text:
It's still under work but please let me know what you think.

The first stone was cast from a tattooed hand in the crowd. The thrower was a fairly average person. He was average height, white complexion totally non-descript outside of the tattoos on his throwing arm. Like most of the crowd, his face was covered with a bandana while his hair was controlled beneath a baseball cap. His action proved catalytic in what would change the world. This average, masked man broke the floodgates of the world. The rest of the mob saw his action as one of leadership and followed suit. Before long stones, bottles and anything else within reach was flung. These objects battered their targets like a hailstorm. The already broken SWAT and police force crumbled under this barrage. The few men who had chosen to remain in uniform began to route in the presence of this violent and seemingly innumerable crowd.
 A few of D.C.’s finest attempted to hold their ground by any means necessary. At first they used pepper spray and tear gas; as the crowd continued to advance they used their riot shields and clubs; still the crowd advanced and the remaining forces opened fire with their weapons. However, for every person they gunned down ten more swept up into their place. The bullets may as well have been fired into a rushing tide. Those men and women who chose to stay were quickly overwhelmed. They would not be left alive. Any who challenged the crowd were killed by the enraged beast it had become. Before long people swarmed into the capitol. Seats, long evacuated by elected officials were torn apart. Offices desecrated. Flags burned.
A lone official remained in his office. Congressman Pace. He had been elected to his fourth term in the last election. He was a Representative from Georgia who had one of the highest approval ratings in the House. He sat in his chair, turned towards the growing dusk. His window was open a crack. It was a lovely evening for March. He closed his eyes, shut out the screams of pain and sounds of destruction.  His mind wandered to his ranch in Georgia. The ranch he would never again see. The grass he would never again feel. The sun he would never again bask in. He almost smiled as these happy thoughts flooded him. He was shut from the world and could only think about the dark that gleamed around him. The Congressman was awoken from his trance as he heard what must have been air force one fleeing the nation’s capitol. He closed his eyes once more and returned to his meditation.
A gunshot sounded from out the Congressman’s office and still he did not flinch. His door burst down suddenly as three rioters pushed a Secret Service agent through it. They beat him with pipes until his cries ceased. The rioters stopped for a moment in the office. All the former Congressman could think of was how they had been too late to see the view. Darkness had now descended.
“Tyrant!” one of the rioters screamed through his bandana. He leaped over a table seeking his prey. Congressman Pace lay as
His death was not quick. He did not die painlessly. This often is the case when a government falls. He died with his hand over his American flag lapel pin.

The riot did not solely occur at the capitol. All of D.C. was under attack. After the riot at the capitol turned into a warzone the other riots quickly broke out into violence. The White House was besieged as the President was flown out to an undisclosed location somewhere in the Midwest. The portrait of George Washington that had hung for centuries, was protected from fire and war, would not see it through the night. This painting of the stoic founding father who wanted nothing more than equality for citizens would burn, as would all of the other relics stored in the President’s residence. A mob cheered as they watched flames engulf the White House for a second time in the nation’s history.
The destruction of the National Archives was made into a spectacle. Documents including the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were read before the crowd. Each word, originally crafted to provide for natural rights, chosen so specifically so that people of this once proud nation would know that they were entitled to freedom, was now being twisted to reveal ironic and biting meanings. The reader sneered at the end of every sentence but did not add his own interjections. The crowed jeered and booed the words. The speaker did not make it through the first page before he gave up on turning its meaning and threw it into the crowd where these once revered words were torn apart near instantly.
Crowds formed all over the mall. People looted businesses, robbed others and destroyed the landscape and property. Just as Nero with Rome, the people cheered as their city burned.

title: Anarchy (800 Words)

question: How does the writer want the reader to feel regarding the crowd?

answer: Based on the writing, the writer wants readers to feel offense over the actions of the rioting mob. This is seen in the way their actions are depicted and with the focus on the destruction they cause (murder of good people, destruction of historical items, etc). The fact that the catalyst for the mob's actions came from the mob itself also adds to this approach.


split: train

text:
Once upon a time there was a little boy born in a little town.  He was perfect, or so his mother thought.  But one thing was different about him.  He had a gold screw in his belly button.  Just the head of it peeping out.

Now his mother was simply glad he had all his fingers and toes to count with.  But as the boy grew up he realized not everyone had screws in their belly buttons, let alone gold ones.  He asked his mother what it was for, but she didn't know.  Next he asked his father, but his father didn't know.  He asked his grandparents, but they didn't know either.

That settled it for a while, but it kept nagging him.  Finally, when he was old enough, he packed a bag and set out, hoping he could find someone who knew the truth of it.

He went from place to place, asking everyone who claimed to know something about anything.  He asked midwives and physicians, but they couldn't make heads or tails of it.  The boy asked alchemists, tinkers, and old hermits living in the woods, but no one had ever seen anything like it.

He went to ask the merchants guild, thinking if anyone would know about gold, it would be them.  But they didn't know.  He went to professors at the university, thinking if anyone would know about screws and their workings, they would.  But the learned men didn't know.  The boy followed the road over the mountains to ask the necromancers, but none of them could give him an answer.

Eventually he went to the King of Vint, the richest king in the world.  But the king didn't know.  He went to the Emperor, but even with all of his power, the emperor didn't know.  He went to each of the small kingdoms, one by one, but no one could tell him anything.

Finally the boy went to the High King across the sea, the wisest of the kings in the wrold.  The high king looked closely at the head of the golden screw peeping from the boy's belly button.  Then the high king made a gesture, and his servant brought out a pillow of golden silk.  On that pillow was a golden box.  The high king took a golden key from around his neck and opened the box, and inside was a golden screwdriver.

The high king took the screwdriver and motioned the boy to come closer.  Trembling with excitement, the boy did.  Then the high king took the golden screwdriver and put it in the boy's belly button.

Then the high king carefully turned the golden screw.  Once: Nothing. Twice: Nothing.  Then he turned it the third time, and the boy's ass fell off.

title: Golden Screw

question: Describe the journey of the boy.

answer: The boy went from his home village to find a variety of people in various medical professions, into the woods and then to Universities across the land. The boy then goes over the mountains to find the necromancers and then to the King of Vint, then to the Emperor until, finally, he travels over the sea to the High King, where his journey ends.

question: Why does the story end so abruptly?

answer: Although not explained, it would appear as though the author is making a point about going on long-winded journeys to find answers to things that donät need an answer.

question: Why would the screw in the boys bellybutton cause his 'ass to fall off' when removed?

answer: We never find out.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: A story custructed like a fairytale with an abrupt ending. A boy with a golden screw in his belly button travels the world looking for the reason he has it.


text:
by HPR Contributor | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | Culture | July 13th, 2016

[]

By Ben Haugmo

In the world of Innistrad, the state of affairs has always been grim. Human settlements struggle to hold back an ever-present darkness in the form of vampires, werewolves, ghosts, ghouls, and demons. The only hope against these supernatural threats has been Innistrad’s guardian, the archangel Avacyn. At least things couldn’t be any worse, right? Out of the frying pan…

This week marks the prerelease for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game’s new set, Eldritch Moon. Paradox Comics-N-Cards will be hosting events all weekend, allowing players to get an early taste of the new cards that will be officially released next weekend, and an early taste of how things have gone from bad to worse for Innistrad.

Richard Early opened Paradox the summer that Magic was first published, back in 1993. He started running Magic game nights and tournaments soon after trying the game out for himself, and he believes prereleases are a good way for both the Magic old guard and new players to come together and enjoy the game.

“It's perfect,” said Early, “whether you are a first-time player or a 20-year veteran, because each person receives a unique kit containing booster packs of Eldritch Moon and a promo card exclusive to the event.

“Normally in Magic, players can use their collections to build decks and participate in tournaments, but at a prerelease, everyone is limited to the contents of those kits, leveling the playing field for all involved as well as challenging everyone's imagination and Creativity.”

Prerelease events are also low on competition. “It's not about winning and losing,” said Early, “it's about playing cards for the sake of playing cards and celebrating the gaming hobby. There are prizes offered for wins, but there is no ultimate prize so the competition level is low and instead it's all about the experience.”

The story of Magic: The Gathering centers around interdimensional-traveling magic users called Planeswalkers. In playing the game, each player takes the role of a rival Planeswalker battling for supremacy over different worlds, summoning creatures and casting spells to achieve victory.

The original Innistrad set premiered in 2011, introducing players to a world designed specifically with classic horror tropes in mind. Werewolves, vampires, and all flavors of zombie ran rampant, and the setting proved to be popular enough to merit a return.

Shadows Over Innistrad, released in April of this year, brought players back to Innistrad to find the world afflicted by a growing madness. Even the world’s guardian, Avacyn, was affected, plummeting the powerful archangel into a murderous frenzy.

With the coming of Eldritch Moon, Avacyn has been destroyed, lowering Innistrad’s defenses and allowing the source of the madness to arrive on Innistrad and wreak new horrors.

The Eldrazi titan Emrakul, a world-devouring cosmic entity, has been lured to Innistrad to fill the void left in Avacyn’s absence.

With new horrors come new mechanical innovations. Emrakul has the power to warp living things into lesser Eldrazi spawn, twisted servitors and extensions of her will. This is represented on the new cards in several ways, the most dramatic of which is the new meld mechanic. When the original Innistrad set was first released, it introduced double-faced cards to Magic. A double-faced card could be put into play and then flipped over when certain conditions were met, “transforming” it into something new. The best example of this are the werewolf cards that were prevalent in the set, switching from human to beast and back again, depending on how the game was played. Meld adds a new twist to double-faced cards, letting two different cards “merge together” when they’re flipped over. The two original cards are flipped, and then placed together to form the larger melded card.

The unlucky victims of this aspect of Emrakul’s influence range from two of Avacyn’s angelic subordinates to the entire population of a small village.

The introduction of meld means that it could appear in other Magic sets, allowing the theme of two opposites merging to represent themes other than Emrakul’s gruesome transformations.

“Meld is an awesome idea,” said Early. “It's an exciting way to combine cards that I think will really excite players, especially casual fans. It give the game the opportunity to create more powerful monsters and spells than we've ever seen bycombining cards you've already played. The idea of different characters combining into one powerful construct is common throughout pop culture animation and movies and I think will resonate really well.”

Paradox will be running both sealed-deck tournaments, where players construct cards from random booster packs and play one-on- one, and “two-headed giant” sealed tournaments in which teams consisting of two players can face off.

IF YOU GO

Eldritch Moon Prerelease

Paradox Comics-N-Cards, 26 Roberts St, Fargo

Saturday, July 16

12:01am - Sealed Deck 1

3:00am - Sealed Deck 2

12:00pm - Sealed Deck 3

6:00pm - 2-Headed Giant Sealed 1

Sunday, Jul 17

12:00pm - Sealed Deck 4

6:00pm - 2-Headed Giant Sealed 2

INFO: 701-239- 9505

question: Summarize everything relating to Richard Early.

answer: Richard Early opened Paradox Comics-N-Cards in 1993, and started running Magic game nights and tournaments soon after trying the game out for himself. He will be hosting the prerelease event for the Eldritch Moon Set. Early gives his opinions on why he believes prereleases are perfect, particularly because of kits. He sees the event as a way to play cards and celebrate the gaming hobby. As for the the new set, he thinks meld is an awesome idea.

question: Summarize the main news event.

answer: The article's main news event is the announcement of the prerelease for the Magic:The Gathering trading card game's new set, Eldritch Moon. The article describes how Paradox Comics-N-Cards will be hosting events all weekend, and what the event entails. Every one who enters the pre=release will be getting a unique kit containing booster packs of Eldritch Moon and a promo card.

question: What does the text say about prerelease events and kits?

answer: At the prereleases, those who attend are given a kit. This means that there will be no previous collections to build decks and participate with. Everyone is limited to their kit, which levels the playing field and challenges both new and old players alike.

question: Summarize the negative information.


text:
[]

Inside the courtyard at Northern State Prison in Newark. (Jon Naso | Star-Ledger file photo)

BY TED SHERMAN | NJ ADVANCE MEDIA FOR NJ.COM

TRENTON—The big house is getting smaller.

Fewer people are going to prison in New Jersey these days and the numbers continue to drop, according to an analysis of state Department of Corrections data over the past five years.

Those incarcerated in New Jersey—including men and women in prison, juveniles in detention, and detainees still in halfway houses—dropped this year to 19,619, from 21,123 in 2013. That marked a decline of more than 15 percent.

In fact, the state's inmate population has fallen more from its peak in the 1990s than any other state in the country, according to The Sentencing Project, a Washington-based criminal justice reform group.

Since 1999—when more than 31,000 people were behind bars in New Jersey—the number of inmates has plunged by more than a third.

"New Jersey leads the nation in prison population reduction," said Todd Clear, a prison policy expert at the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice.

THE BIG DROP

Crime has been going down in New Jersey in recent years. But that doesn’t really tell the story of what's happening in the state's prisons, according to Marc Mauer, executive director of The Sentencing Project.

"It's not necessarily one shift that can produce a shift of this magnitude," he said, attributing much of it to the creation of the state's drug courts that focus on diverting people from prison, as well as changes in the parole system that make it less likely someone will be put back behind bars for minor technical violations of their parole.

The corrections department data underscores the impact on how the state treats drug crime. The percentage of those serving time for drug crime is down more significantly than for inmates convicted of any other offense.

[]

East Jersey State Prison and the Special Treatment Unit for sexually violent predators.
(Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

WHERE THE NUMBERS SHRANK MOST

New Jersey’s Department of Corrections operates 12 major institutions, including 7 that house adult men, one for women, three for youth offenders and an intake unit.

Most of those in custody are men and that is where there were the largest declines in inmate populations:

VIOLENT OFFENSES

Overall, the number of male inmates incarcerated for violent offenses dropped by 6.2 percent.

2013: 9,202 inmates

2017: 8,636 inmates

SEXUAL ASSAULT

2013: 880 inmates

2017: 854 inmates

3 percent reduction*

*All numbers represent male adult offenders

KIDNAP CHARGES

2013: 233 inmates

2017: 215 inmates

7.7 percent reduction

ROBBERY

2013: 3,007 inmates

2017: 2,626 inmates

12.7 percent reduction

ASSAULT

2013: 1,347 inmates

2017: 1,055 inmates

21.7 percent reduction

[]

(South Jersey Times file photo)

PROPERTY CRIMES*

2013: 1,559 inmates

2017: 1,036 inmates

33.6 percent reduction

*Property offenses include burglary, arson, theft, forgery, embezzlement and receiving or possessing stolen property.

PUBLIC POLICY OFFENSES*

2013: 596 inmates

2017: 395 inmates

33.7 percent reduction

*Includes racketeering, gambling, corruption, perjury, escape, bail jumping, juvenile and family related offenses, and conspiracy.

DRUG CHARGES

2013: 2,687 inmates

2017: 1,660 inmates

38.2 percent reduction

Where the numbers went up:

[]

(Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

HOMICIDE

2013: 3,301 inmates

2017: 3,307 inmates

.2 percent increase

WEAPONS*

2013: 977 inmates

2017: 1,091 inmates

11.7 percent increase

*Weapons offenses include possession and operation

[]

New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. (Martin Griff | The Times of Trenton file photo)

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

Crime is down nationwide, but no other state has matched New Jersey’s decline in prison population, said Clear.

"New Jersey is a significant story," remarked the Rutgers criminologist.

Part of that story, he said, involved the reform of the state’s parole policies more than a decade ago aimed at cutting the number of people being returned to prison for technical violations of their parole. Instead of sending them back, they would be sent to workshops to address the issue that got them in trouble.

"That cut returns to prison by about half," said Clear. "It was an extremely successful, innovative strategy.

THE DRUG PROBLEM

The creation of the state's drug courts also helped, he added, siphoning off non-violent first timers who otherwise would have gone to jail.

According to corrections department officials, a five-year phase-in under Gov. Chris Christie of mandatory drug courts for non-violent offenders, which was expanded to all 21 counties across the state, redirected thousands from state prison and into drug treatment programs.

At the same time, they credited the so-called "ban the box" legislation prohibiting employers from discriminating against people with expunged criminal records, as well as accelerating some expungements, increasing the type of convictions that can be expunged and reducing the waiting period to expunge an entire juvenile record, have given some inmates a better opportunity of finding a job and staying out of prison.

MURDER AND OTHER VIOLENT CRIMES

Wayne Fisher, former chairman of the New Jersey Police Training Commission and senior policy advisor to the Police Institute at Rutgers School of Criminal Justice, said the drop in the state’s prison population has been far less among violent offenders.

"They live longer in the system," he explained. "Who stays in prison the longest? Homicide offenders and those charged in sexual assaults."

But for most other crimes, he said it's a function of sentencing and parole policy.

Clear, though, said there is no reason why New Jersey couldn't cut its prison population by 50 percent "by looking in a serious and smart way" at long sentences.

Inmates in their 50s and 60s, even if they committed serious crimes when they were young, do not represent the danger to the community, he asserted.

"Locking up people in their 50s and 60s when they represent no threat makes no sense," Clear said.

[]

Mid-State Correctional Facility, which was reopened this year as a prison dedicated to treating drug-addicted inmates. (Bill Duhart | For NJ .com)

THE IMPACT ON THE STATE

Department of Corrections officials said with the decline in inmate population, they have consolidated facilities and closed some units, reducing overtime costs.

"This practice allowed us to undertake much-needed renovations in our facilities," said spokesman Matthew Schuman. "In fact, as part of our consolidation program, we closed Mid-State Correctional Facility in June 2014."

Mid-State reopened in April 2017 as the first licensed, clinically driven drug treatment program provided by the NJDOC. At the same time, a similar substance use disorder program for female offenders became operational at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women.

This summer, the department also closed its Ancora Unit, a minimum custody unit on the grounds of the Ancora Psychiatric Hospital in Hammonton.

"There were no employee layoffs as a result of the closure," he said. The approximately 250 inmates housed in the unit were moved to minimum custody settings in other department of correction facilities.

While the number of NJDOC employees has been reduced, he said the reductions were accomplished without staff layoffs.

A SNAPSHOT OF WHO'S BEHIND BARS

According to the Department of Corrections 61 percent of all the state’s inmates were imprisoned for violent crimes, including homicide, sexual assault, aggravated and simple assault, robbery, kidnapping, and other sex offenses.

Drug offenders represented 15 percent of the state's inmates. They included individuals charged with possession, sale and distribution.

The median term for inmates in the state prisons is 6 years. Nearly four in 10 were sentenced to 10 years or more. Just over 1,000 are serving life sentences with the possibility of parole eligibility.

Eighty will die in prison, serving life sentences without parole.

_Ted Sherman may be reached at_ _tsherman@njadvancemedia.com__. Follow him on Twitter_ _@TedShermanSL__. Facebook:_ _@TedSherman.reporter__. Find_ _NJ.com on Facebook__._

READ MORE:

Federal aid for inmates who take college courses

State gets grants to get inmates jobs

A new leash on life for inmates who train service dogs

question: How big was the drop in New Jersey's crime rate from 2013 to 2017?

answer: More than 15%.

question: Who is the prison policy expert from Rutgers School of Criminal Justice that says NJ leads the nation in prison population reduction?

answer: Todd Clear

question: What is New Jersey doing that is causing the drop in inmates?

answer: The creation of drug courts that focus on diverting people from prison and changes in the parole system.

question: How does closing prisons impact the state?

answer: The Department of Corrections says they can close down unused prisons and consolidate with others, using the time for repairs or renovations.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: In 2017, New Jersey's crime rate dropped by more than 15% compared to 2013, leading the nation. The drop is the direct result of creating drug courts that divert first-time offenders and people who commit non-violent crimes out of prisons. The number of repeat offenders going back to prisons has also been reduced. The overall reduction in prison population has helped the Department of Corrections close down some prisons for repairs and has even led to the reduction of employees, saving the state money.


text:
Football - RussiaThe Instagram post has since been taken down

In an act that has sparked controversy on social media, Russian football player Stanislav Manayev was filmed blowing his nose with a 5,000 roubles - the equivalent of 70 euros - note.

The FC Tonso player was travelling with his teammates by plane, when he asked one of his colleagues to give him something to clear his nose, being offered several 5,000 rouble bills.

"I could give this money to people in great need, but I'm not going to do it because I have snot," he said and blew his nose with the note, before throwing it to the floor.

A video of this was subsequently uploaded to Instagram, although it was deleted shortly after, as the account was bombarded by comments of disapproval.

Russian sports minister PAVEL KOLOBKOV reacted to the controversial video too.

"There is no doubt that the video points to the low cultural level of that player, I am sure it will serve as a lesson," he noted.

Manayev has also been criticized by the head of the organizing committee of the 2018 World Cup, Alexei Sorokin.

question: Who is Stanislav Manayev?

answer: Stanislav Manayev is a Russian football player at FC Tonso.

question: What controversial thing did he do?

answer: Manayev recorded a video of himself blowing his nose with a 5000 rouble bills, saying that he could give the money to people in great need, but he wouldn't because he has snot.

question: Where was the video uploaded?

answer: The video was uploaded to Instagram.

question: Who is Pavel Kolobkov?

answer: Pavel Kolobkov is the Russian sports minister.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: FC Tonso footballer Stanislav Manayev came under fire for uploading a video in which he blew his nose with a 5000 rouble bill, saying that he would give the money to someone in need if he didn't have snot. The video was deleted shortly after it was posted due to backlash in the comments.


text:
Natural health is a comprehensive healing system that believes that nature has all the answers. The system works on the fundamental premise that when our bodies or minds are out of balance, mental or physical illness develops as a consequence.

_‘The natural healing force within each of us is the greatest force in getting well.’ Hippocrates_

Most natural health practices and therapies have certain similarities. For example, most therapies including ACUPRESSURE, CRYSTAL THERAPY, REIKI, PRANIC HEALING, ACUPUNCTURE AND ENERGY HEALING work on the principle that our bodies and minds are nourished by energy (the ancient Chinese called this life-energy ‘Chi’).

This life-giving and healing energy runs along special energy pathways called meridians. Energy flows to all our cells, tissues, organs and organ systems and any disruption in energy flow results in illness. Natural health practitioners believe that whenever one or more of these energy pathways become blocked, we suffer from mental, emotional and physical health problems.

Contrary to popular opinion, natural health is not some new age mysticism or ‘magic’ treatments. In fact, natural therapies were practiced by ancient civilizations including the Chinese, Indians, Egyptians and so on. Nature’s powerful healing abilities were explored and utilised effectively for thousands of years. Natural health therapies including AYURVEDA, AROMATHERAPY, FENG SHUI, HERBAL MEDICINE AND MASSAGE were used as far as back as 3,000 years.

STRESS AND NATURAL HEALTH

Natural health is based on a strong scientific and objective basis and is becoming increasingly popular all around the world. One of the biggest reasons for health problems in the twenty-first century is increasing stress and the devastating side-effects associated with it.

Rising living costs, demanding careers plus household and family responsibilities have resulted in an unprecedented increase in stress. Stress management is a key step towards overall well-being and health.

Natural therapies like YOGA, MEDITATION, SOUND THERAPY, CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY, COLOUR THERAPY AND MINDFULNESS help you release stress and hidden pain out of your body and mind. The most important fact about natural health is that the system treats the body, mind and spirit as a single, connected entity.

We often harbour pain, tension and worry in the deep recesses of our mind. Unresolved stress takes up residence in our bodies and minds as latent pain and manifests itself in various ways. Very often, if we have undergone traumatic experiences as a child, we may have buried the memories deep in our psyche.

But the unresolved pain rears its head in the form of mental, physical and emotional health conditions. We may experience stiffness, aches and imbalance in the mind-body-spirit system. Natural health therapies treat the entire system instead of just offering symptomatic cures.

Healing therapies like HYPNOTHERAPY, HOLISTIC HEALING, EFT (EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE), COUNSELLING, SOUND THERAPY AND ART THERAPY allow you express your innermost feelings, fears and beliefs through various mediums like talking, drawing etc.

The underlying objective of such therapies is to access our hidden phobias and self-limitations, acknowledge them and finally release them forever. Natural health practitioners believe that letting go of emotional or mental pain results in healing at multiple levels.

THE MODERN DAY WORK CULTURE

Similarly, working in cramped office cubicles, hunched over a computer all day leads to several muscular problems. Poor posture, lack of physical exercise and internal stress combine to produce a host of muscular ailments such as neck sprains, backaches and shoulder pain. Muscular problems are one of the biggest reasons behind employee absenteeism in offices around the world.

It’s very important to understand the cause before opting for any treatment. For example, a stiff or misaligned muscular tissue in the neck may manifest itself as a pain in the upper back. Only a trained practitioner will be able to identify the exact cause and recommend a suitable treatment.

Natural health therapies such as CHIROPRACTIC, DORN THERAPY, YOGA, BODY HARMONY, PILATES, MYOPRACTIC, KINESIOLOGY AND MAGNETIC THERAPY help relieve pain and strengthen your neuromuscular systems. The best part about natural health therapies is the lowered risk of side-effects.

‘CORE ENERGETIC THERAPY’ can help you enjoy enhanced stamina and improved energy levels. OSTEOPATHY practitioners believe that all medical conditions can be traced to a misalignment of bone, muscle and tissue. Application of appropriate pressure and manipulation to your muscles proves effective in pain alleviation and relief.

Today’s fast-paced and hectic way of life rarely leaves any time for healthy cooking. As a result, we eat processed, easy-to-cook food that has often been stripped of its nutrient value before arriving on the supermarket shelf. Inadequate nutrition leads to a host of health conditions including obesity, low immunity and diabetes. Natural health practitioners like DIETICIANS AND NUTRITIONISTS can help you choose a healthy diet that provides the right level of nutrition.

CONVENTIONAL MEDICATION AND NATURAL HEALTH THERAPIES

Although the western medical system has its numerous uses, it’s also a fact that it is associated with unpleasant side-effects. For example, flu medication very often results in upset stomachs.

The gap between alternative and conventional medicine is gradually blurring; you don’t have to make a choice between the two options – they work extremely well alongside each other. This way, there is a higher likelihood of healing faster than you expected. Moreover, the results are more likely to be lasting.

Patients who receive regular natural treatment (like YOGA, MEDITATION, HYPNOTHERAPY etc) in the aftermath of a major surgery are known to recover faster and with fewer aftercare methods.

Natural health systems believe that all medical conditions can be treated after a detailed physical examination. The treatments are highly individualistic as practitioners believe that each of us is different and may experience unique symptoms which may differ widely.

Serious conditions including facial paralysis and cervical spondylosis can also be treated with natural treatments like ‘CUPPING’.

We all possess the natural ability to heal ourselves. _Natural health works by promoting and stimulating the body’s natural ability to heal itself._

For maximum benefits, it’s important to give the treatment time to work – there are no quick fixes in natural health. You must also make it a point to list all the medication/drugs or treatments that you have been prescribed.

While natural therapies may be considered as a form of holistic healing, they are as based on physiological evidence and anatomy as modern medicine. Oftentimes, they are less invasive and more economical compared to traditional medicine.

question: What is driving health problems in the 21st century?

answer: One of the biggest problems in the 21st century is increasing stress and its side effects. We often harbor this stress in the recesses of our minds. Working in cramped offices hunched over a computer leads to muscular pain. Poor posture, lack of exercise, and internal stress combine to produce a host of muscular ailments such as neck sprains, backaches, and shoulder pain.

question: How can conventional medication and natural health therapies complement one another?

answer: Conventional medicine has its uses but it is often associated with nasty side effects. The gap between alternative and conventional medicine is gradually blurring; you don’t have to make a choice between the two options – they work very well alongside each other. When the two are combined there is evidence that healing is quicker and longer-lasting. Natural remedies are also less invasive and economical than traditional medicine.


text:
[Margarita Chicken Wings]

In the recent couple of years I have come to LOVE eating chicken wings.  They are really not something Italians eat a lot of.  I mean, we do eat them when we cook a whole chicken and we use them a lot to make chicken broth, but they are not an appetiser kind of food for us.  Since making my Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings though, I totally fell in love.  I have been making quite a few versions of chicken wings lately and I like them all!  Today I will share with you yet another great way to cook finger-licking-delicious chicken wings: Margarita Chicken Wings!  Don’t you just love the sound of that??  Margarita AND chicken wings together?  Yesss!  These are very easy to make and they taste awesome.  You basically marinade the wings in a Margarita mix, bake them and drizzle them with honey.  Yum!  I also strongly suggest to serve them with some extra lime and coarse salt (it is a Margarita based dish after all) and to add a splash of Tabasco if you like a little spice.  Perfectly balanced flavours!  Enjoy and don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a Hamper full of Barilla’s goodies!

[Margarita Chicken Wings]

Also, before I leave you to the recipe, I have some exciting news to share! MANU’S MENU HAS BEEN RANKED #13 in Noodlies’s Top Australian Food Blogs as of March 2014!!!!!! 13 out of 593 food blogs across both Sydney and Melbourne, which make up about 68% of all Australian food blogs!  In fact, Thang Ngo, the influential voice behind Noodlies, writes: “With the inclusion of Melbourne, we are now closer to a national ranking system – Sydney and Melbourne cover around 68% OF FOOD BLOGS IN AUSTRALIA“.
I am soooo excited!!!!!!  A huge thank you to all my readers! :-))))

[Margarita Chicken Wings]

[Margarita Chicken Wings]

The recipe for tropical style chicken wings: Margarita Chicken Wings!

 Prep Time 8 hours 10 minutes

 Cook Time 50 minutes

 Total Time 9 hours

Marinade

-   180 ml – ¾ cup tequila
-   180 ml – ¾ cup triple sec
-   60 ml – ¼ cup fresh lime juice
-   Zest of one lime I used the juiced lime and cut it in pieces
-   1 ½ tsp salt

Chicken Wings

-   900 to 1.3 kg – 2 to 3 lbs chicken wings washed and dried
-   Flour
-   Honey for glazing
-   Coarse Salt for serving
-   Lime wedges for serving
-   Tabasco optional for serving

1.  In a small bowl, combine the tequila, triple sec, lime juice and salt. Stir until the salt has dissolved. Remove 80 ml – 1/3 cup of the mixture and keep it aside in a covered container.

    []

2.  Pour the remaining marinade into a large Ziploc bag and add the cut lime zest and the chicken wings.

    []

3.  Seal the bag and place it in the fridge for 4 to 8 hours. Turn the bag occasionally.

4.  When ready to cook the wings, drain them and coat them with flour (shake off the excess).

    []

5.  Put the wings on a baking tray lined with baking paper and spray them with a little olive oil.

6.  Bake in a pre heated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes, brushing them frequently with the reserved marinade. Then turn the chicken wings and bake them on the other side for another 25 minutes, always brushing them frequently with the reserved marinade. This cooking time also depends on the size of the wings you are using.

7.  During the last 15 minutes of cooking, drizzle the chicken wings with a small amount of honey and cook them until glazed and brown (you may have to put the wings under the broiler for a few minutes to give them more colour).

    []

8.  Serve warm with fresh lime wedges, coarse salt and some Tabasco on the side.

[Margarita Chicken Wings]

[Margarita Chicken Wings]

question: Why don't Italians eat chicken a lot?

answer: It may be implied that chicken is not a part of their staple diet, hence they do not eat a lot of it.

question: Why do the wings need to be marinated?

answer: It may be implied that the wings need to be marinated for the taste to set in.

question: How many people does this recipe serve?

answer: Since the chicken is about 1.3 kg it may be implied that the recipe will serve about four people.

question: Why is the recipe said to be tropical-style?

answer: It may be implied that the inclusion of liquor and lime gives the dish a tropical touch.


text:
On October 25, 2018, over fifty thousand military personnel braved chilly Scandinavian weather to begin Operation Trident Juncture—a massive exercise simulating a defense of Norway against land and amphibious invasion, and by some accounts the largest North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercise since the end of the Cold War.

Sailors, soldiers, and airmen from all twenty-nine NATO member states are participating as well as Finnish and Swedish forces, 250 military aircraft and sixty-five ships. The ten thousand land vehicles offloaded into Norway—ranging from Leopard 2 tanks to Amphibious Assault Vehicles, to ordinary trucks—would measure fifty-seven miles long if lined up bumper-to-bumper.

The exercise’s previous iteration in 2015 took place in the considerably warmer climate of Spain and Portugal. Now NATO is testing its logistical capacity mobilize tens of thousands of troops to its northernmost member—and signaling to Moscow its willingness to push back to displays of military force along its borders.

Norway last experienced an amphibious invasion seventy-eight years ago, when Nazi Germany overcame Norwegian defenders and the French, British and Polish forces dispatched to relieve them. However, the campaign cost the Kriegsmarine nearly half its surface warships. Today, Norway’s national-security strategy also has a concept of “total defense” in which civilian authorities are intended to play an integral role by providing logistics, supplies and medical services to the war effort.

The concern is focused on Norway’s 120-mile long land border with Russia, and the nearby Arctic coastline which happens to overlook the Russian Northern Fleet’s access to the Atlantic Ocean from its base in Severomorsk. In early 2017, Russian supersonic bombers deployed on mock attack runs targeting Norway’s Globus 2 radar in Vardø, followed by simulated raids in May against nearby NATO vessels and a Norwegian base in Bodø. Then during its Zapad military exercise, Moscow deployed a nuclear-capable Iskander tactical ballistic missile system next to the Norwegian border.

The nation of 5.3 million has only a single combined-arms brigade (though it has combat experience in Afghanistan) plus two battalion-sized garrison units. Norway’s air and sea forces are stronger: around seventy F-16 jets and F-35 stealth fighters, and seventeen ships in their navy evenly split between frigates, missile boats and submarines. Thus, the Trident Juncture plays a deterrence role by showing that should Norway invoke Article 5 in response to an attack, its NATO allies are willing and capable of coming come swiftly to its aid.

Russia has customarily complained about the exercise, claiming Norway’s hosting of foreign troops violates ‘traditions of good-neighborliness.’ Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharovastated “irresponsible actions will inevitably destabilize the military and political situation in the north, increase tensions and undermine the fabric of Russian-Norway relations,” and that Russia would take “necessary ‘tit-for-tat’ measures” in response. Nonetheless, Moscow has accepted NATO’s invitation to have observers attend the exercises.

RECOMMENDED: WHAT WILL THE SIXTH-GENERATION JET FIGHTER LOOK LIKE?

RECOMMENDED: IMAGINE A U.S. AIR FORCE THAT NEVER BUILT THE B-52 BOMBER

RECOMMENDED: RUSSIA'S NEXT BIG MILITARY SALE - TO MEXICO?

RECOMMENDED: WOULD CHINA REALLY INVADE TAIWAN?

The participation of Sweden and Finland is also significant. Since the Cold War, Swedish forces haveconfronted Moscow’s submarines andaircraft in and over the Baltic Sea, but Stockholm has long resisted formally becoming a member of NATO. Helsinki is even more guarded in its neutrality. However, Moscow’s recent surge in aggressive submarine and bomber activity have caused both countries to invest in stronger defenses and draw closer to the American-led alliance. For instance, 2,200 Swedish and 2,400 Finnish personnel are participating.

Participating Forces

The United States is contributing fourteen thousand personnel to Trident Juncture—most notably the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier the USS _Harry S. Truman_, with the sixty-eight Super Hornet jet fighters and helicopters of its Carrier Air Wing, the carrier’s escorts, and the 24th 2Marine Expeditionary Unit, embarked on the amphibious assault ship USS _Iwo Jima_. The exercise’s naval component is primarily active in the Norwegian Sea with limited Baltic operations. In addition, Trident Juncture also features the huge amphibious transport dock USS _New York_, advanced Swedish Visby-class stealth corvettes armed with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles, and six Royal Navy anti-submarine frigates—nearly one-third of the UK’s surface fleet.

Prior to the exercise between October 15 and 17, Marines on the Iwo Jima simulated an airborne assault landing using MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotors and CH-53 helicopters. Furthermore, Norway recently began hosting a rotating battalion-sized contingent of 770 U.S. Marines (currently, the 3rd Battalion/8th Regiment.) Russia has singled out this development in particular for criticism. The Marines have also secreted enough equipment for up to fifteen thousand more Marines in Norwegian caverns in case operational contingencies require their numbers to be scaled up.

Germany is the second largest contributor to the exercise, with ten thousand personnel and two  hundred armored vehicles, including twenty Leopard 2 tanks. The U.K. and France are deploying 2,700 and 3,000 personnel respectively, and Canada 2,200. Other members like Italy, the Netherlands and Spain are contributing between 1,000 to 1,500 personnel each.

The aerial component of Trident Juncture includes 250 aircraft based both in Norway and abroad. Finnish Rovaniemi Airbase is hosting Belgian and U.S. F-16Cs, while U.S. twin-engine F-15Cs air-superiority fighters are operating from the Swedish Kallax airfield, along with seven agile JAS-39 Gripen jets. German Tornadoes and Typhoons, Canadian and Finnish FA-18 Hornets, and French delta-wing Mirage 2000s are also among the participants.

The warplanes will practice air-to-air engagements as well as provide support for ground and naval forces. Hawk advanced jet trainers of the Royal Air Force’s 100 Squadron will serve as mock enemy “aggressors.” Meanwhile, U.S. KC-135s will provide aerial refueling and Atlantique 2 and Aurora maritime patrol planes will practice combing the seas for submarines.

The twenty thousand ground troops in Trident Juncture are divided into opposing division-sized teams. The Northern team will play the role of an invading power using Canadian and Swedish-led Brigades, as well as Norway’s lone brigade—supported by an amphibious landing by U.S. Marines. The Southern team, composed of German-, Italian- and British-led brigades, will first defend and then counterattack.

The exercise is being coordinated by Joint Forces Command Naples, though its commander, U.S. Adm. James Foggo, is operating closer to the action on the Blue Ridge-class command ship USS _Mount Whitney_. Once the maneuvers conclude November 7, the Head Quarters will then engage in a Computer-Assisted Command Post Exercise between November 14 and 23 intended to test the robustness of command and control systems.

NATO’s publicity portrays the war game foremost as a test of logistical capabilities, cold weather adaptability and multinational coordination rather than new tactics. The alliance particularly wants to see how quickly it can deploy its “Very High Readiness Joint Task Force,” a five-thousand-person spearhead brigade supported by land, sea and special forces assets deployable abroad with just a few day’s notice.

Critics point out that the Spearhead alone would stand little chance of holding back a full-scale mechanized invasion. However, the brigade’s role is essentially political. Were Russia to engage in a conflict with a NATO member, it would likely be to seize lightly populated states like the Baltics in two or three days before NATO can deploy reinforcement, presenting a “fait accompli” and tempting politicians to back away from a fight—the outcome of a2016 Rand war game. Theoretically, the Spearhead could serve as amobile trip-wire, putting West European ‘skin in the game’ fast enough to avoid that scenario.

By 2020, NATO is aiming for the capacity to mobilize thirty mechanized battalions, thirty squadrons and thirty warships within thirty days. For now, though NATO planners will be satisfied if it can channel the tens of thousands of troops through the Nordic weather without major mishap—beyond the disorder imposed by having to clean the 727.5 tons of laundry NATO logisticians have calculated the exercise will generate. If they can handle that many muddy fatigues, then perhaps the alliance is up to the task of defending its northern flank.

_Sébastien Roblin holds a master’s degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history forWar Is Boring._

_Image: Flickr / NATO_

question: What is the name of military exercise?

answer: Operation Trident Juncture

question: Which country experienced an amphibious invasion seventy-eight years ago?

answer: Norway

question: Which country accepted NATO's invitation to have observers attend the exercises?

answer: Moscow

question: The addition of which two countries is also significant?

answer: Sweden and Finland

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: A military exercise is being described and the the participating forces and their significance is described.


text:
This is not a utopia.  It is the perfect universe from a mathematical perspective.  It is the one possible universe, out of the infinite number of possible confirmations the universe could take have taken post-bang in which the mass and energy of all was, all that is, and all that will be in the absolute sense of the universe is in two equal and opposite distinct points.  In this perfect universe, these two distinct points would be traveling at equal and opposite velocities in all existing planes except for one.  This mean this one and only one universe, out of the infinite number of possible confirmations the universe could have taken post-bang will have the most massive explosion, the most impressive display of force that has ever been  possible at any point in any universe's history, would occur.  Can you imagine it?  It would be the most glorious thing that has ever taken place or ever will take place in the entire cosmos.  In this universe, after this tremendous display, all would be silent.  Everything was equal and opposite, and all would be silent.  Space and time no longer exist, or mean anything as concepts.  This is one universe, in all of the possible universes.  Literally one in an infinite number of possibilities.  We have no math to understand the concept of that.  It literally does not make sense.  That is how unlikely that occurrence is.  That's how tremendous the power of that one occurrence must be.  I use "single" in this case in the symmetrical sense of the word.  Because, mathematically speaking, this single equal and opposite velocity can occur in an infinite number of directions in an infinite number of planes.

There is another universe.  In this universe, the big-bang occurs in such a specific way, as before, a particular set of circumstances occur.  However, in this universe, our planet is formed.  The masses of heterozygous quantum-probability decisions take place over the billions of years that the planet exists, creating life.  This life divides, evolves, and interacts in such a specific way humans exactly as we know them form.  All of these humans have the exact same social interactions and procreation patters as they do in our history so you and I were created.  This means that one out of all the infinite meiotic divisions that could have occurred in the germ lines of all humans ever, and combined with the correct mate, occurred.  Which means all chance meetings that led to marriage, all the stupid fights that led to divorce, and all the drunken kisses that happened in our world happened.  And in that universe, everything in our lives happened like they did.  Out of the infinite number of possible decisions we made, we made the exact same ones again.  And in this universe, you were friend's with my friend's friend, and we went to the same party.  And then I met you, in that one instant when our eyes met.  In that one instant, in that single, completely and utterly and mind benignly improbable moment that it is truly and rightly one single occurrence in a certain and awesomely infinite number of possibilities.  More impossible than anything that could ever be imagined.  The tremendous nature of the magnitude of that one moment will never leave me.

title: The Perfect Universe

question: Does the narrator believe in other universes?

answer: Yes, they do.

question: Who is the narrator?

answer: It is unclear who they are.

question: What does the narrator believe about the universe?

answer: It is perfect from a mathematical standpoint.

question: What is the tone of this story?

answer: Philosophical

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator ponders the ways that the universe is perfect. They think about the  Big Bang and everything that has proceeded since. They describe the power of every occurrence. They discuss how each of our choices have led up to the moments we currently experience. They specifically describe the moments that led up to meeting a specific person.


text:
Escaping the Dream
The boy is trapped by nightmares and darkness. He can't escape.

At sunset, he climbs into his bed and dreams of lies, pain and death...

The putrid stench of dying, rotting flesh. Why? Why is life so pitiful? The ground is littered with death. The skies weep, tossing down puddles of endless misery. The red lake grows larger.

I toss and turn, but I stay still, possessed by a living nightmare. Beads of sweat accumulate on my forehead. I'm drowning. The water... It never stops. Make it stop. Stop!

Quiet. In the distance. Are those people? ...Demons. Run.

I'm one of them. How could this be? How could this happen?

The screams, the blood, the terror, pulsing through the veins of a thousand sleeping warriors all armored and ready for war. They watch, frozen like statues as clouds of dark mist cascade on their helpless bodies.

A lake of blood.

Did it end? Is it over? The covers. They strangle me. I'm choking. Get it off! Stop it! Get away!

The dark mist. It won't leave.

I fly over the blood stained hills, the water reflecting the gruesome battle. I'm flying? What am I? What have I become?

Listen. The sounds of wounded men.
Somebody help them!
But there's no time to waste.

The door opens. A cloaked figure silently glides to the bedside of a troubled boy and whispers in the dead of night.

No audible words.

The ritual begins.

No... The end is near. The ritual...  is already over.

What happened?

The boy awakens. He sees a man in a robe on his bedside. The man is talking.

The boy asks the man, "What happened? I'm scared."

"Well, son, Satan tried to scare my little warrior tonight, but he won't win."

"How do you know that?"
The boy had no comprehension of Satan, but he was troubled by the name regardless.

"Because I happen to be your father. I'm here to protect you, son."

The boy, comforted by the robed man, slowly glided back underneath the covers as the robed man tucked him in.

The boy, once asleep, dreamt about a wonderful place. Beautiful, winged creatures soared effortlessly through silky skies, emitting light on their journeys. Magnificent buildings flooded the golden streets, and joyous praises could be heard throughout.

The boy, guided by instinct, found and opened the door to his house.

The robed man, waiting for him through the door, took the boy's hand and guided him through marble stairways, high arches, and intricately detailed furnished rooms.

The boy, curious by the unworldly beauty of the place, outstretched his hands and delicately glided his small fingers across the walls in awe of the mysterious texture.

When the boy had satisfied his curiosity, the robed man took the boy's hand once again and led him outside.

They walked through the streets, observing the peculiar yet beautiful creatures that endlessly fluttered around the robed man.

As they approached closer to one of the creatures, the boy could hear an angelic voice resonating loudly from its mouth.

The creature spoke of a wonderful king who conquered death and defeated sin, but the boy had never heard those words before. He had no ability to comprehend the story that was being told, but he enjoyed listening to the voice nonetheless.

His eyes teared up, and his vision blurred. He wasn't scared, however. His mind rattled with love, hope, peace, and joy, emotions he had never experienced before.

The emotions, beautiful creatures, the golden streets and the perfect climate. Paradise. How could one long for anything else?

The boy peacefully awoke at sunrise. He hopped enthusiastically to the window and opened the blinds. His eyes caught the first glimpse of the sunrise in the distance, and he felt happy.

His hands touched the cold window, and he made a shape of a cross with his finger out of the condensation on the glass. It was a symbol he had never seen before, yet he felt so attached to it.

He felt like he was dreaming...

But he had escaped.

title:
Escaping the Dream
- A short story/free-verse poem I created. Constructive criticism is appreciated! Just please don't go overboard on swearing.

question: Does the story explain a real event?

answer: Most of the story describes the protagonist's dreams.

question: How does the protagonist feel about his dreams?

answer: The protagonist is scared in his first dream and happy in the second one.

question: How is the protagonist related to the man in a robe?

answer: The man in a robe is the protagonist's father.

question: What place does the second dream describe?

answer: The second dream describes paradise.

question: What is Satan's role in the story?

answer: Satan tries to scare the protagonist.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer: The boy has a nightmare about demons, warriors, wounded men, pain, and death. He is scared. When he finally manages to escape the dream, he sees a man in a robe. The boy learns that the man is his father. The father says that he will protect the boy from Satan, who tries to scare the boy. The boy is comforted. Later, he dreams of paradise.


text:
This is a short story I wrote for a writing contest. I lost, but I liked this story so I figured I'd get some more opinions. Besides, just losing doesn't tell me how to improve.

Kosmonaut

Peace. Bleak, black, emptiness. Is there anything more to life than that?

I have been circling Earth for months now. I once knew what it was like on the surface. Going day to day, ambling from work to home and home to work. No thought, no excitement. Just life. I once thought there was nothing more than that. But now, seeing the universe and all of its glory from my minuscule metallic prison, I can see that I was wrong.

I feel I am a lost sentinel, a castaway guardian of the earth. Silently I watch as burning stars and glowing satellites fly past me. I observe everything, and nothing will touch me. Nothing can surpass me; and nothing has or ever will. I am the sole caretaker of the universe. I can see into the oblivion and sense and feel all that is around me. There is nothing I cannot bear witness to. The cold metal box I call home is the only barrier between me and the beyond. It is my citadel, my prison and my liberation. I cannot be touched by anything, only enlightenment. It is wonderful.

Floating weightlessly through my metal cocoon, I can stare into the vastness of space and know that I am alone and yet not alone. I can be no more alone anywhere than in space, thousands of miles from earth. Not a voice heard but my own; even my radio has died. The only face I see is in the mirror. I am only touched by filtered air. And yet being so close to worlds I do not know gives me hope that I am not as alone as I appear to be. The vastness that I view bestows upon me the knowledge of life not yet seen. I can feel it.

I look out the windows, beyond the fogged glass, and see nearly eternal blackness. There is no day in space. There is only light from one window, the one facing the sun. Perpetual sun. No setting. No night and no day. Out the other window, I can see into eternity. Every shining star, every galaxy and asteroid, every single speck of glowing space. I can see it all. And it is beautiful.

I realize my time in heaven is coming to an end. My mission was slated for only a year. That time bled away in an instant. A blink of an eye, and I am being taken away. A minuscule fish in a vast sea, being reeled in on a hook and line. Too soon. Too soon.

Knowing that I will lose my endless bliss is difficult to bear. As I sit and stare through the glass, I ponder ways of staying. I have no radio to contact Earth. Mankind is nonexistent here.

I am due back home in just a week's time. But there is no home to return to. I have thought long and hard about my life, both free and earth bound. Now, I don my suit.

Bound to my metal prison, I drift into nothingness. Through my visor I can see the stars and galaxies clearer than ever before. They surround me. I am not behind them; they are not in front of me. I am within them. I feel the strongest sense of peace and belonging. I am in nothing and nothing is in me. I am eternity.

I feel a tug as I reach the end of my tether. I detach the clip from my belt.

I am swimming in a sea of emptiness. The stars are all within sight, but never within my grasp. I can feel the weight of time pressing heavy on my chest. Eons bore through my skull. A millennia passes before my eyes. My life is irrelevant. I cherish it.

My angle changes, the earth covers the stars. One cloud covers most of the land; a milky charcoal mass smothering green life. Oceans, radiant blue against the blackness of space. Life on earth is rendered invisible. Insignificant. Nothing compares to the universe.

I can see into space and time. I am falling into oblivion. I can see my space pod drift away from me. All is gone. I am at peace. I am nothing and I am everything. I am eternity. Just before I drift out of sight, I hear the soft echo of radio static.

title: Kosmonaut

question: Who is the narrator?

answer: A Kosmonaut in space

question: Where is the story set?

answer: Somewhere in space, presumably in Earth orbit

question: How did the narrator get here?

answer: The narrator has been on a year-long mission

question: In what time period does the story take place?

answer: It must be sometime after the development of space flight

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator is alone in a capsule in space, nearing the end of their one-year mission. They enjoy watching the universe from up there, and they don't want to return to Earth, so they go on a spacewalk and release their tether, drifting off into space.


text:
BENJAMIN FREDERICK SMITH (1819 - 1900) was the Archdeacon of Maidstone from 1897 until 1900.[1]

Smith was born in Camberwell; educated at Blackheath Proprietary School, King's College London and Trinity College Cambridge. After a curacy at Trinity Church, Tunbridge Wells he was Rector of Rusthall from 1850 to 1874; and then of Crayford from 1874 until his appointment as Archdeacon.[2] A faithful servant to the Diocese of Canterbury, he was also at various times during his long ministry Rural Dean of Dartford, Diocesan Inspector of Schools and Chaplain to the Archbishop.[3]

He died on 26 March 1900.[4]

[1] Venn, John & Venn, John Archibald. Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900, Cambridge University Press Part II vol v Pace – Spyers p. 542

[2] Crockford's 1898 p. 1246 (London, Herbert Cox, 1898

[3] ‘SMITH, Ven. Benjamin Frederick’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U191017, accessed 25 Dec 2016]

[4] _Obituary.The Venerable Benjamin Frederick Smith_ The Times (London, England), Monday, Mar 26, 1900; pg. 6; Issue 36099

title: Benjamin Smith (priest)

question: When was Smith born?

answer: 1819

question: Where did Smith receive his education?

answer: Blackheath Proprietary School, King's College London, and Trinity College Cambridge

question: When did Smith die?

answer: March 26, 1900

question: What diocese did Smith serve?

answer: The Diocese of Canterbury

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Benjamin Frederick Smith was the Archdeacon of Maidstone from 1897 until his death in 1900. He was born in 1819 in Camberwell, and was educated at several schools before becomming Archdeacon.


text:
A 56-year-old quadriplegic woman on life support died on Wednesday, allegedly because Greece's public utility cut the power off due to her unpaid bills.

According to the state-run Athens News Agency, the woman living in Chania, on the island of Crete, facing serious health problems the last 15 years, died one hour after the Public Power Corporation of Greece (PPC) cut off the electricity supply to her home because of her debt.

Her relatives have filed a lawsuit against those they consider responsible.

An autopsy is to determine the exact reasons for her death.

PPC expressed its condolences to the family, and told AFP that the bill was not issued in the woman's name but did not say to whom it was addressed.

"We were given no information about the health status of the woman," PPC's spokesman said.

"Her family hadn't even applied for the special status accorded to people on life support," he added.

Public Power Corporation of Greece announced last week electricity rate increases up to 11 per cent for household customers starting July 25.

Nevertheless the company has set different rates as well as different treatment for special groups of citizens, such as those who are in need of life support or the unemployed.

Crisis-hit Greek households are finding it increasingly difficult to pay their electricity bills.

According to PPC data, total debt from unpaid bills currently total some 1.3 billion euros (£1 billion).

The amount is growing at an average rate of 4 million euros (£3.2 million) per day. [AFP]

question: What was the aftermath of the woman's death?

answer: Her relatives have filed a lawsuit and an autopsy is being held to look into the reasons for her death.

question: Who was responsible for the power at the woman's home?

answer: The Public Power Corporation of Greece

question: Is this incident a sign of a wider problem?

answer: Yes, the Public Power Corporation of Greece suggests there is widespread debt from unpaid power bills (totalling 1.3 billion euros)

question: Why was the woman's power cut off?

answer: This was allegedly due to unpaid bills and that her family had not informed the power company about her health status.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: A woman on life support in Greece died after her power was cut off, allegedly due to unpaid bills. Her relatives have filed a lawsuit. The Public Power Corporation of Greece expressed condolences but stated they were not informed of the woman's health issues. Greek households are increasingly struggling to pay their power bills.


text:
is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a former Ōza title holder and the inventor of the influential Tsukada Special strategy, which he used to win numerous games in the 1980s, is named after him.

Early life

Tsukuda was born in Tokyo Metropolis on November 16, 1964.[1] In 1978, he finished runner-up in the and in November of that same year he entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 4-kyū under the guidance of Nobuyuki Ōuchi.[2]

Shogi professional

Tsukada is a member of the so-called _Shōwa 55_ group (55年組), a group of eight strong players that become professional in 1980–1981 (Year 55 of the Shōwa period) and won numerous shogi tournaments. Others in the group include Yoshikazu Minami, Osamu Nakamura, Michio Takahashi, Akira Shima, Hiroshi Kamiya, Masaki Izumi, and .[3]

Personal life

Tsukuda is married to female shogi professional Sachiko Takamure. The couple's eldest daughter is also a female shogi professional.[4]

Promotion history

The promotion history for Tsukada is as follows:[5]

-   1978: 4-kyū
-   1979: 1-dan
-   1981, March 5: 4-dan
-   1983, April 1: 5-dan
-   1985, April 1: 6-dan
-   1987, April 1: 7-dan
-   1988, April 1: 8-dan
-   2000, December 15: 9-dan

Titles and other championships

Tsukuda has appeared in major title matches twice. He won the 35th Ōza in 1987 for his only major title.[6] In addition to major titles, Tsukuda has won three other shogi championships during his career: the in 1986, and the now defunct in 1983 and 1987.[7]

Awards and honors

Tsukuda has received a number awards and honors throughout his career for his accomplishments both on an off the shogi board. These include awards given out annually by the JSA for performance in official games as well as other awards for achievement.[8][9]

Annual shogi awards

-   13th Annual Awards (April 1985March 1986): Technique Award
-   14th Annual Awards (April 1986March 1987): Most Consecutive Games Won, Technique Award
-   15th Annual Awards (April 1987March 1988): Technique Award
-   42nd Annual Awards (April 2014March 2015): Kōzō Masuda Special Award

Other awards

-   2005: 25 Years Service Award (Awarded by the JSA in recognition of being an active professional for twenty-five years)
-   2008: Shogi Honor Award (Awarded by the JSA in recognition of winning 600 official games as a professional)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

title: Yasuaki Tsukada

question: What are the rules of shogi?

answer: The text doesn't say.

question: How old is Yasuaki Tsukada?

answer: Based on his birth date of November 16, 1964, he is 56.

question: List 3 promotions Yasuaki Tsukada received.

answer: 1981, March 5: 4-dan, 1983, April 1: 5-dan, and 1985, April 1: 6-dan.

question: What is the name of Yasuaki Tsukada's eldest daughter?

answer: The text doesn't say.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: This is a brief biography of Yasuaki Tsukada, a Japanese professional shogi player. Tsukada won one major title but has won 3 other shogi championships as well as other awards and honors. Shogi runs in the Tsukada family and both his wife and eldest daughter are professional players.


text:
Edit Story

May 17, 2016,06:27am EDT|

[Russ Alan Prince]

I write about the creation and management of exceptional wealth.

The hedge fund industry is under strain. Overall lackluster performance is resulting in lower fees and also prompting an exodus of clients such as pension funds, insurance companies, and sovereign wealth funds. At the same time, among a subset of single-family offices, the appeal of hedge funds is on a strong upswing.

Among single-family offices, about 20 percent can be classified as high-functioning. For an additional and even greater percentage of single-family offices, when it comes to investing the wealth of their ultra-wealthy families, they are doing an exceptional job. There are a number of interconnected reasons for the success these two segments of single-family offices are having with their hedge fund investments.

According to Rick Flynn, managing partner of FFO Business Management & Family Office, and the author of _The High-Functioning Single-Family Office_, “Over the last few years or so, family offices have become considerably more professional and sophisticated. High-functioning single-family offices are hiring top investment talent and motivating them. Many times these investment pros are given a portion of the performance they help generate. Another major reason for the success of their hedge fund investments is that senior management of high-functioning single-family offices is adept at negotiating very beneficial arrangements with hedge fund managers and other investment firms.”

A core best practice of high-functioning single-family offices is their ability to maximize relationships – especially investment manager relationships. This is a function of:

-   The inherent advantages single family offices have such as long time horizons and the ability and willingness to recommend investment firms to their moneyed peers.
-   Having a deep understanding of the business models of the investment managers they engage including their business development capabilities and details on the mechanics on how revenues turn into profits at these firms.

The bargaining expertise of senior executives in high-functioning single-family offices regularly results in different compensation arrangements with hedge funds than the traditional “2 & 20.” The management fee is usually under the gun. However, as an offset, the carried interest fee may be ratcheted up. Sometimes, to make it meaningful for a hedge fund, a high-functioning single-family office will ensure a substantial amount of money is invested and locked in. Doing so might entail pooling monies by bringing additional investors – habitually high-net-worth families of other single-family offices – to the hedge fund.

To date, the approach to selecting and working with hedge funds by high-functioning single-family offices is proving very, very financially rewarding for all parties. If the hedge funds can produce results, the single-family offices profit handsomely. Also, the hedge funds do exceedingly well. In fact, the hedge funds that deliver tend to generate greater fees than they would with the traditional compensation arrangement.

[Russ Alan Prince]

I am president of R.A. Prince & Associates, Inc. I consult with family offices, the ultra-wealthy and select professionals.

-   Print
-   Reprints & Permissions

question: When was the article written?

answer: May 2016

question: Who is the article written for?

answer: "Ultra-wealthy" families

question: Where was the article published?

answer: That information can't be found

question: Who is the author?

answer: Russ Alan Prince, president of R.A. Prince & Associates, Inc.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The author discusses the popularity of hedge funds with single-family offices as a tool to invest the wealth of "ultra-wealthy families."


text:
BROUGHTON HOSPITAL is a psychiatric hospital located in Morganton, North Carolina. It is administered by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services.

History

In 1850, influential mental health activist Dorothea Dix petitioned the North Carolina General Assembly to support and build a psychiatric hospital to treat the insane. Within 25 years the General Assembly determined that one hospital was insufficient to care for the population of people afflicted with mental illness. In 1875, the State provided $75,000 for the establishment of a second psychiatric hospital. Built in Morganton on of land, Western Carolina Insane Asylum, opened on March 29, 1883. The asylum admitted physician Dr. Red Pepper as its first patient. By 1884 its first director, Dr. Patrick Livingston Murphy, reported to the General Assembly that more space was needed. In 1885 and 1886 two new wings were opened, expanding the hospital's bed space to over 500 patients.

In 1890 the hospital's name was changed to State Hospital at Morganton, a name it kept until 1959. Patients were used to construct roads on the property, and establish and maintain the gardens and grounds. By 1893 the hospital's holdings would encompass over . During the early 1900s the hospital expanded greatly. Using the colony system, a farm area was established with a dairy, vineyard and greenhouses, all staffed by patients of varying degrees of functionality. The hospital was nearly self-sufficient. Additional expansions and land holdings would take place until just after World War I when public attitudes about mental health patients changed dramatically. The hospital, like many others of this time period, was neglected and suffered during the state and national financial problems of the Great Depression.

During the 1920s, the patient-to-physician ratio was 300-to-1; by the 1930s this was almost 500-to-1. Hours for attendants and nurses were intensive, and time off was sparse. Attendants usually slept in the same wards with patients until further expansion during the 1940s. By that time, the hospital's census topped 3,500 patients. In 1959, State Hospital at Morganton became Broughton Hospital, named after World War II Governor J. Melville Broughton.

The 1960s brought many changes to Broughton: educational programs were established, religious services were incorporated, and the hospital continued to expand (including through affiliated local community health centers). This was part of an effort to de-institutionalize the mentally ill and treat more in local settings. During the 1970s Broughton underwent changes in its housing procedures. Up to that time, its population had been drawn geographically, meaning that patients were being housed according to where they were from, rather than by age or disability. On March 28, 1973, Broughton Hospital received its first survey by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and the hospital received a one-year accreditation.

The Broughton Hospital Main Building was designed by architect Samuel Sloan and built in 1877. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 as the WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA INSANE ASYLUM. The BROUGHTON HOSPITAL HISTORIC DISTRICT was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and encompasses 60 contributing buildings and one contributing site.[1][2][3]

The period from the 1980s through 1990s was especially difficult for Broughton. Facing increased costs and increased oversight from various organizations, Broughton encountered severe budget problems. In December 1992, the Broughton Hospital Foundation was formed. Its goal was to enhance the lives of the patients at Broughton Hospital through donations, endowments, activities, etc.

Today Broughton serves approximately 800 patients per year and employs approximately 1200 staff members, with a $98 million annual operating budget. In 2011, Broughton began hiring temporary and contract staff to help control overhead costs. Broughton completed a new facility in 2017 that houses the hospital departments and patient divisions under one roof, on the existing grounds. The main building is now preserved as a historical landmark that is used as office space.

[1]

[2]

[3]

title: Broughton Hospital

question: What does the article say about the history of the name of the Broughton Hospital?

answer: The hospital is opened in 1883 and it was called Western Carolina Insane Asylum. The name was changed to State Hospital at Morganton in 1890. The name was changed again to Broughton Hospital after  World War II Governor J. Melville Broughton.

question: What does the article say about how the capacity of the hospital changed through time?

answer: Two new wings were opened in 1885 and 1886 to expand the hospital's bed space to over 500 patients. It is expanded again by 1940 to 3,500 patients. Today, Broughton serves approximately 800 patients per year.

question: What does the story say about the hospital's treatment effects?


text:
AMICHAND RAJBANSI (14 January 1942 – 29 December 2011) was a South African politician. He was a former Chairman of the Ministers' Council of the House of Delegates Tricameral parliamentary chamber for Indian people, and leader of the Minority Front.

Amichand Rajbansi, nicknamed the Bengal Tiger, was born in Clairwood, Durban on 14 January 1942. He attended Clairwood Secondary School and the Indian University College to study History and Psychology as major subjects.

After a long service as a sports administrator, professional soccer referee, civic leader, and serving in local government structures dealing with local affairs, Rajbansi was elected to the South African Indian Council in 1974. This council was rejected by most Indians.[1] In 1976 Rajbansi resigned from the Indian Council protesting the inter Cabinet council between the Indian Council and government cabinet of Prime Minister John Vorster. In 1981 he formed the National People's Party (NPP) and was elected leader of this new party. The NPP successfully competed for the election to the South African Indian Council and took control of SAIC, although only 6% of the Indian electorate participated in the 1981 elections for the Council.[2]

In 1984, following Prime Minister PW Botha's constitutional reforms, the NPP stood for the newly constituted House of Delegates, the Indian only parliamentary chamber, and won the majority of seats in the House. As a result, Rajbansi became a member of the South African Cabinet and chairman for the Ministers' Council for Indian Affairs.

Rajbansi's leadership of the House of Delegates was often controversial, and in May 1987, his NPP lost its majority to an opposition coalition. However, Rajbansi did not resign his chairmanship, and he survived the leadership challenge with the help of P.W. Botha. A Parliamentary select committee later in 1987 found that Rajbansi accepted R10 000 for his party in order to “facilitate the obtaining of land and contracts”, and he was suspended from the House of Delegates. He was suspended from P.W. Botha's cabinet, and Botha appointed a commission of enquiry under Justice Neville James to investigate allegations of corruption in the House of Delegates Administration. He was later found guilty by another parliamentary committee of “glaring” maladministration in forcing the purchase of a cultural centre for an inflated price. Botha fired Rajbansi from his cabinet and his Minister's Council in December 1988, following the preliminary report from the James Commission. The final report of the commission described Rajbansi as “arrogant”, “unscrupulous”, “ruthless” and a “mean-minded bully”. The commission found that Rajbansi had lied to Parliament, committed statutory perjury, had given false evidence to the Commission, and misused his position.[3] It also recommended that he never again be employed as a minister in the House of Delegates or in any official or semi-official post which called for integrity. He later resigned as leader of the NPP, and was suspended from the House of Delegates, only to be reinstated a few months later. In June 1990, he was convicted on 2 counts of fraud, and was fined R10 000 for using “fronts” to obtain premises for his businesses when he was a member of the SA Indian Council.[4]

After South Africa's transition to multi-racial democracy in 1994, the NPP became the Minority Front and continued to draw support from parts of the Indian community.

After the 2004 elections, Rajbansi made an alliance with the African National Congress and he became MEC for Sports and Recreation for KwaZulu-Natal Province. In January 2009, Mr Rajbansi received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the India International Friendship Society in New Delhi, in recognition of his selfless service to humanity. He was the only African to receive this award.

On 29 December 2011, Rajbansi died from natural causes.[5]

Personal life

Rajbansi was formerly married to Asha Devi, a journalist and popular figure in local government. Devi spoke to Jani Allan in an interview published by the _Sunday Times_ in the 1980s about her affection for her husband. She referred to her husband as “her hero”. “Even if it means sleeping on a bed of nails or walking on coals for him, I will do it ... I will always stand by him.”[6] They also had four daughters and a son together.[7] Their relationship soured when Devi joined the IFP. The couple separated in 1998, with political and alleged paranormal activity in their marital home being cited as reasons attributed to their separation.[8] The couple divorced in 2000.[9] A year later Rajbansi married Shameen Thakur.[10]

In 2003 Rajbansi's ex-daughter-in-law, Karnagie Tandree was strangled to death[11] Police have deliberated over both murder and suicide as a cause of the death.[12]

[1]

[2]

[3]  South African History Online|website=www.sahistory.org.za|access-date=2020-01-06}}

[4]  IOL News|website=www.iol.co.za|language=en|access-date=2020-01-06}}

[5]

[6] Drum: A Magazine of Africa for Africa Drum Magazine. 1999

[7] Rajbansi jun's alibi probed Beeld. 12 December 2003

[8] Rajbansi tries a new exorcist Independent Online. 2 October 1999

[9] Rajbansis of South Africa part ways Times of India. 29 August 2000

[10] 'Bengal Tiger' Rajbansi meets his match Daily News. 30 March 2001.

[11] Vimal Rajbansi breaks silence over Tandree Daily Post. 17 December 2003

[12] The Final Twist: Rory Carroll on a murder case that has rocked South Africa The Guardian. 19 January 2004

title: Amichand Rajbansi

question: Why might the South African Indian Council have been rejected by most Indians?

answer: It is not clear in the text.

question: What is meant by a "multi-racial democracy"?

answer: It probably means many members from different ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds are elected to representative positions of power.

question: Was Karnagie Tandree's death an accident or not, and how so?

answer: She was strangled to death, so it seems likely it was a murder.

question: Why was Amichand Rajbansi known as the Bengal Tiger?

answer: He was Indian and he displayed tenacity and fearlessness.


text:
Media frenzy over Jared Kushner talking to someone in Russia has reached absurd levels. The most heinous products of a hateful imagination are now being offered to the nation’s public as “news” and “analysis.” Based on nothing at all, accusations of treason are now being hurled at Jared Kushner, in a blood sport frenzy.

The fact that Jared Kushner has just returned from accompanying his father-in-law on a trip that restructured the power alignment of the Middle East to America’s advantage is a major part of the animus. That he, an observant Orthodox Jew who got his fiancée to convert, played a key role in moving the Saudi monarchy toward reconciliation with Israel and alignment against Iran is his greatest crime in the eyes of hysterical leftists. He helps the president  contradict a litany of progressive beliefs that have become a catechism: Trump is an anti-Semite; he is too stupid and clumsy to be allowed access to the nation’s diplomacy; and Trump hates Muslims.

MSNBC’s terrorism analyst Malcolm Nance, a former Navy cryptologist, has a track record of horrifying rhetoric:

    []

But he managed to outdo himself on  the subject of Jared Kushner, speculating that his alleged search for private communications with Russia meant he was planning to and over out nuclear codes, presumably to allow Russia to neutralize them and defeat the United States in a confrontation.  This would be treason beyond that of the Rosenbergs, handing the crown jewel of America’s secrets to our enemy in order to defeat us.

Mr. Nance apparently still has his job at MSNBC.

Media frenzy over Jared Kushner talking to someone in Russia has reached absurd levels. The most heinous products of a hateful imagination are now being offered to the nation’s public as “news” and “analysis.” Based on nothing at all, accusations of treason are now being hurled at Jared Kushner, in a blood sport frenzy.

The fact that Jared Kushner has just returned from accompanying his father-in-law on a trip that restructured the power alignment of the Middle East to America’s advantage is a major part of the animus. That he, an observant Orthodox Jew who got his fiancée to convert, played a key role in moving the Saudi monarchy toward reconciliation with Israel and alignment against Iran is his greatest crime in the eyes of hysterical leftists. He helps the president  contradict a litany of progressive beliefs that have become a catechism: Trump is an anti-Semite; he is too stupid and clumsy to be allowed access to the nation’s diplomacy; and Trump hates Muslims.

MSNBC’s terrorism analyst Malcolm Nance, a former Navy cryptologist, has a track record of horrifying rhetoric:

    []

But he managed to outdo himself on  the subject of Jared Kushner, speculating that his alleged search for private communications with Russia meant he was planning to and over out nuclear codes, presumably to allow Russia to neutralize them and defeat the United States in a confrontation.  This would be treason beyond that of the Rosenbergs, handing the crown jewel of America’s secrets to our enemy in order to defeat us.

Mr. Nance apparently still has his job at MSNBC.

question: Why is Jared Kushner accused of treason?

answer: Jared Kushner is accused of treason for talking to someone in Russia.

question: What did Malcolm Nance speculate of Kushner's communication?

answer: Nance speculated that Kushner's search for private communications with Russia meant he was planning to and over out nuclear codes.

question: Does Nance still have his job?

answer: Yes.

question: Who is Jared Kushner?

answer: Jared Kushner is President Trump's son-in-law.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Jared Kushner, the President's son-in-law, has been accused of treason after talking to someone in Russia. A terrorism analyst Malcolm Nance speculates that Kushner's alleged search for private communications with Russia meant that he was planning to and over out nuclear codes, probably to allow Russia to neutralize them.


text:
  I couldn't handle sitting at home. All there was to do was sit and think about the girl I had just lost. I decided to head back to the University earlier than planned without telling my parents. I packed all day by myself. As I was ready to leave in the driveway, my dad came home. I told him I was going back to school. He told me to drive carefully. He's a cool guy. It's my mom I dislike.

I drive the hour to school. I pick up my parking pass. I pull into the parking deck and lose it. I'm crying like a little girl. All the memories of driving into this parking deck after hanging out with my girlfriend numerous times over the last semester came back. I've suffered from social anxiety my whole life. This girl was the first time I've ever been close to another human being. And she was the greatest improvement to my life. She made me confident. I didn't care who saw me when walking from my door to the parking deck with my pajamas on. The walk of shame was always a walk of glory for me.

Why did we break up? She told me she was planning on moving far away the next year. I took that to mean she was going to break up with me eventually, so I broke up with her first. If I do it, I wouldn't be hurt, right? WRONG. I just thought I'd get another girlfriend and be just as happy. Nope. I want that one. There was really nothing wrong with her. I couldn't ask for more in a girl. I wish I hadn't broken up with her. I needed to escape from this reality. I went downtown to her favorite bar.

"What can I get you?" said the bartender. "Double shot of Jameson I replied". I sipped it while watching tv. I didn't feel anything. I ordered a beer. Still nothing. The bartender goes home and a male bartender replaces her. Being money conscious, I order well whiskey. Double shots of it at a time. After the second one, I ask for a third. He says "Another?" and I told him I why I was there. About my girlfriend.

He tells me that he's had about 15 girlfriends and that I will find someone else and things will get better. That's what everyone tells me. No one understand that I didn't just lose my first girlfriend, I lost my only friend. I didn't know how alone I was before until I realized what having someone was like. After I down my third double shot of well whiskey, he pours me a 4th, tells me it's on him, and to sip it so I don't throw up. I never throw up because of liquor, but I listen.

I stumble to the bathroom and when I come back he asks if I'm alright I say yea. He tells me to not drive home. I told him I live on campus (which literally touches downtown) and I'll walk if I have to. I'm feeling good now. I can't feel my face. I finish my whiskey and just sit there. There's other people in the bar, but I ignore them.

I start fading out. The bartender tells me not to go to sleep. Every now and then I hear a "1point5volts, you ok?" I reply yes. Eventually I got up. I tripped over a couch and hit the floor. Next thing I know it's 2am, I'm back at the bar, and the bartender is trying to get me to tip him $18 on the receipt because he got me a cab home. I struggle to do the math to add that to the cost of my drinks. He tells me the answer. I'm escorted to the cab and he tells the driver where I live and that I'm a good guy just going through a rough time.

The cab driver tells me the same story. I'll get over the girl. I get back to the dorms. I actually haven't been in my room yet. My 3 roommates are random. I don't know them. I left my keys in my car. I go to the desk and the desk assistant gets two RAs to escort me to my room. I meet one roommate, shake his hand, flop onto my bed and sleep.

Epilogue: I had my wallet and car keys. I walked two miles back to downtown in a hungover state. My phone was still in the bar, which doesn't open until 4. So I just got my car and eventually went back and got my phone. Bartender was really cool. Less than $50 for a drunken night downtown and a cab ride home. Dude took care of me. The end!

stay tuned for the sequel where I drive across the country to get out of this city because everything in this place reminds me of my ex and I can't concentrate on classes.

title: [NF] A Drunken Night Downtown

question: Why was the narrator struggling to believe those who told him he'll get over the girl?

answer: The narrator has just broken up with his girlfriend. She had told him about moving far away next so the narrator decided to break up with her before she gets around to breaking up with him. He feels miserable and decides to go to her favorite bar in town where he gets drunk and tells the bartender his plight. The bartender tells him he'll get over the girl with time. The narrator is fed up with everyone telling him that. He believes they do not understand that his ex-girlfriend was more than a girlfriend to him - she was his only friend. She was the first person to make him come out of his shell. He is always confident whenever she is around.