Texas' 'Save The Stacks' Group Aims To Salvage Closed Copper Plant's Smokestacks

EL PASO, Texas (AP) ? People in this West Texas city spent decades trying to close a massive copper plant they said spewed fumes that made their eyes teary, their lungs burn. Workers got sick and blamed the company. A hill near a college campus gradually turned black as the towering smokestacks churned out heavy emissions year after year.

The people claimed victory when the ASARCO copper smelter finally shut down in 1999. Now, more than a decade later, some who opposed the plant are banding together in a long-shot effort to prevent the demolition of the plant's iconic smokestacks that have dominated the local skyline for nearly half a century. The chimneys, they say, are a mark of the city's industrial heritage and should be preserved as a monument to workers who fell ill due to toxic materials incinerated at the sprawling site.

"I want them to stay as a reminder that people in a democracy can stand up like David to Goliath and win," said Daniel Arellano, a former acid plant operator who suffers from myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood and bone marrow disease, after working at the plant from 1975-1999.

Arellano is among a group of former workers and residents who are supporting the cause of Save the Stacks, a group dedicated to raising money to purchase the site before the towers are demolished in early 2013. But the trustee in charge of cleaning and selling the 153-acre property said he has given the group enough time to raise the funds and has already made up his mind to tear down the last remaining pieces.

Still, the group believes there is a chance to save the hulking towers and turn them into the nation's tallest monument. Standing at more than 820 feet, the tallest chimney took 29 days of round the clock concrete pouring to build and rises higher than the Washington Monument or the St. Louis Arch.

"They want to wipe away our history," said Robert Ardovino, a member of Save the Stacks. "As a city we deserve something good to come from it and a giant slab of asphalt and a box store is not it."

The towers' red and white stripes and ASARCO sign can be seen from miles away amid the mountains near the Mexican border. They were a significant addition in 1966 to a copper smelter that opened in 1887 at the banks of the Rio Grande.

It operated for more than a century until it was shut down amid complaints of polluting the area while incinerating materials from a military facility that produced chemical weapons from World War II. ASARCO filed for bankruptcy in 2005 and four years later placed $52 million in a trust to clean up the area.

The towers were to be demolished last spring but the trustee granted a one-year moratorium so Save the Stacks could have time to raise money and show the structures were stable. They still have a long way to go to raise enough funds. They have collected less than $40,000 and estimate it would cost about $3.9 million to keep the smokestacks standing. The group also failed to get any financial backing from the city, which instead passed a resolution supporting the group's mission as long as it does not mean spending public money.

The trustee, Roberto Puga, said he now has no choice but to tear down the towers because potential buyers don't want them there. He said it would cost about $14 million to insure, update and maintain the stacks over 50 years and doubts the group will ever find the money.

"If there was a guardian angel that said, 'I'll write you a big check,' he would have done it by now," Puga said.

Still, Save the Stacks isn't ready to give up. The group has recruited public officials to help convince Puga to save the smokestacks.

"We will talk with him and continue to talk with him until he pushes the button," Ardovino said.

The towers are surrounded by the University of Texas at El Paso and an empty stretch of desert being developed with upscale apartments. The plant's construction more than a century ago ushered in an era of industry in El Paso that eventually expanded into businesses such as apparel factories and other types of assembly plants. The plant also helped grow many other businesses such as utility companies and railroads and brought good-paying jobs to the area.

"People came for a better way of life," said local historian Jackson Polk. "There was a good middle class, now kids from a smelter town could go to college. But it also brought dangers."

The memory of those dangers has some in this community divided on whether the towers should stay or go.

Alice Delgadillo, who works at a supermarket, wants Puga to push ahead with the demolition.

"If they don't serve a purpose, why have them?" she said.

Others, such as Juan Cameros, are more sentimental.

"It will be very sad for the people of El Paso if they bring them down. For the families of the men that worked there," he said while at a local Laundromat. "I had a teacher, her father worked for many years to provide for his family. It would be sad for everyone."

Mariana Chew, an activist working with the former ASARCO workers, wants the site turned into a museum and a center for environmental studies. She also wants to create a fund to address the health issues and medical expenses of the former workers.

But for most workers, pursuing more money in the courts is not worth their while since the company has filed for bankruptcy and is likely to offer a minimal payout.

They say that's why preserving the towers is so vital for them.

"That's the gun right there," Arellano said, looking up at the towers. "They want to throw away the smoking gun."

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/06/texas-save-the-stacks_n_2415910.html

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Self Improvement Times: Coping With Stress at the Workplace ...

The workplace is arguably the primary source of stress for most working people. From beating deadlines to dealing with co-workers, stress is part of the normal daily routines on the job. The intensity of stress varies depending on the type of work. Some jobs are innately more stressful than others, especially those that involve danger to life such as combat-related duties.

Fight or flight

Stress factors, job specifications and situations may vary but stress is fundamentally an instinctive physiological and psychological reaction. Stress is based on the "fight-or-flight" instinct reaction to danger or perceived danger. However, even without actual danger stress reactions still occur and usually lead to health-related problems if not properly managed.

Many of the debilitating and chronic diseases that plague humans today can be directly attributed to recurring stress reactions. Diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and cancer are just some of the serious illnesses that could be prevented with the help of stress management.

Stress management

Coping with stress at work is primarily a psychological function that requires some practice. Different individuals may react with varying degrees of stress given the same situation and stress factors. Some people are easily irritable while others are more resilient. Regardless of the individual differences, effectively managing stress can be divided into three general categories.

Attitude - Coping with stress will largely depend on individual attitude. People who are generally optimistic in their outlook in life can adjust better to the various challenges in life. As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Positive attitude can be learned and practiced. It is mainly about hope and good prospects, focusing on finding solutions rather than being burdened by problems.

Relaxation - When the situation becomes too stressful, simple deep breath exercise can help. It can increase blood oxidation and improve circulation. Relaxation techniques do not need to be expensive or complicated. Finding a quiet place at the office where one can collect composure, for instance, can help in relaxation. Listening to soft music may also provide some relief.

Efficiency - Being organized and highly efficient at work can help employees coping with stress simply because the piling up of tasks will be avoided. Accomplishing the required tasks will also provide some sense of accomplishment. Efficiency at work can be achieved by eliminating procrastinations and by having well-defined daily plans.

Social skills - People who are friendly and easy to like are less likely to experience stress due to uncooperative and rude co-workers, including bosses. Developing good social skills can also help employees move up in the corporate ladder and be given leadership responsibilities. Social skills are oftentimes more valuable than technical skills especially when it comes to large organizations.

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Source: http://selfimprovementtimes.blogspot.com/2013/01/coping-with-stress-at-workplace.html

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Phobia The Usual Attack Women - Health, Medical & Fitness ...

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Source: http://kitarebogli.blogspot.com/2013/01/phobia-usual-attack-women-health.html

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Detroit police: U.S. has a gun problem and the epicenter seems to be here

Violent crime in Detroit shadows the landscape like its rows of abandoned buildings, but now the city faces a new precedent, even as gun-related killings decline nationwide: More people were killed here last year than at any time in the past 20 years.

"America has a problem with guns, but the epicenter seems to be here in Detroit," Interim Detroit Police Chief Chester Logan said at a news conference Thursday, as city officials reported 386 criminal homicides in 2012, the highest since 1992.

"As the chief of police in the city of Detroit, I take a certain amount of blame for the spiraling gunplay in the city," he said, "but one of the things you should realize, and everybody here in this room should realize, is that gunplay is a national problem.?

Logan is correct: The United States is in the throes of another cultural self-examination about guns after the horrific deaths of 20 children and six adults at the hands of a 20-year-old gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Other city officials and urban crime experts say the problem is not just guns.

"At least two-thirds of the homicides in Detroit are related to drug sales, disputes between people selling drugs or disputes between people owing people money about drugs," said David Martin, director of the Urban Safety Program at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Martin has researched police reports in all parts of the city to examine crime patterns. He says Detroit's police have to develop more effective methods of dealing with the city's drug economy and its consequences. "And that's very difficult," Martin told Yahoo News.

Detroit reported 411 homicides in 2012, 25 of them deemed "justifiable" by FBI crime reporting standards. Still, the remaining 386 represent 54.6 homicides per 100,000 residents, according to the Detroit Free Press. In 1993 the rate was 57.6 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing also pointed toward community-based causes and, potentially, solutions, but he stopped short of singling out drugs or guns. "The release of annual crime statistics reminds us of the senselessness of crime and violence in our community; the challenges facing our police force; and the need to improve conflict resolution and other anti-crime initiatives," he said in a statement.

Statistically, said Martin, Detroit harbors a range of factors that would contribute to a high homicide rate. The city has a high proportion of young men aged 20-29, he said. That age group accounted for 131 homicide victims and has demographic connections to the drug trade. The number of young men in the city who struggle with dysfunctional families and the high number of vacant homes in Detroit make matters worse.

"Groups of thugs have taken over the neighborhoods, and they can do what they please," Martin said. "It's like the Wild West out there."

Possible solutions addressing the homicide problem could be found in working with that age group, Bing said. "We've got to wrap our arms as best we can around these young folks and let them know that when they get into these kinds of situation it doesn't necessitate a gun; it doesn't have to necessitate a fight."

The mayor said he would meet with Detroit public school officials to try to engage young people in the city. He also promised more communication with local media in 2013 to address the problem.

Martin said the dramatic increase appears to have motivated city, county, state and federal officials to address Detroit's violent crime problem.

"There is a full-court press going on," he said. "There's probably going to be a revamping of each of their crime-fighting strategies. The magical number of 400 homicides seems to spur action."

The city reported a 2.6 percent overall decrease in major crimes such as aggravated assault, burglary and rape, officials said. But it also experienced year-over-year increases in car thefts and robberies.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/detroit-reports-highest-homicide-rate-in-20-years-192557311.html

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6 Russians die in snowmobile crash in Italy

Rescue workers aboard a snowmobile recover the bodies of six people who died following a sled crash on Mount Cermis, northern Italy, early Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Six Russians were killed and two others were injured after their snowmobile slammed into a fence and flipped over into a ditch during a night run down an Italian ski slope. The Russian consul general in Milan, Alexei Parmonov, said on Russian state television that he was in contact with Italian investigators, who he said suspect the crash was caused by excessive speed. They also were checking the possibility of a mechanical malfunction. (AP Photo/Federico Modica)

Rescue workers aboard a snowmobile recover the bodies of six people who died following a sled crash on Mount Cermis, northern Italy, early Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Six Russians were killed and two others were injured after their snowmobile slammed into a fence and flipped over into a ditch during a night run down an Italian ski slope. The Russian consul general in Milan, Alexei Parmonov, said on Russian state television that he was in contact with Italian investigators, who he said suspect the crash was caused by excessive speed. They also were checking the possibility of a mechanical malfunction. (AP Photo/Federico Modica)

Rescue workers recover the bodies of six people who died following a sled crash on Mount Cermis, northern Italy, early Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Six Russians were killed and two others were injured late Friday after their snowmobile slammed into a fence and flipped over into a ditch during a night run down an Italian ski slope. The Russian consul general in Milan, Alexei Parmonov, said on Russian state television that he was in contact with Italian investigators, who he said suspect the crash was caused by excessive speed. They also were checking the possibility of a mechanical malfunction. In 1998, a U.S. Marine jet, flying low on a training run from a nearby air base, accidently sliced a ski gondola's cable on Mount Cermis, sending the cable car crashing to the ground and claiming 20 lives. (AP Photo/Federico Modica)

Red Cross personnel stand in the area where six people died following a sled crash on Mount Cermis, northern Italy, early Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Six Russians were killed and two others were injured after their snowmobile slammed into a fence and flipped over into a ditch during a night run down an Italian ski slope. The Russian consul general in Milan, Alexei Parmonov, said on Russian state television that he was in contact with Italian investigators, who he said suspect the crash was caused by excessive speed. They also were checking the possibility of a mechanical malfunction. (AP Photo/Federico Modica)

Italian alpine rescue workers on a snowmobile recover the bodies of six people who died following a sled crash on Mount Cermis, northern Italy, early Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Six Russians were killed and two others were injured after their snowmobile slammed into a fence and flipped over into a ditch during a night run down an Italian ski slope. The Russian consul general in Milan, Alexei Parmonov, said on Russian state television that he was in contact with Italian investigators, who he said suspect the crash was caused by excessive speed. They also were checking the possibility of a mechanical malfunction. (AP Photo/Federico Modica)

Members of the Italian alpine rescue team recover the bodies of six people died following a sled crash on Mount Cermis, northern Italy, early Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Six Russians were killed and two others were injured after their snowmobile slammed into a fence and flipped over into a ditch during a night run down an Italian ski slope. The Russian consul general in Milan, Alexei Parmonov, said on Russian state television that he was in contact with Italian investigators, who he said suspect the crash was caused by excessive speed. They also were checking the possibility of a mechanical malfunction. (AP Photo/Federico Modica)

(AP) ? Six Russians were killed and two others were injured when their snowmobile slammed into a fence and flipped over into a ditch during a night run down an Italian ski slope.

RAI state radio reported early Saturday that the crash occurred on an unlit slope late Friday on Mount Cermis in northeast Italy.

The Russian consul general in Milan, Alexei Parmonov, said on Russian state television that he was in contact with Italian investigators, who he said suspect the crash was caused by excessive speed. They also were checking the possibility of a mechanical malfunction.

Russian news reports said the snowmobile was pulling a sled, which is where most of the passengers were sitting.

Parmonov identified the four men and two women who died in the crash. Five of them and also one of the injured men were tourists from Krasnodar, a region in southern Russia that includes Sochi, which is preparing to hold the 2014 Winter Olympics.

One of the dead women and the other injured man worked in Italy in the tourist industry.

The Russian diplomat gave the names of the dead: Denis Kravchenko, Irina Kravchenko, Vyacheslav Sleptsov, Yulia Yudina, Lyudmila Yudina and Rafilya Pshenichnaya. The injured, he said, were Boris Yudin and Azat Agafarov. All except Pshenichnaya and Agafarov were tourists from Krasnodar.

Yudin's 17-year-old son, who stayed behind in the hotel, lost his mother and sister in the accident, while his father was hospitalized with multiple fractures, Parmonov said.

In 1998, a U.S. Marine jet, flying low on a training run from a nearby air base, accidently sliced a ski gondola's cable on Mount Cermis, sending the cable car crashing to the ground and claiming 20 lives.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-05-EU-Italy-Sled-Crash/id-26af2126b4d74137987cc89895ef1248

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Accused Ohio rapists may not get fair trial, lawyer says

(Reuters) - Two Ohio high-school football players accused of raping a teenage girl may not get a fair trial after a photo and video allegedly associated with the case were posted on the Internet by the computer hacking group Anonymous, a lawyer for one of the accused said on Friday.

Ma'lik Richmond and Trenton Mays, both 16 and members of the Steubenville High School football team, are charged with raping a 16-year-old fellow student last August, according to statements from their attorneys to local and national media.

Their juvenile court trial is scheduled for February in Steubenville, a city of 19,000 about 40 miles west of Pittsburgh.

The case shot to national prominence this week when Anonymous activists made public a picture allegedly of the rape victim, being carried by her wrists and ankles by two young men, and of a video that showed several other young men joking about an alleged assault.

Richmond's lawyer, Walter Madison, said on CNN that his client was one of the young men in the photograph, but does not appear in the video.

But the picture "is out of context," Madison said. "That young lady is not unconscious," as has been widely reported.

"A right to a fair trial for these young men has been hijacked," Madison said, adding that social media episodes such as this have become a major threat to a criminal defendant's right to a fair trial.

"It's very, very serious and fairness is essential to getting the right decision here," he said.

Mays' attorney Adam Nemann could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday. In an interview on Thursday with Columbus, Ohio, broadcaster WBNS-10TV, Nemann raised concerns about the effect the Anonymous postings could have on potential witnesses in the case.

"This media has become so astronomically ingrained on the Internet and within that society, I am concerned witnesses might not want to come forward at this point. I would be surprised now, if there weren't witnesses now who might want to start taking the Fifth Amendment," Nemann told the station.

The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution offers protection against self-incrimination in criminal proceedings.

The case has also been a challenge for local officials because of conflicts of interest. Both the local prosecutor and police have close ties to the school that the defendants attend.

As a result, the case is being investigated and prosecuted by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine's office.

Interviewed on CNN on Friday, DeWine said it was not unusual for his office to prosecute or investigate cases in small towns where close ties within the community caused conflicts of interest to arise.

He also voiced concern about how social media may affect the case.

"This case needs to be tried not in the media, not in social media," DeWine said.

He said Anonymous' attempt to shame the alleged attackers had actually harmed the victim.

Not only is the victim hurt by the initial crime, but "every time something goes up on the Internet, the victim is victimized again," DeWine said.

(Reporting by Dan Burns and Peter Rudegeair; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/alleged-ohio-rapists-may-not-fair-trial-defendants-172701236.html

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2013 Southern Entrepreneurship in the Arts Conference - Asheville ...

http://ncartseveryday.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Entrepreneurs-UNCG-278x300.jpg

UNCG is gearing up for its fourth annual Southern Entrepreneurship in the Arts Conference, which helps artists learn how to make a living from their passion.

The event, hosted by the North Carolina Entrepreneurship Center and the university?s Entrepreneurship Cross-Disciplinary Program on Saturday, Feb. 9, will feature artists and other speakers sharing how to develop successful ventures. The conference drew more than 350 attendees last year, comprised of emerging and mid-career artists and students.

?The conference is intended to assist artists in going from survival to success with hands-on tools they can implement the next day,? said Dr. Dianne H.B. Welsh, conference co-chair and founder. ?This is about having artists work full time on their art and not have to supplement with outside employment.?

The conference in Elliott University Center will feature a full day of entrepreneurial training by experts across the visual, performing and literary arts. The theme for the 2013 conference is ?Connect, Collaborate, Create,? with topics including ?Artists and Community Engagement: New Thinking Yields New Options,? ?Music Without Borders: Building a Career Though Unconventional Collaborations,? ?Out of the Office ? Leaving the Corporate World,? ?How to Be a Profitable Artist? and ?My Dream on the Giant Screen.?

The opening speaker will be Roy Underhill, host of PBS? ?The Woodwright?s Shop? and founder of The Woodwright?s School. The lunch keynote will be Dennis Quaintance, CEO and chief design officer of Quaintance-Weaver Hotels and Restaurants. Other speakers include Harvey Robinson from Monkeywhale Productions; singer-songwriter Laurelyn Dossett; sculptor Ken Thompson; writing and publishing couple Deb and David White; and Doug Borwick, author of the new book ?Building Communities, Not Audiences: The Future of the Arts in the U.S.?

The conference will be preceded by the popular ?Iron Pour? at sculptor Jim Gallucci?s studios on Friday, Feb. 8.

The cost of the conference, which includes all sessions, meals and a reception, is $60 for the general public and $40 for students. A limited number of stipends for UNCG students are available (visit http://entrepreneurship.uncg.edu for scholarship forms). The Iron Pour is $15, followed by a $10 reception at the studio.

Key sponsors for the event include North Central College, The Coleman Foundation, UNCG?s Entrepreneurship Cross-Disciplinary Program, AT&T, American Express, PostcardMania, UNCG?s Center for Creative Writing in the Arts and Cheap Joe?s Art Stuff.

For more information and to register, visit http://seac.uncg.edu.

Source: http://ashevillebusinessnetworking.com/2013/01/2013-southern-entrepreneurship-in-the-arts-conference/

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Congress Approves $9.7 Billion In Sandy Flood Aid ? CBS New York

A destroyed home is viewed along the beach in the Belle Harbor on January 2, 2013 in the Queens. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

A destroyed home is viewed along the beach in the Belle Harbor on January 2, 2013 in the Queens. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork)?? Part one is done.

The House of Representatives and Senate approved a Hurricane Sandy relief bill on Friday. That means checks could soon be in the mail for tens of thousands of storm victims to repair their homes and businesses, CBS 2?s Marcia Kramer reported.

It passed the Senate quietly. New York Sen. Charles Schumer oversaw a voice vote that took just seconds.

But in the lower house, fury over delays caused by Speaker John Boehner in taking up aid for Sandy provoked vitriol.

?How dare you come to this floor and make people think everything is okay?? Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) said. ?Who the heck are you kidding? This is a total, total disaster in helping those people that we are pompously saying today pontificating about we?re helping them.?

?Talk about fiddling while New York City burns,? added Rep. Nydia Velasquez (D-N.Y.)

And after the vote to approve $9.7 billion for the federal flood insurance program, Long Island Rep. Peter King admitted to CBS 2?s Kramer that even though Speaker Boehner relented and allowed the vote, he still harbored some hard feelings.

?I?m not going to carry a grudge, but on the other hand I will be more skeptical as we go forward,? said Rep. King, a Republican. ?I will be more suspicious as we go forward because I know of all the pressures that are on John Boehner and even though I trust John, I realize things can happen.?

Among the things that can happen are problems with the big Sandy aid bill, the $51 billion appropriate that the House is supposed to take up Jan. 15.

?To be a bride and left at the altar once is bad enough. To be left twice would be unconscionable,? Sen. Schumer said.

About 120,000 Sandy-related flood insurance claims have yet to be closed out, claims like the one filed by Clifford Fusco of Staten Island. Washington inaction has so far prevented him from getting money to fix his storm-ravaged home.

?They haven?t even contacted me about what I might be getting or settlements or claims, what I?m getting, what I?m not getting. I?m out in the open. I know one thing, I paid them for 40 years,? Fusco said on Thursday.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called approval of the flood insurance money just a down payment. They want the remaining $51 billion passed quickly, saying it is instrumental to the region?s long-term recovery.

Please share your thoughts below?.

Source: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/01/04/congress-to-vote-on-superstorm-sandy-flood-aid/

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Report: Senior al-Qaida in N Africa member killed

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) ? An Algerian newspaper says the right-hand man to the head of al-Qaida's North African branch was one of seven insurgents killed by the army last week.

El Watan reported Saturday that the New Year's Day operation killed Izza Rezki, the finance chief for Abdelmalek Droukdel, the head of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. The paper cited anonymous security sources.

Algerian authorities did not comment the report.

The Algerian Defense Ministry announced the operation Tuesday but only identified those killed as members of a terrorist group.

Such government statements are rare in Algeria's long battle with AQIM, underscoring the importance of the operation. AQIM is headquartered in Algeria, but noted mainly for its reach in Africa's Sahel region with kidnappings of Westerners and its takeover of parts of northern Mali.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-senior-al-qaida-n-africa-member-killed-164801811.html

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