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HomeLatest NewsLatest Local NewsICC Calls on Utilities to Halt Shut-Offs and Late Payment Fees Amid Coronavirus Concerns
ICC Calls on Utilities to Halt Shut-Offs and Late Payment Fees Amid Coronavirus Concerns
March 14, 2020 eNews Park Forest Latest Local News, News, Park Forest
The Illinois Commerce Commission oversees the provision of adequate, reliable, efficient and safe utility services at the least possible cost to Illinois citizens served by electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water and sewer public utility companies. (Logo Supplied)
Springfield, IL-(ENEWSPF)- In response to Governor JB Pritzker's call for a moratorium on water, natural gas and electric service disconnections, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has been in contact with investor-owned regulated utilities urging them to take immediate steps to cease disconnections for non-payment, and to suspend the imposition of late payment fees or penalties, until May 1, 2020.
"The ICC is prepared to do everything possible within our authority to ensure consumers' essential water, natural gas, and electric services remain intact for all Illinois citizens. We have already reached out to the utilities seeking confirmation that they have plans in place to prevent service disruptions, and to request that they stop disconnections and suspend late payment fees or penalties, until May 1, 2020," said Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Chairman Carrie Zalewski.
In addition to phone calls by ICC senior staff to the regulated utilities, a letter sent by the ICC on Friday (see attached), said that it is likely that the disconnection of services for non-payment may disproportionately affect the elderly and persons with medical conditions and other vulnerable persons. "Families coping with the illness or uncertainty about COVID-19, or a loss of income as a result of this public health emergency shouldn't have to worry about disruptions in critical utility services or being hit with hefty late fees. The ICC is in the process of determining what formal steps need to be taken regarding the termination of utility service to customers and will react expeditiously as allowed under the law," said Zalewski.
Covid-19-Letter-to-Public-Utilities-3-13-20
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This is news from the Illinois Commerce Commission.
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Ashley Krumlinde is a Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC. She received her BA in psychology from the University of St. Francis in 2012, and her MA in counseling from Governors State University in 2015. Her mental health treatment experiences include individual, family, couple, and group therapy. Ashley's practice style is based on a Bowenian theoretical approach.
She joined the Crossroads' team May of 2017.


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News / News Releases
The Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA) and ASTM International Sign MOU on Cannabis Standards
Today, global standards organization ASTM International and the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA) announced a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on standards for the cannabis industry.
Under the agreement, ASTM International's cannabis committee (D37) will coordinate standards development activities for global cannabis and hemp industries, while CHTA will participate in the process and provide technical expertise. In particular, CHTA will share insight into previously developed food standards and will contribute to the subcommittee on industrial hemp.
"We are excited to partner with ASTM International to continue developing standards for the emerging industrial hemp industry," according to Ted Haney, executive director of CHTA. "The shared technical experience of CHTA and ASTM International's members will help set a framework for many standards development activities to come."
"CHTA's expertise in industrial hemp is well known," said Ralph Paroli, Ph.D., the cannabis committee chair and the director of R&D in measurement science and standards at the National Research Council of Canada. "CHTA's engagement in the committee will strengthen ASTM International's renowned global standards, specifically in the development of standards for industrial hemp."
This announcement builds on last month's news that ASTM International signed an MOU with the Europe-based International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute (ICCI).
ASTM International has previously signed similar agreements with the Foundation of Cannabis Unified Standards (FOCUS), the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), and the American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH).
Paroli and others are featured in a brief video about the committee.
The next meeting will be Jan. 27-29 in Houston, Texas (USA) at the Hyatt Regency Houston. Anyone interested in participating can contact Bob Morgan (rmorgan@astm.org).
About the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA)
The CHTA is a national organization that promotes Canadian hemp and hemp products globally. Established in 2003, the Alliance represents those involved in Canada's hemp industry. Members include farmers, processors, manufacturers, researchers, entrepreneurs and marketers. The key functions of the Alliance are to disseminate information, promote the use of nutritional and industrial hemp, and coordinate research.
About ASTM International
Committed to serving global societal needs, ASTM International positively impacts public health and safety, consumer confidence, and overall quality of life. We integrate consensus standards – developed with our international membership of volunteer technical experts – and innovative services to improve lives… Helping our world work better.
ASTM International: Dan Bergels, tel +1.610.832.9602; dbergels@astm.org
CHTA: Ted Haney, tel +1.403.819.1647; ted@hemptrade.ca
Release #10688

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Chiedozi Augustine Mac Jones a.k.a. B-mac hails from Imo State, a song writer, singer and musician, born in Lagos. A child of purpose as he calls himself, who early in life discovered his love for poetry and as at Dec 2010 has over 100 songs and poems written.
During his secondary school days in Surulere Lagos, he met with T-Iyke (Ikenna Ojukwu) whom he teamed up with to form the group XTRIM and later with Mukim, they created a label known as NAIM records, an acronym which means Natural Ability In Music.
The label has since signed B-mac and two other artistes – Kaze, and I-chord. Check out B-Mac's debut singles – Ice Cream Girl featuring label mate I-Chord and also Mukulumukeke featuring his other label mate Kaze! Enjoy and do drop a comment while you are at it!


A man in China was prevented from flying and subsequently detained after he threw coins at a plane's engine reportedly "for good luck".
The 31-year-old, known only as Xia, admitted to throwing three yuan coins at a Hainan Airline 7783 jet on April 2 this year. He'd thrown them at the plane, he said, because it was his four-month-old daughter's first time flying, and he believed the act would permit them a safe journey.
However, contrary to his intentions, his coin toss only caused him misfortune, as the plane was delayed in its takeoff by 30 minutes, and Xia was detained for 10 days for "disrupting public order".
Video footage of the incident shows Xia surreptitiously throwing the coins before stepping aboard the plane at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.
If the coins had ended up in the engine, there is a chance they could have damaged the turbine and caused total engine failure. Xia was unaware of this, and, when questioned by police, claimed that his mother-in-law advised him to do it.
Bizarrely, this is not the first incident of someone throwing coins into an engine as an act of superstition.
Just last month, the South China Morning Post reported that two women had been detained for the exact same thing.
"The Lucky Air flight, which was due to depart from an airport in Jinan in Shandong province on Sunday, was delayed for two hours after [the women] threw the coins into the air while boarding, the carrier said in a statement on Monday," SCMP detailed.
A statement from the airline noted: "After a check by the captain, we excluded the possibility of the coins entering the engine since the gap between the plane and the boarding gate was narrow and far away from the engine."
Before that, in February, a 28-year-old man named Lu was also detained - and the airline actually took legal action against him after he caused the flight to be cancelled and cost them nearly 140,000 yuan (£16,000). He was questioned on the matter after ground staff found the coins lying near the left engine on the runway, and was again discovered to have thrown them in the belief that it would give him safe travels.
Chinese officials are not entirely sure where this belief has come from,but there have been at least five incidents in two years of people jeopardising flights with the practice.
Needless to say, they are encouraging people not to follow the superstition, and instead educate themselves on the potential dangers of throwing coins into a plane engine.
In the most recent case: while Xia was detained, his wife and child were permitted to continue their journey. It is not yet clear whether or not he will face further legal action.
SICKmen of Asia rata2 idiot dan goblok waaa!!!
sesederhana itu ya cara berpikirnya.
kyknya dulu pernah kan..msh ada?
An elderly passenger reportedly grounded a plane at a Chinese airport by tossing coins into its engine for luck - the second incident of its type this year.
Mechanics were forced to perform a full examination of the engine of the Lucky Air flight, while the other passengers were forced to wait for an alternative flights at Anqing airport in the eastern Anhui province.
She was flying with … Lucky Air, but that was not enough for an old Chinese who threw coins on the airplane turbine to wish for a safe flight: The authorities arrested her and the flight was canceled.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at Anqing Airport in Anhui Province of eastern China, according to the French Agency, and was the second episode this year where an elderly Chinese threw coins on the airplane engine and created chaos.
According to airline, airport and police authorities, the coins were thrown into Lucky Air's aircraft engine during boarding, and the ground crew later found coins at many points around the airplane.
In June, another 80-year-old preventative woman delayed China Southern Airlines flight to Shanghai's Pudong International Airport for about six hours after throwing nine coins to the engine.
The woman was detained, but she was finally released because of her age. The authorities at Shanghai Airport said they were a faithful Buddhist and believed that the act would ensure its safety on the flight to the southern city of Guangzhou.
SICKmen of Asia from Land of Sick and RETARD bikin masalah lagi waaa!!!
Pantes kata nyeee Kong Co gw selalu bilang,karena engkong kakek moyang luuw DOOWGOOL,kalian jgn ikut2an DOOWGOOL waaa!!!!
Luuw disekolahin utk berpikir secara waras waaa!!!!


Add impact to all your music with high power and soul-shaking bass. Lighting impacts - Speaker lighting and space edifying social affair lighting that movements shading and change in accordance with the beat. Social occasion features. Development control through the fishable application, DJ impacts, 2 x Mic input. Multi-source playback. Bluetooth and NFC for clear one-contact accessibility. Viable interface with your TV with HDMI affiliation. Reduced circle, DVD, USB (REC and Play), FM Radio, Audio IN (RCA), Audio yield Guitar input lets the MHC-V90DW fill in as the guitar amp and speaker.
Calculated speakers at the highest point of the framework venture sound over the group, supported by an open-upheld bureau for the extra stable spread. Every one of the 10 speakers has a horn-style configuration, making the sound travel further so everybody at the gathering can appreciate the music.
Because of the situation of this stature, speakers are at ear level. So everybody at the gathering can appreciate the best stable with feeling the music all through the body.
Hued party lights radiate through a perspective to spread light behind the MHC-V90DW in a disco-style design. In front, brilliant lights in every speaker make an energizing gathering climate. Watch them adjust to the beat for a club-style move floor.
Fun and natural motion control let you assume the responsibility of sound highlights, including the DJ, sampler, and karaoke modes. With four control modes, you can make flicking or turning movements to oversee volume, change tracks and that's just the beginning.
Close Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth development remove the necessity for wired affiliations and complex set-up game plans. Basically contact your NFC-enabled device to the MHC-V90DW for a smart, predictable relationship, by then start spilling your music collection. No NFC? Try not to stress over it. Interface through Bluetooth advancement and you're set up to go.
Fun and natural movement control let you assume the responsibility of all your gathering highlights, including light enlightenments, DJ impacts, and mic sound impacts. You can likewise flick left and ideal to skip tracks and deal with the volume with the movement control highlight. The files table application gives you a chance to control V90DW's lights and perform DJ impacts through your cell phone.
The MHC-V90DW is worked for simple transportation. The haggles let you consume space-filling sound anyplace.
Chime into music from the radio, a sound info, a CD/DVD, or your smartphone. Simply plug in a mouthpiece and enact karaoke mode, and the MHC-V90DW will supplant the vocals in the track with yours.
Simply plug in and press the guitar key, and you'll hear your playing in the blend. Play solo style, or interface a receiver to chime in the meantime.
LDAC transmits roughly three times more information (at the most extreme exchange rate: 990 kbps) than traditional Bluetooth sound for a prevalent remote listening knowledge.
V90DW's board has coordinate super bass and holiday mode catch to make your gatherings more exciting. Hit the super bass catch to upgrade the bass impact and the holiday mode catch to appreciate the high solid weight of the gathering lobby in any condition, even outside.
Utilize the USB port to rapidly interface your computerized music libraries. It's good with MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV/AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, and DSD groups so you can keep the gathering moving with your most loved playlists. What's more, to ensure you don't come up short on battery, the USB port even charges your smartphone.
Interface an outer TV or projector, and you can utilize the inherent DVD player to play motion pictures while getting a charge out of sound from the MHC-V90DW speakers. Appreciate the dramatization in each scene, with intense volume and sound weight that places you in the core of the activity.
With the HDMI (ARC) yield you can without much of a stretch interface the framework to your TV. Appreciate all your standard TV and DVD visuals with gigantic sound from the MHC-V90DW speakers.
Need to help your volume? Associate up to 10 good speakers with remote gathering chain for significantly more sound power. It's altogether done over wi-fi, so you don't have to utilize any associating links.


SHIBORI: (shee-boh-ree) The best known Japanese craft textile, from the word shiboru, to twist. Usually done on either silk jacquard or cotton with aizome, shibori techniques include tie-dye, stitch and dye, or the famous "rice" tie-dye. These are all-purpose craft textiles, but the silks are especially suited to small needle crafts, patchwork, or remade garments.
KASURI: (kah-soo-ree) Japanese ikat. Highly prized by Japanese craftspeople, the warp and/or weft threads of these textiles are dyed in a pattern before weaving. Used for small patch crafts like handbags, for framing on wall hangings, for cushions or for wearable art. Both cotton and silk kasuri are desirable for crafts.
CHIRIMEN: (chee-ree-men) This dense, high twist silk yarn is woven in a luxurious crepe. Antique remnants with desirable small pattern, yuzen, or hand painted detail may sell for hundreds of dollars and are framed like a picture in other textiles or used for small needle crafts, like ningyo (dolls), and doll clothing.
TSUMUGI: (tsoo-moo-gee) Once a low grade home made textile, now highly sought after, this raw silk textile was traditionally made from cocoons raised in the attic, then brushed and spun like hand spun wool, and finally dyed and woven. Tsumugi yarn is commonly used in the most valuable kasuri, especially Oshima-tsumugi. This stable textile is easy to work with for quilting or patching.
YUZEN: (yoo-zen) A technique for embellishing textile involving rice gluten resist and hand painting or kata. Yuzen may require a number of steps involving several artisans to work on a single piece of textile, making this artwork labor intensive and valuable, especially for antique, hand painted or artistic examples.
AIZOME: (eye-zoh-may) Ai is for indigo; zome means dye. A dark blue natural dye used mostly on cotton, in combination with other techniques.
DOROZOME: (doh-roh-zoh-may) Doro meaning mud; zome again is dye. A natural brown mineral dye best known for its use in silk kasuri.
KATAZOME: (kah-tah-zoh-may) Kata means form, in this case, a stencil.. Various katazome techniques are used on all types of textiles.
SASHIKO: (sah-shee-koh) Commonly done on aizome in white cotton thread, a type of stitchery done to strengthen and beautify utilitarian textiles and garments. Collectors pay thousands of dollars for antique sashiko garments in any condition.
SAKIORI: (sah-kee-oh-ree) The Japanese say that they reuse their textiles to the last threads, which are then shredded and rewoven into sakiori. These are used for mats, bags, or remade into new garments. Craftspeople are the ultimate recyclers.
Recovered shibori silk from a vintage kimono.
Beautiful yuzen artwork recovered from a vintage tomesode, combined with 2 ply silk crepe self, formal and elegant.
Made from a vintage Tomesode (mother-of-the-bride kimono). Artwork is vintage yuzen, textile is chirimen crepe.
Three coordinated types of kimono silk, our best-selling item.
New Fitted Kimono Vest with loop buttons, You can enjoy the different way.
Beautiful silkbrocade recovered from vintage Obi. It is the longer jacket.
come with Ivory Chiffon, Black Chiffon, Gray Chiffon, Blue gray Chiffon, Coral Chiffon etc.


NORTH LIBERTY– On Sunday, August 9, Grace Community Church will be doing something they have never done before. Instead of members attending a worship service that morning, the congregation of 800 to 900 will be challenged to go into the community and participate in service projects. These projects are being planned in North Liberty, Coralville and Iowa City.
The church invites the community to join in this day of service, including school parent/teacher groups, city leaders, property owners, social workers, and members of other churches to make this a cooperative day of helping. There will be things for everyone to do regardless of skill. That evening, volunteers and project recipients are invited back to the church for a picnic celebration.


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Denali Citizens Council
Advocating for Denali's Wildlife, Wilderness, and Way of Life
About DCC
Join DCC
Wilderness/Backcountry
Snowmachines in Denali – What Happened to Traditional Activities?
December 12, 2013 Charlie	0 Comments	Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, ANILCA, ANILCA 1110(a), snowmachines, traditional activities
On December 9, 2013, the National Park Service issued a press release that has been routine for about a decade. It was entitled, "All Southern Portions of 1980 Park Additions to Denali National Park and Preserve Now Open to Snowmobiling for Traditional Activities," and the first sentence read, "The Superintendent of Denali National Park and Preserve has determined that there is now adequate snow cover for the use of snowmobiles for traditional activities in areas of the 1980 park and preserve additions that are south of the crest of the Alaska Range."
Picking up the press release, on December 10 the Fairbanks Daily News Miner reported that "The south side of Denali National Park and Preserve is open to snowmachines" and KTNA radio in Talkeetna announced that "part of the southern portion of Denali National Park are now open for snowmachine use." Note the change from the press release to the news stories – the dropping of the words "for traditional activities."
The missing three words mean that the public is also missing an important part of the story. Typically in national parks throughout the U.S., snowmachines are prohibited unless specifically allowed. But the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA) included language that allowed snowmachine use "for traditional activities" within conservation system units in Alaska, including national parks like Denali. This ANILCA exception to the "normal" national park rules resulted in a successful effort to close the former Mount McKinley National Park to all snowmachine use in 2000. (The "Old Park" had been closed prior to 1980, but after years of confusion it was determined that ANILCA had inadvertently opened it.) The status of snowmachine use in the park additions and preserve lands remain unchanged.
However, neither the statute nor the implementing regulations allow snowmachine use for any purpose, as a reader might believe from perusing the news reports. As noted above, ANILCA qualified the acceptable reason for snowmachine access, which must be "for traditional activities." So what are those "traditional activities?" Unfortunately, the term has never been defined in regulation for the park additions, so NPS has no way of deciding which snowmachine users are there for traditional activities and which are there for something else. As a result, no one gets turned away as long as they do not cross the Old Park boundary. This issue was not resolved in the 2006 Backcountry Management Plan, and remains unresolved today as various agencies and interest groups have been deadlocked over whether Congress intended that "traditional activities" be related to traditional rural uses of the land or whether the intent was to include "traditional activities" for national parks like sightseeing, photography, wildlife watching, and other recreational pursuits.*
Back in 2000 and leading up to the 2006 Backcountry Management Plan, there was much discussion at public meetings and in the media about "traditional activities" in the context of snowmachine use at Denali. However, in the ensuing years public consciousness of this qualifier has faded. Increasingly, the reality on the ground is becoming simply that the park additions are "open." The National Park Service is losing this argument by default, along with those members of the public who are concerned about preserving places for non-motorized recreational activities, protection of wilderness values, snowmachine impacts on wildlife, and so forth.
DCC has separately argued that Denali's 2006 Backcountry Management Plan (BCMP) contains standards for encounter rates, motorized noise, and signs of modern human use among others that should be applied to the snowmachine use in park additions. If standards are not being met, NPS should use the tools in the Backcountry Management Plan to regulate that use, even if the use is "for traditional activities." However, since 2006 NPS has not reported whether snowmachine use in Denali has resulted in violations of the BCMP standards.
The large increase in snowmachine use within national park boundaries was a major issue during the 7-year BCMP planning process. Seven years after the plan's completion, snowmachine use in the Denali additions remains virtually unmanaged, save for the one tool that NPS claimed from ANILCA that has not been challenged, a parenthetical statement that snowmachines should be permitted "during periods of adequate snow cover." Thus, every winter there are press releases declaring when snow cover is sufficient to "open" the park additions for snowmachine use for traditional activities and when snow cover has declined to the point where it is no longer adequate for such use, which is then prohibited. The adequate snow cover determination is a useful tool for reducing damage to vegetation, but the larger issues of snowmachine use go unaddressed, and now the misquoted and under-explained press releases have become a rhetorical tool reinforcing the public consciousness that Denali is simply open to snowmachines. This outcome is tragic, since snowmachines have tremendous impacts, and neither Congress nor the National Park Service has ever clearly determined that a snowmachine free-for-all was intended by ANILCA or consistent with the purposes of Denali. The extent of snowmachine use in the park and preserve should not be resolved by default.
* The regulation which closed the former Mount McKinley National Park (36 CFR 13.950) contained a definition for traditional activities that applies only to the Old Park and only to snowmachine use, where ANILCA referred to snowmachines, airplanes, and motorboats. It reads:
A traditional activity is an activity that generally and lawfully occurred in the Old Park contemporaneously with the enactment of ANILCA, and that was associated with the Old Park, or a discrete portion thereof, involving the consumptive use of one or more natural resources of the Old Park such as hunting, trapping, fishing, berry picking or similar activities. Recreational use of snowmachines was not a traditional activity. If a traditional activity generally occurred only in a particular area of the Old Park, it would be considered a traditional activity only in the area where it had previously occurred. In addition, a traditional activity must be a legally permissible activity in the Old Park.
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$4 million indoor multi-sport complex to "reignite" a Detroit neighborhood
On January 24, 2017, the Detroit Fitness Foundation (DFF) announced plans to develop a new indoor multi-sport complex featuring a world-class cycling velodrome as part of the city of Detroit's planned improvements to Tolan Playfield, located at I-75 and Mack Avenue.
Councilwoman Mary Sheffield and City of Detroit Planning Director Maurice Cox joined DFF leaders at a groundbreaking ceremony today to champion the park improvements and complex project, which will break ground in the spring, weather permitting, and open in late summer 2017.
Mary Sheffield said: "This project is a perfect illustration of how you reignite a city neighborhood and its public space by leveraging our city resources to attract investment, jobs and a community resource such as this complex to better serve our community. The youth of Detroit deserve world-class facilities such as this, and I'm proud to be part of a City and City Council that is making it a reality."
"Last year, we unveiled the city's plan for investing in our parks and neighborhoods and this project is a perfect complement to our efforts," added Mayor Mike Duggan. "Having safe and healthy spaces within our neighborhoods for families to live and play is essential to our city's continued growth. The Detroit Fitness Foundation initiative will be a great asset to our community and its residents."
The complex, funded by the Foundation, will be an air dome structure designed and built under the leadership of world-class velodrome developer Dale Hughes, DFF executive director. Hughes, a lifetime resident of Metro Detroit, has designed and built more than 20 velodromes worldwide, including the 1996 Olympic Velodrome in Atlanta and the 2015 Pan Am Games Velodrome in Toronto.
Detroit will house the second permanent indoor cycling velodrome in the United States. Like Hughes' own Olympic connections, Tolan Playfield has an Olympic heritage. The park was renamed in 1968 to honor Thomas Edward Tolan, Cass Tech graduate and the first African American man deemed the "World's Fastest Human" and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. His accomplishments were extraordinary at the time and remain so today.
"Our goal is to provide kids with opportunities to turn the Olympic dream into a reality," said Hughes. "I've had the honor of working on projects around the world but I am thrilled to bring this state-of-the-art indoor complex to my backyard in the city of Detroit."
The complex will feature three main components or "fields of play," a world-class velodrome cycling track, running, walking and in-line skating lanes and a multi-purpose infield and coffee shop/cafe. Once open, the complex will provide free access and programs including coaching and equipment for youth and seniors in the community. All other participation fees will align with the Northwest Activity Center.
In addition to the indoor complex, DFF is donating $125,000 for additional outdoor improvements to the park and the city has committed $250,000 for new outdoor features including playground equipment, a picnic shelter and tables, fitness station, skateboard ramp and horseshoe pits.
DFF, a Michigan non-profit, is seeking a naming rights sponsor as well as additional sponsorship opportunities for the complex and is working with other foundations to underwrite youth and community programs. Interested parties may contact Susan Tait, Director of Sponsorships, Grants & Administration at 1-313-820-9955.
Photo of Tolan Playfield by KEO & Associates, Inc.
See Detroit Fitness Foundation website.
pages in Issue #44


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Андре Буэнгу (; род. 11 февраля 1980, Луанда, Ангола) — ангольский футболист, выступавший на позиции нападающего за сборную Анголы и целый ряд клубов.

Клубная карьера
Во взрослом футболе дебютировал в 2000 году выступлениями за любительскую команду клуба «Олимпик Сан-Куентен», в котором провел один сезон и принял участие в 31 матче чемпионата. С 2001 по 2002 годы выступал в составе клуба из второй лиги «Васкеаль».

С 2002 года играл в составе команды клуба «Кретей». Своей игрой за последнюю команду привлек внимание представителей тренерского штаба клуба «Гренобль», к составу которого присоединился в 2003 году. Сыграл за команду из Гренобля следующие два сезона своей игровой карьеры. Всего во второй лиге сыграл 73 матча и отметился 13 голами. По завершении контракта с швейцарским «Ксамаксом» перешел во французский «Клермон». Болельщики клуба неоднократно называли его лучшим игроком команды, но вскоре перешел в ФК «Амьен». В новом клубе Буэнгу также стал ключевым игроком основного состава.

В сезоне 2007/08 годов Тити впервые в своей карьере стал лучшим бомбардиром клуба, а также занял 4-е место в списке бомбардиров второй лиги. По итогам чемпионата команда заняла 3-е место.

После завершения контракта с клубом «Аймен», в 2008 году Тити подписал двухлетний контракт с клубом «Труа», который поставил задачу по итогам сезона выйти в первую лигу. Однако результаты клуба были провальными и он не только не повысился в классе, но и вылетел в третью лигу. Буэнгу провел хороший сезон и отметился 11 голами в 27 матчах чемпионата и стал лучшим бомбардиром клуба.

Следующий сезон Тити начал в составе «Труа» в французской лиге (4 гола в 10 матчах), но 19 октября 2009 года подписал контракт с «Шатору» до завершения сезона. В составе этой команды дебютировал очень удачно, отметился 4 голами в 3 матчах. По итогам сезона занял 8-е место в списке лучших бомбардиров второй лиги (13 голов в 27 матчах).

23 июля 2010 года подписал двухлетний контракт с ФК «Тур», который выступал во французской второй лиге. В новом клубе перед ним стояла очень трудная задача: заменить Оливье Жиру, который перешел в «Монпелье». Большинство времени, проведённого в составе «Тура», был основным игроком атакующего звена команды. В течение двух сезонов в «Туре» отметился 13 голами в 49 матчах. По завершении сезона 2011/12 годов контракт Буэнгу с клубом не был продолжен, поэтому ангольский футболист покинул «Тур» на правах свободного агента.

После этого выступал в греческом клубе «Олимпиакос» (Волос) и малайзийском ФК «Пенанг».

Карьера в сборной
1 марта 2006 года дебютировал в составе национальной сборной Анголы в товарищеском матче против Южной Кореи. В составе сборной был участником чемпионата мира 2006 года в Германии и Кубка африканских наций 2006 года в Египте. В течение карьеры в национальной команде, которая длилась 5 лет, провел в основном составе команды страны 7 матчей.

Примечания

Ссылки

Футболисты Анголы
Игроки сборной Анголы по футболу
Игроки ФК «Васкеаль»
Игроки ФК «Кретей»
Игроки ФК «Гренобль»
Игроки ФК «Ксамакс»
Игроки ФК «Клермон»
Игроки ФК «Амьен»
Игроки ФК «Труа»
Игроки ФК «Шатору»
Игроки ФК «Тур»

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Games that defined the Decade: GTA 5 is a staggering simulation of modern-day USA
By Edge Staff 2019-12-18T18:30:54Z
With this unbelievable sandbox, Rockstar once again redefined the open-world action genre
(Image credit: Rockstar)
We're celebrating the end of an incredible decade for games, movies, and TV shows. GTA 5 is one of the games that defined the last 10 years of play, placing 7th in our 100 best games of the decade rankings. Read on to find out why...
They really don't make 'em like this any more. The genre Grand Theft Auto invented is more popular than ever, but these days most video game open worlds take us to far-flung, fantastical places; abandoning the inner city for the sprawling sticks, taking us back in time or dragging us into the far future. The era of copycats is long over, the pretenders to GTA's crown either killed off or transformed. Rare indeed is the game that seeks to take a bite of Grand Theft Auto's cherry, and GTA 5 is the reason.
Even now, six years on, Los Santos is remarkable. Sure, other games have it licked for sprawl and scope, for density and fidelity, and for things for you to do. But as a snapshot of city life in the modern-day US, and as a video game world that evokes a believable sense of place, it is unmatched. Throw a beefy PC at it and, while some technical elements are showing their age, it still takes the breath away. In 2013, on 360 and PS3, it was a staggering achievement. In 2019, it still is.
It helps that Rockstar has a real city to lean on. Los Angeles is a city of extremes; of offensive shows of wealth and desperate displays of poverty, a town of contradictions where Hollywood stars and oligarchs share hazy, smog-filled oxygen with gangbangers and the homeless.
As Franklin, the most traditionally GTA of the three protagonists, says early on, as he and an accomplice walk down an ominous-looking alley in the affluent Vespucci Beach: "One block makes all the difference." Los Santos takes LA's many juxtaposed contradictions and pushes them even further, and if you find the whole thing – characters, subject matter, story and setting – objectionable, then well, that's sort of the point. If you root for anyone in GTA5, you do it in spite of yourself.
Embracing online play
There was little to love about GTA Online at first either. Once Rockstar had finally spun up enough servers to let us out of the car park and into Los Santos, we found a sparse set of repetitive activities and an endlessly respawning gank squad on every corner. It has been updated just about every week since, and today GTA Online is arguably an even greater success than GTA 5 itself.
It's the driving force behind its enduring presence in the sales charts – at the time of writing it's been in the UK Top 40 for 307 weeks out of a possible 316 – and is believed to have made over a billion dollars in microtransaction revenue. Most remarkably, it has done so with a promo budget of virtually zero, and barely any press coverage. No other game does quite such a good job of showing you the latest shiny trinket – a sports car, a superyacht, a lavish nightclub with performance-captured crowd and DJs – and making you want it instantly. How very Los Angeles.
GTA 5 is a landmark open world, and a tentpole online game. But it may be some time before we see its like again. After all, what place does a biting social satire of modern-day American life have in a world that is already long past parody? Real life is extreme enough as it is. GTAV may have exaggerated all that was wrong with the America of the early 2010s, but by today's standards, it's a virtual utopia.
This feature first appeared in Edge magazine issue 339, as part of its celebration of the games that defined the decade. For more industry-beating access to the very best that the video game industry has to offer, why not subscribe to Edge?
Edge Staff
The future of interactive entertainment. You can subscribe to Edge magazine and view the latest issue right here.
mag upload


Tian Li and his father Tian Jun have been taking the same photo every year for 30 years. Li was born in China's southeastern Guizhou Province In 1986, and to celebrate Li's first birthday Jun took a photo of him and his son in front of a wall outside their apartment. The pair turned the yearly photo into a tradition, and continued to take a photo together every year since.
The photos all share a visual aesthetic. With only one exception, the photos are all black and white and are featured against a plain white wall. In each photo both father and son are shirtless. Tian told CNN the reason for this is Li's birthday falls in the hot summer months in China, and the family would often strip off layers to remain cool.
There was only a single year since 1986 in which Li and Jun did not take a photo together. According to CNN, the pair missed their ritual photograph in 2014 because Li was in the United States for the birth of his first child. This year, a the composition of the photos was changed dramatically by the addition of a new person - Li's son, Timothy.
This isn't the first time a photo series showing a group aging has captured the minds of others. In 2012, CNN reported that five friends from Santa Barbara had been taking the same picture every five years. Their story was shared by millions and received worldwide media attention. Time is something that human beings cannot control, which may account for why so many are fascinated by these sort of time-lapse projects.
Jun, who considered himself an artist, told People's Daily that he started the project because he thought the idea of taking the same photo every year would be interesting. Li, who has grown up to be a film director in China, considers the series of photographs an artistic expression, not just a series of family snapshots. "Time itself is a form of art," Li told People's Daily (translated by DailyMail). "This is the power of time."


text:
Lynas Plays Down Fears of China Rare Earths Plot
October 19, 2011, Sydney (Source: ft.com) — When Nick Curtis was invited to the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, there was one topic that political and corporate chiefs wanted him to address.
How could the world guarantee a steady supply of rare earths, the 17 elements crucial for many of the electronics used in everyday life, at a time when China controlled more than 90 per cent of global production?
As executive chairman of Lynas, an Australia-listed miner that owns what it says is the "richest known deposit" of rare earths in the world, Mr Curtis was well placed to answer their queries.
He said the world sorely needs new suppliers of rare earths, including Lynas and US-listed Molycorp, but also pointed out that China also welcomed the arrival of alternative suppliers. The Davos meeting came only months after fears intensified that China's dominance of rare earths could be used to hold the world hostage to supply after it unexpectedly slashed export quotas and briefly suspended shipments to Japan following a diplomatic dispute.
But in an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Curtis sees others forces at work. "The reality is that China needs to use its rare earths themselves," he says. "Rare earths have become a token for international fears over China's ascendancy. But there is not a Machiavellian plot by China to take over the world in rare earths."
In fact, Mr Curtis expects that China's demand for rare earths will exceed 110,000 tonnes by 2015 "and at that point they could become net importers", a critical turning point in the global industry.
Mr Curtis is nothing if not ambitious for Lynas, a company he has led for more than a decade. Lynas is still in late-stage development but Mr Curtis is optimistic the Australian group will begin first its shipments of rare earths next year. He says the miner is already producing rare earths concentrate at Mount Weld in Western Australia but admits the group's refinery on the east coast of Malaysia "is running a bit late".
Crucial to Lynas entering production is for Kuala Lumpur to issue the Australian group with an operating licence. That process has been bogged down by political opposition to the plant and local community protests worried about possible radiation leaks. Lynas on Wednesday said a decision had not been reached on the application. Shares in the company fell 9.9 per cent to A$1.09 in Sydney.
But Mr Curtis says the International Atomic Energy Agency this year conducted an independent review into the plant. "They came out and said it was a safe process and made some recommendations that Lynas has agreed to comply with," he says.
Mike Harrowell, rare earths analyst at BBY, an Australian financial services group, expects the operating licence to be granted in November, but says there is a risk it would get caught up in Malaysia's next general election, expected to be held in 2012.
"If it was a regulatory decision, Lynas should be able to jump through any hoops. But if it is a political decision, then the risk of a more negative outcome increase," Mr Harrowell says.
Assuming approval is granted in the coming months, Lynas could ship first product in the second quarter of next year.
"Lynas is poised to deliver," Mr Harrowell says. "Over the last decade, [Mr] Curtis has positioned the company to be delivering product in the first wave of a new generation of Western suppliers."
But Lynas's production launch also comes at an uncertain time for the rare earths industry. Rare earth prices reached unsustainable levels this year due to production bottlenecks but they have fallen heavily since April. Analysts expect further price weakness.
"Prices have come off a lot," Mr Curtis says. "Three years ago, [a basket of] rare earths were less than $10 [per] kilogramme, then they shot up to more than $200 and now they are back to less than $150."
Even Mr Curtis expects further falls. "Prices still have a little bit to come back but even $80 to $125 remains a very sustainable level to industry," he says.


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Matt Blaze is a computer science professor at the University of Pennsylvania working on cryptography, security, voting, scale, and how it all relates to public policy.
For the last 25 years, Matt's work has focused on the intersection of security technology and public policy. For example, in 1994, he discovered a design flaw in the NSA's "Clipper Chip" encryption backdoor. He's led reviews of voting system security for several state governments, and has testified before congress numerous times on surveillance technology, election system security, location privacy, and related subjects.


text:
const _ = require(`lodash`)
const Promise = require(`bluebird`)
const path = require(`path`)
const slash = require(`slash`)

// Implement the Gatsby API "createPages". This is
// called after the Gatsby bootstrap is finished so you have
// access to any information necessary to programatically
// create pages.
exports.createPages = ({ graphql, boundActionCreators }) => {
  const { createPage } = boundActionCreators
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    // The "graphql" function allows us to run arbitrary
    // queries against the local Contentful graphql schema. Think of
    // it like the site has a built-in database constructed
    // from the fetched data that you can run queries against.
    graphql(
      `
      {
        allContentfulArtist(limit: 1000) {
          edges {
            node {
              id
              soundCloudUsername
            }
          }
        }
      }
      `
      ).then(result => {
        if (result.errors) {
          reject(result.errors)
        }

        // Create Product pages
        const artistaTemplate = path.resolve(`./src/templates/artistaTemplate.js`)
        // We want to create a detailed page for each
        // product node. We'll just use the Contentful id for the slug.
        _.each(result.data.allContentfulArtist.edges, edge => {
          // Gatsby uses Redux to manage its internal state.
          // Plugins and sites can use functions like "createPage"
          // to interact with Gatsby.
          createPage({
            // Each page is required to have a `path` as well
            // as a template component. The `context` is
            // optional but is often necessary so the template
            // can query data specific to each page.
            path: `/artistas/${edge.node.soundCloudUsername}/`,
            component: slash(artistaTemplate),
            context: {
              id: edge.node.id,
            },
          })

        })
      }
      ).then(() => {
    graphql(
      `
      {
        allContentfulAlbum(limit: 1000) {
          edges {
            node {
              id
              title
            }
          }
        }
      }
      `
    )
      .then(result => {
        if (result.errors) {
          reject(result.errors)
        }

        // Create Category pages
        const albumTemplate = path.resolve(`./src/templates/albumTemplate.js`)
        // We want to create a detailed page for each
        // category node. We'll just use the Contentful id for the slug.
        _.each(result.data.allContentfulAlbum.edges, edge => {
          // Gatsby uses Redux to manage its internal state.
          // Plugins and sites can use functions like "createPage"
          // to interact with Gatsby.
          createPage({
            // Each page is required to have a `path` as well
            // as a template component. The `context` is
            // optional but is often necessary so the template
            // can query data specific to each page.
            path: `/albums/${(edge.node.title.normalize('NFD').replace(/[\u0300-\u036f]/g, "").replace(/[^A-Z0-9]+/ig, "_")).toLowerCase()}/`,
            component: slash(albumTemplate),
            context: {
              id: edge.node.id,
            },
          })
        })

        //resolve()
      })
      .then(() => {
        graphql(
          `
          {
            allContentfulNews {
              edges {
                node {
                  id
                  title
                }
              }
            }
          }
          `
        ).then(result => {
          if (result.errors) {
            reject(result.errors)
          }

          // Create Category pages
          const noticiaTemplate = path.resolve(`./src/templates/noticiaTemplate.js`)
          // We want to create a detailed page for each
          // category node. We'll just use the Contentful id for the slug.
          _.each(result.data.allContentfulNews.edges, edge => {
            // Gatsby uses Redux to manage its internal state.
            // Plugins and sites can use functions like "createPage"
            // to interact with Gatsby.
            createPage({
              // Each page is required to have a `path` as well
              // as a template component. The `context` is
              // optional but is often necessary so the template
              // can query data specific to each page.
              path: `/noticias/${(edge.node.title.normalize('NFD').replace(/[\u0300-\u036f]/g, "").replace(/[^A-Z0-9]+/ig, "_")).toLowerCase()}/`,
              component: slash(noticiaTemplate),
              context: {
                id: edge.node.id,
              },
            })
          })

          resolve()
        })

      })
    })
  })
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


PLAN AHEAD and make sure that everything is in order - do not install the new version of QuickBooks 2011 on the day that you need to run payroll, do billing, or perform any intensive task.
If you use 3rd party integrated applications, make sure that you contact the software developer (if they haven't aleady contacted you) about compatibility with and update procedures for working with QuickBooks 2011.
If you choose to download the installation program from the internet, be aware that while you can save the Download Manager anywhere that you like - the ACTUAL program is saved on the desktop of the Computer Administrator on Windows 7 and Vista. If you do not complete the installation after the download has completed, you will need to log into the Administrator account, move the program to Public Downloads, THEN log in as a standard user, and run the installation.
If you are in a multi-user environment, install QuickBooks on the server first, and then the other computers after.
Rebuild your QuickBooks data file BEFORE you update to the new version, and then again, AFTER you update it. (File menu -> Utilities -> REBUILD Data).
Make at least two (2) backups of your QuickBooks data file.
After you have installed QuickBooks 2011 on all of your computers and everything is fine, uninstall the old version by going to your Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs (Windows XP) OR Programs & Features (Vista & Windows 7) -> select the old version from the list -> choose Uninstall or Remove.
¹Not all versions of QuickBooks 2011 are compatible with Microsoft Office 2010.
²QuickBooks and any 3rd party applications that you use, should be installed and run under the Standard User Account in Windows 7 & Vista. They do NOT need to be run as Administrator. Since Windows Vista was released, we have handled numerous support calls which resulted in an 80040408 - Could not start QuickBooks error. In all cases, QuickBooks and our 3rd party applications had been installed under the Administrator account. These same findings have held true since Windows 7 was released.
³We have found that when a new version of QuickBooks is installed in the same folder (place) as an existing version of QuickBooks - files from the old version still exist and cause conflicts, and errors, when using our software. The only remedy that we have found is to uninstall and then reinstall QuickBooks.


There's a red alder growing at the top of this hill. This one is alone. I've passed stands of them on the way up. A few stands have 50 or more growing together. Slender, clumped together in thickets, their smooth, gray-and-white mottled trunks stretch up into the canopy. Most of them are no bigger around than a person's arm. They are young. Over the coming years, their numbers will be whittled down. The competition for sunlight, nutrients and space, will leave only a few where these many once stood. Anything that reaches 65-95 feet tall, will need a little elbow room.
Someone has carved initials into this lone alder, a jagged "BT". The wound has healed. It isn't deep. And, it doesn't look harsher than the long, vertical gashes indicating some creature also used this alder for a scratching post. But, it makes me wonder when the infamous BT made his etching and how long this tree will bear his mark.
Alders are fast growing, and prolific, quick to take over a disturbed an area that may have been logged and once held a coniferous forest. Based on its size, I estimate this tree might be between 30 and 40 years old. At the top of this hill, I notice there also are thickets of bigleaf maples, thin ones, 8-20 inches in diameter, clustered in groups of 6-16. There aren't many large trees here. It makes me think the hillside was cleared in recent history and these trees grew up when the area went unused.
This is one of Oregon's oldest settled areas. The "end" of the Oregon Trail is not far from here, as well the site of a major water portage and mill operation. In fact, I walked past a cemetery holding those early pioneer decedents on my way here. They have lain there since the mid-1800s, and I suspect some of the trees below BT's alder heard the creak of their wagons and shouts of discovery, saw the influx of loggers, farmers and tradesmen; and watched as new neighborhoods grew up around them both.
The most accurate way to determine a tree's age is to measure its growth rings. Simply start from the center and count to the outer edge. The outermost rings are the youngest. As the tree grows in the spring, it produces larger, faster-growing cells, which have a light color. During the summer, the cells are smaller and slower growing. The difference makes the familiar alternating light and dark circles. Together, a light and dark ring represent one year of growth.
Scientists can use the width of the rings to determine whether subsequent years were "bad" or "good" for the tree. If the width is less, the tree may have experienced drought or other hardships. Looking at other trees of the same species in the same area should show a pattern. This would pinpoint a year of atmospheric climate change, which future samples can be matched to. This science is called dendrochronology. Some species work better for this study and samples of their ring history can be traced back for several thousand years.
It is possible to tell the general age of a tree without cutting it down. You will need to know a little about the tree, primarily what species it is. The first way, is to measure the circumference of the tree 4.5 feet from the ground. Then, calculate the diameter by dividing the circumference by pi. Multiply this number by the species' average growth factor, which you will have to find online. The factor varies between 2, for say a cottonwood, to 8, for slower-growing horsechestnuts. This should give you an approximate age, accurate to within a few years. A second way, is to count the number of branch whorls that some species produce annually. Again, start at about chest high and count upward.
I happened to find a fallen tree, which had been cut with a chainsaw to clear it from the trail. It was impossible to tell when it fell. The cut was not new. The branches had long ago broken off and only a 10-foot section of the moss-covered trunk remained. I tried counting the rings. The outer rings are easy enough, with obvious variations between the light and dark sections. The lighter, harder rings also were slightly raised. As you approach the center, however, the rings are so small it becomes difficult to tell where one ends and the next begins.
After a few recounts, I came to 59. However, I also measured the diameter of the tree, which was 56 inches. Based on the nearby trees, I assume this tree is either a Douglas fir or a hemlock. If I divide the diameter by pi, then multiply it with a growth factor of 5, the tree would actually be 90 years old. Since, I can't be sure where on the tree the cut was made or what species it is, the growth factor number may not be accurate. As you can see, there is a large variance between the age estimates. The rings provide a more accurate count.
Counting the rings can tell us other information, too. The distance between the rings on one side of the tree is much greater. There are also larger rings around the 40-year mark. This could mean that those years were more conducive to the tree's growth and it was growing in a particular direction for sunlight. The tree, at 45 years old, may have sustained an injury or disease, indicated by a large black mar.
In the scope of this forest, BT's alder is relatively young. Further down the hillside, there are giants: hemlocks and older bigleaf maples. White oaks are coming back where the forest thins. Occasionally you find a Pacific madrone, vine maple, spruce or other colonist in the mix.
I pass, a set of twins. These two have held on together for a long time, joined at the trunk, splitting about 4 feet from the ground. Should I call this bigleaf one tree or two? The bark is a brownish-gray of lattice work grooves, unlike its paler, smoother teens at the top of the hill. The two trunks are immense, stretching up overhead to a verdant display of green five-fingered leaves waving in the warm breeze. A jay warns me to keep my distance. You never know a human's intention.
I have no intention of harming these giants. I find my tape measure. It is too short. Sixty inches barely reaches half way around one trunk. If my math holds, it would make these trees more than 175 years old. Perhaps, I think, someday, BT's children will walk here, touch these deep wrinkles and admire the years that created them.
Tip: Morning light, evening light. Those are the two best times for photography, right? But, keep in mind that a lot of things don't "wake up" until they warm up. Several flower species, including many water lilies, open later in the afternoon when there is more light. You'll probably also notice, on your way back, that the butterflies just decided to get out of bed.


Overall, marijuana legalization has been a huge success for Colorado. Legal weed has been bringing the state big bucks since 2014, and it's even helped keep the parks clean.
Now, the city of Aurora, Colorado, has found a positive way to put some of its new pot cash to good use by channeling $1.5 million of tax revenue from cannabis sales toward helping the homeless, Huffington Post reports.
Earlier this month, the Aurora City Council announced a series of nonprofit organizations that would receive portions of the $1.5 million—a third of the $4.5 million the city expects to receive from marijuana sales taxes over the next two years.
Colfax Community Network, an organization that works with low-income and homeless families temporarily living in motels, will receive $200,000. Other chunks of the money will be used to supply nonprofits with vans to assist in "metro-wide homeless outreach" and more.
"We wanted to be able to show citizens that we are having a positive impact on the community," Bob Roth—city councilman and former chairman of Aurora's legal weed committee—told the Denver Post last October, back when the idea to funnel marijuana tax revenue toward combatting homelessness was originally presented.


text:
Assessment of COVID19 linked fear perception in the community of Pakistan 1 June to 31 July 2020
Authors: {'first_name': 'Wajiha', 'last_name': 'Ali', 'middle_name': 'Waqar'},{'first_name': 'Amber', 'last_name': 'Malik'},{'first_name': 'Rabia', 'last_name': 'Basray'},{'first_name': 'Wajiha', 'last_name': 'Haq'},{'first_name': 'Muhammad', 'last_name': 'Malik', 'middle_name': 'Wasif'},{'first_name': 'Muazam', 'last_name': 'Ranjha', 'middle_name': 'Abbas'},{'first_name': 'Ambreen', 'last_name': 'Chaudhry'},{'first_name': 'Nosheen', 'last_name': 'Ashraf'},{'first_name': 'Hussain', 'last_name': 'Ali'},{'first_name': 'Mumtaz', 'last_name': 'Khan', 'middle_name': 'Ali'},{'first_name': 'Jamil', 'last_name': 'Ansari', 'middle_name': 'A.'},{'first_name': 'Aamer', 'last_name': 'Ikram'}
Introduction: Fear is the normal response to any perceived threat especially when it comes to contracting a new disease resulting in stress and anxiety. This study was conducted during the peak epidemic phase of COVID-19 in Pakistan to assess fear level among Pakistani population regarding COVID-19. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted during June-July 2020 in Pakistan. A pre-designed questionnaire based on "Fear of COVID-19 Scale" was distributed through email and social media platforms. Descriptive analysis was conducted and frequencies were calculated. Each response scored as 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The fear level was categorized as high (>20 score), Moderate (14-20 score) and low (<14 score). Inferential analysis was carried out using multiple logistic regression, at 95% confidence interval and p<0.05. Results: A total of 489 individuals were contacted and 404 individuals participated in this study (RR: 83%). Mean age remained 29 years (±14.5), males were 54.5% , literacy rate was 90.1%, employed were 89.1%, previously infected with COVID-19 were 49.5% and unmarried were 58.4%. The fear level remained as high (32%), moderate (38%) and low (30%). Multiple logistic regression showed that male (OR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.82-3.70, p=0.01), previously infected with COVID-19 (OR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.65-3.71, p=0.004) and high education level (OR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.18-4.71, p=0.03) remained significantly associated with the high level of fear. Conclusion & Recommendations: It is evident that a COVID-19 linked fear exists in different groups of Pakistani community especially among the previously infected cases and high educated persons. Therefore, there is a need to design and implement public health interventions according to the high risk for mitigation of COVID-19 linked fear.
Keywords: Fear, COVID-19, FCV-19S, Pakistan, contracting, stigmatization
DOI: http://doi.org/10.31646/gbio.119
The novel coronavirus, now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged from Wuhan, China in December 2019, and has been expanded from an epidemic to pandemic with continuously rising cases and deaths worldwide.(1, 2) With a high transmission rate and moderately high mortality rate worldwide, people started fearing COVID-19. It has been documented that most people are afraid of coming in contact with the persons who are infected by SARS CoV-2, which leads to stigmatization. One peculiar contrasting feature of infectious diseases, as compared to other ailments is "fear", which is connected to disease transmission rate as well as with increased risk of death and disabilities.(3) The current mitigation strategy of COVID-19 worldwide is centered on disease control, successful immunization, and clinical management modalities, and the psychosocial aspect still has not drawn much attention (4, 5). Thus, countries must take considerable steps to promote psychological wellbeing and alleviate the individual fear to achieve a society free of COVID-19 disease and minimize its post-recovery psychological effects.(6) Different studies had been conducted in Iran (6) and Eastern Europe (7) on fear perception in the context of COVID-19. In Pakistan, a study was conducted using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale to assess the fear among nurses (8) along with another study using the URDU translated version of the same scale in general population of KPK province.(9) Keeping psychosocial impacts of disease in consideration, we conducted a cross-sectional study using the pre-design "Fear of COVID-19 Scale" (FCV-19S) with the objective to evaluate the level of fear and its factors among the Pakistani population.
This was a cross-sectional study using voluntary response sampling technique to recruit respondents.
People living in Pakistan are included in the study population which is estimated to be 220,892,331 at mid-year of 2020, with 51.96% males and 60.83% between the ages of 15 and 64 years.1
Individuals having social media access and the capacity to comprehend and read English were included in the study. Participation was voluntary and filling of the questionnaire signifies informed consent.
Study duration
This study was conducted from 1 June 2020 to 31 July 2020.
Study tool
The questionnaire, based on "Fear of COVID-19 Scale" developed by Ahorsu et al (6), was made available online for the participants. The FCV-19S comprises of seven questions that were designed to assess fear of COVID-19 infection. A 5-point Likert scale was used for scoring questions ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The total score of the scale ranged from 7 to 35, hence quantifying the level of fear.
Sampling technique
Voluntary response sampling has been used; online questionnaire was sent to a total of 489 individuals out of whom 404 responded.
The link to the online questionnaire was disseminated through social media platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter. The data was collected regarding basic demographics, fear perceptions and factors. The data was compiled and managed in MS Excel for analysis.
Descriptive statistics were conducted for demographic variables. The mean score was calculated for the responses against the seven FCV-19S items. A score <14 was graded as low level fear, a score ranging between 14 and 20 was moderate level, and a score >20 was high level fear. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used for carrying out descriptive analysis. Odds Ratio (OR) had been calculated and multivariate analysis was carried out using multiple logistic regression, at 95% confidence interval and P<0.05, to analyze the significant association between the demographic variables and level of fear. STATA software was used for carrying out multiple logistic regression.
The online questionnaire was shared with a total of 489 individuals, of which 404 responded voluntarily (Response Rate: 83%). Participants have been categorized in four groups on the basis of age in years as 1-20, 21-40, 41-60 and > 60 years with the mean age as 29 years ±14.5 SD. Two hundred and twenty (220,54.5%) were males (Figure-1) and the majority of the participants (236, 58.4%) were unmarried. A total of 316 participants (78.2%) had a high level of education (graduates and postgraduates), whereas 48 respondents (11.9%) had education up to secondary and higher secondary level. A total of 89.2% were employed, and majority of respondents (33.6%) were healthcare workers, followed by government employees (20.8%). The majority (192, 47.5%) of participants were from Sindh province followed by Punjab (20.8%). Of the total participants, 200 (49.5%) were infected with COVID-19 previously. Socio-demographic variables of the study participants are presented in Table-1.
Age and gender-wise distribution of study participants (n=404) from community of Pakistan from 1 June to 31 July 2020
Socio-demographic characteristics of study participants (n=404) from community of Pakistan from 1 June to 31 July 2020
Socio-demographic variables
Participants n (%)
Married 168 (41.6)
Unmarried 236 (58.4)
Educational Status
Secondary +Higher Secondary 48 (11.9)
Graduate + Postgraduate 316 (78.2)
Others 40 (9.9)
Student 64 (15.8)
Government employee 40 (9.9)
Private employee 8 (2.0)
Healthcare professionals 136 (33.7)
House wife 12 (3.0)
Unemployed 44 (10.1)
Others 100 (24.7)
Infected by Covid-19
Yes 200 (49.5)
No 204 (50.5)
Provincial status
Sindh 192 (47.5)
Punjab 84 (20.8)
Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa 29 (5.9)
Balochistan 20(5.0)
Islamabad 76 (18.8)
Gilgit Baltistan 4 (1.0)
Azad Kashmir 4 (1.0)
Total 404 (100)
The scale depicted a great Cronbach's Alpha proportion of interior consistency or reliability (0.900).The total score of the scale ranged from 7 to 35. The mean score calculated for the seven FCV-19S items was 17 (± 3.03). In the full sample, 45% of the population showed a moderate level of fear. Table-2 describes the frequency analysis of responses towards the seven item COVID-19 fear scale.
Frequency analysis of responses from community of Pakistan towards COVID-19 fear (n=404) from 1 June to 31 July 2020
Strongly Agree (5)
Neither Agree nor Disagree (3)
Disagree (2)
Strongly Disagree (1)
1 Do you feel fear of Covid-19 48(11.9) 140(34.6) 108(26.7) 64(15.8) 44(10.8)
2 Does it make you restless when you think about Covid-19 48(11.9) 96(23.7) 112(27.7) 72(17.8) 76(18)
3 Do your hands become cold when you think about Covid-19 4(0.9) 16(3.96) 44(10.8) 164(40.5) 176(43.6)
4 Do you feel difficulty in sleeping because you worry a lot about Covid-19 8(1.9) 12(2.9) 40(9.9) 144(35.6) 200(49.5)
5 Do you fear of losing your life because of Covid-19 8(1.9) 64(15.8) 112(27.7) 88(21.7) 132(32.6)
6 Do you become anxious while watching news on TV or social media about Covid-19 52 (12.8) 124 (30.6) 120 (29.7) 44 (10.9) 64 (15.8)
7 Do you feel your heart beat getting fast when you think about getting Covid-19 28 (6.9) 56 (13.8) 52 (12.8) 108 (26.7) 160 (39.6)
Different factors affecting fear levels of respondants were studied. Chi square test showed that factors including gender, education, marital status, occupation and province of residence were associated with the different level of fears. The results are tabulated in Table-3. Multiple regression analysis was employed to control for confounding and to observe association of different factors with fear levels. This analysis revealed that high level of fear was significantly associated with being male (OR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.82-3.70, P=0.01) and a history of COVID-19 infection (OR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.65-3.71, P=0.004), while higher education was observed to have a protective association against moderate (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.18–0.811, P=0.01) and high (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.17–0.66, P=0.002) fear levels as compared to other education group. Married persons had lower odds of having high fear (OR: 0.55 95% CI: 0.21–0.69, P=0.001). Results of multiple logistic regression are presented in Table-4.
Risk perception analysis of community of Pakistan towards COVID-19 (n=404) from 1 June to 31 July 2020
Fear level
Low Moderate High P-value
male 51 96 72 <0.002*
female 72 60 52
Covid infection
infected 69 78 52 0.08
uninfected 54 78 72
group 1 4 20 4 <0.0001*
group 2 111 124 100
group 3 8 12 20
married 56 72 40 <0.03*
unmarried 67 84 84
student 20 24 20 <0.0001*
govt. employee 19 16 4
private employee 0 8 0
Health care professionals 32 52 52
house wives 8 4 0
unemployed 20 8 16
others 24 44 32
Islamabad 24 28 24 <0.0001*
Sindh 76 64 52
Punjab 15 40 28
KPK 8 8 8
Balochistan 0 12 8
Gilgit 0 4 0
AJK 0 0 4
*P<0.05 taken as significant
Multivariate analysis of different factors and fear levels (n=404) among community of Pa-kistan from 1 June to 31 July 2020
Levels of fear
Variables Moderate level OR (95% CI)P-value High OR (95% CI) P-value
Base outcome: female 0.99 (0.54–1.78) 0.97 2.09 (1.82 – 3.70) 0.01*
COVID-19 infection
Base outcome: No 1.47 (0.84-2.58) 0.17 2.18 (1.65–3.71) 0.004*
Group-2 (graduate and post graduate education) 0.38 (0.18–0.811) 0.01* 0.33 (0.17–0.66) 0.002*
Group-3 (other education)
Base outcome: Group-1 secondary and higher secondary education 1.34 (0.62–2.91) 0.46 1.08 (0.52–2.29) 0.819
Base outcome: unmarried 0.34 (0.19_-1.62) 0.0001 0.55 (0.21–0.69) 0.001*
People having infectious diseases are more prone to fear due to its virulence, high transmissibility and unexpected deaths which reduces rational thinking leading to stigmatization and social isolation.(10) Its consequent complications and deaths increase negative feelings and thoughts (11, 12, 13) and these apprehensions can lead to sleep deprivation, outrage, irritability, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.(14, 15) There are several socio-demographic and psychosocial factors associated with mental health problems in the COVID-19 pandemic like age, gender, marital status, education, and economic challenges, including unemployment, loss of income, or reduction in economic opportunities due to lockdown or other social measures.(16, 17, 18, 19)
Schools and universities have remained closed, while working hours in private workplaces, public institutions, restaurants, and entertainment places are restricted so that the infection can be contained. When the psychological aftermath of home isolation during the pandemic is explored, it is inferred that this practice has protective effect on physical health though has adverse psychological and economic consequences.(20) Studies have shown that staying at home increases depression, health anxiety, financial concern, and loneliness.(21, 22) All limitations and practices have further increased the fear and anxiety of individuals for COVID-19.(10) A 39 year old COVID-19 infected man with a complicated psychiatric disorder, diabetes and obesity died alone at home in March 2020 in Italy.(23) Hence, it became utmost important to analyze the effect of fear among population of Pakistan. Our investigation featured the underlying psychological responses to the fear against theCOVID-19 pandemic during the period of highest reported cases in Pakistan i.e. 1 June to 31 July 2020.
Irrespective of norms, our study results revealed males showing higher levels of fear as compared to females. This is interesting as literature has shown that females are more inclined towards stress, depression and anxiety.(24, 25) Likewise, a study conducted in India showed females had 1.29 times essentially higher chances to fear COVID-19 in contrast to their male counterparts.(26) The female gender is more prone to suffer from mental health problems in several studies.(27, 28, 29, 30) One possible justification for our study finding could be that males had more outdoor activities (31) and more chances of interaction with others which subsequently made them to be more afraid as they could possibly carry the pathogen to their homes.
Expectedly, fear level among COVID-19 affected individuals came out to be high when compared with uninfected individuals. This study is conducted during the peak epidemic time,2 hence fear of contracting the disease, and chance of transmitting it to their beloved ones and elements of stigmatization, all lead to excessive perception of fear against COVID-19 which is in accordance with a study conducted in Iraq (32) and India.(33) Empirical studies implied that patients who contracted COVID-19 had experienced adverse mental health consequences.(34, 35, 36) Moreover, a case from India suggests that COVID-19 may critically impact psychosocial wellbeing and influence suicidal attempts among the infected individuals, which may also aggravate if the patient has other comorbidities.(37)
High levels of fear were observed among highly educated individuals which might be due to the reason that they use social media more frequently as compared to their less educated counterparts (38) hence have the tendency to acquire unnecessary worry about the unusual consequences of COVID-19 disease.(39) Several studies have depicted that exposure to COVID-19 related social media contents or mass media news have adverse effects on mental health amid COVID-19.(35, 40) Lei and colleagues reported that low education was associated with poor mental health outcomes.(41) In contrast, Zhou and colleagues found that students in senior high school and having higher grades had a greater prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms.(27) Similarly, Wang and colleagues reported that those with a bachelor's degree group had a depression risk of 0.39 times compared to those with a master's degree or above.(37) This evidence highlights that education may have some protective roles as seen in the study by Lei or Liang and colleagues, but later studies emphasized that the added academic stress may affect mental health during this pandemic.
Married people had more sense of responsibility and they become distressed easily, hence more likely to become anxious and afraid. But surprisingly, an intriguing finding of our study was that the unexpected heightened fear was found among unmarried as compared to married individuals which is contradictory to the findings of a study conducted in Bangladesh.(42) Marital status was associated with mental health status among individuals experiencing mental health problems during COVID-19. In a study, it has been depicted that insomnia was related to marital status among medical staff in Ningbo, China.(30) Another study reported that the severity of psychiatric symptoms in the workforce returning to the workplace was significantly associated with marital status.(27)
As depicted earlier, this study revealed association of COVID-19 fear levels with different factors in Pakistani population. Stigmatization had been created because of the infodemic which had a profound negative effect on the control of the pandemic. In order to deal with this situation, it is recommended that efforts should be made to provide precise and valid information to the public along with the updated guidelines and recommendations about quarantine and isolation protocols. Moreover, risk assessment, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) regarding psychological effects of COVID-19 among vulnerable population should be the focus of the concerned authorities. There is also a dire need to design, develop and implement different public health interventions for mitigation of COVID-19 linked fear in the society which will eventually help the government to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
There are certain limitations in our study, such as voluntary response sampling technique, recruitment of people with smart phone, internet accessibility and good comprehension of English. Hence, the results could not be generalized as they depict a large proportion of responses from educated persons. Since the fear level of uneducated person might be different, a need arises to use the translated version of this fear scale.
Implications of the study
Our study suggests that there is a need to conduct a more comprehensive prospective study with a bigger sample size and including all socio-economic segments of the society to probe deeply into the fear levels and other relevant psychological issues among the masses. Though FCV-19S is a simple and convenient tool to evaluate fear level, but it is desirable to formulate more relevant psychological health assessment tools which may be more brief with high accuracy and specificity.
Authors declare no conflict of interest
Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of National Institute of Health.
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This trailer for the Afro Samurai director's cut is beautiful
Devin Nealy 1:54 am Mon Nov 14, 2022
As anime began to invade the Western mainstream in the early 2000s, several Japanese studios and creators started to tailor their projects with an overseas audience in mind. Although creators like Hirohiko Araki pioneered the trend in the late 80s by routinely naming characters after popular Western bands, the practice of constructing characters and plots with universal appeal in manga and anime practically became standard by 2003. With its heavy use of hip-hop elements, the groundbreaking Samurai Champloo(2005) helped anime and manga gain further traction in the West. It wouldn't be too long before the Samurai and hip-hop fusion would inspire other awesome series.
One of the biggest anime projects of the 2000s was Afro Samurai, which employed the talents of the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA for its soundtrack. Despite its intense popularity in the era, Afro Samurai has become slightly forgotten over the years. However, thanks to a new director's cut book written and illustrated by the manga's creator Takashi Okazaki, a new generation of fans can become acquainted with the character. In the video linked above, you can check out the trailer for the new collection.
The trailer for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves looks like the MCU is the DM
Of all of the nerd-centric properties to become cool in the last couple of decades, Dungeons & Dragons is the most unlikely one of the bunch. Since its debut, D&D has been… READ THE REST
Get ready for Harley Quinn's "Very Problematic" Valentine's Day special
A strong character in her own right, Harley Quinn is defined by strong relationships. When Paul Dini and Bruce Timm first conjured the character for Batman: The Animated Series in the 90s,… READ THE REST
The trailer for Polite Society is a gift to all action fans
Action movies are in an interesting position. On the hand, the genre has undergone a massive resurgence following the success of the John Wick movies, which have served as the template for… READ THE REST
Get elite privacy online with this VPN subscription, now 74% off
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Privacy is one of the things… READ THE REST
Stay warm and toasty while unpredictable winter weather rages with this Personal Desk Heater
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Once winter rolls around and we… READ THE REST
This ridiculously cool light will instantly change the vibe in any room.
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At RMS we believe the driving force of our success is our employees and investing in them is an important part of creating an engaged and committed workforce. We ensure we are developing our staff and increasing their potential to fulfil their own and RMS' objectives. To encompass this, we have two of our permanent consultants partaking in courses to further develop their career and to invest in the future of RMS.
Andrew Walker who has now been with us two years as a perm consultant specialising in technical placements has now started his Level 3 in Recruitment Consultancy.
Andrew has shown great initiative within the last two years therefore we found it paramount to invest in his professional development. The qualification will provide Andrew with routes for progression into a number of more senior roles and further qualifications, also gaining a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Recruitment. Once achieved he will be eligible for professional registration of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals.
As part of our development programme for employees we have enrolled Adam Pearson, who is also a permanent consultant specialising in Engineering placements onto the Level 5 in Operations/Departmental Management Apprenticeship. This course is aimed at those who are able to manage teams and/or projects and have responsibility for planning, delivering and achieving departmental goals and objectives.
Adam has been with us just over a year and a half, with 4 years' recruitment experience within the industry covering temporary, permanent and business development he has shown passion and drive to further develop his role within RMS. To build relationships not only within the company but to gain knowledge in operational and project management.
Adam and Andrew have shown great loyalty, commitment and spectacular work ethic for RMS and have demonstrated great performance. They are a great asset to the RMS team and hope they continue to grow and develop after the completion of their courses.


Liberia maintains a National Data Center (NDC). The NDC monitors Liberian-flagged ships that are 300 gross tons or greater on international voyages.
LRIT provides an enhanced level of Maritime Domain Awareness that is the first of its kind. LRIT is a satellite-based, real-time reporting mechanism that allows unique visibility to position reports of vessels.
The LRIT system consists of the ship borne LRIT information transmitting equipment, Communications Service Providers (CSPs), Application Service Providers (ASPs), LRIT Data Centers, the LRIT Data Distribution Plan (DDP) and the International LRIT Data Exchange. Certain aspects of the performance of the LRIT system are reviewed or audited by the LRIT Coordinator acting on behalf of the IMO and its Contracting Governments.
To ensure compliance with the provisions of SOLAS, the Maritime Security Department supervises the conformance test results of LRIT data and issues a Conformance Certificate. A conformance test is required for all shipborne LRIT equipment, in order to ensure the equipment, as fitted onboard, complies with the provisions of SOLAS Regulation V/19-1.6 and the LRIT revised performance standards and functional requirements.
Pole Star Space Application Ltd.
**For issuance of LRIT certificate, please request that the test results, from one of the 3 authorized ASP's, are forwarded to our Administration in .xml file format.
For further details regarding LRIT, including requirements and procedures for obtaining a certificate, please reference our Marine Notice, ISP-003 (Rev. 06/12).


text:
About PA Master Naturalist
Become a Master Naturalist
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ANROSP
EXPAND!: Unit 3.
We're All Connected:
Ecology and the Circle of Life:
This section contains items you should use, do, pursue, read, join, or whatever to develop as a naturalist and to learn about ecological cycles and connections in Pennsylvania.
Change your perspective. Lie down or use a blindfold for 5-10 minutes.
Reflect:
What do you perceive now that you hadn't before? When lying down or blindfolded you are more vulnerable? How does that influence your ability to sense what's around you?
Write a letter to a friend about your experience. Pay careful attention to using sensing words, describing what you felt. Try not to name an item directly. Draw the sounds you hear at your spot. Don't draw the actual object (e.g. a bird) but draw what it sounds like.
Silent Spring. Rachel Carson. 2002. Houghton Mifflin: Boston, Massachusetts. 400 pp.
The anniversary edition of her 1962 seminal work on the effect of ecological degradation, Rachel Carson initiated the environmental awareness movement in the United States. The book serves as a warning of the health risks we expose ourselves to as a consequences of the environmental practices we use.
Click here to see what libraries carry this title (via Worldcat.org) .
Click here to see Amazon information.
Insects and Gardens: In Pursuit of a Garden Ecology. Eric Grissell. 2006. Timber Press Press: Portland, Oregon. 345 pp.
This book describes the role of insects in garden ecology, particularly the ecological relationships between insects and plants. By accepting the organisms usually considered pests, Grissell suggests gardeners can create ecologically-balanced spaces that are easier to maintain.
Ecological Society of America:
https://www.esa.org/esa/
The Ecological Society of America is the professional organization for ecologists in North America. While they may be a bit academic, they have a marvelous series on contemporary ecological problems called:
Issues in Ecology available at: https://www.esa.org/esa/science/issues/ .
The Penn State Cooperative Extension:
https://extension.psu.edu/
The Penn State Cooperative Extension is a part of the College of Agricultural Sciences and provides educational resources for the community based on university research. They have a section devoted to yard and garden issues, offering practical education and problem-solving assistance. With ideas for compositing, growing produce, caring for your lawn and garden, and water features, the Cooperative Extension helps ensures that homeowners have the necessary tools to keep environmentally-friendly properties.
Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild:
http://phillybeekeepers.org/
Started in 2009 and now a non-profit organization, the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild meets once a month at the Wyck House in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. The organization strives to promote urban beekeeping and spread awareness about the importance of bees in the environment. Although membership is not required to attend the monthly meetings, the Guild encourages all to become yearly members and enjoy the benefits of discounted admission to special events, group rates in the purchase of beekeeping supplies, and cooperative ownership of honey extractors and an observation hive.
Check out the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association, which started in 1904. http://www.pastatebeekeepers.org/ . This site includes state inspection and research information, as well as activities and information for children.
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society:
http://www.phsonline.org/
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) is a non-profit organization started in 1827 with the mission to motivate "people to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture." PHS sponsors a variety of shows (including the Philadelphia Flower Show), competitions, and programs, including Garden Tenders and Tree Tenders. These programs aim to provide community members the tools and knowledge necessary to start and maintain community gardens and trees in the five-county Philadelphia Region. Members receive special pricing for special events, educational programs, and garden visits throughout the year, receive the PHS News, discounts at local garden centers, and more.
Unit 4: Creatures of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Go Back to:
Unit 2: Rocks, Ice and Dirt
Updated: June 2018
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