text:
This is my first attempt at writing so please keep that in mind. Any and all feedback is welcome. Just so you have an idea what this story is about, its set roughly around the year 2080. Russia has been building up its military silently while the Western European nations, along with the U.S. are busy dealing with issues in Korea and other parts of the world. In a blitzkrieg attack, the Russians capture cities along their Western border before many nations can even figure out what has happened. The United States, along with other nations like the U.K. and Germany quickly react and send their "Airborne" forces to slow the advance of the Russian forces into Europe. At this point in history, space travel had become more of the norm to a degree that colonies and bases had been established on the moon and on Mars. The ships, like the Myrimidon, are essentially HTOL (Horizontal Take Off and Landing) that are able to hover for short periods of time. I like to imagine something much larger than the Pelican from Halo when I think about them. Traditional Airborne units have been for the most part, removed, and replaced with this new age technology of incorporating high altitude wing suits capable of launching from a stable platform from the Mesosphere. Advances in Anti-Air weaponry has essentially forced jumps from this altitude, where the weaponry isn't as effective. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

Skipping along the upper reaches of Earth’s Mesosphere in preparation for the initial drop, the Assault Transport Ship Myrimidon creaked and moaned under the immense pressures bearing down on the exterior hull. The ship had begun its initial approach over the drop zone. The steady muffled hum of the crafts eight SABER engines lulled me into a relaxed state. Having already taken my airsickness medication, and beginning my high-altitude breathing techniques, my heart began to race at the sheer notion of what was about to occur. This would be my first combat jump. Historically though, this would be the first large scale Mesospheric combat jump in history. The technology behind mastering jumps such as these had only recently been refined, at least to a degree that the military deemed it a reliable means of inserting troops into combat. Accidents still occurred, but for the most part, it was safe. At least that’s what I told myself as I was jostled around in my seat aboard the Myrimidon.

In an effort to ease my nerves I reached into the front pocket of my harness to get a stick of gum. Already wearing my heavy thermal gloves, it became a monumental task to retrieve a stick. I don’t know why, but fumbling with such a simple task started to make my heart race even faster than it had already been. A tinge of panic began to set in as I was unable to do even the simplest of things. I just wanted a damn piece of gum. As I freed the stubborn stick from the pocket, the contents poured out in front of me on the main walkway down the center of the corridor. My platoon sergeant, Albrecht Morrison, whom we affectionately called “Legs” due in part to the fact that he had lost both in the Korean War some twenty years prior. Since then, after multiple surgeries, and advancements in prosthetics, “Legs” had been given a new lease on life and outfitted with the latest bionic tech. Since the advancement of bionic tech, many disabled veterans had been outfitted and were finally able to get their lives back. Some of which, like “Legs” in this case, had a warriors spirit and wanted to get back into the fight. After all those years of watching events unfold all over the globe and feeling utterly useless, he could finally do something to make a difference. “Legs” was a warrior through and through. He was part of the core that made up the “Old-breed”, veterans of Korea and Turkey. Veterans of that era were a hot commodity in a modern military where most had never seen combat. Sure there had been peacekeeping operations and some limited engagements in Africa following the wars in Korea and Turkey, but never anything on this scale.

Legs made his way over to my seat, bracing himself due to the vibrations by gripping the bar that ran down the center of the corridor. He bent over and picked up some of the contents that had spilling out onto the floor. Some insta coffee packs I always liked to swipe from the chow hall, a small data player that I had placed some music onto, and then something I had almost forgotten was even in the pocket. Something I didn't want to think about. A picture of my wife folded in half and wrapped in a weather proof bag. Legs couldn't tell what it was that he had just handed me, but he could tell it stopped me in my tracks. Grinning, he looked down and mouthed “You’re gonna be alright kid”, there was no sense in saying it aloud, we hadn't turned on our comms units yet and the noise from the ship drowned everything out, almost everything. Thoughts were something that just couldn't be silenced. Legs made his way down the corridor, and left me with the immense weight that picture placed upon my heart. Never before had I been that scared in my entire life.

As I sat there, fighting my fears and contemplating life, I almost didn’t notice the subtle red glow that had begun to fill the bay as the pilot turned on the warning lights one by one. Bathed in the dark shroud of the warning lights, It began to sink it. This was happening. It wasn’t a training operation. This would be a combat jump. Legs began to make his way up and down the bay again, but now, with a stone cold expression. He made his way down the rows of soldiers deftly inspecting rigging, comms units, weapons, and palm thrusters, paying no attention to the person actually inside the suits he was checking. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for us, it was that this was his job. To keep us alive, and this was the best way he knew how, by ensuring our equipment worked when we needed it. The rest was up to us. There would be no helping us once we stepped off into thin air and began our supersonic descent towards the ground.

Once Legs had finished his checks, he took up his position at the back of the ship. At this point, all eyes were on legs. He signaled the hand motion to turn on our comms units by placing his right index and middle finger to his right ear. I thumbed the comms selector to the open position and could instantly hear the other forty-eight solders on board attempting to establish a steady breathing rhythm, some better than others. Over the wash of labored breathing filling our comms, Legs shouted “STAND UP!” Once on our feet, the soldiers began a practiced ritual of inspecting the gear of the soldier in front of them. After a brief moment to allow this task to be completed, Legs then yelled “SOUND OFF!” Starting at the back of the craft, the soldiers began to count off with their respective number, and “okay” to signify that they had all of their equipment and were ready to jump. The steady and methodical countdown began “Forty-six okay, forty-five okay, forty-four okay”… I was twenty third in line, and had begun to let my mind wander.

The prevailing thought that muffled the count filling my ears was “What was Beth doing right now?” I tried not to think of her, tried not to think of the promises I made her. That I would make it home to her and we could finally start a family. That didn’t seem even remotely likely now as I stood in a ship careening through the Earth’s atmosphere headed into hell. While I attempted to fight back the imagery of her lying on our couch in the living room busily typing away, responding to fan mail and publishers regarding her recent book, the steady hum of the ships engines interrupted by quick bursts of chatter brought me back to reality. “Twenty five okay, twenty four okay, TWENTY THREE OKAY…” I barely recognized that I had even counted off my own number. I guess practice makes perfect. The count continued for a few more moments until it reached Legs, our number one position. “ONE OKAY!” He shouted.

Silence filled the bay as our eyes collectively focused on the large illuminated red bar that spanned the width of the back of the ship. Not allowing my mind to be consumed by thoughts of home again, I turned my focus to the task at hand. I began doing one final glance over my gear. At this point my helmets visor had been dropped and locked into position, making it difficult to look down at my chest rig. I ensured that my rifle was still strapped to my left leg, and that my assault pack was firmly in place. I bent over slightly to be able to see under my assault pack, in between my legs to ensure that the webbing of my wing suit was zipped and laid out properly. While doing these checks, I was able to see that my winglets under my arms were in fact zipped and in place. Upon completing a quick glance over of my gear, my eyes resumed the ever watchful gaze upon the glowing red light.

Moments later, I could feel immense vibrations throughout the craft as it shuddered to a hover, the engine nacelles pivoting into the vertical position. Once stable, it would be mere seconds before we were out the door. A heavy roar filled the bay as the engines fought to keep the ship aloft, long enough for us to make the jump. A series of lights and alarms began to go off throughout the bay as the air locks at the back of the ship opened, releasing the door. In that brief moment, even twenty two soldiers back in line, I could see the Earth before me. The pronounced curvature was something I had been astonished by in my earlier training jumps. So peaceful, the serene silence of it all. That peaceful serene silence would be abruptly shattered.

The rear ramp dropped and without a moment to gather my thoughts, soldiers were running down the ramp and into nothingness. Legs was the first one out of the ship, yelling “LETS GO BOYS!” as he cleared the ramp and disappeared into open sky. The rest of us began a steady jog towards the ramp as one by one, soldiers jumped out of the ship following Legs’ example. As we neared the edge, I began to notice other ships in the sky, hundreds of them, hovering like baskets, spilling their contents down unto Earth. Steady streams of what looked like black dots poured from the surrounding vessels. Reaching the edge of the ramp, I closed my eyes and leaped from the Myrimidon. At first it felt as if I was weightless, like I might float out into space. Air, although incredibly thin at this altitude surged by me, ensuring that I was in fact falling, and fast. I immediately established a steady diving position, locking my arms and legs so that the drift ratio of my wing suit would be maximized. We were eighty kilometers up, and forty kilometers from our target.

title: [SF] WIP Short Story Idea: Futuristic Airborne Soldier

question: What does the text say about Legs' background?

text: The way it is worded, it makes it sound like Legs fought for Turkey.

answer: Legs is the platoon sergeant on this combat jumping mission. His real name is Albrecht Morrison, but his troops affectionately call him Legs. This is due to the loss of both his legs in the Korean War. He was part of the core that made up the "Old breed", veterans of Korea and Turkey. Due to advances in prosthetic technology, Legs was able to get a new lease on life with bionic legs. These legs allowed him to decide to get back into the fighting spirit and make a difference in the world.

text: "allowed him to decide to get back into the fighting spirit" - this part is incorrect. It should say that the bionic legs allowed him to get back into the fight because he had a warrior's spirit.

answer: Legs was one of the old veterans. He fought in the Korean War when he lost his legs. He has since been given new bionic legs so he can fight again. He is roped into the fight against the Russians.

text: The answer should mention that Legs is a platoon sergeant.

text: The answer omits that Legs is the narrator's platoon sergeant.

text: The answer could mention that he is the narrator's platoon sergeant.

text: The answer should include that Legs is a platoon sergeant.

text: The response should include the other veterans of the war.

text: "when he" - add "and in"

answer: Legs is the platoon sergeant on this combat jumping mission. His real name is Albrecht Morrison, but his troops affectionately call him Legs. This is due to the loss of both his legs. He was part of the core that made up the "Old breed", veterans of Korea and Turkey. Due to advances in prosthetic technology, Legs was able to get a new lease on life with bionic legs. These legs allowed him to decide to get back into the fighting spirit and make a difference in the world.

text: The answer should mention that Legs is a veteran of the Korean War.

text: The answer could mention that he fought in the Korean War.

text: The answer should mention that Morrison lost his legs in the Korean War.

text: The reason why Legs is called "Legs" is more involved than this. He lost both his legs in the Korean war, but since getting bionic legs could never go back to fight - it merely allowed him to get around.

text: The answer should mention that Morrison lost his legs in the Korean War about twenty years prior.

answer: Legs is the platoon sergeant on this combat jumping mission. His real name is Albrecht Morrison, but his troops affectionately call him Legs. This is due to the loss of both his legs. He was part of the core that made up the "Old breed", veterans of Korea and Turkey. Due to advances in prosthetic technology, Legs was able to get a new lease on life with bionic legs. These legs allowed him to decide to get back into the fighting spirit and make a difference in the world.

answer: Legs is the platoon sergeant on this combat jumping mission. His real name is Albrecht Morrison, but his troops affectionately call him Legs. This is due to the loss of both his legs in the Korean War. He was part of the core that made up the "Old breed", veterans of Korea and Turkey. Due to advances in prosthetic technology, Legs was able to get a new lease on life with bionic legs. These legs allowed him to decide to get back into the fighting spirit and make a difference in the world.

text: The answer should mention that he is a veteran.

text: "This is due to the loss of both his legs in the Korean War." - this is redundant and should be removed.

text: The answer should mention the old-breed.

text: "These legs allowed him to decide" - this sounds like the Legs got his own legs back, when in fact, it was the bionic technology. Rephrase to make it more accurate.

text: "combat jumping mission" - this is redundant because it already says "platoon sergeant".

answer: Legs was one of the old veterans. He fought in the Korean War when he lost his legs. He has since been given new bionic legs so he can fight again. He is roped into the fight against the Russians.

text: The answer should name Legs. He is Albrecht Morrison. He is a platoon sargeant


text:
ARRAN LEE-BARRETT (born 28 February 1984) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

He made his senior debut for Cardiff City in 2004. After two years at Cardiff he signed for Weymouth where he spent another two years before joining Coventry City in 2007. He did not make an appearance for Coventry, joining Hartlepool United following the end of his short term contract. He spent two seasons at Hartlepool before joining Ipswich Town in 2009. He spent four years at Ipswich. Following his release from Ipswich he had short spells at Millwall at Bolton Wanderers during the 2013–14 season.

Club career

Early career

When he was 10, Lee-Barrett joined his local club Whitton Sports Centre and took the position of goalkeeper.[1] Shortly after he was offered a place at Ipswich Town's academy where he played alongside later-England international Darren Bent.[2]

After leaving Ipswich he was offered an apprenticeship at Fulham and Norwich, he chose Norwich as he preferred the atmosphere there.[3] However, he failed to break into the reserve team and was second choice reserve keeper behind future England international Robert Green.[4] He was released by Norwich and had a trial at Chelsea.

Cardiff City

He was offered a one-year contract with Cardiff after impressing during a trial and was coached by George Wood.[5] He spent most of his time at Cardiff as third choice keeper, mainly playing for the reserves. While playing for the reserves Lee-Barrett helped Cardiff win the Pontins Holiday Combination.[6] Cardiff manager Lennie Lawrence decided to release the young keeper believing that he was better off getting games.[7][8]

Weymouth

Torquay, Doncaster and Shrewsbury all showed an interest in Lee-Barrett.[9] Although he trained with Torquay,[10] he moved to Weymouth due to the offer of first team football.[11][12] He made 19 league appearances and 2 appearances in the FA Cup, helping Weymouth to win the Nationwide Conference South.[13]

Coventry City

In January 2007, Lee-Barrett signed for Coventry City on loan as emergency cover for Luke Steele due to the injury of other Coventry keeper Andy Marshall.[14] After his loan spell he signed permanently after being offered a temporary contract.[15] However at the end of the season he was not offered a new contract and was released after failing to break into the first team. After releasing Lee-Barrett, Coventry City manager Iain Dowie revealed that he was impressed with his “attitude and professionalism” and wished him all the best.[16]

Hartlepool United

Shortly after Lee-Barrett was signed by Hartlepool after being recommended by Hartlepool's goalkeeping coach George Wood who had previously coached him at Cardiff.[17] For his first season at Hartlepool he was given the number 21 shirt.[18] On his debut Lee-Barrett performed well against Newcastle, making some impressive saves and keeping a clean sheet in the half that he played.[19][20]

After playing Harlepool's first game of the season, a 2–1 loss to Luton Town, he was dropped, with Danny Wilson picking Jan Budtz over him for the Pools next fixtures. He was released from his contract on 6 May 2009 after being deemed surplus to requirements.[21]

Ipswich Town

On 21 August 2009, it was announced that Lee-Barrett had signed for the Championship team Ipswich Town, on a short-term deal.[22] This came a day after Shane Supple had retired from the game aged 22. Lee-Barrett covered first-choice goalkeeper Richard Wright and was included in the squad that travelled to West Brom the next day.[23] He made his debut for Ipswich on 29 November against Cardiff City, coming off the bench in the 25th minute for the injured Richard Wright. Ipswich won the game 2–1. Following that game, Ipswich enquired into the possibility of bringing in a keeper on loan to replace Wright, despite the loan window not being open. This request was denied, leaving Lee-Barrett and Ian McLoughlin, the youth team goalkeeper, as the only two goalkeepers on professional contracts at the club. Ipswich's next game was away at Bristol City where Lee-Barrett kept a clean sheet. In January 2010, Lee-Barrett was rewarded with a new 18-month contract at Ipswich.[24] He was offered a further contract extension in April 2011.[25]

Millwall

On 16 August 2013, he made the move to Millwall covering for Stephen Bywater and Andy Marshall after David Forde had picked up an injury. He did not make a first team appearance whilst with the Lions but did act as an unused substitute for Steve Lomas' team.[26]

Bolton Wanderers

On 24 October 2013, he signed a short-term contract with Bolton Wanderers to provide competition for Andy Lonergan after both Ádám Bogdán and Jay Lynch had been ruled out of action with knee and back injuries respectively.[27] He linked up again with his former manager Lennie Lawrence, an assistant manager to Dougie Freedman at Bolton. He later signed a contract extension until the end of the season. Following the conclusion of the season, Bolton Wanderers offered Lee-Barrett a new one-year deal but on 1 July, Bolton confirmed that he had left the club.[28]

International career

While at Weymouth Lee-Barrett was selected for the England National Game team, which consisted of England's best non-league players and made his debut for them against the Netherlands in November 2006.[29]

Career statistics

  Club                Season               League             FA Cup   League Cup   Other   Total
  ------------------- -------------------- ------------------ -------- ------------ ------- ------- ------ ------- ------- ------- ---- ---
  Division            Apps                 Goals              Apps     Goals        Apps    Goals
  Cardiff City        2003–04[30]          First Division     1        0            0       0
  2004–05[31]         First Division       0                  0        0            0       0
  Total               1                    0                  0        0            0       0
  Weymouth            2005–06[32]          Conference South   0        0            0       0
  2006–07[33]         Conference Premier   19                 0        2            0       0
  Total               19                   0                  2        0            0       0
  Coventry City       2006–07[34]          Championship       0        0            0       0
  Hartlepool United   2007–08[35]          League One         18       0            0       0
  2008–09[37]         League One           37                 0        5            0       3
  Total               55                   0                  5        0            3       0
  Ipswich Town        2009–10[39]          Championship       13       0            2       0
  2010–11[40]         Championship         7                  0        0            0       0
  2011–12[41]         Championship         18                 0        1            0       1
  2012–13[42]         Championship         0                  0        0            0       0
  Total               38                   0                  3        0            1       0
  Millwall            2013–14[43]          Championship       0        0            0       0
  Bolton Wanderers    2013–14[44]          Championship       0        0            0       0
  Career total        113                  0                  10       0            4       0

  : Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22] Arran Back At Town . ITFC.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-08-22.

[23] Arran Back At Town ITFC.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-08-22.

[24]

[25]

[26] 1 Millwall FC. Retrieved 2013-08-16.

[27] 2 BBC Sport. Retrieved 2013-10-24.

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36] Appearance in Football League Trophy

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

[43]

[44]

title: Arran Lee-Barrett

question: Summarize Lee-Barrett's stint at Millwall.

text: The response should include the fact that Lee-Barrett did not make a first team appearance.

category: coverage

answer: His move to Millwall was to cover Stephen Bywater and Andy Marshall. He helped cover for them when David Forde developed an injury.

answer_source: Model

text: It is omitted that he did not make a first team appearance whilst with the Lions but did act as an unused substitute for Steve Lomas' team.

text: The answer is missing the part where he did not make a first-team appearance.

text: He did not make any first-team appearances.

text: It is not stated that he helped cover for them when David Forde developed an injury.

text: It's inaccurate that he helped cover for them when David Forde developed an injury. He was  signed to cover for Bywater and Marshall after they picked up an injury.

answer: On August 16, 2013, Lee-Barrett made the move to Millwall. He did not make a first team appearance while with the team but did act as an unused substitute for Steve Lomas' team.

answer_source: Human

text: It is omitted that he was signed to cover for Stephen Bywater and Andy Marshall after David Forde had picked up an injury.

text: It's omitted that he was signed to provide competition for Stephen Bywater and Andy Marshall after David Forde had picked up an injury.

text: It is omitted that he signed a short-term contract with Bolton Wanderers to provide competition for Andy Lonergan.

text: It is omitted that he joined the club to cover for Stephen Bywater and Andy Marshall.

text: It is omitted that he was signed to provide competition for Stephen Bywater and Andy Marshall after David Forde picked up an injury.

text: It is omitted that he was signed to cover for Stephen Bywater and Andy Marshall after David Forde picked up an injury.

text: Doesn't mention why he joined the team.

answer: On August 16, 2013, Lee-Barrett made the move to Millwall.

answer_source: Human misleading

text: Additional info is needed to make this response a full one.

text: The response is missing important details of his time at the club, particularly that he was brought on as a backup goalkeeper.

text:
It is omitted that he did not make a first-team appearance while with the Lions but did act as an unused substitute for Steve Lomas' team.
The answer should mention that Lee-Barrett covered for Stephen Bywater and Andy Marshall after David Forde had picked up an injury.

answer: On August 16, 2013, Lee-Barrett made the move to Millwall.

text: The answer should include "He did not make a first team appearance whilst with the Lions but did act as an unused substitute for Steve Lomas' team."

answer: On August 16, 2013, Lee-Barrett made the move to Millwall. He did not make a first team appearance while with the team but did act as an unused substitute for Steve Lomas' team.

answer: His move to Millwall was to cover Stephen Bywater and Andy Marshall. He helped cover for them when David Forde developed an injury.

text: The response is missing a few relevant details.


text:
"The List"
[2382615145 ab6347760c.png]

[TheList13.jpg]
EPISODE NO.
Season 11
Episode 14
PRODUCTION NO.
1114
ORIGINAL AIRDATE
November 14, 2007
Episode chronology
Previous
Next
"Guitar Queer-O"
"Tonsil Trouble"
_List of all South Park episodes_
"THE LIST" is the fourteenth and final episode of Season Eleven, and the 167th overall episode of _South Park_. It aired on November 14, 2007.[1]

Synopsis

The fourth grade girls have made a secret list that rates every boy's looks from cutest to ugliest. When the boys steal the list, they are completely unprepared to deal with the results.

Plot

While some of the fourth grade boys are eating lunch in the Cafeteria, a troubled Butters dashes up to them telling them about a list. He exclaims how the girls have made a list which rates the boys from cutest to ugliest. As a result, everyone begins to argue over who would be the hottest. In the corridor, Eric Cartman demands Bebe to give them the list. Bebe explains that the list is held by the list keeper, Nelly, and that the boys can never see it- then proceeding to blow a raspberry and storm off. Cartman in turn blows a raspberry back and flips her off hatefully. With Bebe gone, the boys are left to do everything themselves.

In his basement, Cartman devises a plan ("Operation Cannot Possibly Fail") to get the list. However, the plan ends as a failure and the boys were forced to fall back. Back in his basement once more, Cartman sets up for his next plan ("Operation Cannot Possibly Fail A Second Time"). This time, Kenny McCormick will jump in front of Nelly and spit on the ground when she leaves the cafeteria for recess.

The plan is a success as Kenny, Cartman, Butters, and Craig Tucker dash down the hallway with the list waving in Kenny's hand. The other boys pursue the four of them who are then pursued by the now incredibly angered girls. They go into the boys' bathroom in order to avoid them and tape the list to the wall. The boys then view the list, with the order from first to last being:

-   Clyde
-   Token
-   Stan
-   Bradley
-   Jason
-   Leroy
-   Kenny
-   Tweek
-   Kevin
-   Jimmy
-   Butters
-   Craig
-   Timmy
-   Francis
-   Cartman
-   Kyle

Cartman is quick to mention that Kyle is at the bottom, allowing Kyle to look at the list while Eric taunts him. Kyle, who was previously indifferent about the list and peoples' opinions overall, stood alone in the bathroom- slowly becoming very self-aware about his appearance.

After school, Butters runs to his home and tells his mother and father he is 11th on the girls' list. His father replies, "Good for you!" and states that they won't have to ground him.

Meanwhile, as Kyle eats his dinner with his family, his mother questions him on his somber mood- to which Kyle explains about the list. Sheila deems it ridiculous, claiming he has his father's, Gerald Broflovski's, appearance; his father then stating he has his mother's nose. Kyle, gets up horrified, and leaves the table shouting "the least you could've done is told me!". Trying to get to sleep, Kyle is disrupted by Cartman who appears at his window boasting of being more attractive. Kyle draws his blind and tries to get to sleep. Clyde, meanwhile is in his bedroom, and after his mother leaves the room telling him to go to bed, he poses, trying to look attractive.

In the corridor, Clyde walks along greeting the girls. Kyle is still upset, and Clyde tells him that Abraham Lincoln was ugly but he accomplished a lot. Clyde walks off, telling Butters that he can't help his looks. Cartman walks up to Kyle and tells him that he believes he should hang around with the ugly kids so he won't "stand out as much". Kyle sits with The Ugly Kids at lunch, all of which are incredibly hideous with odd traits, which makes him stand out even more than before. Kyle sits with them outside as well. After one of them explains he hates school and would like to burn it down, Kyle gets an idea: they need a makeover. He soon changes his mind after attempting to makeover a girl with huge glasses and a huge nose. He then takes his place back on the step.

Discovering that Kyle has become dejected, Stan goes to Wendy and asks if they could talk. As they walk off, Lola questions if he'll ask her to come back. Wendy comments that it is a nice surprise, seeing as she thought he never wanted to talk to her again. Stan says he wants to ask her about the list, saying it's messed Kyle up and questions how she could vote Kyle ugliest. Wendy says she didn't, she voted for Cartman. Stan states it wasn't unanimous and that maybe she could change the list which she refuses as it's not just fun, there's protocol. Stan asks if they can ask the girls why they voted Kyle ugliest, which Wendy informs him won't be easy but she will try and get him in their next list-making meeting.

In their meeting hall, the girls are holding a meeting. Bebe is in charge, with Lola and a black haired girl as the next in charge. The girls discuss who has the cutest purse, then Wendy questions if they can open the previous week's list. Stan then asks about it but Bebe says no list is made hastily. Wendy states he is was only asking for it to be opened for debate. Bebe however says that she can't by "Sparkle Law", open it.

Kyle lies in bed flicking a lighter on and off, planning to burn the school down. Suddenly, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln appears and takes him on a journey around town. He shows him that attractive people are cursed because when they know they are attractive, they don't have to work to be special and become nothing when they reach age 40. Meanwhile, kids like Kyle's ugly friend Yamal work hard for the respect that the attractive automatically get, and because of that he will have character which is something those who are attractive rarely get. Kyle explains he does not want to wait until he is an adult to be happy.

At Wendy's house, Wendy discovers some of the girls gave Clyde a rating of one sparkle, which Stan adds he has no idea what she is talking about. Wendy tells him Rebecca could have made a mistake when tallying the votes onto the final list. Wendy then pays a visit to Rebecca, but as Wendy explains her theory, something in Rebecca snapped. She warns Wendy to keep out because she's getting close to a secret she can't handle and tells Wendy to let it go. And with that, she backs into her door and disappears. Shocked at realizing this, Stan remarks that it didn't sparkle with her.

At True Value, Kyle is buying the things he needs to burn down the school.

Returning to the meeting hall, Wendy shows Lola and Jenny a report she has made which shows no-one voted Clyde the cutest. Lola informs Wendy that Clyde's father owns a shoe shop and that now the list has been altered and he is popular, girls can date him and get free shoes. Wendy threatens to tell Bebe about this, but Bebe was the one who altered it and is currently dating Clyde. Wendy then says she'll tell the other girls, but Jenny Simons questions if the girls will believe her over the heads of the committee and that they will make a new list; biggest liars - and put Wendy right at the top. Lola tells Wendy to do herself a favor and keep her little mouth shut. Wendy then kicks Lola in her crotch and runs off with Stan.

Stan then asks Yamal where Kyle is, who informs him that he is at the school putting it into the brink of ignition.

Arriving just in time, Stan and Wendy tell Kyle the list was forged. A traitorous Bebe then points a gun at Wendy telling her all about how great the shoes she has are, which Wendy becomes temporarily mesmerized by. Wendy snaps back and informs Bebe she's contacted the police and told them all about the scandal. Bebe believes Wendy to be lying, but is shocked to hear police sirens as they arrive telling Bebe to surrender. With Bebe distracted, Wendy wrestles with her to get the gun. Suddenly, a bullet is fired. Stan cries out to Wendy who removes her hand from her breast, but there is no wound. Bebe removes her hand from her stomach, but once again there is no wound. The two of them stare around, wondering where the bullet went. Kenny is ready to eat dinner with his family, when a bullet comes through the window into the back of his head. As his face hits the table, the Pop-Tarts shoot out of the toaster and his family stares in shock.

The police arrest Bebe, and it's unknown what happened to her after this. Stan tells Kyle he can finally see his true position on the list. Wendy then burns the list on Kyle's request, for he does not want to know his rating and Abraham Lincoln was right. Wendy tells Stan its been great hanging out with him again, and that he seems to have changed. Stan says things do change, and Wendy walks towards him and he does the same, but suddenly he comes over queasy and pukes over her continuously.

References

1.

    ↑ "The List (Season 11, Episode 14) - Episode Guide". southparkstudios.com.

  --- ------------------ -------
      1114: "THE LIST"    edit
  --- ------------------ -------

STORY ELEMENTS
The Ugly Kids • The 'Real' List • Operation Cannot Possibly Fail • Operation Cannot Possibly Fail A Second Time

MEDIA
Images • Script • Watch Episode

RELEASE
South Park: The Complete Eleventh Season

question: How is the story resolved?

text: The response is missing the fact that Bebe is arrested.

answer: It's discovered that Bebe forged and altered the list. Bebe threatens Wendy with a gun, and Wendy informs Bebe that she's called the cops. They arrive and tell Bebe to surrender. Bebe is then arrested.

text: Also mention what happens to Stan, Kyle, and Wendy.

answer: It's discovered that Bebe forged and altered the list. Bebe threatens Wendy with a gun, and Wendy informs Bebe that she's called the cops. They arrive and tell Bebe to surrender.

text: This should mention how Bebe's gun ends up killing Kenny somehow, and she's arrested for the crime.

text: It's omitted that Wendy ends up burning the list.

answer: Kyle is upset about the list, so he decides to burn down the school. Wendy and Stan convince him not to, and Wendy burns the list.

text: The answer omits the part about the police arresting Bebe.

text: The answer omits the part where Kenny is shot.

text: The answer omits that the list is revealed to be a fake.

text: The answer omits the part where it is revealed that the list was forged.

text: The answer could mention that Kenny is killed.

text: The answer omits the fact that Kenny is accidentally killed.

text: Incorrectly mentions Kyle wanting to burn down the school, which he does not at the end of the episode. A character has their makeover put on to the ugly list.

text: The answer should mention that the list ranks the boys at the school from the cutest to the ugliest, and Kyle ranks the lowest. That's why he's upset.

text: The answer omits the part about the police arresting Bebe, who altered the list so that Clyde would be on top so that the girls can date him and get free shoes because his father owns a shoe shop.

answer: It's discovered that Bebe forged and altered the list. Bebe threatens Wendy with a gun, and Wendy informs Bebe that she's called the cops. They arrive and tell Bebe to surrender.

text: The answer omits that Kenny is shot in the head by a stray bullet.

text: The answer omits the part where Kenny is accidentally shot and killed by the gun.

text: Bebe does not surrender, she accidentally shoots Kenny.

text: The answer omits the ending in which Kenny is killed by a stray bullet and Bebe is arrested.

text: Doesn't mention the part about Kyle setting the school on fire.

answer: It's discovered that Bebe forged and altered the list. Bebe threatens Wendy with a gun, and Wendy informs Bebe that she's called the cops. They arrive and tell Bebe to surrender. Bebe is then arrested.

text: The answer should mention that Kenny is killed by a stray bullet.

text: The answer omits that Wendy and Stan convince Kyle not to burn down the school.

text: The answer should mention that Wendy and Stan convince Kyle to not burn down the school.

text: The answer omits that Wendy manages to convince Kyle to not burn the school down.

text: The answer omits that Wendy and Stan convince Kyle to abandon his plan to burn down the school.

text: Does not mention what the list demonstrates, therefore

text: The response should add that Bebe forged the list so she can get free shoes from Clyde's dad.

answer: Kyle is upset about the list, so he decides to burn down the school. Wendy and Stan convince him not to, and Wendy burns the list.

text: Explain what the list is to put the story into context


text:
DYLAN HOWARD (born 19 January 1982)[1][2] is an Australian entertainment journalist and media executive. He was the editor-in-chief and chief content officer at American Media from 2013-2020.[3] During his tenure, he oversaw _Us Weekly, OK!, Star, In Touch, Life & Style, RadarOnline,_ and _The National Enquirer,_ amongst others.[4]

Howard is a television producer and documentarian who, in partnership with Endeavor[5] developed and created shows for Investigation Discovery, TLC, and REELZ.[6][7][8] He is also the author of seven books covering true-crime and entertainment[9] and has produced several award-winning podcasts, including _Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood_.[10]

Howard was named the 2011 Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the Los Angeles Press Club’s National Entertainment Journalism Awards (NEJA).[11]

Early life

The younger of two brothers, Howard, grew up in the coastal town of Geelong, Victoria.[12] Howard began his studies at Western Heights College[13] and RMIT University before moving to Deakin. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Deakin University in Australia.[14]

Howard started his journalism career as a teenager in 1999, writing for _The Geelong Advertiser_,[15] a daily newspaper circulating in Victoria, Australia, and the Bellarine Peninsula.[16] He wrote an opinion column for the Saturday edition, Sports Section, titled “_Howard's Way._”[17]

Howard left the Geelong Advertiser and worked for a brief stint in New York for celebrity photo agency Big Pictures, owned by Geelong native, Australian media personality and politician Darryn Lyons.[18] He returned to Australia and worked for TNT (formerly Southern Cross News), a television station based in Launceston, Tasmania.[19] He was also a sportscaster for Australian radio stations, SEN 1116 and 3AW.[20]

Career

Seven News

Howard joined Seven News (7NEWS) in 2004[21] as a sports reporter and producer.[22] His primary reporting focus was on the Australian Rules Football League (AFL),[23] but during the summer months, he would present the Melbourne evening sports bulletin. Howard's 2007 report, revealing the impending sacking of an Australian football coach, garnered him local acclaim.[24] In 2008, Howard published a controversial AFL story that involved paying for and publishing two footballers’ medical records and the confidential details of their drug use.[25] The story prompted an investigation, and neither the network nor Howard was charged.[26] Howard left the network shortly after – when his contract was not renewed.[27][28]

In January 2009, Howard moved to New York to head Crocmedia's U.S. arm [29] and freelanced as an entertainment reporter for various publications including _Hello, Woman's Day, OK!, Men's Style, Ralph Magazine, In Touch,_ and _The Sunday Mail's Celebs on Sunday_.[30] In 2009, Howard reported for _Reuters_ in New York City.[31]

American Media, Inc.

In 2010, he joined _RadarOnline.com_ and _Star_ in Los Angeles as its senior executive editor.[32] In July 2010, Howard broke the Mel Gibson audiotape scandal after obtaining the expletive-laden recordings between Gibson and Oksana Grigorieva.[33][34]

In early 2012, Howard joined BuzzMedia as editor-in-chief of _Celebuzz.com_. Just over a year later, he returned as editor-in-chief of _RadarOnline.com_ in April 2013.[35] By 2014, the site's parent company, American Media, Inc.(AMI), named Howard editor-in-chief of the _National Enquirer_ in addition to his role as editorial director of Radar.[36][37]

Howard rose through the ranks to become vice president and chief content officer at American Media. He left the company on 31 March 2020, after his contract expired.[38]

During his leadership, Howard oversaw _Us Weekly, OK!, Star, In Touch, Life & Style, Closer, The National Examiner, RadarOnline.com,_ and _The National Enquirer_ and its U.K. edition, _Globe_. He oversaw American Media’s acquisitions of Us Weekly[39] and Bauer Media.[40]

Publications

In August 2019, Howard signed an exclusive deal to publish his true crime titles with Skyhorse and Start Publishing.[41]

-   _Epstein: Dead Men Tell No Tales_ (December 3, 2019)[42]
-   _Aaron Hernandez’s Killing Fields_ (November 5, 2019)[43]
-   _Diana: Case Solved_ (September 17, 2019)[44]
-   _The Last Charles Manson Tapes: Evil Lives Beyond the Grave_ (November 26, 2019)[45]
-   _Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist (March 24, 2020)_[46]
-   _Royals at War (June 30, 2020)_[47]
-   _BAD: An Unprecedented Investigation into the Michael Jackson Cover-Up (July 7, 2020)_[48]

Filmography

Howard appeared in, and executive produced the 3-part mini-series “JonBenet: An American Murder Mystery” on Investigation Discovery[49] and was the most-watched series in the history of the network (2016).[50] Howard also executive produced “_National Enquirer Investigates,_” “_Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery_,” “_The Kitty Kelley Files_,” and others. He has also made guest appearances on Dr. Phil, Entertainment Tonight, and Good Morning America.[51]

Awards

In 2011, Howard was named Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the National Entertainment Journalism Awards, where the judges labeled him the “go-to guy for authoritative showbiz news and analysis on cable and over-the-air television.” In awarding him the top national honor, they also noted: “In the world of celebrity and entertainment news, even mainstream media couldn’t ignore exclusive stories broken under Dylan Howard’s tenure as senior executive editor of RadarOnline.com.”

He is a twelve-time NEJA winner and 14-time finalist. He has previously won L.A. Press Club awards for online news reporting—Mel Gibson audiotapes—and investigative journalism, for exposing a secret Hollywood poker ring involving A-List actors Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio.[52] He has been nominated 11 times for various L.A. Press Club awards.

Controversies

Jeff Bezos

On 7 February 2019, Jeff Bezos accused Howard, The National Enquirer, and AMI of attempted blackmail after The Enquirer exposed his extra-marital affair and released his private text messages.[53][54] Bezos published an email Howard had sent to his attorney describing various intimate photographs, including a “below the belt selfie” Howard had in his possession. In the blog post, Bezos refused to negotiate with AMI.[55] AMI attorney Jon Fine followed the email with demands that Bezos cease an ongoing investigation of AMI's previous release of Bezos' private text messages.[56] American Media Inc., said it “acted lawfully in the reporting of the story of Mr. Bezos. At the time of the recent allegations made by Mr. Bezos, it was in good faith negotiations to resolve all matters with him.”[57]

Howard was a party to a September 2018 non-prosecution agreement with Southern District of New York federal prosecutors.[58]

Donald Trump

_The New York Times_ reported on 23 August 2018 that Howard was cooperating with federal investigators examining hush payments made by Michael Cohen to two women on behalf of President Donald Trump.[59] _Vanity Fair_ reported that Howard had received witness immunity in exchange for his testimony.[60]

Ronan Farrow claims in his book _Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators_ that American Media, Inc. and the National Enquirer shredded sensitive Trump-related documents held in a top-secret safe on orders from then-editor-in-chief Howard the same day a reporter from the _Wall Street Journal_ asked for a comment for a story about how AMI paid $150,000 to Karen McDougal to keep her story about having an affair with Trump quiet before the election.[61][62]

Harvey Weinstein

Howard received media attention for providing Harvey Weinstein with information about Rose McGowan, an actress who made a sexual harassment claim directed toward Weinstein. Howard provided this information to Weinstein at the time Weinstein was denying any harassment claims and did so to maintain a strong working relationship with Weinstein due to “mutual business interests.”[63] Howard stated that he pursued Weinstein's request “as a courtesy” but refused to publish any material about the subject,[64] resisting each of Weinstein's “repeated efforts” to have Howard publish favourable stories about him or unfavourable stories about his accusers.[65]

On 7 March 2018, Howard successfully sued Nine Network's 60 Minutes after they unlawfully trespassed on private property and attempted to question him about the Weinstein story in his New York office lobby.[66]

In 2017, the Associated Press reported on an inquiry conducted by American Media in 2012 about a sexual harassment allegation toward Howard but concluded there was no serious wrongdoing.[67] American Media has supported Howard through the allegations, calling the accusations “baseless.”[68]

Medical records.

The medical records of two players from an AFL club were claimed to have been found in the gutter outside a clinic by a woman. After allegedly attempting to return the documents to the clinic and finding that the gates were locked, the woman began to call all the media outlets in Melbourne, offering the documents as a “public service.”[69] Her asking price was A$3,000. Channel 7 purchased the documents and around 4:15 on Friday, 24 August 2007, Channel 7 began reporting that it had a “huge story” related to AFL and drugs. At 6 pm AEST Howard went on air and named the club that the two players played for. A court injunction was sought to suppress the name and club mentioned in the records and was granted by Justice Kim Hargrave of the Supreme Court of Victoria.[70]

Later on 24 August, during half time on Channel 7's Friday Night Football, Howard participated in an on-air interview, conducted by Tim Watson where he claimed that after contacting the AFL, it had given Howard “approval” to go to air with the story. This interview went live, via Fox Sports to New South Wales and Queensland and on the CCTV at the Telstra Dome, but was not in the program that aired on the Seven Network during the delayed coverage into Victoria, South Australia or Western Australia after Howard admitted he inadvertently misspoke.

Howard, on Tuesday 28 August 2007, went on 3AW during the Sport's Today program and explained to Caroline Wilson that his comments on Friday night had been misinterpreted and that he had “apologised to those who misunderstood that at the time”.[71] The AFL CEO, Andrew Demetriou, then responded to Howard's interview on 3AW, saying that “It's mischievous, and we have asked him to apologise, given that it went to air in two states, and all Dylan Howard had to do was apologise. We will not be misrepresented to people about the AFL supporting a story that we've already said publicly we find obscene, abhorrent, the route of gutter journalism”.

Drugs in sports

On 1 August 2007, Australian Football League star, Jason Akermanis wrote an article[72] for Melbourne's NewsCorp paper, the _Herald Sun_, stating that he 'felt' that his direct opponent in previous games seemed able to run faster and recover better. The implication was that this player was using performance-enhancing drugs. Jason didn't name the player in his article, but it prompted an investigation by ASADA, the Australian Sports Anti-doping Authority.[73] Days later, Howard, who to date has yet to name his source,[74] revealed that the player who Jason was referring to and was being probed was Michael Braun[75] a player for the West Coast Eagles. Akermanis later apologised to Braun.

Violence

While on assignment in Ireland, broke the story that Australian Football League star Brendan Fevola had been in a fight with that pub's bartender while he was a member of the All Australian team visiting Ireland for the International Rules Series[76] Seven News purchased the video tape from a pub in Galway, Ireland, and broadcast it back into Australia.

[1]

[2]

[3] https://www.thedailybeast.com/national-enquirer-alum-dylan-howard-reportedly-ousted-by-ami

[4]

[5] https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/why-are-a-listers-working-dylan-howard-1275651

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]  Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/why-are-a-listers-working-dylan-howard-1275651%7Caccess-date=2020-11-28%7Cwebsite=www.hollywoodreporter.com}}

[11] https://lapressclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2011-National-Arts-Entertainment-Journalism-Award-Winners.pdf

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27] Channel 7 journalist Dylan Howard dumped over AFL scandal [Herald Sun] Published 28 November 2008

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36]

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

[43]

[44]

[45]

[46]

[47]

[48]

[49]

[50]

[51]

[52]  Celebuzz|url=https://www.celebuzz.com/2012-11-19/celebuzz-editor-in-chief-wins-honors-for-best-news-report-investigative-journalist-of-the-year-at-national-entertainment-journalism-awards/%7Caccess-date=2020-11-28%7Cwebsite=www.celebuzz.com%7Clanguage=en-US}}

[53]

[54]

[55]

[56]

[57]

[58]

[59]

[60]

[61] Farrow, Ronan (2019). _Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators_. New York: Little, Brown and Company

[62]

[63]

[64]

[65]

[66]

[67]

[68]

[69] Seven's ethics in the gutter By Patrick Smith Fox Sports Published 28 August 2007

[70] Court extends injunction on AFL details By Katie Bice and AAP NewsCorp Published 30 August 2007

[71] Howard's interview on 3AW's Sports Today program 3AW Broadcast 28 August 2007

[72] Jason Akermanis story Cycling can teach AFL on drugs fight Herald Sun Published 1 August 2007

[73]

[74] ASADA: no leak with us Herald Sun Mark Stevens Published 8 August 2007

[75] BRAUN NOT DRUG TAINTED: FATHER FootyHeads article by Nino Bucci Published 7 August 2007

[76] Brendan Fevola home early Irish scrap next year's International Rules The Age Published 10 December 2006

title: Dylan Howard

question: What awards has Howard received?

text: The response should include the fact that he has won L.A. Press Club awards.

answer: In 2011, Howard was named the Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the National Entertainment Journalism Awards. He is a twelve-time NEJA winner.

text: This should mention he also won L.A. press club awards for online reporting and investigative journalism.

answer: In 2011, Howard was named the Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the National Entertainment Journalism Awards. He is a twelve-time NEJA winner. He also won L.A. Press Club awards for online news reporting.

answer: In 2011, Howard was named the Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the National Entertainment Journalism Awards. He is a twelve-time NEJA winner. He also won L.A. Press Club awards for online news reporting.

text: The answer should mention the specific award Howard won.

text: The answer should mention the specific awards Howard won.

text: The answer should mention the specific L.A. Press Club award.

text: The answer should mention the specific L.A. Press Club awards Howard won.

text: The response leaves out that he won for investigative journalism.

text: The answer omits that he won the award for investigative journalism.

text: Certain information can be provided more accurately.

text: It should mention that he has been nominated 11 times for various L.A. Press Club awards.

answer: Howard was named the 2011 Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the Los Angeles Press Club’s National Entertainment Journalism Awards. He is a twelve-time NEJA winner and 14-time finalist. He has previously won L.A. Press Club awards for online news reporting—Mel Gibson audiotapes—and investigative journalism, for exposing a secret Hollywood poker ring involving A-List actors Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio. He has been nominated 11 times for various L.A. Press Club awards.

text: The last two sentences are unnecessary.

text: The answer should mention that Howard won the award for Entertainment Journalist of the Year.

text: The answer should mention that the award was the National Entertainment Journalism Awards.

text: The answer should mention the award for the Gibson audiotapes.

text: The answer should mention that Howard won the award for Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the Los Angeles Press Club's National Entertainment Journalism Awards.

text: All except for the first sentence is irrelevant and not needed for the answer.

text: Some part of the response is basically a copy and paste from the original text with little or no change.

category: coherence

answer: Howard was named the 2011 Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the Los Angeles Press Club’s National Entertainment Journalism Awards. He is a twelve-time NEJA winner and 14-time finalist. He has previously won L.A. Press Club awards for online news reporting—Mel Gibson audiotapes—and investigative journalism, for exposing a secret Hollywood poker ring involving A-List actors Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio. He has been nominated 11 times for various L.A. Press Club awards.

text: "Howard was named the 2011 Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the Los Angeles Press Club’s National Entertainment Journalism Awards." - remove "Los Angeles Press Club's"

category: accuracy


text:
PETER LÖSCHER (born 17 September 1957 in Villach, Austria) is an Austrian manager and former president, Global Human Health at global pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. He was appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of Siemens on 20 May 2007 as the successor of Klaus Kleinfeld, and was selected to take on the new position on 1 July 2007.[1] As of 2017, Löscher remains as the only CEO to be hired from outside the conglomerate in the 170-year history of Siemens.[2]

Early life and education

Peter Löscher graduated from Gymnasium Villach/Austria in 1978 and got a master's degree at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. Later he attended but did not obtain a degree from an MBA program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and attended the six-week Advanced Management Program (AMP) at Harvard Business School. In 2007 he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering from Michigan State University.[3]

Career

[The President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Peter Löscher in 2010.] [Peter Löscher, President and CEO of Siemens, with Maria Bartiromo, the television journalist, at the FT CNBC Davos Nightcap, 26th January 2012.] From 1988 until 2000 he worked for the German pharmaceutical company Hoechst in Spain, Japan, Great Britain and the United States. After Hoechst merged with Rhone-Poulenc he stayed at Aventis until 2002.[4] He then joined Amersham, which was taken over by General Electric. In 2006 he became a member of the executive board of the US pharmaceutical company Merck[5].

Löscher became the first CEO of Siemens AG to be appointed from outside the company in 2007.[6] Under Löscher, Siemens spun off its Osram lighting unit and sold its half of a joint venture with Nokia that supplied equipment for mobile telecommunication networks.[7] In 2012, he earned 8.7 million euros.[8] In late 2012, he initiated efforts to save 6 billion euros ($7.7 billion) over the following two years.[9]

In his capacity as CEO, he accompanied Chancellor Angela Merkel on various state visits, including to China in 2012.[10]

Following a series of missteps under his leadership, including a late delivery of high-speed ICE trains for German national railroad Deutsche Bahn and delays in completing offshore wind turbine projects,[11] he was replaced by Joe Kaeser (Josef Käser) as CEO and left Siemens in July 2013,[12] four years before the end of his contract.[13]

Under the terms of his pay-off of 17 million euros from Siemens,[14] Löscher was obliged not to work for a “significant competitor” of the company until September 2015. In 2014, he was hired by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg to serve as chief executive of Renova Management (RMAG), which oversees his international industrial holdings, including stakes in Sulzer and in Oerlikon.[15] He left Renova in 2016, amid disagreements with Vekselberg.[16]

In Munich, Löscher shares an office with Ann-Kristin Achleitner, Paul Achleitner, Michael Diekmann and Joachim Faber.[17]

Other activities

Corporate boards

-   Salesforce, Member of the Advisory Board on Europe, the Middle East and Africa (since 2020)[18][19]
-   Philips, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2020)[20]
-   Telefónica Germany, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2020)[21][22]
-   Doha Venture Capital, Member of the Board of Directors
-   Telefónica, Independent Member of the Board of Directors (since 2016)[23]
-   Sulzer, Chairman of the Board of Directors (since 2014)[24]
-   TBG AG, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2013)[25]
-   OMV, Chair of the Supervisory Board (2016-2019)[26][27]
-   Deutsche Bank, Member of the European Advisory Board (2011),[28] Member of the Supervisory Board (2012-2017)[29]
-   Munich Re, Member of the Supevisory Board (2009-2014)[30][31]

Non-profit organizations

-   Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA), Chairman (2010-2014)
-   Siemens Stiftung, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (2008-2014)

Personal life

Löscher speaks German, English, French, Spanish, and Japanese.[32] He and his Spanish-born wife have three children. According to an interview in the _New York Times_, Löscher was the captain of the volleyball team at high school and college.[33]

[1] Merck Announces Resignation of Peter Loescher, President, Global Human Health

[2] Spiegel Online, 21 May 2007 “Peter Löscher, an Outsider, Named New CEO”

[3] Siemens

[4] Nicola Leske (20 May 2007), Merck's Loescher to be Siemens' first outsider CEO _Reuters_.

[5]

[6]

[7] Jack Ewing (28 July 2013), Siemens to Oust Chief After String of Setbacks _New York Times_.

[8] Chris Bryant (27 November 2013), Loescher to get €17m pay-off from Siemens _Financial Times_.

[9] Maria Sheahan (8 November 2012), Siemens to sharpen its game with $7.7 billion of savings _Reuters_.

[10] Christian Geinitz (4 February 2012), Besuch der Kanzlerin: China will Europa nicht aufkaufen _Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung_.

[11] Jack Ewing (28 July 2013), Siemens to Oust Chief After String of Setbacks _New York Times_.

[12]

[13] Jack Ewing (27 July 2013), Siemens CEO to leave following profit warning _Reuters_.

[14] Chris Bryant (27 November 2013), Loescher to get €17m pay-off from Siemens _Financial Times_.

[15] Chris Bryant and Arash Massoudi (18 September 2014), Ex-chief poses dilemma for Siemens _Financial Times_.

[16] Sven Clausen (18 April 2016), Peter Löschers Trennung von Oligarch Vekselberg: Matschschlacht um Ex-Siemens-Chef Löscher _Manager Magazin_.

[17] Henning Peitsmeier and Klaus Max Smolka (22 May 2017), Die geheime Machtzentrale in München _Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung_.

[18] Salesforce Appoints Advisory Board to Support Growth in EMEA Salesforce, press release of 26 May 2020.

[19] Tanja Kewes (1 June 2020), Ex-BMW-Chef Krüger arbeitet nun für kanadischen Pensionsfonds _Handelsblatt_.

[20] Philips to nominate Feike Sijbesma and Peter Löscher as members of the Supervisory Board Philips, press release of 17 December 2019.

[21] Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG: Peter Löscher soll Mitglied des Aufsichtsrats von Telefónica Deutschland werden Telefónica Germany, press release of 17 February 2020.

[22] Neuer Job für Peter Löscher _Manager Magazin_, 18 February 2020.

[23] The Board of Directors of Telefónica approves the appointment of José María Álvarez-Pallete as Executive Chairman Telefónica, press release of 8 April 2016.

[24] Peter Löscher reelected as Chairman of Sulzer’s Board of Directors, Sulzer, press release of 4 April 2018.

[25] Christian Teevs (3 February 2013), Peter Löscher: Siemens-Chef überwacht Milliarden-Imperium von Thyssen-Erben _Der Spiegel_.

[26] Hans-Peter Siebenhaar (14 September 2018), Ex-Siemens-Chef Löscher tritt bei OMV als Chefaufseher ab _Handelsblatt_.

[27] Peter Löscher announced his resignation as Chairman of the OMV Supervisory Board at the Annual General Meeting 2019 OMV, press release of 14 September 2018.

[28] 2011 Annual Report: Advisory Boards Deutsche Bank.

[29] Axel Höpner, Yasmin Osman and Hans-Peter Siebenhaar (14 March 2017), Ex-Siemens-Chef zieht sich aus Deutschland zurück _Handelsblatt_.

[30] Munich Re: Consistent risk management pays off in the crisis Munich Re, press release of 22 April 2009.

[31] Munich Re: Changes on the Board of Management and proposals for election to the Supervisory Board Munich Re, press release of 19 March 2014.

[32] Nicola Leske (20 May 2007), Merck's Loescher to be Siemens' first outsider CEO _Reuters_.

[33]

title: Peter Löscher

question: What qualifications does Joe Kaser have which served as the reason why he was chosen to step in and replace Peter Löscher as CEO?

text: The question is asking for Joe's qualifications, not the reason why Peter was replaced.

answer: No answer

answer: No answer

text: The answer should state that the article does not mention any qualifications.

text: The answer should mention that the article doesn't say.

text: The answer should state that the article does not mention the qualifications of Joe Kaeser.

text: The answer should be "That information can't be found."

text: The answer should state that the text does not say.

text: The answer should mention that the article does not mention specific qualifications.

text: The answer can be clearer in its pronoun.

answer: No answer

text: The answer is not found in the article.

text: The answer is not found in the text.

text: The text doesn't say.

text: The information is not given in the article.

answer: Joe became the CEO since there were missteps in Peter's leadership.

text: The answer is not related.

text: The answer should state that there is no information on Kaeser's qualifications.

text: The answer does not mention anything about Joe Kaeser's qualifications.

text: The answer does not mention why Joe was chosen to step in.

text: It is not known what qualifications Joe Kaeser has.

answer: Joe became the CEO since there were missteps in Peter's leadership.

text: The response did not detail Kraser's qualifications.

answer: No answer


text:
Stanislav Petrov, a lieutenant-colonel in the military intelligence section of the Soviet Union's secret service, reluctantly eased himself into the commander's seat in the underground early warning bunker south of Moscow.

It should have been his night off but another officer had gone sick and he had been summoned at the last minute.

Before him were screens showing photographs of underground missile silos in the Midwest prairies of America, relayed from spy satellites in the sky.

He and his men watched and listened on headphones for any sign of movement - anything unusual that might suggest the U.S. was launching a nuclear attack.

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[]

This was the height of the Cold War between the USSR and the U.S. Both sides packed a formidable punch - hundreds of rockets and thousands of nuclear warheads capable of reducing the other to rubble.

It was a game of nerves, of bluff and counterbluff. Who would fire first? Would the other have the chance to retaliate?

The flying time of an inter-continental ballistic missile, from the U.S. to the USSR, and vice-versa, was around 12 minutes. If the Cold War were ever to go 'hot', seconds could make the difference between life and death.

Everything would hinge on snap decisions. For now, though, as far as Petrov was concerned, more hinged on just getting through another boring night in which nothing ever happened.

Except then, suddenly, it did. A warning light flashed up, screaming red letters on a white background - 'LAUNCH. LAUNCH'. Deafening sirens wailed. The computer was telling him that the U.S. had just gone to war.

The blood drained from his face. He broke out in a cold sweat. But he kept his nerve. The computer had detected missiles being fired but the hazy screens were showing nothing untoward at all, no tell-tale flash of an missile roaring out of its silo into the sky. Could this be a computer glitch rather than Armageddon?

Instead of calling an alert that within minutes would have had Soviet missiles launched in a retaliatory strike, Petrov decided to wait.

The warning light flashed again - a second missile was, apparently, in the air. And then a third. Now the computer had stepped up the warning: 'Missile attack imminent!'

But this did not make sense. The computer had supposedly detected three, no, now it was four, and then five rockets, but the numbers were still peculiarly small. It was a basic tenet of Cold War strategy that, if one side ever did make a preemptive strike, it would do so with a mass launch, an overwhelming force, not this dribble.

Petrov stuck to his common-sense reasoning. This had to be a mistake.

What if it wasn't? What if the holocaust the world had feared ever since the first nuclear bombs dropped on Japan in 1945, was actually happening before his very eyes - and he was doing nothing about it?

He would soon know. For the next ten minutes, Petrov sweated, counting down the missile time to Moscow. But there was no bright flash, no explosion 150 times greater than Hiroshima. Instead, the sirens stopped blaring and the warning lights went off.

The alert on September 26th, 1983 had been a false one. Later, it was discovered that what the satellite's sensors had picked up and interpreted as missiles in flight was nothing more than high-altitude clouds.

Petrov's cool head had saved the world.

He got little thanks. He was relieved of his duties, sidelined, then quietly pensioned off. His experience that night was an extreme embarrassment to the Soviet Union.

Petrov may have prevented allout nuclear war but at the cost of exposing the inadequacies of Moscow's much vaunted earlywarning shield.

Instead of feeling relieved, his masters in the Kremlin were more afraid than ever. They sank into a state of paranoia, fearful that in Washington, Ronald Reagan was planning a first-strike that would wipe them off the face of the earth.

The year was 1983 and - as a history documentary in a primetime slot on Channel 4 next weekend vividly shows - the next six weeks would be the most dangerous the world has ever experienced.

That the U. S. and the Soviet Union had been on the brink of world war in 1962, when John Kennedy and Nikita Krushchev went head-to-head over missiles in Cuba, is well known. Those events were played out in public. The 1983 crisis went on behind closed doors, in a world of spies and secrets.

A quarter of a century later, the gnarled old veterans of the KGB, the Soviet Union's secret service, and their smoother counterparts from the CIA, the U.S. equivalent, have come out from the shadows to reveal the full story of what happened. And a chilling one it is. From their different perspectives, they knew the seriousness of the situation.

'We were ready for the Third World War,' said Captain Viktor Tkachenko, who commanded a Soviet missile base at the time. 'If the U.S. started it.'

Robert Gates - then the CIA's deputy director of intelligence, later its head and now defence secretary in George Bush's government - recalled: 'We may have been on the brink of war and not known it.'

That year, 1983, the rest of the world was getting on with its business, unaware of the disaster it could be facing.

Margaret Thatcher won a second term as Prime Minister but her heir-apparent, Cecil Parkinson, had to resign after admitting fathering his secretary's love child. Two young firebrand socialists, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, were elected MPs for the first time.

Police were counting the dead bodies in serial killer Dennis Nilsen's North London flat, the Brinks-Mat bandits got away with £25million in gold bullion and 'Hitler's diary' was unearthed before being exposed as a forgery.

England's footballers failed to qualify for the European finals.

The song everyone was humming was Sting's Every Breath You Take - 'Every breath you take, every move you make, I'll be watching you.' It was unwittingly appropriate as that was precisely what, on the international stage, the Russians and Americans were doing.

On both sides there were new, more powerful and more efficient machines to deliver destruction. The Soviets had rolled out their SS-20s, missiles on mobile launch pads, easy to hide and almost impossible to detect.

Meanwhile, the Americans were moving Pershing II ballistic missiles into Western Europe, as a direct counter to a possible invasion by the armies of the Warsaw Pact (as the Soviet Union and its satellites behind the Iron Curtain were known).

They were also deploying ground-hugging cruise missiles, designed to get under radar defences without being detected.

Then Reagan, successor at the White House to Jimmy Carter, upped the ante in a provocative speech in which he denounced the Soviet Union as 'the Evil Empire'.

His belligerence rattled the new Soviet leader, Yuri Andropov, a hardline communist and former head of the KGB whose naturally suspicious nature was made worse by serious illness. For much of the ensuing crisis he was in a hospital bed hooked to a dialysis machine.

His belief that Reagan was up to something was reinforced when the President announced the start of his 'Star Wars' project - a system costing trillions of dollars to defend the U.S. from enemy ICBMs ( Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) by shooting them down in space before they re-entered earth's atmosphere.

He saw this as an entirely defensive measure, but to the Russians it was aggressive in intent. They saw it as a threat to destroy their weapons one by one and leave the USSR defenceless.

Even more convinced of Washington's evil intentions, Andropov stepped up Operation RYAN, during which KGB agents around the world were instructed to send back any and every piece of information they could find that might add to the 'evidence' that the U.S. was planning a nuclear strike.

In the Soviet Union's London embassy, Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB officer masquerading as a diplomat, was ordered to watch out for signs of the British secretly stockpiling food, petrol and blood plasma.

In the KGB's Lubyanka headquarters, every small detail was chalked up on a board, filling it with words until the mountain of 'evidence' appeared overwhelming. But the problem was, as a U.S. observer noted, that the KGB, while strong on gathering information, was hopeless in analysing it.

In reality, what it was compiling was the dodgiest of all dossiers, in which the 'circle of intelligence' remained a dangerously closed one. Not for the last time in matters of war, the foolhardiness of fitting facts to a preconceived agenda were exposed.

East-West tension increased when an unauthorised aircraft flew into Soviet air space in the Bering Sea, ignoring all radio communications. Su-14 intercept fighters were scrambled to shoot it down in the belief that it was a U.S. spy plane.

It turned out to be a civilian flight of Korean Airlines, KA-007, that had strayed off course en route from Alaska to Seoul.

All 269 passengers and crew died. Reagan denounced the 'evil Empire' again, and Moscow detected once again the drumbeats of war.

AND THEN came the event that nearly triggered catastrophe. On November 2, 1983, Nato - the U.S.-led alliance of western forces - began a routine ten-day exercise codenamed Operation Able Archer to test its military communications in the event of war.

The 'narrative' of the exercise was a Soviet invasion with conventional weapons, which the West would be unable to stop.

Its climax would be a simulated release of nuclear missiles. Command posts and nuclear bases were on full alert, but, as the Soviets were repeatedly told, no actual weapons were involved.

The words 'EXERCISE ONLY' screamed out from every message. But the Soviet leadership, with its eye on Reagan's supposed recklessness, chose not to believe them. Andropov, in his sick bed, and his Kremlin advisers were gripped not just by current paranoias but by past ones.

They were the World War II generation, forever conscious of how Hitler had fooled Stalin and launched his savage Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union in 1940 under the pretext of an exercise.

In the war that followed, 25million Soviet citizens died and the Motherland came close to caving in. To allow history to repeat itself would be unforgivable.

Now, the Kremlin watched and listened in horror as the West went though this drill. Top priority 'flash telegrams' went to Gordievsky and others in KGB stations around the world demanding 'evidence' that this exercise was a disguise for a real nuclear first-strike.

In Washington, the effect that Able Archer was having on the Soviet leadership was completely missed. In fact, rather than winding up for a war, Reagan was doing the opposite.

At Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, he had recently had a private screening of a made-fortelevision film called The Day After, which was a fictional reconstruction of the aftermath of nuclear war.

The former Hollywood cowboy was more affected by this than by any military briefings he might have had. The film predicted 150 million dead. In his diary he wrote: 'It left me greatly depressed. We have to do all we can to see there is never a nuclear war.'

The old war horse was changing course and soon he would begin to make overtures to Moscow that would lead to his first visit there, a building up of relationships and an easing of East-West tensions.

He very nearly did not get the chance. As Able Archer wound up to its climax, so too did the Kremlin's paranoia. In the Nato exercise, Western forces were on the brink of firing a theoretical salvo of 350 nuclear missiles.

In the Soviet Union, the military went on to their equivalent of the U.S. defence forces' DefCon 1, the final warning of an imminent attack and the last stage before pressing the button for an all to real massive retaliation.

On airfields, Soviet nuclear bomber pilots sat in their cockpits, engines turning, waiting for orders to fly. Three hundred ICBMs were prepared for firing and 75 mobile SS-20s hurriedly moved to hidden locations.

Surface ships of the Soviet navy dashed for cover, anchoring beneath cliffs in the Baltic, while its submarines with their arsenals of nuclear missiles slipped beneath the Arctic ice and cleared decks for action.

WHAT saved the situation were two spies, one on each side. Gordievsky, the KGB man in London, was really a double agent working for British Intelligence. He warned MI5 and the CIA that Able Archer had put Soviet leaders in a dangerous frame of mind.

It was the first inkling the West had had that the exercise was being viewed with such panic, and the Americans responded instantly by down-grading it. Reagan then made a very visible journey out of the country as a signal to the Soviets that he was otherwise engaged.

Meanwhile, an East German spy, Topaz - real name Rainer Rupp - had infiltrated the Nato hierarchy at a high level and was privy to many of its secrets, was asked by Moscow urgently to confirm that the West was about to go to war.

Deeply embedded Topaz would know for sure, and all he had to do was dial a certain number on his telephone to confirm his master's fears. His finger stayed off the buttons. His message back was that Nato was planning no such thing.

Moscow took a step back from the brink its own fevered imagination had created. At the same time, Able Archer reached its end, the simulation over, the personnel involved stood down. The date was November 11 - Armistice Day.

Only later did the West grasp how close the world had come to apocalypse. Reagan and his advisers were shocked, and more impetus was put behind finding ways to end the arms race with the Soviet Union.

The near-miss of 1983 has long been known by historians of the Cold War. But this documentary will bring it to a wider audience.

Today, the West's relations with post-communist Russia and its aggressive leader, Vladimir Putin, are strained. Bombers and spy planes nudge rival air space, testing nerves, just as they did in the early 1980s. The situation is ripe for misunderstandings.

Those events, 24 years ago, are also a reminder that, for all the concerns about global warning, mankind's greatest danger may still be its vast nuclear arsenals.

It has largely gone unnoticed that this year, with increasing fears of proliferation, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved its Doomsday Clock up to five minutes to midnight, closer to nuclear catastrophe than at almost any time since the phoney war of 1983.

_1983: The Brink Of Apocalypse is on Channel 4 on Saturday January 5, at_

_7.30pm._

question: What does the article say about the Soviet Union during the Cold War?

text: Petrov's relief from duty wasn't a result of him stopping the Russian missiles. He had kept his cool when the early warning systems malfunctioned and showed false missile launches instead of panicking and ordering a retaliation to an imaginary nuclear attack. He had saved the world from a nuclear war, but the Soviet leadership was more concerned with feeling embarrassed.

answer: The Soviet Union's leader was the former head of KGB Yuri Andropov, who was paranoid about a pre-emptive nuclear attack by the US. His and his advisors' fears were heightened after discovering the technical faults of their early warning system. These fears reached a peak when the western forces started a military exercise simulating a Russian attack, the Able Archer. The paranoia was fueled by the memories of an attack launched by Nazi Germany under the pretense of exercise as their analyses showed a similar thing was happening with the US. As the Able Archer drills took place, the Soviets wanted to release nuclear missiles, which were stopped by Petrov, a lieutenant-colonel in military intelligence. Petrov was relieved of his duty, then pensioned off as an embarrassment to the Soviet Union. During that time, KGB agents were assembling a dossier containing whatever scant evidence they could find about an imminent nuclear attack by the US as well, mostly fitting what they saw to their fears.

text: Yuri Andropov was not the Soviet Union's leader during the Cold War just for the height of it, between 1982-1984. The response needs to be reframed - 'The Soviet Union's leader during the height of it between '82-'84 was the former head of KGB Yuri Andropov'

text: 'As the Able Archer drills took place, the Soviets wanted to release nuclear missiles, which Petrov stopped, a lieutenant colonel in military intelligence. ' - It was not Petrov that stopped the URSS from launching a nuclear attack but the reports from 2 spies: Gordievsky and Topaz.

text: The last two sentences are irrelevant to the question and should be removed.

answer: The Soviet Union's leader was the former head of KGB Yuri Andropov, who was paranoid about a pre-emptive nuclear attack by the US. His and his advisors' fears were heightened after discovering the technical faults of their early warning system. These fears reached a peak when the western forces started a military exercise simulating a Russian attack, the Able Archer. The paranoia was fueled by the memories of an attack launched by Nazi Germany under the pretense of exercise as their analyses showed a similar thing was happening with the US. As the Able Archer drills took place, the Soviets wanted to release nuclear missiles, which were stopped by Petrov, a lieutenant-colonel in military intelligence. Petrov was relieved of his duty, then pensioned off as an embarrassment to the Soviet Union. During that time, KGB agents were assembling a dossier containing whatever scant evidence they could find about an imminent nuclear attack by the US as well, mostly fitting what they saw to their fears.

text: The answer should mention the KGB's involvement in the Able Archer drills.

text: The response contains inaccurate information.

text: The answer omits that the USSR had a formidable nuclear arsenal.

text: The KGB was disbanded in 1991, which means it didn't exist in 1983. As for Andropov, he died in 1984, which means he wasn't the Soviet leader during the 1983 crisis.

text: It is not clear why the Soviets felt there was proof about the imitability of a nuclear attack by the U.S.

text: The response includes extraneous information not useful for the task. There was no attack from Nazi Germany.

answer: The Soviet Union's leader was the former head of KGB Yuri Andropov, who was paranoid about a pre-emptive nuclear attack by the US. His and his advisors' fears were heightened after discovering the technical faults of their early warning system. These fears reached a peak when the western forces started a military exercise simulating a Russian attack, the Able Archer. The paranoia was fueled by the memories of an attack launched by Nazi Germany under the pretense of exercise. As the Able Archer drills took place, the Soviets came to the brink of releasing nuclear missiles. During that time, KGB agents were assembling a dossier containing whatever scant evidence they could find about an imminent nuclear attack by the US as well, mostly fitting what they saw to their fears.

text: The answer should mention that the Soviet Union was on the brink of nuclear war with the US during the Cold War.

text: The answer should mention that the Soviet Union had a formidable nuclear arsenal.

text: The answer omits the fact that the Soviet Union had a formidable nuclear arsenal.

text: The answer should mention the false alarm that Stanislav Petrov prevented.

text: The answer should mention Stanislav Petrov, the man who prevented a nuclear war between the US and USSR.

text: The response should include the fact that the Soviets had a nuclear arsenal that rivaled that of the US.

text: The answer should mention the two spies on each side who helped prevent the war.

text: The duration of the Soviet Union is misrepresented. Although it has its own final moments, it lasted past the end of the Cold War.

answer: The Soviet Union was at the height of the Cold War with the U.S. in 1983. The USSR had hundreds of rockets and thousands of nuclear warheads capable of reducing the U.S. to rubble. Soviet Union and the U.S. had been on the brink of world war in 1962, when Kennedy and Nikita Krushchev went head-to-head over missiles in Cuba. Two young firebrand socialists, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, were elected MPs for the first time. The old war horse was changing course and soon he would begin to make overtures to Moscow that would lead to his first visit there, a building up of relationships and an easing of East-West tensions. Those events, 24 years ago, are also a reminder that, for all the concerns about global warming, mankind's greatest danger may still be its vast nuclear arsenals. Today, the West's relations with post-communist Russia and its aggressive leader, Vladimir Putin, are strained.

text: The last two sentences are irrelevant.

text: The last two sentences are irrelevant to the question.

text: The highlighted text is irrelevant and should be removed.

text: The last sentence is irrelevant.

text: The only relevant passage is this first one. Mention of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and Ronald Reagan are other world political happenings at the time, not about Soviet Union during the Cold War.

text: The last two sentences are irrelevant.

answer: The Soviet Union was at the height of the Cold War with the U.S. in 1983. The USSR had hundreds of rockets and thousands of nuclear warheads capable of reducing the U.S. to rubble. Soviet Union and the U.S. had been on the brink of world war in 1962, when Kennedy and Nikita Krushchev went head-to-head over missiles in Cuba. Two young firebrand socialists, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, were elected MPs for the first time. The old war horse was changing course and soon he would begin to make overtures to Moscow that would lead to his first visit there, a building up of relationships and an easing of East-West tensions. Those events, 24 years ago, are also a reminder that, for all the concerns about global warming, mankind's greatest danger may still be its vast nuclear arsenals. Today, the West's relations with post-communist Russia and its aggressive leader, Vladimir Putin, are strained.

text: "The Soviet Union was at the height of the Cold War with the U.S. in 1983." - this doesn't make any sense.

text: The section about Tony Blair and everything after it is irrelevant.

text: The response should mention the Soviet Union's paranoia about everything.

answer: The Soviet Union's leader was the former head of KGB Yuri Andropov, who was paranoid about a pre-emptive nuclear attack by the US. His and his advisors' fears were heightened after discovering the technical faults of their early warning system. These fears reached a peak when the western forces started a military exercise simulating a Russian attack, the Able Archer. The paranoia was fueled by the memories of an attack launched by Nazi Germany under the pretense of exercise. As the Able Archer drills took place, the Soviets came to the brink of releasing nuclear missiles. During that time, KGB agents were assembling a dossier containing whatever scant evidence they could find about an imminent nuclear attack by the US as well, mostly fitting what they saw to their fears.

text: The answer should mention the U. S. and the Soviet Union had been on the brink of world war in 1962 when John Kennedy and Nikita Krushchev went head-to-head over missiles in Cuba