text:
December 30, 2017
_—\ You\ can\ find\ the\ source\ code\ for\ this\ blog\ series\ here._

[header]

Over the last several months, I’ve been looking for ways to produce _physical_ outputs from my generative code. I’m interested in the idea of developing real, tangible objects that are no longer bound by the generative systems that shaped them. Eventually I plan to experiment with 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC milling, and other ways of realizing my algorithms in the real-world.

My interest in this began in March 2017, when I purchased my first pen plotter: the AxiDraw V3 by Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. It’s a fantastic machine, and has opened a whole new world of thinking for me. For those unaware, a pen plotter is a piece of hardware that acts like a robotic arm on which you can attach a regular pen. Software sends commands to the device to raise, reposition, and lower its arm across a 2D surface. With this, the plotter can be programmed to produce intricate and accurate prints with a pen and paper of your choice.

[plotter-wide]

_—\ Early\ prints,\ March\ 2017_

Unlike a typical printer, a plotter produces prints with a strangely human quality: occasional imperfections arise as the pen catches an edge or momentarily dries up, and the quality of the ink has the subtle texture and emboss that you normally only see in an original drawing.

  🖨 Plotters have been around for a while — if you are just starting off, you might be interested in some of the older but more affordable HP plotters.

Often, these plotters and mechanical devices are controlled by formats like HP-GL or G-code. These formats that specify how the machine should lift, move, and place itself over time. For convenience, AxiDraw handles most of the mechanical operation for you, providing an Inkscape SVG plugin that accepts paths, lines, shapes, and even fills (through hatching).

[plotter-wide]

_—\ Tesselations,\ August\ 2017_

You don’t need to be a programmer to use the AxiDraw pen plotter. You can create SVG files in Adobe Illustrator or find SVGs online to print. However, the machine is very well suited to programmatic and algorithmic line art, as it can run for hours at a time and produce incredibly detailed outputs that would be too tedious to illustrate by hand.

One recent series I developed, _Natural Systems_, is composed of 4 different algorithms. Each time these algorithms run, they produce different outputs, allowing for an infinite number of unique prints.

[natural1]

_—\ Natural\ Systems,\ November\ 2017_

This isn’t a new concept; Vera Molnár, an early pioneer of computer art, was rendering pen plotter prints in the 1960s!

[molnar]

_—\ Vera\ Molnár,\ No\ Title,\ 1968_

In this post, I’ll try to explain some of my workflow when developing new pen plotter prints, and show some of the tools I’ve been building to help organize my process.

So far, all of my work with the AxiDraw has been with JavaScript and an experimental tool I’ve been building, aptly named penplot. The tool primarily acts as a development environment, making it easier to organize and develop new prints with minimal configuration.

  💡 This tool has recently evolved into a more mature framework called canvas-sketch.

You can try the tool out yourself with node@8.4.x and npm@5.3.x or higher.

    # install the CLI app globally
    npm install penplot -g

    # run it, generating a new file and opening the browser
    penplot test-print.js --write --open

The --write flag will generate a new test-print.js file and --open will launch your browser to localhost:9966. It starts you off with a basic print:

[penplot]

✏\ See\ here\ to\ see\ the\ generated\ source\ code\ of\ this\ print.

The generated test-print.js file is ready to go; you can edit the ES2015 code to see changes reflected in your browser. When you are happy, hit Cmd + S (save PNG) or Cmd + P (save SVG) to export your print from the browser — the files will save to your Downloads folder.

For algorithmic work with AxiDraw and its SVG plugin, I tend to distill all my visuals into a series of polylines composed of nested arrays.

    const lines = [
      [
        [ 1, 1 ], [ 2, 1 ]
      ],
      [
        [ 1, 2 ], [ 2, 2 ]
      ]
    ]

This creates two horizontal lines in the top left of our print, each 1 cm wide. Here, points are defined by [ x, y ] and a polyline (i.e. path) is defined by the points [ a, b, c, d, .... ]. Our list of polylines is defined as [ A, B, ... ], allowing us to create multiple disconnected segments (i.e. where the pen lifts to create a new line).

  📐 Penplot scales the Canvas2D context before drawing, so all of your units should be in centimeters.

[code]

So far, the code above doesn’t feel very intuitive, but you will hardly ever hardcode coordinates like this. Instead, you should try to think in geometric primitives: points, squares, lines, circles, triangles, etc. For example, to draw some squares in the centre of the print:

    // Function to create a square
    const square = (x, y, size) => {
      // Define rectangle vertices
      const path = [
        [ x - size, y - size ],
        [ x + size, y - size ],
        [ x + size, y + size ],
        [ x - size, y + size ]
      ];
      // Close the path
      path.push(path[0]);
      return path;
    };

    // Get centre of the print
    const cx = width / 2;
    const cy = height / 2;

    // Create 12 concentric pairs of squares
    const lines = [];
    for (let i = 0; i < 12; i++) {
      const size = i + 1;
      const margin = 0.25;
      lines.push(square(cx, cy, size));
      lines.push(square(cx, cy, size + margin));
    }

Once the lines are in place, they are easy to render to the Canvas2D context with beginPath() and stroke(), or save to an SVG with the penplot utility, polylinesToSVG().

The result of our code looks like this:

[squares]

✏\ See\ here\ for\ the\ final\ source\ code\ of\ this\ print.

This is starting to get a bit more interesting, but you may be wondering why not just reproduce this by hand in Illustrator. So, let’s see if we can create something more complex in code.

A simple starting task would be to explore Delaunay triangulation. For this, we will use delaunay-triangulate, a robust triangulation library by Mikola Lysenko that works in 2D and 3D. We will also use the new-array module, a simple array creation utility.

Before we begin, you’ll need to install these dependencies locally:

    # first ensure you have a package.json in your folder
    npm init -y

    # now you can install the required dependencies
    npm install delaunay-triangulate new-array

In our JavaScript code, let’s import some of our modules and define a set of 2D points randomly distributed across the print, inset by a small margin.

We use the built-in penplot random library here, which has the function randomFloat(min, max) for convenience.

    import newArray from 'new-array';
    import { randomFloat } from 'penplot/util/random';

    // ...

    const pointCount = 200;
    const positions = newArray(pointCount).map(() => {
      // Margin from print edge in centimeters
      const margin = 2;
      // Return a random 2D point inset by this margin
      return [
        randomFloat(margin, width - margin),
        randomFloat(margin, height - margin)
      ];
    });

  💡 I often use new-array and map to create a list of objects, as I find it more modular and functional than a for loop.

If we were to visualize our points as circles, it might look like this:

[code]

The next step is to triangulate these points, i.e. turn them into triangles. Simply feed the array of points into the triangulate function and it returns a list of “cells.”

    import triangulate from 'delaunay-triangulate';

    // ...

    const cells = triangulate(positions);

The return value is an array of triangles, but instead of giving us the 2D positions of each vertex in the triangle, it gives us the index into the positions array that we passed in.

    [
      [ 0, 1, 2 ],
      [ 2, 3, 4 ],
      ...
    ]

For example, to get the 3 vertices of the first triangle:

    const triangle = cells[0].map(i => positions[i]);

    // log each 2D point in the triangle
    console.log(triangle[0], triangle[1], triangle[2]);

For our final print, we want to map each triangle to a polyline that the pen plotter can draw out.

    const lines = cells.map(cell => {
      // Get vertices for this cell
      const triangle = cell.map(i => positions[i]);
      // Close the path
      triangle.push(triangle[0]);
      return triangle;
    });

Now we have all the lines we need to send the SVG to AxiDraw. In the browser, hit Cmd + S and Cmd + P to save a PNG and SVG file, respectively, into your Downloads folder.

[triangles]

For reference, below you can see how our original random points have now become the vertices for each triangle:

[code]

  💡 The random module includes a setSeed(n) function, which is useful if you want predictable randomness every time the page reloads.

If we increase the pointCount to a higher value, we start to get a more well-defined edge, and potentially a more interesting print.

[code]

✏\ See\ here\ for\ the\ final\ source\ code\ of\ this\ print.

In the next instalment of this series, we’ll attempt to reproduce a fracturing algorithm for a more interesting composition.

CONTINUE READING: Pen Plotter Art & Algorithms, Part 2

557

Kudos

557

Kudos

question: How does one control the designs printed by the pen plotter?

text: Actually, pen plotters can be used with AxiDraw and SVG files from Adobe Illustrator and online to create prints. No programming is necessary.

answer: Generally, plotters and mechanical devices are controlled by formats like HP-GL or G-code. These are formats that specify how the machine should life, move, and place itself over time. For convenience, AxiDraw handles most of the mechanical operation for you, providing an Inkscape SVG plugin that accepts paths, lines, shapes, and even fills. You don't need to be a programmer to use the AxiDraw pen plotter. You can create SVG files in Adobe Illustrator or find SVGs online to print. However, the machine is very well suited to programmatic and algorithmic line art, as it can run for hours at a time and produce incredibly detailed outputs that would be too tedious to illustrate by hand.

text: It would be better to use third person, not second.

text: "should life" should be "should lift"

answer: It is controlled by formats like HP-GL or G-code.

text: The answer should mention that the plotter is controlled by software.

text: The answer is incomplete.

text: The answer could be clearer in its pronoun use.

text: The answer should mention that the author prefers using JavaScript.

text: It is omitted that the device is controlled by software that sends commands to the device to raise, reposition, and lower its arm across a 2D surface.

text: It is later explained that the article's author uses AxiDraw's SVGs and JavaScript.

answer: It is controlled by formats like HP-GL or G-code.

answer: Only through visualizing algorithmic inputs.

text: The response is vague and can't be verified. Software such as HP-GL or G-code sends commands to the plotter that specify how to raise reposition, and lower its arm across a 2D surface.

answer: Only through visualizing algorithmic inputs.

text: The input can be visualized in Adobe Illustrator or found online.

text: The answer is a bit misleading. The article says that you can use the tool without being a programmer.

text: The answer is too vague and should include more details.

text: The input is not only algorithmic-it is also visual.

text: It is omitted that the SVG files can be created in Adobe Illustrator or found online.

text: Output scans of alcohol.

text: The input is not limited to algorithmic inputs. Even those without programming knowledge can use software like Adobe Illustrator to create SVG files for the plotter to use.

answer: Generally, plotters and mechanical devices are controlled by formats like HP-GL or G-code. These are formats that specify how the machine should life, move, and place itself over time. For convenience, AxiDraw handles most of the mechanical operation for you, providing an Inkscape SVG plugin that accepts paths, lines, shapes, and even fills. You don't need to be a programmer to use the AxiDraw pen plotter. You can create SVG files in Adobe Illustrator or find SVGs online to print. However, the machine is very well suited to programmatic and algorithmic line art, as it can run for hours at a time and produce incredibly detailed outputs that would be too tedious to illustrate by hand.

text: The answer is a copy-and-paste of the article. It should be rewritten.

text: The answer is a copy-paste of the article. It should be rewritten.

text: The answer is a copy-paste of the article and doesn't answer the question.

text: The answer is a copy of the article. It should be rewritten.

text: The last sentence is unnecessary.

text: "life" should be "lift"

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

text: The 2nd sentence is irrelevant

category: other

category_text: Copy paste

text: "life" should be "lift"


text:
                                           Aspect: A Short Story
As they made their way out of town the sky opened up and a light drizzle began to spatter the windshield.
"Awesome. 40 degrees and raining. My kind of day," chirped Joe from the passenger seat.
Will shivered.
"Hey what's this?"
Joe was holding up a letter. Will snatched it from his hand.
"Relax! Who do you know in Boston anyway?"
       Will looked away. He knew Joe worked best when he was left in the dark.
The particular farm they were headed to today was owned by a man named Wilson Tucker. Both men had worked odd jobs for him in the past and Will respected him immensely.
Mr. Tucker was a widower with a grown son who had no interest in the workings of a farm. He must have been a man of sixty, but he could outwork a man half his age and twice his size. Which just so happened to describe Joe... Joe had a different opinion of the man.
"Why are we doing this? I thought you said we were done with the grunt work. This is your big plan?"
Will flicked on the radio.
There was something comforting in listening to his fellow citizens ripping into the Sox for stumbling through yet another post-season. A tragic story told for the hundredth time. The host was trying to explain to a caller that the pitching was the problem. The caller held the opposing view, that offense was what this team needed, pitching was the least of their concerns. Will considered the conflict.
"This guy's an idiot!" squawked Joe.
Will had forgotten he was there.
"Which one?" Joe furrowed his brow and took a long drag from his cigarette.
" The host! How do you expect to win if you don't score?"
Will flicked the radio off.
He eased on the accelerator as he manuevered up the long road to their destination. Tucker Farm was situated in the shadow of Mt. Brentman, on the North side. When Mr. Tucker bought the land he was led to believe that the state was going to build a new road that would cut through the pass and connect his land with Route 22. When the project was scrapped, people privately laughed at him for buying such a useless plot of land. Mr. Tucker never said a word, he simply built his own road. Perhaps more of a trail than a road. But if you had four wheel drive and weren't afraid of heights, it was an amazing example of determination. Will couldn't help but admire the man.
"Son of a bitch!"
Will had been day-dreaming with his foot on the gas and hit a particularly bad pot hole at 25mph and the rest of Joe's coffee was now soaking into his lap. Will winced at the sound of metal on metal as he pressed on the brake.
"I'm gonna make sure the trucks alright."
Joe was wiping the last of his precious coffee from the trucks armrest when Will reappeared at the window.
"You know how lucky we are? Come look at this."
As the pair approached the alleged pot-hole, it wasn't a pot-hole at all, but a 3-foot wide fissure running straight through the road with a 200 foot drop straight down the side of the mountain. It was invisible until you were almost right on top of it.
"Holy shit!"
Joe was leaning far out over the abyss to get a better view. The rain was coming down harder now.
"Get away from there! Look at it. Its crumbling. If I wasn't going so fast we woulda..."
Joe was kicking at the edges of the rift.
"Remember the time that miserable old bastard nearly ripped me outta my truck when I broke his 5mph speed limit? Ha! It's a good thing you got a lead foot or we'd be lyin' at the bottom of that hill right now!"
Mr. Tucker was what you would call an eccentric man. His land was riddled with projects in various stages of completion or disrepair, depending on your perspective. As a symbol to his unique personality, in the southwest corner, at the top of a small hill overlooking his home-made road, sat an exact replica of his farmhouse at 1/6 scale. Any visitor lucky enough to survive the winding trail was greeted by the welcome sight of a house off in the distance. Upon closing the gap on this mirage and passing by what amounted to a playhouse, they were astonished to find the same view they had seen minutes earlier. Only this time it was no mirage but his actual house, on a hill, off in the distance. If this confounding sense of humor wasnt enough to dissuade you from venturing further, Mr. Tucker assumed you had a good reason to be there.
Tucker Farm itself consisted of nothing more than a farmhouse in the middle of a large overgrown field. Nothing had grown there in the 20 odd years since his wife died and his son moved away. But Mr. Tucker was fiercely protective of his land and wouldn't move for anything. He was made several lucrative offers over the years and refused them all. Responding to them all the same way in neatly written cursive.
"You can have my land when I'm dead. Until then, please leave me alone."
It was well known that his land happened to sit in the path of a proposed super-highway that, if ever approved, would see the owner of the land profit very handsomely. As Will pulled up to the house he wondered how this lonely piece of land could possibly mean that much to anyone.
Mr. Tucker was waiting in the doorway when they reached the front steps.
"William! How are ya my boy!?"
Will reminded Mr. Tucker of his son, he had told him so on several occasions. The junior Tucker was a big shot lawyer down in Boston and didn't have time to tramp through the forest to visit his old man. It had been three years since he had seen his son and you could see the fatherly affection glint in his eyes when he shook Wills hand.
"I've been well Mr. Tucker. How are you?"
Joe kicked the ground and stared at his feet.
"And you! Are you ready to work this time? You're not gonna fall apart on me again are ya?" 	Fire danced in Joes eyes.
"You might wanna worry less about me and more about..."
Will cut him off.
"So I see you've been busy around here lately. The house looks great, did you paint the whole thing yourself?"
Mr. Tucker was glaring at Joe.
"Of course I did! I might be old but I'm not useless yet."
Joe was about to ask if he meant to leave all those bare patches but he felt Will's eyes on him and bit his tongue.
"Well, c'mon in. Have some breakfast before it gets cold."
Joe hesitated, looked at Will for the OK, then bolted inside.
Mr. Tucker was a gracious host even when the company was being paid to be there and he always made sure his employees were properly fed before starting the workday. It was the only reason Joe even agreed to come on this job.
"If you can guarantee me breakfast, I'll go," were his exact words when Will offered. And now he was taking full advantage of his perceived right. Several times Will had to kick him under the table to stop him from taking seconds or thirds.
After the meal they stepped out onto the deck overlooking the stacks of timber they were supposed to cut, split and stack.
"Well, there you go. Have at it." said Mr. Tucker as he lit his pipe.
There was something charming about an old farmer smoking his pipe that made Will smile.
"What? You're gonna sit up here and supervise," apparently Joe wasnt convinced of his charm. 	Will prodded Joe towards the stairs.
"You're Goddamn right im gonna supervise! That wood is the only thing that keeps me from freezing come winter. You think I'd let a knucklehead like you be responsible for my well being? Ha!" 	Joe had stopped listening and was already down the stairs cursing the old man with every foul word he could think of.
"Will, you're gonna watch him right? I have to go into town for awhile and I don't need him cutting his arm off or God knows what else while I'm gone. I can trust you right?"
Will could feel the weight in his words as they came out. I can trust you right? Will felt his pulse quicken as if this was the most important question he'd ever been asked.
"Of course. It'll be fine. No need to worry."
The words came out automatically.
"Will, can I tell you something?"
Will felt faint.
"I'm going through with it. I'm gonna sell this place. I'm not letting my son get his hands on it, the greedy bastard. It's too bad he's not more like you."
Several thoughts ran through Will's head.
Mr. Tucker looked up at the clouds roiling overhead and let out a low whistle.
"It's gonna get worse before it gets better. How was the road coming in?"
Will pondered the question and a small smile began to show at the corner of his mouth.
" A bit treacherous, just remember to take it slow."
He knew Mr. Tucker would appreciate the humor.

title: Aspect- A Short Story

question: What does the text say about Mr. Tucker?

text: The answer should include the road Mr. Tucker made.

category: coverage

answer: He's an old man living in the middle of nowhere. Despite being old, he's full of energy and works hard to modify the territory around his home and the house. When a project to build a road that would connect his house to Route 22 was canceled, he decided to build a road himself and did it. He's protective of his house and refused to sell his land despite many good offers before. He has a strange sense of humor, exemplified by the replica of his house on a hill at 1/6th the scale, giving a sense of deja-vu to visitors. He hired Joe and Will for some work, but he's a gracious host who prefers to make sure even his workers have a full stomach before work. He tells Will that he changed his mind about selling the land, preferring to make sure his seemingly estranged son doesn't get it. He likes Will and asks him to make sure the job gets done well despite Joe, who doesn't like the old man.

answer_source: Human

answer: He's an old man living in the middle of nowhere. Despite being old, he's full of energy and works hard to modify the territory around his home and the house. When a project to build a road that would connect his house to Route 22 was canceled, he decided to build a road himself and did it. He's protective of his house and refused to sell his land despite many good offers before. He has a strange sense of humor, exemplified by the replica of his house on a hill at 1/6th the scale, giving a sense of deja-vu to visitors. He hired Joe and Will for some work, but he's a gracious host who prefers to make sure even his workers have a full stomach before work. He tells Will that he changed his mind about selling the land, preferring to make sure his seemingly estranged son doesn't get it. He likes Will and asks him to make sure the job gets done well despite Joe, who doesn't like the old man.

text: The answer should mention that Mr. Tucker is a widower.

text: The answer should mention the farm.

text: The sentence about Mr. Tucker's son is confusing.

text: "He's protective of his house..." is vague; the answer should give which house he protects.

answer: Mr. Tucker is a man of sixty who can outwork a man half his age and twice his size. He is a widower with a grown son who has no interest in the workings of a farm. Mr. Tucker is an eccentric man who is fiercely protective of his land. He is a gracious host who always makes sure his employees are properly fed before starting the workday.

answer_source: Model

text: The answer could mention that his first name is Wilson.

answer: He's an old man living in the middle of nowhere. Despite being old, he's full of energy and works hard to modify the territory around his home and the house. He's protective of his house and refused to sell his land despite many good offers before. He has a strange sense of humor, exemplified by the replica of his house on a hill at 1/6th the scale, giving a sense of deja-vu to visitors. He hired Joe and Will for some work, but he's a gracious host who prefers to make sure even his workers have a full stomach before work. He tells Will that he changed his mind about selling the land, preferring to make sure his seemingly estranged son doesn't get it. He likes Will and asks him to make sure the job gets done well despite Joe, who doesn't like the old man.

answer_source: Human misleading

text:
The answer should state that Mr. Tucker was a widower, about sixty years old, and with a grown son who had no interest in the workings of a farm. Also, he could outwork a man half his age and twice his size.

It should mention that Mr. Tucker bought the land (his farm) when he believed that the state would build a new road that would cut through the pass and connect his land with Route 22.

It should state that Mr. Tucker was an eccentric man. His land was riddled with projects in various stages of completion or disrepair.

answer: He's an old man living in the middle of nowhere. Despite being old, he's full of energy and works hard to modify the territory around his home and the house. He's protective of his house and refused to sell his land despite many good offers before. He has a strange sense of humor, exemplified by the replica of his house on a hill at 1/6th the scale, giving a sense of deja-vu to visitors. He hired Joe and Will for some work, but he's a gracious host who prefers to make sure even his workers have a full stomach before work. He tells Will that he changed his mind about selling the land, preferring to make sure his seemingly estranged son doesn't get it. He likes Will and asks him to make sure the job gets done well despite Joe, who doesn't like the old man.

text: The answer omits that Mr. Tucker is a widower.

text: The answer should mention that Mr. Tucker doesn't trust Joe.

text: The text doesn't say anything about Mr. Tucker modifying the territory around his home.

text: It's omitted that Will reminds Mr. Tucker of his son, and he treats Will like his own son and shares a similar affection for him.

answer: Mr. Tucker is a man of sixty who can outwork a man half his age and twice his size. He is a widower with a grown son who has no interest in the workings of a farm. Mr. Tucker is an eccentric man who is fiercely protective of his land. He is a gracious host who always makes sure his employees are properly fed before starting the workday.

text: The answer omits that Mr. Tucker is selling his land.

text: The answer omits that Mr. Tucker is an amazing example of determination.

text: The answer should mention his land is in the path of a proposed super-highway.

text: The answer omits that Mr. Tucker's land is in the path of a proposed super-highway.

text: The answer omits that Mr. Tucker is a hard worker who built his own road when the state scrapped the project to build a road to connect his land with Route 22.

text: The answer omits that Mr. Tucker doesn't allow his son to inherit the farm because he sold the land he lived on.


text:
It was dark, not late, but dark. I looked over at the clock that hung above the side door in the kitchen, I strained to see it since the only light in the room emanated from the TV, constantly changing with every scene.
I walked into the kitchen and saw the microwave time said ‘8:04’, I turned my head and looked at the oven clock, which read ‘7:04’. I didn’t know which one was right so I flicked the light switch on, the bulb lit up for a second before popping and turning the room dark again. I flicked the light switch back off and stood for a moment.
	I forgot about the time and opened the cupboard underneath the sink, where we kept spare light bulbs, and took the right one out and checked it was fine. I carried a chair over from the dining table over to the kitchen and placed it underneath the blown bulb. I can do it without the chair, I thought, but the lampshade is fidly, even in the daytime. I struggled with the lampshade, while trying to be quiet, as not to wake the baby who I’d left to sleep on the couch. I replaced the bulb and lampshade and then carried the chair back to the dining table and slid it into its space.
	I flicked the light switch and the bulb lit up, letting me read the clock, which now read ‘7:06’. I heard the baby cooing and thought I should turn the light off and go back to the couch, to comfort him.

The baby was nearing three months old and usually gave no problems during the night. I left him to sleep next to me on the couch since he’d wake when I picked him up, he wasn’t usually like this. On a normal night he could be taken to his bed and put to sleep there without a problem. Maybe it’s because I’m the one doing it and not his mother.
	A part of me isn’t yet comfortable around him. whenever he looks at me I don’t see a son, I see a baby. My Wife is enamored with him, “Isn’t he beautiful?”, she’d say. I’d agree with her despite thinking he looked like every other baby I’ve seen before.
I stood over the couch, looking down at him, thinking about my wife.

The room was quiet, I heard the refrigerator humming and the room got brighter. I forgot where the glowing light came from, I turned to its source and remembered I had the TV on. It was on silent, that’s why I didn’t hear it. I took a seat in the middle of the couch, next to the baby, and fiddled with the remote for a minute until I found the subtitles option, I turned them on and read as I let the baby grip the index finger of my right hand. He began to make more noises which progressively got louder and louder.
“Hey now little one,” I said. “It’s all right, Mama will be home soon, I’m sure of that.”
His little blue eyes stared back at me and seemed to glow a little from the TV light. He let go of my finger and started to wriggle around. I leant down and picked him up, cradling him in my arms. The smell that he gave off was not one I enjoyed, my Wife and everybody else who’d held him disagreed. He made another cooing sound, I was sure he was about to cry.
I stood up with baby in my arms and headed back into the kitchen, where I got a bottle of milk out of the fridge and put it in the microwave.
I looked out of the kitchen window at the front lawn and the street. I’d cut the grass two days prior and noticed a bit I’d missed, then I saw a line of garbage cans at the end of driveways all down the street. Ours was missing from the driveway as it was still parked up against the side of the garage, waiting to be walked down. That’ll have to wait ‘til my wife gets home, I can’t leave the baby alone in the house and I can’t take the garbage out with him in my arms.
I saw a light come on in the kitchen of my neighbors home across the street. I saw the silhouette of a man moping around the kitchen, the silhouette stopped in front of the window, in much the same position as myself. The curtains twitched slightly before being pulled to the side a little. I saw his face peering out into the street, across his lawn, across everybody elses. He lifted his eyes and scanned the front of the houses and stopped when he got to our house, I think he saw me but I stayed still so he wouldn’t think I was there. He let go of the curtains and the silhouette walked away, then the light went out.
The baby kicked his leg out and hit my bicep. I looked down at him in my arms and he was blinking slowly.
“What were we doing?” I asked him. “You’re not gonna to be much help.” I said.
I remembered the microwave. I turned and looked at it, the timer had stopped and beeped without me knowing. Then I remembered what my wife said
	“Don’t put the milk in the microwave, it’s no good.”
	I took the milk from the microwave and left it on the side. The baby was falling asleep again. I’m not even sure if he wanted milk. I don’t think I’d ever be able to raise this baby by myself.
	I walked to the baby’s room and put him down in his cot, I sat for a moment in a rocking chair by the window to see if he’d settle or wake up. I refrained from rocking as the chair would occasionally knock into the wall behind and echo through the room, that would surely wake the baby, I thought. That’s a job I need to add to my list, find a new place for the chair or put something on the wall to stop it knocking.
	My thoughts were interrupted by the shine of car headlights reflecting off our neighbors windows and onto my face, the light only comes in that way if someone is pulling onto our drive. My Wife is home at last. I didn’t get up and open the door, I just waited in the rocking chair. I heard the door open and the sound of my Wifes keys jangling around in her hand until the cacophony of metal as she dropped them into the bowl we keep keys in. I heard her handbag drop onto the couch and after that came footsteps which got louder and louder. I got up and took a step out of the doorway where I saw my Wife walking towards me.
	“Baby alright?” She asked.
	“Fine,” I whispered “Just put him in his bed.”
	She kissed me on the cheek and rubbed her right hand on my chest as she passed me and went into the baby’s room. She leant over the crib and looked down at the baby, she stood back up and walked over to me.
	“Any problems?”
	“I put some milk in the microwave, I forgot I shouldn’t.”
	She looked up at me and began to walk to our bedroom.
	“That’s fine, where is it?”
	“I left it out on the side, to cool down. I didn’t know what to do with it after.”
	“I’ll take care of it,” She said. “Why’s the TV on silent?”
	“I didn’t want to wake the baby.” I began to wander back to the living room, where the TV still emanated its glowing light. “The grass.” I murmured to myself.
	“What?” My Wife called out.
	“Nothing.”

	In the living room I turned the TV off and turned the light on in the kitchen. I moved the bottle of warm milk into the sink. I unlocked the side door and walked outside, I’d forgotten to put shoes on, but the ground was warm and smooth so I wasn’t bothered much.
	I made my way to the back of the house, where our garage and garden were. The side door of the garage was unlocked and I made a mental note to lock it. Inside the garage I pulled the lawn mower out, still grassy from when I previously used it, I left a trail of grass cuttings on the concrete floor.
	On the front lawn I unraveled the cord and walked the plug to the side of the house where we had an outside socket. I plugged it in and walked back to the lawn mower.
	The light from my kitchen illuminated our lawn and the piece of grass I’d missed. I was reminded by the row of trashcans that I had still neglected to put ours out. I walked back up to the side of the garage to where we kept the trashcan and wheeled it down to the end of the driveway. The pattern of trash cans was complete on our street, every single one was out and at the end of the drive.
	I moved the lawnmower over to the patch of grass I’d missed, not ontop of it but in front of it. I pulled the lever on the handle and the mower came to life, whirring and vibrating, the sounds bounced down the street and came back to me. I moved the mower over the uncut grass a couple times and after I checked it was cut I moved to the edge of the grass, to make sure it was neat.
	A light came on in the house next door and the front door opened. My neighbor, a man in his fifties, came out in his pyjamas, he had a look on his face that was a cross between anger and confusion. He walked over and onto my driveway. I let go of the lawnmower lever and it came to a halt.
	“What the hell are ya doin’?” My Neighbor asked.
	“I missed a spot.” I said, motioning to the freshly cut grass.
	“It’s nighttime.”
	“It is dark.” I said, looking up at the clear sky.
	“Yeah, it’s late.”
	“I guess it is.”
	“It is.”
	“Okay.”
	My neighbor looked at me, at the lawnmower, and then at the grass.
	“Why are you doing this now?”
	“Because I missed a spot.” I said, again motioning to the lawn.
	“But why couldn’t you do it in the daytime?”
	“Because I can’t do it with the baby, I need to keep an eye on the baby.”
	“Yeah, I forgot about your kid.” He brought his hands to his hips and sighed a little “How is he?”
	The Neighbor seemed more relaxed now.
	“He’s finally sleeping. He’s been up all day. He didn’t sleep much last night.”
	“You’re tired, Joe.” He said to me. He gave me the same look my father gave me when I did something wrong. “Go back inside and get some sleep.”
	I looked at the lawnmower and the grass.
	“The grass can wait ‘til tomorrow.” He said.
	“I guess it can.”
	“Goodnight, Joe.” He started walking back towards his front door.
	“Night, Phil.”

I unplugged the lawnmower and wound the cord up. I pulled the mower back up the drive, leaving a new trail of grass back to the garage, where I returned the mower. I went back inside the house, turned the kitchen light off and went into our bedroom, where my Wife was sitting on the bed.
	“What was that noise? Was someone mowing their lawn?”
	“Yes,” I said. “I was.”
	“Why on earth were you mowing the lawn? It’s night time.”
	“Because I missed a spot.” I said.

I went to sleep and didn’t wake until eleven hours had passed.

title: [RF] And The Lights Came On

question: Summarize what the narrator feels about their son.

text: Does not talk about what the narrator feels internally.

answer: The narrator is the father to an infant and is doing his best to fulfill his duties in that capacity.

text: The answer should mention that the narrator feels like he can't bond with his son.

text: The answer should mention that the narrator feels like he can't connect with his son.

text: The answer omits that the narrator feels like he is not a father to his son, but a babysitter.

text: The answer omits the narrator's feelings about his son.

text: It is omitted that he is not sure if he can raise the baby by himself.

text: The narrator is not completely comfortable around his son.

text: The answer does not mention the narrator's lack of connection to the baby.

text: The summary omits what the narrator feels about their son.

answer: The narrator likes the baby, but doesn't feel a bond with him yet. They think their son feels the same way and that they probably won't be able to raise the baby by themselves.

text: The narrator doesn't think the baby feels the same way.

text: The narrator doesn't think his son feels the same way.

text: The narrator is a man, so the pronoun "they" should be replaced with "he".

text: The narrator is a man.

text: The narrator doesn't say they think the son feels the same way.

text: The narrator thinks he won't be able to raise the baby by himself, not that the baby feels the same way.

text: It is the narrator that feels this.

text: The answer could mention that the narrator doesn't quite feel comfortable around his son.

text: The answer could mention that he thinks his son looks like every other baby he's seen before.

category: accuracy

category: coherence

answer: The narrator is the father to an infant and is doing his best to fulfill his duties in that capacity.

text: The response misses to mention that the narrator still feels uncomfortable around his infant son as he only sees a baby and not a "son".

answer: The narrator likes the baby, but doesn't feel a bond with him yet. They think their son feels the same way and that they probably won't be able to raise the baby by themselves.

text: It is omitted that he is a caring father and he is the one who stays with the baby during the day because the baby's mother is working.

text: It is not stated that he doesn't feel a bond with him yet and that they think their son feels the same way and that they probably won't be able to raise the baby by themselves.

text: It is omitted that a part of him isn’t yet comfortable around the baby. The baby's mother thinks that the baby is beautiful, but he looks to the father like every other baby he has seen before.

answer: The narrator might be doing the things that are expected of him in terms of his role in the family, but emotionally, he does not see anything special of feel anything important in regards to his infant son. This feeling does not seem to be limited to just the narrator's child, as he seems either apathetic about everything else, so in that regard, it can be said that the narrator is not particularly apathetic towards their child, but is just not interested in anything in the world.

text: This long and rambling answer is unclear. It should state that the narrator sees his three-month-old son as a baby. He is a little apathetic, not having yet grown an attachment to his child

answer: The narrator might be doing the things that are expected of him in terms of his role in the family, but emotionally, he does not see anything special of feel anything important in regards to his infant son. This feeling does not seem to be limited to just the narrator's child, as he seems either apathetic about everything else, so in that regard, it can be said that the narrator is not particularly apathetic towards their child, but is just not interested in anything in the world.

text: The narrator is not apathetic about everything else.

text: The narrator is not apathetic about his son.

text: The narrator isn't necessarily apathetic towards his son, he just doesn't feel a connection with him.

text: The narrator is not apathetic about everything else in the world.

text: The second sentence is irrelevant to the question.


text:
NEW BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL (NBHS) is a public high school located at 230 Hathaway Boulevard in the West End of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The school has approximately 2,000 students, and is one of the largest schools in the state. New Bedford is also one of the largest high schools in the country, being ranked in the Top 200 high schools in the country based on enrollment. It is a part of the New Bedford Public Schools school district. New Bedford High School is currently a level 4 school in the middle of a $2.4 million turnaround plan.

Extracurricular activities

[2007 baseball] The school's athletic teams are named the _Whalers_, in honor of the city's whaling history. The New Bedford High School teams wear red and white, and compete in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's _Division I_. Their fight song, “On, New Bedford” is sung to the tune of “On, Wisconsin!”

Basketball

The boys' basketball program at New Bedford High School has long been one of the most successful in the state. Ed Rodrigues coached the varsity team for 27 years (1980–2007). During his tenure as head coach, the Whalers were one of the state's top-performing teams year after year and made numerous appearances in the state tournament, winning back-to-back _Division 1 State_ titles in 1993 and 1994. His teams also won two additional _Eastern Massachusetts Finals_ and two additional _South Sectional_ titles. There were only two losing seasons in his career.[1] On February 21, 2007, Rodrigues coached his final game at New Bedford High School. The Whalers lost to the visiting St. Raphael Academy Saints of Pawtucket, Rhode Island 69-66. Rodrigues ended his tenure at the school with a career record of 435-157.[2] He continues to be a teacher at the school, is still heavily involved with the basketball program and the entire athletic department, and is currently an assistant men's basketball coach at UMass Dartmouth. In 2009, New Bedford High School's basketball court was officially dedicated in Rodrigues' name.[3]

Long-time boys' assistant/junior varsity coach Tom Tarpey took over as head coach at the start of the 2007-08 season.[4] In his first season, the Whalers went 11-9 in the regular season and made the state tournament. They lost in the first round of the _Division I South Sectional_ on the road to the Framingham Flyers 69-62.[5] The following season (2008–09), the boys finished with a record of 8-12 and did not qualify for the tournament.[6] They also did not qualify in 2009-10 with a 7-13 record.[7] With the experience of the underclassmen, plus the brief addition of a highly touted prospect transferred from _Division III State_ champions the Wareham Vikings, a huge turnaround occurred in the 2010-11 season. The Whalers returned to prominence and finished the regular season with a record of 16-3,[8] earning the 3rd seed in the _Division I South Sectional_ tournament. They lost in the sectional semifinals to the Newton North Tigers 67-44.[9]

In the 2007-08 school year, the girls' basketball team captured the _Division I South Sectional_ title by defeating the Sandwich High Blue Knights 65-62 at UMass Boston,[10] giving them the opportunity to compete in the _Eastern Massachusetts Finals_ at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston; they lost to the _Division I North_ champion Andover High Golden Warriors 66-34.[11] Head coach Mickey Gonsalves was named _Division 1 Girls' Basketball Coach of the Year_ by the Boston Globe.[12] In the 2010-11 season, the Lady Whalers completed an undefeated regular season at 20-0 when they defeated the visiting Barnstable Red Raiders 63-44.[13] They earned the top seed in the _Division I South Sectional_ tournament and won their second _South Sectional_ title by defeating the Mansfield Hornets 47-46 at the now TD Garden.[14] The Lady Whalers lost in the _Eastern Mass Finals_ to _North Sectional_ champion Andover 54-46, also at the Garden.[15]

-   BASKETBALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
-   Boys' Basketball: Division 1 State Champions - 1993, 1994

Volleyball

In the 2009-10 school year, the girls' volleyball team completed an undefeated season (23-0), culminating in the state championship for _Division I_.[16] Junior outside hitter Maura Manley led the state with 408 kills on the season and received numerous honors, including a nomination for the _Gatorade Player of the Year_ in Massachusetts and a _MaxPreps/AVCA Player of the Week_ nod.[17] At the end of the season, the team was the number 1 team in the state and 48th in the nation according to MaxPreps.com and was ranked 50th on the site's “final Xcellent 50 High School Girls' Volleyball National Rankings”.[18][19] 26-year head coach Neil Macedo was inducted into the 2009 Massachusetts Girls' Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.[20] Only one senior, Kiana Raposo, was featured on this squad. The following year's team was heavily favored to repeat as state champions but were defeated in the _Division I South Sectional_ final by rejuvenated 13-time _Division 1_ state champion powerhouse and archrival Barnstable High School.[21] Dartmouth College-bound Maura Manley was named _Gatorade Massachusetts Volleyball Player of the Year_ for the 2010-11 school year.[22]

-   VOLLEYBALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
-   Girls' Volleyball: Division 1 State Champions - 1994, 2009
-   Boys' Volleyball: Division 1 State Champions - 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999

Baseball

The school's baseball team won 3 State Championships in the 1990s. In 1858 New Bedford High School fielded a team making them the first high school or secondary school in the country to do so. NBHS won in 1993, 1994, and 1998.

Music

The school has an award-winning marching band, winning several regional and state championships. On January 20, 1997, the marching band had the honor of performing in the inaugural parade during the second inauguration of Bill Clinton in Washington. The school fight song, _On, New Bedford!_, is sung to the tune of On, Wisconsin!, which is primarily performed during football games and the annual pep rally. New Bedford High School also has a very prominent show choir, who like the band, competes in regional and New England competitions.

Football

In 2010-11 school year, the football team upset football powerhouse Brockton High School 23-21,[23] followed by a 21-7 Thanksgiving Day victory over Fall River's B.M.C. Durfee High School,[24] to earn its first _Big Three Conference_ title since 1999 and earn a spot in the _Division I Eastern Massachusetts Super Bowl_ for the first time since 2001. They lost in the semifinals to _Catholic Conference_ champion St. John's Prep by a score of 35-7.[25] Head coach Dennis Golden was named _New England Patriots High School Coach of the Week_ following the victory over Brockton.[26] In the following season, the Whalers finished the regular season at 5-5 overall and 1-1 in the _Big Three_. Although they were defeated by Brockton 38-9 for the conference title, a conference by-law states that the playoff representative must have a record of .500 or better. On Thanksgiving, New Bedford defeated Durfee 18-16 while Brockton lost to Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School 14-8 to finish the season at 5-6, giving the Whalers the right to represent the Big Three in the _Division I Super Bowl_ for a second consecutive year. They will face the Bay State Conference's Carey Division champion Needham High School in the semifinals on Tuesday, November 29. Traditionally, New Bedford High School has had an intense rivalry with Durfee, with their Thanksgiving Day match-up, as the highlight of the season.

In 2013, New Bedford Whalers head coach Dennis Golden stepped down from the position. He compiled a record of 43-59-1, including 3 Big Three Conference titles and 6 straight wins against rival Durfee during his 10 years as head coach. Golden's offensive coordinator Mark DeBrito will take over as head coach for the 2014 Whalers football season.

FOOTBALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

-   Division 1A State Champions - 1993, 1994
-   Division 1A State Finalists - 1995, 1997, 1999
-   Division 3 State Finalists - 1985
-   Big Three Conference Champions - 1985, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2013

Soccer

In 2010, the Whalers' boys' soccer team played against powerhouse the Ludlow Lions in the _Division I State_ final, their first since 1978. They lost to Ludlow by a score of 4-1.[27] Head coach John Macaroco was named a _Coach of the Year_ by the Boston Globe.[28]

-   Boys' Soccer D-I State Champions - 1971
-   Boys' Soccer D-I State Finalists - 1978, 2010

WRESTLING

The wrestling team has been one of the most dominate teams in the state. In 2016 the team won the Big 3 Championship, as well as the D1S sectional, and placed 4th in the Division 1 state tournament.

Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps

New Bedford High School is also home of the _Whaler_ JROTC. New Bedford's _JROTC_ program is notable for being the longest in continuous operation since inception.[29] The _Army JROTC_ at New Bedford has received many awards.

Show Choir & Drama Club

New Bedford High School also has a mixed show choir “Pure Energy.” They have won many awards, the most recent being the 2009 Grand Champions at the New England Show Choir Classic. The group varies between 40 and 50 members. The school is also the home of another show choir “Charisma”. This group is made up of only females and consists of about 30 members. They have recently won Copper Trophy award at the New England Show Choir Classic and in the past have won Grand Champion in their division. A majority of the choir members also participate in the school's award-winning drama club.

Notable alumni

-   André Bernier, 1977: Television meteorologist
-   Brian Helgeland, 1980: Screenwriter/director
-   Sean Nelson, 1987: American musician, journalist, music critic, and filmmaker
-   Marques Houtman, 1997: Basketball player for the Cape Verde national basketball team
-   Jared Shuster (born 1998): baseball pitcher, first round 2020 MLB draft pick
-   Laurie Santos (born 1975): Yale University professor

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18] MaxPreps.com - New Bedford Whalers High School Girls' Volleyball Home Retrieved 2010-01-31

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

title: New Bedford High School

question: What does the article say about New Bedford High School's quality of education?

text: The answer doesn't give any real information about the quality of education at New Bedford High School.

answer: No answer

text: The answer should mention the school's ranking.

text: The answer should acknowledge that the article provides no information on the school's quality of education.

text: However, this isn't necessarily the case since you can glean the quality of education based on accomplishments of students.

answer: No answer

text: The answer should mention the school's turnaround plan.

text: The answer should mention that the school is currently a level 4 school.

text: The answer should mention that the school is currently a level 4 school in the middle of a $2.4 million turnaround plan.

text: There is no specific information about the quality of education, but the article mentions that the school has one of the top-performing basketball teams.

answer: New Bedford High School is in the top 200 largest schools in the state of Massachusetts. It is a level 4 school in the middle of a $2.4M turnaround plan.

text: The school's quality of education is not mentioned in the article.

text: The question asks about the quality of education, not the size of the school.

text: The question is asking about the quality of education, not the size of the school.

text: The question is asking about the quality of education, which is not mentioned in the article.

text: The school's size doesn't say anything about the quality of its education.

text: The article doesn't talk about the quality of education at the school.

text: Being in the top 200 largest schools in the state doesn't say much about the quality of education

answer: New Bedford High School is in the top 200 largest schools in the state of Massachusetts. It is a level 4 school in the middle of a $2.4M turnaround plan.

text: The response is missing key information about New Bedford High School's sports and music facilities.

answer: No answer


text:
I’ve seen this question, or variations of it pop up multiple times over in the Crunchyroll forums and elsewhere on the internet:

_I like anime but my [mom, dad, girlfriend, friend, etc.] has never watched anime before. What should I show them?_

[Should You Show Them SAO?]

Should You Show Them SAO?

My goal in this post is to lay out a number of anime in different genres in order to provide a two-wave guide on how to introduce someone new to the anime genre.

Although this is a multi-layered question that somewhat depends on the person who hasn’t watched anime before  (how open minded they are, etc.), quality will still never be beat. The shows that are good are good and the shows that are bad are bad. But to just start with the absolute best of the best anime has to offer isn’t necessarily the way to go. The main access barrier to anime is adjusting to and becoming comfortable with the different tropes that populate pretty much every anime show. For example, my parents struggled to understand why characters’ heads would pop up in little bubbles on the screen to talk. I tried to explain the function of the trope, but really it was something that they needed to learn for themselves.

Another barrier to introducing people to anime is the preconceptions that people have about it. Most significantly, 1) the mistake assumption that it is only for kids and 2) the portrayal of sexual content. And while both of these concerns have some basis in reality, the best course of action is to find shows that are mature and steer mostly away from fanservice/sexual content and use those as an introduction. The list is a conglomeration of shows I believe to be strong introduction shows to the medium, shows I’ve used in the past to introduce people to the medium, and shows with which I’ve had success introducing people to anime. So, without further delay, let me present my guide to introducing first timers to anime.

The first wave is a short list of anime shows, all generally of high quality, that are easily accessible to a first time viewer. They contain themes and stories familiar to a Western audience, avoid fanservice tropes as much as possible, and introduce other anime tropes while keeping those tropes from overtaking the viewing experience. REMEMBER TO ALWAYS KEEP GENRE PREFERENCES IN MIND.

1. _Gingitsune: Fox Messenger of the Gods _(Crunchyroll)

GENRE: Slice of Life[Gingitsune Poster]

WHY: _Gingitsune_ is my number one recommendation for introducing people to anime. It provides a lens into Japanese culture and religion, contains no fanservice, is heart-warming and family oriented, with just enough fantasy elements to make it different from any Western family genre._ _Add in a little humor, and _Gingitsune_ becomes a relaxing, fun watch that is sure to draw people in.

2. _Toradora!_ (Crunchyroll; Hulu)

GENRE: Romantic Comedy

WHY: _Toradora!_ is the best romance anime has to offer, and it does a lot more than just being funny and just jerking tears. Along with an introduction to some more anime tropes, _Toradora! _is a beautiful love story that also extends its exploration of the nature of love to familial ties and friendship. With unique, complex and vibrant characters, _Toradora!_ is a great choice for new anime watchers who like romance.

[Toradora Cast]

3. _Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood_ (Hulu)

GENRE: Shounen, Action, Adventure

WHY: The classic shounen action anime, _Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood_, is probably the best anime with which to introduce action lovers to the genre. As with all great shows, _FMA:B _transcends its genre and is laden with symbolism, emotion and heart. Brilliant plotted, with extraordinary fights, _FMA: B_ also avoids fanservice and the more annoying anime tropes.

[Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood]

4. Other Recommendations

-   _SILVER SPOON _(Crunchyroll, Hulu): From the same author as _Fullmetal Alchemist_, _Silver Spoon_ is an honest look at a high school boy’s struggle to grow up. It’s authentic, sometimes funny, sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking…but always, always true.
-   _KYOUSOUGIGA _(Crunchyroll): A tour de force of the artistic [Silver Spoon Poster]capabilities of the anime in terms of storytelling, animation and use of the medium itself to create a unique experience that marks this show as uniquely anime.
-   _TARI TARI _(Crunchyroll): Bright, friendly and totally inoffensive, _Tari Tari_ is another slice-of-life anime, an open-eyed look at the lives of graduating high school seniors, and the power of music and family.
-   _KILL ME BABY_ (Hulu): Not for everyone, but the random slapstick humor of _Kill Me Baby_ is a great introduction to pure comedy anime. Because the comedy is character based, it’s easily relatable to a wide audience, although the occasional dumbness of it may leave some unimpressed.
-   _THE ECCENTRIC FAMILY_ (Crunchyroll): A whimsical fantasy trip through the streets of Kyoto, _The Eccentric Family_ is yet another show that is uniquely Japanese and uniquely anime. With a focus on family themes and a lighthearted tone despite deep thematic material, this anime is one of great substance.
-   _TONARI NO SEKI-KUN _(Crunchyroll): A hilarious short anime and a new entry to the list (the show hasn’t even finished airing at the time of this writing), _Tonari no Seki-kun _is an incredibly accessible comedy that serves both as quality humor and an easy introduction into a few tropes of the genre, including facial expressions.

[Tonari no Seki-kun]

This second wave of shows introduces a few more anime tropes into the mix, and are generally well-received, easily accessible anime. The goal in this wave is acclimation: to tropes, to the method of storytelling, different art styles, genres and the general breadth of the medium.

-   _SWORD ART ONLINE_ (Crunchyroll; Hulu): Despite the flack it has taken in the anime community, _Sword Art Online_ is still a easily accessible show, especially to those who have never seen anime before. It’s pretty looking, has relatable archetypal characters and a great soundtrack. And I personally think it’s better than it’s given credit for; so sue me.
-   _ANGEL BEATS!_ (Crunchyroll; Hulu): An emotional show with amazing presentation, _Angel Beats! _ has the emotional resonance to capture a fledgling anime friend and further expose them to the emotional capabilities of the medium.
-   _THE DEVIL IS A PART-TIMER! _(Hulu): An enjoyable and light-hearted comedy, _The Devil is a Part-Timer!_ is simply a fun ride through a comedic situation[Gurren Lagann] with lovable characters. Due to a few fanservice tropes that crop up and some occasionally crass scenes, it falls into the second wave, but still remains a worthwhile watch on the merits of characters and humor.
-   _GURREN LAGANN_ (Crunchyroll; Hulu): About the closest you’ll get to anime canon on this list. Because _Gurren Lagann _is so over the top, it transcends the limitations of its genre. A great choice for actions fans, who will enjoy the bombast of gigantic robots chucking galaxies around like baseballs.
-   _WORKING!!_ (Crunchyroll): A wonderful workplace comedy focused on character relationships, _Working!!_ or (_Wagnaria!!_) stands as a bright-eyed example of how good characters can elevate a show. The comedy is stellar and the characters are fun.
-   _SOUL EATER_ (Hulu): Another great show for action fans, _Soul Eater _boasts a varied cast of entertaining characters, as well as great fights and even some thematic materials on the importance of the soul.
-   _ATTACK ON TITAN_ (Crunchyroll; Hulu): So, you think anime is for kids? Much like _Sword Art Online_, _Attack on Titan_ is hugely popular because it appeals to wide demographic, making it a good gateway anime. A little heavy on blood and gore, but if you’re picking show while knowing genre preferences of your potential convert, you’ll know whether or not to use this anime.

[Cowboy Bebop]

I am certain there are some reading this saying, “Why was X anime left out? Are you crazy?” Here’s my answer. I can only recommend what I know. Thus, you won’t find _Dragonball Z_, _Sailor Moon_, _Cowboy Bebop_, _Neon Genesis Evangelion_, _Spice & Wolf_, or _Death Note_ on this list, because I haven’t seen yet them myself, and I refuse to recommend anything simply based on the hype behind it (justified though it may be). That is not to say that the aforementioned shows cannot be used as great introductions to a first time anime watcher. But, in the words of Hanekawa from the _Monogatari _series, “I don’t know everything. I only know what I know.” And in my case, I only know about the shows I’ve seen.

question: Summarize the shows that the author discusses but cannot recommend.

text: The author has a list of shows that they discuss but cannot recommend since they have not watched them.

answer: Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Spice & Wolf, and Death Note.

answer: Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Spice & Wolf, and Death Note.

text: The author can recommend these shows, but hasn't seen them.

text: The author does not discuss the shows he cannot recommend.

text: The author can recommend these shows, but he hasn't seen them himself.

text: The author says he can't recommend the shows he hasn't seen.

text: The author can recommend these shows, but chooses not to because he hasn't seen them.

text: The author can recommend the shows, but hasn't seen them himself.

text: The summary of the article is messed up.

text: The response misses to mention that the author does not discuss the shows he cannot recommend.

answer: The author discusses several shows that they themselves have not watched themselves but are considered good in the anime loving community. The author has not seen Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Spice & Wolf, or Death Note, all of which are considered good shows. The author states that these may be good introduction shows, but they do not feel qualified to recommend one way or another since they have not seen them.

text: 'The author discusses several shows that they themselves have not watched themselves...' - This sentence is pretty awkward. Rewrite this for better clarity: "The author discusses several shows that they haven't seen..."

answer: The author recommends every show that they discuss.

text: The author cannot recommend shows that they haven't seen.

text: The author does not recommend every show they discuss.

text: The author does not recommend every show that they discuss.

text: The author cannot recommend the shows they haven't seen.

text: This is true, but it is possible to discuss the shows without recommending them.

text: "I am certain there are some reading this saying, “Why was X anime left out? Are you crazy?” Here’s my answer. I can only recommend what I know. Thus, you won’t find _Dragonball Z_, _Sailor Moon_, _Cowboy Bebop_, _Neon Genesis Evangelion_, _Spice & Wolf_, or _Death Note_ on this list, because I haven’t seen yet them myself, and I refuse to recommend anything simply based on the hype behind it (justified though it may be)." is evidence that the author does not recommend shows that he has not seen.

text: The author specifically says he cannot recommend shows that he may not have watched.

text: Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Spice & Wolf, and Death Note are the shows the narrator discusses but doesn't recommend.

answer: The author discusses several shows that they themselves have not watched themselves but are considered good in the anime loving community. The author has not seen Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Spice & Wolf, or Death Note, all of which are considered good shows. The author states that these may be good introduction shows, but they do not feel qualified to recommend one way or another since they have not seen them.

text: The author says they can't recommend the shows because they haven't seen them.

text: The author says that they cannot recommend the shows because they haven't seen them.

text: The author says they can't recommend shows they haven't seen.

text: The author says they have not seen the shows, but do not say they are considered good in the anime loving community.

text: The author says they are not recommending these shows because they haven't seen them, not because they aren't good

text: "The author discusses several shows that they themselves have not watched themselves but are considered good in the anime loving community." - this is redundant and should be removed.

text: The author states that they cannot recommend the shows listed because they haven't seen them, not that they are not qualified to recommend one way or the other.

text: 'The author discusses several shows that they themselves have not watched themselves but are considered good in the anime loving community.' is extraneous to the question.

answer: The author recommends every show that they discuss.

text: The author did list some anime that might be controversial and not worth recommending to newcomers.


text:
The INTERNET is a relatively new communication medium in Indonesia, an archipelago that includes more than 17,000 islands. Several Internet access services are available, ranging from fibre optic, ADSL to mobile Internet. Telephone line-based service was among the first Internet access services in the country with PT Telkom as the leading player who controlled most fixed-line telephone networks.

Usage

Based on OpenSignal in November 2016, there were only 58.8% of internet users in Indonesia who received 4G LTE signal, and received only HSPA+ signal or lower the rest of the time, ranking Indonesia 51st in the world. The download speed using 4G LTE in Indonesia was only an average of 8.79Mbit/s (ranked 74th in the world).[1]

Based on the Indonesia Internet Service Providers Association, in mid-2016, there were 132.7 million internet users, representing more than half of the Indonesian population. Only 3% of users are 50 years old or over, but surprisingly 100% in the 10–14 age bracket. Users on the island of Java dominated (65%), followed by Sumatra with 15.7 million users. Almost 90% of users were employees and students. Almost all of the users knew about e-commerce, but only 10.4 million users used the internet for transactions. Almost 70% of the users used their mobile phones for access.[2]

According to eMarketer in 2014, Indonesia had 83.7 million users (in sixth place behind Japan), but Indonesia was predicted to surpass Japan in 2017, due to the slower growth rate in Japan compared to Indonesia.[3]

According to Akamai Technologies, Indonesia, with nine connections to undersea cables, had in Q1 2014 an average Internet connection speed of 2.4 Mbit/s, which was an increase of 55% from the previous year. Just 6.6% of homes had access to 4 Mbit/s or higher speed connections.[4] However, in Q4 2014, the average internet connection speed was 1.9Mbit/s or dropped about 50% from Q3 2014 with 3.7Mbit/s.[5]

Based on the Indonesia Internet Service Providers Association, in Q4 2013, there were 71.19 million Internet users in Indonesia or about 28% of Indonesia's population.[6] According to Cisco's Visual Networking Index, in 2013, Indonesia had the world's second-fastest growth of IP traffic and has become an “Internet of Everything” country.[7]

Based on Communication Ministry data, at the end of June 2011, there were 45 million Internet users in Indonesia, of which 64% or 28 million users are between the ages of 15 to 19.[8]

July 2011: Based on Nielsen's survey, 48% of Internet users in Indonesia used mobile phones for access, whereas another 13% used other handheld multimedia devices. It represents the highest dependence on mobile internet access in Southeast Asia, although Indonesia has the lowest level of overall internet penetration in the region with only 21% of Indonesians aged between 15 and 49 using the Internet.[9]

According to a survey conducted by the Association of Internet Service Providers in Indonesia, the number of internet users in Indonesia reached 171.17 million at the beginning of 2019. The Indonesian government is eager to complete the Palapa Ring project, an undersea fiber-optic cable network across the country to offer affordable and faster internet access. It is expected to be fully completed by August 2019.[10] The project comprises three sections – the west, central and east – that would span around 13,000 kilometers. It aims to expand domestic broadband service nationwide, particularly in the remote rural regions.[11] The project is estimated to cost Rp 1.38 trillion (US$97.74 million) and would provide 4G access with speeds of up to 30 Mbps. In addition to connecting all of Indonesia in the telecommunications network, the Palapa Ring development is intended to reduce the gap in telecommunications services between Java and other regions in Indonesia.[12]

May 2011: Based on TNS research, Indonesia has the world's second-largest number of Facebook users and the third-largest number of Twitter users. Eighty-seven percent of Indonesians have social networking site accounts, but only 14% access the sites daily, far below the global average of 46% due to access from old phones or inconvenient internet cafes. In line with the increase of cheap Android smartphones recently, there is the possibility that Indonesian internet user activity will increase as well.[13]

Based on the Yahoo Net Index survey released in July 2011, the internet in Indonesia still ranks second after television in terms of media usage. Eighty-nine per cent of users were connected to social network, 72% used the internet for web browsing, and 61% read the news.[14]

Indonesian Internet service providers (ISPs) offer service on PT Telkom's ADSL network. ADSL customers usually receive two separates bills, one for the ADSL line charges to PT Telkom and another for Internet service charges to the ISP.

Mobile Internet & Telecommunications

All of the GSM major cellular telecommunication providers offer 3G, 3.5G HSDPA and 4G LTE, which cover cities and countrysides. They include Indosat, Telkomsel, Excelcomindo (XL) and 3. The usage of CDMA EV-DO has been phased out as the last provider, Smartfren, pulled its support in 2017 and converted to LTE-A. In 2016, almost all CDMA providers in Indonesia moved to either GSM or 4G LTE service such as Smartfren.

Due to COVID-19, Indonesia is adapting to digital transformation faster than predicted. The country is one of the striving mobile markets, underpinned by strong economic fundamentals, hence fast developing. With the population of the country, Indonesia is among the biggest market especially for smartphones along with China and India.[15] 4G in Indonesia will continue to be the main network for mobile internet in Indonesia as 3G gradually resides over the years.[16] The country is predicted by GSM Association to launch the new 5G network for commercial usage by 2022 and forecasted to have more than 20 million 5G connections by 2025.

Censorship

Internet filtering in Indonesia was deemed 'substantial' in the social arena, 'selective' in the political and internet tools arenas, and there was no evidence of filtering in the conflict/security arena by the OpenNet Initiative in 2011 based on testing done during 2009 and 2010. Testing also showed that Internet filtering in Indonesia is unsystematic and inconsistent, illustrated by the differences found in the level of filtering between ISPs.[17]

Indonesia was rated “partly free” in _Freedom on the Net 2015_ with a score of 42, midway between the end of the “free” range at 30 and the start of the “not free” range at 60.[18]

Although the government of Indonesia holds a positive view about the internet as a means for economic development, it has become increasingly concerned over the impact of access to information. It has shown an interest in increasing its control over offensive online content, particularly pornographic and anti-Islamic online content. The government regulates such content through legal and regulatory frameworks and partnerships with ISP nd Internet cafes.[19]

Media reported that selective blocking of some web sites for brief periods began in 2007–2008. Indonesia ordered ISPs to block YouTube in April 2008 after Google reportedly did not respond to the government's request to remove the film _Fitna_ by the Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, which purportedly mocked the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.[20] In May 2010, when an account on Facebook promoted a competition to draw Muhammad, government officials took a more focused approach and sent a letter to Facebook urging closure of the account, asked all ISPs to limit access to the account's link, and invited the Indonesian Association of Internet Cafe Entrepreneurs to restrict access to the group. Due to opposition from bloggers and civil society, however, ISPs disregarded the government's requests, and the account remained accessible.[21]

In March 2008, the government passed the Law on Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE Law), which broadened the authority of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCI) to include supervision of the flow of information and possible censorship of online content. In early 2010, the ministry published a draft Regulation on Multimedia Content that, if implemented, would require ISPs to filter or otherwise remove specific materials. The types of content listed include vaguely-worded categories such as pornography, gambling, hate incitement, threats of violence, exposure of private information, intellectual property, false information, and contents that degrade a person or group based on a physical or nonphysical attribute, such as disability. Following public outcry, the government announced that it would take time to process suggestions from the public before proceeding with the draft regulation.[22]

Under the ITE Law, anyone convicted of committing defamation online faces up to six years in prison, and a fine of up to one billion rupiah (US$111,000). As of June 2010, there were at least eight cases in which citizens had been indicted on defamation charges under the ITE Law for comments on e-mail lists, blogs, or Facebook. Prosecutions under the ITE Law have contributed to an increased atmosphere of fear, caution, and self-censorship among online writers and average users.[23]

In 2017, Telegram was blocked, as it was being used to spread “radical and terrorist propaganda.” [24] Telegram was later unblocked after several agreements with the government.[25]

As of September 2018, some websites including Vimeo, Tumblr and Reddit are censored as the government accused them of hosting content that includes nudity (Uncensored Tumblr on December 17, 2018).[26][27]

On 22 May 2019, Indonesian government blocked Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram for three days after 22 May riots in Jakarta to prevent hoax and fake news of the situation during the riots from spreading. The event also increased awareness of using VPN to access blocked content during the block.[28][29]

On 22 August 2019, amid Papua protests, Indonesia's Communication Ministry said that on the previous night they cut off telecommunication data and Internet in Papua to “curb hoax and most importantly stop people from sharing provocative messages that can incite racial hatred” until and “if the situation has calmed”.[30] As of 2 September 2019, the Internet blackout was ongoing. The government announced a ban on fake news and the “carrying out or spreading separatism in expressing opinions in public”.[31]

Cyber army

As of 29 May 2013, the Indonesian Defence Ministry has proposed plans for creating a cyber army in order to protect the state's portals and websites. Though no law has yet been created in order to maintain and establish the cyber army, the ministry is seeking talented Internet security specialists who, upon hiring, would be trained in information technology and use methods to defend against cyber-attacks.[32]

Domestic domain

Upon learning that about 80% of local internet traffic went abroad, the government began to encourage Indonesian institutions, business people and the public in general to use domestic domains. In mid-April 2015, there were about 20,000 .id domains and about 47,000 .co.id domains. The government targeted one million domestic domains with funding of Rp 50 billion ($3.85 million). Some users with non-domestic domains also possess domestic domains and redirect searches from its non-domestic domains to domestic domains.[33]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8] “Pengguna Internet di Indonesia Didominasi Anak Muda” (“Internet users in Indonesia Dominated by Young Children”), Media Indonesia, 28 July 2011 (English translation)

[9] “RI highly dependent on mobile Internet”, _Jakarta Post_, 12 July 2012

[10] https://www.indonesia-investments.com/news/todays-headlines/number-of-internet-users-in-indonesia-rises-to-171-million/item9144

[11] https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/05/28/indonesian-govt-expects-to-complete-eastern-palapa-ring-by-september.html

[12] https://www.idnfinancials.com/news/21478/palapa-ready-testing

[13] "Cheap smartphones change RI Internet behavior: Survey ", Tifa Asrianti, _Jakarta Post_, 31 May 2011

[14] “Jejaring Sosial Aktivitas Online Paling Populer di Indonesia” (“Social Networking Most Popular Online Activities in Indonesia”), Yossie Yono, CHIP Online, 27 July 2011 (English translation)

[15]

[16]

[17] “Indonesia country profile”, _Access Contested_, Ronald Deibert, et al., MIT Press and OpenNet Initiative, November 2011

[18] “Country Report: Indonesia”, _Freedom on the Net 2015_, Freedom House, April 2015

[19]

[20] “ONI Regional Overview: Asia”, OpenNet Initiative, June 2009

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24] “Indonesia blocks Telegram messaging service over security concerns”, Kanupriya Kapoor, _Reuters_, 14 July 2017

[25]

[26] “Indonesia bans Vimeo”, Catriona Croft-Cusworth, _The Interpreter_, Lowy Institute for International Policy (Sydney), 16 May 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

title: Internet in Indonesia

question: How does the Indonesian government plan to provide Indonesians easy access to the internet?

text: 'Additionally, the increase in the price of Android smartphones impedes access to affordable and accessible internet.' This sentence cannot be attested to the text; therefore, it's made up. It should be deleted.

answer: Based on TNS research, Indonesia is the second-largest and third-largest user of Facebook and Twitter, respectively. Eighty-seven percent of Indonesians have social networking site accounts. Sadly, only 14% can access the sites daily, far below the global average of 46%. They can only access the internet from old phones or inconvenient internet cafes. Additionally, the increase in the price of Android smartphones impedes access to affordable and accessible internet. The Indonesian government's plan to provide accessible internet is by completing the Palapa Ring project, an undersea fiber-optic cable network across the country to offer affordable and faster internet access. It is expected to be fully completed by August 2019. It aims to expand domestic broadband service nationwide, particularly in remote rural regions.

text: The first two sentences are not relevant to the question.

text: The answer is not related.

text: The answer is irrelevant.

text: The answer is completely irrelevant to the question.

text: This is not relevant to the question.

text: The first paragraph is not relevant to the question.

text: The first paragraph does not answer the question.

text: It's not stated that the increase in the price of Android smartphones impedes access to affordable and accessible internet. Instead it says that the government wanted to encourage people to use domestic domains.

answer: The Indonesian government is eager to complete the Palapa Ring project, an undersea fiber-optic cable network across the country to offer affordable and faster internet access. It is expected to be fully completed by August 2019. The project comprises three sections – the west, central and east – that would span around 13,000 kilometers. It aims to expand domestic broadband service nationwide, particularly in the remote rural regions. The project is estimated to cost Rp 1.38 trillion (US$97.74 million) and would provide 4G access with speeds of up to 30 Mbps. In addition to connecting all of Indonesia in the telecommunications network, the Palapa Ring development is intended to reduce the gap in telecommunications services between Java and other regions in Indonesia.

answer: The Indonesian government is eager to complete the Palapa Ring project, an undersea fiber-optic cable network across the country to offer affordable and faster internet access. It is expected to be fully completed by August 2019. The project comprises three sections – the west, central and east – that would span around 13,000 kilometers. It aims to expand domestic broadband service nationwide, particularly in the remote rural regions. The project is estimated to cost Rp 1.38 trillion (US$97.74 million) and would provide 4G access with speeds of up to 30 Mbps. In addition to connecting all of Indonesia in the telecommunications network, the Palapa Ring development is intended to reduce the gap in telecommunications services between Java and other regions in Indonesia.

text: The answer is a copy-and-paste of the article. It should be rewritten.

text: The answer is too long.

text: The answer should mention that the project is expected to be finished by August 2019.

text: The answer is too long and includes unnecessary information.

text: The answer should also mention the Indonesian government's encouragement of the use of domestic domains.

text: The answer is too long; it should be reduced to the essentials.

text: The numbers in brackets are unimportant.

answer: Based on TNS research, Indonesia is the second-largest and third-largest user of Facebook and Twitter, respectively. Eighty-seven percent of Indonesians have social networking site accounts. Sadly, only 14% can access the sites daily, far below the global average of 46%. They can only access the internet from old phones or inconvenient internet cafes. Additionally, the increase in the price of Android smartphones impedes access to affordable and accessible internet. The Indonesian government's plan to provide accessible internet is by completing the Palapa Ring project, an undersea fiber-optic cable network across the country to offer affordable and faster internet access. It is expected to be fully completed by August 2019. It aims to expand domestic broadband service nationwide, particularly in remote rural regions.

text: The first five sentences are not necessary since they don't answer the question

answer: Based on TNS research, Indonesia is the second-largest and third-largest user of Facebook and Twitter, respectively. Eighty-seven percent of Indonesians have social networking site accounts. Sadly, only 14% can access the sites daily, far below the global average of 46%. They can only access the internet from old phones or inconvenient internet cafes. Nevertheless, in line with the increase of cheap Android smartphones recently, there is the possibility that Indonesian internet user activity will increase as well. The Indonesian government's plan to provide accessible internet is by completing the Palapa Ring project, an undersea fiber-optic cable network across the country to offer affordable and faster internet access. It is expected to be fully completed by August 2019. It aims to expand domestic broadband service nationwide, particularly in remote rural regions.