Wednesday, June 4, 2014

"England Expects...." Watchet, Somerset June 18th -29th (closed Mon & Tues)


82 comments:

  1. A SPOT OF SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION I WILL ADMIT, BUT AT LEAST I DON'T HAVE TO PAY AN ADVERTISING FEE. The plan is to keep commenting on the Hammers on the "WE BUY, SELL & TRADE" thread below this one.

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  2. But I will add one here....This looks great and has got me a bit warmed up to the idea that Ingerlund will be playing in the world cup and that I want them to win (at least one game!)
    Good work Mr P

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  3. Cheers Filthy, glad you approve. There will be 13 pieces on England's past World Cup adventures going back to 1950 and 4 pieces (including a variant/less busy of the above) on Brazil 2014. The show will close before, but f they get into the playoffs, I'll keep going as long as they do and remember it's only 7 GAMES TO GLORY !!!!

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  4. So it's kicked off. England on Saturday....Italy? I'd put a tenner on ingerlund. Probably lose it....
    I reckon it should be a good tournament. Loads of uncertainty. there are a number of teams who could be unstoppable, or totally underperform.
    By the way: Blatter must go!!!

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  5. The only thing I might disagree with Filthy is the tenner on the 3 lions (no 3 tenners jokes please), maybe Smitty will post the odds. Watched Brazil v. Croatia a dodgy penalty turned the match, but Marcello's early own goal was most entertaining. I wonder if the win will dampen the locals will to riot ?

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  6. :)

    Straight from the backstreets of Vegas - ish

    http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/talking-points/2014/jun/11/vegas-odds-world-cup-brazil-stuck-top-not-much/

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  7. So on the backstreets of Vegas England are the same odds as Colombia to win the trophy 30-1. Had to look elsewhere for odds on the Italy match, and there's not much in it win, lose or draw are all under 3-1. Hang on to your tenner Filthy, can't do bugger all with 30 nicker anyway !

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  8. As everyone will know The Dutch came out of the traps flying and Spin had better brought another goalie along ! All the Mexicans that work in my neighbourhood here on the Upper West Side are well happy and so it is time for the English to "step up to the plate" as the Yankees say. .

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  9. Good luck with the show Mr P
    Lovely in the country this time of year

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  10. Cheers Smitty, I'll chime in from the orther side of the pond. Will be watching England v.Italy at Newark Airport !

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  11. well I was working so didn't see the game, but sounds like an honourable loss for Blighty and my tenner. I'm thinking that England knocked on the door a lot in the second half, but italy were canny and held them off. Also Rooney missed 2 chances? Can anyone confirm that? Don't want to lay into him unless he deserves it. On the other hand...

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  12. Ahoy There From Blighty. I saw the first half of the Italian Job at a bar in Newark Airport and then spent the second half on the runway - the only runway working and thus the delay ! I know Rooney missed a sitter in the second half Slippery, but don't know about a second ? There were some definite glimpses of quality, so here's hoping we can beat Uruguay we owe them for sending us home from Switzerland in 1954.

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  13. How's the mood there? The Costa Rica result and loss to Italy makes the Uruguay game a must win. They say Suarez is ready to rumble, but it shouldn't be impossible to win, setting up another do or die game against Costa Rica. Got a day off on Thursday so I can watch!!

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  14. The mood over here seems to be "we're still in it" Filthy - Fleet Street desperately trying to ring another dodgy headline out of anything vaguely to do with Wayne Rooney. Having missed the second half of the Italian Job, how did Glen Johnson hold up ? Serious weak link if you ask me ? I say get Barklay (Barkley ?) on there and let him have a go.

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  15. yup, Rooney is the pressdarling, word is he might start against uruguay in the #10 role with Sterling and Wellbeck wide. I'm with you on "Gnarls". Think it could be a Rooney removal at half time with Barkley on. Test Suarez's knee early on- perhaps that could be Johnson's job and if he gets carded then no loss.....or else put Milner there. Beat Uruguay and its on again for sure.

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  16. Forgot to say, good luck tomorrow!

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  17. Cheers Filthy Making a quick run to BBC Radio in Bristol today, my host will be Laura Rawlings - you might find it on the Super Information Highway ? Not sure ? The Gallery in Watchet is next to a Steam Train Railway line - how cool is that ?

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  18. So farewell then Spain! ViVa Chile! Good game Holland Australia. A good day to have off work! It's an exciting tournament so far. England vowing to attack to do the necessaries tomorrow. I think it'll be good!
    Enjoy the ride mr P. Choo! Choo!

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  19. So, there you go. I thought England played OK against an average team with a great striker. Never really looked like scoring or working out how to unlock the Uruguayan defence. The England defence was not good. Jagielka dire and Cahill not much better. Another assist for Gerrard at the wrong end.
    Anyway, didn't expect anything and that's what we got.

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  20. They could have moved the ball forward with a bit more pace Filthy, our best play seemed to be in their final third. Not saying that would have won us the match, but we might have scored sooner and nicked a draw. Now it's time to change opinions and hope that Ballotelli scores a bucket load !

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  22. I'm just back in the USA, watched the second half of the Italy v. Costa Rica match in the company of Danny Baker and David James in Stratford, just down the road from the Olympic.

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  23. That sounds better than watching with only Phil Neville droning on. Did you lend Calamity a tenner to get back on his feet? Always seemed a decent bloke, I was sad to read of his bankruptcy. 20 million?! Bad financial advice? (and a divorce) Doesn't seem the type to have spunked it all up the wall. Anyway more power to the 3 of you. Good game to watch as well! Costa Rica, everyone's second favourite team?

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  24. I was in the dark about his "cock up at the bank" Filthy, but got the impression he's got a gig with BT Sports and recently played in Iceland. Nice bloke and looking well buff, I gave him 2 Esso 1970 World Cup coins - Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton and he seemed genuinely chuffed !

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  25. Should've gimme a shout A.P. i'dve been there in 10 mins with your Hammers...

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  26. Sorry Slippery I was under the gun to get there from Somerset (Smarticus Cole at the wheel) and after we was done the old brain-box went to custard !

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  27. Just watched the USA come within a few seconds of sending Portugal home with my 2 lads (both in USa shirts) .Great spirit here in NYC - lots of cheering on the street both times they scored.

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  28. I remember those Esso coins! They were great!

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  29. Sombreros off to Mexico ! They really had a go at The Croatians, when they could have been more cautious - I'm glad they're through !

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  30. Well England can now slip quietly off to the airport while the dust kicks up around Suarez. If they get their skates on they might even land in Blighty and get home before it settles.

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  31. Esso world cup coins 1970...My Dad (r.i.p) used to be a lorry driver for Fords at Dagenham..and whenever he had to fill the lorry up with derv..when he was on the road..he used to come home with handfulls of the esso coins...great

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  32. The USA are through ! As the father of two Young Americans I am absolutely delighted anything more is cream on the cake - they have earned the right t be taken seriously as a footballing nation. Belgium up next - stranger things have happened. Time to play some Elvis !

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  33. I think this world cup will have raised the profile of "soccer" dramatically in the US, and not just because of US success.
    My family will be in the red corner, but I think it'll be a close game

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  35. No doubt about that Filthy. I remember watching the '86 World Cup in the back room of The Dublin House (NYC boozer) on a little black and white tv we brought in, so as not to interrupt the baseball. "The World What ?" was the word from the locals - same place has flags galore outside now and is showing every game !

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  36. We've entered the Death or Glory part now and the world pulls it chairs a little closer to the box ! I've got the Ennio Morricone on !

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  37. And the Brazilians only squeaked through Filthy - I thought Chile really put in a shift. i'd like to see the Mexicans pull a Cupset today, but it's a heck of an ask I know. The Dutch are deadly up front and thugish at the back - could be the winning combination, but they'll have to watch them yellow cards.

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  38. Another good day of drama. Mexico were unlucky, Greece got what they deserved. You're right about Brasil...not looking strong. It is hard to pick "the "team, nobody's unbeatable, just the way it should be

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  39. What a nightmare last 8 minutes for The Mexicans, but what a fantastic advertisement for cup football here in the US. Meanwhile can you imagine the party in Costa Rica - must be totally mental ! Colombia and Costa Rica - don't remember either of them being in anyones predictions - both in the Last 8 !

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  40. What with one thing and another I haven't been able to watch but I guess we've got to root for Columbia now. Featuring the nearest thing to anAmmer Pablo A.
    So should we or shouldn't we have offed him? I guess we'll never know.

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  41. So France and Germany are through and gonna have a showdown on Friday. I thought bot the Algerian and Nigerian keepers were top shelf yesterday, I know the Nigerian made the one mistake but he kept them in the game, they just couldn't get any decent balls into the box. Fez's off to The Algerians they took Germany to extra time, no shirkers on that team for sure - respect due !

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  42. yup, Colombia are THE ones. 50/50 against Brasil I reckon.
    May the best team win today!

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  43. Bollocks to the best team Filthy, round my gaff its USA by an by means necessary !

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  44. Above should read by any means necessary

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  45. The Swiss can blow their alphorns loud and proud, they really made Argentina sweat for that win, hitting the post at the death and another top stopper !

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  46. The Yankees go home too, but there's no denying they put up a fight. Tim Howard must have played one of the greatest games of any goal keeper - stops galore. I hope that the local interest in football doesn't wane, there was plenty of pre match red white and blue on the streets of my hood.

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  47. Just trying to be polite Mr P...round here it's all Hercule poirot, chips and mayonnaise, and the best team did win! Still very close, like all of them. I wouldn't put a months wages on anyone. Tim Howard was immense, his "trailing foot" saved about 6 goals! I now have 2 days off work and guess what? no F#@$*ing games!

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  48. Not disputing Belgium's expected superiority Filthy, but The Yanks nearly equalised at the death. I would say the much worse side nearly didn't lose and that there's no reason in the future why The USA shouldn't be taken as seriously as England.

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  49. I would say they are pretty much on par right now, which is depressing.

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  50. Depressing for The English, but not for The Americans Filthy - that snowball is really a football and they've got some big mountains for it to roll down. While The Premiership continues to take on as many foreign players as the market will bare, it will inevitably produce a law of diminishing returns. Didn't Wenger once say "you cant have the best League and the best International Team".

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  51. So Germany are through for a never seen before 4th consecutive Semi and I must confess I thought that France would have put up more of a battle - "Not This Afternoon Josephine" !

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  52. Brazil through too - if I'm gonna get a Cupset, it's down to Costa Rica !

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  53. Again another day of super close games. Personally I'm sad to see Belgium go out, but they never lived up to expectations, so Bye bye. Costa Rica!! more than a bit negative today but punching way above their weight. I enjoyed the drama of Holland bringing in their specialist penalty keeper, but really disliked the way he got in the faces of the Costa Ricans, However he proved to be the difference, so a consumate professional performance- even if I dislike it. Brasil in trouble without Neymar (and worse in my book) Silva. I think the Germans will overpower them now. The other is closer to call. I think ( and would like ) argentina to prevail. I would most go for an all South America final 'cos it'd be huge....Overall I'd say that no team has looked the business for more than 2 minutes at a stretch. So it is and has been very open.

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  54. As you say Filthy. it's anyone's trophy now, although I'd put the Germans as favourites. I thought The Tico's did well, I couldn't see England holding Holland to a draw over a 120 minutes could you ? Think the Dutch penalty keeper should have been booked, for the second verbal, but there's no denying they were better than the Costa Ricans.

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  55. Brazil tonked didn't see that one coming - certainly not 4 goals in 6 minutes ! I bet there's not a yellow jersey in all of Manhattan tomorrow !

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  56. the looks of absolute disbelief on brasilian fans was amazing. I don't think many outside of thecountry thought they were strong enough to win, including myself, but I didn't expect that! Still I don't like Scolari, and they didn't deserve to get to the final, so there you go!

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  57. Brazils arrogance in thinking they deserve the World Cup (based on the great Brazil teams of the past) has blown up in their face...leaving a crater so deep its gonna take them a nice few years if not longer to crawl out of...
    R.I.P the historic teams of Brazil from World Cups past and stop dragging them out of the cupboard every time future teams from that country play

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  58. It was certainly The Defeat of The Century (thus far) Slippery. Some say The Brazilian national psyche' has barely recovered from the 1950 Final 3-2 loss to Uruguay (know as The Maracanazo). They changed the teams colours after that one !

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  59. I thought yellow was quite appropriate

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  60. It was no easy feat to make a yellow shirt glamourous Smitty, Norwich City never seemed to manage it even when the Brazilian's were cock of the walk !

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    Replies
    1. Well it's done and dusted now - must say that I preferred the earlier rounds, but it seems fair to me that Gemany lifts the trophy. Argentina were pretty damn solid at the back, but they never had it going on up front, another low key performance for Messi in the big arena.

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  61. Yup, that's that then. It did kind of peter out (apart from the 7-1 brasil game), but a good tournament. I really do think serious rethinking needs to be done about the whole thing. FIFA are out of control.
    Now starts the countdown to the new season...

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  62. With you on that Filthy, for a start it shouldn't cost a country 11 Billion dollars to put on some football matches ! It's outrageous and it's shameful. We should make better use of whats out there in the world, not be robbing the poor of money much needed for basic social services ! If you put The Sky Sports Commentator in a caravan do you think he would refuse to comment ? Or Argentina refuse to play because the stadium isn't brand spanking new ?

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  63. You're right Mr P a better bus service would probably been a better buy, but just think the West Hams & Spuds etc from Rio, Sao Paulo etc can now start a rift in their fans as to whether to move to the new stadiums. Always an eye for the $ in management.
    At least they seemed mostly finished, and no large chunks fell off. They did a good job of keeping the rebelling proles out of the news. I wonder did they actually do any rebelling or did they all just lump it and watch the games, and just dip a few tourists to pad the family coffers

    I had a look round but I couldn't see any follow up , does anyone know if anything more was heard about the guy from FIFA "hospitality" who did the runner with his "backhanders"?

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  64. I've a feeling Filthy, that the powers that be in Brazil knew that once the football kicked off the protests would fade and it certainly looks that way form a U.S. perspective and the first week of the tournament I spent in Blighty. Still I'm hoping there's somme backlash now the party's over - there's another way to do this ! As for the FIFA tout - last I heard he hadn't legged it, but was "staying with counsel" - if guilty Keel Haul him says I !

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  65. Yeah, lets hope they get sommat out of it, with the X gazillions they made from the tournament.

    Supposedly they've been at it for the last 4 world cups, "and didn't have to do it in between because they made so much money" What were the other countries doing , taking a cut? FIFA really is becoming a joke.

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  66. Some serious house clearance needed at FIFA Smitty, with Blatter first on the bonfire - I've got some matches.

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  67. burning's too good for him.He is ruining the game for the people in just about every country apart from the US. Also inexcusable that the blood of even one worker was spilt on the construction of stadia. They have the power to make social change in Qatar (and to a degree in Brasil) if that country truly wants the world cup then they should have to treat workers well, rather than if they bung the commissionaires enough money. Criminals! Murderers! And the game gets the blame!

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  68. Is it just me, or could the media go after FIFA in general and Blatter in particular a lot harder ? They should be making his going about his business absolutely miserable, or are most of them on the look out for a few free tickets ?

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  70. Had to delete a repeat. But while I'm at it - does anyone know of any petitions i can sign to hasten Blatter's demise ?

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  71. There was one a while ago and having just looked it seems to have got 2294 signatures
    http://www.petitiononline.com/blatter1/petition.html

    Meanwhile, this has 12,675 "likes"
    https://www.facebook.com/sackseppblatter

    So obviously 10,000 + people would like to do something about about it but can't be assed.

    Not sure if that includes the 36 determined souls here
    http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/sack-sepp-blatter/

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  72. The UK press has been laying into both Blatter and FIFA for a number of years which has partly been the reason for not getting a sniff of hosting. The rest of the world needs to join in as FiFa can now say it is a personal vendetta by UK. There has been SO much shit uncovered it is unbeleivable that nothing has happened. There are a number of petitions aimed at human rights in QATAR and telling FIFA to man up.

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  73. Cheers Smitty, I'll have a gander, meanwhile I noticed England now rated 20th in The World Rankings, which seems more realistic to me.

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  74. http://kumb.com/story.php?id=127665

    Think he'll go?

    Mauro Zarate: Velez to West Ham Utd (nominal)
    Cheikhou Kouyate: Anderlecht to West Ham Utd (£7m)
    Aaron Cresswell: Ipswich Town to West Ham Utd (£4m)
    Diego Poyet: Charlton Athletic to West Ham Utd (nominal)
    Enner Valencia: CF Pachua to West Ham Utd (£12m)

    Looks like we blew the wad but it seems we want more according to the net.
    Even if we get some more I don't think we did bad so far. Better than Sam's last few years spending.

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  75. Still waiting on the Work Permit for Valencia Smitty, but i agree it looks good on paper and I see they've let Henderson go too - need room for wages I would imagine.

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  76. Just realised that you probably meant to put your last post on Buy, Sell & Trade Smitty, no ?

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  77. OOPs - Yep. Mea culpa

    I'll copy it there and we can follow on

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  78. I see the report on FIFA bribery and corruption (as if we need a report) on Qatar has been delayed several weeks. How the hell do these people get away with this ?

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  79. As per the BBC, England will not be asking for anything until Seth Blatter is gone. Glad to hear that - saves everyone's time and gives us a little dollop of self respect.

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  80. I'm thinking that nobody is reading this anymore - but what the heck, England just beat Norway by a penalty at Wembley. But judging by the turnout - England isn't expecting much from Captain Rooney and his men at the moment !

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