text:
We’ve Got 10,000 Reasons

Why You Should Study Agriculture

As part of Farm Credit’s centennial celebration, the Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement is kicking off a new scholarship program. We’ll be awarding 10 scholarships worth $10,000 each to students planning to pursue a career in agriculture.

YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY – A TOTAL OF $100,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS WILL GO DIRECTLY TO LOCAL STUDENTS!

Not sure if you fit the bill? _There’s more to agriculture than farming._

Check out our video to learn about the bright future that lies ahead for the ag industry, and find out if you could be part of the _#OTHERSIDEOFAG_.

[540]

Interested In Applying?

The Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement is offering scholarships to high school seniors or those currently enrolled in a two or four year higher education program, with plans to pursue a career in agriculture. This doesn’t have to mean you’re planning to be a farmer – this also includes food scientists, veterinarians, ag teachers, or maybe even a Farm Credit loan officer!

_In order to be eligible, you must reside in MidAtlantic Farm Credit’s territory, made up of the following states/counties: Delaware, Maryland (Baltimore, Carroll, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, Worcester), Pennsylvania (Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lebanon, Lancaster, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill), Virginia (Accomack, Clarke, Frederick, Northampton, Page, Shenandoah, Warren), or West Virginia (Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan)._

Our 2021 scholarship application is open now through January 8, 2021.

*THE APPLICATION FOR THIS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE ONLINE.

question: What is the purpose of this post?

answer: This post is an advertisement for 10 scholarships each worth $10,000 from the Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement.

question: Who are the scholarships for?

answer: The scholarships are for high school seniors or students currently enrolled in a two or four year higher education program who are interested in studying a career in agriculture.

question: Beyond studying to be a farmer, what other agricultural options does the article include?

answer: food scientists, veterinarians, ag teachers, or Farm Credit loan officer.

question: Where do eligible applicants need to reside?

answer: The MidAtlantic Farm Credit territory.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This post is an advertisement for 10 scholarships each worth $10,000 from the Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement. The scholarships are for high school seniors or students currently enrolled in a two or four year higher education program who are interested in studying a career in agriculture.


split: train

text:
When I was a teenager (which was only a few years ago, if you know what I mean) I used to chill the bush that surrounded my house with a bunch of my mates. You have to understand, this was Kiwi (aka New Zealand) bush. It's not nice open space between trees, with grass and pine needles covering the ground. Instead the trees are dense and close together, vines growing over the wet slippery clay - as there is virtually no top soil.

Anyways me and my mates would usually kick back a couple beers, and occasionally goof around in someone else's property while the owners were away. More than once we got chased off by some freackin mongrel mutt that fancied taking a bite out of our arses. But that never discouraged us, as we'd just go another property the next time. We were the lords of the land. At least that's we thought, until everything changed.

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, and the end of our last year in high school was in sight. In celebration of this I bought a couple of extra packets of beer to our chillout that afternoon. Time started to pass quickly, as it  always does when you're having a good time, and before I knew it - it was almost time for everyone to go their seperate ways. Just as the first of us were getting ready to leave, someone yelled out "Hold up guys. Let's not leave yet. Let's go to someone's property."

The voice belonged to Maria, the hottest and at the time most intoxicated girl in our group. She was a straight up gorgeous platinum blonde that wore usually only tanks tops and short shorts, which fitted her curvaceous figure like a glove.
"We've done them all" replied my best friend and wingman, Matt Caerdon "It's just boring now."
Loud discussion broke out amongst the group, everyone wanting to voice their own opinion on the subject. But amongst all the noise and discussion, it was the quietest voice amongst the group that caused everyone to be silent. A quiet voice that uttered only five words

"We haven't done the Mansion."

The silence hovered over us all for what seemed like an eternity as we all contemplated the idea. You see "the Mansion", as we called it, was a large mansion (who would have guessed) at the furtherest edge of the bush. Not only did it physically look daunting, but getting there was even more daunting as  you had to cross a small bog and then climb a very inclined slope that was crammed with trees reaching up to the sky above. Only a couple of us had ever bothered to do it before, but none of us had trespassed there before. Funnily enough, the Mansion had always seemed a too grand and proper of a place to goof around, or at least to me it did.

The silence was broken as Maria raised her beer bottle and let out a massive "Hellz yeah!". Not everyone was as keen on the idea though. Randy, the usually quiet nerd of the group, and the one who had originally suggested the idea too, was unusually vocal in his support for the idea.         *Maybe he's finally trying to get his chance with Maria*, I thought. The Maori twins (as I called them), Aroha and Tane, were in favour of it  as well, along with Hayato (the foreign exchange student) and Matt Caerdon.

The rest of us, including me, were undecided on it - with a few completely against it. So in the end it was put to a vote, with the majority getting their way and the rest had to tag along. The votes were cast. Hands shot up and down in favour of the different options, but it soon became clear that only one option was ever going to win.

It was settled. We were going to the Mansion.

__________________________________________________

To be honest the trip there was quite uneventful. Sure some of us slipped over due to the slimey clay and got their arses dirty. Others somehow managed to find the deepest part of the bog, sinking past their knees into the dirty filthy water. Squeamish Maria even managed to convince Randy to piggy back her across the bog, though me and Matt were really hoping that Randy would trip, sending them both face first into the bog. I would have loved to have seen that. Anyways, we all crossed the bog eventually, and after a decent amount of hiking up the steep inclined hill, we made it. We all stood under the cover of the manuka trees that bordered the edge of the bush, drinking in the sight that lay before us.

Perfectly mown grass lawns stretched before us, intercepted by what looked like to be vegetable and flower gardens, and behind that - the Mansion. To be honest, it truly was a mansion in every sense. There was a massive tiled courtyard that surrounded the main entrance, decorated with tables, chairs  and even barbecues in a perfectly symmetrical design. All the doors and the frames of the windows and sliding doors appeared to be made out of solid mahogany wood, which in turn colour complemented both the tiled courtyard and the rest of the house's exterior walls. There seemed to be so many windows, that I never even tried to guess how many rooms lay within. All in all, I'd say that the Mansion covered at least 600 meters squared, if not more.

I remember it was Kate who made the first move. She must have stepped forth, her feet scrunching the perfectly trimmed grass, but to me it had always seemed like that girl glided on the air. The way she moved and turned...a dancing angel in our midst. The way that she flicked her long black curls, causing the sunlight to frame those deep blue eyes. Eyes that seemed to dance and smile whenever I saw them. She was my dream girl.

Kate turned around, surprised that no one had followed suit. "Come on guys" she giggled "Last one there buys next week's beer!" And with that, she raced off in a sprint towards the Mansion. That definitely did the trick. Within a matter of seconds we were all sprinting over the grass lawns, none of us wanting our wallets to be lighter next week.
Out of the eleven of us that sprinted across the imaginary finish line and onto the tiled courtyard,  it was Hayato and Patricia who tied for last place. "I guess that means we're having the double the amount of free beer next week!" I shouted to both of them, giving Matt a sneaky wink at the same time. Hayato immediately started cursing in Japanese, very unhappy at such a thought - which only caused us to break into fits of giggles and laughter.
                                                                                "It's okay Hayato" I called back to him, struggling not to break in laughter again. "We don't drink that much...". That proved to be to be the last straw, as we all burst laughing again, the truth usually being far from that. Laughter is thankfully infectious and it was only a matter of seconds before Hayato was laughing alongside us, our lungs gasping for air.

"Well, I guess no one is home, or we would know by now I think" proclaimed Randy, pushing his ever slipping glasses back onto his nose. "He's got a point, guys" replied Tane " If there was, we would have been chased off by now by some guy with an air rifle, or some stupid freackin son of a-"

Tane was suddenly interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream that came from behind us. We all turned around, startled and freaked out by the terror that the scream had expressed.

It was Maria.

She was standing rigidly still. Her body frozen in fear. Her mouth still open, as if her bloodcurdling scream had frozen in her throat. Her eyes leaking tears. Her right arm stretched out, pointing with a trembling hand. Pointing at one of the many sliding doors of the mansion.

Time slowed as my eyes followed her trembling pointing hand, hoping this was all some sick prank. But what I saw still haunts me to this very day. Leaking down the glass sliding door was two bloody handprints. Two long bloody handprints that seemed like they had been clawing at the glass.

"Girl...." Maria gasped.
"There was a little girl there."

**Edit :** *Not sure if we are allowed to put in selfish plugs, but if you'd like read anymore of my writing - you can check it out over on /r/ComposerofWords*

title: The Mansion [Parts 1 & 2]

question: Who are the main characters of the story?

answer: The narrator, Maria, Matt, Randy, Aroha, Tane, Hayato, Kate, Patricia

question: Where does the story take place?

answer: New Zealand.

question: Why do they want to go to the Mansion?

answer: They haven't broken into the Mansion yet and it's a challenge to get there.

question: What happened when they got to the mansion?

answer: Maria screamed and pointed to one of the doors that had bloody handprints, claiming she saw a girl inside the house.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer: A group of high school teens in New Zealand who break into other people's properties to drink beer and hang out run out of homes to goof off in. They decide to go to the Mansion, a location they have not been to. It is a large house at the furthest edge of the brush, past a bog and up a steep slope. Finally, arriving at the mansion, they see a massive courtyard, flower gardens, and perfectly mowed grass. The Mansion itself looks grand, with mahogany doors and many windows. Suddenly, they hear Maria's bloodcurdling scream and freak out when they see her pointing at one of the sliding doors, which has two bloody handprints that appear like they have been clawing at the glass. Maria claims to see a little girl inside the Mansion.


text:
Since summer is ending I thought I would post a little something that I did when I was younger and had fun doing. I'm new to this so please any feedback is welcome!

"Move, move, move!" yelled my brother. "Too dangerous!" I yelled back, just as a flying ball of mud splattered on the ground next to me. Close call. Peaking my head over the mound of dirt, I noticed my neighbor, aka enemy #1, run out of his hiding spot and into the open. "Shoot!" I screamed as loud as an eight-year-old can scream. Grabbing the tin pot that was laying on the ground, I plopped it on top of my head and stood up. Spat, spat, spat! Little orange projectiles shot out from my Nerf gun. Almost all fell short of it's target except one. Soaring through the air the little missile hit it's target right in the center of enemy #1's chest. "Bullseye!" I screamed in victory, but the war was not over yet. My brother and I slowly made our way to the enemies base by army crawling through the thick grass. Looking at each other quickly, he and I split up. I going right and he going left. I continued to make my way towards the enemy base. It was quiet...too quiet. I quickly ducked and rolled behind a tree (more like stumbled, fell, and then rolled) as the enemy home base came into my sight. I quickly peaked over towards my brother to see him waiting for my call. I scan the area quickly and notice enemy #2 sitting quietly playing with some sort of device. 'Wait a second!' I thought, as a took another peak. "Hey!" I yelled, I started making my way towards her. "We're playing army not dolls!" I said. My brother noticing the same thing came out of cover to stand next to me. "I am playing army!" enemy #2 said. "No you're not!" I said as I put my hands on my hips ready to scold her. "Uh huh!!" she said as she pulled out a little toy pistol. Quickly shooting off two rounds at my brother and I, each hitting it's mark. "Pow, pow! Game over!" she cheered.

title: Summer Childhood

question: Who were the narrator and his brother playing war games with?

answer: Their neighbor.

question: What distracted the narrator from his game

answer: He noticed his other competitor was playing with a doll.

question: How did enemy #2 outsmart the narrator?

answer: She pretended to be playing with a doll.

question: What is the relationship between enemy #1 and enemy #2?

answer: They seem to be siblings, just like the narrator and his brother.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator is engaged in a warfare game with his brother and their neighbors play the rival team. The narrator succeeds in shooting enemy #1 with a toy gun in the chest. As they continue, the narrator notices enemy #2 is playing with a doll. He gets distracted by her action and attempts to scold her. It turns out she used that as a decoy to distract the narrator and his brother, and she succeeds in shooting them both with her toy gun.


text:
And you think dragons don’t exist?  You know, I’m going to have to have words with that teacher of yours.  Imagine telling you an outrageous lie like that.  Next you’ll be telling me you don’t believe in unicorns either.

Of course dragons exist.  What do you think keeps the inside of volcanoes so hot?  Back when the Norse, Celtic, Greek and Roman gods were around there were no such things as matches and lighters.  Who do you think it was that lit their cigars and ceremonial fires?  Dragons, of course.  Special dragons that they kept for just such an occasion.  The use of animals for household use wasn’t invented for The Flintstones, you know.

I recognise that look on your face.  But dad, you are wondering, if dragons do actually exist, where do they live?  They don’t live in Britain.  Well, as far as you know.

You know that we’ve explored most of the world.  Well, there are some places that you think are uninhabitable, but that’s just for humans.      Other creatures can live in these places.  Let’s see.  Pixies and faeries live on a group of islands in the Federated States of Micronesia.  I believe that unicorns, seeing as I mentioned them before, are from somewhere near Papua New Guinea.

And dragons?

Well, they live on an island, shaped like a claw, just off the coast of Greenland.  That may surprise you, given that they breathe fire, but it’s because of that.  The fire they breathe lives inside them and they get kind of hot.  So they need to live somewhere cold to compensate for that.  The fire acts as central heating for their bodies.

Forget what you’ve read about dragons.  Some of it is true, such as the fire breathing, and the descriptions are generally right, but they are not the evil creatures you may well imagine them to be.  They are actually nice and helpful.  Of course, you get some that are bad natured, as with any creature, but on the most part they like humans.  Some of them power the furnaces in Santa’s workshop.

Sadly, they can be destructive.  It’s not deliberate, just because of the fire thing.  The great fire of London is rumoured to have been started by a dragon that was flying overhead at the time and sneezed at the wrong moment.  Volcano eruptions are supposed to be the result of a dragon dying.  I happen to know that’s what causes forest fires, but even they can be useful.  It can help keep the forest from spreading too much without needing to cut down the trees.  They are only a problem if they threaten human habitats.

Humans can see them.  Humans have.  Looking out the window of a plane, usually late at night.  Glimpsing up to the sky.  The reason it’s not more widely reported is because of people like your teacher.  They can’t believe they actually saw it so they pretend it’s something else.

There you have it.  I will ask you not to reveal this conversation to your teacher, because I’m not sure she’ll actually be too happy with me.  Just as long as you know the truth.

title: Hic Suc Dracones

question: What does the author try to state exists?

answer: Dragons

question: Where does the author state dragons live?

answer: On an island, just off the coast of Greenland

question: How does the author describe dragons' behaviorisms?

answer: The author says dragons are nice and helpful, but can be destructive but not intentionally.

question: Why does the author not ask the child to tell their teacher about this conversation?

answer: Because dragons do not exist and the child's teacher would get mad at them.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The author explains that dragons do exist and creates a story about where they live and their behaviorisms and how humans can see them. But in the end, the author tells the child not to tell their teacher about this conversation.


text:
Phoenix Saga
1.Descent
It appears.

A fireball streaks across the calm blue midday skies.

The careening mass of exotic metals plummets towards the land below, unchecked and unhindered as it continues to fall from above like a spear thrown by an unknown deity.

A portion of the behemothic object splits from the main section, a perfect sphere detaches and is instantly whipped away by the aerodynamic differentials of resistance.
The larger hulk continues unabated and unashamedly towards the ground, seemingly striving to impact the earth below, wrathing as it falls at its displeasure of being pulled from the space above.

After the initial deceleration, the smaller sphere had continued to slow its horizontal speed settling into an unabashed downwards plummet before a strange hue of crimson white engulfs its underside. It grows in intensity but not in ferocity, to the point where the colours of reality below the object appear warped and changed and with their doing so the spheroid slowly but surely begins to slow.

With a sound like the very implosion of the concept of noise itself, the first gargantuan mass drove into the ground, rending it apart as if it were barely there, the resultant wave of energy blew apart the nearby terrain into a collection of maddeningly dancing debris which flew out across vast distances. Movement, energy, chaos, cataclysm. Silence.

The impact wave slammed against the birthed round craft but to behold its affects it seemed as if nowt but a breeze blew against the obsidian construct and it continued simply downwards, slower and slower still until it was not far from this planet’s surface, calmly touching down finally some kilometres from the impact crater just recently hewn by the juggernaut antecedent.

The underside’s saturation lessens and lessens until no distortion of the norm is visible, for a brief moment all is at peace and is still. Then, suddenly, veins of light begin to run across channels in the seemingly perfect spheres actually dimensional surface, rivers of thin whiteness race across its plains changing direction as they meet and collide, some coalescing, some negating each other in destruction. Finally the dance finishes and all is still once more.

Minutes pass and fast become hours of number before occurrence anew. From no visible cracks in the vessels surface a section outlines and slowly lowers at a pivot to the sandy floor, dust is moved up and into swirls as it does so and a single foot defiantly plants itself upon the barren ground. They are awake.

title: Phoenix Saga - pt1- Descent

question: What is happening?

answer: An asteroid or a meteor?

question: How many balls are there?

answer: Two, it seems.

question: Does either of them strike the planet?

answer: Yes, one does.

question: What are the "vessels" in the last paragraph?

answer: The text doesn't explore that.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: Two asteroids or meteors circle a planet, break the atmosphere, and at least one hits the planet.


text:
So far the information I can find comes from non-icelandic sources, but this one and the one below looks at some of the myths being spread about iceland. (In one of the authors own words, there is some myth-making going on here)

Iceland: successful recovery and the non-bail-out banking myth

[Link]
"In this heroic story that’s going around in the world, Iceland didn’t let the debt of private banks migrate from the private to the public sector. I wish this was true but it isn’t. Not quite.

In the Emergency Act, passed on Oct 6, 2008, there was a provision for helping the Icelandic building societies (similar to the German ‘Sparkassen’). This was later done. Also, the Government helped two banks, VBS and Saga Capital.

[...]Together with support to Saga Capital, the Icelandic Government helped these two banks with almost 3% of GDP 2009.

In the Icelandic IMF programme, ISK25bn (€15.5m) was set aside to fix the building societies. Out of ten remaining societies, five have been saved by the state. If the cost of saving these banks and a few others are all added it, the amount is over ISK70bn (€43.6m). By adding the cost of saving Sjova, an insurance company, and ILS, the state mortgage company, this bail-out sum rises to ISK118bn (€73.6m) – and that amounts to 7,7% of GDP, not a trivial sum.

[...]

The worst thing is that there doesn’t seem to be any policy in all this bail-out activity. Saving VBS was clear and pure madness and amounted to throwing ISK26bn into the North Atlantic. There might very well be some good reasons to save some of the building societies but there just doesn’t seem to be any clear policy. The Government hasn’t made it clear if all the remaining 10 societies, out of which the state now is a stakeholder in 5, should be run as now, should be merged into one or into a few larger ones.

All in all, Iceland has some ISK200bn (€124.7m)at risk in the banking system, ca 14% of GDP. So here is the correct version of bank bail-outs in Iceland: the Icelandic Government at the time couldn’t save the three largest banks – but a lot of the undergrowth in the financial system has been saved. And it’s not clear why or what the policy is."

An Alternative View Of 'Iceland's Recovery'

[Link]
"[..]
The Movement asserted “the conference itself is at the core of a massive public relations effort by the government of Iceland and is part of a setup in order to convey to the world the achievements of the Icelandic government.” In addition, it is described how the participants in the conference are embarking on “vast program of misleading information, half-truths and deception about the health of Iceland’s financial sector.”

The Movement then details how the Government’s policies to combat the housing crisis have not worked. “One of (the policies) is a write-down of mortgages to 110% of the estimated value of the home. Because of underlying inflation and the consumer price -indexing of mortgages, says Movement MP and economist Thor Saari, these mortgages very quickly increased again to 120% and then to 130% of the estimated home value, requiring repeated attempts to reach the 110% level. The conference addressed this claim, offering up a suggested 70% figure instead of 110%. They then discussed the solvency of households.

On monetary policy, the financial sector and the currency, The Movement suggested that the dynamics around making “this facade of economic recovery as the economy is basically being rebuilt on the same hollow ground and with the same rotten wood that led to the crash”. They also included that “the architect of the previous monetary policy that worked so disastrously is now the Governor of the Central Bank and is advocating a return to the old policy with a slight twist of some bells and whistles that look dubious at the best. His assistant, the Deputy Governor was the Central Bank’s chief economist in the years prior to and during the Crash, never uttering a word publicly about the disastrous policy or upcoming problems. Most of the same staff as before is still at the CB, which by the way became insolvent during the crash.”
"

All in all it appears the picture isn't as rosy and as romantic as some writers are putting it.

question: Summarize all the information relating to the Icelandic banking crisis.

answer: Iceland passed an Emergency Act in October 2008 to help Icelandic building societies whether the financial crisis. After this the government bailed out two banks with almost 3% of GDP in 2009. There is no policy visible directing the bail-outs and the actions to be taken afterward. Iceland is on its way to another banking crisis due to the economy being rebuilt on hollow ground by the same people that were part of the initial problem.

question: Summarize the alternative view of Iceland Recovery.

answer: The assertion is made that it is the result of a massive public relations effort by the Icelandic government about the health of Iceland's financial sector. In addition to this, it is asserted that the way the Icelandic government is combatting the housing crisis is also not working. Lastly, it posits that the economy is being rebuilt by the same people that allowed it to crash leading to worries that it will meet the same end.

question: What is the relationship between the Icelandic government and the building societies?

answer: The Icelandic government made provision to help Icelandic building societies. ISK25bn was set aside to fix the building societies, five of the ten remaining building societies have been saved by the state. The author notes that there might be good reasons to save the building societies, but there is no clear policy surrounding this. There is also no clear indication of the way forward.

question: What is 'The Movement'?

answer: 'The Movement' is a conference that presents an alternative view of Iceland's recovery. It asserts that the Icelandic government is busy with a public relations campaign to project that the Icelandic financial sector is healthy, when it isn't. It predicts the same end due to the economy being rebuilt on the same hollow ground.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: This post posits that the Icelandic banking crisis bail-out being successful is a PR campaign with far-reaching consequences. It indicates that policy did not govern the initial bail-outs of the building societies and banks. It also points to the fact that the economy is being rebuilt on hollow ground.


text:
“Given the chance, I’d have given my life for you.”

“Do you not fear death?”

“I do not fear death; I fear what it will do to those I leave behind.”

“Surely that is not the reason for such a noble offer?”

“I admit, my greatest fear is that of being the one left behind.”

“Does it not get hot under the masks you wear?”

“Just as hot as it does under yours, my dear.”

A single shot is heard, two pistols fall to the floor.

title: Masks. [<100 Words]

question: How many people are speaking in this story.

answer: There are 2 people exchanging words.

question: How are the two characters related?

answer: Though not stated explicitly, it would appear the two characters have had a strong bond in the past.

question: Which character is killed at the end of the story?

answer: It is unclear, and this appears to be the intention of the story.

question: What do the masks represent in the story?

answer: Unclear, the masks seem to be a metaphor for the lies the characters are telling themselves.


text:
A getter is a substance introduced into a vacuum tube to remove traces of gas.

GETTER may also refer to:

-   Getter, a term used in object-oriented programming, also known as accessor
-   Getter Robo, fictional robot
-   Getter (name), Estonian feminine given name
-   Getter (DJ), American DJ

title: Getter (disambiguation)

question: What is a getter?

answer: A getter is a substance introduced into a vacuum tube to remove traces of gas.

question: What else does getter mean?

answer: Getter may also refer to a term used in object-oriented programming, also known as an accessor.

question: What is a Geter Robo?

answer: Getter Robo is a fictional robot.

question: Whom is the name Getter given to?

answer: Getter is an Estonian feminine given name.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: A Wikipedia page on the meaning of a Getter.


text:
The League of Lions

Chapter 1: A strange meeting

Five sea lions gathered on a rock after their daily routine of basking in the sun, getting their tan on and their swim for them tasty-tasty fishes.

This was no ordinary meaning, though.  As we may imagine our president pacing the halls of the White House banging his head on the  walls making scummy decisions with his senior officials, we see these 5 rulers of the sea.

"Well, what have we done wit dem damn walruses?!!!!" screamed Jeff.

"They're gone, sir," peeped a seagull as it hastily made way to the scrumptious crusties laying on Jeff's tail-fin. "This is true symbiosis, you sea lions have conquered all of the seas, and that's basically 80% of Earth anyway. I think we also haves chance at Jupiters moon too, I heard they got some water too. SASHA SQUAAAAK, you know that I'm right."

Sasha cleared his throat with the piece of salmon tail he got caught in his windpipe, he thanked god for finally releasing him of that pesky tail  as he spoke, "Mountain Goat Max has confirmed with me that the puny seagull has spoken truth, for once, we have won. At the only cost of those walruses, those damn idiots should have been dead anyway though, it's their own fault for getting lost in Bermuda."

 "They probably just got lost with one of those hookers down there, you know how playing with fire goes..." Gabe (Lion #3) butted in.

"Indeed so," Jeff said. "I heard that one of those little school fish touched the butt and that poor little sucker got taken on some damn journey. Moral of the story: you want to play hookey, you're going to get hooked."

Unnamed lions #4 & 5 had been waiting patiently, but it was time, time to move on. They both began, "Onto the serious business guys, we better talk the talk, we do have an issue here...."

To be continued....

Chapter 2: The serious business

title: First chapter of my short story about sea lions

question: Who got lost in Bermuda?

answer: It is implied that the walruses got lost but not sure.

question: Who is Sasha?

answer: One of five sea lions.

question: What did they win?

answer: It is implied that they conquered the seas.

question: What is the relationship between Mountain Goat Max and Sasha?

answer: This information can't be found.

question: Where is Sasha?

answer: He is on a rock.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Five sea lions gathered on a rock and are having a conversation with seagulls about how they conquered the seas. At one point they are prompted by one of the sea lions to move on to the serious business.


text:
The streetlights cast a forlorn light over the man, trudging slowly through the alleyway. His well-tailored suit, pristine shoes and immaculately coiffured hair gave the impression of success. The buildings on either side of the road loomed over him, their iron-shuttered shopfronts grinning at the man as he strode ever onward.  His colleagues called him arrogant, his CV talked of a “driven and determined personality”. He was Lucius Green, millionaire banker, tax avoider, and owner of the 3rd largest collection of Lamborghinis in the world. He didn’t like this part of town, he thought, as he zipped up his designer coat and looked warily over his shoulder.

“Save yourself!, for the day of the brother is almost upon us!”

A crazed and bedraggled old man shuffled up to Lucius, his eyes darting around inside his head like ants in a Petri dish. He was wearing nothing more than rags.

“Pardon?” Lucius answered, maintaining politeness while trying hard not to spit in the old fool’s face. He didn’t have time for this.

“The alignment has begun! Those in rags shall be saved, kings shall be overthrown! The riches of nations will turn to ruin! There will be no greater day than the day of the brother!”

The man began to shriek, flecks of phlegm hitting Lucius’ priceless clothing. “heed my words!” he screamed. Spooked, the banker began to run. He hailed a taxi and was back in the leafy womb of Knightsbridge, or “civilization” as he called it, in no time.

Lucius woke up and lazily pawed through his smartphone’s news app.  It was the usual mix of tragedy in the Middle East and governmental incompetence at home. But something caught his eye.

“Reports are surfacing that the King of Tonga, Tupou VI, has been deposed and killed at his extravagant palace by a mob of dissidents. Their motive remains unknown.”

*Kings shall be overthrown…*

A coincidence, surely. Lucius put down his phone and rolled out of bed. Another long day of making millions in the City awaited him, and all of it would go straight to his offshore account in…

“Tonga…” he said aloud.

*The riches of nations will turn to ruin…*

Another coincidence, surely.

Lucius strolled through the marble and glass hallways of his building, and was at his desk in seconds. He checked his email, informing him of his ever-larger bank balance.

Life was good.

Until the phone rang.

“Mr Green, I am calling from Brother Capital. It seems that due to the unforeseen circumstances in Tonga, your account has been frozen, and therefore you will not be able to use any of your assets”

The man down the line had a grey, monotonous voice. He was not someone to start an argument with.

Lucius slowly put down the phone.

*The riches of nations will turn to ruin….*

Did the old man have a point?

Brother Capital…

“Don’t be such a bloody fool!” Lucius barked at himself. Today was one of those days better spent on the deck of your yacht.

He was just unlucky that his account got frozen because of some political unrest in some unfathomably hot corner of the world… was he? He shook his head and turned on Bloomberg.

The colour red hit him first. Red arrows, pointing down, all across the bottom of the screen. His eyes widened in disbelief. The news anchor was frantic, trying to keep up with collapsing stocks across the world. NASDAQ, FTSE, DAX… all plummeting.

A single bead of sweat rolled down Lucius’ face. This was terminal. He had £60 million invested across the world, he was never going to get it all back…

Was there a way out?

*Those in rags shall be saved…*

*The riches of nations will turn to ruin…*

“He was right!”  “He was right!” Lucius sprinted out of the room, knocking two interns out of the way with frantic force. He spilled out of the building and onto the road, still screaming at the top of his lungs. He tore at his Ralph Lauren shirt and proclaimed to the sky:

“Save yourself! For the day of the brother is upon us!”

He was at once accosted by an angry taxi driver.

“You don’t understand! You’ll never understand!, It’s all over! The day is upon us!”

The ragged banker turned, and sprinted down an alleyway.

Daily Telegraph -6/4/13

**Stock Glitch Terrifies World**

A glitch in the international stock exchange system terrified the world’s bankers, and left many people believing they were destitute, it has emerged. The glitch, which lasted for two hours yesterday afternoon, saw stocks fall by 40% worldwide. The glitch is believed to be connected to various ‘hacktivist’ groups across the Internet. The IMF has assured the world that no money has been lost, and the current status of the world economy is one of “normality”.

The Times – 9/4/13

**Still No Sign Of Missing Banker**

THE missing banker, Lucius Green, has still not been found. Green went missing from the offices of RF Bank, in the City, during the technological meltdown that occurred on the 3rd of this month. Green is described as being approximately 180cm tall, with dark brown hair. His family has appealed for any information regarding his whereabouts.

Ealing Gazette – 17/9/13

**Mysterious “Brother” Graffiti Blights Local Community**

POLICE are appealing for information regarding the wave of vandalism that has occurred across the borough. The graffiti, which has been daubed on shop fronts and walls, speaks of “The day of the brother” and “the riches of nations will be lost”. Such vandalism carries a heavy sentence, and the Gazette wishes the Metropolitan Police the best of luck in catching the perpetrator.

title: The Day of the Brother

question: Summarize the plot twist in this story.

answer: Lucius is a banker who is warned by a mysterious man that the apocalypse is upon them. Nonplussed, Lucius opens his phone to discover a crash has rendered his millions of dollars unrecoverable-perhaps permanently. He freaks out and runs off. Then, as the subsequent news articles note, it turned out that there had been a glitch and the markets did not dip so suddenly and dramatically. There was no reason for Lucius to flip on and flee.

question: Summarize what became of Lucius Green.

question: What is the moral of this story?

answer: Considering Lucius' dramatic reaction to one singular phone call, it would seem the moral is to not always believe what you see. Perhaps it is to not take things at face value. Lucius is particularly impressionable, and ends up losing everything because of his immense fear of losing everything. In the end, there is an indication that Lucius has come to share some of the same characteristics of the man who warned him-the man he had laughed off as "crazy".


text:
Souls Covering Up

He comes home.
Takes off his suit.
It’s much too big on him.
It’s all tarnished and dusty from the day.
What a mess.
Someone should clean it, no?
It’s a damn good suit anyway.
Fancy embroidery of golden strings, stylish accessories, and expensive decorations.
Everyone notices the suit.
No choice.
So bright.
Compliments.
Lots of compliments.
Lots of envy.
So much envy.
Envy.
They’re threatened.
Too bad.
This suit was hard earned.
It’s different.
Few have one like it.
He dusts it off.
Dust comes off easy.
There are creases.
The fabric is strained, resilient.
Been through a lot. Ready for more.
He lounges.
Gray couch, sleek apartment.

Damn, this house is quiet.
I’m small and insignificant.
Everyone is the same size.
I can see by the body parts not covered by their suits.
They are neither larger nor smaller.
That suit used to look larger on me than it does today.
I guess it feels larger than it is.
I wish I didn’t have to take it off though, it really is such a nice suit.
How do everyone else’s suits fit so well on them?
It’s ok, my suit’s appearance makes up for the ill fit, people don’t notice.
I’ll grow into it eventually.
I did just notice that it feels bigger than it actually is.
I’m already growing.
I do feel alone.
Where is everyone?
Six billion suits walking around this rock, and I’m alone?
How is this possible?
If i remember correctly, their suits weren’t that much smaller than mine.
I guess they just weren’t as adorned, that’s why they didn’t stick out just as much.
No, No; the suits were definitely as large as mine.
I do miss the rainbow.
I’m alone here, and six billion are all gray; there is but one that is colorful.
There are a few that are a brilliant white, and they beam light.
But they are not rainbow.
Ah, well...
I’ll just be alone here for now.
It’s difficult beyond belief to travel these days.

Suddenly, the man hears a knock at his door. He is very pleasantly surprised and drifts off of the gray couch and levitates toward the door. He seldom heard knocking anymore, as people generally used the portal that links the city’s points of interest to residential areas and allows for ease of travel. Within the city, of course. Travel out of the city was, unfortunately, impossible at the moment.
It was a great delight to get a knock on the door. It meant an unexpected visitor. It meant a familiar face or an unfamiliar stranger that would prove to be an interesting character. He loved people visiting.
With a jolt, the man realized that he was fluttering to the door all naked! He brings his clean suit back from the hanger in the closet. He notes how strange it is putting it on, as it feels much tighter than it did when he took it off. He glances in his mirror. In front of a backdrop of his sleek, stylized gray apartment stands a beaming man in a suit that fits perfectly. He looks over himself, admiring just how gorgeous the suit is.
Before answering the door, in light of the looming presence of the ever more excited knocking coming from the door, the man glances out of the window. He remarks to himself aloud just how strange it is. He swears that he remembered that the other people’s suits fit perfectly. What he saw outside were small people in large suits. He considered his own deeply held belief that all people are the same size. Strange, of course, that just minutes ago he remembered seeing others in suits that fit better.
Ah, well that is all irrelevant for him. He flutters to the door, having hastily punched in a few commands to the controls of his apartment to put on tea. He opens the door, and his suit splits at the seams and falls off. This all happens so fast that by the time the rainbow flies into his apartment, he is once again naked.
Feeling embarrassed, the man averts his gaze and glances into the mirror.

Two souls locked in an embrace.

An untrained eye would not spot that they were naked, and the man only knew because he felt his suit burst and fall off. To an unsuspecting eye, these were two fully clothed, larger than average people in a loving embrace.
Having seen how appearances can fool, the man has a realization. He sees that he and the rainbow appear fully dressed, just like their suits look on the outside but they are actually bare. Their unclothed appearance looks just as if they were wearing suits.
He feels no loneliness anymore.

I find this serenity odd.
No thoughts buzzing.
I feel a deep contentment.
That’s interesting, my apartment is not actually gray, it is colorful!
But it’s not the style!
It’s ok, I like this better!
The color is coming from us!
My gosh, how I do feel warm inside, even without a suit on.
It was too small, anyways.
And how realistic my outer appearance looks, just like the suit.
Just like that body.
How many other souls are naked out there?
How many other souls don’t wear suits?
I, a soul, look just like a suit, the body.
I look even more real, if possible.
My beautiful rainbow is here.
I cannot believe it!
At last!
I find this serenity blissful!

Outside.
Men and women outside.
Souls dressed in suits.
Suits much too big.
Everyone.
If only their suits fit.
Just souls donning suits.
Souls donning human bodies.
Souls covering up.

title: "Souls Covering Up"- rough draft

question: What genre is this excerpt?

answer: A short stream-of-consciousness story

question: What's the general subject of the story?

answer: How our appearance doesn't necessarily reflect how we feel or identify ourselves

question: Who knocks on the door?

answer: The article lacks significant information to answer the question.

question: Why don't people normally knock on doors?

answer: They normally use portals.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: In this piece, the author utilizes the metaphor of a suit to discuss the difference between how people look outwardly and how they perceive themselves. The man in the story is visited by someone.


text:
JOHN HERSHAW (1912-unknown) from Ardeer, North Ayrshire was a Scottish international lawn bowler.[1]

Bowls career

Hershaw competed in the first World Bowls Championship in Kyeemagh, New South Wales, Australia in 1966 [2] and he won a silver medal in the singles at the championship.[3] He also won a silver medal in the team event (Leonard Trophy).[4]

He won the Scottish National Bowls Championships in 1965 and 1966 [5] [6] and subsequently won the singles at the British Isles Bowls Championships in 1966.[7]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

title: John Hershaw

question: Who was John Hershaw?

answer: Hershaw was a Scottish international lawn bowler.

question: When did his career begin?

answer: Hershaw's career began in 1966 in the World Bowls Championship in Kyeemagh.

question: When did he win the Scottish National Bowls Championships?

answer: He won the championship in 1965 and 1966.

question: What medals did he win?

answer: Hershaw won a silver medal in the singles at the World Bowls Championship.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer:
John Hershaw was a Scottish international lawn bowler. He took part in his first championship in 1966 at the World Bowls Championship in Kyeemagh. Hershaw won a silver medal in the singles in the same championship.

He won the Scottish National Bowls Championships in 1965 and 1966.


text:
I was six years old when Adelaide came to me.  That’s quite old, I suppose. She usually comes to you at three or four, if she comes at all.
I killed my parents when I was thirteen. Disabled the cellar door, trapped them in there for days until they turned on each other.
I thought Adelaide would forbid it, but she did nothing.
That’s important.
That’s where this began.

I was transferred to the AMI, the Adelaide Monitoring Institute, afterwards. They have many Laide here, as they call us, but I never see them. They keep me in seclusion while they monitor my behaviour, while they try to discover if the thing that calls itself Adelaide put me up to it.
They have wasted five years of their lives, keeping me a prisoner here. I could have told them the answer if they’d asked.
It was my idea.
Adelaide simply allowed it.

My gift grew quickly after Adelaide came to me. After she brought the buzz, the itch in your head. The unwelcome guest. The guest that repeats itself, that calls out “I am Adelaide” over and over and nothing more. All Laide hear it, and it’s how we named her. The call sparks something in the brain, and your gift comes.
I can see hate, feel rage. I can flare or dampen it as I see fit.
I don’t know how, so don’t ask.
I don’t know why, so don’t ask.
Like all Laide, my gift is random.

She’s been up there for close to three decades now, spinning in her metal shell. We’re no closer to understanding what she is now than we were when the she first appeared in our orbit. She still calls out her nonsense, offering her gifts to a chosen few.
They’ve sent ships, delegations, missiles. The metal that encases her denies them all.
Round and round she spins without end. “I am Adelaide. I am Adelaide” she calls in our heads.
Well fuck Adelaide, that’s what I say. I’m my own man, and always have been.

I didn’t kill my parents for fun, or for myself, whatever you think. It’s worth understanding that from the start. I got no pleasure from it. A few years older and I may have chosen someone else, but I was young and I used the tools I had.
I tried other things first. I screamed. I shouted. I beat my fists and face. I starved myself. I killed and ate a rat I found, then a cat I found in the street. There was no reaction, no acknowledgement. No end to the constant call.
“I am Adelaide, I am Adelaide.”
I learned long ago what all the scientists with their telescopes and listening equipment haven’t yet realised.
Adelaide is mad. She went mad long ago, long before she appeared in our skies. There is no motive, no reason behind the things she does, the gifts she gives. She does not care, she does not listen, she does not see. She doesn’t even know we exist.
I’ve spent my life trying to get a response out of Adelaide. Anything. Using the gift she gave me in the worst ways I could, until the day with the cellar door. Until the day I sat and listened as I made my parents tear themselves to shreds, while in my head all I heard was “I am Adelaide”.
She did nothing. She didn’t care.

Fuck Adelaide and fuck the AMI. I have been their prisoner for five years.
My demands are simple.
No one leaves. No one gets in. Not even you. You stay on the phone and you listen to me, but you come no closer. The AMI is mine.
Two.
I want you to take what happens here today and write it down. Every word I say, everything I’ve told you. I want them to know why this happened. Why this had to happen.
Three.
I can feel the Laide you have outside. He’s distant, but I can feel him trying to reach though. If you think that’s going to diffuse this situation, you’re stupider that they are. Get him gone.

Good. Now, listen while I tell you what I’m going to do.
There are many Laide here, prisoners, like me. I can feel them. I can feel their rage. I’m going to flare them. Every single one. I don’t know what their gifts are. How much damage they can do before you put them down. I don’t care. But maybe she will.

Fine. They can kill the lights. I don’t need them, I can still sense them.

I said no one gets in. You’re just making this worse for everyone. Now I have a facility full of Laide and frightened men with guns. I can feel them moving in the darkness. I know they are closing in on me.
Make them stop.
Now.

Alright. Have it your way.
This is for what they did to me. Adelaide, the AMI.

I can feel them, I can feel their rage building like a wave. I can feel them losing control. I feel men grip the triggers of their pistols and squeeze, screaming in fury. I feel Laide beating their heads against the walls of their cells. I feel this place begin to erupt, I feel…

…nothing. It’s gone.
I…my….
…what she gave to me, it’s gone. She took it back. She took it back!
I pushed her too far! Me! She saw me, she judged me, she…

I did it.

I..

<gunfire>

title: Adelaide

question: According to the passage, what is the purpose of AMI?

answer: The narrator started hearing voices belonging to a being named Adelaide when he was six years old. He killed his parents when he was thirteen. He got arrested for that crime and was kept in isolation at a place called the Adelaide Monitoring Institute (AMI). According to the narrator, the AMI is where the behaviors of those spoken to by Adelaide are monitored. According to the narrator, the AMI have sent ships, delegations, and missiles to Adelaide who appears to be living in the earth's orbit, all to no avail.


text:
Home → Products → Hansa 4731 Lion Male Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal

[Hansa 4731 Lion Male Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal]

[Hansa 4731 Lion Male Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal]

A NOTE ABOUT HANSA ARTISTRY: HANSA TRUE-TO-LIFE STUFFED ANIMALS ARE INDIVIDUALLY MADE BY HAND AND MAY HAVE SLIGHT VARIATIONS FROM THE PHOTOS SHOWN.

The Hansa Male Lion Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal is a 41.5 tall reproduction with an exceptionally strong, yet lightweight, frame that provides ride-on experiences for children of all ages (up to 150 pounds).

Hansa structural metal frames generally allow the animals to be poseable, as their heads can be turned to simulate movement.

The Hansa Male Lion Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal is from the Hansa Portraits in Nature Safari Collection of realistic stuffed animals. This is a line of individually handcrafted, heirloom-quality, plush reproductions of the worlds most loved animals. The Male Lion Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal dimensions are: Length: 55.25", Width: 17.75", Height: 41.5"

The Hansa Male Lion Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal and all Hansa plush stuffed animals are truly soft sculpture works of art. Artisans hand sew the animals "inside out", an old world tradition that results in the minimization of seams, and their bodies are carefully "sculpted" to create "musculature" and "features" like movement in a walking or sitting position that are unique to each creature. Stuffing emphasizes careful attention to the placement of the highest quality man-made materials.

The Hansa Male Lion Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal comes with its own Teaching Tag, describing in detail, the animal's habitat, life style, gestation period, care of young and eating habits.

The recommended age for Hansa plush stuffed animals is 3 and up to comply with ASTM93 safety standards.

How Hansa stuffed animals are constructed.

NOTE: PLEASE REPORT ANY DAMAGE WITHIN 5 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF YOUR HANSA STUFFED ANIMAL.

question: What is the main topic of the story?

answer: The posting is facts about the Hansa Male Lion Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal.

question: What are the animals made of?

answer: The frames are made of a poseable metal that allows the animals' heads to be turned.  They are plush "soft sculptures" of man-made materials.

question: Who is the target audience for this posting?

answer: This posting is targeted at people who buy the animals.

question: What is special about the animals?

answer: Artisans hand sew the animals to minimize seams. They come with a "teaching tag" which describes the animals habitat, life style, gestation period, care of young, and eating habits.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The posting is facts about the Hansa Male Lion Ride-On Plush Stuffed Animal. It describes how they are made.


text:
 May 4th, 2015
[Iron Man edition Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge]

_This is a fan created concept render and not the actual product_

Outside of a handful of Avenger style themes available in their Galaxy S6 Theme Store (and a brief Galaxy S6 cameo in the new Age of Ultron movie), Samsung hasn’t really done much with their Marvel partnership. But according to the South Korean press, Samsung could soon leverage it in new ways.

According to South Korean press, Samsung mobile marketing chief Lee Young-hee confirmed during a movie screening that they will be putting together an Iron Man edition Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge to tie-in with the movie’s release. It’s still too early to know exactly what they have in mind, but they did mention the color “red” will play a major part in the design. We can only hope they look as flashy as those fan-created renders someone put together a few weeks back.

The phone is due out sometime in June, so it’s still a ways out. Kinda odd that they waited until after the movie has been out for several weeks before jumping on this, but at least something is coming. For any comic-book nerds out there, you might wanna hold off on picking up a Galaxy S6 in the meantime. Don’t worry, the phone isn’t going anywhere.

[Korea Times]

question: What is the main topic of this article?

answer: This article is a fan-created concept of an Iron Man style Samsung phone.

question: When is the article from?

answer: May, 4th, 2015

question: Which model of phone is the article about?

answer: Galaxy S6

question: What is the publication that reported?

answer: The South Korean press.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This article is a fan-created concept of an Iron Man style Samsung phone.


text:
**Lake Town**

I stumble through the woods. I have gone days without eating, living off of the drops of dew that cling to the plants each morning. I trip over fallen tree after fallen tree, but still I pick myself up and keep walking, not knowing why I haven’t died yet, why I haven’t fallen and been unable to pick myself up. Each day I pray that I will find civilization. Each day I am disappointed.

I trip once again and let out what is either a sob or a hollow laugh. To think that I used to be a great leader. I used to have everything I could have ever asked for, all ruined because of that stupid war. The people in charge of the world went insane, murdering countless and ravaging many cities, including my own. Because of it I am now fated to stumble through the trees forever. I force myself up and promise to myself that I will be powerful again. I walk on for another 3 hours, then see something through the gaps in the trees. Could it be? I feel adrenaline course through me and I walks faster. It is. I did it. A house stands before me; it is in terrible condition, but it’s a house, and I can see more houses further on, and people walking around. I try to speak but no words come out only a strange gasp, and a woman hears me and screams and people start running about, and I fall to my knees as a man comes up to help me up but my knees have stopped working. The man is saying something to me, but everything is already going dark.

I remember waking up from time to time; the man is always there giving me soup or water, but I awaken for the final time on a cot in a tent. There is a different woman with a gun standing near me, staring at me suspiciously.
“What happened?” I manage to cough out.
“You collapsed outside our town.” The woman says. “You gave us a real fright, stumbling in like that. We thought you were one of the Ravagers.”
For the next hour the woman tells me all about how Lake Town had been there for a century or two, and how the only reason they survived was because people tended to avoid it; everyone thought it was cursed because the mayors keep dying each year.
“How do they die?” I ask.
“We don’t know.” The woman admits. “One day they’ll be there, the next day they’re gone.”

For the next few months I live peacefully in the town. I earn my keep by helping out with tasks such as farming, and I once tried to fish at the nearby lake for which Lake Town was named but could not catch a single fish. When I asked the mayor about it he just said;
“There’s no point in trying to fish there, even the most skilled fisherman has tried. We think that there must be some trash in it or something that is killing all the fish.”
So I continue farming, but I remember my promise out in the woods to regain my empire, and I begin to crave more power. I become very good friends with the mayor and get promoted to builder, then chief raider, then finally up to what the people called the “advisor”, who is the most powerful person in town other than the mayor himself. For a month I am happy, but I still want more power. I go down to the lake to think about what I should do. I go there often because of how peaceful it is away from the other townsfolk; I can’t hear or see anything from the town at all. I sit on the dock and stare at the water.
“How beautiful it is.” I say to myself. “So still, it’s like a mirror.” I stop. That gives me an idea. If no one can see in the lake, you could hide anything under the surface.
Anything.
I feel a smirk forming on my face and prepare my plan. I invite the mayor to come for a picnic at the lake, then knock him out with one of the cinder blocks from the town, and drag the him to the docks where I tie the block around his leg. Once I’m done, the mayor starts to wake up. A look of realization hits his face, our gazes lock and his lips form a scream but it’s too late, and the lake swallows him without a trace.
I feel guilt stab at my stomach but I push it away. I had just committed a perfect crime; no one saw or heard me, no one will find the body under the lake’s mirror-like surface, and no one will suspect me because they will all think it was the curse that whisked the mayor away.

I become the new mayor, and I live happily with the power that I have longed for for nearly seven months. Half of a year passes, and a new man wanders into Lake Town and collapses. At first everyone is suspicious of him, unsure if he can be trusted or if he is perhaps one of the Ravagers. But once he regains all his strength he proves himself by working hard as a farmer, and I can see a future for a hard worker like him higher up in the chain. I decide to promote the new man to builder, then chief raider, then finally advisor, and we become good friends. One day the new advisor excitedly told me he had caught a fish in the lake. I am shocked and ask him to show me where, so we rush to the lake and hop into a small wooden boat to row out to the middle.
“Where did you catch it?” I ask him again.
“Right over here.” The advisor points to a spot in the lake, so I lean over to look when I feel a sharp sting on the back of my head, and everything goes dark.

I awaken with my head hurting and everything looking fuzzy, but I think I can see the advisor sitting next to my leg. I try to move but is restrained by what looks like rope, and I can feel something heavy being tied to my leg.
A cinder block.
My blood runs cold as I realizes what is happening. The advisor and I lock gazes, and my lips start to form a scream, but it is too late, and the boat tips and cold water engulfs me. I panic and start thrashing about in the water, but I soon give up and let out a sob as the cinder block rests on the sand bottom. A current sways me back and forth as I slowly run out of air, and I feel something touch my leg. I look over to see algae with a skeleton trapped inside, some torn flesh and part of an eye still clinging to his bones, gently swaying along side me with a piece of algae touching my leg from time to time. I scream, causing me to swallow more water, and I look the other way hoping I will die without that horrible image in my mind. Instead I am greeted with more skeletons, each one looking more disgusting than the next. There are a about a hundred of them. And all of them have rope around their ankle.
All of them are tied to cinder blocks.

Thank you for reading! This is my first short story so I appreciate feedback. I want my writing to grow, so tell me what you liked/disliked and what you think would have made the story better!

title: Lake Town - (Thriller)

question: What did the narrator's rescuers initially mistake them for?

answer: One of the Ravagers

question: What's the name of the town where the narrator stays for a couple months to recuperate?

answer: Lake Town

question: What job does the narrator get?

answer: Mayor

question: Why does the advisor take the narrator to the lake?

answer: Initially, to go fishing, but the narrator discovers the advisor has vengeance on the brain.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator wakes up injured on the outskirts of Lake Town, not knowing where they are or who their rescuers are. Nursed back to health by a woman with a gun and some man, the narrator successfully keeps the narrator's secret-they've killed someone-and works on the farm in exchange for room and board. Eventually, the narrator becomes the mayor of Lake Town. One of their advisors takes them to the lake, where the advisor claims to have caught a fish. However, the advisor's intentions seem to be nefarious, as they try to kill the narrator.


text:
“DEVOUR” is a song by American rock band Shinedown. The song was released as the first single in promotion of the band's third studio album, _The Sound of Madness_. The track landed online and at multi-format rock radio outlets nationwide on May 5. As has been the case with other new singles by bands such as Disturbed, Theory of a Deadman, and Seether, “Devour” is so far Shinedown's fastest rising single to date, reaching the top five of the _Billboard_ Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in four weeks. In a No. 1 countdown interview, vocalist Brent Smith said that the single was “a letter to the President,” and that it is about Smith's distaste towards George W. Bush. It is their second No. 1 song on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Video

The music video to “Devour” is set in a music studio for most of the video, where the band is performing the song, with various stunts being shown throughout the video. At points during the video, the rail track in which the camera rolls on in order to get some of the shots going around the band and the dancers are visible.

At the beginning of the video, it shows the band setting up their instruments with periodic shots of a flag with Shinedown's previous “S” logo that was on their _Leave a Whisper_ album before cutting to the performance in the warehouse. These shots also join the other elements of the video during the bridge.

In addition to various camera effects (such as slow motion and certain filter effects that changes the appearance of the film), the video also periodically cuts to Brent Smith also singing the song without a band behind him in a different setting: In an ocean-blue background with several beads of water splashing around him. These shots begin to be shown once the first chorus of the song begins.

When the song ends, the band is shown from behind the drummer in slow motion, in which Barry Kerch is seen throwing his sticks into the air (they fall onto the snares), with the other band members walking away from the camera's position.

Licenses

-   “Devour” served as the theme song to World Wrestling Entertainment's pay-per-view event, Night of Champions, on June 29, 2008.
-   The single was also featured on ESPN throughout the 2008 major league baseball season.
-   Included on the soundtrack to EA Sports _Madden NFL 09_ video game.[1]
-   The song was released on July 22, 2008 for the video game _Rock Band_.[2] The song also appears as a downloadable track for _Guitar Hero 5_ part of the Shinedown Track Pack along with “Second Chance” and “Sound of Madness”.
-   The song is the theme song for _Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Island_.
-   The song was previously in Sound Choice's karaoke catalog (the first karaoke track of the song that was released), though it has recently been removed. No reason is given towards the removal (even though the site claims that the track had been removed from their catalog), giving the notion that its only a temporary removal and not a license issue. The Sound Choice CD in which the song appears (which also features Buckcherry's “Crazy Bitch”) is still available, however.
-   The song appears briefly at the beginning of _The Final Destination_ before the accident at the speedway. The lyrics of the song make a snide reference to events of the film (“it's your final hour”, “smash it and crash it”, “until you take us all”, “what a way to go”), relating to the car crash, and Death hunting after the survivors.

Chart performance

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Chart title                       | Peak                              |
|                                   | position (2008)                   |
+:==================================+:=================================:+
| _Billboard_ Hot Mainstream Rock   | 1                                 |
| Tracks                            |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| _Billboard_ Hot Modern Rock       | 13                                |
| Tracks                            |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| _Billboard_ Bubbling Under Hot    | 14                                |
| 100                               |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

[1]

[2] http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64551 An official post on the Rockband.com forums by a Harmonix employee announcing “Devour” as a July 22nd downloadable track.

title: Devour (song)

question: What does the article say about cinematographic editing and elements of the music video?

answer: Various stunts are performed throughout the video. At some points in the video, the rail track which the camera rolls on is visible. There are shots interspersed throughout the video that tie everything together. There are various camera effects such as slow motion and certain filter effects that change the appearance of the film. The drummer is shown in slow motion throwing his sticks in the air.


text:
STARFISH GREATHEARTS FOUNDATION is an international non-governmental organisation formed in response to the tragedy of children orphaned or left vulnerable by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa. Its mission is to help make a difference to the lives of these children through community-based organisations working at grassroots level. This enables individual communities to develop their own solutions to the challenges they face. As of January 2009, Starfish projects reach more than 36,000 children in 120 communities across South Africa.[1]

Starfish Greathearts Foundation is registered as a charity (1093862) and company (4528018) in the United Kingdom. Starfish Greathearts Foundation UK delivers development programmes through Starfish Greathearts Foundation South Africa, which is a non-profit organisation (039-447-NPO), Section 21 Company (2003/002865/08) and Public Benefit Organisation (930008639) in South Africa. Starfish launched Starfish Greathearts Foundation USA as a full-time office in New York in 2007 and also has a volunteer division in Canada.

Starfish Greathearts Foundation UK is a member of the UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development as well as the Fundraising Standards Board, a self-regulatory scheme to ensure best practice in fundraising.

Types of assistance

Crisis intervention

Starfish supports newly orphaned children, or those left to look after sick and dying parents, with food parcels to enable them to stay alive during times of crisis. The parcels typically contain maize meal, beans, peanut butter, sugar and salt to enable a family of four to survive for a month.

Emergency food parcels enable staff to build up a relationship with the children. The parcels are used as a short term tool to enable families and children to survive until they can be linked to a more secure and sustainable source of food such as vegetable gardening and government grants, in addition to long term support structures and social services.

School represents the one sustainable means of building independent and economically active lives for children.[2] As well as enabling orphaned children to apply for school fees exemption, Starfish projects crucially provide the necessary support around education such as the provision of school uniforms, shoes, stationery and books.

Working with communities

It is widely accepted, based on experience of organisations in South Africa and throughout the rest of the continent where large populations of AIDS orphans exist, that the best models of care for vulnerable and orphaned children are found within the children’s communities, not in institutions.[3]

For centuries, communities in Africa have helped neighbours in crisis. But the huge numbers of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in South Africa needing support mean that community groups require assistance to effectively care for children. Starfish Greathearts provides financial support and expertise to help community-based groups deliver best practice care and assistance to orphaned and vulnerable children. Starfish project partners provide:

-   Nutritional support
-   Day care and pre-school for infants and young children
-   Psychosocial care for traumatised children
-   Homework support for older children
-   Safe and caring environments in which children can play and socialise
-   Government grant facilitation for child headed households and foster care families
-   Caregivers giving direct support for child headed households until children can be linked to foster care families

Building sustainable capacity

There currently exists thousands of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) that work to support orphaned children and adults at risk due to HIV/AIDS. These organisations deliver a range of education and health support services. However, donors and the government are unable to work with these CBOs because they have no formal framework, infrastructures such as bank accounts, or non-profit organisation registration. Staff and volunteers require training and skills around budgeting and financial management, fundraising, business plans and codes of conduct. The majority of staff and volunteers have also received little or no training in regards to care of orphans and children's rights. Starfish works to increase the capacity and impact of these grassroots organisations through the provision of training and mentoring, empowering communities to respond to the needs of orphans in their area in the long term. The aim is to develop a large number of stable and well run CBOs capable of working with the government to ensure delivery of care, resources and services to children made orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The Starfish training and mentoring programme focuses on CBOs that have reached a certain level of development, and require a programme of training and support with a capacity building approach to achieve their full potential and output levels. Training includes orphan care, children's rights, bookkeeping and donor acquisition to enable the CBOs to become sustainable in the long term.

Fundraising highlights

Key income generating activities include:

CAMPAIGNS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT The supporter base of Starfish Greathearts Foundation is based on widespread support from individuals through donations and income generated through successful campaigns. The Dinners of Hope Campaign is the most popular ongoing campaign that Starfish has developed. It is simple in the fact that everyone has to eat and therefore everyone can participate in the campaign. The emphasis of this campaign brings to the table the chance to educate, communicate and fundraise with minimal input and optimal results. The concept is simple in that supporters are asked to host a meal for family, friends or colleagues and then ask guests for a donation rather than a contribution to the meal. The campaign also works as a powerful tool in promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and education at all levels. The campaign has mobilised more than 20,000 individuals and 120 corporations worldwide to participate.

CHARITABLE TRUST AND FOUNDATIONS SUPPORT Support from charitable trusts, foundations and development agencies constitutes an important part of maintaining the work of Starfish. The organisation has a track record of securing grants of varying sizes in the UK, USA and in South Africa. The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation donated over R1.2 million to Starfish in 2003 for key projects in KwaZulu-Natal, whilst more recently The Makro Foundation donated R240,000 towards children's educational needs in the Thandanani Programme.

In the UK, the charity is supported by more than 50 charitable trusts and foundations with grants ranging from £200 to more than £70,000 from organisations. Starfish has previously received statuory support from Isle of Man Government Overseas Aid Committee.

CORPORATE SUPPORT Corporate supporters globally has included Anglo American plc, BP, Coca-Cola, SABMiller plc, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Media, Virgin Megastores and Xstrata. Saracens Premiership Rugby Club, also known as Saracens F.C., are the latest major partner to lend their support to the charity having visited one of their projects in January 2009.

US PRESIDENT'S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF Much of the expansion of the charity's work in South Africa has only been possible through the support of the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, which has donated more than R30 million to date. In 2003, the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was launched to combat global HIV/AIDS – the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history.

[1] Starfish Greathearts Foundation. “Annual Report 2008”. Starfish United Kingdom.

[2]

[3]

title: Starfish Greathearts Foundation

question: What is the mission of the Starfish Greathearts Foundation?

answer: They aim to alleviate the tragedy of the orphaned children in the wake of the HIB/AIDS pandemic in South Africa.

question: What kind of actions does the organization take in pursuit of its mission?

answer: They support newly orphaned children, providing food and social services.

question: List the organization's fundraising activities.

answer: Campaign and community support, support from charitable foundations and organizations, corporate support, and the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS relief.

question: What countries does the foundation operate in?

answer: It mainly operates in South Africa. It's registered in the UK as well.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Starfish Greathearts Foundation is an international non-governmental organization aiming to alleviate the tragedy of the orphaned children in the wake of the HIB/AIDS pandemic in South Africa. They aim to make a difference in the children's lives through grassroots efforts, enabling individual communities to develop their own solutions. As of January 2009, they reach more than 36,000 children in 120 communities in South Africa.


text:
[]

Budgeting is a catalyst for business success. Having a budget allows businesses to grow, enhance their operations, and minimise the effects of any unexpected costs. As a result, businesses can thrive and find new opportunities in their markets and industries.

_WHAT IS A BUDGET?_ A budget is a financial plan that gives guidelines for spending and sets financial targets for businesses to achieve. Budgeting identifies current available capital, provides an estimate of expenditure, and anticipates incoming revenue.

To optimise business success, Select Training and Management Consultancy L.L.C. will deliver suggestions for monitoring and controlling a business’ budget.

MONITORING THE BUDGET

After assessing all of the financial details needed to create a business’ budget, it is important to _monitor_ the budget for optimal effectiveness. Giving other individuals responsibility over certain areas of the budget, (by department, business unit, project, etc.), is a great way to make sure that it is closely considered in day-to-day operations. Scheduling regular meetings to discuss budget details will also ensure that the budget is not only being considered, but is being discussed.

To make sure your business’ budget is on track, Select recommends the following:

1.  Collect figures as they become available.
2.  Compare actual numbers with budgeted amounts.
3.  Cite reasons for positive and negative variances.
4.  Classify reasons as a trend or unique incident.

After using the previous tips to monitor your business’ budget, below are some signs that it is on track:

1.  Variances are minor.
2.  The reasons for any variances are already known and predicted.
3.  The reason for a negative variance is due to a unique incident and not a trend.

BUDGETARY CONTROL USING VARIANCES

A _VARIANCE_ is the difference between actual and planned results. Variances may be favourable or adverse, depending on whether a good or bad thing has happened. The calculation of variances allows managers to better monitor the performance of their business. It allows the variances to be analysed, the reasons to be examined, and the decisions to be made. By using the variances, managers can produce more accurate budgets in the future, which will help with planning and control.

The following list of formulae show how to calculate different variances:

1. MATERIAL VARIANCES:

Material price variances may occur if a discount is given, a business found a cheaper supplier, or there has been an unexpected rise in prices.

_Material price variance = (budgeted price – actual price) x actual usage_

Material usage variances may occur because of careless work creating waste, inefficiency, or a machine breakdown.

_Material usage variance = (budgeted usage – actual usage) x budgeted price_

2. LABOUR VARIANCES:

Wage rate variances can be caused by the activities of trade unions, the supply of labour. and government regulations.

_Wage rate variance = (budgeted wage rate – actual wage rate) x actual hours_

Labour efficiency variances are affected by the productivity of the workers, training, and the reliability of the machinery used.

_Labour efficiency variance = (budgeted hours – actual hours) x budgeted wage_

3. SALES MARGIN VARIANCES:

Sales margin price variances may arise due to changes in market conditions or unplanned changes in prices.

_Sales margin price variance = (actual price – budgeted price) x actual sales_

Sales volume variances can occur for many reasons. Changes in consumer tastes, the action of competitors, and changes in marketing techniques are a few causes.

_Sales volume variance = (actual sales – budgeted sales) x budgeted price_

Follow us on our social media accounts and visit our website at www.selecttraining.ae

question: What are the main ideas allowing businesses to keep to their budgets?

answer: The setting up, monitoring, and constant discussion of the budget are critical. The responsibility should be given to many individuals to oversee and discuss. The discussions should follow the variances, the differences between the planned budget and actual spending.

question: What does the article say about discretionary spending?


text:
MATTHEW WELCH (born 1976) is an American bagpiper and composer.

Welch took a bachelor's in music at Simon Fraser University in Canada and then enrolled at Wesleyan University, where he studied under Anthony Braxton and Alvin Lucier.[1] He has released several CD albums and composed pieces both for bagpipe and for more traditional ensembles, exploring elements of free jazz and experimental music.[2][3]

Discography

-   _Ceol Nua_ (Leo, 2002)
-   _Hag at the Churn_ (Newsonic, 2003)
-   _Dream Tigers_ (Tzadik, 2005)
-   _Luminosity_ (Porter, 2009)
-   _Blarvuster_ (Tzadik, 2010)

[1] Biography at Allmusic

[2] Review, Allmusic

[3] Review: Matthew Welch Offers Ethereal Chamber Music at the Stone. _New York Times_, December 9, 2015.

title: Matthew Welch

question: How many albums did Matthew Welch release?

answer: He has five albums.

question: Which instruments does Matthew Welch play?

answer: Bagpipe.

question: What style of music did he perform?

answer: Free jazz and experimental.

question: How popular is he?

answer: While it's difficult to really answer this question, he at least has a Wikipedia page.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Matthew Welch (born 1976) is an American bagpiper and composer. He studied under Anthony Braxton and Alvin Lucier. He released several CD albums and composed pieces both for bagpipe and for more traditional ensembles, exploring free jazz and experimental music.


text:
"Look, do you want this stuff or not?"

"I dunno. Most of it isn't useful. I could probably only sell about a third of it."

"So how much will you pay for that third?"

"Honestly, not much. Like I said, it's not very useful stuff."

"How much? $100?"

"No, that's way too much. You could probably get that much, or maybe even more, if you sold it yourself, but I can't pay you that much. I need to make a profit off of this."

"I don't wanna go through the hassle of selling it all myself, that's why I am talking to you. How about $85?"
"Still too high for me."

"$75?"

"Why are you so eager to get rid of this stuff Mike?"

"I don't have room for it, I just need it gone."

"Don't have room for it? Mike, you have been in prison for 5 years. You just got out yesterday. I'm surprised that you even have this much stuff. Where did it come from? Did you have it in storage all of that time?"

"Don't worry about where it came from, just tell me if you want it."

"Are you alright man?"

"No, I'm not alright, I'm getting really annoyed with you. Do you or do you not want to buy this pile of crap? I'll even lower it to $65 if you just say yes right now."

"I need to know where these things came from. I can't be caught with stolen goods and I don't want to see you go back to jail."

"No, you don't need to know where these things came from. People don't come to your pawn shop looking for beautiful antiques with rich histories. They come because the items are cheap and there are no questions asked. Where I got this stuff shouldn't matter to you. Besides, even if this stuff is stolen, it's not like that has ever been an issue for you before."

"Okay fine, you're right, I have sold stolen goods before. But that is not the issue right now. What I want to know is if YOU stole these things."

"Why does it matter?"

"Because Mike, you're my friend. We grew up together. We both worked hard and we left home together and got away from that dead-end life. Don't throw it all away now. You just spent 5 years in jail for stealing. If you get caught again you will be in for a lot longer. We fought so hard to get off the reservation because everywhere we looked all we saw were old men sitting around just waiting to die. If you go back to jail you will be doing the exact same thing, just sitting around waiting for your time to come. Look, I need to know, did you steal that stuff?"

"$60?"

"Did. You. Steal it?"

"$55?"

"Answer me Mike"

"$50? Come on man, I really need the cash. Like you said, we're friends, we grew up together. I really need your help right now. Can you help me? Friend?"

"You did steal it, didn't you?"

"$50 is a good deal man. Look at this stuff in here. Some of this will be sold by tomorrow, and for a good price. Look. You could sell this ring alone for $40. Like you said, I could sell this stuff myself and make over $100, but I'm coming to you instead. Help me out with this man. You will easily get your money back."

"I can't do it Mike. I can't sell things that you've stolen"

"You never had a problem with it before! What's changed?! Are you scared? You saw me go to jail and now you think it will happen to you?"

"If I sell things that you have stolen then I am supporting your theft, and I can't do that."

"What, are you scared that if I get caught I will rat on you for reduced time? I would NEVER do that, and you know it! I didn't rat on you last time, and I went away for five years man, five years! You know me, you know I wouldn't say anything! I need some money and I am asking you, my friend, for help and all you can think about is yourself. All you can think about is 'selling stolen goods'."

"That's not what I mean Mike."

"Yeah? Then tell me, what do you mean?"

"If I sell things that you have stolen then I am just encouraging you to steal more. We have been down this road before and we saw how it ended. You were in prison for 5 years. How long do you think it will be next time? I can't do it Mike. I can't help you throw your life away. I won't sell anything that you have stolen."

"Yeah? well you know what? Don't worry about it. Don't worry about helping me, FRIEND. You don't have to worry about helping me throw my life away, because I won't be bothering you any more."

"Don't be like that Mike. You know I want to help you, but I won't do it in this way."

"No, really, don't worry about it. I guess I'll see you around some time."

That was the last time I spoke with Mike. Three weeks later he was caught by the police and sent back to jail. I guess he stole from some bad people, because on his second day in prison he was stabbed and killed. I guess, in the end, he succeeded. He didn't just sit around waiting to die, and that was all he ever really wanted.

title: Not a writer, but I decided to try a prompt from youshouldwrite.com just for fun. Tell me what you think. ~900 words

question: What is Mike selling?

answer: Possible stolen goods.

question: Why is Mike eager to sell his stuff?

answer: Because he stole them.

question: Why was the protagonist refusing to buy his things?

answer: The protagonist did not want to support his theft lifestyle.

question: What happened to Mike after their altercation?

answer: He was sent back to jail three weeks later and killed in prison.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Mike tries to sell stolen goods at the protagonist's pawnshop. The narrator interrogates him, asking him if he stole them then refuses to buy them when he realizes he did. Mike wonders why since this has never bothered the protagonist before, and the protagonist explains that he does not want to see Mike behind bars again. After he refuses to help him, three weeks later he hears Mike has been arrested again and killed in prison.


text:
February 26 2013 - 8:52AM

A Canadian tech company has created a data visualisation video showing a day in the life of Canberra's bus network.

The video shows each bus on the network as a tiny white dot moving like a tiny white ant around a darkened city.

The same techniques have been used by the company, Sumus Technology Limited (STL), to represent the public transport networks of its home city, Vancouver, as well as other big cities such as Berlin, New York and Sydney.

Canberra represents a big step down in visual intensity.

Beginning with the first week day buses at 5.30am, there are only a handful of dots spread out across vast parts of the city, growing to about 40 buses by 6am. As the morning goes on, the tiny moving lights grow to the hundreds, reaching a peak of 362 between 7.30-9am.

The numbers drop again during the workday before returning to that peak between 4.30pm-6pm.

The city's key transport routes are clearly visible, especially Northbourne Avenue, Parkes Way and Adelaide Avenue. Our roundabouts also feature prominently, including the biggest of all, Parliament House, and City Hill on the north side of the lake.

Occasionally a lone dot darts away from company to service a suburban route.

ACTION director James Roncon said beyond being just interesting to look at, the data visualisation had some practical use.

"It tells us where the spines of our network are, where the [bus] traffic is and it gives us the ability to see where the services might grow," he said.

"It also helps us see where we can straighten out some of those windier routes that aren't so popular and to improve what we can offer."

The Canadian company made the video using the General Transit Feed Specification data made available by ACTION.

Its videos for other big cities require different coloured lights to represent a variety of public transport.

In Canberra's case, white dots suffice, although in time light rail could lead to some more colour in the Canberra transport scramble.

Mr Roncon said he hoped Canberrans who looked at the video would see a service that was "having a go" in what is a difficult city to manage public transport.

"We'd like them to see that there is a route for everyone. We mightn't always be as quick as if you went by a car, but we're having a go and trying to service the city the best we can," he said.

question: What is the name of the Canadian tech company?

answer: Sumus Technology Limited (STL)

question: How many buses are on the road in Canberra between 7:30 - 9 am?

answer: 362

question: Name Canberra's key transport routes and roundabouts.

answer: Northbourne Avenue, Parkes Way, Adelaide Avenue, Parliament House, and City Hill.

question: Who is the ACTION director?

answer: James Roncon

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: According to a press release dated February 26, 2013, a Canadian tech company, Sumus Technology Limited (STL), has created a data visualization video showing a day in the life of Canberra's bus network. STL has been working with other big cities such as Vancouver, Berlin, Sydney, and New York to manage their public transport network. The video shows the numbers increasing and decreasing at certain times of the workday, covering Canberra's key transport routes, using ACTION's General Transit Feed Specification data. According to ACTION director James Roncon, the data visualization will help the city manage traffic better, thus improving public transport services for Canberrans.


text:
MAGDALENA HEYDEL (born 1969, known also as Magda Heydel) is a Polish philologist and translator. She graduated from Jagiellonian University in Cracow, with the degree of doctor of philology in 2001[1] and _doktor habilitowany_ in 2013.[2] She is now a lecturer at this same university.[3] Among her scholarly interests are Translation Stuides, comparative literature and literary criticism. She is editor-in-chief of _Przekładaniec. A Journal of Translation Studies_.[4] She is active in the field of literary translation, translating both poetry and prose. She translated many works by Joseph Conrad,[5] Virginia Woolf, Seamus Heaney, T.S. Eliot and Ted Hughes.[6][7]

Together with Piotr Bukowski, she edited two Translation Studies anthologies in Polish: Contemporary Transaltion Theories (2009).[8] and Polish Concepts in Transaltion (2013)

Bibliography

-   Magda Heydel, Zwrot kulturowy w badaniach nad przekładem.
-   Magda Heydel, Jan Rybicki, The Stylometry of Collaborative Translation.

[1] dr hab. Magdalena Wanda Heydel at Nauka Polska.

[2] dr hab. Magdalena Wanda Heydel at Nauka Polska.

[3] Magda Heydel.

[4] Przekładaniec A Journal of Translation Studies.

[5] Marta Natalia Wróblewska, „Tłumacze są niewidzialni”. Magdalena Heydel w „Świętach z tłumaczami” (in Polish)

[6] dr hab. Magdalena Heydel (in Polish).

[7] Piotr Blumczynski, Ubiquitous Translation, p. 149.

[8] Piotr Bukowski, Magda Heydel, Współczesne teorie przekładu. Antologia.

title: Magdalena Heydel

question: Where did Heydel get her education?

answer: Jagiellonian University in Cracow.

question: What area does she specialize in?

answer: Translation Studies, comparative literature, and literary criticism.

question: List the writers whose books Heydel translated.

answer: Joseph Conrad, Virginia Woolf, Seamus Heaney, T.S. Eliot, and Ted Hughes.

question: Where does she work, and in what capacity?

answer: Magda Heydel works at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow as a lecturer.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer: Magdalena Heydel (born 1969, also known as Magda Heydel) is a Polish philologist and translator. She is a lecturer at her alma mater, the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. Her scholarly interests are Translation Studies, comparative literature, and literary criticism. She's the editor-in-chief of Przekładaniec, A Journal of Translation Studies. She translated many works by Joseph Conrad, Virginia Woolf, Seamus Heaney, T.S. Eliot, and Ted Hughes. She's the joint editor of two Translation Studies anthologies in Polish.