text:
In every issue of The Avid Collector, our Expert Booksellers will answer your questions on rare and collectible books.
[Have a Question about Book Collecting?] [Have a Question about the Value of a Rare Book?]

[See Past Questions & Answers]

Q. I BOUGHT A BOOK AT THE FERIA DE LIBROS IN MADRID THAT HAS NOT BEEN OPENED. IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY READ THE PAGES, I WOULD HAVE TO CUT THEM APART. SHOULD I DO IT? - _LAMIKA_

  []A. Books are often printed with eight or even sixteen (or more) pages on a single large sheet of paper. These sheets are folded down to make a “gathering.” In earlier times, printers and binders often did not trim the edges, choosing to issue their books with the edges _uncut_ and the gatherings _unopened_ (the Spanish term for this is _intonso_). Such books are difficult—if not impossible—to read because the uncut sheets are literally folded closed.

  If you have a particularly rare or valuable book, opening the pages can affect the resale value. However, for most books, opening the pages _carefully_ will not reduce their value. Personally, I prefer to use a standard credit card, working slowly and evenly, while gently holding the textblock closed with one hand. If the paper stock is thin or fragile, I use an index card. Whatever tool you use should be placed exactly in the center of the fold and slowly razored upward. Otherwise, you’ll end up tearing the page margins. Don’t use a letter opener. They can do a lot of damage. A book with crudely opened gatherings is an unsightly thing.
  -- MICHAEL LAIRD RARE BOOKS, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, USA

Q. I HAVE RECENTLY STARTED COLLECTING LEATHER-BOUND BOOKS. SINCE MOST OF THESE BOOKS HAVE NEVER BEEN READ, AND I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO OPEN A BOOK FOR THE FIRST TIME? - _AL_

  A. Leather-bound antiquarian books with bindings still soft and supple after a century or more are thrilling to hold. They are also a testament to the craftsmanship of the binder. If treated with care, they can last for centuries, even with moderate use.

  When opening a newly acquired book, or a book that is tightly bound, hold the book in your hand, fore-edge up. Then, gently press the leaves down, a few at a time, first at the front, then at back, and so on, back and front, until the center of the book is reached. “Opening up” in this fashion helps the flexibility of the paper and the binding. Be careful, though. Don’t force the book to open all the way and lie flat. That can break its back.
  -- MARK STIRLING, UP-COUNTRY LETTERS, SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA, USA

Q. I WANT TO START A SMALL BUSINESS SELLING RARE AND SOUGHT-AFTER BOOKS. IS THERE A LIST THAT YOU CAN RECOMMEND OF THE BESTSELLING BOOKS AND ALSO THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONES? - _JOHN_

  A. You are correct in thinking that one of the ways to be successful as a small, independent bookseller is to focus on the best, the most significant, and the most interesting books ever published in your area. However, determining the value of a specific copy involves much more than just the title of the book. Among the factors that impact value are edition, condition, and completeness. For example, a first edition of _The Grapes of Wrath_ signed by John Steinbeck might easily be worth more than $20,000, but an unsigned copy of the first edition, missing the dust jacket, and in very poor condition, might not fetch $20.

  []Rare and antiquarian booksellers face three challenges: acquiring good books, pricing them, and finding customers for them. All of these require experience. You can attend formal programs, like the Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar, nicknamed the boot camp for booksellers, or the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia. Or you can learn on your own, through reading, buying, and handling many books.

  For lists of sought-after first editions, I recommend two titles by Allen and Patricia Ahearn. _Collected Books: The Guide to Values_ lists over 20,000 books in many fields, and _Book Collecting 2000_ lists historical prices for thousands of first books by popular authors. Reading the experiences of successful booksellers can also be helpful. I like _Old and Rare: Thirty Years in the Book Business_ by Leona Rostenberg and Madeleine B. Stern. It is both entertaining and instructive.
  -- CHRISTINE VOLK, BOOKFEVER.COM, IONE, CALIFORNIA, USA

Q. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THE FIRST EDITION OF _THE HOBBIT_ APPEARS IN TWO DIFFERENT BINDINGS? - _FRANK_

  A. We aren’t quite sure what you mean by the two bindings on the first edition of J. R. R. Tolkein’s classic, _The Hobbit_. Allen & Unwin published the first edition in London in 1937. There is only one trade binding - light green cloth with titles and decoration in blue. There are, however, two dust jackets for the book. All copies of the first edition, first impression, have “Dodgeson” corrected in ink to “Dodgson” on the rear flap. Later jackets have the name spelled correctly. The second impression of the book, also dated 1937, has color illustrations. A total of 1,500 copies of the first impression were printed, including 152 copies bound in buff wrappers (paper covers) for reviewers.

  Houghton Mifflin published the first American edition in 1938. Here there are two issues of the title page. The first issue copies have a figure commonly described as a “bowing hobbit.” This was soon replaced with the publisher’s logo. The reason for the change is not known. All first edition copies of the book have the same green binding, however. If you have a first edition of _The Hobbit_ with a different binding, it’s remotely possible that it is an unrecorded variant, but it is more likely to have been rebound at some later date.

  To answer your general question about why books sometimes have different bindings, there are two common reasons: convenience and marketing. Sometimes binders run short on materials and use two (or more) colors of cloth or paper to finish the job. In other cases, publishers bind books in a variety of materials to sell to different markets: leather for the upscale market, cloth for the middle, and paper for the price conscious.
  -- KEVIN FINCH, PETER HARRINGTON ANTIQUARIAN BOOKSELLER, LONDON, UK

Q. I AM LOOKING FOR A RARE LITERATURE BOOK FROM THE VICTORIAN PERIOD AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR MY FRIEND. CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE? - _MANDY_

  []A. Every Christmas holiday season we receive numerous inquiries regarding our recommendations for customers. The Victorian era, which is typically considered to extend from 1837, the year Queen Victoria ascended to the throne, to 1901, the year of her death, offers a lot of interesting possibilities: books with decorative Victorian bindings, classics of illustration, fiction, and so on.

  This Christmas season our shop staff recommends the following Victorian-era books:

  _Cranford_, by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (1810–1865), offered a cherished portrait of Victorian class structure, habits, and society. Part of its particular charm was that Mrs. Gaskell simply and accurately portrayed the lifestyle of the society. The book was first published anonymously in 1853. Most suitable for gifts are any of a number of later editions in attractive bindings, starting around $100.

  [Find this copy of _Cranford_] [Find all copies of _Cranford_]

  []Thomas Hood (1799–1845) was a popular British humorist and poet. _Hood's Own, or, Laughter from Year to Year_ was first published in 1838, and it contains humorous sketches, verses, essays, and ribald pieces that depicted and parodied the living conditions of the time. The book offers an original take on life at the very beginning of the Victorian era.

  While rather scarce in fine condition, copies are available beginning at about $250.

  [Find this copy of _Hood's Own_] [Find all copies of _Hood's Own_]

  [] If you are willing to be very extravagant, the ultimate Victorian Christmas present has to be Charles Dickens’s _A Christmas Carol_. Dickens’ tale of Ebenezer Scrooge is one of the best-known Christmas stories.

  The book has an interesting publishing history. Dickens began writing what he termed his “little carol” in October 1843 and finished it by the end of November, just in time for Christmas. He was feuding at the time with his publishers, so he financed the book himself. He ordered the text bound in a lavish binding, four of the illustrations to be hand colored, and, when he didn’t like original the red and green title page, he had the green changed to blue. He set the price at 5 shillings so that everyone could afford it, and, as a result, the production expenses ate up most of the profits, despite extraordinarily high sales. Within the first few days of its release, the book sold 6,000 copies. _A Christmas Carol_ went on to become a Christmas tradition. It is less well-known that Dickens wrote four other Christmas stories, which all sold well at the time, but are not often read today.

  Our set of first editions of all five of Dickens’ Christmas stories, including the rare red-and-green issue of _A Christmas Carol_, is $42,500.

  [Find this set of _A Christmas Carol_] [Other Victorian-era copies of _A Christmas Carol_]
  [More Collectible Charles Dickens Books]

  -- PRINTERS ROW FINE AND RARE BOOKS, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA

Attention Booksellers

Thank you to all our Booksellers who have contributed their knowledge to our Ask the Experts section. Would you like to participate? Please send an email with your name, bookstore name and areas of expertise.

[Send a Not-Book e-card!]

question: How should someone open a leatherbound antique book for the first time?

answer: While holding the book down gently with its fore-edge up, a few pages from the front should be pressed down gently. Then, a few from the back. This back-and-forth should be repeated until one reaches the center. Don't force the book to open all the way and lie flat.

question: What is the best way to cut pages of an old book with folded pages?

answer: Particularly rare or valuable books may lose value if opened. If that's not the case, properly opening them doesn't decrease value. In that case, a credit card should be used to slowly cut apart the pages while gently holding the book down. Letter openers tend to do too much damage.

question: What suggestions are made to someone wanting to open an antique book shop?

answer: The books' condition matters a lot. It's difficult to find pristine ones, price them right, and find a buyer. All of this takes experience.

question: Which rare literature books from the Victorian era would be best as a Christmas present?

answer: Cranford by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, starting around $100. Hood's Own or Laughter from Year to Year by Thomas Hood, starting from about $250. For the fancy buyer, Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol first editions are the pick; they are available for $42,500.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: A Q&A collection about antique books. The most important ones are how to open books with folded pages (very slowly with a credit card, no letter openers), how to open a leather-bound book for the first time (gently, open a few pages from the front while holding the rest, then from the back; repeat - don't open completely on its back), and what suggestions would people make to someone wanting to open an antique book-seller (book quality matters a lot, finding books and customers as well as pricing the books takes a lot of experience).


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Due to bulky AMC engineering they started to look for sophisticated European alternatives even though Gremlin and Pacer were headed the right direction. After the 1969 Chicago Auto show where they exposed AMX2 and got much of positive reaction AMC decided to construct a fully running supercar [designed by Dick Teague].

The real deal started when AMC got with an ex Ferrari employee Giotto BIZZARRINI. He was responsible for a production worthy AMX3 out of the AMX2. Bizzarini handled the task easily. He mounted a fully independent suspension all-around the semi-monocoque chassis. The engine was the biggest input by AMC – the 390 cubic V8 [340 HP] which was too powerful for the firstly planned ZF 5-speed gearbox. Bizzarrini replaced it with a custom built 4-speed one. The car was finished in 1970 and again got much of positive reaction from a small group of journalists.
After that, AMC ordered a 24 unit production for testing, but soon faced financial problems and abandoned the project. Even though there was an other attempt to revive AMX3, Bizzarrini declined to risk. Only 6 AMX3s were ever constructed – 1 prototype and 5 pre-production prototypes. Initially, AMC ordered to destroy them, but, luckily, Bizzarrini refused.
The mid-engined AMX/3 could have been a Corvette killer…

Photo credits: Rob Clements / Wouter Melissen, Dirk de Jager and others

question: Summarize what happened at the 1969 Chicago Auto Show.

answer: The AMC automaker received positive reaction after exposing the AMX2 and decided to build a supercar.

question: Who is Giotto Bizzarrini?

answer: An ex Ferrari employee who partnered with AMC to build the supercar.

question: Why did AMC abandon the project?

answer: AMC faced financial problems.

question: Why didn't AMC revive the project?

answer: Bizzarrini refused and declined to risk it.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The AMC automaker is looking into European alternatives after positive reaction at the 1969 Chicago Auto Show. AMC decided to build a supercar but soon faced financial problems and abandoned the project.


text:
DEEP WATER SOURCE COOLING (DWSC) or DEEP WATER AIR COOLING is a form of air cooling for process and comfort space cooling which uses a large body of naturally cold water as a heat sink. It uses water at 4 to 10 degrees Celsius drawn from deep areas within lakes, oceans, aquifers or rivers, which is pumped through the one side of a heat exchanger. On the other side of the heat exchanger, cooled water is produced.[1]

Basic concept

Water is most dense at at standard atmospheric pressure. Thus as water cools below 3.98 °C it decreases in density and will rise. As the temperature climbs above 3.98 °C, water density also decreases and causes the water to rise, which is why lakes are warmer on the surface during the summer. The combination of these two effects means that the bottom of most deep bodies of water located well away from the equatorial regions is at a constant 3.98 °C.

Air conditioners are heat pumps. During the summer, when outside air temperatures are higher than the temperature inside a building, air conditioners use electricity to transfer heat from the cooler interior of the building to the warmer exterior ambient. This process uses electrical energy.

Unlike residential air conditioners, most modern commercial air conditioning systems do not transfer heat directly into the exterior air. The thermodynamic efficiency of the overall system can be improved by utilizing evaporative cooling, where the temperature of the cooling water is lowered close to the wet-bulb temperature by evaporation in a cooling tower. This cooled water then acts as the heat sink for the heat pump.

Deep lake water cooling uses cold water pumped from the bottom of a lake as a heat sink for climate control systems. Because heat pump efficiency improves as the heat sink gets colder, deep lake water cooling can reduce the electrical demands of large cooling systems where it is available. It is similar in concept to modern geothermal sinks, but generally simpler to construct given a suitable water source.

Deep lake water cooling allows higher thermodynamic efficiency by using cold deep lake water, which is colder than the ambient wet bulb temperature. The higher efficiency results in less electricity used. For many buildings, the lake water is sufficiently cold that the refrigeration portion of the air conditioning systems can be shut down during some environmental conditions and the building interior heat can be transferred directly to the lake water heat sink. This is referred to as “free cooling”, but is not actually free, since pumps and fans run to circulate the lake water and building air.

One added attraction of deep lake water cooling is that it saves energy during peak load times, such as summer afternoons, when a sizable amount of the total electrical grid load is air conditioning.

Advantages

Deep water source cooling is very energy efficient, requiring only 1/10 of the average energy required by conventional cooler systems.[2] Consequently, its running costs can also be expected to be much lower.

The energy source is very local and fully renewable, provided that the water and heat rejected into the environment (often the same lake or a nearby river) does not disturb the natural cycles. It does not use any ozone depleting refrigerant.

Depending on the needs and on the water temperature, couple heating and cooling can be considered. For example, heat could first be extracted from the water (making it colder); and, secondly, that same water could cycle to a refrigerating unit to be used for even more effective cold production.

Disadvantages

Deep water source cooling requires a large and deep water quantity in the surroundings. To obtain water in the 3 to 6 °C (37 to 43 °F) range, a depth of to is generally required, depending on the local conditions.

The set-up of a system is expensive and labour-intensive. The system also requires a great amount of source material for its construction and placement.

First major system in the United States

Cornell University's Lake Source Cooling System uses Cayuga Lake as a heat sink to operate the central chilled water system for its campus and to also provide cooling to the Ithaca City School District.[3] The system has operated since the summer of 2000 and was built at a cost of $55–60 million. It cools a 14,500 ton (51 megawatt) load. The intake pipe of the system is 3,200 m (10,498 ft) long and has a pipe diameter of 1,600 mm (63“), installed at a depth of 229 m (750 ft), allowing access to water temperatures between 3-5 C (37-41 F). The water is returned to the lake through a 1,200 mm (47”) outfall pipe, 780 m (2,560 ft) long. The pipe selected for the project was Sclairpipe, made from high density polypropylene (HDPE). Estimated savings is an 80% reduction in fossil fuel previously required to operate a conventional electric cooling system.

First system in Canada

Since August 2004, a deep lake water cooling system has been operated by the Enwave Energy Corporation in Toronto, Ontario.[4] It draws water from Lake Ontario through tubes extending into the lake, reaching to a depth of . The deep lake water cooling system is part of an integrated district cooling system that covers Toronto's financial district, and has a cooling power of 59,000 tons (207 MW). The system currently has enough capacity to cool of office space.[5]

The installed deep lake cooling water intake line was 1,600mm (63") in diameter, 15,000 m (49,213 ft) long and installed at a depth of 85 m (278 ft) allowing access to water temperatures of between 3-5 C (37-41 F). The selected pipe was Sclairpipe, made from high density polyethylene (HDPE) resin.

The cold water drawn from Lake Ontario's deep layer in the Enwave system is not returned directly to the lake once it has been run through the heat exchange system. The Enwave system only uses water that is destined to meet the city's domestic water needs. Therefore, the Enwave system does not pollute the lake with a plume of waste heat.

Seawater air conditioning

[Seawater pipes of The Excelsior hotel system in Hong Kong.] This version is also known as ocean water cooling. The InterContinental Resort and Thalasso-Spa on the island of Bora Bora uses a seawater air conditioning (SWAC) system to air condition its buildings. The system accomplishes this by passing cold seawater through a heat exchanger where it cools freshwater in a closed loop system. This cool freshwater is then pumped to buildings and is used for cooling directlyno conversion to electricity takes place. Similar systems are also in place in The Excelsior hotel[6] and The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation main building in Hong Kong, and at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority.[7]

Salt water air conditioning systems have been used in Sydney's Circular Quay and prominent buildings within the harbour since the rise of commercial air conditioning systems in the 1960s. These include the heritage-listed AMP 'Palm Cove' Building (constructed 1962) and the Sydney Opera House. [8][9]

The InterContinental Resort is the largest seawater air conditioning system to date, though there are several other, larger systems being planned.[10] Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning is a project intending to use seawater air conditioning to deliver renewable cooling to commercial and residential properties in the downtown Honolulu area.[11] It is majority owned by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar's Ulupono Initiative.[12]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

title: Deep water source cooling

question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of deep water air cooling?

answer: The main advantage is the reduction in operating costs and energy compared to conventional cooling. Sometimes, no electricity is needed for the cooling. The energy source is the cold lake water, which is fully renewable as long as the natural cycles aren't disrupted. It's also sometimes possible to use the method for both cooling and heating. The disadvantages are the requirement of a large body of water nearby and the high requirement for its set-up, both in terms of resources and labor.

question: What does the article say about the advantages of conventional air cooling?


text:
_ENIELKENIE_ is a genus of East Asian araneomorph spiders in the family Anapidae, containing the single species, _ENIELKENIE ACAROIDES_. It was first described by H. Ono, Y. H. Chang & I. M. Tso in 2007,[1] and has only been found in Taiwan.[2]

[1]

[2]

title: Enielkenie

question: What type of species is Enielkenie?

answer: Araneomorph spiders

question: Describe the physical appearance of Enielkenie.

answer: That information can't be found.

question: Where can Enielkenie be found?

answer: Taiwan

question: When was Enielkenie first described?

answer: 2007

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: Enielkenie is a genus of araneomorph spiders that has only been found in Taiwan.


text:
MACARIUS (I) FROM THE KINDRED MONOSZLÓ () was a Hungarian noble, the first known member of the _gens_ Monoszló.

Career

His unidentified father, the ancestor of the kindred received the estate of Monoszló (today Podravska Moslavina, Croatia) in Križevci County in Slavonia from Béla III of Hungary. There he also granted the right of _marturina_, a type of tax in Croatia which was collected in the then highly valued marten skins. Macarius was one of his four sons and the only one who is known by name.

Macarius owned Szond, Bács County (today Sonta, Serbia) by 1196 and married a daughter of Peter Győr from the Szenterzsébet branch. He served as _ispán_ (head) of Szolnok County around from 1192 to 1193, during the late reign of Béla III. It is possible that he was identical with that Macarius, who held the dignity of vice-ban of Primorje in 1189.

He had at least three sons from his marriage. Thomas I became a prominent supporter of Duke Andrew and participated in his rebellion against King Emeric. Andrew II later made Thomas his Ban of Slavonia in 1228. Nicholas I and Stephen I remained only landowners in the county without political significance, their branches became extinct by the 1250s.

title: Macarius Monoszló

question: From whom did Macarius's father receive the estate of Monoszló?

answer: Macaruis's father received the estate from Bela III of Hungary.

question: What was Marturina?

answer: Marturina was a type of tax in Croatia which was collected in the then highly valued marten skins.

question: What did Macarius own?

answer: Macarius owned Szond and Bacs County by 1196.

question: Name Macarius's sons.

answer:
- Thomas I
- Andrew II
- Nicholas I
- Stephen I

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer:
Macarius was a Hungarian noble. His father was the ancestor of kindred and received the estate of Monoszló from Bela III of Hungary.

Macarius had three other brothers and was the only one to be known by his name. He married the daughter of Peter Gyor from the Szenterzsebet branch and had at least three sons from this marriage.


text:
-    BACK
-   Home
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-   Campaign with us
-   International Walk to School Month

October is International Walk to School Month

Ways to celebrate International Walk to School Month

Recommend Living Streets to your local school!

Want to help more children walk to school?

WOW - our year-round walk to school challenge increases walking rates by 23% on average, with a 30% reduction in cars going up to the school gates - all for just around £2 per pupil per year! It's an affordable way to create a habit worth keeping.

But does your local school know?

Take just a few seconds and use our online form and send them an email urging them to work with us this International Walk to School Month.

Email your local school

[walk to school]

[Knowing walking protects planet]

CHILDREN WHO WALK TO SCHOOL ARE MORE AWARE OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF MOTOR TRAFFIC

Children who walk to school are more engaged with their streets and aware of the impact of cars than those who don’t, suggests new research released for the launch of International Walk to School Month.

Our poll results

Five-day Walking Challenge

Our FIVE-DAY WALKING CHALLENGE is the perfect activity to celebrate International Walk to School Month - ORDER NOW AND START YOUR CHALLENGE ANY WEEK THAT SUITS YOUR SCHOOL.

This FIVE-DAY WALKING CHALLENGE for primary school classes is a fun and engaging week-long activity, built to make pupils experience first-hand the importance of walking to school. Each pupil will be challenged to walk, cycle, scoot or PARK AND STRIDE TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY FOR ONE WEEK using our interactive wallchart and stickers to log their journeys.

[WTSW shareable]

FIND OUT MORE

Happy Shoesday

Happy Shoesday is our fundraising event, raising money to create safer streets for all. Start the new school year with the right step - register to receive your free fundraising pack and run the event any day of this month-long celebration. On the day, children walk to school in their happy shoes and donate a SUGGESTED DONATION OF £1 towards our charitable work to create safer streets for all.

SIGN YOUR SCHOOL UP TODAY and help raise funds for Living Streets who have been working to make streets safer for all since 1929.

WHY IS FUNDRAISING FOR ROAD SAFETY SO URGENT?
More than a third of parents’ biggest concern is overcrowding at the school gates. In 2018, 58% of children killed on our roads were pedestrians. We need to make our streets safer for children walking.

[Happy Shoesday]

REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL

how you can help more children walk to school

[strider]

Schools

Find out about our groundbreaking Walk to School challenges.

Walk to School

[Insta kids]

Policy makers

Our report contains 21 recommendations for prioritising and promoting walking to school.

Download our report - pdf

We spoke to fellow walking experts in Australia and Canada.

[Map of Australia]

In Australia, projects that encourage whole communities to walk more, creating busier, more vibrant streets, are a key approach to getting more children walking to school.

Walking to school in Australia

[Map of Canada]

In Canada, harsh winter weather can be a major obstacle - but imaginative schemes like 'Winter Walking Days' (with hot chocolate rewards!) are proving effective.

Walking to school in Canada

  As kids, we enjoyed walking to school because it was fun. Now, as adults, we understand all the additional reasons that active school travel is so important. It allows children to get to know their neighbourhoods, get exercise, and improve their concentration levels at school.

Walk to school success stories from closer to home...

question: What does the text say about the five-day walking challenge?

answer: The Five-day Walking Challenge is the perfect activity to celebrate International Walk to School Month. It is for primary school students to make them experience first-hand the importance of walking to school. Each pupil is challenged to walk, cycle, scoot, or park and stride to school every day for one week. There are also interactive wallcharts and stickers to log their journeys.


text:
I wrote this as a response to a writing prompt and went too far off topic to respond with. I don't write that much and this is really a first draft, so here goes nothing.

----

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

Rebecca died on January 5, 2157. She had red hair and green eyes. She was beautiful, even after the food ran out and the skin stretched over our bones and our muscles began to waste away. I remember that my voice became scratchy and hoarse but hers always seemed sweet and strong up to her last words. She didn’t smile but I pretend she was. I want her to have been happy to die. We said we would be, that it had been too long for us.

I met Rebecca 30 years before she died. Neither of us knew the real date, so we just guessed. There was snow, so she decided that it was Christmas. I said it was romantic of her to say that. She gripped my hand and pulled me toward her. It didn’t seem right to say we made love because I don’t think we loved each other. I needed her. She needed me. The last person I knew finally died 10 years before that. I don’t remember what she looked like. We didn’t love each other either but we still had sex. I don’t know if it was lust or just a desperate plea for a baby to come. Thousands of years of evolution told us that we couldn’t be the last ones. We had to try. We gave up hope, but we didn’t give up.

Rebecca was kind. She said she had traveled with a group of women from town to town, scavenging for food. The last of them had died quite some time ago. I kept track of years, if not days. She only marked seasons.

The sex seemed like pure instinct. There was no courtship, no flirting. We kissed a little, but mostly we just looked into the other’s eyes, felt each other move, drinking in every part of the other person. After we held each other tightly. I cried. She didn’t, but she understood. We were it.

Now I was it.

I didn’t believe she had died. I had gone so long without death that I couldn’t understand. I was like a child whose puppy had just been run over who didn’t understand why he wasn’t moving. I hadn’t lost anything in so long, because I thought I had nothing.

I was alone now.

I had thought I was alone before I met Rebecca, but I had still had hope then. I wandered, looking for another survivor for years. Something always kept me moving, some feeling deep inside me that there was still someone to find. Rebecca told me that she had felt the same thing. We stopped looking after we found each other. Now I realized that the feeling was gone. There was no one left. And so the last immortal waited to die.

I buried her in a field and surrounded her grave with flowers. We had been living in a house in Iowa. We tried living in mansions and penthouses before but it didn’t seem right. We had never been rich and we certainly weren’t now. We had nothing but each other. So we played house. I tried to farm, she tried to cook what little I could grow, and we both tried to make babies.

I counted the times that I saw Rebecca smile. She told me once that she used to smile constantly. I asked her why she didn’t anymore. She said she only smiled now when there was something to be happy about. I said that I did too, that’s why I smiled every time I saw her. She smiled then. It was the fourth time. There were only three more times before she died.

I did love her. Fuck

Why
Why
why

There is no one else. No one. Why am I the last? Is this my punishment? Did I make God angry? Fuck you god, I’m not even going to capitalize your name you piece of shit. I don’t even believe in you you vengeful fuck. Why make me love her? Just to take her away? Does this give you some kind of sick pleasure, are you jerking off watching this? Well I hope you enjoyed it because it’s over now. I’m going to sit here on her grave until you’re bored. I won’t cry. I haven’t cried. I don’t know why. Maybe I didn’t really love her. But I know that’s a lie. I want to hurt something. I want to fight or kill but there is nothing left. I can’t even take vengeance on some ants or a mosquito. It’s so quiet. Why is she dead? Why is anyone dead? There’s no illness, no warning, no time limit; one day you just collapse. Hopefully someone is nearby to hold you and comfort you in your last moments. I don’t even get that. When I die I’ll look into the void and tell it to fuck itself. You got that god? I don’t know what your problem is.

***

I came back. It’s been a while. I’m not sure how long. A wall caved in on the side of the house. There was probably a storm. The field still has the flowers. I haven’t seen flowers anywhere else. Why are they here? I had put up a cross made of sticks and carved her name into it to mark her spot. Just Rebecca, I didn’t know her last name. It never came up.

The cross was still standing. The house was collapsing but these little sticks were still here.

I stared for a long time. I touched her name. I remembered her face. One summer I managed to make some potatoes grow. We ate well for more than a month. We looked human for a while. The face I remember was the one when she died. I had forgotten even that for so long.

I laid down on my back, my head pressed to her cross and cried. The tears blurred my vision of the grey sky. I sobbed, remembering what I had lost. I had tried so hard to forget. Then I came back. There’s no forgetting when there’s nothing to replace the memories.

It began to rain. My tears washed away. I closed my eyes and felt the drops on my face. I remembered from before everything, when I was with a girl in the rain. I don’t know what she looked like. I remember pushing the hair from her face and kissing her as the rain came down, washing everything away. There was no time at all.

I opened my eyes. The rain continued but I couldn’t feel it. There was a warmth in me, coating every cell in me with a calm. I think I could move but didn’t want to. I took a breath. It was finally time. I smiled.

She was waiting.

title: The Last One

question: What does the story say about Rebecca's character?

answer: The narrator describes Rebecca as sweet, kind, and never having been rich. She was someone who used to be happy all the time before the world took a turn. Since then, she has proven herself a survivor by scavenging, cooking, and outliving almost every one.

question: What does the story say about the effects of the end of a civilization?

answer: The narrator and Rebecca were seemingly the last people alive on Earth. The last person the narrator had known had died 40 years ago, and he and Rebecca were unable to reproduce together. Food was scarce and plants were difficult to grow, enabling Rebecca to die of starvation. When Rebecca was alive, they were able to live in any house they wanted due to the lack of people. When Rebecca dies, the narrator notes how quiet the world is because it even lacks small bugs.

question: What does the story say about mourning?

answer: The narrator goes through many emotions as he mourns the death of Rebecca, his partner and the last person on Earth besides himself. He questions why this could happen and blames God. In his mourning, he feels anger and wishes to hurt something. He makes her a gravesite to honor her, and remembers her and their memories. The narrator breaks down and cries over the death, as he's lost Rebecca and is now alone.

question: Summarize the narrator's experience with women before Rebecca.

answer: The last person the narrator knew died 10 years before he met Rebecca. They didn't love each other, but had sex in what may have been a desperate plea to repopulate the earth. The narrator also recalls a woman he had kissed in the rain. He doesn't remember what either look liked.

question: What does the story have to say about the cause for civilization's end?


text:
(Peninsula Daily News) Three windmill-like turbines loom motionless over the city of Port Angeles’ new Waterfront Park.

The $107,516 spires stand immobile more than two months after they were erected and more than a year after the city council approved them.

Once they are working to generate electricity, they will produce so little power — $1.50 worth of electricity a month in savings — that at least one council member is regretting her decision to purchase them.

They have not been activated because the city is involved in an inspection-related dispute with the manufacturer, UGE International Ltd. of New York City, Community and Economic Development Director Nathan West said last week.

Read the full story ›

[]

Summary Recent Posts Contact

These reports are produced by another news agency, and the editors of WND believe you'll find it of interest.

question: How much have the windmills costed?

answer: The windmills have cost $107,516.

question: Why are the windmills not in operation?

answer: The windmills are not yet in operation because the city is involved in an inspection-related dispute with the manufacturer.

question: How much power will the windmills produce?

answer: They will produce as little as $1.50 worth of electricity a month in savings.

question: Who has manufactured the windmills?

answer: The windmills are manufactured by UGE International Ltd.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Three windmills, costing $107,516 are installed in the city of Port Angeles. The windmills are currently not in operation due to an inspection-related dispute with the manufacturer, UGE International Ltd. Once working, they will generate electricity as little as $1.50 a month in savings.


text:
Tabulation and Processing

[1910 Punch Cards]
View larger image
Preparing punch cards following
the 1910 Census

By 1870, the census had become so extensive, and the population of the United States so large, that Census Office clerks could no longer effectively tabulate results by expensive and inaccurate hand counting. In 1872 Charles W. Seaton, who became chief clerk in 1880 and superintendent of the census for several years thereafter, developed a machine that enabled several tally sheets to be brought close together, making them easier and faster to count. Seaton's device was first used in 1872, for the 1870 census, and then again in 1880. Seaton also invented a matrix printing apparatus for census work. While the Seaton machine was an improvement, the device was not advanced enough to keep up with the flood of data received for the 1880 census; final tabulations for that census did not finish until 1887.

Herman Hollerith, a former Census Office employee himself, invented a much more effective counting machine. His machine used specially encoded punch cards, each representing an individual's census data. The cards were fed into the counting machine, where the punched holes allowed metal pins to complete an electric circuit. When a circuit was completed, the dial for the corresponding trait would go up. Hollerith's device revolutionized census tabulation. The Census Office leased a fleet of the machines for the 1890 census count, which finished months ahead of schedule and far under budget. In 1896, Hollerith founded the Tabulating Machine Company. Almost twenty years later, after several mergers and management changes, this company became the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation.

After Hollerith raised the rental prices for his machines to an intolerably high level for the 1900 census, the newly formed Census Bureau decided to create replacements in-house. Census Bureau employees, led by James Legrand Powers, developed a new electric tabulation machine. The new device, with an automatic feeder and card sorter, was an improvement over the machines that Hollerith was offering. In 1911, Powers, who held the patent for the machine that he had designed, left the Census Bureau to found the Powers Accounting Machine Company. Powers's enterprise was soon the most successful automatic tabulation company on the market; it later became part of the Remington Rand Corporation in 1927.

In the late 1940's, the Census Bureau commissioned the first electronic computer designed for civilian use. Developed by J. Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchly, UNIVAC I marked a major improvement in data processing-it was the dawn of the "computer age." First used to process results from the 1950 decennial census, the machine was able to tabulate 4,000 items per minute, double the amount that electro-mechanical tabulating machines could process.

During the 1950s, the Census Bureau and the National Bureau of Standards developed a system called Film Optical Sensing Device for Input to Computers (FOSDIC), which took census and survey questionnaires that had been photographed onto microfilm, "read" blackened dots opposite the appropriate answers and transferred that data to magnetic tape. These tapes constituted the input for the Census Bureau's computers. One important result of this process was the elimination of most discrepancies in data records sent for processing. First used to process 1960 census results, FOSDIC played an integral part in the Census Bureau's data processing system into the mid-1990s.

Optical character scanners were used to process returned questionnaires for the 2000 census. The scanners recognized hand-written responses, as well as filled-in ovals or boxes. Using complex software, the scanned images were processed and translated into American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII). These responses were then transmitted electronically over secure lines to Census Bureau headquarters for statistical processing and analysis.

question: How were the conditions of life in the United States during the 1870's when innovations in automated calculations were pushed forward by the census?

answer: It is stated in the article that the continuous improvements and innovations by Seaton happened at a time when the population had become so extensive and large. This implies that the population was growing at a very rapid pace. The fact that census is running and trying to keep up, which means that governance growing along with the population. From these, it could be said that during that time period, the United States was a rapidly advancing country. The conditions of life in a rapidly growing country would imply an abundance of jobs and opportunities for most citizens.

question: What are the standards for innovation and improvement that the pioneers of computing aiming for?

answer: Computing machines would need to be fast in order to deal with plenty of data in a short amount of time. Data itself should be easily transferable but remain accurate. Cost of machines are also critical and should be reasonably priced. Fast, accurate, reliable, and cost efficient; these are the main qualities that were constantly improved over the years and thus, they are the key factors of innovation and improvement.

question: Summarize the relationship between the census and the computer industry.

answer: Based on the article, the needs of the census (which were influenced by the country's economic and population growth), gave rise to innovations in machines that would allow for counting, data organizing, and calculations faster than any human can. These innovations also gave rise to new business like IBM, and even prompted the dawn of the computer age. So it can be said that the census has been instrument to helping create the foundation for the computer industry.

question: What would have happened if Charles Seaton did not create his machine?

answer: If Seaton's machine was not invented, then the 1880 census would not have finished by 1887, but at a much later year. It can be said that much of census' work would have been significantly been slow until Hollerith's device will be introduced. The invention of Hollerith's device does not seem to be related to Seaton's, and thus, even without Seaton's machine, Hollerith would have still made his machine.


text:
LIU HUI () was a Chinese mathematician and writer who lived in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280) of China. In 263, he edited and published a book with solutions to mathematical problems presented in the famous Chinese book of mathematics known as _The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art_, in which he was possibly the first mathematician to discover, understand and use negative numbers. He was a descendant of the Marquis of Zi District () of the Eastern Han dynasty, whose marquisate is in present-day Zichuan District, Zibo, Shandong. He completed his commentary to the _Nine Chapters_ in the year 263. He probably visited Luoyang, where he measured the sun's shadow.

Mathematical work

Along with Zu Chongzhi (429–500), Liu Hui was known as one of the greatest mathematicians of ancient China.[1] Liu Hui expressed all of his mathematical results in the form of decimal fractions (using metrological units), yet the later Yang Hui (c. 1238-1298 AD) expressed his mathematical results in full decimal expressions.[2][3]

Liu provided commentary on a mathematical proof of a theorem identical to the Pythagorean theorem.[4] Liu called the figure of the drawn diagram for the theorem the “diagram giving the relations between the hypotenuse and the sum and difference of the other two sides whereby one can find the unknown from the known”.[5]

In the field of plane areas and solid figures, Liu Hui was one of the greatest contributors to empirical solid geometry. For example, he found that a wedge with rectangular base and both sides sloping could be broken down into a pyramid and a tetrahedral wedge.[6] He also found that a wedge with trapezoid base and both sides sloping could be made to give two tetrahedral wedges separated by a pyramid. In his commentaries on the _Nine Chapters_, he presented:

-   An algorithm for calculation of pi () in the comments to chapter 1.[7] He calculated pi to 3.141024 < π < 3.142074 with a 192 (= 64 × 3) sided polygon. Archimedes used a circumscribed 96-gon to obtain the inequality $\pi <\tfrac{22}{7}$, and then used an inscribed 96-gon to obtain the inequality $\tfrac{223}{71} < \pi$. Liu Hui used only one inscribed 96-gon to obtain his inequality, and his results were a bit more accurate than Archimedes'.[8] But he commented that 3.142074 was too large, and picked the first three digits of = 3.141024 ~3.14 and put it in fraction form $\pi = \tfrac{157}{50}$. He later invented a quick method and obtained π = 3.1416, which he checked with a 3072-gon (= 512 × 6). Nine Chapters had used the value 3 for , but Zhang Heng (78-139 AD) had previously estimated pi to the square root of 10.
-   Gaussian elimination.
-   Cavalieri's principle to find the volume of a cylinder and the intersection of two perpendicular cylinders[9][10] although this work was only finished by Zu Chongzhi and Zu Gengzhi. Liu's commentaries often include explanations why some methods work and why others do not. Although his commentary was a great contribution, some answers had slight errors which was later corrected by the Tang mathematician and Taoist believer Li Chunfeng.
-   Through his work in the Nine Chapters, he could have been the first mathematician to discover and compute with negative numbers; definitely before Ancient Indian mathematician Brahmagupta started using negative numbers.

[Survey of sea island] Liu Hui also presented, in a separate appendix of 263 AD called _Haidao Suanjing_ or _The Sea Island Mathematical Manual_, several problems related to surveying. This book contained many practical problems of geometry, including the measurement of the heights of Chinese pagoda towers.[11] This smaller work outlined instructions on how to measure distances and heights with “tall surveyor's poles and horizontal bars fixed at right angles to them”.[12] With this, the following cases are considered in his work:

-   The measurement of the height of an island opposed to its sea level and viewed from the sea
-   The height of a tree on a hill
-   The size of a city wall viewed at a long distance
-   The depth of a ravine (using hence-forward cross-bars)
-   The height of a tower on a plain seen from a hill
-   The breadth of a river-mouth seen from a distance on land
-   The width of a valley seen from a cliff
-   The depth of a transparent pool
-   The width of a river as seen from a hill
-   The size of a city seen from a mountain.

Liu Hui's information about surveying was known to his contemporaries as well. The cartographer and state minister Pei Xiu (224–271) outlined the advancements of cartography, surveying, and mathematics up until his time. This included the first use of a rectangular grid and graduated scale for accurate measurement of distances on representative terrain maps.[13] Liu Hui provided commentary on the Nine Chapter's problems involving building canal and river dykes, giving results for total amount of materials used, the amount of labor needed, the amount of time needed for construction, etc.[14]

Although translated into English long beforehand, Liu's work was translated into French by Guo Shuchun, a professor from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who began in 1985 and took twenty years to complete his translation.

[1] Needham, Volume 3, 85-86

[2] Needham, Volume 3, 46.

[3] Needham, Volume 3, 85.

[4] Needham, Volume 3, 22.

[5] Needham, Volume 3, 95-96.

[6] Needham, Volume 3, 98-99.

[7] Needham, Volume 3, 66.

[8] Needham, Volume 3, 100-101.

[9] Needham, Volume 3, 143.

[10] Siu

[11] Needham, Volume 3, 30.

[12] Needham, Volume 3, 31.

[13] Hsu, 90–96.

[14] Needham, Volume 4, Part 3, 331.

title: Liu Hui

question: What kind of political climate was present during 220-280 in China?

answer: This time in the Three Kingdoms period appears to have been very stable, if not even peaceful as it appears that Liu Hui had been able to focus on his work. The article does not convey any point of conflict or issue that prevented or distracted Hui from his work -combined with the sheer volume of his contributions to mathematics, it can be presumed that this was a stable period in the history of China.


text:
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Nobody likes getting a letter from the IRS. So imagine Amanda Bien's reaction last Valentine's Day when the agency wrote to demand $3,300 in back taxes.

For jobs she never worked. Five of them. In multiple states.

A Lenexa, Kan., Taco Bell. A Wendy's restaurant. Two Target stores, one in California. The Engineered Air manufacturing plant in De Soto, Kan. Someone, somewhere, got Bien's name and Social Security number and gave it a workout.

A 28-year-old illegal immigrant was later arrested at the De Soto plant and faces ID theft charges.

Though illegal immigrants aren't the only ones stealing identities, cases like Bien's illustrate the inability of disparate government agencies to tackle the problem.

While lawmakers in Washington debate ways to crack down on illegal immigration, the market for false documents and stolen Social Security numbers is booming.

Particularly vulnerable, authorities say, are legal residents with Hispanic last names. Or, as in Bien's case, names that could sound Hispanic.

As politicians know and Bien is finding out, it's a problem that defies easy solutions.

The IRS may suspect that multiple people are using the same Social Security number, but the agency doesn't investigate ID theft. Local police and prosecutors cannot deport illegal immigrants they arrest.

"I feel like nobody's listening," said Bien, 23, of Ottawa, Kan. "If this can happen to me, it can happen to anybody. And if we don't do something about it now, what's going to happen in 10 years?"

Federal estimates indicate that nearly 10 million Americans become victims of identity theft each year. Officials can't say how many of those identities are being used by illegal workers, but prosecutors in Kansas say they see more cases of illegal immigrants using fake credentials every year.

It mirrors an increase in overall cases related to illegal immigration. The Kansas U.S. attorney's office received 18 such cases in 1997; in 2007, the number was 106.

Experts expect the trend to continue, and they're finding ID theft in surprising places. Last fall, U.S. prosecutors in Missouri charged five noncitizens with ID theft after they were found working in the Kansas City Federal Building's cafeteria.

"We know there are thousands and thousands of people working here who aren't even supposed to be here," said Brent Anderson, assistant U.S. attorney for Kansas. "There is rampant ID theft going on ... and I'm afraid that given the situation we're in right now, this is just the beginning."

Bien doesn't know how someone gained access to her information, but experts say it can happen in several ways.

Hackers steal databases. Workers with access to records sell them illegally. Sometimes, it's as simple as someone rifling through your mail or garbage for sensitive documents.

And illegal immigrants are hardly the only perpetrators. Americans avoiding warrants or child support payments steal identities, too. Scam artists use the information to drain bank accounts or get credit cards.

After her identity was stolen, Linda Foley founded the San Diego-based Identity Theft Resource Center. She said identities can be bought for as little as $30 or much more for quality counterfeits. Often, as in Bien's case, the same identity is sold multiple times.

"Thirty dollars - that's how much your good name is worth," she said. "And if you're going to counterfeit a document, it's as easy to make five copies and sell all of them."

Judy Ancel, director of the University of Missouri-Kansas City's Institute for Labor Studies, said it's wrong to compare immigrant workers to criminals who take out fraudulent credit cards.

"Identity theft is when you steal someone's identity in order to profit from them," she said. "The crime they (illegal immigrants with fake identities) have committed is working under somebody else's Social Security number. The attempt to criminalize immigration is the wrong path. ... It's just going to make a bunch of families suffer."

Once, a made-up name and Social Security number were enough to get a job. But as employers became more diligent, the demand has grown for real identities that can pass database checks.

Children and the elderly, who are less likely to work or watch credit scores, are especially susceptible, Foley said. When Utah officials checked a list of children on welfare against tax rolls, they found that 1,800 children, all under 13, were listed as working.

Bien, a wife and mother, is completing her student teaching, but had to delay her credentialing when she applied for a new Social Security number. She's lost sleep, and she worries that even more people are using her identity.

Still, she's fortunate: Many victims don't learn of the crime until their credit score drops or a loan is denied. In one recent Kansas case, a man found out when he was arrested for a crime committed by an illegal immigrant using his identity.

After Bien discovered the ID theft, she and her mother drove to De Soto to find the Engineered Air plant. When they asked a sheriff's deputy for directions, he said he had arrested an illegal immigrant there a week before.

The deputy followed Bien to the plant, where he arrested Rocio Diaz Cano, the woman allegedly claiming to be Amanda Bien. Cano pleaded not guilty last week.

Her attorney, James Conard, said he's handled 10 or 12 similar cases, and said roughly 85 percent of his business is now Spanish-speaking. He said he sympathizes with Bien and said she's a victim of the government's tacit acceptance of illegal immigration.

"I think the federal government is in cahoots with this whole problem," he said.

Conard noted one example of the mixed messages: Probation, which his client is likely to receive if convicted, often requires the person to stay employed, which illegal immigrants cannot do.

Engineered Air President Ric Rambacher said his company follows all employment laws and checks applicants against a federal database of legal workers. But that system doesn't catch ID thieves.

Bien would like to see ID thieves charged with federal crimes. She believes federal authorities could push for greater sentences, and be more likely to start deportation proceedings.

Yet so far, her thieves in other states haven't been charged, even though Bien has given information to local and federal authorities.

Prosecutors say the decision to file charges and deport comes down to manpower, resources and evidence. When local police make an arrest, the case often falls to the county prosecutor. Federal authorities say they must focus on the most serious crimes.

"Like all law enforcement agencies, we prioritize," said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Tim Counts. "We have finite resources."

Johnson County, Kan., District Attorney Phill Kline, whose office is prosecuting Cano, agreed that federal agencies often lack the manpower to take on lesser cases. When Kline was state attorney general, he said, his office helped U.S. authorities in a checkpoint where three vans of illegal immigrants were stopped. Immigration officials arrested those in one van, but had to release the others.

Deportation, too, is a federal matter. And ID thieves prosecuted locally are likely to get probation if they have no prior record.

"You can have an illegal (immigrant) commit a felony with presumptive probation and they'll be right back on the street and not deported," Kline said. "We're left with no options."

Kline has made it his policy not to offer diversion to illegal immigrants. Diversion is when a suspect in a low-level crime can avoid a conviction through restitution and community service.

Foley, from the Identity Theft Resource Center, said federal authorities must do more. Too often, she said, agencies don't even share data that could pinpoint ID theft.

"There is no universal database. Who's going to collect it? The IRS is there to find out who isn't paying their taxes, not to look for ID theft," she said. "Create a new universal database and suddenly you've created a new target for ID theft."

question: Why was Amanda Bien asked to pay $3,300 in back taxes?

answer: Her identity was stolen by illegal immigrants, who used her name and social security number.

question: Where does Amanda live?

answer: Ottawa, Kansas

question: What actions is Amanda taking in response to the letter from the IRS?

answer: She has reported the thefts to local and federal authorities in the hopes that the ID thieves will be charged. She also applied for a new social security number.

question: What is the frequency of situations like Amanda's occuring in the United States?

answer: Nearly 10 million Americans are victims of identity theft each year.

question: List the various jobs Amanda was asked to pay taxes for.

answer: Jobs at Taco Bell, Wendy's, Target, and the Engineered Air manufacturing plant.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Kansas resident Amanda Bien received a letter from the IRS demanding $3,300 in back taxes. This happened because her identity was stolen and used by illegal immigrants. Nearly 10 million Americans suffer from identity theft each year. Bien would like to see ID thieves charged with federal crimes.


text:
CORONA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (CHS) is a California Distinguished School high school in the city of Corona, California, United States, a growing city in the Inland Empire of Southern California. CHS is one of eight high schools in the Corona-Norco Unified School District.

History

CHS was the first high school in the area, established in 1894 when high school students met in the upper floor of the Corona Grammar school located in what now is called Victoria Park. The first actual High School opened in 1907. It was built in the Classic Revival style with columns and many steps on the front, on the west side of Main Street between Grand Boulevard and Olive street. This campus remained a high school until 1923, when the number of students outgrew the available classroom space. The second Corona High School was constructed, in the Mediterranean Revival style, at 815 West Sixth Street. This campus was designed by G. Stanley Wilson, an exceptional architect from Riverside, California, who had also designed parts of the Mission Inn. This campus remained in use as a high school until December 1960, when once again, the number of students exceeded its capacity After the high school moved from its second campus, the campus became Corona's Civic Center and City Hall. The second high school building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1]

The high school was relocated to 1150 West Tenth Street during the 196061 school year to accommodate a rapidly growing number of students wishing to attend. There were no graduates in 1897.

Students

Corona High School has a diverse student population of more than 4,000 students including; 4.3% African American and 54.0% Hispanic or Latino. White students make up approximately 35.1% of the student population. As of 2005 it was reported that 45.1% of the students at Corona High School come from socioeconomically disadvantaged homes. Although nearly half the students come from disadvantaged families, they comprise one of the highest graduation levels in the state with 94.6%.

Assertive Discipline at Corona High School is a consistency-based approach to classroom and school discipline. It is designed to create a positive educational atmosphere and provide educators with skills and confidence necessary to effectively reduce discipline problems. Every classroom has a set of assertive discipline program charts posted in the room. Teachers discuss the rules and the positive and negative consequences of the program with their students. The practices and procedures for discipline, tardiness, and truancy are aimed at teaching responsibility and building positive self-esteem. Each student receives the teacher's discipline plan included as part of the course syllabus. Corona High School exhibits pride, high morale, order and discipline, and respect for individual rights and responsibilities. In the 20052006 school year there were a total of 337 suspensions and 20 expulsions at Corona High School, well below the District average.

Academics

Corona's course offerings reflect the diversity of the school community. Classes offered include career/technical classes, honors and advance placement, a four-year AVID program, English acquisition, sheltered classes in core subjects, visual and performing arts, and special education.

All students are offered a core academic curriculum which stresses academic excellence. Advanced Placement and honors courses are offered in Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Science, and Foreign Language. Educational programs are provided to enhance the educational opportunities for disadvantaged, ESL, and Special Education students.

[A mural of the high school's black panther mascot.] Students have the opportunity to enroll in advanced placement (AP) courses at Corona High School. Students who successfully pass an optional end-of-course exam generally receive college credit. Of the 302 Advanced Placement Exams taken in Music Theory, English Literature, French and Spanish Languages, Calculus, Sciences (such as Biology and Physics), and Social Sciences (such as European History and Psychology), 61% passed. The school district passing rate was 48.2%. The Riverside County, California state and national passing rates were 45.6%, 57.1%, and 59.6% respectively.

The instructional program at Corona High School is based on the state's Academic Content Standards. Higher-level thinking skills are emphasized at all grade levels for all students. Teachers use criterion-referenced tests, teacher-made tests, common benchmark assessments, portfolios, and observations to assess student performance. Planning days and minimum days enable teachers to appropriately plan the cooperative delivery of instruction in support of the core curriculum to all students.

Teachers are an important part of the leadership of Corona High School. The staff serves on grade-level and subject-department teams to plan curriculum and recommend solutions to problems. Staff members communicate and learn from each other, both formally and informally.

Students with special needs are served in a variety of ways. The Student Study Team (SST) is a site-based group that works to provide modifications of and accommodations to the general education program. Modifications or accommodations could be provided by support personnel, such as school counselors, nurses, or psychologists. Intensive modifications/accommodations may require special education services which include, but are not limited to, special education itinerant services (for example, speech and language, adaptive physical education, occupational therapy), and resource specialists or special day class programs.

Sports

Corona High School offers a full range of sports, many of which have participated in CIF playoffs, and/or have won CIF Divisional championships. Booster clubs have added significant strength to many of the sports and organizations.

Fall Sports: Football, Boys Water Polo, Boys Cross Country, Girls Cross Country, Girls Tennis, Girls Volleyball, Girls Pep Squad. Winter Sports: Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer, Girls Water Polo, Wrestling. Spring Sports: Baseball, Softball, Golf, Girls Swimming, Boys Swimming, Girls Track, Boys Track, Boys Tennis, Boys Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse, Boys Volleyball.

Performing arts

Corona High also offers a performing arts program with dramas, musicals, five choirs, marching/pep band, jazz band, symphonic band and video production which used to run the only daily live news broadcast in the Corona-Norco Unified District.

Clubs on campus

Corona High School offers a broad range of clubs, societies, organizations and student interest groups which have continuously received District, Regional, Statewide, and in the case of History Day projects, National recognition. Clubs Have on campus supervisors. Clubs are to have elected officers in which the students will choose, to run meetings. A proposed budget, constitution, charter and approval from the Activities Director and Administration is required to start any club.

Notable alumni

-   Brendan Beck - professional baseball player, San Francisco Giants organization
-   Tristan Beck - professional baseball player, San Francisco Giants organization[2][3]
-   Erica Blasberg - golfer who played on the LPGA Tour
-   Scott Bloomquist - Hall of Fame dirt racer
-   Ken Calvert - Congressman, House of Representatives: 44th congressional district
-   Darrin Chiaverini - Former NFL receiver and current college coach
-   Ryan Chiaverini - Television personality}
-   Mike Darr - Former Major League baseball player, San Diego Padres
-   Heath Farwell - NFL linebacker and pro bowler
-   Brian Hildebrand - Former Division 1 quarterback, Oregon State Beavers
-   Jess Hill - Former Major League baseball player (1935–37), USC football coach (1951–56), USC athletic director (1957–72)
-   George Ingalls - Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
-   Joe Kelly - Major League Baseball pitcher, LA Dodgers
-   Mr. Mixx (David P. Hobbs) - Hip hop DJ, producer, co-founder of 2 Live Crew
-   Jennifer Ruiz - Professional soccer player
-   Matt Spanos - Former USC lineman
-   Demetrius Wright - USC Trojans free safety

[1]  .

[2] https://www.mlb.com/news/braves-pick-tristan-beck-on-day-2-of-mlb-draft/c-279944810

[3]

title: Corona High School

question: Summarize everything relating to diversity.

answer: The school's student population consiss of 4.3% African Americans and 54.0% Hispanic or Latino. The course offerings reflect the diversity of the school community. The school also has various ways of supporting special needs students, including the Student Study Team.

question: What does the article say about extra-curriculars?

answer: Corona High School offers a full range of sports. These sports include football, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling. There is also a wide range of clubs, societies, organizations, and student interest groups. The students elect officers for their clubs to run meetings.

question: What does the article say about the other seven high schools in the Corona-Norco Unified School District?

question: Summarize everything relating to the school's different locations.

answer: The school was initially built on the west side of Main Street between Grand Boulevard and Olive street. The second school was constructed at 815 West Sixth Street. It was then relocated to 1150 West Tenth Street during the 1960-61 school year.


text:
The Ministry of Labor announced on 19 September 2008 that as of December 2007, 10.8% of workers were in TRADE UNIONS IN SOUTH KOREA, a 0.5% increase from 10.3% in 2006. Korea's unionization rate peaked in 1989 at 19.8% and fell to 10% 2004.[1]

There are two national trade union centres in South Korea: the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). In 2007, the FKTU had 740,308 members (43.9% of trade unionists in Korea), the KCTU had 682,418 members (40.4%), and 265,056 workers were members of independent trade unions affiliated to neither national centre.[2]

[1] [http://www.koilaf.org/KFeng/engStatistics/bbs_read_dis.php?board_no=137&page=2&keyField=&keyWord= Unionization rate in 2007 stands at 10.8 percent first upward move in 18 years] _Korea International Labour Foundation_, 19 September 2008. Accessed 2009-04-09.

[2]

title: Trade unions in South Korea

question: What percentage of workers in South Korea were in trade unions as of 2007?

answer: 10.8%.

question: Who are the two national trade union centers in South Korea?

answer: The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korean Federation of Trade Unions (KCTU).

question: How many members did the FKTU have in 2007?

answer: 740,308.

question: How many members did the KCTU have in 2007?

answer: 682,418.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The Ministry of Labor announced on 19 September 2008 that as of December 2007, 10.8% of workers were in trade unions in South Korea. About 10.3% of workers were members as of December 2007.


text:
She was beautiful. Roger had to give her that. Her glistening chocolate hair draped over the supple curve of her breasts, framing an innocent, oval face. What's more, Vanessa was one of the highest ranked ballerinas in the country, so her body was tight and effortlessly graceful. And she was intelligent, a top student, loved by all her teachers. And she was passionate, voraciously tearing into cryptic Latin texts and twisted Shakespeare plays. And she was polite; she never misplaced a word or spoke ill of another in their presence. And finally, even in the face of this borderline perfection, she still managed humility.

But that's why Roger couldn't stand her. As she strutted from plebeian to plebeian pretending to commiserate with their inconveniences and chuckling hollowly at their awful jokes, you could sense her sentiment of superiority almost oozing through her skin, growing with each inferior she encountered. She only wasted her time with this mediocrity to vindicate her own accomplishments. Vanessa's act of humility was just that: an act.

It was certainly subtle. You had to look past her actions and question her motives. Why did she blush with every compliment? Why did she offer to help cute boys study? Why, when told she was smart, did she lightly assert that she'd never scored an A on a math test? Surely these are the signs of a humble, virtuous individual? Not when they're to garner attention and satiate her edacious ego.

When it came to guys, she never spoke first. That would make her seem desperate. Instead, she was to be so damn irresistible that cute boys would have to call her pretty and smart and beg for a date. Then she could giggle girlishly, lavishly deny their claims, and, after unctuously telling them how much she appreciated the offer, say no. That way, she'd always be desirable (guys want what they can't have, right?)

And it worked. Vanessa had plenty of top-notch suitors, but she never kissed a guy, probably never even went on a date. As she informed her friends, none had been worthy of her. She did, however, feel like the hottest shit on the planet. Guys sent her flowers, chocolates, poems, and snapchats and she flitfully played along, milking every last drop of attention from these doomed souls. If the stream of gifts dammed, she became irritated. Her teeth grinding together, her fingers fretfully crumbling her notebook paper, she would obsessively ponder how anyone could possibly not be attracted to her. She would question her own personal value (what if I'm not worthy of *him*?) and, awed by this young stud's ability to resist her, fall in love for the first time. But as soon as her subsequent batted eyelashes, slight smiles, and light laughs rekindled his fire, she, confidently returned to her throne of superiority, would dismiss her fleeting feelings and return to stringing him along, creating a vicious, inescapable cycle for the male whilst bolstering the ego of the female.

So what is a victim of this supposed cycle to do? In Roger's case, he will be content to silently and mercilessly judge her. Blood will gush angrily through his cheeks, adrenaline will force him to fidget and sweat, and his eyes will track her relentlessly across the room, but he will not utter a word. After all, no one can prove your error if you hide it and demonizing Vanessa is easier than accepting personal failure.

title: Hot and Haughty - 579 words (Brand new writer, any feedback would be greatly appreciated)

question: Why would a ballerina's body be tight?

answer: They have to work out a lot in the profession as it is highly athletic.

question: If Vanessa was using an "unctuous" way of conveying her answer, what does that mean?

answer: She was flirting.

question: Why had Vanessa never been on a date?

answer: She played hard-to-get, and very well.

question: Why will Roger continue to vilify Vanessa?

answer: His efforts to get a date with her haven't worked, so it must be her fault.


text:
Are you looking for a reliable SD card recovery tool to help you unformat the SD card and bring all lost files back? If you search "recover formatted SD card" online, the overwhelmed result may confuse you. This page covers a specific solution that can help you perform formatted SD card recovery and recover all lost files in 3 steps by the help of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

This page covers everything that you may want to know about formatted SD card recovery. When you accidentally formatted your SD card, stop using the card first. Then, follow the provided solutions here to recover your formatted SD card and bring all lost files back immediately:

Note that the sd card format recovery solution also applies to recover files from formatted hard drive partition, external hard drive, USB, camera, media player, etc., devices.

Can You Recover Formatted SD Card

Case 1 - "How do I recover pictures from a formatted SD card? I saved thousands of pictures on my camera SD card. But Yesterday, the camera asked me to format the SD card. Is there a way to recover those pictures after formatting the SD card?"

Case 2 - "How do I recover a formatted SD card? I formatted the wrong SD card on my media player, now all videos and music files are gone. Is there a way to bring them back from the card?"

[SD Card Format Recovery]

When you accidentally formatted your SD card, it's smart that you choose to search ways of "recover formatted SD card" online. However, you may get confused by the overwhelmed result in Google or other search engines. Stay calm when you mistakenly formatted the SD card on your camera, computer or cellphone.

Here is what to do when you mistakenly formatted your SD card, USB, external or internal hard drive by mistake:

__ IMPORTANT
    1. Stop using the formatted SD card immediately.
    2. Take it out of your device, insert it into your computer.
    3. Turn to a reliable SD card recovery solution as shown in the following to bring all your files back instantly.

Download Formatted SD Card Recovery Software for Help

Instead of wasting your time searching and test memory card recovery software online, we are here to introduce a straightforward data recovery tool named EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to you. EaseUS data recovery software enables you to recover files from formatted SD card, memory stick, USB, and internal/external hard drive, etc.

Download and install this data recovery software on your computer. Then, apply this software to scan the whole formatted device, finding all your missing files like photos, videos, audio files, Microsoft files, Adobe files, etc., in only a few simple clicks.

Besides formatted recovery, you can also apply this software to recover data from accidental deletion, OS crash, partition loss, virus attack, RAW, etc., errors.

How to Recover Formatted SD Card

_This part shows the complete process of how to recover files from formatted SD card with the help of EaseUS data recovery tool. Let's start to bring all your lost files back from your formatted SD card with ease._

# 3. 3-step Tutorial of Formatted SD Card Recovery

You can either follow the video tutorial or the detailed steps below to recover your formatted SD card with ease:

STEP 1. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. Select the formatted SD card and then click "Scan".

[select the sd card and click scan]

STEP 2. Wait for EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to scan all the files on your SD card. When the scanning process has done, you can see all the formatted files from your SD card. Double-click to view the items if you need to. The "Filter" and "Search" function could do you a favor if you have difficulty in finding wanted files.

[select wanted sd card files]

STEP 3. Choose the files you want to recover from your formatted SD card and click "Recover". Then a new window will appear in which you need to choose the location to store the files. Choose a location and click "OK".

[recover data from formatted sd card]

Why Is It Possible to Recover Files from Formatted SD Card

This part will discuss two top concerned questions that you may interest in: 1. What does "Format SD card" mean; 2. Why is it possible to recover files from formatted SD card?

If you happen to have doubts about these two questions, follow and learn why.

#1. What Does 'Format SD Card' Mean

Formatting SD card is a process of preparing the SD card ready for data storage. Two things will happen during the process:

-   One is changing the file system on the SD card. For example, your SD card is NTFS and you can format it to FAT32, exFAT, etc.
-   The other thing is to remove all existing data, restoring the full capacity to the SD card.

Generally, when you get a new SD card, it's pre-formatted and is ready for use. But there are situations in which you need to format your SD card manually in order to use it as normal, for example:

-   Fix and repair RAW SD card, Format corrupted SD card
-   Convert RAW to NTFS
-   SD card won't format
-   Format 64GB SD card to FAT32

# 2. Why Is It Possible to Recover Files from Formatted SD Card

Although formatting will cause file loss on the SD card, it doesn't mean the data is totally erased. Formatting only breaks the data structure on the card, marking the whole device as "empty". But in fact, the data is still there.

Therefore, the answer to "Can a formatted SD card be recovered" is Yes. As long as you don't overwrite the data with new content, you CAN successfully recover files from the formatted SD card.

As we mentioned above, once your device gets formatted, turning to a reliable data recovery tool, like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, you'll immediately bring your files back.

Bonus Tips for SD Card Format Recovery

Although recovering files from a formatted SD card with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is useful, it's always better to nip the data loss in the bud. Here we collect some useful tips to help you protect your SD card data from formatting, deleting and even virus attacking.

To do so, you have three choices as listed here:

-   Tip 1. Create a full backup of the SD card in advance

You have three options to back up your SD card files:

1.  1. Manually Back-Up Files via Copy and Paste
2.  2. Back Up the Device with Third-Party Software
3.  3. Back-Up the SD Card to Cloud Storage

Free backup software like EaseUS Todo Backup can help you effectively make a backup of the files on a device with simple steps. With the software, you can back up your SD card automatically. It even allows you to back up files to Cloud so as to saving a huge space on your drive.

-   Tip 2. Run Antivirus Software to Clear Virus or Malware

Unknown virus or malware infection may cause your device unusable or even locked. File loss also happens regularly. It's a smart way to keep your SD card and other storage devices safe with antivirus software.

-   Tip 3. Eject and Use SD Correctly

In addition to backing up your files regularly, you should also grow a good habit of using the storage device correctly to prevent data loss on your SD card. For example, if you don't eject your SD card but directly unplug it from your computer, you may encounter an SD card RAW issue, which will require formatting the card.

The Bottom Line

With the widespread use of SD cards, data loss on this storage device occurs almost daily due to various reasons, mainly accidental formatting. The direct way to retrieve data from a formatted SD card is to apply third-party software like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for help.

Being 100% secure, virus-free, and plug-in free, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a good choice for formatted SD card recovery.

Besides getting a trustworthy data recovery tool, you should also pay attention to data loss prevention, which is to back up your precious files elsewhere. The possible ways are available now in the Bonus Tip part.

People Also Ask

Apart from the resolution of formatted SD card recovery, according to the People Also Ask part in Google search results, many users have more questions on SD card formatting.

Here, we collected 3 top concerned questions and left a brief answer below each question. If you are concerning one of these questions, follow to find the answer now.

1. Can I use the CMD command to recover formatted SD card data?

Some of you may think of using command prompt for data recovery to recover the formatted SD card because it's free. However, the cmd command of ATTRIB –H –R –S /S /D *.* only works to find hidden files on your devices, not deleted, formatted, or emptied.

Actually, the "-h" option is used to clear the hidden attribute, the "-r" option to clear the read-only attribute, and the "-s" option to clear the system attribute.

In a word, you can't use the CMD command to recover formatted SD card data. All you need is reliable data recovery software like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for help.

2. When do you need to format an SD card?

Here is a list of common situations in which you may format your storage device:

-   To format a brand new SD card so which is not pre-formatted.
-   To remove a virus on your SD card.
-   To allocate a new file system that is compatible with your computer.
-   To fix errors like "You need to format the disk in drive", "The disk is not formatted" or "SD card showing the wrong size".

3. How do I format and restore my sd card to the original size without deleting files?

As explained above, formatting will delete the existing data and information on the SD card. If you don't want to lose any files by formatting an SD card to its original size, you'll need to backup all files first.

Here are the steps that you can do:

1.  Step 1. Connect SD to your computer.
2.  Step 2. Copy and back up SD card files to another safe location.
3.  Step 3. Open File Explorer, locate and right-click on SD card, select "Format".
4.  Step 4. Reset file system for SD card - FAT32 or NTFS, tick "Quick Format" and click "OK" to start.

question: What is the broad theme of this document?

answer: Tech advice and brand advertisement

question: Can you recover formatted SD card?

answer: According to the document, you can.

question: What do you do when you format your SD card by mistake?

answer: The important steps are to stop using the SD card immediately, take it out of your device, insert it into your computer, and to turn to a reliable SD card recovery solution.

question: What product is being advertised?

answer: EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

question: What are the steps to formatting and restoring an sd card to the original size without deleting files?

answer:
1) Connect SD to your computer.
2) Copy and back up SD card files to another safe location.
3) Open File Explorer, locate and right-click on SD card, select "Format".
4) Reset file system for SD card

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The brand EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard gives tips on how to recover a formatted SD card.


text:
„Hello.“ This was the first word I have heard for quite a long time. “Hello.” Such a small and fickle thing, one word but for me it was like a revelation of sorts. It woke me up, out of a stupor of self-inflicted pain over my lost ability to write anything. “Hello, can you hear me?” I tried to answer but my throat was dry and my mouth unable to move after such a long time of being silent. So I just nodded and waited for more words. More words trickling in and flooding the empty space that this room had become in my mind. “You know that we are all worried about you? You are just in here day for day, barely eating, drinking and you don’t even speak with us anymore.”  I wanted to turn around, speak up and defend myself but my gaze remained on the blank paper spanned in my typewriter and I remained silent. Just listening to the breathing behind me, feeling the worried gaze of this person staring at my back, unmoving. Maybe I would be able to speak if I wet my throat, maybe… but my weakened hands were unable to grasp the around the neck of the bottle and just remained there, powerless. “Can’t you just give up, why do you torture yourself so much? You do not have to write anything, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”

“Myself…”, finally a word escaped my dry lips. “I have to prove myself to myself.”
“Yourself?”
“Yes, myself.”

The person behind me sighed and closed the door, a sigh like they had just tried to convince a child but given up. Now I was left alone again, staring on the blank paper. But this time my finger began to move. One character, two, three… more and more mingled on the blank white paper, filling it first with blackness, then words, then sentences, coming together to form a story, instilling life into a world yet unknown even to me.
While typing away I heard the door opening slightly behind me, leaving it ajar. For a moment I stopped my writing and forced out two more words, which came over my lips much faster and easier than the last ones.

“Thank you.”

The door closed behind me and my hands began to move again. Which world would I open up now that my mind has been freed of its shackles?

title: Blank Mind - Blank Paper

question: Who has come into the room?

answer: A carer, a parent, a partner?

question: Why does the narrator have to prove herself?

answer: It's all she knows to do. If she doesn't write, she can't earn a living or perhaps it is an emotional need to be creative.

question: What is it that shackled the narrator's mind?

answer: Perhaps some trauma, or loss.

question: Why is hello the first word that the narrator has heard in a long time?

answer: Perhaps this is the first time that someone has entered the room to find out why she has failed to emerge from the room

question: Write a ~13 sentence summary.

answer:
Hello – the first word that the narrator has heard for a long time. It woke her from the lost ability to write. The words trickled and flowed into the empty room that had become her mind.

Someone comes in and tells her that they have been concerned as she has just sat in the room, not eating or drinking, not speaking to anyone. The Narrator remains silent just gazing at the blank page in the typewriter. “Why do your torture yourself so much? You don’t have to write. Give up.”

But she has to prove herself to herself. She is left alone again, staring at the blank paper. But this time her finger moved. One character, two, three… more and more mingled on the blank white paper, filling it. coming together to form a story, instilling life into a world yet unknown.

Which world would she open now that her mind has been freed of its shackles?