text:
THE WOODLANDS, TX (KTRK) -- A woman with the largest closet in the America now has a room full of empty space. Theresa Roemer says someone cleaned out her closet late last night.

Roemer's 3,000 square-foot closet was featured on "Good Morning America".

The three-story closet, which housed shoes, handbags, and furs, cost $500,000 to build.

But last night when Roemer and her husband returned to their gated community in The Woodlands after dinner, she says someone stole all her Birkin bags, jewelry and furs. Roemer says the burglary occurred between 7 and 11pm.

Authorities say the intruder entered through a bathroom window. Surveillance video given to Montgomery County property detectives and crime scene investigators shows a suspect wearing a jumpsuit and gloves.

"I don't think this person knew me because if this person knew me, they would not have robbed from me," she said.

What's left, paper stuffing on the floor, empty jewelry and bag displays.

Roemer says she built the half million dollar closet to hold fundraisers inside and auction off her designer collections to raise money for charities.

"There was a lot of good that was coming out of this closet. It was not just a display of vanity," Roemer said.

Roemer says the intruder was a pro who did his homework. Some less expensive items were left behind like pearls, diamond rings and watches.

She says what hurts the most is that the intruder took things that can't be replaced, family heirlooms and a locket that had a strand of hair from her deceased son.

"To take the things that mean the most, that you can't replace, that's what's the most hurtful," she said.

"I know that I've been through harder things in life. I buried my son in 2006 from a tragic car accident, and this is a drop in the bucket compared to that. And if this person thinks that they've ruined me because of what he's done to me, then he's got another thing coming," said Roemer.

Roemer says she does believe all the media attention in recent weeks contributed to her getting burglarized.

The Montgomery County sheriff's office is working the case. They have not released any of the surveillance video.

Detectives say the homeowner reported losses as a result of the theft, from $500,000 to $1 million.

The suspect remains on the run.

Copyright © 2020 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.

question: Where does the report take place?

answer: The Woodlands, Texas

question: Who has the largest closet in America that was featured on "Good Morning America?"

answer: Theresa Roemer

question: How big is Theresa's closet and what was in it?

answer: The three-story, 3,000 square foot closet had shoes, jewelry, handbags, and furs.

question: What happened?

answer: Someone broke into Theresa's home and stole expensive Birkin bags, jewelry, and furs amounting to $500,000 to $1,000,000. The thief also stole valuable heirlooms and a locket that had a strand of hair from Theresa's deceased son, things that cannot be replaced.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The Woodlands, Texas. The home of Theresa Roemer, the woman with the largest closet in America featured on "Good Morning America," has been burglarized late last night (at the time of the article). Theresa came home from dinner to find the expensive contents of her closet, including Birkin bags, jewelry, and furs amounting to $500,000 to $1,000,000, has been stolen. She says the thief did his homework and only targeted the super expensive items, but also came away with irreplaceable heirlooms and personal items such as a locket containing a strand from Theresa's deceased son. The police say the thief, who is still at large, came in using the bathroom window and was wearing a jumpsuit and gloves.


split: train

text:
One of the central Jewish prayers for those who are ill or recovering from illness or accidents is the _Mi Sheberach._ The name is taken from its first two Hebrew words. With a holistic view of humankind, it prays for physical cure as well as spiritual healing, asking for blessing, compassion, restoration, and strength, within the community of others facing illness as well as all Jews, all human beings.

Traditionally, the Mi Sheberach is said in synagogue when the Torah is read. If the patient herself/himself cannot be at services, a close relative or friend might be called up to the Torah for an honor, and the one leading services will offer this prayer, filling in the name of the one who is ill and her/his parents. Many congregations sing the version of the Mi Sheberach written by Debbie Friedman, a popular Jewish folk musician who focused on liturgical music. (That version can heard in the video, and its lyrics read, at the top of this article.)

Increasingly, the Mi Sheberach has moved into other settings and other junctures. Chaplains, doctors, nurses, and social workers are now joining patients and those close to them in saying the Mi Sheberach at various junctures—before and after surgery, during treatments, upon admission or discharge, on the anniversary of diagnosis, and more. We present it to you here, in English translation and in transliteration from the Hebrew, as a resource for you as you confront the challenges of illness. The Hebrew text can be found here.

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

LISTEN TO MI SHEBERACH (COURTESY OF MECHON HADAR)

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

Mi Sheberach in English Translation

May the One who blessed our ancestors —

Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

Matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah —

bless and heal the one who is ill:

________________ son/daughter of ________________ .

May the Holy Blessed One

overflow with compassion upon him/her,

to restore him/her,

to heal him/her,

to strengthen him/her,

to enliven him/her.

The One will send him/her, speedily,

a complete healing —

healing of the soul and healing of the body —

along with all the ill,

among the people of Israel and all humankind,

soon,

speedily,

without delay,

and let us all say:  Amen!

Mi Sheberach in Hebrew Transliteration

_The transliterated text below presents the prayer with correct pronouns for male and female patients. The word before the slash is for males, the one after for females._

Mi Sheberach

Avoteinu: Avraham, Yitzhak, v’Yaakov,

v’Imoteinu: Sarah, Rivka, Rachel v’Leah,

Hu yivarech virapei

et hacholeh/hacholah _____________ ben/bat ______________

HaKadosh Baruch Hu

yimalei rachamim alav/aleha,

l’hachalimo/l’hachlimah,

u-l’rap’oto/u-l’rap’otah,

l’hachaziko/l’hazikah,

u-l’chay-oto/u-l’chay-otah.

V’yishlach lo/lah bim-hera

r’fuah shlemah,

r’fu-at hanefesh u-r’fu-at hagoof,

b’toch sh’ar cholei Yisrael v’cholei yoshvei tevel,

hashta ba’agalah u-vizman kariv,

v’no-mar, Amen!

_Reprinted with permission of the National Center for Jewish Healing, a program of the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services._

Different Musical Versions of Mi Sheberach

_Sign up for a Journey Through Grief & Mourning: Whether you have lost a loved one recently or just want to learn the basics of Jewish mourning rituals, this 8-part email series will guide you through everything you need to know and help you feel supported and comforted at a difficult time._

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question: What is the main topic of this post?

answer: This post is about the Mi Sheberach, a Jewish prayer for those who are ill or recovering from illness or accidents.

question: Traditionally, where is the Mi Sheberach said?

answer: It is traditionally said in synagogue.

question: Who is Debbie Friedman?

answer: A popular Jewish folk musician who created a song of the Mi Sheberach.

question: Recently, where else is the Mi Sheberach said?

answer: Chaplains, doctors, nurses, and social workers are joining patients in the prayer before, after, and during procedures.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This post is about the Mi Sheberach, a Jewish prayer for those who are ill or recovering from illness or accidents. The prayer is written out in English and in Hebrew.


text:
Sitting upright he could feel the indignant mountainous ranges of the tree trunk, legs set lazily in front of him as if discarded by a hapless child. He could still see the look on her face when he told her that this life just wasn’t for him, and she couldn’t do anything about it. A thousand shattered nations would struggle to conjure such an expression, and what lay behind it. In the shadows of her eyes fell to her knees, the last happiness of that inner child, now shying away from the light. She would forever cower in the darkness of that jaded mind, and sob. After a while the woman would cease to hear the sobbing, and forget, at least consciously what it meant to have unabashed faith and joy. The glow of her smile faded and became ashen as if extinguished by a landslide, a world slide. Her eyebrows fell, unable to bear the weight of this betrayal, no longer supported by the life in her exquisite cheek bones. He thought, genuinely, that her refined looks were indestructible, incorruptible. But he held a weapon no vest could stop, no armor could dissuade, no countermeasure repulse. And he let fly. He watched a proud city crumble and become dust, a pitiful ruin, not even the most acute archaeologist could rediscover what had been lost. He had turned fertile valley into smoldering crater with one word. In that sense he was the most powerful man in the world. But he took no pleasure in his accomplishment. He thought of all the ruthless conquerors of antiquity and those of the modern age; each seemed, in their time, to have been at the very least content with their atrocities. Ends meeting necessary means and all that. He deduced then, that his travesty had been all the more gruesome. Not a man prior could claim his crime, and none after, he thought.
The only end to speak of was that he was allowed to be alone. He was alone now in an awful way, was already alone, rendered alone long before he decided on this course of action. And his aloneness would go on, would resound like the bells in that poem by Poe. There is a kind of alone when you miss someone, he realized, someone in particular. Most alones are grand; he would have said so himself if there was anyone around to listen. But that’s the thing about being alone. Really, he was alone for two. She was alone, in the same way he was alone, but they both bared the burden.
He knew he could go back, proclaim his blunder and maybe, just maybe cure the guilt that sat like bile in his soul. But he also knew that this would not rebuild the walls, would not polish the marble streets of her spirit, could not cleanse the rivers of his iniquity. The second law being what it is, seems to extend its taunting presence anywhere it is particularly unwanted.
So there he sat, trying as he might to remember why he thought this was a better alternative to a quiet life in the suburbs with a nice wife. Why exactly sitting in the woods, propped up against a tree was such a good idea. And in a stroke of divine irony he decided he had made the biggest mistake of his life, and that there was no going back. In that moment he realized it was not her nation left in ruin, but his own. Through the unforgiving lens of circumstance he had been blind. She was his city, she was his nation, and he was Nero.
“So play my fiddle.” He thought. Got up, and walked off into the woods.

title: Nero

question: Summarize the tension in the story.

answer: The main character is in the middle of leaving a woman. He has told her this life is not for him-through no fault of her own-though his point in leaving remains enigmatic. It seems like more of a wordless calling he can't keep at bay.

question: Describe the fallacy in the man's thinking.

answer: The man is thinking that he could always go back, despite what he's done. He seems to be under the impression the leaving is not a permanent action with permanent consequences. He believes he will stride out an impressively, existentially burdened man, newly unburdened in some ways-but just as encumbered as ever in other, newer, perhaps more desirable ways.

question: Summarize the wife's reaction to her husband's abandonment.

question: Summarize what the story has to say about ego.

answer: The man's ego heavily influences his decision-making process; this is evident in how he sees himself almost as a martyr in his decision to leave his wife. He sees himself as undertaking a great burden of solitude in order to do what he needs to do for himself-instead of recognizing that this grandiose accomplishment is only relative to his own feelings. No outsider would look at this situation and think he is objectively not only doing the right thing, but doing the right thing for the better of anyone but himself.


text:
Hey guys, first story I'm posting on here - Let me know what you think!

________________
Written: 4:45pm

Occurred: 12:40pm

I hear the doorbell ring and realize I've changed. The way I watch myself bound down the stairs tells me I don't understand what I feel as well as I thought. Part of this realization isn't surprising - recently I've come to grasp that only in reflection do I truly find myself.

We greet and it's not awkward, but I don't remember who to be, so I put on as best a casual, semi-joking tone as I'm able.

I still don't understand your disposition fully, but it's changed. That trademark reservation still overcomes the newer, incompletely disguised cheer that implies some sort of excitement my presence now seems to elicit.

We walk up the stairs, and I lose track of what I'd first like to ask, so generic pleasantries come first as we sit on my couch. The weekend-long text conversation was enjoyable, but leaves me blank as to what I'm specifically interested in talking about. The persona I've engaged you with tragically disallows any sort of emotional connection; but we've only got a few minutes anyway. Can I manage to display a shift in mentality? No, I'm not even conscious of the mistake I've already made.

That facebook message was enough for you to disregard the fact that my walls won't come down today; your response of "words cannot express my gratitude for what you've written here". Are you even conscious of it?
You look through my photos and I continue pushing the flirtatious vibes as if I'd met you last week. My roommate asks if we're ready, and as we head down the stairs behind him you ask: "ladies first?"

I treat it as a joke, as if you're implying I should go first. Now I realize it's just a subconscious plea: where's the gentleman I'm starting to understand?

You get in the back seat and as I sit next to you, you don't make an effort to move over too far; we're sitting close. I ask about the new pinky ring with a studded cross, we joke and you ignore a direct answer. Socialization is now required as my roommate's driving in the front. Cordial discussion of Thanksgiving break ensues.

We get to your apartment and your roommates join us. The car's full and we hold hands as we drive off. A few minutes later, we're briefly outcast from the discussion going on in the front of the car. Quiet flirtation between us, subtle enough to be unknown to other passengers, makes me conscious of something - my raw, physical attraction to you. Something I guess I didn't really come to terms with. You're not letting me in at all now, expertly avoiding allowing me to even make a guess at what you're thinking. Aside from what can't be denied - that we're flirting. Everything else is a mystery. Oh, you're good at this.

I fight to avoid the blatant, physical display of arousal any man is anatomically capable of.

We walk to the restaurant and you mention that facebook post your father wrote. I make light of it, identifying the obvious humor on the surface - the type of response you knew was a possibility and probably expected. But there's more to what he said of course; when will I be sensitive enough to let you try to communicate that?

We order food and I wait alone near the counter behind the condiment stand after filling my drink. You walk by to do the same, but after a minute alone I wonder where everyone is. I look over to see you and your roommates sitting there while the other two guys are standing nearby, unconcerned about engaging in the girl-talk.

We get our meals and head outside. You shoot me a fairly casual glance as we walk out the door, not quite directly at me in the sense that it demands a reaction, but acknowledging something more than my mere existence.

Throughout lunch you're distant. Despite the required group conversation, one-on-one discussions are still possible but you never explicitly try to engage me. Only in reflection do I deem this my fault.
Jokes, parking meter, holding hands, better vibes than lunch. We walk down the street. We both act a little differently around each other, a bit more connected on a level we haven't yet talked about.

After ordering Irish coffees, I make a few jokes our friends find hilarious. Your roommates find me funny as always, and even you laugh a little. We discuss the pictures we both took over the weekend, and you're willing to engage. You're enjoying it, but there's a sense of obligation. If I didn't bring it up, would you have?
You're cautious, it seems. I've never been through a bad relationship; you've been recently hurt. How much of your reservation relates to this?

We talk about the holidays. After finishing my drink and you offering yours, I'm moreso in the joking mood than I usually let myself indulge in anymore - I know I can be a dick. I make a joke in bad taste about thanksgiving, stemming from the fact that your parents never thoroughly celebrated Christmas. A sensitive topic.

The car ride back we hold hands, but you're engaging your roommate to the left. I crack a few jokes to be part of the various conversations in the car, all in good taste this time. It seems like you've given up on who I am today: our physical contact rightly identifying your acceptance of my entirety, but a psychological distance coming from your subconscious disapproval of my state of mind.

As your roommates get out of the car and I whisper for you to come back and hang out with me, you good-heartedly let me know you need to study. This is genuine in every respect: you know who I can be when you get me alone, but have an academic discipline that goes unquestioned. We leave, but the bad taste in my mouth only subsides as I finish this reflection.

title: The personality and the identity

question: Summarize the primary source of tension in the story.

answer: The narrator is going on a date with a girl and isn't sure how to act. He tries to flirt with his date but he feels like she isn't completely allowing him to get to know her. His date does not outrightly distance herself from him but neither is she spending her time conversing with him.

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

question: What is the story trying to emphasize?

answer: The story is trying to emphasize that even though the narrator's date does occasionally flirt and hold hands with him she may not be completely interested in him. The story describes how she does not really hold a conversation with him alone, it is always with the roommates around and is hardly a few words implying that she may not be too interested in him.


text:
ALUN HERBERT DAVIES (1927-2005), known as Alan Creunant in Wales, was a Welsh head teacher, and first director of the Welsh Books Council. His parents were Rev. Thomas Herbert (Creunant) Davies and Hannah Davies (née Thomas). On completing his secondary education in Llandovery he studied at Trinity College, Carmarthen, but did not enter the teaching profession until he had completed two years military service. Following a short period teaching in the Tregaron area, he moved to Llangeitho where, in 1952, he took up the position of school head teacher.

From 1965 to 1987 he held the position of Director of the Welsh Books Council. During this time he secured significant funding for the institution from local authorities and the Welsh Arts Council, and developed trading practices, introducing a wholesale operation for booksellers and publishers, and introducing services to help publishers improve standards of book production. He was also able to include in Books Council's remit the distribution of grants to improve and extend the variety of books published.

Davies' other great passion was religion, and he served as a lay preacher with the Presbyterian Church of Wales. He was also Moderator of the South Wales Association of the Presbyterian Church of Wales in 1979–1980.[1]

In 1987 he received an honorary MA from the University of Wales, and in 2004 was made a Fellow of the University of Wales Aberystwyth.

He died from cancer at Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth, in October 2005. [2]

[1]

[2]

title: Alun Herbert Davies

question: What was Alun Herbert Davies known as in Wales?

answer: Alan Creunant.

question: What did Alun Herbert Davies do?

answer: He was a Welsh head teacher and first director of the Welsh Books Council.

question: During what years did he hold the position of Director of the Welsh Books Council?

answer: From 1965 to 1987.

question: Where did he receive an honorary MA from?

answer: The University of Wales in 1987.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The article is about Alun Herbert Davies, a former Welsh head teacher and Director of the Welsh Books Council. It describes his career.


text:
_THE UNDERDOG_ (1999) is the first novel by Australian young adult fiction writer Markus Zusak. Along with _Fighting Ruben Wolfe_ and _When Dogs Cry_, _The Underdog_ was published in the United States in 2011 as part of the anthology _Underdogs_.[1]

Plot

_The Underdog_ is about Cameron Wolfe, a 15-year-old boy and a down-and-out character, his family, and a girl he falls for. Cameron struggles with his identity, questions his morality, and tries to overcome feelings of inadequacy. Cameron shares a room with his older brother, Ruben, who is always coming up with petty criminal activities he never follows through with, such as robbing a dentist only to be distracted by the beautiful nurse working there. His sister, Sarah, is always “going at it” with her boyfriend, Bruce. His brother, Steve, is successful and thinks he is above the rest of his family. His mother works hard all week and still manages to complete motherly duties, and his father is a plumber. Cameron starts working for his father on weekends, where he meets Rebecca Conlon, a girl who he thinks is perfect. The culminating event of the novel is Sarah and Bruce's break-up. Her emotional reactions engages and unites all of the family. Cameron is particularly affected by the fallout and questions his own treatment of women. As the break-up is unfolding Cameron is also asked to help his former best friend, Greg, with some money issues. Greg gets entangled in a drug buying fiasco and Cameron must lend him the money to get him out. Much of the emotional landscape of the novel is established through Cameron's vivid dream sequences, which allow the reader a glimpse into his deeper feelings. The story is about boys' dirty habits, family sticking together and being an underdog.

Characters

-   CAMERON WOLFE: A 15-year-old boy, he is the protagonist and first person narrator of the novel.
-   RUBEN WOLFE: Cameron's adventurous and slightly rebellious older brother.
-   STEVE WOLFE: The oldest of the Wolfe brother's. He has a successful career and looks down upon the silliness of his younger brothers.
-   SARAH WOLFE: Cameron's older sister. She begins the novel in a serious relationship with Bruce. Their relationship consists of kissing on the Wolfe family's couch. Much of the novels plot revolves around the story of her relationship.
-   MOM: Cameron's mom, famous for cooking mushrooms every night.
-   DAD: Cameron's dad. He works as a plumber and hires Cameron to work with him on Saturdays.
-   GREG FIENNI: Cameron's former best friend.
-   BRUCE PATTERSON: Sarah's boyfriend.
-   REBECCA CONLON: Cameron's crush. He meets her while helping his father work on the plumbing at her house.

Reception

In a review of _Underdogs_, _Los Angeles Times_ reviewer Susan Carpenter notes Zusak's earlier works “share many of the same stylistic hallmarks and themes of belonging and survival” with his better-known novels including the Michael L. Printz Award-winning _The Book Thief_.[2] _The Age_ commented that Zusak's writing style was “relaxed and confident” and did not "try to explore social issues.[3]

[1]

[2]

[3] “Cameron Wolfe, lost and found”, _The Age_, 14 May 2003. (accessed 15 November 2012)

title: The Underdog (novel)

question: What does the text say about how to become a successful fiction writer?

question: What does the text say about The Underdog?

answer: The Underdog is the first novel by Australian young adult fiction writer Markus Zusak published in 1999. The novel is part of an anthology called "Underdogs" along with Zusak's other books, Fighting Ruben Wolfe and When Dogs Cry. The anthology was published in the United States in 2011. The novel received mostly positive reviews in the U.S. Susan Carpenter of the Los Angeles Times said that the book shares many of the same stylistic hallmarks and themes of Zusak's other better-known novels. The Age commented that Zusak's writing style was "relaxed and confident" and didn't explore social issues.

question: What does the text say about Cameron Wolfe?

answer: Cameron Wolfe is the protagonist and the first-person narrator of the novel. He is a 15-year-old boy and a down-and-out type of character. While working for his dad (part-time) one Saturday, Cameron falls for a girl, Rebecca Conlon, whom he thinks is perfect. He struggles with his identity, questions his morality, and tries to overcome feelings of inadequacy. Cameron has vivid dream sequences that allow the reader a glimpse into his deeper feelings.

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

answer: Cameron's mom has a full-time job and works hard all week, while still managing to complete her motherly duties. She is famous for cooking mushrooms every night. Cameron's dad is a plumber who hires Cameron to work with him on Saturdays. Cameron's brothers are Ruben, who is slightly older, adventurous, and rebellious; and Steve, the eldest Wolfe brother who has a successful career and thinks he's above the rest of the family. Cameron also has an older sister, Sarah.


text:
	The headmaster of the school Mr. Rogan worked at for less than a year had just fired him, and sat across from him signing verification documents. However, Mr. Rogan was uninterested.  He was much to focused on the kids out the window, the kids who loved him and whom he loved back. Soon he would depart from them forever. By then Mr. Rogan had already accepted the fact that he would be fired, and felt it was justifiable to someone who did not understand his ways. So instead of focusing on the inevitable, he focused on the kids.
	“You’ve caused nothing but trouble since your inception,” spoke the headmaster without taking his eyes off his documents.
	For a moment he stared at the principal with his mouth half open. He glanced back at the kids one last time before saying “I can understand how you would think that.”
	The headmaster looked up at this, his eyebrows raised. “You taught the kids nothing, not counting teaching them to make outrageous claims, create blasphemous mischief and start countless shenanigans.”
	Mr. Rogan could not help but smile. The headmaster’s face became rigid. “Do you not see the common denominator of it all?” Mr. Rogan asked.
	The headmaster frowned at this.  “Things that cause kids to get into nothing but trouble?”
	Again Mr. Rogan grinned. “Oh headmaster,” he sighed, “I taught them to create.”

title: Really short story, just messing around. I'd like some feedback

question: Why is Mr. Rogan being fired?

answer: Mr. Rogan is being fired because the headmaster believes he has taught them nothing but to create blasphemous mischief and to start countless shenanigans.

question: Who is the main character in the passage?

answer: Mr. Rogan

question: What is the relationship that Mr. Rogan and the children share?

answer: Mr. Rogan loved the children and the children loved him back.

question: What did Mr. Rogan say he taught the children to do?

answer: Mr. Rogan said he taught the children to create.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Mr. Rogan is getting fired by the headmaster because the headmaster believes Mr. Rogan has taught the children nothing but how to make trouble. Mr. Rogan said he taught the children how to create and loves the.


text: This SmartStraps Axle Strap is made with a protective sleeve and has a D-ring at each end. , Breaking Strength lbs. 10,000, Strap Width in. 2, Straps qty. 1, Working Load lbs. 3,333, Strap Length ft. 2 1/2. 10,000-lb. break strength Model Number: 856. Age Group: adult.

question: What product is this description about?

answer: The SmartStraps Axle Strap

question: What is the breaking strength of this product?

answer: 10,000 lbs.

question: What are the dimensions of this product?

answer: 2.5 feet long, 2 inches wide

question: What is the working load of the product?

answer: 3,333 lbs.

question: How much does this product cost?

answer: It is not mentioned.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: This is a product description of the SmartStraps Axle Strap. This product is 2.5 feet long, 2 inches wide, and has a working load of 3,333 lbs. The breaking strength is 10,000 lbs.


text:
[Senate Passes Insurance Industry Aid Bill]

(Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com)

The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, will move into the next phase of its gradual roll out next week. On October 1, the insurance exchanges will commence operations. These exchanges are supposed to be where people without insurance through an employer go to find health insurance. Some people will receive subsidies from the government on these policies while others will pay the full cost. Three big problems are likely to occur as more people are drawn into the Obamacare universe.

First, cost is likely to be a huge issue. As documented by Chris Conover here on Forbes.com, Obamacare will actually lead to many families paying more for their healthcare than they were before the law went into effect. This cost increase is not some trivial amount, but is estimated to run an average family of four between $650 and $1,000 per year over the next decade.

And that cost increase is not a piece of Republican propaganda. The estimates come from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; in other words these are the government’s own estimates of what is going to happen under Obamacare. These cost increases are for total health care spending, Dividing by population and then multiplying by four yields the average impact on a family.

The impact of these cost increases will fall unevenly on people. Some of these costs will show up in the form of higher health insurance premiums, while other parts of the costs will appear in the form of income taxes, medical device taxes, and future interest payments on debt incurred to cover the costs paid for with additional government debt. Thus, not every family will see their insurance premium rise by the estimated amounts and not every family will pay higher taxes equal to their proportional share of the higher costs.

However, somebody somewhere is going to be paying for the extra health care costs. A free lunch is only free to the person receiving it. No matter how hidden the cost may be, it eventually has to be paid.

The second problem that will become obvious as the program is fully implemented is the unfairness of the subsidies provided by Obamacare. If an employer offers its workers health insurance, but an employee turns it down because the cost is too high, that worker is not eligible for a government subsidy in the health care exchanges. Thus, two families with the same income could pay very different rates for their health insurance because one was offered insurance at their job and the other was not.

Even worse, the phase out of the subsidies is quite abrupt. While the amount of the subsidy declines with income, at the top end of the income scale it just stops. Subsidies are available for people and families below 400 percent of the poverty level. For a family of four, that is about $88,000.

A family of four earning just under the limit might receive a subsidy of around $5,000 based on paying 9.5 percent of their income toward health insurance and the public figures so far on what plans are likely to cost in the exchanges. If the family earns just a little too much, they get no subsidy. Thus, a small raise could actually be a financial burden to a family near the income limit for the subsidies.

As these quirks in the law become more widely known, I suspect people will find them grossly unfair. Large differences in subsidies for people in nearly equivalent economic conditions will not sit well with people. The solution is likely to be more subsidies to make things more equal, leading yet again to higher government costs than advertised.

The third big problem with Obamacare that is beginning to come to people’s attention is the quality of the plans that will be offered on the exchanges. According to Robert Pear in the New York Times, people who purchase health insurance on the exchanges in many states may be offered only plans that allow access to fewer doctors and hospitals than many privately-purchased plans and employer-sponsored plans include.

In other words, people may not have insurance coverage that allows them to see the doctor they wish. The reason for these restrictions is that insurance companies want to provide policies through the exchanges at the lowest possible cost because they assume that those people shopping for insurance in the exchanges will be looking for an affordable policy.

Not everybody who purchases insurance through the exchanges will be receiving a government subsidy, but many of them will be. In many cases, these people will be forced to see the doctors who agreed to the treat people for a low price rather than their favorite doctor or a specialist across town. The New York Times article freely quotes from consumer advocates who are outraged that these subsidized insurance plans will not be as generous in the choice of providers as those policies purchased in the private market.

So prepare for the next battleground of health care as a “right.” Once people have fully received their free or subsidized health care courtesy of the government and taxpayers, the cries will grow in volume to make these plans the equal of the best plans available and to reduce the inequities outlined above. After all, why should people get lower quality health care simply because they have less money? And why should health care be a financial burden on anyone?

Given the country’s recent history, once that argument begins it will be won by those demanding access to all doctors and hospitals and more subsidies for those falling through the cracks. At that point, all cost restraint will be lost (not that there is much going on now). If we head down that road, government-paid health care costs will bankrupt the country.

question: What is the main topic of the article?

answer: The article is about The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare; it is scheduled to move into the next phase of its rollout.

question: The article discusses three problems with The Affordable Care Act. What are they?

answer: 1. Cost will be a big issue; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services suggests many families will be paying more for healthcare. 2. The subsidies provided by the ACA will be unfairly allocated. 3. The quality of the plans available.

question: Is the article opinion or fact?

answer: It is mostly fact-based.

question: Who is the target audience for this article?

answer: The target audience is a person wanting more information about the ACA.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer: The article is about The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare; it is scheduled to move into the next phase of its rollout. Three problems are discussed in the article: 1. Cost will be a big issue; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services suggests many families will be paying more for healthcare. 2. The subsidies provided by the ACA will be unfairly allocated. 3. The quality of the plans available.


text:
MUTHAMPALAYAM is a neighbourhood locality in Erode city, Tamil Nadu. It was a village panchayat till 2011. Later during the expansion of Erode Municipal Corporation, this officially became a part of it.[1]

Demographics

India census,[2] Muthampalayam village had a population of 1,033. Males constitute a population 890 and females 919. Muthampalayam has an average literacy rate of 70.02%, lower than the state average of 80.09%: male literacy is 79.88%, and female literacy is 60.50%. Among the total population of Muthampalayam, 8.90% of the population is under 6 years of age.

[1]

[2]

title: Muthampalayam

question: What is a panchayat?

answer: This is not explained in the article.

question: Why does the sum of males and females surpass the total population given for the village?

answer: This is not explained in the article.

question: Are males from Muthampalayam have better than average literacy compared to the state?

answer: Better

question: What percent of the population is older than 6 years of age?

answer: 91.1%

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This article introduces Muthampalayam village. It lists some demographic information for the village.


text:
"What do we know about kittens?" Dr. Strong stroked the kitten in his lap.

Martha responded "They are cute."

"Correct." Said Strong.

"They meow."

"Correct." Said Strong.

"That is all we know about kittens." Martha said as she looked at the floor.

"Damnit! We can not conquer this planet until we find out more. We have come 130 parsecs to find their home world in a ship built on science - how do we not know more about kittens! Tell me!"

"We're stupid." Jonas replied.

"We are not stupid. Sure, we ripped the spaceship off. And, sure, we don't know how to quote/unquote read - but we...we...we have these!" Strong produced a chili dog.

"Yes. Their only weakness. The chili dog. Dr. Strong, if we know their weakness, what more do we need to know?"

"Any good soldier will tell you to know your enemy. For instance - where do they vacation? Lime or lemon? Beatles or Stones? We cannot take over an entire planet with just these." Strong held up the chili dog which resembled a limp penis in his hand.

"We could go undercover." Martha said.

"Yes! Yes! I will venture down to the planet dressed in this!" Strong held out a fur coat.

"Where'd you get that?" Martha asked.

"I've been keeping it. For a special occasion. You know, like a ball or something." Strong responded.

"A ball in space?"

"Precisely!" Said Strong and he dropped the chili dog and put on the coat. "Where is the transporter?" Strong inquired.

"We have a transporter?" Jonas asked.

"Yes. I think. Maybe. Maybe not. OK. Do we have a landing craft?"

"A what?"

"Something that...OK, can we land the ship on the kitten planet?" Strong grabbed Jonas by the collar.

"Sure. I think. Maybe. I'll hit the down button."

Strong released him. "Yes. Hit the down button." He whispered and looked sinisterly about the ship.

---

"Hello. I'm a kitten." Strong said as the kitten opened the door to his little tiny kitten home.

"Meow. Meow. Meow." The kitten responded.

"Oh, yes, of course." Strong put the kazoos that translated Kittish to English and vice versa into his ears and mouth as documented in my other Kitten novellas found on this sub. "Hello! I am a kitten." Strong brought his arms up to show the fur coat he was wearing. It was mink, I believe.

"What you bringing that ruckus in here fo?" The kitten responded in a high pitched kitten voice.

"Pardon?" Strong replied.

"You better step that game back to the edge of doom." The kitten responded.

"I beg your pardon?" Strong then had an idea - the fourth in a line of ideas he had had from the beginning of his life. He adjusted the kazoos.

"Fuck off!" The kitten responded and slammed the door.

Strong pulled out a phone and called the ship. "Yes. It's Strong. Dr. Strong. The guy who was up in the ship. You pushed the down button. Remember? It was like an hour ago. Yes. That Strong. The kittens are not embracing me into their society. We need another plan. Really? Just knock on another door? OK. I will try that."

Strong walked next door to the next kitten house and rang the bell.

A kitten answered "Hello. Can I help you, fellow kitten?"

Strong spoke into the phone "This one thinks I'm a kitten."

The kitten slammed the door and then reopened with a shotgun leveled at Strong.

"Invader!" The kitten yelled.

"No. No. I'm - I'm here to bring you peace." And with that, Strong threw a chili dog at the kitten and the kitten blew up.

This aroused a posse of kittens to approach on horses from behind Strong. He whirled around and demanded "How did you get there so fast?"

The high, chief kitten announced in his little bitty kitten voice "Nevermind that! Put down the chili dog." The comma was intended. The posse of kittens were stoned to the bejesus.

Strong looked at his hand and realized he was holding another kitten exterminator. "Alright. You won this round." And Strong dropped the chili dog to the ground. It made a flapping noise as it hit the planet and resembled doo-doo.

"Are you an Earthling?" The kitten demanded.

"Yes - no. Kinda. We ripped off their spaceship. I'm from Jupiter. It's near Earth. Way bigger. You can fit...like....ten? Earths in it. Super huge."

"We respect super huge planets, for we are kittens." The chief explained. "We don't like Earthlings. They killed our kind with chili dogs when we tried to invade them. Then they tricked us into thinking we were at peace. Then, years later, after the hydrogen peroxide wars, they bombed us from dirigibles. All because we tried to kill everyone on their planet. They are dicks. It's all in the other stories this author submitted."

"Yes. I can respect that." Said Strong as he thought about how he was an Earthling and how he was going to continue the charade that he was from Jupiter. Following that, he wondered what people from Jupiter were like...if there were people on Jupiter...and what he would have for dinner that night. He had nachos the night before and he had a hotdog for lunch. That really only left pizza or burgers. These were hard choices. They may seem trivial, but when you're out in space, all choices are SPACE choices and, therefore, are really super fucking important.

"Well, what do you think of that story, Jupiter man?" The chief asked.

"I can't decide what kind of olives I want on my pizza." Strong replied.

"EARTHLING!" The kittens yelled and waved their authentic civil war muskets at Strong.

TO BE CONTINUED

title: [HM] KITTEN INVASION - PART 438

question: Describe the setting of this story.

answer: The story seems to be set in the future, or at least in a time in which humans have never made contact with cats. The humans (if they are not humans, the reader is not offered another option) are on Kitten Planet. The humans are quite unsure about the creatures, but they have developed a sort of translating device in an apparatus. It is unclear under which set of circumstances the kittens and the humans are first encountering each other.

question: Explain how the Earthlings killed off kittens with chili dogs.


text:
This is a rough idea and this is the first draft. There are probably a lot of errors, but my eyes need to look at something else for a while. In the meantime, it would be nice to have some feedback from a fresh perspective. Cheers.

Bridge

A man walks east along a dirt road. He carries a leather pack and inside is a stale loaf of bread wrapped in butcher paper, a few apples tied together with a handkerchief, and a metal canteen filled with warm water. His lips are chapped from the heat and his frugal rationing. On his journey he passes several towns, but he never stays the night, always sleeping far off the road and past the outskirts. Each morning he wakes in the cool darkness and walks slowly toward the dim glow in the east. He hasn’t spoken a word in months and hasn’t needed to.

Eventually, the man comes to a bridge that leads over a large body of water. He stops before it and looks to the north. A large metropolis glowing with revelry consumes the horizon. He turns to the south and sees a vast desert fading into a mirage. He faces the bridge again and wanting neither the city nor the desert, decides to cross. The sun sets behind him as he makes it to the other side. He pulls off the road and sleeps until the dark morning.

The man is startled awake by the brilliance of the sun. He has slept in later than he had intended to. He rubs the sleep from his eyes and gathers together his things, but then he stops. Something in the west catches his eye, or rather the lack of something. The bridge is gone. No evidence of its existence remains. He sees the shore of where he’s been as a thin, tan line upon the sea. The metropolis looks like a spec. Alarmed, but unshaken, the man picks up his pack and continues east, leaving the vanished bridge behind him.

He walks for several hours until finally he hears the crashing of waves. He scales a small hill, following the sound. At its summit, the man looks out into an endless ocean. The bridge he had crossed that was no longer there had led him to an island. The great expanse of the desert and the sensory overload of the metropolis don’t seem so unappealing anymore. He stands there for some time, staring east into the void. Finally, he decides to turn around. The man starts walking west.

It isn’t until the next day that the man reaches the other side of the island. He finds the spot where the bridge had been and decides to set up camp. “Perhaps the bridge will reappear just as it has disappeared.” The man didn’t believe his own mouth, but hope would be enough to keep him going. He fashions a shelter out of branches and large palm leaves. He digs a pit with his hands and starts a fire. Then, he waits.

After several days, his bread and apples spent, the man starts building a boat, but with his increasingly weak condition, his labor is slow. At night, when the earth is cool, he eats the bugs and worms crawling and squirming in the grass and leaves. By the time the man finishes the boat, he is malnourished and hosting lice and ticks. His fatigue spreads to his mind, and despite all of this, he sets off into the water with nothing more than his oar. He paddles with vehement strokes, every other one in time with a thin, raspy exhale. Before he is even halfway across, the sun starts to sink. He fights to keep his eyes open, but the darkness takes him. With the last of his energy, the man falls over the side of the boat and into the water asleep.

It is mid afternoon when he wakes in the sand, the waves forcing salt into his mouth and nostrils. He coughs violently, but silently. He looks around him, wondering how he was still alive or if he was alive at all. When he sees his shelter, he knows he is alive or condemned to Hell or both. He staggers to his feet and walks toward it. The coals are still warm in the fire pit.  He sits next to it, almost not breathing. He leans against a tree and looks up. Hanging from its branches are several large melons. The man gets up quickly. He manages to get one down by throwing a rock at it. With another, he cuts open the melon and presses it into his face. He sucks its moisture and starts to laugh. He gathers some more and sleeps well.

A few days pass and the tree is bare. The night comes and the man eats bugs. With his boat lost, he fashions another in his starvation and casts out. When tossed to the water and washed to shore, the man wakes among dead fish. He eats them over a period of a week. Days following, he begins to starve. He sees the line of where he came from on the horizon, and in his weakness, fashions a boat to set out into the treacherous waters only to brought back half-dead.

He would wait for the bridge forever.

title: [Bridge] (Draft 1)

question: What is the man's cycle?

answer: He wakes up on the island with little food. He finishes his food in a short amount of time and has to eat bugs. He starts to build a boat. He's malnourished, so he can't make much progress on the sea, eventually falling into the water, only to wake up on the island with little food.

question: Why does the man wait until he runs out of food to build his boat?

answer: We don't know.

question: Where was the man going, and why?

answer: It's not mentioned in the story.

question: Where does the story take place?

answer: In some unspecified island.

question: Write a ~10 sentence summary.

answer: The man walks east every day. He hasn't spoken in months; it wasn't necessary. He comes across a bridge that goes over a large body of water and crosses it. On the other side, he settles for the night. The bridge is gone the next morning, no trace of it left. From then on, the man repeats a cycle. He runs out of food, eats bugs, and builds a boat in his malnourished state. When he takes off in the boat, he can't cross the water. He eventually falls into the water and finds himself back on the island. He finds some food and finishes it; only then he starts to build another boat.


text:
I opened my windows to a drizzling weather. Taking a whiff of the addictive smell of earth and rain swirled together - petrichor, mind you - I then looked up to the neon signs above, past the greenish and moldy walls haunted by time.

Red lights, blue lights, green lights. Your lights, my lights.

Cut to twenty minutes later, we were sitting on the foundation of the same windows, trying to spell what the neon signs said, our hands holding little firework sticks. Neither of us was in our best attire, but then only the glowing neon lights seemed to care.

Dec 3-4, 2012.

title: City Sky

question: Where is the story set?

answer: A city.

question: What colour lights are seen?

answer: Red, blue, and green.

question: Describe 'petrichor'.

answer: The smell of rain on earth.

question: Where are the characters sitting?

answer: On the foundation of windows. [Window sills?]

question: Who are the characters?

answer: This information isn't in the text.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: An open window brings in the smell of earth and rain, and the narrator sits with another person, staring out at the city lights.


text:
QUIEN SABE RANCH is a ranch in Fremont County, Wyoming, about northeast of Shoshoni. The ranch structures date to the 1880s, part of a ranching operation established around 1883 by three English immigrants: Harry Jevons, Richard Ashworth and Richard Berry. The ranch centered on an area next to Hoodoo Creek. At first the ranch was called Hoodoo ranch, but after an altercation with Mexican _caballeros_ who lived in the neighborhood the ranch became known as “Quien Sabe” (“who knows?”) for the evasive answers given by the Mexicans to the English ranchers. After a series of transactions between the partners the property was deeded to Ashworth by Jevons to secure a $4747.62 loan. Jevons killed himself after losing his money gambling in Meeteetse.[1]

The main building is the log ranchhouse, measuring by . The low-pitched roof is waterproofed with bentonite clay. Other buildings include a bunkhouse, an icehouse, a blacksmith shop and a dugout.[2]

The ranch is associated in oral tradition with Butch Cassidy, who was supposed to have had an interest in the land in the 1890s, but no records apart from an account by Cassidy's sister Lulu Parker Betensen attest to this. The ranch was acquired by Emil Thoren in 1907, whose family kept it through much of the 20th century.[3]

Quien Sabe Ranch was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 1991.[4]

[1]  with

[2]

[3]

[4]

title: Quien Sabe Ranch

question: What is Quien Sabe Ranch?

answer: a ranch in Fremont County, Wyoming

question: When was Quien Sabe Ranch built?

answer: the 1880s

question: When was Quien Sabe Ranch placed on the National Registry of Historic Places?

answer: April 18, 1991

question: Who was Butch Cassidy?

answer: the article does not answer the question

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Quien Sabe Ranch is a ranch in Fremont County, Wyoming. It was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in April 18, 1991.


text:
LAURA DEAN (born December 3, 1945) is an American dancer, choreographer and composer.[1][2] She is known for her collaborations with Steve Reich,[3] a number of commissioned works for the Joffrey Ballet,[4] and works for her own dance companies. Dean's earliest works were marked by a minimalist approach and an affinity for spinning; her later work saw more use of traditional dance methods.[5][6]

Awards

Dean is the recipient of awards including the 2008 Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement in Dance. She has also received a “Bessie” New York Dance and Performance Award for her work with composer Steve Reich (1986). Dean has been awarded two John Simon Guggenheim Fellowships for choreography (1976 and 1981), the Montgomery Fellowship from Dartmouth College(1986), the Dance Magazine Award (1982), the Smithsonian Institution Certificate of Appreciation (1975), Harvard University's Certificate of Appreciation (1991), New York City Commission of the Status of Women Special Recognition Award (1984), the ABSOLUT Award for Artistic Achievement (1993), the Staten Island Arts Council Award for Outstanding Achievement (1988), the Lester Horton Award for Music for Dance (1994), the Brandeis Creative Arts Award for Extraordinary Artistic Achievement in Dance (1986) and an Honorary Doctorate from The College of Staten Island/The City University of New York (2001).[7]

Laura Dean was awarded The Millennium Grant from The National Endowment for the Arts for her work with The American Indian Dance Theatre. Ms. Dean has received The National Repertory Dance Grant from The National Endowment on the Arts and The Meet the Composer Grant for her work with The Aman Folk Ensemble. Her company has received funding from The New York State Council on the Arts, The North Carolina State Arts Council, 27 grants from The National Endowment for the Arts, ATT Foundation, The Jerome Foundation, The New York Foundation, The Jerome Robbins Foundation, The Sherman Foundation, The Lila Wallace Reader's Digest Fund, The Rockefeller Foundation, The Philip Morris Foundation and The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation.

Career

Laura Dean has composed thirty music scores and choreographed one hundred and nine dance works. This includes the choreography for her own dance and music company as well as for ballet companies, ice skating companies, other modern dance companies, student dance companies, The American Indian Dance Theatre and The Aman Folk Ensemble. She has choreographed nine works to the music of Steve Reich with the music played live by Steve Reich and Musicians to five of the works. Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians commissioned Steve Reich for the music _SEXTET_ for Laura Dean's dance _IMPACT_. Steve Reich and Laura Dean were awarded a Bessie/New York Dance and Performance Award for IMPACT/SEXTET in 1986.[8]

Laura Dean's company has performed in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, Europe and Eastern Europe. Works for her company have been commissioned by Het Muziektheater, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, The American Dance Festival, Walker Art Center, The Holland Festival, The Avignon Festival, Dartmouth College, The Styrian Autumn Festival, Graz, Austria.

Dean has created ballets including two works for The Royal Danish Ballet with the first work DELTA with a commissioned orchestral score from the composer Gary Brooker of Procol Harum, The New York City Ballet SPACE with an orchestral score The Four Sections by Steve Reich, eight ballets for The Joffrey Ballet including CREATIVE FORCE with a commissioned score Ray One by John Zeretzke. CREATIVE FORCE was seen in the Robert Altman film The Company. CREATIVE FORCE, as part of the film, was nominated for an American Choreography Award.[9]

Dean stopped choreographing and writing music in 2001. As of 2009, Laura Dean, the choreographer/composer, is no longer arranging and allowing restaging/reconstruction projects of her dance and music works. Dean does not allow the teaching of her choreography or music in classes, lectures, panels or in any way whatsoever.

The archive of Laura Dean's Papers is located at the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Duke University and includes photographic prints, negatives, slides, clippings, programs, VHS videotapes, and an audio cassette.[10]

[1] “Laura Dean” in _The Oxford Dictionary of Dance_ (Oxford University Press, 2010), , p. 125. Excerpts available at Google Books.

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

title: Laura Dean (choreographer)

question: What does the article say about awards Dean has won?

answer: Dean is the recipient of awards including the 2008 Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award, a "Bessie" New York Dance and Performance Award, two John Simon Guggenheim Fellowships for choreography, the Montgomery Fellowship from Dartmouth College, the Dance Magazine Award, The Smithsonian Institution Certificate of Appreciation, Harvard University's Certificate of Appreciation, New York City Commission of the Status of Women Special Recognition Award, the ABSOLUT Award for Artistic Achievement, the Staten Island Arts Council Award for Outstanding Achievement, the Lester Horton Award for Music for Dance, the Brandeis Creative Arts Award for Extraordinary Artistic Achievement in Dance and an Honorary Doctorate from The City University of New York. Furthermore, Dean was awarded the Millennium Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for her work with American Indian Dance Theatre, the National Repertory Dance Grant from the National Endowment on the Arts and the Meet the composer Grant for her work with the Aman Folk Ensemble. He work has won 27 grants.


text:
Quantity Discount Pricing
1-2
3-9
10-24
25-49
50+
 $270.08
 $257.24
 $244.60
 $238.48
 $234.82

A patch panel is a block which contains numerous RJ45 ports. Patch panels are used for connecting incoming and outgoing lines of a local area network (LAN) or a telecommunication system. In a LAN the patch panel connects the networks computers to each other and any switches or hubs with patch cables. Patch panels also give the benefit of organization for a clean install.

FEATURES:

-   48 Ports
-   Cat6 rated
-   Feed through (RJ45 ports on each side)
-   No punchdown required
-   RoHS compliant
-   Attached labels

Q: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING A PATCH PANEL?

A: Patch panels will allow testing routing and maintenance of network cables connected to your network. With a patch panel this is quickly done just by making changes to cables on the patch panel itself. Patch panels also allow for easier cable management and identification of cable routing.

Q: I WANT TO CREATE A SMALL NETWORK IN MY HOME WHAT PATCH PANEL SHOULD I USE?

A: A Cat5e vertical patch panel is a typical patch panel for home installation. It's small footprint and wall-mount capabilities make it a great choice.

Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FEED-THRU PATCH PANEL AND A PUNCHDOWN?

A: Feed-thru means that the patch panel has RJ45 ports on the front and the back side. There is no punching down. Simply plug the patch cable in on either side.

A punchdown patch panel requires each conductor to be punched down onto 110 terminations using a punchdown tool.

Q: HOW DO I WIRE A PATCH PANEL?

A: Please see the resources tab for wiring schemes.

[]

question: Who is the target audience for this article?

answer: The target audience is likely clients who are looking to purchase a patch panel.

question: What is a patch panel?

answer: It's a block that contains numerous RJ45 ports, that are used for connecting incoming and outgoing line of LAN or telecommunication system.

question: What are the benefits of using a patch panel?

answer: They allow testing routing and maintenance of network cables connected to a network. They allow for easier cable management and identification of cable routing.

question: Does the company offer discount pricing for purchasing in quantity?

answer: yes

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: An advertisement for a patch panel. A patch panel is a block that contains numerous RJ45 ports, that are used for connecting incoming and outgoing line of LAN or telecommunication system.


text:
A sharp pain rose through my spine. Everything turned black.  I heard a beep. It sounded like an announcement beep at an airport. Then the darkness became brighter. It was like a door was slowly opening. The contrast made it too hard to see, at first. I could make out a figure hovering over my head. Lights hung on the ceiling. I tried to move my ligaments but I was paralyzed. My mouth would not move. My eyes adjusted and slowly I could see color. Not just the colors of our world either. There was an array of colors too difficult to describe. It was beautiful.

I could hear the people talking but lips did not move. They were speaking English. This was not what fascinated me, though. It was the sounds of their voices. They ranged from tones deeper than the brown noise to the screeching pitch of a dog whistle. And I could hear it all. Where was I? What happened?
I heard voices soon answering these questions. I was back in reality. I had just “died”, they said. Terrified, I wanted to scream and ask this man above me what is going on. No sound arose from my lips. I heard a voice again telling me to calm down. I am talking to you, it said. The man pointed to himself. Don’t you remember, he said, this is how we communicate in the real world.  I did not remember at all. I did not know this place.

The man, reading my mind again, turned to a woman that had come over to where I was laying. I heard the muffled sounds of their thoughts. It was as though I knew they were communicating, but so that I could not understand a word of what they were saying. Her facial expression said enough, though. There was obviously something not right.

The man then turned to me and asked if I could move. I shook my head. He laughed and I realized how foolish that was. He held my hand and told me to squeeze. The force I exerted was non-existent. He reached over and took up a syringe. He injected me with some sort of liquid and told me to squeeze again. I obviously did not know my strength and could see his face cringe with pain from the pressure. I quickly released and could move my whole body again. I sat up and looked around.

I was in a large room. It was filled with these sort of tanning beds. Most of them were closed, but I could see one or two people getting ready to lie down. Before I could ask where I was, I was jerked to my feet by the man and the woman. They quickly escorted me out of the room into a hallway. This hallway ended with a door which had the word exit written above it. I was then put into the 3rd door on the right. Was I going insane? What drugs did I take? So many questions were unanswered. I could remember my whole past life until the moment right before I awoke. What had happened in that time?

The two put strapped me down into a chair. They attached wires to me and left. I was alone. Suddenly the wires began pulsing some sort of energy through them. What are they doing? The pair came back into the room with very worried looks on their faces. Without communicating with me, they took me again and lead me into another hallway. It was the 2nd left and then the 5th door on the right. I could see some sort of bed and a desk in the room. Even though this world was filled with beautiful colors, this room was painted all white. The two left the room and locked the door.

It seemed like a lifetime that I sat there without a clue what was happening. I must have told myself to wake up at least a hundred times. Oddly enough, hunger was never a problem. Thirst didn’t arouse either. The door finally unlocked and the man came in. He looked afraid of me. He stayed at a distance and then began telling his story. “You have just awoken from what you came to know as life. All it really was, was something you may call a class. It is how we, in this world, teach basic human interaction and morals. I know this seems like it is all fake. I know you do not believe me right now. Soon, though, you will also make these facts your own truths. This is when we will show you the beauties of this world. I guess, from the life your parents had chosen for you to learn, you will think of this as heaven or hell right now. I can assure you though, it is neither. This is true existence. Everything you have seen up to this point was only a simulation, a video game, if you will. We cannot let you run around our world believing it isn’t real which is why we must lock you up until you accept this fact. You will not be able to lie to us since we can read your mind. Just accept this ad we can all move on.”

I believed no word of it. How could I? I was just told that I had “died”. This could in no way be the afterlife. I didn’t even believe in the afterlife. No, this must just be a bad dream. This has to be something in my mind that I have just…made up. The man obviously could hear what I was thinking. He just left the room shaking his head. The door was locked and I was alone. Or so I thought.
After a while, the walls began talking. They were telling me that I had to accept that this is real. The world I had loved so much was all fake. I had been lied to for 87 years. Given, I did not look 87 anymore. I looked more like I was 25 but this could easily be done by my mind. The walls kept talking though. They rebutted everything I thought as though they could hear it. Was this all some government experiment of some new drug? What have I gotten into?

I need to get out. I need to escape. I have to go back to my family. I want to see my granddaughter Lindsey again. She is so beautiful. I wonder if she is thinking of me. Are they currently at my funeral? No, the walls said, they don’t exist. They never did. They were just there to teach you love, compassion, and trust. I grew furious with these walls. I wanted them dead. But they are dead. Aren’t they?
I rammed into them with all my might. They looked hard but were made of some type of rubber. I bounced right off. I could hear the walls laughing at me. They began taunting me.  The door, I thought. I could break it down with the desk. As soon as I thought this, the desk disappeared into the ground. This room heard everything I thought. I needed a way out, quick. I was feeling like I was going mad. Am I mad? “Yes,” the walls replied. They began to chant it together. “Yes, yes, yes.”

An idea came to mind. I knew the room could hear it, but it was there anyways. I would wait until that man came into the room again and then run out of here as fast as I could. I had remembered the way from the moment I was put into that hallway. This could work, I thought. “It will never work. You are a crazy lunatic and will never escape this place,” the walls cheered. I sat down on the ground and waited.

I waited and waited. The walls kept saying words to bring me into madness. I did not listen. I did not think either. I was completely focused on the door handle. Days seemed to pass but I had not moved a muscle. Finally, slight movement of the handle. My hands began trembling. I was filled with more excitement than when my first child appeared in the world. The REAL world. The door was now ajar. I could see a grin on the man's face as his body crept through the door.

The door was halfway open when I decided it was now or never. I jumped up and made a break for it. The man was shocked by the sudden movement. I knocked him to the ground and ran into the hallway. I ran to the right. I passed the 1st door. Then the 2nd. I could see the hallway that would lead to the exit. The doors behind me were opening as people came running after me. I rounded the corner and could see the exit sign. I was almost there. I grabbed the door handle and flung the door open. Without hesitation, I jumped into freedom. Freedom, as it seemed, was a gigantic drop into nothingness. Darkness surrounded me. Rushing air did as well. I felt like I was skydiving into the unknown…

A sharp pain rose through my spine. Everything turned black. There was a beep. It sounded like there was an announcement at an airport. Then the darkness became brighter. It was like a door was slowly opening. The contrast made it too hard to see, at first. I could make out a figure hovering over my head. Not again, I thought. The man looked at me with a smile and I heard, “Yes, Again.”

title: Im-Patients

question: Is the narrator in reality?

answer: The ending implies that he might be in some sort of simulation.

question: Explain the reasoning of the people keeping the narrator hostage.

answer: They tell the narrator that his previous life was a lie. It was only for teaching him morals, and this life is the real one. It's not explained why they want the narrator to believe this.

question: How does the narrator manage to escape?

answer: He waits days for someone to open the door so he can dash through. He manages to do so because the man that comes to check on him gets surprised by his sudden rush.

question: What does the ending imply?

answer: That the world the narrator found himself in doesn't follow the rules of reality.

question: Write a ~11 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator wakes up unable to move. Some people inject something into him, and they seem to be able to read his mind. They tell him that he died, but his previous life wasn't real. It was for teaching him morals so that he can be ready for this world, the real one. The narrator can't believe this. Days pass with him wanting to escape, his thoughts seemingly read by the walls, which taunt him endlessly. When someone comes in to check on him, he runs away in a sudden sprint, surprising the man. He manages to reach the exit door and finds himself in the darkness of nothing when he goes through. When he comes to himself, "not again", he thinks. "Yes, again." says a voice.


text:
Proctor was lying down somewhere. He didn't know how he got there. The last memory he could think of was that he was driving down his road. He couldn't remember much else. His memories were hazy; He couldn't think straight. Just as these thoughts were going through his head, someone began to shake his arm.
“Hello? Are you okay? Are you awake?” He heard the voice say.
Proctor sat up, and opened his eyes. He realized now that he was in a large grassy field. The sun was just overhead, a large tree stood just in front of him, and the stranger was standing in front of the tree.
“My name is Royce, can you remember your name?”
“Yes, It’s…”
Proctor stopped himself. Although Royce seemed friendly enough, but there was something odd about the question he had asked. “How did you know I was having trouble with my memory?” He said.
Royce began to look confused,  “I don’t know. I guess you did wake up unconscious in the middle of a field.”
	“That makes sense.” he thought out loud, “my name’s Proctor since you asked.”
“Proctor, of course” Royce didn't sound very surprised.
	“Okay,” he said confused and slightly agitated, “Well since you know so much, can you tell me where we are?”
	Royce looked around the field, up at the tree and then back at Proctor. “Well, by appearance I’d say we’re in a field in front of a castle. But I can’t really say anything beyond that. I woke up just a few seconds before you did. I can’t remember much either.”
	“Where is this castle? I don’t see it?”
	“Well it’s… Just over that hill.”
	Proctor turned around and saw that there was indeed a very large hill. It surprised him that he didn't see it before, but maybe his mind was playing tricks on him. It took him a few minutes to climb up the hill and he was slightly out of breath when he reached the top. But as Royce had said, there was a castle about a mile away. It was made of stone, like most castles would be, it had a large wooden door, plenty of towers, and it looked like it was about four stories high. He ran to the bottom of the hill, going a bit faster since gravity was no longer working against him.
	Royce was standing in the same spot he had left him in. He was still staring at the hill. “I saw the castle right where you said it was. Do you think we should head over there? They might be able to help us with our memory.”
	“Yeah that would be a good idea,” Royce said as he continued to stare at the hill “It would also provide shelter for when it starts to rain.”
	Proctor looked up. The sky was completely covered with clouds and he could hear thunder in the distance.
	Royce seemed less suspicious now that he got to know him. They actually had quite a bit in common. They were about the same age, had similar interests and they both remember driving a car before they ended up in the field. There was however one deviation. Royce seemed to have ESP. Proctor could remember a few instances where Royce had repeated things that he had never said out loud, and then there was that hill. Could he really have climbed all the way to the top to see the castle and then ran back down before waking him up? He had said earlier that he woke up a few seconds before he did and he didn't sound like he was out of breath.
	The rain came just a few minutes before they reached the castle. Up close, Proctor could see that the castle was very rundown. The door had rotted away and he couldn't make out what was inside. He debated with himself whether or not it was a good idea to go in. But after hearing a loud crash of thunder nearby, he decided that electrocution would be a more painful death than stabbing.
	Upon entering the castle it was plain to be seen that it had been abandoned for quite some time. The skeletons of rats lay on the ground as if they had run out of food to scavenge for. The only sound they could hear were the sounds of rain and thunder outside, and the flowing of the many streams that ran through the lower parts of the castle.
The outer rooms of the castle showed signs of abandonment, but rooms further in… were different. A great battle had once taken place in there. Skeletons were all over the ground. They held spears, swords, and shields. Walls were broken down, there were claw marks on the floor and ceiling, and the furniture that wasn't broken in these rooms, was burned.  The destruction was everywhere, but it wasn't so bad that it ruined the structural integrity of the castle. Most of the major support beams were still in place and they were handling the extra weight pretty well.
“I think a dragon is bit more dangerous than getting struck by lightning!” Royce said panicking.
“A lot more,” said Proctor, “do you think we could get out before it notices us?”
As if to answer his question a giant mechanical dragon crashed through the ceiling right above their only exit. Steam came out of the many pipes on its back and its eyes glowed red from the flames that were now shooting from its mouth. Proctor remained frozen in place, both from shock at the dragon’s sudden appearance and shock from its appearance. Royce spoke up knocking him out of his stupor, “its name is Koshmar,” he said. “it is programmed to kill all who trespass.”
The dragon shook the rubble from its body and lunged forward. Proctor dove to the left, just barely avoiding the swipe of one of its claws. The beast ran straight for the wall and Crawled up it. It twisted around and shot a couple of fireballs. Proctor grabbed a shield from one of the skeletons, but saw that he didn't need it. Koshmar was directing all of its attacks at Royce. Proctor dropped his shield and replaced it with a spear. He ran toward the dragon in an attempt to stab one of its eyes. He didn't make it very far though and was sent flying by a lazy swipe of its tail. He landed near the window and could see Koshmar was shooting fireballs once again. Thunder crashed outside, and lightning struck in the distance…
Wait a second? There was something very illogical about what was going on here. Just an hour earlier he had noticed that the sun was directly overhead and not a cloud was in the sky, but now he was in the middle of a huge thunder storm! And when he woke up there wasn't a hill in sight, but he had crossed over one to see the castle! Now that he was thinking of the castle, didn't it have a wooden door when he first saw it? And what about the thunder! Doesn't thunder usually come after lightning? Where was he? Was he in some alternate dimension that was ruled by mechanical Russian dragons? Then the answer hit him. The dragon, its name was Koshmar. Koshmar is the Russian word for nightmare. He was dreaming! All he had to do was wake himself up, and this nightmare would end.
Proctor thought he was in a dream, and in a way, he was right. Moments later Royce woke up in a hospital bed, and Proctor… ceased to exist.

title: The caretaker

question: Where does Proctor wake up?

answer: In a large grassy field.

question: Who wakes Proctor up?

answer: Royce.

question: Why do they go to the castle?

answer: To escape the thunderstorm?

question: Who do they fight in the castle?

answer: A mechanical dragon called Koshmar.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The text is a short story about Proctor and Royce, who wake up in a field and end up fighting a mechanical dragon in an abandoned castle. Royce seems able to read Proctor's mind, and suddenly, Proctor realizes that he's dreaming. Royce wakes up in a hospital, and Proctor disappears.


text:
I tried. It's my first one, so cut me some slack. Constructive criticism would be wonderful.

   Soft, white flakes float gently from the sky, blanketing the only world Lori knew. She sits, swaying slowly on the only swing in the park. Millions of thoughts running through her head, but the most important is her walk back home. The temperature was steadily dropping, as it usually does on November evenings, and Lori had only her favorite wind breaker on to protect her.
     She never gets to see him, but he always manages to pick out the perfect gift. It crossed her mind a few times that this year, he'd finally forget about her, about her sixteenth birthday. Everyday for two weeks she would wait in a lawn chair on her porch, stopping the UPS truck whenever it would pass by, asking anxiously about her package. Another day would pass, and a sliver of hope would seep from her, until finally, she stopped waiting. Her birthday wasn't glamorous in the least bit; having only a bowl of cereal for breakfast while flipping through the few channels they got on the only tv in the house.
"Hmph, another birthday, huh? Well don't be expectin' nothin' from Jim and me. We gots bills to pay to keep a roof over our heads you ungrateful twat.(brat) And I been seein' you waitin' by the door these past weeks, figure ya old man finally forgot about you, huh? Too busy tendin' to that new family of his. He don't want you and he ne'er did, betta' you accept that now." Susan, Lori's mother, always had a way with words.
"You don't know! Maybe it could just be late, ever think of that you simple minded Pillop?!" (Pill popper)
"Girl you better shut up, talking to yer mother like that 'fore I tear you a new one. Gone and get out my face 'fore I get angry..and you know you don't like me when I'm angry!"
Lori never liked her moms boyfriend Jim since day one. There was always something off about him to her.

title: My first one, not completed yet.

question: Who is Lori?

answer: Lori is a child of what appears to be a broken family. Her father has a new family to take care of, and her mother is a pill popper who has a relationships with a man of questionable moral values.

question: Why does Lori stop the UPS trucks?

answer: So she could ask them if they have a package for her. Lori is hoping her father has not forgotten her birthday and will send her a gift.

question: Why is Lori hoping for a gift from her father?

answer: Lori does not seem particularly interested in material gains so this does not seem to be motivated by a specific item she hopes to have. It appears that receiving a gift from her father would have an emotional benefit for Lori, it would mean her father still loves her, which would be the opposite of the treatment she receives from her mother.

question: Why does Lori's mother treat her badly?

answer: The history behind Lori and her mother is undisclosed, but it seems possible that Lori is considered to be an unwanted child by both of her parents -the supporting factor would be how they treat her.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Lori spends her birthday doing nothing special, her father has not sent her a gift, and her mother does not think much of her. When Lori talks back to her mother, Jim, her mother's boyfriend, chastises her. Lori does not like Jim and thinks something is off about him.


text:
Products marketed to children are more divided by gender stereotypes than ever, but the Internet is increasingly offering alternatives to Hot Wheels and Barbies.

 Katharine Schwab
May 5, 2016

[]
A man pushes a child in shopping cart in the toy department at Target.Jeff Chiu / AP
Walking into a toy store, it doesn’t take long to see the differences between girls’ and boys’ toys. Pinks and purples and frills and bows dominate some aisles; others are filled with blues and grays and greens, or trucks and tiny soldiers. It’s a color-coded minefield that can affect children’s development in pernicious ways, suggesting what they should like to do and who they should aspire to be before they’ve had the opportunity to figure that out on their own.

Today, toys are more divided by gender stereotypes than they were 50 years ago, thanks to broader marketing shifts in the industry and worldwide. But over the last five years there’s been increasing interest in shifting the paradigm, sparking debate that both toy companies and the White House are paying attention to. Meanwhile, the Internet has given gender-neutral and non-stereotypical toys a chance to find buyers outside of big-box retailers, providing new options for parents who want their children to be able to play with toys based on their interests rather than their gender.

According to the sociologist Elizabeth Sweet, toy companies began intensifying their use of color-coded marketing and segregation of toys in the 1980s. “I think it happened really gradually,” Sweet said. “It wasn’t until the late 2000s, the 2010s, that people really started to notice. Now it’s undeniable.” This is concerning, she said, because “it encourages a culture where gender stereotypes define a way of life for children.”

Gender-based compartmentalization in stores and online is meant to help customers find what they’re looking for, but according to the campaigner and parent Jess Day of the nonprofit Let Toys Be Toys, “it’s driven by a massive assumption about what a child might want.” Rather than encouraging experimentation and urging children to play with whatever excites them, toy companies presume that girls are less interested in toys that build spatial-reasoning skills (like Legos) and boys don’t want to play with toys that encourage verbal skills and creativity (like Barbies). This can have a serious impact on kids’ future skill sets and career aspirations, ultimately affecting the makeup of the workforce. The negative aspects of stereotyping are well documented; one study of more than 100 toys showed that heavily gender-coded toys were less likely to promote cognitive development than gender-neutral toys.

Let Toys Be Toys’s biggest target is segregation by aisle, because it reflects the infrastructure of toy companies, where separate divisions develop products for gendered shelves. “The categories that you create dictate what goes into them,” Day said. The division ends up reinforcing gender stereotypes and making it more difficult for gender-neutral or gender-inclusive toys to find space in stores.

Still, the Internet has allowed independent toymakers with unorthodox ideas to reach consumers directly through personal websites and crowd-funding platforms. IAmElemental, a set of female action figures with names like Bravery, Energy, and Persistence, launched on Kickstarter in 2014. Now they’re stocked in dozens of independent toy stores across the country. Wonder Crew, which makes dolls for boys meant to encourage empathy and kindness, also started with a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign about a year ago. Today the company delivers to all 50 states and will begin shipping its dolls—neutrally called “Crewmates”—overseas in the fall. Before crowdfunding was the norm, Ayah Bdeir, the founder of a company called littleBits that markets its science toys to all children, started with a prototype on her website before raising venture capital.

Still, problems can arise even when toy startups are successful enough to garner attention from large retailers like Target or Toys ‘R’ Us. Despite Wonder Crew’s independent success, the company’s founder Laurel Wider has faced some difficulties getting her product into big-box stores. One store, she said, expressed interest in Wonder Crew, but the dolls-for-boys didn’t have a natural place within the company’s rigid framework. “Do they send me to the doll buyer, who is in the pink section?” she said. “Or do they send me to the action figures? But that doesn’t really fit [either].”

The gendered classification of toys is reflected at the industry level as well. February’s Toy Industry Association awards still had prizes for “Boy Toy of the Year” and “Girl Toy of the Year,” and the nominees neatly conformed to the categories: “Boy Toy” finalists included a Hot Wheels garage and three Star Wars toys, while a Girl Scout cookie oven and a sing-a-long Elsa doll from the movie _Frozen_ made the “Girl Toy” short list. Dan Nessel, who founded the toy and gadget site DadDoes, decided to push back this year, launching a Change.org petition to end the separate awards. “I am a dad to two wonderful children, and I see how their view of the world is shaped everyday, based on what they do and what they play with,” Nessel told _The Washington Post_. “I do believe these awards are harmful. Every stereotype does harm by definition. If we don’t have awards for Best Computer for Men and Best Computer for Women, why in the world do we have these awards for toys?”

While the Toy Industry Association didn’t directly address Nessel’s concerns, his message gained traction online, and in general social media and grassroots campaigning on the Internet has proven effective. Some companies are beginning to see the benefits of reorganization. In the U.K., 14 toy stores have dropped gender labels, and 2014 research showed that only half of British toy websites were using gender as a category online, a drop of 46 percent in two years. In October 2015, Toys ‘R’ Us’s global chief merchandising officer, Richard Barry, told _The New York Times_, “What we’re seeing is that there are different play patterns that appeal to different kids, and gender lines are not necessarily what drives that.”

The U.S. (left) vs. U.K. (right) navigation on the Toys ‘R’ Us sites
However, while Toys ‘R’ Us’s U.K. website dropped gender labels in late 2015, the company’s U.S. website still presents gender as the most important category for their toys even though their physical outlets are no longer organized by gender. According to a spokeswoman for the company, this approach simply offers search criteria that some customers might want. But the problem is of the chicken-and-egg variety—do customers search by gender because that’s how toys have been traditionally organized, or are the search options there because customers only want gendered toys?

The issue of gender-segregated toys has become a hot-button topic in the culture wars. In August of 2015, Target eliminated its pink and blue aisles, following the precedent that is quickly becoming an international norm, and faced a huge backlash. The anger against companies who are removing gendered signage in stores comes from a belief that stereotypes simply reflect “natural” differences between the sexes. “The idea of gender difference, just that men and women, boys and girls, are categorically different, holds a very deep place in our culture,” Sweet said. “People really want to believe that the differences we see are biologically based even if it doesn’t hold up scientifically.”

While the debate continues in the U.S., Toca Boca, a company in Sweden that makes apps for children, has found that a gender-neutral philosophy can be profitable as well as well-intentioned. “What we try to do with our digital toys is really inspire kids to be creative, be exploratory, to widen their imagination,” said Mathilda Engman, Toca Boca’s head of consumer products. “I don’t see that being linked to gender in any way.”

For Björn Jeffery, Toca Boca’s co-founder and CEO, the company’s emphasis on gender neutrality means that they can sell their products to more people. But Toca Boca has also been financially successful because its business is entirely online. The app store—a large marketplace that doesn’t insist on gender categories and has unlimited shelf space—was exactly the ecosystem Toca Boca needed to launch in 2011. Five years later, the company’s 31 apps have been downloaded more than 100 million times.

According to Jeffery, the awareness surrounding toys and stereotypes has exploded over the last five years. “When we launched, it was an unusual thing. I don’t think that it’s very unusual now.”

Toca Boca’s designers pay close attention to body language, poses, and colors in order to avoid more subtle stereotypes. “It’s all those small nuances that really [make a difference],” Engman said. “It’s so easy to end up [creating] a shy girl and a cool boy.” She and her team use a checklist of questions to create characters and situations that are fun and inclusive for all children; they often include animals so that children who don’t want to pick one gender have a character to identify with.

A still from Toca Hair Salon (Toca Boca)
In the company’s most recent app, Toca Dance, all the characters have the same moves and clothing options, regardless of gender. Its bestselling app, Toca Hair Salon, is another example of how thoughtful consideration of gender stereotypes can lead to a more successful game. Hair-styling apps are traditional marketed to girls, but Toca Hair Salon has male, female, and animal characters who can wear their hair however the child desires—long, short, or otherwise—and has proven to be equally popular with both sexes.

What’s more, the apps themselves come in a gender-neutral package. “The tablet itself looks the same whatever the child is doing, which is actually incredibly liberating,” Day said. “No one can point and laugh at you when they can’t see what you’re doing.”

Still, many consumers seem happy to shop along gender lines, and gender-inclusive toys tend to be on the higher end of the market and target progressive parents with time and money to spend. But with the Internet encouraging greater awareness and enabling the production of countless new toys, a revolution within the industry could be on the horizon. As Day said: “Parents and educators and people in the toy industry are realizing that we need to do better by our kids.”

We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.

Katharine Schwab is a former editorial fellow at _The Atlantic._

question: What is the main topic of the post?

answer: The post states that toys are more divided by gender stereotypes than ever. The Internet has given gender-neutral and non-stereotypical toys a chance.

question: Why are toys more divided by gender stereotypes than previously?

answer: Toys are more divided by gender stereotypes today because of broader marketing shifts in the industry. Beginning in the 1980s color-coded marketing began to intensify.

question: Why are color-coded and segregation of toys concerning according to sociologist Elizabeth Sweet?

answer: She says it's concerning because “it encourages a culture where gender stereotypes define a way of life for children.”

question: Why has the issue of gender-segregated toys become a hot-button topic in the culture wars?

answer: The anger against companies who are removing gendered signage in stores comes from a belief that stereotypes simply reflect “natural” differences between the sexes. “The idea of gender difference, just that men and women, boys and girls, are categorically different, holds a very deep place in our culture,” Sweet said.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: The post states that toys are more divided by gender stereotypes than ever. The Internet has given gender-neutral and non-stereotypical toys a chance. Toys are more divided by gender stereotypes today because of broader marketing shifts in the industry. Beginning in the 1980s color-coded marketing began to intensify.


text:
NATHALIE DJURBERG (born 1978 in Lysekil) is a Swedish video artist who lives and works in Berlin.

Life and work

Djurberg is best known for producing claymation short films that are faux-naïve, but graphically violent and erotic.[1] Their main characters, as described by The New York Times, “are girls or young women engaged in various kinds of vileness: from mild deception, friendly torture and oddly benign bestiality to murder and mayhem.”[2] The films are accompanied by music by Hans Berg. She began making her own unique style of Claymation in 2001 and in 2004 she worked closely together with Berg to make narratives rich with symbolism that also often had humorous aspects to it.[3]

Natalie Djurberg's artistic animations introduce the viewer into a world of miniaturized, disfigured, mutilated and often grotesque animals. The human beings are transformed into caricatured figures. Some of Djurberg's notable works are: _New Movements in Fashion_ (2006), _The natural Selection_ (2006), _Turn into Me_ (2008), _I Found Myself Alone_ (2008) and _Hungry, Hungry Hippoes_ (2007).[4]

Djurberg's works have been shown at Performa 2007, at Tate Britain (2007), at the P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center in New York (2006) and at the Berlin Biennial of Contemporary Art (2006). They were also featured at solo shows at the Kunsthalle Wien (2007) and at Färgfabriken in Stockholm (2006). In 2008, she exhibited both installations and films at the Fondazione Prada in Milan.[5] Djurberg was awarded the Silver Lion for a Promising New Artist at the Venice Biennale in 2009.[6] In 2011, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis organized and exhibited _The Parade: Nathalie Djurberg with Music by Hans Berg_, which traveled to the New Museum in New York (2012) and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco (2012–2013).[7][8]

In 2012 at the new museum Djurberg’s installation included life-size sculptures of over eighty birds: pelicans, flamingos, turkeys, eagles, a dodo, and a snowy owl. These large pieces were made of wire, foam, silicone, painted fabric, and clay. The birds were depicted raising their wings, twisted their necks, and groomed each other. Many of them opened their mouths ferociously.[9] In 2020, her “Crocodile, egg, man”, created together with Berg, sold for 16,3 million SEK, a record sum for a contemporary Swedish work of art.[10]

Nathalie Djurberg is represented by Giò Marconi and Lisson Gallery.

Education

From 1994 to 1995, Djurberg received a Basic Art Education from the Folkuniversitetet in Göteborg. She attended the Hovedskous Art School in Göteborg from 1995 to 1997. During Djurberg’s schooling in Hovedskous she primarily focused on painting. Her painting skills are proven with the way her plasticine figures are modeled – her prowess gives her figures gestural expressionism.[11] Djurberg received her Master's degree from Malmö Art Academy in 2002.

Selected exhibitions

-   2005 Giò Marconi, Milano
-   2006 Zach Feuer Gallery in New York City[12]
-   2006 Färgfabriken|Färgfabriken - Center for Contemporary Art and Architecture, Stockholm
-   2006 Maxxi Museum, Rome
-   2007 Kunsthalle Wien
-   2007 Kunsthalle Winterthur
-   2008 Fondazione Prada, Milano
-   2011 Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
-   2012 CCC Strozzina, Firenze

Clay animation and digital videos

-   _Camels Drink Water_ (2007; 3:47 min.), Edition of 4, music by Hans Berg
-   _We are not two, we are one_ (2008; 5:33 min.), Edition of 4, music by Hans Berg
-   _Turn into me_ (2008; 7:10 min.), Edition of 4, music by Hans Berg

Awards

-   2009 Silver Lion of Biennale di Venezia for _Experimentet_[13]
-   2007 Carnegie Art Award 2007, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki[14]

[1]

[2]

[3]  Artists {{!}} Lisson Gallery|website=www.lissongallery.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-27}}

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12] http://www.zachfeuer.com/nathaliedjurberg.html

[13]

[14]

title: Nathalie Djurberg

question: Summarize the themes of Djurberg's work.

answer: Djurberg uses graphic violence and eroticism in faux-naïve contexts with young female characters committing acts considered vile. Prominent imagery includes mutilated, disfigured, or otherwise grotesque animals, alongside humans shown as caricatures. She has made a point to fill her narratives with symbolism.

question: What does the passage say about Djurberg's collaborators?

answer: Djurberg has primarily collaborated with Hans Berg, who creates the music for Djurberg's artistic claymation videos. This collaboration resulted in a record-breaking sale of contemporary Swedish art in 2020. She is represented by Giò Marconi and Lisson Gallery.

question: What does the passage say about Swedish art history?

question: What does the passage say about Djurberg's influences?