BRUCE LEE: THE MAN, THE MYTH (1976)
December 10th, 2010 by Mr. C
Director: Ng See Yuen
Actor: Bruce Li, Chu Chi Ling, Linda Hirst
BRUCE LEE: THE MAN, THE MYTH was a frankenstein mashup of a movie gem labeled as a Bruce-sploitation film from 1976 that was loosely based on Bruce Lee’s life starting from when he moved to Seattle from Hong Kong to attend the University of Washington leading up to his untimely death on July 20th, 1973. Bruce Li was one of many Bruce Lee imitators that would surface to the screen. Li did a bang up job portraying the role of the “Little Dragon”. This movie is one of the better Bruce-sploitation films ever created in my opinion. Obviously, no one can move like the real Bruce can, but Bruce Li didn’t sweat the technique in faking the funk with recreating signature moves of the Little Dragon. The film starts out with Bruce in a training session with the wooden dummy which segways into a friendly “chi sao” aka “sticky hands” sparring session with his gung fu teacher, Yip Man. Shortly thereafter, Bruce leaves HK for Seattle to attend the University. Bruce develops a following of students who crave with thirst for chinese kung fu & the little dragon obliges. There are a few encounters with a karate badass played by brother man CARL SCOTT which leads up to a challenge by his Japanese teacher on the ballfield. These Karate technicians are not too happy when Bruce proclaims the superiority of kung fu & that kung fu is the mother of karate. Seattle was a great start for Bruce as his kung fu seeds were planted & his reputation would slowly snowball into a giant martial art movie monster! This film skimmed the surface of his experiences in Seattle to San Francisco to the Long Beach tournament which created a portfolio for him to get a break into hollywood & into the GREEN HORNET series. The filming of THE BIG BOSS aka FISTS OF FURY in Thailand was a breakthrough for Hong Kong’s own, LITTLE DRAGON. There were many entertaining fight sequences including all the impromptu challenges on the film set that Bruce would partake in. One of the best fight scenes involved real life HUNG GA kung fu master, CHU CHI LING & Bruce Li ! Chu Chi Ling was breathing the fire of the TIGER & the sharp quirky techniques of the CRANE while Bruce lashed out with quick cobra like attacks! Another great scene was when a Thai boxer challenged Bruce on the set of The Big Boss. Other rumbles include the challenge on the set of Return of the Dragon in the roman coliseum & on the set of Enter the Dragon. The film also chronicles Bruce Lee’s obsessive training habits especially with electrolysis to tense up the muscles. The final scene of Bruce Lee on his death bed at Betty Ting Pei’s apartment in Hong Kong opened up the flood gates for interpretation. The movie briefly showed real life clips of Bruce Lee’s funeral & his gravestone. The film faded away into a few conspiracy theories on the death of Bruce ranging from a triad killing to a chinese witch doctor proclaiming that he will die a young death to Bruce Lee faking his death to disappear into anonymity before resurfacing again in 10 years (1983). BRUCE LEE: THE MAN, THE MYTH has many flaws & I’m sure many of the stories were greatly exaggerated if not inaccurate , but this film was surely entertaining especially for a low budget movie. I would love to get a hold of this movie with or without english subs in it’s native tongue of cantonese instead of dubbing in english. The dubbing on my VHS & DVD copy were definitely class A butchered frankenstein grade. The english translation was amusing & cute, but I would still love to see this film someday in it’s native tongue. Let out those Bruce Lee yells, y’all! This movie had me kickin’ like Sammo Hung in ENTER THE FAT DRAGON!
Tags: bruce lee, bruce lee the man the myth, bruce li, brucesploitation, carl scott, chu chi ling, linda hirst, ng see yuen
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Butts
December 9th, 2010 by chocko
So, there I was diggin’ in da crates at the WFMU record fair, when all of a sudden this band starts playing songs about booze, weed all sorts of crazy stuff. I dropped my stack of vinyl and checked out the two pretty ladies banging out punk tunes on a guitar and drums and was blown away. Their music was fast (some tunes lasted less than a minute!) and they were both funny and smart. I was hooked. The band’s name is Butts and they’re from Seattle, Washington. Rachel is on the guitars, Shannon plays the drums. Their music will make you rock out, laugh out loud and pee your pants. I’m now a huge fan. You should be too!
How did you two meet each other and form the band?
Rachel: We’ve been friends for years. I was a fan of Shannon’s first band Dalmatians, and then our other bands Katharine Hepburn’s Voice (KHV) and Partman Parthorse had played a bunch of shows together. Butts formed at about 3am in Sept of 2009 after 37 beers.
Shannon:…And probably a bunch of marijuana.
Who came up for the name for the band and why Butts?
Rachel: Butts is what we sound like. But I can’t remember who came up with it
Shannon: I came up with it at band practice one day. We both looked at each other like, “We shouldn’t.” But we did. Maybe all those beers helped Rachel forget this happening.
How would you describe the music you play?
Rachel: post comedy.
Shannon: Punk Abbott and Costello
Were you both in bands before Butts?
Rachel: Yes, see answer #1
Shannon: Our other band-names are unparalleled. Between the two of us we have Dalmatians, Partman Parthorse, and Katharine Hepburn’s Voice. Now Butts. At age 30.
I think you girls are really funny and I was wondering if either of you had a background in comedy or acting?
Rachel: No, but I played a tree in Little Red Riding Hood in kindergarten. I didn’t have any lines.
Shannon: Rach, I didn’t know that about you! I played a Mother Goose impostor in 4th grade… I think being funny is (almost) the most important thing.
How is the music scene over by you?
Rachel: Really great. Lots of creative stuff going on, and tons of amazing bands.
Shannon: Seriously! Seattle’s been really cool the last few years. My favorite new band in Seattle is Wet Paint DMM. Every time I see them I compulsively tell their lead singer, Jamey Braden, that they are the best. They do some crazy, awesome, arty shit. Can I say “shit”? Also, the Flexions rule. I’m trying to get them to let me be in their band, even though they don’t need me.
What do you like doing when you’re not playing music?
Rachel: Cook weird foods, work on The Seattle Band Map Project and make JokeBot Podcasts
Shannon: I’m in the process of painting 50 or so watercolor portraits of people I love and respect from Seattle’s music and creative community. I just started painting, and it rules. I plan to paint from now on. Like, for a job, so if any of you want to commission a portrait, get in touch with me. I’m way better at painting than drums! I love playing drums though.
What are some of your favorite bands at the moment?
Rachel: Devo, Ty Segall, SPURM, Grave Babies, Wire, Consignment, Ovens, Shannon and the Clams, Hobocop,The Kinks, The Intelligence, Guantanemo Baywatch
Shannon: Rachel is good at staying abreast of newer music. (Actually, I just wanted to say “Rachel” near a word containing “breast”.) Wet Paint, as I mentioned, rules. As far as newer stuff goes, I’m pretty mainstream, like Ariel Pink, The Dirty Projectors, The Oh Sees, Kurt Vile, Beach House, Animal Collective, etc. I like a little bit of everything, though. I have a ton of old music, like Mississippi John Hurt, and a lot of old rocksteady.Yes, and Ty Segall rules. And Hobocop… Hobocop should be famous.
Favorite alcoholic beverage?
Rachel: Butts Soda
Shannon: I probably spent a year or more each with red wine, dirty Grey Goose Martinis, Friexinet champagne, chardonnay, whiskey, and then I went straight to Ranier tall-boys. I haven’t drank in 2 1/2 months. Not sure if I’m done with it for good, but for now, I’m loving not drinking. I love marijuana and cigarettes, so if you could make a rad drink out of that, I’d probably drink it. Or O’Douls.
Where are some places you like to hang out in Seattle? (we promise not to stalk you!)
Rachel: Cairo art gallery and The Funhouse for shows, Than Bros Pho for food and Cal Anderson Park for public drinking
Shannon: Rachel’s right about all of those. My bedroom is probably the best, though. I frequently have guests over for indoor BB-gun target practice, and I smoke cigarettes in my room, which hardly ever loses its novelty. I think if I’m not at my house, I’m probably at the Funhouse or Cairo. But I’m probably at my house, painting.
How’s the touring and shows been lately?
Rachel: Great. We just played a 6 year old’s birthday party. There was a Darth Vader pinata and a Butts cake. We may have just peaked as a band.
Shannon: Yeah. It’s all downhill from there.
Any plans to record more music?
Rachel: Just released Butts: Number 2 on ggnzla RECORDS and we have a 7″ brewing.
Shannon: It’s called “Number Two” because it’s our second album. We sat down and focused on what we wanted Butts to make. It took some work, but we made Number Two.
When are you coming back to NYC and the East Coast?
Rachel: Not soon enough!
Shannon: I love New York, and can’t wait to go back. Last time we were there I met a hot babe named Jon. I’ve since convinced him to move to Seattle and be my boyfriend. He arrives in Seattle in January. The Butts shows were awesome too!
Any closing comments?
Rachel: We’re on the internet. Visit us at www.buttsontheinternet.com.
Shannon: I love my mom! (Hi, mom!)
Tags: band, butts, garage, ggnzla records, punk, seattle
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Exit Through The Gift Shop
December 8th, 2010 by chocko
Directed by Banksy
Edited by Tom Fulford and Chris King
Produced by Holly Cushing, Jamie D’Cruz and James Gay-Rees
Narrator Rhys Ifans
The film starts by introducing Thierry Guetta, a crazy French dude who emigrated to Los Angeles in the 80’s and owned a vintage clothing shop. He carried a video camera everywhere he went and filmed everything. While on a vacation in France, Thierry films his cousin, Space Invader, an artist who made space invader mosaics. He develops an obsession to document Invader and his artist friends as they spray paint and sticker bomb the city at night. Back in L.A., Thierry eventually meets Shepard Fairey and other major players in the new underground graffiti movement known as street art, tagging along with them in the alleys and on top of buildings and billboards. He was filming everyone in the scene….Swoon, Neckface, Buffmonster. He documented so many artists but the elusive British stencil artist named Banksy was the one subject he wanted and needed to film. Thierry pretty much gave up, but fate was on his side and after a chance encounter in Los Angeles, he gains the trust of the secretive Banksy and they become friends. Worlds collide, Banksy turns the tables on the amateur film-maker, and the absurdity that happens next will surprise you.
The movie is an excellent observation of the world of art. It will make you laugh and it’s full of unexpected twists and turns. The DVD is out on Oscilloscope Laboratories and contains special features including a short film about the ‘art’ of Banksy and an edited version of Thierry’s unwatchable and insane street art documentary titled, “Life Remote Control.” The eco-friendly packaging looks great and it comes with some stickers and postcards featuring art from the film. Check it out!
Tags: banksy, graffiti, mr. brain wash, neckface, shepard fairey, stencils, stickers, street art, swoon
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The Kenny Scharf Mural in NYC
December 6th, 2010 by chocko
Kenny Scharf’s latest project is complete and located on the graffiti wall at East Houston Street and the Bowery. The mural features a cast of bright and colorful psychedelic cartoon faces. He claims that nothing was sketched out before hand…just starting with the big red nose and then freestyling and going with the flow. Scharf is a New York pop artist who became well known in the 80’s painting images influenced by cartoons such as the Jetsons and the Flintstones.
Tags: artist, bowery, graffiti, graffiti wall, new york city, pop art
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A MOMENT OF ROMANCE (1990)
December 3rd, 2010 by Mr. C
Director: Benny Chan
Producer: Johnny To
Actors: Andy Lau, Tommy Wong
A MOMENT OF ROMANCE is a classic 1990’s triad film entangled with a dash of romance. It stars the Brad Pitt of Hong Kong, ANDY LAU TAK WAH. Andy plays a cool hand luke triad member who loves the need for speed on his crotch rocket. The chinese Rob Lowe & his triad members find themselves in the middle of jewelry heist when getting away from the HK five-0 proves to be eventful. The brad pitt of HK has to kidnap a 17 year old rich girl in order to make his getaway. The other triad members take wind & they want the girl to be killed for fear of identifying them to the police. Morality gets the better of Brad Pitt when he stands by her innocent lady which adds fuel to the fire of his fellow gang members. An internal gang war erupts when powers start to shift sides. The preferred format for murder is through machete like ginsu knives with a hint of puerto rican flow. Lives are lost & a romance starts to brew as the theme of revenge starts to stew, too! Classic slow motion & canto-pop rule the scene of this triad infested flick! Who can resist Andy Lau riding his crotch rocket in a white tuxedo with his lady in the back with a bridal dress riding with no helmet of course! The ending is classic Hong Kong cinema! Pay respects to A MOMENT OF ROMANCE as this paved the niche for other HK triad movies in the 1990’s, including the YOUNG AND DANGEROUS movie series! Canto-pop, anyone?
Tags: a moment of romance, andy lau, benny chan, johnny to, lau tak wah, tommy wong, triad movie
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nyc street art
December 3rd, 2010 by chocko
Tags: art, graffiti, new york, new york city, street art
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Bret Michaels played Community Theatre
December 1st, 2010 by chocko
Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison, performed at the Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown, New Jersey last Saturday, November 27, 2010. NY’s very own, Toxin opened the show with their updated take on 80’s hair band music. It was cool that they got a few people out of their seats with their metal party tunes, but I think it would have totally ruled if they played a power ballad or two in their set. Bret Michaels and his band came out on stage with “Welcome To The Jungle” blaring through the speakers. It was a weird choice, but it did get the audience pumped. Right off the bat, the band cranked into the Poison tunes, starting off with “Talk Dirty To Me” followed by “Look What The Cat Dragged In.” The Soldout Jersey audience was loving it. Mullets were rocking back and forth in the crowd and the ladies were screamng for more, more, more! Bret seemed happy and appreciative to be on stage and gave the crowd what they wanted to hear including some fun covers of “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynrd Skynrd and “What I Got” by Sublime. Bret gave the crowd a much needed workout when he got them out of their seats and waving their hands in the air from side to side. I joined in on the post-turkey dinner aerobics as well. The acoustic guitar was brought out for his slower tunes such as “Something To Believe In” and the classic “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” which gave us all a chance to catch our breath. Bret played for a little over an hour and closed with another Poison hit, “Nothing But A Good Time.” He mentioned that his autobiography, “Roses and Thorns” was coming out in a few months and that Poison was coming back to town in the summer for a big anniversary show. All the shirts, hats and bandannas Bret wore on stage were being auctioned off in the lobby after the show. Every item sold for a couple hundred dollars. What’s cool about that is Bret matches the highest bids and it all goes to his favorite charity, the American Diabetes Association.
Bret Michaels Setlist
Talk Dirty To Me
Look What The Cat Dragged In
Sweet Home Alabama (Lynrd Skynrd)
Go That Far
Something To Believe In
Unskinny Bop
Your Mama Don’t Dance
(drum solo)
What I Got (Sublime)
Every Rose Has It’s Thorn
Fallen Angel
Nothin’ But A Good Time (Encore)
Tags: bret michaels, concert, heavy metal, metal, morristown, new jersey, nj, poison
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EL DEBARGE – CD release & performance at J&R MUSIC
December 1st, 2010 by Mr. C
EL DEBARGE was live and direct at J&R’s Music world on November 30th for his CD release – in store performance to promote his new album, SECOND CHANCE! Some left EL for dead but, he seems to be back in better spirit than ever from battling his inner demons and run ins with johnny law. With a new inspiration to rediscover himself & a whole new appreciation for life, EL used his voice as the vehicle to reincarnate thyself, hence his inspirational song & album title! El took a second or two to warm up at J&R, but that signature falsetto voice of his reverberated sweet somethings in our ear! He played a song off his new album called HOW CAN YOU LOVE ME which then smoothly transitioned into his oldie breakout ballad “ALL THIS LOVE”. He then performed another oldie “I LIKE IT” before he shutdown his vocals in order to save his chi for that nights performance at Highline Ballroom. EL seemed to be taken back a bit with all the support from his fans that showed up at J&R in midst of the trying times he’s been through for the past 25 years. Some fans requested EL to sing SECOND CHANCE but he mentioned he should stop before he breaks down & shred in tears. His new album showcases his familiar smooth vocals reminiscent of his r&b/pop of the 1980’s & 90’s with some backing from current r&b-hip hop juggernauts like Faith Evans, 50 Cent, & Fabulous. Some catchy tunes from the album include FORMAT with 50 cent, 5 SECONDS featuring Fabulous, LAY WITH YOU featuring Faith Evans, & the tear jerker song, SECOND CHANCE. There’s also a few bonus tracks on the 2nd CD that gets you in the mood for christmas! Get EL’s new album, y’all! It’ll make a nice stocking stuffer for those who love the familiar smooth sounds of Debarge with the killer instinct of THE LAST DRAGON! SHO-NUFF! We gotcha’ back, brutha! AND remember, the ladies love EL!
http://www.eldebargemusic.com/
Tags: all this love, debarge, el debarge, el debarge cd release, el debarge review, how can you love me, i like it, j&r, jandr, planet chocko, planet chocko zine, second chance
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All City Street Art Block Party
November 28th, 2010 by chocko
Last week All City (the international street art app) and Factory Fresh (an art gallery located in Brooklyn) put together a slammin’ block party that went into the night. Graffiti and street artists such as Chris Stain, Gaia, Skewville, Imminent Disaster and members of UK’s Burning Candy crew were in attendance and painted on a 200 foot wall on Vandervoort Place deep in the heart of Bushwick. A DJ spun some funky tunes and a Calexico taco cart was there as well, providing tacos and burritos for everybody’s belly. I’ll take a rain check on the carne asada! By the time it got dark, most of the artists were putting the finishing touches on their pieces. Inside Factory Fresh, there was art on display by local street artists as well as yummy, hot apple cider and a preview screening of DOTS a documentary about London’s graffiti crew, Burning Candy. The movie, so far, follows BC member CYCLOPS on his trip to India to meet the artists who haindpaint the street signs there. He meets many of the locals and eventually collaborates and creates with the artists whom he finds inspirational. The premise of the movie is to follow all the members of the crew to different locations as they travel to the home of the art which inspired them. The film is not complete and the event also served as a way to promote the project and hopefully gain financial support for the film. For more info on their funding plan check out the DOTS website if you are interested in hopping on board by purchasing some art and becoming a co-producer. The film is ambitious and so far, looks excellent and it definitely deserves to be seen. Factory Fresh plans on having more events in the future in the hopes of transforming Vandervoort Place into The Bushwick Art Park where street art and sculptures could be on display in a safe environment for the artists and the community. 
Tags: brooklyn, burning candy, bushwick, factory fresh, graffiti, new york city, nyc, street art
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OUTCAST at the NYC Horror Film Festival
November 27th, 2010 by Mr. C
I caught program 6 feature film: OUTCAST at the NYC Horror Film festival playing at the Tribeca Cinemas some weeks ago. It was the only movie that I tasted from the horror film fest, but it certainly did pack a punch! Up first as an appetizer before the main course were a bunch of entertaining shorts that ranged from a bunch of deranged dancing zombies taking over a city looking to convert mere mortals to danceaholics (Choreomania), to a child killing their parents (Beating Hearts), to a cheating husband-vengeful wife who turns into a vampire after getting slaughtered (Now that you’re dead), to zombies taking over a city looking for human flesh (Dead Run), to a vampire waiting for the morning sun to hit his flesh before getting interrupted (The Long Night).
I didn’t know what to expect with OUTCAST as the synopsis involved a beast, some celtic sorcery, Scotland, & some witches hunting witches. As it turns out, it was like an old school chinese-polynesian restaurant. You take one from column A, one from column B, one from column C, & it still comes with a free drink involving a miniature umbrella on top. OUTCAST pleasantly surprised me as it was a mashup of a teenage romance, horror, & a monster movie all rolled into one! The main characters include a powerful Celtic family on the run, Mary the mom, & Fergal the teenage son. They are being chased down by two celtic lords named Cathal & Liam who look to destroy the potentially powerful son, Fergal. Mary is one crazy lady of the night as she conducts rituals & paints celtic symbols on the walls of her apartment to block the 6th sense of her rabbid hunters in order to locate them. With all the boombastic celtic rituals being performed, there is a teenage romance being brewed between Fergal & his neighbor Petronella. Petronella is also going through some trying times taking care of her handicapped brother & alcoholic mother. The setting of the movie takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland in some low income housing projects. The mood of the film is very quiet, eery, dark, & mysterious! And don’t forget about the Beast, y’all! I don’t recall the name of the actors , but the characters of Mary and Cathal give strong performances that can’t be missed! They both are passionately possessed in all aspects of the word! Check this movie out if it ever gets released in US theaters!
Tags: nyc horror film festival, outcast, tribeca cinemas
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King Con at Brooklyn’s Lyceum
November 22nd, 2010 by chocko
Earlier this month, Brooklyn Lyceum’s second annual King Con brought together comic and animation artists, writers and publishers for a fun weekend of exhibitions, panels, signings and workshops. The exhibition floor was filled with super friendly artists selling their latest books, original art, prints and comics. Legendary X-Men writer, Chris Claremont was in the building! I got more sketches for my sketchbook. Check ’em out…some of the ones I got are up at the top and they’re by Nelson Diaz, Gia-Bao Tran, Cynthea Mazur, Becky Hawkins, JT Yost and Nate Bear…all very talented and nice people. I picked up a bunch of books, but right now my favorites are Imaginary Monsters by Peter J. Lazarski and Bear Brains by Nate Bear . Both are real funny comics. I went to a couple panels during the weekend including The Cross Hatch Podcast Live, Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School King Con Edition which featured pinup artist Paige Pumphrey and Hips, Lips Pencil Tips featuring female artists and writers. My favorite panel was Carousel, a live comic reading which featured comic book artists reading from their books while their art work was projected on a screen. It was a real treat to see artists such as Julia Wertz, Emily Flake, Mike Kuperman and R. Sikoryak bring their creations to life and add another dimension to their art by providing voice, sound effects and narration. King Con III is scheduled for Nov 3 -6, 2011. 
Tags: animation, artist, brooklyn, comic books, convention, underground comics
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THE BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (1972)
November 20th, 2010 by Mr. C
THE BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (1972)
Director: Chang Cheh
Shaw Brother Studios
Actors: Chan Goon Tai, David Chiang
The Boxer from Shantung aka Killer from Shantung was aired on WNEW’s Channel 5 in the NYC area originally on 7/31/1982 . It’s a classic early 1970’s basher style kung fu piece as opposed to clean riptide style kung fu as we know it today. One of my favorite shaw brother studio actor’s, Chan Goon Tai plays a righteous country bumpkin with deadly kung fu skills who migrates to Shanghai to make a better living. Unfortunately, trouble finds Chan when his morality attracts a few gangs in a middle of a turf war. He also finds himself challenging a Russian fighter that looks like “Iron Mike Sharp” from the WWF to make $20. David Chiang appears on the scene as an aristocratic gang leader who gets a taste of Chan’s ‘big country style’ power! They both gain mutual respect for each other after this encounter. Chan’s character vows to be as successful as Chiang. Badass mofos get what they wish for! With this ambitious attitude, he finds himself transforming himself from that good ol’ country boy to this righteous gang leader. Yes, as righteous as a gang can get which is an oxymoron. Chan Goon Tai finds himself reverting back to his country pride when gang wars erupt. There’s an awesome final battle that y’all can’t miss! It’s bloody, it’s brutal, & it’s at the Teahouse! Chan Goon Tai at his savage best! I love Chang Cheh’s camera work with his closeup shots when brutality stares the villain & the protagonist in the face! This is definitely a Shaw Classic!
Tags: chan goon tai, chang cheh, chen kuan tai, david chang, david chiang, killer from shantung, shaw brother studio, shaw brothers, the boxer from shantung
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