text:
 Go to FitKidz __

FitKidz

Fostering a love of physical activity for life!

"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live in." - Jim Rohn

World class health care in a friendly, locally owned and operated atmosphere

The Definition of stride (strīd): 1) a single coordinated movement: Here at STRIDE, we work closely with other healthcare professionals to make sure you are getting the best, most relevant care available. 2) significant progress: At Stride, we expect, as should you, to make gains with your treatment. The timeline in which these changes should take place will be discussed with you in detail. Although most problems don’t change overnight, you should be able to see improvements with specific markers and overall quality of life in a reasonable timeframe. 3) a step walking or running: Stride practitioners strongly encourage you to participate in your recovery. While you don’t need to be a top-level athlete, we do expect most people to participate in some degree of home-based exercise. This is often just a few short stretching or strengthening exercises that will make a big difference in your recovery. They will all be designed specifically for you, so no matter your age, fitness level, or degree of pain, you can start taking charge of your body. 4) to attain a maximum level of competence: Just like in anything, health and wellness providers have a wide range of skills and training. At STRIDE, our practitioners continually upgrade their training to ensure we are providing industry-leading and research-based services. This is something that sets us apart. Let us help you hit your STRIDE!

-   Our clients come first.

    We are dedicated to ensuring the health needs of our clients are surpassed. When passing through our doors, every client is treated with the absolute best our professions and the varied skill sets our practitioners have to offer.

-   We go green.

    We strive to remain mindful of and reduce our environmental footprint any way we can, such as reducing paper in our daily operations and recycling as much as possible to minimize the burden shouldered by future generations.

-   Professional development is integral.

    Maintaining excellence as our standard of care is guaranteed and keeping up with skills supported by best evidence in the research literature is integral to our practice. Stride encourages and proudly invests in our therapists as they engage regularly in professional development endeavours.

-   We give back.

    We are of service daily to our community through our practice, but in addition to this, we understand the importance of and have a very strong desire to give back to the good people of this city through job creation, sponsorship of individuals and organizations, and various volunteer opportunities.

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Jodi Williams, PT

BSc PT, BSc (Physiology), CAFCI, CF-L1

Founding Partner & Owner, Physical Therapist, Credentialed Manual Therapist, Pelvic Health Practitioner, Acupuncture Provider, Certified Concussion Manager, Ergonomic Consultant, Falls Prevention Educator, CrossFit Level One Trainer, Sports First Responder

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Laurel Schafer, PT

BSc PT, CAFCI, CF-L1

Founding Partner & Owner, Physical Therapist, Credentialed Manual Therapist, Pelvic Health Practitioner, Acupuncture Provider, Certified Concussion Manager, Ergonomic Consultant, CrossFit Level One Trainer, Sports First Responder

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Halee Bridgeman, PT

BSc (Psych/Bio), MPT, CF-L1

Physical Therapist, Sports First Responder, Certified Concussion Manager, Parkinson’s Big Movement Instructor, CrossFit Level Trainer.

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Trent Lasiuk, ET

BSc (Kinesiology), CSEP-CEP

Exercise Therapist, Strength & Conditioning Coach, Personal Trainer, Functional Movement Systems Trained

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Joanne Booth

BSc (Kinesiology), CanFitPro (PTS)

Strength & Conditioning Coach

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Daylan Gatzke

BSc (Kinesiology)

Strength & Conditioning Coach

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Brenda Wall

Office Manager

Administration and Expert Therapist Wrangler

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Connie Magnusson

Office Administrator

Administration and expert therapist wrangler

"It's not sweat. It's liquid awesome." - overheard at STRIDE Performance

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Quarantine Fitness

Why is it so hard to get back into an exercise program after quarantine? The answer is simple: you were too sedentary for too long. Is this really a problem? Actually, not really. We’re going through something that the world hasn’t seen in over a 100 years, so it’s ok that worrying about life, your job, and your future Read more about Quarantine Fitness[…]

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Physical Therapy via Video is here!

Even though it’s not how we may typically do things around here, video physical therapy sessions are a useful tool for the days to come and the research supports it! https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27141087/ These sessions are secure, confidential, and in keeping with our licensing body’s guidelines. Most insurance companies are covering the fees for physical therapy delivered in Read more about Physical Therapy via Video is here![…]

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STRIDE COVID-19 Response

Please click on the Red “COVID-19 Response” button at the top of our website for all up-to-date information on what we as a clinic are doing during this unprecedented time.

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** IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ **

On advice of our professional association, public health guidelines, and our own moral compasses, STRIDE Physio & Performance and CrossFit Swift Curre

question: In what ways does STRIDE try to distinguish itself from its competitors?

answer: STRIDE tries to distinguish itself from its competitors by providing a world class healthcare service. STRIDE also tries to distinguish itself by going green and recycling as much as possible. STRIDE also invests in its therapists by encouraging them to engage in professional development endeavors. STRIDE also tries to distinguish itself by giving back to the community through job creation, sponsoring individuals and organizations, and various volunteer opportunities.

critique: STRIDE tries to distinguish itself by providing a world class healthcare service. STRIDE also tries to distinguish itself by going green and recycling as much as possible. STRIDE also invests in its therapists by encouraging them to engage in professional development endeavors. STRIDE also tries to distinguish itself by giving back to the community through job creation, sponsoring individuals and organizations, and various volunteer opportunities.

critique: STRIDE tries to distinguish itself from its competitors by providing a world class healthcare service. STRIDE also tries to distinguish itself by going green and recycling as much as possible. STRIDE also invests in its therapists by encouraging them to engage in professional development endeavors. STRIDE also tries to distinguish itself by giving back to the community through job creation, sponsoring individuals and organizations, and various volunteer opportunities.

critique: STRIDE's green initiatives are irrelevant to the question.

critique: The answer is a copy of the text under the "STRIDE COVID-19 Response" section.

text: There is no mention of STRIDE distinguishing itself from competitors.


split: train

text:
JULIAN DASHPER (29 February 1960 in Auckland, New Zealand – 30 July 2009), was regarded as one of New Zealand's most well known contemporary artists.

In 2001 he was awarded a senior Fulbright fellowship to be based as an artist in residence at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas. Dashper's work from the last 25 years has recently been the subject of a major touring retrospective in America (the first ever such exhibition for a resident New Zealand artist),[1] curated by Christopher Cook and David Raskin.[2]

Dashper's work focuses on the histories, theories and more general or popular ideas of abstraction (in particular abstract painting), conceptualism and minimalism as a working methodology. The geographical positioning of New Zealand globally and how this country receives and disseminates visual information is also a core subject in Dashper's work.[3] His practice manifests itself in various forms, including paintings, unique photographs of paintings, found objects which he infuses with abstract images, various multiples plus limited edition CD and 12" polycarbonate recordings of impromptu performances he has been involved with or heavily orchestrated. He has also produced a number of video works, some of which document or describe his installations, painting and audio recordings.[4] In 2016, arts organisation Circuit commissioned George Clark to curate a programme of moving image works, titled _This is not film-making_, which invited artists Gavin Hipkins, Juliet Carpenter and Gregory Kan, Daniel Malone, Louise Menzies and Nathan Gray to make works that respond to Dashper's own writings.[5]

Respectful, even affectionate references to local culture and art history are always present in Dashper's work, whilst his own adaptations of abstraction, conceptualism and minimalism fully acknowledge their lineage within international art. As curator (and director of the Adam Art Gallery in Wellington) Christina Barton expresses it, Dashper has _“the unique perspective of attending to an internationalist art history from a distance, enabling him to devise strategies to work around his geographical isolation whilst simultaneously articulating its effects.”_[6] Dashper is represented in all the major public collections in New Zealand: MCA, Sydney; Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen, Germany; Sheldon Museum of Art, Lincoln, Nebraska; The University of Auckland Art Collection; Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, Kansas and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

Visiting scholar at the University of Sydney in 2008, Dashper lived in Auckland and travelled regularly. His first New Zealand retrospective, _Julian Dashper: Professional Practice_, was held at the Gus Fisher Gallery in 2010.

[]

_UNTITLED (THE WARRIORS)_ 1998. Vinyl on drumheads with junior drumkit. Dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland and Kaliman Gallery, Sydney. Photo by Ashley Barber.

Copyright Julian Dashper

This is a two-dimensional representation of a copyrighted sculpture, statue or any other three-dimensional work of art. As such it is a derivative work of art, and per US Copyright Act of 1976, § 106(2) who owns copyright of the original has the exclusive right to authorise derivative works. Per § 107 it is believed that reproduction for criticism, comment, teaching and scholarship constitutes fair use and does not infringe copyright. It is believed that the use of a picture to illustrate the three-dimensional work of art in question, to discuss the artistic genre or technique of the work of art or to discuss the artist or the school to which the artist belongs on the English-language Wikipedia, hosted on servers in the United States by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, qualifies as fair use under United States copyright law. Any other uses of this image, on Wikipedia or elsewhere, might be copyright infringement. To the uploader: please add a detailed fair use rationale for each use as well as copyright information on the original artwork.

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[2]

[3]

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[5]

[6]

title: Julian Dashper

question: How are digital images treated in the United States in terms of copyright and ownership?

answer: No answer

critique: No response is provided and a response needs to be written.

critique: The response misses to mention that pictures used to describe a three dimensional work of art are exempted per copyright law.

critique: The answer is not relevant to the question.

critique: The answer cannot be found by searching the document.


text:
I'm reading some essays by Chuck Palahniuk, and it said to try to write about an embarrassing story to try to gain authority over the readers (i.e. grip the audience's attention, I guess?). So I decided to try it out. Here it is:

We sat in my friend's car. Alone. In the backseat, the two of us – as far away from each other as possible. She leaned hard into the door, letting as little space as possible to be near me. She wouldn't look at me. Anything I asked her was met with short, one-word replies. Every apology was met with a lie: “I'm not even mad.”

I kept looking at her, but also not at her. I didn't know where to look. The silence in the car ate at me. It was one o'clock in the evening in the middle of a parking lot. For some reason, we were parked in a handicapped spot. The one dude who could drive chose to park here. I inspected any car that drove by, on the look out for cops. Parking here without a permit was illegal, wasn't it?

Our friends, four or five of them, ditched us. They saw how we acted around each other. Longing glances, inside jokes, slight touches. They wanted to give a little push. A little alone time for the couple on the fringe, they probably thought. They'll be together by the end of tonight.

No, this was the worst night to be alone with her. I pushed her a little too far tonight. Maybe it was how much I made fun of her in that one picture. Or maybe it was the fat jokes. I don't know. Whatever it was, she had enough. On the way here, she was completely detached. I guess I was the only one who noticed it. No one saw how she stopped making eye-contact during dinner, or how her responses shortened little by little. Or how she tried to talk to everyone except me. But I could read her the best, after all. I picked up on her cues more than anyone else.

The car was off. My back started to get stuck with a thousand needles, the way it always did when it started getting a little too hot. Coupled with the awkward silence, I couldn't find a good position to sit in. My butt was beginning to fall asleep. “Hey, do you wanna just walk around?”

She replied, but still didn't look at me. “Sure, but don't follow me.”

I followed her anyway.

I walked next to her, looking to the right. She stared at the ground to her left. I tried another apology. “I'm really sorry.”

“I'm not mad.” Only our footsteps made any sound. We just walked – on the sidewalk, up some stairs, over a tiny bridge that hung over some display fountain. Eventually, we ran into our friends. They had Starbucks in their hands.

“Hey, guys, what's up?” one of them dared to ask.

“Just take us home,” she said. Before I knew it, we were back in the car, but in different positions. I sat shotgun this time, and she sat diagonal to me, behind the driver's seat. The driver and one other friend rode with us, and they didn't speak. Probably because of the tension in the air.

I had the reins on the auxiliary cable, so I just blasted music. Anything to keep my mind off the situation. But I could feel her behind me. I wanted to meet her eyes just once, see some semblance of forgiveness. Or maybe even see her lips curl just a little bit. I always liked how her mouth moved. In fear, I couldn't look back. I could only look down at my shoes, rest my head against my hand, and whisper along to the lyrics of whatever song played.

The drive to her house was only around ten minutes long. But it felt longer than that. It was like I was on some time-distorting drugs. The road in front of me seemed to stretch forever, with no sign of ending. I couldn't stop squirming in my seat. I brainstormed ways of apologizing. Somehow, I ended up thinking of stupid romantic comedy movies. For the climax, those always had fights, and usually, a kiss fixed everything. You know what I mean? Some fight would happen, and the couple would spend some time away from each other. Each passing moment, the only thought they always reach is the other person. And by the end, usually in the rain, they meet up, and the guy goes for it, some passionate kiss. That's what would fix this.

It was not what would fix this. When we were dropping her off, I helped her carry her stuff out. And outside the car, alone, the other two still inside the car, I went for it.

“What the heck?” She pushed me away. And we looked at each other. At least we finally made eye-contact. But it wasn't forgiveness that I saw in her eyes – not even anger, actually. It was more like there was nothing there: her eyes were burned out. I couldn't see what enchanted me in the first place. Things were over between us.

So I went back into the car, dejected. I reclined my seat and covered my eyes with my arm. Even worse, I had to see her tomorrow.

title: [NF] I'm Really Sorry

question: Summarize the mounting tension in the story.

answer: The narrator and his partner seem on bad terms for the most part of their journey to a parking lot. They seemed restless and on-edge with each other. Neither of them know how to satiate the mounting tension in their surrounding, so they both give silent consent to go out for a walk, as if to soothe their tense emotions. The narrator seems forlorn and confused by his partner's silence. The narrator's friends seem to notice the tension and decide to prod the couple for alone time.

critique: The narrator and his partner seem on bad terms for the most part of their journey to a parking lot. They seemed restless and on-edge with each other. Neither of them know how to satiate the mounting tension in their surrounding, so they both give silent consent to go out for a walk, as if to soothe their tense emotions. The narrator seems forlorn and confused by his partner's silence. The narrator's friends seem to notice the tension and decide to prod the couple for alone time.

question: Summarize what the narrator's relationship was like with this girl before this evening.

answer: The narrator had what appeared to be a good relationship with this girl. They spent time together and were often laughing, although the described situation in the days and characters being alone proves that the narrator must have been doing something wrong all this while. The fact that they ditched evening, it would also be interesting to know what was the extent of their plans and how important is their friends.

critique: The response is missing the part where the narrator and the girl are on the fringe of the group and are being pushed by their friends to get together.

critique:
- The she 'wanted' to be alone with the narrator and the narrator deemed it as 'the worst night'.
- The narrator and the girl usually spent time alone together.
- The narrator and the girl spent way too much time hanging out together, that is why their friends became curious and pushed them for some alone time.
- The fact that their friends went for Starbucks was not necessitated. Ensure the last sentence is removed.

question: Summarize the breaking point in the story.

answer: The breaking point comes when the narrator tries to kiss her. That was the last straw for her. He or she may have realized that their attraction to her was no longer there now after trying to kiss her.

critique: The kiss itself is irrelevant in the cause and effect of the couple's breakup. The narrator, who is not named in the story's course, sees that they don't have to potential to love each other and proposes to the girl, but this fails.

question: What does this story say about perseverance in dating?

answer: There is no answer.

critique: the answer does not really say anything about perseverance in dating but one thing comes to mind

critique: The answer should mention the narrator's persistence in trying to get the girl to forgive him.

critique: The answer is incorrect. The story does have something to say about perseverance in dating.

critique: The story does have a message about perseverance in dating.


text:
[Axel Eggebrecht (right) with Fritz Eberhard (center) and Peter Glotz (left).] AXEL CONSTANTIN AUGUST EGGEBRECHT (January 10, 1899 – July 14, 1991) was a German journalist, writer and screenwriter.

Life

Eggebrecht grew up in bourgeois surroundings in Leipzig until 1917 when he volunteered to serve in the First World War where he received a serious wound, the effects of which he would continue to feel for his entire life. Indecisive politically, he alternated between right and left. After the war he was a member of nationalist organizations. From 1920-1925 he was a member of the KPD (Communist Party of Germany), travelling twice to the Soviet Union in 1923 and 1924, but he returned to Berlin disappointed in Bolshevism.

In 1925 he began his work with Siegfried Jacobsohn's _Die Weltbühne_, besides which he also wrote for the _Literarische Welt_. In Berlin, he was one of the inhabitants of the so-called _Künstlerkolonie Berlin_, a housing complex in southeastern Berlin constructed for the purpose of providing financially insecure writers and artists with affordable housing. In 1933 he was imprisoned for several months at the Hainewalde concentration camp. After his release he used pseudonyms to eke out a living in the film industry as a screenwriter, assistant, and critic.

After the end of the Second World War, in June 1945, he was brought by British occupation officers to the former site of the governmental broadcast station. There, in September 1945 he was one of the founders of the Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk (Northwest German Broadcasting). As a journalist, Eggebrecht was one of the pioneers of the radio documentary. From 1963-1965 he reported on the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials.

In 1965 he became a member of the International PEN association, in 1972 becoming Vice President of the German branch. In 1983 he was awarded the Gerrit-Engelke-Preis, the literature prize of the city of Hanover. In 1989, he received the Bürgermeister-Stolten-Medaille, the highest honor awarded by the city of Hamburg, where he later died.

Axel Eggebrecht Prize

In Eggebrecht's memory, the Media Foundation of the City of Leipzig endowed the Axel Eggebrecht Prize to be awarded for radio documentaries. Since 2008, it is awarded every two years, alternating with the Günter Eich Prize for radio dramas. Both prizes award 10,000 Euros.

Selected filmography

-   _Two Under the Stars_ (1927)
-   _The Republic of Flappers_ (1928)
-   _Fight of the Tertia_ (1929)
-   _Pappi_ (1934)
-   _Miss Madame_ (1934)
-   _Maria the Maid_ (1936)
-   _Operetta_ (1940)
-   _Vienna Blood_ (1942)
-   _A Man Like Maximilian_ (1945)
-   _The Lost One_ (1951)
-   _The Land of Smiles_ (1952)
-   _Captain Wronski_ (1954)
-   _The Ambassador's Wife_ (1955)
-   _Stresemann_ (1957)
-   _Wer überlebt, ist schuldig_ (1960, TV film)
-   _Der Röhm-Putsch_ (1967, TV film)
-   _In Sachen Erzberger gegen Helfferich_ (1967, TV film)

title: Axel Eggebrecht

question: Summarize Eggerbrecht's activities after World War 2.

answer: After the war, he founded Northwest German Broadcasting, a station. He became a member of the International PEN association in 1965. He reported on the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials from 1963 to 1965.

critique: The answer could mention his work as a journalist.

critique: It is omitted that he was also a journalist.

critique: The answer omits that he was imprisoned in 1933.

critique: The answer omits that he was also a journalist.

critique: He reported on the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials from 1963 to 1965.

critique: Note that he reported on the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials in the 60s

critique: The answer should mention his work as a journalist.

text:
-The answer omits that he became Vice President of the German branch of the International PEN association in 1972. It should state this.
-The answer omitted that he was awarded the Gerrit-Engelke-Preis, the literature prize of the city of Hanover, in 1983. This should be mentioned.
-It also omits that he received the Bürgermeister-Stolten-Medaille, the highest honor awarded by the city of Hamburg, in 1989. The answer should also mention this.
-'After the war, he founded Northwest German Broadcasting, a station.' This sounds like he was the only one that founded the station. The model should rewrite that he co-founded it.
-The last sentence should come before the second one for chronology and order.

category: other

category_text: Coverage and coherence.


text:
So there I was last night, driving on the 101 interstate. Two pints of cheap lager and a shot of whisky in. The cherry on my cigarette glowed as I puffed the last of the tobacco from the stick. I turned my face to the side to spit out my lit cigarette into the wind. I've never looked cooler speeding. My favorite song came on the radio, I blast it on my speakers and proceeded to sing along with the highest pitch my vocal chords allow me. 'Love you like a love song baby... repeat peat peat peat peat' I mumbled the lyrics, I need to learn this song. I'm a sucker for these pop songs, they just feel right.

I cautiously yet furiously made my way towards the fast lane only to be stopped by the last thing I wanted to see at such an awesome moment. The fuzz. Blue and red lights filled my rear view, my heart skipped a beat, I put the music down to think for a second. I realized I'm buzzed enough to not give a fuck, I put the music back up and sped up. It's a strategy I heard somewhere, or probably made up on the spot, whatever the case, it felt right at the time. It confuses the police, makes them think I'm a wild man, puts the ball in their court. I make the ballsiest move by picking the spot to pull over, they have to follow with something to intimidate me. I get it, I know, I've been around the block.

I didn't slow down this whole time, even when I decided to exit the freeway in downtown. No turning lights, no hand gestures, just balls. I pulled into a dark empty street, killed the engine, lit up another cigarette and waited.
Lights surrounded my car, a trembling silhouette approached.

'H-have you been drinking?' The cop's voice cracked as he reached my window.

'Drinking what?' I blew my smoke his way to let him know that respect wasn't there.

'I drink a lot of things. Water, tea...' I teased him, but before my list got any longer he snapped. 'Quit play games!'

I took a long drag from my cigarette and looked at him. I could see him shaking.

'Now step out of the vehicle, please..' He continued. He knew I was one of those he had been told not to fuck with. We both knew this could get ugly quick, but I complied for his sake.

'Did you have any alcoholic beverages tonight?' He persuades me. With a firm drunken stare and a loud whisky belch I answered, 'No.'

We stood there looking at each other for what could have been twenty minutes. People tend to get lost in my eyes, I waited for him to faze out of the trance. I finally decided it was getting too late for my convenience and asked if we were done. It took him a while to respond but he finally let me get back in the car and escorted me home. At least he tried to, I drove way too fast for his bitch ass.

Edit: What really happened.
I was speeding home one night and got pulled over. I had a couple of drinks prior to this so I was extremely scared. I'm sure the cop could tell I was trembling and he let me off with a warning and followed me home to make sure I got there safely. When my friends asked me the next day what had happened, I wrote them how I remembered it which is the small narrative above. Just to clear things up, yes it's meant to be unrealistic and douchey.

title: How I got pulled over last night, as I remember it.

question: Summarize everything related to speeding in the story.

answer: The narrator speeds, then decides to pull into a dark empty street. Later, they were speeding home.

critique: The narrator doesn't speed home, he speeds to the cop.

critique: The narrator is speeding and going a long distance

critique: The narrator speeds on the freeway, not on the street.

critique: It is omitted that the narrator speeds on the freeway.

critique: The narrator speeds, then decides to pull into a dark empty street. Later, they were speeding home.

text: The response is missing the part about the cop who followed the narrator to the alley and tried to escort him home.

category: coverage

question: Summarize everything related to whiskey in the story.

answer: The narrator has two pints of cheap lager and a shot of whiskey. He drinks it while driving. He blows a whisky belch.

critique: The narrator also drinks whiskey before getting pulled over.

critique: The narrator doesn't blow a whisky belch.

critique: The narrator's consumption of whiskey is not relevant to the question.

critique: The narrator does not blow a whisky belch.

critique: It is omitted that the narrator drinks the whiskey with the lager.

critique: It's omitted that he drinks whiskey before the incident of getting pulled over by the cops.

question: Summarize everything related to pop songs in the story.

answer: The narrator is singing along to a pop song on the radio. He is a sucker for pop songs. He is singing along to the highest pitch his vocal chords allow him.

critique: The narrator is singing to 'Love you like a love song baby' by Selena Gomez.

critique: The narrator is singing along to a pop song on the radio. He is a sucker for pop songs. He is singing along to the highest pitch his vocal chords allow him.

critique: The narrator's favorite song is Love You Like A Love Song by Selena Gomez.

critique: It's omitted that the narrator says he needs to learn the song.

critique: The answer should mention what song the narrator is singing.

question: Describe the difference between what really happened and how the narrator tells the story.

answer: The narrator was speeding home, was pulled over, and had a couple of drinks prior to this. He was extremely scared and the cop could tell he was trembling. The narrator was let off with a warning and escorted home.

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator tells the story in a douchey, unrealistic way.

critique: The narrator's friends asked him what had happened, and he made up the story he tells them.

critique: The narrator's friends asked him what happened, and he told them the story he made up.

critique: The narrator's friends asked him what had happened the following day, so the narrator made up a story to tell them.

critique: The narrator's friends asked him what happened the next day, so the narrator tells them what he remembers.

critique: The narrator's friends asked him what happened, and he wrote them the story he remembered.


text:
It had been a little over a year since he had disappeared, and she was the only witness.  My loyal companion for the last eleven years, her eyes peered over her graying muzzle and gazed intently into mine, as if she was trying to read my mind.  She’d done this since she was a puppy.  Despite her age, she was still an active dog; she loved to run.  For the last year, though, she hadn’t been quite right.  Something had happened the day he disappeared that had changed her, and she was the only one who could say what it was.  Maybe she wasn’t trying to read my mind anymore, maybe she was desperately wishing I could read hers.

I had unlocked our front door that evening, after a long day of work, expecting him to be there.  Instead I found the kitchen sink running, and her backed into a corner, barking like mad.   His shoes were oddly placed in the middle of the floor, a stride apart, as though they had fallen off while he was mid-step.  She wouldn’t take her eyes off those shoes.  There wasn’t much room to hide in our one-bedroom apartment, so it quickly became clear that he wasn’t there.  His car was still in the parking lot, his keys and wallet still on the mantle.  And the sink.  Running.  I tried describing to my closest friends and family the feeling of dread and panic I felt the moment I stepped into my home that day, like a fugue before a seizure, or a nauseating déjà vu, but they couldn’t hear me, had no idea what I was trying to say.  “Of course something bad happened, he’s missing,” they’d say.  What I was trying to tell them was that it wasn’t just the usual “bad” that happened there, a kidnapping, an assault, horrible but normal things that you hear about every day.  He had been in our home, on a normal, sunny day, and something truly abnormal, something not right, had happened to him.  I could feel it.  And I could feel that he was still out there, existing somewhere, and suffering, and this knowledge was more than I could bear.

The weeks and months that followed were a dark, anxiety-soaked blur.  The police went through the process of ruling me out as a suspect pretty quickly; I had been at work.  I wasn’t strong enough or big enough to move his body.  There was no evidence of a struggle.  The dog and I slept on the couch every night – I hadn’t allowed her up there in years.  She was the only one with whom I could share my numbness, my horror and despair.  I had nightmares.   Worse, I would dream that he had come back to me, that I would wake up in bed and he was next to me smiling widely, and it was a normal workday, only to awaken on the couch and have my reality flood in on me again.  No funeral, no casket, no closure.  Only a year of nights on the couch, in the apartment we used to share, knowing in my bones that he needed help, knowing I would never find him.  A few acquaintances had recommended that I go to a medium, or a pet psychic, to find out what happened.  I thanked them but knew there was no way in hell I was doing that.  Others began to point out that he had been missing for so long that it was probably time to move on.

On the one-year anniversary of his disappearance, I received a letter.  When I first read it, I assumed it was a tasteless joke, and threw it in the trash.  But then I got the phone call.  A researcher, a neurologist, on the other side of the country was in the initial stages of testing a method to download information directly from brain matter.  They hadn’t opened the testing up to human tissue, but they had been working with monkeys, cats… and dogs.  The researcher explained that this was an opportunity for us to help each other.  He could find out what the dog knew while simultaneously proving the worth of his research in a way that would guarantee future funding - “would you like to know what happened to your partner?”

The catch?  It might not work, and because of her age, she might die.  I wrestled with the decision for two weeks.  I had lost one piece of me, was it worth it to potentially lose another?  Forever?  But she was an old dog, and what if it worked?  What if she died, but I still found out what happened, could end his suffering?  Get some closure?  Maybe even get him back?  Would her quiet, painless death justify the end to his possible torment?  I didn’t tell anyone, not my friends, coworkers, or family members, about the decision I was faced with.  I took her for long walks, I let her run off-leash, I fed her table scraps as my decision began to cement in my mind.  It didn’t feel ethical, to betray my loyal dog in this way, but I had to try.  We flew across the country, to this lab in the basement of a university building, where I’m holding her face for what may be the last time, and her trusting gaze is more than I can take.  I hate myself, and I’m so empty that there’s plenty of room for my self-loathing.  I tell her I love her.  I tell her I’ll see her soon.  I leave.

It’s six hours since I said good-bye to my dog, my friend for the last 11 years.  The researcher’s graduate students are telling me that she went peacefully, that she just never woke up after she went under.    They tell me that the researcher is downloading the data now to see if the procedure worked, that it may take a moment, that the data may have gotten scrambled in the process, we have to wait and see.  I sit numbly, holding her collar in my hands.  My sadness is bottomless, it seeps into my bones.  I barely hear them talk.  I feel truly alone.  I hate myself, I wish that I had just been satisfied with the despair I felt after losing him.  Why did I decide to risk her life for such a long shot?  I sit on a tall metal stool, hunched, expressionless, while we wait the endless fifteen minutes it takes for the researcher to finish his task.  I realize that, whatever the result, I’ll never get my life back the way it was before, before he disappeared, when it was perfect, and this thought kills me.  The door to the procedure room opens, and the researcher walks out…

title: [SF] The Gamble

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

answer: The narrator's dog is a loyal companion for the last eleven years. She is an active dog who loves to run. The narrator's dog is the only witness to her partner's disappearance. The dog is old and the narrator is afraid that she might die during the procedure.

critique: The dog didn't witness the disappearance, but she witnessed something that happened the day he disappeared that changed her.

critique: The dog's activity from a year before is salient. It's his ability to run as he circumnavigated the house and ended up in her corner so intensely she wouldn't take her eyes off his shoes.

critique: The narrator's dog is not the only witness to her partner's disappearance.

critique: The narrator's dog is the only witness to her partner's disappearance.

critique: "The narrator's dog is the only witness to her partner's disappearance." - this is incorrect. The dog witnessed the disappearance, but there was also a witness. Also, the narrator wasn't afraid of her dog dying because she's old. Replace "witness" with "only one who can tell what happened"

text: The response should include the fact that the narrator's dog has changed since the day of the narrator's partner's disappearance.

question: What does the text say about what happened to the narrator's partner?

answer: No answer

critique: This answer doesn't have anything in it. The correct answer should be put into the response.

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator's partner disappeared.

critique: The answer should mention that the man disappeared.

critique: It is omitted that the narrator's partner disappeared.

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

answer: No answer

critique: The response misses to provide an answer to the task.

critique: The question asks about the narrator's partner's family. There is no answer.


text:
"Don't think about it too much. Don't think about anything too much."

He concentrated on the man that had two lines crossed over him. The useless chatter from his partner was beginning to make him lose concentration.

"If you think about things too much, you'll begin to realize that none of them really matter. Just shoot the fucker and be done with it."

He adjusted his scope to get a closer image of the target.

"Ya know what I'm sayin'? Things really don't have any inherent meaning do they? It all really comes down ta some value system or another."

He grunted an acknowledgement hoping that would shut his assistant up. It didn't.

"Like this lil fuck right here that you're about ta end, his life is ultimately meaningless. So is mine I spose. It isn't ta me though, because I value it, ya know?"

"All that matters to me at this point is that I get paid," he responded, again hoping this response would work out better than previous efforts.

"See right there, his life does have value ta ya, as long as it ends. You get paid. Is that really wrong? Ya only looking out for yaself."

"Right, don't think about the human life I'm about to end, its me or them, yadda yadda its my only choice and I have to look out for myself. Got it. Now shut up."

"Sorry boss, just doin some philosophizin before we end this poor fucks life. That makes me wonder, do ya think we only philosophize to justify our own actions?"

"I. Don't. Know. Just hand me my cell." His assistant began rummaging through the rucksack. It still didn't shut him up.

"Like this philosophy of just lookin out for myself, maybe thats not the best thing ta live by and its just me making sense of why I do the things I do."

"Sure." He had given up trying to get him to be quiet.

"Heres the celly, call it in I spose. But wait justa minute, maybe it is the right thing and I'm just goin bout it the wrong kinda way."

"What could you possibly mean by that?" He had his contacts number on speed dial but he held off to hear his assistants response.

"Like maybe it's in my best interest ta not be killin people. Even if I don't have any other decent livin, it'd be better than prison or worse. Maybe I am just committing myself ta an endless cycle of always lookin over my shoulder when I could escape it."

"But everything is meaningless so it doesn't matter." How, he thought, how was he able to suck me into this?

"Things are not and are meaningless at the same time, its all about the value system. Why not value meaning then? Ya know? Live and let live and not be caught up in an endless cycle and give meaning to things that are in my self interest."

He dialed. The voice on the other end was annoyed. "You're late," it said. "I know." "It doesn't matter you still have time, send me the picture." He pressed send.

"So that leads me to believe morals are just some kinda value system ya know?"

"Yeah, gotchya." His concentration moved back to the target. The voice buzzed through his cellphone, "Thats him, you're clear. Do it and get out."

He didn't hesitate, he squeezed the trigger without thinking. He might as well have shot a bag of lifeless money. Actually that would be worse, at least the cash could be spent.

His assistant jumped not ready for the sound. "Morals..." he repeated trailing off.

He got up from his crouched position, leaned over his assistant and pressed a handgun to his forehead.

"You shouldn't think about things too much," he said and he pulled the trigger.

title: [MF] First Short Story Feedback Would Be Nice

question: What does the story about the man the protagonist and his assistant kill?

answer: No answer

critique: The story is about a man, so the answer must reflect that, according to the question. The tentative answer requires further development.

critique: There is an answer. The man is a target.


text:
_CHANG & ENG_ is a Singaporean musical theatre production directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham based on the lives of the Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker. The music and lyrics were by Ken Low, with the book by Ming Wong, costumes by Niphon Tuntiyothin, set design by Thoranisorn Pitikul, lighting by Thio Lay Hoon, orchestral arrangement by Iskandar Ismail and choral direction by Babes Condes. The musical was first performed in 1997, rerun in subsequent years until 2002 and has since travelled around Asia. Performers such as RJ Rosales, Robin Goh and Edmund Toh have been cast as Chang and Eng, and writer-composer Ken Low has a cameo as the King of Siam in some productions.

Chang and Eng also became the first English Language Musical to be performed in the People's Republic of China between 9th - 11 December 1997 at the Century Theatre, Beijing.

The musical focuses on the lives of Chang and Eng, from their troubled childhood, seen as outcasts by children in Siam but reassured by their mother Nok, to their journey to New York as exhibits managed by Captain Abel Coffin and their settling down with Adelaide and Sallie Yates in North Carolina.

Major characters

-   CHANG (tenor/baritone) - one half of the conjoined twins and the more optimistic and confident of the two
-   ENG (tenor/baritone) - the other brother and the more moody of the two, dependent on his more confident twin for support
-   NOK (mezzo-soprano)- the twins' mother who helps them to cope with the mockery and rejection of their peers
-   CAPTAIN ABEL COFFIN (tenor/baritone) - The opportunistic American merchant who takes the twins to exhibit them in New York
-   ADELAIDE YATES (mezzo-soprano) - One of the two Yates sisters who goes on to fall in love with and later marry Chang
-   SALLIE YATES (mezzo-soprano) - the other Yates sister who falls in love and later marries Eng
-   KING RAMA III (baritone) - the King of Siam
-   MIDWIFE (mezzo-soprano) - the “Grand Midwife of the West” who delivers the 21 children of the twins' wives.

Synopsis

ACT 1

The musical begins in New York, 1829 where curious crowds gather to witness a public display of Chang and Eng, the Siamese twins joined at the chest (Eighth Wonder of the World). The twins' manager, Captain Abel Coffin, lures the crowds in as he prepares to unveil the exhibit, billed as the Eight Wonder of the World, for the first time. Backstage, before the exhibition, the twins discuss their future in America, Chang with visions of grandeur and Eng with apprehension (From Now On).

We are then transported to the twins' childhood in Siam, 1819. At the age of eight, Young Chang and Young Eng are two healthy boys who have managed to adapt to living as conjoined twins. However, they are constantly mocked by other children and not accepted by them (Stuck Together). As a severe cholera epidemic breaks out in Siam, the twins are denounced as an evil omen. The twins' mother Nok continues to love, protect and reassure Chang and Eng through their difficulties (Mai Phen Rai (Never Mind)).

Ten years later, Chang and Eng have become shrewd teenage businessmen, selling duck eggs to provide for their family. Their lives take an unexpected turn when they are summoned to appear before the King Rama III of Siam in the Royal Palace who is delighted to meet them and sends them as envoys to the Kingdom of Cochin China (Pride and Joy).

By this time, they have caught the attention of Captain Abel Coffin, an opportunistic American merchant who takes them to America, leaving behind their home and their mother.

ACT 2

The day after the exhibition, paper boys crowd the streets of New York with breaking news about the Siamese Twins' arrival, their exhibition and speculation about whether or not they are a hoax (Read All About It). Coffin offers free shows to prove the twins are not a hoax, and as part of his publicity plan has the twins examined by a team of prominent surgeons in order to have the twins' condition authenticated and for the doctors to see whether separation is an option (How Extraordinary).

ACT 3

Act 3 opens when the twins declare their independence from Captain Coffin to be their own men. In 1840, they quit going on exhibit and settle down in North Carolina to lead a normal life. They become naturalized U.S. citizens, adopting Bunker as their new surname. They meet two sisters, Sallie and Adelaide Yates, at a garden wedding reception. Afterwards, both sisters find themselves drawn to the twins and share their feelings with each other (Four Could Be Heavenly). Facing opposition for their relationships (Chang with Adelaide and Eng with Sallie), they decide to let it run its course (Maybe it Needs a Little Time). Consumed by their feelings for the sisters, Chang and Eng begin to yearn for lives apart (If Only). However, they finally settle down, and before long the sisters are pregnant with the children of the twins (The Grand Midwife of the West).

However, as the twins get older, their personality differences deepen and their desire to lead separate lives grows stronger. This is worsened by the domestic quarrels between their wives and children. In the meantime, The American Civil War looms in the background as the tension between the northern and southern states intensifies (Divided). At the end of the Civil War, Chang and Eng find themselves stricken by poverty and unwillingly return to make public appearances to support their large family. The musical ends with the twins near-death, reminiscing about the words their mother told them as children (Mai Phen Rai (Never Mind) Reprise).

Main Actors (Beijing Performance)

-   Chang Bunker: Edmund Toh
-   Eng Bunker: Jeremy Sing Seng Kwang
-   Nok: Selena Tan
-   Adelaide Yates: Pippa Birkbeck
-   Sallie Yates: Mary-Anne McCormack
-   Coffin: Patrick Gallo
-   King of Siam: Ken Low

Song List

Act One

-   Eighth Wonder Of The World
-   From Now On
-   Stuck Together
-   Mai Phen Rai (Never Mind)
-   Royal Thai Dance (Instrumental)
-   Pride & Joy

Act Two

-   Read All About It
-   How Extraordinary!

Act Three

-   (Four Could Be) Heavenly
-   Maybe It Just Needs A Little Time
-   If Only
-   The Grand Midwife Of The West
-   Divided
-   Mai Phen Rai (Never Mind) Reprise

Category:Singaporean musicals Category:1997 musicals

title: Chang & Eng

question: Describe the major characters that are in the musical.

answer: The major characters are Chang, Eng, Nok, Captain Abel Coffin, Adelaide Yates, and Sallie Yates.

critique: The answer omits the King of Siam and the Midwife.

critique: No other characters are named other than these.

critique: The answer omits King Rama III, Midwife, and the 21 children of the twins' wives.

critique: The answer should mention the King of Siam and the Midwife.

critique: The answer should mention the other characters.

question: Describe what fueled the twins desire to lead separate lives.

answer: The twins personality differences deepened as they got older and their desire to lead separate lives grew stronger. This was worsened by the domestic quarrels between their wives and children.

critique: The answer should mention the Civil War.

critique: The answer should include the fact that they were poor.

question: How popular and successful was this Singaporean musical theatre production?

answer: It was first performed in 1997 and has since travelled around Asia. It was the first English Language Musical to be performed in the People's Republic of China.

critique: The answer does not mention the success of the musical.

critique: The answer should mention its success in China, as well as the fact that it was performed until 2002.

critique: The answer should mention that the musical was performed in the People's Republic of China in 1997.

critique: The answer should mention the number of years the musical was performed.

critique: The passage doesn't cover this scenario, so this question is pointless. The better option would be to omit this answer.


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: What does the story say about why the protagonist is in the hospital?

answer: The protagonist wakes up in a hospital, with no recollection of what happened or how he got there. The nurse who hands him the folder seems to know him and tells him he's Bob Lamron. He's 23, has no wife or kids, and lives at 2534 Egareva Rd. When the protagonist gets home, he peels a section of the wall, where he finds a message written in black paint. The message tells him about the microchips implanted in the brains of the people. The microchips are used to monitor everything people do, see, hear, smell, etc. The protagonist is taken back to the hospital, and two men that were with him at the hospital when he woke up get out of a car and take him back to the hospital. Two doctors are waiting for him and they sedate him. The protagonist wakes up again with no recollection of what happened.

critique: The protagonist wakes up in a hospital, with no recollection of what happened or how he got there. The nurse who hands him the folder seems to know him and tells him he's Bob Lamron. He's 23, has no wife or kids, and lives at 2534 Egareva Rd. When the protagonist gets home, he peels a section of the wall, where he finds a message written in black paint. The message tells him about the microchips implanted in the brains of the people. The microchips are used to monitor everything people do, see, hear, smell, etc. The protagonist is taken back to the hospital, and two men that were with him at the hospital when he woke up get out of a car and take him back to the hospital. Two doctors are waiting for him and they sedate him. The protagonist wakes up again with no recollection of what happened.

critique: The protagonist already knew about the microchips and didn't discover that at home.

critique: The response includes extraneous information not useful for the task.

critique: The answer is a summary of the story, not an explanation of why the protagonist is in the hospital.

critique: The protagonist is not in the hospital for the reasons stated in the answer.

critique: The protagonist is not taken back to the hospital.

question: What does the story say about what kind of people the men want to create?

answer: The men want to create emotionless robots.

critique: It is omitted that they want to create people with no character or personality.

critique: The answer should mention the microchips.

critique: The men want to create emotionless robots who have no personality or character. This should be mentioned.

critique: The answer should mention that the men want to create emotionless robots that are generic.

critique: The answer should mention that the men want to create emotionless robots to fit into their society.

critique: The men want to create emotionless robots who have no character or personality.


text:
[]
Target's infamous data breach happened just over a year ago. Are we any the wiser? Have lessons been learned? Although not every detail has been made public, experts have developed an unofficial attack timeline that exposes critical junctures in the attack and highlights several points at which it could have been stopped.

The attack started on November 27, 2013. Target personnel discovered the breach and notified the U.S. Justice Department by December 13th. As of December 15th, Target had a third-party forensic team in place and the attack mitigated. On December 18th, security blogger Brian Krebs broke the story in this post. "Nationwide retail giant Target is investigating a data breach potentially involving millions of customer credit and debit card records," mentioned Krebs. "The sources said the breach appears to have begun on or around Black Friday 2013 -- by far the busiest shopping day the year."

Then things became interesting. Target informed about 110 million credit/debit-card wielding shoppers, who made purchases at one of the company's stores during the attack, that their personal and financial information had been compromised. To put that in perspective, the attackers pilfered 11 gigabytes of data.

ANATOMY OF THE ATTACK

Now let's look at the sequence of events that precipitated the data breach. Had any of these steps been noticed and countered, the attack would likely have fallen apart.

1. PRELIMINARY SURVEY We don't know for certain if or how the attackers performed reconnaissance on Target's network prior to the attack, but it wouldn't have required much more than a simple internet search.

Teri Radichel in this GIAC (GSEC) dissertation explains how the attackers may have gleaned information about Target's infrastructure. "Reconnaissance would have revealed a detailed case study on the Microsoft website describing how Target uses Microsoft virtualization software, centralized name resolution, and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager to deploy security patches and system updates," writes Radichel. "The case study also describes Target's technical infrastructure, including POS system information."

The internet provides additional clues. "A simple Google search turns up Target's Supplier Portal, which includes a wealth of information for new and existing vendors and suppliers about how to interact with the company, submit invoices, etc.," adds Krebs in this blog post. After drilling down, Krebs found a page listing HVAC and refrigeration companies.

2. COMPROMISE THIRD-PARTY VENDOR The attackers backed their way into Target's corporate network by compromising a third-party vendor. The number of vendors targeted is unknown. However, it only took one. That happened to be Fazio Mechanical, a refrigeration contractor.

A phishing email duped at least one Fazio employee, allowing Citadel, a variant of the Zeus banking trojan, to be installed on Fazio computers. With Citadel in place, the attackers waited until the malware offered what they were looking for -- Fazio Mechanical's login credentials.

At the time of the breach, all major versions of enterprise anti-malware detected the Citadel malware. Unsubstantiated sources mentioned Fazio used the free version of Malwarebytes anti-malware, which offered no real-time protection being an on-demand scanner. (Note: Malwarebytes anti-malware is highly regarded by experts when used in the correct manner.)

Chris Poulin, a research strategist for IBM, in this paper offers some suggestions. Target should demand that vendors accessing their systems use appropriate anti-malware software. Poulin adds. "Or at least mandate two-factor authentication to contractors who have internal access to sensitive information."

3. LEVERAGING TARGET'S VENDOR-PORTAL ACCESS Most likely Citadel also gleaned login credentials for the portals used by Fazio Mechanical. With that in hand, the attackers got to work figuring out which portal to subvert and use as a staging point into Target's internal network. Target hasn't officially said which system was the entry point, but Ariba portal was a prime candidate.

Brian Krebs interviewed a former member of Target's security team regarding the Ariba portal, "Most, if not all, internal applications at Target used Active Directory (AD) credentials and I'm sure the Ariba system was no exception," the administrator told Krebs. "I wouldn't say the vendor had AD credentials, but internal administrators would use their AD logins to access the system from inside. This would mean the server had access to the rest of the corporate network in some form or another."

Poulin suggests several attack scenarios, "It's possible that attackers abused a vulnerability in the web application, such as SQL injection, XSS, or possibly a 0-day, to gain a point of presence, escalate privileges, then attack internal systems."

Not knowing the details, makes it difficult to offer a remediation for this portion of the attack. However, Poulin opines that IPS/IDS systems, if in place, would have sensed the inappropriate attack traffic, notifying Target staff of the unusual behavior. According to this Bloomberg Business article, a malware detection tool made by the computer security firm FireEye was in place and sent an alarm, but the warning went unheeded.

4. GAIN CONTROL OF TARGET SERVERS Again, Target hasn't said publicly how the attackers undermined several of their internal Windows servers, but there are several possibilities.

Radichel in the SANS dissertation offers one theory. "We can speculate the criminals used the attack cycle described in Mandiant's APT1 report to find vulnerabilities," mentions Radichel. "Then move laterally through the network... using other vulnerable systems."

Gary Warner, founder of Malcovery Security, feels servers fell to SQL-injection attacks. He bases that on the many similarities between the Target breach and those perpetrated by the Drinkman and Gonzalez data-breach gang which also used SQL injection.

5. NEXT STOP, TARGET'S POINT OF SALE (POS) SYSTEMS This iSIGHT Partners report provides details about the malware, code-named Trojan.POSRAM, used to infect Target's POS system. The "RAM-scraping" portion of the POS malware grabs credit/debit card information from the memory of POS-devices as cards are swiped. "Every seven hours the Trojan checks to see if the local time is between the hours of 10 AM and 5 PM," mentions the iSIGHT Partners report. "If so, the Trojan attempts to send winxml.dll over a temporary NetBIOS share to an internal host (dump server) inside the compromised network over TCP port 139, 443 or 80."

This technique allowed attackers to steal data from POS terminals that lacked internet access.

Once the credit/debit card information was secure on the dump server, the POS malware sent a special ICMP (ping) packet to a remote server. The packet indicated that data resided on the dump server. The attackers then moved the stolen data to off-site FTP servers and sold their booty on the digital black market.

LESSONS LEARNED

As a result of the breach, Target has tried to improve security. A corporate webpage describes changes made by the company regarding their security posture, including the following:

-   Improved monitoring and logging of system activity
-   Installed application whitelisting POS systems and
-   Implemented POS management tools
-   Improved firewall rules and policies
-   Limited or disabled vendor access to their network
-   Disabled, reset, or reduced privileges on over 445,000 Target personnel and contractor accounts
-   Expanded the use of two-factor authentication and password vaults
-   Trained individuals on password rotation

If these changes have been implemented as Target describes, they would help address the weaknesses exploited during the attack.

However, the attackers demonstrated extraordinary capabilities by exfiltrating data from a complex retail network as noted in this paper (courtesy of Brian Krebs) by Keith Jarvis and Jason Milletary of Dell SecureWorks Counter Threat Unit, which makes their conclusion all that more poignant. "This level of resourcefulness points to the current value for credit-card data in the criminal marketplace," mentions the paper. "And similar breaches will be common until fundamental changes are made to the technology behind payment cards."

question: Summarize everything relating to software used by Target.

answer: Target uses Microsoft virtualization software, centralized name resolution, and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager to deploy security patches and system updates. The case study also describes Target's technical infrastructure, including POS system information. A simple Google search turns up Target's Supplier Portal, which includes a wealth of information for new and existing vendors and suppliers about how to interact with the company, submit invoices, etc.

critique: The answer should mention the malware used to hack Target.

critique: It is omitted that the attackers used Citadel, a variant of the Zeus banking trojan, which was installed on Fazio computers.

critique: The answer should mention the malware used to attack the company.

critique: The answer should mention the malware used to infect Target's POS system.

question: What does the article say about the aftermath of the attack?

answer: Target has tried to improve security. They have improved monitoring and logging of system activity, installed application whitelisting POS systems, implemented POS management tools, improved firewall rules and policies, limited or disabled vendor access to their network, disabled, reset, or reduced privileges on over 445,000 Target personnel and contractor accounts, expanded the use of two-factor authentication and password vaults, and trained individuals on password rotation.

critique: The article doesn't mention anything about the aftermath of the attack.

critique: "Databreach" is misspelled and "five-hundred" should be "445,000."

critique: The answer should mention that the attack happened over a year ago.

question: What does the article say about how to carry out a hacking job?

answer: No answer

critique: The article does not answer this question.

critique: The article does not answer the question.

critique: The article does not provide any details about how to carry out a hacking job.

critique: The first section of the article can be used to answer this question. It details the Target breach that occurred in 2013.

critique: The article does not give any advice on how to carry out a hacking job.

critique: The article does not say anything about how to carry out a hacking job.


text:
     It's funny how people act in the coffee rooms at funeral homes. They're all sad or they act sad out of respect. They all drink coffee and eat the cookies that they put out on the table, and they talk about how the body looks for a while, then they start talking about politics or the weather or some damn boring thing. It happens at every viewing I've ever been to. I even do it. I sat there the other night at my great aunts viewing and I nodded my head when people talked about how natural she looked and all that, and I ate three big cookie, then I looked down at my gut and was disgusted because I'm a damn glutton.
	Anyways, two things happened when we all left the funeral home: the first thing was I offered to be a pallbearer. It was my great aunt Margret's viewing, like I said, and my grandma said that me or my brother ought to be pallbearers. My brother's real nervous about some things, one of them is being around dead people. He was afraid he'd drop the casket or something, so I offered to do it, but Margret's niece said no. She told my grandma later that the reason she said no was because I looked like a clown because of my hair. I have long shaggy hair that I dye blood red.
     The second thing is that I noticed the damn Christmas tree in the corner near the door in the lobby -- it's getting close to Christmas now. It was tall and green and decorated in bright white lights and silver tinsel and big red bulbs with the names of all the dead people who were shown there that year written on them with permanent marker. I saw Margret's name in the center.
	I thought it was sort of strange, decorating the tree with the dead. I think that funeral homes are strange altogether. When you die everybody you ever met practically comes and cries and get all sad at the site of your leftover meat.
	When I got back home I started over to my friend Darren's house.
	Darren and I have went to school together since fourth grade, but we just started hanging out this year because we've always ran with different crowds. His friends are the kind of guys that wear gym shorts all year long and lust after Air Jordans and Beats Headphones and try to punk out everybody so they can feel tough. Plus, we've never had any classes together or anything until this year, but Darren's probably my favorite friend.
      The only problem with us hanging out is that he smokes a lot of weed and he's got me smoking a lot too. Last weekend we blew fifteen bucks on weed, smoked it all and stayed up until four listening to The Beatles.
	He's never listened to much music outside of rap, so I've been trying to show him some good stuff. He always acts like he likes it, but he's probably just entertaining me. He's probably just telling me he likes it because we're friends and he's nice. Darren's a real nice sensitive guy under all that wanna-be-thug shit he's always doing. He's nicer than me in a lot of ways, like when he's listening to rap and I don't like it, I tell him and bitch until he turns it off, and when he turns it off, he isn't even mad about having to doing it because he's real considerate. I wish I was that considerate.
	Anyways, Darren and I ended up going down to the cemetery and smoking a fat joint. I told him about the funeral home Christmas tree and he said that the funeral home was retarded.
	"They won't be putting my name on some damn bulb," he said. Then he talked about the rapture through the rest of the cemetery. He told me that we weren't going to have to worry about funerals because we weren't really going to die because we  were going up in the rapture. Darren was always talking about the rapture. He never went to church, but he had all the faith
in the world that the rapture was going to happen at any minute and he had all the faith in the world that the two of us were going.
	He told me once that I'm the only friend he likes to talk to about the rapture. It was probably because I'm the only one
who will even listen. I don't believe in the Bible, but I don't mind talking about Bible stuff if I care about the person doing most of the talking.
	If Heaven exists, Darren will go because he's nice and sensitive. If there's a Heaven, Margret's there because she was a real sweet lady. It's a nice idea, the idea of Heaven, I mean. I guess I'd rather float up to a cloud kingdom than to get old and die and be buried in a boxes.
	Anyways, I'm not sure why he thinks I'm going to Heaven.
	Once we got out of the cemetery, we saw this old tin can in the middle of the street, and the street was empty because it was about nine at night or later and it was cold and everybody besides the two of us were inside around heater and wrap in blankets, probably. Anyways, we started kicking the can down this alley and we kept falling down and laughing because we were stoned.
	We kept on kicking the can down the alleys until I had to piss. I went behind this old white shed, unbuttoned my pants and
unzipped and started pissing. There was this Oldsmobile behind me, it was parked on the other side of the alley, I thought it was empty because it was dark and I couldn't see through the
windows. Well, somebody was in it, and halfway through my piss, whoever it was  beeped the horn and scared me half to death,
 and I ended up pissing down my leg. I zipped up my pants and Darren and I got the hell out of the alley as fast as we could. It was funny, though. I didn't even mind the piss on my leg that much.

title: [UR] Funeral Home Christmas Tree

question: What does the story say about the type of person Darren is?

answer: Darren is a nice guy who listens to rap music. He's a sensitive guy who is considerate. He believes in the rapture and thinks the narrator will go to heaven. He's a good friend who is always willing to listen to the narrator talk about the rapture.

critique: Darren's beliefs about the rapture are irrelevant to the question.

critique: Darren is not always willing to listen to the narrator talk about the rapture.

critique: Darren is not a good friend because he is always willing to listen to the narrator talk about the rapture.

critique: Darren is not a good friend. He's the narrator's favorite friend.

critique: Darren's sensitivity and consideration are irrelevant.

critique: Darren listens to rap, but he doesn't like it. He only listens because he's nice and considerate.

critique: Darren does not listen to rap music, but he maintains an interest in it.

critique: Darren does not listen to rap music. He listens to rap and the narrator does not like it.

text: The last line is incorrect: Darren is the one who is always talking about the rapture, not the narrator.

category: accuracy

question: Summarize everything relating to the narrator's family.

answer: The narrator's great aunt Margret is dead. The narrator's grandma says that the narrator or their brother ought to be pallbearers. The narrator's brother is afraid of being around dead people. The narrator's grandma says that Margret's niece said no to being a pallbearer because the narrator looked like a clown.

critique: It is not stated that the narrator's brother is afraid of being around dead people.

critique: The narrator's brother is not afraid of being around dead people. He is afraid of dropping the casket.

critique: The narrator's brother's fear seems to be the reason for their offer to be a pallbearer, not a reason for their grandmother to be against it.

critique: The narrator's brother is not afraid of being around dead people.

critique: The narrator's brother's fear is irrelevant to the question.

text: Margret's niece said no to the narrator being a pallbearer, not to being a pallbearer herself.

question: What does the story say about Darren's family?

answer: No answer

critique: The response misses to specify that Darren's family seems to be missing. He discourages the narrator from going to funeral homes and the narrator thinks that they won't be seeing heaven anytime soon.

critique: The response misses to mention that Darren's family is never mentioned in the story.

critique: The response misses to mention that Darren's family is religious.

question: Summarize the narrator's movements after he meets up with Darren.

answer: The narrator and Darren meet up after the funeral. They go to the cemetery, where Darren tells him about the rapture. They kick a can down an alley, and the narrator has to pee. The narrator urinates on the side of an alleyway, and a car honks at them. They take off running.

critique: The narrator and Darren meet up before the funeral.

critique: The car that honks is behind the narrator, so change the order

critique: The first sentence is unnecessary, as the plot is summarized in the question.

critique: The car honking and running away is not necessary to mention.

critique: The narrator and Darren meet up after the funeral. They go to the cemetery, where Darren tells him about the rapture. They kick a can down an alley, and the narrator has to pee. The narrator urinates on the side of an alleyway, and a car honks at them. They take off running.

critique: The narrator's movements are not mentioned after they leave the cemetery.


text:
[Liam Ashley] LIAM ASHLEY was a 17-year-old boy from North Shore City, Auckland[1][2] who was murdered on 24 August 2006, by GEORGE CHARLIE BAKER, a prisoner from North Shore, Auckland.[3] The crime occurred[4] in a New Zealand prison van and led to criticism of the methods of transporting prisoners in New Zealand.

Background

Ian and Lorraine Ashley, Liam's parents, pressed criminal charges against their son after he used his mother's car without permission. The Ashleys denied bail so that their son would be sent to prison. They wished to correct the boy's behaviour, and prevent additional “minor misdemeanours.”[5] Liam had previously experienced “minor trouble” with New Zealand law, and his parents believed that the prison system would be the safest place for him.[6]

Murder

The prison authorities placed Ashley in one of four compartments of a prison van operated by Chubb Security, a company operating under contract with New Zealand officials.[7] The van was scheduled to transport the prisoners from North Shore District Court to Auckland Central Remand Prison at Mt Eden. Ashley shared the compartment with two other men, one of whom, George Baker, was classified as a dangerous criminal.[8] Baker attacked Ashley, strangling and stomping on the boy. The victim sustained severe brain injuries. The following day, August 25, at 10:30, his family chose to remove Ashley from life support; Liam Ashley died at 10:45.[9][10]

Aftermath

Baker said that he attacked Ashley because he believed the boy was a “nark .”[11] He freely admitted to killing Ashley and received a minimum 18 year life sentence.[12] Damien O'Connor, the Minister of Corrections, described the fatal injury as “senseless” and “preventable.”[13]

Chubb, the security company that operated the van, faced criticism in the aftermath of the attack.[14] In June 2007 the company announced that it no longer wished to transport prisoners as contracted with New Zealand authorities.[15]

In 2007, John Belgrave, New Zealand Chief Ombudsman, and Mel Smith, the ombudsman of the Corrections Department, conducted an inquiry into the department's policy for transporting prisoners.[16] Belgrave described Corrections' prisoner transport policies as “inhumane”, and ordered a review of the system.[17] After publication of the report, Simon Power, an Opposition Justice & Corrections spokesman, asked O'Connor to resign due to the shortcomings in his department, though he stopped short of saying that O'Connor was directly responsible for Ashley's death. Power criticized the system for failing to keep Ashley, a first time offender, and Baker, a high-risk prisoner, separated.[18]

In response to Ashley's death, New Zealand authorities began testing waist restraints for prisoners.[19]

Following his conviction, Baker remained in the public spotlight after several further violent incidents inside Auckland Prison. In July 2008, while being returned to Auckland Prison from Auckland City Hospital after treatment for self-inflicted injuries, Baker pulled a concealed shiv on a prison officer in an attempt to escape. The prison officer received minor injuries and Baker was returned to Auckland Prison.[20] On 27 August 2009, Baker took hostage a fellow inmate in Auckland Prison using a makeshift knife and two razor blades. Police managed to defuse the situation and nobody was harmed in the incident.[21] In 2010, Baker was found guilty on charges that resulted from these two incidents and was subsequently sentenced to preventive detention with no possibility of parole for at least 16 years.[22]

[1] Wall, Tony. “'It's my fault - I should have shut my mouth' THE LIAM ASHLEY MURDER.” _The Sunday Star-Times_. 3 September 2006. Retrieved on 21 June 2009.

[2]

[3] “Liam Ashley parents praised.” _NZCity_. 28 August 2006. Retrieved on 21 June 2009.

[4] “Liam Ashley Report: Findings And PDF.” _Scoop_. Monday 11 December 2006. Retrieved on 21 June 2009.

[5]

[6] “Dead teen “gentle and kind”.” _NewstalkZB_. 28 August 2006. Retrieved on 21 June 2009.

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13] “Liam Ashley's Death Preventable - O'Connor.” _Scoop_. Tuesday 12 December 2006. Retrieved on 21 June 2009.

[14]

[15]

[16] “Report into Liam Ashley's murder to be released today.” _TV3_.

[17]

[18] “Report strengthens call for Minister to resign.” _Scoop_. Monday 11 December 2006. Retrieved on 21 June 2009.

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

title: Murder of Liam Ashley

question: What does the article say about George Charlie Baker?

answer: George Charlie Baker is a dangerous criminal from North Shore, Auckland. He was placed in a compartment of a prison van with other prisoners and Liam Ashley, who he killed. Baker had a history of self-inflicting injuries and was dangerous towards others. His first offense was self-inflicted, and he was sentenced to at least 18 years in prison. Just a year later, he attacked and injured a prison guard while being taken to the hospital. Baker then took a fellow inmate hostage and injured several guards. He is currently serving a preventative detention sentence without parole for at least 16 years.

critique: Baker's first offense was not self-inflicted.

critique: It is omitted that Baker said that he attacked Ashley because he believed the boy was a “nark.”

critique: Baker's first offense was not self-inflicted. He was convicted for strangling and stomping on the boy.

critique: It's omitted that Baker attacked Ashley because he believed the boy was a nark.

critique: The answer should mention that Baker was sentenced to preventive detention with no parole for at least 16 years.

critique: The answer should mention that Baker was a first-time offender.

text: The answer has several inaccuracies and redundancies. Baker didn't have a history of self-inflicting injuries. The attack on the prison guard didn't happen a year after he killed Ashley, but two years later in 2008, and it went down during the trip back to the prison from the hospital, not the other way around. Baker also didn't injure several guards, he only injured one, and that incident happened in 2009. Lastly, saying Baker was "dangerous towards others" is redundant because it was already mentioned that he was a dangerous criminal.

question: What does the article say about the security company Chubb?

answer: Chubb Security was contracted by New Zealand officials to transport prisoners. In August 2006, Chubb Security was transporting prisoners from the North Shore District Court to the Auckland Central Remand Prison when a prisoner, George Charlie Baker, strangled and stomped on a 17-year-old boy, Liam Ashley, causing severe brain injuries. Liam died the following day. Baker said that he attacked Ashley because he believed the boy was a "nark." Chubb faced criticism in the aftermath of the attack. In June 2007, the company announced that it no longer wished to transport prisoners as contracted with New Zealand authorities.

critique: "In August 2006, Chubb Security was transporting prisoners from the North Shore District Court to the Auckland Central Remand Prison" - this is inaccurate because the crime happened in a van operated by Chubb. Chubb was contracted to transport prisoners, but the crime happened in a different van. The model should consider rewriting this.

critique: The last sentence is unnecessary to include. It is a dead sentence.

critique: The answer omits the company's response to Ashley's death.

critique: The answer should mention the ombudsman's report.

critique: "In June 2007, the company announced that it no longer wished to transport prisoners as contracted with New Zealand authorities." - this is incorrect. Chubb announced this in response to the aftermath of the attack and not after it.

question: What does the article say about teenage criminality in New Zealand?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer should state that the article does not discuss teenage criminality.


text:
GORE is a township municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec, located within the Argenteuil Regional County Municipality. Its main community is Lakefield.

Geography

Located in the Laurentian Mountains, the township consists of rugged Canadian Shield with an elevation varying between and . The terrain is characterized by forested mountains and numerous streams and lakes. Notable lakes include Barron, Hughes, Chevreuil, aux Oiseaux, Solar, Caroline, Evans, Dawson, Clark, Grace, Sugarloaf, Clair, and Carruthers; many of them have been entirely developed over the years, but there still remain many with little or no construction to date.[1]

The majority of its territory is covered by old-growth forests with a wide variety of species both deciduous and coniferous, such as birch, poplar, sugar maple, beech, white pine, fir, spruce, hemlock, and cedar.[2]

History

The Gore Township, established in 1840, was probably named after Francis Gore (1769–1852), Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada from 1806 to 1811 and from 1815 to 1817. It was colonized by Scottish and Irish settlers, such as Robert Smith and James Stephenson.[3][4]

In 1845, the Gore Municipality was formed, abolished two years later, and restored in 1855. In 1853 it had about 1000 inhabitants but this dropped to about 800 people ten years later, almost all of Irish origin. The Gore Post Office operated between 1898 and 1958.[5]

Demographics

[Gore town hall and fire station] Population trend:[6]

-   Population in 2011: 1775 (2006 to 2011 population change: 15.3%)
-   Population in 2006: 1540
-   Population in 2001: 1260
-   Population in 1996: 1133
-   Population in 1991: 982

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 829 (total dwellings: 1495)

Mother tongue (2011):

-   English as first language: 22%
-   French as first language: 72.7%
-   English and French as first language: 1.1%
-   Other as first language: 3.9%

Education

The Commission scolaire de la Rivière-du-Nord (CSRDN) operates Francophone public schools:[7]

-   École primaire Bellefeuille in Saint-Jérôme
-   École secondaire Émilien-Frenette in Saint-Jérôme and École polyvalente Lavigne in Lachute

The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board operates English-language public schools:

-   Laurentian Elementary School in Lachute[8]
-   Laurentian Regional High School in Lachute[9]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6] Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census

[7] “Trouver une école ou un centre.” Commission scolaire de la Rivière-du-Nord. Retrieved on September 24, 2017. For attendance boundary information, click “Par bassin d'école”

[8] “LAURENTIAN ELEMENTARY ZONE.” Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Retrieved on September 16, 2017.

[9] “LAURENTIAN REGIONAL HS ZONE.” Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Retrieved on September 4, 2017.

title: Gore, Quebec

question: What does the article say about the characteristics that make up the Gore township municipality in Quebec?

answer: Gore township includes a lot of forests, stream, and lakes, in the Laurentian mountains. The even the main community is located near a large body of water (Lakefield) with the township being named after the owner of the land who's name is Francis Gore. The township is quite an old place, named as early as 1840, according to research conducted while creating this article.

critique: The reason for the name of the town is only speculative.

critique: The last sentence is not relevant to the question.

critique: "The even the main community is located near a large body of water (Lakefield) with the township being named after the owner of the land who's name is Francis Gore." - this is inaccurate because the community of Lakefield is not mentioned anywhere in the article.


text:
MILTON D. RUBIN (1914–1996) was an American systems engineer and inventor, who was president of the Society for General Systems Research in 1968.[1]

Biography

In 1914 Milton Rubin was born in Boston and attended Boston Latin School. He received his formal education at Harvard University in communications engineering and applied mathematics, and graduated from Harvard College with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering.[2][3] His son, Mark Jonathon Rubin, was born in 1947. His daughter, Lise Diane Rubin, was born in 1950.

Over the next 50 years, he worked for numerous engineering firms, where he served as manager of system engineering and consulting scientist. His career further included research into materials and components, and specialized in radar. In the 1940s he worked at the Raytheon Co. where he headed the Equipment Division. In 1954 he became consulting scientist, the highest professional level one can attain in the company.[4] Later in the 1950s Rubin became Research Director at GA Philbrick Researches Inc. in Boston. From the 1960s until the 1980s he worked at the Mitre Corporation in Bedford, Massachusetts.

Rubin was organizationally active in the Society for General Systems Research. For years he has been Secretary Treasurer and has been the Editor of the “General Systems Newsletter, quarterly”, and in 1968 he was president of the Society for General Systems Research. In 1981 he received the IEEE-USA Award by the IEEE.[5]

Milton D. Rubin of Newton died Saturday July 6, 1996 at Clark House in Westwood. He was survived by his wife, Tillie Rubin, daughter, Lise Diane Rubin, grandson, Joel Benjamin, and granddaughter, Eva Weinstein.

Work

General Systems

One of the main lines of thought in General Systems according to Rubin in 1966 [6] is the transfer of system concepts from one field to another. There has been fruitful application of such theoretical concepts from engineering to other fields such as biology.

In his 1966 paper “General Systems and Systems Engineering” Rubin attempted “to apply concepts from biology to the practice of systems engineering. The relation of systems engineering to other fields is discussed, utilizing an intellectual framework based on the concepts of speciation and competition between species. The internal social structure of the profession and of individual organizations is considered, using the concept of competition within a species. Examples are drawn from biology to illustrate the points at issue”.[7]

Publications

Rubin has written and edited several books and articles. A selection:

-   1968, _Positive Feedback; a General Systems Approach to Positive/negative Feedback and Mutual Causality_. Edited with J. H. Milsum. Oxford : Pergamon Press.
-   1970, _Man in Systems_ (ed.) New York: Gordon and Breach Science.

Articles

-   1954. “Renal Functions in the Course of the Nephrotic Syndrome in Children” with Erika Bruck, Anatol Rapoport, and I. Mitchell. In: _J Clin Invest._ 1954 Apr; 33 (4 Suppl):699–723.
-   1965, “Society for General Systems Research” . in: _Science_ 19 February 1965: 926-927.
-   1966, “General Systems and Systems Engineering”, in: _IEEE Transactions on Systems Science and Cybernetics_, Vol 2, Iss 1, Aug. 66 Pages:3-7.
-   1966, “Free fro all”. With Clifford G. Bigelow. In: _Management Science_. Vol 13, Issue 2.

[1] General Systems Bulletin Vol XXXII, 2003, retrieved 25 April 2008.

[2] “Milton D. Rubin, 82 Was systems engineer, inventor.” In: The Boston Globe, July 8th, 1996.

[3] J. H. Milsum (1968), _Positive Feedback; a General Systems Approach to Positive/negative Feedback and Mutual Causality_. Oxford : Pergamon Press. P.165.

[4] ProQuest Information and Learning Company (1954). “Control engineering: : Covering Control, Instrumentation, and Automation”. LexisNexis (Firm, Gale Group, EBSCO Publishing (Firm, H.W. Wilson Company. Page 172.

[5] IEEE-USA Award, retrieved 25 April 2008.

[6] Milton D. Rubin (1966), “General Systems and Systems Engineering”, in: _IEEE Transactions on Systems Science and Cybernetics_, Vol 2, Iss 1, Aug. 66 Pages:3-7.

[7]

title: Milton Rubin

question: What can be considered Milton Rubin's main contribution to the engineering world?

answer: Milton Rubin's main contribution to the engineering world is his work in the field of systems engineering. It seems his work or his thoughts can be related to almost all the inventions that came out at that time.

critique: "It seems his work or his thoughts can be related to almost all the inventions that came out at that time." - this line is too general and can be translated to "almost everything". Being specific would help paint a better picture of what Rubin actually contributed to.

critique: Rubin's work in systems engineering is not his main contribution to the engineering world.

critique: He can't be considered responsible for all inventions.

critique: The answer is not related to the question.