min.
Opened December 7th, 2018
CastSushant Singh Rajput, Sara Ali Khan, Alka Amin, Nishant Dahiya, Nitish BharadwajDirectorAbhishek KapoorWriterKanika Dhillon


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We are proud to offer dependable and maintained equipment that prevents failure of time/temperature sensitive goods. When we deliver the produce and other products, we want them to be as fresh and impeccable as when we originally picked them up.
Inter-Link Transportation offers experienced and dedicated drivers who understand the importance of proper temperature maintenance for shipping of sensitive and perishable goods.


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MUMBAI — The couple approached the 14-foot statue of the god Ganesh on Wednesday, hands folded, believing with all their hearts in his powers as the one who removes obstacles.
They had seen proof of this two years ago, they said, when they prayed during the Ganesh festival for their daughter to become pregnant. The daughter, who lives in Britain, now has a child.
Perhaps not all that miraculous, but enough to convince the couple, Farida and Jimmy Balsara, who are not even Hindu. Every year, along with tens of millions in street festivals across India, they celebrate the power of Ganesh, the elephant-headed God who has been adopted by some of the country's other faiths. The festival is particularly popular in Mumbai, the megalopolis of 20 million that is India's industrial and film capital, where it got started in the 19th century as an anticolonial protest.
And so the Balsaras, who, as Parsees, are followers of the Iranian prophet Zoroaster, are among the crowds who pray for Ganesh's blessing. The giant plaster-of-paris statue of Ganesh before them is the most famous in Khetwadi, one of Mumbai's oldest, densest neighborhoods, near where the festival was first celebrated.
Almost every alley features yet another wildly decorated, ardently worshiped Ganesh. But this one, Khetwadi Cha Ganraj, or the Ganesh of Khetwadi, often wins awards as the most beautiful. That fame drew the Balsaras and thousands of others on Wednesday, the last day before the deity would join about 50,000 other statues across the city in a procession of dancing crowds to the ocean, where the idols will be gently lowered into the water.
More than 160,000 Ganesh statues had already been dropped in the city's waterways, some just a foot tall and worshiped in people's homes, others close to 30 feet high, paid for by politicians and businessmen as centers for worship and merriment at the festival.
Worship of an elephant in the Indian subcontinent can be traced to about 325 B.C., with Ganesh becoming part of the Hindu pantheon around the fifth century, and then being absorbed into Buddhism and Jainism in the ensuing centuries.
In the 17th century, Shivaji, a ruler after whom Mumbai's train station and airport are named, spread worship of Ganesh to the wider population in his kingdom in western India. In the late 19th century, after the British banned political gatherings, a leader of India's independence movement got the idea of spreading nationalist sentiment by organizing a street festival around Ganesh.
Two followers of that leader, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, lived in Keshavji Naik Chawl, a housing complex in Mumbai of tiny three-room apartments along open-air corridors, a common housing design for middle-class residents at the time, and one still in use today. The Ganesh festival was started in that chawl in the 1890s.
"The objective was to create an awakening among the people against British rule," said Madhukar Keshav Dhavalikar, a former archaeology professor and former director of Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute in Pune, India.
The festival spread across the country, although Mumbai remains its heart and soul. In the same chawl where it all began in the late 19th century, residents, some of whose families have lived there for three generations, keep the tradition alive.
They have succeeded in holding onto the tradition's low-key origins, centered on cultural activities, even as the festival has evolved into an ever-noisier competition for the largest, most beautiful statue.
Despite the surrounding city, the community has maintained its village feel. On Wednesday, the courtyard in the chawl was an oasis of calm in the midst of all the urban hustle. Children ran in and out of the apartments, most of which had their doors wide open; women wearing saris cooked dinner; and men in shorts napped and watched TV.
"You can just enter anyone's room," said Vinod Satpute, a 58-year-old flight attendant with Air India, whose parents moved to the chawl decades ago. "It doesn't matter if he's eating or sleeping. That's his problem."
A few streets down, vast crowds gathered around the Khetwadi Cha Ganraj. The first statue went up here in the neighborhood's Lane No. 12 in 1959, and this year's celebration cost close to $75,000, financed in large part by corporate donations.
The costs cover not just the giant, elaborately painted and dressed Ganesh, but also the themed room that holds the deity — this year, a "Rome and Rajasthan palace." Two huge chandeliers hang overhead as 12 speakers boom temple music at a deafening volume. A crane holds a video camera that beams live footage to a smartphone app and to a YouTube site.
In addition to many flower garlands, this Ganesh wears a 33-pound necklace of pure gold, the gift of an anonymous donor in 2008, said Ganesh Mathur, who was among those in charge of the Khetwadi Cha Ganraj this year.
Along the street, almost every alley has been transformed into a tent with an enormous Ganesh inside. Crowds throng, buying cotton candy, toys, tea and watermelon slices, as couples and families make a day of visiting the idols. Lines snake around almost every tent, inside of which crowds gape at the latest iteration of the revered god.
At the Khetwadi Cha Ganraj, it was time for the evening prayers. As they finished, workers on ladders used peacock feathers to dust Ganesh's massive arms and pink fingernails. Then they began replacing the deity's many flower garlands with fresh ones.
At that, the Balsaras, until now engaged in deep prayer at the back of the room, rushed forward and shouted to the attendants over the temple music that they wanted to take the discarded garlands home.
Mr. Balsara, 77, and Mrs. Balsara, 64, said they had not been able to think of any major family or business problem that needed overcoming, so this year they offered more general prayers, wishing happiness for everyone.
In minutes, they were weaving their way through the motorcycles and street vendors outside, arms buried in red and white flowers, convinced that another great year lay in store for them and for everyone else.


text: Welcome To My Introvert World I used to be ashamed to be an introvert. I thought I was weird for not enjoying cocktail parties. Everyone else seem to be having a grand old time, small talking about the weather, what they did for a living, leaving a conversation after 5 minutes so they can mingle […]Read more


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We found 1 episode of Eclectic Readers with the tag "drunken botanist".
Episode 56: The Drunken Botanist: Fantastic Booze and Where to Find Them
December 15th, 2018 | 1 hr 13 mins
amy stewart, drunken botanist, nonfiction, reference
ALL FOUR OF US are here to review the year and pick our favorite books and episode discussions! We talk The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart - the facts we found intoxicating and the drinks we found tempting. Meredith also has gift discounts, Jeannette goes sleuthing, Tara shares her travels, and Susan sneaks new books between rereads! Last but not least, we've got a new Readathon coming at you (with a prize!)!


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Butterfly & Hummingbird Mix
Item InformationNative pollinators including butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees need nectar and pollen sources throughout the growing season. This mix is designed to provide those flowers spring through fall as well as milkweeds for monarch caterpillars. Plant alone or in drifts with other mixes. This is our most diverse mix. Use with Companion Grass Mix. Contains 30+ species of wildflowers.
Quantity and Pure Live Seed (PLS) pricing are available on many items. Call us at (417) 967-2190 for more information.
Mix Contents:Aster, Southern Prairie; Beardtongue, White; Bergamot, Wild; Black-eyed Susan, Common; Coneflower, Pale Purple; Coneflower, Purple; Coneflower, Upright Prairie; Coreopsis, Grand; Coreopsis, Plains; Coreopsis, Tickseed; Golden Alexanders; Goldenrod, Gray; Goldenrod, Rigid; Illinois Bundleflower; Indian Paintbrush; Indigo, Blue; Leadplant; Lespedeza, Slender; Milkweed, Butterfly; Milkweed, Common; Milkweed, Swamp; Partridge Pea; Prairie Clover, Purple; Rose, Prairie; Sampson's Snakeroot; Seed Box; Sensitive Brier; Slender Mtn Mint; Sunflower, Ox-eye; Sunflower, Sawtooth; Sunflower, Tickseed
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