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What is marriage?
In "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles proclaim that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children." When a man and woman are married in the temple, their family can be together forever. This is a common goal of Latter-day Saints.
Life's greatest joys are found in the family. Strong family relationships require effort, but such effort brings great happiness in this life and throughout eternity. In our Heavenly Father's plan of happiness, a man and a woman can be sealed to one another for time and all eternity. Those who are sealed in the temple have the assurance that their relationship will continue forever if they are true to their covenants. They know that nothing, not even death, can permanently separate them.
The covenant of eternal marriage is necessary for exaltation. The Lord revealed through Joseph Smith: "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; and in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; and if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase" (Doctrine and Covenants 131:1–4).
After receiving the sealing ordinance and making sacred covenants in the temple, a couple must continue in faithfulness in order to receive the blessings of eternal marriage and exaltation. The Lord said:
"If a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; … and if [they] abide in my covenant, … it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world" (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19).
Those who are married should consider their union as their most cherished earthly relationship. A spouse is the only person other than the Lord whom we have been commanded to love with all our heart (see Doctrine and Covenants 42:22).
Marriage, in its truest sense, is a partnership of equals, with neither person exercising dominion over the other, but with each encouraging, comforting, and helping the other.
Because marriage is such an important relationship in life, it needs and deserves time over less-important commitments. Couples can strengthen their marriage as they take time to talk together and to listen to one another, to be thoughtful and respectful, and to express tender feelings and affection often.
Marriage partners must be loyal to one another and faithful in their marriage covenants in thought, word, and deed. The Lord has said, "Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else" (Doctrine and Covenants 42:22). The phrase "none else" teaches that no person, activity, or possession should ever take precedence over the marriage relationship.
Married couples should stay away from anything that could lead to unfaithfulness in any way. Pornography, unwholesome fantasies, and flirtations will erode character and strike at the foundation of marriage. (Learn how the gospel protects and heals families from the effects of pornography.)
Couples should work together to manage their finances and cooperate in establishing and following a budget. Wise money management and freedom from debt contribute to peace in the home.
Finally, couples must center their lives in the gospel of Jesus Christ. As couples help one another keep the covenants they have made, attend church and the temple together, study the scriptures together, and kneel together in prayer, God will guide them. Their companionship will sweeten through the years; their love will strengthen. Their appreciation for one another will grow.
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
Genesis 1:27–28
Genesis 2:18, 24
Doctrine and Covenants 131:2
Moses 2:27–28
Moses 3:18, 21–24
Abraham 5:18
Guide to the Scriptures, "Marriage, Marry"
President Russell M. Nelson
Nurturing Marriage
In Praise of Those Who Save
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Marriage Is Essential to His Eternal Plan
The Marriage That Endures
President Gordon B. Hinckley
The Importance of Celestial Marriage
Oneness in Marriage
The Latter-day Saint Concept of Marriage
President Hugh B. Brown
Enriching Your Marriage
President James E. Faust
Guide to Family Finance
Elder Marvin J. Ashton
Preparing for a Heavenly Marriage
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
"The Standard of Truth Has Been Erected"
President Boyd K. Packer
A Solemn Responsibility to Love and Care for Each Other
Covenant Marriage
Elder Bruce C. Hafen
Elder F. Burton Howard
Marriage and Family: Our Sacred Responsibility
Elder W. Douglas Shumway
The Honeymoon Trail
Elder David E. Sorensen
It Is Not Good for Man or Woman to Be Alone
Sheri L. Dew
Teachings of Presidents of the Church
"Understanding the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, chapter 23
"Marriage and Parenthood: Preparing Our Families for Eternal Life"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, chapter 16
"Preparing for an Eternal Marriage and Family"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, chapter 14
"Experiencing Happiness in Marriage"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, chapter 15
"The Divine Purpose of Marriage"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, chapter 12
"Honorable, Happy, Successful Marriage"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, chapter 18
"Marriage and Family—Ordained of God"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, chapter 14
"Marriage—An Eternal Partnership"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Howard W. Hunter, chapter 16
"Nurturing the Eternal Partnership of Marriage"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Gordon B. Hinckley, chapter 10
"Marriage," True to the Faith
"Upholding the Doctrine of Marriage," LDS.org
"Marriage," Encyclopedia of Mormonism
"Addiction Recovery Program: Spouse and Family Support Guide," addictionrecovery.lds.org
"Delaying Marriage: The Trends and the Consequences," Ensign, March 2017
"Marriage, Technology, and Emotional Infidelity," Ensign, January 2017
"Choose the Temple," Ensign or Liahona, July 2010
"Putting My Marriage before My Pride," Ensign or Liahona, January 2008
"Having Faith in God's Timeline," Ensign or Liahona, March 2007
"Confidence to Marry," Ensign or Liahona, February 2006
"Strengthening the Family: A Solemn Responsibility to Love and Care," Ensign or Liahona, July 2005
"Strengthening the Family: Multiply and Replenish the Earth," Ensign or Liahona, April 2005
"Falling Out of Love … and Climbing Back In," Ensign or Liahona, January 2005
"Strengthening the Family: The Family Is Central to the Creator's Plan," Ensign or Liahona, December 2004
"A Rock-Solid Foundation for Marriage," Ensign or Liahona, June 2003
"Nurturing a Love That Lasts," Liahona, May 2000
"Presidents of the Church Speak on Temple Marriage," New Era, June 1971
"Nurturing Love and Friendship in Marriage"
Marriage and Family Relations Participant's Study Guide, lesson 3
The Latter-day Saint Woman: Part A, lesson 10
"The Eternal Family"
Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Part A, lesson 35
"The Divine Institution of Marriage," LDS Newsroom
"Nurturing Marriage," Ensign or Liahona, May 2006
"To My Grandchildren," Ensign or Liahona, November 2013
President Henry B. Eyring
"Why Marriage, Why Family," Ensign or Liahona, May 2015
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"The Home: The School of Life," Ensign or Liahona, May 2013
Elder Enrique R. Falabella
"Essential Truths—Our Need to Act," Ensign or Liahona, November 2017
Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella
"Eternal Marriage," Ensign or Liahona, May 2003
Marriage and Family Relations Instructor's Manual, lesson 3
"Marriage," Lesson Helps for Teaching Children
"Dating and Marriage Are the Gateway"
"Renaissance of Marriage"
"What Is the Purpose of Family?"
"Families Can Be Together Forever"
"What Is a Temple Wedding Like?"
"Is Marriage For You?" Mormon Channel Daily, episode 421
"A Marriage Worth Saving," The Mormon Channel Q&A, episode 65
"Three Views of Marriage," Mormon Channel Daily
"Courage to Marry," Mormon Channel Daily, episode 864


Today in church we read Psalm 32 and the passage struck me.
The word Selah is a bit of a mystery. Some believe it denotes a break or change in the song's melody. Others think it is a silent moment of praise. I was struck this morning by where it falls in this Psalm.
After the introduction, the author begins with a cry of grief. Like acid held tight in his mouth, the knowledge of unconfessed sin rotted him from the inside out, sucking all his motivation and strength. I remember the oppressive New Orleans, summer heat. There were days when you could see it rise off the pavement and taste it in the air. On those days, everyone stayed inside, hoping to escape the fog of heat outside. One might imagine the author of Psalm 32 alone, sitting in a kitchen chair, in the dark of a dirty apartment, surrounded by spent cereal boxes and finished microwave dinners, unable to gather the motivation to rise and turn the lights on.
It's at the end of this first picture that comes the first Selah. When I read it, the word "breath" came to mind.
"The world seems dark and hopeless. This death inside you rots you, leaving you hollow and in pain." Breath.
Much to the shock of the writer, once the sins escaped his mouth, once the poison was expelled, failure was returned with healing, wrong doings were forgiven.
When I sin, like Adam and Eve in the garden, my first instinct is to hide. I do not hide in bushes though. Rather, I hide in plain site. I go about my day pretending nothing has happened, make believing that nothing has gone wrong. I put on a mask, hiding the shame of my face from the world, and from Him.
The joke is on me though. He was present when the sin occurred. He was there when I did it, and the mask hides nothing from him. As I hide in the dark in shame, he waits patiently for me to come to the revelation that I was never actually alone, that he is sitting there, waiting for me acknowledge his presence so we both can move on.
And once again, at the moment of revelation, there is the word. Breath. Pause. Soak it in.
In the third movement, we see Him for who He is. He is the true hiding place. All along, the security I was searching for, the protection from prying eyes, mask I was hoping would protect me is he.
And a third time, the word. Breath.
I love the beat Selah creates.
I acknowledge that you were always there, waiting to restore the damage I had done.
And now I see that you were the hiding place I longed for all along.


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newsR > News Videos > Ayodhya > 'Chaudah Kosi Parikrama' commences in Ayodhya amid COVID-19
'Chaudah Kosi Parikrama' commences in Ayodhya amid COVID-19
Video Credit: ANI - Duration: 02:31s - Published on November 23, 2020
'Chaudah kosi parikrama' started in the holy city of Ayodhya on November 23 amid COVID-19 scare.
No entry for outsiders in the temple town is allowed.
This event is counted among the biggest religious events in Ayodhya.
The annual event will end in the wee hours of Tuesday.
Ayodhya Metropolitan City in Uttar Pradesh, India
President Kovind donates Rs 5,00,100 for Ram temple construction in UP's Ayodhya
IndiaTimes 14 hours ago
President Kovind donates over Rs 5 lakh for Ram Mandir construction
On Jan 15, President Ram Nath Kovind made the first contribution towards the construction of Ram Mandir, which is to be built in UP's Ayodhya. Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president, Alok Kumar said, "He is the first citizen of the country so we went to him to initiate this drive. He donated a sum of Rs 5,01,000." Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also made the contribution for construction of Ram Mandir. He handed over a cheque of Rs 1 lakh to a leader of Vishva Hindu Parishad. He said, "I am grateful to be part of such mission." Ram Mandir is to be built at the site of Ram Janmabhoomi in UP's Ayodhya.
Bhopal Congress workers on fund collection drive for Ram temple construction
The Congress workers in Bhopal launched a campaign to collect funds for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. Party workers distributed pamphlets and asked individual to contribute directly to bank account of the temple trust. Government of India setup an independent trust named 'Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra' for the construction of Ram Temple. Congress leader PC Sharma said, "We urge people to send contributions directly to bank account of the temple trust and not give it to any individual."
Ayodhya's old age home urges for financial support
An old age home in Ayodhya, which is house of 45 women, is facing lack of helpers due to less funding. Women from different parts of the country, facing numerous kinds of family issue reside here. Every woman has a story and suffering of its own. At the old age home, women are provided with food and medicines. They keep themselves busy through various activities including singing. Their happiness after living in the old age home is clearly evident. With only 3 caretakers, the old age home is facing lack of helpers as the funding is very poor. They urged the government for not increasing their budget to run the shelter but to also increase the deposited amount in the bank accounts of these old women.
Coronavirus disease 2019 Disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
CNN's Brianna Keilar is moved to tears reading heartbreaking final text messages compiled by NationalGeographic.com from Covid-19 victims to their loved ones.
Credit: Bleacher Report AOL Duration: 05:14Published on January 1, 1970
Devastating news for Karl-Anthony Towns ... the NBA star announced he's tested positive for COVID-19 ... just 9 months after his mother passed away from a..
TMZ.com 33 minutes ago
50% of Covid cases in January from just 2 states
Through sand art, Sudarsan Pattnaik welcomes world's largest vaccination drive
As the nation-wide vaccination drive against COVID-19 is set to start from January 16, Padmashri award winner and sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik welcomed COVID-19 vaccination drive. He penned a message "Together We Can Win".
While detailing his plan to ramp up vaccinations against COVID-19, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on Friday said it was "shocking" to see some Republican members of Congress not wearing masks to prevent the spread of the virus and told them it was "time to grow up."
Credit: Reuters Studio Duration: 01:16Published on January 1, 1970

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
Q: Variational Method for A Symmetric double well Potential I am given a set of trial wave functions of the form
$$
Φ_n^{\pm}(x)=Ψ_{n}(x-α)\pm Ψ_{n}(x+a)
$$
Where $Ψ_n$ are the $n$th Harmonic oscillator wavefunctions. in order to approximate the energy levels from this symmetric Double Well Potential
$$
V(x)=\frac{1}{2}mω^{2}(\lvert x \rvert -a)^2
$$
The hints I have are the following :
I am to use the Parity of these trial wavefunctions to reduce the number of integrals I have to calculate for the Energy,and I am supposed to break down the Hamiltonian into this form
$$\hat{H_{\pm}}=-\frac{\hbar^2}{2m} \frac{d^2}{dx^2} +\frac{1}{2} mω^2(x \mp α)^2$$
Where the + part holds for $x>0$ and the - part for $x<0$
$$
\hat{H_{\pm}}Ψ_{n}(x \mp a)=\frac{\hbar ω}{2} Ψ_{n}(x \mp a)
$$
It is easy to show that the trial wave functions are parity even (+) or odd (-). Using the Parity Operator Left and Right of the Hamiltionian I show that energy values can be simplified from the general form,
$$
\tilde{E_{n}}=\frac{<Φ_{n}^{\pm}|\hat{H}|Φ_{n}^{\pm}>}{<Φ_{n}^{\pm}|Φ_{n}^{\pm}>}
$$
To the form
$$
E_{n}^{\pm}=\frac{A_{n} \pm B_{n}}{1+C_n}
$$
Where $A_n,B_n,C_n$ are the following integrals
$$B_{n}=<{Ψ_{n}(x+a)}|\hat{H}|{Ψ_{n}(x-a)}>$$
$$A_{n}=<{Ψ_{n}(x+a)}|\hat{H}|{Ψ_{n}(x+a)}>$$
$$C_{n}=<{Ψ_{n}(x+a)}|{Ψ_{n}(x-a)}>$$
Now, I believe I can easily calculate the $C_n$ Integrals by invoking the orthonormality of the Hermite Polynomials when integrating from $-\infty$ to $+\infty$ and the Integral is the same for all values and pretty easy to compute (a simple Gaussian).
However, I cannot calculate $A_n$ or $B_n$ correctly no matter what I try. I was given $B_0$ as a result
$$B_0=\frac{\hbar ω}{2} (1-2\sqrt{\frac{b}{π}}a)e^{-ba^2}$$
When I try to calculate $B_0$, I break down the integral from $-\infty$ to 0 and from 0 to $+\infty$ and apply the corresponding Hamiltonian to the right wavefunction. As a result, I simply get a factor of $\hbar ω/2$ and get the same integral. I tried to not use the hint and calculate the integral manually  I get second degree derivatives of Hermite Polynomials which reduce their class and give zero on all Integrals and some others which seem nearly impossible to calculate. I am not asking for an answer, but I would really appreciate some tips as to how I should start my calculations. Thanks for your time!

A: I suspect your calculation of $C_n$ is the problem. In any case,
you can readily calculate the $B_0$ directly.
Taking natural units where
$\hbar = m = \omega = 1$ to simplify the expressions
\begin{equation}
\psi_0(x) = \frac{1}{\pi^{1/4}}e^{-x^2/2}
\end{equation}
and
\begin{equation}
H\psi_0(x+a) = \left\{
\frac{1}{2}+\Theta(x)\left[\frac{(x-a)^2}{2}-\frac{(x+a)^2}{2}
\right] \right \}\psi_0(x+a)= \left [ \frac{1}{2}- xa \Theta(x) \right ]\psi_0(x+a)
\end{equation}
where $\Theta(x)$ is the Heaviside step function which is zero for
negative arguments and 1 for positive arguments.
$B_0$ is
\begin{equation}
B_0 = \int_{-\infty}^\infty dx \psi_0(x-a)H\psi_0(x+a)
= \int_{-\infty}^\infty dx \psi_0(x+a)H\psi_0(x-a)
\end{equation}
with $\psi_0(x+a)\psi_0(x-a) = \frac{1}{\pi^{1/2}}e^{-x^2-a^2}$,
\begin{equation}
B_0 = \frac{e^{-a^2}}{\pi^{1/2}} \left [
\frac{1}{2} \int_{-\infty}^\infty dx e^{-x^2}
-2a \int_0^\infty dx xe^{-x^2}\right ]
= e^{-a^2}\left [ \frac{1}{2} - \frac{a}{\sqrt{\pi}}\right ]
\end{equation}
which is your required result.

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Game of Thrones Season 8 One Year Later: 'The Iron Throne'
Games of Thrones reaches its controversial finale, but is the episode worthy of the extreme reactions it has generated?
by	Kyle Barratt	19/05/2020
For the past six weeks, I've been revisiting each episode of Game of Thrones' final season exactly a year after they first aired. Today it all comes to an end as I review the contentious series finale 'The Iron Throne'.
When I began rewatching this season I was shocked at just how unremarkable the premiere was. For such a controversial season of television you'd think the first episode would create some strong opinions of either extreme, and while such things came to pass in the following episodes, the premiere didn't illicit such a response. It was… fine. So, imagine my surprise when I sat down to watch the series finale of Game of Thrones, for the first time since its initial airing, and found myself having a similar reaction as I did to the first episode of the final season. Away from the palpable anger and endless arguments you'll still find on the Internet, the finale is surprisingly reserved and perfunctory. I don't say this completely as a positive but nor do I as a negative either. 'The Iron Throne' is, quite astoundingly, an adequate but dull finale undeserving of both the extreme hatred and praise heaped on it by warring factions of the fandom.
The episode picks up immediately after Daenerys' decimation of King's Landing as Tyrion walks from the destroyed city gate all the way to the Red Keep, where the old queen lays fallen and the new queen stands triumphant. It's a very effective sequence that once again highlights the horrors that have transpired within the city. While last episode graphically presented King's Landing burning, along with its denizens, in epic sequences of destruction and mayhem, the finale instead quietly shows us the lasting impact. There's very little dialogue in the opening minutes, as Tyrion passes charred corpses while ash covers the city's streets; the true enemy of the common folk was never ice but rather the fire rising to meet it.
Many of the lead characters make their way through the dead city to witness Dany's forces amassing below the Red Keep; the Unsullied silently in formation and the Dothraki ululating atop unsettled horses. Daenerys arrives to give a speech and the first shot of her in the episode is a thing of beauty, with Drogon's wings visible behind her making it seem as though they are sprouting from her body after her dominant display of Targaryen fire and blood in the previous episode. She has been transformed from that young woman we once knew into a monster, hellbent on seizing the throne that gives the episode its name. She delivers a thunderous speech brimming with hypocrisy, stating that she has freed King's Landing from a tyrant and now seeks to do the same to the entire Seven Kingdoms under her control. She feels no sympathy or regret, and now that she's crossed the line we only view her from the perspective of other characters as they plot to save Westeros from the Dragon Queen.
After seasons of drifting off into the background, Tyrion is granted the starring role of the finale and his actions deliver the ultimate fate of Westeros, as he persuades Jon to kill Daenerys and plots to make Bran king, both from inside a prison cell. The conversation with Jon about what action he must take certainly drags on for far too long and Jon initially trying to stand up for Daenerys' actions feels odd. After what he's witnessed, he would take issue with them immediately. Jon's choice to either kill Dany or kneel before her all hinges on their relationship, which frustratingly is underdeveloped. Do we buy Jon's love for her? Has their romance ever worked after its rushed beginnings just ten episodes ago? We accept it because the romance is clearly the direction the plot needed to go, but this decision would be so much more powerful if their relationship felt real. The finale is only as good as its foundations.
Jon is the shield that guards the gates of men, but instead of ice it's fire he's destined to destroy. This twisting of fates is my favourite element of the final season. Characters we thought would find narrative closure in the war against the Night King instead find it in the war to take the throne, and vice versa, with Arya being the counterpoint to Jon is this regard. As Daenerys reaches the Iron Throne, just like her vision in the second season, she touches the seat of power but never gets the chance to sit upon it before Jon appears. She wants to reminisce about stories of the throne her brother once told her but Jon breaks her from her reverie immediately and gets straight to the point. She reaches out to him for the third time in three episodes and once more he denies her that comfort, this time with deathly finality. In many ways the scene mirrors their first meeting at Dragonstone apart from in one crucial aspect: it all happens far too quickly. Before you know it, they're hugging and a knife is buried in Dany's heart.
Drogon appears to find his mother dead at Jon's feet but instead of burning the last living Targaryen, the dragon turns towards the Iron Throne – the quest for which has created so much misery and caused so many deaths – and melts it down into a puddle of molten metal and slag. Does Drogon understand his actions? Does he smelt the throne in rage or does the dragon understand the symbolism of such an action? I really enjoy this question, especially after Dany finally took the advice of Olenna Tyrell and Missandei last episode to "be a dragon". This phrase was said, and enacted upon, with it meaning to use fury and that innate Targaryen rage to take what you want. The phraseology implies that a dragon is a weapon, a tool, used to devastate, just like we witnessed in 'The Bells'. So, I love that the finale presents a dragon, depending on your interpretation, as surprisingly sentient and able to see the folly of human desire, rather than just be used as a weapon to help pursue it.
And so ends the first part of the series finale. 'The Iron Throne' really does feel like two distinct episodes, both halves being pretty much exactly the same length. The first dealt with stopping the dangerous path Westeros was heading down with fire and blood and the second is about deciding which path to take next. While the first half had sufficient time to execute its narrative aims, the second doesn't. We're left with 40 minutes to decide the fate of the Seven Kingdoms and wrap up all the remaining character stories. It's rushed and yet surprisingly dull at the same time. I like most of the storytelling decisions but upon rewatch I was shocked at how little it held my attention.
We pick up the story a few weeks later and in that time Jon has told the truth about what happened to Daenerys and is imprisoned, King's Landing is seemingly back to normal (which is such a disappointment), and pretty much every surviving character is gathered in the Dragonpit to face Tyrion and decide the next ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. The scene at the Dragonpit is maybe the most pivotal and important scene of the entire series and I so I wish we spent more time there, so every point made could be fully explored. I'm only half joking when I say I'd take an 80-minute episode composed of just that scene. After being distracted by the random Dornish prince at the meeting, Edmure Tully nominates himself for the crown only be told to sit down and shut up. It's a moment played for laughs and, in what should be a tightly and impeccably crafted scene, it feels tonally wrong. As does Sam's suggestion of a democracy being laughed at. I like the idea of the populace having a vote being dismissed by the lords and ladies of Westeros as too radical a concept but playing it for comedy doesn't work. And what is Sam doing at the meeting to decide Westeros' fate anyway?
Tyrion nominates Bran to be the next ruler and after all but three minutes of explaining the choice, the majority agrees. On my first watch, a year ago, I thought this was a completely bizarre decision and, while it still is, I now think it's quite brilliant, just poorly executed in some regards. Following Daenerys' mantra, Tyrion has found a novel way to "break the wheel". Bran represents not one but two cliché yet correct musings about power and the future. The person best fit to rule is the one that doesn't want the crown and Bran is the person who can best learn from history to not make the same mistakes in the future. The issue is that Bran as a character is so dull. This all works symbolically but not so much practically. Bran is no longer a character but a plot device and symbol for something. I wish he could be both. His coronation is like putting the medieval fantasy version of a predictive artificial intelligence in charge of humanity. However, I do really like the idea that kings will now be chosen rather than born after Bran's reign. I wonder if Bran will pass down his Three-Eyed Raven powers to the next elected ruler?
Thematically, the episode is dominated by this battle between the past and the future; a fitting theme to have for the final episode of such a huge series leaving behind a detailed history and an unknown future. With Bran there is a hope that this world will learn from its mistakes and not make the same ones again, like Daenerys fulfilling her father's legacy. The wheel is not so much broken as simply facing a new direction. 'The Iron Throne' also compares Jon and Daenerys, who are two sides of the same Targaryen coin that by the end of the episode is no longer currency, in terms of whether they are defined by their heritage and past deeds.
The episode is also, in a rather meta way, about stories. Bran and those characters who help him rule will not only learn from some nebulous backstory but also from what they've personally gone through over the course of the series, a collection of events now part of history itself. Sam, who is given the role of Grand Maester before the credits roll, presents an apocryphal chronicle of the events of the show itself, cutely named after the real-life book series, 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. And when asked if Tyrion made the right decision in crowning Bran, he says to ask him again in ten years' time, which is no doubt how the writers feel about the finale themselves.
Bran's reign ushers in a new era for the Seven Kingdoms – so much so that they're now the Six Kingdoms – and the few characters still alive after the ash has settled find themselves in new situations:
For the final few seasons of the show, I've been Team Sansa and so was slightly disappointed to not see her on the Iron Throne at the end. But considering that there's not an Iron Throne anymore, I've always suspected that Bran was chosen as king because he's in a wheelchair and they don't need to spend the money on building a new throne. If Sansa can't have the Seven Kingdoms then ruling the North as an independent kingdom is the next best thing. She's had a wonderful arc over the eight seasons and it's great to see her realise her dream from season one of being a queen, although now of her own volition and not through marriage.
Tyrion is named Hand of the King for the same reason Bran is named King – because he doesn't want it. He's given the opportunity to fix his mistakes and I think this is a good ending for him.
Grey Worm takes the medal for the character I was sure would die but against all odds survives. The last time we see him he's leaving for Naath with his fellow Unsullied, but I just don't buy that he would drop his revenge against Jon without any confrontation. He would kill him the second he learnt that Jon killed Dany, not imprison him and ultimately free him.
After regaining some humanity and no longer being a slave to revenge or Westerosi politics, Arya chooses to seek the answer to the question of "what's west of Westeros?" She takes a ship and crew to travel the world, setting up the best spin-off we'll never see. As I've previously stated, I think Arya is probably the best served character by this final season.
What's there to say about Bronn? He manipulated his way onto the new small council with one short scene a couple of episodes ago and a promise is a promise, I guess. It's unbelievable that Bran would allow this cutthroat to help usher in a new, better future.
Davos is made 'Master of Ships', and unofficially the 'Master of Grammar' too. Not bad for a former criminal smuggler who couldn't read or write at the start of the series. It's a decent endpoint for him, I just wish he had more to do over the last couple of seasons.
It's implied that Brienne becomes Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and Podrick one of her knights. I wish we got a scene exploring this and what it means to her after that fantastic scene earlier in the season where Jaime knights her. In response, she fills in Jaime's history in the Kingsguard book, making the ending of his arc seem not like the crushing disappointment it actually was.
The episode, and the series, ends with Bran leading Westeros into a new era of hopefully peace and prosperity, backed by a small council of supporting characters who have undergone much change over these eight seasons. We're offered a final montage of the Stark children as they begin a new chapter of their lives, including Jon who is sent to the Night's Watch as punishment. But punishment isn't the right word; he's sent home. His true home at the Wall and what lies further north. He's not a Targaryen but rather a Wildling, no longer needed in Westeros, and he leaves with Ghost and Tormund towards a quieter future. Like Aemon before him, he's sent to the Wall and likely forgotten, even if there's little need for a Night's Watch now. As he journeys north of the Wall, in a scene mimicking the first of the entire series, a small green planet has burrowed itself out of the snow. A dream of spring has countered the winds of winter and it makes for a fitting finale to the fantasy series.
It's not a perfect ending by any means. It has flaws, as does the season as a whole. But it's here I want to comment on something that I've wanted to discuss from the very beginning of this review series. It's okay to dislike the final season of Game of Thrones. It's okay to hate it. But I really can't stand the constant levels of anger and hate aimed towards the people involved in the creation and conclusion of the show. Some of the reactions shared across the Internet are just stupid and horrible, and that's partly why I wanted to wait a year and revisit the show away from the 'fans' to finally come to terms with how I feel about the series. I disagree with some of the decisions made in the final six episodes but that doesn't mean the writers didn't know what they were doing, or didn't care. Only that they did something different than you or I would have. The level of hate against the head writers Dan Weiss and David Benioff is stupid. No matter how much you dislike the final season – I really hate what happened with Jaime for example – personal attacks and the type of reactions you still see on Reddit and such places are immature and dumb. Get over it, and get over yourselves. Don't worry, my annoying preaching is over now.
While I have issues with these final six episodes of the series, I'm content with the ending we received. It could have been much better and I stand by believing that most of the issues with the final two seasons spawn from the low episode count. I can see why the show would be structured like this for production reasons because of the sheer scale and scope of the show's closing chapters, but the rush to close out the narrative in such a limited space of time led to most of the storytelling problems on display. Other than Jaime's arc, the lack of consequences from the Night King's invasion and a few small moments, I think the story that was told over these final six episodes was good. It was just often told in a disappointing way. The execution was off in certain respects and this final episode, fittingly leaving the fate of Westeros in the hands of cripples, bastards and broken men, is a bit bland and pedestrian. Overall, while it may sound boring to say about a TV series that has created so much discourse and controversy, the ending of Game of Thrones is… fine.
What are your thoughts on 'The Iron Throne'? Do you think the once beloved series went out with a bang or a whimper? Let me know in the comments and be sure to geek out with me about TV, movies and video-games on Twitter @kylebrrtt.
game of thronesGame of Thrones Season 8Game of Thrones Season 8 One Year LaterRevisiting Game of Thrones
ArticleOpinionTVTV And Movies
Someday You'll Return Review (PC)
by	Andy	- May 18, 2020
Ghost of Tsushima: State of Play Reaction & Discussion
by	Aadil Kurji	- May 19, 2020
Kyle Barratt
The world is full of mysterious creatures whose existence spark constant debate. Scotland have the Loch Ness monster, North America have big foot and the Himalayas have the Yeti but none can hold a candle to England's mythical beast. The Kyle Barratt has eluded scientists for decades, many doubt he even exists and is really a man from Ealing named Carl. Yet time and time again proof arrives in the form of completed and well written articles.


text:
Meet Denice Olson: Vice President
Meet Jeff Nelson: Executive Vice President
Risk mitigator, international guru, Champion of the Baltic States
Jeff Nelson is the executive point for several S3 customers while leading the S3 team of 250-plus employees and consultants in Richmond and Philadelphia, and S3's Detroit branch. He also happens to be the executive point for S3I, S3's international operations headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania. It's something he's well suited to do.
Career inspiration came to Jeff early; while in college, he met leaders of the freedom movement for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Their work influenced Jeff's studies and his first career, where he built relations with these countries as they navigated their first years of independence after 50 years of Soviet occupation.
Jeff leads S3's efforts by helping global companies to establish and grow near-shore centers. He has helped build S3's reputation in the region as a trusted, well-regarded partner of the government in business development and in creating jobs and career opportunities for Lithuanian citizens.
In fact, Jeff and S3 have played a firsthand role in dramatically developing the economy in Lithuania, creating thousands of Western-esque jobs for nationals so they could remain in or return to their home country. In 2015, he was appointed as one of 23 honorary consuls, representing the U.S. in Lithuania.
Jeff embraces the S3 culture where rules and regulations don't crowd out entrepreneurialism, mistakes are opportunities to learn, and customers and consultants always come first. He embodies and promotes that culture in Vilnius, Richmond, Philadelphia and Detroit. He believes in listening to customers about their fears, identifying their perceived risks, and designing a solution to mitigate those risks. That often means S3 managing them for their customers.
Closer to the heart and home, Jeff values the opportunity to support causes he cares about. He volunteers with and supports a handful of charitable organizations in Detroit, in his hometown of Richmond, and in Lithuania. He is an active board member of CodeVA, a non-profit organization that promotes computer science and computer programming across Virginia. He is a volunteer and supporter of the Richmond mayor's Youth Academy, the chairman of the workforce development committee of Richmond Business Council, as well as, a member the American-Lithuanian Business Council and past board member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania.
For fun, he enjoys exploring Richmond's cultural institutions, as well as traveling abroad with his wife and two young children.


text:
News > Washington Voices
Cheney Parks and Rec finds temporary home
Insurance will cover lease, renovation of space in Tomlinson Black building
Thu., Feb. 12, 2009
By Lisa Leinberger lisal@spokesman.com(509) 459-5449
Cheney Parks and Recreation has found a new long-term temporary space at the Tomlinson Black building, 2640 First St., Suite B. The City Council authorized Mayor Allan Gainer to sign a lease for the space.
Originally the city thought to lease space at Gatto's Pizza, which had 6,000 square feet of space available for some of the department's programs.
The cost to develop the space for the department's needs, however, was prohibitive. Paul Simmons, department director said it would have cost between $200,000 to $250,000.
"Which, for a permanent location, this would be great," Simmons said. The space would only be used until the city can find a permanent location for the department which was forced out of the Wren Pierson building in December after the building started to collapse.
The space at Tomlinson Black will offer the department 2,000 square feet of space, and the city will need to sign a lease for one year and longer will be on a month to month. Simmons estimated it would cost $80,000 to renovate. Insurance would cover all expenses, including the lease.
Councilmember Mike McKeehan asked Simmons if new locations were needed for the day camp and some of the dance classes.
Simmons said the day camp – which is held in the summer – can be held outdoors. The dance classes have been held at Showalter Hall on the Eastern Washington University campus, but the city's agreement with the university will soon expire.
"We'll make every effort to get them somewhere," Simmons told the council.
Councilmember Tom Trulove asked Simmons if the department has asked Cheney Public Schools or Eastern Washington University if they had space for lease. Simmons assured him that he's been putting out feelers, but the options available are very limited.
"We will be working very diligently to find a permanent location," Simmons said.
In other business, the council voted to call to question an ordinance amending the business park zoning language in anticipation of the new Cheney Research and Industrial Park.
Elisa Rodriguez of the planning department explained the amended code would define standards for the buildings in the new park, such as maximum height on buildings, the size of any signage, how many windows businesses should have on the front of the buildings, how the area should be landscaped. It would also define which businesses could be included in the park – limiting the businesses to light industrial uses and avoiding warehouses, since the city received a grant to design the park to bring jobs to Cheney.
"I'm not sure we're ready for the first reading," Trulove said. He worried that making requirements on the aesthetics of the buildings would discourage some companies from building there.
"I won't vote for it, and I think we should review these standards," Trulove said.
The call to question deferred an ordinance to change the zoning of the Cheney Research and Industrial Park from light industrial to business park.
The next council meeting will be Feb. 24.
Spin Control: Why I'm putting away my Gadsden Flag after the Capitol riot
Gonzaga rewind: SMC's Bennett says A+ game required to have chance vs. Zags
After the latest windstorm, the question pops up again: Why don't we bury power lines on the South Hill?
Scott Baio Will Be Missing From Cast Of Cbs' 'Diagnosis Murder'


We have years of experience in designing accessories for active, fun and innovative girls. We understand that modern girls want original and functional designs when it comes to school accessories, and we also know that one of the most important ones, is your school bag.With all the years of experience in design and functionality behind us, we can offer kid's school bags in the perfect styles and sizes, so you can choose the one you like the most. We have a design team who spends a lot of time researching the latest fashion trends, and the best materials in order to manufacture only the best quality kid's school bags. What we care the most about, is your comfort and wellbeing, but we also want you to look great, so our school bags are ergonomic, easy to carry around and have been designed by professional artists. If you want to get the perfect school bag, look no further: your answer is Roxy.
Our line of bags for school includes different models: the already traditional school bag with wheels, which allows you to move around freely, without having to carry all the weight of books ion your back. We also have messenger bags for school, which have become one of the trendiest models, so if you want one of these you'd better hurry and get it right away, before they are all gone. We care about quality so you don't need to change your school bag at the middle of the school year: each of the elements that composes our kid's school bags is of the highest quality, from the fabric to the straps to the zippers. Our shoulder bags for school have a sturdy composition so weight is evenly distributed, making it easier for you to carry everything you need.
Who said that you needed to sacrifice design for quality? The idea that only ugly school bags where sturdy enough to manage all your books is a myth, a thing of the past. We put together all the important elements so you can have a nice looking satchel that is also highly functional and durable, and we offer you different prints and vibrant colours so you stand from the crowd and express your personal style. And if what you want is a classic, we also have amazing black school bags, so we are sure you can find something that you like within our collection!
Smart girls shop ahead, and are ready for the new school year months in advance. If you want to find the best school bags for kids before they are all gone, we highly recommend you to visit our official online store and compare all the school bags that we have for you. After selecting the one you like the most, pay in our easy to use payment gateway, and get your new school bag at your doorstep. Let our customer support team assist you in every step of the way, or ask more questions about our products: they are ready to help.


text:
package org.apache.flink.table.expressions

import org.apache.flink.table.api.scala._
import org.apache.flink.table.expressions.utils.CompositeTypeTestBase
import org.junit.Test

class CompositeAccessTest extends CompositeTypeTestBase {

  @Test
  def testGetField(): Unit = {

    // single field by string key
    testAllApis(
      'f0.get("intField"),
      "f0.get('intField')",
      "testTable.f0.intField",
      "42")
    testSqlApi("f0.intField", "42")

    testSqlApi("testTable.f0.stringField", "Bob")
    testSqlApi("f0.stringField", "Bob")

    testSqlApi("testTable.f0.booleanField", "true")
    testSqlApi("f0.booleanField", "true")

    // single field by int key
    testTableApi(
      'f0.get(0),
      "f0.get(0)",
      "42")

    // nested single field
    testAllApis(
      'f1.get("objectField").get("intField"),
      "f1.get('objectField').get('intField')",
      "testTable.f1.objectField.intField",
      "25")
    testSqlApi("f1.objectField.intField", "25")

    testSqlApi("testTable.f1.objectField.stringField", "Timo")
    testSqlApi("f1.objectField.stringField", "Timo")

    testSqlApi("testTable.f1.objectField.booleanField", "false")
    testSqlApi("f1.objectField.booleanField", "false")

    testAllApis(
      'f2.get(0),
      "f2.get(0)",
      "testTable.f2._1",
      "a")
    testSqlApi("f2._1", "a")

    testSqlApi("testTable.f3.f1", "b")
    testSqlApi("f3.f1", "b")

    testSqlApi("testTable.f4.myString", "Hello")
    testSqlApi("f4.myString", "Hello")

    testSqlApi("testTable.f5", "13")
    testSqlApi("f5", "13")

    testAllApis(
      'f7.get("_1"),
      "get(f7, '_1')",
      "testTable.f7._1",
      "true")

    // composite field return type
    testSqlApi("testTable.f6", "MyCaseClass2(null)")
    testSqlApi("f6", "MyCaseClass2(null)")

    testAllApis(
      'f1.get("objectField"),
      "f1.get('objectField')",
      "testTable.f1.objectField",
      "MyCaseClass(25,Timo,false)")
    testSqlApi("f1.objectField", "MyCaseClass(25,Timo,false)")

    testAllApis(
      'f0,
      "f0",
      "testTable.f0",
      "MyCaseClass(42,Bob,true)")
    testSqlApi("f0", "MyCaseClass(42,Bob,true)")

    // flattening (test base only returns first column)
    testAllApis(
      'f1.get("objectField").flatten(),
      "f1.get('objectField').flatten()",
      "testTable.f1.objectField.*",
      "25")
    testSqlApi("f1.objectField.*", "25")

    testAllApis(
      'f0.flatten(),
      "flatten(f0)",
      "testTable.f0.*",
      "42")
    testSqlApi("f0.*", "42")

    testTableApi(12.flatten(), "12.flatten()", "12")

    testTableApi('f5.flatten(), "f5.flatten()", "13")
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Conforti is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include:

Gino Conforti (born 1932), American actor
Giovanni Battista Conforti (fl. 1550–1570), Italian composer
Giovanni Luca Conforti or Conforto (1560–1608), Italian composer and prominent falsetto singer
Guido Maria Conforti, Italian archbishop, canonized 2011 (see Archdiocese of Ravenna)
Mattea Conforti (born 2006), American actress
Michael Conforti,  American television writer
Pierluigi Conforti (born 1946), Italian motorcycle road racer
Visitación Conforti (born 1953), Argentine biologist

See also
Conforte
Nicola Conforto (1718–1793), Italian composer

Italian-language surnames

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Watching the 5th version of Harry Potter was perhaps the worst movie experience I've ever had. There were queues for everything — to get inside the hall, to get out of the hall, to reach your seat, to pee. And well, I didn't even go near the popcorn stall. No superhero — from Superman to Shaktiman — draws such crowds that spans all age-groups.
Not surprisingly most people came in groups. Now, there are two types of people in each group — those who have read the book and those who haven't. Curiously most people in the latter category were well familiar with the story before the entered. And at every important moment they ask, "Is this the giant you were talking about?" And if two of them had read the book, "Ah… this is Gwarp the giant". Silencio!
Now coming to the movie. I think this movie is the best amongst the five we have seen so far. But not just because of the visual eye-candy, which I felt was good but not great (I'm sorry, I'm still dazzled by LOTR). David Yates, the director, for the first time has made introduced subtlety in the characters. The laugh that Harry, Ron and Hermione share in the common room after Harry's first kiss shows how close the three are — dialogues would never have had the same effect. That moment, according to me, is the best scene of the film. Yates has made use of this thread in the end effectively to render the much elusive cohesiveness to the script.
The character potrayal too is spot on. Imelda Staunton is perfect as Dolores Umbridge with her irritating squeak of a laugh. Helena Bonham Carter snarls as well as the Bellatrix Lestrange in the book. Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch), however, is a tad beautiful and less dreamy than what I had imagined. With the impending war Dumbledore is looking more serious than ever. And as Kingsley Shacklebolt puts it, "He's got style".
The only main grouse I have against the movie is the neglect of Nagini, Voldemort's snake. I think she going to play a major role in the 7th book. The build up to that aspect of the overall plot could well have begun with this movie itself. The final action sequence too was disappointing (of course, the film-makers may have had constraints that I don't know of). In the book the impression I got was that in the fight Dumbledore is merely humouring the anger of an errant student. In the movie it doesn't seem so. Voldemort almost seems to conquer Dumbledore. Another fundamental error is that instead of firing spells, Dumbledore and Voldermort share a Priori Incantem.
But the casual movie-goer won't notice these things. After all, there as many interpretations as there are readers of the book. Most importantly people in the hall seemed to enjoy the movie thoroughly — at one point, the crowd actually started clapping.
Harry Potter & The Order of The Phoenix was a hit before it even released. It will be interesting to see whether the next part – The Half Blood Prince – will get a similar response, since on July 23rd all the mystery will finally be revealed. Until then Ciao!


Naomi Drew Replied: How frustrating it is when our kids don't listen. First of all, please know that you are truly not alone. Two of the biggest complaints of parents today is kids not listening and fights among siblings. You are right in trying to refrain from hitting. When we hit, we reinforce hitting and aggression among our kids. Over time, hitting becomes less and less effective, as does yelling. What else can you do? Here are 6 steps you can take immediately: 1. Get to the root of things. What do you intuitively believe is at the heart of your kids' defiance? At the end of the day when the house is quiet, put your feet up, have a soothing cup of tea, and ask yourself this question. Our internal wisdom reveals itself in quiet moments. Trust your gut. At the root of the problem could be jealousy, resentment for lack of time with you or their dad, problems or conflicts going on in your home. See what rings true for you. Write it down and journal about it. In the process of writing, other insights unfold. Insight equips us to handle the problems that confront us. 2. Next, talk to each child individually. First express lots of love. Give hugs and affirmations. Tell your child what you love about him, and be sincere. Kids see right through our words if they sense the slightest tinge of insincerity. Then, give an "I" message like, "I feel very frustrated when you don't listen, and I'm upset that so much fighting is going on. I don't like yelling and threatening. How do you feel when that happens?" Listen to what he has to say and reflect back (paraphrase) his words. Ask your child why he thinks the fighting is going on. Keep listening and try not to interject opinions or judgments. The more you listen, the more trust you will build. 3. After speaking to each child individually, have a family meeting. Start off with hugs and some verbal expression of love. Have markers and chart paper at hand. Ask your kids for their help in solving the problem. Ask, "What can we agree to do so there's not so much fighting, yelling, and punishing in our home?" Discuss this together and then write down the best suggestions they make (along with your own). Ask them to suggest consequences also. Example: "What consequence should be given if someone doesn't listen to Mom? If someone chooses to fight?" Kids are more apt to honor rules and consequences when they have a hand in setting them. Some effective consequences are: time out, removal of privileges, reparations (owing you a set amount of time in chores for the time wasted in fighting or defiance), taking away of objects (video games, toys). 4. Follow through on what you say. If the rule is that there is no fighting, and the consequence is no TV for two days if there's a fight, stick with it unyieldingly. Each time we back off, we reinforce the negative behavior. 5. Spend at least 15-20 minutes a day with each child individually. This is absolutely critical. Parents have reported back to me that doing this improves discipline tremendously. By spending exclusive time, you send the message that your loving presence is something your child can depend on. If jealousy is an issue, spending individual time can be the cure. 6. If you do all of the above and the defiance and fighting continue, consider engaging in some family therapy. Doing so is a sign of wisdom and strength, not defeat. Nipping the problem in the bud now will prevent larger problems from happening later. Good luck, and let us know how you do.
Mark Viator Replied: Strong willed children can be a challenge. We need to understand that strong-willed children will constantly test boundaries. It is so important that you establish clear, concise, and reasonable boundaries. You need to explain these boundaries to your children and make sure that they understand them. Also, let your children know that if they break these expectations, they will immediately loose a privilege or incentive. Be sure to find privileges that mean something to your child, such as playing with friends or his favorite video games. I recommend that a privilege or incentive be taken away for a 24 hour period. If they follow the rules, then they get to keep their privileges. The main point is to remain consistent. If you give in, sway from your rules, or allow them to "team up on you," you are no longer being the guiding parent. If you remain consistent and follow through with the loss of privileges for not following the rules, then your children will understand that you have set the boundaries and they will remain consistent. Remember, the more you "play into the game" the more they will push and push the boundaries.


In the annual tradition of holiday celebration and community giving, Christmas In The Village returns on Saturday November 26th from 11am to 4pm. Bring the family to Belmont Village for horse rides, chances to win Belmont Village gift cards and a visit with Santa! Drop by Belmont Village Financial Group to write a letter to Santa while enjoying a hot chocolate!
This year marks the second year that 30 businesses in the Belmont Village area are collecting non perishable food items in support of the Waterloo Region Food Bank. Last year we raised over 565 lbs of food and $125 dollars. Join us this year on November 29th starting at 7:30am as we kick off Giving Tuesday by weighing in the food the businesses have collected LIVE on Dave Rocks 107.5 FM. We'll also be live video streaming the weigh-in on Belmont Village Food Avenue's Facebook page.
With 34,000 people in Waterloo Region using the Food Bank, won't you help us collect in this final week by visiting any business or restaurant with your food donation or visit our donation booth during Saturday's Christmas In The Village. We'll have food kits you can purchase and add to our food boxes in case you didn't get a chance to hit up Chelsea Market or your local grocer to get peanut butter, pasta and sauce, cereal, canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruit, beans in sauce, rice or macaroni and cheese.


Today we officially released the Easify WooCommerce Plugin for WordPress.
The new Easify plugin for WooCommerce allows you to easily connect your Easify V4 Server to your WooCommerce ecommerce website which means that your Easify stock levels will be automatically synchronised with your website.
The Easify Server WooCommerce plugin can be installed from the plugins section of your WordPress website control panel.
When you allocate stock to an order in your premises, the stock level of the product on your website will be automatically adjusted so that you never over sell a product.
Adding products is easy too, simply add the product to Easify and it will automatically be uploaded to your website.
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When your body is moving that fast, with nothing protecting it from other skaters, or the air as it cuts past you — it can be terrifying, Anderson said.
"Especially at first," he said. "There was a period, kind of like in the middle of when I was skating, I was going faster than I really could, and if you're not holding your position right and you're going faster it makes it feel even faster."
Control is key, said the Waverly High School graduate.
"Because if you're in control of how you're skating it makes it so, even if you're picking up more speed, you know how to use it," Anderson said. "You're closer to the ice, the position that you're holding lets you turn a lot easier. You don't even have to think about fighting the speed."
Anderson speaks from experience. He's been speed skating for 12 years, has won several national competitions, and he hopes skating smart will take him to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.
In January he'll travel to Almaty, Kazakhstan — part of the five-member U.S. men's speed skating team competing at the World University Games.
His end goal is a far cry from where Anderson started, lacing up his first pair of skates at age 4.
He wanted to play hockey.
Turns out, he wasn't a great hockey player.
Thank goodness, skating itself was a different story.
'We did it together'
It's Tuesday and Anderson is sitting at a table inside the lobby at the Westside YMCA in Lansing with his dad Eric. He's home for the Thanksgiving weekend, before heading back to school and training in Wisconsin.
Anderson is a student at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. It was a strategic college choice. Campus is a just a bus ride away from the Pettit National Ice Center, an Olympic training facility, where he spends hours every week on the ice perfecting his skating technique and working with his coach, Hongyang Wang.
But Anderson fit in some workouts near Lansing during the holiday break, and it's nothing his family isn't used to.
Growing up the family, including Eric, a math teacher at Waverly High School, mom Alicea and sister Marieke, 11, spent countless weekends in the car driving across the country to Anderson's competitions.
They skipped summer vacations for treks during the winter months to Milwaukee, Minnesota, Utah and Washington D.C, always together, sometimes arriving back home late at night on a Sunday, just hours before work and school the next day.
"That's what it's been like since he was about eight," Eric said. "We've gone through a lot of miles on cars, but we were always all together as a family so I never thought of it as, 'We're doing this for him.' We did it together."
Anderson trained at The Summit in Delta Township when he wasn't competing, making occasional trips to the Pettit for camps. Because speed skating isn't all that popular in Michigan, Eric ended up coaching him for several years. Father and son learned about the sport together, and Eric readily admits he knew very little when they started out.
"No more than anyone else watching the Olympics," he said. "But when he wasn't in Milwaukee skating then I became his coach because there wasn't another option really. My success was learning from him."
For several years young speed skaters traveled from around the state to train with the duo at The Summit.
Anderson won national competitions, beginning at age 10, and sometime soon after that, setting his sights on the Olympics made sense.
"As it became more in reach, it was kinda like 'Yeah, I can commit to doing this,'" he said.
He skates carefully. Injuries, including broken bones are a reality during speed skating competitions.
"There are certain competitions where you're trying to just stay safe, but at the same time get the place or the time that you need," Anderson said. "There's something to be said for knowing something about the skater behind you, next to you. You have to be able to think, while at the same time keeping every position right so you don't crash into someone."
Maintaining a balance between speed and consistency has helped Anderson succeed in the sport, Eric said, and it's helped him avoid an injury.
"He's always been very consistent year after year, understanding there's a time to be as fast as you can be and a time to be smart," he said. "Not getting hurt means you're going to be around the whole season. We've seen so many people get hurt."
'You can feel the wind'
These days Anderson said his busy schedule — he's up by 5:30 a.m. for about four hours of training at the Pettit, then back on campus for classes before hitting an on-campus gym for a workout nearly every day — keeps him sane.
He isn't a huge fan of down time.
"I'll use those periods of doing nothing and I'll enjoy them but I've gotten so used to having skating, school," Anderson. "It feels more comfortable than not doing it."
And then there's the speed. Nothing can beat it, he said.
"There's that point, when as you're going faster it begins to feel slow," Anderson said. "You almost don't feel like you're moving then. But the point before that, you feel fast, you can feel the wind."
It's time to take the sport as far as he can, he said.
His family's committed to helping him do that. They're raising $5,000 to help cover the cost of his travel and lodging for the World University Games, set for Jan. 29 to Feb. 8. Those costs aren't covered for the U.S. athletes who compete. But they know they won't be able to afford to go with him, to be there when he skates.
"All along the way we've wanted to make sure he does what he wants," Eric said. "By the time we pay for him there's no way to justify that."
They want to be there, he said, but will settle with being proud from afar.
"We're very proud of every, single step," Eric said. "Even his decision to make school a focus this year and still keep skating. The whole journey every year, what he's gotten out of it and what we've gotten out of it, to me it's all exciting."
Lukas Anderson, 18 and a 2016 graduate of Waverly High School, hopes to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. He will compete as part of the five-member U.S. speed skating team at the World University Games in Almaty, Kazakhstan, set for Jan. 29 to Feb. 8. His family is raising $5,000 for his travel and lodging expenses. Donate online at www.gofundme.com/lukasanderson .
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Rowan Gillson | Christian Photography: Kristi and Nik are Married!!
Rowan, Really liked the pictures. Did you take Nik to Romania? Because I was there six years ago with another team and I met him then. It is a small world. Congratulations to Kristi and Nik.


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April 1, 2015 Uncategorizedadmin
by bfick
Yesterday, we were delighted to learn that the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded our proposal, Making in Michigan Libraries, a three-year grant to promote maker learning and productivity in underserved areas of Michigan. They summarized our project like this:
The University of Michigan School of Information will develop a multi-step approach to developing maker culture in Michigan libraries in underserved communities. This will include a statewide "road trip" to share knowledge of making, maker culture, infrastructure, tools, and community building with rural libraries and their communities, as well as closer partnering with two libraries for the purpose of engaging them in making on a more sustained level. The school will share its findings in an online maker handbook and in a free virtual conference at the project's conclusion.
We're very excited to get started in the coming days, planning for face-to-face professional development throughout Michigan in Summers 2016 and 2017. We'll be looking for libraries to be host partners, colleagues who want to help spread maker culture throughout Michigan communities, and future makers to work with!
If you'd like to know more about our project, feel free to drop us a line (our email addresses are below) or sign up for our email list to find out when we have events or new resources to share.
– Kristin Fontichiaro and Silvia Lindtner, Co-Principal Investigators
font [at] umich [dot] edu
lindtner [at] umich [dot] edu
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant RE-05-15-0021-15.
Some materials (c) Regents of the University of Michigan. All materials are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license terms unless otherwise stated.
Call for host library proposals! →


Real Estate Interactive Global Network (REIGNLIST) helps you search and post New Jersey vacation rentals listings. We are your New Jersey vacation rentals, homes, apartments & rooms for rent hub across United States and Canada. Search our "Vacation Rentals" listing or "Post a Vacation Rental" If you're looking or perhaps you have a spare room to post a listing for a vacation rental in New Jersey.
New Jersey is on the east coast of the Mid-Atlantic area of the United States of America . It is actually fringed by the Atlantic Ocean to the east , and by the states of Delaware to the south west , Pennsylvania to the west , and New York to the north and north east . Areas of the state are suburbs of New York City , simply across the Hudson River to the the north east , and Philadelphia , just across the Delaware River on the south west .
Even though the most densely filled state in the nation , New Jersey is popular for the lovely beaches along with other natural attractions , such as the migratory birds of Cape May , the Pine Barrens , blueberry farms and cranberry bogs , the Delaware Water Gap , a 72-mile support of the Appalachian Trail and its interurban analogue , the East Coast Greenway , and the Palisades .
The Jersey Shore is dotted with beach resort towns , each with an individual character . A beach house rental in Wildwood provides you with access to a great beach , filled with a classic boardwalk scene . Cape May , New Jersey vacation rentals allow you to explore a lovely Victorian town . And also you'll discover a great New Jersey beach house rental regardless of what your budget—we have deals on starting from budget shore condos in New Jersey to lavish family vacation homes .


"If music and poetry fell in love and decided to have a baby, then that baby would be the spoken word of Ryan T. Parker. Kick back and tune in as Parker takes you on a melodic infused poetic voyage, with stanzas made from a blend of rhythm, wisdom, and a few dashes of magic. with poems that echo life experience and paint portraits of fathom and interpretation, Parker is able to get us to dig into, and out of ourselves, causing us to think, to feel, to connect and simply enjoy the glorious art of poetry and the spoken word."


Welcome to BANKSFORYOU, your number one source for all banking related information . We're dedicated to giving you the very best of banking related information, with a focus on dedicated details of each and every bank.
Founded in 2019 by Aritra , BANKSFORYOU has come a long way from its beginnings in some parts of INDIA. When Aritra first started out, his passion for "ultimate banking information" drove them to do tons of research for sake of common public and their securities of banking in all types, so that BANKSFORYOU can offer you trustful information with valid research results in a clear way. We now serve customers all over country, and are thrilled that we're able to turn our passion into my own website.
I hope you enjoy my posts on banking related stuffs as much as I enjoy offering them to you and help you better understand every detail of each and every bank as per possible . If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me.


Presentation is extremely important, as first impressions decide whether or not a visitor will return to the online store or if they will be converted into a customer. Make your business stand out from the competitors and increase your revenue. Add search features, a rich menu on the homepage or display manufacturers to convince visitors of the quality. Help your customers decide on the right product and make buying easier than ever!
Design is the most important aspect of your online presence, as it takes seconds for someone visiting your website to decide whether or not they will remain in your online store. As the design of your site is the digital face of your business and a good design means pushing your visitors further down the sales canal, an increased visit duration and decreased bounce rate is key for you business success.
The modules listed on AllPresta marketplace give you the option to add and customize menus or pages, engage the customer with sliders & galleries, insert search features and filters, change the design of your product pages to fit with what you have in mind.
Our team offers you full support for any purchased PrestaShop module, so check out the Additional Information & Product Tab Page for the best and latest modules!
Scroll to Top PRO is a PrestaShop module that allows you to activate and customize a scroll top button on the front office of your PrestaShop store. The scrolling is done with animation and the button disappears with fade animation.
Printerox is a superb PrestaShop theme with a cheerful design based on colorful low-poly geometric details. Its main purpose is to power print shops and services, which grow popular day by day.
The first "Custom 404 Page" module is bringing all the necessary features you need to fully customize a "404 / Page Not Found" very fast and easy. Most complex 404 utility, no coding skills needed with the provided templates.
Second Picture and Attributes PrestaShop module ads in the front office of your PrestaShop store second picture, thumbnails and attributes of your products on mouse hover.
TM Manufacturers Block Module for PrestaShop r eveal the brands behind your offerings to add more interest to your merchandise.


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Patient Fact Sheets
Bleb Needling
Chalazion Surgery
Cyclodiode Laser
Glaucoma Tube Shunt
Hydrus Microstent
Intravitreal Injections
IStent Inject
Laser Capsulotomy
Laser Iridotomy
Laser Photocoagulation
Laser Trabeculoplasty
Pterygium Surgery
XEN Gel Stent
**CyPass Micro-Stent**
Visual Function
What is Blindness?
Causes of Blindness
Eye Maintenance
The Eye Care Team
Common Eye Diseases
Endophthalmitis
Flashes & Floaters
Herpetic Eye Disease
Ophthalmic Shingles
How to Prevent..
Treatments for Eye Diseases
Amblyopia Patching
AMD Treatments
Conductive K'plasty
Corneal Cross Linking
Detachment Surgery
Diabetes Eye Lasers
Diabetes Eye Surgery
Dry Eye Treatments
Glaucoma Eye Drops
Glaucoma Lasers
Glaucoma Surgery
Intraocular Lenses
Lid Hygiene
Optic Neuritis Drugs
Phakic Lens
Uveitis Treatments
Coping with Visual Loss
Magnifying Aids
Temporal Arteritis
The Fun Bits
3D Autostereograms
Consultation & Surgery
Meet Dr Brian Ang
WHAT IS LASER REFRACTIVE SURGERY?
Laser refractive surgery is an umbrella term that describes laser surgery techniques that corrects refractive error by reshaping the cornea so that light entering the eye can be focused uniformly onto the retina. The hallmark is the use of excimer laser to ablate the tissues of the cornea (front window of the eye). If you have myopia (nearsightedness), your cornea is considered too steep and is therefore flattened with the excimer laser. The converse is true for hyperopia (farsightedness), where the excimer laser will steepen your cornea.
The invention of the excimer laser and its use on the eye has revolutionized the way refractive error can be treated. While in the past, those with myopia and hyperopia were consigned to a lifetime of spectacles or contact lenses, now there is the option of being able to see clearly while being free from having to wear lenses of any kind.
(Image adapted from the internet)
The excimer laser uses ultraviolet light of 193 nanometers to vaporize corneal tissue and is extremely precise. Each laser pulse only removes 0.25 micrometers of tissue.
"Just how thin is 0.25 micrometers?" I hear you ask.
Well, first consider how thin human hair is. Then imagine a thickness that is 1/200th of a human hair. That's how thin 0.25 micrometers is! In combination with advanced software that performs complex calculations, this laser is able to ablate corneal tissue to such precision and accuracy that gives laser surgery is high success rate.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM LASER REFRACTIVE SURGERY?
Laser surgery is very successful and very effective in correcting refractive error so that you can have good visual acuity without needing to wear glasses or contact lenses. However, not everybody with a refractive error is eligible for treatment this laser. To qualify for surgery, you must meet these requirements:
- Be over 18 years old
- Have myopia (nearsightedness) of no greater than -14 diopters
- Have hyperopia (farsightedness) of no greater than +6 diopters
- Have vision that has been stable for one year or more
- Have corneas that are sufficiently thick for laser ablation
- Not have other diseases of the eye
If you have keratoconus, which is a disease that causes progressive thinning of the cornea and consequent progressive myopia, then you are not suitable for laser refractive surgery. Other conditions that will preclude you from laser refractive surgery include pregnancy, severe dry eye, cataract, previous herpes infection of the cornea, and uncontrolled glaucoma.
It is therefore important that you consult your laser refractive surgeon for a thorough eye examination so that your suitability for surgery can be assessed fully. In particular, you must report any health issues you have to your surgeon, regardless of how trivial you feel they may be.
Progressive thinning of the cornea in keratoconus causes a progressive increase in myopia and astigmatism. Keratoconus cannot be treated with laser refractive surgery, but it can be controlled with collagen cross-linking with low dose ultraviolet light and vitamin B12 drops.
LASER REFRACTIVE SURGERY TECHNIQUES
There are different laser surgery techniques available, and they are broadly classified into flap procedures and surface procedures. Both types of procedures achieve similar visual results.
The cornea consists of 5 layers: epithelium (outermost layer or 'skin'), Bowman's membrane, stroma (thickest central layer of the cornea), Descemet's membrane, and endothelium (innermost layer).
In flap procedures, a blade or laser is used to cut a thin flap from the corneal stromal tissue. This flap remains attached to the rest of the cornea by means of a small hinge. The stromal flap is then lifted to allow the excimer laser to cut and remodel the corneal stromal tissue underneath. Once the remodeling is complete, the stromal flap is repositioned at its original position.
An example of a flap procedure is laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis, or its more famous acronym - LASIK.
In LASIK, a flap is first created from the corneal stroma. After the stromal flap is lifted, the underlying corneal stroma is ablated with the excimer laser. Once complete, the flap is then placed back at its original position. LASIK has now superceded surface ablation laser surgery techniques due to its quicker and more comfortable recovery period. However, studies have shown the long term visual results to be fairly similar to each other.
In surface procedures, no corneal stromal flap is created. The corneal epithelium (skin over the corneal surface) is either removed or lifted to allow the underlying corneal tissue to be cut and remodeled by the excimer laser.
Examples of surface procedures are photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), laser assisted sub-epithelium keratomileusis (LASEK) and Epi-LASIK.
Laser refractive surgery (both flap and surface ablation techniques) is the most popular method of correcting refractive error worldwide. Both types of procedures are very safe and very effective. However, there is always the small risk of complications from surgery. So make sure you know what to expect and always listen to your surgeon regarding any instructions concerning eye drops and caring for your eye after surgery.
Remember that there are other surgical options available to correct for refractive error. These techniques may be more appropriate in certain clinical situations. Such procedures include phakic intraocular lens implantation and conductive keratoplasty.
Return to: Laser Refractive Surgery
Return to Vision & Eye Health
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Home MMA News Aldo Not Against Mendes Trilogy Bout
Aldo Not Against Mendes Trilogy Bout
After a main event for the ages last night between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes, that saw both fighters rocked multiple times, and on the verge of being TKO'd at several points throughout the fight, many fans were left wanting to see the two warriors go at it again for a third time.
Featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo, and Chad Mendes aren't opposed to this. The pair spoke during the post-fight press conference about the possibility of a rubber match in the future.
Aldo spoke to MMAJunkie about a trilogy fight.
"I saw Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard fight three times. They were great fights. In this fight, of course, I'm still the champion. But Chad Mendes was also victorious in this fight, and the third fight, we're going to win again together."
"It definitely can happen. He's a great athlete. He's always going to be fighting in this weight class, right on top.
"It's not (like) because he lost tonight … he's no good anymore. He's very good. He's got great potential, and in the future, we could meet again, and I hope that we have another great fight."
Mendes agreed with Aldo, and stated:
"I just love doing this. This is my job. I've been doing this now for a little over six years. I've wrestled my entire life, so competing is what I love to do. It's who I am.
"Whether it's for a title shot, or it's the next fight to get me to a shot, I'm just going to keep training hard. I'm going to keep doing what I love to do and just enjoy the ride. I'm loving every second of this."


Passionflower is an aid for those who overwork, being both invigorating and soothing. It aids concentration; calms the spirit, central nervous system, liver, and heart; relaxes the nerves; slightly lowers blood pressure; increases the respiratory rate; helps slow down the breakdown of neurotransmitters; and induces rest. It aids sleep without leaving one feeling hung over the next morning, and, of course, it is not addictive.


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Bankero | Financial News > Main News > Japan-based debt watcher keeps BBB+ rating, stable outlook for Philippines
Japan-based debt watcher keeps BBB+ rating, stable outlook for Philippines
Tokyo-based Rating and Investment Information Inc. (R&I) has maintained the Philippines' credit rating at BBB+ with a "stable" outlook, citing the economy's solid growth recovery, healthy government finances, rising investments, and a stable banking sector, among other favorable indicators.
BBB+ is two notches higher than the minimum investment grade, while a "stable" outlook indicates that the rating is likely to stay the same over the near term.
"While the world continues to face the challenges of the pandemic, the Philippine economy has been demonstrating solid growth since the second quarter of 2021," R&I said.
The gross domestic product (GDP) of the Philippines grew by 5.7 percent last year, reversing the previous year's pandemic-driven recession wherein the economy shrank by 9.6 percent.
Philippine economic managers are looking at a faster GDP growth of seven to nine percent this year.
R&I added that the government debt ratio is expected to stabilize in the near term, supporting the country's economic recovery.
While government debt has risen following massive spending on the COVID-19 response, the debt level remains manageable at 60.5 percent (debt-to-gross domestic product ratio) as of end-2021 compared to a number of the country's rating peers.
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez welcomed the latest assessment from R&I.
"With this development, the Philippines maintains its streak of affirmations of our investment grade credit ratings throughout the pandemic amid the wave of rating downgrades globally. This is a testament to our ability to strike a careful balance between supporting economic recovery, such as through relief for vulnerable sectors and infrastructure investments, and maintaining order in our fiscal house," Dominguez said.
For his part, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said the coordinated approach to recovery has worked well for the economy.
"On top of the national government's measures, the BSP's proactive COVID-19 response — including historic-low policy rates that supported credit activities, time-bound financing support to the national government, and a long list of regulatory relief measures for banks so that they may continue serving their customers — has helped achieve a holistic approach to Philippine economic recovery," Diokno said.
The Philippines' daily COVID-19 cases significantly declined from a high of 39,000 cases in mid-January this year to 272 as of April 10. Moreover, as of the same day, 74 percent of the country's target population (90 million) had already been inoculated.
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West Lafayette, IN and Chicago, IL - Nov. 6, 2018 - Agricultural producer sentiment rebounded in October, according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.
The October barometer reading of 136 was 22 points higher than September, which was the lowest reading for the survey since 2016.
The barometer is based on a survey of 400 agricultural producers from across the country.
The sentiment improved as producers became more optimistic about current conditions and, especially, future conditions.
The barometer's two sub-indices both increased in October; the Index of Current Conditions rose 19 points to 115 and the Index of Expectations rose 24 points to a reading of 146.
"We continue to see large month-to-month variations in the barometer readings as a result of swings in major commodity prices and emerging news about trade negotiations with key ag trade partners," said James Mintert, the barometer's principal investigator and director of Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture.
The Trump Administration announced the renegotiated U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in early October.
To better understand producers' views, the survey asked whether they believed the agreement would relieve their concerns over farm income in the next 12 months.
Respondents were also optimistic about crop prices for the upcoming year.
The October survey asked producers about their expectations for corn, soybean, wheat and cotton prices in the next 12 months.
In each case, more producers said they expect to see higher prices.
To learn whether this year's sharp decline in soybean prices is affecting producers' 2019 soybean planting intentions, farmers who planted soybeans in 2018 were asked whether they intended to maintain that same acreage in 2019.
Read the full October Ag Economy Barometer report at http://purdue.edu/agbarometer.
This month's report includes additional information on producers' views on farmland values and their intentions to make large farm investments.
Additional October barometer analysis can also be found in a video from Mintert at https://youtu.be/c9zMBggrAmk.