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The Vatican Apostolic Library (), more commonly called the Vatican Library or simply the Vat, is the library of the Holy See, located in Vatican City. Formally established in 1475, although it is much older, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. It has 75,000 codices from throughout history, as well as 1.1 million printed books, which include some 8,500 incunabula. The Vatican Library is a research library for history, law, philosophy, science and theology. The Vatican Library is open to anyone who can document their qualifications and research needs. Photocopies for private study of pages from books published between 1801 and 1990 can be requested in person or by mail. In March 2014, the Vatican Library began an initial four-year project of digitising its collection of manuscripts, to be made available online. The Vatican Secret Archives were separated from the library at the beginning of the 17th century; they contain another 150,000 items. Scholars have traditionally divided the history of the library into five periods, Pre-Lateran, Lateran, Avignon, Pre-Vatican and Vatican. The Pre-Lateran period, comprising the initial days of the library, dated from the earliest days of the Church. Only a handful of volumes survive from this period, though some are very significant.

cnn

New York (CNN) -- More than 80 Michael Jackson collectibles -- including the late pop star's famous rhinestone-studded glove from a 1983 performance -- were auctioned off Saturday, reaping a total $2 million. Profits from the auction at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York's Times Square crushed pre-sale expectations of only $120,000 in sales. The highly prized memorabilia, which included items spanning the many stages of Jackson's career, came from more than 30 fans, associates and family members, who contacted Julien's Auctions to sell their gifts and mementos of the singer. Jackson's flashy glove was the big-ticket item of the night, fetching $420,000 from a buyer in Hong Kong, China. Jackson wore the glove at a 1983 performance during "Motown 25," an NBC special where he debuted his revolutionary moonwalk. Fellow Motown star Walter "Clyde" Orange of the Commodores, who also performed in the special 26 years ago, said he asked for Jackson's autograph at the time, but Jackson gave him the glove instead. "The legacy that [Jackson] left behind is bigger than life for me," Orange said. "I hope that through that glove people can see what he was trying to say in his music and what he said in his music." Orange said he plans to give a portion of the proceeds to charity. Hoffman Ma, who bought the glove on behalf of Ponte 16 Resort in Macau, paid a 25 percent buyer's premium, which was tacked onto all final sales over $50,000. Winners of items less than $50,000 paid a 20 percent premium.

gutenberg

CHAPTER VII. THE DAUGHTER OF WITHERSTEEN "Lassiter, will you be my rider?" Jane had asked him. "I reckon so," he had replied. Few as the words were, Jane knew how infinitely much they implied. She wanted him to take charge of her cattle and horse and ranges, and save them if that were possible. Yet, though she could not have spoken aloud all she meant, she was perfectly honest with herself. Whatever the price to be paid, she must keep Lassiter close to her; she must shield from him the man who had led Milly Erne to Cottonwoods. In her fear she so controlled her mind that she did not whisper this Mormon's name to her own soul, she did not even think it. Besides, beyond this thing she regarded as a sacred obligation thrust upon her, was the need of a helper, of a friend, of a champion in this critical time. If she could rule this gun-man, as Venters had called him, if she could even keep him from shedding blood, what strategy to play his flame and his presence against the game of oppression her churchmen were waging against her? Never would she forget the effect on Tull and his men when Venters shouted Lassiter's name. If she could not wholly control Lassiter, then what she could do might put off the fatal day. One of her safe racers was a dark bay, and she called him Bells because of the way he struck his iron shoes on the stones. When Jerd led out this slender, beautifully built horse Lassiter suddenly became all eyes. A rider's love of a thoroughbred shone in them. Round and round Bells he walked, plainly weakening all the time in his determination not to take one of Jane's favorite racers.

cnn

(CNN) -- The longest-running holiday special still has a very shiny nose. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" premiered on television December 6, 1964, and is now one of the holiday season's perennial favorites. The story of the reindeer who saves Christmas is beloved among children and adults alike. The Rankin-Bass animated film production company used Japanese puppets and stop motion to tell the tale, bolstered by a soundtrack featuring Burl Ives' rendition of the theme song. In the story, Santa's reindeer Donner and his wife have a son, Rudolph, who has the distinction of a nose that glows. He runs away after being made to feel an outcast and links up with an elf who dreams of becoming a dentist and an adventurer seeking silver and gold. After ending up on the Island of Misfit Toys and wandering for a while, Rudolph goes on to save his loved ones from the Abominable Snow Monster and guides Santa through a blizzard that threatens to ruin Christmas. In 2006, the New York Times reported that fans drove for miles to see the Rudolph and Santa Claus puppets at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. The pair were thought to be the last of the surviving production puppets. They had been taken home by a production company employee and given to her children after filming was completed. "In 2005, the nephew of the original rescuer found the puppets in a family attic and brought them to be appraised on the PBS series 'Antiques Roadshow,' " the Times said. "Created for about $5,000 each in 1964, they were valued at $8,000 to $10,000 for the pair. The family sold both figures to Kevin A. Kriess, the president of TimeandSpaceToys.com and a lifelong fan of the Rankin-Bass films."

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXIV. THE INTERRUPTED MASS The morning of that Wednesday of Corpus Christi, fateful to all concerned in this chronicle, dawned misty and grey, and the air was chilled by the wind that blew from the sea. The chapel bell tinkled out its summons, and the garrison trooped faithfully to Mass. Presently came Monna Valentina, followed by her ladies, her pages, and lastly, Peppe, wearing under his thin mask of piety an air of eager anxiety and unrest. Valentina was very pale, and round her eyes there were dark circles that told of sleeplessness, and as she bowed her head in prayer, her ladies observed that tears were falling on the illuminated Mass-book over which she bent. And now came Fra Domenico from the sacristy in the white chasuble that the Church ordains for the Corpus Christi feast, followed by a page in a clerkly gown of black, and the Mass commenced. There were absent only from the gathering Gonzaga and Fortemani, besides a sentry and the three prisoners. Francesco and his two followers. Gonzaga had presented himself to Valentina with the plausible tale that, as the events of which Fanfulla's letter had given them knowledge might lead Gian Maria at any moment to desperate measures, it might be well that he should reinforce the single man-at-arms patrolling the walls. Valentina, little recking now whether the castle held or fell, and still less such trifles as Gonzaga's attendance at Mass, had assented without heeding the import of what he said. And so, his face drawn and his body quivering with the excitement of what he was about to do, Gonzaga had repaired to the ramparts so soon as he had seen them all safely into chapel. The sentinel was that same clerkly youth Aventano, who had read to the soldiers that letter Gian Maria had sent Gonzaga. This the courtier accepted as a good omen. If a man there was among the soldiery at Roccaleone with whom he deemed that he had an account to settle, that man was Aventano.

race

Have you ever been to some big cities in the world? The information below will be helpful to you. Budapest For many centuries, Budapest was two cities, with Buda on the west side of the river Danube and Pest on the east side. Budapest became one city in 1872, and it has been the capital city of Hungary for about eighty years. The population of Budapest is about three million, and the city is a very popular place for tourists. Visitors like to take boat rides along the Danube. Budapest is also known for its exciting nightlife. The best time to visit is summer since Budapest is very cold in winter. Los Angeles Los Angeles was founded in 1781. With 3.5 million people it is now the biggest city in California and the second largest city in the United States. It is famous for its modern highways, its movie stars, and its smog. When the city is really smoggy, you can't see the near-by Mountains. The weather is usually dry and warm. Visitors like to go to the film studios and to drive along Hollywood Street. There are many good beaches near the city, and Los Angeles is also close to Disneyland. Taipei Since the founding of Taipei in the 18th century, the city has grown to a population of 2.3 million. Taipei is an exciting city, but the weather is humid and not always pleasant. It's also a very busy city, and the streets are always full of people. There is an excellent museum that many people visit. Taipei is quite an expensive city, but not more expensive than some neighboring cities such as Hong Kong and Tokyo. So more and more travelers go to Taipei to shop.

cnn

(CNN) -- A lawsuit filed by the family of Robert Champion, the Florida A&M University band member allegedly beaten to death in a hazing ritual, accuses the bus company involved in the deadly assault and the bus driver of negligence, their attorney said Monday. The suit alleges that Fabulous Coach Lines and its driver not only consented to the illegal acts of hazing by students, they knowingly participated in the planned hazing activity over several years. "This was a culture embraced by this bus company," Chris Chestnut said. According to court documents, Bus C, which is was the vehicle where the incident took place and the name of a specific hazing ritual, was parked in a dark corner, separate from the other buses provided by the company. The suit also alleges that the bus and its air conditioning system were running at the time Champion was beaten and that the bus driver was standing guard at the door to prevent anyone from entering or exiting the vehicle. When Champion stepped off the bus at one point to vomit, the bus driver told him "he would be alright as she forced him back onto the bus," the lawsuit claims. Despite a request for damages in excess of $15,000, Chestnut insisted the focus isn't money. It allows him to file subpoenas and take witness statements to further the investigation. "We figure out how this happened, we figure out how to fix it, and then we stop it from happening again," Chestnut said. Calls to the bus company and its attorneys, Wicker, Smith, O'Hara, McCoy, and Ford, PA, for comment have not been returned.

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Officials of the Chicago Transit Authority said they were investigating. The child, Nicole Hobson, was being taken by her mother to Children's Memorial Hospital about 11 P. M., Wednesday to check her recently inserted pacemaker. The child was stricken about a mile from the hospital. Her mother, May Hobson, 40, said, "I told the bus driver that my baby had just had heart operation and that she was having a heart failure. He said he couldn't go through the traffic." Ted Garretson, 28, a passenger who had tried to bring back Nicole's life, said the driver did nothing to help and stopped once to pick up more passengers. When the driver reached a corner where he was to make a turn, a block from the hospital, he told Mrs. Hobson to get off, she said. A transit spokesman said the driver should have made radio call to the control center for help.

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Local businessmen are increasingly facing competition from online retailers. Larry Pollock, owner of Camera Co/Op on South Congress, said he has been dealing with this kind of problem for years, even before the Internet. The struggle began with mail-order catalogues , which are similar to online retailers in that they have few employees to pay, no sales tax fees and no business venue to lease and manage. "Their overhead is lower, but they don't offer a service like we do," Pollock said. Pollock, however, said providing a valuable service to customers does not always guarantee continued sales. "We spend 30 minutes to an hour with somebody and they go home and buy it on line," he said. According to the state comptroller's office, online shopping is developing at a more rapid rate than traditional businesses. In spite of how fair or unfair online shopping may be to the local businessmen, consumers will continue to turn to the Internet for its variety and accessibility, said Mitch Wilson, an online shopper. "You have a larger selection and it's easier to compare prices." Wilson said he built his personal computer and paid a third of the price by shopping on line. "Before the Internet, I would have had to go and buy an assembled computer from somebody like Dell," he said. "Before I started shopping on line I could never find all the pieces I wanted. No single store had everything needed, so shopping on line saved me from having to buy from Dell." Janny Brazeal, a psychology freshman, said online shopping is too impersonal. "'d rather see it in person, touch it, know that I'm getting it," she said. Brazeal also said she would not give out her credit card number or other personal information on line no matter how safe the site claims it is.

wikipedia

The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or U of C) is a private research university in Chicago. The university, established in 1890, consists of The College, various graduate programs, interdisciplinary committees organized into four academic research divisions and seven professional schools. Beyond the arts and sciences, Chicago is also well known for its professional schools, which include the Pritzker School of Medicine, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the Law School, the School of Social Service Administration, the Harris School of Public Policy Studies, the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies and the Divinity School. The university currently enrolls approximately 5,000 students in the College and around 15,000 students overall. University of Chicago scholars have played a major role in the development of various academic disciplines, including: the Chicago school of economics, the Chicago school of sociology, the law and economics movement in legal analysis, the Chicago school of literary criticism, the Chicago school of religion, and the behavioralism school of political science. Chicago's physics department helped develop the world's first man-made, self-sustaining nuclear reaction beneath the university's Stagg Field. Chicago's research pursuits have been aided by unique affiliations with world-renowned institutions like the nearby Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory, as well as the Marine Biological Laboratory. The university is also home to the University of Chicago Press, the largest university press in the United States. With an estimated completion date of 2020, the Barack Obama Presidential Center will be housed at the university and include both the Obama presidential library and offices of the Obama Foundation.

wikipedia

An incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is an electric light with a wire filament heated to a high temperature, by passing an electric current through it, until it glows with visible light (incandescence). The hot filament is protected from oxidation with a glass or quartz bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, filament evaporation is prevented by a chemical process that redeposits metal vapor onto the filament, extending its life. The light bulb is supplied with electric current by feed-through terminals or wires embedded in the glass. Most bulbs are used in a socket which provides mechanical support and electrical connections. Incandescent bulbs are much less efficient than most other types of electric lighting; incandescent bulbs convert less than 5% of the energy they use into visible light, with standard light bulbs averaging about 2.2%. The remaining energy is converted into heat. The luminous efficacy of a typical incandescent bulb is 16 lumens per watt, compared with 60 lm/W for a compact fluorescent bulb or 150 lm/W for some white LED lamps. Some applications of the incandescent bulb deliberately use the heat generated by the filament. Such applications include incubators, brooding boxes for poultry, heat lights for reptile tanks, infrared heating for industrial heating and drying processes, lava lamps, and the Easy-Bake Oven toy. Incandescent bulbs typically have short lifetimes compared with other types of lighting; around 1,000 hours for home light bulbs versus typically 10,000 hours for compact fluorescents and 30,000 hours for lighting LEDs.

race

Did you know that Albert Einstein could not speak until he was four years old, and did not read until he was seven? His parents and teachers worried about his rnenta1ability. Beethoven's music teacher said about him,"As a composer he is hopeless." What if this young boy believed it? When Thomas Edison was a young boy,his teachers said he was so stupid that he could never learn anything.He once said,''I remember I used to never be able to get along at schoo1.I was always at the foot of my class...My father thought I was stupid,and I almost decided that l was a stupid person."What if young Thomas believed what may said about him? When the sculptor Auguste Rodin was young; he had difficulty learning to read and write.:. Today, we may say he had a learning disability. His father said of him, "I have an idiot for a son. "His uncle agreed. "He's uneducable," he said. What if Rodin had doubted his ability? Walt Disney was once fired by a newspaper editor because he was thought to have no "good ideas". Enrico Caruso was told by one music teacher, "you can't sing. You have no voice at all. " And an editor told Louisa May Alcott that she was unable to write anything that would have popular appeal. What if these people had listened and become discouraged? Where would our world be without the music of Beethoven, the art of Rodin or the ideas of Albert Einstein and Walt Disney? As Oscar Levant once said, "It's not what you are but what you don't become that hurts. " You have great potential.When you believe in all you can be, rather than all you cannot become, you will find your place on earth.

wikipedia

Traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age, the Neolithic followed the terminal Holocene Epipaleolithic period and commenced with the beginning of farming, which produced the "Neolithic Revolution". It ended when metal tools became widespread (in the Copper Age or Bronze Age; or, in some geographical regions, in the Iron Age). The Neolithic is a progression of behavioral and cultural characteristics and changes, including the use of wild and domestic crops and of domesticated animals. The beginning of the Neolithic culture is considered to be in the Levant (Jericho, modern-day West Bank) about 10,200 – 8,800 BC. It developed directly from the Epipaleolithic Natufian culture in the region, whose people pioneered the use of wild cereals, which then evolved into true farming. The Natufian period was between 12,000 and 10,200 BC, and the so-called "proto-Neolithic" is now included in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPNA) between 10,200 and 8,800 BC. As the Natufians had become dependent on wild cereals in their diet, and a sedentary way of life had begun among them, the climatic changes associated with the Younger Dryas are thought to have forced people to develop farming.

wikipedia

Poultry (/ˌpoʊltriː/) are domesticated birds kept by humans for the eggs they produce, their meat, their feathers, or sometimes as pets. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails and turkeys) and the family Anatidae, in order Anseriformes, commonly known as "waterfowl" and including domestic ducks and domestic geese. Poultry also includes other birds that are killed for their meat, such as the young of pigeons (known as squabs) but does not include similar wild birds hunted for sport or food and known as game. The word "poultry" comes from the French/Norman word poule, itself derived from the Latin word pullus, which means small animal. The domestication of poultry took place several thousand years ago. This may have originally been as a result of people hatching and rearing young birds from eggs collected from the wild, but later involved keeping the birds permanently in captivity. Domesticated chickens may have been used for cockfighting at first and quail kept for their songs, but soon it was realised how useful it was having a captive-bred source of food. Selective breeding for fast growth, egg-laying ability, conformation, plumage and docility took place over the centuries, and modern breeds often look very different from their wild ancestors. Although some birds are still kept in small flocks in extensive systems, most birds available in the market today are reared in intensive commercial enterprises. Poultry is the second most widely eaten type of meat globally and, along with eggs, provides nutritionally beneficial food containing high-quality protein accompanied by a low proportion of fat. All poultry meat should be properly handled and sufficiently cooked in order to reduce the risk of food poisoning.

race

Mr. Laurence was not allowed to see Beth, and Meg felt unhappy writing letters to her mother saying nothing about Beth's illness. Jo nursed Beth night and day, but the time came when Beth did not know her and called for her mother. Jo was frightened, and Meg begged to be allowed to write the truth, but Hannah said there was no danger yet. Then a letter came saying that Mr. March was worse and could not think of coming home for a long time. How dark the days seemed. How sad and lonely. The sisters worked and waited as the shadow of death lay over the once happy home. It was then that Meg realized how rich she had been in the things which really mattered--love, peace, good health. And Jo, watching her little sister, thought about how unselfish Beth always was--living for others and trying to make home a happy place for all who came there. Amy, sad and lonely at Aunt March's house, just wanted to come home so that she could do something to help Beth. On the first day of December, the doctor came in the morning. He looked at Beth, then said quietly, 'If Mrs. March can leave her husband, I think she should come home now.' Jo threw on her coat and ran out into the snow to send a telegram. When she arrived back, Laurie came with a letter saying that Mr. March was getting better again. This was good news, but Jo's face was so unhappy that Laurie asked, 'What is it? Is Beth worse?' 'I've sent for Mother,' said Jo, beginning to cry. 'Beth doesn't know us any more.' Laurie held her hand and whispered, 'I'm here, Jo. Hold on to me. Your mother will be here soon, and then everything will be all right.'

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Once an Englishman named Jack Brown went to Russia for a holiday. He stayed there for several months and then came home again. Some of his friends visited him a few days after he got back. "I had a very dangerous trip while I was in Russia," Jack said to them. "I wanted to see a friend of mine in the country and the bad weather made me very late. So I was still traveling through a forest in a sleigh when the sun went down. It was a long way from my friend's house when about twenty wolves began to follow my sleigh. It was very dark in the forest. There was thick snow on the ground. It was cold, and there were no houses for miles and miles. First I heard the wolves. The noise was terrible! The horses heard them, too. They were frightened and began running faster. Then I saw long, gray forms among the trees, and soon the wolves were near us. They were running very fast, and they didn't seem to get tired like the horses." "What did you do?" one of Jack's friends asked. "When the wolves got very near," Jack answered, "I put up my gun and shot the first wolf. The sleigh was moving about, but I hit the animal and killed it. Then all the other wolves stopped and ate it, so our sleigh got away from them for a few minutes." "Then they finished their meal, and I heard them coming again. The moon was shining brightly on the snow now, and after a few minutes I saw them running among the trees once more. They came nearer again, and then I shot another of them, and the others stopped once more to eat it." "The same thing happened again and again, and my horses became more and more tired and ran slower and slower until, after about two hours, only one wolf was still alive and following us." "Wasn't it too fat to run?" one of his friends asked.

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A Chinese actor's divorce from his wife, over her alleged extramarital affair, has social media buzzing, with posts about the subject gaining over five billion views. Wang Baoqiang announced online on Sunday that he was divorcing his wife, Ma Rong, and sacking his agent, Song Zhe. He alleged that his marriage broke down after his wife had an affair with his agent, and that she had also transferred the couple's joint assets. Ma has hit back at Wang, accusing him of abandoning their family. The topic has sparked a debate about relationships and divorce. It seems Wang's situation has struck a chord with many - which could explain the number of views, which are high even by Chinese standards. The divorce quickly became a top trending topic in China. According to micro blog Sina Weibo, posts with the hashtag "Wang BaoQiang Divorce" have been viewed over five billion times. Chinese netizens seem to have rallied around Wang, with topics like "Wang Don't Cry" "Wang We Support You", quickly trending after news of the divorce spread. Statistics by Weibo showed that 47% of netizens' posts condemned Ma for her affair, saying it had shattered her family. But why are they so interested? what is it about this one that's got all of China ruffled up? Some people feel that this divorce seems to fit a certain trope - of a beautiful but ordinary girl marrying a rich but less good-looking man. It is not uncommon to hear the belief that a couple has to "match" at every level - be it in status, or physical appearance - for a relationship to work out. Wang and Ma's split has many people wondering if uneven matches are unlikely to succeed. A lot of social media discussion has also centred around divorce, and in particular how people can protect themselves. Wang has alleged that his wife transferred and hid some of the couple's assets. They're a wealthy couple - their assets, according to Chinese media, include nine flats, a BMW car and various luxury goods. As a result, people are debating the importance of protecting individual assets, even after marriage.

race

Once upon a time in Greece, there lived a young man called Narcissus. He lived in a small village on the sea and was famous in the land because he was quite handsome. Villagers would turn up on the streets to stare at the beautiful child . When he grew up , people always said "How handsome Narcissus is!" Villagers thought that Narcissus could not be any more handsome than he already was. But as years passed Narcissus became a teenager. His beauty grew and became so great that he was known all over country of Greece. As he grew ,Narcissus was very proud of his good-looking face. "Oh! You are so handsome ,Narcissus!" Narcissus said one day as he looked into a pool."There's nobody more handsome in the whole world ! I'd love to kiss you . And that's just what I'll do!" He leaned closer to the water . Suddenly he lost his balance and fell into the pool . Narcissus tried to reach the bank of the pool, but he could not swim and he drowned.

mctest

Laura and Graham were having a party for their good friend Judy. Judy had graduated high school and they wanted to show her how proud they were of her, and Judy would be moving far away at the end of the year. Judy was going to college to become a doctor. She thought about becoming a lawyer or an engineer. She even thought about being a scientist. Judy would be bringing her friend Mike. There wouldn't be many people at the party, since this was a celebration with close friends. Laura set out drinks and snacks for Judy and the other guests. The snacks she set out were salty pretzels.

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The Oscars ceremony at the 87th Academy Awards took place in Hollywood's 3,300-seat Dolby Theatre in California on Sunday evening(Feb.23, 2015). The night concluded with the biggest award of the evening, Best Picture. After already securing the Best Screenplay and Best Director Award for Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Birdman took flight as the winner of the night. Competing with 7 other contenders including another much-predicted winner "Boyhood", the top prize of the night was finally awarded to the film "Birdman". The director of "Birdman" was also awarded the Best Director Oscar by the Academy. In addition, the film took home two other awards for Best Original Screenplay and Cinematography. Starring Michael Keaton, the dark comedy "Birdman" tells the story of a faded Hollywood star, famous for his roles as the "Birdman superhero", who struggles to win the support and confidence to perform in a different character type in a Broadway show. The Academy's Best Leading Actor award went to Eddie Redmayne, for his performance in the film "the Theory of Everything". It was the actor's first nomination and first win. Meanwhile, the Best Leading Actress award went to Julianne Moore who plays a college professor who learns that she is suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Patricia Arquette also won her first Oscar for her supporting actress role in the movie "Boyhood", while J.K. Simmons won the Best Supporting Actor in "Whiplash". Best foreign Language film went to "Ida", while "Crisis Hotline" won the award for Best Documentary Short Subject.

wikipedia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia (; Czech and , "Česko-Slovensko") was a sovereign state in Central Europe that existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until its peaceful dissolution into the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 1 January 1993. From 1939 to 1945, following its forced division and partial incorporation into Nazi Germany, the state did not "de facto" exist but its government-in-exile continued to operate. From 1948 to 1990, Czechoslovakia was part of the Soviet bloc with a command economy. Its economic status was formalized in membership of Comecon from 1949, and its defense status in the Warsaw Pact of May 1955. A period of political liberalization in 1968, known as the Prague Spring, was forcibly ended when the Soviet Union, assisted by several other Warsaw Pact countries, invaded. In 1989, as Marxist–Leninist governments and communism were ending all over Europe, Czechoslovaks peacefully deposed their government in the Velvet Revolution; state price controls were removed after a period of preparation. In 1993, Czechoslovakia split into the two sovereign states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The country was of generally irregular terrain. The western area was part of the north-central European uplands. The eastern region was composed of the northern reaches of the Carpathian Mountains and lands of the Danube River basin.

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A culture's values can be mirrored by its humor. Humor has been evaluated by many great minds such as Thomas Hobbes, who, in "On Nature", disliked humor, "Laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from sudden thought of feeling far better than others." He thought humor to be a negative quality of human narrow-mindedness. However, Mordechai Gordon, Ph. D of Education, insists, "Humor allows us to view the world from an angle that is amusing rather than serious." I agree with Gordon. Learning to look at the world through humor is important. In the United States, every four years an election occurs. Without humor as a way to express their feelings, how else would Americans keep from clawing their eyes out and going the way of lemming? Television shows like "The Daily Show" have become important parts of American culture. They are mothering the masses by metaphorically airplane-ing politics into our mouths. They make politics fun. Of course, politics is only one type of humor. Social humor helps people through the twists and turns of the human condition. American pop culture promotes an unhealthy self- image. On the topic of self-image, Hari Kondabolu stands out. He has a joke about the popular musical group "The Pussycat Dolls", describing their hit song "Don't Cha" as a negative representation of women. He points out an obvious offence in American culture. A study from Loyola University of Maryland has shown that humor is one determining factor for selecting a mating partner. Amongst other things, mates look for an outstanding funny bone in a potential partner. Of course, humor is not always used for good purposes. Humor can be linked to vulgarity and racism, but, like everything else, it has potential to unite human beings by allowing us to laugh at ourselves, our failures and our connection with one another. Though 1ife may seem tough and depressing at times, all I have to do is look in the mirror at my increased wrinkles to know that there is a comedy out there that even Chaplin wasn't aware of. With that in mind, remember to laugh with humanity and sometimes at humanity.

cnn

(CNN) -- The 54-year-old Michigan tree trimmer severely beaten after he accidentally struck a child who had stepped into the street earlier this month is breathing on his own, according to his daughter. "He is off the ventilator and is able to breathe on his own," Mandi Marie Utash posted Friday to a GoFundMe.com page she and her brother set up for their father, who they say does not have health insurance. Steven Utash was set upon by about a dozen people after his truck struck a 10-year-old boy, police said. After Utash stopped his vehicle to help the boy, he was "severely beaten" with "fists and feet," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. Authorities credited a woman who stepped in as Utash was being attacked with saving his life. Mandi Marie Utash wrote that her father doesn't seem to know what happened to him or why he was in the hospital, but that he is able to wiggle his toes on command and answer yes or no questions. "These are baby steps," she says. She wrote that her father "keeps flashing back to the assault screaming for "HELP" and "PLEASE GET THEM OFF ME." "This is a long road ahead," she said. "But the end of the road will be worth it." Steven Utash had previously been in a medically induced coma. Jennifer Moreno, a police spokeswoman, told CNN that all of the alleged assailants were African-American and that none are known to be related to the boy or his family. She said the beating was "a spontaneous response." Utash is white.

cnn

(CNN) -- A federal jury convicted a California man Monday in a case in which prosecutors say he convinced a woman to bomb a federal courthouse so he could turn her and others involved the scheme in to authorities, and collect reward money. Donny Love was found guilty on 10 charges, including the use of a weapon of mass destruction, for the role he played in the May 4, 2008, attack on San Diego's Edward J. Schwartz Federal Courthouse. No one was injured in the blast that damaged the building's front lobby, shattered a glass door and broke a window in a building across the street. Love could face between 30 years and life in prison, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Sheppard. During the two-week trial, prosecutors painted Love as the mastermind behind the blast. He directed two others, Rachelle Lynette Carlock and Ella Louise Sanders to purchase explosive powder and to steal bomb-making materials, they said. Carlock was an on-again, off-again girlfriend to Love, said Sheppard. According to testimony, Carlock and Eric Reginald Robinson then drove from Love's house to San Diego with a backpack, containing three pipe bombs. Carlock detonated the bombs at the front doors of the courthouse, prosecutors said. Carlock, Sanders and Robinson were charged and each previously pleaded guilty for their parts in the plan. At the time of the bombing, Love was in "dire financial straits," prosecutors said, and faced jail time stemming from two pending criminal cases. "The evidence showed that he directed the May 4, 2008, bombing for the purpose of obtaining reward money and a break on his state charges by providing information about the bombing to law enforcement," prosecutors said in a statement.

mctest

My dad runs the Blue Street Zoo. Everyone calls him the Zoo King. That means Mom is the Zoo Queen. And that means that I'm the Zoo Prince! Being a prince is very special. I spend every morning walking around to see the zoo. It's better than any animal book. I say hello to the lions. I say woof at all of the wolves. I make faces to the penguins. Once I even gave a morning kiss to a bear! My favorite animal is the piggy. I named him Samson. He likes to eat mustard, so I toss some mustard jars into his cage every morning. I don't know why that piggy likes mustard so much. Sometimes I walk around with the Zoo King and Zoo Queen. Then we say hello to the animals together! I really like those days. Everybody who works at the Zoo says hello to us when we walk by. At lunchtime, we all go to the Zoo restaurant and eat pork chops. I hope Samson doesn't get mad about that!

race

Wang Jiaming from Beijing Chenjinglun High School says he is a lucky boy. He's happy that he's sitting the senior high school entrance exam in 2014 instead of 2016. On Oct 22, Beijing Municipal Commission of Education announced that, from 2016, the English scores in the senior high school entrance exam will be reduced from 120 to 100. Of the 100 points, the listening ability scores will increase to 50. Meanwhile, the points for Chinese will increase from 120 to 150. "The change won't affect me. I feel so lucky because English is my strongest subject," said Wang. Why such a change? It places the importance on Chinese in our study, and reduces students' stress, said Li Yi, spokesman of the commission. "The change will also push us to pay attention to the practical usage of English," said Li. "Students will be encouraged to learn to understand English menus and read English news on mobile phones." There isn't news that other cities will have the same change. But several places are making changes to English tests in the college entrance exams. For example, Shandong is considering taking out the listening part of the English exam in its college entrance exams. But, "being tested for less points doesn't mean the subject _ ," Bai Ping wrote in China Daily. English has long been the world's most commonly used language. Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji once said: "In a globalizing economy , if you cannot communicate with foreigners, how can one be part of the world economy?" Wang Jiaming said he understood the change. "Chinese, not English, is our mother tongue ," he said. "But still, I think English is both interesting and useful."

mctest

So, there was this kid named Jack that came up to my beanstalk one day. I couldn't believe my eyes, so I put down my ham sandwich I was eating and looked at him. I'm not sure what he thought he was doing there, but he sure did talk a lot. He kept asking me questions about this and then he asked me some questions about that and I was getting a little bit tired of all of the questions. When I thought I wouldn't hear the end of everything, this Jack kid asked me about the one and only secret that I've always kept to myself. That no one even knew about! No, it wasn't about my golden guitar or even my goose that laid eggs filled with coins. No, he was asking me about my beans and their roots. You see, I'm a giant and my job is to make sure the bean roots that we use to get down to earth are well protected and guarded. They're what helps us get down to the little person world when we need to. I became a little bit worried as the little kid asked more and more questions about my roots. I didn't want to tell him that my roots were hidden in the library! I walked over to him to pick this little kid up to get him to quiet down about the bean roots, well, he got me with his little knife and I dropped him! Thankfully, he didn't get hurt or I would've been so sad! He ran down the beanstalk when I chased after him. I guess he wanted to get back to his little people. I didn't follow him, but I sure hope he doesn't come back for my stuff.

wikipedia

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in 2011 of 3,063,456 and has a total area of . Wales has over of coastline and is largely mountainous, with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon (), its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate. Welsh national identity emerged among the Celtic Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's death in 1282 marked the completion of Edward I of England's conquest of Wales, though Owain Glyndŵr briefly restored independence to Wales in the early 15th century. The whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542. Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism, exemplified in the early 20th century by Lloyd George, was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party. Welsh national feeling grew over the century; "Plaid Cymru" was formed in 1925 and the Welsh Language Society in 1962. Established under the Government of Wales Act 1998, the National Assembly for Wales holds responsibility for a range of .

wikipedia

A bracket is a tall punctuation mark typically used in matched pairs within text, to set apart or interject other text. The matched pair may be described as opening and closing, or left and right symbols. Forms include round (also called "parentheses"), square, curly (also called "braces"), and angle brackets (also called "chevrons"); and various other pairs of symbols. In addition to referring to the class of all types of brackets, the unqualified word "bracket" is most commonly used to refer to a specific type of bracket: in modern American usage this is usually the square bracket and in modern British usage this is usually the round bracket. Chevrons were the earliest type of bracket to appear in written English. Desiderius Erasmus coined the term "lunula" to refer to the rounded parentheses (), recalling the shape of the crescent moon. Some of the following names are regional or contextual. The characters ‹ › and « », known as guillemets or "angular quote brackets", are actually quotation mark glyphs used in several European languages. Which one of each pair is the opening quote mark and which is the closing quote varies between languages. In English, typographers generally prefer to not set brackets in italics, even when the enclosed text is italic. However, in other languages like German, if brackets enclose text in italics, they are usually set in italics too.

cnn

(CNN) -- Lewis Hamilton extended his Formula One drivers' championship lead after finishing second behind Red Bull's Mark Webber at the British Grand Prix. World champion Jenson Button, who narrowly missed out on his first podium finish at Silverstone after coming fourth, still trails McLaren teammate Hamilton in second. Third-placed Webber stormed back into title contention after winning his third race of the season. The Australian leapfroged fellow Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, who is 24 points adrift of Hamilton in fourth. McLaren also lead Red Bull by 29 points at the top of the constructors' championship. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso stayed fifth overall but lost ground after earning no points, ending the race in 14th after being given a drive-through penalty for illegally overtaking Robert Kubica of Renault off the track. Nico Rosberg of Germany continues to outperform his Mercedes teammate Michael Schumacher, recording his third podium finish this season to replace Kubica in sixth. Drivers' Championship (after 10 rounds): 1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren 145 points 2. Jenson Button (GB) McLaren 133 3. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 128 4. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 121 5. Fernando Alonso (Sp) Ferrari 98 6. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP 90 Constructors' Championship: 1. McLaren 278 points 2. Red Bull 249 3. Ferrari 165 4. Mercedes GP 126 5. Renault 89 6. Force India 47

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXIV. PEGGY HAS REVENGE. Joe Wegg made a rapid recovery, his strength returning under the influence of pleasant surroundings and frequent visits from Ethel and Uncle John's three nieces. Not a word was hinted to either the invalid or the school teacher regarding the inquiries Mr. Merrick was making about the deed to the Bogue timber lands, which, if found, would make the young couple independent. Joe was planning to exploit a new patent as soon as he could earn enough to get it introduced, and Ethel exhibited a sublime confidence in the boy's ability that rendered all question of money insignificant. Joe's sudden appearance in the land of his birth and his generally smashed up condition were a nine days' wonder in Millville. The gossips wanted to know all the whys and wherefores, but the boy kept his room in the hotel, or only walked out when accompanied by Ethel or one of the three nieces. Sometimes they took him to ride, as he grew better, and the fact that Joe "were hand an' glove wi' the nabobs" lent him a distinction he had never before possessed. McNutt, always busy over somebody else's affairs, was very curious to know what had caused the accident Joe had suffered. Notwithstanding the little affair of the letter, in which he had not appeared with especial credit, Peggy made an effort to interview the young man that resulted in his complete discomfiture. But that did not deter him from indulging in various vivid speculations about Joe Wegg, which the simple villagers listened to with attention. For one thing, he confided to "the boys" at the store that, in his opinion, the man who had murdered Cap'n Wegg had tried to murder his son also, and it wasn't likely Joe could manage to escape him a second time. Another tale evolved from Peggy's fertile imagination was that Joe, being about to starve to death in the city, had turned burglar and been shot in the arm in an attempt at housebreaking.

mctest

Angie went to the library with her mother. First she had to turn in the books she was returning at the return desk. They said hello to the man there. He took their books. Then they went into the adult reading room. Angie sat in a brown chair at the table. She made a drawing of her mother. Her mother found a large red book. Then they went to the Mystery section. Angie sat in a blue chair. She drew a picture of her brother. Her mother found the book. It was a green book. Finally it was time to go to the children's room. It was Story Hour. Miss Hudson was there to read to all the children. She read a book about friendship. After the story Angie sat in the red chair and began drawing. They were drawing pictures of friends. Angie drew a picture of her best friend Lilly. Miss Hudson hung the pictures on the wall. Then Angie and her mother picked out 8 books to read at home. They checked the books out and went home.

wikipedia

Rochester ( or ) is a city on the southern shore of Lake Ontario in western New York State. Rochester is the third most populous city in New York, with over 210,000 residents, and its metropolitan area has a population of nearly 1.1 million people. Rochester was one of America's first boomtowns, rising to prominence as the site of many flour mills along the Genesee River, and then as a major hub of manufacturing. Several of the region's universities (notably the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology) have renowned research programs. In addition, Rochester is the site of many important inventions and innovations in consumer products. The Rochester area has been the birthplace to such corporations as Kodak, Western Union, Bausch & Lomb, Gleason and Xerox that conduct extensive research and manufacturing in the fields of industrial and consumer products. Until 2010, the Rochester metropolitan area was the second-largest regional economy in New York State, according to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, after the New York City metropolitan area. Rochester's GMP has since ranked just below that of Buffalo, New York, while still exceeding it in per-capita income. The 25th edition of the "Places Rated Almanac" rated Rochester as the "most livable city" in 2007, among 379 U.S. metropolitan areas. In 2010 "Forbes" rated Rochester as the third-best place to raise a family. In 2012 Kiplinger rated Rochester as the fifth-best city for families, citing low cost of living, top public schools, and a low jobless rate.

cnn

Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- As violence continues to wrack Iraq, another ethnic slaughter may be in the making by Sunni extremists from ISIS. ISIS fighters have besieged the ethnic Turkmen Shiite town of Amerli in the north for two months, and its fewer than 20,000 residents are without power and running out of food, water and medical supplies. "The situation of the people in Amerli is desperate and demands immediate action to prevent the possible massacre of its citizens," said Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. secretary-general's special representative for Iraq. He said the suffering was "unspeakable" and demanded that the Shiite majority Iraqi government "relieve the siege" on Amerli. Small town fights ISIS About 5,000 families live in Amerli, which has been under siege for 70 days, according to Dr. Ali Albayati, head of the Turkmen Saving Foundation. He told CNN the town is running without electricity, is out of medicine and can only turn to wells for water. Nearly three dozen villages surrounding Amerli are already under ISIS control, Albayati said. The people of Amerli are relying on the Iraqi government to take them out by helicopter or support them with food drops, Albayati said. In the past 10 days, he added, only one flight has delivered food. Surrounded on four sides, the 17,400 residents have had to defend themselves with only the help of local police, said Masrwr Aswad of Iraq's Human Rights Commission. Their situation echoes the ordeal of Iraq's ethnic Yazidis, whose plight after they were forced to flee into the mountains to escape militants ISIS triggered U.S. aid drops and the first U.S. airstrikes against ISIS.

mctest

It was finally summer vacation, and Josh was excited to go to his favorite place. He was heading to Florida, to visit his Grandma and Grandpa. Josh spends every summer there, and this summer would be no different! In the mornings, Josh and Grandma would plant cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots in the ground. After they would be planted, they would water and weed the garden every day. In the afternoons, Grandpa would take Josh out on the ocean in his sailboat which was named "Sea girl." Josh loved "Sea girl" and his favorite part was smelling the salty ocean air. Sometimes Josh and Grandpa would go to a beach and make sandcastles, or start digging until they found buried sea shells or other treasures. At night, Grandma and Grandpa would make dinner and they would eat outside by the pool. On special nights, Josh got to get ice cream for dessert. A lot of times, Grandma made dinner dishes that included the vegetables Josh and Grandma were growing. It was his favorite time of year. Josh couldn't wait to leave tomorrow morning!

race

Maurice Mountain is a retired lawyer in Washington, D.C. He developed a prototype for a device he calls the Presto Emergency Boat Ladder. His invention is a small folding ladder that attaches to the side of a boat to help people who fall into the water. Mr. Mountain plans to mass-produce his boat ladder. He created his invention at a workshop called TechShop. Mr. Mountain says, "I think it encourages innovation. I think people who probably have had ideas rolling around in the back of their minds for years but have never had the opportunity to actually put them into production or even experiment with them would find this place wonderful. Members of TechShop use high-tech equipment to develop and produce ideas they have for inventions." Isabella Musachio manages a TechShop in Arlington, Virginia. She says the shop has many different kinds of equipment. "TechShop is a do-it-yourself maker space. So when you come in we have all these different areas of the shop, and we have a metal shop, wood shop, lasers, 3D printers, electronics. I mean, we have so many different areas and we have all the equipment that is availahle to anybody above the age of 12." Membership costs for TechShop start at just over $ 100 per month. Members are able to use costly machines including 3D modeling tools and laser cutters. Isabella Musachio says TechShop helps its members build their dreams. "Our motto is 'build your dreams here' because you can really come in with just an idea, and then with the help of TechShop make that leap from an idea to building your project o, your prototype or even your business." Jim Newton is the founder of TechShop. He first introduced the idea for the technology workshops at an arts and sciences event called Maker Faire in San Mateo, California in 2006. His idea attracted hundreds of members during that event, Now, there are eight TechShop locations in the U. S. In all, there are more than 6,000 members. Two more-TechShop locations in the cities of St. Louis and Look Angeles will be set up.

cnn

(CNN) -- In the middle of the Idaho wilderness, a man on horseback had a brief conversation with two campers. The rider's realization later that he may have been talking to California Amber Alert suspect James DiMaggio and his alleged teenage captive has now focused a nationwide manhunt for the pair on the rugged mountain area in central Idaho. The horseback rider saw the man and girl Wednesday and struck up a brief conversation with them, Andrea Dearden, spokeswoman for the Ada County Sheriff's Office, said Friday. He was not aware of the manhunt at the time, but he called the Amber Alert tip line after he saw a news account that night and realized the pair matched the description of DiMaggio and 16-year-old Hannah Anderson, she said. The rider's impression of the pair was "it seemed odd but nothing as alarming," Dearden said. "They did speak and exchange pleasantries. I don't think there was a lot of information exchanged," she said. "He left the conversation believing they were camping in the area." The rider said the man and girl were on foot, hiking with camping gear, Dearden said. Dearden appeared to be correcting authorities' earlier reports that the suspect and girl were spotted by more than one horseback rider. Investigators set up checkpoints where DiMaggio and Hannah were believed to be traveling in the River of No Return Wilderness area, about 15 miles outside Cascade, Dearden said. Authorities haven't yet evacuated any homes or businesses, she said, adding, "We have those access points secured."

mctest

Anna's parents told her they were going to have a new baby brother. She had never had a brother before. She was not sure what to think about it. "What if he cries?" asked Anna. "If he cries we hold him until he is quiet," said Anna's dad. "What if he makes a mess in his diaper?" asked Anna. "Diapers smell but we clean them up," said Anna's mom. Anna thought about having a baby brother. Her mom and dad would take care of him. They bought a high chair for him to eat in. They brought out her old crib for him to sleep in. What could she do to help? Anna wanted to help the baby play. She thought it would be fun to play with him. Anna saved up her money. She had two whole dollars. She went to the store to pick out a present for the baby. She bought a rattle. It cost all the money she had, but Anna was happy. She could give a gift to the new baby.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXVII A fortnight afterwards Trent rode into Attra, pale, gaunt, and hollow-eyed. The whole history of those days would never be known by another man! Upon Trent they had left their mark for ever. Every hour of his time in this country he reckoned of great value--yet he had devoted fourteen days to saving the life of John Francis. Such days too--and such nights! They had carried him sometimes in a dead stupor, sometimes a raving madman, along a wild bush-track across rivers and swamps into the town of Garba, where years ago a Congo trader, who had made a fortune, had built a little white-washed hospital! He was safe now, but surely never a man before had walked so near the "Valley of the Shadow of Death." A single moment's vigilance relaxed, a blanket displaced, a dose of brandy forgotten, and Trent might have walked this life a multi-millionaire, a peer, a little god amongst his fellows, freed for ever from all anxiety. But Francis was tended as never a man was tended before. Trent himself had done his share of the carrying, ever keeping his eyes fixed upon the death-lit face of their burden, every ready to fight off the progress of the fever and ague, as the twitching lips or shivering limbs gave warning of a change. For fourteen days he had not slept; until they had reached Garba his clothes had never been changed since they had started upon their perilous journey. As he rode into Attra he reeled a little in his saddle, and he walked into the office of the Agent more like a ghost than a man.

cnn

Beijing (CNN) -- Entrepreneurs of all stripes are cashing in on the Lin-sanity phenomenon as swiftly as the NBA sensation can pull off his furious fast breaks. It has been only three weeks since Jeremy Lin, the 23-year-old American-born point guard of Taiwanese descent, came out of obscurity to lead the listless New York Knicks to a winning streak. But while their winning run has come to an end, Lin has gone on to become a media and marketing darling. Lin-related products have become hot items. In New York, merchandise retailers are doing brisk business selling Lin's No. 17 jerseys. "He's made the Knicks relevant again," says Larry Dimitriou, manager of Modell's Sporting Goods store in Manhattan. Jeremy 'Lin-demand' in China "We constantly get Lin jerseys every day," he says. "I put one in the window to show people we have them. A short time later, they're gone." Just as nimble and quick are the publishers of "Linsanity: The Improbable Rise of Jeremy Lin" by Alan Goldsher, an electronic book that was turned around in just 72 hours. Available wherever e-books are sold, Goldsher's insta-book costs just $1.99. According to Digital Book World, fast-thinking authors have already churned out least seven e-books, all about the humble and wholesome Harvard graduate. The other Lin-inspired titles include, "Jeremy Lin: Advice from Sun Tzu on Basketball and the Art of War," and "The Zen of Jeremy Lin." Not to be outdone, Lin himself has filed to trademark "Linsanity." The application, filed through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, would give him exclusive rights to put the signature term on more than 50 consumer products, including clothing, mugs and even action figures.

cnn

(CNN) -- A 42-year-old immigrant from Rwanda, who is accused of lying her way into the United States after allegedly participating in the 1994 genocide that left up to 800,000 people dead, is going on trial in a New Hampshire federal court. Jury selection is set to begin Wednesday in the case of Beatrice Munyenyezi, who allegedly committed fraud in 1995 by denying her alleged involvement in mass rape, murder and kidnappings in Rwanda a year earlier. Prosecutors allege Munyenyezi, who is now a U.S. citizen, intentionally lied on a refugee questionnaire and naturalization documents about her role in the infamous slaughter, in which ethnic Hutu militants butchered their Tutsi counterparts over a three-month period. They say Munyenyezi, a Hutu, was a member of an extremist group associated with a paramilitary organization that set up roadblocks and targeted fleeing Tutsis and their sympathizers. One of the roadblocks was set up outside the Ihuriro Hotel -- an establishment owned by her husband's family, according to the indictment. The mother of three is allegedly married to former militia leader Arsene Shalom Ntahobali, who was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to life in prison last year. She allegedly lived in the hotel and helped pick out those who arrived at a nearby checkpoint to be executed and raped, the indictment said. She also is accused of stealing her victims' belongings. Her attorney, Mark Howard, said his client "categorically denies that she committed any acts of genocide, or committed any crimes, as the prosecution alleges here."

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXIII: Paddy The Beaver Does A Kind Deed Paddy the Beaver listened to all that his small cousin, Jerry Muskrat, had to tell him about the trouble which Paddy's dam had caused in the Laughing Brook and the Smiling Pool. "You see, we who live in the Smiling Pool love it dearly, and we don't want to have to leave it, but if the water cannot run down the Laughing Brook, there can be no Smiling Pool, and so we will have to move off to the Big River," concluded Jerry Muskrat. "That is why I tried to spoil your dam." There was a twinkle in the eyes of Paddy the Beaver as he replied: "Well, now that you have found out that you can't do that, because I am bigger than you and can stop you, what are you going to do about it?" "I don't know," said Jerry Muskrat sadly. "I don't see what we can do about it. Of course you are big and strong and can do just as you please, but it doesn't seem right that we who have lived here so long should have to move and go away from all that we love so just because you, a stranger, happen to want to live here. I tell you what!" Jerry's eyes sparkled as a brand new thought came to him. "Couldn't you come down and live in the Smiling Pool with us? I'm sure there is room enough!" Paddy the Beaver shook his head. "No," said he, and Jerry's heart sank. "No, I can't do that because down there there isn't any of the kind of food I eat. Besides, I wouldn't feel at all safe in the Smiling Pool. You see, I always live in the woods. No, I couldn't possibly come down to live in the Smiling Pool. But I'm truly sorry that I have made you so much worry, Cousin Jerry, and I'm going to prove it to you. Now you sit right here until I come back."

wikipedia

Jefferson's metaphor of a wall of separation has been cited repeatedly by the U.S. Supreme Court. In Reynolds v. United States (1879) the Court wrote that Jefferson's comments "may be accepted almost as an authoritative declaration of the scope and effect of the [First] Amendment." In Everson v. Board of Education (1947), Justice Hugo Black wrote: "In the words of Thomas Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect a wall of separation between church and state." Many early immigrant groups traveled to America to worship freely, particularly after the English Civil War and religious conflict in France and Germany. They included nonconformists like the Puritans, who were Protestant Christians fleeing religious persecution from the Anglican King of England. Despite a common background, the groups' views on religious toleration were mixed. While some such as Roger Williams of Rhode Island and William Penn of Pennsylvania ensured the protection of religious minorities within their colonies, others like the Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony had established churches. The Dutch colony of New Netherland established the Dutch Reformed Church and outlawed all other worship, though enforcement was sparse. Religious conformity was desired partly for financial reasons: the established Church was responsible for poverty relief, putting dissenting churches at a significant disadvantage.

gutenberg

CHAPTER SEVEN. A LEARNED SQUABBLE. Bartolommeo Scala, secretary of the Florentine Republic, on whom Tito Melema had been thus led to anchor his hopes, lived in a handsome palace close to the Porta Pinti, now known as the Casa Gherardesca. His arms-- an azure ladder transverse on a golden field, with the motto _Gradatim_ placed over the entrance--told all comers that the miller's son held his ascent to honours by his own efforts a fact to be proclaimed without wincing. The secretary was a vain and pompous man, but he was also an honest one: he was sincerely convinced of his own merit, and could see no reason for feigning. The topmost round of his azure ladder had been reached by this time: he had held his secretaryship these twenty years-- had long since made his orations on the _ringhiera_, or platform of the Old Palace, as the custom was, in the presence of princely visitors, while Marzocco, the republican lion, wore his gold crown on the occasion, and all the people cried, "Viva Messer Bartolommeo!"--had been on an embassy to Rome, and had there been made titular Senator, Apostolical Secretary, Knight of the Golden Spur; and had, eight years ago, been Gonfaloniere--last goal of the Florentine citizen's ambition. Meantime he had got richer and richer, and more and more gouty, after the manner of successful mortality; and the Knight of the Golden Spur had often to sit with helpless cushioned heel under the handsome loggia he had built for himself, overlooking the spacious gardens and lawn at the back of his palace.

cnn

Beijing (CNN) -- The wife of Ai Weiwei was taken from the Chinese artist's studio by police Tuesday and was questioned for three hours, the high-profile dissident said. Four policemen took Lu Qing from the Beijing studio to a nearby police station, he said. She was released by police after questioning and is now a "criminal suspect," he said. They have not told her what crimes she is accused of, he added. "I think the authorities are trying to threaten me through her," he said, speculating that Lu's arrest was related to her plans to visit Taiwan for an exhibition of her husband's work. She has now been told to stay in Beijing, he added. Police did not respond to a CNN request for comment on the case. "Nobody can consider himself safe or innocent in an environment like this," said the dissident, who was himself detained by police for 81 days earlier this year. He was ultimately charged with tax evasion, and last week paid $1.3 million so he can contest the charges brought against his company, Fake Cultural Development Ltd. Had he not paid the sum, his wife -- who legally represents the company -- would have been jailed, he said. The government says the company owes 15 million yuan ($2.3 million). The money was raised from 30,000 contributors, he said. His lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang, said last week that Ai intends to return the donations if he wins the case and is refunded the money. His family and human rights advocates believe that the real reason for his imprisonment is his criticism of the Chinese government.

gutenberg

CHAPTER IV. Signor Andrea D'Arbino, searching vainly through the various rooms in the palace for Count Fabio d'Ascoli, and trying as a last resource, the corridor leading to the ballroom and grand staircase, discovered his friend lying on the floor in a swoon, without any living creature near him. Determining to avoid alarming the guests, if possible, D'Arbino first sought help in the antechamber. He found there the marquis's valet, assisting the Cavaliere Finello (who was just taking his departure) to put on his cloak. While Finello and his friend carried Fabio to an open window in the antechamber, the valet procured some iced water. This simple remedy, and the change of atmosphere, proved enough to restore the fainting man to his senses, but hardly--as it seemed to his friends--to his former self. They noticed a change to blankness and stillness in his face, and when he spoke, an indescribable alteration in the tone of his voice. "I found you in a room in the corridor," said D'Arbino. "What made you faint? Don't you remember? Was it the heat?" Fabio waited for a moment, painfully collecting his ideas. He looked at the valet, and Finello signed to the man to withdraw. "Was it the heat?" repeated D'Arbino. "No," answered Fabio, in strangely hushed, steady tones. "I have seen the face that was behind the yellow mask." "Well?" "It was the face of my dead wife." "Your dead wife!" "When the mask was removed I saw her face. Not as I remember it in the pride of her youth and beauty--not even as I remember her on her sick-bed--but as I remember her in her coffin."

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CHAPTER VIII And these two, as I have told you, Were the friends of Hiawatha, Chibiabos, the musician, And the very strong man, Kwasind. --Hiawatha Torpenhow was paging the last sheets of some manuscript, while the Nilghai, who had come for chess and remained to talk tactics, was reading through the first part, commenting scornfully the while. "It's picturesque enough and it's sketchy," said he; "but as a serious consideration of affairs in Eastern Europe, it's not worth much." "It's off my hands at any rate. . . . Thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine slips altogether, aren't there? That should make between eleven and twelve pages of valuable misinformation. Heigh-ho!" Torpenhow shuffled the writing together and hummed-- 'Young lambs to sell, young lambs to sell, If I'd as much money as I could tell, I never would cry, Young lambs to sell!'" Dick entered, self-conscious and a little defiant, but in the best of tempers with all the world. "Back at last?" said Torpenhow. "More or less. What have you been doing?" "Work. Dickie, you behave as though the Bank of England were behind you. Here's Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday gone and you haven't done a line. It's scandalous." "The notions come and go, my children--they come and go like our 'baccy," he answered, filling his pipe. "Moreover," he stooped to thrust a spill into the grate, "Apollo does not always stretch his----Oh, confound your clumsy jests, Nilghai!" "This is not the place to preach the theory of direct inspiration," said the Nilghai, returning Torpenhow's large and workmanlike bellows to their nail on the wall. "We believe in cobblers" wax. La!--where you sit down."

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CHAPTER XXX FERN Mullins rushed into the house on a Saturday morning early in September and shrieked at Carol, "School starts next Tuesday. I've got to have one more spree before I'm arrested. Let's get up a picnic down the lake for this afternoon. Won't you come, Mrs. Kennicott, and the doctor? Cy Bogart wants to go--he's a brat but he's lively." "I don't think the doctor can go," sedately. "He said something about having to make a country call this afternoon. But I'd love to." "That's dandy! Who can we get?" "Mrs. Dyer might be chaperon. She's been so nice. And maybe Dave, if he could get away from the store." "How about Erik Valborg? I think he's got lots more style than these town boys. You like him all right, don't you?" So the picnic of Carol, Fern, Erik, Cy Bogart, and the Dyers was not only moral but inevitable. They drove to the birch grove on the south shore of Lake Minniemashie. Dave Dyer was his most clownish self. He yelped, jigged, wore Carol's hat, dropped an ant down Fern's back, and when they went swimming (the women modestly changing in the car with the side curtains up, the men undressing behind the bushes, constantly repeating, "Gee, hope we don't run into poison ivy"), Dave splashed water on them and dived to clutch his wife's ankle. He infected the others. Erik gave an imitation of the Greek dancers he had seen in vaudeville, and when they sat down to picnic supper spread on a lap-robe on the grass, Cy climbed a tree to throw acorns at them.

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(CNN)A 17-year-old male fatally shot an Iraqi man watching his first snowfall in his new American hometown, targeting him and then continuing to fire as the immigrant rushed to get inside, Dallas police said Friday. Authorities don't believe the suspected shooter knew the victim, Ahmed Al-Jumaili, Dallas Police Maj. Jeff Cotner said reporters, nor do they believe he knew Al-Jumaili's ethnicity. And they haven't given any indication Al-Jumaili had anything to do with what led the teen to head out armed in the first place -- a purported shooting at his girlfriend's apartment, if that in fact happened. Cotner said that, while there have nearby shootings that might be tied to gangs, "we (have been) unable to substantiate ... whether or not there was an actual shooting at the apartment." What police do believe, based on witness testimony and other evidence, is that the teenager shot and killed Al-Jumaili, for whatever reason. "When he saw Mr. Al-Jumaili and their family, he targeted them, he shot at them with intent," Cotner said of the suspect, who is under arrest. "And as Mr. Al-Jumaili ran back toward his apartment, he tracked him with his rifle and continued to fire." Dallas police named the suspected shooter, though CNN is not identifying him yet since he's a minor and it's not clear if he'll be charged as an adult. The teen turns 18 in May, police said. Until the fatal shots ended Al-Jumalli's life, March 4 had been a day of fun and joy for Al-Jumaili and his family.

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(CNN) -- The megayacht that Steve Jobs commissioned in the final years of his life has been impounded in Amsterdam after a payment dispute involving the designer, Philippe Starck. The Venus, a 100-million-euro ($137.5 million), 260-foot-long yacht, made its unofficial debut in late October. It's currently stuck in the Port of Amsterdam after Starck hired a debt-collection agency to attempt to remit the final payment for his design. According to lawyers at Ubik -- Starck's design company -- speaking with Reuters, the designer has only received 6 million of the 9-million-euro commission and is seeking the rest of the payment before the Venus will be released. "These guys [Jobs and Starck] trusted each other, so there wasn't a very detailed contract," Roelant Klaassen, a lawyer for Ubik, told Reuters. The Venus is a floating ode to both Jobs and Starck's minimalist aesthetic. Made entirely out of aluminum, with 40-foot-long floor-to-ceiling windows lining the passenger compartment and seven 27-inch iMacs making up the command center. In Walter Isaacson's biography of Jobs, the late Apple CEO is quoted as saying that, "I know that it's possible I will die and leave Laurene with a half-built boat, but I have to keep going on. If I don't, it's an admission that I'm about to die." Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! Copyright 2011 Wired.com.

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(PEOPLE.com) -- Theodore "Teddy" Forstmann, a veteran business leader and philanthropist who was romantically linked to Padma Lakshmi, died Sunday. He was 71. Forstmann suffered from brain cancer, his spokesman tells The New York Times. Although the famed billionaire never married, he dated "Top Chef" host Lakshmi, 41, over the last several years. Their relationship made headlines when she gave birth to now 1-year-old daughter Krishna in February 2010, which spawned speculation over the identity of the father. (Venture capitalist Adam Dell was later revealed as the father.) Forstmann was also briefly linked to Princess Diana. According to "The Diana Chronicles" by Newsweek and The Daily Beast editor Tina Brown, the two were plotting to wed in the last weeks of her life. Forstmann, who invested in companies ranging from Gulfstream Aerospace to Dr. Pepper, is survived by his two sons, Siya and Everest, brothers Anthony and John, and sisters Marina Forstmann Day and Elissa Forstmann Moran. See the full article at PEOPLE.com. © 2011 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

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CHAPTER XVIII. _A BRICK TURNS UP_. The snow had been all night falling silently over the long elm avenues of Springdale. It was one of those soft, moist, dreamy snow-falls, which come down in great loose feathers, resting in magical frost-work on every tree, shrub, and plant, and seeming to bring down with it the purity and peace of upper worlds. Grace's little cottage on Elm Street was imbosomed, as New-England cottages are apt to be, in a tangle of shrubbery, evergreens, syringas, and lilacs; which, on such occasions, become bowers of enchantment when the morning sun looks through them. Grace came into her parlor, which was cheery with the dazzling sunshine, and, running to the window, began to examine anxiously the state of her various greeneries, pausing from time to time to look out admiringly at the wonderful snow-landscape, with its many tremulous tints of rose, lilac, and amethyst. The only thing wanting was some one to speak to about it; and, with a half sigh, she thought of the good old times when John would come to her chamber-door in the morning, to get her out to look on scenes like this. "Positively," she said to herself, "I must invite some one to visit me. One wants a friend to help one enjoy solitude." The stock of social life in Springdale, in fact, was running low. The Lennoxes and the Wilcoxes had gone to their Boston homes, and Rose Ferguson was visiting in New York, and Letitia found so much to do to supply her place to her father and mother, that she had less time than usual to share with Grace. Then, again, the Elm-street cottage was a walk of some considerable distance; whereas, when Grace lived at the old homestead, the Fergusons were so near as to seem only one family, and were dropping in at all hours of the day and evening.

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CHAPTER III _Danny Meadow Mouse Plays Hide and Seek_ Life is always a game of hide and seek to Danny Meadow Mouse. You see, he is such a fat little fellow that there are a great many other furry-coated people, and almost as many who wear feathers, who would gobble Danny up for breakfast or for dinner if they could. Some of them pretend to be his friends, but Danny always keeps his eyes open when they are around and always begins to play hide and seek. Peter Rabbit and Jimmy Skunk and Striped Chipmunk and Happy Jack Squirrel are all friends whom he can trust, but he always has a bright twinkling eye open for Reddy Fox and Billy Mink and Shadow the Weasel and old Whitetail the Marsh Hawk, and several more, especially Hooty the Owl at night. Now Danny Meadow Mouse is a stout-hearted little fellow, and when rough Brother North Wind came shouting across the Green Meadows, tearing to pieces the snow clouds and shaking out the snowflakes until they covered the Green Meadows deep, deep, deep, Danny just snuggled down in his warm coat in his snug little house of grass and waited. Danny liked the snow. Yes, sir, Danny Meadow Mouse liked the snow. He just loved to dig in it and make tunnels. Through those tunnels in every direction he could go where he pleased and when he pleased without being seen by anybody. It was great fun! Every little way he made a little round doorway up beside a stiff stalk of grass. Out of this he could peep at the white world, and he could get the fresh cold air. Sometimes, when he was quite sure that no one was around, he would scamper across on top of the snow from one doorway to another, and when he did this, he made the prettiest little footprints.

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CHAPTER XXIII. "He saw with his own eyes the moon was round, Was also certain that the earth was square, Because he'd journeyed fifty miles, and found No sign that it was circular anywhere." _Don Juan_. Raoul Yvard was indebted to a piece of forethought in Clinch for his life. But for the three guns fired so opportunely from the Foudroyant, the execution could not have been stayed; and but for a prudent care on the part of the master's-mate, the guns would never have been fired. The explanation is this: when Cuffe was giving his subordinate instructions how to proceed, the possibility of detention struck the latter, and he bethought him of some expedient by which such an evil might be remedied. At his suggestion then, the signal of the guns was mentioned by the captain, in his letter to the commander-in-chief, and its importance pointed out. When Clinch reached the fleet, Nelson was at Castel à Mare, and it became necessary to follow him to that place by land. Here Clinch found him in the palace of Qui-Si-Sane, in attendance on the court, and delivered his despatches. Nothing gave the British admiral greater pleasure than to be able to show mercy, the instance to the contrary already introduced existing as an exception in his private character and his public career; and it is possible that an occurrence so recent, and so opposed to his habits, may have induced him the more willingly now to submit to his ordinary impulses, and to grant the respite asked with the greater promptitude.

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A Texas teen who's been jailed more than four months for a Facebook comment he made during a video-game argument is finally getting a day in court that could let him go home. Justin Carter, who was 18 when he was arrested, will appear in Comal County (Texas) District Court on Tuesday, July 16, for a bond hearing, according to his lawyer, Don Flanary. Flanary told CNN he will argue to have Carter's $500,000 bond, which his family cannot afford to cover, reduced. Flanary, who is working the case for free, met with Carter for the first time on Tuesday. He said Carter is not doing well, and his family says he has been placed on suicide watch. "Justin is in bad shape and has suffered quite a bit of abuse while in jail," Flanary said in an e-mail. "We will likely bring out these issues at the bond hearing." He did not elaborate on the type of abuse claimed by Carter, who is now 19. In February, Carter and a friend were arguing on Facebook with someone else over the online video game "League of Legends." His father told CNN that the other gamer called Justin crazy and his son responded with sarcasm. According to court documents, Justin wrote, "I'm f***ed in the head alright. I think I'ma (sic) shoot up a kindergarten and watch the blood of the innocent rain down and eat the beating heart of one of them." Jack Carter said his son followed the claim with "LOL" and "J/K" -- indicating that the comment wasn't serious.

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Chris Waddell wants to climb Kilimanjaro in a wheelchair; George Del Barrio wants to make a film in Cambodia; Jeff Edwards wants to write a book: they want you to fund their dreams. A website called Kickstarter.com is making it possible for people like this to raise money from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars to fund anything that catches the imagination of Internet users with a little money to spare. It worked for Emily Richmond, a 24-year-old living in Los Angeles who plans to sail solo around the world for two years. She's raised $ 8,142 from 148 people who'll receive gifts such as photos from the trip or a telephone call when she crosses the equator . "This was a perfect learning experience for my daughter," Landon Ray said, adding that he also dreamed of sailing the world himself. Jason Bitner's plan for $ 7,500 to pay for a film about the small Midwestern town of La Porte, was so popular that it raised $ 12,153. It's about a record of pictures by a photographer who died in 1971. About a third of his supporters were friends and family. Others include people of La Porte but also people from as far as Australia. "It's a creative marketplace," said Jonathan Scott Chinn, who is collecting $16,500 to make a short film. "You're given the opportunity to make yourself known, and if it's really interesting, it'll take off." Independent singer & songwriter Brad Skistimas, 26, has been using the Internet for eight years to promote his one-man band Five Times August. He used Kickstarter to raise $ 20,000 to help his new album Life As A Song. "It's a great way to get in touch with fans," Skistimas said. "I was marketing to my own fans, so I said 'If you want more music from me, now's a great time to help me out'" .

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Every day Yang Hongwei takes the bus home from work, staring silently at the European-style villas , luxury cars and twinkling lights from the shopping center that he sees through the window. Yang works for a software company in Zhongguancun. He dreams of such a life, away from poverty, and that hope has kept him in Beijing for three years since he graduated from university. Soon Yang squeezes his way off the bus to the reality of his life: his home--a 10-square-metre room that costs 550 yuan(81 US dollars) or about one-fifth of his salary in rent every month. It's very cold inside the house as it has no central heating system. He has to stand the long and cold winter. Determined to achieve his dream, Yang says he has changed jobs "numerous" times in the past three years and is considering quitting his present job. Yang's frustration over his life as a migrant is shared by many other graduates that have moved into big cities. Together they have come to be called the "ant tribe", a term created by Chinese sociologists to describe the struggles of young migrants, who, armed with their diplomas, flood to big cities in hopes of a better life only to put up with low-paying jobs and poor living conditions. They share every similarity with ants. They live in colonies in crowded areas. They're intelligent and hardworking, yet unknown and underpaid. The term, sociologists have said, also reflects their helplessness in a world governed by the law of the concrete jungle--only the strongest survive. A survey in Ant TribeII found nearly 30 percent of the "ants" are graduates of famous key universities--almost three times the percentage of 2009. Most have degrees in popular majors, such as medicine, engineering, economics and management. In addition, 7.2 percent of the "ants" have at least a master's degree compared to 1.6 percent in 2009. Most said the economic recovery did not really improve their financial situations, and 66 percent said their incomes fell short of their expectations, the survey also found. For two years, Lian Si, a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Chinese and Global Affairs of Peking University, who has studied the phenomenon, led a team of more than 100 graduate students to follow the groups in university towns like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Xi'an. Lian evaluates the total population of the "ant community" in major cities at one million across China, with about 100,000 found in Beijing alone. Lian predicts that an increasingly challenging job market will see the ant tribe growing further in number. Another 6.3 million graduates are expected to join migrant workers and other job hunters in what promises to be a fierce labour competition. The ant tribe's embarrassing living situations have become a serious social issue, and the government should develop "second-and-third-tier cities" to attract more graduates from big cities. However, "ants" expect more study and training opportunities in big cities, which keeps them in positive mindsets despite their situations. As in the case of Yang, he is optimistic about getting a new job soon, having received eight interview offers in a week after sending out his resume. The prospect of landing a higher-paying job keeps him hopeful of moving out of the slum district soon. The sooner the better.

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CHAPTER VIII A MYSTERIOUS LETTER In the morning mail Gus Plum received a letter postmarked London which he read with much interest. Then he called on Dave. "I've just received a letter I want you to read," he said. "It is from Nick Jasniff, and he mentions you." And he handed over the communication. It was a long rambling epistle, upbraiding Plum roundly for "having gone back on him," as Jasniff put it. The writer said he was now "doing Europe" and having a good time generally. One portion of the letter read as follows: "The authorities needn't look for me, for they will never find me. I struck a soft thing over here and am about seventy pounds to the good. Tell Dave Porter I could tell him something he would like to hear--about his folks--but I am not going to do it. I don't think he'll meet that father of his just yet, or that pretty sister of his either. She'd be all right if she didn't have such a lunkhead of a brother. Tell him that some day I'll square up with him and put him in a bigger hole than he got me into. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have to stay away as I'm doing--not but what I'm having a good time--better than grinding away at Oak Hall." As may be imagined, Dave read this letter with even greater interest than had Gus Plum. What was said about his father and sister mystified him.

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(CNN) -- Jason Priestley played Brandon Walsh on "Beverly Hills 90210" from 1990 to 1998. Having long since hung up his Peach Pit uniform and Beverly Hills Beach Club cabana boy polo shirt, his character became a journalist and departed to take a job at the Washington Bureau of the New York Chronicle, and Priestley left the show four episodes into the series' ninth season. "I felt that the character of Brandon had kind of run his course. I had explored everything I wanted to explore with him," Priestley told CNN while promoting his new book, "Jason Priestley: A Memoir" (HarperOne) at the New York Bureau of CNN. "In retrospect, I do regret leaving. Understanding what I do now about story and character, I believe that [Aaron Spelling] was pushing the story in a direction that would have had Brandon and Kelly end up together at the end of the show and I think I probably should have stuck around to its fruition." Fans of "90210" surely remember Kelly Taylor's (Jennie Garth) "I choose me" speech following Brandon and Dylan McKay's (Luke Perry) showdown for her affections. Brandon wanted Kelly to marry him. Dylan wanted to take her on a trip around the world. But Priestley believes Executive Producer Aaron Spelling had always envisioned Brandon and Kelly riding off into the sunset. "I think my departure also hurt Aaron's feelings," continued Priestley. "Aaron and I had worked very closely together for a number of years. He gave me a lot of opportunities, and I feel like my departure hurt his feelings and I never meant to do that."

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CHAPTER 62 This recognition of Rome by Lothair evinced not only a consciousness of locality, but an interest in it not before exhibited; and the monsignore soon after seized the opportunity of drawing the mind of his companion to the past, and feeling how far he now realized the occurrences that immediately preceded his arrival in the city. But Lothair would not dwell on them. "I wish to think of nothing," he said, "that happened before I entered this city: all I desire now is to know those to whom I am indebted for my preservation in a condition that seemed hopeless." "There is nothing hopeless with Divine aid," said the monsignore; "but, humanly speaking, you are indebted for your preservation to English friends, long and intimately cherished. It is under their roof that you dwell, the Agostini palace, tenanted by Lord St. Jerome." "Lord St. Jerome!" murmured Lothair to himself. "And the ladies of his house are those who, only with some slight assistance from my poor self, tended you throughout your most desperate state, and when we sometimes almost feared that mind and body were alike wrecked." "I have a dream of angels," said Lothair; "and sometimes I listened to heavenly voices that I seemed to have heard before." "I am sure you have not forgotten the ladies of that house?" said Catesby, watching his countenance. "No; one of them summoned me to meet her at Rome," murmured Lothair, "and I am here." "That summons was divine," said Catesby, "and only the herald of the great event that was ordained and has since occurred. In this holy city, Miss Arundel must ever count as the most sanctified of her sex."

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CHAPTER XII. Madame Colonna, with that vivacious energy which characterises the south, had no sooner seen Coningsby, and heard his praises celebrated by his grandfather, than she resolved that an alliance should sooner or later take place between him and her step-daughter. She imparted her projects without delay to Lucretia, who received them in a different spirit from that in which they were communicated. Lucretia bore as little resemblance to her step-mother in character, as in person. If she did not possess her beauty, she was born with an intellect of far greater capacity and reach. She had a deep judgment. A hasty alliance with a youth, arranged by their mutual relatives, might suit very well the clime and manners of Italy, but Lucretia was well aware that it was altogether opposed to the habits and feelings of this country. She had no conviction that either Coningsby would wish to marry her, or, if willing, that his grandfather would sanction such a step in one as yet only on the threshold of the world. Lucretia therefore received the suggestions and proposals of Madarne Colonna with coldness and indifference; one might even say contempt, for she neither felt respect for this lady, nor was she sedulous to evince it. Although really younger than Coningsby, Lucretia felt that a woman of eighteen is, in all worldly considerations, ten years older than a youth of the same age. She anticipated that a considerable time might elapse before Coningsby would feel it necessary to seal his destiny by marriage, while, on the other hand, she was not only anxious, but resolved, not to delay on her part her emancipation from the galling position in which she very frequently found herself.

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Do you know more and more Chinese artists have made regular donations to charity or put their efforts into charity work in China? Here let's know some of them. Faye Wong and her husband Li Yapeng started the Yan Ran Angel Foundation for harelipped children three years ago. It was named after their daughter. Its purpose is to help children under 14 to cure their harelips. The couple donated one million yuan (about $ 133,000) to start the organization. Cong Fei was born in a poor family. He became a successful singer in Shenzhen. He helped 178 poor students and disabled people for more than 10 years. Before he died of an illness at the age of 37 in 2006, he decided to donate his cornea to people with eye problems. He helped six people see the world. Guan Mucun has donated money to Project Hope to help poor students finish primary education. Thirty of these poor students have already finished high school with her support. Guan has also helped with charity work for environment protection, HIV/AIDS prevention, blood donation and "Mother Water". Guan had an unlucky childhood: her mother died when she was only 10 years old. With the help of the government and her neighbours, she grew up and was successful as a famous singer. Action star Jackie Chan is a wholehearted supporter of charities including UNICEF, Operation Smile and his own Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation. In 2007, he used much of his spare time to visit the farthest parts of China on his Dragon's Heart Charity Missions. The Dragon's Heart Foundation aims to meet the needs of poor children and the elderly in the hardest-to-reach areas of the country. Chan has made several trips to these poor villages, bringing warm clothing, wheelchairs and school supplies, and helping to build schools.

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Probably no other musical instrument is as popular as the guitar around the world. Musicians use the guitar for almost all kinds of music. Country and western music would not be the same without a guitar. The traditional Spanish folk music called Flamenco could not exist without a guitar. The sound of American blues music would not be the same without the sad cry of the guitar. And rock and roll music would almost be impossible without this instrument. Music experts do not agree about where the guitar was first played. Most agree it is ancient. Some experts say an instrument very much like a guitar was played in Egypt more than 1,000 years ago. Most experts say that the ancestor of the modern guitar was brought to Spain from Persia sometime in the 12thcentury. The guitar continued to develop in Spain. In the 1700s it became similar to the instrument we know today. Many famous musicians played the instrument. The famous Italian violins Niccole Paganism played and wrote music for the guitar in the early 1800s. Franz Schubert used the guitar to write some of his famous works. In modern times Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia helped make the instrument extremely popular. In the 1930s, Les Paul began experimenting to make an electric guitar. He invented the solid-bodied electric guitar in 1946. The Gibson Guitar Company began producing its famous Les Paul Guitar in 1952. It became a powerful influence on popular music. The instrument has the same shape and the same six strings as the traditional guitar, but it sounds very different. Les Paul produced a series of extremely popular recordings that introduced the public to this music. Listen to this Les Paul recording. It was the fifth most popular song in the United States in 1952. It is called "Meet Mister Callaghan."

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It's not just gloves that can help people keep warm in winter. Love can, too. A pair of 16-year-old American twins, Jack and Jake Moran, stared a program called "Warm Hearts, Warm Hands" last month. Their aim was to collect new and used gloves with fellow students at Richards High School. "We started this program a few weeks ago after we saw something on the news about a student who got frostbite riding his bike to school," Jack said. "I just kind of realized that there are so many kids who don't have or wear gloves. The school has started the collection competition among classes, and the class that collects the most gloves gets a pizza party. The twin brothers talked to other students about their program. Many teachers also joined in, bringing in gloves and encouraging their students to help meet the needs of local community members. "The conversations we are having now aren't so much about what actions we can take, but about _ .This program has really shown me that I don't need to get on a plane and go to help refugees to make a difference. I can do it right here. I can do it every day." Jake said. More than 500 pairs of gloves have been collected in a month and more donations are coming in every day, including hats and scarves.

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(CNN) -- "L.A. Law" had buzz right from the moment it premiered in 1986. Co-created by Steven Bochco, hot off his success with "Hill Street Blues," the series was set at the high-priced Los Angeles law firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak. The cast was glossy and diverse, including Jimmy Smits, Blair Underwood, Jill Eikenberry, Michael Tucker, Susan Dey, Richard Dysart, Alan Rachins and Corbin Bernsen. Most of all, it pushed the boundaries of the legal show the way "Hill Street" did with cop shows. "L.A. Law's" principals argued cases involving rape, capital punishment, big business, child molestation, AIDS and medical malpractice at a time when such subjects were seldom mentioned on prime-time television, and certainly not in such detail. This was no "Perry Mason," or even "The Defenders." Bochco being Bochco, the hard stuff was paired with moments of silly humor and steamy sex (or silly sex and steamy humor), making for a high-wire balance of drama and comedy. One first-season episode got people talking about a fictional sex act called the "Venus Butterfly"; later, the show actually killed off a character by dropping her down an elevator shaft. The big hair and big-shouldered suits of the '80s may be gone, but the show remains influential. David E. Kelley, a real-life lawyer who later created "Picket Fences," "The Practice" and "Ally McBeal," got his television start as a writer on "L.A. Law." The show's first season is finally out on DVD, with the second expected to follow in a few months. CNN spoke to Smits, now a star of "Sons of Anarchy" who played idealistic Hispanic attorney Victor Sifuentes, and Alan Rachins, who played bottom-line-oriented partner Douglas Brackman Jr. and later starred on "Dharma and Greg," about the show and its impact.

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Kiss of Death is a romantic detective story whose basic theme focuses totally on dogs. Whitney Marshall had just gone through a divorce, appearing practically penniless while her husband, a promising plastic surgeon, was left with the property and the debts, and his new wife. Whitney seeks help from her cousin, Miranda, who had lived with them as a child. Miranda is operating a dog walking business and lives in the caretaker's cottage of one of her employers, Calvin Hunter. Whitney's approach is timely as Miranda is getting married and leaving for a two- week honeymoon. She leaves her house and the dogs in Whitney's care. Living next door is Adam Hunter; an expert of the Iraqi war who had suffered a battle injury. During his recovery, his uncle Calvin had asked Adam to his home in prefix = st1 /Greecetelling him that he was certain someone was likely to murder him. His uncle Calvin recently died of an apparent heart attack and Adam has come to Calvin California home to straighten out his affairs and to further investigate the death. Adam is from the area, and was previously called up in the security business with his former police partner. Immediately after Calvin's death, his home had been broken into and the only things stolen were his computer and related things. Adam has an accountant trying to sort out his uncle financial affairs. His uncle had become fascinated to a pet dog who had "taken Westminster by storm,"and had caught the dog show fever, spending his time judging and attending shows. To the surprise of all, however, there does not seem to be any money in his accounts. Whitney and Adam meet when he catches her in the house. Whitney is merely dealing with Calvin's dog, one of her new responsibilities. They continue to meet as outside causes throw them together and romance starts. Whitney's former husband Ryan tries to persuade her to sign a deal over to him that he claims he had not been properly taken care of in the divorce. She is hesitating, waiting to see a lawyer. Then, Whitney's dog is missing, kidnapped by Ryan's new wife's personal trainer; the caretaker's cottage is bombed; and most importantly, they find the man that Miranda was to marry had never heard of her, and she seems missing. The plot seems to circle among all these people, heading nowhere until the end of the book when it picks up speed, and all is exposed. Kiss of Death will be unforgettable only to readers who enjoy learning mysterious facts about dogs.

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Jamie Oliver has been invited by Gordon Brown to prepare a banquet at No.10 for President Barack Obama and other leaders of the G20, offering a cut-price menu to reflect times when trade and industry are far from prosperous and the rate of employment is decreasing. Downing Street sources say Oliver, the well-known chef, will cook using "honest high-street products" and avoid expensive or "fancy" ingredients. The prime minister is trying to avoid a repeat of the embarrassment last year when he sat down to an 18-course banquet at a Japanese summit to discuss world food shortages. Obama, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and other leaders will be served by apprentices from Fifteen, the London restaurant Oliver founded to help train young people in poverty in order to make a living by mastering a skill. Brown wants the dinner to reflect the emphasis of the London summit, which he hopes will lead to an agreement to lift the world out of recession."To be invited to cook for such an important group of people, who are trying to solve some of the world's major problems, is really a privilege," said Oliver. "I'm hoping the menu I'm working on will show British food and produce is some of the best in the world, but also show we have pioneered a high-quality apprentice scheme at Fifteen London that is giving young people a skill to be proud of." The chef has not yet finalized me menu, but is expected to draw inspiration from his latest book, Jamie's Ministry of Food, which has budget recipes for beef and ale stew and "impressive" chocolate fudge cake. ( )

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Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts. Ultratop is a non-profit organization, created on the initiative of the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA), the Belgian member organization of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Two parallel set of charts are concurrently produced and published, one on behalf of Belgium's Dutch-speaking Flanders region, and the other catering to the nation's French-speaking region of Wallonia. The music charts produced by Ultratop organization are separated along regional-language boundaries, an unusual division that is justified by the cultural differences in Belgium. So it is that the Dutch-speaking Flanders region has one set of charts of record activity there, while the French-speaking Wallonia region has another set to measure popularity in those provinces. The charts are broadcast on several Belgian radio stations, and on TV stations TMF in Flanders and Plug RTL in Wallonia. Ultratop creates charts based on record sales of around 500 retail outlets and legal digital downloads. Currently GfK is the market observer of the charts. The chart broadcasts on Radio Contact on Saturdays from 12:00 to 14:00. The combined number of Ultratop chart listeners on the various radio or TV stations exceeds two million every week. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the charts in 2005, a jubilee book was published. It covers all 15,282 singles from 5,882 artists thus far.

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Brave Frenchman Found Half-way Around the World (NEW YORK) A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two-year-old girl in Manhattan said he didn't think twice before diving into the freezing East River. Tuesday's Daily News said 29-year who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday. He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Scaport museum. He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dived in after him. "I didn't think at all," Duret told the Daily News. "It happened very fast. I reacted very fast. " Duret, an engineer on vacation ,was walking with his girlfriend along the pier when he saw something falling into the water . He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached the river. In an instant ,he took off his coat and jumped into the water. When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said . Fortunately, when she was out of the water, she opened her eyes. Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from cookers. Duret caught a train with his girlfriend shortly after. The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn't realize his tale of heroism until he was leaving the next morning . "I don't really think I'm a hero," said Duret. "Anyone would do the same ting. "

mctest

Once there was a group of adventurers who went on an adventure in a place named Hyperion where there was a lot of snow. Their names were Thor, Bravos, and Pierre. Thor and Bravos were from Norway, but Pierre was from Paris, France. Because of where he was from, he wasn't used to the cold. To stay warm, Pierre wore three jackets. One day during their adventure the men saw a strange cave. Thor and Bravos wanted to go inside, but Pierre was afraid. He had heard that a horrible bug monster named Vlastos lived in the caves of Hyperion. Thor and Bravos told him that was only a fairy tale. They told him the only thing he really needed to worry about was hitting his head on a rock in the cave. Finally they got Pierre to go into the cave. Inside there were lots of tunnels. They chose the middle tunnel. The tunnel went down into the earth. After a long time it ended. The men were in a huge room. There were beautiful ice shapes on the walls.

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James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until his death. The kingdoms of Scotland and England were individual sovereign states, with their own parliaments, judiciary, and laws, though both were ruled by James in personal union. James was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and a great-great-grandson of Henry VII, King of England and Lord of Ireland, positioning him to eventually accede to all three thrones. James succeeded to the Scottish throne at the age of thirteen months, after his mother Mary was compelled to abdicate in his favour. Four different regents governed during his minority, which ended officially in 1578, though he did not gain full control of his government until 1583. In 1603, he succeeded the last Tudor monarch of England and Ireland, Elizabeth I, who died without issue. He continued to reign in all three kingdoms for 22 years, a period known after him as the Jacobean era, until his death in 1625 at the age of 58. After the Union of the Crowns, he based himself in England (the largest of the three realms) from 1603, only returning to Scotland once in 1617, and styled himself "King of Great Britain and Ireland". He was a major advocate of a single parliament for England and Scotland. In his reign, the Plantation of Ulster and British colonization of the Americas began.

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Intel Corporation (also known as Intel, stylized as intel) is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California (colloquially referred to as "Silicon Valley") that was founded by Gordon Moore (of Moore's law fame) and Robert Noyce. It is the world's second largest and second highest valued semiconductor chip makers based on revenue after being overtaken by Samsung, and is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers (PCs). Intel supplies processors for computer system manufacturers such as Apple, Lenovo, HP, and Dell. Intel also manufactures motherboard chipsets, network interface controllers and integrated circuits, flash memory, graphics chips, embedded processors and other devices related to communications and computing. Intel Corporation was founded on July 18, 1968, by semiconductor pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore, and widely associated with the executive leadership and vision of Andrew Grove. The company's name was conceived as portmanteau of the words "int"egrated and "el"ectronics, with co-founder Noyce having been a key inventor of the integrated circuit (microchip). The fact that "intel" is the term for intelligence information also made the name appropriate. Intel was an early developer of SRAM and DRAM memory chips, which represented the majority of its business until 1981. Although Intel created the world's first commercial microprocessor chip in 1971, it was not until the success of the personal computer (PC) that this became its primary business. During the 1990s, Intel invested heavily in new microprocessor designs fostering the rapid growth of the computer industry. During this period Intel became the dominant supplier of microprocessors for PCs and was known for aggressive and anti-competitive tactics in defense of its market position, particularly against Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), as well as a struggle with Microsoft for control over the direction of the PC industry.

cnn

(CNN) -- ISIS has released a new video of British hostage John Cantlie, this time showing him in the Syrian border city of Kobani. In a segment that lasts for more than five minutes, Cantlie argues that -- unlike Western media accounts of recent days -- Kobani is mostly under control of the terror group, which calls itself the Islamic state. He claims that ISIS fighters are mopping up, and that the all-out battle for the city is over. Kurdish forces in Syria have said the fight is far from finished, and that Iraqi Kurdish forces will soon be joining them. Kurdish forces and ISIS militants have been clashing in the key border city for more than a month. On Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 800 people have been killed there since the fighting started. The video posted online Monday is the latest ISIS has released of Cantlie, who's been held hostage for nearly two years. The British photojournalist, who also wrote several articles for major British newspapers, was kidnapped in November 2012 along with American journalist James Foley. In the first video of him released by the group last month, Cantlie made clear that he was forced to share a message from ISIS. The video released Monday portrays Cantlie as a reporter in the field describing Kobani. The hostage, dressed in black, appears close enough to the border to see Turkish flags in the background. "It seemed almost like a standup that a CNN correspondent would do in a foreign city," Peter Bergen, CNN national security analyst, said. "It was designed to show that he's relaxed, that what he's saying is accurate. But clearly he's under duress."

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The Crimean War was a military conflict fought between October 1853 – March 1856 in which Russia lost to an alliance of France, the United Kingdom, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia. The immediate cause involved the rights of Christian minorities in the Holy Land, which was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. The French promoted the rights of Catholics, while Russia promoted those of the Eastern Orthodox Christians. The longer-term causes involved the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the unwillingness of the United Kingdom and France to allow Russia to gain territory and power at Ottoman expense. It has widely been noted that the causes, in one case involving an argument over a key, have never revealed a "greater confusion of purpose", yet led to a war noted for its "notoriously incompetent international butchery." While the churches eventually worked out their differences and came to an initial agreement, both Nicholas I of Russia and Napoleon III refused to back down. Nicholas issued an ultimatum that the Orthodox subjects of the Empire be placed under his protection. Britain attempted to mediate, and arranged a compromise that Nicholas agreed to. When the Ottomans demanded changes, Nicholas refused and prepared for war. Having obtained promises of support from France and Britain, the Ottomans officially declared war on Russia in October 1853.

cnn

(CNN)Prison life won't be pretty for Aaron Hernandez, the former NFL player and convicted murderer sentenced to life without parole. After correction officers evaluate him, he will be shipped to Massachusetts' flagship maximum-security prison, one of the most high-tech jails in the United States with no history of breakouts: the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, about 40 miles outside downtown Boston. It's called Souza, for short, and it's the state's newest prison, opened in 1998, with a matrix of 366 cameras recording live 24 hours a day and a microwave detection perimeter with taut wire. "I don't know the date, but he'll be going there. That's the maximum-security facility," Department of Corrections spokesman Darren Duarte said. Legal advocates for inmates describe Souza as sterile and violent at once. Its diverse demographic includes the young and the old, many of whom are also doing life. One stubborn problem is that opiates are smuggled to inmates, the legal advocates said. "It's very shiny and clean looking and very sterile," said Leslie Walker, executive director of Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts, who has been visiting the Souza prison about every six weeks for the past 15 years and serves indigent prisoners there. But, she added: "It is a very dangerous prison that is right now experiencing a veritable flood of opiates." Officials said Hernandez, 25, is being processed at the maximum-security Massachusetts Correctional Institution-Cedar Junction in Walpole, just a handful of miles from Gillette Stadium, where he once played tight end for the New England Patriots under a five-year $40 million contract.

gutenberg

CHAPTER TWELVE. SAGE CONVERSE BETWEEN HAKE AND BERTHA--BIARNE IS OUTWITTED--A MONSTER IS SLAIN, AND SAVAGES APPEAR ON THE SCENE. Not long after this an event occurred which produced great excitement in the new settlement; namely, the appearance of natives in the woods. It occurred under the following circumstances. One morning Karlsefin gave orders for one of the exploring parties to be got ready to go out immediately. Karlsefin's plan from the beginning had been to class his men in two divisions. One half stayed at home to work, the other half searched the land,--always taking care, however, not to travel so far but that they could return home in the evening. They were careful also not to wander far from each other. Sometimes Karlsefin went with the exploring party, at other times stayed at home to superintend the work there, while Biarne or Thorward filled his place. On the occasion in question Biarne was in charge. Soon after the party had started, Hake, who was one of them, observed a female figure disappear round a copse near the shores of the lake. At that part they were about to strike off into the thick woods, so Hake went up to Biarne and asked leave to go along by the borders of the lake, saying that he could overtake the party again before they had reached the Willow Glen, a well-known rendezvous of the hunters and explorers of the colony. "Go as thou wilt, Hake," replied Biarne; "only see to it that ye overtake us before noon, as I intend to go on a totally new path to-day."

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Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port city, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the San Francisco Bay Area, the eighth largest city in California, and the 45th largest city in the United States, with a population of 419,267 . It serves as a trade center for the San Francisco Bay Area; its Port of Oakland is the busiest port in the San Francisco Bay, the entirety of Northern California, and the fifth busiest in the United States of America. The city was incorporated in 1852. Oakland's territory covers what was once a mosaic of California coastal terrace prairie, oak woodland, and north coastal scrub. Its land served as a rich resource when its hillside oak and redwood timber were logged to build San Francisco, and Oakland's fertile flatland soils helped it become a prolific agricultural region. In the late 1860s, Oakland was selected as the western terminal of the Transcontinental Railroad. Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, many San Francisco citizens moved to Oakland, enlarging the city's population, increasing its housing stock and improving its infrastructure. It continued to grow in the 20th century with its busy port, shipyards, and a thriving automobile manufacturing industry.

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Spiderman is one of the most famous comic book heroes of all time. He was created by Stan Lee in 1963 and was first introduced to the world in the pages of Marvel Comic Books. Spiderman's story is the story of Peter Parker, a child who lost his parents and lives with his aunt and uncle. Peter is a shy, quiet boy wearing glasses and has few friends. One day, on a high school class trip to a science lab, he gets bitten by a special spider. Soon Peter realizes he has amazing powers: he is as strong and quick as a spider and also has a type of sixth sense. He no longer needs his glasses and he can use his super power to fly through the city streets! Remembering something his Uncle Ben has told him _ ,Peter decides to use his powers to fight against enemies who do cruel things to people. And so, Spiderman is born. Life is not easy for Peter even though he is a superhero. He is in love with Mary Jane but he can't tell her about his amazing powers. Besides, his best friend Harry hates Spiderman! Peter is also short of money and time. He has to sell photos of Spiderman (himself!) to a newspaper and he keeps losing his other jobs because he's so busy saving people! Yet he has to fight against different kinds of cruel enemies.

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The term Muslim world, also known as Islamic world and the Ummah (Arabic: أمة‎, meaning "nation" or "community") has different meanings. In a religious sense, the Islamic Ummah refers to those who adhere to the teachings of Islam, referred to as Muslims. In a cultural sense, the Muslim Ummah refers to Islamic civilization, exclusive of non-Muslims living in that civilization. In a modern geopolitical sense, the term "Islamic Nation" usually refers collectively to Muslim-majority countries, states, districts, or towns. The Islamic Golden Age coincided with the Middle Ages in the Muslim world, starting with the rise of Islam and establishment of the first Islamic state in 622. The end of the age is variously given as 1258 with the Mongolian Sack of Baghdad, or 1492 with the completion of the Christian Reconquista of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus, Iberian Peninsula. During the reign of the Abbasid caliph Harun ar-Rashid (786 to 809), the legendary House of Wisdom was inaugurated in Baghdad where scholars from various parts of the world sought to translate and gather all the known world's knowledge into Arabic. The Abbasids were influenced by the Quranic injunctions and hadiths, such as "the ink of a scholar is more holy than the blood of a martyr," that stressed the value of knowledge. The major Islamic capital cities of Baghdad, Cairo, and Córdoba became the main intellectual centers for science, philosophy, medicine, and education. During this period, the Muslim world was a collection of cultures; they drew together and advanced the knowledge gained from the ancient Greek, Roman, Persian, Chinese, Indian, Egyptian, and Phoenician civilizations.

cnn

(CNN) -- A former hospital worker systematically shot and killed four people in upstate New York on Saturday, authorities in two counties said. Former hospital worker Frank Garcia, 34, has been accused in the shooting rampage. Frank Garcia, 34, was arrested Saturday afternoon. Garcia knew all four victims, police said, but they didn't reveal details about the relationships. "The individuals who were shot were known to the suspect. It was not necessarily a random act," Monroe County Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn said. The first two victims -- Mary Sillman, 23, and Randall Norman, 41 -- were fatally shot before 5 a.m. at Lakeside Memorial Hospital in Brockport, where Garcia was once employed, O'Flynn said. Another woman was wounded and is undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital, he said. The second shooting happened at a house in nearby Ontario County on Saturday afternoon. Christopher Glatz, 45, and his wife, Kim, 38, were killed "execution-style" while their two teenagers were in the suburban Rochester home, Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said. The teens were not wounded, but it is unclear whether they witnessed the event. Povero said neighbors reported Garcia went door-to-door looking for the Glatzes' home. "He was in fact looking for the residence," Povero said. "He was saying different things to different people, but he was clearly looking for that home." Ballistic evidence has connected the two crime scenes, Povero said. Investigators found the matching brass cartridges from a pistol found on Garcia when he was arrested, he said. Garcia was arrested at a restaurant Saturday afternoon, CNN affiliate R-News in Rochester reported.

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Berlin is the capital and the largest city of Germany as well as one of its 16 constituent states. With a population of approximately 3.7 million, Berlin is the second most populous city proper in the European Union and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union. Located in northeastern Germany on the banks of the rivers Spree and Havel, it is the centre of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region, which has roughly 6 million residents from more than 180 nations. Due to its location in the European Plain, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one-third of the city's area is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers, canals and lakes. First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes, Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (14171701), the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (1933–1945). Berlin in the 1920s was the third largest municipality in the world. After World War II and its subsequent occupation by the victorious countries, the city was divided; East Berlin was declared capital of East Germany, while West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989) and East German territory. Following German reunification in 1990, Berlin once again became the capital of all of Germany.

cnn

(CNN) -- Samantha Stosur stopped Caroline Wozniacki from clinching the year-end women's No. 1 tennis ranking with a shock 6-4 6-3 victory at the WTA Championships in Qatar on Wednesday night. The Australian romped to her second straight victory in the Maroon Group, following her revenge win over French Open champion Francesca Schiavone on Tuesday. The Roland Garros runner-up's kick serve was a potent weapon against Wozniacki, with the triumph giving the 26-year-old every chance of reaching the semifinals ahead of her final group match against Russia's Elena Dementieva on Thursday. It was her second victory over a top-ranked player this year, having beaten Serena Williams on the way to reaching the final in Paris. The fifth seed fired 26 winners to Wozniacki's 14, and could afford to serve two double-faults in the deciding game before the Dane returned a backhand long on her first match-point. Wozniacki, who thrashed seventh seed Dementieva on Tuesday, will next take on Italy's Schiavone on Thursday. Kim Clijsters, who won the $4.5 million season-ending event in 2002 and 2003, earlier triumphed in her opening White Group match 6-2 6-3 against fellow former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic despite serving 10 double-faults. The Belgian, returning to action after having a mole cut off her foot, broke Jankovic to love in the first game of the match and then again in the seventh. The three-time U.S. Open champion was less impressive in the second set but had enough to see off the Serbian, who is struggling with illness in the oppressive heat in Doha.

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Art lovers around the world have thought about this question for so many years: what is the secret behind the Mona Lisa's smile? However, they can ask Mona Lisa herself in the interactive exhibition in Beijing. This exhibition brings the 500-year-old painting to life. Now Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting can move her head and wave her hand in 3D, and even answer questions. She can answer the questions about her life, her age and so on. But when she talks she doesn't speak Italian but Chinese like: "Da jia hao, wo jiao Mengna Lisha. Hen gao xing jian dao ni men." The new, digital picture of Mona Lisa is the center piece of the World Classic Interactive Arts Exhibition in Beijing. You can also see other world-famous paintings such as Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. Last Supper is another picture that they made alive with 3D. In this picture, Jesus can walk and talk with his believers . It took the organizer Wang Hui and over 400 digital artists in South Korea two years to make the picture, at a cost of around 50 million yuan. He says, "What's special about it is that it's the first time to use computer technology to make her speak and move." So what does the Mona Lisa say if you ask her why she is smiling?

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXXIII. THE LAST JACOBITE RISING. While the Kirk was vainly striving to assuage the tempers of Mr Erskine and his friends, the Jacobites were preparing to fish in troubled waters. In 1739 Walpole was forced to declare war against Spain, and Walpole had previously sounded James as to his own chances of being trusted by that exiled prince. James thought that Walpole was merely angling for information. Meanwhile Jacobite affairs were managed by two rivals, Macgregor (calling himself Drummond) of Balhaldy and Murray of Broughton. The sanguine Balhaldy induced France to suppose that the Jacobites in England and Scotland were much more united, powerful, and ready for action than they really were, when Argyll left office in 1742, while Walpole fell from power, Carteret and the Duke of Newcastle succeeding. In 1743 Murray found that France, though now at war with England over the Spanish Succession, was holding aloof from the Jacobite cause, though plied with flourishing and fabulous reports from Balhaldy and the Jacobite Lord Sempill. But, in December 1743, on the strength of alleged Jacobite energy in England, Balhaldy obtained leave from France to visit Rome and bring Prince Charles. The Prince had kept himself in training for war and was eager. Taking leave of his father for the last time, Charles drove out of Rome on January 9, 1744; evaded, in disguise, every trap that was set for him, and landed at Antibes, reaching Paris on February 10. Louis did not receive him openly, if he received him at all; the Prince lurked at Gravelines in disguise, with the Earl Marischal, while winds and waves half ruined, and the approach of a British fleet drove into port, a French fleet of invasion under Roqueville (March 6, 7, 1744).

cnn

(CNN) -- Serbia will face France in the final of the Davis Cup after a tense 3-2 semifinal victory over the Czech Republic in front of a passionate home support in Belgrade. The Czechs led 2-1 after winning Saturday's doubles rubber, meaning the hosts had to claim victory in both reverse singles to secure their first-ever appearance in the final. World number two Novak Djokovic, who missed Friday's opening singles with a stomach complaint, drew the two nations level at 2-2 when he recovered from the loss of the opening set to defeat Czech No.1 Tomas Berdych 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4. It completed a miserable weekend for Wimbledon finalist Berdych, who lost both of his singles rubbers. That result means Janko Tipsarevic had to defeat the previously unbeaten Radek Stepanek to seal Serbia's final place and he did just that, winning 6-0 7-6 6-4 to send the 15,000 home supporters into raptures. There was less drama in the other semifinal, where France completed their domination over Argentina with a 5-0 whitewash victory in Lyon. The French led 3-0 going into the final day, meaning nothing rested on the results of the reverse singles rubbers. However, Gilles Simon's 7-6 6-7 6-3 defeat of Eduardo Schwank meant the whitewash became a possibility -- and it was completed when Arnaud Clement beat Horacio Zeballos 7-5 6-1. The victory ensures France, who dumped out holders Spain in the previous round, reached their first Davis Cup final since 2002.

cnn

Washington (CNN) -- At one time, Susan Rice seemed to be on a trajectory that would take her to the secretary of state's office in President Barack Obama's second term. But that trajectory changed Thursday when the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations withdrew her name from consideration to succeed current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In a letter to the president, Rice explained her decision to pull herself out of the running. "I am highly honored to be considered by you for appointment as Secretary of State," the letter read. "However, if nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly -- to you and to our most pressing national and international priorities. That trade-off is simply not worth it to our country. ... Therefore, I respectfully request that you no longer consider my candidacy at this time." A former administration official with knowledge of Rice's decision said this was Rice's decision; the White House did not ask her to stand down. Obama said that while he regretted Rice's decision to withdraw he would continue to rely on her advice. Rice's path began decades ago with the help of family friend Madeleine Albright, the woman who became the first female secretary of state. Benghazi talking points omitted link to al Qaeda Albright, while serving under President Bill Clinton, recommended that he tap Rice for a high-level State Department post on African affairs in the late 1990s. Albright had previously served with Rice's mother, Lois Rice, on a school board in Washington and watched Rice grow up with her own daughters.

mctest

This summer Frank and his friends went to Boy Scout camp for two weeks. At camp they had lots of fun activities like swimming, wood carving, and telling ghost stories. At camp there weren't any restaurants or grocery stores, so for food they would have to make their own meals. One thing they could do is make peanut butter sandwiches, which every scout was given at the start of camp. But pretty soon everyone was sick of peanut butter sandwiches and wanted to eat something else instead. Some boys went out into the forest and picked out berries and roots that were safe to eat. Some boys even took out the boat and went fishing. They came back with a big fish that they cleaned and cooked themselves. At first, Frank's mom was very worried about letting Frank go to camp. She was worried that he could get lost in the woods and be eaten by a bear. She was worried that he might get into a fight with the other boys. She was even worried that he wouldn't shower or take a bath for the whole two weeks. But Frank's scout masters explained to Frank's mom that the camp leaders were very serious about taking care of the campers and that everything would be perfectly safe for Frank. Frank promised to call home at least every two days. So in the end Frank's mom let Frank go to camp.

mctest

Logan had lots of toys. He had balls, dinosaurs, race cars, and even robots! Logan had so many toys he had a room for his toys. There he could play with whatever he wanted, when he wanted, and not even have to pick them back up. Logan had all kinds of balls. He had red ones, green ones, blue ones and even a pink one he hid from his sister. His robots were so cool they could change shape, fly, or race. Some even saved the world in his imagination. Logan loved his dinosaurs. He had one with big sharp teeth, one with little tiny arms, one with purple spots, and even one that his dad said didn't eat anything but plants and vegetables. Logan's favorite toys were his race cars. That was because when his dad came home from work he always went to the toy room with Logan to play with his race cars. Logan had so much fun he even lets his sister in his toy room so she can play dad too! The toy room was Logan's favorite room in the house. He spends all the time he can in his room with all his friends and family and he has so much fun.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXXVI. TOM TRINGLE GETS AN ANSWER. Faddle as he went down into the country made up his mind that the law which required such letters to be delivered by hand was an absurd law. The post would have done just as well, and would have saved a great deal of trouble. These gloomy thoughts were occasioned by a conviction that he could not carry himself easily or make himself happy among such "howling swells" as these Alburys. If they should invite him to the house the matter would be worse that way than the other. He had no confidence in his dress coat, which he was aware had been damaged by nocturnal orgies. It is all very well to tell a fellow to be as "big a swell" as anybody else, as Tom had told him. But Faddle acknowledged to himself the difficulty of acting up to such advice. Even the eyes of Colonel Stubbs turned upon him after receipt of the letter would oppress him. Nevertheless he must do his best, and he took a gig at the station nearest to Albury. He was careful to carry his bag with him, but still he lived in hope that he would be able to return to London the same day. When he found himself within the lodges of Stalham Park he could hardly keep himself from shivering, and, when he asked the footman at the door whether Colonel Stubbs were there, he longed to be told that Colonel Stubbs had gone away on the previous day to some--he did not care what--distant part of the globe. But Colonel Stubbs had not gone away. Colonel Stubbs was in the house.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXX FERN Mullins rushed into the house on a Saturday morning early in September and shrieked at Carol, "School starts next Tuesday. I've got to have one more spree before I'm arrested. Let's get up a picnic down the lake for this afternoon. Won't you come, Mrs. Kennicott, and the doctor? Cy Bogart wants to go--he's a brat but he's lively." "I don't think the doctor can go," sedately. "He said something about having to make a country call this afternoon. But I'd love to." "That's dandy! Who can we get?" "Mrs. Dyer might be chaperon. She's been so nice. And maybe Dave, if he could get away from the store." "How about Erik Valborg? I think he's got lots more style than these town boys. You like him all right, don't you?" So the picnic of Carol, Fern, Erik, Cy Bogart, and the Dyers was not only moral but inevitable. They drove to the birch grove on the south shore of Lake Minniemashie. Dave Dyer was his most clownish self. He yelped, jigged, wore Carol's hat, dropped an ant down Fern's back, and when they went swimming (the women modestly changing in the car with the side curtains up, the men undressing behind the bushes, constantly repeating, "Gee, hope we don't run into poison ivy"), Dave splashed water on them and dived to clutch his wife's ankle. He infected the others. Erik gave an imitation of the Greek dancers he had seen in vaudeville, and when they sat down to picnic supper spread on a lap-robe on the grass, Cy climbed a tree to throw acorns at them.

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Utah ( or ) is a state in the western United States. It became the 45th state admitted to the U.S. on January 4, 1896. Utah is the 13th-largest by area, 31st-most-populous, and 10th-least-densely populated of the 50 United States. Utah has a population of more than 3 million (Census estimate for July 1, 2016), approximately 80% of whom live along the Wasatch Front, centering on the state capital Salt Lake City. Utah is bordered by Colorado to the east, Wyoming to the northeast, Idaho to the north, Arizona to the south, and Nevada to the west. It also touches a corner of New Mexico in the southeast. Approximately 62% of Utahns are reported to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or LDS (Mormons), which greatly influences Utahn culture and daily life. The LDS Church's world headquarters is located in Salt Lake City. Utah is the only state with a majority population belonging to a single church. The state is a center of transportation, education, information technology and research, government services, mining, and a major tourist destination for outdoor recreation. In 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Utah had the second fastest-growing population of any state. St. George was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000 to 2005. Utah also has the 14th highest median average income and the least income inequality of any U.S. state. A 2012 Gallup national survey found Utah overall to be the "best state to live in" based on 13 forward-looking measurements including various economic, lifestyle, and health-related outlook metrics.

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The Legion of Honour, full name, National Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest French order of merit for military and civil merits, established in 1802 by Napoléon Bonaparte. The order's motto is ' ("Honour and Fatherland") and its seat is the next to the Musée d'Orsay, on the left bank of the River Seine in Paris. The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: ' (Knight), ' (Officer), ' (Commander), ' (Grand Officer) and " (Grand Cross). In the French Revolution, all of the French orders of chivalry were abolished, and replaced with Weapons of Honour. It was the wish of Napoleon Bonaparte, the First Consul, to create a reward to commend civilians and soldiers and from this wish was instituted a "", a body of men that was not an order of chivalry, for Napoleon believed France wanted a recognition of merit rather than a new system of nobility. The however did use the organization of old French orders of chivalry for example the "Ordre de Saint-Louis". The badges of the legion also bear a resemblance to the , which also used a red ribbon. Napoleon originally created this to ensure political loyalty. The organization would be used as a facade to give political favours, gifts, and concessions. The was loosely patterned after a Roman legion, with legionaries, officers, commanders, regional "cohorts" and a grand council. The highest rank was not a grand cross but a " (grand eagle), a rank that wore all the insignia common to grand crosses. The members were paid, the highest of them extremely generously:

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A music genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions. It is to be distinguished from "musical form" and "musical style", although in practice these terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Recently, academics have argued that categorizing music by genre is inaccurate and outdated. Music can be divided into different genres in many different ways. The artistic nature of music means that these classifications are often subjective and controversial, and some genres may overlap. There are even varying academic definitions of the term "genre "itself. In his book "Form in Tonal Music", Douglass M. Green distinguishes between genre and form. He lists madrigal, motet, canzona, ricercar, and dance as examples of genres from the Renaissance period. To further clarify the meaning of "genre", Green writes, "Beethoven's Op. 61 and Mendelssohn's Op. 64 are identical in genre – both are violin concertos – but different in form. However, Mozart's Rondo for Piano, K. 511, and the "Agnus Dei" from his Mass, K. 317 are quite different in genre but happen to be similar in form." Some, like Peter van der Merwe, treat the terms "genre" and "style" as the same, saying that "genre" should be defined as pieces of music that share a certain style or "basic musical language." Others, such as Allan F. Moore, state that "genre" and "style" are two separate terms, and that secondary characteristics such as subject matter can also differentiate between genres. A music genre or subgenre may also be defined by the musical techniques, the style, the cultural context, and the content and spirit of the themes. Geographical origin is sometimes used to identify a music genre, though a single geographical category will often include a wide variety of subgenres. Timothy Laurie argues that since the early 1980s, "genre has graduated from being a subset of popular music studies to being an almost ubiquitous framework for constituting and evaluating musical research objects".

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(CNN) -- Yoshinobu Miyake is perhaps the only athlete apart from Dick Fosbury who has had a technique named after him. Miyake: the strongest man ever? While Fosbury was throwing himself backward over the bar in the high jump in Mexico City 1968, Miyake was placing his ankles together, instead of apart, for the lifting snatch. The "Miyake Pull" was also coined "Frog Style" after the stance the lifter adopts before the pull: heels together with knees fanned outward to around sixty degrees with a wide grip on the bar, resembling a frog upon the lift. The technique proved physiologically efficient for a body bearing some 60 kilograms (132 pounds) of stress. Miyake's Olympic gold in 1968 is less well known than Fosbury's, but pound for pound, in his own sport, he is considered one of the strongest men who ever lived -- and Japan's finest weightlifting exponent. The medal re-affirmed Miyake's pre-eminence in the featherweight class and proved he could travel. In 1964 he had also won gold in Tokyo in front of a home crowd, improving on a silver earned in Rome in 1960. Born in Miyagi Prefecture in Honshu, north of Tokyo, in 1939, Miyake was all but unstoppable in the mid-1960s. During that time he set 25 world records, many consecutively as he bettered his own standards. He was the world champion in 1962-1963 and 1964-1965. After coming fourth at the 1972 Munich Games, Miyake retired from competitive action to coach Japan's weightlifting team, helping his brother, Yoshiyuki, become world champion in 1969 and 1971.

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Karachi (; ALA-LC: , ; ) is the capital of the Pakistani province of Sindh. It is the most populous city in Pakistan, sixth most populous city proper in the world and the 8th most populous metropolitan city in the world. Ranked as a beta world city, the city is Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre. Karachi is also Pakistan's most cosmopolitan city. Situated on the Arabian Sea, Karachi serves as a transport hub, and is home to two of Pakistan's two largest seaports, the Port of Karachi and Port Bin Qasim, as well as the busiest airport in Pakistan. Though the Karachi region has been inhabited for millennia, the city was founded as a fortified village named "Kolachi" in 1729. The settlement drastically increased in importance with the arrival of British East India company in the mid 19th century, who not only embarked on major works to transform the city into a major seaport, but also connected it with their extensive railway network. By the time of the Partition of British India, the city was the largest in Sindh with an estimated population of 400,000. Following the independence of Pakistan, the city's population increased dramatically with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees from India. The city experienced rapid economic growth following independence, attracting migrants from throughout Pakistan and South Asia.

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I'm writing this letter slowly because I know you can't read fast. We don't live where we did when you left home. Your dad read in the newspaper that most accidents happened within 20 miles from our home, so we moved. I won't be able to send you the address because the last family that lived here took the house numbers when they moved so that they wouldn't have to change their address. This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine. I'm not sure it works so well though: last week I put a load in and pulled the chain and haven't seen them since. The weather isn't bad here. It only rained twice last week; the first time for three days and the second time for four days. About that coat you wanted me to send you, your uncle Stanley said it would be too heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on so we cut them off and put them in the pockets. John locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really worried because it took him two hours to get me and your father out. Your sister had a baby this morning, but I haven't found out what _ is yet. The baby looks just like your brother. Uncle Ted fell in a whiskey vat last week. Some men tried to pull him out, but he fought them off playfully and drowned. We had him cremated and he burned for three days. Three of your friends went off a bridge in a pick-up trunk. Ralph was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety. You other two friends were in back. They drowned because they couldn't get the tail gate down. There isn't much more news at this time. Nothing much has happened. Love, Mom P.S. I was going to send you some money but the envelope was already sealed.

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The Federated States of Micronesia (; abbreviated FSM and also known simply as Micronesia) is an independent sovereign island nation and a United States associated state consisting of four states from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosraethat are spread across the Western Pacific Ocean. Together, the states comprise around 607 islands (a combined land area of approximately ) that cover a longitudinal distance of almost just north of the equator. They lie northeast of New Guinea, south of Guam and the Marianas, west of Nauru and the Marshall Islands, east of Palau and the Philippines, about north of eastern Australia and some southwest of the main islands of Hawaii. While the FSM's total land area is quite small, it occupies more than of the Pacific Ocean, giving the country the 14th largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world. The capital is Palikir, located on Pohnpei Island, while the largest city is Weno, located in the Chuuk Atoll. Each of its four states is centered on one or more main high islands, and all but Kosrae include numerous outlying atolls. The Federated States of Micronesia is spread across part of the Caroline Islands in the wider region of Micronesia, which consists of thousands of small islands divided among several countries. The term "Micronesia" may refer to the Federated States or to the region as a whole.

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Ibn Rushd (; 14 April 1126 – 10 December 1198), full name (), often Latinized as Averroes (), was a medieval Andalusian polymath. He wrote on logic, Aristotelian and Islamic philosophy, theology, the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence, psychology, political and Andalusian classical music theory, geography, mathematics, and the mediæval sciences of medicine, astronomy, physics, and celestial mechanics. Ibn Rushd was born in Córdoba, Al Andalus (present-day Spain), and died at Marrakesh in present-day Morocco. His body was interred in his family tomb at Córdoba. The 13th-century philosophical movement in Latin Christian and Jewish tradition based on Ibn Rushd's work is called Averroism. Ibn Rushd was a defender of Aristotelian philosophy against Ash'ari theologians led by Al-Ghazali. Although highly regarded as a legal scholar of the Maliki school of Islamic law, Ibn Rushd's philosophical ideas were considered controversial in Ash'arite Muslim circles. Whereas al-Ghazali believed that any individual act of a natural phenomenon occurred only because God willed it to happen, Ibn Rushd insisted phenomena followed natural laws that God created. Ibn Rushd had a greater impact on Christian Europe, being known by the "the Commentator" for his detailed emendations to Aristotle. Latin translations of Ibn Rushd's work led the way to the popularization of Aristotle.

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Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, which includes Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the Missouri River from Omaha. According to the 2010 census, Omaha's population was 408,958, making it the nation's 44th-largest city; this had increased to 446,970 as of a 2016 estimate. Including its suburbs, Omaha formed the 60th-largest metropolitan area in the United States in 2013, with an estimated population of 895,151 residing in eight counties. The Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, Nebraska-IA Combined Statistical Area is 931,667, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2013 estimate. Nearly 1.3 million people reside within the Greater Omaha area, comprising a 50-mile (80 km) radius of Downtown Omaha, the city's center. Omaha's pioneer period began in 1854, when the city was founded by speculators from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. The city was founded along the Missouri River, and a crossing called Lone Tree Ferry earned the city its nickname, the "Gateway to the West". Omaha introduced this new West to the world in 1898, when it played host to the World's Fair, dubbed the Trans-Mississippi Exposition. During the 19th century, Omaha's central location in the United States spurred the city to become an important national transportation hub. Throughout the rest of the 19th century, the transportation and jobbing sectors were important in the city, along with its railroads and breweries. In the 20th century, the Omaha Stockyards, once the world's largest, and its meatpacking plants gained international prominence.

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In 50 years of traveling, Colin McCorpuodale has visited every country in the world except three. And everywhere he goes, he sends himself a postcard. He always chooses a postcard with beautiful scenery . Usually he writes just a short message to himself. However, he wrote an interesting story on his latest one, from the Malians Island. Mr. McCorpuodale lives in London. On one of the walls in his room, you can see a large map of the world. There are hundreds of little red pins stuck in it. "These pins mean a lot to me." says Mr. McCorpuodale, "I follow the rule. I'm allowed to stick one in only if I've been in a place for more than 24 hours." Naturally, Mr. McCorpuodale has his favorite places. New Zealand, he describes as "a wonderful country". About China, he says, "This is the country in the world which is completely different. There is no European influence." Wherever he goes, Mr. McCorpuodale takes with him a photo of his wife, a candle, a shirt with a secret pocket and a pen. So why does he do it? For the postcards or the travels? Mr. McCorpuodale laughs, "Neither. Only for the meaningful life."