Head of Catholic Church in Africa says condoms, anti-retroviral drugs tainted with HIV

This is why more and more people are listening to, and agreeing with the likes of Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. And also why believers are pulling away from organized religion in droves.

This one statement will lead to the death of thousands. Archbishop Francisco Chimoio and every one at the Vatican including the Pope should be tried for murder. It’s that simple. They have gotten a free pass on murdering millions for far too long.

“S. African bishop: Condoms tainted with AIDS”

MAPUTO, Mozambique (Reuters) - The head of the Catholic church in Mozambique said on Wednesday he believed some European-made condoms were deliberately tainted with the HIV/AIDS virus to kill African people.

“I know of two countries in Europe who are making condoms with (the) virus on purpose, they want to finish with African people as part of their program to colonize the continent,” Archbishop Francisco Chimoio told Reuters.

“If we are not careful we will finish in one century.

“I also know some companies who are manufacturing anti-retroviral drugs already infected with the virus, also in order to finish quickly the African people,” Chimoio said.

He declined to name the European countries in question or the source of his allegations.

The Catholic Church, followed by 17 percent of Mozambique’s population, opposes the use of condoms.

“People must choose what they want between death and I propose to them that (abstinence) is the best way to fight HIV/AIDS,” Chimoio said.

More than 16 percent of Mozambique’s 19 million people, mostly economically active adults aged between 14 and 49, are infected with HIV/AIDS. About 500 infections are recorded every day, according to the health department.

-WKW

Trapped in the bunker

He crawled out of the bunker and look skyward. Taking a deep breath, he again checked the gauges. The coast was clear.

It had been a long, torturous haul. The incessant boredom had nearly driven him mad. His wife had left him, taking their child. His career was over.

But he had survived. He had outlasted Xenu.

[Read more]

For America, the stakes couldn’t be … uh, hold on, I have to take this call

It’s getting increasingly difficult to read about national politics in the U.S. and not come to the conclusion that full-blown anarchy sounds more and more appealing. Sure, it will be hard to find anyone to take out the trash, but that stink would likely be less than the stink that currently permeates Washington.

Just one look at the current Presidential campaign is enough to make one wish for a government-less society. While the public overwhelmingly wants the U.S. to stop occupying Irag and not take over any new countries, the candidates are busily paying homage to the industrial military complex and neocon dream machine by amping up their war rhetoric and talking about staying in Iraq through their terms. Even more, the Democratic party is making no effort to protect the civil liberties of the public from a Republican party that has proven itself to be little more than a front for an authoritarian regime.

It’s frustrating, to say the least. And sure, maybe I’m coming off as a touch radical here, but let me just say …

Um, hold on. Got a call I have to take.

Honey! How are you? I miss you, too. Yes I love you very much. Ooh yes I do. I’m just a little busy right now with a blog post. Is everything ok? Great? What? Yeah, maybe they think I’m a little radical, but, hey, I’m the guy who wrote “The Swiftboating of Jesus H. Christ: A look back,” right? Remember that? How brave I was? Yeah, I am something, aren’t I? Ok, I have to run. I’m writing a blog post, remember? Yes, I love you. Oooh yes I do. Vewwy much. I’ll see you tonight. Be safe.

Wow, that was embarrassing and unplanned. What can you do, though. Blogging is a big commitment, but my wife is a priority. I’m sure you understand. Anyway, this next election cycle is very likely the most important many of us will ever live through. The stakes couldn’t be higher. But in the end, will it really even matter who wins? Because …

Crap, hold on.

Mom, how are you? Yeah, I’m good. Just writing a blog post to these fine, upstanding folks. … Yeah, I know Dad wouldn’t like it. Well, maybe someday I can convince him to see the light. Yeah, I know he didn’t much like the post “To Save America We Need the Black Death.” I know. But lots of other people seemed to like it, and honestly, I’m pretty sure it saved lives. I stood tall and proud. Yeah. Yeah. Ok. I will. Yeah. Ok, Mom, I gotta run. Writing a blog post and all. I love you, too. I’ll call this weekend. Bye bye. Love you.

Again, I’m really sorry. But, you know, that was my Mom, and who can turn down a phone call from their mom? Yeah, I know, it’s sappy, but really, that’s who I am. Just a normal guy who loves his wife and Mom. Let’s see if we can get back to the point.

This next election cycle is very likely…. Oh, I covered that? Sec … Ok, here we go. …

In the end, however, is anyone else catching on to the idea that having just a two-party system is for the birds? The fascist, fascist birds? We are a nation in need of change. Big change I tell you. Now, your knee-jerk reaction will be to call me a radical, but lets think this through - are we willing to make the changes needed so that we can be the country our founders wanted us to be. Are we willing to fight …

Sec. Phone again.

“Afonso! What’s up dog? …”

-WKW

“The Fourth Amendment has served this nation well for 220 years”

“It is critical that we, as a democratic nation, pay close attention to traditional Fourth Amendment principles. The Fourth Amendment has served this nation well for 220 years, through many other perils.”

- Judge Ann Aiken of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon in her 44-page decision which ruled two provisions of the Patriot Act unconstitutional.

-WKW

Geostationary Banana Over Texas could have George Bush flying high

Like most everyone who isn’t from Texas, I was absolutely thrilled to learn about the Geostationary Banana Over Texas.

Yes, folks, in Oct. 2008, Texans will take some time off from killing its inmates to look skyward to see one big-ass banana.

Meant to be artistic commentary on the state of American politics and devised by Montreal artist César Saez, the banana will be a 1,000 foot helium blimp that Saez and crew hope to put into a low Earth orbit - between 100,000 to 160,000 feet -over Texas.

“I see Texas like a crossroads of important social and cultural happenings in the states and in the world,” Saez said.

The cost of the project is $1 million, but Saez has done well getting donors, including a $15,000 grand from the Canada Council of Arts.

Thus far, the project is sailing smoothly toward liftoff. Texas residents have seemed a bit perturbed over having a large banana hovering over them, however, many are much happier over this than the last stunt the Lone Star State produced - the Geostationary Bush Over A Dog’s Ass.

-WKW (With thanks to Melissa for the graphic)

Magna Carta to be bought, branded with asterisk

When fashion designer Marc Ecko purchased the ball Barry Bonds hit for his record-breaking 756th home run, he created an online poll and let the public decide what he should do with the ball he bought for more than $750,000.

The end result - Ecko will mark the ball with a large asterisk then send it to Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame. The asterisk is a sign of protest by the many fans who believe Bonds’ achievement is tainted due to rumors and allegations of steroid abuse by the San Francisco Giants slugger.

This idea appears to be have crossed over, as now a historic document appears ready to go through the same treatment.

H. Ross Perot, billionaire and former candidate for President, has announced he will auction off his copy of the Magna Carta. The 13th century document, which was on display at the National Archives in Washington for more than 20 years.

The document explicitly protected certain rights of the king’s subjects — most notably the right of Habeas Corpus, meaning that they had rights against unlawful imprisonment.

The copy is expected to fetch a price of up to $30 million at auction. Nonetheless, several potential buyers have come forward saying they plan on “Bondsifying” the document with a large asterisk before donating it back to the National Archives.

“Being that Habeas Corpus is essentially meaningless in the U.S., so is the Magna Carta, really,” said one anonymous potential buyer. “It really needs an asterisk so everyone knows it’s not something we take seriously anymore.”

Other potential buyers have added that they’d like to buy a copy of the U.S. Constitution, as well, and mark it with an asterisk.

“If you’re going to privatize everything, you may as well sell the Constitution, also,” said one anonymous billionaire buyer. “I mean, obviously it’s been sold out from under us figuratively, so why not literally? It would be perfect for an asterisk. Aside from that part about quartering soldiers, it’s become a pretty quaint old document, wouldn’t you say?”

Breaking: People in Iran notice when you treat their President like crap

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is, by all accounts, a religious extremist, a criminal, and a man who loves to agitate. Of course, the same is said of George W. Bush, and I’d prefer that he wasn’t introduced to audiences at major universities as a “cruel and petty dictator.”

Iranians hold their own president in about as high a regard as Americans hold theirs, on average. And, like Americas, Iranians actually notice when the leader of their nation is ridiculed publicly by people who should know better. They’re funny like that.

“Iranians decry harsh words for president”

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iranians expressed dismay Tuesday at the tough reception given to their president in New York, saying his host was rude and only fueled the image of the United States as a bully.

The scenes at Monday’s question-and-answer session at Columbia University and the outpouring of venom toward President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by protesters during his U.S. visit could bolster the hard-line leader at a time of high tensions with Washington.

Columbia President Lee Bollinger’s statement — including telling Ahmadinejad that he resembles a “petty and cruel dictator” — offended Iranians on many levels, not least that of simple hospitality. In traditions of the region, a host should be polite to a guest, no matter what he thinks of him.

The chancellors of seven Iranian universities issued a letter to Bollinger saying his “insult, in a scholarly atmosphere, to the president of a country with … a recorded history of 7,000 years of civilization and culture is deeply shameful.”

They invited Bollinger to Iran, adding, “You can be assured that Iranians are very polite and hospitable toward their guests.”

Why do some Americans think that acting like a childish bully is proper behavior? How did that become a national stereotype? Being narcissistic and stupid is no way to go through life, son.

-WKW

Oprah Winfrey needs to stop promoting pseudoscientific nonsense

Let me start this by saying that I have an extremely high regard for Oprah Winfrey. She is a rare talent, indeed, and has captivated audiences on her show for decades, and has also shown herself to be an accomplished actress and a willing and prodigious philanthropist. That she has risen to dizzying heights shows that she is not just talented, but also tenacious and with amazing business savvy. There’s a lot to respect and like about Oprah Winfrey.

Except for her penchant to glamorize pseudoscience.

Oprah has literally spent hours and hours telling her viewers about the wondrous abilities of such things as The Secret. What is the real Secret? How Rhonda Byrne managed to get Oprah Winfrey to hock her snake oil in front of 20 million viewers.

That “The Secret” is pseudoscientific nonsense goes without saying. At least it should. But with Oprah pushing it, Byrne and her band of new age profiteers are making money hand over fist while Joe and Jane Sucker are at home wondering why they can’t seem to be able to wish for that Ferrari. Luckily, there are literally thousands of Web sites that easily debunk “The Secret’s” nonsense, but all of them combined likely don’t get the viewership of one segment of Oprah.

Lately, Oprah has fallen in love with Dr. Mehmet Oz (“America’s doctor”). Much like “The Secret,” Dr. Oz is brimming with positivity as he talks about his intricate theories on losing weight (Buy his book “YOU: On a Diet”!). Through it all wildly cheerful Dr. Oz also happily dabbles in pseudoscience himself.

Dr. Oz’s book “Healing from the Heart” is dedicated to advancing beliefs in acupuncture and homeopathy, among other things.

At his NeuroLogica Blog, Dr. Steven Novella, a neurosurgeon and host of the popular podcast “Skeptics Guide to the Universe,” takes Dr. Oz to task for sounding exactly like every other pseudoscientist that has come around the bend:

[Dr. Oz] also says:

“It’s just that if we’re truly going to achieve maximum healing, maximum impact, we ought to take any tool that’s at our disposal, and that includes nonscientific approaches, as long as we have evidence that they don’t hurt the patients.”

The inherent self-contradiction was apparently not evident to Dr. Oz. How can you have evidence of safety if the approach is nonscientific? Evaluating evidence is a scientific endeavor. He is also assuming that at least some nonscientific approaches are effective, but again how will we know this without looking at the evidence? Once you are considering evidence, then you are doing science and the only question is - are you doing good science or bad science? Dr. Oz and other integrative proponents would have us rely upon bad science, as long as we call it something else (i.e. “alternative”).

This is the core insanity of the CAM/integrative movement. They make many flowery statements about spirituality, energy, being open, respecting other cultures, etc. but when it comes down to it the only thing that matters is this: does the treatment work and is it safe. The only way to know is to do careful observations under controlled conditions and systematically evaluate the results (by the way, we call that doing science). They either do not understand what science is or pretend not to, or they simply ignore the fact that a “nonscientific approach” means that you are making poor observations, using logical fallacies, cherry picking the evidence, or committing other intellectual errors. Science is not an aesthetic choice, a philosophy, or a cultural construct - it is simply using valid logic and careful and systematic observation to test claims and ideas. Therefore a nonscientific approach does not do those things.

So in the end, despite his compelling stories and feel-good philosophy, Dr. Oz is advocating that doctors use treatments based upon sloppy reasoning and poor evidence. It really comes down to that. Everything else is an elaborate distraction.

In the end, those like Dr. Oz and Rhonda Byrne can package up whatever nonsense they like and sell it to whomever they wish, for the most part (see: Trudeau, Kevin). There will always be such snake-oil sales people.

Which is the problem I have with Oprah. If there’s one person in the media that I truly believe has a fundamental caring for her viewers, it’s Oprah. No one is that good an actress, or could be one for so long. She really does care about people. Which makes her support of such wasteful nonsense as “The Secret” more upsetting. Or her support of doctors who will dabble in the non-scientific, which not only can hurt a person’s pocketbook, but a person’s person, as well.

In the end, it’s Oprah’s show and she can promote anyone she likes. But what she needs to do is to have skeptics on the show offering the other side. Because by glamorizing pseudoscience, Oprah Winfrey is not helping her viewers one bit, but doing the complete opposite, and helping form a society that is completely detached from reality.

-WKW

FEMA gets to cover its tracks on Monday Night Football

During Monday Night Football, which featured Tennessee at New Orleans, sideline reporter Suzy Kolber spent a good chunk of her evening discussing the recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

During one such segment, Kolber said she had spoken to a top administrator at FEMA. Kolber paraphrased the administrator, saying, in effect that they were impressed they were as far along as they were, they never have had to rebuild a city before, and that they should expect the process to take 20-30 years.

If there’s one thing the U.S. government understands, it’s how to get a message across and who to get it across to. Now, the vast majority of MNF viewers will figure that these things take time. Three decades worth of time.

Because, like everything else, they never imagined anything like that could have happened.

George W. Bush tries reverse psychology to help GOP, endorses Hillary Clinton

President George W; Bush, knowing his support will be the death of a GOP candidate, has decided the best way to help his beloved party will be to start endorsing Democrats.

“Bush says Clinton will be Dem nominee”

WASHINGTON - President Bush, breaking his rule not to talk about presidential politics, says he believes Hillary Rodham Clinton will defeat Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential primaries. Bush also predicts that Clinton will be defeated in the general election by the Republican nominee.
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“I believe our candidate can beat her but it’s going to be a tough race,” the president said.

It has been difficult for Bush to remain silent about the 2008 president race, despite his promises not to be the “prognosticator in chief.” He has been talking about the race and handicapping candidates during off-the-record chats with visitors to the White House.

He finally went public with his Clinton prediction in an interview for a book by Bill Sammon, a reporter for The Washington Examiner.

“She’s got a great national presence and this is becoming a national primary,” Bush told Sammon. “And therefore the person with the national presence, who has got the ability to raise enough money to sustain an effort in a multiplicity of sites, has got a good chance to be nominated.”

Well, if Bush supports Hillary Clinton than there’s no way I can support her in the … waaaaiiiitttt a minute. I see what you’re doing. You crafty bastard. You stop that reverse psychology stuff, Mr. President, and get back to listening to Podhoretz beg you to bomb the hell out of Iran.

-WKW

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad through the ears of the extreme right

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is currently in New York. Here are some of his recent comments, as the average Extremist Right-Wing American hears them:

“We oppose the way the U.S. government tries to manage the world. … We propose more humane methods of establishing peace.“

“I believe that some of the talk in this regard arises first of all from anger. Secondly, it serves the electoral purposes domestically in this country. Third, it serves as a cover for policy failures over Iraq.”

“Iran will not attack any country.”

“American officials, wherever around the world that they encounter a problem which they fail to resolve, instead of accepting that, they prefer to accuse others. I’m very sorry that because of the wrong decisions taken by American officials, Iraqi people are being killed and also American soldiers.”

Seriously, there’s plenty to not like about Ahmadinejad, but the guy could do nothing but sing show tunes, and the Freepers of the nation (including those in the White House) would consider it a call to war. Hell, not even “60 Minutes” is willing to do more than throw neocon talking points at him.

Ahmadinejad’s actions are controlled by the idiot theocrats of his own nation, and he is generally disliked by his own people. But the war mongers that rule the U.S. are desperate for the world to view him as the very latest Hitler in our midst. And for the most part, that’s already how he’s viewed.

In the end, how Americans and the U.S. government treats Ahmadinejad will show us whether we will engage in war on Iran. It remains to be seen.

-WKW

1.2 million dead Iraqis could care less about MoveOn’s N.Y. Times ad

There should be lots of screeching amongst ideologues today about the MoveOn ad in the N.Y. Times about Gen Petraeus.

Of course, like most political nonsense about the Iraq Occupation, the thousands of dead American troops, and hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis - as well as the millions driven from their homes - just won’t care.

“Ignorance of Iraqi death toll no longer an option”

Not wanting to think about civilian deaths in Iraq has become almost universal. The average American believed approximately 9,900 Iraqis had died as a result of the war according to a February 2007 AP poll. Unfortunately, recent evidence suggests that things in Iraq may be one-hundred times worse than Americans realize.

News report tallies suggest some 75,000 Iraqis have died since the US-led invasion. A study of 13 war affected countries presented at a recent Harvard conference found over 80% of violent deaths in conflicts go unreported by the press and governments. City officials in the Iraqi city of Najaf were recently quoted on Middle East Online stating that 40,000 unidentified bodies have been buried in that city since the start of the conflict. When speaking to the Rotarians in a speech covered on C-SPAN on September 5th, H.E. Samir Sumaida’ie, the Iraqi Ambassador to the US , stated that there were 500,000 new widows in Iraq . The Baker-Hamilton Commission similarly found that the Pentagon under-counted violent incidents by a factor of 10. Finally, a week ago the respected British polling firm ORB released the results of a poll estimating that 22% of households had lost a member to violence during the occupation of Iraq, equating to 1.2 million deaths. This finding roughly verifies a less precisely worded BBC poll last February that reported 17% of Iraqis had a household member who was a victim of violence.

There are now two polls and three scientific surveys all suggesting the official figures and media-based estimates in Iraq have missed 70-95% of all deaths. The evidence suggests that the extent of under-reporting by the media is only increasing with time.

-WKW

Faux Umbrage Concern Kit (Extra Dosage) can have you fighting liberals in no time

Hey Conservatives! Tired of liberals giving you a hard time about your love of war and total disconnect on all things humane? Sick of people misinterpreting your cold, hard plans for world domination with emotionless psychosis?

Well then it’s time to go Faux and get F.U.C.K.E.D.!

Yes, the new Faux Umbrage Concern Kit (Extra Dosage) will have you showcasing pretend emotion in no time, and have people seeing you in an entirely different light.

For example: Does using military men as political pawns cause you no emotion whatsoever? Well, a simple dose of F.U.C.K.E.D. will have you producing gallons of exasperated hate-spittle in no time. Soon, you’ll be slamming Congress to a standstill to “condemn” newspapers for running ads that question said military men. And in the morning, you’ll awaken refreshed and back to your emotionless, carefree self, wondering what you should have for breakfast as bodies of U.S. troops pile up in some god forsaken desert.

Take Jonah Goldberg, for example. Just a few short years ago, he was calling U.S. generals dishonest and arrogant. Now, he’s literally trembling with make-believe outrage over MoveOn’s ad on Gen. Petraeus.

How did he do it? He got F.U.C.K.E.D, that’s how!

Just take one look at Vice-President Dick Cheney. Oft times, he literally falls asleep during important meetings, but get him in public, and he’s truly F.U.C.K.E.D! He’s got faux outrage coming out of his ears, growling and snarling like a pit bull with a bad heart. Then in the morning, he awakens refreshed and continues his plan of murdering every last Muslim on the planet. Now there’s a conservative that’s truly F.U.C.K.E.D.!

So remember, don’t let liberals paint you as warmongers that could care less about human life, the Constitution, the military, or anything. Sure, that’s who you are, but don’t let the liberals make a big deal about it.

Real emotion about human life is for the weak and liberal. So don’t get mad, get F.U.C.K.E.D.!

Warnings: Do not exceed recommended dosage. F.U.C.K.E.D. could cause nonsensicalness, hubris, arrogance, self-hatred, hysterical blindness, impotence, Epstein-Barr Disease, intestinal cramps, glaucoma, bleeding gums, spontaneous penis detachment, botulism, and a variety of other ills. Ask your physician about more information on getting F.U.C.K.E.D.

-WKW

And thanks to Melissa for the graphics!

Mattel kneels before its Chinese masters

If there is one thing we’ve learned the past several years it’s this - low prices trump death by lead poisoning.

Without China’s willingness to screw over its own people and use substandard products, the simple fact is that Americans could conceivably pay more for their Malibu Barbie Super Funhouse. And this is just unacceptable.

“I think people should be careful what they wish for on China. Ya know, if China were to revalue it’s currency or China is to start making say, toys that don’t have lead in them or food that isn’t poisonous, their costs of production are going to go up and that means prices at Wal-Mart here in the United States are going to go up too. So, I would say China is our greatest friend right now, they’re keeping prices low and they’re keeping the prices for mortgages low, too,” said CNBC’s Erin Burnett.

Sadly, Mattel didn’t get the “China is our best friend” memo soon enough. So now, it’s time for them to kneel and beg for forgiveness from our Chinese masters of low prices. This should teach them to stop this recall nonsense.

“Mattel apologizes to China for toy recalls”

BEIJING (Reuters) - The world’s largest toy maker, Mattel Inc, apologized on Friday for damaging China’s reputation after recent massive recalls of its Chinese-made toys, admitting it targeted some goods that were actually up to scratch.

Mattel has come under scrutiny following the recall of about 21 million of the toys in a span of five weeks, many because of excessive levels of lead paint.

“Our reputation has been damaged lately by these recalls,” Thomas Debrowski, Mattel’s executive vice president of worldwide operations, told China’s quality watchdog chief, Li Changjiang, in the Chinese capital.

“Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people and all of our customers who received the toys.”

Debrowski said he realized the damage that had been done to the reputation of Chinese goods, adding the company was committed to manufacturing in China.

“But it’s important for everyone to understand that the vast majority of those products that we recalled were the result of a design flaw in Mattel’s design, not through a manufacturing flaw in Chinese manufacturers.”

Debrowski, who sat stony-faced throughout the meeting with Li, did not talk afterwards to reporters, whom the quality regulator had invited to witness most of the meeting, unusual for a normally secretive Chinese government agency.

Li told Debrowski of his displeasure at the admission that perhaps too many toys had been targeted.

“You cannot recall 10,000 products just because one is substandard. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Now, go over to Wal-Mart and buy something. It’s the American way.

-WKW

GOP’s orgy of filibusters continues at record-destroying pace

Why do we not have a vote on restoring habeas corpus? A Republican filibuster. Why did we not have a vote on the Webb Amendment to give troops humane time off the battlefield? A Republican filibuster. Why did we not have a vote on giving a seat in the House to a representative of Washington, D.C.? A Republican filibuster.

Basically, while you and I are sitting here, Republicans are filibustering everything that comes their way.

From Kevin Drum:

As you can see, Republicans aren’t just obstructing legislation at normal rates. They’re obstructing legislation at three times the usual rate. They’re absolutely desperate to keep this stuff off the president’s desk, where the only choice is to either sign it or else take the blame for a high-profile veto.

As things stand, though, Republicans will largely avoid blame for their tactics. After all, the first story linked above says only that the DC bill “came up short in the Senate” and the second one that the habeas bill “fell short in the Senate.” You have to read with a gimlet eye to figure out how the vote actually broke down, and casual readers will come away thinking that the bills failed because of some kind of generic Washington gridlock, not GOP obstructionism.

So, for the record, here are the votes. On the habeas bill, Democrats and Independents voted 50-1 in favor. Republicans voted 42-8 against. On the DC bill, Democrats and Independents voted 49-1 in favor. Republicans voted 41-8 against. Would it really be so hard for reporters to make it clear exactly who’s responsible for blocking these bills?

Why aren’t things getting done in Washington? Because the Republicans, working together, are obstructionists. But as Drum pointed out, that just doesn’t fit the mainstream media’s narrative.

Update: The GOP will, however, spend its time trying to push through a condemnation of MoveOn’s Patraeus ad. You know, because Republicans never resort to attack ads.

-WKW

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