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Our vacation hiatus is coming to an end, and our new season will begin. We'll begin recording this coming week to start season 4. In the meantime, here's an analysis on what we just saw from the Robert Mueller hearing.
Alright I've been up for 3.5 hours and had my prerequisite 2 cups of coffee so let's go through all the stuff that just happened. I'll start with a summary of t
"There's no doubt our environment needs fixing ASAP, but our crumbling infrastructure is just as bad, and it negatively impacts our environment by being incredibly inefficient and dirty. We can actually do something about it now."
As much as I rag AOC for being generally kind of terrible when it comes to things like facts and truth, her style contrasts with Amy Klobuchar's in an interesti
"...there are three fully-baked candidacies in this primary process: hardcore Bernie partisans, pissed-off Hillary partisans, and people who think Sanders is too divisive to be an effective nominee..."
Of the two candidates who ran for the Democratic Party’s nomination in 2016, one of them has declared unequivocally that she won’t run for President while the o
"The language in the Constitution is loose - the threshold being "high crimes and misdemeanors." During the Clinton Administration, impeachment was politicized and weaponized almost beyond recognition. No matter what happens, the GOP will accuse Democrats of doing to Trump what they did to Clinton."
I will defend Nancy Pelosi until my dying breath. By virtually any objective measure (such as they are), she's the most skillful legislator since the Johnson Ad
In general Michael Cohen corroborated everything we've known about Trump from his days as a sh*tty Manhattan developer to his days as a sh*tty President of the
A lot of people confuse the moment for the person because it's hard to take a longer historical perspective on things. The Democratic Party needed someone to ch
(Update at the bottom)
🍊: "I don't care what you want, I'm still going to have the State of the Union Address"!
👩⚖️: "I LITERALLY said you could either postpone it until we reopen the government because it costs a lot of money to secure the capitol, and federal employees are not being paid right now OR you could write a letter OR you could broadcast from your office. Just not on the floor of the House."
🍊: "Look, I'm the President and you're just some lady, and I can do whatever I want. I'm your boss. If I'm saying I'm going to have the State of the Union Address on the floor of the House of Representatives, then that's what I'm going to do"!
👩⚖️: "Well first, a few things... Number one, you are not my boss. Number two, technically within the walls of The House of Representatives, I wield more power. And number three, no you can't do whatever you want".
🍊: "I'm going in"!
👩⚖️: "Forcing your way in even after a woman says no, how on brand that is for you".
🍊: "I don't even understand what that means. But in any case I'm still coming in! Try to stop me!"
👩⚖️: "I'll direct the Sergeant-at-Arms to lock the doors and keep you from coming in"
🍊: "Wait, what?! You can do that???"
👩⚖️: "Yep".
🍊: "You're bluffing".
👩⚖️: "Perhaps, but boy it sure would be a shame if you're seen on National Television trying to open up the doors and it won't budge. That would be pretty embarrassing for you. I'm sure the ratings would be 'BIG'."
🍊: "You wouldn't dare".
👩⚖️: "Perhaps. Then again I can just let you in and have the State of the Union, but I'll instruct the Sergeant-at-Arms to not allow any cameras or recording inside the chambers."
🍊: "... You bitch".
👩⚖️: "😊"
The best part about my hypothetical scenario, that I originally shared amongst friends, was that only a couple hours later Chris Baugh informs me that Nancy Pelosi sent an open letter to Trump informing him that until he votes to reopen government, he is not invited to enter the chambers, as is her right to deem so.
-Eddie Reyes, The Rundown
A recap of what has transpired in the last two days:
1. Much of the Federal government is still shut down, so Federal employees and contractors are not being paid.
And because of that...
2. Speaker of The House, Nancy Pelosi, sent an open letter to Trump saying it would be best to cancel the State of The Union Address, since it would require hundreds of unpaid Federal employees from several sectors of law enforcement to secure the Capitol.
And that angered Trump, so he hinted that...
3. Despite the open letter, the State of The Union was going to happen anyways.
EXCEPT THAT...
4. The Speaker of the House is the one who invites the President to speak.
So instead, Pelosi offered three alternatives, like...
A.) Passing the bill that passed the House of Representatives to re-open the government and get Federal employees paid, therefor paving the way for the State of The Union Address.
Or...
B.) Make a written State of the Union Address (something that had been done before prior to the advent of radio broadcasting in 1920).
Or...
C.) Broadcast The State of The Union Address at his desk in the Oval Office.
However, according to sources close to the White House, despite those reasonable suggestions Trump felt slighted and embarrassed, so he decided to retaliate by announcing that he was...
5. Canceling Nancy Pelosi’s scheduled foreign trip.
EXCEPT THAT...
6. Pelosi had already planned to reschedule her trip prior to her trip to visit U.S. troops abroad if deemed necessary.
This is what it looks like when children throw a tantrum in front of seasoned adults. It’s also another reminder that while Pelosi is playing expert level chess, Trump is still reading the instructions for playing Candy Land.
-Ed Reyes, The Rundown
Correction: This has been updated to reflect that Nancy Pelosi and her small delegation had planned to reschedule her trip if necessary, not that they already had as previously stated.
Latest article from Chris Baugh
Trump won a minority election by a whole lot of votes. His job as the President is to build support among A MAJORITY of the population. And a majority of people
A brief written piece on how large scale construction projects like, I dunno, let's say a wall-- often go over budget. https://www.therundownpodcast.com/news/wallpaper
Anyone who has worked on large scale construction projects from the economics side of things, will tell you it is common for them to run over budget and behind
The Rundown Musings
by Ed Reyes
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Freshman Congress woman Rashida Tlaib (Democrat from Michigan) was sworn in today on a Koran. Aside from having Ms. Tlaib be a member of an incoming class that will see more diversity injected into our politics, this, is a non-story. But like so many things on the internet, something so seemingly insignificant can get bloated and distorted to fit any given narrative. The latest narrative coming from some on the far right: Her swearing in on a Koran is an assault on Christianity and the values that this country was built upon.
Let's forget for a second that she isn't even the first Muslim to hold a seat in Congress, and that we've continued to have followers of Islam for awhile now (former Rep. Keith Ellison, now the Minnesota AG, is Muslim for example). Also, let's forget how some of us conveniently ignore our history, to once again help shove that square peg fit in the round hole so that a false narrative will work.
Fact #1: The earliest Americans came here to escape persecution, religious or otherwise. This is 4th grade American history.
Fact #2: Thomas Jefferson is one of our greatest founding fathers (many argue THE greatest and most agree is the head architect of our democracy). Which leads me to...
Fact #3: The Koran Congress woman Rashida Tlaib was sworn in on was owned by President Thomas Jefferson. Yea, that guy.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to quietly sit back now and sip my tea.
-Eddie Reyes, The Rundown
The Rundown Evening Brief
by Ed Reyes
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Still hoping to get billions of dollars for a wall he promised for years that Mexico would pay for --instead of spending that money on the needs of our military veterans, the homeless, elderly, education, etc-- Trump concluded his meeting with party leaders this early evening, with nothing to show for it. Still a government shutdown continues, as many thousands of us federal employees for the 12th day. Democrat leaders insist that once they take control of the House of Representatives tomorrow, a bill will be proposed to reopen the government, get employees paid, but with the caveat that there will be no funding for a wall.
***A reminder on the effectiveness of walls***
Things Walls can defeat: people on foot
Things that can defeat Walls: ladders, tunnels, airplanes, hot air balloons, gliders, expired visas, tourism, siege weapons, Mongolians...
-Ed Reyes, The Rundown
May this episode reach you with kindness and happiness this holiday season! It's Episode #40.
Also, on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rundown-podcast/id1156720556?mt=2
In this last episode of the year we discuss the irony that certain members of the Democratic party profess the need for civility, but often lack it themselves, we discuss the importance of compromisin
I'm starting to think this guy's not a good President*
*sarcasm. It's clear he's not.
Heads up. In the next few days you're going to be reading and hearing some outlandish accusations levied in the direction of Democrats regarding last month's election. News recently came in that the House GOP Campaign Arm claimed it was hacked during the election cycle. I'm already hearing from people that some in the GOP believe THAT'S how the Democrats crushed it in November. You'll hear that the Democrats managed to acquire Republican campaign strategies and THAT'S THE REASON WHY they lost so badly.
It's not because the Democrats had better messaging, campaigned better, that it was a referendum on Donnie boy --and more importantly --that they ran better candidates...no, no, it's the hacking!*
*frothing sarcasm
-Ed Reyes
The Rundown Afternoon Brief
by Chris Baugh
****************************************
Whole bunch of sketchy sh*t going on with the GOP right now in the wake of the absolute apocalypse they had last month:
1. In NC's 9th Congressional district, it appears a paid operative (Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr.) for the GOP's campaign there went to Democratic households, took their ballots, and then threw them away. If this sounds illegal, it's because IT IS VERY ILLEGAL. The Board of Elections refused to certify the results and they might be forced to call a new election.
2. In Wisconsin and Michigan, the GOP lost both governors' races (and the WI AG race), so they're now calling lame duck sessions of the legislature to restrict those offices as much as humanly possible. None of this is surprising given that the GOP did the exact same thing when Roy Cooper won the gubernatorial election in NC 2 years ago. Basically, the legislature greatly empowered the disasters that were Rick Snyder and Scott Walker, and now they're pretending they *just* realized that they may have given the offices of governor too MUCH power. Oh, and in Wisconsin, the GOP has near-super majorities despite only winning 40-odd percent of the popular vote because of aggressive gerrymandering.
The degree to which the GOP is trying to straight up ignore voters' wishes either by kneecapping the democratically-elected executive officers or BY THROWING AWAY THEIR BALLOTS is as breathtaking as it is unsurprising.
And the media - outside of a few outlets - is NOT covering it. Charlie Pierce has the run-down.
This just in! Episode #39
We discuss the strengths & weaknesses of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, how white(and old) the Republican party is, some of our new favorite female politicians, what good legislation looks like, the kinds of policies the Democrats will be pushing in 2019, and we run a mock draft for who we think are the best Democrat Presidential candidates for 2020. Those topics and more.
Also, on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rundown-podcast/id1156720556?mt=2
We discuss the strengths & weaknesses of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, how white(and old) the Republican party is, some of our new favorite female politicians, what good legislation looks like, the kinds
So the Federal Judicial nominee who was behind suppressing black votes in the early 90s, and most recently supporting North Carolina voter ID laws that targeted black Americans, was blocked by Jeff Flake. But wait! There's more! Jeff Flake needed somebody else to back him up on the block. So it was only fitting that the one and only black Republican Senator, Tim Scott, joined him.
Donnie, Mitch, look I'm sorry. Did you think 'The Black Guy' (as you probably know him) was going to back you up just because he was in your party? You probably figured that he'd be cool with his own people getting screwed over yet again, huh? That's cute.
-Ed Reyes, The Rundown
VP Mike Pence has the nerve to host a conference on World AIDS Day at the White House (currently happening right now as I type this). This is the same man who, while Governor of Indiana, ordered the closing of the Planned Parenthood in Scott County which was the only HIV testing center in the county. Later an HIV outbreak occurred there, and Pence stood his ground to do nothing about it because of his 'moral' opposition to a needle exchange program, which has been proven to drastically reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.
-Ed Reyes, The Rundown
Paul Manafort violated his plea deal as he continues to lie Some quick thoughts about the Manafort news today (basically Mueller said he violated his plea deal
![Read the latest pieces by Chris Baugh and Eddie Reyes' on the so-called Green New Deal and [realistically] what it would...](https://img3.medioq.com/384/231/1996061183842310.jpg)
Read the latest pieces by Chris Baugh and Eddie Reyes' on the so-called Green New Deal and [realistically] what it would take to achieve a 100% green or renewable-powered country in a decade or two. All on our new website. https://www.therundownpodcast.com/
Home
Seasoned Democrats try and keep from drowning in a constant deluge of what-ifs, half truths, falsities, and fear as many from the Progressive bloc clutch to the
This was almost certainly how it was going to go, especially since the entire Press world got behind Acosta. It's just always nice to see when the legal system works properly & expeditiously.
The freedom of the Press shall not be impeded. Not even if you don't like that the truth they bring to light makes you look bad. The Press exists to serve the Will and good faith of The People, not to massage or coddle one man's ego.
-Ed Reyes, The Rundown
(story via CNN)
Federal judge Timothy J. Kelly sided with CNN on Friday, ordering the White House to reinstate chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass.
With a seemingly endless stream of misinformation, we take a more in-depth look at the 52nd & 55th (same person) Speaker of The House, Nancy Pelosi. In case my
We don't strictly deal in just humor, but this was worth sharing for the laugh alone:
Now that the midterm elections are over (most of them anyways; at this moment Florida is heading for 3 recounts including the Governor's race and the Georgia Governor race is still too close to call), we will be returning to our regular recording schedule. Our next podcast will be coming very shortly. -TRD
BREAKING
1.) Automatic Recounts in 3 races in Florida, including the Governor's race.
2.) Kemp resigns as Secretary of State of Georgia, after several lawsuits filed demanded he remove himself so that a proper tally of the votes can be done to decide whether he or Abrams wins the Governor's mansion.
The Rundown Evening Brief
by Ed Reyes & Chris Baugh
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Eddie:
With the recent news of Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III (actual full name) being fired, a lot of people are freaking out...Is this the end of the Mueller probe? Is he going to get away with it?! WHAT EVEN MATTERS ANYMORE!!!
So to help stave off rioting in the streets and burning of effigies, here is some perspective:
This is not that bad, especially now that the Dems took the House. If Rosenstein (who is the Deputy AG overseeing the probe since Sessions recused himself long ago) is also fired it will trigger several things, including the new head of House Intelligence, Adam Schiff, and federal judges to immediately file subpoenas and open additional investigations into Trump's financials. Which is something we all know he does not want. There's nothing he can do about that happening either. Also, Robert Mueller is a brilliant investigative attorney and former head of the FBI, so he saw this happening a long time ago. He more than likely has measures in place if and when Trump decided to fire Sessions/Rosenstein. What those are, no one knows. But be sure Mueller's the best at his job.
This is the beginning of a looong process. Keep in mind Trump is essentially doing what Nixon did all those years ago, almost move for move, and we all know how that turned out. The difference is, Nixon was really smart.
-Ed Reyes, The Rundown
Chris:
Don't freak out about the Sessions news. Trump telegraphed it for months, which means Mueller has been planning for it for over a year. Remember: these guys aren't that smart and their power has limits. Mueller took down Enron and 2 Mafia families. This is his biggest case but it's certainly not the smartest bunch of rich thugs he's encountered. My guess is that Trump is getting desperate and will use the next 2 months to throw as much sand in the gears as possible, and Mueller will be ready for every sad distraction he comes up with.
This is a guy who wore a white shirt to work every day for 13 years. You don't sneak s**t by him.
-Chris Baugh, The Rundown
To quote the great King Theoden, "And So It Begins"...
The former senator was an early supporter of the president but then he quickly lost the president's favor because he recused himself from the Russia investigation.
My first take from this survey was: not surprised at the results. Non-Conservatives and women are much more likely to believe and support supposed victims of sexual assault? I'm shocked! (thick sarcasm)
My second take was: not much has changed for the better on the dark & weird side of this issue (a.k.a. those who don't like the movement). Actually, they've probably gotten worse. One of the biggest issues I have is the notion that there are a lot of women who are willing to lie about a sexual assault to get attention. The concept that somebody would willingly open up themselves to harsh public scrutiny --especially when you consider how vicious social media can be-- and the certain legal ramifications such as imprisonment if found out by investigators that a false accusation was made, just to get attention, baffles me. Do you think women and men accusing others of sexual assault are more likely to make up a story to get a few more likes on their Facebook post, or maybe get invited to some pity party? I don't know, are there people out there giving out Michael Kors bags and free puppies to people who make accusations that I'm not aware of?
I almost forgot. VOTE! Tuesday, November 6th, 2018.
-Ed Reyes, The Rundown
One year after the movement took off, new NPR-Ipsos polls show the nation deeply divided on the issue of sexual assault and harassment. The fissures run more along party lines than gender.
1.) The Mail bomber tried to kill and threaten Trump's critics because he believed what Trump said, that they were enemies of the people and liars.
2.) The Shooter who killed 11 Jewish people did it because of HIAS (a Jewish non-profit that helps refugees), and Trump said refugees are coming to invade and harm us.
If you think that the things Trump says has no effect, that his constant attacks on our democratic institutions are benign, and that his cult of personality poses no threat, you can not possibly possess a functioning brain.
-Ed Reyes, The Rundown
The Rundown Musings
by Chris Baugh
****************************
You can parse definitions and deflect blame but to pretend that the animating spirit of Trumpism isn't very closely aligned with the attacks this week and today is just silly. It's why Trump can't bring himself to condemn it. Because he needs the anger and the hate to keep himself in power. Because he's failed on all of his promises and he's robbing the country blind. Because if reason takes hold his supporters will have to understand that they voted for a fraud and a charlatan based solely on his promise to hold back the future for a few more days. Because the coal jobs aren't coming back and they never were. Because Obama didn't actually destroy their economy, a changing world did. Because America in 2018 is never actually going to resemble America in 1956 or 1789 or whatever year they like to imagine. There aren't solutions to their problems because their problems are existential. Pulling out of TPP hasn't done anything to save American manufacturing. Pulling out of Paris didn't suddenly UNLEASH THE POWER OF AMERICAN ENERGY or whatever.
Once you strip away the hate, the anxiety, the fear of a world that's advancing without them into an uncertain future, what's left as an ideology? When you run out of people to blame, conspiracies to peddle, invented monsters to fear, where can you go? So they blame the monsters of their imaginations - the Jews, Hillary Clinton, the Mexicans, the blacks, the women, the Globalists, the Chinese, the Muslims, the other other other other. People say neither side understands the anxiety of the other side. It's not hard to see how and why they arrive at these ideas, how and why they're motivated to these actions. We are collectively dealing with a planet that's rapidly becoming inhospitable. Of course we understand the anxiety. But do we have to excuse it? Do we have to pretend that it's rational and grounded to blame George Soros for, like, a steel mill closing? As Charlie Pierce eloquently put it, there's a very real darkness in America. And there's one group that uses that darkness and feeds it to animate the last dying gasp of a hollowed-out shell of a movement that gave up on ideas, that gave up on policy, that gave up on anything other than identifying enemies real and imagined, some time ago. So of course it's a movement led by a lifelong failure who has, throughout his life, blamed everyone else for his own shortcomings.
I still have faith that we'll weather the storm, but this week has been a reminder of just exactly what we're up against. It's not a struggle of ideas; it's an existential question of what this country is and what it should be. And the reminders of how a large part of the country feels are getting more frequent and more acute. I cannot believe in the year 2018 we have to say this, but to my Jewish friends, I'm sorry that this ugliness has reared itself again and again. We stand with you. Our nation will always be stronger when it stands united for our common ideals. In closing, not to be too pragmatic, but there are 2 weekends until the election. Go make a difference on behalf of *everyone* that was targeted this week. The biggest rebuke to this politics of hate and fear isn't a Facebook post. It's an electoral wipeout. It's a dark time in America and the path to fixing it starts on Election Day.
-Chris Baugh, The Rundown
(via New York Times)
"Federal authorities made an arrest on Friday in connection with the nationwide bombing campaign against outspoken critics of President Trump, a significant breakthrough in a case that has gripped the country in the days leading up to the midterm elections.
A law enforcement official identified the suspect as Cesar Sayoc, Jr., 56, of Aventura, Fla, just north of Miami.
Mr. Sayoc, a registered Republican, has a lengthy criminal history in Florida dating back to 1991 that includes felony theft, drug and fraud charges, as well as being arrested and accused of threatening to use a bomb, public records show..."
A law enforcement official identified the suspect as Cesar Sayoc, 56, of Aventura, Fla. The official said Mr. Sayoc had a criminal history and ties to the New York area.
(UPDATED Oct. 26th, 2018 10:30am EST)
Senator Cory Booker and Former National Intelligence director James Clapper are the latest targets.
********************************************
Here is the growing list of individuals who have received threatening packages, most containing explosive devices, beginning Monday October 22nd:
President Obama & Michelle Obama
Secretary Clinton & President Clinton
Former Attorney General Eric Holder
Senator Kamala Harris
Former Vice President Joe Biden
Actor Robert De Niro
Billionaire Philanthropist & Democrat donor George Soros (was first to have received a bomb)
Congresswoman Maxine Waters
Former CIA director John Brennan
Offices of CNN
Senator Cory Booker
Former National Intelligence director James Clapper
New York City Mayor Andrew Cuomo*
*no explosive found, but instead contained threatening messages from the Alt-right group 'The Proud Boys'
Democratic candidates like Andrew Gillum, in Florida’s race for governor, are betting that enthusiasm from young and minority voters can reshape the region’s politics.
Here is the growing list of individuals who have received threatening packages, most containing explosive devices, beginning Monday October 22nd:
President Obama & Michelle Obama
Secretary Clinton & President Clinton
Former Attorney General Eric Holder
Senator Kamala Harris
Former Vice President Joe Biden
Actor Robert De Niro
Billionaire Philanthropist & Democrat donor George Soros (was first to have received a bomb)
Congresswoman Maxine Waters
Former CIA director John Brennan
Offices of CNN
New York City Mayor Andrew Cuomo*
*no explosive found, but instead contained threatening messages from the Alt-right group 'The Proud Boys'
Editorial
by Chris Baugh
**************************************
In a larger context, the GOP has abandoned any ideas of being about small government for a long time. They're currently a weird mish-mash of the religious right, libertarians, corporate sponsors, economic nationalists, etc. But for a long time they've been a party that values power over all else. At this point the nascent authoritarianism represented by Trump has taken complete control over the party. The Congress does nothing to check Trump's impulses. They routinely cover for him. They don't serve as any kind of balance against him. What McConnell has done as Senate Majority Leader has eroded constitutional and Senate norms in the singular focus of consolidating power and stocking the courts with people who believe in the unitary executive. They've abandoned whatever kind of moral ground they had (which probably goes to...uh, before Nixon?) in the pursuit of more power. And they've fed conspiracy theories like Ted Cruz's father killing Kennedy, QAnon, and all the other s**t. Alex Jones and Breitbart aren't fringe elements; they're the driving force of Trumpism.
And when you throw your morals on the altar of power, it's only a very small transition to "we can kill them as long as we win." These attacks are presumably politically motivated and inspired and fed not just by Trump's rhetoric but by the entire process the GOP has undergone in its transformation to a party governed first by an authoritarian thirst for power and secondarily by all the other s**t they claim to stand for.
And look, some of these people probably think they're being moral crusaders against the globalist black Jew conglomerate hell-bent on making the frogs gay. But ultimately I don't see a whole lot of difference between a party whose morality has become so corrupt that they can't see the problem with murdering their opponents and a party that has abandoned their morality in pursuit of power.
You can agree with a handful of GOP policies, but at this point being a registered Republican is publicly siding with the guys who perpetrated these fu***ng assassination attempts. There's no both sides, there's no "but Antifa" there's only this very simple reality.
Good for the 2% or so of people who have de-registered as Republicans. I've said that I would torch my Democratic Party membership for far, FAR less than where this s**t has inevitably ended up.
What a dark fu***ng day for America and for the people who will continue to pretend the very obvious relationship between "win at all costs" and assassination attempts don't exist.
-Chris Baugh, The Rundown
Voter Suppression of Minorities Continues Leading Up to Major Elections
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(via CNN & AP)
Secretary of state Brian Kemp, who is running for governor of Georgia, has still not removed himself from overseeing the very election that he himself is participating in. Under his direction he has already suppressed over 50,000 voter registrations (with the vast majority of them being people of color) and now a report comes from CNN that a County in Georgia has disposed of several hundred voter registrations, most of them minority voters.
This all comes on the heels of a story involving even more voter suppression, when a bus full of black senior citizens were pulled off the bus on their way to vote early in Jefferson County.
-Eddie Reyes, The Rundown
One suburban Georgia county has become a flashpoint for concerns over voter suppression for rejecting hundreds of mail-in absentee ballots weeks before Election Day.
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