text:
ST JAMES, James — Several sections of the crime-infested parish of St James are now saturated with members of the Jamaica Defence Force, as they search properties and people in what is said to be a limited state of emergency in the parish.

Among the affected areas are King Street, Cottage Road, Rose Heights, Cambridge, Norwood and the Trelawny–St James border.

The operation is said to be the Government's response to the marked increase in murders and shootings in St James.

Last year, some 335 murders were recorded in St James and at least four people have been murdered in that western parish since the start of the year.

There have also been several reports of shootings in the parish.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned that Government is now prepared to take “firm and resolute measures” to deal with Jamaica's “crime monster.”

Mark Cummings

NOW YOU CAN READ THE JAMAICA OBSERVER EPAPER ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. THE JAMAICA OBSERVER EPAPER IS AVAILABLE TO YOU AT HOME OR AT WORK, AND IS THE SAME EDITION AS THE PRINTED COPY AVAILABLE AT HTTP://BIT.LY/EPAPER-LOGIN

question: Where do the events in the article take place?

answer: St. James, a parish in Jamaica

question: Approximately when was the article written?

answer: That information can't be found

question: What is the author's purpose in writing?

answer: To inform the reader of actions being taken to control crime

question: Why does the author call St. James "crime-infested?"

answer: There has been a recent increase in murders and shootings there, with 335 people murdered in the previous year

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The Jamaica Defense Force is currently searching St. James in response to a recent increase in murders and shootings in the area.


split: train

text:
The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) has engaged in the most impressive Internet of Things (IoT) project that the logistics industry has seen. And their work is not yet done.

Sascha Westermann, the Head of ITS and Intermodal Traffic Management, spoke at SAPinsider on March 21st about HPA’s progress to date and future plans.

The Port of Hamburg is the second busiest container port in Europe, and is a key trade lane connecting Eastern Europe to Germany and the rest of the world. The HPA is in charge of providing efficient infrastructure in the port area: managing the real estate; making sure quay walls, bridges, wharves and other waterfront structures are maintained, maintaining 140 kilometers of roads and 130 bridges within the port area, and managing the traffic – across ocean, barge, rail, and truck – into and out of the port. Other parts of the infrastructure, like the 4 big container terminals, are managed by industrial companies.

Over 9 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) are transported through the port every year, and this is forecast to double by 2025. But the Hamburg Port is located in an urban area and they cannot increase the size of the port to handle increased traffic. To handle shipments efficiently, the HPA must operate smarter. Better traffic management also helps to minimize pollution. The port and city are impacted by up to 40,000 truck trips daily and no one wants those trucks spending a high amount of time idling.

To help keep traffic flowing smoothly, the HPA worked with big companies like SAP on a series of 20 projects collectively called smartPort Logistics. This work began five years ago. The SAP HANA Cloud Platform was used to enable a real-time connection to the port’s various stakeholders through a mobile business cloud. Those stakeholders include: the HPA itself; shippers; trucking, rail, and ocean carriers; customs authorities; terminals; contract warehouses; parking providers; and other businesses across the port. People, processes, and things data is then consolidated and analyzed using the SAP HANA Cloud Platform. The process data is based on an extended supply chain view that begins with a shipment from another port and can extend to inbound truck drivers hundreds of kilometers outside of Hamburg. Based on the analysis, HPA provides various types of schedules, tasks, and insights to the people who need it via their mobile devices.

Under the banner of smartPort logistics they have predictive and preventive maintenance capabilities. Mr. Westermann gave the example of a movable raise bridge that had a malfunction of a push button that raised and lowered the bridge. A maintenance technician got an emergency alert, was able to use his mobile tablet to search for the part in the SAP maintenance application and requisition it, and was then able to drive to the site and replace the part before any of the port’s customers even knew there was a problem. In some cases, maintenance can be based on sensor information. The Port Authority has sensors on their most intensely used rail switches, for example, and is experimenting with sensors that measure the structural strain and tension of a bridge.

Another smartPort application is known as the Port Monitor and is used for vessel traffic services (VTS). VTS is a marine traffic monitoring system similar to air traffic control for aircraft. VTS makes use of digitals maps combined with AIS data on the positions of vessels, and data on sea levels, berths, whether bridges are closed or open, and where construction is occurring.

Just as there is a control room for managing waterborne traffic, there are control rooms used to manage traffic on the railways, and roads, as well as for managing the movable infrastructure. About 300 traffic sensors and 270 kilometers of fiber optics feed data into these control rooms. Eventually these separate control rooms will be merged into one virtual control room to increase synergies.

The road traffic control room also pulls various streams of data to predict travel time into terminals and suggests alternative routes when traffic is heavy. In addition to traffic sensors, data sources include the schedule for bridges being raised and lowered, the situation at the container terminals, and other sources as well. Truckers can view this data on their telematics devices.

_Telematics Screen Shots_

Trucks are not allowed to enter the container terminals unless they have an appointment for a slot. If they will be late for their appointment, they must see if they can get a new slot or whether they must exit the port and wait until a new slot can be booked. Once entering the yard, very often a truck will be directed to a marshalling area to park bumper to bumper until traffic eases. This prevents idling. Smart parking capabilities direct trucks to lots with available space.

Smart traffic lights make sure a platoon of trucks get an extended green light through an intersection, while the smaller number of trucks on the cross street must wait. If pedestrians are crossing an intersection when the light is red, a safety warning message is sent to the vehicle to let them know of the danger associated with trying to beat the light. HPA is experimenting with functionality that will automatically increase street lighting if pedestrians or cyclists are present; and video streams that help to predict potential traffic accidents, for example, if a vehicle is stopped even though there is no traffic jam.

In concluding the presentation, Mr. Westermann made a variety of points. Slot management is key to increasing efficiencies and reducing pollution, but it even works better with the ability to pull the wide variety of data sources together. These data sources have included information from competing stakeholders, and role-based visibility had to be constructed in a way that preserved privacy and competitive information while providing useful information to all stakeholders. Much work went into creating a simple user interface, but nevertheless there have still been issues associated with getting truck drivers and other stakeholders to efficiently use the information that is available. And finally, the worse the traffic conditions, the higher the value this system provides.

Is this really the logistics industry’s most impressive IoT project?  Probably. It is certainly the most holistic use of data sources fed to a single platform for the purpose of increasing logistics efficiencies that ARC has ever come across.

question: What does the text say about the Port of Hamburg?

answer: The Port of Hamburg is the second busiest container port in Europe, serving as a key trade lane connecting Eastern Europe to Germany and the rest of the world. Over 9 million twenty-foot equivalent units are transported through the port every year, and this is forecast to double by 2025. However, because the Hamburg Port is located in an urban area, it cannot increase in size to handle the increased traffic. As a result, the Hamburg Port Authority must work smarter, and has started an Internet of Things project to handle shipments more efficiently.

question: What does the text say about truck traffic?

answer: Road traffic is monitored in a road traffic control room, and data on bridge schedules and traffic is made available to truckers via telematics devices. Trucks are not allows to enter the container terminals without an appointment, and once inside, they must follow a rigid procedure designed to prevent idling. The port is also equipped with smart traffic lights which allows platoons of trucks to move through extended green lights.

question: What does the text say about the cost of implementing the new logistics system?


text:
_FUN_ (Chinese: 放, Pinyin: _Fàng_) aka “RELEASE” is a song recorded by Chinese singer-songwriter Xu Weizhou. The single was released on 8 December 2016 which was composed by Xu Weizhou himself while the lyrics were written by Zhao Dengkai.

Background and release

_Fun_, a pop rock song with a length of three minutes and thirty-nine seconds was officially released on 8 December 2016.[1] This single was composed by Xu Weizhou himself and was arranged and produced by Shi Xiaopeng, lead guitarist of the band _Cold Air_.[2] The music video was officially released on 15 December which has 2 versions, first was the “Laneige” version including a short interview of Xu Weizhou to promote the product whereas he was the endorser at that time[3][4] and the second one, which was the official version was released at “Yinyuetai”, Sina Weibo and YouTube. Xu flew to South Korea to shoot the music video together with a South Korean team.[5]

Credits and personnel

-   Xu Weizhou – composer, lead vocals
-   Shi Xiaopeng – producer
-   Zhao Dengkai – lyricist
-   Wang Qingtao & Wang Chen – engineering
-   Chen Bohao – mastering
-   Zhu Yin – string compilation
-   Zhang Bo & Zhang Zhangkai – harmony

Live performances

On 23 December 2016, Xu was invited to Shanghai Disneyland Christmas Party and performed the song live for the first time.[6] Later on, he performed the verses of “Fun” and his other song “Light” during the 24th Oriental Billboard Award Ceremony and 2017 Sakura Muse Music Festival. On 1 April 2017, he performed “Fun” during his appearance as a guest to a television music show _Global Chinese Music Chart_ currently airing on CCTV15,[7] 2017 Music Radio China Top Ranking Awards on 21 June,[8] 2017 Asian Music Gala Awards on 19 July, 2017 MTV Global Chinese Music Awards on 20 July and 2017 iQiyi Screaming Night Concert on 19 August.[9]

Chart performance

Weekly

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Chart (2016-17)                   | Peak                              |
|                                   | position                          |
+===================================+===================================+
| QQ Music Chart                    | 1[10]                             |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Fresh Asia Music Chart            | 1[11]                             |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Pop Songs Chart                   | 1[12]                             |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Billboard Radio China Chart       | 2[13]                             |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| China V Chart                     | 1[14][15]                         |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

Year-end

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Chart (2016-17)                   | Peak                              |
|                                   | position                          |
+===================================+===================================+
| China V Chart                     | 6[16]                             |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Fresh Asia Music Chart            | 9[17]                             |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

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[9]

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[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

title: Fun (Xu Weizhou song)

question: What is the name of the song FUN in Chinese?

answer: 放 or "Fang".

question: How long is the song Fun

answer: Three minutes and thirty nine seconds.

question: When was the song Fun released?

answer: 8 December 2016.

question: Who recorded the song Fun?

answer: Xu Weizhou.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This article is about a Chinese pop song called "Fun." It gives details about the song and lists credits.


text:
[Joseph W. Estabrook in 2008] JOSEPH WALTER ESTABROOK (May 19, 1944, Kingston, New York – February 4, 2012, Houston, Texas[1]) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services and also Titular Bishop of Flenucleta.

Biography

Early life and education

Joseph Estabrook attended St. Bonaventure University (in Olean, New York), the Seminary of Christ the King (in East Aurora, New York), where he earned a Master's degree in Divinity, and the Jesuit School Of Theology (Berkeley, California).[2]

Ordination and ministry

Estabrook was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Edwin Broderick on May 30, 1969.[3] He then served as associate pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Albany until 1970, and as director of the Diocesan Family Life Bureau from 1970 to 1977.[4]

Military chaplain

Estabrook entered the chaplaincy of the United States Navy on July 4, 1977, and then served as chaplain at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida until 1978. He served at Naval Station Mayport (1978–1980) and at Marine Corps Base (1980–1982) before studying at the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. He worked in recruitment and endorsing at the Navy Chief of Chaplains Office from 1983 to 1986.

Estabrook was a chaplain aboard the USS _Carl Vinson_ from 1986 to 1988, whence he was transferred to the US Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. From 1988 to 1989, he studied ethics at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. He was a chaplain at the Naval Air Station Sigonella (1989–1991) and a basic course officer at the Navy Chaplain School aboard Naval Education and Training Command in Newport, Rhode Island (1991–1994) before serving as Executive Assistant to the Navy Chief of Chaplains at the Department of Navy from 1994 to 1997. He served as U.S. Pacific Fleet Chaplain aboard Naval Station Pearl Harbor from 1997-2000, and served at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii from 2000 to 2004.

Auxiliary Bishop for the Military Services

[Most Reverend Joseph W. Estabrook, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, offers communion during Roman Catholic mass at Camp H. M. Smith, Feb. 15, 2008] On May 7, 2004, Estabrook was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Armed Forces and Titular Bishop of _Flenucleta_ by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following July 3 from Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, with Bishops Howard Hubbard and William Weigand serving as co-consecrators, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.[5]

He retired from the Navy on June 17, 2004, as Captain. He was awarded two Meritorious Service Medals and Navy Commendation Medals, and three Legion of Merit Medals. He was Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.

Death

Estabrook died in Houston, Texas on February 4, 2012, aged 67.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

title: Joseph W. Estabrook

question: Who is Joseph Walter Estabrook?

answer: Joseph was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services and also Titular Bishop of Flenucleta.

question: Write a short summary of his educational background.

answer: He attended St. Bonaventure University (in Olean, New York)and earned a Master's degree in Divinity at the Seminary of Christ the King (in East Aurora, New York). He also attended the Jesuit School of Theology (in Berkeley, California).

question: Write a timeline of his background in the military.

answer:
- July 4, 1977, to 1978 - Estabrook entered the chaplaincy of the United States Navy and served as chaplain in Florida.
- 1978 to 1980 - He served at Naval Station Mayport.
- 1980 to 1982 - He served at Marine Corps Base.
- 1983 to 1986 - He worked in recruitment and endorsing at the Navy Chief of Chaplains Office.
- 1986 to 1988 - He was a chaplain aboard the USS Carl Vinson.
- 1989 to 1991 - He was a chaplain at the Naval Air Station Sigonella.
- 1991 to 1994 - he was a basic course officer at the Navy Chaplain School aboard Naval Education and Training Command in Newport, Rhode Island.
- 1994 to 1997 - He served as an Executive Assistant to the Navy Chief of Chaplains at the Department of Navy.
- 1997 to 2000 - He served as U.S. Pacific Fleet Chaplain aboard Naval Station Pearl Harbor.
- 2000 to 2004 - He served at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

question: When did he retire?

answer: He retired from the Navy on June 17, 2004, as Captain.

question: List some of his awards.

answer: He was awarded two Meritorious Service Medals and Navy Commendation Medals, and three Legion of Merit Medals.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Joseph was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services and also Titular Bishop of Flenucleta. He was awarded two Meritorious Service Medals and Navy Commendation Medals, and three Legion of Merit Medals and retired from the Navy on June 17, 2004.


text:
STEVE SEARGEANT (born 2 January 1951) is an English retired professional footballer who played in England and the United States as a left back.

Career

Born in Liverpool, Seargeant began his career with the youth teams of Everton. Seargeant turned professional in 1968,[1] and made his debut in the 1971–72 season; he made a total of 80 league appearances for Everton between then and 1978.[2] Seargeant later played in the NASL for the Detroit Express and the California Surf.[3]

Personal life

His son Christian Seargeant is also a professional footballer.[4]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

title: Steve Seargeant

question: When was Steve Seargeant born?

answer: Steve Seargeant was born on January 2nd, 1951.

question: When did Steve Seargeant make his professional debut?

answer: Steve Seargeant made his professional debut in the 1971-72 season.

question: How many league appearances did Steve Seargeant make for Everton?

answer: Steve Seargeant made 80 league appearances for Everton.

question: Who did Steve Seargeant play for in the NASL?

answer: Steve Seargeant played for Detroit Express and the California Surf in the NASL.

question: What does Steve Seargeant's son do?

answer: Steve Seargeant's son is also a professional football player.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Steve Seargeant is a retired professional football player. He made his debut for Everton in the 1971-72 season, and has since played for Detroit Express and the California Surf. His son is also a professional football player.


text:
The is a term used to collectively describe the (usually Japanese) baseball players that belong to current Chunichi Dragons starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka's age group.[1] As per Japanese laws on how children are to be divided into grade levels, this term refers to players born between April 2, 1980, and April 1, 1981.[2]

The term was coined by the Japanese media as the age group that came to be known as one of the deepest and most talented in Japanese professional baseball history.

Background

Precursor

In , then-Waseda Jitsugyo High School pitcher Daisuke Araki rose to national stardom for his sensational performance in the 62nd National High School Baseball Championship despite being in only his first year (Japanese equivalent of tenth grade) of high school. Araki went on to pitch in five consecutive national tournaments (spring and summer), including the National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament. His popularity, particularly among women, became such a cultural phenomenon that studies showed that DAISUKE (in particular, that with the Kanji characterization “大輔”) was the most popular name given to newborn infants in Japan from 1979 to 1986.

Four of the players belonging to the Matsuzaka Generation (namely, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Orix Buffaloes pitcher Daisuke Katoh and former Chunichi Dragons pitchers Daisuke Sakai and Daisuke Ue) were given this name and Kanji.

Origin

Although the year is often associated with Matsuzaka's stellar performance as the ace pitcher for Yokohama Senior High School in the 80th National High School Baseball Championship, it was also the final year of high school for many current NPB players. Some went on to the pros immediately after high school, while others did so after playing in college or the industrial leagues.

The media coined the term “Matsuzaka Generation” to describe those born between 2 April 1980 and 1 April 1981 for a number of reasons; namely, that an exceedingly high number of players who played in the 80th National High School Baseball Tournament succeeded at the professional level; that many who went on to play at some of the highest levels of Japanese college baseball like the Tokyo Big6 and Tohto University leagues became ace pitchers for their teams as freshmen and sophomores; and that many prominent Japanese athletes as well as celebrities were born during this span as well. (It can also be said, in turn, that Matsuzaka was able to enjoy an exceptional career in the pros despite being surrounded by such a concentration of talent.[3]) The name is thus not accredited to any particular team or organization and is said to have occurred naturally.

While other age groups seen to consist of many talented players have since been given similar names—those born between 2 April 1988 and 1 April 1989 are sometimes referred to as the or in reference to Waseda University pitcher Yuki Saito or, alternatively, the in reference to New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka—Matsuzaka's age group was the first to be given the name “世代”, meaning “Generation”. No single age group has produced players who have as yet collectively succeeded at the professional level to the extent to which Matsuzaka's has.

MBS Documentary

On March 3, 2003, major Japanese television network Mainichi Broadcasting System ran a special feature titled “Matsuzaka Generation – Spring, For Each of the 22-Year-Olds” (using the “ジェネレーション”, the literal katakana syllabary for “Generation”, instead of the Japanese word “世代”, or _sedai_) on its popular documentary television series _Jounetsu Tairiku_. It covered the lives of various players who belonged to the group, some who had gone on to the pros (Nagisa Arakaki), some who still hoped to be drafted (Katsumi Higaki) and some who had decided to pursue other careers altogether (Satoshi Kamishige), nearly five years after the now-legendary 80th National High School Baseball Championship.

Criticism

The term “Matsuzaka Generation” is often used to describe players belonging to this age group more so for its sheer _simplicity_ rather than to recognize the accomplishments of Matsuzaka himself. Despite this, players' reactions to this name being used have been mixed: the Yomiuri Giants organization is famous for rejecting the name altogether and announcing, “Please refer to the players that belong to the Matsuzaka Generation on _our_ team as the '80's' (Eighties).” Hanshin Tigers pitcher Tomoyuki Kubota once remarked, “It makes it sound like Matsuzaka is the only one who makes this group relevant. The only thing we have in common is that we're the same age.” Likewise, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks pitcher Nagisa Arakaki has said, “Someday I'll make them call it the 'Arakaki Generation'”. The Yokohama BayStars once referred to the age group as the “Koike Generation” for then-BayStars outfielder Masaaki Koike (now with the Chunichi Dragons) within the team.

“The Last Star”

While all of the players belonging to the group were naturally born within a one-year span, they entered the pros in different years depending on how many years they had spent in college, the industrial and/or the independent leagues (if at all). As the term “Matsuzaka Generation” became more commonplace, the media began to refer to a player who was drafted into the NPB in _later_ years because he had enjoyed an established career at the amateur level prior to going pro as .

There is no record of any member of this group who went pro straight after high school or spent four years in college (and was thus drafted in ) ever being referred to as “The Last Star”. The first player known to have been called by this name is current Hanshin Tigers pitcher Yasutomo Kubo, who spent six years in the industrial leagues before being drafted in despite being a well-known draft prospect since high school who once led his team to the finals of the 80th National High School Baseball Championship (losing to Yokohama Senior High).

Shortstop Eishin Soyogi was also referred to as “The Last Star of the Matsuzaka Generation” when he played well in his rookie season with the Hiroshima Carp in , though the title failed to catch on. (The name has only been used for players with established track records at the amateur level, explaining why players like shortstop Naoto Watanabe were not called “The Last Star” when they were drafted in .)

In , Triple-A Sacramento pitcher Kazuhito Tadano was again referred to as “The Last Star of the Matsuzaka Generation” upon being drafted, though his situation differed in that he was not a true “rookie”, having played for the major league team Cleveland Indians from to . (His situation was complicated due to an appearance in a gay porn film that caused NPB teams to blackball him and force him to play in the United States.)[4]

The last _actual_ player belonging to this age group to go pro is shortstop/third baseman Jobu Morita, who played for Mitsubishi Motors Okazaki of the Japanese industrial leagues, the Elmira Pioneers of the New York Collegiate Baseball League, and the Kagawa Olive Guyners of the independent Shikoku-Kyushu Island League before being drafted by the Golden Eagles in .

Major League Baseball players

The term is typically only used in reference to Japanese players, but the Japanese media has, at times, referred to other (non-Japanese) major leaguers born during the aforementioned span as belonging to the “Matsuzaka Generation”, most notably former Red Sox pitchers Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon.[5] Many other established major leagues belong to this age group, including New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia, Los Angeles Angels pitcher Dan Haren, New York Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson, Houston Astros pitcher Brett Myers, Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino, Chicago White Sox outfielder Alex Ríos, Tampa Bay Rays first/third baseman Hank Blalock, Cleveland Indians first baseman/outfielder Nick Swisher and free agent pitcher Mark Prior.

Players

There are currently 53 active players in Nippon Professional Baseball that belong to the Matsuzaka Generation (excludes foreign players acquired outside of the amateur draft). A total of 94 players belonging to this generation (including all active players) have once been on one of the twelve professional baseball teams' rosters.

Matsuzaka himself and Kazuhito Tadano played for teams in Major League Baseball.

_Below is a partial list of said players. It includes only those for which English Wikipedia pages exist (as of 9 October 2010)._

Nippon Professional Baseball

Central League

-   Hanshin Tigers
    -   Kyuji Fujikawa
    -   Tomoyuki Kubota - retired as of 2014
-   Hiroshima Toyo Carp
    -   Hirotaka Egusa - retired as of 2017
    -   Akihiro Higashide - retired as of 2015, currently Hiroshima batting coach
    -   Katsuhiro Nagakawa - retired as of 2019, currently Hiroshima pitching coach
    -   Eishin Soyogi - retired as of 2017, currently playing at industrial league
-   Yomiuri Giants
    -   Ken Katoh - retired as of 2016, currently Yomiuri battery coach
    -   Shuichi Murata - retired as of 2018, currently Yomiuri batting coach
    -   Toshiya Sugiuchi - retired as of 2018, currently Yomiuri pitching coach
-   Yokohama DeNA BayStars
    -   Taketoshi Gotoh - retired as of 2018, currently Rakuten batting coach
    -   Yasutomo Kubo - retired as of 2017, currently playing at Atlantic League
    -   Shuichiro Osada - retired as of 2016
-   Tokyo Yakult Swallows
    -   Nagisa Arakaki - retired as of 2016
    -   Chikara Onodera - retired as of 2012, currently Yakult pitching coach
    -   Shohei Tateyama - retired as of 2019, currently Rakuten pitching coach
-   Chunichi Dragons
    -   Yudai Kawai - retired as of 2016
    -   Masato Kobayashi - retired as of 2014
    -   Takahito Kudo - retired as of 2018, currently Chunichi outfield and base-running coach

Pacific League

-   Chiba Lotte Marines
    -   Ryotaro Doi - retired as of 2007
    -   Kentaro Hashimoto - retired as of 2012
-   Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
    -   Shinsuke Ogura - retired as of 2012
    -   Tsuyoshi Wada
-   Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
    -   Hiroshi Kisanuki - retired as of 2015, currently Yomiuri pitching coach
    -   Toshimasa Konta - retired as of 2012, currently Nippon-Ham outfield and base-running coach
    -   Kazuhito Tadano - retired as of 2014
    -   Kenji Yano - retired as of 2018, currently Nippon-Ham outfield and batting coach
    -   Kazunari Sanematsu - retired as of 2019, currently Yomiuri battery coach
-   Orix Buffaloes
    -   Shogo Akada - retired as of 2014, currently Seibu batting coach
    -   Eiichi Koyano - retired as of 2018, currently Orix batting coach
-   Saitama Seibu Lions
    -   Matsuzaka Daisuke
    -   Hichori Morimoto - retired as of 2015
    -   Naotaka Takehara - retired as of 2016
    -   Tatsuyuki Uemoto - retired as of 2017, currently Seibu battery coach
    -   Shogo Kimura - retired as of 2018, currently playing cricket
-   Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
    -   Yosuke Hiraishi - reteired as of 2011, currently SoftBank batting coach
    -   Daisuke Kato - retired as of 2013
    -   Yuya Kubo
    -   Jobu Morita - reteired as of 2011
    -   Toshiya Nakashima - retired as of 2014
    -   Keiji Oyama - retired as of 2015
    -   Naoto Watanabe
    -   Koji Yamasaki - reteired as of 2015

Other figures

Many well-known Japanese athletes as well as celebrities were also born during this aforementioned span.

_Below is a partial list of such figures._

-   Hozumi Hasegawa (professional boxer)
-   Kenta Kobayashi (professional wrestler)
-   Daisuke Sekimoto (professional wrestler)

[1] “Coming to America – Hope of Generation: Japan's youth pinning dreams on Matsuzaka's success,” _The Patriot Ledger_ (March 27, 2007).

[2] “Turning Japanese: Boston markets itself to Far Eastern fans,” _The Portland Phoenix._

[3] Hruby, Patrick. “E-Ticket: Chasing the Demon Sphere,” ESPN.

[4]

[5] “Central League Report: Notebook,” _Japan Baseball Daily_ (Feb. 17, 2007).

title: Matsuzaka Generation

question: What term is used to describe Japanese baseball players that belong to current Chunichi Dragons?

answer: The Matsuzaka Generation

question: Who coined the term, Matsuzaka Generation?

answer: This term was coined by the Japanese media as the age group that came to be known as one of the deepest and most talented in Japanese professional baseball history.

question: From what time gap did you have to be born in order to be described as the Matsuzaka Generation?

answer: Between April 2, 1980 and April 1, 1981.

question: How many active players are in the Nippon Professional Baseball that belong to the Matsuzaka Generation?

answer: There are currently 53 active players.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This article describes the origins, history, legacy, and criticism of the term Matsuzaka Generation, which was a term coined towards Japanese baseball players during a certain period of time.


text:
  I sat in the chair, restrained and left alone for my thoughts to devour me whole. The chair was beautifully uncarved, a masterpiece of nature left unmarred by human hands, yet still uncomfortable enough for a prisoner like me to hate it. It felt like days have gone by in this chair, awaiting my fate, arms and legs bruised from the cuffs that dug into my flesh. My mind was racing, yet muddled; confined by the boundaries that they have placed on my thoughts. Memories repeating, left in a loop for me to regret for the rest of eternity. “Prisoner 339264. Rise for your Arbiter.” The loud hollow voice filled the room and the cuffs released me from their clutches, as I stood for someone who I am to respect, yet have never met. The Arbiter entered through the large steel doors previously hidden by the shadows and motioned for me to take my seat. As I hesitantly sat, the Arbiter began to speak, “You may not know why you are here.” his voice echoed in the large room. “And that is why I have been appointed to you. As a reminder, and as a final decision as to what is to happen to you.” He moved towards the pulpit, and laid out his documents for inspection.

          “What you have done is nothing new, a case like yours comes along thousands of times every year, from insignificant, pitiful people like yourself, to more tragic, meaningful people like that American that smelled vaguely of adolescent character, and the famous writer who was found in his house holding his favorite shotgun. But you are lower than them. Theirs was slightly more understandable, but not you, you had everything lined up for you. Presented on a platter to choose for your own liking. You left children, both legitimate, and illegitimate, in your wake. Open your mouth, what do you have to say for yourself?” My mouth was parched, and my throat was in a knot. “Who are you?” I finally asked. “Me? I am your judge.” He came around the pulpit, walking towards me as the cuffs restrained me again. “Your Fate, your King Minos. I am Your Arbiter. That is all you need to know.” I searched my mind for why I was here; one of the vague memories that have been placed off limits, torturing me with its escape. As he walked back, I gathered the nerve to finally ask the question that has been prying at my psyche. “Where am I, and what am I on trial for? I have a right to know!” “YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS HERE! You have lost all rights when your cowardice came over you, and you took your own life, leaving behind your wife, children, brothers, everything! You gave it all up, and for what? Nothing! And look where it's got you. In front of me.” An evil grin spread like the plague across his face. “I have the pleasure of deciding where you spend the rest of eternity.”

          Shaken, my heart began to race. I didn't know what he was talking about. “What do you mean? I have no children! I cannot even remember what brought me to this horrid place. Explain!” His eyes glared at me, and for once in a long time I felt intimidated. Genuinely afraid of his sick twisted face. Mocking me with his furrowed brow. His voice became eerily soft “There are things that cannot be explained at this moment, what I can say is that you are in limbo. This is where everyone passes as they wait for their judgment. You are here because you have taken your life, and left a wife and a mistress to raise your children.” My memories began to fade into existence, Carmen's beautiful smile, My daughters letters as she learned Spanish abroad, Hector's diligence. I remember. “People like you cause rifts in The Writing. The only thing that cannot be accounted for, you humans have managed to exploit and cause panic not only in your dimension, but here as well.” I finally understand whats going on, its setting in. “Why did I do it?” I asked. The Arbiter replied quickly “None us know, it is the only thing that has escapes us seven for all of eternity. We have seen people do it for pride, out of fear, love, anger, even curiosity.”

          Seven? “Are you the only Arbiter? If not why are you the one judging me?” His face twisted with a curious look, as though he was surprised, yet elated that I wanted to know about him and the others. “As I said before, there are seven of Us. We reign over your dimension and through a combination of us, we form every human being as their characteristics, or “Feelings”. Some people have more of one of us than others may.” “And as to the reason why I am being judged in front of you?” I beckoned for an answer. “Simple, out of the seven of us, I was the one most inflicted by your final moments. More people felt my presence because of you. And that angers me. Why should a human as incompetent as yourself be able to send shockwaves to dozens that I myself am not able to feel?” His piercing eyes, because soft and glazed over. He turned away from me snatching the files from the pulpit and briskly flipping through them. “So what am I to do?! I'm sorry that I offended you, but there must be something I can do to redeem myself!” I was looking for a way out. The outcome of angering this entity could not be good.

          “What you have done is irreversible and irreconcilable. The verdict has been decided. You will return to Earth as your daughter's son. You will be stripped of a father at a young age as you have stripped yourself from your children. You will raise yourself and your siblings, as you left your oldest son to do so without a father. Left to fend for yourself in the tidal wave that you have cause in your past life.” I writhed in my seat at the thought of being sent back to that dreadful place. “NO! You cant send me back there.” I didn't even know what I was afraid of. “There is nothing more than I can do, I have judged according to The Laws. You have done the crime. You must now pay the repercussions.” And with that he faded back into the shadowy corner. As the door closed softly behind him, my cuffs became undone. Rubbing my sore wrists, I began wondering what I should do now. When will my punishment begin? And if there is still a way to get around it. “Prisoner 339264. You have been tried and judged. You know your fate.” And with that a dark fear consumed, and pushed me towards a light. Into a realm so bright, cold and intimidating, it is a wonder how anyone could find comfort in this unrelenting place.

title: A short story I wrote for class titled "Inheritance". What do you think?

question: Summarize the emotions the main character feels in this story.

answer: The main character goes through a range of emotions in this story. The first emotion that the main character goes through is fear, then he feels nervousness, then he feels shock, sadness, and distress, until finally he feels dread.

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

answer: The primary source of tension in the story occurs when the main character does not remember what he has done and why he is in the place he is in. Then, when the main character's memories come back to him and he asks the Arbiter why he committed suicide and seems to be deep in anguish.

question: Summarize the relationship between the Arbiter and the main character.

answer: The relationship between the Arbiter and the main character is a tense one. At first the main character is scared of the Arbiter and demands to know who he is. The Arbiter is annoyed with the main character because of the "crime" he has committed and how he has to be the one that was more inflicted by the main character's final moments. The Arbiter softens when he sees the despair in the main character's voice and eyes about what happened to him and lets the main character have his memories. The main character knows he cannot anger the Arbiter and the Arbiter continues to

question: How does the main character feel towards the end of the story?

answer: The main character feels dread as they are given their verdict by the Arbiter. The main character does not want to go back to the real world, despite not knowing what they are afraid of. The main character is also in a state of confusion, not knowing when their punishment is to begin and what to take of the next steps.


text:
For more than 35 years, the Late Entry Accelerated Program (LEAP) at Boston University has enabled talented individuals and working professionals with bachelor’s degrees in non-engineering fields to earn graduate degrees in engineering. The program is designed for students who have at least a bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts or another non-engineering field which does not qualify them for direct admission to one of the College of Engineering’s graduate programs.

LEAP students choose from any of the college’s master’s programs in biomedical engineering, computer & electrical engineering, materials science & engineering, mechanical engineering, product design & manufacture, or systems engineering. The curriculum begins with core undergraduate engineering courses to achieve a fundamental level of proficiency. Students then transition successfully to master’s degree candidacy in their chosen field of engineering.

LEAP Foundation

Students begin LEAP by taking undergraduate core courses that are customized according to the students’ undergraduate background. Successful completion of the foundation courses qualifies students to transition to a Master of Engineering or Master of Science program in the College of Engineering. Sample core curricula for each area of study are available on the LEAP website.

Master’s Program

The Master of Science and Master of Engineering programs can be completed in 1–2 years depending on a student’s precise program of study, degree requirements, and part-time/full-time status.

Applicants to the LEAP program should refer to the Instructions for LEAP (Late Entry Accelerated Program) applicants in the application. Application information is also available on the LEAP website.

ENGINEERING IS A CALCULUS-BASED CURRICULUM:

-   Applicants are strongly encouraged to have successfully completed Calculus 1 for math or science majors before applying.
-   The LEAP math sequence begins with Calculus II. Prior to matriculating, students are expected to be proficient with Calculus I concepts.

US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for University scholarships and federal and private loans. International students must submit financial documentation to cover tuition and living expenses with their application materials.

For further information, visit the LEAP program website.

A complete description of available financial aid may be found on the College of Engineering website.

Inquiries should be directed to LEAP, Graduate Programs office, College of Engineering, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215. Email: enggrad@bu.edu.

question: What is LEAP?

answer: LEAP stands for the Late Entry Accelerated Program at the Boston University. It is designed to streamline the educational paths of highly talented individuals or professional with degrees in non-engineering fields.

question: What is the advantage of LEAP?

answer: Unlike the usual process of taking Engineering as a second degree, LEAP follows a curriculum that is designed to help the student progress to a Master's degree.

question: Is there a prerequisite to LEAP?

answer: While not a hard rule, students are encouraged to complete Calculus 1 as LEAP beings with Calculus III -and as such, expects enrolled students to be proficient with Calculus I concepts.

question: Where can one learn more about LEAP?

answer: Inquiries should be directed to LEAP, Graduate Programs office, College of Engineering, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215. They also have an email address: enggrad@bu.edu.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: The Boston University presents LEAP, the Late Entry Accelerated Program for professionals with degrees or highly talented individuals who want to pursue studies in Engineering. This calculus based curriculum is designed to transition students into graduate studies. For more  information and inquiries proceed to LEAP, Graduate Programs office, College of Engineering, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215. They also have an email address: enggrad@bu.edu.


text:
[Red artillery in the Radiomäki Hill]

BATTLE OF LAHTI was a 1918 Finnish Civil War battle, fought from 19 April to 1 May between the German troops and Finnish Whites against the Finnish Reds in Lahti, Finland. Together with the Battle of Vyborg, from 24 to 29 April, it was the last major battle of the war.

The German unit Detachment Brandenstein, commanded by the colonel Otto von Brandenstein, attacked Lahti on 19 April, taking the town by the next evening. At the same time, a column of tens of thousands of Red refugees was approaching Lahti from the west. On 22 April, the Reds launched a counterattack in order to break through the German lines and clear way for the fleeing people. The attempt failed and the Reds finally surrendered on 1 May. As a result, the Whites and Germans captured about 30,000 Reds and their family members who were placed to a concentration camp in the outskirts of Lahti.

Background

At the time of the Finnish Civil War, Lahti had a population of 6,500. The town was important for the Reds due to its location by the vital Riihimäki–Saint Petersburg railway, connecting Lahti to the major war theatres in Tavastia and Karelia. Red troops were formed and trained in the Hennala Garrison which the Russians had built in the early 1910s.[1] As the Red front had collapsed in the northern part of Tavastia and the Battle of Tampere was over in 6 April, tens of thousands of Red refugees headed east through Hämeenlinna and Lahti. In the late April, there were about 40,000 Reds inside the triangle formed by the towns of Hämeenlinna, Riihimäki and Lahti.[2]

The German Baltic Sea Division landed in Hanko on 3 April. After the victorious Battle of Helsinki, fought 12–13 April, the division marched north to Riihimäki and Hämeenlinna, which forced the Red refugees to head to Lahti. Another German unit, Detachment Brandenstein, landed 75 kilometres east of Helsinki in Loviisa 12 April. The original plan for Detachment Brandenstein was to attack the Red stronghold of Kotka and then cut the Saint Petersburg railway in Kouvola. For some reason, the Germans finally decided to move north to Lahti, instead of Kotka in the east.[3]

German offensive

As the Germans reached Lahti along the Loviisa–Vesijärvi railway, the Reds started building trenches, artillery batteries and other defensive posts to the slopes of the Salpausselkä ridge. In 13 April, the Detachment Brandenstein took the Orimattila village 20 kilometres south of Lahti. The offensive against the town was launched six days later on 19 April at 5 am. The main force commanded by the lieutenant colonel von Luck took the village of Villähde, 9 kilometres east of Lahti, at 1:00 pm and cut the Saint Petersburg railway, while the second unit attacked Lahti and reached the Railway Station at 7:00 am without any resistance. After taking the Hennala Garrison, the Germans entered the town in the evening. Colonel Luck and his men headed for the General Hospital at 10:00 pm and most of Lahti was held by the Germans by 11:00 pm.[4] All this happened with hardly any resistance by the surprised Reds. Instead of the town itself, the Reds were only defending their positions in the Salpausselkä ridge. It is unclear why the attack took the Reds by surprise, as they knew the Germans were approaching. One explanation is their poor reconnaissance and surveillance.[5]

On the morning of 20 April, the Germans reached the harbour by the Vesijärvi lake. At the same time the Finnish White Army division, commanded by the Estonian major Hans Kalm, entered the town from north as the Reds on the Radiomäki hill had surrendered.[6] The German commander colonel Otto von Brandenstein and Hans Kalm greeted each other in a modest ceremony held in the Lahti main street.[7] On the next day, a small clash occurred as a group of 1,000 Red Guard fighters came by armoured train to Okeroinen, a village in Hollola, 5 kilometres south of Lahti. The Reds tried to break into the town but were pushed back. During the first two days of the battle, the Germans lost six men killed. Red losses were at least 37 killed and 500 captured. 300 more were captured within next three days as the Germans searched for Reds in their homes. The ones found with a fired rifle were shot.[8]

Red counterattack and capitulation

As the column of refugees reached the outskirts of Lahti, the Reds launched a counterattack on 22 April. They were desperately trying to break the German lines and march through the town to continue their journey eastward, but managed only to take the Hennala Garrison. In the next morning, the Red artillery started firing on the town. The bombing of German positions lasted for six days. At least 16 Reds were shot by the Germans as a retaliation for firing the military hospital. Some sources claim that even 60 Reds were executed, but this cannot be verified. The Whites, in turn, shot up to 30 Reds before the battle was over.[9] [Fallen Reds in the Salpausselkä ridge] No heavy fighting occurred in 25–28 April, but on 28 April the Reds launched another attack against the German lines. The fighting lasted for two days but despite their overwhelming strength, the Reds could not beat the experienced and well-armed German troops.[10] The Germans had only about 800 men in Lahti while the Reds had up to 10,000 armed men from Western Finland and Helsinki region who had come with the refugee column. The problem for the Reds was that there was no order of battle and nobody commanded the force. There were only a couple of organized units, like the Turku Women's Guard and the squad composed of the youth section of the sports club Jyry Helsinki.[11]

The Germans in turn, managed in taking the Okeroinen village by the Helsinki railway on 30 April. They were now able to encircle the Red troops of the Hennala Garrison. In the morning of 1 May, the Germans attacked Hennala but the Reds had already fled. At 8:00 a.m., the Reds started surrendering and the Battle of Lahti was over, although there was still minor resistance in the surroundings of the town and five Germans were killed on 2 May.[12] [Captured Reds of the Fellman camp]

Aftermath

As the battle was over, the Germans and Finnish Whites captured about 30,000 Reds in the surroundings of Lahti. The numbers include Red Guards fighters and their family members as well as other Red supporters who had fled from the western and southern parts of the Red Finland. Among the captured was also the group of 4,000–5,000 Red refugees who had only a couple of days earlier fought their way through the German lines in the bloody Battle of Syrjäntaka. Up to 10,000 Reds surrendered in the fields of Vesala in Hollola, 10 kilometres west of Lahti. Led by the military band of the Pori Red Guard, the group marched to Lahti. The band was playing revolutionary anthems like _The Internationale_ and _La Marseillaise_ until the Germans finally took their instruments.[13][14]

22,000 captured Reds were gathered to the Fellman camp, a short-lived concentration camp in the fields of the Fellman Manor. The rest of the Reds were placed in factories, schools and other public buildings in Lahti. A prison camp was also established to the Hennala Garrison.[15]

The women and children were soon released from the Fellman camp and 13,000 Reds were moved to the Hennala camp. Most of them were men, but among the detainees were also more than 1,000 women and a smaller number of children. According to the past research, all women were released, but recent studies have shown that the Women's Red Guard fighters were systematically executed by the Whites and most likely sexually abused. At least 218 women were shot, the youngest being only 14-year-old girls.[16] The total number of executed Reds was more than 500.[17] The executions were carried out by the Finnish battalion led by the Estonian colonel Hans Kalm. The Germans shot only approximately 20–30 Reds during the Battle of Lahti but did not participate the later executions. In some cases they were even trying to stop the Whites from executing their prisoners.[18] The Germans usually robbed the killed as well as the captured Reds of their personal possessions. This was verified in the war diaries of the German officer Hans Tröbst, released as the sixth part of the 2015 book _Der Krieg im Westen_.[19]

The Hennala Camp was active until the end of September 1918. Nearly 1,200 of the 13,000 prisoners died of executions, disease or malnutrition.[20]

Trenches and potholes are still visible in the Salpausselkä hills. They are preserved by the Finnish National Board of Antiquities because of the historical significance. Some of the trenches were accidentally destroyed in 2015 as new skiing trails were built for the 2017 Nordic World Ski Championships.[21]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

title: Battle of Lahti

question: Why was Lahti important for the Finnish Reds?

answer: Lahti was important for the Finnish Reds because it was connected to the major war theatres in Tavastia and Karelia by a railway.

question: Who fought in the Battle of Lahti?

answer: The German troops and Finnish Whites fought against the Finnish Reds.

question: What war was the battle of Lahti in?

answer: It was in the Finnish Civil War.

question: Who won the battle?

answer: The Finish Whites and Germans won the battle.

question: Write a ~6 sentence summary.

answer: The battle of Lahti was the last major battle of the 1918 Finnish Civil War between the German troops and Finnish Whites against the Finnish Reds. The Whites and Germans won the battle. They captured about 30,000 Reds and their family members who were placed to a concentration camp. More than 500 Reds were killed, mostly by Whites. The women and children were soon released from the camp and 13,000 Reds were moved to the Hennala camp. Nearly 1,200 of the 13,000 prisoners died of executions, disease, or malnutrition.


text:
  I open my eyes and I am a dog. I raise my head up from my paws. It smells like me around here. I like my smell. I go using my nose and find a spot where my smell is weak. I mark this spot with my smell. There will be more spots to mark, but I can only seek them out right now. Later, I will cover them and make them as they should be.

It occurs to me that my mouth is open. It is already hot. I go to the bowl. The bowl is empty. I lick the bowl, but it is still empty. I feel the dryness of my tongue. It is unpleasant but there is nothing to do. How long has it been?

 I make my way about the world. This place is empty except for me and my house. There are ends to the world. I have dug below the ends, but then I saw he was fierce and he hit so I stopped.

  The ends are funny. They always look the same, but they bring new smells some days and often the smell of others are passing near them. I hear noises too, noises beyond the ends, but there is nothing I can meet to know the noise. There is only the end and the hint of otherwise. So I call out past the ends and say that I am here too. But it makes no difference.

 Sometimes a small thing comes running through, but that is only if it knows it should be elsewhere. It lives up high and it has no bowl. I have been unable to get close enough to smell this thing. Perhaps it knows it smells good. Perhaps it thinks I would eat every bit of it. And perhaps I would. Just now I would. It would be refreshing and wet on my tongue.

I check the bowl, but the bowl is still empty and bright. My tongue is like a sock. I swallow but it is hard. It is not as easy as it could be.

 I am tired. I am too tired. But I would chase the ball if he would come throw the ball and give me water. There is nothing to see of him. The place where he comes from is shut like it is still dark. He never comes when the dark is here, but mostly he comes after it is gone. Like now. Or earlier.

Reaching for the golden ball on the wall, I hear my nails clicking. I keep reaching, but it is not easy because my feet are dry too and they slip. It is not easy to try and move like he moves. I am fast and strong, but I am no good like this. He could hear me and come open this thing so easy, if only he would.

  I keep reaching until I know that I can’t. It’s like running at the little thing that won’t let me smell it. I call at the golden ball and say that it is bad. Bad is bad, and if the ball is like me, it will not like being bad. But it just is there like the ends. I know this already, but I still call at it and I say that it is bad again.

 He may come and say that I am Bad. And he has before. He doesn’t always understand. But now I am going to be Bad. I call again and it hurts me because I am being Bad. I want him to come give me water and throw the ball. I want to be Good.

 Still though, he is nowhere and it is so hot. My feet are hot and my legs are hot and my hair is hot and my ears are hot and my tongue is hot.

I wish there was a place that wasn’t hot. We would go to water and it was not hot after that. He would throw the ball in the water and I would chase it and sometimes I was altogether wet and cool because there was so much water. There would be water I couldn’t see, but I knew how to be ok in the water. And I would be tired like I am now, but it was different. Then I had chased the ball through the water, but now I have only woken up.

In my house it is less hot, but it is still there. I lay down. In my way, I know that there is a call inside me that must be made. But I am too tired now. I am too tired to know what to say. I am too tired to smell. I am too tired to dig or chase or see.

 I would see him and I would make him see my shining bowl and give me water. The water would be hot, but I could drink it as if it were not. And he would say, Good Boy because that’s my name, and I like the name and he would be glad to give me more. And I am a Good Boy now and so I do not call. I am a Good Boy and so I let it be hot. I let the golden ball stare at me. I forget about the bowl because I am a Good Boy.

The little thing comes over the end. I cannot move to meet him. It is Bad for being here, but I cannot move to let it know this.

It moves slowly and I can smell the little thing. It smells like bark. It looks at me with little black eyes and is unafraid. We are unafraid because it stands in front of me and we are the same color, but it is not as hot as me. Then it tells me that I am Good. I don’t know how. But it knows me then, and it tells me I am Good.

It has no water, but I watch it. It looks back at me until I close my eyes and go nowhere.

title: DOG

question: Was the narrator not always a dog?

answer: That information can't be found.

question: What happens when the narrator goes to the bowl?

answer: He notices that the bowl is empty.

question: What does the narrator mean by "the ends are funny"?

answer: That information isn't made clear, but it's possible that it means the ends of the yard (fences).

question: What is the main event of the story?

answer: There doesn't seem to be a main event, but the most interactive part of the story is when the narrator comes face to face with another creature.

question: Who does the narrator believe will come and say they are bad?

answer: It's not clear, but it can be assumed that it is his owner.

question: What are the narrator's goals?

answer: The narrator wants to be a Good Boy and get some water. He wants to be relieved of the heat they feel.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator is a dog desperately looking for water in their yard in the heat. He contemplates getting the golden ball, but worries his owner will see him as Bad. The narrator reflects on his wants and what it means to be a Good or Bad boy. He decides to be a Good boy and not call out for water or relief. After a creature at the end of the yard tells the narrator he is Good, the narrator closes his eyes and goes nowhere.


text:
Adidas has announced that 72andSunny will serve as the lead global creative agency for brand’s “sport performance” category.

[]

The agency will be responsible for global brand campaigns with a strategic focus on running, soccer, basketball, and women’s.

The two will immediately begin working together across 72andSunny’s LA and Amsterdam offices.

Jocelyn Robiot, senior vice president of brand management at Adidas, said: “Sport is the single most important asset for adidas, it defines our brand. Our communication strategy moving forward will be relentless and aggressive storytelling, so that we can take our expression of sport to the next level. To achieve these ambitions, we set out to work with the best.”

Adidas will keep its long-term partnership with Carat of Dentsu Aegis network as its global media agency of record with Johannes Leonardo NYC continuing to serve as the lead creative agency for the “originals” category.

This article is about: World, Adidas, 72andSunny, Creative, Sport

[]

Join us, it's free.

Become a member to get access to:

-   Exclusive Content
-   Daily and specialised newsletters
-   Research and analysis

question: What is the post about?

answer: Adidas announced that 72andSunny will serve as the lead global creative agency for the "sport performance" category.

question: Specifically, what campaigns will the agency be responsible for?

answer: 72andSunny will be responsible for running, soccer, basketball, and women's.

question: Who is Adidas' long-term partner?

answer: Carat of Dentsu Aegis network.

question: Who is the senior vice-president of brand management at Adidas?

answer: Jocelyn Robiot

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Adidas announced that 72andSunny will serve as the lead global creative agency for the "sport performance" category. 72andSunny will be responsible for running, soccer, basketball, and women's.


text:
[cia-foia-request-brobible]

David Covucci

When Navy SEALs stormed Osama Bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, it was reported that they — after super murdering him with about 500 bullets — found a healthy collection of pornography.

(And let’s be honest, dudes, what porn collection isn’t healthy?)

About a month ago, that fact from the raid, although already widely assumed to be true, was confirmed by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

  On Wednesday, the office of the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, confirmed for the first time that “some pornographic material” was contained in Bin Laden’s recovered papers and personal effects.

  But while the US declassified a substantial number of documents and released detailed lists of Bin Laden’s reading preferences, details the pornography kept by the man who was the world’s most-hunted terrorist will remain hidden.

Here’s what I wrote in a piece titled “The United States Government Thinks You Aren’t Man Enough To Know What Porn Osama Bin Laden Jacked It To“:

  I imagine being under the constant threat of capture made you require some seriously graphic pornography to get it up.

  But the United States government isn’t going to let you masturbate like you’re the world’s most wanted man. Because of its “nature,” the government is declining to release what was in OBL’s collection.

  Fucking bullshit nanny state bullshit.

  I’m a man. I can handle knowing what kind of porn Osama Bin Laden watched. Ain’t gonna make me like him more, ain’t gonna make me hate him less.

So I did what any intrepid, enterprising reporter would do. I filed a FOIA request with the CIA.

Established in 1966, the Freedom of Information Act essentially allows any citizen to petition federal agencies to release documents they don’t believe the government has the right to classify.

It’s a pretty powerful tool for journalists and Bros alike. I personally believe us dudes have a right to know what the world’s most wanted man masturbated to. I think something like that should enter the public record. Like… what if it turned out he exclusively watched white, male, American porn stars? Wouldn’t that be anathema to his beliefs? Wouldn’t that be an interesting thing to learn about the man?

Yes.

So, I sent the request. Here’s the text of it.

  We at the men’s general interest publication BroBible dot com (one of the nation’s largest websites for men), would like to know what pornographic materials Osama Bin Laden had in his possession at the time of his death.

  We are adults. We can handle it. We would like to know what kind of porn the world’s most wanted man jerked it to. Does being under the constant threat of capture require extra stimulation? I imagine it would be hard for him to focus on his dick, so I figure he had to watch some really nasty shit.

Don’t you think so?

Well, I sent that in and completely forgot about it. This afternoon, a letter arrived at my desk.

[cia-request]

Look at that shit! That, my friends, is the CIA sending a letter addressed to BroBible.

I’ll be damned. I just successfully wasted the time of the world’s most powerful spy agency.

UNFORTCH, the contents contained within were disappointing. I figured it would be, the letter a single sheet thin, like a college rejection note.

  With regard to the pornographic material Osama Bin Laden had in his possession at the time of his death, responsive records, should they exist, would be contained in the operational files. The CIA Information Act, 50 U.S.C 431, as amended, exempts CIA operational files from search, review, publication, and disclosure requirements of the FOIA. To the extent that this material exists, the CIA would be prohibited by 18 USC Section 1461 from mailing obscene matter.

Mother fuckers.

I will give them credit. They did cite a legitimate statute that allows them to avoid FOIA requests regarding operations.

The agency also noted that FOIA does not require them to answer questions, such as my inquiry about whether the porn was rull nasty.

Oh, well, Bros. I’m sorry.

Here’s the full letter.

//e.issuu.com/embed.js

question: What did Navy SEALS fund when they stormed Osama Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad?

answer: They found his healthy collection of pornography.

question: What is the title of the article that the author wrote?

answer: It is called "The United States Government Think You Aren't a Man Enough to Know What Porn Osama Bin Laden Jacked It To."

question: Who confirmed the speculations about Osama Bin Laden and his porn collection?

answer: Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, confirmed the speculations about Osama Bin Laden and his porn collection.

question: Where are the details of the pornography that Osama Bin Laden had?

answer: The details of the pornography have been kept hidden.

question: What did the reporter do to know what kind of porn Osama Bin Laden watched"?

answer: The reporter filed a FOIA request with the CIA.

question: What is the Freedom of Information Act?

answer: The Freedom of Information Act allows any citizen to petition federal agencies to release documents they don't believe the government has the right to classify.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: This article discussed Osama Bin Laden's porn collection that was found by Navy SEALS after they killed him. The details of the terrorist's porn collection were kept hidden. The reporter who wanted to know what pornographic material Osama Bin Laden was looking at filed a FOIA which was rejected.


text:
	I sat alone on Loser's Day, a Thursday; Doug was out of commission.  The surly sun sat sheltered behind the woods, and threw my window only a few gobs of light at the hour.  A fuzzy TV droned and captured my tired, besotted eyes, there, in the cervix of teenage overstimulation.  Behind me, an empty bottle sat half-covered by the bedskirt, paying homage to a dead friend.

	The math book was insistent in its intrusion, perched upon my dresser.  I loved it so, and yet, now monetized, now someone else's, I couldn't quite look at it squarely.  No one fell behind at Swindell, and I had to keep working, pounding all the knowledge in, for the next fellow was working harder-

	A quiet ringtone.  I cringed.  Fuck.  The math book had betrayed me; no eyes, please.  I rolled back to the nightstand and took the call.

	“Hey, what are you up to, love?”

	I bit my lip.  Caitlyn?  No, no, no, some asshole...

	“Who is this?”

	“Your worst nightmare.”

	“Ohhh...”

	“No, no, listen, you piece of shit.  I've got two girls in the car.  Be ready in five minutes.  Wear something cute.”

	I hung up.  The Duke, Cassius.  The very King himself was inviting me; I needed to cash in on the rare opportunity.  A white T-shirt, the Bluetones, and some other clothes- my belt- my phone- and uh...what else?  I whirled around, the hum of the ceiling fan grinding my bowels into something not fit for His Holiness.

	Two girls in the car...too nice...the condoms!  That was it!  I dug around and pulled out the crumpled purple box, grabbed four or five and stuffed them into my pockets.  Then I hustled downstairs and waited for the unexpected arrival.

	The sun came higher, the air heating up in anticipation of this high school hero they called the King.  I waited uncomfortably, prepared for his usual lateness.  The car flashed.

	He rolled down the window.

	“Elliott?  Elliott, fuck...”  He laughed.  “Get the fuck in.”

	I obliged.  The girls were nowhere to be seen.

	“Uh, Duke...you said-”

	He howled with delight.  “Dropped off Mary Anne, you know how it is, I got down and dirty.   But then she started bitching, had to be home and Charisse went with her.  Jesus fucking Christ, Elliott, you don't know, I tried so hard to keep one of 'em here for you...”

	We tore off.  He burped loudly, and asked me to put some music on.  I fumbled with the docking station, but found some rap I thought he'd like.  A smile crept across the King's face.  He was Duke to his face, Cassius Steeple, but others styled him the King to his great satisfaction.  Or when he wasn't within earshot, His Holiness, the one you don't turn down.  He was unrelenting in his coolness, an unexaggeratedly religious figure to the high school popular crowd, but still neurotic and compulsive enough to fit in with the downtrodden, to make love to the crooked-faced chemistry student and burn the leaf in a dank apartment, deep in the heart of Southbridge.

	I relaxed around the King, a character always fearless and never to be feared.  He sped dangerously down a wealthy road, unquestionably bound for the built-up urban complexes miles away from where I lived.  The King had a special fondness for every girl this side of the water tower, but on weekends, he was a free jack, free to screw the shop attendant and her visiting niece from the city.  I shivered with the excitement that I, too, might ride the King's wave of sexual excitation, that I might pick up whatever dregs he left me in his endless hedonistic quest.

	“The thing is, we've got to get you ready, Elliott.  We've got to get you ready for those Swindell chicks.  I hear they'll do anything.  You going to be the rooster?”

	I grinned and nodded.

	“I'm glad, Elliott.  The most important thing is-” he coughed- “the most important thing is that you're ready for college chicks.  You need to take the opportunity to find out what the inside of a vagina looks like before the end of this summer.”

	He screeched into a parking lot.  The creamery was open, but was I in the mood?  It didn't matter- Cassius dictated everything here.  The passenger door flung open and I gasped for air in the sudden heat, the earth spinning beneath me in the wake of His Holiness's roadway impropriety.  We walked in like best friends.

	Rita Kunz presided over the counter.  When she caught sight of the King, the change in her was immediate.  Her face flushed as she narrowed her eyes and bit her lip.  She swayed slightly and crossed her legs, bending slightly further towards us.

	“We can't serve you,” she smiled, looking through me at her dream object.  Her eyelids fluttered, and she gave her thin brown hair a quick twirl.

	“That's great- I wasn't expecting you here, either,” he said dismissively.  Rita covered her embarrassment with a deeper smile.

	She fondled her apron and leaned back from the counter.  “I'm going on break.  You can deal with someone else.”  After she turned, Cassius shot me a grin.

	Rita disappeared behind a door, and her assistant came to fill our orders.  Cassius chuckled quietly to himself, and furrowed his brow.  Something devilish came into his eyes as he turned; I was caught in his line of sight.  “Do you have money?” he inquired.  A wave of some dispirited feeling washed over me.

	Blondie Memaine scooped the ice cream this time, the pecans and vanilla beans sliding gracefully into her spoon as she prepared the King's dessert.  To me, she'd been the epitome of grace in high school: a slender and elegant diver, capturing the school record for whatever the hell with the butterfly.  Blondie was off to college, back again this semester, actually: all accounts indicated that she had enjoyed her first year immensely.  But to the King, it wasn't the grace, rather the result that counted.  The dessert in this case.  She'd been a fine one, His Holiness insisted, on multiple occasions.

	We ate, and he jetted off to some sacred locale.  I wasn't invited.  I waited on the curb with my thumb up, and wondered if the problem was my own.

title: The Strawberry Blonde

question: What does the story say about how to study for a math exam in high school?

question: What does the story say about the narrator?

answer: The narrator is a high school kid named Elliott. He's going to college soon but hasn't really scored with a girl yet. It seems he is a loser.

question: What does the story say about Cassius Steeple?

answer: Cassius Steeple is the high school hero known as the King. He's also the Duke and some people call him His Holiness because no one can turn him down. The King can get any girl he wants and gives Elliott pointers.

question: Summarize the relationship between the King and Elliott?

answer: It seems the King is only taking Elliott for a ride. He calls Elliott for condoms and lets him tag along because Elliott has money. The King also chooses where to take Elliott, and doesn't invite him to other places.


text:
The bus rode along through the worst part of town, and we sat there pretending like nothing had happened. Arnie looked detached. Sometimes he would get in a mood like that, and just shut off. This time it made a lot of sense, other times it seemed out of place. Again, other times it would seem like he couldn't contain the thoughts in his head, and he'd tap his foot wildly as he talked.

"You know, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would have looked."

"Yeah, I know."

"I wish we could have helped her though. I mean before. I wish to hell we could have helped her."

"I know. Me too."

The bus driver called out the stop, and several people exited out the back door. Drops of rain water had begun collecting on the bus window, and I leaned in, squeezed one eye shut, and squinted through one of the drops. Through it, I saw an upside-down gas station, and I don't know why, but it depressed the hell out of me.

"Hand me the flask."

"Sure thing." Arnie said.

It seemed like the right thing to do, and I swigged hard, and the drink burned in my throat and chest. I didn't feel much of anything for her anymore, but I couldn't stop seeing the girl, lying there, broken on the rain covered concrete. Everyone, especially the medics, moved slowly around her, as if the whole thing had been rehearsed. A few people were taking pictures on their cell phones, and fewer people were crying. The girl couldn't have been older than twenty-five.

The bus made a hard right, hitting the curb as it turned, and Arnie looked over at me. He didn't look so detached anymore, and I was glad he was there with me.

title: A Rainy Afternoon

question: Why is Arnie feeling detached?

answer: Because he has seen the dead body of a woman.

question: How old are Arnie and the protagonist?

answer: They are probably adults.


text:
I am currently writing a short story (which may one day evolve into it`s own series) about a boy, aged 16, who is tragically anti social, although he does manage to get some normal friends.
One day , through some unknown chain of events (obviously i`ll make one), he decides to create an alter ego, J.
J is everything that Dean(name?) isn`t. He`s cool calm and collected, he`s well liked, he`s goal oriented, he`s mysterious. He is the talk of all the girls, and the poster boy for all the boys.
Dean just wanted to feel a little less alone, but J wanted to be king of the world.

So guys any input, suggestions, ideas, advice would be really helpful! I`ve done some writing, but never a project with so much potential for expansion.

title: Currently in the process of character design, first drafts, and plot construction, all at once.

question: Who is the narrator?

answer: The writer exploring a very general idea for a story they'd like to write.

question: Who is J?

answer: Dean's alter ego.

question: What does Dean want most?

answer: To be sought after by all the girls and admired by all the boys.

question: Why does Dean create an alter ego?

answer: Because he is tragically antisocial.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Dean is a tragically antisocial kid who somehow manages to have a few friends. After undergoing some unknown chain of events, he decides to create an alter ego, J. J is the antithesis of Dean, liked by both girls and boys.


text:
'''Riaz Basra ''' (1967 – 14 May 2002) was, with Akram Lahori a.k.a. Muhammad Ajmal and Malik Ishaq, a founder of the militant organization Lashkar-e-Jhangvi during 1996.[1][2]

Career

Riaz Basra was born to Ghulam Muhammad and Jalal Bibi in Chak Chah Thandiwala, Sargodha, in 1967. He studied at madrassas in Lahore and Sargodha before joining the political party Sipah-e-Sahaba in 1985. Basra allegedly fought in the Afghan War on the mujahideen side, receiving a bullet wound in the leg.[3]

Among his objectives was the establishment of a Sunni Islamic Emirate in Pakistan and the declaration of Shias as non-Muslims. In 1988, he had also tried his luck, unsuccessfully, for an assembly seat from Lahore, Punjab.[4] Contesting against Nawaz Sharif and winning 9000 votes, the same year he was also made the central-secretary (broadcast and publications) of the SSP.[5]

Basra was alleged to be involved in killings of hundreds of Shias, including Shia doctors, policemen, lawyers, in killing Iranian diplomat Sadiq Ganji in 1990 and for killing the Shia leader Syed Sikandar Shah, and a deadly attack on a gathering at a Shia cemetery in 1998, in an assassination attempt on Nawaz Sharif in 1999, besides being accused of several bank heists. He was arrested in 1992 and sentenced to death for killing Ganji, but escaped from prison in 1994.[6][7][8] Basra was also alleged to be involved in killing the Imamia Students Organization leader Dr Muhammad Ali Naqvi in 1995,[9] Sargodha commissioner Syed Tajammal Abbas in 1996,[10] and in killing Gujranwala SSP Muhammad Ashraf Marth in 1997.[11]

In 1996, Basra broke from Sipah-e-Sahaba to form his own anti-Shia organization Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. The organization takes its name from the deceased founder of Sipah-e-Sahaba, Haq Nawaz Jhangvi, who was killed in a bomb attack by an unknown assailants believed to be sponsored by Shia group on 23 February 1990.[12]

On one occasion, Basra is believed to have coerced the Punjab Chief Minister into easing police pressure on his group. He had demonstrated his ability to penetrate the CM's security by having himself photographed with the CM without his knowledge.[13] On another occasion, he had got himself photographed with Nawaz Sharif in a similar fashion, and sent the photo to Sharif's office.[14]

Death

Basra had a bounty of Rs. 5 million on his head and when he was killed, reportedly in a shootout in May 2002, in Kot Choudhary Sher Muhammad Ghalvi, Dokota, a Shia village in Vehari district, Punjab, doubts were expressed about his death because Sargodha police had already claimed to have killed him in 1999 and the Punjab police had also claimed to have killed him on six occasions.[15][16][17][18] Basra and three other Lashkar-e-Jhangvi members had come to stage an attack on Choudhary Fida Hussain Ghalvi, a prominent Shia leader, but were met with armed resistance by local villagers. According to one report, a special police brigade arrived to support a half-hour later, ending the fight, during which all four Lashkar-e-Jhangvi members were killed.[19][20] Doubts have been expressed about this version of events because Basra was reported to be in police custody at the time of this shootout[21][22][23][24] and hardly anyone believes this account to be true.[25][26] However, Pakistan's then Information Minister Nisar Memon denied any foul-play.[27] It is alleged he was killed by Shia fighters seeking to take matters into their own hands after police incompetence.

Basra was buried in his home village of Khurhseed, near Jhawarian outside of Sargodha. His funeral was attended by 20,000 people; though police presence prevented SSP,LeJ of leadership and thousands of people from participating, and Basra's body was wrapped in the LeJ flag.[28]

[1]

[2]

[3] Shamsul Islam Naz Basra encounter: a poorly staged drama _Dawn (Pakistan)_, May 17, 2002

[4]

[5] Muḥammad ʻĀmir Rānā, _A to Z of Jehadi Organizations in Pakistan_, Mashal Books, 2004, p. 207

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12] Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, Terrorist Group of Pakistan South Asian Terrorism Portal.

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18] Police kill Pakistan's most wanted man BBC News, 14 May 2002

[19] Howard D. French [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00EED81738F93AA25756C0A9649C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all For Militant, No Glorified End, but Death in the Dust] _New York Times_, May 19, 2002

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

title: Riaz Basra

question: Why was Riaz Basra considered so dangerous?

answer: Riaz was a an anti-Shia militant. He had a bounty on his head of Rs. 5 million and was thought to have been involved in the killing of hundreds of Shias. Riaz was also accused of a number of bank heists, and after being sentenced to death, escaped from prison.

question: Did Riaz deserve to be executed?

answer: The moral implications of this question are vast and hard to summarize. Capital punishment is a heavily debated topic and so the notion of 'deserving death' should be considered carefully. One thing is clear, his crimes were many and he had a hand in the deaths of many people, so he certainly deserved to be punished for his crimes.

question: Why were there doubts regarding Riaz Basra's death in 2002?

answer: There were doubts about his death in a shootout in 2002 because his death had already been reported in 1999. It was also said that he had been killed on six other occasions. Doubts were also expressed because it was claimed he was in police custody at the time of the shootout.

question: How has Basra's death affected his cause?


text:
Last night I dreamed that I had died. It wasn't the normal kind of dream. It wasn't the kind of dream that you wake up enthralled, afraid or tearful from. It was something deeper than that.
When I died, there was no white light to walk toward; no staircase in the clouds; no golden gate atop them; no heavenly chorus scoring each and every one of my footsteps, as if each one of them pounded on the drums of destiny; no heart; no passion; no feeling that every breath I took in my mortal life led to this moment, and that now my dreams were coming true, and I was ascending towards everlasting glory.

There was none of that.

But equally there was no fear. There was no anxiety, or panic, or hopelessness. The four emotions I had forever associated with death. The emotions that had left my mind crippled, contemplating other alternatives to constantly living with the big day forever looming over me. Emotions that had rendered me useless, unable to function, wondering what the fuck we are doing on this planet, and why something as spectacular as life on earth, with its inconceivable beauty and ability to emote human euphoria, could have such a terrifying and mind numbing opposite as death, and how we could know so little about it other than at its existential core, it is nothing but the absence of life in a previously living body.

No. Instead of fear or euphoria, there was realism. Quite frankly, there was no commotion. I had died in a hospital, in a small room, my family surrounding me as I lay in a bed drifting off courtesy of an incurable disease, as so many have done before me, and so many will do after. As I faded I felt my woes fade also. I don't think we realise it when our lives are so busy, but we always have our woes or problems on our mind, we just don't notice them as much. I thought about my family and friends. They held hands and sobbed around my bedside, knowing they were witnessing the last moments of my human life. I guessed that I should have been worrying about them, how they would cope without me, but three familiar words kept circulating in my head. Life goes on. Life would go on for them. They would be sad, but they would find closure, and then eventually it would be their time to go too. None of these things worried me. I had always pondered the afterlife, and by this point I had accepted that I would either see them again, or that I wouldn't need to. I understood that love transcends life.

And then it happened; though it didn't happen instantly. Throughout life I had always imagined that the moment of death would be similar to an abrupt power-outage, where in a split second, darkness would engulf everything. But it wasn't. It was a gradual process and I wasn't quite sure when life had ended, and whatever came next had begun. Those around my bed began to leave the room. They left in an orderly fashion, as if it had previously been decided how they would do so. First, my four best friends. Second my brothers and their wives, my sister, her husband and their children. My grandmother, and finally my mother and father. Each of them did so matter-of-factly, and that was the first sign that I may have passed over, as I'm sure in normal circumstances they would be crying and mourning uncontrollably. Instead, each of them just left. Some of them held my hand before leaving, and others kissed my forehead. And then, just like that, I was alone, albeit for just a few seconds.

It was in this moment that I realised that I was witnessing my death out of body. I was standing in the corner watching this happen, not lying in the bed. And then I realised that I now had a purpose. I sat at a table in the middle of the room. It was small and there were only two chairs. The version of myself that I had just been watching got out of bed and sat at the table also. I was sitting across the table from myself. Somehow looking into my own eyes and staring back at them at the same time. Only when you look into your own eyes can you comprehend your existence. And then we talked for what felt like an hour, and yet it could have lasted for a thousand years because any comprehension that I had of time in my human life had faded, and I began to think that maybe time didn't exist anymore. We talked about the life I had lived on earth, about the relationships I had formed and the feelings I had had, what I had achieved in life, and what mark I had left on the earth. And then I asked myself what was going to happen next, and of course didn't know the answer.

Just as quickly as I had realised what my role was in my own passing over ceremony, I became clueless even faster. And there I was. At a table with another person, and yet somehow completely alone simultaneously; with the most pondered question of all time, and not a single answer. I closed my eyes and breathed in. I took two more, long, similar breaths, and I held the last one. I opened my eyes.
And then I saw everything. Every sunrise and sunset from every possible corner of the earth. Every flower that had ever bloomed, every tree that had ever grown, every mountain that had ever been conquered. Every creature on land, in the sky and in the oceans. Every man who had ever made his dreams come true and every woman who had ever accomplished her greatest feat. Every new-born baby that had ever been born, potential in their eyes. I experienced every sensation that could ever be felt, and heard every note that had ever been played, I tasted success, I smelled hope and in all of these things combined I saw the face of God.

I awoke in my bed and questioned my own existence again. As I write this I am still unaware of what my dream means. I believe that we are more than skin and bones. I believe that our bodies are nothing but vessels, and I believe that our souls are always yearning to escape them. I am unsure of the afterlife, and I wonder whether or not this life on earth is simply the afterlife to a previous one; that maybe every life is an afterlife and in each one we are promised something different for the next. I wonder how many times I have died before, I wonder how many times I will die again, and I wonder whether or not there is some end to this cycle. The only thing we can be sure of is death, for without death there is no life. There cannot be one without the other, but I do not believe that birth is the beginning and death the end. Until it is my time to become knowledgeable of what is next to come, I will just keep dreaming.

title: A Dream I Had About The Afterlife.

question: Describe the narrator's dream:

answer: They dreamnt they had died. They experienced an out-of-body experience and a sense of knowing.

question: What is the narrator's reaction to the experience?

answer: They are not afraid or overcome with wonder. They resolve to not worry about their death while they are alive.

question: What is the afterlife like according to the narrator?

answer: In his dream, it was calm and peaceful with no sense of passing time.

question: How old is the narrator?

answer: There is insufficient information to answer the question.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: In this story, the narrator describes their dream in which they experienced death. It covers their thoughts on death and their resolve not to worry about it until it happens for them.


text:
It was a beautiful spring day at Yost Park, the birds were singing, the bees were humming and the trees were bursting with color. Steve was alone and walking through the woods. He came across a man that looked like a garden gnome, only he was six feet tall. The man wore a red pointed hat and had a long, snow-colored beard. He had a shirt as blue as the sky and was smoking a pipe made of a corn cob. His eyes looked as gray and fogged over as the sky in the smog-filled city of Los Angeles. Steve knew the man had to have been blind, but he seemed to watch him as he approached. When he said hello, the man screamed like a little girl and ran away. “That was disturbing”, Steve said aloud. “What was?” said the man, suddenly appearing behind him. This time it was Steve who ran away, screaming like a little girl. Steve was out of breath, so he decided to sit down on a bench next to the path. The bench groaned under his weight, it was obviously very old. Suddenly, without warning, the bench collapsed under him and high-pitched laughter, like the cackle of a hyena erupted from beside him. When he looked over it was the man again. Steve ran away once more, this time he made it to his car. Frantically he tries turning on the car, but the engine just sputters. Steve looks in the back seat and there the old man is once again.

To Be Continued…

title: Story I wrote in High School.  I thought it was humorous.

question: What is this story's main conflict?

answer: The main conflict is that Steve is being mysteriously followed by an old man.

question: List some similes the story uses.

answer: "a shirt as blue as the sky", "as gray and fogged over as the sky in the smog-filled city of Los Angeles", "screaming like a little girl"

question: Who is the old man?

answer: It's not clear who the man is, but he was following Steve in a menacing way. He was dressed like a garden gnome and appeared to be blind.

question: Why was Steve out of breath?

answer: He had just run away from the old man after being startled by him.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: While taking a walk at the park, Steve runs into an old man who is dressed like a garden gnome. Steve greets the man and the man screams. When Steve notes that it was disturbing, the man magically appears behind him. As Steve runs away through the park, the man mysteriously keeps popping up beside him. When Steve makes it into his car, the man is in the back seat.


text:
ENRICO NEITZEL (born 11 April 1977 in Wolgast) is a German football striker who plays for FC Anker Wismar.

Career

Neitzel played in his youth for ISG Schwerin, 1. FC Magdeburg, Schweriner SC and 1. FSV Schwerin.

He played his first professional games for Schwerin before he signed with 1. FC Lok Stendal in summer 1997. After two years in the Oberliga with 1. FC Lok Stendal, he moved to league rival FC Schönberg 95 in 1999. He was Schönberg's topscorer for two seasons, which drew the attention of FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt. For Erfurt he played 31 Regionalliga games in his first season, helping the team earn promotion to 2. Bundesliga. On 1 July 2005 he left FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt and signed a two-year contract for VfB Lübeck.[1]

After two years with VfB Lübeck, he signed a contract with Kickers Emden on 7 March 2007.

On 9 April 2009, Neitzel signed with FC Hansa Rostock.

[1]

title: Enrico Neitzel

question: Who does Enrico play for?

answer: He plays for FC Anker Wismar.

question: What happened in 1997?

answer: He signed with 1. FC Lok Stendal.

question: What happened after two years with VfB Lubeck?

answer: He signed a contract with Kickers Emden in 2007.

question: Describe Enrico's personal life.

answer: There is nothing mentioned about his personal life beyond being born in Germany.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: This article discusses Enrico Neitzel, a German football striker who plays for FC Anker Wismar. He was born in 1977.