text:
So I checked my mail today. A single lonely envelope this time, and by the handwritten address on the front I knew immediately who it was from. Two nights ago my father sat down and wrote me a letter.

This isn't normally how my dad and I correspond. The occasional phone call is far more likely, and since my son was born almost three years ago the calls have gotten far more frequent. For a period of time when I was in my teens it wasn't unlikely to get a call from the man maybe once a year, usually around my birthday, and usually when he'd been drinking. My parents had divorced when I was about 10 years old and my dad simply thought it was best to take a backseat to my life at that point. At the time, I suppose I can't say I cared much. These days I'm at least somewhat happier to get a call from the man.

When my father calls it's usually to ask the same three questions:

"How's life treatin' ya?

"How's my grandson?"

"How's yer mother been?"

And when the conversation's over he always ends with the same three words:

"Hook yer seatbelt."

When the phone rings and I see the name DAD on the caller ID I immediately do a quick review in my mind over the answers to those three questions so I can get the call over and done with hastily. My dad has a way of going on tangents you see, anything I say that sparks a hazy memory in his mind can quickly become a long winded story about how many years ago there was an instance oh so similar to mine that he had to deal with. And I get to hear about the people involved and the colorful locations where these happenings took place. Something as simple as telling him my check engine light came on the other day can suddenly be spun into a story about the time he was in New Mexico as a teenager with a couple of friends he hasn't talked to in decades, getting stuck in some out of the way little town and my god son you should should see the countryside out in that area, if I was still with your mother I'd buy a Winnebago and just drive her around the west...

I've gotten to hear stories about a lot of people and a lot of places over the years, most of which I've rolled my eyes through, flipped through the channels or just nodded along with patiently. I'm fairly certain by now I've had to sit through the life stories of every man woman and child my dad has ever met, the short versions and the long, and not a single one of these names would still register in my brain if I came upon them in a phone book today.

All but one that is. Maybe it's the nickname this one had, which always made me chuckle. Maybe it's the stories he's told about this person and the elaborate build-up he'd begin with, setting the stage for some of the most ridiculous endings to any of the tales my dad's had the pleasure of telling. Maybe it's the number of times he's told these particular stories. A good story is like a pair of jeans, the more worn they are the more likely they are to be worn, and they eventually become your favorites. My dad has worn these stories so many times I can almost picture the holes ripped in the knees, and the tattered fray ends of the legs. I can't begin to describe what the stories are about, or the person they center around. I wasn't born when they took place and I've never met the key player. I can tell you they involved my father's back and forth relationship with this single person. The times he went to jail for this person. The adventures they went on together. The people who my dad has almost beat almost to death because of something this person's done.

I've never met the subject of these stories, but I feel like I've known the person my entire life. Her name is Helen. My father calls her Helen From Hell. In equals measures my dad once loved and hated her, and to hear him tell the tales you can pick up on both of those things by the emotion in his voice.

Now...I can't remember the last time I saw my parents in the same room together. I know he talks with my mom on occasion still, mostly to keep up with the news on me that I don't share with the both of them. I know my mother will always have a place in his heart. After 21 years of being divorced the man still talks about her fondly. But my mom was the last person my dad ever loved. After the split he gravitated pretty heavily towards the booze. Women walked into his life and ran out twice as quickly. He swore my mom was going to be the last person to break his heart, and true to his word he's never let another woman have it.

My mom was the last person to break his heart, but to have had a last there must always be a first, and that first was Helen. The last time I know for sure that she and my dad ever got together was probably when he was in his mid to late twenties. By that point she'd done more to make his life miserable than any man should have to put up with, so I gather from the way my father tells it at least. By that point they had already dated and broken up two or three times, each one followed by a spit on the ground and a curse towards the other. By that point my dad had sworn to god he was through with the woman who had rightfully earned herself the nickname she's been branded with by my dad and perhaps many others like him. She was the first girl my father ever loved and the first person he ever wanted to kill. Up until the second or third time they called it quits my dad had always found reason, if reason had anything to do with it, to take her back and and put aside the hatred she'd left him with the time before. To say they had a rocky relationship is putting it almost laughably. But the man loved her, and if he hadn't met my mom I'm sure the cycle would have continued until they were either married or one of them was in prison for the murder of the other.

I opened my dad's letter today with confusion in my mind. He hadn't mentioned a letter being on the way recently, he wasn't sending me any money that I was aware of. By the thickness of the envelope I could tell there was more than just a hello how are you inside. What was inside however, were three handwritten pages in my father's unmistakable scrawl.

If there's one word to describe my dad, it's Storyteller. I've saved many of his letters over the years as prime examples of my dad's way with words. He tells his stories to strangers to make new friends, he tells them to friends to paint vivid memories of the past, and he tells them to me to give advice. That's pretty much the only way it's ever worked up until today. I have in my attic right now a small box of handwritten advice from my dad, probably enough to fashion a book out of by this point. Probably enough to tell his life's story as well.

This was no advice. This was the meanderings of a man who's sole purpose two nights ago was to tell a piece of a story, one I've heard countless times before, and one who's supporting cast member I remembered the name of with one part heartfelt laughter and another part absolute horror.

I suppose a story doesn't have to be linear to work well. As long as you have a beginning, a middle, and an end it really doesn't matter in what order they're in placed. The story of Helen From Hell was always handed down to me in bits and pieces over the many years since my dad began talking to me more than once every twelve or so months, well after he sobered up, and especially since my son was born. It began with a lengthy and roundabout middle, it touched briefly once on a beginning, and for all my father and I knew or ever expected, some forty years ago it came to an end.

I suppose for the full weight of what I'm writing to be felt I'd have to flesh out the entire story of Helen and my dad, but quite honestly I would have no idea where to begin. I've pointed out already the main aspects and given the most important details, so if what I'm saying here doesn't so much as matter to you as it does to me then I'll just have to comfort myself with the fact that I'm not the story teller my dad is, and this story is more for myself anyways than anyone else...

Three weeks ago my father was preparing to go to Florida for vacation. Packing his things in his van and hitting the road, he decided to make a stop at my grandfather's house, empty now since my father's dad died last year, and a good jumping off point for a trip to the south. The house is in Monaca, PA, a small area and where my dad's side of the family grew up. It's where most of his stories are based, and it's where he once again, three weeks ago ran into Helen From Hell. I didn't get to hear the entire story behind how, after four decades apart, my father suddenly ran into his first love. I have not a clue why they decided to go to Florida together. I'm not certain how the universe works or what can be blamed entirely on coincidence as opposed to a divine alignment of the stars. All I know is that today I got a letter. And in three pages of handwritten scrawl my dad explained to me how a twenty-one year promise to never again hand out his heart was broken by three weeks in Florida with a woman he'd sworn off one last time all of forty some years ago.

In three well thought out pages my dad explained how time has worn the Hell out of Helen, how three weeks in Florida with her was nowhere near enough, and how you just never know what life has in store for you. I'm glad my father's found someone to care for again. I'm sure he's got someone now to tell all of his stories to. I'm certain I'm going to be hearing a lot of new stories about Helen, and maybe even get to meet her for the first time very soon. I'm in utter shock and awe that a tale as long and broken as theirs can find a new chapter long after the end was written.

On the back of the third page my dad simply wrote "Hook your sealtbelt".

title: Some stories were never meant to have an end...

question: How does the narrator feel about their father?

answer: The narrator seems to have a somewhat distant relationship with their father, but they seem to communicate fairly regularly. The narrator respects their father's life experience and storytelling ability, though they do believe that their father rambles often.

question: What does the narrator's father write to the narrator about?

answer: The narrator's father writes to them about his trip down to Florida three weeks ago. He meets with a woman referred to as Helen from Hell, who was the the father's first love interest long ago. It seems that the father has rekindled his relationship with Helen.


split: test

text:
What should you do if you want to travel abroad during your J1 internship? What if you would like to change your host company? Can you get a second job during your J1 training?

Let’s discuss some important program rules guiding IIUSA internships.

[rules]

Changing host companies

In certain cases you are allowed to change companies during your internship program. Such cases include your host company going bankrupt or downsizing its operations, eliminating the need to have an intern. If this ever happens to you, please rest assured that we will help find another company for you and if you suspect that such a thing is about to happen, contact us.

If you are thinking of changing host companies “just because” or because some other company offered you a better paid position, your host company change request is unlikely to be approved by your visa sponsor and IIUSA – you have to have a compelling reason for host company change and money and “just because” are not good enough reasons.

Keep in mind that when you were just an applicant your current company invested their time and effort into hiring you and by signing the training plan you have committed to training with them for the entire duration of your J1 training as listed on your training plan and DS-2019. So, unless they fail to provide training according to the written training plan, you are both committed to each other.

However, if your current host company is not following the training plan and is mistreating you in any way, let us know and we will investigate the case and change your training site if your company is indeed at fault. We do not allow our interns to be mistreated by companies; we also do not allow companies to be mistreated by interns.

If for any reason you are searching for another host company, keep in mind that not all US businesses qualify to host interns. Read our host company eligibility criteria to find out more.

Extending your internship

If you are here in the US as a:

-   J1 intern doing a 6 month internship
-   J1 trainee doing a 6 or 12 month internship in any training field other than Hospitality and Tourism

you can extend your training program through IIUSA and your visa sponsor.

Exceptions to this rule are Hospitality and Tourism trainees who can only come here for 12 months maximum and can only extend their program from 6 to 12 months. If you are changing your training site during the extension period, please take a look at host company eligibility criteria and read through the “Changing host companies” entry above.

Repeating your internship

If you are on a J1 training visa right now or if you ever had J1 training or internship visas in the past, keep in mind that you can take part in these programs more than once. The general rule is that the repeat training/internship program cannot duplicate the program/training plan you have already had. We covered all the J1 repeat scenarios in our recent blog post.

Second job

Many interns wonder if they are allowed to get second jobs during their training. The answer is no, secondary employment is not allowed on J1 internship and training programs and if you get caught working for a company other than the one listed on your training plan, it is considered unauthorized employment and your visa sponsor will terminate your training program and visa immediately.

Studies

If you are here on a J1 internship or training visa, it is perfectly legal for you to take classes at a US-based college or university as long as your studies are related to your field of training. To explain your legal status to the International Students Office of any US university or college, show them your DS-2019. Note that you still have to discuss your academic plans with your host company, especially if your class schedule interferes with your training hours.

Traveling abroad

You are allowed to travel abroad during your training program if

-   you have your HOST COMPANY’S PERMISSION to have time off
-   you still have a VALID, MULTIPLE-ENTRY J1 VISA in your passport (otherwise you will have to renew your J1 visa to come back to the US)
-   you will be traveling outside the United States for LESS THAN 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS
-   your visa sponsor put a TRAVEL VALIDATION SIGNATURE on your original form DS-2019, which looks like this

[ds2019 travel validation]

The travel validation signature is valid for one year for multiple visits outside the U.S. or until the DS-2019 expires, whichever comes first. Since you have to mail the original form to your visa sponsor and they have to mail it back to you, make sure to plan ahead and get the signature with the form back several weeks BEFORE your overseas travels.

question: Under what conditions can an intern switch companies?

answer: There are only two conditions. One is if the company has gone bankrupt or downsized. The other is if the company is mistreating the intern in any way. The intern is not permitted to switch for purely personal preference or monetary reasons.

question: What are holders of a J1 internship visa allowed to do?

answer: Holders of a J1 visa are allowed to study at a college or university, but they are not allowed to have a second job. They are allowed to travel abroad, but only with the approval of their company, while their visa is current, for thirty days, with a travel validation signature.


text:
Nameless
“Hey, Green Brown!” A familiar voice called to me from the other side of the door. Quickly, I wiped my teary eyes and shakily stood up from my fetal position. I peered through the peephole. “Wanna let me in?” I recognized the voice as my best friend Blue Orange’s, and the face standing on the other side of the door confirmed it.

Blue Orange and I had first become friends around a year before, when I got a job at the local news station. I was new to the workforce, barely 22. I was the head writer and she was stuck being an assistant, despite having worked at the station for several years more than I had. She was the first person I met, the first person to introduce me.

Oh, and there’s one thing I forgot to mention. I am completely in love with her. We could never happen though, she’s hetero and I’m homo. She knows I’m homo, but she’ll never know my feelings for her.

I opened the door slowly, still sniffling.

“She hurt you pretty bad, huh?” I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything. She caged me in her arms, shushing me. “It’ll be alright. You’ll get through this. We’ll get through this.”

She straightened, placing her hands on my shoulders.

“Hey, how do you feel about a girls’ night out?” She asked. I looked at her dolefully. “Hey, it’ll be fun!” She attempted again. I kept staring. “C’mon! You can’t just stay inside and mope forever.”
“Who says?” I responded, but I knew she had won the fight.

She skipped ahead to my bedroom, pulling me along.

“Ugh, we have got to go shopping together more.” She said, picking out a way-too-big sweater with a cheesy logo beginning to fade. Blue Orange gave me a look of disgust. “Seriously, who let you get this?” I rolled my eyes, smiling slightly.

She picked out a tight red dress from my closet.  “Ooh, I like this one.” She said, wiggling her eyebrows. I let out a giggle.

“Sure, go ahead. I’m too skinny for it anyway.” I shrugged.

“Aww, c’mon hun, you’re gorgeous. You just need to start finishing your Rations.” She smiled.

I rolled my eyes. “We all know those don’t really make you healthier.”

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat them.” She said, her tone almost motherly.

“Fine.” I sighed.

A few seconds went by as she searched through my closet for something to wear.

“Heey, how about this one?” She pulled out a shimmery golden dress that poofed out at the waist. “I think it’ll look cute!” I took the dress carefully from her hands, shrugging.

“Sure.” I told her.

2 hours later, we were ready. Keep in mind, the whole time we were giggling and messing up each others’ makeup.

Blue Orange was about to open the door when I grabbed her arm.

“I’m not sure I really want to do this. We had enough fun just getting ready, can’t we just order a snack and stay in?”

“C’mon.” She responded and tugged me out the door.

“Okay, so we’re gonna meet Blue Black at the George Fountain and then head to the First Club. Sound good? Okay! Let’s go!” She said enthusiastically.

“I thought you said this was going to be just us.” I said, disappointed for more reasons than she knew.

“C’mon, he wanted to come.” She replied. “He won’t be any bother, I promise.”

“Fine.” I sighed, not really fine, but not wanting to make a big deal of it.

Grabbing my wrist, she tugged me out the door, almost forcefully. We went out into the hallway and rang for the lifter. Of course, being one of the youngest residents of the building, I am on the top floor. “BUSY” A sign flicked on above the elevator, responding to our ring. We would either have to wait for the lifter to climb the 25 floors to reach us, or we’d have to descend manually. Curse you, Age-Elevation system!

Not to be brought down from her happiness, Blue Orange smiled at me.

“Let’s just take the bumpers, okay nerd?” She smiled at me affectionately.

I hated the word nerd. It reminded me of my ex-girlfriend. She used to abhor the word, because she said it was really an insult. She always talked about words and language with such a pretentious tone, like she knew everything. I hated that about her. But that was over now. Nerd was just a word, she was just a person.

Blue Orange saw the flicker of pain in my eyes. She always knew how I really felt. “I’m sorry hon. I forgot-” She put her hand tenderly on my shoulder.

“It’s okay.” I flashed her a small smile. Her hand on my shoulder comforted me.

We took the bumpers to the bottom floor.

The sunlight beamed down on me harshly. I blinked quickly, squinting.

“Not used to the sunlight, huh nerd?” She joked, heading to a-

“Wow! How did you manage to get a Wheeler?” I asked her wonderingly. She grinned.

“I applied, and they said that I had enough activities and places I have to be that are far off that  I needed a more advanced vehicle than a bicycle.” I shrieked excitedly. She opened the Wheeler door for me, bowing. I giggled, climbing in.

“I’m still learning to drive this thing,” she smiled at me, “so watch out!” I laughed, giddiness beginning to set in. Maybe this could be fun. Maybe I could be happy again, even after-

No. I was going to be happy. No more thoughts of her.

Before I knew it, we were at the George Fountain. As usual, there was a tour guide explaining the story of the George Fountain.

George founded our Community, and thus became the last George. He was also the one who founded our One-Name system, in an attempt to eliminate overpopulation. The way it works is that parents have to apply for a name before having their child. They have to have the name approved before they can conceive the child. If not, the child will be killed at birth. Somehow, though, murder wasn’t a big deal. “Cruel But Necessary” goes the slogan.

Blue Orange parked the Wheeler and we got out, searching for Blue Black.

“There he is!” Blue Orange shouted, waving. We headed down to where Blue Black was staring distractedly at Toy-O-Rama, a kids’ toy shop.

“Hey loser.” She said affectionately. He turned his head and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Hey love.” He told her. “You ready? Let’s have some fun!” He said, turning to me. I gave him a fake smile and we headed off to the First Club.

We paid the guard at the entrance 20 ent and headed in to the loud, pounding music and masses of people.

“I’ll get us some drinks.” Blue Black told us. I was about to head off with him when Blue Orange pulled her dress down and I got sidetracked by her cleavage.

“O..Ok.” I said.

“C’mon, let’s dance, nerd.” Blue Orange told me, and I snapped out of my brief distraction.

And we danced, and danced, and danced. Feet tiring but never complaining, bodies sweating, but not wanting to stop unless the beat stopped thumping. Drink after drink we consumed, until I couldn’t see straight.

“Okay, we should probably get you out of here now.” Blue Orange giggled. I didn’t have enough brain power to think for myself, so I said yes.

I staggered out, Blue Black and Blue Orange supporting me on either side, and they led me forward, heading towards…

“Wait, this isn’t the right way home?” I slurred.

And we were stopped. In a dark place, that I didn’t recognize.

“Don’t worry, we’re just taking a pit stop. This one’s gotta go.” She made a funny face and gestured toward Blue Black. I giggled.

“Hey, Perfidi, can you- Oh, shit.” Blue Black shouted, realizing his error too late. I giggled again.
“It’s okay; not like I’m gonna steeeaaal your name.” I garbled. “Perfiidiii. That’s a funny name.” I cracked up.

“I’m Ebibi.” Blue Black, well, Ebibi I guess, told me.

“I’m Elise. My mom was like, a psychic, and she like, guessed that the name would be available. It was crazyyyy.” I said to them.

And then I realized my mistake.

Oh no.

They were there, blocking my path. One on each side, each holding a knife.

“No, no, no!” I screamed at this mysterious girl named Perfidi. “I trusted you, I trusted you.”

“I’m sorry, Elise.”

I sprinted, shoving Ebibi out of the way harshly. I thought I heard a thud as he hit the ground, but I couldn’t tell.

And then I was running. Running away, my legs pushing. Faster, faster. I couldn’t afford to look back, I couldn’t slow down. I couldn’t turn around, I couldn’t see the face of my former best friend, the face of the girl I had loved. I should have known. I should have known. She was always talking about pregnancy, getting married, having a kid. I never should’ve told her my name. How did she even know it was a nice name? How could she have known? The questions plagued me, like locusts attacking my brain. But still, I kept running. A fun girls-night-out meant to distract me from my breakup had turned into the worst night of my life.

I should never have trusted her. How could I have trusted her?

I couldn’t stop to breathe, couldn’t stop, couldn’t stop.

Waves of panic came crashing down, panicking, panicking.

Tears poured down my face, pouring, pouring.

Tears, forming little rivers down my face, rivulets cascading down, down, down.

Tears, turning into scars, cutting into my face, cutting into my skin, cutting into my heart.

I was wounded, fragile. But I kept running.

I ran and ran and ran and ran and ran, my lungs pumping, adrenaline rushing, but I could feel myself slowing, tiring.

I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t run. I was still too drunk, my feet still too clumsy. I stopped.

“Fine. Go ahead. Do it.” I cried to them. “Do it.”

“Ebibi-” Began Perfidi

“No. I want you to do it. I want Blue Orange to do it.” I told her.

She began to extend her knife, delicately pointing it outwards from her chest.

“I love you.” I said, stepping forward to kiss her. I felt the knife penetrate my chest, but I didn’t care.

The last thing I saw was her face, crying as she looked down at me.

“I’m sorry.” She said. “I love you too, Elise.”

A single tear dripped down her cheek.

~~~~~

A scream erupted from the Pregnancy Facility.

“What do you mean the name Elise is already taken!?” Screamed a lady, her eyes wide and feverish.

“I-I’m sorry ma’am, but there was a lady here just before you who took the name. She said a fortune teller told her that the name was going to-”

But the crazy lady was gone in a fury of slammed doors and people shoved out of the way.

Outside,  sobbed, her face pressed to the dirt.

“I guess I deserved this. I’m sorry, Elise.”

title: A Short Story I've been working on - Please comment! [MF]

question: Describe the relationship between Green Brown and Blue Orange.

answer: Green Brown and Blue Orange are friends who had met recently when Green Brown got a job at a news station. She became the head writer while Green Orange was stuck in her assistant role. Green Brown was secretly in love with her new friend but knew it would never work because of their opposing sexual orientations. However, Blue Orange would support Green Brown and help her get over her recent breakup.


text:
The debate about the world’s oldest tattoos is over—they belong to Ötzi, the European Tyrolean Iceman who died and was buried beneath an Alpine glacier along the Austrian–Italian border around 3250 B.C. Ötzi had 61 tattoos across his body, including his left wrist, lower legs, lower back and torso.

Previously, tattoo scholars were divided: Many believed that a mummy from the Chinchorro culture of South America had the oldest tattoo—a pencil-thin mustache. Recovered from El Morro, Chile, the mummy was believed to be about 35–40 years old at the time of his death around 4000 B.C.

In their paper published last month in the _Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports__, _four researchers, including Lars Krutak, research associate in the Department of Anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, concluded that the Chinchorro mummy is not as old as previously thought.

[This bracelet-like tattoo adorns the wrist of the 5,300-year-old Iceman. (Photograph © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/EURAC/Samadelli/Staschitz)]
This bracelet-like tattoo adorns the wrist of the 5,300-year-old Iceman. (Photograph © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/EURAC/Samadelli/Staschitz)

“I was surprised by the findings because in previous publications I brought attention to the tattooed Chinchorro mummy and its early date,” Krutak says. “To me this mummy was like an underdog versus the all-too-popular Iceman that everyone was writing and talking about. But after reviewing the facts, we were compelled to publish the article as soon as possible to set the record straight and stem the tide of future work compounding the error.”

Determining the Age of Tattoos

The art of tattooing is ancient, but when it began is unknown. Written records date the art of tattooing back to fifth-century B.C. in Greece—and maybe centuries earlier in China. Beyond that, evidence of tattooing is found in art, from tattoo tools and on preserved human skin; the latter is the best evidence and only direct archaeological proof.

[This illustration shows the location of tattoos on the face of the Chinchorro mummy. (Image courtesy Lars Krutak)]
This illustration shows the location of tattoos on the face of the Chinchorro mummy. (Image courtesy Lars Krutak)

Archaeologists use radiocarbon dating to date samples, and it was the key to determining if Ötzi or the Chinchorro mummy had the oldest tattoos. (This technique measures the amount of carbon-14 in a dead organism, compares it to the carbon-14 levels in the atmosphere today and gives an estimate of when the organism died.)

Ötzi has been studied for more than two decades. His clothes and tools have been extensively radiocarbon dated, and much is known about his health, environment, death and his tattoos—which may be therapeutic; they are grouped in places where Ötzi suffered from joint and spinal degeneration.

In contrast, little was known about the Chinchorro mummy, so the researchers set out to determine his identity and age and examine his tattoos.

Lost in Transcription

During their work, the researchers found an apparent misreading of the Chinchorro mummy’s radiocarbon dating.

When a sample of his lung tissue was radiocarbon dated in the 1980s, the date was given as 3830 ± 100 B.P. (Before Present, a time scale used in radiocarbon dating.) However, the paper’s authors surmise there was an error, and the radiocarbon date was recorded as 3830 ± 100 B.C. This error was repeated in subsequent studies, pushing the Chinchorro mummy’s age back about 4,000 years earlier than his actual radiocarbon date.

[Tattoos on the body of Ötzi, the Tyrolean Iceman. (Photograph © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/EURAC/Samadelli/Staschitz)]
Tattoos on the body of Ötzi, the Tyrolean Iceman. (Photograph © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/EURAC/Samadelli/Staschitz)

This finding settled the controversy: Ötzi is older than the Chinchorro mummy by at least 500 years.

Although Ötzi is the oldest tattooed human, the paper’s authors conclude this will likely change: Ötzi’s tattoos are indicative of social and/or therapeutic practices that predate him, and future archaeological finds and new techniques should someday lead to even older evidence of tattooed mummies.

“Apart from the historical implications of our paper, we shouldn’t forget the cultural roles tattoos have played over millennia,” Krutak says. “Cosmetic tattoos—like those of the Chinchorro mummy—and therapeutic tattoos—like those of the Iceman—have been around for a very long time. This demonstrates to me that the desire to adorn and heal the body with tattoo is a very ancient part of our human past and culture.”

Thousands of ancient mummies exist around the world in museums and other collections that should be investigated further for tattoos, Krutak adds. “I hope this paper stimulates new research. In turn, we may see the antiquity of tattooing being pushed further and further back in time, which is an exciting prospect.”

question: What happened around 3250 B.C.?

answer: The European Tyrolean Iceman died and was buried beneath an Alpine glacier along the Austrian-Italian border.

question: What is the main topic of this document?

answer: Archeology and the oldest tattoos

question: What countries are mentioned in this document?

answer: Chile, Austria, Italy, Greece, and China

question: How do you determine the age of tattoos?

answer: Archaeologists use radiocarbon dating to date samples of tattoos.

question: What is the Chinchorro mummy?

answer: The Chinchorro mummy comes from the Chinchorro culture of South America and was claimed to have the oldest tattoo.

question: What is the finding that settled the controversy?

answer: The finding is that the Chinchorro mummy's age was miscalculated, which confirms that the Otzi Iceman is older than the Chinchorro mummy by at least 500 years.

question: Who is Krutak?

answer: He is a research associate in the Department of Anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, and was a researcher for a paper in the Journal of Archaeological Science about the Chinchorro mummy.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This document discusses when the debate about who has the world's oldest tattoo, the Chinchorro mummy or Otzi the Tyrolean Iceman, was deemed over. Due to a finding about the miscalculation of the Chinchorro mummy's age, it was decided that Otzi had the oldest tattoo.


text:
The TECAXIC-CALIXTLAHUACA HEAD is a terracotta head, probably originally part of a larger figurine, discovered in 1933 among pre-Columbian or just post-Columbian grave goods in the Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca zone in the Toluca Valley, approximately 65 kilometers northwest of Mexico City.

Because the head appears to be similar in style to artifacts of Roman origin, some believe that it is evidence of pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact between Rome and the Americas, a view strongly promoted by archaeologist Romeo H. Hristov.[1] However, several other explanations for its presence have also been put forward.

Find

The object was discovered by archaeologist José García Payón during an excavation in 1933. It was a grave offering, found under three intact floors of a pyramidal structure. Along with the head were found a number of objects made of gold, copper, turquoise, rock crystal, jet, bone, shell and pottery.[2] The burial was dated to between 1476 and 1510 AD. Payón did not publish information about the head itself until 1960.[3]

Evidence for Roman manufacture

An assessment of the case was made in 2001 by Romeo H. Hristov of University of New Mexico and Santiago Genovés T. of National Autonomous University of Mexico.

A thermoluminescence test performed in 1995 by P. Schaaf and G.A. Wagner in the FS Archäometrie unit in Heidelberg, Germany established its age range to somewhere between the 9th century BC and the middle of the 13th century AD, confirming its pre-colonial provenance. However, Schaaf and Wagner have objected to the way the dates were described by Hristov and Genoves.[4][5]

Hypotheses

Researchers who have analyzed the artifact have come up with several possible explanations for the object's presence at the site:

-   A hoax: according to an informal declaration by Paul Schmidt, an archaeologist at UNAM, the head was planted in the site by a participating archaeologist, Hugo Moedano, in an attempt to play a practical joke on José García Payón, supervisor of the dig. Schmidt moreover stated earlier that García Payón was not present during the entirety of the excavation.[6] García Payón's son insists that his father stated that he was on the site at the time of discovery. According to Hristov, these allegations are hearsay, and because the individuals directly involved have since died, a confirmation or refutation of the allegations has become impossible.
-   An import from an early European visitor who came to Central Mexico. The date range for the burial includes the early period of European exploration of the Americas, though it predates the first sustained contact with Mexico under Hernán Cortés. According to Hristov, it is possible but highly unlikely that the head was introduced during the Medieval or early Colonial period.[7] Hristov notes that other historians have considered the possibility of a Norse visit to the region and that the figure's unusual head-dress bears a possible resemblance to Norse or Viking headgear.
-   It was traded or carried to Asia, and was imported to America via a transpacific route from southeast Asia by a Chinese or Indian ship. This thesis was proposed by Robert Heine-Geldern in 1961, and has achieved some support.[8]
-   Hristov argues that a Roman, Phoenician, or Berber ship, or the drifting of such a shipwreck to the American shores is the best explanation. Hristov claims that the possibility of such an event has been made more likely by the discovery of evidence of travels from Romans, Phoenicians and Berbers in the 6th or 5th century BC to Tenerife and Lanzarote in the Canaries, and of a Roman settlement (from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD) on Lanzarote.[9] David Grove, an archaeologist at the University of Illinois, pointed out that being washed ashore from a Roman shipwreck does not imply any “contact”, let alone Roman “discovery” of the New World.[10]

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[2]

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[5]

[6] Smith, Michael E. “The 'Roman Figurine' Supposedly Excavated at Calixtlahuaca”, Accessed: 2012-02-13.

[7]

[8] Heine-Geldern, Robert von. “Ein Römischer Fund aus dem Vorkolumbischen Mexico.” Anzeiger der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Philosophisch-historische Klasse. No. 98, 1961, pp. 117-119.; Romeo Histov, 'The Little “Roman” Head of Calixtlahuaja Mexico: Some Reflections', _Neara Journal_ Vol. 28, #3 &4, 1994.

[9]

[10] James Meek, “Clue to Romans' head start on Columbus”, _The Guardian_, Thursday 10 February 2000.

title: Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca head

question: What are some of the theories for how the Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca head came to be in Mexico?

answer: One theory is it is a hoax, but all the archaeologists involved in the dig have died so there is no way to verify this. Another theory is it came from an early European visitor to Central Mexico. Another theory is it could have come from the Vikings. Or, possibly it came from transpacific contact via a Chinese or Indian ship. The other possibility is a Roman, Phoenician or Berber ship shipwrecked near Mexico and it washed ashore.


text:
NEW BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL (NBHS) is a public high school located at 230 Hathaway Boulevard in the West End of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The school has approximately 2,000 students, and is one of the largest schools in the state. New Bedford is also one of the largest high schools in the country, being ranked in the Top 200 high schools in the country based on enrollment. It is a part of the New Bedford Public Schools school district. New Bedford High School is currently a level 4 school in the middle of a $2.4 million turnaround plan.

Extracurricular activities

[2007 baseball] The school's athletic teams are named the _Whalers_, in honor of the city's whaling history. The New Bedford High School teams wear red and white, and compete in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's _Division I_. Their fight song, “On, New Bedford” is sung to the tune of “On, Wisconsin!”

Basketball

The boys' basketball program at New Bedford High School has long been one of the most successful in the state. Ed Rodrigues coached the varsity team for 27 years (1980–2007). During his tenure as head coach, the Whalers were one of the state's top-performing teams year after year and made numerous appearances in the state tournament, winning back-to-back _Division 1 State_ titles in 1993 and 1994. His teams also won two additional _Eastern Massachusetts Finals_ and two additional _South Sectional_ titles. There were only two losing seasons in his career.[1] On February 21, 2007, Rodrigues coached his final game at New Bedford High School. The Whalers lost to the visiting St. Raphael Academy Saints of Pawtucket, Rhode Island 69-66. Rodrigues ended his tenure at the school with a career record of 435-157.[2] He continues to be a teacher at the school, is still heavily involved with the basketball program and the entire athletic department, and is currently an assistant men's basketball coach at UMass Dartmouth. In 2009, New Bedford High School's basketball court was officially dedicated in Rodrigues' name.[3]

Long-time boys' assistant/junior varsity coach Tom Tarpey took over as head coach at the start of the 2007-08 season.[4] In his first season, the Whalers went 11-9 in the regular season and made the state tournament. They lost in the first round of the _Division I South Sectional_ on the road to the Framingham Flyers 69-62.[5] The following season (2008–09), the boys finished with a record of 8-12 and did not qualify for the tournament.[6] They also did not qualify in 2009-10 with a 7-13 record.[7] With the experience of the underclassmen, plus the brief addition of a highly touted prospect transferred from _Division III State_ champions the Wareham Vikings, a huge turnaround occurred in the 2010-11 season. The Whalers returned to prominence and finished the regular season with a record of 16-3,[8] earning the 3rd seed in the _Division I South Sectional_ tournament. They lost in the sectional semifinals to the Newton North Tigers 67-44.[9]

In the 2007-08 school year, the girls' basketball team captured the _Division I South Sectional_ title by defeating the Sandwich High Blue Knights 65-62 at UMass Boston,[10] giving them the opportunity to compete in the _Eastern Massachusetts Finals_ at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston; they lost to the _Division I North_ champion Andover High Golden Warriors 66-34.[11] Head coach Mickey Gonsalves was named _Division 1 Girls' Basketball Coach of the Year_ by the Boston Globe.[12] In the 2010-11 season, the Lady Whalers completed an undefeated regular season at 20-0 when they defeated the visiting Barnstable Red Raiders 63-44.[13] They earned the top seed in the _Division I South Sectional_ tournament and won their second _South Sectional_ title by defeating the Mansfield Hornets 47-46 at the now TD Garden.[14] The Lady Whalers lost in the _Eastern Mass Finals_ to _North Sectional_ champion Andover 54-46, also at the Garden.[15]

-   BASKETBALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
-   Boys' Basketball: Division 1 State Champions - 1993, 1994

Volleyball

In the 2009-10 school year, the girls' volleyball team completed an undefeated season (23-0), culminating in the state championship for _Division I_.[16] Junior outside hitter Maura Manley led the state with 408 kills on the season and received numerous honors, including a nomination for the _Gatorade Player of the Year_ in Massachusetts and a _MaxPreps/AVCA Player of the Week_ nod.[17] At the end of the season, the team was the number 1 team in the state and 48th in the nation according to MaxPreps.com and was ranked 50th on the site's “final Xcellent 50 High School Girls' Volleyball National Rankings”.[18][19] 26-year head coach Neil Macedo was inducted into the 2009 Massachusetts Girls' Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.[20] Only one senior, Kiana Raposo, was featured on this squad. The following year's team was heavily favored to repeat as state champions but were defeated in the _Division I South Sectional_ final by rejuvenated 13-time _Division 1_ state champion powerhouse and archrival Barnstable High School.[21] Dartmouth College-bound Maura Manley was named _Gatorade Massachusetts Volleyball Player of the Year_ for the 2010-11 school year.[22]

-   VOLLEYBALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
-   Girls' Volleyball: Division 1 State Champions - 1994, 2009
-   Boys' Volleyball: Division 1 State Champions - 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999

Baseball

The school's baseball team won 3 State Championships in the 1990s. In 1858 New Bedford High School fielded a team making them the first high school or secondary school in the country to do so. NBHS won in 1993, 1994, and 1998.

Music

The school has an award-winning marching band, winning several regional and state championships. On January 20, 1997, the marching band had the honor of performing in the inaugural parade during the second inauguration of Bill Clinton in Washington. The school fight song, _On, New Bedford!_, is sung to the tune of On, Wisconsin!, which is primarily performed during football games and the annual pep rally. New Bedford High School also has a very prominent show choir, who like the band, competes in regional and New England competitions.

Football

In 2010-11 school year, the football team upset football powerhouse Brockton High School 23-21,[23] followed by a 21-7 Thanksgiving Day victory over Fall River's B.M.C. Durfee High School,[24] to earn its first _Big Three Conference_ title since 1999 and earn a spot in the _Division I Eastern Massachusetts Super Bowl_ for the first time since 2001. They lost in the semifinals to _Catholic Conference_ champion St. John's Prep by a score of 35-7.[25] Head coach Dennis Golden was named _New England Patriots High School Coach of the Week_ following the victory over Brockton.[26] In the following season, the Whalers finished the regular season at 5-5 overall and 1-1 in the _Big Three_. Although they were defeated by Brockton 38-9 for the conference title, a conference by-law states that the playoff representative must have a record of .500 or better. On Thanksgiving, New Bedford defeated Durfee 18-16 while Brockton lost to Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School 14-8 to finish the season at 5-6, giving the Whalers the right to represent the Big Three in the _Division I Super Bowl_ for a second consecutive year. They will face the Bay State Conference's Carey Division champion Needham High School in the semifinals on Tuesday, November 29. Traditionally, New Bedford High School has had an intense rivalry with Durfee, with their Thanksgiving Day match-up, as the highlight of the season.

In 2013, New Bedford Whalers head coach Dennis Golden stepped down from the position. He compiled a record of 43-59-1, including 3 Big Three Conference titles and 6 straight wins against rival Durfee during his 10 years as head coach. Golden's offensive coordinator Mark DeBrito will take over as head coach for the 2014 Whalers football season.

FOOTBALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

-   Division 1A State Champions - 1993, 1994
-   Division 1A State Finalists - 1995, 1997, 1999
-   Division 3 State Finalists - 1985
-   Big Three Conference Champions - 1985, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2013

Soccer

In 2010, the Whalers' boys' soccer team played against powerhouse the Ludlow Lions in the _Division I State_ final, their first since 1978. They lost to Ludlow by a score of 4-1.[27] Head coach John Macaroco was named a _Coach of the Year_ by the Boston Globe.[28]

-   Boys' Soccer D-I State Champions - 1971
-   Boys' Soccer D-I State Finalists - 1978, 2010

WRESTLING

The wrestling team has been one of the most dominate teams in the state. In 2016 the team won the Big 3 Championship, as well as the D1S sectional, and placed 4th in the Division 1 state tournament.

Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps

New Bedford High School is also home of the _Whaler_ JROTC. New Bedford's _JROTC_ program is notable for being the longest in continuous operation since inception.[29] The _Army JROTC_ at New Bedford has received many awards.

Show Choir & Drama Club

New Bedford High School also has a mixed show choir “Pure Energy.” They have won many awards, the most recent being the 2009 Grand Champions at the New England Show Choir Classic. The group varies between 40 and 50 members. The school is also the home of another show choir “Charisma”. This group is made up of only females and consists of about 30 members. They have recently won Copper Trophy award at the New England Show Choir Classic and in the past have won Grand Champion in their division. A majority of the choir members also participate in the school's award-winning drama club.

Notable alumni

-   André Bernier, 1977: Television meteorologist
-   Brian Helgeland, 1980: Screenwriter/director
-   Sean Nelson, 1987: American musician, journalist, music critic, and filmmaker
-   Marques Houtman, 1997: Basketball player for the Cape Verde national basketball team
-   Jared Shuster (born 1998): baseball pitcher, first round 2020 MLB draft pick
-   Laurie Santos (born 1975): Yale University professor

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[18] MaxPreps.com - New Bedford Whalers High School Girls' Volleyball Home Retrieved 2010-01-31

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title: New Bedford High School

question: What does the text say about New Bedford High School's sports victories?

answer: New Bedford High School has many triumphs in many different sports. In boys' basketball, they have two consecutive Division 1 state titles in 1993 and 1994 in addition to two Eastern Massachusetts Finals and two South Sectional titles. The girls' basketball team won the Division 1 South Sectional title in 2007-08 but lost the finals at the Eastern Massachusetts Finals. They repeated the same outcome in 2011 after an undefeated 20-0 regular season. The girls' volleyball won the state championship in 2009 after an undefeated season. That is their second Division 1 State championship, the previous one being in 1994. The boys' volleyball team, on the other hand, has 8 Division 1 State Championship titles, but the latest one is in 1999. The school's baseball team has three state Championships in the 1990s. The football team has two Division 1A Championships (1993, 1994) and nine Big Three Conference Championships (1985, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2013). The boys' soccer team won D-I State Championship once in 1971. The wrestling team won the Big 3 Championship in 2016.

question: What does the article say about New Bedford High School's quality of education?


text:
THE THIRD ARM OF KILIMANJARO

(This concept was originally developed in detail by Marshall T. Savage in his book, "The Millennial Project". By no means am I claiming his works as my own. I respect his creation and wanted to incorporate this part of it into my ongoing tale.)

A public works project had begun in Tanzania on Mt. Kilimanjaro. To the press it had been dubbed a water and energy reclamation experiment, and to the water impoverished nations of Africa they didn't question it too loudly. Why question something that would bring thousands of jobs and clean water to the stricken center of the continent, and let's not forget millions, (perhaps billions if you could really dig into the books and ferret out all the nickels and dimes) of dollars of industry? On the surface, the construct did exactly what it said. There were no lies told. The engineers had built vast sluices to harness and channel the melt from the heavy snows that had been steadily increasing at the peak of the volcano. "This increase in snowfall was an effect of the changing climate brought about by human influence on global temperatures", a few interest groups were shouting at the top of their lungs, "and we should be devoting energies to stem the changes and not just blindly take advantage of them!" They shouted, but no one was listening. Besides, the extra snowfall handled and distributed by what became known as the Kilimanjaro Resource Reclamation Project jointly managed by the central African countries, the US, and after a fashion, the UK, revitalized one of the most impoverished areas on Earth.

The three gargantuan sluices were evenly distributed around the circumference on the mountain's even-sloped rise, and from there each of the three bases branched out to smaller and smaller distribution channels like tree roots, (but moving water in the opposite direction) to the surrounding areas. Using the support pylons for the sluices as foundations, massive turbines were constructed creating wind farms, some classic propeller driven, a few using a new air-compressed turbine technology. With these farms, vast amounts of energy was produced and distributed along the water pipelines. With one well engineered stroke, the project cured much of the strife in Africa bringing water, energy, jobs, and outside interest to the nations. That outside interest being tourism of course, the universal income maker. With the violent rebellions dying down, and much of the varied countries slowly but surely working their way through peace talks and economic summits, the central African countries became a new and fresh tourist destination, bringing even more money to the table.

It was quite a generous act from the First World, again, on the surface. But, does it really matter after that? With all of the good the project had brought to millions of people, did the underlying reasons detract from the gesture? Much of the grand gestures in history had one hand giving and the other taking, and sometimes the price of what was taken was monumental and horrific. From where I sit here in the Salt Flats, I wonder.

You see, two of the sluices were just that: water collectors. They were labeled the  Kilimanjaro First and Second Arms respectively, or K1A and K2A. The third, which happened to be built directly parallel to the equator, was much larger than the other two, (and had an exponentially larger amount of security than the other two), housed a secret. There was indeed a water reclamation facility built there, (there were no overt lies spoken, remember), it just had one more pathway built into it that was never meant to be touched by water,
And just a small fraction of the energy created by the wind farms were diverted to this facility to power it. Knowing that the facility would eventually have to be revealed, the right amount of money had been exchanged to the right hands, (certain heads of the African nations, and as always, the press) to keep the project quiet, but be a loud and positive supporter when the time came for the unveiling.

Housed under this third arm was a thirty mile long set of rails. There was a subtle opening at the peak of the mountain that was the exit for the projected launch vehicle. The passage was essentially a gun, a "rail gun" apparatus first imagined by French inventor Louis Octave Fauchon-Villeplee in 1918.  It was a device that, using two parallel conductive rails that were fed an electromagnetic current in a pulse traveling the length of the barrel, could accelerate an object at extremely high velocity, no chemical propellant required.

The setting of Kilimanjaro had been ideal for a couple of reasons: the long slope stretching up from the flat plain was a perfect platform to build the rail, and it's closeness to the equator. The long slope allowed for minimum construction (and minimum visibility from the outside world) to set the shape of the track. The extra benefit of the height of the mountain meant that the catapulted object would make it quite a ways up in elevation before it even left the track, meaning less energy spent. The location along the equator was ideal in that anything launched would require minimal adjustments once in orbit to attain a geosynchronicity circling the planet, or to orbital trajectories further out, say. It was these outbound trajectories that were important for the second stage of the project. The third stage would change the world.

Once the rail, dubbed the Kilimanjaro Third Arm Launch Facility (or K3ALF for a slightly less unwieldy title) had been finished, there was a massive marketing push to popularize it and as always, it was easier to ask for forgiveness after the fact than for the initial permissions. After a few test runs; the brave astronautical test pilot's proud and triumphant (widely broadcast across the internet and televisions of the world) flight, not to forget his grinning mug, (also widely broadcast) telling the citizens just how beautiful their small blue world was from where he sat and that humanity should get over their petty squabbles, blah blah blah, and the usual insertion or two of new commercial satellites, (to pay for the previous' advertising), the project was much lauded for it's forward thinking and advancement of Mankind. Once the launch facility was fully operational, it was not unusual to hear the distant thunder from a bullet-shaped vehicle hitting multiple times the speed of sound and leaving nothing but a vapor contrail and a wide cloud halo around the peak of the slumbering volcano.

The third phase began with renewed landings on Earth's lonely companion, the Moon. And at the beginning of the new year, a permanent facility had been constructed in the Copernicus crater that utilized the sloping wall along with the relative flatness of it's basin, (in a slightly funhouse mirror image) to build a smaller sister version of the Kilimanjaro launch rail for the benefit of propelling craft on their return trip to Terra Firma. The public was told that the construction in Copernicus, (named the Arthur C. Clarke Platform; it wasn't in Clavius or the Tycho Crater but the name was fitting, and no one objected to honoring the famous co-author of "2001 - A Space Odyssey") would be primarily used to explore the lunar surface, research into the rocky terrain for the possibilities of future mineral prospects, and mainly; mankind's first proper foothold into space proper, where the foundation of exploration to the outer reaches of the solar system would begin.

These things were all true; proper and successful lies are always obfuscated in a web of truth. As it had been since the beginning of the massive project, there were no lies told. It was what went by unsaid that paid for all in the end. Ironically, this venture having been covered up until it was ready at K3ALF by the publics works programs was in turn a cover for the real strategy, a plan that only a handful of people outside the project were aware of.  Even the majority of the crews at the Arthur C. Clarke site were unaware of what they were a part of and if they were told, they probably wouldn't have believed it anyway.

(6/16/16)

title: [SP] The Third Arm of Kilimanjaro

question: What was the main aim of the public works (Kilimanjaro Resource Reclamation) that were set up in Tanzania?

answer: The Kilimanjaro Resource Reclamation was set up on the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro to process melted snowfall into clean water for the inhabitants of the country and other parts of the region. However, there is a third part of the project that was not revealed to the public. under the third arm of the mountant is a "rail gun". It is a gun capable of accelerating an object at a high velocity with no chemical propellant needed. The exact use of this gun is unknown, but it is speculated that it has something to do with space.


text:
 Chapter 1
-That Disease Called Death

One day, in the early fall of 2014, I was sitting in English class catching up on my long overdue homework. Now I’m sure you’d be able to classify me as the typical social butterfly in class; never shuts up, always has something to say, and everyone wants to hear it. If you assumed that, you would be right. My mom used to tell me the quietest she ever heard me is when I was a baby, but now I can't keep my mouth shut. I'm known pretty well here, mostly because I’m the kid that tried to steal the American flag from the flagpole just so he could get two packs of air heads(it was freshman year, I honestly don't know). The sad thing was I didn't even get the air heads.
Back to what I was saying, I was doing my work and talking to my friend Seymour. Now Seymour, him and I have been best friends since I can remember. He has always been there for me, even though him and I are very much opposites. Brown hair, chiseled jaw, slight stubble that just makes the ladies drop their panties and declare their love for him. Unlike most guys who have those traits, he isn’t a complete douche. He is actually the biggest comic book fan I’ve ever met in my life. Ask him about football, the boy will have no clue, but ask him what issue Captain America’s shield got an inch wider and he will light up like a Christmas tree. Seymour was going on about this girl he met the other week, and how she seemed generally interested in what his personality and blah blah blah, I wasn’t paying enough attention to remember the details. All I could think about was Dana Roberts. The only thing I loved more than strawberries covered in chocolate. Dana and I had been dating for almost two years, and it was our anniversary soon. I had already spent my paycheck on a huge Costco bear and some roses. All I could think about was her. Nothing else seemed important.
“Thomas are you even listening to me?” said Seymour.
“What...oh yeah Seymour I’m glad you found a girl with a heart the size of your Batmobile replica.” I said (personally I love Batman, but I just have to insult my friend, because no one else will).
“That’s the thing man, she is also a Batman fan! We were talking about The Long….”
Once more he lost my attention, but this time it wasn’t because of Dana. It was the police officers walking into the classroom. They were speaking to Mr. Thompson, my English teacher. He pointed at me.
Now for whatever reason, the first thing I thought was “Crap, they’ve found my weed” which is stupid because I’ve never smoked, nor do I own any marijuana.
They walked up to me and I could hear Seymour quickly end his sentence about who Bruce Wayne is under the cape and cowl.
“Are you Thomas Dickens?” said the slightly older looking one, with an expression on his face like he had just eaten some rotten candy.
“Yes sir, is something wrong?" I said, which is the universal translation for “I am about to get arrested”.
“We’re going to need you to come with us” said Old Cop
“Alright just let me…” I attempted to say.
“We’ve already gotten your things” said the younger looking one with a 80’s cop mustache and eyebrows that were thicker than Fat Albert himself.
“Please just come with us” said Old Cop
I followed them out of the classroom, where I knew my classmates sat, staring at the boy they thought was just arrested.
The walk in the hallways was awkwardly silent, with the only thing close to a conversation being the back and forth squeaks of Young Cop’s shoes. I soon realized we were heading to Principal Tyrels’ office.
 The office sat dead quiet, with the woman who usually works the reception desk not being present. The air had a feeling of dread, like the roof was going to collapse on us all.
The cops lead me in to a room off to the side of his office I had never noticed before (I’ve only been once, you remember the flagpole incident). The room was small and looked like an interrogation room from Law and Order but with furniture around it and not as dark and didn’t have a Did-You-Kill-Her vibe. I saw Principal Tyrels sitting next to a older woman. 50’s, 60’s maybe by the looks of her. She was balling her eyes out into Tyrels shoulder and he had his hand around her, comforting her I assumed. When the officers walked me in, Tyrels looked up from the woman and gave me a glance that can only be described by “very sad” The woman noticed this look and turned towards me. Now her look, can be described as….hmm well let’s say “Holy Shit”. She stood up quickly and continued to look at me. She just stood there, no movements, just...watching me. Now being an expert of communication, I gave them an “Um, you needed me Principal Tyrels?”
The woman ran towards me and wrapped her arms around me in an extreme bear hug that, if any tighter, would have made me look like an empty bottle of toothpaste. Her tears made my shoulder instantly soaked, which kind of upset me because Dana had gotten me this shirt last Christmas. Tyrels had his hand covering his face, and the wiped his eyes, maybe wiping away tears, I still to this day don’t know what it was.
“Thomas, your, um, grandmother is going to take you home now, we’ve put your things into her car” Said Tyrels.
“Grandmother?” I questioned. I have never known I had a grandmother, or at least an alive one. Mom had told me she had died a few years before I was born.
“Yes Thomas, your grandmother” said Tyrels
“Come on now Thomas, let’s...let’s get you home now dear, thank you Richard” said my supposed grandmother after lifting her head from my tear-drenched shoulder. How did she know Tyrels first name? Some teachers here don’t even know it. I'm pretty sure his children don't even know his name.
Seeing as I had no real choice, I followed my “Grandmother” out of the office and into the hallway leading to the parking lot. Old and Young Cop followed us until we reached the parking lot.
We arrived at her car, which looked like a Lexus but I didn’t really want to ask. I was too puzzled by everything to even think about stuff like that. My “Grandma” thanked Old Cop and Young Cop, and began to get into the car. Old Cop walked up to her and grabbed her shoulder. She turned in his direction and they locked eyes.
“Julie...I…” He attempted to say before she pulled him into a deep embrace and she began crying again. This lasted for maybe 45 seconds or so. Young Cop stood there with his head down. After they left this embrace, Old Cop spoke.
“Please, if you ever need anything just call me, you have my cell and work number”
“I will. Thank you Michael” She said, and then stepped into her car. She beckoned me to get inside, which I did after some hesitation. Old Cop stepped away and we began to back out of the parking lot. Once we were on the road, she gave me a look and turned her focus back on the street.
I watched trees and buildings pass, all the while, the woman never spoke a word. I would hear the occasional sniffle, but that was all
I wanted to start conversation, but something kept me quiet, I don’t know what. It was maybe 15 minutes later we turned into my neighborhood. I finally had to say something.
“Um...so can I ask who you are?”
Silence
“The Principal said you were my grandmother...is that true?
Once again, Silence
“Hello...”
“Please Thomas...just let me drive” she managed to say before erupting into tears.
That kept me quiet.
I saw my house approaching a few minutes later. Maybe half a dozen cars were in my driveway. My supposed grandmother pulled off the road into the patch of grass that sat in front of my house.
“Go inside Thomas, just please go inside” she whimpered.
“Are you not coming?” I asked.
“I...I can’t go into that house. Not with...Thomas please just go” She said. "You're so much like her...I just wish...please go".
I exited her car, and right as I shut the door she sped away. I was left in a grass patch confused as hell. I swore I could hear her crying, even as she drove farther away.
I began walking to my front door, but I didn’t want to go inside. Something was wrong, and I was afraid to find out what. It seemed every step I made sent me closer to the impending doom I was about to face. I made it to my front door and opened it and entered my house.
God, how I wish I had run away right then.
I entered into a room of peeping eyes. My Uncle Rick’s being the biggest. My relatives sat in my living room, staring at me like I had walked in with a sword through my chest. My Aunt Barb stood up and walked towards me and hugged me in an embrace that felt loving, but mixed with pity. The rest of my Mom’s three siblings joined her, along with my four cousins.
“Son...I...I’m so sorry. I wish..” My Uncle Ralph tried to say before I decided to find answers.
“Uncle Ralph why are you sorry? What wrong? Why are you all here?” So many questions ran through my head, but those were the most important ones.
I remember their next words like they were gunshots to the chest.
 I still bare their scars.
“Thomas...” Aunt Karen started to say before she walked into the kitchen crying.
“Thomas, earlier today...your mother she”
Bang
 “...She was hit by a drunk driver. She was..”
Bang Bang
“Killed instantly. I’m so so sorry”
Bang. A shot to the head.
I remember the things that happened next in blurs and pieces.

I remember pushing my family out of the way and making my way to my bedroom. I wasn't in control of myself, a vessel of nothing but anger and desperation that was trying to claw its way out of the darkness. I remember finding myself on my bed with my phone clutched next to my ear. Bright white letters on the top of it read “Mom”
Under those, letters spelling “Connecting”
Then a noise
Beeeep
Another
Beeeep
Again
Beeeep
The words that sealed her fate soon came, and they were like a sledgehammer.
“Hello, this is Kendal Dickens, I can’t get to the phone right now, please leave me a message and I’ll call you back later. Bye now!”
I fell into something that can only be described as blackness, where nothing was real and everything was moving in slow motion.
 I don’t remember anything after that.
 Well that isn’t true.
I remember the pain
I remember the blackness

 I once heard that death is a disease, which infects one person and then kills that person. After this it spreads to others around them, but it doesn’t kill them. It just destroys them. They are brought down to their lowest, their darkest moments, and may never recover. Then death kills them eventually, and spreads again. This process has been infinite. And there is no sign of a cure.
I believed maybe I had a vaccine, that maybe it wouldn’t spread to me quickly, that maybe I could hold it off for a while. Maybe, hopefully, death wouldn't give me a second glance as it passed by me.
I was wrong.
No one can prevent its spread
And now,
I’m infected

title: [RF] Bright Eyes And Black Hearts Chapter 1 -That Disease Called Death

question: Why does Thomas' grandmother come to the school to collect him?

answer: Thomas' grandmother collects him from school because his mother is dead. She was killed suddenly by a drunk driver. Presumably, he is now an orphan.

question: How does the disease described in the story spread?

answer: The disease is death. It infects one person and then kills that person. After this it spreads to others around them, but it doesn’t kill them. It just destroys them. They are brought down to their lowest, their darkest moments, and may never recover. Then death kills them eventually and spreads again. This process has been infinite. And there is no sign of a cure.

question: What does the story say about Thomas' best friend?

answer: Thomas' best friend is Seymour. He is a good-looking boy that the girls all fancy. He is a huge comic book fan.


text:
When 6:00pm rolls around, my maggots all go home to their little maggot wives and

their even smaller maggot children. They swarm to me because I provide the manure that they

live off of, and swarm away once they have been given just enough to fund their little maggoty

lives. They watch television shows that instill morals and values in their head that are required

for them to continue ignoring their maggotry, read books on the virtues of a hard-day’s-work,

and go to bed with dreams in their head of living a life that is anything but their own. It is these

dreams that are dangerous.

It is popular to believe that if maggots didn’t dream, there would be no need for the

escapism that is the hours between 6pm and 10pm. Television, radio, novels, stories, plays,

movies, theatre; all of it useless if maggots had no aspirations, no morals or ethics or values. Of

course, then they wouldn’t be maggots. This is where I come in.

I am personally of the opinion that maggots need dreams. These dreams are the only

thing standing between the maggots and the rest of us. I say ‘us’ because I am hoping, perhaps

to strongly, that I have found a like-minded person in you, dear reader. We are the great ones.

I am the king of my castle, though admittedly my castle is filled with maggots. I would have it

no other way; maggots are simple to control. What is ‘popular’ is what is expected of them, and

creatures with no backbone always do exactly what is expected of them.

I am not swayed in the least by what is popular. I do not care what is popular. I have

never bowed to the whims of popularity. I have my coffee exactly as I like it, my cigarettes

exactly how I like them. I dress how I like to, I watch whatever tickles my fancy, be it plays or

television programs or movies. I make up my own mind, just as I am sure you are doing. We do

not dream. We plan.

But dreaming has its purposes. I have said that I like that maggots dream, that

my ‘contemporaries’ dream. To dream is to aspire to something; to dream is to wish for

something; to dream is to indulge in a fantasy. We do not live in a fantasy; we live in reality.

Maggots dream. They dream stylish dreams, cool dreams, fashionable dreams. Dreams that I

use to my own advantage.

You see, most people dream to be like us, dear reader. Most maggots want to be exactly

like you and me. Unique, ambitious, and driven. But most maggots believe that we got where

we are based upon some notion of ‘working within the system’. We both know that is not true;

that this is yet another contemporary maggot fantasy. But we can use it to our advantage. Just

look at me.

I have 492 maggots under me. Every day, for the 15 minutes between 6:45am and

7:00am, I step on every one of them. Every day, all of my popular maggots propel me to the top

floor, to the 42nd

to do it themselves. Maggots make maggot decisions, popular people make popular decisions;

but the great people make the great decisions. Maggots can no more be great than they can

stop eating manure. But we let them dream, dear reader. We let them dream that they, too can

be great, but we let them dream this in a controlled way.

 floor. Every day, I make decisions for these maggots as they cannot be trusted

Television, radio, books, ethics, morals, virtues; all of it is bullshit. All of it is spoon fed

to them and they accept it without question. It all either comes from maggots writing for

maggots, or from great people for maggots. Maggots must be told what to dream, just as they

must be told what to eat. Maggots must dream of achieving greatness, while being told that

the method of achieving this greatness is simply through more manure. Maggots must be told

that maggots are great, simply for being the maggots that they are. Maggots can be nothing

other than maggots, so why tell them that they are wrong for being such? Tell them that they

are right, tell them that they are great now, regardless of their maggotry, because of their

maggotry, and that they can be even greater if they just continue being the same maggots they

already are.

Do you see what I am saying, reader? You may not have been consciously aware of

this before reading it in print, but I am sure you knew it all along. It is quite simple. I keep the

maggots alive, keep the maggots working, make sure they are working efficiently, and make

sure they never get so comfortable that they stop working. The maggots are told that it is

through this work that they will eventually be able to stop. This is a blatant lie. It is, however, a

very popular lie.

So at 6:00pm, the maggots go home. I and those maggots who consider themselves

my ‘equals’ stay until 7:00pm, since it is popular for maggots to seem like they are working

late, and it is my job to seem as maggoty as possible. Every effort to maintain the illusion of

the ‘dream’ must be maintained. But after 7:00, I go home. It takes another 15 minutes to walk

down the 492 stairs, and yet another 45 minutes to get home after that. I eat dinner, consisting

of a steak, a glass of wine, mashed potatoes, and green beans. This has been the popular choice

for men of my stature for decades. It is not popular to eat anything different.

Then I repeat. I go through the same motions, every single day. It is no longer popular

to skip work on Sunday, though I predict it may become popular again soon. It is contemporary

for what is popular to become unpopular.

I am Fenris. I am chained. This silk ribbon that binds me should be as obvious as day

to you now, dear reader. As in the ancient Norse myth, the great wolf Fenris was bound by a

measly and insignificant ribbon, though as opposed to Fenris, I am bound not by any mystical or

magical means, I am bound by what is popular. I must continue acting like I am a maggot.

Imagine ages past! Imagine the mighty Thor acting as if he had no power! Zeus acting

as if he were merely mortal, Caesar acting as if he were plebian, Xerxes as if he were anything

but a God. Imagine Napoleon claiming that he was not destined to rule the world, Hitler acting

as if he could, possibly, be wrong about the Jews! These great men did not pretend, they did

not bow, and they did not need to cater to the whims of such an insignificant and petty thing as

coolness.

But, dear reader, we must. Or at least I must. I write this in the hope that you will

find a way for us to stop acting as if we were maggots, to stop acting like we are cool or

contemporary, I hope you will find a way for great men to be great, truly great, unashamedly

and unwaveringly great! I hope you will find a way for those of us who are great to cease

pandering to the fancies of the weak, to cease bowing to the whims of the maggots.

I am Fenris, and I fear. I fear that all of the great men and women of our time and times

to come will continue to view themselves as Fenris. I fear a time when what we do today,

when the stairs that we currently climb, when the maggots that we rightfully and righteously

manipulate, will cease to be worth manipulating.

I mean, look at all we have gained! Look at the power of Germany! Twice was Germany

led by great men, and twice the Germans stood against the world, in defiance of norms and

values and ‘virtues’. Twice the Germans stood up and fought for what they believed in, and

twice it took the rest of the world to bring the Germans, just the Germans, back down. It was

through the power of great men that the mighty Roman Empire spanned the Mediterranean,

a feat that has not been accomplished, by any power, since. It was great men that brought the

Roman Empire to its knees, and great men who kept the idea of Rome alive. It was Great men,

leaders of maggots, that built all that we have! Imagine if it all were for naught!

Imagine if what I do everyday were no longer worthwhile. Imagine if the company that I

built, the people that I hired, the maggots that I control and manipulate and direct; just imagine

if all of that were for some simplistic purpose! Great men never fought for such things as justice

or freedom unless it were for some other purpose.

It is my belief that you, dear reader, must find this purpose. I have searched all my life,

and I can do so no longer. I have continued in the tradition of the likes of Napoleon, Xerxes,

Caesar, and yet I am no closer to finding their motivations, their raison d’être, than ever before.

IT MUST BE THERE!

I am great. You are great, I am sure of it. Throughout history there have been great

men! They were great because, as Freud said, their attributes were completely foreign to those

of the multitude! I AM NOT THE MULTITUDE!

I am great. I should not be feeling as though their attributes were foreign. They must

have had a purpose, a drive, that was higher than anything I can comprehend. But comprehend

it we must, for the good of humanity!

I apologize. I let myself get carried away. It is not acceptable to let ones emotion get the

best of oneself. I am Fenris. I am caged. But I must be just as caged as those maggots under me,

right? I must be less so, in fact. I, at least, am aware of my own cage; that in itself must afford

me some kind of freedom.

I will go to work again tomorrow. I will climb the 492 stairs, naming each one of my 492

employees, and I will stop at the 42nd

I will act popular. I will act stylish. I will act cool. But I will do it safe in the knowledge that I am

great. Because I am.

I am great.

title: [SP] Fenris Pt. 2- please comment and critique

question: Summarize what the maggots are in the narrative.

answer: The writer uses the term maggots for humans in a somewhat satirical, sarcastic, and bitter tone which appears to come from the writer's disdain of everyday life. The description of the activities being taken each day -which is that of an employed worker who goes to work, comes home, and works again the following day, is clearly that of a human being.

question: Provide a possible point that the writer is trying to make.

answer: The writer hopes to make the reader discontent with a dull daily life and to aim to be great, citing examples of legends and iconic historical figures as measures or goals to be strived towards. This is mainly by asking the readers to seek and find their reason to be great in the first place.


text:
What do I get when I purchase a name from BrandBucket?

[Gift]The domain name

There is only one upmarker.com, and it will be 100% yours. We will transfer complete ownership and control of the domain name upmarker.com to you. Use it as your website address, set up business emails, put it on business cards, or save it for later. It's up to you!

[Paint]The logo

Your unique business domain name comes with a creative logo created by a skilled logo designer. We provide both PNG and editable vector versions of the logo shown here. You will own the copyright and all usage rights for the logo upon purchase.

[Bills]Domain transfer services

BrandBucket provides complimentary transfer services with the purchase of a domain name. Our transfer agents will ensure that the domain transfer process is quick and secure. This is a complimentary service, and we guarantee domain delivery or your money back.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after I purchase a domain name from BrandBucket?

Every name on the BrandBucket marketplace is exclusively listed with BrandBucket. That means that all of our sellers are very responsive, making for quick domain transfers.
A dedicated BrandBucket agent will manage your domain transfer from beginning to end, ensuring a secure and easy transaction. They will manage the receipt of the domain into one of BrandBucket’s secure registrar accounts and then complete the transfer to you.

1. VERIFICATION AND REGISTRAR CHOICE
After we receive the payment and verify it, we will reach out via email to confirm which registrar you want the domain transferred to. We also provide a link to our tracking system, where you can communicate with us, check on the status of your transfer, view your invoice, and download your logo files.

In most cases, if a domain is moved between accounts at a single registrar, the transfer is quick and usually completes within 48 hours. If a domain changes registrars (in other words, you would like to move it away from where it is currently registered), the transfer is slower. The total transfer time can then be anywhere from 48 hours to 7 days.

BrandBucket has vetted and supports the following registrars:

-   GoDaddy
-   Namesilo
-   Uniregistry
-   NameCheap
-   Google Domains
-   Network Solutions
-   Name.com
-   Dynadot
-   Amazon Route 53
-   123 Reg
-   Gandi

2. WE REQUEST THE NAME FROM THE SELLER.
Once we know where you would like the domain transferred, BrandBucket will request the domain from the seller. All of our sellers are very responsive, making for a quick process.

3. TRANSFER THE NAME INTO YOUR ACCOUNT
As soon as we receive the name from the seller, we start the transfer into your account and guide you through the whole process.

4. VERIFY WITH THE BUYER THAT THE TRANSFER IS COMPLETE
Once we confirm that you have received the name, we consider the escrow process to be complete. Only then do we release payment to the domain seller.

Why choose BrandBucket?

Established in 2007, we are the original business name marketplace. Every year, we sell 1000s of premium domains to entrepreneurs and businesses like you.

All of our domain names are handpicked by branding and linguistics experts based on rigorous criteria. You can rest assured that if a domain is on the BrandBucket marketplace, it is a top-tier business name.

Almost one out of every four names sold on BrandBucket is sold to a repeat buyer or a referral, which means that people who buy from us once, keep coming back for more.

Why choose a .com domain name from BrandBucket?

The .com extension is a brand in itself. As the default domain extension of the internet, having a .com domain that is an exact match to your brand name has numerous advantages:

-   FAMILIARITY - People are familiar with .com. Most of the brands and websites they already trust, use the .com extension. Therefore, it serves as a subtle indicator that your business is a legitimate one. A recent study by the NCC Group, a global expert in cybersecurity and risk mitigation, found that roughly half of the consumers are uncomfortable visiting websites ending with a non .com extension, and only 9% are comfortable doing so.
-   BRAND PROTECTION - When you own the .com version of a domain name, you have the official online version of that name. Owning an exact-match .com can protect your brand name, as it is unlikely another serious business would use the same name when the .com extension is taken.
-   EASY TO COMMUNICATE - .com domains are also easy to communicate. When people hear or see your business name without a TLD, they will inevitably assume it ends in .com, making it easy for them to find you online.

What can I do with the domain I purchase from BrandBucket?

Once you have received the name into your registrar account, you will be able to:

-   Use the domain as your website address.
-   Setup email addresses, for instance, sales@upmarker.com.
-   Use the domain and logo on business cards and other materials.

If you don’t have a website built yet, you can put up a simple coming soon page, or you can just leave it until you are ready. You don’t need to do anything right away. Because you own the domain name, you can take your time.

Are logos included with my BrandBucket order? Can I request edits?

Our talented community of logo designers designs all logos on the BrandBucket marketplace. They are paid for their efforts, and BrandBucket owns all copyrights for the logos. We will transfer the full copyright for the logo to you upon purchase of the domain name.

LOGO FILES ARE DELIVERED TO YOU IN THE FOLLOWING FORMATS:

-   High-resolution image file (PNG)
-   Editable vector file (.AI)

EDITING YOUR DESIGN

Vector (AI) files are entirely editable in programs such as photoshop and illustrator, so you or your designer can make desired changes. If needed, we can make basic color changes/small tweaks to the logo for you after purchase. If you are looking for a complete redesign, we can connect you with a designer from our talented design community at their discretion and price.

Is a domain name from BrandBucket 100% unique?

All of our business domains are carefully chosen for their standout branding qualities. There is only one {domain.com}. However, there may well be other businesses that are using the same brand name. In fact, with common keyword names, it is likely. That is why owning the .com is so essential. In holding the .com, you immediately establish your business as the most official version of that name. It's unlikely any serious business is going to use a brand name where the .com domain is already in use. Many companies believe that owning the matching .com version of a business name provides more protection for their brand than a trademark.

Are BrandBucket domain names trademarked?

No, and it’s not possible for us to do so. Trademarks are industry and region-specific, and to file a trademark for a name or logo, you must already be doing business as that name. Because of this, we can't trademark a name before your company is actively using it. Therefore, you will need to apply for trademark registration after you have purchased the name.

Do I have to keep my name registered when I purchase a name from BrandBucket?

When you purchase a domain from BrandBucket, you will own it 100%. However, all domain names worldwide must be kept registered at a registrar like Godaddy or similar that you choose. You will pay the registration fees to whichever registrar you decide to use. The price of registration varies at each registrar, but it generally ends up being around $10-15 per year for a .com domain name. Registration is annual but can be paid up for years in advance, which we suggest you do.

Does BrandBucket offer refunds?

If for whatever reason you decide not to move forward with your purchase, we can accommodate a refund as long as these conditions are met:

-   You contact us within 24 hours of purchase to request a refund.
-   You have not taken possession of the domain (the domain hasn’t been moved to your registrar account).

Is my BrandBucket purchase confidential?

Your purchase is 100% confidential. Any personal information you share with BrandBucket is kept private, even from the domain seller. We never publicize any sale on our marketplace.

What's the difference between a brand name, registered name, and a domain name?

BRAND NAME

A brand name is a name that you use to identify a family of products, services, or a single line of products or services that a company offers. For instance, Apple is the brand name used on most products manufactured by Apple, Inc. In this example, the business name and brand name are the same, a common use case.

Your brand name is who you are to your customers. It is the pillar your business's public image will be built around. The products or services you offer can also have their own brand names. You may want to create new brand names for products or services that differ from your core business offering, for example:

-   UberEats - Food delivery by Uber
-   Amazon Web Services - Cloud computing from Amazon
-   Google Maps - Web mapping service from Google

REGISTERED BUSINESS NAME

A business name is the legally registered name of your business. You'll use your business name to create contracts, open bank accounts, pay taxes, and any other administrative related activities. Most business names contain the business's brand name, followed by the company's chosen business structure, for example:

-   Walmart Inc.
-   Verizon Inc.
-   Grasshopper LLC

However, they don't necessarily have to be the same. In some cases, the business name is completely different from the brand name. This is most common in large businesses that have multiple brands housed under a single parent company, for example:

-   Brand Name: Google
-   Business Name: Alphabet Inc.
-   Brand Name: MailChimp
-   Business Name: The Rocket Science Group LLC

DOMAIN NAME

A domain name is your website name - the internet address where people can access your website. Think of a domain as the address to the online version of your business. Every domain is one-of-a-kind. No website has the same web address as another website.

Ideally, your domain name should be an exact match to your brand name. Think of your favorite companies. Odds are, their domain name is identical to their brand name. Apple's domain name is Apple.com; Amazon's domain name is Amazon.com. Having a matching domain ensures that people can easily find your brand online.

What are the benefits of a premium business name?

What can a top brand name with a matching .com do for your business? Here are few of the many advantages of owning a premium business domain:

TRUST - Online, there are subtle clues that all of us subconsciously take into consideration to determine whether or not a business is legitimate and trustworthy. Having a great business name paired with a matching .com (by far the most trusted domain extension) signals to customers that you care about and are willing to invest in your brand. It makes your business and your brand messaging easier to trust.

AUTHORITY - Owning a .com version of a fantastic brand name is a big signal to the world that your business means business, right out of the gate. This can lead to accelerated customer acquisition, more industry partnership opportunities, and press attention.

SEO - Having a business domain that matches what customers are using in searches can lead to increased SEO, higher page ranking, and better quality traffic.

RETENTION - Brand retention is critical for organically acquiring and keeping customers. A short, catchy, and unique business name makes your brand easier to remember, and having a matching .com means that consumers who hear about you offline will find you easily online.

SAVE ON MARKETING SPEND - Investing a premium domain can save you a fortune in marketing spend down the line. You'll spend less of your valuable marketing budget and efforts on brand awareness, as your name will do much of the work for you.

How does BrandBucket price domains?

Our customers are primarily entrepreneurs looking for a quick and easy way to find a great brand name for their company. That's why when evaluating and appraising domain names, our central focus is whether they would also make great business names.

What makes a great brand name? Here are some of the branding and linguistic traits we take into consideration:

-   LENGTH - Great names are concise and to the point. The shorter, the better!
-   COMMON PHRASE/EXPRESSION - Names that are based on real phrases and expressions make great brand names because of their built-in familiarity and inherent catchiness.
-   LETTER ORDER - Some letters are more valuable than others and better together, especially when it comes to the first letters of a name.
-   PRONUNCIATION AND SPELLING - Names should be easy to say and understand. It should also be spelled as it sounds.
-   INDUSTRY MATCH - Names should be a good fit for a particular industry, or be broad enough to attract buyers from multiple sectors.
-   LONGEVITY - Great brand names are broad enough in scope to grow with a company as it expands and not die when trends fade.
-   UNIQUENESS - Great brand names are easy to spot because they stand out in a crowd.
-   MEMORABILITY - A brand name is no good unless people can easily remember it.

These criteria, along with historical sales data and current marketplace conditions, are used to determine whether a name is accepted to our marketplace, and how it's priced. Every name on our marketplace must score high in most or all of these categories to even be accepted. With an acceptance rate of only 10% of names submitted to our marketplace, BrandBucket sets a very high bar for the names we select.

question: What does the text say about what makes a good brand name?

answer: BrandBucket lists the following elements as key things considered in creating a great brand name: concise length, use of familiar phrases, the value of letters used, ease of pronunciation and phonetic spelling, industry suitability, independence from trends, uniqueness, and memorability. Most business names contain the brand name followed by the company's chosen business structure (e.g. Incorporated, LLC), but this is not necessary, and is least common in large parent companies that own multiple brands.

question: What does the text say about logos?

answer: A logo is included with the purchase of a business domain name from BrandBucket. It is created by a skilled logo designer and available as both a high-resolution image file and an editable vector file, which can be downloaded once the customer has received the purchased name into their registrar account. At this point, full copyright for the logo will be transferred from BrandBucket to the customer. Basic color changes and other small tweaks to the logo can be made after purchase, and for a complete redesign, BrandBucket can connect the customer with a designer from their community.

question: What does the text say about persecution for copyright violation?

question: What does the text say about common UX issues?