text:
[]

“You’re kidding me!” Sanne de Jong, a nursing assistant, said when she was told she had COVID-19 again in July.

 MIRANDA DE JONG

SCIENCE’S COVID-19 REPORTING IS SUPPORTED BY THE PULITZER CENTER AND THE HEISING-SIMONS FOUNDATION.

In late June, Sanne de Jong developed nausea, shortness of breath, sore muscles, and a runny nose. At first, she thought it might be lingering effects from her COVID-19 infection in the spring. De Jong, 22, had tested positive on 17 April and suffered mild symptoms for about 2 weeks. She tested negative on 2 May—just in time to say farewell to her dying grandmother—and returned to work as a nursing intern in a hospital in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

But when her symptoms re-emerged, her doctor suggested she get tested again. “A reinfection this soon would be peculiar, but not impossible,” she told De Jong, who by then had again lost her sense of smell and had abdominal pains and diarrhea.

Related

-   [Vaccine vial]

-   [A woman lowers a container into a cooling device.]

-   [ A health care worker examines the upper arm of a woman sitting in a doctor’s office patient room.]

The call from her municipal health service came on 3 July. De Jong had tested positive again. “You’re kidding me!” she recalls saying.

Scientists are keenly interested in cases like hers, which are still rare but on the rise. Reinfections hint that immunity against COVID-19 may be fragile and wane relatively quickly, with implications not just for the risks facing recovered patients, but also for how long future vaccines might protect people. “The question everybody wants to answer is: Is that second one going to be less severe most of the time or not?” says Derek Cummings, who studies infectious disease dynamics at the University of Florida. “And what do reinfections teach us about SARS-CoV-2 immunity in general?”

South Korean scientists reported the first suspected reinfections in April, but it took until 24 August before a case was officially confirmed: a 33-year-old man who was treated at a Hong Kong hospital for a mild case in March and who tested positive again at the Hong Kong airport on 15 August after returning from a trip to Spain. Since then, at least 24 other reinfections have been officially confirmed—but scientists say that is definitely an underestimate.

To count as a case of reinfection, a patient must have had a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test twice with at least one symptom-free month in between. But virologist Chantal Reusken of the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) explains that a second test can also be positive because the patient has a residue of nonreplicating viral RNA from their original infection in their respiratory tract, because of an infection with two viruses at the same time or because they had suppressed but never fully cleared the virus. So most journals want to see two full virus sequences, from the first and second illnesses, that are sufficiently different, says Paul Moss, a hematologist at the University of Birmingham. “The bar is very high,” Moss says. “In many cases, the genetic material just isn’t there.”

Even if it is, many labs don’t have the time or money to clinch the case. As a result, the number of genetically proven reinfections is orders of magnitude lower than that of suspected reinfections. The Netherlands alone has 50 such cases, Brazil 95, Sweden 150, Mexico 285, and Qatar at least 243.

The Hong Kong patient’s second infection was milder than the first, which is what immunologists would expect, because the first infection typically generates some immunity. That may explain why reinfections are still relatively rare, says Maria Elena Bottazzi, a molecular virologist at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital.

They could become more common over the next couple of months if early cases begin to lose their immunity. Reinfections with the four coronaviruses that cause the common cold occur after an average of 12 months, a team led by virologist Lia van der Hoek at Amsterdam University Medical Center recently showed. Van der Hoek thinks COVID-19 may follow that pattern: “I think we’d better prepare for a wave of reinfections over the coming months.” That’s “bad news for those who still believe in herd immunity through natural infections,” she adds, and a worrisome sign for vaccines.

Others are less pessimistic. Although antibodies can wane substantially within months—particularly in patients with less severe disease—they sometimes persist, even in mild cases. Neutralizing antibodies, the most important kind, as well as memory B cells and T cells seem to be relatively stable over at least 6 months, a preprint posted on 16 November shows, which “would likely prevent the vast majority of people from getting hospitalized disease, severe disease, for many years,” lead author Shane Crotty of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology told The New York Times.

And there are hints that people who have serious COVID-19 mount the strongest responses, just as in the two other serious human diseases caused by coronaviruses, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome. Both trigger high antibody levels that last up to 2 years, and T cell responses to SARS can be detected even longer. Because of these persistent immune defenses, “I expect that most reinfections will be asymptomatic,” says Antonio Bertoletti, an infectious disease specialist at the National University of Singapore. He says being reinfected might even be a good thing, “since you will continue to boost and train your immune system.”

Not all reinfections seen so far are milder. “We see all different combinations,” Reusken says. The second time Luciana Ribeiro, a surgeon in Rio de Janeiro, got sick, it was much worse. She was first infected by a colleague in March, developed mild symptoms, and tested negative afterward. Three months later, Ribeiro had symptoms again—she could no longer smell her breakfast, she says—but she didn’t immediately get a test because she thought she was immune. When she grew more and more tired, she requested a computerized tomography scan. “It showed that half of my lungs were affected,” Ribeiro says. “‘This clearly is COVID,’ the radiologist told me. I didn’t believe it, but I tested positive.”

Ribeiro thinks she was reinfected by a patient in the intensive care unit where she works, and that her second episode may have been worse because virus-laden aerosols produced during a medical procedure entered her lungs. But she has another theory as well: “It could be that the virus has become more virulent in the meantime.”

So far, no proof exists of mutations that would make the virus more pathogenic or that might help the virus evade immunity. But a recent preprint by a team at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle suggests one may exist. The team describes a person who was infected in March and reinfected 4 months later. The second virus had a mutation common in Europe that causes a slight change in the virus’ spike protein, which helps it break into human cells. Although symptoms were milder the second time, neutralization experiments showed antibodies elicited by the first virus did not work well against the second, the authors note, “which could have important implications for the success of vaccine programs.”

And some scientists worry about another scenario that could make the second episode worse: enhanced disease, in which a misfiring immune response to the first infection exacerbates the second one. In dengue fever, for example, antibodies to an initial infection can actually help dengue viruses of another serotype enter cells, leading to a more severe and sometimes fatal second infection. In some other diseases, the first infection triggers ineffective, nonneutralizing antibodies and T cells, hampering a more effective response the second time around.

A recent preprint published by Chinese researchers suggested patients whose first COVID-19 infection is very severe may have ineffective antibodies, which might make them more prone to severe reinfections. But so far there’s no evidence from reinfected patients to suggest enhanced disease is at work in COVID-19—although scientists haven’t ruled it out either. Vaccination against some diseases can also trigger enhancement later—a known or suspected complication of vaccines against dengue and respiratory syncytial virus in humans and a coronavirus disease in cats. But there is no evidence that candidate COVID-19 vaccines do so, Cummings says. “Having worked with dengue I can say the empirical basis for enhanced disease is just not there, while it was very strong in dengue.”

De Jong’s virus samples were both sequenced in Reusken’s lab, with a surprising outcome: The sequences were not identical, but showed so much similarity that RIVM virologist Harry Vennema says she probably did not clear the virus in April and that it started to replicate again in June. “I did have a lot of stress after that first episode because my grandmother died,” De Jong says. “Maybe that had an impact on my immune system.”

That makes her case different from a true reinfection—although Vennema says perhaps they should be considered similar, because in both cases the immune system failed to mount a protective response. His lab has found at least one similar case, he says, suggesting some unconfirmed reinfections might actually be a resurgence of the original virus.

Other coronaviruses can also cause persistent infections, says Stanley Perlman of the University of Iowa. In 2009, his team showed that an encephalitis-causing mouse coronavirus can linger in the body and continuously trigger immune responses, even if it doesn’t replicate. And in a preprint posted on 5 November, a team of U.S. scientists shows SARS-CoV-2 can persist for months inside the gut. Persistent infections, they suggest, may help explain the extraordinarily long-lasting symptoms that afflict some COVID-19 survivors.

De Jong is experiencing some of those symptoms. Although she tested negative in September and has high levels of neutralizing antibodies, suggesting she is protected for at least a couple of months, she still suffers from gastrointestinal complaints, fatigue, and cognitive impairment. De Jong says her story is a warning to people who had the virus and think they’re now invulnerable: “Please be cautious. You can get it again.”

question: What disease is this article about?

answer: COVID-19.

question: What Sanne de Jong develop in late June?

answer: Nausea, shortness of breath, sore muscles, and a runny nose.

question: How many reinfections were confirmed at the time of the article's composition?

answer: 24.

question: What does the article say about COVID-19?

answer: It is possible to get re-infected.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The article discusses reinfection cases of COVID-19 and the known case histories of patients who have experienced this. It also describes the various hospitals and labs involved in the virology efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.


split: test

text:
Nearly half of serious cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children are closely tied to social factors such as single parenting and poor maternal education, a new study suggests.

Genes can play an key role in the development of so-called ADHD, which has symptoms including poor concentration, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour.

Studies of identical twins separated at or near birth show that if one sibling is affected, there is a better-than-average chance the other will be as well.

And research published last month found that youngsters exposed to very high levels of organophosphate pesticide, used on many commercially grown US fruits and vegetables, were also at greater risk.

But to date few large-scale studies have tried to isolate the potential impact of social and family influences on ADHD.

To help fill that gap, researchers in Sweden sifted through data on 1.16 million school children and examined the health histories of nearly 8000 Swedish-born children, aged six to 19, who had taken ADHD medication.

"We tracked their record through other registers ... to determine a number of other factors," said lead author Anders Hjern, a researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

The study, published this week in Acta Paediatrica, found that women who had only received very basic education were 130 per cent more likely to have a child on ADHD medication than women with university degrees.

Living with a single parent increased the chances of being on medication by more than 50 per cent, while coming from a family on welfare upped the odds by 135 per cent.

Boys were three times more likely to be on medication but these social elements affected both sexes equally.

"Almost half of the cases could be explained by the socioeconomic factors included in our analysis, clearly demonstrating that these are potent predictors of ADHD-medication in Swedish school children," Hjern said.

Lack of time and money are more common in single-parent families, as are family conflict and a lack of social support, he said.

Further research is needed to explore the intersection of genetic and environmental factors to devise better prevention strategies, he added.

question: What does the data show on twins affected by ADHD?

answer: It shows that if one sibling is affected, there is a better-than-average change the other will be as well.

question: What are some of the causes of ADHD according to this article?

answer: Single parenting, poor maternal education, genes, high levels of organophosphate pesticide.

question: What sample of the population did the Swedish researchers use in an effort to isolate the potential impact of social and family influences on ADHD?

answer: Nearly 8000 Swedish-born children, aged six to 19, had taken ADHD medication.

question: What did the Swedish researchers find?

answer: They found out that women who had only received very basic education were 130 percent more likely to have a child on ADHD medication than women with university degrees and Living with a single parent increased the chances of being on medication by more than 50 percent, while coming from a family on welfare upped the odds by 135 percent.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The text is summarizing some data on the causes and effects of ADHD on children and their families.


text:
[2018 Mountain West Football Summit Banner]

The 2018 Mountain West Football Media Summit will be held at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The two-day media event includes one-on-one interviews with all 12 head coaches and two student-athletes from every MW institution. The Mountain Division will participate in interviews on Tuesday, July 24, while the West Division will be available on Wednesday, July 25.

-   Click HERE to view the schedule of events.
    _(Schedule is tentative and subject to change.)_
      For more information, contact Stuart Buchanan at (719) 488-4042 / sbuchanan@TheMW.com

LOCATION:
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
CosmopolitanLasVegas.com

IN ATTENDANCE:

-   Twelve Head Football Coaches
-   Two student-athletes from each institution
-   Craig Thompson, Mountain West Commissioner
-   Bret Gilliland, Mountain West Deputy Commissioner
-   Greg Burks, Mountain West Football Officials Coordinator
-   Mountain West Bowl Partners

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Tuesday, July 24: Mountain        | Wednesday, July 25: West Division |
| Division                          |                                   |
+===================================+===================================+
| AIR FORCE FALCONS                 | FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS             |
| -   Troy Calhoun, Head Coach      | -   Jeff Tedford, Head Coach      |
| -   Brody Bagnall, Sr., LB        | -   James Bailey, Sr., LB         |
| -   Griffin Landrum, Sr., OL      | -   Marcus McMaryion, Sr., QB     |
|                                   |                                   |
|   BOISE STATE BRONCOS             |   HAWAI‘I RAINBOW WARRIORS        |
| -   Bryan Harsin, Head Coach      | -   Nick Rolovich, Head Coach     |
| -   Tyler Horton, Sr., CB         | -   Zeno Choi, Sr., DL            |
| -   Brett Rypien, Sr., QB         | -   John Ursua, Jr., WR           |
|                                   |                                   |
|   COLORADO STATE RAMS             |   NEVADA WOLF PACK                |
| -   Mike Bobo, Head Coach         | -   Jay Norvell, Head Coach       |
| -   Izzy Matthews, Sr., RB        | -   Ty Gangi, Sr., QB             |
| -   Josh Watson, Sr., LB          | -   Malik Reed, Sr., LB           |
|                                   |                                   |
|   NEW MEXICO LOBOS                |   SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS          |
| -   Bob Davie, Head Coach         | -   Rocky Long, Head Coach        |
| -   Alex Hart, Sr., LB            | -   Christian Chapman, Sr., QB    |
| -   Aaron Jenkins, Sr., OL        | -   Ronley Lakalaka, Sr., LB      |
|                                   |                                   |
|   UTAH STATE AGGIES               |   SAN JOSÉ STATE SPARTANS         |
| -   Matt Wells, Head Coach        | -   Brent Brennan, Head Coach     |
| -   Roman Andrus, Sr., OL         | -   Bryson Bridges, Sr., DT       |
| -   Suli Tamaivena, Sr., LB       | -   Josh Oliver, Sr., TE          |
|                                   |                                   |
|   WYOMING COWBOYS                 |   UNLV REBELS                     |
| -   Craig Bohl, Head Coach        | -   Tony Sanchez, Head Coach      |
| -   Carl Granderson, Sr., DE      | -   Jameer Outsey, Sr., DL        |
| -   Andrew Wingard, Sr., DB       | -   Lexington Thomas, Sr., RB     |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

question: What does the text say about Fresno State's quarterback?

question: What does the text say about the 2018 Mountain West Football Summit Banner?

answer: The 2018 Mountain West Football Media Summit is an upcoming event to be held at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The two-day media event includes one-on-one interviews with all 12 head coaches and two student-athletes from every MW institution. In attendance will be twelve Head Football Coaches, two student-athletes from each institution, Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson, Deputy Commissioner Bret Gilliland, Football Officials Coordinator Greg Burks, and Mountain West Bowl Partners.


text:
[Spanish Small Temple, “Ca'al Cicu” synagogue, Templul Mic Spaniol, located on 37 Banu Maracine Street in Bucharest, Romania, 1900.]

The SPANISH SMALL TEMPLE also CAHAL CICU[1] synagogue also TEMPLUL MIC SPANIOL „CA’AL CICU”, built in 1846[2] was located on 37 Banu Maracine Street in Bucharest, Romania.[3]

History

The building was devastated by the far-right Legionaries in 1941.The synagogue was rebuilt after the war. However in 1986 the building was demolished to make room for the Union Boulevard in Bucharest.[4]

[1] ,_Bucharest Tourist Guide (Ghid turistic București): Pocket Edition_ by Nicolae Sfetcu - 2015: Sinagoga Cahal Cicu / Spanish Small Temple online

[2] Fostul cartier evreiesc din Bucuresti 1 Templul mic spaniol „Ca’al Cicu” 1846;

[3] Unknow Bucharest: (romanian language) "Templul Mic Spaniol “Ca'al Cicu”, fost pe Strada Banu Maracine 37. A fost grav afectat de legionari in 1941. Dupa cutremurul din 1977, templul a fost renovat si redeschis in 1978. In 1986, a fost demolat." (english: The Little Spanish Temple “Ca'al Cicu”, on Banu Maracine Street 37. It was badly damaged by legionaries in 1941. After the 1977 earthquake, the temple was renovated and reopened in 1978. In 1986, it was demolished.) online

[4]

title: Spanish Small Temple

question: What is the Spanish Small Temple?

answer: It is a synagogue in Romania also known as “Ca'al Cicu” synagogue and Templul Mic Spaniol, Ca'al Cicu.

question: Where is the Spanish Small Temple located?

answer: It is located at 37 Banu Maracine Street in Bucharest, Romania.

question: When was the Spanish Small Temple built?

answer: 1846

question: What is the history of the Spanish Small Temple?

answer: The building was devastated by the far-right Legionaries in 1941. The synagogue was rebuilt after the war. However, in 1986 the building was demolished to make room for the Union Boulevard in Bucharest.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The Spanish Small Temple is a synagogue located at 37 Banu Maracine Street in Bucharest, Romania also known as “Ca'al Cicu” synagogue and Templul Mic Spaniol, Ca'al Cicu. Constructed in 1846, the building was devastated by far-right legionaries in 1941 and rebuilt in 1986, only to be demolished to make way for the Union Boulevard.


text:
*I'm sure I close the closet door alot more than I ever open it.*

This thought perplexed me as I reversed my car, headed to another monotonous day of work. I was a single 24 year old, who lived alone, didn't have any pets and very few friends. Strangely enough though, the closet door wasn't the only odd thing that had been happening over the last couple of weeks. I found many a thing not where I left it. The TV was on and on mute when I came back home the other day. My chicken sandwich had disappeared from the fridge this morning.

*What could possibly be causing this?*

I dwelled on it as I continued my drive to work, and then  suddenly a solution came to mind.

*Screw it. I'm gona find out once and for all.*

I slammed on my brakes, bringing the car to  a screeching halt. I did quick U turn and start heading back home. A few minutes later I pulled into my driveway, stopped my car and quickly walked to the door. Unlocking it and closing it behind me, I walked upstairs and into my bedroom only to be greeted by a familiar sight.

It had happened again.

The closet door was open.

I decided to put my plan into action. Closing the closet door first, I hurried over to my bedside drawers and opened the top draw, pulling out a black small bag. Unzipping it, I pulled out my video camera. I turned it on and positioned it on my bed, making sure that it can see the closet. I pressed the record button and then carefully positioned some dirty clothes over it, obscuring it from view, yet making sure that the lens wasn't blocked either.

My plan accomplished, I headed back downstairs, locked the door and hopped back into my car. Sure I was going to be late for work, but this was worth it.

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day passed like any other day at work.

Paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. Boss comes by to check on my progress, and starts asking questions. Yes Sir. No Sir. Three bags full sir.

Toilet.

Coffee break.

Repeat.

But what really was on my mind the whole day, was that video camera lying on my bed.

*What will the video camera catch on film?*

The thought plagued me as the hours slowly and painfully inched by. The hands of clock finally struck five, after what seemed like an eternity, and my day at work was finished. I walked very quickly through the office, needing to get home as soon as possible. I could see out of the corner of my eye that some of my co-workers were raising their eyebrows in amusement at the hurriedness of my pace, but I didnt care. I needed to see what that video camera recorded.

Workcard punched.

Crowded elevator.

Underground carpark.

Car keys in my hand.

Unlock my car.

Engine started.

Pedal to the metal.

My car shot out of the underground carpark and onto the road. I was probably speeding now that I think of it, but at the time, speeding was the least of my worries.

*What will the video camera catch on film?*

I pulled onto the onramp for the motorway, it usually being the fastest way home.

*Fuck.*

I had forgotten about the traffic. Cars lined the motorway, slowly inching along every few seconds. Everyone was trying to do what I was doing... Trying to get home.

             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun had set by the time I finally pulled onto the street that I lived on. It had taken me a good hour and a half to get home through that congested motorway, and to make things even worse, it seemed like the power was out for the whole suburb.

*Stupid electricity companies doing work at the worst times. Typical.*

I pulled into my drive, hopped out and almost ran to my front door. Unlocking it and closing it behind me,  I flicked on the light switch. Nothing happened. I let out a heavy sigh, as I remembered that the power is down. Stumbling in the dark, my hands outstretched feeling for the walls, I finally make it to my kitchen cupboards. My hand grasped blindly in the dark, trying to feel for the box of matches and  candles that I knew was there in the top shelf. Or at least, was meant to be in there.

*Please. Please, still be here...Aah, got them.*

Finally feeling them, I grabbed them both and after a few minutes managed to start lighting candles. Leaving one candle flickering by the front door, I lit another one and my way upstairs. To my bedroom. Stepping through the doorframe, I squinted trying to see in the low light whether the closet door was open or closed.

*Thank God.*

The closet door was closed. Just as I had left it. This, at least was a good sign. Heading over to the bed, I pulled of the clothes and looked for my video camera. It was also just where I left it. It was still even recording. I stopped and then saved the recording, and then I hit play.

I was glued to the screen, expecting to see some ghost to appear on the video recording.  A minute passed. Nothing happened. Then two, then three. I started fast forwarding it.

Still nothing.

*Maybe there was nothing after all.*

Then suddenly something flashed across the screen in the video recording. I held my breath in anticipation , but the fast forwarding was too fast and I couldn't see anything but a blur. I immediately rewound it and pressed play, and what I saw made my body freeze in terror.

A man had walked into my bedroom, opened the closet door, got inside, and closed the closet door.

*HOLY FUCK!*

*Screw ringing the police! I have to get out of my house.. NOW!*

Still holding the video camera, my legs lept into action. I raced out of my bedroom and down the stairs. Almost skidding on the floor, I turned while running, heading for the front door.  And then I froze.

There was a man blocking the door.

In his hands lay my metal baseball bat. A grin escaped his lips as he uttered but a single sentence.

"Did you think you were alone in the dark?"

title: The Closet Door

question: Why is it unusual for the narrator to close his closet door more often than he opens it?

answer: He lives alone and seemingly doesn't have visitors often. The only person who opens his closet should be him, which is why it's weird that it gets opened on its own.

question: Explain the narrator's terror when he watches the recording.

answer: He sees a trespasser get into his closet.

question: Why does the narrator get weird looks at the end of the workday?

answer: He rushes out of the office, which may be uncharacteristic of him.

question: What is the central theme of the story?

answer: It's a horror story playing with the concept of "alone in the dark".

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator closes his closet door more often than he opens it. One day he sets up a camera to watch the door before going to work. The electricity is out when he gets back in the evening, but the camera is running. He watches the recording and sees a man get into the closet and close its door. Afraid, he tries to run out of the house, but the man waits for him in front of the door with a baseball bat in hand and says "Did you think you were alone in the dark?"


text:
CAMDEN COUNTY is a county located in the American state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,980,[1] making it the fourth-least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Camden.[2]

Camden County is part of the Elizabeth City, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC Combined Statistical Area.

History

The county was formed in 1777 from the northeastern part of Pasquotank County. It was named for Charles Pratt, 1st Lord Camden, who had opposed the Stamp Act. The county is the site of the southern terminus of the Dismal Swamp Canal. It was the site of the Battle of South Mills on April 19, 1862 during the American Civil War, which was a minor victory to the Confederacy.

Shiloh Baptist Church, founded around 1727 by Paul Palmer, is the oldest Baptist church in North Carolina.[3] It is located in the Shiloh township.

Though technically there are (or were) no incorporated municipalities in Camden County (with the exception of a small portion of Elizabeth City, most of which is in bordering Pasqoutank County), the county became the first consolidated city-county entity in North Carolina in June 2006.[4]

Camden County is the location of Academi's Blackwater Lodge and Training Center for paramilitary and security operations.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (22%) is water.[5]

National protected area

-   Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Adjacent counties

-   City of Suffolk, Virginia - north
-   City of Chesapeake, Virginia - north
-   Currituck County - east
-   Pasquotank County - south and west
-   Gates County - northwest

Major highways

-   -   -   -   -

Demographics

As of the census[6] of 2010, there were 9,980 people, 2,662 households, and 2,023 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11/km²). There were 2,973 housing units at an average density of 12/sq mi (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.1% White, 13.2% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. 2.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,662 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.00% were non-families. 20.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,493, and the median income for a family was $45,387. Males had a median income of $36,274 versus $24,875 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,681. 10.10% of the population and 7.90% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 12.60% are under the age of 18 and 20.30% are 65 or older.

Government

Camden County is a member of the Albemarle Commission regional council of governments and is represented by Bob Steinburg in the North Carolina House of Representatives.[7]

  Year                               REPUBLICAN                                  DEMOCRATIC                                  THIRD PARTIES
  ---------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
  style=“text-align:center;” |2016   style=“text-align:center;” |70.8% _3,546_   style=“text-align:center;” |25.5% _1,274_   3.7% _186_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2012   style=“text-align:center;” |66.1% _3,109_   style=“text-align:center;” |32.1% _1,508_   1.9% _87_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2008   style=“text-align:center;” |65.1% _3,140_   style=“text-align:center;” |33.1% _1,597_   1.7% _84_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2004   style=“text-align:center;” |64.8% _2,480_   style=“text-align:center;” |35.0% _1,339_   0.3% _11_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2000   style=“text-align:center;” |57.5% _1,628_   style=“text-align:center;” |41.9% _1,187_   0.6% _16_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1996   style=“text-align:center;” |41.9% _1,074_   style=“text-align:center;” |46.2% _1,186_   11.9% _306_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1992   style=“text-align:center;” |38.8% _1,039_   style=“text-align:center;” |43.1% _1,153_   18.1% _483_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1988   style=“text-align:center;” |50.9% _1,144_   style=“text-align:center;” |48.1% _1,081_   1.1% _24_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1984   style=“text-align:center;” |54.3% _1,282_   style=“text-align:center;” |45.5% _1,075_   0.3% _6_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1980   style=“text-align:center;” |38.9% _813_     style=“text-align:center;” |58.1% _1,212_   3.0% _63_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1976   style=“text-align:center;” |31.1% _562_     style=“text-align:center;” |68.1% _1,231_   0.9% _16_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1972   style=“text-align:center;” |60.2% _909_     style=“text-align:center;” |36.8% _556_     3.0% _45_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1968   style=“text-align:center;” |9.1% _180_      style=“text-align:center;” |35.6% _707_     55.4% _1,100_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1964   style=“text-align:center;” |38.0% _534_     style=“text-align:center;” |62.0% _870_     style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1960   style=“text-align:center;” |25.0% _338_     style=“text-align:center;” |75.0% _1,014_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1956   style=“text-align:center;” |29.7% _343_     style=“text-align:center;” |70.3% _813_     style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1952   style=“text-align:center;” |25.5% _340_     style=“text-align:center;” |74.6% _996_     style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1948   style=“text-align:center;” |16.3% _127_     style=“text-align:center;” |73.9% _576_     9.8% _76_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1944   style=“text-align:center;” |21.1% _193_     style=“text-align:center;” |78.9% _722_     style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1940   style=“text-align:center;” |12.2% _134_     style=“text-align:center;” |87.8% _961_     style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1936   style=“text-align:center;” |10.4% _117_     style=“text-align:center;” |89.6% _1,008_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1932   style=“text-align:center;” |7.9% _78_       style=“text-align:center;” |92.1% _915_     0.1% _1_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1928   style=“text-align:center;” |28.2% _245_     style=“text-align:center;” |71.8% _624_     style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1924   style=“text-align:center;” |22.9% _132_     style=“text-align:center;” |75.6% _436_     1.6% _9_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1920   style=“text-align:center;” |20.8% _142_     style=“text-align:center;” |79.2% _540_     style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1916   style=“text-align:center;” |18.9% _86_      style=“text-align:center;” |80.7% _368_     0.4% _2_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1912   style=“text-align:center;” |9.9% _40_       style=“text-align:center;” |74.8% _303_     15.3% _62_

  : PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS RESULTS[8]

Education

There are five schools in Camden County: Grandy Primary School, Camden Intermediate School, Camden Middle School, Camden County High School, and Camden Early College. However one other former school lies in Shiloh. It was a community school for the Shiloh area. The school is now home to a general store with the Topside Restaurant on top. The Shiloh School sign is still visible on the top of the facade at the front of the building.

Communities

[Map of Camden County, North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels]

City

-   Elizabeth City (mostly in Pasquotank County)

Census-designated places

-   Camden
-   South Mills

Other unincorporated communities

-   Old Trap

Townships

-   Courthouse
-   Shiloh
-   South Mills

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4] Camden County Government - Board of Commissioners - February 10, 2006

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

title: Camden County, North Carolina

question: What does the text say about American Civil War?

answer: The Battle of South Mills during the American Civil War happened in Camden County, North Carolina, specifically in the southern terminus of the Dismal Swamp Canal. The Confederacy won in this battle, which was on April 19, 1862.

question: What does the text say about the children of Camden County?

answer: As of the census of 2010, 24.50% of the population of 9,980 people are under the age of 18, and 31.60% of the 2,662 households of Camden County had children under 18 living with their parents. These children probably go to one of the five schools in Camden Country: Grandy Primary School, Camden Intermediate School, Camden Middle School, Camden County High School, and Camden Early College.

question: What does the text say about the local laws of Camden County?


text:
A severely disabled woman who was raped and later gave birth while in the care of Hacienda HealthCare, a Phoenix facility, had likely been pregnant before, according to newly revealed hospital records.

The woman’s attorneys filed a $45 million notice of claim against the state of Arizona on Wednesday with specific accusations of what the victim endured while at Hacienda HealthCare. The complaint argues that the state “cultivated circumstances” that enabled this misconduct and failed to monitor the long-term care facility “in any meaningful manner.” It contends that Arizona is “vicariously liable for the negligence, gross negligence and medical negligence.”

The 29-year-old victim gave birth to a healthy baby boy on Dec. 29 last year. Hacienda staffers reportedly did not realize that the non-verbal, bedridden patient was pregnant until she began moaning as she was going into labor. (HuffPost is not naming the woman because she is a survivor of rape.)

DNA evidence pointed to Nathan Sutherland, the victim’s main nurse, and he was arrested in January. He was charged with sexual assault and vulnerable adult abuse. Sutherland has pleaded not guilty.

The notice of claim, obtained by HuffPost, alleges that the woman was “violently and repeatedly raped.”

Included in the notice are records from the Maricopa County Medical Center, the hospital the woman was transferred to after giving birth. According to those records, the incident was “a repeat parous event” ― which means the victim had likely been pregnant before. It is unclear if she had carried a pregnancy to term prior to December.

“Examination of the patient’s perineum is very notable for gaping which is abnormal for a young woman following delivery of first infant, also suspicious for history of vaginal trauma,” the medical record reads.

The hospital report also states that the woman had been repeatedly sexually assaulted, both vaginally and anally.

[Nathan Sutherland, a licensed practical nurse, is accused of sexually assaulting and impregnating an incapacitated woman at a]
“[The victim] suffered unspeakable terror, anguish, and pain through repeated sexual assaults, probably over many years, and now lives with the emotional and physical scars,” attorneys David Shughart and John Micheaels wrote in the notice of claim.

The woman has been a patient at the Phoenix nursing facility since 1992, when she was 3 years old. As a result of childhood seizures, she is intellectually disabled. She is described in the documents as non-verbal and as having generally been in an unresponsive state since age 3. However, she does experience pain and discomfort and can respond to her surroundings with a groan or a smile.

Sutherland provided care to the victim more than 1,000 times between 2017 and 2018, according to Hacienda records included in the complaint. They indicate he saw her regularly up until two days before she gave birth.

Based on a preliminary review of Hacienda’s records, the lawyers allege that the health care facility documented at least 83 missed opportunities to diagnose the victim’s pregnancy. A doctor saw the woman at least 10 times in her third trimester, the notice of claim says.

“A simple blood test would have revealed [the victim’s] pregnancy; however, this was never done and [the victim] in all likelihood continued to be raped even in her fragile, vulnerable and pregnant state,” the lawyers argue.

Staff had no idea the woman was pregnant until the afternoon of Dec. 29, when a nurse went to change the victim and “saw a baby’s head in her briefs,” according to the notice of claim.

The parents of the victim are described as “devastated with a myriad of emotions.” The complaint says they are filled with guilt over “leaving their daughter at Hacienda and sadness and disgust over imagining what she felt without any ability to communicate to them.”

The victim’s parents had previously requested that their daughter be cared for by female nurses. Although Hacienda allegedly assured them that would happen, it did not, according to the lawyers.

“The unspeakable atrocities perpetrated upon [the victim] occurred as a result of systemic and individual misconduct and mismanagement at the Hacienda ICF-ID, and virtually non-existent oversight on the part of the State,” the victim’s attorneys wrote.

The claim seeks a $25 million settlement for the woman and $10 million for each of her parents. If the state does not settle within two months, the claim says they will go to court.

RELATED COVERAGE

-   Police Investigate After Woman In Vegetative State For Over A Decade Gives Birth
-   Family Of Woman Raped While In Vegetative State Speaks Out
-   Health Facility CEO Resigns After Woman In Vegetative State Raped Multiple Times
-   Nurse Arrested At Hacienda HealthCare Where Woman In Vegetative State Gave Birth

Calling all HuffPost superfans!

Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter

question: Was the woman pregnant before she was raped?

answer: It is unclear if she had carried a pregnancy prior to this.

question: How old is the victim?

answer: The victim is 29-years-old.

question: Who has been charged with sexual assault?

answer: Nathan Sutherland, the victim's main nurse has been charged with sexual assault and vulnerable adult abuse.

question: What is the claim settlement?

answer: The claim seeks $25 million in settlement for the victim and $10 million for each of her parents.

question: Write a ~9 sentence summary.

answer:
A 29-year-old disabled woman who was raped has given birth to a baby boy while in the care of Hacienda HealthCare. DNA evidence points to Nathan Sutherland, the victim's main nurse. The victim had been a patient at the nursing facility since she was 3 years old.

According to records, the incident is "a repeat parous event"- which means the victim may have been pregnant before, although it is unclear if she was.

The staff had no idea she was pregnant until she gave birth. The victim's parents had requested that female nurses take care of their daughter. Hacienda had assured it would happen, but it did not.

Sutherland has been charged with sexual assault and vulnerable adult abuse. The total claim settles to $45 million.


text:
First Story Give me hell guys =)

FOREWORD This short story is set in a world similar to ours during the late medieval or early renaissance period. I am not a scholar of history but I try my best to mimic the feel of the period. In the world of the Fighting Fiefs they are several major powers.

The Three Kingdoms- Led by a council of three kings who vote on any issue that arises they are the second largest military power on the planet. They lead the rest of the world in science and the design of their capital, Santuario, is the largest trading hub in the known world. They worship a tree god who they believe watch over their pastures. They are based on the Italian free states or the old Spanish Monarchy.

Framani- Led by King Alexander the kingdom is the largest on the planet. They have recently began sending scouts into old Imperium territory to reclaim land lost in the collapse. Their capital Stolzes is a city famous for its large temple in the center. They follow the pantheon of the old Imperium They are based on France and Germany. The main characters of our story hail from Framani.

Avalon- The savage pirates of Avalon are famed for their fleet that has never lost a battle. The people of Avalon are rough and speak in a brutish tongue. They were never a territory of the old Imperium and as such lack the sophistication of the late age advances in culture and in science. They worship the harsh gods of the ice and snow. They are based on Norse occupied Scotland and Ireland.

The Old Imperium- Once were the greatest might on the planet. The great collapse led to three centuries of chaos in the realm that eventually led to the current age. They ruled most of the known world for over 800 years. All that remains of the old Imperium are their former territories and their extensive aqueduct and road systems. They were based on the Ancient Greeks or Romans.

The Waste- A large area covered in sand and ashes due to the great collapse. No life can be sustained in this area due to the heavy amount of soot in the air. Recent efforts by Framani to re colonize these lands are underway but progress is slow. This is the setting for our tale.

Chapter 1

They had been traveling for three days and Cesar could feel the slow burn of his feet cramping as they walked through the wastes. “Perhaps we should turn back” he asked. “Don’t be a fool we have ten more miles to scout before morning” replied Jean. Jean was the leader of the group of scouts that were sent to wander into the grey waste and find a place for settlers as part of the King’s new recolonization plan. Cesar was not fond of Jean, in truth no one was fond of Jean, he was a decorated military officer that claimed his fame from the sack of Norgdium during the raid against the Avalonian pirates. He was famed among the women in the nobility because of his bright blond hair and dark blue eyes.

“Why Cesar you scared of the spirits in the ashes?” laughed Dorian as he waddled through the sand. “Fuck off Dorian.” replied Cesar. Dorian, in Cesar’s mind, was quite simply a dick. He had shoulder length black hair and a small goatee that made him look as though he was calm and casual. Though Dorian came from nobility he was disowned for a scandal with his family. No one knew what the exact details were but rumors were circling that it involved a suitor meant for his sister that was found in his bed.

“Fine we’ll stop here” said Jean “We have to wait for that failure Pierre to catch up anyways. Cesar looked behind him and saw a large shape waddle through the dense smoke and slowly come into view. Pierre was a fat, old soldier he had thin brown hair that had specks of grey in it and a long beard that was mostly grey. Pierre was running as fast as his short fat legs could take him. “My lord my, my lord!” Pierre panted trying to catch his breath. “What is it” spat Jean”Well spit it out gros cul” Dorian laughed at Pierre trying to catch his breath “The fat bastard looks as though he has seen a ghost”. “My lord the ashes…they moved.” “Well no shit” replied Jean “they are falling from the fucking sky!”

“No my lord the ashes on the ground they moved”

Don’t be ridiculous Pierre everything here is dead and has been for 300 years.” “But you do know what they say of this waste my lord?”

“The ghosts in the ashes I know it is no more than superstition from the settlers to scared to move at the kings command.”

“But”

“Quiet Pierre or I will have Dorian rip your tongue out”

“And I will gladly comply” Dorian jested.

“We will set up camp here tonight.” “Cesar and Dorian set up the tents, Pierre get a fire ready, you can do that can’t you?”

“Yes my lord” said Pierre though he was not quite sure of himself.

Chapter 2

“What do you mean it’s gone?” asked Jean angrily. “The water sir it’s been turned to this.” Said Pierre with a look of terror on his face. Pierre tipped the canteen and a thick black sludge oozed out of the opening. “You know what this is don’t you sir?” inquired Dorian. “Yes I do, its ash water, but we are not far in the wastes enough for this to be happening.” Cesar remembered the stories of the wastes of the children who would go in and never return of the souls of the old Imperium warlocks who would cast their dark spells on any one who dared enter their territory.

“It’s the ghosts my lord I’m telling you, no, I’m begging you please let us go back. “I will have no more of these talks we will go forward.” Said Jean with a blank stare on his face. Suddenly Cesar saw an arrowhead come out the back of Jean’s skull. “Holy shit!” screamed Cesar as he ducked for cover. “I don’t want to die!” screamed Pierre “I’m sorry”. Dorian already had drawn his sword and shield and was circling trying to deflect the arrows which were no longer being shot. Cesar looked over at the body of Jean the arrow had gone through his left eye and out the back, blood was beginning to pool near the wound. “Shouldn’t we help him?” asked Pierre “No use” said Dorian “he’s dead”.

“We should bury him” said Cesar

“No need, the ashes will cover him by morning”

“He deserves a burial or at least a cremation.”

“He was a dick and a terrible commander.”

“But he was still our commander and a fellow soldier.”

“Look if you want to bury the connard go right ahead I’m going to go fortify our surroundings.”

Cesar pulled out a small shovel and began digging a hole to put the body in. “Um…Cesar can I talk to you for a moment?” asked Pierre almost as if he was scared of Cesar. “Of course my friend” replied Cesar as he continued to dig the hole “What did you need”?

“It was the ghosts I’m almost certain” “It’s just a story”

“No it’s not”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw them. While I was lagging behind you guys in the first day I saw it. It looked at me its skin was as grey as the ashes around it. It looked into my very soul with its large dark eyes. When it noticed I had seen it, it stared at me for a half a second and disappeared into the ashes around it. The Image is still in my mind Cesar” “And you think it killed Jean?”

“I know it did”

Chapter 3

It had been two days since Jean was killed and everyone in the camp was hungry and thirsty. They had tried to return the way they came but the wastes always looked the same. “Did you see that!” yelled Dorian. “See what!?” said Pierre.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t do that Dorian. Do you think this is a goddamn game? Our commander is dead killed by something we can’t even fucking see!”

“It was his own damn fault he was killed. He should have turned us back the moment the horses had died but it was his own arrogance that led us further into the wastes than we should’ve been.” Dorian immediately regretted his words and realized what he had said.

“He did what?” Cesar said with rage filling inside of him.

“He…he wanted to claim more land for the empire”.

“And you knew? YOU FUCKING KNEW AND YOU SAID NOTHING TO HIM!?”

“I have nothing to live for anyways I have no home to go back to and neither did he why should we care if you two died with us? Even if I wanted to turn him around he would’ve killed me and went anyways.”

“YOU BASTARD!”

Cesar pulled his sword from his sheath and charged at Dorian. Dorian unsheathed his own sword and blocked the first blow. Cesar swung downwards hard but Dorian moved out of the way. The swipe managed to cut his shoulder deeply. “Cesar, don’t make me have to kill you” pleaded Dorian. Cesar showed no remorse as he cleaved into Dorian’s hand and severed it. Dorian screamed in pain and fell to his knees.

“Why?” asked Cesar blankly with his sword’s point to Dorian’s throat.

“He. Owed money to a lot of people. He tried to escape by volunteering for the task. It was never personal.” “Cesar. Let him live he knows what he’s done.” Said Pierre “let’s go”

They walked away from Dorian and left him to the wastes.

Chapter 4

“I never told you about my home have I?” said Pierre

“No you haven’t” replied Cesar.

“It’s a nice little place in the country I own about five pigs and”

“What did you mean by I’m sorry?” interrupted Cesar.

“What?”

“When Jean was killed you ran away. You said you were sorry.”

“It was 45 or so years ago. My first battle just happened to be the day we broke the walls of Santuario.”

“You were there during the siege?”

“No not during the whole thing only during the sack. My father was the leader of my regiment and he personally took me with him to loot the district. I was terrified. We got to this one house in the western district, which was on fire at the time, and my father saw a woman running. He quickly went and grabbed her and threw her to the ground. He looked me in the eyes and commanded me to go to him. I did as my father commanded. When I got to him he said he was going to make me a man and told me to take the woman. I did.”

“You...raped her?”

“Yes” Pierre said and then began sobbing uncontrollably.” And when I was done my father slit her throat.” He broke down and curled into a ball. “I wanted to tell her I’m sorry before I died.”

Cesar felt a presence behind him he turned quickly. There in front of him stood a large shadow, it had grey skin that seemed to be made of the ashes and dark sunken black eyes, in it’s hand was a cruel spear made of stone and ash wood. “Stand back!” Cesar commanded the creature but it did not listen. It slowly moved closer to Cesar and pointed at Pierre. “Pierre?” Cesar said puzzled. The creature nodded. Cesar then realized that the creature was human. Its body covered in ashes and its eyes covered in a thick black sludge. Cesar held his hand out to the strange man and then saw behind the man more creep out of the ashes. There had to be at least fifty of the strange people. The man nodded behind him and motioned for Cesar to follow. “Pierre get up” said Cesar Pierre got up slowly his eyes red from crying and followed Cesar and the strange people.

Chapter 5

They approached the massive walls of the city by daybreak. They had been following the strange people for several days and were fed and given water by them. They spoke no common language but some words sounded vaguely familiar to worlds spoken in the old Imperium tongue. The gates to the city opened and they were received by a man on a horse. “Hail” he said in a hard to understand voice. “I am the king of the city” the rest of the words were unintelligible “Hello I am chevalier Cesar and his is my friend Pierre” The king of the city looked confused he motioned his men who gave them food and water. “Lev you r not welcome here” the king said. “But” Pierre said as he stepped forward. A man drove a spear through his neck. Cesar looked on in horror as he saw Pierre fall to the ground. “Leave” the king said in a harsh voice. Cesar turned and walked back into the wastes as the city vanished into the ashes.

title: [FN] Shadows of the ashes

question: How does Jean die?

answer: An arrow is shot through the back of Jean's head. The source of the arrow is not discovered.

question: Why is Cesar scared of the Ashes?

answer: As a child, Cesar remembered the stories of the wastes of children who would go into the Ashes and  would never return. The old Imperium warlocks would cast their dark spells on any one who dared enter their territory.

question: Why is the group traveling through the ashes?

answer: It seems that they are travelling to another city.


text:
This piece was originally written in Swedish. I Found this english translation somewhere online a few years ago. It is the most powerful story I have ever read, and it moves me so very deeply each and every time read it. And I hope you will take the time to read it today.

Something is always lost in translation, but not too much I hope.

---

*Stig Dagerman - To kill a child*

It is a fine day and the sun rests over the plain. Soon the bells shall sound, for it is sunday. Between a pair of wheat fields two youths have found a path that they've never trod before and in the plain's three villages the windowpanes are shining. Men shave in front of the mirrors on the kitchen tables and women slice bread for the coffee and children sit on the floors buttoning their jackets. It is the happy morning of an evil day, for this day a child shall be killed in the third village by a happy man. As yet the child sits on the floor and buttons its jacket and the man who is shaving says that today they shall take a boat trip down the river and the woman softly sings and serves the freshly sliced bread on a blue plate.

There falls no shadow over the kitchen and yet the man who shall kill the child stands by a red gas pump in the first village. It is a happy man who looks into the camera and in the glass he sees a small blue car and beside the car a young girl who laughs. While the girl laughs and the man takes the beatiful picture the gas salesman tightens the lid on the gas tank and say they will have a fine day. The girl sits down in the car and the man who shall kill a child takes his wallet out of his pocket and say they shall go to the sea and by the sea they'll rent a boat and row far, far out. Through the open windows the girl in the front seat hears what the man is saying, she closes her eyes and when she does so she sees the sea and the man next to her in the boat. He's not an evil man, he's content and happy and before he gets into the car he stands for a moment in front of the radiator which shines in the sun and he enjoys the shine and the smell of gas and bird-cherries. There falls no shadow over the car and the shining fender has no dents and it is not red with blood.

But at the same time as the man in the car in the first village slams shut the door to his left and starts the car the woman in the kitchen in the third village opens her cupboard and finds no sugar. The child who has barely had time to button its jacket and tied its shoes stands on his knees on the couch and sees the river winding its way between the trees and the black little boat that lies pulled up on the grass. The man who shall lose his child is finished shaving and is folding his mirror. On the table stands the cups of coffee, the bread, the cream and the flies. It is only the sugar which is lacking and the mother tells her child to run to Larson's and borrow a few lumps. And while the child opens the door the man shouts after it to hurry, because the boat waits on the beach and they shall row further out than they ever have rowed. When the child then runs through the garden it thinks all the time about the river and the boat and the fish who are swimming and nobody whispers to it that it has eight minutes to live and that the boat shall remain where it rests all day and many days thereafter.

It's not far to Larson's, it's only across the road and while the child runs across the road the little blue car enters the second village. It's a small village with small red houses and newly awake people who sit in their kitchens with their coffee cups raised and watch the car drive by on the other side of the hedge with a large cloud of dust trailing behind it. It goes very fast and the man in the car sees the apple trees and the freshly tarred telephone poles glimpse by like grey shadows. Summer flows through the windows, they race out of the village, they lie in the middle of the road nice and secure and alone - as yet. It's good to drive all alone on a soft, broad road and out on the plain it goes even better. The man is happy and strong and with his right elbow he feels his woman's body. He is not an evil man. He's hurrying to the sea. He couldn't hurt a wasp, and yet he shall soon kill a child. While they rush towards the third village the girl again closes her eyes and plays that she won't open them until they can see the sea and she dreams in harmony with the the soft bumps of the car about how serene it will be.

For so uncaring is life constructed that a minute before a happy man kills a child he is still happy and a minute before a woman screams with fear she can close her eyes and dream of the sea and the last minute of a child's life this child's parents can sit in the kitchen and wait for sugar and speak of their child's white teeth and about a rowing boat and the child itself can close a gate and start walking across a road with a few lumps of sugar wrapped in white paper in its right hand and this entire last minute nothing see except a long, shiny river and a broad boat with silent oars.

Afterwards it is all too late. Afterwards a blue car stands on the road and a screaming woman removes her hand from her mouth and the hand is bleeding. Afterwards a man opens a car's door and tries to stand upright although he has a hole of horror inside himself. Afterwards a few lumps of sugar lie randomly scattered in blood and gravel and a child lies unmoving on its belly with its face tightly pressed against the ground. Afterwards two pale-faced people who have not yet had their coffee run out of a gate and see a sight on the road that they shall never forget. For it is not true that time heals all wounds. Time does not heal a dead child's wound and and it heals very poorly the pain of a mother who has forgot to buy sugar and sends her child across the road to borrow some and just as poorly does it heal the grief of the once happy man who has killed it.

For he who has killed a child does not go to the sea. He who has killed a child goes quietly home and beside him he has a silent woman with her hand bandaged and in all the villages they pass they see not one happy person. All the shadows are very dark and when they part it is still under silence and the man who has killed the child knows that this silence is his enemy and that he will need years of his life to defeat it by shouting that it wasn't his fault. But he knows that is a lie and in his nights' dreams he shall instead wish his life back so he could make this single minute different.

But so uncaring is life against the man who has killed a child that everyting after is too late.

---

This was written in 1948. It was created for The Swedish National Society for Road Safety, to raise awareness about road safety and it was an attempt to lower the speed of traffic on Swedish roads.

title: Stig Dagerman - To kill a child

question: What does the author say about the story they present us?

answer: The author says that the story was originally written in Swedish and that it is the most powerful story they have ever read. The story was written in 1948. It was created for The Swedish National Society for Road Safety, to raise awareness about road safety.

question: What does the story say about how the child dies?

answer: The child's mother has forgotten to buy sugar and sends her child across the road to borrow some and the child. On their way back, the child is crossing the street and a car hits them.

question: What does the story say about car accident statistics?


text:
At 10 PM Hunter was on his way to another graveyard shift of monitoring the Distant Detection Array as he always does. Tonight started like any other, Hunter was prepared for another uneventful night of watching nothing happen on the monitors. When he showed up at the observation wing of the base, Hunter expressed his disinterest for his assignment to the attending officer as he always does. He thinks his job is a waste of time and resources. He is dresses in full uniform, has to have a special security clearance and works in a secret area of a heavily guarded military facility ... all to look at a wall of monitors that tell him the universe looks normal.

&#x200B;

"Why use the most expensive telescopes humanity has ever built to look for something we don't even think exists?" is his usual complaint. Every officer at the base has heard this at least a dozen times, however they remind Hunter that orders are orders and insist that Hunter shouldn't complain about being given such a simple job. His only responsibility is to report unusual feedback from telescopes and sensors, if anything unusual ever comes through. He knows the Array is really being used to look for signs of an incoming attack from an extraterrestrial race and not to monitor supernova candidate stars, which is what the public is told. "The big wigs have been watching too many space operas" Hunter would say to anyone who would listen.

&#x200B;

At this point humanity has not even found definitive proof of life outside of our solar system, much less signs of intelligence. The closest we have seen is a rocky planet with nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide in its atmosphere. Hunter knew that the atmosphere of this planet was mostly oxygen with relatively small amounts of the other gasses, so if a living creature there tried to use fire the entire planet would ignite. Anything living there would be stuck in the stone age.

&#x200B;

Despite his skepticism, Hunter takes over monitor duty at 11 PM as he always does. At 1:07 PM some of the sensors start to detect something in a pocket of seemingly empty space about 17 light years away. One sensor detects an emission of gamma rays, another one detected x rays. This caught Hunter's attention as it is unusual for an area of empty space to emit such radiation. Hunter decided to take a look at the area with telescopes. He sent instructions an an infrared, visible light, and a radio telescope to survey the area. He was perplexed that both of them showed absolutely nothing even though the radiation levels were reaching levels that were theorized to be the upper limit of what the most powerful stars could emit. Because the telescopes couldn't see anything, Hunter was looking at data that told him a massive amount of radiation was either appearing out of nothing, or leaking into our universe. Hunter decoded that he would restart the sensors and receiving satellites to try and make sure these weren't false readings.

&#x200B;

As he was waiting for the sensors to come back on, the infrared telescope he pointed at the area gave an alert. It had detected a momentary spike and drop to normal of heat in the area, which did not match the ever increasing readings from the other sensors. Hunter hoped the sensors would come back on, show nothing, and he could submit a simple sensor anomaly report to his superiors. These hopes were crushed when the sensors started returning information again. Not only did they pick up the radiation again, they were maxed out. Hunter couldn't believe it. He stared in awe, unable to come up with any explanation for what was going on in front of his eyes. Moments later, all the telescopes started giving alerts. The visible light telescope detected light levels akin to a supernova 100 light years away. The radio telescope was showing what could best be described as trying to broadcast every radio station from one antenna. The infrared telescope was telling him that this area of space, empty a few minutes ago, was engulfed in flames.

&#x200B;

Then it all stopped. Everything observing the anomaly stopped transmitting data. Hunter thought it was an issue with the receiving satellites, however a check revealed they were functioning properly. He tried restarting the sensors and telescopes, but simply could not get any data from them. Hunter decided this was unusual enough to report to the officers and senior scientists at the base.

&#x200B;

He called an emergency meeting, having to wake up generals, astronomers, and physicists in the middle of the night. He thought that his news wouldn't be well received at such a time, however his training told him to go through with the protocol right away. After everyone had been assembled and lots of coffee had been consumed, hunter began to present the data and his recollection of the events. He was surprised as the others began to look horrified.

&#x200B;

One of the generals pointed at Hunter and said "Just to be clear son, you can never tell anyone outside this room what you just told us". He then excused hunter from his post, and told him that he would file his honorable discharge papers immediately if Hunter wished to leave the force. "Did I just detect something from out of this world?" Hunter asked the general, to which one of the physicists replied in a solemn tone "Out of this universe".

title: [SF] Far Sight Lost

question: What does the story say about how Hunter felt about his job?

answer: Hunter's job required him to monitor the Distant Detection Arrays. Every day, he'd dress up in full uniform, have special security clearance, have access to a private area heavily guarded by the military, and have access to a room where he sat and watched the wall of monitors that showed the universe. Typically, he was expected to report to his superiors any strange or unusual occurrence in the universe. He, however, was displeased with his everyday routine of watching a wall of monitors that showed nothing happening out of space and regularly complained to the officers and anyone who cared to listen about the pointlessness of using expensive telescopes looking for something that didn't exist. He also believed the big wigs were delusional and negatively influenced by what they watched because they seemed to look for signs of an incoming extraterrestrial attack.

question: Summarise what significant incident occurred at work while Hunter skeptically assumed his night duty.

answer: While at work, at approximately 1.07 pm, Hunter noticed from the monitors that some sensors had started to detect something unusual in a pocket of space about 17 light-years away. One sensor detected the emission of gamma rays from space, and another sensor caught x rays, which Hunter realized was very usual because it wasn't a natural occurrence for an area to emit such radiation. Hunter determined that this unnatural occurrence meant that the radiation appeared out of nothing and would likely seep into the universe. Suspecting the sensors might be giving false readings, he attempted to restart the sensors for a more accurate reading. When the sensors restarted, they not only showed an elevated level of radiation, the surrounding telescopes started giving alerts, and the infrared telescope indicated that the area of space emitting radiation was engulfed in flames. Following this, he reported this anomaly to his superiors, who instructed him not to relay that unusual information to anyone else in the base.


text:
The INTERNET IN JAPAN provides high quality services to more than 90 percent of the population and almost 100% of medium to large businesses. The use of smartphones to access the Internet is increasing rapidly with roughly equal number of users using computers and smartphones to access the Internet in 2015. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) oversees the telecommunications, Internet, and broadcast sectors, but regulation of Japan's Internet industry is largely through voluntary self-regulation. While there is little or no overt censorship or restriction of Internet content, there are concerns that the government indirectly encourages self-censorship practices.

Status

-   Internet users: 117.5 million users, 5th in the world; 92.0% of the population, 15th in the world (2016).[1]
-   Household penetration: 96.2% (2016).[2]
-   Business penetration: 99% for businesses with over 100 employees (2011).[3]
-   Fixed broadband: 39.8 million subscriptions, 3rd in the world; 31.2% of population, 32nd in the world (2016).[4]
-   Mobile broadband: 166,879 million subscriptions; 131.9% of population, 5th in the world (2016).[5]
-   Internet hosts: 78.2 million, 2nd in the world (2017).[6]

Regulation

Japan's Internet industry is characterized by voluntary self-regulation. There is no independent regulatory commission in Japan. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) oversees the telecommunications, Internet, and broadcast sectors. The government and especially the MIC, takes a hands-off approach, while law enforcement agencies tend to push for stronger official regulation. Non-governmental, non-profit organizations supported by for-profit companies in the sector have been formed to self-regulate the industry. These include the Content Evaluation and Monitoring Association for mobile platforms and the Internet Content Safety Association, which manages blocking of child pornography online.[7]

NTT, formerly a state monopoly, was privatized in 1985 and reorganized in 1999 under a law promoting functional separation between the company's mobile, fixed-line, and Internet services. Asymmetric regulation, with stricter rules for carriers with higher market share, helped to diversify the industry.[8] Japan has three major mobile operators—au by KDDI, NTT's DoCoMo, and Softbank.[9]

While the market is open, the NTT group remains dominant and the Japanese government is still the mandated largest shareholder of NTT. The government owns a third of the company, enough to control the vote at shareholder meetings. The government has not exercised this power to manage the company and may have little incentive to challenge NTT's market dominance and push for more competition because of the returns it gets from being a shareholder. No major foreign firms have successfully entered the market, with the exception of smartphones by Apple and Samsung.[10]

History

In September 1984, Jun Murai connected Keio University and Tokyo Institute of Technology with a 300 bps line using a telephone line instead of the physical delivery of tape media. In October of the same year, the University of Tokyo was connected and expanded to JUNET, which became the basis of the internet in Japan. [11]

[Public library (2017, Aichi)] In Japan, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone planned a step-up process from dialup 56 kbit/s ISDN 64 kbit/s, to fiber to the premises (FFTP). Under this plan, NTT had been selling ISDN products primarily toward home users while corporate customers sometimes skipped ISDN entirely and immediately upgraded to the still-expensive FTTH service. In the late 1990s, cable television operators began offering their own cable broadband products, but relatively high initial installation costs and cheaper alternatives limited its spread.

The world's first large-scale mobile Internet service, iMode, was pioneered in 1999 by the nation's largest mobile carrier, NTT DoCoMo.[12]

Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) services were started by a venture company, Tokyo Metallic in 1999. After this NTT started and some other companies followed. In 2001, SoftBank started a 12 Mbit/s ADSL service. It was a shocking event because the price was around only 3,000¥ (30US$), which was half the cost of other companies. This, coupled with aggressive marketing campaigns led to their capturing of large shares of the market. Competitors and Softbank each dropped prices in a price war and repeatedly readied higher-speed services to entice customers (12 Mbit/s/s 24 Mbit/s/s, 50 Mbit/s). In 2004, Japan had the best cost to performance ADSL service in the world (50 Mbit/s, 35US$) which it held on to in the successive years.

At the same time, NTT and electric power companies expanded FTTP areas. In most urban areas, people can use FTTP (100 Mbit/s, 50US$), but ADSL is still mainstream. However, large discounts and free installation have boosted FTTP adoption. Many new apartments are built to accommodate this service with little or no wiring. In 2005, Kansai Electric Power launched a 1 Gbit/s FTTH service at 8700yen (90US$).

In September 2000, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Japan) (communications ministry) forced Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, the incumbent operator, to unbundle its copper local loop. The price was fixed considering the line costs were covered by voice telephony. Alternative operators could only support incremental costs linked with newly offered functions. In the fiscal year of 2004, partial unbundling rates were 120¥ per month and 1,300¥ per month for total unbundling.

In 2000, rules for operators co-location inside NTT facilities and line delivery terms were established. In 2001, NTT were required to unbundle their interconnection optical fiber links between exchange points. Finally, it was forbidden for NTT East and NTT West to offer Internet access services.

Softbank, a major Nippon ISP, launched its digital subscriber line (DSL) service in 2001, “Yahoo! Broadband”, and massively invested in DSL technology to become the largest DSL operator by 2003 before the incumbent.

In 2004, 52.1% of households had Internet access,[13] with more than half of these using broadband.

In March 2005, DSL had more than 13.6 million customers. The concurrence of was stronger and stronger, with the arrival of operators like TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company), allied to KDDI and NTT. Three million customers were wired with FTTP in March 2005 and according to Yano Research it was on track to supplant DSL by 2007.

The Japanese model of optical fiber deployment is difficult to compare to other markets. The last kilometer is often done on lattice towers, shared between operators, even cable operators. This distribution technique reduces the vulnerability to earthquakes and lowers costs dramatically.

The prevalence of FTTH can be explained by the Japanese government's forced local loop unbundling of NTT and very low charges to connect for new Internet service providers (ISPs), leading to new ISPs connecting DSL with low cost and being able to charge cheaper prices due to having a smaller scale operation to challenge the incumbent NTT into using its greater finances to lay fiber to the home to distinguish itself from the competition with higher speeds and also incentivizing some other ISPs to explore fiber to the home, although it remained the dominant fiber provider.

The unique problem facing Japan's broadband situation is due to the popularity of high-speed FTTP. Operators struggle to maintain enough bandwidth to allow maximum usage of the service by customers. Even the largest operators have capacities in the region of tens of gigabits while customers with 1 gigabit FTTP services (or higher) may number in the thousands. This problem is further compounded by limits caused by internal router bandwidth. Estimates of traffic based on data collected in May 2007 by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications set total network usage at approximately 720 Gbit/s combined. The report further states that by May 2008, total traffic will exceed 1 Tbit/s.

In April 2018, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (the major provider) said it will block access in Japan to three illegally uploaded foreign websites. It's an exceptional emergency measure following a government request.[14]

Internet censorship and surveillance

Japanese law provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and the government respects these rights in practice. These freedoms extend to speech and expression on the Internet. An independent press, an effective judiciary and a functioning democratic political system combine to ensure these rights. The government does not restrict or disrupt access to the Internet or censor online content, and there were no credible reports that the government monitors private online communications without appropriate legal authority. The Internet is widely accessible and used. While there is little or no overt censorship or restriction of content, there are concerns that the government indirectly encourages self-censorship practices. A Reporters Without Borders survey concluded that media self-censorship has risen in response to legal changes and government criticism.[15]

Freedom House's _Freedom in the World 2017_ reports that “Internet access is not restricted” in Japan.[16] Their _Freedom on the Net_ reports have rated Japan's “Internet freedom status” as “free” every year since 2013 with scores of 22 each year except for 2017 when the score was 23 (where 0 is most free and 100 is least free). The slight decline in Internet freedom in 2017 was due to changes in the surveillance environment.[17]

-   The 2001 Provider Liability Limitation Act directed ISPs to establish a self-regulatory framework to govern take-down requests involving illegal or objectionable content, defamation, privacy violations, and copyright infringement. Industry associations produced guidelines where anyone can report material that infringes directly on their personal rights to the service provider, either to have it removed or to find out who posted it. No third party can do so. The provider notifies the individual who posted the content, and either fulfills the request with their permission or removes the content without the authors’ approval if they fail to respond within two weeks. If the poster refuses permission, the service provider is authorized to assess the complaint for themselves, and comply if they believe it is legitimate.[18]
-   Legislation criminalizing the use of the Internet for child pornography and the solicitation of sex from minors was passed in 2003.[19]
-   ISPs voluntarily filter child pornography, and many offer parents the option to filter other immoral content to protect young internet users. Depictions of genitalia are pixelated to obscure them for Internet users based on Article 175 of the penal code, which governs obscenity. In recent years, content removals have focused on hate speech and obscene content, including child pornography, “revenge porn”, explicit images shared without consent of the subject, and increasingly the “right to be forgotten” where search engines are required to unlink inaccurate or irrelevant material about specific individuals.[20]
-   Speech was limited for twelve days before the December 2012 election under a law banning campaigning online. The legislature overturned the law in April 2013, but kept restrictions on campaign e-mail.[21]
-   Amendments to the copyright law in 2012 criminalized intentionally downloading content that infringes on copyright. There were calls for civil rather than criminal penalties in such cases. Downloading this content may be punishable by up to 2 years' imprisonment.[22]
-   Anti-Korean and anti-Chinese hate speech proliferated online in 2012 and 2013 amid real-world territorial disputes.[23]
-   In 2013 new state secrets legislation criminalized both leaking and publishing broadly defined national secrets regardless of intent or content. A July 2014 review by the United Nations Human Rights Committee said the legislation laid out “a vague and broad definition of the matters that can be classified as secret” with “high criminal penalties that could generate a chilling effect on the activities of journalists and human rights defenders.”[24]
-   A 2014 law dealing with revenge porn requires Internet providers to comply with takedown requests within two days.[25]
-   In April 2016 the UN special rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression said, “The independence of the press is facing serious threats.” He noted “weak legal protection, the [new] Specially Designated Secrets Act, and persistent government pressure”.[26]

[1] “Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000–2016”, International Telecommunications Union (Geneva), January 2018, retrieved 16 April 2018

[2] “Japan”, _Core indicators on access to and use of ICT by households and individuals_, International Telecommunication Union, January 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.

[3]

[4] “Fixed-broadband subscriptions 2016”, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 16 April 2018.

[5] “Mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in 2016, by country inhabitants in 2016”, Statista. Retrieved 16 April 2018.

[6] “Distributions by Top-Level Domain Name (by hostcount)”, _Internet Systems Corporation_, January 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2018.

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15] “2016 Human Rights Report: Japan”, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 15 April 2018.

[16] “Japan Profile”, _Freedom in the World 2017_, Freedom House. Retrieved 15 April 2018.

[17] “Japan”, _Freedom on the Net 2017_, Freedom House, 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2018.

[18]

[19] “Japan's Lolita merchants feel the heat”, William Sparrow, _Asia Times Online_, 23 February 2008

[20]

[21] “Japan”, _Freedom on the Net 2013_, Freedom House, 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2016.

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

title: Internet in Japan

question: Summarize Japan's internet industry's regulations.

answer: The Japanese internet industry has no regulatory commission, the industry is voluntarily self-regulated. The law enforcement agencies have been trying to push for a more stringent regulation from the government's end but the government takes a hands-off approach. In order to self-regulate the industry, non-profit organizations and non-governmental organizations in collaboration with for-profit companies have been formed. NTT currently has the largest market share while the government has the largest shareholding of the company. Still, the government has not tried to manage the company or challenge its market dominance owing to the returns it gets from being a shareholder.

question: What makes the Japanese optical fiber different?

answer: Optical fiber deployment in Japan is different from other markets. In Japan, the last kilometer is done on lattice towers, shared between operators, even cable operators. This technique reduces the vulnerability to earthquakes and also lowers the cost drastically.

question: Summarize Japan's internet censorship and surveillance.

answer: The country hardly has any laws related to censorship or restriction of content online. The Japanese laws provide for freedom of speech and of the press. The government does not restrict access to the internet and neither does it monitor online communications without appropriate legal authority. The few laws in place related to the internet are regarding pornography, illegal or objectionable content, hate speech, copyrights, and leaking of national secrets.


text:
Alaska Measure 3: Raise minimum wage to $9.75 per hour in 2016 Alaska: Raise minimum wage to $9.75 per hour in 2016

More info

This bill would raise Alaska's minimum wage from $7.75 to $8.75 per hour as of January 1, 2015, and to $9.75 per hour as of January 1, 2016. A "YES" vote supports raising the minimum wage. A "NO" vote opposes raising the minimum wage.

Arkansas Issue 5: Raise minimum wage to $8.50 per hour in 2017 Arkansas: Raise minimum wage to $8.50 per hour in 2017

More info

This measure would increase Arkansas's minimum wage from $6.25 to $7.50 per hour on January 1, 2015; to $8 per hour on January 1, 2015; to $8.50 per hour on January 1, 2017. A "YES" vote supports raising the minimum wage. A "NO" vote opposes raising the minimum wage

Colorado Amendment 67: Definition of personhood Colorado: Definition of personhood

More info

The measure would amend the state constitution to include unborn babies in the definition of "person" and "child" under the Colorado Criminal Code and to include the unborn in the Colorado Wrongful Death Act. Question text: "Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution protecting pregnant women and unborn children by defining 'person' and 'child' in the Colorado criminal code and the Colorado wrongful death act to include unborn human beings?" A "YES" vote would amend the state constitution to include unborn babies in the definition of personhood. A "NO" vote would leave the state constitution and the definition of personhood unchanged.

CO Ballot Measure Exit Polls >

Illinois Question 1: Raise minimum wage to $10 per hour in 2015 Illinois: Raise minimum wage to $10 per hour in 2015

More info

This non-binding advisory measure would advise the legislature to increase Illinois's minimum wage from $8.25 to $10.00 per hour by January 1, 2015. A "YES" vote supports advising the legislature to increase the minimum wage. A "NO" vote opposes advising the legislature to increase the minimum wage.

Nebraska Initiative 425: Raise minimum wage to $9 per hour in 2016 Nebraska: Raise minimum wage to $9 per hour in 2016

More info

This measure would increase Nebraska's minimum wage from $7.25 to $8 per hour as of January 1, 2015, and to $9.00 per hour as of January 1, 2016. A "FOR" vote supports increasing the minimum wage. "AGAINST" vote opposes increasing the minimum wage.

Oregon Measure 91: Legalize marijuana Oregon: Legalize marijuana

More info

This measure would legalize personal possession, manufacture and sale of marijuana for persons 21 years of age or older within specific limits, and creates a commercial regulatory system for the production, distribution and sale of marijuana. A "YES" vote supports legalizing marijuana. A "NO" vote opposes legalizing marijuana.

OR Ballot Measure Exit Polls >

South Dakota Measure 18: Raise minimum wage to $8.50 per hour in 2015 South Dakota: Raise minimum wage to $8.50 per hour in 2015

More info

This measure would increase South Dakota's minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 per hour, effective January 1, 2015, and would annually adjust the minimum wage by any increase in the cost of living. A "YES" vote supports increasing the minimum wage. A "NO" vote opposes increasing the minimum wage.

Washington Advisory Vote 8: Tax on marijuana industry Washington: Tax on marijuana industry

More info

This non-binding vote would advise the legislature either to repeal or maintain a law that eliminated tax breaks for the marijuana industry. A "REPEALED" vote would advise the legislature to repeal the marijuana tax increase. A "MAINTAINED" vote would advise the legislature to maintain the marijuana tax increase.

Washington Initiative 591: Limit background checks for gun sales Washington: Limit background checks for gun sales

More info

This measure would prohibit the government from confiscating guns without due process and from instituting background checks on firearm purchases unless a national standard is required. A "YES" vote supports more relaxed gun laws. A "NO" vote opposes more relaxed gun laws.

question: What does the article say about measures?

answer: The measures mentioned in the article are: Alaska Measure 3: Raise the minimum wage to $9.75 per hour in 2016 Alaska; Arkansas Issue 5: Raise the minimum wage to $8.50 per hour in 2017 Arkansas; Colorado Amendment 67: the measure would amend the state constitution to include unborn babies in the definition of "person" and "child" and to include the unborn in the Colorado Wrongful Death Act; Illinois Question 1: Raise the minimum wage to $10 per hour in 2015 Illinois; Oregon Measure 91: Legalize marijuana; South Dakota Measure 18: Raise the minimum wage to $8.50 per hour in 2015; Washington Advisory Vote 8: Tax on marijuana industry Washington: This non-binding vote would advise the legislature either to repeal or maintain a law that eliminated tax breaks for the marijuana industry; Washington Initiative 591: Limit background checks for gun sales Washington.

question: What does the article say about which of the proposed measures were accepted?


text:
CRAIG LEITH,[1] also known as WEST HILL, is a hill summit in the Ochil Hills on the south face of the Ochil Escarpment as part of the Ochil Fault.

History

[The face of Craig Leith as seen from the town of Alva] In historical literature, Craig Leith has been referred to as West Hill as far back as 1796 in the Statistical Accounts of Scotland: _Alva, County of Stirling, OSA, Vol. XVIII._

The accounts written in 1796 mention that _“On the brow of this [West Hill] is a very high perpendicular rock, which, for what reason is not known, has obtained the name Craig Leith.”_ Historical accounts reference Craig Leith as being well known as a nesting place of the species _Falco Peregrinus_ (Peregrine Falcon). There is even note of an English servant being sent from Yorkshire to the hill of Craig Leith to procure peregrine falcons by being tied to a rope and lowered onto the face of the crags by 12 people to scramble the rocks in search for the birds. This was in order to procure species for breeding due to the sport of falconry being extremely popular during the 1700s in England.[2]

Historically, the ancient house of Alva stands at the base of Craig Leith, with this now privately owned as a residential property.

In 1759, when Craig Leith was known as West Hill, documents show it to have been rented out for sheep grazing.[3]

Geometry

The hill has an average gradient of 33% from the bottom straight up the south face to the defining grey rock crags. A Strava segment has been created straight up the face of the hill, with a personal best climb time of 18:49.[4]

Records from 1796 quote the hills height as 1620 ft,[5] with OS Maps in 2020 showing the hill to be 1683.07 ft.

The east face of Craig Leith slopes sharply into the Balquharn Glen. Like many of the glens in the Ochil Hills, Balquharn is of steep gradient with small amounts of woodland. Nestled into Balquharn Glen is a spectacular waterfall, running into a small reservoir.[6]

Summit

From the summit of Craig Leith one can see the Firth of Forth to the south, the Campsie Fells, Gargunnock Hills, the Glenochil Prison, the Wallace Monument, Stirling Castle, and Knockhill Race Circuit

Fact-file

  ------------------ --------------------------------------------------
  Name:              Craig Leith [West Hill] [Mid Cairn]
  Hill number:       7134
  Height:            513m / 1,683.07ft
  Parent (Ma):       Ben Cleuch
  RHB Section:       26A: Central Scotland from Dumbarton to Montrose
  Donald area:       Ochil Hills
  County/UA:         Clackmannanshire (UA)
  Catchment:         Forth
  Class:             Dodd (500-599m), Donald Dewey (Tu,5,DDew)
  Grid ref:          NS 87277 98780
  Summit feature:    cairn
  Drop:              36m
  Col:               506m  NS870994
  OS map sheet(s):   (1:50k) 58 (1:25k) 366E
  ------------------ --------------------------------------------------

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]  Strava Run Segment in Alva, Scotland, United Kingdom|website=www.strava.com|access-date=2020-02-26}}

[5]

[6]

title: Craig Leith (hill)

question: Summarize the origin of Craig Leith.

answer: According to Scotland's 1976 statistical accounts, Craig Leith was originally known as West Hill. This account claims that a perpendicular rock on the crest of West Hill was given the Craig Leith name for unclear reasons. Craig Leith has long been regarded as a breeding ground for the Falco Peregrinus species. Legend believes that falconry sport was so popular in England in the 1700s that these species were purchased for breeding purposes. Located at the base of Craig Leith lies the Alva historic home. Then in 1759, Craig Leith was once rented out for sheep grazing.