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Thor and Norse Mythology

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The Bifröst plays a role in the 2011 film “Thor” with Chris Hemsworth in the title role.   The character is based on the god ‘Thor’ from Norse or Scandinavian  Mythology and also Germania Mythology.

In Norse mythology, largely recorded in Iceland from traditional material stemming from Scandinavia, numerous tales and information about Thor are provided. In these sources, Thor bears at least fourteen names, is the husband of the golden-haired goddess Sif, is the lover of the jötunn Járnsaxa, and is generally described as fierce-eyed, red-haired and red-bearded.[1] With Sif, Thor fathered the goddess (and possible valkyrie) Þrúðr; with Járnsaxa, he fathered Magni; with a mother whose name is not recorded, he fathered Móði, and he is the stepfather of the god Ullr. The same sources list Thor as the son of the god Odin and the personified earth, Fjörgyn, and by way of Odin, Thor has numerous brothers. Thor has two servants, Þjálfi and Röskva, rides in a cart or chariot pulled by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr (that he eats and resurrects), and is ascribed three dwellings (Bilskirnir, Þrúðheimr, and Þrúðvangr). Thor wields the mountain-crushing hammer, Mjölnir, wears the belt Megingjörð and the iron gloves Járngreipr, and owns the staff Gríðarvölr. Thor’s exploits, including his relentless slaughter of his foes and fierce battles with the monstrous serpent Jörmungandr—and their foretold mutual deaths during the events of Ragnarök—are recorded throughout sources for Norse mythology.

Thor – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/thor

http://www.mythicalrealm.com/legends/thor.html

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse_mythology

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Fast and Furious Star Paul Walker Dead in Fiery Car Crash

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He was in a car that lost control, a Porsche on November 30, 2013. He was driving in a 2005 Porsche GT. Walker was a passenger
in the car driven by Mr. Rodas, was a friend and adviser to Walker. Mr. Rodas’ eight year old witnessed the high speed crash into a tree.

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Dec 1
‘FAST AND FURIOUS’ ACTOR PAUL WALKER AND RACE CAR DRIVER ROGER RODAS KILLED IN FIERY CAR CRASH
Posted by Branden Williams at 12:58 pm
Cars Paul Walker Pirelli World Challenge Porsche Roger Rodas

From left to right: Drivers Jeff Westphal, Paul Walker, Roger Rodas and Carl Rydquist. (Photo: Facebook – Always Evolving)
Roger Rodas, a competitor in Pirelli World Challenge, has been identified as the second victim in the fiery car crash that also claimed the life of “Fast and Furious” actor Paul Walker.

Rodas, 38, was driving a Porsche Carrera GT in Santa Clarita, California Saturday when the sports car slammed into a light pole and tree before bursting into flames, authorities and witnesses said. Rodas and the passenger, Walker, 40, were both pronounced dead at the scene.

According to an article in “Wealth Management,” the two first met at a race event in California when Walker noticed Rodas driving a Porsche GT3 he had previously owned. They ended up becoming great friends and even raced side-by-side in a Pro-Am 25-hour endurance race in Thunder Hill, California.

As their friendship developed, Walker occasionally asked Rodas for financial advice before working together formally as client and Financial Advisor in 2007. Rodas helped Walker maintain his passion for cars and racing without having them become a financial burden.

Roger Rodas (R) and teammate Erik Davis (L) sign autographs. (Photo: Pirelli World Challenge)
To do so, the two founded a race shop, Always Evolving, to store their cars and bring in income by doing work for other drivers. Always Evolving ultimately transformed into a full-scale race team, with Rodas taking the role as lead driver.

He scored two wins in the Pirelli Drivers Cup in 2012 before making the move up to the GTS class of the Pirelli World Challenge. In his rookie season, Rodas finished 13th in the GTS championship standings despite missing the races at Lime Rock and St. Petersburg.

Rodas is survived by a wife and two children. Walker leaves behind a 15-year-old daughter.

http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/cars/fast-and-furious-actor-paul-walker-and-race-car-driver-roger-rodas-killed-in-car-crash/

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Bifröst-Do you believe that Mythology and History Overlap?

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Bifröst

The god Heimdallr stands before the rainbow bridge while blowing a horn (1905) by Emil Doepler.

In Norse mythology, Bifröst  pronunciation  or sometimes Bilröst, is a burning rainbow bridge that reaches between Midgard (the world) and Asgard, the realm of the gods. The bridge is attested as Bilröst in the Poetic Edda; compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and as Bifröst in the Prose Edda; written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, and in the poetry of skalds. Both the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda alternately refer to the bridge as Asbrú (Old Norse “Æsir’s bridge”).[1]

According to the Prose Edda, the bridge ends in heaven at Himinbjörg, the residence of the god Heimdallr, who guards it from the jötnar. The bridge’s destruction at Ragnarök by the forces of Muspell is foretold. Scholars have proposed that the bridge may have originally represented the Milky Way and have noted parallels between the bridge and another bridge in Norse mythology, Gjallarbrú.

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Source: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifröst

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Get Our PFCSYSTEMS App for Free

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“Providing factual, well researched articles that people can use to enhance their livelihood with articles that filter through the “hype” focusing on how entertainment, food, news, science, technology and travel impact people’s lives.”

Some love to share, something free for you! After the delay in the cross platform BBM launch, and as BlackBerry is potentially going private (sold!), we have decided to offer our app for free! It’s available for all BlackBerry devices including legacy devices and the PlayBook. There’s no excuse not to get it and be on top of some great recipes, entertainment, travel, technology and stock-market news with original photography and restaurant reviews.  Get it here:

http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/24419891/

pfcsystems (v1)

FREE

Download

By PFC Systems, Inc.

  • Required Device Software
  • Operating System: 5.0.0 or higher
    Tablet: 1.0.7 or higher
    BB10 Smartphone: 10.0.0 or higher

Instructions
Check out some screen shots here:

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BlackBerry at The Toronto International Film Festival

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BlackBerry is supporting the Toronto International Film Festival again this year, with a particular focus on the “People’s Choice Award”.  Of note is the TIFF app for BlackBerry OS 10:

http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/130861/?countrycode=US

press release:

BlackBerry takes home silver IDSA award for design of TIFF Festival’s 2012 BlackBerry People’s Choice Awards, receives honourable mention for BlackBerry Q10 and  Z10 designs

BlackBerry is proud to announce that it is once again an official sponsor of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival®. As one of the industry’s most anticipated events of the year, the Festival  is a preeminent cultural festival that brings together filmmakers, industry professionals and celebrities to present the best of Canadian and international cinema to film lovers. BlackBerry strives to provide people with the tools they need to succeed, and by sponsoring the BlackBerry People’s Choice Awards, it will support filmmakers in doing what they do best: making great films.

“BlackBerry has long stood by our mission to champion ambition and support professionals, artists, and students on their journeys to achieving excellence,” said Andrew MacLeod, Managing Director Canada at BlackBerry. “We believe that our products and services help people to succeed, and our sponsorship of the BlackBerry People’s Choice Awards is in keeping with this goal. These awards have historically been strong indicators of success for many films, and have stood as beacons for ambition and aspiration.”

A TIFF  app for BlackBerry is available at BlackBerry World, and is designed to enhance interaction between TIFF and festival goers. The app will provide information about the films, programmes, schedules, venues and events, access to festival photos and film trailers, as well as the ability to customize their TIFF Festival schedule with recommended viewings based on their interests.

Last year, the BlackBerry design team was challenged to create a portfolio of People’s Choice Awards that would represent the BlackBerry brand and showcase TIFF’s heritage. The design recently won a Silver IDEA award from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) for its unique and iconic shape and utility. Speaking to BlackBerry’s commitment to empowering people to succeed, the BlackBerry design team included the contributions of an intern from the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) University. The awards were created with BlackBerry products’ attributes in mind: multi-functionality, seamless integration and performance. Each of the three awards had their own unique colour and finish that reflected the category’s characteristics. They were built from a solid block of aluminum and featured a surprise viewfinder at the top of each award. By looking through them, recipients found the awards doubled as light-box theatres that featured stills from the winning films. Additionally, BlackBerry won honourable mentions from IDSA for the designs of the BlackBerry® Q10 and BlackBerry® Z10 smartphones.

Once again, at TIFF Festival 2013, these awards will be given out to the most popular films as voted by audiences in three submission categories: the BlackBerry People’s Choice Award, the major prize given to the most popular feature-length film with the highest ratings; the BlackBerry People’s Choice Documentary Award, for the most popular documentary film in the Festival; and the BlackBerry People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award, given to the most popular screening of Midnight Madness films. TIFF Festival moviegoers will be able to vote via one of two methods: In person at the movie theatre by submitting the ballot end of their ticket into an official BlackBerry People’s Choice Award voting box, or by visiting the tiff.net/vote  and using the tracking number  on their ticket stub to vote. The winners of the BlackBerry People’s Choice Awards will be announced at the Official Festival Awards Brunch on September 15th, 2013.

As the original makers of smartphones, BlackBerry has always provided the devices of choice for people with a voracious appetite for getting the job done. The release of BlackBerry® 10 keeps users moving faster and more efficiently and effectively. BlackBerry’s sponsorship of TIFF Festival showcases its passion for success and ambition at one of Canada’s most important cultural festivals.

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Netflix vs. HuluPlus vs. Amazon (Prime) Instant Video

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Netflix has the largest library by far of the 3 main streaming services. I have had Netflix for a few years, and I am reasonably happy with device availability: on my Wii, on my Samsung SmartTV and also on my BlackBerry Z10, as an android side-load:

https://pfcsystems.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/older-android-version-of-netflix-available-for-blackberry-z10/

I like the size and variety of the library. It includes international films, gritty independent dramas, along side the usual USA fair, both from film and television. There is the usual variety of genres: comedy, drama, suspense, action, and documentaries. There is original content that is worth watching, with the latest offerings such as “Orange is The New Black”, “House of Cards” and the continuation of  “Arrested Development”.  I like being able to watch past series I missed and being able to do so in marathon watches, one or a few a day until I see them all, before watching another series.  Like Amazon Instant Video, I like that there are no commercials during my viewing unlike HuluPlus.

I have had HuluPlus for a few weeks, and I have already decided to cancel.  I cannot stand having to wait through commercials for content I have paid for; it is like going to the movies and having to watch product placement ads.  The library is smaller then Netfflix, but, allegedly bigger than Amazon.  Although HuluPlus is supposed to offer current series playback, I don’t find that to be true for most shows I want to see, like “Dexter” (exclusive to Showtime, CBS), “Hannibal” (on NBC).  In my book this is false advertising! Some of the current shows are only available on the web, which means that I have to watch them on my PC, as my PlayBook cannot have access to the web streaming, as it is blocked by HuluPlus. I got HuluPlus  to watch the “Downton Abbey” series on my Wii and Samsung TV.  I have subsequently purchased a micro-HDMI to HDMI cable to hook up my BlackBerry PlayBook to the large TV, and now I have Amazon Instant Video available by streaming it to my TV from the PlayBook web browser.  Amazon Video has all three seasons of  “Downton Abbey”, whereas HuluPlus had only the first two seasons. Netflix lost the rights to streaming this show, before I could get through season 1.  I have found that Amazon Video and Netflix together allow me to watch what I want, commercial free, on demand and Amazon Instant Video will let me purchase the most recent series content, not yet available on Netflix or even HuluPlus. Subscribing to Amazon Prime offers many free series, movies and documentaries on demand, on Amazon Instant Video. One can also purchase or rent series and movies on Amazon Instant Video.

Both HuluPLus and Netflix block the PlayBook web browser, but the TV has apps for those two services as does the Wii.  On my Wii I hate the resolution of text and other content displayed by the HuluPlus app, although it is fine on my 46″ Samsung SmartTV.  The Amazon Instant Video is also available as an app on the Wii, as is Netflix, both of which have better resolution and text entry when it comes to filtering through the available content. Amazon Instant Video does not have an app on my Samusng TV, so I use the PlayBook browser, as mentioned above.

I am about to get rid of cable to save money, as I really do not seem to have the time or patience for the content available.  With all the channels, I still find myself being bored with the viewing options, at any given time.  Even with the “Prime” cable channels,  that play the same movies endlessly on multiple channels. All I want is a solid internet provider, and if FIOS insists that I need the cable, I will discontinue it and get a T-Mobile dedicated hotspot at 4G or the “Clear” service.  I will keep Netflix and Amazon Prime/Instant Video  for my “TV” viewing and movie viewing as well.  I can also watch movies on CinemaNow and/or Vudu that may be available at higher HD resolution or not on either Netflix or Amazon Instant Video.  I will get a HD converter box and antenna to get my local stations for free to watch the news and sports.  I need to make a better effort on this front.  Comment below if you have any suggestions for getting the “free” local stations, old school, over the air, and a good internet provider not obligating one to purchase anything else!

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Moving to OS10.1.0.1485 On My BlackBerry Dev Alpha A

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For the longest time, I had been running BlackBerry OS 10.0.10.648  on my Dev Alpha A full on. I was very happy with it. I even had the latest BBM Channels with the updated BBM app:

How to Update Your BBM App to Include BBM Channels

I decided to finally remove the SIM from my trusted Dev Alpha A whose form factor I love, and open up my Z10 which now is my STL-3 phone running OS 10.1.0.2006.  I managed to update my Dev Alpha A to the developer OS10.1.0.1485 which for some reason does not allow configuration of the native Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn apps.  This is not a problem since I have the android versions side-loaded:

Side Loading Android Apps onto Your Playbook or BlackBerry 10 Device

I used the STL-100-1 autoloader from:

http://developer.blackberry.com/blackberry10devalpha/devalpha_update.html

even if the site recommends the Dev Alpha B uploader for Dev Alpha A devices (which are no longer supported).  Everything works fine.  Has anyone tried the Dev Alpha B Autoloaders on the Dev Alpha A? Comment below about your findings.

As I am using BBM ad BBM Channels on my new Z10, I have not updated the  BBM app on the Dev Alpha A with OS10.1.0.1485.  It worked fine with OS 10.0.10.648.

Prior to OS10.1.0.1485, I had tried some other (unofficial hybrid/non-BlackBerry released) versions that led to problems involving random/unpredictable reboots of the device, even during the set-up.  These were STL-100-1 versions of : OS 10.1.0.4543 and OS 10.1.0.2354. After putting these OS versions on the device, I tried to go back to OS 10.0.10.648, but this autoloader would crash, likely since I had a newer version of the OS. So, I decided to move forward with OS10.1.0.1485.

I am enjoying Netflix on my Dev Alpha A and Z10:

Older Android Version of Netflix Available For BlackBerry Z10

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The differneces between the Dev Alpha A and B devices are outlined here:

http://devblog.blackberry.com/2012/10/blackberry-10-dev-alpha-a-b-specs/

You can find information on how to use an autoloader executeable file here:

Upgrading Your BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha A or B to the Real Thing (BB10 OS 10.0.10.261)

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The Keep Moving Experience Produced by Alicia Keys BlacKBerry Live 2013

Attendees joined entertainers Miguel, Alabama Shakes, Maria Gadú, and Cedric Gervais, hosted by Alicia Keys, on Tuesday May 14th from 7:00pm – 11:00pm for a special experience that had been curated by Alicia Keys, Global Creative Director at BlackBerry®. The night offered fun, entertainment and a chance for attendees to get to know their fellow conference attendees at Universal Studios Florida®.

It was an unprecedented night of musical and artistic collaboration!  Once the song was over the dance and food began!

Universal Studios Florida®

Following the musical performance, BlackBerry Live™ attendees had exclusive access to Universal Studios Florida. They got behind the scenes, beyond the screen, and jumped right into the action of their favorite films at the world’s premier movie and TV based theme park.

BlackBerry Live™ Party Universal Studios Florida

Attendees had unlimited access to incredible rides and attractions like Shrek 4-D, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit®, Revenge of the Mummy®, Terminator 2®: 3-D and more! It was  a universe of action and excitement!

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys, Global Creative Director, BlackBerry
Miguel

Miguel
Maria Gadú

Maria Gadú
Alabama Shakes

Alabama Shakes
Cedric Gervais

Cedric Gervais

Find info and source for some of the above  images here: Keep Moving Experience 2013

Our original photos are below–Enjoy!

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The Simple Things in Life are Good!IMG_00001155

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Sopranos Star James Gandolfini Dies In Italy

James Gandolfini. photo: Barry Wetcher

The New Jersey-born actor who played mob boss Tony Soprano in “The Sopranos” has died supposedly following a massive heart attack/stroke in  Rome on his way toTaormina,Italy, at the age of 51.

Initial reports of Gandolfini’s death were confirmed to NPR by HBO, which has released a statement:

“We’re all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family. He was special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone no matter their title or position with equal respect. He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility. Our hearts go out to his wife and children during this terrible time. He will be deeply missed by all of us. ”

Gandolfini was in Italy to attend the 59th Taormina Film Festival in Sicily — and he was scheduled to participate in a festival event this weekend with Italian director Gabriele Muccino.  He became infamous for his role as Tony Soprano for which he was cast in 1999.

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New Mobile TV Viewing Options Added to BlackBerry World

spongebob

Shows by PBS, Univision and Viacom have been added to BlackBerry World, bringing popular shows such as Downton Abbey and programming from channels such as Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon to BlackBerry’s existing video catalog.

The additional content is exclusive to BlackBerry 10 users in the US, however, and there’s no word yet on a wider international release.

These  broadcasters join those which were announced in January; ABC Studios, BBC Worldwide, CBC/Radio-Canada, CBS, DHX Media, ITV, National Geographic, NBCUniversal (UK), Nelvana, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, Twentieth Century Fox Television, Univision Communications Inc, and Warner Bros.

Likewise, BlackBerry World has support from almost all of the big-name film studios and indies; 20th Century Fox, Entertainment One, Lionsgate, MGM, National Film Board of Canada, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Starz Digital Media, STUDIOCANAL, The Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros.  The Press Release:

New TV Content Partners Launch on BlackBerry 10

PBS, Univision and Viacom bring TV favorites to BlackBerry 10

Waterloo, ON – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) today announced the addition of new television content for BlackBerry® 10 customers in the U.S. TV shows from PBS, Univision and Viacom are now a part of the robust video catalogue available for sale on the BlackBerry® World™ storefront, bringing such favorites as COMEDY CENTRAL, MTV, Nickelodeon, PBS’s Masterpiece Classic Downton Abbey series and Spanish telenovelas.

“The momentum for BlackBerry 10 continues in the content space as more partners are looking to BlackBerry to reach new audiences and drive mobile content discovery and monetization,” said Martyn Mallick, Vice President, Global Alliances and Business Development at BlackBerry. “BlackBerry World has a wide-ranging and continuously growing catalogue that offers most movies on the day they become available on DVD and next day availability of many current TV series. We’re excited that PBS, Univision and Viacom have joined us to give customers in the U.S. access to enjoy a world of content, from the major film studios, broadcasters and TV studios and networks, in a single location.”

The BlackBerry World storefront app is preloaded on all BlackBerry 10 smartphones, offering customers one of the most robust music, TV and video catalogs in mobile today. The storefront continues to grow and diversify its movie and TV content with the best, most up-to-date series and films.

“Univision is pleased to make UVideos, the first bilingual digital video network, available on the much anticipated BlackBerry Z10. Moreover, for the first time, we will also make some of Univision’s best TV series and telenovelas available in the video store on BlackBerry World on a transactional basis,” said Kevin Conroy, President, Digital and Enterprise Development, Univision Communications Inc. “More than three quarters of the U.S. Hispanic population own a smartphone and they outpace their non-Hispanic counterparts in mobile video consumption by double digits. Mobile is where Hispanic America lives and this product launch extends Univision’s commitment to deliver the best in Hispanic programming across all platforms and devices.”

“Our audiences are increasingly turning to their smartphones to drop in on South Park, Jersey Shore, or SpongeBob SquarePants in Bikini Bottom anytime, anywhere they’d like,” said Tom Gorke, Senior Vice President of Content Distribution for Viacom Media Networks. “BlackBerry 10 is a great and growing platform for audiences to catch up with their favorite shows on the go, and for Viacom to extend the expansive reach of its beloved brands.”

Now available in more than 25 countries, the BlackBerry Z10 is the first smartphone powered by BlackBerry 10, the re-designed, re-engineered, and re-invented BlackBerry platform that creates a new and unique mobile computing experience. The BlackBerry Z10 smartphone is now available for purchase or preorder in the U.S. from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and in Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile locations.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market(NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

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Would You Like Your Own App for Your Blog on BlackBerry World?
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Would You Like Your Own App for Your Blog on BlackBerry World?

As a  developer for BlackBerry, we’d love to create an app for your Blog for BlackBerry World!

Drop us a line via the coordinates below.  We would need your ok to distribute your app, and an image file that you would like us to use for your Blog site.  This can be a great way to drive traffic to your blog. Drop us a line by March 14, 2013, and we’ll discount the cost at 15%.  There are near 80 million BlackBerry devices (OS 5, 6, 7, 10, PlayBook) out there!

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