text:
So, you’ve expressed interest in taking up arms and exacting revenge upon all walrus-kind. Or perhaps you’re wondering what they taste like. Regardless, there are a number of danger that you may face along the way. With that said, I must first warn you of the insatiable hunger of the common walrus. To that end, each GWI (General Walrus Infantry) such as yourself will be issued an Over-overcoat (patent pending) which will be lined with raw fish. You will also be issued a net launcher and gun that fires tranquilizer darts- by the way, we very, very strictly monitor the tranquilizer supplies, so don’t be “darting out” on me, you got that pipsqueak?! Secondly, These walrus have been known to forcibly sex their enemies into a catatonic state, or death if you get lucky, so hold on to your butts.

Transportation’s already been lined up, and it’s nothing but the finest. An antique biplane will carry you from here to the sand-swept wasteland of Nova Scotia, a land of which little is known, because no man has ever returned to tell about it, and if one did, he had an accent so asinine that nobody could understand him, even if they were able to take him seriously. From there you will travel atop the Great Nameless Whale (he’s not mysterious or dangerous, he just changed his name needed to dodge some bill collecting dolphins) through the Arctic Septagon to the Sand Palace, home of all walrus royalty. Feel free to converse with the GNW as you travel, but be careful not to bring up the topic of supply-side economics, as there is absolutely no chance you’ll live to regret ignoring this warning.

Upon your arrival, you will be expected to perform the Dance of the Elders, which is eerily similar to the “Electric Slide,” but with more exaggerated upper-body movements. Tradition dictates that you’ll be invited into the palace to feast with the Royal Council of Walruses and enjoy the finest accommodations a structure build entirely from frozen sand could possibly hope to offer. It is recommended that you bring several blankets, as they provide both warmth- which is in short supply- and because they can act as vectors for “biological suckerpunches” when combined with the “Just-Add-Blanket SealPox” packets, should your mission go pear-shaped.

Assuming you’ve made it into the palace safely, having danced properly and avoided discussing supply-side economics with the GNW, You’ll need to eat whatever they serve, and do so with great gusto- 1:4 odds it turns out to be the GNW- or run the risk of giving them the impression that they cook poorly, which would cause their self-esteem to plummet (the only television they can get in the Arctic Septagon is the Food Network). According to our intelligence, they believe desserts to be the work of the One With Inverted Tusks, which is either a mythical beast akin to Christianity’s Satan, a severely disfigured walrus with a particularly strange case of Down Syndrome, or an elaborate, yet surprisingly transparent, hoax put on by the walrus media to beef up their ratings.

Once you have made it safely into the guest wing of the palace, remove the five water-proofed burlap sacks you’ll find in your gear. Then go from room to room, gathering all the towels, tiny soaps, and individually packaged nuts that you can carry. Finally, you must extricate yourself from the palace which should be simple since, y’know, it’s made of sand. Just meet back at the LZ whenever your mission is complete.

title: [HM] Getting Back at Those Walruses That Abused My Generous All You Can Eat Buffet Policy.

question: Summarize the mission plan.

answer: Each General Walrus Infantry will wear an Over-overcoat lined with fish, equip their tranquilizer gun, and board an antique biplane. The plane will drop them off at Nova Scotia, and they will board the Great Nameless Whale for further transport. They will perform the Dance of the Elders upon arrival at the Sand Palace, eat the offered food lest they offend their hosts, and enter the guest wing. Then, they will steal all the towels, soaps, and nuts before leaving the palace.

question: What does the story say about how to prepare seafood?


split: train

text:
Cryptanthus bivittatus

Category:

Tropicals and Tender Perennials

Water Requirements:

Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater

Sun Exposure:

Light Shade

Foliage:

Grown for foliage

Foliage Color:

Unknown - Tell us

Height:

under 6 in. (15 cm)

Spacing:

12-15 in. (30-38 cm)

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F)

USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F)

USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 �C (40 �F)

Where to Grow:

Unknown - Tell us

Danger:

Plant has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling

Bloom Color:

White/Near White

Bloom Characteristics:

Unknown - Tell us

Bloom Size:

Unknown - Tell us

Bloom Time:

Mid Summer

Other details:

Unknown - Tell us

Soil pH requirements:

5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)

Patent Information:

Non-patented

Propagation Methods:

By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)

From seed; germinate in a damp paper towel

Seed Collecting:

Unknown - Tell us

Regional

Concord, California

San Diego, California

Bartow, Florida

Dunedin, Florida

Lecanto, Florida

Lutz, Florida

Miami, Florida

Winter Springs, Florida

Cincinnati, Ohio

El Campo, Texas

Spring Branch, Texas

show all

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Rating                            | Content                           |
+===================================+===================================+
| Positive                          | On Apr 14, 2015, trifle007 from   |
|                                   | Fayetteville, AR wrote:           |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | This plant, cryptanthus           |
|                                   | bivittatus "ruby" is a great,     |
|                                   | somewhat different bromiliad      |
|                                   | because of its flattened growing  |
|                                   | habit and wonderful coloration of |
|                                   | the leaves. Unlike many           |
|                                   | bromiliads, its primary "show" is |
|                                   | the foliage rather than the       |
|                                   | blooms. When I purchased it from  |
|                                   | Westwood Gardens in Fayetteville, |
|                                   | AR, it had its characteristic,    |
|                                   | wonderful, red foliage, but after |
|                                   | a few gloomy weeks indoors, it    |
|                                   | lost this coloration and became   |
|                                   | an attractive green, yet this was |
|                                   | not the coloration for which I    |
|                                   | purchased it. Now with the spring |
|                                   | and sunshine, I keep it outdoors, |
|                                   | and it is rapidly returning to    |
|                                   | red. On top of this, it's going   |
|                                   | to bloom. Although the blooms are |
|                                   | not the main feature, I welcome   |
|                                   | them because I'm sure it will     |
|                                   | soon afterwards be sporting       |
|                                   | "babies." I recommend this        |
|                                   | easy-to-grow plant wit... read    |
|                                   | more                              |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Positive                          | On Jul 20, 2002, tekbehr wrote:   |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | Cryptanthus species, cultivars    |
|                                   | and hybrids in general (like most |
|                                   | Bromeliads) are very easy to care |
|                                   | for. Most are easier than African |
|                                   | Violets. The selection, colors,   |
|                                   | textures and diversity of foliage |
|                                   | is quite stiking and beautiful.   |
|                                   | Cryptanthus are native to Brazil. |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | Note: many bromeliads will turn   |
|                                   | pink or reddish when cultivated   |
|                                   | under intense light condtions.    |
|                                   | Cryptanthus are easily grown as   |
|                                   | house plants indoors under        |
|                                   | flourescent lights or on a window |
|                                   | sill. They grow best when the     |
|                                   | soil is allowed to dry out        |
|                                   | slightly, then totally soaked.    |
|                                   | They also grow well when the soil |
|                                   | is kept evenly moist but not      |
|                                   | damp. Though Cryptanthus are      |
|                                   | considered low light or light     |
|                                   | shade plants, many actually only  |
|                                   | begin to display their beautiful  |
|                                   | foliage colors when exposed to    |
|                                   | more intense ligh... read more    |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Neutral                           | On Aug 21, 2001, euphorbrom from  |
|                                   | New Orleans, LA (Zone 9A) wrote:  |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | Flowers are small and white,      |
|                                   | appear near the center. Small     |
|                                   | pups develop between the leaves;  |
|                                   | when they are 1/3 the size of the |
|                                   | parent, detach them (they should  |
|                                   | come away with a gentle tug) and  |
|                                   | repot them. Another variety often |
|                                   | seen is                           |
|                                   | Cryptanthus "Starlite".           |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

question: What is Cryptanthus bivittatus?

answer: Cryptanthus bivittatus is bromeliad, a tropical plant.

question: Where is Cryptanthus bivittatus native to?

answer: Cryptanthus bivittatus is native to Brazil.

question: How does Cryptanthus bivittatus differ from other bromeliads?

answer: Cryptanthus bivittatus has the wonderful coloration of the leaves so it is known for its foliage rather than the blooms.

question: Does Cryptanthus bivittatus grow flowers?

answer: Yes, Cryptanthus bivittatus grows small and white flowers.

question: Write a ~6 sentence summary.

answer: Cryptanthus bivittatus are bromeliads, tropical plants. They are native to Brazil and grow in California, Florida, Ohio, Texas. They are very easy to care for. They need average watering and light shade. They grow best when the soil is allowed to dry out slightly, then totally soaked. They have a wonderful coloration of the leaves and a small white flower.


text:
Every day while walking to school three friends would always pass the same eerie old building.  Broken windows with silky spider webs caught the light of the rising sun.  Jungle like weeds grew, taking over the once walkable stone pathway to the door.  A sign on an old oak tree read: “Danger, Do Not Enter.”  Everyone had heard different rumors about the broken down flat.  Some say that a newlywed couple and their young child were murdered there.  Others are certain that there is an infestation of mutant hobos.  A couple of people think a witch named Chaney lives in the attic.

The idea was born one day at lunch.  While eating the horrific cafeteria food a thought popped into Benny’s head.  “We always have amazing parties but don’t you have all the cleaning up after?” he said.  “Oh I know!!” Cody answered.  “Well wouldn’t you want a place we can party at once and then leave, not worrying about all of the trash and filth we create?”   Benny then told them about his amazing plan.  Cody, Benny and the third boy named Zander worked on this plan for a few weeks and then on a Tuesday they decided they were ready to start telling others.  They told all of their friends and their friends told friends and so on and so forth.  Then they started collection funds and donations.  Cups, chips bottles and dollars started rapidly coming in to support the future event.  “People keep asking where it’s going to go down.” Zander told Benny.  “Don’t worry they will find out the day of, that’s part of the plan.”
Friday, 5:00am. Three boys sneak out and head for the deserted homestead.  The boarded up human habitat looked even spookier in the early morning mist.  With them they carried the snacks and supplies they obtained throughout the week.  The setup was simple and within an hour they were out.  When they arrived at the school everyone was eager to find out where the party would be.  Even though they were bugged throughout the day the three boys did not export the information into the fellow classmates.  Finally, as the bell rang, the location was released.

Young souls entered the building at nightfall, full of excitement and wonder.  The floorboards creaked as the unfamiliar weight of human bodies filled the once furnished living room.  Students treated themselves to food and drink.  Laughter filled the area as the effects of the beverages started to surface.  A girl was distressed when she couldn’t find her phone.  Cody saw it in the middle of the dance floor where teens jumped up and down to music like the floor was a trampoline.  Swiftly he adventured through the dense pack of sweaty minors to retrieve the fair damsel’s item.  Nobly he returned it, miraculously undamaged, to the fair female who then took him into another room to thank him.

More and more students left the safety of their parent’s homes and traversed through the moonlit night into the party house.  The building started to sway back and forth in response to the dancing and sheer mass of humans filling the house like the stuffing of a Thanksgiving turkey.  Little did they know, this party would be their last through the effects of three events.
The first inevitable accident happened in an unlikely place, the bathroom.  Entering the bathroom to find a quiet place to get away two schoolmates, one being Zander, decided to try something new.  Their love brought them close together and they kissed for the first time.  Unfortunately, the combined weight was too much for the rotting floor to hold them up.  Reluctantly the boards gave way and the two lovebirds plummeted through to the basement.  Breaking their legs from the fall they tried to call for help.  Sadly, the booming music drowned out their calls and no one upstairs could hear them.  In the basement, however, their shouting was heard.  Hungry rats, also looking for a safe quiet place, attacked the two.  Greatly outnumbered and unable to move, the couple was eaten alive by the ravenous rats.

The blaring music mixed with alcoholic beverages added to the ignorance of the teens.  They could not tell but the floor was bending down under their weight.  The party house creaked and groaned trying as much as it could to stay upright.  Trying not to take the lives of the children inside, it stayed up.  At this point the worst thing any kid could imagine showed up outside the borrowed residence.  Not the devil, the Pope or even death… it was the police.  Even through the three boys efforts to not give the location away to snitches or adults they still found out.  Thus, the second undesirable event occurred.
The third event happened shortly after the second.  At the sight of police cars outside the music suddenly stopped.  The crowd of teenagers stumbled to the back door, as fast as their drunken bodies’ would let them.  Pushing, shoving, quietly yelling everyone wanted to get out.  This unexpected rush of energy pushed the house to its breaking point.  The walls shook, old paintings fell off the walls, the remaining unbroken windows shattered with an earsplitting crash and within seconds the roof pancaked the children trying to escape.  The only survivors were the termites feasting on the decaying wood and three cockroaches.

title: A Story I Wrote For My English Class

question: What does the story say about the party Cody, Benny, and Zander organize?

answer:
Cody, Benny, and Zander organized a party in an old building and invited many everyone they know. The first accident happened when two kids enter the bathroom, and the rotting floor breaks, the kids plummet through to the basement, and rats eat them alive. No one hears anything. Later, the police come, and the crowd of teenagers stumbled to the back door
to get out. This causes the house to crash, and no one survives.

question: What does the story say about how Cody, Benny, and Zander organize the party?

answer: Cody, Benny, and Zander invite all their friends and their friend's friends to the party in an old house. They collect money and donations for the party. On Friday morning, they head for the house and carry the snacks and supplies. After they finish, they arrive at the school, and at the end of the school day, they inform students where the party will be.

question: What does the story say about the owners of the old house?


text:
Oxford HS's Page Rochester Adams HS's Page All Wrestling Stories

Wrestling

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[]

ROCHESTER � The postseason isn�t a good time to be bitten by the injury bug, but the Oxford wrestling team wasn�t about to let that keep it from winning another regional title.

Hampered by injuries and illnesses, the Wildcats got past one of their biggest rivals in Clarkston, 34-18, in the regional semifinal before topping host Rochester Adams 54-12 to claim a fourth consecutive Division 1 regional championship.

�Ever since last weekend, each day in practice I have been getting bad news that another guy is hurt or sick and is out. We kept losing starters and it was making me nervous about our chances against Clarkston, because Clarkston is a good team,� Oxford coach Paul McDevitt said. �We told our backups that they needed to step up and the whole lineup knew they had to step up. I think this is the best we have wrestled all season. Our kids battled in every weight class. Everyone did their job.�

The match with Clarkston was a grind, but the Wildcats won nine of the 14 bouts, eight of which were won by decision.

Following the win over the Wolves, Oxford jumped out to a 41-0 lead on Adams, never giving the Highlanders a chance to get into the match.

�After an emotional win against Clarkston, we didn�t want to have a letdown against Adams,� McDevitt said. �We got the kids together before the match and reminded them that Adams is a good team that was going to be hungry and we had to be at our best to win. Our guys stayed focused and took care of business.�

Sergio Borg opened things up with a pinfall win at 2:28 in the 135-pound match. Ryan Miller followed that up with a 3-0 decision over Adams� Brendan Gibbons at 140 pounds.

Caleb Tabert recorded a pin late in the first round of the 145-pound match for Oxford while Trent Myrie had a pinfall win at 152 pounds, 4:50 into his bout.

Austin Schicht won by void at 160 pounds and Devin Trevino scored a 10-2 decision over Jonny Buchanan at 171 pounds. Dallas Winkleman earned a 9-1 win over Reed Vogt at 189 pounds for the Wildcats while Byron Schlickenmeyer earned a win by void at 215 pounds to make it 41-0.

Rochester Adams got its first points with a void at heavyweight for Ben Petermark. That was followed by a 6-1 decision win for Brady Vibert of Adams over Jake Stonier of Oxford. Adams also got a win at 119 pound when Anug Mangal defeated Nathan Call, 9-6 in overtime.

Oxford�s last three wins saw Liam Hillary pick up a 4-0 decision over Varun Mangal at 112 pounds, while Joe Good defeated Joe Eble 13-2 at 125 pounds and Garrett Tyrrell scored a pinfall in 1:02 at 130 pounds.

Despite the loss in the final, Adams picked up a 51-15 win over Utican Eisenhower in the regional semifinal.

�We just told the guys to run toward the fight and leave it out on the floor and we definitely did that against Eisenhower,� Adams coach Mike Holtz said. �Oxford is Oxford. They are just hard-nosed kids that work hard. Congratulations to them. I am very proud of how our guys worked hard and competed and we have a lot to be proud of here at Adams.�

Adams closes its season with a third consecutive district title, which is something that hasn�t been done at the school in nearly 20 years.

�We were excited to be here. Three district championships in a row. We are really proud of that and our senior class is really proud of that,� Holtz said. �That hasn�t been done since 1997, 98 and 99 so it�s nice for them to go out with that.�

Oxford now advances to the team state finals next weekend from McGuirk Arena on the campus of Central Michigan University. The Wildcats will compete in the quarterfinals on Friday, Feb. 24. They will find out their opponent on Sunday when seeds for the final eight teams are determined.

�Hopefully we get some of our guys back that we didn�t have (Wednesday),� McDevitt said of next week�s finals. �We don�t know where we will be seeded yet, but it�s a place and environment we are familiar with and our guys know we have to keep working. (Wednesday) was a great day for our team and hopefully that is something we can build on and bring some momentum to the quarterfinals.�

Last Updated: 2/15/2017 11:05:04 PM EST

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question: List the names of the winning athletes mentioned in the article.

answer:
Sergio Borg
Ryan Miller
Caleb Tabert
Trent Myrie
Austin Schict
Devin Trevino
Dallas Winkleman
Byron Schlickenmeyer
Jake Stonier
Anug Mangal (?Not specified from which team?)
Liam Hillary
Joe Good
Garrett Tyrell

question: Are the coaches looking forward to the next season?

answer: Yes. Rochester Adams just closed its third consecutive district title.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: An update about the Oxford HS and Rochester Adams HS Wrestling Teams. The update gives the most recent statistics for the teams as well as opinions from the coaches.


text:
THADDUS DEWAYN MCFADDEN JR.[1] (born May 29, 1987) is an American-Georgian[2] professional basketball player for San Pablo Burgos of the Liga ACB. Standing at 1.88 m (6'2"), he plays at both guard positions. He played two years of JUCO college basketball at St. Clair County CC, and two years of Division II college basketball at Fairmont State, where he later went into the Fairmont State Hall of Fame.[3] McFadden then entered the 2009 NBA draft, but he was not selected in the draft's two rounds. McFadden has won three Cypriot League championships.

High school career

McFadden played high school basketball at Flint Southwestern Academy, leading the Knights to an 18–3 record as a senior. During his high school tenure, he led the city in three-pointers, and set a school record for the most three-pointers in a game (eight). He also earned First Team All-Saginaw Valley and All-State Honorable Mention honors, during the Flint Southwestern Academy national title run.[4]

College career

McFadden began his college basketball career at St. Clair County Community College (JUCO), where he led the Skippers in scoring each of his two seasons, averaging over 23 points and 4 assists per game, as a sophomore.[5]

After two years at St. Clair County CC, McFadden transferred to Fairmont State (NCAA Division II),[6] where he averaged 25.4 points as a senior, and was second in the country (Division II) in scoring.[7]

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2009 NBA draft, McFadden joined Ústí nad Labem of the Czech Republic. He stayed at the club until 2012, being one of the top scorers of the team.[8] During the 2011–12 season, McFadden was named the Player of the Year of the Czech League, by the website Eurobasket.com.[9]

The following season, McFadden joined Phantoms Braunschweig of Germany's Bundesliga. Due to his poor performances, McFadden was loaned from the German team, to his previous club, Usti Nad Laben, until the end of the season.[10]

On July 13, 2013, he joined APOEL of the Cypriot League. With APOEL, McFadden won the Cypriot League championship, and was the league leader in steals.[11] On October 18, 2014, he signed with the Cypriot club AEK Larnaca.[12] He stayed at AEK Larnaca until 2016, where he won two Cypriot League championships, the Cypriot Super Cup title, and was once again named the Cypriot League's Player of the Year, by the website Eurobasket.com, in 2016.[13]

On June 30, 2016, McFadden signed with SLUC Nancy of France's LNB Pro A.[14] On December 27, 2016, McFadden left Nancy, and signed with PAOK of the Greek Basket League, replacing Darryl Bryant on the team's squad.[15]

On August 19, 2017, McFadden signed with Macedonian club Karpoš Sokoli.[16] On November 20, 2017, he left Karpoš Sokoli due to financial problems and signed with Kymis.[17] With Kymis, he had a terrific season, averaging 17.7 points, 4 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. On July 3, 2018, he joined Chongqing Sanhai Lanling of the NBL for the rest of the season.[18]

On July 17, 2018, McFadden signed a one-year deal with Iberostar Tenerife of the Liga ACB.[19][20]

On March 8, 2019, McFadden signed with Club Joventut Badalona for the rest of the 2018-2019 season.[21]

On August 1, 2019, McFadden signed a one-year deal with San Pablo Burgos.[22] After averaging 12.3 points per game, he re-signed with the team on August 17, 2020.[23]

With Burgos, McFadden won the 2019–20 Basketball Champions League after defeating AEK in the final.[24] He led Burgos in both scoring and assists with 18 points and 5 assists in the championship game. As such, McFadden was named the Final Eight MVP award in the process.[25]

National team career

McFadden is a member of the senior Georgian national basketball team.

The Basketball Tournament (TBT) (2017–present)

In the summer of 2017, McFadden played in The Basketball Tournament, aired on ESPN, for The Pearl 31's. He competed for the $2 million prize, and for The Pearl 31's, he scored 22 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, in their first round loss to Armored Athlete, by a score of 119–74.[26]

Personal

He is the son of former NFL professional American football player Thad McFadden Sr. and Flint business owner Lisa McFadden.[27]

[1] Thaddus Dewayn MCFADDEN.

[2] Πήρε κοινοτικό διαβατήριο ο Θαντ ΜακΦάντεν .

[3] FSU Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2016.

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7] FSU Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2016.

[8]

[9] Eurobasket.com All-Czech Rep. League Awards 2011-12.

[10]

[11] Division A » Season 2013-2014.

[12]

[13] Eurobasket.com All-Cyprus League Awards 2016.

[14]

[15]

[16] Thaddus McFadden inks with Karpos Sokoli

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]  The Basketball Tournament|website=www.thetournament.com|language=en|access-date=2018-02-27}}

[27] Thad McFadden Personal:

title: Thad McFadden (basketball)

question: Who is Thaddus Dewayn McFadden Jr.?

answer: He is an American-Gregorian professional basketball player for San Pablo Burgos of the Liga ACB.

question: Why did McFadden go undrafted in the 2009 NBA draft?

answer: That information can’t be found.

question: Summarize everything relating to McFadden's college basketball career.

answer: First two years: St. Clair County Community College (JUCO) Skippers. Led the team in scoring while he was there. He went to Fairmont State (NCAA Division II) for his junior and senior years, averaging 25.4 points as a senior, good for 2nd place in Division II scoring in the country.

question: If McFadden is an American, why is he playing for the senior Georgian national basketball team?

answer: It might be implied that one of McFadden's parents is from Georgia or is of Georgian ancestry.

question: Write a ~9 sentence summary.

answer: Thaddus Dewayn McFadden Jr. is a 6'2" American-Gregorian professional basketball player who can play both guard positions, can shoot the three, and is a natural scorer. He currently plays for San Pablo Burgos of the Liga ACB. His 25.4 PPG average as a senior for Fairmont State was good for 2nd place in the country among NCAA Division II schools. McFadden went undrafted in the 2009 NBA draft and headed to Europe, where he joined Ústí nad Labem of the Czech Republic and became one of the team's top scorers. He was named Czech League Player of the Year during the 2011-2012 season. From 2013, McFadden played for several other teams in the Euro League, winning more championships and Player of the Year awards (Cypriot League). With San Pablo Burgos, McFadden won the 2019-20 Basketball Champions League, leading the team in scoring (18) and assists (5). He was named the Final Eight MVP award. McFadden is a member of the senior Gregorian national basketball team.


text:
**Background:** Started writing this a couple of years ago when I was at a loose end. Got to about 30,000 words, but I stopped because I was having trouble making any headway. Anyway, I looked back at it recently and honestly couldn't work out if I liked it, or if I just subconciously don't want to condemn something I spent a while on. If you could let me know what you all think, I'd be really grateful.
Excerpt from the beginning follows:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pinnacle of engineering! The great shelter! The new paradigm for a new world!
The enthusiastic slogans painted seemingly across the whole skyline do little to detract from the persistent mediocrity of the average office building. Of course, perhaps this is an abnormality in itself; as my tutors were always quick to remind me, The City is exceptional in its routine. Somehow, the clear propaganda fails to ring true when the wondrous marvel of modern social science becomes nothing more than a background, only remarkable in its consistency. As always, I reflect upon this as I step toward the shining doors and enter my office; stopping only briefly for a retinal scan, I soon find myself in the lift gliding towards the thirty-seventh floor, building #217. Looking across the skyline from the clear lift tube, I can see across the supposed metropolis, the white towers standing proud against the intensity of the blue sky. Beneath me, a vast grid of streets and tracks stretches out, connecting every building. I can still make out the snaky forms of the giant metro transport carriages, shooting from place to place. The lift stops; my floor. The quiet air of careful concentration makes a noticeable contrast from the bustle of activity and life outside. I have a good ten minutes until the official address; time enough to log in. My office retains a comforting familiarity despite, or maybe because of, the spartan surroundings. Like the fevered imaginings of a 60s futurologist, a clear white desk and bare walls offer no distraction from the blinking tablet screen suspended on a gunmetal arm above. The far wall of my office consists entirely of a huge, crystal clear window, offering pleasant views of The City. On a clear day, the view extends almost as far as the edge of the business district. After the customary security check, a burst of mediocre music from the speakers announces the start of the morning address. Sighing, I leave, bound for the conference hall.

Another bloody film. Every day it’s the same thing, a stern reminder of what we have, and how supposedly lucky we are to have it. The City, the announcer explains, is the one true way of existing! The Future! All those who protest against, it is stated, are not only wrong, but endanger the very future of our existence! As always, I nod at the appropriate moments, and give the standard few seconds’ applause at the end. As a single entity, we stand to acknowledge the efforts of those who took part in its construction, and to hear a blaringly rousing composition. We are dismissed; I wander back towards my office. The blinking terminal invites me back to the monotony of the day.

**EDIT:** altered some stuff based on kybarnet's feedback. Thanks!

title: Model Citizen

question: Where is The City?

answer: It is not stated where this fictional city is located.

question: What makes the city special?

answer: The City appears to be a vast metropolis made up of tall buildings, street grids and tracks connecting every building.

question: Is the narrator happy to be in The City?

answer: The narrator seems self-aware enough to realise that The City has flaws and is full of propaganda. They also appear bored of the routine monotony of their job.

question: What building does the narrator work in?

answer: Building #217.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The story of a man overlooking a futuristic cityscape as he makes his way to a routine meeting where they commemorate the builders of the city.


text:
She walks down the street, hazy in the fog and light, more of a shadow in the fading light than something of substance.   The bleak sky projects onto the sidewalks and buildings, grey on grey as her presence passes through as though trying to hide in plain site.  Her collar is turned up against the slight breeze that blows off the lake, low and cold this time of year.  It’s a comfort to her.  The weather here is a misery, but it makes her feel so alive.

She walks toward her destination.  Where it is doesn’t matter to her.  It’s a purposeful walk, one she makes often, but not one where the end is somewhere to be.  People shuffle past her, barely taking notice.  She draws a few looks.  Something about her pulls their eye, an unknown tug on their soul.  To sit down with her you’d soon know why, but today she is walking and soon after their glances pass by she is forgotten.   She smiles as she moves, not necessarily out of joy or contentment, but because it fits.  She wants to walk away from it all, but knows she can’t just yet.  Something holds her back, and she worries something new will come along to keep her here.

She walks with my love, unwelcome yet unwavering, buffeting her like the wind she so desperately tries to keep out.  It stands out, a warmth in the chill that surrounds her.  She embraced it once, held it close until it burned, and now she fears the fire.  A dark, enchanting young woman, losing herself in the city of her dreams.   And only she knows if these dreams are pleasant or nightmares.

title: City of Dreams

question: Who is the main character?

answer: More information is needed to answer the question.

question: What is holding the character back?

answer: More information is needed to answer the question.

question: Where is the character walking?

answer: More information is needed to answer the question.

question: What is the weather like?

answer: The sky is grey and it is cold out. There is a slight breeze

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: A woman is going for a walk. The narrator describes the weather and her emotions.


text:
[Evangelist Angus Buchan (Linda de Beer, Beeld)]

Evangelist Angus Buchan (Linda de Beer, Beeld)

Cape Town – By March next year there will be no drought in the Western Cape and the dams will be full, said well-known lay preacher and potato farmer Angus Buchan as he prayed for "spiritual and physical rain" in Parliament on Friday.

His prayer followed shortly after he alleged that a woman rose from the dead after he prayed for her.

He was addressing a prayer day for Parliament organised by several Christian organisations and the ACDP, whose three MP's were all in attendance.

DEMONS RUN AWAY

Among those who packed the Old Assembly Chamber was IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Grace Davies, wife of Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, Natalie Maimane, wife of DA leader Mmusi Maimane, Mamphele Ramphele and inaugural South African Idols winner, Heinz Winckler.

"This place will never be the same again," said ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe.

"So many righteous feet walk the corridors of Parliament. I trust that this Parliament will not remain the same," he said.

"Wherever there are demons, they will run away," he said.

The purpose of the event was to foster unity, with white people praying for forgiveness for what whites have done to blacks, and vice versa.

"I want to ask forgiveness today to all my fellow black, coloured, Khoi, San and Indian South Africans. We, as white people have sinned against you, over and over again. Today we want to repent unconditionally," prayed Anneke Rabe on behalf of "all white people in South Africa".

She asked for forgiveness for the way slaves were treated, oppressive laws, land dispossession and the way the churches condoned apartheid.

"I ask forgiveness that not more of us stood for justice," she said.

NO FUTURE

Reverend Moss Nthla said in his prayer that he stands before the Christian deity "with a deep sense of awareness of the grace You showed us through what many have described as the miracle of 1994.

"I stand to confess our failure, as a people, to be good stewards of that miracle. We have neither sought nor walked in Your ways. As a result, we have harmed ourselves and each other as South Africans," Nthla prayed.

"I ask for forgiveness that sadly, a growing number of white South Africans, have been made to feel unwelcome in this country and that they have no future for themselves nor their children," he prayed.

"I ask for forgiveness for the thousands of farmers who have been murdered in our country by black people," he said.

While the prayers were delivered solemnly, Buchan, who wore a black cowboy hat throughout the event and spoke towards the end of the event, brought more ebullience to the proceedings, interrupting himself with loud grunts of "Amen!", gesticulating with his index fingers in a way reminiscent of PW Botha, encouraging the audience to applaud him and breaking out in song.

He said South Africa's biggest problem is that we're a "fatherless nation.

"What we need in South Africa is faith," he said.

question: Who is Angus Buchan?

answer: He is a lay preacher and potato farmer who is claiming there will be no drought in the Western Cape, as he prayed for "spiritual and physical rain" in Parliament.

question: What was the event in the Old Assembly Chamber about?

answer: Many important individuals of righteous standing in the community arrived to foster unity. White people prayed for forgiveness for what whites have done to blacks and vice versa.

question: What was the message of the forgiveness?

answer: Anneke Rabe prayed on behalf of "all white people in South Africa" for the way slaves were treated, oppressive laws, land dispossession, and the way the churches condoned apartheid.

question: What does Buchan say is South Africa's biggest problem?

answer: He says South Africa is a fatherless nation, and what they need is faith.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Angus Buchan is a lay preacher and potato farmer in South Africa who has prayed for "physical and spiritual" rain. Many righteous people have shown up at the Old Assembly Chamber to help heal the soul of South Africa. Many white people are in attendance praying for the forgiveness of black people in South Africa for the way they have been treated at the hand of whites for a long time. Buchan says the biggest problem in the way of South Africa is that it is a "fatherless" nation, and what they need is faith.


text:
GREGG RENFREW is an American entrepreneur and businessperson. She established The Wedding List in the United States, which was later acquired by Martha Stewart in 2001, making it the first acquisition under the Martha Stewart Living brand.[1] In March 2013, Renfrew launched Beautycounter, a beauty brand focused on creating safer skincare and cleaner cosmetics products.[2][3]

Career

Renfrew started a house cleaning company with two friends on Nantucket over a summer in college.[4][5] Renfrew co-founded the bridesmaid company Elizabeth Gregg[6] and was later introduced to Nicole Hindmarch, the founder of The Wedding List, a London-based bridal registry company. Renfrew partnered with Hindmarch and launched The Wedding List in the United States in 1997. She created a website to make the personalized shopping service an online experience. Nordstrom invested $1 million in the company. Martha Stewart partnered with the company to include the commerce angle to her weddings magazine and ended up acquiring the company in 2001. Renfrew continued running The Wedding List as part of the Martha Stewart Living brand.[7]

In 2001, Renfrew began a retail consulting practice and worked with companies such as J.Crew, Bergdorf Goodman and Intermix. In 2006, she became CEO of children's retail organization Best & Co. Renfrew left Best & Co. in March 2008 and moved to Los Angeles. She resumed retail consulting and worked with Jessica Alba.[8][9]

Renfrew launched Beautycounter, a beauty brand that works to create safer products, in March 2013.[10] Renfrew worked with Beautycounter to establish a list of 1,800 potentially harmful ingredients that the company avoids using in its products, known as the “Never List.”[11][12]

In 2014, Renfrew was named one of _Fast Company_'s Most Creative People and in 2019 became a member of the publication's Impact Council.[13][14]

In 2018, Renfrew was named on _Inc._ Magazine's Female Founders 100 list and was also included on Goldman Sach's Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs list.[15][16]

Renfrew has been known to actively lobby for regulation in the cosmetics industry to limit the number of harmful chemicals included in products sold in America.[17][18] In December 2019, she testified as an expert witness in a Congressional hearing on cosmetic reform.[19]

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title: Gregg Renfrew

question: What does Gregg Renfrew do?

answer: She is an American entrepreneur and businessperson.

question: What did Gregg Renfrew establish?

answer: The Wedding List.

question: Who acquired the Wedding List in 2001?

answer: Martha Stewart.

question: What did Renfrew launch in 2013?

answer: Beautycounter.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This article is about Gregg Renfrew, an American entrepreneur and businessperson.


text:
As a child, I was always a tiny ball of never-ending energy. Concentration? Non-existent. I was the type of child that was most at ease when I was doing something with my hands, although I was very particular about just what that activity would be.
I had always been extremely sensitive. Not in an emotional way; on that front I had always been shut-down and rock solid. No, I was sensitive to the touch, and I would cry at any loud or sudden noise. As a result, I wore my clothing inside-out and isolated myself from most other children.
Bullying was prominent in my elementary school. Even as a first-grader, children would pick on me for my strange outfits and social ineptitude. As a teenage, I'm still fairly socially awkward, but it's nothing compared to how bad it was then.
The day I met my best friend was snowy. Elementary school was just as rough as it'd always been, and I was sitting near the swing sets alone. A girl- I think her name was Natalie- came up to me and began the usual routine of taunting me. I took in my characteristic stoic silence, sitting with a blank expression on my face.
Just as the girl turned away from me to go back to her friends, a voice sounded from behind her.
"Don't make fun of her! She only wears her clothes like that 'cause she doesn't like the seams."
When said aloud, it sounded perfectly logical. Of course I didn't like the seams; I failed to understand how anyone tolerated them. This girl understood the world.
Her name was Sophie, and she quickly became my best friend. Still is, in fact. I love her dearly, and miss her dreadfully.
_________________________________________________________
The day that I met him was incidentally the same day that I realised just how underused and unappreciated the word 'wonderful' is. The four of us were on the floor, and his best friend accidentally rolled headfirst into a wall. His laughter filled the room as best friend sat up, rubbing the back of his head with an irritated expression.
"That was wonderful!" he exclaimed in the way that I would soon learn was extremely characteristic of him, and what would become one of his most prominent defining features in my eyes.
Wonderful, as it seemed, was his go-to word for anything that happened that he found amusing or even just worth positively acknowledging. Whether it was something that made his ribs hurt from mad laughter, or something that awed him, it was always the same three words.
"That was wonderful."
__________________________________________________________
I twitched my nose in mild aggravation. It itched terribly, but I knew that should I relieve that itch, my finger would come away blackened with marker. I crossed my eyes, attempting to peer more closely the cat whiskers that my friend had hastily etched upon my face. I looked over at her, and smiled slightly at her own whisker-marred face. At least we were ridiculous together.
Of course, I was perfectly aware of how 'normal' we actually appeared in our pursuit of abnormality. This was all so typical, but I remained enthusiastic nonetheless.
"Ellie, why're there whiskers drawn on your face?" Asked the girl sitting across from me on the crowded bus. She pushed her curly brown hair away from her face, looking at me expectantly.
I answered her quickly, giving some brief explanation about youtubers. Our conversation quickly moved on to the upcoming season of our mutually-favourite television show: Doctor Who.
Our conversation-turned-debate was quickly growing heated when a voice sounded, just to her left. It was clear and soft, low and husky, but easily heard over the noise of the bus.
 	"The Angels could take the Silence any day."
I looked over at the owner of the dulcet tones, determined to find out why I hadn't been acquainted with him before. I stopped short, however, as I saw him.
He was sitting casually beside my debate companion, one arm draped over a metal pole and ankles crossed. He wore a dull blue-purple button-down and blue jeans. His dark hair was neatly coiffed, and he was smiling crookedly.
I stared intently at him for a brief moment before opening my mouth and proclaiming, much to my present and ongoing embarrassment, "You're going to be my best friend."
He smirked, giving me a small two-fingered salute. "Alex."
___________________________________________________________
My sock-clad feet dangled off of the splintering wooden porch. It was a blisteringly hot July afternoon, and the palm of my right hand rested against my jaw. I blinked slowly, the summer heat rendering my brain sluggish and nearly useless. Across from me, my best friend and constant companion of almost six years had struck a similar pose. I gazed aimlessly at her for a while, my eyes tracing the gentle slope of her jaw and the soft waves of her chin-length blonde hair.
	I was pulled from my warmth-induced reverie by the sound of her voice. “Ellie,” she began, her tone rough with discomfort, “I’m hot. Can we do something else? Preferably cooling.”
	I blinked rapidly a few times, trying to jumpstart my uncooperative brain. “Yeah,  sure,” I told her. “Any suggestions?”
	“No...” she said thoughtfully, getting up and beginning to walk around the back of my house. Thinking that she had simply grown weary of laying on my porch, I let her go.
	Just as my eyes had begun to sag closed once again, I felt a startlingly cold splash of water against the hot flesh of my back and arms. I uttered a small shriek and jumped up from my position, turning to see my friend holding my garden hose with a maniacal look upon her face. She sprayed me again, all the while laughing like a hyena.
	“I’m cooling you down!” came her excited voice. I grinned then. I did feel better, and the heat was nearly as unbearable now. But still, there were principles that must be upheld.
	“I’ll get you back for that!” I yelled, racing across my lawn in pursuit of my attacker.
___________________________________________________________
	I inhaled deeply, my face pressed against the warm, delicious-smelling flesh of his neck. I loosened my grip around his neck, leaning against the back of the front seat so as to get a better look at his face. We were curled around each other in the backseat of a friend’s car; my arms around his neck and his around my waist as was characteristic of us. The slight bumpiness of the ride didn’t faze us anymore, as we had long since gotten accustomed to the severity of the driver’s turns.
	After a few moments of smiling wanly at him, I lowered my head down to his shoulder. Squeezing him tightly, I tilted my head slightly and place my lips against the shell of his ear. “Love, love, love,” I murmured gently.
	He pushed me away slightly, his eyes locked on my face for a brief moment before he shook his head. “You really do love me.”
	To me, it sounded like a realisation. His eyes were bright, and I’m sure that mine were shining with emotion. He hugged me to him once again, and I kissed his neck serenely.
	“I really do.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________
EDIT: I don't know what's up with the formatting. Sorry.

title: A series of stories

question: What does the text say about the narrator's friends?

answer: The narrator's first and best friend is Sophie, who defends her for wearing her clothes inside out. Later, the narrator meets a boy who uses the word "wonderful" frequently. At one point, the narrator and an unnamed friend have drawn cat whiskers on their faces during a bus ride. In the same bus ride, the narrator meets Alex, a boy who she says will be her best friend too. Later, the narrator and another unnamed friend sit on a porch on a hot summer day. Finally, the narrator tells an unnamed boy she loves him while they are in the backseat of a friend's car.

question: What does the text say about the narrator?

answer: The narrator's name is Ellie. She says that when she was a child, she was a ball of never-ending energy; she had very little concentration. She also says that she is very sensitive to touch, and as a result, she used to wear her clothing inside out to avoid the seams. At the end of the story, Ellie tells a boy she loves him.

question: What does the text say about the narrator's family?


text:
[Custody Battle]

16 Aug 2018 | Posted at 15:11h in Child Custody, Domestic

Are you about to enter into a messy custody battle?

You’re not alone. About 40% – 50% of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce which means for many, a custody disagreement can’t be far behind. A divorce can have lasting effects on your children and cost you more money than you could ever imagine.

Before you proceed with your negotiations, take a breath and read these five tips about how to approach a custody battle when it’s the only option you have left.

Try to Settle out of Court

There’s no way around it, getting divorced is expensive. A custody battle that goes to court will quickly rack up lawyer fees and before you know it, you’ll be spending more on the proceedings than the verdict is worth.

Many couples often head straight to court and skip the mediation option which would save you a ton of time, money and stress. You’ve likely already decided that talking to your ex and coming to a custody agreement together is out of the question.

If that’s the case, don’t rush to the judge. Try to work with a mediator who can help you come to a custody arrangement you both feel comfortable with. If you opt to go to court, you can’t guaranty a win and a bad court judgment could be even worse than what you were offered in mediation or directly from your spouse, to begin with.

Do Your Research

It’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into as you enter a custody battle. Do your research. Consult with experts if you can, ask your friends who have gone through similar situations or read about cases online.

Have an understanding of the family laws in your state and be realistic about your specific situation. Before you begin a potentially uphill battle, you should know what you’re getting yourself into and determine if the fight makes sense and could end well for you.

Keep It Civil

If you’re entering into a custody battle with your spouse, it’s safe to say tensions are high and you are not able to come to terms with one another without the help of outside sources. At the very least, make an agreement with your spouse to be civil to one another.

Don’t let the drama get the best of you. If you allow this to show in court, to the judge or to your spouse’s lawyer, it could end up working against you in the long run. You want to appear even-tempered and responsible in front of anyone who has a say about how often you get to see your child.

Pick Your Battles

Try to separate what you really want from what your anger or hurt is telling you to ask for. Don’t just ask for full-time custody because you want to stick it to your ex. That doesn’t serve you or your child in the long run.

You need to know what you’re fighting for and why. A custody battle shouldn’t be about revenge on your ex or because you don’t want your kids around your spouse’s new girlfriend. Those aren’t legitimate reasons to try to take your kid away from one of their parents so get clear on what you want and why.

The Kids Come First

A divorce can be difficult and traumatic for children even without a custody battle. Add that into the mix and your kids could really suffer. Try your best through the anger, resentment, and hurt of your own loss to put your kids first and do what’s truly best for them.

Don’t stop them from seeing one of their parents just because that’s a “win” for you. Think about the long-term effects this could have, act accordingly and urge your spouse to do the same.

Be Prepared for Your Custody Battle

There’s no way to sugar coat it, A CUSTODY BATTLE IS TERRIBLE. It can weigh heavily on the people involved, including the children, causing stress, anxiety and financial hardship.

Refer to the tips above as you enter into your case and see if they help mitigate some of the issues, resulting in an easier resolution for you and your family.

Wondering how an investigator can be useful to your case? Contact us for more information and don’t forget to read our blog for more tips.

question: What is a good way to save money in a divorce?

answer: The author recommends that a divorcee not take it to court. Instead, they should try to settle. Many people avoid this because they do not want to engage in mediation. However, it is often the best way to go because it saves money.

question: What does the author recommend about custody battles?

answer: First and foremost, the kids come first. The authors reminds the reader that a custody battle is terrible no matter what, exacting a psychological toll on all involved. They also counsel one to focus on what they want and why, rather than trying to focus on revenge against one's ex, as that is not a legitimate reason to revoke custody.


text:
MANUEL GARCIA II is a census-designated place (CDP) in Starr County, Texas, United States. It is a new CDP formed from part of the former La Casita-Garciasville CDP prior to the 2010 census with a population of 77.[1]

Geography

Manuel Garcia II is located at (26.312646, -98.691281).[2]

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title: Manuel Garcia II, Texas

question: Where is Manuel Garcia II located?

answer: It is located in Starr County, Texas.

question: What former CDP was Maneul Garcia II formed from?

answer: It was formed from La Casita-Garciasville, the former CDP.

question: What measurements are given to locate Manuel Garica II?

answer: The measurements given to locate Manuel Garcia II are longitude and latitude coordinates.

question: What is Manuel Garica II categorized as?

answer: It is categorized as a census-designated place (CDP).

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This article describes Manuel Garica II, a census-designated place in Texas.


text:
NASRAT ZAKI AL JAMAL (; born 1 July 1980) is a Lebanese former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

Club career

Al Jamal began his career at Lebanese Premier League side Tadamon Sour during the 1998–99 season, with whom he stayed until the 2003–04 season.[1] He helped his side win their first Lebanese FA Cup in 2000–01.[2]

In 2004 Al Jamal joined Ansar; he suffered an injury in November 2004, having to undergo surgery.[3] Despite his injury, Al Jamal scored two goals in the league during the 2004–05 season.[4] The following two seasons (2005–06 and 2006–07), Al Jamal helped Ansar win two domestic doubles (league and cup) in a row, as well as another cup in 2009–10.[5]

On 27 May 2010, Al Jamal moved to Iraqi side Duhok on a three-month loan;[6] he helped the Iraqi side win the 2009–10 Iraqi Premier League.[7] He stayed at Duhok for another season (2010–11),[8] before returning to Ansar in 2011. During his second spell at Ansar, Al Jamal won a league title (2011–12) and a Lebanese Super Cup (2012).[9]

In 2014 Al Jamal mvoed to Chabab Ghazieh, before joining Lebanese Third Division side Abbasiyah on 14 January 2015.[10] In 2016 he moved back to Tadamon Sour, where he retired in 2018.[11]

International career

Al Jamal made his senior international debut for Lebanon in 1999, in a friendly against Malta; the match ended 0–0.[12] Al Jamal was part of Lebanon's 2000 AFC Asian Cup squad, but didn't play.[13] His first international goal came on 9 September 2003, in a friendly against Bahrain.[14] Al Jamal ended his international career with 30 caps and three goals.[15]

Career statistics

International

    _Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Al Jamal goal_.

  No.   Date                Venue                                   Opponent   Score   Result   Competition
  ----- ------------------- --------------------------------------- ---------- ------- -------- ----------------------------------
  1     19 September 2003   Bahrain                                            3–4     3–4      Friendly
  2     8 February 2004     Beirut, Lebanon                                    2–1     2–1      Friendly
  3                         Rasmee Dhandu Stadium, Malé, Maldives              2–1     2–1      2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification

  : List of international goals scored by Nasrat Al Jamal[16]

Honours and achievements

Club

TADAMON SOUR

-   Lebanese FA Cup: 2000–01

ANSAR

-   Lebanese Premier League: 2005–06, 2006–07
-   Lebanese FA Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2011–12
-   Lebanese Super Cup: 2012

DUHOK

-   Iraqi Premier League: 2009–10

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title: Nasrat Al Jamal

question: Why did Al Jamal spend so much of his professional career in the Lebanese league?

question: Al Jamal score three goals in 30 games for his country. Why was his goal-appearance ratio so low?

answer: Al Jamal is a Lebanese former professional footballer who retired in 2018. He started his career at Tadamon Sour, a Lebanese Premier League side, before moving to Ansar where he had injury but managed to scored two goals for his team. Al Jamar made his international debut in 1999 and scored his first goal for Lebanon in 2003. Al Jamal did not score many goals mainly because of the position he plays on the field - attacking midfielder.


text:
C. Trent Rosecrans

[Brandon Phillips slides in safely after stealing second base against the Cardinals Wednesday.]
PHOENIX – Brandon Phillips already has twice as many stolen bases in 2015 (16) heading into Friday's game as he did in the past two years combined (two in 2014 and five in 2013) – and with his next one, he'll have more than he's had in a season since 2009, when he was 28.

The 34-year-old second baseman is not only stealing more bases this season, he's only been caught once so far this season. Last season, he was caught more times (three) than he was successful (two).

Reds manager Bryan Price said he thought he noticed Phillips was looking trimmer in spring training and after a few weeks he asked him.

"It was noticeable without having to ask," Price said. "When I did, I said he looked more athletic – even more athletic than usual. He said yes, he spent a lot of time at it, he lost some weight and felt really good. He felt the difference."

Phillips stole a carer-high 32 bases in 2007, when he also hit a career-high 30 home runs. Phillips stole at least 20 bases four times in his career and has a chance at reaching that again this season.

Price said he thought Phillips' offseason work not only helped him physically, but also mentally.

"I think part of stealing bases is picking your spots and the other spot is his ability to accelerate," Price said. "He just looked faster and he looked more agile in spring training. Now it's just a matter, he's using his knowledge, he knows situations. He knows guys aren't paying as much attention, he knows game environment. Just picking the right times to go."

INNINGS WATCH: The Reds aren't just keeping tab on their rookie starters now in the rotation, but also those pitchers who could join the team in September, including top prospect Robert Stephenson.

Stephenson, who suffered his first Triple-A hiccup in Friday night's start for Louisville, has 118¹/₃ innings between Louisville and Pensacola this year. Last season he threw 136¹/₃ in the minor leagues. Stephenson gave up five runs in the first inning of his four-inning start against Durham on Friday night. He allowed eight hits and four walks with five strikeouts.

"I'm not going to speak for the organization on what our decisions will be coming into September, but September would be a month where we'll be dolling out innings and rationing them as well if he was with us," Price said.

Price said he expects to see several players now in Louisville come up in September when rosters expand and add innings.

"We have (John) Lamb and (Brandon) Finnegan in Triple-A to go with (Matt) Buschmann and (Donn) Roach, who we were able to get during the season, we've got a nice rotation of pitchers there that we'd like to see," Price said. "And certainly Robert Stephenson, but his innings are accumulating as we speak. There's a lot of pitchers we'd like to see this year get an opportunity to see pitch."

SAMPSON GETS ANOTHER SHOT: When Keyvius Sampson made his first big-league start last Sunday, Price didn't make any promises that he'd stick in the rotation. That was up to Sampson.

The 24-year-old did his part by giving up just three runs on three hits over five innings with six strikeouts and one walk.

"We want to see him pitch," Price said. "He did nothing to suggest that he wasn't ready to make that start. I wanted to see him compete in the strike zone, which he did."

JOHNSON CEREMONY: The Diamondbacks are retiring Randy Johnson's No. 51 before Saturday's game with the Reds at Chase Field. The ceremony will push back the start time of Saturday's game until 8:35 p.m. Eastern.

The Diamondbacks will also wear No. 51 patches during the game to honor Johnson, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame earlier this season.

question: What is Brandon Philips' career high for bases stolen?

answer: Brandon Philips' career high for bases stolen is 32 bases.

question: What position does Brandon Philips play?

answer: Brandon Philips is a second baseman.

question: What number are the Diamondbacks retiring?

answer: The Diamondbacks are retiring the number 51 in honor of Randy Johnson.

question: Who is a top prospect to be the new Reds pitcher?

answer: Robert Stephenson is a top prospect to be the Reds new pitcher.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Brandon Philips is doing better at stealing bases than he did last season. The Reds are determining a new pitcher rotation, while Keyvius Sampson made his big league starting debut. The Diamondbacks have decided to retire Randy Johnson's No 51.


text:
   On the eleventh day of June in the year 2013, a young girl by the name of Annabelle sat in her bed thinking.

   Her best friend, Macy, was texting her the usual amusing conversations that arose between them.

   Her younger sister laid in her bed, probably asleep, but Annabelle had no way of knowing for sure.

   Her parents were in their bedroom, watching TV. Annabelle was alone.

   The air conditioning was on; it had been a hot day. Annabelle pulled the comforter up around her and shot her friend a quick text; she hadn't responded in a while. Annabelle was alone emotionally.

   Music drifted through Annabelle's head, a symphany of symphanies. She could almost feel the pull of her alto saxophone strap on her neck and the smooth metal keys under her fingers.

   Annabelle yawned, it had been a dull day. A dull day stacked upon dull days. Summer stretched on forever, with no end in sight.

   Annabelle glanced around her room. Hanging on her white walls were pictures and drawings and letters and posters. Some of it had been given to her by her friends and family, and some she had made herself. Someday she was going to run out of space, but for now the cluttered wall made Annabelle feel at home in her small room.

   Closing her eyes for a second, Annabelle imagined how her life could be different. It could be worse- seperated parents, no house, no food, no money. But it could also be better: more friends. No matter how many or how good, Annabelle never felt like it was enough. She didn't necessarily want to be *popular*, but she wanted people from all different groups to like her for who she was.

   A lot of times Annabelle felt like her intelligence created a barrier between her and other people. People would hear about her grades or her "good girl" aura before they actually talked to her. She didn't really have any proof, but it was Annabelle's best guess.

   Annabelle was shy, but only sometimes. As much as Annabelle tried not to fit into a stereotype, she sometimes held herself to it. She would dance in math class with Macy to music inside her head, but when there was an oportunity to dance on camera in band, she was one of only 5 people who refused.

   Annabelle wasn't sure if she was pretty or not. Sometimes, she looked in the mirror and really felt good about herself. But othertimes, sometimes later in the day or in a different light, Annabelle thought she was plain. She was pretty convinced this was the truth, and the way everyone saw her. Annabelle didn't think that anyone was beautiful, because to her that was someone with no flaws. Annabelle knew her definition of beautiful was wrong, but she knew she couldn't change it.

   Annabelle didn't know what it meant to be beautiful on the inside. A beautiful soul must be pink and rosy, but everyone had flaws, little black edges. Annabelle wasn't sure if black could be beautiful, or even if black wanted to be beautiful. Maybe black loved to be the other side of the coin.

   Love wasn't something Annabelle felt sure about, but I guess if we are being truthful, she wasn't sure about anything. She didn't know if love was possible at 13 or 14, or even 20. She didn't know what love was. Anyone can find a list of "symptoms" of love on the internet, but Annabelle didn't really believe any of it. Was true love even possible?

   Annabelle stared up at the ceiling fan and watched it spin. It had such a wonderfly boring life. It spun and spun, and when it was cold outside it was stopped. No independent thought or worries or obligations of any kind. It was a ceiling fan and no one expected it to be or do anything extrordinary. What a life.

**TL;DR** A young girl thinks about her life and eventually it all boils down to a ceiling fan.

title: The Metaphorical Life of a Ceiling Fan

question: Are Macy and Annabelle schoolmates as well?

answer: It is implied that they were, they are described dancing together in Math class.

question: Is Annabelle part of a music band?

answer: She might be part of the school band.

question: How old is Annabelle?

answer: This information is not found.

question: Where did she get her definition of beautiful?

answer: This information is not found.

question: Does Annabelle think she is in love?

answer: This information is not found.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Annabelle is sitting at home in bed, thinking about her life. She is imagining how her life could be better, she thinks about how her "good girl" aura precedes her when meeting new people, about what it means to be beautiful and what it feels like to be in love. The story ends with her thinking about what an easy life it is to just be a ceiling fan.


text:
You're working at a corner store during the summer to save money for when you have to go back to college in August. It's not a hard job. Ring items up. Put them in a bag. When it's time to go home you turn off the lights and lock up the store. It's not much but it's a job.

You're not quite an adult, not quite a boy. Sure, you're legally an adult, but you don't pay bills. You're really only working at this place so you can afford to have fun when you go back to school. You have about an hour left on your shift, and you're spending it watching soap operas you can't understand and eating candy bars you haven't paid for. That's when he walks in the door.

This is the guy that made your childhood a living hell. He's not quite an adult, not quite an child, but he's more of an adult than you. He's the same age as you. Same grade. You haven't seen him in years, but you've heard some things. You know he got married out of high school, and was divorced soon after. You know he has a kid that he struggles to support. And just looking at him you know you're far better off than him. Finally.

You see this guy in front of you. The reason why you chose to walk three miles to school instead of take the bus. The reason why you faked sick so many days back in middle school, and the reason you ditched so many classes in high school. You see this guy in front of you, and you can't help but be a little happy. You can see the gap of time from when you last saw each other hasn't been kind to him. He's fat now. He looks dirty. His clothes are the same ones that he wore in high school only worn down with time. He still has hair only now it just sits in a tangled heap on top of his head. He has a beard that looks like it's there because he can't afford to shave. And even his voice sounds like it's degraded. If you hadn't known him before now you might have mistaken him for a bum wandering in the store for some alcohol.

Which isn't too far off.

This man that made you kneel in dog shit in elementary school. This guy who used to take your lunch money. This guy who would make fun of you until you cried is walking up in down the aisles of the store. He makes his way to the alcohol section and starts combing over the different selection of beers.

He's taking a while so you let your mind wander for a bit. You think of those women in those soap operas you can't understand. How you wouldn't mind having women like *that* at your school. You think about what it would be like to act on one of those shows. You think about how you used to love acting in school plays when you were younger until this homeless looking guy looking for beer in your store harassed you about it. How he'd call you a faggot or queer. How he caused you to have such bad anxiety when you tried to act that you simply couldn't do it anymore. You think of nervous you felt when he was around that he caused you to stutter. Which of course only led to more insults.

This guy who used to beat the shit out of you anytime he could. This guy who told all your friends that they were losers for hanging out with you finally chooses his beer and brings it to your cash register. And of course it's one of those bad beers. Six beers for six dollars. And of course it's beer.

Cheap beer.

High school beer.

And as your ringing him up you think of how much fun you used to have at parties until he started showing up. Until he held you under his arm and poured beer over your head in front of the whole party. You think of how many parties you must have missed because of that incident.

And this guy who made you the self-conscious, self-loathing wreck you are today asks for a pack of cigarettes too. Of course he wants cigarettes. And as you ring him up you can smell the quality of his life. Cigarette smoke, alcohol,  and body odor. His smell is his life. And as he goes to reach in his wallet you can't help, but notice a couple of his fingers are missing. Partially. The last joint on his index and middle finger. The second joint on his ring. Gone. And of course he can't help but notice you noticing.

Construction accident.

These words he mutters under his breath before he collects his things and turns to leave. And for a moment you feel bad for him. You pity him. He makes you hate him more, because you can't really hate him. And as he turns to leave he asks you a questions that takes away all the pity you just had for him.

*Do you have any jobs available?*

This man who made cry most nights out of fear during elementary school. This guy who is the reason your parents wanted to sign you up for therapy. This guy who made you contemplate ending your life in high school is asking you for a fucking job. Your fucking job.

And you take a moment to take it in. A thousand different responses flood your brain, but it's difficult to select the right one. So you decide to answer his question with a question.

*Do you know who I am?*

You ask wanting a response, but not expecting an answer. And the man pauses for a moment before answering. He looks at your face. Into your eyes. He looks at you with a blank expression on his face before answering no.

title: Bully

question: What does the story say about the school the narrator goes to?

question: What does the story say about the narrator?

answer: The narrator works the cash register at a corner store during the summer. He wants to save money so he can afford to have fun when he goes back to college in August. He's not quite an adult yet, and not quite a boy anymore. He's legally an adult (possibly 18) but doesn't really pay any bills yet. The narrator suffers from anxiety because he was bullied as a child.

question: In what ways did the bully negatively affect the narrator's childhood?

answer: The bully made the narrator's childhood a living hell. He crushed the narrator's dreams of acting in school plays and caused bad anxiety every time he tried to act. The bully beat the narrator anytime he could and the latter would cry out of fear on most nights. The narrator contemplated committing suicide in high school because of the bully. His parents even wanted him to sign up for therapy. The bully made the narrator the self-conscious, self-loathing wreck he is today.

question: How does the narrator's sentiment towards the bully change over the course of the story?

answer: When the narrator first saw the bully that tormented him from elementary school to high school, he recalled all the nasty stuff the guy used to do to him. He felt it all again - the pain, the shame, the inadequacy, anger, and frustration of not being able to do anything about it. The bully now looks like a fat homeless loser, and the narrator is somewhat glad he's finally better than him. The narrator then begins to take pity on the bully when he notices that the guy is missing a few fingers. This pity makes the narrator hate the bully more because he can't really hate on him now that the tables have somewhat turned in their respective lives.


text:
MIKHAIL ANTONOVICH ROSTOVTSEV (22 October 1872 – 19 April 1948, Moscow) was a Russian and Soviet bass, opera and operetta singer, stage actor and film actor. He was made an Honored Artist of the Republic (1927) and an Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1936).

Life

He was the eighteenth child of a Jewish watchmaker and from 1881 onwards lived and went to school in Rostov-on-Don. He sang in the Lyubetskii (Rostov-on-Don) synagogue choir for nine years and from 1884 onwards was an opera dancer.

He joined various popular music ensembles from 1888 onwards before taking the stage name Protsenko. From 1890 to 1894 he performed in the Ukrainian troupes led by Derkach and Kropyvnytskyi. He later appeared in Kharkov, from 1897 in Moscow and from 1900 in Saint Petersburg. He also set up his own troupe, which toured the Russian Empire. He made his operetta debut in 1901 with the stage name Rostovtsev. Up until 1919 he appeared in major operetta ensembles in Vladivostok, Moscow and Saint Petersburg as well as singing in cabarets

From 1923 onwards he performed at the Maly Petrograd State Academic Theatre ( MALEGOT ) and GATOB, where he was a master in musical comedy and improvisation. He also appeared in several films such as _His Excellency_ (1928), _Lieutenant Kijé_ (1934), _Late for a Date_ (1936) (all produced by Belgoskino), _In the Name of Life_ (1947) and _Cinderella_ (1947) and served with hospital and fighting units during World War Two.

title: Mikhail Rostovtsev (actor)

question: Who is Mikhail Rostovtsev?

answer: Mikhail Rostovtsev was a Russian and Soviet bass, opera and operetta singer, stage actor and film actor.

question: What recognitions did he receive?

answer: He received the Honored Artist of the Republic (1927) and the Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1936).

question: What was the stage name he used?

answer: His stage name was Protsenko.

question: When did he make his operetta debut?

answer: in 1901

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: Mikhail Rostovtsev was a Russian and Soviet bass, opera and operetta singer, stage actor and film actor.


text:
[John_Stuart_Mill_by_London_Stereoscopic_Company,_c1870_0.jpg]

_John Stuart Mill/Wikimedia_

The social problem of the future we considered to be, how to unite the greatest individual liberty of action, with a common ownership in the raw material of the globe, and an equal participation of all in the benefits of combined labour.

- J.S. Mill, _Autobiography_, 1873, speaking of himself and the philosopher Harriet Taylor.

Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty First Century argues that, absent corrective action, we can look forward to a rise in capital’s share of national income and a corresponding depression of the share of labour. This might not be so significant were capital evenly distributed so that all could share in its higher returns. But Piketty shows that the distribution of capital is extremely unequal and likely to grow more so. At the same time, he argues, the share of wealth that is inherited looks set  to increase. Together these trends threaten to produce a society in which a relatively small section of the population comes to claim a larger share of national income through its (increasingly) concentrated ownership of (increasingly) inherited wealth.

How might we prevent this from happening? In a recent interview with Piketty, Martin O’Neill draws out the connection between Piketty’s concerns and those of the economist James Meade. Writing in the 1960s, Meade envisaged a future in which technological change would reduce the demand for labour and thereby increase the return to capital.[1] Given the highly unequal ownership of wealth, Meade expected this to lead to increased inequality of income. His proposed solution was to explore ways of equalising claims to the return on capital. This could involve measures to widen the private ownership of property (‘property-owning democracy’) and/or to socialise capital and share out the return on this.

Meade’s work fits into a wider tradition of what one might call _alternative liberalism_. While this tradition endorses both markets and significant private ownership of wealth, its proponents also see a key role for collective action, including action by the state, in determining, for egalitarian purposes, the content of the right to capital and its distribution. I call this tradition _liberal_ because some of its leading theorists, such as J.S. Mill and James Meade, identified as liberals and because the Liberal party in the UK historically drew on and contributed to it.[2] But it is an _alternative_ liberalism to neoliberalism in that it takes a different view of the content of the right to capital and regards rules regulating the distribution of wealth as properly subject to collective determination and an egalitarian conception of the common good.

Without claiming that alternative liberalism offers all the answers to the problems Piketty identifies, I do think it is a useful tradition to engage with. My aim here is to clarify some of its main ideas and discuss its political relevance.

RIGHTS _OF_ CAPITAL: INCOME AND CONTROL

Say you have a right to some capital, in particular to some capital invested in a firm. What should the content of this right be? What sort of rights to income from, and control over, the firm should the right entail?

In the historic Liberal party in the UK the answers to these questions centred around notions of profit-sharing and co-determination.

Let’s take profit-sharing first. This term can mean a number of different things, but in the mainstream Liberal party tradition it had a specific meaning. The firm is seen as a partnership of labour and capital. Workers are entitled to a (trade-union negotiated) wage. Capitalists are entitled to a ‘capital wage’, a norm for the rate of return on investment. Any income the firm receives over costs, including the wages of labour and capital, is pure profit. Who has a right to this pure profit? One view, going back to Co-operator Robert Owen, is that labour and capital both have a legitimate claim to a share of this. This is seen as both just in itself and (in some accounts) good for workplace relations and productivity. Some Liberals argued that profit-sharing in this sense should be compulsory (though the details of this were very controversial). Capital should not be allowed, on this Liberal view, to monopolise pure profit to the exclusion of workers. Capital’s right to income does not stretch that far.

At the same time, Liberals argued that capital’s authority in the firm ought to be limited by workers’ rights to consultation and participation in structures of co-determination. The right of capital to control the firm is not absolute. The right to invest in a firm is conditional, on this view, on accepting workers’ rights to share in authority at various levels of decision-making. Participation rights here can include representation on works’ councils and on firms’ governing bodies. The rationale for this was again in part about alleged work relations and productivity, but also about inherent justice. In the words of one Liberal party report from the 1960s:

Just as there is a difference between a citizen and a mere subject, so there is a difference between an employee who is simply hired by his company and one who shares, officially and formally, in the ultimate power to determine the company’s aims and call its directors to account.[3]

Indeed, for some more radical liberals/Liberals the idea of co-determination sometimes gave way to the idea that firms ought to be labour-managed. Firms should be run by their workers. To attract capital, worker-managed firms would of course have to offer a return on investment. But investors would not have a right to directly control the firms themselves. A further step along this road, of course, is to envisage workers owning the firm they manage, either in whole or in part.

We see a vision of this kind in J.S. Mill’s _Principles of Political Economy_ (1848) which argues that ‘the relation of masters and workpeople will be gradually superseded by partnership, in one of two forms:...association of the labourers with the capitalist; in others, and perhaps finally in all, association of labourers among themselves’.[4] And well over a century later, we see Paddy Ashdown, leader of the newly formed Liberal Democrats, returning to the idea of the labour-managed firm: ‘[i]n some cases, the present situation will be reversed…with workers employing capital and even hiring their own management’.[5]

RIGHTS _TO_ CAPITAL: DIRECT AND INDIRECT

Undoubtedly many will find these modifications of the right to capital—the limitation of capital’s income and control rights—too modest. Perhaps in and of themselves they are. But they are just part of the package potentially offered by alternative liberalism. Also important is the way this tradition thinks about the right _to_ capital and the role of collective action in shaping the underlying distribution of wealth.

For much of the twentieth century, the Liberal Party campaigned on the slogan, _Ownership for All_. The ideal was a society in which all citizens would hold some wealth. In its most radical form, the moral claim is that we have a right to capital as citizens.

At the policy level, Liberals tended for the most part to support rather modest measures to encourage wider ownership, e.g., tax relief for personal saving accounts. Liberals also supported taxation of inherited wealth. Meade considered  how one might structure such a tax to motivate a wider dispersion of inheritances. One might think of these policy ideas as instruments that seek to institute a right to capital indirectly, by means of supposedly helpful incentives and/or targeted assistance.

Another possibility is to link profit-sharing (as described above) to the aim of spreading wealth. One idea that played a part in Liberal debates in the 1960s—though it was never formally adopted as party policy—was to use labour’s profit share to invest in firms’ assets so that, over time, workers would build up their own share in firms’ wealth. (This reflected a wider interest in such ideas at the time in Western Europe, an interest which arguably found its most radical expression in the famous ‘Meidner plan’ developed by the economist Rudolf Meidner at the request of the Swedish trade union movement.)

The most direct way to institute a right to capital, however, is simply to make it a basic right of citizenship. In his _Agrarian Justice_, published in 1797, Tom Paine argued that every citizen reaching adulthood should receive a capital grant from the state, paid for by a tax on inherited wealth.[6] The proposal resurfaced at intervals during the 19th century. Dane Clouston brought it into Liberal party debate in the 1970s (and he continues to advocate it) and it has recently made a comeback not least due to the efforts of Bruce Ackerman and Anne Alstott in their 1999 book, The Stakeholder Society. The idea of a universal capital grant was taken up in the UK in a modest way by the previous Labour government in the form of the Child Trust Fund,[7] one of the first policies to be abolished by the Coalition government.

Another model of a citizens’ right to capital is what we might term the Citizens’ Trust. Meade was somewhat sceptical about the state owning and running particular firms or industries. However, he thought the state should build up its own set of stocks and shares in what Gerald Holtham terms a ‘community fund’ . In Meade’s vision of what he called ‘Agathotopia’ (the good place, though not the perfect place of utopia), he imagines the community owning something like 50% of the nation’s productive assets in this way. The return on this national asset or community fund can then be paid out to the citizenry as a social dividend. A real-world example of what Meade has in mind is the Alaska Permanent Fund. This invests revenue derived from the sale of mineral rights and pays out a modest annual return to every Alaskan citizen.

EXTENDING THE CITIZENS’ TRUST IDEA: BASIC INCOME

In Meade’s model of the Citizens’ Trust collective asset ownership is seen as a way of securing a basic income: an income paid to every citizen as of right with no means test or work-related condition. However, we don’t necessarily have to think of basic income as something delivered solely through a Citizens’ Trust. Another, complementary, possibility is to consider how the tax-transfer system can be structured to provide a basic income.

There is, again, considerable support for this in the tradition I am calling alternative liberalism. One proposal, currently floated by the Citizens’ Income Trust in the UK, is to fold most existing cash benefits and tax reliefs into a basic income scheme. Another long-standing idea seeks to link specific natural resource taxes to the funding of a basic income. One strand in the liberal philosophical tradition, for example, argues that natural resources such as land are fundamentally the property of all. If individuals wish to use those resources for private purposes, they may do this. But they must pay the community for the privilege. Taxes, e.g., a land value tax, can be used to ‘charge’ natural resource users for their appropriation of part of the commons. The funds can then be recycled to citizens as a basic income, reflecting their right to an equal share of the underlying resources.

ALTERNATIVE LIBERALISM IN PRACTICE?

A society designed to satisfy the aspirations of alternative liberalism would look rather different to our own, though familiar in other ways. Some assets would remain privately-owned, though the distribution would perhaps be more equal due to the effects of inheritance tax and basic capital schemes. Many citizens would sell their labour-power to make a living, but the context would be reshaped somewhat by rights of participation in firm decision-making and, not least, by a basic income. Though technological developments might put downward pressure on labour’s share of national income, workers would be compensated for this by their greater access to the return on capital. There is reason to think that such a society would be more distributively and relationally egalitarian than our own. With such measures backed up by strong trade unions, quality public services and other social security payments (such as to cover the additional living costs of disability), a society of this kind would certainly look very different to the scenario otherwise predicted by Piketty.

But can alternative liberalism connect with political practice?

As the discussion above suggests, alternative liberalism did influence thinking in mainstream UK politics in the 20th century. Although the Liberal party was quite marginal for most of the century, the tradition also had some support within the Labour party and, in the 1980s, the Social Democratic Party. However, even then, its impact on actual policy was limited. And, in the last couple of decades, alternative liberalism has struggled to retain a hold within the mainstream ‘centre left’.

Nevertheless, there remain echoes of it in Liberal Democrat and Labour proposals for ‘mansion taxes’. Labour MP David Lammy proposes a shift to taxation of unearned wealth from taxation of income and that we adopt power-sharing and profit-sharing in companies in his 2011 book Out of the Ashes. Researchers at the centre-left think-tank IPPR have also recently explored forms of power-/profit-sharing (Lawton and Lanning 2013, Lawrence and MacNeil 2014), while Martin O’Neill has argued that Labour’s big idea of ‘predistribution’ should be developed in terms of Meade-style notions of ‘property-owning democracy’.

We can also see an interest in some of the ideas associated with this tradition in green and emerging social movement thinking. Amelia Womack, deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, has argued that all workers should have the right to convert their firm into a co-op, a proposal that is now that Party’s policy. The New Economics Foundation’s work on tackling economic inequality has recently included proposals for wider employee share ownership, community share ownership, profit-sharing, and a land value tax linked to a ‘citizen endowment’.[8] http://b.3cdn.net/nefoundation/9f13eb419294bb7cfe_abm6bc76e.pdfGuy Standing’s attempt to imagine a ‘Precariat Charter’ to address inequalities of power and material insecurity in the contemporary labour market includes proposals for basic income and, as also suggested by Angela Cummine, to develop and use Sovereign Wealth Funds in a manner akin to a Citizens’ Trust. Many of these proposals also feature in an attempt to explore a ‘republican’ political economy in an e-book edited by myself and Niki Seth-Smith.  There is much common ground, too, with the ideas for ‘community-wealth building’ being developed very concretely by the Democracy Collaborative in the US, though there is a stronger emphasis in their work on the need to root capital in specific places than one usually finds in the alternative liberal traditionhttp://whatthenmustwedo.org/. The Little Book of Ideas produced by Occupy London’s Economics Working group has entries on basic income, employee share ownership and land value tax. Basic income in particular seems to be emerging as a core element of a post-Occupy perspective on what a new economy should involve.

At times in the past, alternative liberalism has been an intellectual tradition largely confined to a technocratic elite at some distance from popular movements for social justice.  But as new popular movements try to articulate a way forward from neoliberalism, the tradition of alternative liberalism has a lot to offer. Perhaps, as some of its ideas become grounded in such movements, they will find the political traction they lacked for much of the twentieth century.

_My thanks to Martin O’Neill for comments on an earlier draft._

STUART WHITE _is a political theorist at Oxford University. He is interested in the relationship between democratic citizenship and the economy. He is an editor of the_ _Great Charter Convention_ _at openDemocracy._

_CROSSPOSTED WITH THANKS TO_ _NEW LEFT PROJECT__
_

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[1] James Meade, _Efficiency, Equality, and the Ownership of Property_ (London: Allen and Unwin, 1964).

[2] See Stuart White, ‘“Revolutionary Liberalism”? The Philosophy and Politics of Ownership in the Post-War Liberal Party’, _British Politics_ 4 (2), 2009, pp. 164-187.

[3] Liberal Party, _Industrial Affairs_ (London: Liberal Party, 1962), p. 23.

[4] John Stuart Mill, in Donald Winch, ed., _Principles of Political Economy_, Books IV and V (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1970 [1848]), p. 129.

[5] Paddy Ashdown, _Citizen’s Britain: A Radical Agenda for the 1990s_ (London: Fourth Estate, 1989), p. 113.

[6] Thomas Paine, ‘Agrarian Justice’, in Michael Foot and Isaac Kramnick, eds., _The Thomas Paine Reader_ (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1987 [1797]).

[7] Rajiv Prabhakar, _The Assets Agenda_ (Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2008).

[8]

question: What does Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty First Century argue?

answer: It argues that absent corrective action, we can look forward to a rise in capital’s share of national income and a corresponding depression of the share of labor.

question: What is the main principle Piketty argues?

answer: The distribution of capital is far less likely than its being inherited.

question: What are James Meade's proposed solutions?

answer: There could be measures to widen the private ownership of property and/or to socialise capital and share out the return on this.

question: To which party does Meade belong?

answer: He identifies as a liberal.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer: This article explores the issue of labor and property ownership in the United Kingdom. Thomas Piketty, in his text "Capital in the Twenty First Century, argues that absent corrective action, we can look forward to a rise in capital’s share of national income and a corresponding depression of the share of labor. That is to say, the distribution of capital is far less likely than its being inherited. This is why there may be some contemporary issues with implementing solutions, though several have been identified by writer and thinker James Meade. Meade proposes that there could be measures to widen the private ownership of property and/or to socialise capital and share out the return on this. Meade identifies as a liberal, looks at the difference between an employee who is simply hired by his company and one who shares, officially and formally, in the ultimate power to determine the company’s aims and call its directors to account. The latter seems to result in more evenly distributed wealth (and capital).