Month: August 2021

Pima County Republican Chair Calls for Arrest of Officials Mandating Vaccine or Masks

Rachel Alexander
Shelley Kais

The chairman of the Pima County Republican Party is calling for the arrest of local officials who mandate the COVID-19 vaccine or masks. In that lower part of the state, the City of Tucson requires vaccinations and the Marana School District requires masks. 

Shelley Kais told the Arizona Daily Independent, “On September 29, any school board member, city councilman, or supervisor who requires masks or vaccines mandates and passports should be arrested ” She went on, “The power grab by our elected officials to play this ‘game of chicken’ is nothing more than political and follows neither science nor good public policy. We will continue to fight for our first responders, our teachers, and the children in Pima County.” 

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Florida Wins $5M Back after Nonprofit Compensation Scheme

Grant Holcomb
Florida’s Historic Capitol and Florida State Capitol

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced they won back $5 million in a settlement from a lawsuit the state filed against the nonprofit group, the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV). The figure at the center of the suit was Tiffany Carr, who worked at the coalition for decades, was accused of defrauding the State of Florida and the federal government by convincing the board of directors to pay her millions of dollars, as her salary, over years.

“For several years, FCADV and Tiffany Carr concocted to pay herself an excessive compensation scheme, millions of dollars meant to benefit domestic violence victims. When uncovered, this scheme threatened to disrupt funding to domestic violence centers,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “I am pleased that through these actions, we succeeded in getting rid of the bad management, dismantling the organization, implementing a new system to serve victims of domestic violence and recouping millions of misappropriated funds.

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Florida Medical Group Silent on Vaccine Mandates

Grant Holcomb

The American Medical Association (AMA) is calling for public and private vaccine mandates.

“With the highly transmissible and more virulent Delta variant wreaking havoc and emergency departments once again overwhelmed, physicians and all frontline health care workers need help,” the AMA said. “The way to regain the upper hand in this fight is requiring vaccinations—specifically vaccine mandates.”

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Think Tank Offers Policy Changes for Ohio’s Emerging Technologies

The Center Square

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed technology to the forefront in the lives of Ohioans, and a policy group has released a list of more than two dozen recommendations it believes the state should enact to make it a leader in the area.

The Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based think tank, developed the policy list that ranges from data sharing to reducing government red tape. All, it said, would develop economic benefits and improve the quality of life of Ohioans.

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Former NFL Star Herschel Walker Releases Video, Officially Launches Campaign for U.S. Senate

Cooper Moran

  Former NFL star running back Herschel Walker ended months of speculation on Wednesday, releasing a video to announce his candidacy to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate. In a Twitter video that lasts approximately 90 seconds, Walker pledged to “protect the American Dream for everybody” and “stand up for conservative values and get our country moving in the right direction.” “Where else could a poor kid from a small town in Georgia become valedictorian of his high school, earn the Heisman Trophy, play professional football, represent the United States in the Olympics, and become CEO of multiple companies? I have lived the American Dream, but I am concerned it is slipping away for many people,” Walker said of his past opportunities. https://twitter.com/HerschelWalker/status/1430567635054387201 Walker joins a crowded GOP primary field, including Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black. However, unlike other contenders, Walker has the backing of former President Donald Trump. Months before Walker declared his candidacy, Trump released a statement encouraging the former University of Georgia football player to enter the race. “Wouldn’t it be fantastic if the legendary Herschel Walker ran for the United States Senate in Georgia? He would be unstoppable, just like he was when he played for…

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Parents Demonstrate Against School Mask Mandate and Health Officer in Kent County, Michigan

Bradley Vasoli

On Thursday, several Kent County commissioners and a packed room of parents expressed outrage over Health Officer Adam London’s mandate that school children wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

London, who issued the requirement mere days before children in the Grand Rapids area headed back to school this Monday, insisted at a board of commissioners meeting that no negative consequences come to children from wearing masks. 

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Virginia Police Benevolent Association Wants to Ban Ticket Quotas

Eric Burk

The Virginia Police Benevolent Association is drafting legislation to ban ticket quotas in all law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth.

“This legislation comes from my state police chapter,” VPBA Executive Director Sean McGowan said. “We have a state police chapter that has 800 troopers that are members. This is their concern, this is not something that Sean McGowan or the committee came up with. This is directly from our members.”

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Norfolk State University Paying Students, Staff Who Take COVID-19 Vaccine

Peter D'Abrosca
Man getting bandaid on vaccination shot

Norfolk State University has announced that it is paying students, faculty and staff to take the COVID-19 vaccine after it imposed a September 20 deadline for vaccination. 

“All validated students who are fully vaccinated and have provided proper proof of vaccination by September 20, 2021, will receive a $500 incentive,” the school said on its website. “All Faculty/Staff who are fully vaccinated and have provided proper proof of vaccination by September 20, 2021, will receive a $1000 incentive.”

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Arizona Attorney General Finds Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Violated State Law by Ignoring Legislative Subpoenas

Cooper Moran
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced on Thursday that his office determined that the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) violated state law for failing to comply with the Arizona Senate’s legislative subpoena related to the 2020 election audit.

Because of the findings, MCBOS must comply or Brnovich will notify the Arizona Treasurer to withhold Maricopa County’s state-shared funds as required under the law.

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Republican Prince William County Supervisors Allege That Democratic Supervisor Sent Police to Intimidate Conservative Resident

Eric Burk

Prince William County’s three Republican supervisors allege that a Democratic supervisor sent county law enforcement to intimidate a resident.

“Earlier this month, Democrat Prince William County Supervisor Andrea Bailey, and her husband Cozy Bailey, the head of the Prince William County NAACP, used the Prince William County Police Department to silence and intimidate a conservative resident critical of Supervisor Bailey and the Democrat Board majority,” Supervisor Yesli Vega said in an email announcement.

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Florida Circuit Court Judge Hears Case Regarding CARES Act Reinstatement

Casey Owens

Judge Layne Smith of Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit Court held a hearing Wednesday for a lawsuit filed against Governor Ron DeSantis, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and its Secretary, Dane Eagle.

The complaint was filed on July 25th by attorneys on behalf of a group of Broward County residents in response to the $300-a-week in federal unemployment benefits – known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the ‘CARES Act’ – that were cut off in Florida on July 26th. 

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Ohio GOP Candidates for U.S. Senate, Cincinnati Congressman Rip Biden After Afghan Blasts Kill Marines, Navy Medic

Brian Ball

The deaths of at least 13 American service men and women and 75 civilians in Kabul on Thursday has again sparked even mor criticism of President Joe Biden’s leadershp from several candidates for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate in Ohio as well as a Cincinnati congressman..

Three candidates – J.D. Vance, Mike Gibbons and Jane Timkemin in statements sent to The Ohio Star – called for Biden’s resignation 10 days after the Taliban rolled into Kabul and Afghani provincial capitals as the U.S. military scrambled to evacuate its personnel as well and U.S. and select Afghani civilians.

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Representative Mark Green Says Time to Extend Afghanistan Deadline ‘Indefinitely’

Hayley Feland

Tennessee Representative Mark Green (R-07-TN) says that after the suicide bomber attacks, it is time to extend the Taliban’s August 31 withdrawal deadline “indefinitely.” Green says that the attacks from terrorists broke the safe passage agreement between the Taliban and the United States. Green, a former military veteran who helped in the Iraq mission to capture Saddam Hussein, called the situation “disgusting.”

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Ohio GOP Senate Candidate J.D. Vance Slams Biden After Deadly Afghan Explosion, Calls on President to Resign

Cooper Moran

Ohio GOP Senate Candidate J.D. Vance on Thursday slammed President Joe Biden’s approach to foreign policy in Afghanistan.

The statement from Vance follows two explosions that were reported in Kabul, Afghanistan, the center of evacuation efforts carried out by the United States. In the explosion, dozens of individuals were killed and injured, including at least 11 U.S. Marines.

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Capitol Hill Republicans’ Calls for Biden’s Resignation Amplify After American Casualties in Afghanistan

Admin

Capitol Hill Republicans on Thursday intensified their calls for President Biden’s resignation following explosions outside a Kabul, Afghanistan, airport, killing four Marines and wounding or injuring dozens more while also throwing U.S. evacuations into further disarray.

“4 US Marines killed in this morning’s attacks in #Afghanistan and another 3 wounded,” Georgia Rep. Jody Hice tweeted. “President Biden is responsible for every single drop of blood spilled in his botched withdrawal. #BidenMustResignNow.”

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Two Explosions Reported in Kabul Killing at Least 11 Marines, Dozens of People Injured

Admin

Two explosions were reported in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, killing at least 70 people, and injuring dozens more, including multiple Marines, eleven of whom have died. (See update below for the latest on casualties).

A suicide bomb reportedly detonated outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA), and another bomb went off at the nearby Baron Hotel, where Americans have been gathering for rescue and evacuation.

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Commentary: Kamala Harris Backed Afghan Exit Despite Intel Warning Taliban Would Abuse Women

RealClearWire

Just 12 days before President Biden ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, the U.S. intelligence community warned the White House that allowing the Taliban to control the country would put Afghan women at grave risk, according to a little-noticed intelligence assessment.

Biden nonetheless pressed ahead with the plan – with the support of his vice president, Kamala Harris, who boasted that she was the last person in the room with the president when he made the decision and felt comfortable with the plan.

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Democrats Advance $3.5 Trillion Budget Blueprint, Breaking Hours-Long Stalemate Between Pelosi, Moderates

Admin

The House Tuesday voted on a deal to adopt the framework for President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion budget and advance the bipartisan infrastructure bill after Democratic leadership and moderates broke an hours-long stalemate over how the two would be prioritized in the coming weeks.

The deal, which passed 220-212 on a party-line vote, allows for the House to begin crafting its reconciliation bill and sets the infrastructure package up to pass the chamber on Sept. 27. It followed multiple Rules Committee hearings and hours of intraparty deliberations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her team and a group of moderate Democrats who insisted on taking up the infrastructure bill first, directly opposed to both dozens of progressives and the speaker herself.

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California’s Former Democratic State Senate Leader Endorses Larry Elder

Admin

Gloria Romero, the former Democratic leader in the California state Senate, endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder in a video released Monday.

Her endorsement comes as polls show a tossup race between Elder and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom ahead of the state’s Sept. 14 recall election. Elder has emerged as the frontrunner among dozens of Republican candidates and has been sharply critical of Newsom’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Biden EPA Appointee Allowed to Retain Ties with University Controlled by Chinese Government

Admin

A high-ranking Environmental Protection Agency political appointee received approval to maintain his professional relationship with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology while serving in the Biden administration, according to documents obtained by a watchdog group.

EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science Policy Dr. Christopher Frey disclosed in his May 11 ethics recusal statement that he had taken a two-year unpaid leave of absence from Hong Kong University following advice by the agency’s Office of General Counsel, records obtained by the watchdog group Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) show. The ex officio chancellor of the university, Carrie Lam, is also Beijing’s hand-picked bureaucrat to serve as the chief executive of Hong Kong.

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Biden Investigation into COVID Origins Come to an End, Remains Classified

Admin

The 90-day investigation ordered by the Biden Administration into the origins of the Chinese Wuhan coronavirus has come to a conclusion, but remains classified to the general public for the immediate future, according to CNN.

In the month of May, Biden ordered the intelligence community to conduct their own investigation into where the virus originated from, after shutting down previous ongoing investigations that had been initiated by the Trump Administration, and ordered his new investigations to report back in 90 days with their findings. The 90-day deadline was Tuesday.

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Commentary: Biden’s Electric Car Plan Means Rigging Manufacturing to Favor Unions

RealClearWire
At NREL future research should focus on understanding consumer driving and charging behavior and the nuances determining the choice of residential charging infrastructure for plug-in electric vehicles (PEV). Shown is in the Power Systems Lab in the Energy systems Integration Facility (ESIF)

In a highly orchestrated and publicized White House gathering this month, President Biden presented a detailed plan for the development of a U.S. fleet of clean, high-mileage electric automobiles that would reduce reliance on gasoline and generate thousands of good union jobs. It’s a new, government-encouraged, taxpayer-subsidized auto world. The plan calls for U.S. auto production to become 50% electric by 2030. Today, the electric share stands at a paltry 2%.

Top leaders from Ford, GM, and Stellantis (formerly Fiat-Chrysler), along with environmentalists and governors, were prominently invited to share in the announcement. Yet the absence of any non-union, America-located auto producers was glaring. There were no representatives from Hyundai, Nissan, or Toyota – companies that have long produced popular vehicles within our borders and recently expressed some support for Biden’s goal. Also striking was the absence of Tesla’s Elon Musk, the world’s acknowledged leader in the electric car and battery revolution. Tesla is an American firm, but it is not unionized.

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Biden DOJ Declines to Appeal Court Order Blocking Reparations for Non-White Farmers

Admin

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday failed to formally file an appeal in federal court against an injunction that was issued against one of the most controversial aspects of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, leaving the future of planned reparations for non-White farmers in doubt, as reported by Politico.

Monday was the deadline for the DOJ to do so, 60 days after federal judges ultimately ruled that the $4 billion program, which would forgive the debts of exclusively non-White farmers, was unconstitutional and thus could not be implemented. The measure was one of many elements of the bill passed by Congress and signed into law by Joe Biden in March.

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Commentary: How Unions Could Save America

Admin

The general perception within Conservatism, Inc. and libertarian circles is that collective bargaining is a violation of the right of the individual to seek work without being compelled to join a union. That sounds good in principle, but there’s much more to the story.

A few years ago, the workers at a local grocery store chain in California went on strike. The reason they voted to strike was that management had implemented a new policy whereby most of the employees, including full-time career workers, had their hours reduced to fewer than 25 hours per week. At the same time, these employees had their health coverage taken away.

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Music Spotlight: Jasmin Bade – Exclusive First Listen Premiere of ‘X’s & Y’s’

Bethany Bowman

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  –  Jasmin Bade first discovered country music when she was six years old. It was Christmas time and she heard the Australian-country artist Kasey Chambers. Her aunt and uncle were playing her record and “fell in love with it” and wouldn’t stop singing her songs all the way home.

Besides Chambers, her mother would play Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley and the (Dixie) Chicks. Bade soon started guitar lessons and would take any chance she could to play. She would play on the streets (called busking in Australia) for pocket money. By ages 7 and 8, young Bade was singing in shopping centers.

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Commentary: Election Rules Have to Mean Something

RealClearWire

The rule of law must be respected for liberty to be protected.  Changing the rules to achieve a desired outcome undermines both, and when this is done in the administration of elections, democracy itself is imperiled.

Unfortunately, the left shows no compunction about wielding power for partisan advantage, especially when it comes to election administration. They’ve even gone so far as to create new rules to suit their purposes, regardless of whether they possess the authority to do so.

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Judge Grants Michael Avenatti Mistrial in Embezzlement Case

Admin

A judge granted Michael Avenatti a mistrial on Tuesday in a case accusing him of stealing millions of dollars from his clients, according to multiple reports.

U.S. District Court District Judge James Selna, who was nominated by President George W. Bush, said prosecutors failed to provide financial evidence to Avenatti before the trial started, Law.com’s Meghann Cuniff reported live from the Santa Ana, California, courtroom.

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer, Lawmakers, School Groups Clash over Mask Policy

The Center Square
Two young, brunette girls wearing black masks

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, lawmakers, and some school administrators are clashing over back-to-school COVID-19 policies.

Ken Gutman, who serves on the K-12 Alliance of Michigan’s Board of Directors and is superintendent of Walled Lake Consolidated Schools, called on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to develop a COVID-19 delta variant plan for schools and for the department or local health departments to enact a mitigation strategy that includes a possible mask mandate inside school buildings.

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Human Smuggler Pulled over in Cloned Border Patrol Vehicle Near Tucson, Arizona

Peter D'Abrosca

In a creative attempt at smuggling illegal aliens into the United States, a driver was pulled over near Tucson in an SUV painted to replicate those driven by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 

This is not a Border Patrol vehicle. [Homeland Security Investigation Phoenix] and [Border Patrol] agents from [Tucson] Station foiled a smuggling attempt using a cloned vehicle and a fake uniform. The driver and 10 migrants were taken into custody,” said Chief Patrol Agent of CBP’s Tucson Sector John R. Modlin on Twitter. 

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Virginia Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate McAuliffe: ‘Make Life Difficult’ for Unvaccinated

Peter D'Abrosca
Terry McAuliffe

In a keynote speech at a mid-August Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Global Health Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe said that it was imperative to “make life difficult” for Americans who are not vaccinated against COVID-19. 

“We have 93 million Americans today that are not vaccinated. We need to do everything that we possibly can … And I tell my private businesses all the time, I hope you mandate vaccines for people coming in,” he said in his speech. “Until we make it hard for people get on planes or go to movie theaters, people just aren’t going to do it … We’re not going door to door, but you make life difficult. If you’re going to come to the HIMSS conference, you got to be vaccinated.”

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Public May Not See Net Benefit of Infrastructure Bill That Could Expand Rail in Northeastern Pennsylvania

Bradley Vasoli

Much fanfare surrounding infrastructure legislation in Congress focuses on road and bridge improvements, but the bill’s implications for relatively costly rail transit in northeastern Pennsylvania and elsewhere have gotten far less attention.

The current proposal to spend $66 billion on Amtrak would be the largest federal expenditure on passenger rail since the creation of the transit agency.

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Independent Candidate from Minneapolis Announces Run for Hennepin County Sheriff

Hayley Feland

An independent from Minneapolis has announced his run for Hennepin County Sheriff. Jai Hanson, a police officer, is hoping to make positive changes in Hennepin County and specifically in Minneapolis. Hanson is not seeking an endorsement from any political parties because he wants to be a true independent. He said he wants to be “part of the solution” and make policing about people rather than politics.

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At Conference, Northam Says Virginia Is Ideal for Offshore Wind Industry

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — Governor Ralph Northam and Dominion Energy CEO Robert Blue announced that the Port of Virginia will lease 72 acres of the deep-water Portsmouth Marine Terminal for staging and pre-assembly of Dominion’s offshore wind project.

“This announcement is yet another milestone toward making Virginia the national leader in offshore wind power,” Northam said. “The Commonwealth and Dominion Energy are standing together to promote clean energy, reduce carbon emissions, create jobs, and build a new American industry on the East Coast of the United States.”

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Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb: ‘We Will Never Mandate the Vaccine’

Rachel Alexander
Mark Lamb

In response to various business and governmental entities mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for employees, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb told people in a video posted to Twitter that he would not be imposing a mandate for his workers. Gov. Doug Ducey issued an order on August 16 prohibiting local governments from issuing vaccine mandates. It is punishable by a class 3 misdemeanor or other legal action. 

Lamb said, “As long as I am your sheriff, we will never mandate the vaccine. We believe that your health choices are yours and yours alone. Whether you get the vaccine, or don’t get the vaccine, that’s your private information. Here, we believe in America and freedom and we’re going to continue on with that. God bless.” 

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Facebook Under Fire from White House, Critics over Lack of Transparency

Admin

Facebook is facing backlash over several decisions in August that critics say indicate a lack of transparency, particularly regarding the problem of misinformation.

The tech company drew criticism after it published a report Saturday detailing the most widely-viewed content on the platform for the first quarter of 2021, showing that the most viewed news article was a factual story published by the Chicago Tribune about a doctor dying two weeks after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Facebook had initially shelved the report and published data on the second quarter of 2021 instead, but released it following an investigation by The New York Times that revealed the tech company withheld the report due to fears it would seem like it was promoting misinformation.

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Ohio State University Issues Vaccine Mandate

The Center Square

The Ohio State University used this week’s full approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to mandate all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated by Nov. 15.

OSU President Kristina Johnson wrote in a letter “the university is taking this step because vaccines are the safest and most effective form of protection against COVID-19. We are focused on enhancing the health and safety of our community.”

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