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Via Red Hen Press
Are We Comfortable Encountering Strangers Anymore?
Sebastian Matthews on Balancing Suspicion and Good Faith
By Sebastian Matthews
Beyond Repair is told through a series of encounters with friends and neighbors, colleagues and strangers, from early 2014 to spring 2019. It's the story of my re-emergence after surviving and recovering from a major car accident. When I finally returned to the world—as father and husband, friend and brother—it became clear that we were all trapped in a traumatized state—reeling from one after another police shooting of unarmed African-Americans, stunned by yet another mass shooting—and that everywhere people were displaying signs of PTSD.
My interactions in daily life became more and more dysfunctional—us against them, red vs. blue, rich vs. poor. That my family and I live in Asheville, NC—a progressive town inside a conservative county in the mountain South—only made things more volatile.
I tried to enter into these experiences as conscious as possible of the potential divides and misunderstandings between us—including my own unearned privilege as a middle-aged white man—while working to make meaningful connection. I started close by then traveled out into the wider world. At the same time, we were raising our teenage boy, doing our best to help him navigate this new, challenging environment.
White men in trucks. What is it about them that shoots a brief goose of fear into my bloodstream? Is it imminent threat sounding in the revved engine? Derision caught in the side-view mirror? Or plain old disdain drumming its fingers on the drivers' side door? A little of each!? All I know is I am walking through our suburban neighborhood, and a truck barrels past, not slowing nor moving over. That another swerves around the bend, almost clipping my dog, meeting my upraised hands with a jutting middle finger. And another drives right up behind me and rides my bumper all the way up the hill.
Just yesterday, downtown Asheville, a man steps around me in line and interrupts the conversation I'm having with an acquaintance. He is showing me a photo of his five-year-old boy holding up a large fish caught in one of the Biltmore ponds.
The man steps in closer. "That a bream?"
He's got a smile on his face that I read as hostile. He wants me gone. But the father ignores the man, finishing his sentence about the peaceful water and how quiet it is out there with his boy.
I don't know what gets the young man talking, but soon he is telling me that he is stationed in North Carolina, on furlough for two weeks to visit family back in New Jersey.
"Almost mystical," he says.
The man interrupts again, smile getting bigger. "Hey, Mike, that a bream your boy is holding?"
Mike bursts into an equally large smile.
"Hell no," he drawls, and lists all the fish his boy has or could have caught.
I don't fish, so I don't follow. Nor can I make clear sense of the quick-fire exchange. The two men have fallen into a bravado-fueled, friendly back-and-forth—it's as if they're flashing each other signs or showing each other their good-old-boy badges. I feel as though I am being erased from the moment, No Trespassing signs staked at my feet. The men chat and laugh in the corner as I slip back in line.
Later, at dusk, one more truck appears; it slows to a crawl and follows me up the street. What's with people these days? Are they so sick of their lives that they need to lash out at strangers? To hate them for being something foreign or different?
I turn to face my nemesis, who has rolled down the window. "Whadya want?"
The man smiles, remains silent. There's power in a comfort with silence.
"How old is that dog of yours?" he asks, leaning out the window. He's talking about the lab, just a puppy, bounding over and standing up as if seeking the man's arms. The man laughs. The look in his eyes is pure sadness.
. . . on a flight from Charlotte to Newark
The young Marine stows his carry-on bag in the overhead compartment before sitting down in the aisle seat. He keeps the shiny, white-peaked utility cap on his lap. The flight attendant asks if she can put it in the overhead bin. The young man politely refuses and places the cap under the seat in front of him, arranging his feet around its pristine edges. His hair is dark black, his skin long-winter pale.
I don't know what gets the young man talking, but soon he is telling me that he is stationed in North Carolina, on furlough for two weeks to visit family back in New Jersey. That he is recently divorced. I ask how long the marriage lasted. He bows his head and mumbles, "Not long."
He talks at length about the difficulties of living on base as a young married couple; how his ex-wife got lonely and went AWOL.
"If she's holed up where I think she is, well, you might see me on TV." He looks directly into my eyes before fiddling again with his headphones. He takes his Coke from the stewardess, smiling politely when she hands him the cup and napkin. "Really, I am a pretty calm guy."
When I ask him what size family he's returning to, he smiles, listing off its members.
"Mother, sister, younger brother, a couple of cousins." There's a long beat. "And my father…I guess."
A few more beats: "He's a nice guy when he's not drunk."
Turns out his dad is a firefighter, or was one until he drank himself out of a job. He was six years from retirement, on his way to being chief. My seatmate leans down and shifts his cap a little. Later, as the plane begins its gradual descent, the young Marine tells me more about his life in the service, about how he often serves as his platoon's designated driver.
"I drink," he says, "but only a beer or two. I just turned 19. I watch myself."
Lately, he says, they have been training for cold weather action. He looks proud.
"I am used to the heat. Not sure about the cold, though. I get shivering pretty fast."
When I ask him whom he wants as our next president, the young Marine frowns, lips pursed. He puts on his music and disappears into it, eyes closed.
Near the end of the flight, everyone's awake, preparing to disembark. I ask the soldier about women in the Marines, thinking of the two women officers I just read about who completed the special ranger training. He doesn't answer at first.
"It's biological," he says, as we wait for the plane to taxi to the gate. "Men are programmed to take care of the female first."
At the register, I noticed an older gentleman hovering by the door. He seemed tuned into my presence.
He shifts in his seat. "And I am not saying it's right. But it's true." I don't know what to say to that.
"And there is no place for that in battle. There's a protocol."
The young man shakes his head sadly, and carefully lifts up his cap, placing it in his lap. He puts his headphones back on and blasts music until the line starts moving. When it's his turn, he stands up and retrieves his bag. I watch him inch forward to the door, fixing the cap on this head, and I worry for his ex-wife's safety.
Last night Avery needed picking up at Tarwheels, a roller-skating rink one township over. I wanted to get him by 10:30 even though the place closed down at 11. It was a safe scene, still I worried about leaving a preteen out on his own so late. Even though he knew to stay inside, what would it take for him to break that rule? A couple of cool teens urging him out to take a hit off . . . ?
I headed out right around ten, stopping to get gas. At the register, I noticed an older gentleman hovering by the door. He seemed tuned into my presence; by the time I was done paying, he was standing behind me, in my blind spot.
(Which reminds me, there's this scene in an early episode of The Americans in which the Russian spy—disguised as a normal, suburban American Dad—asks two thugs to get out of his blind spot. He's talking to this badass boss man. They don't move. He asks again, looking nervously over his shoulder. They don't, so he kicks the living shit out of the men. When he's done, he turns back to the boss and says, "I told them to get out of my blind spot.")
So I gave my guy a stare. He waited for me to grab my things off the counter before approaching.
"You going out toward Arby's?"
"I work at the grocery."
He showed me the apron in his hand. "I need a ride back to my room."
My first inclination was to shake my head and walk away. But something told me to give him a chance. So I stared a little longer. He didn't look like a serial killer. Actually, he seemed like an exhausted man in need of some sleep.
"Ok, let's go."
The man followed me to my car, climbed in, gave me his name, and sat quietly as we headed east on Tunnel Road.
"You staying at the hotel?"
"At the veteran's place," he said.
"The one across from the Dollar Store?"
He looked over at me.
"Most people don't know the place exists."
"Well, I've lived in the area a while now."
"It's good," he said, "to know where things are."
A few minutes later, we pulled up outside the hotel. The man got out, thanking me as he shut the car door. I watched him join a gathering in the well-lit lobby.
When I got to the roller rink, Avery was waiting for me at one of the tables next to the video games. He looked exhausted.
"Let's go," he said.
He skated wearily—and gracefully—to the car. I drove home, passing the vets in their fishbowl, letting the song on the radio serve as talk.
This excerpt is from Beyond Repair: Living in a Fractured State by Sebastian Matthews (Red Hen Press, 2020). Reprinted with permission from the publisher.
Beyond Repair: Living in a Fractured StateMarinesPTSDRed Hen PressSebastian Matthewstraumawhiteness
Sebastian Matthews
Sebastian Matthews is the author of a memoir, In My Father's Footsteps, and two books of poetry, We Generous and Miracle Day. His hybrid collection of poetry and prose, Beginner's Guide to a Head-on Collision, won the Independent Publisher Book Awards' silver medal. Matthews is also the author of The Life & Times of American Crow, a "collage novel in eleven chapbooks." His work has appeared in or on, among other places, the Atlantic, Blackbird, The Common, Georgia Review, Poetry Daily, Poets & Writers, The Sun, Virginia Quarterly Review, and the Writer's Almanac. Learn more at sebastianmatthews.com.
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Venice, Monet had always told his wife, was "too beautiful to paint." But when he accepted the invitation of an American friend to stay at her rented palazzo on the Grand Canal in 1908, he set to work, turning out thirty-seven canvases over the course of his visit. This view, taken from the boat landing of the Palazzo Barbaro, captures the baroque church of Santa Maria della Salute and its reflection dancing on the water. Unlike many Venetian view painters, Monet showed less interest in representing famous monuments than in capturing the play of light and reflection on the city's waterways.
 The provenance given here is taken from Daniel Wildenstein, "Monet: catalogue raisonné" (1996), vol. 4, p. 809, cat. no. 1738. The painting was included in the exhibition "Monet - Venise," Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, May 28 - June 8, 1912, cat. no. 3.


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DRIVER OF CABS, WEAVER OF STORIES
By Amy Kaslow
IT'S easy to find a taxi late at night on the 1100 block of 15th Street.
Lined with the massive Washington Post building on one side and the posh Madison Hotel on the other, the six-lane road bustles with blue delivery trucks stacked with newspapers, ladies of the night, and unsuspecting tourists.
That's where we met Lionel, an elderly black man with salt-and-pepper hair, driving slowly by the hotel's entrance and slumped down in his car seat with the comfort that accompanies a career of cab driving. He stopped alongside the canopy and motioned us into the back seat. We told him where in suburban Maryland we were headed and offered a possible route.
"What?!" he eyed us with disbelief in the rearview mirror. "I ain't goin' up no Connecticut Avenue. Here's 16th Street, a straight shot. What'd ya want to send me up Connecticut Avenue for?
"Shoot.
"I been drivin' 52 going on 53 years driving a cab. I got to get out of the house. I'm 75, going on 76 years old. I got five grandchildren; I tell my wife I'll be back when they're put to bed.
"I got a 13-year-old grandson who won't leave me alone. Always changin' the channel when a program I'm lookin' at come on. Always makin' noise.
"Heh, heh, heh. No way!
"They don't live with me. They got their own house. They live four blocks away. They just come spend the night every once in a while.
"I'm from Florida. My parents always said if you don't like somethin', make it better. Left there in 1930. Couldn't stand the segregation. Got on a bus to New York. But the fellows I was traveling with got off the bus in Washington. You see, in the olden days, you used to be able to get off the bus and get back on later with the same ticket. Not no more. I was going to be with my brothers in New York. But I never made it. Stayed in Washington.
"Heck no, it was just as segregated as Florida. More segregated in Boston today than down South. Jews in one place; Poles in another. Negroes someplace else.
"You never known the segregation I know. They don't teach it to you in school.
"Havin' to rap on the back winda to get in someplace. Havin' to see if it's OK to come in."
We asked him about the recent riots in Los Angeles, and about life in Washington, D.C., where riots burned out part of the city in 1968.
"L.A.? What'd ya think was gonna happen? Welfare check runs out, food stamps gone. Two-hundred-and-forty-seven dollars don't go too far. Ain't no minimum wage jobs. Lousy education. Nobody stays in school. Family all broke up.
"You see, we always had a family. Family's important. I told my children - all five of them - if you don't want to get an education, then get on out. All my kids are professionals. One's a dental hygienist, one's a computer engineer, two are professional secretaries, and the last is a school teacher.
"I spent time with my kids. Brought 'em up myself. First my mother-in-law died. Then my sister. Then my wife kicked off. All within eight months. So I didn't date no woman or nothin'. For 12 years, I just brought up them kids. Took 'em on picnics, sightseeing to museums. You know, we was a family.
"I got two houses, three blocks from Capitol Hill. Paid $4,500 for one of 'em, and laid down $1,000 on another with a GI loan. Yeah, I served in World War II building a 3,000-mile road - a good piece of road in between China and Burma.
"If I sold 'em now, I'd probably have $100,000 or so. But what I want t'do that for? I don't need no money. Anyway, it's all in my children's and grandchildren's names.
"I worked hard all my life. For a while I was at the State Department. Drove a cab at night to make a livin'. The State Department? Oh, it was all right." He looked at us again through the rearview mirror. "You know. All right."
We asked him if he ever ran into trouble driving a cab in Washington, the city with the country's highest murder rate.
"Sure. I been held up. Three times. Last time was 2 1/2 years ago.
"Guy had a gun to my head. I told him, `Son, you got to take that gun away so I can reach into my pocket and give you my money.' I had the money in my pocket you see, but I wasn't gonna move 'til he took that gun from my head.
"When he did, I reached in and pulled out all my money. It was $210. I told him so. I told him I knew how much money it was 'cause I earned it. It was my Christmas money. I told him I hoped the next time he held me up I'd have twice as much. That's how I talked to him.
"He told me he was sorry he had to do this and all, you know. And that he didn't want to shoot me. Then he just got out of the cab and told me to turn the engine off for 60 seconds and then to drive away. I turned it off, and counted to 736.
"I went back to the Hyatt Regency where I picked him up. No sense callin' the police; he already had my money and was gone. I told the dispatcher at the Hyatt what happened. And he went and got the manager; took me down to the bar. Opened the cash register and gave me $75.
"I had $75 for Christmas Day. That's all. And I was planning to go see my brother in New York City on Christmas Day.
`YEAH. I was on my way to the Washington Post tonight to get tomorrow's paper when you hailed my cab. I like to read the paper early. 'Fore 11 o'clock. Now I got to drive all the way back and get a paper. You see, they start deliverin' at 11, but you can get it at a little after 9.
"Huh?
"Yeah. I love to read. Books, papers, anything. I want my children to be informed. See this? Picked this up from some fella who was loaded down with them on the street. Tells you everything about drugs. Food. AIDS. I got two more at home, but this is the one I keep in the cab.
"Left here? OK. Sho' is changed 'round here. All these big buildings and people carryin' on in the streets. This used to wide open space. Was just nothin' but woods out here. Shoot. We used to hunt rabbits out here.
"Uh-huh. My grandson's about asleep now. Time to go home.
"What'd ya say? Naw! He's ain't no 19! I said he's 13. What're ya adding six years on him for? If he was that age he'd be out on the street chasing y'all!"
We threw our heads back in laughter. And then he turned left.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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'The Eastern Section of the Great Vasyugan Mire has been nominated for the Unesco World Heritage List'
A.J.Haywood
Tickets please! Bird stowaway travels on Trans-Siberian
Giant Great Grey Owl hitches a lift on epic 5,700 mile journey to Moscow after injuring itself hunting.
The Great Grey Owl is the world's largest species of owl, found mainly in Russia and the United States. Picture: Arne List
It is one of the most famous rail lines in the world, carrying passengers and cargo on an epic 5,700 mile journey through the wilderness of Russia. But now the iconic Trans-Siberian Railway has ferried an unusual stowaway across the vast expanse of the country, in the form of a giant owl.
Workers offloading cargo in Moscow discovered a Great Grey Owl - which stands 50cm tall and has an enormous two-metre wing span - inside, having hitched a lift all the way from Siberia.
Believed to have been injured during an accident, the male bird managed to sneak on board the train for the two-week journey east-to-west across Russia. Named after the great explorer Christopher Columbus, and thought to be between two and three years old, it is being given emergency treatment at a specialist bird hospital in Russia.
Vladimir Romanov, director of the Green Parrot bird hospital and orphanage, told The Siberian Times: 'It was a bit of a shock for both the workers and the owl to see each other. The bird tried to escape, but couldn't fly because of serious trauma and was too weak after days without food.
'The workers managed to throw a bag over its head and then delivered it to us'.
'I think it will take Columbus two to three months to fully recover'. Pictures: Vladimir Romanov
It is not known where the owl jumped on board but its natural habitat is in Siberia and the north of Russia. When the cargo train arrived in Moscow, workers from the Domodedovo mechanical factory found it sitting on a pile of metal.
The owl, often known as the 'Phantom of the North', was found to have three broken bones, most likely as a result of an accident while hunting prey.
Mr Romanov said: 'It could have got inside the cargo train carriage during loading when it was open, or through a hole in the roof. Either way the bird has been travelling for at least ten days, but more likely two weeks'.
The Great Grey Owl is the world's largest species of owl and is found in many parts of the northern hemisphere, but mainly in Russia and the United States.
Adults have large rounded heads with a grey face and yellow eyes, and the females are larger than the males. The injured bird is in the hospital's intensive care, where it is being fed and given oxygen with other medication being used to raise its body temperature.
Surgery will then be carried out to mend the bird's broken wings and bones.
Mr Romanov said: 'The main task is make sure it gains weight. We had to force-feed him at the start, though recently he began to eat little by little by himself.
'It will take at least two weeks for Columbus to gain weight and get into a normal shape. After this we will perform the surgery. Birds are very sensitive to excess weight, they begin to 'limp' when flying. I think it will take Columbus two to three months to fully recover.
'We plan to release him into the wild next spring'.
The owl will likely be released in the Leningrad region, where there is a greater possibility of him finding a mate nearby.
Mr Romanov added: 'We will work together with ornithologists and with staff from local nature reserves, because we need to control the bird at first. Our hospital has great experience in releasing birds into the wild, but this is the first time that we had a Great Grey Owl'.
The Trans-Siberian Railway was built between 1891 and 1916, under the supervision of Russian government ministers appointed directly by Tsar Alexander III.
At 5,772 miles, it is the longest railway line in the world, with connections into China, North Korea and Mongolia. It carries cargo as well as passengers, with the most famous service being the Trans-Siberian Express which is attracting growing numbers of overseas visitors each year.
the Trans-Siberian railway
This story has the joy and beauty of legends! The great grey owl holds such majestic beauty with its yellow eyes and wing span, so combined with this breathtaking and legendary train journey the story really is inspirational and uplifting!
Carmen, Ireland
Owl and other night birds are very important for the balance in ecosystem because they eat many mouses and other rodents.People shouldn't be afraid about them and protect them for the young generation.
Thanks Columbus !
Jocelyne, FRANCE
Not only it this bird beautiful, but also intelligent to know where to find help and hitching a lift.
What a lovely creation and hopefully he will recover soon, especially with the help of the workers and bird hospital and not to mention all the loving care he will get.
Many thanks and blessings to you all.
Valentyna, Scotland
Valentyna, Perth, Scotland
Great Grey Owl is a beautiful bird. Thanks to workers and bird hospital to care with him. C'est une belle histoire et Columbus est un le bon nom ¨v¨
Opera Theatre


Odyssey FZVCM VMS4 / VCM600 Case DJParts - All Variety of Parts that DJ Needs.
The FZVCM is specifically designed to hold the American Audio VMS4 DJ controller and can also fit the Vestax VCM-600 DJ controller. It features a front removable panel for easy access to the front input jacks and includes rubber feat, ball corners, and heavy-duty recessed handle and latches. Just another quality Flight Zone® case by Odyssey.
Controller Compartment is: 19.125"x 12.625"


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Organiseret kriminalitet er kriminelle grupper, der systematisk forfølger mål med ulovlige midler. Oftest bruges betegnelsen om kriminelle organisationer der arbejder med generering af økonomisk profit, men kan også anvendes om terrororganisationer med politiske i stedet for økonomiske mål.

Organiseret kriminalitet sættes ofte i forbindelse med narkotikadistribution, hvidvaskning eller afpresning af penge, mord og lejemord, bedrageri, menneskehandel – herunder også kvindehandel – samt prostitution.

Organiserede grupper af kriminelle bruger ofte navne til deres organisationer. Eksempler på sådanne, der er blevet almindeligt kendt i offentligheden kan være:

Se også
 De fem familier
 National Crime Syndicate

Referencer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


We're starting to feel a bit better here at the Malacko Sick Ward. I'm feeling much better and Gracie is napping better, so I think that's a good sign.
It's hard when babies are sick, because they can't tell you what's wrong or how they feel and you can't reassure them (except with a pat on the back and some cuddles).
Anyway, like I said, things are looking up. We'll take the weekend to relax and by Monday, we'll be 100 per cent.


(Editor's note: While September 19th is Speak Like A Pirate Day, any day is a good day to do so if you are talking about Alestorm) Avast there me hearties! 'tis time to sail the briny blue in search of treasure, wenches and adventure! Wait, strike that, wenches first, treasure second. Me likes me wenches! Now you scurvy dogs, run up the Jolly Roger and crank this album to 11! That be the best way to repel boarders. Alestorm be a band what plays that very best of kinds of songs, pirate metal. Before ye laugh, read on and see why ye ought to be listenin' to this band of merry Scots rogues.
Leviathan is indeed a four song EP that bridges the plank, err, gap between Alestorm's maiden voyage and second albums. While the disc be only a short shore leave to the lands of piratical head banging and merriment, it contains nothing but treasures and not a curse among 'em.
Alestorm's crew be made up of Captain Christopher Bowes, giving orders in the strongest of voice. First mate Dani Evans, who wields his six-string like a sword. Gareth Murdock, upon ye bass and drummer Ian Wilson who together keep time to spur on the rowers. The merry metallic sound of this band of brigands will charm even the most ardent landlubber into crewing with Alestorm.
This be an epic length tale of a creature of the deep. All pirates should keep a weather eye for said beastie, lest it drag yer ships to Davy Jones' locker. Captain Bowes sings the tale of this monster whilst using his nimble fingers upon the keys. It's a hard rocking reel sure to cause ye to head bang with the crew.
The two things a pirate craves more than treasure! This be a new version of Alestorm's own barroom ballad, "Wenches and Mead" sung here in German! There just be something so right and ribald about a band of Scots pirates singing a drinking song in German. Ich bin ein pirat!
All hands on deck to sail the seven seas of metal! Available a year ago as naught but a ghostly digital only song, this disc be the first bit of shine to hold Alestorm's glorious call to arms. Furious double kick drums spur sailors onward in the chorus whilst a merry accordion riff does well to blend the worlds of pirates and metal. Aye, if ye have read this far, then seeking adventure with salty pirates ye be. Arrgh then it be time for ye to join the crew of Alestorm, matey!


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Osprey's Fall Book Harvest - Gaslands: Refueled, Frostgrave: Perilous Dark, Reality's Edge - Review
MB Michael Barnes Updated October 24, 2019
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Gaslands: Refuelled
Reality's Edge: Cyberpunk Skirmish Rules
Osprey's Fall Harvest is here!
It is always a delight to get hold of a new Osprey rulebook- even when I'm looking over something that I don't play, like Bolt Action, I still genuinely enjoy the high standard of their rules writing, graphic design, and illustrations. I think they do some of the best books in the business and I'm always impressed at the value their books offer. I appreciate that game players can pick up a great set of rules for a great tabletop game at such reasonable entry prices. I've got three of their recent releases queued up here so let's have a look at what's new.
Gaslands is one of the best miniatures rulesets on the market – it's fast, fun, accessible, and of course it's why every other person on your social media feeds started posting pics of Hot Wheels with spare 40k weapons glued to them. This is the premiere automobile combat game – indeed, the best game that the genre has ever seen. Mike Hutchinson's new rulebook follows up his masterpiece with what is being billed a "1.5" version, which is appropriate as it is not really a new rulebook or a new edition of the rules. In fact, I think the ol' classic Osprey "blue book" rules work just fine for folks just getting into the game.
However, for seasoned players looking for more of, well, just about everything this book is a goldmine. The expanded weapon lists and vehicle types (Ice Cream Truck!) alone make it worthwhile with all new options ranging from Death Rays to Blunderbusses to RC Car bombs. All of the Time Extended additions, including the War Rig rules and mini-campaign, are now part of the core rules as well as more game modes, sponsors and perks. There's quite a lot of new rules that add a little more detail and variety, like rules for ramps in case your Gaslands games aren't already madcap enough or if you feel like there aren't enough cars flipping over and exploding.
It's also now a $30 hardcover, but it totally earns the extra cost with the expanded content made available therein. Even at that price, Gaslands can be one of the most financially approachable miniatures games available. You don't have to customize the cars, and really any old scenery (even Lego) will do. The risk/reward mechanisms, the sheer sense of velocity and vehicular mayhem it creates, and the depth of choices available make this game immensely appealing to a wide range of players. Just like the first book, this is a five star publication for a five-star game.
Frostgrave: Perilous Dark
Frostgrave was for many their first taste of Osprey Games' excellent work, and Joseph McCullough's icy fantasy skirmish has remained popular and very well supported with rumours of a 2nd edition on the horizon. But this edition isn't' done yet, and the newest Perilous Dark book is an excellent addition to the line. Specifically, this volume delves deep into various methods and options to play Frostgrave as a solo or co-op game.
That's right, much like Mr. McCullough's also excellent Rangers of Shadows Deep, Frostgrave can now be played solo or with a partner rather than as a competitive skirmish game. The focus shifts from warband-based combat with campaign elements to a more narrative storytelling adventure that leverages the simple and easy to play Frostgrave rules. I like this idea quite a lot, and I think most Frostgravers have at some point played a solo or co-op game. But now, we have this sort of "toolbox" book to help achieve a more satisfying gameplay experience. There are a lot of great tools to use in the book, too. Random dungeon generation rules, traps, expanded monster and treasure lists, and a ten game campaign that illustrates some of Mr. McCullouogh's ideas for this type of play.
Oddly, this all sort of positions Frostgrave in comparison with other dungeoncrawlers. But versus Descent, Warhammer Quest, or some of the other choices out there this is still a somewhat simpler and more comprehensive design. As it is squarely in the tabletop miniatures game camp, it also remains more demanding of the hobbyist in terms of creating a bespoke game and that includes supplying your own models, terrain, and effort toward sculpting the game to fit your desires. If you are already a Frostgraver or if you have a good assortment of RPG figures at hand, you should be good to go. But be advised that this is very much a Frostgrave expansion and not just a solo/co-op add-on. For those not interested in those modes, the new treasures and monsters may be of some interest, but the bulk of the content focuses on them.
This is a new game, authored by Joseph McGuire and it quite a tome – over 300 pages. With some sort of Blade Runner-y cover art it's pretty clear what we're in for here, and I'm really impressed at how comprehensive this rulebook is. There's tons of lore and background material – none of which is particularly novel or ingenious given the well-trodden boards of the setting and the usual referents – and a shockingly thorough, kitchen sink approach to expressing pretty much every cyberpunk theme or concept.
There's hacking, dystopian corporations, mechs, transhuman augmentation, street samurai (sorry, "Sprawl Ronin"), gangers, mercenary enforcers, virtual reality, drugs shady doctors, acid rain, black markets, and Mnemonic Couriers. It's breathtaking. It's also quite a lot of "stuff" for a skirmish ruleset to support. When I was reading the book, I kept thinking "holy shit, that too?"
But one of the more interesting things is that it is almost, kinda-sorta an RPG and that makes the all-in attempt at, well, everything more sensible from a world-building and stage-setting perspective. You (the player) have an actual character called the Showrunner and you select an Operative Type (class). The class defines things like your skillset, salary, weapons, and of course stat line. Taking on JobOps (scenarios), you get paid and hire Permahires and Freelancers to your crew.. It is absolutely intended to be a campaign game and of course there are rules for permanent injuries, death, and other ongoing narrative elements to generate an ongoing story. I think it's funny that there's a page that asks "But, how do you win?" And it says that it's not intended to be very competitive so it's kind of up to you. Solo options and one-off scenarios are also really up to you – they aren't hardcoded into these rules.
As for the game system, it's action-point driven and based around 1D10 resolutions- it's pretty standard skirmish stuff, played on a standard 36" by 36" table. There really isn't much guidance in terms of scenery, table setup, or anything like that so I think this is not a very good entry point for most game players into tabletop miniatures games. If you've got some Infinity, Necromunda, or other cyberpunky models and some appropriate terrain, you are still going to have to do a little work to get the most out of this one. Reading through it, I'm not even really sure how you manage having "real" things on the board concurrently with virtual ones. This is some complex stuff.
This is also a game that is going to require some commitment. There is just so much to it once you factor in NPCs, weapon upgrades, animals, all of the hacking elements and on and on. I think Mr. McGuire's aim here was to put out a definitive cyberpunk design with anything and everything within that genre more or less possible in some ways. I really admire that, especially as classic cyberpunk isn't really something we see in games much outside of the recently canned Netrunner. This is a game that folks that came up into games with Shadowrun and Cyberpunk 2020, let alone William Gibson and Ghost in the Shell, may really be able to dig into. I think it's quite inaccessible in a few ways that may be off-putting to modern gamers but Reality's Edge makes a solid case for itself as THE cyberpunk miniatures game.
Osprey's fall releases are excellent- all great value miniatures rulebooks.
Michael Barnes Top 10 Reviewer 69 reviews
Michael Barnes (He/Him)
Senior Board Game Reviews Editor
Sometime in the early 1980s, MichaelBarnes' parents thought it would be a good idea to buy him a board game to keep him busy with some friends during one of those high-pressure, "free" timeshare vacations. It turned out to be a terrible idea, because the game was TSR's Dungeon! - and the rest, as they say, is history. Michael has been involved with writing professionally about games since 2002, when he busked for store credit writing for Boulder Games' newsletter. He has written for a number of international hobby gaming periodicals and popular Web sites. From 2004-2008, he was the co-owner of Atlanta Game Factory, a brick-and-mortar retail store. He is currently the co-founder of FortressAT.com and Nohighscores.com as well as the Editor-in-Chief of Miniature Market's Review Corner feature. He is married with two childen and when he's not playing some kind of game he enjoys stockpiling trivial information about music, comics and film.
Articles by Michael
Posts in discussion: Osprey's Fall Book Harvest - Gaslands: Refueled, Frostgrave: Perilous Dark, Reality's Edge - Review
hotseatgames replied the topic: #302547 17 Oct 2019 14:06
Perilous Dark sounds like a lot of fun! Does each player still control numerous models?
Michael Barnes replied the topic: #302569 18 Oct 2019 11:06
Yeah, it's still warband-y. But in co-op, he suggests that you use 200 to buy no more than 4 units- so they are stronger, but fewer.
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I have known Syl since the founding of our church in Ealing back in 1969. He is from Olklahoma but now resides in England. He is the author of, L'Abri, Portrait of a Shelter. His biography, Born Black, was written by our mutual friend, the late Linette Martin.
Syl now works as a schoolteacher with basketball coaching as his hobby.
I took this photo in April 2000. I like to call it, The Biter Bit, or if you have the more classical inclination, Sartor Resartus. As Syl specialises in unposed, natural photography, I just snapped him when he least expected it. He was busy photograhing a wedding at the time.


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Lady Bulldog Golfers Finding Sweet Spot
Milbank Area Golf May 3, 2016 Staff 0
sports-featured1514
The Milbank Lady Bulldogs golf team traveled to Redfield April 29 for a six team invitational. Two young Bulldogs finished in the top ten...
The Milbank Lady Bulldogs golf team traveled to Redfield April 29 for a six team invitational. Two young Bulldogs finished in the top ten in the individual standings.
Kylie Kasuske led Milbank with a final 18-hole score of 105. She shot a 56 on the front nine and fired in a 49 on the back for a fourth place finish. Eighth grader Alaina Rausch shot a 114 for the event. She earned tenth place. Rausch tallied a 56 on the front and a 58 on the back to complete her round. "This was Alaina's first top-ten finish in a varsity meet," said Milbank head golf coach Mark Keeton. "She is an eighth grader but is handling herself well against older competition."
Mikaela Hoeke wrapped up the day at 126 (62-64) and Clare VanDover scored a 137 (69-68) in her first-ever 18-hole round. Korinne Roggenbuck rounded out the team with a 151 (68-83).
Christian Berbos of Aberdeen Roncalli was the individual champion with a 90. Other teams participating were: Redfield-Doland, Groton Area, Sisseton, Aberdeen Roncalli, and Aberdeen Central JV. Team scores were not available.
The Lady Bulldogs traveled to the Aberdeen Roncalli Invitational Monday, May 2, at Lee Park. "Lee Park can be a tough course with danger lurking all over," said Keeton. "There are some holes where the water can be visually intimidating and the trees can cause scores to rise."
Kasuske had another good meet. She finished third overall with a 106, shooting identical scores of 53 on the front and the back. Tori Quade made her first appearance and finished fourteenth overall with a 120 (55-65). Rounding out the team were Hoeke, 127 (65-62); Rausch, 134 (61-73), and Roggenbuck, 144 (71-73)
"When looking over the cards, we had a lot of good holes and stretches," said Keeton. "Then there were those holes that hurt the card and overall score. I feel with a young team, this is expected. The best way to learn course management is by playing and gaining experience.". "It was nice to get in a couple meets after being stuck indoors for a few days," added Keeton.
Milbank finished fourth in the team standings with a 487. Roncalli won the event with a 429 and Sisseton took second at 445. Mobridge finished third with a 465. Groton Area rounded out the team totals with a 512.
Claire Mischel competed in the junior varsity nine-hole competition. She finished second among four players by tallying a 75.


GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OH (WOIO) - One extra police officer was on hand at tonight's home football game at Garfield Heights. We were told that had been planned anyway because a big crowd was expected for this game.
There were no incidents tonight. School officials wanted to send a message that what happened last week was very unusual.
"We had some issues last week. And we will not let other people define who we are," said Terry Olszewski, superintendent of Garfield Heights city schools.
The superintendent of Garfield Heights city schools addressed the fight that broke out at last week's football game. He had a message for anyone who has seen the video or news reports about the incident.
During last week's game between Garfield Heights High and Collinwood, fights broke out on the field and in the stands, leading to arrests and forcing officials to call off the game in the third quarter.
Andrea Boufford is a parent who was at that game.
"I never felt unsafe. I was perfectly fine. I will come to every game. It didn't matter. I do feel it was made out to be a little bit bigger than it was actually. You had to be here to see it," Boufford said.
Fans filed in for the game and security was visible at the stadium. Garfield Heights Police watching out for any potential issues.
However, tonight, the best action was on the field. It was a game full of exciting plays. Students were just excited to be in the stands.
"I think today's going to be a really good game. I don't think anything's really going to go down here. I think it's a safe environment today," said Taylor Bonner, a Middle School Student.
The only reason the players left the field early tonight was lightning. The game was postponed with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter with a score of 36-21, trailing to Berea-Midpark. They will pick back up again Saturday morning at 10 a.m.


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YIKES: WHO Breaks With APA on Gender Dysphoria, No Longer Mental Disorder
Peter D'Abrosca |
The World Health Organization (WHO) has dropped a mental health disorder from it's official list of diseases, breaking with the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
"In its revised International Classification of Diseases, released Monday, the WHO removed transgender identity as a mental health disorder and added gaming disorder to the list," according to a report by The Week. "Recategorizing transgender as a sexual health condition is aimed at cutting stigma and improving quality of care, says the WHO."
It is the WHO's first revision to its list of diseases in 28 years.
Transgenderism is considered a mental disorder by the APA. It is officially named "gender dysphoria."
"Gender dysphoria involves a conflict between a person's physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify," says the APA. "People with gender dysphoria may often experience significant distress and/or problems functioning associated with this conflict between the way they feel and think of themselves (referred to as experienced or expressed gender) and their physical or assigned gender."
But dropping a disease from the official list to avoid "stigma" makes little sense. Many recognized mental health disorders have stigmas attached to them. In response, the diseases are treated, not "de-stigmatized."
The transgender suicide rate is extremely high compared to that of the population at large. More than 40% of transgender people will attempt suicide at some point, according to a UCLA report. The rate among the rest of the population is about 4%.
Now, with the World Health Organization's complicity, the political left is trying to pass off a 36% higher suicide rate among transgender people as the result of a societal "stigma" instead of a mental health problem. The stigma is clearly not the problem, evidenced by the fact that the suicide rate before and after "transitioning" is exactly the same, according to the same UCLA study.
The political left is making a clear effort to propagandize the public instead of telling the simple truth about transgenderism.


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Politics May 06, 2013
Daniel Horowitz
TWIW: Online Sales Tax and Debt Ceiling Revisited
After voting for the largest income tax increase in American history earlier this year, the Senate is slated to pass the largest defacto sales tax increase this week.
This contribution is part of our weekly This Week in Washington series.
After voting for the largest income tax increase in American history earlier this year, the Senate is slated to pass the largest defacto sales tax increase this week. Meanwhile Republicans in the House will continue to flounder around trying to find a strategy for the upcoming debt ceiling fight. Concurrently, the fight over the future of our country will reach a new level as the amnesty bill begins to wind its way through the Senate committees.
Online Sales Tax: After a number of Republicans voted to invoke cloture on the online sales tax bill (S.743), this bill is expected to pass with a simple majority vote on Monday. To make matters worse, supporters of the bill are offering a manager's amendment which will provide a new definition for "state" that allows every tribal organization to force businesses in every state to pay sales tax too. There are 565 federally- recognized tribal organizations. This means that every business will now have to add 565 tribal tax systems to their system when collecting sales taxes for online purchases.
Conservatives must work to quickly circulate a letter in the House invoking the Hastert Rule against this massive tax increase. We must make it clear that this tax increase is opposed by the majority of the House Republican Conference, and should not be brought to the floor any time during this session.
Debt Ceiling - In January, Congress voted to suspend the debt ceiling ($16.394 trillion, at the time) until May 18. However, given that the Treasury has the ability to shift payments and employ "extraordinary measures," that defacto debt ceiling will not be reached until the end of the summer or early fall. Meanwhile the gross debt stands at roughly $16.8 trillion. In preparation for the fight over raising the debt ceiling yet again, GOP leaders have finally acceded to conservative demands to pass the Full Faith and Credit Act, H.R. 807. This bill will force the Treasury to prioritize payments for interest on the debt and social security in the event that the debt ceiling is reached. The bill will come to the floor on Wednesday.
Conservatives have long advocated that we take default off the table so we can fight for transformational change while refusing to raise the debt ceiling without concessions from the Democrats. There is more than enough revenue coming in to the Treasury to pay the vital bills.
Conservative concerns:
A shell game: Leadership is not bringing this bill to the floor because they have undergone a cathartic change and are suddenly willing to fight the debt limit increase. This is just a bone being thrown to conservatives in return for their agreement to vote for the January debt limit suspension and the CR that funded Obamacare in March.
Defacto Debt Increase: Unlike the original version of the Full Faith and Credit Act sponsored by Rep. Tom McClintcok (R-CA), this iteration was dramatically altered by the Ways and Means Committee. The original bill would have prohibited any new issuance of debt, forcing the Treasury to use only the incoming tax revenue (which covers about 65% of outlays) to prioritize interest payments. This version would allow the Treasury to issue more debt in order to cover interest payments and Social Security interest expenditures. This means that the tax revenue can be used to pay for almost all other functions of government, while using new debt to pay for the priorities. This is a defacto debt limit increase.
Immigration – Just two weeks after releasing the 844-page amnesty bill (S.744), which was written behind closed doors, the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin a marathon markup of the bill this Thursday. The Senate Homeland Security Committee will also hold a hearing on the border security aspects (or lack thereof) of the bill. In addition to forcing this super-complex legislation down the throats of Republican members so quickly, the drafters of the bill plan to introduce a 350-page managers' amendment. Taken as a whole, Republican members on the committee, most of whom were shut out of the entire process, are flummoxed and struggling to understand the ramification of this bill, let alone any new amendments. For a detailed critique of how this bill will break our immigration system for years to come, please read this analysis over at the Madison Project.
Meanwhile, conservatives are now getting a handle on how many immigrants would be brought in under this bill. According to Senator Sessions, this bill would bring in 32.7 million immigrants over the next 10 years, not including the 25 million new guest workers. This is on top of our current record levels of between 1 and 1.1 million new green cards annually. The bill will essentially bring in 2 million new immigrants every year. Also, the Heritage Foundation is publishing a study that will peg the price tag for amnesty at $6.3 trillion, when all the welfare costs associated with such a low-skilled population are factored in.
After spending two weeks denying the flaws in the bill as laid out by conservatives, Marco Rubio is finally admitting that the bill should be changed. However, here's how I see this playing out. Republicans will offer some good amendments –both in committee and on the floor – to strengthen the border triggers and limit the amnesties. Undoubtedly, Senator Rubio and most of the Republicans (and even some Democrats) will support those amendments, knowing that they will be voted down. Then, after feigning concern for our security with their show votes, these senators will ultimately vote for the final bill.
Ultimately, it's hard to see how this bill, no matter how odious the final product, will fail to get 60 votes on the floor. Almost every Democrat will vote for it along with the GOP gang members. There is very little margin for error.
The real fight will commence in the House. There is a parallel gang of 8 in the House that is working on a very similar bill. They will add in one or two shiny objects to attract more Republican votes, but from what I've seen of the rough draft, this bill will be very similar to the Schumer/Rubio amnesty. Conservatives must work closely with the good members on the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees in an effort to block any mass amnesty bill, while focusing on national security, enforcement, and targeted legal immigration reforms.
Ancillary issues this week
- Here is a list of some of the smaller issues that will be considered in the House under suspension, along with the daily schedule for both the House and the Senate.
Stay informed every day at www.MadisonProject.com
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Saint Lucian Eroline Lamontagne captures Hotelier of the Year award!
By Fond Doux
(PRESS RELEASE) — As the world celebrated Earth Day, Caribbean Journal awarded Eroline Lamontagne of the Fond Doux Plantation & Resort as the Green Hotelier of the Year.
Every day is Earth Day at the Fond Doux Plantation & Resort. As a strong supporter of the Paris agreement, the plantation resort is doing all in its power to help reduce its carbon footprint.
The Green Globe-certified locally-owned, managed and staffed plantation resort continues to lead by example with their sustainability efforts and have made outstanding contributions to the solution of reducing single use plastics.
Plastic bags for bagging at the gift shop has been replaced with paper bags and the portioned controlled in-room hair and body products are replaced with dispensers.
Fond Doux Plantation & Resort has also discontinued the use of plastic cups, straws, plates and plastic cutlery and has replaced with biodegradable products.
TheManaging Editor of the Caribbean Journal, Guy Britton, said: "Going green is not just about the environment, it's about the people and culture. In the travel industry, that means recognizing the role of a hotel in its community, about understanding the power of tourism to educate travelers and locals and to inspire."
Mr. Britton went on to say that: "For years, Saint Lucia's Eroline Lamontagne has been living that philosophy with the Fond Doux Plantation and Resort in Soufriere, a hotel totally immersed in its local environment and culture, set on a centuries-old working plantation, home to an organic spa and a fresh cacao. Lamontagne has turned this boutique hotel into a beacon for sustainable tourism in the Caribbean."
Executive Director Eroline Lamontagne said: "Thank you to Caribbean Journal for recognizing our commitment to sustainability and our vanguard work here as we strive to abolish single-use plastics and to ensure the appreciation of our Caribbean history and culture.
Eroline Lamontagne, went on to further state that "We are always honored to receive these awards as these are all testaments of the hard work and commitment of my husband Lyton Lamontagne and the Fond Doux team who continue to maintain and strengthen the resorts sustainability standards."
As part of Eroline's corporate social responsibility she continues to lend her support to the local community, by promoting the local culture within the resort with two weekly-themed evenings featuring traditional local entertainers.
All of the resorts marketed packages seek to immerse guests in the local culture and history of the island. In addition to the other sustainable practices Fond Doux Plantation & Resort promotes the "plantation to plate cuisine" where the harvested produce from their organic gardens are infused in the restaurant menus.
Sounds like a lunatic asylum. Who the hell would stay at a no fun zone like that. No thanks.
Awesome we need more locals in charge of the hotels on island
Well deserved congrats
Fond Doux Plantation earns TripAdvisor and Hotels.com awards! (0)
Bay Gardens Resorts awarded St. Lucia's first Green Globe Gold (0)
Fond Doux Plantation & Resort earns new award (3)
Award-winning St. Lucia resorts offer eco-friendly guest activities, low-carbon dining experience to mark Earth Day (0)
Sandals Resorts International wins big at World Travel Awards (0)
St. Lucia resort wins international reward (7)


USDA, NRCS. 2006. The PLANTS Database, 6 March 2006 (http://plants.usda.gov). Data compiled from various sources by Mark W. Skinner. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
This page was last edited on 22 April 2019, at 01:05.


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An Evening with Robyn Hitchcock
Friday, October 8 2021 8:00 PM — 10:30 PM
Please Note - this show has been rescheduled from May 16 2019 to October 8th 2021. All tickets from the original date will be honored.
If you require a refund and purchased your tickets via Ticketleap, please email us at [email protected] with your name and email used on the original purchase. Please allow us a few days to be able to process your request. For paper tickets purchased at our shows or outlets we're still working on a way to be able to process refunds in a contactless way and we will reach out shortly with more information. Thank you for your patience
About Robyn Hitchcock
Robyn Hitchcock is one of England's most enduring contemporary singer/songwriters and live performers. A surrealist poet, talented guitarist, cult artist and musician's musician, Hitchcock is among alternative rock's father figures and is the closest thing the genre has to a Bob Dylan (not coincidentally his biggest musical inspiration).
Since founding the art-rock band The Soft Boys in 1976, Robyn has recorded more than 20 albums as well as starred in 'Storefront Hitchcock' an in concert film recorded in New York and directed by Jonathan Demme.
Blending folk and psychedelia with a wry British nihilism, Robyn describes his songs as 'paintings you can listen to'. His most recent album is self-titled and marks his 21st release as a solo artist. Out on April 21 2017, the album is produced by Brendan Benson (The Raconteurs). Hitchcock describes it as a "ecstatic work of negativity with nary a dreary groove."
It has received rave reviews from UNCUT, Rolling Stone, Paste, Tidal and more.
"A gifted melodist, Hitchcock nests engaging lyrics in some of the most bracing, rainbow-hued pop this side of Revolver. He wrests inspiration not from ordinary life but from extraordinary imaginings…" – Rolling Stone
"These 10 gems slither, rock, roll, glide and shapeshift, coalescing around Hitchcock's typically anxious, strained but striking and immediately identifiable vocals." – American Songwriter
"Beloved of everyone from Led Zeppelin to REM, Hitchcock has only enhanced his status with this wonderful outing." – Hot Press
"Witty, moving and seriously catchy, Robyn Hitchcock is a glorious return for a man who wasn't really gone in the first place." – Paste Magazine


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Resources › For Educators
Reading Comprehension Checklist and Questions for Students
Hero Images/Getty Images
Inclusion Strategies
Individual Education Plans
Assessments & Tests
Sue Watson
Sue Watson is a developmental support counselor who has worked in public education since 1991, specializing in developmental services, behavioral work, and special education.
For special education learners, the difference between reading ability and reading comprehension can be stark. Many children who fall into the category of "different learners" struggle at various places in the reading comprehension process. Dyslexic students have trouble reading letters and words. Other students may find summarizing what they have read to be the hard part. And yet other students—including those with ADHD or autism—may read words fluently, but be unable to make sense of the arc of a story or even a sentence.
What Is Reading Comprehension?
Simply, reading comprehension is the ability to learn and process information from written sources. Its primary step is decoding, which is the act of assigning sounds and meaning to letters and words. But as simple as defining reading comprehension may be, it is notoriously difficult to teach. For many students, reading will give them their first glimpse into subjective understanding, as they realize that the information that they have gleaned from a text may differ from a fellow student's, or that the picture they have drawn in their minds after reading a text will be different from that of their peers.
How Is Reading Comprehension Assessed?
The most common kinds of reading comprehension tests are ones in which students read a short passage and are asked a series of questions about it. Yet, for special education students, this method is fraught with the pitfalls outlined above. Moving from the process of decoding text to answering questions about the text can present challenges for children who cannot jump from task to task with facility, even if they are great readers and have strong comprehension skills.
Sample Questions to Ask About Reading
For this reason, an oral exam may bear more fruit than a standard written reading comprehension test. Here's a checklist of questions to ask a child about a book she's read. Their answers will provide you with a glimpse of their ability to comprehend. Consider these questions:
1.____ Who are the main characters in your story?
2.____ Are any of the main characters like you or like somebody you know? What makes you think so?
3.____ Describe your favorite character in the story and tell me why the character is your favorite.
4.____ When do you think the story takes place? Where do you think the story takes place? Why do you think so?
5.____ What is the funniest/scariest/best part of the story?
6.____ Is there a problem in this story? If so, how does the problem get solved? How would you have solved the problem?
7.____ Would any of your friends/family enjoy this book? Why or why not?
8.____ Could you come up with another good title for this book? What would it be?
9.____ What if you could change the ending of this book, what would it be?
10.____ Do you think this book would make a good movie? Why or why not?
Questions like these are a great tool to incorporate into story time. If a parent volunteer or a student is reading to the class, have them ask one or more of them. Keep a folder with these questions and have your volunteers record what the students say about the book title they've just read.
The key to success in ensuring your struggling readers maintain a joy for reading is to ensure that the task following reading isn't unpleasant. Don't make answering a series of questions a chore that follows a fun or exciting story. Foster a love of reading by sharing your enthusiasm about what their book is all about.
Watson, Sue. "Reading Comprehension Checklist and Questions for Students." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/reading-comprehension-questions-to-ask-3111205. Watson, Sue. (2021, July 31). Reading Comprehension Checklist and Questions for Students. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/reading-comprehension-questions-to-ask-3111205 Watson, Sue. "Reading Comprehension Checklist and Questions for Students." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/reading-comprehension-questions-to-ask-3111205 (accessed January 17, 2022).
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Bloom's Taxonomy - Application Category
The Power of Literacy Narratives
'The Invention of Wings' by Sue Monk Kidd - Discussion Questions
'The Maze Runner' by James Dashner: Book Club Discussion Questions
Play Snowball Fight to Break the Ice or Review Lessons
'Animal Farm' Questions for Study and Discussion
'Flowers for Algernon' Questions for Study and Discussion
"A Tale of Two Cities" Discussion Questions
November Writing and Journal Prompts
'The Rosie Project' by Graeme Simsion


Sign up to read a part in the Gospel Passion of St. Luke during the 5:30 Saturday and 8:45 Sunday service on Palm Sunday weekend. We ask that you come 1/2 hour before the service to rehearse with others.
Click on the link below to look over the script and decide which part you might want to read (St. Luke Passion).
Most prominent part in Gospel Passion - narrator. Multiple lines.
Second most prominent part. Multiple lines.


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Holding Space with Claire Bidwell Smith & Rabbi Steve Leder
Hosted by Reimagine
Join best-selling authors Claire Bidwell Smith and Rabbi Steve Leder in an exploration about our collective grief and anxiety.
This is a unique time in our world for people who are experiencing grief and loss on many different levels. As a therapist who has specialized in grief and anxiety for over a decade, I hope to use the knowledge and tools I have amassed to help others who are struggling. These weekly discussions are open to anyone who wants to join, and each week I'll be bringing on a special guest to help explore our collective grief and anxiety. We will offer coping tools and techniques and take live questions from participants. If you can't make it to the call you will receive a recording.
Claire Bidwell Smith is an internationally renowned author, speaker, and grief expert. She is the author of three books of nonfiction: The Rules of Inheritance, After This: When Life Is Over Where Do We Go? and Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief. Her books have been published in 18 countries and Claire lectures and writes regularly about grief.
Rabbi Steve Leder currently serves as the Senior Rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple. He is now at work on his next book The Beauty of What Remains; What Death Teaches Us About Life, to be published by Penguin Random House in the spring of 2021.
In addition to his many duties at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Rabbi Leder taught Homiletics for 13 years at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. He is a regular contributor and guest on The Today Show, writes regularly for TIME, Foxnews.com, Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper, contributed a chapter to Charles Barkley's book Who's Afraid of a Large Black Man?, and has published essays in Town and Country, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today and the Los Angeles Jewish Journal where his Torah commentaries were read weekly by over 50,000 people. His sermon on capital punishment was included in an award winning episode of The West Wing. Rabbi Leder received the Louis Rappaport Award for Excellence in Commentary by the American Jewish Press Association and the Kovler Award from the Religious Action Center in Washington D.C. for his work in African American/Jewish dialogue and in 2012 presented twice at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
His third book More Beautiful Than Before; How Suffering Transforms Us was reached #4 on Amazon's overall best sellers list in its first week. It remains a best seller in several categories and has been translated into Korean and Chinese. More Beautiful Than Before has helped tens of thousands of people suffering from emotional or physical pain and continues to receive prestigious media attention including CBS This Morning, The Talk, The Steve Harvey Show, and four appearances on NBC's Today Show.
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Reflections: Community Event for the National Covid Memorial