edition 13 issue 1 september 4, 2009
(785) 832-6050
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The Free Press 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66049
THE SUBURBAN GUIDE TO URBAN LAWRENCE Many students take Lawrence for granted. They rant about getting out of town. If this sounds like you, listen: enjoy Lawrence while you still can, experience the arts and culture, or at the very least, eat some great food, explore downtown and take a walk in a park by jake frydman and jeff carmody
pages 4 &
page 3
Clubs and organizations bring in the dough despite funding cuts
page 6
5
Solutions to unhealthy snacking with recipes from Local Burger's Hilary Brown
page 8
Construction projects rush for completion before sports seasons begin
Organizations Face Budget Cuts Singers Look to Annual Cookie Sale for More Dough
by bailey schaumburg
“Choir is one of those things where it's not about you, it's about everyone around you,” junior Ben Markley said. Unfortunately, underneath the excitement and performances there are tasks that must be completed to make the magic happen. It turns out making beautiful music requires more than natural talent; it requires funding.With the budget cuts this year, students must work harder than ever to raise money for the program. Although making music is the main goal, choir class inspires its students in other ways. It is a haven for musical gurus, driven students, or kids just looking to make new friends. “The music department has always had financial issues, which means that we're already pretty adept to having to deal with a lack of funds,” Markley said. Students are more aware this year of the financial situation than in past years. Two weeks ago the choir program began its annual cookie dough fund raiser. According to choir director Hilary Morton, money from the fund raiser is used for folders, sight singing books, pencils, paper for programs, uniforms, hiring an orchestra
and purchasing music. “It’s really hard because there are so many people in choir,” junior Natalie Edmondson said. “Whenever I ask someone they have already bought from someone else.” Choir is a commitment, and causes enough stress without the added job of selling cookie dough to keep the program thriving. However, with the lack of funds it is a necessary labor. Usually, the amount of money the district allots for music purchases is gone by December. "This year the amount was cut in half, and the money was gone before the students ever returned," Morton said. Even though selling cookie dough is a chore, keeping the program alive makes the effort worthwhile. For a few people, selling cookie dough has become a life lesson that accompanies the singing aspect of the class. "[Choir] has kept me close to a lot of good friends,” Markley said. “It has made me a better musician and, in some ways, a better person.” Sometimes, money for funding comes from a completely different angle. "Many students' parents donate to our pro-
gram each year, which is fantastic," Morton said. For junior Will Libeer, the class is just as much about building character as it is about music. “It has given me confidence and pushed my boundaries because singing in front of the choir is one of the most nerve-wracking things ever,” Libeer said. The choir program introduces students to new ways of thinking and learning, and is often used as a place to escape for a little while. Although selling cookie dough is tiresome, no one involved with the program would like to imagine losing it. “Free State choir is an opportunity to make beautiful, beautiful music,” Markley said.“You walk into rehearsal to make something beautiful, and at the end of rehearsal, you've done it.”
"the money was gone before the students ever returned" - Choir Director Hilary Morton
Student fundraisers, especially for sports teams or organizations, are especially important this year as a result of budget cuts. photo illustration/ jessica jacobs
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A Summer Well Spent by alex santos and kim carter
Kristen Miller junior
Destination: Cost Rica
Duration: 6 days
Activities:
touring the rain forest and a volcano, ATVing, jungle ziplining
Recommendations:
small groups and tour guides
As soon as the bell rings on the last day of school almost every students' mind wonders to thoughts of freedom, more sleep and exciting summer trips. Some students spent their summer relaxing and purposely forgetting everything they learned while soaking up some rays. Others, like juniors Aaron Lauridsen and Kristen Miller, made better use of their time. Lauridsen spent one week of his summer helping out at Camp Barnabas in Purdy, Missouri. The camp is for teenagers with life-threatening illnesses and special needs. "You go there and you get a camper and you take care of them for a week," Lauridsen said. "You become their best friend and they become yours." The camp provides many forms of entertainment; including a pool, much like a water park, and a rifle range. While some students there worked in the kitchen and
helped out around the camp others, like Lauridson, were camp counselors, assigned to one teen. Lauridson was happy to take some of his free time to have fun and help his camper, Eric. "I have three months of not doing anything and just to take one week out to do something for someone else was good." While Lauridsen spent time at Camp Barnabas, Miller vacationed with her family in Costa Rica. "It was beautiful.We did a lot of tourist stuff", Miller said of her trip. In Costa Rica Miller and her family did the typical tourist activities. They toured the rain forest and a volcano while there, as well as ATVing through a small town. "Zip lining through the rain forest was great," Miller recounted. "Scary, but fun." Though terrified at first Miller swallowed her fear and realized that you just have to relax, let go and enjoy the ride. Miller and her family spent six days in Costa Rica after plans to go to Italy fell through. "It ended up being too expensive so we went to the beach instead," Miller said. Her suggestions for what to do in Costa Rica Miller include the tours. "It was just my family and a tour guide - no huge groups. We got to do more things rather than just staying at the hotel." Whether it was tropical Costa Rica or neighboring Missouri students spent their summers in a variety of relaxing and exciting ways. If you can't wait until next summer, don't worry its only 272 days, 5 hours, 43 minutes and 17 seconds (no 16, 15, wait no 14 seconds!) until next summer. All we can do now is make our school year as satisfying, breathtaking and enjoyable as our summers were.
SUNDAY BRUNCH
• • •
9
$ .95
Upcoming Events:
Only
Senior Ad Design Nights Oct 5, 6, 7 from 3:30 to 8pm Senior Ads Due Oct 9, 2009 Senior Photos Due Oct 30, 2009
with Student ID
School Photo Retakes
www.tellerslawrence.com
will be September 15. Every student who missed having their photo taken at Enrollment will be assigned an appointment time. Check the list of scheduled appointments on display outside of the Main Office or Room 115 starting September 9.
Buy early and save. Purchase your 2010 Talon yearbook by September 30 before the price goes from $50 to $55. Send payment in care of the Finance Office before your chance to by a yearbook has passed, December 18, 2009.
SUNDAY BRUNCH
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$ .95
Only
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Sept. 4, 2009
Issue 1 Page
3
WHAT’S GOING
A guide to Urban Lawrence
ENCORE Delicious Asain American cuisuine, smoothies and bubble tea all with affordable prices.
Free Press Recommends: The Mongolian Beef and Karaoke in a back room.
1007 Mass. (785) 856-3682
ON
LIBERTYHALL HALL LIBERTY A 142 year old building that now hosts independent movies, events, and concerts
Free Press Recommends: Midnight Movie Madness. STS9 (10/6), Ben Folds (10/26)
KU CAMPUS Lawrence’s most iconic landmark. The campus is a haven for nature lovers and sports fans
Free Press Recommends: Allen Fieldhouse and the Spencer Art Museum
644 Mass. 749 1972
Free Press Recommends: Fall asleep reading a book under a towering Oak tree
1200 block of Mass.
W
L
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Lawrence’s most famed park. Home to festivals, park benches and nature lovers.
side of downtown is another great park. South Park hosts many of Lawrence’s festivals such as Art in the Park every summer and is the starting point for many of Lawrence’s parades such as the Art Tougeu Parade. Bands sometimes will often play from the centrally located Gazebo. It is simply a great place to be, nap and hang out on a day when nothing else is going on in the park.
by jeff carmody and jake frydman
awrence sucks, there is nothing to do here. Comments similar to this are common occurrences in the school halls. When pressed further the general consensus about these feelings is other places just have more to do. What that really means of course is that these places have a mall, which is apparently the greatest thing ever. First of all malls suck. Sure many people will disagree with this, but seriously a mall is just a collection of boring generic stores. It makes no sense for people to be envious of these glorified giant boxes, when Lawrence has so much more to offer. Liberty Hall cinema is one of these unique venues, a music hall and independent film theater. Of the many great events at Liberty Hall, my favorite is Midnight Movie Madness. Once a month the hall does a midnight showing of a movie that really involves its audience. People yelling at the screen and throwing popcorn into the air is all just part of the experience. The Granada and The Bottle Neck are two other music halls downtown.
SOUTH PARK
Both of these venues have concerts on almost a nightly basis. Although they might not be the cleanest places in the world, both venues are great for enjoying quality music.
H
anging out in Lawrence just feels different than in Kansas City or its suburbs. A major part of this reason is Lawrence is such
Sept. 4, 2009
an old town things have come about in a more natural process. Nothing emphasizes this more than Lawrence’s parks. Many of the iconic parks in town have simply always been here. In Olathe the parks are strategically placed and designed in a modern fashion. This works for some people, but it just is not the same as the quirks and
irregularity of the Lawrence parks which have evolved in a natural process over many decades. Watson Park, also known as the train park due to the big train engine, is located northwest of downtown. This park has a huge open space which is perfect for a pick up game of soccer or ultimate Frisbee. Some win More online at fsfreepressonline.com
ters this field is filled with water and turned into an ice skating rink. Tables are set up for picnicking or doi ng school work. Of course, the train itself is the real high light. Note the keep off sign, but don’t let that stop you from letting your inner eight year old from having the time of its life. Just be careful. South Park located on the south
hile many franchise restaurants have developed in the newer commercial areas of towns, downtown is home to many affordable Lawrence originals. It may be tempting to settle for something safe and reliable like a hamburger from Applebees or chicken tenders from Chili’s. But for close to the same price you can eat at a number of culturally diverse locally owned restaurants. Students, especially, need to be pushed into expanding their horizons when it comes to local culture. Getting the nachos from On the Border with some adjective before the name such as ultimate, is not being adventurous. Though it may seem like On the Border is the best latin american cuisine, that could not be further from the truth. La Parilla, located on Mass Street offers better food for a cheaper price. Zen Zero, an Asian restaurant drawing influence from Nepal, Tibet, Thailand,Vietnam and Japan, is another incredible restaurant that many students have likely heard of, but seldom go to. Encore, another Asian restuarant, and Indian Palace round off the top four affordable downtown locations. However, if you insist on having your burgers try Dempsey’s next to the Post
Office. This burger bar is quick and innovative with a great atmosphere. When you go downtown, experience more than the wonderful food: feel how alive Lawrence is. Out on the west side of town you barely feel a pulse, but downtown, whether you’re watching from a restaurant window or strolling down Mass, you are in the heart and soul of Lawrence. The atmosphere downtown is largley due to embraced arts (from the Arts Centers to concerts, murals and art festivals) and the characters. It’s impossible to head downtown and not see interesting people: people with strange clothes, downtown celebrities like the peace man or people standing on the corner preaching their beliefs or sellling food.
A
lthough you can find bowling, nature and sports events elsewhere around town, no place really has the same feel as the Kansas University campus. Perhaps the feeling is due to the abundance of eager young minds ready to learn, or perhaps it’s the palpable anticipation before weekends of binge drinking. Whatever the reason, rest assured: nobody does it like KU. Going to KU football games and basketball games is the most obvious choice of campus activities, but students uninterested in sports should know campus is about more than the game. Jay Bowl is a great location on campus. Bowling at Jay Bowl is simply livelier than it’s crosstown counterpart Royal Crest Lanes - though Royal Crest Lanes is still a quintessential Lawrence hangout. The lanes at Jay Bowl may not be as nice, and the jury is still out on whether the lanes are too short, but, like everything that makes Lawrence so great, it has character. Additionally, the Campanile area is a gorgeous destination for sightseers, runners, sledders and people that enjoy a nice roll in the grass. Also in this area is the Spencer Art Museum which is underutilized as a tool for learning about art and culture, and Free State could use a dose of that.
Sept. 4, 2009
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Munchy Makeover Healthy Alternatives to Common Unhealthy After School Snacks by emily johnson
After seven grueling hours of academics and a rigorous workout senior Joey Cunningham is starving. He comes home and eats frozen waffles—not the ones from the organic section, but the chemical and preservative-filled cardboard Eggo variety. “Sometimes I don't even unfreeze them,” Cunningham said. He isn't alone—although most students probably bother to unfreeze their waffles. Seven, sometimes eight hours at school with a measly twenty minutes for lunch leaves most students famished.They could come home and eat an apple or some celery sticks, but these healthy choices aren't as fulfilling as the carbohydrate fix one gets from eating an Eggo waffle. A healthier way to load up on carbs might be to make a batch of whole-wheat waffles with fresh ingredients, but, the chances of a high school guy pulling on his apron and putting in that much effort seem slim to none. Most high school students want something quick, tasty and filling. Unfortunately, junk food is readily available and fits all this criteria. “I eat whatever is the easiest to get to in my cupboard,” said senior Asher O'Connor, who sights Cheetos and Doritos as common after school snacks.
“I also really like Ben and Jerry's and Subway,” Cunningham adds. Everyone has heard enough endless droning about the obesity epidemic to know eating junk food is bad, but that doesn't stop it from being the cheapest and most convenient way to eat. And, of course, it tastes good. Once you get started, it seems difficult to stop. “So many foods today are made in a lab with the specific intent of making folks addicted to them," said Hilary Brown, owner of Local Burger, a Lawrence restaurant that sells only food made of organic ingredients. "Junk food is easy and is engineered to taste synthetically appealing,” However, an after school snack that is both healthy and fulfilling does exist, and as an added bonus, it doesn't have to taste disgusting. In fact, most students will find that a snack made of real ingredients tastes better than the chemicals they currently swallow in bulk. According to Brown, avoiding junk food is a matter of having simple, easy, and delicious snacks on hand. “You do not have to deprive yourself of delicious food to improve your health dramatically," Brown said. "Remove artificial food, boxed foods and processed foods and the results will astound you.” All this comes from a former junk food addict. As a
teenager, Brown craved the foods she has since found out she is allergic to, or that her body cannot tolerate. “I loved breads, dairy and sweets and I ate my fair share of them," Brown said. "I never felt very good. I struggled with my weight, my mood, and I was frequently sick. I didn’t realize how bad I felt until I got off those foods.” After visiting a local Naturopathic Physician, Brown found out her system did not tolerate artificial ingredients, gluten, eggs or dairy. When she transformed her diet her lifelong struggles with muscle pain, joint pain, ear aches, sinus infections, attention issues and mood issues ended. “My health transformation led me to research the impacts of our food choices on the economy, the environment, our culture and animal welfare…Local Burger was born because of what I learned and experienced.” A student's journey to a complete “health transformation” like Brown's, can start with the perfect after school snack. Make healthy food the easiest thing to grab in your refrigerator. Fill your cupboard with the right things so that healthy food is the more convenient option. Local Burger has provided five easy-to-make snack recipes that are healthy, organic and most importantly, delicious. Try substituting these options for your typical after school junk food fix. See how you feel.
Healthy Snack Recipes From Hilary Brown Sensational Snack Mix – Most grocery stores have organic nuts in bulk. Get some of your favorites – I like a mix of walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins and dark chocolate chips. Walnuts have good Omega 3’s, pumpkin seeds high in L-tryptophan a compound naturally effective in alleviating depression. Chocolate is high in Magnesium and other health supportive qualities. Turkey Roll-ups – Take a slice of turkey (nitrate, msg-free
and preferably organic- I like Applegate Farms) and place a slice of avocado, apple, good salt and olive oil and wrap up in a piece of lettuce – eat 2 or 3 – the fresh veggies and protein are really good for you and won’t get you fat!
Sweet Brazilian Dates – Medjool dates are natures can-
dy! Remove the pit and replace with a Brazil nut. Brazil nuts are packed with selenium an important trace mineral. Selenium deficiencies trigger several different autoimmune disorders like thyroid dysfunction and psoriasis. These are really better than the lab made peanut butter cups.
Buffalo Dog stick – If you like hot dogs you must try
New Grass Bison’s Buffalo Dogs (sold at The Merc, Hy-Vee and Local Burger). They are free of all the bad stuff and taste delicious wrapped up in a piece of lettuce.
The World’s Best Veggie Burger – for those of you that are vegetarians you must get good quality protein and fat! The veggie burger we sell at Local Burger (we have them in our freezer case for only $1.25 each if you buy a pack of 12). They are made with Quinoa – also known as the ‘super grain’ because it is the only food outside the animal kingdom that is a complete protein. They are really delicious (non-vegetarians are hooked) and all you have to do is drop one in a toaster for a couple minutes.
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OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS: DIVERsITy AT FREE STATE By sydney sims
Two Staffers With Different Take on Unity and Cliques
Free Press Staff
I was extremely nervous my first day at Free State. I was afraid I that if we can cheer our Firebird athletic teams as one unit, we should wasn't going to have anyone to sit with at lunch. Luckily, I knew a few be able to interact outside our cliques at school. It's human nature to stay within our comfort zones, be they ecostudents before I started school and they had the same lunch period as nomic, social, cultural, etc. It doesn't make you a bad person to stay me that day.At lunch I began to observe the different tables of students within your comfort zone, however it prevents you from growing as and how they associated with other tables. Every one seemed only to a individual, because your not exposed to different ideas. If you are interact with their tables and would not with other tables. Senior boys content with associating yourself with people that look, act and think would sit with senior boys, hippies would sit with hippies, the Southlike you that's fine, But to me that's boring. west kids would sit with the Southwest kids. We need to branch out and engage different thoughts, philosophies After lunch as I headed to my classes, people began to introduce and ideas. Some will make us uncomfortable and others will enlighten themselves to me. Quickly I heard about cliques, clubs and the people us but there are lessons to be learned from all types of people. I should and shouldn't hang out with. I was surprised at our school's Joining different clubs, and sitting with people you don't know or lack of unity. would not normally interact with are small things you can do to make Having a varied student body doesn't mean there is unity and unyourself a more well rounded individual. Remember to always keep an derstanding. Our student body has the potential to be a unified school, open mind. yet we don't venture out of our cliques. Staying in the same clique for "You never really understand a person until you consider things from three years and not experiencing new things does not allow you to be his point of view," author Harper Lee said. a well-rounded individual. If students don't learn to be well-rounded in If vigorous debate is the first tenant to higher education then honest high school, there is little hope for their adulthood. conversation should be the first tenant of true unity. If it does not exist, Being in classes with people different from you is not the same as all you have are people from a myriad of backgrounds and perspecgetting to know them. True unity will be achieved when honest tives clinging to their past and short changing our future. and open conversation occurs. Our school has so many opportunities for our stuWhen people gather at sporting events they dent body to mix. If we break from our comfort zones come together to cheer their team to victory. In the "You can never and interact with many different types of people, our crowd there are people of different cultures, beliefs, understand a school will have more spirit and it will be a better ethic and economic backgrounds.We might not unperson until you learning environment. If we all celebrate together the derstand the person standing next to us, but if the consder things more fun our highschool experience will be. team scores a point we all celebrate together. I feel
Jeff Carmody Editor-in-Chief
Emily Johnson Copy Editor
Varied But Not Unified
from their point of view."
By katherine corliss
Bailey Schaumburg Managing Editor
Jake Frydman Designer
Nik Brill Reporter
Kim Carter Web-Master
Katherine Corliss Designer
Miranda Davis Reporter
Allison Harwood Reporter
Jessica Jacobs Photographer
Emma Machell Reporter
Justin Saathoff Reporter
Alex Santos Photographer
Sydney Sims Reporter
Unified and Diverse
We live in a city where 84 percent of the population is white, the average income per household is above the national average, so socio-economic and racial diversity can be hard to find. However we also live in Kansas, where the stereotype is we are all farmers who drive tractors to school. But our school isn't like that. We all come from different backgrounds, different schools, even different political parties, but upon our enrollment at Free State, we became Firebirds. Sure, there are athletic firebirds, academic firebirds, and musical Firebirds, but we all come together, to support each other when called upon. All different groups of students can be seen at football games, choir concerts and school dances. And as far as I know, no one drives a tractor to school. Walking into the Commons during lunch a stranger’s first impression might be that there are tons of cliques consisting of all the same types of people. But these aren’t the impenetrable cliques of Mean Girls, students at our school are free to move from group to group as they please. Rather it is the smaller groups of friends that make our school a powerhouse. In each of these smaller groups, each individual is vividly different from one that they are sitting next to. Students here often take the opportunity to participate in activities in which they may not know anyone. It seems natural that people with similar interests choose to
hang out with each other, however that doesn't mean these people are exactly the same. No two students are involved in the exact same extra-curriculars, in all the same classes, or have the same background. Every student has a diverse and unique story to bring to the table. There are many opportunities here for students to further expand their horizons. Classes offered at our school provide students with diverse topics not found at other high schools across Kansas; anywhere from the history of Eastern Asia, to literature written by African-American authors. Five languages are offered, and numerous class trips to foreign countries take place every year, giving students opportunities to experience other cultures. There is always room for improvement; statistics show the students in economic and racial minorities do not score as well on standardized tests. By furthering student involvement in extra-curricular, perhaps we could change this. Beyond the normal definitions of diversity, the students here are diverse. Not because of where they're from, but because of where there going. Every student at Free Sate is completely different from the next, but under the roof of our school, we're all working toward a common goal, and that goal makes us the Firebirds.
"Do you think Free State is diverse?"
Bird's Word "Yeah, because we have alot of clubs."
Emma Bader Junior
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" Yes, students have all different interests,, there's different groups." Samantha Orth Sophomore
"It's very diverse in what people think and like and do." Myette Simpson Senior
"There are poeple of different races and ethnic backrounds, as well as interests, and abilitiies." Aimee Ziegler Guidance Conselor
Sept. 4, 2009
Harrison Scheib Designer The Free Press is an open forum that accepts letters to the editor and guest writings. They must include the writer's name and telephone numbers. Articles may be edited due t space limitations, libel or inappropriate content. Letters may be submitted to Room 115, sent in care of Free Press to Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66049 or submit online at fsfreepressonline.com. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Free Press staff, the high school administration, nor that of the USD 497 Board of Education
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Buzzer Beater
As the Gameclock Nears Zero, Unfocused Projects Rush to Complete
photo/jessica jacobs by miranda davis and allison harwood
It's crunch time down on the fields. No, it's not the running back sprinting for the next touchdown, or a goal at the last second to win the game.As the fall sports seasons draw near, the rush is on to make sure the new fields are ready on time. Then, weeks before the '09-10 school year started an anonymous donation was given to Free State to have an additional facility built near the football stadium for outdoor sports. Many of the fall and spring sports will move outside to the new athletic facility where equipment is more accessible. The complex includes a concession stand, public restrooms, a training room and a locker room, which will be used for male athletes in the fall and female athletes in the spring. Upstairs there are two storage rooms, a film room, staff locker rooms, a meeting room and six coach offices. As for the cost of the building, no one in the district knows how much it will cost the anonymous donor. "The district put forth $400,000 and the anonymous donor said he would cover the rest of the cost," according to Hill. There will also be two observation desks on top of the new building, but who will be permitted has yet to be discussed. "We haven't discussed who will be allowed into the observation decks," Hill said. "I don't imagine just anyone will be allowed to walk up and watch the games, but we haven't sat down to decide exactly who will have access to them."
Six sports will move down to the new building, will free up space inside the school so more coaches can have offices. "We can then move the outdoor sports out there: football, baseball, softball track and men and women's soccer. Six sports will completely move out there and coaches will move their offices out there," Hill said. The football field is projected to be finished in time for the first varsity football game on Sept. 18, but the soccer field may take a little longer to be finished. While the football stadium is nearing finish and the baseball field is done, there is still more left to do.When asked about the progress of the softball field, the last of the outdoor sports to be completed, Hill said turf would be laid down this fall and be ready by the spring season. "Soccer has still got quite a little bit to do," Hill said. But for the athletes, all that matters is game time. "We will be able to practice in the rain now," junior soccer player Scott Ragan said. All the players want to do is get out on the new fields and play. "I'm really looking forward to playing on that against LHS," senior football player Spencer Chestnut said. As for the seniors on the football team, they get to play their last season in the new stadium.Their overall attitude is excitement.The players are also hoping since the venue is closer to home it might increase student turnout. "Its just always fun to play," Chestnut said.
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