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BEIJING — A detained Swedish bookseller at the centre of an escalating row between Western governments and China has accused Sweden of using him as a “chess piece” in a media appearance arranged by Chinese police.

Gui Minhai, a Hong Kong-based publisher who sold books of salacious gossip about Chinese leaders, told several outlets including the South China Morning Post on Friday that he never wanted to leave China and that Stockholm has been using his case to “create trouble” for China’s government.

The statement from Gui, who spoke in a detention facility flanked by police, was immediately denounced by rights activists as coerced. In putting Gui before the press this week, Chinese state security appeared to be responding to Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, who on Monday sharply questioned the rule of law in China and blasted Beijing’s “brutal” treatment of Gui after weeks of relatively mild pleas for his release.

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Gui was seized in January by 10 plainclothes agents while travelling by train with Swedish diplomats. Sweden said its officials were taking him to seek medical treatment.

In a 20-minute appearance on Friday, Gui told reporters that officials in Sweden had “sensationalized” his case for political purposes ahead of this year’s general election, according to the Post. The newspaper said it was approached by China’s Ministry of Public Security about an interview on Wednesday — a day after Wallstrom’s statement — and it agreed to take part, provided that it could ask any questions it wanted.

“Looking back, I might have become Sweden’s chess piece. I broke the law again under their instigation,” Gui was quoted by the Post as saying. “My wonderful life has been ruined and I would never trust the Swedish ever again.”

The Swedish foreign ministry said in an email that “Sweden has acted strictly in accordance with basic international rules on consular support.”

“We continue to demand that our citizen be given the opportunity to meet with Swedish diplomatic and medical staff, and that he be released so that he can be reunited with his daughter and family,” it said.

Patric Nilsson, a foreign ministry spokesman, told Swedish media on Friday that Gui’s comments would not sway Sweden’s calls for his release, which have been echoed by Germany, the European Union and the United States.

“We have a clear demand that he be set free, so that he can meet his family,” Nilsson told the TT news agency. “Those demands remain.”

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Police in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo, where Gui was released into house arrest in October, did not respond to a fax seeking comment. But earlier in the week, China’s foreign ministry heavily criticized Sweden for advocating on Gui’s behalf and warned against efforts to interfere in Chinese judicial matters.

It is not the first time Gui, 53, has been detained by Chinese authorities, nor is it his first interview conducted in Chinese captivity.

He was believed to have been abducted by Chinese agents for the first time in 2015 from his seaside home in Thailand. At the time, speculation swirled in publishing circles that Gui was on the verge of releasing a new book about the personal lives of top Chinese leaders, explaining the all-out efforts to silence him.

Several of Gui’s colleagues from his Hong Kong publishing house also went missing in quick succession, sparking street protests in Hong Kong against what was widely viewed to be efforts by mainland security forces to snuff out independent voices in the semi-autonomous city.

Gui was released into house arrest after Chinese authorities said he turned himself in over a hit-and-run accident allegedly committed years before. Gui’s overseas friends and family, including his daughter Angela, say that the charges were bogus and that Gui was keen to leave China for Europe.

But in his interview Friday, Gui told reporters he was in fact living happily in Ningbo and playing mahjong with his mother several months ago when Swedish officials exaggerated the diagnosis of a muscular ailment and convinced him that he should return to Sweden as soon as possible to seek treatment for a severe neurological disease.

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He eventually “fell for it,” he explained, while adding that he was not allowed to leave the country because he was still under investigation for conducting illegal business.

“I have seen through the Swedish government,” he said. “I may consider giving up my Swedish citizenship.”

Gui’s case has deeply frustrated Western governments who say they had assurances early this year from China’s foreign ministry that Gui’s liberty had been restored and that Gui’s seizure in January in full view of Swedish consular officials came as a shock.

Although Chinese authorities have long pressed dissidents for confessions, Gui’s latest interview adds to a growing pattern in recent years of the government using high-profile political detainees and state-controlled or sympathetic press to directly rebut criticism. In some instances, detainees, including a Swedish human rights activist and one of Gui’s colleagues, have recanted their jailhouse confessions aired by the state broadcaster CCTV as soon as they left China.

Gui previously issued a televised confession while in detention in 2016, telling CCTV that he was being legally held for his traffic violation and was “willing to accept any punishment.”

“In yet another embarrassing move, #China is forcing Swedish citizen #GuiMinhai to ‘confess’ and make public statements,” Mans Molander, Sweden and Denmark director of Human Rights Watch, said on Twitter Friday. “We have seen it before.”

——

Follow Gerry Shih at www.twitter.com/@gerryshih

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question: Which country does Gui have citizenship in?

answer: Sweden.

question: The diplomatic incident is occurring between which countries?

answer: Sweden and China.

question: What did the Swedish government demand?

answer: That Gui be released from being detained.

question: Who denied having been treated cruelly?

answer: Gui himself.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: A diplomatic incident between Sweden and China was complicated by the fact that the Hong-Kong based Swedish citizen, Gui Minhai, denied having been detained by the Chinese police in a statement in the Star, although many in the West called his words coerced. This led to a prolonged diplomatic row between China and the West.


split: train

text:
STANLEY MARCUS (born March 27, 1946) is a Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Early life, education and legal training

Marcus was born and raised in New York City, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queens College, City University of New York, magna cum laude, in 1967. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Harvard Law School in 1971. Marcus also served on active duty in the United States Army in 1969, and served in the United States Army Reserve through 1974.[1]

Legal career

Marcus clerked for United States District Judge John Ries Bartels from 1971 until 1973, and joined the New York law firm of Botein, Hays, Sklar and Herzberg as an associate in 1974. He became an Assistant United States Attorney in Brooklyn in 1975, and in 1978 was assigned to the United States Attorney's Office in Detroit, Michigan as Deputy Chief of the “Detroit Strike Force,” which investigated organized crime in Michigan. In 1980, Marcus was appointed the Chief of the Detroit Strike Force, Organized Crime and Racketeering Section of the United States Department of Justice. In 1982, Marcus left Detroit and became the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, in Miami, Florida.[2][3]

Federal judicial service

Marcus was nominated on June 20, 1985 by President Ronald Reagan to a new seat authorized by 98 Stat. 333 on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 16, 1985, received his commission on July 18, 1985 and was sworn in on August 16, 1985, according to a September 26, 1997 article in the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. His service terminated on November 23, 1997, due to elevation to the Eleventh Circuit.[4]

President Bill Clinton nominated Marcus to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, to a seat vacated by Judge Peter T. Fay, on September 25, 1997, after a previous Clinton nominee for the seat, Charles "Bud" Stack, had withdrawn his name from consideration after his background was raised as an issue by Bob Dole during the 1996 presidential election.[5] Even though the Senate at that time was controlled by Republicans, Marcus's nomination was considered to be very uncontroversial. The United States Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously voted in favor of Marcus's nomination on November 6, 1997, and the full Senate unanimously confirmed him on November 7, 1997. “I'm deeply honored,” Marcus told the Miami Herald in a brief interview in an article that appeared on November 8, 1997. He received his commission on November 12, 1997.[6] He assumed senior status on December 5, 2019.

Judge Marcus is a member of the Judicial Conference Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction and has been the committee's chairman since 1992.[7]

Notable cases

In 2004, Marcus dissented when the court refused to rehear a case where the initial panel upheld a law banning LGBTQ couples from adopting children. The vote was 6–6, which warranted a denial of rehearing en banc. Marcus was joined by Gerald Bard Tjoflat and Charles R. Wilson, and Judges Barkett, Anderson, and Dubina filed separate dissents. [8]

Personal life

Marcus' wife is Judy. They have two children, Jonathan and Elizabeth. Jonathan is a medical professional in Rochester, NY. Judge Marcus is a known movie buff. Marcus teaches _Religion and the Constitution_ and _Trial Advocacy_ at Brooklyn Law School.[9]

[1]

[2] Judge Stanley Marcus,

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8] https://openjurist.org/377/f3d/1275/lofton-v-secretary-of-the-department-of-children-and-family-services-xi-x

[9] Brooklyn Law School, Adjunct Faculty, http://www.brooklaw.edu/faculty/adjunct/#93

title: Stanley Marcus (judge)

question: What does the article say about Marcus' legal expertise?

answer: He obtained his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Marcus worked as a clerk for the US District Judge John Ries Bartels from 1971 to 73 and became an associate at the New York law firm of Botein, Hays, Sklar, and Herzberg in 1974. He became an assistant US Attorney in Brooklyn in 1975. He became the Deputy Chief of the Detroit Strike Force in 1978, which investigated organized crime in Michigan. He became the Chief in 1980. He left the position to become the US Attorney for the Southern Florida District in 1982. He was nominated and sworn in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida in 1985. He was elevated to the Eleventh Circuit in 1997, becoming a senior in 2019.

question: What does the article say about Law & Order?


text:
[Owen Rubel Interview]

_We are happy to continue bringing the word and experience of the top API experts out there to you. This time, our special guest is Owen Rubel, the creator of API Chaining & IO State, an original Amazon employee, an experienced platform architect, and a ukulele aficionado._

OVER THE YEARS, YOU HAVE GROWN INTO A REMARKABLE EXPERT WITH DEEP EXPERIENCE IN IT MATTERS, AND A ROLE MODEL FOR MANY. COULD YOU IMAGINE YOU WOULD GO THAT FAR AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR CAREER? WHAT WERE YOUR AMBITIONS THEN? HOW DID YOU FIND YOURSELF INTO TECHNOLOGY?

I was a lucky child in the fact that we had one of the earliest models of home computers giving me early access to basic programming. At our high school in the ’80s, we had a computer lab as well and I was able to learn Pascal and do additional development. Finally, when I went to college, I fell in with a rough crowd of Information Science majors who introduced me to my first UNIX account and the internet. After that, I was hooked.

I started missing all my classes and spending all night in the computer labs connecting with people across the world. We made friends online with a group from Carnegie Mellon who came to visit us in the Midwest. Keep in mind this was before the days of the web, Amazon or anything.

We all saw what the revolution was and we were all enthralled.

I had no plans. I only knew what I saw and the internet was able to connect people around the world instantly and allow a free exchange of information; this was going to change the world!

I started a student group to use it and was nearly kicked out of school for using University resources until I showed the school board how I had a teacher teaching English online via MUD’s, how we had connected with other schools and other countries, how we exchanged info and did searches for information. They were amazed and ended up putting over a million additional dollars into the program.

YOU CAN BOAST ABOUT HAVING BEEN A PART OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS SUCH AS YANA2 AND GRAIL API TOOLKIT, AND WORKED FOR A GREAT DEAL OF COMPANIES INCLUDING AMAZON. ARE THERE ANY FUNNY OR SPECIAL AMAZON EXPERIENCE MEMORIES TO SHARE?

Amazon stories...hmmm. Well, once I was working in electronic ordering when someone from special orders comes by and says they can’t purchase Marvel Comics. They know I am into comics so they ask if I want to deal with the problem.

So I call up Marvel and they say they can’t sell to us and I ask to speak to someone else until I finally get a VP. Apparently he tells me that they recently went bankrupt and under their new terms, they are their own online retailer and no one else can sell their product online.

I explain to him that Amazon is the world’s largest book retailer online and that by limiting his market, he is limiting his sales. We talk for over an hour and he says he will try to get back to me. He calls back the next day and says there is nothing he can do for me.

I get off the phone and tell the buyers that we can’t order from Marvel anymore and to pull all their product. Eventually, The Marvel VP calls back 2 months later. The had gone bankrupt again and want to do business again and is asking if we can put their entire inventory back online.

COULD YOU TELL A BIT ABOUT API CHAINING & IO STATE?

Both of these require the use of the new API pattern; The old API pattern binds communication to business logic but the new API pattern abstracts communication away from business logic. This makes it so communication data and functionality can be shared in distributed architectures… something that the old API pattern cannot do.

Once you have abstracted communications, a whole world of functionality opens up like API monads (AKA API Chaining ™), automated batching/testing, tracing your calls and API metrics reporting/benchmarking.

It also enables you to share the IO state and functionality more easily and synchronize it with all services in your architecture. Without doing this, you create architectural cross cutting concerns when moving ‘edge functionality’ out of your app and to these services to handle early and/or late. Shared IO state enables your architecture to avoid this cross-cutting concern.

WITHIN THE RANGE OF SKILLS YOU POSSESS, ONE CAN FIND GROOVY. YOU HAVE ALSO WRITTEN A COUPLE OF PIECES DEDICATED TO IT. HOW DID YOU DISCOVER THIS PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE? HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN ITS BEING COOL?

A friend of mine suggested it to me when I was testing out a few new Java platforms for web development. He knew I was looking for something less verbose that did rapid web application development. He described how Groovy and Grails provided convention over configuration on the Spring platform and that I should give it a shot.

After about 2 weeks I was hooked. I realized this was everything that Java was missing for web development. I started the Seattle Grails Users Group, the first API plugins for Grails (api toolkit and webhook plugins) and have spoken at SpringOne on advanced API concepts.

The great thing about Groovy for people first discovering it is that it integrates 100% with Java while allowing your Java code to be less verbose through convenience methods, convention over config (Grails/Springboot) and functional programming.

For myself, I found myself writing far less code and reducing my development time. And so I love it. Others have a hard time converting to a newer paradigm and would prefer more C-like languages. I feel embracing paradigms like convention over config and functional programming is how Java will eventually have to evolve in order to continue to grow.

WHEN DID YOU WRITE YOUR FIRST API? WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE WAS IT? HOW HAVE YOUR APIS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?

Oddly enough I started with writing webhooks first and THEN moved into API’s. :)

It was exciting because as I was writing the webhook functionality, all documentation was taken offline so I knew that I had to finish this up and do it from memory because this was obviously something important.

The biggest changes in API’s are going to be over the next five years as people begin to embrace devops, distributed architectures, and microservices more. ‘Architecture as Application’ will have the biggest impact on API’s and change the way we develop and how we develop.

DO YOU THINK IT IS POSSIBLE TO WRITE A CLEAN-CODE API? WOULD YOU CALL SUCH AN API PERFECT?

Absolutely. I build so almost everything can be automated and stateless. This makes it so I can autogenerate tests, controllers, models/domains… nearly every aspect once I have my IO State defined.

My business logic is minimal and requires practically no services now as I have abstracted everything away to a separate library. All I do now is include said library, add a couple controllers and models and then set the IO state and I’m done.

APIS HAVE BECOME A PART OF VIRTUALLY EVERY INDUSTRY INCLUDING ONLINE RETAIL. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THEIR ROLE HERE? HOW ARE APIS YET TO CHANGE THE WORLD?

API’s will eventually not merely be static, they will handle streams and/or batch data. They will be the communication layer that connects everything and the people who understand and build these backends will be building the way we connect the world.

_We want to thank Owen Rubel for finding time to share his memories, opinion, and insights with our readers! :-)_

question: Why is the interviewer excited to interview their subject, and why do they praise him so much?

answer: Owen Ruble is not just one of the top API experts of all time. He is also someone who was present when the internet was in its infancy. He was part of the community and had an early role at Amazon. As such he has a unique insight into not just the practice of building good technologies, such as API Chaining & IO State which he invented, but also of the community that existed when the Web was young. He finishes the interview by discussing the future of APIs.

question: What is API chaining and why is it important?

answer: API chaining allows communication to be abstracted away from business logic. While the article does not explain what this means technically, one can infer that by moving communication data and functionality to a distributed architecture new possibilities and functionalities are created, such as API monads, automated batching/testing, tracing calls, and API metrics reporting. These probably have technical definitions in Rubel's field but in general one can see that it means that data relating to the API is distributed across the entire architecture, and that information relating to the API (perhaps in one sense "metadata") can be shared with other functions across the architecture.


text: [tharu boys performing stick dance] LAATHI NACH is a cultural dance of the Tharu people, and is also known as the THARU STICK DANCE. This dance has been performed mainly near about Dashain, which is similar to Dandiya Raas, but this is a bit different in performance. In this ritual dance all dancers should be male or female only, as they must wake up holy sprite goddess Durga.

title: Laathi nach

question: What is Laathi Nach?

answer: A cultural dance of the Tharu people.

question: What else is it known as?

answer: The tharu stick dance.

question: Where is it performed?

answer: Mainly near Dashian.

question: To what other dance is this dance similar?

answer: The Dandiya Raas.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The Laathi Nach is a cultural dance of the Tharu people, also known as the Tharu Stick Dance. It is performed mainly near Dashain, and is similar to Dandiya Raas, but varies slightly. All dancers in this dance should be one gender or the under in order to wake up the holy sprite goddess Durga.


text:
MOYCASHEL (),[1] previously the barony of Rossaughe, before that, Delamares country,[2] is a barony in south County Westmeath, in the Republic of Ireland. It was formed by 1542.[3] It is bordered by three other baronies: Clonlonan to the west, Rathconrath to the north, Moyashel and Magheradernon to the north-east and Fartullagh to the west. The largest population centre is Kilbeggan.

Geography

Moycashel has an area of .[4] The barony contains a part of the south–west end of Lough Ennell and the River Brosna flows through Kilbeggan before it connects to the River Shannon.

The M6 motorway passes through the barony to the south of Kilbeggan and (together with the M4) links Dublin with Galway.

The N52, a national secondary road passes through Kilbeggan linking the M7 motorway from just south of Nenagh, County Tipperary to the M1 motorway north of Dundalk in County Louth.

The R446 regional road (the old N6) runs through Kilbeggan and roughly parallel to the M6, also connecting Dublin with Galway.

In addition the R389 (linking Kilbeggan to the R392 near Moyvore) and the R391 (linking Clara, County Offaly to Mullingar, County Westmeath) pass through the barony.

Civil parishes of the barony

This table[5] lists an historical geographical sub-division of the barony known as the civil parish (not to be confused with an Ecclesiastical parish).

  Name in English           Name in Irish
  ------------------------- ------------------------------
  Ardnurcher or Horseleap   _Baile Átha an Urchair_
  Castletownkindalen        _Baile an Chaisleáin_
  Durrow                    _Darú_
  Dysart                    _An Díseart_
  Kilbeggan                 _Cill Bheagáin_
  Kilcumreragh              _Cill Chruimthir Fhiachrach_
  Newtown                   _An Baile Nua_
  Rahugh                    _Ráth Aodha_

Towns, villages and townlands

-   Ballynagore
-   Castletown Geoghegan
-   Dysart
-   Kilbeggan
-   Rosemount
-   Streamstown

There are 171 townlands in the barony of Moycashel.[6]

Buildings and other places of note

-   Kilbeggan Distillery
-   Kilbeggan Racecourse
-   The old Market House, Kilbeggan
-   Middleton Park House

[1] Barony of Moycashel _The Placenames Database of Ireland_ Retrieved 31 May 2015

[2] Irish Act 34 Henry VIII c.1; see

[3] Moycashel _townlands.ie_ Retrieved 31 May 2015

[4]

[5] Civil parishes of the barony of Moycashel. _The Placenames Database of Ireland_ Retrieved 8 Jun 2015

[6]

title: Moycashel

question: What does the text say about Moycashel's history?

answer: Moycashel is a barony in south County Westmeath in Ireland. It was formed by 1542 and was known as Delamares country and then as the barony of Rossaughe. It is now bordered by three other baronies.


text:
Hey Everyone :D  I'm only a casual writer, but I just finished this short story on a whim tonight.  Please give me some feedback and let me know what you think.  Also, I'm really interested in knowing what sort of emotions you felt while reading it.  Thanks everyone!

It sounded like the deep whoosh of fan blades, but they were in his head.  The world seemed as if it were being seen through a plastic sheet, everything was blurry and finding focus was impossible.  Nevertheless, the small, dark haired boy began pushing himself up to his feet.  Confusion swept through him.  In his hand was a small piece of jagged aluminum, the kind used for guttering, or heavy tin cans.  It seemed so foreign.

	As the boy's gaze rose, he saw a man lying next to him.  Most of his head had been removed by the blast of some large firearm.  Small chunks of brain were strewn for several feet around them both.  Gray matter and blood formed an Spaghetti-Oh looking soup in the rivets and missing chunks of the cold concrete floor.  You could see the top of the man's spine by looking in the large hole where his right cheekbone should have been.

	A woman.  A woman ran towards the boy looking frantic – dangerous even.  She had a wild look in her eye, and a shotgun in held loosely in her hand, pointing at the floor.  He knew that if he let her get close, something bad would happen.  She would wrap her blood-covered arms around him and take him away.  Take him away from wherever he was to someplace else, someplace strange and terrible.

	The boy was shaking with fear and staring at the woman when suddenly the quiet hit him.  Everything went silent.  It was as if he had awoken to a world set in a Charlie Chaplan film.  The quiet – the nothingness within the quiet – scared the boy.  It scared him worse than the dead man, worse than the crazy shotgun-toting lady.  It scared him on a primal level and he knew right away that he should run.  He should run and get as far away as possible.

	The woman had gotten closer.  She was opening her mouth, pointing at him, even crying in her raging hysteria.  She looked battered.  The dark, shining areas under both of her eyes told the entire story easily enough.  She seemed oddly familiar.  Her insanity was evident in her face, twisted with more emotion than the young boy could understand.  He turned to flee, but was too slow.  A hand gripped his shoulder, pulling him back towards the crazy lady.

	It wasn't something he thought about.  Not at all.  As the hand touched his shoulder, he jerked violently around and thrust the jagged aluminum spike with all of his might.  There was some resistance, but it quickly gave way.   Although the woman did not have her gun raised, the sudden jerk raised the barrel in line with the young boys knee.  As fire ripped through her abdomen, she accidentally pulled the trigger.

	Something about the shotgun blast shook the boy deep inside.  Sounds flooded back into his world.  It was almost too loud, too sudden.  The ground was coming at him.  His leg would not work to catch him.  The confusion was too much, blackness started to seep in around the edges of his vision.  His head hit the ground hard, but he remained conscious.  In shock, and too scared to move, the boy could only watch.

The woman had fallen to her side, and was gripping at the aluminum shaft sticking out of her stomach.  The look on her face was born of pure surprise.  Her abdominal muscles reacted to the impalement –  instantly locking up and tightening around the intruder.  She felt her lifeblood flowing freely from wound, felt herself getting weaker.  Her poor boy.  He breathed raggedly on the ground next to her, looking up in fearful state of shock that Vietnam veterans would have cringed at.  She felt herself slipping away.  She looked down at the boy.  “Son... why?”

title: Of Dark And Twisted Moments

question: Why was the boy suspicious of the woman in front of him?

answer: According to the passage, it's probably because of the way she ran towards him as well as the look in her eye. Also, she was holding a shotgun, which did not put him at ease. She was also pointing at him as well as crying at the same time.


text:
The WILHELM PELSTER HOUSE-BARN, also known as the PELSTER-PANHORST HOUSE-BARN, is a historic home and barn located near New Haven, Franklin County, Missouri. It was built by German immigrant Wilhelm Pelster between about 1860 and 1864, and is a combined house and barn of Fachwerk construction. The banked half-timbered and masonry building has four interior levels and measures approximately 60 feet wide by 53 feet deep.[1]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[2] [View of the Wilhelm Pelster House-Barn, Fall 2017]

[1]  (includes 16 photographs from 1973 and 1978)

[2]

title: Wilhelm Pelster House-Barn

question: What is the Wilhelm Pelster House-Barn?

answer: A historic home and barn located in New Haven, Missouri.

question: What is it also known as

answer: The Pelster-Panhorst House-Barn.

question: Who built it?

answer: German immigrant Willhelm Pelster between 1860 and 1864

question: What is it's construction?

answer: A banked half-timbered and masonry building of four levels approximately 60ft by 53ft deep.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The Wilhelm Pelster house-barn, also known as the Pelster-Panhorst house-barn, is a half-timbered and masonry building of four levels in New Haven, Missouri. It was built between 1860 and 1864 by German immigrant Willhelm Pelster. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.


text:
HYDERABAD: It cost them ₹ 30-40 lakh. For that amount of money, the students laid their hands on two sets of question papers for their medical entrance examination—48 hours before any of their peers.

The Engineering Agricultural and Medical Common Entrance Test (Eamcet), is the entry door to bachelor of medicine and surgery (MBBS) and bachelor of dental surgery (BDS) courses in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. About 50,900 candidates took a shot at 2,650 MBBS and BDS seats up for grabs this year, making the medical entrance exam an intensely competitive one.

If not for some alert parents, the cheating students would have enrolled in good medical schools, and who knows, maybe, one day, become doctors. The Telangana crime investigation department (CID) confirmed the paper leak on Thursday and submitted a report to chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.

At the centre of this brazen plot is Bengaluru-based Rajagopal Reddy, a repeat offender who was also the brain behind the leak of post-graduate medical entrance exam paper in 2014 in what was then a united Andhra Pradesh. Telangana was carved out of erstwhile AP in June 2014.

The two states have been conducting separate competitive exams for admission to undergraduate courses in engineering, medicine and agriculture. This leak pertains to the exam (Eamcet 2) conducted by Telangana on 9 July.

Ironically, if not for erstwhile AP’s bifurcation and ambiguity arising out of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), the leak would not have come to light. Telangana conducted a second Eamcet examination this year following confusion over seat quota allotment for NEET. The first exam (Eamcet-1) was conducted on 15 May.

Parents of some students smelt a rat when students who secured five digit ranks in the medical entrance exam conducted by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (Eamcet-I) secured two-digit and three-digit ranks in Telangana’s Eamcet-II.

When suspecting parents approached Hyderabad-based Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), which conducted the entrance test, the varsity filed a police complaint. A CID probe was ordered on 20 July.

CID officials grilled some suspects, who revealed the plot.

According to the CID investigation, about 25 students were taken to camps set up in five cities 2-3 days before the exam. Quoting an unnamed police official, The Times of India reported that six students were escorted to secret locations outside Telangana. The brokers took the students to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kanigiri in Andhra Pradesh by flight or road.

Mobile phones of the students were reportedly confiscated by the brokers to prevent word and questions from getting out. Around the same time that their peers would have been suffering from exam anxiety, these students were busy cramming answers to 320 questions.

For the fee they were charged, the students even had the luxury of getting answers to the leaked questions. They didn’t even have to take the trouble of looking them up.

The leak is reminiscent of exam cheating cases across the country. A toppers scam in Bihar, where some toppers of Class XII state board exams couldn’t even answer basic syllabus questions of the subjects they had ‘topped’, evoked ridicule. A March 2015 photograph of parents and friends of students scaling the building of a test centre in Bihar to pass notes/cheatsheets to students giving secondary school examination was met with shock and derision.

Over 2,000 people have been arrested in Madhya Pradesh in so-called Vyapam scam, in which competitive exams for government jobs and the pre-medical test were compromised through question paper leaks, copying, impersonation and manipulation of answer sheets and records.

Two persons have been arrested by Telangana CID in the Eamcet 2 leak so far. The police have identified brokers and sub-brokers belonging to Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and Bengaluru.

It is not clear whether the Telangana government would order a repeat of Eamcet 2. A re-exam would mean a third entrance test in a year. Some parents and students, who secured decent ranks in Eamcet 2, staged a protest outside the state secretariat on Thursday demanding a re-exam not be conducted. They wanted the government to disqualify students who resorted to irregularities, according to a report in the New Indian Express.

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question: What is the overall message of the excerpt?

answer: The excerpt is about how a group of students who cheated on the Engineering Agricultural and Medical Common Entrance Test. Students paid for the papers before the examination period.

question: Where does this excerpt take place?

answer: In Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana

question: How many students were taken to camps a few days before the exam?

answer: 25 students

question: How many people were arrested in the Madhya Pradesh scam?

answer: Over 2,000 people

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This excerpt describes the exam cheating scandals that have happened in many states in India and how the crime investigation department went about dealing with these scandals.


text:
His life was going good. For the first time in a long time or at least as long as he could remember he'd stay awake until three or four o'clock and still he could not complain. He didn't mind his job at the retirement home, cleaning toilets and emptying bedpans, taking out garbage bags that undoubtedly held the ghosts of false teeth. The girlfriend he'd held onto for the last two years or so despite her knowing about that cocktail waitress he'd picked up in that seedy bar on Albany St. didn't bother him as much now as she'd used to. He didn't know if she was talking less or if he was paying attention less. To be quite honest he didn't care, as long as things stayed quiet. His apartment wasn't quite so much anymore, probably only because he wasn't there so much anymore. He went to library a lot, trying to study during the day and then emptying the bedpans at night, so.

She wished she could say the same about her situation. He barely spoke to her now which could have been because he just didn't care anymore or because the pot always conveniently hit him as soon as she started talking or a combination of the two or neither at all. She had no money left because she'd taken the fall in some big cover up at work (she was a secretary for a dick in a blue and brown suit) and they ended up letting her go and not giving her unemployment which she was fighting but it didn't look good. She'd probably have to move out of her house off of Douglass and maybe possibly move in with him if he ever spoke to her again, which by now she figured was a fifty-fifty shot. She loved him she guessed but it wasn't the same as before that one time she went to surprise him at his apartment on Mine and he wasn't there. She waited for him on his porch for what seemed like forever, but was really only two hours before he came home, his mouth smelling of sour wooden barrels and his clothes like cheap dying flowers. He was too drunk to even lie to her about where he'd been or who with or doing what and he told her everything and she walked away but called him the next day anyway because, hey, what else was she really going to do? That changed things even though she told him she forgave him because really she didn't and she was really starting to resent him, unfairly yes, but resent him she did.

He flicked his cigarette on the side of the Folgers coffee can he used as an ashtray. Camels this time. They had been on sale; a dollar fifty off if you bought two packs. He'd bought four. He saved three dollars. He didn't particularly like Camels, the way they tasted or smelled, but he liked saving three dollars he guessed. She wasn't awake yet. She had stayed the night for some reason that he didn't know, something about rent money or something. His cigarette burned his throat. He did not brush his teeth last night because he was too drunk to do so and it didn't matter because he didn't kiss her anymore anyway. Fuck it, he thought. Everything was fuck it now. The truth is that he was quite content emptying the bedpans in the middle of the night and smoking cigarettes he didn't really care for during the day. He was letting her go through all of this, day by day. She maybe didn't know it and he didn't exactly tell her, but anyone watching them on a fifteen inch Technicolor screen could have picked up on that.

She woke with a slight headache, the mild pulsing sensations the remnants of a three AM vodka and seltzer. She didn't drink tonic anymore because she had recently learned that it contained, unbeknownst to her, calories.  She had slept in the bed alone. He fell asleep drunk on the couch in the living room in front of the TV while it spit out sports scores. He was already awake. She could smell the smoke from his cigarette. Marlboro Reds, she guessed. Those were his favorite. She had bought him a carton for his last birthday, along with some other things. It wasn't a very sunny day but there was enough light for the shadows to come in and out of focus  over the flesh colored bedspread. She heard the TV. Possibly a report about last night's baseball game. She couldn't tell. The air conditioner roared.

He got up and showered and left without waking her or saying goodbye or anything. He justified it in his head because he had to work the night shift and it was late but really he wouldn't have woken her either way and he knew it. Sometimes this made him sad but not usually and sometimes he didn't even notice it. He walked the eleven blocks to his job in the dark. He wouldn't take a taxi or anything because then he couldn't smoke cigarettes on the way and he liked to get at least two and sometimes three in by the time he got there. He walked through the small doors into the dimly lit receptionist room and immediately walked to the employee only bathroom and vomited up that afternoon's gin. His shift lasted eight and a half hours because he got a half hour meal break on which he smoked four or five cigarettes. He couldn't remember exactly how many. He walked back the eleven blocks and watched as the taxis and busses and cars full of college kids probably smoking pot out of blunts or bowls or joints rode by. He walked up the stairs to the apartment and put his coat on the chair in the kitchen. He looked around on the counter for the remnants of the gin, not even being conscious enough to notice that she was gone. His coat fell off the chair.

She packed up her life or at least as much of it as she could find in the forty five minutes she had before he got back into a blue tote bag with some words on it and walked the opposite direction of the way he'd be coming home from work. It crossed her mind if he'd even notice if she walked right by him but on the off chance that he would she did not want to deal with it. She walked until Mine hit College and turned towards the park at the end, near Huntington. She wasn't really going to the park but she kind of had no place else to go, so why not. It was a pretty alright day for the park she figured. She was tired, though. She had not slept well maybe because of the vodka and Red Bull or probably because, well, things sucked. The student center had a bread shop or something that had pretty good coffee so she decided to stop and get one, to go. The place smelled like pastries and sandwiches and, of course, the ever important java that she needed. There were a few people in line ahead of her. The girl in front of her wore sweatpants and a sweatshirt and a backpack, probably filled with notebooks that were probably filled with scribblings that, aside from the day she wrote them, would probably never be read again. The girl eventually left with a medium soy mocha something or other. She was next, and ordered a plain coffee with skim milk because, I mean, it was beach season and even though she didn't go to the beach hardly ever she still liked to pretend to feel good about herself. She dropped her change into the little cup marked "tips for exceptional service" and turned to leave. Then she saw him.

His head was pounding from the drinks he apparently had before he went to sleep, although he couldn't really remember ingesting them.  His eyes ached and even though it was probably not true at all he attributed it to him having to look at the miserable apartment, so he left. He wanted a bagel so he went down towards the Au Bon Pain in the student center. He'd gone there nearly every day when he was an undergrad at the college but hadn't been there much since mainly because he didn't want to hear the frat guys talking about the one or two or three brunettes or blondes they'd conned into sleeping with them the night before. He simply did not care. He had to wait behind three people, one of them wearing a purple backpack that looked full of not so important books. He immediately pegged her as a philosophy major. They all had a bunch of books with them all the time that no one besides themselves actually cared about. She left with what appeared to be a ridiculous coffee or something. While the girl behind philosophy girl ordered, he thought about what would happen if coffee didn't exist, whether people would miss it much if they were never exposed to it. Then he decided that he didn't care anymore and decided to look at the breads behind the counter of which there were a lot. He was pretty sure that they made up some of these breads because he was pretty sure that no one outside of the people who worked at the shop had ever heard of them. He then decided that he also did not care about that, either. The girl who was ordering what appeared to be a normal cup of coffee turned cup in hand and made her way towards the door. They locked eyes, realizing that no matter what the radio and movies and hallmark commercials told them, everything was always going to be the same and they'd probably have to die to break the cycle.

title: Post Bachelor's

question: Describe the relationship between the male and female character.

answer: They have been in a romantic relationship for the last two years.

question: What does the female character do for work?

answer: She used to work as a secretary but was fired after taking the fall in some big cover up and is now unemployed.

question: How does the story end?

answer: The woman runs into the man at the student center breadshop and they run into each other, locking eyes and realizing nothing is going to change.

question: Describe the male character.

answer: He smokes cigarettes frequently and if often drunk. He doesn't care about much anymore, and is content with his life.

question: What is the main source of conflict between the two characters?

answer: The woman has grown to resent the man for cheating on her. They are both stuck in a bit of a rut and drifting apart, and she wants to leave him.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: A man works at a retirement home and his girlfriend has been fired from her job. They have slowly drifted apart, the man indulging in drinking and smoking. The woman resents the man for cheating on him. She decides to leave him, but they run into each other at a bread shop and lock eyes, realizing that things aren't going to change.


text:
LUÍS DE MONTALVOR (January 31, 1891 – March 2, 1947) was a Portuguese poet and was known under the pseudonym LUÍS DA SILVA RAMOS.

He founded the reviews _Orpheu_ (modern Portuguese spelling: _Orfeu_) [_Orpheus_] 1914 and _Centauro_ (_Centaur_) in 1916 and also worked in other reviews including _Atlântida_[1] [_Atlantis_] (1915–20), _Contemporânea_[2] (1915–26) [_Contemporary_], _Presença_ and _Sudoeste_[3] in 1935.

In 1933, he founded Editorial Ática, Lda. with its headquarters at a small ship at Rua das Chagas in Lisbon, in the early 1940s, he adopted the firm “Ática, S.A.R.L., Casa Editora”[4]

In 1942, he published for the publishing company Ática (Attica) on the collection of poems made by the renowned Fernando Pessoa, the first of five volumes titled _Complete Works_ (_Obras Completas_) of Fernando Pessoa, the remaining were _Poems by Álvaro de Campos_ [_Poesias de Álvaro de Campos_] (1944), _Odes by Ricardo Reis_ [_Odes de Ricardo Reis_] (1945), _Mensagem_ [_Messages_] (1945) and _Poems by Alberto Caeiro_ [_Poemas de Alberto Caeiro_] (1946), under Pessoa's pseudonyms.

Works

-   _História do regime republicano em Portugal_ [_History of the Portuguese Republic Regime_] (1929)
-   _A arte indígena portuguesa_ [_Portuguese Indigenous Art_] (1934) with Diogo de Macedo

Posthumous works

-   _Poemas_ [_Poems_] (1960)
-   _O livro de poemas de Luís de Montalvor_ [_Book of Poems by Luís de Montalvor_] (1998)
-   _Tentativa de um ensaio sobre a decadência_ (2008)
-   _«Para o túmulo de Fernando Pessoa»: e outras prosas_ (2015)

[1] , digital copy

[2] , digital copy

[3]

[4] Livraria Ática no blog Restos de Colecção

title: Luís de Montalvor

question: What was Luis De Montalvor known as?

answer: Luis was known as Luis Da Silva Ramos.

question: Where was Editorial Atica's headquarters?

answer: Editorial Atica's headquarters were in a small ship at Rua das Chagas in Lisbon.

question: What reviews did Luis work with?

answer: Luis came up with Orpheu, Centauro, Atlantida, Contemporanea, Presenca, and Sudoesta.

question: What collection did Luis publish?

answer: Luis published a collection of poems by Fernando Pessoa for the publishing company Atica.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer:
Luis De Montalvor was a Portugese poet. He founded Editorial Atica, Lda. which had its headquarters in a small ship at Rua de Chagas in Lisbon.

Luis has founded reviews of Orpheu, Centauro, Presenca, and many more. In 1942, he published a collection of poems by Fernando Pessoa, the first of five volumes titled 'Complete Works.'


text:
During the 19th century, the fraternal order of Freemasons had lodges in practically every European-influenced country. Spain was no different, though the traces of the Freemasons are mostly hidden now—apart from this once-secret library.

Barcelona, much like London, Paris, Buenos Aires, or Washington D.C., has an extraordinary artistic and architectural heritage based in Freemasonry. Masonic symbols like pyramids and the all-seeing eye can be found in cemeteries, libraries, sculptures, even government buildings. Passeig Sant Joan (“Saint John Avenue”) is devoted to Saint John, the chosen patron of Christian Freemasons. Ildefons Cerda, the urban planner who designed Barcelona’s layout, was a member, and imagined a utopian city based on Masonic principles. At the turn of the century, there were nearly 170 Freemason lodges in Spain alone.

Rossend Arús was an influential journalist and playwright of the 1800s who used his Freemason associations for republican political favor. Along with his fellow Masons, Arús had control of the city from behind the scenes. He began to host meetings in his home in 1888, and it soon became an official Masonic Temple. After his death in 1891, the house was turned into a library dedicated to Freemasonry.

During Franco’s regime, almost every Freemason building was torn down and the Masons were prohibited from meeting. Like many fascist leaders, Franco feared uprising from independent organizations, as well as having misplaced antisemitic beliefs about the Freemasons’ purposes. Some in power sympathized with the Freemasons though, and the Rossend Arús library was shut down and hidden from view during the Franco years. After the dictator’s death and the end of his regime, Freemasonry slowly but surely crept its way back into Spain.

After timidly growing less and less private and secretive, the Freemasons of Barcelona have opened Biblioteca Publica Rossend Arús to the public in Passeig Sant Joan. The luxurious reading rooms, golden frames, and precious marble of the 19th century still impress visitors. The collection includes important Masonic texts, as well as anarchist collections and rare magazines and literature. The third original version of the Statue of Liberty also resides in the main entrance. Today, the Rossend Arús is the best library for studying the working class history and Freemasonry in Catalonia.

question: During the 19th century, where did the Freemasons have lodges?

answer: Nearly every European-influenced country.

question: What does the author posit has had a huge influence on architecture in Barcelona?

answer: The Freemasons.

question: Who was Rossend Arus?

answer: An influential journalist and playwright of the 1800s who used his Freemason associations for republican political favor.

question: When was almost every Freemason building town down?

answer: During Franco's regime.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: Freemasons had a huge influence on European architecture in the 19th century. Their lodges were located everywhere Europe had a notable influence.  In Barcelona,a man named Rossend Arus  an influential journalist and playwright of the 1800s who used his Freemason associations for republican political favor. However, during Franco's regime, nearly every Freemason building was torn down, but the Rossend Arus library escaped the destruction by being shut down and kept from view. It was timidly and tentatively reopened in the following years, as was other Freemason architecture throughout Spain.


text:
“THE CHAMELEON” () is a short story by Anton Chekhov published originally in the No. 36, 8 September 1884 issue of _Oskolki_ magazine, subtitled “A Little Scene” (Сценка), signed A. Chekhonte (А. Чехонте). It was included (without the subtitle) into Chekhov's 1886 collection _Motley Stories_ (Пёстрые рассказы) published in Saint Petersburg and reproduced unchanged in this book's 2–14 editions, in 1891–1899. It was included by Chekhov into Volume 2 of his Collected Works.[1]

Synopsis

Khryukin, a drunkard, has had his finger snapped by a small dog (according to one witness, after thrusting a cigarette stub into the latter). The policeman Ochyumelov's attitude to the affair and the dog's future destiny fluctuates depending upon the coming information as to who the owner of the culprit might be.

[1] Yezhova, I., Shub, E. Commentaries to Хамелеон. The Works by A.P. Chekhov in 12 volumes. Khudozhestvennaya Literatura. Moscow, 1960. Vol. 2, p. 572

title: The Chameleon (short story)

question: What kind of text is The Chameleon?

answer: It's a short story.

question: When was it published?

answer: In 1884 (magazine) and 1886 (Chekhov's short story collection).

question: What happened to Khryukin at the beginning of the story?

answer: A dog snapped his finger.

question: What happened to the dog?

answer: It is not stated in the text.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The text is about The Chameleon, a short story by Anton Chekhov.


text:
Anilyth
Anilyth is the world in which the Fire Dancer short story takes place and a longer form story I have plans to write (Or rewrite I guess.) I plan to do some lore background for the world later, but for now I plan to just go over some of the nations of this world, I may add some later, and those additions will be talked about once I’ve decided I’ve got the world fully developed or once I have a decent amount of them, but for now this is the world I’ve thought up so far.

An’kowrath
An ancient nation adept in magic, some of the world greatest sorcerers and warlocks come from An’kowrath, many buildings are made using magic. Some of it’s greatest spell casters are sent off to the flying city Low’nathra, there they are allowed to learn magic completely uninhibited, while other nations specialize in a specific type of magics such as soul, fire, lightning and water the citizens of An’kowrath are known to be adept in all kind of magic. Some of it’s greatest sorcerers master several magic arts during their life. Once in a generation an exceptional wizard will be recognized as a master of call magics. This person is called upon to be the leader of An’kowrath, even if they are not a native citizen of An’kowrath. The advancing of magic is at the forefront of culture in An’kowrath. It has the highest density of talented sorcerers compared to other nations.

Leondria
The country of Leondria consists of two parts, a vast desert, and it’s mountain range which stands in the middle of the country. The desert is relatively tame, the main problem for travelers is the small tribes who require payment in exchange for safe passage, although no one has been killed by the tribes those who try to enter and refuse to pay are not left in a healthy state before being removed from the country. Those who visit the country often travel there to learn with the monks who make their home on top of the Leondria Mountains, although the mountain are home to the Soul Walkers and the Soul Benders it was once also home to the Soul Channelers, but their people were decimated in a war of their own creation. Some say the war was started due to the foolishness of a young chief who was bent to the will of a Fire Dancer, but these are merely unconfirmed stories that may never be discovered since the Soul Channelers were all killed at the end of the war. Some say the king who was able to escape but he has not been seen since.

Lisanderey
An incredibly snowy landscape Lisanderey is home to some of the toughest creatures in Anilyth. It’s said that the land was once desert before a powerful sorcerer turned the land into vast plains perfect for farming, it has since become a cold and snow covered nation, only the toughest men have dared to traverse it on foot. Most travel in caravans powered by the powerful imaprose, large creatures similar to wooly mammoths. The land is unappealing and has for the most part avoided be invasion, but the few leaders who have tried to take control of the nation from its rulers have failed spectacularly due to them being unprepared for the cold climate in Lisanderey. It’s leaders have always been happy to stay within their borders and thus have armies more for the purpose of defense and to act as police for the cities. Each city has a strong sense of community, most people know everyone else in their town, those in cities know their districts and have a general feel for the other districts. Lisanderey has no rich or poor, those with money give it to those without money and the leaders are all ordinary citizens who are paid for their contributions in helping to governing the people. Lisanderey is home to the Fire Dancers, acrobatic warriors with a mastery over fire, able to conjure their own inner flame to be used against enemies or manipulation of a currently burning fire to enhance their own.

The Plains of Bantana
Vast fields of tall grass cover Bantana, the parts of this nation that aren’t covered in grass are instead the home of it’s native people, the Water Weavers. Mastery over water is the only thing that has kept them alive for so long, many attempts have been made by foreign nations to burn the tall grass in an attempt to drive out it’s citizens, but their use of water has allowed them to fight back the invaders and the fires they start. Over time the use of fire has made the plant life incredibly resistant to fires. Although it’s known for it’s talented warriors it is mainly known as a farming culture, due to it’s people mastery of water they are able to generate the best crops in the world, many other nations have attempted to invade them in the past because of this, but the nations water weavers were able to beat them back with the help of the nation's most elite soldiers the Grass Stalkers. The Grass Stalkers are known for their stealth and ability to avoid detection by hiding amongst the grass, striking when in the middle of enemy forces before diving back into grasses they came from, small squads of these elite soldiers have been known to take out an entire legion of soldiers, but their stealth skills aren’t limited of their home country. Some of them that live the longest are sent to other nation’s as spies or assassins.

The Republic of Oranthia
Although they have no native Sorcerers or Elemental Sorcerers The Republic of Oranthia makes up for this by being the most technologically advanced nation. They have not achieved this through the most ethical of paths, because they believe they are in competition with other nations they have often kidnapped the Sorcerers of other nations and forced them to test their technologies. Many captives have died during testing, but not always because they were being tested on, but more often because of exhaustion. The scientists force them to continue using their own magic until they have none left to use, but still they push them until they die from exhaustian. Many citizens live their day to day lives completely unaware of the acts perpetrated by their government, many of those who do end up leaving for another nation. On it’s surface the government appears to be democratic, but the main party doesn’t see any real competition, this is because anyone who tries to oppose them ends up dead or as an experiment.

Kamisia
The coastal nation of Kamisia is a large fishing nation, Kamisians are among the few people who brave the mighty oceans of Anilyth, their naval might in unmatched throughout the land. There are stories of single Kamisian boats taking out entire fleets, and these stories are not unfounded

title: The world of the Fire Dancer [MF]

question: Summarize An'kowrath.

answer: An'kowrath is a nation whose purpose is to foster the study of magic. The flying city of Low'nathra is a place where all are allowed to learn magic uninhibited. It is ruled by an exceptional wizard from any nation.

question: Summarize Leondria.

answer: Leondria is a vast desert inhabited by many tribes. In the center of the desert are monks in the Leondria mountains. The mountains are also home to beings called the Soul Walkers and Soul Benders. A third group, the Soul Channelers, once existed there, but were decimated in a war.

question: Summarize Lisanderey.

answer: Lisanderey is is a very snowy land. It was once desert, but a sorcerer turned it into land suitable for farming. Since then it has become snowy. The cities of Lisanderey are community oriented, and no one is rich or poor. It is home to the Fire Dancers.

question: Summarive the Plains of Batanna

answer: Batana is a country of grasslands. It is home to the Water Weavers. Their most elite soldiers are the Grass Stalkers, a stealth unit. They were able to beat back invasions as their land is one of the most fertile in the world.

question: Summarize the Republic of Oranthia.

answer: The Republic of Oranthia has no magic and is technological. Their scientists exhaust their magic to perform foul deeds. On the surface it appears to be a democracy but underneath it is a one party state.

question: Summarize Kamasia.

answer: Kamasia is a fishing nation. The people of Kamasia brave the mighty oceans of Anilyth. There are stories of Kamasian boats taking out entire fleets.


text:
The SRI LANKAN CHRISTMAS TREE is the world’s tallest artificial Christmas tree.[1][2] It was built on the Galle Face Green in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the tree is tall and opened on Christmas Eve 2016.

The cone-shaped tree is a steel-and-wire frame made from scrap metal and wood, and covered by plastic netting. It is decorated with approximately one million natural pine cones painted gold, green, red and silver colors. It has 600,000 LED bulbs which illuminate the tree at night.[3] On the top of the tree there is a Christmas star with bulbs, weighing about . The tree cost 12 million Sri Lankan rupees (about US$80,000).[4] The tree was constructed by 150 employees of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Ports and Shipping with support from other parties.[5]

Construction work began in August 2016 but was abandoned in the first week of December after the Sri Lankan Catholic Church criticised it as “waste of money”, and added “_Construction work should be abandoned. Christmas is an occasion for sharing funds with the needy, not to waste money on lavishness... The market economy is using religion as a tool for selling Christmas._”

Later, work on the tree recommenced after a meeting with Catholic Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo.[6][7] Originally the tree was planned to be tall but the height had to be reduced to due to the delays in construction. A Santa Claus with a sled was placed near the tree.[8]

The tree broke the previous world record for the tallest artificial Christmas tree, which was tall and constructed in Guangzhou, China in 2015 by GZ ThinkBig Culture Communication Co. Ltd.[9][10]

Comparison

Comparison of Sri Lankan Christmas tree with some other structures as follows:

Current status

The tree had several criticisms apart from the Catholic Church. It did not have enough ornaments and firs. When compared with the tree that was built in Guangzhou, Sri Lankan tree failed to have green synthetic foliage. Also, it gave complete visibility of its internal frames or structure. The shape of the tree did not give enough appeal as a traditional Christmas tree, but rather resembled the shape a rocket.[11] It was dismantled in January 2017.[12] The tree is recorded by Guinness World Records in December 2017.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

title: Sri Lankan Christmas tree

question: What is the significance of the Sri Lankan Christmas tree?

answer: It is the world`s tallest artificial Christmas tree.

question: When was the Sri Lankan Christmas tree built?

answer: 2016

question: Describe the criticisms the Sri Lankan Christmas tree has received from the Sri Lankan Catholic Church.

answer: The Sri Lankan Catholic Church called the tree a waste of money and cricized the use of funds on lavishness rather than on the needy.

question: What is the Sri Lankan Christmas tree made of?

answer: Its steel-and-wire frame is made from scrap metal and wood and covered by plastic netting. The tree is decoraded with natural pine cones.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The Sri Lankan Christmas tree is the world's tallest artificial Christmas tree. It was unveiled in 2016. The tree has received criticism from the Sri Lankan Catholic Church for being a waste of money.


text:
I’m in the mood for Chinese; I park the car and quickly notice it’s a busy night. I walk in, there’s a lot of movement circling the restaurant. It’s my turn up; I make my order and quickly take a seat.

I was calm on the walk from my car here but now I’m even more calm. My phone’s been disconnected for months now, so… there are no interruptions. I become intensely observant, but of nothing in particular. I’m still, floating in outer space. Everything seems to be happening at the same time, all in conjunction. There’s a loud silence, I’m speechless but not in awe. I’ve been here before but never at this moment.

*I wrote it. Someone please tell me what type of literature it is as well as feedback. Thanx

title: 117 words happened last night.

question: What does the narrator mean by "Chinese"?

answer: Presumably Chinese food.

question: What type of literature is this story?

answer: Since there's no conflict, it'd probably qualify as slice-of-life.

question: Identify an example of an oxymoron used in the text.

answer: "loud silence" is an oxymoron.

question: What was the inspiration for this story?

answer: It is based on real life, specifically events that happened the night before.


text:
Constructive criticism is welcomed! This is my first short story I wrote that wasn't part of a GCSE mock. I don't want to use this as an excuse but I'm not a professional writer nor do I claim to be. ( Heck , I aint even 16 for another year or so)

All names and situations are completely coincidental. And please enjoy!

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
I awake to hear somebody pounding on the door. Wetting the insides of my mouth I pull on a stained shirt and some old jeans off the floor. I take another look at my double bed. One side messy and un-kept , as I had just got out of it , the other perfectly kept. I stumble to the door of my apartment and open it to find my brother, Lucas. “Always so smartly dressed.” I think to myself. “Hello Bruce.” He says quietly. I just stare at him. I can feel him looking into my lifeless eyes with pity sadness. “Hi” I say back to him; my voice also quiet. ”Come in “ I add quickly. He slowly walks in , his suit jacket draped over his arm. He stands there for a full minute before saying to me. “You’ve got to get over her you know.”  Oh how I wished he hadn’t said that. Why oh bloody why did he have to mention her?! Using all my power to repress tears all I can do is look into his sad eyes.  “She is gone , Bruce! Gone!” He says. “He’s obviously holding back tears” I think to myself. I struggle to speak ; nothing but air coming out of my mouth. Finally I manage to stutter “I-I-I know.” Suddenly my sorrow turns into anger. Anger towards Lucas for coming here. “I know” I say strongly, surprised at the volume of my voice.  “You should go back to work , it will take your mind of her.”  You've been on compassionate leave for 3 years now." He says. "My boss understands" I reply "that's not the point though ; is it?" He says patronisingly. "I'll drive you" he adds. "Oh nonono you're not driving me" I say defiantly. "OK , look just because she died in a car crash doesn't mean -" I cut him out " I'll walk it then" I say reluctantly. The next day I phone my boss to tell him I’m coming in. He tells me that's great and to be there for 6:00. I reply in the affirmative.

I leave early ,as its a long walk, and find myself surprisingly relaxed. "I've missed fresh air" I think to myself. For the past 3 years I've been a shut-in (my brother bringing me food) but now it felt good to be outside. I arrived to work to find my colleges greet me as if I've just come back from a nice holiday. I resist the urge to tell them to get lost. The mundane, button-pushing job reminded me of a time before the accident , before I'd even met her. Going back to my job of 15 years made me feel contented. Not happy. Content.

Walking home, I had felt better than I had in ages. The sun was shining and I had my suit jacket slung over my back. Then I noticed her. She was as beautiful as I'd remembered. For a second I felt every damned emotion at once, such a strange sensation. I can't move and I'm hyperventilating. She is crossing the road in front of me without a care in the world. Then I black out. I awake to find a group of people gathered around me. "You was out for five minutes, mate" a burly cockney man said , before helping me up. "N-no I'm good," I reply. I look past the people onto the road in front of me. She is gone. Even the horrible pain on the back of my head from when I blacked out couldn't stop me from thinking of her.

When I arrived at my apartment I was still thinking of nothing but what happened. I tried to rationalise it but I couldn't. I decide to go back to the street the next day to see if she turned up. "She wont " I tell myself. "Your mind was playing tricks on you!" I add. Regardless I was still going to go. The next day I waited on the street on which I'd seen her. I waited for about 15 minutes thinking of what my brother would say if he knew I was here. But then I see her. I don't freeze up and I don't faint. The whole thing feels unreal and ,well , fake. That doesn't stop me calling her name. Shouting it like a madman on a soapbox. She approaches me with a look of expectancy on her face. Normally, that would surprise me but I didn't notice I was too caught up. "How-what-aint you dea- wha-," she cuts off my stuttering. " She speaks calmly and slowly as if I'm a young child. "I love you" she says. "How did you-" I begin but again she cuts me off. "Let me explain what happened," she says. But before she can explain she starts to drift away slowly. At this point I'm confused and stressed but at the same time I'm happy. So very happy. I begin to hope we can be together. I'm smiling despite the confusion." What happened wa-" she was stopped by 3 loud knocks. Still drifting further away from me I start to realise what's going on. Again I here 3 loud knocks. They don't seem to come from any direction they're just .... There. Then I awake to hear my brother shouting through the letter box. I pull on a stained shirt and jeans and take one last look at the bed. One side messy and dirty. The other side seemingly preserved. Walking towards the door I had a weird feeling of déjà vu. "Wondering if I had again dreamed of her I open the door to find my brother there.

title: [RF] A tragedy , not a comedy.

question: Where does the narrator live?

answer: The narrator lives in their apartment. They have been shut in for three years. Their brother, Lucas, brings them food. Their clothes are disheveled and they are unkempt.

question: Why is the narrator shut into his apartment?

answer: The narrator is shut in because he fell in love with a woman. Presumably the woman left him. He is so heartbroken he cannot live and is a shut-in.

question: What is the twist of the story?

answer: At the climax of the story, the narrator seems to find the woman of his dreams. However at that moment she begins to drift away. Then the narrator realizes that the woman *is* a dream. He is back in his apartment and his brother is bringing him food.

question: Describe the narrator's brother.

answer: The narrator's brother dresses well. He is clearly a professional as he wears a suit-jacket and carries it draped over his arm. He is trying to look after his younger brother by bringing him food.


text:
Eon Productions
Bond, James Bond. For more than 50 years the name has been seared into the popular consciousness, and if (I stress _if_) the recent rumours prove true, we may have reached that point when conversations about Bond go into overdrive: with the casting of a new actor in the role.

The purpose of this article isn't really to speculate on where the series should go from here, but if you'll indulge me for a moment: personally, I think it's definitely time for Daniel Craig to move on. Credit where it's due, he's been a revelation, and come what may he's got two of the best ever Bond movies under his belt.

But even ignoring what Craig's said in interviews (that "I'd rather slash my wrists" remark is never going away), one need only watch his performance in Spectre to see how utterly bored he is of the role. To keep on a lead actor who no longer has any interest in playing the part would, I think, be a terrible mistake.

But of course - the Bond series has made its fair share of creative mistakes. Inevitably, after 24 films, there are innumerable moments from the 007 archives which leave us wondering what the filmmakers were thinking.

Let's not forget, a level of knowing silliness has always been key to Bond's appeal. But at times, Bond has just got a bit _too_ silly; and worse yet, some of the silliest moments were meant to be serious...

question: What does the author of this article believe?

answer: They believe that it's time for the actor, Daniel Craig, to move on from the role of James Bond.

question: How many James Bond films have been made?

answer: 24

question: How many years has the James Bond character been around?

answer: For more than 50 years.

question: Why does the author think it's time for Daniel Craig to move on?

answer: Because they think he is bored by the role.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The author of the article believes that it's time for the actor, Daniel Craig, to move on from the role of James Bond. They seem to think that Daniel Craig is bored with the role.


text:
The 1981 FISCHER-GRAND PRIX was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna in Austria that was part of the 1981 Volvo Grand Prix. The tournament was held from 19 October until 25 October 1981. Ivan Lendl won the singles title.

Finals

Singles

Ivan Lendl defeated Brian Gottfried 1–6, 6–0, 6–1, 6–2

-   It was Lendl's 7th title of the year and the 16th of his career.

Doubles

Steve Denton / Tim Wilkison defeated Sammy Giammalva Jr. / Fred McNair 7–5, 6–4

-   It was Denton's 3rd title of the year and the 7th of his career. It was Wilkison's 2nd title of the year and the 5th of his career.

title: 1981 Fischer-Grand Prix

question: What kind of tournament was the 1981 Fischer-Grand Prix?

answer: It was a men's tennis tournament.

question: On what kind of court is Fischer-Grand Prix played?

answer: It is played on hard courts.

question: What date was the 1981 edition held?

answer: It was held from 19 October until 25 October 1981.

question: Who won the 1981 Fischer-Grand Prix finals?

answer: Ivan Lendl.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The Fischer-Grand Prix is a men's tennis tournament played on hard courts. The 1981 finals was held at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria. The 1981 finals was won by Ivan Lendl.


text:
This is not where many of us expected to be in early 2017, but here we are. In just a few days, the man who openly questioned the legitimacy of our nation's first black President, Donald Trump, will take the oath of office. As you can imagine, this has weighed on us at Waypoint, and it's been hard to focus on games.

Rather than keep those thoughts and anxieties private, we decided to open up. Last week, we asked you so submit questions for the podcast, questions that examined our relationship with politics. This doesn't just mean our reaction to Trump, but how our politics influences the way we play, cover, and discuss games, the kind of media we consume—we cover a lot of bases. We hope you'll join us.

You can listen to the podcast through the embedded player below…

… or you can subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.

If you're using something else, this RSS link should let you add the podcast to whatever platform you'd like. Please take a moment and review the podcast, especially on iTunes. It really helps us out.

Interaction with you is a big part of this new podcast, so make sure to send any questions you have for us to gaming@vice.com with the header "Questions." (Without the quotes!) We can't guarantee we'll answer all of your questions, but rest assured, we'll be taking a look at them.

Remember: we record these podcasts _live_ on our Twitch channel. Keep an eye on Twitter (@waypoint) on Monday and Friday morning, if you want to know when we're getting started.

And make sure to swing back to Waypoint on Friday for the next episode.

Get a personalized roundup of VICE's best stories in your inbox.

By signing up to the VICE newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from VICE that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content.

question: What is the main focus of this article?

answer: A request for listeners to submit questions for the Waypoint podcast concerning Waypoint's relationship with politics.

question: When was this article written?

answer: In early 2017.

question: Who published this article?

answer: VICE

question: What request does the article make?

answer: For listeners of the podcast to send in questions to gaming@vice.com

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: A request for listeners of VICE's Waypoint podcast to send in questions about Waypoint's relationship with politics.


text:
NORMAN EDWARD ALBERT ADAMS RA (9 February 1927 – 9 March 2005) was a British artist, and professor of painting at the Royal Academy Schools.[1][2][3][4][5]

He was married to the English poet and artist Anna Adams (1926–2011).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

title: Norman Adams (British artist)

question: How old was Norman Adams when he passed away?

answer: He was 78 years old.

question: In what field did Norman Adams work?

answer: He was an artist and professor of painting at the Royal Academy Schools.

question: Did Norman Adams' wife die before him?

answer: No, his wife survived him.

question: Why is Norman Adams referred to as British and his wife as English?

answer: His wife was probably born in England, while Adams was probably born outside England but inside the United Kingdom.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: Norman Alberts was a British artist and professor of painting at the Royal Academy Schools.


text:
CHEMPERI is a town on the bank of the Chemperi River, in the Western Ghat, in the Kannur district of South India. Chemperi is often referred as the education city of Kannur with the establishment of Vimal Jyothi Engineering College, Chemperi. It is characterized by its production and export of rubber and spices, its beautiful hillocks, and its serene streams. Village and Panchayath of Chemperi is Eruvessi. Both Panchayath and Village offices of Eruvessi are located in Chemperi. Also Lourde Matha Forane Church, Chemperi is another attraction.Paithalmala and Palakkayam thatt is also a few kilometres away from here.

History

Previously, the land served as the epicenter of people migrating from Travancore to the north districts of Kerala. The modern history of Chemperi starts in the 1930s with the arrival of migrants from the Kottayam district of Kerala. These migrants made Chemperi a big town with almost all the facilities needed to serve its population. More recently, the town has become a local business hub.

Eruvessy, which is very near to Chemperi, has a different historical background. It is believed that the inhabitants there descend from 18th century settlers of the Eruvessy region. The culture and belief system of the people of Eruvessy is entirely different from that of the people of Chemperi, though the neighboring communities live harmoniously.

Economy

The economic mainstay of Chemperi is agriculture. Primary crops include rubber, coconut, pepper, cashew, tapioca, areca nut, and other plantation crops. Rubber occupies the largest land area among plantation crops. Recent increases in the price of rubber have improved the economic condition of many local families. Next to rubber, coconut is the most popular crop. Cashew is yet another important plantation and areca nuts are also important. Pepper is generally intercropped with coconut, areca nut and various fruit trees. In the hilly surroundings of Chemperi, such as in Nellikutty and Areekamala, this inter-cultivation is done between rubber and cashew. The employment situation in Chemperi is slowly changing. Many people seek employment in the Middle East and in other cities of India. Also, as Chemperi and neighborhoods are more depended on agriculture for income, many people are engaged with jobs related agriculture such as rubber tapping, farming related jobs, etc. Many other people depend construction field for job in Chemperi and neighborhoods. The establishment of Vimal Jyoti Engineering college has improved both the employment and education outlook in Chemperi.

Climate

Chemperi's climate is humid. The weather is pleasant in December, January and February. An oppressive hot season stretches from March until the end of May, followed by the southwest monsoon, which continues until the end of September. October and November bring the northeast monsoon, _Thulamazha_.

Average Weather Condition: 22 °C - 34 °C

Education

Nirmala Lower Primary School was the first educational institution in Chemperi. It was founded in 1950 by the parish of Chemperi to fulfill the wish of the migrant fathers. The school was first managed by the parish of Chemperi. Later, the diocese started a corporate educational agency and the school became a part of it. In 1953, Nirmala Higher Secondary School was established and was the first high school in the migrant areas. Students from Alakode, Chandanakkampara, Paisakkari, Nellikutty, Pottamplavu, Kudianmala, Vellad, Vayattuparamba were educated in this school.

In 1998, the high-school was upgraded to a higher secondary school; the first higher secondary in the migrant area; catering to the needs of all the people in and around Chemperi. There is a network of government schools, corporate schools and CBSE schools in and around Chemperi.

VIMAL JOYOTHI ENGINEERING COLLEGE

Chemperi has lately become a center of professional education in Kerala. The new Vimal Jyothi Engineering College or Vimaljyothi Engineering College, in _Jyothinagar_, Chemperi, is affiliated with APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and is a self-financing engineering college, sanctioned in 2002 by the All India Council For Technical Education. It is one of the premier institutes of technology in Malabar, and recently the college has been ranked among the A grade colleges in Kerala. It is an educational project of the Archdiocese of Thalassery and is managed by the Meshar Diocesan Educational Trust. MSGR MATHEW M CHALIL, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Tellicherry is the manager of the college. The project includes a management institute, with more rural educational opportunities designed for the future.[1]

Schools and colleges

-   Nirmala LP School, CHEMPERI
-   Nirmala UP School, CHEMPERI
-   Nirmala Higher Secondary School, CHEMPERI
-   St. Thomas Public School, CHEMPERI
-   Vimal Jyothi Engineering College, CHEMPERI

Tourism

Paithal Mala is a tourist attraction near Chemperi, which tourists can visit year round. It is a hillstation near Kudianmala, on the Kerala-Karnataka border and is 65 km north of Kannur. According to the Kerala Government Department of Tourism, the place is ideal for trekking, and adventure tourism. Paithal Mala is located at around 1,450 metres (4,700 ft) above sea level. There is a base reception centre at Pottamplavu and a watchtower atop the cliff.

Health

VIMALA HOSPITAL in Chemperi is the major healthcare provider of modern medicine. In this hospital, all advanced medical treatments, except emergency management, are available. The resident medical officer is Dr. Sandeep C Reddy, MBBS, Fellowship in emergency medicine. There are also other allopathic, ayurvedic and homeopathic clinics in Chemperi.

Transportation

Chemperi has a wide network of roads. Hill Highway, the prestigious road of Kerala, passes through Chemperi. There are well-maintained roads connecting Taliparamba, Iritty, Alakode, Cherupuzha, Kudianmala, and Paithalmala. The newly established Kannur International Airport is 35 km from Chemperi. The nearest railway station is Kannur; away. The nearest port is Mangalore. The national highway passes through Taliparamba town. Mangalore, Goa and Mumbai can be accessed on the northern side and Cochin and Thiruvananthapuram can be accessed on the southern side. Taliparamba has a good bus station and buses are easily available to all parts of Kannur district. The road to the east of Iritty connects to Mysore and Bangalore. But buses to these cities are available only from Kannur, 22 km to the south. The nearest railway stations are Kannapuram and Kannur on Mangalore-Palakkad line. Trains are available to almost all parts of India subject to advance booking over the internet. There are airports at Kannur, Mangalore and Calicut. All of them are small international airports with direct flights available only to Middle Eastern countries.

[1]

title: Chemperi

question: What does the article say about the local importance of Chemperi?

answer: The city is an education hub for the Kannur district after the establishment of an Engineering College. The city has exports rubber, coconut, pepper, cashew, and more. The construction jobs in Chemperi are important for both the city and the neighborhoods around it. Paithal Mala, a year-round tourist attraction, is another important place. There is an extensive network of roads connecting Chemperi to other regional places. Finally, the city has an international airport.

question: What does the article say about local cuisine?

question: What does the article say about living conditions in Chemperi?

answer: The city was established as an immigration hub, which provided most of the facilities needed. Nowadays, it's become a business center. The traditional economic output of the city is agriculture. The increased price of rubber helps the local farmers. While the Engineering College helped with the employment, many people are still looking for jobs in other parts of India or Middle Eastern countries. The Vimala Hospital is the major healthcare provider in the region; all advanced treatments are available with the sole exception of emergency management. The climate is humid, with monsoons covering almost half of the year.


text:
Review

 Jan Albrecht et al. Hepatology. 2006 Oct.

Abstract

Mechanisms involved in hepatic encephalopathy still remain to be defined. Nonetheless, it is well recognized that ammonia is a major factor in its pathogenesis, and that the astrocyte represents a major target of its CNS toxicity. In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that ammonia evokes oxidative/nitrosative stress, mitochondrial abnormalities (the mitochondrial permeability transition, MPT) and astrocyte swelling, a major component of the brain edema associated with fulminant hepatic failure. How ammonia brings about these changes in astrocytes is not well understood. It has long been accepted that the conversion of glutamate to glutamine, catalyzed by glutamine synthetase, a cytoplasmic enzyme largely localized to astrocytes in brain, represented the principal means of cerebral ammonia detoxification. Yet, the "benign" aspect of glutamine synthesis has been questioned. This article highlights evidence that, at elevated levels, glutamine is indeed a noxious agent. We also propose a mechanism by which glutamine executes its toxic effects in astrocytes, the "Trojan horse" hypothesis. Much of the newly synthesized glutamine is subsequently metabolized in mitochondria by phosphate-activated glutaminase, yielding glutamate and ammonia. In this manner, glutamine (the Trojan horse) is transported in excess from the cytoplasm to mitochondria serving as a carrier of ammonia. We propose that it is the glutamine-derived ammonia within mitochondria that interferes with mitochondrial function giving rise to excessive production of free radicals and induction of the MPT, two phenomena known to bring about astrocyte dysfunction, including cell swelling. Future therapeutic approaches might include controlling excessive transport of newly synthesized glutamine to mitochondria and its subsequent hydrolysis.

Similar articles

-   Glutamine in the mechanism of ammonia-induced astrocyte swelling.

    Jayakumar AR, Rao KV, Murthy ChR, Norenberg MD. Jayakumar AR, et al. Neurochem Int. 2006 May-Jun;48(6-7):623-8. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2005.11.017. Epub 2006 Mar 3. Neurochem Int. 2006. PMID: 16517020

-   Role of oxidative stress in the ammonia-induced mitochondrial permeability transition in cultured astrocytes.

    Rama Rao KV, Jayakumar AR, Norenberg MD. Rama Rao KV, et al. Neurochem Int. 2005 Jul;47(1-2):31-8. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2005.04.004. Neurochem Int. 2005. PMID: 15908047

-   Inhibition of glutamine transport into mitochondria protects astrocytes from ammonia toxicity.

    Pichili VB, Rao KV, Jayakumar AR, Norenberg MD. Pichili VB, et al. Glia. 2007 Jun;55(8):801-9. doi: 10.1002/glia.20499. Glia. 2007. PMID: 17357151

-   Glutamine in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy: the trojan horse hypothesis revisited.

    Rama Rao KV, Norenberg MD. Rama Rao KV, et al. Neurochem Res. 2014;39(3):593-8. doi: 10.1007/s11064-012-0955-2. Epub 2013 Jan 1. Neurochem Res. 2014. PMID: 23277414 Free PMC article. Review.

-   Glutamine as a mediator of ammonia neurotoxicity: A critical appraisal.

    Albrecht J, Zielińska M, Norenberg MD. Albrecht J, et al. Biochem Pharmacol. 2010 Nov 1;80(9):1303-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2010.07.024. Epub 2010 Jul 21. Biochem Pharmacol. 2010. PMID: 20654582 Free PMC article. Review.

Cited by _119_ _articles_

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    Dalangin R, Kim A, Campbell RE. Dalangin R, et al. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Aug 27;21(17):6197. doi: 10.3390/ijms21176197. Int J Mol Sci. 2020. PMID: 32867295 Free PMC article. Review.

-   Impaired brain function improved by L-carnitine in patients with cirrhosis: evaluation using near-infrared spectroscopy.

    Nakanishi H, Hayakawa Y, Kubota Y, Kurosaki M, Osawa L, Inada K, Kirino S, Yamashita K, Sekiguchi S, Okada M, Wan W, Higuchi M, Takaura K, Maeyashiki C, Kaneko S, Tamaki N, Yasui Y, Noda T, Nakanishi K, Tsuchiya K, Itakura J, Takahashi Y, Izumi N. Nakanishi H, et al. Sci Rep. 2020 Aug 11;10(1):13566. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-70585-y. Sci Rep. 2020. PMID: 32782294 Free PMC article.

-   N-acetyl cysteine treatment preserves mitochondrial indices of functionality in the brain of hyperammonemic mice.

    Mohammadi H, Sayad A, Mohammadi M, Niknahad H, Heidari R. Mohammadi H, et al. Clin Exp Hepatol. 2020 Jun;6(2):106-115. doi: 10.5114/ceh.2020.95814. Epub 2020 May 30. Clin Exp Hepatol. 2020. PMID: 32728627 Free PMC article.

-   The Glutamate System as a Crucial Regulator of CNS Toxicity and Survival of HIV Reservoirs.

    Gorska AM, Eugenin EA. Gorska AM, et al. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020 Jun 24;10:261. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00261. eCollection 2020. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020. PMID: 32670889 Free PMC article. Review.

-   Recent advances in understanding and managing hepatic encephalopathy in chronic liver disease.

    Kerbert AJC, Jalan R. Kerbert AJC, et al. F1000Res. 2020 Apr 29;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-312. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.22183.1. eCollection 2020. F1000Res. 2020. PMID: 32399191 Free PMC article. Review.

LinkOut - more resources

-   Full Text Sources

    -   Ovid Technologies, Inc.
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-   Other Literature Sources

    -   The Lens - Patent Citations

-   Medical

    -   ClinicalTrials.gov

question: What kind of article is this?

answer: An academic article.

question: What field of research does this article pertain to?

answer: Hepatology.

question: What does this article highlight?

answer: At elevated levels, glutamine is a noxious agent.

question: What are some of the future therapeutic approaches mentioned in the article?

answer: Controlling excessive transport of newly synthesized glutamine to mitochondria and its subsequent hydrolysis.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The academic article is a review by Jan Albrecht from 2006. The hepatologic study looks at mechanisms involved in hepatic encephalopathy. The abstract explains that the article points to elevated levels of glutamine being a noxious agent. It describes the metabolizing of glutamine and the role of ammonia within mitochondria. Similar articles are also listed.


text:
The SEBRE LAKE SITE (Smithsonian trinomial 21CW55) is a prehistoric Native American archaeological site in Fort Ripley Township, Minnesota, United States. It has yielded habitation and burial features accumulated over 4,000 years of intermittent use from the mid-Archaic to the early Late Woodland period. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 for having local significance in the theme of archaeology.[1] It was nominated for being one of the richest archaeological sites in the Nokasippi River Valley.[2]

Use

The occupational and burial features at the Sebre Lake Site suggest it was used intensively but intermittently over at least 4,000 years. It is well positioned to take advantage of natural resources, with good fishing in the adjacent lake, close access to the Mississippi River transportation corridor, and nearby prairie openings that would have attracted deer, elk, and bison.[3]

Archaeological history

The Sebre Lake Site was first documented by Euro-Americans in 1901, when Jacob V. Brower identified it as an ancient village site while conducting an archaeological survey of Crow Wing County. He did not examine the site long, but asked some local residents to provide him with any artifacts they could find. These likely form the basis of the large assemblage of items from Sebre Lake in Brower's collection, now curated by the Minnesota Historical Society. They include stone tools from the Archaic, Middle Woodland, and early Late Woodland periods, as well as ceramic sherds from the early Late Woodland.[4]

In the 1930s several human burials were exposed by agricultural activity. Minnesota state archaeologists investigated the site more closely in 1978. They found ceramics from the Onamia and Malmo cultural complexes, a projectile point, lithic flakes, a fire-cracked rock, and bone fragments. As some lake cabins had been built atop part of the site, the archaeologists interviewed the landowners. One had a collection of late Middle Woodland ceramics found on his property; these were identified as Brainerd and St. Croix Stamped wares.[5]

The Sebre Lake Site has yielded one of the largest and most varied archaeological collections in the Nokasippi Valley, and is one of only three major habitation sites known in the vicinity.[6]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

title: Sebre Lake Site

question: How would you describe the Sebre Lake Site?

answer: This site is a prehistoric Native American archaeological site in Fort Ripley Township, Minnesota.

question: When was the Sebre Lake Site first documented?

answer: It was first documented by Euro-Americans in 1901.

question: What are some advantages the Sebre Lake Site has?

answer: The site is well positioned to take advantage of natural resources, has good fishing in the adjacent lake, close access to the Mississippi River transportation corridor, and has nearby prairie openings that would have attracted deer, elk, and bison.

question: What is one of the most important highlights about the Sebre Lake Site?

answer: It yields one of the largest and most varied archaeological collections in the Nokasippi Valley and is one of the only three major habitation sites known in the vicinity.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This article describes the archeological history and use of the Sebre Lake Site, in great detail.