Book Description
In Recreational Terror, Isabel Cristina Pinedo analyzes how the contemporary horror film produces recreational terror as a pleasurable encounter with violence and danger for female spectators. She challenges the conventional wisdom that violent horror films can only degrade women and incite violence, and contends instead that the contemporary horror film speaks to the cultural need to express rage and terror in the midst of social upheaval.
Through interpretations of a number of horror films including The Thing, The Wizard of Gore, The Stepfather, and Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Pinedo looks at how the postmodern elements of the contemporary horror film produce the conditions for recreational terror.
Customer Reviews:
Isabel Pinedo as drinking and movie-watching buddy........2006-10-17
Isabel Cristina Pinedo, Recreational Terror: Women and the Pleasures of Horror Film Viewing (State University of New York Press, 1997)
Imagine yourself (assuming you're not one) a hardcore horror film fan, a kind of horror film Trekkie. The kind of person who can spout filmographies from all the big directors and extemporize on, say, the similarities in the subtexts of John Carpenter's The Thing and Craig McMahon's Machined, while taking a five-minute detour in the middle to compare and contrast the differences between Carpenter's and Howard Hawks' visions of the original story on which both versions of The Thing are based (you, of course, know that that story is John W. Campbell's "Who Goes There?"), and how you can tie them all in to Brad Anderson's The Machinist with ease.
Now, aren't you the kind of person who would think to yourself, "man, it would be great to see a feminist reading of Dario Argento's The Stendahl Syndrome!"?
You won't get a reading of Argento here, which I think is one of the book's major failings-- Argento is the kind of director who just begs a feminist interpretation-- but you get a bunch of other interesting stuff, certainly enough to make this book well worth your time (again assuming you're that hardcore horror film geek). You will also find Pinedo failing one of the great acid tests of any critic who deals in horror film-- waxing poetic on the racial overtones of Night of the Living Dead without even hinting that she's aware that they're all accidental. (The casting of Ben Jones was, for all intents and purposes, an accident; Romero and Russo did not specify the race of the character in the script.) But that's not nearly enough to drag down the book's high points. As usual, many of them come in the form of tactful, pistols-at-ten-paces style attacks on other critics whom Pinedo believes have completely missed the mark when interpreting films she is also addressing. This is the kind of stuff that makes books of cultural criticism fun, and you'll get a nice dose of it here (if you want the juicy stuff first, skip forward to Chapter 4 before reading the entire book).
Getting past all that, though, there's the meat of the book to consider, in which Pinedo answers the question of why a woman, and specifically a feminist, would be interested in watching (or, heaven forbid, enjoying) horror films. Needless to say, since we're all human, some of her defenses and discoveries necessarily apply to others who enjoy the occasional blood-soaked good time. As with most critical works, one sometimes gets the feeling that perhaps this is all being overthought, but that doesn't make it any less interesting. Worth a read. You get the feeling it would be a lot of fun to watch horror movies with Pinedo and discuss them afterwards. I'm off to rent The Stendahl Syndrome. ** ½
Book Description
Whether you are a newbie or an experienced user, Waves Plug-Ins CSi Master will help you understand the functionality and operation of key Waves plug-in processors. This training and tutorial CD-ROM covers basic concepts, button and element definitions, and production techniques, and includes before and after audio examples. If you prefer the “show me” style of learning, then CSi Movie Tutorials are for you. Sit back and watch a DAW pro show you the ins and outs of driving plug-in processors in sound production. Cover plug-ins from the Waves Gold, Platinum, Native, Renaissance, Broadcast, Maxx, Transform, Masters, and Restoration bundles.
Customer Reviews:
Save your money.......2007-03-01
This is a clear example of what an instructional or tutorial video should NOT be: a gentleman rephrasing the plugs' manuals and RANDOMLY moving faders and buttons to "illustrate" their function. No suggestions about when and why you would want to use each plug, or which parameters you could adjust to obtain X result. Nothing. It's like a teacher just reading aloud a text book to his class.
As for the "interactive" part: you get none at all (unless you consider "interaction" choosing which chapter you want to watch at any given point in time).
You're better off just reading the Waves manuals and experimenting with the plugs yourself. This video does not provide one single bit of information that you could not get yourself this way.
On top of it all you get an annoying voice-over that sounds utterly self-conscious, forced and fake, more like a radio host or commercial announcer than someone trying to help you learn.
All in all, a very poor product.
Very Disappointing.......2006-02-11
It pretty much is like someone reading a manual to you and showing you on video. There is really not much about using the plugins or techniques in using the plugins that you don't get from the manuals. It justs shows features and describes features. The product manuals you get with the plugins are much better as you can go through them at your own pace. These videos race through product descriptions much like sales demos describing features of the products.
A real waist of money.
Great insight into how professionals use the Waves Plug-ins.......2005-12-07
This is a great product to get an initial feel of how to use the Waves plug-ins. While it does cover most of the details of using the plug-ins, it's not really as comprehensive as a book. It was interesting to see how a professional sound engineer would use these valuable tools. There were some really good tips.
Pros:
* Covers the user interface quite well
* You can listen to the effect of changing a parameter on the music
* Professionally produced with nice voiceover
Cons:
* Sometimes the choices of which parameter was changed to demonstrate an effect seemed random or not well explained.
* Since there are many user interface similarities between the plug-ins, sometimes it seemed a bit repetitive to see the same features discussed in every plug-in.
Average customer rating:
- Explore algorithmic composition and get good results.
|
Computer Music in C
Phil Winsor , and
Gene Delisa
Manufacturer: University of North Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| C
| Programming
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Composition
| Theory, Composition & Performance
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
MIDI, Mixers, etc.
| Theory, Composition & Performance
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Computer Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 1574411160 |
Customer Reviews:
Explore algorithmic composition and get good results........1999-10-30
All Phil Winsor's books have a common theme - the various mathematical algorithms (probability, filtering, shaping melodic lines, etc). One of the books provides C code, the others all provide BASIC code. He discusses such subjects as stochastic composition, development of melody via various mathematical functions, rhythm and harmony using mathematical functions, etc. He doesn't go into more advanced algorithms such as using Markov Chains, neural networks, or AI. His book, "Automated Music Composition" is intended for use with his MusicSculptor package in that the various programs create output files suitable for use with this software. It seems to me that all his books contain roughly the same information, so if you get his latest book "Automated Music Composition", you will have the gist of his previous books. I would say his books are more accessible than some of the more esoteric writings by MIT press. Winsor's books are loaded with code that actually works using whatever algorithm is being discussed. So I am not sure anything is to be gained by detailing each book separately. Winsor's books all cover the same material. "Computer Music in C" is the C language version of "The Composer's Toolbox" which is in BASIC. "Automated Music Composition" is also in BASIC. But they all cover the same material, though "Automated Music Composition" provides more initial coverage of putting together a MIDI system and how his algorithms fit into the overall scheme of music making. It is as if one can see an evolutionary development of his ideas through the span of time over which he has written his books. By the way, if you have a PC and MPU-401 midi card, you will want to consider purchasing his MusicSculptor program and the book "Automated Music Composition". With these two pieces, you can freely explore algorithmic composition and get good results.
Average customer rating:
|
Sonar: Ten Years
Manufacturer: Actar
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
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General
| Music
| Entertainment
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MIDI, Mixers, etc.
| Theory, Composition & Performance
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General
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Look Inside Computer Books
| Trip
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ASIN: 8495951355
Release Date: 2003-09-01 |
Book Description
In the course of the last decade, electronic music and club culture have ceased being a minority phenomenon and become an accepted part of Culture with a capital "C." The ascendance of the Sonar Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art, one of the chief exponents of the electronic scene worldwide, is a loud and clear indication of this revolution. To commemorate its first 10 years of life, the festival presents its own photo album: a book of images that reviews the history of this singular event through the viewfinder of a camera. Founded in 1994 in Barcelona, Spain, Sonar has brought together concerts and multimedia shows, complementing them with presentations of technological innovations and the creation of spaces for debate and discussion. In its musical selection, the festival has applied eclectic criteria, offering a spectrum of styles and tendencies over the past decade, including such artists as Orbital, Atari Teenage Riot, Kruder & Dorfmeister, the Pet Shop Boys, Jimi Tenor and other avant-garde sound and noise makers. This volume celebrates Sonar's 10th anniversary with photographs and graphics made over the years, offering, not incidentally, a visual history of techno music as well as a history of the festival itself. You may not be able to remember what Kraftwerk was wearing at that concert in 1995 or what equipment they were using--but Sonar: Ten Years does.
Average customer rating:
- A Songwriter's Guide To The Galaxy
|
Song Sheets to Software: A Guide to Print Music, Software, and Web Sites for Musicians
Elizabeth C. Axford
Manufacturer: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Reference
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Songbooks
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Business & Culture
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
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Printing
| Graphic Design
| Computers & Internet
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All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0810850273 |
Book Description
This second edition of Song Sheets to Software includes completely revised and updated listings of music software, instructional media, and music-related Internet Web sites of use to all musicians, whether hobbyist or professional. This book is a particularly valuable resource for the private studio and classroom music teacher.
Customer Reviews:
A Songwriter's Guide To The Galaxy.......2002-04-08
"Song Sheets to Software: A Guide to Print Music, Software, and Web Sites for Musicians" provides both the aspiring and the professional musician, songwriter, and/or music publisher with a comprehensive, concise, and logically sequenced "roadmap" to the vast array of music-related and/or music publishing resources of the Internet. In doing so, it fills the "information gap" that has long existed between those who create music and those who are in business to exploit and/or promote it. As opposed to the more common, "hunt and peck" approach of any number of music publisher "directories" available for purchase on this and other bookseller web sites, this new, highly effective "tool" offers left hemisphere hope for those with right brain preferences.
After prefacing the motivation and inspiration that resulted in this vital work, the author begins with a brief, albeit thorough history of the relationship between the creative origins of songwriting and it's business counterpart, music publishing. This provides the necessary "foundation" upon which further knowledge of this and "all things music" can be acquired, utilizing contemporary computer-related technologies.
In the chapters that follow, readers are equipped with a music-related software glossary, indexed website address locations, and even an Internet vocabulary dictionary. This empowers the modern day equivalent of Shakespeare's bards, poets, and minstrels with apprehension-free and confident access to cyberspace. When seeking the services of a reputable music publisher, this wonderful reference work may just prevent many a
would-be tunesmith from becoming "Lost In Space" as well. And this, in this author's opinion, is a benefit to humankind. As Nietzsche pointed out, "Without music, life would be a mistake."
Customer Reviews:
The compact disc handbook: good overview on this topics.......1998-10-04
This book describes very precisely all the technical aspects in relation with the compact disc: basics on digital audio processing, error correction, special coding modulation for CD and so on. The only thing we could miss is simply the fact there is no chapter on the DVD CD device: maybe in a further edition ?
In summary, a very good book to be introduced in the CD system, explained in a language which is not too difficult to understand by non-specialists (but some knowledge in DSP would be helpful).
Average customer rating:
|
Aero Album, Vol. 14
Manufacturer: Wind Canyon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1891118145 |
Average customer rating:
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Cyberarts 98: International Compendium Prix Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica (1998)
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Schools, Periods & Styles
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
| Abstract Expressionism
| Ancient & Classical
| Art Deco
| Art Nouveau
| Baroque
| Byzantine
| Constructivism
| Contemporary Art
| Cubism
| Dadaism
| Expressionism
| Fauvism
| Folk Art
| Futurism
| German Expressionism
| Gothic
| Impressionism
| Mannerism
| Medieval
| Modern
| Neoclassical
| Pop
| Post-Impressionism
| Pre-Raphaelite
| Prehistoric & Primitive
| Realism
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| Rococo
| Romanesque
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| Surrealism
General
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| Graphic Design
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Animation
| Graphic Design
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General
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Web Graphics
| Web Design
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Culture
| Business & Culture
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General
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General
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General
| Music
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Media Studies
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
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ASIN: 3211831355 |
Average customer rating:
|
Exploring Music with the B. B. C. Micro and ELECTRON
Kevin Jones
Manufacturer: Financial Times Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| C
| Programming
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
PCs
| Hardware
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Digital Music
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
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Instruction & Study
| Theory, Composition & Performance
| Music
| Entertainment
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General
| Education
| Nonfiction
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ASIN: 0273022148 |
Book Description
Everything a crossword solver could ever need -- in one complete volume!
Who won the Academy Award for best actress in 1993? What's another word for "nerd"? If you're a modern puzzler, you need not only a quick and easy reference, but a book that is as interesting and intelligent as the puzzles of today -- and the people who solve them.
The
Crossword Puzzle Dictionary section is brimming with more than 200,000 words organized by letter count and synonym. Looking for an 11-letter word for "knotted"? It's not too complicated:
knotted: 5 kinky;
6 gnarly, kinked, knotty, snarly;
7 gnarled, knobbed, raveled, snarled, tangled;
8 involved;
9 entangled, intricate, perplexed;
11 complicated;
12 inextricable
The
Reference Book section is jam-packed with up-to-date lists of awards, important figures, records, and happenings in a wide variety of fields, including sports, history, literature, film, music, and politics. It's just what you need to stir your memory, brainstorm ideas, get out of a rut, and maybe even learn something new.
The Simon & Schuster Super Crossword Puzzle Dictionary and Reference Book brings together the solid information of an almanac, the word power of Roget's, and the quirkiness of a trivia collection all in one place. Eminently practical, this fun- and fact-filled volume, bursting with all manner of information, belongs in the library of every puzzle aficionado.
Customer Reviews:
Easy read type but no substance........2001-02-02
I found very few circumstances were this reference book came even close to to the comprehensiveness of the "Random House Crossword Puzzle Dictionary". The only thing that recommends it is the easy to read type face.
Not Just For X-Words--Brain Teasing Fun.......2000-08-31
The majority of our evaluators donned this colorful book to be out and out fun. Whether they were writing puzzles (sans computer programs) solving them or just reading through the vast information. The most common remarks were "It is funky, contemporary, and extremely well organized."
Simon & Schuster has put together over 200,000 words which are arranged most proficiently. For example, if one needs a 6 letter word which is of the chemical ilk meaning toxic--turn to alpha order page TOXIC, peruse the additons, one of the entries by letter evaluation is DIOXIN.
Far more than for crosswords, this informational fountain flows with a high level reference section. One can find anything from Grammy Award winners, best sport teams, historical facts, pop-culture and even current events (thru 1998-9).
Superb for trivia buffs, lovers of words, crossword puzzlers.
Amazon.com
Like its subject, The Smartest Guys in the Room is ambitious, grand in scope, and ruthless in its dealings. Unlike Enron, the Texas-based energy giant that has come to represent the post-millennium collapse of 1990s go-go corporate culture, it's also ultimately successful. Penned by Fortune scribes Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, the 400-page-plus chronicle of the scandal digs deep inside the numbers while, wisely, maintaining focus on the "smart guys" deep-frying the books. The likes of paternal but disengaged CEO Ken Lay (dubbed "Kenny Boy" by George W. Bush, one of many prominent public figures with whom he rubbed shoulders), cutthroat man-behind-the-curtain Jeff Skilling, and ethically blind numbers whiz Andy Fastow vividly come to life as they make a mockery of conventional accounting practices and grow increasingly arrogant and bind to their collective hubris. They're not a likable lot, and the writers find it difficult to suppress their astonishment and revulsion with the crew who rapidly went from golden boys and girls of the financial world to pariahs when the bill finally came due. The authors' unrepressed sarcasms are more than often unnecessarily given the scope of the outrage. Enron's leading lights were or a time celebrated for their ability to concoct nearly unfathomable business schemes to hide mounting shortfalls and keeping track on their machinations can be a chore, but, by sticking hard to the story behind the fall, McLean and Elkind have reported and written the definitive account of the Enron debacle. --Steven Stolder
Book Description
Just as Watergate was the defining political story of its time, so Enron is the biggest business story of our time. And just as All the President's Men was the one Watergate book that gave readers the full story, with all the drama and nuance, The Smartest Guys in the Room is the one book you have to read to understand this amazing business saga. And the critics agree:
“This book is right up there with Den of Thieves and Barbarians at the Gate. . . . Those who want to learn what happened here, you don't have to read anything but this.” —James Cramer, CNBC
“The best book about the Enron debacle to date. . . . Based on hundreds of interviews and fresh details, McLean and Elkind masterfully weave together the many strands of the Enron story. They shine in their characterizations of Enron's often incompetent executives.” —Wendy Zellner, BusinessWeek
“News junkies and mystery lovers who enjoy financial scandals will devour this multilayered book. . . . The Smartest Guys in the Room will rival other models of the genre, including James Stewart's Den of Thieves. . . . The authors write with power and finesse. Their prose is effortless, like a sprinter floating down the track. . . . The character sketches of former chairman Kenneth Lay, former CEO Jeff Skilling and ex-chief financial officer Andrew Fastow are masterful.” — Edward Iwata, USA Today
“Powerful and shocking. . . . succeed[s] in opening a disturbing window into both the company and the era . . . filled with fascinating characters and anecdotes.” —Jonathan A. Knee, The New York Times Book Review
“The Smartest Guys in the Room is utterly professional, readable and—even though you know what's coming—highly entertaining.” —Daniel Gross, The Washington Post
“Meticulously reported and compelling . . . a cautionary tale about highfliers who weren't as clever as they thought.” —David Koeppel, Entertainment Weekly
Customer Reviews:
Blunt, intriguing analysis of Enron.......2007-10-05
This book goes through Enron's rise and fall while analyzing each main character. McLean and Elkind have researched well.
This is quite entertaining and a fun read. The only downside is the large number of characters, but the authors have provided a character description list in the beginning of the book. I frequently referred to the characters' descriptions.
Overall, a good book on Enron's choices over the years.
The smartest guys in the room.......2007-09-10
A very well-written account of the rise & fall of Enron. I couldn't put it down
Wanted to read the book after seeing the documentary........2007-08-23
I purchased the book after seeing the documentary in an Ethics class taken during an MBA program at Oklahoma City University. I wanted a little more detail on how things got so blatently out of hand at Enron. I've also read the Conspiracy of Fools. I'm very intrigued by the human nature aspect of this story. We are not being realistic, if we don't think this very same situation could happen anywhere at anytime. More people didn't come forward because their personal livlihood was in jeopardy, even though they had concerns about the ethics of the operation. These were very smart people who let their arrogance get in the way. In the end, everyone was to blame, but no one was to blame. Based on what I understand of the personalities of the Enron Leaders - this was their destiny. It was bound to happen - it only took some time. The biggest question of all - who is next.
Great book on bad management.......2007-08-02
Bad management and the amazing power of human beings to self-delude is on full display in the Enron debacle. This book does a good job of telling a complex story with a large cast of characters. I think it will help supervisors and business owners more that the latest fad book on business and leadership. These guys make excellent bad examples.
Case Study of Corruption on Steroids.......2007-06-05
I purchased this book after having watched the movie of the same name. The book is a very detailed and meticulous recounting of the rampant greed and corruption that was Enron. What you come to discover is that through highly-technical accounting schemes and tricks Enron turned itself into a seeming juggernaut of a business from just a staid old pipeline company. Enron really thought that the free market enabled it to do anything and trade any kind of commodity from weather derivatives to paper pulp, oil, and broadband. What you come to find out in this book though is that they never really had a way to deliver what they kept promising Wall Street.
Enron was a big house of cards all propped up by their stock price. Once that dropped, all hell broke loose. The company was obsessed with the stock price, posting it in elevators and encouraging employees to invest as much of their 401K monies into it as possible. They even created elaborate hedge funds that were based on the stock staying above certain levels. In order to keep the stock at lofty levels they lied and used "creative" accounting to fool Wall Street.
The real reveal in reading this book however is that Jeff Skilling and Ken Lay really have a vast number of compatriots to join them as teh villians here. Andy Fastow, now the government stoolie, was arguably worse than both Lay and Skilling. And yet, thanks to his cooperation, he gets far less jail time.
This book is a slow read, and not for the half-hearted. For the vast majority you are really better off watching the film.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Communications & Strategies, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1176 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Bethany McLean & Peter Elkind The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron.
Author: James Alleman
Publication:
Communications & Strategies (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Issue: 61
Page: 187(3)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Books:
- Robert Bresson: A Spiritual Style in Film
- Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle: A Biography Of The Silent Film Comedian, 1887-1933
- Scene by Scene
- Server-Side Flash: Scripts, Databases and Dynamic Development
- Silent Film Sound (Film and Culture Series)
- Some of Me
- Somewhere in the Night
- Speaking the Language of Desire: The Films of Carl Dreyer (Cambridge Studies in Film)
- Star Wars: The Magic of Myth (Star Wars)
- Steven Spielberg: Crazy for Movies
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