text:
So yeah, this is the song I play whenever I write this thing

The Endbringer's Guide to the Multiverse: Title Page

“This was a great idea,” I said, nodding proudly. My brother made a rude gesture, leaning against a nearby building as we watched our sister work. His tail lashed, water spraying all over. Sis stopped in her work, hands on hips, a little moue of annoyance on her face. He settled down, though he turned his head so we could only see one eye.

I’m sure the other three were rolling. Really. So immature.

“Don’t worry, our preparations are almost complete. We’ll be on our way soon enough,” I said, turning, leaning down kindly. The little kinetic speakers all jumped, looking at me with that wide eyed expression I’d never seen my sister use. Most stood a fair distance away, shuffling nervously.

Weird little creatures, only understanding kinetic. I suppose that’s why all my other attempt at communication failed. They don’t seem to mix well with most other forms of energy. Including kinetic, oddly enough. They could only stand the smallest waves of kinetic energy, barely rippling the air. Although finding out that much had been a major breakthrough! Really, I blame their literature for their first failed attempts. All this talk of the crack of lightning, the melody of the stars, and the language of fists can really confuse a man.

It certainly didn’t help my relationship with Dad. Speaking of Dad though…

“Dad,” I said, leaning down, meeting Him eye to eyes, “ Are you sure you can’t come?”

“I’m afraid not…son…” He said, glowing his majestic green glow, standing on the air with his arms folded. His glorious arms gestured as he magnificently raised the hem of His cloak, indicating the pathetic _other_ kinetic speakers around him. Well, besides His close friends, Alexandria, Legend and Myrddin. Finally speaking to them had tickled me somewhat, as they promptly redoubled their attempts to communicate. Perhaps embarrassed that I’d found the way first? They were the ones most consistent in their desires to communicate, most creative in their methods.

Besides Dad, of course. He communicated in ways even Sis isn’t able to. Time bubbles! Really! Such a novelty! But He is just awesome like that.

“You see,” He said, voice deep with power and hidden strength, “I have some…prior commitments I need to…take care of.” He made a sudden head movement, quick, sharp, surely meant to convey some hidden wisdom my lowly mind just couldn’t comprehend, His pauses deep with meaning.

“I understand,” I said, nodding sagely. “You adults and your work. I’m sure it’s not all fun and games like it is for us kids.” He made a sudden motion, wind traveling over 100 miles an hour to impact me from his position. I smiled, letting the friendly impact wash over me. Legend flew over, swiftly patting him on the back as Myrddin produced for him a glass of water. He drank it, regally nodding his thanks.

“Yes, exactly that son,” He said, a graceful hand rising to his beautifully masked brow as He bowed His head, rather momentously. “Exactly that.”

“Though I wonder,” I said, shaking my head, “If you’re overworking yourself. Surely dealing with all the problems of the world must be tiring. It would be much more relaxing to spend time on vacation with us. Sis has been working hard on Proffesor Haywire’s device, making it suitable for our purposes.” I set a gentle hand on Sis’s shoulder, giving her a light squeeze. She turned to Dad, flashing Him a dazzling smile. While I had inherited His Strength, Power, and Endurance, she had inherited His Mind, Beauty, and Grace. Whenever she moved people couldn’t help but shudder in the sheer ecstasy her presence induced. Father, despite His grand might and strength, was no different. Surely it must be the novelty of experiencing for Himself what others felt in His presence.

Meanwhile our brother… I’m not quite sure what he inherited. Personally, I think he’s a dick. And adopted.

Our Father then deigned to touch the earth, lowering to His knees in supplication. To us! His offspring! That He lowered Himself so…this cannot be! I touched the earth, groveling in my unworthiness.

“I’m…” He spoke, choking on an untold depth of emotion, “I’m sorry, but I just…can’t. It’s…better that I stay here…for the world.” Sis stopped in her project, flitting over, offering her hand to raise Him higher. He declined with majestic speed, ascending to the skies where He belongs.

“I suppose,” I said sadly, rising to my full fight as Sis finished the device with the might of her mind, “That this is goodbye.”

“Yes,” He said, beholding the portals creation with His infinite wisdom, “I suppose this is.” His magnificent presence glowed brighter than ever, showing the sheer might of His grief. Many of the kinetic speakers shed tears of sadness at the poignancy of His separation from the love of His children.

“Do not despair,” I said, speaking what He, omniscient as He is, already must know, “for we will be back. This is, after all, merely a vacation.” His magnificence once more deigned to touch the earth, bowing to the might of His sadness. The kinetic speakers began sobbing, stunned by His momentous display. Brother and Sister stepped through the portal, gesturing their farewells to the assembled kinetics. I paused on my way through, stopping to reassure Our Father in His time of need.

“Do not fear for us,” I said, speaking my last as I departed, “For this is a joyous occasion! To explore where none have gone before, to meet alien creatures, to see alien sights. To go to worlds untold, uncountable to all but You! I will spread Your name far and wide, the reason for Their salvation.”

“Soon, all will know Your name. All will know Your _GLORY_! The Green Hero. The Caped Seer. The Everyman, the Perfect Ideal. The Savior, The Emperor, Our Father, Eidolon!”

question: Why is it difficult to communicate with the kinetic speakers?

answer: The kinetic speakers only communicate in kinetic energy. The narrator can only communicate with them by sending out the smallest waves of kinetic energy, a major breakthrough which took them a long time to understand.

question: Describe the narrator's father.

answer: The narrator's father is smaller than the narrator, luminescent, and green. The narrator and his siblings seem to look up to their father a great deal. He has a very important role in the cosmos and must sacrifice his time with his children in order to fulfill it. The story ends with the narrator vowing to spread the name of his father throughout the multiverse.


split: test

text:
An arson attack at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sahib in Edinburgh this morning has caused extensive damage.

At around 5am, a petrol canister with a piece of cloth was lit and pushed through the front door of the Gurdwara Sahib in Mill Lane. A fire started on the other side of the door, inside the Gurdwara Sahib.

While the fire damage is limited, it caused extensive internal smoke damage, including inside the Divan hall. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji was not in Parkash (but in Sachkhand) at the time of the attack.

Shortly after attack, a passer-by who was familiar with Edinburgh sangat alerted the Granthi Singhs to the fire. Both the police and fire brigade arrived within minutes, along with members of Edinburgh sangat.

Local sevadaars were able to carry out a brief inspection before the police sealed off the Gurdwara Sahib for forensic analysis, but they could not determine much as it was still dark. In this time, a sevadaar rushed upstairs to Sachkhand to check Mahraaj’s Saroops which thankfully appear not to have suffered any damage. Galab Singh, a committee member of the Gurdwara Sahib said: _‘When I heard there was a fire I had to rush here and go upstairs to check Mahraaj’s saroops with my own eyes. I’m quite surprised at this attack, the Gurdwara Sahib enjoys a good relationship with the local community here.’_

Police officers are now inspecting the Gurdwara Sahib, and have taken away the petrol canister for forensic examination. The Gurdwara Sahib is hoping to update sangat once the police have finished investigating.

Detective Inspector Clark Martin from Gayfield CID said: _“Fortunately, the fire was extinguished relatively quickly and no on was injured, but nevertheless we are treating this incident with the utmost seriousness._

_“Anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity around the temple, or in the Sheriff Brae area during the early hours of Tuesday morning should contact police immediately._

_“In addition, anyone with any further information relevant to this investigation is also asked to come forward.”_

Inspector Andrew Johnson from Leith Police Station said that police would be having a ‘high-visibility presence’ in the area while the investigation continues.

Despite some reports to the contrary, Police Scotland have confirmed that NO arrests have yet been made.

The timing of the incident is of interest to the police: usually, arson attacks such as this come in the aftermath of domestic terror attacks, at a time of heightened backlash against minority communities. Moreover, the fact that the attack occurred in the early morning rather than late at night is a further indication of premeditation.

Kulbear Singh, President of the Edinburgh Sikh Gurdwara, said: _“Scotland’s Sikh community places an emphasis on contributing positively to society and prides itself as a vital part of a modern, multicultural Scotland. As such, hateful occurrences such as this are incredibly disheartening. The gurdwara is the place of sanctuary and learning. We come here every week with our family and children; it is frightening that someone would target us in this way.”_

Members of Edinburgh sangat have received numerous messages and gestures of support, both from the local community and national Sikh sangat. Local businesses near the Gurdwara Sahib have offered their CCTV recordings to assist the investigation.

The Church of Scotland has issued a statement expressing sympathy and solidarity with the Sikh community. The Right Rev Susan Brown, moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said: _“How sad that a place of worship should be the target of such a hateful act._

_“I am glad no one was injured and extend sympathy to the Sikh community in Edinburgh._

_“We recognise the actions of a small minority do not reflect the good relations that exist with your local community. There is no room in Scotland for intolerance.”_

Sikh PA will bring further updates as they come from the Gurdwara Sahib and Police Scotland. Media enquiries about this attack should be directed to sukh@sikhpa.com

question: What does the text say about who was responsible for the arson?

answer: It is unknown. Detective Inspector Clark Martin from Gayfield CID has requested information from the public regarding any suspicious activity in the area. Any generally useful information related to the incident was also requested. Police Scotland have confirmed that no arrests have yet been made.

question: What does the text say about who is investigating the arson?

answer: Local sevadaars were able to carry out a brief inspection before the police sealed off the Gurdwara Sahib for forensic analysis, but they could not determine much as it was still dark. Police officers are now inspecting the Gurdwara Sahib; they are treating the incident seriously and are requesting assistance and information from the local community. Inspector Andrew Johnson from Leith Police Station said that police would have a ‘high-visibility presence’ in the area while the investigation continues. At the time of writing, no arrests had been made.

question: Summarize what the text says about kidnapping.

question: Why is this an unusual case?

answer: The circumstances of the arson are atypical of arsons as well as hate crimes. The timing is unusual as it did not occur during a time of general heightened backlash against minority communities. That, as well as the fact that it occurred in the early morning rather than late at night, is an indication of premeditation.


text:
GLASSCOCK COUNTY is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 1,226.[1] Its county seat is Garden City.[2] The county was created in 1887 and later organized in 1893.[3] It is named for George Washington Glasscock,[4] great grand-father of Cameron Glasscock Busby Austin, Texas area.

Glasscock County is included in the Big Spring, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.1%) is water.[5] The Spraberry Trend, the third-largest oil field in the United States by remaining reserves, underlies much of the county.[6]

Major highways

-   [] U.S. Highway 87
-   [] State Highway 137
-   [] State Highway 158
-   [] Ranch to Market Road 33

Adjacent counties

-   Howard County (north)
-   Sterling County (east)
-   Reagan County (south)
-   Midland County (west)
-   Martin County (northwest)
-   Upton County (southwest)

Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 1,406 people, 483 households, and 355 families in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 660 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.52% White, 0.50% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 19.13% from other races, and 2.49% from two or more races. 29.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[7] Of the 483 households 42.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.50% were married couples living together, 2.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 23.80% of households were one person and 7.00% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.51.

The age distribution was 33.50% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.00% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 108.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.00 males.

The median household income was $35,655 and the median family income was $43,000. Males had a median income of $27,000 versus $27,083 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,279. 14.70% of the population and 11.50% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 17.50% are under the age of 18 and 4.10% are 65 or older.

Politics

Glasscock County is located in West Texas, one of the most strongly conservative areas of the nation. However, even by those standards, Glasscock County is heavily Republican. It has not supported a Democrat for president since 1960–the only time it has done so since 1948. In the last six elections, fewer than 100 voters have supported a Democratic candidate, and in the last five elections, the Republican has carried over 90 percent of the county's vote.

In the 2000 U.S. Presidential election, Glasscock County was the most strongly Republican county in the United States, giving 93.1% of its votes to Republican candidate George W. Bush 1.

  Year                               Republican                                Democratic                                Third parties
  ---------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------
  style=“text-align:center;” |2016   style=“text-align:center;” |91.6% _553_   style=“text-align:center;” |5.6% _34_     2.8% _17_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2012   style=“text-align:center;” |91.0% _526_   style=“text-align:center;” |7.6% _44_     1.4% _8_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2008   style=“text-align:center;” |90.1% _502_   style=“text-align:center;” |9.3% _52_     0.5% _3_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2004   style=“text-align:center;” |91.6% _488_   style=“text-align:center;” |8.3% _44_     0.2% _1_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2000   style=“text-align:center;” |92.5% _528_   style=“text-align:center;” |6.8% _39_     0.7% _4_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1996   style=“text-align:center;” |78.9% _382_   style=“text-align:center;” |14.5% _70_    6.6% _32_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1992   style=“text-align:center;” |66.0% _379_   style=“text-align:center;” |17.4% _100_   16.6% _95_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1988   style=“text-align:center;” |72.7% _384_   style=“text-align:center;” |27.1% _143_   0.2% _1_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1984   style=“text-align:center;” |75.2% _403_   style=“text-align:center;” |23.9% _128_   0.9% _5_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1980   style=“text-align:center;” |77.8% _416_   style=“text-align:center;” |21.7% _116_   0.6% _3_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1976   style=“text-align:center;” |52.8% _218_   style=“text-align:center;” |46.0% _190_   1.2% _5_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1972   style=“text-align:center;” |78.1% _288_   style=“text-align:center;” |20.3% _75_    1.6% _6_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1968   style=“text-align:center;” |37.8% _169_   style=“text-align:center;” |23.7% _106_   38.5% _172_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1964   style=“text-align:center;” |50.4% _183_   style=“text-align:center;” |49.3% _179_   0.3% _1_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1960   style=“text-align:center;” |41.5% _152_   style=“text-align:center;” |56.6% _207_   1.9% _7_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1956   style=“text-align:center;” |56.3% _224_   style=“text-align:center;” |43.7% _174_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1952   style=“text-align:center;” |54.4% _235_   style=“text-align:center;” |45.6% _197_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1948   style=“text-align:center;” |24.8% _69_    style=“text-align:center;” |67.6% _188_   7.6% _21_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1944   style=“text-align:center;” |12.6% _34_    style=“text-align:center;” |68.8% _185_   18.6% _50_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1940   style=“text-align:center;” |13.2% _41_    style=“text-align:center;” |86.2% _268_   0.6% _2_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1936   style=“text-align:center;” |10.3% _29_    style=“text-align:center;” |89.1% _252_   0.7% _2_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1932   style=“text-align:center;” |16.5% _42_    style=“text-align:center;” |83.5% _212_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1928   style=“text-align:center;” |78.5% _124_   style=“text-align:center;” |21.5% _34_    style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1924   style=“text-align:center;” |12.8% _14_    style=“text-align:center;” |81.7% _89_    5.5% _6_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1920   style=“text-align:center;” |21.4% _25_    style=“text-align:center;” |77.8% _91_    0.9% _1_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1916   style=“text-align:center;” |7.4% _8_      style=“text-align:center;” |88.9% _96_    3.7% _4_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1912   style="text-align:center;|                style=“text-align:center;” |100.0% _60_   style="text-align:center;|

  : PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS RESULTS[8]

This pro-Republican trend is reflected in party membership. During the 2008 Presidential primary in Texas, 19 voters from Glasscock County cast ballots in the Democratic race, while over 400 cast ballots in the Republican race. 2

Communities

Census-designated place

-   Garden City (county seat)

Unincorporated community

-   St. Lawrence

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6] Top 100 Oil and Gas Fields

[7]

[8]

title: Glasscock County, Texas

question: In what way does Glasscock County stand out in the political arena?

answer: Located in West Texas, Glasscock County was the most strongly Republican County in the US. It gave 93.1% of the votes to George W Bush 1. It has not supported a Democrat for president since 1960–the only time it has done so since 1948. In the last six elections, fewer than 100 voters have supported a Democratic candidate, and in the last five elections, the Republican has carried over 90 percent of the county's vote.


text:
It had had been weeks since I last had any scrap of nourishment go past my cold, slender lips. Ever since I broke off from the titanic sized school of shiny vessels, streaking through the endless darkness, I had been floating lonesome.

Life was tough on the continuous hunt for food. A lot of the other chums I knew, also ended up going at it alone. I think the thought of coming across a food source with that many other starved individuals scared a lot of them; I know that's why I went alone. I had a chilling feeling some left the group to die of starvation secretly, as to not look weak to the crowd of strangers.

It was the smallest flicker of light that caught the corner of my eye first.  My sluggish mind instantly assumes it will be nothing, like always, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of getting a meal in me. Battling an energyless body I changed my heading and rushed toward where I had seen the sparkle of hope. It was only a few minutes until the light came into view again, further away than I originally guessed, but I was going in the right direction. The light seemed to come and go in a steady glow, but it was getting bigger and bigger as I quickened my pace. This food was MINE. This was MY MEAL. I couldn't let anyone else get there before me. This was my last chance.

Completely drained of what tiny energy I had when I caught up to the glowing ball of substinance, I slowed my hunt down to a stalk, unsure of exactly what it was stalking. My luminous meal was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on. The gleaming eggplant shaped object was like a small star I orbited at ghostly distance. Being extra cautious not to shimmer any light  back toward my prey I inched closer and closer. A few minutes of creeping in, I swoop down below my dinner and get in position to attack.

In an instant, moving faster than this scaly old shell had before, I attacked the light. Mouth wide open, stomach full of joy, I could almost taste the glow, when I got the first glimmer of the end of my days. The colossal, polished white teeth came into view faster than my dinner zoomed away into the darkness in front of me. Like in slow motion the endless rim of razors closed over my entire body; the sharpened fangs glinted as i watched my flaming meal pull further into the distance.

Looking out into the closing obscurity I see the silver shimmer of one of my old chums, slowly circling the delicious looking sphere of light.

title: [MF] A short story about food

question: Is the narrator human?

answer: No, the passage implies that they are a predator.

question: What is the general theme of the story?

answer: The general theme of the story seems to revolve around survival.


text:
The PRINCIPAL SCIENTIFIC ADVISER (PSA) is the chief advisor to the government on matters related to scientific policy.[1] It is currently a Secretary level position created in 1999 by the AB Vajpayee government. At the time, the position was a Cabinet rank position, with the first PSA being APJ Abdul Kalam.[2][3] This was followed by Rajagopala Chidambaram who held the rank of a Minister of State and was the PSA for 16 years.[4] The current PSA is K. VijayRaghavan.[5]

The 'Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser', through the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) helps scientific cross-sectoral synergy across ministries, institutions and the industry.[6]

Appointees

There have been a total of three PSAs so far:

Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India advises the government in science and technology policies and interventions that are of strategic socio-economic importance to the country. This is done in collaboration with various ministries, institutions, academia and industry. The PM-STIAC is one of the catalysts for such tasks and also overseas the implementation of the tasks.[7]

Nine National Missions

On 6 March 2019, the PSA announced nine new science and technology missions with a focus on 'Science for People and People for Science':[8][9]

-   Natural Language Translation
-   Quantum Frontier
-   Artificial Intelligence
-   National Biodiversity Mission
-   Electric Vehicles
-   Bio-science for Human Health
-   Waste to Wealth
-   Deep Ocean Exploration
-   Accelerating Growth of New India's Innovations (AGNIi)

Other major projects include Research Clusters, Earth Museum, Brahmaputra River System, I-STEM Facilities Map and Energy Security.[10]

Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC)

The Council allows the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to ascertain the status, challenges and interventions needed in the science and technology domain so as to advise the PM is as best a manner as possible.[11] The PM's STIAC increases the collaboration and focus needed to answer complex problems in appropriate time periods.[12] One of the ways this is done is through it missions.[13]

Members

Members include:[14]

-   V. K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog & former Chairman, DRDO
-   A. S. Kiran Kumar, former Chairman, ISRO
-   Ajay Kumar Sood, Professor, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
-   Lieutenant General Madhuri Kanitkar, Dean, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune
-   Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay, Director, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata
-   Manjul Bhargava, Professor, Princeton University, USA
-   Subhash Kak, Professor, Oklahoma State University, USA
-   Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Forge, Pune

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]  Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India|website=psa.gov.in|access-date=2020-03-21}}

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14] (6 March 2019). Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STAIC) Press Release. PIB.

question: How did the position of Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) come to be?

answer: It was created in 1999 by the AB Vajpayee government as a Cabinet level position, but now is Secretary level. The PSA is chief advisor to the government on scientific policy matters.

question: What is the special focus of the Office of the PSA?

answer: Their chief effort is to advise the government of policies for science and technology, and suggest policy changes that are of strategic importance to the country of India.

question: What are the current missions of the PSA and what is their overall goal?

answer: Current missions include things like exploring Artificial Intelligence, development of electric vehicles, proper waste treatment, and exploring the deep ocean. The main focus is "Science for People and People for Science".

question: What is the role of the Prime Minister's Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council?

answer: They afford the Office of the PSA the status and interventions needed in the domain of science and technology to advise as efficiently and potently as possible.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: The Principal Scientific Advisor of India became a Cabinet level position in 1999 and is now a Secretary position. ITs main effort is to advise the Prime Minister and the government on science and technology, while suggesting policy changes of strategic socio-economic importance to India. The Office of the PSA's current missions include things like Artificial Intelligence, electric vehicles, waste treatment, and deep ocean exploration. The Prime Minister also has a special science and technology council which helps the Office of the PSA to be in the best position status and information-wise to aid and advise the PM in the best and most prevalent way possible.


text:
[Paris Saint-Germain's Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the UEFA Champions League Group A football match between Ludogorets Razgrad and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia on September 28, 2016. / AFP / DIMITAR DILKOFF (Photo credit should read DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images)]

DIMITAR DILKOFF/Getty Images

Paris Saint-Germain return to league action on Saturday afternoon as they host Girondins de Bordeaux at the Parc des Princes following their 3-1 UEFA Champions League victory over Ludogorets.

The Bulgarian side pushed them hard for huge portions of Wednesday's match, and if Cosmin Moti had tucked away his second-half penalty, the result could have been much different.

PSG have to improve, and Unai Emery has to find a way to get the best out of his side. That won't be easy when they take on a Bordeaux team who have made a flying start to the season.

  Andreas Karlsson @AndKarlsson

  Three points, that's all I take from this game. The performance was not very good, alot to work on for Emery and the players. #PSG

"The beginning of the match was very tough; it's never simple when you don't know your opponent so well," Thiago Silva commented in the post-match press conference. "After conceding we managed to take control of the match and create a lot of chances. We're happy with the result, even though it was hard fought."

Lessons will need to be learned quickly, and Les Girondins will offer a similar test.

Part of their quick start has come from the arrival of their new coach. Like PSG, Bordeaux also appointed a new manager in the summer, taking Jocelyn Gourvennec from EA Guingamp to the Stade Matmut Atlantique.

[Jocelyn Gourvennec—the new man at Bordeaux.]

Jocelyn Gourvennec—the new man at Bordeaux.NICOLAS TUCAT/Getty Images

He is a manager the Parisians know well, and despite PSG's four consecutive Ligue 1 crowns, the former Marseille player has a relatively good record against the capital club.

Gourvennec won promotion to Ligue 1 with the Breton side in 2013, and just four weeks into the new campaign, he was faced with a huge test. Just like he will on Saturday, he took on PSG at the Parc des Princes.

The record books will always show a 2-0 home win, but it was far from comfortable.

  Ligue1 English @Ligue1_ENG

  #L1WK1 @mattspiro looks at music loving @girondins boss #Gourvennec https://t.co/jgBQR1CQmk

Guingamp set up playing 4-3-3, loading the midfield with Mustapha Diallo and Younousse Sankhare providing power and toughness. Captain Lionel Mathis added some guile and experience to try to read the game.

Up front, similar to what Ludogorets did on Wednesday, the attack was filled with pace: Claudio Beauvue on the left, Fatih Atik on the right and the imposing Mustapha Yatabare leading the line.

The home side dominated the game—with 20 shots on goal, nine on target, and over 60 per cent possession—but EAG and Mamadou Samassa held firm, until the 91st minute.

With Guingamp close to winning a historic point, Adrien Rabiot—who came on for Javier Pastore with 26 minutes to go—found the back of the net with a left-foot shot as the game entered injury time.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic would seal it after converting from Gregory van der Wiel's pass. It flattered the home side, but the newly promoted team were proud of the way they played.

[Zlatan scores the second in the 2-0 win over Guingamp.]

Zlatan scores the second in the 2-0 win over Guingamp.KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/Getty Images

That was another example of PSG starting slowly, and it's a problem that has affected them for a number of years.

"The first half was difficult after we conceded that goal. But after our equaliser, we played our own game," Cavani told press after the Ludogorets win. "We found a way to put into place the things we work on in training. This is an important win. We need to keep working hard in order to keep on getting the wins."

After losing 2-0 to Toulouse in their last Ligue 1 fixture, the pressure is on Emery to pick up the three points. Gourvennec has yet to win a game in Paris, but he knows how to get a result against this club.

  PSG Tourist @PSGTourist

  Why are we back to this sterile 4-3-3 when we were told UE is a 4-2-3-1 man? IDK if I was expecting too much, but very meh so far. #PSG

Later in the 2013/14 season, after the 2-0 away defeat, he would use his favoured 4-4-2 formation to frustrate and trouble Laurent Blanc's team—who played 4-3-3—and Guingamp picked up a 1-1 draw, with Yatabare's 84th-minute header cancelled out by Alex three minutes later.

The next season, in the first encounter between the two sides of the campaign, Jeremy Pied's 11th-minute effort secured a memorable 1-0 home victory for Gourvennec's men.

Three years on, it was the same PSG midfield trio that started the game in Bulgaria on Wednesday: Marco Verratti, Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta.

They were the essence of everything Blanc built in Paris. It had looked like, with the emergence of Rabiot and the signing of Grzegorz Krychowiak, that their time together was over.

[Rabiot has been one of PSG's best players this season.]

Rabiot has been one of PSG's best players this season.Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images

It's unlikely that Emery will play all three on Saturday, mostly because of the challenge they faced on Wednesday and the journey back from Sofia.

That could work in the Spaniard's favour, though, with Bordeaux offering a similar test to PSG's recent Champions League opponents.

Bordeaux's away results this season have been mixed. Starting with a 4-1 defeat to Toulouse—which doesn't look as bad anymore—they then beat Lyon 3-1 at Parc OL to put the cat among the pigeons and make people sit up and take notice.

Metz had started the season well, but Gourvennec's team brushed them aside with an impressive 3-0 win in Matchday 6.

  Florent Toniutti @chronitactiques

  RAPPEL #Ligue1 Bordeaux : analyse tactique du nouveau projet de jeu (4-4-2) https://t.co/JejWC5jL1H #Girondins https://t.co/MQHm6v0uSv

In all three games, the Bordeaux coach has kept to his principals, playing 4-4-2. Only in the opening-day win over Saint-Etienne has he tried anything else, so it would be a surprise to see him deviate from that on Saturday.

Interestingly, the formation may be constant, but his selections have not. In those three away games, he has started 19 different players.

Playing against the 4-4-2 would be the perfect time for Emery to go back to the 4-2-3-1 that was so entertaining in pre-season.

Persisting with the 4-3-3, the buildup play is always ahead of the two central midfielders that sit in front of the defence, meaning it's easier for the away side to contain and protect the back four.

[Thiago Motta has struggled at times this season.]

Thiago Motta has struggled at times this season.DIMITAR DILKOFF/Getty Images

Playing with a base, most likely Rabiot and Krychowiak—possibly Verratti—gives an opportunity for a No. 10 like Pastore to penetrate between the lines and give the midfield another problem to think about.

Width is going to be key at the weekend. Bordeaux play well on the break, and Brazilian winger Malcom has started very brightly for FCGB and will be a threat. His pace is dangerous, and with him cutting inside onto his left-foot, combined with Diego Rolan, Gaetan Laborde and Thomas Toure, the big pitch in Paris could play into their hands.

Emery’s full-backs have been given permission to bomb forward, and in the 4-2-3-1, they should have more cover from whomever the former Sevilla man picks to start in attack.

  Jonathan Johnson @Jon_LeGossip

  L'Equipe also say PSG's Hatem Ben Arfa should be ready for Bordeaux tomorrow but probably will not start. Minor doubts remain over Jese.

It would be a surprise to see both Lucas Moura and Angel Di Maria again. This is a chance to look at Jese, Jean-Kevin Augustin, Hatem Ben Arfa—if he is declared fit—or even the exciting Nanitamo Ikone, who came off the bench at the end of the Ludogorets game and looked lively in pre-season.

His inclusion would be ideal and the perfect way to match Bordeaux down the flanks.

Saturday’s fixture is huge, as Emery needs a victory to try to steady the Ligue 1 ship. However, Bordeaux are playing exceptionally well and look to have fully bought into Gourvennec’s philosophy.

He is showing signs of taking Bordeaux to the next level the same way he did with Guingamp—which helped him pick up a number of positive results against the Parisian giants.

Emery will have to shake up his side and find a way to regain their entertaining, free-flowing style if they are to win convincingly on Saturday.

question: What does the article tell us about Jocelyn Gourvennec

answer: Jocelyn Gourvennec is the new manager of Bourdeaux. He was previously with EA Guingamp. He is a manager the Parisians know well, and despite PSG's four consecutive Ligue 1 crowns, the former Marseille player has a relatively good record against the capital club. Gourvennec won promotion to Ligue 1 with the Breton side in 2013.


text:
They’re Coming

My name is David Johnson, Sargent Johnson, and I’ll never forget the day it all went down, the day it collided with Earth. We had a century to plan for this one asteroid, barely 100 km wide, but only the rich saved themselves, went off to their ships and left us all here to die. They promised the military refuge, but when the asteroid came sooner than expected, they just turned tails and ran. For the last 2 years, I’ve been searching for survivors along with my squadron and what we found isn’t what we expected nor is it pleasing. The outside world is a wasteland devoid of life… until now.
While patrolling the perimeter we heard a small cry. When we found the source we were surprised by a small girl around 12 who looked confused and scared. We helped her up and took her to our base. Along the ride she started mumbling incomprehensible sounds and when we tried calming her she just blurted “They’re coming” and fell unconscious.
Subsequently, we stabilized her and let sleep overcome her. Then my squad and I started talking, thinking who this girl was, how had she survived, and most importantly what she meant by “They’re coming”. Of course the latter gave us all the creeps, although nobody openly admitted it. That was, after all, what the military was all about; showing strength and hiding weakness no matter what the situation presented.
When she finally woke up, we stared at her with expectant eyes and after an unbearable minute she got the cue and started explaining, to be honest, it’s not what any of us expected.
“They’re coming, we have to run.” She said in a normal fashion.
“Who the hell’s coming!” At that point, I’d lost my temper and started screaming at her.
“The ones who did this to us and the only ones who escaped it,” she exclaimed as she pointed towards the wasteland that lay behind us. Her words stinging and leaving a bitter taste in the back of our mind.
The same people who had promised to save us were the same people who set doom upon us. I was startled and couldn’t believe her words, didn’t want to believe her words. I mean, the scientist said an asteroid was coming, but a little push to it would explain why it came sooner, and according to this girl that little push was made by the rich folks. After a while of trying to explain to myself how it was possible since I couldn’t find any other explanation, she continued to talk:
“There’s a way to stop them,”
“Why would we?” I questioned, “We barely know you and now you’re asking us to stop an imaginary enemy who might or might not come here to destroy what’s left of us.”
“If you don’t believe me look outside,”
Just to prove her wrong, I walked through the door and took a peek outside. In the middle of the wasteland, I saw a single human figure just staring at us as if waiting for something. Then... all hell broke lose. As it came charging towards the encampment at an unnatural speed sirens started blaring to announce the base was on high alert. We grabbed our weapons and prepared for battle. Since we couldn't trust anyone, we started firing when it got within firing range. The bullets clashed against his skin, but it didn’t even flinch.
“I told you so,” I heard from behind me. It was the girl again.
“Would you shut the f-,” I retorted but, before I could finish she proceeded to use her arm as blades that went right through my upper torso, and with a vicious smile she pushed even farther until I could see the blood dripping off her fists.
“They’re coming.”
 Those were the last words I heard before darkness embraced me.

title: [SF] They're Coming

question: Summarize the story's twist ending.

answer: The strange figure charges toward the narrator and his allies. Then the girl who they rescues uses her arms as blades to pierce the narrator's torso. She says "They're coming."

question: Summarize everything related to the girl.

answer: A small girl around 12 is the source of a small cry. They help her up and take her back to the base. She starts mumbling incomprehensible sounds, and says "They're coming" before falling unconscious. When she wakes up, she explains that the ones who are coming are the ones who caused the apocalypse. She says there is a way to stop them. When the strange human figure charges at them, she uses her arms as blades to kill the narrator.

question: What does the story say about the narrator's family?

question: What does the story say about the state of the earth?

answer: An asteroid collided with Earth. The outside world was reduced to a wasteland devoid of life.


text:
CAROL LINDA BOGGS (born April 11, 1952) is an American biologist specializing in the reproductive biology, population biology, ecology, and evolution of butterflies. Boggs completed her BA in 1973 and her PhD in 1979 in zoology at the University of Texas at Austin. Since 2013, she has been a professor in the School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment and the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of South Carolina.[1] Boggs is the author of more than 120 peer-reviewed articles and has served on editorial boards for several journals. She has been a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 2001.[2]

Career

Boggs was a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University from 1980 to 1985. Shortly after, Stanford hired her as a lecturer and consulting assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences (1986-1997). She was promoted to associate professor (teaching) (1997–2002), consulting professor (2002–2006), and finally, professor (teaching) (2006–2012). In parallel with these appointments, she was also a senior research scientist with Stanford University (1994–2006). Boggs also held administrative appointments at Stanford University such as the associate director (1994–1995) and director (1995–2006) of the Center for Conservation Biology, and the Bing Director for the Program in Human Biology (2006–2012).[3] In 2013, Boggs moved to the University of South Carolina where she was hired as the director of the School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment (2013–2018) and as a professor in the School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment and the Department of Biological Sciences (2013–present).

Boggs has served on several editorial boards, either as a founding member or as an associate editor, for journals including _Functional Ecology_, _Ecological Applications_, _Evolution_, and the _Journal of Insect Conservation_. She has also worked with the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), serving on the board of trustees as a member for more than 13 years and as the president for 6 years. She has been a senior researcher with the RMBL since 1978.

Research and contributions

Boggs' early research as a PhD student was influenced by her supervisor who studied neotropical butterflies in Costa Rica and Trinidad. Gilbert was trained by another butterfly biologist, Paul R. Ehrlich, who specializes in population ecology and whom Boggs would eventually collaborate with at Stanford University in later years. Boggs' early work focused mainly on the reproductive biology, sexual selection, and resource allocation of butterflies. For instance, she was the first to show that male butterflies can donate nutrients to future offspring.[4] Her articles on the subject of male nuptial gifts[5] opened up a new research arena and remains some of her most highly cited work to date.

Later, Boggs' research continued with her work on both lab-reared colonies (e.g., _Colias eurytheme_) and natural populations (e.g., _Euphydryas editha_) of butterflies. She has also done long-term studies on temperate montane species at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, including the locally introduced Gillette's checkerspot (_Euphydryas gillettii_) and the Mormon fritillary (_Speyeria mormonia_). Her research on _S. mormonia_ in particular led to significant advancements in the understanding of the mechanisms underlying insect life history traits through the integration of knowledge on nutrient resource allocation.[6][7]

Boggs' research on _S. mormonia_ in the Colorado Rocky Mountains garnered media interest in 2013 when she used over two decades of long-term data to show how climate change can affect pollinator populations,[8] raising awareness of this important issue. She showed that a single climate driver, early snow melt, affected _S. mormonia_ population dynamics in indirect and direct ways. First, earlier snow melts led to situations where developing nectar flowers were decimated by early season frost events. For _S. mormonia_, this meant increased competition for nectar and therefore fewer eggs laid at the end of the season. In the following year after the eggs overwintered, early snow melts and early season frost events impacted the population once again, but this time directly through mortality of post-diapause caterpillars. Combined, the effects of early snow melt in two consecutive years explained as much as 84% of the variation in the population growth rate. In a _New York Times_ interview, her co-author on the paper, David W. Inouye, stated that, “It is very unusual for research to uncover such a simple mechanism that can explain almost all of the variation in growth rate of an insect population”.[9] At the time the article was published, very few studies existed that illustrated the mechanisms whereby climate change can affect species' life history traits and fitness.

Overall, Boggs' work has mainly focused on determining how environmental variation affects individuals, populations, and species interactions.

Honors and awards

Boggs became a fellow of the California Academy of Sciences in 2000[10] and the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2001.[11] She also served as the Stanford Friends University fellow in Undergraduate Education (2010–2012). In 2012, Boggs was awarded the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Distinctive Contributions to Undergraduate Teaching at Stanford University.[12]

Selected publications

Books

-   Boggs, C. L.; Watt, W. B. & Ehrlich, P. R., eds. (2003). _Butterflies: Ecology and Evolution Taking Flight_. University of Chicago Press. 736 pp.

Selected papers

-   Boggs, C. L. & Gilbert, L. E. (1979). “Male contribution to egg production in butterflies: Evidence for transfer of nutrients at mating”. _Science_. 206: 83–84.
-   McLaughlin, J. F.; Hellmann, J.; Boggs, C. L. & Ehrlich, P. R. (2002). “Climate change hastens population extinctions”. _Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America_. 99: 6070–6074.
-   Fleishman, E.; Ray, C.; Sjögren-Gulve, P.; Boggs, C. L. & Murphy, D. D. (2002). “Assessing the relative roles of patch quality, area, and isolation in predicting metapopulation dynamics”. _Conservation Biology_. 16: 706–716.
-   Morris, W. F.; Pfister, C. A.; Tuljapurkar, S.; Haridas, C. V.; Boggs, C. L.; Boyce, M. S.; Bruna, E. M.; Church, D. R.; Coulson, T.; Doak, D. F.; Forsyth, S.; Gaillard, J-M.; Horvitz, C. C.; Kalisz, S.; Kendall, B. E.; Knight, T. M.; Lee, C. T. & Menges, E. S. (2008). “Longevity can buffer plant and animal populations against changing climatic uncertainty”. _Ecology_. 89: 19–25.
-   Chan, K. M. A.; Pringle, R. M.; Ranganathan, J.; Boggs, C. L.; Chan, Y. E.; Ehrlich, P. R.; Haff, P.; Heller, N. E.; Al-Khafaji, K. & MacMynowski, D. (2007). “When Agendas Collide: Human Welfare and Biological Conservation”. _Conservation Biology_. 21: 59–68.
-   Boggs, C. L. (1990). “A general model of the role of male-donated nutrients in female insects' reproduction”. _American Naturalist_. 136: 598–617.
-   Boggs, C. L. & Ross, C. L. (1993). “The effect of adult food limitation on life history traits in _Speyeria mormonia_ (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)”. _Ecology_. 74: 433–441.
-   Boggs, C. L. (1981). “Nutritional and life history determinants of resource allocation in holometabolous insects”. _American Naturalist_. 117: 692–709.
-   Dunlap-Pianka, H.; Boggs, C. L. & Gilbert, L. E. (1977). “Ovarian dynamics in heliconiine butterflies: Programmed senescence versus eternal youth”. _Science_. 197: 487–490.

[1] “Faculty and Staff Directory”. University of South Carolina. Retrieved October 10, 2019.

[2]

[3] “Stanford Profiles”. Stanford University. Retrieved October 10, 2019.

[4] Boggs, Carol L. & Gilbert, Lawrence E. (1979). “Male contribution to egg production in butterflies: evidence for transfer of nutrients during mating”. _Science_: 83-84.

[5] Boggs, Carol L. (May 2009). “A general model of the role of male-donated nutrients in female insects' reproduction”. _The American Naturalist_. 136: 598-617.

[6] Boggs, Carol L. (May 1981). “Nutritional and life-history determinants of resource allocation in holometabolous insects”. _American Naturalist_. 117: 692-709.

[7] Boggs, Carol L. (January 2009). “Understanding insect life histories and senescence through a resource allocation lens”. _Functional Ecology_. 23: 27-37.

[8] Boggs, Carol L. & Inouye, David W. (2012). “A single climate driver has direct and indirect effects on insect population dynamics”. _Ecology Letters_. 15: 502-508.

[9] Garthwaite, Josie (March 19, 2012). “A Spring Sprung Too Soon Is Death Blow to a Butterfly”. _New York Times_. Retrieved October 10, 2019.

[10]

[11]

[12] “Stanford Report”. Stanford University. (June 11, 2012). Retrieved October 10, 2019.

title: Carol L. Boggs

question: What does the text say about Boggs' life in the 70s?

answer: Boggs completed her BA in 1973. In 1978, she became a senior researcher with the RMBL. In 1979, she received her PhD in zoology at the University of Texas at Austin. Her early research as a PhD student was influenced by her supervisor who studied neotropical butterflies in Costa Rica and Trindad.

question: Summarize everything related to research in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and climate change.

answer: In Boggs' later research, she focused on S.mormonia in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. This garnered media interest in 2013 when she used over two decades to show how climate change can affect pollinator populations. She showed how early snow melt affected S.mormonia's population dynamics in indirect and direct ways. The effects of early snow melt over two years explained as much as 84% of the variation in the decreasing population growth.

question: What does the text say about Boggs' awards and honors?

answer: Boggs became a fellow of the California Academy of Sciences in 2000, and a fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2001. From 2010 to 2012, she served as the Stanford Friends University fellow in Undergraduate Education. She was awarded the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Distinctive Contributions to Undergraduate Teaching at Stanford University in 2012.

question: What does the text say about Boggs' marriage?


text:
A private prison company forced immigrant detainees to work for as little as $1 per day if they wanted toilet paper, toothpaste, and safe lodging, according to a new lawsuit filed on Tuesday.

The class action suit, filed in federal court for the Middle District of Georgia, pits three plaintiffs––Wilhen Hill Barrientos, Margarito Velazquez Galicia, and Shoahib Ahmed––against CoreCivic, the nation’s largest private prison company. Barrientos and Velazquez Galicia are both currently detained in the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Ga. Ahmed was previously detained there before giving up his asylum claim. The three allege that CoreCivic is violating a federal anti-human trafficking law with the work program that it oversees.

The detention center characterizes its work program as voluntary. But according to the lawsuit detainees are paid pennies per hour––generally $1 to $4 per day—for tasks such as mopping floors, scrubbing toilets, and serving meals. The lawsuit quotes a report from the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general finding that staff at the Stewart facility didn’t give detainees soap, toilet paper, and toothpaste “promptly or at all when detainees ran out of them.”

“In one instance, Mr. Barrientos ran out of toilet paper and requested another roll from a CoreCivic officer,” the lawsuit says. “The CoreCivic officer told Mr. Barrientos to use his fingers to clean himself.”

According to the lawsuit, detainees are directed to use their wages to buy toilet paper and other hygiene products from the detention center commissary. And the only way immigrants can talk to their family outside the detention center is if they buy costly phone cards from the commissary, according to the lawsuit.

The suit says officers at the facility threatened to revoke Barrientos’ access to the commissary if he called in sick.

Immigrants who resist participating in the work program can face criminal charges or up to 30 days in solitary confinement, the suit says. They also are subjected to worse living quarters.

Those who participate in the work program sometimes get to stay in private two-person “pods” with functioning showers and private bathrooms—a notable upgrade from the conditions of the main dormitories.

“There is no privacy,” the suit says of those dormitories. “The lights in these dorms are on all day and night, requiring some detained immigrants to fold socks over their eyes in order to sleep. There is one bathroom in these dorms with three to four toilets, three to four urinals, and four sinks. This shared bathroom is often filthy, to the extent that the pod residents at times have to plug or cover their noses to avoid the overwhelming and festering stench. The showers in the open dormitories do not have temperature control and provide only extremely hot water. The open dormitories are also the site of frequent conflict and even violence. Indeed, the detained immigrants refer to open dormitories as ‘El Gallinero,’ or ‘the Chicken Coop,’ for both the conditions and overcrowded living quarters.”

CoreCivic on Wednesday said their work program complies with all federal rules.

"As a matter of policy, we do not comment on pending litigation," said spokesperson Jonathan Burns. "Regarding detainee work in our facilities, all work programs at our ICE detention facilities are completely voluntary and operated in full compliance with ICE standards, including federally mandated statutory reimbursement rates for Voluntary Work Program participants. We have worked in close partnership with ICE for more than 30 years and will continue to provide a safe and humane environment to those entrusted to our care."

Attorneys from the Southern Poverty Law Center are working with the litigants, as are attorneys from Project South, Burns Charest LLP, and the Law Office of R. Andrew Free.

This isn’t the only suit targeting private prison companies over work programs, and CoreCivic isn’t the only company facing this kind of litigation. Last year, a federal judge in Colorado granted class certification to a similar lawsuit, letting thousands of current and former detainees join on to a lawsuit against GEO Group, the country’s second biggest private prison company.

These lawsuits have drawn the attention of lawmakers. Earlier this year, 18 Republican members of Congress wrote a letter defending forced labor practices under the justification that work programs are good for morale.

question: Based on the passage, summarize what the purpose of CoreCivic's Stewart Detention Center is.

answer: The Stewart Detention Center's purpose is to house immigrant detainees. The prison areas are not called cells, but are referred to as dorms and pods, which alludes to the intention of the structure being less of a prison than it sounds. However, the passage indicates that the detainees are treated harshly by the CoreCivic officers, which implies that in practice, it is still a prison. Details about lack of supplies and unmaintained facilities shows that the Center is originally meant to provide for the daily necessities of the detainees.

question: What does the passage say about the total population of prisoners in the Center?


text:
CLAUDIA LAPP (born 1946) is a poet born in Stuttgart, Germany.[1] She graduated from Bennington College in Vermont with a BA in French and German Literature, minor in Music, and then moved to Montreal, Quebec. [2] She was a member of the Vehicule Poets, an experimental writing collective formed in Montreal in the 1970s and worked at John Abbott College in the English department and the Montreal Museum of Fine Art in the Education department. The other poets that she taught with in the English include David Solway, Peter van Toorn, Endre Farkas and Matthew von Baeyer. After being involved with the Montreal literary scene for eleven years from 1968-1979, she moved to Maryland and then Oregon in 1991. In 2002, she emceed a popular weekly poetry series at Cozmic Pizza in Eugene, Oregon. She has worked as an Exhibit Interpreter at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum for 8+ years. She is also a practicing astrologer and film photographer.[3]

She participated in Dial-A-Poem Montreal from 1985 to 1987.[4]

Publications

Poetry

-   _Honey_. Montreal, QC: Véhicule Press, 1973/77.
-   _Dakini_. Montreal, QC: Véhicule Press, 1974.
-   _Horses_. Montreal, QC: Véhicule Press, 1978.
-   _Cloud Gate_. Ste. Anne de Bellevue: The Muses’ Company, 1985.
-   _Water and Fire_. Eugene, OR: Dakini Press, 1998.
-   _Buch_. Eugene, OR: Fae Press, 2013.

[1]

[2] https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/d19e1a_c800efd848c4872ac3353e58af5a4b8e.pdf

[3] Jason Camlot and Todd Swift (eds). _The Vehicule Poets_. http://www.ottawater.com/poetics/poetics07/07vehiclegangprint.html

[4] Heather Hill. “Book fest focuses on Quebec writers.” _The Gazette_. April 15, 1986. p. 22.

title: Claudia Lapp

question: Who is Claudia Lapp?

answer: A German poet who graduated from Bennington College in Vermont.

question: Where has she lived and worked?

answer: She lived in Montreal, Quebec, Maryland, and finally Oregon.

question: What is she known for?

answer: Being a member of the Vehicule Poets, working at John Abbot College, the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum.

question: What was her latest publication?

answer: "Buch" in Eugene, Oregon.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: Claudia Lapp is a poet born in Stuttgart, Germany. She graduated from Bennington College in Vermont, then moved to Montreal, Quebec. There, she was a member of the Vehicule Poets and worked at John Abbott College and the Montreal Museum of Fine Art. She moved to Maryland and finally Eugene, Oregon. She has published a number of works and worked at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum for over 8 years.


text:
The PORT OF GALVESTON is the port of the city of Galveston, Texas. It was established by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, while the land known today as Texas was still part of Mexico. The Port of Galveston is the oldest port in the Gulf of Mexico west of New Orleans.[1]

Overview

[Cranes at the Port of Galveston container terminal] Located on the upper Texas coast on the eastern end of Galveston Island, it is from the open Gulf or approximately 30 minutes sailing time. The port is municipally owned by the City of Galveston and is managed by the Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves, as designated by the City Charter. The port is self-sustaining, and does not receive any taxpayer funding.[2] The Port of Galveston consists of the Galveston Ship Channel, the south side of Pelican Island, the north side of Galveston Island, and the entrance to Galveston Bay. The Galveston Channel has an authorized minimum depth of [3] and is wide at its narrowest point.

The port has 15-20 lines of business.[4]

In 2015, the eastern section of the port, ending at Pier 38, was dredged to a depth of . Siltation occurred at a faster than expected pace, requiring more dredging in 2016. The western part of the port will be dredged from a dept of to , at a cost of $12–15 million.[5] To accommodate cruise ships, the area where the ships turn around is routinely dredged every four years.[6]

History

[Postcard depicting people loading cotton at Galveston Wharfs & Harbor, undated]

During the late 19th century, the port was the busiest on the Gulf Coast and considered to be second busiest in the country, next to the port of New York City.[7] In the 1850s, the port of Galveston exported approximately goods valued almost 20 times what was imported. The main export was cotton.[8] The Galveston Wharf Company took control of the port in 1869.[9] They built a grain elevator in 1875, leading Galveston to become a major grain exporter over the next few decades.[10] By 1878, the port of Galveston was the nation's 3rd largest cotton exporter; they fell to 5th by 1882.[11] Galveston's wealth and great esteem was due in large part to the port's activity.[12] As other areas of the United States began to transition to a more industrial economy, Galveston was unable to compete. The port continued to primarily export agricultural goods. Local leaders often blamed the lack of industrial goods to export on the city's lack of an adequate water supply. However, when the city water project finished in the early 1890s, industrialization still did not occur. In reality, many companies were hesitant to invest in machinery on an island prone to floods.[13][14] The nearby city of Houston was able to better attract industry and began positioning themselves as a viable alternative to Galveston.[15]

The port survived the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 relatively unscathed, but the railroad connecting the island to the mainland suffered significant damage.[16] In response to the hurricane, city leaders dredged the ship channel to raise the island's grade. As a result, the port was now considered a deep-water port and was able to handle larger ships.[17] By the time World War I began, Galveston “was the leading cotton port in the world, the third-largest exporter of wheat, and an important sugar import center.”[18] The port also became a major immigration center, with almost 50,000 people entering the country between 1906 and 1914.[19]

In March 1920 local longshoreman called for a strike, seeking a wage increase and recognition of their union, the International Longshoreman's Association. Some of the port traffic was diverted to the Port of Port Arthur. Some businesses threatened to pull out of Galveston completely if the port wasn't reopened. Governor William P. Hobby declared martial law and sent the Texas National Guard to take control of the city and the port. The city was under martial law until January 1921, when the longshoreman agreed to return to work for a salary increase that was less than they had sought.[20]

Later that decade, the port of Galveston became a major sulphur exporter.[21] As the oil industry expanded in Texas, no pipelines were built to Galveston.[22]

The Intracoastal Canal opened in 1933.[23]

For several years in the 1990s, port officials attempted to lure modern cruise ships to Galveston. Their efforts paid off in 2000. On September 30, the Carnival Cruise Lines ship _Celebration_ debarked from the port of Galveston. The long _Celebration_, and other ships based in Galveston in the first few years, were small and older.[24] Over the next 16 years, the port invested more than $85 million to build and improve facilities to accommodate these ships.[25] Princess declined to sail from Galveston after the 2007 season.[26]

Hurricane Ike hit the Texas Gulf Coast in 2008, causing major damage to the port. The cruise terminals were closed for several months, forcing Carnival to use the Bayport Cruise Terminal temporarily.[27]

At Carnival's behest, the port embarked on major improvements to Terminal 1 in 2010. The terminal was expanded to provide more seating, restrooms, and security screening stations.[28][29] In 2011, Carnival added a second year-round ship in Galveston, the _Carnival Triumph_, increasing their capacity by 40%. The following year, Carnival transferred the _Carnival Magic_, to Galveston, marking the first time that a cruise line had based its newest ship at this port.[30] Both Princess Cruise Lines and Disney Cruise Lines stationed ships in Galveston for the winter season in 2012-2013.[31] From 2014 to 2015, the cruise business expanded substantially, adding an additional 400,000 passengers.[32]

In order to lure larger ships, carrying up to 5,000 passengers, the port renovated and expanded Terminal 2.[33] A new building was constructed on the foundations of an 80-year-old silo and then connected to the original Terminal 2.[34] The port's contract with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines specified that the work would be completed before the _Liberty of the Seas_ was repositioned to Galveston. Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival expressed public displeasure when the project was delayed multiple times. One delay was due to a redesign required when engineers discovered the work area had sandier soil than expected and would thus require a more sturdy foundation. The construction area was thought to be the location of a sunk Texas Navy warship, requiring archaeological analysis before construction could begin.[35]

Cargo

The port is equipped to handle all types of cargo including containers, dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk, RO/RO, refrigerated, and project cargoes. The Galveston Railroad, a terminal switching railroad, facilitates movement of cargo by rail.[36]

Del Monte uses one wharf to import bananas.[37] In April 2016, a new vehicle distribution center for BMW Group was opened at the port. This was the result of a public-private partnership that the port entered into with Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Vehicle Services Americas.[38] The new site has the capacity to import 32,500 cars per year, an inventory worth more than $1.3 billion.[39]

Passengers

[The cruise industry has become a major source of operating revenue for the Port of Galveston] As of 2018, Galveston is the 4th-busiest cruise ship homeport in North America[40] and one of the top 10 homeports in the world.[41] Over the years, the port has welcomed ships from major cruise lines including Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Lines, and Norwegian Cruise Lines.[42] In 2018, three Carnival ships and two Royal Caribbean ships call the port home year-round, while Disney operates one ship for limited sailings. An estimated 1 million cruise passengers will sail from the port in 2018, a nine percent increase over 2017.[43] A 2015 economic analysis estimated that cruise passengers injected $56 million per year into the local Galveston economy, an average of $62 per passenger.[44]

There are two dedicated cruise terminals. Unlike many other ports, the cruise terminals are not used for other activities, such as conferences or corporate events.[45] Terminal 1 was expanded and improved in 2010, as a condition of Carnival Cruise Line placing their then-newest ship, the _Carnival Magic_ at the port.[46][47] Terminal 2 was expanded in 2016 to accommodate Royal Caribbean's desire to base their larger _Freedom_-class ships in Galveston.[48][49] The new facility can accommodate up to 5,000 passengers and allows for simultaneous handling of passengers embarking and disembarking.[50] Port officials have earmarked $100,000 for the design of a third terminal, but are waiting for definitive interest from a cruise line before beginning work.[51]

The port receives fees of $11–$26 per cruise ship passenger, depending on whether port employees are responsible for tying the ship down, or for paying the harbor pilots responsible for bringing the ships into the port.[52] Cruises account for approximately 60% of the port's revenues.[53]

Unlike other cruise ports in the United States, the port of Galveston can be affected by fog, particularly in late December, January, and February. This can delay the ships' return to port.[54] Beginning in 2014, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission began collecting taxes from returning cruise passengers on any alcohol and cigarettes they had purchased onboard or in foreign ports.[55]

Other revenue streams

Much of the port's profit comes from parking fees.[56] Approximately two-thirds of Galveston cruise passengers drive to the port.[57] The port operates a large parking lot for cruise passengers to leave their cars.[58] It also charges an access fee for private operators to enter the cruise terminal area to pick up or drop off passengers. Several parking operators sued the port over these fees. In January 2017, the United States Federal Maritime Commission unanimously upheld the port's right to charge them.[59]

In February 2016, the port completed construction on the Galveston Downtown Transit Terminal. Designed to “connect the port to the city itself”, the facility contains a shopping center and parking.[60]

[1] Handbook of Texas: Galveston Wharves

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7] Wright-Gidley and Marines, p. 87

[8]

[9] McComb, p. 168.

[10] McComb, p. 49.

[11] McComb, p. 47.

[12]

[13]

[14] McComb, p, 48.

[15]

[16]

[17] Wright-Gidley and Marines, p. 88.

[18]

[19]

[20] McComb, p. 167.

[21] McComb, p. 168.

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36] Handbook of Texas: Galveston Railway

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

[43]

[44]

[45]

[46]

[47]

[48]

[49]

[50]

[51]

[52]

[53]

[54]

[55]

[56]

[57]

[58]

[59]

[60]

title: Port of Galveston

question: What does the text say about Dallas, Texas?

question: What does the text say about the Port of Galveston?

answer: The Port of Galveston is the port of the city of Galveston, Texas located on the upper Texas coast on the eastern end of Galveston Island. It was established on October 17, 1825, by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico when the land was still part of Mexico. The Galveston Port consists of the Galveston Ship Channel, the south side of Pelican Island, the north side of Galveston Island, and the entrance to Galveston Bay. The port is municipally owned by the City of Galveston and managed by the Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves, as designated by the City Charter. The port is self-sustaining and does not receive any taxpayer funding, with most of the profit coming from parking fees from cruise ship passengers who drive to the port. It also charges an access fee for private operators to enter the cruise terminal area to pick up or drop off passengers. The Galveston Port has 15-20 lines of business and is equipped to handle all types of cargo, including containers, dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk, RO/RO, refrigerated, and project cargoes. The Galveston Railroad facilitates the movement of cargo by rail.

question: Summarize some interesting facts about the Port of Galveston.

answer: The Port of Galveston is the oldest port in the Gulf of Mexico west of New Orleans. The port survived the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 relatively unscathed. Galveston was the leading cotton port in the world during World War I and became a major immigration center, with almost 50,000 people entering the country between 1906 and 1914. No pipelines were built to Galveston despite the oil industry expanding in Texas. A new building was constructed on the foundations of an 80-year old silo which was thought to be the location of a sunk Texas Navy warship requiring archaeological analysis before construction could begin. Unlike other cruise ports in the United States, the port of Galveston can be affected by fog, particularly in late December, January, and February. Fog can delay the ships' return to port.

question: Summarize the history of the Port of Galveston.

answer: The Port of Galveston was the busiest port on the Gulf Coast and the second busiest in the country (behind the port of New York City) during the late 19th century. The port exported goods valued almost 20 times what was imported, with the main export being cotton. The Galveston Wharf Company took control of the port in 1869 and built a grain elevator in 1875, which made Galveston a major grain exporter over the next few decades. Galveston's wealth was due in large part to the port's activity. The city was unable to compete with other cities when the United States began to transition to a more industrial economy. Blame was placed on the city's lack of an adequate water supply, but when the city water project was completed in 1890, industrialization still didn't occur. The real reason companies didn't want to invest in machinery was because the island was prone to floods. After surviving the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, city leaders dredged the ship channel to raise the island's grade, making the port a deep-water port that was able to handle larger ships.


text:
Tick....Tick....Tick...

That old clock still has my number. The cats eyes go back and forth, but they're always watching me. From the kitchen, to the living room, and though the walls seperate us, I can feel it watching in the bathroom. Shampoo bottles half empty, my blow dryer and bubble bath. I don't need these things, but I need to take them. I picked a few empty boxes from the grocery nearby, but havent filled up one yet.

Tick....Tick...

If I just sit on the floor..no, if I lay actually, I can see the colors of the curtains and couches swirling around. I'm not high yet, nothing to drink this early, and still I'm spinning. I want to rip the books off of the shelf and hurl them at the TV, but then I won't have the white noise. Maury or something is playing, they're about to find out if some guy is the father to a child of a loud woman. I hope he's not.
    If I get up now, and start collecting and packing, I'll likely feel a sense of accomplishment, that's what I've been primed to believe, but what really will be done? I'll have moved on from a place of comfort, even if it has grown less familiar. I'll be carrying my things, physical and emotional, from block to block, searching for a new place to put down my baggage. Who does that help, and what does it accomplish?
    Maybe I'll just leave it all. Who needs these things; pots and pans, frilly curtains and polished oak poles. If I'd spent less time picking them out, maybe I wouldn't feel so conflicted. What do I need from here anymore, and what did I need from here to begin with? I'm wondering if I ever felt truly at home here, or if I bought these accessories to distract myself from an empty feeling I've always had inside these walls.

Tick....Tick...

If I step onto the balcony and look below, I can see the flower garden meant to be cared for by this floor, the apartments above and below, and mine. A bare area in the middle where I got lazy, or apathetic, or forgetful. I don't remember the last time I planted something, and It's harder to remember if it was out of a gradual lack of interest, or if there was a clear and defined event that curbed my desire to make the patch of earth I was responsible for a nicer and more beautiful thing to see and touch. I normally have an ashtray, but I think It's in one of the boxes now, so It can't hurt too much to flick one cigarette off the porch, just this time.
    I've been avoiding our room. I can't be in there, I keep thinking. It's too hard, I keep saying. I wonder though if I feel ashamed, or If I feel betrayed. I don't know why he did it, but I wonder if it was my fault. Maybe I wasn't loving enough, or maybe I was distracted dwelling in my dark times and failed to see his. I've been told before about the distraction. My parents, my friends, I'm always reffered to as if I'm empty headed, or just careless to others feeling. Maybe I am? Is this an opportunity to work on a bad habit and salvage future relationships? Should I take the plates and silverware? I could just buy more, but I did pick these out specifically because they matched our dining room walls and table. If I find myself lying on the floor again, does that say something about my desire to take what's mine anymore? What is mine, anymore?

Tick....

I think I should just leave this place behind and move on, to something scary and brand new and different. Maybe I should change my hair, my name, throw out all of my clothes and start a new life. I'm lost, but still alive. I'll leave these possessions, and the boxes, and just walk east.
    I will walk into our room one last time, and say goodbye, and kiss his forehead. That at the very least will save me from worrying about taking my red lipstick, and I may as well leave the rest of my makeup too. The clock is still watching though, so perhaps I'll just send a postcard from my new life.

'Love From Sunny Somewhere, Wish You Were Here!'

And I do, wish you were here. Just like I know I'll wish you were with me anywhere I go. I can't pretend things are a certain way anymore though, just like I know now you couldn't.
So If I just leave it all behind, what will be waiting for me outside?
    The trees and sidewalks, the birds and buses, all with purpose, ill defined, with expectations just like mine. Dependent on the will of other people to make our purpose known, and weak enough to be benign as soon as others cease to use us.

So I do, leave the boxes, but I think I'll take that fucking clock.

title: [MF] How Small We Are

question: What's the narrator's gender?

answer: Implied female as she has makeup and lipstick she's contemplating leaving behind.

question: Why is the narrator moving out?

answer: It's implied that their relationship has fallen apart.

question: Why does the narrator want to leave everything behind?

answer: They feel apathy and depression over the prospect of starting anew.

question: What is the "Tick... Tick..."?

answer: The sound of the clock pestering the narrator.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator is going through their stuff that they're packing away in boxes to move as their relationship has recently fallen apart.


text:
So we all went to play pool at Robinson's Billiards, which has become a regular occurrence for the four or five of us, perhaps an obsession. We were going around three times a week, and we were all getting quite good, but Mike was undoubtedly the best. This time would be different though, as Steve invited a few girls we knew from the "sister school" and they were coming along too. Everyone was dressed a little nicer and saw an incoming fart as a dangerous prospect rather than a hilarious potential missile.

We showed up and went downstairs to our two usual tables. The girls arrived a few minutes later and it was fun for a while. It was clear that the guys were a little more focused on their "game" rather than on running the table. However, Robinson's does seem to attract at weird bunch of people, almost unanimously at least a few years older than us, and this night soon became a prime example of that. In came a large, boisterous, extremely round man with one of those beards that look like he tried to replicate his buzz-cut on the lower side of his head as well. He was with an equally shady looking guy of average height, muscular build, and a clear Italian background. Of course, they came downstairs and set up at one of the two remaining tables in the room right next to us. I thought I was being paranoid but I could tell that they would be trouble. They'd only been here for two minutes and already discussed "Rachel" and her apparent slutiness loudly enough for the entire pool hall to hear, along with a number of similarly interesting topics. I could also tell they were already quite drunk, and by the beer pitcher brought with them from the adjacent bar, I could tell that they would soon be a little "more" drunk.

I tried to ignore them until I had a reason not to, and I felt it wouldn't be long. They were already cracking jokes among themselves about all kinds of people in the pool hall: the dedicated throng of Asian players, the oddly matched couple, the old man practicing alone, and of course, us. They weren't there to play pool, for all we knew they were only here because they got kicked out of some other place. I appeared to be the only one who really took much notice; everyone else was having a good time playing still. I beat Dan twice and I was feeling pretty good about myself until I realized that appearing good at pool isn't really much more attractive to girls than being average at pool.

It only took a few games before it started. Sure enough, the "round guy" looks right at Sarah with this stupid grin, "How about a number, hunny?" and looking to his buddy, "I'd like to tap that." Thunderous laughter among the two of them for round guy's bout of comedy genius. Sarah becomes very clearly embarrassed and angry, but we all try to ignore it and hope that's the last of it. Dan lines up for a shot and round guy pulls his cue just as he goes to hit the ball and of course this is followed by more laughter. More comments come our way, particularly towards Dan's "greaseball" hair, my apparently "stuck up rich-kid" look, Sarah's ass, and the ugliness of her friends. Steve, the more "macho", confident one of us, had had enough. I thought "of course, another opportunity for him to make Sarah fall for him even more." I didn't like Steve that much, he was kind of a jerk, but I guess it's times like these where it's good to have him around, or so I thought. "Do you guys honestly think you're funny here? We're just here to play, who are you to say this shit?" It didn't come out like usual. He was nearly trembling, clearly intimidated by the two thugs. They could barely contain their laughter enough to manage a response. It was hopeless. Steve began to gather our things, "Fine, lets move. If they want this whole room to themselves then we'll just let them have it. We'll never win at this." It seemed like the best option, so we agreed. I knew what would happen next. Round man and his apprentice would soon realize their next hilarious act and follow us to our new table. They did, and it all started again.

Mike, unusually late, pulled up right then. We first heard him, as he was driving an old Camaro and pulled up right next to the big window by the entrance. It was an unusual car for him, Mike was known for being really shy and avoided conflict always, so this screaming muscle-car was a bit out of character. He'd made money on the internet somehow and fixed this up last year, Junior year. Of course, he went right up to Sarah as he arrived. Everyone knew he was crazy about Sarah, but she was a bit out of his league. They were friends and he took her to prom, but he seemed unable to accept that she wasn't interested in him like that. "What's wrong? You don't look okay," I heard him ask her quietly, and she just looked at him. Dan pulled him aside and told him what was happening I'm not sure what for. Honestly, was *Mike Harris* going to be the one who would tell these guys off and solve this? I'd only ever seen Mike even remotely mad once before, and that was when Ben made fun of the autistic kid to his face at lunch. Otherwise, he was one of the most mellow, peaceful guys I'd ever met, and it certainly wouldn't be out of place to call him a little unconfident. Mike looked at Sarah again, but this time he was angry, perhaps for the second time in his life. He just stared off into space for a while, clearly thinking. Again, this is Mike Harris, not exactly the guy we needed right now. Mike stopped staring off and walked over to Steve who was finishing a game and began to tell him something. I couldn't make out all that was said, but I did hear him tell Steve, "don't ask me why I'm playing bad, don't even mention it." They racked the balls up for a new game. Mike, usually ridiculously good, played worse than I'd ever seen him, bad enough to attract the attention, and laughter, of our new friends. He chipped balls right off the table, scratched nearly every shot, missed everything, and all with this very serious, frustrated look on his face.

The insults were all directed right at Mike now. Maybe this was his plan, sacrifice his dignity to help Sarah. Not exactly a great plan to increase his chances with her, but I guess he was doing a good enough job of this plan. "Hey kid, you drive that piece of shit this smooth?" and Mike turned around. "Look, that's enough. Clearly we all can't be here at the same time. Let's play for it, $20 and the loser leaves." This was all directed right at round guy, who fell right for it. Barely able to contain himself, thinking he's frustrated this kid into giving up easy money, he agrees. "Sure kid, let's see you try to impress your little girlfriends over there." Mike looked over at the pool hall attendant that night, "You hear that Aaron, we're playing for rights to stay here and play tonight." Aaron was massive too, undoubtedly even bugger than the round guy, and he was talking with another employee from the bar who seemed equally interested. Aaron just nodded, he knew Mike. Aaron was almost a professional player, but Mike still tried to beat him every time he came in, and you could tell he liked Mike.

So they played. "I'll give us a good break, how about that, little guy?" "Go right ahead." I'd never seen Mike like this, he already knew it was all going to work. The game was over even sooner than it had began. In  a stark contrast to his previous game, Mike pocked four balls in his first turn after round guy's fruitless break. After one more turn each, round guy had five balls remaining and Mike was ready to pocket his final solid ball. "The little shit hustled me." "Ya think?" Mike fired off as he looked directly at the drunken pair and not at the shot he sunk. In perfect position for the 8-ball, Mike smiled over at us and finished the game.

"Funny thing is, kid thinks I'm going to pay." "Don't care, just fuckin' leave." This clearly enrages the two, but Aaron's approach and support from his buddy was enough to usher the pair out the door, of course while chucking an empty soda bottle at us and ignoring their playing fees. Everyone was ecstatic, a few of the girls hugged Mike and there were all kinds of high-fives, thanks, and general excitement among the group. Mike could do nothing but smile and take it like he always took any kind of compliment, humbly. I could tell he was only thinking about one thing. Sarah looked at Mike like she never had before, and she wasn't trying to hide it. I always thought he'd be the one to finally get her (we all tried) if he wasn't so goddamn shy and awkward all the time. They talked for the rest of the night while we played. He drove her home. She always avoided being alone with him because she knew he liked her so much, so I knew something was different. They're dating now, at least before they go off to different colleges in the summer. This changed something in Mike, I could tell it was a big deal to him. There was a sudden rush of confidence about him. He spoke with more conviction, louder even. And of course, he finally got the impossible girl he was always haplessly enamored with.

title: Probably quite bad, but I really enjoyed writing it... My first short story is kind of a nice, feel-good story

question: Summarize the type of crowd Robinson's attracts.

answer: The narrator notes that Robinson's billiards usually attracts a weird group of people. These people are usually older than the narrator's friend group. On one particular night two that men enter Robinson's are a prime example of this. The narrator describes a large, round and boisterous man that comes into play with an equally shady man with a clear Italian background. The men were quite drunk and appeared to be getting drunker. These two men start to harass the narrator and his group.

question: Summarize the interaction between Sarah and the two thugs.

answer: The round man and the Italian man begin to make advances at Sarah. The Italian man makes a sexual comment towards her, and the two laugh. Sarah, however, becomes embarrassed and angry. The two men make another comment about her body, and this angers the narrator's entire group.

question: What does the text say about how Mike's confidence changes?

answer: Mike was known for being shy and someone who avoided conflict. He wasn't one to get angry. He has a crush on Sarah, so when he learns that the two thugs were harassing her he becomes angry. Mike, a good billiards player, decides to face the thugs in a game where the loser leaves after tricking them into thinking he's a bad player. He beats them, and they leave. This results in Sarah finally being interested in him and they begin to date. The narrator notes this caused something in Mike to change, and he now had a rush of confidence about him. He spoke louder and with more conviction.

question: What does the text say about Mike's family?

question: Summarize the story's resolution.

answer: The story resolves when Mike decides to stand up to the two thugs that had been harassing his friend group and Sarah, who he has a crush on. He concocts a plan where he plays poorly in front of the two men despite being a very good billiards player. This attracts their attention and they insult Mike. After this, he asks the men if they'd like to play for $20 and the loser leaves. The men agree to play. Mike ends up winning against the men and the men are forced to leave. Additionally, Mike also wins Sarah's heart due to the trick he played.