Book Description
In the last one hundred years, imported water has transformed the environment of the Golden State and its quality of life. The key to this transformation has been expanded access to water from the Eastern Sierra, the Colorado River, and Northern California rivers. "Whoever brings the water, brings the people," wrote engineer William Mulholland, under whose leadership the process of growth through irrigation began. Now, in this provocative book, author David Carle contends that it may be time to stop drowning the California dream of the good life with imported water.
Using oral histories, newspaper articles, and autobiographies, Carle explores the historic changes in California, showing how imported water has shaped the pattern of population growth in the state. He also argues that it is possible to improve both the state's damaged environment and the quality of life if Californians will accept limited water supplies as a fact of life in this naturally dry region.
Customer Reviews:
Let California's Water History be a Lesson.......2005-08-08
David Carle takes a fresh approach to documenting California's development in light of water resources. It's an approach tinted with hope. Basically, Californians still have choices to make. But, I have to say it's tough seeing California's water glass as half full. Especially after reading about the complete crash in the salmon and steelhead runs up and down the state's watersheds. It almost brought me to tears when I read:
"In 1996, only about 1,014 miles of stream remained of the 2,113 miles of Central Valley streams originally used by Chinook salmon." Or, "The spring run of Chinook on the San Joaquin River once numbered up to a half-million fish. Salmon runs ended, completely, on that drainage after Friant Dam."
The author sprinkles a number of "what if" scenarios in the early parts of the book (e.g., what would the Owen's Valley be like today if not for Mulholland, etc.). It's fun to ponder -if not too late to change, it would be useful to ponder. There's a strong longing and sense of nostalgia for the pre sprawl days of Southern California in the book. I came across any number of quotes from old-timers about "the air in Los Angeles being clear" or "you could smell the citrus blossoms for miles." I wonder what the Miwok or any of the other tribes inhabiting California would have said before the ranchers, farmers, and miners arrived. Ah, wouldn't we all long for the days of the Golden State at the peak of her unexploited beauty and natural bounty - I know I do.
One key pivot point for California's future is its farmland. It boils down to a question of whether to grow sub-divisions or almonds. In the last part of the book, Carle really hits his strive and represents the reader with the cold, sober reality of California's future - we are losing farmlands at a constant and rapid rate to housing developments.
The book's merits are in drawing the clear lines between California's past decisions about water development and the current mess that has resulted. Putting aside the unmatched economic and population growth, and whether that's been a net positive for the state and it's inhabitants or not, this author gives equal time to the "hidden costs." The loss of habitat, altered eco-systems, reduced bio-diversity, polluted air and water and extinction of species are all costs that California is paying today.
The question remains how much more growth, if any, can our water resources continue to fuel. Ultimately, California has a choice to make today - stabilize or continue unbounded growth. The book closes with constructive and well thought approaches to making that choice.
I applaud Mr. Carle for his work.
Adolescent Utopian Thinking That Would Ruin the Environment.......2004-03-22
This is an apparent Sierra Club republication of the author's book Drowning the Dream: California's Water Choices at the Millenium published in 2000. I found the book to be an adolescent-like approach to California's water issues - if we only rolled back history and never built the Los Angeles Aqueduct and everyone still lived an idyllic rural existence on farms the physical environment would never have been ruined by the water grabs of arid Southern California, or so the author tells us. If such was the case most of us would still be living with premature death, disease, and an existence of daily grueling labor and the physical environment would be ruined by everyone having need of at least 160-acres for farming - witness China. What apparently biologist author David Carle can't grasp - because it is beyond his professional competence - is that it wasn't necessarily large industrial water projects that ruined the pristine California environment, but the choice to socialize water and thus make it available at such a low price that about 80% of water consumed by cities is exploited for the non-essentials of living - lawns, gardens, and swimming pools. Moreover, Carle never factors into his assessment that there has been a trade off from natural flora and fauna to man-made gardens in the cities surrounding everyone's home. His solution to just say no to new water and to politically blockade the use of existing water supplies by environmental lawsuits to control population is wrong headed, naive, and bound to failure. Such policies don't stand much of a chance of success if it results in telling urban homeowners that they can't have rose gardens or lawns. A better solution would have been to privatize the water system in the first place in which case urban dwellers wouldn't have been as prone to exploit water because it would have been too costly to do so. However, a kudo to the author for assembling a good bibliography which resulted in this reviewer assigning two stars to the book.
Useful, easy primer on the California water crisis.......2003-08-23
This is as interesting historically as it is politically -- how we got ourselves into this mess is at least as interesting, err, dumbfounding, as the potential ways out. This is as much a history of California as it is a history of California's water problem and being relatively new (10 years) to the state, I learned a great deal. I didn't realize, for instance, how the byproducts of the 49ers (quicksilver/mercury) are still flowing down out of the mountains and into the bay even today after heavy rains. Whodathunkit.
The look at the political machinery that got us here was fascinating, though I will have to say the policy presciptions for getting us out seemed pretty linear -- I was expecting some more imaginative thinking from such an authority on the subject as Carle, but then again I didn't really buy the book to have the answers spoon-fed to me. If the answer was simple, you know, Gray Davis would be jumping all over this one, and he ain't.
It's a pretty easy read -- a fun read, actually -- and the maps were indeed helpful, in fact I'd like to see even more maps in future books like this, especially of the rivers in the north that feed our agriculture machine. The photos were also helpful. (Ed note: give reviewer extra points for acknowledging he likes books with photos.)
Final thought: no mention of California's huge bottled water habit. A bit off topic, but funny it wasn't in the book.
Paying for the Past.......2000-07-21
This book is a must read for anyone seriously interested in California; although expensive, it is worth every penny. Mr. Carle has a clear, uncomplicated style of writing and an eye for the cogent quote and the key fact. The result is a lucid, highly readable overview of California water history from days of the Spanish missionaries to the present which shows how early settlement patterns in a very real sense created the present situation.
The only area where this reader would liked to have seen more relates to hard data regarding immigrant and emmigrant flows into the state historically and the assumptions regarding those flows and ethnic-group fertility rates as it relates to population projections for the future. Without understanding those elements, I suspect it won't be possible to surface the policy issues now hidden behind smoke and mirrors at the Federal level which in the end will probably determine what happens in the state.
It would be nice to be able to think that refusing at the state level to increase the water supply would suffice to limit population growth here; regrettably, the Government in Washington is already so involved in our policies that anything we do in isolation would most certainly be overturned.
Can we keep the California Dream alive?.......2000-04-03
This book addresses some of the most important issues facing California in light of the population growth and new demands for water projected for the decades ahead. Discussions of population and growth control are often difficult, but in Drowning the Dream David Carle brings a new, strongly reasoned approach to the table. In the process, Carle takes on the ultimate questions of California water politics: What kind of state do we want to live in? How much more growth does California really need? Can we keep the California Dream alive? California is naturally limited by its water supply and, therefore, water can be the tool to limit the state's future growth naturally--once we finally abandon the untenable proposal that more water can always be found. Also, Drowning the Dream is more than a policy book; Carle paints a rich picture of California historical natural resources from presettlement days to the present, using a wide range of historical documents and illustrations.
Average customer rating:
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The Level Guide to the South West
Peter Watts
Manufacturer: How to Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1857039068 |
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Britain views our industrial relations
Mark J Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: University of Notre Dame Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: B0007DKBCW |
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Our Gran (Sense of History)
Kathy Swift
Manufacturer: Longman
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0582040191 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on January 28, 1999. The length of the article is 1061 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Estados Unidos, la gran favorita: México y Brasil, las nuestras.(TT: United States, the big favorite, Mexico and Brazil, ours.)
Author: Tay Polo Miranda
Publication:
Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 28, 1999
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: 6
Issue: 309
Page: 13
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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Our Gran (Sense of History - Topic Books)
Julia Jordan Pa Markus
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0582083710 |
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Science and Civilisation in China: Volume 6, Biology and Biological Technology, Part 5, Fermentations and Food Science
H. T. Huang
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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ASIN: 0521652707 |
Book Description
Today Chinese cuisine is enjoyed in many parts of the world, yet little is known in the West about the technologies involved in making its characteristic ingredients. H. T. Huang's book is the first history of Chinese food technology in a Western language. It describes the conversion of agricultural commodities into food and drink, and explores the origins, development and scientific basis of traditional Chinese technology as applied to the processing of four food categories: the fermentation of alcoholic drinks from grains; the conversion of soybeans into soyfoods and condiments; the preservation of foods and the production of vegetable oils, malt sugar, starch, etc; and, lastly, the processing and utilization of tea. Where possible the Chinese experience is compared with equivalent systems in the West and elsewhere. The book ends with reflections on how nature, technology and human intervention have shaped the discovery and innovation of processed foods in traditional China.
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Miscellaneous Biopolymers and Biodegradation of Synthetic Polymers (Biopolymers, Vol. 9)
Manufacturer: Wiley-VCH
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 352730228X |
Book Description
The first part of this volume focuses on biosynthesis, metabolism, biodegradation, functions, properties and applications of miscellaneous polymers, such as hemozoin, thymine-containing styrene polymers, polythioesters, polyphosphate, polyhydroxymethionine, polyketides, and natural polyacetals. The second part then goes on to treat the biodegradation of a wide range of synthetic polymers, e.g.
* substituted cellulose
* nylon
* polycarbonate
* polyvinyl alcohol
* polyurethanes
* polystyrenes
* polyethylene
* polyanhydrides.
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Numerical Methods and Software Tools in Industrial Mathematics
Manufacturer: Birkhauser
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 081763973X |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Christianity and Literature, published by Thomson Gale on September 22, 2005. The length of the article is 6446 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The moral essay redux.(A Visit to Vanity Fair: Moral Essays on the Present Age, Shaming the Devil: Essays in Truthtelling)(Book Review)
Author: J. Robert Baker
Publication:
Christianity and Literature (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 55
Issue: 1
Page: 95(15)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, published by Institute on Religion and Public Life on March 1, 2005. The length of the article is 394 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Shaming the Devil: Essays In Truthtelling.(Book Review)
Author: Paul J. Griffiths
Publication:
First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 2005
Publisher: Institute on Religion and Public Life
Issue: 151
Page: 55(1)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thompson Gale
Customer Reviews:
Nice insight.......2007-02-07
It is not as easy a read as Stone's van Gog biography Lust For Life, but for fans, it's a deep book.
Vincent tells of how he went into the fields to paint, and then a rain storm came. He sought meager shelter behind a big tree while it lasted, and then resumed. And because he had started with a low vantage point, he now had to stand on his knees in the mud! He seems to merely mention this to point out why he considers common workman's clothes to be the artist's best friend...
He also tells how he went out to paint the sea, in a storm so strong he could barely stay on his feet. One painting got so full of sand from the beach that he went to a nearby inn and retouched it... and then went back out into the storm to finish it with fresh impressions!
Today, most of us: "Go out with the camera today? Nah, it's a bit nippy, and I just got the Sopranos on DVD..."
Irving Stone edited Dear Theo, and while he may have done a good job generally, I think it was a disservice to the material to not indicate where he cut it. It is just one long text, no dates and no indication where each quote starts or ends.
Let the reader beware - this is more novel than letters.......2005-04-22
I, like the many reviewers of this book, was enthralled and inspired by this collection of letters when I first read it 25 years ago. I have recommended it to many friends. At the time I would have given it five stars or even more if they were available. Irving Stone writes in his preface "My aim has been to edit the 1670 pages of material down to a swiftly flowing, continuous normal-sized book..." He succeeded but even 25 years ago I was a little disturbed by the complete absence of indications where exactly Mr. Stone had done his cutting, or his editing. Today, in the age of internet we can now do some easy checking. The unabridged letters are on the net and reveal that basically what this Dear Theo is, is another novel written by Irving Stone. There is almost no resemblance to the original letters. The novelist has used his talents and the raw material to create a beautiful saga. Worth reading, but let the reader beware.
A fire starter.......2002-11-03
These letters speak the truth of van Gogh. This book opens a window of knowledge on a man so misunderstood to the world. At 14, I absolutely am in love with this book. "Dear Theo" has ignited a fire in my soul, a burning desire to study art and the men behind the works.
Interesting and revealing.......2001-01-15
Vincent Van Gogh was a great painter, but not a writer. So these letters are of interest in terms of history and painting. The life of Van Gogh is better exposed here than it would have been in a "real" autobiography, because Theo, his younger brother, was the only real friend Vincent ever had. He was his supporter, admirer and listener, and in fact Vincent had an emotional dependence on his brother. People interested in the process of artistic creation and creativity will find this book of enormous value and interest, since Van Gogh speaks a lot about that process in himself, one of the greatest painters of all time. But it is true, as one reviewer said, that these letters include, each and every one, eternal whining and begging from Vincent to his brother. He was, of course, always out of money and, as a genius really disconnected from the common world, unable to make a living by conventional activities. So he depended almost entirely on Theo. I would like to insist in that, although by no means a literary accomplishment, these letters are worth reading, since they expose naked the soul of a great artist and an extremely sensitive man, certainly a tortured and twisted soul.
here's your unadulterated chance to see just how screwed..........2000-12-13
here's your unadulterated chance to see just how screwed up van gogh was. letter after letter after letter sitting on the pity pot writing to his younger brother whining for money, crying for assistance, guilting his brother into supporting his art...his art habit...his art addiction. ya know, after reading this book my perspective on van gogh changed. he struck me as an ultra-martyr (in the icky sense of the word), so big into self-pity. now, having since read a little more of his history - screwy parents, etc. - i have some more compassion for the guy and for why he was so screwed up, but these letters are honestly nothing short of tedious. one after the other, whining for money, then waxing eloquent about his art, which actually struck me often as quite manipulative - like he was justifying his existence and his productivity to theo.
anyway, i still think van gogh is a wonderful artist, but what a messed up life - can't miss that from these letters. but god, i wish they'd been even more edited. and one other thing - irving stone (the editor) thinks van gogh is one of the world's greatest writers and philosophers of all times, in addition to being the honcho primo artist. well, as for philosopher, sorry irving, no. the guy was miserable and depressed and lonely, and seemed to philosophize in his letters to just keep contact with the world, but his philosophy gets under my skin.
Book Description
Analysing, day by day, the sometimes epic tank battles following the Normandy landings, this book presents an extraordinary array of photographs from the time. The photos are accompanied by detailed captions, which will be invaluable to all tank enthusiasts, together with a compelling narrative.
Customer Reviews:
Deathride of the Panzer elite.......2007-01-31
This is a very interesting book which covers the period of the 5th June to 20th July 1944 and deals with the German Panzer divisions in the battle for Normandy during this time.
It is not very large book being a little under 170 pages, but its contents especially its photographs are outstanding.
There are a great many pictures of the men and fighting machines that made up some of Germanys elite Panzer divisions, such units as the Panzer Lehr, Leibstandatre, 21 Panzer Division, Hitlerjugend and the Heavy Tank battalions of both the Army and Waffen SS feature prominently.
There are also excellent maps of the battlegrounds such as Operation Goodwood and Villiers Bocage to name a few.
As well there are colour drawings of some of the units armour and even the uniforms of the tankers. But the photos some of which are the then and now variety truly are exceptional.
However in amongst the photos is the text that deals briefly with the major actions the panzers fought in and personal accounts of the men who were there.The book is divided into sections that deal with the major battles during the time period and provides a brief but informative view of the battles.
It is well written and easy to follow with enough information inside to keep you interested till the final pages, which are the colour insignia of the german units.
If you are looking for a truly in depth coverage of the Battle of Normandy this is not for you but if your interest is the Panzer elite and its battles then this book is highly recommended
Book Description
Meeting challenges and resolving conflicts are things that can be done by anyone with the passion to do so, according to John Graham. And he should know. A veteran conflict mediator, Graham heads the Giraffe Heroes Project, whose extensive workshops have helped communities, cities, organizations, and individuals deal with challenge and change. Stick Your Neck Out is based on those experiences. The book details the skills, qualities, and strategies required to make a difference, with profiles of problem-solvers and activists from doctors to waitresses, who have all acted like giraffes and "stuck their necks out" to address issues like poverty, gang violence, and pollution. Graham's concepts and coaching tips, from communicating with sensitivity to more urgent actions like filing complaints and protesting, apply equally well to macro and micro issues, all the way down to interfamily squabbles and work conflicts. Graham's "giraffes" have tested his ideas in the real-life situations recounted here, and shown that they work.
Customer Reviews:
A marvelous resource for those not willing to wait around for others to tackle issues and solve problems........2006-04-19
It certainly has been the case for as long as I can remember. Stop and think about the community where you reside or about the organizations you might belong to. Isn't it usually just a tiny fraction of the citizens or membership who wind up doing most of the work? And the problem has become even more acute in recent years as fewer and fewer people are willing to even join civic, religious or service organizations let alone do any meaningful work. Having said that there are still millions of folks around our nation who unselfishly lend their time and talent to the causes they believe in. If you are one of these good people then "Stick Your Neck Out" is definitely a book you should read. Author John Graham, President of an organization known as the Giraffe Heroes Project has created a volume that is just chock full of practical advice and useful suggestions for those who see the value in getting involved. Among other things you will learn how to recruit like-minded volunteers, formulate a plan of action, negotiate with opponents, raise money and deal with the media. In addition "Stick Your Neck Out" offers a number of inspiring profiles of ordinary people who are out there accomplishing extraordinary things while working on a wide variety of issues. This book is especially valuable as a source of encouragment for those folks contemplating getting involved in such matters for the very first time. "Stick Your Neck Out" would be a great book to give to a graduating high school or college student. The message of this book is clear. Each and every one of us has something to offer. Whatever your interests or political persuasion the possibilities for making a difference are virtually limitless. In "Stick Your Neck Out" John Graham illustrates this point over and again. It is a book I can highly recommend!
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.......2006-03-08
If you are familiar with the Giraffe Heroes Project (http://www.giraffe.org/), you will know of John Graham.
Stick Your Neck Out, his latest book,is one I recommend for
citizen activists (that's you, and me...Graham gives tools to help any of us stop complaining and take action).
This guide reads easily and is packed with helpful information and inspiring case studies. His suggestions are holistic and soulful, while still grounded in the realities and challenges of changemaking in today's world of polarized views. He advocates win/win solutions as optimal, but offers advice on how and when legal means might be necessary.
If you aren't already motivated to take action to improve situations in your neighborhood, community, country, or planet, Graham's sharing of his heart, experience, and optimism will move you to action. His message: take risks, be smart (by learning from his and others' mistakes), and yes, YOU absolutely can make a positive difference!
Practical and Inspirational.......2005-09-15
The impulse to seek change in neighborhood or community comes from the heart, but even the most dedicated heart can falter when the head says "What was I thinking?". As one who has been in exactly that position, I can say that this book is for the head. It offers practical advice that will be useful to anyone who has taken on a cause, however small, to make the neighborhood or community a better place. The practical how-to's are presented by someone who really has been there and done those things, and illustrated by examples from other ordinary people and their work. And by showing the reader that he/she is not alone, the book works to encourage and inspire those who have taken on the risk of citizen activism (as differentiated from paid activism). The book is helpful to the activist because it can be read in parts and provides quick summaries. There is help here for that panicked "Oh my god, I just got my first call from a reporter" moment. Indeed, any weakness in the book is that length constraints caused some situations that would have been helpful to be left out. And read as a whole narrative, it makes an interesting and thought provoking tale of what is right (and wrong) with our country today-- a view from the trenches, not the think tanks. The book is a work of great optimism based on the premise that we as ordinary citizens can change the world one neighborhood at a time. We are doing it every day. The only question is, will there be enough of us?
Outstanding.......2005-08-29
You will find this book not only a source of very practical ideas, but also a rich and thought provoking read. Whether you want to organize a block party or spark opposition to urban sprawl, this book tells you how to be effective in organizing a social enterprise. But it is far more than a cookbook for project management. Interleaved with the no-nonsense `how-to' information, John Graham reveals the personal philosophy he forged and tested in his personal journey from his Viet Nam years to now. The subtitle `Service as the path of a meaningful life' hints at what you will find in the book's pages. It is great as a textbook for project planning, group dynamics, negotiation, and success. But it is also an inspiring guide for achieving genuine personal fulfillment.
Practical and Easy to Read.......2005-08-22
This book is easy to browse, and its advice is made more accessible though many anecdotal examples. A worthwhile investment no matter what your level of experience is in creating change. Above all, I found it a source of great encouragement every time I picked it up. I'm getting copies as Christmas gifts for friends, and keeping my own copy for reference.
Average customer rating:
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No Place Distant
David Havlick
Manufacturer: Island Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1559638451 |
Book Description
While many of the roads on public lands provide a great service with relatively little harm, others create significant problems - from habitat fragmentation to noise pollution to increased animal mortality - with little or no benefit.
In No Place Distant, author David Havlick presents for the first time a comprehensive and in-depth examination of the more than 550,000 miles of roads that crisscross our national parks, national forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, and wildlife refuges, considering how they came to be; their ecological, financial, and societal costs; and what can be done to ensure that those roads are as environmentally benign and cost-effective as possible, while remaining functional and accessible. The book:
- places the profusion of roads on our public lands in historical context
- offers an overview of the ecological effects of roads
- explores the policies, politics, and economics that have fostered road-building on public lands
- considers the contentious topic of motorized recreation
- examines efforts to remove roads and restore degraded lands to health
Bringing together an impressive range and depth of information along with a thoughtful analysis of the issues, No Place Distant offers a definitive look at the debate over roads on public lands. With its well-crafted prose and extensive documentation, it is an unparalleled resource for anyone concerned with the health or management of public lands in the United States.
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