Why You Should Rate Videos You Watched Online

As the internet continues to rise in popularity, so does the number of activities that you can participate in online.  Online, you can shop, play games, listen to music, and watch videos.  If you are looking for a fun, but relatively inexpensive way to enjoy the internet, you should examine online video websites. 

Online video websites are websites that allow you, an internet user, to watch the videos that they have posted. Depending on the video website in question, many websites have a wide variety of different video types. These video types often include homemade videos, celebrity interviews, popular television shows, as well as music videos.  Despite the fact that not all online video websites are the same, there is something that you will find similar between them all. That is the ability to rate videos.

For ages, rating systems have been used to track what television watchers like to watch and what shoppers like to buy. Now, thanks to online video websites, especially those that allow you to rate their videos, you can also make your points known online.  Unfortunately, not everyone takes advantage of these rating systems, even though they should.  This is largely due in part to the fact that many internet users do not think that it is worth the time to rate the online videos that they have just finished viewing; however, this simply is not true.

Perhaps, the best reason for rating the videos that you watched online is that it may make the video owner proud, especially if they are “normal,” individuals who are just experimenting with a camera.  Even professional video makers, such as the ones who make music videos, want to hear feedback on their work.  With an online rating system, this could be done in as little as a few seconds.  Depending on the online video website in question, you should quickly be able to rate a video, literally without even having to think about doing so.

It is also a good idea to rate the videos that you have watched online, especially if you liked them a lot.  As previously mentioned, a large number of individuals make their own videos. These videos are often considered homemade movies because they are often made from home and with common camera equipment.  Although many individuals make an online video, there are many who decide not to make another.  By giving an online video you watch a positive rating, you will be letting the owner know that you liked their work. If they receive enough positive responses, there is a good chance that they will continue to make videos; thus providing you with more entertainment. 

In addition to stating that you liked or disliked an online video, it is important that you rate the videos that you watch online, well for ratings.  Despite what you may think, ratings are actually used. Many online video websites, including YouTube and Google Video, rank their videos. The order of those rankings is often a result of viewer ratings.  This means that if you do take the time, which should only be a few seconds, to rate an online video, you could be helping to make that video more popular.  Many online video websites display their top ranking videos right on their main page.  How cool is that?

It isn’t amazing what a simple click of a mouse could do?  As you can easily see there are a number of benefits to ranking online videos, especially ones that you enjoyed watching. 

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Parents: Why You Should Monitor Your Child’s Use of Online Video Websites

Are you a parent?  Whether your child is still considered young in age or if they are teenager, there is a good chance that they will be using the internet. In the past few years, a lot of focus as been placed on internet safety. Many parents, as well as teachers, politicians, and police officers, are concerned with the individuals who come into contact with children online, especially predators.  Much of this focus has been placed on the monitoring of online chat rooms and social networking sites.  However, as a parent, you should also be concerned with online video websites.

Online video websites, such as YouTube or Google Video, are known as websites that allow internet users to view the videos that are hosted on the site.  Many of these sites allow free video viewing. What many parents are unaware of is that internet users can also make, upload, and share their own videos.  As a parent, you will want to know whether or not your child is doing this. 

Your child makes online videos, so what?  Is that what you are thinking?  There is a good chance that it is because a lot of parents feel that way.  Unfortunately, many are unaware of the types of videos that can be found online.  Some online video websites prohibit videos that have pornographic materials, but besides that little restrictions are in place.  In fact, there are some internet users who have decided to use online videos websites as if they were dating websites.  Is your teenager one of them?

One of the first things that you should do is talk to your child about online video websites.  Even though you may not want to alert them to these websites, there is a good chance that they already know about them. It may be a good idea to ask your child whether or not they have made their own online videos.  It may also be a good idea to determine what the content of those videos are and where they were hosted.

When it comes to getting information from your child, especially teenagers, there is a good chance that you may get an inaccurate response.  But, if you know that your child is making use of online video websites, you may be able to find their video or videos on your own. This can be done by visiting popular video websites, such as Google Video or YouTube, and performing a search.  You may want to try searching for your child’s name, the town in which you reside in, or any screen names that they may have used.  If your child has posted an online video, there is a good chance that you will be able to find it.

Whether or not you find an online video that your child has made, it is important that you emphasis on safety.  It is perfectly okay, as long as you agree, for your child to view online videos or make their own, but they need to be aware of the consequences.  It is important to let your child know how to stay safe online, especially when making their own videos to share with other internet users.  Let them know it is unwise to include personal information about themselves, such as their full name, their telephone number, and their address. Be sure to emphasize the fact that online video websites are viewed by millions of people. This means that their video will likely get watched by people who they don’t even know.

If you are concerned with the way that your child is or may be using an online video website, you may want to take action. That action could involve having the websites blocked or just monitoring them.  As previously mentioned, you have the ability to decide what is or isn’t right for your children. However, it is also important to note that a number of fun and educational videos can also be obtained online.  If you plan on monitoring your child’s use of online video websites, you are encouraged to take a look the sites with them. In fact, you may enjoyable entertainment that you weren’t expecting to find.

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Comparison between the play station portable and the iPod video

 
The new iPod video was one of the most surprising products of 2006, due to the fact that iPods didn’t include the video feature, since the launching of the 5th generation of iPods in 2005.
 
Still, the natural comparison the customers (and not only) made was the one between the play station portable, also known as the PSP and the new model of the iPod series. PSP is basically a handheld game console which was produced by the company Sony Computer Entertainment, back in 2004. The public’s reactions to this new device which was rather different than almost everything on the market was very good, due to the fact that the small device allowed customers to play famous games, and, at the same time, watch clips.
 
Comparing the batteries of these 2 devices or, better said, the life of the batteries, it is a fact that the PSP device lasted much longer than the iPod. While playing a movie, the battery of the iPod dies after almost 2 hours and a half, while the PSP battery lasts up to more than 7 hours, which is a big plus.
 
Comparing the audio quality, it must be said the fact that both the devices provide a good audio quality; still, the iPod video turned out to provide a slightly clearer sound than the play station portable. This is due to the act that the audio in the iPod video file is encoded into AAC audio. On the other hand, the PSP seemed to have more bass in some cases, but overall, the difference was not that relevant and significant. The video quality of the 2 devices is another subject worthy to discuss and debate upon. It is known the fact that the PSP has a much larger screen. Even so, in this case, the large size advantage does not equal a better picture: the iPod manages to show a very sharp picture and sharp and clear text (even long ones). On the other hand, when discussing the difference in the video conversation, the fact is that a video iPod takes around 12 hours to encode a video, while the play station portable only needs a bit under 3 hours to do the same thing.
 
Comparing the 2 devices, it is obvious that they both have advantages and some flaws. Even though the video quality seems better on the iPod video device, the PSP presents a longer life of the battery and faster ways to encode videos. Still, the iPod is a smaller device, so it is natural that some features are not that optimized as in the case of the PSP. Even more, due to the fact that it is smaller, the iPod is much easier to transport and to use in various occasions. The studies even showed the fact that both items are sold mostly in vacation periods, meaning the fact that the customers use them as an entertainment item in their both summer and winter holidays.
 
The 2 devices, even though they are similar in many ways of their practical usage, present both pros and cons or advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the customer’s needs and desires, they can choose the one that best fits their necessity, available time or quality expectations.

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Take Care when Reading Reviews about Remote Control Helicopters

I have read tons of reviews for remote control helicopters, because I am the editor of a helicopter aficionado magazine that talks about all the types of helicopters on the market and recommends the best one to buy if you are a first time owner or a remote control helicopter veteran.  The magazine is great, and it helps me see what other helicopter owners think about different models and brands of helicopters, and I really must say that people’s opinions vary widely, which is why it’s probably always best to just do your own research and get what best suits you, rather than getting what you think best suits you based on some stranger’s opinion.  That said, many people who are buying their first remote control helicopters don’t really know what they are looking for, and it is these people that these reviews are written for.

But they are not meant to be taken literally, but rather as a framework to find what other people consider valuable aspects of helicopter buying.  Then you need to think for yourself whether you care, for instance, whether the helicopter blades are made of paper or platinum (although your choices would most likely be more like metal or plastic, but I just meant that as an example).  All in all, I like this magazine because it considers people from all walks of life, and it understands that even if you are interested in purchasing a helicopter, you may not be a rich and bored millionaire with any amount of money and no consideration for finding the best deal.

We all know that these days money is hard to come by, and consumers are becoming more and more knowledgeable about their purchases, which is a wonderful thing in my opinion.  Of course, there are other people who just want to get the most money they can for themselves, so they mark up helicopter prices to exorbitant amounts and hope they’ll get a few foolish customers that didn’t do their homework.

And they probably do get a few of those customers, because they stay in business somehow, and I regularly hear horror stories about people who paid way too much for their remote control helicopter, and when I ask them why they didn’t take the time to read the reviews in my magazine, they usually say that they didn’t know about the magazine, or worse, that they didn’t have enough time.  So they had enough time to work their butts off for that money, but then not enough time to read a measly magazine review?  I think not.  Hopefully, consumers in the future will just continue to become more and more careful about their purchases, because I hate to see people in debt.

It’s such a sad thing.  If you happen to be a new helicopter enthusiast, or you know someone who is, please make sure you read the remote control helicopters reviews before making your purchase.  It can literally save you hundreds of your hard earned dollars.

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The latest in iPods – iPod video

 
IPods have been a great market hit since their appearance in 2001, almost 5 years ago. Since listening to music is one of the favorite activities of today’s individuals, the constant evolution of this device was an important request, so the new product presented a diverse range of new features, accessories and capacities. The iPod evolved from a simple and basic music player to a sum of music player, recorder, and photo viewer and now to a both music and video device.
 
The most important new feature of the latest generation of iPods, meaning the 5th generation, is the video. Basically, these inventive and technologically advanced, yet small devices support both MPEG-4 and H.264 videos at significantly high resolutions, which are not far from a VSH tape. Actually, in more precise terms, the H.264 codec can play video at frame rates up to 30 frames per second, video bit rates as high as 768 kilobits per second and pictures as big as 320 pixels wide by 240 pixels high. Comparing the iPod video with the TV 27 FPS or the movies 24 FPS, it is obvious that the small device it is much better. Regarding the audio qualities, comparing to a CD quality, the iPod video is superior. On the other hand, the MPEG-4 video supports a bit rate of 2,500 kilobits per second and pictures as big as 480 pixels wide by 480 pixels high, meaning three times the size of the actual screen (in comparison with the H.264 video, which supports pictures the same size as the screen pf the iPod).
 
The reviews on this item are so far, excellent – the quality of the motion images is great, with almost perfect colors, even when the device is connected to a TV set in order to watch a video. Even more, watching the videos on the actual iPod is possible due to a larger screen, which also allows the high visibility of sharp texts and photos. Still, even though the battery is claimed to last around 20 hours, which is an evolution since the last iPod model, the battery is much rapidly consumed when watching videos.
 
The range of improvements since the last model of iPod is impressive: the new video iPod comes with a new design, but in the same black and white colors and with a new set of accessories, which range from world clock, smaller earphones and a thinner slipcase to AC adapter and FireWire cable. Concerning the new package design, the iPod video comes with a new look: the box is flat and in a square shape; the color of the new box is black with silver accents, such as the Apple logo and the text.
 
The latest generation of iPods surprised the market in many ways: from the video capacities to the other improved features since the last model in 2005 and from the design and package changes to the wide and evolved range of accessories that are available together with the new iPod video. The evolution of the iPod shows an increased interest in constantly developing this device and always considering the needs and desires of the consumer. It is expected that the next generation of iPods to be even more optimized, with a lot of changes in the video settings and a longer capacity of the battery when watching videos.

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Online Video Websites: Popular Alternatives

When you think of online video websites, which websites come to mind? There is a good chance that you responded with Google Video or YouTube.  Google Video and YouTube are known as two of the most popular online video websites.  Although they are great sites to use, they are not the only sites that are available.  If you are looking for other alternatives, you will find that you have a number of different options.

If you are looking for alternatives to Google Video or YouTube, you are advised to perform a standard internet search. Perhaps, a standard internet search is the best way to find other online video websites.  In addition to being linked to those websites, you may also find online discussions that are centered on online video websites. If you have the time to read these discussions, you are advised to.  They may help to give you an idea as to which online video websites are worth your time and which ones are not.

As previously mentioned, you should be able to find a number of different online video websites by performing a standard internet search.  Your search results will likely include Vimeo.  Vimeo is an online video website that is well known throughout the internet community. With Vimeo you can easily view a collection of different online videos.  While their program is free to use, it is still advised that you register with them. Registration will make it easier for you to search for and find the videos that you want to watch.  In addition to watching videos, you can also create, upload, and share your own.

Another online video website that you will likely come across is ClipShack.  ClipShack is another popular online video website. In a way, their website is similar to YouTube’s, which makes the website each to use and navigate.  When at ClipShack’s website, you can view a large collection of videos, free of charge.  As with most other online video websites, ClipShack allows you to upload and share your own videos. 

Sharkle is another online video website that you can use for free. On their website, you will find a collection of online videos, similar to the ones that can be found on YouTube or Google Video. With Sharkle, you can watch a number of different videos without having to register, but registering will grant you access to other member benefits. These benefits include the ability to rate and leave comments for videos that you have watched, as well as upload your own.

As you can easily see, Google Video and YouTube are not your only options when it comes to watching online videos.  In addition to Sharkle, ClipShack, and Vimeo, you should be able to find a number of other online movie websites.  Many online websites post videos on a wide range of different topics, subjects, and issues. If you were looking for online video websites with a particular theme, you should be able to find them online.  You may need to alter your search phrase, but it is possible to find them. Popular online video websites exist for those who love pets, follow a particular religion, or love politics.

The features and services offered by each online video website will vary; depending on the sites own rules and restrictions.  Although you may be unable to create, upload, and share your own videos, you should be able to watch online videos on a wide variety of different websites, including the ones mentioned above.

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 Xbox 360 vs PlayStation 3 : Choosing the Best
Gaming consoles are one of the best entertainment tools available and many people buy one for their own home. In fact, gaming consoles are very popular today that every release of a new kind of gaming console, stores always run out of stock.

However, there are also different kinds of gaming consoles available in the market today that claims to be the best. These companies claim that they guarantee that with their gaming console, you will have the ultimate gaming experience. Because of this, people tend to get confused on which gaming console they should buy.

Two examples of companies that manufacture gaming consoles that are always competing is Sony and Microsoft. The upcoming Sony PlayStation 3 and the newly released Microsoft Xbox 360 are two of the most popular gaming consoles available today. Both companies claim that their gaming console offers the best quality gaming experience that you will ever have.

So, in order to end all the confusion, here are some facts about these two different gaming consoles and with this information, you can choose which gaming console is right for you.

The Sony PlayStation 3 is the third in the PlayStation series and is expecting great success upon its release on November 2006 in Japan, United States, and in Canada. PlayStation 3 is integrated with the latest and unique technology in a gaming console. It has features like the Blu-ray drive that is not found in other gaming consoles available in the market today. The Blu-ray drive is one of the latest disc drives available presently. What makes Blu-ray special is it has a much larger capacity to store data, meaning it will allow game developers to show their creativity and add detailing effects to make the game more realistic than ever before.

The PlayStation 3 gaming console can also be equipped with a Wi-Fi. This technology will enable you to connect to the Internet wirelessly and it will be able to give you the capability to play online PlayStation 3 games along with millions of players worldwide. Think of this as a virtual community where you can make friends with someone halfway around the world.

PlayStation 3 also has Bluetooth wireless controllers available. This means that it can definitely let you have a more enjoyable experience when you play a PlayStation game. With PlayStation 3, you can also upgrade the hard disk.

PlayStation 3 also has the backward compatibility feature which allows you to play your old PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games in your new PlayStation 3 gaming console.

Xbox 360 also offers one of the best features in a gaming console. Microsoft has thought all about the needs of consumers in a gaming console. Because of this, they developed and manufactured the Xbox 360 gaming console system that virtually has everything that you need in a gaming console system. It has wireless controllers, upgradeable hard drive, Xbox Live headset to let you chat with your friends when playing Xbox 360 online games, WiFi adapter and can also be integrated with the Xbox Live Vision.

As you can see, both gaming console system are closely matched except for the Blu-ray technology that PlayStation 3 has. If you want a gaming console that offers high definition graphics, you should opt for PlayStation 3. With the Blu-ray technology and advanced HDMI technology, you will be able to have the best gaming experience of your life.

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Modern Radio Hobbyists

An amateur radio is called a Ham radio, and the operator is called as an amateur radio operator. They pursue the ham radio operation as a hobby, and it is a vastly popular hobby at that.

The origin of the word “ham” for an amateur radio operator is rather interesting. “Ham” was used to mean anybody who was NOT efficient or talented in the field. In the early days, the amateur operators had a notorious reputation for sending in garbled Morse code. So, these amateur operators were called by many names including “ham” as opposed to the professional wireless operators. But, over time, the name stuck up for the amateur radio operators and now it is no longer used in its initial derogatory way.

The hobby of amateur radio operators was also of public service during many times. In 1920 Amateur Police Radio was instituted to help “relay” information on crimes and thefts of vehicles and was very successful. Apart from using ham radio to connect to friends, families, they also connect to complete strangers. The ham operators have time and again been of great service during emergencies and disasters like earth quakes and other natural disasters in transmitting reliable real time information about the condition and for the speedy movement and dispersal of the relief measures. This is a great public service since during these emergencies the only thing that works is the radio! The phone lines severed, other communication methods are ruled out and it is common for even the mobile networks to be clogged in traffic during these emergencies leaving hams as a great tool. There have been many documented evidence of the ham radio enthusiasts helping someone in trouble or helping to locate and nab a criminal.

Thus, the first radio hobby started out as amateur radio operation. It was restricted to few miles and must be relayed across. Now, all powerful and advanced radio equipments are still evolving and improving. So, one does not need to rely on relay anymore but can almost connect to half way across the world as opposed to the initial days.

The amateur radio has become very organized since the first clubs of 1909. Each has a unique identifiable code by which they are known. The first hobbyists relied on communication by making connections to as many radio operators who were as distant as possible, with their meager equipment. Usually they were constantly upgrading it. This was called Dxing, when one would try to connect to as many amateur radio operators as possible. The radio enthusiasts are on the look out for constant updates and most are proficient in the wireless technology. Even though they now get ready-made ham equipments, most are known to have a good knowledge of the working of the ham equipment as well as minor repairs and such.

In the day of the mobiles, internet, and blue-tooth, ham radio has its own place and reputation. After all, the disasters and emergencies have themselves to be a special place that the radio transmission can come in handy. There is also the family radio service, also known as the Walkie Talkie to operate within around about 2-3 miles. A modification of the same is used when the parents can fix a transmitter to a child’s bag or pocket, and when the child walks out of the range, the parents are sent an alarm! As you can see, radio usage is not just limited to hobbies, but it spans across many different useful purposes.

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Radio Controlled Devices:

Building, driving, and modifying radio-controlled car kits or other toys is a popular hobby among radio controlled enthusiasts. The radio controlled devices are a popular hobby, and are a key component in a sport that involves displaying the skill of the user in controlling the device efficiently.

Radio Controlled devices, or remote controlled devices as they are also called, are devices that are worked remotely from a distance. The first demonstration of the remote controlling activity was perhaps by Jagdish Chandra Bose when he ignited gun powder and struck a gong from a distance using electromagnetic radiation.

Tesla was the first to demonstrate a remotely controlled ship calling teleautomata, using transmitter and receiver showing how ships and mechanical gadgets can be controlled on a wireless principle in 1898. He also constructed a wireless tower which remained unfinished due to economic constraints. This showed the farsightedness of Tesla. He laid the foundations for the radio controlled devices that we have today. American inventor Armstrong remarked about Tesla: “The world will long have to wait for a mind equal to Tesla’s, a mind of such creative possibilities and such wealth of imagination.”

The remote controlled devices are commonly called RC devices - RC stands for Radio Controlled. In 1937 the first radio controlled airplane was flown by Dr. William Good and his twin brother Walter. Dr. William was a specialist in radios and Walter made aeromodels, and they combined them to create the RC plane. Radio control had also been employed in WWII. In the 1960s, the availability of transistors revolutionized the circuits and made them more compact and light.

Principle of the modern RC toys:
In the mid to late 60’s, a British company named Mardave, based in Leicester, began to produce the first commercially viable RC Cars. Their first cars were Nitro or gas powered cars sold in the local area in the early 70’s. All such devices require a transmitter with controls, a throttle trigger and the wheels for turning. The receiver is placed in the body of the toy.

The models can be electric models as well as fuel models. The electric models work with electrical speed control, and the fuel control systems utilize the radio control mechanisms to regulate the fuel input and the such.

The radio controlled models can be toy grade or hobby grade. The toy grade devices are available in retail shops, and are available at a far lesser price. They are ready made assembled models, and usually utilize electric power. Hobby grade models are available at a greater cost but are more durable and serviceable. They usually require assembly, and most often run on gasoline or nitro.

These radio controlled cars are also used in races, and the cars or toys used in the races should confirm to the specifications. The RC devices can be varied, and include cars, boats, airplanes, helicopters and robotics. The small robots, cars and toys are usually for indoor play. Robotics combined with remote control technology is frequently seen in the international robotics contests held annually in Japan and other countries. Robotics are another hobby, which are even more interesting when combined with radio controlled or remote controlled toys.

The uses for radio control are limitless, and cars only scratch the surface. In reality, there are hundreds of different ways that you can enjoy radio controlled hobbies.

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Making a Radio Controlled Boat

For some reason, being able to control a miniature boat as it skims over the water of a local lake is something that many people find very appealing. It doesn’t matter whether you are a kid or an adult; remote controlled boats are universally fun. On top of that, nothing is more fun than undergoing a huge and daunting project, and eventually seeing the results come through. Therefore you should consider building a remote controlled boat on your own, out of materials that you can buy from any local craft or hobby store. If you are here, you have likely already considered this prospect. It is more than possible, and probably easier than you would think.

Since you have taken the more interesting route and decided to build your remote controlled boat rather than buy one pre-made, you will have quite a few more challenges facing you that you wouldn’t have run into otherwise. However, all of the hard work that you put into your remote controlled boat will pay off in the end, and you will feel like you have really accomplished something when you take it out to a lake for a day and it is able to successfully navigate the treacherous waters. You will probably be frustrated along the way as your boat falls apart, or even sinks into the water never to be seen again. However, if you persevere you will be glad that you did.

Unless you have experience in the construction of boats, you will probably want to use plans that someone else has created. You can find plans for remote control boats all over the place – on the internet, in magazines, or in books. You may even use the plans for a full-sized boat, and make a scaled model of it. As long as you are confident that the motor and radio components will not interfere, this is a good route to take. Regardless of where you get your plan, you will need one that is utterly clear in every aspect. Even the slightest typo or misreading could result in your boat sinking, or spinning in circles struggling to stay afloat.

As you build the boat, you will need quite a few supplies, first, the wood is a very important part. If you are using custom plans, wood is probably the material you will be working with. You can find quantities of light wood such as balsa at your local hobby store. You should always get extra, since a wood that light is prone to snapping when you least expect it. The wood is held together using glue, and you will start with a hull-shaped structure then plate it with sheets of wood. After it is all done, you caulk the holes and cracks with some sort of putty, then spray it all with a sealant to make it waterproof. After that, you are free to paint it however you see fit.

The motor equipment on a radio controlled boat must have more attention paid to it than other remote controlled projects like cars or planes. If even one droplet of water gets into the electrical components, your entire project will be ruined, and you will have to buy new (possibly expensive) radio equipment. Waterproofing the motor equipment is fairly difficult, and you should always test it with no electricity involved before you actually go out on your maiden voyage. It is usually accomplished by having the motor extend an arm through a waterproof sealant that will prevent any water from getting in.

There are many parts to the process of creating a radio controlled boat, and each one needs to have close attention paid to it. As long as you can invest this time, you should have a great experience. You don’t want the little sailors in your boat frantically tossing things overboard as they try to stay afloat, do you?

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