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gutenberg

Chapter 13: Preparing A Rescue. Stanley remained where he was until Meinik returned, in half an hour, with the rope. Stanley made a loop at one end; and then knotted it, at distances of about a foot apart, to enable him to climb it more easily. Then they waited until the guard fire burnt down low, and most of the men went off into a hut a few yards distant, three only remaining talking before the fire. Then Stanley moved round to the other side of the palisade and, choosing a spot immediately behind the hut where the sentries were posted, threw up the rope. It needed many attempts before the loop caught at the top of one of the bamboos. As soon as it did so, he climbed up. He found that the position was an exceedingly unpleasant one. The bamboos were all so cut that each of them terminated in three spikes, and so impossible was it to cross this that he had to slip down the rope again. On telling Meinik what was the matter, the latter at once took off his garment and folded it up into a roll, two feet long. "If you lay that on the top, master, you will be able to cross." This time Stanley had little difficulty. On reaching the top, he laid the roll on the bamboo spikes; and was able to raise himself on to it and sit there, while he pulled up the rope and dropped it on the inside. Descending, he at once began to crawl towards the hut. As he had seen before climbing, a light was burning within, and the window was at the back of the house. This was but some twenty yards from the palisade and, when he reached it, he stood up and cautiously looked in.

wikipedia

The territory that now constitutes Tajikistan was previously home to several ancient cultures, including the city of Sarazm of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, and was later home to kingdoms ruled by people of different faiths and cultures, including the Oxus civilization, Andronovo culture, Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Manichaeism. The area has been ruled by numerous empires and dynasties, including the Achaemenid Empire, Sassanian Empire, Hephthalite Empire, Samanid Empire, Mongol Empire, Timurid dynasty, and the Russian Empire. As a result of the breakup of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan became an independent nation in 1991. A civil war was fought almost immediately after independence, lasting from 1992 to 1997. Since the end of the war, newly established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country's economy to grow. Tajiks began to be conscripted into the Soviet Army in 1939 and during World War II around 260,000 Tajik citizens fought against Germany, Finland and Japan. Between 60,000(4%) and 120,000(8%) of Tajikistan's 1,530,000 citizens were killed during World War II. Following the war and Stalin's reign attempts were made to further expand the agriculture and industry of Tajikistan. During 1957–58 Nikita Khrushchev's Virgin Lands Campaign focused attention on Tajikistan, where living conditions, education and industry lagged behind the other Soviet Republics. In the 1980s, Tajikistan had the lowest household saving rate in the USSR, the lowest percentage of households in the two top per capita income groups, and the lowest rate of university graduates per 1000 people. By the late 1980s Tajik nationalists were calling for increased rights. Real disturbances did not occur within the republic until 1990. The following year, the Soviet Union collapsed, and Tajikistan declared its independence.

wikipedia

Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and some other Asian languages. In Standard Chinese they are called Hanzi (simplified Chinese: 汉字; traditional Chinese: 漢字). They have been adapted to write a number of other languages including: Japanese, where they are known as kanji, Korean, where they are known as hanja, and Vietnamese in a system known as chữ Nôm. Collectively, they are known as CJKV characters. In English, they are sometimes called Han characters. Chinese characters constitute the oldest continuously used system of writing in the world. By virtue of their widespread current use in East Asia, and historic use throughout the Sinosphere, Chinese characters are among the most widely adopted writing systems in the world. Chinese characters number in the tens of thousands, though most of them are minor graphic variants encountered only in historical texts. Studies in China have shown that functional literacy in written Chinese requires a knowledge of between three and four thousand characters. In Japan, 2,136 are taught through secondary school (the Jōyō kanji); hundreds more are in everyday use. There are various national standard lists of characters, forms, and pronunciations. Simplified forms of certain characters are used in China, Singapore, and Malaysia; the corresponding traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and to a limited extent in South Korea. In Japan, common characters are written in post-WWII Japan-specific simplified forms (shinjitai), which are closer to traditional forms than Chinese simplifications, while uncommon characters are written in Japanese traditional forms (kyūjitai), which are virtually identical to Chinese traditional forms. In South Korea, when Chinese characters are used they are of the traditional variant and are almost identical to those used in places like Taiwan and Hong Kong. Teaching of Chinese characters in South Korea starts in the 7th grade and continues until the 12th grade where 1,800 total characters are taught albeit these characters are only used in certain cases (on signs, academic papers, historical writings, etc.) and are slowly declining in use.

mctest

Joey went to the doctor yesterday. He was a little scared because he might have to get a shot, but his mother promised that it wouldn't hurt. During the time they were in the waiting room, Joey played with some blue and green blocks and some toy cars that the doctor kept there for the children who came to see him. He also met another little boy named Bobby who also had to see the doctor. Bobby liked playing with the cars more than the blocks, but Joey liked playing with both of them. Joey also met a little girl named Sandy who was playing with some dolls the doctor also had for the children. When it was Joey's turn to see the doctor, his mother led him into one of the rooms and had him sit on a yellow chair. The doctor was a friendly man who wore glasses. He took Joey's temperature and looked in his ears, then asked him a few questions about how he had been feeling. When Joey said his throat hurt a little, the doctor took a look at it as well. He said everything looked okay, and Joey wouldn't need any shots this visit. On the way out Susan the nurse let Joey take a red lollipop from a basket on her desk. By the time Joey got home, he thought the doctor wasn't so scary after all.

race

Amy Pankratz spent a few nights in the hospital with her daughter, Isabella, who caught a bad flu. "Lying in bed beside Isabella, I could hear the cries of children in pain, "says Amy. "It completely broke my heart." When Isabella was getting well and could leave her room, she wore her prized possession--a "superhero cape " Amy had sewn to encourage her--and walked into the hallway. The pink cape was an instant hit with the other young patients, who were doing exercise around the nursing station. "Then, all the kidswere taking turns wearing the cape, giggling, "Amy says. "These were some of the same children I had heard crying the night before, and here they were playing and having fun--kids just being kids!" From that moment on, Amy began making Comfort Capes for little ones battling with serious illnesses. "I felt God presenting an opportunity, "she says. "I hoped Comfort Capes can help these kids feel brave, to lift some of the fear away. " Since then, Amy has made and donated more than 5, 000 capes in the United States. Amy usually pays for materials herself, although she accepts donations. The capes she makes for kids in treatment are different from those her own children have. Before Amy starts to sew she learns what image or character the little boy or girl connects with. "I choose the pattern, color and theme specially for each child," explains Amy. When she is not sewing, Amy is raising awareness of childhood cancers and looking into ways to get Comfort Capes to more kids who need them, "If a cape can help a child, even only for a moment, forget his illness, it's worth the time spent sewing," she says.

race

If you ask Americans whether or not they think their former president George W. Bush is smart, most of them will probably tell you they don't think so. However, Bush's IQ score is estimated to be above 120, which puts him in the top ten percent of the population. It doesn't seem to make sense. How come someone with such an IQ score is not considered smart? Researchers say: IQ does not tell the whole story. Some people have high IQ scores, but still they can be poor thinkers and decision-makers. Keith Stanovich, a Canadian professor of human development and applied psychology, has been looking into the "clever fools" phenomenon for 15 years. He says IQ tests are very good at measuring certain mental faculties , including logic, learning ability, working-memory capacity (how much information you can hold in mind), etc. Those faculties play a part in one's academic success, but rational thinking is more important for us to make good judgments in real-life situations. IQ tests fail to work when it comes to rational thinking. That's because they are unable to assess things such as a person's ability to weigh up information, or whether an individual can set aside the cognitive biases that may be misleading. "A high IQ is like height in a basketball player," says David Perkins, who studies thinking and reasoning skills at Harvard University. "It is very important, all other things being equal. But all other things aren't equal. It takes a lot more to be a good basketball player than being tall, and it takes a lot more to be a good thinker than having a high IQ."

cnn

Edward Snowden's hopes of finding asylum from U.S. prosecution on espionage charges appeared to dim Tuesday as country after country denied his request or said he would have to find a way to travel to their territory to apply. While Bolivia and Venezuela seemed supportive, 11 of the 21 countries he's applied to, including Ecuador and Iceland, have said they can't consider his request until he shows up at one of their embassies or on their borders. Three -- Brazil, India and Poland -- have denied the request outright. And Bolivia said Tuesday the plane carrying its president, Evo Morales, was denied permission to land for refueling in either France or Portugal because of "unfounded" rumors that Snowden was aboard. Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca told Bolivian television that the jet made an emergency landing in the Austrian capital of Vienna and that Bolivia wanted an explanation from Paris and Lisbon. "We don't know who has come up with this huge lie," Choquehuanca said, adding, "We would like to let the international community know that the rights of aerial traffic for Bolivia have been violated." Morales had been in Russia, where he told the Russia Today news network that he would be willing to consider asylum for Snowden. And Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, also in Moscow for a tribute to his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez, said Snowden deserves protection, not prosecution. 'Unbowed' Snowden seeks new havens Maduro said Snowden's decision to leak details of American surveillance programs were "a warning signal to the world," according to statement from the president's office.

cnn

(CNN) -- A Cincinnati man charged with fatally shooting his 11-year-old daughter Thursday was denied a temporary release to attend the girl's funeral. Citing security concerns, state court Judge Nadine Allen denied a motion filed by a lawyer for Deandre Kelley, 34, who was charged with the shooting death of daughter Achauntiara Lanza during an argument with the victim's mother, according to bailiff Gail Ruth. Kelley's lawyer, Hugh McCloskey Jr., said the judge expressed concern that people might want to hurt his client or that his presence at the funeral could spark a dispute. "This motion was requested because it was requested by Mr. Kelley's family, especially the deceased young lady's mother," he said. "This is a family unit, whether we like it or not. They're suffering right now. In order to start healing, it's something they need to go through together." The mother, who was not identified, could not be reached for comment. Prosecutors said Kelley showed up at slumber party Lanza was hosting at her mother's house in the early hours of of January 12 and argued with her mother. Kelley allegedly fired his gun into the air during the exchange, with an errant bullet striking Lanza in an upstairs bedroom. The girl, struck in the upper torso, was later pronounced dead at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Prosecutors said the dispute began hours before the shooting: Kelley and the victim's mother argued because he brought a gun into the home while the girl was having a slumber party with friends. Kelley left and went drinking.

race

At Dulles High school in Sugar Land, Texas, the roster for Advanced Chinese begins with Jason Chao and ends with Kathy Zhang. In between comes an unexpected name: Elizabeth Hoffman. Hoffman, now a 12thgrader, began learning Chinese in the eighth grade, has spent a summer studying in Nanjing and plans to perfect her Mandarin next fall. When asked by her peers---why she is learning Chinese, she responds with a question: "why aren't you?" As China rushes toward superpower status, America's schools and government officials are responding to Hoffman's opinion. Earlier this year Eush Holt of New Jersey introduced legialation calling for increased money of programs for less commonly taught languages, "For reasons of economics, culture and security, we should have much better facilities with Chinese languages and dialects," he said. The State Department has pointed out Chinese is becoming a "critical language", but the most recent data show that only 24,000 students in Grade 7 to Grade 12 study Chinese. Still, the number is growing. In Chicago public schools, enrollment in Chinese classes has skyrocked from 5000 students in 2005 to nearly 35,000 students this year. In the Santa Clara County, California, enrollment has quadrupled during the same period. In 2007, when the College Board first introduces advanced-placement language exams in Chinese and Italian, 2,400 high school plan to offer AP Chinese---10 times the number of students that plan to offer AP Italian. Much of the interest can be explained by China's increasing competiviveness. "People are always trying to judge what languages are going to be useful for the future," says Marty Abbot, the director of education at the National Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Stephanie Wong, a student At Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California, chose Chinese so that she could speak with her grandfather. Wong also predicted that Chinese will be important if she becomes a doctor. 80 percent of people in her hometown are Asians.

gutenberg

CHAPTER XV: Blacky Does A Little Looking About Do not take the word of others That things are or are not so When there is a chance that you may Find out for yourself and know. --Blacky the Crow. Blacky the Crow is a shrewd fellow. He is one of the smartest and shrewdest of all the little people in the Green Forest and on the Green Meadows. Everybody knows it. And because of this, all his neighbors have a great deal of respect for him, despite his mischievous ways. Of course, Blacky had noticed that Johnny Chuck had dug his house deeper than usual and had stuffed himself until he was fatter than ever before. He had noticed that Jerry Muskrat was making the walls of his house thicker than in other years, and that Paddy the Beaver was doing the same thing to his house. You know there is very little that escapes the sharp eyes of Blacky the Crow. He had guessed what these things meant. "They think we are going to have a long, hard, cold winter," muttered Blacky to himself. "Perhaps they know, but I want to see some signs of it for myself. They may be only guessing. Anybody can do that, and one guess is as good as another." Then he found Mr. and Mrs. Quack, the Mallard Ducks, and their children in the pond of Paddy the Beaver and remembered that they never had come down from their home in the Far North as early in the fall as this. Mrs. Quack explained that Jack Frost had already started south, and so they had started earlier to keep well ahead of him.

mctest

A dancer named Eliza was part of the New York Ballet Performance and Arts Company. She spent all hours of the day practicing for her recital. Eliza had difficulties doing both her schoolwork and her dancing; she often fell behind in math. Her best friend Maddy was also a dancer; they often competed with each other to get the top parts in the dances. Their moms thought that because they competed with each other they might become mean towards one another but they did not let that get in the way of their friendship. In their latest recital Eliza had got the top part in the dance called "The Beauty and the Rain". The hours were long and draining on their bodies. All the girls and boys who left the performance center looked so tired. They couldn't pick up their practice bags off of the floor as they walked to their parents to go home and their eyelids were droopy. When Eliza got home, the last thing on her mind was her math problems. All she could think of was bathing her sore feet and her head hitting her soft fluffy pillow. Her teachers started to become aware of Eliza's problems in the classroom and called her parents into school to talk to her teachers. Her parents knew that dancing was Eliza's dream and would not let anything get in the way of her performances. It was important for her parents for Eliza to do well in all parts of her life, but her dancing is what lit a fire in her eyes. Her parents got her extra help to help with her homework, which helped Eliza keep track of all parts of her life.

cnn

(CNN) -- Brazil's highest court said Wednesday it does not have jurisdiction over who should have custody of a U.S.-born 9-year-old boy -- his Brazilian stepfather or his father in the United States. David Goldman is seeking custody of his son, Sean, who is living with relatives of his deceased mother in Brazil. The high court's ruling sends the ongoing case back to an appeals court in Rio de Janeiro. In the unanimous vote, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court said it could not rule over The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, of which Brazil is a signatory. Brazil is undergoing constitutional reforms and has recently voted on a law that would make all international human rights conventions part of its constitution. Last week, Judge Marco Aurelio, who sits on the Supreme Federal Court, suspended a lower court ruling that custody of Sean Richard Goldman be turned over to the U.S. consulate, which was to have then handed him over to the boy's father, David Goldman, who is a U.S. citizen. Aurelio's decision was based on a conservative party's petition that said the boy's removal from Brazil would cause him psychological harm. But the father responded that his son was suffering psychological harm simply by remaining with his Brazilian relatives, whom Goldman -- a part-time model who captains boats -- accused of turning Sean against him. The case now goes to the Federal Appeals Court in Rio de Janeiro and does not mean the boy will return to his father without further rulings.

wikipedia

Homer ( , "Hómēros") is the name ascribed by the ancient Greeks to the legendary author of the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey", two epic poems which are the central works of ancient Greek literature. The "Iliad" is set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states. It focuses on a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles lasting a few weeks during the last year of the war. The "Odyssey" focuses on the journey home of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, after the fall of Troy. Many accounts of Homer's life circulated in classical antiquity, the most widespread being that he was a blind bard from Ionia, a region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey. Modern scholars consider them legends. The Homeric Question—by whom, when, where and under what circumstances were the "Iliad" and "Odyssey" composed—continues to be debated. Broadly speaking, modern scholarly opinion falls into two groups. One holds that most of the "Iliad" and (according to some) the "Odyssey" are the works of a single poet of genius. The other considers the Homeric poems to be the result of a process of working and re-working by many contributors, and that "Homer" is best seen as a label for an entire tradition. It is generally accepted that the poems were composed at some point around the late 8th or early 7th century BC. The poems are in Homeric Greek, also known as Epic Greek, a literary language which shows a mixture of features of the Ionic and Aeolic dialects from different centuries; the predominant influence is Eastern Ionic. Most researchers believe that the poems were originally transmitted orally.

gutenberg

CHAPTER I SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS "Sam, this isn't the path." "I know it, Tom." "We've missed our way," went on Tom Rover, with a serious look on his usually sunny face. "It looks that way to me," answered Sam Rover, his younger brother. "I think we made a wrong turn after we slid down the cliff." "What is keeping Dick?" "I don't know." "Let's call to him," went on Tom, and set up a loud cry, in which his brother joined. The pair listened intently, but no answer came back. "I don't like this," said Sam, an anxious look in his clear eyes. "Maybe Dick is in trouble." "Perhaps so," answered Tom Rover. The two boys were far up on a mountainside, and all around them were tall trees, thick brushwood, and immense ridges of rocks. It had been a clear, sunshiny day, but now the sky was overcast, and it looked like rain. "We've got to go back for Dick," said Tom, after a painful pause. "No use of going on without him." "I hope he hasn't fallen over some cliff and hurt himself," returned his younger brother. "I don't see why he doesn't answer us, if he's all right," was the unsatisfactory reply. "Come on, or the storm will overtake us before we get down from the mountain and we'll be soaked by the time we reach home." Side by side the brothers retraced their steps--a hard task, for it is much easier to climb down a steep mountainside than to climb up.

race

"How did Norman know, Sister Emma?" "He overheard you and Aryan arguing. I suspect that he purposely overheard on you. Norman knew or concluded what profession Aryan practiced. He might well have followed Aryan on his explorations. Whether he did or not is beside the point. When Aryan came back yesterday afternoon, Norman certainly decided that he had made some find, for Aryan told Norman that he would be leaving for the capital to meet the detective the next morning. He probably followed Aryan to your room and overheard what passed between you. "Since you could not act against the law of man and God, he would serve a natural justice in his own way. He took the jar of poison hemlock from the chemistry shop and when Aryan asked for a drink, he supplied it. Norman did not know the precise quantity needed and so Aryan did not suffer the full effects until after the bell called the community into the dining hall for the evening meal." Abbess was following Sister Emma closely. "And then?" "Then I began my investigation, and then the detective arrived seeking Aryan for an explanation for his death." "But who killed Norman?" "Norman knew that sooner or later he would be discovered. But more importantly in his guileless mind there was also the guilt of having taken a man's life to be considered. Norman was a simple man. He decided that he should accept the punishment--the honor-price of a life. What greater honor-price for the life of Aryan could he offer than his own? He also took a draught of poison hemlock." There was a pause.

wikipedia

Quebec ( or ; ) is one of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada. It is bordered to the west by the province of Ontario, James Bay, and Hudson Bay; to the north by Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay; to the east by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador; and to the south by the province of New Brunswick and the US states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. It also shares maritime borders with Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. Quebec is Canada's largest province by area and its second-largest administrative division; only the territory of Nunavut is larger. It is historically and politically considered to be part of Central Canada (with Ontario). Quebec is the second-most populous province of Canada, after Ontario. It is the only one to have a predominantly French-speaking population, with French as the sole provincial official language. Most inhabitants live in urban areas near the Saint Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City, the capital. Approximately half of Quebec residents live in the Greater Montreal Area, including the Island of Montreal. English-speaking communities and English-language institutions are concentrated in the west of the island of Montreal but are also significantly present in the Outaouais, Eastern Townships, and Gaspé regions. The Nord-du-Québec region, occupying the northern half of the province, is sparsely populated and inhabited primarily by Aboriginal peoples. The climate around the major cities is four-season continental with cold and snowy winters combined with warm to hot humid summers, but further north long winter seasons dominate and as a result the northern areas of the province are marked by tundra conditions. Even in central Quebec, at comparatively southerly latitudes, winters are severe in inland areas.

cnn

(Rolling Stone) -- On July 25th, 1965, Bob Dylan walked onstage at the Newport Folk Festival, plugged in his 1964 sunburst Fender Stratocaster and tore through a scorching three-song set. It was a crucial turning point in his career, and it quickly became rock & roll legend -- the moment when Dylan transformed from a protest folkie to a rebel genius. But the guitar Dylan played on that mythic afternoon went missing for the next 47 years -- until recently, when a team of PBS researchers told New Jersey resident Dawn Peterson that she had it in her home. Peterson's late father, Victor Quinto, was a private pilot who worked for Dylan's manager, Albert Grossman, in the mid-1960s. "After one flight, my father saw there were three guitars left on the plane," she says. He contacted the company a few times about picking the guitars up, but nobody ever got back to him." Last fall, Peterson asked PBS's History Detectives to help verify her find. The 1964 Stratocaster came with 13 pages of typed and handwritten song lyrics tucked inside its guitar case -- but host Wes Cowan was skeptical at first. "It's so important, historically and culturally, that I couldn't have imagined Bob Dylan would have just left it on an airplane," he says. In fact, Dylan says that's not what happened. "Bob has possession of the electric guitar he played at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965," his attorney, Orin Snyder, said in a statement. "He did own several other Stratocaster guitars that were stolen from him around that time, as were some handwritten lyrics."

mctest

Tasha and Hassan went to their grandma's house. They were going to stay there for two days. Tasha was happy because she likes to play with the farm animals. She wanted to milk the cow. She also wanted to play with the baby pig. Hassan wanted to stay in the house and bake sugar cookies. He also wanted to make fresh cocoa. When Hassan started to make the cookies he saw that there was no milk in the fridge to make the cookies and cocoa. He walked outside and asked Tasha to fill up the bucket with fresh milk from the cow. Hassan used the milk to make the cookies and hot cocoa. Tasha and Hassan shared the cookies with their grandma. They ate all of the cookies and drank the hot cocoa in front of the TV. Their grandma promised to make them apple pie the next morning. She had picked a basket full of apples the day before.

race

_ , by the U.S. education system. Remarkably, he could read, yet, in spite of his reading skills, Steve was failing. He had been failing since first grade, as he was passed on from grade to grade. Steve was a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a twelve year old, yet, Steve went unnoticed... until Miss White. Miss White was a smiling, young, beautiful redhead, and Steve was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn't take his eyes off his teacher; yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with Miss White. His heart would break under her sharp words, and when he was punished for failing to turn in his homework, he felt just miserable! Still, he did not study. In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things, as the day wore on. His heart was not in school, but in the woods, where he often escaped alone, trying to shut out the sights, sounds and smells of his alcoholic home. No one checked on him to see if he was safe. No one knew he was gone, because no one was sober enough to care. Oddly, Steve never missed a day of school. One day, Miss White's impatient voice broke into his daydreams. "Steve!!" Startled, he turned to look at her. "Pay attention!" Steve locked his gaze on Miss White with adolescent adoration , as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade. "You all did pretty well," she told the class, "except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but..." She hesitated, pinning Steve to his seat with a sharp stare, her eyes searching his face. "...The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!" She just stared at Steve, as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips. After that, it was war!! Steve still wouldn't do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained stubborn. "Just try it! ONE WEEK!" He was unmoved. "You're smart enough! You'll see a change!" Nothing fazed him. "Give yourself a chance! Don't give up on your life!" Nothing. "Steve! Please! I care about you!" Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it!! Someone cared about him? Someone, totally unattainable and perfect, CARED ABOUT HIM??!! Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. Walking into the house, he took one look around. Both parents were passed out, in various stages of undress, and the stench was overpowering! He, quickly, gathered up his camping gear, a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. Grim faced and determined, he headed for the woods. The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in, all sparkle and smiles! God, she was beautiful! He yearned for her smile to turn on him. It did not. Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test, and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Steve walked back to his desk, his heart pounding within his chest. As he sat down, he couldn't resist another look at the lovely woman. Miss White's face was in total shock! She glanced up at Steve, then down, then up. Suddenly, her face broke into a radiant smile. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test! From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at it! He discovered that he could understand and retain knowledge, and that he could translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to excel! And he continued this course throughout his school life. After high-school Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a successful military career. During that time, he met the love of his life, he raised a family, and he graduated from college Magna Cum Laude. During his Naval career, he inspired many young people, who without him, might not have believed in themselves. Steve began a second career after the Navy, and he continues to inspire others, as an adjunct professor in a nearby college. Miss White left a great legacy. She saved one boy who has changed many lives. I know, because I am the love of his life. You see, it's simple, really. A change took place within the heart of one boy, all because of one teacher, who cared.

race

China has a growing love affair with the cars.This is clear at the Beijing Asian Games Village Automobile Exchange, where more and more people come to look and increasingly to buy. Alice Wu is an editor at a Chinese Internet publication.She takes the subway to work, but she is certain she can cut her commute time if she drives herself.Wu says it takes her three hours to get to work now.If she had a car, she says, the same trip would only take her two hours. The Asian Games Village Automobile Exchange is the biggest car dealership in Beijing.General manager Guo Yong says the business sells more than two thousand cars each week.Guo says it is much easier for Chinese consumers to buy a car now.In the past, it would take them several years to earn enough money to buy a new car.Now, he says, many people only need to save for one year.Also, the emergence of less expensive domestic brands like Chery and BYD means more Chinese can afford cars. For decades, most Chinese city residents got about by bicycle or public buses and trains.Now, in many areas, the number of new cars is growing faster than the road system, leaving city streets jammed with traffic.Guo Liang has wanted to buy a car for a decade, and he will be the first in his family to own one.He is not _ by Beijing's traffic jams.Guo says if the traffic is too bad, he will use the car for leisure or holidays with his family.Another customer, Zhang Menxin, works in Beijing, but is from Xi'an, more than 900 kilometers away.Zhang says it is very difficult to get a train ticket to return home for Chinese New Year.She adds that train is not convenient.If she had her own car, she says, she could go anytime she wanted to. World Bank transportation specialist Shomik Mendhiratta says, "Getting a car makes people feel like they have arrived to the middle class, and it's got a huge status associated with it.It's a fantastic thing to have."

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The story of the day I lost my best friend to a car accident. The day a precious life was taken from us way too soon. It was a bright and Sunny day in November. Thanksgiving had been celebrated only two days before. Since it was a holiday weekend I had been on the phone with Greg the night before many times. His dad didn't want him to come over because of the holiday. I guess he finally wore him down and he called and said, "I can stay". So, my mom, brother, and I went to pick him up. He was always smiling. The complete opposite of my shy self, Greg was always the life of the party. We got two large pizzas that Friday night. I've never known anyone in my entire life who loved to eat more than Greg. That's the way he was though. He was just enjoying life. And if it meant gaining weight or whatever, so be it. He would sit back and put his hands on his belly and just laugh. We (Greg, David, and I) did so many funny things together and had such great times. Things we should have done and things we shouldn't have done, I'll "Never" forget. On Saturday morning Dad took us out for breakfast. We all finished eating and followed my Dad up to the cashier. Greg asked Dad if he could have a candy bar. I looked at Greg shaking my head. He just laughed. After breakfast, Father took us to my Mom's house. When we got out at Mom's house there was no one home. So, one of us grabbed a big wheel and rode it down the steep driveway into the street. Just boys being boys. Greg and I did it several times until the last time. The car hit him on the head, knocking him around 75-- 100 yards. My brother and I both ran screaming just yelling for help and crying. One of the neighbors called 911. I was in shock. That day was forever etched into our memories. It still hurts to think about it. Wishing we could have grown old together. Wondering how it would have been. I'm sure It WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT.

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Jim found a job in a shop two years ago. Mrs. White, the shopkeeper trusts the able young man and pays him more. He's happy and works harder. Once Jim knew a beautiful girl called Mabel at a friend's party. They danced for several times and the girl was deeply in love. But Mabel's parents didn't agree to marry their daughter to a poor young man. So they began to travel in America and didn't let the girl come back to London. She wrote a letter to Jim and told him about it. Of course the young man hadn't enough money to go to see her. He was so sad that he began to drink. It was Saturday one day. Jim didn't go to work. He came to a bar and sat down to drink. Just then an old friend of his came in. He asked him to drink with him. Crying, he told Mike all and the young man felt sorry for him. After a while they were both drunk and left. Mike wanted to take his friend home. When they passed a zoo, they went in and walked to a cage in which there were two tigers. Having seen them, a tiger roared. Mike was afraid and said, "Let's go. Let's go. It's dangerous to stand here." "I don't think so," said Jim. " I'm watching TV now".

wikipedia

BT Group plc (trading as BT) is a holding company which owns British Telecommunications plc, a British multinational telecommunications company with head offices in London, United Kingdom. It has operations in around 180 countries and is the largest provider of fixed-line, mobile and broadband services in the UK, and also provides subscription television and IT services. BT's origins date back to the founding of the Electric Telegraph Company in 1846 which developed a nationwide communications network. In 1912, the General Post Office, a government department, became the monopoly telecoms supplier in the United Kingdom. The Post Office Act of 1969 led to the GPO becoming a public corporation. British Telecommunications, trading as "British Telecom", was formed in 1980, and became independent of the Post Office in 1981. British Telecommunications was privatised in 1984, becoming "British Telecommunications plc", with some 50 percent of its shares sold to investors. The Government sold its remaining stake in further share sales in 1991 and 1993. BT has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange, and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. BT controls a number of large subsidiaries. BT Global Services division supplies telecoms services to corporate and government customers worldwide, and its BT Consumer division supplies telephony, broadband, and subscription television services in Great Britain to around 18 million customers. BT announced in February 2015 that it had agreed to acquire EE for £12.5 billion, and received final regulatory approval from the Competition and Markets Authority on 15 January 2016. The transaction was completed on 29 January 2016.

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CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. RETRIBUTION. Owing to the success of the buffalo runners, the winter passed away in comparative comfort. But, as we have said, some of the settlers who had been ruined by the failure of the fisheries and the depredations of the mice, and who did not share much in the profits of the autumn hunt, were obliged once again to seek their old port of refuge at Pembina. Among these was the Swiss family Morel. Andre went, because he did not wish to remain comparatively idle in the colony during the long months of winter. Elise went for the purpose of keeping house--perhaps we should say keeping hut--for Andre. Fred Jenkins went because he wanted to learn more about Indian ways and customs, as well as to perfect himself in the art of hunting the buffalo--that was all! There were some who did not believe what the bold seaman said. Elise Morel was one of these--perhaps the most unbelieving amongst them. Indeed, she laughed quite hilariously when his motive was reported to her by Billie Sinclair the day before they started. "Why do you laugh so?" inquired Little Bill, who was always more or less in a state of surprise when he got upon this subject with Elise. "It is not easy to say, Billie," answered the girl, with another pleasant little laugh, "but it is so funny that a sailor should take such a fancy to come out here, so far away from his native element, and find so much interest in snow-shoe walking and Indian customs."

gutenberg

CHAPTER XV--THE END OF THE MEETING Stephen went on in her calm, cold voice: 'Did he tell you that I had asked him to marry me?' Despite herself, as she spoke the words a red tide dyed her face. It was not a flush; it was not a blush; it was a sort of flood which swept through her, leaving her in a few seconds whiter than before. Harold saw and understood. He could not speak; he lowered his head silently. Her eyes glittered more coldly. The madness that every human being may have once was upon her. Such a madness is destructive, and here was something more vulnerable than herself. 'Did he tell you how I pressed him?' There was no red tide this time, nor ever again whilst the interview lasted. To bow in affirmation was insufficient; with an effort he answered: 'I understood so.' She answered with an icy sarcasm: 'You understood so! Oh, I don't doubt he embellished the record with some of his own pleasantries. But you understood it; and that is sufficient.' After a pause she went on: 'Did he tell you that he had refused me?' 'Yes!' Harold knew now that he was under the torture, and that there was no refusing. She went on, with a light laugh, which wrung his heart even more than her pain had done . . . Stephen to laugh like that! 'And I have no doubt that he embellished that too, with some of his fine masculine witticisms. I understood myself that he was offended at my asking him. I understood it quite well; he told me so!' Then with feminine intuition she went on:

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CHAPTER VI. THE LIME-KILN. MR. MEADOWCROFT was the first to speak. "Somebody must find John," he said. "Without losing a moment," added his daughter. Ambrose suddenly stepped out of the dark corner of the room. "_I_ will inquire," he said. Silas followed him. "I will go with you," he added. Mr. Meadowcroft interposed his authority. "One of you will be enough; for the present, at least. Go you, Ambrose. Your brother may be wanted later. If any accident has happened (which God forbid!) we may have to inquire in more than one direction. Silas, you will stay at the farm." The brothers withdrew together; Ambrose to prepare for his journey, Silas to saddle one of the horses for him. Naomi slipped out after them. Left in company with Mr. Meadowcroft and his daughter (both devoured by anxiety about the missing man, and both trying to conceal it under an assumption of devout resignation to circumstances), I need hardly add that I, too, retired, as soon as it was politely possible for me to leave the room. Ascending the stairs on my way to my own quarters, I discovered Naomi half hidden by the recess formed by an old-fashioned window-seat on the first landing. My bright little friend was in sore trouble. Her apron was over her face, and she was crying bitterly. Ambrose had not taken his leave as tenderly as usual. She was more firmly persuaded than ever that "Ambrose was hiding something from her." We all waited anxiously for the next day. The next day made the mystery deeper than ever.

cnn

(CNN) -- If you can believe it, it's been 25 years since Edward James Olmos portrayed real-life math teacher Jaime Escalante in "Stand and Deliver." Escalante, a Bolivian immigrant, taught in a tough East L.A. high school and pushed his lowest-achieving students to learn calculus. The inspirational role won Olmos a Golden Globe and garnered him an Academy Award nomination for best actor, a first for an American-born Latino. Since then, he's played memorable roles, such as Lt. Martin Castillo in "Miami Vice," Abraham Quintanilla in the film "Selena" and William Adama in "Battlestar Galactica." Now, in his newest role as executive producer and actor in "Filly Brown," he plays lawyer named Leandro who tries to help Mexican-American hip-hop artist Maria Jose 'Majo' Tonorio, aka Filly Brown, and her family get her mom out of jail. The late Jenni Rivera plays the part of Majo's mother María and Lou Diamond Philips plays the father who takes care of Majo and her younger sister. Olmos took some time to talk to CNN about the genuine portrayal of Jaime Escalante, what Latinos can do to make it in Hollywood and why Filly Brown's story needs to be told. It's been 25 years since "Stand and Deliver" premiered in theaters. Did you ever imagine that the movie would be so successful and influential as it's been? I don't think anyone could've predicted that. Teachers use (it) as part of their curriculum. Millions of kids see it every year. That's why the movie is so well seen. It's amazing what that movie has done with the youth. I don't think anyone could have guessed that it would be used the way it's being used. It continues to be inspirational.

wikipedia

The term Carnival is traditionally used in areas with a large Catholic presence. However, the Philippines, a predominantly Roman Catholic country, does not celebrate Carnival anymore since the dissolution of the Manila Carnival after 1939, the last carnival in the country. In historically Lutheran countries, the celebration is known as Fastelavn, and in areas with a high concentration of Anglicans and Methodists, pre-Lenten celebrations, along with penitential observances, occur on Shrove Tuesday. In Eastern Orthodox nations, Maslenitsa is celebrated during the last week before Great Lent. In German-speaking Europe and the Netherlands, the Carnival season traditionally opens on 11/11 (often at 11:11 a.m.). This dates back to celebrations before the Advent season or with harvest celebrations of St. Martin's Day. Traditionally a carnival feast was the last opportunity to eat well before the time of food shortage at the end of the winter during which one was limited to the minimum necessary. On what nowadays is called vastenavond (the days before fasting) all the remaining winter stores of lard, butter and meat which were left would be eaten, for it would soon start to rot and decay. The selected livestock had in fact already been slaughtered in November and the meat would be no longer preservable. All the food that had survived the winter had to be eaten to assure that everyone was fed enough to survive until the coming spring would provide new food sources.

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Robert Frost was one of America's best known and most honored serious writers. But his fame came late in his life. He was born in San Francisco, California in 1874. He lived in California during his early childhood. He was named after the chief Southern general in America's Civil War. The general's name was Robert Edward Lee. The poet was named Robert Lee Frost, because his father wanted to honor the general. Someone once asked another American writer, Ernest Hemingway, how to become a writer. The best thing, he said, was to have an unhappy childhood. If this is true, Robert Frost's childhood was unhappy enough to make him a very good writer. Robert Frost's father was a reporter who wanted to be a politician. He often drank too much wine and became angry. Robert was the victim of his anger. Robert Frost finished high school in 1891. After high school, Robert's grandfather offered to pay his costs at Dartmouth College. But Robert left the school after a few months. He did not like it. He spent the next few years working at different jobs. At one time, he worked in a factory. Later, he repaired shoes. He was a teacher. He was a reporter. Always, he wrote poetry. Robert Frost attended Harvard University for two years. After that, he returned to the many jobs he held before. For a while, Frost tried to take care of a farm in the state of New Hampshire. He was not a successful farmer. And he continued to write poetry. He said that until 1930, he earned only about ten dollars a year from writing. In 1912, he decided to try to make a new start. He took his family to Britain. The cost of living was low. In Britain, Frost found a publisher for his first book of poems. The book was called A Boy's Will. When it appeared in 1913. Frost received high praise from British readers. Praise was something he had not received in his own country. Ezra Pound, another American poet living in Britain, read the poems and liked them very much. He wrote a magazine article about Frost. He also helped get Frost's second book of poems published in America. That book was called North of Boston.

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One Friday Mrs. King asked her class to write a story after class. "Use your imagination!" she cried, "You can write your story about anything." Kenny looked worried. "A story?" he thought, "What could I possible have to write about? I don't know any stories." The bell rang and all the kids went home. The next day, Kenny sat at his desk at home, thinking and thinking. The warm sun was shining through the windows, making him _ And soon he fell fast asleep. As he slept, Kenny began to dream about fantastic things. First he dreamed that he was a world-famous doctor, saving whole cities and curing diseases. Then he dreamed that he was in a UFO. He was talking to strange but friendly space creatures. Then he dreamed that he had become as small as a mouse by a bad scientist. He had to find a way to stop the plot of the mad scientist! Kenny dreamed wonderful and exciting things until his little brother woke him up. "What were you dreaming about?" he asked. Kenny told his brother the wonderful dreams. His brother enjoyed the stories. Suddenly, Kenny knew that he had his kinds of stories in his imagination.

mctest

Today was an important day for Sam: he was going to go to the pet store and pick out a pet to take home and live with him! Sam was worried that he would not find a pet that would like him better than the other pets, but he knew he would find the pet for him. The pet store had a big, white door and Sam opened it up and heard lots of barking! He saw a nice man standing next to the dogs who said that his name was Chris. Sam said hello and petted the dogs. He really liked one of the dogs named Rocky, but Rocky did not like him. Chris said that Rocky was mean and did not like some people even when the people were very nice. Sam was a little sad, but he saw the next cage! There was a small, yellow dog in the cage named Button. Sam put his finger through the bars in Button's cage and Button licked his fingers. Sam laughed, and asked Chris to let him play with Buttons. Sam and Buttons played together in the grass outside of the store, and Sam was so happy. Buttons loved Sam, and Sam loved Buttons! Sam had some papers that he had to sign, and he showed Chris all of the toys and items he had bought to bring home with his new pet: Chris was so happy, too! Sam put his new friend on a leash and took Buttons home with him, and they loved each other very much.

gutenberg

CHAPTER 2 Amelius went straight back to the cottage, with the one desperate purpose of reverting to the old plan, and burying himself in his books. Surveying his well-filled shelves with an impatience unworthy of a scholar, Hume's "History of England" unhappily caught his eye. He took down the first volume. In less than half an hour he discovered that Hume could do nothing for him. Wisely inspired, he turned to the truer history next, which men call fiction. The writings of the one supreme genius, who soars above all other novelists as Shakespeare soars above all other dramatists--the writings of Walter Scott--had their place of honour in his library. The collection of the Waverley Novels at Tadmor had not been complete. Enviable Amelius had still to read _Rob Roy._ He opened the book. For the rest of the day he was in love with Diana Vernon; and when he looked out once or twice at the garden to rest his eyes, he saw "Andrew Fairservice" busy over the flowerbeds. He closed the last page of the noble story as Toff came in to lay the cloth for dinner. The master at table and the servant behind his chair were accustomed to gossip pleasantly during meals. Amelius did his best to carry on the talk as usual. But he was no longer in the delightful world of illusion which Scott had opened to him. The hard realities of his own everyday life had gathered round him again. Observing him with unobtrusive attention, the Frenchman soon perceived the absence of the easy humour and the excellent appetite which distinguished his young master at other times.

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What a miracle! A low-cost Lost in Thailand <<>> has got the best ticket sales. It is true that Lost in Thailand has become the most popular Chinese film of all time. The ticket sales The movie Lost in Thailand cost just 30 million yuan to make, but it has earned more than 1.2 billion yuan. It has got more ticket than Painted Skin: The Resurrection, the best-selling movie this summer in China. The story summary Lost in Thailand is a comedy. It is a story about three Chinese men who met on their trips to Thailand. The movie has a great plot. Xu Lang is a businessman. He hurried to Thailand to look for his boss because of his special purpose. His competitor, Gao Bo followed him to Thailand, too. Xu Lang met Wang Bao, a pancake maker on his way to Thailand, Three Chinese men had some funny and _ experiences in Thailand and the story made people high. The director and actors The director of the movie is Xu Zheng. He has been a popular actor for about ten years. He was famous for his role, the Evil Pig in a popular TV serious. Lost in Thailand is his first movie that was directed by Xu Zheng. Xu Zheng is a lead role in the movie. Huang Bo and Wang Baoqiang are China's top comedians and the both play the important roles in the movie. ,A, B, c, D,. (10)

gutenberg

CHAPTER XXIX LOCATING THE LOST MINE While Yates and another of the men ran toward Noxton to make him a prisoner, the others turned their attention to the Baxters and Al Roebuck. The Baxters were hiding behind a clump of bushes, but now, as soon as discovered, they took to their heels, making sure that the bushes and trees should keep them screened, so that there would be no danger from a fire such as had brought down their unlucky companion. "They're on us, dad!" groaned Dan Baxter, "Oh, why did we ever come out here!" "Silence, Dan," whispered Arnold Baxter. "If we don't keep still they may shoot us down in cold blood." And then Dan became as mum as an oyster, although his teeth chattered with terror. On went father and son, down a hill and into a deep valley where the rocks were numerous and the growth thick. Several shots flew over their heads, causing Dan to almost drop from heart failure. "I--I can't ru--run much further!" he panted. "Come, here is an opening between the rocks," whispered Arnold Baxter. "In you go, before it is too late. If they follow us, we can sell our lives as dearly as possible." Dan gave a groan at this, and slipped into the hollow. He did not wish to sell his life at any price. "Let us put out a--a flag of truce," he whined. "Give them everything, father, but don't let them shoot us!" Every ounce of courage had oozed away from him, for he had seen Noxton brought down, and thought the rascal was dead.

wikipedia

Newcastle upon Tyne (RP: i/ˌnjuːkɑːsəl əˌpɒn ˈtaɪn/; Locally: i/njuːˌkæsəl əˌpən ˈtaɪn/), commonly known as Newcastle, is a city in Tyne and Wear, North East England, 103 miles (166 km) south of Edinburgh and 277 miles (446 km) north of London on the northern bank of the River Tyne, 8.5 mi (13.7 km) from the North Sea. Newcastle is the most populous city in the North East and Tyneside the eighth most populous conurbation in the United Kingdom. Newcastle is a member of the English Core Cities Group and is a member of the Eurocities network of European cities. Newcastle was part of the county of Northumberland until 1400, when it became a county itself, a status it retained until becoming part of Tyne and Wear in 1974.[not in citation given] The regional nickname and dialect for people from Newcastle and the surrounding area is Geordie. The city developed around the Roman settlement Pons Aelius and was named after the castle built in 1080 by Robert Curthose, William the Conqueror's eldest son. The city grew as an important centre for the wool trade in the 14th century, and later became a major coal mining area. The port developed in the 16th century and, along with the shipyards lower down the River Tyne, was amongst the world's largest shipbuilding and ship-repairing centres. Newcastle's economy includes corporate headquarters, learning, digital technology, retail, tourism and cultural centres, from which the city contributes £13 billion towards the United Kingdom's GVA. Among its icons are Newcastle Brown Ale; Newcastle United football club; and the Tyne Bridge. It has hosted the world's most popular half marathon, the Great North Run, since it began in 1981.

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CBC Canada , CTV News A group of Canadian kids are spreading a bit of Christmas spirit in Halifax, Nova Scotia, by covering warm clothes around light poles for the city's homeless people to pick up and use. _ was such an unusual sight that locals stopped to take pictures to share on social media . Every year, Tara Atkins-Smith collects warm clothes from her community in order to help the less lucky. This year, since the family was traveling to Halifax with their daughter Jayda and seven of her friends to celebrate her 8thbirthday Tara thought it was the perfect time to teach the chidren a valuable life lesson. The kids spent time handing out coats to the homeless and tied the rest around light poles for others to pick up. Each of the clothes had a tag that read, "I am not lost. If you are caught in the cold, please take me to keep warm. " According to Tara, the experience helped the children better understand the difficult situation of homeless people, who have to brave the cold winter on the streets. "When we got back in the car after an hour on the street, they were all freezing cold and crying for the heater to be on because they were cold , " she said. By next morning, all the jackets, gloves, and scarves on the poles were gone. Photos of the inspriring project have been shared about 8, 000 times on Facebook, and have got over10,000 likes. Tara, who did something similar in Toronto in December last year, says she's already planning next year's coat drive. She hopes that the meaningful thing can spread around the world, and she also wants to add $5 fast food gift card so that the homeless people can also enjoy a hot meal. "We've got help from others when we were in need, and we knew how great it made us feel," said Zackary Atkins, Tara's husband.

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Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is the eldest child and heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II. Known alternatively in Cornwall as Duke of Cornwall and in Scotland as Duke of Rothesay, he is the longest-serving heir apparent in British history, having held the position since 1952. He is also the oldest person to be next in line to the throne since Sophia of Hanover (the heir presumptive to Queen Anne), who died in 1714 at the age of 83. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace as the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. He was educated at Cheam and Gordonstoun Schools, which his father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, had attended as a child, as well as the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia. After earning a bachelor of arts degree from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976. In 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer and they had two sons: Prince William (born 1982), later to become Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry (born 1984). In 1996, the couple divorced, following well-publicised extramarital affairs. Diana died in a car crash in Paris the following year. In 2005, Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles.

wikipedia

Australasia, a region of Oceania, comprises Australia, New Zealand, neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean and, sometimes, the island of New Guinea (which is usually considered to be part of Melanesia). Charles de Brosses coined the term (as French "Australasie") in "Histoire des navigations aux terres australes" (1756). He derived it from the Latin for "south of Asia" and differentiated the area from Polynesia (to the east) and the southeast Pacific (Magellanica). The bulk of Australasia sits on the Indo-Australian Plate, together with India. Physiographically, Australasia includes New Zealand, Australia (including Tasmania), and Melanesia: New Guinea and neighbouring islands north and east of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. The designation is sometimes applied to all the lands and islands of the Pacific Ocean lying between the equator and latitude 47° south. Physiographically, Australasia includes the Australian landmass (including Tasmania), New Zealand, and New Guinea. The independent country of Papua New Guinea also includes approximately 600 offshore islands. Most of Australasia lies on the southern portion of the Indo-Australian Plate, flanked by the Indian Ocean to the west and the Southern Ocean to the south. Peripheral territories lie on the Eurasian Plate to the northwest, the Philippine Plate to the north, and in the Pacific Ocean – including numerous marginal seas – atop the Pacific Plate to the north and east.

cnn

For decades, prosecutors say, Johann (John) Breyer had successfully eluded a dark past. In his twilight years, the 89-year-old Philadelphia man was forced to defend himself against accusations that he was more than a mere perimeter guard at the notorious Auschwitz camp, where more than 1 million people, most of them Jews, were killed during World War II. He maintained that he never persecuted anyone. In 2003, a U.S. court ruled that he was not responsible for joining a Nazi unit because he was only 17 years old at the time. But new evidence has emerged, U.S. and German prosecutors say, that shows Breyer had to have been involved in the crimes that occurred in that place. Breyer, who has lived in the United States since the 1950s, is facing possible extradition to Germany following his arrest Tuesday in Philadelphia, authorities said. Federal Magistrate Judge Timothy R. Rice on Wednesday ordered him held without bail, pending an extradition hearing in late August. "Extradition is traditionally a very long and complicated process," CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said. "It's always possible to fight extradition. It just often takes a long time." German authorities alleged that Breyer served in the Nazi "Death's Head Guard Battalion" from 1943 to 1945 at the Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp and at another location, according to court papers. German authorities have charged Breyer with complicity in the murder of more than 216,000 European Jews from Hungary, Germany, and Czechoslovakia, who were forcibly deported to Auschwitz, in southern Poland, on 158 trains between May and October 1944, according to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

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Samuel Osmond is a 19-year-old law student from Cornwall, England. He never studied the piano. However, he can play very difficult musical pieces by musicians such as Chopin and Beethoven just a few minutes after he hears them. He learns a piece of music by listening to it in parts. Then he thinks about the notes in his head. Two years ago, he played his first piece Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. He surprised everyone around him. Amazed that he remembered this long and difficult piece of music and played it perfectly, his teachers say Samuel is unbelievable .They say his ability is very rare, but Samuel doesn't even realize that what he can do is special. Samuel wanted to become a lawyer as it was the wish of his parents, but music teachers told him he should study music instead. Now, he studies law and music. Samuel can't understand why everyone is so surprised. "I grew up with music. My mother played the piano and my father played the guitar. About two years ago, I suddenly decided to start playing the piano, without being able to read music and without having any lessons. It comes easily to me ---I hear the notes and can bear them in mind---each and every note," says Samuel. Recently, Samuel performed a piece during a special event at his college. The piece had more than a thousand notes. The audience was impressed by his amazing performance. He is now learning a piece that is so difficult that many professional pianists can't play it. Samuel says confidently," It's all about super memory---I guess I have that gift." However, Samuel's ability to remember things doesn't stop with music. His family says that even when he was a young boy, Samuel heard someone read a story, and then he could retell the story word for word. Samuel is still only a teenager. He doesn't know what he wants to do in the future. For now, he is just happy to play beautiful music and continue his studies.

cnn

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Health and Human Services' acting secretary has appointed Dr. Richard Besser as the interim director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. William Gimson will return to his position as the CDC's chief operating officer. He replaces William Gimson, who took over as interim CDC director at noon on January 20. Gimson notified CDC employees that HHS acting secretary Charles E. Johnson had announced the appointment. Gimson replaced Dr. Julie Gerberding, who was the head of the CDC from 2002 until two days ago. Gerberding, along with other senior officials, also resigned on January 20, when Barack Obama and his administration took over. Past HHS secretary Michael Leavitt said that the interim directors would take over until the next HHS nominee -- former Sen. Tom Daschle -- is confirmed and makes the permanent appointments. Gimson told employees he's returning to his post as the CDC's chief operating officer. The CDC usually has a physician as its director, which Gimson is not. According to the biography posted on the CDC Web site, Besser's last position at the CDC was as the director of the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, where he was responsible for public health emergency preparedness and emergency response activities. According to CDC sources, Besser was seeing patients when he learned of his new position. In addition to heading the CDC bioterrorism preparedness division, he is a practicing pediatrician.

wikipedia

Dell was listed at number 51 in the Fortune 500 list, until 2014. After going private in 2013, the newly confidential nature of its financial information prevents the company from being ranked by Fortune. In 2014 it was the third largest PC vendor in the world after Lenovo and HP. Dell is currently the #1 shipper of PC monitors in the world. Dell is the sixth largest company in Texas by total revenue, according to Fortune magazine. It is the second largest non-oil company in Texas – behind AT&T – and the largest company in the Greater Austin area. It was a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: DELL), as well as a component of the NASDAQ-100 and S&P 500, until it was taken private in a leveraged buyout which closed on October 30, 2013. Originally, Dell did not emphasize the consumer market, due to the higher costs and unacceptably low profit margins in selling to individuals and households; this changed when the company’s Internet site took off in 1996 and 1997. While the industry’s average selling price to individuals was going down, Dell's was going up, as second- and third-time computer buyers who wanted powerful computers with multiple features and did not need much technical support were choosing Dell. Dell found an opportunity among PC-savvy individuals who liked the convenience of buying direct, customizing their PC to their means, and having it delivered in days. In early 1997, Dell created an internal sales and marketing group dedicated to serving the home market and introduced a product line designed especially for individual users.

cnn

HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Like that other famous environmentalist, Thomas Friedman began his talk at the Asia Society in Hong Kong on December 16 with a simple PowerPoint slide. But that's where the similarities between Al Gore and The New York Times columnist end. Thomas L. Friedman has taken on a green hue with his latest book, "Hot, Flat and Crowded". Unlike Gore, Friedman is a distinctly different shade of green, a deeply pragmatic green that believes economic forces can usher in a revolution in environmental policy. He argues that systemic change simply requires showing the world that it needs green technology and letting pure economics do the rest. As a journalist, Friedman makes no claims to having scientific expertise in climate change. He is approaching it from a philosophical standpoint. Green capital Friedman's new book "Hot, Flat and Crowded" is not a major departure from his previous books. Whether he's discussing globalization or green industry, he is writing from his deep-seated belief in the markets. He is an unabashed capitalist. For Friedman, the system works but it's not immune to bad decision-making. Green industry like globalization will come of age if given the right market environment. His faith in capitalism is equal to that in green technology -- for him, these are two things that are clearly reconcilable. So how do we do this? America as the bastion for innovation, Friedman argues, should play a big role. In fact, he confesses it really isn't a book about the environment and energy, its a book about America. For Friedman, America is slipping down the ranks of hegemonic power and climate change is its big chance to reposition itself as a global leader. The environment is merely an allegory for how the U.S. will achieve this revival.

cnn

Eight previously unheard Michael Jackson songs will be released on a new album in May, Epic Records announced Monday. The late pop icon's music has been "contemporized" by several producers who Epic Chairman L.A. Reid believes have the "gravitas, depth and range to creatively engage with Jackson's work," the announcement said. Fans can preorder the new album, titled "Xscape," on iTunes starting Tuesday, but it will be in stores around the world on May 13, the company said. Jackson died at age 50 on June 25, 2009, while preparing for his "This Is It" comeback tour. "Michael left behind some musical performances that we take great pride in presenting through the vision of music producers that he either worked directly with or expressed strong desire to work with," Reid said. Timbaland is the lead producer, with contributions from Rodney Jerkins, Stargate, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon and Jackson estate executor John McClain, the release said. Timberland had previously revealed he was working on the project for Epic. The album title is derived from one of the new singles. Jackson and Jerkins co-wrote and co-produced the song "Xscape," which Jerkins "contemporized" for the project, the company said. Sony's Columbia Epic Records -- Jackson's record label for three decades -- signed a long-term deal with Jackson's estate to posthumously release music from the large archives of his recordings. Reid "was granted unlimited access to the treasures representing four decades of material on which Jackson had completed his vocals," the announcement said. The Epic release included a quote from Jackson estate co-executors John Branca and John McClain supporting the new album. "Michael was always on the cutting edge and was constantly reaching out to new producers, looking for new sounds. He was always relevant and current. These tracks, in many ways, capture that spirit. We thank L.A. Reid for his vision."  

cnn

(CNN) -- The stench of the burnt bodies was so potent, Abu Jafar said, he could smell it from 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) away. "It smells awful because the regime appears to have burnt so many bodies recently," the opposition activist said Sunday from the beleaguered city of Homs. "Some cars arrived this morning and carried away dead bodies. We are not sure where." Read more: Deadly day in Syria as diplomats talk Jafar's account comes a day after what may be the deadliest day yet in Syria's 21-month civil war, according to opposition figures. Lakhdar Brahimi, the joint U.N.-Arab League envoy, gave a dire warning Sunday on the rapidly deteriorating situation in Syria. "If nearly 50,000 people have been killed in about two years, do not expect just 25,000 people to die next year -- maybe 100,000 will die," he told reporters in Cairo. "The pace is increasing," he said. "A solution is still possible, but it is only getting more complicated every day," Brahimi added. "Had we dealt more carefully with this conflict in 2011, it would have been much easier to resolve it. There is no question that it is much harder today." Read more: 'Til death do us part: Marriage destroyed by war Brahimi met Sunday with Nabil Elaraby, secretary-general of the Arab League. On Saturday, Brahimi met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Russia and China have used their veto power in the U.N. Security Council to block some of the toughest resolutions proposed against the Syrian regime.

gutenberg

CHAPTER ELEVEN. A CONSULTATION, A FEAST, AND A PLOT. There was--probably still is--a coffee-tavern in Gorleston where, in a cleanly, cheerful room, a retired fisherman and his wife, of temperance principles, supplied people with those hot liquids which are said to cheer without inebriating. Here, by appointment, two friends met to discuss matters of grave importance. One was Bob Lumsden, the other his friend and admirer Pat Stiver. Having asked for and obtained two large cups of coffee and two slices of buttered bread for some ridiculously small sum of money, they retired to the most distant corner of the room, and, turning their backs on the counter, began their discussion in low tones. Being early in the day, the room had no occupants but themselves and the fisherman's wife, who busied herself in cleaning and arranging plates, cups, and saucers, etcetera, for expected visitors. "Pat," said Bob, sipping his coffee with an appreciative air, "I've turned a total abstainer." "W'ich means?" inquired Pat. "That I don't drink nothin' at all," replied Bob. "But you're a-drinkin' now!" said Pat. "You know what I mean, you small willain; I drink nothin' with spirits in it." "Well, I don't see what you gains by that, Bob, for I heerd Fred Martin say you was nat'rally `full o' spirit,' so abstainin' 'll make no difference." "Pat," said Bob sternly, "if you don't clap a stopper on your tongue, I'll wollop you." Pat became grave at once. "Well, d'ee know, Bob," he said, with an earnest look, "I do b'lieve you are right. You've always seemed to me as if you had a sort o' dissipated look, an' would go to the bad right off if you gave way to drink. Yes, you're right, an' to prove my regard for you I'll become a total abstainer too--but, nevertheless, I _can't_ leave off drinkin'."

mctest

The children's father wanted to know what every one wanted on their pizza. Andy wanted a strawberry on his pizza. Father thought that was funny. Father asked if anyone wanted chicken on the pizza. Sue did not want chicken. Andy wanted chicken. Dan did not want chicken, but their father wanted to get chicken on the pizza. Dan asked if they could have mushrooms on the pizza. Father did not like mushrooms. Andy and Sue wanted to have mushrooms, so their father had them put mushrooms on the pizza. Sue wanted to have green onions on the pizza. Father also wanted green onions. Dan and Andy did not like green onions, so they did not get green onions on the pizza. Father wanted to order thin crust pizza. Dan thought that thin crust pizza had the taste of an old shoe. Sue thought Dan was wrong. Sue wanted thin crust pizza also. Andy wanted thick crust pizza. He did not want thin crust, so their father ordered the pizza with thick crust. The pizza was very good and they ate it all.

wikipedia

Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve a practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight. Daylighting (using windows, skylights, or light shelves) is sometimes used as the main source of light during daytime in buildings. This can save energy in place of using artificial lighting, which represents a major component of energy consumption in buildings. Proper lighting can enhance task performance, improve the appearance of an area, or have positive psychological effects on occupants. Indoor lighting is usually accomplished using light fixtures, and is a key part of interior design. Lighting can also be an intrinsic component of landscape projects. Forms of lighting include alcove lighting, which like most other uplighting is indirect. This is often done with fluorescent lighting (first available at the 1939 World's Fair) or rope light, occasionally with neon lighting, and recently with LED strip lighting. It is a form of backlighting.

race

I'm Lucy. I'm 14 years old. I come to China this year. Now I'm in Beijing International Middle School. I like animals . I think they're my good friends. When I go to school this morning, I meet a man with a cage . Five birds are in it . " How do you get these birds?" I ask . " I give them some food . When they come to eat it , I get them ." The man says . " They are too poor . Why do you get them ?" I ask the man . " It's very interesting !" The man says . " I need to do something ." I think . I want to help the birds . " Can I buy them ?" I ask . " Well ," he says , "Give me 50 yuan and your jacket ." I don't want to give my jacket to him because I like it very much . But for these birds I do it . The man gives me the cage. Then I let the birds fly out of the cage . I am happy to do that .

cnn

(CNN) -- Charlize Theron won an Oscar for covering up her beauty and finding grains of sympathy, as well as revulsion, for the serial killer Aileen Wuornos in "Monster." She deserves to win a second nomination for playing the sexy, unmoored, utterly reprehensible Mavis Gary in "Young Adult." Mavis is one of those people blessed with good looks, talent and brains, but whose sense of entitlement far outstrips any civilized social boundaries. She's a pure narcissist, oblivious to other people's feelings and contemptuous of any experience that doesn't feed her own ego. In other words, Mavis is another monster, but a monster who can pass for beautiful with only a couple of hours in the salon. As we know (you see it spread all over the supermarket tabloids every week), there's a perverse thrill in watching one of the beautiful people fall apart. And there's some of that same schadenfreude in play while watching the new black comedy from the "Juno" combo, writer Diablo Cody and director Jason Reitman. Mavis is a ghostwriter for a successful young adult book series, and even that minor claim to fame is soon to be extinguished: The series is played out and the novel she is working on will be the last of them. Perhaps that's why she feels compelled to head back home when she receives an e-mail from an ex-boyfriend, Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson), announcing the birth of his first child. Figuring, very, very, wrongly, that this message must be some kind of coded cry for help, Mavis hops into her Mini and heads straight to Mercury, Minnesota, where she grew up, and where she means to reconnect with Buddy and free him from his domesticated servitude.

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.

race

Do you like doing sports every day? A lot of people like doing sports because they can help them to keep fit. Today Yoga is women's favorite kind of sports. But many people like to watch others to play ball games. They like Yao Ming and David Beckham very much. Yao Ming plays basketball very well. David Beckham is good at playing football. People often watch their favorite players or teams on TV. When they watch them on TV, they feel excited. Sports change with the seasons. People play different games in different seasons. They will swim in summer and skate in winter. In autumn, they enjoy playing volleyball and tennis. They love going on a trip in spring. Doing sports is good for people's health. Swimming is suitable for the hot weather but skating is great for the cold weather. Swimming in some places is popular. People living near the sea or lakes or rivers often swim in summer. Many American families do some sports at the weekend. They are happy and healthy.

cnn

Almost two decades ago, a parlor game called "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" became an unlikely grass-roots phenomenon among movie buffs and foretold today's social web of online connections. Maybe the only one who was not amused by the game was Kevin Bacon himself. "I was horrified by it. I thought it was a giant joke at my expense," said the prolific actor Saturday during a talk at the South by Southwest Interactive festival here. "I appreciate it now. But I was very resistant to it (at first)." The game, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, requires players to link celebrities to Bacon, in as few steps as possible, via the movies they have in common. The more odd or random the celebrity, the better. For example, O.J. Simpson was in "The Naked Gun 33⅓" with Olympia Dukakis, who was in "Picture Perfect" with Kevin Bacon. Inspired by "six degrees of separation," the theory that nobody is more than six relationships away from any other person in the world, the game was dreamed up in 1994 by Brian Turtle and two classmates at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. They were watching "Footloose" on TV when it was followed by another Kevin Bacon movie, and then another. "It was just one of those lightbulb moments," said Turtle, who joined Bacon onstage at SXSW. "It was like, 'This guy is everywhere! He's the center of the entertainment universe.' " After it spread among their friends, Turtle and his co-creators, Craig Fass and Mike Ginelli, managed to get booked on Jon Stewart's then-MTV show to explain the game.

cnn

Istanbul (CNN) -- A Turkish prosecutor has openly accused police of interfering with a high-level corruption investigation. "Court orders have not been carried out and there has been open pressure on the judicial process from both the chief prosecutor's office and from the police force, which is supposed to carry out the decisions of the courts," Muammer Akkas said in a Thursday statement. He spoke one day after three Cabinet ministers resigned their posts, after their sons were arrested or temporarily detained in an anti-graft sting, semiofficial news agency Anadolu reported. One of them, Urbanization and Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar, went further than the other two, not just resigning his Cabinet position but also calling on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to step down. Turkish media reported a possible second wave of detentions as imminent late Wednesday, but the raids did not materialize. Instead, an apparent deadlock within the judiciary emerged as Akkas, the prosecutor, issued his statement saying the judiciary was under the heel of the government. Akkas accused police and prosecutors of ignoring a decision of the courts by refusing to carry out more raids. In a televised statement, Chief Istanbul Prosecutor Turan Colakkadi fired back, saying that Akkas had mishandled the investigation and leaked information to the press, leading to his removal from the case. Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and Interior Minister Muammer Guler, whose sons were also arrested in the investigation, also resigned Wednesday. Erdogan accepted the resignations, Anadolu reported. The sons were detained in a roundup that included the head of a public bank, several bureaucrats and high-profile businessmen. The roundup came after a two-year investigation by the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office into allegations of corruption including money laundering, gold smuggling and bribery.

cnn

(CNN)Lindsey Vonn may have missed out on gold at last month's world championships, but the American skier has set her sights on end-of-season glory after claiming a record-extending 65th World Cup win on Sunday. Vonn's victory in the super-G event at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany gave her the outright lead in the speed discipline ahead of this month's finals in France. Having finished seventh in Saturday's downhill, the 30-year-old rebounded by coming home 0.2 seconds ahead of overall World Cup leader Tina Maze, whose coach set up the course. It put Vonn eight points ahead of super-G world champion Anna Fenninger, who placed third to give back the 20 points she'd earned over Maze the day before -- when their positions were reversed. "I think it was set probably against Anna," said Vonn, who took bronze behind Maze at last month's world championships in Colorado. "That was a wise choice by Tina's coach. But it also really suited me and I liked it." "It's going to be a close fight in downhill and super-G, so I will really have to ski my best at the finals in Meribel. Hopefully I can get two titles," added Vonn, who is 35 points ahead of Fenninger in the downhill standings. But Vonn is well off the pace in the fight for the overall crown -- which she last won in 2012, her fourth success -- in third place almost 200 points behind the Austrian. Maze is another 44 points ahead of Fenninger, with just two slalom events in Sweden next week before the March 16-22 finale.

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Luo Zhixiang is a popular singer, an actor and a TV host. His English name is Show. He dances well. He is often called "Dancing King of Asia". He now becomes more and more popular. Show is from Taiwan Island. He is tall and cool. A lot of people love him very much because they love his songs and his wonderful voice. He is handsome now. but he was very fat in high school. So he got a nickname "Pig"at that time. His classmates made fun of him sometimes. But he exercised and lost weight successfully . Now he is glad that people call him "Pig". He likes showing himself to others. The people around him are very happy to see his performance . Show is hard-working. His TV show is successful. Many people like watching _ . He often says, "If you have a chance, just do it!" He does it. Maybe it is why he is so successful.

gutenberg

Chapter 18--Fashion and Physiology "Please, sir, I guess you'd better step up right away, or it will be too late, for I heard Miss Rose say she knew you wouldn't like it, and she'd never dare to let you see her." Phebe said this as she popped her head into the study, where Dr. Alec sat reading a new book. "They are at it, are they?" he said, looking up quickly, and giving himself a shake, as if ready for a battle of some sort. "Yes, sir, as hard as they can talk, and Miss Rose don't seem to know what to do, for the things are ever so stylish, and she looks elegant in 'em; though I like her best in the old ones," answered Phebe. "You are a girl of sense. I'll settle matters for Rosy, and you'll lend a hand. Is everything ready in her room, and are you sure you understand how they go?" "Oh, yes, sir; but they are so funny! I know Miss Rose will think it's a joke," and Phebe laughed as if something tickled her immensely. "Never mind what she thinks so long as she obeys. Tell her to do it for my sake, and she will find it the best joke she ever saw. I expect to have a tough time of it, but we'll win yet," said the Doctor, as he marched upstairs with the book in his hand, and an odd smile on his face. There was such a clatter of tongues in the sewing-room that no one heard his tap at the door, so he pushed it open and took an observation. Aunt Plenty, Aunt Clara, and Aunt Jessie were all absorbed in gazing at Rose, who slowly revolved between them and the great mirror, in a full winter costume of the latest fashion.

gutenberg

CHAPTER II TRAVELING WITH TERROR We made camp there beside the peaceful river. There Perry told me all that had befallen him since I had departed for the outer crust. It seemed that Hooja had made it appear that I had intentionally left Dian behind, and that I did not purpose ever returning to Pellucidar. He told them that I was of another world and that I had tired of this and of its inhabitants. To Dian he had explained that I had a mate in the world to which I was returning; that I had never intended taking Dian the Beautiful back with me; and that she had seen the last of me. Shortly afterward Dian had disappeared from the camp, nor had Perry seen or heard aught of her since. He had no conception of the time that had elapsed since I had departed, but guessed that many years had dragged their slow way into the past. Hooja, too, had disappeared very soon after Dian had left. The Sarians, under Ghak the Hairy One, and the Amozites under Dacor the Strong One, Dian's brother, had fallen out over my supposed defection, for Ghak would not believe that I had thus treacherously deceived and deserted them. The result had been that these two powerful tribes had fallen upon one another with the new weapons that Perry and I had taught them to make and to use. Other tribes of the new federation took sides with the original disputants or set up petty revolutions of their own.

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Donald was shaken by thunder on the bed before he could count "one thousand one". Then he heard the smoke alarm go off. He went downstairs quickly to investigate. When he opened the door to the basement , flames exploded out. Donald fled back upstairs to call 911 but the phone didn't work. When he tried to go downstairs, he was stopped by a wall of flames. He had to use a towel to cover his mouth. His house was three miles off the main road and so well hidden by trees that Donald knew calling for help would be useless. Actually, he didn't even try to do that. About one mile away lived Donald's closest neighbor, Jeremie. When he heard some sounds, Jeremie jumped out of bed, holding a phone and a flashlight, and went towards the noise. He dialed 911 the instant he saw the flames. When he came close to the house, Jeremie knew he'd better wait until rescuers came. But he didn't want Donald to die in the fire. Without hesitation , he rushed into the house. He shouted, "Donald, where are you?" Then he had to run outside to catch his breath. After one more attempt , he gave up and circled around back. He saw Donald on the second-floor balcony, but there was no way to get to him. Suddenly, he noticed a ladder. He dragged it over to the balcony and pulled Donald down just when the second floor fell down. Within the year, Donald built a new two-story wood house at the site of the fire. Jeremie and Donald don't run into each other regularly, but Donald knows that if he ever needs help, Jeremie will be there.

cnn

(CNN) -- Real Madrid duly took advantage of Barcelona's latest slip-up to return to the top of La Liga after a routine 3-0 win over Levante in the Bernabeu Sunday. The mid-table visitors ended the match with 10 men after David Navarro was sent off in the second half for a foul on Cristiano Ronaldo, but they were well beaten even before he saw red. Ronaldo had put Real ahead after 11 minutes before defender Marcelo put the home side two up just after halftime. An own goal from Nikos Karabelas completed Levante's miserable evening. The victory put Carlo Ancelotti's men three points clear of city rivals Atletico. Defending champions Barca lost 1-0 to struggling Valladolid Saturday and trail by four in third place, making this month's El Clasico clash with Real all the more important. Real have not lost since a 2-1 league reverse to Barcelona in October as their goalscoring trio of Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have found the net on a regular basis. Ronaldo showed his heading qualities by rising to meet Angel di Maria's corner to put Real ahead before Benzema hit the post. Marcelo's superlative curling effort on 49 minutes all but settled the affair before Navarro, who was once banned for seven months after a notorious Champions League brawl when playing for Valencia, got his marching orders for the seventh time in his career. Marcelo also had a hand in the final goal as Karabelas turned the defender's cross into his own goal and there was just time for Ronaldo to thump the woodwork as he sought a second.

wikipedia

Cambridge English Dictionary states that culture is, "the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time." Terror Management Theory posits that culture is a series of activities and worldviews that provide humans with the illusion of being individuals of value in a world meaning—raising themselves above the merely physical aspects of existence, in order to deny the animal insignificance and death that Homo Sapiens became aware of when they acquired a larger brain. As a defining aspect of what it means to be human, culture is a central concept in anthropology, encompassing the range of phenomena that are transmitted through social learning in human societies. The word is used in a general sense as the evolved ability to categorize and represent experiences with symbols and to act imaginatively and creatively. This ability arose with the evolution of behavioral modernity in humans around 50,000 years ago.[citation needed] This capacity is often thought to be unique to humans, although some other species have demonstrated similar, though much less complex abilities for social learning. It is also used to denote the complex networks of practices and accumulated knowledge and ideas that is transmitted through social interaction and exist in specific human groups, or cultures, using the plural form. Some aspects of human behavior, such as language, social practices such as kinship, gender and marriage, expressive forms such as art, music, dance, ritual, religion, and technologies such as cooking, shelter, clothing are said to be cultural universals, found in all human societies. The concept material culture covers the physical expressions of culture, such as technology, architecture and art, whereas the immaterial aspects of culture such as principles of social organization (including, practices of political organization and social institutions), mythology, philosophy, literature (both written and oral), and science make up the intangible cultural heritage of a society.

cnn

Louisville, Kentucky (CNN) -- I'll Have Another cut loose on the home stretch to run down Bodemeister and earn the first Kentucky Derby wins for his rider and trainer Saturday. I'll Have Another, with a finish of 2:01:83, earned nearly $1.5 million of the $2.2 million purse. That's quite a payoff for a horse that was purchased last year for the modest sum of $35,000. Jockey Mario Gutierrez, making his Derby debut, called I'll Have Another a steady competitor. "They didn't believe (I'll Have Another) could have made it this far," Gutierrez said. "But even if they wanted me to pick (any horse in the field), I would have stayed with him." The winner had 15-1 odds; Bodemeister was at 4-1, according to the Derby website. Dullahan, with 12-1 odds, also made a late run and finished third. I'll Have Another defeated Bodemeister by more than one length at the 1¼-mile classic, attended by a record Churchill Downs crowd. The 138th running was marked by a couple of other Derby firsts: It was the first victory for trainer Doug O'Neill and the first win from the No. 19 post position with a full field. O'Neill called Gutierrez "the man" for his own performance. "He was just so confident," O'Neill told NBC. "We had such a brilliant race." Bob Baffert, a Derby stalwart and the trainer of Bodemeister, said he was "really proud of the way" his horse ran. "He just came up a little tired," Baffert told NBC afterward. Having won all three races he's participated in this year, O'Neill said he was excited for the next leg of the Triple Crown -- the 137th edition of the Preakness, set for May 19 in Baltimore. "Maryland, here we come," he said.

wikipedia

The Anglo-Saxons were a people who inhabited Great Britain from the 5th century. They comprise people from Germanic tribes who migrated to the island from continental Europe, their descendants, and indigenous British groups who adopted some aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture and language. Historically, the Anglo-Saxon period denotes the period in Britain between about 450 and 1066, after their initial settlement and up until the Norman conquest. The early Anglo-Saxon period includes the creation of an English nation, with many of the aspects that survive today, including regional government of shires and hundreds. During this period, Christianity was established and there was a flowering of literature and language. Charters and law were also established. The term "Anglo-Saxon" is popularly used for the language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons in England and eastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century. In scholarly use, it is more commonly called Old English. The history of the Anglo-Saxons is the history of a cultural identity. It developed from divergent groups in association with the people's adoption of Christianity, and was integral to the establishment of various kingdoms. Threatened by extended Danish invasions and military occupation of eastern England, this identity was re-established; it dominated until after the Norman Conquest. The visible Anglo-Saxon culture can be seen in the material culture of buildings, dress styles, illuminated texts and grave goods. Behind the symbolic nature of these cultural emblems, there are strong elements of tribal and lordship ties. The elite declared themselves as kings who developed "burhs", and identified their roles and peoples in Biblical terms. Above all, as Helena Hamerow has observed, "local and extended kin groups remained...the essential unit of production throughout the Anglo-Saxon period." The effects persist in the 21st century as, according to a study published in March 2015, the genetic make up of British populations today shows divisions of the tribal political units of the early Anglo-Saxon period.

cnn

(RollingStone.com) -- Jon Stewart says that his Rally to Restore Sanity -- and Stephen Colbert's sister event, March to Keep Fear Alive -- are not meant to counter Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor event of last August. "The march is like everything that we do, just a construct ... to translate the type of material that Stephen and I do on "The Daily Show" and "Colbert Report," Stewart said at a Q&A last night at New York's 92nd Street Y. Instead, the rallies are meant to satirize the political process, and the news coverage spawned from it. "I'm less upset about politicians than the media," Stewart, who was quoted by The Hollywood Reporter, said, adding that he "very much" wanted to avoid claims that his rally was a response to Beck's. Obama in command: The Rolling Stone interview The Rally to Restore Sanity and March to Keep Fear Alive will take place in Washington, D.C. on October 30th. (Halloween costumes will likely be involved.) "Think of our event as Woodstock, but with the nudity and drugs replaced by respectful disagreement; the Million Man March, only a lot smaller, and a bit less of a sausage fest; or the Gathering of the Juggalos, but instead of throwing our feces at Tila Tequila, we'll be actively not throwing our feces at Tila Tequila," goes a description on the Rally to Restore Sanity site. Matt Taibbi: The truth about the Tea Party Conservative host Bill O'Reilly has declined Stewart's invitation to appear at his rally. President Barack Obama, meanwhile, said he was "amused" by the idea.

wikipedia

Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it is bordered by Tibet Autonomous Region in the north, India in the south, the Sikkim state of India and the Chumbi Valley of Tibet in the west, and Arunachal Pradesh state of India in the east. Bhutan is geopolitically in South Asia and is the region's second least populous nation after the Maldives. Thimphu is its capital and largest city, while Phuntsholing is its financial center. The independence of Bhutan has endured for centuries, and the territory was never colonized in its history. Situated on the ancient Silk Road between Tibet, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, the Bhutanese state developed a distinct national identity based on Buddhism. Headed by a spiritual leader known as the Zhabdrung Rinpoche, the territory was composed of many fiefdoms and governed as a Buddhist theocracy. Following a civil war in the 19th century, the House of Wangchuck reunited the country and established relations with the British Empire. Bhutan fostered a strategic partnership with India during the rise of Chinese communism and has a disputed border with the People's Republic of China. In 2008, it transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy and held the first election to the National Assembly of Bhutan, that has a two party system characterizing Bhutanese democracy.

cnn

(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy says he is desperate to get back on track in Abu Dhabi after a disappointing first round of the new season. Fresh from signing his new bumper multi-year deal with Nike, McIlroy struggled to adapt to his new clubs and hit two double bogeys on his way to a three-over-par 75. Playing alongside stablemate Tiger Woods, who finished level for the day, McIlroy failed to impress on his return to the course where he came second behind Robert Rock last year. Nike unveils Rory McIlroy: Tiger's heir apparent But the World No.1 says he will improve when he steps out for his second round Friday. "Yeah, a bit of rust for sure," he told reporters, after being asked why he started so poorly. "Not playing any competitive golf for eight weeks. I guess when you're going out with new stuff, you're always going to be a little bit anxious about hitting it close like you've done on the range and today that wasn't quite the case. Hopefully I can do that tomorrow. "I was really happy with the way the ball is in the wind. I was really happy with the irons and the wedge play. "I wasn't very comfortable off the tee, but just because I didn't feel like I was swinging it that well." How player power tipped Ryder Cup captaincy McIlroy's European Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose leads the way on five-under-par alongside Irish Open champion Jamie Donaldson. Rose shot a bogey-free round of 67 but is expecting both Woods and McIlroy to threaten as the competition progresses.

cnn

(CNN) -- Garth Brooks is still holding out hope he can do shows in Ireland despite the Dublin city council saying no to two of them. Brooks told the Irish promoter after the city's approval of just three shows he would wait "to the last second" before sending his crew and gear back the the United States. "I cannot begin to tell you how badly my heart is breaking right now," the singer wrote in a note to Aiken Promotions on Tuesday. Brooks' rep on Wednesday provided CNN a copy of the note. The Dublin shows had been planned for Croke Park Stadium, a football arena that can hold more than 90,000 fans, on five consecutive nights during the last week of July. The council approved Friday, Saturday and Sunday shows, but rejected licenses for Monday and Tuesday night concerts. The promoter, saying Brooks insisted on five shows or none at all, announced Tuesday that all concerts of "The Garth Brooks Comeback Special Event" were canceled and the 400,000 tickets sold would be refunded. A measure of the demand to see Brooks perform live is impressive, considering the 400,000 tickets sold represent nearly one of every 10 people in the Republic of Ireland's 4.5 million population. "I hope you understand that to play for 400,000 people would be a dream, but to tell 160,000 of those people that they are not welcome would be a nightmare," Brooks wrote. "To do what the city manager suggests (play three shows and not all five) means I agree that is how people should be treated and I just can't agree with that."

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CHAPTER XI--DANCING 'Prescribe us not our duties.' 'Well, Phyllis,' said her father, as he passed through the hall to mount his horse, 'how do you like the prospect of Monsieur le Roi's instructions?' 'Not at all, papa,' answered Phyllis, running out to the hall door to pat the horse, and give it a piece of bread. 'Take care you turn out your toes,' said Mr. Mohun. 'You must learn to dance like a dragon before Cousin Rotherwood's birthday next year.' 'Papa, how do dragons dance?' 'That is a question I must decide at my leisure,' said Mr. Mohun, mounting. 'Stand out of the way, Phyl, or you will feel how horses dance.' Away he rode, while Phyllis turned with unwilling steps to the nursery, to be dressed for her first dancing lesson; Marianne Weston was to learn with her, and this was some consolation, but Phyllis could not share in the satisfaction Adeline felt in the arrival of Monsieur le Roi. Jane was also a pupil, but Lily, whose recollections of her own dancing days were not agreeable, absented herself entirely from the dancing-room, even though Alethea Weston had come with her sister. Poor Phyllis danced as awkwardly as was expected, but Adeline seemed likely to be a pupil in whom a master might rejoice; Marianne was very attentive and not ungraceful, but Alethea soon saw reason to regret the arrangement that had been made, for she perceived that Jane considered the master a fair subject for derision, and her 'nods and becks, and wreathed smiles,' called up corresponding looks in Marianne's face.

cnn

(CNN) -- The Williams sisters have not had it easy in recent years. Two of the modern era's most successful women tennis players have been beset by health problems which have deprived the game of two of its most marketable stars. Serena has overcome life-threatening blood clots on both lungs, while older sibling Venus is this week making her long-awaited WTA Tour comeback as she battles a debilitating illness that has sidelined her since last year's U.S. Open. After pulling out of her second-round match in New York, Venus revealed she had been diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome -- an incurable condition which affects energy levels and causes pain in the joints. "I just didn't feel well before my second-round match, to the point where I couldn't play," the 31-year-old told CNN's Connect the World show. "At the beginning of the tournament, I wasn't sure how far I would get or what I would do, I was kind of living on a hope and a dream." After a glittering 18-year professional career which has seen her become the first black woman to be ranked world No. 1 in the Open era, winning seven grand slam singles titles and 12 major doubles crowns alongside Serena, Williams would have been forgiven for deciding to chuck in the towel. But, instead of eying an early retirement, the winner of three Olympic gold medals set her sights on managing her illness and returning to the baseline ahead of this year's London Games. "When you don't feel well and things are taken away from you, it's hard to stay positive," the former world No. 1 said. "But, for me, it is not an option to get negative or to feel sorry for myself.

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Project Gutenberg (PG) is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". It was founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart and is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books. The project tries to make these as free as possible, in long-lasting, open formats that can be used on almost any computer. , Project Gutenberg reached 50,000 items in its collection. The releases are available in plain text but, wherever possible, other formats are included, such as HTML, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, and Plucker. Most releases are in the English language, but many non-English works are also available. There are multiple affiliated projects that are providing additional content, including regional and language-specific works. Project Gutenberg is also closely affiliated with Distributed Proofreaders, an Internet-based community for proofreading scanned texts. Project Gutenberg was started by Michael Hart in 1971 with the digitization of the United States Declaration of Independence. Hart, a student at the University of Illinois, obtained access to a Xerox Sigma V mainframe computer in the university's Materials Research Lab. Through friendly operators, he received an account with a virtually unlimited amount of computer time; its value at that time has since been variously estimated at $100,000 or $100,000,000. Hart has said he wanted to "give back" this gift by doing something that could be considered to be of great value. His initial goal was to make the 10,000 most consulted books available to the public at little or no charge, and to do so by the end of the 20th century.

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"Mister D'Arcy is not a policeman. He is, however, very wise. He knew the police would search his apartment. He also knew how police think. So, he did not hide the letter where he knew they would look for it. "Do you remember how Germont laughed when I said the mystery was difficult for him to solve because it was so simple?" Dupin filled his pipe with tobacco and lit it. "Well, the more I thought about it, the more I realized the police could not find the letter because D'Arcy had not hidden it at all. "So I went to visit D'Arcy in his apartment. I took a pair of dark green eyeglasses with me. I explained to him that I was having trouble with my eyes and needed to wear the dark glasses at all times. He believed me. The glasses permitted me to look around the apartment while I seemed only to be talking to him. "I paid special attention to a large desk where there were a lot of papers and books. However, I saw nothing suspicious there. After a few minutes, however, I noticed a small shelf over the fireplace. A few postcards and a letter were lying on the shelf. The letter looked very old and dirty. "As soon as I saw this letter, I decided it must be the one I was looking for. It must be, even though it was completely different from the one Germont had described. "This letter had a large green stamp on it. The address was written in small letters in blue ink. I memorized every detail of the letter while I talked to D'Arcy. Then when he was not looking, I dropped one of my gloves on the floor under my chair. "The next morning, I stopped at his apartment to look for my glove. While we were talking, we heard people shouting in the street. D'Arcy went to the window and looked out. Quickly, I stepped to the shelf and put the letter in my pocket. Then I replaced it with a letter that looked exactly like it, which I had made it the night before. "The trouble in the street was caused by a man who had almost been run over by a horse and carriage. He was not hurt. And soon the crowd of people went away. When it was over, D'Arcy came away from the window. I said goodbye and left. "The man who almost had an accident was one of my servants . I had paid him to create the incident." Dupin stopped talking to light his pipe. I did not understand. "But, Dupin," I said, "why did you go to the trouble of replacing the letter? Why not just take it and leave?" Dupin smiled. "D'Arcy is a dangerous man," he said. "And he has many loyal servants. If I had taken the letter, I might never have left his apartment alive."

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A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, or particular branches of Islam, is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family or person. Catholics believe that patron saints, having already transcended to the metaphysical, are able to intercede effectively for the needs of their special charges. Historically, a similar practice has also occurred in many Islamic lands. Although Islam has no codified doctrine of patronage on the part of saints, it has nevertheless been an important part of both Sunni and Shia Islamic tradition that particularly important classical saints have served as the heavenly advocates for specific Muslim empires, nations, cities, towns, and villages. With regard to the sheer omnipresence of this belief, the late Martin Lings wrote: "There is scarcely a region in the empire of Islam which has not a Sufi for its Patron Saint." As the veneration accorded saints often develops purely organically in Islamic climates, in a manner different to Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, "patron saints" are often recognized through popular acclaim rather than through official declaration. Traditionally, it has been understood that the patron saint of a particular place prays for that place's wellbeing and for the health and happiness of all who live therein. The veneration of patron saints has lessened since the eighteenth-century in certain parts of the Islamic world, due to the growing influence in those of areas of latter-day "reformation" movements like Salafism and Wahhabism, which shun the veneration of saints in general.

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Going green is something that affects every single one of us. Whether by recycling those plastic water bottles, or by cutting down on electricity in your home, the importance of going green on a personal level is extremely important. But, when you're a millionaire NBA basketball star, how do you help out the environment? Yao Ming is a basketball player that plays for the Houston Rockets and has spoken out against hunting of sharks for fins, a delicious food in his native China. He is also the United Nations' Environmental champion. His goal is to raise awareness of climate change and energy-saving. "I will work with young people across the world and try to inspire them to plant trees, harvest rainwater and to become environmental champions in their own communities." The Philadelphia Eagles, a professional American football team, are really doing their part to give back to the community. The Eagles Go Green page has a "Green Energy Calculator" and according to the web site fans have saved $ 73,674.90 a year and saved 666,320 pounds of CO per year. Also, the Eagles have set up a "Stop global warming virtual march on Washington", a march across America for one year, through the Internet with a goal to bring fans together and to urge leaders to deal with the serious problem of global warming now. Bob Burnquist, a Brazilian skateboarder, is a member of Action Sports Environmental Coalition and founder of a program that gets organic foods and farming into schools for healthy lunch programs. Bob also has a huge homegrown organic farm where he hosted a gathering in celebration of Earth Day. Kelly Slater is a surfer and eight-time champion, but he also supports saving the coral reefs world wide. He has founded the Kelly Slater Invitational Competition which raises funds and awareness for Reef Check, which is able to get its message out to a large group of guests including professional surfers, film and music stars, and other famous people.

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CHAPTER X THE PEON PILOT Grahame and Macallister stood on deck, peering into the moonlit jungle of mangroves. So far as they could judge, there was only one pair of oars making the splashes that had aroused them; but they could hear the blades dig deep into the water with an intense effort that could mean only haste on the part of the boatsman. They waited; and presently the small boat appeared in the moonlight and they saw a single figure, who dropped one oar and crossed himself religiously. "_Gracias a Dios!_" he said. "The pilot!" Macallister gasped. Grahame waited, tense and alert, until the pilot climbed on board. The instant the half-breed touched the deck he began gesticulating wildly and talking so rapidly that Grahame had difficulty in grasping his meaning. Miguel, who was more at home in the peon Spanish, explained--in English, for Macallister's sake. "The government men catch him; make him tell; he escape; take short path--Indian _senda_; get here first. _Soldados_ coming. We hurry!" Miguel had worked himself up to a state of great excitement, and when he finished, his bare feet went pattering off across the deck almost before Grahame could give the order. Tired as the men were, they realized the necessity for haste, and they lost no time in getting under way. There was a clatter in the stokehold as the fires were cleaned, the dinghy crept across the creek, and half-seen men forward hurriedly coiled in a wet rope. Then the boat came back and the windlass rattled while the propeller floundered slowly round. The anchor rose to the bows and the _Enchantress_ moved away against the flood tide.

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CHAPTER III PETERS' OFFER Wyndham and Flora were married at a small country church. The morning was bright and the sun touched the east window with vivid color and pierced the narrow lancets on the south. Red and green reflections stained the mosaics inside the chancel rails, but shadows lurked behind the arches and pillars, for the old building had no clerestory. Mabel was bridesmaid, Marston was groomsman, and as he waited for a few moments by the rails he looked about. Commodore Chisholm had numerous friends, and for the most part Marston knew the faces turned towards the chancel. He had sailed hard races against some of the men and danced with their wives and daughters. They were sober English folk, and he was glad they had come to stamp with their approval his partner's wedding. Some, however, he could not see, because they sat back in the gloom. Then he glanced at his companions. He was nervous, but Mabel was marked by her serene calm. Flora's look was rather fixed, and although she had not much color, her pose was resolute and proud. Marston wondered whether she felt she was making something of a plunge; but if she did so, he knew she would not hesitate. Chisholm's face was quiet and perhaps a trifle stern; he looked rather old, and Marston imagined him resigned. The Commodore was frank; one generally knew what he felt. All three looked typically English, but Wyndham did not. Although his eyes were very blue and his hair was touched by red, he was different from the others. His face, as Marston saw it in profile, was thin and in a way ascetic, but it wore a stamp of recklessness. His pose was strangely alert and highly strung. There was something exotic about him.

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There once was a zoo worker named Charlie. He really liked his job that allowed his to meet new people every day and take care of zoo animals. One day, Charlie showed up at the zoo that he worked at and saw that a turtle had escaped! He quickly picked up the radio and told all of the other workers to look out for the missing Turtle named Brian. Because of this, the zoo had to close down for the whole day! They were trying so hard, but still could not find any clue to where the turtle went. Finally, a girl named Samantha went on the radio and said that she found Brian eating lettuce in the Polar Bear cage. She also told everyone that the Polar Bears were protecting Brian! For hours, the zoo team tried to find a way to get Brian out of the cage without getting hurt themselves. Charlie finally had an idea. He was going to take a stuffed turtle from the gift shop, sneak into the cage, put the Polar Bears to sleep for a little bit, and then place the stuffed turtle where Brian was eating his lettuce. Charlie's plan worked, but the Polar Bears woke up and weren't happy! They took the stuffed turtle and ripped it up! Samantha went to find some fish to make them happy again as Charlie told Brian the turtle to never run off again.

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Anne Sanders was practicing soccer moves, which was not normal. Usually, Anne only plays basketball. She wins every basketball game she plays, and she loses at any other game. "Anne", I waved to her. "Why are you playing soccer?" "Well, the gym teacher is doing something different," she said. "There are teams of four and partners of two.We get to pick our partners, and I want someone to pick me. "Anne held up a list. "It looks like I'm on a team with you, Stacey, and Paul," I said. "Stacey is my best friend.Maybe we can be together: " Just then, Stacey and Paul came over. They had heard of the teams. "Do you want to be partners, Stacey?" I asked. "Well, I was going to be partners with Paul," she claimed. I didn't blame her. Paul was as fast as a rocket, and my nickname was "Snail". "But we are best friends," said Stacey. "So I guess I'II be with you. " It was our first game. Stacey went to talk to some other friends afterwards, and Paul and Anne were talking about winning their game. I was sipping on my water, when I overheard Stacey, "She's worse than I thought; if I played the team alone,, I would have won easily. She's worse than a snail. She's more like a statue. " That night, I felt terrible for losing and mad at Stacey for calling me a statue. After all, she was my best friend and my only friend. Anyway, the phone rang, and it was Stacey. At first, I thought she might apologize, but no such luck. "Allison, the game tomorrow is canceled, " she said. "Okay," I replied. "Sorry about the game today", Stacey hung up on me. The next day, I went over to the soccer field. I knew the game was canceled, but maybe I could help clean up.But instead of a mess, I saw a soccer game in progress. Stacey and were playing, and Anne was hiding in the corner. "Paul made me pretend to be sick, " she whispered. "He wants to play with Stacey because she's so fast. " So Anne and I went to get ice cream. Even if I lost Stacey ,I just created a lifelong friendship.

cnn

(CNN) -- At least one person was killed when a National Guard helicopter crashed in waters off San Juan, Puerto Rico, a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman said Tuesday, citing preliminary information. "The preliminary information we have ... is that the wreckage of (the) Army National Guard aircraft was found in the water near San Juan," spokeswoman Diane Spitaliere said in an e-mail. The aircraft was destroyed, she said. The crash occurred late Monday, according to Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Moorlag of the U.S. Coast Guard in Miami, Florida. The Coast Guard received the call to help late Monday night with search and rescue efforts, said Ricardo Castrodad, spokesman for the Coast Guard in San Juan. He said three crew members and three passengers -- one guard and two civilians from Puerto Rico -- were on board. The UH 72 Lakota helicopter departed Monday night from San Juan, he said. It was one nautical mile northeast from the Puerto Rican coast. Castrodad did not provide information on casualties but said the search for survivors was ongoing. CNN's Mike Ahlers and Maria P. White contributed to this report.

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(CNN) -- A Pakistani Taliban commander who had escaped in mass prison break two years ago was arrested again last week, Pakistani intelligence sources told CNN on Tuesday. Adnan Rashid, a prominent Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan commander, was captured Friday, the sources said. He was injured, but authorities were questioning him, one source said. Sources told CNN he was taken into custody in South Waziristan province and had since been moved. But the Pakistani Taliban told CNN the report was baseless and that Rashid is in a safe area. Authorities have said Rashid is responsible for several large prison breaks in Pakistan. In 2004, he was sentenced to death for planning an attack on former President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in 2003. He was incarcerated at Bannu prison in northwest Pakistan and was freed, as were 400 other inmates, when militants stormed the facility in 2012. Rashid also wrote a controversial letter to Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head on her way home from school in 2012. He told her she was targeted not because she advocated education for girls, but rather for her criticism of the militant group. In the letter, Rashid said he was writing -- not as a Taliban leader -- to say he was shocked by the shooting, and to express his regret that he did not warn Malala of the attack. The letter went on to say that the Taliban supports the education of women, as long as it adheres to Islamic law. The letter drew criticism from people who said the Taliban are known to target female students.

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CHAPTER XXVI TOGETHER ONCE MORE "Tom!" "Dick and Sam!" "How in the world did you get here?" "Where are the others?" These and a dozen other questions were asked and answered as the three Rover boys shook hands over and over again. Even though prisoners, they were delighted to be together once more, and doubly delighted to know that each was well. "Oh, these chaps are first-class rascals," said Dick after they had settled down a bit. "They have treated us most shamefully. At first, they gave us pretty good eating, but now they are starving us." "Starving you?" cried Tom. "Yes--they want us to tell all we know," put in Sam. "They are very suspicious." "Didn't you try to get away?" "No use of trying. The walls are too solid and so is the door," said Dick. He caught Tom by the arm and added in a faint whisper in his brother's ear: "They are listening. We have a hole." "Then we'll have to stay here," said Tom loudly, catching his cue instantly. "Yes, and it's a shame," added Sam in an equally loud voice. "I suppose the others have gone on?" "Certainly," said Tom calmly. "I was a chump to remain behind--only I wanted to find you. I got hold of a letter by accident." A moment later, they heard the guards walk away, and then Tom told the truth about the letter, and Sam and Dick led him to the hole in the wall. "It is not quite big enough to use, yet," whispered the eldest Rover. "But we hope to have it big enough by to-morrow. It's slow work, when you have got to be on your guard all the while."

wikipedia

Goa is a state in India within the coastal region known as the Konkan in India. It is bounded by Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its Western coast. It is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, that is two and a half times that of the country. It was ranked the best placed state by the "Eleventh Finance Commission" for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India by the National Commission on Population based on the 12 Indicators. Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is its largest city. The historic city of Margao still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, who first landed in the early 16th century as merchants and conquered it soon thereafter. Goa is a former Portuguese province; the Portuguese overseas territory of Portuguese India existed for about 450 years until it was annexed by India in 1961. Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year for its beaches, places of worship and world heritage architecture. It has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, a biodiversity hotspot.

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Pearl and June were good friends and spent most of their time together. They were both very old and they worried about their health. Most of the time they talked about nothing else. They worried about their food. Was it clean? Would it give them pains in the stomach? They worried about the weather. Was it too cold and wet? Would it give them pains in their bones? They worried about pollution in the air. would it give them pains in their chests and throats? They worried about being hurt in a car accident, killed in a plane crash, getting sick, and so on. All they could think about was being ill or hurt. One day they went on a train journey together. "We'll need some food," Pearl said. "We'll buy some bananas," June said. "They are good to eat and always clean." And so they bought two bananas to eat on the train. It was not long before they were hungry. Pearl took out the bananas and gave one to June. Then she peeled the skin of her banana and took a large bite of it. At that moment the train went into a tunnel. Everything went black. "Don't eat your banana," Pearl shouted at June. "Mine has made me go blind!"

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CHAPTER 10. Containing the Sequel of the Midshipman's Disaster Major Bagstock, after long and frequent observation of Paul, across Princess's Place, through his double-barrelled opera-glass; and after receiving many minute reports, daily, weekly, and monthly, on that subject, from the native who kept himself in constant communication with Miss Tox's maid for that purpose; came to the conclusion that Dombey, Sir, was a man to be known, and that J. B. was the boy to make his acquaintance. Miss Tox, however, maintaining her reserved behaviour, and frigidly declining to understand the Major whenever he called (which he often did) on any little fishing excursion connected with this project, the Major, in spite of his constitutional toughness and slyness, was fain to leave the accomplishment of his desire in some measure to chance, 'which,' as he was used to observe with chuckles at his club, 'has been fifty to one in favour of Joey B., Sir, ever since his elder brother died of Yellow Jack in the West Indies.' It was some time coming to his aid in the present instance, but it befriended him at last. When the dark servant, with full particulars, reported Miss Tox absent on Brighton service, the Major was suddenly touched with affectionate reminiscences of his friend Bill Bitherstone of Bengal, who had written to ask him, if he ever went that way, to bestow a call upon his only son. But when the same dark servant reported Paul at Mrs Pipchin's, and the Major, referring to the letter favoured by Master Bitherstone on his arrival in England--to which he had never had the least idea of paying any attention--saw the opening that presented itself, he was made so rabid by the gout, with which he happened to be then laid up, that he threw a footstool at the dark servant in return for his intelligence, and swore he would be the death of the rascal before he had done with him: which the dark servant was more than half disposed to believe.

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CHAPTER XLII What Can You Give in Return? In spite of the family troubles, these were happy days for Beatrice. It so seldom happens that young ladies on the eve of their marriage have their future husbands living near them. This happiness was hers, and Mr Oriel made the most of it. She was constantly being coaxed down to the parsonage by Patience, in order that she might give her opinion, in private, as to some domestic arrangement, some piece of furniture, or some new carpet; but this privacy was always invaded. What Mr Oriel's parishioners did in these halcyon days, I will not ask. His morning services, however, had been altogether given up, and he had provided himself with a very excellent curate. But one grief did weigh heavily on Beatrice. She continually heard her mother say things which made her feel that it would be more than ever impossible that Mary should be at her wedding; and yet she had promised her brother to ask her. Frank had also repeated his threat, that if Mary were not present, he would absent himself. Beatrice did what most girls do in such a case; what all would do who are worth anything; she asked her lover's advice. "Oh! but Frank can't be in earnest," said the lover. "Of course he'll be at our wedding." "You don't know him, Caleb. He is so changed that no one hardly would know him. You can't conceive how much in earnest he is, how determined and resolute. And then, I should like to have Mary so much if mamma would let her come."

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CHAPTER XXVII. THE MEETING IN THE WOODS. Ralph was so sore and stiff from his fall that he walked very slowly toward Westville. It seemed to him that he ached in every joint, and it was not long before he sought a soft grassy bank upon which to rest. "If only somebody would come along with a wagon," he thought, as he gazed up and down the rather rough woodland road. "I would willingly pay a half-dollar for a lift, as much as I need my money." The boy was much exercised over his mother. He knew that she would be greatly worried over his prolonged absence. Never before had he remained away from home over night. No wagon or any other vehicle appeared, and Ralph was forced to resume his journey on foot, dragging his tired and bruised body along as best he could. Presently he came to a tiny stream that flowed into Big Silver Lake. Here he stopped again, not only to rest, but also to bathe his temples and obtain a drink, for the water was both pure and cold. He could not help but think of the strange manner in which he had been attacked. What had been the purpose of Martin and Toglet? "If I did not know better, I would be almost forced to believe it was accidental," he thought. "But in that case they would have come to my assistance, instead of taking the sloop and hurrying off with her." It was so comfortable a spot at the brook that Ralph rested there longer than he had originally intended. But at last he arose and moved on, thankful that he had accomplished at least one-third of the distance home.

gutenberg

CHAPTER THE THIRTY-SIXTH. But let us now, like soldiers on the watch, Put the soul's armour on, alike prepared For all a soldier's warfare brings. JOANNA BAILLIE. The reader will recollect, that when Rochecliffe and Joceline were made prisoners, the party which escorted them had two other captives in their train, Colonel Everard, namely, and the Rev. Nehemiah Holdenough. When Cromwell had obtained entrance into Woodstock, and commenced his search after the fugitive Prince, the prisoners were placed in what had been an old guardroom, and which was by its strength well calculated to serve for a prison, and a guard was placed over them by Pearson. No light was allowed, save that of a glimmering fire of charcoal. The prisoners remained separated from each other, Colonel Everard conversing with Nehemiah Holdenough, at a distance from Dr. Rochecliffe, Sir Henry Lee, and Joceline. The party was soon after augmented by Wildrake, who was brought down to the Lodge, and thrust in with so little ceremony, that, his arms being bound, he had very nearly fallen on his nose in the middle of the prison. "I thank you, my good friend," he said, looking back to the door, which they who had pushed him in were securing--"_Point de ceremonie_--no apology for tumbling, so we light in good company.--Save ye, save ye, gentlemen all--What, _á la mort_, and nothing stirring to keep the spirits up, and make a night on't?--the last we shall have, I take it; for a make [Footnote: A half-penny] to a million, but we trine to the nubbing cheat [Footnote: Hang on the gallows] to-morrow.--Patron--noble patron, how goes it? This was but a scurvy trick of Noll so far as you were concerned: as for me, why I might have deserved something of the kind at his hand."

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Public caught up in argument over safety of genetically modified or simply GM products, report Zhang Lei and Zhong Nan in Beijing. More than 300 people gathered to enjoy a bowl of porridge made from genetically modified food on Saturday, an attempt to quell public fears about the safety of the product. The first China Golden Rice Tasting Event was held at Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, Hubei province, sparking another round in the nationwide debate about the safety of GM crops, often called "Frankenfood" by opponents. Similar events have been held in more than 28 cities since May, the university said. Both the pro and anti camps have posted conflicting comments on the Internet, with each providing evidence to back up their beliefs, but the exchanges are becoming increasingly bitter. Jiang Tao, a senior engineer at the Center for Agricultural Resources Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is in favor of GM foods, was annoyed about what he called "amateurs" spreading rumors. "Just look at the people who are opposed to GM foods; can you find anyone from a related field in the scientific community?" he asked. Jiang also accused the anti-GM lobby of repeatedly using outdated or inaccurate data to support an "incorrect" stance. Chen Yunfa, an independent researcher into the Yangtze River Delta economy, recently wrote a commentary on the Internet news portal Eastday in which he criticized the actions of the 61 scientists, saying they had gone "beyond their proper duty". He suggested that large multinational corporations might be behind the letter and similar incidents, prompted by a desire to freeze China's patent hybrid rice technology out of the market. To support his contentions, Chen said that GM rice, first produced by scientists in the US, still hasn't gained official approval from the US government. However, the US authorities have actually granted licenses to six varieties of GM rice. The commercial planting of two varieties - anti-herbicide (BAR) transgenic rice LL RICE 06 and LL RICE 62 - produced by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis, was approved in 1999 and a license for cultivation for edible use was granted in 2000. The public outcry for GM labeling and boycotting has hindered the advancement of the technology. Concern about GM foods has been fueled by studies like the one published by French professor Gilles-Eric Seralini in September 2012. Seralini claimed that his research involving rats proved that the GM corn fed to them caused tumor growth. Furthermore, there is growing concern that the pesticides used on GMOs are contributing to the decline of the world's honey bee population, leading to honey bee deaths by infecting the brains of the insects with toxins. Therefore, some experts recommend the labeling of non-GM foods so that consumers can make that decision without a regulatory burden being placed on GMOs. However, we should be cautious about anything that may risk humans' life. Only time will tell.

cnn

(CNN) -- The F1 title race may have taken a potentially decisive twist Sunday as Lewis Hamilton took ruthless advantage of the misfortune which befell Mercedes teammate and bitter rival Nico Rosberg to win under the Singapore floodlights and leapfrog him in the standings. Rosberg, who led by a commanding 22 points coming into the 14th round of the championship, was left stranded in the pit lane after failing to move off his second spot on the grid for the formation lap and later retired as the electrical malfunction could not be remedied. Hamilton, who has won two straight races after claiming the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month, has taken a three-point advantage over Rosberg, with five races remaining. He was made to work for his victory by four-time reigning champion Sebastian Vettel, who took the lead after Hamilton pitted for fresh tires in the closing stages, but could not hold off the charging Briton, who eventually won by over 13 seconds. It was his seventh win of the season with Vettel and his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo completing the podium. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and his former teammate Felipe Massa, now with Williams, claimed fourth and fifth. Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne, who is set to be replaced at Toro Rosso by 16-year-old Dutchman Max Verstappen next year, finished sixth, holding off a fast-finishing Mexican Sergio Perez of Force India. Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari, Nico Hulkenberg for Force India and McLaren's Kevin Magnussen completed the points scoring on the Marina Bay street circuit.

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Downing Street sources have indicated that the British tennis player,Andy Murray,will be Recommended for a knighthood for ending Britain's 77-year wait for a Wimbledon men's champion title.David Cameron,the British prime minister,who was in the royal box on Sunday at Wimbledon told reporters that he couldn't think of anyone who deserves one more.More news on the knighthood is surely to come, but Murray's achievement has a _ in that he is Scottish, not English. Also in the royal box show on Sunday was Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, waving the white-and-blue Scottish flag in the row directly behind Cameron after the victory.No Scotsman had won the singles at Wimbledon since Harold Mahony in 1896.Salmond was later asked on BBC Radio whether Murray's achievement had been a victory for Britain. "Absolutely,and for tennis fans everywhere,"Salmond said."Let everyone enjoy the victory.But you will allow us just the little private thing.Let us wave our national flag." The Scottish government,headed by Salmond,has announced that Scotland will hold a referendum on independence from Britain in September 2014.Murray,who lives in the London area but was born and raised in the Scottish town of Dunblane,has not said publicly which way he would vote on the issue,and his Wimbledon Championship will only mix interest in his views. But this was a national moment.Murray's semifinal victory over Jerzy Janowicz drew a peak television audience of 13.24 million viewers, the biggest of the year in Britain.The final then topped that with a peak audience of 17.3 million,the biggest audience for a Wimbledon final since at least 1990, according to the B BC. Only one name will go on the trophy ,but tennis at the highest level has now become a team event.Murray,who once had frequent fits of anger during matches,has transformed himself into a much more focused force with the help of an extensive support group.Murray's rise to champion has clearly something to do with his decision to hire the former number one tennis champion Ivan Lendl as his coach just before the 2012 season."He's been very patient with me; I'm just happy I managed to do it for him." Onward Team Murray goes toward a defense of the United States Open title,beginning next month,and then eventually to defending at Wimbledon next year with the British drought well and truly over.

cnn

(CNN) -- David Ferrer will aim to become the first Spaniard to win the Miami Masters after beating Germany's Tommy Haas in an absorbing semifinal on Friday. The trophy has proved beyond the reach of three of his compatriots in the past, with Rafael Nadal having failed on three occasions (2005, 2008, 2011) to add to previous failures by Carlos Moya (2003) and Sergi Bruguera (1997). The third seed, who celebrates his 31st birthday on Tuesday, will play either Andy Murray or Richard Gasquet in Sunday's final after recovering from a break down in the third set to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. The world No. 5 finally ended a fine championships for Haas who, at 34, was bidding to become the oldest man to reach the final since Jimmy Connors in 1988. The German, who slayed world No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djovokic in the quarterfinals, took his fine form into the clash as he powered his way to the first set in Key Biscayne. Losing the opener only served to focus Ferrer's concentration however and he broke Haas in the sixth game of the second before repeating the feat to take the set 6-2. When Haas broke in the first and third games of the third set, the German seemed to have regained the initiative only for Ferrer to find his way back into the match through his trademark resilience. 2013 has started in superb fashion for the Spaniard, who can win his third title of the year on Sunday -- with the Australian Open semifinalist having already triumphed in Auckland and Buenos Aires.

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Andrew Carneigie, known as the King of Steel, built the steel industry in the United States, and, in the process, became one of the wealthiest men in America. His success resulted partly from his ability to sell the product and partly from his policy of expanding during periods of economic decline, when most of his competitors were reducing their investments. Carnegie believed that individuals should progress through hard work, but he also felt strongly that the wealthy should use their fortunes for the benefit of society. He opposed charity, preferring instead to provide educational opportunities that would allow others to help themselves. "He who dies rich, dies disgraced", he often said. Among his more noteworthy contributions to society are those that bear his name, including the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, which has a library, a museum of fine arts, and a museum of national history. He also founded a school of technology that is now part of Carnegie-Mellon University. Other philanthropic gifts are the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to promote understanding between nations, the Carnegie Institute of Washington to fund scientific research, and Carnegie Hall to provide a center for the arts. _ . His contributions of more than five million dollars established 2,500 libraries in small communities throughout the country and formed the nucleus of the public library system that we all enjoy today.

wikipedia

A social network is a social structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations), sets of dyadic ties, and other social interactions between actors. The social network perspective provides a set of methods for analyzing the structure of whole social entities as well as a variety of theories explaining the patterns observed in these structures. The study of these structures uses social network analysis to identify local and global patterns, locate influential entities, and examine network dynamics. Social networks and the analysis of them is an inherently interdisciplinary academic field which emerged from social psychology, sociology, statistics, and graph theory. Georg Simmel authored early structural theories in sociology emphasizing the dynamics of triads and "web of group affiliations". Jacob Moreno is credited with developing the first sociograms in the 1930s to study interpersonal relationships. These approaches were mathematically formalized in the 1950s and theories and methods of social networks became pervasive in the social and behavioral sciences by the 1980s. Social network analysis is now one of the major paradigms in contemporary sociology, and is also employed in a number of other social and formal sciences. Together with other complex networks, it forms part of the nascent field of network science.

cnn

Abidjan, Ivory Coast (CNN) -- The European Union announced a recovery package of 180 million euros for the Ivory Coast on Tuesday as residents of the African nation attempted to adjust to life with a clear leader and relative stability after months of bloodshed. Forces arrested former President Laurent Gbagbo after storming his residence on Monday. Gbagbo defied calls to step down after an electoral commission declared he lost a presidential election in November to Alassane Ouattara. Ouattara has been recognized internationally as the legitimate winner. A violent power struggle followed the standoff, with supporters loyal to both sides taking to the streets in protests since December. Hundreds have been killed, according to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Andris Piebalgs, EU commissioner for development, announced the recovery package on Tuesday. "We will stand by Ivory Coast and its people by immediately starting to work with the government of President Ouattara to support him in getting the country on the right track towards reconciliation, democracy, economic recovery and sustainable development," he said. The funding will provide support to ensure basic needs for citizens such as health, water, sanitation and to support the agricultural sector, Piebalgs said in a statement. It also will clear the Ivory Coast's debt accumulated through the European Investment Bank. Top military brass pledged their support to Ouattara in a ceremony Tuesday at a hotel in Abdijan. Gen. Phillipe Mangou, Gbagbo's former army chief of staff, said on state television that the generals were received by Ouattara and given orders to take measures to restore order in the country.

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Al-Shabaab militants launched an attack Somalia's parliament headquarters Saturday, leaving at least 10 people dead and more than 11 others wounded, witnesses and officials said. Members of the parliament were among those wounded after gunmen loyal to the al Qaeda-affiliated terror group stormed the facility in Mogadishu, according to witnesses and official accounts. Fighters used automatic rifles, heavy machine guns and explosives in an attack that lasted more than three hours, witnesses said. Mohamed Madale, a police spokesman, said security forces later secured the building after the fighters blew themselves up. He said the security forces killed several fighters during the attack. Dahir Mohamed, a police officer who witnessed the attack, said the attackers used a car filled with explosives to get into the parliament building, and killed some of the Somali forces guarding the building on their way in. Smoke and flames could be seen pouring from the building as ambulances pulled up to attend to the wounded lying on the ground. People took cover as security forces moved in, exchanging gunfire with the attackers. Some members of parliament were evacuated from the building. Ali Osman, an ambulance worker at the scene, told CNN that he collected 10 bodies, including those of Somali forces, civil servants and civilians who were caught in the crossfire during the attack. He also said more than 11 others, including members of parliament, also were wounded. A spokesman said on Al-Shabaab's radio network that the group was responsible for the attack. Prime Minister: Attack does not reflect "true Islamic faith"

cnn

(CNN) -- The White House may be the official residence of the U.S. president, but it's only a temporary address. The former homes and libraries of presidents offer an inside look into the lives of the select few who served as the nation's leader. Nearly 80 million visitors have toured Mount Vernon, George Washington's home in Virginia. From simple log cabins to expansive estates, hundreds of presidential homes and historical sites are open to the public. Visitors can read the love letters between Harry Truman and his wife, Bess, examine hand-drawn maps by Herbert Hoover or eye the tintype photograph of young wife Lucy that Rutherford B. Hayes carried with him daily on Civil War battlefields and later in the White House. As we witness a new leader take office and celebrate past commanders-in-chief on President's Day this month, CNN asked William Clotworthy, author of "Homes and Libraries of the Presidents," to recommend five places for travelers to see a very human side of history's presidents. Lincoln's birthplace There's more than split rails at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville, Kentucky. The site, run by the National Park Service, offers exhibits and walking tours so the visitor can experience a little of the frontier life that shaped the nation's 16th president. The centerpiece is the large marble and granite Lincoln Memorial Building, which houses a small and humble log cabin. The cabin is not actually Lincoln's birth cabin -- that has been lost to history -- but it does try to replicate as closely as possible the tiny and primitive surroundings that sheltered the future commander in chief.

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The first Ml choir rehearsal of the school year took place in the school hall. All the students joined together to sing. I watched as my elder sister and her grade came in and took their places next to us on the stage. Meanwhile, I could hear laughing. Some students were pointing at a girl standing next to my sister. I'd never seen this girl before. A girl whispered in my ear, " Did you know she's wearing diapers ?" After school that evening, I asked my sister about the girl I'd seen. She told me her name was Theresa and that she was a very nice girL ." Why were those kids being mean to her? I asked, "Because they're stupid," she said. One day, I was walking home from school when I heard voices behind me. "There's the little idiot's sister. Does your sister wet her pants too?" I walked a little faster and then I felt a atone hit me in the back. When I got home, I ran down to my sister's room. I pushed my way into her room, screaming at her. "Why do you have to be that giri's friend? I don't see anyone else being nice to her, " Janelle yelled back, Because she is a wonderful person and she is dying!" I will remember those words as long as I live. Theresa wet her pants because she had an illness, which was killing her. My sister was the only one nice enough to be her friend and stick up for her. A few months later, Hieresa passed away. I felt proud that Janelle was my sister. Throughout the years I watched her, and she always made friends with everyone. It didn't matter if they ware fat, thin, brilliant or not. She never left anyone feeling isolated or alone. It was she who changed me and taught me to never look at anyone in the same way again.

mctest

Johnny is a nine year old boy. On one hot summer day, Johnny is outside his house playing with his dog. He is very hot and wants to have some ice cream. He looks in his freezer and sees that he does not have ice cream. Johnny then hears the song of the ice cream truck. Johnny runs outside but does not see the ice cream truck. He looks down the street but the ice cream truck is nowhere to be found. The music of the truck starts to get softer and then louder. Johnny waits outside for an hour. Johnny then thinks that he needs money when the ice cream truck comes. He runs inside and finds five dollars in his room. He then hears the ice cream truck song get very loud. He runs back outside and sees the truck pass his house. Johnny runs after the truck and catches up with it. Johnny buys 4 ice cream pops and some candy. He gives his five dollars to the ice cream man and gets one dollar back. He walks home and happily eats all of his candy and ice cream.

cnn

Hong Kong, China (CNN) -- They are coming from cities across China, including Beijing and Shanghai: Students are leaving mainland China for the opportunity to study in Hong Kong instead. "We are a small elite who can afford freedom beyond China's great firewall," says "Li Cheng" from Shanghai. Li, a student at the University of Hong Kong, did not want to disclose his real name or details about his study program, fearing consequences back home. "I live in one country, but it feels like having two identities," Li said. "In Shanghai, I use special software to access sites blacklisted by the government, like Twitter or the uncensored version of Google. "In Hong Kong, I am taught to integrate these tools in my research." In the past, students such as Li would have to travel to far-away countries to get around Beijing's control of information. Now, they are taking advantage of Hong Kong's special administrative status that allows for a "one country, two systems" rule until 2047. Hong Kong is nothing like mainland China in terms of its free flow of information, freedom of speech and multiparty political system. Those differences were recently emphasized by Google's row with the Chinese government over censorship. In March, Google announced it was routing its users to an uncensored version of the internet search engine based in Hong Kong, amid speculation that Google would pull out of China entirely. China's reaction to Google's announcement "When Google redirected its site from China to Hong Kong, it meant a lot of publicity for our free harbor," said David Bandurski, a China analyst at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He studies censorship issues.

cnn

(CNN) -- BP reported problems controlling the undersea well at the heart of the largest oil spill in U.S. history and won a delay in testing a critical piece of equipment in March, according to documents released Sunday. "We are in the midst of a well control situation on MC 252 #001 and have stuck pipe. We are bringing out equipment to begin operations to sever the drillpipe, plugback the well and bypass," Scherie Douglas, a BP regulatory advisor, told the district engineer for the U.S. Interior Department's Minerals Management Service in a March 10 e-mail. In a follow-up e-mail to the district engineer, Frank Patton, Douglas reported the company wanted to get a plug set in the well before testing the blowout preventer, the massive device used to shut down the well in case of an emergency. "With the give and take of the well and hole behavior we would feel much more comfortable getting at least one of the two plugs set in order to fully secure the well prior to testing BOPs," she wrote. When Patton told BP he could not delay a test any longer than it took to bring the well under control, the company won a postponement from David Trocquet, the MMS district manager in New Orleans, Louisiana, the documents show. Trocquet ordered BP to make sure its cement plug was set up and to verify its placement, according to his reply. The messages do not indicate how long the test was postponed. The exchange was among the documents released Sunday by leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is looking into the disaster that killed 11 workers aboard the drilling platform Deepwater Horizon and uncapped a gusher that is now fouling the northern Gulf of Mexico. BP has been unable to activate the well's blowout preventer since the explosion, resulting in up to 19,000 barrels (798,000 gallons) spewing into the Gulf every day.

gutenberg

CHAPTER VII A PROFESSIONAL BURGLAR There were three men in New York that day, who, although they occupied their accustomed table, the best in one of its most exclusive clubs, and although their luncheon was chosen with the usual care, were never really conscious of what they were eating. Weiss was one, John Bardsley another, and Higgins, the railway man, the third. They sat in a corner, from which their conversation could not be overheard; and as often before when their heads had been close together, people looked across at them, always with interest, often with some envy, and wondered. "I'd like you both to understand," Weiss said, speaking with unaccustomed emphasis as he leaned across the table, "that I don't like the look of things. We tackled something pretty big when we tackled Phineas Duge, and if he has the least idea that these Chicago brokers have been operating on our behalf, it's my belief we shall find ourselves up against it." Higgins, who was the optimist of the party, a small man, with the unlined, clear complexion and face of a boy, shrugged his shoulders a little doubtfully. "That's all very well, Weiss," he said, "but if Phineas had been going to find us out at all, he'd have found us out three weeks ago, when the thing started. He wouldn't have sat still and let us sell ten million dollars' worth of stock without moving his little finger. I guess you've got the jumps, Weiss, all because we were d-----d fools enough to sign that rotten paper last night. All the same I don't quite see how he could ever use that against us. His own name's there."