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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 01/01/2004 : 03:02:58
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Thus far, I don't much like this century. But, whaddafock. there's not a hell of a lot I can do about it, is there? So........
"May you have a fair wind and a following sea.
May the road rise to meet your feet.
May you be in heaven three days 'fore the devil knows you're dead."
I myself am starting the new year off right by being highly skeptical of 49 foot reticulated pythons.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/64040/1/.html
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Yuquiyu
New Member
13 Posts |
 Posted - 01/01/2004 : 20:21:44 [Permalink]
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| Thank you vera much filthy, I wish ya the same. Happy new year to all the SFN people! |
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Woody D
Skeptic Friend
Thailand
285 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2004 : 15:32:48 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Thus far, I don't much like this century. But, whaddafock. there's not a hell of a lot I can do about it, is there? So........
Oh, Filthy! Don't be so skeptical.
There's lots a person can do....in his only little way.
quote:
"May you have a fair wind and a following sea.
May the road rise to meet your feet.
May you be in heaven three days 'fore the devil knows you're dead."
Thanks. Same to you, buddy.
quote:
I myself am starting the new year off right by being highly skeptical of 49 foot reticulated pythons.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/64040/1/.html
Hum! Of course I don't know as much about snakes as you do, Filthy but I do like to read about them and have dozens of books on the subject. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the Anaconda the largest snake in the world? And they only get to about as much as 30 feet, most not that long. I think I've read about one that reached 32?.
I've been to the Red Cross Hosptial Snake Farm in Bangkok several times, perhaps the next time I'm there I can inquire about this one.
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www.Carabao.net
As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll.
Mick Shrimpton
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2004 : 03:45:40 [Permalink]
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Hi Snake!
The largest snake on record was a reticulated Python kept at the NYC Metropolitan Zoo for many years. It measured aproxamatly 33 feet. I say 'aprox' because it's not possible to get an accurate measurement on a snake. The crazy things actually change length as they move. And restraining one is even worse. Measuring them dead doesn't work, either. They will streach considerably just lying in the back of the pickup waiting for someone to find a tape. Thus, any snake measurement down to the inch instantly sets off my bullshit detector. This one was (allegdly) measured to a fraction of a meter, which is maybe ok -- I ain't got a toe-hole on the metric system, yet. Indeed, like Grandpa Simpson, I think it's a tool of the devil!
As an aside, Teddy Roosevelt pursuaded the zoo to post a $15,000 reward for any snake captured that was larger. It has yet to be claimed.
From the pics I've seen, I estimate the animal at something over 20 feet, perhaps as much as 25. I think it weighs between 400 and 500 pounds, and is morbidly obese from over-feeding. This is a hugh python, but not so huge for a reticulated nor even a burmese.
The heaviest snake is considered to be the green anaconda. The females get almost as long as a retic and have a stocky build.
Now that the holidays are all but over (HOORAY!!), I expect to read some professional comment, much of it hilarious, on this python. Also, it will be interesting if it is submitted to Guniness for the record book. I don't think it will be, but who knows?
Sorry for not including the Latin names. It's early in the morning, I don't have them off the top of my head, and I ain't up for huntin, 'em.
Edited for waek coffee |
"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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| Edited by - filthy on 01/03/2004 03:50:08 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2004 : 08:13:06 [Permalink]
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| A measurement down to hundredths of a meter, filthy, is equivalent to a measurement down to about 2/5ths of an inch. They're basically claiming that they know the snake to be between 47' 6-11/16" and 47' 7-1/16". |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2004 : 12:28:16 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
A measurement down to hundredths of a meter, filthy, is equivalent to a measurement down to about 2/5ths of an inch. They're basically claiming that they know the snake to be between 47' 6-11/16" and 47' 7-1/16".
Heh. Hehe. hhahahahaha--sxynnnkkx--HARHARHARHARHARHAR!!!(snort-gag-wheeze)hehehe...(gasp-pant)... somebody get me a tissue..... hehehehehe.
Dave, you just kicked it out of the ridiculous and into the asinine! I didn't think it could be done! A big "Thanks!"
I would love being involved with verifying this snake! I would love even more to take charge of it, because if someone knowlagable doesn't, it will not live a lot longer.
I never fail to be amazed, apalled, and even shocked at the ways our species shamelessly exploits others.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2004 : 14:44:16 [Permalink]
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You're quite welcome, filthy. Is it more or less funny that they're claiming the snake weighs almost 1,000 pounds (983.4, to be precise)?
DailyNews says:quote:
Republika said the snake, only recently put on public display, ate up to four dogs a month.
Radio Australia, or the other hand, says it eat five dogs a month, and contrary to the story you linked to, says the snake doesn't have a name. They also claim the snake is a male, and has a diameter of 85 centimeters (one would assume that's at its largest point). That's about 33-7/8" across, or a circumference of 8' 9-1/8" (were the snake perfectly cylindrical).
SFGate.com got the weight right, but is off by a foot on the length:quote:
Local government official Rachmat said the reticulated python measured 48 feet 8 inches and weighed in at 983 pounds.
SBS says:quote:
The people of the Sumatran Kubu tribe, which caught the snake, were so impressed that they elevated it to the status of tribal chief.
Hey, even without knowing much about snakes, I can tell this Guardian Unlimited article has some howlers in it:quote:
Republika quoted a keeper at the zoo, Rohmad, as saying that when the unnamed snake was captured, in Jambi province on Sumatra in mid-2002, it was 19m long.
Four metres reportedly had to be severed after a rotten deer was found undigested in its stomach.
Now, I know a snake's stomach is not in its tail (or its head), so is Republika seriously saying that someone cut over 12 feet out of the middle of the snake, and then sewed the ends back together? Worse than that: how does one tell that a snake has a rotten, undigested deer in its stomach without cutting open the snake in the first place?quote:
Mr Rohmad said its diet includes three to four local dogs a month but that it is rather fussy about its food.
"We have given it dogs of various colours but this snake didn't want to eat them," he was quoted as saying. "It only wants to eat fierce brown dogs."
Is this person kidding?quote:
He added that the python sheds its skin every 35 days, taking 10 days to do so.
Is that in any way plausible? That's actually a serious question, I don't know.
AHA! This CNEWS story actually has a photo they say is of the snake in question, except it's obviously nowhere close to being 33" in diameter (which would be wider than the gentleman in the photo). This snake is more like a foot across, tops. Given a linear correlation between width and length (don't know if that's true, either), the 47' figure would come down to about 17', nothing to write home about. AZCentral.com is running the same story, with the same photo, but simply labels it "a python," which implies it's not the python.
Dangit, I want to see pictures of the snake. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2004 : 18:35:05 [Permalink]
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Here's the best pic I've found of it:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/031230/481/jak10512301108
A magnificent animal. So sad it is not getting better treatment.
Obviously, it is no where near the size claimed.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Woody D
Skeptic Friend
Thailand
285 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2004 : 21:34:18 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Obviously, it is no where near the size claimed.
LOL. Well, camera angles can lie but if that Asian guy standing next to him is any calculation, (he's probably 5'1'') so I think you are right Filthy, the snake is not that long.
As far as the reports, you have to understand the Asian culture.
They can exaggerate a bit. Also it could be the eyes. The one I live with is a bad driver....and he's says they all are. I keep telling him to unsquint his eyes, haha. That could explain the vision of a larger snake.
Oh boy! Snake talk....should you start a different folder. I have questions.
What do you think is the most deadly/poisonous snake? Most of the time they say 'one of' or different books or nature programs will state different facts (like has more poision but is not as quick to bit) but never say THE Most. I've read that the Black Mamba is most dangerous and then again the Fur de Lance, but maybe for different reasons. I think they don't want to pin point any one kind because there are different factors.
IMO the Sea Snake could be although it's not going to attack often. I don't think any snake really would unless threatened. So how does one determine how dangerous they are? |
www.Carabao.net
As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll.
Mick Shrimpton
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2004 : 21:43:16 [Permalink]
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filthy wrote:quote:
Obviously, it is no where near the size claimed.
That's the same snake as in the photos I found. Other pics in that Yahoo! slideshow, however, pretty much put the lie to the idea that 4 meters were hacked off (or out of) the snake. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2004 : 05:03:43 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Woody D
quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Obviously, it is no where near the size claimed.
LOL. Well, camera angles can lie but if that Asian guy standing next to him is any calculation, (he's probably 5'1'') so I think you are right Filthy, the snake is not that long.
As far as the reports, you have to understand the Asian culture.
They can exaggerate a bit. Also it could be the eyes. The one I live with is a bad driver....and he's says they all are. I keep telling him to unsquint his eyes, haha. That could explain the vision of a larger snake.
Oh boy! Snake talk....should you start a different folder. I have questions.
What do you think is the most deadly/poisonous snake? Most of the time they say 'one of' or different books or nature programs will state different facts (like has more poision but is not as quick to bit) but never say THE Most. I've read that the Black Mamba is most dangerous and then again the Fur de Lance, but maybe for different reasons. I think they don't want to pin point any one kind because there are different factors.
IMO the Sea Snake could be although it's not going to attack often. I don't think any snake really would unless threatened. So how does one determine how dangerous they are?
Ah, the age-old question. There really is no satisfactory answer.
Currently, I keep an African Puff Adder (Bitis aretans) and a pair of Flordia Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti). The puffy has a vast amount of a truly nasty venom, a witches brew of hemo, myo, neuro and cardiotoxins. It has 1'+ fangs and a powerful strike that has to be almost seen to be believed. It is ranked high among the world's top ten and is responsible for most human deaths from snakebite in it's range (which also contains some neat stuff like cobras).
The cottons, on the other hand, have a much milder venom. Indeed very few deaths have been documented for them.
Both snake are adults. I rank the male cotton as by far the most dangerous snake I keep.
The puff -- named Jigglypuff by the grands -- is a pussycat, very mild mannered and easy to deal with. She rarely gets upset and is a favorite at the conservation presentations I occasionally do. That fucking cottonmouth -- named Gomez -- is s flaming terror. I should change the miserable bastard's name to Osama! He is highly aggressive, all but impossible to handle, has a musk that is worse than tomcat piss, and won't hesitate to bring the fight to you. My female cotton is almost as bad, but Morticia is at least polite about it (and is gonna have some babies next summer  ). If I'm going to get whacked again, it will most likely be by the one of the cottons. Needless to say, Gomez and Morticia are my favorites, don't ask me why.
So, the point of all this is that there are so many varibles that it's hard to rate snakes into catagories like 'most dangerous'. It is also not easy to rank them by venom potentcy. You are correct that the sea snakes are very hot, lots of neurotoxins, but again rather mild mannered and not often ancountered by humans.
Ok filth, enough bullshit. Gimmie some species!
I am going to say any of the three species of Dendroaspis, the Mambas, although they are not particularly aggressive. They are, however very quick moving and have a potent, neurotoxic venom. I had an aquaintence hit by D. jamesoni and he wound up in a nursing home with renal failure, even though proper treatment was almost immeadiate. I'm going to throw in the puffy, o'course. It is slow-moving, well camoflaged, and easily overlooked and stepped on. I'll add another I keep that is seldom mentioned; the South American Rattlesnake (Crotalus durrissus terrificus). There's something like a 50% mortality with treatment. 'Nacho' doesn't have a lot of venom, but it is the most neurotoxic of any rattler ("Terrified by terrificus," a herpetologist friend once told me).
The several species of Bushmaster and Fer-de-lance are up there, too, as well as some of the Cobras.
As can be seen, there's really no cut and dried rule on this. Usually, when asked, I tell people that the most dangerous hot snake in the world is the one I didn't see and is about to bite me.
Now, don't you wish you hadn't got me started on this?
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2004 : 06:48:54 [Permalink]
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Big dummy forgot to mention why he's include the SA Rattler on the above list, and why it's fatality rate is so high. It's pretty remarkable.
When terrificus bites, nothing much happens. There's no pain beyond the initial injury and that's minor, no big, blood-filled blebs nor swelling. No discoloration beyond a slight bruising at the site of the bite. Indeed, the only evidence the victem shows is the two, tiny puncture wounds from the fangs. As ofter as not, the poor bastard thinks he's lucked out and gotten a dry bite. Or perhaps he doesn't even know he's bitten. Meanwhile, the venom is playing merry hell with his nervious system, and when he finally figures out that he's in trouble, he might really be in trouble, and it's too late.
On the rare occasions that I feed my terrificus live, he will stop an adult rat stone cold in it's tracks, if he gets a good hit. It's chilling.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2004 : 15:34:13 [Permalink]
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| When I was at a sightseeing in the Everglades, we had a photo-opporunity with a snake. I was photographed by my mom, with a ~1,6 m black snake. Don't recall what it's name was. It was easy-going and very calm. One end in each hand, and a loop around my neck. I remember was surprised by the waxed-paper kind of feel of its scales, not really what I had expected. |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2004 : 20:27:12 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
When I was at a sightseeing in the Everglades, we had a photo-opporunity with a snake. I was photographed by my mom, with a ~1,6 m black snake. Don't recall what it's name was. It was easy-going and very calm. One end in each hand, and a loop around my neck. I remember was surprised by the waxed-paper kind of feel of its scales, not really what I had expected.
Probably an Indigo (Drymarchon corais), if the scales were smooth. A Black Ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta) if they were keeled -- less likely, I think. The indigos are a very good snake to demonstrate to an audience. Wish I had one.
They attain a lenght of some seven feet plus, and are very calm. Lovely animals. Unfortunatly, habitate loss and the pet trade has seriously decimated their numbers, and they are now protected. They can still be legally be aquired, but only as captive bred specimens.
Glad you got to meet this guy. They're great!
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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gezzam
SFN Regular
Australia
751 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2004 : 20:31:24 [Permalink]
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Happy New Year to all....
I just got back from a 7 day holiday in northern Victoria....3 days in a row of over 45 C temperatures......good beer drinking weather....lol
I hope you all have a great new year and kick arse at whatever tasks you decide to take on.
filthy....have you ever been to Australia?
Or have you ever kept any Australian snakes???....we have enough of them so I'm sure you could have one or two!!!! |
Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.
Al Franken |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2004 : 21:26:24 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by gezzam
Happy New Year to all....
I just got back from a 7 day holiday in northern Victoria....3 days in a row of over 45 C temperatures......good beer drinking weather....lol
I hope you all have a great new year and kick arse at whatever tasks you decide to take on.
filthy....have you ever been to Australia?
Or have you ever kept any Australian snakes???....we have enough of them so I'm sure you could have one or two!!!!
Alas, no. I have never had the pleasure of visiting Australia. It is my loss.
You do indeed have some unique and amazing reptiles, a couple that I should have mentioned in my earlier post. I am particularly interested in the Death Adders and the Tipans (don't have the Latin at hand and nobody cares, anyway). Also, your Red Bellied is an interesting animal.
Frilled lizards will charm you out of your socks.
I am in sporadic contact with a few of your countrymen who are as crazy as myself, but not Steve :roll eyes:. If I could ever get there, I'd have expert guides to keep me out of trouble (fat chance! ).
Australian wildlife laws are tough, as they should be. No imports, no exports except to a very few zoos and labs.
The wildlife in your country is incredable. If a heaven exists for shade-tree herpetologists, it's somewhere in Oz.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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