Open mike 08/01/2021

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 8th, 2021 - 22 comments
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22 comments on “Open mike 08/01/2021 ”

  1. Morrissey 1

    How much do those U.S. congresspeople hate violent anti-democratic mobs?

    Nearly every one of the "lawmakers" targeted by those halfwits in the Capitol yesterday has given support, either barking or tacit, for even more violent attacks on the democratically elected Venezuelan government.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOibfOxrbd4&feature=emb_logo

  2. ianmac 2

    Talking of the horror of the outgoing President not surrendering power, didn't Muldoon refuse to handover after the 1984? Election?

    • James Thrace 2.1

      Muldoon refused to do something with the currency on the request of the incoming Lange government. I think it was a request to devalue it?

    • millsy 2.2

      Muldoon refused to devalue the NZ Dollar under the instructions of the incoming Labour government, instead proposing a joint statement ruling out devaluation. However he backed down after his cabinet or caucus threatened to, in the case of the former, resign en masse/ask the GovGen to sack him and in the case of the latter, remove him as leader of the National Party. There are conflicting rumours. He was fine with going, he just didnt want to devalue.

  3. Adrian 3

    I very much doubt that Trump has the codes. In his last unhinged weeks Nixon’s red button or phone ( I can’t remember which ) was apparently hooked up to a cupboard in the WH kitchen, it could ring but nobody could hear it. As I recall it was in a book or interview with a senior military person about 20 years ago. The American military might be a lot of things but the very senior people are not stupid.

  4. Totally tone deaf or wilful ignorance?

    Firebirds super smash ad for this Saturday – "Cheer us on to 500 safe nights for 500 women and children in need" against the knights, who will have Scott Kuggeleijn in their squad.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/109964652/nz-cricket-should-end-its-shameful-silence-on-scott-kuggeleijn

    https://www.facebook.com/messenger_media/?thread_id=100008554895611&attachment_id=2129056173895193&message_id=mid.%24cAAAAABk0qKZ9ELJ62F2320bkkiOH

    • The Al1en 4.1

      lost to the edit timer

      "Cheer us on to 500 safe nights for women and children in need"

    • Anker 4.2
      • Scott Kuggeleijn was tried twice for rape, the first jury was divided, the second jury found him not guilty. If people have faced our justice system and been found not guilty, even if we personally don’t agree with the verdict, what do you think should happen? If people are found not guilty shouldn’t they be free to live their life?

      it may be that guilty or innocent he has learnt more about sexual assault and genuinely wants to contribute to a good cause.

      • The Al1en 4.2.1

        it may be that guilty or innocent he has learnt more about sexual assault and genuinely wants to contribute to a good cause.

        "She said she said no dozens of times, and he pulled down her underwear regardless. He denied this. "I tried [having sex] twice, like she might have said 'no, no' a few times but it wasn't dozens of times.""

        "Yes, he was found not guilty of rape by a jury of his peers. There will be a lot of people out there who think this is enough, that he should be left alone to get on with his life. Given the radio silence around his debut, it could be that the majority of people think this.

        But I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. This was a case where a high-profile player ended up in court because he disrespected a woman's autonomy. At the very least, Kuggeleijn treated a woman with contempt, with no thought for her wishes."

        • Anker 4.2.1.1
          • Ok. Hear your point of view
            • gsays 4.2.1.1.1.1

              Reading what you cited earlier, a lot of scorn should be focussed on legal team 'defences'.

              The questions and phrasing of some defence lawyers is at odds with the courtesies afforded to accused before the court. Eg the two police in jail for gang rape when being tried for another gang rape. (Shipton and Schollum)

  5. Adrian Thornton 5

    Well that all depends on what sort of landlord you are…some of them I would love to smash their shit up along with them….

    NZ

    Students and travellers targeted by sex-for-rent

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/110654203/students-and-travellers-targeted-by-sexforrent-ads

    USA

    Landlords are targeting vulnerable tenants to solicit sex in exchange for rent

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/landlords-are-targeting-vulnerable-tenants-solicit-sex-exchange-rent-advocates-n1186416

    UK

    'I had no choice': Sex for rent rises with coronavirus poverty

    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-housing-harassment-trfn-idUSKBN22X2N7\

    Oh no that's right everything bad that happens is Trumps fault…silly me…I am sure none of this will happen once our saviour Biden has got the reins of power…just like Adren and Labour has shut down this obscenity in New Zealand, no wait they haven't and won't, what am thinking, it is just free market capitalism in action, working perfectly…land lord got a house…woman got a body.

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

    • Adrian Thornton 5.1

      [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

      I didn't think it was off topic, I think I was quite fairly just reminding some people that Trump wasn't the beginning or the end of bad shit happening to the citizens of the USA (and the world vis-à-vis the USA), which is what 90% of the comments on The Standard would have you believe at the moment….I was simply attempting to bring some balance and nuance back into the conversation….I am sure we all don't just want to be talking into a bubble…or do we?

      • Descendant Of Smith 5.1.1

        lol I was writing my comment as it was moved. I didn't think it was off topic either as hopefully can be seen from my comment.

      • Incognito 5.1.2

        In my view, it was much more off- than on-topic, which is why I moved it.

        Your comment is intact & unchanged except it has been moved and I’m not sure what you’re bubbling on about bubbles on TS but I do suffer from ‘professional bubble blindness’ as Moderator here, according to some.

        Have you seen the comment @ 5.2? Is that relevant to the other Post too?

    • Descendant Of Smith 5.2

      Yeah my mother spotted a young woman sitting in a car crying. She had lost her job, been kicked out of her flat, had a slight intellectual disability, was desperate for accommodation and had ended up having to share a bed with a "landlord". She 22 and he in his 50's. Had moved from sleeping in the same bed, to reluctant agreement for sex (coercive rape) to totally non-consenual rape.

      Mum took her to the police who were great, and sorted out somewhere safe to stay as well. Hopefully the prick will be in court in the next few months. It was quite clear other young women had suffered the same fate with him before this one.

      There are a large number of predatory men out there doing this type of thing – part of the difficulty with the breakdown in sustainability of employment and housing is that these people find it easier to get away with. They are less visible in the community these days as the community is more transient. Others are hiding in gangs using the fear in that environment to enable their predation.

      We need to change the big stuff not just focus on individuals to fix this shit. More employment, more state housing – bring in a 30 hour working week to share employment around and so on. I'm totally fed up with the focus on individuals – 80/20 rule – 80% of the issues come from the environment we are putting people into – fix that first.

      As we have moved to an American style individualism in this country – away from more socialist policies – we are having the same problems. The very concept that everyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps / the market will provide is the problem.

      Capitalism has its place but not unfettered, socialism also has it's place to fetter the excesses of capitalism. A mixed economy with some of each is what is required. We know right now our mix is out of kilter and too far towards laissez faire capitalism. We just aren't prepared to confront that and move the pendulum back a decent amount.

      Unfettered house prices, rents, lack of quality sustainable employment especially for those with disabilities and paltry benefit rates leading to the situation above are a symptom of how wrong it is at present.

      • McFlock 5.2.1

        Reminiscent of a story several years ago about some arsehole who travelled the world writing books about his "pick-up artist" experiences. The few places where his "moves" didn't work? Places like Denmark, where there wasn't the same level of inequality between genders so women didn't have to put up with his shit, spotted him a mile away, and loudly called him out. And I think Iceland banned one of the books by the same guy on the gounds that it was just a manual for rape.

        Capitalism creates inequality, alienation, exploitation, and abuse. It's not the only creator of these things, but it's one of the systems where creating these things is the goal.

  6. Descendant Of Smith 6

    "Oh no that's right everything bad that happens is Trumps fault…"

    Any more than blaming Key for everything shitty in NZ. Sure he was an arsehole that exacerbated the problems but let's not pretend that all the other fascists left when he did and everything will be OK now. Labour don't have a clue how ingrained they are in society / their own party, the public service / immigrants / business………..

    • JanM 6.1

      I suspect they do know – the issue is what to do about it?

      • Grafton Gully 6.1.1

        Ally with minority progressive parties and while maintaining public confidence through charismatic leadership use them to introduce policies that weaken the status quo.

      • Descendant Of Smith 6.1.2

        Strengthen the rights of workers to go on strike – disempower the fascists.

        Implement the WEAG recommendations – disempower the fascists.

        Implement rent controls – disempower the fascists

        Increase the number of Maori seats in parliament – disempower the fascists.

        Unless you take the power away by empowering the victims of their fascism you will get nowhere. While workers are at risk from not having control of their own lives, have to put their effort into mere survival rather than building society and communities then we won't make any progress.

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    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
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  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
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    5 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
    5 days ago
  • Affirmative Action.
    Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • 100 days of something
    It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
    There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today  – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    6 days ago
  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • DAVID FARRAR: Hysterical bullshit
    Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #48 2023
    Open access notables From this week's government/NGO section, longitudinal data is gold and Leisorowitz, Maibachi et al. continue to mine ore from the US public with Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Fall 2023: Drawing on a representative sample of the U.S. adult population, the authors describe how registered ...
    7 days ago
  • ELE LUDEMANN: It wasn’t just $55 million
    Ele Ludemann writes –  Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 1-December-2023
    Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Shane MacGowan Is Gone.
    Late 1996, The Dogs Bollix, Tamaki Makaurau.I’m at the front of the bar yelling my order to the bartender, jostling with other thirsty punters on a Friday night, keen to piss their wages up against a wall letting loose. The black stuff, long luscious pints of creamy goodness. Back down ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 1
    Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...
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    1 week ago
  • 2023 More Reading: November (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...
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  • Forward to 2017
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    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
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    4 days ago
  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic Priority
    Good morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...
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    1 week ago
  • Coalition Government unveils 100-day plan
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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