Below are the most recent 25 friends' journal entries.

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Saturday, October 11th, 2008
offensive_mango	3:51p	fvck off sunshine Are you Apollo-worshipers happy now that you're having your disgusting bright hot summer while I should be having my nice cool gray autumn? (Comment on this)
Friday, October 10th, 2008
devilmiyu	8:11p	People are weird and people suck! Last night, I saw this bit on the news. Watch it, go on. Then tell me what you think. Here's how I see it... The guy was so obsessed with her that he threatened to kill her relatives. I don't understand that. Basically saying, "I love you, I have to have you and I will kill everyone close to you, everyone that means anything to you, because I love you so much and I want you to know that." This guy is sick! And she's a minor too. Over the years I've come across a lot of strange people over the internet. I often wondered why they are the way they are and what makes them think that what they're doing is okay. I mean, that's just downright wrong. Also, I can't imagine why people would put up with that kind of crap. This sort of thing just reminds me of the sort of people I've dealt with. Which is probably why I only talk to those I trust. And even at that...there aren't too many people I trust 100%. I hope the family's okay. I'm sorry their cat died and that they're still going through a lot of grief over this. I hope that the guy who did this would realise one day what he did was wrong. I doubt it though. Why? Because people are weird and people suck! Well, not all of them, but sheesh, there sure is a lot of those out there lately. Thank you, bedroom, for hiding me and keeping me away from such horrid people! (Comment on this)
dancinglights	11:26a	lines in the sand: culture, politics, history, and 39° 43' N. Apropos a recent conversation with a transplanted Midwestern friend about the seeming Southern-ness of rural Pennsylvania and Northern-ness of urban Maryland, I promised to draw out a vague approximation of the Mason-Dixon line as a current cultural marker, seen through my experiences living in Maryland and frequently visiting surrounding states for my twenty-odd years. For those unfamiliar with the term, the Mason-Dixon line is the demarcation line settling a Colonial border dispute between Pennsylvania and Maryland, surveyed by two fellows with the respective surnames of Mason and Dixon. In 1820, it became the official demarcation line between free states and slave states. Now generations after the Civil War, it remains a significant cultural marker, being the border of The North and The South and all the shades of political, culinary, accent-related and otherwise cultural differences that carry on today. Except it's always been more complicated than that. Maryland spent the Civil War under martial law to keep the Capitol from being surrounded. Families fought on both sides. The Underground Railroad cut straight through the state's more Northerly-cultured areas and skipped around Pennsyvania's rural heartland that today is jokingly referred to as PennsylTucky. Culture has never been as simple as a borderline, not even a waterway border, and certainly not a straight line so mathematically derived as 39° 43' N. Is it even possible to draw a line that separates today's North and South, as far as an East-Coast-centric line can? I scribbled a vague approximation of my perceptions on a map before I looked up any other such information in an attempt to check my own prejudices. The line, such as it is, extends the South straight up through the center of Pennsylvania, where I have seen confederate flags on trucks and heard Appalachian accents that make my ears bleed. It excludes Pittsburgh, which is a judgment call on folks I know there and may not be accurate, and excludes Philadelphia and all points East, being a Northern city and bleedover into New Jersey. The line extends the North down through Baltimore and past Washington DC into its Virginian suburbs, and, due to recent experience in the hippie little town of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, down a blip into that state of which I know little but my admitted citified prejudice. Like so: Still, how accurate can any black and white line drawn on a map in MS Paint be, really? I went hunting for relevant maps a bit this morning: dialect maps, various reports from the census bureau, political maps. By far the most useful I found was "Purple America" 2006 congressional district map of the country. My line wasn't so bad, I suppose, if drawn in purple. Still, being from Maryland, when I travel far enough South, by accent and attitude I am considered a Yankee and treated accordingly, and if I travel far enough North, the reverse holds true. It's always more complicated than a line. And at the end of the day, or the beginning, more accurately, I like my grits with maple syrup. (21 Comments |Comment on this)
mizalaina	7:13a	Federal debt It's time for my yearly "the US government is SO FUCKED" review! Canadian Federal Debt (population approx. 33 million) Year Amount 1999 $554 billion 2000 $540 billion 2001 $520 billion 2002 $512 billion 2003 $505 billion 2004 $496 billion 2005 $494 billion 2006 $481 billion 2007 $467 billion 2008 $458 billion Current Canadian federal debt share per person: approx. $14,000 (down from $18,000 in 1999) US Federal Debt (population approx. 300 million) Year Amount 1999 $5.8 TRILLION 2000 $5.6 trillion 2001 $5.9 trillion 2002 $6.4 trillion 2003 $7.0 trillion 2004 $7.6 trillion 2005 $8.2 trillion 2006 $8.7 trillion 2007 $9.2 trillion 2008 $10.2 trillion (current October 2008) Current US federal debt share per person: approx. $33,400 (up from $21,250 in 1999) The difference? We haven't run a deficit since 1997, and our debt-to-GDP ratio has dropped to less than 20% (est), compared to 90% (est) for the US. We are, in fact, the only G8 country not operating with a deficit. Consistently and doggedly paying down our debt over the last ten years has given us wiggle room that nobody else has. So much for the myth of left-wing fiscal irresponsibility, eh? (13 Comments |Comment on this)
sheffield_uk [ archimedesuk ]	9:39a	Model Railway Exhibition Sheffield Model Railway Society   Model Railway Exhibition Saturday October 11th 2008 At Davy United Social Club 10am to 5pm   ·         Children very welcome ·         Layouts of different scales and gauges ·         Free car parking ·         Refreshments, Bar and Lounge ·         Disabled access via lift, help always available ·         Let us help you with your layout. Advice always on hand   We look forward to seeing you   Venue sitiuated on Prince of Wales Road between Darnall and the Parkway. Bus Services No’s 1 and 7 from Meadowhall and No. 6 from Flat St. (City Centre) pass the venue   Sheffield Model Railway Society 41 West Hill Rotherham S61 2EX Tel: 01709 555578 (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
devilmiyu	11:56p	Yes, I know... Yet another public post from me. I don't mind it though. I was discussing natural food, organic food and wonderful places to go here for that sort of thing with a few friends of mine. It's been a very long while since I've returned to the Abbey. I really should go there since I do miss the wonderful assortment of goodies they have to offer. I love their creamed honey. I'm sure I've mentioned that to a few people. And those that have been reading my journal for several years now, know that once in a while, I do mention them. I like going there as the drive up there is mostly back country roads. It's Fall and the leaves up in the mountains are vibrant and colourful. I love the different hues of red, gold and orange. There are several places to stop by along the way too. But not any of these places! I mean, places that are fun and pretty. It reminds me of the vineyards back in California. The wonderful back, country roads and farms. I remember wine-tasting tours. It was fun back then. I really enjoyed it. Not because of the wines, but because of the company and the wonderful dinners we had afterwards. Speaking of wines, Boomer mentioned that Sutter Home makes non-alcoholic wines. So maybe I will be looking into getting a bottle or two of that when I can. She also mentioned another company called "Ariel" that also makes non-alcoholic wines. I don't know which of the two is better. I've not tried any of it just yet. I rather get feedback before purchasing these things. Which aha, is the reason why I have a public post. :P I had the most wonderful soup I've ever had in a real long time. And I don't even know what it's called. I was going for some sort of minestrone soup. It had lots of tomatoes in it and beans. I put rice in it though. And before I was ready to serve it, I put a bit of kale and spinach. It was a very good bowl of soup. Mm-hm! *nod-nod* Although, I wish I knew what exactly went in it. I just did a bit of this and a bit of that. Kept adjusting spices and seasonings and adding more things. I've also been snacking on carrots. Oddly enough, instead of the usual dipping of the carrot sticks in ranch dressing, I liked dunking it in honey-mustard. That is so weird! Ah, that reminds me, since I've been snacking on carrot sticks as of late, I saw a picture that made me chuckle. I imagine being in the kitchen, with carrots laid out on the chopping board. And me, about to commit daucus carotacide. Die, carrots, die! Poor carrot. It didn't stand a chance against my serrated kitchen knife. Egads, it's 1:43am. I took forever updating this journal! I got caught up talking to Wyvonne and Stephanie. They're such awesome, awesomeness! :) I sleep now though. To hell with the rest of the laundry. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, October 10th, 2008
xkcd_rss	4:00a	Numerical Sex Positions http://xkcd.com/487/ (180 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
devilmiyu	5:11p	Interesting yet amusing conversation earlier on the phone with ravenblack. Me: Heh, well I was worried about you, so sue me! Raven: Okay, you're sued. Me: (pausing a bit after getting caught off-guard) Uh... Me: Fine, I'm counter-suing you for making me worry about you. Hmph. Minutes later, after cooking my meal, I couldn't help but chuckle about that. I don't exactly know what it is about it that I find so amusing. I just do. Also maybe the mention of "poop" afterwards and other things in that phone conversation is what makes me giggle some more. Also the mental imageries said conversation conjured up. Hm, that's not what I wanted to post about anyway. But it was still stuck in my mind and still making me giggle, which is a great contrast from last night when I got up from a nightmare. So, I figured I'd make a note of it here. When I got off the phone with Raven, I made my meal. This morning I made quite an interesting breakfast. I like the fake sausage meat, mixed with country-style gravy and poured over fresh-baked biscuits. That was really good. When I said my good-byes to Raven earlier on the phone I also made a meal with fake meat. I like the soy-bacon stuff with hashbrown patties and toast. Tonight I think I am going to make a spinach salad with oil and vinegar. Oil being linseed oil and cider vinegar. I'm just wondering what else to mix with it. Perhaps someone out there know of any interesting salad recipes that call for oil and vinegar dressing? Also, noting Raven's advice, I'm stocking up on grape juice. Still waiting to hear from my auntie though. Hooray for being home from work today. I actually got a lot done cleaning the house, eating well, resting...catching up on DVR'ed shows. I laid off the XBox 360 and the Wii. Not really up for gaming today. However, I saw the ad for "Dead Space". Damnation! Hm, need more recipes, perhaps I'll ask the internet. No wait, don't wanna after all. My eyes hurt. And the monitor's glare/glow is bothering me. So maybe back to cleaning some more? Or maybe resting. Something. Aha! I forgot to do something. Tending to that now. (Comment on this)
Friday, October 10th, 2008
scribblette	9:21a	I don't get why everyone (at least in Beaumaris) so drastically prunes here come this time of year. Either do it a month earlier or do it a month later, but right now is BIRDIE BREEDING SEASON. People make all this fuss about the birds that dominate and missing all their native wildlife, then destroy all the cover for the nests of native birds, when not knocking out the nest holding branches entirely. I think Captain Haddock said it best. Pithecanthropuses! (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
strawbalehouseb	7:39p	Five Important Details for Working with Natural Hydraulic Lime http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime There are many details that must be managed in order to produce a quality plaster job. This is true for any type of plaster; however, there are some material specific conditions that must be met when working with Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL) that are not necessarily common to other materials. 1. Make sure that you wet the walls down before applying fresh material. For the scratch coat, this means spraying the bales before you plaster! I know that sounds nuts after all the talk about keeping your bales dry, but if you don’t do it, the dry bales will suck all of the moisture out of the fresh plaster causing it to dry to fast and crack. For the brown and finish coats, you have to wet the walls down before you plaster but must also wet them down the night before. I think you will be surprised at how much water the walls will take. By wetting the walls down the night before, the “day of” soaking will be more effective. 2. Wind and sun are not your friend when working with NHL. It is crucial that direct sun and wind be kept off of the walls during application and for the following few days as the plaster cures and dries. Hang tarps from the eaves to protect the walls. After you apply the plaster, mist the walls down for a few days to slow down the curing process. 3. There are specific mixing times for NHL. When using NHL 2, 3.5, or 5 and adding your own sand, you must mix the plaster for a minimum of 10 minutes. I prefer to mix for 15-20 minutes for these materials. On the other hand, when using EcoMortar (pre-mixed finish plaster), the material should be mixed for no more than 5 minutes. 4. Unlike many conventional finishes, there is a minimal waiting period between coats of NHL plaster. It is imperative that you wait a minimum of 10 days in between coats. Be sure to protect the walls from sun and wind and use a gentle mist several times a day to cure the walls slowly. 5. NHL can be reworked. This is great if and when cracks start showing up in the brown coat. You can refloat the wall or small spots on the wall as cracks show up. This is usually only an option for the first 24 hours or so after initial application. The timing of this reworkability will depend on weather conditions. Because NHL is a natural product and it does not contain any chemical binders, there is nothing in the material to hold it together other than the lime and sand. If you apply the material properly, you will have a beautiful plaster job. Keep in mind that all plaster cracks and so small cracks will likely appear in the plaster. The attention to detail during application will help minimize those cracks and will help produce a solid a lasting finish for your bale home. Keep in mind that the structural mesh under the plaster is equally important to a good finish coat. If corners are not reinforced and mesh properly anchored to the building, cracks will occur along those areas regardless of the plaster application process. (Comment on this)
dancinglights	10:43a	Now to beg an election judge co-worker to save me a sticker come November, since I'll be off in Quebec at the time. I expect a goodly percentage of my fellow academic conference attendees will be hung over on November fifth. Hopefully happily, and not, say, with the US contingent pondering not coming home.... (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
verlaine	11:59a	Things Thing I hate most in the world today: Dialogue in films/plays that goes anything like this: "Will you go out with me?" "Why, I'd love to!" "Yeah, I thought as much, why would someone like you - wait, WHAT did you say?" This never happens in real life, does it? The laziest of lazy writing devices. Thing I am most saddened about: That someone messaged me, in response to my Facebook status of "...is Typo Brahe, the famous Danish astromoner" with "shouldn't that be Tycho?" PEARLS BEFORE SWINE. Thing there should be a word for but isn't, though there probably is in German: Spending the whole day constructing the perfect LJ post in your head, and then sitting down at your computer in the evening and finding you just can't be bothered, every day for a fortnight. (19 Comments |Comment on this)
lonelocust	10:34a	Attn Houston/HoD people Does anyone have contact for the dude who was not Chris who was taking pictures at the bubble party? He was shortish, rockabillyish, has a goatee, and I think his name was Aaron or Darren (it was loud when he introduces himself). He got some good pictures of me that I want, but I failed to get an email address or anything from him. (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
scribblette	1:05a	Dig up. For fuck's sake, dig UP #2 Sure! Okay! I will! Just one question. Which way the bleep is UP?!? This way, hopefully. So. The place has potential, and things are getting fixed. I did spend the first week doing nothing but cleaning, but hey. Training, eh? To improve my stay here, I've got a bundle left to do, but with preparation and sensible consideration it should be doable. Stuff to take on this week: 1. Meditation. Seriously. Or some other mantra to center self when encountering humans. 2. Get bike fixed to explore neighborhood. It was put bike back together, but then I broke the brake. And the screwdriver. Yata! 3. Get plastic covers for window ledges in bird room, easier to clean. 4. Browse garage sales & salvos for a good office desk & chair (and birdie furnishings)! I suspect I'll be without sofa a while. Didn't realize how much they cost. 5. Hook up internet. 6. Finish cleaning house. Everything from cisterns to stove under-undertops! 7. Finish unpacking and putting all things away! 8. Inform neighbor with cat of the bird nests outside window. Hope/pray for the best and no more overzealous chainsaw swinging gardeners. 9. Get tenancy agreement en route for govt purposes. Contact Consumer Affairs for clarifications. 10. Call Godfreys to find out where my steamcleaner is at - there was talk of them replacing the entire thing. 11. Finally get to do some work again. I do miss Adelaide and many other things, and there are times where my faith is rather seriously shaken - but that's the rest of humanity for you. Square pegs and round holes don't fit, unless you do one of two things - file down the square, or make the hole bigger. Hey, maybe all my digging will actually help out after all! :D -- Would like to include a big thank you here to Candice & Dave (drucilla_death and edible_hat) for offering a lovely variety of teas when I popped around to their place before leaving. You folk have GOT to have a housewarming party at their place - it's lovely, they're wonderful company, they've got classic Sega games - and really, what else does one need to sit back and relax? :) ... Ach. One more thing to still poke, though. Why do none of the public bus or train stops in Melbourne have numbers? How am I to know what stop is "SomeObscureStreetYouCan'tSeeNearby Station"? Folk fall asleep on public transport. Folk go to places they've never seen before. In Adelaide, you wake up occasionally, watching the numbers count down. Thus you have a clue how much of the trip is left. But here... cor. Where's the logic in your transport system, Melbournians? Folk have tried telling me there aren't enough numbers. Poppies! Divide the city into alphabetical quadrants and number it one to a million, I don't care, as long as I know what number to look for. Plain white blank signs simply don't cut it. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
scribblette	6:45p	FINALLY!! I HAS THE INTERWEBS!!! *pulls out a baseball bat and starts beating isolation to a pulp* More to come. Good GOD, so much more to come! (Comment on this)
devilmiyu	1:11a	Just thoughts... Just a few hours ago, ravenblack and I were discussing things regarding my health. He's always good about giving me advice on what I should do to get better and feel better. Even going as far as sending me a few things via packages in the mail. Not too long ago, I decided to use a different deodorant stick which resulted in my lymph nodes swelling up. And it remained swollen for quite a long while. Which was very annoying to say the least. My dear Raven sent me this to use instead: I've been using it for a while now and I've not encountered any problems after switching to that. Earlier we were talking about certain types of food that should help me. Coconut oil and coconut milk was mentioned by him. And he's already mentioned that to me before. I try to follow his advice as much as I can. Even going as far as cutting out meat from my diet. It's been that way for a month or so now, I think. Been drinking a lot of juice and diligently taking the elixir he sent me each night at precisely 8pm. But I've stopped doing that because I suspect that the increased dose of the elixir was making me ill. But Raven isn't the only one giving me advice and helping me. My loving auntie's been helping me as well. But there are a few things that auntie suggested that I'm sort of having issues with. 1. Avocados. - She said that it has more potassium than bananas and is a good source of beta-carotene and contains an very powerful anti-oxidant called glutathione. The problem is, I cannot eat avocados as it makes my tummy hurt and gives me diarrhea. 2. Red Wine. - Auntie recommended this because of polyphenols and some kind of compound found in grape skins that supposedly inhibits cell proliferation and can help prevent cancer. However, I don't drink. Well, I do, but it's rare that I consume alcoholic drinks even though auntie said that wine's good for me. 3. Black Tea. - This was also recommended to me because of, once again, polyphenols. But I am trying to cut back on caffeine. I already found out that certain headache and pain pills contains caffeine. Caffeine headaches are dreadful. But tea.... how can I refuse tea? Surely the alternative to this could be Green Tea? 4. Licorice/Licorice Root (Liquorice). - Now, Raven and auntie both recommended this. Matter of fact, Raven sent me a few boxes of liquorice tea (which, by the way, are so delightfully yummy and refreshing!) and I've been enjoying a cup of it here and there. The problem with this is that I cannot have too much of this as if I do, it'd cause problems as well. My auntie also recommended papayas but I can hardly find those in the produce section. And when I do, they're very small and expensive. Perhaps papaya juice would work? But do I trust that? Should I trust it? Lots of companies add other useless junk to their "juice" that it's not natural anymore. Things like high fructose and corn syrup.... gah! Finally she also mentioned something, I think, is called "Ludwig"? I'm not sure I got that right but has something to do with linseed oil. I know that Raven also discussed linseed oil with me. The thing is though, I would very much like to add all of these to my diet. However, I cannot. Linseed oil is expensive and hard to find. I'm almost out of the liquorice root tea that Raven sent me and I rather it be organic than the fake ones I see here. Again the problem with it is that I cannot have too much of it. I'd like an alternative to liquorice root. Not necessarily the tea but the root itself too. I'm thinking that maybe I should simply eat grapes instead of drink wine. But if I absolutely have to, perhaps non-alcoholic red wine would suffice? I don't want to beat up my liver too, you know. Are there non-alcoholic red wines out there? If so, what's the difference other than the lack of alcohol in it? Lastly, avocados. As much as I'd like to have guacamole in my burito and nachos and even as a party dip thingie, I cannot as it really hurts my tummy. But I used to be the same way too with milk until I forced myself to get used to it. I did that by having at least half a cup a day working my way to a full cup by the end of two weeks. And now I can drink a full glass of milk without my tummy hurting as much. I was wondering if that'd be the same with avocados. And if so, do I risk it? Is it worth the tummy aches? I have all these things to think about. I'd think about it some more but it's 1:53am here now. I took forever typing this up. Probably because I've been distracted and spacing off. Anyway, I'll post more later. But I do want to say that I am glad and extremely thankful that I have my auntie and Raven caring for me and looking out for me when it comes to these things. It's a nice feeling... being cared for. I just glanced outside the window and noted the mountains capped with snow. It's a very cold night and it's been raining here. I like cold nights. I also like rain. But I also like sleep. I'm tired. I go sleep now. (6 Comments |Comment on this)
xkcd_rss	4:00a	I am Not a Ninja http://xkcd.com/486/ (151 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
strawbalehouseb	4:35p	Finding Straw Bales on Line http://www.strawbale.com/finding-straw-bales-on-line There is a new website out there that helps people find straw bales all over the united States. They can deliver as well and have a price break for those buying in bulk. The website is very well designed and I hope will prove to be a great asset to us bale builders and home owners looking to build with bales. The site is called, funnily enough, www.StrawSale.com. I guess that is a good indication that strawBALE.com has continued to influence the world of bale construction! So check it out and good luck finding the right bales near you. (Comment on this)
dancinglights	12:04p	spicy vegan pumpkin soup For kiarrith et al: One of the surest psychological indicators of autumn around here is my sudden desire for soup. Unholy combinations of internet recipes, cans of curry paste from the Korean grocery, and "hey, what's that in the back of the fridge" soup. This week, it's pumpkin soup. Pumpkin soup hearty enough to eat with toast as a meal. Spicy pumpkin soup which is vegan partially because of what we keep in the house and partially because non-milk never curdles no matter how much you screw up and let it boil. If you're a more careful cook than I am, that last might not be so big a deal. ( spicy vegan pumpkin soup ) (7 Comments |Comment on this)
offensive_mango	2:53p	tied election scenario tied election scenario Originally uploaded by angel This is a perfectly plausible tied election scenario given the data currently available here. I generated this map at http://www.270towin.com. 270towin.com states: If neither candidate gets a majority of the Electoral Votes, the election for President is decided in the House of Representatives, with each state delegation having one vote. Senators would elect the Vice-President. For more specifics on the actual process of how an Electoral College tie would be resolved, click here. (13 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, October 6th, 2008
mayfly182	9:06p	Writer's Block: Eat Your Vegetables The fall harvest is showing up in markets now, including many of the green vegetables children find so disgusting and yet are forced to eat. What is the most disgusting thing you’ve eaten, either by choice or against your will? Submitted by bloodcurdling View other answers I can't remember why I tasted it, but tinned asparagus. Worst idea for preserving something EVER. Sitting around in water for months makes it go slimy and watery and stringy, and there are sulphur compounds in asparagus (which are what make some people's pee smell funny after eating it) and I think they reacted with the metal of the tin to produce a really offputting smell. Not so much 'something I've eaten' as 'something I've briefly tasted then quickly spat out'. Very nearly as bad are tinned mushrooms, they also go horribly slimy. Tinned strawberries, also really yuck. Squishy watery things with an unpleasant metallic taste from the tin. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
offensive_mango	10:17a	The whole deal The whole deal Originally uploaded by angel Ok, due to popular request, here is the whole suit + shirt. The slightly gaping button has been rectified. The wonky picture on the wall hasn't. (7 Comments |Comment on this)
xkcd_rss	4:00a	Depth http://xkcd.com/485/ (194 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, October 5th, 2008
sheffield_uk [ futureofrock ]	7:29p	Car Boot Sales: what's the current situation in Sheffield? I know the Smithfield one has stopped (my colleague and I did the archaeological investigation there) but does anyone know where it's moved too (Eyre Lane?), and if it's still going at that site? Googling produces out of date information. Are there any others around the place, if not in Sheffield then perhaps Chesterfield or Rotherham or wherever? Thanks one million. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, October 4th, 2008
mayfly182	10:51p	Fun. Lots and lots more fail (Comment on this)

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