I would say that I don’t know how we got through that first shaky week of this third pandemic-impacted school year, hugging our kids and checking to make sure their masks were secure before they left each morning, except that I do know: We had no choice. We still don’t. Though we’re grateful to their teachers and glad that our kids are once again learning alongside their peers, the worry persists, an undercurrent to which we’ve been forced to adapt as we settle into routines both familiar and new. | |
Each week brings more pediatric infections, more student quarantines. Each day, I’m conscious of the fact that I’m allowing my children to assume a risk from which I, working at home, am protected, and this feels hopelessly backward. I read every update to the school COVID-19 guidelines so I know what to expect after the inevitable exposure, but I can’t tell my kids what they have long wanted to know: When will things go back to the way they remember? | |
… | |
Over the past 18 months, a common refrain has been that this pandemic should compel all of us to recognize our interdependence, the inescapable fact that we will not address this or any of the other grave threats we’re facing without collective action. This is a lesson that I expect many of our children are also learning, though the cost and the danger to them feels too high. I know I don’t want my kids to conclude that they are or forever will be powerless, or that there is no one who will fight with and for them. There are many things I still have to hope for to get through each day, and while our children’s survival and health top the list, I also want them to retain their faith in themselves and in their ability to look forward to something better than this — to find, as they so often do, their own reasons to hope. | |
— Nicole Chung | |
From: “The View Essay: Parenting – Did I point my kids to the wrong North Star?” Appearing in: Time Magazine; 11/18 Oct 2021 |
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Also online at: https://time.com/6102019/covid-19-hope-for-kids/ | |
The online version appears as: “There’s No End in Sight for COVID-19. What Do We Tell Our Kids Now?“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | The Rush Is On |
Another Rerun | |
2020 | It Is Still About Sharing And Cheering |
2019 | Sounds Like #LyingDonald |
2018 | Start Building |
2017 | Woof! Woof! |
2016 | Cast Out |
2015 | Small Pieces |
Happy Father’s Day! | |
2014 | Uncertain Work |
2013 | Unpatriotic And Servile |
2012 | What Price Freedom? |
2011 | Particular Importance |
Three From Bette… | |
Posts Tagged ‘COVID-19’
Is Normal Just Routine?
Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Choice, COVID-19, Did I Point My Kids To The Wrong North Star?, Faith, Health, Hope, Nicole Chung, Parenting, Philosophy, Quarantines, Quotes, The New Normal, The View Essay, Time Magazine on June 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Two Years Later (Now 1,004,000+ Deaths And Inflation)
Posted in Health, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #IncompetentDonald, Afflictions, Attitude, Boosters, CDC, China, COVID-19, Economics, Health, Inflation, Jean Toomer, Philosophy, Quotes, The Federal Reserve Board, Vaccination Update on June 12, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I do not know which of our afflictions God intends that we overcome and which He means for us to bear. But this is certain: Some I have overcome, some I continue to bear. | |
— Jean Toomer | |
[Another (2022) COVID Update: | |
This update is being written on 5 June 2022 (for posting on 12 June). There have now been: 1,003,803 total deaths; 247 average deaths per day; 84,565,697 total cases (about 1% fatality rate); 97,611 new average for daily cases; and, 258,747,147 vaccinations (at least one dose and over 5yrs old) – for a rough 83% of the (eligible) population. Over 90% of hospitalizations and deaths are of those who have not been vaccinated. I have not been able to determine if the (remaining) less than 10% are fully vaccinated and current with their booster(s). | |
What do we know? | |
Surprisingly little (IMHO) at the end of 18 months… The early prediction was a fatality number of 2.2 million in the first 18 months IF WE DID NOTHING. We temporarily shut down a significant portion of society (NOT the economy). We halved the total deaths to date, but not the rate of deaths per cases. The economy (and society) are roughly back to “normal”. Most people can (do) now work from their offices (and / or homes). Stores and restaurants / bars are mostly opened, but business levels have not recovered. Most importantly: we still have little to no publicly available information about the rates or effects of “long-term” COVID, the number of folks with current boosters, or the duration of the vaccine (or booster) effectiveness. We DO know there is a general decrease in the vaccine(s) effectiveness – hence the recommendation for boosters. We don’t know the breakdowns by factors such as age, gender, over-all health, etc. I’m not saying the number(s) isn’t (/ aren’t) out there somewhere or that someone, somewhere isn’t tracking this data – only that I can’t find it readily available. And, here we are: “Only time will tell…“ | |
As a side note: much is being made about the pandemic’s effect on the economy – past and current. While we (in the U.S.) have accepted deaths and illnesses as a “cost” of returning to a “normal” economy, the world’s manufacturer (China) has not. They continue to impose local and wide area shutdowns to prevent the spread of COVID whenever there is another surge. Our (U.S.) demand continues to grow back to normal rates (pent up and current demand). Goods are not being made / delivered to meet demand – so prices increase. They will continue to do so until supply (roughly) matches demand. No matter what the Federal Reserve does to interest rates to “cool” inflation, it will have little effect until the manufacturing / delivery conditions change. How long will that be? How long is a piece of string?? You never know until have it’s been finally cut (until it’s over). — KMAB] | |
Original post (from 2020): | |
[This is an unusual post for me. This post is being written on 28 May, three days after the Memorial Day weekend. Yesterday, the U.S. passed 100K in deaths due to COVID-19. We are dying at just under 1,000 lives per day. We are engaged in a great social experiment testing whether we can open our economy without a plan to deal with the virus. This post is scheduled to go online roughly 15 days after the holiday weekend. If the President’s gamble was correct, the average death rate will be at or below 1,000 per day. If his gamble (with our lives) is incorrect, the death rate will be higher – and potentially much higher. Only time will tell. — KMAB] | |
(2021) Follow Up to Last Year’s (2020) Post (115,000+): | |
The “post” above is from one year ago. It is still too early to tell how good / bad a gamble President Trump took with the health of the nation. Partly because it is still too soon to have had academia take a look at the data and partly because a number of states – mostly (but not exclusively) with Republican governors (Florida) – are using their office / administrations to hide the true / accurate numbers of illnesses and deaths for political reasons. We do know that since the Inauguration, the vaccine count has gone from under 50 million to over 300 million. Over 50% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of vaccine. Part of this success is attributable to a competent President / Administration and part to the manufacture and distribution of the various vaccines ramping up. | |
As for our losses, the current “rolling” weekly death average is under 500 per day. A few weeks ago, the CDC also updated the information on their site to “confirm” that not only are the vaccinated unlikely to get seriously ill and die (still 5 – 10% chance of illness, and less than 1% chance of death), you are also unlikely to become infected and ill at all (15 – 20% illness rate once vaccine period is completed). Again, it’s too early to KNOW the exact numbers, but in this case it’s because (it is my understanding) “illness” is being self-reported. Still, this is “good” news and we should see the economy and society begin to return to normal. We’ve dodged a bullet this time folks. I am not making light of the individual losses to family members and friends, but the virus could have been a lot more lethal and we still have a considerable way to go on getting the rest of the way to herd immunity. Let’s hope we are better prepared for the next epidemic… | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | One Year Later (Now 604,000+) |
Good Intentions | |
2020 | 115,000+ |
2019 | One Generation’s View |
2018 | The One Thing |
2017 | Never Give Up |
2016 | Which Generation Are We? |
Congratulations, Kyle! | |
2015 | Centered |
2014 | Economic Trinity |
2013 | At Both Ends |
2012 | Holding Allowance |
2011 | The Power Of Good |
We Just Need Will And Leadership
Posted in Health, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Alice Parker, COVID-19, Genomic Technology, Health, Luck, Pandemic Preparation, Pathogenesis, Quotes, Sanford Burnham Presbys Medical Discovery Institute, Sumit Chanda, The Sequencing Solution: Genetic Surveillance Is The Key To Controlling Future Pandemics, Time Magazine, Vaccines, Viruses on May 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Researchers , and governments, also still need to figure out a better way to coordinate this effort around the globe. “We haven’t learned this much about any disease so quickly, I would say, in the history of science that I’m aware of,” says Sumit Chanda, the director and a professor of the immunity and pathogenesis program at Sanford Burnham Presbys Medical Discovery Institute. “Genomic technology allowed us to get here. But if we really want to get serious about preparing for the next pandemic, there needs to be a global command and control infrastructure, with transparency from all governments around the world. These viruses don’t know national boundaries, so it does not make sense to have a balkanized response to the virus.” | |
… | |
“We got pretty lucky that [COVID-19] vaccines work as incredibly well as they do,” says Sanford Burnham’s Chanda. “But we can’t just rely on luck. We need to make a global commitment and come up with an organization that has some teeth and has some funding whose job it is to survey, track and share genetic information. We have the tools to do it – we just need the will and leadership and especially the public to demand that the devastation of COVID-19 is something that shouldn’t have happened and that we never want to have happen again.” | |
— Alice Parker | |
From her article: “The Sequencing Solution: Genetic Surveillance Is The Key To Controlling Future Pandemics“ | |
Appearing in: Time Magazine; dtd: 21/28 June 2021 | |
. | |
On This Day In: | |
2021 | Standing Next To Anyone? |
Pitter Pater, Pitter Pater | |
2020 | Only Now |
2019 | I Think I’ve Been Blurred |
2018 | Progress On The Honey Do List |
And It’s Mostly Free, Too! | |
2017 | Both Dismissed |
2016 | Poetry Isn’t Going To Work |
2015 | MA Fix |
Getting Better | |
2014 | Actually |
2013 | Unfortunate Evolutionary Accidents |
2012 | Tense (Past, Present And Future) |
2011 | What Is Your Preference? |
Current Heroes (II)
Posted in Faith, Faith Family and Friends, Health, History, tagged 9/11 Rememberance, California, COVID-19, Faith, Getting Vaccinated, Health, History, Hurricane Ida on September 11, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Sometimes re-posts are entirely appropriate… This isn’t “exactly” a re-post, but the first three following paragraphs are pretty close… | |
For the last twenty years, on 11 September my thoughts turn to those heroes who quietly serve to protect us: those in the military services, those in law enforcement, and those in health and other protective services. | |
Today (as it was last year), my beloved State of California is under a state of emergency as fires rage up, down and across the the breadth of the State. I would just like any of my readers to share with me a few moments of thought (prayers if you’re that way inclined) for those firefighters who are risking their lives daily (and have been for several weeks now) continuously fighting fires to save lives, pets and property. | |
I, for one, can never express my gratitude enough for what you do. I can only offer you (and your families) my thoughts and prayers. God keep you all safe! | |
This year, we are also engaged in a second wave (and second year) of battle against an indiscriminate virus which is ravaging the nation as well as our state. Last year – at this time, we didn’t have a vaccine to help protect us in this battle. This year we do have an effective vaccine, but it has not been fully distributed. Consequently, the virus is now running rampant among those who are unvaccinated – particularly children under 12 years of age (for whom the vaccines have not yet been proven safe). | |
We do not know how long the vaccines will remain effective. We do not know how severe “long-term” COVID effects will last or even if the effects ease or get worse for those COVID does not kill immediately. What we do know is the vaccines are very effective in reducing the number of folks going to the ER with serious (life-threatening) illness. We know masking, practicing social distancing and washing your hands frequently also reduces the rate of spread of the virus. | |
Unless you have an underlying medical condition which prevents you from getting vaccinated, the best thing you can do to help our doctors, nurses, EMTs and other health professionals is to get your shot(s). The life you save may be your child’s… | |
And finally, my thoughts (and prayers) go out to the people of one third of the country damaged by the winds and rain of the recent hurricane (Ida). With countless individual acts of courage, strength and charity, I believe you will come through these difficult days and be the stronger for it. | |
. | |
On This Day In: | |
2020 | Current Heroes |
I’m Mid-West Born, But California Raised | |
Appropriated To Her Being | |
2019 | All In Good Time |
Day 13: Pause & Resume | |
Ghrelin And Leptin | |
2018 | Gratitude And Warmth |
Remembering Loss, Sacrifice And Service | |
Making Little Ones Out Of Bigger Ones | |
2017 | Never Forget |
2016 | It’s All Greek To Me (Well, Latin Actually) |
2015 | Truism |
2014 | Thank You |
2013 | Really |
2012 | Ordinary Five Minutes Longer |
2011 | The Wealth Of Sons (And Daughters) |
One Year Later (Now 604,000+)
Posted in Health, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #IncompetentDonald, Afflictions, Attitude, CDC, COVID-19, Health, Jean Toomer, Philosophy, Quotes, Vaccination Update on June 12, 2021| Leave a Comment »
I do not know which of our afflictions God intends that we overcome and which He means for us to bear. But this is certain: Some I have overcome, some I continue to bear. | |
— Jean Toomer | |
[This is an unusual post for me. This post is being written on 28 May, three days after the Memorial Day weekend. Yesterday, the U.S. passed 100K in deaths due to COVID-19. We are dying at just under 1,000 lives per day. We are engaged in a great social experiment testing whether we can open our economy without a plan to deal with the virus. This post is scheduled to go online roughly 15 days after the holiday weekend. If the President’s gamble was correct, the average death rate will be at or below 1,000 per day. If his gamble (with our lives) is incorrect, the death rate will be higher – and potentially much higher. Only time will tell. — KMAB] | |
Follow Up to Last Year’s Post (115,000+): | |
The “post” above is from one year ago. It is still too early to tell how good / bad a gamble President Trump took with the health of the nation. Partly because it is still too soon to have had academia take a look at the data and partly because a number of states – mostly (but not exclusively) with Republican governors (Florida) – are using their office / administrations to hide the true / accurate numbers of illnesses and deaths for political reasons. We do know that since the Inauguration, the vaccine count has gone from under 50 million to over 300 million. Over 50% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of vaccine. Part of this success is attributable to a competent President / Administration and part to the manufacture and distribution of the various vaccines ramping up. | |
As for our losses, the current “rolling” weekly death average is under 500 per day. A few weeks ago, the CDC also updated the information on their site to “confirm” that not only are the vaccinated unlikely to get seriously ill and die (still 5 – 10% chance of illness, and less than 1% chance of death), you are also unlikely to become infected and ill at all (15 – 20% illness rate once vaccine period is completed). Again, it’s too early to KNOW the exact numbers, but in this case it’s because (it is my understanding) “illness” is being self-reported. Still, this is “good” news and we should see the economy and society begin to return to normal. We’ve dodged a bullet this time folks. I am not making light of the individual losses to family members and friends, but the virus could have been a lot more lethal and we still have a considerable way to go on getting the rest of the way to herd immunity. Let’s hope we are better prepared for the next epidemic… | |
. | |
On This Day In: | |
2020 | 115,000+ |
2019 | One Generation’s View |
2018 | The One Thing |
2017 | Never Give Up |
2016 | Which Generation Are We? |
Congratulations, Kyle! | |
2015 | Centered |
2014 | Economic Trinity |
2013 | At Both Ends |
2012 | Holding Allowance |
2011 | The Power Of Good |
Republican Governors Don’t Help
Posted in Politics, Quotes, tagged American Politics, Common Knowledge, Common Sense, COVID-19, Mississippi, Mythos, Neanderthal, Quotes, Republican Governors, Robert M. Pirsig, Texas, Wearing Masks on March 9, 2021| Leave a Comment »
What keeps the world from reverting to the Neanderthal with each generation is the continuing, ongoing mythos… the huge body of common knowledge that unites our minds as cells are united in the body of man… | |
— Robert M. Pirsig | |
[I’m looking at you Texas and Mississippi… How many “extra” / more have to die before you tell your folks to wear masks? — KMAB] | |
. | |
On This Day In: | |
2020 | With Friends Like This… |
2019 | Still Better Than Third |
2018 | A Tough Row To Hoe |
2017 | Just In Case |
2016 | Republicans Eat Their Young |
2015 | Still 99% |
2014 | Affirming The Wall |
2013 | Maintain The Freedom |
2012 | All Good |
2011 | Fountains Of Life |
Staying Alive | |
A Soul Passing
Posted in Faith, Family and Friends, Family History, Pictures, tagged 378777, Attitude, Beierly Family, Ceal Beierly, COVID-19, Faith, Family and Friends, Joseph Beierly on January 12, 2021| 6 Comments »
As of today, there have been 378,777 COVID-19 related deaths in the United States. This post is about one of them… | |
Last week, while we (the nation) were going through a violent civil insurrection in the nation’s capitol, Joseph Beierly was engaged in his own personal “insurrection” battle. Sadly, he lost his battle. | |
I met Joe back in 1962, through his older brother, Ralph Beierly who was in my grammar school class. Ralph had five brothers (in order: Dave, Frank, Ray, Ralph, Joe and George) he lived with and two half-brothers who were already grown up and no longer living at home. Joe was the second youngest of those still at home. Joe / Ralph’s parents took me under their wings and it was not unusual for me to have dinner at their house more than once a week. | |
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At some point, you realize the older and younger siblings of your friends (like your own brothers and sisters) become “real” people, instead of “big” or “little” brother / sister of… (whomever). Sometimes this realization is sudden. Frequently, it is not. For me, this happened with Joe while we were on a “road-trip” to Canada. Joe and I had gone up to Lake Shasta to water ski and hang out on another friend’s pontoon houseboat for a week. Unfortunately, my other friend had a family emergency and had to secure the houseboat and return to the Bay Area, so Joe and I were left high and dry for the remainder of the week. | |
At the time, Joe was working for a telephone manufacturing company which was doing something in Canada and offering U.S. staff the opportunity to relocate if they wished to. Joe asked if I would mind spending the remainder of the week driving up to Canada to “check out” the new location to see if he was interested. With nothing else to tie us down, I agreed to split the costs and off we went. | |
Joe drove up to Seattle and then we boarded a ferry to Vancouver. That’s pretty much it. We saw a lot of greenery. Joe and I rode our first car ferry. (Why a car ferry? Just because neither of us had ever been on one. We drove back.) We listened to a lot of music during the drives. A couple of nights we camped and a couple we stayed in “inexpensive” (cheap) motels. We mostly did just enough to keep the trip going. Then we’d park and chill. Did I mention we brought along seven cases of beer for the week we expected to stay at Shasta? As I recall, we got through five of them and I let him have the remainder when we got back to S.F. | |
What did I learn about Joe? Mostly he had grown up to be his own man while I was away in the Army. He was a bit of Dave (he enjoyed working with his hands). He was a bit of Frank (he could be a charmer when he wanted to be). He was a bit of Ray and Ralph in music tastes and how he treated other people with respect – irrespective of their job / station. Like his dad, he had a way of looking at things logically and figuring them out. Like George, he had a “little brother” attitude: “You may be a bit older, but I’m nippin’ at your heels, and I’ll catch up soon.” But mostly, what I realize now is that he had what I call the Beierly “give it try” attitude. “If it doesn’t work out, we’ll fix it or try something different.” | |
I’m not sure if Joe ever got offered or accepted that job in Canada. (I don’t believe he did.) The next thing I heard he was in the Navy. I was a bit surprised by that because Joe wasn’t one to take “instruction” from his older brothers (a mind of his own), but he took to the Navy like a fish to water. Joe got married (to Ceal, the proclaimed love of his life). He made a career of service. And he raised a family which he openly cherished. We were both raised Roman Catholics. I’ve tended to fall off the wagon periodically, but Joe became a working Christian (“by their acts you shall know them”). Unfortunately, with my living in Europe and his living around the world (and / or way over on the East Coast), I never got a chance to ask him about that. I would check in with Ray before and after football season and Ray would tell me about Joe’s kids this and Joe traveling there and Joe helping these people with that. All the things “family” talk about when you’ve known each other long enough to not have to say anything and you’re sure there’s always time to kick-it again in a few months. | |
And now, Ray and Joe are both gone… | |
The world is a better place for them having been here. My world is a little less sunny for their passing. And once again I mourn the loss of a brother by another mother… | |
COVID-19 is just a virus. It doesn’t care about how many lives it takes or the families and grief it leaves behind. 378,777 of our fellow Americans have died… This post has been about one of them. | |
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On This Day In: | |
2020 | Implications |
2019 | Just To… |
2018 | Still Going… |
2017 | Great Risk |
2016 | Robbery |
2015 | Humanity Plus |
2014 | Dinner For Two? |
2013 | Exercise For Those Over 50 |
2012 | Tearful Joy!! |
Except When He’s Left | |
Wear A Damn Mask!
Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Bishop Robert Brown, COVID-19, Freedom, Health, License, Philosophy, Privileges, Public Good, Quotes, Responsibility, Rights, Wear A Mask on December 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Freedom is not the right to do whatever we want; | |
It is the privilege of doing what we ought; | |
It is not private license; | |
it is public responsibility; | |
It is not freeing ourselves; | |
it is binding ourselves for the good of all. | |
— Bishop Robert Brown | |
. | |
On This Day In: | |
2019 | A Surprisingly Good Way |
It’s Official X-mas (Tree) At Home | |
2018 | Weight / Health Update |
What’s Happening With You? | |
2017 | The Great Leveler |
Conservative Depressions | |
2016 | Election + 1 Month |
2015 | Dance And Sing |
2014 | A Measuring Stick For Progress |
2013 | Courtly Love Or Victory Over Habit |
2012 | Have We Met? |
2011 | Efficiently Useless |
A Word Of Assurance They Are Not Alone
Posted in Faith, Health, Politics, Quotes, tagged COVID-19, Dr. Jerry Brown, Ebola, God, Health, How To Conquer A Pandemic, JFK Medical Center, Liberia, Monrovia, Politics, Quotes, Time Magazine on November 12, 2020| Leave a Comment »
So far, all our patients are responding to treatment, so people think we are not saying the truth about how bad this will be. The same happened in the Ebola crisis. Until people saw that others were dying, they had doubts that the disease existed. They won’t believe if they are not seeing bodies. | ||
That said, while caring for patients in extraordinary circumstances, you must remember it is God who saves lives. You may provide the right medications and have the right equipment, but if someone is bound to die, no matter what you do, you will end up losing the person. For me as a physician, this is the most painful part of my service. | ||
… | ||
One of the best ways to support frontline health workers is to first appreciate the sacrifices they are making to save lives in the face of limited resources. It doesn’t have to be by providing them gold or diamonds or even money, but just a word of appreciation and encouragement. It is an assurance that they are not alone. | ||
The health workers are our soldiers on the front line. We need to equip them if we want them to fight effectively. They need a safe work environment and the tools to execute their duties. As we would do in warfare, we have to look for all available ammunition and sophisticated weaponry so they can win that fight. | ||
This pandemic has proven that no one nation is supreme. It is time we forget our differences and fight this disease as a united force. We have to understand that no matter how small or weak a country or person may be, there is something he or she has to offer to the good of the world. If we think it is a disease belonging to the Africans alone, or the Chinese, we are getting it wrong. As long as we continue to have COVID-19 in one country, the rest of the world is not safe. We must work together to defeat it. | ||
— Dr. Jerry Brown | ||
CEO of JFK Medical Center in Monrovia, Liberia | ||
From his interview / article: “How To Conquer A Pandemic“ | ||
Appearing in: 27 April / 4 May 2020 issue of “Time Magazine“ | ||
A similar version appears online (with a different title) at: “I Helped Fight the Ebola Outbreak in Liberia. Here’s What It Takes to Conquer a Pandemic“ | ||
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On This Day In: | ||
2019 | It’s Obvious | |
2018 | Passed Too Swiftly | |
2017 | On Our Wall (Part 1) | |
2016 | Or The Ripples From A Good Life | |
2015 | Titles And Reputations | |
2014 | Unfolding | |
2013 | Again | |
2012 | Needs | |
Damned | ||
2011 | Potter & Prejudice | |
Blink, Blink | ||
Boosted
Posted in Family and Friends, General Comments, Health, tagged Booster Shots, COVID-19, Family, General Comments, Health, Vaccinations on September 30, 2021| Leave a Comment »
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