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Stanford NLP 14

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Pacing and Pausing Sara tried to befriend her old friend Steve's new wife, but Betty never seemed to have anything to say. While Sara felt Betty didn't hold up her end of the conversation, Betty complained to Steve that Sara never gave her a chance to talk. The problem had to do with expectations about pacing and pausing. Conversation is a turn-taking game. When our habits are similar, there's no problem. But if our habits are different, you may start to talk before I'm finished or fail to take your turn when I'm finished. That's what was happening with Betty and Sara. It may not be coincidental that Betty, who expected relatively longer pauses between turns, is British, and Sara, who expected relatively shorter pauses, is American. Betty often felt interrupted by Sara. But Betty herself became an interrupter and found herself doing most of the talking when she met a visitor from Finland. And Sara had a hard time cutting in on some speakers from Latin America or Israel. The general phenomenon, then, is that the small conversation techniques, like pacing and pausing, lead people to draw conclusions not about conversational style but about personality and abilities. These habitual differences are often the basis for dangerous stereotyping . And these social phenomena can have very personal consequences. For example, a woman from the southwestern part of the US went to live in an eastern city to take up a job in personnel. When the Personnel Department got together for meetings, she kept searching for the right time to break in -- and never found it. Although back home she was considered outgoing and confident, in Washington she was viewed as shy and retiring. When she was evaluated at the end of the year, she was told to take a training course because of her inability to speak up. That's why slight differences in conversational style -- tiny little things like microseconds of pause -- can have a great effect on one's life. The result in this cause was a judgment of psychological problems -- even in the mind of the woman herself, who really wondered what was wrong with her and registered for _ training.

cnn

(CNN) -- Andres Iniesta could miss Spain's opening game at the World Cup after suffering a thigh injury in a warm-up match. The Barcelona midfielder set up two goals for Spain in their emphatic 6-0 win over Poland in Murcia on Monday, but was substituted after just 39 minutes. Iniesta missed a large chunk of Barcelona's season with a thigh complaint, but team doctors insisted the injury was only minor. "We substituted him because he had some discomfort in the back part of the thigh," Spain's team doctor Dr Oscar Celada was quoted as saying by the UK Press Association. "He didn't notice any tear and it has not got any worse. It was at the start of the match and as he wasn't comfortable, we made the change - it's a minor muscle injury. "We will calmly carry out tests on Wednesday, but we can initially rule out any muscle tear. It's a minor injury, but we have to take precautions," he added. Two of Spain's other injury doubts, Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, both came on a substitutes against Poland -- and scored -- as they look to step up their fitness. It was Torres' first action since playing for Liverpool against Portuguese side Benfica back in April. "It was almost two months without playing since the Benfica game and I was really keen to come back," he said after the match. "They have let me play for a while today and it was great to go out there and score."

wikipedia

Johannesburg (; ; also known as Jozi, Joburg and Egoli) is the largest city in South Africa and is one of the 50 largest urban areas in the world. It is the provincial largest city in Gauteng, which is the wealthiest province in South Africa. While Johannesburg is not one of South Africa's three capital cities, it is the seat of the Constitutional Court. The city is located in the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills and is the centre of large-scale gold and diamond trade. In 2011, the population of the city of Johannesburg was 4,434,827, making it the largest city in South Africa. In the same year, the population of Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Area was 7,860,781. Some view the area surrounding the city of Johannesburg yet more broadly than the metropolitan area, adding Ekurhuleni, West Rand and Lenasia; that larger area had a population of 8,434,292 in 2011. The land area of the municipal city () is large in comparison with those of other major cities, resulting in a moderate population density of . The city was established in 1886 following the discovery of gold on what had been a farm. The name is attributed to one or all of three men involved in the establishment of the city. In ten years, the population was 100,000 inhabitants.

cnn

(CNN) -- Nicklas Bendtner scored a hat-trick as a rampant Arsenal side thrashed Porto 5-0 at The Emirates to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League on Tuesday. Danish international Bendtner had been widely criticized for missing a host of chances in Arsenal's 3-1 Premier League win over Burnley on Saturday -- however, he was in the right place at the right time twice in the first-half as the Londonders comfortably overturned their 2-1 first leg deficit. The opening goal came in the 10th minute when Bendtner was on hand to fire into an empty net after goalkeeper Helton had rushed out to block the on-coming Andrey Arshavin. And he doubled the lead 15 minutes later after more good work from Russian Arshavin, who evaded two challenges on the edge of the area before crossing for the striker to comfortably slot home. Porto came out with more determination after the break but were hit by two goals in the space of three minutes around the hour mark. First, Frenchman Samir Nasir produced a moment of breathtaking skill and fast foot-work to dance around three Porto challenges before firing past Helton from an acute angle. Then, with their Portuguese opponents chasing the game, Arshavin collected the ball on the break after a Porto corner was cleared. He had Emmanuel Eboue overlapping in support -- and the pass was perfect for the Ivorian to round the goalkeeper before stroking the ball home. And a superb night for Arsenal -- and Bendtner in particular -- was completed in the final minute when Eboue was fouled in the penalty area, and the Dane stepped up to fire his penalty wide of Helton's despairing dive.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXXIX. THE PEDLAR'S PREDICTION But if ne'er so close you wall him, Do the best that you may; Blind Love, if so you call him, Will find out his way. --OLD SONG 'Too late,' muttered Berenger to himself, as he stood by the fire in his prison-chamber. Humfrey and Philip were busy in the vaults, and he was taking his turn in waiting in the sitting-room to disarm suspicion. 'It is too late now, and I thank God that so it is.' 'Do you indeed, M. le Baron?' said a low voice close beside him; and, as he turned in haste, he beheld, at the foot of the turret-stair, the youth Aime de Selinville, holding a dark lantern in his hand, and veiling its light. 'Ha!' and he started to his feet. 'Whence come you?' 'From my Lady,' was the youth's answer. 'She has sent me to ask whether you persist in what you replied to her the other day. For if not, she bids me say that it is not too late.' 'And if I do persevere?' 'Then--ah! what do I know? Who can tell how far malice can go? And there are towers and bastilles where hope never enters. Moreover, your researches underground are known.' 'Sir,' said Berenger, the heart-sinking quelled by the effort of resistance, 'Madame de Selinville has my answer--I must take the consequences. Tell her, if she truly wishes me well, the honourable way of saving us would be to let our English friends know what has befallen us.'

race

Hetty Robinson learnt all about money when very young. As a child, she read the financial pages of the newspaper to her rich father. Her father died when Hetty was 30, and she inherited $1 million. When she herself died in 1916, she left almost $100 million to her two children. Hetty made her money on the New York stock exchange. She was a financial genius. She made money so easily that people called her the Witch of Wall Street. But although she was one of the richest women in the world, she counted every cent and spent as little as possible. She didn't own a house, because she didn't want to pay taxes. So she and her children lived in cheap hotels. She spent almost nothing on clothes, and always wore the same long black dress. She washed it herself, but to save soap she only washed the bottom of the dress, where it touched the ground. Other people had their own offices, but Hetty used a desk in the bank where she kept her money, because it didn't cost anything. She sat in the bank and ate her sandwiches while she bought and sold stocks and shares. If the bank complained, she just moved all her money to another bank. Hetty's family paid the price for her meanness. When she was 33 she married a millionaire, Edward Green, and they had two children. But Green lost all his money, so she left him. When her son, Ned, injured his knee, Hetty didn't want to pay for a doctor, so she took him to a free hospital for poor people. Unfortunately the doctor knew Hetty was rich and he asked for money. Hetty refused and took the boy away. His leg got worse and two years later doctors removed it. But eventually Ned got his revenge . At the age of 81, Hetty had an argument with a shop assistant about the price of a bottle of milk. She became so angry that she had a heart attack and died. So Hetty's meanness finally killed her. Ned inherited half his mother's fortune, and he spent it all on parties, holidays and expensive jewellery.

race

Any high school students lucky enough to be accepted to Harvard University can easily count themselves among the country's best and brightest. The story of David Boone's journey from sleeping on a park bench to one of Harvard's dorm rooms, certainly stands out from the crowd of his peers. David, a 17-year-old senior at a MC2 Stem, a high school in Cleveland, Ohio that focuses largely on engineering and science classes with the help of a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was offered a full-ride scholarship to Harvard in the fall. His family life has been complicated for the past few years after gangs and economic hardships resulted in him being separated from his family and forced to look after himself on the streets and park benches in Cleveland. Because both his grandmother and mother could not afford to house the teenagers, his siblings split up to stay with various family friends, but because of space issues and his allergies to the families pets, David was unable to stay. He ended up in the safer neighborhood of Coventry where there was a safer park with fewer dangers. "All of these life lessons have shaped me into who I am, transforming my dreams and aspirations and allowing me to free myself from what was becoming an unproductive environment," he wrote in his blog post. David's thirst for knowledge had never been reduced and his enthusiasm for engineering and science was growing. A short while later, Jeff McClellan, the principal of MC2 Stem was immediately impressed by David's dedication in the face of adversity, as well as his academic talent. "Here's a kid who's doing everything in his power to get where he wants to go and we had the available resources to provide a little additional support, "Mr McClellan told the local ABC News. At MC2 Stem, David found the exact fit, where it seems he was born to absorb what they were offering. Principal Jeff McClellan found David to be a great student and all-around person, but with a serious living situation, so he stepped in to help. After a home discussion with his wife, McClellan decided to offer David a place to live until he could find another home. Mr McClellan and his wife took the teen in and helped him before he found a permanent solution. When it came to his next step, David aimed high and applied for a list of top colleges, including the University of Pennsylvania, MIT, Princeton, Cornell, Yale, Harvard and Washington University in St. Louis. In the end, only MIT rejected his application and he was left to choose his own fate from the selective prestigious and mostly Ivy League schools. David's next challenge is to fight back tears at graduation this weekend. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry. But I realize that's what everyone does before they cry. I'm pretty sure there's going to be a lot of emotion there." he said.

gutenberg

CHAPTER ELEVEN EXPERIMENTS "The first of June! The Kings are off to the seashore tomorrow, and I'm free. Three months' vacation--how I shall enjoy it!" exclaimed Meg, coming home one warm day to find Jo laid upon the sofa in an unusual state of exhaustion, while Beth took off her dusty boots, and Amy made lemonade for the refreshment of the whole party. "Aunt March went today, for which, oh, be joyful!" said Jo. "I was mortally afraid she'd ask me to go with her. If she had, I should have felt as if I ought to do it, but Plumfield is about as gay as a churchyard, you know, and I'd rather be excused. We had a flurry getting the old lady off, and I had a fright every time she spoke to me, for I was in such a hurry to be through that I was uncommonly helpful and sweet, and feared she'd find it impossible to part from me. I quaked till she was fairly in the carriage, and had a final fright, for as it drove of, she popped out her head, saying, 'Josyphine, won't you--?' I didn't hear any more, for I basely turned and fled. I did actually run, and whisked round the corner where I felt safe." "Poor old Jo! She came in looking as if bears were after her," said Beth, as she cuddled her sister's feet with a motherly air. "Aunt March is a regular samphire, is she not?" observed Amy, tasting her mixture critically.

cnn

(CNN) -- Here's something shocking. Democrats and Republicans totally disagree about the significance of the GOP's victory in the first major competitive congressional ballot box test of 2014. Republican candidate David Jolly narrowly edged out Democrat Alex Sink to win Tuesday's special election in Florida's 13th Congressional District. Jolly will fill out the term of his former boss, longtime Republican Rep. Bill Young, who died in October. Republicans win first election showdown of the year The race was consistently in the spotlight with national Republicans framing the election as a referendum on Obamacare. They injected a massive infusion of outside ad money into the race and some pundits cast the election as a possible bellwether for November's midterms. "I think this was a referendum on (President Barack Obama's) policies and on Obamacare, that played out significantly to the disadvantage of (House Democratic Leader) Nancy Pelosi. And I think it sets the tone for what's coming in the fall," Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told CNN Wednesday. "We've been trying to tell people this is a referendum election, Obamacare is not helping people the way it was promised, and Democrats are going to have a lot of answering to do," Walden added. But his counterpart at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee sees very little predictive value in the results. "Special elections are not indicators of the future. They never have been. They never will be. And certainly this is not an indicator of the future," Rep. Steve Israel, the DCCC chairman, told reporters.

race

It was Saturday when the entire summer world was bright and fresh. Tom looked at the fence, which was long and high, feeling all enthusiasm leaving him. He dipped his brush into the whitewash before moving it along the top board of the fence. He knew other boys would arrive soon with all minds of interesting plans for this day. As walking past him, they would tease him for having to work on a beautiful Saturday--which burnt him like fire. He, putting his hands into his pockets and taking out all he owned with the expectation of letting someone paint, found nothing that could buy half an hour of freedom. At this dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea occurred to him, pouring a great bright light into his mind. He took up his brush and continued to work pleasantly with calm and quietness. Presently, Ben Rogers came in sight--munching an apple and making joyful noises like the sound of a riverboat as he walked along. Tom went on whitewashing, paying no attention to the steamboat. "Hello!" Ben said, "I'm going swimming, but you can't go, can you?" No answer. Tom moved his brush gently along the fence and surveyed the result. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for Ben's apple while he kept painting the fence. Ben said, "That's a lot of work, isn't it?" Tom turned suddenly saying "Here you are! Ben! I didn't notice you." "I'm going swimming," Ben said. "Don't you wish you could go? Or would you rather work?" Tom said, "Work? What do you mean 'work'?" "Isn't that work?" Tom continued painting and answered carelessly, "Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is it suits Tom Sawyer." "Do you mean that you enjoy it?" "I don't see why I oughtn't to enjoy it." "Does a boy have a chance to paint a fence frequently" said Tom. Ben stopped munching his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth--stepped back to note the effect--added a little paint here and there. Ben watched every move, getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. After a short time, he said, "Tom, let me whitewash a little." Tom seemed to be thinking for a moment before he said, "No, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. If it was the back fence, maybe you could do it. But this fence beside the street is where everybody can see it. It has to be done right." "Oh, come on, let me try. I'll be careful. Listen, Tom. I'll give you part of my apple if you let me paint." "No, Ben, I'm afraid--" "I'll give you all the apple!" Tom handed the brush to Ben with unwillingness on his face but _ in his heart. While the riverboat worked and sweated in the hot sun, Tom, an artist sat in the shade close by, munching his apple, and planning how he could trick more of the boys. Before long there were enough boys each of whom came along the street; stopped to laugh but soon begged to be allowed to paint. By the middle of the afternoon, Tom had got many treasures while the fence had had three layers of whitewash on it. If he hadn't run out of whitewash, he would have owned everything belonging to the boys in the village. Tom said to himself that the world was not so depressing after all. He had discovered a great law of human action: in order to make a man cover a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.

cnn

Gallman, Mississippi (CNN) -- A 42-year-old man was charged Wednesday with arson and two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of a woman and her 7-year-old son in Mississippi. Wearing a bulletproof vest, Timothy Burns appeared in Copiah County Justice Court. He said he has no lawyer, so one will be appointed to him. No bond was set. He's being held in the deaths of Atira Hughes-Smith and Jaidon Hill. The boy's stepfather, Laterry Smith, was also killed. There's some question as to whether Smith was killed in a different county, said Copiah County Sheriff Harold Jones, explaining why Burns was charged with two, rather than three, counts of murder. There's no indication the suspect had anything against the three victims, the sheriff noted, nor that he even knew them. "We don't think there is (a relationship)," Jones said. "But we haven't tied that loose end up yet." The seeming randomness of the crime makes the deaths all the more inexplicable to loved ones, as well as to neighbors in the city of Brandon they called home. As Vinson Jenkins, Hughes-Smith's cousin, said: "We don't know why anybody would want to do any harm to them." The family was last seen Friday in a car that was later found flipped and on fire. The Copiah County sheriff says authorities now believe that Burns was driving that car when he got in an accident, then set it ablaze. Was he alone at the time? Jones said he has "no way of knowing that right now."

race

Our brains work in complex and strange ways. There are some people who can calculate the day of the week for any given date in 40,000 years, but who cannot add two plus two. Others can perform complex classical piano pieces after hearing them once, but they cannot read or write. Dr. J. Langdon Down first described this condition in 1887. He called these people idiot savants. An idiot savant is a person who has significant mental injury, such as in autism or retardation. At the same time, the person also exhibits some extraordinary skills, which are unusual for most people. The skills of the savant may vary from being exceptionally gifted in music or in mathematics, or having a photographic memory. One of the first descriptions of a human who could calculate quickly was written in 1789 by Dr. Benjamin Rush, an American doctor. His patient, Thomas Fuller, was brought to Virginia as a slave in 1724. It took Thomas only 90 seconds to work out that a man who has lived 70 years, 17 days, and 12 hours has lived 2,210,500,800 seconds. Despite this ability, he died in 1790 without ever learning to read or write. Another idiot savant slave became famous as a pianist in the 1860s. Blind Tom had a vocabulary of only 100 words, but he played 5,000 musical pieces beautifully. In the excellent movie Rain Man, made in 1988 and available on video cassette, Dustin Hoffman plays an idiot savant who amazes his brother played by Tom Cruise, with his ability to perform complex calculations very rapidly. Today we more clearly recognize that the idiot savant is special because of brain impairment. Yet not all brain injury leads to savant skills. Some studies have shown that people who have purposeful interruption of the left side of the brain can develop idiot savant skills. However few people wish to participate in such experiments. There are many excellent reasons for not undergoing unnecessary experimentation on one's brain. The term idiot savant is outdated and inappropriate. Virtually all savants have a high degree of intelligence and are thus not idiots.

race

Many young people want to be pop stars. Pop stars are rich. Many people think they are leading a happy and easy life. Is that true? The answer is definitely no. In fact, they have very hard lives. They spend much of their time on travel. Sometimes the travel is interesting, but in most time it is boring to pop stars. The following chart is a day's life of a pop star. Feb. l0, 2016 5:00 Woke up and had breakfast in the hotel. Took taxi to airport. 7:30 Plane took off half an hour later than usual for the bad weather. 8:30 Plane landed. Waited for luggage for half an hour. Signed for fans at the airport. 9:45 Arrived at the hotel and had a short rest. 10:00 Started out to attend the meeting with fans and gave an interview to the local reporters. 11:00 Went to radio station to attend the live show. 12:00 Had lunch with local producer I3:00 Went to theatre and prepared for the night's show. 17:00 Back to hotel. Tried to have a rest. Still worried about the band. 18:00 Had supper, but ate little. 18:30 Went to theatre again and got ready for show. 19:30 Sang very well, and audience gave a warm welcome. The band improved a little. 22:00 Show was over. Very tired from it. 23:00 Back to hotel. Took a bath. Too excited to sleep, so watched TV. 0:00 Fell asleep, with TV on.

cnn

Louisville, Kentucky (CNN) -- A secret audio recording of their biggest election year target -- Sen. Mitch McConnell -- talking to a donor summit arranged by the Koch brothers, the Democrats' 2014 bogeymen. Democrats pushed "The Nation" story around online with frenetic glee. McConnell's Democratic challenger for his Kentucky seat, Alison Lundergan Grimes, couldn't wait to whack him on it, telling CNN in an exclusive interview that "Mitch McConnell got caught in his 47% Mitt Romney moment." "I think it shows the extent and the lengths he will go to to pander to his party millionaires and billionaires at the expense of hurting Kentuckians," Grimes told CNN. The problem with the Democrats' argument is that Romney's 47% moment was only a moment because he was saying to donors in private something he would never have dared to utter in public: "Forty-seven percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it. That that's an entitlement," Romney said behind closed doors about President Obama's supporters in 2012. But unlike Romney, what McConnell said to the Koch brothers are things he has said in public, and more importantly, his comments mirror positions he has publicly backed with actual Senate votes: opposition to Democrats' plans to increase the minimum wage, extend unemployment insurance and make student loans more affordable through the tax system.

gutenberg

CHAPTER V CLOVELLY COURT IN THE OLDEN TIME "It was among the ways of good Queen Bess, Who ruled as well as ever mortal can, sir, When she was stogg'd, and the country in a mess, She was wont to send for a Devon man, sir." West Country Song. The next morning Amyas Leigh was not to be found. Not that he had gone out to drown himself in despair, or even to bemoan himself "down by the Torridge side." He had simply ridden off, Frank found, to Sir Richard Grenville at Stow: his mother at once divined the truth, that he was gone to try for a post in the Irish army, and sent off Frank after him to bring him home again, and make him at least reconsider himself. So Frank took horse and rode thereon ten miles or more: and then, as there were no inns on the road in those days, or indeed in these, and he had some ten miles more of hilly road before him, he turned down the hill towards Clovelly Court, to obtain, after the hospitable humane fashion of those days, good entertainment for man and horse from Mr. Cary the squire. And when he walked self-invited, like the loud-shouting Menelaus, into the long dark wainscoted hall of the court, the first object he beheld was the mighty form of Amyas, who, seated at the long table, was alternately burying his face in a pasty, and the pasty in his face, his sorrows having, as it seemed, only sharpened his appetite, while young Will Cary, kneeling on the opposite bench, with his elbows on the table, was in that graceful attitude laying down the law fiercely to him in a low voice.

cnn

(CNN) -- Tjaart van der Walt will seek to upstage two of his most illustrious golfing compatriots and win his first professional tournament at the Africa Open on Sunday. The 37-year-old goes into the final round tied for the lead with 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and one shot ahead of two-time U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen after carding a superb eight-under-par 65 in East London on Saturday. Van der Walt, who finished second in a 2005 U.S. PGA Tour event, eliminated Oosthuizen's two-shot overnight lead as he started with four successive birdies and -- like his fellow South African -- picked up a shot at the final hole. The world No. 347's only blemish at his home event came at the par-four eighth hole, and he was confident he could contend for his first title since turning pro in 1996 in the opening event of the 2012 European Tour season. "At the end of the day, the golf ball doesn't know that they are major champions," he said of his rivals. "I've played at the highest level, I've never won majors or big events, so who knows what can happen. "I do feel as if I am controlling the golf ball as well as I have in a long time. Not just tee to green, but on the greens as well. And that's a good sign for me. I'm entitled to forget the one bad shot I hit all day." Defending champion Oosthuizen's only lapse came at the par-five 11th hole as he took four shots to reach the green.

wikipedia

IPA Braille is the modern standard Braille encoding of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), as recognized by the International Council on English Braille. A braille version of the IPA was first created by Merrick and Potthoff in 1934, and published in London. It was used in France, Germany, and anglophone countries. However, it was not updated as the IPA evolved, and by 1989 had become obsolete. In 1990 it was officially reissued by BAUK, but in a corrupted form that made it largely unworkable. In 1997 BANA created a completely new system for the United States and Canada. However, it was incompatible with braille IPA elsewhere in the world and in addition proved to be cumbersome and often inadequate. In 2008 Robert Englebretson revised the Merrick and Potthoff notation and by 2011 this had been accepted by BANA. It is largely true to the original in consonants and vowels, though the diacritics were completely reworked, as necessitated by the major revisions in print IPA diacritics since 1934. The diacritics were also made more systematic, and follow rather than precede the base letters. However, it has no general procedure for marking tone, and not all diacritics can be written. IPA Braille does not use the conventions of English Braille. It is set off by slash or square brackets, which indicate that the intervening material is IPA rather than national orthography. Thus brackets are required in braille even when not used in print.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XVII A VERY SPECIAL DINNER At seven o'clock that evening I passed through the cafe on my way to the American bar. There was already a good sprinkling of early diners there, and Louis was busy as usual. Directly he saw me, however, he came forward with his usual suave bow. "The table in the left-hand corner," he said, "is engaged for monsieur. I have also taken the liberty of commanding a little dinner." "But I am not dining here, Louis!" I protested. Louis' expression was one of honest surprise. "Monsieur is serious?" he inquired. "It is only a short time ago that I was talking with Mademoiselle Delora, and she told me that she was dining with you here." "I am dining with Miss Delora," I answered, "but I certainly did not understand that it was to be here." Louis smiled. "Perhaps," he remarked, "mademoiselle had, for the moment, the idea of going away for dinner. If so, believe me, she has changed her mind. Monsieur will see when he calls for her." I passed on thoughtfully. There was something about this which I scarcely understood. It seemed almost as though Louis had but to direct, and every one obeyed. Was I, too, becoming one of his myrmidons? Was I, too, to dine at his cafe because he had spoken the word? I made my way to number 157 precisely at half-past seven. Felicia was waiting for me, and for a moment I forgot to ask any questions,--forgot everything except the pleasure of looking at her. She wore a black lace gown,--beautifully cut, and modelled to perfection to reveal the delicate outline of her figure,--a rope of pearls, and a large hat and veil, arranged as only those can arrange them who have learnt how to dress in Paris. She looked at me a little anxiously.

cnn

New York (CNN) -- A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Friday in the case of a former Rutgers University student who allegedly used a web cam to stream footage of his roommate's sexual encounter with another man. Dharun Ravi faces a 15-count indictment, which includes hate crime charges, in connection with the death of his roommate , Tyler Clementi. Clementi killed himself after the incident, jumping from the George Washington Bridge between New York and New Jersey. Last month, Ravi turned down a plea deal that would have allowed him to avoid jail time. "You want to know why he's rejected the plea?" his attorney, Steven Altman, said in December. "Simple principle of law, simple principle of life -- he's innocent. He's not guilty."Ravi is a citizen of India who was studying in the U.S. legally. The deal offered by Middlesex County prosecutors would have required Ravi, 19, to undergo 600 hours of community service, counseling and to dispose of any information that could identify the man that Clementi was with. Prosecutors also offered to help Ravi avoid deportation, though they said they could not guarantee it. A second student charged in the scandal, Molly Wei, 19, reached a plea deal and that requires her testify against Ravi. In May, Wei pleaded not guilty to two counts of invasion of privacy, according to a statement from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office. Less than a month after Clementi's suicide, President Barack Obama released a taped video message condemning bullying.

cnn

Renacimiento, Mexico (CNN) -- As raging floodwaters swept away half of his timber shack, Saturnino Medina climbed to the roof. He pointed Thursday to the place where river waters broke through a container wall and washed away his kitchen. Medina and his family have almost nothing left now, after the wind and rain of Manuel hit the town of Renacimiento, located about 20 km northeast of the resort city of Acapulco. Days after the storm made landfall as a tropical depression in the Mexican state of Guerrero, thousands of tourists are still trapped in Acapulco and thousands of families are struggling to recover. Medina and his family were left to eat eggs and tortillas donated by neighbors and drink expired cartons of juice they found in a nearby trash dumpster. So far, he said, they haven't gotten any government aid. "The truth is, I don't even know what to tell you," he said. "The government ignores us. They help everyone else, but they've forgotten about Renacimiento." The town is one of many across Mexico ravaged by multiple storms that have been battering the country. Federal officials say at least 97 people were killed across Mexico by Manuel, which plowed into the country's Pacific coast, and Ingrid, which hit the Gulf coast. Rescue efforts continued throughout the country Thursday. In one Guerrero town ravaged by a mudslide, authorities said 68 people remained unaccounted for. An aerial survey revealed many more mudslides, Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said, and there are additional reports of disappearances that authorities have not yet confirmed.

gutenberg

CHAPTER V In the misty morning twilight Colonel Zane, fully armed, paced to and fro before his cabin, on guard. All night he had maintained a watch. He had not considered it necessary to send his family into the fort, to which they had often been compelled to flee. On the previous night Jonathan had come swiftly back to the cabin, and, speaking but two words, seized his weapons and vanished into the black night. The words were "Injuns! Wetzel!" and there were none others with more power to affect hearers on the border. The colonel believed that Wetzel had signaled to Jonathan. On the west a deep gully with precipitous sides separated the settlement from a high, wooded bluff. Wetzel often returned from his journeying by this difficult route. He had no doubt seen Indian signs, and had communicated the intelligence to Jonathan by their system of night-bird calls. The nearness of the mighty hunter reassured Colonel Zane. When the colonel returned from his chase of the previous night, he went directly to the stable, there to find that the Indians had made off with a thoroughbred, and Betty's pony. Colonel Zane was furious, not on account of the value of the horses, but because Bess was his favorite bay, and Betty loved nothing more than her pony Madcap. To have such a march stolen on him after he had heard and seen the thieves was indeed hard. High time it was that these horse thieves be run to earth. No Indian had planned these marauding expeditions. An intelligent white man was at the bottom of the thieving, and he should pay for his treachery.

gutenberg

Chapter Twenty-One The Three Adepts The Sorceress looked up from her work as the three maidens entered, and something in their appearance and manner led her to rise and bow to them in her most dignified manner. The three knelt an instant before the great Sorceress and then stood upright and waited for her to speak. "Whoever you may be," said Glinda, "I bid you welcome." "My name is Audah," said one. "My name is Aurah," said another. "My name is Aujah," said the third. Glinda had never heard these names before, but looking closely at the three she asked: "Are you witches or workers in magic?" "Some of the secret arts we have gleaned from Nature," replied the brownhaired maiden modestly, "but we do not place our skill beside that of the Great Sorceress, Glinda the Good." "I suppose you are aware it is unlawful to practice magic in the Land of Oz, without the permission of our Ruler, Princess Ozma?" "No, we were not aware of that," was the reply. "We have heard of Ozma, who is the appointed Ruler of all this great fairyland, but her laws have not reached us, as yet." Glinda studied the strange maidens thoughtfully; then she said to them: "Princess Ozma is even now imprisoned in the Skeezer village, for the whole island with its Great Dome, was sunk to the bottom of the lake by the witchcraft of Coo-ee-oh, whom the Flathead Su-dic transformed into a silly swan. I am seeking some way to overcome Coo-ee-oh's magic and raise the isle to the surface again. Can you help me do this?"

cnn

(CNN) -- Alfonso Ribeiro didn't make us wait long before he revived "The Carlton" on "Dancing With the Stars." On Monday night, the former "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" star dusted off his old familiar moves in week four of the competition. The theme of the week was "Most Memorable Year," and "Dancing" saved the best for last. After watching the other nine celebrities and their pro dancing partners run through sambas, rumbas and jives, Ribeiro and pro dancer Witney Carson took the floor with a jazz routine set to Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual" -- a.k.a. the song that Ribeiro's "Fresh Prince" character, Carlton Banks, couldn't help but dance to. Dressed in a costume straight out of his "Fresh Prince's" character's closet -- a v-neck sweater and a bow tie -- Ribeiro looked like he was having a blast re-creating those exuberant dance steps along with Carson. The judges were thrilled, giving the couple a perfect score. Ribeiro acknowledged that playing Will Smith's dorkier cousin during "Fresh Prince's" six-season run in the '90s did leave him pigeonholed as an actor, but he has no grudge against the dance that's come to bear his character's name. "I love the Carlton dance. I love how it makes people feel," he said in an interview. "I certainly don't do it a lot. But I love the fact that people have this nostalgic look at that dance. ... This was all for the fans." Viewers haven't been as overjoyed with fashion designer Betsey Johnson's performance. She was the latest star to exit the series on Monday night.

wikipedia

East Prussia enclosed the bulk of the ancestral lands of the Baltic Old Prussians. During the 13th century, the native Prussians were conquered by the crusading Teutonic Knights. The indigenous Balts who survived the conquest were gradually converted to Christianity. Because of Germanization and colonisation over the following centuries, Germans became the dominant ethnic group, while Poles and Lithuanians formed minorities. From the 13th century, East Prussia was part of the monastic state of the Teutonic Knights. After the Second Peace of Thorn in 1466 it became a fief of the Kingdom of Poland. In 1525, with the Prussian Homage, the province became the Duchy of Prussia. The Old Prussian language had become extinct by the 17th or early 18th century. Because the duchy was outside of the core Holy Roman Empire, the prince-electors of Brandenburg were able to proclaim themselves King of Prussia beginning in 1701. After the annexation of most of western Royal Prussia in the First Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1772, eastern (ducal) Prussia was connected by land with the rest of the Prussian state and was reorganized as a province the following year (1773). Between 1829 and 1878, the Province of East Prussia was joined with West Prussia to form the Province of Prussia.

mctest

Yesterday, Emily and Evelyn went to the zoo with their mom. They left the house right after breakfast so that they would be there when the zoo opened. Once inside, they raced to see the monkeys swinging around their cages. There were even two baby monkeys! The girls also enjoyed feeding birds in the walk-in bird cage. The birds were very interested in picking seeds from the popsicle stick that Emily held out to them. Next, it was time to stop for ice cream. Each girl chose a small cup of soft ice cream. Emily chose a swirl of chocolate and vanilla and Evelyn had chocolate. Ice cream at the zoo was the perfect treat on a hot summer day. The best part of the girls' visit was the giraffe area. They walked past rhinos and tortoises to get to the giraffe area which was on a raised deck. The giraffes stretched their necks up to the deck to eat leaves and hay that were placed there for them. Emily and Evelyn bought special crackers to feed to the giraffes. Emily liked that she could pet the giraffes when they reached out to grab the crackers with their long tongues. Evelyn liked to watch the giraffes, but did not want to feed one herself. After feeding the giraffes, the girls left the zoo, hot and tired and ready to return soon!

mctest

Gia was new in the neighborhood. She really wanted to meet some new friends. She was lonely and tired of playing with her toys all by herself. Her mother told her that the best way to meet new friends was to go somewhere where other kids are at. She remembered seeing a park on the corner when they were moving in. She asked her mother if she could go to the park. Her mother walked her down the street to the park. When Gia got to the park she was not happy. There was no one there. She sat on a swing and looked at the ground. It seemed like this was going to be another lonely day. Gia heard a noise and looked up. There was a girl coming down the hill. She smiled, but she was a little scared. What if she wasn't nice? That would make her sad. Gia was so happy when the girl walked up and said, "Hi, my name is Julie. What's yours?"

cnn

John Henson -- a son of the late, great children's entertainment visionary Jim Henson -- died after a "sudden, massive heart attack," his family's company said. The Jim Henson Company announced the death of the 48-year-old son of its iconic founder in a Facebook post Saturday. He died Friday while at home with one of his two daughters, the post said. John Henson is also survived by his wife, Gyongyi, and his siblings Lisa, Cheryl, Brian and Heather. Two other members of his family had top jobs in their father's namesake company, with Brian Henson as chairman and Lisa Henson as CEO. John Henson is listed prominently as one of five members of "the Henson family" on the company's website. John Henson served as a shareholder and board member of The Jim Henson Company. According to imdb.com, John Henson was active in the family business in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, perhaps most notably for his portrayal of Sweetums, a large, gruff-looking, lovable character on "The Muppets." His father, Jim, died suddenly in 1990, after a celebrated career in which he launched shows like "The Muppets," "Fraggle Rock" and created beloved characters from "Sesame Street" such as Big Bird, Elmo, the Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch. Last April, John's mother, Jane Nabel Henson -- who met Jim in a puppetry class at the University of Maryland in 1954 and married him five years later -- died at the age of 79 after a "long battle with cancer." Jane Henson dies of cancer

race

Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He stopped by the fence in front of the house where he lived with his aunt Polly. He looked at it, and all joy left him. The fence was long and high. He put the brush into the whitewash and moved it along the top of the fence. He repeated the operation. He felt he could not continue and sat down. He knew that his friends would arrive soon with all kinds of interesting plans for the day. They would walk past him and laugh. They would make jokes about his having to work on a beautiful summer Saturday. The thought burned him like fire. He put his hand into his pockets and took out all that he owned. Perhaps he could find some way to pay someone to do the whitewashing for him. But there was nothing of value in his pockets --nothing that could buy even half an hour of freedom. So he put the bits of toys back into his pockets and gave up the idea At this dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It filled his mind with a great, bright light. Calmly he picked up the brush and started again to whitewash. While Tom was working, Ben Rogers appeared. Ben was eating an apple as he walked along the street. As he walked along, he was making noises like the sound of a riverboat. First he shouted loudly, like a boat captain. Then he said "Ding-Dong-Dong", "Ding-Dong-Dong" again and again, like the bell of a riverboat. And he made other strange noises. When he came close to Tom, he stopped. Tom went on whitewashing. He did not look at Ben. Ben stared a moment and then said: "Hello! I'm going swimming, but you can't go, can you?" No answer. Tom moved his brush carefully along the fence and looked at the result with the eye of an artist. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for the apple, but he kept on working. Ben said, "Hello, old fellow, you've got to work, hey?" Tom turned suddenly and said, "Why, it's you, Ben! I wasn't noticing." "Say --I'm going swimming. Don't you wish you could? But of course you'd rather work -- wouldn't you? Of course you would." Tom looked at the boy a bit, and said "What do you call work?" "Why, isn't that work?" Tom went back to his whitewashing, and answered carelessly. "Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is, it suits Tom Sawyer." "Oh come, now, you don't mean to say that you like it?" The brush continued to move. "Like it? Well, I don't see why I shouldn't like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?" Ben stopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth, stepped back to look at the result, added a touch here and there, and stepped back again. Ben watched every move and got more and more interested. Soon he said, "Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little." Tom thought for a moment, was about to agree; but he changed his mind. "No --no --it won't do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. It has got to be done very carefully. I don't think there is one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it well enough." "No --is that so? Oh come, now --let me just try. Only just a little." "Ben, I'd like to, but if it isn't done right, I'm afraid Aunt Polly ... " "Oh, I'll be careful. Now let me try. Say --I'll give you the core of my apple." "Well, here --No, Ben, now don't. I'm afraid ..." "I'll give you all of it." Tom gave up the brush with unwillingness on his face, but joy in his heart. And while Ben worked at the fence in the hot sun, Tom sat under a tree, eating the apple, and planning how to get more help. There were enough boys. Each one came to laugh, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was tired, Tom sold the next chance to Billy for a kite; and when Billy was tired, Johnny bought in for a dead rat --and so on, hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, Tom had won many treasures. And he had not worked. He had had a nice idle time all the time, with plenty of company -and the fence had been whitewashed three times. If he hadn't run out of whitewash, Tom would have owned everything belonging to his friends. He had discovered a great law of human action, namely, that in order to make a man or a boy want a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to get.

wikipedia

National Geographic, formerly the National Geographic Magazine, is the official magazine of the National Geographic Society. It has been published continuously since its first issue in 1888, nine months after the Society itself was founded. It primarily contains articles about science, geography, history, and world culture. The magazine is known for its thick square-bound glossy format with a yellow rectangular border and its extensive use of dramatic photographs. Controlling interest in the magazine has been held by 21st Century Fox since 2015. The magazine is published monthly, and additional map supplements are also included with subscriptions. It is available in a traditional printed edition and through an interactive online edition. On occasion, special editions of the magazine are issued. As of 2015, the magazine was circulated worldwide in nearly 40 local-language editions and had a global circulation of approximately 6.5 million per month according to data published by "The Washington Post" (down from about 12 million in the late 1980s) or 6.7 million according to National Geographic. This includes a US circulation of 3.5 million. The current Editor-in-Chief of the "National Geographic Magazine" is Susan Goldberg. Goldberg is also Editorial Director for National Geographic Partners, overseeing the print and digital expression of National Geographic’s editorial content across its media platforms. She is responsible for News, Books (with the exception of National Geographic Kids books), "National Geographic Traveler" magazine, "National Geographic History" magazine, Maps, and all digital content with the exception of National Geographic Kids. Goldberg reports to Declan Moore, CEO of National Geographic Partners.

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On an August afternoon last year, Pamela Rivers, 40, and her friend Rita Graham, 38, were stopped at a red light on Cobb's Creek Parkway in South Philadelphia when a white SUV traveling in the opposite direction turned across traffic in front of them. It then jumped the curb and rushed through a grassy expanse before plunging down an embankment toward Cobb's Creek. Pamela quickly pulled over, jumped out of her car, and dialed 911. Kenny Gibson, 23, and his friend Taron Green, 25, were driving home from a job when Rita flagged them down. Kenny stopped, and the men got out of the car and looked over the cliff. The SUV had landed upside down in five feet of water. A woman's leg could be seen swinging out the driver's side window. "I have a fear of water," Kenny said now. "I almost drowned when I was nine." Even so, he and Taron hurried down the 50-foot embankment into the muddy water. "I couldn't just leave her," he adds. The men waded out to the car and saw that the woman, Cheryl Allison, 61, was partially in water. Kenny tried unsuccessfully to open the door. Then he broke the window. But when he reached in to pull out Cheryl, he found she was trapped by the seat belt. "Run back to the truck and grab a box cutter ," Kenny yelled to Taron. Meanwhile, Kenny tried in vain to push the car onto its side to create an air pocket for Cheryl. That's when mechanic Marcell Porter approached the site. "I flipped into rescue mode," he said. When Taron returned, Kenny cut through the seat belt with the box cutter. He and Marcell tried to pull Cheryl out, but she wouldn't come out. Marcell broke the rear window with a rock, hoping to rescue her from the back. Then he saw that she was still strapped in by her shoulder belt. Marcell reached for the box cutter and cut the remaining strap in two. Kenny leaned in, grabbed Cheryl by the waist, and pulled her out feet first. Marcell grasped Cheryl's legs, and they managed to drag her lifeless body onto a rock. "Give her CPR!" Pamela yelled down to them. But the two men had no idea what to do. "Put your mouth on her mouth and breathe," she shouted to Marcell. And to Kenny, "Pump her chest!" "We tried three times," said Marcell. Finally, Cheryl brought up water and started moving her fingers. The men rolled her over onto her stomach to let out more water. Soon an ambulance arrived and transported Cheryl to the hospital, where doctors treated her. They never discovered what caused her to pass out, but she assumes it had something to do with the burning summer heat. Over the next few days, they took turns visiting Cheryl in the hospital, where they shared hugs and tears. "We couldn't believe she was all right," said Pamela. "It's just amazing that these people came together," said Cheryl. She stays in touch with her "angels" via frequent phone calls. "They are really beautiful people," she said.

cnn

(CNN) -- The funeral service for "Sopranos" actor James Gandolfini will be held Thursday in Manhattan, a family friend told CNN on Sunday. Gandolfini, who was on a working vacation in Rome, died Wednesday. An autopsy determined his death was the result of a heart attack, according to Michael Kobold, the family friend. The actor's remains are scheduled to leave Rome on Monday and arrive in the United States the same evening, Kobold said. The service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Manhattan. "On behalf of the Gandolfini family, I would like to thank the Italian authorities for all of the assistance they have rendered in expediting the formalities necessary to repatriate James Gandolfini's remains to the United States," Kobold said. "We are fully aware that this process usually takes seven days and we are extremely grateful for their efficiency in dealing with this matter. We sincerely thank you." The 51-year-old actor arrived in Rome with his son, Michael Gandolfini, a day before he died. "Jim was happy, he was healthy, he was doing really fine," Kobold said. "He was on vacation with his son. He has an 8-month-old daughter. Everything was going great. I just spoke to him on Father's Day." The same day Gandolfini died, he had visited the Vatican and dined with his son, the family said. After he returned to his room, his son alerted hotel staff that he was not answering knocks on the bathroom door.

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The red fox slowly walked out of his den he lives in; his own house in the ground. His eyes bounced side to side as he made sure the coast was clear, then he ran down the path of autumn leaves. As he reached the end there was a an apple tree without leaves, but still one shiny red colored apple hung from a branch. He climbed up a nearby rock and took a running start towards the branch, jumping and barely grabbing on. He slowly crawled along the branch towards the shiny apple, and as he drew close, he reached out a paw towards the apple. He knocked the apple from the branch and it to the forest floor. The fox slipped and he fell off the branch, but landed safely in a pile of leaves near the apple. He picked up the apple in his mouth and quickly brought it back to his warm den. When he arrived back home, his two fox kits were waiting for him with hungry tummies. Spring, summer, autumn, or winter, it was always warm in the fox den.

mctest

Lucy was a young lady bug. She always felt different from the lady bugs because her colors were reversed! Instead of a red body and black spots she had a black body and red spots! As you can imagine this left Lucy feeling pretty lonely so she spent a lot of time flying around to all the different areas to find other ladybugs like her. She loved to feel the wind in her wings as she flew. She spent so much of her time flying around so she could fly longer and faster than another other lady bug. She also loved flying so much because it gave her a feeling of being free. One day when she was flying around she heard a loud scream for help! She went as fast as she could towards the screams for help. She saw another lady bug with a broken wing lying on the ground. She knew the lady bug as Jessie. "What happened?!" asked Lucy. "I crashed into the tree flying home yesterday and I've been lost ever since. I can't fly because my wing is broken. Do you know the way back home?" asked Jessie "Don't worry Jessie, I know this area like the back of my wing I'll lead you home!" Lucy said happily. "Thank you so much!" Jessie said happily. Lucy led Jessie straight home where he was given medicine to fix his broken wing. She was rewarded a medal and called a hero. As she enjoyed her medal she knew she didn't need to find for any more ladybugs that looked like her. She now knew that even with her different colors, she was still a lady bug like everyone else.

wikipedia

Charleston is the oldest and second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline and is located on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean formed by the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, or, as is locally expressed, "where the Cooper and Ashley Rivers come together to form the Atlantic Ocean." Founded in 1670 as Charles Town in honor of King Charles II of England, Charleston adopted its present name in 1783. It moved to its present location on Oyster Point in 1680 from a location on the west bank of the Ashley River known as Albemarle Point. By 1690, Charles Town was the fifth-largest city in North America, and it remained among the 10 largest cities in the United States through the 1840 census. With a 2010 census population of 120,083 (and a 2014 estimate of 130,113), current trends put Charleston as the fastest-growing municipality in South Carolina. The population of the Charleston metropolitan area, comprising Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester Counties, was counted by the 2014 estimate at 727,689 – the third-largest in the state – and the 78th-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States.

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After two weeks, Ling Qinghao finally sent a message to his wife in their hometown in Anhui, and told her her he was safe. Ling, 44, was a Chinese construction worker who went to Libya. The recent problems in Libya have left the country in disorder. Several Chinese were injured last month. Ling was one of the thousands of Chinese evacuees from Libya. The evacuee's first stop was Greece. They are staying there in a five-star hotel that the Chinese government paid for. According to the Foreign Ministry, by March 2, China has evacuated a total of 35,860 Chinese from Libya. Among them, 20745 have already returned to China. To evacuate means to quickly move people away from a disaster or disorder. An evacuation tests how a nation would deal with an emergency . From getting flight tickets to dealing with customs services , many parts of the government and companies have to work together. To protect the safety of overseas Chinese, China took action quickly. Since February 24, the nation has sent out airplanes and ships to evacuate its people from Libya.They even sent a navy ship to help. This is the first time that China has sent the army in an evacuation. "We have done a great job in no more than 10 days. This shows China's ability to protect its people overseas in emergencies," Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao said.

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As a high school athletics coach, I gave a speech about football to students and parents, aiming at getting new team members :I talked about how"everyone can benefit from football. This year, a worried-looking couple approached me. Their son, who had a sickly childhood, really wanted to play football. They'd tried to talk him out of it, but he had his heart set on joining the team. When they told me his name , my heart sank. Michael was short and thin. He was a lonely kid and the constant target of other kids' jokes. I knew Michael would never make it. But so close to my "football is for everyone" speech, I told them we could give it a try. On the opening day of practice, Michael was the first player on the field. We started a one-mile jog around the track. Repeatedly he fell, each time picking himself up. The same thing happened for weeks. But Michael put his whole heart into the training. Cradually, Michael gained strength both socially and physically. He began to laugh and most of the teammates became friendly. By the last week of practice Michael could run the mile without falling. He asked me to add a few more exercises he could work on his own. Soon , Michael ran the opening mile faster than anyone. One day after practice, the team captain, Steve, came up to me. He was talented but lazy.He was popular with students even though he could be heartless. Steve pointed to the field where Michael was jogging all alone and asked me why he was still out there. I told Steve to ask him. The next night, I was surprised to see Steve exercising right next to Michael. Finally our big game came-at first we were losing by twelve points. I could see that some kids had already lost heart. But Michael was playing as hard as he could , begging the team to keep trying. Finally we won the game by one point in the final ten seconds. At our celebration dinner, we always gave a big award to the most productive player. Steve had scored the most points that season, and everyone cheered as he received his award. " There's someone who deserves it more than I do," Steve said, " Everything I accomplished, and everything the team accomplished this season, is thanks to one person-Michael. " The entire team cheered as Steve turned the prize over to the player who had inspired them all.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XI: THE ISLE OF ATHELNEY Edmund spent a month on his lands, moving about among his vassals and dwelling in their abodes. He inspired them by his words with fresh spirit and confidence, telling them that this state of things could not last, and that he was going to join the king, who doubtless would soon call them to take part in a fresh effort to drive out their cruel oppressors. Edmund found that although none knew with certainty the hiding-place of King Alfred, it was generally reported that he had taken refuge in the low lands of Somersetshire, and Athelney was specially named as the place which he had made his abode. "It is a good omen," Edmund said, "for Athelney lies close to the Parrot, where my good ship the Dragon is laid away." After visiting all the villages in his earldom Edmund started with Egbert and four young men, whom he might use as messengers, for the reported hiding-place of the king. First they visited the Dragon, and found her lying undisturbed; then they followed the river down till they reached the great swamps which extended for a considerable distance near its mouth. After much wandering they came upon the hut of a fisherman. The man on hearing the footsteps came to his door with a bent bow. When he saw that the new-comers were Saxons he lowered the arrow which was already fitted to the string. "Can you tell us," Edmund said, "which is the way to Athelney? We know that it is an island amidst these morasses, but we are strangers to the locality and cannot find it."

gutenberg

CHAPTER III The brig sailed on a Monday morning in spring; but Joanna did not witness its departure. She could not bear the sight that she had been the means of bringing about. Knowing this, her husband told her overnight that they were to sail some time before noon next day hence when, awakening at five the next morning, she heard them bustling about downstairs, she did not hasten to descend, but lay trying to nerve herself for the parting, imagining they would leave about nine, as her husband had done on his previous voyage. When she did descend she beheld words chalked upon the sloping face of the bureau; but no husband or sons. In the hastily-scrawled lines Shadrach said they had gone off thus not to pain her by a leave-taking; and the sons had chalked under his words: 'Good- bye, mother!' She rushed to the quay, and looked down the harbour towards the blue rim of the sea, but she could only see the masts and bulging sails of the _Joanna_; no human figures. ''Tis I have sent them!' she said wildly, and burst into tears. In the house the chalked 'Good-bye' nearly broke her heart. But when she had re-entered the front room, and looked across at Emily's, a gleam of triumph lit her thin face at her anticipated release from the thraldom of subservience. To do Emily Lester justice, her assumption of superiority was mainly a figment of Joanna's brain. That the circumstances of the merchant's wife were more luxurious than Joanna's, the former could not conceal; though whenever the two met, which was not very often now, Emily endeavoured to subdue the difference by every means in her power.

wikipedia

Before the 20th century, the term matter included ordinary matter composed of atoms and excluded other energy phenomena such as light or sound. This concept of matter may be generalized from atoms to include any objects having mass even when at rest, but this is ill-defined because an object's mass can arise from its (possibly massless) constituents' motion and interaction energies. Thus, matter does not have a universal definition, nor is it a fundamental concept in physics today. Matter is also used loosely as a general term for the substance that makes up all observable physical objects. All the objects from everyday life that we can bump into, touch or squeeze are composed of atoms. This atomic matter is in turn made up of interacting subatomic particles—usually a nucleus of protons and neutrons, and a cloud of orbiting electrons. Typically, science considers these composite particles matter because they have both rest mass and volume. By contrast, massless particles, such as photons, are not considered matter, because they have neither rest mass nor volume. However, not all particles with rest mass have a classical volume, since fundamental particles such as quarks and leptons (sometimes equated with matter) are considered "point particles" with no effective size or volume. Nevertheless, quarks and leptons together make up "ordinary matter", and their interactions contribute to the effective volume of the composite particles that make up ordinary matter.

wikipedia

The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. The Red Sox have won eight World Series championships and have played in twelve. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox' home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox" name was chosen by the team owner, John I. Taylor, around , following the lead of previous teams that had been known as the "Boston Red Stockings", including the forerunner of the Atlanta Braves. Boston was a dominant team in the new league, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903 and winning four more championships by . However, they then went into one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history, dubbed the "Curse of the Bambino" after its alleged beginning with the Red Sox' sale of Babe Ruth to the rival New York Yankees two years after their world championship in 1918, an 86-year wait before the team's sixth World Championship in . The team's history during that period was punctuated with some of the most memorable moments in World Series history, including Enos Slaughter's "mad dash" in , the "Impossible Dream" of , Carlton Fisk's home run in , and Bill Buckner's error in . Following their victory in the 2013 World Series, they became the first team to win three World Series trophies in the 21st century, including championships in 2004 and . Red Sox history has also been marked by the team's intense rivalry with the Yankees, arguably the fiercest and most historic in North American professional sports.

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Bob is a middle school student. He is 13years old. He lives in Shanghai with his parents and his twin brother, Jack. They are in the same( ) school, but in different classes. Bob is good at Maths, but not good at English. He thinks it's a little difficult for him. But he plans to spend more time on it. Every morning, Bob gets up early. He usually reads English for half an hour. And then he has breakfast with his family. He usually has two eggs and a glass of milk. After breakfast, he walks to school with his brother. It takes them about twenty minutes to get to school. They get to school at about 7:40. Bob begins his classes at 8:00. After four lessons in the morning, he has a hamburger, some fish and vegetables for lunch at school. Then he has three classes in the afternoon. His last class is over at 4:50p.m. After school, he usually plays football or basketball from 5:00 p. m. to 6:00 p.m. He says it is good for his health to play sports every day. He gets home at 6:20 p.m. He usually eats some rice and vegetables for dinner. Sometimes, he eats some noodles. After dinner, he does his homework from 7:30to 9:30. Then he listens to music or reads books for a while( ). He doesn't watch TV or play computer games on weekdays. He goes to bed at 10:30 p.m. His friends say his lifestyle is very healthy. Do you think so?

gutenberg

CHAPTER XI. FRAGMENTARY Mr. Boone's visit lasted but a day. I was a great deal with Colonel Clark in the few weeks that followed before his departure for Virginia. He held himself a little aloof (as a leader should) from the captains in the station, without seeming to offend them. But he had a fancy for James Ray and for me, and he often took me into the woods with him by day, and talked with me of an evening. "I'm going away to Virginia, Davy," he said; "will you not go with me? We'll see Williamsburg, and come back in the spring, and I'll have you a little rifle made." My look must have been wistful. "I can't leave Polly Ann and Tom," I answered. "Well," he said, "I like that. Faith to your friends is a big equipment for life." "But why are you going?" I asked. "Because I love Kentucky best of all things in the world," he answered, smiling. "And what are you going to do?" I insisted. "Ah," he said, "that I can't tell even to you." "To catch Hamilton?" I ventured at random. He looked at me queerly. "Would you go along, Davy?" said he, laughing now. "Would you take Tom?" "Among the first," answered Colonel Clark, heartily. We were seated under the elm near the spring, and at that instant I saw Tom coming toward us. I jumped up, thinking to please him by this intelligence, when Colonel Clark pulled me down again. "Davy," said he, almost roughly, I thought, "remember that we have been joking. Do you understand?--joking. You have a tongue in your mouth, but sense enough in your head, I believe, to hold it." He turned to Tom. "McChesney, this is a queer lad you brought us," said he.

wikipedia

Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and science that includes mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and others. Robotics deals with the design, construction, operation, and use of robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing. These technologies are used to develop machines that can substitute for humans. Robots can be used in any situation and for any purpose, but today many are used in dangerous environments (including bomb detection and de-activation), manufacturing processes, or where humans cannot survive. Robots can take on any form but some are made to resemble humans in appearance. This is said to help in the acceptance of a robot in certain replicative behaviors usually performed by people. Such robots attempt to replicate walking, lifting, speech, cognition, and basically anything a human can do. Many of today's robots are inspired by nature, contributing to the field of bio-inspired robotics. The concept of creating machines that can operate autonomously dates back to classical times, but research into the functionality and potential uses of robots did not grow substantially until the 20th century. Throughout history, it has been frequently assumed that robots will one day be able to mimic human behavior and manage tasks in a human-like fashion. Today, robotics is a rapidly growing field, as technological advances continue; researching, designing, and building new robots serve various practical purposes, whether domestically, commercially, or militarily. Many robots are built to do jobs that are hazardous to people such as defusing bombs, finding survivors in unstable ruins, and exploring mines and shipwrecks. Robotics is also used in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as a teaching aid.

wikipedia

Chennai (; formerly known as Madras or ) is the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal, it is one of the biggest cultural, economic and educational centres in South India. According to the 2011 Indian census, it is the fifth-largest city and fourth-most populous urban agglomeration in India. The city together with the adjoining regions constitute the Chennai Metropolitan Area, which is the 36th-largest urban area by population in the world. Chennai is among the most visited Indian cities by foreign tourists. It was ranked 43rd most visited city in the world for year 2015. The Quality of Living Survey rated Chennai as the safest city in India. Chennai attracts 45 percent of health tourists visiting India, and 30 to 40 percent of domestic health tourists. As such, it is termed "India's health capital". As a growing metropolitan city in a developing country, Chennai confronts substantial pollution and other logistical and socio-economic problems. Chennai had the third-largest expatriate population in India at 35,000 in 2009, 82,790 in 2011 and estimated at over 100,000 by 2016. Tourism guide publisher Lonely Planet named Chennai as one of the top ten cities in the world to visit in 2015. Chennai is ranked as a beta-level city in the Global Cities Index and was ranked the best city in India by "India Today" in the 2014 annual Indian city survey. In 2015 Chennai was named the "hottest" city (worth visiting, and worth living in for long term) by the BBC, citing the mixture of both modern and traditional values. National Geographic ranked Chennai's food as second best in the world; it was the only Indian city to feature in the list. Chennai was also named the ninth-best cosmopolitan city in the world by Lonely Planet.

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Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed a boy ahead of him. He had tripped and dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with some clothes, a baseball bat and a glove. Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the things. Since they were going the same way, he offered to carry some things for the boy. As they walked, Mark discovered the boy's name was Bill. He loved video games, baseball and history, but he was having trouble with some of his subjects. They arrived at Bill's home first. Mark was invited in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed pleasantly with some laughs and talk. Then Mark went home. They continued to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, then both graduated from junior school. Three days before graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk. Bill reminded Mark of the day years ago when they had first met. "Did you ever wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?" asked Bill. "You see, I took away all my things from school. I had stored away some of my mother's sleeping pills . I was going home to kill myself. But after we spent some time talking and laughing, I realized that if I had died, I would have missed so many good time. So you see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more. "

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Dear Jenny, Gary is having a _ party after Month Exam! He invites all of us to come! Since it is a potluck party, I think I will bring some beef noodles. As I know, Lily will take care of the drinks and Gina will bring a big homemade chocolate cake. Can you ask your mom to buy us some KFC fried chicken? You know it is too far for all of us to ride a bike there, but your mom often drives there. We can pay the bill together. Just think about how surprised our classmates will feel when they see what we prepare! Isn't it great? The party will start at noon on March 25, so be sure to be at Gary's place around 11:30 to prepare for the party. By the way, don't forget to invite Amy, who is good at music. If you have any other questions, just call me or write me back. Take care! Leo

cnn

(CNN) -- When Hugh Jackman first called his director for "The Wolverine," James Mangold told him that he had had an inspiration after reading the script. Mangold wanted to make the set-in-Japan film similar to "The Outlaw Josey Wales" by making the mutant a Josey Wales with healing powers. Jackman hadn't seen the classic Clint Eastwood film, so Mangold sent him a copy. "I felt like tonally, it would give him a clue of what I was talking about," the director said. The director started thinking about the deep affinity between gun-slinging Westerns and swordfighting samurai films. Mangold thought that drawing upon both of them would help "The Wolverine" stand apart from the rest of the X-Men series. This installment takes place after "X-Men: The Last Stand," as Wolverine retreats from killing the love of his life, Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix, and heads to Japan. It is based on the comic by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, and Mangold thought of it as Hugh Jackman in a Western in Japan, without the horse. To make sense of this movie mashup, the director tweeted images from the top ten inspirations for "The Wolverine," daring fans to identify them. Astute fans of Mangold's body of work (which includes "Cop Land," "Walk the Line" and "3:10 to Yuma") might have spotted the 1959 Yasujiro Ozu film "Floating Weeds," since the director has cited it as one of the best films of all time as well as a major influence on his first film, "Heavy." "Ozu is the most underappreciated Japanese director, in my mind," Mangold said. "For me, the whole trip that Logan takes south to the Nagasaki area, it's almost the reverse train trip that the older couple take in 'Tokyo Story.' "

gutenberg

CHAPTER XIII BURIED ALIVE At the moment when Skip Miller knocked away the joist which supported the timbers at the top of the tunnel, Fred had stooped to pick up his shovel, and this position saved him from being instantly killed. One end of the shoring plank was yet held by the upright placed in the center of the cutting, and it remained at an angle, although pinning him down, while the earth covered him completely. For a moment he was at a loss to know what had happened, and then he heard, as if from afar off, Joe calling him by name. "Here I am under the timber," he replied. "Are you hurt much?" "I think not; but I shall stifle to death if the dirt isn't taken away soon." "It ain't a sure thing that you won't stifle even then," he heard Bill say sharply. "Take hold, mate, an' let's get him from beneath while we have a chance to breathe." Then the grating of the shovels was distinguished, and pound by pound the weight was removed until nothing save the timber held him down. "Can you get out now?" Joe asked, and his voice sounded strangely indistinct. "Not till the joist is pulled away." "When that is done it's safe to say tons of the roof will follow," Bill muttered, and Joe asked: "Does it hurt you much, lad?" "The edges are cutting into my back terribly." "Grin an' bear it as long as you can. Our only chance for life is to break through the wall into the old tunnel; but if that timber is taken away it's good-bye for all hands."

mctest

Once upon a time there were a zebra and a monkey in a zoo. The zebra and the monkey had many napkins. What did the zebra and the monkey do with all the napkins? They didn't know. They ate the napkins. The zebra felt good. The monkey got a stomach ache. Why did the monkey get a stomach ache? The napkins were make out of straw. Straw is good for zebras. Straw is not good for monkeys. The monkey did not like eating the napkins. The zoo worker came and gave the monkey a pill. The pill made the monkey feel better. Now the monkey does not eat napkins. The monkey eats bananas instead of napkins. Now the monkey is always happy and feels good. The zebra does not like to eat bananas. The zebra eats all the napkins and feels good. The zebra and the monkey are both very happy.

cnn

London (CNN) -- Olympic star Ryan Lochte said Friday that he tries to maintain a sense of humor and perspective despite his intense focus on swimming -- one that leaves him little time for romantic relationships or much else besides training and competing. In an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan, Lochte showed off one of his grills, which he said shows "part of my personality." Just one of the jewel-encrusted items that often adorn his teeth is reportedly worth $25,000. "I am taking this seriously, but there's so much more to life than just swimming," he said. "That's what I want to have people know: You know what, I'm having fun doing this." Still, free time for the 28-year-old -- who has been called one of the Olympics' most eligible bachelors -- has been severely limited over the past decade. When asked "who gets more women," he or rival and fellow American swimmer Michael Phelps, Lochte said he does by a "60/40" margin. Still, the swimmer -- whose mother, Ike Lochte, created a media hubbub recently when she said her son only had time for "one-night stands," which he explained had to do with sporadic dates and not sexual flings -- said it is hard for him to cultivate a long-term relationship given his training regimen. Phelps leads U.S. gold rush in pool "I am young, but that's not me," Lochte said of one-night stands. "I like being in relationships. When I am in a relationship, I want to give (a woman) my entire heart," he added. "And lately I haven't been able to do that just because swimming has taken such a big role in my life."

cnn

Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani will be put to death for several charges of rape and extortion, charges that differ greatly from his original sentence of apostasy, Iran's semi-official Fars News agency reported Friday. Gholomali Rezvani, the deputy governor of Gilan province, where Nadarkhani was tried and convicted, accused Western media of twisting the real story, referring to him as a "rapist." A previous report from the news agency claimed he had committed several violent crimes, including repeated rape and extortion. "His crime is not, as some claim, converting others to Christianity," Rezvani told Fars. "He is guilty of security-related crimes." In a translated Iranian Supreme Court brief from 2010, however, the charge of apostasy is the only charge leveled against Nadarkhani. "Mr. Youcef Nadarkhani, son of Byrom, 32-years old, married, born in Rasht in the state of Gilan is convicted of turning his back on Islam, the greatest religion the prophesy of Mohammad at the age of 19," reads the brief. The brief was obtained by CNN from the American Center for Law and Justice and was translated from its original Farsi by the Confederation of Iranian Students in Washington. It goes on to say that during the court proceeding, Nadarkhani denied the prophecy of Mohammad and the authority of Islam. "He (Nadarkhani) has stated that he is a Christian and no longer Muslim," states the brief. "During many sessions in court with the presence of his attorney and a judge, he has been sentenced to execution by hanging according to article 8 of Tahrir -- olvasileh."

mctest

Be home by dinnertime, Eric's mother said as he left for school that morning. Eric was excited. Today was show and tell, and he planned to do his magic tricks for the whole class. Once he got to school, he couldn't wait until it was his turn. First up was Angie, who brought her pet lizard. It could change colors to match whatever it was sitting on. The second to be called was John, who showed the class a flower he had grown from seeds. Finally Eric's name was called. He went to the front of the class. "For my first trick" he said, "I'll pull a hamster out of a hat". He had borrowed his sister Candice's pet hamster in order to do his trick. He showed the class his that the hat was empty, then he reached inside, into the secret space where the hamster was hidden. The hamster was gone. He heard a scream. Two girls were standing on their chairs, and the hamster was crawling toward the back of the class. The teacher made him stay after school as punishment, but at least he made it home by dinnertime.

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Vincent Van Gogh was an important painter of the 19thcentury. He was born in Holland, but he lived much of his life inprefix = st1 /France. He was a very emotional man, and there was much suffering in his life. His style of painting was very different from classical art. He painted pictures of sunny, hot regions ofFrance. He looked for interesting shapes and exciting colours. He liked to work freely and quickly. There is a fast movement in many of his paintings. Sometimes the trees look like fire. The sun, the moon, and stars move rapidly in the sky. He also painted pictures of people. Like his life, his art was always unusual and very emotional. Paul Gauguin was another 19-century painter. He was French and a friend of Van Gogh. Before he became an artist, Gauguin had been a businessman for many years. He made a lot of money, and he likes to buy modern paintings. At the age of 354, Gauguin decided to become a painter himself. Gauguin wanted to discover more important things about man. He went to a different part of Franceto live with the farmers. He painted pictures of French country people there. Two years later he went to live in a small place in the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles fromFrance. He wanted to learn about the simple life there. His most famous and interesting paintings were painted at that time.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XVIII WILDCAT AND WATER Dave was both startled and alarmed when the wildcat came down almost on top of his bare head, and even more frightened when the beast made a leap for his naked shoulder. He had had several experiences with wildcats and knew them to be both powerful and bloodthirsty. By instinct more than reason he dived and went down as far as possible. As soon as the water closed over the wildcat's head it let go its hold and began to swim for the shore. Henry was directly in the path of the beast and in a second more, ere the young soldier had time to think of diving, the wildcat was on his back, sinking its cruel nails deeply into his flesh. "Get off!" screamed Henry. "Get off! Help! help!" And then he went down, not because he thought of doing so, but because he could not bear the weight. The stream closed over him and he went directly to the bottom. This time the wildcat did not let go its hold. It clung desperately and when Henry tried to shake it off it only sunk its nails deeper into his flesh. Mechanically he started to scream, when the water rushed into his mouth, almost strangling him on the spot. By this time Dave had reached the surface, and the rings and bubbles showed him plainly where Henry and the wildcat had gone down. With swift strokes he swam to the river bank, just as several rangers came running to the scene.

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"This is the third time that you have been late , Julia . Why?"Mr. Malone stopped Julia as she walked by his desk. Julia explained , "I'm sorry . I was cleaning the tables in the science room . Someone spilled the chemical , so cleaning took me longer than usual . " Mr. Malone replied . "I've talked to you about your lateness . I am afraid you won't be able to go with us in the field trip .""But..." Julia cried . Mr. Malone stopped her . "Unless your parent comes in to discuss this with headmaster and me , you won't be attending . " After dinner , Julia found the courage to talk to her dad . She told about the messy science tables and how her science teacher would deduct points from their daily grades if they did not clean up . Her friends' next class was on the opposite side of the building . Since her class was nearby , Julia volunteered to help clean up so that her friends would not be late . Then she explained how this would prevent her from attending the school trip . Her dad watched her for several seconds . Finally , he simply said , "I'll be there right after school ." The next day after school , Julia walked to the office . Her father and Mr. Malone were already there . Mrs. Thompson , the headmaster , spoke , "Julia , why were you cleaning the science tables alone ?" Julia answered slowly ,"I guess no one wants to clean up , and I don't want my friends to get into trouble . ""But you got yourself in trouble . "Mrs. Thompson said . Julia nodded . Julia's dad continued , "You're still responsible for breaking the rules ; even if it was for a good reason . Do you have any ideas for a punishment ? " Julia shook her head hopelessly . "Normally , your lateness would prevent you from attending some school activities . However , I have considered the reason and will allow you to go on the trip . "Mrs. Thompson said . Julia jumped out of her seat , repeating , "Thank you , thank you , thank you ! ""Don't be too excited . You'll have a one-day detention for each lateness . "Mrs. Thompson warned , "I hope you won't be late again . " "No , madam , I won't ." Julia replied , smiling from ear to ear .

wikipedia

San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino (), also known as the Most Serene Republic of San Marino (), is an enclaved microstate surrounded by Italy, situated on the Italian Peninsula on the northeastern side of the Apennine Mountains. Its size is just over , with a population of 33,562. Its capital is the City of San Marino and its largest city is Serravalle. San Marino has the smallest population of all the members of the Council of Europe. The country takes its name from Marinus, a stonemason originating from the Roman colony on the island of Rab, in modern-day Croatia. In 257 CE Marinus participated in the reconstruction of Rimini's city walls after their destruction by Liburnian pirates. Marinus then went on to found an independent monastic community on Monte Titano in 301 CE; thus, San Marino lays claim to be the oldest extant sovereign state as well as the oldest constitutional republic. San Marino is governed by the Constitution of San Marino ("Leges Statutae Republicae Sancti Marini"), a series of six books written in Latin in the late 16th century, that dictate the country’s political system, among other matters. The country is considered to have the earliest written governing documents, or constitution, still in effect.

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Mary went to Canada on vacation. After a week, she came back to New York. She told lots of interesting things to her best friend, Jack. Jack was very interested in Canada and decided to have a visit there. The next summer vacation, Mary and Jack had a plan to go to Canada together. But her mother was badly ill so she went to the airport to see her friend off. When they got to the airport, Mary had to got to the washroom. When she came back, she couldn't find Jack because there were so many people at the airport. She looked for him everywhere, but it was hard to find Jack among the people. Suddenly Mary saw Jack and she felt very happy, so she shouted,"Hi, Jack. Here, here." At the same time, Jack waved his arms,"I'm here." In 3 minutes, so many policemen came to the front of Jack and caught him, "Please come with me to the police office." After the policemen found out the reason, they let them free. Why? Because the word "hijack" in the English has different meanings.

wikipedia

Some definitions of southern Europe, also known as Mediterranean Europe, include the countries of the Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal), the Italian peninsula, southern France and Greece. Other definitions sometimes include the Balkan countries of southeast Europe, which are geographically in the southern part of Europe, but which have different historical, political, economic, and cultural backgrounds. Different methods can be used to define southern Europe, including its political, economic, and cultural attributes. Southern Europe can also be defined by its natural features — its geography, climate, and flora. Southern Europe's most emblematic climate is that of the Mediterranean climate, which has become a typically known characteristic of the area. The Mediterranean climate covers much of Portugal, Spain, Southeast France, Italy, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Greece, the Western and Southern coastal regions of Turkey as well as the Mediterranean islands. Those areas of Mediterranean climate present similar vegetations and landscapes throughout, including dry hills, small plains, pine forests and olive trees.

cnn

New York (CNN) -- A self-described "ex-madam" who claims she supplied fellow city comptroller candidate Eliot Spitzer with escorts several years ago is facing charges of illegally distributing prescription drugs, authorities said. Kristin Davis, 38, was arrested on Monday night and charged with selling Adderall, Xanax and other drugs. She's also accused of orchestrating the sale of approximately 180 oxycodone pills for cash. The candidate was released Tuesday on $100,000 bail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 5. Prosecutors said she will have strict pretrial supervision. "Prescription drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in this country, resulting in more overdose deaths than heroin and cocaine combined, and this office has a zero tolerance policy towards anyone who helps to spread this plague at any level," Preet Bharara, Manhattan U.S. Attorney, said in a statement. Spitzer, Weiner and why New York is talking about sex Davis is charged with four counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count, if convicted. Prosecutors allege that from 2009 through 2011 Davis bought ecstasy pills, Adderall pills and Xanax pills from an FBI cooperating witness at least once a month, paying hundreds of dollars for each purchase. She told the witness she provided these drugs to people at house parties, authorities say. An attorney for Davis was could not be immediately reached for comment. Davis' campaign manager, Andrew Miller, said he was aware of the arrest but couldn't provide any information.

gutenberg

CHAPTER I. SIR LIONEL GOES TO HIS WOOING. Yes, they were off. All the joys of that honeymoon shall be left to the imagination of the reader. Their first conversation, as it took place in the carriage which bore them from Mr. Bertram's door, has been given. Those which followed were probably more or less of the same nature. Sir Henry, no doubt, did strive to give some touch of romance to the occasion; but in no such attempt would his wife assist him. To every material proposition that he made, she gave a ready assent; in everything she acceded to his views; she would dine at two, or at eight, as he pleased; she was ready to stay two weeks, or only two days in Paris, as best suited him; she would adapt herself to pictures, or to architecture, or to theatres, or to society, or to going on and seeing nothing, exactly as he adapted himself. She never frowned, or looked black, or had headaches, or couldn't go on, or wouldn't stay still, or turned herself into a Niobean deluge, as some ladies, and very nice ladies too, will sometimes do on their travels. But she would not talk of love, or hold his hand, or turn her cheek to his. She had made her bargain, and would keep to it. Of that which she had promised him, she would give him full measure; of that which she had not promised him--of which she had explained to him that she had nothing to give--of that she would make no attempt to give anything.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXIX THE JUMPERS The sun was rising when Joe Thorpe made a hasty breakfast with his two companions in their camp beside the lode. He was a logger by profession, though he had an extensive experience in prospecting for timber-rights and minerals. Big Joe was known as an honest man; that was why Frobisher had selected him to stake off a claim, and he had arrived late on the previous night after a forced march. "We ought to have a clear day or two before the first of the crowd that's following us comes in, but that's all," he said. "We want to get our prospecting done and the best locations picked before the rush begins, and we'll start as soon as you've finished." "I'll be through in a minute," said one of the others with his mouth full. "It's a pretty fair deal Frobisher made with us and he's not the man to go back on one." "That's more than I'd say of Mappin," remarked the third of the party. "He's in this somehow, isn't he? What was it Carnally said to you when we were getting ready to start, Joe?" "Told me to watch out for the Mappin crowd. It seems Mappin's put Scaith, who made the trouble over the Newark timber-rights, on to the job. The fellow's a crook, and two of the others have been mixed up in jumping rows. Now we like Carnally, and he allowed he was on to a good thing in the Allinson claims. Anyhow, Watkins, you've had enough for one man. Let up on the pork and bring along the drill."

gutenberg

CHAPTER II NEWCOMERS AT THE ACADEMY "Dan Baxter has escaped!" repeated Dick. "That is news indeed. Does your father give my particulars?" "He says it is reported that the jailer was sick and unable to stop Dan." "Humph! Then they must have had some sort of a row," put in Tom. "Well, it does beat the nation how the Baxters do it. Don't you remember how Arnold Baxter escaped from the hospital authorities last year?" "Those Baxters are as slick as you can make them," said Frank. "I've been thinking if Dan would dare to show himself around Putnam Hall." "Not he!" cried Larry. "He'll travel as far can and as fast as he can." "Perhaps not," mused Dick. "I rather he will hang around and try to help his father out of prison." "That won't help him, for the authorities will be on strict guard now. You know the stable door is always locked after the horse is stolen." At this there was a general laugh, and when it ended a loud roll of a drum made the young cadets hurry to the front of the parade ground. "Fall in, Companies A and B!" came the command from the major of the battalion, and the boys fell in. Dick was now a first lieutenant, while Tom and Sam were first and second sergeants respectively. As soon as the companies were formed they were marched around the Hall and to the messroom. Here they were kept standing in a long fine while George Strong came to the front with half a dozen new pupils.

cnn

A lock-unlock lever on the doomed Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo was moved earlier than it should have been, the National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday night. But the agency's acting chairman stressed it was unclear whether pilot error, mechanical problems or a host of other possibilities caused the spacecraft to disintegrate in the air. "We are still a long way from finding a cause. We are months and months away," NTSB Acting Chairman Christopher Hart said. And despite a debris field spanning 5 miles, investigators have found almost all the parts of the spacecraft needed for the investigation, Hart said. The accident killed co-pilot Michael Tyner Alsbury, 39. A memorial fund has been set up for him. Co-pilot alert and talking The surviving co-pilot is "alert" and speaking, the company that partnered with Virgin on the test flight program said Sunday. "Peter Siebold, the director of flight operations at Scaled Composites, was piloting SpaceShipTwo. He is alert and talking with his family and doctors," the company said in a statement. "We remain focused on supporting the families of the two pilots and all of our employees, as well as the agencies investigating the accident." NTSB investigators have yet to interview Siebold. "We have not because doctors did not recommend we do an interview at this stage," Hart said. Inflight breakup? SpaceShipTwo disintegrated Friday, just two minutes after the space plane separated from the jet-powered aircraft that carried it aloft. At the time, it was about 45,000 feet above, and about 20 miles northeast, of Mojave, California.

cnn

(CNN) -- The mother of an 11-year-old boy who hanged himself after allegedly being bullied at a Georgia school says her daughter also has been a victim of taunting. Masika Bermudez-Carrasquillo, who Friday asked the White House for help in a campaign to end school bullying, said her daughter, 12, was also recently harassed by a boy who kept referring to her dead brother. The boy was disciplined but still taunted the girl before he was suspended and his mother withdrew him from a middle school, she said. Since then, the boy's mom has failed to meet with her, Bermudez said. "I guess she doesn't care." The mother, who wrote a letter to President Barack Obama about bullying, held a news conference Friday to ask for help. Jaheem Herrera was found dead in his closet in April. "Til this day, I live with that memory of seeing my son hanging in the closet; my daughters are so hurt too," Bermudez wrote in the letter. Bermudez told CNN that Jaheem, a fifth-grader, had been complaining about bullying at Dunaire Elementary School in DeKalb County. Bermudez said that at the time, she did not know that the bullying had gotten so bad. Friday, she indicated Jaheem once passed out after boys put him in a sleeper hold at the school. Administrators and others won't take responsibility for this and other incidents at the school, she said. "I feel like I failed him," Bermudez said of Jaheem. "I can't get justice. A year has passed, and they keep denying it."

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It was a beautiful day. In the morning Tommy and I went to the park to play. We rode our bikes around and went down to the lake. We swam around in the lake and splashed water on other kids. We got back on our bikes and rode back home. Mommy made lunch. It was yummy, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and milk. Then it was time for our nap. We woke up and watched some TV. Mommy gave us some money for candy later. Tommy and I went back to the park to play. Tommy and I played with a baseball with some other kids. Then we played with the football. We went to the store across the street. We bought some candy with the money Mommy gave us. We went back to the park and watched the other kids play as we ate our candy. It was hot, so we went swimming again. It was fun! We like swimming so we go swimming almost every day. We swam all afternoon until Mommy came down to the park at told us to come home. Mommy was very upset because we were gone so long. Mommy was worried that something might have happened to us. Mommy was not paying attention to her kids and what they were doing for hours. Tommy and I told Mommy she needs to pay more attention to us. Mommy started crying, then Tommy and I started crying. Mommy said from now on, I must pay more attention to you two. Daddy came home from work and playing softball for his company team. Daddy wanted to know what was going on. Daddy saw that we were all crying. Daddy started to cry too. We all said that we would pay more attention to each other. We all said that we would do more things together like going to the park. We all said we would eat together more often.

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Cardiff is the capital and largest city in Wales and the eleventh-largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is the country's chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for Wales. The unitary authority area's mid-2011 population was estimated to be 346,100, while the population of the Larger Urban Zone was estimated at 861,400 in 2009. The Cardiff metropolitan area makes up over a third of the total population of Wales, with a mid-2011 population estimate of about 1,100,000 people. Cardiff is a significant tourist centre and the most popular visitor destination in Wales with 18.3 million visitors in 2010. In 2011, Cardiff was ranked sixth in the world in National Geographic's alternative tourist destinations. The city of Cardiff is the county town of the historic county of Glamorgan (and later South Glamorgan). Cardiff is part of the Eurocities network of the largest European cities. The Cardiff Urban Area covers a slightly larger area outside the county boundary, and includes the towns of Dinas Powys and Penarth. A small town until the early 19th century, its prominence as a major port for the transport of coal following the arrival of industry in the region contributed to its rise as a major city.

gutenberg

CHAPTER VII. THE HOUSE IN SOHO WHITTINGTON and his companion were walking at a good pace. Tommy started in pursuit at once, and was in time to see them turn the corner of the street. His vigorous strides soon enabled him to gain upon them, and by the time he, in his turn, reached the corner the distance between them was sensibly lessened. The small Mayfair streets were comparatively deserted, and he judged it wise to content himself with keeping them in sight. The sport was a new one to him. Though familiar with the technicalities from a course of novel reading, he had never before attempted to "follow" anyone, and it appeared to him at once that, in actual practice, the proceeding was fraught with difficulties. Supposing, for instance, that they should suddenly hail a taxi? In books, you simply leapt into another, promised the driver a sovereign--or its modern equivalent--and there you were. In actual fact, Tommy foresaw that it was extremely likely there would be no second taxi. Therefore he would have to run. What happened in actual fact to a young man who ran incessantly and persistently through the London streets? In a main road he might hope to create the illusion that he was merely running for a bus. But in these obscure aristocratic byways he could not but feel that an officious policeman might stop him to explain matters. At this juncture in his thoughts a taxi with flag erect turned the corner of the street ahead. Tommy held his breath. Would they hail it?

cnn

Two prominent newspapers this week used their editorial pages to call for mercy for intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, with one arguing "he deserves better than a life of permanent exile, fear and flight." The New York Times and The Guardian make the case for some sort of plea deal or clemency that would allow Snowden to return to the United States from Russia, where he was granted asylum. Mercy or dropped charges have occurred in past cases of other high-profile whistle-blowers, such as Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst behind the leak of the Pentagon Papers. But in recent years, the United States has aggressively pursued those who leak government secrets. Here's a look at how the cases of five prominent leakers -- including Snowden -- have played out: Daniel Ellsberg Ellsberg was the military analyst who leaked the 7,000-page Pentagon Papers in 1971. The top-secret documents revealed that senior U.S. leaders, including three Presidents, knew the Vietnam War was an unwinnable, tragic quagmire. Further, they showed the government had lied to Congress and the public about the progress of the war. Ellsberg surrendered to authorities and was charged as a spy. During his trial, the court learned that President Richard Nixon's administration had embarked on a campaign to discredit Ellsberg, illegally wiretapping him and breaking into his psychiatrist's office. All charges against him were dropped. Since then, he has lived a relatively quiet life as a respected author and lecturer. Chelsea Manning U.S. Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning, who formerly went by the name Bradley, was convicted of stealing and disseminating 750,000 pages of classified documents and videos to WikiLeaks, the online anti-secrecy group.

gutenberg

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. A TRYING ORDEAL--DANGER THREATENS AND FLIGHT AGAIN RESOLVED ON. When the early birds are singing, and the early mists are scattering, and the early sun is rising to gladden, as with the smile of God, all things with life in earth and sea and sky--then it is that early-rising man goes forth to reap the blessings which his lazy fellow-man fails to appreciate or enjoy. Among the early risers that morning was our friend Moses. Gifted with an inquiring mind, the negro had proceeded to gratify his propensities by making inquiries of a general nature, and thus had acquired, among other things, the particular information that the river on the banks of which the village stood was full of fish. Now, Moses was an ardent angler. "I lub fishing," he said one day to Nigel when in a confidential mood; "I can't tell you how much I lub it. Seems to me dat der's nuffin' like it for proggin' a man!" When Nigel demanded an explanation of what proggin' meant, Moses said he wasn't quite sure. He could "understand t'ings easy enough though he couldn't allers 'splain 'em." On the whole he thought that prog had a compound meaning--it was a combination of poke and pull "wid a flavour ob ticklin' about it," and was rather pleasant. "You see," he continued, "when a leetle fish plays wid your hook, it progs your intellec' an' tickles up your fancy a leetle. When he grabs you, dat progs your hopes a good deal. When a big fish do de same, dat progs you deeper. An' when a real walloper almost pulls you into de ribber, dat progs your heart up into your t'roat, where it stick till you land him."

cnn

(CNN) -- On North Halsted Street, between Buckingham and Roscoe in Chicago, a monument stands with a plaque in honor of a brilliant thinker who is as responsible for the way we live our lives today as any person who has ever lived. His name is Alan Turing, a Brit, and among his many credits and accolades, many historians refer to him as "the father of computer science." When Time magazine listed him among its 100 most influential people of the 20th century, it said "that everyone who taps at a keyboard, opening a spreadsheet or a word-processing program, is working on an incarnation of a Turing machine." A pretty high honor to say the least. And yet in 1952, while filing a robbery report with the police, Turing -- the man whose algorithms cracked the Enigma code used by the Nazis in World War II -- found himself arrested at his home in England. His crime? Being gay. Turing was convicted of "gross indecency," a felony in Britain at that time. He was forced to choose between prison and being injected with female hormones, a form of chemical castration. He reluctantly chose the latter. Despite his accomplishments, he lost his job. And in June 1954, he lost his will to live. He was 41. If the Western world is somewhat haunted by what Steve Jobs might have accomplished had cancer not taken him from us, we should be downright tormented by what we lost from the senseless excommunication of his predecessor.

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Buck did not read the newspapers,or he would have known that trouble was coming,not only for himself,but for every big dog,strong of muscle and with long,warm hair in California.Men had found gold in the Yukon,and these men wanted big,strong dogs to work in the cold and snow of the north. Buck lived at a big house in the sunkissed Santa Clara valley.Judge Miller's place,it was called.There were large gardens and fields of fruit trees around the house,and a river nearby.In a big place like this,of course,there were many dogs.There were house dogs and farm dogs,but they were not important.Over this great land Buck ruled.Here he was born and here he had lived the four years of his life.He was not so large--he weighed only one hundred and forty pounds.But he had saved himself by not becoming a mere housedog.Hunting and outdoor delights had kept down the fat and hardened his muscles.He went swimming with Judge Miller's sons,and walking with his daughters.He carried the grandchildren on his back,and he sat at Judge Miller's feet in front of the warm library fire in winter.During the four years,he had a fine pride in himself which came of good living and universal respect.He was king of Judge Miller's place. But this was 1897,and Buck did not know that men and dogs were hurrying to northwest Canada to look for gold.And he did not know that Manuel,one of the gardener's helpers,was in bad need of money for his hobby of gambling and for his large family.One day,the Judge was at a meeting and the boys were busy organizing an athletic club.No one saw Manuel and Buck go off on what Buck imagined was merely an evening walk.Only one man saw them arrive at the railway station.This man talked to Manuel,and gave him some money.Then Manuel tied a piece of rope around Buck's neck. Buck had accepted the rope with quiet dignity .He had learned to trust in men he knew and to give them credit.But when the ends of the rope were placed in the stranger's hands,Buck roared,and was surprised when the rope tightened around his neck,shutting off his breath.In extreme anger,he jumped at the man.The man caught him and suddenly Buck was thrown over on his back.Then the rope tightened cruelly while Buck struggled,his tongue out of his mouth.Never in all his life had he been so badly treated.Never in all his life had he been so angry.For a few moments he was unable to move,and it was easy for the two men to put him into the train. When Buck woke up,the train was still moving.The man was sitting and watching him,but Buck was too quick for him and he bit the man's hand hard.Then the rope was pulled again and Buck had to let go. That evening,the man took Buck to the back room of a bar in San Francisco.The barman looked at the man's hand and trousers covered in blood. "How much are they paying you for this?"he asked. "Only get fifty dollars." "And the man who stole him--how much did he get?"asked the barman. "A hundred.He wouldn't take less." "That makes a hundred and fifty.It's a good price for a dog like him." Buck spent that night in a cagelike box.He could not understand what it all meant.What did they want with him,these strange men?And where were Judge Miller and the boys? The next day Buck was carried in the box to the railway station and put on a train to the north.

cnn

(CNN) -- African football champions TP Mazembe have been thrown out of the continent's Champions League competition after fielding an ineligible player. Tanzanian team Simba complained after the Congolese side included defender Janvier Bokungu in a second-round tie, which Mazembe won after triumphing in both legs. Mazembe then beat Morocco's Widad de Casablanca in the third round to reach the group stages of the tournament, which the club also won in 2009. The Confederation of African Football said in a statement on Saturday that Simba and Widad would play off at a neutral venue next week, with the winning team to take Mazembe's place in the eight-club group phase starting in July. War, diamonds and football: The amazing story of Congo's TP Mazembe "Following a complaint filed by Simba Sports of Tanzania following match 68 of the Orange Champions League, the Confederation of African Football launched an investigation on the eligibility of TP Mazembe's player named Janvier Besala Bokungu," it said on its website. "The findings of the investigation were submitted to the Organizing Committee for CAF Interclubs Competitions. Based on those findings, the committee decided to disqualify TP Mazembe on the basis of Chapter VIII (Fraud), article 24, article 26 (Qualification of players) and article 29 of Orange CAF Champions League regulations." Simba had complained that the 22-year-old Bokungu was still contracted to Tunisian team Esperance, where he moved from Mazembe in 2007. He has played at international level for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Football team owner determined to rebuild Congo

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São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two archipelagos around the two main islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off the northwestern coast of Gabon. The islands were uninhabited until their discovery by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century. Gradually colonized and settled by the Portuguese throughout the 16th century, they collectively served as a vital commercial and trade center for the Atlantic slave trade. The rich volcanic soil and close proximity to the equator made São Tomé and Príncipe ideal for sugar cultivation, followed later by cash crops such as coffee and cocoa; the lucrative plantation economy was heavily dependent upon imported African slaves. Cycles of social unrest and economic instability throughout the 19th and 20th centuries culminated in peaceful independence in 1975. São Tomé and Príncipe has since remained one of Africa's most stable and democratic countries. With a population of 192,993 (2013 Census), São Tomé and Príncipe is the second-smallest African country after Seychelles, as well as the smallest Portuguese-speaking country. Its people are predominantly of African and "mestiço" descent, with most practising Roman Catholicism. The legacy of Portuguese rule is also visible in the country's culture, customs, and music, which fuse European and African influences.

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In the middle of the first term of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things. His heart was not in school, but in the woods. One day, Miss White's impatient voice broke into his daydreams. "Steve! Pay attention!" Steve turned to look at her, fixing his eyes on Miss White, as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade. "You all did pretty well," she told the class, "except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but..." She hesitated, her eyes searching his face. "...The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!" She just stared at Steve. Steve dropped his eyes. After that, it was war! Steve still wouldn't do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained _ "Just try it! ONE WEEK!" He was unmoved. "You're smart enough! You'll see a change!" Nothing touched him. "Give yourself a chance! Don't give up on your life!" Nothing. "Steve! Please! I care about you!" Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it! Someone cared about him? Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. Walking into the house, both parents were out. He, quickly, gathered up a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in, all smiles! God, she was beautiful! Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Miss White's face was in total shock! The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test! From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at it! He discovered that he could understand knowledge and translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to go ahead!

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16:9 (1.7:1) (16:9 = 4:3) is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2010 it has become the most common aspect ratio for televisions and computer monitors, and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television. This has replaced the old . Dr. Kerns H. Powers, a member of the SMPTE Working Group on High-Definition Electronic Production, first proposed the 16:9 (1.7:1) aspect ratio at a time when nobody was creating 16:9 videos. The popular choices in 1980 were: 1.3:1 (based on television standard's ratio at the time), 1.6:1 (the European "flat" ratio), 1.85:1 (the American "flat" ratio), 2.20:1 (the ratio of 70 mm films and Panavision) and 2.39:1 (the CinemaScope ratio for anamorphic widescreen films). Powers cut out rectangles with equal areas, shaped to match each of the popular aspect ratios. When overlapped with their center points aligned, he found that all of those aspect ratio rectangles fit within an outer rectangle with an aspect ratio of 1.7:1 and all of them also covered a smaller common inner rectangle with the same aspect ratio 1.7:1. The value found by Powers is exactly the geometric mean of the extreme aspect ratios, 4:3 (1.3:1) and 2.35:1 (or 64:27, see also for more information), √ ≈ 1.770 which is coincidentally close to 16:9 (1.7:1). Applying the same geometric mean technique to 16:9 and 4:3 yields the aspect ratio, which is likewise used as a compromise between these ratios.

cnn

(PEOPLE.com) -- For nearly three years, the hit TLC show "Toddlers & Tiaras" has captured the drama behind the scenes in the world of child beauty pageants. The tantrums were extreme, and the pre-show prep of spray tanning and eyebrow waxing seemed perhaps premature for little kids. But in the last few weeks, as footage of 3- and 4-year-olds dressed in overly adult costumes (like Dolly Parton, complete with padded breasts, or Julia Roberts's streetwalker from "Pretty Woman") hit the airwaves, viewers and pageant skeptics have been expressing horror at an industry that is now accused of "sexualizing" young girls. "Little girls are supposed to play with dolls, not be dolls," New York-based licensed clinical social worker Mark Sichel tells PEOPLE in its new issue. He adds that the extremes parents go to in order to prepare their children for competition -- using padding, fake hair, flippers (faux teeth) and spray tans -- "causes the children tremendous confusion, wondering why they are not okay without those things." Now devoted pageant moms are speaking out in their own defense. Wendy Dickey, who dressed her daughter Paisley, 3, as Julia Roberts, tells PEOPLE the look was "tasteful and funny." Still, "If I knew there would be a reaction like this, I never would have used it," Dickey says. "Next time, she'll be dressed as an angel." And Juana Myers, whose daughter MaKenzie has been featured on Tiaras, says unfair scrutiny has been placed on the pageant industry. "If this were a sport, no one would question it," she says. "This is her sport."

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The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster with its headquarters at Broadcasting House in London. The BBC is the world's oldest national broadcasting organisation and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees. It employs over 20,950 staff in total, 16,672 of whom are in public sector broadcasting. The total number of staff is 35,402 when part-time, flexible, and fixed contract staff are included. The BBC is established under a Royal Charter and operates under its Agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Its work is funded principally by an annual television licence fee which is charged to all British households, companies, and organisations using any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts and iPlayer catch-up. The fee is set by the British Government, agreed by Parliament, and used to fund the BBC's radio, TV, and online services covering the nations and regions of the UK. Since 1 April 2014, it has also funded the BBC World Service (launched in 1932 as the BBC Empire Service), which broadcasts in 28 languages and provides comprehensive TV, radio, and online services in Arabic and Persian. Around a quarter of BBC revenues come from its commercial arm BBC Worldwide Ltd, which sells BBC programmes and services internationally and also distributes the BBC's international 24-hour English-language news services BBC World News, and from BBC.com, provided by BBC Global News Ltd.

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David Beckham had a dream: to be the first English player to appear in four World Cups.But now it appears that dream is over after a serious injury to his Achilles tendon which means he could be out of action for around six months.With this year's World Cup in South Africa only three months away, sadly Beckham looks set to miss out.The injury happened while Beckham was playing for AC Milan against AC Chievo in the Italian league.After attempting to kick the ball he fell to the ground and hobbled off the pitch before being stretchered away. It is not yet known whether he has completely severed his Achilles tendon or only torn it.The player has now flown to Finland for assessment and treatment by a knee specialist. England manager Fabio Capello fears the worst for Beckham's World Cup chances. "We have to wait for the results of the scan but it looks like he is out of the World Cup," he said in a statement."I spoke with him after the game on Sunday night to offer my support. "David is a great professional and has worked very hard to be ready for the World Cup, so missing it will be a big blow." Beckham's former manager at American club LA Galaxy, Alexei Lalas, echoed Capello's words of support: "It is a horrible situation for Beckham.I know how much it meant to him to be in the World Cup and how important he was to the England team. David Beckham is now 34 and some are asking whether this serious injury could mean his whole career is over. Whatever happens, as one of football's best-known and popular players, Beckham will have no shortage of encouragement from fans around the world. Some will remember Beckham's miraculous recovery from an Achilles injury in 2006, when he was back on the pitch after only eight weeks. If he could repeat the same feat in time for the World Cup it really would be the stuff of fairytales. So, perhaps all is not lost.Optimists will _ from Alexei Lalas' words: "You never want to write off David Beckham as he has shown us his ability to bounce back ."

mctest

Emily and her brother Matthew went outside to play. They brought their dog Bo with them, too. Bo was holding a bone in her mouth. Matthew threw a ball and Bo chased after it. Emily laughed as Bo ran away. Bo brought the ball back to Matthew. Then Bo barked. This time Emily threw the ball. She was younger than Matthew, so the ball did not go as far. Bo chased after the ball anyway, and Emily laughed again. Matthew smiled at his little sister. Bo ran back to Emily and dropped the ball at her feet. Then Bo wagged her tail and licked Emily's face. Emily giggled and scratched Bo's ears. Then Matthew and Emily's mother came outside holding a bar of soap. She told them that it was time for dinner and they had to come inside and wash their hands. Just then, Matthew and Emily's dad came home from work. Matthew and Emily ran to their dad. They all walked inside together and Bo followed them in. They would have to play ball tomorrow.

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(CNN) -- Another musical titan whose soaring voice ruled the charts for decades has fallen. Whitney Houston joins an august list of the departed since Michael Jackson's death nearly three years ago. "First there was MJ, then there was Heavy D and now Whitney," said Shaun Jones, 47, of Titusville, Florida, adding that he jumped out of bed in disbelief when he heard news of Houston's death. Rapper Heavy D died last year, as did Nick Ashford, who was one half of the Motown duo Ashford and Simpson. And in late 2010, singer Mary Christine Brockert, better known by her stage name Teena Marie, died in her sleep. "It's shocking ... all these people are legends. A lot of them are dying too young. It's crazy." Pop icons such as Houston enjoyed staggering success through the 1980s and into the 1990s, and served as role models to a generation of singers today. Announcements about their deaths are always almost followed by tributes from younger pop stars acknowledging how much influence they've had on their careers. "Icons from that era stood out," Jones said. "They had distinct voices -- I can always tell when a song is by Whitney -- they made music back then." Houston was a "hero for Gen X black girls," said CNN iReporter Tessa Jackson of New Orleans. She said when she was "a black teenager going to a predominantly white high school in California, Whitney was my style icon and hero ... She made me and other girls like me feel like we didn't have to be blonde and blue-eyed to be beautiful and admired. I wish she knew how much she did for my and my friends' self-esteem."

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Sun Microsystems, Inc. was an American company that sold computers, computer components, software, and information technology services, and that created the Java programming language, the Solaris operating system, ZFS, the Network File System (NFS) and SPARC. Sun contributed significantly to the evolution of several key computing technologies, among them Unix, RISC processors, thin client computing, and virtualized computing. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982. At its height, the Sun headquarters were in Santa Clara, California (part of Silicon Valley), on the former west campus of the Agnews Developmental Center. On April 20, 2009 it was announced that Oracle Corporation would acquire Sun for 7.4 billion. The deal was completed on January 27, 2010. Sun products included computer servers and workstations built on its own RISC-based SPARC processor architecture as well as on x86-based AMD's Opteron and Intel's Xeon processors; storage systems; and a suite of software products including the Solaris operating system, developer tools, Web infrastructure software, and identity management applications. Other technologies include the Java platform, MySQL, and NFS. Sun was a proponent of open systems in general and Unix in particular, and a major contributor to open-source software. At various times, Sun had manufacturing facilities in several locations worldwide, including Hillsboro, Oregon, Linlithgow, Scotland, and Newark, California; however, by the time the company was acquired, it had outsourced most manufacturing.

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Palermo (Italian: [paˈlɛrmo] ( listen), Sicilian: Palermu, Latin: Panormus, from Greek: Πάνορμος, Panormos, Arabic: بَلَرْم‎, Balarm; Phoenician: זִיז, Ziz) is a city in Insular Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old. Palermo is located in the northwest of the island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city was founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians as Ziz ('flower'). Palermo then became a possession of Carthage, before becoming part of the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire and eventually part of the Byzantine Empire, for over a thousand years. The Greeks named the city Panormus meaning 'complete port'. From 831 to 1072 the city was under Arab rule during the Emirate of Sicily when the city first became a capital. The Arabs shifted the Greek name into Balarm, the root for Palermo's present-day name. Following the Norman reconquest, Palermo became the capital of a new kingdom (from 1130 to 1816), the Kingdom of Sicily and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire under Frederick II Holy Roman Emperor and Conrad IV of Germany, King of the Romans. Eventually Sicily would be united with the Kingdom of Naples to form the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies until the Italian unification of 1860.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XX--NO. 5 CHEYNE ROW Frank had brought home the Life of Carlyle, and Maude had been dipping into it in the few spare half-hours which the many duties of a young housekeeper left her. At first it struck her as dry, but from the moment that she understood that this was, among other things, an account of the inner life of a husband and a wife, she became keenly interested, and a passionate and unreasonable partisan. For Frederick and Cromwell and the other great issues her feelings were tolerant but lukewarm. But the great sex-questions of 'How did he treat her?' and of 'How did she stand it?' filled her with that eternal and personal interest with which they affect every woman. Her gentle nature seldom disliked any one, but certainly amongst those whom she liked least, the gaunt figure of the Chelsea sage began to bulk largely. One night, as Frank sat reading in front of the fire, he suddenly found his wife on her knees upon the rug, and a pair of beseeching eyes upon his face. 'Frank, dear, I want you to make me a promise.' 'Well, what is it?' 'Will you grant it?' 'How can I tell you when I have not heard it?' 'How horrid you are, Frank! A year ago you would have promised first and asked afterwards.' 'But I am a shrewd old married man now. Well, let me hear it.' 'I want you to promise me that you will never be a Carlyle.'

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(CNN) -- When Elizabeth Joice found out that she was pregnant, she and her husband, Max, were ecstatic. A fertility specialist had told her that this would never happen, Max says, because of the chemotherapy Elizabeth underwent to beat sarcoma in 2010. "It very much felt like a miracle," he says. "Bringing a child into this world -- I mean, it wasn't just important for me; it was one of the most important things for Liz." Then, one month into her pregnancy, Elizabeth's cancer returned, he says. Surgeons removed the tumors in her back, but she needed a full-body MRI scan to know whether the cancer had spread. Because an MRI's contrast dyes may damage a developing fetus, she faced a difficult decision. She could either terminate her pregnancy to undergo the scan or continue with the pregnancy without knowing her true cancer status. "We felt that if we terminated this pregnancy and did these scans, if it turned out that there was no evidence of this disease after the scans, then we would have possibly given up our only chance at having a child naturally and would have done it for nothing," Max said. "It was a calculated risk. We knew there was a possibility of a worst-case scenario, but we also thought there was a good chance that we could have the baby." Shortly after becoming pregnant, Elizabeth was introduced to filmmaker Christopher Henze. His upcoming documentary on pregnancy and motherhood will include the Joices' story. "It took about three minutes to realize that Liz was a stellar human being, and I wanted her for my movie," Henze said. "I was impressed by the way she looked at cancer as another problem to be solved."

wikipedia

The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT) is a federal Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. It shares borders with Western Australia to the west (129th meridian east), South Australia to the south (26th parallel south), and Queensland to the east (138th meridian east). To the north, the territory is bordered by the Timor Sea, the Arafura Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria. Despite its large area—over , making it the third largest Australian federal division—it is sparsely populated. The Northern Territory's population of 244,000 (2016) makes it the least populous of Australia's eight major states and territories, having fewer than half as many people as Tasmania. The archaeological history of the Northern Territory begins over 40,000 years ago when Indigenous Australians settled the region. Makassan traders began trading with the indigenous people of the Northern Territory for trepang from at least the 18th century onwards. The coast of the territory was first seen by Europeans in the 17th century. The British were the first Europeans to attempt to settle the coastal regions. After three failed attempts to establish a settlement (1824–1828, 1838–1849, and 1864–66), success was achieved in 1869 with the establishment of a settlement at Port Darwin. Today the economy is based on tourism, especially Kakadu National Park in the Top End and the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Ayers Rock) in central Australia, and mining.

gutenberg

CHAPTER III OFF THE TRACK "Well, if he isn't the worst yet," was the comment of the senator's son. "I hope he isn't waiting for that train," said Shadow. "I don't want to see any more of him." "Pooh! who's afraid?" asked Phil. "I guess we can make him keep his distance." "I thought I knew him when he came in, but I wasn't sure," said the restaurant keeper. "The man who runs the hotel, Mr. Brown, had a lot of trouble with him because he wouldn't pay his bill--said it was too high. Then he came here once and said the meat wasn't fresh and the bread was stale and sour. I came close to pitching him out. Don't let him walk over you--if he does take your train." "No danger," answered Dave. He had not yet forgotten the rude manner in which Isaac Pludding had shoved him. It was soon time for the Oakdale train to arrive, and the students walked back to the depot. The snow was over a foot deep and still coming down steadily. The depot was crowded with folks, and among them they discovered Isaac Pludding, with his valise and a big bundle done up in brown paper. "He certainly must be waiting for the train," said Dave; and he was right. When the cars came to a stop the stout man was the first person aboard. The students entered another car and secured seats in a bunch as before. "By the way, where is Nat Poole?" asked Roger, suddenly. "I didn't see him get off the other train."

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Dr.Michael Prager, a leading Botox expert, said that a growing number of women are developing something called "computer face".He also mentioned that professionals who worked long hours in front of a screen were ending up with saggy jowls , "turkey neck" and deep-set wrinkles on their forehead and around their eyes. The Botox expert said that, of all his clients, office workers were most likely to show premature signs of ageing."If you are one of the unfortunate people who frown while you are concentrating on the screen then, over time, you will inevitably end up with frown lines," Dr.Prager said."What is perhaps more surprising is the number of women with saggy jowls because they are sitting in one position for so long.If you spend most of the time looking down then the neck muscles shorten and go saggy, eventually giving you a second neck." Dr.Prager, who has a practice near Harley Street in London, said he encourages his clients to put a mirror next to their computer so they can see if they are frowning at the screen."When people are stressed or thinking hard about something, then they will often put on a 'grumpy face' without even knowing what they are doing.When my clients put a mirror next to their desk, they are often shocked by the angry, frowning face which stares back at them." He said, "The women I am seeing at the moment have only been using computers at work for the last decade or so.But women in their 20s have grown up with them and use them for every single task.I think the problem is going to become much, much worse.In another ten years, they could be looking quite awful." Dr.Prager said there were several simple steps which could avoid "computer face" such as regular screen breaks and stretching the neck muscles.And, of course, there was always Botox.He said that, after a couple of sessions of Botox, the habit of "grumpy face" could be broken.

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1. The family planning policy ("") was introduced in 1979 to solve the population problems. Most couples could have only one child except some special families and those in some special areas. 2. Usually, all around good student, which was called "thricegood", was given to the students who were virtuous , talented and good at PE. It was firstly used in to 1950s by Mao to encourage young people to keep fit, study well and work hard. 3. During the early 1990s, state owned company reforms were getting tough. The workers were more than the jobs in most of the cities. Many workers were losing their jobs. "Jobless" was a hot topic at that time, so the leaders hoped the laid off workers could find new jobs or start up their own business. 4. One of Deng's clever ideas, "one country, two systems", was first performed in 1997. It described Hong Kong and Macao's situation after they returned to China. This policy would also be suitable for Taiwan. There would be one China, but Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan could have their own economies and political systems. 5. Lei Feng was a soldier who was happy to help others. He died in an accident in 1962. On March 5th,1963, Mao wrote a piece, "Learn from comrade Lei Feng", to say the Chinese should help others when necessary. After that, March 5th became a Volunteer Day. 6. The phrase "harmonious society" appeared in 2004, referring to a peaceful society where all people would work together to make the life better. This idea has become the main goal of the Chinese Communist Party now.

cnn

(CNN) -- The man closest to Tiger Woods when he plays golf says he had no idea about the extramarital affairs that have sidelined Woods from the game. Steve Williams, Woods' caddy and confidant for nearly a decade, talked to New Zealand's TV3 about the scandal. "I knew nothing," Williams said in an interview posted on the station's Web site Thursday. "I don't need to clarify it, extend that answer. I knew nothing." Williams said he's heard the calls from some that he should be fired for not preventing Woods' downfall. "In some people's perception, I'm involved with it, and I've committed a crime or done wrong," he said. "If the shoe was on somebody else, I would say the same thing, it would be very difficult for the caddy not to know," he said. "But I'm 100 percent telling you, I knew nothing, and that's that." Williams' wife, Kirsty, defended her husband, insisting he would not have been able to keep the secret from her or Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren. "The four of us are so close," she told TV3. "Being so close, he couldn't know and not say something to Elin or myself. You know, it's just, that's the way it is." Woods, 34, apologized last month in a tightly controlled televised statement for his "irresponsible and selfish" behavior, which he said included infidelity. The February 19 statement was his first public appearance since he crashed his black Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant and a tree near his home in November. The crash and reports about why it happened sparked a barrage of infidelity allegations against the golfer, who has two children with his wife.

cnn

(CNN) -- After a difficult past year, Rafael Nadal is back where he feels most comfortable -- but his rivals are battling to find form ahead of the French Open. While the Spaniard cruised into the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo tournament he has won for the past eight seasons, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic again had to come from behind to earn his place while Andy Murray suffered a crushing defeat that will demote him to third in the rankings. Fourth seed Tomas Berdych and No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro also crashed out Thursday to thin out the competition for Nadal as he continues his winning return to the ATP Tour following longterm knee problems. His 6-2 6-4 rout of German 16th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber was his 16th successive victory this year following a defeat in the final of his comeback event in Chile in February. "I feel more relaxed, yes. I had some uneasy moments during the past year," Nadal said after his 44th consecutive win at the clay-court event, which set up a clash with 21-year-old Bulgarian Gregor Dimitrov. "Now I'm back on the tour. Just being here is good news. And winning matches -- I say it every day, but winning every match is very important to me today. Every time I have the chance to go on court and play well, feel competitive, is a really good feeling." Dimitrov is also on a roll, having followed up his opening victory over world No. 10 Janko Tipsarevic by beating Germany's Florian Mayer 6-2 6-4.

cnn

(CNN) -- Chelsea continued to set the pace in the English Premier League with a comfortable 4-1 win over Norwich City at Stamford Bridge Saturday. Norwich took an unlikely 11th minute lead through their star striker Grant Holt, but it was to prove short lived once the west London side got into their stride. Goals from Fernando Torres, his 99th in English football, Frank Lampard and Eden Hazard put them 3-1 ahead by half time. Branislav Ivanovic rounded off the scoring with an emphatic fourth in the 78th minute. Both John Terry and Ashley Cole played and were given a warm reception by the home crowd. Cole was forced to apologize Friday for a controversial Twitter comment as he reacted to the findings of an FA commission into the racial slur case brought against Terry. The commission found Terry's evidence at the hearing "improbable, implausible and contrived" as they gave the reasons for his four-match ban and large fine for remarks aimed at QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in an EPL game last season. He has until October 18 to appeal the decision or accept a ban which would rule him out of crucial games. Manager Roberto Di Matteo confirmed after the game that Cole was likely to face action from the club over his tweet. "We've got a social media policy at the club and there's going to be a disciplinary process against the tweet and that's how I'll leave it," Di Matteo said. Chelsea have opened up a four-point lead over defendiing champions Manchester City, while Norwich are winless in the league this season.

race

Long long ago, there lived two girls named Emily and Tina. Both of them had long black hair and blue eyes. One day while they were playing in the back yard , Emily heard a tinkling sound. She jumped up. "Listen," she told her twin. They listened. The noise came again. This time Tina heard it. She sat up. "It came from over there," She whispered, looking at the zinnias far away. They came near to find it out. Then something flew out, making the same tinkling sound they had heard before. The children looked at one another. "Was it a bee?" asked Tina. "I don't think so," replied Emily. "Do bees make a sound like bells?" "Let's call it the Tinkle Bee anyway," said Tina. Emily nodded, listening with a little difficulty. What had made that noise? The next day, Emily and Tina brought their cookies outside. Tina took her plate by the zinnias. Suddenly she caught something. "Emily!" she called. "I've got the Tinkle Bee!" Emily rushed over. They sat down on the grass. Tina opened her hand very carefully. There was that sound! Something was shining in Tina's hand. They smiled. Then Emily cried, "It's a fairy !" Tina looked down at it in her hand. It looked like a girl. A _ girl with wings! Tina dropped it before she noticed that a wing was torn . The little fairy could not fly away so she took a piece of grass out of the ground and sat on it. Emily and Tina were surprised at what they saw. The fairy turned to Emily and said, "Hello, I am Marabella." Then she said again, "Marabella the Fairy." Emily smiled. "I'm Emily," she said. Tina said, "I'm Tina. Are you really a fairy?" "Oh, yes!" replied Marabella. "I've always been a fairy."

race

James Arruda Henry, a 98-year-old retired lobsterman, has written and published his first book, "In a Fisherman's Language", after learning to read at the incredible age of 91. Mr. Henry spent most of his life without even his closest family members knowing he was illiterate .Forced to quit school in the third grade to take some jobs, he kept the secret close to his chest - only telling to his late wife. A family problem in his 90s sparked his encourage to restart his education."He signed a document he could not read," Mr Henry's granddaughter said. And then, after hearing about George Dawson, a son of slaves who learned to read at the age of 98 and went on to write a book of his own, entitled "Life Is So Good" at the age of 101, Mr. Henry took up reading. "If he can do it.I'm going to try," Mr. Henry said.Starting with his name, he eventually moved on to ABC's and children's books. He put them down for four years after the tragic loss of his wife. But eventually he went back to reading and with the help of his tutor began to record his life. He wrote about his family's voyage from Portugal to the U.S. his many journeys at sea and how he was unable to save another fisherman who had fallen overboard. He became a carpenter and even a professional boxer - and eventually built his own home in Stonington Borough. His life stories have become so popular, in fact, nearly 800 copies were sold in the first two weeks of the book's release last month.One thousand more have since been printed as requests for the book flood in from as far as Germany.And now even Hollywood producers have approached Mr. Henry about optioning the rights to his life story for a big screen adaptation.

cnn

Tributes are flowing in for much-loved British actor and comedian Rik Mayall, who died in London Monday at age 56. Mayall, one of the leading lights of Britain's alternative comedy scene in the 1980s, is best known for starring roles in hit TV series "Blackadder," "The Young Ones," "The New Statesman" and "Bottom." His agent, Kate Benson, of Brunskill Management, told CNN Mayall died suddenly Monday; she did not know the cause of his death. Mayall first found widespread fame in student sitcom "The Young Ones," which ran for two years on the BBC, and was later shown on MTV in the United States. The series, which he co-wrote, focused on the lives of four roommates at "Scumbag College." Mayall played politics-obsessed poet Rick alongside his long-term comedy partner Ade Edmondson as violent punk Vyvyan. Edmondson led the tributes to Mayall Monday, telling Britain's Press Association news agency: "There were times when Rik and I were writing together when we almost died laughing. "They were some of the most carefree, stupid days I ever had, and I feel privileged to have shared them with him. And now he's died for real. Without me. Selfish bastard." Writer and comedian Ben Elton told the Press Association Mayall had "changed his life" by asking him to work on "The Young Ones." "He always made me cry with laughter, now he's just made me cry." In cult favorite "Blackadder" -- also co-written by Elton -- Mayall was memorably cast in the guest role of the womanizing Lord Flashheart, who steals the anti-hero's fiancé from under his nose -- at the altar. His lines were regularly repeated in schoolyards and student pubs.

wikipedia

GNU is an operating system and an extensive collection of computer software. GNU is composed wholly of free software, most of which is licensed under the GNU Project's own GPL. "GNU" is a recursive acronym for ""GNU's Not Unix!"", chosen because GNU's design is Unix-like, but differs from Unix by being free software and containing no Unix code. The GNU project includes an operating system kernel, GNU HURD, which was the original focus of the Free Software Foundation (FSF). However, non-GNU kernels, most famously Linux, can also be used with GNU software; as the Hurd kernel is not yet production-ready, this is how the GNU system is usually used. The combination of GNU software and the Linux kernel is commonly known as Linux (or less frequently GNU/Linux; see GNU/Linux naming controversy). Richard Stallman, the founder of the project, views GNU as a "technical means to a social end". Relatedly Lawrence Lessig states in his introduction to the second edition of Stallman's book "Free Software, Free Society" that in it Stallman has written about "the social aspects of software and how Free Software can create community and social justice." Development of the GNU operating system was initiated by Richard Stallman while he worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. It was called the GNU Project, and was publicly announced on September 27, 1983, on the net.unix-wizards and net.usoft newsgroups by Richard Stallman. Software development began on January 5, 1984, when Stallman quit his job at the Lab so that they could not claim ownership or interfere with distributing GNU components as free software. Richard Stallman chose the name by using various plays on words, including the song "The Gnu".

wikipedia

The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Democratic Party nominees Barack Obama, a U.S. Senator from Illinois, and his running mate Joe Biden, a long-time U.S. Senator from Delaware, defeated Republican Party nominees John McCain, a long-time and current U.S. Senator from Arizona, and his running mate Sarah Palin, a Governor of Alaska. Obama became the first African American ever to be elected president of the United States, and Joe Biden became the first Roman Catholic ever elected vice president. The incumbent president, George W. Bush, of the Republican Party, was ineligible to be elected to a third term due to term limits in the Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution. McCain secured the Republican nomination by March 2008, but the Democratic nomination was marked by a sharp contest between Obama and initial front-runner Senator Hillary Clinton, with Obama not securing the nomination until early June. Early campaigning had focused heavily on the Iraq War and the unpopularity of outgoing Republican President George W. Bush, but all candidates focused on domestic concerns as well, which grew more prominent as the economy experienced the onset of the Great Recession and a major financial crisis that peaked in September 2008.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XV Now that Gordon was gone, at any rate, gone for good, and not to return, he felt a sudden and singular sense of freedom. It was a feeling of unbounded expansion, quite out of proportion, as he said to himself, to any assignable cause. Everything suddenly appeared to have become very optional; but he was quite at a loss what to do with his liberty. It seemed a harmless use to make of it, in the afternoon, to go and pay another visit to the ladies who lived at the confectioner's. Here, however, he met a reception which introduced a fresh element of perplexity into the situation that Gordon had left behind him. The door was opened to him by Mrs. Vivian's maid-servant, a sturdy daughter of the Schwartzwald, who informed him that the ladies--with much regret--were unable to receive any one. "They are very busy--and they are ill," said the young woman, by way of explanation. Bernard was disappointed, and he felt like arguing the case. "Surely," he said, "they are not both ill and busy! When you make excuses, you should make them agree with each other." The Teutonic soubrette fixed her round blue eyes a minute upon the patch of blue sky revealed to her by her open door. "I say what I can, lieber Herr. It 's not my fault if I 'm not so clever as a French mamsell. One of the ladies is busy, the other is ill. There you have it." "Not quite," said Bernard. "You must remember that there are three of them."

cnn

(CNN)That sound you just heard was the crash of hearts breaking all over the world. Zayn Malik is leaving One Direction. "After five incredible years Zayn Malik has decided to leave One Direction," the band said on its Facebook page and tweeted out to its 22.9 million Twitter followers. "Niall, Harry, Liam and Louis will continue as a four-piece and look forward to the forthcoming concerts of their world tour and recording their fifth album, due to be released later this year." Rumors about such a move had started since Malik left the band's tour last week. At the time, a rep told Rolling Stone he had "been signed off with stress" after a scandal erupted following the publication of a photo showing Malik holding hands with someone other than his fiancee. Fans on Twitter immediately responded with teary Vine videos and the #AlwaysInOurHeartsZaynMalik hashtag. Even the Girl Scouts got in on the act with a sweet tribute to the singer. The band's Wikipedia page was also quickly updated with a sentence, "Zayn Malik was formerly a member." And Spotify said that global streams of One Direction songs were up 330% Wednesday in the hour after the news was announced -- a "spike of sadness," as the music service called it. In the U.S. alone, streams of the band's music were up 769%. To mark the occasion, Spotify created a special playlist of 1D songs. Malik, 22, has been part of the very popular British boy band since it was formed (at the urging of Simon Cowell, according to some stories) in 2010 after members auditioned separately for the UK version of "The X Factor." Cowell became a mentor and signed them to his label.

mctest

John wanted to have a birthday party for his son, Mike. John and his wife Sara knew that their son loved clowns, as did their daughter Jane. So they looked up a place to have a clown come to his birthday party. When the clown arrived, ten of Mikes friends showed up to watch the show. His parents had sent out 12 invites, thinking 6 or 8 kids would come. The clown started the show by squirting some water from a flower into John's face. This caused John's face to turn red. After the show, when everyone had left, it was up to John and Sara to clean up after the party. There was food everywhere; they had had salad and there was lettuce on the ground. Later that evening it was dinnertime and the family had to choose what to eat. The choices were order a pizza, make hamburgers, go get fried chicken or make noodles. Since it was Mike's birthday they let him choose. He really wanted pizza so they called up Pizza Palace to place their order. When the pizza arrived it did not come in a square box like most pizzas. Instead it was in a round box that no one had ever seen. John gave everybody a slice and then placed Mike in his lap to eat dinner.

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What is Bay? The simple answer is that it is a global trading platform where nearly anyone can trade practically anything. People can sell and buy all kinds of products and goods. Including cars, movies and DVDs, sporting goods, travel tickets, musical instruments, clothes and shoes- the list goes on and on The idea came from Peter Omidyar, who was born in Paris and moved to Washington when he was still a child, At high school, be became very interested in computer programming and after graduating from Tuft University in 1988, He worked for the next few years as a computer engineer. In his free time he started Bay as a kind of hobby, at first offering the service free by word of mouth. By 1996 there was so much traffic on the website that he had to upgrade and he began charging a fee to members. Joined by a friend, Peter Skill. and in 1998 by his capable CEO, Meg Whitman, he has never looked back. . Even in the great. com crashes of the late 1990s,abay has gone from strength to strength ,. It is now one of the ten most visited online shopping websites on the Internet eBay sells connections, not goods, putting buyer and seller into contact with each other. All you have to do is lake an e-photo, write a description, fill out a sales form and you are in business: the world is your market place. Of course for each item sold eBay gets a percentage and that is great deal of money. Every day there are more than sixteen million items listed on eBay and eighty percent of the items are sold.