text:
                                               I
	Annalee looked feverishly at the clock. Two hours. She had to leave before those two hours were up or she never would. Two hours until Shane came home from work. She had spent the day packing what little she had and if she wasn't gone by the time he came home he would know she meant to leave. Annalee had spent the last year and a half under the control of Shane and today was the day she would free herself from the confines of his wrath. She ran up stairs to make sure she had gotten her mother's pearls when she heard keys in the front door. She stopped. No. She still had time.
	Shane comes through the door, and sees her bag at the door. Annalee is rooted in the bedroom but all too aware that he is making his way up the stairs. No. He calmly opens the door and by the look on his face she knows there isn't a chance that she will be walking away from this. Today wasn't the day. She didn't have time.
	Shane, smelling like cheap whiskey, walks over to her and demanded to know why there is a suitcase by the sofa. Sarcastically,he asks if she was planning a trip for the two of them. He closes the door and begins to walk over to her. Still fixed in one spot like someone had put nails in her shoes. The questions still lingering in the air like a suffocating gas. Annalee starts to speak but he strikes her across the face, her mother's pearls sent flying under the bed.  What happens next occurs so fast that all she can see is the blur of the terrible blue wall paper. He's in front of her, hands around her neck. Shaking. Squeezing. Laughing.
Pop.
	Annalee reaches for something. Anything. In hopes of making herself steady. Instead her hand finds the silver lamp on the dresser. Something, shy of animal instinct, helps her bring the lamp swinging into Shane's left temple. The rage in his eyes goes out like a light as he falls to the ground. She hits him not once, but twice more until red beads of blood make a splash on the blue wall paper. Annalee slumps to her knees. Was he dead? Is this nightmare over? She reaches for his phone in the front pocket of his slacks. Shane groans on the floor, blood trickling from the tear in his skin. She presses three keys and waits until she hears a voice on the other end.
	After a moment Annalee tries to speak but no words come out, only a whisper of a scream. Assuming that was enough, she gets off the line and holds tight to the lamp. It felt like an eternity before she heard the sirens. Four men in uniforms entire the room, one speaks to her but she can only blink in response. He checks her pulse while another does the same to Shane. Their voices sounding like static as they report something over the walkies. More people show up, this time in white paramedic uniforms. Shane was taken some where but they hadn't tried to move Annalee. She's put on a stretcher, a brace around her neck.
	The bright lights of the ambulance is all she can see. The sound of the siren the only sound in her mind. Scared that she would be charged with assault or attempted murder. Surely they could see the scars that covered her body. Surely they would find the small attic space with her blood dried in the scratches on the door. She couldn't speak to tell them, they would have to come to the conclusion themselves. The fast beeping on a monitor seemed to worry the paramedic as he leaned over and picked up her arm. She felt a warmth spread through her body and the lights of the ambulance seemed to grow dim. Surely they would see the truth.

					II

	Annalee comes to in a hospital room. White. Sterile. Quiet. She calls for a nurse, and to her surprise a voice comes out. The nurse, grim look on her face, calls the doctor. Doctor Silverman introduces himself and looks much more pleasant than the nurse. He informs her that her neck may be sore for the next few days and her voice may sound hoarse but he has high hopes that she will be good as new. Continuing with the good news he states that she can leave as soon as they do one more check up and once the police question.
	Doctor Silverman is just finishing up his test when two police officers come into the room. Apprehension and terror wash over Annalee as they sit down. They have questions. What was her relationship to Shane? How long had she known him? What events led up to her muted call? The answers for those questions led to more. How long has the abuse been going on? Did she plan to hurt Shane that day? What attic was she talking about? Why didn't she leave sooner? It seemed as if they were putting her on trial for defending herself. Trying to save her own life. She became frantic. A nurse was called in to sedate her.
	When she awoke she found herself in a different room. Dark. Ominous. Cold. She could hear muffled yelling and even  more disturbing, whispering. Annalee got out of bed and moved to the door. There wasn't a knob.  Terrified, she began to bang on the door and call out to anyone that may be able to help her. She had fought so hard to escape Shane but now she was locked away again. The sense of urgency set her body on  fire. She was suppose to be free of control. The room seemed to be getting smaller. Closing inch by inch in on her. Back at the door she began kicking and screaming, hoping to at least get the attention of someone so she could tell them she didn't belong here. No one came.
	She must have fallen asleep at some point since she was jarred awake by the opening of her door. Doctor Silverman entered. Only he didn't wear the same hopeful expression as he had before.  Annalee tried to move from the bed. Tried to speak. Nothing happened. The doctor looked at her chart but didn't speak directly to her. A nurse entered behind him, whispering something in his ear. Annalee thought she heard the word sister but before she could try to ask what they were talking about they exited the room. Taking the chart with them.
	Alone again, but unable to move or speak. The minimal color palate in the room seemed to go in and out of focus. Like she was forgetting what the colors were. Not long after that the small desk and bolted down seat began to smear at the edges. The blankets feeling like they weighed as much as a small car pressed the air out of her lungs, making it difficult to breath. A new nurse entered her room accompanied by a woman that seemed familiar to Annalee. Where had she seen this person before?
	 Memories, floating like burning leaves in the wind came to her. A younger version of herself playing kitchen with this familiar stranger. Riding a yellow bus to a building filled with children around the same age. A flash of silver, followed by two loud bangs. Her and the stranger standing over two bodies. Weeping as if they had both lost something very important to them. The stranger came over to Annalee and dropped to her knees.
	The doctor came over and rested his hand on the shoulder of the woman. Tears began running down her face. Annalee had the urge to brush the tears away and reassure her that she was going to be okay. That she was free now. That Shane couldn't hurt her anymore. If only she could get out of the hospital, things would be okay. Sounds came from the doctors mouth, unable to comprehend them Annalee hoped it was good news but the look on the stranger's face it wasn't. The man in the white coat left the room, leaving Annalee and the woman alone.

						III

	Annalee looked so small and peaceful as her sister, Katie, held her hand. The news had come as shock. She had gotten a call from the police two days prior looking for the next of kin. She packed her bag as soon as she got off the phone and boarded a plane to take her from California to South Dakota. The news wasn't what she had hoped for. Her sister was alive but there was no brain function. Doctor Silverman sat her down with the police and recounted the events that had led up to the tragedy.
	Shane Price and Annalee Watts had been in a relationship just shy of two years. About the time Annalee ran away from college in California. The medical report revealed abuse going back over a years time. From badly healed broken bones, to deep scars running all over her back. Nails that had never grown back properly after being broken off from trying to claw her way out of the attic space. The police had gotten a call from an elderly man in Annalee's neighborhood. Saying he saw a young man putting what seemed to be a body in his passenger seat.
	The police arrived as an inebriated Shane was locking the door with a bag in his hand. Presumably the bag Annalee had packed for herself. When they got to the car they noticed an unconscious woman in the seat, her neck at a very peculiar angle. After arresting Shane and calling an ambulance for Annalee they finally were able to piece the events that led to this together.
	Shane came home early that day due to being laid of his job, but before coming home he stopped at a liquor store and bought a bottle of whiskey. After he arrived home he saw Annalee's suitcase by the door and went upstairs to confront her. In his mind she was betraying him, after all he had done for her she should be submissive and grateful. He charged into the room and began choking her before she ever had the chance to turn away or defend herself. He squeezed, shook and laughed while going on about what she owed him. Until her body wilted and he heard an audible pop. Which happened to be Annalee's neck breaking.
	It was then that he realized he would be charged for attempted murder if he took her to a hospital. So his plan was to dump her body in a bad part of town and make it look like a robbery gone amiss. Instead, Annalee was now in the hospital being kept alive by a machine. With no living will and no hope of improvement, Katie is faced with the option of taking her sister off life support or seeing if she improves in  time.
	Katie sits by her sister's bed and reads her "The Giving Tree" like she used to when they were growing up. Praying to God and anything else that might bring her sister back to her.  But Annalee couldn't tell her sister that she was there. Trapped inside her own mind. Each day more and more of reality slipping from her mind. She fades away. Never requiring her sister produce the decision.  Dark. Silent. Alone. Gone.

title: [RF] Fallacious Reverie

question: Summarize Annalee's fate.

answer: Annalee runs away with his boyfriend Shane, leaving her family and college life behind. However, Shane is abusive, and Annalee is stuck.  Almost two years after running away, she decides to escape. However, she can't get out of the house in time because Shane is home early since he got fired from his job. He gets angry after seeing her bag, realizing that she was about to leave him. He corners her in the bathroom and suffocates her until her neck is broken. He tries to put her into the car so that he can ditch her comatose body when the police (called by a worried neighbor) catch him. She hallucinates calling the police and being saved. She slowly fades away in the hospital under the watchful eye of her sister.

question: What does the story say about Shane?

answer: He's an abusive boyfriend with illusions of grandeur. He and Annalee run away together, causing her to get stuck with him. When Annalee tries to run away, it happens to be on the day of Shane getting fired, so he's home early. He gets angry and suffocates her, breaking her neck. He decides to make it look like a robbery gone wrong in a dark alley but gets caught while loading her onto the car after a neighbor calls the cops.

question: What does the story say about eloping?


split: test

text:
He had tried to fuck his mother’s cat when he was seven. The incident had resulted badly and now his genitals were permanently scarred and the cat dead. Does that seem strange? Well I suppose you could view it that way.

He wasn’t really different. But what’s different? At the time trust me there were logical steps to his attempt at rape. Now this all might seem trivial but it is imperative if one is to understand why Billy later did what he did.

Billy was aggressive from day one. He used to hit his mother’s friends with his baby bottle whenever they came near him. When his first tooth came in his mother had to give up breastfeeding after he nearly bit off her left teat. She was heartbroken for she saw breastfeeding as a type of bonding with Billy, but Billy always had it his way and when he wanted Precious he got Precious his way.

Precious was his mother’s cat. She had Precious before Billy was born but once Billy was born he became Precious and it was only natural that he would eliminate the cat.

Precious had been the first for Billy. What followed was a mother’s worst nightmare. Billy became a serial killer of felines.

Ms. Griffin had come outside and found her cat hanged from her doorframe. A note attached said

I love pussy

But Billy, do you really love pussy? Billy came out when he was nineteen. A drunken night with a frat brother had confirmed this.

So Billy why do you hate pussy so? Is it because you feel an allegiance to dick? That could be, but I think its deeper than that. I think the secret lies in Precious.

It’s important to include what Billy did to Precious. Precious’ attack on his genitals was not the ending to the incident. Billy ended the incident by grabbing Precious’ neck and breaking it. He said it wasn’t really anything,

It moved and then it didn’t.

Damn Billy. That’s cold, but he got colder. It came to be that all domestic cats stayed inside while the strays were inevitably eliminated by Billy. But no one knew it was Billy.

The people talked. Some said it was the postman. Others blamed gangs of vicious stray dogs. But no one ever said Billy. Billy’s mother knew though and Billy knew this and this bothered Billy. It bothered Billy so much that people came to think it was a pack of wild stray dogs that killed Billy’s mom, when really Billy choked her and fed her to the wild dogs before reporting her missing. Ice cold Billy.

That’s what they called him, Ice Motherfucking Cold Billy. Nobody fucked with him. He had tattoos of kittens he had murdered across his back, a pet cemetery of sorts.

After Billy’s mother met her maker, the maker she made, people started talking. Well, they’d already been talking, but now their talking included Billy’s name. See Billy started slipping a little bit. Maybe cause he was drinking more or maybe cause he had taken up the habit of wearing a cat skin belt. Either way he was on their radar or rather they were on his.

He killed them all. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were found naked and crucified in their front yard, their cats crucified on top of them. Ms. Washington got a knife to the head. Between the knife’s handle and her head, her cat. Mr. Thomas was bludgeoned to death with a bag of his cat’s food. His cat was later found in the bag. All the murders were gruesome. The luckiest were suffocated with kittens.

After the murders Billy left to travel the world. He had moved on to bigger things, bigger cats. The common house cat didn’t do it for him anymore, but when he was desperate and couldn’t find a lion or tiger to kill, he would return to domestic cats as a means to meet an end. Sometimes when a cat would go missing from a house in whatever remote village Billy was in, the people would start to talk. They would talk about the outsider and his funny belt. Or they would comment about his tattoo and then Billy would just repeat his previous actions and move on.

This routine carried on for many years until one day Billy found himself in India fighting a tiger. He was naked (he always fought cats in the nude). He lunged at the tiger with his hunting knife, but he was not as agile as he was in his youth and he tripped and fell on his face. The tiger took Billy by the neck and broke it.

Billy moved and then he didn’t.

The locals say the cat didn’t devour him, but simply stared at him and then walked away. And that’s the end of Billy’s story, but not ours.

We still don’t know why Billy hated cats so much, but we do know it involves Precious. See before the incident Billy loved cats, he loved cats so much that he tried to make love to one. But sadly for him and everyone he later met, Precious didn’t return his love. Instead she mutilated that which Billy tried to love her with, rendering it useless. After that Billy said he was never able to give pleasure, so instead he took it.

title: The Taker

question: Why did Billy start murdering cats?

question: Did Billy only kill street cats?

answer: No, Billy had also killed his mother by choking her and feeding her to the wild dogs. He had also killed Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Ms. Washinton, Mr. Thomas, and all of their cats. After this, he decided to move on to bigger cats and tried to kill a lion or a tiger.

question: Does Billy get attacked anytime?

answer: Billy does get attacked once and is killed. While Billy was in India fighting a tiger, he lunged at the tiger and tripped and fell on his face. The tiger had attacked Billy's neck and broke it.


text:
_Alex is a political commentator. He has served a term as the secretary of the E.Q._

Where I Tread Water

First of all, let me state that I accept (and have accepted) the leadership of President Obama and of President Trump. I don't have to completely agree with someone to agree that the governing system in place on our nation's land transcends the individual and personal pride. I've said where I stand; although, it may be more accurate to say that we all are treading water in different areas of the same lake. That being stated, neither Republicans nor Democrats will always be happy with my opinions. Our freedom of speech is one of many items which unites us in this wonderful country.

[what-have-the-left-been-doing-wrong]

The Importance Of Helping

It may seem strange that I apparently offer so much advice to the left. You see, competition is essential to success. Plenty of folk have hated (or, at least disliked) the Soviet Union. However, if it wasn't for their technological, philosophical, and cultural success, then we (the Americans of the United States) would never have put men on the moon. If the left is weak, then the right will follow. And, visa versa. My desire to help the left is also my desire to help the right. Too many people forget how close our views really are. Often, both sides are trying to accomplish the same goals - just by varying means.

First Thing's First

Perhaps one of the worse items for the left right now is the publicity. More than ever, the left seems to be the source of jokes and outrage from reasonable people. Of course, this isn't the primary problem; extremists on both sides have been the initiation of such things, almost equally I might state. So, what is the issue that distinguishes the left from the right in 2019 and preceding years? I suspect that there exist a number of variables. Still, the absence of true enthusiasm is a huge part to the perceived problem at hand. And, is there honestly a lack? Yes and no. You see, Bernie Sanders should have been chosen to run against President Trump if the Democrats had possessed any real desire to win. Bernie had the passion, the fire, and the love of the people in his base. He would have likely even obtained some Republican votes, along with the votes of many Independents. Hillary, for better or for worse, is despised by members of the right and the left and all places in between. Although Hillary Clinton was the obvious candidate for some of the very rich and powerful, the average Joe did not view her as serving in their best interest. Thus, the Democrats synthesized their own political suicide. In the Information Age, the lower classes of the economic strata are growing wiser and more intelligent. That being included herein, too many voters in a free nation will not vote in the sole interest of the very rich. I disagree with the leftist idea of far too heavily taxing the very rich. But, many of the super rich don't even pay taxes! We humble workers, students, and worker-students are far more united than we realize. Let us not trivialize too much over items that have no matter. "No me importa" as my best friend would say.

Next On The List

Additionally, the left now has the issue of youth. Too many individuals on the left are still, to me anyway, children. They are so young. The right often puts merit in the wisdom acquired with age. This is sometimes misplaced, but it is far less done so than when pretending in the experienced wisdom of inexperienced kids. Some of my Democratic friends may quote the Bible, and that it very fine indeed. Still, I am not sure that ALL "babes" spout wisdom when they open their mouths. At certain times in our life, I feel that it is our meditation on the younger in our older age that is sometimes the source of wisdom. Whatever the New Testament means, I doubt it has everything to do with kids singing about pooper scoopers. And, yes, I am unfortunately aware that Kanye is on the right of the political spectrum. Or, maybe he's a complete troll. Who knows?

The Conclusion Or End

I will end my point by stating the obvious; we can love each other more than our own lives without always agreeing on everything that is known to us. My family is built from many faiths, jobs, education levels, races, and financial statueses. And, I would lay down my life for my family. Love transcends such menial matters. We'd be so much stronger if we united. We're truthfully not that different.

© 2019 ALEXANDER JAMES GUCKENBERGER

ALEXANDER JAMES GUCKENBERGER (AUTHOR) from Maryland, United States of America on June 03, 2019:

Wesman,

I changed in some ways, and stayed the same in others myself.

It can be.

I feel like the craziness seems to come with every election unfortunately. I've paid more attention to it all as an adult.

It's good to be sane.

Mainstream media needs to be challenged more and more. I like doing reporting work myself, because I can trust what I find in person has more truth to it, or that such a potential is there.

The primary media has gotten bad at times.

90% was far too generous.

I try to disillusion people discretely.

One of the most important principles in the old school United States is that the minority should be protected by the majority.

I'd say that we live in something of a combination of the two.

It's often difficult to want to vote democrat these days. Maybe things will change in 20 years or 40 years (the parties' motivations jump from one to the other fro time to time), but right now many of the republicans seem to have their heads on straighter to be completely honest. I do have friends who are democrats, and I want to give them a chance. However, I don't want the craziness in this country to spread too far. Democrats can make things sound good sometimes - things that are not so good. Shampoo smells like it should taste delicious, but anyone who has put that to the test will regret the choice to try it. I don't hate democrats, and I don't love all republicans - but, there certainly are trends. I do miss John McCain though.

WESMAN TODD SHAW from Kaufman, Texas on June 01, 2019:

I'm 45 years old now. I behave in much the same manner I've always behaved. I've retained exactly all of the bad habits I acquired in my young adulthood.

At least one good thing happened in my early middle adulthood. I passed some sort of thing on life's trajectory to where I view all the manufactured outrages, and overly emotional screeching as something horrific.

I can do nothing but laugh, laugh, and then laugh some more at all this craziness you see and have seen since the election of Donald Trump.

I look at how these shrieking moonbats, often vaunted Hollywood actors and actresses, and think to myself, 'Thank God above I'm not one of those people. I may be dirt poor, but at least I'm not an idiot.'

I'm going to be extremely honest here. For most of my life I've absolutely hated what is being sold to the public through the majority of mainstream media outlets. I'm talking newspapers, magazines, television, and film and music recording studios.

It's not much of a hidden thing what sorts of persons own the most of all of that. I'm somewhat sure any other ethnic coterie of media mongers would also engage in purposefully selling trash. What makes me extremely happy about the current state of affairs is how mass media has done more to discredit itself in the past few years than probably ever before.

You can't especially trust polls, remember the 90% chance of a Clinton victory? I'm sure they called the Buzzfeed subscribers for that poll, but I've seen a lot of others indicating a lesser than ever before faith in the journalistic integrity of mainstream media.

It's truly troubling persons are out there who literally do think the news media is unbiased news.

The popular vote is worthless. Pure democracy is worthless. What is democracy other than mob rule? It's plainly absurd to think the ideas of fifty one percent should hold sway over the ideas of 40 percent, and were it not for illegal immigrant votes counted in places like California, then I am not at all certain Mrs. Clinton's vote tally would have been greater.

Thank God I live in a republic, and not a stupid democracy.

Having seen what I've seen over the past few years, there is no possible way that I could ever vote for a Democrat in this life, or the next.

ZACK DYLAN from Dallas on March 01, 2019:

Jo Miller, there is some irony in your claims of Russian collusion. Thus far we know Don Jr attempted to meet with the Russians for political dirt which is no surprise and not illegal. We also know Hillary used a British former M6 agent to meet with the Russians to form a fake dossier on Trump to begin spying on his campaign.

In all news outlets, what has been raised is all unsubstantiated allegations. There has been no proof, no substantiation, and has all but been confirmed as such by the investigation. Our media has good reason to run with the stories they publish in this regard. People want juicy, horror stories to consume. The viewership brings massive ad revenue. It's a dirty little secret that the outlets rely on their viewers belief in the outlet's credibility. It's a disgusting reality that our free press takes advantage of. The alphabet news agencies push opinion articles as unbiased journalism when in fact they are glorified Facebook posts, little more.

You claim that the republican party has voted against policies that were necessary social issues to be remedied. I'd like to know what those are. I do recall it being the republican party that ended slavery, and most bills thereafter being bipartisan.

Would you care to share specific ones you found conservatives to be against?

ALEXANDER JAMES GUCKENBERGER (AUTHOR) from Maryland, United States of America on March 01, 2019:

Hillary did indeed win the popular vote.

JO MILLER from Tennessee on March 01, 2019:

I became a Democrat in 1964 after Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights legislation and the Republican candidate that year, Barry Goldwater, opposed it. My family had always been Republican and I wanted to stay in that party also. Through the years I have observed the Republican Party stay on the wrong side of that issue, and many others that I disagree with. I wrote a hub about this several years ago.

In my younger years I almost always went with the most progressive candidate, like Bernie Sanders, but in 2016 I voted for Hillary Clinton because I thought she was the most qualified to lead our country. I am not rich and I know many who voted for her who are not rich (one of many false generalizations in this article). She received almost 3 million more votes than Trump, and, had it not been for Russian interference in the election and the Trump campaign's collusion,probably would have won. I think almost daily now how much better we would be if she were president.

I welcome dialog with you, but sincerely believe you need to dig a little deeper, and, perhaps get you information from more reliable sources.

ALEXANDER JAMES GUCKENBERGER (AUTHOR) from Maryland, United States of America on February 24, 2019:

Zack, I really love your attitude. Stay awesome my friend.

ZACK DYLAN from Dallas on February 23, 2019:

Great piece, I especially fall in line with your intro. I welcome opposition as it provides refinement. Often times I use the same technique of providing the advise to those opposed in a sort of litmus test to find how genuine someone's disagreement might be. Often times, its the easiest olive branch to extend.

ALEXANDER JAMES GUCKENBERGER (AUTHOR) from Maryland, United States of America on February 23, 2019:

Eric,

Love is indeed at the center of our shared existence. May God bless you and your family.

ERIC DIERKER from Spring Valley, CA. U.S.A. on February 23, 2019:

Alexander you give us good love. I am not able anymore to hate others. I really like our split of late. It is healthy for our national community. It is not possible to find democracy if we don't do different ways. "A more perfect union". From when states split in the time of our founding set up a system that is great. Washington wrote plenty of letters meaning the "Provedence".

My son who belongs half to an immigrant and half to a die hard Southwestern boy we stand tall with differences. Love is our binding collective.

You are owed thanks for this article.

ALEXANDER JAMES GUCKENBERGER (AUTHOR) from Maryland, United States of America on February 22, 2019:

John, you sound somewhat like a founding father! You're very wise. Yeah, many Dems saw past the whole Hillary thing. And, no problem; we need to distance ourselves and be as fair as possible. I very much appreciate your kind contribution my friend.

JOHN HANSEN from Queensland Australia on February 22, 2019:

You make great points her Alexander. People from both sides, and in between, need to embrace their commonalities rather than differences. In actual fact, it makes very little difference who is in power, but we need a change of Government now and then to balance things out and hold each side to account.

Whoever is in power needs the peoples' support however to successfully do what they were elected to do...govern.

If Bernie Sanders had rightfully been the Democrat's candidate at the last election they would have been much more competitive, but that wasn't to be. It was obvious that Hillary would fail to appeal to most Democrat voters other than the mega-rich.

Thanks for writing this and being very impartial and fair.

question: Who is the author of this article?

answer: Alex, a political commentator

question: What is the main focus of this article?

answer: The author's attempt to bridge the gap between the political left and right

question: What is the author's opinion on President Trump?

answer: That information can't be found.

question: Summarize the "Next On The List" section of the article.

answer: The author claims that many individuals on the left tend to be younger, while the right tends to merit the wisdom acquired with age. He believes that meditation on the younger by the older can sometimes be the source of wisdom.

question: What does the author conclude at the end of the article?

answer: He concludes that it is possible for both sides to love each other without agreeing on everything, since values like love and family transcend party lines. He believes the nation would be stronger if both sides united.

question: What is the author's political affiliation?

answer: Right-wing

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Alex, a right-wing political commentator, is offering advice to the left. He believes two major issues they face are the issue of publicity, often being the target of jokes, and the issue of youth, with the younger people on the left lacking the wisdom acquired with age. He believes both sides should unite, as despite their differences they both value family and love. Various readers share their responses to Alex's piece.


text:
Ken Hagen dreamt of tumors and dull cutlery. In his nightmares a woman lays on an operating table surrounded by surgeons and nurses, a mass of sick tissue slowly choking her to death. The doctor, with the cool collected tones of an airline pilot announcing the altitude says “scalpel”. A nervous resident, probably only a couple weeks out of med school quickly hands him the instrument. The key. The key that opens the door to her salvation. The surgeon skillfully lines up the scalpel to make the incision, his hands steady, a nurse wipes his brow. As he places the blade to her skin, he realizes something is wrong, it won’t cut the flesh. He presses harder. Nothing. He grabs another scalpel, to no avail, it just won’t cut. From seemingly nowhere he grabs a large butcher knife and plunges it down with deadly force, only to have it bounce from her rubbery flesh without leaving a mark. “I need something sharp!”, he screams. But he is alone. “Dammit isn’t anything around here fucking SHARP?”. The woman’s breathing becomes ragged as the surgeon dashes from the room in a panic, the sound of shattering glass is heard and the man returns, but he is no longer a surgeon, he is Ron Popeil. Ron Popeil with an axe. He raises the axe above his head like a demented lumberjack, like Paul Bunyan about to fell a mighty pine with one swing. The woman flatlines. “This oughtta do it”, Popeil says. He swings the axe down with all his might.

SLAM!

Ken Hagen awoke in a cold clammy sweat, he was having the dream again. “Fucking Ron Popeil” he muttered to himself. The night was cold and Ken had only slept in fits, the tattered sleeping bag his only source of warmth. The squeals and click-clacking of the train told him it was time to move. Ken was a drifter, he traveled from place to place by boxcar, riding the rails like a ghost. He floated through towns an apparition, once he was gone no one was really sure if he had existed at all. He went by many names: Kenneth Hague, Kent Higgins, Kimbo Von Hindquarters to name a few. His breast pocket bulged with writing utensils. He had a pen for every occasion, blue ink, black ink, red ink, ball point, felt, permanent, semi-permanent and even an antique quill pen just in case. He carried a number two pencil, and kept it deadly sharp. He wore a feather in his cap, and he carried a small kit. This kit allowed Ken to do the two things he did best, the two things he was born to do.

Sharpen knives and cure cancer.

Curing cancer was of course his primary concern but he needed something to get his foot into people’s doors, and knife sharpening was his ticket. In fact, over the years Ken had gotten pretty damn good at sharpening things, he even considered settling down a few times when he came upon a sleepy town filled with fetching women and dull edges. But something always pressed him on. His destiny, he had come to realize was to kill cancer.

Cancer had nearly killed Ken once upon a time, he was so sick and in so much pain that he attempted to take his own life by drinking a mixture of jet fuel, shark cartilage, lentil soup, tabasco sauce, Pert Plus shampoo, and Steel Reserve. He awoke on the floor of his garage eighteen hours later and realized two things: His cancer was gone, and he had pooped his pants.

A clean pair of shorts later Ken realized that he had stumbled upon an elixir with amazing curative properties. A true nectar of the gods. Over the next few weeks Ken perfected the mixture and soon he was ready to begin his quest. “No one’s gonna believe me”, he said to no one in particular. He pulled a cucumber out of the refrigerator to slice up for a salad. His knife wouldn’t cut it, it was too dull. The faint sound of a train whistle could be heard miles away.

So much time had passed since then, it seemed like another life, like his life before the elixir was only a fever dream and his life since all too real. Ken darted from the train as it grunted to a stop, dashing into the bushes before anyone saw. He walked through a wooded area and wondered aloud “Do squirrels get cancer?”, they probably did he answered himself, they were just too primitive to understand it. Lucky them.

Lucky, Indiana was little more than a crossroads and a post office. The kind of town you could miss if you blinked, but Ken Hagen never blinked. Not very often anyway. He came here because of his list, the list of every person in America that had cancer. How he got the list is so secret that not even the person who invented Ken Hagen knows how he got it. He just got it. Now he was checking his list like Santa, if only Ken could travel the world in a single night like Old St. Nick he could cure cancer in a day. “Fat Bastard”, Ken muttered to himself, the next person on his list was not far from here. Betsy LaRue was her name.

Ken tapped a familiar rhythm “Shave and a haircut, two bits”, he mumbled to himself. He wondered about the origins of that phrase, and if two bits was a quarter then what was one bit? Twelve and a half cents? It didn’t matter, Ken didn’t even have that much. And what about. . .

The door opened revealing Ms. LaRue, a gaunt skeletal shell of a woman, a bandana covering her bald chemotherapy ravaged scalp. Death would soon be knocking at her door, luckily Ken Hagen got there first. “Hello Ms. LaRue, my name is Charlie Lininger”, Ken said, pulling the fake name out of his ass. “Might I interest you in my utensil and cutlery sharpening services?” a smile crossed her lips and Ken realized that she had once been beautiful, and still was in a way. “Sure”, she said, “I’m going to die in three months anyways and I might as well have sharp utensils the rest of the way.”

That’s what they all say.

She showed Ken to the kitchen, it was filled with slicers, dicers, choppers, and knife sets all sold by Ron Popeil. Ken hated Ron Popeil. His products were all bullshit, Popeil claims his blades stay sharp for life which is only true if you’re talking about the life of a fruit fly. Ken often daydreamed while riding the rails about slicing Ron Popeil’s throat with one of his own knives while whispering into his ear as he gurgled his last breath “Set it and forget it, dick”. But sharpening these substandard knives was not what he was here to do.

“Ms. LaRue, I know you’re sick”, Ken said “And I can help you”. Betsy took a step back, “I thought you were here to sharpen my knives”, she said. “I am, but I can also take away your cancer, I can fix you, if you’ll let me”. She slowly reached for the 32 piece RonCo knife set on the counter and said. “You’re crazy, get out of my house!”. Ken could only smile as he said “Ma’am, we both know that those knives are so dull they couldn’t cut Jell-O, now just hear me out, please”.

“How can you possibly help me? I’ve got terminal cancer of the liver”, she said with tears forming at the corners of her eyes. “I have an elixir that will rid your body of cancer, I know it sounds crazy but what do you have to lose? If it doesn’t work, then you’ll still die but if it works. ..”. “I could live”, she said. Her hand withdrew from the knife set.

Ken slowly poured the elixir into a mug with a picture of Snoopy on it, he was laying on top of his doghouse and that stupid little yellow bird was saying something to him but Ken didn’t bother to read it. “Now Ms. LaRue, drink the mixture down quickly.” She sniffed the liquid, her upper lip curling at the acrid smell, “Are you sure this will work Mr. Lininger?” she asked. Ken placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “It worked on me”, he said. Without another thought she downed the entire mug and promptly slumped over in her chair. Ken gingerly lifted her up and carried her to the couch where she could rest comfortably.

He pulled out his list, selected the proper pen from his wide assortment and crossed her name off. He then sharpened every one of her piece of shit Ron Popeil knives, helped himself to a sandwich and a beer from the fridge, took a hot shower and left unceremoniously. He had a train to catch, and a hell of a lot more names on his list.

Betsy LaRue woke up eighteen hours later and she realized two things: Her cancer was gone, and she had pooped her pants. She vaguely remembered a man knocking at her door.

But she couldn’t remember his name.

The faint sound of a train whistle could be heard miles away.

title: Ken Hagen. Cancer Killer.

question: Why does Ken Hagen want to kill cancer?

answer: Ken had cancer himself, he was so sick that he tried to kill himself. He made, what he thought was, a deadly concoction but actually found the cure for cancer, so he resolves himself to helping others with his elixer.

question: Why does Ken hate Ron Popeil?

answer: Ron is a knife salesman whose knives dull very quickly. this annoys Ken who seems to constantly come across his products whilst he sharpens the knives of his customers.

question: What does the dream appear to represent in the story?

answer: The dream appears to represent the resentment Ken feels for Ron Popeil, since he can't find a sharp enough object to perform surgery. When he becomes Popeil in the dream, his last resort is to use an axe, which could indicate how useless Ken deems Ron's knives - as Ron won't even use them himself.

question: What is Ms. LaRue's homelife like?


text:
Jason walked quickly down a hallway through the airport to get to his gate. The escalator was ascending just in front of him. To his right, a shopping area and food court bustled with other passengers all waiting for their respective planes. He had always hated escalators. He had fallen down one as a kid and he disliked them ever since, but he was been in a hurry and the stairs were tiring, considering how far he still had to go. Plus this would give him some time to think and get some space from Karen, before they met to get on their plane.

Annie was trying to take her time. She really needed some space to herself. She had been arguing with her boyfriend for the last twenty minutes at the gate and had just walked away to get a break. The exit to the food court and overpriced stores had just joined up with a hallway and at the far end of the junction was an escalator.

Jason was deep in thought. He couldn't believe he had been coaxed into this trip. His girlfriend had bugged him relentlessly until he had agreed. God he disliked her parents. They had such a different view of the world then him. Also why did they have to live in Minnesota, it was quite a long flight from Sky Harbor Airport. In the middle of winter too. He hated this.

Annie hated the cold but her boyfriend Chad had to go to the Rockies. He “needed” to snowboard. Why couldn't they ever do anything she wanted. Annie was about to step onto the escalator when she bumped into someone. “Oh, I'm sorry,” she said as she turned. A tall well built man who looked to be in his late twenties was standing there just as stunned as she was. “Oh, no problem,” he said back looking at the floor.

Jason looked down. He had been so lost in thought. This cute girl just bumped into him, and now he was all flustered. He had been so lost in thought he hadn't noticed her and now they were standing face to face. He could tell he was blushing but looked up and took a step back. He gestured with his hand and smiled. “After you.”

“Wow,” Annie thought. He's so chivalrous. He seemed very sincere in the gesture so, she stepped onto the escalator before him. The man nodded and smiled but hesitated before stepping on after her.

Jason had been with Karen for almost a year. He didn't really know why he still was, but he figured it was the best he could get, so why lose it. He noticed he'd stopped laughing as much and tended to do nothing but fight with her. Plus their tastes were so vastly different. He loved warm places with a beach. Hawaii. California. He needed the water. Karen on the other hand was all about the mountains and land locked states. She would never travel to the ocean. She was too afraid of it. Though she had never been but Jason had always guessed it was just a fear of the unknown. He loved spicy food. Karen hated it. He loved to read. She hated books. To be honest, Jason felt more and more like polar opposites with her, but he didn't have the courage to tell her that and break her heart. Plus she was his first real girl friend. He had been with a couple of girls before but they were short relationships so he never really counted it. Which made everything that much more complicated.

Annie had been with Chad for years. They had been high school sweethearts. Now that she was twenty-four though, she had realized how they weren’t the same. Not even remotely. She was into art and books and anything that had to do with warm sunny beaches. She loved the ocean and felt like it helped her write and read and just be more herself. Chad on the other hand, had really turned into a bum. He barely worked anymore and had been relying on Annie more and more for his income. He would sit around most days either watching T.V. or playing video games. He had planned this trip by dipping into their savings, for it was for his own “well being.” Annie was getting more and more disgusted with him but was too sweet and polite to tell him they weren't working.

Annie turned slightly on the escalator and looked at the man behind her. He had a death grip on the rail but she could tell he kept peeking at her. She smiled to herself. He really was cute. He had such startlingly bright eyes. What she couldn't figure out was why he was holding the rail so hard. Maybe he knew something she didn't. Wait, what if the escalator was going to jerk or hitch or something? They sometimes did that when they got older, right? Come to think of it, this one did look kind of old. Okay, really old. She might fall and get hurt. She tightened her grip on the rail too, just in case.

Jason saw the corner of the lady's mouth twitch when he looked at her. He thought for a second she was smiling but figured it was his imagination. Then he saw her grip tighten on the railing. Oh god. Something was going to happen. He knew it. She was freaking out because she knew the escalator was going to jerk and he would fall down it and get hurt again.

Annie had been always looking for that “Knight in shining armor.” The one from fairy tales. The one to sweep her off her feet. She definitely didn't feel like that with Chad but she couldn't leave him. They had a huge history together. Heck they had been out of high school for five years now. Annie looked down at her feet, thinking again. She needed a change. Something new and exciting. Maybe going somewhere like Hawaii or California. She had always wanted to go and hoped that someday Chad would take her there.

Jason was the kind of guy who wanted to sweep a girl off her feet. Do everything old-school. Be the knight in shining armor. He would take her everywhere and anywhere she wanted to go. Be the man that she needed and make her his princess. He has always and will always love with all of his heart all  the time. That is part of the reason he couldn't leave Karen. He couldn't bare hurting her like that. Also, could he even get another girlfriend? He doubted it.

Jason looked forward as he neared the top of the escalator. He would treat that girl with the utmost respect and be there for her whenever she needed it.

Annie shuffled her feet a little. She was almost at the top. She needed someone who could take care of her. Someone to hold her and tell her everything will be alright. Someone that would respect her for who she is, not drag her off to the cold, mountainous... She took a deep breath, wanting leave the argument alone.

Annie stepped off the escalator at the top and took a few steps. She turned and looked at the man behind her. She smiled sweetly and said, “Have a nice day.”

“You too.” Jason said back. “Hope it's a great one.” Jason turned as he got off and started walking toward the A gates 1-23. Hands pushed in his pockets dreading seeing Karen again. Wishing he could find the right person. Wishing he could find his princess.

Annie turned and headed toward the A gates 23-45. She pushed her hands in her pockets wishing that some how when she got to her gate Chad wouldn't be there. God she needed her knight to save her now.
Jason found Karen sitting at their gate. She had her feet over her things so no one would take them. She looked up and smiled but it seemed fake to him. He smiled back and plopped himself next to her believing this is the best he would get.

Annie saw Chad sitting at the gate where she had left him. He looked up and smiled but it didn't touch his eyes. “I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to yell.” He stood up and kissed her on the cheek. She leaned into him and smiled believing this is the best she would get.

title: Sonder [RO]/[MF]

question: Explain why Jason hated escalators.

answer: As a kid he had fallen down one and disliked them ever since.

question: Why did Jason agree to going on a trip he didn't want to go on?

answer: His girlfriend had bugged him relentlessly until he agreed.

question: Explain how Jason and Annie met.

answer: Both in unhappy relationships were away from their partners for a few minutes, both hoping they could find the right person.

question: Why was Jason still together with Karen if they weren't happy together?

answer: Jason doubted he could get another girlfriend and figured she was the best he could get.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Jason was in an unhappy relationship with Karen. Annie was in an unhappy relationship with Chad. Jason and Annie were strangers who wished they could find the right person when they bumped into each other at an airport. They were in very similar situations and each had what they were both looking for but few minutes later went back to their respective situations.


text:
Bouncy Balls

Every year my family would walk or ride bikes around a lake because there was something called abortion and it was bad.  We would drive into Burnsville, which was where Skateville was, and met at a lake. My parents really enjoyed the event because it was one of the few times in the year where they were able to get out and spend time with their friends.  Everyone they knew was from church. Naturally, I was friends with all of their children from Sunday School.  The Walk for Life was fun for both me and my parents.  They walked with their friends and I joined my brothers and our friends.

When we got to the assembly area, my father began pulling bikes out from the back of our new Honda Odyssey, careful not to scratch the paint on the bumper as the handlebars cleared the trunk.  My older brother was given his Mongoose with pegs, my younger brother was given a yellow leopard print bicycle that once belonged to my older brother.  It was fitted with training wheels.  Mine was the appropriately colored GREEN MACHINE. The back tires of all of the bikes were worn completely smooth from skids making them look like racing slicks. When we were all ready, we mounted our bikes and raced toward the assembly area.  My mother told us to slow down and we didn’t.

The assembly area surrounded a gazebo the housed food and Walk for Life shirts.  Outside there was a dunk tank and a magician who performed card tricks and juggled and made things appear.  When I walked by, he was about to cut the finger off of a screaming girl. Both the magician and the girl’s mother kept reassuring the crying girl, saying she would be fine and that the guillotine trap would not hurt her, despite the fact the magician just used the machine to slice a full carrot in half.  The girl was an idiot.  High risk, no reward.  My mother pulled on my sleeve and told me that we should get some food. I was hungry so I followed her.  Alex and Kent Olson were there.  I took some pretzels and sat next to them while my mother talked with the Olson parents.

 Both Alex and Kent had their hair in long rat-tails which made them look like Jedi Padawan.  “How long did it take for you to grow out your hair like that?” I asked.  “About seven months,” Alex replied, “They’re pretty cool but my dad doesn’t like them.  He offered us each twenty dollars to cut them off.”  Twenty dollars.  Twenty. Dollars. That’s four weeks of allowance for cutting hair.  I do that for free. “Yeah.  We’re waiting for my dad to raise the offer to fifty.” Kent, the younger of the Olson brothers, nodded in agreement. This was extortion. I thought about doing it myself, but figured my father would ground me until it was cut.  I wouldn’t be getting fifty dollars.  I finished my pretzels and told my mom I was going to watch the magician with my brothers.

 I found my brothers and sat next to them on the grass. The magician was introducing his next trick where he would cut up a dollar bill and sew it back together by using magic.   The magician pulled out some scissors and cut up a dollar.  The finger-cutting girl started crying at the sight of the snipping.  The magician pressed the shards of the dollar into his hands and folded his fingers into a fist. He said some magic words and let a puff of air out over his opening fist, revealing a whole dollar bill. Everybody clapped and some kids awed.  The girl cried.  I pulled up some grass and pressed it into my hand, repeated his magic words and let out a fast puff of air while opening my fist.  The grass was still grass.  He probably used tape.

 When the magician finished his lie, a very large lady announced the walk for life was going to begin and that she wanted to give a quick prayer.  I closed my eyes and folded my hands as she prayed, making sure not to let either open because that would make God disappointed.  She said “Amen” and told everyone to line up along the start.  My brothers and I grabbed our bikes and headed for the front of the starting line.  Alex and Kent joined us with their bikes. Jack and Mike Washburn had arrived with theirs as well.  The fat lady told us we could get started, so we literally roared off along the path.  We all had pokemon cards taped into the spokes of our tires, giving an authentic motorcycle sound.  I switched mine out the day before, making me loudest.

We felt free, cycling along the rolling hills that surrounded the lake.  Birds chirped and cattails swayed in the wind; it was an absolutely beautiful day.  The sun shone in a blue sky made soft by white puffy clouds.  My best friend Jack rode next to me and we talked about Star Wars. Mike Washburn and my older brother Nick talked about Tony Hawk Pro Skater and how they were going to get some rollerblades so they could do grinds.

After two miles we were still going strong, but the ride was about to come to an end: the gazebo was looming ahead.  Nick and Mike sprinted for an imaginary finish line and the rest of us sped up to try to keep the gap to a minimum.  We reached the gazebo where Nick and Mike were talking to the fat lady.  She gave them each two super bouncy balls out of a large cardboard box as a prize for finishing the ride. We all crowded around her to get our own.  I received a solid yellow ball and one that was made from a swirl of blue and white rubber.  My younger brother Paul got two solid pink balls, so we called him a girl.

We all sat down in the gazebo and played with our balls while the slower kids finished. We noticed all of the kids finishing were given two bouncy balls each as a prize. We had our balls, but two was too few, so we decided we would finish again.  We grabbed our bikes and sprinted down the path back toward where we came from.  Once we were out of sight, we took turns pedaling back to the gazebo to be given two more balls. Each time our attempt was a success.  The fat lady kept handing us bouncy balls every time we came back.  She was clueless. After a few tries Alex mentioned that she might catch on and we would be caught.  Mike suggested we switch clothes as a disguise.  There was nothing that could go wrong with this plan.

I took my younger brother’s shirt and he took my helmet and together we biked to the gazebo. We approached the fat lady looking at everything except the bouncy balls, trying our best to seem disinterested until we “happened” to lay eyes on them.  “May I have a bouncy ball?” I asked.  “Yes! Of course you can!” the fat lady said happily with a large smile on her face.  She was sweaty and smelled bad.  She looked at me for awhile with her hands on where her hips should have been and finally asked, “haven’t I seen you before?”  The façade was up, we were going to be caught unless I was able to lie out of the hole I dug.

“No”, I responded, “I just finished the race.”

“Are you sure?”
She was pressing.

“I could have sworn I some who looked just like you come through here.” Her beady eyes made me uncomfortable.

“Yes.  I just finished.  If you saw someone like me, he was wearing a different shirt and helmet.  He’s my twin brother…”  I needed a name.  Star Wars. “…His name is Luke.”

“And what’s your name?”

“Han.”

“And what about his?” She pointed at my shirtless brother.

“This is my other brother Chewie.”  My younger brother gave a quiet growl.

The fat lady turned her attention to my brother and asked him where his shirt was.  He looked at my chest for a moment and then told her he lost it back on the path somewhere. She finally gave us each two bouncy balls and we hurried back out past the finish line to show our reward to our friends.  We were congratulated and a second group of friends biked out to the gazebo wearing one another’s clothes.

For the next ten minutes we all switched clothes, trying every possible combination of clothing. We switched helmets, shirts, bikes and shoes.  When we ran out of combinations so we turned shirts inside out. Each time we returned to our base just past the finish line, our pockets were two bouncy balls heavier.  Eventually it was nearly impossible to pedal our bikes-our pockets were too fat.  The entire time, the fat lady never caught on.

I was in the middle of switching shirts with Mike when my parents reached us.  “Son, put your clothes on”, he said without further questioning. I gathered all of my clothes and followed him to the gazebo where I gathered my last two bouncy balls and ate some food.  My siblings and friends joined me and we traded bouncy balls.  Nick had the most pink balls so we called him a girl. He disagreed by punching me in the arm. After a few minutes, my father gave a quick speech and told people to put money in a bucket because he was the Amnion Pregnancy center President.  Everyone said goodbye and started to head home.

My father started loading our bikes into the trunk of our new van in addition to some mailing he picked up for sending, when he started to worry.  “Uggghhh. I don’t think these are going to fit.  I don’t want to scratch the car. I don't think these are going to fit,” he kept repeating. “We need to put the back seat down.”  So he did.

There weren’t any chairs in the back for me or my brothers, so we all sat in the back on the floor of our van with our bikes on the ride home. We were careful to stay below window level to avoid the cops.  One by one we put our bouncy balls on the car floor and watched them roll as my father drove the van. Each turn, stop and start caused a sloshing of balls.  They would race toward a wall of our van and, like a wave of water crashing against a rock, explode upward on contact.  Colored balls flew through the air, landing all around me and my brothers.  We yelled for more speed and less safety.  Each explosion was bigger than the last and they needed to be bigger.  The largest and most satisfying explosion came when we hit the gutter in front of our home.

title: Bouncy Balls

question: What is the Bouncy Ball event in aid of?

answer: The occasion is Walk for Life. It is an anti-abortion function attended by church members from the same church. The family enjoys the event because it gives them a rare opportunity to spend time outdoors with their friends.

question: Why is the little girl's mother encouraging her to let the magician cut her finger off?

answer: The little girl's mother is convinced that the magician won't cut off her finger despite the fact that he had just cut a carrot in half using the same guillotine. It is hard to understand why a mother would put a small child through such trauma.

question: How do the children end up with so many bouncy balls?

answer: The children finished the race early and received two bouncy balls. They then sat down to watch the other kids come in. They realized that they could get more bouncy balls if they kept going through the finish line. They did this with much success, receiving bouncy balls over and over again.

question: Who donated the bouncy balls to the charity function?


text:
_YOLANDA... LIVE IN WASHINGTON_ is an album by gospel singer Yolanda Adams. This album contains performances previously only available on live VHS concerts, as well as two studio tracks: “Praise Your Holy Name,” and “Thank You.” The latter was re-recorded on Adams' 2001 album _Believe_.

Track listing

1.  “The Only Way” (Fred Vaughn, Mervyn Warren) - 7:06
2.  “Let Us Worship Him” (Armirris Palmore) - 7:05
3.  “My Everything” (Yolanda Adams, Ben Tankard) - 5:38
4.  “Just A Prayer Away” (Gregory Curtis) - 7:37
5.  “The Battle Is the Lord's” (V. Michael McKay) - 6:29
6.  “I'll Always Remember” (Armirris Palmore) - 9:09
7.  “This Joy” (Pharis “June Bug” Evans, Jr.) - 6:06
8.  “Through The Storm” (V. Michael McKay) - 5:26
9.  “Save The World” (Raymond Reeder) - 6:38
10. “Praise Your Holy Name” (Derek Clark) - 4:35
11. “Thank You” (John Croslan II) - 6:15

Personnel

-   Yolanda Adams – vocals, producer
-   Raymond Angry – keyboards
-   Angela Bell – additional vocals
-   Rodney Covington – additional vocals
-   Rémy David – engineer
-   Larry Day – producer
-   Tyrone Dickerson – keyboards, producer, music director, choir director
-   Juanita Edwards – additional vocals
-   Anthony Harmon – bass
-   Yomme Johnson – additional vocals
-   Ann McCrary – additional vocals
-   Gayle Mayes – additional vocals
-   Armirris Palmore – additional vocals
-   Angela Primm – additional vocals
-   Desmond Pringle – additional vocals
-   Phillip Ratliff – guitar
-   Raymond Reeder – choir director
-   Oscar Seaton – drums
-   Sylvia Logan-Sharp – additional vocals
-   Kevin Szymanski – assistant engineer
-   Ben Tankard – producer, mixing
-   Union Temple Youth – choir vocals
-   Union Temple Concert – choir vocals
-   Vanessa Williams – additional vocals
-   Suzanne Young – additional vocals

Chart positions

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Chart (1996)                      | Peak                              |
|                                   | position                          |
+===================================+===================================+
| U.S. _Billboard_ Top Gospel       | 5                                 |
| Albums                            |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| U.S. _Billboard_ Top Contemporary | 25                                |
| Christian                         |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
|  |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

title: Yolanda... Live in Washington

question: What are the names of all the people who contributed to the album "Yolanda...Live in Washington"?

answer: Their names are: Yolanda Adams, Raymond Angry, Angela Bell, Rodney Covington, Remy David, Larry Day, Tyrone Dickerson, Juanita Edwards, Anthony Harmon, Yomme Johnson, Ann McCrary, Gayle Mayes, Armirris Palmore, Angela Primm, Desmond Pringle, Phillip Ratliff, Raymond Reeder, Oscar Seaton, Sylvia Logan-Sharp, Kevin Szymanski, Ben Tankard, Union Temple Youth, Union Temple Concert, Vanessa Williams, and Suzanne Young.


text:
_Let’s get to the_ _Philadelphia Eagles_ _links ..._

From the GM’s Eye: The red zone decides NFL games — as the Packers were reminded of in painful fashion - The Athletic
Were the Eagles the better team? No, not on this night, with all their injuries and a lack of coverage talent in their secondary. (A quick side note on that: The Eagles will spend the next few days trying to pry Jalen Ramsey from the Jags, as they know their lack of coverage will prevent them from competing at the highest level. The Eagles typically win with their defensive front dominating the game, but with all the injuries to their defensive line, the lack of pressure has highlighted their lack of talent in the secondary.) But the Eagles were the better situational team, as they went 4-4 on their goal line visits and ultimately that was the difference in the game.

How the Eagles’ offense got their groove back - BGN
Doug Pederson reeled in the passing game on Thursday, asking Wentz to work a shorter, quicker game with a heavy does of RPOs requiring high-speed decision-making. Wentz delivered by making the reads and getting the ball out quick, including a 2.41 time-to-throw per PFF. Pederson asked Wentz to let the offense work for him and that’s exactly what he did. If you can find a missed read by Wentz, please let me know because I sure couldn’t. It’s of note that Wentz’s time-to-throw (TTT) has been under 2.45 seconds on three out of his last four outings in 2019.

At the Podium: The Eagles’ Get Their Groove Back - BGN Radio
John Stolnis talks about the Eagles’ big Week 4 win with their backs against the wall PLUS three new pressers, two from after the game with Doug Pederson & Carson Wentz, then another from Pederson on Friday after having a night to “sleep” on things..Powered by SB Nation and Bleeding Green Nation.

Difference Maker - Iggles Blitz
The Eagles have one more weapon…Doug Pederson. Anyone who watched the Packers and Eagles on Thursday night could see the difference in coaching. Matt LaFleur is a rookie head coach and made several questionable decisions. He had 4th & 2 from the Eagles 13-yard line, with his team leading 10-7. The Packers had been moving up and down the field. LaFleur took a page straight from the Sean McVay playbook and kicked the FG. That gave the Packers a whopping 13-7 lead. Where is the aggression? Why wouldn’t you trust Aaron Rodgers to make a play there? If you fail, you’re still up 10-7. LaFleur made some questionable play-calls. The Packers had no run game. Aaron Jones had 13 carries for 21 yards. Person after person on Twitter was writing that every Jones run was a Christmas gift to the Eagles, who had no answers for WR Davante Adams and the Packers passing game.

Eagle Eye: How the rushing attack stymied the Packers’ vaunted defense - PE.com
The Eagles did creative things schematically. They ran more than a handful of different run concepts. They used misdirection, they used smash-mouth, and they got out to the perimeter. RPOs were successful. Screens were successful. Play-action was successful. The entire smattering worked, and when you get the kind of dominant performance that the team got from the offensive line in the trenches, that only will help propel you to victory. I thought the entire line performed well in this game, but if I had to pick one player who stood out most, it would be right guard Brandon Brooks, who got great movement time and time again up front. The Milwaukee native was a sixth captain for Thursday night’s game.

NFL Week 4 PFF ReFocused: Philadelphia Eagles 34, Green Bay Packers 27 - PFF
The Eagles’ pass-rush was formidable in this game, recording pressure on what seemed like half of Aaron Rodgers’ dropbacks. As you’d expect, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham were at the forefront, feasting on a Green Bay line that struggled to block them from the get-go. There’s a strong chance that Graham comes away with a double-digit pressure total, and Cox won’t be far behind.

  People are talking about possible pass interference on the Eagles pick at the end of the game on Thursday night. The contact was not more than a yard downfield. Not a foul even if reviewed. I would not have stopped it either.

  — Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) September 28, 2019

Examining the Eagles’ endless rash of cornerback injuries - NBCSP
Cornerback injuries decimated the Eagles last year. They started the season in Tampa with Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby as the starters and Avonte Maddox, Douglas and Sidney Jones as the backups and they finished it with Cre’Von LeBlanc, Douglas and Maddox as the starters and Josh Hawkins off the bench. The carousel hasn’t stopped turning this year. LeBlanc is on IR. Mills is on PUP. Darby left the Lions game with a hamstring injury and Jones left the Packers game with a hamstring injury. The Eagles beat Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers Thursday night at Lambeau Field with two healthy corners, one of whom entered the game having never played a regular-season defensive snap.

Jay Ajayi fully recovered from knee surgery, looking for a team - PFT
Ajayi, 26, now is fully healthy and looking for a new team, Ian Rapoport of the NFL reports. Ajayi’s agent has informed all 32 teams he is ready for game action, and Rapoport adds that Ajayi’s “market could heat up quickly.”

Eagles release L.J. Fort, Steelers no longer eligible for 2020 compensatory pick - Behind The Steel Curtain
It was a scenario I brought up in an article back in May. If one of the players who left the Steelers in free agency in the 2019 offseason were to be released before Week 10 of the NFL season, the Steelers might lose out altogether on a compensatory draft pick. Although the scenario seemed unlikely, it was put more to rest in August when it appeared that Le’Veon Bell, Jesse James, and L.J. Fort would all make their respective teams. Not anymore. On Friday, the Philadelphia Eagles released L.J. Fort, a move that will help them gain an extra compensatory pick while causing the Steelers to no longer enter into the formula.

  The Ravens hosted recently-released Eagles LB L.J. Fort on a visit, per source. Baltimore has an open roster spot and could use some linebacker depth.

  — Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 28, 2019

Jets fans are still dejected after the loss to New England - Gang Green Nation
Jets fans have not been confident in their team in weeks. Every week SB Nation sends out a FanPulse survey to fans of each team to gauge their thoughts. After the Week 1 loss to Buffalo, confidence fell greatly. The subsequent loss of Sam Darnold and two defeats have kept it low. This week’s confidence level is 13%. It was 15% last week and 19% the week before. At the start of the season it was 80%.

When is the right time for Washington to throw Dwayne Haskins into the fire? - SB Nation
Haskins is Washington’s future. Just maybe not its immediate future. We debate whether he should get the starting nod now or later.

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question: Discuss Wentz's role in the Eagles' comeback.

answer: Wentz had to work a shorter, quicker game in the Eagles game against the Packers due to Pederson's lack of passing. Wentz rose to the challenge, by making fast decisions and getting the ball out quickly. Wentz read the situation well consistently. His time to throw per PFF was 2.41.

question: Discuss Pederson's role in the Eagle's comeback.

answer: Pederson is the Eagle's coach. He had more experience than LaFleur, the coach for the Packers. This meant he was able to lead his team to victory. Pederson's insight was for the strategy to involve less passing than previously.

question: Discuss LaFleur's play calls.

answer: Matt LaFleur is a rookie head coach and made some questionable decisions. He had the team kick a field goal at a time when they were in the lead, rather than going for a touchdown. The Packers also had no run game. Aaron Jones had 13 carries for 21 yards.


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The genius of Donald Trump, it has long been observed, is to turn subtext into text. What was hinted at or hidden is, with him, brought shamelessly to the surface.

So it is with his latest scheme, his instruction to the top brass of the US armed forces to lay on a military parade in the nation’s capital, perhaps on 4 July. He’d been nagging the generals about this for a while but, according to the Washington Post, he gave the order at a meeting at the Pentagon last month.

No need for us to deconstruct the motive behind this instruction. It came after Trump was the guest at France’s Bastille Day parade, where he stood at Emmanuel Macron’s side and watched tanks, gun trucks and column after column of starchly uniformed soldiers. “We’re going to have to try and top it,” Trump said afterwards. (The actual order to military chiefs was phrased in the language of a spoiled child: “I want a parade like the one in France.”)

By his own admission, then, Trump is engaged in a familiar, mine’s-bigger-than-yours, macho competition, with military hardware his chosen measure. Recall the equally uncoded tweet directed at Kim Jong-un last month, when the US president urged someone to tell the North Korean dictator that Trump’s “nuclear button” is a “much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”

  North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018

Opponents can react to this in one of two ways. Mockery is the obvious response, seeing in Trump’s desire to display US tanks and rocket launchers on Pennsylvania Avenue the same transparent insecurity as the mid-life crisis neighbour who suddenly turns up with a Ferrari in the driveway.

Or we can be more sober, and regard this as just the latest and potentially most spectacular demonstration of Trump’s authoritarian instincts. Just as he has repeatedly expressed admiration for strongmen in the Vladimir Putin mode, just as he regards the machinery of the state as his personal staff – casually referring to “my justice department” or “my generals” – and just as this week he suggested that those who refuse to applaud him are “treasonous”, so this is yet more proof that Trump’s instincts are those of the autocrat. Little wonder that he wants to take the salute at the kind of military display more associated with Moscow or Pyongyang than Washington DC.

The trouble with both those responses, however, is that they fail to take account of the fact that many millions of Americans might well like such a show. While progressives might complain about the banana republic militarism, while fiscal conservatives will worry about the huge cost of diverting all that kit to the capital and while the city itself frets about the damage 70-tonne tanks are liable to do to its roads, a large chunk of US society will want to rise to its feet and applaud.

That would be true of any event involving the military, whose place in American national life is now all but sacred. Fox News, the Republicans and the conservative media-industrial complex will waste no time in saying the parade is a celebration of the troops – and therefore any critic is really criticising “the young men and women who heroically defend America’s freedom and put themselves in harm’s way”, or words to that effect.

It means opponents will have to be canny. A counter-demonstration could easily be cast as unpatriotic, hostile to those in uniform, rather than to the commander-in-chief (who, of course, dodged military service himself, later claiming his battle to avoid contracting a sexually transmitted disease despite intense promiscuity was his “personal Vietnam”). But there is an opening here nonetheless.

If Trump wants to show his strength on the streets, the opposition can do the same. Perhaps it could organise an alternative parade, whose theme is mockery of the would-be despot. And given the neurotic insecurity we know propels this man, I have an idea for the central display. While the armoured cars rumble down Pennsylvania Avenue and fighter jets fly over the Washington Monument, the rival procession could feature a giant effigy of Donald J Trump – with tiny, tiny hands.

• Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist

question: What does the author say about the kind of person Trump is?

answer: According to the author, Trump is engaged in a macho competition. His actions resemble the insecurity of someone going through a mid-life crisis. They also say Trump has authoritarian instincts and that his instincts are those of an autocrat. They say that Trump is propelled by "neurotic insecurity".

question: What are the positive qualities of Donald Trump mentioned in the article?


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You are here: Home / Blog / Taste of Tiffins Lunch Review and a Return to Nomad Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

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We make a return visit to Tiffins to try their new lunch offering and will mosey over to Nomad Lounge to see what’s going on over there. The website already reviewed every appetizer, all-but-one entree, every dessert, and every drink on the dinner menu in this post and I won’t spend a ton of time rehashing what we learned there. But we will discuss value and whether you want to take a long look at lunch or would prefer to visit later in the evening for dinner. There is also a lengthy review of Nomad Lounge with all of the “small plates” reviewed in this post.

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I will take a moment to say that Tiffins is currently my favorite theme park restaurant and the lunch menu, which offers a choice of two items served with jade blend rice, is a nice opportunity to experience the flavors and atmosphere of the restaurant without committing to a pricier dinner.

At $28, lunch is less expensive than the least expensive entree from the main menu:

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A couple of these items are straight off the appetizer menu and it perhaps does not make a ton of sense to order them together as part of the lunch.

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The items that are from the appetizer list are the full or nearly-full portion, in addition to the rice. So if you went with the Fish Crudo and Grilled Octopus, you’d be looking at $31 worth of food versus ordering the Fritters and Blue Mussels, where the value would be just $23.

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This is the entree portion of the Market Vegetable Curry, which I would reiterate is fantastic, but awfully expensive for a vegetarian dish at $29. But you are perhaps paying more for the careful preparation than literally adding up what the vegetables would cost at the grocery store.

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The full-size portion of the chicken – we’ll see the lunch version shortly, but the preparation on both is the same.

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But other lunch choices are more of a “side item” from a dinner entree rather than the main event. For example, the 72-hour Beef Short Rib on the lunch menu arrives alongside the Wagyu Strip Loin that would set you back $53 at dinner. The only item on the lunch menu that is not present as part of the main menu is the Chilled Shrimp and Noodle Salad.

Here is the rest of the menu that is available all-day. So if you have a group of four, a couple of you could order lunch while someone else goes with an entree from the main menu:

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The menu has already been reprinted from opening day now with suggested wine pairings underneath each entree. The Peruvian Purple Potatoes that are served with the wagyu are now available as a $5 side and the Szechuan Green Beans are a new addition.

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One of the three breads that arrives with the $10 Bread Service is delivered to each table complimentary. The Pomegranate Olive Oil is certainly an acquired taste and a little different than you’d receive just about anywhere else. Be prepared for the astringent sourness and give it a little stir before putting it on the bread.

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The $12 Selection of Artisanal Cheeses is the lone addition to the appetizer lineup, served here and at Nomad Lounge next door.

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At Nomad, it’s a no-brainer as you may recall that the lounge puts the _small_ in small plates in terms of portion sizes.

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$10 for three chicken wings seems silly.

But we were impressed with the quality of the cheeses – there’s a gouda, goat, feta and blue in sizable chunks with a side of toast/crostini for spreading, in addition to a couple gooseberries and a small handful of fabulous almonds with a distinct, earthy flavor. Obviously if you like cheese you might consider giving it a whirl at the restaurant, but I think it makes a little more sense at the lounge with drinks. Tiffins has some pretty interesting stuff going on otherwise.

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With lunch, the portions of each particular item are not going to be overwhelmingly large, but I think the sum of the components adds up to a filling, robust meal.

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The Chilled Shrimp and Noodle Salad – Bean Thread Noodles, Vegetables, and Ponzu was a refreshing beginning to the meal. I’m not sure if anybody has ever told you, but Florida is hot in the summer and sometimes soup or a hot entree just doesn’t sound appealing no matter how good it might taste. We are talking about just two shrimp here and being chilled, I thought they were more chewy than I would have liked, but they had a nice grilled flavor to them and were sizable. Also known as “cellophane noodles” or “Chinese vermicelli,” the thin, soft noodles underneath did a nice job of soaking up the flavors from the ponzu, shrimp, and veggies.

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If we are attributing a cost of each dish to something like $11 plus $6 for the rice, then I think there’s decent value here. I would not have turned my nose up at a third shrimp though.

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Since I am bad at this, I have a tendency to forget to take a picture of one of the items that I ordered as I worry about getting pictures of everybody else’s food. So we will be taking a moment to discuss that blur in the background, which is the Crispy Yellowtail Snapper – Som Tam and Black Bean Sauce served with Jade Blend Rice. This is a sizable amount of the $43 “Whole-Fried Sustainable Fish,” which you might remember is delivered to the table as a whole fish – skin, scales, bones, eyes, and all. Fortunately(?) your serving here is two pieces of said fish nicely de-boned for your enjoyment. It might be my favorite thing on the current menu with the creaminess of the sauce contrasting wonderfully with the saltiness of the fish and crispiness of the exterior. It’s a must-get I think and a nice alternative to the whole fish should you not wish to work for your meal.

The jade blend rice added some heft to the meal and should fill up any additional belly space. It’s a blend of bamboo and basmati rice, in addition to split baby garbanzo beans, wheat berries, green lentils and daikon radish seeds so you have a complete protein with an earthy, aromatic flavor.

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Mr. The Tom joins us again for lunch. He went with the Chermoula-rubbed Chicken – Dried Fruits, Olives, Couscous, and Harissa Yogurt, which he was returning to after trying the $34 full-size version. For lunch, you’ll receive a few strips of chicken breast rather than the chopped up version that arrives with the entree. But the flavor profile is the same – distinctly lemony with a little spice from the harissa and chermoula rub, which is a mixture of herbs, oil, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, and tumeric. Very good and reasonably “safe.”

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The 72-Hour Beef Short Rib with Carrots and Chimichurri was a surprisingly large portion considering what Disney often serves at its other signature restaurants.

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This is $48 at Jiko for example.

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With that said, the meat served here is a little different than what most of us are probably accustomed to, as it doesn’t arrive with that thick, rich cabernet sauce that usually accompanies short ribs. The addition of the chimichurri instead gives it more of a garlicky, oily flavor in what is sort of like a Latin pesto sauce. The meat is tender but not fall-off-the-bone with a bit of chew to it that’s really more like a skirt steak than the typical short rib. But if you’re looking for the most food, this is going to be one of your selections. Still very good if not a bit unexpected.

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We added the $5 Szechuan Green Beans as a side and it was another highlight. Large in number, the sauce had some spice to it and the beans were prepared to a perfect al dente. I’d add them to most meals here.

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The $5 side of Peruvian Purple Potatoes is about the least artfully arranged plate of food that I’ve been served at Disney World. There are perhaps some health benefits due to an abundance of antioxidants, but they pretty much taste like boiled potatoes. They certainly do not have the rich purple-y exterior that you might expect. You might add them if you have interest, but I don’t think they add much as a side. And it’s a pretty small portion though the price isn’t necessarily outrageous. It wouldn’t surprise me if Disney starts charging people $8 just to look at each marketplace menu during Food/Wine. *don’t make eye contact don’t make eye contact*

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Overall, we really enjoyed lunch. The restaurant has not caught on…at all…making it incredibly easy to secure reservations, particularly in the afternoon. We had a noon reservation on Sunday July 10th and there were maybe two other tables occupied. It is not often that you feel like whispering to your tablemates is the appropriate form of communication in Disney restaurants. It did fill in a bit towards the end of our meal, but you shouldn’t have difficulty getting in should you choose to dine here.

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Tiffins is otherwise a delightful restaurant serving flavorful food in a fun, unique setting that helps set it apart from other restaurants at Animal Kingdom. The lunch is a nice opportunity to give it a try without having to plunk down $45 per person on entrees. If you were to add two appetizers, I think most couples could get away with that and one lunch if you went with the beef and chicken.

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Since it opened, I don’t think that I’ve visited Animal Kingdom without taking a break at Nomad Lounge for a drink and some air-conditioning. It’s a fantastic spot with attentive service and great drinks.

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See this post for a full rundown of the menu and reviews of the food and most of the drinks.

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The exclusive Kungaloosh Spiced Excursion Ale is one of the most unique drafts on property and perhaps a top five entry overall.

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It should be in your top ten. The Xingu is a very good, surprisingly light option as well.

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On a recent visit I added a couple of new-to-me drinks in the $10.75 Dalang’s Delight – Starr African Rum, Batavia-Arrack van Oosten, Vander Hum Tangerine Liqueur, Mountain Berry Tea, Simple Syrup, and Lemon Juice on the left and $9.75 Spice Trader Classic – Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, Dolin Vermouth Blanc, Lemon Juice, and Strawberries topped with Soda Water on the right. How much you enjoy any of these is mostly a matter of personal taste, but we thought the Dalang’s Delight was too syrupy with a bland, distantly sweet flavor. None of us were real sure where the strawberry component came into play on the Spice Trader Classic, but it was refreshing, nicely balanced, and packed a subtle punch.

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Joe Rohde pronounces it “Moo-stang” so we also pronounce it as though we are a cow. I think the menu infers some kind of unique presentation.

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But there is not much to it with the Crown Royal, Brown Sugar, and Butter with hot Coffee being served in a small glass. The quality of your drink depends greatly on how fresh the coffee they use is, but they have improved things since the first day we visited. The coffee has a very rich flavor, sweetened up with the sugar and the Crown providing some alcohol. It is decidedly not my thing, but if the temperature drops to 90 degrees then you might find yourself in the market.

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After pressing our poor server into confiding in us over whether the Sinaloa Sangria – A South American Sangria made with Miquel Torres Rosé Wine, Barsol Quebranta Pisco, and fresh Fruit was actually just boxed Beso del Sol, we found out that it really wasn’t, instead being made fresh with a pretty decent rosé. It’s a sweet, refreshing cocktail that you might enjoy if you are not into something a little harder. And at $9.75, it’s a better value than any other sangria that you’ll likely find on property. I got six liters of Beso for $20 at Publix last week in case you want to come over.

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The $10.25 Jenn’s Tattoo – Ketel One Vodka, Watermelon, Hibiscus, and Lime Juice is perhaps the second most refreshing drink on the menu, sweet but not cloyingly so. Very summer.

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The $12.75 Tempting Tigress – Russell’s Reserve 10yr Bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Tamarind Syrup, and Lime Juice is my favorite drink on the menu, blending the sweetness of the tamarind with the spiciness of the dram and the acidity of the citrus. Yummmm.

Overall, anyone looking to relax and enjoy a cocktail, alcoholic or not, would be remiss to pass over Nomad Lounge. It’s so comfortable and everyone is so nice. Consider sticking to the cheese and bread service on the food front though.

The addition of a lunch option at Tiffins should make the restaurant more accessible to more prospective diners. I think you’ll love it and find yourself on your phone looking up dinner availability by the end of the meal.

Once I stop laughing about the Yak & Yeti hamburger I will get a review of that up, in addition to more of what’s going on around Animal Kingdom.

question: What does the article say about the new Tiffins restaurant?

answer: The restaurant is currently the author's favorite theme park restaurant. They describe how good the menu is and say their prices are not too high. Tiffins is a delightful restaurant serving flavorful food in a fun, unique setting that helps set it apart from other restaurants at Animal Kingdom. Overall, anyone looking to relax and enjoy a cocktail, alcoholic or not, would be remiss to pass over Nomad Lounge. It’s so comfortable and everyone is so nice.

question: What does the say about what is the price of pancakes?