text:
[opening the door to wichita falls athletic club]

All organizations develop a personality. Corporations, companies, non-profit organizations, restaurants, families, bands, card games – groups of people who associate with each other for any length of time eventually organize a framework for their interactions, and that framework derives from the values and ethics of the majority of the people in the group. And the personalities of the people in the group depend on the nature of the activities engaged in by the group that attracted them.

We have a “Corporate Culture” at The Aasgaard Company, the publishers of _Starting Strength_. We are not an actual corporation, but a small LLC; there are no shareholders, no diffuse and nebulous ownership in which no direct responsibility lies. Myself and Dr. Stef Bradford own this company, and it's not for sale. We both work very long hours every single day to ensure the integrity of our educational products. A handful of people work here in The Falls with us – Nick Delgadillo, Rusty Holcomb, and Bre Hillen – and we all approach our work as “artisans”: we do it for the satisfaction of the task, and absolutely nothing here is done merely for the money (which is handy, since business is slow right now, like it is everywhere). At TAC, our _values_ take the place of the _rules_ that most other people follow at work. And no global pandemic will change this.

[]

Stef Bradford and Mark Rippetoe.

We have Starting Strength Coaches all over the world, affiliate gyms all over the country, and advocates of the method everywhere. They are a bridge between the educational material we create and the tens of thousands of people who elect to get their help with its application. Our “Corporate Culture” is shared by many of them, and is in fact what attracted many of them to Starting Strength.

Here at the gym, our political philosophy is that of the Classical Liberal, outlined quite well on Wikipedia: Classical Liberalism.

In a practical sense, we are conservative libertarians. We believe that the functions of government should be restricted to the protection of individual rights, the provision of services that cannot be provided by the free market: national defense, the enforcement of contracts and common law, and the provision of absolutely necessary public institutions and public works. And that's about it.

[nick carmen and chase ]

Nick Delgadillo, Carmen Phillips, and Chase Lindley.

We have learned that _we_ can and should provide for ourselves and those we choose to provide for by our own efforts. And that as long as our actions do not infringe on the rights of other people, we should not be interfered with while doing so. Individual liberty and personal responsibility form the basis of this philosophy. Free people accomplish more than subjects, accomplishment being the basis for a healthy relationship with oneself and others.

There are many things accomplished while accumulating strength through the process of training, detailed in our books, videos, and articles on this website – not all of them are physical. Finishing a heavy set of 5 squats when you'd rather not is a complex task, requiring analysis and decisions at multiple levels. The 1st rep and the 4th rep are quite different events, and the process of going from 1st to 4th informs the lifter about the 5th. It will be harder. It may be unpleasant, and it _may_ not come back up. It has the potential for injury if you are unable to hold your position together, and missing it has consequences for your next workout, so there is pressure to complete the last rep – _as there should be_. It involves your ability to accurately assess what you have just done (a skill that also develops with training), and your willingness to try something you aren't sure you can do.

[rusty holcomb at a strengthlifting meet in texas]

Rusty Holcomb.

More than just finishing an individual set, our model of training involves planning a long series of workouts to yield a specific result in a definite time frame. This means developing an understanding of the cumulative effects of different workouts in the context of your own level of training advancement, for the purpose of achieving a specific performance goal. Goal-setting, understanding the nature of the stress/recovery/adaptation phenomenon, schedule adherence, courage under the bar, and a thorough appreciation for the process of planning and execution are the foundations of successful strength training.

They are also the foundations of success outside the weight room. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERSTATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LESSONS LEARNED WHEN STARTING AND THEN COMPLETING A PHYSICAL TASK YOU ARE NOT SURE YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO. Those lessons bleed over into all aspects of life, as a few seconds reflection will reveal. These are the Lessons of the Barbell, our common bond.

[bre pulling at wichita falls athletic club in texas]

Bre Hillen.

With this in mind, our company has a few characteristics shared by all of us here in Wichita Falls, and by lots of the people who find our methods interesting. We don't like big government, government regulation of the workplace and personal space, and government safety nets for those who _decide_ not to finish life's heavy sets of 5. We don't appreciate people who are constantly offended _for_ other people at no cost to themselves, and who feel the need to force us to agree with their opinions. _You cannot make us agree with you_, but you have our permission to try to convince us.

We like people who take personal responsibility, who do not ask for charity, and who give freely when they feel compelled to do so. We appreciate an honest effort toward a worthwhile goal, and we will help if we can.

We like nice guns, good food, strong drink, talented musicianship, thoughtful art, and the effort it takes to create them. We appreciate beautiful women and handsome men, masculinity and femininity, and we know the difference. We also understand that some people have different opinions about these things, and we respect their opinions at precisely the same level of enthusiasm with which they respect ours.

We understand and follow the scientific method as the best way to understand Nature and physical existence, and we loathe “scientism” as a pale mockery thereof. We value reason and logic over feeling and emotion, since quantification and verification are preferable to subjective assertion and whim. We believe in doing the right thing, in integrity, in the virtue of truth, and that the ends do not justify the means. We believe in the Western European ideal of heroism, in the examples of Beowulf, Tyr, and Sigurd. We abhor cowardice and revere honorable conduct.

And finally, we value accomplishment, because every human being on the planet can accomplish things in proportion to the abilities they possess, if they will just _do_ what is necessary. Outcomes will thus be different, but opportunities must be equal, and _entropy_ – the gradual and inevitable decline into disorder, built into the very fabric of the universe – is the real enemy of accomplishment. We know that none of this is particularly fashionable, but maybe you're not fashionable either.

Our fight against entropy continues to expand. _Starting Strength_ has now been translated into seven languages, _Practical Programming for Strength Training_ into five. The Starting Strength Gyms franchise company has opened the first three locations in Texas, one in Denver, and the plan is to have ten more open by the end of next year. We currently have 18 Starting Strength Affiliate Gyms across the country and the world. A Starting Strength-branded line of barbell equipment manufactured by Texas Strength Systems and Capps Welding is available. Our audio/video library continues to expand, informative website articles by intelligent contributors continue to accumulate, and the website since 2014 has had 20 million individual visitors. Book sales continue to grow, more coaches are being certified every month, and all our books, videos, articles, and friends expose many people to the exciting idea that they are the actual masters of their own physical destiny.

If you agree with our approach, I hope we can contribute to your own fight against the forces of entropy.

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

Discuss in Forums

question: What is the "Corporate Culture" at Aasgaard Company?

answer: They are not an actual corporation, but a small LLC.

question: Who is Stef Bradford?

answer: One of the owners of the company.

question: What is The Aasgard Company?

answer: The publishers of Starting Strength.

question: How is their political philosophy relevant to their company?

answer: Information can't be found.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: Aasgard Company members talk about their goals, philosophy, and their corporate culture.


split: train

text:
_FLYING COLOURS_ is the third album by Australian hip hop group Bliss n Eso. It was released by Illusive Sounds on 26 April 2008.

At the J Awards of 2008, the album was nominated for Australian Album of the Year.[1][2]

The album was recorded in three different continents over twelve months, and features Illmaculate (World freestyle and Scribble Jam champion), a 20 piece African Zulu Choir (The Zulu Connections Choir), Debaser (US), Hyjak and Phrase. In an interview with The Age newspaper Jonathan Notley (Bliss) explained that the band's previous albums were recorded on the fly, in sporadic periods whenever they could score some studio time, whereas with Flying Colours, the Sydneysiders relocated to Melbourne for three months of dedicated writing and recording at Richmond's Sing Sing Studios[3]

  “We decided to get out of Sydney and go somewhere where we could get up every day and just focus on making the record. It was great. We weren't worried about the pressure of what people would think, or forcing it or trying to make hits” - Notley[4]

The cover of the album features artwork by tattoo artist, Steve Cross from Melbourne. It depicts a man with blazing coloured wings leaping off a cliff.

  “With this album we wanted to do something a bit different than just pictures of us. We kinda wanted to go a little bit more creative and imaginative. We thought of this concept of this guy like leaping off this cliff with these flaming colourful wings, and it kind of really worked with the context of this album and obviously the title.” - Notley[5]

The first single from the album, a reworking of Citizen Cope's “Bullet and a Target”, gained major national commercial radio and television airplay. _Flying Colours_ features production from Bliss, Phrase and Hattori Hanzo, the album was mixed at Sing Sing Studios (Melbourne) by Noam Dishon and Andy Baldwin (The Cat Empire, Spiderbait, Killing Heidi).

The third single off the album “Eye of the Storm” uses the main riff and idea from folk rock duo Angus & Julia Stone song “Paper Aeroplane”.

It was featured as the Triple J feature album in the week leading up to its release.[6] The album debuted a week after its release at the No. 10 position on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart.[7][8] and reached the No. 1 position on the ARIA Top 40 Urban Albums chart.[9]

The album was nominated for a J Award in August 2008.[10]

The album was also nominated for an ARIA award for 'Best Urban Release' in 2008.[11]

In an interview with Xpress magazine Notley indicated their surprise at the album's success.

  “To tell you the truth it smashed any of my expectations. The reception for the record has been fantastic so we couldn't really be happier at the moment.” - Notley[12]

Following the group's successful appearance at the Sound Relief concert on 14 March 2009 at the MCG,[13][14] “Field of Dreams” featuring Paris Wells was officially released to radio as a single.[15]

On 14 June 2009 the album became only the second Australian hip hop record to be certified gold, after being in the ARIA charts for 58 weeks.[16] In October 2010, _Flying Colours_ was listed in the book, _100 Best Australian Albums_.[17]

Track listing

All songs written by Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon and Noam Dishon, except where noted[18]

_FLYING COLOURS_

1.  “The Beginning” – 1:41
2.  “Woodstock 2008” – 4:27
3.  “Eye of the Storm” (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, A. Stone, J. Stone) – 3:27
4.  “Bullet and a Target” (featuring the Zulu Connection Choir) (Clarence Greenwood) – 4:15
5.  “Happy in My Hoody” (featuring Hyjak and Phrase) (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, J McCarthy, Harley Webster, Vester) – 4:19
6.  “Destiny Lane” (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Mark Landon) – 3:41
7.  “Zion Bash” (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Mark Landon) – 2:51
8.  “The Sea is Rising” – 5:36
9.  “Gorilla Militia” (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Mark Landon) – 3:14
10. “How to Listen, Part 1” – 3:02
11. “Climb These Cliffs” (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Noam Dishon, Mark Landon) – 3:41
12. “At Midnight” – 5:21
13. “Royal Flush” – 3:52
14. “$5 Steak” (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Noam Dishon, Etheridge, Montgo) – 5:35
15. “The Truth” (featuring ILLmacuLate and Sapient) – 4:41
16. “Never Give Up” (featuring Changes) (Jonathon Notley, Max MacKinnon, Noam Dishon, Mchunu, Mhlongo) – 4:31
17. “Field of Dreams” (featuring Paris Wells) – 3:24

_FLYING COLOURS_ LIMITED EDITION BONUS DISC

1.  “The Dark Tower” – 5:49 (features a sample from the 1947 radioplay The Dark Tower by Louis MacNeice)
2.  “Lonely Streets” (featuring Debaser) – 4:33
3.  “Bullet and a Target” (acoustic version) (featuring the Zulu Connection Choir) – 3:58
4.  “Mexican Spit Fire” – 2:30
5.  “Choof Choof Train” – 4:09

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18] APRA database at the Australasian Performing Right Association website (search each song title)

title: Flying Colours (Bliss n Eso album)

question: Summarize everything relating to Bliss n Eso's goals regarding the album.

answer: They recorded the album without worrying about the pressure of what people would think or forcing it or trying to make hits. They wanted to do something a bit different for their cover art than just pictures of the band. They wanted to be more creative and imaginitive.

question: What does the article say about the album's reception?

answer: At the J Awards of 2008, the album was nominated for Australian Album of the Year. It was also nominated for an ARIA award for Best Urban Release in 2008. In 2010, it was listed in the book 100 Best Australian Albums.

question: What does the article say about the inspiration for the album?


text:
_'My first serious blackout marked the line between sanity and insanity. Though I would have moments of lucidity over the coming days and weeks, I would never again be the same person ...'_

Susannah Cahalan was a happy, clever, healthy twenty-four-year old. Then one day she woke up in hospital, with no memory of what had happened or how she had got there. Within weeks, she would be transformed into someone unrecognisable, descending into a state of acute psychosis, undergoing rages and convulsions, hallucinating that her father had murdered his wife; that she could control time with her mind. Everything she had taken for granted about her life and who she was, was wiped out.

This is Susannah's story of her terrifying descent into madness and the desperate hunt for a diagnosis, as, after dozens of tests and scans, baffled doctors concluded she should be confined in a psychiatric ward.

A gripping medical mystery with a unique personal voice, BRAIN ON FIRE is also the story of how one brilliant man, Syria-born Dr Najar, finally proved – using a simple pen and paper - that Susannah's psychotic behaviour was caused by a rare autoimmune disease attacking her brain. His diagnosis of this little-known condition, anti-NMDA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis, saved her life and possibly the lives of many others.

Susannah Cahalan is  a reporter on the _New York Post_ and the recipient of the 2010 Silurian Award of Excellence in Journalism for Feature Writing. BRAIN ON FIRE_ _is a searingly personal yet universal book, which asks what happens when your identity is suddenly destroyed, and how you get it back.

_"This is a remarkable book about a relatively newly identified type of encephalitis called NMDA-receptor encephalitis. Susannah survives not only this devastating condition but also not uncommon mid-diagnoses, and their potential for admission to psychiatric institutions. Susannah recovers well thanks to the astute observations and ongoing professional development of a doctor, one of many in a team trying to diagnose and manage this young woman spiralling into a world of madness and mayhem._

_Susannah’s book is the first account (to my knowledge) of this type of encephalitis. She successfully interweaves her own narrative with the observations of others and the expert and clinical explanations of her condition as would be expected of a journalist and writer of her calibre. This results in a book that makes us empathise with her experiences but also leaves us with an evidence-based education in relation to this condition._

_The book is an absolute must-read for anyone affected, their families and friends but also for professionals working in, or with an interest in neurology. Reading this book will undoubtedly save lives and prevent inappropriate admissions to psychiatric units of people whose condition is neurological and not psychiatric. The book does of course leave us wondering how many un-diagnosed NMDA-receptor encephalitis patients remain in psychiatric institutions? Are you really sure that patient protesting their innocence or pleading sanity really is suffering a Psychiatric disorder or is that glimmer of sanity you’ve occasionally glimpsed another Susannah Cahalan?"_

_                                       REVIEW BY AVA EASTON, CEO OF THE ENCEPHALITIS SOCIETY_

_“Susannah’s poignant story of her illness and eventual recovery is very readable and will appeal to the general reader. More importantly for professionals in the medical field, the book also offers valuable insights into a rare and sometimes fatal condition, which will alert them to the dangers of misinterpretation of patients’ behaviour. This book is written by an exceptionally good journalist and will appeal to all those who want to gain a better understanding of what is required to obtain a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment for a terrifying illness.”_

BARBARA A WILSON, OBE, NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST AND PRESIDENT OF THE ENCEPHALITIS SOCIETY

_“It seems perhaps wrong somehow to say that this is the most thrilling book I've read in ages, an actual page turner that I literally sat and read until I'd finished. A writer that gives it to you straight from the heart and soul of her nightmare. No punches are pulled and no horror un-named. It's terrifying, heart breaking and inspiring in equal parts.”_

MATHEW BOSE, ACTOR, ARTIST AND AMBASSADOR OF THE ENCEPHALITIS SOCIETY

AVAILABLE TO BUY FROM THE ENCEPHALITIS SOCIETY ONLINE SHOP.

READ MORE ABOUT THE BOOK AND THE AUTHOR ON SUSANNAH CAHALAN'S WEBSITE

question: Based on the grammar and spelling in this article, is it more likely that the author is from the US or the UK? Explain.

answer: It is more likely that the author is from the UK, based on phrasing and spelling.

question: What is the main idea of paragraph 6?

answer: The main point seems to be to offer a sweeping overview of the book's plot. It is the first of 3 paragraphs included in a review by Ava Easton, the CEO of the Encephalitis Society.

question: Why did NMDA-receptor encephalitis cause Susannah to blackout?

answer: The article does not say.

question: What role did Dr. Najar play in Susannah's story?

answer: Dr. Najar was one of many on a team who were trying to diagnose Susannah. As a result of Dr. Najar's keen observations, he was able to accurately diagnose her which led to her treatment and recovery.


text:
RAY C. ANDERSON (July 28, 1934 – August 8, 2011)[1] was founder and chairman of Interface Inc., one of the world's largest manufacturers of modular carpet for commercial and residential applications and a leading producer of commercial broadloom and commercial fabrics. He was known in environmental circles for his advanced and progressive stance on industrial ecology and sustainability.[2]

Anderson died on August 8, 2011, twenty months after being diagnosed with cancer.[3][4] On July 28, 2012, Anderson's family re-launched the Ray C. Anderson Foundation.[5][6][7][8][9] with a new purpose.

Originally created to fund Ray Anderson's personal philanthropic giving, family members announced the rebirth and refocus of the Foundation on Anderson's birthday, nearly one year after his 2011 death. The purpose of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation is to perpetuate shared values and continue the legacy that Anderson left behind. The Ray C. Anderson Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to promote and advance the concepts of sustainable production and consumption.

Life and career

Anderson was an honors graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology in the school of industrial and systems engineering in 1956.[10] He learned the carpet trade through more than 14 years at Deering, Milliken & Company and Callaway Mills.

Anderson founded Interface in 1973 to produce the first free-lay carpet tiles in America.[11] Interface is one of the world's largest producers of modular commercial floorcoverings, with sales in 110 countries and manufacturing facilities on four continents.[12]

Environmental focus

Anderson first turned his focus toward the environment in 1994 when he read _The Ecology of Commerce_ by Paul Hawken,[13] and also _Ishmael_ by Daniel Quinn, seeking inspiration for a speech to an internal task force on the company's environmental vision. Hawken argues that the industrial system is destroying the planet and only industry leaders are powerful enough to stop it.

In 2009, Anderson estimated that Interface was more than halfway towards the vision of “Mission Zero,”[14] the company's promise to eliminate any negative impact it may have on the environment by the year 2020 through the redesign of processes and products, the pioneering of new technologies, and efforts to reduce or eliminate waste and harmful emissions while increasing the use of renewable materials and sources of energy.[15][16]

Anderson chronicled the Mission Zero journey in two books, _Mid-Course Correction: Toward a Sustainable Enterprise: The Interface Model_ (1998) and _Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Profits, People, Purpose: Doing Business by Respecting the Earth_ (2009).[17][18] The latter was released in paperback as _Business Lessons from a Radical Industrialist_ in 2011.

Recognition and awards

Anderson was featured several documentaries and films, such as _The Corporation_, (2004 Canadian documentary); _The 11th Hour_ (2007 Leonardo DiCaprio film); _I Am_ (2011 Tom Shadyac documentary); _Big Ideas for a Small Planet_ (Sundance Channel series); and others.

The Interface story is the focus of the documentary film “So Right, So Smart” (2009).[19]

Ray served a stint as co-chair of the President's Council on Sustainable Development during President Clinton's administration, which led to him co-chairing the Presidential Climate Action Plan in 2008, a team that presented the Obama Administration with a 100-day action plan on climate.[20] Together, he and Interface funded the creation of the Anderson-Interface Chair in Natural Systems at Georgia Tech, where Associate Professor Valerie Thomas conducts research in sustainability.[21]

Ray Anderson received a host of accolades throughout his life, including:

-   In 2007, he was named one of _Time_’s Heroes of the Environment.[22]
-   Inaugural Millennium Award from Global Green, presented by Mikhail Gorbachev (1996)[23]
-   Recognized by _Forbes_ magazine and Ernst & Young, which named him Entrepreneur of the Year in 1996.[24]
-   The American Society of Interior Designers Design for Humanity Award (2010)[25]
-   Lifetime Achievement Award from GreenLaw (2010)
-   The inaugural Global Sustainability Prize from the University of Kentucky Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment (2010)[26]
-   River Guardian Award from the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (2010)[27]
-   Sustainability Award from the Women's Network for a Sustainable Future (WNSF), the first time the WNSF has honored a businessman (2010)[28]
-   Pillars of EARTH Sustainable Leadership Awards given by EARTH University in Costa Rica (2010)[29]
-   Purpose Prize from Encore.org (2007)[30]
-   Auburn University’s International Quality of Life Award (2007)[31]
-   George and Cynthia Mitchell International Prize for Sustainable Development (2001)[32]

Under Anderson's leadership, Interface was named to CRO magazine's (formerly Business Ethics magazine) 100 Best Corporate Citizens List for three years.[33] In 2006, Sustainablebusiness.com named Interface to their SB20 list of Companies Changing the World,[34] and in 2006 GlobeScan listed Interface #1 in the world for corporate sustainability.[35]

Anderson was former Board Chair for The Georgia Conservancy and served on the boards of the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation, Rocky Mountain Institute, the David Suzuki Foundation, Emory University Board of Ethics Advisory Council, the ASID Foundation, Worldwatch Institute, and the Arizona State University Global Institute of Sustainability Advisory Board. He was on the Advisory Boards of the Harvard Medical School Center for Health and the Global Environment and the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.[36]

He was awarded 12 honorary doctorates from Northland College (public service), LaGrange College (business), N.C. State University (humane letters), University of Southern Maine (humane letters), The University of the South (civil law), and Colby College (law), Kendall College of Art and Design (art), Emory University (science), Central College in Pella, Iowa, (humane letters), Chapman University (humane letters), Clarkson University (science), and the Georgia Institute of Technology (philosophy).[37]

Anderson's papers were donated to the Georgia Historical Society by the Ray C. Anderson Foundation and Interface, Inc. in late 2015. The collection, which includes biographical materials, business records, correspondence, organizational records, photographs, presentations, speeches, writings, travel files, and books, is available at the Georgia Historical Society's Research Center in Savannah. The online finding aid can be found [http://ghs.galileo.usg.edu/ghs/view?docId=ead/MS%202603-ead.xml;query=;brand=default here].[38]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12] Georgia Tech Interface

[13]

[14] “Green-biz pioneer Ray Anderson says sustainability literally pays for itself,” Grist

[15] “Ray Anderson, sustainable business pioneer, dies aged 77,” The Guardian

[16] Interface’s Mission Zero Progress

[17]

[18] “Confessions of a Radical Industrialist,” Green Living

[19] Magic Green Pictures, So Right, So Smart

[20] Ray Anderson Biography

[21] “Ray Anderson awarded honorary doctorate at Georgia Tech,” Green Building Chronicle

[22] “Heroes of the Environment,” TIME

[23] “Past Millennium Award Recipients”

[24]

[25] “ASID Announces ASID Awards Winners”

[26] “Research Showcase to celebrate accomplishments in sustainability”

[27] “Ray Anderson to receive River Guardian Award,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

[28] “Women's Network for a Sustainable Future - WNSF 7th Annual Award to Ray Anderson,” The Glass Hammer Network

[29] “Pillars of EARTH: Sustainable Leadership Awards”

[30] “Purpose Prize Winner, Environmentalist Ray Anderson Dies at 77”

[31] “AU Quality of Life Award honors Ray Anderson at United Nations”

[32]

[33] “Interface founder and chairman Ray Anderson, visionary entrepreneur and champion of the environment,” Green Living Guy

[34] “The 2007 SB20: World's Top Sustainable Stocks,” SustainableBusiness.com

[35] “Companies and Governments Lag NGOs in Driving Sustainability but New Corporate Leaders Emerging, According to Experts,” The Sustainability Survey

[36]

[37] “InterfaceFLOR Founder and Chairman Ray Anderson Awarded Honorary Doctorate From Georgia Tech”

[38] “Georgia Historical Society Announces the Collection of Environmental Visionary Ray C. Anderson Now Open For Research” Georgiahistory.com

title: Ray Anderson (entrepreneur)

question: What age did Ray C. Anderson live until?

answer: Since he was born in July 1934 and died in August 2011, he lived to the age of 77.

question: What month and year was Anderson diagnosed with cancer?

answer: December 2009.

question: What would have happened if Anderson hadn't read The Ecology of Commerce and Ishmael?

answer: He might not have developed an interest in the environment and therefore might not have gone on to pursue Mission Zero.

question: Why is the Bush administration not mentioned?

answer: Presumably because right-wing administrations are not as concerned with environmentalism.


text:
I felt the grass lick my toes like eager puppies wanting attention, each blade moist with dew, sleepy seeds in the eye of the night. The green carpet laid before me was sparkling in the early morning sun as I strolled across my lawn to my car, the   vehicle destined to take me to a place and a time that I had long awaited, yet was somehow convinced would never arrive. The blue shimmer of my 2009 Hyundai Accent looked grey and dull this morning as I turned the key in the door to unlock my portal. I got in and turned the key in the ignition. Styrofoam Plates by Death Cab For Cutie permeated the car with its melodic despair and I could almost form a grin at the cliché scene I had arrived in. I turned the volume up to 21 and started on my way, out the driveway and down the road to a new beginning.

There was a time when this would have come as a shock. It would have swallowed me and pushed me down into its poisonous, acidic stomach, already writhing with the pain from others misfortune. Once upon a time this would have been tragic, for lack of a better word. I would have been woeful for months, the salty sting of tears continuously racing down my cheeks, one drop trying to beat the others to my lips. At this time, at this particular time in my life, after one to many, “sorry’s” started to make the word meaningless, and the once strong knot began to fray from being gnawed at with sharpened, practiced teeth, I could find no tears. The loyal, wide eyed little girl of my youth had seen too much. You can only disappoint a child so much before they grow up into adults, calloused and weathered from a childhood gone wrong. Memories of maggots in the food pantry and dinners fashioned of stale crackers are no longer images of a forlorn victim trying to make the best of things, which is what you had us believe. At 23 I can now see the pathetic slop who cared more about how to find enough change to buy a six pack of Budweiser, than how we was going to buy his daughters dinner. Looking back, it’s easy to smell the stale stench of mariuana throughout the house wafting out the doors and into the street as a pathetic reminder of the family within. We would wait at school for hours when you’d forgotten us, lost pets with no collars, no real home address, finally calling Mom and feeling badly because we’d gotten you into trouble.

No one feels bad now. The song is over and I start it again. Ben Gibbard really hit home with this one.

“Thanks boys,” I say to myself.

The day had gotten suddenly hot during my brief drive. My hands were sweating and I could feel beads of moisture gathering on my upper lip. I wanted to turn around, but not for fear, rather for utter disgust. You don’t deserve for me to be there, for anyone to be there. You, the liar, the junky, the alcoholic, the homeless man in the street with no one to blame but himself. The older we got, the worse you got. People don’t pay their respects to crack heads; they don’t go out of their way to say goodbye to a cocaine dealer or someone neurotically addicted to heroin. I guess you’re one of the lucky ones, you, the bastard, the cheat, the poor excuse for a father. Should I turn around? I was stopped now, right blinker on, car motionless in limbo. I stare down the road, looking dazed and unsure, an Alzheimer’s patient, escaped from the home but at a loss of where to go.

“You need this,” I tell myself. With no clear intention of exactly why, I put the car into drive, turn on my left blinker, and pull back onto the road. The AC is blasting now and my hands are clammy, betraying my cool demeanor. I’ve been driving for about 20 minutes now. I pass the country diner on my left. Hanging in front is a large banner reading “One thing ends and another begins! Find us down the street!” I’d heard rumors that the old building was being taken back by the landlords. Supposedly some new, up and coming young buck had bought the place and was re-opening at a location down the road. New building, new owner, same old favorites.

I was getting close now. My heart was racing and my ands were shaking. My breath seemed to have become labor intensive. Did I take my Celexa today?

“You’re freaking out,” I tell myself, “get it together.” What would I do when I got there? Would I have to explain why only one of his two daughters showed up? Would they know? Does most of the family even have a fleeting idea about how bad it’d gotten? Did they know why he had stopped showing up to family functions? Crack, Heroine, Speed, these things had changed him from an irresponsible drunk to a pathetic junky with nothing to call his own but guilt and hatred, putting the blame to his misfortunes on the people he used to call family. Would I cry, or feel remorse> Had I successfully separated myself from any feelings of attachment towards this man who had become nothing more than a donor of seeds to help create me?

The cemetery was in sight now, less than a quarter mile away. I had turned the music off and the only noise was that of the wheels of my Hyundai on the pavement, and my slow, careful breathing trying to keep my anxiety in check. I take a right through the cemetery gates, making me think of that song by The Smiths of the same name. I hum its tune under my breath as I spot the cars, to which are my final destinatjion, in the far corner of the field of stones. “Another dreaded day so I meet you at the cemetery gates, Keats and Yeats are on your side.” I never liked Keats much anyway.

My car is parked next to my Grams, who I can see huddled near my aunts and uncles. She has her head in her hands, crying for a lost son who hadn’t really been alive for years. I wonder what she told them about his death.

“It was an accident.”

“It was his first time.”

“Someone must have slipped it in his drink.”

Overdoses are hard to make excuses for. Maybe she just came out with it.

“He was a drug addict, and this was a long time coming.”

I slowly stroll over to this grave, half moon of people, in no hurry to be a part of this huddle, loomed over by imagined grey, stormy clouds. I brace myself for the sympathetic comments and pitying eyes, hoping that their voices roll over me with no more clarity than the low incoherent mumble of adults from The Peanuts. Thankfully as I make my final steps to be with my family, the casket begins its decent and last words are spoken. This is the only part I came to see. I tune out the half hearted blessings for the after life of this long-passed man, once a father, a husband, a son, but ho had long ago given up to right to any title so deserving. As the Final tomb of the man I once knew lowers slowly into the forgiving earth, I can see the stress and confusion of a little girl I used to know going with it. The sordid reality of a boy trapped in the body of a man, with no regard to responsibilities or family is finally plunked into the ground where it belongs, buried and eventually forgotten.

We all take turns sprinkling dirt onto the simple, cheap coffin. I hug my gram and tell her I’ll meet her at her house where everyone is gathering and I realize she is not crying anymore. The faintest hint of relief has washed over her tired face. As I make the short walk back to my Hyundai, I embrace each step as the first steps to the beginning of my life.

title: A Happy Ending (working title) *any feed back is GREATLY appreciated*

question: Who is the narrator?

answer: An unnamed woman

question: Where does the narrator go?

answer: To her father's funeral

question: What did Grams tell others about her son's death?

answer: It is unclear what exactly she told them

question: How did the narrator's father die?

answer: From an overdose

question: How does the narrator feel after the funeral?

answer: Hopeful about the future

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: A woman is on her way to her father's funeral. On the way there, she reflects on how dysfunctional her family was while growing up. She reaches the cemetery and sees her grandmother. She wonders what her grandmother told others about her father, who actually died from an overdose. They mourn their loss and the narrator leaves the cemetery with the feeling of a new beginning.


text:
The ASIAN YOUNG RESEARCHERS CONFERENCE ON COMPUTATIONAL AND OMICS BIOLOGY (AYRCOB) is a conference series for young researchers and students who are conducting their research in the fields of computational, omics and systems biology in Asia. The main objectives of AYRCOB are to promote international exchange among young researchers in Asia and to deliver lectures given by leading researchers. One of unique characteristics of AYRCOB is that the conference itself is organized by young researchers (i.g. graduate students and post-doctoral fellows). From the outstanding performance of young students, the Dean Prize of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences by the University of Tokyo has been awarded to the committee in 2009 and 2011 respectively.

Affiliated Organizations

The AYRCOB has several affiliated organizations including:

CHINA

-   Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI)

JAPAN

-   The University of Tokyo
-   Graduate University for Advanced Studies

KOREA

-   Yonsei University
-   Ewha Womans University
-   University of Science and Technology (UST)

SINGAPORE

-   Nanyang Technological University
-   Institute for Infocomm Research
-   National University of Singapore
-   National Junior College

TAIWAN

-   National Yang-Ming University
-   National Cheng Kung University
-   Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica
-   Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology of National Tsing Hua University
-   National Chiao Tung University
-   National Central University

Sponsors

The AYRCOB has various sponsors including:

CHINA

-   Beijing Genomics Institute

JAPAN

-   The University of Tokyo Global COE Program (Deciphering Biosphere from Genome Big Bang)
-   Japanese Society for Bioinformatics

KOREA

-   Korean Bioinformation Center
-   Korean University of Science and Technology (UST)
-   Daejeon Convention and Visitors Bureau
-   Yonsei University
-   Hankyoreh Media Group
-   The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI)

SINGAPORE

-   The Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Network (APBioNet)
-   PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency
-   Association of Medical and Bioinformatics Singapore (AMBIS)

TAIWAN

-   Ministry of Education
-   National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)
-   National Science Council
-   National Tsing Hua University
-   National Chiao Tung University

Among the various sponsors that have supported AYRCOB, the 21st COE Program Elucidation of Language Structure and Semantics behind Genome and Life System (1st and 2nd conferences); its succeeding program, the Global COE Program Deciphering Biosphere from Genome Big Bang (after the 3rd conference); and the University of Tokyo, Japan have been the principal supporters thus far. The two COE programs aim to create a globally renowned research and education base at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. Because the GCOE program is a temporally limited program, it is as yet undecided whether a continuous support will be provided.

List of conferences

Japan-Taiwan Young Researchers Conference on Computational and Systems Biology, 2008 was held at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

The 2nd Taiwan-Japan Young Researchers Conference on Computational and Systems Biology, 2008 was held at CBRC, AIST, Japan

3rd AYRCOB, 2010 was held at National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan

4th AYRCOB, 2010 was held at Matrix, Biopolis, Singapore

5th AYRCOB, 2011 was held at University of Science and Technology, Korea

6th AYRCOB, 2012 was held at BGI, Shenzhen, China

7th AYRCOB, 2013 was held at CBRC, Tokyo, Japan

8th AYRCOB, 2015 was held at National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan

9th AYRCOB, 2016 was held at Matrix, Biopolis, Singapore

10th AYRCOB, 2016 was held at Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Category:Technology conferences

question: Summarize the main event discussed in the text.

answer: The main event discussed in the text is the Asian Young Researchers Conference on Computational and Omics Biology. This is a conference series for young researchers and students who are conducting their research in the fields of computational, omics and system biology in Asian. The main aim for this conference is to promote international exchange among young researchers in Asia and to deliver lectures given by leading researchers.

question: Summarize the various sponsors that the Asian Young Researchers Conference on Computational and Omics Biology has.

answer: This conferences has several sponsors, many from Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. In each of these countries, different networks and universities, information centers and media groups are known to be sponsors.

question: What does the text say about the unique characteristic of the conference?

answer: The text states that the unique characteristic about the AYRCOB conference is that it is organized by young researchers, such as graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.

question: How renowned and influential does this conference seem to be in Asia?

answer: This conference is very renowned and influential but needs to have continuous support for it to keep growing in other countries. The conference has a succeeding program known as the Global COE Program Deciphering Biosphere from Genome Big Bang, which does need continuous support to keep going.


text:
The GROWTH FUNCTION, also called the SHATTER COEFFICIENT or the SHATTERING NUMBER, measures the richness of a set family. It is especially used in the context of statistical learning theory, where it measures the complexity of a hypothesis class. The term 'growth function' was coined by Vapnik and Chervonenkis in their 1968 paper, where they also proved many of its properties.[1] It is a basic concept in machine learning.[2] [3]

Definitions

Set-family definition

Let H be a set family (a set of sets) and C a set. Their _intersection_ is defined as the following set-family:

H\cap C := \{h\cap C\mid h\in H\}

The _intersection-size_ (also called the _index_) of H with respect to C is |H ∩ C|. If a set Cm has m elements then the index is at most 2m. If the index is exactly 2_m_ then the set C is said to be shattered by H, because H ∩ C contains all the subsets of C, i.e.:

|H\cap C|=2^{|C|},

The growth function measures the size of H ∩ C as a function of |C|. Formally:

\operatorname{Growth}(H,m) := \max_{C: |C|=m} |H\cap C|

Hypothesis-class definition

Equivalently, let H be a hypothesis-class (a set of binary functions) and C a set with m elements. The _restriction_ of H to C is the set of binary functions on C that can be derived from H:[4]

H_{C} := \{(h(x_1),\ldots,h(x_m))\mid h\in H, x_i\in C\} The growth function measures the size of HC as a function of |C|:[5]

\operatorname{Growth}(H,m) := \max_{C: |C|=m} |H_C|

Examples

1. The domain is the real line ℝ. The set-family H contains all the half-lines (rays) from a given number to positive infinity, i.e., all sets of the form {x > x₀ ∣ x ∈ ℝ} for some x₀ ∈ ℝ. For any set C of m real numbers, the intersection H ∩ C contains m + 1 sets: the empty set, the set containing the largest element of C, the set containing the two largest elements of C, and so on. Therefore: Growth(H, m)=m + 1.[6] The same is true whether H contains open half-lines, closed half-lines, or both.

2. The domain is the segment [0, 1]. The set-family H contains all the open sets. For any finite set C of m real numbers, the intersection H ∩ C contains all possible subsets of C. There are 2m such subsets, so Growth(H, m)=2m. [7]

3. The domain is the Euclidean space ℝn. The set-family H contains all the half-spaces of the form: x ⋅ ϕ ≥ 1, where ϕ is a fixed vector. Then Growth(H, m)=Comp(n, m), where Comp is the number of number of components in a partitioning of an n-dimensional space by m hyperplanes.[8]

4. The domain is the real line ℝ. The set-family H contains all the real intervals, i.e., all sets of the form {x ∈ [x₀, x₁]|x ∈ ℝ} for some x₀, x₁ ∈ ℝ. For any set C of m real numbers, the intersection H ∩ C contains all runs of between 0 and m consecutive elements of C. The number of such runs is ${m+1 \choose 2}+1$, so $\operatorname{Growth}(H,m)={m+1 \choose 2}+1$.

Polynomial or exponential

The main property that makes the growth function interesting is that it can be either polynomial or exponential - nothing in-between.

The following is a property of the intersection-size:[9]

-   If, for some set Cm of size m, and for some number n ≤ m, |H ∩ Cm|≥Comp(n, m) -
-   then, there exists a subset Cn ⊆ Cm of size n such that |H ∩ Cn|=2n.

This implies the following property of the Growth function.[10] For every family H there are two cases:

-   The _exponential case_: Growth(H, m)=2m identically.
-   The _polynomial case_: Growth(H, m) is majorized by Comp(n, m)≤mn + 1, where n is the smallest integer for which Growth(H, n)<2n.

Other properties

Trivial upper bound

For any finite H:

Growth(_H_, _m_)≤|_H_|
 since for every C, the number of elements in H ∩ C is at most |H|. Therefore, the growth function is mainly interesting when H is infinite.

Exponential upper bound

For any nonempty H:

Growth(_H_, _m_)≤2_m_
 I.e, the growth function has an exponential upper-bound.

We say that a set-family H SHATTERS a set C if their intersection contains all possible subsets of C, i.e. H ∩ C = 2C. If H shatters C of size m, then Growth(H, C)=2m, which is the upper bound.

Cartesian intersection

Define the Cartesian intersection of two set-families as:

_H_₁⨂_H_₂ := {_h_₁ ∩ _h_₂ ∣ _h_₁ ∈ _H_₁, _h_₂ ∈ _H_₂}
. Then:[11]

Growth(_H_₁⨂_H_₂, _m_)≤Growth(_H_₁, _m_)⋅Growth(_H_₂, _m_)

Union

For every two set-families:[12]

Growth(_H_₁ ∪ _H_₂, _m_)≤Growth(_H_₁, _m_)+Growth(_H_₂, _m_)

VC dimension

The VC DIMENSION of H is defined according to these two cases:

-   In the _polynomial case_, VCDim(H)=n − 1 = the largest integer d for which Growth(H, d)=2d.
-   In the _exponential case_ VCDim(H)=∞.

So VCDim(H)≥d if-and-only-if Growth(H, d)=2d.

The growth function can be regarded as a refinement of the concept of VC dimension. The VC dimension only tells us whether Growth(H, d) is equal to or smaller than 2d, while the growth function tells us exactly how Growth(H, m) changes as a function of m.

Another connection between the growth function and the VC dimension is given by the Sauer–Shelah lemma:[13]

    If VCDim(H)=d, then:
    for all m: $\operatorname{Growth}(H,m)\leq \sum_{i=0}^{d} {m\choose i}$

In particular,

    for all m > d + 1: Growth(H, m)≤(em/d)d = O(md)
    so when the VC dimension is finite, the growth function grows polynomially with m.

This upper bound is tight, i.e, for all m > d there exists H with VC dimension d such that:[14]

$$\operatorname{Growth}(H,m)= \sum_{i=0}^{d} {m\choose i}$$

Entropy

While the growth-function is related to the _maximum_ intersection-size, the ENTROPY is related to the _average_ intersection size:[15]

Entropy(_H_, _m_)=_E_|_C__m_|=_m_[log₂(|_H_ ∩ _C__m_|)]
 The intersection-size has the following property. For every set-family H:

|_H_ ∩ (_C_₁ ∪ _C_₂)| ≤ |_H_ ∩ _C_₁|⋅|_H_ ∩ _C_₂|
 Hence:

Entropy(_H_, _m_₁ + _m_₂)≤Entropy(_H_, _m_₁)+Entropy(_H_, _m_₂)
 Moreover, the sequence Entropy(H, m)/m converges to a constant c ∈ [0, 1] when m → ∞.

Moreover, the random-variable log₂|H ∩ Cm|/m is concentrated near c.

Applications in probability theory

Let Ω be a set on which a probability measure Pr  is defined. Let H be family of subsets of Ω (= a family of events).

Suppose we choose a set Cm that contains m elements of Ω, where each element is chosen at random according to the probability measure P, independently of the others (i.e, with replacements). For each event h ∈ H, we compare the following two quantities:

-   Its relative frequency in Cm, i.e, |h ∩ Cm|/m;
-   Its probability Pr[h].

We are interested in the difference, D(h, Cm):=||h ∩ Cm|/m − Pr[h]|. This difference satisfies the following upper bound:

\Pr\left[\forall h\in H: D(h,C_m) \leq \sqrt{8(\ln\operatorname{Growth}(H, 2m) + \ln(4/\delta)) \over m} \right] ~~~~ > ~~~~ 1 - \delta which is equivalent to:[16]

\Pr\big[\forall h\in H: D(h,C_m) \leq \varepsilon\big] ~~~~ > ~~~~ 1 - 4\cdot \operatorname{Growth}(H, 2m)\cdot \exp(-\varepsilon^2\cdot m/8) In words: the probability that for _all_ events in H, the relative-frequency is near the probability, is lower-bounded by an expression that depends on the growth-function of H.

A corollary of this is that, iff the growth function is polynomial in m (i.e, there exists some n such that Growth(H, m)≤mn + 1), then the above probability approaches 1 as m → ∞. I.e, the family H enjoys uniform convergence in probability.

[1]

[2] , especially Section 3.2

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

title: Growth function

question: Where is this function relevant?

answer: In statistic learning theory and in machine learning.

question: What is the key property of this function?

answer: It can either be polynomial or exponential

question: How is the function applied to other theories?

answer: In probability theory, the function can show the relative frequency of an event within a set and its probability.

question: When did this function originate?

answer: 1968, with Vapnik and Chervonenkis's paper (or at least it was named in their paper, though it is possible that it was established early)

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This article describe the growth function, which measures the richness of a set family, and its numerous properties. It has applications in probability theory, statistic learning theory and machine learning.


text:
William Pooley, the British nurse who survived the deadly Ebola virus, is planning to return to Sierra Leone to help fight the outbreak, a move his mother, who had hoped he would not go back, hesitantly concedes will make her "very proud".

In a Guardian interview, Pooley, 29, the first known Briton to contract the virus, called on David Cameron, who sent him get well wishes while he was in hospital, and Barack Obama, to do more to mobilise the international community to get the epidemic, raging through west Africa since March, under control.

"It's a global problem and it needs global level leadership so Obama and Cameron ... need to show some more leadership on this issue," says Pooley, while acknowledging his "huge gratitude" to the prime minister for his role in his repatriation and care. "Sierra Leone needs lots of international health-care workers working with big NGOs like MSF and Red Cross. All of that needs to be increased."

Relaxing at home in Suffolk after being discharged, virus-free, from the Royal Free hospital, in London, a week ago, Pooley is happy to have survived his ordeal but also desperate to carry on helping. Some in the profession call it survivor's guilt.

[William Pooley and his mother, Jackie]

William Pooley and his mother, Jackie. Photograph: Laurence Topham for the Guardian.
"So while I'm happy to be recovered and alive, there's a lot of stuff on my mind with what's going on back there. It would be relatively safe for me to go back and work there, and it's really the least I could do having received all this amazing care and have people look after me and potentially save my life. It's the least I could do to go back and return the favour to some other people, even just for a little while.

"The more help they get the less chance there is they get sick. If they get sick they are just going to end up in a ward in Kenema with less chance than I had."

Pooley had not discussed his plans to return with his parents, but when asked how she would feel, his mother, Jackie, took a few sharp breaths. "Well, it would be his choice. We would want him to go back, not as an individual but with an organisation of some kind so he's got the backing. Obviously in a way we don't want [him] to, but I can see I would feel very proud of him if he decided he was going to, because he knows what it is going to be like."

Certainly it would be different from the state-of-the-art medical treatment Pooley received at the Royal Free, where he was treated after his emergency repatriation. There, he lay inside a polythene "patient isolator" tent, tended by dozens of staff in a unit tailor made for "category four" infectious diseases. The tent alone cost £25,000.

He was the first patient in the unit for two years. There were protocols for everything, covering food and drink to removal of materials, including body waste through heat-sealed containers. The ward's floors were colour-coded for contamination and non-contamination sides, and there was a one-way flow of people.

Stephen Mepham, the infectious diseases and microbiology consultant who flew to Sierra Leone to accompany Pooley home when he was evacuated by the RAF 18 days ago, explained that the ward kept its air at negative pressure and that it was systematically replaced because of the possibility of "aerosolisation" of particles.

Thousands of miles away in Kenema's government hospital , the contrast could not be more different – few resources and little dignity existed for the dying and convalescing patients.

Pooley says: "Those wards A and B when I first started were pretty grim. Corpses, blood, the place was really dirty – people just dying in quite unpleasant ways. When I first started there were not enough materials, there was no running water, no sheets or towels to clean a patient with. They might be incontinent, they are often confused, so you can imagine, with diarrhoea and vomiting, patients get in horrible condition.

"When I first started there was not a thing that you could use to help them. You'd just have to improvise, find a way of cleaning them and try and find something to cover them with."

[Will Pooley in Sierra Leone]

Will Pooley in Sierra Leone, pictured some of the people he helped nurse to recovery. Photograph: Michael Duff for the Guardian
Death can be swift. He felt safe in his personal protective equipment (PPE) but frightened because the infection was liable to be anywhere. His first sign of illness was a sore throat. Overnight he developed aches, a headache and felt "pretty rough" but still went to work. That afternoon he was tested and he went home to await the results.

"I went to sleep and then later when it was dark I woke to [see] Ian Crozier, a wonderful doctor who is working with the World Health Organisation, out there. I woke to his voice and his voice was muffled, and when I saw he was wearing PPE I knew it was bad news.

"He was saying to me the kind of stuff I said to patients myself loads and only ever half believed. He was saying to me 'you are young, you are strong, you are going to be fine' – and it's amazing how that can reassure you."

Behind the scenes Crozier and others worked furiously on the evacuation. Two American doctors had already been airlifted out of the region. At 4 o'clock the following morning, the foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, and the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, talked. At 6am the evacuation was confirmed. By 10am Mepham was preparing for his trip to Freetown.

Pooley still had not told his parents, delaying it until the evacuation was in progress. "Telling mum and dad about having Ebola was just horrible. It was definitely the worst thing of it all."

His father, Robin, recalls the conversation, during his cousin's wedding breakfast. "I think he said 'dad, I've got it'. I said 'you mean?' and he said 'Ebola' and there was a long pause after that."

Pooley says: "They had loads of support from the Foreign Office and things like that but it doesn't take away from the fact that I had just told them I had a 50% chance of not surviving."

He did not think a lot about "the death thing", he says. "My fear of the symptoms was perhaps worse than the fear of the death. Working in the hospital, seeing the way people die. Even here with the amazing care you get here you could still die a very horrible death."

His father coped by going into "emotional lock down". His mother said she could not let herself feel pessimistic. Buoyed by the "magnificent" treatment at the Royal Free, they gained comfort from two doctors who had worked with their son in Kenema, and from Hunt who spent an hour with them at the Royal Free.

"He brought the prime minister's warmest words with him" said Mr Pooley. "He was very supportive and warm." Robin Pooley says. "I think we did mention the fact it's not about us and it's not about Will, it's about what's happening out there [in west Africa]."

Pooley says he has been touched by the cards and children's drawings he has had from the public. A Sierra Leone family went to the hospital to give him children's drawings and thank him; another sent 50 red roses to his house, joking that he now needed to find a "Salone" (Sierra Leonean) wife.

question: What virus did William Pooley survive?

answer: Ebola.

question: What country is William Pooley planning to return to?

answer: Sierra Leone.

question: Which world leaders did William Pooley call upon to do more about the virus?

answer: Barack Obama and David Cameron.

question: What was significant about Pooley's case?

answer: He was the first Briton to contract the virus.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The article discusses the case of William Pooley, the first Briton to contract the Ebola virus, and his intention to return to the country of Sierra Leone to help fight the outbreak.


text:
[Nov/Dec Sale - Facebook Specials]

[]

[Sacral or Sexual Chakra]

[]

Your Sacral Chakra is the home of your creative and sexual energies, it is dedicated to your relationships to people and circumstances, pro-creation - your ability to nurture and give birth to the seeds of life - and to your exploring of many forms of sacred union such as:

-   your yin-yang balance including the sacred masculine/feminine dance,
-   your conscious sensuality,
-   and your sexuality.

Your sacral or sexual chakra is positioned close to your Muladhara (root chakra) and acts as your energy storage center.

It is from this chakra that your energy gets distributed throughout your whole chakra energy system. All available energy is pumped from the base of your spine all the way up through your subtle energy system to your brain, keeping your brain young, vibrant, and nourished.

Your sacral chakra also relates to issues of power in the external world - specifically, your financial and sexual power as well as your power in terms of business and social interactions.

Your sacral chakra is also associated with your expression of desire, intimacy and sensual connections, the undisturbed flow of your emotions and the expression of your feelings.

It is also a very sacred and powerful place to _MANIFEST YOUR DREAMS AND DESIRES_, as well as work through your fears and boundaries.

As it’s directly related to your relationships, your creativity, pro-creation, sexual energy and virility, it makes total sense that an open sacral chakra means you are able to feel, emotionally or physically, connect to others, emotionally and physically and generally be open to the world, to manifest your desires, and to ‘let go’.

  [Reminder]Because your Sacral Chakra is vital to your experience of pleasure and infinitely important in the development of your creativity, your passion, your joy, and enthusiasm, ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME THAT YOU LEARN HOW TO DIRECT AND HARNESS THIS ENERGY?

Sexuality Is More Than Pro-Creation...

Your sexual chakra only starts developing around your 8th birthday and becomes active around the time you reach puberty. During this time your imagination develops, your body ready's itself for pro-creating, you develop body awareness and become more aware of the opposite sex.

The female sexual organs are located here; giving her sexuality a more emotional feel than the male’s physically grounded sexuality.

When two people make love the energy from their sex chakras mix. Two people, who really love each other, create a fantastic aura around them when making love.

Awakening the sacral chakra can affect the sex drive dramatically, either positively or negatively. In each case the effects are normally short-lived and stabilize as the energies settle.

You Deserve Pleasure...

There are so many things that bring pleasure in your life which again brings us to your second chakra as it deals with PLEASURE in all its manifestations for instance:

-   playing,
-   sex,
-   creating,
-   reading,
-   travelling to name but a few.

Own the pleasure that is yours because a lack of pleasure can lead you to so many unpleasant experiences from bad moods and depression to becoming insensitive and feeling lifeless.

_REMEMBER WEAKNESSES IN THIS CHAKRA CAN SABOTAGE YOUR LIFE... make your second chakra an ally, learn to balance and connect to your sacral chakra and you will also become intimately acquainted with your root, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye and crown chakras. FINALLY... CREATE THE LIFE YOU DESERVE..._

  ------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Location            Midway between the pubis and the navel about 5cm (2 inches) below the navel - Chakra Charts available here.
  Sanskrit Name       Svadhisthana meaning "sweetness" or "one's own abode".
  Function            Pleasure, sexuality, procreation, creativity, emotions, desire, self-gratification, relationships, intimacy, sharing, sensations, appetite, movement, imagination, the unconscious.I DESERVE PLEASURE , I FEEL and I WANT.
  Angels/Archangels   Archangel Chamuel (relationships), angels of birth and Archangel Gabriel.
  Endocrine System    Ovaries, gonads (testicles).
  Physical Organs     Reproductive organs, kidneys, bladder, circulation system.
  Body Parts          Large intestine, genitals, lower back, hips, uterus, lower digestive organs, prostate, urinary tract, lower back.
  Malfunction         Impotence, frigidity, uterine, bladder or kidney trouble.
  Sense               Taste.
  Color               Orange - uncover the full spectrum of Healing with Color.
  New Color           Indigo - Unlimited Manifestation.
  Gemstones           Carnelian, Orange Calcite, Sunstone, Red Tiger's Eye - to learn more about Crystal Healing see "The Power of Quartz - A Course in Healing with Crystals.
  ------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sacral Chakra Things To Do...

-   Express your creativity.
-   Dance.
-   Move your hips.
-   Laugh.
-   Have some fun.
-   Click here for Sacral Chakra Affirmation to be repeated 15 times once or twice a day.

When this chakra awakens it brings increased powers of intuition. It is also said to bring awareness of the astral form.

Sacral Chakra Video

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question: What is the Sacral Chakra?

answer: The home of one's creative and sexual energies.

question: Where is the sacral chakra?

answer: It is positioned close to the Muladhara (root chakra) and acts as the energy storage center.

question: What can awakening the sacral chakra affect?

answer: Dramatically affects sex drive.

question: Summarize how awakening one's sacral chakra helps.

answer: Awakening this chakra helps bring increased powers of intuition and also helps express your creativity, dance, laugh and overall fun.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer:
The author writes a post on the Sacral Chakra. It is described as the home of one's creative and sexual energies.
Author goes on to explain that it is from this chakra that one's energy gets distributed throughout the whole chakra energy system.


text:
I’ve always tried my best.  Unfortunately my best never seems to be  good enough.  Story of my life.  Another job interview, another rejection.  What do they want?   Some kind of superhuman?  Who can do everything better than anyone for half the pay?  Since when does an entry level job involve five years experience?  Fucking ridiculous is what it is!  Taking advantage of the wee man because they know they can get away with it, taking skilled workers down on their luck who need to work but offering them shoddy wages.  “we’re in a recession you know”, they say, and damn happy they are about it too the fuckers.  A prime opportunity to fuck the average worker out of full wages.  Five years experience for an entry level job?  Pah!  Maybe the bankers did it on purpose to keep the little man in his place.

This time though, the interview was doomed from the start.  From the moment I walked in I knew it.  There were three of them.  All sat behind a desk in raised chairs and immaculate suits, I swear I could smell the smarminess oozing off of them.  You know the type, the sense of entitlement, the little private smiles as they look down on you in the purposely chosen shitty chair to automatically deny you any psychological edge.  They want you down there, looking up at them pleading for a job, it helps their egos to know that they have this power over you, the power to give you a leg up.  A way back in.  Part of the team buddy.

I hate them.

Like I said, there was three of them sat there, with the big boss in the middle.  He hasn’t even looked up as I’ve came in and sat in the only chair, I’m kept waiting, looking like a douche as I wait because I don’t want to stop smiling until I’ve at least made eye contact.  Finally, he looks up, still not saying anything as he examines me like a side a beef in a butcher shop.
Boss:  “Mr Carrick, I’ll cut to the chase.  I’ve pretty much made up my mind who I want for this job but figure I have to go through with the rest of this charade now it’s started.  So, you have 2 minutes to convince me why I should disregard my choice and choose you.”

What the fuck?

I mean, what the actual fuck?  This isn’t how it works.  He’s meant to ask me standard but mundane questions about my background, give me scenarios and ask what I’d do if put in a certain situation where I can answer with the same bullshit as everyone else and add buzz words like team player, responsible, enthusiastic and all that shite.  This isn’t how it works.

All this goes through my head in a split second as I try not to get all flustered.  I’m fucked.  I haven’t prepared for this scenario and in realising this I can’t help but see the genius in it.  Whether he’s telling the truth or not doesn’t matter, this is a test, a proper test to see how I react under pressure.  Touché old man, touché.
Me:  “I must admit, I definitely was not prepared for that.  I appreciate the honesty and with that in mind rather than tell you why you should disregard your choice for me, I’ll tell you why you shouldn’t.
Now, I’m unemployed at the moment and need to get back to work.  I’ve been for many interviews and after today will go for many more.  I have no particular desire to work for you and your company, no burning passion or shared vision or all that other crap people will have been telling you all day.  I just need a job and you have a vacancy in a field in which I’m capable, not only am I capable, I’m damn fucking good.  I like what I do and I do it well.  I lost my previous job due to “downsizing” and since then have met lots of people in the same position.  If I want to go back to work I have to take a major pay cut for doing more work just for the privilege of working.

I am willing to take that hit.

A job for me is something which helps sustain my lifestyle, my job is not my lifestyle.  I enjoy it but that’s not the point I’m making.  To be perfectly frank, and I’m sorry if I offend you but, I am sick and tired of this whole charade.  Interview after interview, being judged on whether I’m the right sort, the right fit for the company.  I’m already at a disadvantage, there are three of you and one of me, you are behind a desk and on raised chairs to give the impression of seniority.  What chance do I have when you have all the power?  You tell me you’ve made your choice, that’s great, why the hell am I here then?  All you’ll have is somebody who can excel in this environment better, maybe a better CV or better experience but I can guarantee that they are the same as me.  Somebody who just needs the work.  Now I could never promise that I’d be the best damn appointment you ever make but I can tell you that if you do go with me, and are fair with me, then I will do the job to the best of my ability.  I will work to deadlines and go that extra mile if I feel it’s warranted but what I won’t do is give up my life for you, become a slave to the wage so you can make a profit.  Be fair with me and treat me like a real person and I will do whatever is asked, treat me like an autobot and you can shove the job up your arse.

Been great talking at you, I’ll see myself out.”

So, that’s another potential employer I can score off the list.  Fuck sake, it’s getting quite desperate.  Maybe have to bite the bullet and take a bar job or, god forbid, a call centre job.  Fuck.  Four years out of university and already been made redundant, after purposely getting a sensible degree in computing.  “computers are the future” they said, “always be work in that industry”.  Just a pity everybody else had the same idea.  Maybe should have fucked off abroad after getting laid off, blown it all on cocktails and exotic girls.

Fuck it, time to get drunk.

title: Time to get drunk.

question: What is the overall emotion the reader can get from the narrator?

answer: A sense of despair and desperation.

question: What does the narrator think about managers and middle-managers in general?

answer: The narrator assumes most of them are private-school educated and arrogant. He hates them.


text:
The NYE BLOCK, also known as the JOHNSON LANDMARK BUILDING, was a historic commercial building at Main and Railroad Streets in Johnson, Vermont. Built in 1868, it was an elaborate example of Second Empire architecture, occupying a prominent position in the town center. It was destroyed by an arsonist in 1986. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[1]

Description and history

The Nye Block stood prominently in the center of the village of Johnson, at the southwest corner of Main and Railroad Streets. It was a long 2-1/2 story wood-frame structure, capped with a mansard roof that provided a full third floor in the attic. The building physically dominated the area, as it was the tallest and most ornately decorated structure in the downtown. Its main facade faced Main Street, and it extended over along Railroad Street, its rear section decreasing in width due to the curvature of the road. The mansard roof had a bracketed cornice at both the steep and shallow-angled portions, and windows recessed into it. An ornate porch extended across the front and partially along the left side, and there was a recessed porch bay midway along the long left side.[2]

The block was built in 1868-69 by Leonard Knight, a local businessman, as a speculative venture in anticipation of the railroad being routed nearby. It was at the time of its construction the most ornate building in the town, and was rare in the state as a particularly good example of vernacular Second Empire architecture.[3] It was destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1986; the building had stood vacant for some time, and rehabilitation possibilities had been under discussion in the town.

[1]

[2]  with

[3]

title: Nye Block

question: Is the Nye Block still standing?

answer: No, it was destroyed by an arsonist in 1986.

question: What architectural style was the building built in?

answer: Second Empire.

question: Who built the building?

answer: Leonard Knight, a local businessman.

question: Describe the roof of the building.

answer: The building had a mansard roof that provided a full third floor in the attic. It had a bracketed cornice at both the steep and shallow-angled portions, and windows recessed into it.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The text is about the Nye Block (also called Johnson Landmark Building), a historic commercial building in Johnson, Vermont. It was built in 1968, and it was destroyed by an arsonist in 1986. It was an example of vernacular Second Empire architecture.


text:
DAVID MICHAEL VOBORA (born April 8, 1986) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams with the final pick (252nd overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft, earning him the title of Mr. Irrelevant. He played college football for the Idaho Vandals of the Western Athletic Conference.

Early years

Vobora is a 2004 graduate of Churchill High School in Eugene, and was the team captain as a junior and senior and played linebacker, quarterback, and running back. He was honorable mention All-Midwestern league quarterback as a senior. He was a second team all-conference linebacker as a junior and an honorable mention all-conference linebacker as a sophomore. He was also an honorable mention basketball player as a senior.

College career

In 45 games at Idaho, Vobora started 33 and ranks sixth in school history with 341 tackles (209 solo), including three sacks, 28 stops for losses. He recovered three fumbles and caused six others. He also intercepted two passes and had five pass deflections. As a senior in 2007, Vobora was All-WAC for the second consecutive season, and led Idaho in tackles with 148 (59 solo) and had a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery. As a junior in 2006, he was first-team All-WAC after leading the Vandals with 134 tackles (101 solo, 33 assists) and 15.5 tackles-for-loss and four passes defensed, two sacks, two forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries and one interception. In 2005, he played in all 11 games and started six and finished with 43 total tackles (32 solo and 11 assists) with six tackles-for-loss and forced three fumbles and had two fumble recoveries. As a true freshman in 2004 he played in all 12 games (started three) and made 17 total tackles (12 solo, five assists). Vobora played for three head coaches (Nick Holt, Dennis Erickson, & Robb Akey) in his four seasons at Idaho, and did not redshirt.

Professional career

Pre-draft

  ------------------------------------------------------- -------- -------------- --------------- --------------- --------- --------- --------- ------------------ ------- -----------
  _Pre-draft measureables_
  Height
  |6-1 *
  _* represents NFL Combine_ **represents Idaho Pro Day
  ------------------------------------------------------- -------- -------------- --------------- --------------- --------- --------- --------- ------------------ ------- -----------

335-pound bench press. 330-pound power clean.

St. Louis Rams

On July 22, 2008, Vobora agreed to a three-year, $1.24 million contract with the Rams. After final cuts on August 30, Vobora and Kansas City's Ryan Succop were the only Mr. Irrelevants to make the roster of the team that drafted them in the 2000s.[1] His stay on the roster lasted only one game, as he was waived two days after the season opener to make room for Eddie Kennison on September 9, moved to the Rams' practice squad.[2]

Vobora remained on the Rams' practice squad until November 4, when he was promoted to the active roster after wide receivers Drew Bennett and Dante Hall were placed on injured reserve.[3]

On November 30, Vobora made his first career start at linebacker in the game against the Miami Dolphins. This was the first time a Mr. Irrelevant started in a game during his rookie season in 14 years, not since Marty Moore started four games for the New England Patriots in 1994.[4] Vobora compiled five total tackles in the game, which tied for the second-best effort in team tackles, but the Rams lost 16–12.[5]

Vobora was named the starting strongside linebacker for the 2009 season.[6] On September 30, 2009, he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy. Vobora stated that he would sue the company that produced the supplement he took, because it contained substances that were not listed on the label. Vobora's agent, Marc Lillibridge, conceded “(The supplement) was not on the list of officially sanctioned products, and ultimately a player is responsible for anything he puts in his body.”[7] On June 20, 2011, Vobora's lawyer announced that a federal judge ruled against the company and awarded Vobora $5.4 million.[8]

The Rams released Vobora on August 12, 2011.[9]

Seattle Seahawks

Vobora signed with the Seattle Seahawks on August 22, 2011,[10] but was waived two weeks later on September 4. He re-signed with Seattle on October 4.[11]

Post League

Upon retiring from the NFL in 2012, David opened Performance Vault Inc. in Dallas, TX, a sports performance training center for elite athletes and U.S. Special Forces.

In September 2014, Vobora founded the Adaptive Training Foundation. ATF is a 501(c)3 non-profit with a mission “to empower the human athlete, restore hope through movement, and redefine the limits of individuals with disabilities.”[12] ATF provides free personalized physical training programs for injured veterans and people living with disabilities. Participants in this nine-week program receive a training regimen that is customized for their fitness goals and specific disabilities.[13]

As a professional speaker, David now speaks to audiences across the country about seeing beyond the daily grind, moving past mediocrity, and tapping into deeper potential.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

title: David Vobora

question: Summarize Churchill High School's football program.

question: Summarize Vobora's link with performance enhancing drugs.

answer: Vobora was named as starting strongside linebacker for the St. Louis Rams in 2009. During this season he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy. Vobora held that the supplement contained substances that were not listed on the label, however the supplement was not on the list of officially sanctioned products. In 2010 a federal court ruled in his favor against the company and awarded him damages.

question: What does the text say about Mr. Irrelevant?

answer: Mr. Irrelevant is drafted last in the NFL and is not expected to be chosen for the roster. Vobora was one of only two Mr. Irrelevants to make the roster of the team that drafted them in the 2000's. His stay on the roster lasted only one game however, after which he was moved to the practice squad. Later in the season he started in the game against the Miami Dolphins, becoming the first Mr. Irrelevant to start in 14 years. He performed well in the game and earned a starting spot the following season.

question: Summarize the attributes of a good linebacker.

answer: The number of tackles a linebacker performs is documented, including if they were performed solo or as an assist and if they were sacks or stops for losses. The number of fumbles a linebacker recovered and caused is also important. Additionally, the number of passes intercepted as well as the number of pass deflections can add value to every team. A ratio is also calculated between number of tackles and the loss of yardage, the greater the ratio the more effective the linebacker.


text:
SAYRAN (, _Saıran_) is a man-made lake and reservoir in Almaty, Kazakhstan.[1] During a 2011 summary meeting mayor of Almaty Akhmetzhan Yessimov announced that an oceanarium may be constructed at the lake.[2]

On the northwest corner of the lake is the Sayran bus station, while on the southeast corner is the Sayran metro station.

[1] https://vlast.kz/gorod/18118-ozero-sajran-ozero-evolucii.html

[2] Oceanarium could be constructed at Sayran lake in Almaty 13 february 2012, 14:04 "Oceanarium will be built at Sayran lake in Almaty, Tengrinews.kz reports. Akhmetzhan Yessimov, Akim (Mayor) of Almaty city, said this during a 2011 summary meeting with the citizens of the city on February 8, Tengrinews.kz reports. "

title: Sayran Lake

question: Where is Sayran?

answer: Sayran is a man-made lake and reservoir.

question: Why was Sayran constructed?

answer: Unclear, but it seems that its intended purpose was to be an oceanarium.

question: What is an oceanarium?

answer: Not answered.

question: What is located next to Sayran?

answer: Northwest of Sayran is a bus station, and southeast of it is the Sayran metro station.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This article describes Sayran, a man-made lake located in Almaty, Kazakhstan.


text:
SAINT-GEORGES-DE-CLARENCEVILLE is a municipality in the province of Quebec, Canada, located in the Regional County Municipality of Le Haut-Richelieu. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 1,106.

History

Originally owned by France the area was named Seigneurie de Foucault and settled by the French after 1727. The land was transferred to British rule after the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783. The area was leased to Colonel Henry Caldwell in 1774 and called Caldwell's Manor, then sold in 1842 to Joseph Frederic Allard and renamed Allard's Manor. In 1822 the name was changed to its current name Saint Georges de Clarenceville, briefly Clarenceville. [1]

Demographics

Population

Language

  Canada Census Mother Tongue - Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville, Quebec[2]
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ----------- -- ------- ------- -------- -- ------- ------- -------- -- ------- ------- ------- -- ------- ------- -------
  Census
  Year

[1] http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~macfie/clarenceville.htm

[2]

title: Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville, Quebec

question: Where is Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville located?

answer: Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville is a municipality in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is located

question: What is the population of the municipality?

answer: As of 2006, the population was 1106.

question: What language do the individuals living the area speak?

answer: Not answered.

question: How large is the area?

answer: Not answered.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville is a municipality in the province of Quebec, Canada. As of 2006, the population of the area was 1106.


text:
_THE ARTIST_ () was an illustrated Russian magazine on theatre, music, literature and fine arts published in Moscow in 1889-1895. It was coming out monthly but only during the theatre seasons, from September till April. The playwright, translator and theatre critic Fyodor Kumanin was the journal's founder, publisher and originally its editor (N.N. Novikov held the post in 1894-1895). Another important figure instrumental with the launching of this biggest theatrical publication in Russia was Sergey Yuriev.[1]

In 1891 the magazine started to publish two supplements, _Dnevnik Artista_ (Artist's Diary) and _Teatralnaya Biblioteka_ (Theatre Library, continued up until 1898).[2]

Among the authors who contributed to the magazine regularly were professors Nikolai Storozhenko, Alexey Veselovsky, Nikolai Tikhonravov, dramatists and journalists Anton Chekhov, Vladimir Korolenko, Nestor Kotlyarevsky, Alexander Yuzhin, Alexey Pleshcheyev, Pyotr Boborykin, Kazimir Barantsevich, Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, Nikolai Leskov, Viktor Goltsev, Ippolit Shpazhinsky, Andrey Sirotinin, composers Pyotr Chaykovsky, César Cui, Eduard Napravnik, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, artists Abram Arkhipov, Sergei Vinogradov, Nikolai Klodt, Mikhail Nesterov, Vasily Polenov, Ilya Repin, Konstantin Trutovsky, actors Prov Sadovsky and Alexander Lensky.

The magazine strongly supported The Mighty Handful as well as The Society of Art and Literature formed by Konstantin Stanislavski, Fyodor Komissarzhevsky, Aleksandr Fedotov and Fyodor Sollogub in 1888.[3]

[1] «Артист» на портале словарей русского языка «Словцо»

[2] Russian Theatre Press of the 19th Century. _Борзенко, Виктор_. Русские театральные журналы и газеты XIX века. Журнал «Наше наследие».

[3]

title: The Artist (Russian magazine)

question: What is "The Artist"?

answer: The Artist was an illustrated Russian magazine on theatre, music, literature, and fine arts published in Moscow in 1889-1895.

question: What was the publication schedule of The Artist magazine?

answer: The magazine came out monthly but only during the theatre seasons, from September to April.

question: Name the three instrumental figures behind The Artist.

answer: Fyodor Kumanin (founder, publisher, and original editor), N.N. Novikov, and Sergey Yuriev

question: List five authors of different backgrounds who regularly contributed to the magazine.

answer:
- Nikolai Storozhenko (professor)
- Anton Chekhov (dramatist and journalist)
- César Cui (composer)
- Mikhail Nesterov (artist)
- Prov Sadovsky (actor)

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: The Artist was an illustrated Russian magazine on theatre, music, literature, and fine arts published in Moscow in 1889-1895. The magazine came out monthly but only during the theatre seasons, from September to April. Founded by playwright, translator, and theatre critic Fyodor Kumanin, "The Artist" featured regular contributions by authors from different backgrounds, including professors, composers, artists, actors, dramatists, and journalists. The magazine strongly supported The Mighty Handful as well as The Society of Art and Literature formed by Konstantin Stanislavski, Fyodor Komissarzhevsky, Aleksandr Fedotov, and Fyodor Sollogub in 1888.


text:
**A short story I submitted to the Smithsonian Magazine's Last Page humor section, before discovering that section had been discontinued. Hope its good for at least a chuckle.**

Whilst out on a joyride last week, I was struck by how ineffective and inaccurate many of our road signs are.  Take “Blind Person Area”, for example: The sign is there to warn drivers that there may be a pedestrian in the area that is unable to see traffic as it passes, and care should be taken. The implication seems to be that, without the sign, I would simply run over any pedestrians I found wandering in the path of my car. I assure the authority for the erection of road signs, whoever they may be, that I have always operated under the assumption that I needed to stop for any and all individuals attempting to occupy the space soon to be filled by my automobile.

Road signs can not only be unhelpful, but they can be downright confusing. Apparently whatever factory is in charge of churning out these signs does not, in the year 2011, have the ability to spray paint a comma or period on to any of their works of art. While out driving I am sometimes warned that I am entering an area with “SLOW CHILDREN AT PLAY.” I presume that these slow moving children present more of an obstacle than their faster moving counterparts. I don’t know about other drivers, but when I’m warned of this situation I get out of the area as quickly as I can.

We also have the new favorite of hyper-vigilant parents everywhere: the small plastic man holding an orange flag. Sometimes this strange little creature will be holding a sign that warns drivers to “Drive 25 to Keep Our Kids Alive”. These disturbing little messengers may do a good job alerting drivers to the presence of children but I must warn you, dear reader, they are nearly impossible to remove from a wheel well.

In my part of the country drivers are presented with signs bearing the ominous warning of “LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT” and “FALLING ROCK ZONE.” In either case I am uncertain what I, as a responsible driver, should be doing to avoid these bringers of certain death from above. I always roll down my window, lean my head outside the car, and keep a watchful eye on the sky for any signs of tumbling chunks of granite or crop dusters attempting to land on my ragtop. I have not decided what it is I am to do in the case of either but immediate panic and violent thrashing seems to be my most likely response.

The number of road signs has precipitously increased in the last ten or twenty years, and I imagine the sign painting industry must be a growth market. If I am not being warned that my “Speed is Checked by Aircraft”, I am being informed by an ominous blue eye that the area is a “Neighborhood Watch Zone.” I must say aesthetically I miss the less-cluttered look of the roadways of yore. There were two signs, “Yield” (whatever that means) and the trusty old “STOP”, an instruction directed at locals.

title: Ineffective, Inaccurate and Incorrect Signage

question: Why does the author find many road signs to be ineffective and inaccurate?

answer: The author feels that without the sign, the implication is that a driver would simply run over a pedestrian, which they find to be untrue.

question: Explain why the author believes the sign painting industry to be a growth market.

answer: The number of road signs has increased in the last ten or twenty years.

question: How does the author feel about road sigs?

answer: The author feels road signs can be unhelpful and confusing.

question: What causes the author to feel immediate panic?

answer: Signs such as "low flying aircraft" and "falling rock zone"

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The author explains that most road signs are actually ineffective, inaccurate or simply incorrect uses. The author believes that as a responsible driver, one should be avoiding the scenarios in the warnings. In most cases, the signs are unhelpful and confusing.