The first major league baseball game in history was played without fans. What this has just shown future terrorists, rioters, and various other troublemakers now know is that if you create enough havoc, you can shut down major sporting events in the US.
Baseball's first ever game behind closed doors gets underway
Forty-thousand plus ticket holders were barred from attending "for their own safety". The lesson here for future troublemakers is you can break the US economy if you manage to shutdown enough big-ticket events, the loss in revenue will be extraordinary. Think just in this case, all of the concessions that weren't sold as well as concession workers that went without pay. All of the parking spaces that went empty. The taxis, bars and restaurants that went without the usual flow of customers.
The Baltimore mayor has really set a poor precedence here for safety and now riots are starting to happen in other cities. Getting lost in all of this is the supposed reason why there was a riot in the first place; the death of Freddi Gray. Now, much like the case with Michael Brown, Gray may not have been the victim that we were lead to believe. Reports are starting to come to light that Gray may have been throwing himself around in the vehicle which if true means the riots were for no reason at all.
Of course if ISIS is in fact just waiting south of the border to launch an attack, they have learned a lot in the last few days. Major cities still can be shut down by insurrection. Created enough havoc and shutdown major sporting events and suddenly the US economy starts to tank. Works better and cheaper than any weapon of mass destruction.
“If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.”--Benjamin Franklin
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Baltimore Riots and Jade Helm
The riots in Baltimore have bothered me not just for the violence and chaos but because timing. Somehow a protest over potential police brutality turned into a full scale insurrection. Those on the right are blinded to the inconsistency of how something like this elevated so quickly. They want to believe its just a bunch of hooligans who lack father-figures looking for an excuse to pillage. Those on the left are equally blind clinging to the notion that the violence and chaos are rooted to the African-American community not being heard. There is just enough truth in those arguments for the party-faitful on either side to be satisfied and go off on their respective ideological way without wondering if there is something else going on.
But it is just a little to coincidental that the violence escalated so rapidly stranding thousands of of Orioles fans one night at the ball park. Now MLB has decided to have the Orioles and White Sox play their next game sans fans! I don't think this has ever happened before but everyone is just shaking their heads in dejected resignation that this is best for public safety. Mr. Obama and his new Attorney General have been huddled together but he has been largely absent from this seen. I think Obama and Lynch may see an opportunity.
As I wrote the other day, this could be the impetus for martial law. What I had forgotten about was the curiously clandestine/public joint military exercise "Jade Helm". The joint exercise being headed up by US Army Special Operations Command is an eight week exercise across nine states in the southwest. Special Forces HATE public attention. They work best out of sight, out of mind. This exercise just seemed too inconsistent with how special operators are used. Coincidental to the press release on Jade Helm came reports of Daesh (ISIS) having cells south of the US border and could attack American targets at any time.
Then I read this post on Liberty Alliance website. I have no idea whether the anonymous post is even legitimate but the author shares my views. Jade Helm isn't just an exercise, it is a real operation to thwart an ISIS led invasion of a scale we just can't conceive. The operation will require the imposition of martial law and the mass internment of hundred or thousands of suspects.
Most Americans would balk at such draconian measures to deal with a threat on the Southwest border but the riots of Baltimore may have just come in time to scare people with massive violence. Martial law may not be as unpalatable to Americans as it might have been without the riots in Baltimore.
But it is just a little to coincidental that the violence escalated so rapidly stranding thousands of of Orioles fans one night at the ball park. Now MLB has decided to have the Orioles and White Sox play their next game sans fans! I don't think this has ever happened before but everyone is just shaking their heads in dejected resignation that this is best for public safety. Mr. Obama and his new Attorney General have been huddled together but he has been largely absent from this seen. I think Obama and Lynch may see an opportunity.
As I wrote the other day, this could be the impetus for martial law. What I had forgotten about was the curiously clandestine/public joint military exercise "Jade Helm". The joint exercise being headed up by US Army Special Operations Command is an eight week exercise across nine states in the southwest. Special Forces HATE public attention. They work best out of sight, out of mind. This exercise just seemed too inconsistent with how special operators are used. Coincidental to the press release on Jade Helm came reports of Daesh (ISIS) having cells south of the US border and could attack American targets at any time.
Then I read this post on Liberty Alliance website. I have no idea whether the anonymous post is even legitimate but the author shares my views. Jade Helm isn't just an exercise, it is a real operation to thwart an ISIS led invasion of a scale we just can't conceive. The operation will require the imposition of martial law and the mass internment of hundred or thousands of suspects.
Most Americans would balk at such draconian measures to deal with a threat on the Southwest border but the riots of Baltimore may have just come in time to scare people with massive violence. Martial law may not be as unpalatable to Americans as it might have been without the riots in Baltimore.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Baltimore
As I write this, the riots in Baltimore have resulted in the cancellation of a Baltimore Orioles games. The mayor of Baltimore (who infamously has cleared areas for the rioters to destroy) and the governor of Maryland have declared a state of emergency. The Maryland National Guard has been activated. Now gangs have formed partnerships to target white Baltimore police officers. The riots are supposedly in response to Freddy Gray who died while being transported in a police vehicle.
In the case of Michael Brown, he was killed while being arrested. Likewise Eric Garner was killed by a choke hold during an arrest. Both Brown and Garner were African Americans. Both resulted in riots. The difference though was at least the police were able to argue (unsuccessfully) that Garner and Brown were resisting arrest.
The problem for the Baltimore PD was that Gray had already been arrested and had suffered several injuries. Instead of getting him medical attention, the Baltimore PD threw him into the back of a police wagon which, according to reports, they then did not strap him in allowing him to be bounced around the back while still being handcuffed to the bench and his ankles shackled (what has been referred to as a "nickel ride"). Gray was not the first to die in such a ride.
White-Americans have predictably reacted by condemning African-American culture for the case (stop committing crimes and you don't have anything to worry about). African-Americans have reacted predictably by seeing the events as proof the police are out to get them. Both sides miss that Ferguson, New York and Baltimore has all shown there are a police departments that are becoming alarming unaccountable to the communities that they are sworn to protect.
Now the professional rioters have come in to make a complete mess of things and the African-Amercan community are being duped into thinking this will somehow bring them salvation. White-Americans are equally being duped into thinking this has nothing to do with them. They're both wrong.
We, the Unites States, are dangerously close to Mr. Obama using these events to declare martial law. He has demonstrated little regard for the Constitution and a great indifference to popular opinion (whatever that might mean). In Loretta Lynch has found Eric Holder part deux. Combine that with Mr. Obama's broken campaign promise to eliminate the PATRIOT ACT and we have a recipe unlike anything before in American history.
Mr. Obama and his new Attorney General could easily call all anti-police protestors "terrorists" under the PATRIOT ACT and round them up. This will most likely cause White-Americans who treasure their 2nd Amendment rights to lose their collective shit. Such a wholesale round up of "suspected terrorists" will be seen as a prelude to gun control and firearms confiscation. To prevent White-Americans from rioting, Lynch and Obama could invoke the PATRIOT ACT to require all firearms owners to register with DHS as means to keep the country from devolving into anarchy. Control is assured by preventing whites and blacks from cooperating against a common enemy.
Perhaps this won't happen but then again it is the election season when everyone in Washington is playing to be the next President's favorite. Clinton has been taking some hits in the polls and progressive Democrats are their support more and more behind O'Malley. The only way O'Malley looks bad is if the riots continue to spiral out of control in Baltimore (he was both former Baltimore mayor and Maryland governor) and it comes out that his policies set things in motion for the riots. Clinton has been under attack by the Obama administration so she benefits by watching matters fester in Baltimore in the hopes it rubs off on O'Malley.
Of course all of this distracts us from the matters in the Middle East where thanks to Mr. Obama and Mr. Kerry's pathetic agreement with Iran, Tehran has now more influence in the region (along with increased backing from Russia) than the US. As Americans we still have yet to fully grasp the significance of having 20 percent of our uranium reserves controlled by Russia. The $2.36 per gallon that I just paid at the pump has caused Americans to buy fewer hybrids and electric vehicles making automakers even less interested in developing alternative fuel technology. Russian warships are increasingly more aggressive in the waters off of the UK and our own Navy has been sent into harms way near Yemen only to play chicken with the Iranian Navy. But none of that registers since we are focused on people rioting that aren't even from Baltimore.
In the case of Michael Brown, he was killed while being arrested. Likewise Eric Garner was killed by a choke hold during an arrest. Both Brown and Garner were African Americans. Both resulted in riots. The difference though was at least the police were able to argue (unsuccessfully) that Garner and Brown were resisting arrest.
The problem for the Baltimore PD was that Gray had already been arrested and had suffered several injuries. Instead of getting him medical attention, the Baltimore PD threw him into the back of a police wagon which, according to reports, they then did not strap him in allowing him to be bounced around the back while still being handcuffed to the bench and his ankles shackled (what has been referred to as a "nickel ride"). Gray was not the first to die in such a ride.
White-Americans have predictably reacted by condemning African-American culture for the case (stop committing crimes and you don't have anything to worry about). African-Americans have reacted predictably by seeing the events as proof the police are out to get them. Both sides miss that Ferguson, New York and Baltimore has all shown there are a police departments that are becoming alarming unaccountable to the communities that they are sworn to protect.
Now the professional rioters have come in to make a complete mess of things and the African-Amercan community are being duped into thinking this will somehow bring them salvation. White-Americans are equally being duped into thinking this has nothing to do with them. They're both wrong.
We, the Unites States, are dangerously close to Mr. Obama using these events to declare martial law. He has demonstrated little regard for the Constitution and a great indifference to popular opinion (whatever that might mean). In Loretta Lynch has found Eric Holder part deux. Combine that with Mr. Obama's broken campaign promise to eliminate the PATRIOT ACT and we have a recipe unlike anything before in American history.
Mr. Obama and his new Attorney General could easily call all anti-police protestors "terrorists" under the PATRIOT ACT and round them up. This will most likely cause White-Americans who treasure their 2nd Amendment rights to lose their collective shit. Such a wholesale round up of "suspected terrorists" will be seen as a prelude to gun control and firearms confiscation. To prevent White-Americans from rioting, Lynch and Obama could invoke the PATRIOT ACT to require all firearms owners to register with DHS as means to keep the country from devolving into anarchy. Control is assured by preventing whites and blacks from cooperating against a common enemy.
Perhaps this won't happen but then again it is the election season when everyone in Washington is playing to be the next President's favorite. Clinton has been taking some hits in the polls and progressive Democrats are their support more and more behind O'Malley. The only way O'Malley looks bad is if the riots continue to spiral out of control in Baltimore (he was both former Baltimore mayor and Maryland governor) and it comes out that his policies set things in motion for the riots. Clinton has been under attack by the Obama administration so she benefits by watching matters fester in Baltimore in the hopes it rubs off on O'Malley.
Of course all of this distracts us from the matters in the Middle East where thanks to Mr. Obama and Mr. Kerry's pathetic agreement with Iran, Tehran has now more influence in the region (along with increased backing from Russia) than the US. As Americans we still have yet to fully grasp the significance of having 20 percent of our uranium reserves controlled by Russia. The $2.36 per gallon that I just paid at the pump has caused Americans to buy fewer hybrids and electric vehicles making automakers even less interested in developing alternative fuel technology. Russian warships are increasingly more aggressive in the waters off of the UK and our own Navy has been sent into harms way near Yemen only to play chicken with the Iranian Navy. But none of that registers since we are focused on people rioting that aren't even from Baltimore.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
MSgt's Epic Post Should Be the New SNCO Charge
An Air Force SNCO just said far more eloquently what I've been saying all along;
"And that’s what the US Air Force was supposed to be, and is about. And if you’re not onboard, and you care more about your own EPR than the SrA who’s wife is leaving him, get the fuck out. If you care more about the next Top 3 Meeting than your SSgt who’s work productivity suddenly plummetted for no discernable reason, get the fuck out. If you care more about impressing the wing commander than what your Staff Sergeants and airmen are saying amongst themselves, get the fuck out." Amen!
Read the rest here;
MSgt's Epic Post Should Be the New SNCO Charge
"And that’s what the US Air Force was supposed to be, and is about. And if you’re not onboard, and you care more about your own EPR than the SrA who’s wife is leaving him, get the fuck out. If you care more about the next Top 3 Meeting than your SSgt who’s work productivity suddenly plummetted for no discernable reason, get the fuck out. If you care more about impressing the wing commander than what your Staff Sergeants and airmen are saying amongst themselves, get the fuck out." Amen!
Read the rest here;
MSgt's Epic Post Should Be the New SNCO Charge
Purges produces nuanced idiots
About eighteen months ago, Mr. Obama made headlines for firing nine general officers (not including Petraeus). Some were relieved for inappropriate relations, others for gambling and some for reasons not disclosed (in the case of Carey). But what caught the eye of many military officers were the alarming number of generals and admirals who had combat records and were challenging the Obama administration. It seemed as though the Obama administration were purging those combat-proven leaders by charging them with allegations of misconduct (which conveniently surfaced in-time for Obama to divest himself of them at the beginning of his second term). Now this is all supposition, thus far nothing has come out to support this view and frankly we may never know if this was a truly a purge.
What has happened is senior military leaders became more quiet for fear their career may be summarily ended. If this isn't the case, then I challenge you to find the equivalent of a Patton or LeMay amongst today's senior military leaders. The field grade officers (majors through colonels) who have the combat experience and aren't afraid to speak their minds are too disillusioned by what they see and get out or they are deemed too politically incorrect to be brought into the flag officer ranks.
Generals and admirals walk a tight rope at the best of times. They are beholding to the higher ups (usually Washington but sometimes contractors as well) while trying to maintain good order and discipline of those under them. Wartime leaders often find themselves in front of cameras explaining why their troops were killed or how innocent bystanders were killed. It makes risk-taking for the senior leader or want-to-be senior leader a perilous undertaking. One wrong move and your hopes for a star come crashing down.
The effect too often creates the ultimate yes-man (or yes-woman) who has been taught from their earliest years in uniform not to stray too far from the path lest one ends up on the outside looking in. It is why we see the USAF allowing the A-10 to go out of the inventory with no viable replacement in site. It is why the US Navy nuclear fleet is running out of fuel with no hopes of being refueled any time soon. It is why the US Army is hellbent on making their shit even bigger and heavier despite dwindling airlift and sealift assets to move it. It is why even the US Marine Corps has fallen into the trap of lowering their infantry officer course in order for women to pass it.
Stalin purged (murdered) anyone he thought didn't agree with him or MAY not agree with him. The result of Stalin's purges was to setback the Soviet Air Force 20 years by the start of World War II. Stalin ordered so many aeronautical engineers purged that the Soviets were flying vintage 1920s style fighter against the Luftwaffe. Obama's purges is having a similar effect.
This rant was courtesy of an article that is out today about the apology Army General Martin Dempsey had to make after casually remarking the city of Ramadi "The city itself is not symbolic in any way. It hasn’t been declared the caliphate or central to Iraq." Debbie Lee did not see it that way. Her son, US Navy SEAL Marc Lee, was the first Navy SEAL to die in Iraq (2006). Ms. Lee did not take well General Dempsey's remark and he has had to apologize as a result.
On paper, Dempsey is the kind of warrior you want in charge. He is both a Persian Gulf and Iraqi Freedom vet. However, he is also a four-star under the Obama administration meaning while he may look good on paper he is very much in keeping with Obama's preference for what I term a "nuanced idiot". (Mari Harf is the posted child for 'nuanced idiot".) Obviously Dempsey wasn't trying to disrespect the sacrifice of Marc Lee, he was trying to appease his handlers by naysaying the importance of Ramadi (translated, either Ramadi is too hard or to strategically insignificant to waste forces on). But as a general officer, especially one who is the Chairman of the JCS, how the hell could you not have recognized "Ramadi" and got up to give a speech calling it basically insignificant to the fight with ISIS?
Dempsey may be the latest nuanced idiot guilty of "Harfing" but he is not the last. Obama has attracted an incredible number to his fold. Former US Secret Service director Julia Pierson was another (who was hand-picked for the job by Obama). DEA Chief Michelle Leonhart is another. (Secretary of State Kerry isn't a nuanced idiot, he is just a plain idiot).
What is alarming about Obama's preference for and tolerance of nuanced idiots is given the situations in the Middle East and with Russia, eighteen more months of their bumbling could lead us into armed conflict. No, that this theater level stuff we've been seeing since Desert Storm. No, armed conflict on a global scale could very likely be the result.
What has happened is senior military leaders became more quiet for fear their career may be summarily ended. If this isn't the case, then I challenge you to find the equivalent of a Patton or LeMay amongst today's senior military leaders. The field grade officers (majors through colonels) who have the combat experience and aren't afraid to speak their minds are too disillusioned by what they see and get out or they are deemed too politically incorrect to be brought into the flag officer ranks.
Generals and admirals walk a tight rope at the best of times. They are beholding to the higher ups (usually Washington but sometimes contractors as well) while trying to maintain good order and discipline of those under them. Wartime leaders often find themselves in front of cameras explaining why their troops were killed or how innocent bystanders were killed. It makes risk-taking for the senior leader or want-to-be senior leader a perilous undertaking. One wrong move and your hopes for a star come crashing down.
The effect too often creates the ultimate yes-man (or yes-woman) who has been taught from their earliest years in uniform not to stray too far from the path lest one ends up on the outside looking in. It is why we see the USAF allowing the A-10 to go out of the inventory with no viable replacement in site. It is why the US Navy nuclear fleet is running out of fuel with no hopes of being refueled any time soon. It is why the US Army is hellbent on making their shit even bigger and heavier despite dwindling airlift and sealift assets to move it. It is why even the US Marine Corps has fallen into the trap of lowering their infantry officer course in order for women to pass it.
Stalin purged (murdered) anyone he thought didn't agree with him or MAY not agree with him. The result of Stalin's purges was to setback the Soviet Air Force 20 years by the start of World War II. Stalin ordered so many aeronautical engineers purged that the Soviets were flying vintage 1920s style fighter against the Luftwaffe. Obama's purges is having a similar effect.
This rant was courtesy of an article that is out today about the apology Army General Martin Dempsey had to make after casually remarking the city of Ramadi "The city itself is not symbolic in any way. It hasn’t been declared the caliphate or central to Iraq." Debbie Lee did not see it that way. Her son, US Navy SEAL Marc Lee, was the first Navy SEAL to die in Iraq (2006). Ms. Lee did not take well General Dempsey's remark and he has had to apologize as a result.
On paper, Dempsey is the kind of warrior you want in charge. He is both a Persian Gulf and Iraqi Freedom vet. However, he is also a four-star under the Obama administration meaning while he may look good on paper he is very much in keeping with Obama's preference for what I term a "nuanced idiot". (Mari Harf is the posted child for 'nuanced idiot".) Obviously Dempsey wasn't trying to disrespect the sacrifice of Marc Lee, he was trying to appease his handlers by naysaying the importance of Ramadi (translated, either Ramadi is too hard or to strategically insignificant to waste forces on). But as a general officer, especially one who is the Chairman of the JCS, how the hell could you not have recognized "Ramadi" and got up to give a speech calling it basically insignificant to the fight with ISIS?
Dempsey may be the latest nuanced idiot guilty of "Harfing" but he is not the last. Obama has attracted an incredible number to his fold. Former US Secret Service director Julia Pierson was another (who was hand-picked for the job by Obama). DEA Chief Michelle Leonhart is another. (Secretary of State Kerry isn't a nuanced idiot, he is just a plain idiot).
What is alarming about Obama's preference for and tolerance of nuanced idiots is given the situations in the Middle East and with Russia, eighteen more months of their bumbling could lead us into armed conflict. No, that this theater level stuff we've been seeing since Desert Storm. No, armed conflict on a global scale could very likely be the result.
Friday, April 17, 2015
TSA
The limiting factor for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been, and continues to be, it is only looking at the potential terrorist attempting to board an aircraft or train as a passenger. If any other type of scenario is used, TSA screeners are not trained nor utilized in such a way as to be able to do anything about it.
Worse, the way TSA tries to use manpower as a way to justify its existence creates mind-numbing conditions for the screeners. Imagine day-in and day-out having to look at thousands of people who are not happy to see you, who are late for their flights or are just in a lousy mood. Now you get to rifle through their personal belongings (something even a sworn police officer couldn't do without probable-cause) because the supposed high-tech scanner just returned another false positive.
TSA is not seen by passengers as helping to make them safe, the screeners are seen as a nuisance causing the passenger to be late. Unfortunately, having a large number of screeners touching passengers inevitably leads to this;
"Former TSA Agent: Groping Scandal Is Business as Usual"
Worse, the way TSA tries to use manpower as a way to justify its existence creates mind-numbing conditions for the screeners. Imagine day-in and day-out having to look at thousands of people who are not happy to see you, who are late for their flights or are just in a lousy mood. Now you get to rifle through their personal belongings (something even a sworn police officer couldn't do without probable-cause) because the supposed high-tech scanner just returned another false positive.
TSA is not seen by passengers as helping to make them safe, the screeners are seen as a nuisance causing the passenger to be late. Unfortunately, having a large number of screeners touching passengers inevitably leads to this;
"Former TSA Agent: Groping Scandal Is Business as Usual"
The pat-down is the default setting when all else fails. If a scanner is malfunctioning or down, then pat downs are the only recourse. Even though TSA utilizes agents training to note behaviors indicative of a suspected terrorist, the fall back position of "better safe than sorry" forces many more passengers through pat downs then is necessary.
At the end of the day, the question is how many potential terrorist attacks has TSA stopped? The answer is the majority of TSA doesn't even know. TSA screeners receive no feedback whatsoever on their interdiction efforts so they continue to go to work without any idea on whether or not they have stopped the next 9/11.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Hillary and World Events
The weekend saw the inevitable announcement that Hillary would run for President. At 67, her handlers have decided to down-play the ambitious career woman side of
Hillary and instead play up the grandmother who will be the people's champion. It is an odd strategy to take given the situations in the Middle East, Northern African and Ukraine (not to mention her unrealized pivot to Asia). A grandmother who wants to be your champion doesn't seem to be the right casting call.
Russian warships are keeping tabs on the Royal Navy. Prior to Hillary's announcement, a Russian fighter cut off an Norwegian F-16. This was followed by another Russian jet coming within 20 yards of a US RC-135 surveillance jet north of Russia (the US has protested this latest but instead of sounding like it superpower, it just sounded whiny).
Hillary has another problem in regards to foreign policy. As a staunch Marxist liberal, she was never a fan of Israel but that stances softened once she need pro-Israeli backers to win the Senate seat in New York. Hillary is now beholding to these same backers who don't' want to see Iran develop nuclear arms. Russia on the other hand has no reason to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and so long as Obama and company keep sanctions in place, Russia will continue to sell Iran the missile technology is needs to launch nuclear warheads. If she becomes President, Hillary has no bargaining chips left in this situation.
Now Hillary supporters will downplay this and say that her vast experience as Secretary of State makes her vastly more capable to lead the country than any of her opponents. However, this line of rationalizing ignores the obvious elephant in the room, Obama. Obama and his cronies, especially Valerie Jarrett and Michelle, despise the Clintons to a pathological level. Do not put is past them to intentionally exacerbate matters in the Middle East or relations with Russia just to prevent Hillary from getting elected. After all, how else do you think we learned about Hillary's emails if not from Camp Obama?
Russian warships are keeping tabs on the Royal Navy. Prior to Hillary's announcement, a Russian fighter cut off an Norwegian F-16. This was followed by another Russian jet coming within 20 yards of a US RC-135 surveillance jet north of Russia (the US has protested this latest but instead of sounding like it superpower, it just sounded whiny).
Hillary has another problem in regards to foreign policy. As a staunch Marxist liberal, she was never a fan of Israel but that stances softened once she need pro-Israeli backers to win the Senate seat in New York. Hillary is now beholding to these same backers who don't' want to see Iran develop nuclear arms. Russia on the other hand has no reason to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and so long as Obama and company keep sanctions in place, Russia will continue to sell Iran the missile technology is needs to launch nuclear warheads. If she becomes President, Hillary has no bargaining chips left in this situation.
Now Hillary supporters will downplay this and say that her vast experience as Secretary of State makes her vastly more capable to lead the country than any of her opponents. However, this line of rationalizing ignores the obvious elephant in the room, Obama. Obama and his cronies, especially Valerie Jarrett and Michelle, despise the Clintons to a pathological level. Do not put is past them to intentionally exacerbate matters in the Middle East or relations with Russia just to prevent Hillary from getting elected. After all, how else do you think we learned about Hillary's emails if not from Camp Obama?
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