text:
The Best Day – Anthony Pantaleo
	The rooster was still very annoying when he woke up, though. That was the only complaint. It wouldn’t shut up for twenty minutes and would caw and caw until you swore you were ready to run outside and kick it. Maybe that was the point. To get you going. Or that it was responsible for all the lady chickens and he liked to show off. Maybe they were hungry and the big man on the campus, that massive Rooster named Will, was reminding everyone that all the little chickens needed their grain. That was his job. That and to strut around like a chicken legged model. He was the only option, all the other male chickens were sold off until Will would be too old to function properly and keep the lady chickens in their place, making little chicken babies. Looking pretty for Will for whatever reason because he was the big man, and when their time was up, they would be killed and eaten. What was the point, really, for them, other than food?  When his time would come, Old Man Billy would walk down and with surprising fines catch Will, kill him, and there would be a big feast for everyone. So his job was to wake everyone up and look pretty for himself until his time was up and he was to be killed for the people who were really in charge here. That’s just how it is, no hard feelings Will, you’re useless now, and maybe you always were replaceable and insignificant. “Will?” he remembered asking, remembering his annoying boss. It was now very fitting.
At the very least, he was up now, and he remembered all the chores he had to do today. He sat up on his bed and scratched his bare back as his bare feet rubbed the wood floor. Looking out the window, he noted it really was going to be a nice day today, possibly a little hot. The wheat looked nice and just beyond it, the man could see peaches that needed picking and soon, canning. He didn’t know how to can yet, but he’d learn how. Old Man Bill’s farm was a haven, as advertised, but damn, was it really hard work. You got out what you put in the land, and there was a hell of a lot to put into the land. There was no money, only the reward of longevity and solid food, and silence. Today was a smaller list that usual, and the day of the week and month escaped him all the same.
Life really turned into a blur, out here. It was nice not to have to think of how depressing everyone looked on the subway train. It was difficult too, to think really about anything when your too busy taking the dirt out of your hands, knowing they’ll be filled again tomorrow night. Too difficult to think of all the cologne when you had to shovel some smaller pile of horse dung into a bigger pile of horse dung. There was even a system to it, he had learned. It was also nice not to worry about how dirty you looked, and that you really didn’t have to shave. He got out of bed, and remarked it was probably 4:30 AM. When in your life could you be happy and ready to wake up at such a time?
As he walked over the creaky upstairs floor, he could hear and smell bacon coming from downstairs. Old Miss could be heard clanking around the kitchen, flipping eggs and stirring beans and uncorking morning beers. Rounding into the washroom, he noted to strong smell of black coffee awaiting him downstairs. Eating all this amazing food, and not getting fat, was truly one of his favorite things. Not that he cared anymore. Infact, maybe he’d start eating more just to get a little farmer’s gut, that really would be comfortable to pat at the end of each night, having a smoke and a few glasses of wine with Old Man Bill, and maybe end the night with a chapter from a good book.
Washing his face and his hands under the cold water without a mirror, he thought about what he had to do today. Feed to chickens. Change their water too, and sweep up the straw and give them new straw. Collect the eggs, stack them and give them to Old Miss, along with a freshly killed hen. Give the cows water and relieve the cows udders, one of his favorite jobs. Make sure they have fresh straw and then clean their dung and put it in the ready wheelbarrow. Quick walk around the vegetable garden to pull out weeds. Put the weeds in the composter. Maybe relieve himself then. Tend to the horses and let them out to run around the field, as well as giving them fresh water. Stop for 10 o’clock luncheons. Then the hardest work. Start unearthing all the potatoes today. Maybe he’d get done twenty baskets, maybe twenty five. There would be fifty total, and he wanted to be done in two days. Stop for a glass of wine and a sandwich from Old Miss. Clean the potatoes a bit then again feed the chickens. Put the horses back, brush them, and then dinner. Simple enough, he could probably take his time today. After dinner he would be exhausted, and even though only after two hours of relaxing it would be maybe 8 o’clock, he would pass out on his bed and do it all again. It really was calming. Having to talk to Old Man Bill, who spoke calmly and laughed warmly, Old Miss, who was the sweetest lady you could picture, and the aging Mexican worker Aldolino, who talked about crazy stories in Mexico, was very nice. They didn’t care what people thought of them, they were happy where they were.
Throwing some cold water under his arms and his back, and then throwing on his red flannel shirt, he was ready for the day. Simple as that, he thought. His single pair of leather boots would be downstairs, as well as his wool socks and his gloves. That’s really all he needed. He used to have hundreds of shirts and underwear and socks and shoes The bacon was calling to him, as well was Old Miss’s “Breakfast! Come down before it gets cold!”
The stairs creaked the loudest out of the house, and one day Old Man Bill would have to fix them. But they were still good. Old Miss was spooning steaming scrambled eggs into his plate, which was already set, with Aldoline and Old Man Bill already feasting. Breakfast was his favorite, and with a quick, “Mornin’,” the man sat down and began filling his plate. That’s when he noted the small cake in front of him. Oh, that’s right, he had forgotten it was his birthday. It was difficult with the days going by so quickly.
“Happy birthday, boy,” Old Man Bill said with a mouthful of beans. His bear was always clean, despite his profession.
“D’yea, happy birfday,” smiling at him across the table, Aldolino pointed his form at the man.
“Wow, thank you so much Old Miss!” The man said as he cut and put half the cake onto his plate. Carrot, his favorite, did he ever tell her that? He must have, he thought as he shoveled the icing topped cake into his hungry and ready mouth. It was delicious, as was all of Old Miss’ food and he didn’t mind as Aldolino took the other half, with a disappointing look from Old Man Bill.
They ate mostly in silence, besides Old Miss talking about the countries news. Bombings, deaths, new charities and worse poverty, nothing new, the man thought. It would always be the same. His mood was darkening but then his eyes glanced over the peaches. He had forgotten about the peaches. He had forgot about his plate all together, and he filled it up with reverence. Warm fresh bread, baked beans, black coffee in his mug, peaches, bacon, eggs, beer to top it off. After everyone had had their fill and the table was clear, the man wiped his face with his hanky and looked across at Old Man Bill, who was smiling at his wife.

The three walked to the door and silently put on their socks and boots. The man rolled up his sleeves before he put on his gloves, his signature more, while Aldolino tucked his in. Old Man Bill didn’t even wear gloves, his hands looking like rocks after a lifetime of roughing it. As the door opened and fresh air was let in, it smelled beautiful outside. The sun wasn’t too warm early in the day and there was still dew on the grass in front of the farmhouse. Taking a deep breath and looking towards the big rooster staring at him, waiting for his breakfast, the man felt good. It was going to be another fantastic silent day. Twenty seven now, he couldn’t believe how far he had come, without that veil over him. The chickens were excitedly clucking.

His back ached from his messenger bag, and the Asian lady behind him was leaning on him. Another turn sent everybody jerking to one side, some people struggling to keep their footing and looking like they were going to tumble over, but quick hand grabs and gasps helped them. It was smelly too, why did it always smell like a mixture of pee and breathe? And did they really need to keep the lights on in the tunnel so he would have to awkwardly try to not look at all these depressing and pathetic people stuffed into this moving tomato can. He didn’t know if he could take it. Claustrophobic and mad, he tried to hide his grimace. The knife in his messenger bag kept trying to talk to him, but he couldn’t reach it right now without falling over.
Sighing, the subway roared into the next station and screeched to a halt. A lot of people got off and very few got on, it looked like he was going to get his chance. Squeezing in between a sweaty fat goth teen and an old man who smelt like booze, he tried to slow down his heart rate. Why do they all look so fucking depressing? Is that what he looked like? Tied up in his pant suit, his light grey pantsuit with his hair combed. Did he think he looked like a movie star? Would they even care that he dressed up? Did they even know his name at his office?
Looking around disgusted him even more. Five years of school and look where you are now buddy ol’ pal. Less friends, some money and stuck at a stupid assistant job that requires you to take the sardine can with old Mr. Lord of Satan sitting beside you. It didn’t matter how hard you worked, you would always be an assistant you thought, it’s a family business. The fat goth breathed raggedly on his neck, smelling of puke and ecstasy dehydration. The Satan worshipper’s legs were shaking, obviously trying not to trip out on this moveable lunchbox. Old man Maker’s Mark sitting on his other side seemed to be passed out. Probably going to piss himself soon. The doors closed and the train started to move again.
He wondered how many he could take out, before someone could stop him. What did it matter anyway? Where was he going? To pretend he was working while he was actually surfing dating sites that were almost as pathetic as the subway? Who was going to really care that this Goth kid wouldn’t breathe again. Fatty would probably love it anyways, go out by a murder, his friends would love that. They would talk about it while they put on eye makeup and pretended to fight to shitty guitar music on a whole bunch of drugs which probably weren’t even drugs. He reached down into his messenger bag and felt the hilt through the leather.
What about drunkey? He was definitely asleep, he wouldn’t even notice. The man thought that he would probably save the poor fool from drinking himself to death and being found in front of a church or worse, a shoe store where the gay men would yell for an ambulance. The man would probably save the drunk bastard’s wife from another beating or something. Yeah that would be noble, kill the man and himself to make it look like an epic struggle to the death. But what about the other bodies? What did it matter? He would be dead anyways, along with all these other poor shmucks stuck on the subway with him today. His breath quickened and he looked around at the other people he would save from living their depressing lives.
.
The Asian lady was pretending to sleep. He could tell, by her posture. Who sleeps that upright? She’s hoping no will notice her, or that the loud black teens sitting further down won’t jump her. Tupperware lunches and her faux wallet, very depressing. The man’s leg was shaking now, he was getting ready. How many could he take out before he took himself? Four of the poor bastards for sure, he thought, five with himself, but he wanted more. Perhaps he could get the whole half of the subway before it reached the next platform.
The man’s throat tightened and he was feeling ready. He unzipped the side pocket and his had grabbed the hilt of the stainless steel knife. It would be so easy, so quick, he thought. They would only be scared for a moment before he took them.
Yet he hesitated. Maybe he wanted more people on the subway, more people he could save from the cold underground and lit up world he was travelling. His plaque filled heart quickened and skipped several beats, he couldn’t back out now, it was all to aggravating. The subway was jerking and pulling into the next station, maybe he would give the people waiting a red and metallic show, make them watch before they could reach and stop him. Maybe he would wait until it was more filled, he would see if the station was full.
The station was jammed full of people as the train screamed it’s metallic halt. The herd, he liked to call them. A pecking order of ties and expensive shoes, all reaching to be tippy top. Drunkey sitting next to him somehow managed to wake up, this was his stop. It didn’t look like he was going to be getting relief today. Stumbling to the doors with his head down, the intoxicated smelly man stepped off the train before a flush of people entered. That was more like it, maybe he would get ten. The goth kid sitting next to the man in the grey suit sniffed, smelling something.
The seat next to him was replaced by an equally unsettling and sad figure. Obviously a farmer, by the smell of him. Dirt, sweat and manure was his cologne, and the man remarked his dirty hands. It settled his heart and for a moment he forgot about the knife that was now tucked under his sleeve.
“Excuse me, sir,” the sad and smelly farmer leaned close to the man. Looking at him, the man saw that the farmer looked hopeless. Probably bankrupt, the man thought.
“Yes?” replying while looking at the at ready jugular, the man noted. It would be so easy to start with a simple dirty farmer. They expect the best in people.
“Where, um,” the dirty man stammered. “Where is Osgoode station?” he completed his sentence as if mystified.
“It’s about two stops away,” the man remarked, now noting how the farmer’s jugular was beating.
“Oh,” Looking at the station map before back at the man, the farmer said smiling. “Thanks a bunch, mister. Now say, what do you do exactly?” Asking as he looked over the man’s immaculate suit.
“Assistant lawyer is my official title, really shitty actually, and you…” he decided to be polite to this poor shmuck, he would start with him.
“I just live, sir, one day at a time,” The farmer said as he stood up for an old lady. The man’s heart stopped as the seat was now filled with a pantsuit bingo player. He didn’t feel the need to end everyone yet, he had some thinking to do.

title: The Best Day

question: Summarize what the narrator was debating while riding the subway.

answer: The narrator seems depressed with his current life and is plotting to stab as many people as he can while riding the subway. He intends to also kill himself to make it look like a struggle. The narrator debates on how many he could take out but keeps wanting more. He keeps waiting on different stations to see if there are more people he can get all at once. However his thoughts are interrupted when a farmer on the train asks him for directions. It makes him reconsider his entire plan and no longer feels the need to end everyone just yet.


split: test

text:
 click to enlarge [A Starship food delivery robot is seen along Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield in March 27. - CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM]

CP Photo: Jared Wickerham

A Starship food delivery robot is seen along Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield in March 27.

Last month, Pennsylvania legalized autonomous delivery robots, which can weigh up to 550 pounds without cargo and typically roam sidewalks to delivery goods in urban and suburban environments.

The law’s passage went largely unnoticed, and it became law without Gov. Tom Wolf’s signature. It passed mainly along partisan lines, with Republicans supporting the law and Democrats opposing, calling it a job killer. Bills regulating autonomous delivery robots have largely been pushed by delivery companies like Amazon and FedEx, according to _WIRED_ magazine. Opposition has largely come from pedestrian and accessibility advocates, as well as labor unions like the Teamsters.

Pennsylvania joins several other states in regulating autonomous delivery robots, aka Personal Delivery Devices (PDD). Most laws, including Pennsylvania’s, now legally classify them as pedestrians, as long as PDDs yield the right-of-way to actual human pedestrians and cyclists.

But Pennsylvania’s new law is arguably one of the least restrictive of any state outside of Florida, which is one of the least pedestrian friendly states in America. Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1199 allows PDD to weigh up to 550 pounds. Washington state has a weight limit of 120 pounds for comparison. SB 1199 speed limit, on the sidewalk, is 12 mph. Only Florida speed limit is faster, where municipalities can only institute a 15 mph speed limit.

Eric Boerer of bike-pedestrian advocacy group Bike Pittsburgh says 12 mph is fast for traveling on the sidewalk, considering the average walking speed for pedestrians is about 3 or 4 mph.

“They are going to be on sidewalks with 12 mph. That is extremely fast,” says Boerer. “And in a city like Pittsburgh we have narrow sidewalks. Some of these things can be the size of a refrigerator. How are we going to get around that?”

When they aren’t on sidewalks or pedestrian areas, PDDs can travel on roadways or shoulders at 25 mph. Boerer is concerned that these autonomous delivery robots will be traveling at these speeds in bike lanes, as 25 mph is faster than speeds typically traveled by cyclists.

Boerer adds that SB 1199 lacks a mechanism to allow local municipalities to write local regulations around PDDs. He says that can add a whole other host of problems.

“[It's] such a shame there is no local municipal input,” says Boerer.

In response to the issue, Pittsburgh Department of Mobility Director Karina Ricks says “in light of the general local preemption of the act, we are working to assert some level of local control nonetheless.”

Pittsburgh first got a taste of PDDs when a pilot program out of the University of Pittsburgh had Starship autonomous robots delivering meals to people on campus. The Starship pilot had several hiccups, including complaints from a student and wheelchair user who claimed a PDD trapped her on the street because it was stopped at a curb cut, which is the only place a wheel-chair user can access the sidewalk. Starship paused its pilot, and then later resumed.

With PPDs now regulated into state law, it’s likely Pittsburgh and other Pennsylvania cities will see more of them in use.

question: What is a PDD?

answer: PDD stands for Personal Delivery Device -- a delivery robot

question: Who is in favor of legalizing PDDs?

answer: Republicans and delivery companies, such as Amazon and FedEx

question: Who opposes legalizing PDDs?

answer: Democrats, accessibility advocates, and unions

question: How large are PDDs?

answer: PDD size is regulated by weight, and varies from state to state.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This article documents the rise of Personal Delivery Devices.


text:
EARTH MATERIALS include minerals, rocks, soil and water. These are the naturally occurring materials found on Earth that constitute the raw materials upon which our global society exists. Earth materials are vital resources that provide the basic components for life, agriculture and industry. Earth materials can also include metals and precious rocks.[1][2] [3]

[Oceanic-continental convergence resulting in subduction and volcanic arcs illustrates one effect of plate tectonics.]

[Cross-cutting relations can be used to determine the relative ages of rock strata and other geological structures. Explanations: A – folded rock strata cut by a thrust fault; B – large intrusion (cutting through A); C – erosional angular unconformity (cutting off A & B) on which rock strata were deposited; D – volcanic dyke (cutting through A, B & C); E – even younger rock strata (overlying C & D); F – normal fault (cutting through A, B, C & E).]

[Alluvial gravels in Alaska]

[A, B, and C represent the soil profile, a notation firstly coined by Vasily Dokuchaev, the father of pedology; A is the topsoil; B is a regolith; C is a saprolite, a less-weathered regolith; the bottom-most layer represents the bedrock.]

Definitions

The type of materials available locally will of course vary depending upon the conditions in the area of the building site. Take considerations of what is explained below.

In many areas, indigenous stone is available from the local region, such as limestone, marble, granite, and sandstone. It may be cut in quarries or removed from the surface of the ground (flag and fieldstone). Ideally, stone from the building site can be utilized. Depending on the stone type, it can be used for structural block, facing block, pavers, and crushed stone.

Most brick plants are located near the clay source they use to make brick. Bricks are molded and baked blocks of clay. Brick products come in many forms, including structural brick, face brick, roof tile, structural tile, paving brick, and floor tile.

Caliche is a soft limestone material which is mined from areas with calcium-carbonate soils and limestone bedrock. It is best known as a road bed material, but it can be processed into an unfired building block, stabilized with an additive such as cement. Other earth materials include soil blocks typically stabilized with a cement additive and produced with forms or compression.

Rammed Earth consists of walls made from moist, sandy soil, or stabilized soil, which is tamped into form work. Walls are a minimum of 12″ thick. Soils should contain about 30% clay and 70% sand. [4]

Considerations

The use of locally available and indigenous earth materials has several advantages in terms of sustainability. They are:

Reduction of energy costs related to transportation. Reduction of material costs due to reduced transportation costs, especially for well-established industries. Support of local businesses and resource bases. Care must be taken to ensure that non-renewable earth materials are not over-extracted. Ecological balance within the region needs to be maintained while efficiently utilizing its resources. Many local suppliers carry materials that have been shipped in from out of the area, so it is important to ask for locally produced/quarried materials.

Both brick and stone materials are aesthetically pleasing, durable, and low maintenance. Exterior walls weather well, eliminating the need for constant refinishing and sealing. Interior use of brick and stone can also provide excellent thermal mass, or be used to provide radiant heat. Some stone and brick makes an ideal flooring or exterior paving material, cool in summer and possessing good thermal properties for passive solar heating. Caliche block has been produced for applications similar to stone and brick mentioned above. Caliche or earth material block has special structural and finishing characteristics.

Rammed earth is more often considered for use in walls, although it can also be used for floors. Rammed earth and caliche block can be used for structural walls, and offer great potential as low-cost material alternatives with low embodied energy. In addition, such materials are fireproof.

Caliche block and rammed earth can be produced on-site. It is very important to have soils tested for construction material use. Some soils, such as highly expansive or bentonite soils, are not suitable for structural use. Testing labs are available in most areas to determine material suitability for structural use and meeting codes.

Soils for traditional adobe construction are not found in some areas, but other soils for earth building options are available. Many areas have a high percentage of soils suitable for ramming. (Official areas are approximately 19,610 acres in the Austin, TX area, according to the US. Department of Agriculture).

Caliche is also abundant in many areas (covering 14% of the Austin geographic area, for instance) and is readily available locally. [5] [6]

[1] Study.com, Earth materials

[2] Earth Materials: Introduction to Mineralogy and Petrology, by Cornelis Klein, Anthony R. Philpotts

[3] Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, by Sam Boggs Jr.

[4] earthlearningidea.com, Earth Materials

[5] Utrecht University Library, Earth materials

[6] MIT, Earth materials

title: Earth materials

question: What are the benefits of using locally available death products?

answer: Reduction of energy costs related to transportation. Reduction of material costs due to reduced transportation costs, especially for well-established industries. Support of local businesses and resource bases. Both brick and stone materials are aesthetically pleasing, durable, and low maintenance. Exterior walls weather well, eliminating the need for constant refinishing and sealing. Interior use of brick and stone can also provide excellent thermal mass, or be used to provide radiant heat.


text:
“Huva!, Huva!, Huva!” the people chanted on the street. The palace illuminated in grandeur as night fell in Centras City. King Murlis Damion had starved the Western Isles and the people were in dissent.
	Jor stood outside the Black Locust Inn staring at a whole company of guardsmen standing tall outside the inn, ready to attack the hundreds of protesters that were meeting there.
	“Jor, ready Mathas and his militia for battle!” Himdar yelled from the inn’s door.
	Jor turned and looked at him, “Battle, we’ve hardly mustered enough men to defend ourselves!” Jor yelled in a condescending tone, “Look in front of you there are nearly a thousand of the king’s men ready to slay us at any point” Jor added.
	The shouts and chants of the people was overbearing and loud, “Take it up with Cerlin, i’m only following orders!” Himdar shouted.
	Jor grunted and ran inside the tall, dark inn, “Cerlin are you out of your mind!” Jor said confronting the old war general.
	Cerlin stood up and met Jor face to face, “We need to fight back, give the king a taste of battle!” Cerlin Chuckled, “He’s no more than a green boy who’s never seen the destruction of war!” Cerlin shouted.
	Jor was shocked, “They’ll slay us, we’ve no more than green men as well!” Jor shouted.
	“Well at least they’re fighting for something!” Cerlin shouted, raising his tone.
	“And what are you fighting for Cerlin? A deluded dream of endless victories!?” Jor retaliated.
Cerlin smacked Jor in the face. Jor fell to the ground, “Ready Mathas, now!” Cerlin said grimly.
Jor got up and left the inn, “Mathas? Mathas!” Jor screamed.
“Damn you, attack!” someone shouted.
Jor looked at the guardsmen, they were thrusting their pikes into the protesters. They tried to fight back but there was only blood and the endless screams, “Jor. what happened!?” Mathas said running to Jor from behind the inn.
Jor looked at Mathas, “They’ve attacked us. Ready the militia!” Jor yelled.
Mathas nodded and ran to rally his men
Cerlin ran outside and unsheathed his sword, “Let’s go Jor, let’s show these green bastards a real battle!” he said charging with the militia.
Jor charged in with nothing but a small obsidian knife. He killed man after man, soldier after soldier for what seemed like hours. At midnight the battle was failing for the militia, hundreds were wounded.
Cerlis had been stabbed in the heart and was bleeding out, “May the divination make you divine” Jor said praying over the body in front of the inn. The fighting was continuing behind him and he was exhausted.
“Jor, we have to go now!” Mathas said mounting a large black horse.
Jor looked up at him and smiled, “I can’t leave, everything i have is here!” Jor shouted to Mathas.
Mathas cocked his head back and returned his eyes to the gates of the city, “Suit yourself, good luck friend.” Mathas rode off to the bright gates.
Jor rose up and burst into the inn. He and a few militia pulled out a map from the bottom of the bar, it was a map of the city. Jor, Thomas Dukeroy, Alexander Balkum and Hobbs McCorrack all sat around the table in the back of the inn.
“The militia is lost, general Alecus won’t return for three more days and Joshua is fighting in the street of thorns!” Thomas yelled.
“Keep down Thomas, the guard will be searching home to home for us” Hobbs said quietly.
Alexander stood up, “The rebellion is over, Alecus nor Joshua can take the city!”
Jor glared at him, “They aided us when we were bleeding at the chapel, he’ll care for us now!” Jor said.
For hours they debated their next course of action. In the morning the exited the inn to find the remains of the militia. The chapel bell began to ring, “Ding, ding, ding!” it rung, “That’s the execution bell, no doubt it’s one of ours!” Jor yelled out.
The group ran to the chapel to find someone on the executioner's block, it was Mathas, “Mathas!” Jor yelled but he was quickly silenced by his friends.

title: [FN]The Story of Jor Rebellion Part I

question: Why doesn't Jor want to fight against the King's guardsmen?

answer: He's on the side of the protesters, but he knows that the King's men are a lot more numerous. He seems to prioritize defense, given that their recruits are inexperienced.

question: When was Mathas captured?

answer: He was fleeing after the battle. Jor and company find him after debating their next action for hours, so he must've been captured during that time while trying to escape.

question: Why was Mathas being executed?

answer: He was on the side of the protesters rallying against the King, who starved the local population. The King's men were there to stop a rebellion, and Mathas got caught as the leader of a rebellious militia.


text:
The following contains elements of fiction. The frog is real.

My trip started off especially well. Sunday afternoon, weather perfect. My new friends at the landing contributed to a pleasant launch.

I packed a ton of gear, enough to require the addition of a pull behind raft. It’s a bit of a drag on long paddles but I sure can get a lot of stuff in a raft.

I decided to try a new area that looked really good on the satellite photo but turned out not to suit my preferences. Old age pickiness made me venture on.

After nearly 4 hours of paddling, I finally arrived at one of my all-time favorite campsites. Words fail. The joy of finding it unoccupied has to be felt in person.

It had everything. An easy landing. A separate sandy swim beach. The perfect spot to hang a hammock with a view. And tons of soft, friendly trails.

My first evening was spent pitching my tent, hitching myhammock, hanging my screen tent without the poles, and making a serviceable table. M’new home.

Time for bed. I left my rain fly off to gaze the stars. Slept pretty good. Midnight sprinkles got me up long enough to install the rainfly. Back to sleep.

In the morning it was raining steady and hard. I quick boiled some coffee and hunkered back down in my one man, coffin sized, back packing tent. All day.

As I lay there listening to the rain and waiting for the soggy hours to pass, something bounced off my tent. A few secondslater, it happened again

Can’t just let something like that go. No idea what it could be. Robed. Unzipped, and stepped outside for the first time in hours. There he was.

“hello little froggie.” Was that you bouncing off my tent? How you doin’? Never had a frog campmate before. It’s nice having company. Someone to talk to.

“Well thank you,” he said.
Yes, I could hear what the little frog was saying. Clear as now. I’m not saying he was an actual talking frog, I’m just saying I could hear him. Call me crazy.

“I hit your tent” he said, “so you’d come out and see that the rain is puddlin’ near your little nylon nest and you’re gonna be laying in water real soon”.

It was obvious I had to move my tent to higher ground. In the rain. Good thing I prepared for wet. Suited up I went to work. Just in time. “Thank you, froggie.”

Moving around is better than laying around so I didn’t really mind the work.     I moved my tent my tarps and my table and set up my kitchen and pantry.

When my task was completed, I was very happy. My tent was nestled in a grove of pine trees on the ridge overlooking the beach. My beach. Feng Hoppin Shui!

Thru it all, froggie hung around. Odd, but true. Nice having him around. “Hey froggie, throw me a tent stake”. Sorry. Forgot you were a frog. “Very funny”.

After lunch, the rain finally stopped and it was a real niceevening. Camp fire. A few stars. Grilled steak. Mac ‘n cheese. Fruit and cookies. Beer. Beer. Bed.

Tuesday started beautiful. Chip (his new name) hung around as I prepared a satisfying camp breakfast. Biscuits & Gravy, bacon, coffee, milk, juice. Ahhh.

Well fed, I was ready to explore. I packed snacks, water, and a heavy duty plastic bag for gathering firewood, and paddled off into virgin territory.

Modern humans (me at least) get so few opportunities for real adventure. That’s one of the reasons I go to the Flowage. This place can kick butt, if it wants to.

As I sit at home planning these trips, I say I hope that some unexpected challenge will arise for me to overcome. Sounds romantic sitting on the couch.

But when my wilderness wishes do come true, I Hate it. At least while it is happening. Panic and Fear are Strong Emotions. But, when it is finally over,…
No better feeling.
I’ve experienced hellatious storms, lightning strikes so close I couldn’t breathe, waves breaking over the sides of my kayak, and trees falling over in the night.

And getting Lost. It’s easy to do. Large wilderness water, with a maze of islands, and everything looks confusingly different from afar and all the same close up.

I’ve been lost on the Flowage before but Tuesday I got serious lost. I dug out my compass desperately hoping that it would help but I just got more confused.

Ever been really lost all alone? No car. No phone. Nobody to ask for directions. Not even a dog to keep you company. A real test of one’s calmabilities.

I won’t make you suffer the details but it was hard, confusing, tiring, and in a strangely profound way belittling.                                         I finally got found.

Having identified my location, it was time to get to work looking for firewood. Unoccupied campsites are the best. My map helped me find several in a row.

It is not uncommon to find that the last camper paddled home without finishing off his wood supply. Every once in a while you score big.

At one site I found half a dozen pieces of split, dried, real firewood. A luxury out in the wild where I usually have to scavenge the Island’s underbrush for sticks.

I filled my large plastic bag with kindling and tinder and strapped a few big native limbs to the top of my kayak and headed happily home.

Note: When I collect firewood, I walk around and fill my bag with any good small stuff I can find. Twigs, wood chips, you get the idea. One of the best places to find good ‘bag’ stuff is inside the camp fire ring. Plenty of good chunks of charcoal and half burnt logs. The following story is true.

The last campsite I visited was recently abandoned and the fire pit was still smoldering. I pulled out a chunk of mostly burnt wood and banged it against the rim of the fire ring and knocked all the hot coals off before putting it in my bag.

On my paddle home, I realized my bag was on fire. Flames. Behind me in the kayak. Out of reach. The nearest land looks really far when you’re on fire.

By the time I jumped out, my plastic bag was mostly gone, I had to throw fistfuls of burning sticks into the water, and my kayak suffered melty burns.

As fun as it was, too bad nobody was there to witness an old man paddling like the devil with smoke billowing behind. Would have made an excellent video.

By the time I got back to camp, I was beat. I unloaded my wood, grabbed a container of trail mix and a bottle of water and zipped myself up in bed. Snug.

When I woke up, it was brilliant. The stars were unbelievable. It was the night of the Perseid Meteor Shower and the sky was crystal clear and cookin’.

Such moments are Gifts.
I grabbed my cushion and blanket and laid on the bluff overlooking the water. The heavens reflection on the still surface of the lake magnified my pleasure.

And the meteors. The Shooting Stars. So often yet so sudden.They (almost) made me cry outloud. Further description could not do the experience justice.

Wednesday was fun. After breakfast and a relaxing cup of tea, I laid out my Island Golf course. I brought the balls but made my club. Holes were trees.

The first two holes were tricky; you could end up in the water. Chip designed the 3rd hole, a par five down the path to the john. Frogs.

As a kid growing up, I didn’t really have many friends to play with.                   I entertained myself. I think I’m pretty good at it. I have fun camping.

Golf. Swim. Float. Fish. Eat. Snooze. Sun. Play. Eat. Drink. Paddle. Build a fire. Camp Life can be Good.

Thursday was a day of challenges. I was dan bound and determined to make fire with sticks. I’ve seen the videos. I gathered the materials. I made smoke.

I tell myself I’m Happy I failed to make fire because it leaves an even more daunting challenge for me to face in the future. Hmmm. As I age, I accept a lot.

Next Challenge.
I decided to see if I could find an unnamed lake shown on themap, connected to the flowage by a thin blue line, the start of which was really far from camp.

After much effort, I found the narrow opening that was the blue line. Barely wide enough for my kayak with just enough room to push through. Barely.

Through spider webs and bugs falling on me from the five foot tall scratchy grass engulfing me, I pushed and pulled, determined not to fail.

Deeper in, trees formed a cool tunnel canopy. Twice I met obstacles that on lesser days would have turned my lesserdan back. Finally,.… like a miracle.

New dan lake. I figured that since I was probably the first to ever actually make it through, I should be the one to name it. It was a special place, a special time.

On the long paddle back, I sang that song I sing when I have a long paddle back to camp. I sing it over and over. It helps. The fish seem to like it.

Back at camp, Chip informed me of a new problem. He hopped over to where my raft was stashed behind a bush. A seam had busted and it was no more.

Not a big crisis, though Chip thought it was. Just a question of how to get all the gear back without the raft or making two trips. Something for us to ponder.

Thursday Night Feast. Pan fried crab cakes, buttered noodles, roasted corn on the cob, sliced tomato, and a fudge brownie for dessert. Sitting by the campfire.

I find it satisfying to cook my meals over a campfire that I start with a spark or a lens. It takes planning and patience but the results are usually worth it.

Chip shared a beer with me as we talked by the fire. (I did most of the talking.) He did tell me he was happy. The simple life and all. “You Betcha”. Amen.

Suddenly, a tremendous splash. Chip hopped and hit his head on a rock and I nearly fell on my butt. If it was a fish, it was unlike any I’ve ever experienced.

That night I laid awake in my tent for a long time listening to camp sounds.     It’s amazing what you can hear if you lay very still and focus. Slept well.

Friday: STRONG WIND ADVISORY. (an opportunity) ((I’ve done this before))      I hard drove my kayak directly into the breaking waves. Soaked and laughing.

I fought my way out as far as I could, then turned around and road the waves in like a surfboard. Two times. If I had a sail I could have flown. Hot Dog Rush.

In the evening, the wind finally died down. Thank God. It’s Maddening being outdoors in high sustained winds for nearly ten hours straight. Truly is.

Pleasant evening. Best campfire of the trip. When campingalone, it takes at least three nights before you fully realize the benefits of solitude. Night six.

That night was spent in quiet contemplation. Good thoughts of good things and people I love. Wilderness can be a kind companion. Slept good again.

Saturday breakfast was beautiful. Fried potatoes, bacon, eggs, and juice. It’s almost magical the way camping makeseverything taste so good. Chip agreed.

I headed down to the landing to wash my dishes when all of asudden I stopped dead in my tracks. A monster fish was lying in the shadow of a downed tree.

Slowly, slowly I backed away to the tree my pole was leaning against. It was rigged with a worm hook but my worms and other tackle were too far away.

I had no choice. The hooked pierced his neck under his bottom lip and he landed splash not two feet from the beast. He desperately kicked his legs once and wham, fish on. I screamed from the splash, set the hook, and let loose the drag. He took off like a rocket and my line sung as it played out. “HOLD ON CHIP. DON’T LET HIM GO”.

I don’t know how long the fight lasted, but that day I landed the biggest fish of my life. Before I let him go, I lovingly removed Chip’s remains from his throat.

You can call me sissy or whatever you want but I cried when I buried what was left of him. He was more than just a good campmate. He was a giving friend.

title: [RF] The following contains elements of fiction. The frog is real.

question: Summarize what the narrator likes about the outdoors as well as camping.

answer: The narrator loves beaches that are most unoccupied by people - he prefers solitude. He likes a good view and forests with plenty of friendly trails for walking. The narrator loves watching the stars when outdoors, he prefers the kind of weather that makes that possible. Natural phenomenons like meteor showers and shooting stars captivate the narrator; such moments are what make camping and going outdoors worthwhile for the narrator.

question: why did the narrator name the frog Chip?


text:
Last night I felt very very sick. My tummy hurt and no matter how much water I drank I always felt so thirsty. I crawled into bed with my mommy so I could snuggle on her and cry, but I guess I was crying too loud because she picked me up and sat me outside her bedroom and closed the door. So I curled up where she set me down, and cried all night with no sleep. I woke up in the morning and saw my mom getting ready for work. I walked up to her and let her know how bad my tummy was hurting and how sick I felt. As she held me in her arms, she made a few phone calls and I heard the word "vet" mentioned.

She walked into the kitchen where my daddy was making breakfast and told him she was taking the day off to make sure I was okay. She started getting out breakfast for me and my sister. I was feeling really sick and grumpy, and I snapped and hissed and growled at my sister.Mommy was mad at me for doing that and locked me in the bathroom. After a few minutes she came in to check on me. I could tell she was mad, but all I could focus on was how bad my tummy hurt. I don't think Mommy understood, but she listened to me and within a few minutes she had me crated and ready to visit my doctor.

The doctor is such a scary place, but mommy and daddy were there so I felt safe. Lady Doctor came in to the little room and started petting me all over and looking in my mouth. She told mommy and daddy that I would need to stay for a couple more hours so she could run some tests. I saw mommy and daddy freeze, and look at each other sad and scared. After giving me pets and kisses, they left for what felt like forever. Lady Doctor stuck needles into me but it didn't hurt that bad. I was mostly just scared and wanted to go home.

When mommy and daddy finally came back, Lady Doctor talked to them. I could tell something was wrong because mommy and daddy were crying. They put me back into my crate and took me home. My parents were so sad. Mommy was crying all day, and I felt way too sick to try and make her feel better. I always could make her happy when she was sad, but But my mommy is so amazing,and even though she was really sad but today my tummy hurt too bad. I could tell she didn't mind too bad because she made me a plate of bacon all for me. Bacon is my absolute favoritest treat in the whole world. She seemed to know I was very very thirsty and she put water bowls in all of my favorite spots to lay down. Mommy and Daddy's friends came over to visit me. They seemed really sad too, but I couldn't help but feel loved as they gave me pets and kisses. I was the center of everyone's attention and loved it.

Mommy and Daddy stayed up all night hanging out with me, kissing me all over. They were actually being kind of annoying and waking me up from my sleep. But I could tell they just needed my love, so I flipped over and showed them my belly like they always loved.

In the morning, mommy and daddy gave me lots of snuggles. They made phone calls to someone saying they couldn't do something. They took lots and lots of pictures of me and even cut some of my fluffiest hair. They both gave me more kisses than I knew what to do with, and left the house for somewhere with me resting on my favorite tower feeling happy. My tower is next to the window, and I saw them taking pictures of me with the sun on my face. I love the sun, I love laying in its warmth by the window, it's my favorite. I'm so tired but my tummy hurts too bad for me to sleep.

Then something weird happened. Grandpa came over and put me in my crate. He brought me to a different Doctor. It was cold and smelled scary. I wanted my parents but was happy grandpa was there to pet me. The vet gave me some shots and suddenly I started to feel really really cold. Grandpa kept kissing me and calling me a good kitty. He was crying too, and I had never seen grandpa cry before. It was getting dark and hard to see, But my tummy didn't hurt anymore.

I was getting really sleepy, and I couldn't help but remember the first day I met mommy. She was a lot smaller than she is now. She was so happy to see me and take me home. From that day on we were bestest friends. Thinking about that made me all my cold spots get switched up with warm. Sleepily, I remembered the first time I met daddy, too. That wasn't so long ago at all, but daddy quickly became my favoritest person ever. It's getting harder and harder to think now. My tummy stopped hurting though. Now I can finally go to sleep.

&#x200B;

Thanks for reading!

title: [RF] Bestest Friends

question: What is the point of view of the story?

answer: The point of view of the story is that the narrator is a pet of some sort, and they are sick.

question: What happens at the end of the story?

answer: The narrator is put to sleep due to their illness.

question: Why are the narrator's mother and father crying?

answer: The mother and father are crying because the narrator needs to be put to sleep.


text:
MATTIE R. SHARPLESS (born July 1, 1943[1]) retired after 41 years working for the Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). When she retired in January 2006, she had attained the rank of Ambassador, retired from the U.S. Foreign Service. From July 2003 to January 2006, she served as Special Adviser to USDA's Deputy Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. From 2001 to 2003, she was U.S. Ambassador to the Central African Republic.[2]

When she was nominated to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Central African Republic, Sharpless was Acting Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).[3]

Sharpless holds a Masters in Business Administration and Economics from North Carolina Central University and a B.S. Degree in Business Education from North Carolina College.[4]

Early life

Sharpless grew up in Hampstead, North Carolina, the daughter of James and Lecola Sharpless. She graduated from Pender County Training School in Rocky Point.[5]

Honors and awards

Sharpless has received many awards including the Presidential Meritorious Service Award, the Woman of the Year Award from the Foreign Agricultural Service, and the Superior Honor Award from the USDA and the Presidential Distinguished Service Award.[6]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

title: Mattie R. Sharpless

question: List Sharpless's awards.

answer: Presidential Meritorious Service Award, the Woman of the Year Award from the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Superior Honor Award from the USDA, and the Presidential Distinguished Service Award.

question: Summarize the educational background of Sharpless.

answer: She received her B.S. in Business Education from North Carolina College and her Masters in Business Administration and Economics from North Carolina Central University.

question: What was her job?

answer: She worked for the Foreign Agricultural Service for the USDA. She had become an Ambassador by the time of her retirement.

question: Who were her parents?

answer: James and Lecola Sharpless.

question: Write a ~6 sentence summary.

answer: Mattie R. Sharpless (born July 1, 1943) retired after 41 years of service for the Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). She had attained the rank of Ambassador during her career. She served as Special Adviser to USDA's Deputy Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. She was the U.S. Ambassador to the Central African Republic from 2001 to 2003. She received many awards during her career, including the Presidential Meritorious Service Award, and the Presidential Distinguished Service Award.


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

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

[Should You Show Them SAO?]

Should You Show Them SAO?

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

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

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

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

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

GENRE: Slice of Life[Gingitsune Poster]

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

2. _Toradora!_ (Crunchyroll; Hulu)

GENRE: Romantic Comedy

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

[Toradora Cast]

3. _Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood_ (Hulu)

GENRE: Shounen, Action, Adventure

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

[Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood]

4. Other Recommendations

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

[Tonari no Seki-kun]

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

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

[Cowboy Bebop]

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

question: Summarize how the author made their list of introduction anime shows.

answer: The author examined the various anime shows that they have watched and looked for then avoided tropes that would confuse or unsettle Western audiences. The author also states that you have to challenge people's preconceptions of anime by finding shows that are more mature but steer away from sexual content. They also looked for shows that use some elements of Western culture that would be familiar to a Western audience.

question: Summarize the author's list of shows they think are a good introduction to anime.

answer: The author has two waves of recommendations, the first introducing a few tropes which the second builds off of. For the first wave, the author recommends Gingitsune: Fox Messenger of the Gods, Toradora!, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and six other shows. The author recommends Sword Art Online, Angel Beats!, The Devil is a Part-Timer!, Gurren Lagann, Working!!, Soul Eater, and Attack on Titan for their second wave of introductions.

question: Summarize the nine shows the author recommends for their first wave of introductions.

answer: The author recommends Gingitsune: Fox Messenger of the Gods as a good Slice of Life anime that is very similar to Western shows. They recommend Toradora! for its romance, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood for its action and plot. Silver Spoon and Tari Tari are recommended Slice of Life shows, while Kyousougiga and The Eccentric Family are truly unique. Kill Me Baby and Tonari No Seki-Kun are both recommended for their humor.

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

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


text:
TALDI is a census town and a gram panchayat within the jurisdiction of the Canning police station in the Canning I CD block in the Canning subdivision of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Geography

Area overview

Canning subdivision has a very low level of urbanization. Only 12.37% of the population lives in the urban areas and 87.63% lives in the rural areas. There are 8 census towns in the Canning I CD block and only 2 in the rest of the subdivision. The entire district is situated in the Ganges Delta with numerous islands in the southern part of the region. The area (shown in the map alongside) borders on the Sundarbans National Park and a major portion of it is a part of the Sundarbans settlements. It is a flat low-lying area in the South Bidyadhari plains. The Matla River is prominent and there are many streams and water channels locally known as _khals_. A comparatively recent country-wide development is the guarding of the coastal areas with a special coastal force.[1][2][3]

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

Location

Taldi is located at

Rajapur, Taldi, Bayarsingh, Matla and Dighirpar form a cluster of census towns in the Canning I CD block, as per the map of the Canning I CD block on page 333 of the _District Census Handbook_ 2011. Canning is not identified as a separate place in the 2011 census records. The map of the CD block Canning I in the _District Census Handbook_ for the South 24 Parganas shows Canning as being a part of Matla and Dighirpar census towns.[4]

Demographics

According to the 2011 Census of India, Taldi had a total population of 12,459, of which 6,285 (50%) were males and 6,174 (49%) were females. There were 1,461 persons in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The total number of literate persons in Taldi was 8,399 (76.37% of the population over 6 years).[5]

Infrastructure

According to the District Census Handbook 2011, Taldi covered an area of 3.4735 km². Among the civic amenities, it has 54 km roads with open drains, the protected water supply involved pressure tank and service reservoir. It had 1,540 domestic electric connections and 85 road light points. Among the medical facilities it had 2 dispensaries/ health centres and 3 medicine shops. Among the educational facilities it had were 5 primary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 secondary schools and 2 senior secondary schools. It had 2 non-formal education centres (Sarba Siksha Abhiyan). Among the social, cultural and recreational facilities, it had 1 public library and 1 reading room. It had branches of 1 nationalised bank, 1 cooperative bank and 1 agricultural credit society.[6]

Transport

Baruipur-Canning Road links Taldi to the State Highway 1.[7]

Taldi railway station is on the Sealdah–Canning line of the Kolkata Suburban Railway system.[8]

Commuters

With the electrification of the railways, suburban traffic has grown tremendously since the 1960s. As of 2005-06, more than 1.7 million (17 lakhs) commuters use the Kolkata Suburban Railway system daily. After the partition of India, refugees from East Pakistan/ Bangladesh had a strong impact on the development of urban areas in the periphery of Kolkata. The new immigrants depended on Kolkata for their livelihood, thus increasing the number of commuters. Eastern Railway runs 1,272 EMU trains daily.[9]

Education

Bankim Sardar College was established at Tangrakhali in 1955.[10]

Taldi Mohan Chand High School was established in 1949. It has facilities for teaching from class VI to XII.[11]

Taldi Surabala Sikshayatan for girls is a higher secondary school.[12]

Bahirsona Junior High School is a Bengali-medium coeducational institution established in 2010. It has facilities for teaching from class V to class VIII.[13]

Healthcare

Ghutiari Sharif Block Primary Health Centre at Ghutiari Sharif, with 10 beds, is the major government medical facility in the Canning I CD block.[14]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7] Google maps

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

title: Taldi

question: What is Taldi?

answer: A census town and a gram panchayat within the jurisdiction of the Canning police station in the Canning I CD block in the Canning subdivision of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

question: What percentage of the population lives in the urban areas of Canning?

answer: 12.37%.

question: What is the total population of Taldi?

answer: 12,459

question: What percentage are males?

answer: 50%.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Taldi is a census town and a gram panchayat within the jurisdiction of the Canning police station in the Canning I CD block in the Canning subdivision of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. They have a population of 12,549, of which 50% are male. Much of the population commutes from the suburban areas-which account for 87.63% of the population-into the city, many using the Kolkata Suburban Railway System. There are several colleges and universities in Taldi, as well as a major healthcare center.


text:
[dilanka]

[Image for post]

Zombie Battleground is a Magic: The Gathering-style collectible card game — and it’s going to be one of the first and biggest games of its kind to set foot in the fast-growing world of Blockchain Games.

Update:

-

    Zombie Battleground is now known as _Relentless_. READ THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ON OUR KICKSTARTER PAGE.
-

    On August 15, 2018, WE OPENED ZOMBIE BATTLEGROUND (alpha release) up for early access, to become the world’s first truly scalable blockchain game.
-

    Zombie Battleground Custom Game Modes is now available, so you can create your own version of the game, run your own ladder, and even add monetization. READ ABOUT HOW OLD-SCHOOL GAMES INSPIRED US AND WHAT THIS UPDATE MEANS FOR YOU.
-

    We open sourced the smart contract we used for Zombie Battleground card ownership. ERC721X IS AN EXTENSION OF ERC721 that adds support for multi-fungible tokens and batch transfers, while maintaining full backward compatibility.

Hollywood has movie trailers — but, you’ve got me 😎

_…and as your virtual confidant, I am here to give you an exclusive sneak peek into something very special —_ _ZOMBIE BATTLEGROUND__._

By the way…

💡 ZOMBIE BATTLEGROUND IS NOT RELEASED YET — but we do have some BIG NEWS (related to the game) coming next week!

_If you are the impatient type, go ahead and_ _JOIN LOOM’S PRIVATE MAILING LIST__,_ _and I’ll let you know about the upcoming news before everyone else!_ 😉

Now, if you’ve been paying attention to our upcoming SDK and my predictions about why Blockchain Games will take over the globe — _you may have already heard about Zombie Battleground — the_ _WILDLY ANTICIPATED_ _game we have been (secretly) developing at Loom Network._

Well, my friend, YOU ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS THE FIRST VIBRANT, GREEN, GOO-FILLED TENDRIL PUSHING UP THROUGH THE SOIL — BEFORE IT MATURES INTO A MASSIVE OAK TREE IN A FOREST FULL OF BLOCKCHAIN GAMES 😉

[Image for post]

Zombie Battleground is the first of its kind to come alive in the nascent world of Blockchain Games
…and I ain’t talking about gardening either.

_By the way — Zombie Battleground is a mobile game that we will be releasing on iOS and Android._

_Eventually, we are going to release Battleground for PC and macOS as well._

_Even though the game data is stored on the Blockchain — everything looks and feels EXACTLY like a regular mobile game._

_In other words, if you were to play Battleground without knowing it was a Blockchain game —_ _YOU WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE._

So…

You might be wondering…

What is Zombie Battleground? 🤔

[Image for post]

My Zombie army, about to stomp my opponent to dust

First of all, Zombie Battleground is a _Magic: The Gathering_-style collectible card game that stores all of your game assets and data on its own dedicated DAppChain.

As you know, there’s a TON of benefits to running games on a Blockchain.

I am not going to cover all the reasons again — but, in our case:

All the rare cards in Zombie Battleground are ACTUALLY (provably) RARE.

…and ultimately, you, the player (and the Battleground community) will have control over the game and its assets.

THAT’S CORRECT — EVEN LOOM NETWORK, THE CREATORS OF ZOMBIE BATTLEGROUND, CANNOT TAKE YOUR CARDS AWAY.

Plus…

Since your cards are stored on the Blockchain as non-fungible (ERC721) tokens, not only can you prove that you own your cards — you can even sell or trade them with anyone for actual money!

ALSO:

  We’re going to have a massive peer-to-peer marketplace where you can buy, sell, and trade your cards directly with other players.

So, let me show you around…

AT A GLANCE, HERE ARE SOME QUICK HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAME ITSELF:

[Image for post]

Battleground Splash Screen

1. IN BATTLEGROUND, YOU COLLECT CARDS TO ASSEMBLE THE ULTIMATE DECK.

Much like the Spartans — you must constantly study and train in the event that you are challenged by an enemy force.

THE WAY YOU DO THAT IN BATTLEGROUND IS BY STRATEGICALLY CRAFTING YOUR DECK — so that you are always ready to battle any type of opponent that might come your way.

It doesn’t matter if you run into an aggressive opponent with Fire Zombies or a defensive opponent that loves to hide behind a Heavy Zombie — because, _YOU’LL ALWAYS BE READY TO RUMBLE WITH THE DEAD_.

2. YOU CAN PURCHASE CARD PACKS — BUT, YOU CANNOT BUY YOUR WAY TO VICTORY.

Battleground is NOT a game that you can win simply by having a lot of money in your wallet.

You must ACTUALLY EARN your position with blood, sweat, and hard work.

While you have the option of purchasing card packs or individual cards directly from other players — you can also earn LOTS of free card packs just from playing a lot of matches _strategically_.

In other words, you can get the EXACT SAME RESULTS (or even better results) as someone who purchased cards WITHOUT SPENDING ANY MONEY.

More than that, the gameplay in Battleground is designed to be EASY TO LEARN BUT HARD TO MASTER.

So, a skilled player who has spent countless hours sharpening their strategy has a much better chance of winning than a newbie who bought a bunch of packs hoping to beat their opponent.

QUITE SIMPLY, THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS IN BATTLEGROUND.

3. Much like Skittles — THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF ZOMBIES YOU CAN USE AGAINST YOUR OPPONENT 😜

For example, FERAL ZOMBIES are very aggressive (similar to the Zombies in World War Z) and can attack your opponent quickly, while WALKER ZOMBIES are a lot slower to attack (similar to Zombies in The Walking Dead).

Oh — and HEAVY ZOMBIES are a lot bigger, and can block your opponent from attacking any of your Zombies until they’re killed.

Think of HEAVY ZOMBIES like shields for your other Zombies.

4. ZOMBIES ARE ALSO SPLIT INTO ELEMENTAL FACTIONS, EACH WITH ITS OWN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES.

There are Fire Zombies, Water Zombies, Earth Zombies, Air Zombies, Life Zombies, and Toxic Zombies.

[Image for post]

Zombies in Battleground have different elemental powers — Fire, Toxic, Life, Earth, Air, and Water—and you’ll need to craft your deck with the right balance to take on any opponent.
Each Element is strong against some and weak against others, for instance:

-

    _FIRE IS STRONGER THAN TOXIC__, because if you mix Toxic with Fire, everything BLOWS UP._
-

    _TOXIC IS STRONGER THAN LIFE_ _because no life can grow in toxic waste._
-

    _LIFE IS STRONGER THAN EARTH_ _because it grows out of the Earth and breaks it apart._
-

    _EARTH IS STRONGER THAN AIR_ _because Air can’t easily move Earth._
-

    _AIR IS STRONGER THAN WATER_ _because Water conducts electricity, and Air can dry up the Water._
-

    _WATER IS STRONGER THAN FIRE_ _because it can put the Fire out._

Remember: FIRE > TOXIC > LIFE > EARTH > AIR > WATER > FIRE

All this talk about elements takes me back to childhood when I used to eat Cocoa Puffs with Chocolate Milk while watching Captain Planet… 🤔

_Anyway…_

Gee! That All Sounds Dank Mister! — So, How Do I Play Dis Zombie Battleground? 🤔

Glad you asked 😎

Since you are already aware that Zombie Battleground is a collectible card game where you battle your opponent with your Zombie Cards — let me introduce you to how the ACTUAL game-play looks like.

First, CHOOSE YOUR HERO:

[Image for post]

Each hero has unique elemental abilities, which you should take into account when incorporating your Hero Zombie into your overall strategy.

Then, YOU BUILD YOUR DECK:

[Image for post]

You can use cards from any elemental faction when crafting your deck — EXCEPT for the element your HERO ZOMBIE is vulnerable against.

_For example, if your Hero is a Fire Zombie — you cannot use Water._

When the battle begins…

`Zombie Battleground gameplay in action — takin’ names and slayin’ the enemy with supercharged Zombies.`
Both players are initially dealt 5 cards.

Then, you and your opponent will take turns summoning your best Zombies and pitting them against each other.

Speaking of pitting Zombies against each other — remember that each time you summon a Zombie from your deck, it will require some Goo.

  GASOLINE IS TO YOUR CAR as GOO IS TO YOUR ZOMBIE CARDS.

We wouldn’t just throw a bunch of Goo on your hands (yuck!) — so, when playing Battleground, you’ll find a lineup of neatly filled GREEN GOO BOTTLES NEXT TO YOUR DECK OF CARDS:

[Image for post]

Goo Bottles are used as fuel when drawing Zombie cards from your deck — and EACH ZOMBIE CARD HAS IT’S OWN GOO COST.

Each Zombie has a _GOO COST_ __ — which is the number of Goo Bottles that cost you when you summon your Zombie into the Battleground.

_THE MORE POWERFUL THE ZOMBIE, THE MORE GOO IS REQUIRED TO SUMMON IT._

Each round — your Goo Bottles are automatically re-filled.

…and as you keep playing, you get incrementally more Goo Bottles.

_For example, you get_ _1 BOTTLE OF GOO ON ROUND 1__…__2 BOTTLES OF GOO ON ROUND 2__…__3 BOTTLES OF GOO ON ROUND 3,_ _and so on._

So as the match goes on —since the amount of available Goo increases, both players will be able to summon even stronger Zombies.

After you summon a Zombie, you’ll see a bunch of Zzzzz’s appear on your card like this:

[Image for post]

Sleepy Zombie
This indicates that your Zombie needs to rest a bit until your next turn.

Then, it’ll be ready to go into battle again 😴

Yes, even Zombies need rest.

How to Kill a Dead Zombie 101

In order to attack an Enemy Zombie, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DRAG YOUR ZOMBIE ONTO THE ENEMY…and if everything goes well, you will have F*#@&!*$ up that other Zombie and given it another death sentence!

[Image for post]

To attack your opponent, simply drag your Zombie onto the Enemy Zombie
If you give the enemy zombie an ass whoopin’ — you should notice your Attack Value being deducted from the enemy Zombie’s Defense Value.

Conversely, your Zombie also takes damage based on the other Zombie’s Attack Value.

IF A ZOMBIE’S DEFENSE VALUE GOES TO ZERO — IT WILL DIE 😖

Each Zombie can only attack once per turn — so after you’ve made all your moves, you’ll need to press the END TURN button to pass the gameplay onto your opponent.

The More You Win — The More You Are Rewarded 🎉

So, your Hero Zombie is like the King of the Zombie Castle — if he’s dead, it’s game over.

So…

_WHEN YOU DEFEAT YOUR OPPONENT’S HERO ZOMBIE — YOU AUTOMATICALLY WIN THE MATCH…EVEN IF THERE ARE OTHER ZOMBIES ON THE BATTLEGROUND._

And each time you WIN A MATCH, you are rewarded with all sorts of valuable loot (like card packs, in-game currency, etc.).

So the more badass you are, the more badass you get! — _It’s a never ending cycle of Zombie-Slayin’ Badassery._

[Image for post]

When you win a match, you are rewarded with things like booster packs, goo, and other valuable stuff.
By the way, regarding all my flashy GIF’s — I am very sorry if you have Epilepsy 🤗

Those are the highlights — Also: BIG NEWS coming very soon 😎

I can tell you that you are going to LOVE Zombie Battleground.

Since you need to be a master strategist and plan your moves in order to destroy your opponent (who is also trying to destroy you) — THE GAME ITSELF IS INCREDIBLY ADDICTING AND FUN.

In the end, Battleground is FUN FIRST — and BLOCKCHAIN SECOND.

…and I am SUPER DUPER excited to see this come to life.

Here’s the deal…

Even though I’ve given you a VERY VERY EARLY _sneak peek_ into Zombie Battleground…

Without ACTUALLY playing the game, you will never experience how much fun it really is…

_It’s the difference between reading an article about swimming and actually getting in the pool._

…the problem is, BATTLEGROUND IS NOT OUT YET.

_That’s the bad news._

_Here’s the good news:_

We are going to announce some BIG NEWS soon — like NEXT WEEK soon 😉

[Image for post]

💡 If you are the impatient type, go ahead and JOIN OUR PRIVATE MAILING LIST and I’ll let you know about the upcoming news before everyone else! 😉

So, keep those ears to the street and stay classy — home skittle.

_LOOM NETWORK_ _is the multichain interop platform for scaling high-performance dapps — already live in production, audited, and battle-tested._

_Deploy your dapp to Loom’s Basechain once and reach the widest possible user base across all major blockchains today._

_New to Loom?___ _START HERE__._

_Want to stake your LOOM tokens and help secure Basechain?___ _FIND OUT HOW__._

_Like what we’re doing here? Stay in the loop by_ _SIGNING UP FOR OUR PRIVATE MAILING LIST__._

question: When was Zombie Battleground released for early access?

answer: It was released in August 2018.

question: What is the purpose of Zombie Battleground Custom Game Modes?

answer: It is to enable gamers to create custom versions of the game as well as add monetization if they prefer.

question: On what platforms does Zombie Battleground run?

answer: On mobile devices.

question: What kind of game is Zombie Battleground?

answer: It is a gathering-style collectible card game.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer:
Zombie Battlegrounds early access version was released in 2018. One of its unique features is that it possesses custom modes, where players can create their own mode and even monetize them.

Zombie Battleground is a gathering-style collectible game that runs on Android and iOS. The developers promised to release a PC and Mac OS version soon.


text:
In a Thursday meeting to discuss school safety in the wake of the Parkland shooting, DONALD TRUMP suggested that movies and video games are influencing the youth’s perception of violence—and because of that, there should be a “rating system” in place, according to _The Hollywood Reporter_. He did not acknowledge the fact that explicit ratings systems for movies and video games have existed for decades.

“We have to look at the Internet, because a lot of bad things are happening to young kids and young minds, and their minds are being formed. And we have to do something about maybe what they’re seeing and how they’re seeing it,” Trump said. “And also video games. I’m hearing more and more people say the level of violence in video games is really shaping young people’s thoughts. And then you go the further step and that’s the movies. You see these movies, they’re so violent and yet a kid is able to see a movie if sex isn’t involved, but killing is involved. Maybe they have to put a rating system for that.”

Attorney General JEFF SESSIONS, Health and Human Services Secretary ALEX AZAR, Domestic Policy Council Director ANDREW BREMBERG, White House Chief of Staff JOHN KELLY, Secretary of Education BETSY DEVOS, and adviser KELLYANNE CONWAY also attended the meeting Thursday, in addition to local officials.

His puzzling call for a ratings system aside, Trump echoed a common debate that is often stirred up after mass school shootings, one that places the blame on pop culture. As _T.H.R._ points out, he’s far from the first politician to voice concerns over violent video games. In the past week, Republican Kentucky Governor MATT BEVIN and Republican Rhode Island Representative ROBERT “BOBBY” NARDOLILLO mentioned video games, with the latter proposing a tax on games rated “M” for mature or above. (Because, again: the games already get ratings based on their violent content.) Back in 2005, even HILLARY CLINTON spoke out against increasingly violent games, saying they are “stealing the innocence from our children” and should be monitored like “tobacco, alcohol, and pornography.”

The vocal students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where the Parkland shooting occurred, do not agree. Rather than blaming violent video games and films, they have instead made waves by calling out inactive politicians and the N.R.A. In a stirring Wednesday night town hall meeting hosted by CNN, the students—as well as parents, teachers, and other locals—took Senator MARCO RUBIO and N.R.A. spokeswoman DANA LOESCH to task, demanding gun-control reform. FRED GUTTENBERG, whose daughter Jamie was killed in the shooting, told Rubio outright that both his comments, as well as Trump’s comments, have been “pathetically weak.”

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

Allison Janney’s 2017-2018 Awards-Season Style

-   [Image may contain Allison Janney Premiere Fashion Red Carpet Red Carpet Premiere Human and Person]

-   [Image may contain Furniture Human Person Clothing Apparel Evening Dress Robe Fashion Gown Lamp and Table Lamp]

-   [Image may contain Human Person Fashion Premiere Clothing Apparel and Allison Janney]

By Kevin Mazur/Getty Images.

March 3: At the Film Independent Spirit Awards

Wearing custom Pamella Roland.

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

question: What does the text say about the opinions of the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School?

answer: The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School do not agree with the idea that video games and movies are to blame for the shooting. Instead, they blame inactive politicians and the N.R.A.

question: What does the text say about upcoming bills in Congress?


text:
I sat outside of the kitchen door, ass firmly planted on the cold concrete steps that led up to the service entrance. It was raining out, so I had to Macgyver an umbrella against the loose steel railing to protect my cigarette. It had taken a few soaking tries, but I needed this damn thing.

We had just gotten through the Friday night dinner rush. Three hours of nonstop tickets, endless re-makes, shouting, whining, crying. Servers fucking up tickets. Cooks fucking up orders. The manager going red from screaming at us.

I raised a hand to my cheek and wiped some of the rain away.

The fucking manager. I was on fry. We had a bad string of sendbacks: Turns out the middle fryer hadn't been cleaned last night, and shit was coming out black.

I'm not sure how that's my fault. Well, I guess I should have paid attention, but I'm not the one cleaning the damn things.

I had tried to explain that, as eloquently as one can explain something with hot food in one hand, a fryer handle in the other, and a towering kitchen manager shouting and spraying sweat on me from about three inches away.

I took another long pull on my cigarette. The others usually came out here after a rush. Three or four of us, not to mention one or two servers, maybe a bartender, even a manager or two.

But everyone else had stayed inside, and it wasn't just the rain.

I had gotten reamed out pretty fucking hard, and this time I had given some shit back. I had thrown things. I mean, they threw things first, but they were management. We had all seen what Gordon Ramsey does to cooks on TV. The cooks don't get to come back, they just have to take it.

Tonight I hadn't taken it, and my current seclusion was a clue that maybe that wasn't the best option.

Fuck, I was going to get fired.

I tried not to think of it. I brought my cigarette up again and yelped when it burned my fingers.
Felt like I had just lit the fucker.

I reached down to fish another out when my fingers brushed against my phone. My hand froze, time slowing down.

I didn't want to get fired, but...

I pulled the phone out, flicking it on and pulling up the browser. It was still on my bank account, just like it had been the past three days

I re-entered the password, checking my balance.

$47,349.43.

I forced myself to swallow, letting out a shuddering breath. $47 grand.

I checked the deposits again.

Work paycheck, work paycheck, work paycheck. Each one around $900, bi-weekly.

No where in the deposits did it mention the $40,000 I had received three days ago, nor the $10,000 three days before that.

Hand trembling, I tapped the little rectangle to pull away from my bank account. I swiped to my pictures.

Me and my work buddies out drinking last night. One of the servers getting way too close to one of the bartenders. Phil, the dish guy, with a bunch of shots in front of him. Probably spent a week's pay out with us last night.

I kept swiping.

Abigail, her long, dark hair spilling out from a little baseball cap. Her mother, Jane, stood with her, smiling. They were at a baseball game somewhere. Jane hated my guts, but she wasn't going to keep our daughter's happiness from me.

I swiped again.

My brother, holding a fish up in the middle of a big white boat, somewhere in the Atlantic.

A woman I didn't know, her hair short and sandy blonde. An older man with a beer to his lips.

My dad, laying in a hospital bed, making a stupid face as my sister posed solemnly next to him. I couldn't help but grin at that old man.

A few more swipes, mostly photos of people I didn't know. A little guy with big muscles standing by my fryer and grinning, three twenty-something year old women sticking their tongues out, drinks in hand. Two guys with their arms around my neck, all three of us dressed in tuxedos.

The door behind me slammed, announcing a new arrival. I twisted back to look up, hoping it wasn't the kitchen manager.

Somehow, it was worse.

The man behind me was about six feet tall, dressed in a black business suit with a matching bowler. He didn't carry an umbrella but his clothes seemed to be shrugging off the rain, sending it splashing away whenever it touched the fabric.

“Awful day for a smoke, Mr. Wilson.” He noted, coming over to sit beside me.

“Awful day for anything.” I replied, trying to keep the tremor from my voice.

“Were you pleased with our last gift?” He asked casually, moving one white-gloved hand towards my phone and flicking through it. He brought up my account again.

“Yes, sir. Thank you very much. It was quite generous.”

He flashed a toothy smile at me, leaning closer.

“You're taking a lot more pictures lately.”

I swallowed but didn't reply.

“Why is that?” He continued.

“Please...” I whispered, looking down. “I don't need any more. You've been so generous, but... no more.”

“It doesn't work that way, John.”

My fist clenched. I wanted to strike him, but I knew that would be pointless. The rain couldn't touch him. I didn't even know what he was.

“But it's not all bad!” The man said cheerily. He tapped my screen again. “You're going to be rich! Are you ready?”
“No...” But I knew I didn't have a choice.

I felt a hand on my hand, it slid up slowly to the back of my head. There was a white flash. A searing pain in the back of my skull. I whimpered pitifully.

I saw something on the edge of my peripheral vision, a glowing green light. It winked out as I turned to look at it.

The man smiled at me warmly, moving his hand back to my phone and tapping on the screen twice.
My balance blurred, then updated.

$247,349.43.

I felt my throat go dry. That was so much money. An unbelievable amount. I could buy Abigail anything she wanted.

Then the panic hit me.

I clicked back to my photos.

Me and my co-workers, the server and bartender, the dishwasher, Abigail and her mother, my brother and the fish. I kept swiping.

More faces I didn't know. The woman with short hair, the man with the beer, my sister posing solemnly next to some goofy old man in a hospital bed.

title: [UR] Equivalent Exchange

question: Who is the narrator?

answer: Mr. Wilson, a fry cook at a restaurant

question: Where are the large deposits to the narrator's bank account coming from?

answer: A mysterious man in black apparently gives him the money in exchange for his memories

question: Why does the narrator think he might lose his job?

answer: He fought back when his manager yelled at him, and he threw things

question: Where does the story take place?

answer: On the steps of the service entrance to a restaurant

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator, Mr. Wilson, sits on the steps of the service entrance to the restaurant he works at. He fears he will lose his job for fighting back after his manager yelled at him earlier. He was recently received a large amount of money in his bank account, and he scrolls through his pictures, only recognizing some of the people in them. A mysterious man in black appears and puts his hand on the narrator's head. After, the narrator has an additional $200,000 in his bank account, but no longer recognizes his father in a photo.


text:
I feel it might be a bit cumbersome, anyway- any advice/critiques would be greatly appreciated.

———-He would then make his journey, wearing a shirt that featured a sloppy graphic of Paris, Texas’s own Eiffel Tower front and center.  This Eiffel Tower was crowned with a fucking cowboy hat.

Speaking of-

I should tell you about those two-brothers, they were identical twins- one of which went by the moniker Cowboy, who in a very cowboy-esque manner heroically busted into our protagonist’s house at 3 a.m. and used brazen force to grab a sofa that was engulfed in flames to toss it out into the front-yard with a grunt. Apparently, cushion serves as no buffer to an old MGM limp-wristed ashing out of a cigarette.  Our protagonist thanked him with hare-like murmurs once he awoke from the kitchen-floor that red wine and continually shouting ‘I am no senator’s son’ had lulled him to sleep on.  He would always tell me that Cowboy had certain vigilant inclinations that usurped the mental disorder that made him dependent on the state of Texas and it’s few victuals of financial empathy. “If he didn’t get those checks, well, I would have probably burned alive.” Our protagonist would gleefully say over bites of the singular nougat-heavy candy bars that used to provide his only source of nutrition for the day outside of what he got when he traveled to Hunt county, which was wet and eager to trade it’s poison for quarters and the tawdry idioms thrown into over-the-counter service to feign something fetchingly personal.

I was force-fed too much iconography to be concerned with finding out the other brother’s name.

The two-brothers would watch the same recorded episodes of Wheel of Fortune on VHS so that they could consistently be correct with their answers.  Pat Sajak had become an administration of consistent validation.  The two-brothers would pepper in caveats of convoluted logic to the neighborhood kids “Don’t count your toes in spring-time, just don’t do it” before offering them a tuna sandwich or licorice that lost all malleability to time.  They would go the local donut-shop and offer up arm wrestling contests in which the prize was a Spudnut with coconut shavings; rumor has it that they never lost, so the forfeiture to come of their hypothetical defeat was never addressed.  I always wondered.

Everyone saw a litany of misdirected allegory, bicycle baskets and matching pique polos from the thrift-store on Booker road.  They saw a life without the dregs.  Life without rancor towards the swath of simple southern fate.  Everyone responded to them with subtle indifference.  They were patronizers, but they did it out of envy.  He swore it.  Our protagonist saw the enchanting whiteness and front-faced conscious that the (what social arbiters have deemed as the-) ‘mentally-challenged’ bared.  More times than not, he was certain that they were only people within the ‘low-end’ part of town that weren’t nauseated by the smell of sulfur.  He’d invite them over to play on his impromptu front yard golf-course, which was comprised of holes that he’d stuck old coffee tins in and a croquet set he got for fifty cents.  He’d conceptualized it on a raucous Tuesday night.  I think he genuinely loved the two-brothers.  In retrospect, we all should have.

The protagonist, my father, attended their funeral in the spring of 1999.  He wore the only suit he had.  It was an awful onyx grey.  It had masted a decade of convival and powder.  It had seen its fair share.  The pant hems provided slightly splayed pedals of fabric, relics of either dancing or running in The Big D (Our protagonist would say they are actions that operate in tandem.)  He counted his toes for what seemed like decades. We didn’t watch Wheel of Fortune that night.

title: Two brothers: a snippet from a book I'm working on.

question: What does the story say about how the narrator's father was saved from the fire?

answer: A man who went by the moniker Cowboy busted into his house at 3 a.m. and grab a sofa that was engulfed in flames to toss it out into the front yard. Cowboy had a mental disorder that made him dependent on the state of Texas. The narrator's father thinks that if Cowboy didn’t get checks from the state, he would have probably burned alive.

question: What does the story say about how the brothers died?