Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston
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Thursday, February 28, 2019
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicted on bribe and fraud charges
The indictment marks the first time in Israeli history that a sitting prime minister has been charged with a crime.
"Israel's attorney general announced Thursday that his office plans to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges after a two-year investigation.
The prime minister faces one count of bribery and three counts of breach of trust. "The Attorney General, Avihai Mandelblit, has informed the Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, through his attorney, that he is considering indicting him on several criminal charges," according to a statement by Ministry of Justice spokesman Adi Livni.
Prosecutors would have to go forward with a pre-indictment hearing before Netanyahu is formally charged. "It should be noted that the decision regarding an indictment is not yet final, since the Attorney General will offer to conduct a pre-indictment hearing before reaching any final decision, according to Israeli law," according to Livni's statement.
Police have previously recommended indicting Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three different cases."
Couldn't happen to a nicer scoundrel.
Remember THIS?
Let's continue to hope that the arc of Justice bends toward Trump and indicts him the way it did NuttyYahoo!
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
From Michael Cohen's Opening Statement:
From The Hill reporter:
“While we were once driving through a struggling neighborhood in Chicago, he commented that only black people could live that way. And, he told me that black people would never vote for him because they were too stupid. And yet I continued to work for him.”
Cohen later describes, what appears to be a felony act by the President, to use charitable funds to fraudulently bid on a portrait of himself at auction:
“Mr. Trump directed me to find a straw bidder to purchase a portrait of him that was being auctioned at an Art Hamptons Event. The objective was to ensure that his portrait, which was going to be auctioned last, would go for the highest price of any portrait that afternoon. The portrait was purchased by the fake bidder for $60,000. Mr. Trump directed the Trump Foundation, which is supposed to be a charitable organization, to repay the fake bidder, despite keeping the art for himself”
He then turned his attention towards the First Lady, Melania Trump, expressing regret for having lied to her about Mr. Trump’s affairs:
“He asked me to pay off an adult film star with whom he had an affair, and to lie to his wife about it, which I did. Lying to the First Lady is one of my biggest regrets. She is a kind, good person. I respect her greatly – and she did not deserve that.”
Throughout the 20 page document, which is embedded below, and Cohen will likely read to open the hearing, he attacks Trump and paints a picture of him as a crooked, racist conman.
As for another controversy, the claim that Trump had bone spurs, which allowed him to get a deferment from Vietnam, Cohen also touched on that:
“Mr. Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur, but when I asked for medical records, he gave me none and said there was no surgery. He told me not to answer the specific questions by reporters but rather offer simply the fact that he received a medical deferment.”
“While we were once driving through a struggling neighborhood in Chicago, he commented that only black people could live that way. And, he told me that black people would never vote for him because they were too stupid. And yet I continued to work for him.”
Cohen later describes, what appears to be a felony act by the President, to use charitable funds to fraudulently bid on a portrait of himself at auction:
“Mr. Trump directed me to find a straw bidder to purchase a portrait of him that was being auctioned at an Art Hamptons Event. The objective was to ensure that his portrait, which was going to be auctioned last, would go for the highest price of any portrait that afternoon. The portrait was purchased by the fake bidder for $60,000. Mr. Trump directed the Trump Foundation, which is supposed to be a charitable organization, to repay the fake bidder, despite keeping the art for himself”
He then turned his attention towards the First Lady, Melania Trump, expressing regret for having lied to her about Mr. Trump’s affairs:
“He asked me to pay off an adult film star with whom he had an affair, and to lie to his wife about it, which I did. Lying to the First Lady is one of my biggest regrets. She is a kind, good person. I respect her greatly – and she did not deserve that.”
Throughout the 20 page document, which is embedded below, and Cohen will likely read to open the hearing, he attacks Trump and paints a picture of him as a crooked, racist conman.
As for another controversy, the claim that Trump had bone spurs, which allowed him to get a deferment from Vietnam, Cohen also touched on that:
“Mr. Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur, but when I asked for medical records, he gave me none and said there was no surgery. He told me not to answer the specific questions by reporters but rather offer simply the fact that he received a medical deferment.”
Trump to Kim Jong Un: "You're a great leader."
Trump to Kim Jong Un:
"I think your country has tremendous economic potential, unbelievable, unlimited. I think that you will have a tremendous future for your country, you're a great leader and I look forward to watching it happen and helping it to happen."
Kim Jong Un Has Committed 10 Crimes Against Humanity:
Panel Defectors told the committee about a newborn being fed to guard dogs, executions of starving prisoners for scrounging for edible plants in the dirt, the torture of Christians and more: |
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has up to 130,000 people imprisoned across a network of gulags, amounting to atrocities committed against his own nation, an international war crimes committee reported Tuesday. NBC News reported that the dictator committed all but one of the 11 recognized crimes against humanity, according to the International Bar Association War Crimes Committee's report:
murder, extermination, enslavement, forcible transfer, imprisonment, torture, sexual violence, persecution, enforced disappearances and other inhumane acts. Defectors told the committee about a newborn being fed to guard dogs, executions of starving prisoners for scrounging for edible plants in the dirt, the torture of Christians and more.
The gulags "are as terrible, or even worse" than Nazi camps, renowned jurist Thomas Buergenthal, who survived Auschwitz and serves on the committee, told The Washington Post.
AND THIS:
When has America EVER heard of a US president seeking advice on dealing with a hostile foreign leader from a country that is also hostile to the U.S. and, in this case, a country that interferred in U.S. elections?
What the hell is going on?
Putin Foreign Minister Lavrov in Vietnam ahead of Trump-Kim summit
The Russian official says the Trump administration sought Kremlin advice about dealing with North Korea
Not a coincidence. Lavrov, who is also visiting Vietnam this week, said in comments carried by Russian news agencies on Monday that Russia believes that the U.S. ought to offer Pyongyang “security guarantees” for the disarmament deal to succeed. He also mentioned that “the U.S. is even asking our advice, our views on this or that scenario of” how the summit in Hanoi could pan out.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
GOP Thug threatens Michael Cohen before his appearance in Congress on Wednesday
Cohen will testify to criminal conduct by Trump in tomorrow's hearing. GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz threatens Cohen:
GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz appears to threaten Michael Cohen on Twitter
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) tweeted a threat to President Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen on the eve of his public testimony before the House Oversight Committee.
Why it matters: Cohen originally postponed his appearance before various congressional committees in part because of "threats against his family" from Trump and his attorney Rudy Giuliani. At his hearing tomorrow, Cohen is expected to present evidence of alleged "criminal conduct" by Trump during his time as president, a source familiar with Cohen's testimony told Axios.
Trump and his 15-year friendship with convicted pedophile and sex-slave procurer, Jeffrey Epstein
In 2002, the President told New York Magazine:
“He’s [Epstein] a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”
Also, in the 2002 interview Trump said he'd known Epstein for 15 years.
Via Politico:
As I have previously explained, he [Trump] had no relationship with Mr. Epstein and had no knowledge whatsoever of his conduct. This has all been reported countless times in the press,” claimed Trump’s attorney Allen Garten.
Will Bunch:
"Bob Kraft is reportedly worth $6.6 billion. The price for a half hour at Orchids of Asia — where authorities on Friday said Kraft solicited prostitution, the charges brought after cops filmed him allegedly having sex with workers on two separate occasions — is $59.
It’s easy to make the pathos of a pompous billionaire caught up in a sex sting into the butt of jokes — especially when every red-blooded American west of Hartford absolutely hates Kraft’s football team — and on social media thousands of people have been doing exactly that. Totally understandable. But it’s important to take a deep breath and remember — this isn’t really “a sex scandal.” The real scandal here is the gross imbalance of power involving women who were held in a form of human bondage to serve as objects of gratification for powerful men intoxicated by their belief they can get away with anything.
That’s because for decades, men — and that’s who we’re talking about here, men — with thick wads of bills and friends on the golf fairways of power have gotten away with everything. There’s a reason that a billionaire like Donald Trump could fantasize about shooting somebody in the middle of Fifth Avenue in broad daylight and getting away with it, because everything short of that has already been gotten away with. But Kraft’s embarrassing arrest comes at one of those rarest of moments — when everyday people are suddenly realizing who doesn’t have power in America, who does, and that something can be done about this."
[skip]
"Incredibly, Epstein slept just 13 months in a county jail and was allowed to leave for work every day. Even worse, as the Herald’s Julie K. Brown (a former Daily News colleague and friend) reported in her Polk Award-winning series, Epstein’s victims were never informed of his sweetheart deal or allowed to weigh in.
On Friday, a judge ruled that Justice Department lawyers broke the law in their handling of the deal. The man who oversaw all of this — the then-U.S. Attorney for Miami, Alex Acosta — has moved on. He is still the U.S. Secretary of Labor, appointed by Epstein’s friend President Trump."
[skip]
"Indeed, Epstein’s teen-sex-abuse equivalent of shooting a man on Fifth Avenue and getting away with it was clearly made possible by his many powerful friends — including not just Trump but also former president Bill Clinton, a frequent flier on Epstein’s plane that was dubbed (no, you can’t make these things up) “the Lolita Express.” His lawyers who negotiated his cushy deal included Alan Dershowitz (now also accused of Epstein-related sexual shenanigans) and Kenneth Starr. Their work only proved that there are two systems of justice in America — one for the 1 Percent and another for the rest of us.
Ironically, the escapades of Palm Beach’s Billionaires Gone Wild have played a key role in making more and more Americans woke to our three-ring circus of power imbalance — income inequality, the patriarchy, and white privilege — and how closely locked those circles have become. It’s not just sex crimes. Remember the failure to hold any rich folks accountable for crashing the world economy in 2008?
Or reflect, for just one moment, on Robert Kraft’s National Football League. Players linked to violence and abuse toward women are welcomed back into the NFL after Epstein-caliber wrist slaps, while the one player who dared question police brutality toward African Americans was blackballed for two years.
Don’t be shocked, shocked when Bob Kraft gets off easy from the league."
The NFL will absolve Robert Kraft of any/all sins. Because you can solicit prostitutes, you can punch women, you can kill dogs, you can do drugs atop drugs. You just can't kneel to protest police brutality against African-Americans.
10:10 AM - 22 Feb 2019
Monday, February 25, 2019
Trump hangs out with all the "best" people
Another thing you won't see the rabid right wing bloggers cover:
Bob Kraft is reportedly worth $6.6 billion. The price for a half hour at Orchids of Asia — where authorities on Friday said Kraft solicited prostitution, the charges brought after cops filmed him allegedly having sex with workers on two separate occasions — is $59.
It’s easy to make the pathos of a pompous billionaire caught up in a sex sting into the butt of jokes — especially when every red-blooded American west of Hartford absolutely hates Kraft’s football team — and on social media thousands of people have been doing exactly that. Totally understandable. But it’s important to take a deep breath and remember — this isn’t really “a sex scandal.”
The real scandal here is the gross imbalance of power involving women who were held in a form of human bondage to serve as objects of gratification for powerful men intoxicated by their belief they can get away with anything.
TRUMP DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL HE'S TALKING ABOUT: PART THE INFINITY
The guy who bragged he knows more about technology than anyone else, showed the world that he's a dumbass when it comes to knowing anything about technology. MAGA!
Trump Calls For America To Implement A Technology That Doesn't Exist, Gets Brutally Mocked
The President is very clear on his desire for America to be ahead of the rest of the world. The competition from other countries such as China with their space program, or South Korea with their high-speed Internet clearly has him spooked. In his latest series of tweets, it's become apparent that he's quite annoyed that America is lagging behind on implementing technologies that don't even exist.
In a widely mocked thread, Donald Trump claimed the US was lagging behind on implementing 6G technology, already bored with 5G which, at the best predictions, won't even be rolled out until 2020-2022.
"I want 5G, and even 6G, technology in the United States as soon as possible. It is far more powerful, faster, and smarter than the current standard. American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind. There is no reason that we should be lagging behind on something that is so obviously the future," the President wrote on Twitter.
"I want the United States to win through competition, not by blocking out currently more advanced technologies. We must always be the leader in everything we do, especially when it comes to the very exciting world of technology!"
Trump, who once said "I know tech better than anyone" will know that 5G refers to it being the fifth generation of mobile Internet technology. It uses higher frequency radio waves (around 28 and 39 GHz) to carry data. These bands have higher capacity than previous cellular networks, which work between 700 MHz and 3 GHz in the microwave band. Because of the shorter wavelengths, the range is lower and signals will likely have to be carried by many more smaller phone masts to transmit data.
There's no guarantee when full 5G will come to the US
Trump Calls For America To Implement A Technology That Doesn't Exist, Gets Brutally Mocked
The President is very clear on his desire for America to be ahead of the rest of the world. The competition from other countries such as China with their space program, or South Korea with their high-speed Internet clearly has him spooked. In his latest series of tweets, it's become apparent that he's quite annoyed that America is lagging behind on implementing technologies that don't even exist.
In a widely mocked thread, Donald Trump claimed the US was lagging behind on implementing 6G technology, already bored with 5G which, at the best predictions, won't even be rolled out until 2020-2022.
"I want 5G, and even 6G, technology in the United States as soon as possible. It is far more powerful, faster, and smarter than the current standard. American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind. There is no reason that we should be lagging behind on something that is so obviously the future," the President wrote on Twitter.
"I want the United States to win through competition, not by blocking out currently more advanced technologies. We must always be the leader in everything we do, especially when it comes to the very exciting world of technology!"
Trump, who once said "I know tech better than anyone" will know that 5G refers to it being the fifth generation of mobile Internet technology. It uses higher frequency radio waves (around 28 and 39 GHz) to carry data. These bands have higher capacity than previous cellular networks, which work between 700 MHz and 3 GHz in the microwave band. Because of the shorter wavelengths, the range is lower and signals will likely have to be carried by many more smaller phone masts to transmit data.
There's no guarantee when full 5G will come to the US
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Here's something you'll never read on a right winger's blog:
GOP Finally Has Documented Case of Election Fraud — Committed by Republicans
Remember how the Trumpers howled about Dems cheating during elections to get their candidates elected? Yeah.
Remember how the Trumpers were outraged about the Republicans who committed election fraud by cheating during elections?
Yeah. Neither did I.
When it comes to hypocrisy, cheating, and lying, the GOP is a champion.
Friday, February 22, 2019
Just another day in the corrupt presidency of Donald J. Trump
No one's surprised that the current occupant in the Oval Office would tweet about Smollett, an unknown until now actor, and ignore the far right white supremacist who planned to assassinate members of the media, Democratic politicians, and others who Trump has labeled "enemies of the people."
While the decision marks a victory for crime victims, the federal judge, Kenneth A. Marra, stopped short of overturning Epstein’s plea deal, or issuing an order resolving the case. He instead gave federal prosecutors 15 days to confer with Epstein’s victims and their attorneys to come up with a settlement.
The victims did not seek money or damages as part of the suit. […] Marra, in a 33-page opinion, said prosecutors not only violated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act by not informing the victims, they also misled the girls into believing that the FBI’s sex trafficking case against Epstein was still ongoing – when in fact, prosecutors had secretly closed it after sealing the plea bargain from the public record.
For those who might need a refresher, Epstein, a politically connected multi-millionaire, was accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls in the early 2000s. A federal criminal investigation into his alleged activities raised the prospect of Epstein spending the rest of his life behind bars, but his high-profile legal team – which featured Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr – were able to strike a plea deal. And what a deal it was.
Epstein ended up pleading guilty to a state charge of soliciting sex from a minor in 2008, which led to an 18-month sentence. He was released after 13 months – during which time he had been permitted to leave the prison and go to work during much of the day – and then went back to living the high life."
A tale of two criminals: President Trump lambasts Jussie Smollett and ignores the far more dangerous Christopher Hasson
Meanwhile, in the Swamp that is the Trump Presidency, we now find out that his Secretary of Labor, Alex Acosta, broke the law.
Just another day in the corrupt presidency of Donald J. Trump.
(Meanwhile, the usual rabid far right bloggers are talking about Smollett and AOC, anything to keep themselves from facing the fact that they support the most dishonorable man ever to sit in the Oval Office.)
The scandal that could force out another Trump cabinet secretary
Just another day in the corrupt presidency of Donald J. Trump.
(Meanwhile, the usual rabid far right bloggers are talking about Smollett and AOC, anything to keep themselves from facing the fact that they support the most dishonorable man ever to sit in the Oval Office.)
"Federal prosecutors, under former Miami U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta, broke the law when they concealed a plea agreement from more than 30 underage victims who had been sexually abused by wealthy New York hedge fund manager Jeffrey Epstein, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
While the decision marks a victory for crime victims, the federal judge, Kenneth A. Marra, stopped short of overturning Epstein’s plea deal, or issuing an order resolving the case. He instead gave federal prosecutors 15 days to confer with Epstein’s victims and their attorneys to come up with a settlement.
The victims did not seek money or damages as part of the suit. […] Marra, in a 33-page opinion, said prosecutors not only violated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act by not informing the victims, they also misled the girls into believing that the FBI’s sex trafficking case against Epstein was still ongoing – when in fact, prosecutors had secretly closed it after sealing the plea bargain from the public record.
For those who might need a refresher, Epstein, a politically connected multi-millionaire, was accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls in the early 2000s. A federal criminal investigation into his alleged activities raised the prospect of Epstein spending the rest of his life behind bars, but his high-profile legal team – which featured Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr – were able to strike a plea deal. And what a deal it was.
Epstein ended up pleading guilty to a state charge of soliciting sex from a minor in 2008, which led to an 18-month sentence. He was released after 13 months – during which time he had been permitted to leave the prison and go to work during much of the day – and then went back to living the high life."
Thursday, February 21, 2019
BREAKING NEWS:
After Roger Stone tweeted out an image of crosshairs next to Judge Berman-Jackson's head, this is what she determined for the dirty trickster thug and very close friend of Donald J. Trump.
Roger Stone, the ultimate defiant dirtbag, got gobsmacked by the judge. HOORAY!:
Roger Stone, the ultimate defiant dirtbag, got gobsmacked by the judge. HOORAY!:
Feds claim coast guard officer wanted to kill Trump's politicall opponents and journalists
(The original post for today will be reposted later. This story is far more important.)
While the bottom-feeding 30 percenters agonize about AOC, they ignore their "president's" violent rhetoric that inspires and encourages one of their own to commit murder and mayhem:
(CNN)A Coast Guard lieutenant arrested last Friday on gun and drug charges allegedly wanted to conduct a mass killing. Christopher Paul Hasson, 49, of Silver Spring, Maryland, is alleged to be a white supremacist who had a hit list that included prominent Democratic politicians as well as several journalists from CNN and MSNBC.
Hasson's case was first circulated by counterterrorism expert Seamus Hughes and the George Washington Program on Extremism. Hasson's hit list includes Democratic politicians -- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of New York, Sens. Chuck Schumer, of New York, Cory Booker, of New Jersey, Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut and Kamala Harris, of California and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, of Texas -- as well as CNN journalists Don Lemon, Chris Cuomo and Van Jones and MSNBC's Chris Hayes, Ari Melber and Joe Scarborough.
Court documents say Hasson espoused extremist and white supremacist views and allege that he relied on the manifesto of Anders Breivik, a Norwegian who was convicted in 2011 of two terror attacks that killed 77 people.
The government says Hasson also stockpiled steroids and human growth hormone "to increase his ability to conduct attacks," consistent with the directions in Breivik's manifesto. "The defendant is a domestic terrorist, bent on committing acts dangerous to human life that are intended to affect governmental conduct," prosecutors wrote.
Donald Trump is directly responsible for this.
His calling American journalists and media "enemies of the people" is directly responsible for influencing weak-minded, violent white supremacists to seek revenge on Trump's "enemies" in the media.
Trump's supporters, IMO, are responsible as well, since they continue to be proud of and encourage a tyrant who encourages assassins to carry out his vendetta against Americans' First Amendment rights.
Every American president has been at odds with the American media that covered him (remember Nixon?) But NO AMERICAN PRESIDENT has ever called the media "enemies of the people."
ONLY DICTATORS AND TYRANTS DO THAT.
While the bottom-feeding 30 percenters agonize about AOC, they ignore their "president's" violent rhetoric that inspires and encourages one of their own to commit murder and mayhem:
Coast Guard officer allegedly wanted to conduct a mass killing, had political and media hit list
(CNN)A Coast Guard lieutenant arrested last Friday on gun and drug charges allegedly wanted to conduct a mass killing. Christopher Paul Hasson, 49, of Silver Spring, Maryland, is alleged to be a white supremacist who had a hit list that included prominent Democratic politicians as well as several journalists from CNN and MSNBC.
Hasson's case was first circulated by counterterrorism expert Seamus Hughes and the George Washington Program on Extremism. Hasson's hit list includes Democratic politicians -- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of New York, Sens. Chuck Schumer, of New York, Cory Booker, of New Jersey, Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut and Kamala Harris, of California and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, of Texas -- as well as CNN journalists Don Lemon, Chris Cuomo and Van Jones and MSNBC's Chris Hayes, Ari Melber and Joe Scarborough.
Court documents say Hasson espoused extremist and white supremacist views and allege that he relied on the manifesto of Anders Breivik, a Norwegian who was convicted in 2011 of two terror attacks that killed 77 people.
The government says Hasson also stockpiled steroids and human growth hormone "to increase his ability to conduct attacks," consistent with the directions in Breivik's manifesto. "The defendant is a domestic terrorist, bent on committing acts dangerous to human life that are intended to affect governmental conduct," prosecutors wrote.
Donald Trump is directly responsible for this.
His calling American journalists and media "enemies of the people" is directly responsible for influencing weak-minded, violent white supremacists to seek revenge on Trump's "enemies" in the media.
Trump's supporters, IMO, are responsible as well, since they continue to be proud of and encourage a tyrant who encourages assassins to carry out his vendetta against Americans' First Amendment rights.
Every American president has been at odds with the American media that covered him (remember Nixon?) But NO AMERICAN PRESIDENT has ever called the media "enemies of the people."
ONLY DICTATORS AND TYRANTS DO THAT.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
P.E. is on vacation until February 22
This is where I'll be for 2 1/2 weeks.
No blogging.
No. Trumpie news.
Just sand, sea, sun, and lots and lots of fun.
And a very special man to enjoy it with.
Be excellent to each other.
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
REALITY
The Trumpers believe President Porn Star Shagger hit a home run last night, but instead, he struck out with his many lies.
IN SOTU, TRUMP WARNS INVESTIGATIONS WILL HURT THE ECONOMY
"An incoherent psychotic speech composed of cookies and dog-poop." -- @VanJones68, with the punditry we deserve.
FROM MOTHER JONES:
President Trump references 'partisan investigations' during the #SOTU2019, infers they could disrupt the economy. Watch live: https://reut.rs/2D8P0Kh
Aides to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of the many Democrats in the House chamber on Tuesday to appear taken aback by the line, swiftly responded on social media to signal that the new Democratic House majority would not be deterred from providing oversight:
Sorry, sir. But Article 1 of the Constitution is the legislative branch. And it has the responsibility to exercise oversight of the other branches of government. We would be delinquent in our duties if we failed to provide the necessary oversight. #SOTU
The line also drew parallels to similar remarks made by President Richard Nixon during his State of the Union in 1974.
Echoes of Nixon saying one year of Watergate is enough, as Trump says: "If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation."
Also, Trump was WRONG about the US's "HOTTEST" economy:
The best speech of the evening:
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