12.27.2007
What Bhutto's Assassination means in Dollars and cents. . .
-Stocks Fall After Bhutto Assassination-
"NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks fell in Thursday after the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and after the Commerce Department reported a weak increase in durable goods orders. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 100 points.
Bhutto's assassination raised the possibility of increasing political unrest abroad, always an unsettling prospect for investors. Oil and gold prices rose following the news."
News has an impact on everything.
Bhutto Assassinated in Attack on Rally
NEWS MATTERS. Terrible deal for her, her family and for her country. It takes a strong individual to go out and followthrough with their movement when they know the dangers involved.
"The attacker struck just minutes after Bhutto addressed thousands of supporters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, 8 miles south of Islamabad. She was shot in the neck and chest by the attacker, who then blew himself up, said Rehman Malik, Bhutto's security adviser."-ABC News
"Ms. Bhutto’s death is the latest blow to Pakistan’s treacherous political situation, and leaves her party leaderless in the short term and unable to effectively compete in hotly contested parliamentary elections that are two weeks away, according to Hasan Askari Rizvi, a leading Pakistani political and military analyst.
The assassination also adds to the enormous pressure on the Bush administration over Pakistan, which has sunk billions in aid into the country without accomplishing its main goals of finding the Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden or ending the activities of Islamic militants and the Taliban in border areas with Afghanistan.
Ms. Bhutto, 54, returned to Pakistan this year at a time of great volatility in a state that has been under military rule for eight years. She was the leader of the country’s largest opposition political party, founded by her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, one of Pakistan’s most flamboyant and democratically inclined prime ministers."-NY Times
12.26.2007
11.20.2007
DAFT PUNK ALIVE 2007!!!!!
Daft Punk ALIVE 2007 is out now!! WHOOO!!! If you can’t wait to pick up a hard copy from a store click on that good ol’ iTunes store and make it happen. Daft Punk is phenomenal and their show is phenomenal. One of theeee best I have ever seen in my life and I’ve seen a pretty substantial amount everything from Jay Z to N Sync when they were in their prime lol.
If you don’t believe me watch a little bit of this:
The writer-entrepreneur
The future of writing in entertainment. . . interesting article in thee LA Times.
"Visiting a UCLA film class the other night, I was asked to name the most influential filmmakers of our era. The choices were pretty obvious: Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, John Lasseter, George Lucas. . . . As the names spilled out, I realized they all have something in common. They're filmmaker-entrepreneurs, artists-turned-businessmen who helped start their own companies to further their work, became financially independent and created a world that operates under a radically different set of rules from the vacuous studio assembly lines. It's telling that the current strike is about new media yet both sides seem to be following old-school models.
"The world is about to change," Frank says. "Anyone with an Apple computer can make a movie now -- it's never been a more democratic medium. The studios should be very afraid. Once the independent financiers start going directly to writers, things could change really fast. I ask myself every week -- why aren't we all working with them? Look at the movies they've made. They are the new Medicis."- LA Times
RIP Dr. West
Very tough deal for Kanye. I’ve been talking about this with different people since it happened. Anytime you lose someone who is close to you its tough, but especially when it is the person who gave you life it has a horrific effect. Something that I never wish upon anyone. May she rest in peace and may Kanye take the time he needs to get to a point where he can live sanely with it. When stuff like this happens you never fully “recover” you just learn to live with it.
Blows me a way that my father’s fire station went on the call. Hits way too close to home. I hope that we all give extra thanks for the people we have in our life and continue to live everyday like it’s your last and take nothing for granted.
11.07.2007
Trillions: PetroChina shoots past trillion-dollar mark
Why make Billions when we could make . . . . . . . . . . . .TRILLIONS *lol in my best Dr. Evil voice.*
Ladies and Gentlemen economic history (Invest with Caution).
[SHANGHAI -- PetroChina Co. became the world's first company valued at more than a trillion dollars Monday, catapulting over U.S. energy titan Exxon Mobil Corp. as eager Chinese got their first shot at investing in the oil giant when its stock began trading on the Shanghai exchange.
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., sold his entire stake in PetroChina in mid-October. He has urged investors to be cautious about Chinese stocks.
More than 200,000 people have died and millions have been displaced in the Darfur conflict, which pits rebels against militias known as janjaweed, backed by the government. Buffett and other high-profile investors have been pressed by activists to divest themselves of PetroChina shares.]- LA TIMES
"Hovi's Home!"
If you happen to live under a rock and you happen to have your laptop with you under this rock where you then proceed to check out my blog then you may be hearing this for thee first time, Thee new Jay Z album is sick! Well played Trebek with all thee 70s samples! Gotta love it. If your like me it makes me scroll through my ipod to thee “C” section for some old school Curtis Mayfield. So mandatory!
LeBeast James
Whether you are a current athlete, an ex-athlete who dreads thinking about squats or suicides or a girlfriend who watches Sunday football with your boyfriend for extra brownie points, you gotta respect how thee grind to become a superior athlete, correlates to every facet of success in any shape or form.
Very Dope Article Excerpts:
[The average 22-year-old male is, as we speak, staring out the front window of his fraternity house, a beer buzz in his ears, wishing he could stay for 3 more years. But what of the achievers? The thousands of motivated 22-year-olds out there applying to med schools, eyeing MBAs, or maybe busting ass in a meaningful (low-pay) internship? All of those talented, brass-ring-grabbing men have much to be proud of and yet still have to polish up résumés with nothing on them but test scores and student-government presidencies.
We're not saying LeBron James is remarkable for his "God-given talent," as he calls it. Many men are blessed with professional-grade abilities. We're saying that to take what he's been given and invest it in something greater, to operate at an elevated level among his peers, and to do so in the face of world-class pressure and media expectations before he could even take a legal drink, is remarkable. And it's worth further study.
"I grew up and had a sense of direction because I made my mind up early," says James. He describes this fast maturity as a two-stage event. The first came on the court in eighth grade: his virgin dunk. "Every year at our middle school we had a teachers-versus-the-basketball-team game," he says. "I'd never tried one before. I just went up there and got one down. Bam! Everybody went crazy."
"Commitment," he says. "Commitment is a big part of what I am and what I believe. How committed are you to winning? How committed are you to being a good friend? To being trustworthy? To being successful? How committed are you to being a good father, a good teammate, a good role model? There's that moment every morning when you look in the mirror: Are you committed, or are you not?"]- MENS HEALTH
11.05.2007
GOOGLE Phone
Everyone who knows me, knows that I am abnormally obsessed with Google, they think that I work for them and solicit their products. *Disclaimer* I do not work for Google although thatd be rad because they have an amazing work enviroment, I just think that thee creative genius behind the execution of amazing and efficient tools is phenomenal. Their long awaited phone shall be interesting to see. Cheers to thee Techies of the world.
Out of my entire Biography DVD collection The One on Larry Page and Sergey Brin is clearly my favorite!!! So Sick how they Created Google basically from LEGO’S and sheer GENIUS! Anything is possible!!
Interesting Fact for my fellow Mathematics Nerds who already know this.
GOOGLE: "googol a unit of quantity equal to 10^100 (1 followed by 100 zeroes). The googol was invented by the American mathematician Edward Kasner (1878-1955) in 1938. According to the story, Kasner asked his nephew Milton Sirotta, who was then 8 years old, what name he would give to a really large number, and "googol" was Milton's response. Kasner also defined the googolplex, equal to 10^googol, that is, 1 followed by a googol of
zeroes. These inventions caught the public's fancy and are often mentioned in discussions of very large numbers." aka HIGHEST NUMBER IN THEE WORLD
“SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 5 — Google took its long-awaited plunge into the wireless world today, announcing that it is leading a broad industry alliance to transform mobile phones into powerful mobile computers that could accelerate the convergence of computing and communications.
Mobile phones based on Google’s software are not expected to be available until the second half of next year. They will be manufactured by a variety of handset companies, including HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung and be available in the United States through T-Mobile and Sprint.”
"American Gangster"
Of course everyone was obsessed with thee opening of American Gangster this weekend –Over 46 Million Opening Weekend-. An “action packed” movie, with any film that trys to depict non fiction in a fiction form never does it fully justice. Peep thee real article from the words of the real man that’s this movie briefly portrays: Frank Lucas. *Never am I promoting crime at all* Simply insight to the real story.
["Who'd think I'd be in a shit $300 car like that?" asks Lucas, who claims he'd clear up to $1 million a day selling dope on 116th Street.
Indeed, few passersby might guess that Lucas, at least according to his own exceedingly ad hoc records, once had "something like $52 million," most of it in Cayman Islands banks. Added to this is "maybe 1,000 keys of dope on hand" with a potential profit of no less than $300,000 per kilo. Also in his portfolio were office buildings in Detroit, apartments in Los Angeles and Miami, "and a mess of Puerto Rico." There was also "Frank Lucas's Paradise Valley," a several-thousand-acre spread back in North Carolina on which ranged 300 head of Black Angus cows, including a "big-balled" breeding bull worth $125,000.] –NY MAG 2000
J. Torre + Dodgers = Glory
"At 67, Joe Torre is beginning a new chapter as manager of the Dodgers. Renowned nationally, celebrated for leading the New York Yankees to four World Series titles and 12 straight postseason appearances, he is a long way from a formative period when a baseball life may have represented a refuge from the tension of a Brooklyn home in which his father, an NYPD detective, dealt physical and verbal abuse on his family."-LA Times
My grandfather must be doing flips in his grave! Whoooooooo!!!! Ehhhh Dodgers!! Ill be there as usual with my peanuts and ranch sunflower seeds.
10.22.2007
Who Moved My Cheese?
Perfect Easy read. I read it often to stay aware and conscious of change in my life. Perfect timing. Finish out the year strong and prepare to conquer the next!
You can find used copies at Amazon.com for around 72 cents. You probably spend more than that on your morning cup of coffee, or maybe those new heels you just bought, maybe on those new kicks, maybe more on that new shirt you "needed because it wouldnt be there if you waited another day", maybe more than you spent on eating lunch out when you could have planned properly ahead of time and taken with you, or maybe on more than that magazine you bought because someone who is "cool" was on the cover. . . . Just a thought or 2.
Not too shabby to invest in yourself. . .
AMY + London + Live = Goosebumps
Overly dope!!!
Directions: Click on your iTunes, type in "A-m-y [Space Here] W-i-n-e-h-o-u-s-e" and Click "Buy Album" use $7.92 to purchase "iTunes Festival London- Amy Winehouse (Live)"
Its a little collection of glory I like to refer to as Cochlea Crack [Trademark here]. Do your ears thee favor. . . . they deserve it.
R.I.P. Muhammad A. Nassardeen
"Muhammad A. Nassardeen, an entrepreneur who encouraged African Americans and others to patronize African American-owned businesses and promoted the practice as a much-needed strategy for revitalizing the community and addressing problems such as unemployment, has died. He was 54.
Nassardeen, the founder of Recycling Black Dollars, died Thursday after suffering a heart attack in his Inglewood office, said Daniella Masterson, a family spokeswoman."- LA Times
RIP Mr. Nassardeen. Unreal. You will be remembered for all of your glory. Life is short! Live it to thee fullest and be remembered for something that was positive.
RIP Jim Michaels
"When Jim Michaels took the helm of Forbes in 1961--he had joined the company in 1954--he brilliantly turned what was then a second-rate publication into not only the leader of the business category but also one of the best magazines both here and around the world. He virtually created modern business journalism. He saw Forbes as the "drama critic" of business. Under his stewardship, Forbes became the definitive source of who was doing well, and who wasn't, and why. Michaels died Oct. 3 at age 86." - FORBES
I cant even imagine what I would do without my FORBES! Scary thought.
FINFO
FINFO [It’s Your Money]
“Going to college? Need to create a budget? Comparing job offers? Our Sims can help you with your most important personal finance decisions. We've partnered with brokers and other financial institutions so that you can apply for home loans, student loans, and more. Get the info you need and the deals you want!”
Mandatory! check it out, they have some amazing tools that would otherwise cost you thousands of dollars. I highly encourage you to use this amazing resource to thee absolute fullest.
Shouts out to Inman. Job Well done bro.
10.12.2007
"I am one with my BlackBerry."
So my Friend calls me . . . . and I don’t answer because I’m in thee middle of a very important GTalk convo via My CraccBerry as I’m driving which is always safe ::LOL::. (I recommend NEVER doing this) and I immediately receive this message “Dude answer your phone”. At that point I call back and she tells me about this hilarious article that is clearly the story of my life and it’s comforting to know that I’m not the only one who experiences chronic “ringxiety”. Some of my pals have recently converted over to thee dark side, ::Evil Laugh::; CloudHopper, Jess, Tav. . . too many to name. Welcome again. Thanks Kristin for suggesting this winner. I included a tiny taste of thee Glory below. Reading thee entire article is mandatory. Proceed accordingly and Enjoy. If your like me everything they say your response should most likely be “DUHH!!”.
* IS THAT YOUR MOBILE OR JUST FEELING THE VIBE? *- LA TIMES
[If your hipbone is connected to your BlackBerry or your thighbone is connected to your cellphone, those vibrations you're feeling in the car, in your pajamas, in the shower, may be coming from your head bone.
"Some people have biological clocks, I might have a biological BlackBerry."
Anecdotal evidence suggests that "people feel the phone is part of them" and that "they're not whole" without their phones, said B.J. Fogg, director of research and design at Stanford University's Persuasive Technology Lab.
"I'll feel it, look at it. It's not vibrating. Then it starts vibrating," he said. "I am one with my BlackBerry."]
International Billionaire #4 [Self Made]
INGVAR KAMPRAD
Age: 80
Fortune: self made
Source: Ikea
Net Worth: $33.0 bil
+| BACKGROUND: Peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. Started selling furniture in 1947. Now his company Ikea, which sells hip designs for the cost conscious, is one of the most beloved retailers in the world, with an almost cultlike following. Ikea, which has stores in 34 countries, continues to expand into new markets such as Chengdu, China and opened its first store in Japan last April. As egalitarian as his brand, Kamprad avoids wearing suits, flies economy class and frequents cheap restaurants. Has been quoted as saying that his luxuries are the occasional nice cravat and Swedish fish roe. Says his home is furnished mostly with his own Ikea products.
*Forbes*
10.09.2007
GOLD is Good
I LOVVEEEE GOOOLLLLLDDDDDDDD!!!!!
10.08.2007
Think and Grow RICH
This is by far the most helpful and inspiring book ever. Anytime I have the opportunity to buy it for someone I do. You can usually find a copy anywhere they sell books, for under ten bucks. It’s a super quick read and this book will inspire you to read it over and over and over again. Napoleon Hill studied how successful individuals became successful for 20 years!!!! This is THEE 1 stop shop to get your motivation and drive on point. This book with proper application will catapult you to where you want to be in life.
“Success comes to those who become success conscious”-Napoleon Hill
10.07.2007
Report uncovers $146 million in government travel abuses
" WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal employees wasted at least $146 million over a one-year period on business- and first-class airline tickets, in some cases simply because they felt entitled to the perk, congressional investigators say.
An Agriculture Department executive took 25 premium-class flights costing $163,000 and said the extra expense had been authorized by a subordinate. In 10 of those trips, the traveler claimed exceptional circumstances to justify the pricier travel to western Europe, even though agency policy forbids premium-class travel unless the flight time is longer than 14 hours.
"The federal employees who like to stretch their legs while they fly need to realize they've already stretched the taxpayer's purse by $146 million," "-CNN
153 Ways to Go Green
Tip 1:
"Green" your laundry.
Detergents, fabric softeners and bleaches can be toxic to your family and to the environment. Some surfactants and fragrances in laundry detergents contain hormone-disrupting chemicals that can't always be removed by wastewater treatment plants and end up harming local wildlife. Chlorine bleach is not only poisonous for humans, but can create dangerous byproducts, such as dioxin, when flushed down the drain. Get your clothes clean without all of the pollution by switching to eco-friendlier cleaners. The companies Ecover, Sun & Earth, Seventh Generation and OxyPrime make less-toxic alternatives to traditional laundry detergents. Try nonchlorine bleach such as OxyBoost or Ecover's hydrogen peroxide-based option.
$ Factor:
The eco-friendlier detergents and bleaches cost no more than standard products.
Tip 136:
Get your bank statement electronically.
If you're worried about computer hackers, don't. Most banks send you an e-mail with a link to a secure Web site where you can check your balance.
$ Factor:
Instant Internet access means you can quickly see if your bank account is dangerously low, which could end up costing you low-balance or insufficient funds charges. And by reducing your traditional statement collection, you save paper, which means you help save trees.
Tip 140:
Donate clothing and household goods.
Donate clothing and household goods to the environmental nonprofit of your choice. Many charitable groups, including those dedicated to saving the planet, will take such gifts.
$ Factor:
On the pro-environment side, the organization can sell the items in its thrift shop, producing needed income to keep operating. As for your finances, such donations are as tax-deductible as cash gifts to approved groups. Just make sure the donated items are in good or better shape or the IRS could disallow the deduction.
Tip 153:
Improve your home's energy efficiency.
You don't have to go crazy; simple things such as fans, insulated windows and doors, wall or attic insulation, and even window film can cut your residential energy costs.
$ Factor:
In addition to making your home more comfortable year-round and lowering your heating and cooling bills, many common home improvements are eligible for a tax credit on your federal return. Some states also offer similar tax credits. The one-time tax savings range from $50 to $2,000. The lifetime savings could be many times that.
One warning: Many of the common home improvement tax breaks are set to expire at the end of 2007. To guarantee you get the credit on your 2007 return, make the eligible energy improvements by Dec. 31.
--Bankrate
10.05.2007
Wall Street in the Desert?
"he has built a multibillion-dollar investment portfolio that includes top hotels such as New York's Essex House and London's Carlton Tower, extensive real estate holdings, and big stakes in international bank HSBC (HBC) and European planemaker EADS. Now he sees opportunity in creating a regional banking and trading hub, hoping to cash in on the trillions of dollars that have flowed to the Gulf in recent years. "If we develop a strong financial market, it will change the region," Ba'alawy says."-BusinessWeek
"Will biofuel leave the poor hungry?"
Presidential Swagger
Fonzworth Bentley rates the White House hopefuls
"September 27, 2007—If anyone knows how to use manners, confidence, and style to get ahead, it's Fonzworth Bentley. And, as a matter of fact, that's the subtitle of his new book, Advance Your Swagger. To celebrate its release, we asked the hip-hop dandy and man-about-town to rate the... swaggerosity of a crew deeply in need of his advice—the top male presidential candidates."-STYLE
"Ulee's Gold Rolex"
As for something you might actually consider buying, there's Fonda's 18-karat-gold Rolex GMT Master, which starred in Easy Rider's precredit scenes. Expected to fetch around $10,000, it's said to be in decent shape: "You remember the poster boy for the counterculture, throwing away his watch at the beginning of the film as a symbolic revolt against materialism?" asks Doug Norwine, who set up the Fonda auction. "He didn't throw the Rolex. He threw a cheap Timex instead."-STYLE
Apple wireless KeyBoard
Digital Home: From my fellow TECH-ies
Facebook Follies Can Hurt Your Job Prospects
In case you were not aware.
"Evans's worries may not have been unfounded. According to a recently released study, 40 percent of employers would take into consideration Facebook content when evaluating potential hires. Some reported rescinding job offers after finding incriminating content about the candidates online."
From Formula One To Green Machines
"Famed British Formula One race car designer Gordon Murray--best known for the sleek lines of the McLaren F1, a rare, $1 million-plus supercar launched in the 1990s--is doing an about-face. Rather than continuing to craft the racers that won him a following among well-heeled car aficionados, Murray is turning his attention to designing a compact, fuel-efficient urban vehicle for the masses. "
9.28.2007
THEE FORBES 400!!!!
THEE FORBES 400
Who’s motivated by thee new issue of Forbes 400 Richest in America???? I AM!!!! Pick up the 25th Anniversary issue anywhere they sell magazines. Check it out online immediately at FORBES.com For now, here are some interesting facts and motivating figures in the new issue to tickle your fancy.
+| Youngest member of THEE FORBES 400: 33yrs old!!!! – John Arnold
+| Members of THEE FORBES 400 who are entirely self-made: 270!!!
+| Women on THEE FORBES 400: 39!!! [Average Net Worth is $4 Billion]
+| Members of THEE FORBES 400 who live in California: 88
+| Minimum net worth of THEE FORBES 400: $1.4 Billion
+| Average net worth of THEE FORBES 400: $3.8 Billion
+| Collective Net Worth of THEE FORBES 400: $1.54 Trillion Dollars
9.26.2007
"Chanel Budget Vs. Wal Mart Budget After School"
Interesting Article "A hard test in college finances"- LA TIMES
[The bottom line: My indebted scholar would either have to score the starting job of the century or wind up impoverished by her college debt. She'd have the option of repaying it over 30 years at $991 a month, but that would make her education decision cost her $356,608 over that time -- roughly about the cost of a very nice suburban home in almost any city other than Los Angeles.]
Read Full Article at: http://www.latimes.com/business/investing/la-fi-collegetrek9sep09,1,2750582.story?page=2&coll=la-headlines-business-invest
9.24.2007
Other people they want to make friends: Interesting Game. . . I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU ALOT OF MONEY!!!!
Mad Money: Best show ever! Every afternoon and Night on CNBC!
Dubai makin MAJOR moves
" NASDAQ Increases Certainty of OMX Combination
Borse Dubai to become a 19.99 Per Cent Shareholder in NASDAQ;
Restricted to 5 Per Cent Voting Rights
Steps taken to allow DIFX to be rebranded with the NASDAQ Brand
NASDAQ to Become a Strategic Shareholder in DIFX
Borse Dubai Purchases a 28.0 Per Cent stake in LSE From NASDAQ
Analyst and Press Briefing to be Held at 10:30 a.m. CET
NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Borse Dubai Limited ("Borse Dubai") and The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) ("NASDAQ") today announced a series of transactions that will create a global financial marketplace with a unique footprint spanning the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and strategic emerging markets."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read Further Details at Nasdaq.com
9.22.2007
Summer is OVER. Time for Spartan Training
Summer is super over. Why wait until Summer is half way over to get in the gym. . . . here is some pure glory. P90x is amazing, super intense workout, 12 workouts to be exact. Its like having your own personal trainer in your house LITERALLY. Tony Horton is a beast, the guy is 40 somethin and has an incredible body. Also the Ab's diet (6 week plan) is a more cost effective way to go. Includes some great recipes and tells you exactly what to eat and what not to eat. If you dont want to buy the book, check out the latest issue of mens health. In the back of the magazine it has a poster that diagrams what you should eat and how often you should be eating that particular food. Its in an easy to read Colorful- Bulls-eye format.
P90X: http://www.beachbody.com/jump.jsp?itemType=GATEWAY&itemID=63
The Abs Diet: https://secure.rodalequickpay.com/uof/absdiet/index.html
9.21.2007
::Mos Def and Cornell West on BILL MAHER::
B aka Thee WorldSaver called me yelling in my ear about why I didnt watch this yet. Stay up on your Politics. Not only does it affect the economy it affects THEE WORLD. [Watch thee rest via YouTube]
Automatic Billions
If you have thousands of dollars to spend on a Financial Advisor or you are already a Billionaire stop reading NOW. If not then this is a Mandatory book to get you started down the right path. If you know me you most likely received one from Santa Billions last year. If not Pick it up ASAP, its imperative to your existence. Its an easy read for you. I'd imagine you havent divorced your pillow for a "Options, Futures and other Derivatives" book, yet. . . . .
Secret's for BILLIONS
LIFT OFF
Welcome Ladies, Gentlemen, Fellow Grinders, Fellow NERDS, Shoe Heads, Fashionista’s, Artists of every form, and the masses to thee “Get BILLIONS” daily dose of GLORY! All those nights at 4:14AM when I’m UP UP and there’s no one out there who is conscious. . . well now I can just go ahead and get it out on here and everybody can stay in tune!! Also Thee BILLIONAIRES book club can defff jump off via satellite now. For now I’m going to catch up HEROES before Season 2 starts on Monday. . . .
“Wealth is of the heart and mind not the pocket” So we will discuss everything directly and in-directly related to Billions and other topics of Popular interest.
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