text:
For a startup, offline events can get really expensive. In the past (especially when we were bootstrapping), we’ve often skipped exhibiting at events primarily because of the huge cost commitment and uncertain RoI.

Just like the folks over at Groove and Buffer, we too believe in being transparent in our functionality which is why earlier we shared an in-depth description of how AdPushup raised its first angel investment. Then we went ahead and wrote a post about what it takes and how much it costs to build a kickass office for your startup.

Continuing down the same road, IN THIS ARTICLE WE SHARE WHAT ALL WE LEARNED BY EXHIBITING AT AN OFFLINE EVENT ALONG WITH THE COST ANALYSIS AND OUR MARKETING STRATEGY.

  EVENT: AdTech 2015, 19-20 March
  AT: New Delhi, India

The post is divided into six parts. Read all of them.
.: Introduction
.: Booth Breakdown
.: Viral Marketing Strategy feat. Larry Page and _Boogle_(sic)
.: What we learned from the two days we were there
.: Areas where we lacked
.: Misc Learning

This is a slightly long post, but I promise you that it will definitely help if you’re planning to exhibit/participate an industry event in the near future.
SO, LET’S GET STARTED.

-   Introduction
-   Booth breakdown (design and cost)
-   Marketing strategy (“Boogle” success with idea/cost breakdown)
-   What we learned from the two days we were there
-   Where we lacked
-   Miscellaneous learning
-   Grand Total – INR 3,45,606.87 (USD $5,417.42)
-   Finally, ROI from the event –

Introduction

WHY WE DECIDED TO EXHIBIT FOR AN OFFLINE EVENT:

-   A visibly shorter route to get in touch with enterprise publishers.
-   Generate interest and buzz before our product’s launch.
-   Brand building.

OUR EXPECTATION FROM THE EVENT:

-   Educate target audience (TA) about our product.
-   Generate leads.
-   Learn more about our TA: You can never do enough of it, just speak to them and listen carefully. You’ll be surprised to know how very little things they say, can help you understand your TA better.

CONCERNS (WHAT ALL THIS MEANT FOR US):

-   This was our first offline event and a really big one for that. And believe it or not – first impressions do count.
-   We’re frugal and were not sure how much of an RoI we’d get out of it.

To get a better idea of how big this event was (and bigger the risk for us), here’s the official AdTech 2015 showreel:

AND BELOW IS A BREAKDOWN OF ATTENDEES – BY JOB LEVEL

[adtech-joblevel-exhibitors]

BREAKDOWN OF ATTENDEES – BY COMPANY TYPE

[adtech-company-exhibitors-type]
Source

Here’s a breakdown of the Attendees at the AdPushup booth (data based on a sample size of 100):

[booth-attendance-adpushup]

Booth breakdown (design and cost)

EXHIBITOR BOOTH FEE: INR 2,80,900 (USD $4403.14 – including taxes)
BOOTH DESIGN: We went for a clean and sober color scheme. Design was presented by the vendors who do booth fabrication – complimentary.

[booth-design-edit]
SIZE – 3×2 metres

COST OF FABRICATION:

-   Structure and construction of Booth – INR 35,600 (USD $559.26)
-   LCD TV Rental – 1 nos – INR 2,500 (USD $39.27)
-   Focus Lights/Color Lights/DJ Lights – 1 nos – INR 2,000 (USD $31.42)
-   Service Tax – INR 4956.36 (USD $77.86)
-   Total Cost – INR 45,056.36 (USD $707.82)

OVERSIGHT IN BOOTH PLANNING THAT WE FOUND AFTER THE EVENT –

-   The DJ lights didn’t blend in well with the fluorescent lights and background. Was a waste of money.
-   Placement of our “Features” text on the booth walls and the table was not visible because
    A) lack of standing space in the booth due to which we ended up crowding and blocking the view on the wall
    B) it fell behind the LCD TV
    C) the booth location was such that only someone leaving (mental state: made up their mind, not seeking information, perhaps tired) would be able to notice the features as opposed to someone who is coming (mental state: exploring, energetic, open to ideas).

[booth-mistakes]

(POSITIVE FLIP SIDE – Because visitors were unable to see immediately what ‘we do’, they had to direct enquiries and questions verbally towards us instead of just picking up a pamphlet and walking off. This gave us the opportunity to deliver our full marketing pitch to them instead of a bland ‘Read Me’)

Marketing strategy (“Boogle” success with idea/cost breakdown)

Considering the scale of the event, it was obvious that there would be a lot of other exhibitors and most of them would have spent a lot more than us, for this event. So what is it that we can do to attract more footfall?

We were looking for a strategy to attract more people to the booth, with a potential to create something viral on the Internet. The task was to develop an idea that had the capacity to spread with as little money, considering we had already spent a lot on the booth.

IT WAS A GIVEN THAT THE STRATEGY SHOULD GO WELL WITH OUR TARGET AUDIENCE AND NOT BE A STRATEGY JUST FOR NOVELTY’S SAKE I.E. WHICH ATTRACT NUMBERS BUT NOT RESULTS.

While brainstorming, the team came up with a (legally) risky yet very witty idea, which we call as ‘Boogle’. We did it mostly because we though it is going to be fun and which it eventually was.

BACKGROUND: We’re a SaaS business and our target audience is web publishers, most of them monetize their websites using GOOGLE ADSENSE (which is famed for its MONTHLY PAYMENT CHECKS). AdPushup helps them optimize their ad layout, which means higher revenue by fighting banner blindness, without compromising on the user experience. So essentially our users generate more revenue from ad networks like AdSense because of us.

  The question we had to ask ourselves was – In an offline event, how do you show a visitor in 5 seconds that an online company can help them increase their revenue (specifically online revenue from display ads) while simulating a natural real life occurrence.

The simplest and most effective way to do that would be by giving out a gift. A ‘GIFT’ IS IMMEDIATELY PROCESSED, ACCEPTED AND ONE OF THE QUICKEST WAYS TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP based on a positive action (which even the FBI agrees with).

But then a lot of companies give away very expensive gifts at their booths (which we can’t really compete with), so how do we stand out? How do we attract and encourage visitors to our booth?

_The answer was – What if we could get an industry celebrity to stand at our booth and give the gifts? A lot of people would definitely want to take pictures with this celebrity and almost certainly share it on their social networks._

Now in the AdTech world (and all over the world) the biggest brand name that everyone is familiar with is Google which is perfect because it deals directly with what we do. Since we Google cannot represent itself in human form to give away the prize, it was necessary to find a person who could complete this function. This person had to be well known, instantly recognizable by our TA and relevant to our industry.

We thought about a lot of good influencers but settled on Larry Page.

I PICKED UP MY PHONE AND TRIED REACHING OUT TO LARRY PAGE, ASKING HIM TO COME TO INDIA AND STAND AT OUR BOOTH FOR TWO DAYS AND HELP US WITH THE PROMOTION. NOTHING UNREASONABLE, EH?

Of course, I’m kidding. But we did the next (arguably) best thing.

WE DECIDED THAT WE’D HAVE A CARDBOARD CUTOUT OF LARRY PAGE HANDING OUT THE PRIZE UNDER THE OWNERSHIP OF BOOGLE (apparent legal reasons. For the lawyers reading, I know it’s still deceptively similar).

…and what was our gift/prize? $2 MILLION IN AD REVENUE FROM BOOGLE.

ADPUSHUP PLUG: So Larry Page would handover this check from Boogle (synonymous with the AdSense check), to the publisher which will be worth $1 Million, with a strikethrough on the amount and $2 Million written right below it, explaining that AdPushup helped the publisher optimize their ad revenue from a million dollars to two. And we really do that.

  DISCLAIMER: Since Larry Page was not available, we decided to honor him in spirit… by photoshopping an image of him handing out our prop check (yup, we totally piggybacked on his popularity).

  And Larry, when you read this – We’re huge fans ourselves, of the Google team and product and we didn’t malign your name in anyway during the execution of this witty plan.

  Please don’t sue us.

HERE’S A BREAKDOWN OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS:

[decision-making-flowchart-boogle]

‘BOOGLE’ PREPARATION

WITH THIS STRATEGY, OUR EXPECTATION WAS TO MAKE IT A TALKING POINT DURING THE EVENT AND HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE CLICK PICTURES AT THE BOOTH AND SHARE IT ONLINE.

The first thing we needed was an image of a man handing out/receiving something. We found the perfect image at stock photo repository site 123rf.com and purchased it from them for INR 1,200 (USD $18.80):

[Stock Image]

Here’s our first shot at superimposing Larry’s head on the image:

[larry-unedited]

But the facial expression in the above image was quite solemn. On the other hand, we required an image that showed his face excited and full of vigor and which we found in this one:

[]

Using basic photoshop we copied Larry’s face from the second image on to the first one thereby making him more in line for our purposes (and I believe we did a pretty rad job about it).

Next was constructing a fake check which was a breeze. Key elements of the check were –

1.  Payee – *will be filled with Visitor’s name*.
2.  Erasable ink material used for construction. This would allow us rewrite ‘Payee’ names on the check.
3.  Check amount of $1 million is crossed off and bumped to $2 million with the text reading that – “$1 million Optimized To 2 million By AdPushup.” The idea being that we doubled the advertising revenue of the person getting the photo clicked.
4.  Branding (website site url, logo, headline)

_Here’s the final finished image –_

[larry-final-design]

We even had some face masks made under the contingency if things didn’t go as planned. However, hollow eyed Larry didn’t have a very inspiring expression:

[shubham-larry]

All said and done, here’s the Boogle Strategy in a nutshell –

[exhibitors-boogle-strategy-in-a-nut-shell]

BOOGLE EXECUTION

We would first deliver our pitch to our booth visitors and once they were set to leave, we’d hit them with the Boogle task.

We also entered them in a end of the day competition wherein the person with the most shares or retweets (for the picture with Boogle) will get an Amazon gift card worth INR 5,000.
NOTE: In the beginning few hours we offered to enter them in a lucky draw but that wasn’t too encouraging an award so we changed it to the above process (which was better because now we fueled the virality quotient of this strategy).

_Essentially we were optimizing as we went along the day._

8/10 WERE INTRIGUED AND STOPPED BY TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BOOGLE, SPECIFICALLY, WHY DID WE HAVE A CUT OUT OF LARRY PAGE.

However, this still wasn’t inspiring enough to get people to take action. It turns out that visitors need an added incentive to commit an action ‘right now’ unless there is an immediate benefit involved, no matter how small or big.

So, A HIGHER CONVERSION OF BOOGLE STARTED ONCE WE MADE TWO SMALL BUT IMPORTANT CHANGES –

-   Put a candy bowl,
    (we saw that the other booths had visibly higher footfall because visitors stopped by to pickup candy.  This was enough time duration for their booth reps to deliver the sales pitch)
-   And offered an immediate gift in the form of wrapped up Parker pens on completion of the Boogle task.
    (Extrinsic Motivation)
    _Note:_ We bought these pens on the second day (40 nos – INR 4,000; USD $62.67)

_Here’s a picture breakdown of what we asked patrons to do once they stepped inside the booth:_

[vartika-edited]

We used the LCD screen to update our Twitter feed with all the pictures. This doubled as a visual cue to intrigue other passers-by into checking us out.

_Result –_

  #adpushup hey I won a million dollar cheque… 😀 pic.twitter.com/XPURuKJthv

  — Shikha Gupta (@guptashikha90) March 20, 2015

  Yuppi I won #adpushup pic.twitter.com/gt3DqjtMtF

  — Imteyaz Ansari (@i_am_imteyaz) March 19, 2015

Even personally, I was seeing a lot of activity on my own Facebook post about the same:

[]

COST OF ALL SALES/MARKETING COLLATERAL:

-   Cutout Larry Page with Stand – 5×3 feet with stand (Nos. 1) – INR 4,500 (USD $70.69)
-   Standy Star Flex 6×2.5 (Nos. 1) – INR 1300 (USD $20.42)
-   Visiting Cards (Nos. 600) – INR 1050 (USD $16.50)
-   Check 4×2 feet on 5mm digital printing on sunboard (Nos. 1) – INR 920 (USD $14.45)
-   Tshirts with AdPushup logo (Nos. 8) – INR 4680 (USD $73.52)
-   One time designing and editing charges – INR 1,000 (USD $15.71)
-   Delivery Charges, Freight and installation – INR 1,000 (USD $15.71)
-   Total cost – INR 14,450 (USD $226.51)

What we learned from the two days we were there

-   COMPETITIONS AND GIVEAWAYS DO WORK and are just the thing to get people to take action.
-   We thought our booth was crowded because it was small (five people) but HAVING MORE PEOPLE ACTUALLY HELPED BECAUSE WHENEVER THE TRAFFIC INCREASED, WE WERE ABLE TO ADEQUATELY HANDLE IT (and this happened several times).
-   The QUESTIONS WE PREPARED WHICH REQUIRED IN-DEPTH EXPLANATION, WEREN’T REALLY ASKED BY THE VISITORS. In fact, the customers were more concerned about whether we were an ad network or not, if we optimized mobile ads (a large part of the visitors asked us if we optimized for mobile ad units) and product pricing. This meant our positioning was not clear to the publishers (we took this as feedback).
-   YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN YOUR PRODUCT LIKE YOU’RE TELLING A FIVE YEAR OLD _ESPECIALLY_ IF NO SUCH SERVICE IS AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET (hand gestures, drawing diagrams etc).
-   EVENTS ARE A GOOD WAY TO CONNECT WITH ENTERPRISE CUSTOMERS.
-   Even though ad networks are not our target group, we still converted them into an opportunity by explaining the indirect benefit of our product to them. They were more than happy to refer our name and product to their web publisher clients.

Where we lacked

-   Our SALES PITCH COULD HAVE BEEN MORE POLISHED (in other words = we should have practised our pitch). People weren’t very clear about what we do.
-   INTERNET CONNECTION + T.V. – We had planned to use the LCD to constantly keep on updating the screen with the tweets/posts people were mentioning us in, and the pictures they took at the Booth.
    For this purpose we rented the WiFi connection provided by the venue. However the network was not strong enough and we (other exhibitors and attendees) had next to no connection. This put a dent in our plans and we had to resort to setting up our own hot spots. But the signal reception still wasn’t strong enough so we had to scrap our idea altogether.
    NOTE: In retrospect, I now believe that the network was weak because it couldn’t handle such a huge spike in traffic. Even our mobile reception was horrible.
-   In the heat of the moment, quite a few times we forgot to add people’s name in the Boogle check or the hashtag #adpushup
-   WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY PAMPHLETS/BROCHURES BUT WE BELIEVE IN A “SAVE PAPER POLICY” ANY WHICH WAYS.
-   DATA ENTRY AND SEGREGATION THEN AND THERE – noting down details of exact needs (in the form of keywords) of the people who came to our booth. This WOULD HELP IN EASILY CATEGORIZING DATA AND MAKE THE FOLLOW UP PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT AND QUICK AFTER THE EVENT.

Miscellaneous learning

-   HAVING A DUSTBIN HAS UNEXPECTED BENEFITS – there was a sizeable number of people who were looking to throw their ice-cream cups (after eating the ice-cream from the exhibitors next to us). Now most of these visitors felt guilty or were embarrassed to come to our booth to only use the dustbin. So to make up for it, they would stay back to find out what we do (hehe)
-   You have to, scratch that, YOU SHOULD STAND MORE AND SIT LESS. Attentiveness is contagious, reassuring and inspiring.
-   STOCK UP ON PENS AND WRITING PADS.
-   SETUP AND TEST THE INTERNET CONNECTION.
-   More footfall on your booth does not necessarily mean more business (I’m referring to the exhibitors having food stalls).
-   You can generate intangible ROI IN THE FORM OF NETWORKING AND GOODWILL.
-   If you’re there, you might as well pitch for a speech or join a panel.

[ankit-panel-skitch]

(Discussion on _“Native Advertising – Is it advertorial rebranding or evolution of content marketing?”_)

-   A smile and eye contact (reassuring nod) does go a long way. BODY LANGUAGE IS STILL THE BEST MEDIUM TO HOOK PASSERS BY and encourage them to come and talk to you.
-   Have AMPLE VISITING CARDS.
-   Not having a large booth did not adversely affect us. Infact, our advisor Arun Bansal slipped this in my ear – “This is for the better because there is no point in being too flashy and attracting too many clients. You shouldn’t bite more than you can chew.”
-   SET UP SHOP EARLY AND INSPECT THE BOOTH FOR ELECTRICITY AND CARPENTRY.
-   Looks are deceptive and some very important people commit to this as a tactic. There were a few, very plainly dressed people, who wanted to see us talk more rather than answer our questions. I believe they were judging us by the first pitch which comes naturally and not the one which we polish up when we’re trying to impress.
-   CROWD ON A STALL != INTEREST (exhibitors were raking in footfall by giving away eatables to everyone who passed by their booth).
-   IT IS TIRING.
-   If you’re there, HAVE SOME FUN TOO.
    Here’s my colleague VJ at the Skype booth. Skype had the brilliant idea of bringing in a huge cutout of the moon’s surface with a beautiful and gargantuan image of Earth in the background. Visitors on their booth could take pictures infront of it, essentially saying “Here’s how earth looks from  where I’m standing (the moon)”.

[IMG_20150320_145649034_HDR]

-   TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS.

GRAND TOTAL – INR 3,45,606.87
(USD $5,417.42)

Finally, ROI from the event –

No. Of Leads Acquired – 401

Cost per Lead – INR 861.86 (USD $13.46)

We’re still closing leads with some large publishers and once that happens, I’ll write another post about it detailing how it went down.

Until then, feel free to ask any questions that you might have regarding our experience as first time exhibitors 🙂

P.S. Apologies for some of the low quality images. I salvaged them from wherever I could.

Vendor Credits: Booth – Sutradhaar Enterprises, Boogle Cutout and other misc. work – Param Printing Service

question: What is this article about?

answer: A startup and their marketing strategy for an offline event.

question: Where is this company based?

answer: New Delhi, India.

question: Whose image did the company use to promote their product?

answer: Larry Page

question: What was the company's expectations from the event?

answer: To educate a target audience about their product, to generate leads, and to learn more about their target audience.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: In this article, a company describes their marketing strategy and cost analysis for an offline event. The company, based in New Delhi, India, introduces their expectations and concerns for the event. They describe their booth and the preparation for it. They then explain heir marketing strategy, and he use of Larry Page's image to make the company's image go viral. The conclude the article with some of the things they learned, and where they felt that they may have lacked.


split: train

text:
The plan was to take three friends, and our motorcycles to the summit of Mt. Washington New Hampshire. The planning began in a bar, only this hair brained idea seemed to stick with me more then anyone else. Over beers, me and two friends were thinking of destinations that we could ride our motorcycles to. Being in New Hampshire, ten minutes out of the city and you are in motorcycle heaven. Twisty roads along all the best scenery possible; farms, forrests, and winding roads that follow riversides for hours. The plan was to ride up to Mt. Washington, New Hampshires' tallest peak. A date was chosen about two Sarurdays away.
Over the next two weeks we would plan our route, our stops and where to stop for lunch.
Plans have a way of falling apart. Commitments from friends, especially commitments made at the bar, have a way of falling through. For this trip I would be on my own.
The Saturday morning came, and I sprang out of bed ready for for action. I had my bike a 2006 Honda CBR 600rr, ready to go and recently tuned. I ate a hurried breakfast too excited to get on the road and begin my adventure. I left and jumped onto the highway, a quick blast to get the blood flowing. Merging into traffic with the throttle wide open, shifting through gears  up into sixth. Looking down I was suprised to see my speed. It didn't feel like I was going that fast. Easing up on the throttle and asimulating with the flow of the traffic around me, I took a deep breath and settled into the seat.
The first leg of the journey was about an hour of highway. (this is a classic new hampshire coloquialism: in reference to distance, give the travel time rather then the mileage.) Legal highway riding is usually uneventful. The corners are usually mild, the engine noise is very consistent, it can almost place the rider into a lull or meditative state. You can completely forget everything. The everyday problems of your life are trivial. You aren't quite completely focused but not quite in a trance like state. This can be dangerous because you are travelling on a vehicle that you are actively balancing, at 70 mph. The actual reality is that any small mistake could kill you or leave you seriously injured. That is why the best highway rides are uneventful.
I arrived in Lincoln New Hampshire, and merged onto Route 112, also known as the Kancamangus Highway. (kank-a-mangus) This is where the real motorcycling begins. In the heart of the White Mountains, the motorcycle is free at last. Twisting turns through untouched forrest keep you sharp and alert. The air is sweet, and smells different then city air. Climbing hills with banking turns, the CBR was made for this. The hills peak quickly and just a quickly as I reach the top I am descending in the opposite direction. Constantly working the controls, just to stay on the road, takes all your focus and attention. Racing up the hills are simple enough crack the throttle open and hang on, as I reach the apex of a hill I can feel my stomach lift for a moment as the road quickly turns, I feel as though I'm going too fast to hold my line. Trusting my tires and my technique, I stay on the gas and look as far down the road as I can see. Descending hills with turns at speed is equally challenging. I make a wise decision to downshift, the engine revs up and I lose a bit of speed and gain a bit more time before the corner. I take an intentionally wide entrance to the turn, and as I lean in I can see the corner opens up into a long downhill straightaway. I open the gas all the way and let the bike stay in the lower gear until the engine crescendos.
At the base of Mt. Washington there is a small field and a small shack. Its two dollars to take the auto road to the top. The man in the booth gives me a sticker "this motorcycle climbed Mt. washington" Thats a bit premature, I thought, but I accepted it and pulled over just past the shack. I got off my bike and stretched my legs. You can't see the summit from here but you can tell this mountain is quite steep. Meandering around I see a plaque. Travis Pastrana next to a Subaru, world record ascent, very quick time , forget the time but he looked happy.
I mounted back onto my bike and began my ascent. I was suprised the road was paved. The road is nice and there are lots of trees, every now and then in the trees would be a clearing, and I could see how much altitude I was gaining. At this point the riding was very mellow. The road was paved but with very old pavement. There were cracks and potholes everywhere. I was taking in the scenery and enjoying the ascent. needing to keep my speed well below 30. Cars would wave me past, I guess figuring I was more nimble then they were amongst the bumps and holes. As I  made my way above the treeline, the pavement ends. It is replaced by a smooth dirt road. It is easy to ride on even on a sportbike. The views are spectacular even before the summit. I can see the nearby mountains, and their peaks, a sea of green forrest in painted variance that is impossible to capture. As the dirt road continues upward wrapping up the sides of the mountain, the colors around me change from green to brown. Gone are the trees and pavement, replaced by basketball sized rocks, jagged and sharp lining the road. Peering over the edge quickly makes me wish I hadnt. It is a long way down, a mistake would surely be fatal. Roads below look pencil thin, cars on then look like they could be crushed if you were to step on them.
When I do reach the top, I am surely the only motorcycle, and an out of place one at that. Most of the other vehicles are four wheel drive SUVs and dirt splattered subaru outbacks. My CBR is next to spotless and looks very bright. I park the bike and find a rock to put under my kickstand. Up a small staircase to the mount washington weather center the wind picks up. Mt. Wahington is one of the windiest places on earth. Even on a mild day down below, the temperature, is easily 30 degrees cooler at the summit, and the wind is constant. The wind pushes  around 30 mph, and gusts to 50 every minute or so. There is a large concrete structure at the top. Inside the building are some historic photos, black and whites of some tough looking men who built the road to the summit. Also cheesy t-shirts of a tourist hanging onto a flag pole being blown horizontal by the world record wind. I left empty handed from the gift shop and went back outside. I took one more long look out from the top. Annother plaque indicated that on a clear day, you can see skyscrapers in  Boston, some 200 miles away. I made my way back to my bike and started her up, and turnded it around. From there I began a long and winding road home.

title: What it's like to Fly

question: What does the story say about Mt. Washington?

answer: Mt. Washington is New Hampshire's highest peak. The mountain is quite steep, but it has an auto road for vehicles to reach the summit, where the view is spectacular and the wind is constantly strong. On a clear day, the skyscrapers of Boston are visible. At the top is a building with historic photos of the men who built the road to the summit. There is also a souvenir shop up there.

question: What does the story say about the narrator's bike?

answer: The narrator has a 2006 Honda CBR 600rr. It can climb steep mountains and is nimble among potholes, cracks, and bumps. He used it to reach the summit of New Hampshire's Mount Washington and was rewarded with a spectacular view and a great experience.

question: What does the story say about planning a trip with friends?

answer: According to the author, sometimes plans don't go as expected, especially those made over beers at the bar. He and three of his friends planned to take their motorcycles to Mt. Washington's summit in two weeks. They had talked about their route, stops, food, and so on. However, in the end, only the narrator was available for the trip.

question: What does the story say about why the narrator's friends couldn't join him in going to Mt. Washington's summit?


text:
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Tiger Eiendomskompetanse

_Tiger Eiendomskompetanse is Northern Norway's leading business broker, with offices in both Tromsø and Oslo.  Tiger Eiendomskompetanse has over 15 years of experience in sales, rental, valuation and consulting within commercial real estate.  (more…)_

Kevin Mortensen

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BRIAND Consulting

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question: How many participants can be in a meeting on a single-user license?

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answer: The article is an advertisement for a video conference software package called Easymeeting.


text:
 August 1, 2017

Campaign 2018

2017-08-01T18:52:56-04:00https://images.c-span.org/Files/758/20170801185509001_hd.jpgSarah Huckabee Sanders briefed reporters and responded to questions on a variety of issues. She addressed news reports concerning President Trump’s involvement with Donald Trump Jr.'s statement on his meeting with a Russian attorney. She said President Trump weighed in on and offered suggestions but there were no inaccuracies in the statement. Other topics included North Korea, the Russia sanctions bill, and President Trump’s recent comments on police use of force.

Sarah Huckabee Sandersbriefed reporters and responded to questions on a variety of issues. She addressed news reports concerning President… read more __

Sarah Huckabee Sandersbriefed reporters and responded to questions on a variety of issues. She addressed news reports concerning President Trump’s involvement with Donald Trump Jr.'s statement on his meeting with a Russian attorney. She said President Trump weighed in on and offered suggestions but there were no inaccuracies in the statement. Other topics included North Korea, the Russia sanctions bill, and President Trump’s recent comments on police use of force. close __

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question: Who briefed the reporters?

answer: Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

question: Who is Sarah Huckabee Sanders?

answer: It is not stated.

question: What topics did she talk about?

answer: Donald Trump Jr.'s statement, North Korea, the Russia sanctions Bill, and President Trump's recent comments on police use of force.

question: Why did Trump meet a Russian attorney?

answer: It is not stated.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The text is a transcript of a video detailing a briefing by Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in which she talked about various issues surrounding President Trump and foreign policy.


text:
SCHLOSS ERMREUTH is a manor house (_Rittergut_) in the Upper Franconian village of Ermreuth in the municipality of Neunkirchen am Brand. The three-storey hipped roof building was owned by various Franconian noble families in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period. From 1926 the estate was used as a meeting point and training establishment for leading Nazis and, since 1980, has been the residence of right-wing extremist, Karl-Heinz Hoffmann.

History

14th to 19th centuries

Predecessor buildings on the site of the manor are recorded even before 1358. In 1525 rebellious peasants burnt down the castle. The locksmith, Stefan Muffel, from the Nuremberg patrician family Muffel suppressed the insurrection and rebuilt the house. In 1573 and 1579-1622, the estate belonged to the Stiebars, who built today's palace building with its staircase tower around 1600. After ten years of ownership by the House of Wildenstein, the castle was sold to the Künsbergs in 1632, who, in the eighteenth century, added the upper floor, raised the staircase and built a roof terrace with a parapet. According to an old legend, a black mare also lives here, who waits for people to go past the house in the darkness, sits on their back and oppresses them.[1] In 1858 the Künsbergs sold the manor to the owner of the hammer mill, Andreas Schäff, From Erlangen.

20th and 21st centuries

After the First World War, the castle was used by the organization _Der Stahlhelm_ as a meeting centre. In honour of General Ludendorff, who visited here as a guest, the Nazi hiking club, Ermreuth e.V., set up a Ludendorff home from 1926 onwards. In the Nazi era, a NSDAP _Gauführer_ school was established here in 1935, whose members were probably involved in the desecration of the Jewish Cemetery in Ermreuth which had been opened in 1711. At that time, the editor of the Nazi newspaper, _Der Stürmer_, Julius Streicher, was frequently a guest at the manor.

Immediately after the Second World War, refugees and expellees were placed in the castle from the German eastern territories. After their departure, it became temporarily a home for the _Heimkehrer_ and then, until the end of the 1970s, it was old people's home run by the Bavarian Red Cross.

In 1978, Schloss Ermreuth became the headquarters of the _Wehrsportgruppe Hoffmann_, a Neonazi terrorist group founded in 1973, and the residence of Karl-Heinz Hoffmann, founder of the Wehrsportgruppe after his partner, Franziska Birkmann, had bought it.[2] As a result of the ban on the Wehrsportgruppe in January 1980, a house search was conducted in the manor, and propaganda material and weapons were confiscated. Uwe Behrendt, deputy chairman of Hoffmanns Wehrsportgruppe and murderer of Shlomo Levin, former chairman of the Israeli religious community in Nuremberg and his life companion Frieda Poeschke, also lived here and escaped to Lebanon after the double killing in December 1980. After _Die Wende_, Hoffmann worked for several years as an investor in Thuringian Kahla and returned to Ermreuth around 2000. The present owner of the manor is not known.

On the Day of Open Memorials (_Tag des offenen Denkmals_) in 2016 the manor was struck off the programme at the direction of the intelligence services.

Despite that, there were guided tours by Hoffmann with very positive feedback according to a newspaper report on Franconia Day.[3]

[1] Fränkische Schweiz, bayern-online.de Schloss Ermreuth

[2] Der Spiegel, 19 November 1984

[3] Zum Tag des offenen Denkmals 2016

title: Schloss Ermreuth

question: What is Schloss Ermreuth?

answer: A manor house in the Upper Franconian village of Ermreuth.

question: What is its history up to the 19th century?

answer: Buildings were on site even before 1358. In 1525 rebellious peasants burned down the castle. Stefan Muffel rebuilt the house. In 1573 and 1579-1622, the estate belonged to the Stiebars, who built today's palace building with staircase around 1600. The castle was sold to the Kunbergs who expanded the building in 1632, they sold it in 1858.

question: What happened there during the early 20th century?

answer: Nazis set up a Ludendorff home there from 1926 onwards. A NSDAP Gaufuhrer school was established there.

question: What was the Wehrsportgrupped Hoffman in relation to the Schloss Ermreuth?

answer: A Neonazi terrorist group founded in 1973 that set up shop in Schloss Ermreuth headquartering there.

question: Write a ~9 sentence summary.

answer: Schloss Ermreuth is a manor house, effectively a castle, in the Upper Franconian village of Ermreuth in the municipality of Neunkirchen am Brand. Buildings were on site even before 1358. In 1525 rebellious peasants burned down the castle. Stefan Muffel rebuilt the house. In 1573 and 1579-1622, the estate belonged to the Stiebars, who built today's palace building with staircase around 1600. The castle was sold to the Kunbergs who expanded the building in 1632, they sold it in 1858. In the early 20th century, Nazis set up a Ludendorff home there. A NSDAP Gaufuhrer school was established there. in the 1970s, Schloss Ermreuth became headquarters to a Neonazi terrorist group.


text:
I have this...problem.

I can't sleep.

It's not that kind of insomnia where you drank too much caffeine or you watched some shitty horror movie and you can't fall asleep. This is the kind of insomnia where you are terrified to fall asleep. Where you're scared shitless that in your sleep, someone is going to creep up on you and drive a knife through your heart. It's been like this for a few year now, ever since I first saw it. But I'm getting ahead of myself, let me start from the very beginning.

My parents separated when I was quite young so the majority of my early childhood was spent with my mom and twin brother. My father lived about 3 hours away from us so to make it easier on me and my brother, my dad moved to be closer to us. I was still pretty young when he moved his apartment so most of my memories are blurs, but what I do remember is being terrified of sleeping alone. The first night sleeping there, my brother and I slept on mattresses on the floor. My brother slept soundly but I didn't, I just felt very...uneasy. With the way the room was set up, my bed was facing the living room and my brother's bed facing my dad's room. I remember having the covers pulled up to my nose and staring into the deep, blackness of the living room. This wasn't just darkness, this was total blackness like...like there wasn't even anything there! Scared out of my mind I pulled the covers over my head, in fear that some sort of Bogeyman would appear from the blackness and pull me in.

After an hour or so of just laying in bed, I slowly began to drift off to sleep. My eyes grew heavier and as hard as I tried to stay awake I just couldn't. As I was just easing into almost total unconsciousness I suddenly felt that uneasiness again. I somehow managed to fight off sleep long enough to see a shadow walk by through the cover of my bedsheet. I froze, wide awake now. The shadow walked by again, like it had come from the living room then walked back. I knew it wasn't my brother because I would have heard and felt him get out of bed, plus the shadow made absolutely no sound when it walked. No footsteps, no breathing. Just complete and total...silence. It did this for hours, just walking from the living room, past my bed, to my brother's bed, hesitating then walking back to the living room before repeating. A sort of lather, rinse, repeat kind of thing. I guess at some point I had nodded off to sleep, probably realizing that this...thing thought I was sleeping too. I never slept with the living room door open ever again.

Now that I think about it, that door leading into the living room was very odd. It was made of glass, like one you'd have as your back door or something, it also had blinds and a latch already built into it that only locked from my side. Every night I would lock that door, I never slept with that door open, even as I progressed into my teen years. Every night to the night before we moved out I slept with that door closed, and every night at around 2 or 3 am I would hear the doorknob turn. It would turn slowly and then try to open, but the latch would catch and prevent the door from opening. There would be a hesitation and then the door would be pushed back into place. I've been afraid ever since. You probably think it's stupid and not scary but it was! I'm 15 years old now and I still have to sleep with a nightlight and the television turned on. That thing isn't Casper the Friendly fucking Ghost! This is something that...was never even alive in the first damn place! And it's going to get me...it knows I've seen it. And it's going to get me.

We live in a different house now, but it's the same thing. At night I'm left staring into the darkness of our dining room, that same hopeless blackness at before. I sleep with my door closed but this door doesn't have a lock.

I just heard the door open. It's watching me...and this time it knows I'm awake.

title: Insomnia

question: What does the story say about sleeping pills?

question: What does the story say about the narrator's problem?

answer: The narrator's problem is he is suffering from insomnia. However, it is not the regular kind of insomnia that happens with drinking too much caffeine or after watching a horror movie. His insomnia is the kind where he is terrified to sleep. He is so scared that someone or something is going to creep up on him and drive a knife through his heart. This has been happening for a year now ever since the narrator first saw the shadow-like figure creeping up to his room from the dark living room.

question: What does the text say about the shadow the narrator is afraid of?

answer: The narrator first saw the shadow-like figure when he and his twin brother were staying in their dad's apartment. The narrator felt uneasy and couldn't sleep because of the way their room was set up - his bed was facing the living room, (his brother's bed was facing their dad's room) and the door was open. He remembers staring at the deep, total blackness of the living room like there was nothing there. The narrator manages to fight off sleep long enough to see a shadow walk by through the cover of his bedsheet, then back again to the living room, making no sound whatsoever. The shadow did this for hours, walking back and forth between the living room and their beds. He started to sleep with the door locked, and at around 2 am - 3 am, the doorknob would turn as if someone was trying to open it, but the lock would always catch.

question: What does the text say about the narrator?

answer: The narrator is a 15-year old kid who has a twin brother. His parents separated when he was young, and he spent his time between his mom's house and his dad's apartment. The narrator is afraid to sleep alone in the dark out of a deep-seated fear that a shadow-like figure is going to get him. He encountered the shadow when he was still a child sleeping in the room he shared with his brother in their dad's new apartment. The narrator is convinced the shadow followed him to their new home and is now coming from the darkness of the dining room.


text:
Disclaimer -- I haven't done any real non-work related writing in many.. MANY years.. I have probably committed a thousand and one grammatical atrocities and don't even realize it.  I just finally decided I miss writing and threw together a short story off the top of my head in about 15 - 20 minutes.

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

It wasn't quite yet midnight.  The day we had anticipated for months.  We had everything packed and I was desperately trying to sleep for the long trip ahead of us.

Tossing and turning we struggled to pass the time as minutes turned to hours leading up to now.  Eleven Fifty Five pm and All I want to do is hit the road now, not at 8am as we planned. Suddenly, a shatter from the garage.  "What is happening? What is going on!" I thought, as I nudged John next to me. "John, John.. did you hear that?!" "Wha-snarfle-snar-gull-uggg* is the response I got "I nudged him a second time, harder still "John! Somebody is in our garage!" This time John woke up and seemed as concerned as I was.

John went to the safe and got a 9mm pistol, loaded it up and started for the downstairs.  I made for the phone to call the police..  Dead.. the line was dead.  How could this be? This couldn't be happening, not to us, not now.. On this day of all days.

I check back at the clock.. 12:20.  Today, today is supposed to be the greatest day of our recently married lives. I realize soon that John has been gone for 20 minutes and I haven't heard another sound from the entire house.  Frozen in time for what amounted to 5 minutes, I wasn't sure what to do.  I finally mustered up the courage to step out of bed and throw on my Bathrobe.  I too grab the other gun from the safe and struggle to remind myself of the training that John and I took last summer at the Police shooting range.  I loaded up the clip and locked it into the gun.  Through the dark and quiet house I tip-toed silently as a mouse.  I made my way to the door leading to the garage and listened.  voices.. John.. and.. 2 voices I did not recognize.  I stood silently trying to listen.  A Standoff.  It sounds like John is in danger.  Without sight, I am left to my own imagination of what the situation looks like just beyond the door.  Guns in the air, pointed at one another.  Everybody making threats and nobody backing down.  Uncertain how to help, I tip-toed to the outside leading door furthest from the garage.  I made my way to the yard.  I have no idea at this point if I am making any correct decisions or just struggling to make the situation worse.  Around the outside of the house I snuck, gun in hand, safety still on as to not accidentally fire in my nervous state.

I made my way to the window just outside of the garage. The window is open, "This must be how they got in, I thought.  Shoot, the shades are closed though" It was obvious there was no way I was going to be able to see through this window without being heard.  I can now hear the conversation inside the garage much more clearly than from behind the interior door.   I don't know what to make of the things I am hearing.  John seems to know these 2 people.  They are referencing each other by name.  Some sort of argument ensues.  I can only make out some of the conversation.. "Money owed.  Gambling.. Here to collect"

Could it be? Could John have a secret life of gambling and crime?  5 years together and I've never known?  How could this be.  All those late nights at the office. I never imagined anything else.  All those "Business" phone calls.  I just couldn't believe it.  I hear John is trying to convince them to leave the car, and everything in tact.  They keep saying it is the only thing worth any value.

In my nervous state, shocked at the things I am learning I unknowingly dropped the gun to the ground as it made a loud "thud" and a "scraping" sound across the gravel.  I hear one of the men gasp and start heading towards the window.  I quickly pick the gun back up and point it at the shades.  The shades fly up and I am face to face with a man I've never seen before, gun drawn.  Now things are a 1 on 1 standoff.  Me with my gun and this man and John with his gun and the other man.  I refuse to come inside the garage and insist that they leave empty handed.  Things turn from bad to worse when the man shoots a bullet over my shoulder to scare me. I immediately pull the trigger to fire back... "Shit, I didn't release the safety" Now struggling in a panic at what to do the man starts to laugh and reaches out to grab the gun from me.  By now, the neighborhood is awake and surely police have been called.  I manage to release the safety just in time to shoot the stranger in the hand as he is reaching to grab the gun from me.  He backs up and the other man Shoots John.  John shoots the other man and the man I shot in the hand shoots me.  We are all down, I laid there in the cold gravel, still outside of the garage.  In the distance I can hear sirens looming as I lose consciousness.

2 days later I wake up in the hospital.  John is no where to be found bedside or otherwise. I have no idea what has happened.  As I come to and I adjust to my place in this hospital bed I am finally informed of the news.  "John didn't make it" The nurse said "We did everything we could but the wound was too damaging."

As I lay there contemplating my current situation, I replayed that night in my head every single second in repetition.  Could I have done anything more?  Should I have done something differently?  What happened to my dearest John?  What happened to the assailants who broke into our house?  As these questions raced I didn't notice the 2 assailants being wheeled down the hallway passed my room with police in tow.  They were on their way to county lock up pending trial.

I couldn't believe it, a dream of a life shattered in one single hour.. It just goes to show that you never really have ti all, or if you do, it's only on loan as long as someone agrees that it is okay for you to keep it. From that day fourth, I never could take that drive into the country.

title: The long road to loneliness

question: How confident was the wife when using the gun from the safe?

answer: She was not confident at all and was trying to remind herself of the training she had received at the Police shooting range.

question: Why was the date the break in happened significant to the narrator?

answer: It was when her and her husband were supposed to go on a long trip

question: What alerted the robbers to the wife?

answer: The sound of her accidently dropping her gun

question: How long have the couple been together?

answer: 5 years

question: Write a ~6 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator wakes her husband, John, up as she hears a weird sound coming from downstairs. John takes a gun and goes downstairs. After not hearing from John, the narrator gets up and grabs the second gun and goes to see what is happening. She tries to get outside from the garage but drops her gun and alerts the burglars of herself. A commotion occurs and in the midst, John gets shot and doesn't make it. This event haunts the narrator her whole life.


text:
Galahad ran through the hall to tell the professor of the scene in the market. He crashed through the doors of the classroom as professor Cosimo was deep into the first study of the season with his new pupils.

“Cosimo, come at once for your son Felix is proclaiming to denounce his worldly possessions and set the live stock of your estate free. He says all the animals on the sycamore cart he has brought to the marketplace are slaves!”

The professor slowly looked from the manuscripts of arithmetic and peered scornfully above his spectacles made of lead wire and uneven glass. He replied, “These matters I cannot tend to, Galahad.”

“Sir, he is giving away the family rabbits, cows and your prized chicken! This will be a hardship for your wife and daughter.” Galahad said as he tried to catch his breath.

“Teacher, shall we perhaps resume our study tomorrow so that you may tend to this matter?” a voice from the group of pupils asked.

“You shall address me as ‘professor’, this is not optional, for I profess unto you all.” Cosimo said through the small opening between his mustache and beard.

The pupils responded in unison with flabbergasted tones.

And with that the professor sent Galahad away with a net made of old flag fabric, wool rope and worn burlap sacks.

Cosimo explained to Galahad that he is to capture Felix and keep him bound until the evening when Cosimo could return home to correct his son.

As Galahad arrived in the market he saw no cart full of rabbits or the professors prized chicken. The two cows that were pulling the cart were nowhere in sight and the cart was being pulled away from the marketplace by a lazy donkey tethered to an old man.

“You, with the sycamore cart. WAIT!” Galahad announced as he hurried up the hill that the old man and his donkey had just conquered.

“Old man, where is the gentleman that you have acquired this cart from?”

The old man licked his dry lips with his dry tongue and cleared his voice in preparation to speak, “The boy said he was going south to the Mediterranean to find kinder women folk to marry. The young one was telling of a dream in which Diotima of Mantinea spoke to him of gentle women in that region.”

The old man then walked off and the donkey followed but was not lead as there was plenty of slack in the tether.

title: Felix away! [Fiction]

question: What happened in the market?

answer: Felix, professor Cosimo's son.

question: Why is the professor refusing to tend to the matter?

answer: Because he is in the middle of teaching his class.

question: Who is Felix?

answer: Cosimo's son.

question: What did the professor find in the Market?

answer: He could not find his son and instead hears from an old man that Felix is headed south to the Mediterranean to find women.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Galahad runs to professor Cosimo's class panicking, informing him that his son Felix is selling all their possessions including their livestock. Cosimo waits until the end of his class before tending to the matter. When they get to the market, they realize that Felix has run off to the Mediterranean to look for a woman to marry.


text:
There’s a reason Mads Mikkelsen has been cast as Bond villain Le Chiffre, Hannibal Lecter, and, recently, the unnamed foe in the upcoming _Doctor Strange_: Dude looks stone-cold _evil_. A. O. Scott described the actor as having “an intriguing mug” but what _The New York Times_ critic probably meant was “face of a gentleman child strangler.” Is it Mikkelsen’s dead shark eyes, his wide, expressionless mouth, or his apparent lack of eyebrows? It’s hard to say, but psychological research suggests we’re hard-wired to consider some faces trustworthy or not — and Mikkelsen’s, apparently, is neither.

When it comes to the science of facial snap judgements, researchers tend to plot their data on a trustworthiness scale. And for simplicity’s sake, facial features are treated as binaries: Is a face wide or short? Are eyebrows low or high? While many facial elements are easily characterized, some, like Mikkelsen’s, are particularly enigmatic. Creepypasta’s “The Expressionless” is terrifying AF because, well, she’s expressionless. Mikkelsen rides that same wave.

Years of research have shown that mouths with upturned corners and rainbow-shaped brows are consistently judged to be trustworthy, while the converse — downturned mouths and V-shaped brows — aren’t, according to the British Psychological Society.

Now consider Mikkelsen: His mouth and eyebrows, when they’re visible, are _flat_. What do we make of his lack of expression? Is he about to grin in delight, or glower darkly? He’s especially sinister because he’s so hard to grasp. Movie demons, like Death in _Meet Joe Black_ or Satan in _The Devil’s Advocate_, are charismatic and likable — while being, at the same time, life-enders. Mikkelsen’s slippery countenance has the same unnerving effect.

Then there are his eyes: a clear, beguiling hazel. Which, real talk, doesn’t mean anything: Does anyone know what hazel actually is? It’s a lazy catch-all for irises showing flecks of dark brown, green, gold, or blue. This quirk lets Mads confound yet another psychological study, which found that brown eyes are more trustworthy than blue ones. With eyes that Tumblr claims are anywhere from dark brown to “greenish,” he manages to slip past our attempts at characterization, into the moral ether.

Mikkelsen is just one of many actors who seems evil because they’re visually ungraspable. Take Cillian Murphy — the disconcerting Scarecrow in _The Dark Knight_ and a morally ambiguous Tommy Shelby in _Peaky Blinders_ — or Rufus Sewell, classic creep (anyone remember _Bless the Child?_): Both, like Mikkelsen, have the same dead-yet-illuminated eyes and the same inscrutable expression.

Evil is most potent not when we detect a threat, but when we can’t tell if it’s there at all.

question: Who is the article about?

answer: The article is about actor, Mads Mikkelsen. The author suggests that Mikkelsen's face is mysterious and expressionless, which makes him creepy.

question: What does the author suggest that psychological research suggests?

answer: Research suggests we're hard-wired to consider some faces trustworthy or not. People with downturned mouths and V-shaped eyebrows are viewed as untrustworthy.

question: How is the British Psychological Society referenced in the article?

question: Who does the author compare Mikkelsen to?

answer: Cillian Murphy, and Rufus Sewell.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The article is about actor, Mads Mikkelsen. The author suggests that Mikkelsen's face is mysterious and expressionless, which makes him creepy.


text:
Living in the Land of the Greek Gods and Godesseses

In the mid 1960"s my father was stationed at Athenai Air Force Base a short distance from Athens, so we lived in Greece for three years. My father was an explorer at heart and his favorite subjects were history and geography, so of course they became my favorite subjects, And we lived in Greece!

So much history, so much mythology. It was all around us and so many weekends and certainly many vacation found us driving the length and breadth of the Greek peninsula to visit every possible ruin and historical site. It was a wonderful three years and of all the places we lived, it was my favorite.

So, brush up on your Greek history and mythology... dream expansively....see yourself there. Enjoy :)

question: Where was the narrator's father stationed in the 1960s?

answer: The Athenai Air Force Base.

question: Where did they drive on vacation?

answer: The length and breadth of the Greek Peninsula.

question: How long did the narrator live there?

answer: Three years.

question: What was the narrator's father?

answer: An explorer at heart.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator recounts living as a child in the 1960s in Greece when her father was stationed there. She advises the reader to brush up on their Greek mythology as there are many adventures to be had on the Greek peninsula.


text:
MICHAEL HILTON (born March 9, 1994) is an American football cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at University of Mississippi and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2016. Hilton has also been a member of the New England Patriots.

College career

2012

Hilton began attending the University of Mississippi in 2012. After sitting out the Rebels' season-opener against Central Arkansas, Hilton made his collegiate debut in Week 2 against UTEP. He recorded his first two career tackles the following week as Ole Miss lost to Texas. Hilton made his first career start on October 6, 2012, against Texas A&M, finishing with three solo tackles, a forced fumble, and two sacks of Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel as the Rebels lost 27–30. In Week 8, he recorded a season-high six combined tackles and had the first two pass deflections of his career, helping the Rebels defeat Arkansas 30–27.[1] He played in 12 games as a freshman, starting four and finishing with 33 combined tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, two pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.[2]

2013

Hilton started the Ole Miss Rebels' season-opener against Vanderbilt at their “Huskie” position (hybrid strong safety). He finished the 39–35 victory with five total tackles, two of which were for a loss. On October 5, 2013, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 22–30 loss to Auburn. On November 16, 2013, Hilton made his first career interception to go along with four combined tackles as the Rebels defeated Troy 51–21. He finished the season with 52 combined tackles (37 solo), 5.5 tackles for a loss, four pass deflections, a sack, and a forced fumble in 11 games and 11 starts.[3]

2014

In the Ole Miss Rebels' season-opening 35–13 victory over Boise State, Hilton recorded a season-high nine combined tackles. On September 13, 2014, he collected four combined tackles, deflected a pass, and made his first interception of the season in a 56–15 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette. On October 25, 2014, he accumulated eight combined tackles and made his third interception of the season in a 7–10 loss to #24 LSU. Hilton finished his junior season with career-high 71 combined tackles (48 solo), four tackles for a loss, three interceptions, and seven pass deflections in 13 starts and 13 games.[4] He led the team with 71 tackles and started 11 games at cornerback and two games as rover.[5]

2015

As a senior, Hilton was given the #38 jersey This number holds special significance at Ole Miss and is only given to a select player who embodies the spirit of former Rebels defensive back Chucky Mullins, who in 1989 became paralyzed after making a head-first tackle that shattered four vertebrae in his cervical spine.[6]

In a 73–22 victory over Fresno State in Week 2, Hilton collected six combined tackles (one for a loss), a forced fumble, and half a sack while starting at rover. On October 10, 2015, he recorded four combined tackles (three for a loss), a pass deflection, and his first interception of the season in a 52–3 victory over New Mexico State. The following week, the Rebels were defeated by Memphis with Hilton making a career-high 11 combined tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, a pass deflection, and an interception. He finished his senior season with 70 combined tackles (49 solo), 12.5 tackles for a loss, 11 pass deflections, 1.5 sacks, and two interceptions in 11 starts and 13 games.[7]

Hilton finished his college career with 226 combined tackles (156 solo), 25.5 tackles for a loss, 24 pass deflections, six interceptions, four forced fumbles, and 3.5 sacks in 49 games and 39 starts.

Professional career

Coming out of Ole Miss, Hilton was projected to go undrafted and be a priority free agent by the majority of NFL draft experts and scouts. He did not receive an invitation to the NFL Combine and attended Ole Miss' pro day on March 28, 2016. Team representatives and scouts from all 32 NFL teams were present at Ole Miss' pro day to scout one of the most talented groups in school history, one that included Hilton, Laquon Treadwell, Laremy Tunsil, Robert Nkemdiche, Cody Core, Chad Kelly, Evan Engram, Fahn Cooper and ten other prospects.[8] He was ranked as the 27th-best free safety prospect in the draft by NFLDraftScout.com. Hilton received positive reviews from scouts for his versatile ability to play multiple positions in college, decent coverage skills, gritty tackling ability, reaction quickness, and ability to track balls well downfield. NFL scouts thought his ability to produce a professional career was greatly hindered by his lack of size.[9]

Jacksonville Jaguars

On May 1, 2016, Hilton was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars following the 2016 NFL Draft.[10]

Throughout training camp, Hilton competed with Aaron Colvin, Dwayne Gratz, Peyton Thompson, Josh Johnson, Demetrius McCray, Briean Boddy-Calhoun, and Nick Marshall for a job as a backup cornerback.[11] On August 29, 2016, the Jacksonville Jaguars released Hilton as a part of their final roster cuts.[12]

New England Patriots

On September 6, 2016, Hilton was signed to the Patriots' practice squad.[13] He was released by the team on September 14, 2016.[14]

Pittsburgh Steelers

On December 13, 2016, Hilton was signed to the Steelers' practice squad.[15] Hilton spent the remainder of his rookie season on the Steelers' practice squad and did not appear in any games in . He signed a reserve/future contract with the Steelers on January 24, 2017.[16] He reunited with his former teammate Senquez Golson whom he played with and backed up at Ole Miss.

2017

Hilton entered training camp competing with William Gay and Senquez Golson for the job as the starting nickelback. Hilton was named the starting nickelback to begin the regular season.[17]

He made his regular season debut during the Steelers' 21–18 season-opening victory over the Cleveland Browns and finished the game with two combined tackles. The following week, he earned his first career start and recorded a season-high nine combined tackles during a 26–9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. On October 1, 2017, Hilton collected four solo tackles, earned his first career sack, and made his first career interception off of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco during the Steelers' 26–9 victory.[18] On December 25, 2017, Hilton recorded six solo tackles as well as three sacks on Houston Texans' quarterbacks T. J. Yates and Taylor Heinicke during the Steelers' 34–6 victory, earning him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.[19][20] Hilton finished the season with 64 combined tackles (48 solo), six pass deflections, four sacks, and two interceptions in 16 games and four starts.[21] Hilton received an overall grade of 83.6 from Pro Football Focus, which ranked as the 28th-best grade among all cornerbacks in 2017.[22]

2018

Hilton changed his jersey number from No. 31 to No. 28 after it became available when Sean Davis and Joe Haden also changed numbers.[23] Head coach Mike Tomlin retained Hilton as the primary nickelback to begin the regular season and also named him the fifth backup cornerback, behind Joe Haden, Artie Burns, Coty Sensabaugh, and Cameron Sutton.[24] On September 24, 2018, Hilton made five combined tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception during a 30-27 win at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hilton sustained an elbow injury during the game and was subsequently inactive for the Steelers’ Week 4 loss against the Baltimore Ravens.[25] In Week 14, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 24-21 loss at the Oakland Raiders. He finished the season with 57 combined tackles (44 solo), eight pass deflections, one sack, and one interception in 15 games and two starts.[26] He received an overall grade of 69.9 from Pro Football Focus, which ranked as the 43rd-best grade among cornerbacks in 2018.[27]

2019

In Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens, Hilton recorded his first interception of the season off Lamar Jackson in the 26–23 overtime loss.[28] In Week 8 against the Miami Dolphins, Hilton forced a fumble on running back Mark Walton which was recovered by teammate Steven Nelson in the 27–14 win.[29] In Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills on _Sunday Night Football_, Hilton recovered a fumble forced by teammate T.J. Watt on running back Devin Singletary during the 17–10 loss.[30]

2020

On March 18, 2020, the Steelers placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on Hilton. He signed the tender on June 12, 2020.[31]

In Week 2 against the Denver Broncos, Hilton led the team with eight tackles, recorded his first sack of the season on Jeff Driskel, and recovered a fumble during the 26–21 win.[32] In Week 3 against the Houston Texans, Hilton recorded his first interception of the season off a pass thrown by Deshaun Watson during the 28–21 win.[33] In Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Hilton again led the team with eight tackles and sacked Carson Wentz once during the 38–29 win.[34]

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

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[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

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[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

title: Mike Hilton

question: How old was Hilton when he was drafted?

answer: 22 years old

question: What's the most tackles Hilton' achieved in a week?

answer: Nine

question: What number did Hilton wear in college?

answer: #38

question: What notable NFL football teams has Hilton played with?

answer: New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers

question: Why is the #38 special?

answer: It was worn by Chucky Mullins, another famous player

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This article discusses the background and career of football player Mike Hilton. It enumerates many statistics from games he's played in and describes his role on the teams he's played on.


text:
[]

Alphabet CEO Larry Page
 AP/Eric Risberg
Google has now been involved with Europe's antitrust regulators for five years. But its troubles may just be beginning.

Margrethe Vestager, the European Union's antitrust chief, said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Monday that her agency is looking at a broad variety of services from Googleand its new parent company Alphabet.

This goes beyond Google's online shopping comparison service — which the EU brought formal antitrust charges against in April and to which Google is currently responding. And it goes beyond the EU's "high priority" investigation into Android, the Google mobile operating system used on the vast majority of the world's smartphones.

Google's maps business, its online travel services, its ad business, and various other services are on the agenda as well, Vestager said.

“The shopping case may have similarities when we eventually look at maps and travel and a number of other related services, because the complaints sort of tell the same story,” Vestager said. “But there is no such thing as you have done one, you’ve done them all. You can’t do that.”

That's bad news for Google, which would like to avoid the kind of protracted regulatory scrutiny that famously distracted Microsoft in the 2000s (and some argue, slowed the company down so much that it fell behind rivals and missed the boat on the tech industry's shift to mobile computing).

Of course, Vestager's strong comments could simply be a negotiating tactic. As she seeks to force Google into a satisfactory settlement of the existing shopping and Android cases, suggesting that the EU will be targetting every other Google business for the foreseeable future is one way to make Google's lawyers take the EU seriously.

We've reached out to Google and will respond if we hear back.

Get the latest Google stock pricehere.

question: Approximately when was the article written?

answer: That information can't be found

question: Why is the EU's antitrust chief investigating Google?

answer: They've had complaints about various Google services

question: Who is the EU's antitrust chief?

answer: Margrethe Vestager

question: At the time of writing, how long had Google been involved with Europe's antitrust regulators?

answer: Five years

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The European Union's antitrust chief says that her agency is looking into a number of different Google services, in addition to its ongoing case against Google's shopping comparison service and investigation of Android.


text:
Batman looked out the empty window to see an empty chair in a field full of pansies all up staring up at him with their little faces.  Some were a deep dark purple and others were varying shades from sky to royal blue.  There were also some yellow and white ones which were only just yellow or white.

This year was unseasonably warm but the flowers didn't seem to mind.  If they were asked they would say they really enjoyed the warm weather, each others' company and the extra lifespan given that the lawn hadn't been mowed in over two months.

Batman simply stared out the window in a typical Batman-grimace way as he was unable to appreciate the pansies.  He was actually upset the lawn hadn't been mowed.  The pansies didn't mind.  The chair probably didn't mind either since it was just a chair and not pansies or Batman or any kind of flower at all.

--

I really like pansies.  For most of this year I had forgotten what they were called until I asked my mom "What are the ones with the faces?".  There was a lot of them in my yard this summer.  Then one day my dad came over and mowed the lawn.

title: Batman is not a flower

question: Who are the major characters of the story?

answer: Batman, the pansies, the chair

question: Who is Batman in this story? Is he really like the Batman in the movies and comic books?

answer: That information can’t be found.

question: What are the colors of the pansies?

answer: Deep dark purple, varying shades from sky blue to royal blue, yellow, and white ones.

question: Why was Batman upset?

answer: He was unable to appreciate the pansies and the lawn hadn't been mowed.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer:
Batman looks out the window and sees an empty chair in a field of different colored pansies all staring at him with their little faces. The warm weather suited the flowers just fine, and the lawn hasn't been mowed in two months, a fact that upsets Batman because he's unable to appreciate the pansies.

The narrator says he likes pansies. Then, one day, his dad came over and mowed the lawn.


text:
Well, the time has come to say goodbye to my baby and move on to greater things… I guess. From ditching class to the first time I had sex with Rachael; I’ve had so many memories in my sky blue ’78 Coupe Deville. So when I got a phone call this morning that some strange old lady wanted to take a look at my baby, I couldn’t ask anything besides what time she’d be here. All I could hope for is either she doesn’t show up, or it’s too “hip” for her to use when she picks up her groceries, goes to her knitting class, or whatever she does as a hobby.
It’s 3 p.m. and there’s no sign of this lady. I might actually be able to hold on to my baby a little longer. What the fuck is that squealing? I got up and peaked my head through the lacey white curtains my mother proudly bought at Goodwill. I pressed my right cheek against the window to get a better view of the broken pavement we call a street. I see a red- I think it’s red- dirt-covered ‘86 Honda Civic with the front bumper held together by a thin wire hanger. Please God, don’t let this be her. I shuffled my feet to the wood-framed screen door and slowly pushed it open; just hoping this ragged car passes by. I’d rather this be a drive-by than the new owner of my Caddy.
As I stepped out onto my mom’s porch I get an intense smell of the local steel mills that employ more than half the city. While my eyes scan the scenery of the decomposing fenced-in yards and barred up windows, I hear a sound of a car backfiring. The car’s gray exhaust billowed up behind it as it pulled into the one car driveway and slowed to a stop nearly putting another dent into my mom’s car. The doors opened with a loud creak as if the bolts were going to fly off. Two people emerged from the smoky confines of the car.
The driver was a man in his fifties and rough around the edges. He took two steps to his left to slam the door, leaned back, and pulled a cigarette from his ear and a lighter from his pocket. The lady pulled herself and took a bit longer to get out of the car. I caught a glimpse of her cloudy white hair peaking over the top of the car. She then took a few steps back, and drew a feeble old cane from the backseat. Are you kidding me?
	“How are ya,” I ask looked at the man, but he stared down the street, puffing his cigarette.
	“We’re fine, thank you,” the lady responded. “You must be Jay.”
	“Yeap.”
	“Well let’s see this car of yours.”
I waved for them to follow me into the garage- where I keep my baby away from prying eyes. I bent over and rolled the numbers in the correct sequence on the lock and popped it open. I looked back to see the man still leaning on the Honda- halfway through his cigarette.  The garage door swung up, as if the spring had no tension left, and revealed my baby. The air stood still as my eyes hit the bright blue details on the hood of that gorgeous beast.  My chest felt heavy when I stared into the headlight; reminding me of the first time I looked into Rachael’s eyes.
“Oh, she’s a beauty.”
What do you know, lady? It took my entire body to bring my fixed eyes over to the woman.  It took my entire soul to form a smile as I took a few steps into the garage that held my life. In the far back near the chipped door that led into the kitchen was an old cracked homemade wood shelf where my high school basketball trophies lived. Next to the shelf was a tool-bench I found decaying in an alleyway. I remember seeing it out of the corner of my eye as I drove by with Rachael on a humid summer day when the alley was overrun in a jungle of weeds.
My tools were still spread out over the workbench with the grease soaking into the warped wood.  The sun from the window on the other side of the garage was shining on my tools- reflecting the light and glaring into me. My heart started to sink into my stomach. The frigid old lady stared blankly at my car smacking her lips together as if she was swallowing her tongue. Her weary eyes spiked right through the front seat and into the ground beneath. She doesn’t deserve to even be in my sanctuary. She doesn’t even deserve to breath in the aroma of the wet, heavy air.  I swung my head angrily around in the direction of the woman. Behind her the man threw his cigarette to the ground and, with a stomp of his boots, he drove the cigarette into my driveway like it was a cockroach in his kitchen. He reached for his jean pocket and pulled out a blue pouch. He began to roll a second cigarette; not once glancing over to see what my baby looks like.
“Can I see under the hood?” the old lady asked, followed by coughing like she was trying to clear the years from her throat.
“Sure, one second.” I passed in front of her, separating her from the car.  I reached for the door and the cold, crisp handle sent shivers up my spine. After a moment of hesitation I snapped the handle up and gently swung the door open. I bent over and pulled the lever and the hood released with the sound like a can of pop opening. I felt myself blush from the thought of revealing my baby’s under parts.  I closed my eyes tight and clenched my teeth. But I pulled myself together and opened my eyes to the old lady smiling and staring expectantly back at me.
I casually strolled over to her and turned, positioning my shoulder next to her. I reached my hand through the one-inch crack between the hood and the grill of the car. What takes people a few fumbling seconds, took me only a moment to find the lever and release the hood. With two shaky hands, I lift the hood all the way open. The maze of the engine made the lady mumble, “Hmmm…” What’s does she know anyway? I checked back to see if the man’s attention had shifted over to the car- or at least to the lady. His presence started making me suspicious of the whole encounter. I’ve shown so much to them already. Did he see the combination for my lock? I should just tell them to fuck off. I don’t need their money. I don’t want to see them ever again.
Suddenly, the door to the kitchen slammed open and standing there was Rachael. She stood with a wide smile and soft eyes, analyzing the situation. My anger and paranoia dwindled at the sight of her smooth, glowing skin. I felt my muscles relax and my eyes start to feel lighter.
“Hi, I’m Rachael.”
“Hello,” the old lady grinned.
“How’s everything look to you?”
“I think we were about to talk price,” the lady looked back at the man for a quick glimpse. “How much were you asking?”
“Nine thousand.” I stated through my teeth.
“I was thinking, uhm, seven.”
That rage I had started creeping back into my throat. I squinted my eyes and gave him a quick glare, and then threw my attention at the man, hoping he would understand my point of view. My anger uncontrollably rolled in the direction of Rachael and I noticed she had moved from the stairs of the door to the passenger side of my Deville. My eyes drifted down from her shoulder to her hand rubbing her belly. My eyes focused over the hood to the round mass under her shirt that she had been caressing. The edge of my lip twitched into a smirk as I looked back at the lady, “Eight thousand.”
“Deal.”

title: First Short Story Ever

question: Who wants to take a look at the narrator's baby?

answer: A strange old lady wants to take a look at the narrator's baby.

question: What does the narrator consider to be her baby and why?

answer: The narrator considers her sky blue '78 Coupe Deville to be her baby because she has had so many memories in that car.

question: What enraged the narrator in the story?

answer: The narrator was enraged from the old lady negotiating with her about the car price.

question: How can you describe the narrator's relationship with her car?

answer: The narrator considers the car to be her baby, she is extremely protective of it, and has many intense feelings toward it. Selling the car is extremely difficult for her.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This story describes a woman who loves her car and has to sell it.


text:
Part 1

I woke up and glanced at the clock to the side of me. 5:30. I never woke up that early. Even for school. I felt, different, though, somehow. Like I was being watched. Like I was in a movie or a book or something. But it was more than that. I was motivated? I guess? That fits well enough. I was motivated. I wanted to do something.
  I slowly got up and started to get ready for school. I dreaded school. I hated most people there, and they hated me back. I honestly don't know why I went. If it was up to me, I wouldn't. It was a big waste of time. I really hated it.
  I was never bad in school, but nothing exceptional either. It wasn't the work though, it was the people. If you were any different than the hive mind you were made an outcast. I wasn't one though. I had a good amount of friends, and knew the right people to not be made fun of, but I just never liked most of the people there. They were cruel and unforgiving. I didn't like them.
  So you're probably wondering why I still went? Well like many people, it was because of Her. I never knew her name, only what she looked like. She was amazing, but she hated me. I only still went to school because I thought I would have a chance of her not hating me. If I just had a chance to talk to her, or something, maybe she wouldn't hate me, like many people do.
  I honestly don't know why I'm telling anyone this. Nobody cares. But I don't mind. I don't care. I've been told countless times that I could never get her. Or anyone, for that matter. But I didn't care. I kept trying.
 Again, I know nobody cares, but this is my story. And I'm going to tell it for once.
  I went to school, again dreading it. The day wasn't anything special. I went to my classes, nothing more, nothing less. The worst part about school I think was how uneventful it always was.
  Anyway one thing did happen today, I talked to her. It turns out, she doesn't hate me, just never bothered to talk to me.

Part 2

He talked to me today! I couldn't believe it! Then, after I got over the shock, I felt so idiotic for not saying more. For not saying "I think I love you" or at least "Can we be friends?" All I could manage was "H-h-hi." Imbecile. Now he'll never know that I can't stop thinking about him and probably never will. Now he'll never know that I think he's amazing. And he'll certainly never, ever know that someone, even if it's just me, needs him.
  School was......school. I mean, I was pretty intelligent, I suppose. Made pretty good grades. But where does that get you in life? Further than most people think, but that's the point. The people who decide your social standing are highly unqualified to do so. But do I care? Not in the slightest. I'm not disliked. I'm friendly with pretty much everyone, but mainly, I'm not noticed at all, really. I'm not bothered by that. Trust me, most people at my school, you wouldn't want to notice you, either. The one thing that drove me crazy was that he didn't notice me. At least, I thought he didn't for awhile.
  Once, I heard from a friend who heard from a friend who heard him talking about suicide. I doubted he'd talk about it, but I didn't doubt he'd do it. This scared me. I realized I didn't exactly have a lot of time to tell him anything really. I had to force myself into his life. Honestly, I could care less if the whole world hated me. But not him. Please, not him.
  The reason I liked him was because you could tell by looking at him that he understood you. Not necessarily everyone, but I knew he'd understand me. I knew that maybe I could be someone he liked. I hoped I could be someone he loved. I just didn't know how to tell him.

title: Us

question: What does the story say about the narrator's relationship with the girl from his school?

answer: The narrator gets ready for school. He does not like it and only still goes to school because of the girl he likes. He thinks the girl hates him. Later, he meets the girl at school and talks to her. It turns that the girl also likes him but has never dared to talk to him.

question: What does the story say about how long the narrator and the girl know each other?


text:
_UBACISI_ is a monotypic genus of African araneomorph spiders in the family Cyatholipidae containing the single species, _UBACISI CAPENSIS_. It was first described by C. E. Griswold in 2001,[1] and has only been found in South Africa.[2]

[1]

[2]

title: Ubacisi

question: Where do the Ubacisi species live?

answer: South Africa.

question: Who is the discoverer of the species?

answer: C. E. Griswold.

question: What family does the genus belong to?

answer: Cyatholipidae.

question: What kind of spider is the Ubacisi Capensis?

answer: It's an araneomorph spider.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Ubacisi is a monotypic genus of African araneomorph spiders in the family Cyatholipidae containing the single species Ubacisi Capensis. It was discovered by C. E. Griswold in 2001 and is endemic to South Africa.


text:
Two great comic things are happening right now! NUMBER ONE: John Campbell is making his perversely entertaining hourly comics again! Fun Fact: although I have met John Campbell in real life several times, because of his annual hourlies, I still always imagine him as his hairless stick-figure avatar.

NUMBER TWO: KC Green's Horribleville is now available in book form, from the great New Reliable Press! Go ahead, preorder it.

question: What is the theme of the article?

answer: Comics

question: Who is John Campbell?

answer: It is uncertain who he is, though he seems to be an important comics-related person.

question: What are the two good comic things mentioned?

answer: John Campbell is making his hourly comics again and KC Green's Horribleville is now available in book form.

question: Who is KC Green?

answer: The author of Horribleville.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The article describes two important comic-related events. The first is that John Campbell is making his hourly comics again and the second is that KC Green's Horribleville is now available in book form.


text:
is Thelma Aoyama's second official single, released on January 23, 2008, featuring SoulJa. It is an answer song to her previous collaboration with SoulJa, “Koko ni Iru yo.” B-side “My dear friend” was used as the ending theme to anime Shion no Ō, and the opening theme to television show Ryuuha-R.

The single reached the number 1 position on Japan's Oricon charts in its second week and sold over 450,000 compact discs. In addition, it sold over 7 million downloads, including 2 million complete downloads, by July 2008.[1] In September 2008, the Guinness World Records certified the song as “the best selling download single in Japan” for the number of full-track downloads.[2][3] On May 28, 2009, however, it was announced that the record was replaced by Greeeen's song “Kiseki”.[4] It was later admitted by the Guinness World Records.[5]

It was also the best-selling download single on the iTunes Store 2008 yearly charts in Japan.[6]

Taiwanese band Da Mouth sang their cover version of “Koko ni Iru yo” on their album _Wang Yuan Kou Li Kou_.[7]

“Soba ni Iru ne” was also covered by Sly and Robbie on their album _Amazing_.[8]

Track listing

1.  “Soba ni Iru ne feat. SoulJa”
2.  “My dear friend”
3.  “This Day feat. Dohzi-T”

Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Release   | Chart     | Peak      | First     | Total     | Chart run |
|           |           | position  | week      | sales     |           |
|           |           |           | sales     |           |           |
+:==========+:==========+:==========+:==========+:==========+:==========+
| January   | Oricon    | 1.  1     |           |           |           |
| 23, 2008  | Daily     |           |           |           |           |
|           | Singles   |           |           |           |           |
|           | Chart     |           |           |           |           |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| January   | Oricon    | 1.  1     | 50,158    | 464,835   | 46 weeks  |
| 23, 2008  | Weekly    |           |           |           |           |
|           | Singles   |           |           |           |           |
|           | Chart     |           |           |           |           |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| January   | Oricon    | 1.  2     |           |           |           |
| 23, 2008  | Monthly   |           |           |           |           |
|           | Singles   |           |           |           |           |
|           | Chart     |           |           |           |           |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| January   | Oricon    | 1.  7     |           | 456,479   |           |
| 23, 2008  | Yearly    |           |           |           |           |
|           | Singles   |           |           |           |           |
|           | Chart     |           |           |           |           |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+

Total sales as of 11th Feb '09 - 464,835

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

title: Soba ni Iru ne

question: What does the article say about the single's reception?

answer: The B-side song was used both as an opening and ending theme to two different shows. The single was the top song in Japan's Oricon in its second week and sold 450k CDs. In September 2008, it became "the best selling download single in Japan" in Guinness Records. It accomplished a similar feat in the iTunes store 2008 charts as well.

question: What does the article say about the popularity of J-Pop?


text:
Learning to surf wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. The jellyfish made me nervous, but if I acted as such everyone would think I was afraid. I shouldn't be, really. It's just a small sting - not as bad as a bee or a wasp. Maybe like that of a fire ant's...The jellyfish still made me nervous.

Maybe I seemed afraid because of the time my family visited Florida when I was a child. The jellyfish there were small and invisible. At least these jellyfish were big and purple. Maybe it was the guy who I overheard saying that he was stung on the face. What if I got stung in the eye? Or my mouth? What if I got stung on my dick? He got stung in the face and is still out here, he isn't afraid.

I touched a big purple jellyfish. I hadn't seen it. I jumped. I touched the top where there are no tentacles. It felt like cold, wet human skin. I jumped back as if I were afraid. I can't be afraid, my girlfriend is watching. I should just keep surfing.

title: Jellyfish

question: What made the narrator nervous as he was trying to learn how to surf?

answer: The jellyfish.

question: Will he end up touching a jellyfish?

answer: Yes.

question: Why was he afraid of jellyfish?

answer: Because of something that happened to him in Florida when he was a child.

question: What was he trying to learn?

answer: He was trying to learn how to surf.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator was trying to learn how to surf, surrounded by jellyfish. He was afraid of them.