text:
[]

This is a Sponsored Post on Behalf of Wocket Smart Wallet. All opinions are 100% my own.

If you are anything like me, you have a habit of collecting items you do not necessarily need in your wallet. I probably clean my wallet out once a year. And since I stuff so much crap in my wallet, I often need a new wallet after about a year or two. Here I want to go over my steps for clearing out my wallet for good,  so I no longer have to go through this “Hoarders: wallet edition” cleaning -every year.

Why Is Your Wallet so Gross?

[IMG_1955][IMG_1957]

Before you start anything, you have to get to the root of the problem. Ask yourself, why is your wallet so gross in the first place? Are you collecting membership cards? Do you have expired coupons in there? Are you collecting old receipts? Really take a look at what is in there so you can figure out how to not make this happen again.

My reason why I have so much garbage in my wallet is two-fold. 1. I have a lot of cards: gift cards, loyalty cards, credit cards, bank cards, business bank cards, and the list goes on! 2. I hang on to receipts for everything. I mean everything-food trucks, CVS, grocery store, etc..

The next steps include starting new habits to keep from holding on to junk I don't need, but I plan on using some new technology called the Wocket Smart Wallet to help me with my clutter issues. Now let's take on the psychological issues first.

FIRST COMES TACKLING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES

When it comes to breaking any bad habits, I think you have to make a mental acknowledgment about why you do the thing you do. At one point, I saved receipts consciously and now I save them without thinking i.e. it's a habit. My thought is “What if I have to return something?” or “Maybe I need to save this receipt to track my grocery spending.” So now when I am handed a receipt I am going to ask myself these questions:

1.  WOULD YOU REALLY RETURN ANY OF THIS STUFF?
2.  IF YOU WANT TO SHOW A RECEIPT SET A CELL PHONE NOTIFICATION TO REMIND YOU
3.  IF YOU PLAN ON TRACKING THIS WAY -SET A NOTIFICATION ON YOUR PHONE TO ORGANIZE THIS SO-CALLED SPENDING PLAN YOU ARE GOING TO DO.

My thoughts are that either I will be too lazy to set the notification and will discard the receipt immediately, or I will actually set the notification and hold myself accountable. Eventually, I will build a habit to keep my wallet clean always and when there is a spare piece of paper in there it will be more surprising than anything. The next step of decluttering your wallet is the physical aspect of making it smaller using a Wocket.

WHAT THE HELL IS A WOCKET?

[Wocket Back] [Wocket CU]

Okay, so I know you are wondering about this now, so let me go into it! A Wocket is a digital wallet that replaces your existing wallet that contains all of your credit cards, loyalty cards, debit cards; pretty much any card with a barcode or magnetic strip on it. You program the cards into an electronic device and when it's time to pay you choose the card you want to use and either let them scan the barcode on the screen or use the plastic digital card provided in the Wocket.

[Wocket SIde Profile][IMG_1952]

My thoughts are,  if I move all my crap over to the Wocket- a much smaller wallet I can still carry all my cards and I still have a place to add my ID and a little cash. Having a physically smaller wallet makes it easier to lay off the receipt collection. Not to mention, I will not have a wallet that weighs 5 lbs.

ADVANTAGES OF SWITCHING TO A WOCKET

[IMG_1948] [IMG_1949]

So if you are wondering is this really worth moving all my cards to this thing, I am telling you this thing is a game changer. Here are a few perks for switching to a Wocket.

-   Leave all your cards at home where they are safe-No need to worry about pick-pockets
-   You can store thousands of cards
-   It is secured to you with a unique voice print or a pin number
-   You only charge it once every 6 months
-   No internet needed

HOW DID IT WORK FOR ME?

I thought the concept of Wocket was awesome and I have to say I was really nervous the first time I used my Wocket card. I actually carried my actual cards with me the first time just to be safe it worked. My fear was unwarranted; it turned out since it worked just fine! I chose the card I wanted to use and removed the Wocket card from my wallet and handed it to the cashier. She swiped it and gave it back to me. It worked! I am using this now instead of carrying my heavy wallet around and I don't think I'll have issues with hoarding receipts anymore.[IMG_1956]

Having a clean wallet is a good start to having more organized finances in general. When you know what is in your wallet, not only is it easier not to lose items, but it's nice to know that you have everything you need in such a small package. Want to learn more about Wocket? Check them out here at WocketWallet.com. You can also save $30 off by entering the code  30OFF-7D3FA8TE. [DECLUTTERING YOUR WALLET 101]

question: Summarize the types of situations in which one might utilize a Wocket.


split: train

text:
Based on the collection of novellas, The Decameron, by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio, _The Little Hours_ is an outrageous raunchy comedy that follows a young man who takes refuge in a convent in an effort to escape his master. During his stay, the young man realises the sisters at the convent might not behave the way you would expect them too. Jeff Baena directs _The Little_ Hours, which stars Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Aubrey Plaza, Kate Micucci, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Jemima Kirke, Nick Offerman, Fred Armisen, and Paul Reiser.

[The-Little-Hours]
Image via Gunpowder & Sky
To really get a feel for what you are going to see in _The Little Hours_ I would recommend the Red Band trailer, because that way you will get the perfect example for the kind of movie and its crude humour you are about to watch. The setting might be Middle Ages Italy but the language and characters feel straight out of 2017. Having foul-mouthed, sexually frustrated nuns swearing and violently beating people is the main joke of the movie, but it is something that is able to spawn off several humorous and outright weird moments.

[The-Little-Hours-Franco-Plaza]
Image via Gunpowder & Sky
_The Little Hours_ might have one humour trope it relies on but it is the cast that make the joke work. Many of the characters feel like R Rated versions of characters that the main cast has portrayed before. Aubrey Plaza appears to be in her element as Fernanda, one of the main nuns who might have some anger issues. She gives off a foul-mouthed, April Ludgate vibe, but with a different type of charm. Allison Brie’s Alessandra is similar to some of her previous roles, the rich girl who wants to get married and then begins to rebel. Like Plaza, Brie is in her natural acting element, which allows her to have fun with the role and keep the character engaging. The supporting cast do a fantastic job as well, adding to the raunchy humour in what I could only imagine would have been an impossible shoot, or at least there must be a large number of outtakes. The scenes between Dave Franco and John C Reilly were some of my favourites, in particular the confessing of the sins. The combination of Middle Ages dialogue with modern day speak blends together hilariously throughout _The Little Hours_, but it is in these scenes that it works best.

[The-Little-Hours-John-C-Reilly]
Image via Gunpowder & Sky
This film is definitely an interesting viewing experience. I believe this is the film that when viewed with a group may become more humorous, but on a solo viewing you can pick up on some of the films subtlety. The film itself is interesting, because it doesn’t feel like a conventional story; it doesn’t have a typical three-act structure, or a through line. Baena also uses some interesting shots throughout the movie that set the setting for the presumed period piece that would typically accompany a film set in the middle ages.

[The-Little-Hours-Plaza-Brie]
Image via Gunpowder & Sky
_The Little Hours_ has one joke that is used throughout the film, but somehow it works. I had fun viewing this movie and felt that there was some very interesting filmmaking techniques used through out. I don’t think it will make my favourite movies of the year but it is something that is easy to watch and have a few laughs at.

Recommendations:

If you are a fan of raunchy, sex comedies, or the actresses in this movie then it’s definitely worth checking out.

_The Little Hours_ scores a 6/10

Thanks for reading my review. Have you seen _The Little Hours_? Does this seem like something that would interest you? Be sure to check out the Red Band trailer below.

Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date with everything happening with Millennial Movies. Just put your email in the box below to subscribe. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

question: What is the main subject of this article?

answer: A review of the film The Little Hours

question: List some of the actors appearing in the film The Little Hours.

answer: Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Aubrey Plaza, Kate Micucci, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Jemima Kirke, Nick Offerman, Fred Armisen, and Paul Reiser

question: Who directed the film?

answer: Jess Baena

question: What, according to the article, are some of the shortcomings of the film?

answer: The article doesn't explicitly list any shortcomings.

question: What did the writer enjoy most about the film?

answer: The scenes between Dave Franco and John C. Reilly, especially the confessing of sins.

question: What rating does the writer give the film?

answer: 6 out of 10

question: When was The Little Hours released?

answer: Implied to be 2017, but that is not confirmed in the review

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: A review of the film The Little Hours, which the writer scores at a 6 out of 10, recommending the film to fans of raunchy sex comedies or fangs of the actresses who star in the film.


text:
NANHAI SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, [1] the largest boarding school in Foshan, Guangdong, was founded in 1907. Located at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain [2] and being adjacent to the new Xiqiao Bridge, the school covers an area of 225333 square meters. In 2006, Nanhai Senior High School was awarded as a national demonstrative senior high school in Guangdong. In 2007, the school was awarded as a national Green School, and a provincial demonstrative senior high school of psychological health education.

[]

The School Culture [3]

The school badge

The school badge of Nanhai Senior High School is a floating golden flag constituted of the letters “N” and “H”, surrounded by a blue circle which symbolizes the education in Nanhai. It implies that Nanhai Senior High School is a demonstrative senior high school in Nanhai.

The school motto

[] The school motto of Nanhai Senior High School is being ambitious enables one to make progress and achieve success.

The school activities

Based on the principle of doing good to the lifelong development of students, the school organizes a variety of activities, including orienteering, debates, singing contests and so on. And the school strives to provide students an enjoyable school life. There are over 30 associations in the school, organizing cultural activities regularly.

The History of Nanhai Senior High School

The timeline of the school in Guangzhou

-   In 1907, Nanhai Senior High School was founded at No. 360, Xihu Road, Guangzhou.
-   In 1910, the school was relocated at No. 460, Xihua Road, Guangzhou.
-   In 1912, the school was officially entitled “Nanhai Senior High School”.
-   In 1922, the school board was founded.
-   In 1937, Nanhai Senior High school was awarded as one of the nine most outstanding high school in China.
-   During the Anti-Japanese War, the school was relocated at Foshan, Zhongshan, and Macao.
-   In 1947, the school was relocated back on Xihua Road, Guangzhou.
-   In 1953, Nanhai Senior High School came within the jurisdiction of Guangzhou, so the school and Guangzhou Wanshan Senior High School were amalgamated into single one, renamed The Eleventh Senior High School in Guangzhou.

The timeline of the school at Fengdi on Xiqiao Mountain, Nanhai, Foshan

-   In 1962, Overseas Chinese established Nanhai Overseas Chinese Senior High School at Fengdi on Xiqiao Mountain, Nanhai District, Foshan City.
-   In 1968, the school was renamed Nanhai Hongwei Senior High School due to the Great Cultural Revolution.
-   In 1973, the school was renamed Nanhai Xiqiao Senior High School.

The timeline of the school at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain, Nanhai, Foshan

[]

-   In 1938, the school was relocated at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain, Nanhai District, Foshan City. And it was renamed Nanhai Senior High School.
-   In 1988, Nanhai Senior High School was awarded as a county-level key high school.
-   In 2001, the branch school of Nanhai Senior High School [4] was founded in Shatou, Jiujiang Town, Nanhai District, Foshan City.
-   In 2006, Nanhai Senior High School was awarded as a national demonstrative senior high school in Guangdong.
-   In 2007, the school was awarded as a national Green School, and a provincial demonstrative senior high school of psychological health education.
-   In 2013, the school was awarded as an outstanding school with high teaching quality in Foshan.

The Design of Nanhai Senior High School

[] Established at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain, the design of the school is ladder-like. From the gymnasium with the lowest altitude to the basketball court at the hilltop, there are 251 stone steps, with a height of over 60 meters. There are four pavilions in the school, including Yangsheng Tai, Dishuiyan Pavilion, Siyuan Pavilion, and Zhiyuan Pavilion. And there are six gardens, including Pastoral Garden, Mango Garden, Biological Garden, Bamboo Garden, Orange Osmanthus Garden, and Zhiyuan Garden. With galleries throughout the school, the teaching buildings, dormitories, and the athletic field are connected.

The Staff and Students

There are 241 teachers in Nanhai Senior High School, including 80 senior teachers, 30 doctoral candidates, and a foreign teacher. There are 61 classes in the school, with more than 3000 students. Independent study and tutorial system are forms of education offered by the school.

[1] Nanhai Senior High School. Accessed 10 Dec. 2016

[2] Xiaoqiao Mountain. Accessed 10 Dec. 2016

[3] Nanhai Senior High School: Impression. Accessed 10 Dec. 2016

[4] Nanhai Zhongxue Fenxiao. Accessed 10 Dec. 2016

title: Nanhai Senior High School

question: When was the school founded?

answer: 1907

question: What awards has the school been given?

answer: It has been awarded as a national demonstrative senior high school in Guangdong, as a national Green School, and as a provincial demonstrative senior high school of psychological health education

question: How many teachers does the school have?

answer: 241

question: Where is the school?

answer: Foshan, Guangdong, at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Nanhai Senior High School is the largest boarding school in Foshan, Guangdong. It was founded in 1907 and sits at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain. It has received several awards.


text:
_HORTIPES_ is a genus of African corinnid sac spiders first described by J. Bosselaers & J.-C. Ledoux in 1998.[1]

Species

it contains seventy species:[2]

-   _H. abucoletus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. aelurisiepae_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. alderweireldti_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Equatorial Guinea
-   _H. amphibolus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo
-   _H. anansiodatus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. angariopsis_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. arboricola_ Ledoux & Emerit, 1998 – Gabon
-   _H. architelones_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. atalante_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. auriga_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo
-   _H. aurora_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo
-   _H. baerti_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Ivory Coast
-   _H. bjorni_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. bosmansi_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. calliblepharus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. castor_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. centralis_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo
-   _H. chrysothemis_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. coccinatus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. contubernalis_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. creber_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. cucurbita_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. delphinus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. depravator_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. echo_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo
-   _H. exoptans_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. falcatus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo, Rwanda, Uganda
-   _H. fastigiensis_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. fortipes_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Equatorial Guinea
-   _H. gigapophysalis_ Jocqué, Bosselaers & Henrard, 2012 – Guinea
-   _H. griswoldi_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. hastatus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo, Uganda
-   _H. hesperoecius_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Sierra Leone
-   _H. hormigricola_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. horta_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo
-   _H. hyakutake_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. irimus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. klumpkeae_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. lejeunei_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo, Rwanda
-   _H. leno_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. libidinosus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. licnophorus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. limicola_ Ledoux & Emerit, 1998 – Gabon
-   _H. luytenae_ Bosselaers & Ledoux, 1998 (type) – South Africa
-   _H. machaeropolion_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Nigeria
-   _H. marginatus_ Ledoux & Emerit, 1998 – Ivory Coast
-   _H. merwei_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. mesembrinus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. mulciber_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. narcissus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo
-   _H. orchatocnemis_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Malawi
-   _H. oronesiotes_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Malawi
-   _H. ostiovolutus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. paludigena_ Ledoux & Emerit, 1998 – Gabon
-   _H. penthesileia_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Malawi
-   _H. platnicki_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. pollux_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Malawi
-   _H. puylaerti_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. robertus_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. rothorum_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. salticola_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. sceptrum_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Cameroon
-   _H. scharffi_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. schoemanae_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. silvarum_ Ledoux & Emerit, 1998 – Ivory Coast
-   _H. stoltzei_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Tanzania
-   _H. tarachodes_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo
-   _H. terminator_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Congo
-   _H. wimmertensi_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – South Africa
-   _H. zombaensis_ Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000 – Malawi

[1]

[2]

title: Hortipes

question: When was Hortipes first described?

answer: In 1998.

question: Who was the first to describe Hortipes?

answer: J. Bosselaers and J.C. Ledoux.

question: How many species does the genus contain?

answer: 70

question: Where are these spiders found?

answer: In Africa.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Hortipes is a genus of African corinnid sac spiders. The genus contains seventy species. They were first described in 1998 by J. Bosselaers and J.C. Ledoux.


text:
[]

At TEDMED this year, we are excited to explore the power of the interplay between Chaos and Clarity. Typically, clarity is thought to emerge from chaos, but we see chaos and clarity as symbionts, two expressions of the same force that propel us toward new discovery. Sometimes clarity is hidden inside of chaos, waiting to be discovered. Other times, the clearest of solutions can yield a chaos of new questions requiring new investigation.

The relationship between chaos and clarity is different in each of our lives, and we want to know how the TEDMED Community experiences this relationship. That’s why we’re asking each of our Partners, Speakers, Innovators, Delegates, and our entire community, to finish the following “equation”:

_“To me, Chaos+Clarity=_____________.”_

To help everyone connect with the theme, we’re asking a few warmup questions:

-   How has the interplay between Chaos+Clarity inspired you and your work?
-   What are you most clear about? What in your life is chaotic?
-   Where do you experience chaos and clarity the most?
-   How would you describe the relationship between Chaos+Clarity?

And, we kicked things off by reaching out to members of our 2018 Editorial Advisory Board (EAB), to see what chaos+clarity means to them. You can see what some had to say below.

NOW, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Complete the Chaos+Clarity equation and tag us on Twitter (@TEDMED), and on Facebook and Instagram (@TEDMEDcommunity). Be creative – there’s no right or wrong answer to this equation (and good news, you don’t even have to show your work). Don’t forget to use #TEDMED!

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

[]ADAM GOULBURN:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “The tension that drives progress and innovation.”

[]
ALICIA JACKSON:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “New insights to propel humanity forward.”

[]GILES NEWTON:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “Hearing that one idea that makes you sit up and go ‘wow’!”

[]HARITH RAJAGOPALAN:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “Superior understanding of complex problems.”

[]JEFF KARP:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “My Life.”

[]KAFUI DZIRASA:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “Passion*Purpose^2/Time”

[]LUCY KALANITHI:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “Parenting a 4-year-old.”

[]NADJA OERTELT:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “Integrating the complexity of big healthcare problems into pragmatic solutions, not denying it.”

[]ROXANNE KHAMSI
_Chaos+Clarity=_ “The duality that medicine can be simple and complex at the same time.”

[]SARA GORMAN:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “The necessary, sometimes maddening process of researching and learning new things in science and health.”

[]UDAYA PATNAIK:
_Chaos+Clarity=_  “The recipe for innovation! Swim in the Chaos (data, noise, seemingly irrelevant ephemera, and positively weird phenomena) to find Clarity (inspiration, order, patterns, insight, understanding, and meaning).”

We look forward to seeing you soon in Palm Springs, CA. If you plan on joining us, be sure to register soon, time is running out!

question: What is the scale of severity for events that can be considered for the relationship between chaos and clarity?

answer: It appears that domestic level issues, such as a raising a 4 year old, to major socio-economic concerns, such as healthcare problems, can be used for chaos and clarity discussions. So it appears that any form of chaos, regardless of severity, can be a source of clarity, and is viable for the TEDMED discussion.


text:
Brothers who shot and killed a sheriff's deputy and his friend during a ridealong put up signs in their front yard

By Police1 Staff

KINGSTON, Tenn. — A pair of brothers who shot and killed a sheriff's deputy and his friend during a ridealong posted photos of the bodies on a sign outside their home.

Rocky Joe and Leon Houston said they "want the world to remember what happened" when uninvited guests shows up at their farm, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Deputy Bill Jones, 53, and ride-along Mike Brown, 44, died in May 2006 when they went to the Houstons' property to serve an outstanding arrest warrant for Rocky, who had failed to appear in court. The two groups exchanged gunfire, and Jones and Brown died at the scene.

It was never determined who fired first. In court, the Houston brothers said the men "came to kill them" and were never prosecuted in the deaths.

The night of the shootout, forensic specialists took photos of the bullet-riddled corpses inside Jones' patrol car that became evidence in the Houstons' trial. Authorities said because they are public record, posting them is not a crime.

The photos, along with court records, names of public officials and claims of government corruption, are posted on at least a dozen billboards outside the property and next to the road, according to the article.

"It goes without saying that any public display on their own property of these photos in whatever manner by the Houstons is despicable and certainly runs counter to the Houstons' claims of innocence," 9th Judicial District AG Russell Johnson said Thursday in a news release.

Rocky Houston told the paper he will not take down the signs.

question: Why did the brothers kill the sheriff's deputy and his friend?

answer: The brothers say that the men had come to kill them.

question: What sign have they put up in their front yard?

answer: They put up the photos of the bodies.

question: How old were the sheriff's deputy and his friend?

answer: The Sheriff's deputy was 53 years old and his friend was 44 years old.

question: Who fired first?

answer: This has not been determined.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer:
A pair of brothers, Rocky Joe and Leon Houston, have shot and killed a sheriff's deputy and his friend during a ride-along. They have also posted photos of the bodies on a sign outside their home. The Houston brothers claim in court that the men "came to kill them."

Along with the photos, court records, names of public officials, and claims of government corruption are also posted on dozens of billboards outside the property.


text:
FAITH SPOTTED EAGLE (Dakota: [1] or “Standing Stone”; born 1948) is a Native American activist and politician. She is a member of the Yankton Sioux Nation who attempted to block development of the Keystone XL pipeline and eventually succeeded in blocking the development of the Dakota Access Pipeline.[2]

In the 2016 presidential election, she became the first Native American to receive an electoral vote for President of the United States as well as one of the first two women to receive an electoral vote for President of the United States.[3] Spotted Eagle's single vote came from Robert Satiacum Jr., a faithless elector in Washington, who cast it for her instead of Hillary Clinton.

Background

Spotted Eagle is from the village of White Swan, now beneath of water at the bottom of Lake Francis Case, a reservoir created by the Fort Randall Dam.[4] She still lives in the area at nearby Lake Andes, South Dakota.[5][6] She attended the American University in Washington, D.C., and Black Hills State College in Spearfish, South Dakota, and holds an MA in Educational Psychology and Counseling from the University of South Dakota. Her time as a student included an internship for then-senator George McGovern.[7]

Spotted Eagle is a native speaker of Lakota, and learned English in school.[8]

Career

Activism

Spotted Eagle has been a private consultant in PTSD counseling for veterans, a school counselor and principal, and a Dakota language teacher at Sinte Gleska College.[9][10] She is a founding member of the Brave Heart Society, an organization for teaching girls about traditional culture,[11] chair of the Ihanktonwan Treaty Committee, and the manager of Brave Heart Lodge in Lake Andes[12] which seeks to preserve Dakota cultural beliefs for the future.[13] Spotted Eagle served as a delegate of the Treaty Committee NGO at the United Nations.[14]

Spotted Eagle criticized President Donald Trump following his use of the term “Pocahontas” to refer to Senator Elizabeth Warren. She referred to the incident as an “emotional assault” that “carries as much weight as a physical assault,” and said, “He can phrase it and twist it and distort it any way he wants, the fact remains: That name does not belong in his mouth.”[15][16]

Politics

2006 state house candidacy

Spotted Eagle ran for a seat in the South Dakota House of Representatives in 2006 for the 21st district, which comprises Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Jones, and Lyman counties. She placed 3rd in the Democratic Party primary out of three candidates, receiving 735 votes overall. Spotted Eagle won the most votes of any candidate in majority-Native American Buffalo County.[17] She had been convinced to run for the seat, but did not actively campaign.[18]

2016 presidential election

[Robert Satiacum Jr., a faithless elector in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections, cast his vote for Spotted Eagle]

Spotted Eagle received one electoral vote for President of the United States from Robert Satiacum Jr. of Washington, a faithless elector during the 2016 presidential election.[19] Satiacum explained that Clinton had failed Native Americans, especially regarding the pipeline issue.

Spotted Eagle said that she was surprised when she learned that she received this vote. She said she hoped the vote would increase awareness of the environmental dangers of the Keystone XL project, and that she was now considering running for state office.[20]

Spotted Eagle is the first Native American to receive an Electoral College vote for President (though not the first to receive an electoral vote overall, as Charles Curtis received a majority of electoral votes to become Vice President in 1928),[21][22] and she and Hillary Clinton are the first two women to receive an electoral vote for president.[23]

2018 state house candidacy

Spotted Eagle ran for one of two seats in District 21 of the South Dakota House of Representatives in 2018, aiming to succeed retiring Democrat Julie Bartling.[24] She lost the Democratic primary, coming in third for total votes behind Brian Jorgensen and Anna Kerner Andersson.[25] Brian Jorgensen withdrew before the General election however, placing Spotted Eagle back in the race. Ultimately, she did not garner enough votes to win the general election, coming behind Anna Kerner Anderson who in turn came behind the two Republicans who won both seats, Lee Qualm (incumbent) and Caleb Finck.[26]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4] The Fight to Tame a Swelling River With Dams That May Be Outmatched by Climate Change, by Tyler J. Kelley, New York Times, 21 March 2019

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

title: Faith Spotted Eagle

question: Who is "Faith Spotted Eagle"?

answer: a Native American activist and politician who blocked the development of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

question: How was Spotted Eagle involved in the 2016 presidential election?q

answer: She became the first Native American to receive an electoral vote for President.

question: Explain why Spotted Eagle criticized President Donald Trump.

answer: Trump has used the term "Pocahontas" to refer to Senator Elizabeth Warren which she referred as an "emotional assault".

question: What did Spotted Eagle run for?

answer: A seat in the South Dakota House of Representatives.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer:
"Faith Spotted Eagle" is a Native American activist and politician who successfully blocked the development of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Spotted Eagle's background includes Educational Psychology and Counseling. She is a founding member for various organizations.


text: Whatever had wiped out all life on earth seemed to have forgotten about Chris. On the morning of January, 7, 2010 it had taken Chris about twenty minutes to figure out what had happened overnight. He had woken up to find that his wife was not beside him in bed, strange he thought then got out of bed. “Honey?” no answer, “Honey!?” he said louder, no answer, strange he thought again. It was only when he stepped outside did he begin to get scared. The silence smacked him in the face like a sledgehammer. He looked around beginning to get nervous, and saw the true nightmare that had occurred on the planet overnight. All the grass, trees and foliage were gone. Not a single remnant remained of them, no dust, no stumps, no decaying leaves, nothing. The next few hours went by in a blur. Going to all the nearby cities to look for any life what so ever and finding nothing. Looking in nuclear bunkers to try to find anyone who might have survived and finding no one. Days went by. He found that fruits no longer rotted and realised not even the bacteria survived. Weeks went by. He started to talk to himself to pass the time, and sometimes he would think he saw another person and try to run to them but they would fade away into nothing as they always did. Months went by. Suicide became a popular topic among the many talks he had with himself. One day something in Chris just snapped, he could not take this world any longer. He could have found a gun in an hour or so and it probably would have made for an easier suicide but he needed to leave this world now. Not in an hour, not even in a minute if he could help it, now. He found a length of rope long enough in a hunting store by a small river and in ten minutes he was on a chair with a noose around his neck looking through a window at the river. With three wobbles of the chair it fell over. The last living thing on earth hung dead.

title: Eradication

question: Why does Chris commit suicide?

answer: There's no other living thing left on the planet. Presumably, the solitude becomes unbearable.

question: Why did all the living things vanish from the world?

answer: It's not mentioned in the story.

question: Why can't Chris wait to find a gun?

answer: He can't take the solitude any longer, not even a minute.

question: If all living things are extinct, how are there fruits?

answer: It's not explained in the story. It is a logical contradiction.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer: Whatever wiped out all life on Earth seems to have forgotten Chris. He wakes up one day to find not even bacteria are alive. He searches for a living soul for months, finding no one. Suicide becomes a routine thought at some point, and Chris snaps one day. He can't take the solitude for even a minute longer. He finds a rope. Minutes later, the last living being on the planet hangs dead.


text:
Prompt: A man gifts dreams in a world where people have forgotten how to dream.

When I first heard about him, I thought he was a myth; like Big Foot or the Yeti. I didn’t think it was possible, not anymore anyway.

We, the human race, lost our ability to dream back in the late 2050s when governments began approving the commercialization of “designer babies.” For the first time in human history, parents could choose specific DNA traits that they would want their children to inherit. Children grew up brighter, more athletic, beautiful and eventually more successful than children conceived through traditional insemination. In a world filled with perfect human beings, the poor couldn’t afford to compete and over time the world’s population shrank to a point where everyone had been created in a lab. We now possessed the richest pool of genetic material than ever studied before.

However, by about the second or third generation people began forgetting how to dream. It took years for studies and research to effectively conclude that people were no longer able to dream. Scientists dully explained the connection between the neurons that are active during the REM phase while we were asleep and nucleotides in our DNA, which became repressed and extinct over time. It was similar to the theory behind natural selection. The damage was done; it seemed inconsequential to people back then, they didn’t need as much sleep as the generations before then. Large genetic corporations who essentially customized babies spun it as “evolution.” People had no choice but to move on. Decades flew by. Dreaming was a lost design and Oneirology a forgotten science; our brains could no longer build the framework we needed to dream.The world we grew up in dreaming was a fable, told to little kids to get them to sleep.

My grandfather used to tell me stories when I was a young boy about his grandfather who like all humans at the time, could dream. He spoke of the limitless nature of dreams; of precognition, visions and anything you ever wanted. I was always fascinated by the idea even though I never completely understood it. It was hard for me to imagine what a dream was, but I used to wish that when I fell asleep that I would be magically whisked away into my world of imagination.

As I grew up, desires of dreaming faded away over time when I met the love of my life. All I wanted to do was to be with this gorgeous woman who somehow loved me too. I wanted to spend every moment of life making her smile and watching her laugh. She lit up my life and we were inseparable. I knew early on that she would always be the best thing every happened to me, I guess I won the jackpot early.

You don’t win the lottery twice.. We were so close to getting married when she passed away in car accident. They could barely identify her remains. I’m I could’ve saved her if I was there. There was a giant hole in my heart and I didn’t want to fill it. My life was never going to be the same. Everything I saw was grey; I didn’t want to meet people or work anymore. I only wanted to be with her, at least one last time to say goodbye. I just wanted to see her smile again.

Dreams.. The one place I knew I’d find her. While conducting research on the last known man to have dreamt, I found out that there was a man who was still alive, but barely. Through some persistence I convinced Mr. Takahama’s children to let me interview him. He was a lot older and more frail that I had pictured. The backstory was that he, being one of the earlier generations of designer babies, he retained the ability to dream till he was a teen. Now, at 120 years he was the last of the fortunate. During his interview, he told me that he last dreamt a couple of years ago. I was shocked, but his children brushed it off as a sign of old age. He pulled me closer and whispered, “there is a man who goes by the Dreamer, seek him and you shall find your answers.” I chuckled at the suggestion but Mr. Takahama said this more sternly than anything he had all evening.

I went looking for “the Dreamer” but most my leads were dead ends. I was mocked by my colleagues at the university. I was searching for a ghost, for a man who didn't want to be found. A few people had heard of him but no one knew anything about him for certain. I spent the better part of a year chasing a shadow. I was close to giving up, but I wanted to experience what it felt like to dream. Fortunately, a few days before I was about concede in defeat, the phone rang. The man, one of my leads, spoke hurriedly, “we found him, we found Aserinsky.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Eugene Aserinsky, the Dreamer. We’ve located him Vienna. You better fly out tonight. This is the last chance you’ll ever get."

I was excited but I tried to keep my expectations in check. I had never been so close but every other lead had ended in disappointment. I barely slept a wink on the flight to Vienna, Austria. I had so many questions and thoughts spinning through my head. I prayed that answers awaited me.

I made my way towards the Albertina, a historic museum built in the 17th century, to meet Aserinsky. My contact had told him that I had spent a significant portion of my life studying dreams and managed to convince him to meet me. I wasn’t sure what to expect.

He looked the part; an elderly man worn down by time. His silverish hair resonated wisdom and his light brown eyes gleamed of visions unseen. He spoke with a certain charisma that few developed. It became immediately known to me that he was the one I pursued.

“Do you know why I asked you to meet me here?” He spoke clearly but softly.

“Not really, I know this museum stores some of the rarest paintings from the Renaissance period centuries ago.” I replied, hoping to impress
him.

“Exactly, these painters were considered to be visionaries, romantics, dreamers and philosophers. This time period had a huge impact on human culture; the arts, science and the humanities. I’ve had dreams where I’m lost in this beauty.”

“Dreams.. Do you dream?” I asked nervously.

“Yes, I do dream. A long time ago, I discovered I had a gift for being able to dream and that I could give others the ability to dream. Our brains are no longer as capable of processing REM as decades ago, so the few men who I gave my ability to, eventually killed themselves because they couldn't distinguish a dream from reality. Why do you wish to dream so desperately?”

“I wish to be with the one person who completed me. She was taken away from me and I would do anything to be with her again.”, I reasoned.

“I must warn you that dreams are powerful; they are as real in your minds as life around you. You may die from your brain being unable to process the nerve impulse transmissions.The sad part would be that
your mind wouldn’t know the difference between a dream and death.”

Confidently I replied, “Yes, I understand the risks.”

The next thing I remember is falling asleep in my bed, floating away in a timeless time where my soul escaped into a life that wasn’t my own. I didn’t know if I was dreaming or dead but I saw her. She looked as gorgeous as ever. Even if it was death, I found some solace in knowing that I would finally be with her.

title: The Dreamer

question: What world is this story set in?

answer: A future world where humans have lost the ability to dream.

question: Why have people lost the ability to dream?

answer: They have been genetically engineered, and it has been bred out of them.

question: Why does the narrator want to dream again?

answer: He wants to see the love of his life.

question: Where does the narrator encounters the man who gifts dreams?

answer: In Vienna.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The story tells of a future world where humanity has lost the ability to dream. In an attempt to reconnect with a lost love, the protagonist journeys across the world searching for the one person who can restore his ability to dream.


text:
The legal battle between Kesha and producer Dr. Luke has been raging on for over a year now, since Kesha first filed a suit against her former songwriting partner (and Dr. Luke countersued shortly after).

But this past weekend, Kesha filed new court papers asking a judge to get back to work recording with other collaborators besides Dr. Luke. The "Timber" singer is still bound by her contract with Sony Music -- which is in dispute in court -- and the company won't allow her to work with other producers while it's pending.

According to the new papers, Kesha said her career is "effectively over" unless she can make new music now -- and make it without Dr. Luke. And indeed, we haven't heard much from the 28-year-old singer since "Timber," which was really Pitbull's song that she was featured on. Her last studio album, _Warrior_, came out in 2012.

Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, has been embroiled in a court battle with Kesha since October 2014 when the singer filed a suit claiming he had sexually assaulted, raped and battered her during their 10-year partnership. In addition, the suit contains some really nasty allegations, like Dr. Luke referring to Kesha as a "fat f--king refrigerator" and continually harassing her about her weight. Dr. Luke countersued for breach of contract and defamation just days later.

Back in February, a New York judge ruled that Kesha's sexual assault case against Dr. Luke should move forward before Dr. Luke's claims of defamation should be considered. But this was later undone by a judge halting her case in June.

Kesha's lawyers wrote in the most recent filings, “Kesha now faces an abysmal decision: Work with her alleged abuser...or idly and passively wait as her career tick-tocks away. Kesha’s window of opportunity is nearly shut: She has not been recording, touring or able to market merchandise for nearly a year -- an eternity in the industry. If Kesha is not permitted to resume working immediately with the backing of a major record label, her window will forever close."

question: Who is Kesha?

answer: Kesha is a 28-year old singer who sang 'Timber'

question: Who is Dr. Luke?

answer: His real name is Lukasz Gottwald, and he's Kesha's former songwriting partner and producer.

question: What suit did Kesha file against Dr. Luke?

answer: Kesha claims that Dr. Luke sexually assaulted, raped, and battered her during their 10-year partnership. It also details how Dr. Luke harassed Kesha about her weight. Dr. Luke countersued for breach of contract and defamation just days after Kesha sued him.

question: What is Kesha's biggest problem as the legal battle drags on?

answer: Kesha is still bound by her contract with Sony Music and the company won't allow her to work with other producers while there is a dispute in court because they are also part of the suit. Kesha's career is drifting away the longer she can't make music or market merchandise. Her window of opportunity is nearly shut.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Kesha is a 28-year-old singer who is currently embroiled in a legal battle after suing her former songwriting partner and producer, Dr. Luke. She claims that  Dr. Luke sexually assaulted, raped, and battered her during their 10-year partnership. Dr. Luke countersued for breach of contract and defamation days after Kesha sued him. As the case drags on, Kesha's window of opportunity as a singer is closing, because she can't perform or make music with other producers.


text:
[Thomas Rayson _(left)_ and Canon Crosse _(right)_ on top of the tower of St Mary's Church, Henley, Oxfordshire in December 1955]

THOMAS RAYSON (5 December 1888 – 28 January 1976) was an architect who practised in Oxford, England, and also a watercolourist.

Family

Rayson was born in Madras, India, on 5 December 1888, the second son of William John Rayson, who was then a railway engineer with the Locomotion Fabrication Plant for Indian Railways, and his wife Elizabeth A. English. The family returned to England in 1890 and Thomas's father took over the Union Flag pub at 178 Lambeth Road.[1]

In 1933 Rayson married Helen Hilton, and they had two children.[2]

He enjoyed drawing and painting, and served as Chairman of the Oxford Art Society. He was also musical and ran a quartet with friends and played with the Oxford Orchestral Society.[3]

He continued to work as well as draw and paint until ill health caused him to retire in 1973/4. He died at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford, on 28 January 1976.[4]

Education

Rayson served articles with Robert Curwen of Bishopsgate Street in London, and then studied under Professor Arthur Beresford Pite at the Brixton School of Building.[5] He became ARIBA in 1918 and FRIBA in 1927.

Career

Rayson first came to Oxford in 1910 as an assistant to the architect Nathaniel Harrison. He was unable to undertake active service in the First World as he had a collapsed lung. After spending time in Cambridge working on hospitals from 1916, in 1918 he was employed at the Ministry of Works, and was the site engineer of Witney Aerodrome in Oxfordshire.[6]

He started his practice in Oxford in an office in Turl Street, but had moved to 15 Broad Street by 1922 and to 47 Broad Street by 1930. By 1926 he was Housing Architect to the Municipal Authorities at Witney and Tottenham, London, where he designed housing schemes.[7]

[Roundabouts, the house designed in c.1930 by Thomas Rayson for his family]

In about 1930 he designed his own house called Roundabouts in The Ridings at the foot of Shotover.

In 1936 Rayson's office at 47 Broad Street was one of the buildings demolished to make way for the New Bodleian Library (now the Weston Library), and he moved his office to 35 Beaumont Street. In the late 1940s he moved his office again, this time to 29 Beaumont Street.[8]

Rayson, who is described by Geoffrey Tyack as “the last of Oxford’s Arts and Crafts-inspired architects”,[9] disliked most modern architecture in Oxford, saying: “St. Catherine's is in brick. It shouldn’t be. St. Anne’s, Somerville, and St. Hugh’s – I should have liked them all to be in harmony with the Oxford tradition. The Law Library? Frankly I don’t understand it: why that great monolithic block with columns underneath. Two words describe a lot of modern building like a lot of modern painting and music: barren and empty. One longs for something to hang on to and enjoy.”[10]

In 1966 he handed over his office at 29 Beaumont Street to his son Christopher Rayson, who was also an architect, and continued to work with him as a consultant.[11]

Works

[The Oxford War Memorial in St Giles', Oxford, designed by Thomas Rayson and unveiled in 1921]

-   Job architect for the new Boswell's building on the corner of Cornmarket and Broad Street (1912)
-   The house “Shotover Edge” on Shotover Hill for Dr L. P. Jacks, the Master of Manchester College (1914)
-   Council housing in Witney at Highworth Place in the Crofts, and at Hill Close on Oxford Road (1920s)[12]
-   Chester War Memorial, with Frederick Crossley (1921/2)
-   Oxford War Memorial (1921)[13]
-   Civic Arts Association War Memorial[14]
-   Woodstock War Memorial, Oxfordshire (1920)[15]
-   Stanton St John War Memorial, Oxfordshire (1921) [16]
-   Forncett St Mary War Memorial, Norfolk (1921)[17]
-   Cogges War Memorial, Oxfordshire[18]
-   Witney War Memorial, Oxfordshire[19]
-   The John Player Factory, Botanic Road, Dublin, with Philip Dalton Hepworth (1923)[20]
-   St Edward's School Sanatorium, Oxford (by early 1920s)[21]
-   John Masefield’s theatre on Boars Hill, near Oxford (1924)[22]
-   Restoration of the former Plough Inn at 38 Cornmarket Street, Oxford (1925)[23][24]
-   Roundabouts, The Ridings, Oxford (1930s)[25]
-   Roebuck pub, Market Street (1938)
-   Talbot House, Wellington College (1938)[26]
-   Restoration of 28 Cornmarket Street (1951)[27]
-   Headington School, Oxford, with Gilbert T. Gardner (1928–30)[28]
-   John Henry Brookes’ house at 195 The Slade, Oxford (1929)[29]
-   Remodelling of the interior of 75 High Street, Burford, Oxfordshire[30]
-   Substantial renovations to Cote House (1949–50)[31]
-   Extension at Keble College, with A.B. Knapp-Fisher (1955)[32]
-   Restoration of the Old Rectory, Epworth, Lincolnshire, the former home of John Wesley (1956)[33]
-   Restorations of Blenheim Palace (1950s/1960s)[34]
-   Extension to the Friends Meeting House, St Giles, Oxford (1958)[35]
-   Old Headington Village Hall (1959)[36]
-   Two extensions to Stone's Almshouses in St Clement's, Oxford: Parson's Almshouses on the left (1960) and Mary Duncan Almshouses on the right (1964)[37]
-   38 student rooms and two staff houses for Mansfield College, Oxford (1962)[38]
-   Rayson House, Eden Drive, Headington, Oxford (sheltered accommodation) (1964)[39]
-   Restoration of Wallingford Town Hall[40]
-   Numerous restorations to Oxfordshire churches, including Great Haseley, Cuddesdon, East Hendred, Ewelme, Fulbrook, Great Rollright, Ipsden, Lyford, Charney Bassett, North Leigh, North Moreton, Shipton-under-Wychwood, Oakley, Fyfield, Wootton by Woodstock, and St Giles', and St Peter in the East in Oxford itself.[41]

[1] 1901 census

[2] Free BMD

[3] “50 years' service to architecture in city and County”, article published in the _Oxford Times_ on 26 July 1968, p. 18 to celebrate Rayson's half century as an architect in Oxfordshire

[4] Death notice in _The Times_, 31 January 1976, p. 24

[5] _Who’s Who in Architecture (1926)_ (The Architectural Press, London)

[6]

[7]

[8] _Kelly’s Directory of Oxford_ up to 1976 for dates of his offices

[9] Geoffrey Tyack, _Oxford: An architectural guide_ (Oxford University Press, 1998)

[10]

[11]

[12] _Victoria County History: Oxfordshire_: Witney Borough, retrieved 23 December 2016

[13] Alex Bruce: “The Oxford War Memorial: Thomas Rayson and the Chester Connection”, _Oxoniensia_ LVI (1991), 155–168, retrieved 23 December 2016

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17] https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1453698

[18]

[19]

[20] ''Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720–1940

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24] Malcolm Graham, _Oxford Heritage Walks: From Oxford Castle to St Giles’_ (Oxford Preservation Trust, 2013), p. 27

[25]

[26]

[27] Malcolm Graham, _Oxford Heritage Walks: From Oxford Castle to St Giles’_ (Oxford Preservation Trust, 2013), p. 29

[28]

[29] Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board: John Henry Brookes, retrieved 23 December 2016

[30] VCH Explore, retrieved 23 December 2016

[31] Marcus Binney, “End of the Piers Show", _The Times_, 9 April 2004, p. 10[S1]

[32] Jennifer Sherwood and Nikolaus Pevsner, _The Buildings of England_ (Penguin Books, 1974), p. 228

[33] "John Wesley's home to be restored”, _The Times_, 4 September 1956, p. 10

[34] “Blenheim work may take 10 years”, _The Times_, 19 December 1957, p. 13

[35]

[36] Old Headington Village Hall: History, retrieved 23 December 2016

[37] Christopher Hibbert and Edward Hibbert (eds.), _The Encyclopaedia of Oxford_ (Macmillan London Ltd, 1988): entry for Stone's Almshouses, p. 443

[38] “Mansfield College appeal launched”, _The Times_, 26 April 1960, p. 14

[39]

[40]

[41]

title: Thomas Rayson

question: What age did Thomas Rayson live until?

answer: 87

question: How did Thomas Rayson die?

answer: That information can't be found.

question: Where was Thomas Rayson born?

answer: Madras, India

question: Describe Thomas Rayson's family.

answer: His father was a railway engineer named William John Rayson and his mother was Elizabeth A. English. He married Helen Hilton and they had two children.

question: What was one of Thomas Rayson's notable achievements?

answer: The Oxford War Memorial in St Giles', Oxford

question: Why did Rayson dislike most modern architecture?

answer: He found it to be barren and empty.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Thomas Rayson was an architect born in India who also served as the Chairman of the Oxford Art Society. The article includes a list of his works.


text:
The Dallas Stars are onto the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and have a tough test in the St. Louis Blues.

Despite owning home ice advantage against St. Louis, it’s unlikely that the Stars are considered favourites. A big part of that is likely due to their $10.4 million goaltending duo that didn’t earn much respect this season.

Both Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi produced .906 save percentages in the regular season, with Niemi holding a significant advantage in even strength save percentage at .921 to Lehtonen’s .911, and the opposite being true on special teams.

In the playoffs, it’s been Niemi who has been porous at even strength and strong on special teams, with the opposite true of Lehtonen again.

The playoffs are a small sample, and neither goalie looks reliable, but who is most likely to get the job done going forward? In order to figure that out, first we have to know what expected save percentage is for each area on the ice.

[expsvp]

We know that nearly half of all goals scored in the NHL are from the Red Zone area, and save percentage there is both more repeatable and more important than other players. But we also now have baselines for the other areas.

Let’s take a look at each goaltender’s save percentages by zone throughout the season and playoffs.

[Niemi]

Niemi is technically below average in 6-of-8 zones, though the gap is extremely small in five of those. The big problem for him is that he’s far below league average in the Red Zone, saving just 72.8 per cent of pucks shot on net from there, when a league average goalie is expected to stop 75.5 per cent of them. This would indicate that Niemi is not a strong option. So what about Lehtonen?

[Lehtonen]

Lehtonen is below league average in 4-of-8 zones, including way below average from the Centre Point, and significantly below from the West Point and Outside North East. However, Lehtonen is also above average, significantly so, from the Red Zone.

So Lehtonen is more prone than Niemi is to giving up bad goals, with the Centre Point numbers perhaps suggesting that he has trouble fighting through screens, but he’s better by a huge margin at stopping shots from the highest leverage area.

Because the numbers on those perimeter areas are so likely to fluctuate wildly, and shots from there are much more likely to get blocked, you have to think that Lehtonen is the better choice. Fortunately for the Stars, Lehtonen has also looked better in the playoffs, which is more likely to influence a coach’s decision making than a bunch of numbers.

question: What would occur if the Dallas Stars did not own home ice advantage against St. Louis?

answer: If the Dallas Stars did not own home ice advantage against St. Louis, then they might have had a greater chance to lose the game.

question: What would happen if Niemi was injured?

answer: If Niemi was injured, then the chances of the opposing team winning would be much greater.


text:
Something hurts: The meet up (Part One)

"Dude, I don’t know how you do it."

You have to have a lot of patience.

"It’s just like when you or anyone else goes back to school and doesn’t live here anymore, man."

Except when you leave, I’m not chasing your car down the road and I don’t have tears in my eyes.

"So you play games with her very once in a while and talk about nothing?"

She feels like the world to me. I miss her every day. I couldn’t care less if we talked about nothing, just the comfort of the silence of someone on the other end of the phone was enough.

"Yeah, actually. We play all the time, talk to each other on the phone constantly, it’s nice. Not about nothing, though. We talk about anything and everything. It’s not nearly as hard as it looks from the outside."

I was being nice about it. It was difficult, very stressful. Thinking one day one of us might wake up and just feel like not doing it anymore, not trying, just wanting to walk away. That’s a scary thought.

It started about a year ago, I met her online on a dating website. Messaged her before looking at the location.

476.7 miles away.

Ugh, why did I bother? Well, she did mention playing online games and her name is pretty cool so maybe we have enough in common for her to be interested, yeah? Maybe I’ll get a message back this time.

"RobotOnslaught has sent you a message!"

That was fast.

"Hey, thanks for the message! Yeah, definitely love my cardboard cut out of Leia. She’s pretty much my girlfriend, haha. Do you play LoL? I recently got into it a few months back but haven’t touched it much, it would be cool to have someone to play with!"

That was the beginning of me falling.

Hard.

This girl was amazing, we had the same taste in almost everything and if we didn't, I didn't care. It wasn't like we argued about anything serious. Just about which genre was better, Sci-fi or Fantasy. I preferred the former whereas she defended the latter with every ounce in her being. Her favorite series was Lord of the Rings and I loved that about her. Sure, Star Wars is absolutely fantastic and probably the best series of all time and if you didn't think so you were wrong. But it’s nice to see what she’s passionate about.

"So you really like this chick, yeah?"

"Dude, she’s, like, the coolest person on the planet. Everything about her is awesome. She’s a massive nerd, just like me, we’re into tons of the same stuff and we play games together all the time. I’m actually trying to get her to play with us console peasants because right now she’s just part of the PC Master Race. Plus, we’re both super cute and I think we’ll look even cuter next to each other."

I was right, we looked amazing next to each other. I still remember the first time I saw her, she drove 476.7 miles to see me. Me. I don’t know why she did, I’m not sure what exactly had her so interested in me that she’d travel 476.7 miles to see someone she plays games with on the internet. We weren't even official, that doesn't mean I tried though. I begged her to try a long distance relationship with me but she wouldn't have it until she could physically touch me, at least for a little bit.

Our first time seeing each other….barely anything was said. Just “Hey!” “HI!” And a massive hug that seemed to go on forever. I loved that, she gave the best hugs. I felt like I could do anything when she was around. I felt like I could take on the world, or at least the poor bastard next to us in the magazine section of our local bookstore/coffee shop/writers hole that had to put up with the sappy, blushing-filled, tears-in-the-eyes first meeting of two dorks falling into something that they couldn’t see where the landing zone was.

That was such a perfect week. Full of cuddling, video games, showing her around the town I grew up in. She was super excited for it, loved every second of it. I’m not sure why though, I absolutely hate this place. She didn’t know it yet but I was seriously considering enlisting in whichever branch of the military that would take me.

"This was fun!"

"Yeah…I just really wish I didn’t have to go right now, this weekend was amazing."

We were loading her luggage into her back seat, double and triple checking everything. I guess we were both brought up the same way when it comes to trips.

"Most definitely! Though you don’t need to worry, I’ll still be here so you can come any time you want! Hell, maybe I could come down some time? You could show me around! I’m sure you have a lot more to do where you’re from than what was up here."

"Your town is nice! It has stuff to do and it’s all kind of compact so that’s good, you don’t have to drive an hour and a half to find your fun."

"You’re such a dork. I like you."

And then she started crying. Not out of sadness, well, I’m sure there was some sadness there, but these tears were also for the fact that she had finally found someone she could talk to and enjoy the company of. I knew that because she reminded me several times since then.

"I like you too. I’m going to miss you like crazy…"

"Oh god, don’t cry, crap, you’re gonna make me cry! Stop it!"

She let out the sweetest giggle.

Fuck.

That’s what did it. That giggle, that laugh is what solidified what had been on my mind since the first time I met her in person a week ago and when I first met her online a few months back. I was falling in love with this girl. I was okay giving her a piece of me for her to drive back home with 476.7 miles away and I was completely fine because I had part of her with me right there and she knew it as well.

She drove off, I stood in the middle of the road, watching her pull away. I could see her waving at me from a few houses down, she took the left that takes her out of my neighborhood and I immediately called her to talk to her on her journey back from whence she came. 476.7 miles away.

title: Part one of something I'm trying to write myself through, feedback would be great!

question: Why doesn't he move to her town? He doesn't like his own.

answer: She hasn't asked him and he has a job in his own town

question: Why hasn't he told her is considering enlisting if they talk to each other about anything and everything?

answer: Clearly, he doesn't tell her everything. Enlisting might prevent him from talking to her as often as he does and he may not have as much time to play online games so he'd rather not tell her at this stage.

question: Why does he think that either one of them might decide not to do the long-distance relationship indefinitely?

answer: He may have doubts of his own. If he thought that she would be the one to opt out he would have said so and would not have referred to either one of them.

question: Why doesn't he share the stress with his friend choosing to make it all look easy?

answer: He doesn't want to express his doubts because this would imply that he doubts the relationship and the feelings that he and his girl have for one another.

question: Write a ~12 sentence summary.

answer:
He meets her online on a dating website, messages her before he sees how far away, she live – 476.7 miles. She quickly replies. They’re both into online gaming. He likes sci-fi, she fantasy. Not long after they meet, he knows that he is falling in love with her.

Then she drives 476.7 miles to pay him a visit. They spend a perfect week together, cuddling, talking, playing. She loves his home town. Though he can’t understand why. He has been contemplating joining the military to get away from the town.

The week comes to an end and she must leave. Now they’re back to talking to each other about anything and everything and he’s quietly anxious that one day it will all come to an end when one of them gets tired of the long-distance relationship.


text:
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question: What is Replug?

answer: An all-in-one link management tool.

question: What is the name of the company behind Replug?

answer: That information can't be found.

question: List some of the functions of Replug.

answer: Replug can be used to create branded shortened URLs, to retarget anyone who clicks the user's links, to add call-to-actions to shared links, and to create social media bio landing pages.

question: Where can Replug be purchased?

answer: That information can't be found.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Replug is an all-in-one link management tool. It can be used for branded URL shortening, adding retargeting pixles, embedding call-to-actions, and creating social media bio-links. It can also be used as a Google Chrome extension. António Almeida provides a positive user testimonial.


text:
A story I wrote while waiting for the train one day. I have never read it, or attempted to edit it after I was finished. It is how I felt during an argument with my girlfriend. Enjoy.

An Afternoon In The Park

     There is an old man that everyday can be found on the same bench, feeding the same birds, and he always shows up at 12-noon on the dot. Although few take notice of him, he goes about his day and keeps to himself.
	It has been almost a year since his wife passed, and everyday his age starts to become more and more transparent. Every Saturday his son keeps him company. Usually the two sit in silence and face outward toward those passing by or the birds as they wrestle over crumbs of bread. Occasionally one nods to the other, and gets acknowledgments through a grunt. Call it guilt; call it the universal fear of regret that every son holds onto when they realize that they can lose a father without really ever knowing him. Today the son decides to reach out and learn something about the people who brought him into the world.
“Tell me about mom.”
	The old man stops moving. He looks out to the horizon, up to the sky, and finally right into his son’s eyes and offers a simple response of, “She was my heart and soul.” He maintained eye contact until he could no longer hide the weight of the tears that were beginning to form in his eyes. Even as a proud man he could not hide how much he truly missed his wife. Her death left him a hollow shell that could only continue on by maintaining the same mundane schedule.
	The son sat silently in a state of shocked disbelief. Throughout his life he thought he had seen every emotion possible from his father. Yet he had never seen grief such as this. When his father looked him in the eyes he could see an old lonely man. While the two had a loving relationship they had never really connected with each other. His father’s face displayed the many hardships and loss that go along with the happiness and joy in life. The youthfulness that he always attributed to his father had been replaced with a visage that resembled a young boy whose dog has ran away never to return. He wanted to lighten the mood so he tried to recall a happy family memory.
“Remember my first day of college and moving into the dorms? Remember how much mom embarrassed me by handing me a box of condoms in front of that big group of girls in the lobby?”
	Sitting on his left, all the son could see was a smile and chuckle as the old man replied, “Your face was redder than the school’s mascot.” His son would never know, but a single tear feel down the right side of the old man’s cheek as he relieved such a happy memory.

“Didn’t you and mom meet at state?” asked the son.

“Yep.” The old man replied.

“She always told me you went there to be with her and how romantic it was.”

“Nope, I went there for myself.”

	This surprised the son. He had grown up with the idea that his parents met because his father went to State to be with his mother; if this wasn’t the case, than what about all the other stories?

“Didn’t you quit drinking for mom?”

“Nope, I did it for myself.”

“What about your job? Wasn’t there a time you got offered a corporate position and you turned it down to start family?”

“Nope, I did it for myself.”

	Frustrated, his son couldn’t believe what he was hearing from the man he called father his whole life.

“What about all the money you worked for? The Corvette? The house you bought? Why you quit smoking and drinking?”

	With each question asked the old man would give the same response: “I did it for myself.” Fed up with getting nowhere the son stopped his inquiry, and the two sat in silence for a while. Eventually it became overwhelming to the son and he blurted out uncontrollably, “What did you do for mom then?” Once again the old man looked out, took a deep breath and replied:

“Everything else.”

	For the rest of the afternoon the two sat together in silence. For the first time in his life the son felt that he finally saw a glimpse of his father that he swore did not exist. The old man never made a claim toward achieving perfection in his life, but those two words will forever leave an imprint on the son’s impression of the man he calls his father.

title: An Afternoon In The Park

question: Who is the narrator?

answer: The narrator seems to be an observer of happenings in a park.

question: What's the narrator's relationship with the older man?

answer: The narrator doesn't have any with the older man. He only observes.

question: In which setting did this occur?

answer: At a train park.

question: What was the narrator's discussion with the older man all about?

answer: The narrator wasn't the one discussing with the older man but the man's son.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator notices an older man comes to the park every day and can occasionally be found feeding birds. It's been almost a year since his wife passed, and his son comes to keep him company every Saturday. The old man and his child hardly hold a conversation, but one day, the son asks about his mom. In grief, his dad relates how much he missed her. They both share fond memories about her and finally find the closure they sought.


text:
[../images/199843_1.jpg]

[../images/199843_2.jpg]

Looking as though they were tied to the branches are painted representations of decorated poem slips (_tanzaku_) bearing 31-syllable _waka_ verses drawn from some of the most revered anthologies of Japanese literature.

While the poems speak of the beauty of the spring and autumn seasons respectively, the trees themselves seem to go head to head visually, challenging the viewer to declare whether the delicate, pale pink petals of the cherry or the bold red leaves of the maple are the more beautiful.

The placement of each poem across the panels was carefully planned according to its content or imagery. _Waka_ poems were selected from all but five of the twenty-one imperial anthologies collectively called the _Chokusenshu_, which contains verses from the 10th to the 15th century. On their respective screen, the words _sakurabana_ (cherry blossoms) and _momijiba_ (maple leaves) appear in each poem, producing a beautiful cadence when all are read together.

In addition, a handful of poems on the screens are special celebratory poems that wish the emperor long life and the continuation of the imperial line for a “thousand [meaning innumerable] years.” These verses are placed in prominent locations: on the far right of the Flowering Cherry screen and at the end on its sixth panel, and again at the very end, on the sixth panel of the Autumn Maples screen at the far left. This last poem reads:

      Bathed with the
  Blessings of rains and dews
      The maple leaves:
  Imbued a thousand times—the number
  Of the thousand years of our lord!

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

Tosa\ Mitsuoki.\ _Flowering\ Cherry\ and\ Autumn\ Maple\ with\ Poem\ Slips_\ (detail),\ 1654/81.\ Kate\ S.\ Buckingham\ Endowment.

question: What do the poems speak of?

answer: The beauty of the spring and autumn seasons when they go head to head visually (cherry vs maple).

question: What are imperial anthologies called?

answer: The Chokusenshu.

question: Who are the celebratory poems for?

answer: The Emperor.

question: What are the celebratory poems all about?

answer: The poems wish the Emperor long life and the continuation of the imperial line for a thousand years.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: According to the article, decorated poem slips, or tanzaku, have verses drawn from the most revered Japanese literature anthologies. The poems speak of the beauty of the spring and autumn seasons when they go head visually. Poems are placed on the panels depending on their content or imagery. A handful of poems are celebratory poems that wish the emperor long life and the continuation of the imperial line for a thousand years.


text:
I shouldn’t have read that letter. It was childish of me to think she’d want the same thing. I leaned back and the chair creaked. Did she think I was a freak? I thought we could be more than friends this morning, but I’d do anything to take back what I said now.

My stomach felt like it was twisting, my head felt as if I had hit it against something and my breaths were shaky. She hasn’t even read anything I sent her. Is she ignoring me? Would this be how it is from now on?

She’s done so much for me. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know how I would endure going to school anymore. My phone was in front of me, lifeless, like it was telling me to stop already.

I closed my eyes and breathed in slowly through my nose, then let it out. My mother’s answer to everything. It was alright. Sunshine would turn me down gently, wouldn’t she? She’s not a bad person. It’d be like this never happened.

Would I want that?

We’ll go back to always texting each other. Sunshine would want things to be normal again. F**k, I didn’t want that. I wanted to hold her, tell her how much she mattered to me, and be anything she wanted me to be.

The TV downstairs interrupted my thoughts. A laugh track played over and over again, pausing every now and then. I stomped the floor then grabbed my phone, checking to see if she had responded.

No response.

“Turn it down!” I yelled.

I put down the phone and thought they heard me, but then the laughter came again. My chest hurt the more I breathed in and out, what felt like a knife had somehow lodged itself in there and kept poking me. Why couldn’t those fuckers just turn down the volume? Why wouldn’t Sunshine respond?

My legs were in front of my chest, my knees touching my bony collarbone. I wrapped one of my arms around myself. It’d be nice to hold her or be held like this. One hand blitzed on the keyboard and brought up Spotify. I didn’t know what band was playing, I could barely see the screen with my contacts off. The singer had a soft voice for a man, but it was pleasant.

The laughter track faded away as I turned up the speakers. The phone was underneath the monitor and showed a one-sided conversation that consisted of me apologizing a lot and asking what she thought about my confession. Other than the screen’s glow, the phone was dead, quiet and still.

My head still hurt. I rested my chin on one of my knees and stared down at the carpet. I closed my eyes and listened to the man who sang, his music tried to drown out everything else. Sunshine, my family in the living room, my homework due tomorrow, the pain in my back,  the pounding in my head.

All I wanted was to be with her. Couldn’t she understand I needed that? I didn’t want to screw her, I wanted to be closer to her. It felt like we were separated by a chasm as only friends.

“Bonnie?” My mom shouted and knocked on the door. She tried to open it, but it was locked, like always.

“What is it?” I shouted back, my throat hurting.

My back was messed up from sitting in the chair like that. It hurt getting up. I sighed as I walked over towards the door

With a slouch in my step, I undid the lock and opened my door for the first time since I got home.

“Yeah?” I asked again, this time less of a shout. A different song played from the speakers, but it was the same guy, this time more aggressive and throaty with clapping and trumpets alongside him.

She stood in front of the doorway, a head and a half shorter than me but what she lacked in height, she more than made up for it with a smile that any animal with half a sense of preservation would back down from.

With her hands on her hips, she made a show of staring at my feet, straining her eyes.

“What?” I muttered.

“I could’ve sweared I heard stomping from upstairs,” she started, her eyes still on my feet. “You’re not a stomper though. Never have been.”

I forced a smile on my face, my cheeks pulled painfully taunt.

“But you are a runner.” She put a hand to her chin, stroking an imaginary beard. “Your feet must be confused. No wonder they’re misbehaving.”

“Is there a reason you’re neglecting them so? What did they do to deserve this, Bonnie?”

The smile fell from my face.

Her smile shrunk a little and her hand went back to her hip.

“I don’t feel like laughing at you tonight,” I told her. “Running just didn’t seem like the thing to do tonight. Besides, I have homework to do.”

Mom still stood in the doorway, but the smile went away. It was replaced with caring eyes instead.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

I shook my head and put a hand on the door.

“Not tonight.”

She looked at me softly and touched the hand on the door.

“You know where I’m at.”

I pulled back my hand and closed the door behind me, turning around and sinking down in front of it. The lamp’s dim light and the song from my speakers were the only other sources of life in the room.

question: Why does the narrator think Sunshine would consider them a freak?

answer: Because Bonnie is attracted to Sunshine despite both of them being female.


text:
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| Monthly Fee           | Required Opening      | Withdrawal Limit Fee  |
|                       | Deposit               |                       |
+=======================+=======================+=======================+
| -   No monthly        | -   $XXXX             | -   Make a total of 6 |
|     maintenance fee   |                       |     transfers and     |
|     for each          |                       |     withdrawals each  |
|     statement cycle   |                       |     monthly statement |
|     that you:         |                       |     cycle with no     |
| -   Maintain a        |                       |     Withdrawal Limit  |
|     minimum daily     |                       |     Fee. A $10 fee    |
|     balance of at     |                       |     applies for each  |
|     least $XXXX       |                       |     withdrawal or     |
| -   or                |                       |     transfer          |
| -   Link your Bank of |                       |     exceeding 6 in a  |
|     America Advantage |                       |     monthly statement |
|     Savings account   |                       |     cycle.            |
|     to your Bank of   |                       | -   Other limits      |
|     America Advantage |                       |     apply to certain  |
|     Relationship      |                       |     types of          |
|     Banking® account  |                       |     withdrawals and   |
|     (waiver applies   |                       |     transfers.        |
|     to first 4        |                       |                       |
|     savings accounts) |                       |                       |
| -   or                |                       |                       |
| -   When you are a    |                       |                       |
|     Bank of America   |                       |                       |
|     Preferred Rewards |                       |                       |
|     client (waiver    |                       |                       |
|     applies to first  |                       |                       |
|     4 checking and    |                       |                       |
|     savings accounts) |                       |                       |
| -   or pay            |                       |                       |
|     $XXXX/month       |                       |                       |
| -   For new Bank of   |                       |                       |
|     America Advantage |                       |                       |
|     Savings accounts, |                       |                       |
|     we’ll waive this  |                       |                       |
|     fee for the first |                       |                       |
|     6 months          |                       |                       |
| -   -   Students      |                       |                       |
|     under 24 who are  |                       |                       |
|     enrolled in       |                       |                       |
|     school may also   |                       |                       |
|     qualify for a     |                       |                       |
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+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+

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question: What are the monthly fees associated with the different account types?

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text:
THE BLACK TOWERS
================

The swirls of sharp orange dust etched their way across his eyes as they blew by.
The frayed edges of his tattered hood licked frantically into the air.
He was done with this life.
Done with everything.

&nbsp;

There was no help coming now, not from anyone. Not ever.
It had been months since the last drop of food had been created.
Rumours of hidden stashes, lifelines for another week, faded into memories.
We are all just scavengers now.

&nbsp;

He stood before one of the Black Towers.
Assembled as a last act of a government long crumbled.
It's pinnacle hidden from sight.
It's treasures untold.

&nbsp;

There where many of them.
One for every district rumours had said.
No one knew why they were built.
Just that they suddenly existed.

&nbsp;

They were long and towering.
Like a thinly stretched rectangle.
Jabbing their way up from the crusty earth.
And up through the heavy red pollution above.

&nbsp;

Thin metal rods protruded from all four sides of the Black Towers.
Disorganised and unsymmetrical.
Sharp and rough.
Edged for cutting and dissuading.

&nbsp;

He'd known a few climbers in his time.
Seeking a seat beside God.
Seeking an escape from the drainage.
From the burning famine.

&nbsp;

The moment his hand first touched the lowest rod he knew he was committed.
Their touch was rough and uninviting.
On every one, small strands of invisible metal needled outwards.
They burrowed deeply into soles of his worn bare feet and raw hands as he ascended.

&nbsp;

He didn't bother looking down.
There was nothing for him there any more.
The wind and searing heat had dissipated at this height.
He felt only the slick wetness of his blood as it leaked from him and trickled back down towards the ground.

&nbsp;

Above the clouds he climbed.
The silence of freedom at last.
At this level the rods where smooth and new.
The sky blue and clear.

&nbsp;

His hands slipped weakly on each rod above.
His feet slapped wetly on those below.
A crimson drip on each rung.
A testament to the unbound future.

&nbsp;

Eventually there were no more rods to grab.
A sharp flat edge lay above him.
One more heave and he would be on top.
One final push to glory and his questions would be answered.

&nbsp;

He stood on the flat sleek surface of the Black Tower.
The rats were far below. Oblivious.
In the centre of the floor was a large square hole.
That descended as far as he had climbed.

&nbsp;

No further way up.
No alternative route.
His hands and feet too badly damaged to return the way he came.
One final hope passed through his mind as he stepped gracefully into the hole.

&nbsp;

He never screamed as he descended into the darkness.
Never reached out for safety.
All roads had led to this.
Far below ground level, his death was instantaneous.

&nbsp;

In this civilised society.
It doesn't take long to process the offerings from above.
All you had to do was debone and wash the meat.
And there were always offerings from above.

title: [SF] The Black Towers

question: What does the text say about the architect who built the towers?

question: What does the story say about the protagonist?

answer: The male protagonist was done with his life and done with everything. The world he lives in was heavily polluted and ridden with famine. All of them were scavengers now, relying on food created and dropped from above. The protagonist climbs one of the Black Towers that stretched all the way up the clouds. He reaches the top but finds nothing but a square hole that descended as far as he had climbed. Too tired and injured from the climb up to climb back down, he steps into the hole and into freefall, his death instantaneous at that height.

question: What does the story say about the Black Towers?

answer: The Black Towers were assembled by a government that crumbled long ago. Many towers were created (one for each district) but no one knows why they were built. The Black Towers stretch high above the clouds, its pinnacle is hidden from sight. Many thought that the towers hid treasures because thin metal rods protruded from all four sides in a disorganized and non-symmetrical manner. The rods were sharp and rough, meant to dissuade anyone from climbing them. Above the clouds, the metal rods became smooth and new. The top of the tower was flat and had a large square hole in the center of the floor that descended all the way down to ground level.

question: What does the story say about the significance of the square hole in the center of the tower?

answer: The devious square hole in the center was built for climbers who have nowhere else to go but down, hoping that they'll end up someplace else, but meet death instead. The hole goes all the way down to ground level and climbers become minced meat when they reach the ground. The builders knew that after governments crumble, people will starve. They built the towers knowing that people will try to climb up, so they made the center hollow to make sure people coming down will die and be converted into food. In the case of the protagonist, he becomes the food created and dropped from above to feed the scavengers below.