text:
The sun had disappeared behind the horizon leaving the bright lights of the city to shine like a beacon in the night. The stars in the dark sky were out shined by the lights and the sounds of nature were drowned by the cars and other city noises.

Loud music bounced against the muted yellow colored walls and out of the windows that were opened to keep the apartment from getting too stuffy in the summer weather. The apartment was relatively clean; the only place that was the dirtiest was the kitchen as the inhabitants of the small apartment had been gone all day. The dishes overflowed in the sink and the counters were dirty from all the meals prepared on it.

The music came from the bathroom as the inhabitants living in the apartment were getting ready to go out into the night for some fun that they had not gotten the chance to have in quite a while. The lights over the large bathroom mirror reflected brightly off the orange walls as a girl with black hair too short to do much but put a decorative pin it put on mascara while Sana scrolled on her phone while sitting on the toilet.

“So, let me get this straight,” the girl with the short hair began looking at the blonde in disbelief making Sana roll her eyes and look up from her phone at her. “A guy comes into the ice cream shop, gives you a fat wad of cash and his number, and you’re not even going to text him?”

“He was douche, there’s no way I’m trying to do anything with him or become his friend,” Sana replied shortly causing the girl to roll her eyes dramatically.

Another woman with long black hair walked in the bathroom wearing a blue cocktail dress holding a curling iron.

“Rachel, tell your friend that she’s being a weirdo,” the girl with the short black hair pleaded as Rachel plugged in the curling iron.

“What happened?” Rachel asked as she brushed her hair and looked to Sana.

“A douche gave me his number at work and she’s freaking out that I’m not going to text him,” she explained causing the black haired woman to giggle.

“Well, there’s no point in talking to someone you have no interest in,” she smiled as her younger sister, Devyn, groaned loudly.

“You both are weird,” she sighed taking the brush to begin brushing her hair and watched as her sister began to curl hers.

“I met someone weird today too,” Rachel said nonchalantly catching the attention of her two roommates who looked at each other questionably.

“Go on,” Sana pressed as she watched her friend bounce one of the curls in her hair in her hand before throwing it behind her shoulder.

“I got on the train after going to the store when I got off work and sat next to the guy. He was staring at me strangely before I bumped into him by accident and he pushed me away forcefully,” she explained while flipping another curl behind her shoulder.

“He must’ve had a bad day,” Sana suggested before she pursed her lips. “You guys are getting so dressed up, we’re just going to a bar.” Her clementine eyes looked at the blue cocktail dress and the floral romper her friends were wearing.

“You never know who you’re going to meet,” Rachel said as she unplugged the curling iron.

“You could meet your soulmate there,” Devyn smiled smugly at Sana who rolled her eyes and stood up.

“You two and your soulmate stuff,” she grumbled as she left the bathroom to go into her room to change out of her work clothes.

Her room was the cleanest out of them all and over looked a busy street in the city. It was hard for her to sleep sometimes because of how close the building was to the street and how much light peered in through her window even with the curtains closed. She walked to her closet and stared inside of it at the clothes hanging up. At first she was planning on just wearing jeans and a nice dress shirt but now that her friends were dressing up she could not help but think she had to dress up as well.

Maybe they were right about the soulmate thing, she thought as she grabbed a white off the shoulder sundress. She groaned at her thoughts as she put on the dress and a pair of heels and pushed them away as she brushed her hair. She did not feel like trying to make it fancy nor did she really have the time to along with putting on make up. When she looked in the mirror she was satisfied with how she looked and walked back to the bathroom in confidence.

Rachel and Devyn were giving themselves one last look over before they smiled at Sana, complimenting on how beautiful she looked.

 “You guys ready?”

“Yep!” Rachel flipped her curls behind her shoulders and skipped out of the bathroom followed by her sister.

Sana turned off all the lights in the apartment and followed her friends out on to the street with her purse. She walked beside them down the sidewalk yet she was quiet as they talked to each other, deep in thought. She could not stop thinking about what Devyn had said.

Could she really meet her soulmate at the bar? Was that stuff even real?

She shook her head to get a hold of herself as a man catcalled her from the sidewalk across the street, bringing her back to reality. She ignored the man and looked to her friends who were stopped in front of a bar that they had never seen before.

The orange neon sign read, ‘Demie’s’ and looking inside the windows it was easy to tell that the place was a hot spot.

“Let’s try it,” Rachel said as she grabbed the door handle and opened the door, walking in with her sister and Sana close behind.

There was a bell above the door that rung loudly and heads turned to see the trio walk in to the bar. Most of them went quiet but the jukebox in the corner of the bar still played on as Sana was the only one who seemed to notice the stare of the other patrons. One particular patron made her blood boil as a chill went down her spine when their eyes met.

She gripped the leather strap of her purse and glared at the grinning red eyed man before following her friend’s lead who sat down at an empty booth. She made sure her back was towards the man even though she could still feel his stare as the other patrons went back to their drinking and eating.

They did not sit there long before a tall man walked up them who gave them all a shock while he smiled warmly down at them.

“What can I get you three?”

title: [FN] Soulmates?

question: Why does Devyn think that the girls are weird?

answer: Devyn thinks that the girls are weird because a guy walked up to Sana in an ice cream shop and gave her a wad of money and his number. Sana hasn't contacted him. Rachel thinks that this is the right response since Sana has no interest in the man. Devyn is shocked at Sana's lack of response.

question: Why are the girls dressing up?

answer: The girls are going out to a bar. Still, Sana questions why Rachel and Devyn are dressing up. They say that they never know when they might meet their soul mates. Sana follows suit and dresses up because the others are so well dressed.

question: Why did one of the patrons make Sana's blood boil?


split: test

text:
GARETH JOHN GRIFFITHS (born 10 April 1970) is an English former footballer. A defender, he played 337 league games in a 13-year career in the English Football League.

Starting his career with Welsh club Rhyl, he made the move to the English professional game in 1993 with Port Vale. After around 100 games in five years for the club he transferred to Wigan Athletic in 1998. In another three years he moved on to Rochdale. A constant first team player at 'Dale, he made 184 league appearances in five years with the club. In 2006, he joined non-league Northwich Victoria, where he spent one season before retiring.

Playing career

Griffiths started his career with Rhyl, before being bought by John Rudge, manager of Second Division club Port Vale, for £1,000 in February 1993.[1] He made his debut in a 1–1 draw with Stockport County on 12 February 1994, though played little part in the 1993–94 promotion campaign, though found himself regularly appearing in the First Division from August 1994.[2] In November 1994 he developed a groin injury which required him to go in for a double hernia operation in January 1995, but by the end of the season had regained his first team place.[3] A regular member of the “Valiants” first team in 1995–96, he played in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup Final, as Vale lost 5–2 to Genoa. He made 31 appearances in 1996–97, as the club made its joint-second highest ever league finish. He spent November 1997 on loan at Shrewsbury Town, and made six Third Division appearances for Jake King's “Shrews”, before returning to Vale Park. He played three games for Vale in 1997–98, and was given a free transfer in the summer.

He signed with Wigan Athletic in June 1998. He played 26 times for the “Latics” in 1998–99, though did not feature in the play-off semi-final defeat to Manchester City. The club switched stadiums in the summer, moving from Springfield Park to the JJB Stadium, and also switched managers, replacing John Deehan with Ray Mathias. Griffiths played 20 times in 1999–2000, and was an unused substitute in the play-off Final defeat to Gillingham. He made 22 appearances in 2000–01 for manager Bruce Rioch, but did not feature under Steve Bruce.

He joined Rochdale in July 2001. Scoring four goals in 48 appearances in 2001–02, he helped “Dale” reach the Third Division play-off semi-finals, where they were beaten by Rushden & Diamonds. Manager Steve Parkin left Spotland in November 2001, and the club tried John Hollins, Paul Simpson and Alan Buckley in the role, before Parkin returned in December 2003. In his absence, Griffiths scored seven goals in 47 games in 2002–03, helping the club to avoid finishing at the foot of the table. He then made 35 appearances in 2003–04, as Rochdale avoided slipping out of the league by two places and five points. The defender scored four goals in 43 games in 2004–05, including a surprise hat-trick against Scarborough in a 4–1 win in the Football League Trophy on 28 September.[4] He played 29 games in League Two in 2005–06, before announcing his retirement from professional football in May 2006.[5] He then moved out of the Football League and joined Steve Burr's Northwich Victoria in July 2006,[6] and played 27 Conference National games before leaving at the end of the 2006–07 season.

Post-retirement

For the last four years of his playing career he served on the Management Committee of the Professional Footballers' Association, reporting directly to chief executive Gordon Taylor and other senior members of the management board. Whilst playing he obtained a first class honours degree, a post-graduate marketing certificate, and qualified as a financial consultant.

Following his retirement from football he began working in the financial services industry.[7] He became a trustee at the PFA, and co founded Pro Sport Wealth Management LLP, a Chartered firm of Independent Financial Advisers who specialise in bespoke planning for both individual and corporate sports professionals.

Statistics

Source:[8][9]

  Club                     Season            Division              League   FA Cup   Other   Total
  ------------------------ ----------------- --------------------- -------- -------- ------- ------- ------- ---- ---- ---
  Apps                     Goals             Apps                  Goals    Apps     Goals   Apps
  Port Vale                1993–94           Second Division       4        2        0       0
  1994–95                  First Division    20                    0        2        1       3
  1995–96                  First Division    41                    2        4        0       8
  1996–97                  First Division    26                    0        1        0       4
  1997–98                  First Division    3                     0        0        0       0
  Total                    94                4                     7        1        15      0
  Shrewsbury Town (loan)   1997–98           Third Division        6        0        0       0
  Wigan Athletic           1998–99           Second Division       20       0        1       0
  1999–2000                Second Division   16                    1        1        0       3
  2000–01                  Second Division   17                    1        3        0       2
  Total                    53                2                     5        0        10      1
  Rochdale                 2001–02           Third Division        41       4        2       0
  2002–03                  Third Division    42                    6        3        1       2
  2003–04                  Third Division    33                    1        1        0       1
  2004–05                  League Two        39                    1        2        0       2
  2005–06                  League Two        29                    2        0        0       2
  Total                    184               14                    8        1        12      3
  Northwich Victoria       2006–07           Conference National   27       1        1       0
  Career total             364               21                    21       2        40      5

Honours

Port Vale

-   Football League Second Division runner-up: 1993–94[10]
-   Anglo-Italian Cup runner-up: 1996[11]

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title: Gareth Griffiths (footballer)

question: What does the article say about Griffiths' goals?

answer: Griffiths has scored 16 league goals as a defender in 364 matches. Four of these came with his first team in Wales, Port Vale. He scored twice with his next club, Wigan Athletic in England.  He transferred to Rochdale after two years with Wigan, scoring ten goals over five seasons.

question: What does the article say about the English National team?


text:
KENTON COUNTY is a county located in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,720,[1] making it the third most populous county in Kentucky (behind Jefferson County and Fayette County). Its county seats are Covington and Independence.[2] It was, until November 24, 2010, the only county in Kentucky to have two legally recognized county seats. The county was formed in 1840 and is named for Simon Kenton, a frontiersman notable in the early history of the state.

Kenton County, with Boone and Campbell Counties, is part of the Northern Kentucky metro area, and is included in the Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Kenton County was established on January 29, 1840, from land given by Campbell County. It was named in honor of Simon Kenton, a pioneer of Kentucky.[3][4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.5%) is water.[5] The county is located at the confluence of the Licking River and Ohio River, in the outer Bluegrass area of the Bluegrass region of the state. The elevation in the county ranges from to above sea level.

Adjacent counties

-   Hamilton County, Ohio (north)
-   Campbell County (east)
-   Pendleton County (southeast)
-   Grant County (southwest)
-   Boone County (west)

Major highways

-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

Demographics

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 151,464 people, 59,444 households, and 39,470 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 63,571 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.99% White, 3.84% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. 1.10% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

There were 59,444 households, out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.10% were married couples living together, 12.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.60% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.11.

The age distribution was 26.30% under 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 31.90% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,906, and the median income for a family was $52,953. Males had a median income of $37,845 versus $27,253 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,085. About 7.10% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.00% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public schools

[Historical marker for the county in Independence] The public education in Kenton County is extensive, with five school districts providing education to those in all parts of Kenton County, from the extremely rural southern areas to the highly urbanized north. The districts are:

-   Kenton County School District
-   Covington Independent Public Schools
-   Beechwood Independent School District (serves Fort Mitchell)
-   Ludlow Independent Schools
-   Erlanger-Elsmere Schools

Private schools

The Catholic educational system is as extensive as the public system. These schools are operated by the Diocese of Covington's Department of Schools. The Diocese runs 17 schools in Kenton County.

Higher education

Thomas More College is the only institute of higher learning wholly in the county itself. Northern Kentucky University had a Covington campus located at 1401 Dixie Highway until it closed at the end of 2008. NKU's main campus is not far from Kenton County – only about 4 miles from the Licking River. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System also operates the Gateway Community and Technical College. Classes are provided at GCTC locations in Boone County, Covington, Park Hills and Edgewood.

Libraries

Kenton County is served by a county library with branches in Covington, Erlanger, and Independence. The Erlanger Branch has grown to be the busiest branch library in the state of Kentucky.[7]

In 2008, Kenton County Public Library received the highest score of any Kentucky library ranked by Hennen's American Public Library Ratings.[8]

Communities

Cities

-   Bromley
-   Covington (county seat)
-   Crescent Springs
-   Crestview Hills
-   Edgewood
-   Elsmere
-   Erlanger
-   Fairview
-   Fort Mitchell
-   Fort Wright
-   Independence (county seat)
-   Kenton Vale
-   Lakeside Park
-   Latonia Lakes
-   Ludlow
-   Park Hills
-   Ryland Heights
-   Taylor Mill
-   Villa Hills
-   Walton

Unincorporated communities

-   Atwood
-   Latonia
-   Nicholson
-   Visalia

Visalia and Latonia Lakes have been dissolved as cities within Kenton County.

Politics

  Year                               Republican                                   Democratic                                   Third parties
  ---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- ---------------
  style=“text-align:center;” |2016   style=“text-align:center;” |59.7% _42,958_   style=“text-align:center;” |33.6% _24,214_   6.7% _4,826_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2012   style=“text-align:center;” |61.1% _41,389_   style=“text-align:center;” |36.8% _24,920_   2.1% _1,395_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2008   style=“text-align:center;” |59.7% _40,714_   style=“text-align:center;” |38.8% _26,480_   1.5% _1,019_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2004   style=“text-align:center;” |65.1% _43,664_   style=“text-align:center;” |34.0% _22,834_   0.9% _625_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2000   style=“text-align:center;” |62.9% _35,363_   style=“text-align:center;” |34.0% _19,100_   3.2% _1,786_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1996   style=“text-align:center;” |54.8% _28,579_   style=“text-align:center;” |37.2% _19,407_   8.0% _4,194_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1992   style=“text-align:center;” |51.3% _27,261_   style=“text-align:center;” |30.8% _16,344_   17.9% _9,530_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1988   style=“text-align:center;” |67.1% _30,738_   style=“text-align:center;” |32.4% _14,838_   0.5% _217_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1984   style=“text-align:center;” |69.7% _34,304_   style=“text-align:center;” |29.7% _14,642_   0.6% _299_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1980   style=“text-align:center;” |56.2% _25,965_   style=“text-align:center;” |38.7% _17,907_   5.1% _2,360_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1976   style=“text-align:center;” |53.0% _22,087_   style=“text-align:center;” |45.2% _18,833_   1.8% _760_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1972   style=“text-align:center;” |66.7% _28,076_   style=“text-align:center;” |30.6% _12,872_   2.8% _1,173_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1968   style=“text-align:center;” |43.6% _17,263_   style=“text-align:center;” |37.1% _14,656_   19.3% _7,638_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1964   style=“text-align:center;” |40.3% _15,630_   style=“text-align:center;” |59.6% _23,103_   0.2% _62_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1960   style=“text-align:center;” |52.9% _21,857_   style=“text-align:center;” |47.1% _19,466_   0.0% _0_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1956   style=“text-align:center;” |57.9% _20,895_   style=“text-align:center;” |41.4% _14,923_   0.7% _252_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1952   style=“text-align:center;” |49.6% _19,200_   style=“text-align:center;” |50.3% _19,457_   0.1% _52_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1948   style=“text-align:center;” |35.1% _10,771_   style=“text-align:center;” |61.6% _18,918_   3.3% _1,022_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1944   style=“text-align:center;” |41.9% _12,654_   style=“text-align:center;” |58.0% _17,524_   0.2% _58_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1940   style=“text-align:center;” |40.5% _13,147_   style=“text-align:center;” |59.3% _19,261_   0.2% _74_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1936   style=“text-align:center;” |25.6% _8,885_    style=“text-align:center;” |63.1% _21,879_   11.3% _3,903_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1932   style=“text-align:center;” |32.7% _11,202_   style=“text-align:center;” |65.1% _22,311_   2.2% _750_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1928   style=“text-align:center;” |53.6% _21,043_   style=“text-align:center;” |46.2% _18,165_   0.2% _77_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1924   style=“text-align:center;” |44.3% _13,537_   style=“text-align:center;” |26.0% _7,948_    29.6% _9,054_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1920   style=“text-align:center;” |39.7% _11,411_   style=“text-align:center;” |56.7% _16,300_   3.6% _1,019_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1916   style=“text-align:center;” |32.6% _5,267_    style=“text-align:center;” |64.3% _10,402_   3.2% _514_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1912   style=“text-align:center;” |18.3% _2,512_    style=“text-align:center;” |56.4% _7,761_    25.3% _3,482_

  : PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS RESULTS[9]

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title: Kenton County, Kentucky

question: What does the article say about the people of Kenton County?

answer: There are 159,720 people in Kenton, of which 93.99% are white, and 3.84% are black. 33.4% of households in Kenton have children under 18, 50.1% are married couples, and 27.8% are individuals. The average household size is 2.52. 26.3% of the population is under 18, and 11.1% are over 65. For every 100 females, there are 96.2 males. Median household income is $43,906, and per capita income is $22,085. 9% of the population lives below the poverty line. The county leans Republican for the most part.

question: What is Kenton's claim to fame?

answer: Kenton is the third-largest county in Kentucky. It used to be the only county with two county seats until 2010. The county has a college and had a campus of a university until 2008.

question: What does the article say about Kentucky Fried Chicken?


text:
[Comments]

[Permalink]

Posted by    Saturday, September 22, 2018 at 9:18pm | 9/22/2018 - 9:18pm

There but for fortune could go you or I.

Soon after Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination for the Supreme Court, Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced total war on Kavanaugh. That war would not just be procedural, it would be personal:

  Schumer chose to fight the nomination aggressively. On the night of the nomination, his office released a statement saying that he would “oppose Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination with everything I have, and I hope a bipartisan majority will do the same. The stakes are simply too high for anything less.” In addition, it has been reported that Schumer is cautioning fellow Democrats that they will face a uproar from their base if they do not fight the nomination. According to this report, Schumer has instructed his caucus to focus on criticizing Kavanaugh specifically rather than raising procedural objections. Schumer’s own statement, which asserts that Kavanaugh’s record indicates that he “would rule against reproductive rights and freedoms, and that he would welcome challenges to the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act,” reflects this strategy. [Emphasis added]

Everything that has played out since then reflects this total personal war on Kavanaugh. There were weeks of Democrat claims that Kavanaugh being elevated to the Supreme Court would kill millions of people and enslave minorities and women.

Democrats brought protesters into the hearing room to scream at Kavanaugh. His childrten had to be escorted out of the room.

Democrat Senators were unseemly in how they conducted themselves.

Senator Kamala Harris circulated a dishonestly edited video of Kavanaugh’s testimony as to contraceptives. Senator Cory Booker performed for the cameras, declaring himself to be Spartacus. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse talked over Kavanaugh and then trotted out large posters portraying the “dark money” backing Kavanaugh’s nomination. Senator Patrick Leahy falsely suggested Kavanaugh perjured himself at his 2006 confirmation hearing, and again at these hearings. That false claim of perjury was amplified throughout anti-Trump social media.

The confirmation hearings were a low point in a low political environment. And those were the good ol’ days compared to what has happened since then. Senator Dianne Feinstein knew that a woman had sent a letter claiming the Kavanaugh assaulted her in high school, but Feinstein said nothing. Not during the hearings, not during her consultations with fellow Senators, not during her private interview with Kavanaugh.

Instead, after the confirmation hearings were closed and a committee vote ready, it was conveniently leaked to The Intercept and Buzzfeed that the letter existed, and that Feinstein had forwarded it to the FBI. Days later the accuser was revealed in a Washington Post interview and story to be Christine Blasey Ford.

In the subsequent week, the personal attacks on Kavanaugh have escalated.

He is being portrayed regularly as a rapist and sexual predator, students at Harvard (where he teaches a winter course) and professors at his alma mater Yale Law School have demanded investigations into his relationship with the school. Sheldon Whitehouse has promised congressional investigations if Democrats regain control of either house of Congress, and others are promising attempts to impeach Kavanaugh either from his present Appeals Court position or his Supreme Court position.

In other words, Democrats have declared total war on Brett Kavanaugh the person.

Ford has repeatedly delayed her testimony and has assembled a team of advisors who are veterans of wars against prior Republican nominees and the Trump administration. It was a strategy to buy more days in which to ramp up the attacks on Kavanaugh, to find new claims to try to derail the nomination.

Stormy Daniels’ lawyer Michael Avenatti is claiming there will be more claims coming.

As of this writing it appears Ford and Kavanaugh will testify on Thursday, September 27, though the format is not yet clear. That means a committee vote probably will not be had until the following Monday, and a Senate floor vote until later that week. There is almost no possibility that Kavanaugh would be confirmed in time to sit with the other Justices at the first oral argument day of the term on October 1. His absence, even if for a short time, will be a public relations victory for the Resistance.

This is what Democrat total war looks like.

Democrats can get away with it because of a supportive media, and a small number of weak links in the Republican majority in the Senate. Chuck Grassley and Mitch McConnell don’t have to worry about Democrats half as much as they have to worry about Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Jeff Flake, and to a lesser extent, Bob Corker.

The total war on Kavanaugh is why so many Trump voters voters wanted someone who would fight, as Jonathan Tobin noted at National Review, Has the Kavanaugh Battle Vindicated Trump Voters?

  The willingness of the Democrats and their mainstream-media allies to use a solitary, unsubstantiated, 36-year-old allegation to turn Judge Brett Kavanaugh into a Me Too villain whose guilt of a heinous crime is to be assumed despite the lack of proof or a semblance of due process has shocked his friends and supporters. But it has also vindicated the Trump approach to politics. After the public assassination of Kavanaugh’s character over the last week, there can’t be many left in the GOP who will still dispute former _Breitbart_ CEO Steve Bannon’s assertion that politics is warfare and Trump is thus justified in anything he does to combat his opponents….

It also brings back what I said in The value of Trump to the Trump voter is that he stands between them and #TheResistance:

  Right now the value of Trump to the Trump voter is he is all that stands between them and the people who hate them every bit as much as they hate Trump.

This is not about Brett Kavanaugh. Democrats would have waged total personal war on any Trump nominee.

The answer is to get out and vote. Get your friends and relatives out to vote. Vote not just to defeat the Democrats, but to free us from the grip of 2-3 weak Republican Senators.

If Republicans had 53-54 Senators, the Kavanaugh personal war would have ended already with confirmation.

As readers may recall, I’m a big fan of Phil Ochs. One of my favorite songs is There But For Fortune.

  There but for fortune, go you or go I — you and I.

Senate Republicans better fight and win this confirmation battle. It’s not just about Brett Kavanaugh.

It’s about all of us who are subjected to personal wars by Democrats and #TheResistance in the workplace, campus and social media. And about those among us who keep their heads down and mouths shut so as not to be targeted.

question: What is the author's complaint about the Democrats?

answer: They would've waged a personal war against any Trump nominee to the Supreme Court. The personal aspect of their war-mongering is what the author decries.

question: Summarize the sorts of personal attacks conducted on Brett Kavanaugh.

answer: There are allegations that millions would die and the Supreme Court would enslave minorities and women.

question: What lawful process is used to oppose Brett Kavanaugh's nomination?

answer: None, according to the author.

question: What does the author think the solution is?

answer: He calls his fellow Republicans to vote both against Democrats and weak Republicans.

question: Write a ~6 sentence summary.

answer: Right after Brett Kavanaugh's nomination for the Supreme Court, Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared war on Kavanaugh. His stance was to fight a personal battle, and he invited his fellow Democrats to do the same. Since then, an escalating series of attacks on Kavanaugh the person took place. Decades-old allegations without evidence or due process have confirmed Steve Bannon's view that politics is war, and everything is justified to win. The war would've happened for any Trump nominee. The only real option is to get out and vote against the Democrats and the weak Republicans.


text:
“What’s wrong with you? Stop calling me, Gwen. Just STOP.” The breakup was a week ago, the text was three hours old, and her response was already percolating.

An agitated Gwen Lundgren shuffled through design printouts next to her laptop as she waited for a Skype call scheduled for 9:30 Minneapolis time, 3:30 London time. After several seconds, the ruddy, smiling face of Tykon’s International Marketing Director Erick DeMint flittered up on the screen. He was a personable, handsome thirty-something with vibrant hazel eyes and an unruly shock of straw-colored hair. And although she had never seen the entire man from head to toe, that didn’t stop her from fantasizing. There was something different about the background today.

“Gwen? How are you?”

His accent made her shift positions in her chair. “Erick, I’m great. Happy Friday. Where are you?”

“Took a day off. Can you believe it? So I’m working from home. This is my lovely office. Out that window is my lovely yard where I plan to spend the rest of the afternoon. And later my brother Timothy is coming over for dinner. Oh, and tomorrow morning my wife and I and Samantha are going north to spend the week at a country inn we love near Northampton.”

The mention of his wife and daughter grated what she hoped was an imperceptible degree of enthusiasm off her voice. “You’re a busy person. Sounds great. How old is Samantha again?”

“Nine, but of course she thinks she’s nineteen. Had the nerve to ask us if she could get her eyebrow pierced the other day. Nine years old.”

“My sister is going through the same thing with her two girls. They both want to be Miley Cyrus when they grow up.”

Genuine laughter. “God, no. Tell her we feel her pain.”

“I’m sure you’re a great father.”

“Oh, I have my days, but thanks. What about your weekend? Taking the boyfriend out on the town?”

“Unfortunately there’s no one special in my life right now. Well, there was, but….I don’t know. Not the luckiest person in the world when it comes to relationships.”

“An attractive young woman like you? That’s hard to believe. Stay positive. You’ll find someone or someone will find you.”

“Thanks. Well, so, should we go over the concepts I sent? You’re making me feel guilty about talking business on your day off.”

“Don’t worry about it. This was on my calendar long before I decided to…” Erick turned in his chair and then turned back. “Sorry. Thought I heard something. Anyway, back to the concepts. Okay. I really liked number three. Nice work. I felt it captured what we were trying to….” He turned again. “There. Did you hear it that time?”

“Sorry. Is anyone home?”

“No. Kara’s at work and Samantha doesn’t get home… I apologize, but let me go check. I’ll just be a second.”

“Not a problem.”

One of life’s great mysteries was solved as Erick stood up and walked to the office door. He was trim with a very cute butt, just as she had imagined. She could hear his footsteps as he walked through rooms in the house and conjured up an image of him coming out of the bathroom wearing only a small white towel and a tender smile, approaching the bed and…Erick popped back into the room shaking his head.

“It’s an older home,” he said, sitting down. “I know it doesn’t sound very macho, but sometimes I get a little freaked out when I’m here by myself. Okay, where was…I was commenting on design number three and why I was really drawn to this one.”

Although her attention was focused on Erick’s face as he talked, Gwen caught a glimpse of a quickly moving shadow cross the window over Erick’s right shoulder. Most likely….obviously a bird, she concluded, and chose not to say anything. She really didn’t want to be distracted from the praise he was lavishing on her design, her abilities to capture just the right tone, how clever she was to distill a complex concept into a few beautiful images. She was wading in his warm words.

There was a distant clang, as if something metal like a pan had fallen to the hardwood floor.

“I heard it that time,” she said.

Erick’s expression became one of concern and he turned around several times. “I…I think someone’s in the house. I can hear footsteps.”

“You’re sure your wife didn’t come home early?”

“Duh. That’s probably it. Like I said, I get a bit spooked here sometimes.” He turned and called out. “Kara? Hey, is that you?” There was a muffled but discernable “Yes,” from another room in the house. Erick’s body relaxed and he smiled nervously. “Sorry about all the drama. I’m just going to see what’s going with my wife and then we can finish up here. Hold on.”

As much as she enjoyed her conversations with Erick, this was taking longer than she had planned and it was bumping into another meeting that was about to start. Gwen leaned back in her chair and toyed with a pen while waiting. A shadow moved across the hallway beyond the office threshold followed by a murmur of voices and then two loud thumps, which sounded like someone pounding a fist on a countertop. She leaned forward, eyes now zeroing in on the hallway. There was another flitter of a shadow and then a door closed somewhere in the house. This was followed by unnerving silence.

“Erick? Hey, what’s going on? Erick. Are you okay?” Gwen took in a breath and held it. Someone sneezed in a nearby cube and her muscles clenched up as if she’d been stuck with a pin. “Erick?”“No. I’m okay. Everything is fine.” It was Erick’s voice coming from somewhere in the house. “Made a mess I need to clean up.”

She waited a minute, her heart racing, then called Erick’s name several more times, but there was no response, no movement in the house at all. Do I call 911, she wondered? What’s 911 in London? Maybe he just decided to go…no. He didn’t…he wouldn’t just leave me hanging. Would he?

A passing cube mate made the un-asked for observation that she looked pale and asked if she was okay. Distracted, Gwen nodded and then, part hurt, part still concerned, terminated the call. The screen went dark and there was only her own vague image floating in the blackness of the monitor. An hour passed, then another. Too unnerved to work, she began making inquiries as best she could from another country. She was finally able to track down Erick’s boss at Tykon, who said he’d gone on holiday with his wife, which was actually a plausible explanation after what he’d told her, but still….

Three weeks passed. Gwen emailed and called Erick every day, but received only “out-of-office” replies or was dropped into voicemail. Her time at home was spent checking London newspapers online for any crime that might relate to Erick or his family. She knew that something was not right with Erick’s sudden disappearance, that possibly a crime had been committed, but she had no evidence and could not find anything concrete on which to base her feelings. She called his boss again and was told Erick had taken a brief leave of absence for personal reasons. Personal reasons? Like being dead?

It was a chilly late fall afternoon as Gwen strode along Nicolette Mall in downtown Minneapolis in the direction of the Dakota when she heard a familiar voice rise above the din of traffic and call out her name.

“Gwen.”

She spun around and to her astonishment saw Erick walking across the mall in her direction smiling and waving. He was wearing a long black coat with a red scarf around his neck and his hair was shorter, but she knew it was him from the instant their eyes met. Stunned, she stood like a boulder in a river of pedestrians flowing by, her attention fixated on the approaching man.

“Oh, thank God I found you,” he said, putting his arms around her and squeezing tight.

For a moment, she was too shocked to react, but then quickly wrapped her arms around him and pulled him even closer. “My God, Erick. What the—“ Before she could finish he put his lips to hers and kissed her passionately. She responded without hesitation. Several moments later they separated, and Gwen tried to formulate a coherent question from the dozens that were swirling around in her head.

“What’s going on, Erick? Why are you here? What about Kara?”

“There’s plenty of time to talk about all of that. Right now, however, I would like to take you to my hotel room.”

Two hours later Gwen sat on the edge of a bed, a sheet draped over her naked body, pleasantly exhausted, but still shell-shocked. The sex had been loud and satisfying, but perhaps lacking a degree of…intimacy. She looked toward the bathroom door where Erick was taking a shower and tried to imagine various scenarios that ended with Erick coming to Minneapolis from England alone to find her after having disappeared for three weeks. None of them made any sense.

Wearing only a white towel and a wicked grin, Erick set down on the bed next to Gwen and kissed her cheek.

“That was unbelievable,” he whispered.

Gwen blushed, but remained guarded. “Can we talk about what’s going on, Erick?”

“Over dinner. I promise. Let me get dressed and we’ll have a quick drink from the mini bar and then go downstairs. I’ll tell you everything. Promise.” Eyeing him sideways, Gwen got up to dress.

The bored waiter set their entrees in front of them and walked away without a glance. “Bloody moron isn’t very interested in a tip, is he?” said Erick just a bit too loud. “How’s your martini?”

“Too good. I might have to order another one. So….”

“So. Well, it’s not really all that complicated, although it is rather depressing.” His expression darkened. “That day of the call—“

“The video call?”

“Right, video call, Kara came home early, as you know, and then confessed to me she’d been seeing another man for several months and that she wanted a divorce. That was, of course, a huge shock. I felt like I’d been run over by a tram, but the part of her story that sent me entirely over the edge was that the other man was my brother. The…bitch had been screwing my brother. Well, I was in complete and utter insanity mode. It’s horrible to say, but I wanted to kill them both. Honestly, I had no idea this was going on. Call me stupid or blind or whatever, it came as a total shock. Anyway, I simply couldn’t deal with it and left the house immediately. I’m so sorry, Gwen. I’ve just been in a state of absolute inner turmoil the past few weeks, I can’t even tell you. But then I thought about you and the feelings I had felt whenever we talked and realized it was the perfect opportunity to get out of London for a while and see if my intuitions about you were correct. And it seems they were.”

“Wow. So where’s your daughter?”

“Samantha's with my Mum until I get back..

Gwen looked down at her salmon and shook her head not quite sure that all the dots connected, but considering the man of her dreams was sitting across the table from her, she swept her doubts into a dark corner of her mind and looked up, meeting Erick’s piercing eyes. “I’m terribly sorry for everything. It must be a nightmare.”

“It was,” he said. “Until now.”

Staggering and laughing arm in arm down the hallway of her apartment complex, Gwen and Erick made up lyrics to “The First Cut is the Deepest,” which had been playing in the elevator on the way up. “The first cup is the cheapest….” A wobbly Gwen apologized for the mess as she led Erick through her apartment to the living room. She dimmed the lights, poured them both a glass of wine and joined him on the couch, curling up next to him and nuzzling his neck.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“That I’m so glad I found you,” he said.

They talked for another half hour until Gwen heard a familiar ping coming from her bedroom.

“Sorry,” she said, gently brushing the back of her hand across his cheek. “Need to use the bathroom. Would you pour us another glass?”

Erick smiled. “I’d like nothing better.”

Not sure why she thought she needed a subterfuge to check her computer, she slipped into the bedroom, sat at her desk and tapped the space bar. The screen quickly brightened and up popped a news alert. She opened the email and scanned several recent headlines from The Telegraph. One caught her eye.

Murdered Family Members Identified

London — Scotland Yard was finally able to positively identify the remains of three family

members brutally murdered in their Hampstead residence three weeks ago. The victims were 35

year old Erick DeMint, 34-year old Kara DeMint and their daughter, 9-year old Samantha DeMint.

The police still have no solid leads…

A shadow enveloped Gwen from behind.

“Don’t turn around.

“Erick? What’s going on?” she asked with a growing sense of alarm.

“Remember several weeks ago during your little teleconference or video call or whatever you call it when I said I had a mess to clean up.

“Yes?”

“Well, I’m taking care of that now.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Erick told you he had a brother. What I think he failed to mention was that he has…had an identical twin brother.”

The razor-edged knife slid effortlessly through Gwen’s neck muscles in a long red arch, releasing a burbling cascade of blood that flowed down her chest like warm red honey. Grasping a handful of her hair, Timothy held her head back until the spasms ended.

“Erick was quite fond of you, Gwen. I’m so sorry, but I’m afraid you had a crush on the wrong man.”

title: Unlucky in Love

question: What does the story say was the cause of Gwen's breakup?

question: What was the relationship between Gwen and Erick?

answer: Gwen was a design artist working with Tykon's International Marketing Director Erick DeMint. Judging from the conversation, they were familiar and friendly with each other to the extent Erick could talk about his family business with Gwen and vice versa. However, Gwen was infatuated by Erick and had never met him beyond their computer screens. Gwen secretly wished for a relationship with Erick and hoped to establish a romantic affair someday.

question: What commotion happened in Erick's house that ended his virtual meeting with Gwen?

answer:
Erick and Gwen were in the middle of their usual morning virtual meetings to discuss design concepts Gwen had sent over to him when Erick was startled by a sound in his house. He then confessed to Gwen that the house was old and he wasn't used to being alone in the house - his wife and daughter were out and hadn't returned yet. To ease his conscience, he checks the rooms in the house to confirm if all is clear before resuming his meeting with Gwen. Afterward, Gwen noticed a shadow move behind Erick by the window when they resumed their meeting, but she said nothing to him because she thought it might be a bird. Soon, Erick hears another sound which Gwen confirmed, and this time he is relieved that he didn't imagine things because it was the sound of his wife, Kara, coming in. Erick then excuses himself from their meeting to see what the noise was about but this time doesn't return.
On the other hand, Gwen listens to the movements in the house, hears murmurings and a shut door, followed by a tense silence. Concerned, she calls out to Erick, and he assures her he is fine and is only trying to clean up a mess he made. However, as time passes, she still doesn't hear from or see Erick again. Partly frustrated and worried, Gwen ends their call and hopes all is well in the DeMint household.

question: Explain the story's plot twist.

answer: During Gwen and Erick's virtual meeting, Erick had excused himself to meet his wife to find out what had caused the noise he heard earlier. However, he never returned to his meeting with Gwen, leaving her worried and suspicious that something was wrong. She later contacted Erick's boss to find out if he had heard from him, and he stated Erick had gone on holiday with his wife. Weeks passed by, and Gwen still hadn't heard from Erick. Yielding to her guts, she searched for any possible clues that might give away details about a possible crime in London, around Erick's residence, but nothing turned up. One day, she ran into Erick at the mall and was stunned at his presence, considering that he had been missing in action for weeks and suddenly appeared in Minnesota from London. The two reconnected, and he explained to her that he found out his wife had been cheating on him with his brother. They went back to her apartment after a nice dinner outing, and right before Gwen went to bed, she checked her mail. The news on her computer screen unveiled details about the death of Erick and his family, and the police were still in search of their killer. It also turned out that the man Gwen was with, thinking it was Erick, was actually his twin brother who had murdered his brother and his family. After confessing his deeds to a terrified Gwen, he murdered her.


text:
[Disney Confirms STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS Season 7 Will Be Available To Stream On Disney+ From February 17th]

Disney has finally confirmed an exact release date for the long-awaited and highly anticipated return of _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_. Season 7 will be available to stream from February 17th.

[] _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ is an animated series that takes place between _Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones_ and _Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith_. Though very popular, the series was cancelled back in 2014. During San Diego Comic-Con 2018, it was announced that _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ would be making a comeback on Disney's streaming service.

Since July 2018, fans have been eagerly awaiting the return of the beloved animated series — uncertain of exactly when it would see the light of day. Thankfully, Disney has now confirmed a precise release date for the seventh season of _Star Wars: The Clone Wars _— and it's not far off at all.

Courtesy of a new

Oh My Disney promotional video, we now know that _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ will return on February 17th (that's just over one month away)! Below you can see the frame of the aforementioned promo in which the release date was revealed.
[]

DISCLAIMER: Toonado.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

DISCLAIMER: Toonado.com is protected from liability under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions. This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Toonado.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. Learn more about our copyright and trademark policies HERE. [LESS]

question: When was the series cancelled?

answer: The series was cancelled in 2014.

question: When was the series announced to come back?

answer: The series was announced to come back in July 2018.

question: When will the series be available for streaming?

answer: The series will be available for streaming on February 17th.

question: Where will you be able to stream the new season?

answer: You will be able to stream the new season on Disney+.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Disney has confirmed that the new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars will be coming to Disney+ on February 17th. The series was cancelled in 2014, and was announced to be coming back in July of 2018.


text:
BEDFORD COUNTY is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 45,058.[1] Its county seat is Shelbyville.[2]

Bedford County comprises the Shelbyville, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN Combined Statistical Area.

History

The county was created in 1807 when the citizens of Rutherford County living south of the Duck River and the Stones River successfully petitioned the governor to split Rutherford County in two. The new county was named after American Revolutionary War officer and large landowner in the area, Thomas Bedford.

Once the state's largest and most populous county, Bedford County's size (in terms of area) has been steadily reduced since 1809 to form Coffee County, Moore County, Lincoln County, and Marshall County.[3]

The county was pro-Confederate during the Civil War, but Shelbyville was mostly loyal to the Union.

Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest was born in 1821 in Chapel Hill (now in Marshall County) and has no connection to naming of Bedford County. It was named after the Revolutionary War officer Thomas Bedford.[4]

Texas pioneer William Whitaker Reed was born in Bedford County in 1816.[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water.[6]

Adjacent counties

-   Rutherford County (north)
-   Coffee County (east)
-   Moore County (southeast)
-   Lincoln County (south)
-   Marshall County (west)

State protected areas

-   Normandy Wildlife Management Area (part)

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 37,586 people, 13,905 households, and 10,345 families residing in the county. The population density was 79 people per square mile (31/km²). There were 14,990 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.84% White, 11.48% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.73% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 7.48% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 13,905 households, out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,729, and the median income for a family was $33,691. Males had a median income of $25,485 versus $15,673 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,698. About 12.70% of families and 25.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 17.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

-   Shelbyville (county seat)

Towns

-   Bell Buckle
-   Normandy
-   Wartrace

Census-designated place

-   Unionville

Unincorporated communities

-   Branchville
-   Bugscuffe
-   Center Grove
-   Cortner's Station
-   Fairfield
-   Fall Creek
-   Flat Creek
-   Haley's Station
-   Hawthorne
-   Mount Harmond
-   Palmetto
-   Pleasant Grove
-   Poplin's Crossroads
-   Raus
-   Richmond
-   Roseville
-   Rover
-   Wheel

Major highways

-   Interstate 24
-   Interstate 840
-   U.S. Route 41A
-   U.S. Route 231
-   State Route 16
-   State Route 64
-   State Route 82
-   State Route 130
-   State Route 269
-   State Route 270
-   State Route 276
-   State Route 437

Politics

Bedford County is a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to carry this county was Al Gore in 2000.

  Year                               Republican                                   Democratic                                  Third Parties
  ---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
  style=“text-align:center;” |2020   style=“text-align:center;” |75.2% _14,317_   style=“text-align:center;” |23.3% _4,443_   1.5% _279_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2016   style=“text-align:center;” |74.8% _11,486_   style=“text-align:center;” |22.1% _3,395_   3.1% _474_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2012   style=“text-align:center;” |69.5% _10,034_   style=“text-align:center;” |29.2% _4,211_   1.4% _200_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2008   style=“text-align:center;” |65.9% _10,217_   style=“text-align:center;” |32.4% _5,027_   1.7% _263_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2004   style=“text-align:center;” |60.9% _8,351_    style=“text-align:center;” |38.4% _5,268_   0.6% _87_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2000   style=“text-align:center;” |48.4% _5,911_    style=“text-align:center;” |50.3% _6,136_   1.3% _160_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1996   style=“text-align:center;” |41.1% _4,634_    style=“text-align:center;” |50.8% _5,735_   8.1% _915_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1992   style=“text-align:center;” |33.6% _3,836_    style=“text-align:center;” |52.3% _5,978_   14.1% _1,607_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1988   style=“text-align:center;” |54.3% _4,856_    style=“text-align:center;” |45.3% _4,046_   0.4% _37_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1984   style=“text-align:center;” |50.6% _4,699_    style=“text-align:center;” |48.4% _4,499_   1.1% _98_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1980   style=“text-align:center;” |35.2% _3,377_    style=“text-align:center;” |62.5% _5,987_   2.3% _219_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1976   style=“text-align:center;” |29.2% _3,023_    style=“text-align:center;” |69.8% _7,228_   1.0% _106_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1972   style=“text-align:center;” |59.7% _4,262_    style=“text-align:center;” |36.0% _2,565_   4.3% _308_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1968   style=“text-align:center;” |22.3% _1,870_    style=“text-align:center;” |28.8% _2,416_   48.9% _4,099_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1964   style=“text-align:center;” |28.8% _2,272_    style=“text-align:center;” |71.2% _5,610_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1960   style=“text-align:center;” |36.8% _2,633_    style=“text-align:center;” |62.3% _4,457_   0.9% _62_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1956   style=“text-align:center;” |33.1% _2,258_    style=“text-align:center;” |66.2% _4,517_   0.7% _50_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1952   style=“text-align:center;” |37.4% _2,611_    style=“text-align:center;” |62.6% _4,362_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1948   style=“text-align:center;” |17.9% _771_      style=“text-align:center;” |55.6% _2,393_   26.4% _1,137_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1944   style=“text-align:center;” |21.5% _733_      style=“text-align:center;” |77.8% _2,651_   0.7% _23_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1940   style=“text-align:center;” |18.1% _555_      style=“text-align:center;” |81.3% _2,499_   0.7% _20_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1936   style=“text-align:center;” |17.4% _514_      style=“text-align:center;” |82.0% _2,428_   0.6% _19_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1932   style=“text-align:center;” |21.7% _630_      style=“text-align:center;” |78.1% _2,264_   0.1% _4_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1928   style=“text-align:center;” |47.8% _1,405_    style=“text-align:center;” |52.2% _1,532_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1924   style=“text-align:center;” |33.2% _925_      style=“text-align:center;” |64.6% _1,799_   2.2% _60_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1920   style=“text-align:center;” |48.5% _2,056_    style=“text-align:center;” |51.5% _2,182_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1916   style=“text-align:center;” |33.9% _1,324_    style=“text-align:center;” |66.1% _2,578_   0.0% _1_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1912   style=“text-align:center;” |38.0% _1,474_    style=“text-align:center;” |59.4% _2,305_   2.6% _102_

  : PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS RESULTS[7]

Education

Bedford County School District operates nine elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools, in Shelbyville (Shelbyville Central High School), Wartrace (Cascade High School), and Unionville (Community High School).[8]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5] Brochure “William Whitaker Reed House”, 1850, Visitor's Center, Salado, Texas

[6]

[7]

[8]

title: Bedford County, Tennessee

question: What does the text say about the national bird of Tennessee?

question: What does the text say about Bedford County, Tennessee?

answer: Bedford County is located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 45,058. The county comprises the Shelbyville, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN Combined Statistical Area. Its county seat is Shelbyville. A portion of the Normandy Wildlife Management Area is located in Bedford County. The Bedford School District operates nine elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools. The county is a Republican stronghold, and the last Democrat to win was Al Gore in 2000. The major highways in Bedford County include Interstate 24 and 840, U.S. Route 41A and 231, and State Route 16, 64, 82, 130, 269, 270, 276, and 437.

question: What does the text say about the history of Bedford County?

answer: The county was created in 1807 when citizens of Rutherford County living south of the Duck River and the Stones River successfully petitioned the governor to split Rutherford County into two. They named the new county after Thomas Bedford, an American Revolutionary War officer, and large landowner in the area. Bedford County used to be the largest and most populous county in the state. However, the county's area has steadily reduced in size since 1809 to form Coffee County, Moore County, Lincoln County, and Marshall County. Although Shelbyville remained mostly loyal to the Union, the county was pro-Confederate during the Civil War. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest was born in 1821 in Chapel Hill (now Marshall County) but has no connection to the county's name. Texas pioneer William Whitaker Reed was born in Bedford County in 1816.

question: What does the text say about the demographics of Bedford County?

answer: There were 37,586 people, 13,905 households, and 10,345 families residing in the county as of the 2000 census, giving Bedford a population density of 79 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 86.84% White, 11.48% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.73% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 7.48% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The median age of the population was 35 years spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median income for a household in the county was $36,729, and the median income for a family was $33,691. Males had a median income of $25,485 versus $15,673 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,698. About 12.70% of families and 25.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 17.80% of those age 65 or over.


text:
As I have been taught at church, love thy neighbor as thyself, which may be true for the people who have been battered and beaten as myself. But I will always and forever, even after my death, hate those disgusting people that took my mother from me and have shamed and humiliated my father before me. Though, my scorn cannot be stuck to everyone. Because there have been a few kind hearts from all the estates I’ve been sold too.
  There have been the occasional “kind” masters, and mistresses. They fed us well, took care of us well, and but we were also beaten well. The constant flogging administered to us by the handlers our masters hired. As they whipped my back with all sorts of tools I looked to the floor and at times looked to my back only to look into the eyes of my abuser. With every new slash and scar given to my bare back I could only ask one question “What goes through your mind?”

Due to all those years of torture and abuse I had lost the feeling in my body by the time I hit my adolescents. By that time the whipping felt like nothing less of a bee sting. But certainly enough as soon as you become stronger, the drunkards somehow come up with a new inhumane way of making your resistance weak.

Many would say I am a fool, other say I am brave, but most say I that soon those titles will mean nothing. There is one man who has made it his job to break my spirit. We call him “Scratch” because of his long, horrid nails, which he uses as part of his torture. He would do all he could to harm me. Especially resorting to his famous torture routine called the “Salty Badger.” To do this he would first use his favorite cow whip, then slash us with his nails from whatever spot he please, to then wrap barb wire around our bodies, and when he unwraps us he finishes by rubbing salt into our open wounds to then send us out for work.

I was submitted to that very treatment after aiding a child who was caught by Scratch for dropping his pickings of the day. “You trash of a slave I’ll show you to make such mistakes, to the shed!!” as Scratch yells he grabs the child by the arm to move on to the punishment. “No, sir please I’m sorry it won’t happen again I’ll work for more hours.” cried the child.

As I saw Scratch drag the child to meet with the most pain that he has ever experienced I began to become angered. My temper rose, my scars burned, muscles tensed, and my mind went blank. But before I took the first step to foolish insanity I came back to my senses only by the touch of my elder. Then he spoke “Son, don’t do what you will regret, that child has made his mistake and he will receive what the white men see fit” “……” I remained silent. “It is best that you do not interfere less the pain that he will receive” he continued. “Sorry but I cannot just stand and watch that monster hurt that child” after my response I ran.

In the process I rammed the handler and grabbed the child. With the kid in my arms I ran and ran. Then I dropped the kid off around the slave quarters, he as well ran into one of the homes and hid. When I looked behind me I could catch the small figure of the handler running towards me along with other men and a dog.

When they were close enough I made sure they saw me and continued to run into the forest. While looking behind me the whole time to see if they were all chasing me. I was pleased to see that they were; now I wasn’t worried of them going after the boy.

During my years as a slave I have heard of escapees who have succeeded or of others who have failed. I drew inspiration from those people as well as advice and knowledge of how I could pull of an escape. The first I was told was to avoid running in straight lines. I had to keep changing directions moving from side to side to avoid being tracked down easily. I was also told to remove my scent because of the dogs but during that moment there was no time for that.
  My main focus was to run and keep myself from getting captured. But my efforts seemed to be in vain for I saw that the men were catching up to me. I had to think quickly to be able to avoid capture so I tried to hide myself under piles of branches and leaves. This did not work for within the moments that I lied on the forest ground I was found.

I was chained and tied up being dragged back to where I came from. I was placed into the shed to receive whatever new creative form of torture Scratch could think. When he came back in he stood in front of the giant door to then lock eyes with me. It was during this time that I had recalled a motto that I had lived by all my life. As I shaped my mouth I quoted the words “We may be personally defeated, but our principles never.” When I said those words the pressure in the room dropped and the tension became palpable. A smirk came over my mouth because it was at that moment that I noticed he had stepped back a bit. He started to move forward then cracked his whip as the door behind him slowly came to a close.

title: Foolish Bravery

question: Why does the narrator run away?

answer: The cruel overseer has grabbed a child slave to beat him. The narrator's temper rises and he grabs the child and runs. He drops the child at the slave quarters. He is motivated to continue running because he wants the child to get away. He also has a hope that he may succeed in escaping.

question: What is the outcome of the attempted escape?

answer: The narrator was chained and dragged back to where he had come from. He was placed in a shed to await his fate. Then the overseer cracked the whip and walked toward him.

question: Does the narrator survive the beating alluded to at the end of the story?


text:
“VENTURA HIGHWAY” is a 1972 song by the band America from their album _Homecoming_, written by Dewey Bunnell.

Background

Dewey Bunnell, the song's vocalist and writer, has said that the lyric “alligator lizards in the air” in the song is a reference to the shapes of clouds in the sky he saw in 1963 while his family was driving down the coast from Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc, California, where they had a flat tire. While his father changed the tire, his brother and he stood by the side of the road and watched the clouds and saw a road sign for “Ventura”.[1]

In the booklet for the boxed set, _Highway_, he states that the song “reminds me of the time I lived in Omaha as a kid and how we'd walk through cornfields and chew on pieces of grass. There were cold winters, and I had images of going to California. So I think in the song I'm talking to myself, frankly: 'How long you gonna stay here, Joe?' I really believe that 'Ventura Highway' has the most lasting power of all my songs. It's not just the words — the song and the track have a certain fresh, vibrant, optimistic quality that I can still respond to”.[2] The song has a “Go West, young man” motif in the structure of a conversation between an old man named Joe and a young and hopeful kid. Joe was modeled after a “grumpy” old man he had met while his dad was stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi at Keesler Air Force Base.[3] He also stated “I remember vividly having this mental picture of the stretch of the coastline traveling with my family when I was younger. Ventura Highway itself, there is no such beast, what I was really trying to depict was the Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 1, which goes up to the town of Ventura.”[4]

“That's Gerry and Dan doing a harmony on two guitars on the intro. I remember us sitting in a hotel room, and I was playing the chords, and Gerry got that guitar line, and he and Dan worked out that harmony part. That's really the hook of the song”.[5]

Reception

The song went to number 8 on the _Billboard_ Hot 100 for America, spending 12 weeks on the charts after debuting on October 21, 1972. It also reached number 43 in the UK Singles Chart, staying in that chart for 4 weeks.[6]

Legacy

The song contains the phrase “purple rain”, later the title of a 1984 song, album, and film (and the tour that supported both the album and film), from the artist Prince. Although whether actually any connection exists, both Mikel Toombs of _The San Diego Union_ and Bob Kostanczuk of the _Post-Tribune_ have written that Prince got the title directly from “Ventura Highway”.[7][8] Asked to explain the phrase “purple rain” in “Ventura Highway,” Gerry Beckley responded: “You got me.”[9]

The song won many fans, including the pro wrestler-turned-politician, Jesse Ventura. Bunnell recalled, “We went and played at Governor Jesse Ventura's inaugural out in Minneapolis. He asked us to — his wife is a horse lady, and she'd always loved 'A Horse with No Name', and he had adopted this name Ventura. So when he put together his cast of characters for his big inaugural celebration, he wanted us to come and play two songs, which we did”.[10]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Chart (1972–73)                   | Peak                              |
|                                   | position                          |
+===================================+===================================+
| Australia (KMR)[11]               | 28                                |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Canada _RPM_ Top Singles[12]      | 5                                 |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Canada _RPM_ Adult                | 42                                |
| Contemporary[13]                  |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| New Zealand (_Listener_)[14]      | 12                                |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| UK Singles (Official Charts       | 42                                |
| Company)                          |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| US _Billboard_ Easy Listening     | 3                                 |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| US _Billboard_ Hot 100 [15]       | 8                                 |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| US _Cash Box_ Top 100 [16]        | 8                                 |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| US Record World Singles Chart     | 7                                 |
| [17]                              |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

Year-end charts

  Chart (1972)                            Rank
  --------------------------------------- ------
  US (Joel Whitburn's _Pop Annual_)[18]   80

Sampling and cover versions

-   The song's opening guitar riff and musical hook is sampled throughout Janet Jackson's 2001 song “Someone to Call My Lover” by the production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who were influenced by America and “Ventura Highway” listening to KDWB 63 AM (Top 40) growing up in Minneapolis, Minnesota (along with their close friend, musician Prince). Bunnell said the use of the sample from “Ventura Highway” and the production by Jam, Lewis and Jackson boosted sales for America.[19]

-   In 2004, the song was recorded by Paul Hardcastle for the compilation album _Jazzmasters (The Smooth Cuts)_ featuring Helen Rogers on vocals.

-   In 2012, the song was recorded by the private party band The Gypsy Queens for their album _The Gypsy Queens_, featuring Booker T. Jones, as well as Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (author of the song) of the original America line-up. The album was produced by multiple Grammy-winning producer Larry Klein. It was recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles (Jim Henson Company). The album reached number 46 in the UK charts.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4] Dewey Bunnell interview on “Popular Song: Soundtrack of the Century episode - After the Gold Rush”

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

title: Ventura Highway

question: Summarize the details of America's discography.

question: Summarize the inspiration for the song title of Ventura Highway.

answer: According to Dewey, the song is inspired by his memories a child in Omaha. He, his father, and his brother were on the Pacific Coast highway. Their car had a flat tire and while waiting for his father to finish changing the tire, he and his brother stood on the side of the road and watched the clouds. There, they saw a sign for the town of Ventura and the young Dewey assumed that the highway was named Ventura.


text:
By Alex Crawford, Sky News Special Correspondent

A Sky News investigation has found children as young as four working in Congolese mines where cobalt is extracted for smartphones.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Children as young as four work in the cobalt mines

The mineral is an essential component of batteries for smartphones and laptops, making billions for multinationals such as Apple and Samsung, yet many of those working to extract it are earning as little as 8p a day in desperately dangerous conditions.

With little regulation requiring companies to trace their cobalt supply lines, and most of the world's cobalt coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the chances are your smartphone contains a battery with cobalt mined by children in the central African nation.

[Dorsen is threatened with a beating as he works in heavy rain]

Image: Dorsen is threatened with a beating as he works in heavy rain

The Sky News team visited a string of mines in the DRC's former Katanga Province and found children working at all of them.

Eight pence a day for backbreaking work

At one cobalt mine, children toiled in the drenching rain carrying huge sacks of the mineral.

Dorsen, eight, had no shoes and told us he hadn't made enough money to eat for the past two days - despite working for about 12 hours a day.

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His friend Richard, 11, talked about how his whole body ached every day from the tough physical work.

The mine tunnels are dug by hand by miners who have no protective equipment. The tunnels have no supports and are prone to collapse, especially in the rain.

At one mine we travelled to, workers had downed tools in support of a fellow miner who had died after one such collapse.

[Children as young as four work in the cobalt mines]

Image: Children as young as four work in the cobalt mines

There are thousands of unofficial, unregulated, unmonitored mines where men, women and children work in what can only be described as slave conditions.

In one group, we found a circle of children with a four-year-old girl picking out cobalt stones.

Other children younger than her were sitting among the mineral or playing nearby. A pregnant woman already carrying a toddler on her back was also in the group.

None of them wore gloves or masks, yet the World Health Organisation says exposure to cobalt and breathing in its dust fumes can cause long-term health problems.

Certainly, many of those involved in the mining industry believe they're suffering poor health as a result.

Makumba Mateba has a huge tumour on his throat which he believes has grown because the water in his village is contaminated by cobalt mining.

[Monica, 4, ]

Image: Monica, four, picks out cobalt stones at a mine

He said: "We only drink the water which comes from the mining sites after all the minerals have been washed in it.

"It comes right through our village and I drink it and I'm sure it's that which has made me sick."

Mystery illnesses

Becha Gibu, a doctor in the village of Kimpesa, said many of the babies he delivered had mysterious illnesses.

"There are lots of infections they're born with, sometimes rashes, sometimes their bodies are covered in spots," he said.

"The mothers are also just not strong when giving birth - this is all a consequence of the mining."

The DRC sits on one of the richest mineral deposits in the world, with huge amounts of gold, tin and cobalt underneath its soil.

[Makumba Mateba believes his tumour has grown because he drinks contaminated water]

Image: Makumba Mateba believes his tumour has grown because he drinks contaminated water

It produces 60% of the world's cobalt - a fifth of which is extracted by hand or artisanal miners known locally as creusseurs.

Cobalt collected by small mining operations is sold to mostly Chinese traders, who we filmed secretly.

They don't ask questions about where their cobalt comes from or who has worked to extract it - they just want the best price.

Traders then sell it mostly to exporter Congo Dongfang International, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, which supplies most of the world's largest battery makers.

The supply line is chaotic, informal and unregulated, with unofficial, non-standardised prices paid out to groups, individuals and larger networks.

The cobalt supply line

In 2016, Amnesty International found that no country legally requires firms to publicly report their cobalt supply chains - allowing multinationals easy deniability.

[The cobalt is sold mostly to Chinese dealers]

Image: Chinese dealers don't ask where the cobalt comes from or who has worked to extract it

And it has been reported that Donald Trump is set to issue a new executive order that would reverse regulatory controls designed to prevent US companies profiting from "conflict minerals" mined in the DRC and neighbouring countries.

A number of tech and automotive firms Sky News contacted said they would review their protocols, but would rather improve conditions than make a clean break from established supply chains.

Apple, whose response referenced the specific mine in our report, said it told one of its smelters, Huayou Cobalt, to suspend sourcing from artisanal mines.

But it said it would not sever all ties with artisanal mines as that "would be harmful to communities who rely on this mining for their income".

An Apple spokesperson added: "Apple is deeply committed to the responsible sourcing of materials for our products and we've led the industry in establishing the strictest standards for our suppliers.

"We know our work is never done, and we will continue to drive our standards deep in our supply chain. If our suppliers are unable or unwilling to meet our standards then we suspend or terminate business with them."

Speaking to Sky News, a Huayou spokesperson said the firm "pays attention" to child labour issues and was "monitoring" its supply chain.

WATCH ALEX CRAWFORD'S FULL REPORT ON COBALT MINING IN THE DRC:

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Young children mine cobalt for smartphones

question: Why is Cobalt being mined by children in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

answer: The Cobalt is paid for by Chinese traders who do not care where the mineral comes from: they just want the lowest price. The mineral is an essential component of batteries for smartphones and laptops, making billions for multinationals such as Apple and Samsung. The minerals are sold by Chinese traders to Congo Dongfang International, who sells it to such companies.


text:
[Taste of Excellence Food and Drink Awards 2020 - WINNERS]

Announcing our 2020 Award Winners.

Understandably, this year, we have had to adapt how we champion and highlight the region’s food, drink and hospitality sectors but we still wanted to celebrate the fantastic businesses on our doorstep.

We devised new categories highlighting our current challenging times and how businesses have adapted to cope. We were especially interested to hear your reasons for nominating your heroes, favourites and those who have gone above and beyond your expectations.

Here are some of the wonderful and appreciative comments we received about these businesses and others who were nominated. In our January issue we will bring you some of the back stories to these and other top 10 nominated businesses in each category.

Our congratulations and heartfelt respect to all these businesses. Keep calm and carry on – you are doing a great job!

BEST DINING EXPERIENCE TO GO
We were looking for where you had the most wonderful meal, collected from your favourite eatery which branched out into meals to go.

WINNER: HEALING MANOR HOTEL, HEALING

Customers said:
“Although I live in Healing I had never thought about visiting Healing Manor. They put themselves out there in lockdown, helping our community and wider afield. Lived for their take out Sunday Lunches. Went in nervously for the Eat Out to Help Out Campaign and was impressed with their precautions. Always good food and drinks and lovely atmosphere.”

“This is a truly wonderful hotel and restaurant. It has helped the community whilst in lockdown and still managed to provide excellent take away food. Once reopened the Covid safety measures have been fantastic too.”

“The chef and staff did an amazing job during lockdown. Villagers were also given a treat of freshly baked bread that was free. Meals as delicious as ever. Very well organised.”

BEST AFTERNOON TEA
We were looking for the classic British treat which lifts the spirits.

WINNER: DODDINGTON TEA ROOM, DODDINGTON HALL, DODDINGTON

Customers said:
“Loved the newly created tea room and the choice of menus, especially the savoury option! Doddington never disappoints.”

“Excellent service! Brilliant idea to transform what was the wedding venue into a tea room in these times! Very safe environment too!”

“Superb food, all locally sourced for their tearoom, and an unbeatable high quality range of produce in the farm shop.”

BEST COMMUNITY FOOD OR SHOPPING SERVICE
We wanted to know who has risen to the challenge to serve their community and the vulnerable during the pandemic?

WINNER: GELSTON LAMB, GELSTON

Customers said:
“Great service provided through these difficult times and lovely to support the small independent farm. Good quality meat and love following them on social media where there are regular updates.”

“A truly home grown Lincolnshire business where the owners clearly have a passion for providing a top quality product and service, and all at a reasonable price point too. A real boon as well to be able to access Gelston Lamb for home deliveries during recent months in lockdown. We have had a range of products over a period of time now and all have been to a consistent high quality and with a great customer experience from ordering to delivery, and of course the eating!”

“Outstanding lamb, exceptional service. Chris and Louise of Gelston Lamb provide a reliable, quality service, always delivering high quality, tasty lamb – always delivered on time and with a cheeriness that warms the heart, greatly appreciated in these times. Having the lamb delivered means we don’t have to risk catching Covid-19 in a shop. A very highly valued service.”

BEST DRINKS PRODUCT
Tea, coffee or an artisan tipple – sales have soared recently. We wanted to know which is your local favourite.

WINNER: FIVE FATHOMS SPIRIT, BARTON-UPON-HUMBER

Customers said:
“Five Fathoms dry gin is just sublime and her shop and customer service outstanding.”

“Great little distillery. Best tasting gin we’ve had in ages, always drop in when passing to stock up our drinks cupboard.”

“Emma runs her craft micro-distillery singlehanded. She has created a range of beautiful gins. Her Humber Dry Gin is truly fantastic.”

BEST LINCOLNSHIRE STAYCATION
Lincolnshire offers some of the best staycation options. We asked you to nominate your holiday choice.

WINNER: SALTFLEET MANOR HOUSE, SALTFLEET

Customers said:
“We stayed at this amazing B&B earlier in the year and were amazed by the history of the manor which was only surpassed by the welcome and professionalism of the owners. The B&B is of the highest standard both in terms of facilities and breakfasts.”

“Only just started up when Covid arrived, still managed to open up on time, the B&B is exceptional, fantastic rooms, great breakfast, even had a pool and hot tub.”

“They have got everything right, modernisation of a Grade II listed building, thinking of everything that people need and then some. A breakfast to die for. They deserve a massive gold star for their efforts in this year of upheaval.”

BEST ‘EAT OUT TO HELP OUT’ EXPERIENCE
Throughout August this scheme gave the hospitality sector a boost. You told us where you enjoyed most.

WINNER: PUCCINIS, CONINGSBY

Customers said:
“We’ve had the most incredible take away, meal in and a meal on the Eat Out to Help Out! Always amazing!”

“The food and service is second to none. Lockdown happened and these guys stepped up to the plate. Nothing is ever to much trouble and the food is amazing.”

“Truly wonderful food at this gem of a restaurant: with great care taken to cope with Covid-19 and to continue to provide superb food for their customers.”

BEST CAKES OR BAKES
We wanted to hear which cake makers and bakers have been an inspiration.

WINNER: LADY B’S CUPCAKERY, MABLETHORPE

Customers said:
“Always excellent food, treats, cupcakes and cheesecakes. Exceptional service from staff but especially during such hard times during lockdown, they even adapted their business so we could have our treats delivered to our door, so no special occasion was missed. Then the best service I had throughout the Eat Out to Help Out scheme came from them. One amazing business and a group of wonderful people!”

“Cheesecakes to die for. Whenever I visit my relatives I have to take cheesecake, what more can I say. Lovely staff too.”

“I have been in Mablethorpe for nearly five years and from day one this business has been outstanding. We have held birthdays, anniversaries, even afternoon tea in memory of our mum who loved this place, always they go above and beyond in service and amazing food.”

BEST SWEET TREAT
Whether yours is chocolate, fudge, marshmallows or jams we asked for your nominations.

WINNER: THE GARDEN TEA ROOM, NORTH HYKEHAM

Customers said:
“I live in Grantham but love going to the Garden Tea Room whenever I am in Lincoln. You are spoilt for choice of their delicious cakes, cheesecakes and muffins! Such a broad selection in their afternoon tea, and the teapot can be never ending! You always get good value for money, but even more so when the Eat Out to Help Out scheme came in and Jade and her staff make you feel so welcome and so, so helpful if you have dietary problems. They have ‘specials’ on and a good choice of food on their menu. All produce is fresh and prepared on site. This place is a must to eat in or out at and have kept going all through the lockdown adapting their menu and delivering where possible. They deserve to win!”

“The tea rooms through lockdown offered delivery, all through lockdown they have been amazing! I have been housebound and heavily pregnant. These lovely ladies helped arrange surprise afternoon tea and cakes during pregnancy and after!! Amazing value for money too!”

“The Garden Tea Room has always been a fantastic place to enjoy and relax with a treat. Throughout lockdown, they’ve adapted and found ways to continue to spread joy with their products.”

BEST INDEPENDENT FARM OR LOCAL SHOP
Locally yours, these businesses have provided innovative services and quality products on your doorstep.

WINNER: WILLIAMSONS FARM SHOP, GAINSBOROUGH

Customers said:
“All have provided an absolutely fantastic, friendly service during difficult times with quality goods and products making lockdown bearable.”

“Staff worked really hard in these strange times and put the people of Gainsborough and surrounding areas first before themselves in times of adversity. They deserve to be recognised for their kindness and hard work this year.”

“Excellent service. Great range of fresh products. Excellent diversity! A life-saver during Covid!”

BEST NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Who or which business made their mark despite the challenging times?

WINNER: EMILY PAGE OF EMZ BAKZ

Customers said:
“Inspirational young girl, made the most out of lockdown and her skills to make truly delicious cakes, cupcakes and treats.”

“Tried several of Emily’s bakes and they are all amazing. She deserves recognition! Best brownies I’ve ever tasted.”

“We have had an amazing treat box from Emily, really tasty, lots of choice and good value for money.”

question: What are the common features among the businesses recognized for distinguished service?

answer: They are praised for their excellence throughout the Covid lockdown period, either with their precautions or with their delivery services to ensure homebound people can buy the food and drinks they like.

question: What does the article say about vaccination requirements during Covid lockdowns to eat outside?