COMMON SENSE IN A WORLD GOING MAD
Whose interests are served by the nonstop media (old and new) barrage of news that isn’t news, fatuous analysis and inane commentary? How do you deal with it? Do you ever wish you could stop the world, not to get off, but to give yourself time to make sense of what’s going on? The good news is that you can, by asking the right questions and standing conventional wisdom on its head, see the forest for the trees. The bad news is that you probably won’t like the view.
WHAT IF THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
FELL INTO THE WRONG HANDS?
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How do you see the forest for the trees? The first step is to quit walking through the forest. You can spend twenty-four hours a day reading periodicals and scanning the internet. You would know the latest of everything and you might begin to discern the stories behind the stories. However, you’d be wasting your most important and limited possession–your time–and reinventing the wheel. It makes a lot more sense to get in an airplane with competent pilots and instead fly over the forest.
Realize that most of what’s out there is a waste of time—your time. It doesn’t serve your interest to try to keep up with it, but it does serve the interests of those who want to keep you and every other potential Diogenes otherwise occupied. The truth always threatens those whose power and wealth rests on lies. Through history that has meant governments and those who align their fates with governments. The day one says: “I’m tired of being lied to,” is the day one challenges the existing order. Distractions–bread, circuses, welfare, football, whatever–have always been useful for those who don’t want anyone looking too closely at how they do things.
Straight Line Logic will keep its focus on that small percentage of original, incisive, logical work of importance in economics, politics, philosophy, history, and culture. It is to be hoped that the features on the site fall into that category. Let your internal reaction be your guide. The soul craves truth and if Straight Line Logic rings true, you’ll keep reading. If you don’t, thanks for the time you spent checking out the site.
ROBERT GORE’S EPIC NOVEL: THE DURAND FAMILY SAGA OF FREEDOM, ACHIEVEMENT, AND THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
STRAIGHT LINE LOGIC 
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme.
Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you?
Plz answer back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like
to know where u got this from. thank you
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I used the WordPress platform, which takes a while to learn to use, but I have found to be very powerful. WordPress has a variety of themes, and choosing from among them takes awhile. However, it is well worth taking the time. I use the Coraline theme, because it has three columns and a lot of areas for various widgets.
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You have done a fantastic job, not only on the new and better Straight Line Logic site, but on your “common sense” explanation.
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The biggest danger is most Americans assume, “hey it’s gotten bad, I admit it, it’s bad, but this is as far as it can go. Things gotta turn up now!” No, at every turn down, know that it can turn down again, easy. And the speed can pick up. And the depth things fall to can get worse too. There’s no end of pain and depredation that such a grinning sociopath as this Ebola Obama can inflict. He’s literally just. getting. started. It’ll just keep getting worse, and worse, and worse, precisely b/c people assume a bright new day is around the corner. Plus the Obozo received two clear mandates to do what he’s doing. He just sees the 2014 vote as sour grapes b/c the people are squeamish over a few cracked eggs. His unequivocal goal is the destruction of America, so it can never attain its former position. Suicide bomber … suicide President, He’s just getting started.
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It reminds me of the common perception about the pendulum swinging back and forth. If it is far to the left, it will eventually swing back to the right. While there is some truth in that, to me, it is more like The Pit and the Pendulum. Lower and lower it goes.
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Just bought The Golden Pinnacle. Will read over Christmas. -55
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I hope you enjoy it, and Merry Christmas!
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Robert, this is coaldigger from Galt’s Gulch. I was having a discussion with my 3 entrepreneurial sons at the family Christmas dinner and have asked that they read The Golden Pinnacle immediately. They are 52, 46 and 41 years old and have built pretty successful,separate businesses, small but more satisfying and financial rewarding than my career in the corporate world (even though it was in an age when a corporate career had more meaningful value.) Their frustrations are with regulation, taxation and general, societal disrespect in our current culture. My point is that they are letting outside influences take the joy out of their lives and if they just coast and rest on their past efforts, they will deteriorate as men and miss out on more satisfaction in their lives. I believe that by recognizing strong businessmen, such as themselves, and incorporating them in a broader scope of their existing strategic plan that they can find new challenges and satisfaction from even greater achievements. One son has just taken on a partner-to-be that would be an ideal and eager example. I share this just because I think you would be pleased to know that your writings and wisdom is appreciated and hopefully is of practical value.
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Coaldigger,
Thanks for the comments and I’m appreciative that you liked my book enough to recommend it to your sons. I have a feeling that 2015 is going to be momentous year and a time when a lot of assumptions get shaken. Let’s do everything we can to advance the cause of liberty and strictly limited government.
Robert Gore
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Robert, this is a danish investor frustrated by central bank policies and the markets reaction to them. LIke You I certainly do not think these policies create wealth. But I am not sure of the “end game” or the consequences. Will one of these be a massive redistribution of wealth ? so that the masses actually are right in buying stocks (and other real assets) and the people holding cash, bonds and similar assets will be left with worthless paper ?
You wrote: “If central bank balance sheet expansion and low interest rates were the road to riches, why not monetize everything and create universal wealth? The absurdity of that proposition is self-evident, but equity markets the world over rally every time a central banker hints of more balance sheet expansion and continuing microscopic interest rates” I agree But maybe not in the last part as You can see from my question. I am not long in the equity markets but I fear that central banks actually will monetize everything like they are on there way to do in Japan, As investors we have to take that into consideration. What do to do if they – the central banks – actually do that ? and what will it mean for the main asset classes. I would love to see Your respond to this!
Casper Leth
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Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this site.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s tough to get that “perfect balance” between user friendliness and appearance.
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me on Firefox. Excellent Blog!
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I like what you guys are up too. This kind of clever work and coverage!
Keep up the amazing works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my personal blogroll.
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The is getting sicker and sicker.
Blog roll exchange
http://www.thelasttradition.com/
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I find news to be more entertaining in comparison to soap operas. I do get irritated though, when news commentators do not ask the right questions as you stated. That is why I believe news providers should state their purpose at the beginning of each news report or news commentary, so I do not waste my time listening to their agendas rather than them providing us with the information we need to be free and self-
governing,.
Regards and goodwilll blogging.
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I keep waiting for the big gong to strike. You know, the one that makes you say this really is the big one this time. I keep checking in on your site to learn who is holding the hammer and winding up for the strike. Keep up the good work.
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Thought they did find WMD in Iraq. Big NYT story about it a while back.
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For musical commentary on this situation ref. “Give Me News I can Use” by John Kay & Steppenwolf – available on You Tube.
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What are your thoughts on the Trump “Plan”?
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I haven’t really looked at it. Bring me up to date on the specifics.
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https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/tax-reform He points out his plan does NOT add to the debt or deficit and according to Trump it simplifies the tax code by taking nearly 50% of current filers off the income tax rolls entirely and reducing the number of tax brackets from seven to four for everyone else.
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Sounds bad to me!… Further shrinking of the middle class….
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Further? It is non-existent NOW! I am tdo he working-poor! Who will get your vote?
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Sounds good to me.
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Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I quite enjoyed reading it, you happen to be a great author.
I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will often come back in the foreseeable future.
I want to encourage one to continue your great writing, have a nice holiday weekend!
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Great article.
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I adore what you guys are up to. Such intelligent work as well as exposure!
Continue the excellent works guys I’ve included
you guys to my own blogroll.
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When someone writes an piece of writing he/she keeps the idea of
a user in his/her mind that how a user can understand it.
So that’s why this piece of writing is perfect. Thanks!
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Saw this and thought of you — have no idea the date 😉
“Here is a quote from Edward Bernays the Jewish nephew of Sigmund Freud and widely considered to be the father of public relations which in essence is the father of propaganda and manipulation of the public:
“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
“We are governed, our minds molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society.
“Whatever attitude one chooses toward this condition, it remains a fact that in almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons – a trifling fraction of our hundred and twenty million – who understand the mental process and social pattern of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind, who harness old social forces and contrive new ways to bind and guide the world.” – Edward Bernays, Founder of Public Relations & Advertising, For Manipulation of the Masses.”
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Yes, when I was but a wee lad, my late father would tell me about the wolves and the sheep. Unfortunately, an SLL-approved world of neither wolves nor sheep still seems like a radical and inconceivable notion for humanity, but it will never happen if we don’t work towards it.
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Hi there, for all time i used to check blog posts here
in the early hours in the break of day, because i like to find out more and more.
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Mr. Gore, like to ask you a question. Figure you if anyone, has insights that could shed reasoned light on the subject.
China is buying up gold at a serious rate and quantity. Why?
And how are they paying for it?
By many accounts the Chinese government is devaluating their currency, along with dumping US treasuries in large quantities.
Most of the gold they are purchasing is originates out of the London vaults.
Why is London parting with such quantities? Isn’t gold an important strategic asset to nation states?
I have little knowledge of the economic mechanisms of such matters, yet it strikes me as indicative of larger matters at work that are very important to understand.
Any thoughts you could share?
Thanks.
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Not to perpetuate a stereotype, but the Chinese are somewhat inscrutable in these matters. I always get a kick out of American and European who claim to know with certainty what they’re doing. My guess would be that one of these days the Chinese want the yuan to be the world’s reserve currency, and what better way to do that than to back it with gold? That’s just a guess. However, trading pieces of paper, be they yuan currency units or US treasuries, for gold at this point sounds like a shrewd trade, since the value of currencies and government debts tends towards zero, and gold maintains its value. I believe, like you, that gold is a strategic asset as money and as a medium of exchange, so if the Western nations are trading their gold for pieces of paper, they are slitting their own throats. However, there is much that is not clear about the gold market, so I claim no omniscience about the workings of the market or what the Chinese, the Europeans, or the US government are doing right now with respect to gold.
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Thanks.
Makes a lot of sense what your saying. Had the same inkling about Chinese hedging their monetary future on a gold standard against worthless fiat.
So taking into account what your saying here, the Chinese played the fiat game, and when it is on the brink of imploding, they take the money and run by exchanging their fiat for gold and leave the fiat banking system with the billions in worthless fiat debt instruments they previously held?
Sounds exactly like it is inscrutably Asian.
I guess I couldn’t make sense about the western oligarchies selling its seed corn, because it is senseless.
Appreciate you Mr. Gore.
You always have something well worth listening to.
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I’ll immediately take hold of your rss feed as I can not find your email subscription hyperlink or newsletter
service. Do you’ve any? Kindly let me recognise so that I may subscribe.
Thanks.
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Frank,
If you look at the left hand side of this page above, there is a picture of me, followed by Recent Posts, followed by Trade, Not Aid, followed by RSS Feeds for both posts and comments, followed by a Follow Blog By Email button. Take your pick, and thanks for following me.
Robert
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I received the following response from another individual who is in the financial industry. He is not a reader of this site, WRSA or others. His comments are optimistic and cohesive. I was wondering if you would comment/respond.
________
I’m definitely not worried about another 2008-like crisis. I’m not sure what would precipitate that.
Many companies have loads of cash on their balance sheet. Household debt as a % of GDP is well below 2008. Savings rates are up moderately, but especially among younger people. I think the expansion since 2008 has been slow partially because govt regulation has inhibited growth, but mainly because the postwar trend towards ever more leverage has reversed itself. This reflects baby boomers catching up, plus a real change in culture among people less than 30. This is healthy. Perhaps we should be happy that the economy did not come roaring back after 2008. We don’t appear to be in another bubble. Low growth could go on for another 10 years. We’re not particularly leveraged, so it seems like a relatively low risk economy.
What are other risks?
Middle East — that’s always a risk, and no more than before, perhaps less.
China — it is not going to be a huge engine of growth — they need to spend the next 20 years cleaning up the environment — but they should still grow at 5 % per year for the next ten years.
Europe — Western Europe is a near-basket case, but that just means that it has terrible demographics and excessive regulation, and it won’t collapse.
Brexit – it would be a bit of mess, but mainly a non-event
US Federal deficit – big but under control, in spite of Medicare; it is a huge tanker whose path can be nudged, but is far from crashing into the shore.
Bankruptcies at the state level — it is coming to places like Illinois (where 4 of the last 7 Governors have gone to jail!), but won’t have a severe impact overall
Cheap oil – it makes a small segment of the US economy unhappy. But, the economic impact must be a plus overall. It does create geo-political instability, but I think Hillary can deal with the 3 biggest losers (Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iran)
And, there are all sorts of new technologies coming on line. 3-D printing. Pharmaceuticals customized to your DNA. Space travel! New materials. Lost priced Teslas. Driverless cars. Virtual reality. Artificial limbs that are driven by our brains. More efficient clean energy. Peer-to-peer lending. Peer-to-peer insurance.
Am I too optimistic? Where do you see the biggest risks?
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The biggest risk is when the global economy has passed the point where a $1 of additional debt produces far less than $1 of additional growth. Once past that point, which the world has indeed reached, additional debt becomes counterproductive. Having consumed more than it produces for many decades, the world must now produce more than it consumes, whether excess debt is paid off, rescheduled, or written off. That process is inherently deflationary and contractive, and it is currently going on raw materials, intermediate goods, and finished goods, and is spreading to transportation, retailing, and services. I refer you to any number of articles on this site that have made that statistical case. You’re friend is right that we are not in for another 2008-like crisis, the next one will be far worse. Central banks have already hit the lower bound on interest rates, and more government and central bank debt will be counterproductive. For more, see this site’s Debtonomics Archive and browse the blog for the many articles posted on the current economic situation.
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Just came across your blog and, although I have yet to peruse it fully, I like what I read so far. It is always encouraging to find people that have the ability to think critically and express their view simply.
The question I would like more people to ask more often is the following:
In a presumed open societies predicated on democratic principles and in spite of their ostensible role of stewardship of the system, in light of their actions, why do we need a central bank?
g
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We don’t.
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Thank you, Mr Gore, for your kind words and support. Admin and I are in the process of facilitating a workaround. From here on out, all matters online connected to this username will present as purely circumstantial in any court of law.
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Just finished ” Golden Pinnacle”. Well done, well written, great story, and the message of Truth, inspires me.
We live in a time of half truth, innuendo, misdirection, deception.
Thank you.
Dirk Williams
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Thank you for reading it and taking the time to comment. I’m glad you liked it.
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May we republish your excellent article:
With credit and linkback
in https://citizensjournal.us?
Regards,
George Miller
Publisher@CitizensJournal.us
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George
You and anyone else are free to republish as long as there is proper attribution and a link. You can even stick in the advertisement for my book if you want, but that’s certainly not required. Thanks for your interest and I’m glad you liked the article.
Robert
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You might wish to read :”Company Aytch.” One of the best books on war ever written. By a Southerner in the 4th TN, Army of TN. Plagiarized by Stephen Crane in his Red Badge of Courage novel. Not a novel, a personal account from start to finish. Superbly literately written.
.
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Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll add it to the list, which is rather long. Good thing I’m going to live to 100 years old.
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Good morning Robert,
As this is the only place on your main page where I observed a means to send you a note:
Here ’tis.
First, I’m new here having just discovered your work via a salute from SeekingAlpha. I’m impressed and will keep peeking in as I continue in my own writing.
Second, I spent a period of time this morning watching a very old video purporting to tell the true story about the making of The Godfather. It will take me some time to fully vet the sources, however, much of what it attributes to the perils of Al Ruddy, the film’s Producer, mirrors so much of what’s happening out there on the streets today. And my mind whispered, “share this with Bob Gore.” Throughout much of what appeared on the screen, I kept muttering: “today is but history repeating itself.” Anyway, thanks for your impressive work product.
Here ’tis
The Real Story Behind Making The Godfather <>
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Stephen
Thank you very much. I can’t wait to watch the video, but you didn’t send a live link. You can send the URL address and I and any other interested SLL reader can paste it in their browsers. Again, thanks.
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My newest article:
COVID Prevention Alternative to Vaccines
Joel S. Hirschhorn
The massive global effort to get COVID vaccines used plays on fears of getting the disease, despite the fact that they are experimental. Meaning that they have not gone through the rigorous, time-consuming and expensive randomized clinical trials that so many experts say is the gold standard for evaluating drugs. This absence was used by the government to condemn and block the use of generic medicines, namely hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.
Vaccine testing and regulatory approval have been rushed. Missing from nearly all information reaching the public are some key facts.
The vaccines still allow the virus to stay in the body and the virus can shed and pass on to others. In other words, the virus can stay alive in the community. Moreover, all kinds of ugly side effects can and do hit some vaccinated people. What vaccines are engineered to do is prevent serious disease impacts and death, but not truly and entirely keep the virus out of living in your body. In other words, unlike most older vaccines for other viral diseases, they do not actually kill the virus, but aim to kill the viral impacts by imparting some immunity.
Vaccine advocates are selling serious COVID disease prevention. But is there another, very different prevention strategy? There is.
As detailed in my recent book Pandemic Blunder, there are mountains of strong medical data showing that a number of cheap, safe, proven and effective medicines, vitamins and supplements have been used worldwide to stop COVID when the protocols are used very early. In a number of countries where they have been widely used COVID hospitalizations and death rates are markedly lower than in the US and other nations that have blocked their use. Overall, they have prevented 70 to 80 percent of COVID deaths. The chief requirement is that they are used within days of getting symptoms or a positive test. Just as important, huge amounts of data show that these medical solutions also act as prophylactics, meaning prevention, to keep people healthy when they have not been infected by the virus.
In other words, people have a right to choose between COVID vaccines and the multitude of protocols that have been classified as components for early home COVID treatment.
This choice is all the more relevant when one acknowledges that a vast number of people do not need a vaccine to get COVID immunity. Why? Because large numbers of people have either natural immunity or immunity achieved because they have contracted COVID, but without serious impacts. Proof of non-vaccine immunity is everywhere, including children and elderly people in nursing homes who remained healthy unlike others living with them who were struck down and all too often died.
Yes, there are some groups that have a good case for taking a vaccine. They include people like me who are elderly with serious underlying medical problems, and even younger people who also have serious medical conditions, including morbid obesity. I have taken the COVID vaccine because I am 81 with a very serious heart condition. But I still take twice a day one of those protocols with strong evidence for effectiveness: zinc, quercetin, vitamins D and C. Where people have access to hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, including some Americans who have doctors willing and able to prescribe them, they take regular doses for prevention, typically along with zinc and vitamins D and C.
It all comes down to science-based choice on how to best stay safe in this pandemic. Even if they do not follow the data, it seems like roughly 40 to 50 percent of Americans who do not want to take the vaccine have seen first-hand that vaccines are not the only path to stay safe from COVID. This is especially true for younger people who have seen considerable government data that even if they get COVID they will not likely suffer awful impacts.
The push for vaccines is also linked to many politicians arguing to maintain discredited contagion controls (such as masking, school closings, and lockdowns) until everyone gets vaccinated. This thinking has nothing to do with the widely opined “follow the science” and much more to do with maintaining public fear and political power. And never forget the wisdom of “follow the money.” The push for COVID vaccines has everything to do with drug companies making many billions of dollars.
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to: handmadecart … right click and “View Page Source” or similar if you’re on an apple … It’s a WordPress site as indicated by the “W” … you can find a similar, clean and simple template to get you started.
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