text:
The morning light shines through my window, hitting my face, bringing me back in to consciousness. I throw off my duvet cover, and the cats jumped off the bed in surprise. I have my fuzzy robe on within the minute, and after making my bed, my journey to the bathroom begins.

Brush teeth, wash face, comb hair. The morning routine has been drilled into my head for ages. But I like it that way. Orderly.  Routine. I start to make my way back to my bedroom, pausing at the first doorway on my left. It was the twin's room. A bunk bed in the corner, the top with a bright pink blanket, the bottom with a baby blue one. Toys scattered the floor, a half-full glass of dark red juice sitting on the bed-side table. I pick up the worn, stuffed rabbit from the carpet, feeling the threads, barely holding together. It was once my toy, but it was given my sister. No one ever asked me if I was okay with that, they just assumed I was finished with such childish things. I never liked the rabbit anyway, toys seem like a waste of time. I walk over to the dresser, running my finger along the edge of it, gazing at my reflection in the mirror on the wall. My dark hair falls just past my shoulders, contrasting the pale skin and light green eyes I inherited from my mother.

I softly close the door behind me as I exit the room, making my way to the next one. My eldest brother's room is even more messy than the twin's. Clothes and books and magazines and pens and CDs and game controllers and posters everywhere. They scattered the now-invisible floor and futon bed and red walls, like a collage of my brother and everything he was. The CDs he had bought at a yard sale last weekend lay piled beside the bed. A picture had been thrown to the ground, ripped in two. He had recently been broken up with, and seemed very distraught over it. I don't understand his emotions. Why would he feel sad about someone who didn't want him anyway? I slam his door as I leave, it had been difficult to close ever since him and my father had been playfully wrestling and broke through it. I remember it sounded like a gunshot, or at least what I thought a gunshot sounded like at the time. So loud and out of place.

The next door was to my parent's room. My mother had tried to keep it orderly, the effort was evident. Clothes folded, but never put away. A small garbage can in the corner, but it hadn't been changed in so long it had begun to overflow. Both had worked 9-5 jobs and had four children to raise - so keeping a neat room was not a priority. I lay down on the their cozy, king-sized bed, with its deep red comforter and silky white sheets. I could smell my mother's favourite perfume and my father's aftershave that my brother had bought for his birthday. Amateur hand-drawn pictures by my siblings lined the walls, maybe to remind the two that they had something to get up in the morning for. I slowly closed the door to the room, to avoid that irritating creaking sound it made.

As I enter my own room, I feel the breeze come in from the open window, blowing my hair behind me. Most of my room is white, the colour always looks neat. I gaze around at my books, all ordered alphabetically. At the bedside table, where my alarm clock and lamp are placed flawlessly parallel to each other. At the closet, where the transparent curtain covering it revealed the neatly hung clothes within. At the desk, where not a single thing is out of place. Perfection.

Hunger hits me suddenly, and I hang a sharp right outside my door to go downstairs. I ignore the sticky wetness under my feet as I put some bread in the toaster. I stare out at the cloudy sky through the window over the sink, an airplane speeds across and a flock of birds land in a  nearby tree. Sometimes I feel like I'm a bird - floating through life, often with no direction, no feeling. The popping toast breaks the perfect silence that had fallen over my house. I eat it plain, my hunger wouldn't allow for any more delay. I finish the toast, and sigh, my stomach finally satisfied. I feel content.

I turn around and look at the family kitchen. Red smears the walls, the cupboards, the counters, the floors. And the four bodies on the floor. Their faces and clothes and skin all covered with that ruby red substance. Some dishes and cutlery lay scattered with them, knocked down in the struggle. The colour coats the fallen items and people, blending them all together. Red. So much red.
A scream pierces the air, breaking that beautiful silence once more. A look of horror on our neighbour's face as she walked into the kitchen; I forgot she was coming by to pick up her casserole dish. I sat down in the crimson and ran my fingers through it as she sobbed into the telephone, summoning emergency services. I don't see what the emergency is - there's no saving those who are gone.

**Is it clear in the end that she is the one who killed them? In the last line, I am trying to show that she is emotionally "gone", and her family in gone in that they are dead. I also tried to have the colour red a few different times in the story. How do I make it better? Also need a title. Thanks for any help!**

title: Have to write a short story for English class, need feedback! (887 words)

question: Which bits of the text aren't a part of the story?

answer: The final paragraph (surrounded with "**") and the title aren't a part of the story.

question: What is the genre of the story?

answer: Surprise horror.

question: What are the indicators that show the narrator is the killer?

answer: She is seemingly calm and emotionally dead while describing her dead family members. She's shown to be emotionally dull before when she thinks about not understanding her brother's sadness over losing a relationship.


split: train

text:
I opened my eyes. What time is it? I look outside. Hmm, there doesn’t appear to be any sunlight. Tick Tock, Tick Tock. The sound of the clock captures my attention. I turn over in my bed. The clock is stopped. I am confused, I swore I heard it ticking only a moment ago. The time reads seven o’clock. I know that isn’t right, as the sun would be up if it were seven in the morning or at night. I turn back over and I see my wife in bed with me. She sits there breathing, calmly. I get out of bed, walk down the hall and open the door to my son’s bedroom. I peer inside and see him curled up in bed and sucking on his thumb. I walk down the stairs, through the living room and into our kitchen. Our house was three bedroom house, with a living room, dining room and kitchen. The living quarters were upstairs while the other rooms were down stairs. I looked at the digital clock on the oven. 12:00 blinks on the display. I guess the power cut off a few minutes ago. I flip the switch on the wall just to check, the light comes on. I guess in retrospect that wasn’t necessary as the clock above the oven was on. I go back upstairs to check my phone. I pick it up, however it won’t turn on. At this point, I begin to get frustrated. Maybe I should just go back to sleep, and wait for the sun to come up. I decide to do just that. So I get back in bed with my wife, I close my eyes and drift slowly back into a deep slumber.
What time is it? Where are you? Who are you?
I wake up from my sleep. A cold sweat is dripping down my back. I feel like I am having to gasp for air. Panic overcomes me. Sheer terror. I look to my right, the bed is empty. I call out for my wife, no response. I walk down the hall to my son’s bedroom. I open the door and he is gone, his teddy bear however in his place. I call out for my son. No response. I walk over to the window which overlooks the driveway, my wife’s car is still parked. Hurriedly, I rush downstairs and check the backyard. A sigh of relief. My son sits in the corner, digging at the ground with a stick. My son is four years old, small kid for his age. He has beautiful brown hair which he gets from me, however his stunning blue eyes he gets from his mother. I open the back door and I run to him. He looks at me, fear swelling in his eyes and begins to cry. I tell him that it’s me, his father. However he screams. I try to pick him up, but he only squirms and wails. I back up from my son, only to see nothing. He disappears. My legs shake and I vomit. I turn around, all I see are ash and embers. I pass out.
Remember what I told you?
I wake up and I hear the comforting sound of my wife’s voice. There is a white light overhead, her face is but a blur. Slowly things begin to come into focus. Her blonde hair brushes against my face. How long have I been out? I see her more clearly now, and I can see that she’s been crying. I ask her what is wrong. She tries to speak, but only her lips move. I hear nothing. I snap my fingers. Snap, snap. I can hear that, why can I not hear my wife’s voice? My wife’s face begins to fade, no longer does my wife stand before me, but a nurse. She brushes the hair out of my eyes, I feel a sharp pain in my arm. She tells me it will only hurt for a second. I wince, it felt like hours. I begin to speak, but the nurse tells me to be quiet. Where is my wife?
These things happen.
I’ve been in this room for what I guess has been three days. Finally, a nurse came in and told me they’d be moving me into a less intensive room. She helped me out of my bed and into my wheelchair. As I was being rolled down the hall, every person that I passed looked at me. However, their stares were not just blank stares, They seemed to have genuine emotion. It was as if they pitied me. I began to feel uncomfortable, so I closed my eyes. The nurse stopped for a second and asked me to wait. I opened my eyes again to see the nurse walking away. I was alone. I sat there for a moment. All the sudden my wheelchair began to move again. I looked behind me, but I saw no one. As the chair rolled, it bang to pick up speed. Faster and faster it pushed me. I was headed straight towards the double doors at the end of the hall. The chair had no plans to slow down. As we approached the doors, the doors flung wide open and before me was a dark abyss. I was flung into this utter emptiness. However, I never once felt like I was falling. I was merely floating. I turned to look at the doors, but they were gone. I was alone in this dark void.
You will overcome.
A strange light appeared below me, or maybe it was above me. The light began to expand and grow, warmth radiated from that light. I’ve always been told to stay away from the light. However, I could not help but to want to be consumed by the light. I smiled as the light seemed to grow and finally overcome me. I landed on a cloud. Was I in heaven? No, a man behind me said so sternly. You are not in heaven, nor are you in hell. You aren’t anywhere. I turned around, but no one was there. You won’t find me by looking. You will never find me. I cannot be found. The cloud opened up and I fell. I landed in the ocean, or what I thought was the ocean. I swam to the top of the water. I stepped out into my bathroom. I brushed the dust off my bed. How long had it been since I slept here? I got under the covers and I fell asleep.
You will restore.
I woke up. Bacon. I turned over, my wife was not in bed. I walked to my son’s room, nothing. The smell of bacon intensified. My wife. Cooking. I grab her and turn her around. She smiles. Bacon.

title: [TH] Bacon.

question: Where is the narrator located?

answer: The narrator is not in heaven or hell. It appears they are in a kind of dreamlike purgatory. But luckily, it appears by the end of the story, they have returned to life with their family.


text:
The 74TH DIVISION () was created in February 1949 under _the Regulation of the Redesignations of All Organizations and Units of the Army_, issued by Central Military Commission on November 1, 1948,[1] basing on 20th Division, 7th Column of PLA Huadong Field Army. Its history can be traced to 5th Contingent of New Fourth Army formed in May 1939, which took in several major battles during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The division was a part of 25th Corps. Under the flag of 74th the division took part in several major battles during the Chinese Civil War.

In July 1952, the division was transferred to 24th Corps after 25th's disbandment and moved into Korea in September as a part of People's Volunteer Army. During its deployment it inflicted 10800 casualties to confronting UN Forces.

The division returned from North Korea in October 1955 and redesignated as the 74TH INFANTRY DIVISION ({zh|步兵第74师}). By then the division was composed of:

-   220th Infantry Regiment;
-   221st Infantry Regiment;
-   222nd Infantry Regiment;
-   352nd Artillery Regiment.

From January 1957, the division was transferred to 66th Corps.

In 1960 the division was renamed as the 74TH ARMY DIVISION ().

From October 1969, the division returned to now 24th Army Corps' control. In December the division was renamed as the 70TH ARMY DIVISION (). All its regiments were redesignated as follows:

-   208th Infantry Regiment (former 220th);
-   209th Infantry Regiment (former 221st);
-   210th Infantry Regiment (former 222nd);
-   Artillery Regiment (former 352nd).

In 1985 the division was renamed as the 70TH MOTORIZED INFANTRY DIVISION (). Tank Regiment and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment were activated. From 1985 to 1998 it maintained as a _northern motorized infantry division, catalogue A_. By then the division was composed of:

-   208th Motorized Infantry Regiment;
-   209th Motorized Infantry Regiment;
-   210th Motorized Infantry Regiment;
-   Tank Regiment (former Tank Regiment, 24th Army Corps);
-   Artillery Regiment;
-   Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (newly formed).

In 1998 210th Motorized Infantry Regiment was disbanded, and Tank Regiment, 70th Motorized Infantry Division was re-organized and renamed as Armored Regiment, 70th Motorized Infantry Division.

In 2003 the division was reduced and renamed as the 70TH MOTORIZED INFANTRY BRIGADE () and was transferred to 65th Army after 24th's disbandment.

The brigade is now one of the maneuver brigades of the PLA 65th Army, stationing in Tangshan, Hebei.

In April 2017 the brigade is renamed as the 70TH LIGHT COMBINED ARMS BRIGADE ().

[1] 《中央军委关于统一全军组织及部队番号的规定》, http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_7254c7350100xb56.html

title: 70th Motorized Infantry Brigade (People's Republic of China)

question: Write a ~0 sentence summary.


text:
Richard Hale lifted a fresh cigarette to his mouth.  His feet on his desk, his papers scattered about, he inhaled the fresh nicotine and exhaled heavily.  There was a knock.  With a sigh, Richard unseated himself and sauntered over to the frosted glass door.

“It’s Mickey,” came the voice from the other side.

Richard closed his eyes and took a deep breath, sucking in as much as he could before opening the door.

“We’ve got a new case,” Mickey explained.

“That so?”

Mickey nodded.  “Morphine.”

Richard stared out the window to the streets of L.A., a trail of smoke rolling off his lips. “Again?” he asked, slightly frustrated.

“Again,” Mickey confirmed.  “Say, Richard, I thought we agreed you wouldn’t smoke in the office.  And I’d rather you didn’t at all, it’s really not a good habit.”

Richard turned to look at his partner of seven years.  His movements slow and methodical, he lifted the cigarette to his mouth once more, eyeing Mickey and blowing a stream of smoke up into the air.  After one last puff, he smothered the flame and disposed of the cigarette.

“Thank you,” said Mickey.  Richard seated himself once more, leaning back and resting his size nine leather shoes on the cluttered desk.  Mickey cleared his throat.  “I have a few leads,” he stated.  Richard gave an inquisitive look.  “About the case,” he continued, “I believe I know who the supplier is.”

Richard stood.  “Lead the way.”

Mickey stepped outside and into his Chevrolet Styleline, Richard following at a steady pace.  The car slowly accelerated, as Mickey was careful about his things, particularly his car.  They sat in silence, other than a single attempt by Mickey to initiate conversation.  Eventually, they arrived at a bar downtown.  Mickey led the way inside.

The bar was filled with cigar smoke, and Richard took this as an invitation to light up one of his own.  Mickey dared not say a word, and ignored his partner’s actions as he sauntered over to a table occupied by three men.  He sat down, leaving Richard to stand, as there were only four seats.

Richard swore he had seen the man in the middle before.  The pale, round face and striking blue eyes screamed of familiarity, but Richard failed to determine from where.  Mickey initiated conversation.

“How’ve you been, Ballard?”

The man across from Mickey gestured towards Richard.  “Who’s this,” he asked in strong a Bostonian accent.

“This,” replied Mickey, “is my partner Richard.” Richard’s brow furrowed.

“I don’t like him.”

Mickey turned to Richard, a pleading look in his eyes.  “Could you wait out in the car?  I’ll be ten minutes or less.”  Richard looked at the two man and left the room without acknowledging either man.  Minutes later, Mickey emerged.

“Sorry about that,” he apologized.  “Tom is… uncomfortable around strangers.”

“What I’m more concerned about is why you don’t fall under that category.”

They drove in silence until arriving back at the office.  “Don’t wait for me,” Richard instructed. “I’m in no mood to go home to my wife.”

“That’s not a good attitude to have.”

“Don’t lecture me, Michael.”

Once inside, Richard sat down at his desk and closed his eyes.  He enjoyed being in the office, it being the calmest place he knew, but was only able to grasp a moment of respite before being interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.  With a sigh, he answered it.  A woman’s voice on the other end went into details about a case.

“Hold on,” said Richard, “I need a pen.”

Richard set the phone down and opened a drawer.  He fiddled with papers, but found nothing, so he reached over to Mickey’s filing cabinet.

It was the first time Richard had ever looked into Mickey’s filing cabinet, which was always kept locked.  Fortunately for Richard, the key had been left sitting directly on top of it.  Opening the top drawer, Richard peered inside.

“Son of a bitch,” Richard muttered to himself under his breath, as inside, bound together with a rubber band, labeled “T.B.,” was nothing but a three inch high pile of cash.  He leafed through it… all twenties.  Richard closed the drawer and went back to the phone.

“I’m going to have to call you back.”

Before the woman could protest, Richard hung up the phone and dialed his partner’s number.

----------

The night was quiet as the clock struck ten.  Far from downtown Los Angeles, Richard Hale stood, waiting.  A car passed, then another.  Neither was the one he was waiting to see.  Thunder rumbled in the distance, yet not a drop of rain had fallen.  He slid his hands into his coat pockets, feeling the items within.  The smooth paper in the left, the cold metal in the right.

Richard heard another car and looked up. A maroon Styleline rolled to a stop in front of him.  Out stepped a man.

“What’s so urgent?”

Richard drew his left hand from his pocket, revealing the stack of bills.

“Where the hell did you get that?”

“I should be asking you the same thing.”

Richard watched as the man’s face twisted.  He motioned for Richard to approach him.  Richard obliged, and watched as the trunk of the car opened.  He glanced inside, then back at the man before him.

“You know,” the man said.  “I can get you in on this.”

Richard glared.  “I thought… I thought you were better than this.”

The man’s face twisted into a wicked grin, a grin far different from the one Richard had known for so long.  “Every man has his price,” he said, grinning at the ground as rain began to fall.  He looked up.  “What’s yours?”

Richard pulled his right hand out of his coat, the object within in his grasp.  The man’s smile disappeared, his eyes widened.

“No… Richard, please, no.”

Richard shook his head in disgust.  “You were a good partner.”

The streetlights cast a shadow on the streets of LA.  As the rain poured, a figure in a trench coat walked off into the distance, alone.

Richard Hale lifted a fresh cigarette to his mouth.

title: An attempt at something dark [1,018 words] - Feedback greatly appreciated

question: Who is Mickey?

answer: Mickey seems to be a corrupt detective in L.A..

question: How many people smoke cigarettes in this story?

answer: Only Richard smokes cigarettes.

question: What genre is this story?

answer: It seems like a crime mystery.

question: Why does Mickey ask Richard if he could wait in the car?

answer: Tom says that he doesn't like Richard, so Mickey sends Richard away. Mickey claims Tom doesn't like strangers.

question: What happens first chronologically, Richard revealing a stack of bills from his pocket or Richard glaring?

answer: Richard revealing a stack of bills.

question: Who is this story's antagonist?

answer: Mickey turns out to be the antagonist.

question: Describe the relationship between Tom and Richard.

answer: They don't have a specific relationship, but Tom says he doesn't like Richard.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: Richard and Mickey are longtime partners in detective work in Los Angeles. Mickey announces to Richard that he has a lead on a morphine case, so the two head down to a bar to meet Tom Ballard. When Tom says he doesn't like Richard, Mickey tells Richard to wait in the car, making it evident Tom and Mickey know each other. Back in the office, Richard finds a pile of cash in Mickey's filing cabinet from Tom. Richard goes to confront Mickey, and it's implied Richard kills him.


text:
September 20, 2012 / 6:46 AM / AP

(AP) SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Department of Justice is demanding that a "remorseless" Taiwanese company pay a $1 billion fine and two former top executives each serve 10 years in prison for their roles as central figures in what prosecutors called the most serious price-fixing cartel ever prosecuted by the U.S.

The proposed sentences would be the stiffest penalty ever meted out for price-fixing convictions if a federal judge adopts the DOJ's position at sentencing Thursday. The DOJ argues the sentences are necessary to punish a company that unfairly forced U.S. consumers to pay billions more than they should have for electronics and to deter others from engaging in price fixing.

The DOJ lawyers made the demands, which include $1 million fines for each of the executives, in court filings Tuesday. They are wrapping up a years-long investigation of a global price-fixing scheme that artificially increased the price of LCD screens used in televisions, computers and other electronic products made by Apple Inc., Dell Computers and many of the largest high-tech companies in the United States.

"The conspiracy affected every family, school, business, charity, and government agency that paid more to purchase notebook computers, computer monitors, and LCD televisions during the conspiracy," prosecutors concluded in arguing for the criminal penalties.

AU Optronics and the other co-conspirators are also the targets of class action lawsuits filed by customers, retailers and consumers.

In July, the company, along with Toshiba and LG, agreed to pay a combined $571 million to settle one of the lawsuits. Other manufactures, including Hitachi, Sharp and Samsung, agreed in December to pay $538 million to settle.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston is expected to sentence AU Optronics and its two top executives. Seven other Asian manufacturers and 22 of their executives have previously pleaded guilty and agreed to pay a combined $890 million in fines. The 10 executives who have been sentenced so far received prison terms ranging from six months to a little more than year in prison.

It's the largest criminal antitrust case ever prosecuted by the DOJ, surpassing the break-up of a vitamin cartel in the late 1990's that netted $875 million in criminal fines.

To date, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.'s $500 million fine for participating in the vitamin price-fixing scheme remains the largest antitrust fine. The DOJ's annual collection of antitrust criminal fines only topped $1 billion once in the past 10 years, according to a report compiled by the law firm Gibson Dunn.

A jury found AU Optronics, its former president H.B Chen and former executive vice president Hui Hsiung guilty and acquitted two others. The jury couldn't agree on a verdict for a fifth executive, and prosecutors dropped charges.

AU Optronics refused to plea bargain with the DOJ, becoming the only company to go to trial. Its lawyer Dennis Riordan says the company plans to appeal the conviction after Illston recently refused to overturn the jury's verdict issued in March.

Riordan says a $1 billion fine is out of proportion to the penalty paid by Hoffman, writing in court papers that "it is difficult to believe that the conduct in this case was more than two times more egregious than the almost ten-year conspiracy to fix the price" of vitamins. He says a fine of a $1 billion will cripple the company financially and is arguing for a penalty of less than $285 million.

Lawyers representing the executives contend the harsh penalties sought by the DOJ are in retaliation for the company's refusal to settle the case before trial. The lawyers are arguing for sentences similar to those given to the other executive who have pleaded guilty and received less than a year in prison.

They said in court papers that a 10-year sentence "would be more than twice the length of the longest jail sentence ever imposed on any defendant nationwide for violating the antitrust laws in the 100-plus-year history of the Sherman Act," which made price-fixing among competitors illegal.

Prosecutors counter that the AU Optronics executives and the company do deserve harsher treatment than the others who pleaded guilty and helped with the investigation.

"Defendants cannot credibly ask this court to treat them more favorably than their co-conspirators who accepted responsibility and provided substantial assistance to the investigation," Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Huston argued.

Prosecutors say the conspiracy began on Sept. 14, 2001, in a luxury hotel in Taipei, Taiwan, and ended when the FBI raided AU Optronics' Houston office in December 2006. In between, executives from the companies met more than 60 times in luxury hotels throughout Taiwan to set prices for the world market, racking up $72 billion in sales during that time.

Prosecutors say the executive dubbed the gatherings "crystal meetings," which were attended at first by top company officials and later by middle managers. Prosecutors allege the top executives began sending their underlings to the meetings after important customers began suspecting the manufacturers were scheming to fix prices. The underlings also began conducting a series of one-on-one meetings rather than gathering all at once after the DOJ announced it was prosecuting makers of certain types of computer memory chips.

Nonetheless, prosecutors said they compiled overwhelming evidence through emails and documents detailing decisions made at the meetings. They argue for the harsh penalties to punish what they describe as AU Optronics' brazen behavior and to send a message to what they say is a growing problem.

"In the past dozen years, new cartels have continued to spring up in spite of the many fines of more than $100 million imposed in cartel cases," the prosecutors wrote. "The continuing discovery of new cartels throughout the world is evidence that the fines imposed to date — as large as they are — have failed to provide adequate deterrence and that potential cartelists continue to see fines as an acceptable cost of doing business."

question: How much is the DOJ demanding the Taiwanese company pay?

answer: $1 billion.

question: Why is the DOJ exacting such a huge cost from the company?

answer: It has refused a plea bargain.

question: When did the conspiracy occur?

answer: In 2001.

question: How large is this criminal antitrust case?

answer: The largest ever prosecuted by the DOJ at the time of the article.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The article relates the story of an antitrust case that occurred against a company based in Houston and Taiwan for price-fixing. The DOJ demands a $1 billion penalty, which is incredibly high, but it is due to the fact that the company refused a plea deal.


text: One moment. A single fragment of time. The last flakes of snow slip from beneath me. I float into endlessness. My mind empty. No cause for worry. I am weightless. I hear the earth calling for my return. I fall, slowly but steadily.  My skis fall efortlessly into the white blanket. My body follows close behind. I disappear into the white. In this moment I feel the most joy I have ever felt. And in this moment I am free.

title: I know its not in the months topic, but thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

question: Is this person happy?

answer: They feel the most joy they have ever experienced.

question: Is this person dead?

answer: They are falling, they might be dead.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: In a single moment, a person falls into endlessness and slips off the snow. They are completely free.


text:
He had been going to the same coffee shop for nearly a year now. All for her.

She was his everything. He thought about her while working. He thought about her while eating. Hell, he even thought about her while thinking about her. To him, she was perfect. And he had never even said so much as a single word to her.

He first saw her clearing tables across the restaurant; her tight black skirt giving the perfect outline of her backside. The way she had glanced back as if she could feel his eyes burning holes in the fabric made his heart race. Her raven colored hair and rounded, black eyeglasses made her porcelain skin glow even more. He could remember it like it happened mere seconds ago.

A taut white blouse, black skirt, and glossy black sneakers. She always wore the same outfit to work. It was the same attire the others wore, but he never paid enough attention to them to make the connection. When he was in the coffee shop, he only had eyes for her.

Each day he went to the coffee shop to see her. He noticed she was quite shy and even when nearing his section, she kept her head down. This never bothered him, so long as she was close by he would take what he could get.

He noticed she was being trained to replace an elderly server retiring soon. If only she would come by his table, he would be able to profess his love for her.

Then one day, he got his wish.

She seemed to glide as she made her way to his table. “I’m Amy. I’ll be your waitress today,” she breathed, as she looked up from the checkered tile floor toward his expectant gaze.

Finally, their eyes met. Her beautiful smile was the perfect match to his glowing face. As she brushed her hair softly behind her ear, she slowly pulled her glasses down from her face. In that moment, his heart seemed to burst from his chest, for she had a lazy eye.

“Welp, plenty of fish,” he murmured to himself as he exited the shop.

title: Love in a Coffee Shop

question: What is the relevance of the title?

answer: The title is relevant because the story is about a man who falls in love with a waitress at a coffee shop.

question: What could have the man done to draw the women's attention?

answer: It may be implied that instead of waiting for her to come to him, he could have gone to the girl and initiated a conversation.

question: How is the reader supposed to feel about the man leaving the shop after he finds out that the girl has a lazy eye?

answer: As a reader, you may feel that it was mean on the man's part to have only noticed her looks and left, the woman may have been really good at heart hence it is wrong for him to have judged her based on her looks.

question: What could the man have done instead of walking away?

answer: It may be implied that he could have tried conversing with her to actually understand what sort of a person she is instead of judging her character based on her looks.

question: What was the man's motivation for coming to the coffee shop?

answer: The man's motivation to come to the coffee shop was the waitress he found attractive.


text:
Muffled voices filled my ears as I slowly started to slip into consciousness. I felt my legs strapped tightly to what I could only assume to be a chair. My hands were bound behind my back, my movements completely restricted. "Are you sure we should keep him here? Don't you remember what he is capable of? Especially with what you've done to him," said an unknown voice accusingly.

My eyes snapped open as I heard a coarse and familiar voice but I could only see a faint light, something was covering my head. "Of course I am. There's no way he can take all of us on though." It was at this point that I grew aware of the rustling of a number of bodies around me. Where am I?

The item covering my head was removed, and as my eyes adjusted to the light, I counted 18 bodies. They must think I'm pretty dangerous, I thought to myself as a smirk took form across my face.

"Well, well, well. It has been a while since we've seen each other, hasn't it Mr. Toigo," said the familiar voice with a smile. Why do I know that voice? I must have had a puzzled look to my face because he continued saying, “You don’t remember me, do you Mr. Toigo?” I shook my head, as I stared quizzically into his eyes. His grey eyes glared back at me with a look of resentment, yet his unshaven face held a devilish smile.

“Then maybe you’ll remember my brother…” A picture was thrown onto my lap from one of the burly men to my right. A tall lamp stood directly behind him, and as I looked around the room I noticed it’s symmetrical design. Another lamp stood in the exact same spot to my left, just in its mirrored location. Four white walls surrounded the 18 burly bodies around the room. Two mahogany tables lie to either side approximately six feet away, and directly in front of me was the man with the familiar voice, sitting in a steel chair identical to my own. A single unmarked door stood behind him. I looked down at the picture to see a man I remembered instantly, and this recognition transported me to the past.

My wife, with her beautiful brown hair and stunning figure, sat in the chair across from me as we waited for our names to be called, so that we could collect our beverages from the barista. “I’ve got an order for To-ee-go,” the barista exclaimed. I stood and picked up the hot tea and coffee my wife and I ordered. “It’s toy-go, but thank you,” I laughed as I left him a tip.

“Why do they always get it wrong hun?” my wife asked with a giggle. I held the door for her as we exited the coffee shop. The city was busy, pedestrians walking every which way, and we stopped for a second before entering the onslaught of people. As we walked we consumed our drinks and slowly made our way back to my parents house to return to the family reunion they were holding.

My eye caught those of a man in a grey hoodie and dark blue jeans before he entered into the alley just ahead of us. I moved my wife to the opposite side, away from the alley. As we passed by, there seemed to be a sudden lull in the people surrounding us. The hooded man appeared and pulled out a gun. I felt my wife’s hand suddenly jolt away from mine as another man grabbed her and held a knife to her neck. We were being jumped.

The first man directed the gun towards my head. “Don’t make this more difficult then it has to be, Mr. Toigo,” he stated with the same coarse voice as his brother. How did he know my name? “Release my wife, and I’ll do what you wish,” I said calmly. “Oh! So this is Mrs. Toigo?” he stated as he nonchalantly walked towards her, still aiming the pistol at me. “Let her go, now,” I said, my voice growing more tense.

“Is that attitude in your voice?” Our fellow pedestrians engorged us in a circle about 40 feet in diameter, too afraid to move closer. He pointed the gun at my wife, and she gave a slight exhale of exasperation. My body stiffened with anger at the thought of somebody threatening my wife, my fists clenching in rage. “Let her go now you son of a bitch,” my voice stern and forceful.

“I don’t think I wi-“ was all he managed to get out before I grabbed his shirt and threw him into the alleyway. The gun clanged against the ground as it fell out of his hands. The man holding my wife just stood in shock as I threw my fist into his jaw, breaking it instantly. As he lie writhing in pain on the cement, I stomped my boot into his throat. “Run!” I barked to my wife. She obliged and made a mad dash into the crowd.

The man I threw into the alley had regained his footing, and charged at me as he drew a knife from inside his jacket. As he slashed diagonally at me, I brought my forearm to his, abruptly stopping its progress. In one quick movement, I threw my entire body up under his arm, flipping his body over mine and directly onto the ground. I jumped on top of him and began punching furiously, blood splattering with each point of contact. He lifted his pelvis into the air, knocking me off balance as he simultaneously drove the knife into my thigh.

I grunted as it entered my leg, but I still managed to regain my balance, and tear the knife from my thigh before throwing it across the sidewalk. I raised to my feet and grabbed the breast of his hoodie, seizing him into the air, leaving his feet dangling inches from the ground. I back-peddled into the alley, before quickly spinning and launching the man into the nearby dumpster.

I backed into a parking meter as I watched the man attempt to regain his footing, before stumbling back onto the ground. I looked at his companion who was still unconscious. I heard a gasp from the crowd and my eyes darted back to my attacker as he aimed and fired his pistol. I felt the bullet enter my abdomen, but instead of toppling over in pain, I merely yelled as I felt an extreme amount of adrenaline course through my body. My body seemed to react on its own, turning towards the parking meter. With super-human strength I ripped it from the ground and threw it like a javelin directly at the man’s chest. I heard bones crack and saw blood spew from his mouth, but I wasn’t finished with him yet. He attempted to crawl away, but to no avail, as I walked towards him, my veins pulsing with adrenaline. My hands grasped the parking meter as I brought it down upon his back. Both his spine and the parking meter shattered and I could all but see him struggling just to stay alive, but he threatened my wife. I wasn’t done with him yet.

I threw away my weapon, and flipped my attacker over so that his anterior faced me. My hand grabbed his face, and I lifted him into the air easily with my newfound strength. His face expressed that he was clearly struggling just to breath, but I just said with a forceful tone, “I warned you, you son of a bitch.” With all of my strength I smashed his head into the wall, and upon impact I felt his skull crush in my hands. He was gone.

“Yes I remember your brother,” I said to the man after the flashback ended.

title: Adrenaline

question: Who are the main characters of the story?

answer: Mr. Toigo (the narrator), his wife, the brothers wearing a hoodie

question: Why did they kidnap Mr. Toigo?

answer: He killed the brother of a guy who threatened him and his wife on the street.

question: What did the two men want with Mr. Toigo and his wife?

answer: Unclear. Mr. Toigo thought they were being jumped, but the men knew his name, so it could be something else.

question: Who were the men that attacked Mr. Toigo and his wife?

answer: That information can’t be found.

question: Write a ~12 sentence summary.

answer: Mr. Toigo wakes up tied to a chair with something over his head. He can't remember what happened and how he ended up here. Mr. Toigo hears a familiar voice. The bag on his head is removed and he can see there are 18 men in the room with him. The man with the familiar voice shows him a picture of his brother. Mr. Toigo remembers that he was walking with his wife and two men in hooded jackets jump them. They seem to know who Mr. Toigo is. One of them threatens his wife with a gun and a fight ensues. Mr. Toigo manages to throw one of the men into an alley and break the other man's jaw while his wife runs away. Mr. Toigo gets stabbed and shot by one of the men while the other one was unconscious, but a sudden burst of adrenaline gives him the strength to rip out a parking meter and throw it like a spear. Mr. Toigo lifts the injured man and smashes his head into a wall, killing him. His flashback ends and he's back in the room, saying he remembers the other man's brother.


text:
“Do you want some coke man?”

I smiled and shook my head no.

“Some ecstasy?”

I realized I had stopped walking.  I took a long look at the three boys. I really wasn’t in the mood for this.  “That’s not me”, escaped my lips as I took a few more steps.

“Come on man… sit down … smoke a joint?” beckoned the leader of the pack with an accent that puzzled me.

I was already pleasantly high. The prospect of more was unnecessary and unappealing. I had scoped out this narrow lane earlier in the day and was anxious to reach my destination. As rough as the trio looked the leader’s eyes seemed trustworthy. The giant thug sharing the bench to his left was nearly passed out and the younger, thinner boy to his right appeared harmless. The essence of primrose trapped in the moist, motionless air permeated the vicinity. My olfactory nerves convinced me things would be ok.

“What the hell”, I muttered and walked toward them.  A canal and its reflected light softly dancing behind them added to the exoticism. The leader nudged the brute toward consciousness and made a space for me between the two. I only had a hundred and fifty Euro on me and as a betting man I wagered with myself that I would walk home with zero soon. My habit of being ‘real’ with all walks of life had so far done me little harm. I called upon myself to reinforce my pact with serendipity and eased on to the wooden bench.

The brazen young man’s name was Kofi. All three were from Suriname. The dark olive color and virility of his skin was strangely comforting. We chatted as he broke apart his buds and prepared a large joint. The thug seemed to abhor me. He infinitely repeated how gangster he was in broken English and flashed his knife ad infinitum as well. It was a bit comical the power Kofi held over him. The pack leader rebuked him with increasing force for his lack of hospitality.  I simply showed the angry youth respect and interest. I somehow made it clear to him that I all I could do was trust him. We both understood if he wanted to rob or kill me I would put up no defense. The younger member of the group was strongly under the influence of a hallucinogen and spoke to me rapidly in his native tongue. My sincere return of his gaze sated him.

“You’re with us tonight American”, Kofi said with a smile, “This is our city… We do is what we want”.  He lit the joint and passed it to me first. Rather than indulge I passed it on to the muscle who appreciated my deference. We sat and smoked. I puffed lightly as I was unsure of the exact contents of the roll. All the while the thug praised his gangbanging skills when alert enough to do so. After a reasonable time had passed I informed Kofi I was off to the Red Light District. This was my first night in Amsterdam and I intended to experience it on my terms.

“We show you the way” said Kofi. He then barked orders out to his underlings and we were off. Ten steps later the giant was emptying his stomach on to the small road. The other two enjoyed very much the sights and sounds of the tough guy reduced to near infant status. I sensed the opportunity to escape and said my goodbyes.

I knew the way. Earlier in the day I had plotted and explored the route to sexual release. I crossed the canal and headed north alongside it. It must have been three in the morning. This part of the city seemed asleep. Once again the scent of flowers was strong. Jasmine it seemed this time. Surprising it could flourish it in such a northern climate. The buildings all seemed the same from the walkway. Three or four stories high and true sturdy shelters which entirely muted any activity within. I walked along for a kilometer or so and all remained quiet until my desired neighborhood was in sight.

I arrived one canal east of my intended entry point. Large groups of people sat at tables outdoors carousing and partying with the energy I once possessed. I walked directly past a couple of bars and not one person gave me a glance. Finally, I saw my beacon. To my left was an erect cement cylinder two feet high with glowing red pin lights lining its upper circumference.  When I saw the third pillar of expectation I took a left. I was surprised at the emptiness of the narrow walkway. The well trodden old bricks of the path were each surrounded by a generous moss which reflected muted neon purple. Not a single woman displayed herself as I slowly walked toward the canal intended to guide me. A left turn at my canal of dreams brought my loins to life. People were milling about and the prospect of open windows looked much better.

Not twenty paces later two round brown eyes were locked on mine by way of a mirror. It was the first time in my recalled memory someone took note of me before I had the chance to size them up. I nodded my head as I passed her below ground lookout post and admired how her skin shone bronze contrasting her white breast supporter. Black lighting increases most human’s allure without doubt. I took a left at the next street and was instantly pierced by dozens of eyeballs. Most were behind glass but a few uttered nearly inaudible invitations in sultry voices. A subtle sensory overload granted force by testosterone enveloped me. Finally I got past the eyes and began to notice bodies. All this transpired within fifteen meters.

A graze against my right arm shocked me into immobility as a jack-in-the-box witnessed for the first time would. I nearly screamed but quickly noted the black silk glove teasing its way under the sleeve of my t-shirt. I looked into the eyes of a raven haired knockout nearly my own height.

“Come inside?”, oozed out of lips unlike any others.

I paused, looked intently into her eyes, and begged for release. Literally thirty seconds had passed since the first sales pitch had been presented. “You are truly beautiful”, escaped my lips as I bowed my head and continued down the lane.

The moss’s glow was overpowered by the light swimming on the bricks. This street felt right. The declined lips had initiated a carnal desire which could be sated at my whim.  I felt the benefits of a true smile for the first time in years. I made a quick choice to continue my walk in the center of the lane.

edit: formatting

title: Vagabond

question: What does the story say about the relationship between the narrator and the boys from Suriname?

answer: The narrator, new in Amsterdam, was walking along a road when he encountered three Suriname boys. Their accent confused him because he realised it wasn't Dutch, which made him realise they had to be from another part of town or country. The gang leader, Kofi, invited him to smoke a joint with them, which he begrudgingly agreed to because he was still high on another drug. One of the boys was particularly belligerent towards the narrator. Still, it didn't bother him because Kofi was amiable, and he rebuked the other boy's actions and behaviour. While they smoked and discussed, the narrator revealed that he was going to Red Light District. Kofi offered to show him the way, but the narrator already knew his way there and found an excuse to leave their presence.


text:
is the eighth studio album by Japanese idol girl group AKB48. It will be released on 25 January 2017.[1] This album features the singles “Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby”, “High Tension”, as well as “365 Nichi no Kamihikouki”, the main theme from NHK's _Asadora_ series, _Asa ga Kita_. This is the last album to feature long-time member and former AKB48 Team A Haruna Kojima.

Track listing

Personnel

GRADUATED MEMBERS

-   Haruka Shimazaki
-   Minami Takahashi
-   Yuko Oshima
-   Atsuko Maeda
-   Tomomi Itano
-   Mariko Shinoda

GUESTS

-   Morning Musume '17
-   Junichi Inagaki

Release history

  Region              Date               Format   Label
  ------------------- ------------------ -------- -------------------------------------
  Japan               January 25, 2017            King Records (YOU BE COOL division)
  Hong Kong, Taiwan   King Records
  South Korea         July 13, 2018

[1]

title: Thumbnail (album)

question: Who is the album's artist?

answer: AKB48, a Japanese idol girl group

question: When was the album released?

answer: January 25, 2017

question: What singles were on the album?

answer: "Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby", "High Tension", and "365 Nichi no Kamihikouki"

question: For what member of the group was this the last album?

answer: Haruna Kojima

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Thumbnail is the eighth studio album by AKB48, a Japanese idol girl group. It was released on January 25, 2017, and featured three singles. It was the last album to feature long-time member Haruna Kojima.


text:
Benji Kingsley

I snatched up Sunday’s sports section and peeled it open to a random page, holding it taught and high and close enough to my face that the words went double. I sank low into my chair and prayed—please, oh please, for the love of all that’s Holy, don’t let him see me. I felt unnatural and foolish but, most of all, safe from an awkward encounter with a guy who never ever seeing again had become one of my life’s major goals. I didn’t need to look up. I already knew.  I put down the paper, and as sure as hellfire singes ass-hair, Benji Kingsley was standing there looking down at me (I never hated a man as much). “What was the score?” He asked.

“A lot to a little!” I said as sarcastically and dismissive as I could.

 See, Bengji Kingsley was the kid who was always last one picked to a team for Battleball. Not because he was slow or fat or grossly incompetent, which he was, but because he was a loathsome, obnoxious scoundrel. He was a prankster and a good one, too. No one was safe. He would steal for the sake of stealing, never keeping anything he stole unless to frame someone else for the crime. He would alter another student’s answers before passing their exam forward. I remember he once stole official school stationary and sent out letters to parents regarding their child’s excessive absences. Sometimes he would bring the teachers flowers or candies, never out of kindness I’m sure. If he wasn’t playing pranks, then he was showing off with some outwardly disgusting act, like drinking the last sip of soda from a bottle then spitting it back into the container, then drinking it again and spitting it, again and again. Everyone hated him. Any kid would have given anything just to have the opportunity of hurling a blood-red, rough-skinned ball of compressed air and hatred at his pudgy melon-head..

He looked completely different than the way I remembered him. He was trim, not fat, dressed in a beige suit and light blue undershirt. He looked better than nice. He looked important. Uninvited, he sat in the chair at the side of my table rather than the one across it and flagged one of the young waitresses walking by. “Excuse me, sweetheart, won’t you get my friend here another margarita, and I’ll have a glass of ice water, with lemon if you’d please.”

 “Actually, I was just leaving.”

“No, stay, I insist,” he said. “I won’t take up much of your time.” I said nothing, wearing my impatience on the outside.  “I’ll get right to it, then. Over the past year I’ve been a part of a twelve step recovery proam, and—”

“AA.? But I remember you saying you were allergic to alcohol.”

“I am. I never touch the stuff. But it’s become a way to redemption for me, all the same.”

“Let me guess—you’re on the step that requires you to personally confront everyone you’ve wronged and apologize.

"Bingo.”

“How are you ever going to find the time?” I teased.

The waitress came back with our drinks, and Benji quickly jotted a note on a napkin and handed it to her along with a hundred dollar bill. The girl was as stunned as I was. She read the note and looked at him and then looked at me and then back at him. He seemed to nod, but perhaps not. After she left he went on with his apology, it was something that I had long since forgotten about. The waitress came back with the check which Benji paid and slipped the girl another hundred dollars, which she pocketed guiltily. We said our goodbyes, shook hands, he left, and that was that. Leaving the café feeling quite good, happy to know that even the worst kind of guy can turn things around, I couldn’t help but notice some kids through the café’s window, pointing and laughing. I felt they might be laughing at me, but I quickly dismissed it because the window was probably mirror-tinted on the inside.

I hoped the window was mirror-tinted on the inside.

title: Dead Wings Still Soar Benji Kingsley

question: Why did the narrator despise Benji Kingsley?

answer: The narrator hated Benji because he was an obnoxious character right from their school days.

question: Why was Benji Kingsley considered the most hated student?

answer: He exhibited awful behaviours, most especially toward his classmates.

question: Why did the waitress accept the money Benji offered with guilt?

answer: It might be implied he requested that she did something unethical for a price, and she was conflicted about it.

question: What did Benji ask the waitress to do in the note he gave her?

answer: That information is not known.

question: Why were the kids outside the cafe pointing and laughing?

answer: That information is not known.

question: Why was Benji in AA despite not being an alcoholic?

answer: He claimed to be on a twelve-step self-recovery program where he'd get to right his wrongs.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator ran into Benji, an obnoxious classmate from school who looked a lot different from how he'd remembered him. Benji appeared courteous and friendly toward the narrator and told him his plans to right his wrongs. Before leaving the cafe, he paid for the drinks he ordered for both of them and handed the waitress a note with a hundred dollar bill. Afterwards, when the narrator was on his way out, he noticed some children pointing and laughing through the window, although he wasn't sure he was the subject of their humour.


text:
 33 Flares 33 Flares ×

Staying at the same position for a long time is not necessarily a good thing, especially if you are working for a very SOP (standard operating procedure) driven company.  Additionally work in government, the medical field, or non-profit sector can make a career change or job transition tough.

Job hopping contrary to popular belief can bring about many benefits and open the door of opportunities.

-   You will raise your salary on average by 10 to 20%
-   You can get passionate about something again
-   You will develop new interests and expertise
-   Your technical skills will improve
-   You will meet new people and have the ability to develop your network

Switching jobs regularly is not looked down upon like it used to be, in fact, many companies will prefer to see several jobs on your resume. It was interesting to see that the average employee has roughly 11.3 jobs, and half of the changes came between age 18 to 24. (I have to note that the study sampled just a small population segment – those born between 1957 to 1964) It wouldn’t surprise me if this number is much larger now, especially with the rise of temporary labor which we discussed earlier.

It is true that some recruiters and hiring managers will see you having had too many jobs as a bad thing, but it all depends on what that number is.

  As a general rule of thumb you should aim to last at least a year in a job, if you stay for just a few months, red flags will go off, and you will be less likely to be considered for a job.

Advancing your skills, however, is a good thing so job hopping can be seen as positive if it means that you are working on your own marketability and crafting your own career path.

Searching for a new job VS getting a promotion in your current job

Some people like to change jobs endlessly trying to find that ideal gig that works with their lifestyle. There are many reasons for changing jobs including looking for something in a better location, a better salary or just being open for new opportunities. You might even be forced to get a new job because in this day and age every job is temporary.

  It has been proven that your average person will earn more money from switching jobs, as opposed to looking for a promotion in their current one (as much as 20% more pay has been reported in fact!)

Yearly salary increases according to SHIRM will remain at 3% to 4% for 2014. Great news for those who are making 500k a year. For many however this usually equates to a dollar increase. Getting a new job on the other hand could increase your salary quiet a bit (As much as 20%).

When you were first hired you probably started at a rate that measured up to you experience or the market rate at that time. Visit sites like Salary.comand Glassdoor.com to find out where you currently stand; many find it that they are underpaid by as much as 20 to 30%. A new job therefore could simply reposition you at a market rate that has most likely risen since you were hired.

The older you are, the harder it is to get a promotion at your current role and salaries tend to take a big hit when you reach middle age. It is much better for a person approaching this age to get a new job rather than improving on what they currently do in the same company.

You should be ready for a change before you take the plunge

There is no set time when you should think of leaving your current job and looking for something else; it’s a matter of trying something new and getting more skills, uncovering new interests and improve our financial situation

You should make sure that, with regards to the job you are in, you are learning things and not just sitting there as part of the furniture. If you are happy then there is no reason for a change, just make sure that the work does not become stagnant.

In other words, if your area of expertise is not expanding – when you feel like it is time to leave, you might struggle to find another job.

If you have been at a job for more than 3 years, you should take measures to try and improve and showcase your marketability. This could be in the form of going for a big promotion or changing your department and spreading your wings a little.

Take advantage of any tuition reimbursement, continued education, training programs, get them to pay for certification, send you to a conference, negotiate better pay, a new position, new projects, etc.

  [how to change jobs]“It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”

  ― Mahatma Gandhi

 LOT’S MORE COMING YOUR WAY. JOIN OTHER CAREER HACKERS WHO RECEIVE FREE E-MAIL UPDATES

 33 Flares Twitter 3 Facebook 1 Reddit 5 LinkedIn 1 StumbleUpon 0 Google+ 22 Pin It Share 1 33 Flares ×

question: What is the main message of this article?

answer: The message is that job-hopping is good, as long as you stay in a job for an average of a year.


text:
The shadows of the hanging puppets spread like ink across the wooden floor. As the sun rose lazily into the pink sky, its newborn beams slunk their way through the windowpanes and splashed across the man’s workshop. The puppets on the ceiling remained unfinished; he was too eager to complete one at a time, choosing instead to leave half-clothed and unpainted wooden men dripping from the ceiling like flies caught in a spiderweb, waiting to be devoured.

Not all met such a fateful end. He had completed hundreds, if not thousands of puppets over the course of his lifetime. Naturally he favored some over others, their eyes twinkling brighter and their limbs moving more fluidly as they danced between their strings. He had grown careless with a few of them, though, and this pained him still today when his eyes found them in the crowds of the wooden men. Beautiful, but crippled with missing limbs or cracked bodies that the man felt were not worth repairing.

But today he focused his attention on one specific puppet - a small boy whose arms hung too long for his body. He cradled the plain wood in his hand, his fingers gently cupping the boy and surrounding him with the warmth of his skin. Marveling at the sturdiness of the torso and the gentle curve of the joints in the arms, the man allowed himself a few moments of wonder, running the pad of his finger along the pale moon face. Moments like these still caught him by surprise even after years upon years of perfecting his craft. It was this rush of appreciation, bringing a leap to his old heart, that dragged him from his sunken bed with the dawn each morning. After composing himself, the man reached for his worn paintbrush and the bottle of paint at his elbow. Dipping the bristles into the deep black pool, he began the arduous process of bringing the boy into being.

He chose to create the eyes first, believing that their brightness would inspire him to create every aspect of the doll with as much shocking beauty. Two black dots broke apart the paleness of the face, and from those dots blossomed streaks of blues and yellows edged with white. The eyes seemed to glisten as the light from the morning sun danced across their glossy surface. The rest of the face was constructed with as much care and attention, from the downy eyebrows to the splashes of pink that stained the puppet’s rounded cheeks. A light brown tunic adorned the sloping shoulders, hanging loosely around the wooden body and fluttering slightly with each sigh from the old man’s open lips. He covered the smooth head of the puppet with a mop of brown hair; it curled slightly under the weight of the sun’s warmth, framing the face in a halo. The old man leaned back into his chair, the low creaking serving as the bell to signal that his work was done. Or nearly done. Now came the crucial moment, the one that the man anticipated the most throughout the construction of the men.

He brought the painted face to his lips. The fumes drifted into his nose and mixed with the earthy smell of the wooden body. The smell was like an old friend, familiar and welcome in the stillness of the shop. Inspired by this calmness, the man closed his eyes and slowly breathed in the musty air and sunbeams that hovered between the boy’s face and his own. With this breath, he drew in every ounce of happiness, beauty, sorrow, peace, wonder, and passion that he could muster. At last, the breath of life flowed from his lips and wrapped around the unfeeling face of the puppet boy in his hand.

The eyes no longer glistened - they burned. The flush of color in the cheeks became more than paint, blood blossoming beneath the surface of the rounded cheeks. The limbs bent, the chest throbbed with life, the chin raised itself so the eyes could meet their maker. As the puppet began to explore the movement of his small body, the man threaded firm knots of string through the arms and shoulders, anchoring the boy to a wooden beam. The man allowed himself a few precious moments of that fleeting sense of wonder. His own eyes soaked in the blueness of the puppet’s. The corners of his mouth curled as he gazed upon his creation, and in turn, the puppet gazed upon the withered face of the man, grey with age and exhaustion. Dreading what must come next, the man lifted the boy from the table and carried him gently into the back of the shop until they reached a door. The door itself was nothing remarkable - simple oak, a brass handle in need of polishing. Pushing open the door, the man guided the puppet into the candlelight that illuminated the vast space.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands of puppets spread across the room, each moving on strings of their own accord. Dancing, walking, talking, playing, living were the puppets, each one unique in a testament to the man’s dedication to his craft. With only the slightest amount of hesitation, the man placed the boy upon the closest shelf, nudging him towards the bustling in the center of the room. Slowly, wobbling on his wooden feet like a newborn doe, he gave the man a single glance before he disappeared into the crowds, never stopping to look back.

He knew to expect this. They never looked back. Their tender eyes, once seeing only him, grew drunk on the sights and sounds of their own kind. He thought by now that letting them go might become easier, but a small whisper in his mind always hoped for recognition in their eyes; a sense of validation. He wanted to know that they remembered him and his rough hands, cradling them as they woke from their slumber into this world. But if they did, they never showed him, growing so accustomed to the opening and closing of the doors that they never even noticed his presence in the room.

Just like every night before this, he allowed the smile to fall from his face before he closed the oak door. Any sounds from their world were quieted, and he was once again alone, though each night felt lonelier than the one before. He returned to his table and closed his paints, rinsed his brush, and blew out the dying flame of his candle. Suddenly overtaken by a quiet so heavy that it hung on his very shoulders, he locked the door to the shop and climbed into his sunken bed, waiting for the dawn to seek him out from the darkness.

title: Breath of Life

question: Is this puppet unique?

answer: Not really, although the puppet maker feels each puppet he makes is special.

question: Does the puppet maker sell the puppets or have other purpose for them?

answer: It seems that he doesn't sell them, rather he lets them "live" in a back room with all of the other puppets he created.

question: Who is the puppet maker?

answer: The story doesn't indicate.

question: Is the phrase,"bring the boy into being" literal or figurative?

answer: The phrase is literal. He actually breathes into the face the of the puppet and it comes to "life".

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer: The puppet maker takes notice of the unfinished puppets hanging from the rafters of his shop. He has completed thousands of puppets in his life, and has spent years perfecting his craft. Today he is finishing a small boy puppet; he finishes painting the boy's face and then breathes life into the puppet. The puppet maker dreads the next step which is taking the puppet to a back room. The room is filled with hundreds of puppets playing, dancing, and talking. The boy eagerly joins the others and doesn't look back at his maker. Although this is expected, it brings sadness to the maker.


text:
This is what I have so far. Criticism is greatly appreciated and if you guys like it I can add more.

                                         **Sleep Yet**

 	The man awoke, startled as if from a nightmare, yet he recalled no dreams. He sat up and took stock of the

blank room he found himself in. There was a shattered mirror set on a table to his right. A large door could be

found opposite his bed, intact, with the exception of a large gash in the wood where all the light in the room

 seeped from. The most curious object however, was a rather bland looking table with three drawers. It was

approximately 2 feet long and just as wide, with enough height that a chair could be pulled up and an average

sized man could uncomfortably sit. He stiffly shuffled to the mirror. Upon inspection he could see that he was only

 lightly wounded, a few scratches on his face, a  laceration above his eyebrow and a lightly blackened eye. What

really caught his attention though was the amount of stubble visible at least 3 days worth. The man had no

recollection of even coming to this room, let alone having been here for more than a few hours. That’s when it hit

him. He didn’t remember much at all. He reached into the pits of his mind, trying to drag out even the most

superfluous details. Nothing. Not even a date. He made his way to the table, his joints groaning from the

movement, whether from over or under use the man couldn’t say. The rightmost drawer opened easily enough,

revealing a note. After close scrutinization he determined the note to befit the work of either . It read: “My

sanctum, my home. Ye come, I go. Divinity’s blessing, upon us all. Beware, take stock, heed my thoughts, away,

away we go. Learn not what passes, yet to all be keen. My heart, for all within, bleeds.”

title: Sleep Yet

question: What was the man's nightmare?

answer: The man could not recall his dream.

question: Why was the mirror shattered?

answer: This information can't be found

question: Where is the man?

answer: The man is in a room that he has no recollection of entering.

question: How long has he been there?

answer: The man cannot recall for how long has he been there.

question: Write a ~10 sentence summary.

answer:
A man wakes up from a nightmare. Having no recollection of coming into the room he was in, he scans his surroundings. A shattered mirror lay by his side along with a three-drawer table. The man opens one of the drawers and finds a note.

The note reads- "My sanctum, my home. Ye come, I go. Divinity's blessing, upon us all. beware, take stock, heed my thoughts, away, away we go. Learn not what passes, yet to all be keen. My heart, for all within, bleeds."


text:
WILLIAM NATHAN BARRETT (November 24, 1855 – December 16, 1916) was an American politician and lawyer in Oregon. A native of Washington County, he served in both chambers of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, including three different times in the Oregon House. A Republican, he was also a three time mayor of Hillsboro, Oregon.

Early life

William Barrett was born in Washington County, Oregon, to Eliza Jane Barrett (_née_ Purdin) and William R. Barrett on November 24, 1855.[1] There he attended the local public schools before attending Tualatin Academy in Forest Grove, Oregon, for his secondary education.[2] Barrett then attended the affiliated Pacific University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in June 1879.[3]

Following college he read law at the office of attorney and politician Thomas H. Tongue in Hillsboro.[4] On November 18, 1882, he married Lucretia H. Parrish.[5] After studying law he passed the bar in October 1884 and began practicing law.[6] Barrett partnered with William D. Hare in a Hillsboro firm until 1886 when he opened his own office.[7] In 1892, he created a partnership with Loring K. Adams, lasting until 1897 when he returned to a solo practice.[8]

Political career

Barrett would serve as a deputy district attorney for Washington County and later as district attorney for Oregon's fifth judicial district.[9] In 1880, he served as a Republican in the Oregon House of Representatives serving Washington County.[10] He returned to the House in 1891.[11]

In 1896, he was elected as the 15th different person to be mayor of Hillsboro.[12] Barrett was also the first to serve consecutive terms, holding office from December 8, 1896 until December 5, 1899.[13] He then served on the city council from 1901 to 1902.[14] After a few years away from the mayor's office, he returned as mayor and served from December 2, 1902 to December 15, 1903, when he was succeeded by Benjamin P. Cornelius.[15]

Barrett returned to state politics in 1906 and was elected to the Oregon House to represent Washington County.[16] The Republican was then elected to the Oregon State Senate in 1908 and served in the regular and special sessions of 1909.[17][18] He continued his four-year term at the 1911 secession when his district included Washington, Yamhill, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties.[19]

Later years

[Barrett's headstone] In 1915, he returned to the office of mayor for Hillsboro, assuming the position on January 5 and serving until his death.[20] He was a member of the Masonic Order and of the Knights of Pythias.[21] William Nathan Barrett died on December 16, 1916, while in office, and was buried at the family's plot in the Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery.[22]

[1] Colmer, Montagu, and Charles Erskine Scott Wood. _History of the Bench and Bar of Oregon_. Portland, Or: Historical Pub. Co, 1910. p. 85.

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10] Oregon Legislative Assembly (11th) 1880 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on April 25, 2008.

[11] Oregon Legislative Assembly (16th) 1891 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on April 25, 2008.

[12] Mayors: City of Hillsboro. _The Hillsboro Argus_, October 19, 1976

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16] Oregon Legislative Assembly (24th) 1907 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on April 25, 2008.

[17] Oregon Legislative Assembly (25th) 1909 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on April 25, 2008.

[18] Oregon Legislative Assembly (25th) 1909 Special Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on April 25, 2008.

[19] Oregon Legislative Assembly (26th) 1911 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on April 25, 2008.

[20]

[21]

[22] Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery Inscriptions, Surnames A - B. Cemeteries. Retrieved on April 25, 2008.

title: William N. Barrett

question: Summarize William N. Barrett's early life.

answer: Barnett was born in Washington County, Oregon and attended the local public schools there before he attended Tualatin Academy in Forest Grove, Oregon. Aftwerwards, Barret attended the affiliated Pacific University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in June 1879. After college, Barret read law at the office of attorney and politician Thomas H. Tongue in Hillsboro.

question: Describe some of the positions Barrett held in his political career.

answer: Barrett held many positions in the span of his political career. He started out by serving as a deputy district attorney for Washington County and then later served as a district attorney for Oregon's fifth judicial district. Barrett was also elected as the 15th different person to be the mayor of Hillsboro. He served in many different positions until he returned to state politics in 1906.

question: How would Barrett's family honor him as generations were to come?


text:
Welcome to Creative Student Productions

This website is a presentation of my work and various other things that I've wanted to make available to the public. Creative Student Productions is the registered company name under which I have done most of my work. Please take a look around and feel free to contact me through the contact form (I'd rather not post my email address for spambots to pick up).

Additionally, the site is made to be compliant to the XHTML 1.1 standard, but I've also attempted to make it appear as similar as possible between Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer. The problem is that Internet Explorer does NOT comply with the W3 standards, so will typically not display pages properly. Unfortunately, with the prevalence of IE, many webpages are designed to look correct in IE and are not compliant with standards. So, if you're using IE to view this page, there will be bugs with spacing and layout, but hopefully I've made them as minimal as possible.

- Tim Tisdall

question: Who is Tim Tisdall?

answer: He created the Creative Student Productions

question: What is Creative Student Productions?

answer: It is a website where Tim Tisdall can show or share his work and other projects with the public.

question: Why doesn't Tim Tisdall post his email address?

answer: Spambots

question: Summarize everything relating to Internet Explorer.

answer: Internet Explorer (IE) does not comply with the W3 standards and will not display pages properly. With the prevalence of IE, many web pages are, unfortunately, designed to just look correct in IE, without bothering to comply with the standards. Tim Tisdall warns that if visitors to his site are using IE, there will be bugs with spacing and the layout.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Tim Tisdall launches his new website, Creative Student Productions, where he can showcase his work and other projects to the public. Tisdall says he designed an XHTML 1.1 compliant site that would run well on Mozilla Firefox but warns visitors who are using Internet Explorer that IE does not comply with W3 standards, so there will be bugs in spacing and layout.


text:
Relationships – particularly the one we have with our partner or spouse – are vitally important. But as they are familiar and constant, we often take them for granted. Amongst the busyness of life it often feels like there is no time to ‘improve your relationship’.

The good news is that even small changes can help. Here are The Spark’s 5 simple ways to improve your relationship:

1. Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’[5 ways to improve your relationship - say thank you]

With the familiarity of a close relationship comes a reduction in gratitude to our partner. Take a trip back in time and remember when you were first dating – both of you were super polite, eager to impress, generous. When your other half made you dinner you probably thanked them five or six times. How many times did you say thank you to your partner for last night’s dinner? Did you even say it at all?

Say thank you for the little things that have become mundane: when they make you a cup of tea; record your favourite TV programme; or put a washing on. Showing appreciation can make a big difference and improve your relationship.

2. Suck up your pride and say sorry

Not backing down in an argument can become the hallmark of some relationships. No one wants to admit they were wrong in this battle of wills, even though both parties know, deep down, one of them is wrong.

If you know you are in the wrong, admit it and apologise. In the heat of the moment it can be hard but consider what there is to lose by arguing on. You could be causing hurt to your partner, potentially undermining their confidence and damaging your relationship.

In taking responsibility and apologising you can save all that hurt and possibly encourage your partner to reciprocate next time you are right. No one can argue this is not going to improve your relationship.

3. Be an individual as well as a couple[5 ways to improve your relationship - be an individual]

Spending time together in a relationship is really important. Partners and spouses that rarely see each other, rarely last long together. Equally it is important that each party to the relationship enjoys aspects of their life defined individually and not as your other half.

Join a sports club, book group or pick up an old hobby (or a new one). Simply engage in something, ideally each week that is something you do as ‘you’ and not as one half of a couple. Having space and time apart – in manageable doses – makes your time more precious when you are together. It also gives you interesting things to talk about and share.

4. What if they were gone?

This one is particularly difficult to do in the heat of an argument but is highly effective. When you are in the middle of a fight, particularly about something really trivial like who left the milk out of the fridge, ask yourself this question: what if they were gone?

It seems like a backwards way to improve your relationship but imagine your partner in a job where they were away from home for months at a time. Imagine they were not around for some reason or had not stuck around. At that point it is very likely your feelings of frustration or anger will be replaced by a sensation of loss and sadness. This is a real demonstration of your feelings for them, not the temporary, emotionally charged petty annoyance.

5. Stop shouting[5 ways to improve your relationship - stop shouting]

The advice here is not that couples should never argue. Arguments are a part of relationships that will always exist. How we manage our behaviour during and after is where the problems lie.

In our frenetic society we have come to believe that the person shouting the loudest will be heard. In reality the person shouting is demonstrating an inability to manage their emotions; much like a toddler throwing a tantrum after not getting their way. When you find yourself starting to shout in an argument with your partner, try to lower and soften your voice.

It is easier to come to a compromise when you and your partner are not screaming at each other. So as your mum always used to say: indoor voices please.

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

Relationship counselling

Do you feel like the relationship with your partner needs more support? Are your arguments becoming more aggressive and more frequent?

Couple counselling and marriage counselling with THE SPARK provides a safe environment where a skilled counsellor can help you and your partner work through any underlying issues. Confidentiality is guaranteed and all of our counsellors are BACP or COSCA accredited.

Improve your relationship

Find out more about Relationship Counselling with The Spark. To speak to one of our team about counselling FREEPHONE 0808 802 0050 or complete a short enquiry form.

The Spark operates 12 counselling centres across Scotland. Find your local counselling centre.

question: What does the article say about meeting a soulmate?

question: What does the article say about relationships between a partner or spouse?

answer: Relationships between a spouse or partner are vitally important. However, as they become familiar and constant, relationships are often taken for granted. Hectic and busy lives make people feel like there is no time to improve their relationships. The good news for couples is that even small changes can help.

question: What does the article say about The Spark?

answer: The Spark is a company that offers relationship counseling services. They operate 12 counseling centers in Scotland. The company provides a safe environment for couple counseling and marriage counseling where a skilled counselor can help couples and spouses work through any underlying issues. Confidentiality is guaranteed and all counselors who work for The Spark are BCAP or COSCA accredited.

question: What does the article say about the five ways couples can improve their relationship?

answer:
Say 'please' and 'thank you' for even the most mundane things such as making a cup of tea.
Suck up pride and say 'sorry'. Couples need to take responsibility for mistakes and apologize when needed.
Couples need to be individuals as well as being couples. People in a relationship need to engage in activities for themselves, without a partner involved, to create space and time apart. This makes time spent with a partner or spouse more precious.
Couples need to envision a scenario where their significant other is gone or not around. This is useful in the middle of a petty fight.
Couples need to stop shouting at each other, especially during arguments.


text:
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) spoke about last week's shooting in his home state to supporters in South Carolina Saturday.

“We saw the ugly face of radical Islam in Garland, Texas,” Cruz said, referring to the incident in which two gunmen opened fire near the Curtis Culwell Center before being shot and killed by police. "Thankfully, one police officer helped those terrorists meet their virgins," he said, according to The Hill.

He delivered the speech at the South Carolina Freedom Summit in Greenville, which drew roughly a dozen Republican candidates and hopefuls, according to the Washington Post.

Cruz shared three words he said a president must learn to use regularly: "Radical. Islamic. Terrorism," the Washington Post reported.

The Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, has claimed responsibility for last week's attack on an event that asked contestants to draw pictures depicting the Prophet Muhammad for a $10,000 prize. The group that hosted the contest, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, is listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Republican speakers fired up the crowd by playing to their constituents' fears, including terrorism, Obamacare and the IRS.

"We're not at the point of no return yet, but it is close," Cruz said. "It's now or never: We either pull this country back or we risk losing the greatest country in the history of the world."

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) agreed.

"Radical Islamists behead Christians and even conduct attacks in Texas," Rubio said. He suggested treating terrorism in the manner of Liam Neeson's character in the movie "Taken."

"We will look for you, we will find you, and we will kill you," Rubio told a cheering crowd.

Calling all HuffPost superfans!

Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter

[HuffPost]

BEFORE YOU GO

PHOTO GALLERY

Sen. Ted Cruz

question: Describe the shooting that took place.

answer: Two gunmen opened fire near the Curtis Culwell Center. They were shot and killed by police. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.

question: What was Ted Cruz's message at the speech he gave?

answer: He stated that a president must learn to use the words "Radical Islamic Terrorism" regularly. He declared the need to "pull this country back" or "risk losing the greatest country in the history of the world".

question: Where was the speech held?

answer: The South Carolina Freedom Summit in Greenville

question: What was the motivation behind the shooting?

answer: The shooters were targeting an event where contestants were asked to draw pictures depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

question: Summarize everything concerning Marco Rubio.

answer: Marco Rubio is a senator. He agreed with Cruz and suggested that terrorists should be found and killed.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Following a shooting near the Curtis Culwell Center, Senator Ted Cruz delivered an anti-terrorism speech at the South Carolina Freedom Summit in Greenville. Senator Marco Rubio backed Cruz's position, declaring that terrists should be found and killed.


text:
UNION SPORTIVE DE CHANTILLY is a football club from Chantilly, Oise, France. It was founded in 1902 and, as of the 2020–21 season, plays in the Championnat National 3, the fifth tier on French football. The club won promotion from the sixth tier at the first attempt, after previously being relegated from Championnat National 3 in 2019.[1]

Current squad

[1]

title: US Chantilly

question: What was Union Sportive de Chantilly founded?

answer: 1902

question: What league does Union Sportive de Chantilly play in?

answer: Championnat National 3, the fifth tier of French football

question: Where is Chantilly?

answer: Oise, France

question: Who is currently on Union Sportive de Chantilly?

answer: the article does not answer this question

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Union Sportive de Chantilly is a French football club founded in 1902. They play in Championnat National 3, the fifth tier of French football.


text: At around 3 o clock a wild-eyed man approched my register. He was dressed professionally, but his clothing seemed pulled apart and wrinkled. His jacket was threadbare, his collar loose, under a  slacked hanging tie. He didn't look at me, but he dumped a bundle of rope on the counter, and dragged a stool up to it. I tried to catch his sunken, bloodshot eyes, and when I did he looked past me, gazing a thousand miles in the distance. Slowly he said said, 'Have you heard any ghost stories? Would you like to?'

title: The Trouble with Working Alone

question: Who approached the register?

answer: A wild-eyed man.

question: What did the man ask the narrator?

answer: "Have you heard any ghost stories? Would you like to?"

question: What did the man put on the counter?

answer: A bundle of rope.

question: How does the narrator describe the man's eyes?

answer: Sunken and bloodshot.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: A man of special interest approaches the narrator, a cashier, in their store. He is wild looking and well dressed. He dumps rope on the counter, and brings a stool up to it and asks the narrator if they've heard any ghost stories.


text:
The CHALOEM SAWAN 58 BRIDGE (Thai: สะพานเฉลิมสวรรค์ ๕๘) was a bridge crossing the northern end of Khlong Khu Mueang Doem (Thai: คลองคูเมืองเดิม)), or old moat, in Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok. The bridge, built in the axis of Phra Athit Road (Thai: ถนนพระอาทิตย์), was opened on 23 October 1912 by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), two years after his father's death, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). Last structure to be built of the Chaloem Bridges Series, which numbered seventeen, it “_was dedicated to King Rama V_ _by King Rama VI_ _on his father's 58th birthday_”.[1]

The trams of the City Circle Line used to cross the bridge linking the Phra Athit Road (Thai: ถนนพระอาทิตย์) with the Ratchini Road until 23 December 1963 when the line was cut between the Bangkok National Museum and Baan Maliwan (now the offices of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization).[2]

It was dismantled in 1971 when the Phra Pinklao bridge was built at that spot.[3][4] At that time, the Association of Siamese Architects (ASA) and the Society for Conservation (SCONTE) called for the conservation of the structure to the Bangkok Municipality who “_agreed to re-erect the bridge at an appropriate place_”.[5] Part of the bridge structure was supposed to be rebuilt in Lumphini Park[6] but due to budgetary constraints this did not materialize.[7][8] It was planned instead to use the structure to extend the Chang Rongsi Bridge but this project was also abandoned.[9] Nowadays, it remains unknown where the bridge structure was moved during the construction of the Phra Pinklao bridge.

Notes

“Chaloem” is also frequently spelled as “Chalerm”. The northern part of “Khlong Khu Mueang Doem” was formerly known as “Khlong Rongmai” (Thai: คลองโรงไหม). “Khlong Khu Mueang Doem” is also called popularly “Khlong Lord” (Thai: คลองหลอด). The Chaloem Bridge Series started when King Rama V decided in 1894 to annually donate a sum of money to construct a bridge to commemorate his birthday. The first bridge to be opened was in 1895 ending in 1912 with Chaloem Sawan 58 Bridge.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7] Thanwanorn, Samakorn (1973). Chalerm Sawan 58 Bridge. Bangkok, Thailand: Land Survey And Map Division

[8] Field research at Lumphini Park on Friday 25th, August 2017: Survey at the Lumphini Park main office and inspection of every bridge

[9]

title: Chaloem Sawan 58 Bridge

question: How is the Chaloem Sawan 58 bridge described?

answer: It is described as the bridge crossing the northern end of Khlong Khu Mueang Doem in Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok.

question: Why was the Chaloem Sawan 58 bridge dismantled?

answer: It was dismantled due to the Phra Pinklao bridge being built at that spot.

question: When was the bridge opened?

answer: The bridge was opened on October 23, 1912.

question: Who opened the bridge?

answer: It is said that the bridge was opened by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI)

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This article discusses the Chaloem Sawan 58 bridge, which held historical significance in Bangkok.