text:
There was once a town by the name of Jarte. Jarte was set in the middle ages. It was self sufficent and didn't hold any ties or trades with any other place. When the town was created, people understood that you couldn't fuck about and do whatever the hell you pleased, you had to listen and take orders if you wanted to survive, otherwise a bear would eat your face.

The town was settled near a forest with a huge lake in the middle. The townspeople would often go to swim in the lake, since they were basically peasants and their lives were terrible and hard, they needed entertainment. That's why they had sex and went swimming during their free time. There was also a theater, but no one went there since that goat died in there. That's a different story though, so I won't get into it.

Eventually, as the town grew and houses were built and people were made by process of sexual intercourse and crops were grown, hierarchy developed. Certain people did the work and took orders, certain people both gave and took orders, and certain people simply gave orders. There was a royal family who was considered higher than the others because they were more handsome. And because of their handsomeness and charm, people listened to them. And the ugly people with dirt on their faces who didn't bathe or wear make up, did the work and took orders. The Royal family was spoilt as fuck and got everything handed to them, everyone respected them because they were authority and you had to.  The folks in the middle got angry at being looked down upon by the ones at the top so they took their frustrations on the lower working class. And after a hard day of work, the peasants would go home and take their frustrations out on their kids. And the kids couldn't wait until they were old enough to fuck with others. Such was the way of the town of Jarte.

Things continued after the town had been settled and it stayed like that for a few decades. Not much change happened, people went on with their lives. But one day, something went wrong. Something that shocked the town. It was a saturday, and after a week of working everyone went to the lake. Some people stayed home of course, but most went to the lake to relax and have some fun before starting work again. It was nighttime and people were laughing and eating and swimming. The kids splashed at each other and played in the water.

Suddenly swords were drawn. The soldiers told everyone to get the fuck home. They all screamed and ran home like "what the hell is going on??" The soldiers told everyone to stay at home and strict rules were put on the town. Rumors quickly spread about how the royal family had drowned at the lake, and they were suspicious that someone had rebelled against them, destroying the order and hierarchy that was necessary for society to function.

A funeral was held for four members of the family. The king and queen and their two daughters. The only one who survived was their fat son, who was too fat to swim and had decided to stay home. He was shocked to hear his family died, but was happy as fuck that he was now king.

Now, one of the peasant familys, a family of four, had a teenage boy who was suspected of drowning the family. He was 17 and worked with his father in the mines. The soldiers for the king had broke into their cottage and dragged the boy, kicking and screaming, outside. The family was shocked, but the soldiers announced that he was the one who murdered the family, and he should be punished.

He was executed in front of the entire town, his head chopped off with a motherfucking sword. They soldiers warned the townspeople that order was important, and anyone who disobeys or is violent against someone in a higher position of power shall be executed in the same way. The mother and father and brother of the boy went home crying.

Of course, that poor boy hadn't been the one who drowned the royal family. They had died because of their own stupidity. But the soldiers had to make sure order was maintained, so they made an example out of one of the workers.

When the family went home, the father beat the younger kid. He was twelve, and his father beat the living shit out of him, making him bleed and breaking a few of his teeth, screaming "WHY COULDN'T HAVE IT BEEN YOU? YOU'RE USELESS, YOU DON'T WORK! WHY WASN'T IT YOU?"

A fortnight after that, sick of his father and mother's cruelness and sick of being unwanted, the boy ran away from home. He snuck into the forest and went back to the lake, even though it was banned after they royal family had drowned. He went into the lake, hoping to drown himself and put himself out of his misery. He had no one to talk down to, no one to take his frustrations on. He was the youngest of a peasant family. He swam to the bottom and was prepared to die, when he saw something shiny. It was a stone, and it was shiny as fuck. Didn't even look like a rock. He swam to it, and came back up, just to get a look at it.

He held the stone in his hand. It was bright silver and glimmered under the light of the rising sun. He had forgotten all about his suicide now. He was just angry. He wasn't sad, he was angry. Angry at the royal family and the soldiers who were obviously ruining this town. They did nothing. They didn't work, the peasants did, yet they got all the food and big houses and THEY rules US to preserve "order."

If this was order, the boy thought, then he didn't want it. And, since he was prepared to die anyway, he might as well go out with style.

The boy ran back into town and the soldiers and townspeople saw him.

"Oh god, that boy! What the fuck!"

"Doesn't he know that he shouldn't have been in the forest? Holy fuck!"

One of the soldiers, who was escorting the fat boy as he went around, dressed in his bullshit royal clothes, looking smug as fuck, saw the boy. "Hey you! What do you think you're doing?"

The boy looked at the fat boy who was now king of the town. They both looked at each other. Both were twelve, both lived in the same town, yet they had come from entirely different worlds.

"FUCK YOU!" The peasant boy shouted, and threw the rock at the king, who bled from his forehead and died instantly, right there on the ground.

The soldiers took the peasant boy and executed him and his parents in front of the entire town. And then...

Everyone stood there, looking at each other. What were they to do now? The king was dead. Whose orders would the soldiers follow? What would happen? They stood there like robots, not knowing what to do without a master to follow orders from. They stared at each other, confused as fuck.

The silver rock that had been used to kill the king started moving. It cracked open, and from inside came a unicorn.

It wasn't a rock at all, it was an egg.

The unicorn flew out of the egg, leaving a trail of shiny glitter behind. It hovered in the sky over the townspeople.

*You fools!* the unicorn boomed, *Order and hierarchy aren't necessary in society! That's bullshit! It's about love and happiness!*

The unicorn threw up a rainbow and suddenly the town changed. The great castle for the royal family turned into a cottage like the peasants', because equality. And all the townspeople and soldiers became naked, because love and nature. The mines collapsed because useless labor is dumb, and the crops turned into marijuana.

Everyone danced naked and swam in the lake and fucked and smoked weed. Everyone was happy and love spread through the air.

*A fortnight later...*

A bald eagle comes down and stands on the ruins of the city. It has burned down and there is nothing but rubble left. Everyone died because the crops were replaced with weed and order and hierarchy was gone, so there was no motivation to work.

The bald eagle shed a single tear.

title: I wrote this story today. It's about a rock.

question: What does this story say about the theme of order?

answer: Ultimately, order is necessary in a society. When the society abandons order and hierarchy, they are happy for a brief period of time. But within a fortnight, their society has completely collapsed.

question: What is the boy's motivation for killing the king?

answer: The boy is sick of his parents' cruelness and being unwanted. He wishes to die. He is angry at the royal family and wants to make them pay before he dies.

question: What does the story say about how the goat died?

question: How is symbolism used in the story?

answer: The unicorn represents an ideal that is unrealistic. The unicorn is a make-believe creature and is against order and hierarchy. The bald eagle might represent capitalism, as it sheds a tear for a city that abandoned order and hierarchy. The bald eagle is also a symbol for America.


split: train

text:
[A shark attack in nearby Gracetown has caused WSL officials to put the Margaret River event on hold. Image: iStock]

A shark attack in nearby Gracetown has caused WSL officials to put the Margaret River event on hold. Image: iStock

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

[The Inertia]

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

A SHARK ATTACK AT COBBLESTONES BEACH NEAR GRACETOWN, WA, PUT THE EVENT AT MARGARET RIVER ON HOLD. According to reports, 37-year-old Margaret River resident Alejandro Travaglini was bitten by a shark at around 7:45 am. An ambulance and helicopter rescue team were sent to the scene.

“A shark popped up and pretty much ended up knocking a surfer from his board,” surf photographer Peter Jovic, who witnessed the attack, told _ABC_. “There was a lot more thrashing around. After that, it was hard to see what was going on. [I] saw the guy who had been attacked get separated from the [surf] board and then start to paddle for an inside wave, which he managed to body surf all the way in. They got him to shore and started working on him to stem the bleeding.”

A spokesman from the ambulance service said the victim was breathing and conscious on the way to Royal Perth hospital. He told reporters that Travaglini’s friends were integral in saving his life, using their leashes as tourniquets to stem the flow of blood.

With all eyes on the nearby contest at Margaret River, WSL officials decided to put the event on hold—and considering Mick Fanning’s close call at the J-Bay Open in 2015, it seems like a good call. “The World Surf League (WSL) has been alerted to a shark incident that occurred near Gracetown,” a WSL spokesman said. “We are placing the Margaret River Pro on hold while we work with local authorities on next steps. The safety of our surfers and staff is a top priority for the WSL. We have mitigation protocols in place and will be enhancing those when competition resumes.”

According to _The West Australian_, John John and Nathan Florence encountered two large sharks during a free surf in the days leading up the Margaret River Pro. Nathan Florence posted a video to his Instagram that captures the sharks in the area. “We saw a splash,” John John explains in the video, “so we put the contest on hold and decided to put the drone up to check out what was going on… and we found two sharks.”

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question: Who was attacked by a shark?

answer: Alejandro Travaglini, a 37-year-old Margaret River resident, was bitten by a shark.

question: Where did this shark attack occur?

answer: Travaglini was attacked at Cobblestones Beach near Gracetown, WA.

question: What event was put on hold?

answer: The World Surf League put their event on hold at the Margaret River.

question: What happened to the victim?

answer: The victim was taken to the hospital.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: A person was attacked by a shark at Cobblestones Beach near Gracetown, WA. While the victim was transported to the hospital in stable condition, a World Surf League at the nearby Margaret River was put on hold out of safety for the surfers.


text:
Iran’s Zarif says Tehran has intelligence that Riyadh supports ‘terrorist’ groups operating on Iran’s eastern region.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has accused Saudi Arabia of supporting “terrorist groups” inside Iran, days after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group claimed attacks in Tehran.

“We have intelligence that Saudi Arabia is actively engaged in promoting terrorist groups operating on the eastern side of Iran in Baluchestan,” Zarif said on Tuesday at a news conference on the sidelines of an annual peace mediation in Oslo.

He said the armed groups were “using the territory of one of our neighbours against its will to launch attacks against Iran which only two months ago led to the murder of nine Iranian border guards,” referring to Pakistan.

“On the Western side the same type of activity is being undertaken, again by using the diplomatic hospitality of other neighbours,” Zarif said.

Call for a regional forum

Zarif also called for establishment of a regional forum to resolve differences, which has become more necessary after tensions between Qatar and the Saudi-led group of countries that took actian against Doha.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have been accusing each other of subverting regional security and support opposite sides in conflicts including those in Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

READ MORE: Iran’s Khamenei blames US for regional instability

Relations between the two neighbours are at their most tense in years. Last week Riyadh, along with other Arab governments, severed ties with Qatar, citing its support for Iran as one of the main reasons for the move.

Iran also accuses the United States for promoting armed groups in the region.

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have escalated further as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards blamed the deadly June 7 attack in Tehran, which killed 17 people and wounded 52 others, on Saudi Arabia.

ISIL claimed responsibility for the twin attacks that killed 17 people and wounded dozens.

question: Summarize everything relating to Zarif.

answer: Mohammad Javad Zarif is the Iranian Foreign Minister. He has accused Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorist groups in Iran, and claims to have intelligence that supports this accusation. He called for a regional forum to resolve differences between Iran and Saudi Arabia.


text:
PLAYRIX HOLDING LTD., also known as PLAYRIX ENTERTAINMENT and PLAYRIX GAMES, is an international developer of free-to-play mobile games from Russia headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.[1] The company has 18 offices around Russia, Ireland, Ukraine, Belarus, and Serbia. Since 2018, Playrix has over 2,000 employees[2] working from its offices or remotely.[3]

History

The company was founded by Dmitry and Igor Bukhman in 2004 in Vologda, Russia. Playrix originally specialized in developing casual computer games.[4]

Since 2011, the company has been developing free-to-play games for smartphones and tablets.[5]

In 2013, Playrix launched _Township_, its first free-to-play mobile game in the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It later became available on Google Play,[6] the Amazon Appstore,[7] the Mac App Store,[8][9] and the Windows Phone Store.[10] The game is a combination of city-building and farming.

In April 2015, the company announced the launch of its second free-to-play mobile project — _Fishdom: Deep Dive_,[11] a match-3 puzzle game, was released worldwide in the App Store in August 2015.[12][13]

In August 2016, Playrix released another match-3 game — _Gardenscapes_.[14]

In September 2016, the company became the highest grossing mobile game developer in the CIS and Baltic states region according to App Annie.[15] In the second quarter, Playrix ranked in the Top 20 biggest mobile game developers in the world.[16]

In mid-2017, the company launched _Homescapes_ — a _Gardenscapes_ spin-off that is also a match-3 game.[17]

In August 2017, the company became the leading mobile game publisher in Europe[18] based on revenue from Google Play and the App Store. In 2018 Playrix became the 9th highest-grossing game publisher globally on iOS and Android.[19][20]

In April 2019, Igor and Dmitry Bukhman made it onto the Bloomberg billionaire index. Their net worth is $1.4 billion each.[21]

In late 2019, Playrix launched a free-to-play game called _Wildscapes_, a match-3 game similar to their previous titles _Homescapes_ and _Gardenscapes_.

Playrix acquired Armenian mobile game developer Plexonic for an unknown sum in March 2020,[22] and later purchased Croatia-based publisher and developer Cateia Games, choosing to rebrand the studio as Playrix Croatia and retaining its 40 staff members.[23]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Playrix reported an increase in downloads and profits. According to co-founder Igor Bukhman, from mid-March through mid-May, 165 million new players were recorded downloading Playrix games, double the number of downloads just two months prior to the pandemic. Additionally, the company claimed a record-high revenue from April to June 2020, seeing a 40% increase in profits, and holding at nearly $1 billion through the first half of 2020.[24] In response to the pandemic, in April 2020, Playrix paid each of their 2,100 employees an additional one-off payment of $650 to aid in financial support.[25]

Games

  Year   Title                 Microsoft Store   macOS   Facebook Platform   Android   iOS   Windows Phone   Nintendo DS
  ------ --------------------- ----------------- ------- ------------------- --------- ----- --------------- -------------
  2008   _Fishdom_[26]
  2012   _Township_[27]
  2016   _Gardenscapes_[28]
  2017   _Homescapes_[29]
  2019   _Wildscapes_[30]
  2020   _Manor Matters_[31]

Awards

-   In 2014, Township was named one of the best Mac games of the year according to Apple.[32]
-   By the end of 2016, Fishdom was on the Top Trending list according to Google Play.[33]
-   In 2016, Gardenscapes was listed as one of the best apps in the Best Games category on iPad Russia in the App Store[34] and in the Most Irresistible category on Google Play.[35]
-   In 2016, Gardenscapes was named Game of the Year by Facebook.[36]
-   In 2018, Gardenscapes won in the Best Game Management & Live Ops category at the Mobile Games Awards.[37]

Criticism

Playrix has been criticised for its use of deceptive or false advertisements on mobile advertisement platforms such as AdMob.[38] Advertisements for many of their games like _Fishdom_, _Gardenscapes_, and _Homescapes_ display gameplay that does not represent the actual gameplay of the product in question.[39][40] For example, _Homescapes_ advertisements represent the gameplay as repairing a home by selecting the correct tool, while in reality, it is a match-3 game.[41] In September 2020, the United Kingdom's Advertising Standards Authority ruled that said adverts were misleading and “must not appear again in the form complained of”.[42][43]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]  App Annie Blog|website=App Annie Content|language=en|access-date=2019-07-12}}

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34] Playrix анонсировала новую три-в-ряд - Gardenscapes

[35] Fishdom: Deep Dive release

[36] App Store Best of 2016

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

[43]

title: Playrix

question: When was Playrix Holding Ltd. founded?

answer: 2004

question: Who is the CEO of Playrix Holding Ltd.?

answer: Not explicitly stated, but presumably the company is helmed by the founders, Dmitry and Igor Bukhman.

question: Name 3 games released by Playrix Holding Ltd.

answer: Township, Fishdom: Deep Dive, Gardenscapes

question: Where is Playrix Holding Ltd. headquarters located?

answer: Dublin, Ireland

question: Summarize everything relating to the company in the year 2020.

answer: In 2020 they acquired Plexonic, an Armenian mobile game developer, and Cateia Games, a Croatia-based publisher. They reported an increase in downloads and profits during the 2020 pandemic, gaining 165 million new players. They provided each of their employees with $650 of financial support due to the pandemic.

question: Describe the criticism the company has received.

answer: The company was criticized for having false advertisements that depict a style of gameplay that does not represent the actual gameplay of the product being advertised.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Playrix is a Russian developer of free-to-play mobile games headquartered in Dublin Ireland. They have published games such as Fishdom, Township, and Wildscapes. The company was founded by Dmitry and Igor Bukhman. They have been criticized for false advertising for their games.


text:
WRESTLERS THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY
(IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)

All of these wrestlers, managers, or associates of wrestling will never be forgotten.

-   Frank Gotch (39)--December 16, 1917--Uremic Poisoning
-   Ed "The Strangler" Louis (76)--August 7, 1966--Died of Natural Causes
-   Stanislaus Zbyszko (88) --September 23, 1967--Natural Causes
-   Dory Funk, Sr.: June 3, 1973--Died in his home.
-   Bobby Shane (Bob Schoenberger)--February 20, 1975--Died when the private airplane he was piloting crashed near Tampa, FL; he was 40.  Injured in the crash were wrestlers Buddy Colt, Austin Idol and Playboy Gary Hart.
-   Chris Taylor--June 30, 1979--Died of heart failure after a long period of declining health.
-   Edward "Bearcat" Wright--August 28, 1982--Died from sickle cell anemia
-   David Von Erich--February 2, 1984--Died of enteritis (acute inflammation of the intestine)
-   Vince McMahon, Sr.: May 27, 1984--Died from Cancer.
-   Adrian Adonis: July 4, 1988--Died when a mini van drove off a cliff into a lake.
-   Bruiser Brody--July 17, 1988--Stabbed to death in a locker room fight with another wrestler.
-   Haystacks Calhoun: December 7, 1989--Complications from diabetes.
-   Dick the Bruiser--November 10, 1991--Died of internal bleeding after rupturing a blood vessel while weight lifting.
-   Buzz Sawyer--February 7, 1992--Died of a drug overdose.
-   Andre The Giant: January 27, 1993--Died of a heart attack.
-   Texas Tornado Kerry Von Erich: February 18, 1993--Committed suicide.
-   Dino Bravo: March 11, 1993--Died of gunshot wounds in his living room.
-   Joey Marella (WWF Referee/Gorilla Monsoon's Son): July 4, 1994--Died in motorcycle accident.
-   Jerry "Crusher" Blackwell--January 22, 1995--Died of complications from injuries sustained in a road accident.
-   Big John Studd: March 20, 1995--Died of liver cancer.
-   Ray Stevens--May 3, 1996--Died of heart failure.
-   Dick Murdoch--June 14, 1996--Died of heart failure.
-   Sapphire: September 10, 1996--Died from a heart attack.
-   Dr. Bill Miller--March 24, 1997--Died of heart failure.
-   Stan Stasiak: June 12, 1997--Died from heart failure.
-   Dick "Bulldog" Brower--September 15, 1997--Died of heart failure.
-   Brian Pillman: October 5, 1997--Died from arteriosclerotic heart disease.
-   Bobo Brazil: January 20, 1998--Died from complications from a stroke.
-   Louie Spicolli: February 15, 1998--Died from arteriosclerotic heart disease caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy syndrome.
-   Junk Yard Dog: June 2, 1998--Died in a car accident after falling asleep at the wheel.
-   Sky Low Low [famous midget wrestler]: November 9, 1998--heart failure.
-   Shohei "Giant" Baba: January 31, 1999--Died of colon cancer.
-   Rick Williams [Renegade in WCW]: February 23, 1999--Died from suicide.
-   Ravishing Rick Rude: April 20, 1999--Died from heart attack.
-   Owen Hart: May 23, 1999--Died from 50 foot fall from ceiling to ring.
-   Brian Hildebrand (WCW Referee Mark Curtis) (37)--September 8, 1999--Died after a two year battle with stomach cancer.
-   Gorilla Monsoon  (62)--October 5, 1999--Died from a heart attack.
-   Bobby Duncum, Jr (34)--January 24, 2000--Drug overdose.
-   Gordon Solie (71)July 27, 2000--Died from cancer.
-   Toru Tanaka (70)--August 22, 2000--Died from a heart attack.
-   Yokozuna (34)--October 22, 2000--Died from a heart attack.
-   Johnny Valentine (72)--April 24, 2001--Natural Causes.
-   Tex McKenzie --May 31, 2001--Died of an aortic aneurysm.
-   Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy (40)--July 16, 2001--Blood clot in the heart.
-   Rhonda Singh (40) --August 2, 2001--Drug Overdose which caused a Heart Attack
-   Blaise Alexander (WCW race car driver) (25) --October 4, 2001--Complications from a head injury received in a car race.
-   "Gentleman" Chris Adams (46)--October 7, 2001--Shot to death.
-   Helen Hart--November 4, 2001--Complications from a seizure.
-   Russ Haas (27)--December 15, 2001--Heart Attack.
-   Wahoo McDaniels (63)--April 18, 2002--Died from complications from renal failure and diabetes.
-   Lou Thesz (86)--April 28, 2002--Died from natural causes after heart surgery earlier in the year.
-   Randy Anderson (42)--May 5, 2002--Cancer
-   Big Dick Dudley (36)--May 16, 2002--Kidney failure
-   "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith (39) --May 18, 2002--Died from a heart attack.
-   Rocco Rock of Public Enemy (49)--September 21, 2002--Heart Attack.
-   "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig (44)--February 10, 2003--acute cocaine intoxication.
-   Miss Elizabeth (42)--May 1, 2003--Died from a combination of alcohol and painkillers.
-   "Classy" Freddie Blassie ((85)--June 2, 2003--Unknown
-   Stu Hart (88)--October 16, 2003--Natural Causes
-   Hawk [Michael Hegstrand] (46)-- October 19, 2003--Heart Attack
-   Crash Holly (32)--November 6, 2003--Drug overdose
-   Larry "Moondog Spot" Booker (51)--November 29, 2003--Collapsed in the ring
-   Malice/The Wall [Jerry Tuite] (37)--December 6, 2003--acute heart attack
-   Jack Tunney (69)--January 24, 2004--Heart attack
-   Hercules "Hernandez" (46)--March 6, 2004--Died in his sleep.
-   James Dudley (93)-- June 1, 2004--Died of natural causes.
-   Ray "Big Bossman" Traylor (41)--September 22, 2004--Heart failure.
-   Chris Candido (33)--April 28, 2005--Blood clot and complications due to surgery.
-   Lord Alfred Hayes (76)--July 21, 2005--Complications from a series of strokes.
-   Moondog King [Ed "Sailor" White (56)]--August 26, 2005--Complications from car accident
-   Eddie Guerrero (37)--November 13, 2005--Enlarged heart due to years of drug use.
-   Johnny Grunge of Public Enemy (39)--February 16, 2006--Complications from sleep apnea.
-   John Tenta [Earthquake]  (42)--June 7, 2006--bladder cancer.
-   Bam Bam Bigelow [Scott Bigelow] (45)--January 19, 2007--Drugs.
-   Mike Awesome (42)--February 17, 2007--Apparent Suicide.
-   Bad News Brown (63)--March 6, 2007--Heart Attack
-   "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd (68)--March 10, 2007--Cancer
-   "Sensational" Sherri (Martel) (49)--June 15, 2007--Accidental overdose.
-   Nancy "Women" (Sullivan) Benoit (43)--June 25, 2007--Strangulation. Died at home with Chris Benoit and their son Daniel (Suffocation).
-   Chris Benoit (40)--June 25, 2007--Suicide by hanging
-   Brian "Crush" Adams (43)--August 13, 2007--Overdose of prescription medications.
-   The Missing Link (Dewey Robertson) (68)--August 16, 2007--Died from cancer
-   Fabulous Moolah (Lillian Ellison) (84)--November 3, 2007--Complications due to surgery.
-   Gary Hart (66) March 16, 2008-- Heart Attack
-   Walter "Killer" Kowalski (81) August 30, 2008--Complications from heart attack
-   S.D. Jones (63) October 26, 2008-- Stroke
-   Andrew "Test" Martin (33) March 13, 2009--accidental overdose of Oxycodone.
-   "Playboy" Buddy Rose (56) April 28, 2009--natural causes
-   Capt Lou Albano (76) October 14, 2009--natural causes
-   Umaga (36) December 4, 2009--Heart Attack
-   Dr. Death Steve Williams (49) December 29, 2009--throat cancer.
-   Ludvig Borga (47) January 10, 2010--suicide.
-   Chris "Kanyon" Klucsaritis (40) April 3, 2010--apparent suicide
-   Lance Cade (29) August 13, 2010--Apparent heart failure.
-   General Skandor Akbar (75)--Prostate cancer.
-   Luna Vachon (48) August 27, 2010--Drug overdose.
-   Bastian Booger (53) September 12, 2010--Heart Attack.
-   Giant Gonzales (44) September 22, 2010--Kidney Failure
-   Randy "Macho Man" Savage (58) May 20, 2011--Car accident caused by a heart attack.
-   Doug Furnas (50) March 2, 2012--heart disease.
-   Brad Armstrong (51) November 1, 2012--Medical distress
-   Paul Bearer (58) March 5, 2013--Heart attack
-   Doink the Clown [Matthew Osborne] (55) June 28, 2013 --Drug overdose
-   Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon (84) November 21, 2013 -- Natural Causes
-   Mable (Nelson Frazier, Jr.) (43) February 18, 2014--Heart attack.
-   The Ultimate Warrior (54) April 8, 2014--Heart attack.
-   Lee Marshall (64) April 27, 2014--Esophageal cancer.
-   Sean O'Haire (43) September 8, 2014--Suicide.
-   Jimmy Del Ray (52) December 6, 2014--Injuries from a truck accident earlier that day.
-   Dusty Rhodes (69) June 11, 2015--Complications from a fall.
-   Buddy Landel (53) June 22, 2015--Died from complications from a car crash.
-   "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (61) July 31, 2015--Died from a cardiac arrest.
-   Nick Bockwinkel (80) November 14, 2015. Died from unknown causes.
-   "Iron" Mike Sharpe (66) January 17, 2016. Died from unknown causes.
-   Blackjack Mulligan (73) April 7, 2016. Died from unknown causes.
-   Balls Mahoney (Jonathan Rechner) (44) April 12, 2016 Died from unknown causes.
-   Chyna (Joanie Laurer) (45) April 20, 2016. Died from an overdose of drugs and alcohol.
-   Jimmy Snuka (James Smith) (73) January 15, 2017. Died from stomach cancer.
-   George "The Animal" Steele (William Myers) (79) February 17, 2017. Died from kidney failure.
-   Nicole Bass (52) February 17, 2017. Died of a heart attack.
-   Ivan Koloff (74) (Oreal Perras) February 18, 2017. Died from liver cancer.
-   Ron Bass (68) (Ronald Heard) March 7, 2017. Complications from a burst kidney.
-   Rosey (47) (Matt Anoa'i) April 17, 2017. Died from congestive heart failure.
-   Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (72) September 17, 2017. Organ failure due to cancer.
-   Johnny Valiant [Luscious Johnny V] (71) April 4, 2018. Hit by a car while crossing the street.
-   Bruno Sammartino (82) April 18, 2018. Organ failure.
-   Leon "Vader" White (63) June 18, 2018. Complications from pneumonia
-   Nikolai Volkoff (70) July 29, 2018. Causes unknown
-   Brian Christopher (46) July 29, 2018. Suicide.
-   Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart (63)--August 13, 2018. Fatal fall.
-   Jose Lothario (83)--November 6, 2018.
-   The Dynamite Kid [Tom Billington] (60)--December 5, 2018.
-   Larry "The Axe" Hennig (82)--December 6, 2018. Kidney failure.
-   "Mean" Gene Okerlund (76)--January 2, 2019. Injuries from a fall.
-   Pedro Morales (76)--February 12, 2019.
-   King Kong Bundy (63)--March 4, 2019. Died from complications from diabetes.
-   Ashley Massaro (39)--May 16, 2019. Died from suicide.
-   Harley Race (76)--August 1, 2019. Died from lung cancer.
-   Rocky Johnson (75)--January 15, 2020.
-   Howard Finkel (69)--April 16, 2020. Died from a pulmonary embolism.
-   "Bullet" Bob Armstrong (80)--August 27, 2020.  Died from bone cancer.

question: Who died when the private airplane he was piloting crashed?

answer: Bobby Shane (Bob Schoenberger)

question: When did Vince McMahon, Sr. pass away and from what cause?

answer: He passed away on 27 May 1984 from cancer.

question: How did Adrian Adonis pass die?

answer: He died when a mini van drove off a cliff into a lake.

question: Who died from a complication of weight lifting?

answer: Dick the Bruiser.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This list details wrestlers, manager and associates of wrestling that have passed away and will never be forgotten. This list is in chronological order.


text:
Edit Story

Dec 10, 2015,06:40pm EST|

[Mitch Lawrence]

This article is more than 4 years old.

Voting for the NBA All-Star Game, to be held for the first time ever outside the United States, in Toronto on Feb. 14, 2016, has never been easier.

Just don’t be looking for paper ballots with the players names on them. And don't be looking for Kobe Bryant where you've always found him, among the guards.

Voting for the 65th annual All-Star Game has gone all-digital program for the first time and allows fans to vote directly through Google Search on their desktop, tablet and mobile devices. They can also vote on NBA.com via the NBA App (available on Android and iOS), SMS text, and social media networks including Facebook , Twitter and Instagram, as well as via Sina Weibo and Tencent Microblogs in China.

Fans are allowed to select up to two guards and three frontcourt players from the Eastern and Western Conferences when choosing starters via NBA.com or the NBA App.

It will be interesting to see whether fans vote Bryant, retiring at season’s end, onto the Western All-Stars as part of his farewell tour.

For the first time in his iconic career, Bryant is listed as a frontcourt player. Although he’s having a dismal season, he still is popular as ever. This would be his 18th All-Star Game, but due to injuries he hasn't played in his last two All-Star Game contests, in New York and New Orleans.

Last season, Bryant totaled 1,152,402 votes, the third-highest total on the West behind Stephen Curry and Anthony Davis. If Bryant gets voted in, Blake Griffin could be the odd man out, with Davis and Kevin Durant considered locks to make the team at the front-court position. Griffin then would be able to be selected by the coaches, who pick the reserves.

Voting started Dec. 10 and will conclude on Jan. 18, 2016 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Updates will be announced on Dec. 25, Jan. 7 and Jan. 14.

Starters will be announced live on TNT on Thursday, Jan. 21 during a special one-hour edition of NBA Tip-Off with Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith.

The NBA has come a long way from the days of ballots being distributed at arenas. You’ve heard of voting early and often? That applies to the All-Star Game, which was a huge success last season at Madison Square Garden, home of the Knicks.

Here are the different options to vote:

-   NBA.COM VOTING PAGE at NBA.COM/VOTE: Fill out one full ballot per day on NBA.com/vote from a desktop or mobile browser.
-   NBA APP: Access the ballot and vote through the app, which is available on Android and iOS.  Fans can fill out one full ballot per day.
-   TWITTER: Tweet, retweet or reply with the player’s first and last name, along with the hashtag #NBAVOTE.  Each Tweet may include only one player’s name.  Fans can vote 10 unique players each day throughout the All-Star voting period.
-   FACEBOOK: Use player’s first and last name along with the hashtag #NBAVOTE in a post on your personal Facebook account, or comment on another’s Facebook post.   Fans can post votes for 10 unique players per day and each vote may contain only one player’s name.
-   INSTAGRAM:  Post an original photo, with the hashtag #NBAVOTE and the player’s first and last name in the photo caption.  Fans can vote for 10 unique players per day, and each vote may contain only one player’s name.
-   SMS: Text the player’s LAST NAME to 6-9-6-2-2 (“MYNBA”) on any wireless device.  Fans can vote for 10 different players per day, per phone number, via SMS voting by sending 10 separate SMS messages, each one with a different player’s last name.  Message and data rates may apply.
-   GOOGLE SEARCH: Search “NBA Vote All-Star” or “NBA Vote _Team Name_” (ex: NBA Vote Celtics), and use respective team cards to select players.  Voters can submit one vote per player per day, with up to 10 total votes per day.

[Mitch Lawrence]

Based in New York, I’ve written a column about pro basketball for the last 25 years. During that time a Who's Who of basketball A-listers -- Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Don…

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question: Why did the NBA shift to online voting after many years of paper ballots?

answer: Voting for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game will be digitally done for the first time in NBA's history. The occasion is unique because it is the first game to be hosted outside of the United States. The 65th annual All-Star Gane will allow voters to vote via Google Search as well as through NBA.com and NBA app. There is no outstanding reason for this new development other than the NBA moving with the times and making voting a bit easier and accessible to fans.


text:
It was 2008 and New Delhi was carefully watching a freshman Senator from Illinois as his insurgent attempt to capture the American presidency captivated the world. That, of course, was Barack Obama.

That year though, New Delhi was wary. Candidate Obama, while referencing Afghanistan, told cable channel MSNBC that “we should probably try to facilitate a better understanding between Pakistan and India and try to resolve the Kashmir crisis so that they can stay focused not on India, but on the situation with those militants.”

Months earlier, his campaign had attacked his rival in the primaries in a memo titled: “Hillary Clinton (D-Punjab)’s Personal, Financial and Political Ties of India”. Among the items criticised was her co-founding the Senate India Caucus.

The initial months of Obama’s ascension were not particularly reassuring either. Obama’s transition team attempted to create a South Asian czar in the late Richard Holbrooke.

“The Indians would have none of it. There were concerns over where things were going,” recalled Walter Andersen, director of the Johns Hopkins University’s South Asia Studies Program.

That opposition from India resulted in an AfPak remit for Holbrooke but also in a policy that marginalised India. Obama went to Beijing and spoke of China playing a role in South Asia. Worries were multiplying. Andersen attributed that to Obama’s “comparative lack of experience” at the time.

But, he said, Obama was also a “quick study”. In late 2009, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the guest of honour at the first State Dinner hosted in the Obama White House. A year later, Obama addressed a joint sitting of Parliament and announced America’s support for India seeking a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

By the next year, Hillary Clinton, then secretary of state, was speaking in Chennai about India taking on a large regional responsibility, even as she had already institutionalised a Strategic Dialogue process between the two countries.

At the time California Democrat Ami Bera was elected to the US House of Representatives, “the relationship wasn’t at the best point”. Despite once describing Manmohan Singh as Mr Guru, policy paralysis in India coupled with a dispute over the arrest of New York-based diplomat Devyani Khobragade had nearly nulled progress on the bilateral front.

“Tribal instincts came to the fore,” Andersen said. Bera, co-chair of the Congressional India Caucus, said, “That should have been handled better. Part of my obligation is educating my own colleagues on how actions that take place in US are perceived in India.”

As the 2014 elections in India drew closer, there were concerns in Washington: How would then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi work with the US, after a controversial visa bar and after the US embassy in Delhi ignored Gandhinagar. But, Andersen said, “Modi showed real sophistication.”

A personal slight didn’t impact ties as he took over as prime minister. Obama reciprocated with equal grace. “There’s genuine respect,” said Bera of the rapport between the two leaders.

Andersen believes Obama possibly does not enjoy a relationship of such mutual admiration with another leader other than German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

As with Clinton in Obama’s first term, a senior member of his Cabinet in the second term helped forge stronger links. Unlike his predecessor Chuck Hagel, US defence secretary Ashton Carter’s proactive policies with regard to India enhanced ties.

“The secretary of defence certainly understands India and understands the region and that’s been helpful in moving the relationship forward. India is also taking an increased role in security in the region and I think that’s great,” Bera said.

Two factors played into the upswing, according to Andersen: “The Indian economy has gone quite well and the rise of China and their increasing assertiveness. The US was clearly looking for partners and India was the obvious case.”

While periodic niggles remain, Obama’s presence as chief guest at the 2015 Republic Day underscored a new dynamic between the two nations. As Bera said, “I think it certainly is the high point of President Obama’s foreign policy. I think both the president, the vice-president have commented the US-India relationship could be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century.”

And the bilateral space has deepened and broadened to the extent that Andersen expects “more of the same” from the incoming administration of Donald Trump.

If Obama’s global footprint has been shaky and marked with missteps, even his critics can’t claim it hasn’t left a positive mark on the India-US connect.

question: Why was Hilary Clinton criticized by Obama's rivals during his presidential campaign?

answer: She was criticized because of her apparent personal, financial, and political ties to India and because of co-founding the Senate India Caucus.

question: How did candidate Obama plan to improve the Pakistan-India relationship?

answer: Obama wanted to facilitate a better understanding between Pakistan and India and try to resolve the Kashmir crisis.

question: How did Obama support India?

answer: Obama announced U.S. support for India seeking a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

question: What do Obama's critics say about his role in the U.S.-India relationship?

answer: Even Obama's critics agree that he improved the India-US relationship.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: During his presidential campaign, candidate Obama said that the U.S. should improve the Pakistan-India relationship and resolve the Kashmir crisis. During Obama's presidency, Richard Holbrooke became a U.S. envoy to South Asia, but India opposed the decision. In 2009. Obama hosted then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and announced U.S. support for India seeking a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2010. Even Obama's critics agree that he improved the India-US relationship.


text:
ARTHUR ALLAN SHARP (9 July 1905 – 1991) was an English footballer who played as an inside forward in the Football League for Carlisle United, Bristol City, Aldershot, Oldham Athletic and Darlington. He was also on the books of Blackpool, Reading and West Ham United without representing them in the League, and played non-league football for Nottingham St Mark's, Loughborough Corinthians, Mansfield Town, Newark Town, Shrewsbury Town and Scarborough.[1]

[1]

title: Arthur Sharp (footballer)

question: Who was Arthur Sharp?

answer: An English footballer

question: List three teams Arthur Sharp played for.

answer: Carlisle United, Bristol City, and Aldershot

question: What position did Arthur Sharp play?

answer: Inside forward

question: When was Arthur Sharp born?

answer: July 9, 1905

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Arthur Sharp was an English footballer who played as inside forward. He played for a variety of teams including Bristol City, Aldershot, and Darlington.


text:
Home » Love Cards

Last Updated: 28th November, 2020

Send a classic love card to the special person of your life on an extra special day. Express your deeply tender feelings of intimacy, devotion, and adoration to your lover and strengthen your relationship of love.

[Reasons why I love you Card]

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[I love how i see myself]

I love how i see myself...

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Please stop being so amazing

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I adore you

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I love the way you smile

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You and your love..

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Thanked God

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As your wife

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You stole

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[Your love story]

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[Love is deaf]

Love is deaf

question: Summarize what feelings the love cards express and to who.

answer: The love cards are a great way to make the extra special people in your life feel loved and appreciated. The love cards can be sent to your wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, and anyone you love. Each love card has a different way of expressing love, whether it be a message, a quote, an image or a poem.

question: How likely are these love cards to be popular among people?


text:
I can feel his eyes watching me, the warmth from his gaze sends tingles all over my body. It's not normal to feel this way about him, and I never have before. So why do I? Must be the alcohol. I sit back down next to him. My eyes are shut tight, trying not to break into tears but I know he is still looking at me. Up and down my body. I take a peek and there he is practically drooling with a grin on his face. The way his eyes light up made me chuckle. I take a hit and blow the smoke from my cigarette in his face. We start talking, about us. We met in high school. We became best friends right away, we did everything together. Shared secrets and homes. He saved me from myself, you may think it's a cheesy thing to say but damn, it's true. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for him. I wish I could say some of the credit goes towards my husband, sadly it does not.

My husband and I met my last year of high school. I was a party girl, he was a calm stay at home boy. We barely shared anything in common, but we were close in a way hard to explain. Or so, it felt like that for a good two years. After those two charming years, I began to feel lonely again. He wasn't giving me what I needed in my life. Not any attention, love, care, or hope. I yearned for prince charming, but he never arrived. I brought up the subject or leaving him. He begged me no, so I stayed.

We shortly eloped and moved in together. Then the abuse began, and no, he did not abuse me. I was always drunk. I was always high. I had a bad temper and a loud mouth. I would leave scars on him, but he always forgave me right away, held me tight and kissed me. I went insane because I felt no emotions for this man and I wanted him to exit my life but it never happened. I started to tell him I suspected foul play. Cheating, lying, hiding things from me.

One day, I limped home on a twisted ankle from falling at the bar. It was snowing and I was crying. Imagine my pain, how depressed I was. I make my way inside. I strip down to my tank top and panties. I call out for my husband but no answer. I make my way to the basement, and there he is. Sitting on our couch, having drinks with another female. I'm sorry to say I interrupted the conversation by yelling his name and throwing an old remote at him. It was the nearest object near me. My heart sunk and I finally realized how terrible it was to be cheated on. Boy, was I stupid. Wrong assumption. I walk over to the couch where he lays on the floor bleeding from his nose. The woman sits in fear, looking at me, waiting for me to explode. That's exactly what I do.

I jumped on top of her and began pulling her hair. I soon have all of her hair wrapped in my fist and I slam her head on the concrete floor. She cries, screaming and shouting words I can barely make out, "STOP! NO! BROTHER! HELP!" I puke from the alcohol on her and she gets up and runs. I lay down next to my unconscious husband and kiss him. I wrap his arm around me and fall asleep.

The next day I was arrested, and I found out the woman was his sister. They were planning a trip for vacation. If only I wasn't such a neurotic person, if only jealousy didn't drive me mad. My husband would still be alive. I wouldn't be looking out of prison bars, crying and planning suicide.

title: Murder in the basement

question: Who is the man chatting with the narrator in the first paragraph?

answer: We know he and the narrator met in high school, but we have no idea of his name and how he 'saved' the narrator.


text:
The elevator doors open on the eleventh floor.
A little white poodle gets out alone.
She walks around all confused and then gets back into the
elevator, with me.
I don’t know what to do.
I’ll take her to the doorman.
But it’s a beautiful spring day and the front doors
are wide open so she dashes out of the building.
Oh my God!
I’m going to be blamed for the neighbor’s dog’s
getting hit by a bus.
I give chase yelling to the people on the street.
“Stop the dog! Stop THAT dog!”
We all give chase.

A real-estate broker and his client the air-conditioner repair guy
and even the mail woman.
Hank, the doorman, says, “That’s the Deckers’ dog.”
“Let’s get her!“ I shout.
Hank is a really calm person. Nothing rattles him.
With an open palm, he gestures to the door and
The Deckers’ poodle obediently follows his hand
gently leading him back to safety and away from
the rest of us who are chasing her around
the sidewalk like maniacs.

Cool heads always prevail; even on a warm spring day.

-Michael Domino

title: A Dog's Spring Break

question: Why did the Decker's poodle run?

answer: It might be implied the dog was frightened.

question: Why did the dog obey Hank, the doorman?

answer: Because he didn't frighten it and he calmly led her into the building.

question: How many floors was the building?

answer: From the article, the building had at least eleven floors.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This article shows the importance of calmness as described between the narrator and the doorman. When the narrator chased down an escaped poodle to safeguard it from harm, he ended up being defeated by the doorman, Hank, who quietly and calmly led the dog back into the building with just the gesture of his hand.


text:
 I first saw him when I left my apartment on a chilly November night.  He sat beneath a streetlight, his breath flowing from his open mouth like steam from an engine that formed in a cloud before him as he stared at me with shimmering eyes.  He wagged his tail as I neared him, and I could see from where I stood the snarled and unkempt fur that shielded him from the elements.  I had seen plenty of abandoned dogs but there was something almost human about this one.  I stood motionless with my keys in my hands next to my car, preparing to jump inside to drive to my friend's house but something was keeping me from moving.  Suddenly the dog shifted its weight, kneeling onto the pavement on all fours.  I called out to him and patted my leg but he remained still except for his ears which twitched just a bit upon hearing my voice.

   "Come here, boy!"

No response.  While I looked at the milky and endlessly round eyes I remembered seeing a dog like him once when I was younger.  Yes, I had seen a dog in Chicago that had been hit by a car.  Dark almost black blood trailed from the middle of the street where he had been struck to curb next to the sidewalk where I was walking.  The streets had been dead and so silent I could hear his muffled and gurgling breath as he hugged the curb.  I remember him looking at me as I passed. The same milky eyes that The dog under the streetlight had.  I passed the dying dog my way to work though, not taking the time to help it and on my way back home I passed its stiff, lifeless body.  I had always felt ashamed for doing nothing for the dog and wondered if in some strange way the dog was visiting me again.  The dog under the streetlight never took its eyes off me while I thought about all of that.  I came to the conclusion that I was obligated to help the dog under the streetlight so I ran up to my fridge to fetch the half eaten package of bologna that was about to go bad.  When I returned, the dog had vanished from under the streetlight and I stood alone with a half eaten package of bologna in one hand and my keys in the other thinking about how strange life was.

title: The dog under the streetlight.

question: When does the narrator first see the dog?

answer: On a November night.

question: Where is the narrator headed the night of their first meeting?

answer: To their friend's place.

question: Where does the narrator think they have seen a dog like this before?

answer: Chicago, when they were a child

question: What happened to that dog?

answer: It was hit by a car and died.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: One night the narrator is on their way to their car when they see a dog under a streetlight. The situation is sort of eerie, and reminds the narrator of one night in Chicago when they saw a very similar-looking dog, but that one was struck by a car and died. The narrator decides to run back to their apartment and get some bologna for this dog. They wonder if this is an incarnation of the deceased dog. When they return with the bologna, the dog is gone.


text:
IGOR VALENTINOVICH VARLAMOV (; born 12 August 1971) is a former Russian professional footballer.

Club career

He made his debut in the Russian Premier League in 1992 for FC Dynamo Moscow. He played 4 games in the UEFA Cup 1992–93 for FC Dynamo Moscow

Honours

-   Russian Premier League bronze: 1992, 1993.

title: Igor Varlamov

question: Who was Igor Valentinovich Varlamov?

answer: He was a Russian professional footballer.

question: Which club did Varlamov play for?

answer: Varlamov played for FC Dynamo Moscow.

question: Which leagues did he play in?

answer: He played in the Russian Premier League in 1992 and played 4 games in the UEFA Cup 1992-93.

question: Has he won any titles/ awards?

answer: He won a bronze at the Russian Premier League in 1992 and 1993.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Varlamov was a Russian professional footballer. He debuted in the Russian Premier League 1992 and played 4 games in the UEFA Cup 1992-93. Both the times representing FC Dynamo Moscow. Varlamov won a bronze at the Russian Premier League of 1992 and 1993.


text:
As I recall, we weren't really there. Our veins were being flooded with wine, beer and unnamed spirits that were named at the time, but I don't remember them. Despite that, everything had slowed down to an even pace. The sun stayed up forever, blinding us from being able to make eye contact across the beer garden table. We only found respite from the glare when we looked down at the black table-top to stub-out our cigarettes into the ashtrays. The flood of booze was raging, but it felt slow. Time limped away. Hours in minutes, it seemed.

We were there for a good while, though. Four hours, I think. We had witnessed the rise and fall of strange men pounding flashing buttons on the bandit. We saw them lose £50 in the space of mere seconds, and we were infuriated. What a waste, we would think. I was annoyed at you, too. At the first sign of a dwindling conversation you took your phone out of your pocket, pretending to text people. Checking the news. The latest status update. Anything to stop you from talking to me.

Outside, with the sun still punishing us, our silences were filled by sniggering at the drunks, already too drunk for this time of day, but we both knew we were no better. You asked to borrow a ciagrette, and then another, and then another, and then you would sigh when I told you I had none left. I wasn't lying, you know. I really didn't have any left. And it was because of you that I didn't.

I stumbled to the shop to buy more cigarettes. One of the strangest feelings in the world is walking around a busy town centre at two in the afternoon drunk, when you know for a fact that every single person around you is sober. They are doing their shopping, taking their kids to the local park, mooching. But your vision is swirling. It's really strange but also kind of liberating. When you see a teenager doing something stupid you feel like you can walk up to him and starting a fight. When you see a police officer you feel like you can approach them and start swearing at them. But you never do. You don't have the spine, or more, your own brain reins you in, telling you you shouldn't. And that's fine, because knowing that you can do if you want, is good enough.

I bought the wrong brand of cigs but that doesn't matter. They're cigs. Besides, they were for you, not me. This is a weird kind of drunk. Being drunk in the day time is different. It's like you're floating everywhere and not walking. There's a strong sense of independence. The spirits and whatever else running through me is probably why I didn't notice the homeless man at first. I took a double-take and walked backwards, back to him. He was on the floor, legs crossed as though he was doing street yoga. He had at least five layers on and a beanie hat despite the temperature reaching twenty. He must have been boiling. Or cold.

The homeless man asked for change. I smiled, but I was careful not to make it a pitiful smile. I gave him a £5 note but in my stupor I would only later realise that I gave him a £20 note instead. But I don't feel bad for that. Money is paper. Paper means a lot to the homeless.

I walked off but he whistled after me. For a second time now, I went back to him. He gestured for me to sit with him, and I did. I don't know why. I thought that I shouldn't because I knew you were waiting for me in the beer garden. Well, waiting for my cigarettes, not waiting for me. So I thought, sod you, you can wait. And you did, but I don't know how long for. The homeless person began rambling. I know it's a stereotype, but he did. He spoke of war, then tigers, then bread. I thought he was mad, but you can't blame him. Who wouldn't be? He spoke of hostels and free beds, but he couldn't stay at them any more. He was banned. Imagine, a homeless person banned from homeless shelters. Where can he go? And that's when he said it: He wanted to die. He could easily do it, but it would only be easy from a literal sense. After all, it isn't hard to kill yourself. What's hard is finding the backbone to go through with it. That's when I pulled my packet of cigarettes out and shared them with him and I thought, I'm not going to share these with my friend when I get back to the beer garden.

It might have been the heat. It might have been the alcohol. It might have been a mixture of the two, which is more likely. Whatever it was, I had an idea. I offered to kill him. That way, he would die like he wanted, but he wouldn't need the backbone to do it. He agreed, but he asked me for another cigarette first. I gave him one, why wouldn't I? It's kind of like his last meal. He told me that he didn't want to know how he was going to die, so I assured him it would be a surprise. I struggled to my feet, the heat was far too intense. I felt the panic of the moment when you realise you're sobering-up, so I went to the shop and bought a large bottle of cider and a small can of vodka and coke. I drank the can really quickly. It nearly came out of my nose. I lit a cigarette and went back to the homeless guy. I told him the cider was for him and he smiled like it was Christmas to a child. He asked me how I was going to kill him. I told him I already did. He looked annoyed but that's okay, he probably knew what I meant deep down.

You know what weird feeling when you're drunk in the middle of the day time and everyone else seems to be sober and the whole thing starts twisting? It's liberating. It's like a weird feeling of independence. On my way back to the pub to get back to you (you must have been waiting forever), I noticed a teenager chasing pigeons and making them fly into the faces of tutting old people. So I ran over to him and punched him square in the face. I felt one my knuckles slice open from a tooth, but I didn't feel the pain of it. The police officer I mentioned was still there, you know. He came over after hearing the commotion and when his eyes locked onto mine, you know what I said to him? I told him to go fuck himself. I laughed, probably a little too loudly, and then looked-up to the sky.

The sun was blazing. Not a cloud to be seen. It was the middle of the day and I felt like I was the only person in the town centre who was drunk. It feels weird, but in a good way. Liberating. Then I was on the ground, kissing the concrete. I felt my hands being tied together and the cold metal hugging my wrists. Then I thought of you, and you know what I did? I laughed and thought 'You can wait in the beer garden all day you son of a bitch. You aren't having my cigarettes.'

title: They're My Cigarettes

question: What does the story say about being drunk in the day?

answer: The narrator believes he and his companion are no better than the other people who are too drunk for this time of day. He believes it's one of the strangest feelings to be drunk with your vision spinning at two in the afternoon in a town center because every one else is probably sober. It's strange, but liberating because you feel like you can do almost anything, like swear at a police officer. It feels like you're floating everywhere instead of walking. The narrator feels the liberation gives a sense of independence.

question: What does the story say about the traits of the homeless man?

answer: The homeless man sits on the ground with five layers and a beanie on, despite the temperature not being cold. He may be cold or boiling hot. He asks for change from the narrator, and decides to ramble to the narrator. He tells the narrator he's been banned from homeless shelters, and that he wants to die. When the narrator offers to kill him, the homeless man is annoyed  when he realizes the narrator was only going to kill him by giving him a cigarette.

question: Summarize how the narrator's feelings about their companion change throughout the story.

answer: The narrator kept up a level of annoyance about their companion throughout the whole story. They were annoyed at her for looking at her phone to avoid conversation with him, and he seems annoyed that she's taken the last of his cigarettes. He doesn't even care that he buys the wrong pack of cigarettes for her, and is making her wait for them. In this moment, he goes from to annoyance to a level of disdain for his companion. He insults her in his mind and thinks that she can wait in the beer garden all day, but that she isn't getting his cigarettes.

question: Summarize the ending.

answer: The narrator heads back to give the cigarettes to their companion, but decides to drunkenly punch a teenager for chasing pigeons and making them fly into old people. A police officer comes over to him, and the narrator laughs and swears at him. He laughs, and feels liberated by being drunk in public. Suddenly, the narrator is arrested. He laughs again at the thought that his companion won't be getting his cigarettes.

question: What does the story say about the woman's reaction when the narrator comes back with the cigarettes?


text:
Domestic abuse charity Refuge faces claims that it has a "toxic" working environment where staff would cry at their desks because of treatment by managers, and where its chief executive is "grossly overpaid".

Earlier this year the trustees made a serious incident report to the Charity Commission over the behaviour of a senior staff member and the treatment of staff. The Commission opened an operational compliance case, and trustees appointed an independent investigator.

Refuge, a charity which provides support to women and children experiencing domestic violence, said it took “immediate” action once a complaint was made and has made changes to its governance.

Refuge has an income of £13.3m. It employs over 200 people and has nearly 70 volunteers, according to data filed with the Charity Commission.

High pressure and overwork

Reviews posted on Glassdoor – a website that rates employers – describe the charity as “toxic” and warn others not to work there. The average rating on the site is 2.1 out of 5.

One reviewer said it was “not the charity I thought they were”. Another described it as the “charity that lost its cause”.

Reviewers also suggested it was hypocritical behaviour considering the type of charity it is. One said: “For an organisation that is supposed to be about empowering women, the mostly female staff I worked with were incredibly disempowered.”

Two reviewers reported that staff would cry at their desks over working conditions.

Chief executive ‘grossly overpaid’

The earliest complaint on Glassdoor dates back to 2013, when the reviewer described the chief executive as “grossly overpaid”.

Sandra Horley joined Refuge in 1983, and according to most recent set of accounts for the year ending March 2017 had a total remuneration package of up to £220,000, including health cover and pension supplement.

She earns more than the chief executives of 84 charities in the haysmacintyre / Charity Finance 100 Index, including Oxfam, RNLI and the National Trust.

Serious incident report to the Charity Commission

At the beginning of this year the charity reported a serious incident to the Charity Commission, prompting the regulator to open a compliance case.

A spokeswoman said: “The Commission opened a compliance case into Refuge in early 2018 after receiving a serious incident report from the charity regarding concerns about the treatment of staff members and the behaviour of a senior staff member.

"The trustees took appropriate action by reporting this to the Commission and appointing an independent investigator to carry out a full investigation into the issues raised. We sought further information from the trustees about their general governance and how the charity safeguards and supports its staff.

“The charity responded to our concerns and informed us that they have put in place a number of steps to deal with the concerns including increasing trustee presence within the charity, reviewing a number of their policies, implementing a framework of organisational values and reviewing staff workloads.”

The regulator has now closed its case.

A spokeswoman for Refuge said: “A complaint was received against the charity.  The trustees took immediate action and arranged for it to be independently investigated. Following the complaint some changes have been made to governance structures. The Charity Commission was satisfied with the action taken and the case is now closed.”

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question: What is Refuge?

answer: Refuge is a domestic abuse charity that provides support to women and children experiencing domestic violence.

question: What are the complaints lodged against Refuge?

answer: Refuge faces claims that it has a "toxic" working environment where staff would cry at their desks because of treatment by managers, and the chief executive is "grossly overpaid".

question: As a company, how big is Refuge?

answer: Refuge has an income of £13.3m and employs over 200 people, nearly 70 of whom are volunteers.

question: How do former employees feel about Refuge?

answer: Former Refuge staff has posted negative reviews on Glassdoor, saying the company has a toxic atmosphere and warns others to stay clear. Females working at Refuge felt disempowered and would cry over the working conditions.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: Refuge, a domestic abuse charity that provides support to women and children experiencing domestic violence, is facing complaints that it fosters a "toxic" working atmosphere where managers mistreat staff members. There are also reports that the chief executive, Sandra Horley, who joined Refuge in 1983, is grossly overpaid. Recent accounts show that Horley's March 2017 remuneration package of £220,000, including health cover and pension supplement, is bigger than the chief executives of 84 other charities. The charity commission opened a compliance case against Refuge in early 2018 after receiving an incident report about the behavior of senior staff members towards lower-ranked employees. Refuge took immediate action and the investigation is now closed.


text:
 Edit
[A Troll in Central Park (1994) - Plot Summary Poster]

Jump to:

-   Summaries (4)
-   Synopsis (1)

Summaries

-

    An evil Queen banishes a flower loving troll named Stanley (Dom DeLuise) to New York City, where he befriends two young children.

-

    Stanley (Dom DeLuise) is a kindhearted, popular troll who can create flowers with a mere touch. When Gnorga (Cloris Leachman), the mean-spirited Queen of the Kingdom of Trolls discovers Stanley's secret, she banishes him to a faraway place where she assumes nothing green can grow - New York City. Taking refuge in Central Park, Stanley befriends two young children, Gus (Phillip Glasser) and his baby sister Rosie (Tawny Sunshine Glover). The three share wonderful adventures until Gnorga decides to let her mischief-making magic loose in the Big Apple.

-

    A friendly troll with a magic green thumb grows one flower too many for the Queen, whose laws require all trolls to act mean, be ugly, and scare humans whenever possible. As a punishment, he is exiled to a world of concrete, where he should live a life of proper trolldom: Manhattan. But of all places, his pod lands in Central Park, where he feels right at home. He befriends a young brother and sister, out for the day unknown to their parents, and must immediately protect them from the Queen's attack. This is an adventure that teaches the importance of love and responsibility.

-

    When his parents are too busy to take him to the park, a bratty boy named Gus (Phillip Glasser), followed by his toddler sister Rosie (Tawny Sunshine Glover), take off on their own. While Gus plays with his toy boat, Rosie gets herself into a large underground area. There she meets Stanley (Dom DeLuise), a friendly troll with a green thumb that will grow a flower at his thumb's touch. This run-down underground cave is now Stanley's home after he is exiled to Central Park from his home world, a terrible loveless dark troll world, for growing flowers. Gus is introduced to Stanley by Rosie and is not impressed. But when Gnorga (Cloris Leachman), the evil Queen of the troll world, comes to Manhattan armed with her purple thumb that turns things to stone, she sniffs Stanley out, with intentions of bringing Stanley, his friends and the city to a terrible conclusion.

Spoilers

The synopsis below may give away important plot points.

Synopsis

-

    At the beginning of the film, viewers are introduced to an underground 'Kingdom of the Trolls', where all symbols of beauty, especially flowers, are forbidden by the evil Queen Gnorga (Cloris Leachman). Protagonist Stanley (Dom DeLuise) is an unusual troll with the power to create moving, talking flowers with a touch, who cultivates a garden in secret. When he mistakenly exposes himself, Gnorga holds a trial ('The Queen of Mean'), where she threatens to turn Stanley to stone (her usual punishment), until her consort King Llort (Charles Nelson Reilly) recommends exile instead, to a place he believes to harbor no beauty at all. When Gnorga acts on this, the place of exile proves to be New York City, where Stanley takes refuge in a cave beneath Central Park. Soon afterwards, he is befriended by two human children: Rosie (Tawny Sunshine Glover) and her elder brother Gus (Phillip Glasser). Inspired by Rosie, he creates a beautiful garden in his cave ('Absolutely Green').

    Word of Stanley's happiness reaches the Troll Kingdom, and Gnorga's reputation suffers. She, in retaliation, attempts to drown Stanley and his human friends with a flood created from Gus' tears; but this fails, when Stanley's own magic, and Gus' desire to protect Rosie combine to break Gnorga's spell. Stanley then displays his ideal of a world, in which the trolls live at peace and all else is beautiful ('Welcome to my World'). When Gus and Rosie leave for home, Gnorga destroys much of Central Park with a cyclone, and captures Rosie. Gus scolds Stanley for his fear of Gnorga, and tries to rescue Rosie, but is changed by her into the shape of a troll. Stanley, ashamed, rescues both, and confronts Gnorga. After a fierce contest of their powers, Stanley changes Gnorga partly into a rosebush, and she, through the transformed Gus, turns Stanley to stone. Moments later, Gnorga becomes a rosebush altogether, and her own power teleports her and Llort back to their kingdom. Gus, restored to his human form, retrieves the petrified Stanley.

    The next day, Gus and Rosie return Stanley to the Park, where he unexpectedly returns to life, restores the Park to its intact state, and briefly covers the entire city with flowers ('Absolutely Green', reprise). A brief epilogue reveals, Llort is now ruling the Troll Kingdom alone, much more gently than Gnorga.

question: What ability indicates the troll is benevolent?

answer: He can turn anything into a flower.

question: Why does Stanley feel comfortable in Central Park?

answer: He is surrounded by nature.

question: What is ironic about his having landed in a park?

answer: He was banished to Manhattan because he would be miserable in the land of concrete and skyscrapers, but he ended up in nature regardless of the Queen's malevolent intentions.

question: Why does Gnorga's reputation suffer?

answer: She is clearly not as powerful or smart as she claims to be if she messed up exiling him so badly that he is now in the perfect place for him, enjoying life.


text:
Nathan stood in the corner with hunched shoulders.  He could see nothing but white floral wallpaper.  The walls smelled dusty.  It was so unfair.
    His mom sentenced him to time out for twenty minutes.  For twenty minutes he was supposed to stand in that corner and do nothing.  His Pokemon, Nosepicker, was just a few points away from leveling up and there he was, enduring a staring contest with dust mites.  The worst part was that he didn't even do anything to deserve it.  His mom just hated him, she favored his brother.  All she ever did was nag at him and make him go to bed early and embarrass him in front of his friends.  One time, she planted a note in his lunch that said 'I love you, Sweety Pumpkins!  Ask Sarah if she'd like to come over and play!' and there was a winky face.  Nathan sat with Sarah at lunch that day and Sarah read that note; he was the laughing stock of the whole school.  Life would have been so much better if his mom just disappeared.
	Life went on for Nathan like that for awhile.  He chafed under his mom's curfew.  He had to bring any new girlfriend home for a very formal, very uncomfortable dinner with his mom (and no, Sarah never came for dinner).  No food upstairs, no TV before homework, no closed doors in the house.  High school came and left Nathan with an open tri-fold letter on his desk:  'Congratulations, you have been accepted to the school of your dreams.'  Those dreams finally took him far away for a long time.
	The white floral wallpaper on the walls in the corner is even dustier now.  There are small tears in the paper and dents in the wall, though I don't know how they got there.  My fingers graze the walls.  Time has a way of marking even the most untouchable of places.  I hear my brother's voice behind me.
	“Nathan.  It's your turn.”
I turn from my corner and walk across the living room into the bedroom hall.  Night is falling, and the gloomy twilight from outside is creeping between closed shutters.  I don't bother knocking before I enter my mom's room.  The nurse looks up from an IV unit and twitches something into place before she leaves.  My mom is on the bed looking old.  The bitter twilight from outside turns the hills and dips of her face into valleys and canyons.  Her hair is a vacant facade, and her pinpoint pupils are seeing somewhere else.  I sit in an old white wicker chair next to the bed.
	“Mom,” I whisper, “I'm here.  It's me, Nathan.”  A spark flashes in her eyes and my voice drops, I don't want to extinguish it.  “How are ya doin'?”
	“Nathan?”  Her voice is the skim off the top of her vocal chords.  “Yes, Nathan.  That's my son.  He's a good boy.”
	“I know, Mom, I—”
	“Stubborn too, like me.  Stubborn like his mom, but such a good boy.”
Nathan wasn't a good boy.  Nathan was resentful.  He was unappreciative and wished his mom would disappear.  He would have been glad to see the woman on the bed in front of me disintegrating into the sheets.  I hate Nathan.
	The twilight is freezing into darkness now.  There's a lamp on the nightstand next to me, but I don't want to turn it on.  My eyes close.  I just want to hear my mom's decomposing voice.
	“I give him everything, everything... I'd lay my life down for him.  He's my angel.”
Now my hands search wildly on the bed for my mom's wrist.  What angel was Nathan, the brat who waited in the corner until his mom wasted away?  My fingers find the wrist; it's a twig waiting to snap.
	Why, Nathan, did you do this to me?  You bitched and you moaned and now I am facing your punishment, this wasted woman, your dying mother.  You turned your back in some spiteful waiting game and guess what, you won, you bastard.
	“I love you, Mom,” I say.  It's an echo of someone else's words, a desperate one-liner to flirt with the idea of never seeing her again.
	My mom turns to me and then I know I've extinguished the spark because she croaks, “That's nice, all very nice.”

title: [Critique] an exercise in manipulating POV: Nathan

question: Summarize Nathan's relationship with his mother.

answer: Nathan's mother loves Nathan, but Nathan seems to not notice. Nathan's mother cares for him and even says she would "lay down [her] life for him. He's [her] angel." Nathan seems like he doesn't understand this, and interprets his mother's love for trying to embarrass and control him.

question: Summarize Nathan's childhood.

answer: According to Nathan, his childhood was stifled by his mother. He received timeouts even though "he didn't even do anything to deserve it," he had a curfew and house rules. Because of these Nathan was unhappy and wished his mother would disappear.

question: Summarize Nathan's last interaction with his mother.

answer: Nathan walks into his mother's room where she is bedridden. His mother says that Nathan was a good boy, stubborn like her. Nathan regrets his previous thoughts of wanting his mother to disappear. Nathan's mother says that she would give Nathan everything, and Nathan tells her he loves her, and then she dies.

question: Summarize Nathan's relationship with his brother.

answer: There is not much information on Nathan's relationship to his brother. According to Nathan, their mother liked Nathan's brother more than Nathan. Nathan's brother is also there when Nathan says goodbye to their mother, but not much can be inferred.


text:
”

“I am dismayed – as we all should be – when I see young people, children, picking up weapons and seeking to kill,” declared the Secretary-General in a video message to address what he called “the dangerous escalation in violence across the occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, especially in Jerusalem.”

Mr. Ban emphasized that “violence will only undermine the legitimate Palestinian aspirations for statehood and the longing of Israelis for security.”

The UN chief's message comes in the wake of an uptick in violence since early September. A series of ever-more deadly clashes between Palestinians and Israelis, including Israeli security forces, has marked much of October, with incidents reported in more than 50 different locations, including in East Jerusalem, Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, Jenin, Tulkarm and Nablus.

Just this past Friday, the UN Security Council convened an emergency session and was briefed on the latest violent incident in which a large group of Palestinians set fire to the compound containing the holy site of Joseph's Tomb in the West Bank city of Nablus.

“To the youth of Palestine I say: I understand your frustration. I know your hopes for peace have been dashed countless times. You are angry at the continued occupation and expansion of settlements. Many of you are disappointed in your leaders and in us, the international community, because of our inability to end this conflict,” said Mr. Ban in his message.

The Secretary-General added that Palestinian youth should turn their frustrations into “a strong, but peaceful, voice for change.”

Next, he addressed Palestinian leaders, urging them to use peaceful measures. “Harness the energy of your people in a peaceful way to make their dreams and aspirations a reality,” said Mr. Ban, urging Palestinian youth to “demand that your leaders act responsibly to protect your future. Demand progress for a political solution – from your leaders, from Israeli leaders, and from the international community.”

“I am not asking you to be passive, but you must put down the weapons of despair,” underscored the UN chief.

“You have the right to live a decent life in dignity, respect and freedom,” he continued. “I know that this is your goal. It is also our goal. But it can only be reached by establishing a Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel, not through the violent acts we have been witnessing.”

He then turned his remarks to address the leaders and people of Israel.

“Let me say, I appreciate your genuine concern about peace and security. I also understand the anger many Israelis feel,” said Mr. Ban. “When children are afraid to go to school, when anyone on the street is a potential victim, security is rightly your immediate priority. But walls, checkpoints, harsh responses by the security forces and house demolitions cannot sustain the peace and safety that you need and must have.”

“You – the people of Israel – as much as the Palestinian people, need to see a political horizon to break this cycle of violence and fear,” he said, adding that the United Nations “will continue to support all efforts to create the conditions for a return to meaningful negotiations. IN this, we have never wavered.”

He also urged leaders on both sides to “stand firm against terror, violence and incitement,” and to demonstrate “in both words and deeds that the historic status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem will be preserved.”

Mr. Ban also asked leaders to “reaffirm your commitment to end the occupation and pursue a two-state solution by making changes in the ground. Non-violence requires more courage and strength than violence. At this difficult time, let us say 'enough is enough.'”

“Let us get truly serious about reaching the only solution capable of durably stanching the bloodshed, the hatred and the fear of even greater conflict,” he urged. “That is the courage and leadership the peoples of this holy land demand and deserve,” the Secretary-General concluded.

question: Summarize the Secretary-General's message to Palestine and Israel.

answer: The Secretary-General, Mr. Ban, shares his empathies with both sides. He notes that the Palestinian youth are right in their frustrations but need to take action in a peaceful way, demand a solution from both Palestinian and Israeli leaders. Ban says he understands the need for security on the Israel's side but notes that any sense of security gathered through harsh measures will not stand the test of time. Finally, he urges both sides to demonstrate in words and deed that all holy sites will be preserved.

question: What does Mr. Ban say about Israel and Palestine's mistakes in resolving their issues?

answer: Ban warns Palestinian youth that the "weapons of desperation" they took up will incite further violence. He implores them to be active with an attitude toward peace. Mr. Ban says Israelis should seek a permanent solution to their need and want of security instead of short term, reactionary approaches like walls, checkpoints, harsh security responses, and house demolitions.

question: What does the article say about the old people's options in affecting change?


text:
_Featured Image Photo Credit: Markus Spiske via Unsplash_

Small spaces make great rentals: they’re affordable, easy to decorate, and even easier to clean. But it’s all fun and games until you get that fateful call — someone wants to come stay at your place overnight. For those living in cramped studios and one-bedroom apartments, the idea of hosting overnight guests conjures up visions of asking your mom or best friend from college if she’s cool with sleeping in the Cupboard Under the Stairs.

It may seem impossible, but there are a few great solutions for hosting your overnight guests (and none of them involve you sleeping in the hallway outside your apartment door). Here’s what you need to know:

1. SHIFT YOUR FURNITURE

When your plans change, so should your space. When a surprise overnight guest comes knocking, your first move should be to shift and rearrange your furniture to accommodate your guests. If you’re making space for an air mattress, move all of your furniture to one side or against the walls.

If your guest is crashing on the couch, move comfy pieces like an ottoman or an armchair to create a cozy corner for your guest. Moving your furniture is an easy (and free!) way to create a comfortable area for guests to sleep and store their luggage during their stay.

2. FIND A “BED”

Now comes the hard part. When you’re living in a small studio or apartment, there are probably days when you feel like there’s barely enough room for _you_ in your apartment, let alone houseguests. But there are sleeping solutions out there, and not all of them require that you buy a sleeper sofa (although that’s a quick fix!). Depending on your space, your next best bet is to turn to your couch, an air mattress, or a daybed.

The pros and cons: an air mattress can be deflated and easily stored when you’re not hosting. If you can find the floor space (don’t rule out the kitchen floor!), guests can enjoy the comfort of a “real” bed without the investment of a sleeper sofa. If there’s simply no space for an air mattress, layer your couch with comfy linens and blankets, and invest in good pillows. Even if you can’t offer your guest an actual bed, you can offer them the coziest blankets money can buy. If you opt for a daybed, it makes for a great, multi-functional piece of furniture even when you're not hosting guests. Use it for studying, reading, or additional seating for your friends.

3. CREATE A SEPARATE SPACE

By the end of the day, both you and your houseguests are going to be craving some privacy. In small spaces, it’s a challenge to create separate, private spaces for your guests to change, make phone calls, and get some alone time. Separate your living space from theirs by temporarily hanging a curtain (a tension rod works great) or dividing the room with a screen or cabinets. Use a tall bookshelf as a makeshift divider or invest in one of IKEA’s on-trend, on-wheels room dividers.

Likewise, stock your guests’ separate space with everything they'll need to be comfortable during their stay. Don’t make your guests have to ask you for clean towels or scrounge around in the kitchen for coffee. When they arrive, have their linens folded and waiting for them, along with important info such as the Wi-Fi password and a spare key. Also make sure the kitchen is stocked with essentials.

Ready to find the next space to share with your family and friends? Start the search with Doorsteps.

Thousands of homes for rent. Find your next place to love.

Did you find this helpful? Share it with a friend.

Jillian Lukas Rodriguez is a freelance writer based in Royal Oak, Michigan. Jillian loves to write about her home state of Michigan, leadership and business, and people working to do good in the world. You can read more of her work at www.jillian-rodriguez.com.

[Image of Jillian Rodriguez]

question: What does the article say about accommodating guests in a limited space?

answer: For those living in cramped studios or one-bedroom apartments hosting a guest, your first move should be to shift and rearrange your furniture. If your guest is crashing on the couch, move comfy pieces like ottoman or armchairs to create a cozy corner. Depending on your space, you should offer your couch, an air mattress, or a daybed for your guest to sleep on. An air mattress is ideal if you can find the floor space. If you must use your couch, layer it with comfy linens and blankets. Also, create a sense of separation with a temporary hanging curtain, or divide the room with a screen or cabinets.


text:
He awoke, and he was terrified.  As far as the eye could see were small canisters containing humans, just like the one he had risen from. The room was cold and dark, save for their blue glow, while the ceiling was barely above his head as he stood.

There was no end in sight, no discernible wall or doorway or exit. He could clearly make out the humans near his canister, though. Beside him a woman, with luscious blonde hair; the other side two children, a boy and a girl of similar age.

He was suddenly aware of a deep rumble in the distance, a sound that filled him with dread for reasons he couldn't understand. He began to panic, more so than he thought he might ever have done before.

Looking down he began to shake the woman, to rouse her from her slumber. When she wouldn't respond, he began to remove the various tubes and contraptions that were protruding from her body.

Suddenly, she awoke with an almighty gasp. She stared at him straight in the eye before going into shock, writhing in the man's grip. As soon as she had awoken, she went limp.

The man was now acutely aware of the terrifying rumble again. It was louder, making his way towards him.

Where was he?

And then, all went dark.

*

From his position on the beach, the man stared out to sea. As far as the eye could see was crystal clear water, while the Sun radiated down upon him, basking his body in unrivalled splendour.

He arose from his seat filled with ecstasy and joy. Here he dwelled in paradise, with his every desire and need catered for. He couldn't remember a time when he had been happier, or perhaps there had never been other such time.

But as he walked along the beach, the idyllic setting began to fade. The sand smudged into darkness, the sea turned a cold grey, the sky disappeared before him.

As his world dissolved around him into blackness, he was scared for what felt like the first time.

*

This was the moment he would betray them. Perhaps they would adjust to their new lives? But most likely not.

His family walked with him, his wife with the incredible blonde hair that had first attracted him to her all those years ago before it had begun, his children with their youthful ignorance that helped them bring light to the situation. He would've felt regret if he did not know what was coming.

They each climbed into their canisters, alight with a blue glow. Into the distance he could see thousands of people, what remained of the human race, doing the same.

They had been trained for this moment. They knew the procedure. Nevertheless, he made sure to check on his children. Despite his actions, he did not wish a greater ill upon them.

“See you on the other side,” he lied to them both. “I love you.”

His wife, meanwhile, had been quiet. He couldn't blame her; no one had thought it would come to this.  But it had, and for some it was a more distressing experience than others. For some, like himself, it had even brought out traits that he did not know existed.

He took a loving look at his wife, his last he thought, and she returned his gaze with a look that seemed to hide a tinge of sorrow. It didn't matter. None of this mattered.

They smiled at each other, nodded, and both lowered themselves into their canisters. The man attached the last of his tubes and prepared for his deep, unpenetrable slumber.

He was moments from drifting off, from escaping, before his wife appeared above him. He tried to speak, but his body was powerless.

“I know what you did,” she whispered as she pulled a tube out of his body.

*

“Will they know?”

“Yes.”

“How can you be sure?

“The machines are good, but they cannot account for such anomalies in each fantasy. By leaving them, they will forever mourn your absence.”

The man pondered this for a moment.

“Will I know?”

“No. Prior memories are erased, and if you are woken you will be killed.”

“Good.”

*

They had made the decision to spend an eternity together, but it was an eternity he did not want. Here was an opportunity to start afresh, to begin a new life, with no repercussions.

They made the necessary arrangements for the new life the four of them would lead together. It was a life she had chosen. He wanted more.

But there was another way. And soon, once his mind had wrestled away the horror of his upcoming actions, he would betray them in favour of an eternity in paradise.

title: Remember

question: Who are the main characters?

answer: An unnamed man/husband and an unnamed woman/wife who are among the last humans.

question: Why does the beach fade?

answer: Because he's pulled out of the connection with the machine, which was simulating the beach.

question: What is the story's main conflict?

answer: The man's betrayal of his family for a fresh start in paradise.

question: What are the major events of the story?

answer: The family agree to spend eternity together; the man (husband/father) arranges for his own eternity to be separate; they all enter their canisters (for stasis) and the wife pulls a tube from his body; the man's paradise fades and upon waking he pulls her out of her paradise; her body goes into shock and there is a terrifying rumble before everything goes dark.

question: What is the story's genre?

answer: Science fiction.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The story is presented in reverse, beginning with the main character waking abruptly from his machine-induced slumber to a terrifying rumble and everything going dark. Flash back to the man's experience inside the machine's simulated eternity, where he is on an idyllic beach that fades as he's woken. He is woken by his wife pulling a tube from his body before he can fully submerge, saying she knows what he did; he's secretly made a deal to abandon his family to an eternity of mourning him so he can have a fresh start in paradise, after agreeing to spend eternity together.