Ever imagine a 10 or 11-year-old kid setting their classroom on fire using home-made incendiary bomb he fashions from common household items? Or a 5-year-old child logging on the Net and innocently surfing when he clicks across a website that displays naked photos of women?

These are just some of the common hazards that lurk on family computers.


Other risks include :

Meeting Someone Online

Loss of Privacy

Getting Into Online “Fights”

File-Sharing/Peer-to-Peer Programs

Making Threats/Law Breaking

Inappropriate Material

Putting People In Jeopardy

Drugs and Other Substance

As parents, it is your solemn duty to protect your kids from these dangers. Here’s how:

1.) Place the family computer in high-traffic areas of the house– in the living room, for example—-so you can monitor your children’s surfing activities.

2.) Tell your child not to reveal any personal information without parental permission.

3.) Install a software filter that prevents your child from entering his or her name, address, phone number, or other material. As an added precaution, you should install a monitoring software that will disclose if your child has entered personal information.

4.) For greater security, install a family-friendly web filtering software– like Net Nanny, Cyber Patrol,etc—that bar your kids from any porn websites.

5.) Discuss with the kids the hazards of using chat groups. If ever he likes on line chatting, see to it that he chat only to people your child knows or requiring that he chat only in moderated chat areas run by reputable companies or organizations.

6.) Regularly check your child’s incoming and outgoing e-mail.

7.) Always ensure that you teach by example. Do not surf porn-filled websites or participate in any inflammatory chatting.

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Going on a Las Vegas vacation but on a tight budget? Then here’s the good news. You can go ahead and enjoy Las Vegas family weekend trip with your kids without spending much. Yep, you heard it right. These shows are free and do not cost you a cent. You see, while Vegas boosts of various prime, ticketed shows, there are also a number of excellent educational attractions that your kids can watch and enjoy for free in your Las Vegas family weekend trip.


1.) Freemont Street Experience
Be mesmerized with its dazzling light display and sound effects. Located in Downtown Las Vegas, Freemont Street Experience offers exciting live entertainment, upbeat street music, and a huge crowd of people. Its main attraction is the Viva Vision Canopy and Light show. Towering 90 feet above the ground, Viva Vision Canopy spans an area equivalent to five football fields. This show will surely liven up your Las Vegas family weekend trip. With its 12 million LED lights and an almost 600,000 watts sound system, Freemont Street Experience is an instant hit and draws a large number of people. In 2006, it chalked up an all-time high 19 million visitors. Definitely worth checking out in your Las Vegas vacation.

2.) MGM Lion Habitat Display
Ever wonder how lions play, groom, feed or interact with each other? In your Las Vegas family weekend trip, you and your kids can find out and see for yourselves in MGM Lion Habitat Show. Unlike in the zoos where you can only watch animals from a distance, MGM Lion Habitat display offers extreme close observation. One and one-half thick glass separates visitors from these animals. As an added bonus in your Las Vegas vacation, animal trainers give visitors routine presentations involving antics of these lions.
And the best part is, the show comes practically free of charge.

3.) Show In The Sky
If live choreographed dancing and spectacular performances atop colorful floats is your idea of fun in a Las Vegas vacation, then bring your kids to watch Show In The Sky. Located inside the Rio Hotel casino, this show boosts of live and sexy dancers in dazzling costumes. But the fun does not stop there. For a small fee, you can opt to be a performer yourself and mingle with the extravagant casts. You can don their costume and ride on their floats for that once-in-lifetime experience. At the end of your float ride, you will be given some souvenir items. With this kind of show, your Las Vegas family weekend trip would never be dull or boring. Don’t forget to bring your camera because this show offers lots of picture-taking opportunities for the whole family.

4.) Belagio Conservatory Plant Show
Ever seen a plant show complete with theatrical sounds, lights, and water features? Now you can in a Las Vegas vacation. This show benefits those folks are endowed with green thumb as well as those who are not. This is an excellent attractions and your Las Vegas family weekend trip wouldn’t be complete without seeing this one. You see, watching the Belagio Conservatory show is a sheer delight. Located inside the Belagio Hotel casino, the conservatory plant show deals on a choreographed activity of more than 100 costumed horticulturists as they hand-carry potted flowers, water the plants, and move trees with the help of 5 cranes. The planned landscape is first laid out in platform systems and then assembled into completion right before the viewers’ eyes. The show involves 40 trees, 1,500 shrubs and 10,000 blooming plants. The unfolding spectacle dazzles even the most jaded visitor.

There are still other free attractions to see in your Las Vegas vacation with the kids. Among them are the Aquarium at Silverton, Marjorie Barrick Museum, Volcano at the Mirage, Fountain shows at Caesars, Ethel M Chocolate Factory, and a host of other excellent shows. Your kids will definitely cherish these free and educational Las Vegas family weekend trip attractions.

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How’dy folks!

Today I stumbled on a nice story regarding an online scamming attempt. The scammer tried to defraud a seller with fake PayPal messages but the seller was smart enough to see through the scam.


Here’s his whole account as posted in craigslist( I added some images I got from the Internet for illustration purposes):

TO CATCH AN ONLINE THIEF

My Experience with online fraud,

I recently put my lap top on sale on Craigslist. I had a buyer within one day. The buyer claimed to be legit and serious about their enquiry. The buyer was not local and wanted my item shipped to them after purchased.

We decided to use Paypal, which I had used many times through eBay. I told the buyer that I first wanted them to send the money to my Paypal account then I would ship the item to them immediately. We agreed upon this and I gave the buyer my personal cell number to insure that I would send the item. The buyer sent me an email stating they had sent the funds.

Moments later I received a confirmation email from Paypal (turns out it was a fake Paypal confirmation), and that in order for it to go into my account I would have to ship the item and give Paypal the tracking #.

I remembered in the past that Paypal had never done that to me before and I started to get a suspicion about the whole ordeal. I decided that I would rather be safe than sorry, so I called PayPal’s Costumer service line and spoke with a representative.

The representative told me that when money is sent it is directly put into your account and that there are no holds. From then on I knew that something was up. The representative told me to forward the fake confirmation to PayPal’s security center. (spoof@paypal.com) I did so, and minutes later PayPal’s security center sent me an email stating that the so called confirmation email was a phishing email.


Phishing emails usually try to steal your identity and or scam you in some way. I finally had my full confirmation that the buyer was a crook. Luckily, I did not ship my item and get ripped off.

The person was very enticing and even had a good story. Even when I emailed the buyer stating that no funds went into my account, but that I was being asked to ship it with a tracking #, they told me that, that was what Paypal needed to insert the funds into my account. According to the buyer it would benefit us both….I’m so sure.


Believe it or not I have a purpose for writing this and I want to do my part in helping others not get scammed over the internet.

Here are some guidelines to help keep your online purchases/sales safe:

Deal locally:

1. First most when using “Craigslist” try and only deal locally. There are warnings all over Craigslist to deal locally and those warnings shouldn’t be taken lightly.
2. If you do decide to ship, make sure you exchange enough information that both ends are accountable.
3. For those who are selling their items make sure you receive the funds before shipping the item out.

Warning signs: Suspicious things to notice about a buyer.

1. Scammers will usually immediately offer to pay shipping.
2. One line that has been commonly used… “I am doing a research project in Nigeria”. Scammers tell their sellers that they are away doing a research project out of States. Nigeria is commonly used.
3. Scammers are usually in a huge hurry. The less time you have to look into anything, the better for them. Less likely to get caught.
4. They won’t exchange a contact number. I find it amusing someone is willing to give an address, yet declines to give a number.

Warning signs #2: Suspicious things to notice in a “confirmation” email.

1. No confirmation email should ever ask you for your personal information such as; passwords, account numbers, etc.
2. You should not click a link to log in.

Things To Know About Paypal:

1. When someone sends funds to your Paypal account it should go directly into your account. If it says “pending” it means they have NOT sent the funds.
2. When someone sends you money you should never have to confirm it being sent nor have to give a tracking number for it to be sent.
3. eBay does function where they confirm things on both ends, but Paypal apart from eBay is a safe way to send and receive money through the internet. Therefore, it doesn’t require confirming to receive money or having to give a tracking number.
4. Although I do believe it can take up to a day for Paypal to transfer funds from your Paypal account to your bank account. Which is no big deal since the money is secure.

If you would like to contact me for help against online crime feel free to contact me at scamrepellant@yahoo.com. Let’s get the word out.

————————

Good move there, friend! I hope that your quick thinking will serve as good example to the rest of us who are new to conducting business transactions in the Internet.

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Mobile computing allows you to work on your important files while on the road. With the use of a laptop while travelling, you remain connected to your office and to your peers. This makes the laptop a convenient storage place for important files and other confidential information. But what if your laptop gets stolen?

You will lose hundred working hour spent on creating those crucial files, incur bad reputation, receive costly lawsuits, and too often, lose a lifetime of hard-earned savings.

Here’s some tips to protect yourself from losing your laptop.

1.) Exercise vigilance at all times. Always set on your on your laptop and never leave it unattended for even one second.

2.) Your laptop fits snugly and looks great on a laptop bag. But sadly, this is the ultimate giveaway sign for thieves. As much as possible do not use a laptop bag. Instead place it into a plain looking, inconspicous bag.

3.) Hold on to your laptop bag strap when putting down your laptop bag on the floor.

If your hands are busy with other things and cannot hold on to the strap, at least stamp the laptop strap with your foot. In this way, you will be alerted when somebody tries to snatch the bag away from you.

4.) Oftentimes, you simply toss the laptop inside your car and leave the vehicle at the parkingn area. Thieves pass by at your car and see the laptop inside. This leads to a crime of opportunity. To prevent this, never leave your laptop inside your vehicle. Always carry it with you, regardless how inconvenient it maybe.

5.) When checking in at a hotel, always use the hotel’s safe deposit box.

6.) When attending office meetings, conference, or unusually large gatherings, always bring along a laptop security cable to lock the laptop on a fixed object — for example, around solid aluminum posts.

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Ten days ago, a prospective lady website owner visited my blogsite and left me a message. She inquired about my fee for a 500-word article on love and romance. I promptly wrote her back that I charge $25 for it.

“That’s too high,” she emailed. “I can get the same job done at elance for $5”.

I thanked her for her interest in my writing services and encouraged her to try the elance bid.

Yesterday, I heard from her again. She said that she wanted me to write that 500-word article on love and romance.

“How about those freelance writers at elance who charge you $5?” I asked.


“Their finished articles were way below my quality expectations, “came the prompt reply.

You get what you pay for, I silently sighed under my breath.


Anyway, this particular client thought that we, freelance writers, are the same. She never knew that, in the writing industry, there exists professional writers and low-ballers. These low-ballers have a negative impact on you and in the writing profession as a whole.


You may ask, “What’s a low baller?” Good question. In my own opinion (and I always stand corrected on this!), a low baller is someone who purposely lowers down the market-driven writing fee just to earn that extra money.

Too often, he or she is not really a writer by profession but merely someone who occasionally dabbles at writing. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, except that low ballers are not keen on quality.

Contrast that with a pro writer. A pro-writer writes for a living. He or she could be a professional and published book writer, a screenplay writer, essay writer, content writer, etc. He or she has a great talent for writing honed up in several years of hard work and experience. A pro writer ALWAYS ensures quality output and on schedule. And he or she can be depended upon, pays for electric bills, taxes, Internet connection, PC maintenance, and valuable time. Most of all, a pro writer has a good reputation to keep.

Should we, pro writers, lower our fee just to stay in the market? My opinion is, we should not. We will focus on quality and let quality writing dictate market price. Sooner or later, it will catch up with us.

What should we do with low ballers? Honestly, I don’t know. In my particular case, I just grin and bear it. If they accept below market price writing fee, let them be. As I’ve said a while ago, I will focus on giving quality service.

When clients need serious writing, they do not go to these low ballers. Instead, they go to us pro writers despite the marked difference between our fees. These quality-conscious clients are willing to pay for that extra money in return for well-written, engaging, informative, and plagiarism-free pieces of content.

And that, I believe, is the distinction that tips the balance in our favor.

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Not all burgers are created equal, so they say. And the same analogy can be applied to credit cards.


Some cards offer easy payment plans and low monthly rates. Some cards do not. Then there are credit cards that assure 24/7 accessibility. Sadly, some cards have limited accessibility. For habitual tourists, they need a credit card that ensures international acceptance, and not some useless plastic that are honored only in a few countries. With a bewildering array of credit card flooding the market, picking the right plastic money for your kind of lifestyle could be confusing and downright intimidating

This is where citi credit cards come in. Issued by world renowned Citibank, a citi credit card offers consumers several distinct advantages not found on other cards.
These advantages are:

1.) LOW MONTHLY INTEREST RATES
It’s a fact that credit cards entail interest rates. But while some plastic cards charge high monthly interest rates, a citi credit card user enjoys unbelievably low interest rates on purchases and cash advances. While it’s true that interest rates keep the business going for these cards, citi credit cards differ in the sense that they cater more on customer’s satisfaction rather than making money.

2.) FLEXIBILITY
Regardless of the type of Citibank’s cards you choose, you get unmatched payment flexibility. These could be purchase payments or interest –related payments. After all, Citibank knows that unexpected emergencies occur often that prevent card users from paying their dues at the designated time. A citi credit card user is assured uncompromising flexibility– whatever remaining unpaid balance will simply be carried forward to the next billing period without too much hassle.

3.) CONVENIENCE
With citi credit cards, you will feel like carrying a lot of money in your pocket anytime, anywhere. With it, you can make cash advances, go shopping, or even make purchases via the Internet. You can even pay your electric bills, telephone, water bills, and other recurring expenses. And on those doctor’s visits, you don’t have to worry regarding the need for cash. Just present your citi credit card and you’re on your way. It’s convenience to the max!

4.) INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE
Citi credit cards are recognized anywhere in the world. You can have breakfast in Paris, lunch at Indonesia and enjoy dinner at Manhattan without the need of changing cards in each destination. A citi credit card is all you ever need for all your international travels. In fact and in most cases, citi credit cards can even pay for the tips!

5.) SUMMARY REPORTS
You are a busy person. Time is important to you and you are always on the go. You hardly have time to track down your credit cards usage like what store you make the purchase, what day and how much. With a citi credit card, you can dispense with tracking expenses. True, some credit card companies gives you expenditure reports but always at an additional fee. Citi credit cards free you from these additional financial burdens. Citibank sends you an annual summary of your purchases and other related information, at no extra cost.

6.) 24/7 SUPPORT
Ok. Let’s face it. Life is not at always a bed of roses. Despite tedious precaution, you misplaced your citi credit card somewhere and it got lost. Accidents do happen, you know. For example, some muggers robbed you of your belongings, among them your Citibank’s issued cards. In these cases, you can call the cards’ support center anytime, anywhere and report the loss. You can even call the card personnel in the dead of the night and be assured of prompt, courteous service. With citi credit cards, you can count on 24/7, round-the-clock customer support.

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In a corporate world, fresh graduate hirees begin at the bottom of the hierarchal ladder in the company. They settle with entry-level jobs. As these recruits gain experiences, they get promoted and rise from the ranks. Then with dedication and hard work, they become department heads, managers, rising all the way to being top-level executive officers of the company.

Not so with registered nurses.

But this does not mean that RNs have no career options. The fact is, they do. Today, hospital nurses like you can choose from a wide variety of jobs that suit your lifestyles.

Here are some exciting career choices:

1.) NURSE-PRACTITIONER

As a nurse-practitioner, you perform some doctors’ tasks. You examine patients and make prescriptions. As N.P. you deal with illnesses and offer health-related advices. But you’ve got to have advance training for this job—too often a master’s degree, and work under the supervision of a competent doctor.

2.) TRAUMA NURSE

As a trauma nurse, you work closely with doctors in dealing with patients under life-threatening conditions in emergency rooms or intensive care units. The job demands the highest degree of professionalism and skills honed through years of training. As such, trauma nursing involves a lot of stress. But there’s some distinct perks, too. You enjoy excellent pay, as well as personal satisfaction of having contributed to the recovery of patients.

3.) OB-GYN NURSE

As the term suggests, ob-gyn nursing focuses only on conditions and illness that afflict female reproductive system. This includes pregnancy, childbirth, menopausal aberrations, and a host of other issues.

4.) PEDIATRIC NURSING

As a pediatric nurse, your patients are mostly babies and children. You will provide nursing care for these youngsters who are confined in private rooms or in pediatric wards of the hospital.

5.) NURSE ANESTHESIOLOGIST

Basically, you will administer anesthesia to patients about to undergo surgical procedures. You need a master’s degree and some advance training for this one. It’s a specialized job. And it offers the highest paying salary in the nursing career.

6.) CARDIAC CARE NURSE

As the term suggests, you will provide nursing care to patients suffering from heart attack, stroke, and other ailments. Usually, you will work and assist doctors as they perform delicate surgical operations like angioplasty, heart bypass, etc…

7.) EMERGENCY NURSE

The job demands that you work with patients ushered into emergency rooms. From a woman who gives birth while in a taxi to a victim of stabbing incident then to patient run over by a vehicle. These life threatening cases become your day-to-day routine. You need to be alert, cool, and quick.

8.) PSYCHIATRIC NURSING

You will deal with patients who have unbalanced emotional and mental issues. It needs thorough understanding of the subject matter. Only a handful RNs select this career option because of the great amount of stress involved.

9.) RADIOLOGY NURSING

As a radiology nurse, you will take perform medical imaging duties like conducting X-ray test, ultrasound, and other related technical work. Only a few RNs go for this job.

10.) RESPIRATORY NURSING

Respiratory nurses work with patients having breathing difficulties and lung problems. You should know how to operate breathing machines for this work.

11.) ONCOLOGY NURSING

Cancer remains as the most deadly disease, and medical science is implementing the necessary steps to deal with this problem. Your primary duty as an oncology nurse is to administer chemotherapy sessions to cancer patients. At the supervision of a doctor, you will also provide counsel and conduct information-dissemination campaigns on cancer treatment and prevention.

12.) CASE-MANAGER NURSE

You have to manage the schedule, the dosage and frequency of prescribed medicines as well as the medical appointments of a particular patient undergoing long-term, multiple treatment. As a case manager nurse, you will usually work with only one patient in your entire shift. You will keep track of his or her condition.

These are just a few of nursing-related career options for RNs. As mentioned earlier, you decide what works best for you. Consider your talents, skills and your lifestyle so you can choose the career option that best fit your long-term goals.

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You can know about a man by the car he drives, so goes the saying among upper social circles. If this is true, then driving the Audi A7 speaks not only of distinctive tastes but of power and quiet resolve as well. It’s a must-have for serious car owners.

Sporting a new, multimaterial space frame for lightness, the Audi A7 ranks at par with its rivals- BMW 5-series and Mercedes e-class. High-end aluminum makes up its bulk, with supporting steel and foam reinforcements. The combination produces a lightweight product which is half the weight of an-all steel chassis, but with added strength. For the sake of newbies, an Audi A7 has the brute strength of a charging bull but the lightness of a panther.

Now let’s uncover its power specs. Audi A7 comes with a based 2.8-liter V6 FSI, although some models have supercharged 3.0-litreV6. This means that it delivers the performance, speed, emission and economy considerations of cars in its class.
And here’s a tip. Insiders say that when sales surpass the 40,000 units, extra assembly will be fitted with four cylinders. Not bad for those who need to arrive at their offices in record time.

Audi A7, with its 4-door convertible version, seems like a James Bond movie car in real life. Flick a switch and the doors open up for a quick change to a coupe. You heard it right. It’s a coupe, with retractable hard top. In other words, it can accommodate not only your pretty date but two more of her friends for added party fun.

Worried about bumpy roads? Not with this sleek convertible. Its superior air-suspension takes away your worries and ensures you a ride that’s smooth as silk. And did we mention streamlined dashboard? Buyers will have a choice between 6 or 7 speed manuals, auto, dual-clutch and all-wheel drive to take their breath away.

The Audi A7s will come trekking sometime in the late 2009, with expected full production in the early 2010.

If Audi wants to dominate this particular niche, we can safely say that it has already achieved half of its mark. The only hanging line to for its execs to resolve now is the Audi A7’s competitive cost in the market. A little price concession could tip the scale to the Audi’s favor.

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Let’s face it. You enjoy smoking but there are some annoying inconveniences that tick you off. First, smoking leaves some tobacco bits on your lips. These small pieces of tobacco make their way into your mouth and annoy you to no end. Second, your fingers sometimes get burned while holding the tobacco. Not a good sight, to say the least, when that rough and burned dark spots between your fingers mar your otherwise clean, manicured nails. Real turnoffs for your dates. And lastly, the tobacco smoke lies close, giving your throat harsh, tangy aggressiveness to it.

Now these woes are over.

You can enjoy smoking without the attending annoyances that goes with it with the use of fifka glass filter tips.

Made at FIFKA s atelier in France, a fifka is a glass smoking accessory. The word originates from Poland which, when translated to English, means ” pipes” or ” piping”. It is made from the highest glass quality and crafted professionally by the expert glass blowers. Fifkas come in various colors and length to suit your choice.

Reasons You Should Use A Fifka

A fifka remains an indispensable smoking accessory for the following reasons:

a.) Remember that bits of tobacco left on your lips when you smoke? Now you can say good riddance to it. A fifka firmly holds the tobacco away from your lips, preventing those annoying tobacco bits from getting to your lips.

b.) Since a fifka is long, less tar reaches your throat.

c.) Smoke is cooled down a bit, making it taste less aggressive when it reaches your throat.

d.) Since you hold the fifka glass filter instead of directly handling the tobacco, your fingers are protected from getting burned. You will get clean, smooth fingers to show off to your date.

e.) Using a fifka, you will experience comfortable glass contact with your lips than the rough, rolled tip a tobacco.

Care of A Fifka

Fifka is made of glass, and you should spend extra time caring for it.

a.) Since tar easily accumulates on the fifka that could give bad taste, you should clean it with a pipe cleaner after every use.

b.) Use a pipe cleaner to remove the accumulated ash in it. When cleaning a fifka, make sure that you put it on a soft surface like cloth, and not on a hard surface to prevent breakage.

c.) Since a fifka is made of glass, it gets blurred and dirty easily. Soak it in a rubbing alcohol or a pipe cleaning solution. Rinse well afterwards and dry. You may swab it with dry, soft cloth for that extra glossy finish.

d.) Remember that a fifka gets hot when you use it. It can break easily when it touches with hard object. Allow it to cool down thoroughly before cleaning it.

e.) Store a fifka firmly in a secure but soft surface to protect it from scratches. For example, place it inside a small box lined with soft linen cloth. Keep the box in a locked drawer.

When you follow these tips, your fifka will last a long time and give you years of smoking enjoyment.

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Speeding up on the road and negotiating hairpin turns are a breeze as long as you know you can apply brakes in a snap without losing precious seconds. This is where brakes discs come in. They clip your car to a sudden halt and stop when you want to stop. But then, not all brake discs are equal. Some brake discs could not handle such tight go-stop maneuvers. They fail and put your life at risks.

Not with BMW brake discs.

With it, you are in control and can depend on it for any contingency braking.

Here are more reasons you should use BMW brake discs:

1.) BMW brake discs are made from the highest material and are considered the best in the world.

2.) BMW brake discs come fitted with brake pads that have part metallic content to greatly reduce brake vibrations. In addition, the brake pads come with factory-fitted noise reduction shims.

3.) BMW brake discs contain pads that improve braking performance. You can brake and stop your car right there and then, not one inch more from the ground.

4.) BMW brake discs feature brake-in coating for super quick pad bed-in. Zipping along the road and braking in a hurry is a breeze.

5.) BMW brake discs are designed with centerline slots to prevent heat expansion cracks so heat does not spread to other adjacent parts and do damage.

6.) BMW brake pads come with a special powder coat finish for added resistance to corrosion. At the same time, this coat finish prevents moisture from entering the brake disc setup.

7.) Because of its quality material and superior design, BMW brake pads take less rotor wear and save you money in the long run.

8,) BMW brake discs cost less compared to other brands.

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