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THIS FAMILY’S VIRAL ADOPTION STORY PROVES ‘FAMILIES DON’T HAVE TO MATCH’

This new family would like you to know they “don’t have to match!”

When we saw Sadie Sampson’s story of how her baby boy Ezra came into her life, we just had to know more about this loving new mother and her husband, Jarvis.

Their journey to parenthood was slow and then happened practically overnight. The couple went through a complicated fertility journey and had come to terms with the idea that pregnancy and parenthood would not be in their future.

But everything changes when Sadie got a random text message from a friend: “Would you guys foster/adopt a child?

To understand their story you have to go back to the beginning of their story. After getting married in 2017, the Texas couple was determined to have a baby. When Sadie didn’t get pregnant she sought medical help, and doctors were quick to suggest her weight was the issue.

” ‘Lose weight, and you’ll get pregnant right away,’ said every doctor I saw,” Sampson wrote on Love What Matters. “I had tried to lose weight on my own for so long without success, so I started seeking out other options. In February 2019, I underwent gastric bypass surgery.”

Sampson has been chronicling her weight loss since then on her Instagram page. Jarvis joined her, getting his surgery this summer. But still, she couldn’t get pregnant.

A week after deciding she was going to put her dreams of parenthood aside, Sampson heard from a good friend of hers who had a random question for her.

“Well, a friend of mine, and her boyfriend are considering foster care or adoption for their son,” the friend said. “I told them that I thought you guys would be a great fit.”

The Sampsons said yes. They were even prepared to be only temporary foster parents for the baby, who was born prematurely. Just over a week after that phone call, a caseworker informed them that the birth mother would like them to adopt.

“We went from not having any children, to the possibility of fostering one, to, ‘You guys are parents!,’ overnight,” Sampson wrote.

Her whole family had been away on a cruise while this was happening, and returned the day before the adoption took place.

“My mom was very confused at first,” Sampson told Motherly. “But once I was able to explain everything we stood in the kitchen and jumped up and down and then ran into the living room and told everyone else.”

Because this was happening privately, they needed only a lawyer and no agency involved in the paperwork. They were able to greet baby Ezra in the NICU just an hour after he became theirs.

“The first time I saw him it was so hard for me to grasp the fact that he was mine,” Sampson told us. “It took a while for me to realize that he is my son and I am his mom.”

Ezra is the name his birth parents, who are white, had chosen for him. “When Jarvis and I looked up the meaning, which is ‘helper,’ we couldn’t think of a better fit.”

Sadie and Jarvis posed for photos proudly proclaiming their adoption story. “Not Showing Still Glowing” reads Sadie’s shirt, while Jarvis’ tee says, “Families Don’t Have to Match #Adoption.” Friends and followers on Instagram helped the new family, buying baby supplies on their registry and donating funds for their final adoption process. Now, social media is where they’re sharing all the typical milestones of new parenthood.

“We had one plan and God changed the game completely,” she wrote on Instagram. “Ezra has given us a larger purpose and we’ve learned so much from him in the short two weeks he’s been with us. Families DON’T have to match! They are built on LOVE!”

Source: Mother

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INSPIRING PHOTOS OF A COUPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME THAT HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR OVER TWO DECADES.

A couple with Down Syndrome have gone viral on the internet after heartwarming photos of them surfaced online.

Gareth and Deana Tobias who are officially the world’s first couple with Down’s syndrome to get married, are still inseparable 27 years later.

Gareth Tobias was just 17 when he met 19-year-old Deana and they both eventually tied the knot in front of 40 friends and family on July 4, 1992.

Gareth in an interview with Metro uk said:

‘Before I met Deana I had three girlfriends. ‘I chose the right one, and that’s Deana.’

‘I put up with Deana and she puts up with me.’

Deana, 57, talking about the relationship said: ‘I thought “he’s ginger”. I like gingers. He had a beard at the time as well. A red one.’

‘I’m ginger as well.’

See more photos below ;

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WORLD’S MOST FERTILE MOTHER WHO GAVE BIRTH TO 44 CHILDREN HAS FINALLY BEEN STOPPED FROM HAVING MORE KIDS

A woman in Uganda has been crowned the ‘most fertile woman in the world’ as she’s a biological mother to 44 Children (yep, you read that correct).

Doctors have finally found a way to stop Mariam Nabatanzi, said to be the world’s most fertile woman from having more kids.

Nabatanzin, a single mother who works as a tailor, hairdresser and herbalist to earn enough money to raise her 38 surviving children was reportedly sold into marriage at the age of 12 to a man who was 40-year-old at that time (28 years her senior). She had her first child one year later.

“Generally, I have tried to educate them. My dream is that my children go to school. They can lack anything (else), but they must go to school.” I can’t say they are nagging because they are my children. I can’t say I will abandon them because they are my children and I love them,” Nabatazni revealed in a recent Al Jazeera documentary.

She recalled being warned by a doctor that birth control, like the Pill, could cause her problems because she had unusually large ovaries. So after her first set of twins, the babies just kept coming.

Mirror reported that at 23, Nabatazni had 25 children and was desperately begging her doctor for help to stop her from having any more. However the medical advice was for her to continue getting pregnant because her ovary count was so high.

Her last pregnancy which led to the birth of her sixth set of twins 3 years ago, ended in tragedy. One of the babies died while she was in labour and then her husband who would often leave for weeks, left her for good.

Mariam said: “I have grown up in tears, my man has passed me through a lot of suffering.

“All my time has been spent looking after my children and working to earn some money.”

It was after that pregnancy that she got the medical help she needed to stop her having more babies. She said the doctor told her he had “cut my uterus from inside”.

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OPRAH WINFREY REPLACES CRACKED PHONE OF A NIGERIAN BOY WITH AN iPHONE 11

A Nigerian model, Olu, with the Instagram Handle, @Kxng.Olu has been ‘blessed’ with a brand new iPhone 11 from Oprah Winfrey after he met with her, and made a video, ‘With his cracked mobile phone.

Apparently, he had a sit down conversation with Oprah, and immediately after the event, he quickly stepped out to cattch up with her in her car, to have another, “one-on-one” conversation with her.

After the conversation, he quickly brought out his phone, to make a video, and Oprah made a comment about his cracked phone.

Watch the video below, where she says, “That’s me with in your cracked phone”

He then shared the video on his Instagram page, captioning it; “Today I was blessed with the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with @Oprah Winfrey. After the assembly, my brother @zcs_5 and I caught her car and had another conversation with her. We hope to see her again soon and thank her for making this possible. #oprah #morehousecollege @morehouse1867”

 

 

A Few days Later, Oprah sent him a note with a brand new iPhone 11.

The signed note reads; “Dear Olufemi. We can’t have you out here viewing the world through a cracked screen or a cracked cover. The new camera you’re gonna love for sure”

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#MONDAYMOTIVATION: 8 THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU ARE FEELING UNMOTIVATED

Being unmotivated is a nasty feeling. You get stuck trying, and no matter what you do during your day (eating your meal, talking to your boss, reading an article), everything seems to blur into sheer dullness.

What this boils down to is a growing pile of assignments and an incredibly dissatisfied you. Don’t let this feeling control you and your life. Break out of it by doing at least one of these 8 simple things that will ignite your motivation.

1. Make a to-do list

Sometimes, there’s a gazillion things we need to do, which could take a toll on our willingness to work. Especially when nowadays our emails get flooded and the tasks we were never assigned to, multiplies. That’s why I always compile a to-do list that covers the 3 main assignments I need to do. Anything minor, I do them at the end of the day or in-between my breaks.

Phone. Laptop. Good old post-its. Use whatever suits your style. As long as you write down all the tasks you got to do the night before, you’ll be prepared for tomorrow’s work. Regain control of your life and sort your priorities. Nothing drives people more forward than usefulness. So let that feeling overcome any procrastination or laziness and start writing that list.

2. Get rid of social media

Social media may seem like a godsend, but it can also be work’s worst enemy. Let’s admit it — almost all of us have secretly peeked at our Facebook or Instagram feed behind our boss’s back. While it seems harmless to take a quick glance from time to time, it actually kills your motivation and stops you from doing what matters most.

According to a study in Irvine, it takes 25 minutes for us to regain our focus after getting distracted. Think about all those wasted minutes every time you check your notifications or browse through your friend’s feed. Remember, your day is more real than people’s updates. Make it productive, and shut down your social news feed. You’ll feel so much better — I guarantee that.

3. Remember what you’re grateful for

Look at what you have, not what you wish you had.

Your computer, your phone, TV, heating, air conditioner, fridge, home. These are all things to be grateful for. But first and foremost is your health and your ability to read this. Don’t you realize how great your situation is? Then what’s stopping you from working hard towards living the life you want?

The faster you understand the importance of the little things you have, the better and more motivated you’ll feel. Want a suggestion? Write ‘thank you’ notes to all the things that make you happy. No one needs to read them — just you.

4. Do what makes you happy

Based on a study by economists at the University of Warwick, happiness makes us 12% more productive at work. We have more energy, learn faster, make better decisions, and work better with others.

How to feel happy? Grab your favorite book and start reading, call your best friend, make yourself a nice cup of coffee, or watch some inspirational YouTube videos. The possibilities are endless.

5. Move your body

Stop for a moment and examine your physique. Did you exercise? Did you step out of the house?

If not, you might want to plan some physical activities to get your blood flowing. This will give your mind a good break from stressing over on the unfinished tasks from your to-do list. Keep your body strong — your mind will follow through.

6. Start small

If you can’t seem to start on anything no matter how hard you try, maybe you’re pushing yourself too much. Start with small steps instead.

Instead of writing a book, write a page first. Make it a habit to write 100 words, then 200, then 300 words, until you finally get to one page. As the time passes, you’ll eventually be able to write a chapter. The idea to keep pushing yourself into achieving the small goals, so you feel more pumped up the next day to do something greater.

7. Aim big

Yes, you should start small, but always aim big. This means having a clear image of your goal before your eyes at all times. More importantly though, aspire to make it happen with class. You get nowhere if you only dream and don’t deliver.

So if your goal is to finish college, expand it with being ‘at the top of your class.’ If you want to be a successful blogger, think higher and aim to attract editors from highly-reputable sites to republish your articles.

It’s more tempting to finish a task when you know how the rewards will pay off in the future.

8. Take a break

As much as you might think taking a break is lazy advice, it isn’t. Sometimes, when we get too invested into something that consumed more of our time than we anticipated, we become irritable which shatters our motivation. That’s why it’s important to know when to stop and how to do so.

Go for a walk, visit a friend or simply stay at home and watch a few hours of Netflix. Your brain needs a little time off as much as you.

Credit: Tifanny Sun; The Writing Cooperative

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TEXAS CHEERLEADER JUMPS OFF HOMECOMING FLOAT TO SAVE CHOKING TODDLER

Tyra Winters, a Rockwall, Texas high school cheerleader, saved the life of a little boy who was choking on the sidelines during the homecoming parade. 

Winters was sitting atop a homecoming float waving to the crowd when she noticed the toddler choking on a piece of candy.

“He was turning purple, so I immediately jumped off the float, I ran down to the kiddo, and I was like, ‘I got him’ and I grabbed him from the mom. I grabbed him and tilted him and I gave a good three back thrusts and he ended up spitting up,” Winters told CBS DFW. 

The child’s mother, Nicole Hornback, said that the Rockwall High Senior saved her son Clarke’s life. 

“I was sitting right next to him, I just happened to look over. There was no noise, no coughing, no breathing,” Hornback said. That’s when Winters came to the rescue. 

“She saved my baby. I commend her for being a teenager and being trained,” Hornback said. 

After Winters saved Clarke, she did what any teenager would do and ran to get “back on the float before [she] missed it, she told NBC DFW. Hornback said she never had the opportunity to properly say thank you so she wrote a message on Facebook about what happened, thanking the 17-year-old for saving her son’s life. School administrators saw the note and arranged for the two to meet at the school. 

Clarke and Winters greeted with a high five and Hornback said that she really didn’t have the words to properly express her immense gratitude. 

“The words that you would say to anyone who does something for you is ‘thank you.’ But that doesn’t seem good enough,” Hornback said.

Winters wants to be a pediatric surgeon and was trained in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver at her mother’s group home for foster children. Despite all of the praise she’s receiving, she said she really was just trying to help. 

“I know they’re calling me the town hero,” Winters said. “It’s super exciting to own that title. But most importantly, I’m just glad the boy is OK.” 

A round of applause for this real life hero and future doctor.

Photo Courtesy of Rockwall ISD/Facebook

Source: Beacauseofthemwecan

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ASTRONAUTS TO MAKE HISTORY WITH 1ST-EVER-FEMALE SPACEWALK

Two female astronauts are close to accomplishing something no women have done before.

U.S. astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will step outside the International Space Station Friday morning, the first time in history that two women have done a spacewalk together.

Koch and Meir are expected to spend more than five hours outside the space station to replace a failed power controller, according to NASA.

The remaining four astronauts aboard the International Space Station, all men, will remain inside while Koch and Meir complete their work.

NASA is marking Friday’s “HERstory in the making” by asking schoolteachers to share photos of their students celebrating the spacewalk, according to The Associated Press. NASA has a “HERstory” oral history project documenting the experiences of women who have contributed to the space agency.

Koch and Meir both joined NASA in 2013, the year NASA’s astronaut class was 50% female. Koch is also on her way to making history with a 300-day mission, which will be the longest single spaceflight by a woman.

The astronauts were asked in an interview from space earlier this month about whether they mind having their accomplishments qualified by their gender.

Story continues

“In the end I do think it’s important because of the historical nature of what we’re doing and in the past, women haven’t always been at the table,” Koch said on NASA TV. “And it’s wonderful to be contributing to the human spaceflight program at a time when all contributions are being accepted, when everyone has a role, and that in turn can lead to an increased chance for success.”

“There are a lot of people that derive motivation from inspiring stories from people that look like them and I think it’s an important aspect of the story to tell,” she said.

sonos sonos One (Gen 2) – Voice Controlled Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa Built-in – Black read more

Meir added, “What we’re doing now shows all the work that went in decades prior. All the women that worked to get us where we are today. I think the nice thing for us is we don’t even really think about it on a daily basis. It’s just normal. We’re part of the team.”

Koch and Meir’s spacewalk comes seven months after NASA had to cancel its first attempt at making “HERstory,” because the space station did not have enough medium-size spacesuits on board.

Koch and another astronaut, Anne McClain, were supposed to make the first all-women spacewalk back in March.

When Koch and McClain, who is no longer on the ISS, discovered they both needed to wear a size medium in the “hard upper torso,” or the shirt of the spacesuit, the walk was canceled.

NASA faced swift backlash from people who viewed the spacewalk cancellation as yet another sign of women being held back on the job.

The decision by NASA though was largely one borne out of logistics, as there are a limited number of spacesuits on the space station and NASA has lacked the funds to update its spacesuits in recent years.

(MORE: NASA’s interns remixed Ariana Grande’s hit song to promote its next mission)

Since the cancellation of the female spacewalk in March, NASA has been preparing its spacesuits for a series of 10 spacewalks.

The International Space Station is now equipped to make four complete spacewalking suits, with two “hard upper torso” components of the same size to be available at any time, according to NASA.

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MEET THE SENEGALESE DESIGNER MAKING MATH CHIC

Diarra Bousso uses algorithms to create designs for her line DIARRABLU.

Who knew that math and fashion could work together so seamlessly? Apparently Diarra Bousso did, the self-described “Creative Mathematician” and mastermind behind DIARRABLU. The Senegalese serial entrepreneur and multidisciplinary artist left a career of trading on Wall Street to pursue design and it paid off. She has just been awarded a coveted spot as the Designer in Residence at the San Francisco Fashion Incubator for her innovative use of equations and algorithms in her beautiful designs.

The name DIARRABLU is a portmanteau of her own name and the color blue, representing the infinity and abundance of the ocean. The fall/winter collection “Linguère,” named for the Wolof word for a royal female, launched earlier this week. Linguère pays tribute to the tradition of strong Senegalese females of antiquity—specifically the Jolof Empire of the 14th century from which Bousso descends. We caught up with her to ask a few questions about what it is like to merge the nerdy with the glamorous.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Nereya Otieno for OkayAfrica: When did the idea to start a fashion line first come to you? Did you foresee it when first leaving trading in Wall Street?

I wanted to have a fashion line since I was very little but it always felt like a far-fetched dream. When I was working on Wall Street, I got even more inspired and excited about the idea. I also was getting more involved in the creative scene through photography and blogging. When I left trading it was with the goal to start a fashion line right away, even though I had no experience in the field back then.

Did the idea of merging mathematics and algorithms with fashion come naturally to you? Or was it more of a stretch?

I always loved mathematics and liked the idea of using geometric shapes and cuts, but the idea of using algorithms didn’t come until I joined the Mathematics Education program at Stanford. We had this amazing professor named Jo Boaler and her work was focused on Creative Mathematics. I was like “wow, what a cool way to describe one’s work.” I started brainstorming in my free time and started toying with the idea of using math in the design process itself and not just the cuts.

After graduation, I started graphing equations, creating shapes and getting really excited. By December 2018, I had generated hundreds of designs algorithmically and decided to work on a collection while in Dakar. We made the first prints and I decided this was going to be the new direction.

So, wait, yeah—how does your process actually work?

I use equations to graph lines, curves, parabolas, hyperbolas, basically anything that can be represented by a math equation and graphed. Then I focus on where those lines and curves meet, which creates kind of random shapes. Then we hand paint those shapes using a color scheme that I’ve chosen.

What do you think it means to use algorithms in instances of self expression and art?

I think it is very empowering. It is a merger of the authentic and the automatic that can be extremely rewarding. Math is limitless, numbers never end and the fact that it is my tool for creation makes me feel like the opportunities are endless. Sometimes, I can stay up all night after writing new algorithms and experimenting with all the iterations that can come out of it. By just changing one number in your equation of flipping the signs, you get a complete new set of patterns. It is so mind blowing!

Your current collection is meant to evoke feelings of the 14th century Jolof Empire, how does it feel to use such contemporary methods in order to create the past?

I have always been fascinated by the past. Perhaps because it is somehow mysterious and hard to grasp. Growing up, I was always excited to dress up on special days as a traditional Wolof princess. My grandma would share her old clothes and resize them for me and I would get traditional braids and jewelry. I am from the Wolof ethnic group in Senegal and my parents raised us with a lot of cultural and historical references. My dad would always tell us stories about our grandparents and mom secretly thinks she is the style heir of the family.

Revisiting Senegal’s past with a collection was very exciting. I wanted to evoke that sense of comfort, freedom and power in traditional wear while adhering to the color palette of the fauna and flora of the Jolof region in Senegal. Clothes are convertible and adjustable just like the traditional boubous and wrap skirts and colors follow an arid climate’s palette of camel undertones and green accents. The algorithmic patterns are abstractions of animal inspired prints and have names like Gyraf and Zybra.

What do you think technologies like this mean for the future of fashion?

I think technologies like this have the potential to make fashion more efficient and circular. In our case, designing our prints algorithmically allows us to generate hundreds of options but only printing the ones that our audience responds to via social media. This has allowed us to reduce fabric inventory wastage by 80% and take a closer step towards sustainability.

What’s next for you and DIARRABLU?

The focus for me is to use this amazing opportunity to scale with the support of Silicon Valley tech executives through the program and expand both our online and store footprint to be able to reach more consumers around the world. We are also working on exciting initiatives to expand our design universe from clothing and accessories to art and interiors. Finally, working towards sustainability is a big goal for us with a focus on more circular solutions to textile design. I hope we keep growing and sharing our story of the intersection of tradition and algorithms with a larger audience.

Source: Okay Africa

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“THERE IS A REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT THAT THRIVES IN SOUTHERN AND EAST AFRICA THAT DOESN’T THRIVE IN US” – CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE

Felabration is an annual festival held in honour of the late musician and activist, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. This year’s theme is ‘From Lagos With Love’.

The event, which held yesterday at the NECA Events Center, Ikeja Central Business District, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos, had the theme: “Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense.”

On the need for a revolution, she said Nigerians are docile when they should be vocal and as a result Nigeria does not matter in the global scheme of things.

“There is a revolutionary spirit that thrives in southern and eastern Africa that doesn’t thrive in us, a political revolutionary spirit and I worry that it has a lot to do with the way our educational system is, we don’t really matter. I think that’s the reality. It is up to us to make that change because if you look at the foreign policy of positive nations, by their actions, you can tell that they don’t think we matter. They think China matters. They think India would matter, not really us. And you can tell by their foreign policy,” she said.

The popular writer said she fell in love with Fela’s music through her older brother, Chuks, she said.

On Fela, she said: “When I was younger, he came to represent a kind of unapologetic courage and authenticity.”

Other speakers at the event included law teacher, Prof. Akin Oyebode, Kingslee James, McLean Daley, a British activist popularly called Akala and Ugandan singer and politician Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine).

Dignitaries at the event included , Femi Falana (SAN), Kingsley Moghalu, Professor Wole Soyinka, Professor Femi Osofisan, Rikki Stein, Femi Kuti, Yeni Kutiamong others.

 

Watch the video below:

Photo Credit: @felabration

 

 

Credit: Bella Naija

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OLUTOSIN LOST HER MOM WHILE PREPARING FOR MBGN 2019 & SHE MADE HER PROUD BY BEING CROWNED MBGN UNIVERSE

Olutosin Araromi, the beauty queen who is partly Yoruba and partly Benin is the current MBGN Universe 2019 after becoming the 1st runner-up at the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria ceremony Friday night.

Olutosin Araromi (Miss Taraba) lost her mom, Elizabeth Araromi on the 6th of September 2019 after a trip to Nigeria to pursue her daughter’s lifelong dream of representing Nigeria at the MBGN 2019. She wrote:

I never thought in my life I would be writing this but with a very heavy devastated heart I’m here to inform everyone of the untimely passing of my sweet Mother Elizabeth.

My mother and I travelled back home to Lagos, Nigeria to pursue my lifelong dream of representing Nigeria on an international platform so I applied to compete for @silverbirdmbgn.

Unfortunately this past Friday evening when me and her were coming back from the mainland after wrapping up my final evening gown fitting disaster struck.

Our @uber@ubernigeria broke down on the 3rd mainland bridge-ojoo express. When we were trying to get to safety and get into our 2nd Uber a danfo bus veered off track and struck my mom.

The danfo bus didn’t stop it kept on driving. Thankfully by a Good Samaritan we were able to get my mom into a car and rushed to the hospital. After about 20-30 minutes of trying to resuscitate my mother the doctor announced that the injuries she sustained were fatal. My whole life changed in less than an hour. Those who are close to me know how close I was to my mother.

She was my friend, my mentor, my spiritual prayer partner, my motivation, my confidant, my everything. She sacrificed her life to help me pursue my dream. The marathon will continue…I will still compete in @silverbirdmbgn to honor my mom and her legacy.

And in the future I plan to start a foundation in her honor. Threw this hard time in my life I’ve learned that time with your loved ones should never be taking for granted. Love and cherish the people who truly support you in life. And God will give you strength through all of life’s burdens. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me, reached out to me and donated towards my mom’s funeral.

Mommy I will make you proud I promise everything you taught me I will apply it to my life and teach my future children. I love you soo much ma, till we meet again in heaven, love you forever🙏🏾✨❤️(The go fund me link to donate to my mom’s funeral will be in my bio) #RIPmom#heavengainedanangel #iyaniwura #loveyou9/6/2019💔

Photo Credit: silverbirdmbgn

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