question: London (CNN) -- So, after a mere half-century, German pharmaceutical firm Gruenenthal has decided to apologize for the devastating effects its drug, thalidomide, had on thousands of babies and their families around the world, myself included. Is this a reason to celebrate? Is it even a reason for cautious optimism, or is it simply a piece of news management designed to salvage what is left of its corporate reputation?

Gruenenthal's chief executive, Harald Stock, made the apology Friday as he inaugurated a memorial to those affected in Stolberg, Germany, where the company is based.

I was aware of Herr Stock long before his name was flashed around newsrooms all over the world when he made his momentous announcement.

Together with others, I've been campaigning for justice for the global thalidomide community for the past decade.

At one point Herr Stock, who replaced Sebastian Wirtz as head of Gruenenthal, agreed to a meeting.

We held preliminary discussions, however the process broke down acrimoniously before we ever got to meet Herr Stock after it became clear to all of us that the company had no intention of negotiating a lasting settlement -- one that would have kept them out of the headlines forever and which would have left the Wirtz family with its considerable fortune intact.

Personal account: A life shaped by bad medicine

So why the apology now? I think it is not unconnected with successful litigation in Australia that has resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement for a hitherto unrecognized thalidomide survivor, Lynette Rowe. Although the settlement was achieved at the expense of the British and Australian successor company to the distributor of thalidomide, Diageo, Gruenenthal was also named in proceedings. The writing was spray-painted on the wall for Mr Stock and the board of Gruenenthal.
1. Did someone apologize?
2. Who?
3. Of what company?
4. What was his name?
5. When did he apologize?
6. Was someone replaced?
7. Who was replaced?
8. Who replaced him?
9. In what position?
10. How long was the campaign?
11. Where was the company based?
12. What city in germany?
13. What was he apologizing for?
14. Effects of what drug?
15. How many were affected?
16. Were only adults affected?
17. Who were all affected?
18. What was inaugurated?
19. When?
20. Was Stock unknown prior?
****
answer: 1. Yes
2. The chief executive
3. Gruenenthal
4. Harald Stock
5. Friday
6. yes
7. Sebastian Wirtz
8. Herr Stock
9. The head of Gruenenthal
10. Over 10 years
11. Germany
12. Stolberg
13. Bad drug effects
14. thalidomide
15. 1000s
16. No
17. Babies and their families
18. A memorial
19. Friday
20. No

question: Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. (commonly known as Columbia Pictures and Columbia, and formerly CBC Film Sales Corporation) is an American film studio, production company and film distributor that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Entertainment's Sony Pictures subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.

What would eventually become Columbia Pictures, CBC Film Sales Corporation, was founded on June 19, 1918 by Harry Cohn, his brother Jack Cohn, and Joe Brandt. It adopted the Columbia Pictures name in 1924, and went public two years later. Its name is derived from "Columbia", a national personification of the United States, which is used as the studio's logo. In its early years, it was a minor player in Hollywood, but began to grow in the late 1920s, spurred by a successful association with director Frank Capra. With Capra and others, Columbia became one of the primary homes of the screwball comedy. In the 1930s, Columbia's major contract stars were Jean Arthur and Cary Grant. In the 1940s, Rita Hayworth became the studio's premier star and propelled their fortunes into the late 1950s. Rosalind Russell, Glenn Ford, and William Holden also became major stars at the studio.

It is one of the leading film studios in the world, and is a member of the "Big Six" major American film studios. It was one of the so-called "Little Three" among the eight major film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. Today, it has become the world's fifth largest major film studio.
1. What film business was founded in 1918?
2. By who?
3. Anyone else?
4. Is that everyone?
5. Did they keep the original name?
6. What did they change it to?
7. Is it an important company today?
8. How so?
9. How important is it in the US?
10. Was it always important here?
11. When did that change?
12. Who was responsible?
13. Who is he?
14. What kind of movies did he make?
15. Ddd they sign any famous actors?
16. Like who?
17. When did Rita Hayworth work for them?
18. Did she do good work for them?
19. What is the companies full name today?
20. Do people call it anything else?
****
answer: 1. CBC Film Sales Corporation
2. CBC Film Sales Corporation, was founded on June 19, 1918 by Harry Cohn
3. Jack Cohn
4. Joe Brandt
5. no
6. Columbia Pictures
7. yes
8. It is one of the leading film studios in the world
9. a "Big Six" major American film studios.
10. no
11. in the late 1920s
12. Frank Capra
13. a director
14. screwball comedy
15. yes
16. Cary Grant
17. In the 1940s into the late 1950s.
18. yes
19. Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc
20. yes

question: CHAPTER XXVIII

A PAINFUL DUTY

Three months had slipped away since the evening on which Wheeler had discussed the subject of shingle-splitting with his companions. Nasmyth stood outside the shanty in the drenching rain. He was very wet and miry, and his face was lined and worn, for the three months of unremitting effort had left their mark on him. Wheeler had secured the timber rights in question, and that was one difficulty overcome, but Nasmyth had excellent reasons for believing that the men who had cast covetous eyes upon the valley had by no means abandoned the attempt to get possession of at least part of it.

He had had flood and frost against him, and his money was rapidly running out. A wild flood swept through the canon. The heading was filled up, so that no one could even see the mouth of it, and half the rock he had piled upon the shingle had been swept into the rapid, where it had formed a dam among the boulders that could be removed only at a heavy expenditure of time and powder when the water fell. He was worn out in body, and savage from being foiled by the swollen river at each attempt he made, but while the odds against him were rapidly growing heavier he meant to fight.

A Siwash Indian whom he had hired as messenger between the canon and the settlement had just arrived, and Gordon, who stood in the doorway of the shanty, took a newspaper out of the wet packet he had brought. Gordon turned to Nasmyth when he opened it.
1. what was running out quickly for him?
2. what else had gone badly?
3. what had happened to the stone he'd put on shingle?
4. what was it doing now?
5. was it easy to remove?
6. what type of chemical was going to be needed?
7. could it be done during the high water?
8. not until?
9. was he energized?
10. in good mood?
11. why not?
12. was he ready to give in?
13. how long since the discussion about shingles?
14. who was outdoors?
15. was he looking youthful
16. who got tree rights?
17. was that helpful?
18. what tribe was his messenger from?
19. who came with him?
20. where did he stand?
****
answer:
1. money
2. He had had flood and frost against him
3. it had been swept into the rapid,
4. it had formed a dam
5. No
6. powder
7. No
8. the water fell.
9. No
10. No
11. from being foiled by the swollen river
12. No
13. Three months
14. Nasmyth
15. No
16. Wheeler
17. No
18. Siwash Indian
19. Gordon
20. in the doorway of the shanty,