Below are some essays that I wrote in the past two years which...well, let's just say they got pretty good marks. However, reading them again today disturbs me a bit because I feel that I could've done a much better job of it(cocky, cocky JJ). But for the sake of originality and retaining the sentimental value I have for these essays(and to avoid the trouble of editing!), I decided to present them here as they were, no editing, corrections, etc.


Contents in no particular order(or maybe in order of length) :
The Pleasures of Eating
               Does man eat to live or live to eat? Well, personally I feel that for those who can afford good restaurants, there's a tendency to agree with the latter. Of course, such an idea is only temporary as it is obvious that there are definitely more important things in life than eating. However, since eating food is necessary for survival, why not eat delicious food?
               In today's modern world thousands of dishes may be found ranging from the infamous 'Junk food' to the most sophisticated of cuisines. Each country has a different variety of food to offer. Often, we hear the food preferances of individuals, some prefer Chinese food or French cuisines and others opt for McDonald's.
               Indeed there are many pleasures derived from eating. However, the quality of the food must be taken into consideration as this generally affects the bodily condition of the consumers. 'Junk food' is a very appropriate name given food which has no nutritional value, is quite high in calories and worst of all, fattening. The intake of wrong foods causes various disorders in the body such as obesity, other digestive disorders and heart problems too. It's unfortunate that most people today judge the quality of food from taste alone rather than its nutritious content.
               Anyway, even 'junk food' to some extent is fine. In fact, in many ways, it is quite practical. At present, the 'rush-hour' is quite common to see on weekdays. For office employees who have a very limited lunch break, 'junk food' joints such as KFC, McDonald's, Swensen's and so on may be the best and only alternative as these food are quickly served(fast food!) and very affordable.
 
       Note : This composition wasn't completed due to lack of time...but like I said, I don't feel like editing!
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A Frightening Occasion
                 It was a sunny Friday afternoon, in a few moments my Karate examination would start. I was sitting with some of my friends in the vast parking lot where the examination would be held. We were chatting about the moves we would demonstrate and how we would try do our best. In the parking lot, we weren't alone, there were perhaps some other twenty or thirty participants.
                 A few minutes later, the instructor came and told us to line up. Within seconds, the parking lot was filled with people dressed in Karategis(uniforms). Some other instructors also showed up at about the same time. Among them was my teacher. As he approached me, he said, "Just relax and you'll do fine.". I wasn't too sure about that.
                 Finally, all the instructors gathered at front and the examination began. We started warming up and did some preliminary movements. Some time later, we were separated into groups according to our belts. I was holding a blue belt at that time. At this very moment, my heart began pounding. As I walked to a corner of the parking space with a group of unfamiliar participants, I prayed to God to help me. Cold sweat started coming out of the pores of my skin.
                  As soon as we had lined up, a tall, dark-complexioned man came. He was to be our examiner. His sturdy look caused a chill to run down my spine. I began wondering what my fate would be if he caught me doing some move wrong. I was sweating even before I even began the movements. We started off with some kicks which I didn't have any trouble doing.
                  Then we started the more advanced movements such as a series of kicks and punches, jumps and so on. Although I managed to do them, however at certain times, perhaps because of nervousness, whenever the instructor came by me, I tripped and fell on my back. Naturally, he told me to do push-ups!
                   Despite all those, I got through the examination without much difficulty. To be truthful, I was quite satisfied with my self. But then came the 'kumite'(sparring or bout). Here, two opponents would face each other and apply the techniques practiced earlier on each other. Although rules strictly said that contact should be semi and full power is not to be used, further, no hitting to vital parts i.e. below the navel and face but there are always chances of accidents!
                  My heart began to beat faster and faster, I could almost cry out, "There's no way I'm gonna continue this exam!", yet my ego prevented me from doing so. Then came the moment of decision - I was chosen and my opponent slightly larger than me but his build was scary. Finally, the instructor told us the rules and shouted, "Kumite...kamosambo(never could get that word!)... Jime!" which basically means start. We started moving, circling each other, trying to block and tackle each others moves. All this time I felt like surrendering but when I saw my instructor looking at me, I knew it was wise not to do that. Anyway, the circling, anticipating, etc. went on for some time, but then...suddenly I heard a loud thud.
                   At first, I could not understand it, but looking at the reaction of the other participants and catching hold of myself, I found out that I had been swept off my feet(literally swept off not that girl-boy-fall-in-love sweep) by a devastating kick. But my pride hurt a lot more than my sprained ankle. I sat there staring around for a while, confused, alone...
                  Whether I passed the exams or not, I didn't know then. Yet one thing's for sure, I never felt such great fear of being hit again after that incident. Perhaps, it was for my own good, who knows?
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My Idea of Beauty
                  Beauty - in my view - depends on the taste of the person who perceives it. Therefore, it does not solley depend on what a person or a masterpiece is trying to express through its form. Beauty itself is expressed through forms like people, articles such as paintings, statues, designs and others. Each of these have their own personal trait or charasteristic which it tries to express. However, something considered beautiful by a person may be considered junk by another. The above statement does not imply that one person may have better taste than the other though.
                  Personally, I am attracted by lonely and tranquil places such as ancient temples, castles or palaces. They don't necessarily have to be 'ancient', the building may be new, yet it should be quiet. It is perhaps for this reason that when I go to the library near my house, which is situated close to a Buddhist monastery, I usually pay a visit to the monastery too, either I burn incense sticks(not really knowing what else to do) or just get a few glimpses inside. Though I am not a Buddhist. Often I wonder, how can such a quiet place with no entertainment whatsoever radiate such an attraction.
                  Certain people too attract me. By nature, I'm not a very social or amiable person. This is true when it comes to strangers or even guests. In other words, I'd make a lousy host. But if I'm with a group of friends, then even if an unfamiliar face shows up, I could get along. For example, a few years ago, when I first started my Karate lessons at a totally unfamiliar environment, I could hardly speak to anyone. But gradually with the aid of my instructor, I managed to get along.
                   Speaking of people, allow me to mention entertainers. Most of us are attracted by actors or actresses, comedians and so on. Come on, who hasn't heard of Stallone with his extraordinary physique and style. As any normal person, I too see beauty in actors and actresses. Some omy favourite entertainers are <edited>, etc. But I can't say I make them my idols. Such people, I understand, have a 'magnetic' personality.
                  Another subject which greatly fascinates me is the martial arts. In my opinion, martial arts do not teach a person how to fight, in fact, I've never heard of a dispute between martial artists or conflicts caused by a martial artist. This is not to imply that martial artists who only do good - hey, we're human too remember! On the other hand, more physical aspects of the arts interest me. I get spellbound when I see the power of the artists. It is amazing how they break layers of bricks with a single blow, leap high in the air yet come down without a sound, the speed of their movements remind me of the flight of a swallow. Manyatimes, I phantasize about such astonishing feats.
                  Magic is the last but certainly not the least of the subjects that boggles my mind. Alhough, I've heard that there isn't anything called true magic and that most magicians are only fakes who make use of deceptive tricks to fool the audience. But nevertheless, I'm still enchanted by the bewitching illusions and tricks of the magician who always seems to have a certain 'hypnotic' influence over the audience.
                  Finally, the above is only my way of perceiving beauty. People may have different opinions and views, it must be re-affirmed that beauty is relative to the perception of the viewer.
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Life as a teenager - Troubled, terrific or both?
                  Teenage - a period of time which is both troubling and terrific. It is a duration in which one gets to do a variety of things. A teenager's life is very spontaneous. He or she doesn't usually think deeply before taking any decision i.e. teenagers are still immature and vulnerable. They're in a stage where their minds' processes are still in the making and hence they're very receptive. Unfortunately they're receptive to both positive and negative ideas. The life of a teenager is filled with multiple activities(again both positive and negative!).
                  As previously stated, life as a teenager can be both troubled and terrific. Let's take the terrific part first. What's so terrific about being a teenager? Well, almost everything is. Friends, food,  and not to mention the very famous word 'fun'! A teenager's life is definitely not complete without the above three elements. Most teenagers have friends of the same age group. Most of us would agree that being with friends is definitely more fun than being with family. To have(and of course keep!) friends is a great virtue. Teenagers go to almost everywhere with friends. To elders, it is perhaps confusing to see why their children want to be with friends all day long. The reason behind this is simple. People of the same age group are able to understand each other better. They are aware of the problems they face and hence teenagers can be more open among themselves than with their own parents.
                   Furthermore, parents may not understand their teenage children's problems very well. Of course, more aware parents would try to find the similarities between their habits and the teenagers' by recalling their teenage days. Regarding food, teenagers are the most fussy. They would rather not eat than eat something that is not appealing to them. Of course, this is a flaw that parents must try to correct using an appropriate explanation. But what do teenagers derive from all the above - food, friends, talking long hours on the telephone(a blessing to teenagers), shopping and so on? The teenager derives 'fun' - the magic word - from all these!
                    He or she thinks it is fun to go to malls, have 'junk food', watch movies and have other enjoyments. To a teenager, enjoyments are virtually unlimited! During this stage, interest in the opposite sex is inevitable. When one enters any mall, one would see that about 70% of the mall is filled with teenage couples. In Indonesia(Jakarta at least), this has become so trendy that they have even reserved a special term for teenagers - ABG which stands for 'Anak Baru Gede'! The words literally mean  'a recently grown up child'. There is, however, an element of criticism in the above phrase for teenagers(the phrase is mainly used to describe teenage criminals).
                    Despite all the 'fun', a teenager also experiences many troubles. The teenagers are in a stage of sexual development. New hormones formed in their bodies bring about changes in them which require some time for them to adjust. Side effects of hormonal production include pimples at the age of fifteen onwards. Slight depression(or other emotions) due to the body's adjustment may be experienced. All this leads to a lack of self-confidence in teenagers.
                    But there are more serious troubles teenagers get into. Nowadays, sexual development is more rapid than it used to be. Teenagers commit sexual crimes which is against all ethical and moral values due to lack of awareness and knowledge. Sex education today is a must today and should not be considered as a taboo anymore because it has become obvious that any ten to twelve year old child knows what sex is crudely. Exposures to different cultures, T.V. and Internet gives them this knowledge. Statistics prove this. The increase in AIDS and abortion cases on and off the record is alarming.
                     Drugs, alcohol and gangs are other things that teenagers have a tendency towards. Cigarette smoking is yet another. All this is due to lack of awareness and understanding from the side of the parents. Teenagers join a gang to find a sense of identity or belonging to a group. They may not have experienced this from their family. Unfortunately, gangs influence teenagers to become petty criminals. Gang members(who are also teenagers) make it a condition for a newcomer that to stay within the gang he must take drugs, smoke cigarettes, drink booze and/or commit a crime to prove his worthiness.
                     All these problems can be avoided and solved if only parents would be more understanding and affectionate to their teenage children. Anger and scolding is not a very good means of explaining anything to a teenager, at least not a teenager of today! Instead love and compassion are essential. Awareness of the negative effects of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and sex must be given through the use of media such as television, Internet, billboards and counselling departments set up by educational institutions.
                     Yet overall life is a teenager is more terrific than troublesome. Through proper guidance, support and affection from the elders' behalf, passing through this vulnerable stage is not very difficult and can be fun(back to the magic word!) at times.
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Role of English as an International Language
                      English - the most widely used of all languages in the world today, yesterday and possibly the future too. It's status as an international language is a well-deserved one considering the fact that the British almost ruled the whole world some decades ago. They even had Hongkong in their hands until 1997 when Hongkong was finally returned to China. As a 'heritage', they left behind English.
                     The English language has played a number of important roles most notably in international communication. It has bridged the communication gap and other communication hindrances by its having been acknowledged as a common language spoken in a number of countries. Thus, in this way, it has linked various nations and without a doubt, has definitely promoted unity in the world.
                    Speaking of unity, the United Nations Organization or more commonly known as UNO - whose ultimate goal is peace and unity - consists of a great number of nations whose representatives frequently have meetings, forums and so on to achieve this goal. In these meetings, speeches are usually made in English. Certain countries feel strongly about using a language other than their own national one and proceed by making speeches in their mother tongue. But nevertheless, a translator is always provided to convey the meaning of the speech using a more widely understood language - English.
                     In the writer's opinion, it also seems quite fair to say that the use of English among multiracial people has prevented a great deal of unnecessary misunderstanding which otherwise may have led to more undesirable scenes such as disputes, or on a wider scale, wars between communities within a region. Of course, this definitely does not apply to the use of idioms and slang of English! These are quite misleading in most cases. Picture yourself telling a person that he's got one hell of a face while he takes it as you condemning him of having a face like hell!
                     Furthermore, globalization happening at the present could not have occurred had there been a lack of proper communication among leaders of nations, businesspeople and people in general. As globalization also implies the phrase 'it's a small world' i.e. cultures, languages of different nations are being mixed up giving rise to new cultures and a better understanding of each other. Yet a negative point of globalization is that a certain community is often forced to lose its originality due to exposure to more powerful or influential cultures. However, back to 'a better understanding of each other' - understanding someone means to realize one's tendencies, habits and so on thus promoting tolerance between the parties. Once again, to understand someone, one must be able to communicate with that person using a language common to both. This illustration only involves a couple of people, but take into consideration this relatively simple process when applied to people of the world. Has English not fulfilled this means of communicating with a common language?
                      Negotiations - the only means of settling disputes peacefully. Often negotiations involve third parties which may not understand the language of the country(/ies) in trouble. Once again, English as a common language provides the solution for any country in the whole wide world! English translators are definitely in greater abundance compared to other language translators. This makes the English language extremely accessible.
                      It cannot be emphasized enough that English as an international language has indeed fulfilled the many vital roles required of it as a common(again!) and reliable language which can be to any situation - formal or informal. This language has linked countries of the world together which will ultimately lead to absolute unity and peace in this diversified world. Thus, the true meaning of 'unity in diversity' will be discovered.
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Advanced Technology has become the New God
                      In the olden days, man turned to God in times of  distress or emergency. But today, this is the final option he would take. His first alternative, without a doubt, is technology. Today, technology has advanced to such an extent that it surpasses even the wildest expectations of the layperson. Miracles, today, occur at a greater frequency than they did about a couple of decades ago. Every possible field of knowledge, every aspect of human life has prospered due to this rapid advancement of technology. Now, one wonders how one had survived without technology in the past. Thus, dependance on technology at present is at its peak.
                     As mentioned earlier, every field of knowledge has benefitted through technology. Let us start with the most of basic of human activities - agriculture. This is one activity that one can't do without. Agriculture started off as small groups of people cultivating crops for personal consumption and survival. Today, gigantic industries often referred to as 'agro industries' deal in agriculture. Farmers are no more dependant on nature alone for the suitable cultivation of crops. Rain and proper climate which were once indispensible for crop growth are now but less important factors. Instead of rain, sophisticated methods of irrigation using high-tech are induced. Scientists have found ways to produce better yield even without the proper natural conditions. This advancement is favourable as manual labour alone cannot handle agriculture efficiently or speedily enough to feed the constantly growing population.
                     Where transport is concerned, the role of technology is obvious. 'To fly like the birds' - this was something man wanted to do eversince medieval times. Men like the Wright brothers have struggled hard to find a way to achieve this. Well, all their effort and hardwork did not go in vain. Flying today is no more fascinating. Airplanes and jets fulfill a person's craving to fly. Aeroplanes have become one of the fastest means of transport in the world. An episode of the T.V. series 'Star Trek' was called 'Space : The Final Frontier'. Rockets developed with the aid of advanced technology have bridged space and earth. So in a way, the 'final frontier' has been touched.
                      Cars and other four-wheelers or more correctly, other on-road forms of transports seem so mundane now. Despite this, these transportation are only here because of technology. Technology deserves all the credit for their existence. But are they really that mundane? Definitely not. Without these 'mundane' transport means, imagine the time one would waste to go from area to area, from city to city or from province to province. Or in other words, which other forms of transport would one use - horseback, camel ride, walk?(Talk about speed and efficiency in this modern age!).
                      Perhaps, advanced technology has been referred to as the new God mainly due  to the role it has played in the field of medicine. Through the use of high-tech supported research, cures for the most fatal diseases like Tuberculosis, cholera, smallpox, tumors and cancers(to a certain extent) have been found. Of course, new diseases keep emerging(the wrath of God maybe?). But the point is that more lives are being saved presently compared to a quarter of a century ago or so. Doctors today literally revive the dead. In Greek mythology, we hear of Asclepius, the Greek god of  medicine, who was struck down by Zeus with a thunderbolt for raising a man from the dead - Thank heavens, Zeus doesn't do much of that these days! Transplants of various parts of the body are common today.
                      Another interesting application of technology in the medical field is cloning - the king of controversies at present. Biology wizards have started cloning sheep and cows and have suceeded in developing a new species of creature. All this is well and good, until they decide to clone human beings(Elvis' back??). Yet cloning is a field where no one is ready to fully explore(yet! - knowing man).
                      Further, thanks to advanced technology, communication means have increased to a marvellous extent. Long-range communication began with the invention of the telegraph and the formulation of Morse code. Later telephones evolved. Soon fax machines slipped in. The trend today is handphones/cellular phones which started off the size of a thick brick slab - today - they're no larger than the palm of your hand(saw Philips Genie??) and are even lighter than a small Coke can. Sattelites launched into space transmit data to any part of the world. In the computer world, (by the way, laptops are old news, palmtops are hot at the moment!) communication is enhanced by the use of the World Wide Web(abbreviated WWW) or better known as the Internet. This is a one-stop place to get information on literally anything. Indeed, loads of information are communicated through this media.
                      Wars, today, start even before any physical feud on the battleground. This refers to the use of high-tech(yes, everything today seems to be made of advanced technology) radars and long-range missiles. Not to mention nuclear weapons. Had enough? Wait, what about those potentially hazardous biologocal weapons?!
                     But there is one question that disturbs this writer(and probably many more people worldwide). Does technology deserve to be called the new God absolutely? I think not. To liken advanced technology to God is fine. Keep in mind, God is a higher intelligence Who is associated with positive aspects. Technology, on the other hand, has negative aspects as well especially where wars are concerned. Here technology clearly defies the Way Of God. It had been mentioned that in case of emergency, people look upon God as their last resort, when all others fail. In many instances, people's prayers have been answered and their problems solved. Does this not mean that despite all achieved ny technology, God is still superior to technology? Perhaps, it would be better to redefine the relationship between God and technology.
                      Technology, created by man, at present deserves much credit due to its role in raising standards of living and achieving what was once thought impossible. However, God is the only one who deserves absolute credit and thus worthiness to be called 'God' as without Him, humans and hence technology would not exist today in this world. So, God or technology? The choice should be obvious.
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Nuclear Energy - A Boon or a Curse?
                       Physics has developed greatly since the last few decades. So rapid has been its development that no more are we limited to the dynamics of motion - velocity, acceleration, and so on. Neither are we limited to matters related to electricity which had earlier been considered as a vast field. The vastness of electricity is nothing when compared to that of nuclear physics whose applications in the world today are controversial issues. What could be more controversial than the pros and cons of nuclear energy - the primadona of nuclear physics?
                      The word 'nuclear' in the layperson's mind, would remind him/her of deadly weapons especially the atomic bomb. The incident of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II being the cause of this. Apparently, the original intention of developing nuclear energy was to construct nuclear weapons - the ultimate tools of destruction. However, nuclear energy has also been used constructively in many fields.
                     Perhaps, it would be best to start with the application of nuclear energy in the medical field judging from the word 'constructive'. The most common and well-known X-ray is the first application of radiation in medicine. X-ray photographs are used in detection of fractures and foreign matter present inside the body. Cancers and tumors are also detectable by the use of X-rays. Further development led to the invention of CATscan or CTscan(Computerized Axial Tomography) in 1972, which also makes use of a highly sensitive X-ray beam. CTscan also has the risks of X-rays i.e. cancer growth due to comtinuous exposure but at a minimized rate. After CTscan, MRIs were developed. MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging which makes use of large magnets and computer controlled radio waves. MRI does not have any known health risks unlike CTscan or X-ray plus it gives a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body much clearer compared to CTscan. PETscan(Positron-Electron Tomography) has similar functions. Lung functions can only be examined by MRIs today.
                     A technique called Accelerator Mass Spectrometry(AMS) allows analysis of artwork without causing any harm to the artwork. Through AMS, accurate distinguishment of trace isotopes(such as the radioactive 14C and Normal 12C) becomes possible. This helps in revealing the source and age of the isotopes. AMS has also surpassed its predecessor - radiocarbon dating - used in archaeology to determine the age of an artifact. It also requires lesser amount of the artifact compared to radiocarbon dating method.
                     In geophysics, AMS helps to determine how long water from different parts of the ocean has been at the sea surface, hence allowing scientists to map circulation patterns influencing the earth's climate. Further AMS also helps in detection of nuclear waste. Medically, it is used for detection of drugs and toxins within the body. It is the most sensitive test up to date. Forensic and investigative departments also make use of AMS due to it's hypersensitivity.
                  A new treatment for cancer is called proton therapy which allows the radiation to be focused more intensely to the tumor or cancer. Unlike the use of gamma or X-ray which cannot precisely aim at cancerous cells causing healthy cells to also receive a high-dosage of radiation. Through the use of proton therapy, the penetration depth of the radiation can also be controlled. As the name implies, a proton beam is used in this form of therapy.
                   Other common uses of X-ray include detection of suspicious articles within luggage in airports and also in the study of complex molecular and crystal structures.
                  However, despite all its constructive application, the more harmful and destructive applications of nuclear energy have by far made a greater impact on the world. The development of nuclear weapons being the most significant. cause for this. The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the mid-forties are but a mere trifle compared to the sophisticated nuclear weapons of today. Of course, no country has used them yet. Many would agree that it is only a matter of time before such weapons are tested - for real! In today's complex world, wars can be ignited by trivial matters. For all we know, World War III may already be brewing considering the problems arising in different countries. Most recently, Iraq and America(not again!) almost went to war but fortunately this was avoided due to the intervention of the UNO.
                  Another problem is that of weapon testing which is said to cause significant harm to the environment. The first nuclear test was conducted in July 1945 at Alamogordo, New Mexico. Ever since then, over 2000 tests - each costing up to US$70 millon, have been undergone thus enhancing the weapons each generation.
                 Nuclear energy has been used as an alternative to generate electricity. But this leads to a new problem(so what's new...) - the nuclear waste or residue left over. Up to date, there has been no effective way of dealing with such type of waste. Nuclear waste is divided into high-level waste(the type generated by nuclear power plants, harmful to humans and other lifeforms, having a half-life af about 10000 years) and low-level waste(residue of X-rays and other radiation in manufacturing processes, less {not 'NOT"} harmful, with a half-life of about 100 years). Expired fuel rods within a power plant become high-level wastes. In some countries like Sweden and U.S.A., these rods are stored in the same form as they were when removed from the plants. In others like Britain, France and Japan, they're reprocessed. No, this is not a solution! Reprocessing makes the waste harder to handle and creates more wastes(does this mean more problems?).
                  After analyzing some of the pros and cons of nuclear energy, the writer would go for ' Nuclear Energy - A Curse! ' mainly because there's no solution to overcome the destructive effects of nuclear energy. The nuclear waste can't be eliminated or recycled, the environment or landscape used as testing groung is greatly harmed and, further, the use of nuclear weapons is just too hazardous to the victims both in the short-term and long-term. Worst of all, most countries in the world today look upon the possession of nuclear power as a necessity. Of course, this is probably due to insecurity. Apparently, the destruction caused outweighs the benefits gained from nuclear energy. Each day, people obtain higher environmental awareness. Various organizations set up by environmentalists such as Greenpeace are against further development of nuclear energy. A majority of people worldwide have anti-nuclear energy attitude.(If I were a hypocrite, I'd say, "Hey, if you can't beat'em.....join'em!!").
                     To finish with, anything can be accepted as being beneficial if its benefits exceed its disadvantages. In the writer's view, such is not the case with nuclear energy. Hence, nuclear energy, is positively/without a doubt, a curse(what curse is positive??).

        Note : Actually, today I feel that either the whole world has nuclear energy or no one has it - this is the only way to get a sense of security, unfortunately, this is something that may never be realized, hey, we live in the (so-called)' real world'!.
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