text:
  I sat in the chair, restrained and left alone for my thoughts to devour me whole. The chair was beautifully uncarved, a masterpiece of nature left unmarred by human hands, yet still uncomfortable enough for a prisoner like me to hate it. It felt like days have gone by in this chair, awaiting my fate, arms and legs bruised from the cuffs that dug into my flesh. My mind was racing, yet muddled; confined by the boundaries that they have placed on my thoughts. Memories repeating, left in a loop for me to regret for the rest of eternity. “Prisoner 339264. Rise for your Arbiter.” The loud hollow voice filled the room and the cuffs released me from their clutches, as I stood for someone who I am to respect, yet have never met. The Arbiter entered through the large steel doors previously hidden by the shadows and motioned for me to take my seat. As I hesitantly sat, the Arbiter began to speak, “You may not know why you are here.” his voice echoed in the large room. “And that is why I have been appointed to you. As a reminder, and as a final decision as to what is to happen to you.” He moved towards the pulpit, and laid out his documents for inspection.

          “What you have done is nothing new, a case like yours comes along thousands of times every year, from insignificant, pitiful people like yourself, to more tragic, meaningful people like that American that smelled vaguely of adolescent character, and the famous writer who was found in his house holding his favorite shotgun. But you are lower than them. Theirs was slightly more understandable, but not you, you had everything lined up for you. Presented on a platter to choose for your own liking. You left children, both legitimate, and illegitimate, in your wake. Open your mouth, what do you have to say for yourself?” My mouth was parched, and my throat was in a knot. “Who are you?” I finally asked. “Me? I am your judge.” He came around the pulpit, walking towards me as the cuffs restrained me again. “Your Fate, your King Minos. I am Your Arbiter. That is all you need to know.” I searched my mind for why I was here; one of the vague memories that have been placed off limits, torturing me with its escape. As he walked back, I gathered the nerve to finally ask the question that has been prying at my psyche. “Where am I, and what am I on trial for? I have a right to know!” “YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS HERE! You have lost all rights when your cowardice came over you, and you took your own life, leaving behind your wife, children, brothers, everything! You gave it all up, and for what? Nothing! And look where it's got you. In front of me.” An evil grin spread like the plague across his face. “I have the pleasure of deciding where you spend the rest of eternity.”

          Shaken, my heart began to race. I didn't know what he was talking about. “What do you mean? I have no children! I cannot even remember what brought me to this horrid place. Explain!” His eyes glared at me, and for once in a long time I felt intimidated. Genuinely afraid of his sick twisted face. Mocking me with his furrowed brow. His voice became eerily soft “There are things that cannot be explained at this moment, what I can say is that you are in limbo. This is where everyone passes as they wait for their judgment. You are here because you have taken your life, and left a wife and a mistress to raise your children.” My memories began to fade into existence, Carmen's beautiful smile, My daughters letters as she learned Spanish abroad, Hector's diligence. I remember. “People like you cause rifts in The Writing. The only thing that cannot be accounted for, you humans have managed to exploit and cause panic not only in your dimension, but here as well.” I finally understand whats going on, its setting in. “Why did I do it?” I asked. The Arbiter replied quickly “None us know, it is the only thing that has escapes us seven for all of eternity. We have seen people do it for pride, out of fear, love, anger, even curiosity.”

          Seven? “Are you the only Arbiter? If not why are you the one judging me?” His face twisted with a curious look, as though he was surprised, yet elated that I wanted to know about him and the others. “As I said before, there are seven of Us. We reign over your dimension and through a combination of us, we form every human being as their characteristics, or “Feelings”. Some people have more of one of us than others may.” “And as to the reason why I am being judged in front of you?” I beckoned for an answer. “Simple, out of the seven of us, I was the one most inflicted by your final moments. More people felt my presence because of you. And that angers me. Why should a human as incompetent as yourself be able to send shockwaves to dozens that I myself am not able to feel?” His piercing eyes, because soft and glazed over. He turned away from me snatching the files from the pulpit and briskly flipping through them. “So what am I to do?! I'm sorry that I offended you, but there must be something I can do to redeem myself!” I was looking for a way out. The outcome of angering this entity could not be good.

          “What you have done is irreversible and irreconcilable. The verdict has been decided. You will return to Earth as your daughter's son. You will be stripped of a father at a young age as you have stripped yourself from your children. You will raise yourself and your siblings, as you left your oldest son to do so without a father. Left to fend for yourself in the tidal wave that you have cause in your past life.” I writhed in my seat at the thought of being sent back to that dreadful place. “NO! You cant send me back there.” I didn't even know what I was afraid of. “There is nothing more than I can do, I have judged according to The Laws. You have done the crime. You must now pay the repercussions.” And with that he faded back into the shadowy corner. As the door closed softly behind him, my cuffs became undone. Rubbing my sore wrists, I began wondering what I should do now. When will my punishment begin? And if there is still a way to get around it. “Prisoner 339264. You have been tried and judged. You know your fate.” And with that a dark fear consumed, and pushed me towards a light. Into a realm so bright, cold and intimidating, it is a wonder how anyone could find comfort in this unrelenting place.

title: A short story I wrote for class titled "Inheritance". What do you think?

question: How is the main character addressed?

answer: As Prisoner 339264

question: What is the Arbiter?

answer: The arbiter is the judge of the prisoner's fate.

question: What crime was the prisoner guilty of?

answer: The prisoner was guilty of taking his own life and leaving behind his wife. children, brothers, and family.

question: What is the place called as the prisoner waits for judgement?

answer: Limbo

question: What is the prisoner's wife name?

answer: Carmen

question: Why did the prisoner take his own life?

answer: The prisoner does not know why he did so.

question: What is the final judgment given to the prisoner?

answer: The prisoner shall be returned to Earth as his daughter's son and will be stripped of a father at a young age and have to raise himself and his siblings.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: A prisoner finds himself in an unknown environment and is told by a voice to rise to the Arbiter. The Arbiter is a judge to decide his fate while the prisoner is in limbo. The judge tells him that he took his own life and that is why he is here. The final judgement of the prisoner is to go back to Earth as his daughter's son and be stripped of a father at a young age to mimic what the prisoner did to his family when taking his own life.


split: train

text:
The Maricopa County Republicans overwhelmingly censured Senator John McCain on Saturday. The state Republicans blasted McCain for his “long and terrible record of drafting, co-sponsoring and voting for legislation best associated with liberal Democrats.”
Seeing Red AZ reported:

  At the annual mandatory meeting of the Maricopa County Republican Committee Saturday, a resolution censuring Sen. John McCain was overwhelming passed by the elected precinct committeemen (PCs) representing the county seat of Phoenix, and including numerous surrounding cities. See this complete listing of all the cities and map for a full picture of the size of the area encompassed by Maricopa County.

  Committeemen representing the Republican voters are elected on primary ballots from the precincts within state legislative districts…

  …The vote to censure McCain passed overwhelmingly — 1,150 in support with only 351 opposed. Read the complete Resolution to Censure John McCain, including a list of grievances.

TRENDING: Crowd Erupts in Cheers as Giuliani Tells AZ State Lawmakers: "Your Political Career is Worth Losing if You Can Save the Right to Vote in America" (VIDEO)

Here is the resolution as drafted by precinct committeeman Tim Schwartz:

  As leaders in the Republican Party, we are obligated to fully support our party, platform and its candidates. Only in times of great crisis or betrayal is it necessary to publicly censure our leaders.

  Today we are faced with both. For too long we have waited, hoping Sen. McCain would return to our party’s values on his own. That has not happened. So with sadness and humility we rise and declare:

  Whereas SEN. MCCAIN HAS AMASSED A LONG AND TERRIBLE RECORD OF DRAFTING, CO-SPONSORING AND VOTING FOR LEGISLATION BEST ASSOCIATED WITH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, such as amnesty, funding for Obamacare, the debtceiling, assaults on the constitution and second amendment, and has continued to support liberal nominees;

  Whereas this record has been disastrous and harmful to Arizona and the United States; and,

  Whereas Sen. McCain has campaigned as a conservative and made promises during his re-election campaigns, such as the needed and welcomed promise to secure our borders and finish the border fence, only to quickly flip-flop on those promises; and whereas McCain has abandoned our core values and has been eerily silent against liberals, yet publicly reprimands conservatives in his own party, therefore

  Be it hereby resolved that the Maricopa County Republican leadership censures Sen. McCain for his continued disservice to our state and nation, and

  BE it further resolved that until he consistently champions our party’s platform and values, we, the Republican leadership in Arizona will no longer support, campaign for or endorse John McCain as our U.S. senator.

question: What is the main subject of the article?

answer: The censuring of Senator McCain by Maricopa County Republicans

question: Approximately when was the article written?

answer: That information can't be found, but it must have been before McCain's death in 2018, and based on some of the language used, probably after the 2016 election

question: How many people voted to censure McCain?

answer: 1150

question: Who drafted the resolution?

answer: Tim Schwartz, the precinct chairman of the Republican party

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The leadership of the Maricopa County (AZ) Republicans has voted to censure Senator John McCain because they feel he has sided with the Democrats too much and broken campaign promises.


text:
ARTHUR HAROLD BABITSKY (October 8, 1907 – March 4, 1992), better known as ART BABBITT, was an American animator, best known for his work at Walt Disney Animation Studios. He received over 80 awards as an animation director and animator, and also developed the character of Goofy. Babbitt worked as an animator or animation director on films such as _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_, _Pinocchio_, _Fantasia_ and _Dumbo_, among others. Outside of Disney, he also animated _The Wise Quacking Duck_ for Leon Schlesinger Productions.

Early life

Babbitt was born to a Jewish family[1] in Omaha, Nebraska in the Little Bohemia section of town near the Bohemian Cafe restaurant, but moved to Sioux City, Iowa after he finished kindergarten. When his hard-working father had an accident on duty and became paralyzed as a result, Art decided to move to New York to take on the role of breadwinner.

Career

Art Babbitt began his career in New York City working for Paul Terry's Terrytoons Studio. But in the early 1930s he moved to Los Angeles followed by his fellow Terrytoon colleague Bill Tytla, and secured a job animating for the Walt Disney Studio, which was expanding at the time.[2]

Disney Studio

Babbitt began his career at Disney as an assistant animator, but his talent was spotted and he was soon promoted to animator.[3] His first important work was a drunken mouse in the short _The Country Cousin_ (1936), which won an Academy Award for the studio.[4]

At the Disney Studio, Babbitt animated the Wicked Queen in _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_, a job described by Disney animator Andreas Deja as “one of the toughest assignments” on the film.[5] While he was working on _Snow White_ he met his first wife, Marjorie Belcher, a dance model whose live-action performance was used as reference material by the animators for the role of Snow White.[6]

On the film _Pinocchio_, Babbitt animated the character of Geppetto, and became a directing animator.[7] Of all Disney's films, _Pinocchio_ was the feature which Babbitt most admired, and which he regarded as the finest achievement of the studio during the “Golden Age” of animation.[8] Babbitt also animated the characters of the Dancing Mushrooms, Dancing Thistles, Dancing Orchids, Zeus, Vulcan, and Boreas in _Fantasia_. On the feature film _Dumbo_, Babbitt was again made a directing animator,[9] and animated the character of the stork. When animating the stork, he made him resemble his voice actor, Sterling Holloway. Babbitt is also credited with developing the character of Goofy, a character which he later described in the 1987 documentary film “Animating Art”:

  He Goofy was someone who never really knew how stupid he was. He thought long and carefully before he did anything, and then he did it wrong.[10]

During the 1930s Babbitt rose to become one of Disney's best-paid artists, and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle despite the austerity of the Great Depression:

  I was living the Life of Riley. I didn't realize how fortunate I was. I was earning a very good salary. I had two servants, a large house, and three cars. You know, what in the world was I going to do with three cars?[11]

However, despite this prosperity, in 1940 he and his wife Marjorie were divorced.[12]

Cartoonist strike

Despite being one of the highest paid animators at Disney, Babbitt was sympathetic to the cause of lower echelon Disney artists seeking to form a union. Most of the strikers were in-betweeners, cel painters, and other less-well paid employees, who in 1941 began industrial action in pursuit of better working conditions. As a top animator, Babbitt was one of relatively few well-paid artists to join the strike, and he became one of the strike leaders. One morning, as Disney drove through picketing workers on his way to the studio, Babbitt heckled him through a bullhorn. Disney exited his car to confront him, and a fistfight was only prevented by the intervention of others.[13]

For his part in the strike, Babbitt earned Walt Disney's enmity. Disney was forced to re-hire Babbitt after the strike was over, along with many other strikers, but by then the two men disliked one another. Babbitt worked with director Jack Kinney, another “Goofy man” (meaning that they worked together on the Goofy shorts), as Disney began to look for ways to be rid of Babbitt. “If he gets in your way, let me know”, Disney said to Kinney. Babbitt was fired more than once but was re-instated, taking his case successfully all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, and winning a handsome settlement.[14]

WWII

After serving with the Marines in the Pacific in World War II, Babbitt returned to Disney for a time, following an “unfair labor practices” suit brought by Babbitt against Disney. Disney was forced to rehire him after the war, but Babbitt did not stay long.[15]

Career after Disney

Along with some other former Disney strikers, Babbitt left Disney and went to join the United Productions of America (UPA), a new studio which pioneered a modern, simplified form of animation. He worked on many of their famous award-winning shorts, including the lead character Frankie in “Rooty Toot-Toot” (1951), and won many awards.[16] In the 1950s he was part owner of Quartet Films, where he worked on television commercials, including the Cleo winning “John & Marsha” spot for Parkay Margarine. Later he was part of Hanna-Barbera's commercial wing.

Known in the animation world as one of the art's most accomplished teachers, in 1973 Canadian animator Richard Williams brought Babbitt to his London studio in Soho Square to deliver a series of lectures on animation acting and technique that subsequently became famous among animators. Some of Babbitt's final work was on the characters King Nod and Phido, the vulture, in Williams' film _The Thief and the Cobbler_.[17] He also animated the Camel with Wrinkled Knees in William's _Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure_.[18]

In 1991 Disney Company chief Roy E. Disney, the nephew of Walt, contacted Babbitt and they ended the long feud. Babbitt's former rivals, the pro-Walt animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, gave Babbitt a warm and moving eulogy at his funeral service. He was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).

Family life and legacy

His first wife (1937–1940) was Marge Champion, a dance model in _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_. His second wife was Dina Babbitt, an artist and a Holocaust survivor. He had two daughters with Dina, L. Michele Babbitt and Karin Wendy Babbitt.[19] His third wife until his death was actress Barbara Perry. His step-daughter from Barbara is Laurel James. Babbitt died of kidney failure on March 4, 1992. In the late 1980s, a British television documentary titled _Animating Art_ was broadcast, celebrating Babbitt's life and work. The documentary was produced and directed by Imogen Sutton (Richard Williams' wife), and features extensive interviews with Babbitt and his then employer, Williams.[20] Babbitt was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 2007.[21]

The Academy Film Archive holds a small collection of personal films belonging to Babbitt.[22] The archive has preserved a number of Babbitt's home movies from this collection, including one of the 1938 Academy Awards.[23]

Notes

Filmography

  Year                                            Title                                                                                Credits                                       Characters
  ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- ------------ --
  1937                                            _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_                                                                        Animator
  1940                                            _Pinocchio_                                                                                Animation Director
  _Fantasia_                                      Animator - Segment “_The Nutcracker Suite_” / Animation Supervisor - Segment “_The Pastoral Symphony_”
  1941                                            _Dumbo_                                                                                Animation Director
  1947                                            _Bootle Beetle (Short)_                                                                                Animator
  _Fun and Fancy Free_                            Character Animator
  _Foul Hunting_ (Short)                          Animator
  1949                                            _Ragtime Bear_ (Short)                                                                                Animator
  1950                                            _Giddyap_ (Short)                                                                                Director
  _The Popcorn Story_                             Director
  1951                                            _The Family Circus_ (Short)                                                                              Director / Animator
  _Barefaced Flatfoot_ (Short)                    Animator
  _Fuddy Duddy Buddy_ (Short)                     Animator
  _Grizzly Golfer_ (Short)                        Animator
  _Rooty Toot Toot_ (Short)                       Animator
  1952                                            _The Four Poster_ (Short)                                                                                Animator
  1953                                            _Job Evaluation and Merit Rating_ (Short)                                                                Director
  1958                                            _Date with Dizzy_ (Short)                                                                                Animator
  1964                                            ''The Nut House                                                                                '' (TV Movie)                                 Animator
  1966                                            _The Lone Ranger (TV Series)_                                                                            Director
  1969                                            _Of Men and Demons_ (Short)                                                                              Animator
  1976                                            _Everybody Rides the Carousel_                                                                           Animator
  1977                                            _Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure_                                                                Animator: The Camel with the Wrinkled Knees
  1988                                            _Animating Art_ (TV Movie documentary)                                                                   Himself
  _The South Bank Show (TV Series documentary)_   Thanks - 1 Episode “_The Art of Walt Disney_”
  1993                                            _The Thief and the Cobbler_                                                                              Lead Animator
  2012                                            _Persistence of Vision_ (Documentary)                                                                    Himself

[1] Art Babbitt at 50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators (by Grayson Ponti) 12 August 2011

[2]

[3]

[4] Art Babbitt at Imdb.com Retrieved January 2010

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10] ' _Animating Art_, documentary by Imogen Sutton (1987)

[11]

[12]

[13] Kinney, p.138

[14] Kinney, p.139

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19] _The New York Times_, “Dina Babbitt, Artist at Auschwitz, Is Dead at 86” by Bruce Weber August 1, 2009

[20]  Retrieved January 2011

[21] Art Babbitt Disney Legend Website Retrieved July 2012

[22]

[23]

title: Art Babbitt

question: How might Art's life have played out differently if his father hadn't had an accident on duty?

answer: He might never have moved to New York and might not have ended up working for Disney.

question: How did Art's job at Disney affect his personal life?

answer: It allowed him to meet his first wife, Marjorie Belcher.

question: How long did the feud between Babbitt and Disney last?

answer: 50 years

question: Why did Babbitt leave Disney?

answer: Presumably due to his animosity with Disney and the opportunity of working at United Productions of America.


text:
	**I was a god once…** or so this was my selfishness and ignorance that will lead to my untimely death.

	The hubris of men may come to a point of confusion, unable to distinguish reality from fantasy. This is my reality. I am not a god in the traditional sense, but a mortal man that assumed the role of a god. For a man to think that he is a god and that the follies of his kind no longer apply to himself are what caused me to be cast from the heavens. This is how my story begins.

	No common man has feasted in the presence of the gods, nor has any common man ever lain with a goddess. Such are the dreams of men. How I was able to meet the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite herself, is still a mystery to me. In the fleeting spring of years gone by, this goddess shone her light upon me, and after our first embrace we quickly became infatuated with each other. Her, the goddess of love, and I, a common, mortal man. For reasons I will never know, she would whisk me away to experience what I never could have imagined. Soon I would lose grasp of the reality of who I really was.

	Days turned into months, and those into years, as I would grow ever more proud and take more of my blessings for granted. Soon I would mistake myself for somebody other than a selfish, arrogant fool. I would come to expect the love of the goddess that took me in, rather than earn it with acts of equal merit and thoughtfulness. Instead, I would stand at the top of Olympus and stare through the clouds with a celestial clarity, pitying those at the base of the mountain, not realizing that I was one of them. I came to believe that I was on the same level as the gods, and that I deserved to be in the heavens. I forgot that I was only in the heavens because of the grace of my love, Aphrodite. The gods themselves could no longer tolerate this pride and arrogance, this self deceit, and had quickly cast me from the heavens… deservingly so.

	As I fell from the sky, I knew that I was as mortal as Icarus, and that my own ignorance was the cause of my plummet into the sea. Unlike Icarus who fell to his death, I had drifted away, only to be swept through the waves into the stormiest of seas, the darkest of days, and the loneliest of nights. When I finally arrived at the shore, I collected myself and made my way towards town, with a mind full of thoughts that ached with every step. As the days passed, and seemed to grow ever longer, my anger quickly turned into regret and self-pity. I began to walk through the streets, snickering at the commoners that I peered down upon, only in an attempt to disguise my own shame and emptiness. How could I have mistreated the most divine woman in all of creation? She was the embodiment of love itself, and I used to be able to call her mine.

	I never deserved to taste the ambrosia or feel the warm embrace of a goddess, yet a goddess never deserved a thankless mortal to receive without giving, to receive without singing her praises throughout the heavens, to receive without knowing the luck that had befallen him to merely be in her presence. Somebody as loving and selfless as Aphrodite needs an outstanding man… no! An outstanding GOD to care for her as she once cared for me. The euphoria she bestowed on me will never know an equal. She gave to me what many men will never know, what most could never dream.

	I had it all. I was truly a god, no matter how short my time may have seemed. I have enjoyed emotions and experiences that I never could have imagined without the love of a goddess. My own hubris and ignorance are what led me to where I am today, and I have no one to blame but myself. I cannot say that I am a mortal man and that I must be accepted for who I am. After experiencing the feasts of the gods and the love of a goddess, I shall forever search for something that will never satisfy what I had been accustomed to. Every morning that I wake to find that I am not next to my love, leaves me pondering what I am to do with this mortal existence.

     If my goddess, my one true love, cannot see the tears in my eyes, feel the sorrow on my breath, or know the remorse in my soul, she would surely never know the depth of my misery without her. If I am left to wander in search of earthly meals and an earthly woman, I will starve, beyond any doubt. I will starve, both physically and emotionally, before I found anything palatable enough to stomach my way through. Is this the fate I must endure? Is this my punishment for the way I mistreated the woman refined from the purest elements in all of the heavens? Will the impossibilities of finding anything comparable to the goddess I fell in love with, and the nectar and ambrosia she fed to me, be the cause of my untimely death?

*I would rather leap from the highest peak in all of Athens…*

title: [FN][RO] I Was a God Once - a short story i wrote for my girlfriend years ago, criticism welcomed!

question: What is the narrator's sentiment in the story?

answer: The narrator loses grip of his own reality after quickly realizing he was not truly a god. His selfishness and ignorance would eventually lead to his own death. The narrator had met his goddess and true love but is then left to starve physically and emotionally. His inability to find anyone comparable would probably lead to his untimely death.


text:
[Ethereum Surges 33% Within 4 Days, Will ETH be Able to Sustain Momentum?]

Photo by Kristopher Roller on Unsplash

ETH, the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain network, has surged by more than 33 percent in the past 4 days, despite the expectations of investors for ETH to continue its downtrend below the $200 support level.

Since Sept. 12, the price of ETH has increased from $167 to $223, achieving a monthly peak at $227. Traders have attributed the surge in the value of ETH to the oversold conditions demonstrated by the crypto market, as shown by Williams Percent Range and a technical indicator shared by billionaire investor Mike Novogratz.

  This is the BGCI chart…I think we put in a low yesterday. retouched the highs of late last year and the point of acceleration that led to the massive rally/bubble… markets like to retrace to the breakout..we retraced the whole of the bubble. #callingabottom pic.twitter.com/EasTBYgjSj

  — Michael Novogratz (@novogratz) September 13, 2018

Factors Behind the Drop in ETH in September

In early September, less than two weeks ago, ETH was valued at around $300. Abruptly, on Sept. 5, ETH initiated steep fall from $300 to $211, falling by 29 percent within a 24-hour period.

Until Sept. 6, the price of ETH was moving in tandem with Bitcoin and the rest of the cryptocurrency market. After a major sell-off on Sept. 5, ETH lost its momentum and continued to move towards the $200 support level.

[BitMex CEO: Ether Is a ‘Sh*tcoin’ That Will Fall Below $100]
Related: BitMex CEO: Ether Is a ‘Sh*tcoin’ That Will Fall Below $100
During that time, shorts around ETH achieved a monthly high, less than a month after the BitMEX 50x leveraged ETHUSD swap became the most liquid Ether / USD product. As more traders started to short ETH on major cryptocurrency exchanges like BitMEX and Bitfinex, ETH struggled to initiate a corrective rally, further declining to the mid-$100 region, which investors did not foresee.

Within two weeks, ETH lost nearly 50 percent of its value while Bitcoin recovered relatively quickly from its 15 percent drop and rebounded to $6,300. The poor performance of ETH relative to other large cryptocurrencies likely led the market to show extremely oversold conditions, pushing a corrective rally.

The downtrend of ETH throughout early September was intense and the second most valuable cryptocurrency in the market demonstrated short-term price movements that could be compared with small market cap cryptocurrencies and tokens.

The lack of volume on ETH combined with the growing volume of Tether (USDT) and other stablecoins led investors to hedge the value of ETH against the US dollar, creating a domino effect across large exchanges. The price of ETH plunged in early September due to unforeseen market behaviors, rather than specific events and developments.

Important Variable: ICO

ETH has shown resilience in the low $200 region and successfully broke out of the $200 resistance level, allowing investors and traders to become more optimistic in the short-term future of the market.

[Vitalik Buterin Proclaims an End to Explosive Growth as ETH Values Plummet: How Will Ethereum Recover?]
Related: Vitalik Buterin Proclaims an End to Explosive Growth as ETH Values Plummet: How Will Ethereum Recover?
The majority of investors have falsely identified the cause of the drop in ETH. Many analysts claimed that ETH dropped in September and throughout the past few months due to a sell-off of ETH initiated by ICO projects deployed on Ethereum.

However, researchers at Diar discovered that Ethereum-based projects still hold more than $500 million in ETH and are sitting on top of most of their ETH reserves which they have not sold since the ICO.

The researchers wrote:

  “While comprehensive financials are not disclosed by many companies, the amounts that they have in their original Ether treasuries at the time of their ICO is public information. Some of the most popular and anticipated projects, most of which have yet to launch, are sitting on treasuries north of $500Mn. That’s excluding their cash on hand, as well as their own token reserves.”

Hence, in the future, if ICOs start to sell their ETH reserves on cryptocurrency exchanges, ETH could be vulnerable to another large sell-off, similar to the trend it experienced in early September.

Ethereum, currently ranked #2 by market cap, is up 5.81% over the past 24 hours. ETH has a market cap of $21.37B with a 24 hour volume of $1.7B.

Ethereum Price Chart

ETHUSD Chart by TradingView

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question: What is the main topic of the post?

answer: The author of the post discusses the surge in ETH, Ethereum cryptocurrency.

question: When was this article posted?

answer: September 2018

question: The article indicates that ETH is ranked what?

answer: It is ranked #2 in market cap.

question: What might happen if ICOs start to sell their ETH reserves on cryptocurrency exchanges?

answer: ETH could be vulnerable to another large sell-off, similar to the trend it experienced in early September.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The author of the post discusses the surge in ETH, and the possible reasons for the previous drop in Ethereum cryptocurrency.


text:
[Father Augustine Francis Hewit, CSP]

AUGUSTINE FRANCIS HEWIT (Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S.A., 27 November 1820 – New York, 3 July 1897) was an American Redemptorist priest, and second Superior General of the Paulist Fathers.

Life

His father was Rev. Nathaniel Hewit, D.D., a prominent Congregationalist minister; and his mother, Rebecca Hillhouse Hewit, was a daughter of James Hillhouse, United States Senator from Connecticut. He was educated at the Fairfield public school, Phillips Andover Academy, and Amherst College, from which he was graduated in 1839.

Brought up a Protestant, he was a convinced Christian only after graduation. Shortly after his conversion he began the study of theology at the Congregationalist seminary at East Windsor, Connecticut. Scarcely had he finished its prescribed course and been licensed to preach, he entered the Episcopal Church. The Oxford Movement in that Church had already extended to America, and Hewit became one of its most ardent followers. He received the Anglican order of deacon in 1844, but with the expressed condition that he might interpret the Thirty-nine Articles in the sense of _Tract 90_. The conversion of John Henry Newman in 1845 gradually unsettled his belief in the validity of the claims of Anglicanism, and he was received into the Roman Catholic Church, 25 March 1846. He then studied Catholic theology privately under the direction of Patrick N. Lynch, afterwards Bishop of Charleston, and James A. Corcoran, subsequently professor at Overbrook Seminary, Philadelphia. He was ordained priest on the first anniversary of his profession of the faith by Ignatius A. Reynolds, Bishop of Charleston. He then became a teacher in a collegiate institute founded by Bishop England at Charleston, and assisted Bishop Reynolds in the compilation of Bishop England's works for publication. This occupation called him to Baltimore and Philadelphia, where he resided with Bishop Francis Kenrick and became acquainted with John Nepomucen Neumann. Here he was attracted to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, which he entered in 1849. He made his religious profession 28 November 1850.

As a Redemptorist he laboured principally on missions with Fathers Isaac Hecker, Clarence A. Walworth, Francis A. Baker, and George Deshon, until with them he was dispensed from his religious vows by a decree of the Roman Congregation of Bishops and Regulars, 6 March 1858. Under the leadership of Father Hecker all of these priests immediately formed the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle (Paulist Fathers) in New York, with a rule enjoining poverty and obedience with the obligations of the vows.

Hewit was chosen to draft the first constitution and laws of this new institute, which aimed to satisfy the aspirations of clerics who desire to lead an apostolic and religious life in community without assuming the canonical responsibilities of the religious state, strictly so called. As a Paulist, Father Hewit did parish and mission work, and established and managed _The Catholic World_ magazine.

On the death of Father Hecker (1888), Hewit was almost unanimously chosen superior general of the institute and held this office until his death. One of his first acts as superior was to pledge the Paulist community to support the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. St. Thomas College for the education of candidates of the institute was accordingly opened in one of the university buildings in 1889. Under his direction, Rev. Walter Elliott, C.S.P., gave the first regular missions to non-Catholics in the United States, and a new foundation of the institute was established in San Francisco.

Works

He was a prolific writer, for twenty years was one of the foremost Catholic apologists in the United States. In this field he was orthodox, noted for his loyalties to the _magisterium_ of the Church and his agreement with the opinions of the most approved theologians. He wrote nothing that could be styled original; he simply aimed to explain and popularize the teaching of the doctors and saints of the Church.

Most of his articles were published in “The Catholic World” and “The American Catholic Quarterly Review”; a few of them are in a volume entitled “Problems of the Age with Studies in St. Augustine on Kindred Topics”. His most popular book was “The Life of Rev. Francis A. Baker”, one of his companions, who died in 1865.

title: Augustine Francis Hewit

question: Summarize Augustine Francis Hewit's life as a priest.

answer: Augustine Francis Hewit grew up Protestant and it wasn't until after graduation did he convert to Christianity. He was later received into the Roman Catholic Church and studied theology and ordained priest. Hewit was chosen to draft the first constitution and laws aimed at clerics who desired to lead an apostolic and religious life in community. He also led mission work and established The Catholic World magazine. For twenty years, he was a prolific writer and one of the foremost Catholic apologists in the US.


text:
Is Jon Stewart the Most Trusted Man in America?” asked the New York Times last August in a lengthy Arts & Leisure profile. Earlier in 2008, Vanity Fair placed “The Daily Show” host No. 44 on its listing of “New Establishment.” Then there was the survey a couple of years back by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press where he was named the fourth-most admired journalist in America.

Not bad for a standup comic from New Jersey known for a brief stint hosting an MTV yakker and a co-starring role in “Death to Smoochy.”

All the media accolades, in addition to the show’s two Peabody Awards and 12 Emmys, stand in stark contrast to Stewart’s appraisal: “I am the fake Lou Grant of the fake news world.” As if to take himself down a few more pegs, he adds, “When they say, ‘The most trusted man,’ it’s like, yeah, the most trusted man from the 92nd Street Y down to around 84th Street, right around Temple Beth-El. Other than that, not so much.”

Self-deprecate all he wants, the fact is Stewart has become a bona fide icon in American culture, a beacon of sanity in a sea of early-millennium absurdity. That, in turn, is the dividend paid on Stewart’s investment in transforming “The Daily Show” into a thoughtful, and hilarious, reflection of its turbulent times.

And have no doubt it’s Stewart’s vision that sets the tone on every episode.

“I doubt anyone has his hand on the tiller quite as firmly as Jon does,” says co-exec producer Josh Lieb.

It wasn’t always thus. Comedy Central debuted “The Daily Show” in July 1996 with snarky former ESPN host Craig Kilborn in the anchor seat. Kilborn presided over what was largely an E!-worthy celebrity yukfest with little

buzz and even littler ratings.

Stewart took over on Jan. 11, 1999, and immediately began the process (with help from exec producer and former Onion editor Ben Karlin) of steering the show away from Tinseltown gossip fodder and toward Beltway bigwigs and the Media Who Love Them.

Still, he recalls, it would be nearly two years before the show really found its groove: “The 2000 recount was where we suddenly began to feel like we were connecting with everything we could do. That’s when I think we tapped into the emotional angle of the news for us and found our editorial footing.”

And Stewart found a calling. Bringing an acerbic wit, an eye for news and, when warranted, warmth and sincerity (witness his tearful opening monologue of Sept. 20, 2001, the show’s first post-9/11 airing) to bear, he consummated a perfect marriage of performer and platform.

Stewart speaks in a tone of pleasant surprise at the hand-in-glove match of his “peculiar abilities” and the show’s demands: “It’s like one of those universal exercise machines that they advertise late at night,” he muses: ” ‘You’ll use every muscle group, and it’s only going to take you 11 minutes! And you’ll look like John Basedow!’ ”

Still, he bridles at talk of his or the show’s importance. Asked how he and its writers balance keeping the funny and making an impact, he replies, “The way you do it is by not wanting to have an impact.”

He continues: “We’re really happy with the product, but we don’t get involved with ‘what it means.’ ”

The commemoration of a showbiz anniversary invariably inspires discussion of the future. Despite incessant suggestions to the contrary, Stewart is excited about having a new presidential administration to lampoon.

“People ask, ‘How will you do the show without George Bush?’ ” he says. “Yeah, how will we do the show with a sense of joy in our hearts? How will we go to work every day feeling like things might get better?”

That’s not to say that Barack Obama won’t offer sufficient comedy fodder. “It’s like we’re getting a new Darren!” Stewart beams, then adds by way of assurance, “They’ll be plenty to goof on … his ears are quite large.”

And plenty of time to do it. Stewart’s current contract expires in 2010 and, barring any negotiating difficulties, he expects that he’ll reup.

But what of the long term? Although acutely aware of his vaunted place in the zeitgeist, he’s just as keyed in to how tenuous that status can be. “I’m convinced that I’ll leave the show two years after I become a parody of myself,” he claims.

“The jump-the-shark mentality exists now with shows that have been on the air for six weeks,” he observes. Ultimately, however, he theorizes, “It’s got to be an internal feeling and an internal decision more than, are they sick of you?”

For now, the reluctant national treasure remains effusively grateful. “I don’t think I’ll ever have this moment again,” he reflects. “It’s the nicest group of people I’ve ever been associated with,” referring to his “Daily Show” colleagues.

He waxes appreciative of “the atmosphere” and “the control” the job offers, then concludes, rising to a climax: “We get a catered lunch every day! I have a mini-fridge filled with bottled water! You’re not gonna find that everywhere.”

question: Who is the article about?

answer: Jon Stewart.

question: When did Comedy Central debut "The Daily Show"?

answer: July 1996.

question: When does Stewart's contract expire?

answer: 2010.

question: Where is Jon Stewart from?

answer: New Jersey.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The article is about the career of Jon Stewart as a comedian with Comedy Central and his impact on politics and journalism.


text:
Two broke musicians sat on the curb in front of Murphy's Bar drinking forty ounces out of brown paper bags that crinkled when they grabbed the bottle by the neck. Billy with his low top sneakers and brown leather jacket picked up a rock and flung it at a rusty dumpster with some vulgarity spray-painted red on the side. Zach moved his fingers around the fringed hole on the knee of his blue denims and did little of nothing else.

The DJ at Murphy's came over the outside speaker with his golden voice echoing “This one's for all the single ladies out there!” The crowd inside Murphy's screamed with drunken delight.

Billy reeled his head back and howled, “FUCK YOU!” then he cleared the phlegm from his sinuses and hocked a fat gob of spit on the concrete.

“You got a problem with single ladies Billy boy?”

Billy picked up a few more rocks and pelted the side of the dumpster till it was humming. Then he set his beer down and leaned back on the flats of his palms admiring, not for the first time, the crude street poetry written on the waste receptacle's side.

“Mike Walker is a crusty load sock, sounds like a band name.”

“I like it better as an album,” said Zach as he brought the bottle to his lips again.

Billy grabbed his bottle off the ground, but before he took a drink he pointed at the sign of the bar and said, “You bring Zappa back from the dead to rip a guitar solo and these bitches would vomit blood, but you bring up some coked up it-girl to sign off-key for two hours and everyone loses their shit. Music ain't the same anymore Newman, just a bunch of fabricated shit masquerading as art.”

Zach shrugged, “They seem to be enjoying it.”

“Because people don't know what they fucking like.”

“You think?” he asked, “Maybe you just don't know what people like.”

Billy shook his head and swirled the beer around in his bottle.

“You know what I'd like,” he said, “I'd like to go to that new bar on 8th, order one of those fishbowl drinks, you know the one's that've got a whole fucking fruit salad in 'em? I'd like to drink one of those, then make my way across the street to Jensen's guitar shop. I'd like to saunter up to the counter, drop my jeans on the floor, and piss all over that motherfucker's counter for giving me ONE-THIRD of what my Epiphone was worth. Then I'd take his head and smash his face through the fucking display cabinet. THAT... That is what I'd like.”

“Damn...” Zach reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pack of menthols. He lit one and took a slow drag, “Wouldn't even share that fishbowl?”

Billy chuckled, “Fuck no, but I'll tell you what. I'll take that pretty bass guitar of yours hanging behind the counter and hit him in the balls a couple times.”

Zach blew out a crisp puff of white smoke, “Nah, I ain't got nothing against him, I sold my baby, same reasons as you.”

“I sold it 'cause I had no other choice.”

“You had a choice. Sell your guitar or live on the streets ain't much of a choice, but it's a choice all the same”

Billy spread his arms wide, spilling some foam on the sidewalk. “Well we're doing a great fucking job avoiding that aren't we?!” He took the bottle back and drained half of what was left, then he wiped his saliva on the sleeve of his jacket.

“Fucker could've given me half.”

“He could've given you nothing.”

Billy massaged his forehead with his fingers, “I know that.” He took another swig. “But I'd rather be pissed at someone else than myself, at least I can forgive someone else.” He motioned his arm towards the pack of cigarettes Zach left sitting on the ground, “Think I can bum one of those?”

Zach handed him the pack then the lighter.

“Thanks.”

They sat in silence and smoked their cigarettes, letting the sounds of Saturday night crash over them in waves. They watched a group of college kids make their way down the street stumbling and swaying. One of the guys in the group was having trouble figuring out how three people were gonna fit in the back seat when he noticed Billy and Zach staring at him.

He pointed his finger at them and shouted, “UGH!”
A girl in the back of the car screamed “Get in the fucking car Matt!” The guy named Matt stumbled back then made his way into the car without a shred of grace. They watched the red lights fade in the distance then disappear as they made their way around a corner.

“We live another day Billy.”

“I wouldn't call this living.”

Zach flicked his cigarette into a sewer grate.

“I don't know,” He shrugged then took another drink, “I always figured that as long as my heart's still beatin I can make it back up. Digging and scratching maybe, but as long as my heart's still beatin I still gotta chance. Might be shit of a chance, but you know what Billy? Not all singles are gonna be hits, but that sweet bass... Oh, that sweet bass just keeps on rolling.”

Billy looked at him for a long moment before saying, “I hate you.”

Zach laughed “Oh I know,” then he put his hand on his on Billy's shoulder and shook him, “But I love you buddy, don't you fucking forget that.”

Billy let a smirk creep over his face, then they sat in silence and finished their drinks, because there was nothing left to say.

EDIT: Formatting
EDIT 2: Minor issues and typos

title: Going for Broke

question: Why is Billy angry at the people in Murphy's bar?

answer: Billy, a broke musician, is angry because the people do not have a good taste for music.

question: What are Billy's and Zack's plans for the future?

answer: They are not talking about their plans so they probably do not have them.

question: What s Epiphone?

answer: It is not stated but it might be a guitar brand.

question: Does Billy love Zack?

answer: He says he hates Zack, but that might not be true because he is very angry at everyone at the moment.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Billy and Zack, two broken musicians, are sitting on the curb in front of a bar and drinking. Billy is angry at the people in the bar because he despises the music they like. Billy had to sell his guitar. He is complaining about everything.


text:
1.  Home
2.  News
3.  Car Tech

[There's a very good reason you will never see a Tesla in Mad Max]

There's a very good reason you will never see a Tesla in Mad Max

As anyone who has seen Mad Max: Fury Road will tell you - once they have picked their jaw up from the floor - the beating, scarred heart of the movie is one big-long car chase.

George Miller loves cars. In the original Mad Max, and for a chunk of the first half of Road Warrior, titular character Max Rockatansky's police interceptor was based on a 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT. And when we say based, it was modded with anything that was found to be working in the post-apocalypse.

In Fury Road, the cars are even more impressive. Speeding and crashing across the desert, there's a 1932 Chevy, complete with hot rod extensions, cars made entirely from spikes (called buzzards), a V8-powered beast aptly called the Powerboy and something named the Gigawall which comprises a pair of '59 Cadillac Devilles - it's the ultimate cut-and-shut job.

"Everything in the movie had to have a very rigorous logic," said George Miller when we caught up with him at the Blu-ray launch of Mad Max: Fury Road.

"The film is very helter skelter, this is a strong internal logic that underpins a film that is just chaotic and random"

It's all logical, captain

This internal logic is the thread that sews all the randomness of the movie together - whatever you see on the screen should look like it could have been rebuilt by the person driving the thing. "Every design of the cars, the wardrobe, the weapons had to work to the same logic which is basically everything is repurposed, explained Miller.

"So the cars that would survive an apocalypse are earlier technology. There are no microprocessors, no crumple technology, no airbags. They are robust cars."

Tesla then, as much as it is the most futuristic car brand out at the moment, wouldn't survive a day in Mad Max territory and it's all because of pesky computers and petrol.

"The big problem with something like a Tesla is the computers would let them down, they had no way to repair them. So we had to use simpler technology. And they had the gas from GasTown."

Sorry, Tesla, we wouldn't expect a phone call from George Miller anytime soon. You'll just have to stick to your cameos in South Park for now.

Mad Max: Fury Road is out on Blu-ray Monday 5 October. For more on the vehicles, check out the brilliant Mad Max vehicle showcase.

question: Who is George Miller?

answer: He's the director and creative genius behind the Mad Max movies.

question: What car did Max Rockatansky use in the original Mad Max: Road Warrior?

answer: His police interceptor was based on a 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT modded with anything that was found to be working in the post-apocalypse.

question: What was one of George Miller's requirements when it came to the cars, weapons, and wardrobes in all Mad Max movies?

answer: There had to be a strong internal logic that tied all the randomness of the movie together, meaning everything on the screen should look like it could have been rebuilt or repurposed by someone who survived the post-apocalypse using parts that were available.

question: Why would Teslas never make it in the Mad Max post-apocalyptic universe?

answer: A car like a Tesla would have computers that survivors won't be able to repair. The only cars that would survive the apocalypse are older, more robust vehicles that rely on earlier technology. This means no microprocessors, no crumple technology, and no airbags.

question: Write a ~6 sentence summary.

answer: Mad Max director George Miller says that Teslas won't survive the apocalypse. Even if they did, a Tesla wouldn't last a day in Mad Max territory because their computers would fail and the cars can't run on gas. Miller, a car enthusiast, says that only robust cars from earlier generations would survive in the post-apocalypse because these don't have microprocessors, airbags, or crumple zones. Older cars would also be easier to repair or repurpose using any available parts that are compatible. Mad Max movies are known for their wild vehicle designs that look realistically feasible to build, a requirement Miller had on everything in the movie, including weapons and wardrobes. These had to look like they could have been rebuilt or repurposed by someone who survived the post-apocalypse using parts that were available.


text:
1. ANIME HAS NOT BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH

The first anime was created in 1907, but the first produced and televised anime didn't came until 1961, which is more than 50 years after the first anime[1]. The first light novel with anime-ish style came in 1970s[2]. The first modern manga originated in 1945[3]. It hasn't been a century before anime and manga exist.

In comparison, many of the Western Classics came in the 19th century, for example, The Prince and the Pauper (1881), Wuthering Heights (1847), Pride and Prejudice (1813), A Tale of Two Cities (1859). Some, such as Shakespeare's came from even further back in the 16th century. This form of art has been long enough that people have long enough time to know them and start critically analyzing them, which also contributes to my second point. It has been read by generations of human population.

2. POPULARITY

Most people who went to school would have at the very least heard of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, western or not. The same cannot be said about anime. Only avid anime and manga fans would know of Fushimi Tsukasa's Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii wake ga nai. Even with world-wide popular anime such as Naruto, only some would notice the name Masashi Kishimoto. Anime and manga has yet to reach the popularity that classic literature enjoys.

3. CONTENT OF ANIME

Being made in Japan, many if not most of anime and manga have a view on God that would be regarded as insulting to those living in religious countries. I remember when I was younger, I turned on TV to find Saint Seiya broadcasting and there one of the characters said something about "power equal to that of God". My father overheard that and told me to change the channel ASAP. This is due to the way Japan perceive God, that in Japan there are many gods, so much that it was said that Yamato (ancient name of Japan) is a land of thousands gods. Older people tends to be more religious as shown in the statistics, more people in the 80s are religious compare to the 90s and most of them are a follower of Abrahamic religions which is monotheistic and regards polytheism as sinful [4].

Another problem with the content of anime and manga, especially in modern anime and manga is that many of them contains fans service that is sexual in nature. While pornography is legal in western world, in the other parts of the world it is illegal. China and Indonesia, two of the most populous countries in the world, that is approximately 20% of the world population, have pornography as something illegal. From these two countries alone we already lost 20% of potential critical reviewer.

4. YOU'RE AN OTAKU, PFFFT

When someone is known as an anime and manga lover, he will get the label, otaku. This is especially true with adults. The problem with this is that otaku is not seen in positive light. Even in Japan otaku was seen in negative light and only in 2013 that a research shows it has been seen in more positive light. When you make a critical analysis of anime or manga, then like it or not you have to read or watch it. Most kids won't be able to make make a critical review, which means most critical review would come from adult, and like I said adult watching anime was not regarded in positive light. Like shown in many anime, announcing yourself as otaku is basically a social suicide, especially when many have questionable content.

5. ERA DIFFERENCE, THE INTERNET, AND FORMS OF ENTERTAINMENT

During the era of Shakespeare and other western literary classics, there was not many form of entertainment. The wasn't video games, there wasn't Internet, no device where you can listen to music, heck, even electric light only gets famous in the 20th century. This lack of entertainment means makes theatrical plays and books has little to no contender. Today with the variety of entertainment means available, less attention is spend on each. This also translate into less of the world population watch anime and read manga and light novel compared to when the previous era, where means of entertainment are limited. Had anime and manga was born during the Shakespeare era and Shakespeare during anime and manga era then the popularity would be reversed, with anime and manga receiving more critical reviews than Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet.

question: When was Anime created?

answer: According to the article, it was created in 1907.

question: Is Anime currently as popular as classic literature?

answer: No.

question: What two countries are listed in which pornography is illegal?

answer: China and Indonesia.

question: What country is most strongly associated with Anime?

answer: Japan.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: In this article, the author offers reasons for the disparity between the popularity of classic literature and Anime. The author does this by discussing Anime's origins and background, its content, and cultural associations.


text:
Declaring/changing primary curriculum or major

Do not take a change of curriculum or major lightly. If you are contemplating a change, we encourage you to contact an advisor in the department into which you wish to transfer to discuss curriculum requirements.

General guidelines for students

-   No student may initiate more than one curriculum change within each course registration period.
-   After changing majors, International students should update their I-20 by using the “Change of Field” form in the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) iSTART system.
-   NCAA athletes should consult with DIA and departmental advisors prior to initiating a curricular change within LAS.
-   For students already in LAS who are interested in double majors or minors, consult your admissions/records officer any time in the semester for more information.
-   STUDENTS INTERESTED PURSUING A DUAL DEGREE IN LAS MUST PETITION THE COLLEGE FOR APPROVAL. APPLY FOR ADMISSION TO DUAL DEGREE CANDIDACY.

When you can make curriculum changes

Students who are already within LAS may request curricular changes at two times each semester: at the beginning of each semester or at mid-semester. If you are ready to change your major within LAS, complete the Curriculum Change Form during the posted application period. APPLICATION DATES FOR SPRING 2021 ARE JANUARY 18 - FEBRUARY 5 FOR ALL MAJORS EXCEPT CS+X PROGRAMS. Have questions? Visit the LAS Student Academic Affairs office in 2002 Lincoln Hall (virtually or via email)

First-year freshmen who wish to change from one LAS major to another LAS major may request a curricular change at the beginning of their second semester of enrollment.

If you have completed six or more semesters of enrollment, please consult with a dean or academic advisor in LAS Student Academic Affairs before changing your major or curriculum.

Students not already admitted to LAS must follow intercollegiate transfer or second-degree application procedures.

While CS+X curricula are open for intercollegiate/interdepartmental transfer, students who are not directly admitted to a CS + X major must be admitted to a CS+X major by the student’s sixth term of enrollment, including terms completed at other institutions of post-secondary education.  If you have questions about this policy, or the intercollegiate/interdepartmental transfer process, please consult the College of LAS.

LAS curricular declaration criteria

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COVID-19 information:

For adjustments to LAS declaration criteria for changes effective SU20 or FA20, please view the COVID-19 ICT/CC adjustments document.

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The criteria for declaring a curriculum or major vary among the many fields within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. They apply to all intercollegiate transfer, re-entry, and continuing LAS students.

If you do not see your intended major below, the declaration criteria is: at least one completed course in the intended major, with a minimum 2.00 major GPA.

We encourage you to consult the academic catalog for an overview of your major. In addition, contact the departmental advisor for help regarding these criteria or course prerequisites.

NOTE: Majors marked with an * have a higher tuition rate, or differential. If you declare two majors in LAS, the major with the higher tuition rate will always be your primary major. You can find tuition rates by visiting the Office of the Registrar's website and selecting the current year, then viewing the "tuition rates" link.

Actuarial science

Permission is required from the departmental academic advisor before processing in LAS Student Academic Affairs. Student must have completed ASRM 210 (formerly Math 210), plus one of ASRM 401 (formerly Math 408), Stat 400, or Math 461 with grades of B- or better in each course.

Brain and Cognitive Science

Effective Fall 2021: Students must earn credit for BCOG 100, BCOG 200, and one of the following University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign biological/cognitive psychology courses:  PSYC 204, 210, or 220.

Biochemistry*

Written approval is required from the departmental academic advisor before processing in LAS Student Academic Affairs.

Chemical and biomolecular engineering*

Students must obtain written approval from the department before processing in LAS Student Academic Affairs. The department broadly evaluates transfer candidates according to the following three requirements:

1.  Required University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign GPA of 3.10 or higher, based on at least two full semesters of course work at Illinois.
2.  Two of CHBE 221, 321, or 421 completed with grades of C or higher in each individual course.
3.  Approved graduation plan showing sufficient academic progress in each semester with degree completion in no more than 10 semesters from college entrance.

Students should develop graduation plan for approval by the departmental officer – either head advisor or faculty/staff member designated by department head.

Chemistry*

Students must have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all courses applying to the chemistry major as well as a minimum GPA of 2.0 in each of the following courses: CHEM 102 (+103) and CHEM 104 (+105) or equivalents, as well as MATH 220 or 221 and MATH 231 or equivalents. Students not earning their Calculus I and II and/or General Chemistry I and II credits at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign must obtain written approval of the chemistry departmental academic advisor before processing of a curricular declaration in LAS Student Academic Affairs.

CS + X majors*, listed individually below

EFFECTIVE FALL 2019: Students must have completed at least two CS courses required for the major, beyond CS 125, taken at Illinois for a minimum grade of B+ (A- for Math/CS and Stats/CS). Typically, these courses would be CS 173 and CS 225, but for students who earn proficiency or transfer credit for these courses, CS 233 would be the next step, then CS 241. Students must also have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 (3.67 for Math/CS and Stats/CS) and meet the standards for the LAS discipline as indicated below. Students must be approved for transfer to the CS+X majors via a portfolio application process; meeting the course, grade, and GPA standards does not guarantee admission.

-   Students must attend a CS+X Information Session the semester they are taking their final qualifying course(s): sessions will take place in September and February.
-   After attending an Information Session, students will receive a link to the application petition which will be due on the last Friday in September and February.
-   Final decisions will be announced in midsummer (for the February application period, after grades for the spring semester are posted) or January (for the September application period, after grades for the fall semester are posted), and successful applicants will be given registration overrides for appropriate CS courses.
-   Students have until their fifth semester of enrollment to apply, and may only do so for one CS+X option. All decisions are final: there is no appeal.
-   The expectation is that successful candidates will have completed and met the published declaration criteria for their target major (see below).
-   Students already in a CS+X major who wish to change to another CS+X major must meet the curricular declaration criteria for the LAS content area, not the CS criteria.
-   Students in non-LAS CS+X majors must meet the curricular declaration criteria for the LAS content area and must also meet with either Dean Gretchen Pein or Dean Robert Steltman to make the change.

CS+ANTHROPOLOGY*

B or higher in two ANTH courses.

CS+ASTRONOMY*

B- or higher in ASTR 210.

CS+CHEMISTRY*

B or higher in two CHEM courses. (Students completing two approved chemistry courses through AP credit or proficiency exams must complete the lab requirements for the approved courses, i.e. CHEM 103/105 or CHEM 203/205, on campus and receive a grade of B or higher.)
EFFECTIVE SPRING 2021: B- or higher or AP/proficiency credit for CHEM 102, 103, 104, & 105 OR CHEM 202, 203, 204, & 205 with at least one content (non-lab) course completed at Illinois.

CS+ECONOMICS*

B- or higher (or test-based credit) in MATH 231, B- or higher in ECON 102, 103 and 203 (at least two courses must be completed at Illinois), and B- or higher in any additional ECON courses taken at Illinois.

CS+GEOGRAPHY AND GIS*

B or higher in two GEOG/GIS courses, one of which is 200-level or higher.

CS+LINGUISTICS*

B or higher in LING 100 and one from LING 225, 270, 210, 250, or 307.

CS+PHILOSOPHY*

B or higher in two PHIL courses.

MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE*

MATH 241 and MATH 347 with minimum grades of B- and a cumulative GPA of 3.67 or higher.

STATISTICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE*

STAT 400 with minimum grade of B- and a cumulative GPA of 3.67 or higher.

Economics

Students must have completed Econ 102, 103, and 202; at least one econ course must be completed at U of I at Urbana-Champaign. Student must also have completed Math 220 or 221 with a C or higher and must have earned a 2.33 grade point average for all Econ major courses taken on this campus.

Econometrics & quantitative economics

Students must have completed ECON 102, 103, 202, and 203 (at least one of those taken at Illinois), MATH 220 or 221 with a B- or higher (proficiency or AP credit is acceptable), and a 2.67 GPA in all Economics courses taken at Illinois.

Global studies

Students must meet the college ICT requirements and are required to consult with a global studies advisor during an informational meeting prior to declaring the major or minor. Information on these meetings and the major can be found on the global studies website. Written approval is required from the departmental academic advisor before processing in LAS Student Academic Affairs.

Individual Plans of Study

Students who meet the college ICT admissions policy and have been accepted into an LAS department may obtain an application for admission to this program at 2002 Lincoln Hall. Written approval of admission from LAS Student Academic Affairs is required before a curriculum declaration may be made of IPS.

Integrative biology*

Departmental approval is required before processing in LAS Student Academic Affairs. Suggested completed coursework includes IB 150, MCB 150, and Chem 102/103 with major GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Mathematics

Students must receive permission of the director of Undergraduate Studies in 313 Altgeld Hall. Minimum expectations at the time of transfer are that the student has completed Math 241 and 347 with an on-campus math major GPA of at least 2.50.

Molecular and cellular biology*

Written approval is required from the departmental academic advisor before processing in LAS Student Academic Affairs.

Physics*

Freshmen already declared in either the Science and Letters concentration or the specialized curriculum may initiate a curricular change to the other program during either of the curricular declaration periods during their first term of enrollment without consultation with the department. All other students must have completed PHYS 211-212-213-214 and MATH 220/221-231-241 with a GPA in these courses of 2.5 or higher for both the Science and Letters concentration and for Specialized Curriculum. Students who do not meet the above criteria must receive permission from the physics advisor.

Psychology

Students must earn credit for an introductory psychology course (PSYC 100 or equivalent), a course in social, clinical or developmental psychology (PSYC 207, 201, 216, 238, 239, 245, 250, or equivalent), and a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign biological/cognitive psychology course (PSYC 204, 210, 220, 224, 230, or 248).

Secondary teacher education programs

Students are admitted only in the fall semester during their junior or senior year. A competitive application process takes place in the semester preceding admission, with applications accepted between the first day of spring classes and Feb. 1. Interested students should contact the advisor for Secondary Education Programs in LAS Student Academic Affairs.

Statistics

Students must have completed one of STAT 400, STAT 408, or MATH 461 with a grade of B- or better.

EFFECTIVE FALL 2020: Students must have completed through MATH 241 and earned a grade of B- or better in one of STAT 400/MATH 463, STAT 408, or MATH 461. Similar grades in other STAT courses will not be accepted, and students who have not met the “B- or better” requirement after two attempts in any combination of STAT 400/MATH 463, STAT 408, or MATH 461 will not be eligible to enter the Statistics major.  Departmental approval is required.

question: When may students request a curricular change?

answer: Students can request curricular changes at the beginning of each semester and at mid-semester.

question: What is the declaration criteria for an unlisted major?

answer: The declaration criteria for an unlisted major is at least one completed course in the intended major, and a minimum major GPA of 2.00.

question: What steps are encouraged if a student is contemplating a curriculum change?

answer: If a student is contemplating a curriculum change, they are encouraged to contact an advisor.

question: What major GPA is required to transfer into integrative biology?

answer: A major GPA of 2.5 is required for integrative biology.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: General guidelines are listed for students considering a curriculum change for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. More specific information is given, and requirements for specific majors are listed.


text:
by CYRYL JAKUBOWSKI

All but two Northwest Side legislators supported the bill reforming the state’s pension system, with opponents of Senate Bill 1 saying they thought it was unfair and illegal under the state Constitution to reduce retirees’ benefits.

The measure was approved 30-24 with three legislators voting present in the Illinois Senate and 62-53 with one legislator voting present in the Illinois House of Representatives. Quinn signed the bill on Dec. 5, and it will go in to effect on June 1.

The plan covers the retirement systems of state employees, teachers excluding employees from Chicago, state university employees and the General Assembly.

Workers age 45 and younger will have to work longer to qualify for retirement. For each year an employee is younger than age 46 the retirement age will increase by 4 months. The automatic 3 percent compounded annual increase in retirement income will be replaced by a system based on years of service and tied to inflation.

Current liability will be reduced by about $21.4 billion when the plan takes effect, and long-term liability will be reduced by estimated $160 billion, according to an analysis provided by state Representative Greg Harris (D-13).

Harris said that the bill was passed after years of discussion and many proposals. He said that the underfunded pension system, the increasing outlay of general revenue funds to meet obligations and the ability to pay benefits to current and future retirees were the driving factors behind the bill.

Harris said that provisions in the bill regarding cost-of-living increases, funding guarantees and the funding schedule cannot be separated and would be struck down if any or all are found unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court.

State Representative John D’Amico (D-15) said that he voted for the bill because it will preserve the state’s pensions.

"If we did nothing we would lose them in the long run," D’Amico said. "I’m not a constitution lawyer and I’m not sure what will happen with this if it gets challenged, but I want to preserve pensions.

"This did not happen overnight but through years of mismanagement. Everybody sacrifices, but I’m glad that we preserved the low-income pensions as well. We all understood that this was a tough vote."

State Representative Robert Martwick (D-19) said that he voted against the bill because it removes collective bargaining rights from public employees. Martwick also said that the bill fell short of what was needed to accomplish fair reform.

"In every bill there are challenges, and I wanted to vote yes, but I just could not get myself there because there were several flaws with this bill," Martwick said. He said that employees who have contributed to the pension system for years should have had a seat at the negotiating table.

Martwick said that former governors and legislators who skipped pension payments and borrowed against the system created the pension crisis. He said in a statement that when he ran for office he promised that he would demand that public employees who were without fault would be given the respect that they earned a seat at the negotiating table. "They were not," he said.

Martwick said that details about the bill were not released to the legislators until less than 24 hours before they were scheduled for a vote last week.

"It was sent to me at 2:51 p.m. on Dec. 2, and we are beginning discussion at 8:39 a.m. the following day," Martwick said. "From a philosophical standpoint, there is something wrong when the leaders think that if they debate something enough it won’t pass so lets just ram it through."

"I understand that they have been talking about this forever and some things did not need to be discussed again, but it is still a part of the process," Martwick said. "I am disappointed with the negotiations. I understand that negotiations are tough and it’s hard to reach consensus, but we needed to stick to the process."

"Ultimately I think that this pension reform is taking money away from peoples’ pensions," Martwick said. "We loaded busloads of people to protest (Wisconsin) Governor Scott Walker, and we do this now? I am fundamentally in disagreement with taking away peoples’ pensions."

Martwick also said that the legislation could harm the state’s university system because it will be difficult for the universities to attract and retain top professors and researchers.

The other Northwest Side legislator who voted no was state Senator William Delgado (D-2).

State Senator John Mulroe (D-10) said that his office received a lot of angry feedback from constituents after he voted in favor of the bill.

"It has been pretty tense," Mulroe said. "I’m not a very popular guy at the moment, and it’s not so much the angry sentiment from the teachers but from retirees who will get hurt.

"It was a difficult vote. The pension system was heading in the wrong direction and we could not do nothing."

Mulroe said that he is unsure what will happen when the bill is challenged in the courts. "I don’t think that deep down I would have voted for it if I truly thought it was unconstitutional," he said. "It’s just this grimy process we call democracy that we have to grind through to get to the right solution."

"Its very uncomfortable to talk about this bill because we are taking away funding from people when they were promised something," Mulroe said. "We over-promised as a state, and it’s breaking people’s hearts."

State Senator Heater Steans (D-7) said in a statement that arriving at a yes vote was not easy.

"Action on the pension crisis is necessary now to assure the long-tem health of state pension systems and to alleviate the extreme budgetary pressures that has prevented schools and human services from being adequately funded, endangered the affordability of a college education and necessitated reductions in the state work force, despite the temporary tax increase I supported," Steans said.

"Illinois is moving forward," Quinn said in a statement. "This is a serious solution to address the most dire fiscal challenge of our time . . . Working together, we will continue to build a brighter future for the people of Illinois."

The bills were sponsored by state Senator Kwame Raoul (D-13) and House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-22).

"I was convinced that standing fast for substantial savings, clear intent and an end to unaffordable annual raises would result in a sound plan that will meet all constitutional challenges," Madigan said.

"I applaud the governor for prioritizing this issue," Senate President John Cullerton (D-6) said. "I look forward to working with him and all legislative leaders to ensure that we continue on this path of fiscal leadership and bipartisan cooperation."

Under the law, the state will adopt a funding schedule that requires level payments and achieves 100 percent funding no later than the end of fiscal year 2044. The law includes a funding guarantee that gives the retirement systems the right to go to court if the state fails to make the required payment to its pension fund.

There will be no reductions in pension checks going out to current retirees, and the law is designed to minimize the effect on lower-earning and longer-serving employees.

Current employees will see cost-of-living adjustment pauses every other year after retirement, with the number of pauses determined by their current age. The law also reduces the amount of money current employees pay into their pensions by 1 percent, and there will be increases in retirement age based on the age of the employee, with a maximum increase of 5 years.

question: Who does the new Illinois State pension bill ultimately benefit?

answer: It benefits the state as it helps reduce the cost of paying pensions to state employees.

question: What is the main disadvantage of the new pensions bill?

answer: It increases the retirement age.

question: How did the legislators manage to get the required votes despite the bill facing loads of opposition?

answer: They did not allow for any members of the public affected by the bill to have a say in the proceedings. They also rushed the bill through, giving as little time as possible for debate.

question: Is it certain that this new bill will be struck down in the courts?


text:
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Church of Our Saviour

59 Park Avenue at East 38th Street

By the time of Cardinal Spellman, the ecclesiastical landscape of Manhattan was largely complete. The Cardinal has a well deserved reputation as a great builder – the Ramesses II of the New York Archdiocese.  But in terms of new churches in Manhattan itself he was largely confined to various niches:  a commuter church for Wall Street, shrines for the new saints connected with New York, churches related to  institutions ( NYU, the United Nations) and, finally a couple of new parishes for developing well-to-do areas. The Church of Our Saviour falls into the last category. The parish was established only in 1955, the church itself finished in 1959.

The construction of this church occasioned some controversy at the time. For it was built not just to fill a utilitarian need but to create a new showpiece on Park Avenue. We heard that Archbishop Sheen was particularly incensed over the disproportionate cost of the construction of this church – he alleged that per pew seat it was the most expensive church in the archdiocese. And the results seemed hardly commensurate with the cost.

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Those of us who have lived through the post-1960 course of Catholic Church architecture may find it hard to understand this disappointment. For Our Saviour’s, with its tower,  gray stone facing and numerous carvings, makes a handsome but appropriately restrained impression on the corner of East 38th Street. The external appearance conceals the modest dimensions of the church. In common with many other Manhattan churches, a complex of parish hall, church and rectory has been squeezed into a very small plot. The style seems to be a variant of the modernized, vaguely Italian Romanesque that had become by the 1950’s dominant in Catholic church architecture.

Perhaps there lay the problem. There is nothing that bad about Our Saviour’s – it is a very handsome church – but little remarkable either. The Archdiocese was seeking to make a statement, yet the result of all its efforts  was not that different from that obtained in many other more modest parishes. The contrast with the achievements of the not too distant past – like Blessed Sacrament or St. Vincent Ferrer – is all too glaring.

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 “_Throne and Altar”: Cardinal Spellman’s  assertive patriotism later became anathema to secular and ecclesiastical elites._

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The interior is relatively simple: a rectangle with a shallow sanctuary. Yet above the sanctuary is an impressive triumphal arch. And the high, small windows, filled with stained glass, help to create a dark, prayerful atmosphere when the electric lights are out.  There are good statues, paneling and metalwork that seem inspired by the decorative program of earlier churches like St. Vincent Ferrer – if executed with considerably less success. The intricate stone flooring is impressive – the high gilt cassette ceiling looks even better. Other elements, like the stained glass and the Stations of the Cross, do not rise anywhere near the same artistic level. Downstairs, the “undercroft” (which had served as the church while Our Saviour’s was under construction) is one of most splendid parish halls in New York City.

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The Last Hurrah of the Spellman era – 20 years ago this would have been the epitaph for this parish. Just a few years after the completion of Our Saviour’s, Catholic sacred architecture in New York took a new and radical direction before entirely expiring. The parishes of New York either struggled grimly for survival or lapsed into a musty decadence. Yet under Our Saviour’s current pastor, the remarkable George Rutler, this parish has awakened from its somnolence and has achieved a citywide and even international presence.

We cannot detail here all the multitudinous activities of Our Saviour’s under Fr. Rutler in liturgy (including the sacrament of penance), preaching, music and a great variety of “special events.” Although this parish had not been associated with the Traditional Indult mass, it became a city leader in implementing _Summorum Pontificum_ and encouraging the celebration of the Traditional Latin rite. But what most strikes the visitor to Our Saviour’s is the artistic renewal. Under Fr. Rutler’s direction a vast program of paintings in the Byzantine tradition has filled the sanctuary. These works are in remarkable harmony with the mysterious darkness of the church. A new tabernacle has been set up in the place of the old altar – as well as a crucifix and candlesticks on its Vatican II successor. And the pace of restoration is relentless. Upon every visit one encounters a new icon, statue or expanse of gilding. Last year, Our Saviour’s was the first in the city (the country?) to dedicate a shrine to blessed john Newman immediately after his beatification. While all this new art was in the process of creation, major repairs and rebuilding had to be carried out on the organ and the fabric of the church.

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 _Three examples of renovation: the new tabernacle and altar furnishings; icons (by Ken Woo) and a statue of Bl. Kateri._

And the amazing thing is that this renovation is entirely consistent with and proceeds from Tradition. The Byzantine/Early Italian styles used in Our Saviour’s may be the only version of sacred art that still exists today. These styles also harmonize effectively with the architecture of this church. Perhaps the only recent example of successful Catholic sacred art in Manhattan, Our Saviour’s avoids both the amateurish classicism of St. Agnes and the incorrigible commitment to an outdated modernism of the Chapel of the Sacred Hearts. Judging from the large congregations (often standing room only) and their youthful average age, it seems that this parish has rediscovered a formula for success (indeed, the only real one). Going back before the artistically and spiritually ambiguous age of Spellman, this parish has returned to the roots of Tradition and has come up with something new. And in so doing, Our Saviour’s has found a way to connect with young Catholics adrift in the world capital of modernity.

 Website:  http://www.oursaviournyc.org/

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_The Newman shrine – compare and contrast the shrine to St. Elizabeth Seton in St. Patrick’s 0f 20 years ago…_

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_The approaching end of an era: window of the original decoration commemorating John XXIII’s first “progressive ” encyclica_.

question: Who is Cardinal Spellman?

question: In terms of building new churches, who is Cardinal Spellman often compared with?

answer: Ramesses II

question: What year was The Church of Our Savior finished?

answer: 1959

question: Why was The Church of Our Saviour's construction controversial at the time?

answer: It was built to be a new showpiece on Park Avenue, but the cost of construction was deemed disproportionate. Archbishop Sheen said that per pew seat, the church was the most expensive in the archdiocese.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The author writes about The Church of Our Saviour, one of the last churches built by Cardinal Spellman in the 1950s. At the time, there was controversy surrounding the church because its cost was deemed disproportionate to its size and appearance. However, the author says the church is handsome and has aged rather well, especially under its current pastor, George Rutler, who has led several renovations that are consistent with and proceeds from Tradition.


text:
It had been 5436 days since the planet of Tetriach had known peace. 5436 days since the
human scum had arrived in their ships and demanded absolute surrender. Petr knew this;
he’d been counting. He had counted every single day that his home, his planet, had suffered
under endless barrages of bombs and lasers and God knows what else. His people were
outmanned, outgunned and outmanoeuvred, but they refused to lay down and die. And
that was the reason that Petr, a 20 year old native, could be found hidden with a rifle in the
dense bushes that lined the main highway into the capital. He knew that it was along this
road that the human division carrying their ‘war hero’ Lt. James Cascella would go. It would
also be the road where the bastard Lt. James Cascella, who killed all of Petr’s family in cold
blood, would die. Petr tightened his grip on the rifle.

James Cascella was tired. He had been a young man of 22 when this war started, when he
leapt at the chance of being the next hero of the human race; the next man to colonise
another planet and show the natives that the human way of life was superior. Now he was
37, and yet the war still raged, albeit more quietly than it used to. The natives (no-one had
ever learned their ‘true’ name; that would make them appear more human, and harder
psychologically to kill) were slowly losing the war. Of course they were. Countless planets
before this one showed that nothing could truly stand in the way of the human juggernaut.
But even so, Cascella wondered whether it had all been worth it. Oh he had achieved his
goal; he was a hero, without doubt. No one man had ever won as many medals as he had.
But that success could not, was not, worth the emotional trauma he had suffered. He had
suffered so much, he often wondered whether he was human anymore. He had walked in
on crying infants firing his gun and not stopped shooting. He was the man that wiped the
entire town of Deant off the face of the earth, women and children and all. He sighed. It was
too late now. What was done was done. So as he sat on the side of the tank that drove him
into the capital to deliver the final blow, he pulled out his rifle and got ready for combat.
There was nothing else to be done, really.

Petr often dreamed of Deant. In the daytime, he dreamed of the city before the war, his
friends and family from his childhood. He could barely remember it anymore of course; he
was only 6 when this war started. But he filled in any gaps he couldn’t recall. In the night
however, all he ever saw was the ruins. The charred corpses of his family and the
devastation that surrounded them. At first, he wasn’t sure why he had been spared. The
bomb had, after all, been designed to kill all life. But now he knew. The Gods had spared
him to bring retribution to the man who detonated the bomb. It was the only reason that
made his survival make any sense. It was also what he had spent the last 10 years of his life
working towards. Which was, of course, why he was here right now. He would only have
one shot. He knew that much. And it would undoubtedly cost him his life. As soon as the
humans saw what had happened, they would capture and kill him, probably with
unimaginable cruelty. Petr didn’t care. All he wanted was revenge. His train of thought was broken, however, as he spotted the line of human vehicles make their way down the road.
And there was Cascella, perched on the edge of the leading tank, gazing into the distance.
Hatred flashed through Petr’s eyes. He lifted his rifle up onto his shoulder, and prepared to
fire.

Cascella’s muscles tensed. He could always sense danger. That sort of thing developed after
almost 15 years of war. He dived to the side, but far too late to stop the bullet hitting him. It
did, however, stop it killing him. Cascella felt the bullet thump into his side, and he cried out
in pain. As he was pulled inside the tank by his comrades, he glimpsed a native with a rifle,
standing up in shock. He appeared surprised that Cascella was still alive. With his last act
before losing consciousness, he pointed at the native.

Petr stood there in disbelief. He had failed. Cascella was undoubtedly still alive. He could see
him pointing at him as he was pulled inside the tank. The last 10 years of his life had gone to
waste. He didn’t even struggle as he was roughly picked up and hauled inside the tank by
human soldiers. He simply sat there and cried. How would the ghosts of his family ever rest
in peace now? Cascella would live on, as their civilisation fell. He had missed his shot. And
now he would face the humans’ retribution.

Cascella stirred. As he did so, he heard a voice shout out. ‘We have your attacker here sir.
Should we kill him now, or wait till later. We could make a decent news story out of this.’
‘No!’ Cascella cried out. Keep him alive. I would like to talk to him. He walked over to the
man. He was still young, Cascella noticed; no more than 25. ‘What’s your name, boy?’ He
refused to answer. Cascella smiled. ‘Boy, you can go to your death in silence if you wish. But
at least let me know your name. Who knows? It might save your life.’
‘I am Petr’, said the native. ‘I am the lone survivor of the destruction of Deant that you
orchestrated, and you, sir, deserve to die.’ Cascella sighed. The boy was undoubtedly right.
For all his crimes, he deserved to die. But maybe, just maybe, he could appease the Gods by
saving this one ‘Let him go!’ he demanded. ‘But sir, he tried to kill you’ protested one of his
soldiers. Cascella turned to him and smiled ‘One day, you might understand my actions. But
for now, simply obey orders. Let. Him. Go.’

Petr sat at the side of the road as the convoy passed by, in disbelief. He had failed to kill his
target. Not only that, he was still alive. Cascella, for whatever reason, had shown mercy. He
who had killed so many of Petr’s kind, had spared him. Petr gazed into the desert. He still
had no love for humans, but maybe they did not deserve destruction. At any rate, they
would soon own this planet. Petr got up, and began the long walk home to his hovel. He had
some thinking to do.

title: [SF] Invasion

question: What does the story say about the technology used by humans for space travel?

question: What does the story say about Petr?

answer: Petr, the story's protagonist, is a 20-year old inhabitant from the peaceful planet of Tetriach. He used to live in the city of Deant with his family before the war with the invading humans started. Deant was wiped out by a bomb when Petr was only six years old, killing his family and friends and reducing the city to ruins. He was the only survivor of the blast, and at first, he didn't know why he was spared. Growing up, Petr started to realize that the Gods had spared his life so he could take revenge on Lt. James Cascella, the human who orchestrated the attack on Deant that killed his entire family.

question: What does the text say about Lt. James Cascella?

answer: Lt. James Cascella is the antagonist of the story. He is part of the invading force of humans sent to colonize the planet Tetriach. Cascella joined the war effort at only 22 years old and is considered a war hero who has won a lot of medals, but he is cold and ruthless. At 37-years old, he is now questioning whether he is still human because he has killed infants, women, and children without as much as a second thought. Cascella was the one that wiped out the city of Deant, and now he was riding a tank into the capital to deliver the final blow to the Tetriach natives' resistance.

question: What does the story say about why Cascella spared Petr's life after the latter tried to kill him?

answer: Cascella learned who Petr was and why the young native tried to kill him. For all his crimes, the Lieutenant knew the boy was right and he did deserve to die. However, Cascella thought he could appease the Gods by saving Petr from being executed, so he let the boy go.