text:
Immigration Minister John McCallum says the government will announce significant changes to the Citizenship Act in the coming days.

Mr. McCallum said Tuesday that the Liberals will soon follow through on their election pledge to repeal the Conservatives' controversial Bill C-24, which gave the government the power to revoke Canadian citizenship from dual citizens convicted of terrorism, treason or espionage.

Asked when the changes will be unveiled, Mr. McCallum told The Globe and Mail to expect an announcement "in coming days, but not very many days."

During last year's election campaign, the Liberal platform committed to "repeal the unfair elements of Bill C-24 that create second-class citizens and the elements that make it more difficult for hard-working immigrants to become Canadian citizens."

Mr. McCallum said the government's announcement will make it impossible to revoke citizenship.

"A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian," Mr. McCallum said, repeating a line used by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a heated election debate last September. "We would not revoke people's citizenship. … That will certainly be a part of it [the announcement]," the Immigration Minister added.

Mr. McCallum said the government will also remove barriers to citizenship posed by Bill C-24.

"We believe that it's better to make it easier rather than harder for people to become citizens."

However, he did not say which specific barriers would be addressed.

One major point of contention in Bill C-24 was a provision stiffening language requirements for newcomers. Before the changes, those between the ages of 18 and 54 were required to meet language requirements in English or French and pass a Canadian knowledge test, for which they were allowed to seek the help of an interpreter. When the bill became law, the age range expanded to 14 to 64, and interpreters were no longer allowed to help.

The law also made would-be Canadians wait longer to apply for citizenship and imposed a $300 application fee for adult citizenship applicants, up from $100, which was increased by the department again on Jan. 1, 2015 to $530 to "more closely reflect the costs associated with processing citizenship applications."

Mr. McCallum told reporters Tuesday that the government will table its annual immigration report before March 9.

The report was supposed to be tabled by Nov. 1, but the fall election delayed its release. Since the House of Commons was not sitting on Nov. 1, the law requires the government to table the report within 30 sitting days of Parliament returning.

Mr. McCallum said the report will outline targets for all classes of immigrants, including Syrian refugees. While the minister has previously said the government hopes to settle a total of 35,000 to 50,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016, he said the exact number – "in that ballpark" – will be outlined in the immigration report. He added that the government is on track to reach its promise of resettling 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February.

Furio De Angelis, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative to Canada, said the government's continued commitment to resettle Syrian refugees throughout 2016 is "very important," especially ahead of a key UN conference on legal resettlement pathways for Syrian refugees, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland in March.

"I'm sure that Canada will present its own model of legal pathways [at the conference]. It will be a role model and we hope that this will create similar programs in other countries," Mr. De Angelis said in an interview with The Globe.

While Mr. De Angelis said domestic targets are "crucial," he said it's also important to not get bogged down in the numbers.

"When we are talking about needs in the humanitarian operations context … developments of targets sort of diminish because the needs are so large."

question: To what act is the government making significant changes?

answer: The Citizenship Act.

question: What will they be changing about the Citizenship Act?

answer: They will be making language requirements more stringent and make it cost more.

question: What was the name of the bill?

answer: Bill C-4.

question: Who announced these changes?

answer: Immigration Minister John McCallum.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The article is about a new Canadian law that would make immigration to Canada more difficult.


split: train

text:
ZTERM is a shareware terminal emulator for Macintosh operating system. It was introduced in 1992 for System 7 and has been updated to run on macOS. Its name comes from its use of the ZModem file transfer protocol, which ZTerm implemented in a particularly high-performance package. In contrast to the built-in macOS Terminal app, which only communicates with other programs, ZTerm only communicates with hardware serial ports.

Description

When it was first introduced in 1992, ZTerm was one of the highest performing terminal emulators on the Mac, both in terms of basic text display as well as file transfer performance. ZTerm was widely regarded as the best terminal program on the Mac.[1][2][3]

Its hardware support included carrier detect (CD), hardware hangup (DTR) and hardware flow control, as well as speeds up to 119,200 bit/s on those machines that supported it. These features were not universally supported in Mac hardware, so many terminal emulators simply didn't bother to implement them at all. Even if these speeds were offered, most emulators of the era were so slow that they had trouble keeping up with faster modems, especially 9600 bit/s and faster.[4]

ZTerm supported one of the widest variety of file transfer protocols available on the Mac, including a full implementation of ZModem, YModem, YModem-G, almost all of the common varieties of XModem with different packet sizes and error correction methods,[5] and even the rare but useful B protocol (CIS-B) for use on Compuserve. ZTerm also supported auto-starting transfers from ZModem and CIS-B, where commands from the host triggered transfers from the client.

Additionally, ZTerm included a complete PC graphics character set and ANSI escape codes, including color. This made it one of the few terminals on the Mac that properly displayed ASCII art, and allowed full interaction with PC-based bulletin board systems (BBS) that used these features extensively. ZTerm added the ability to use the mouse to position the cursor, sending the correct stream of ANSI codes to move it from the current to the clicked location.

Finally, ZTerm included a 10-verb built-in scripting language that allowed it to automate basic tasks. In addition to be able to run these manually, when a service was dialed using an entry in the editable Dial menu, ZTerm would look for a script with the same name and run it automatically.[6]

Versions

The first public version of ZTerm was 0.9, which was released in 1992. Two major versions followed; 1.0 of April1994 was a major release that added 16-color ANSI support instead of 8-color, user-selected fonts including Shift JIS support, Kermit protocol support, and auto-opening of downloaded files. The later was useful when used with offline mail readers like Blue Wave. Version 1.0.1, released in October 1995, was mostly a bug-fix release.[7]

By the time that macOS was being released around 2002, the BBS world had largely disappeared. However, a number of devices (including some routers and lab equipment) still use serial ports to communicate, typically for diagnostic and debugging purposes. On 19 April 2001, Alverson released version 1.1b4 that ran on Mac OS X 10.0, Mac OS 8.6 and Mac OS 9 using Carbon.[8] Later a “Classic” version was released that did not require Carbon, allowing it to run on older machines that could not support Mac OS 8 or Mac OS 9. On 18 July 2011, Alverson released a Universal Binary version 1.2 that runs on Mac OS X 10.4 through Mac OS X 10.14. Because this version is not 64-bit, however, ZTerm will not run on Mac OS X 10.15 and above.

On modern machines without built-in serial ports, ZTerm can identify and use a wide variety of USB-based serial devices.[9] The list of supported hardware includes the standard Macintosh serial ports and Geoport on pre-PowerPC G3 CPU PowerPC Macintosh computers, the built-in Apple internal modem slot and the USB ports on PowerPC G3, PowerPC G4, PowerPC G5 and Intel-based Macintosh computers, and can be configured to work with adapters (including various USB port to serial port adaptors - such as those made by Keyspan,[10] and Apple internal modem slot to serial port adaptors - like the Stealth Serial Port[11] and the now discontinued Griffin Technology gPort, under OS X), giving it a unique use for BBSers and hardware tinkerers.

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title: ZTerm

question: What made ZTerm such an advanced terminal emulator for Macintosh in the 90s?

answer: ZTerm is a shareware terminal emulator introduced in 1992 to run on macOS. It implemented a high-performance file transfer protocol as well as support hardware control flow going up to 119,200/bit/s which was rare at the time as most fast modems were using 9600 bit/s. ZTerm supported different file transfer protocols on Mac and almost all varieties of XModem with different packet sizes. Also, it supported PC graphics and ANSI codes, making it one of the very few terminals to support color.


text:
Progressive Plant Growing is a Blooming Business

04.23.07

Soil. Water. Say that plants don't need them and people may think you've traded your cow -- and your good sense -- for a handful of beans. But NASA-sponsored plant experiments prove that you don't need soil and lots of water to grow a beanstalk that would make Jack proud.

[These plants have developed healthy root systems, all while growing in a no-soil environment.] Plants have been to space since 1960, but NASA's plant growth experiments began in earnest during the 1990s. Experiments aboard the space shuttle and International Space Station have exposed plants to the effects of microgravity. These experiments use the principles of aeroponics: growing plants in an air/mist environment with no soil and very little water.

Image at right: These plants have developed healthy root systems without soil in a rapid-growth aeroponic system. (Image credit: AgriHouse, Inc.)

In 1997, NASA-sponsored studies aboard the Mir space station studied adzuki bean seeds and seedlings, a high-protein Asian food crop. While the beans were growing in zero gravity, ground control experiments watched to see how another group of seeds and seedlings responded on Earth. Both sets of plants were treated with an all-natural, organically-derived, disease control liquid known as Organic Disease Control, or Organically Derived Colloidals (ODC).

While all of the seeds did well, those aboard Mir grew more than those on Earth. Both sets of plants treated with the ODC method grew more robustly and exhibited less fungal infection than the untreated seeds and seedlings.

Results from NASA's research aboard Mir has contributed to rapid-growth systems now used on Earth. Plants are started from either cuttings or seeds, then suspended mid-air in a growing chamber. The developing root systems grow in an enclosed, air-based environment that is regularly misted with a fine, nutrient-rich spray. [A grower clips the leaves of plants grown in the openings of an aeroponic chamber.]

Aeroponic growing systems provide clean, efficient, and rapid food production. Crops can be planted and harvested in the system year round without interruption, and without contamination from soil, pesticides, and residue. Since the growing environment is clean and sterile, it greatly reduces the chances of spreading plant disease and infection commonly found in soil and other growing media.

Image at right: A grower clips the leaves of plants grown in the openings of an aeroponic growing chamber. (Image credit: AgriHouse, Inc.)

The suspended system also has other advantages. Seedlings don't stretch or wilt while their roots are forming. Once the roots are developed, the plants can be easily moved into any type of growing media without the risk of transplant shock, which often sets back normal growth.

Aeroponics systems can reduce water usage by 98 percent, fertilizer usage by 60 percent, and pesticide usage by 100 percent, all while maximizing crop yields. Plants grown in the aeroponic systems have also been shown to uptake more minerals and vitamins, making the plants healthier and potentially more nutritious.

As an example, let's talk tomatoes. Tomato growers traditionally start their plants in pots, waiting at least 28 days before transplanting them into the ground. Using an aeroponic system, growers can start the plants in the growing chamber, then transplant them just 10 days later. This advanced technology produces six tomato crop cycles per year, instead of the traditional one to two crop cycles.

That's good news for those who love marinara sauce.

Successful long-term missions into deep space will require that crews grow some of their own food during flight. Aeroponic crops are also a potential source of fresh oxygen and clean drinking water. But this is about more than a breath of fresh air or taking a quick shower. Each ounce of food and water produced aboard a spacecraft reduces payload weight, allowing space for other cargo that can't be produced onboard.

With technology like this, jumping over the moon won't be reserved for fairy tales.

Read the entire article in _Spinoff 2006_. + View PDF, 9.6 MB

question: How can you grow a plant without soil?

answer: You can use aeroponics system to grow plants without soil.

question: What is aeroponics?

answer: Aeroponics is a plant growing technique in air/mist environments with no soil and very little water.

question: What is ODC?

answer: ODC is an all-natural, organically-derived disease control liquid.

question: What are some other benefits of aeroponics systems?

answer: Aeroponics systems can reduce water usage by 98 percent, fertilizer usage by 60 percent, and pesticide usage by 100 percent, all while maximizing crop yields.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: This article explains the research being done about aeroponics, a plant growing technique in which little soil and water are used.


text:
[Music Feeds Issue 14] _MUSIC FEEDS_ is a free bi-weekly digital music and lifestyle magazine (street press) established in 2008 and based in Sydney, Australia. It is distributed electronically every second Tuesday, with additional material posted on the website regularly.[1]

As distinct from direct competitors _Drum Media_ and _Brag_, _Musicfeeds_ purports to cover more independent and self-funded musicians. This is a distinction that has been noted by several local music sources.[2][3][4]

Since 2012, Music Feeds moved to a 24/7 online music publication and regularly covers local and international music news, events, and releases.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

title: Music Feeds

question: What is Music Feeds?

answer: Music Feeds is a free bi-weekly digital music and lifestyle magazine (street press) established in 2008 and based in Sydney, Australia.

question: What is Music Feed's distribution schedule?

answer: It is distributed electronically every second Tuesday, with additional material posted on the website regularly.

question: Who are Music Feed's direct competitors?

answer: Drum Media and Brag

question: How is Music Feeds different from its competition?

answer: Several local music sources say that Musci Feed covers more independent and self-funded musicians.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Music Feeds is a free bi-weekly digital music and lifestyle magazine (street press) established in 2008 and based in Sydney, Australia. Since 2012, Music Feeds moved to a 24/7 online music publication and regularly covers local and international music news, events, and releases.


text:
The GOVERNOR OF THE BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS (Filipino: _Tagapangasiwa ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas_) is the chief executive officer of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. This position succeeds and replaces the earlier post of GOVERNOR OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES.

On March 4, 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Secretary of Budget and Management Benjamin Diokno as the fifth Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. He will serve the unexpired term of his predecessor, Nestor Espenilla Jr., which will end in July 2023.[1]

Roles with other agencies

He also serves as the chairman and principal representative of the Monetary Board; chairman of Anti-Money Laundering Council and Philippine International Convention Center; vice-chairman of the Governing Council of Agriculture Credit Policy Council; member of the Capital Market Development Council, Export Development Council, PhilExport board of trustees, and Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency; and director of Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Development Council, and National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation.[2]

Powers and duties

His powers and duties as the chief executive officer of the Bangko Sentral shall be to:

1.  Prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Monetary Board and to submit for the consideration of the Board the policies and measures that he believes to be necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of said Act;
2.  Execute and administer the policies and measures approved by the Monetary Board;
3.  Direct and supervise the operations and internal administration of the Bangko Sentral. The Governor may delegate certain of his administrative responsibilities to other officers or may assign specific tasks or responsibilities to any full-time member of the Monetary Board without additional remuneration or allowance whenever he may deem fit or subject to such rules and regulations as the Monetary Board may prescribe;
4.  Appoint and fix the remunerations and other emoluments of personnel below the rank of a department head in accordance with the position and compensation plans approved by the Monetary Board, as well as to impose disciplinary measures upon personnel of the Bangko Sentral, subject to the provisions of Section 15(c) of said Act: Provided, That removal of personnel shall be with the approval of the Monetary Board;
5.  Render opinions, decisions, or rulings, which shall be final and executory until reversed or modified by the Monetary Board, on matters regarding application or enforcement of laws pertaining to institutions supervised by the Bangko Sentral and laws pertaining to quasi-banks, as well as regulations, policies or instructions issued by the Monetary Board, and the implementation thereof; and
6.  Exercise such other powers as may be vested in him by the Monetary Board.

In capacity as the principal representative of Bangko Sentral and the Monetary Board and in accordance with the instructions of the Monetary Board, he shall be empowered to:

1.  Represent the Monetary Board and the Bangko Sentral in all dealings with other offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the Government, and all other persons or entities, public or private, whether domestic, foreign or international;
2.  Sign contracts entered into by the Bangko Sentral, notes and securities issued by the Bangko Sentral, all reports, balance sheets, profit and loss statements, correspondence, and other documents of the Bangko Sentral;
3.  Represent the Bangko Sentral, either personally or through counsel, including private counsel, as may be authorized by the Monetary Board, in any legal proceedings, action or specialized legal studies; and
4.  Delegate his power to represent the Bangko Sentral, to other officers upon his own responsibility: Provided, however, That in order to preserve the integrity and the prestige of his office, the Governor of the Bangko Sentral may choose not to participate in preliminary discussions with any multilateral banking or financial institution on any negotiations for the Government within or outside the Philippines. During the negotiations, he may instead be represented by a permanent negotiator.[3]

List of Governors of Bangko Sentral

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Governors of the Central Bank[4]                                      |
+=======================================================================+
| Name                                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Miguel Cuaderno Sr.                                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Andres Castillo                                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Alfonso Calalang                                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Gregorio Licaros                                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Jaime C. Laya                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Jose B. Fernandez Jr.                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Jose L. Cuisia Jr.                                                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Governors of the Bangko Sentral                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Name                                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Gabriel Singson                                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Rafael Buenaventura                                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Amando Tetangco Jr.                                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Nestor Espenilla Jr.                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Benjamin Diokno                                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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question: Who was appointed to the position in 2019?

answer: Benjamin Diokno

question: What organizations is the governor also the chairman of?

answer: The Monetary Board, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, and the Philippine International Convention Center

question: Who is the current governor's predecessor?

answer: Nestor Espenilla Jr.

question: When will the current governor's term end?

answer: July 2023

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The Governor of the Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas is the chief executive officer of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The Governor also serves several roles in various other agencies. The role is currently held by Benjamin Diokno.


text:
01 November at 23:45

Napoli's Algerian full-back Faouzi Ghoulam was forced to come off due to an injury midway through the first halfwhen the Partenopei hosted Manchester City in the group stages of the Champions League.

The first reports from Sky Sports and Mediaset Premium are hardly any consolation for Maurizio Sarri either. Both Italian outlets report that the first examinations conducted tonight indicate that the Algerian international has suffered an injury to the cruciate ligaments in his right knee.

According to both reports the player will undergo a full medical examination tomorrow afternoon when the final verdict is expected as Napoli hold their breath to see how long they will have to be without one of the Serie A's best full-backs for the past few seasons.

  _Nima Tavallaey Roodsari_

question: What is the relationship between Maurizio Sarri and Napoli?

answer: It is not stated explicitly in the text, but it can be inferred that he is the Napoli team's manager.

question: What is Partenopei?

answer: It can be another name used for the Napoli football team.

question: Why did Faouzi Ghoulam come off midway through the match with Manchester City?

answer: First examinations indicated that he suffered an injury to the cruciate ligaments in this right knee.

question: Is Faouzi Ghoulam good?

answer: Yes, he is one of the best full-backs in Serie A for the past few seasons.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Faouzi Ghoulam was injured midway through Napoli's Serie A game against Manchester City. He is one of the best full-backs in Serie A for the past few seasons.


text:
The DRDO SMART ANTI-AIRFIELD WEAPON (SAAW) is a long-range precision-guided anti-airfield weapon currently developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is designed to be capable of engaging ground targets with high precision up to a range of .

The SAAW project was approved by the Government of India in 2013. The first successful test of the weapon was conducted in May 2016. Another successful test was conducted in November of the following year. This was followed by a series of three successful tests in December 2017.

Between 16 and 18 August 2018, three successful tests were conducted, which brought the total number of tests to eight.

In September 2020, the SAAW was approved for procurement by the Indian government for the Navy and the Air Force.[1]

Description

The SAAW is being developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), and other DRDO laboratories in collaboration with the Indian Air Force (IAF).[2][3] It is a lightweight high precision guided bomb designed to destroy ground targets, such as runways, bunkers, aircraft hangars and other reinforced structures.[4][5][6] Weighing [7] it has deep penetration capabilities,[8][9] carries a high explosive warhead[10] and has a standoff range of , which will allow users to strike targets, such as enemy airfields, at a safe distance without putting pilots and aircraft at risk.[11][12] It is India's first fully indigenous anti-airfield weapon, being designed and developed wholly by DRDO.[13][14]

According to DRDO chief S. Christopher, unlike normal bombs in the Indian inventory which are sensitive to environmental conditions and therefore may not precisely hit the intended target, the precision-guided SAAW has higher precision and can precisely hit the intended target.[15] According to him, “_this is a sort of guided bomb and it will be much much cheaper than a missile or rocket, the reason being that it is not having a propulsion, it is making use of the aircraft's propulsion. It can go and land in a place we want._”[16]

The SAAW can currently be launched from the Jaguar and Su-30MKI aircraft. The former is capable of carrying six such weapons.[17] There are plans to integrate the weapon with the Dassault Rafale when it is inducted into the Indian Air Force.[18]

Development and trials

In September 2013, the SAAW project was sanctioned by the Indian Government for rupees .[19][20] The project finds mention in a written note submitted by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to the Standing Committee on Defence, in a report on 'Demands for Grants' to be provided in 2014–15 to the Ordnance Factories Board and DRDO. It is also listed in the list of current programmes of the Mission and Combat System R&D Center (MCSRDC) of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).[21]

Trials for the wing functioning of the weapon were successfully conducted in late 2015 at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility located at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Ramgarh, Haryana.[22]

According to plans, the weapon was to be tested by the beginning of May 2016 in Jaisalmer. However, owing to technical reasons, the test had to be aborted twice.[23] The weapon was finally tested at the end of the first week of May 2016 by the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) of the IAF from a Jaguar DARIN II aircraft in Bengaluru, and the test was successful.[24][25]

A second test of the weapon was successfully conducted on 24 December 2016 by the DRDO from a Su-30MKI aircraft at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha. It included captive flight and release tests which were tracked by radar and telemetry ground stations at the ITR throughout the flight duration.[26][27][28]

On 3 November 2017, a series of three tests were successfully conducted from an Indian Air Force aircraft at the ITR at Chandipur, Odisha.[29][30] The bomb, upon release from the aircraft, was guided by an on-board precision navigation system and reached the targets at a range of more than 70 kilometers with high accuracy.[31][32][33] According to a statement by the MoD, the tests were conducted with different release conditions and ranges.[34] The statement also cited DRDO chief S. Christopher as saying that the weapon will soon be inducted into service.[35]

On 19 August 2018, the MoD announced through a press release that a total of three tests were successfully conducted from a Jaguar aircraft between 16 and 18 August 2018 at the Chandan range in Pokhran, Rajasthan, thus bringing the total number of tests to eight.[36][37] During the tests, the SAAW, fitted with a live warhead, destroyed the intended targets with high precision. The press statement further said that all the mission objectives were achieved, adding that the tests were witnessed by senior officials from DRDO, HAL and IAF.[38]

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[38]

title: DRDO Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon

question: Write a short description of the DRDO Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon.

answer: The DRDO Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon or SAAW is a long-range precision-guided anti-airfield bomb developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), and other DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) laboratories in collaboration with the Indian Air Force (IAF). It was sanctioned in 2013 and was tested from 2016 to 2018.

question: What is the weapon's purpose?

answer: It is designed to destroy ground targets, such as runways, bunkers, aircraft hangars, and other reinforced structures.

question: How long did it take to make the weapon?

answer: Five years. The project was sanctioned in 2013 and was tested until 2018.

question: Who sanctioned the project for the weapon?

answer: The project was sanctioned by the Indian Government.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The DRDO Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon or SAAW is a long-range precision-guided anti-airfield bomb developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation. It was sanctioned in 2013 and was tested from 2016 to 2018.


text:
“Where am I? Who are these people around me?” I thought to myself when I first woke up. I slowly lifted myself up and rubbed my eyes thoroughly as if there was something in them, but nothing was. I looked over; a lady kindly greeted me and handed me a folder. As soon as the folder was within my possession I knew what must be done; it was pure instinct. I immediately opened it up and read all of the information.
     I remembered that my name was Bob Lamron. I am 23 years old, have neither children nor a wife; they were only given to you if you had proven yourself faithful and intelligent enough. I asked the women who handed me the folder where I was and what events had occurred that left me in this situation. She just looked at me and smiled.
Two rather large males, who appeared to be body guards disguised as physicians, led me out the front door. As soon as I walked out, a car appeared out of nowhere. From the car came a robotic voice; it addressed me by name and commanded me to enter the automobile.          As I got in the car, the voice spoke again. It asked me what my home address was. I had no clue; I could not even remember if I had children 10 minutes ago. How was I supposed to answer the voice with details of my forget life? The women who had presented me with the folder, a nurse, that I had woken up next to, ran out of the building and handed me the same folder that I had left behind in the room. I opened it up and aloud, “2534 Egareva Rd.” As soon as the words had left my mouth, the taxi immediately sped off, presumably to the address.
As I saw the things I passed by I started to remember details, like I had never forgotten them at all. Trees, Birds, people, restaurants, fountains, everything! It was all flooding in as if there was a dam in my brain and it had just been ruptured without notice. We arrived at my house and I opened the front door. I walked into my room and sat down. I could not recall the events that had occurred before I woke up. It was like the dam of knowledge in my mind had been concealed. My mind had locked away any memories of the events and I could not do anything about it. The more I thought, the more my head hurt.
It felt like one of those moments when you are mid conversation with someone and another person, uninvolved in the conversation, calls your name. You stop talking in order to address the interjection of your name, but when you try to come back into the original conversation, you can’t remember what you were talking about no matter how hard you try. I sat there on my couch and tried as hard as I could to recall what had happened.
I then positioned myself so that I could see out of the window. I saw a grey, bleak world. Everything was so average, so normal. The only color people were given permission to wear were different shades of grey. The lighter your color, the higher up your social class was. I was just an average grey.
As I was thinking through all of this, my eyes were fixed upon a section of peeling paint in the right corner of my peripheral vision. For some reason I knew I was supposed to go over to it; it was like I had some kind of cosmic urge. My hand lifted from my side and I started to peel the paint. It came off fairly easily, far too easier than any paint should have, for that matter. Suddenly, I saw something concealed under the peeling paint. I knew I had to uncover it. As I tore the paint off a fit overcame me. Next thing I knew, I was tearing, ripping, and enjoying this more than anything I had enjoyed before. I was ripping everything in sight off the wall.
I stepped back and looked at my wall and there was writing everywhere. The memories started flooding back into my head of what had happened. I had uncovered something big. The government had been spiking everyone. Now they wouldn’t just bug a room, or a camera in a park to see what was going on, they were putting microphones in you. They had put chips in your brain so that they could see, think, hear, and smell everything you have ever come in contact with. Knowing I had just remembered this I knew they would be after me. I shut the blinds and closed the door in my room.
I lightly lifted a blind cover and looked out the window. I saw a slim, black, shiny car pulled up to the front of my building. The same two men who had accompanied me out of the hospital got out of the black car. I sat there shaking, wondering what I could do. The second I saw them barge in through the front door, I jumped out of my second story bedroom and landed on the pavement. My ankle buckled and I felt a sharp pain but I knew I had to get out of here and tell someone what is going on. I screamed names but no one would listen to me. I was living in a selfish world where people only cared about themselves. I gave up. I fell to the floor, my ankle throbbing, and looked at the door to my building, expecting the two men to walk through. I was doomed.
The two men eventually came out of my building and grabbed me. They didn’t say a word; all they would do is stare straight forward. Then they put me in the back of the car and drove off. It was the exact same route that led back to my house. I had only been out for an hour, at most and here I was, being dragged back.
When I got there the female nurse was sitting there with a needle filled with what appeared to be a sedative. As she inserted it in my vein, two doctors walked into the room. The first said, “Okay, begin sedation and we’ll get ready for the micro-chip reset.”
The other doctor responded, “Looks like this one didn’t turn out to well again like the last time.”
	As they finished their sentences I realized something. They have been resetting everyone until they get every single one of us to be perfect for their society. They don’t want people to have character or personality; they are just looking to create the most generic human being, like emotionless robots. As I thought this, I started to black out.
“Where am I? Who are these people around me?” I thought to myself when I first woke up. I slowly lifted myself up and rubbed my eyes thoroughly as if there was something in them, but nothing was. I looked over; a lady kindly greeted me and handed me a folder.

title: Deja Vu

question: Does the narrator know why they have forgotten who they are?

answer: Towards the end of the story, the narrator realizes they and many others had been microchipped so that the government could monitor everyone's senses and keep them controlled. When the narrator misbehaves, his microchip is reset and he can't remember anything.

question: What is the narrator comparing to being mid-conversation and someone else calls your name?

answer: He compares this feeling to his inability to uncover the memories of the events that occurred before he woke up.

question: What event is the narrator struggling to remember?

answer: He recalls that he had discovered something big about his government. The government had been spiking people with the microchips so that they could view every sense a person has.

question: Describe the scene with the narrator and the peeling paint.

answer: The narrator is drawn to peeling paint in his home. He peels back the paint and discovers that his wall was covered in writing. This causes him to remember that he must have uncovered something big about the government. This results in him being sent back to the hospital because the microchips that are planted in citizens brains track each sense a person has.

question: Who did the narrator have to prove himself as faithful and intelligent enough to?

answer: The government

question: Does the narrator have any loved ones?

answer: It does not appear so.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator wakes up in a hospital with no recollection of who he is until he's given a file with all his information. Despite this, he can't remember why he was brought to the hospital in the first place. He's taken home where he has an urge to peel the paint off his wall. This uncovers writing, and makes him realize he had uncovered something big about the government's use of microchips, which are used to spy on people's senses and to keep them robotic. Within minutes he is picked up by handlers, and taken to the hospital to have his microchip and memory reset again.


text:
You are here:

Cancer information / Cancer types / Prostate / Statistics

-   Statistics

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It is the third leading cause of death from cancer in men in Canada.

To provide the most current cancer statistics, researchers use statistical methods to estimate the number of new cancer cases and deaths until actual data become available_._

Incidence and mortality

Incidence is the total number of new cases of cancer. Mortality is the number of deaths due to cancer.

It is estimated that in 2020:

-   23,300 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This represents 20% of all new cancer cases in men in 2020.
-   4,200 men will die from prostate cancer. This represents 10% of all cancer deaths in men in 2020.
-   On average, 64 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every day.
-   On average, 11 Canadian men will die from prostate cancer every day.

[Pie chart shows prostate cancer is 20 percent of all cancers cases in men estimated for 2020]

[Pie chart shows that prostate cancer is 10 percent of all estimated cancer deaths in men in 2020]

Trends in prostate cancer

In Canada, the incidence rate of prostate cancer peaked in 1993 and again in 2001. Each of these peaks was followed by a decline. The decline has been particularly steep since 2011. The patterns in prostate cancer incidence largely mirror screening activity using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

The death rate for prostate cancer has been declining since 1994. The decline likely reflects improved treatment.

Chances (probability) of developing or dying from prostate cancer

It is estimated that about 1 in 9 Canadian men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime and 1 in 29 will die from it.

For more information, go to Canadian Cancer Statistics.

PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN (PSA)

A protein made by the prostate that is normally found in the semen and blood. Higher amounts of PSA may be found in the blood of men who have prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or inflammation of the prostate.

PSA can be used as a tumour marker. It is used to monitor a man’s response to treatment for prostate cancer, or to see if prostate cancer has come back (recurred) after treatment.

-   Need more information?
    If you are outside Canada

    We can give information about cancer care and support services in Canada only. To find a cancer organization in your country, visit Union for International Cancer Control or International Cancer Information Service Group.

Stories

[Dr Robert Day] “Targeting an “evil twin” enzyme in prostate cancer”

How can you stop cancer before it starts?

[It's My Life! icon]

Discover how 16 factors affect your cancer risk and how you can take action with our interactive tool – It’s My Life! Presented in partnership with Desjardins.

Learn more

question: What is the most common type of cancer among Canadian men?

answer: non-melanoma skin cancers, the second is prostate cancer. In addition to being the second most common type of cancer, it is also the third leading cause of cause of death from cancer in men.

question: In cancer statistics, what does incidence mean?

answer: This value indicates the total number of new cases of cancer under a certain time period.

question: In 2020, what was the projected statistics for cancer?

answer: approximately 116,500 men will be diagnosed with cancer and of this, 23,300 (20%) will be cases of prostrate cancer. Of all the cases, 42,000 will die and 10% of that will prostate cancer cases.

question: Are there advancements in how prostate cancer is diagnosed?

answer: Higher amounts of prostate-specific antigens are considered as a possible tumor marker.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: Prostate cancer is a prevalent problem for men that has seen an increase in cases over the years. It causes about 10% of all cancer related deaths for men and as such, should be a health concern. Men to learn more about this and to be checked for it.


text:
[Anheuser-Busch is sending more than 250,000 cans of water to Louisiana flood victims.]
Residents of Louisiana will soon be drinking ice-cold cans from Anheuser-Busch, but they won’t be alcoholic.

Anheuser-Busch is sending more than 250,000 cans of emergency water to Louisiana flood victims.

The death toll from historic flooding rose to 11 on Tuesday. Floodwaters have damaged more than 40,000 homes and continue to overwhelm Baton Rouge and much of southern Louisiana.

The first of five truckloads of emergency drinking water will arrive in Baton Rouge today, according to Anheuser-Busch.

The cans of water are in direct response to a call from the Red Cross for drinking water in communities hit by devastating floods.

In the last few months, the company sent 100,000 cans of water to firefighters and victims of the wildfires in California and 100,000 to victims of flooding in West Virginia.

“Throughout the year we periodically pause production at our brewery to can drinking water so we are ready to help communities in times of disaster,” said Sarah Schilling, Sr. Brewmaster of Anheuser-Busch’s Cartersville brewery,said in a statement.

The Baton Rouge donations bring the companies water donations to more than 1 million cans thisyear, according to the statement.

_Follow @MaryBowerman on Twitter._

question: How many cans of emergency water are being sent to Louisiana flood victims?

answer: 250,000.

question: How high is the death toll from the historic flooding?

answer: 11.

question: How many homes have been damaged by flood?

answer: More than 40,000.

question: How many cans of water have been sent in the last few months?

answer: 100,000.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: The article summarizes the situation after a flood in Louisiana and the situation with how much relief in the form of cans of water had been sent to the effected region.


text: Though the showers predicted by the forecast were worse than mentioned, Sir Kingston still expected Allen to show up on time. The  "Franklin Temple," where Kingston planned to meet Allen, was a hell hole and the last place to plan a meeting at. Kingston, however, was no new-comer and was well aware of its rowdiness and danger. A fight near the poker table was the main attraction at the present moment, but Kingston and a couple of other people kept to their own well being. The front door swung open, but it was the coming in rain and cold air that brought the peoples attention to it. It was only a person to the people, but for Kingston it was Allen. " Here boy," Kingston exclaimed to the bright-eyed teen, and Allen made his way quickly to the table. Allen sat and drew in some air, " I almost drowned out in that weather," he said. Before Kingston could get in a word, three hefty men in grey and blue rammed their way through the doors, it was the authority. People took to the exits in hoping they won't be caught as the authorities made their way towards the brawlers near the pool table. Kingston motioned towards Allen to head for the doors and got up. As they made way for the exit a pair of arms grabbed the two men and stopped them in their tracks. " Strangers," exclaimed the authority "You are to remain silent and resist any temptations to struggle." Allen exchanged a worried glance at Kingston, but he seemed to not be troubled. " You are arrested for engaging in illegal conduct," said the man. The two of them were quickly escorted outside the pub and into the open doors of an authority vehicle. Inside it they were greeted by the two brawlers, now bloody and bruised, and sat down facing each other. Their hands were tied and they were strapped to their seats. As expected the young, worried Allen struggled in his present state, but not Kingston." There is no use in struggling, just sit and do as instructed," commanded Kingston. With that Allen sat still, not saying a word as the doors on the vehicle closed. Allen looked out the little window next to his head and saw the pub grow shorter and shorter in the distance. Kingston sat with his quiet manner like he did in the pub.

title: A lone man's game.

question: Which people are meeting?

answer: Sir Kingston and Allen.

question: What is meant by "it was only a person to the people"?

answer: I think it might mean that the person is insignificant unless you know them.

question: What is the "alien conduct" Kingston and Allen are arrested for?

answer: It is not explained.

question: What might happen next?

answer: They could be taken to a police station or a jail.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Allen and Sir Kingston meet at what appears to be a casino. Kingston seems to be more of a quiet, unassuming man. They are accosted by two men and arrested for what the men claim is "alien misconduct".  They are led to a vehicle containing two familiar bruised brawlers and driven away from the casino.


text:
He came around, blood dripping from a halo of dyed black hair, and the first thing his mother asked was if he had seen God.

“Did you see him boy? Did you see our Holy Father? I bet he gave you a talking to!” she yelled over the sound of the siren.

The ambulance hit a bump on the road, almost concealing the slight shake of his head that she didn’t notice. He tried to sit up but I gently pushed him down and told him to relax, while I redressed the bandages around his head. I watched his gaze travel to the landscape beyond the window glass that flashed between black and scorching red. His eyes seemed empty, hollow, like a dead man’s. He should be dead – that’s what a bullet to the head does, right?

“You’re a fool, you deserve to go to hell for this,” his mother said. Her nervous eyes glanced back and forth and a silver cross hung from a chain around her neck. She began ruffling through the pages of the bible that she had wasted precious to run and get before letting the ambulance leave. Stray verses and words were mumbled to no one in particular.

He didn’t look at her, or at me, or at the barely noticeable bloodstains in his black tee shirt. He just kept looking outside.

“So what did God say to you? Did he give you a glimpse of Hell? Suicide is a holy sin, you know that,” the woman continued unceasingly.

“Ma’am…” I said softly, but she ignored me.

“You’ll end up in a gutter somewhere with no one but God one day, and you better hope he sees a prodigal son in you,” she said.

His lips moved but no sound came out. He kept his eyes averted, straight out of that window. He tried again, and this time I held up a hand to quiet his mother, who finally took the hint that he had something to say. The first noise was a rough cough, but then words came, barely audible over the wail of the siren.

“There is no God… no God,” he said.

His mother, for the first time that night, appeared speechless, but only for a moment.

“Of course there is, don’t be stupid.”

“No.” He was more forceful the second time. “First there was pain, then darkness, but there was no God, no heavenly lights or flaming depths. There was only Death.”

That time she was struck dumb for real. He took advantage and kept going, his voice getting stronger with each word.

“I looked into the face of Death and saw him for who he is. There were no skulls or sickles, just… his eyes, they…” The boy broke off, unable to describe his vision, although his own eyes showed it all, even as they gazed beyond what the rest of us could see. Neither his mother nor I spoke until he went on.

“He asked me the same question he asks every person who comes to him; why did I deserve a second chance? What made me so special? I told him I wanted to die, that I did this on purpose. He looked at me with those eyes and told me I had to learn to live before I could die, and he sent me back.”

Silence filled the ambulance, and it took me several minutes to realize I had duties to perform, and quickly began running checks and applying fresh bandages. As I checked his blood pressure, he looked at me, and I saw that something had filled in those empty eyes. I knew it and he knew it; he was going to be okay.

title: Ambulance

question: Summarize what the boy sees when he shoots himself.

answer: First he sees only darkness. Then he sees the face of Death and stares into his eyes. Death asks the boy why he deserves a second chance. When the boy reveals that he wishes to die, Death tells him he has to learn to live first.

question: Summarize how the mother's reactions shift over the course of the story.

answer: At first the mother is very angry, yelling at the boy cand calling him a fool. She becomes nervous as she ruffles through a bible. When her son says there is no God, she becomes speechless.

question: Summarize everything related to religion.

answer: The boy's mother asks the boy if he saw God. She fears that the boy will go to hell for attempting to commit suicide. She wears a cross and ruffles through a bible, mumbling verses. She asks the boy what God said to him. The boy replies that there is no God.

question: What does the story say about the reason the boy wanted to die?


text:
Thanks to u/anxiousacademy

Her eyes are impervious to the intrusion of photons as they cross paths with the image of the city below. The few bands of light that intersect those reflected from the surfaces of the people and cars that make up the cells inside the concrete membrane of the venous boulevard, have no effect on the finality of the view. Corrinna wonders about the consequences of the delay present between what she sees and what exists. A tenth of a second earlier, a small black Mercedes causes a man to renegotiate his deal with his god, when its side view mirror rips his cell phone from his hands. Obliterated, the injury is intensified when the shattered plastic is tossed in the air, having been redistributed by the car's tires. When the light hits Corrinnas eyes, and one-tenth of second later, and is comprehended by her consciousness, she breathes in quickly through her pouted lips. Audibly stunned, she is also relieved to see the man hasn't been coincidedly destroyed. Could she have done anything? She ponders alone encompassed in the stagnant cold of the glass, in front of which she stands. Even if she had been standing beside him, her own reaction wouldn't even occur until well after the car had passed. In the wake of the incident, all she could do was provide calm, and leave him with consolations to the affect of “for what it's worth, at least you're not hurt.” In two-tenths of a second, the event had already proven to be historic. Archived, as it happened, in her passive memory. Where it's told to remain, and haunt her ideas of control. In a sense, she winces at a memory. In a time-line perceived as real, but doubted nonetheless, for it's disregard of human nature. There's nothing she can do. She imagines a time machine. She materializes just behind the careless man. The fade of the transfer wears off in a pulses of static at the edges of her vision. It reminds her of standing up too quickly after her nightly binge of mystery serials, but without the weak knees. Days of rehearsed strategy culminated in this one chance to prevent a minor inconvenience from upsetting the existential nature of one inconsequential existence. The pulsing is gone, and the event queues her muscle memory with a quick right open handed jab for the hood of the man's wooly parka. But something is wrong. She can feel differences in the wind that brushes across her cheek, that she knew was not present in the simulations. The amplitude of the sound waves hitting her ear, created by the oblivious car approaching in her peripheral, are not consistent with the dopplered ones she was familiar with in practice. For a nano-second, she attributed the oversights to unknowns that she felt would be irrelevant to the outcome of the mission. Minutia in a sea of error, that itself was accounted for, and calculated to be acceptable. But the matter of self doubt proved to be ever-present, and panic gripped her stomach as her arm stretched, with what felt like an infinity towards the target. She could feel the tingling of loosened cotton strands against the tips of her fingers and wondered if she instead was feeling a static electric charge arcing out to meet her; an embodiment of a positive action mating with a negative solution. She felt it was poetic. The phone explodes. Splintering a rain of plastic to the street and sidewalk. A portion of it laid to rest in a storm drain. Corrinna's mouth, agape in surprise and her arm left grasping, the man turrets his body in the direction of the car and screams out to it. The man grunts frustratedly, and punctuates it by drooping his head to meet his index finger and thumb, eager to massage his eyeballs. He sees a scuffed pair of combat boots, and follows the legs up past the torso, to meet Corrinna's distant gaze, fixed in what he assumes is an astonishment similar to his. He sees her outstretched arm, and manages a defeated gratuity. “No...problem,” she drawls in response. “Ha,” he torts, “two-tenths of a second earlier, and I'd probably still have a phone.” Corrinna rages behind her eyes in realization that by the time she processed his parka underneath her fingertips, it had already happened. “But I was so close,” she said to herself in aside. “Don't worry about it lady. There's nothing you coulda done about it.” She can see her breath fogging on the window, and is angered by the refracted light, cursing it for her failed daydream objective. Synapses fire, and thoughts convene in the pattern of questions she asks herself about the city, coursing like red blood cells, just outside her line of sight.

title: Just a Second Please (r/writingprompts inspired, u/anxiousacademy)

question: Who is the man in the incident?

answer: Information not found.

question: What was the incident?

answer: A car drives by a man, shattering the phone in his hands.

question: Is she successful in preventing the inconvenience?

answer: No

question: Is she a time traveler?

answer: Information not found.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: Corrinna tried to prevent a man from having his phone blown away from his hands by a moving car.


text:
EdTech & Design
Makerspaces engage students to learn in and out of school...

[Facts on Ed Makerspaces]

Makerspaces are informal community or in-school learning spaces that offer tools and resources for community members and students to tinker with a mix of traditional technologies – such as cardboard, wood, recycled plastic, or fabric – and more cutting-edge technologies – such as 3D printers and scanners, robotics, laser cutters, open-source computers, microcontrollers, and sensors. Makerspaces can be found in community centres, libraries, schools, and other public spaces, including pop-up Makerspaces setup for single day events and mobile Makerspaces that reach remote populations. While definitions vary, there were an estimated 1,400 Makerspaces worldwide in 2016: 14 times as many as there were in 2006.

Makerspaces engage students to learn in and out of school, by providing opportunities to:

-   DEVELOP 21ST CENTURY EMPLOYMENT SKILLS through solving problems and thinking creatively.
-   LEARN THROUGH PLAY AT THEIR OWN PACE BY DEVELOPING SELF-CONFIDENCE through designing objects and creating them with 3D printers or through programming a robot.
-   DEEPEN WHAT IS LEARNED IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART AND MATHEMATICS (STEAM) CLASSES, by making connections with real-life tasks and problems. Makerspaces are especially useful for engaging students who have not thrived in a traditional school setting, since these subjects are often taught in separate classes without practical applications.
-   EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS AND DEVELOP CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS, showing that solving complex social issues often requires multiple skills and people.
-   DEVELOP INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILD COMMUNITIES through activities that draw from community expertise and build shared goals with community members. This allows knowledge and skills to be shared and personal connections to be created between people of all ages, including strengthening teacher-student relationships.
-   DEVELOP COLLABORATION SKILLS AND TEACH OTHERS WHAT THEY LEARN, so that children understand that they can take on a variety of roles, such as being a leader, a builder, an organizer, a planner, a technician, an engineer or a designer.
-   DEVELOP FINE MOTOR SKILLS through using manual tools. This includes connecting circuits, assembling small parts together, and cutting, gluing, polishing or sanding objects.
-   LEARN BY TRIAL AND ERROR, take risks, and persevere in challenging situations where they feel supported in “getting their hands dirty.”

Evidence suggests that Makerspaces help develop practical skills that increase student engagement and prepare children for the 21st century job market. Whether repairing an old radio, knitting with embedded wearables, or building a robot, Makerspaces allow students to explore their interests, develop their passions, and thrive in the classroom and beyond.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RESOURCES

Davidson, A.-L. (2017). You too can experience the “maker scream. Concordia University. Retrieved from www.concordia.ca/cunews/main/stories/2017/05/03/maker-scream-education-professor-saltise-winner-ann-louise-davidson.html

Davidson, A.-L. (2017). On Focus. Retrieved from www.linkedin.com/pulse/focus-ann-louise-davidson/

Davidson, A.-L. (2017). This Easter, Conquer the Impossible with Your Kids. Retrieved from www.linkedin.com/pulse/easter-conquer-impossible-your-kids-ann-louise-davidson/

REFERENCES

Andersson, P. (2015). _Digital fabrication and open concepts: An emergent paradigm of consumer electronics production_. (Bachelor thesis, Umeå University). Retrieved from www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:822484/FULLTEXT0

Davidson, A.-L., Price, D. (2018). Does Your School Have the Maker Fever? An Experiential Learning Approach to Developing Maker Competencies. _Learning Landscapes_, 11(1), 103-120. Retrieved from www.learninglandscapes.ca/index.php/learnland/article/view/926/918

Lou, N., & Peek, K. (2016). “By The Numbers: The Rise of the Makerspace.” _Popular Science_. Retrieved from www.popsci.com/rise-makerspace-by-numbers

Fleming, L. (2015). _World of making: Best practices for establishing a makerspace for your school._ Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Peppler, K., Halverson, E., & Kafai, Y. (Eds.). (2016). _Makeology: Makerspaces as learning environments_(Volume 1). New York, NY: Routledge.

Peppler, K., Halverson, E., & Kafai, Y. (Eds.). (2016). _Makeology: Makers as learners_ (Volume 2). New York, NY: Routledge.

Sheridan, K., Halverson, E. R., Litts, B., Brahms, L., Jacobs-Priebe, L., & Owens, T. (2014). Learning in the making: A comparative case study of three makerspaces. _Harvard Educational Review,_ 84, 505–531.

Meet the Expert(s)

[ANN-LOUISE DAVIDSON EDCAN NETWORK]

Dr. Ann-Louise Davidson

Associate Professor of Education at Concordia University

Ann-Louise Davidson (PhD) is an Associate Professor of Education at Concordia University, and holds a Concordia University Research Chair in Maker Culture. She is Associate Director of the Milieu...

Read More

question: What kinds of students might benefit from being part of Makerspaces?

answer:
Makerspaces hosts spaces where there are tools and resources (from traditional items like wood and fabric to modern equipment like 3D printers and sensors) available for students who want to use them.

Makerspaces are for students interested in science and technology so they could develop their skills as well as try out things they've learned in school. Students who are struggling in school and desire to explore their interests can also find Makerspaces valuable.


text:
It was five days before Christmas, and the day my grandmother was arriving from New Jersey. A fresh coat of snow covered the old, and made the world seem brighter than it had been the days before. It was the third day of my winter break, so I enjoyed rising late in the day with the sun. My mother asked me to do a couple of chores to prepare for the imminent arrival of our Holiday guests. I was under a sort of sleepy spell that seems to come pre-packaged with short days and cold weather; I wanted to sit by the fire under a blanket forever. All the same I moved out to the car with a short grocery list in hand, armored by my jacket, hat, and mittens.

It didn’t take me long to get back home. I waited in the car for a moment to get my possessions straight. I needed to carry the groceries, while also being able to lock the car, which meant I would have to take a mitten off and carry that as well. Once I stepped out of the car, I saw a boy, about my age, carrying a shovel. This boy was one of several who were being paid to shovel driveways and sidewalks in the neighborhood. I walked past him as he began shoveling the steps up to my house. I rang the doorbell hopefully, but when no one came to answer, I set down the groceries and opened the door. I walked into the house, and put the groceries in their places. My mother called up to me from the basement, where she was wrapping Christmas presents. “Will, there’s a list of some places I want you to shovel on the kitchen counter.” I looked down at the list with reluctance, but it felt good once I started shoveling. I was working on the back steps when the boy came back and started shoveling the driveway. I thought about saying something to him, but the cold air and sound of moving snow muffled me.

One of the places I was told to shovel was the home-made ice rink in our backyard. My dad used to do it, setting up the tarp and wooden boards, but now we hire some men to come and set it up for us. I shoveled the rink systematically, completing the job as efficiently as possible. I have always enjoyed shoveling snow off of ice. It’s something about the way the ice is slowly revealed, like a grand mystery, which leaves me satisfied.

I walked back into the house and my mom told me we should be going to pick up grandma soon. We were getting ready to walk out the door when she pointed to a prank cockroach on a bench in the mudroom. “Would you go and hide that up in grandma’s room? It’s the one closest to the bathroom on the third floor.” Up I went. This was a game we had played when I was younger. My grandma and I would take turns hiding the cockroach somewhere where the other would be frightened by it. But now, for some reason, it was just a chore.

title: Chores

question: Why is grandmother coming over?

answer: She's spending Christmas with the narrator's family.

question: What chores does the narrator have to do?

answer: He has to do the groceries, shovel snow, go with his mom to pick up grandma, and hide the prank cockroach in grandma's room.

question: Who is the boy shoveling the driveway?

answer: He's a neighbor paid to shovel snow in the neighborhood.

question: Explain why the narrator think hiding the prank cockroach in grandma's room is a chore.

answer: It might be implied that the narrator is not in the mood to play games since he is too busy with house chores.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: It's almost Christmas, and grandma is coming over. The narrator is told by his mother to do some chores, such as shoveling snow and doing the groceries. Before picking up grandma, his mom told him to hide the prank cockroach in grandma's room. He feels that this, too, is just one of his chores.


text:
LUTTERWORTH is a market town and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The town is located in southern Leicestershire, close to the borders with Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. It is located north of Rugby, Warwickshire and south of Leicester.

At the 2011 UK census, the civil parish of Lutterworth had a population of 9,353.[1] The built up area of Lutterworth, which also includes the adjacent village of Bitteswell had a population of 9,907.[2]

History

Lutterworth was originally an Anglo Saxon settlement, its name is probably derived from the Old English _Hlutre Worth_: Lutterworth was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.[3]

Lutterworth was granted its market charter in 1214 by King John and became a small but busy market town.[4]

[St Mary's Church, Lutterworth]

In the 14th century, the religious reformer John Wycliffe was rector in St Mary's Church, Lutterworth between 1374 and 1384, and it was here that he is traditionally believed to have produced the first translation of the Bible from Latin into English.[5] The church was restored in the 19th century and a large tower replaced the original spire. The church still contains some 15th-century wall paintings.[6]

The Irish statesman Robert le Poer was parish priest here c.1318.

Lutterworth Grammar School was founded in 1630, by 1676 the population of Lutterworth had reached 644.[7]

In the days of the stagecoach, Lutterworth was an important stopping-place on the road from Leicester to Oxford and London, and many former coaching inns remain in the town.[8] The town also contains a number of well preserved half-timbered buildings.[9] [The Whittle Roundabout] Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine, developed some of the world's first jet engines at the British Thomson-Houston works in Lutterworth, and in nearby Rugby, during the late 1930s and the 1940s, with his company Power Jets. A replica of his first jet aircraft the Gloster E.28/39 stands in the middle of a roundabout just south of the town as a memorial and a number of papers and documents relating to Whittle's development of the jet engine are displayed at the town's museum.[10]

At the time of the first national census in 1801, Lutterworth had a population of 1,652, this had nearly doubled to 3,197 by 1901.[11] By 2001 it had reached 8,294. Further population growth in the 21st century has brought the population up to nearly 10,000 by 2017.[12]

Notable buildings

Cavalier Inn

One of the established landmarks of the town is the 17th-century building on the corner of George Street and Leicester Road, previously a tavern called the Cavalier Inn. The Cavalier Inn was located just on the northern edge of the town centre of Lutterworth. Although the building has been modified over the years, it still retains its rustic charm with stone walls and low ceilings and beams.

Originally called the “Ram Inn” – that part of George Street was called Ram Lane – it changed its name in the early 1970s after a brewery 'make-over' which greatly improved the interior. It is said that the brewery did not like the name Ram Inn and prudishly renamed it 'the Cavalier' after claims that wounded royalist soldiers sheltered in Lutterworth following the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In October 2010 the Cavalier Inn closed and was changed in status to a log-burning store, retailing log-burning fires and similar products and services.

Lutterworth Town Hall

The architect of Lutterworth Town Hall was Joseph Hansom, who took out the first patent of the horse-drawn hansom cab.[13] He also built Birmingham Town Hall.

Shambles Inn

Another of the landmarks of the town centre is the thatched roof & timber-framed building now known as the 'Shambles Inn'. This former abattoir and butcher's is the oldest timber-framed building in Lutterworth, dating back to the 16th century. It was first used as a public house from 1791 until 1840, when it was converted back to a home and butcher's shop. In 1982 it was converted back into a public house and named the Shambles.[14]

Local economy

To the west of the town [] is a large logistics and distribution centre called Magna Park, which is the main source of employment in the Lutterworth area. Magna Park is built upon the site of the old Bitteswell aerodrome. Also near Lutterworth is Stanford Hall.

A controversial issue in the town is how to manage the traffic flows emanating from Magna Park and the nearby M1 and A5 trunk roads. Approximately 3,000 heavy goods vehicles pass through the town every day and pollution levels are reported as being high [15]

The Census 2011 Summary also indicates an overall growth in residents' vehicles, which is likely to add to traffic and pollution concerns according to the Census summary.[16]

There is a Morrisons Food Store (formerly Safeway) on Bitteswell Road, as well as a Subway on High Street. Waitrose opened on 11 March 2010 on a site previously occupied by Netto.[17]

On the Greenacres Housing estate in the town there was an estate public house, recently called 'The Sir Frank Whittle' and previously called 'The Balloon'. This building was sold by the brewery to the Co-op who changed the use and structure of the premises to be the new Co-op store in the town. The Co-op Food Store previously located on George Street closed in June 2014 coinciding with the opening of the new store.

Lutterworth also houses the British Isles headquarters of the free Bible distributors Gideons International.[18]

Transport

Lutterworth lies on the A426 Leicester–Rugby road, adjacent to the M1 motorway at junction 20. It is also located within a few miles of the M6 motorway and A5 trunk road. A southern bypass, the A4303, was opened in 1999, providing a route for traffic from the M1 to the A5 to avoid Lutterworth town centre.

The nearest railway station to Lutterworth is Rugby railway station about six miles to the south. The town formerly had its own railway station on the former Great Central Main Line which opened in 1899, and closed in 1969.[19]

Historically there were another two railway stations nearby to Lutterworth: The first was Ullesthorpe & Lutterworth, about to the north west, on the former Midland Railway (later part of the LMS) line from Rugby to Leicester, closed on 1 January 1962. The second was Welford & Kilworth at one time known as Welford & Lutterworth, some east on the London & North Western Railway (also later LMS) line from Rugby to Market Harborough and Peterborough, closed on 6 June 1966.

Arriva Midlands and Centrebus are the main operators of bus services around Lutterworth with services into Leicester, Market Harborough, Rugby, Warwickshire and Hinckley.

Sport

The town supports two individual local football teams : Lutterworth Athletic F.C. and Lutterworth Town A.F.C. who both play in the United Counties League[20] There is also a tennis club - Lutterworth Tennis Club - located just outside Lutterworth on Hall Lane. Banger Racing was once staged in the town on farmland adjacent to the Coventry Road on the A4303. Racing ceased in the late 1990's.

Education

[The Victorian building that housed Sherrier Primary School until 1983.]

Primary schools

There are two primary schools in Lutterworth: John Wycliffe Primary School and Sherrier Primary School. Sherrier was originally housed in a Victorian building on Churchgate before moving to a new location on Bitteswell Road in 1983.[21] Sherrier featured on the BBC TV children's TV programme _Blue Peter_ on 5 February 2008.

Secondary schools

The local secondary schools are Lutterworth High School (for ages 11–16) on Woodway Road and Lutterworth College (for ages 11–18) on Bitteswell Road, both of which achieve good results in applicable exams. A new Studio School called Sir Frank Whittle Studio School opened in 2015 (for ages 14–18) that offers purely vocational courses. In 2019 the Sir Frank Whittle Studio School closed due to a lack of students and minimal further interest.

Health services

Feilding Palmer Hospital, run by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust is situated in the town. It has a ward which provides general rehabilitation and palliative and end of life care.[22] Under the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Sustainability and transformation plan it is proposed to close.[23]

Popular culture

Mark Corrigan of the British television series _Peep Show_ describes a trip to Lutterworth by public transport as taking so long that it feels like going to Mordor, a reference to Tolkien's _Lord of the Rings_ trilogy.

The 1973 sitcom _Me, myself and Nigel Wright_ was set in an ostrich farm near the town.[24]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13] Harris, Penelope, “The Architectural Achievement of Joseph Aloysius Hansom (1803–1882), Designer of the Hansom Cab, Birmingham Town Hall and churches of the Catholic Revival”, The Edwin Mellen Press, 2010,

[14]

[15] https://web.archive.org/web/20120220061328/http://cmispublic.harborough.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=7181

[16] http://www.leics.gov.uk/lutterworth_ed2011_census_report.pdf

[17]

[18] http://www.gideons.org.uk/Contact/index.asp Gideons International

[19]

[20] 1 Accessed 27 December 2014

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

title: Lutterworth

question: What are some of the historical significances of Lutterworth?

answer: Firstly, the small but busy market town and civil parish called Lutterworth is home to St Mary's Church, where John Wycliffe, the religious reformer, was a rector in the 14th century. It was there that, by popular belief, he translated the bible from Latin to English. Then, in the seventeenth century, in 1630 to be precise, the Lutterworth Grammar School was established. It is also home to Frank Whittle's first set of jet engine productions at the British Thomson-Houston works in the twentieth century. And, as a memorial to the late Frank Whittle, a replica of his first jet aircraft can be seen at the middle of a roundabout on the south side of town.


text:
The 2017 FIBA U18 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP was the 34rd edition of the FIBA U18 European Championship. The competition took place in Bratislava and Piešťany, Slovakia, from 29 July to 6 August 2017.[1][2][3]

Venues

  Bratislava        Piešťany         {{Location map many | Slovakia   width = 260   float = right   caption =   label = Bratislava | pos = bottom | marksize = 8 | lat_deg = 48.15 | lon_deg = 17.116667   label2 = Piešťany | pos2 = bottom | marksize2 = 8 | lat2_deg = 48.584167 | lon2_deg = 17.833611 }}
  ----------------- ---------------- -------------------------------- ------------- --------------- ----------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Hant Arena        Diplomat Arena
  Capacity: 4.500   Capacity: 900

Participating teams

-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -    (Winners, 2016 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship Division B)

-   -   -   -    (Third place, 2016 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship Division B)

-   -   -    (Runners-up, 2016 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship Division B)

First round

The draw was held on January 26, 2017 in Munich.[4] In this round, the 16 teams are allocated in four groups of four teams each. All teams advance to the Second Round of 16.

Group A

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WL |update=complete |source=FIBA |for_against_style=points |winpoints=2|losspoints=1

|team1=TUR |team2=RUS |team3=MNE |team4=GER

|win_TUR= 3 |loss_TUR= 0 |gf_TUR= 245 |ga_TUR= 212 |win_GER= 1 |loss_GER= 2 |gf_GER= 203 |ga_GER= 218 |win_MNE= 1 |loss_MNE= 2 |gf_MNE= 226 |ga_MNE= 239 |win_RUS= 1 |loss_RUS= 2 |gf_RUS= 225 |ga_RUS= 230

|name_MNE= |name_TUR= |name_GER= |name_RUS= |class_rules=1) Points; 2) Head-to-head results; 3) Points difference; 4) Points scored. }}

Group B

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WL |update=complete |source=FIBA |for_against_style=points |winpoints=2|losspoints=1

|team1=SRB |team2=ESP ||team3=ITA |team4=UKR

|win_ITA= 2 |loss_ITA= 1 |gf_ITA= 183 |ga_ITA= 176 |win_ESP= 2 |loss_ESP= 1 |gf_ESP= 221 |ga_ESP= 210 |win_SRB= 2 |loss_SRB= 1 |gf_SRB= 205 |ga_SRB= 185 |win_UKR= 0 |loss_UKR= 3 |gf_UKR= 187 |ga_UKR= 225

|name_SRB= |name_ITA= |name_ESP= |name_UKR=

|class_rules=1) Points; 2) Head-to-head results; 3) Points difference; 4) Points scored. }}

Group C

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WL |update=complete |source=FIBA |for_against_style=points |winpoints=2|losspoints=1

|team1=LIT |team2=GRE ||team3=SLO |team4=FIN

|win_GRE= 2 |loss_GRE= 1 |gf_GRE= 223 |ga_GRE= 226 |win_LIT= 2 |loss_LIT= 1 |gf_LIT= 218 |ga_LIT= 200 |win_FIN= 1 |loss_FIN= 2 |gf_FIN= 240 |ga_FIN= 233 |win_SLO= 1 |loss_SLO= 2 |gf_SLO= 214 |ga_SLO= 236

|name_FIN= |name_GRE= |name_LIT= |name_SLO= |class_rules=1) Points; 2) Head-to-head results; 3) Points difference; 4) Points scored. }}

Group D

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WL |update=complete |source=FIBA |for_against_style=points |winpoints=2|losspoints=1

|team1=FRA |team2=BIH ||team3=LAT |team4=SVK

|win_LAT= 2 |loss_LAT= 1 |gf_LAT= 206 |ga_LAT= 228 |win_BIH= 2 |loss_BIH= 1 |gf_BIH= 213 |ga_BIH= 212 |win_FRA= 2 |loss_FRA= 1 |gf_FRA= 226 |ga_FRA= 169 |win_SVK= 0 |loss_SVK= 3 |gf_SVK= 183 |ga_SVK= 219

|name_FRA= |name_LAT= |name_BIH= |name_SVK= |class_rules=1) Points; 2) Head-to-head results; 3) Points difference; 4) Points scored. }}

Final round

Round of 16 – Final (brackets)

{{#invoke:RoundN|N16 |widescore=no|bold_winner=high |3rdplace=yes | RD1=Round of 16 | RD2=Quarterfinals | RD3=Semifinals | RD4=Final | Consol=Third place |2 August||78||76 |2 August||71||65 |2 August||87||61 |2 August||66||58 |2 August||64||82 |2 August||79||55 |2 August||71||64 |2 August||65||59 |4 August||81||63 |4 August| (OT)|86||85 |4 August||60||72 |4 August||82||50 |5 August||69||71 |5 August||77||83 |6 August||62||74 |6 August||88| (OT)|97 }}

5th place bracket

{{#invoke:RoundN|N4 |widescore=yes|bold_winner=high |3rdplace=yes |RD1=5th–8th place semifinals |RD2=5th place game |Consol=7th place game |5 August||53||81 |5 August||77||59 |6 August||55||79 |6 August||77||55 }}

9–16 place bracket

{{#invoke:RoundN|N8 |widescore=yes|bold_winner=high |3rdplace=yes |RD1=9th–16th place quarterfinals |RD2=9–12 place semifinals |RD3=9th place game |RD4=11th place game |4 August||78||60 |4 August||67||82 |4 August||76||55 |4 August||91||50 |5 August||56||70 |5 August| (OT)|70||69 |6 August||69||75 |6 August||71||89 }}

{{#invoke:RoundN|N4 |widescore=yes|bold_winner=high |3rdplace=yes |RD1=13th–16th place semifinals |RD2=13th place game |Consol=15th place game |5 August||55||66 |5 August||57||61 |6 August||73||61 |6 August||57||69 }}

Round of 16

Quarterfinals

Classification 9–16 quarterfinals

Classification 13–16 semifinals

Classification 9–12 semifinals

Classification 5–8 semifinals

Semifinals

15th place game

13th place game

11th place game

9th place game

7th place game

5th place game

Third place game

Final

Final standings

  -- -------------------------------------------------
     Team relegated to 2018 European U-18 Division B
  -- -------------------------------------------------

  Rank   Team   Record
  ------ ------ --------
                6–1
                5–2
                5–2
  4th           5–2
  5th           5–2
  6th           4–3
  7th           4–3
  8th           3–4
  9th           4–3
  10th          3–4
  11th          3–4
  12th          1–6
  13th          3–4
  14th          2–5
  15th          1–6
  16th          2–5

Awards

  Most Valuable Player
  ----------------------
  Nikola Mišković

All-Tournament Team

-   PG – Sani Čampara
-   SG – Arnas Velička
-   SF – Nikola Mišković (MVP)
-   PF – Sergi Martínez
-   C – Ragip Berke

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

title: 2017 FIBA U18 European Championship

question: What is FIBA??

answer: Some type of sports association

question: Who were the participating teams?

answer: Unclear

question: Who won the tournament?

answer: Unclear

question: Which players won awards?

answer:
Most Valuable Player - Nikola Mišković

All-Tournament Team

- PG – Sani Čampara
- SG – Arnas Velička
- SF – Nikola Mišković (MVP)
- PF – Sergi Martínez
- C – Ragip Berke

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: The 2017 FIBA U18 European Championship was the 34th edition of the FIBA U18 European Championship which took place in Bratislava and Piestany, Slovakia. 16 teams participated being allocated into four groups of four teams each. There were quarter finals, semifinals, and finals. Nikola Mišković was awarded Most Valuable Player, and the All-Tournament team included PG – Sani Čampara, SG – Arnas Velička, SF – Nikola Mišković (MVP), PF – Sergi Martínez, and C – Ragip Berke.


text:
To Hatch From a Broken Egg

I was sitting in the living room with my arms crossed when Grandpa gathered the family around the dining room table. Grandpa was a giant of a man, with thighs like redwoods and hands like plains. I was the last to stand up when I began to walk over to the circle that had formed around the table. “I would like to see,” Grandpa began, with big pauses between each phrase, “someone attempt to balance this egg upright, without using any tools to hold it up.”

The whiteness of the egg stood out in Grandpa’s wrinkled and purple spotted hands. It seemed so small. I studied the egg while my family began to buzz. My older cousin smirked and whispered something in my Dad’s ears that made him laugh. Uncle Joe was doing one of his James Cagney impressions to my brother and cousin. Aunt Anna had walked in the room from cooking and chuckled when she saw my grandpa holding the egg.

I was the only one paying attention, focusing on how you could possibly make a small oval stand. No one else was going to complete this challenge but me. When my Mom put her arms around my chest, and gave me a kiss on the cheek I pushed her away and said, “I can do it!”

My grandpa’s heavy eyes shifted to me and his lips peeled into a grin, revealing yellow stained crooked teeth. His hands, like a giant compared to mine, handed me the egg. I began working right away.

I made quick glances to Grandpa as I tried to balance it, hoping his gray eyes would light up at a correct attempt or that his white eyebrows would raise at a sign of progress, but he remained unemotional and still. I tried to ignore the commentary of my family at first.  Dad said, “oh so close,” several times with a laugh while Uncle David commentated like a sports announcer, “Jake Lacey. Balancing the egg. Can he do it? Ah, keeps missing.”

After several minutes my older cousin said, “Come on, Jake. Give it back to Grandpa.” I ignored him but when my Mom stepped in saying, “Hun, you can try later, it’s fine,” the doubt became harder to ignore.

“Let me just try!” I said, trying not to sound upset.

Eventually my Uncle Joe stopped impersonating James Cagney. My father raised his eye brows and stood up from the table and my brother began to attack me. “Jake you can’t do it.”

“Don’t worry, Jakey. It’s impossible,” someone else said.

I wanted to shut my family up and make them see that I could do it. I wanted them to know that just I could complete a task that was impossible for most. And I did.

I finally stood the egg up right. It wasn’t balancing against anything; it was just standing up on its own. All because of me. I looked up in amazement, hoping to see my family enthusiastic with my accomplishment, but instead, half of them were gone and the other half had already moved on to new conversations. Only my cousin Rachel said, “Wow! Look guys! Jake did it!”

As Rachel began to get my family’s attention I looked to Grandpa who was not grinning but seemed thrown by the egg standing up. As I waited for a response from Grandpa, the whole family began to circle back around the table.

Before they could all see what I had done, Grandpa snagged the egg off the table, smashed it lightly against a plate, leaving the egg’s bottom flat surfaced with a crack, placed the it on the table, and forced a chuckle as everyone watched the egg stand up on its own. He said, “That is how you make an egg stand.”

I quickly looked at my Grandpa, who avoided eye contact with me and laughed deliberately with the older cousins. My head spun to my parents, who had acknowledged Grandpa’s quaint gag but not my success and then it spun back to my Grandpa who was still ignoring me.

I darted out of living room and up to my room. I dove into my bed, grabbed my Teddy and belted a long hard cry into my pillow. No one came up to check on me until after they had lit the candles.

title: Flash Fiction Piece, notes please?

question: How did Jake's Grandpa make the egg stand on its own?

answer: He lightly smashed the egg against a plate to make the bottom flat and cracked.

question: How does Jake's egg-standing feat differ from his Grandpa's?

answer: Jake's egg-standing attempt was legit because he didn't break one end to make a flat surface. His Grandpa's egg-standing feat, however, was a quaint gag (he never suspected or knew a standing egg was possible) that falls short because he had to use subtle trickery to make the egg stand on its own.

question: Who is the person Jake is most upset about and why?

answer: Jake is most upset with his Grandpa. Jake wanted to impress his grandpa so much that he took the challenge when everyone else wouldn't. He was still looking for some form of encouragement from his Grandpa when he finally made the egg stand but Jake got largely ignored for troubles.


text:
Gary was a southern bell. He was of average height, a bit slim and full
of dramatic flair. Gary lacked the grace and figure of a woman but
damned if he didn't nail the catty nature. He was always finding
something to be upset about, some bad news to spread to the world. The
sky was always falling, the apple always poisoned. If there was
something to be made of nothing, Gary found it, spun it and made an
intricate web of foreboding and doom. Being the harbinger of bad news
always grabs attention, people hag on your words and ask for more, it
makes you important.

Growing up in a religious, anti-effeminate-men atmosphere wasn't the
easiest childhood, but Gary found strength in the unlikeliest of places.
God was Gary's protector, the only one who loved him for who he really
was. God knew that Gary was more than a squirrelly boy with a southern
drawl. God knew, just as Gary did, that he was more than that, more than
everyone. It was this reason that each Sunday saw Gary sitting in the
front row of his small-town Baptist church. Gary wasn't interested in
making friends at the church, he was polite but he kept to himself,
no-one could know the real God the way Gary knew him, they were all
clueless.

 Flamboyant and fumbling, it was Gary's greatest wish that his outside
demeanor would reflect his inner self. That one day he could be someone
of power, someone who garnered respect from their peers and
subordinates. It wasn't until his early thirties that he achieved his
goal in the form of a promotion. He had made it, he was a manager. Gary
had always worn a suit to work but now the suit was a uniform, now it
meant something. Now when he went downtown, to the main office, he would
sit at the big table with all the other suits and he would belong with
the respected ones. Alas, somehow it still wasn't enough. There was
still someone sitting at the head of the table, someone who all the
suits looked at, whom everyone listened to.

Gary never made it to the head of the table, as a matter of fact, his
job was eliminated a few years down the line and he ended up back where
he started, unnecessarily donning a suit to work and telling the world
about how it was all going to end. Each word he spoke still came out
with the speed of molasses and the twang trademarked to his home state
but there was something hollow about them. There seemed to be something
missing from his words as if they lacked enthusiasm despite the fact
that he said every utterance with just as much drama as ever. Perhaps
his words had not changed but it was his audience that no longer found
him relevant. Whatever the reason, Gary never amounted to more than an
over-anxious, fairy with a God complex working in middle-management and
pissing his paychecks away on suits, and trendy furniture from IKEA.

title: Gary

question: Explain why Gary is catty.

answer: He likes it when people pay attention to him and what he says. He finds something to be upset about and uses that to garner attention.

question: Summarize Gary's demeanor at Church.

answer: He seems shy and polite.

question: What is Gary's goal in life?

answer: He wants people to look up to him.

question: Why wasn't a middle manager position enough to satisfy Gary?

answer: Because there was someone above him everyone listened to instead of Gary.

question: Write a ~8 sentence summary.

answer: Gary is of average height, full of dramatic flair, and catty. He always has something to be upset about. He likes being the harbinger of bad news because it makes him feel important. He grew up in an anti-effeminate-men atmosphere but found strength through God, of all places. He always wished to be someone powerful. One day, he got promoted but soon figured out that there was a man sitting at the head of the table, and his position wasn't enough to satisfy him. He never made it there. His position was removed a few years later, and he was back to where he started: an over-anxious fairy with a God complex working in middle management, pissing his paychecks on suits and trendy furniture.