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Jeffreys Track Side Diner for August 2024

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  • Member since
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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 5:28 PM

SPOCK, ...IT'S ALIVE!!! 

CAPTAIN, It seems to be back.

I've been doing an experiment with the MR forum for the last two years, and more recently, been given an empty promise about a month or so ago, that the new software will be in effect.  Everything will work just fine they said, with best intentions I'm sure.  I'm only ashamed, (That This Hasn't Happened Yet)!!!

Did you contact Scotty in engineering, and tell him the importance of incerting Dilithium Crystals into the Warp Overdrive Generators, before they made that empty promise Spock.

No!  I did not Captain, you know that Vulcans cannot lie.  I decided to see if the new software worked for a week or two, and if not, the month after that, or the following year, or the year after that.

SPOCK!, ...You do realise, We will have to clean this mess up sooner than later than sometime, or we may have to send Bones in, ...to assist these Model Railroad Forum Members with their broken hearts.  With their Hearts not being able to swallow this kinda garbage for too much longer, as they are losing faith!

I get that Captain, as there is no excuse for this kind of neglect, or behavior disrespecting the members patreonage here for very much longer anymore.  If that was ever excusable at any time at all.

The few that are left here Captain!!! .......

See what you can do Spock, before the Space-Time-Continuum turns into Shambles!!!  Otherwise, no one will remain here on this planet. 

The financial groups will move on, ...MOVE all their advertising to Another site as professionalism is what they seek.

Logically speaking, with all Illogic present here, this once was a great site. I do believe you are correct Captain

 

The Advertising Stooges certainly didn't make this a great site.  The members here have always done thatBow

 

 

TF - C/O Spock & Captain Kirk

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  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 5:30 PM

Dutch Elm Disease is still around. I cut down several elms every summer. They make good firewood but they're a bear to split. I believe our variety is called a 'slippery elm' for some reason. A while back we had an arborist visit and he showed us how to detect the disease. Just under the bark the wood will have a dark grey staining to it. You have to remove the stump completely as the disease will travel through the soil to other trees.

Smoke:

 23-13102 by George  Hamlin, on Flickr

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by CNCharlie on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 6:52 PM

The chemical used to stop Dutch Elm is about 80% effective but it is expensive, $900 every 3 years so really only practical for a single specimen tree. We had an arborist assess our trees some years ago. He said ours was a native variety and they seem to be more resistant to disease than the planted ones.  Its trunk is 3' in diameter.

CN Charlie

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  • From: Westford MA
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Posted by Tophias on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 7:24 PM

Good evening fellow dinners, good to finally be back. Flo, Baileys on ice please.

so I was last able to post on 8/1. I'm not angry, just disappointed. I hope better days are ahead.

TF, your Mack 1 looks incredible. You obviously keep it pristine. More so, you drive it! I can't understand these guys who spend $$$$ for classic cars then garage/trailer them. Whatever!

Regards, Chris 

  • Member since
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  • From: Ludington, MI
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Posted by Water Level Route on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 7:53 PM

Evening everyone. Glad to be back. 

Dave you may not be seeing the birds you were hoping for, but the cabin still sounds great. 

Trying to post from my phone right now, which isn't easy. Posting in the show me thread used up most of my patience. Laugh

 Hope everyone is well. I'll try to check back in tomorrow. 

Mike

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    March 2017
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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 9:02 PM

Yes

 

 

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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 9:15 PM

York1

I need to get a life.  When the forum is down, I check the other forum, but for some reason I'm just not ready to change.  I'm a little upset that an online forum means so much to me.  Like I said, I need to get a life.

John, I get what you are saying, and there is no reason to feel upset. I feel the same way. We are powerless pawns here because there is nothing we can do about it when these prolonged outages occur. And, then, to make matters worse, no one in charge takes the time to explain what is going on. What, if anything, took place this evening to fix the problem that couldn't be done six days ago on a late Friday afternoon?

For those of us who consider model railroading a major hobby, we look to the forum to share experiences, ask questions, provide answers, and just generally enhance our love of the hobby. With all of the departures that have occurred and the loss of expertise that has gone with those departures, this forum has become a shell of its former self.

I have been working feverishly on my layout to pass time in the summer heat and humidity. As issues have come up, I don't even bother to pose them on this forum any longer. I go to that "other forum" for help. We are in the fourth month of new ownership and, yet, not one word from the new owners has been posted on this forum. What's up with that?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 11:20 PM

Evening

 

TF

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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 11:54 PM

I'll catch up with you tomorrow Kids

TF

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Posted by BATMAN on Thursday, August 8, 2024 12:24 AM

Here you go TF.

Ambient Bridge noise. Eight hours worth.Laugh

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    February 2015
  • From: Ludington, MI
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Posted by Water Level Route on Thursday, August 8, 2024 5:30 AM

Good Morning Diners!  Chloe, coffee.  Janie, pancakes.  Brunhilda, a sweet roll please.  Have to spread my tip around a bit to keep these girls from wandering off to more regular employment!

John, I hear you about missing the forum when it's down.  Everyone in the diner makes for one of my social circles and I miss hearing from everyone when there are issues with the forum.  For those of us who have stuck around through the software issues, I think there is a real sense of community.  I hope we don't lose that.

David, hope you are doing well on the health front, even if there are no updates.

With summer starting to wind down, I'll have to be moving my oldest back to school soon.  With that in mind, I pulled out a half a brisket I've had waiting in the freezer.  It will make a nice Sunday dinner when it comes out of the smoker.  Our last Sunday dinner together before she moves back, as next weekend my youngest has a tournament out of town.

Hope to hear from everyone sooner than later, even if it's nothing more than to pop in and say you haven't completely given up on this forum.  The last long outage we had pushed a lot of people away. Sad

Mike

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Thursday, August 8, 2024 7:00 AM

Good morning, diners.  Just coffee this morning.

By the look of the radar, I have a small window of time this morning to walk the dog before more rain hits.  Of course, it may all dissipate before it gets here -- just our luck.

The good news on the layout is I'm almost finished with a building that has taken me two months, off and on, to complete.  I think I can get it finished by tomorrow at the latest.  Then ... start laying track for a new diesel shop.  I'm able to reuse to the building I have from the last layout.

Some strange news for me yesterday is that I've made the decision not to go with my family next summer.  The daughters and families are all headed to France, and I, for the first time, will not go with them.  I've decided that overseas flights are just not good for me anymore.  I guess I could change my mind if the right trip came up, but my age is really slowing me down.  We've had some great trips together, but my body is telling me to slow down.

When I read the diner entries on the other forum, I fear the latest problems drove more of our group away.  Sad

I just checked the radar and again and it looks like I can make a break for it.  The dog wants to go walking even if it's raining.  Not at all like our last dog.

Have a great day, everyone.

York1 John       

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Posted by AEP528 on Thursday, August 8, 2024 7:18 AM

richhotrain

  We are in the fourth month of new ownership and, yet, not one word from the new owners has been posted on this forum. What's up with that?

Rich

 

 
Maybe it has to do with the forum freeloaders loudly proclaiming they're not magazine subscribers? Maybe it's because they're posting updates where their actual audience is? Maybe it's because the new owners are addressing employment, office location, infrastructure, business contracts, and paying subscribers first? Maybe Kalmbach didn't actually have an IT department and the new owners have to figure out what to do? 
 
There's a lot of delusional thinking on this and another forum that everything would magically change once the papers were signed. A new forum will take months to deploy if the acocunts and history are maintained. Another forum went through it a few years ago, and it says a lot about that forum owner's integrity that he hasn't talked about it at all in response in response to your and others constant negativity. Craig Fuller stated that the forum would continue, but unlike the magazines, no timeline was given. 
 
I've repeated myself over and over again, but no one wants to accept reality: This forum is dying because it is populated with people who only want to talk about themselves and no one who's really interested in model railroading. Need proof? The diner and opinion threads see the majority of the posting. You say you've been working on your layout? Prove it. Stop posting opinions and post about the layout progress. Act like a model railroader.
 
  • Member since
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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, August 8, 2024 7:33 AM

AEP528

You say you've been working on your layout? Prove it. Stop posting opinions and post about the layout progress. Act like a model railroader. 

AEP528, I have been a member of this forum for 20 years. You have been a member for 16 years. I have posted innumerable photos and videos of my layout and my projects. I don't recall ever seeing one photo from you. Do you have a layout? You say, act like a model railroader. You would do well to take your own advice.

As usual, you missed the point of my earlier reply. The operative word was "word". "Not one word from the new owners has been posted on this forum". Capisce? I didn't ask for an update on the acquistion. I expressed frustration over the silence from the new owner.

Looking forward to your photos of your modeling.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by Tophias on Monday, August 12, 2024 10:18 AM

Wow, other than one window on 8/7 when I got in a short post, it seems like it's been two weeks the forum has been down. As I said earlier, not angry, just disappointed.

that said, today the forum seems to fly when logging in today. A good sign? Or just an unusual event. Regardless, I'll hang in until they permanently shut out the lights (Hope that never happens). 

Regards, Chris 

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Monday, August 12, 2024 10:44 AM

Tophias

Wow, other than one window on 8/7 when I got in a short post, it seems like it's been two weeks the forum has been down. As I said earlier, not angry, just disappointed.

that said, today the forum seems to fly when logging in today. A good sign? Or just an unusual event. Regardless, I'll hang in until they permanently shut out the lights (Hope that never happens). 

Regards, Chris 

 

This is the 11th day to be exact. It remains to be seen how long or short this lasts.

Rich

Alton Junction

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  • From: Flyover Country
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Posted by York1 on Monday, August 12, 2024 11:07 AM

After trying each day and failing, my first thought this morning on opening the forum was, "Yes!  It's working!"

Unfortunately, the first diner post I read was a real downer.

Now, on to more pleasant things.

I've nearly finished the building I've been working on.  I originally saw a model of the building, but I didn't want to pay the price for the kit.  I decided to try to build it from scratch.  I've still got to finish the crooked roof over the diner and the cigar sign, along with several mis-fitting trim pieces.  Instead of N, I think O would have made the whole project easier.  The end is in sight:

 

 

Another "smoke and train" photo:

 

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/news-photos-poseidon-helps-cn-fight-alberta-fires/

 

I hope all the current and former diners are doing well.

Don't directly tell anyone you don't like them; just say, "You're the Monday of my life!"

York1 John       

  • Member since
    February 2015
  • From: Ludington, MI
  • 1,865 posts
Posted by Water Level Route on Monday, August 12, 2024 11:38 AM

Well.  I guess were back.  For now.

John, I love your Nighthawks rendition.  That is a fantastic idea.  If I ever get up the nerve to try my hand at scratchbuilding, I definitely want to make that.  Very cool.

Mike

  • Member since
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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
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Posted by BATMAN on Monday, August 12, 2024 11:48 AM

Good morning from the cool and cloudy West Coast.

York1
but my body is telling me to slow down.

I know how you feel John, for the first time ever I have chosen not to go out and do yard work because of the heat and it wasn't really that hot. So I have often been into the trainroom this summer for lengthy sessions. I also went for a run one day and at 14km my extremities started to swell so I packed it in. In the past, I could motor all day in the heat and it would never bother me. Getting old sucks.

richhotrain

 

 
AEP528

You say you've been working on your layout? Prove it. Stop posting opinions and post about the layout progress. Act like a model railroader. 

 

 

AEP528, I have been a member of this forum for 20 years. You have been a member for 16 years. I have posted innumerable photos and videos of my layout and my projects. I don't recall ever seeing one photo from you. Do you have a layout? You say, act like a model railroader. You would do well to take your own advice.

Looking forward to your photos of your modeling.

Rich

 

Well, I for one have seen many photos posted by Rich over the years and when he talks about his layout I can immediately picture it in my mind (small as my mind is) 

Mr. AEP, please post your photos, we are waiting.

As far as the forum software goes, I appreciate the effort of the MRR staff in trying to keep it up and running, it must be quite frustrating for them to constantly have to attend to it. Hopefully, it will be fixed properly soon.

Mike, Now my daughter has her own car she doesn't need Dad to take her back to University. This should be her last term, but that may change if she wants to keep going. She has so many opportunities on the job front in so many areas of her expertise she may want to just dive into the workforce again. She has a beautiful place in Victoria and only has to work at her Government job for a month and her rent is paid for the year, University is basically free, so she lives like a Queen while going to school quite easily.

Her brother lived like a King while going to University in Ottawa because he made so much working in the TV/movie industry at every opportunity. He could afford to rent his own house in Ottawa. With grants and scholarships, tuition was virtually free.

Time for a scoot through the woodland and then yardwork on this cool day.

All the best to all.

 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
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Posted by MisterBeasley on Monday, August 12, 2024 2:38 PM

Odd day yesterday.  We had a boat party for our local Parrot Head Club, a Jimmy Buffet fan group.  We chartered a small pontoon boat that took us out on the bay.  We got lucky and saw a lot of pelicans and a lot of playful dolphins.  On the way back, the boat died.  They called in, and another boat was sent out.  In the meantime, the beer was free.

Eventually the other boat showed up.  They added some more gas to our tanks, but that didn't help.  So, we had to transfer all of us to the other boat which took us home.  Forget about a hazardous crossing.  The sea was still as an Environtex lake, and probably not much deeper.  One step from one boat to the other and we were there.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by York1 on Monday, August 12, 2024 4:49 PM

MisterBeasley
We had a boat party for our local Parrot Head Club, a Jimmy Buffet fan group.

A few years ago a local couple I know had a car license plate "FINSRUP".  This is the hat I wear when walking Cookie the dog.

 

 

There are Parrot Heads even out here 1500 miles from the beach.

York1 John       

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  • From: Bradford, Ontario
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Posted by hon30critter on Monday, August 12, 2024 5:15 PM

Hi gang,

We just got a video that was taken only a few minutes ago from our son and DIL showing our almost 14 month old grandson, Callum,  taking his first few steps! Gave me goosebumps.

Twenty years ago I told myself that I would only use my cell phone for business calls. I considered it to be an intrusion into my private life. My attitude has changed. Now we can see wonderful family events almost instantaneously from miles away. Today we take it for granted. Imagine what someone 200 years ago would think of it! Heck, not even Captain Kirk had video!

Cheers!!

Dave 

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 6:02 AM

How's everybody doing out there? The late summer days are here and we're stocking the last of the firewood for the season. We had a nice weekend with the neighbors visiting while the camp fire was going and the grand kids here for a look at the meteor shower and a bit of the Northern Lights visible between 2 and 3 am. Good times!

Is the theme for August still smoke?

 Smoke Show by Don Kalkman, on Flickr

 Steptoe sunrise by Mike Danneman, on Flickr

Cheers, Ed

  • Member since
    February 2018
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Posted by York1 on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 8:55 AM

Good morning, diners.  I'll have bacon, eggs, and coffee, Flo.

It's good to have the natural order of things restored to the online universe.

Several years ago my wife gave me a model kit of an old movie theater.  I didn't really like it, but naturally I thanked her and told her how good it was.  Today, I'm going to work on it and see what I can do with it.  I'm not sure where on the layout I will put it, but it needs to be there so she can see it.  I'm such a good husband.  Stick out tongue

Schools in our town start this week. For 42 years, in New Orleans and then here, I was excited about that.  It's nice to be on this side of retirement!

Have a great day, everyone.

 

Union Pacific fire crew in California:

York1 John       

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Posted by maxman on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 9:57 AM

hon30critter
not even Captain Kirk had video

No, but he did have a transporter and a replicator.

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Posted by AEP528 on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:29 AM

richhotrain

 

 
AEP528

You say you've been working on your layout? Prove it. Stop posting opinions and post about the layout progress. Act like a model railroader. 

 

 

AEP528, I have been a member of this forum for 20 years. You have been a member for 16 years. I have posted innumerable photos and videos of my layout and my projects. I don't recall ever seeing one photo from you. Do you have a layout? You say, act like a model railroader. You would do well to take your own advice.

 

As usual, you missed the point of my earlier reply. The operative word was "word". "Not one word from the new owners has been posted on this forum". Capisce? I didn't ask for an update on the acquistion. I expressed frustration over the silence from the new owner.

Looking forward to your photos of your modeling.

Rich

 

 

I'm not a forum freeloader spending all of my time complaining about the forum hosts and continually writing self-entitled demands that the magazine owners conform to exactly what I want.

BTW, a forum member that all of you know passed away a couple of months ago. A true friend of that member posted a tribute on a magazine social media site. I haven't seen anything here yet. So much for the quality of diner friendships.

  • Member since
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Posted by York1 on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:36 AM

AEP528
BTW, a forum member that all of you know passed away a couple of months ago. A true friend of that member posted a tribute on a magazine social media site. I haven't seen anything here yet. So much for the quality of diner friendships.

 

Since this forum and one other model railroad forum are the only social media I use, could you give us the name of the person?

Just because I didn't mention it here doesn't make my friendship any less.

York1 John       

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  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 11:34 AM

Good morning, it is cool and cloudy again with 415 fires burning in the Province, 94% started by lightning.

AEP528
BTW, a forum member that all of you know passed away a couple of months ago. A true friend of that member posted a tribute on a magazine's social media site. I haven't seen anything here yet. So much for the quality of diner friendships.

How about filling us in as to who it is like an adult instead of having us try and speculate? Many have come and gone in the 18 years I have been here and I have wondered about the fate of many who no longer participate.

I have been trying to find out about Elias (Brother Lion) however the Assumption Abbey website doesn't allow foreigners to contact them ( I can't fill the required fields). Here is the contact page if someone wants to take a crack at it. It doesn't cost anything.Laugh

https://www.assumptionabbey.com/business-office-contact 

Spent a few hours in the train room again yesterday. I am having to install some caboose ground throws one track over as they are on curved turnouts and my passenger cars hit them if I put them in the more traditional spots. I have boxes of everything I need to construct the linkages from my R/C airplane days. Had the tunes playing, it was most relaxing.

Before R/C planes my friends and I flew line control planes, Here is me (in disguise) in the late sixties. I move up in size of line control planes to the point of having cable for the lines instead of fishing line. Those planes took a lot of real estate to fly and would be deadly if they ever hit anyone. As soon as I got my driver's licence I was totally into R/C because I could drive to the airfield.

Have to go pick up my brother-in-law at the airport. It would be cheaper for them to go to long-term parking than drive into Vancouver twice, however, economics is not my sister's strong point, so I'll be a good brother and go for a drive.

Has anyone heard from Ray lately? I always enjoy his posts, I know he was going to the UK to see his son, but that was a while back.

All the best to all.

 

 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:35 PM

Hi AEP528,

I find it difficult to understand why you would not post the name of the deceased forum member yourself. That would seem to be the 'friendly' thing to do.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:18 PM

Here at the diner we are the bearers of the torch for the RIP Track, our ongoing tribute to those who have gone to either the Big Roundhouse in the Sky or that hot smelly train room in the basement.  It sometimes takes a bit of detective work when someone just disappears without telling us, but somehow we find out.  We are all brothers (and occasional sisters) here, so if anyone hears of a forum member who's left us, we all share that information.

Strictly speaking, only forum members, though not necessarily Diner members, get a spot on the RIP Track.  So, I don't think someone like the late Paul Dolkos qualifies on that ground, although if there were sufficient support to add him, I wouldn't object.

The story goes that us old timers always check the RIP Track to make sure we're not on it.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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