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Baltimore Sun Op-Ed: After Katrina fiasco, time for Bush to go

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BurtWorm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:01 PM
Original message
Baltimore Sun Op-Ed: After Katrina fiasco, time for Bush to go
Read the whole thing! :wow: :applause:


http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.administration08sep08,1,1623,print.story?coll=bal-oped-headlines


By Gordon Adams

September 8, 2005



WASHINGTON - The disastrous federal response to Katrina exposes a record of incompetence, misjudgment and ideological blinders that should lead to serious doubts that the Bush administration should be allowed to continue in office.

When taxpayers have raised, borrowed and spent $40 billion to $50 billion a year for the past four years for homeland security but the officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency cannot find their own hands in broad daylight for four days while New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast swelter, drown and die, it is time for them to go.

...

They rode into office in a highly contested election, spouting a message of bipartisanship but determined to undermine the federal government in every way but defense (and, after 9/11, one presumed, homeland security). One with Grover Norquist, they were determined to shrink Washington until it was "small enough to drown in a bathtub." Katrina has stripped the veil from this mean-spirited strategy, exposing the greed, mindlessness and sheer profiteering behind it.

It is time to hold them accountable - this ugly, troglodyte crowd of Capital Beltway insiders, rich lawyers, ideologues, incompetents and their strap-hangers should be tarred, feathered and ridden gracefully and mindfully out of Washington and returned to their caves, clubs in hand.


Gordon Adams, director of security policy studies at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, was senior White House budget official for national security in the Clinton administration.

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BurtWorm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:14 PM
Response to Original message
1. Am I going to be the only one kicking this thread up, too?
Edited on Thu Sep-08-05 07:14 PM by BurtWorm
:eyes:
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GeorgeBushytail Donating Member (862 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:51 PM
Response to Reply #1
12. Help Drive Bush out - 9/11 March To Bushville, DC - bushville.org
9/11 March to Bushville, DC

On 9/11 survivors of Katrina will commit an act of NONVIOLENT Civil Disobedience by setting up camp on the Washington, DC Mall.

Bushville, DC will remain as long as it takes to get answers and change.

Visit http://www.bushville.org and spread the word.

We will camp on Bush's doorstep and make him face us every day until he is driven from power.

Join the March to Bushville, DC. If you can't make it on 9/11 visit us on 9/24.
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calimary Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 06:41 PM
Response to Reply #1
35. Nope.
:toast:

I posted this editorial elsewhere, too. It's a BEAUTY!! Truly, a thing of beauty!! And it sure says what's in my heart.

If this guy is saying it, other people are thinking it. And we should do EVERYTHING we can do encourage this type of thinking. Our country deserves no less, and those who've died, needlessly, on bush's watch, deserve it, too. To ensure that they didn't die in vain.

Let's do it for THEM, if for NO OTHER REASON.
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flordehinojos Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:15 PM
Response to Original message
2. thank you for posting this. i am not a registered baltimore sun reader, so
i could only read what you've posted --- but if America begins to see the truth and speak up like this ... then America is not doomed. Otherwise we are.

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BurtWorm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:22 PM
Response to Reply #2
6. Check your PM box
;)
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flordehinojos Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:50 PM
Response to Reply #6
11. thank you so much!
;-)
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faithnotgreed Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:15 PM
Response to Original message
3. sock it to em
thanks for posting this burtworm
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joanne Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:16 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. Kicked and nominated
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bullimiami Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:16 PM
Response to Original message
5. but they dont want to 'shink the government until they can drown it...'
Edited on Thu Sep-08-05 07:20 PM by bullimiami
their actions expose this lie.

they want to replace the government with a massive taxpayer funded but unnacountable military/corporate power elite.

they are telling us all to go f#$k ourselves.





nominated.
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jazzjunkysue Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:25 PM
Response to Original message
7. This is good. Very good. Keep it coming. This is what it takes.
:toast:
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mcscajun Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:39 PM
Response to Original message
8. "...this ugly, troglodyte crowd..."
:wow: :nuke: :wow:

Go, Baltimore Sun, GO!

:applause: :woohoo: :applause:

Open calls for elimination of the Bush regime. 'Bout damned time!
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mcscajun Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:41 PM
Response to Original message
9. Don't forget about www.bugmenot.com
When you really want to read something...

...they'll get you there. :)
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calimary Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 06:43 PM
Response to Reply #9
36. And don't forget, if you can, to email this author and say THANK YOU!!!
Positive reinforcement is always useful when they do something good.
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JerseygirlCT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:48 PM
Response to Original message
10. kick nt
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Eric J in MN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:53 PM
Response to Original message
13. nominated (nt)
nt
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klebean Donating Member (268 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 07:57 PM
Response to Original message
14. "[bush] should be laughed out of town as an impostor." n/t
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WiseButAngrySara Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 08:01 PM
Response to Original message
15. I hope this will be one of thousands to come! Kick and Nominated....n/t
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Mein Bush Donating Member (171 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 08:24 PM
Response to Original message
16. What if Osama had blown up the levees? (Nominated)
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jarnocan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 09:01 PM
Response to Reply #16
19. great one
Edited on Thu Sep-08-05 09:03 PM by jarnocan
too many lives- hey I am a little upset by the DFA independent investigation petition, the letter accompanying it says; hundreds if not thousands may have died, when it is likely 25-40 thousand- I know they have to be careful but sure even hundreds- would also be terrible- but the reality seems to be much higher.
Still a good petition and you can add comments.

Their response to Hurricane Katrina was slow and mismanaged.
So what went wrong? This question must be answered -- for the sake of the victims of Hurricane Katrina -- and for future generations. Please join me in calling for an Independent Commission to investigate what went wrong and make sure that this never happens again.


http://tools.democracyforamerica.com/petition/katrina/index.php?refid=3364320c6d76d2a7
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jarnocan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 09:01 PM
Response to Reply #16
20. petition
Edited on Thu Sep-08-05 09:04 PM by jarnocan
"Their response to Hurricane Katrina was slow and mismanaged.
So what went wrong? This question must be answered -- for the sake of the victims of Hurricane Katrina -- and for future generations. Please join me in calling for an Independent Commission to investigate what went wrong and make sure that this never happens again. "

http://tools.democracyforamerica.com/petition/katrina/index.php?refid=3364320c6d76d2a7
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John_R_Kelly Donating Member (17 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 08:46 PM
Response to Original message
17. I liked the "tarred & feathered" portion- here's an impeachmnet letter
Articles of Impeachment must come from the House Judiciary Committee. If you are in agreement that Bush, Cheney and his misadministration should be removed from office, would you please send this letter to both Democrats and REPUBLICANS on the Committee and ALL in Congress, so they can know just how serious we are. Fax is best, and e mail is next best. Snail mail is held up for weeks. And to all groups or mailing lists you have?

Membership of Judiciary Committee http://judiciary.house.gov/CommitteeMembership.aspx

Most complete list of e mail/fax addresses of Congress:
http://www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Congressman/Senator _____________________

It's time.

Now the entire country is witness to Bush’s Impeachable offenses and Misdemeanors of :

Dereliction of Duty, Abuse of Office, Violation of Public Trust.

We have listed the proof of Bush's dereliction of duty and violations of Public Trust at the URL here:

"NOW IS THE TIME - LIST HERE BUSH's DERELICTION OF DUTY - FOR IMPEACHMENT "

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2061707

Congress must level charges at both Bush and Cheney of Abuse of Office, Dereliction of Duty, and Violation of Public Trust.

1)Abuse of Office: Bush & Cheney. On Wednesday August 31 the announcement came, days before the people in New Orleans were rescued, given water or MRE's, that Halliburton had been awarded the contract for rebuilding in New Orleans. Without bid. and to a company who had been caught overcharging the U.S. taxpayer $100 million in Iraq.

2)Abuse of Office & Dereliction of Duty: A transcript of Tim Russert's Meet The Press has Republican governor Barbour stating he had national guard, food, fuel, water and all that he needed on MONDAY, while President Broussard of Jefferson Parrish Louisiana broke down in tears on national tv at the death of his citizens stating that even as of that day, Sunday Sept 4, seven (7) days after the hurricane, he did not have food, water, fuel, Red Cross or national guard and as a matter of fact such items had been sent to him by private parties and FEMA refused to let these desperately needed items through: that FEMA even had cut the lines of his emergency communications.

The text of his interview with Russert is here:transcript: <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9179790 /

3) Abuse Of Office & Dereliction of Duty: When Republican Governor Barbour of Mississippi who was interviewed after Mr. Broussard on Russert said "I don;t know what went on in Louisiana but I had guard, food , water and everything I needed on Monday (August 29)- I understood. The world understood.

Mr. Bush is known to be a vindictive person. It is obvious that FEMA on orders did not service the Democratic governor's constituents , never mind that it would cause their deaths, while taking excellent care of the Republican’s constituents. I as we all are, am horrified at what Bush has done.

The food, water, buses, private aid, life saving boats, guard, volunteers and help of any kind were kept outside of New Orleans and not allowed in for a full five days, as we all saw recorded for posterity on television.

I have numerous instances with links in the URL above as proof of this. Many who rushed to New Orleans with supplies, boats, medicine, doctors, sheriffs, aid and transport called by the Mayor of New Orleans and Governor of Louisiana were rebuffed and sent away by FEMA and the National Guard on Thursday and before. FEMA & the Guard under orders, essentially blockaded New Orleans and the Parishes causing dehydration of thousands and allowing drowning resulting in deaths.

It's beyond comprehension that any President of the United States would sacrifice thousands of American lives to play politics to bestow favoritism on Republican governors and ignore the desperate pleas of American citizens living in Democratic Governors’ areas , however without doubt it is the conclusion after Tim Russert interviewed (R) Gov Haley Barbour of Mississippi who said he had everything he needed on Monday 8/29 but didn't know what went on in Louisiana, (as did the republican governor of Alabama) while County Manager (D)Aaron Broussard of Jefferson Parrish in Louisiana broke down and cried on national television on Sunday 9/4 that his people were dying and he still didn't have guard, food, water, gas, Red Cross or any life saving assistance 7 days after the hurricane, despite promises every day from FEMA and President Bush "that the calvary was coming". In fact, while Broussard’s people were dying, FEMA was turning away gas, water, and food trucks from New Orleans and Broussard's area, even those sent by private organizations such as Walmart.

The importance of the Russert interview of the two men is primary to understant what George Bush was doing.

Payback.

Originally it was thought Bush’s intention was genocide of the minority population. But after hearing (R)Haley Barbour and (D)President Broussard on the same program experiencing the absolute opposite result in life saving assistance, it could be understood this was Payback against Democrat voting Louisiana by a vindictive George Bush.

Did Bush realize the deaths his vindictive actions would cause? .

If so , what he has done is criminal homicide of American citizens;

At the very least, his dereliction of duty and abuse of power is manslaughter,

Either way, what he has done is criminal, impeachable and it's time for him to go.

a)The Chicago Tribune reports that the U.S.S. Bataan, equipped with six operating rooms, hundreds of hospital beds and the ability to produce 100,000 gallons of fresh water a day, has been sitting off the Gulf Coast since last Monday 8/29- waiting for orders from the President, which never came.

b)The BBC interviewed Lieutenant Sean Kelly of Northcom who stated over radio they had been prepared for rescue three days before the hurricane hit and were awaiting orders from the President, which did not come. (Transcipt of interview in above URL)

c)Bush has stated " No one knew this could happen"

Dr. Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, told the Times-Picayune Sunday afternoon that officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, including FEMA Director Mike Brown and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, listened in on electronic briefings given by his staff in advance of Hurricane Katrina slamming Louisiana and Mississippi--and were advised of the storm’s potential deadly effects.

"Mayfield said the strength of the storm and the potential disaster it could bring were made clear during both the briefings and in formal advisories, which warned of a storm surge capable of overtopping levees in New Orleans and winds strong enough to blow out windows of high-rise buildings," the paper reported. "He said the briefings included information on expected wind speed, storm surge, rainfall and the potential for tornados to accompany the storm as it came ashore. "We were briefing them way before landfall," Mayfield said. "It’s not like this was a surprise. We had in the advisories that the levee could be topped."


D) An incomplete list of aid turned away by Bush and Fema to the Democratic areas of Louisiana:

- won't accept Amtrak's help in evacuations

- turns away experienced firefighters

- turns back Wal-Mart supply trucks filled with desperately needed water and food

- prevents Coast Guard from delivering diesel fuel

- won't let Red Cross deliver food or water to New Orleans or Louisiana parrishes

- bars morticians from entering New Orleans

- blocks 500-boat citizen flotilla from delivering aid and searching for survivors.

- tells volunteer air boat searchers they have to pay for their own gas: $500 to 700 a day.

-gives no orders to Navy ship Baataan awaiting to assist parked in Gulf with 600-bed hospital on board and

capability of supplying 100,000 gallons of water p/day.

-Chicago has a convoy of trucks loaded with aid. Told to send just one truck

-FEMA turns away generators

-Canadian Red Cross from Vancouver BC whose planes were blocked by FEMA from entering the U.S. to aid New Orleans

-Aid offered by every country in the world not accepted.

-FEMA: "First Responders Urged Not To Respond"( straight from FEMA's website.)

Dereliction of Duty by Bush & Cheney: No orders were given out in fact until the President returned from his cake eating, guitar strumming, fund raising jaunt to California on Thursday evening, 4 days after the hurricane hit.

I sincerely hope that the compilation of information will help you bring this to the Judiciary Committee and every member of congress for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney and the entire mis-administration .

Very truly yours,





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John_R_Kelly Donating Member (17 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 09:02 PM
Response to Reply #17
21. This map showing only Republican counties ordered protected
should be included in an impeachment letter too.

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2005/9/8/62853/79591

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laureloak Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 10:10 PM
Response to Reply #21
23. Great. This deserves it's own thread. n/t
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newyawker99 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 12:59 PM
Response to Reply #21
26. Hi John_R_Kelly!!
Welcome to DU!! :toast:
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newswolf56 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 06:34 PM
Response to Reply #21
31. Self delete (reposted to entire thread).
Edited on Fri Sep-09-05 07:01 PM by newswolf56
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calimary Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 06:39 PM
Response to Reply #17
33. Welcome to DU!
Glad you're here, and posting stuff like this! It's great!

We need you!!! Keep it up. And help us work toward

IMPEACHMENT NOW!!!!!!!!!!
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Eurobabe Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 08:52 PM
Response to Original message
18. Wow, now that was great, let's see who else follows suit
I've said many times this week, the suckers need to be run out of town on a rail, stripped of their pensions, etc. Maybe Gitmo might suit their sorry asses.
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Donailin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 09:06 PM
Response to Original message
22. I'm sorry but. .
I think they should take away the clubs.

>>It is time to hold them accountable - this ugly, troglodyte crowd of Capital Beltway insiders, rich lawyers, ideologues, incompetents and their strap-hangers should be tarred, feathered and ridden gracefully and mindfully out of Washington and returned to their caves, clubs in hand<<
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goclark Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-08-05 10:13 PM
Response to Reply #22
24. The Sun let him come out swinging !


I am shocked!
My Baltimore friends think the Sun is very conservative.

They are ultra liberal so I can't truly judge the Op Ed.
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GoSolar Donating Member (295 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 11:29 AM
Response to Original message
25. WOW!
I think they got it!!
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AzDar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 01:18 PM
Response to Original message
27. Kick!! n/t
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Marnieworld Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 01:35 PM
Response to Original message
28. kicking
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mzmolly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 06:16 PM
Response to Original message
29. .
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donco6 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 06:20 PM
Response to Original message
30. Wow, every paragraph - bam, bam, bam.
When the president makes Sen. Trent Lott's house in Pascagoula, Miss., the poster child for rebuilding while hundreds of thousands are bereft of housing, jobs, electricity and security, he betrays a careless insensitivity that should banish him from office.

OUCH!

When the president of the United States points the finger away from the lame response of his administration to Katrina and tries to finger local officials in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., as the culprits, he betrays the unwillingness of this administration to speak truth and hold itself accountable. As in the case of the miserable execution of policy in Iraq, Mr. Bush and Karl Rove always have some excuse for failure other than their own misjudgments.

ZING!

We have a president who is apparently ill-informed, lackadaisical and narrow-minded, surrounded by oil baron cronies, religious fundamentalist crazies and right-wing extremists and ideologues. He has appointed officials who give incompetence new meaning, who replace the positive role of government with expensive baloney.

KNOCKOUT!
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Mein Bush Donating Member (171 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 07:45 PM
Response to Reply #30
38. Great post donco6. These morons had four years to fix things after 911!
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Scout1071 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 06:36 PM
Response to Original message
32. Suh-weet.
Kick.
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Cleita Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 06:40 PM
Response to Original message
34. A beginning. Let's hope more jump on this bandwagon to
impeachment. We can't demand less now that this latest tragedy has stripped back the last vestiges of any pretense that they had of being human.
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newswolf56 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-09-05 07:03 PM
Response to Original message
37. If even former Clinton Administration officials are...
beginning to speak out against Bush, there truly is hope for America. This is almost like the Republicans themselves turning against Bush: the Clinton Administration was the most pro-corporation, anti-working-class, anti-poor-and-disabled administration in Democratic Party history -- think NAFTA, welfare "reform," etc. ad nauseum.

(I'd love to read the entire article, but I'm not registered with The Baltimore Sun.)
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