text:
BALHAM () is a neighbourhood in south London, England, mostly in the London Borough of Wandsworth with small parts in the neighbouring Borough of Lambeth.[1] The area has been settled since Saxon times and appears in the Domesday Book as Belgeham.

History

[A map showing the Balham ward of Wandsworth Metropolitan Borough as it appeared in 1916.] The settlement appears in the _Domesday Book_ as _Belgeham_. Bal refers to 'rounded enclosure' and ham to a homestead, village or river enclosure. It was held by Geoffrey Orlateile. Its _Domesday_ Assets were: 1½ ploughs, of meadow. It rendered (in total): £2.[2] The Balham area has been settled since Saxon times. Balham Hill and Balham High Road follow the line of the Roman road Stane Street to Chichester – (now the A24 road). Balham is recorded in several maps in the 1600s as Ballam or Balham Hill or Balham Manor. The village was within the parish of Streatham. Large country retreats for the affluent classes were built there in the 18th century; however, most development occurred after the opening of Balham railway station on the line to Crystal Palace in 1856.

Second World War air raid

[Air raid damage in Balham] On 14 October 1940 Balham Underground station was badly damaged by air raids on London during World War II. People took shelter in the tube station during the raids. A bomb fell in the High Road and through the roof of the Underground station below, bursting water and gas mains and killing around 64 people.[3] This particular incident was featured in _Atonement_, a 2001 novel by Ian McEwan.[4][5] An image of the aftermath is of the No. 88 bus which had fallen into the bomb crater.[6][7]

Post-war

On the morning of 17 July 1974 a bomb planted by the Provisional IRA exploded near government buildings in Balham, causing substantial damage to buildings.[8] Later that day the group detonated a fatal attack on the Tower of London.[9][10]

Geography

Balham is overwhelmingly in Wandsworth, with only small parts in the neighbouring Borough of Lambeth and encompasses the A24 north of Tooting Bec and the roads radiating off it.[11] The Balham SW12 postcode includes the southern part of Clapham Park otherwise known as Clapham South and the Hyde Farm area, both east of Cavendish Road and within Lambeth (historically Clapham, except for Weir Road) as well as a small detached part of Clapham south of Nightingale Lane, and part of Battersea (the roads north of Nightingale Lane). The southern part of Balham, towards Tooting Bec, near the 1930s block of Art Deco flats called Du Cane Court and the area to the south of Wandsworth Common, comes under the SW17 postcode. The Heaver Estate lies to the south of Balham in Tooting. The Estate mainly comprises substantial houses, was built in the grounds of the old Bedford Hill House and was the work of local Victorian builder, Alfred Heaver.

Balham is situated between four south London commons: Clapham Common to the north, Wandsworth Common to the west, Tooting Graveney Common to the south, and the adjoining Tooting Bec Common to the east – the latter two historically distinct areas are referred to by both Wandsworth Council and some local people as Tooting Common.

Neighbouring areas are: Battersea, Brixton, Clapham Park, Clapham South, Earlsfield, Streatham and Tooting.

Economy

Balham's town centre has a variety of bars, restaurants and shops including major chains. There are also local services, including independent stores, coffee houses and brasseries.[12] There are two car parks serving the vicinity, one behind the Sainsbury's (181 spaces)[13] and one in front of Waitrose.

Demography

[The Polish Roman Catholic Church of Christ the King] Balham is diverse both in terms of economic and cultural demographics with an increasingly professional middle class population.[14]

The Polish population in Balham has hugely increased since 2006, though Balham has been one of the centres of the community in London since World War II. The White Eagle Club is a thriving Polish community centre, and its traditional Saturday night dance draws people from across London. Opposite the White Eagle is The Polish Roman Catholic Church of Christ the King.

The Irish, Portuguese, Somali, Pakistani and Brazilian communities are also well represented.

Landmarks

[ The Bedford] [Du Cane Court is a distinctive local landmark with its Art Deco design]

-   The Bedford is a pub venue for live music and comedy on Bedford Hill. Performers at the Banana Cabaret have included Stephen K Amos, Omid Djalili, Harry Hill, Eddie Izzard, Al Murray and Catherine Tate.[15] The pub has won various awards including the Publican Music Pub of the Year 2002; the Morning Advertiser Pub of the Year 2004; and the Evening Standard Pub of the Year 2002.[16][17][18] In 1876, the pub building (then named the Bedford Hotel) housed the coroner's inquest into the notorious unsolved murder of Charles Bravo, a resident and lawyer who was poisoned, possibly by his wife.[19] The Priory, where the alleged murder took place, is also a landmark noted for the specific architectural style.[20]
-   The Bedford Hill area of Balham was associated with street prostitution throughout the 1970s and 80s. The problem has since been eradicated.[21]
-   Du Cane Court was the largest block of flats in Europe built for private occupation rather than as social housing at the time.[22] Its 676 flats range from studios up to 4-bedroom penthouses. The block has had a number of notable residents, including comedian Tommy Trinder and actress Dame Margaret Rutherford. Scenes from Agatha Christie's Poirot were filmed in the building.[23][24]
-   Oak Lodge School is a secondary school for deaf children aged 11 to 19. It accepts pupils from all over London.
-   Balham has its own library and leisure centre.[25][26]
-   The UK's first pedestrian diagonal X-crossing was installed at the intersection of Balham High Road, with Balham Station Road and Chestnut Grove in 2005. This was later adopted at Oxford Circus in 2009 which was the second X-crossing in the UK.[27][28]
-   The world's first “intelligent” pedestrian crossings have also been trialled at Balham station (including Tooting Bec).[29][30]

Transport

Balham station is an interchange between rail and Underground services, in London fare zone 3. The stations connect Balham to both the City of London and the West End. Balham is one of the underground stations on the Northern Line.

Clapham South Underground station is also technically in Balham, lying exactly at the meeting point of Clapham, Battersea and Balham.

Current bus routes serving the area are the 155, 249, 255, 315, 355 and N155,[31]

Notable people born in Balham

-   John Marco Allegro, archaeologist.
-   Ray Cattouse, former British lightweight boxing champion.
-   Mel Gaynor, musician, drummer of the rock band Simple Minds.
-   Percy Fender (1892) Surrey cricket captain, world record holder and England Test all rounder.
-   Ainsley Harriott, TV chef.
-   Jimmy Hill, English footballer, manager and broadcaster.
-   Eric Maxon, Shakespearean and early film actor.
-   Hannah New, who starred as Eleanor Guthrie in the TV series _Black Sails_.
-   Margaret Rutherford, actress.
-   Glenn Harrold, hypnotherapist.
-   Captain Sensible, singer and musician.[32]
-   John Sullivan, writer of _Only Fools and Horses_.[33]
-   Jamie Lawrence, footballer.
-   Alan Knight, footballer.

Notable people who used to work, study or live in Balham

-   Adele, singer and songwriter, attended Chestnut Grove School.[34]
-   Bob and Margaret, cartoon characters, are former residents.
-   Peter Baynham, screenwriter.
-   Sarah Beeny, property developer, businesswoman and broadcaster is a former resident of Balham.[35][36]
-   Jack Dee, comedian, actor, writer and producer is a former resident of Balham.[37][38]
-   Gracie Fields, actress, singer and comedian was a former resident.[39]
-   Gerard Matthew, a recurring character in the British sitcom Peep Show
-   Stewart Lee, comedian and writer.
-   Glenn Harrold, hypnotherapist.
-   Malcolm McLaren, band manager, musician and entrepreneur, was a former resident with Vivienne Westwood.
-   Arthur Smith, comedian.
-   Tommy Trinder, comedian and former chairman of Fulham Football Club, was a former resident.
-   Vivienne Westwood, fashion designer and businesswoman is a former resident with Malcolm McLaren.[40]
-   DBC Pierre, novelist, was a former resident.[41]
-   Jon Craig, Jon Craig is the Chief Political Correspondent of Sky News[42]

“Balham, Gateway to the South”

For many years Balham was held up to mockery because of the comedy sketch “Balham, Gateway to the South”. Written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, with Peter Sellers as the narrator, it satirised the travelogues of the day, with their faraway exotic locations, by highlighting the supposed tourist attractions of Balham in postwar austerity Britain. The title's origin most probably alludes to a Southern Railway poster “Gateway to the Continent” dating from 1928 by T D Kerr.[43] In 1979 Micky Dolenz of the Monkees directed a short film based on the sketch with Robbie Coltrane playing multiple roles. It was released for broadcast in 1981.[44][45] The mockery ceased as Balham house prices soared.[46]

Balham Group

In 1932, the Balham Group, the first British Trotskyist group, was expelled from the Communist Party of Great Britain and formed the Communist League.

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[27] Wandsworth Borough Council “Regeneration and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee” Report 2002

[28] Wandsworth Borough Council “Regeneration and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee” Report 2005

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title: Balham

question: Summarize what the text says about Balham and wartime.

answer: During WW2, the Underground train station was badly damaged. Because being used the tube station for shelter, one bomb penetrated the road, resulting in the death of more than 60 people in the station below. In 1974, IRA detonated a bomb near Balham's government buildings. After WW2, Balham became home to many Polish people. Balham has known some mockery due to a post-WW2 satirical play written about it.

question: What does the text say about places where food can be purchased in Balham?

answer: The text lists The Bedford as a well-known and well-loved pub. The pub used to be a hotel. The text mentions two grocery stores: Sainsbury's and Waitrose. It also mentions that the town center has bars, restaurants, coffee houses, and brasseries.

question: What does the text say about the personal relationship between John Marco and Ainsley Harriott?


split: test

text:
VICTORY FOR THE SOUTH – A southern platoon with an Abraham tank is transported back in time to the Gettysburg battle.  The platoon leader wants to change the battles outcome, but the black privates are afraid winning the battle may affect the Civil War’s outcome and the abolishment of slavery so everyone can be free.

The restoration building for the Hunley Submarine resides in the old Charleston Navy Yard. The Hunley sits in a 90,000 gallon conservation tank, among several artifacts in displays excavated from inside the submarine.  One of these artifacts is the gold coin Lt. George Dixon carried with him when the H.L. Hunley sank 138 years ago.

The Hunley submarine was found in Charleston’s harbor, South Carolina.  According to legend, Lt. George E. Dixon, who commanded the Hunley on its historic mission, had a sweetheart named Queenie Bennett from Mobile, Alabama. When he went off to war, she gave Dixon a 20 dollar gold coin, as a good luck charm.  It is rumored she also had voodoo practitioner Marie Catherine Laveau from New Orleans bless it with a voodoo spell of protection.  The coin saved Dixon’s life in the battle of Shiloh and he kept the coin when he commandeered the Hunley.

KRIS BROOKS (age 20s) sister to Lieutenant CHUCK BROOKS of the 13th South Carolina ARMORED DIVISION, steals this coin and gives it to her younger brother who is destined for Iraq later in the year.  When she tries to renew the coin’s original spell, she accidently sends her brother’s platoon back into time, days before the Gettysburg battle.

Lieutenant Brooks and his men are 100 percent southern and believes what the South fought for in the Civil War.  He realizes that he can change history and he does not care if it’s cheating – he believes he was sent back for a purpose. The platoon lays low and out of sight at a farm 10 miles outside Gettysburg.  The platoon had to take the farm’s family by force, no one was hurt.  Lidia, a freed slave, falls for the black private Benjamin and he falls for her.

Lieutenant Brooks decides they will attack the Union before the start of Pickets Charge. The more he realizes he can change history, the more he is determined to do it.  A Union patrol stops near the house and discovers Lieutenant Brooks, who then has all of the 30 men killed after his platoon had surrounded them.

The two black privates do not know how to stop lieutenant Brooks. That night they slip away from the farm with their weapons, including an anti-tank missile launcher, to warn General Meade of the impending attack by their platoon.  They hide their weapons, including the anti-tank missile launcher, before being captured by Union pickets, and brought before General Meade.  He does not believe they are from the future and has the two black privates jailed.

The freed black slave Lidia is able to find her way into the jail and give Benjamin a loaded revolver; they escape the night before Pickets Charge. Lidia is friends with the white person who runs the Underground Railroad, and he brings the black soldiers to General Meade, who is led to where the black soldiers stashed their weapons.  A demonstration of their weapons convinces General Mead they may be telling the truth. While they are examining their weapons, Benjamin accidently fires the anti-tank missile launcher, the only missile they had to stop Lieutenant Brooks.  General Meade is convinced by the black privates he has to dig anti-tank ditches around the center of the front line where they feel Lieutenant Brooks will send his platoon.

Lieutenant Brooks drives his tank and the platoon into General Lee’s camp about 5:00 AM.  The confederates are completely startled with the picket guards firing at them.  Brooks raises a white flag and asks to see General Lee where he convinces him they are from the future when he shows him a few apps on his iPhone. At 2:00 PM Lieutenant Brooks is in front of General Picket’s troops waiting for the signal to charge.

Jump to the future…..

The teacher (Android) is teaching other androids in class explaining the North American map and how it became divided into two different countries – the United States of America and the Confederate States of America (CSA).   The instructor begins explaining how androids enslaved humans.  It seems that when Lieutenant Brooks and his platoon went back into time, the modern weapons he brought resulted in a technological revolution before it’s time.  The technology was exploited by a few capitalists in the CSA who lost control of the technology allowing machines to become rulers on earth.

title: [SF] VICTORY FOR THE SOUTH

question: What era is this excerpt describing?

answer: It is describing a time that dates back to the Gettysburg battle.

question: Where was the Hunley submarine found?

answer: It was found in Charleston's harbor, South Carolina.

question: What genre would this excerpt be described under?

answer: It would be described under historical fiction.

question: Who is the main character in this story?

answer: Lieutenant Brooks is the main character in this story.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This short story is a take on war time leading back to the Gettysburg battle.


text:
This is a story that I wrote for my drama class a short time ago. My friends have been pushing me to post it on Reddit. Tell me what you think.(:

Hello!? Hello!? Is anyone there!? I can hear you talking! What is that beeping noise!? Will someone turn on the lights please!? This is not funny! Don't act like I'm not here! *Silence* Wait, who's in a coma? Why do I feel so numb? I can't move! I feel trapped! Someone!? HELP?!?!? Please. *Sobs* Okay, concentrate. You’re probably just dreaming. Don’t be crazy you’re not in a coma. Well… Maybe...NO! Okay. Wake up now! Open your eyes! Now! NOW!!! *Crying* Just face it, you’re not dreaming! You’re stuck in your own mind! You’re in a coma! Last thing I remember is crossing the street. Then boom, absolutely nothing. I can hear mom crying. Please mom, stop crying. Dad Stop! You’re embarras… Oh wait, you can’t hear me… But the entire hospital can hear you screaming! That nurse just wanted to know if you wanted something to drink! What is the never-ending beeping tone? Mom? Why are you screaming? Why is everyone panicking!? *Silence* I can hear nothing now except my own thoughts. I can’t hear mom, dad, or even the monitor beeping. Any noise would be nice now. I can’t even hear myself breathing anymore. I feel almost a faint sickness because the last person I get to talk to is myself. The last thing I get to feel is a lonely painful nothing because I know what has happened. I’ve let go.

title: [MF] My first short story

question: Where is the narrator of the story?

answer: Keeping themselves company in their own mind, whilst in a coma.

question: What happened to put the narrator in a come?

answer: They were crossing a street and struck by something.

question: Explain what happens to the narrator in the end.

answer: The narrator stops hearing the sounds of the room they are in and they stop hearing the sound of their own breath. They lament that the last person they will speak to in themself.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: A person reacts to being in a coma and unable to communicate with the world around them. Eventually they stop hearing what's happening and realise they are about to die.


text:
It’s 11PM, and you’ve had a busy and exhausting day. You’re lying in bed, excited for a good nights sleep so you can tackle tomorrow.

“What’s this?” your brain says. “Are you trying to get to sleep? Oh, great, here are 10 embarrassing memories from high school you can think about for the next hour!”

Thanks, brain.

We all have them: those past situations where you said something totally lame, made a fool of yourself, or performed some unintentional piece of physical comedy, three stooges style.

For some reason, certain types of people can brush these off and forget the whole thing ever happened. For others (probably testing higher on the “conscientious” personality trait), these memories will stick for a long time, actually eliciting a physical cringe when thinking about them. You get a flush of anxiety every single time they pop up.

It can be stopped.

THE MENTAL “NLP” EXERCISE THAT TAKES THE STING OUT OF ANY EMBARRASSING MEMORY

“NLP” stands for neuro-linguistic programming. That’s a big fancy word for the study and manipulation of how we talk to ourselves.

For many people, the brain is their own worst enemy. By training it just like you train your body at the gym, you might find your confidence, focus, and positive self-talk increase.

STEP ONE

Find the memory that is giving you so much trouble. Ah, there’s that jolt of stress again. Take a moment to relive it, and feel the negative emotions, for the last time. Close your eyes, and start slow, deep breathing through this entire process. Imagine yourself in a dark room.

STEP TWO

Now, replay the memory like you’re watching it on a big screen in front of you. This means you are watching yourself in the memory being acted out in front of you: do not consider yourself as a part of the moment!

STEP THREE

Let’s back away even further from the action. Imagine now you are watching yourself watch the memory. Trippy, huh? You are now twice removed from the scene and the negative emotion.

STEP FOUR

Here’s the big kicker: as the memory is playing, take that big screen and start shrinking it, pushing it farther and farther away from your persona. Make it so small and insignificant, sitting now on a tiny screen far away in the corner of the room.

STEP FIVE

Great job. Now, think of an extremely positive memory where you had fun, made an impact, or felt truly connected with yourself. Pick something where you felt in control, powerful, and calm. You could also take the initial memory and make it ridiculous. Put everyone involved in goofy clown suits, or turn it into a cartoon.

STEP SIX

As you watch the big screen memory and begin to push it back, “swap” it with your new, happier memory. Throw the embarrassing situation into the corner on the small screen while the awesome or silly moment takes over your entire view. Smile in real life while you watch your own persona smile, and take a deep breath. Relax, and feel the memory losing its hold on you. It’s too far away from the real you to matter anymore.

STEP SEVEN

Now, you must repeat this process, 5-10 times. Play the memory again on the big screen, shrink it down to a silly little scene you can barely see, and then wipe it away. Replace it with your new and improved thoughts . You’re going to notice with every replay, your physical response will decrease drastically!

This is no joke; it’s extremely effective, so try it on for size. Depending on how far this memory has dug into your brain, it may take just a few more sessions to completely eliminate the cringe.

MOVING FORWARD

You deserve to be free from self-sabotage. Exercises like this are the perfect way to give yourself all the advantages you need for a better self-image. After a few of these exercises, you’ll be able to look back and laugh on whatever used to haunt you. You’re in control now.

IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN TAKING THIS PROCESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL, CHECK OUT NEUROLIFTS. IT’S A STRATEGIC “MENTAL FITNESS PROGRAM” WE’VE DESIGNED, THAT WORKS JUST LIKE A PHYSICAL ONE!

You can pick a path like more creativity or less stress, and complete exercises that progress in strength as you grow. Download Neurolifts and leave a field report with your thoughts on this exercise below.

question: What is the objective of this article?

answer: The objective of the article is to help people to rid themselves of cringe-worthy memories that keep them awake at night. The ultimate aim is to sell a strategic mental fitness program.


text:
Sitting outside on the steps of the Lafayette Theater on a crisp February evening with a rolled newspaper clenched tightly in his left-hand Joseph Williams was lost in thought. It was a familiar voice that brought him back to reality, “Hey Joey, the boys and I are headin’ over to the Libya Cafe on 131st.You comin’?” He looked up and saw his closest friend Robert Frost, “Naw, you go on ahead. I’ll catch up to you later.”

 Joseph and Robert were part of the 369th infantry regiment, formerly known as the New York Fifteenth National Guard, who spent 191 consecutive days on the front lines in the war-ravaged French countryside. He reflected back on the first day he and a rag-tag ensemble of fellow African-Americans fell into a hap-hazard formation in front of the same theater which he now sat on the front steps of. He also thought about the nonstop drilling and training at Camp Whitman that instilled in him and the rest of the NY15NG their first real sense of pride. After Whitman came remedial security detail, guarding rail lines and terminals in New York City. Eventually Joey and the 369th were shipped out to France. Joey thought the French were wonderful people, devoid of the bigotry and prejudice that white folk seemed all too willing to express stateside. The 369th was given as piecemeal to the French army by the US government to bolster their ranks, and the French soldiers were most accommodating hosts, showing a kindness and affection most of the 369th  had never seen in whites before the war. Joey thought about all the horrors he had seen and done during the war, and not for the first time gave thanks to the Lord for bringing him home in one piece. The Homecoming parade that ended not long before Joey took a seat on the steps of the old Lafayette had almost been as surreal as the war itself. As far as his eyes could see whites and blacks intermingled, holding miniature American Flags, cheering and waving the boys of the 369th on as the succession marched proudly through the streets of Harlem. It seemed too good to be true, Joey first thought, maybe this war would make a difference for black folks in the US after all.  That notion was quickly laid to rest though when Joey first gazed upon the newspaper he now absentmindedly clutched in his hand.

Before he enlisted, Joey was a bellhop at a small hotel in Queens, he despised the monotony of his humble profession and knew in his heart he was destined for more. When the opportunity presented itself in the late summer of 1916, Joey jumped on the chance to join the New York Fifteenth National Guard. Initially during drill, Joey and several other men who had also enlisted where given brooms instead of rifles to shoulder while in formation. The official explanation for this was that there was a shortage of rifles, but Joey suspected it had more to do with a lack of trust the white officers had in their black recruits. Eventually Joey and the rest of the NY15NG completed their training and were inducted into the ranks of the “proudest military in the world.” After training, the regiment was assigned to guard duty, but the boys were thirsty for action.

 In early December of 1917, the NY15NG were given their orders and were loaded onto transport ships, to be sailed across the Atlantic and sent to France. Upon arrival on New Year’s Day 1918, Joey and the rest of the NY15NG arrived in France and were greeted by the open arms of the French Poilus (an affectionate term for French soldiers meaning “hairy ones”). It was then that the New York Fifteenth National Guard was to be called the 369th infantry regiment. Joey and the rest of the 369th spent their first two months in France carrying out laborious tasks that were deemed “unfit” for white American soldiers. Joey never lost hope that he and the boys would get to see the action first hand. In March of 1918 Joeys wish was granted. The 369th was given to the French army to fill its impoverished ranks.

 In April, the men of the 369th got their first taste of combat. Joey and Robert were manning a trench facing the Hauzy Woods when they heard the Whiz-Pop of incoming German artillery. Diving head first into their trench Joey covered his head and prayed to God to see him through the hellish ordeal. Almost immediately after the artillery barrage subsided he heard the bloodcurdling shouts of the advancing Hun.  Peaking over the trench Joey leveled his French Lebel 1886 rifle while Robert readied the box of hand grenades. The Germans appeared through the fog almost as though they were apparitions. Joey squeezed the trigger of his rifle, pulled back the bolt, drove it back into battery and squeezed off another round, all the while Robert lobed the grenades.

  The exchange lasted a mere matter of minutes and the Huns vanished into the mist as quickly as they had appeared. The following months were much the same, long periods of boredom, penetrated briefly by moments of sheer adrenaline. Joey witnessed enough carnage and experienced enough loss to fill what he thought must be ten lifetimes. On January 10th, 1919, the 369th was ordered to stand down and sent home, nearly two months after the war had officially come to an end.

 When Joey and the rest of the 369th arrived in New York, a parade was organized in their honor. Joey put on his khaki uniform, straightened out the creases on his blouse, laced up his boots and met his fellow “Hellfighters” (the name bestowed upon the 369th by the Germans due to their tenacity in battle) outside of the regiments armory on February 18th 1919. After they all had fallen in rank, the orders were given to march. Joey thought for sure that his heart would jump out of his chest when they came around the corner onto Fifth Avenue. As far as he could see, whites and blacks stood shoulder to shoulder waving hats and flags, and singing praise for the fighting boys of the 369th. For the first time in his life Joey was truly proud to be an American. After the procession had ended and the crowd started to dwindle Joey’s eye was caught by a newspaper stand on the corner of the street. As Joey approached the vendor he saw a headline on the front page that smothered all euphoria he had in his very being. "The World’s" top story was not of gallant soldiers returning from the war to end all wars, but instead it read; “Frenzied Mob Lynches Negro Veteran in South Carolina.” This was the homecoming Joey had subconsciously been anticipating all the while. It was in that moment, Joey knew for sure, he was finally home.

title: [HF] A Homecoming of Heroes?

question: Summarize Joey's experience of the war.

answer:
Joey and his friend, Robert, were recruited into the 369th infantry regiment. Their regiment spent 191 consecutive days on the front lines of World War I. Before the war, he was a bellhop who despised the monotony of his job and wanted more from life. When the war came around 1916, he jumped on the opportunity and joined the New York Fifteenth National Guard (369th infantry regiments).
Joey went through non-stop drills and training which instill in him discipline and pride. Eventually, he and Robert were shipped out to France. Initially, Joey and Robert were not allowed to go with the rest of the regiment to the front because of the color of their skin. They were assigned laborious tasks and other jobs that were unfit for white American soldiers. However, the demands of war on the regiment meant it was soon sent to the French military to fill its impoverished ranks. Joey and Robert were treated better by the French and got their first taste of action where he witnessed enough loss and carnage to fill ten lifetimes. Two months after the war had officially ended, the 369th were told to stand down and sent home.

question: Does Robert share the depressing sentiment of Joey about the state of America?


text:
     Proctor was lying down somewhere. He didn’t know where he was or how he got there. The last thing he could remember was that he was driving over to his friend’s house. Had he gotten in a car crash? Did somebody kidnap him? What was going on? Just as these thoughts were going through his head, someone began to shake his arm.
     “Hello, are you okay? My name is Royce. Can you remember your name?”
     Proctor sat up, and opened his eyes. He realized now that he was in a large grassy field. It was relatively flat, the sun was directly overhead, an oak tree stood in front of him, and Royce stood in front of the oak tree.
     “Yes, my name is Proctor. I don’t think I’m having trouble remembering anything. Are you?”
     Royce closed his eyes and sighed. “The only thing I can remember is my name. Everything else is completely gone.”
     Proctor felt disappointed. “So you don’t even know where we are?”
     “My guess is as good as yours my friend. I woke up just a few seconds before you did. All I can tell is that we’re in a field outside of a castle.”
     “A castle?” Proctor said confused, “Where is this castle?”
     “Well it’s… Just over that hill.”
     Proctor turned around and indeed there was a hill. He was surprised he hadn’t seen it before. But maybe his mind was playing tricks on him. He scaled the hill in just a few minutes. As Royce had said, there was a pretty large castle in front of him. The castle stood about four stories high, had a wooden door, and five towers. He ran to the bottom of the hill, going a bit faster since gravity was no longer working against him.
     Royce was sitting in the same spot he had left him. He was still staring at the hill. He looked as though he had seen a ghost.
      “I saw the castle right where you said it was. Do you think we should head over there? They might be able to help you with your memory.”
     Royce was still staring at the hill. “Proctor, how long did it take you to get to the top of that hill?”
     “Just a few minutes. Why do you ask?”
     Royce looked at Proctor now, “So how did I know there was a castle over there if I had only been awake for a few seconds?”
     It was Proctor’s turn to be in shock. “I don’t know. Maybe you’ve been here before?
     “That could be it. But I want to try something just to be sure.” Royce stood up now. “Think of a number between one and ten.”
     “Okay,” Proctor said. “I’ve got a number”
     “It’s a two right?”
     “That’s right!” Proctor was surprised at how quickly he answered.
     “We need to raise the stakes a little more.” Royce said, trying to contain his excitement. “Lets try between one and one-thousand.”
     “Okay,” Proctor thought for a second, “I’ve got a-
     “Is it five-hundred and twenty-three?”
     “Right again!” The number had barely popped into Proctor’s head.
     “Holy crap!” Royce exclaimed “So I was a psychic before I lost my memory!”
     “That’s amazing! What does it feel like? Can you see my future?”
     “I can’t exactly predict the future,” Royce said. “I don’t see fields covered in blood or anything like that. It’s more like I can tell when something is about to happen. It’s like when you’re in a dream and you’re walking down a road. But you already know what’s at the end of that road. Do you know what I’m saying?”
     “Kind-of.” Proctor said. “I guess I never really thought of it like that before.”
     “Well we should probably head over to that castle. It would be good to have shelter for when it starts to rain.
     Proctor looked up. The sky was completely covered with clouds and he could hear thunder in the distance. The rain came just a few minutes before they reached the castle. Up close, Proctor could see that the castle was very rundown. The door had rotted away and he couldn’t make out what was inside. He debated with himself whether or not it was a good idea to go in. But after hearing a loud crash of thunder nearby, he decided that electrocution would be more painful than anything in the castle.
     Upon entering the castle it was plain to be seen that it had been abandoned for quite some time. The skeletons of rats lay on the ground as if they had run out of food to scavenge for. The only sounds they could hear were the sounds of rain and thunder outside, and the flowing of the many streams that ran through the lower parts of the castle.
     They entered into the next room to find the walls nearly covered with papers. Most of them were filled with incoherent scribbles and long physics equations, but others had plans for some kind of steam-powered robot. One of the walls had been torn open, a desk sat in one corner of the room, and the other corner had exhaust pipes protruding from it. This must have been where they were working on the robot. Royce examined one of the papers on the wall. He began to read: “Koshmar is nearly complete. Its artificial intelligence grows smarter with each passing day. But it seems to be displaying signs of independence, even obstinance. We may need to reboot the system if it starts to disobey orders.” Royce turned around to look at the hole in the wall. “Well, that plan clearly failed.”
     “This doesn’t make any sense. Artificial intelligence is impossible.” Proctor thought out loud.
     “It’s not really that impossible.” Royce said “It’s kind of like a tulpa except it’s created with computers and equations.”
     “A tulpa? You mean an imaginary friend?”
     “Yeah, sort of.” Royce continued. “But a tulpa is like a separate consciousness. It develops over time and it might eventually form its own opinions.”
     “So it can think for itself.” Proctor said, skeptical.
     “Yes and it has direct access to the subconscious. Some people might make one so they don’t forget things.”
     “Strange. Maybe you should make one so that you can get your memory back.”
     “Yeah, maybe I should.” Royce walked closer to the hole in the wall. “Do you think we should go through here?”
     “Maybe, but Koshmar could still be somewhere in this castle.”
     “Even if he is, I doubt he would still be in the next room.” Royce stepped through the hole. “He probably left this place a long time ago.”
     Proctor followed Royce into the room but he soon regretted it. The entire place was torn apart. The only thing left of the room itself was the wall they had just stepped through. It appeared that a great battle had once taken place in there. Skeletons were all over the ground. They held spears, swords, and shields. Walls were broken down, there were claw marks on the floor and ceiling, and the furniture that wasn’t broken, was burned.  The destruction was everywhere, but it wasn’t so bad that it ruined the structural integrity of the castle. Most of the major support beams were still in place and they were handling the extra weight pretty well.
     “I don’t think we should risk an attack by this thing.” Royce said panicking.
     “Do you think he would notice us if he was still here?”
     As if to answer Proctor’s question a giant mechanical dragon crashed through the ceiling right above their only exit. Koshmar was made out of some kind of a copper alloy. Steam came out of the many pipes on its back and its eyes glowed red from the flames that were now shooting from its mouth. Proctor remained frozen in place, both from shock at the dragon’s sudden appearance and shock at its appearance. Royce spoke up knocking him out of his stupor, “HOLY CRAP!”
     The dragon shook the rubble from its body and lunged forward. Proctor dove to the left, just barely avoiding the swipe of one of its red glowing claws. The beast ran straight for the wall and Crawled up it. It twisted around and shot a couple of fireballs. Proctor grabbed a shield from one of the skeletons, but saw that he didn’t need it. Koshmar was directing all of its attacks at Royce. Proctor dropped his shield and replaced it with a spear. He ran toward the dragon in an attempt to stab one of its eyes. He didn’t make it very far though and was sent flying by a lazy swipe of its tail. He landed near the window and could see Koshmar was shooting fireballs once again. Thunder crashed outside, and lightning struck in the distance…
     Wait a second? There was something very illogical about what was going on here. Doesn’t Lightning come before thunder? Proctor woke up on a sunny day, but now it was raining. When he was at the top of the hill the castle had a wooden door, but it was completely rotten when he had reached it. Was the hill even there when he woke up? Then it hit him. The mechanical dragon’s name was Koshmar. Koshmar is the Russian word for nightmare! Proctor was dreaming. That was why all of this strange stuff was happening. He chuckled to himself. It was surprising how realistic all of this was. This whole time he had been carrying conversations with nobody. Well it was pretty fresh in his mind now, but he was sure he would forget everything when he woke up.
     Proctor thought he was in a dream, and in a way, he was right. Moments later Royce woke up in a hospital bed, and Proctor… ceased to exist.

title: The Caretaker

question: Summarize what the story says and implies about Koshmar.

answer: Initally, Koshmar is presented as a mechanical dragon that was being developed and it is assumed that its programming went rogue and it killed everyone in the castle. But it is then revealed that Koshmar was a manifestation of a nightmare (based on its name), and that Royce was dreaming all along.

question: How did Royce end up in the hospital?

answer: It is implied that he may have been in a car accident whilehouse. driving over to his friend's house.


text:
“It’s a rotting dead piece of wood,” Mr. Brown spat, “what am I to do with this?” The boy cringed at the sight of the red faced, wrinkled and balding man. He took a small step back, remaining out of arms reach and attempting the look of a meek, little mouse. “It’s a present.” He said, softly, “from a Mr. Leon Porter. He said I had to bring it to you today.”

“Well tell him I don’t have a need for it. Bring it back to him. I’m busy.” Mr. Brown handed the tree back to the boy. The tree was half the size of the boy and was actually a carved, wooden stump with wire branches. Green twine was wrapped around the branches and small, red ornaments were glued in random spots near the top.

“I’m sorry, sir, I cannot return this to him,” the boy replied, “He’s dead.”

The room was quiet for a moment, the old man seemed to be lost in a thought. After a few seconds he asked the boy, “Did Leon tell you why he needed you to bring this to me?”

“No, well kind of,” said the boy. “Mr. Porter, he umm, had trouble thinking. He said, he told me that he needed to return a favor and that I had to help him. This tree. That’s all I know.”

Mr. Brown sighed, sitting back into his chair. “I’m not sure why I’m telling you this, but Leon was a friend a long time ago, but not anymore.” His face went from soft to stone. “Anyhow, just throw it out then.”

“Alright,” replied the boy. He grabbed the tree and left.

Having no use for it, the boy tossed the tree near an alley on his walk home. Shortly thereafter a young, well dressed couple enter the alley.

“I don’t know why on earth women wear shoes like these. I’m literally dying from the pain.” The woman said. Her companion grinned slightly, rolling his eyes while the woman removed the shoes and tossed them, quite furiously, down the alley.

As the shoes went over a pile a rubble there was a sound of shattering glass. “Now look what you’ve done,” the woman said, glaring at her partner while he just shrugged. She went to retrieve the shoes and noticed the stiletto point had punctured an ornament on a raggedy looking, fake Christmas tree.

She picked up her shoe and noticed a folded piece of paper stuck to the bottom. Her partner walked over as she unfolded the paper and read it:

_

Joe Brown,

What we had meant nothing. You had a wife and I was a widow with a child. We were both stupid. Love, affection, it’s nothing. You proved that when you said those words, “I cannot love you.” Well I’m dying soon. The only memories I can hold on to now are these. That I lived, I loved, I was lied to, and I died, first inside and soon physically. And it was all you. All you. I’m so angry.

In a different world I could tell you that I’m scared. I’m scared to leave this place not having found love. What if it’s only darkness past the white light unless you’ve found some sort of connection? What if you’ve doomed me to an eternity of non-existence or worse, forever feeling your absence.

I’m scared. Please remember me now that I’m dead. Please. It’s all I have left.

Yours forever,

Leon

_

Joe returned home that night, waiting a few minutes in the car to compose himself. He didn’t want to see his wife, didn’t want her to see into his heart and wonder why there was sorrow there. He had to go in sometime though, so he left his car and put on a fake smile.

“Hello, honey,” he said, closing the front door behind him. The room seemed dark and there was no response. He sighed with relief, thinking she must have stayed late at work. He worked his way upstairs to the bed room. After removing his coat and hanging it on the rack, he sat on the bed. He loosened his tie and just thought for a few minutes.

_

That tree. That night he first met Leon. He looked so cold sitting in the alley. Something deep inside Joe had been hit hard, it was like nothing he had ever felt before. He stopped the car and approached the man.

“You look cold.” Joe said.

“Eh, it’s not too bad. At least I have. . .“ The man didn’t finish, just stared into the sky as if in thought.

“Well it’s not safe out here. Let’s get you somewhere warm.”

_

They went to a nearby coffee shop to talk. That’s where Leon explained how he lost his wife. That he had never really loved a woman, but the pressure. Karen was special; she deserved more. So he told her. She got the kid, the car, the house, everything.

It all spiraled out of control from there for Leon. In his depression he lost his job and his will to live. How could he start again at this age? There are no fresh starts for old men.

Joe eventually put Leon up in an extended stay motel. He hid the whole thing from his wife because of the money and because good deeds are better kept a secret.

_

On the following Christmas, Leon had no one. Joe snuck away the day before Christmas Eve. He told Leon this would be their day. They built a small Christmas tree together out of carved wood, wire, and some old ornaments. It was that night that Leon made a move on Joe and Joe had to explain.

“I love you, Leon. I really do. But this is not something that can happen between us.”

“Oh okay.” Leon replied. It seemed to be the end of that.

_

But things got worse from there. Leon started following him to work sometimes, watching. Writing strange letters. There were some calls to the house with no one on the line, probably Leon. He even followed Joe and his wife out on a date. That was the last straw.

When he went to meet Leon it went very strangely. Leon barely made any sense. He talked about destiny and angels. He said Joe was his soul mate, that they were to become one and change the world. He cautioned Joe about his wife, that she was a devil intent on destroying the plan.

Joe did the best he could to end it right there. He told Leon he could no longer support him financially. He tried to convince him to seek help and offered to take him to a hospital. Leon declined and Joe left.

_

Sitting on the bed all these memories warred in his mind. There was something about Leon that really broke Joe’s heart and to see his life spiral out like that, to see him fall into the grip of mental illness was completely heartbreaking. Joe began to sob uncontrollably into his pillow.

Then there was a rustling sound and Joe looked up. His wife stood in the darkened hallway with a strange look on her face and a paper in her hand.

“We need to talk, Joe.” Lydia said, throwing the paper down on Joe’s lap. Included was a picture of Joe and Leon together.

Joe went from sorrow to shock. “What is this?”

“You tell me!” she responded angrily. “Susan found this on her walk home. What the hell is it? What the hell is it, Joe!?”

Joe picked up the letter and begun to read. His heart sank deeper with each word, tears falling down his face.

“I can’t do this right now” he said, trying to convey everything with just the look in his eyes. “Please, give me some time. I promise I can explain all of this to you later.” They stared for a moment and she nodded.

He took the car out on some back roads and parked. He reclined his seat and screamed and sobbed and had moments of complete silence and nothingness. Eventually he fell asleep.

_

The next day he met with his wife in a secluded coffee shop. Joe explained for hours what had happened, confessing that he had been using money to help Leon. He explained the stalking and the delusions.

After he was done he stared in her eyes for what seemed like forever. He could see her processing. And then, after eternity, her face softened and he could see trust return in her eyes.

He could tell, just from that penetrating glare, that she also understood the depth of sorrow he felt for his friend. He felt a deepening respect from her towards him, it wrapped him like a warm blanket. He knew, though the road was tough, they would now be stronger for this.

title: [RF] Ornaments

question: Why does Leon want the tree delivered to Mr. Brown?

answer: Leon has died and he wants to express his feelings for his friend. He takes an old Christmas tree that they built together and hides a note in one of the ornaments. He asks the boy to deliver the tree to his old friend.

question: Why did Joe and Leon fall out?

answer: Leon was homosexual and made a move on Joe, who didn't want to hurt his wife. Leon was also mentally disturbed and he started to stalk Joe. He wrote letters and phoned their home. Joe told Leon he could no longer support him financially. He tried to convince him to seek help and offered to take him to a hospital. Leon declined and Joe left.


text:
"You'll be quite welcome here", said professor Samanac. "Here's your desk, there's the water fountain, the bathroom's the second door to the left, and all the co-workers chipped in to buy you a little something", he said showing a bouquet of flowers on the desk. "Are they real?" asked Ms. Glaves. "Well, aren't you oblivious! Can't you feel it, can't you sense it? When could one possibly feel the touch of a rose's smell from over 15 feet away!" he answered half in disbelief, half in jest. "I... I mean... But synthetic flowers are too expensive. You shouldn't have gone into so much trouble", she said while blushing and trying too hard to hide the fact that this was the first time she actually saw synthetic plants. They lasted for years, but were too expensive.

&nbsp;

Joan was a young neuroscientist, who applied to work at Neurobotics Inc. as a joke, and she never thought she'd ever get even an interview. Her advisor encouraged her to apply, for her PhD thesis had been a major breakthrough in the field, regarding the fact that animals could be trained to carry direct orders even if these are given subconsciously. She got her inspiration from Alan Clark, a famous British neurologist, who specialized in exploring the subconscious mental states of various primates, but his work had never been finished. Namely, he somehow managed to disappear from the public eye and decided to spend his days in some hut in Scotland with his two dogs and a beloved mistress. She was often thankful for this fact, because if he hadn't stepped out of the spotlight, she'd have to pick professor Wenton as her advisor for a different topic, and she despised him for a simple reason: he often chewed with his mouth opened. We're in the 23rd century, not in Middle Ages – she often thought to herself.

&nbsp;

After a few months of a boring desk job, she was called into professor Samanac's office. "You remind me of myself when I was your age", he said looking down at some distant spot on the floor. His hair was grey, but his beard was still brown, and a bit yellow in the middle. Must be the cigarettes – she though to herself. She felt like she's going to get fired, so she kept repeating to herself in her head not to cry until she had left the room. "I left the North American University to work in Neurobotics. The smartest idea I've ever had. I hated the paperwork, the grading, the articles you were obliged to write every month just to keep you salary steady. The bureaucracy is ruining the science. And everybody still blames the church!" he said, finally with an upward glance.

She was still trying not to cry, so she used her long blue bangs to cover her left eye which had a single tear trapped in her eyelid. "So I have to say I'm sorry", he continued, "for preventing you to do some useful work for us."

She glanced up, gathered some crumbs of courage and straightened her spine into a statuesque fashion.

He continued: "We used your work for months, the monkey work is done. We need the brains."

&nbsp;

"Dr. Charms, this is Dr. Glaves; Dr. Glaves, this is Dr. Charms", said professor Samanac in a hurry. Nadir Charms, a tall black man with amazing green eyes charmed her instantly. He responded hastily: "We have no time to lose, so I'll keep it short. We asked Dr. Zieblen to influence your decision and to recommend Neurobotics for your first job. We had started the similar research along with professor Clark. However, he couldn't take the pressure. It was too much of it for him."

"Of what", she asked timidly while pondering what is really going on.

"Of what I'm about to show you", replied Dr. Charms with a sneaky smile.

&nbsp;

All three of them entered the elevator. The doors opened at level -31B. They entered a huge laboratory which looked like a zoo. And it stank like it. They passed the long corridor filled with various animal cages, and entered something which resembled a hospital waiting room. Only, these people were somehow at peace. Some of them were reading, some of them were playing with their computers, and one toddler was trying to chase a toy which flew around him in circles displaying random cartoon scenes.

"Should I wait here?" Joan asked.

"But this is the laboratory", said Dr. Charms arrogantly.

&nbsp;

They entered a new room. A young man greeted them and served them some coffee and tea. "Dennis, any progress with B87?" asked professor Samanac? "The report says negative, Sir", he replied while trying to fix his skirt which was obviously too tight.

"I know you're a bit confused right now, but we've been working on this for quite some time. Using Dr. Clark's research, we found out that every primate could be trained to respond to certain directives even if these were subconsciously implanted. We've been trying to test it on even higher primates", explained Dr. Samanac, while trying to sip his coffee impatiently, even though it was too hot.

"You mean like orangutans and chimpanzees?" she inquired in awe.

"He means humans", Dr. Charms remarked emitting a pawky smile.

"But that's not possible, the human brain has the C2612 fiber, which –"

Dr. Charms interrupted her: "Which we were analyzing for two centuries and finally got some conclusive results. It can be done."

"It could be done, but how complex could the command be, for the subconscious pattern to even have the potential to emerge. It's an NP-hard problem. There's no way out. And we know it's not reducible to anything simpler", she retorted firmly.

"You're thinking that a command must be a command using the exact words. You could train a dog to fetch a stick using a word like ORANGE! Most of human pets are trained to recognize their names even though these are often gibberish. You could train a human to do a task using, I don't know, Shakespeare's lines. Or even *Jabberwocky*."

"I suppose so. But where's the real application of it?"

Dr. Samanac interjected: "What if you didn't need the *task* part, only words?"

&nbsp;

Joan was confused. She never felt stupid in her life. All of the kids in middle school and high school made fun of her, but she spent her nights with her books. She felt better than them. After graduating and finishing her PhD she knew she had won. But sometimes she asked herself do they even care, even in a bad way. Do they still remember her, or is she just some no-name scientist in random articles?

"The human brain is complex, but follows a certain pattern. Mental states are grounded in physical points, and the discovery of C2612 allowed us to take a sneak peak into human subconscious mind. Have you ever watched *Monty Python*?"

"That's like asking me have I ever seen Mona Lisa. Of course", she responded.

"Do you remember that sketch with the joke that somehow won the war, because when anybody read it, they had no choice but to fall into a continuous loop of laughter. They couldn't control it", he noted.

"You're losing me", she spoke in a somewhat annoyed manner.

"There could be, for example, a combination of words and letters which can drive a man insane. Not really taking orders, but having the same amount of control: none. One can read it or hear it, and his C2612 fibers will soon start firing up. Once the process starts, the person needs more sensory input like this, and every order of letters, words and sentences has a strict specific follow-up. If one doesn't get the next combination, the brain starts to process the subconscious information and uses all the resources there are to try to decipher it. But there's an endless number of possible combinations. As you said, it's an NP-hard problem", rejoined Dr. Samanac.

"What does it take to do that? That ought to be a sentence of a size of a novel! Or even tons of novels. It can't be done!" she uttered.

Dr. Clark stated: "It's not really about words, it's about images. It could work in any language, it's necessary for humans to visualize the words, and the mind does it subconsciously. The ancient philosophers knew that people are unable to conceive abstract objects, and that you tend to do it while reading as well."

She responded decidedly: "Yes, for example, you have to conceive some kind of a triangle, it'll have some dimensions, it'll be, I don't know, isosceles or equilateral, big or small. There's no way for us to have a pure abstract thought."

"That's right", continued Dr. Clark, "so every time we read a sentence like *The dog chased the cat*, we think of, for example, a black Labrador chasing a grey long-haired cat. It's all about visualization. We cannot help ourselves."

"What's that got to do with your research? With **MY** research?" she appealed to him while trying to maintain the same posture taken 10 minutes ago.

"Someone calculated the combination of necessary mental images which are sufficient to provoke the gradual deterioration of brain functions", said Dr. Samanac.

"And it's somewhere out there", added Dr. Clark.

She just stood there trying to maintain her posture. She fainted.

&nbsp;

She woke up in that sweet delirium of not knowing if something was real or not.

"Take a sip of some chamomile tea. It'll freshen you up", said Dennis.

After a few seconds she got back on her feet and demanded an explanation.
"Are you saying that a certain sentence could kill someone? I'm a scientist, not a cop", she cried.

"Our job is to find the pattern which could put the brain back in equilibrium after this horrible event. It can be done. Alan Clark knew how dangerous this is. That's why he couldn't take it anymore", said Dr. Samanac with a sound of regret.

"Do we know how the original pattern looks like?" she inquired.

"We know that the end involves owls, graphic novels, chocolate and rivers", he proclaimed.

"That's more of a *Twin Peaks* dialogue, than a clue", she replied.

"You're a classics fan. I like that", said Nadir with a smile, "I've minored in cultural history."

"These categories of files were used as dictionaries in calculations after someone broke into our lab. The most obvious way would be to connect these images somehow logically or illogically. How, I do not know", said Dr. Samanac.

He continued: "We believe it was an inside job. So don't trust anyone but us. Or not even us." He burst into laugh, but it was a desperate one.

&nbsp;

They spent the next ten months calculating the possible counterffect. "I feel like I'm a wizard who's about to remove a curse", she said jokingly. "Are you scared?"

"Of what?" asked Nadir.

"If someone actually uses the combination to drive someone insane. Or if we had already been driven insane, but we don't know yet. And who had managed to calculate something our team is still not able to do? I'm frightened", she whispered.

"The secret service team is doing their best to provide us with all the resources we need. Guys in B1 – B353 are doing the best they can. And we will make a difference one day, I hope. It's a dangerous weapon. The guy obviously knew what he was looking for", said Dr. Clark.

"I hope we never find out", she replied. "This is the only job I'd like to be fired from as a surplus."

"I agree. Let's get back to work. We can talk about this at dinner? I'll pick you up at 8 o'clock tonight if you want", he said confidently.

She blushed and accepted the long overdue invitation.

&nbsp;

The months have passed, and there was a bit of progress. There was a lot of work to be done. But no one has ever managed to find out who calculated the combination. The secret service discovered only the destroyed tapes and no clues or traces left behind. This could have been done by anyone. Or this hadn't been done at all.

&nbsp;

After a while they felt like they were making progress. But I know it was in vain. Soon, everybody will know, one by one. Soon, you will know. Soon, the cello will turn yellow. Soon, the heart will stop the spleen. Soon a cube will be a tube. Soon, an owl will growl in the night. Soon, a Batman won't be there for a fight. Soon, cocoa could flow like Orinoco. Soon.

title: [SF] A word is worth a thousand pictures

question: What does the story say about what undermines science?

answer: The bureaucracy undermines science because working at a university requires paperwork, grading, and publishing articles.

question: What does the story say about Dr. Clark's work?

answer: Dr. Clark explores the subconscious mental states of various primates. He believes that animals could be trained to carry direct orders even if these are given subconsciously.

question: What does the story say about Joan's salary?


text:
It was winter across the Eastern cities and I was happy for the high-pay job that let stay on the city. 'Eastern' was the key word for this place, it was themed around an old civilization called  'Asia' you know sushi, kabuki theatre even down to the samurai city guard and the ninja underground network. it was a hell of a place to stay... the culture, the architecture... of course I mainly appreciated the sake, but what can you do. anyway back to the job at hand, I was at this bar one night (as I am every night) and some old guy walks in with like five bodyguards and they tell everyone to get out like they own the god damn place, I told them they could fuck off. as you can image they didn't take too kindly to that and so one of them grabbed me by the collar. I know, I know " how do I always get in these kind of situations?"
"Get out, you peace of shit! the boss couldn't stomach a drink with scum like you around!" The man whom I will call Mr potato head said trying to look mean, So I looked him dead in the eye and told him
"If you just want a drink, have a few rounds on me" and before any of them court on to my little pun three of them where ether dead or dying on the floor, I must of laid heavy on the trigger because my revolvers where reaching the sky, whatever, I can use this to my advantage, the fourth guard felt the but of my revolvers, one through his collar bone and one to his temple, knocking him out cold. that got in the position to line up my other shots. 'no point in carrying two guns, you won't be able to hit a thing, idiot' ha, if they could only see me now... to think five of them. one of me, and they didn't even get a shot off. I walked up to the old guy expecting the old 'Oh please let me live I'll get you anything' routine but what I got was...
"OH THAT WAS AMAZING!!! five on one! already had you by the collar and BOOM, BANG, POP! I simply must heir you, what would you say to a couple hundred Helios a day my quick drawing friend!" The old guy said in the voice so happy he sounded like he was going to burst!
As you can imagine I was shocked, I couldn't speak for a minute. Here's my train of thought;
Hired by this guy = no police enquiry = no getting hunted by the samurai + sake here only cost 1 Helios + a shit lode of Helios = a hell of a happy me.
"I'm in"
"Good to hear it! now for your fist duty on the job, finish of that one rolling about over there. get these bodies out of my bar and be quick about it!"
Oh... it rely was his place, I feel dumb now...

title: [AA] Easy money in an eastern city

question: Who attempts to eject the narrator from the bar?

answer: Five bodyguards that enter the bar with an old man.

question: Where does the setting of the story take place?

answer: An Asian themed Eastern city

question: Who offers the narrator a job?

answer: The bar owner.

question: How does the narrator impress the bar owner?

answer: By single handedly beating down all the bodyguards.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: In an Asian themed Eastern city the narrator sits at a bar until an old guy walks in with bodyguards. They ask him to leave and when he refuses they grab him in an attempt to throw him out. However, the narrator beats all five of them single handedly. His actions impresses the bar owner and gets offered a job.


text:
[]

Here we go. The New York Times says that the upcoming IG report will accused McCabe of improperly leaking info to the media.

The Hill:

  A report from the Justice Department’s inspector general will criticize former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe for allowing agency officials to provide information about an ongoing investigation to the media, The New York Times reported Thursday.

  McCabe reportedly authorized FBI officials to provide information to the Wall Street Journal in its investigation into how the agency handled the probe into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

  The deputy director allowed officials to discuss a meeting detailed in an October 2016 Journal report, during which some top DOJ officials reportedly decided against authorizing a grand jury or subpoenas in the Clinton investigation.

  The Journal report also cited sources, including one “close to McCabe,” who said McCabe had claimed the FBI had the ability to continue with the investigation into the Clinton Foundation during a heated conversation with a senior DOJ official.

OK, I’ll admit I’m a little confused here. If the Deputy Attorney General authorizes people to speak to the press, is it really a leak? Aren’t there times when this is a proper thing to do?

Even if you assume the worst in answer to those questions, some people are saying the info he leaked was actually detrimental to Hillary Clinton, not to Trump. So I honestly don’t know what’s going on here. You let me know what you think in the comments.

question: Who will the Justice Department's inspector general criticize?

answer: Andrew McCabe.

question: Who did McCabe authorize to provide information to the Wall Street Journal in its investigation?

answer: FBI officials.

question: Why is the author confused?

answer: It is not clear what the misconduct was, and it seems any information he would have leaked would have hurt Hilary not Trump.

question: What was the investigation he leaked concerned with?

answer: Hilary Clinton's use of a private email server.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: A report from the Justice Department says Andrew McCabe was dismissed due to his releasing information to the Wall Street Journal about an FBI investigation into Hilary Clinton's use of a private email server. The author expresses confusion about the motivation of McCabe's dismissal.


text:
Even major league players have difficulties hitting the elusive curveball.[1] The purpose of this kind of pitch is to throw off the batsman. It entices batting players into poor swings and deceives them by breaking one direction or another due to spin the pitcher puts on the ball. This is why the curveball is also referred to as a "breaking ball." Even if you think this pitch is one you'll never completely master, there are ways you can beat the physics of the curveball and crush it into outer field.

Preparing to Crush a Curveball

1.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 1]

    1

    STUDY THE PITCHER WHILE IN THE BULLPEN. It's important that you gain a sense for the kind of balls the pitcher is throwing. Note any patterns you recognize, including the pitches he favors and your assessment of his curveball. If most of his curves come across the plate as hanging curveballs, you should be prepared to take advantage of this.

    -   A hanging curveball is an off speed pitch in your strike zone. With proper preparation, hanging curveballs are ripe for a punishing hit.
    -   Analyze the pitcher's habits to see if there are any early warning signs for certain pitches, like a twitch of his glove before going into the windup.

2.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 2]

    2

    READ THE PITCHER'S TELLS. Some pitchers, especially those with more experience, are better at hiding their tells than others. But a "tell" is where you indicate what is going to happen through body language _before_ you do it. These might include:

    -   A change in windup.
    -   A twitch of the glove.
    -   Searching for the seams of the ball for proper curveball finger placement.

3.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 3]

    3

    KNOW THE TYPES OF CURVEBALL. The backspin a pitcher puts on a curveball causes pressure to increase in the air in front of and under the ball, causing it to "ride" on this higher pressure air. Curveballs with topspin creates high pressure on top of the ball, deflecting the ball downward.[2] [3] [4]

    -   If you are able to identify a curveball from the outset, knowing to prepare yourself for a dropping or floating ball will give you the advantage when trying to hit it.
    -   A downward breaking ball is often referred to as a "12-6 curve" due to the fact that the ball is on a straight appearing path down, like the movement from 12 to 6 on the hands of a clock.

4.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 4]

    4

    OBSERVE THE HAND WITH WHICH THE PITCHER THROWS. If the pitcher is a right-hander the ball will break away from righty batters and into lefty batters; the opposite is true for left-handed pitcher. Submarine pitches that attempt a curveball will likely sink into the dirt.

5.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 5]

    5

    TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION YOUR PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS. Batters who are out front, unaware, and/or are imbalanced at the time a curveball is thrown will likely have problems hitting it.[5] Think about times you have tried to hit curves in the past and your stance leading up to the hit. Your stance is not ideal for a breaking ball if:

    -   You are pushing forward, out front, or are overextending your knee so that its over or in front of your foot.
    -   You are persistently swinging at balls that are curving outside the strike zone due to over-committal and premature weight transfer.

6.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 6]

    6

    EVALUATE THE PITCHER ON HIS OVERALL RECORD. If you know you are up against a curveball master, you might have difficulty hitting even his worst breaking ball. But foreknowledge and mentally preparing yourself to face a difficult pitch will keep your focus sharp and your batting average up.

    -   Watch the path of the pitcher's curveballs and visualize the trajectory of the ball as you would see it from the plate. Think of how you might hit the ball and the ideal place for you to begin your swing.

7.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 7]

    7

    FACTOR IN HIS DAILY PERFORMANCE. If you notice that the other team's pitcher has been having an off day with his curveballs, you may be in luck. Poor daily performance or the high pressure of an important game can negatively impact a pitchers ability to throw a good curve consistently.

    -   A pitcher having a bad breaking ball day will be more hesitant to make use of the tricky physics of this pitch.

8.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 8]

    8

    BAT WITH PROPER STANCE. Stance is an important factor for hitting any ball that crosses the plate. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet and your knees slightly bent with your back leg holding more of your weight than your front. Foot placement depends largely on your body type, but some who are knowledgeable in baseball recommend that your feet be set a bit wider than shoulder width.[6] Stand at a right angle to the plate and hold your bat off your shoulder and at the top of your strike zone.

    -   Keep an eye on your feet; many players have difficulty regulating their stance. To get the best hit, you'll need to make sure your feet aren't too narrowly or widely placed.
    -   While you wait for the pitcher to begin his pitch, you should be relaxed and keep your feet still as you await the release of the ball.[7]

Crushing a Curveball

1.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 9]

    1

    WATCH THE PITCHERS GRIP. Seeing that a pitcher is using a curveball from the very release will improve your odds of hitting it greatly. The hand position for a classic curve ball orients the seams in the direction of the pitchers fingers, with the tops of his middle finger touching the inside of a seam of the baseball. This will create a U-shape position in the hand of the pitcher.

2.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 10]

    2

    TAKE A HINT FROM THE RED CIRCLE. The spin of a curve ball will have a visual effect on it as it approaches you. If you notice an approximately one inch circle or a solid dot where you would normally see the blur of the red stitching, you have a curve ball incoming.

3.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 11]

    3

    REEVALUATE YOUR STANCE PRIOR TO THE PITCH. Since the most common kind of curve ball sinks as it approaches the plate, pushing forward and being out front will drastically hurt your odds of hitting it. Not only will keeping your body and weight back, you'll increase power and give yourself some additional slivers of a second to react to and crush the curve.[8]

4.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 12]

    4

    RECOGNIZE THE BALLS TRAJECTORY. Most people who have difficulty with curve balls commit too early with their swing and waste a strike on a ball that was outside their zone. Most knee-high balls will break down out of your strike zone and should be avoided. High curves, however, frequently break into the strike zone.[9]

5.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 13]

    5

    LET THE BALL COME TO YOU. Since a classic 12-6 curve sinks on the approach, rising to meet this ball with your bat is not advised.[10] If the angle of your swing is not spot on, you'll miss the ball or get poor contact.

    -   Many experts argue that this is the most critical part of hitting a breaking ball. If you know the kind of break the pitcher will be using, allow the ball to sink into your swing.[11]

6.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 14]

    6

    MAKE USE OF YOUR HESITATION. A little hesitation can be a good thing when the pitcher is throwing an off-speed pitch. You may feel a kind of tension or hesitation once your stride foot comes down. During this critical moment, you should keep your hands and the majority of your weight (about 70%) back, so that in the event the ball is a hittable curve, you are prepared.[12]

Drilling Your Curveball Technique

1.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 15]

    1

    UTILIZE VARIABLE SPEED PITCHES WHEN PRACTICING BATTING. Have a practice partner stand behind a screen about 15 ft in front of the plate. Your practice partner should alternate between overhand and underhand techniques, giving an irregular tempo to the pitches coming across the plate. Your goal is to drive all of these right up middle field.[13]

    -   The variability of these pitches will help you recognize off-speed pitches and the shifts in posture and body position that accompany off-speed pitches.

2.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 16]

    2

    STAY INSIDE OF BREAKING BALLS. Your practice partner should stand on your open side at about 45° behind your batting position. Have your partner lob an underhand toss into the contact zone while you concentrate on crushing the ball straight into the midfield.[14]

    -   The angle of approach for this drill is ideal for giving you the impression that you are on the inside, which is the right habit to have when trying to hit a breaking ball.

3.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 17]

    3

    TRAIN PATIENCE WITH LOBS. It can be difficult allowing curves to drop and come to you. To practice patience and keep yourself from pushing forward and being out front, have a practice partner set up a screen 10 - 15 ft in front of you. Then have him lob the ball to you over the screen.[15]

    -   Wait for the ball to enter your optimal hitting zone.
    -   Stay inside the ball.
    -   Attempt to rocket the ball straight up the middle.

4.

    [Image titled Hit a Curveball Step 18]

    4

    REINFORCE RECOGNITION OF CURVEBALLS. The more you practice the curveball, the easier it will be for you to notice and manage. You might consider spending one-on-one time with your pitcher to train hitting his curves or even drilling the curveballs from a pitching machine.[16] [17]

    EXPERT TIP

    Isaac Hess is a Baseball Coach, Instructor, and the Founder of MADE Baseball Development and Champion Mindset Training Program, a baseball training program based in Los Angeles, California. Isaac has over 14 years of experience coaching baseball and specializes in private lessons and tournaments. He has played baseball for both professional and collegiate leagues including Washington State University and the University of Arizona. Isaac was ranked as one of Baseball America's top 10 prospects for 2007 and 2008. He earned a BS in Regional Development from the University of Arizona in 2007.

    [Isaac Hess]

    Isaac Hess
    Baseball Coach & Instructor

    EXPERT TRICK: If you can't work with a pitcher or a curveball machine, try playing a baseball game like MLB The Show. That way, you can get familiar with picking up the spin out of the pitcher's hand.

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Tips

-   If the pitch is coming over the bottom half of the strike-zone and you have recognized it as a curveball, chances are good it will break down and out of the zone, so hold off on swinging.

-   If a curveball pitch starts high, watch for it to level out over the plate. These are called "hanging curveballs" and are one of the easier pitches to hit hard.

-   Wait as long as possible before swinging.

-   If a curveball is coming straight at you, it will likely be smart for you to hang in there and let it drop over the plate.

-   Look at the pitcher's glove before he starts to pitch. He may be fumbling with the ball to align his fingers in preparation to throw a curveball.

-   Watch the pitcher's arm, see if it snaps downward and to the side, a good indication of a curve.

-   Keep your weight back once you recognize the curveball coming. This will let you hit the ball with more power once you track its direction.

-   If you know that a curveball is coming, move farther up in the batter's box. Doing this will reduce the total movement of the curveball between the release of the ball and it hitting your bat.

Warnings

-   If the pitcher is submarine or side-arm, don't swing. Chances are it'll land in the dirt or outside.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To hit a curveball, start by standing with your body at a right angle to the plate and your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Next, as the pitcher prepares to throw, note if his fingers are parallel to the seams on the ball, which is the classic method for holding a curveball. As the ball comes toward you, see if you notice a solid red dot in the middle of the ball that suggests the pitcher threw a curve. Then, keep your body back instead of lunging forward and wait as long as possible before swinging at the ball. For advice on how to run drills to improve your curveball technique, read on!

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 74,860 times.

Did this article help you?

question: What does the text say about hitting a fastball?

question: What does the article say about the curveball?

answer: The elusive curveball is one of the most difficult pitches to hit in baseball, even major league players have a hard time with it. The purpose of this kind of pitch is to throw off the batsman by enticing batting players into poor swings and trick them by breaking one direction or another due to the spin the pitcher puts on the ball - hence the name "breaking ball". Pitchers put a backspin on a curveball to cause pressure that increases in the air in front of and under the ball, causing it to "ride" on this higher pressure air. Curveballs with a topspin create high pressure on top of the ball, deflecting the ball downward. A downward breaking ball is referred to as a "12-6 curve" because the ball is on a straight appearing path down. Despite the difficulties, knowing the physics of the curveball and its different types will allow players to crush it into the outer field.

question: What does the text say about Isaac Hess?

answer: Isaac Hess is a Baseball Coach, Instructor, and the Founder of MADE Baseball Development and Champion Mindset Training Program. MADE is a baseball training program based in Los Angeles, California. Hess has over 14 years of experience coaching baseball and specialized in private lessons and tournaments. He played in the collegiate leagues, with stints at Washington State University and the University of Arizona. Hess also played professionally and was ranked as one of Baseball America's top 10 prospects for 2007 and 2008. He earned a BS in Regional Development from the University of Arizona in 2007.

question: Summarize what the text says about hitting a curveball?

answer: The text says that to hit a curveball, a batsman has to stand with his body at a right angle to the plate and his feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. As the pitcher prepares to throw, the batsman must note if the pitcher's fingers are parallel to the seams on the ball, which is the classic method for holding a curveball. As the ball comes toward the batsman, he must notice if there's a solid red dot in the middle of the ball that suggests a pitcher threw a curve. If there is, the batsman must keep his body back instead of lunging forward and wait as long as possible before swinging at the ball.


text:
**Beware this is my beginning of a long story a plan to write about a hypothetical serial killer, and this passage is morbid.** Also this is a very rough draft so excuse spelling mistakes or the overuse of contractions.

 There were always rumors of a serial killer so evil, so demented, so monstrous, so gruesome, and so evil that he was looked at as more of the hypothetical monster under humanities bed than a real psychopath that needs to be hunted down and exposed. In this short story I am going to describe the infamous and horrible tale of what can be only called as “the monstrosity.”

The monstrosity was born in 1945, his exact date of birth is unknown, he was born in Midwestern America; most likely Kansas. His father was a hulk of a man who conceived him when he brutally raped his own daughter, the violence in the monster’s life began before he was even born. His mother lets call her Lesly was only seventeen years old when she gave birth to the monstrosity, who was born about three weeks premature. Lesly almost died in childbirth because the monster’s father (lets call him Larry) continued to beat her during the pregnancy which led to the premature and extremely painful birth. The doctors predicted the monstrosity would not live through the night...oh how wrong they were; looking back if the doctors knew of the evil they allowed to enter the world, they may have had no problem suffocating that small innocent child right there and then.
The monstrosity had no serious health problems from the violent birth, except for the fact that he would never grow taller than 5'5 even as a grown man; this monster’s height comes into play later and can be looked at as a curse or a blessing depending on how you read this evil’s story.

The monster’s father Larry remarried shortly after he was born, he lied to all about the real mother of the monster. Being a minor still Lesly was forced to continue to live with Larry and his new wife Marie even after all the abuse and pain he had caused her, she wouldn't run away because she felt her son deserved a real mother not a life of lies. So, for the next three-years she worked hard at her job as a waitress to save enough money to move out of the abusive home with her son and get her own place. The abuse of Lesly continued throughout these years but Larry didn’t touch his son the monster because he respected the fact that his son had a keen likeness to himself, and resented the fact that his own daughter Lesly wanted to turn his own child against him. Larry wasn't a sociopath but he was a monster by his own merit, he didn't understand why his daughter hated him and thought he was a useless excuse for a men let alone a father; even though he sexually and physically abused her after her mother passed away from cancer when Lesly was about nine-years old. Larry tried to turn the monster who was about four years old by this point against his true mother Lesly and make him love his wife Marie and him as parents.

Now, for a moment let us observe what know about Larry’s second wife Marie...she was about twenty-six years old married to Larry a much older man and little is known about her background or early-life. What we do know however straight from the words of our little monster is that she was an extremely beautiful woman; about 5’9, luscious blond hair, long legs, a nice curvy midsection, and most of all her skin according to the monster was softer than any other woman he ever met. But that all comes in to play later in this story of true evil.
I will set the scene for the beginnings of our little monster’s first look at death and real cruelty. Of course the monster was exposed to the beatings of his real mother Lesly from time to time, but Marie did her best to keep the monster away from such things. You may be thinking why would a woman as beautiful as I described Marie as be with a violent man like Larry and allow him to abuse his adult daughter? Well, since little is known about Marie’s personality (at this point in time) I guess we can just say love works in mysterious ways and in this case ends up intertwined with death and unknowingly creating pure evil. Anyway, back to the story...Lesly finally saved up enough money to take the monster away from this hateful environment and get her own nice place. But Larry and Marie didn’t like that idea, they didn’t believe that Lesly really worked for that money and accused her of prostituting herself to make the money. They called her all sorts of names, not knowing that our little monster was hiding under the bed in his mother’s room just taking all this in. Like I said he had witnessed violence before, but never had he witnessed such abuse in a verbal sense they broke his mother down. Lesly wasn't the most emotionally sound woman due to her father’s abuse and it didn't take much to break her, and by the end of the verbal abuse from Marie and Larry which went on for almost an hour she just sat in the corner wet with her own tears and ashamed that she allowed them to do that to her.

Then something happened to Lesly as she set there wallowing in her own pain and self-hate...she snapped. This young woman who received awful abuse by her own father her whole life finally snapped. She hated him with such passion, who was he to abuse her and then coddle her son like he was a decent human being when he was the one who raped her and almost killed her from beatings during her pregnancy! Lesly was not a small woman, her father Larry was about 6’6 and 250-pounds and he passed those genes onto his daughter; she was 6’3 but her weight was unknown. She grabbed Larry’s baseball bat that he used to occasionally use to beat her when he wasn't playing on the local softball team with it, and she waited in the room until she heard Marie go into her room and fall asleep. She left her room, and shortly after the monster (without her knowledge) followed her into the hallway and watched her.

She saw that Larry was passed out on the couch and she snuck up behind him, only his head was exposed from under the covers. Lesly raised the bat above her head and slammed it back down with all the might and power she had within her body. The sound of Larry’s skull cracking was sickening to the soul of a normal person...you could hear the skull break apart into small fragments and slice through the brain matter. You could taste the blood in the air and feel the lack of Larry’s existence within it. Even though our monster was only four or five years old, he describes the event with such vivid remembrance as if it was his first memory. And maybe it was, because in my opinion this moment and what happened next is what creates our little monster as he really is or will be for the rest of his so called life.

Larry was near dead after the first blow, but Lesly didn't know that and probably felt more powerful and in control than she ever had before in her entire life. She kept hitting him over and over, she destroyed his face so completely that it would take a ton of work for the cops to identify his body without just assuming. The monster describes hearing the life leave Larry’s body but instead of like it is in film he described it as just a silence within the room as if Larry’s soul or whatever made him alive had just been removed from the area. The silence as he described it was quieter than anything he would experience for a long time after.

Than the silence was broken by Lesly yelling at the monster “go to your room, you shouldn't see this baby.” Her voice wasn't the same though it sounded different than the mother the monster though he knew, it sounded emptier as if the love Lesly held for him had exited her. And even at five years old the monster says that he felt the difference.

title: The monstrosity

question: How is the "monstrosity" described in this article?

answer: The monstrosity is described in this article as an evil that has been allowed to enter the world. The monstrosity makes it seem more real when people say psychopaths need to be hunted down and exposed. The monstrosity was born in very terrible conditions, to very toxic parent, and since it was born, it has only known pain and to give pain.

question: What terrible scene did the monster see that impacted his whole life?

answer: As just a five year old, the monster saw his mother kill his father with a baseball bat. He saw the life leave his father. He also heard how his mother sounded differed, emptier of love than he had ever heard. This experience silenced him for many many years.

question: Would Larry come back as ghost and control the monster to be the monster the text describes?


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