September 2016

Nuclear Shutdown News – September 2016

September 30, 2016 by Michael Steinberg

By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press

Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear power industry in the US and abroad, and highlights the efforts of those who are working to create a nuclear free world. Here is our September 2016 edition:

Activists protest Diablo Canyon shutdown chicanery.

On September 19 the San Diego Union-Tribune ran this story: “Protests filed over the details of proposed Diablo Canyon Shutdown.”

“It’s been less that three months since (San Francisco-based) Pacific Gas & Electric, along with an assortment of groups, including environmental groups, announced its interest in shutting down the last remaining nuclear plant in California–Diablo Canyon.”

It’s shutdown date is set for 2025. The Union-Tribune story appeared just after the deadline for filing protests to PG&E’s shutdown proposal had passed.

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Ocean Beach Residents Move on Nominating Torrey Pines to City’s Heritage Tree Program

September 30, 2016 by Source

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Update on the OB Torrey Pine Trees

By Kris Schlech

Efforts to protect the remaining Torrey pine trees in Ocean Beach have moved forward. Eight trees, six of which are located along Saratoga Avenue, have been identified and submitted to the City’s Community Forest Advisory Board (CFAB) for nomination into the City’s Heritage Tree Program. Once these trees are evaluated and deemed eligible, they will be afforded additional protection in several ways.

Each tree will be assessed and evaluated in terms of overall health, and a monetary value will be determined. The monetary value is important as it is used to assess penalties, at a 3:1 ratio, for any damages or unnecessary death of the tree. For example, a large Torrey pine in Mission Beach was recently nominated and was estimated to have a value in the 5-figure range, so potential penalties for damage are significant.

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Measure A: Mish Mash That Doesn’t Focus Enough on Climate Change

September 30, 2016 by John Lawrence

Measure A Doesn’t Do Enough to Get Cars Off the Road

By John Lawrence

Trolley (1)In a nutshell, Measure A is a something-for-everybody approach that doesn’t do enough to concentrate on climate change. A full on effort to get cars off the road and people onto public transit would do much more. That means more trolley and light rail lines paralleling major freeways.

Measure A brings up more questions than answers. It seems that the whole purpose of Measure A is just to do the same things that SANDAG has already been doing, but at a faster pace. They already duped the voters into a half-cent sales tax hike with TransNet, which is an ongoing pot of money. With it, SANDAG is supposed to be doing the right thing in terms of San Diego County infrastructure. The only reason they would need more money is to speed up the process of combatting global warming. This measure does not do that.

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48 Hours of Life on a North Dakota Farm with the Widder Curry

September 30, 2016 by Judi Curry

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It is difficult to realize that almost four years ago I met Cowboy on line though one of the dating sites I was frequenting. I think that I was intrigued with the image of the “rough and tumble” image portrayed by Hollywood for so many years. After all, Cowboy lives in North Dakota and I am 1900 miles away in California. Never did I ever think that I would be visiting the farm several times a year and doing some of the chores that the typical farmer’s wife does on a daily basis. And I never thought I would enjoy the physical labor of doing those chores.

I marvel at Cowboy. If he could fly he would have a bigger “S” on his chest than Superman. He starts very early in the morning – 5:00am at the latest – and works like his horses until 10-11:00 at night.

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Fear and Loathing in El Cajon – 1,000 People in the Streets for Alfred Olango

September 29, 2016 by Frank Gormlie

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Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of El Cajon Wednesday, September 28th, in protest of the fatal shooting of Alfred Olango by police Tuesday afternoon. And on several occasions, the non-violent demonstrators faced off with helmeted police, as night fell and tensions mounted. This is my accounting of the protest that swept through the suburb of San Diego over a 7 hour period.

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Press Excluded from El Cajon Mayor’s Press Conference

September 29, 2016 by Frank Gormlie

By Frank Gormlie

EL CAJON, CA. A number of local and regional press and media reporters were excluded from Wednesday’s press conference held by El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells about Alfred Olango – the African-American man killed by police on Tuesday.

At a conference held in mid-afternoon at the El Cajon City Hall, nearly a half dozen reporters were barred from entering the room, including reporters from the San Diego Union-Tribune and Univision, the Mexican television station.

San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Lynsdsay Winkley -who has been covering the Alfred Olango shooting and protests – told this reporter that she and a number of other media people were blocked from entering the press conference. She then rapidly ticked off at least four news outlets. Then was confirmed by Sarah Parvini, a reporter from the Los Angeles Times, who was able to attend it.

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200 Protest Shooting of Alfred Olango at El Cajon Police Headquarters

September 28, 2016 by Frank Gormlie

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UPDATE: The crowd that had demonstrated in front of El Cajon Police Headquarters earlier today, moved into the streets, blocking some, and confronting police who were trying to prevent demonstrators from marching onto SR-67.

A crowd of people angry over the shooting death of an unarmed black man in El Cajon has blocked streets and come face to face with uniformed law enforcement officers in San Diego’s East County.

Protesters holding signs walked in between cars traveling in the opposite direction along Broadway.

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Proposition 52 – Keep MediCal Funding Where It Belongs

September 28, 2016 by Doug Porter

By Doug Porter

Back in the bad old days of the great recession, the California legislature diverted hundreds of millions in funding derived from a tax hospitals pay. The federal government kicks in matching funds for these taxes flowing back to the hospitals through MediCal, so it’s a sweet deal. Hospitals pay one dollar to get two back, more or less.

The recession is over, and the hospitals want their original deal back in place.

So they raised a boatload of money to put Proposition 52 before the voters. This is a “lockbox” measure, designed to give voters the opportunity to say that funds raised for or by a certain purpose must be spent in that general area as well.

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Unarmed Black Man Killed by El Cajon Police

September 28, 2016 by Frank Gormlie
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Demonstration Planned at El Cajon Police Station Wednesday Morning

Tulsa and Charlotte just got closer to San Diegans.

El Cajon police shot and killed an unarmed African-American man, named Alfred Olango, 30 years old, Tuesday afternoon, September 27th. Olango had reportedly had mental health issues. Without any warning commands by the 2 officers who had confronted him, they fired up to 5 shots at him. He either died at the scene or at the hospital where he was taken.

A crowd gathered in the afternoon – which swelled to up to a hundred people. Many were angry, upset; some chanted, “Black Lives Matter!” As nightfall came, the crowd expressed more anger, and riot police with dogs came onto the scene.

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The Ocean Beach Empire of Michael Mills

September 27, 2016 by Frank Gormlie

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Originally posted Sept 27, 2016

Slumlord Owns 241 Housing Units in OB

Many OBceans struggle long and hard to earn the financial resources to purchase their one house, condo or apartment. Many never obtain enough to make the plunge into buying property in Ocean Beach. It is so expensive to buy a home here at the coast, that it’s prohibitive for most.

Not Michael Mills, the notorious slumlord of Ocean Beach.

Mills has a virtual empire in OB. He and his trusts own 241 homes, condos and apartments in the Ocean Beach area. Imagine that. Two-hundred and forty-one units. And many of these units are within multi-unit apartments. Look at that map. See the list.

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Lamenting a World Without Scully

September 27, 2016 by Source
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Part I – The End of an ERA

By Scott Stephens

In this unstable and unpredictable world, Los Angelino’s have always had one consistency since 1958. Vincent Edward Scully has called Dodger games every season since the team came to Los Angeles. His 67 seasons with the Dodgers (1950–present) is the longest tenure for any broadcaster with a single team in professional sports history. He is little more than a year away from his 90th birthday!

Scully never had an RBI; never scored a run and never hit a home run for the Dodgers. Despite not being on the playing field, he was the most recognizable sports personality in the history of Los Angeles. He was bigger than the Dodgers; bigger than baseball. Through the years players came and went but there was always Vinny. It is difficult to comprehend what he meant to this city.

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OB Town Council Meeting – Measure A and Board Election Results – Wed., Sept. 28th

September 27, 2016 by Staff

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At the upcoming Ocean Beach Town Council meeting on Wednesday, September 28th, Measure A on San Diego’s ballot will be discussed, there will be the results of the OBTC Board election just held, a re-cap of the OBTC OB Pier Pancake Breakfast, plus there will be the unveiling of the 2016 holiday theme.

The OBTC meets at 7:00pm at the Masonic Hall – 1711 Sunset Cliffs Boulevard -.Measure A is a 40 year tax increase for transit and infrastructure throughout San Diego County. This will affect our quality of life for generations to come, and there will be proponents and opponents to Measure A, followed by Q&A with our community.

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Prop 51 – Will Schools Get Fixed and Repaired?

September 27, 2016 by Doug Porter

Proposition 51

By Doug Porter

The California Public School Facility Bonds Initiative, better known as Proposition 51, proposes to refill the State of California’s money pot used for school construction and repair.

It has been ten years since the last statewide school bond, and proponents say there is a massive backlog of local school projects.

Everybody loves building and fixing schools, right?

The list of supporters includes both major political parties, the Chamber of Commerce, the California Labor Federation, education groups of all sorts, the League of Women Voters and on and on. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has endorsed Prop. 51. So has Lt. Gov Gavin Newsom.

Supporters have raised over $8.4 million.

Where the bond money would go …

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The Debate Over San Diego’s Measure A

September 27, 2016 by Source
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Editor: Yesterday, we posted an unequivocal statement by our regular columnist Jim Miller, who along with Nicole Capretz, and Nick Segura, advocate progressives should not vote for Measure A. Today, we publish South OB Girl’s report of a debate on A at last Sunday’s Point Loma – OB Democratic Club event.

Gretchen Newsom and Anthony Montalvo discuss Measure A … and the Democrats (and Republicans) aren’t so sure about it

By South OB Girl

Let’s take a look at Measure A. Measure A proposes a plan for transportation infrastructure changes in our city.

The Republican Party of San Diego County and the San Diego County Democratic Party both agree on one thing – vote No on Measure A this November. BOTH parties are opposed to Measure A. Labor is divided and City Councilmember endorsement is also divided.

A presentation of both sides — “Yes on A” and “No on A” — occurred on Sunday Aug 25th, at the Point Loma-OB Democratic Club’s monthly meeting.

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Point Loma Explorer Juan Cabrillo Never Conducted a Spanish Possession Ceremony in Kumeyaay Territory

September 26, 2016 by Source

juan-cabrillo-plagueBy Steve Newcomb / Indian Country / September 26, 2016

A statue is dedicated to the conquistador Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo stands at the Cabrillo National Monument at Point Loma, California.

On the ground nearby is a plaque the Navy of the country of Spain placed there a few years ago, with the approval of the U.S. Navy. The plaque states as a fact that in 1542 Cabrillo “took possession of these lands.” The Spanish Navy is part of the Spanish government, and the plaque is Spain’s way of claiming that Cabrillo “took possession” of the Kumeyaay Nation’s territory in what is now typically referred to as San Diego, California.

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California Sea Otters Are Coming Back

September 26, 2016 by Source
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By Christina Beck / Christian Science Monitor / Sept. 21, 2016

In a near victory for California sea otters, biologists are cautiously optimistic about the future of the state’s southern sea otter population after the annual otter census counted more than 3,000 individuals this year.

Although otter population growth has delighted scientists, however, there are also worrying signs that the population range is contracting, a factor that can restrict long term recovery.

“The population index has exceeded 3,090 for the first time, and that’s encouraging,” said US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) southern sea otter recovery coordinator Lilian Carswell, “but sustained population growth will require range expansion.”

While 3,090 may seem like an odd number, it is a significant one for biologists, …

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Report of the Midway Planners’ Monthly Meeting

September 26, 2016 by Source
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By Geoff Page

The Midway/Pacific Highway Community Planning Group (Midway) held its monthly meeting on Wednesday, September 21st at the San Diego City College – West City Campus on Fordham Street.

Unlike at the OB and Peninsula planners’ meetings – which meet at night allowing working people and residents to atten, this meeting started at 3:00 in the afternoon and continued until 5:00. Seven of the board’s members were present, just making a quorum as the board has 12 seats. It was later learned that there are two vacancies due to resignations and the board is looking for candidates to fill those seats.

The meeting moved quickly through the early agenda and then came to the “City Government Office Reports” part of the agenda, which is where reps from the 9 agencies listed, from Council District all the Congressman Scott Peters, are to give reports and updates.

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San Diegans: Just Say NO WAY to Measure A

September 26, 2016 by Jim Miller

It’s All About the Climate and Our Children’s Future

By Jim Miller, Nicole Capretz, and Nick Segura

Measure ASan Diego does not have a history of visionary regional planning, but the woefully inadequate Measure A would take our city to a new low by ensuring decades more of inadequate efforts to address both our infrastructure needs and climate change.

Sadly, Measure A is not up to the transportation and climate justice challenges of the present and would guarantee a future for our city that would leave us with no solutions for climate change or traffic congestion while increasing pollution, poisoning our children, and turning a deaf ear to the needs of beleaguered communities of color.

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Hoping a Museum Will Help My People Finally Overcome

September 26, 2016 by Ernie McCray

By Ernie McCray

Black History and Culture MuseumSoon the new National Museum
of African American History and Culture
will open and stand infinitely
on the National Mall
in Washington D.C. –
sharing a home
with other grand memorials
commemorating extraordinary
Americans and events
in our nation’s history,
giving “Black Lives Matter”
fresh breath,
dignifying the humanity
of kidnapped and bought people
who toiled as slaves
in cotton fields in a long ago day,
to those, like me, who survived the evil-ness
of Jim Crow’s ways,
to those born this very day
with so many in the nation
speaking loudly of making America great again
as compared to who knows when.
Oh, it so enlivens my soul
to have my people’s stories told.

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Is this Point Loma’s Next Problem Project – Garrison and Locust?

September 23, 2016 by Frank Gormlie

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There’s a new construction project coming in at the northwest corner of Garrison Street and Locust Street in Point Loma. It’s all dirt at the corner lot, hidden by a construction screen fence.

A peek at what the development entails shows that a large below grade hole has been carved out of the dirt. Look at the photo. The depth of the hole appears to be able to take in that Potter-Potty. How tall are those?

This is probably a future subterranean garage. Uh-oh.

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Measure D – Nice Try, But No Cigar for The Citizens’ Plan

September 23, 2016 by Doug Porter

Downtown-Hotel-San-Diego-California-United-States-300x420By Doug Porter

A good metaphor for Measure D would be the guy who tries to break up a fight and ends up getting pummelled by both combatants.

Also known as the Citizens’ Plan, Cory Briggs Evil Plot, and Chargers Stadium Lite, the proposal is all-but-dead in the water.

The money spigot ran dry in May. The thoughtful discussion Measure D should have stimulated never happened, lost in the dread of yet another rich guy scheme, and the unintended consequences of its (mostly) good intentions.

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Results of OB Rag Poll on What to Do If Trump Is Elected

September 23, 2016 by Staff

The OB Rag ran a readers’ poll for one week asking the question: “What would you do if Trump was elected?” and it had 145 respondents.

The answers ranged from nearly a third saying they would be celebrating Trump’s election (31%), contrasted with nearly 10% who said they would be joining the “underground resistance”, and where 23% claimed “nothing will change.”

About 38% of those who answered chose options in the poll that expressed some level of negative impact with Trump’s election. Nearly 8% said they would move out of the country (2% to Mexico and 5.5% to Canada).

Another 14% would be mobilized politically against Trump – with an astounding 9.7% of the overall respondents agreeing to the option, “Joint the underground resistance.”

Almost 5% said they would “take to the streets”, meaning demonstrating and protesting.

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Chargers Stadium Ballot Measure C — as In Chutzpa

September 22, 2016 by Doug Porter

This is a rendering. They have no actual plans drawn up.

By Doug Porter

There are two items on the ballot for City of San Diego voters related in some fashion to the construction of a place for the local NFL franchise to play.

Measure C, backed by the San Diego Chargers ownership, is an effort to get a stadium/convention center built. The group’s committee is a cash machine, taking in tens of thousands of dollars (nearly) daily, all from the same source.

Measure D is primarily backed by interests with investments in nearby properties, namely the Moores family. For monetary reasons, it’s just about dead in the water. D is on the ballot, but the money spigot was turned off May 3.

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American Consumption Shouldn’t Keep Economy Afloat

September 22, 2016 by John Lawrence

By John Lawrence

This is Part 2 of Buddhist Economics: Economics As If People Mattered. Part 1 can be found here.

Buddhist EconomicsThe Buddhist approach is that consumption is merely a means to human well-being. The aim should be to attain a maximum of well-being with a minimum of consumption.

It would also be considered salutary to produce much of what is needed for human well-being by one’s own hands rather than being a total participant in the cash economy. This is anathema to capitalist economists and bankers who thrive on interest from bank loans in order that consumers can purchase more stuff on borrowed money and go into more debt.

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Honorably Discharged then Dishonorably Deported

September 22, 2016 by Source

Campaign Announced In Response to Crisis of Deported Veterans

By Joe Armenta

Deported VeteransThe injustice faced by hundreds, if not thousands, of U.S. military veterans who are being and have been deported was the focus of a campaign announced Tuesday, September 20th by a broad coalition of leaders including representatives of the veterans community, elected officials, business, labor and immigrant reform communities.

The coalition pledged to drive change for currently deported veterans and those who are facing deportation. Marine Corps veteran and former California Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher has agreed to serve as Chair of the group and stated the following –

“If you were willing to give your life for your country, your country should be willing to give you citizenship.”

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Debate Over Measure A at Point Loma – OB Dems – Sunday, Sept 25th

September 22, 2016 by Staff

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Opponent Gretchen Newsom Squares Off with Anthony Montalvo

From Point Loma – OB Dems

There’s a Measure on the ballot this November that could determine how we’ll get around San Diego County for the next 40 years. Transportation affects the quality of lives – how we get to work, how we get to the beach. It shapes the growth of our cities, and the health of children and seniors.

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Mary Louise Parker, OB Peoples, Mixed Nut House, and Me

September 21, 2016 by Michael Steinberg
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By Michael Steinberg

This past summer, while perusing library shelves 3000 miles from OB, I came upon actress Mary Louise Parker’s 2015 reminiscence, Dear Mr. You, wherein she recounts relationships with some of the men in her life.

As I glanced down the table of contents, one name jumped out and set off a set off a tsunami of flashbacks.

The year was 1984, the place Ocean Beach People’s Food Co-op, aka OB Peoples or just Peoples.

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OB Pier Pancake Breakfast – Sat., Sept. 24th

September 21, 2016 by Staff
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Mark your calendar – Saturday, September 24th for the Annual OB Pier Pancake Breakfast!

The Ocean Beach Pier Pancake Breakfast is a fun and popular tradition in OB that kicks off the big fundraising season for the OB Food and Toy Drive and our holiday events. The event is hosted by the OB Town Council.

It’s the one day out of the year you can have breakfast over the water on the pier.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Proceeds benefit the OB Food and Toy Drive and upcoming holiday events.

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Hillary Clinton Reveals her Ocean Plans

September 21, 2016 by Source
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by David Helvarg /Ocean Views / August 30, 2016

In response to a letter sent by 115 Ocean Leaders to the leading presidential candidates Secretary Clinton has released a two-page response on what she will do to protect our coast and ocean if elected. With just over two months until the vote, this marks the first time in the campaign where a major candidate has addressed the daunting issues confronting America’s public seas.

“As President of the Untied States, I will work to redouble national efforts to boost the “blue economy,” creating jobs and opportunity in industries that restore and protect the health and vitality of our oceans,” she writes.

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Measure B – Ballot Box Planning at its Worst

September 21, 2016 by Doug Porter
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Lilac Hills Ranch Developer Goes for an End Run Around Community Groups

By Doug Porter

Union-Tribune headline Tuesday morning: ‘San Diego median home price hits highest point in a decade.’

Q’s: Are you a NIMBY? Don’t you care about San Diego’s housing crisis? The signature gatherers for the measure in support of building Lilac Hills said it would provide affordable housing for low-income families and veterans, along with being eco-friendly. How can you be against that?

A. Easy. If you’re buying the arguments proponents of Measure B are peddling, I have a bridge to sell you.

Measure B is a clear cut case of a developer doing an end-run around years of community input into planning. Voters in El Cajon and Chula Vista are being asked to decide on a North County project they only know of through ads with fallacious arguments. (Ask the people in Barrio Logan how they feel about that concept.)

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