Thursday, July 08, 2021

A Boy Named Michael . . . heads off to prison

I interrupt this science post to cover . . . grifting.

I had planned to blog about science; however, for nearly four years, a con artist was treated by MSNBC and CNN as if they were a legitimate source.  He was never legitimate and his claims go so outrageous that even the porn star who he rode to fame had to disassociate herself from him.  (Today, she declared, "I realized I too became his victim.")


Yes, I'm speaking of 'a boy named Michael' (the title of one of my favorite AMERICAN DAD episodes), Michael Avennati.  He's prison bound now.



Rachel Maddow and Chris Cuomo's best buddy is off to prison for trying to blackmail Nike.  That is the type of 'ethics' the man had.  And yet he was brought on CNN and MSNBC non-stop.  He thought he had a political career in his future, as did they.


He played big and brave and honest but, today, at his sentencing, he was just a wittle cwy baby crwying in the courtroom.  How pathetic.  Jason Owens (YAHOO SPORTS) reports:

Former Stormy Daniels lawyer and Donald Trump antagonist Michael Avenatti was sentenced to 2½ years in prison on Thursday for a failed scheme to extort Nike of more than $20 million. 

U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe handed down the sentence in a Manhattan court while chiding Avenatti as "drunk on power," according to Reuters. According to reports, Avenatti cried as Gardephe read his sentence.


And shame on the media for pimping him to begin with.


AP notes:

U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe called Avenatti's conduct "outrageous," saying he "hijacked his client's claims, and he used those claims to further his own agenda, which was to extort millions of dollars from Nike for himself."

Avenatti, the judge added, "had become drunk on the power of his platform, or what he perceived the power of his platform to be. He had become someone who operated as if the laws and the rules that applied to everyone else didn't apply to him."

Before the judge spoke, Avenatti delivered emotional remarks, sometimes through tears.


 And as he heads off to prison, let's remember this isn't the end of his legal problems.  BBC NEWS notes:

Avenatti is due to begin a separate trial next week on a series of charges in California, where prosecutors allege he defrauded clients out of millions of dollars.

Next year, he will be back in Manhattan federal court on charges related to his most famous client, Stormy Daniels. He is accused of stealing $300,00 of Ms Daniels' advance for her book contract.


He's going to be crying in court a few more times, that's my guess.


"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Thursday, July 8, 2021.  Tensions continue to flare in Iraq as two US service members are injured in an attack.


Basic truth:  If US troops aren't stationed in Iraq, they can't get injured in Iraq.  But they are and they do.  Mohammed Tawfeeq (CNN) reports, "Two US service members were injured Wednesday in a rocket attack targeting the al-Asad airbase in Iraq which hosts US, Iraqi, and coalition forces." Caitlin McFall (FOX NEWS) adds, "U.S. officials told Fox News that one of the American service members injured during the rocket attack suffered a concussion while the other had minor scrapes following the incident."  Chad Garland (STARS AND STRIPES) explains, "About 14 rockets fell on al Asad Air Base at about 12:30 p.m., said U.S. Army Col. Wayne Marotto, a coalition spokesman, who confirmed the injuries and that all personnel had been accounted for."

ANI points out, "This is the second rocket attack on the Ain Al-Assad base this week. On Monday, the air base was hit by three rockets that did not result in any injuries or material damage."  And if you pull back a little so you're not zooming in on just al-Assad, the picture gets even worse.  Jeff Schogol (TASK AND PURPOSE) offers this context, "Wednesday’s rocket attack on Al-Asad Air Base marks the third time in as many days that U.S. installations in Iraq have come under fire — and it is still not clear who is responsible for the recent strikes."  Attacks that continued today in Iraq as ARAB WEEKLY notes, "Three rockets were fired at the US embassy in Iraq early Thursday, the Iraqi army said, at the end of a day marked by rocket and drone attacks on bases hosting American forces in Iraq and Syria."  NEWSWEEK's Tom O'Connor informs:


Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesperson Major General Yahya Rasool had earlier condemned such strikes in the wake of previous operations against Ain al-Asad Air Base in Al-Anbar Province, which injured two personnel of yet undisclosed affiliation, and Erbil Air Base in the capital of the northern Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

Referring to these operations as "terrorist" attacks, Rasool said that "once again, the enemies of Iraq are intrusive and targeting the country's security, sovereignty and the safety of our citizens."

He also referred to earlier attacks on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad as illegal.

Rasool said the perpetrators were "targeting the headquarters of diplomatic missions that fall under the protection of the state, which represents a flagrant violation of all laws, and an attack on the prestige of the state and its international obligations."


Iraq was raised in yesterday's US State Dept press briefing held by spokesperson Ned Price:


QUESTION: Can I just ask about Iraq? There has been quite a bit of an increase in rocket attacks. Iraqi army officials say the pace of recent attacks against U.S. bases and with rockets and drones is unprecedented. Why do you think that is on the rise at this particular moment? What is your assessment on who is behind it?

MR PRICE: Well, I’d have to correct one thing you said. There are no U.S. bases in Iraq.

QUESTION: Sorry.

MR PRICE: There are a limited number of U.S. and other coalition advisors —

QUESTION: U.S. and coalition, yeah.

MR PRICE: — at Iraqi bases, at Iraqi Government invitation that, in turn, assist and enable Iraqi Security Forces to confront the remnants of ISIS. Look, I wouldn’t want to speak to the motivation of these attacks. I will say that what we recognize is that these attacks reflect and are representative of the threat that Iran-backed militias present fundamentally to Iraq’s sovereignty and to Iraq’s stability. We —

QUESTION: Do you know for a fact that they’re carried out by Iranian-backed militias, these attacks over the past couple of days?

MR PRICE: So obviously there have been recent attacks, and I wouldn’t want to prejudge investigations that are ongoing. But as we have said in the context of attacks that have taken place in recent months, they have been carried out by Iran-backed militias and President Biden, in turn, has responded – responded in different ways. But of course, perhaps most visibly, by authorizing the military strikes – most recently late last month, but also before that as well – on Iran-backed militia infrastructure in Iraq and Syria.


US military spokesperson Col Wayne Marotto was a little more specific on Twitter regarding the al-Assad base attack.  He typed:


.

confirms that OMG rocket launcher at AAAB caused damages to local homes and a Mosque.


while reTweeting the following photos of destruction:


بالساعة ١٢٣٠ توقفت عجلة حمل (نوع تريلة) بداخلها حاوية في منطقة البغدادي بمحافظة الانبار ، كان الظاهر من هذه العجلة انها كانت تحمل أكياس مادة الطحين، الا انها كانت تحمل قاعدة لاطلاق الصواريخ، حيث اطلقت ١٤ صاروخاً باتجاه قاعدة عين الأسد الجوية سقطت في محيط القاعدة...
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Meanwhile, Philip Athey (MARINE TIMES) notes a US fatality in Iraq:


 A Marine Corps musician died in Iraq in April while on Marine Security Guard duty, according to a Navy safety report.

Marine Sgt. Amanda Nicole Brazeal, 26, from Chunchula, Alabama, enlisted in the Corps in 2017 shortly after graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in music, according to her obituary.


Jerry Genesio Tweets this morning about the passing:

DIED IN IRAQ - 04/22/21: Marine Sgt AMANDA N. BRAZEAL, 26, of Chunchula, AL. Marine Security Guard, US Consulate, Erbil, Iraq. Sgt Brazeal experienced shortness of breath during physical training and went into cardiac arrest. See pinterest.com/jgenesio/
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And, weeks ago, Kaitain Tweeted:


U.S. Marines carry team transfers the remains of Sgt. Amanda N. Brazeal of Chunchula, Alabama, April 24, 2021 at Dover AFB, Delaware. Brazeal was assigned to Marine Corps Embassy Security Group Region 2, Marine Corps Embassy Security Group Headquarters, Quantico, Virginia.


In case the video in the Tweet directly above didn't show up, here it is via YOUTUBE.




US troops wouldn't be wounded or dead in Iraq if . . . they weren't in Iraq.  What's the excuse -- the sorry excuse -- for US troops still being on the ground in Iraq?


Boxer Orwell Tweets:


There wasn’t a good reason for our troops to be in Iraq in 2003, there sure as hell isn’t a good reason today. Americans can’t get shot where they aren’t present. #Afghanistan is a good start, let’s keep bringing them home. Flag of United States


Bradley Blankenship (CGTN) argues:

Yet again, a base hosting U.S. and other allied troops was attacked by rocket fire on July 7 in Iraq. While there has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, a series of U.S.-launched bombings against Iranian-backed militias that are suspected of having committed similar attacks in the past in Syria and Iraq raises the question of what happens next.

If precedent is of any relevance, however, we can expect a U.S. retaliation against whoever is believed to be behind the attacks. As Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby has made clear in the past, the U.S. believes it has full legal justification to launch such attacks.

"As a matter of international law, the United States acted pursuant to its right of self-defense. The strikes were both necessary to address the threat and appropriately limited in scope. As a matter of domestic law, the President took this action pursuant to his Article II authority to protect U.S. personnel in Iraq," Kirby said after strikes launched against Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on June 27.

However, this is a flimsy argument since the U.S. and its allies are occupying these two sovereign countries illegally. This is not just a blanket condemnation of all U.S. military occupations around the globe, which is something not at all difficult to justify, but a mere observation of the fact that both Baghdad and Damascus have made clear that U.S. and U.S.-allied troops are not welcome.

For its part, Damascus has made this clear from the very beginning of the Syrian conflict that the U.S. is an occupying force and, for its part, the U.S. has made it clear that it does not accept the legitimacy of the current Syrian government nor respects the sovereignty of Syria as a state since it is currently occupying about one-third of the country's land.


I don't disagree with his outrage or with his argument that US troops should leave.


But we do need to note that he invoked "legally" and, legally, the occupation is not illegal.  The Iraq War remains illegal.  The occupation has not been.  After the start of the war, the United Nations offered legal cover for various countries -- including the US and the UK.  After the UN mandates were discontinued, they were replaced by agreements for each occupying country.  So, for example, the US negotiated its own agreement with the Iraqi government to continue the occupation.


If Bradley had argued that the puppet government created, installed and fostered by foreign forces (such as the US) was itself illegal, he'd be on stronger ground for making the argument regarding the legality of the ongoing occupation.  But even then, we'd be left with the reality that legal agreements -- by representatives of both governments (Iraq and the US) -- were in place covering the ongoing occupation.


He also doesn't know international law which he incorrectly invokes but we'll just make that observation and move on.  (He can take it up with whomever fed him that interpretation he floats in his article which is histrionic but not accurate.)


Related, regarding Afghanistan, a lot of claims are being made.  Including that the US is 'getting out' and the same should happen with Iraq.  Anyone making those claims needs to refer to the Pentagon press briefing John Kirby held earlier this week (his only one so far this week).  And then put on your thinking caps.  Afghanistan?  Troops can go back in.  That's openly offered in that briefing.  And that certainly happened in Iraq following the drawdown (not a withdrawal).  

While we're noting the ridiculous, let's note a new report that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the US Stated Dept are rather proud of.  They're pride is highly misplaced for numerous reasons.  We'll stay with our focus on Iraq and just note that a report entitled "The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Congressional Report" -- a report which is 42 pages when appendices are included -- but never manages to even name check Iraq in a single sentence is a report that's a joke.  Afghanistan, Brazil, etc -- most foreign countries are mentioned throughout -- usually multiple times.  Iraq?


Not once.  Sometimes silence says more than words ever do.


If you have time to waste, [PDF format warning], here's the report.

That report was sent to Congress.  


The same Congress that has leadership -- in the Democratic Party -- that were pressing US President Joe Biden for 'action' earlier this week when the bases in Iraq were being attacked and who are only upping the pressure now that 2 US troops have been injured.


Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is arguing for something "visible" and "sweeping" -- something in an aerial response. She's among those -- and again, these are Dems advocating -- insisting that a response must be carried out and it must not look ''weak.''


Did Nancy really invoke the term "savages"?  I'm told she did.  Hopefully, she was just referring to those she labels "terrorists" and not the Iraqi people but, with Nancy, who knows?



The latest column from Margaret Kimberley (BLACK AGENDA REPORT) went up yesterday and the excerpt below is from it:


When the people get a little help, as happened with additional stimulus funds for the unemployed, politicians across the country took up arms for the ruling class and turned down free money just to stay in the good graces of their bosses.

Currently 25 states out of 50 have rejected additional help for the unemployed. The money came from the federal government and didn’t impact state budgets, but politicians know who calls the shots. When called upon to help struggling people they chose to do just the opposite. They helped their exploiters and in the process made a mockery of what passes for democracy.

There is no labor shortage in this country. Instead, there is a shortage of jobs that pay a living wage and that is because of the power of capitalists. They have grown richer precisely because they have forced workers to live in a constant state of precarity, and now it is quite literally better to stay home than to work for a pittance. 

Of course, the richest man in the world, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, is a master at coming up with new ways to subjugate workers. Any reports of job growth should be viewed with a very jaundiced eye as predatory capitalism has driven down wages and created a dystopia for workers. Bezos has mastered squeezing the most and giving the least. 

Amazon warehouse workers suffer from injuries  at higher rates than other employees in similar jobs but the injuries are part of the cost of doing business. It is expected that the grueling working conditions will create high turnover  which is exactly what Amazon wants. A revolving door of employees serves their needs quite nicely. Bezos made a big deal about a $15 per hour starting salary but he could certainly afford to pay a lot more, a real living wage. The tight-fisted billionaire who could potentially become a trillionaire got rich the old fashioned way. He cheats workers.

Bezos also comes up with new and ingenious ways to spread the suffering. Amazon Flex   delivery drivers are hired by apps and fired by algorithms. They have no interaction with human resources or any humans at all and they must pay a $200 fee to contest terminations that are rarely decided in their favor. 

Even when American workers lose their jobs they are still at the mercy of corporate giants. ID.me  contracts with states to provide public access to web sites such as those used for unemployment claims. Their facial recognition  software doesn’t verify everyone properly and desperate people wait days and weeks for their unemployment payments to arrive. As with Amazon there is no one to speak to for help. But state governments turn over millions of dollars to ID.me in order to cheat people out of benefits they have earned. Currently 30 states contract with ID.me to make sure that the most vulnerable are kicked while they are down.

The algorithm hirings and firings and the facial recognition technology problems are not bugs in the system. They are features. They are doing precisely what they are intended to do, keep workers poor, desperate, and at the mercy of capitalists. Cruelty is the point.




New content at THIRD:



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  • Wednesday, July 07, 2021

    What's behind facial recognition (and projection)?

    Science post. This is interesting. Donna Lu (GUARDIAN) reports:

    Whether in a cloud, the front of a car, or a $28,000 toasted sandwich supposedly resembling the Virgin Mary, seeing faces in inanimate objects is a common experience.
    According to new research by the University of Sydney, our brains detect and respond emotionally to these illusory faces the same way they do to real human faces.
    Face pareidolia – seeing faces in random objects or patterns of light and shadow – is an everyday phenomenon. Once considered a symptom of psychosis, it arises from an error in visual perception.
    Lead researcher Prof David Alais, of the University of Sydney, said human brains are evolutionarily hardwired to recognise faces, with highly specialised brain regions for facial detection and processing.


    SKY NEWS adds:

    Professor David Alais, lead author of the study from the University of Sydney's school of psychology, said: "From an evolutionary perspective, it seems that the benefit of never missing a face far outweighs the errors where inanimate objects are seen as faces.
    "There is a great benefit in detecting faces quickly, but the system plays 'fast and loose' by applying a crude template of two eyes over a nose and mouth.
    "Lots of things can satisfy that template and thus trigger a face detection response."


    So this is something we apparently developed to protect ourselves. We needed to quickly realize who we were looking at and quickly determine whether they were friend or foe.

     

     

    "Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

    Wednesday, July 7, 2021.  More attacks in Iraq, what's Joe going to do now?


    AP reports:


    In nearby Iraq, a rocket struck a base containing US troops, injuring three people.

    A US-led coalition colonel, Wayne Malott, spokesman said that at around 12:30 pm, the Al-Assard Air Force Base in western Iraq was attacked by 14 rockets that landed in and around the base. “At this point, the first report shows three minor injuries. The damage is under evaluation,” he said, saying that force protection defenses had been invoked. “

    He didn’t say if the injured were American.


    We should note that this attack came after -- after -- the Iraqi government increased the number of their security forces in Anbar.  Of course, their 'security' forces include the infamous militias.  The increase appears to have allowed more opportunities to attack instead of reducing violence.


    Then Anbar attack  was one attack.  That air base is in Anbar Province -- home to cities such as Falluja and Ramadi. AFP reports on an attack in the northern Kurdistan Region of Iraq: 

    Explosive-laden drones attacked the international airport in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil late on Tuesday, close to the American consulate, Kurdish authorities said.                 

    The attack took place at around 1930 GMT but caused no injuries or major damage, with firefighters putting out a blaze, the anti-terrorist unit of the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region said in a statement.

    The airport in Erbil, which houses a military base of the international coalition fighting the Islamic State jihadist group, was also targeted in April by a drone packed with explosives.


    Caitlin McFall (FOX NEWS) speaks with the Pentagon:


    "We are aware of reporting of a UAS [unmanned aircraft system] incident in the vicinity of Erbil, Iraq," Pentagon Spokesperson Commander Jessica McNulty told Fox News. "At this time, initial reports indicate no structural damage, injuries or casualties." 

    The Pentagon confirmed that U.S. troops are currently housed in Erbil but did not answer questions as to how many are located there.

    There are approximately 2,500 troops dispersed across "several Iraqi Security Forces facilities," McNulty confirmed. 


    Seth J. Frantzman (JERUSALEM POST) offers, "For three days in a row, since America’s July 4 Independence Day, pro-Iran militias have carried out attacks on US forces and facilities in Iraq and Syria."  Joyce Karam (THE NATIONAL) offers a little more detail in her Tweet:


    FIVE attacks on US forces in #Iraq & Syria in < 72 hrs: • Mon, July 5: Ain Al Assad, Iraq • Tue, July 6: Union III, Iraq • Tue, July 6: Erbil Airport, Iraq • Wed, July 7: Ain Al Assad, Iraq • Wed, July 7: Deir Zour, Syria Drone & rockets, suspects are pro-Iran militias



    And Halgurd Sherwani (KURDISTAN 24) provides a very basic fact, "The two bases —Erbil and Ain al-Asad—host the vast majority of US forces in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region."


    So what now, Joe?  Huh?


    The bombings carried out by the US -- targeting the Iranian-linked militias -- June 28th.  It wasn't smart.  It wasn't smart that some of those opposed to the strike felt the need to lie and ignore the fact that public threats had been made by the militias and that many attacks had been carried out against US troops in Iraq since the start of this year.  


    Because you couldn't make an argument, because you could just screech, "It's illegal!!! It's illegal!!!!"


    No, it wasn't illegal.  


    But the next action is even less so.


    This week alone?  





    AHLUBAYT NEWS AGENCY reports:


    The head of Sayyid of Martyrs Battalions, or Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS) has warned the United States that the Iraq resistance groups are moving towards revenge options.

    Abu Alaa al-Walai the leader of Sayyid of Martyrs Battalions, or Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS) has told Associated Press that the Iraqi Resistance group will take revenge on the US following the attacks on the recent PMU positions

    "We want to carry out an operation that everyone describes as revenge against Washington," he told AP according to a translated version of the interview by Arabic-Language website of Al-Mayadeen.

    Al-Walai added that the revenge operations against Americans may take place on land, sea, air, or any other location.
     

    Here for the AP article referenced above.


    This time, the threats are a little better covered in the US and are covered while things are still fresh.  With the ongoing attacks and the public threats, you really want to trot out your hoary nonsense of 'it's illegal, Joe acted first! Joe did this! Joe did that!'


    The strikes were a mistake for many reasons.  Arguing that they were illegal was always a reach.


    Glenn Greenwald went with nonsense of 'the prime minister says . . .'


    Mustafa al-Kadhimi, like those before him, says one thing to the Iraqi people in the lead up to an election and one thing to the US government.  Nouri al-Maliki, while insisting publicly that he wanted US troops out of Iraq, actually argued/begged the US government for more troops as then-Senator John McCain and then-Senator Joe Lieberman revealed over and over in Congressional hearings.  


    No one should be so stupid that they take empty words from a figure up for re-election as reality.


    If Mustafa wanted them out, the current agreement does have an exit clause and he could activate it.  He chooses not to.  But he then tries to hide behind empty words and, fortunately for him, their are enough suckers to fall fo his empty words.


    The June 28th bombings were not an answer.  And we noted that.  They weren't a deterrent either -- a big concern of many because after Joe bombed and it didn't reduce the attacks, what do you do?


    Joe is already starting to look weak internally as the White House's own polling has shown.  Vice President Kamala Harris' mis-steps or perceived mis-steps are reflecting on him.  The huge increase in gas prices are also hurting him.


    Now he's going to be weak in the eyes of the world?  


    When Joe elected to bomb at the end of June, he raised the stakes.  That's on him.  And now he's seeing that other parties around the table can do the same -- and it actually costs him more because he's the big name at the table.  The others can bluff and if they lose?  Not as big a tumble.


    So what will Joe move towards?  A diplomatic surge?  That would be great but the US government really doesn't do that.  Brute force is the usual response.  Which is why air strikes are again being considered.

    And they are.


    So what happens?  How does this play out?


    If conflict between the two sides intensifies?  The war doesn't end, US troops don't come home and the backing from the Iranian government gives Joe the excuse the US government has long needed to go to war with/on Iran. 


    Maybe all the whores who pretended to care about ending the Iraq War but really just used it to elect Democrats in 2006 and 2008 need to examine their actions because by packing up your tents and going home before the war ended and while US troops remained in Iraq, you created the vacuum.


    Did someone say Goody Whore?  In other news, the Goody Whore and her DEMOCRACY SOMETIMES! continues to be appalling.  Ben Horst makes this observation:


    It's sad that Democracy Now! had a retired colonel on to tell us how much of a disaster Donald Rumsfeld was. Esp when the Pentagon severely underestimates the number of dead in Iraq. It buys into the idea that these military officers on CNN, etc are worth listening to.


    You should be old enough to remember when Goody Whore hectored CNN and others for their usage of military generals as experts.  But if you are too young, pick up any of her many copy & paste 'books' and you'll find her insisting that other voices should be sought out.  Or check out her published 'work -- published in HUSTLER magazine -- or her interviews -- with Charlie Rose.  HUSTLER magazine, Charlie Rose?  Yeah, a lot of us called Goody Whore out in real time.  Maybe at some point there can be a reassessment of her because she was never that great or wonderful.


    And on that, Aaron Mate can stop being a little bitch anytime he wants.  If he wants credit for calling out Amy -- and we've given him it -- then he needs to call her out.  He was part of the team that promoted the Libya war.  That's the war -- and Aaron will never tell you this while making himself the focus over and over -- that got BLACK AGENDA REPORT's Glen Ford banned from DEMOCRACY NOW! because he refused to support it.

     



    We'll note this thread from Chatham House:


    (1/4) Film projector Flag of Iraq | & analysed the mechanics of politically sanctioned #corruption in #Iraq & argue that this type of corruption is more consequential for the coherence of the state & its everyday functioning, than personal corruption.


    (2/4) Employment-related #corruption is widespread in #Iraq. Political parties use #payroll expansion as a tool to build patronage networks by offering public sector employment to members of their constituencies.


    (3/4) In 2020, Finance Minister Ali Allawi estimated that the number of employees on the government #payroll had reached 4.5 million, of whom 300,000 were ‘ghosts’, allowing party-aligned officials to split the wages of ghost workers between themselves.



    (4/4) Watch the recording from our launch event w/ the authors & expert speakers #MohammadAlHakim Downwards arrow
    Paper launch: Politically sanctioned corruption and barriers to...
    Analysing new research which puts the dynamics of corrupt political power-sharing practices in Iraq under the microscope. The event is on the record,...
    acebook.com




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