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Cannabis Legalization #1 Question for Obama

You do realize Obama promised homosexuals equal rights and marriage he specifically said "no more waiting!" He won damn near 100% of the homosexual vote. After he was elected, he told homosexuals "just wait, it will happen" and has stalled out completely. He relied on them to get elected, why can't he rely on us?


You are wrong. Here's a summary from About.com's Lesbian Activism site:
Although Barack Obama has said that he supports civil unions, he is against gay marriage. In an interview with the Chicago Daily Tribune, Obama said, "I'm a Christian. And so, although I try not to have my religious beliefs dominate or determine my political views on this issue, I do believe that tradition, and my religious beliefs say that marriage is something sanctified between a man and a woman."
Barack Obama did vote against a Federal Marriage Amendment and opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.

He said he would support civil unions between gay and lesbian couples, as well as letting individual states determine if marriage between gay and lesbian couples should be legalized.

From the White House Web site: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.

Not only that but the Administration is going max attack on the "Don't Ask. Don't Tell" legislation as we speak. Admiral Mullen and Bob Gates testified their support before Congress yesterday. Colin Powell even weighed in for this initiative.

You fabricated 75% of what you just claimed. :noway:

At least when a Republican tells a homosexual no, they are honest and mean it.

I won't argue with you there.
 
...neither are they a statistically insignificant portion of American opinion that should, or indeed, can be simply trivialized and ignored.


I agree that input should be sought and considered from as many perspectives as possible. To repeat myself, we need to make sure Obama gets the message. "Statistical significance" means something very technically specific when we're discussing polls and surveys, though. We needn't get into that here.

2. The president must indeed answer to ALL voters, which, incidentally, happens to inculde us grower types.

Right, that's precisely what I was saying in different words: "-not just us grower types."

It's the trivialization and the pushing to the side that I think most Pro-MJ folks are most upset about.

I'd like to know how Obama has trivialized/marginalized our agenda.
 

xfargox

Member
I'd like to know how Obama has trivialized/marginalized our agenda.

I think what most people are getting frustrated about is not being "in the know" about what Obama's trying to do after stating (during his campaign) that marijuana should be left to the doctors, not the legislators.

His lack of response, for instance, to the youtube and SOTU questions about cannabis just have people... edgy. Feelings of betrayal and the sort ;)

I think I know what you're getting at, though. I have a pretty good idea what you're going to say in response to this, too
 
I think what most people are getting frustrated about is not being "in the know" about what Obama's trying to do after stating (during his campaign) that marijuana should be left to the doctors, not the legislators.

Frankly, I agree with you here. The Administration could do a better job keeping us informed with what they're doing. The root issue, I believe, is that Obama is big time cerebral -a nuanced intellectual in the age of simple media soundbites. He's an academic and not a GWB-style "decider". To understand the man is to sit and actively listen. That just isn't practical for most folks with complex lives and limited time.

With that said, though, it really is evident that the Pres. has done good for us. Again, he called off the Feds' raids and is now deferring to States for enforcement. That's a HUGE advancement. As others wisely noted we need to work on our local legislators to affect ground up reform. Once we get enough States doing the right thing... the Federal Government will have no choice but to follow along.

His lack of response, for instance, to the youtube and SOTU questions about cannabis just have people... edgy. Feelings of betrayal and the sort ;)

Yes, that's another good observation (imho). However, if folks paid a bit closer attention to what's actually been done... and if they took time to understand the political reality at hand... they might better appreciate Obama's contributions.
 

toddv

Member
Women and children

Women and children

The show "the Doctors" just had a woman and her autistic child that now eats MMJ brownies, he is doing better in the last 10 months of brownies than 10 years of big pharm.

13 pills a day down to 2 1/2. Mom, the reccomending doctor, everyone involved is thrilled. His weight doubled, the list of changes was wonderful.

Want to change the rules. Get these moms on board with MMJ and watch how much power they have. State by state things will change. Start at the bottom with this group and powers that be will have to listen.

How great would it be if more autistic kids were helped by something so simple. Bye Bye "Big Pharm" nature already has it handled.

GROW MORE
 

Flying Goat

Member
Excellent point, Toddy!

Who wouldn't rather feed their kid an MJ brownie as opposed to Ritalin, Cylert, or any of the other meds?

Mother Nature won't kill the kid's liver.
 

iSmokeTrees

Member
You fabricated 75% of what you just claimed. :noway:

Then I'm guilty of being fooled. When Obama said "no more waiting" to "gay rights" I took that to mean gay marriage. What other right are homosexuals lacking?

I should have known that Obama is a politician, and as a black man he would naturally support separate but equal "civil unions." We can call them... homo crow laws?
:rolleyes:
 

pearlemae

May your race always be in your favor
Veteran
Having just read the thread,I 'll give my two cents for what it's worth.I think that when Pres.O ran and won,voted in by the promise of change we can believe in. He felt that all he was going to have to do was make the suggestion of what he wanted and Congress would pass it. The surprise came when the Repressive party became the "Party of NO" and everyone else in the pockets of the big Corps,med,Pharma, Banks etc. He cut a deal with big Pharma to not import drugs from Canada in the health bill. So thinking that MJ is going to happen with the wave of his wand is wishful thinking. It may get legalized when the big Pharma Companies figure out how to control the sale and growing of marijuana.
 
1

10jed

Having just read the thread,I 'll give my two cents for what it's worth.I think that when Pres.O ran and won,voted in by the promise of change we can believe in. He felt that all he was going to have to do was make the suggestion of what he wanted and Congress would pass it. The surprise came when the Repressive party became the "Party of NO" and everyone else in the pockets of the big Corps,med,Pharma, Banks etc. He cut a deal with big Pharma to not import drugs from Canada in the health bill. So thinking that MJ is going to happen with the wave of his wand is wishful thinking. It may get legalized when the big Pharma Companies figure out how to control the sale and growing of marijuana.

Well you cant patent a plant though can you... or 500 variations of that plant. Pharma is huge oposition but the people can win them over. This issue is more than MJ it is about the big corporations running our country through their lobbyists. The MMJ end is getting tougher because as states consider this, they worry about a general desensitization to MJ in general and fear legalization. State lawmakers are seeing the beginning of the big push and aren't sure they want to support it by approving MMJ.

In most professions you can tell a person that at least 1 in 10 of your co-workers smokes MJ. I think part of the plan for politics as a career is not smoking, or being anywhere in or around the scene, to avoid scandal. I think the friends and acquaintances of politicians wold never in a million years show or admit use to their political friends. Politicians are probably in the dark as to the general social acceptance of MJ that has become the norm in the 21st Century.
People who are outside of the circle are stunned when they see the statistics showing favor. Because we are inside the Cannabis culture we scratch our heads and wonder why everyone doesn't think like we do, but there are sectors of society that just don't realize that responsible educated people smoke Marijuana. We can't get mad at them, but we have to show them that we exist. I think too many people think all pot smokers are either Cheech, Chong, or the good for nothing kid next door. They don't see the full spectrum of people that use MJ responsibly because of prohibition has pushed us underground.

Interesting times right now!!! I hope the people can finally win over the corporations on this one. We have lots of opposition, but making this an issue of people vs the corporations is one way to turn this fight and of course the economic need for this is another big push in our current political climate.

I'm hopeful for this to happen in the near(ish) future.

Jed
 

iSmokeTrees

Member
I think part of the plan for politics as a career is not smoking, or being anywhere in or around the scene, to avoid scandal. I think the friends and acquaintances of politicians wold never in a million years show or admit use to their political friends. Politicians are probably in the dark as to the general social acceptance of MJ that has become the norm in the 21st Century.

Clinton smoked weed.
Bush did cocaine.
Obama was allegedly addicted to cocaine and has admitted to smoking weed.

It has everything to do with what supreme court just passed. Corporations aren't people so they have unlimited donation potential for politicians. It's going to make what is already terrible, worse.
 

vta

Active member
Veteran
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n090/a10.html
Source: DrugSense Weekly (DSW)
Author: Mary Jane Borden
Note: Mary Jane Borden is writer, artist, drug policy reform activist, and regular voter from Westerville, Ohio. She serves as Business Manager/Fundraising Specialist for DrugSense and as the Editor of Drug War Facts http://www.drugwarfacts.org

OPEN LETTER TO CHANGE.ORG

Dear Change.org,

I recently received an e-mail from you announcing the launch of "Ideas for Change in America 2010," a campaign that seeks to "empower citizens to identify and build momentum behind the country's best ideas for addressing the major challenges we face." This noble and worthy effort uses direct democracy to encourage the online audience to submit and vote for ideas.

Here is a snapshot of the campaign from http://www.change.org/ideas as of 4:30 pm on 2/4/2010:

. Second Most Popular Idea Overall: Legalize Recreational Use of Marijuana ( 920 votes )

. Most Popular Category: Criminal Justice

. Top 10 Ideas within the Criminal Justice category: Legalize Recreational Use of Marijuana; Legalize the Medicinal and Recreational Use of Marijuana; Rehabilitation, not incarceration; Legalize and tax marijuana; Remove Marijuana From Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act; Legalize Marijuana; Reduce criminal recidivism; End the war on drugs; End Marijuana Prohibition; and Make Marijuana Legal.

"Marijuana" owned 7 of the top 10 Ideas in the above category with combined vote tallies over 2,500 and counting. Of the 44 Ideas submitted in Criminal Justice that had more than 20 votes, 31 ( 70% ) pertained in some way to marijuana. These 31 also accounted for 80% of the total votes in that category. Add Ideas to generally change drug policy, and these percentages topped 90%.

No other single idea captures more overall votes or consumes more of a single category than "Marijuana."

Is the "online audience" trying to tell you something?

Consider the following:

On Wednesday, January 27, 2010, CitizenTube streamed the State of the Union address live on its YouTube site and allowed viewers to submit and vote on questions to ask President Obama. "Marijuana Legalization" outdistanced all other questions by a margin of more than 2 to 1. President Obama never had the opportunity to answer this most popular question - YouTube never asked it. http://www.youtube.com/CitizenTube#p/c/EB843ABAF59735FD

In December 2009, JP Morgan Chase & Co. organized a competition to award grants to 100 charitable organizations that received the most votes on Chase's Facebook fan page. Two drug-policy focused groups - Students for Sensible Drug Policy and the Marijuana Policy Project - were among the top vote getters, but Chase disqualified them from the final tally without explanation. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n1131/a07.html

Shortly after the 2008 presidential election, the Obama Administration established "Open for Questions" on http://www.change.gov, which morphed into http://www.whitehouse.gov/openforquestions. Three rounds of voting by over 200,000 people, who submitted over 150,000 questions and cast over 7 million votes, found "Legalizing Marijuana" in first place within each of the top five categories. At his March 26, 2009 press conference, President Obama addressed this phenomenal response by quipping, "I don't know what this says about the online audience," before dismissing the idea.

Do you see a pattern?

As a Change.org member, I'm dismayed that "Marijuana" ( medical, recreational, or hemp ) garners only a fraction of the coverage that a topic with its level of popularity should otherwise expect. Even though "Marijuana" has received 80% of the votes in your Criminal Justice category, few stories concerning it have appeared on Criminal Justice news or as Featured Ideas. "Legalize Marijuana" is your third most popular petition with 16,000 signers. Isn't that home page material?

Change.org appears to endorse a free and fair voting process as reflected in the "Governmental Reform and Transparency" category. It rightly decries bias against people of color, gays, and the homeless. It embraces human rights. Yet, these noble ideals become diminished by brushing aside the most popular issue.

I'm pleased that corporations, non-profits, and governments are leveraging the power of the Internet's online audience to engage in direct democracy. In a democratic society, the will of the people should be the driving force. Generally that will is made real by the most votes.

However, when the results are not fairly reported and implemented, campaigns like Ideas for Change and those of YouTube, Chase Bank, and the Obama Administration do little to foster public participation in the democratic process and much to further the public's cynicism of it.

Speaking on behalf of the "online audience," I wish for my voice to be heard - for it to sing as loudly as my worthy counterparts. I'm tired of being ignored, as if I'll just disappear when I'm not noticed.

Here's an Idea! Please accurately report and implement the results for the 2010 Ideas for Change in America. Promote all Ideas equally. Treat submitted Ideas with the respect they deserve, even the one that wins the competition, hands down.

Please note that this Idea is #154 in the Government Reform and Transparency Category. http://drugsense.org/url/NgppFWQ4

Sincerely,

Mary Jane

Top Ideas for Change in America: http://www.change.org/ideas?order=top

Change.org's Criminal Justice category: http://www.change.org/ideas/browse/criminal_justice

Submit your Idea for Change in America: http://www.change.org/ideas/post_idea

FAQ about Ideas for Change in America: http://www.change.org/ideas/faq
 

BlueMonk

Member
However, if folks paid a bit closer attention to what's actually been done... and if they took time to understand the political reality at hand... they might better appreciate Obama's contributions.

Bush supporters said same thing during his term. The sad thing is that Obama is continuing the same trend of almost all politicians. Promise and imply lots and do little because it could hurt re-election. He has really disappointed a lot of us who thought he would really make some changes -- and not just in the legalization fight.
 
Bush supporters said same thing during his term. The sad thing is that Obama is continuing the same trend of almost all politicians. Promise and imply lots and do little because it could hurt re-election. He has really disappointed a lot of us who thought he would really make some changes -- and not just in the legalization fight.

Hey, Bush got a LOT done. He said what he was going to do and pretty much did it via his GOP-dominated Congress. That includes radical levels of spending/debt increase which Republicans normally loath. (I angrily disagreed with 99% of his policies, but respect the fact that he did much what he said he was going to do.) America didn't just watch it happen. We voted the man in TWICE.

Obama, on the other hand, has tried to get lots of progressive policies passed. However, his opposition has shot down pretty much everything -looking to destroy his Presidency rather than govern and get things done. I'm referring to Cap & Trade, health care reform, etc. On top of that the country itself is more polarized and fractured than any time in history. What DOES the USA really want? (I do believe that he's been too reliant on the Legislature to make things happen while he should have been leading the charge himself.)

Then again, the Pres. HAS called off the Feds. and compelled them to defer to States on anti-MJ drug raids/enforcement. He has moved gay rights along by enhancing anti-hate crime laws and has begun the rejection of "Don't Ask. Don't Tell." (with major support from top military brass, I might add). He's enhanced our reputation and standing internationally by replacing angry American neoconservatism with a warmer intellectual approach. (I believe this cool intellectualism is also one of his weaknesses on the domestic front.) Finally, without major intercession the foul economy probably would have become a real depression. It's hard to prove something that didn't happen, but... the point is that the man lead and took action.

These measures have not been politically popular. Things were done because they had to be done. All these other priorities unfortunately slow down the development of our favorite agenda, but... That's just the way it is. This guy ain't a Messiah. He's the President -not a fascist dictator. Washington democracy is BROKEN and competely dysfunctional. You expect Barack H. Obama, to fix all these people and processes within the space of a year?
 

Odie-O

Member
The show "the Doctors" just had a woman and her autistic child that now eats MMJ brownies, he is doing better in the last 10 months of brownies than 10 years of big pharm.

13 pills a day down to 2 1/2. Mom, the reccomending doctor, everyone involved is thrilled. His weight doubled, the list of changes was wonderful.

Want to change the rules. Get these moms on board with MMJ and watch how much power they have. State by state things will change. Start at the bottom with this group and powers that be will have to listen.

How great would it be if more autistic kids were helped by something so simple. Bye Bye "Big Pharm" nature already has it handled.

GROW MORE

the biggest obstacle here is the big money pharm's.they will do whatever it takes to keep that big cash flow coming there way.no matter how many side effect's to there so-called legal medicine.that do more harm in alot of cases.

if the people don't want to put MJ to a good use then it's there lose.it's a simple plant that people run and hide from when its brought into the spotlight.yet it can do good things like this.

bottom line is the people have been brainwashed with anti-MJ adds and talk.you have to replace all the negative info with the correct info.then you can start to openly discuss the matter without it feeling like "the skeleton in the closet"

just my thoughts.
 
1

10jed

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n090/a10.html
Source: DrugSense Weekly (DSW)
Author: Mary Jane Borden
Note: Mary Jane Borden is writer, artist, drug policy reform activist, and regular voter from Westerville, Ohio. She serves as Business Manager/Fundraising Specialist for DrugSense and as the Editor of Drug War Facts http://www.drugwarfacts.org

OPEN LETTER TO CHANGE.ORG

Dear Change.org,
***snip**

Nice find! this is a really well written letter and exactly the kind of counter attack that our cause needs.

Jed
 

BlueMonk

Member
Obama, on the other hand, has tried to get lots of progressive policies passed. However, his opposition has shot down pretty much everything -looking to destroy his Presidency rather than govern and get things done. I'm referring to Cap & Trade, health care reform, etc. On top of that the country itself is more polarized and fractured than any time in history. What DOES the USA really want? (I do believe that he's been too reliant on the Legislature to make things happen while he should have been leading the charge himself.)

Then again, the Pres. HAS called off the Feds. and compelled them to defer to States on anti-MJ drug raids/enforcement. He has moved gay rights along by enhancing anti-hate crime laws and has begun the rejection of "Don't Ask. Don't Tell." (with major support from top military brass, I might add). He's enhanced our reputation and standing internationally by replacing angry American neoconservatism with a warmer intellectual approach. (I believe this cool intellectualism is also one of his weaknesses on the domestic front.) Finally, without major intercession the foul economy probably would have become a real depression. It's hard to prove something that didn't happen, but... the point is that the man lead and took action.

These measures have not been politically popular. Things were done because they had to be done. All these other priorities unfortunately slow down the development of our favorite agenda, but... That's just the way it is. This guy ain't a Messiah. He's the President -not a fascist dictator. Washington democracy is BROKEN and competely dysfunctional. You expect Barack H. Obama, to fix all these people and processes within the space of a year?

I expect him to make much more progress than he has in the year. Frankly, I have never donated as much money to any candidate as I did to Obama. So I am disappointed and feel fooled. Let's look at your list of 'accomplishments':

1. Calling off Feds -- Of course I like this. But it doesn't seem like even Bush was raiding that many clinics. Living in Texas hard for me to say for sure. I just wish he would do something like proposing a federal tax on MMJ. That would get some mo going.

2. Don't Ask -- Again, it is hard for me to comment on this since I don't follow gay rights closely. It just seems like a pretty limited advancement since it only affects a small fraction of gays.

3. International PR -- I agree with you. He has done a great job here.

4. Economy -- Hundreds of top level economists (not government pr aides) disagreed with Obama's strategy. TARP was a real winner! Which actions did he take that you are so pleased with? Maybe not worth discussing. As a business owner, I can emphatically tell you that none of his policies have allowed me to hire more people. In fact, I was poised to start a new company based on some of his energy convservation stimulus promises. (I am a greenie) But the math sure did not work where I could even break even. WSJ has cover story today on how Boulder, CO cannot get green mo going with the current 'stimulus'. Clearly, I am a bit angry about this one!

Yes, I expect much more. Trouble is that I am not alone and polls show he is fading. So I am worried that the pendulum will swing back the other way in the next election.
 
I expect him to make much more progress than he has in the year. Frankly, I have never donated as much money to any candidate as I did to Obama. So I am disappointed and feel fooled.

I can appreciate where you're coming from because the man seemed to embody transformation and "progress" just by his personality and incredible presentation. However, it takes more than just a charismatic leader to affect real change.

Washington is steeped in tradition and that includes the partisan players that want their side to "win" more than they're willing to compromise and actually get things done. So many voters (I suspect you) imbued Obama with mystical "Kumbaya" powers to make people "just get along". This wasn't realistic.


I just wish he would do something like proposing a federal tax on MMJ. That would get some mo going.

Me, too. However, how would it play politically across the rest of the United States? The number one issue on American's minds these days is JOBS/the economy. The Administration has been slamed left and right for doing pretty much anything else. You really think that diverting to MMJ would be smart right now? I say that it'd trivialize the rest of the efforts in mainstream America's minds.


2. Don't Ask -- Again, it is hard for me to comment on this since I don't follow gay rights closely. It just seems like a pretty limited advancement since it only affects a small fraction of gays.

Gays seem to disagree. Remember that Obama has expanded hate crimes legislation. He's also organizing support for civil unions. Then, there's "Don't Ask. Don't Tell" which would be the first major intstitutional reform. This move parallels the racial integration that occurred in the US military during the 50s under Truman. Critics said that the effort was too limited in scope and that a full-scale Civil Rights Movement was needed. Well, look what happened next.

The point here is the the armed forces are a dictatorship of sorts. So long as top brass fall in line and the people underneath follow orders... change happens. "Change"... just like you probably "hoped" for. Meanwhile, our civilian government is paralyzed by warring partisans.


3. International PR -- I agree with you. He has done a great job here.

Obama has taken a lot of lumps for it, too. He's expended political capital to reform processes and to change perceptions. That capital is not unlimited.


4. Economy -- Hundreds of top level economists (not government pr aides) disagreed with Obama's strategy. TARP was a real winner!

Hey, tons of them agreed or said that the effort was too modest! The point is that there are lots of pro/con positions. The bigger point is that somebody had to take action and that's what we got. If TARP I and II weren't passed we'd certainly have seen the markets crash. There'd have been no market liquidity. Risk would have shot through the roof. Trade would grind to a hault and unemployment would have hit epic levels sufficient to make what we've got now look trivial.


Which actions did he take that you are so pleased with?

I credit the Administration for not letting the economy slide into depression. So many of us feared this happening in September 2008. The economy is rebounding at this time. Wall Street is no longer floundering (but they sure as hell must be reformed) and exports are up. Inflation is in check (for now), too. Obama just signed "PAYGO" on Friday which caps most Federal spending unless cuts are made elsewhere. This was the policy (brought in by Bush Sr. and maintained by Bill Clinton) until 2002 when the GWB Administration killed it and started spending money right and left.


As a business owner, I can emphatically tell you that none of his policies have allowed me to hire more people.

I'm a business owner myself. I haven't been able to hire anybody or take out small business loans. This needs to CHANGE. The direct fixation on jobs has only just begun this year, however. Last year's strategy was to reform health care and fix one of the major structural issues that affects employment. But, now they're tackling the jobs topic head on and directly.


In fact, I was poised to start a new company based on some of his energy convservation stimulus promises. (I am a greenie) But the math sure did not work where I could even break even.

It will be at least 10 years before regular mortal entrepreneurs (as I presume you to be) can step up and invest in green business plans like we do with more conventional enterprises today. Obama has the will and will demonstrate some of he way. However, it's just too early for this stuff to be practical and "real" for us right *now*.


Yes, I expect much more. Trouble is that I am not alone and polls show he is fading. So I am worried that the pendulum will swing back the other way in the next election.

I hear that but still stay that you've got to be realistic about tempo. I believe that you've also got to look more deeply to recognize momentum (which the Pres. frankly needs a LOT more of). Finally, understand that the GOP has stopped the Democrats dead in their tracks time and time again over the past 13 months. They've used the threat of filibuster more often during Obama's term more than they have for ALL PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS COMBINED. -party of "No", indeed!!!

Obama just can't change all of Washington in the space of a year. He's regained some traction in the polls but troubled waters are certainly ahead. Obama is a GREAT speaker, but needs to be a better communicator about what he's doing.

There will certainly be trouble in 2010. Remember, though, that Clinton did the majority of his great work in the second half of his first term. That was after the GOP took over both the House and the Senate. So, even if the Dems get whooped in the next cycle... it isn't necessarily the end of the world. We'll see. :)
 

toddv

Member
Women and children
<HR SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->The show "the Doctors" just had a woman and her autistic child that now eats MMJ brownies, he is doing better in the last 10 months of brownies than 10 years of big pharm.

13 pills a day down to 2 1/2. Mom, the reccomending doctor, everyone involved is thrilled. His weight doubled, the list of changes was wonderful.

Want to change the rules. Get these moms on board with MMJ and watch how much power they have. State by state things will change. Start at the bottom with this group and powers that be will have to listen.

How great would it be if more autistic kids were helped by something so simple. Bye Bye "Big Pharm" nature already has it handled.

GROW MORE
<!-- / message -->
 

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