Tag: Ginsu

2017 Clave Boss 5k/10k & Christmas Convergence

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Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more——Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!!

The largest turn out by far for the Clave Boss 5k/10k was a success. We started on time and as far as I know nobody died. Thank you to all the PAX that ran and had a fun time and fellowship.

For the 5k, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. MacGyver
  2. Harry Carry

For the 10k, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. Sir Topham Hat
  2. mix of PAX coming from all directions—no idea

For the Ruck, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. Dark Helmet for 11min pace 5k ruck…..nice work!

Honorable Mention for Anchorman completing the 5k and Barry Manilow being his wingman!

The Convergence kicked off on time and we had Gecko open us up in prayer. We split the groups up and away we went with COT at 0750. Click on links to see the pain that was delivered…..Merry Christmas!

Black Diamond – Longshanks Q – https://t.co/odVJHWCBPS

Bootcamp – Cha Ching Q – https://f3thefort.com/2017/12/23/christmas-convergence-boot-camp-mixed-w-some-bd/

Noderate – Barry Manilow Q – https://f3thefort.com/2017/12/23/your-moderate-option-at-the-convergence/

COT came together and we had 83 men attend this year.

Welcome FNG – Lake Effect, who is 41 not the 50 that he just shouted out. Classic!

Many announcements:

  • Thank you Site Qs for all your work, dedication and leadership!
  • Serve Saturdays ….reach out to Deacon, Bolt, NASA for info…..HIMs!!
  • Joe Davis Run Jan 6
  • Friday Convergence with 3rdF post beat down Jan 12
  • Rooster CSAUP Jan 20
  • Yeti – February
  • P200 – March

More than a workout!!

Prayers/Praises

  • Dark Helmet shared his sister is in need of prayer. Please remember DH and his family each day in prayer
  • Family visiting is fun and sometimes no so fun. BE HIMs!!
  • Prayers for all the PAX traveling and for peace this week!

Challenge:

I spoke to the PAX about how 2000 years ago Sky Q sent his son into the world in the form of a baby. When looking for a place to come in from the cold there WAS NO ROOM AT THE INN. I believe we all fall into this trap and put so much busy into our lives that we don’t have ROOM AT THE INN for Sky Q in our lives. We fill our hearts and minds with so much and when it come to his word and being in relationship, we DON”T HAVE ROOM AT THE INN (in our hearts).

I challenge myself and the PAX to make room for SKY Q and see how it changes your life in 2018 and beyond.

Honored to lead this PAX. I am blessed and grateful for each of you!

Cake Boss

 

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Changing of The Guard- Ranch Style

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When checking in with the scheduled Q that was suppose to bring todays beat down, and he said he needed to call in a relief. YHC took it as an early Christmas present. Not only was I able to Q today I also got to hand off the shovel flag to a true HIM. It has an an honor to get to spend the last year leading on of my favorite AOs in all of The Fort, but also to be as excited to give it to Jiffy. He will only make this site even better.

We started off the morning with cars pulling in all the way up to the disclaimer. It was brief but to the point. All PAX knew to give what they could. Dig deep it will only hurt for 45 minutes. So they thought.

Start with easy mosey throwing in some high knees, butt kickers, karaoke.

Circle up SSHx20, IW x 15, windmills x 15, monkey humpers X15, Peter parkers x 10, 6 inches and hold x 2.

mosey to picnic benches dips in cadence x10 followed by derkins x10 for 3 sets.

change to legs 10 squat box jumps, 10 calf raises X3 sets

mosey to wall keep legs burning by doing 20 second wall sit.

Mosey to back of school. Partner up for DORA 1-2-3.

Partner 1 runs loop, Partner 2 merkins, squats, flutters.

Mosey to playground- 5 pulls ups 10 big boy sit-ups, 4 pull ups 8 big boy sit-ups down to 1.

Max set of pull ups.

Mosey to entrance 5 trees lunge walk to first, broad jump to second, bear crawl to third, squat walk to forth, and reverse lunge to fifth.

go back with lunge walk sprint, lunge walk sprint.

Mosey to COT. 1 min ab work.

Hand off Shovel Flag to Jiffy.

Announcements- Joe Davis Jan 6, Convergence this Saturday tega cay elementary 0600 5k/10k.

Prayers and praises for family’s coming and going out of town.

It has been a pleasure to serve the Ranch, the PAX and look forward to another leadership roll in F3.

Backdraft out…

 

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Pre-Blast: 218 in ’18

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In 2018, the 1st F for F3theFort will be focusing on Growth & Consistency. We want to focus on GROWING the number of PAX not simply to increase our numbers. Rather, so that other men can reap the same rewards that F3 affords us every day: opportunities to lead, be held accountable, experience brotherhood, and push ourselves physically. If we continue to do this one PAX at a time, we slowly change our community.

We want to focus on CONSISTENCY so that we can maintain the standards and values that we have all come to expect and appreciate every time we post in the gloom.

In an effort to challenge ourselves to focus on Growth this year, your Fort Leadership Team is proud to announce the 218 in ’18 initiative. Our goal for this coming year will be to add 218 more consistently attending PAX. This may seem like a big number, but when put in the proper context, it is completely reasonable & achievable. That is 1 FNG for every 2 active members for the entire year, or roughly 1 FNG every 1.5 months for each AO.

However, as I mentioned before, we do not want to grow just for growth’s sake. We want to make sure that the new guys that join us this year stick with us so that they can reap the reward. So, I encourage you to headlock your neighbors, coworkers, friends, pizza delivery guys, insurance agents, and pretty much anyone who will talk to you. HOWEVER, EH’ing does not end after their first post…it continues until that new PAX no longer needs the constant encouragement to get our of the fartsack and in the gloom.

With that said, I encourage all of you to start early this year. Let’s get a jump on our goal by inviting FNGs to join us at our 2018 Kickoff Convergence on Friday, January 12th. There’s a high likelihood these sad clowns will have made resolutions to 1) get in shape and 2) save money in the new year….2 birds/1 stone. Gears and Old Bay will keep us honest through the year with a weekly SadClown-ometer included in the newsletter.

Let’s do this!

– Ginsu

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Milkshakes at Tomahawk

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I love a good Twitter Storm… a little chatter and we had a pretty strong showing for a Monday. Milder weather probably didn’t hurt anything either… Let’s get to it:

Warm up lap around the outer loop of the parking lot

Circle up in middle of lot:
10 x windmill
10 x merkins
10 x squats
15 x SSH
10 x Moroccan Nightclubs

Grab your bell and go around school to small back parking lot.

AMRAP is the name of the game today… As Many Reps As POSSIBLE… You define possible for yourself, but I 100% promise you are capable of more than your mind thinks you are.

Very simple… 40lb. Sandbag is hoisted on to a Pax shoulders, and he runs about 150 yards down and back. This man is the timer. Do the exercise on the cone until the sandbag runner gets back, then rotate to the next cone.

Cones:
Curls
Goblet Squats
KB Front Hold
Flutters with press
Clean and press (L then R)
KB Swings
Around the World (or Slingshot)
REPEAT

NMM:
If you want to know what’s in a man’s head, watch his actions for a bit… We will eventually always betray what is inside us. I had hard work on the mind over the last few days, so I attempted to bring it to the Pax. After a couple rounds, though, I think I had quitting on my mind… I gave some inspiring blah, blah, blah at the start about working hard and how we were going to do as many reps as POSSIBLE, and how we should push and so on and so on… I ran fast when it was my turn… I lifted the heavy things… but I didn’t do it with the intensity and purpose that I knew I should/could have… I keep saying, “The hard work of this world will not be done by weak men.” I know it’s true, but I think I’m not even close to strong enough yet. Fortunately, I don’t have to be yet.

Helmet, out.

 

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12 Laps of Christmas with Some Discussion on our Favorite Gifts as Well as The Greatest Gift

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We began with Sugarbug taking the lead for a mosey around the park and circle up in the field to get warmed up on this fridged 20-something morning.

24 SSH, 12 Windmill, 12 Moracan Nightclub, 12 Peter Parker, 12 Parker Peter (by now Dark Helmet and his ruck were starting to notice a trend and were getting nervous)

 

Mosey over to the playground to do some laps “12 Days of Christmas” style. It went like this (feel free to sing along)

One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Nine dips, Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Ten SSH, Nine dips, Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Eleven plank jacks, Ten SSH, Nine dips, Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Twelve burpees, Eleven plank jacks, Ten SSH, Nine dips, Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

 

Once the carol had been sung the choir lead was passed over to Quack Attack who began his lesson on the greatest gift

-Began with a circle of core work.  Quack Attack would call out an exercise and a PAX would ten count followed by another ten count by the next PAX clockwise. He would then discuss the next exercise as well as some insight into life for about a 10 count and we would begin again with the next PAX clockwise for a revolution around the circle. I don’t remember every exercise because I was trying to not fall over, but we did some plank, a dying cockroach of sorts (but it looked much nicer so we called it a dying palmetto bug), as well as some side planks with a hip dip that apparently looked so impressive the women on the track started giving us more room when they came by.

-Following this circle of fun we proceeded to run halfway around the tack around the park in a “native american” fashion… The PAX running to the front was instructed to yell their F3 name and the favorite gift they received as a child.  I must say based upon the answers it seems Nintendo did well during our childhood… Also I felt bad for the poor lady who must have thought 10 minutes earlier “What a nice cool morning for a peaceful walk with Fido at the park… It will be so relaxing… The odds of 20 men running in circles around me screaming the names of video games is incredibly low…”

-Once everyone had discussed their favorite gifts and we reached everyone’s favorite hill we split the group in half for a relay race.  The line was at the base of the hill and those PAX in line were to squat while the lead member ran up the hill and completed some sort of one leg squat jump that from any distance away looked like a typical drunk wedding dance.  They were then to run back to line and tap the next PAX

-Following this completion which was decided to be a tie (dealing out 5 burpees to everyone) we finished with another “native american” fashioned run the remaining distance around the park to the lot for COT.  On this run we were to say our F3 name and who was going to win the College Football Championship.   While there was some limited SEC support CLEMSON certainly was the polling favorite with a notable write-in (scream in) vote for Air Force… Maybe this is the year of the triple option…

 

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THE PAX OF FORT PLEDGES TO HELP ANOTHER BROTHER AND HIS FAMILY OUT

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Its Christmas time and the word of the month is giving so I am asking if you would take moments pray about giving to help a fellow pax. Last year Stang got the Fort and the Rock pax to donate gift cards, cash and presents for me and my family.  This was huge for me and my family, with that  being said I feel the need to help a fellow pax and give back. I have been in touch with our pax of the Fort looking for someone to help out. This morning in COT it was mentioned by Destiny that a fellow pax’s son has just been diagnosed with leukemia and his wife is pregnant with twins. Then again Ginsu and Rock thrill had a tweet about it and come to find out it is an Area51  pax named Bout time his sons name is Jennings. This hits close to home and just knew this is who we need to help this year. a few

If I have never had the pleasure of posting with you in the Gloom I would like to take a second and share my story, Dec 2015 on Christmas eve my 2.5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia ALL Type B, on Christmas day she had surgery to have a port installed and her first 3 rounds of chemo. We spent Christmas in the hospital and I broke down never cried so hard in my life. I reached out to God prayed that everything will be okay and about 10 min later after the took my daughter back for surgery he answered my pray because a peace just came over me and heard the words its going to be okay.  The last 2 years have been a hard 2 years with ups and downs but also have enlightened me, allowed me to get closer to God.  It also allowed me to become apart of F3 with out the men of this group not sure where I would be mentally and physically today. I like to thank you for the push the words of encouragement.

 

I am asking pax to give what your heart tells you. Prayers gift cards, cash etc. I have seen what awesome pax you can be when challenged to give you all always go above and beyond.

See your site Q’s for collections and or Dark helmet , Stang, Witch hunt, Royale and Cornerstone, we want to wrap it up by 12/22/17

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 18:16

A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

Thanks Again HIMS

Cornerstone

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The Fort pledge to help another Pax out

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Its Christmas time and the word of the month is giving so I am asking if you would take moments pray about giving to help a fellow pax. Last year Stang got the Fort and the Rock pax to donate gift cards, cash and presents for me and my family.  This was huge for me and my family, with that  being said I feel the need to help a fellow pax and give back. I have been in touch with our pax of the Fort looking for someone to help out. This morning in COT it was mentioned by Destiny that a fellow pax’s son has just been diagnosed with leukemia and his wife is pregnant with twins. Then again Ginsu and Rock thrill had a tweet about it and come to find out it is an Area51  pax named Bout time his sons name is Jennings. This hits close to home and just knew this is who we need to help this year. a few

If I have never had the pleasure of posting with you in the Gloom I would like to take a second and share my story, Dec 2015 on Christmas eve my 2.5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia ALL Type B, on Christmas day she had surgery to have a port installed and her first 3 rounds of chemo. We spent Christmas in the hospital and I broke down never cried so hard in my life. I reached out to God prayed that everything will be okay and about 10 min later after the took my daughter back for surgery he answered my pray because a peace just came over me and heard the words its going to be okay.  The last 2 years have been a hard 2 years with ups and downs but also have enlightened me, allowed me to get closer to God.  It also allowed me to become apart of F3 with out the men of this group not sure where I would be mentally and physically today. I like to thank you for the push the words of encouragement.

 

I am asking pax to give what your heart tells you. Prayers gift cards, cash etc. I have seen what awesome pax you can be when challenged to give you all always go above and beyond.

See your site Q’s for collections and or Dark helmet , Stang, Witch hunt, Royale and Cornerstone

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 18:16

A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

Thanks Again HIMS

Cornerstone

 

 

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Crazy 8’s at the Coop

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Was a great cool morning at the coop.  19 showed up to take some punishment from YHC.  Hadnt been to The Coop in a while. Good to be back.

*there were more than the 9 guys tagged- my recording didn’t take.  Sorry men!

Disclaimer as we had an FNG- brought by Ginsu…soon to be named Caddy Shack.  He has two pet groundhogs or he likes golf.  not sure.

We ran around to circle up for COP.  Usual suspects were there and interspersed burpees to get the blood going.

The Thang

  • P1 does hanging crunches/leg twists while P2 does LBC.  Rinse Repeat x3

Down the hill to the flat parking lot

  • bearcrawl down, 10 merkins, backward bearcrawl 10 CDD
  • Lunge walk down, 10 squats, backward lunge walk, 10 squats
  • Bobby Hurley down and back

Its at this point someone suggested legs…

Go to the hill

  • Crazy 8s
    • Bottom Merkins, LBC 8 reps each
    • Top: Jump Knee Tucks, Dips 8 reps each
    • Rinse repeat 8x

Great morning and reminder to take inventory of your gifts and what you bring to the table.  Develop them and allow to flourish at home, community and work.

AYE!

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Holiday Lights Tour by Donkey

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13 pax celebrated the gift of a new day at Block Party.  All vets on hand for this journey, so the Disclaimer was short and sweet.  Then the pax saddled up for the Fort Mill Christmas tour.  The theme for the tour was Preparation, in particular, the preparation that Joseph undertook to position himself to fulfill his role in the birth of Christ.

The Thang

Short warm up run to the corner at Ardrey and 160.

COP — SSHs, Mtn climbers, Hillbilly walkers, Merkins, Windmills

Mosey to front of Springs building under the angled windows

People’s chair

FM History Lesson:  The angled windows were inspired by the Hindenberg.  The Springs family made a trip back from Germany via the Hindenberg in 1936.  Anne Springs Close is the last living passenger from the Hindenberg, and she says her father was inspired by the bright light and lack of glare of the angled windows on the Hindenberg, so he put that feature into the building on 160.

10 Burpees OYO

10 Bombjacks OYO

Mosey to parking lot on 160 in front of UC Synergetic building

People’s chair while pax take turns doing 10 merkins each

10 burpees OYO

10 Bombjacks OYO

pax split into 2 groups
Group 1: on wall for 10 donkey kicks OYO
Group 2: LBCs
Flapjack
Rinse & repeat for 3 total cycles

10 Burpees OYO

10 Bombjacks OYO

Mosey to grassy corner where 160, Main Street and RR tracks converge

Plank sequence

10 Burpees OYO

Mosey to field on other side of war memorial and line up along first lit tree

Move to other end of field through sequence of lunges, bear crawls, crab walks, switching at each lit tree.

Mosey back to UC Synergetic parking lot

Back on the wall for donkey kicks and merkins (flapjack then rinse & repeat for 3 more cycles)

Mosey to wall at back of Springs building

10 wall pull ups OYO

Mosey home

COP – Freddie Mercury, Box Cutter, Penguin, Flutters

COT

NMM

Great collection of pax this morning!  Nice to have the Springfield clown car find its way to WEP.  It was also a treat to have the Thrill Brothers out (Drop and Rock).  It’s also good to see BP regulars Uncle Sam, Band Camp and Flash along with a return from Sawdust.

The weatherman predicted 30s so some pax were a bit overdressed for the 40s.  Ginsu had to shed the orange to make it through the session.  Drop Thrill just plowed right through in shorts and short sleeves like it was September.

The lights around downtown Fort Mill offered a festive hue to the workout.  YHC gets frustrated with the work involved in holiday decorations at the house, so a tip of the cap goes to those who decorate the town — the lights provide a much needed dose of perspective amid the hustle of closing out the work year.

This season of Advent always brings Joseph to mind for me.  He is a true #HIM if there ever was one.  His ability to see, hear and discern the voice of God was remarkable.  His obedience in following God’s call, even in the midst of doubt and difficulty was awesome.  His willingness to leave it all behind to follow God’s direction to go to Egypt presaged the apostles leaving their lives and work behind to follow Jesus.  How did Joseph get to a place that he could make all those choices (YES, those were choices!)?  Preparation.  He could never have known what he was preparing himself for, what God was preparing him for.  Yet, he prepared.  We don’t know any specifics of hi preparation, yet it must be part of his story.  There is no other way he could have pulled the trigger on all that without preparation.  Am I preparing myself properly?  What am I preparing for?  What is God preparing me for?

Thanks for giving me the honor to lead you today (and hopefully in some small way to contribute to your preparation).

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Friday JamFest at Varsity

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5 PAX braved the driving rain and blistering temps to post this morning at the Varsity. Actually, the weather was perfect. Because it’s Friday, we played some music to celebrate the week coming to a close.

Warmup

  • Mosey around the parking lot
  • 32 4 count side straddle hops
  • 12 4 count merkins
  • 15 4 count windmills
  • 20 Moroccan night clubs
  • 10 4 count forward arm circles
  • 10 4 count backward arm circles

The Thing

  • Mosey to the pull up bars
  • wall sit
  • 5 pull ups, 5 toes to bar
  • wall sit
  • 5 pull ups, 5 toes to bar
  • wall sit
  • 5 chin ups, 5 toes to bar
  • wall sit
  • 5 chin ups, 5 toes to bar
  • wall sit
  • 5 pull ups, 5 toes to bar
  • wall sit

 

Mosey to the awning next to school

  • 20 steps each leg
  • 20 LBCs

Here’s the (not so) fun part….

Played the song “Roxanne” by The Police

  • Side straddle hops the entire song…
  • 1 burpee every time the word “Roxanne” or “red light” is said (this is a lot of burpees)

Played the song “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC (thanks to DixieChicken for the inspiration on this one)

  • Plank the entire song…
  • 1 merkin every time the word “Thunder” is said (this is a lot of merkins)

Next comes a potpourri of various excercises

  • 20 flutters
  • bear crawl up the side walk
  • 20 Carolina DDs
  • bear crawl backwards back to start
  • 20 squats
  • 20 LBCs
  • 20 V-ups
  • bear crawl up the side walk
  • 20 Carolina DDs
  • bear crawl backwards back to start
  • 20 squats
  • 20 flutters
  • 5 burpees OYO
  • Captain Thors to 5×20

Mosey back to COT

Announcements

  • Christmas Convergence
  • Joe Davis Run

Praises/PR

  • praise for PAX posting in the rain
  • prayers for Crawdaddy’s family
  • prayers for Vuvuzela’s dad

Thanks for the opportunity, Kielbasa!

– Ginsu

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