text:
The boy sat on the roof of his Dad's car. He looked toward the mountains, the desert, the West, the Moon, the Stars, and the Sentinel. Eyes shining. He was the world's most avid watcher of old Westerns and modern science fiction. But nothing could compare to this. Nothing. Not to *him*. Well, except his dad.

"Dad, was he here when you were a kid?"

The older man couldn't quite understand the question for a second. Maybe the Van Allen Belts *had* fucked up his brain. Maybe the Jack habit he'd started in on in earnest in 1973. Maybe grief over the death of his wife. The boy's mother. The campfire had gone out in the center of the clearing, essentially, and occasionally cold winds blew in. Then they faded away.

"No he wasn't."

"When did he get here?"

Another damned-fool question. That boy...such genius...wasting it on philosophical questions. He'd always been...*NO*...

"1973."

"Why? Who brought him here?"

The old man took a swig from his hip flask. So many goddamn useless questions. Maybe the folks at the University were right. Maybe the Sentinel did watch over their thoughts. Did that matter? His wife's last great work was still wasting his damn talent and childlike inquiry asking why the sky was blue. Fractally wrong. The sky was magnificent, desolate, malevolent, divine...and the corn was deader every year. The peanuts had been gone for years. Cows were rarer than...well.

He indicated the gigantic robot, pointing with his lower lip in the Indian fashion. "I did. With some friends. Before your Mom died."

"COOL!" The boy climbed down from the roof of the Trans Am and hugged his dad. "What...what does he do?"

There was a good sign. Like that first ray of light in a desert sunrise. He was thinking. "He doesn't speak Russian, for one. He knows...things about where I found him. He draws a military paycheck, but not one made of money."

The man drank from the flask again, the reddish-gold liquid warming his bones. Apollo and Dionysus were closer in spirit and approach than people thought. Prometheus ought to know. If he had really known anything, though, he would have been looking in front of him. Would have told Kranz he wasn't going to get his hands dirty. Wouldn't be watching the watchers while the actors and directors played on stages millions of miles away. Fuckin' Washington. She had died consoling him. Still his fault. Watching the watchers was a penance of sorts.

"So he's a soldier." The boy grinned, pulling out his penknife and whittling a stick randomly.

"Yup. Just like your guys Davy Crockett and Custer. And like Neil, Buzz, Mike, Jim, Jack and Fred."

The boy looked thoughtful. "But only Davy and Custer are real. The King of the Wild Frontier and a soldier who helped settle the West. My Apache friends from school say Custer's an asshole, though. An imp-er-i-alist." He sounded out the word. A tragedy of history that he knew words like Sentinel the way a baby learns "dada" and yet he had to struggle to pronounce that at his age. Shouldn't even know it. A kid should be allowed to dream. He'll learn he's a monster soon enough. A brave one, hopefully. A good one. And the toughest one on the llano.

The man shook his head. "Your friends are wrong. Well, they're right. But it happens to everyone. You can't stop the sun from setting. You can only watch the colors change as she goes down. Hope there's a halo around the moon. That's a sign of rain. Good crops. Strong boys."

The child's face lit up. "I'm strong." Then he became thoughtful. "Are there frontiers left, Dad? Like in the movies, where Apollo 13 went to space in...1970. That was before the Sentinel came. Why didn't something like that happen? Why didn't we go to the Moon? That's a good frontier."

"Once, son, I found myself asking the same questions. They were just as good then, when I was in the Air Force after Korea. I looked at the Jornada Del Muerto, you know...over in the Western part of the state...and I said...eighteen wagon trains went to Santa Fe, and came back with gold and treasure, dreams and hope. Why did the eighteenth have to be the last? And I might could have been the wagonmaster on it, if I had lived in those days. Why?"

"Why, dad? It'd be cool as hell to live on the Moon."

"You've got a mouth on you. Can't say you learned it from anyone but me." He chuckled. "It would be. It would be. Nobody lives there anymore."

"There were people there? Like Indians?"

The man stood, looking into the afternoon sky. Rotating his head willfully and deliberately, but with effort, he looked the Sentinel in the eyes. Anger burned that his son was rarely allowed to see.

"More like us. They had dreams of their own. Frontiers. They liked being Moon-Americans so much they decided to teach us Americans how to be Indians. I'm too old to learn. I don't like it."

The boy looked up from his whittling project. "Hm." It appeared as if he was grappling with a problem he couldn't solve...and the problem was caused by his dad speaking gibberish. The older man had become used to that look. More from older folks, who remembered Apollo 18. They'd never admit to it...that's why he'd stopped bothering. "So the Indians...they teach us how to survive, right? Teach us to plant, tell us stories...they always act like we're crazy. I always feel like I've forgotten something around them."

"The Indians have always felt that way. The older I get the more I understand. We've forgotten we were Indians once."

The boy looked confused. "Not cowboys?"

"You know more Indian cowboys than you do white ones. Next time you watch your Apollo 13 video, you remember what they're like. You compare them to the way Tom Hanks plays Jim Lovell. You do some thinkin'. Real heroes are more like the cowboys and farmers you know than some science fiction character."

"Oh. But the movie heroes...they're what the robot's like! He's a badass! He saves us from the Russians and the Chinese! And helps us learn better!" The boy thought. "That's what the TV says, anyway. His cartoon show is *real*. Not like Apollo 13."

The old man spat. Then he pulled out his own knife and absentmindedly began studying the blade. "That's just...campfire stories. Tall tales. You know I raised you to love a good tall tale. But they all have a grain of truth."

"I know." The boy's voice took on serious, somber tones. The way a child is when they're about to give their greatest secret to an adult.

"Oh?" The old man looked down at the boy proudly.

"He's scared. He's not proud of what he did, who his friends were, what he thought was right a long time ago. But we're safe because of him. And that makes his life worth living so far away from his home on the Moon."

The old man hadn't had a tear wet his eyes since he almost lost the left one. "Damn, boy. Here I thought you were gonna say he was like your dear old dad. That seems so...simple and fairy-tale by comparison. You have wisdom beyond your years."

The boy rolled his eyes. "I'm not *just* a kid, dad. I'm smart as a whip, too. Teacher says so." He paused, an impish gleam in his eye, then added...

"But you're right. Old man."

The man looked toward the Sentinel's eyes again. "I understand. As a fellow man and a brother, I understand."

"I'm a man and a kid at the same time? How does that work?" The boy's voice ended on a rising note. Question. Call. Both. Its own answer.

"Well, I wasn't talking to you, but it seems to apply."

"You were! You couldn't have been talking to anyone else!"

"The robot, actually. If I can be this honest with my son..." -- the man paused, letting a weight fall from his shoulders -- "my blood son...I can talk to him at least a little bit, can't I?"

"He's nice. Scary, sad, but nice. I wish I could talk to him."

Three hundred fifty feet tall. Just about as big as a Saturn V. From outer space. And he resonated with a little boy as much as a six-foot man with an armload of bad habits and a back forty full of regrets did. The next generation was in good hands. The man cleared his throat, then spoke. "You will. Someday you'll understand what he's been saying all this time. And then you can go to his home on the Moon."

"But no one's ever done that before!"

"Oh, how do you know? The important thing is, you *dream* of doing it. And you're not the first one to do that. Your mom and I, the friends I brought the Sentinel back with...we dreamed of it too. But most of all we dreamed of kids like you."

"You didn't dream very big." The boy's tone was teasing. Witty banter came to him like a knife through soft butter that had been left outside too long.

"No. I didn't. Turns out I didn't have to." The sun was setting. There was going to be a halo around the Moon tonight.

title: [SF] The Sentinel (image prompt, working title)

question: Summarize the boy's dad's feelings.

answer: The boy's dad isn't able to understand the son's questions at first. He later starts getting irritated as the boy is continuously asking him questions. He thinks about how the boy is wasting his intellect on asking philosophical questions. Nonetheless, he does answer the questions.

question: Summarize how the old man brought the sentinel to earth.

question: Summarize the climax of the story.

answer: The kid thinks that the old man is talking to him but the man is actually talking to the sentinel. The old man then tells his son that he can go to the Moon — the sentinel's home someday too. He explains how the kid's mom and he had gone to get the sentinel and dreamed of it. They then wait for the sun to set.


split: test

text:
MIRANDA MIKADZE (; born 18 September 1989) is a Georgian Woman Grandmaster (WGM) (2016).

Biography

Miranda Mikadze represented Georgia at the European Youth Chess Championships and World Youth Chess Championships, where she won two silver medals: in 2003 in Budva, at the European Youth Chess Championship in the U14 girls age group (behind Anna Muzychuk),[1] and in 2005 in Belfort, at the World Youth Chess Championship in the U16 girls age group (also behind Anna Muzychuk).

She is a multiple-time Georgian Women's Chess Championship participant with the best results in 2010 and 2019, when she finishing in 4th place.[2][3]

Miranda Mikadze played for Georgia-2 team in the European Women's Team Chess Championship:

-   In 2019, at reserve board in the 22nd European Team Chess Championship (women) in Batumi (+1, =3, -1).[4]

Miranda Mikadze played for Georgia-2 team in the Women's Chess Olympiad:

-   In 2018, at reserve board in the 43rd Chess Olympiad (women) in Batumi (+4, =1, -1).[5]

Miranda Mikadze played for Batumi chess club _Nona_ in European Women's Chess Club Cup (2014-2016) and won two gold medal in team competition (2014, 2015).[6]

In 2007, she awarded the FIDE Women International Master (WIM) title.[7] In 2016, she was awarded the FIDE Women Grandmaster (WGM) title.[8]

[1] European Youth Championship Girls - U14

[2] 67th Georgian Women's Championship

[3] GEO Women 76th Ch

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

title: Miranda Mikadze

question: Summarize all the information relating to Miranda Mikadze's youth accomplishments.

answer:
Mikadze represented Georgia at the European Youth Chess Championships in Budva in 2003. She received a silver medal in the U14 age group.
She also represented Georgia at the World Youth Chess Championships in Belfort in 2005. She received another silver medal, this time in the U16 age group.

question: What is Miranda Mikadze's best result at the Georgian Women's Chess Championships?

answer: She competed multiple time. Her best results occurred in 2010 and 2019 where finished in 4th place.

question: Summarize all the information relating to Miranda Mikadze playing for the Georgia-2 team.

answer: Mikadze played at reserve board for Georiga-2 team in the Women's Chess Olympiad in 2018. She also played at reserve board for this team in 2009 at the European Women's Team Chess Championships.

question: Which chess club does Miranda Mikadze play for?

answer: She played for the Batumi chess club.

question: When did Miranda Mikadze become an FIDE Women Grandmaster?

answer: In 2016.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Miranda Mikadze is a Georgian chess player. She received the title of FIDE Women Grandmaster in 2016.


text:
GENE COULON MEMORIAL BEACH PARK (once named Lake Washington Beach Park) is a public park located in Renton, Washington along the southeastern shore of Lake Washington. It consists of 57 acres of land and water, including 5 acres of grass and 5,400 feet of shoreline. Its amenities include a swimming beach, an eight-lane boat launch, two restaurants, a 900-foot pier/water walk, two miles of paths and trails, and tennis courts.[1]

History

Located in between Lake Washington’s shore and industrial railroads, the site was previously used for various industrial purposes throughout the late 19th and early 20th century.[2]

Following the discovery of a major coal deposit in Coal Creek on the eastern side of Lake Washington in 1863, the site’s location was considered ideal for coal transportation. Coal was transported from Lake Washington to Seattle and eventually San Francisco.[3] A horse-drawn coal barge loading dock for the local mines facilitated this exportation, which designated the land as an industrial surplus area for coal dumping.[4] Beginning in the early 20th century, the site was utilized for the logging industry. This included log dumping/storage in Lake Washington, log production with the use of an on-site sand mill, and log shipping via Lake Washington.[5] The land was also used for war-time ship fitting and surplus ship storage. During the park’s initial construction, WWII fighter plane parts were discovered beneath the water.[6]

As the work environment of Renton transitioned from industrial businesses to large companies during the WWII era, the land's industrial purposes came to an end. The park was then used as a casual recreation spot for locals to enjoy the outdoors. Swimming lessons were held in Lake Washington, and citizens held picnics on the beach.[7]

The park is named after Gene L. Coulon, director of the Renton Parks Department from 1949 until his death in 1977. Coulon was born in 1916 in Seattle, Washington and attended the University of Washington where he played collegiate basketball. After graduation he served in the U.S army in World War II, then returned to Washington to work for the Renton Department of Parks and Recreation in 1947.  During his time as director, he was respected for his attention to diversity and balance of programs within the department, including the development of the Carco Theatre. He supervised the development of 21 city parks—the most notable being his vision for Lake Washington Beach Park, the area that Gene Coulon Beach Park now occupies.[8] Before city development, Lake Washington Beach park was littered with industrial debris from the historic use of the land. Coulon envisioned a new public park that would respect the land's history and make Renton a desirable place to live.[9]

Development

In the 1950s the City of Renton expanded its Recreation Department to accommodate the recreational needs of its citizens. This led to the creation of several new public projects including Renton's first public swimming pool in 1955, and the development of Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park's land.[10]

In 1955, the City of Renton acquired 23 acres of Lake Washington shore land in a property exchange with the Pacific Coast Railroad Company. The land was cleared by 1963 and made into Lake Washington Beach Park, but there was not enough money available for a full park development. In 1976, the Land and Water Conservation Fund provided the necessary money by contributing $269,576, matching the State and local contribution. Further money was attained through the State's allocation of surplus Department of Housing and Urban Development money, which was used to purchase 32 more acres.[11] In 1978 (the year following Gene Coulon's death), the park was dedicated to Coulon and plans for a reconstruction began.[12] The following year, Renton purchased the final 2.5 acres of land and gained voters' approval for a 7.9 million dollar bond issue for a park expansion. The full development was completed in 1982, which was marked by an opening ceremony commemorating Gene Coulon’s service to the public as well as the community’s support which made the park possible.[13]

Design

[View of the Restaurant pavilion (center) and the Renton Boeing plant (far right).] The park was designed by the Jones and Jones architect landscaping company.[14] The design integrates industrial building aspects with turn-of-the-century waterfront architecture. Buildings are spaced in series of both formal and informal landscapes, separated by strong features such as avenues of trees and open meadows. Additionally, the design includes multiple levels and interviewing paths. The diversity of these features is meant to facilitate a wide range of land use for both small and large groups.[15]

At the 1985 National Geographic Society award ceremony in Washington, D.C., the park won an award from the American Society of Landscape Architects.[16] This award is given to works considered to be the finest in landscape architecture.[17]

Sources

Category:Parks in Washington (state) Category:1982 establishments in Washington (state)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8] “Gene L. Coulon Obituary.” 1977. Renton History Museum Obituary Archives. Accession #1977.038

[9] Rommel, Bruce. “A Dream Realized: Coulon Park Dedicated.” _The Renton Chronicle_ , 25 Sept. 1982. Renton Historical Society

[10] “Renton in 1955.” _Renton Historical Society and Museum_ , Oct. 2015, p. 10, https://www.rentonwa.gov/.

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]  asla.org|website=www.asla.org|access-date=2020-02-27}}

[17]

title: Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park

question: What does the text say about the Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park?

answer: The park includes a swimming beach, an eight-lane boat launch, two restaurants, a 900-foot pier, two miles of paths and trails, and tennis courts. It was named after Gene L. Coulon, director of the Renton Parks Department from 1949 to 1977. The location of the park used to be an industrial area before the middle of the twentieth century, but it turned into a recreational area as the local businesses transformed into large companies instead of industrial businesses. The park's building started in 1963, but its completion required additional funding in 1976. In 1978, a year after Coulon's death, the park was dedicated to him, and a reconstruction effort began. The park was finalized in 1982.

question: What does the article say about the historical activities held at the Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park?


text:
The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City filed the lawsuit at noon today, asserting that the organizers’ consecrated Host is Church property and was obtained fraudulently.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Attorneys for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City filed a lawsuit at noon today to stop the Satanic "black mass" that organizers are planning to stage next month in the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall.

The lawsuit asks the Oklahoma County Sheriff‘s Office to retrieve the consecrated Host that the event‘s organizers claim to have and return it to Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley. The lawsuit also argues that the consecrated Host was obtained under fraudulent circumstances, and thus it must be returned to the archdiocese.

“Our contention is that they are in possession of stolen property,” Archbishop Coakley told the Register. “They cannot complete their Satanic ritual without a consecrated Host, and they have no means of acquiring one except through theft. We are asking the court to order them to return it immediately to me.”

Archbishop Coakley added that the archdiocese, in consulting with the attorneys who filed the lawsuit, formulated a sound argument rooted in canon and civil law.

“We are trusting the court will recognize that and act accordingly,” the archbishop said. “We hope this is a way that we can prevent the desecration of the Eucharist from taking place by removing from their possession what they have obtained illegally, that is the consecrated Host.”

Michael Caspino, one of two attorneys who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the archdiocese in Oklahoma District Court, said the legal argument for the case is simple: “A consecrated Eucharist belongs to the Church.”

Caspino, the CEO and partner at the Busch & Caspino law firm in Irvine, Calif., told the Register that the Church has exercised “dominion and control” over the Eucharist for more than 2,000 years. The lawsuit provides information on Church processes set up to safeguard the consecrated Host.

“The Satanists procured the consecrated Host by illicit means, theft or fraud,” Caspino said. “We are simply asking the court to return the stolen property to its rightful owner, the Roman Catholic Church.”

Named as defendants are Adam Daniels, an Oklahoma County resident, and Dakhma of Angra Mainyu, a group that has rented the Oklahoma City Civic Center’s 88-seat City Theater to stage the black mass on Sept. 21. Daniels, a member of Dakhma of Angra Mainyu, has told various media outlets that a friend mailed him the consecrated Host and that it will be desecrated, “stomped on” and destroyed during the Satanic ritual.

Daniels, who has been involved in organizing public Satanist events in Oklahoma City since 2010, is a registered sex offender.

Contacted by the Register, Daniels struck a defiant tone. He called the lawsuit "frivolous" and said it was meant to intimidate him from holding the black mass. He said the archdiocese's efforts will backfire.

"It will not work. We are not canceling. We are moving forward," said Daniels, who also threatened to "sue everybody I can sue" for defamation of character. He added that the court has 14 days to serve him with the lawsuit.

"They have two weeks to serve me, if they can find me," Daniels said.

PROFANATION OF THE CATHOLIC MASS

The black mass is a sacrilegious ceremony structured in imitation of the Catholic Mass. Invoking Satan, the ritual is centered around the desecration of the Eucharist, which is generally done by stealing a consecrated Host from a Catholic church and using it in a profane sexual ritual or defecating and urinating on it. On its website, the Dakhma of Angra Mainyu says its event will be “toned down” so as not to violate Oklahoma state laws against nudity, public urination and sex acts.

The Oklahoma black mass has generated outrage among Catholics across the country. More than 50,000 people have signed an online petition to shut down the event. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallon released a statement on Aug. 11 condemning the black mass as a “disgusting mockery of the Catholic faith” that should be “equally repellent to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.”

The situation in Oklahoma comes just three months after a Harvard University student club tried sponsoring a black mass on campus. Hundreds of Catholics from across Massachusetts and New England participated in a May 12 procession and Eucharistic Holy Hour in the Church of St. Paul in Harvard Yard. The Harvard student club subsequently canceled the black mass, though a scaled-down version of it, without the club’s sponsorship, was reportedly later held in an off-campus Chinese restaurant.

Archbishop Coakley said the publicly planned black mass in Oklahoma surprised him and many others, given that Oklahoma is a “very conservative state,” with many churchgoing people.

“It seems as if it would be an unlikely place for such an attack to take place,” Archbishop Coakley said. “Unfortunately, it has indeed taken up a lot of our time, energy and attention to resist this, but if we are able to stop this, it will be time and energy well spent.”

The archbishop also said he is encouraged by numerous messages that he has received from virtually every continent, expressing support and solidarity with the Oklahoma Catholic community.

“I’m kind of holding my breath to see what’s next and see what becomes of [the lawsuit],” he said. “I’m hopeful, praying that it will achieve the end for which we desire, which is the prevention of the desecration of the Eucharist and stopping this public sacrilege from taking place.”

THE LEGAL ARGUMENT

The legal argument in today’s lawsuit partly frames the consecrated-Host issue as a matter of property rights. It essentially argues that the Catholic Church, through its sacramental theology and Code of Canon Law, sets the conditions for how the Eucharist is consecrated, distributed to the faithful and reposed. Anyone who deliberately obtains a consecrated Host under illicit circumstances, either through sneaking it through the Communion line or outright stealing it, violates the Church’s legal right to regulate its internal life.

“The Church is asking for the protection of its most basic right, namely not to have its sacraments used inappropriately. In civil law, Archbishop Coakley is acting as a responsible steward of the Eucharist. The Church enjoys the same protection of civil law that any other entity would enjoy,” said J.D. Flynn, a canon lawyer based in Lincoln, Neb.

Flynn told the Register that canon law spells out what is appropriate and inappropriate reception of the Eucharist. Anyone who discards a consecrated Host or retains it for a sacrilegious purpose incurs an automatic excommunication that can only be redressed by the Holy See.

“If anyone obtains the host for sacrilegious purpose, they are violating the tenets by which the Eucharist is governed in the context of our Church,” Flynn said. “And the right of free exercise of religion allows us to administer the Eucharist in the context of the governing documents of our Church.”

The five-page lawsuit, as well as an accompanying declaration written by Dominican Father Joseph Fox, an expert in canon law, explain the theology behind the Eucharist and the various disciplines the Church has developed over its 2,000-year history to ensure the integrity and protection of consecrated Hosts.

For example, the documents say that only a validly ordained priest can consecrate the Eucharist and that ministers of holy Communion need permission to take consecrated Hosts outside a church building for specific pastoral purposes.

Father Fox writes that the Catholic Church “maintains ownership of all consecrated Hosts throughout the world” and that, to Catholics, the consecrated Host, making the person of Jesus Christ himself physically present, “is the most sacred, respected and revered thing in the world.”

The defendants, the lawsuit adds, “do not have consent or authorization” from Archbishop Coakley — who is tasked to safeguard the Church‘s property — to possess a consecrated Host outside the church. The lawsuit is seeking a court order that the defendants not consume, damage or profane the consecrated Host, if they indeed possess one.

‘INCALCULABLE’ COST

The archdiocese is also asking the dheriff of Oklahoma County to take possession of the consecrated Host and return it to Archbishop Coakley. The “actual cost” of the Eucharist, the lawsuit adds, is “incalculable, because the significance and importance of the consecrated Host cannot be measured monetarily.”

“We are honored to represent Archbishop Coakley in this fight against the desecration of the Blessed Sacrament,” Caspino said. “The archbishop should be lauded for his courageous stance against the enemies of the Church.”

Archbishop Coakley has previously asked that the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel be said at the end of every Mass, beginning on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Aug. 6 and continuing through the feast of the Archangels on Sept. 29. The archbishop has also requested that individual Catholics and parishes make Eucharistic Holy Hours “to avert this sacrilege and publicly manifest our faith in the Lord and our loving gratitude for the gift of the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of our lives.”

_Register correspondent Brian Fraga writes from Fall River, Massachusetts._

question: What is the focus of this article?

answer: The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City filed a lawsuit to stop a Satanic "black mass" that organizers are planning to stage next month in the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. The lawsuit states that the organizers of event have stolen a consecrated Host and are asking the sheriff's to retrieve it.

question: What is a "black mass"?

answer: The black mass is a sacrilegious ceremony structured like the Catholic Mass. It invokes Satan, and the ritual is centered around the desecration of the Eucharist, usually using the object in a sexual ritual or defecating and urinating on it.

question: Describe the monetary damage that the Catholic Church is claiming.

answer: The archdiocese says that the actual cost of the Eucharist, which is property of the church, is incalculable, as its significance and importance cannot be measured in monetary terms.


text:
Gary left the house at six am on Wednesday; headed out to endure another long workday. After he walked through the yard to the driveway, he made sure to latch the gate securely, because that’s what Sarah liked. He smiled as he did so, and thought of how earlier, he had closed the shower curtain all the way (another Sarah preference), and gently lowered the toilet seat. Twenty four hours earlier, they had been feuding; and he deliberately did none of these things; just to piss her off!  As he climbed into his car for his daily sucky commute up Route 128 to Route 93; into Boston, he was filled with regret and chuckled at the pettiness of his previous day’s actions. After all; how hard was it to accommodate several very minor quirks of his wife of fifteen years?

That morning, he had been awakened by Sarah gently kissing around his ear, nuzzling against his back, softly stroking his shoulders. This was in stark contrast to the previous three nights; when she had seemed to build an invisible wall between them. Sarah was an expert at staying on her “side”. No inadvertent touching during the night; not even a slight brush of the leg or a stray rollover. Her version of a cold shoulder was more like a frozen cadaver.

Her affections this morning, were surely a signal that an olive branch had been extended; and a peace treaty had been declared. The latest “war of the Floyds”; a seventy two hour skirmish; had ended.

The latest battle had been initiated on Saturday night; a dinner outing with their best friends. After several before and after cocktails;  Sarah, in response to what Gary felt was a very innocuous comment about Sarah’s weight gain over the past ten years, had flipped Gary “the bird”.  While Gary waited in traffic to access the on ramp to 128, he conjured up the incident in his brain. He mused about the fury that could be unleashed by a simple injudicious observation; but he also felt ashamed of his immature pouting and anger in response to such a mundane gesture as a raised middle finger.

Sarah and Gary were complete opposites. Sarah loved to go to the mall and shop for hours. Gary detested the thought of entering even one store. Sarah hated watching sports, Gary loved all sports. Sarah was fastidious, she cleaned and scrubbed meticulously. Gary was a slob; who would often ask Sarah to “give it a break, the house is clean enough”; (especially when she vacuumed the living room while he was watching a football game).

Gary inched onto Route 93 South, and switched from sports talk to a Sirius 70s radio station. The subscription to Sirius had been a birthday gift from Sarah. Gary had told her that it was an unnecessary expense; there were plenty of free radio stations, but Sarah insisted. Gary had come to love the non-stop oldies from the 60s and 70s. Steppenwolf blasted from the speakers, and he howled in unison when they belted out the refrain; “Born to be Willlllllllllllllllld”, and for a moment. envisioned himself a single dude; no wife, no twelve year old son (Steven), no boring nine-to-five job, no responsibilities, no hassles!

He clicked the stereo radio control on the steering wheel and jumped back to the 60s station, ironically, to The Monkees’ sweet ballad, “I Want to be Free”.  This only reinforced his thirst for liberation and his distaste for married life. He was sick of the petty arguments and all the compromises that he made for family. Hell, his weekly night out with the guys had been reduced lately to monthly night out!

All day long, while Gary answered EMails, juggled spreadsheets, and performed his daily office tasks, a yearning stirred within him to be rid of all the shackles that he had placed upon himself. He daydreamed about quitting his well paying but stressful job and become a full-time bartender; hang out all day drinking beer and watching sporting events.  As this lovely picture played out in his mind, the phone on his desk beeped; and the caller ID readout revealed that Sarah was on the line.

Gary picked up the receiver, and told Sarah, “We need to talk”.

“Yes”, Sarah replied softly.

Before he could say anything else, Sarah apologized for the three day freezeout. She also informed Gary that she had arranged a sleepover that night at the neighbor’s for Steven; and that she would be making Gary’s favorite dinner: fresh sliced fries and baked filet mignon with butter, mushrooms, and onion ring.  Dessert was to be decided upon later, by Gary!

For the balance of the day; Gary’s fantasies swerved in a different direction. His aspiration to live the single life dissipated. and the longing that he previously experienced was replaced by a sense of appreciation for Sarah’s humility, caring and tenderness. His thoughts about separation reverted to anticipation of their approaching union. He regretted the joking remark he made that had kicked off their most recent tiff. He knew his wife was super-sensitive about her body image, and would not be pleased with his attempt at humor.

The drive home featured unusually clear sailing on the highways. As Gary rounded the corner and turned onto his street, one of his favorite Bob Seger songs came on the radio: “Beautiful Loser”. He chortled at the lyrics:

“He wants his home and security ………… He wants to live like a sailor at sea”.

As he mulled the sentiment, a rueful smile came upon his face. He reached for the kitchen doorknob, but Sarah swung it open before he had a chance to push. She jumped into his arms.

“How was your day, baby?”

“I love you, Sarah.”

title: [HM] - Gary & Sarah

question: Summarize how Gary feels about his life.

answer: Gary daydreams of being single, working as a bartender, and not having responsibilities, but he also loves his wife.

question: What does the text say about Gary's job?

answer: Gary has some kind of desk job that involves answering emails, managing spreadsheets, and other office tasks.

question: Summarize why Gary and Sarah fought.

answer: Gary made a comment about Sarah's weight during dinner on a Saturday night. Sarah is sensitive about her body image, so she gave Gary the finger in response, which made Gary angry.

question: Summarize why Gary and Sarah got married.


text:
VITLA (ವಿಟ್ಲ) also VITTAL is a town in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, India, around 18 km from Bantwal in Bantwal Taluk. It is also 14 km from Puttur and 40 km from Mangalore. Vitla was an assembly constituency of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, but discontinued from 2008 elections. Agriculture is the main occupation of people in and around Vitla town. Arecanut, cocoa, pepper, Cashew and coconut are grown here. There is a regional station of Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) which conducts research on areca nuts, an important commercial crop in the area.[1] It also researches cocoa growing, including its production, protection and increasing drought resistance.

Formerly ruled by the Vittala Arasas or kings belonging to the Domba Heggade Dynasty, the head of the dynasty, even today, plays a dominant role in the religious ceremonies of 16 temples. One can see the palace in the outskirts of Vittla. Standing in the middle of the vast greenery, it houses members of the dynasty.

The town is known for the Panchaligeshwara Temple.[2] Vitla is surrounded by a dense forest called Kalenjimale. It is believed that Bakasura lived in this forest. A cave still exists in the forest which is supposed to have been the demon's resting ground.

Vitla is placed on a junction of four roads connecting Puttur, Kasargod, Mangalore and Saletur. Alike educational institutions is situated six kilometers from the city. The institution is one of the oldest in India. Puttaparthi Sai Baba voluntary super specialty hospital is also located in Alike.

History

This little town at the foot of the Western Ghats is one of the richest areca growing areas in the country. It is also known for its Panchalingeshwara temple. Hidden from the public glare so far, the temple had a limited patronage from both the government and the devotees but its glorious past relates to the Mahabharata.

It is said the five Shiva Lingams at the temple were consecrated by the Pandavas. The undated shilashasanas (rock inscriptions) found on the premises of the temple bear testimony to this. An inscription of 1894 speaks about the pension paid to the hereditary trustees belonging to “Doddamarasugalu” by the government. The Pancha Lingams are different in size resembling the Pandavas' physic. The three-storey temple is similar in structure to those built in Madhur (Ganapathy), Adoor, Kavu and Kaniyaru. They all belonged to the Mayippady royal family of Kumble (which is now in Kasaragod district of Kerala). The sthalapurana says that it belonged to the time of the Pandavas or even earlier as the Pandavas had only performed “prathisthe” of the Pancha Lingams during their “Agnatavasa”.

To support the sthalapurana, the geographical features mentioned in the “Upa Katha” of “Bakasura Vadhe” in the Aranya Kanda of the Mahabharata can be seen on the periphery of the temple. The “Gami” where Bakasura lived is on a hillock close to the town. People still visit the place where Bhima vanquished Bakasura. There are three other places, Netthare Kere (puddle of blood), “Chipparu” where Bakasura's head was found and “Kayyaru” where the hands of the demon were found.

The Vittal Palace – in the present Bantwal taluk – is one among those several monuments, which have not been accorded their due place. History speaks of the Vittal king Achuta Heggade who was overhauled by Hyder Ali. The former was supported by the British and was residing in Talacheri.

Achuta would visit Vittal occasionally to regroup his men and fight Hyder Ali. For this, he had to lose his life. Hyder Ali had him hanged to death. His palace in Vittal is on a land with a large magnificent stone-carved door. The ancient foundation has round towers and even had a stable.

Ravivarma Narasimha Domba Heggade, the successor of Achuta Heggade kindled the sparks for the first revolt against the British who were ruling coastal Karnataka after the death of Tipu. But Domba Heggade was hanged by the British.

The foreigners took possession of all that Vittal Heggade owned, except the personal property and wealth. In return, the Englishmen paid an annual royalty.

The descendants of the royal family still live in the palace. In 1783, the family went on a pilgrimage to Kashi and in memory of it set up a Kashi Math.

Ravivarma Narasimha Domba Heggade built a new palace within the premises of the old one between 1790 and 1800. He along with his son-in-law won back the Vittal kingdom and ruled to the end of his life. The palace today is in a state of decay, requiring considerable renovation if this heritage building is not to be lost. [Vitla Palace/Aramane]

Geography

The soil is very fertile as Vitla is located on the foothills of Western Ghats, and rivers flow carrying along the rich minerals from the inland, thus making it a perfect place for agriculture. Vitla is surrounded by hills covered in native vegetation, rocks & hills, the geography also includes flat lands used for agriculture of Areca, rubber, coconut & rice fields. The prominent hills are found via Mangaluru road in a place called Kelinja and Kodapadav. Kalenjimale Forest is spread across the region from Vitla Town to Kanyana & from Ukkuda to Salethur. There is a river beside Kalenjimale that finally flows into the Arabian Sea, the river is seasonal, will be dry during the summer and will be overflowing during peak monsoon season. The best of views of Kalenjimale can be found on the left side beside Vitla-Salethur road. And there are few flat lands between the forests which has the clearest of night skies in Bantwal Taluk, It can be best visible after pre-monsoon showers when the air is clean and fresh. On a clear day, the Kundremukh peak can also be visible from the hills of Kanyana.

Proposal for Vitla Taluk

Even though Vitla qualifies all the criteria to be a separate Taluk, Vitla is still a part of Bantwal Taluk. Constant effort has been made from the people of Vitla since 30 years for Vitla to gain Taluk status. People of Vitla are hopeful that somewhere in the near future, Vitla will be granted Taluk status.

Agriculture

Agriculture plays a major role in the life and economy of Vitla, the prominent crops grown here are Arecanut, Paddy, cocoa, Cashew, Coconut, pepper & Rubber. It is normal to see cattle in most of the houses who grow crops. Cow, goats, rooster & hens are domesticated. Even though cock fighting is prohibited, during certain ceremony in the temple, it is allowed under prior permission. Abundant water from rain & ground, fertile soil & climate is responsible for agriculture to thrive here.

[View of roads through CPCRI, Vitla Indian Council of Agricultural Research in summer]

Flora and fauna

The place is surrounded by Kalenjimale forest with an abundant supply of water from the rivers, which makes it a breeding ground for life with rich flora and fauna surrounding the town. Agriculture plays a prominent role in the life of the people living in Vitla, thus the area is surrounded by vast Areca plantations, making it a perfect habitat for various fauna life to flourish. Even though the population has been increasing, the forests and natural habitats are intact due to the strict government rule against deforestation. The wild animals found include Indian wild Dog (Dhole),Wroughton's, Wild Boar, Bonnet macaque, Indian rock python, Russell's viper, Asian palm civet, Bengal fox and few others. The Kalenjimale forest is known for Sandalwood plantations, which are presently growing and are protected by the Karnataka Forest Department. The flora found is very diverse and rich, the notable trees are Indian Mahogany, Polyalthia longifolia, Banyan Tree, Sandlewood tree, Ficus religiosa & many more.

Kalenjimale

Adjacent to the town, there is a coastal moist forest known as Kalenjimale. This forest has prominence in ancient Hindu mythology. The forest stretches from Ukkuda to Anekallu, covered in the dense canopy and few flatlands in the center & top. There are roads leading into the heart of the forest used by the forest officials, but these roads not accessible as it used rarely. The river flows beside the forest, thus keeping the nutrient cycle going. The forest is accessible with various roads connecting towns nearby. Since the forest status is reserved and protected under law, this pristine wilderness is still intact. Even though the trees are cut down and replaced by Earleaf Acacia, Acacia auriculiformis, lot of work is being done on reversing the damage done to this ecosystem. The diverse bird activities during the seasons attract photographers and nature enthusiasts.

Climate

As this place is in between the coast and the Western ghats, this place is known to humid summer and heavy rainfalls, the temperature varies from 21 degree Celsius to 33 degree Celsius. The summer starts from mid of February and lasts till June. Pre-monsoon showers or mango showers are seen from mid May, and the rainy season usually lasts till September. The area revives an average annual rainfall of 500 mm. From November to February is the winter, when temperatures are usually between 21 and 26 degree Celsius.

Kotikere

Kotikere is swimming pool, which was built and used by the Royal family of Vitla which is now used by the public. Swimming training and competitions are conducted here. The spring water from the quarry and other sources fill the pool and water overflows most of the time, thus the pool is maintained clean naturally. [People swimming in Kotikere]

Education

Some of schools and colleges in and around Vitla. [Vittal Jaycees English Medium School]

-   Govt Model Higher Primary School, Vittal
-   Vittal Pre-University College
-   Vittal Girls' High School, Vittal
-   Vittal Jaycees English Medium School, Basavanagudi, Vitla
-   St. Rita Higher Prymary School Church Road, Vittal
-   Horizon Public School Meginapete Vittal
-   Sri Sathya Sai Primary School-Vidya Kuteera Alike
-   Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva High School-Bala Kuteera Alike
-   Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Vidya Kendra Alike
-   Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva PU College-Sathya Sai Vihara Alike
-   Govt. Pre University College Kanyana
-   Sri Devi High School Punacha – 574243
-   Sri Rama High School Kalladka
-   Sri Krishna Vidyodhaya Higher Primary School – Kanathadka
-   Govt Arts and Commerce degree college, Vittal
-   Ukkuda Public School, Ukkuda, Vitla

Demographics & People of Vitla

According to the 2011 census report, Hindus form the largest religious group in Vittla ( 11220 that is 63.69% of the town population). The number of Muslims is 5555 (31.53% of the taluk population) and the number of Christians in the taluk is 828 (4.70%) The people of Vitla are known for their hospitality & generosity..[3]

Transportation

There is a separate KSRTC bus stand and private bus stand. Vittal is directly connected through bus to Manglore, Puttur, Kasargod, Manjeshwar, Uppala, Hosangady, Salettur, B C Road, Kalladka, Kabaka, Kanyana, Perla, Badiadka, panaje, odiyoor, anekal, mudipu, thokkotu, derlakatte, Adyanadka, Saradka, boluvar and many other small places. It is the biggest town in bantwal Taluk, next to kalladka. And MALABAR buses go through the city Vittal towards Kasaragod to Puttur. [Road connecting from Vitla to Kanyana]

Landmarks

The institutions of Sri Satya Sai Baba such as SSSLSVK, PU college and Balakuteera are located in Alike, around 7 km from Vittal. There is a KSRTC Rajahamsa bus from Alike to Bangalore via Vittal. Central Plantation Corps Research Institute (CPCRI) Regional Station is located in Vittal-Puttur Road around 3 km from Vittal Bus Stand.

Nearby places

-   Peruvai
-   Manila
-   Mangalore
-   Kasaragod
-   Uppala
-   Puttur
-   Bantwal
-   Alike
-   Perla
-   Badiyadka
-   Kanyana
-   Anekallu
-   Manjeswar
-   Sodankoor

[1]

[2]

[3] ?

title: Vitla

question: Summarize the geographical features of Vittal of Dakshina Kannada district, in India.

answer: Vittal is about 18km from Bantwal in Bantwal Taluk. It is also on a junction of four roads connecting Puttur, Kasargod, Mangalore, and Saletur. Vittal is surrounded by a dense forest called Kalenjimale. The soil is fertile in Vittal with most of its inhabitants engaging in agriculture as a way of life. Popular crops there include cocoa, cashew, pepper, and coconut. Vittal is surrounded by hills and there is a river beside Kalejimale that flows into the Arabian Sea.

question: Summarize the main points of Vittal's history.

answer: Vittal is known for its secret Panchalingeshwara temple with its past relating to the Mahabharata. According to legend, five Shiva Lingams were consecrated by the Pandavas at the temple. There is an inscription at the temple dated 1894 which speaks about pension paid by the government to the hereditary trustees belonging to “Doddamarasugalu”. The building style of the temple reflects that of the temples in Madhur, Adoorm Kavu, and Kaniyaru. The Vittal Palace is a monument in which a Vittal king called Achuta Heggade once lived. He was said to have been supported by the British.


text:
is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 1997 to 2007 before playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2008 to 2011 and New York Yankees from 2012 to 2014. After the 2014 season, he chose to return to the Carp to finish out his career.

In NPB, Kuroda won the Best Nine Award in 2005 and was NPB ERA Champion in 2006. He also won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics with the Japanese national baseball team.

Kuroda was appointed UNITAR Goodwill Ambassador on 14 September 2015.[1]

Early days

Kuroda was born and lived in Osaka (Suminoe-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu). His father, Kazuhiro Kuroda, was also a professional baseball player who played for the Nankai Hawks. He attended Uenomiya High School in Osaka, where he would attend classes and practices from 5 am until 10 pm.[2] He then attended Senshu University in Tokyo.

Playing career

Nippon Professional Baseball

He joined the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 1996 as a second-round draft pick. During his early career, he was overshadowed by the 1996 first-round draft pick, Toshikazu Sawazaki, who was the same age as Kuroda and won the Japanese Rookie of the Year award in 1997. However, Kuroda gradually built up his status to become a consistent part of the starting rotation while Sawazaki began to fade away. In 1999 he pitched in the International Cup held in Sydney, and marked a win against Korea and a complete-game shutout against Taiwan.

Kuroda won over 10 games for three consecutive years from 2001. In 2003, he became the opening-day starter, taking over for former ace Shinji Sasaoka. He pitched poorly at the beginning of the season, but improved after the all-star break to end the season with 13 wins. He marked two wins as a reliever in the 2004 Summer Olympics, contributing to the Japanese team's bronze medal. In 2005, he led the Central League with 15 wins, and won the Best Nine Award and the Golden Glove. He continued his success in 2006, ending the season with a league-leading 1.85 ERA to solidify his reputation as one of the best pitchers in Japan. The last Japanese starter to end the season with an ERA below 2.00 was Masaki Saito in 1989. He also made his first save that year on October 16 against the Chunichi Dragons, and led the league in complete games over a six-year period from 1999 to 2005.

[Kuroda's first stint with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp] In 2006, he was one of two players from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp selected to play in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, along with Takahiro Arai. He was touted as one of the obscure but key players on the Japanese team along with, then current, MLB players Akinori Iwamura and Kosuke Fukudome, but was injured getting hit by a baseball off the bat to the right hand during a practice game on February 24, forcing him to withdraw from the competition.

He became a free agent as early as May 2006, but announced that he would remain with the Carp for the 2007 season. During the off-season, he traveled to the United States to receive cleaning surgery in his right elbow at the suggestion of manager Marty Brown.

Kuroda pitched as the team's opening-day starter for the 5th consecutive year in 2007. He marked his 100th career win on July 14, 2007 against the Yomiuri Giants at the Tokyo Dome (his first professional win was also at the Tokyo Dome). Though Kuroda had been most effective during the summer in past years, he struggled to make quality starts during the later half of the season, perhaps due to the surgery he had received during the off-season. He ended the season with a 12–8 record, with a 3.56 ERA.

Along with Shinobu Fukuhara, Daisuke Miura, and Shingo Ono, Kuroda was known for receiving very poor run support in Japan. In 2005, he was the starter for a 12 inning pitching relay in a game that ended in a 0–0 tie (April 15 against the Yokohama BayStars; the opposing starter was Daisuke Miura). In 2006 against the Hanshin Tigers, he left the game with a 2–1 lead after pitching 8 innings, but failed to get the win when closer Katsuhiro Nagakawa let up a tying home run with two outs in the 9th inning. He was also recognized as a “Giants Killer”, as he seemed to pitch exceptionally well against the Yomiuri Giants.

Free agency

Kuroda obtained free agency on May 31, 2006, and announced that he was willing to hear offers from other teams. The Hiroshima Toyo Carp had a staunch policy against free agency because it would lead to higher salaries which the team would not be able to provide due to lack of financial structure. The team's management traditionally never attempted to re-negotiate with players of their own team who declared free agency (for example, the team ignored outfielder Tomoaki Kanemoto's offers to reconsider staying on the team because he had already declared free agency). Numerous teams showed interest in Kuroda, including the Seibu Lions and Hanshin Tigers, who had lost their key starters Daisuke Matsuzaka and Kei Igawa to the posting system. The well-financed Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks aggressively pursued Kuroda, while the Chunichi Dragons and Yomiuri Giants, who had been in pursuit of free agent Michihiro Ogasawara, were also thought to have interest.

Despite the team's anti-free agent policy, the Carp was facing serious problems with its weak pitching staff, which had kept them in the bottom half of the standings since 1997. The prospect of losing Kuroda, by far the most effective and consistent pitcher on the team, forced them into negotiations. On October 15, 2006, the team offered a 4-year, 1 billion yen deal with post-retirement benefits, showing that they were absolutely intent on retaining Kuroda. In terms of base salary, Kuroda had been paid 200 million yen in 2006, and this contract would only give a 50 million yen increase for 2007, with no further increases over the next three years. However, this was a major step-up for the Carp management considering that only two other players on the team (Tomonori Maeda and Tomoaki Kanemoto) had ever been paid more than 200 million yen per year. On November 6, 2006, Kuroda agreed to a 4-year 1.2 billion yen deal (250 million yen base salary+bonuses) to remain in Hiroshima. This new contract included a provision that Kuroda would be able to negotiate with major league teams as a free agent at any point during the 4-year deal. At the same time, Kuroda announced that he would play for no other Japanese teams besides the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Although the deal ultimately concluded with a salary increase, Kuroda's negotiations showed a rare instance where free agency did not inflate salaries to ridiculous amounts.

Kuroda's response was received favorably by both the fans and the media, and in Kuroda's final start of the season, fans filled Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, old holding red cardboard cutouts of the number 15 (Kuroda's jersey number). However, Kuroda had repeatedly expressed a desire to win a championship, and there was a high possibility that he would leave for the major leagues if the team continued to play poorly. The team ended up struggling to escape from last place in the league throughout the season; far removed from the third-place finish that would have enabled the team to participate in the newly created Climax Series playoffs.

Kuroda declared his intention to play in the major leagues next season on October 18, 2007. It was briefly rumored that he would use the posting system to move to the major leagues, giving the poorly financed Hiroshima team some monetary benefits from the process, but he ended up declaring free agency, which enabled him to negotiate freely with any of the major league teams. The Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Los Angeles Dodgers showed varying degrees of interest in signing Kuroda, and he signed a three-year 35.3 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 12, 2007.[3]

Los Angeles Dodgers

In his first start for the Dodgers, Kuroda pitched seven innings against the San Diego Padres, holding them to 1 run and getting the first win of his American baseball career. Kuroda went 3–6 with an ERA of 4.04 before going on the DL with mild tendinitis.

Upon his return, he pitched seven shutout innings against the Houston Astros. However, his next start was even more impressive. On July 7, 2008, Kuroda pitched seven perfect innings in a game against the Atlanta Braves before allowing a double to Mark Teixeira to lead off the eighth inning. Despite the double, he shutout the Braves on one hit with no walks over nine innings, Teixeira was the only baserunner Kuroda would allow in a 91-pitch complete game one-hit shutout.[4] He became the first Dodger to throw a one-hitter since Derek Lowe threw one against the Chicago Cubs on August 31, 2005. He became the first rookie pitcher since Orel Hershiser in 1984 to take a perfect game into the eighth inning.[5]

[Kuroda pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010] On September 15, 2008, Kuroda was deprived of the opportunity to become the first Dodgers pitcher since Hideo Nomo to throw 3 complete game shutouts in a single season. After pitching 7 innings in which he allowed only 3 hits and no walks, Kuroda was taken out of the game, with an 8–0 lead, so that the Dodgers could give Brad Penny and Takashi Saito some live practice. The Dodgers would go on to win that game 8–2.[6]

On October 4, 2008, Kuroda made his first postseason appearance in the major leagues as the starting pitcher for Game 3 of the Dodgers' first playoff series against the Chicago Cubs, in which the Dodgers led two games to none. He gave a remarkable 6 shutout inning performance, winning the game and helping the Dodgers complete the sweep of the Cubs to advance to the next round National League Championship Series.[7] On October 12, 2008, Kuroda started Game 3 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 NLCS with the Dodgers down two games to none. He pitched effectively again, giving up two runs in six innings (plus three batters faced in the seventh inning), and went on to notch his second postseason victory.

Kuroda was named the Dodgers opening day starter in 2009 and picked up the win, allowing only one run in six innings. However, he suffered an injury during a bullpen session soon afterwards and did not rejoin the rotation until June 1.

On August 15, 2009 while pitching in the bottom of the 6th inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kuroda was hit on the side of his head by a line drive off the bat of Rusty Ryal.[8] He had to be taken off the field on a stretcher and spent the night at the hospital. A CT scan was negative and he was released the next morning.[9]

Despite missing much of the season while battling numerous injuries, Kuroda made 20 starts in 2009 and finished with an 8–7 record and 3.76 ERA. He was named the Game 3 starter in the NLCS against the Phillies even though he had missed the first round of the playoffs with a “bulging disk in his neck”.[10] However, he pitched poorly in the NLCS, failing to get out of the second inning and allowing six runs to score.

On August 30, 2010, Kuroda took a no-hitter into the 8th inning against the visiting Phillies; with one out, Shane Victorino broke up the Dodger hurler's “no-no” with a line drive single to right field. Kuroda received a standing ovation from the home crowd.[11]

In 2010, Kuroda made 31 starts for the Dodgers, finishing the season with an 11–13 record and 3.39 ERA. He had a career best 196.1 innings pitched and 159 strikeouts. He became a free agent at the conclusion of the season, but was re-signed by the Dodgers to a one-year $12 million contract.

On July 27, 2011 Kuroda lost to the Colorado Rockies 1–3, becoming the first Dodger starting pitcher to have two consecutive seasons of at least 13 losses since Orel Hershiser in 1992 and 1993.

There was speculation that Kuroda would be traded at the trading deadline in 2011, but he chose not to waive the “no trade clause” in his contract because he wanted to remain with the Dodgers for the rest of the season.[12]

Kuroda finished the 2011 season with a 13–16 record, posting career highs in both wins and losses. His final ERA was 3.07, the best of his career and he struck out 161 batters on the season. He became a free agent at the end of the season.

[Kuroda during his tenure with the New York Yankees in 2013]

New York Yankees

On January 13, 2012, Kuroda agreed to a one-year contract worth around $10–11 million with the New York Yankees.[13] He was added to the Yankees roster on January 26, 2012.[14]

After a successful first year with the Yankees which featured a 16–11 record with a 3.32 ERA in 219.2 regular season in IP and a 2.81 ERA in 16 post-season innings, the Yankees re-signed Kuroda to a 1-year deal worth $15 million on November 20, 2012.[15] At the end of the 1st half in 2013, Kuroda led the AL in earned run average with 2.65. After the All-Star Break, Kuroda's velocity began to weaken as he went 3–7 with a 4.25 ERA in 13 starts. Overall in 2013, Kuroda went 11–13 with a 3.31 ERA in 32 starts. The next year he would go on to finish 11–9 with an ERA of 3.71 in 32 starts. Following the season, he would return to Japan – Kuroda would never post an ERA higher than 3.76 in his MLB career.[16]

Return to Japan

On December 26, 2014, it was reported that Kuroda had decided to return to Japan for the 2015 season and would sign with his old team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, on a one-year $3.3 million contract.[17][18]

Upon rejoining the Carp at age 40 after seven seasons in the MLB, Kuroda recorded one of his finer seasons as a professional. Despite an 11–8 record, Kuroda made 26 starts (topped only three times in his 12 other NPB season), recorded a 2.55 ERA (a full 1.04 below his NPB average), and finished with a 1.102 WHIP (topped only twice). By allowing just 8 home runs all season, Kuroda's HR/9 of 0.4 was easily a career best. Kuroda was named the Central League starting pitcher in the 2015 All-Star Game, his fifth overall selection. His opponent on the mound representing the Pacific League, Shohei Otani, was 19 years Kuroda's junior (40 and 21).

After some deliberation,[19] Kuroda signed a contract to return to the Carp in 2016. The contract is worth a reported $4.9 million, making Kuroda the NPB's highest-paid player at age 41.[20] Kuroda had a 10–8 record and a 3.09 ERA in 2016. Hiroshima reached the 2016 Japan Series. Kuroda announced that he would retire following the series' conclusion.[21]

Pitching style

Kuroda threw a mix of five pitches. His lead pitch was a shuuto—similar to a sinker and labeled as such by PITCHf/x—which he threw between 90 and 94 mph. Kuroda's shuuto topped out at 97 mph when he pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers.[22] Although Kuroda's shuuto velocity declined in his later career, the pitch still made him an effective ground-ball pitcher.[23] His main off-speed pitch was a slider in the 83–85 range. Kuroda rounded out his repertoire with a four-seam fastball (90–94), a splitter (86–88), and an occasional curveball (76–78). Nearly 90% of the pitches Kuroda threw to right-handed batters were shuutos or sliders, split about evenly. Against lefties, he added considerable variety and drew on his splitter as a strikeout pitch. Kuroda was prone to leave a slider low and away against righties in two-strike counts.[24]

Family

Kuroda and his wife, Masayo, have two daughters, Hinatsu (born November 18, 2002) and Wakana (born August 13, 2005).[25]

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title: Hiroki Kuroda

question: What does the text say about the records Kuroda broke?

answer: While Kuroda tied many achievements, the only record he broke was becoming the highest-paid pitcher at Hiroshima Toyo Carp at age 41.

question: What does the article say about Kuroda's achievements in his latest match?


text:
ROCK COUNTY is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 1,526.[1] Its county seat is Bassett.[2]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Rock County is represented by the prefix 81 (it had the 81st-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Geography

The Niobrara River flows eastward along the northern boundary line of Rock County. The terrain is composed of rolling hills oriented east–west. The county's central portion is dotted with small lakes. The land sees comparatively little agricultural use. The ground slopes to the northeast.[3][4]

The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water.[5]

Rock County is located in Nebraska's Outback region.[6]

Major highways

-   [] U.S. Highway 20
-   [] U.S. Highway 183
-   [] Nebraska Highway 7
-   [] Nebraska Highway 137

Adjacent counties

-   Keya Paha County - north
-   Boyd County - northeast
-   Holt County - east
-   Loup County - south
-   Brown County - west

National protected areas

-   John and Louise Seier National Wildlife Refuge
-   Niobrara National Scenic River (part)
-   Twin Lakes Rock County Wildlife Management Area[7]

Demographics

As of the 2000 United States Census,[8] there were 1,756 people, 763 households, and 501 families in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 935 housing units at an average density of 0.9 per square mile (0.4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 99.03% White, 0.46% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 0.28% from two or more races. 0.51% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.1% were of German, 12.7% American, 10.5% Irish and 8.4% English ancestry.

There were 763 households, out of which 26.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples living together, 6.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.30% were non-families. 31.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.84.

The county population contained 23.00% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 22.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,795, and the median income for a family was $29,917. Males had a median income of $24,167 versus $16,490 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,350. About 17.70% of families and 21.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.30% of those under age 18 and 14.00% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Rock County Public Schools operates the public schools in Rock County.

Communities

City

-   Bassett (county seat)

Village

-   Newport

Unincorporated communities

-   Duff
-   Mariaville
-   Rose
-   Sybrant

Politics

Rock County voters historically have been reliably Republican. In only one national election since 1916 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2016).

  Year                               Republican                                  Democratic                                Third Parties
  ---------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------
  style=“text-align:center;” |2016   style=“text-align:center;” |86.1% _687_     style=“text-align:center;” |8.8% _70_     5.1% _41_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2012   style=“text-align:center;” |85.2% _672_     style=“text-align:center;” |13.1% _103_   1.8% _14_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2008   style=“text-align:center;” |79.9% _640_     style=“text-align:center;” |17.4% _139_   2.8% _22_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2004   style=“text-align:center;” |83.8% _740_     style=“text-align:center;” |14.7% _130_   1.5% _13_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2000   style=“text-align:center;” |81.1% _725_     style=“text-align:center;” |15.8% _141_   3.1% _28_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1996   style=“text-align:center;” |63.7% _564_     style=“text-align:center;” |20.3% _180_   15.9% _141_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1992   style=“text-align:center;” |59.6% _588_     style=“text-align:center;” |16.4% _162_   24.0% _237_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1988   style=“text-align:center;” |79.1% _757_     style=“text-align:center;” |20.7% _198_   0.2% _2_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1984   style=“text-align:center;” |85.3% _873_     style=“text-align:center;” |14.4% _147_   0.3% _3_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1980   style=“text-align:center;” |80.7% _855_     style=“text-align:center;” |13.8% _146_   5.5% _58_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1976   style=“text-align:center;” |72.6% _732_     style=“text-align:center;” |25.3% _255_   2.2% _22_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1972   style=“text-align:center;” |87.2% _937_     style=“text-align:center;” |12.8% _138_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1968   style=“text-align:center;” |76.7% _791_     style=“text-align:center;” |14.2% _146_   9.1% _94_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1964   style=“text-align:center;” |69.0% _835_     style=“text-align:center;” |31.1% _376_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1960   style=“text-align:center;” |81.1% _1,084_   style=“text-align:center;” |18.9% _253_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1956   style=“text-align:center;” |76.8% _928_     style=“text-align:center;” |23.2% _281_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1952   style=“text-align:center;” |82.1% _1,226_   style=“text-align:center;” |17.9% _267_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1948   style=“text-align:center;” |64.0% _809_     style=“text-align:center;” |36.0% _455_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1944   style=“text-align:center;” |66.0% _984_     style=“text-align:center;” |34.0% _506_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1940   style=“text-align:center;” |64.8% _1,104_   style=“text-align:center;” |35.2% _600_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1936   style=“text-align:center;” |56.5% _944_     style=“text-align:center;” |42.5% _710_   1.1% _18_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1932   style=“text-align:center;” |42.4% _613_     style=“text-align:center;” |56.1% _810_   1.5% _22_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1928   style=“text-align:center;” |77.1% _1,034_   style=“text-align:center;” |22.7% _305_   0.2% _2_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1924   style=“text-align:center;” |47.3% _585_     style=“text-align:center;” |23.7% _293_   29.0% _358_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1920   style=“text-align:center;” |70.2% _621_     style=“text-align:center;” |27.0% _239_   2.8% _25_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1916   style=“text-align:center;” |42.7% _375_     style=“text-align:center;” |51.1% _449_   6.3% _55_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1912   style=“text-align:center;” |26.5% _230_     style=“text-align:center;” |32.1% _279_   41.4% _360_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1908   style=“text-align:center;” |56.4% _469_     style=“text-align:center;” |40.1% _334_   3.5% _29_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1904   style=“text-align:center;” |70.6% _498_     style=“text-align:center;” |19.6% _138_   9.8% _69_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1900   style=“text-align:center;” |65.7% _481_     style=“text-align:center;” |33.2% _243_   1.1% _8_

  : PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS RESULTS[9]

[1]

[2]

[3] [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rock+County,+NE/@42.4448113,-99.7360705,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x87836bfaed272643:0x7b3515506eab0180!8m2!3d42.3951993!4d-99.456155 _Rock County NE_ Google Maps (accessed 27 January 2019)]

[4] “Find an Altitude” Google Maps (accessed 27 January 2019)

[5]

[6] “About”, North Central RC&D.

[7] [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Twin+Lakes+Rock+County+Wildlife+Management+Area,+Bassett,+NE+68714/@42.3146164,-99.4872187,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x87836bfaed272643:0x7b3515506eab0180!2sRock+County,+NE!3b1!8m2!3d42.3951993!4d-99.456155!3m4!1s0x8783489ff7eb3ce9:0x15bd98204ac2b22!8m2!3d42.3179697!4d-99.475603 _Twin Lakes Rock County Wildlife Management Area, Bassett NE_ Google Maps (accessed 27 January 2019)]

[8]

[9] Election Results

title: Rock County, Nebraska

question: Why is the Rock County number plate prefixed 81?

answer: The county had the 81st largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the Nebraska license plate system was established.

question: Summarize the geography of Rock County.

answer: Along the northern boundary line of the county flows the Niobrara River. The terrain is composed of rolling hills while the central portion is dotted with small lakes.

question: List a few educational institutions in the county.

answer: The Rock County Public Schools operates the public schools in the county.

question: What is the political situation in the county?

answer: The county voters have been Republican, a Democratic Party candidate has been chosen in only one national election.


text:
[]

Beck Dorey-Stein, a former White House stenographer, walks with members of the White House press pool from Air Force One upon arrival at Wattay International Airport in Laos in 2016. SAUL LOE/AFP/GETTY IMAGES HIDE CAPTION

TOGGLE CAPTION

 Saul Loe/AFP/Getty Images

[]

Beck Dorey-Stein, a former White House stenographer, walks with members of the White House press pool from Air Force One upon arrival at Wattay International Airport in Laos in 2016.

 Saul Loe/AFP/Getty Images

For five years, Beck Dorey-Stein was Barack Obama's "professional stalker," she says. "His creeper."

As a former White House stenographer — a job she found on Craigslist of all places — Dorey-Stein was part of a team responsible for going anywhere the president went, recording his every public utterance and then transcribing it for posterity.

"Especially whenever he spoke with press, he made sure, just like the previous presidents did, that there was a stenographer in the room so that there was no miscommunication or confusion about what exactly was said," says Dorey-Stein. She writes about the experience in her new memoir, _From the Corner of the Oval_.

In an interview with Noel King for NPR's _Morning Edition_, Dorey-Stein says "everything changed" with the inauguration of President Trump, whose team "didn't know that stenographers existed." She recounts how during the transition, it took her boss multiple tries before she was even able to get past a young press wrangler to introduce herself to the incoming West Wing staff.

Things didn't improve much from there. In a New York Times op-ed published last week, Dorey-Stein writes about how Stephanie Grisham, now the communications director for the first lady, told a colleague that White House stenographers would not be needed often, because "there would be video."

"This seems like a fair point," says Dorey-Stein, "unless you really know audio." The audio that's taken from media video might change or get trimmed during the editing process, she says. "We see that with music videos, so the idea of it just being like, 'Oh, of course, we can just have this on video,' it's not the same."

"We type up our transcripts from our audio, so it hasn't been tampered with and it not only goes to the press office, the press, but also the presidential archive," she says. "That's really important to have an accurate recording at all times, especially when the press is involved, just to make sure that we are recording the truth and that no one has complicated that."

The importance of that type of record has been underscored in recent days by a string of controversies involving comments made by Trump. On his visit earlier this month to the United Kingdom, for example, the president denied making disparaging comments about British Prime Minister Theresa May in an interview with the tabloid _The Sun_, even though the _The Sun_ released a recording of the remarks.

Then, last Wednesday, the White House was forced to clarify an exchange between the president and a reporter at the start of a Cabinet meeting. Asked whether he believes Russia is no longer targeting U.S. elections, the president shook his head and said "no." Later, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that his "no" meant that the president was not taking questions from reporters.

Dorey-Stein says that under Trump, White House stenographers have less access to the president.

In her recent op-ed, she writes about how she watched "with disbelief" as Bill O'Reilly was summoned to the Oval Office for a private conversation with the president ahead of an interview by the former Fox News host in the opening weeks of the administration.

"In my five years with President Barack Obama, off-the-record discussions with reporters happened after work hours — not for an hour in the middle of the workday, and certainly not before an interview," she writes in the op-ed. "When a president spoke on the record with a reporter, his staff made sure to have a stenographer present so there could be an official White House transcript, just in case the reporter came out with an inaccurate quotation."

In her conversation with NPR, Dorey-Stein says that Trump "doesn't like microphones near his face, which makes it very difficult to record him."

"He's doing the American people a disservice," she says. "It's quite possible President Trump is actually doing it intentionally, because if there was a record of what happened, it would be hard for him to muddle the truth."

The president has had the latitude "to walk his words back," she says, "because he doesn't have a recording ... It's much easier to muddle the truth when you don't have a transcript."

_This story was produced for broadcast by Tori Whitley and edited by Ashley Westerman._

question: What is the importance of having a stenographer at the White House?

answer: Audio/speech transcription is required for record-keeping. To record the truths and retain unaltered transcripts, the White House needs a stenographer. After typing the transcript from the audio recording, the transcript goes immediately into the presidential archive. To ensure the truth is documented and no one tampers with it, an exact recording is required every time, especially when the press is involved. Ex-President Trump's dismissal of insulting remarks towards British Prime Minister Theresa May in an interview with The Sun demonstrates the significance of this job. A transcript of the recording would've served as proof of his assertion.

question: What was Dorey-Stein's opinion of Trump's behavior toward White House stenographers?

answer: Dorey-Stein was a stenographer for Obama for five years. However, Trump's administration was unaware of stenographers' existence. She claims Trump's administration limits presidential access to White House stenographers. She was there when Trump called Bill O'Reilly into the Oval Office for a private meeting ahead of an interview in the administration's early weeks. Naturally, off-the-record discussions occurred solely after work hours, not during the day or before an interview. If the president were to go on the record with a reporter, his staff would provide a stenographer so an official White House transcript could be produced in case of reporting errors. Trump reportedly dislikes microphones near his face, making recording him difficult. She believes Trump's actions purposely harm the public, and if he isn't recorded, he may more easily obfuscate the facts.

question: What does the text say about the first White House stenographer?


text:
Yes please, make it at least toggle-able. I don’t want to lose preheal for simpler gameplay, but I can see how some people like the change.

This will make it easier for her to also attack. Can’t woot for this to be live, I play consol

It would be better if it was optional like lucio’s wall ride

This, I was just about to comment this.

Most definitely, like Mercy has toggles for her beam to lock on without you having to hold the button (I don’t know other hero toggles [:joy:]) I think this would be nice for Ana. So people with different play styles won’t have to lose what they prefer.

There is another Ana change we’re making which didn’t quite make this PTR build, but will be up there soon.

We’re changing Ana’s magazine size from 10 to 14, which should help her maintain healing uptime and allow her to more carefully choose when to reload as opposed to just healing until the reload is forced upon you.

Woohoo! Thank you very much for adding this information! [:slight_smile:]

Also, A Dev replied to a topic of mine, I’ve made it in life!

MUM, GET THE CAMERA AND CALL GRANDMA!

Of fr*ck we’re getting more buffs.

Children, behave. Or Imma nano myself. [:smile:]

Any other heroes seeing changes on the next PTR build?

Those are fantastic changes.

Geoff these changes are amazing and I love LOVE them, thanks a lot!

Would you ever consider letting Ana nano herself on regular games though? I understand it might be tricky but I feel like there’s a lot of strategic value on that feature

great!! now, how about some form of passive self heal?
not a fan of using the nade on cooldown [:wink:]

Any healing passive?

She’s the only support without one and it is REALLY hindering compared to any other support

Moira has both a healing passive, a better escape tool, and a self healing ability

Woah, that’s actually huge. Thank you so much for letting the community know!

great buff for 2017. with moira and bridget in the game, any healer with projectiles is not viable.

It’s super handy for those of us who want to play Ana and have her work more effectively than she already does.

Sure, Moira and Brigitte may be better but I have a lot of love and passion for Ana - so I’m pleased about this [:smiley:]

[]

MS paint trashpost aside, I don’t think this will be enough, and isn’t the direction I’d take but it is a welcome change. Are the cooldowns being looked at?

Thanks for the update! I do have a small concern however. Even though 4 more extra shots is nice, Ana’s main problems IMO are her low survivability, no mobility for a sniper, and no self-sustain. Compared to Mercy or Moira, who have amazing sustain and mobility with consistent healing on top of it.

However I really don’t know how this will play out so I’ll wait and see. Once again, thanks for the update!

It would be nice to see a second or two shaved off her sleep dart CD, don’t think they’d need to touch her mobility if this was slightly more reliable.

question: Summarize the changes being made to Ana.

answer: The character Ana in the game will have a larger magazine size, to help maintain her healing uptime, with 14 shots instead of 10.


text:
Strange memories find me on days like this. Dreary days made up of dark skies and leftover sighs from things I wished I'd had the strength to say back then. Back when I was nothing.

 You know that girl in your class...the one who wore dorky glasses and outdated clothes? The one who always got picked last because people were disturbed by the constant hint of kool-aid around her mouth? Well, that or the fact that the ball always seems to gravitate to her face, rather than her hands or her feet where it ought to have gone...the one who had the tiniest bit of a lisp and always talked a little too loud about things no one was interested in? Well in my class, her name was Colleen. And even she knew that to sit next to me at lunch and trade the foil lid to her pudding cup to me was social suicide.

 There was a pretty Spanish girl who once asked me in disgust why I was wearing flip flops in Winter. I told her that they were all I had at the time, and her disgust turned to embaressment and pity. "I will buy you shoes for Christmas!" she promised fervently. When late December came and I was still wearing them, she fidgeted while she asked if I'd mind if she got me something else instead. I shook my head--I hadn't expected anything from her. She never spoke to me after that.

 There was a boy and a girl...siblings. The girl was in my class, the boy a grade above. Robin and Josh. I don't remember any of the specific insults, just the look of pure hatred the few times she made eye contact with me. I realize now that she must have told her brother something about me, and that was why he cracked insults over my head like eggs in the summer heat every single day when we lined up for the bus. At the time I didn't know why he targeted me. I remember more the insults he spewed, but they make my cheeks burn and I don't want to type them out.
 I don't know what possesed me to do it, but one day I came across a biography of Vanilla Ice. I knew Josh was a big fan of the guy, so in the line that day in the middle of his tirade I handed it to him and walked away. He was confused and never bothered me after that. I didn't even give it to him to make him stop--the thought was just in my head that he was the only person I knew of who'd like the book. Robin didn't give me dirty looks after that either, though she made no effort to speak to me. I stopped existing for them. It was a relief.

When I was 9, I lived in apartment building where the neighbor children were varied, but at least they were all just as poor as I. There was a Hispanic boy who loved me from afar, though I didn't get it then. I made friends with two Asian boys--their father ran a small donut shop and when I came in he would make sure to fill a jam donut until it threatened to burst with raspberry goodness, and he never charged me for it. The two boys and I made secret forts in the hedges around the complex. Older boys tore them out and accused us of having sex in them, which absolutely bewildered us. Later they threw rocks...actual rocks at us, with growing frenzy. The Asian boys never came back to play with me after that. There were no more donuts.

And ah, the church groups. Where I arrived 30 minutes early and stayed an hour after the closing prayer, offering to clean up the tables and put away chairs, just to be near people for a little longer. It didn't matter that even they wanted nothing to do with me. Within the walls and under the watchful eye of the youth leaders, the other kids had to at least pretend to tolerate me while I hung on every word spoken around me. Outside in the parking lot, where they sometimes played basketball, was much more of a risk. I took it gladly.

So, so desperate for love...

mm. My husband has just come home. I think I will go hug him close and leave the darker days where they lay.

title: darker days

question: Who is the narrator?

answer: She's a grown woman telling a story of how she lived a hard life as a poor and bullied kid.

question: Who is the narrator talking to?

answer: She's talking to the reader, but it feels like she's talking to herself or an imaginary person who knows her past.

question: Who are the boy and girl in the story?

answer: Robin and Josh, the schoolmates of the narrator who used to bully her.

question: What happened to the narrator when she was 9?

answer: She lived in an apartment building that had other poor families and befriended an Asian family with two Asian boys that became her playmates. They stopped hanging out with her when older boys started attacking them.

question: Write a ~8 sentence summary.

answer: On dreary days, painful memories of growing up poor and bullied flood back to the narrator and she wants to talk about it. She's either talking to herself, the reader, or someone imaginary who knows about her past. She explains how even the weirdest dorky girl who disgusted everyone knew that sitting beside her was suicide. She recalls how other kids bullied her or pretended she didn't exist. She remembers living in an apartment building when she was 9-years-old and playing with poor Asian kids, only to be chased away by older boys who were mean to her. She thinks about the church she used to go to where people pretended to tolerate her. She recalls how she was desperate for love. Her story ends when her husband comes home.


text:
MASHA NAZEEM (மாஷா நஸீம்) is an Indian inventor was born and brought up from Nagercoil in Kanniyakumari district.[1] In 2005 during her eighth grade she designed a hi-tech train toilet (hygienic drainage disposal system in trains) that gained her two national and one international awards.[2]

Personal life

Nazeem was born in 1993 and was raised in Nagercoil in the Kanniyakumari district of India.[3] Nazeem's father worked at the Treasury Office in Kanyakumari.[4]

Education

Nazeem attended St. Joseph’s Convent Higher Secondary School[5] before pursuing a B.E in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at SSN College of Engineering. She later obtained an M.Tech in Power Electronics in SRM University, Chennai.

Career

In 2006 at age 12, Nazeem was honoured at the Indian Science Congress in Hyderabad for her invention of a drainage system for railways.[6] In 2015, Nazeem was selected for the Entrepreneurship Development Training Programme in the United States.[7] The next year, Nazeem was invited to be a guest speaker at the 103rd Indian Science Conference.[8]

Currently, Nazeem is an innovation lead in GEMS New Millennium School, United Arab Emirates.[9]

Awards and honors

-   2009 - IGNITE National Award (II Prize)[10]
-   2010 - IGNITE National Award (I Prize)[11]
-   2015 - Two National and an International award.[12]
-   2016 - Chief Minister's State Youth Award (women's category)[13][14]
-   2018 - National Youth Award (from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports) - for contributions to science and technology[15]

Inventions

-   Transparent testing tool kit for students[16]
-   “Mechanical porter” (a luggage carrying system on wheels)[17]
-   Burglar alarm[18]
-   Underground conveyor belt system for transporting school bags[19][20][21]

Hygienic Drainage Disposal System

After hearing a speech from the Railway Minister that warned officials may face punishment if the stench in railway systems was not dealt with, Nazeem invented a high-tech train toilet system. The Hygienic Drainage Disposal System was presented to several railway officials and India's then-president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in 2005. Following Kalam's advice, Nazeem patented the invention.[22][23]

Flameless seal-maker

As a teenager, Nazeem witnessed her father melting lac over an open flame. Upon her realization that this was potentially dangerous, Nazeem sought to create a better way to safely heat lac for sealing. Nazeem invented and patented the flameless seal-maker that heats lac, wax or other seal-making materials using electricity.[24][25] The flameless seal-maker was used at polling booths during the 2011 Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu.[26]

Masha Innovation Center

In hometown setup Masha Innovation Center, a research laboratory and workshop, the main this for it is providing free hands on training to help the young inventors to make their ideas to reality, through this Innovation Center she bring lot students ideas in to lime light and convert them in to inventors.[27][28]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]  Chennai News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/TN-girl-designs-flameless-sealmaker/articleshow/3740514.cms%7Curl-status=live%7Carchive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=16 June 2020|website=The Times of India|language=en}}

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

title: Masha Nazeem

question: What did Nazeem invent?

answer: She designed a hygienic drainage disposal system in trains.

question: What awards has Nazeem won?

answer: In 2009 and 2010, she won the IGNITE national award. In 2015, she won two national and an international award. In 2016, she won the Chief Minister's State Youth Award in the women's category. In 2018, she won the National Youth Award from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for contributions to science and technology.