Collegian Cayuga Community College Auburn & Fulton, New York
cayugacollegian@gmail.com
Vol. 67 Issue 2 September 22, 2020
PRESIDENT DURANT ADDRESSES COLLEGE
CAYUGABRIEFS
The September 11th virtual event touched on challenges students and staff will face
STUDENTS RECOGNIZED WITH ‘PERSISTANCE’ BADGE
By Michael Perry, staff writer
PTK NATIONAL HONORS SOCIETY TO MEET SEPTEMBER 23RD VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM Auburn and Fulton CCC students are invited to attend a virtual drop-in session for Phi Theta Kappa Honors Club. They will be discussing what the Honors Club is about, explain the benefits to students about being a member, and allow students to network with others. All those who are interested and present members can join. Here is the link to the Zoom meeting. Topic: PTK Honors Society Info Session Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/92667601455 Meeting ID: 926 6760 1455
PHOTO BY MARY G. MERRITT
Spring 2020 presented unprecedented challenges for students’ learning and continued education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, wherein students adapted to circumstances that demanded fortitude and initiative both in their studies and public lives. Given the uncharted challenges in response to COVID-19, this “Persistence” badge demonstrates maintained dedication to academics. Awarded Spring 2020 only. Contact sheila.myers@cayuga-cc.edu for more information. —Sheila Myers, Coordinator, Applied Learning Coordinator, Honors Study
WELCOME TO CAMPUS DURING COVID Front door screener, student Joseph Meyers of Auburn, welcomes people to campus with a temperature check and questions about your health and travels. Meyers, who is studying Cyber Security, says he enjoys his job greeting people at the main entrance of the Auburn Campus and everyone has been cooperative and pleasant.
Cayuga Community College President Dr. Brian Durant recently delivered a campus-wide speech welcoming students and staff back for the Fall 2020 semester. Topics he discussed in the September 11th address included COVID-19 and how the college has responded to Cayuga Community the virus, some budget College President & enrollment updates, Dr. Brian Durant and goals and opportunities for the 2020-21 year academic year. Dr. Durant noted how our tremendous resilience and ingenuity as a community made the spring and summer semesters successful. We should continue this commitment moving forward to ensure everyone’s health and safety. The staff for CCC has especially demonstrated creativity and flexibility in meeting student needs and overcoming COVID-19 challenges.
Michael Perry STAFF WRITER He thanked staff and faculty for being instrumental in identifying opportunities for financial savings. Despite 20% State aid cuts, a drop in enrollment, and $250,000 in COVID-related costs (screeners and cost of COVID testing), college leadership is dedicated to doing their best to explore potential savings without impacting services to students. Overall, Dr Durant would like to leverage technology, shared services, and college resources to enhance employee opportunities and student services. Also, he says we must continue building an inclusive campus community reflecting our commitment to diversity. Dr, Durant says he and the college staff will continue providing comprehensive support services and excellent faculty instruction as we navigate through these difficult times together. MORE INFORMATION FROM THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS PAGE 3.
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MEET THE NEW LEADERS OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT
This semester most CCC campus events will be held virtually or not at all. The Student Government Organization, (SGO), which until this semester had its own leadership on each of CCC’s campuses, is now down to one entity governing both with very few nominees running for each office. Voting was held on Monday, September 21, 2020 with one candidate to consider for each position. MEET THE STUDENTS LEADERS PAGE 3.
PHOTO BY MARC BAAN
PHOTOS BY MARC BAAN
CAYUGACOLLEGIAN@GMAIL.COM
Telcom student and Cayuga Bytes host, Jenna Fields, asks CCC Coordinator of Wellness and Intervention Jerimy Blowers about the challenges students are facing with distance learning and how to get help.
BLOWERS FEATURED IN CAYUGA BYTES EPISODE Another semester of the new media show CAYUGA BYTES is underway with the first new episode (14) posted on the CAYUGA BYTES YouTube channel recently. The show is about “ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING” Cayuga in a free format put together by students. It is an arm of the college’s student-run newspaper, The Cayuga Collegian. To get involved, email cayugabytes@gmail.com.
THE THE OFFICIAL OFFICIAL STUDENT-RUN STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER NEWSPAPER OF OF CAYUGA CAYUGA COMMUNITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE COLLEGE
THE NEW NORMAL - GET USED TO IT By Jenna Fields, co-editor
Returning to normal? On this day everybody is saying they are waiting for everything to return to normal. But what is normal anymore? Back in
Marc Baan CO-EDITOR FEATURE WRITER
THE PANDEMIC AND US Just like of you reading this, I hear in the news that “This is the worst pandemic” and “Nations are closing their boarders” and “People are out of money and food”. The funny thing (if I can use that phrase) we all gone thought this before. We all are the results of thoughts who fought, those who have stayed strong, thoughts who used their brains and those who thought of others. From the Pandemic of 1918 to the Black Death we all have gone through this before. This is a scary time in our history, there is no doubt about that. What we need to do is take a deep breath and remember we all are going through the same thing. We all need to work together and by doing so we all will be able to get through this pandemic. Our ancestors made it through their pandemics, so can we. Wear your mask when you are out in public. Masks are not about suppressing your freedoms; they are a tool to prevent death. The mask is not just for your presentation but to the protection of everyone around you. Wear the mask for your fellow neighbor. Money is tight, real tight right now and food is expensive. this is when we all should look through our cupboards or cut more coupons and when we can give a little more food to the programs in our area that help out those who cannot, for whatever reason, help themselves. Take a few dollars and buy a few extra cans or anything and give them to a pantry will go a long way. We do not need to do much but not doing anything will hurt many, many more people that we could imagine. Remember, you are not alone. The whole planet is going through the same pandemic. Together we all will make it into a better future… well at least that is how I see it.
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State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras launched SUNY’s “Mask Up or Pack Up” campaign to promote universal compliance with evidence-based COVID-19 safety guidelines across SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Chancellor Malatras is issuing a call for creative video submissions from students urging their classmates to act responsibly and vigilantly to contain the virus and keep campuses safe and open.
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SUNY Brockport President Heidi Macpherson placed their men’s soccer program and several student athletes on interim suspension following a large gathering involving students who were violating safety protocols.
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SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley announced the initiation of a precautionary, two-week pause on all in-person classes and activities to allow the COVID-19 case total on campus to stabilize.
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Chancellor Malatras directs SUNY Oneonta to transition all students to 100% remote learning off campus for fall semester following nearly 400 COVID-19 cases.
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13 SUNY Fredonia students have been suspended who clearly ignored COVID-19 safety protocols.
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SUNY Cobleskill President Marion Terenzio launched immediate pooled saliva testing for the coronavirus after 12 students failed to comply with campus COVID-19 safety requirements. Each student has been suspended by President Terenzio for hosting and attending parties.
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University at Albany President Rodríguez suspended four students who blatantly ignored the safety protocols.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR March a global pandemic hit causing everything to shut down. As places started opening up, new restrictions were put in place. And yet people still say that they can’t wait to get back to normal. But here’s the case — face coverings and staying six feet away might be the new normal. It’s hard for many people to actually think that they might not be able to have large gatherings or even have to have your temperature checked when entering buildings. But it’s time to embrace the difference and stride from what has come out of this time and that we have learned to adapt to a new lifestyle. So instead of saying “I can’t wait to go back to normal”
PHOTO BY MARC BAAN
HOW I SEE IT...
COVID SUSPENSION ON SUNY CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE
Jenna Fields
OPINIONS
CAYUGABRIEFS
Officer Anthony Oughterson is armed with a digital thermometer to take your temperature. consider this is normal for the time being. Rock your most colorful face mask and remember that this might be the new normal for now, but not forever.
MEET THE COLLEGIAN STAFF Mary G. Merritt FACULTY ADVISOR Mary Gelling Merritt began her career in radio and television news working as a reporter, producer, show host, and eventually as a news executive running a television newsroom. Celebrating her 23rd year at CCC, Merritt continues to serve as an adjunct assistant professor providing instruction for courses including Introduction to Mass Media, Print Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, and Public Address. As a media entrepreneur, Merritt’s company —
MGM Word Studio, Inc. – has worked as a local media expert serving as a public relations specialist and video producer for Unity House and the Syracuse YWCA; providing graphic design services for many businesses and schools including CCC’s Telcom Department. Merritt also served as an associate producer for a full-length documentary about Syracuse’s longest ruling mayor and convicted criminal, Lee Alexander. As faculty advisor to The Cayuga Collegian, Merritt and the student staff of the paper have been recognized numerous times over the years with First and Second Place Awards in an annual national media review conducted by the National Association of Scholastic Press. Merritt says her media career actually began at nine years of age when she began publishing a newspaper for the neighbors on her street called The Flower Lane Flash. She recalls a subscription for the summer was only $1.
THE CAYUGA COLLEGIAN LOVES ITS READERS!
help is here to manage your mental health Hello, I’m Emily Lane. I’m on a mission to bring readers information on how to manage their mental health. We’re here for you. We encourage you to reach out for more information by emailing cayugacollegian@ gmail.com or checking out the NAMI OC Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ NAMICCC) to suggest topics you would like to see more information about, or simply ask a question that you would like answered.
Emily Lane PHOTOGRAPHER COLUMNIST
Largest grassroots organization for people with mental illness
The Cayuga Collegian welcomes letters from its readers. Submissions must be emailed to cayugacollegian@gmail.com. Submissions must include your name, address and daytime phone number. All letters to the editor do not reflect the viewpoint of the Collegian office, its staff or advisor. All letters are simply the opinions of the writers themselves. All letters may be edited for content or length.
PAGE TWO
Marc Baan Jenna Fields Emily Lane Michael Perry Joshua Hart Patrick Mahunik Mary G. Merritt
CO-EDITOR CO-EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHER STAFF WRITER CONTRIBUTOR CONTRIBUTOR FACULTY ADVISOR
We are looking for more staff members!
As we enter the first few week of the Fall 2020 semester, we need to remind ourselves to take a moment and breath deeply. To those of you returning this fall after the COVID-19 Spring shutdown, I’m sure you’re feeling a little more than overwhelmed with the unknowns of this new area of education. Those of you who are entering for your first college semester, I am sorry that your first round is so messy, but we are in this together. There are so many ways that you can try to manage your stress as a college student. Keeping a detailed schedule, trying to eat healthy diet, staying on top of class work, getting enough sleep, and most importantly — recognizing that everyone is dealing with some level of mental health and its OK reach out to someone when you are feeling it is all just a little to much. Managing life in the middle of a pandemic and social revolution can be hard but it’s possible. We want you to know that you
have options to reach out and ask for help. Never feel ashamed to ask someone to listen to your struggles. There is a wonderful team of people on campus that are ready and willing to help you in any way they can. Our club on campus is still in its beginning building stages. But I’d like you all to know that is its open to anyone who would like to join. Please feel free to follow and reach out to us on our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/NAMICCC If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7 by texting HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. Another option is NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). You can reach out to NAMI by calling 1-800-950-6264 or texting NAMI to 741741.
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MEET THE NEW STUDENT GOVERNMENT LEADERS Akira Huber, SGO PRESIDENT Gabriela Pacheco, VICE PRESIDENT Alaina Bates, STUDENT TRUSTEE Hannah Stearns, SGO TREASURER In this position I, Gabriela Pacheco, assure I will work hard on your behalf, listen to your ideas, and do everything I can to consider them. I will be honest with you all about the challenges our school faces. I will also do my best to communicate with Gabriela Pacheco everyone. VICE PRESIDENT As your friend, I may also ask for your input, that way we can achieve our goals as a family and as individuals. I believe I have the qualities and to be an effective leader at Cayuga Community College. What do you say? Let’s begin our journey together and help make our school better. — Gabriela Pacheco, CCC student
AKIRA HUBER CONTINUED... want to use my communication and teamwork skills with others to help organize activities and serve as a forum to share ideas with the Student Engagement Coordinator, Elizabeth Gallo. Additionally, I would like to get to know our campus as a whole to come up with fun events or ideas. These events would include both faculty and students to engage in and I would help them become more informed of the activities held on our campus. My knowledge and attitude can hopefully encourage and engage more students on campus. — Akira Huber, CCC student
I have lived in Cayuga County my entire life and graduated from Auburn High School with honors. While maintaining the busy student lifestyle, I also worked as a veterinary assistant at Alaina Bates the Mobile Veterinary STUDENT TRUSTEE Clinic of Auburn. In high school, I was a member of the Chemistry Club (Secretary and Officer), Environmental Club (Treasurer), Zonta Club, AP Biology Club, New York State Science Honor Society, and National Honor Society. As a Student Ambassador at CCC, I plan on expanding my role as an active student. I have volunteered at various college events like the Craft Fair, Blood Drive, and Open House. I am also enrolled in the honors program, an active member of Phi Theta Kappa (Secretary), Science Club (Treasurer), and work in the CAS as a Math and Science Peer Tutor. Presently, I am looking for a unique opportunity where I can exercise my leadership skills. I believe this Student Trustee position is that opportunity. — Alaina Bates, CCC student
I would like to be a part of the SGO for many reasons. I would like to see students getting engaged and participating in activities at the school. I believe that I could make a difference in the school and get the students interested in events. I want to be able to assist students and address Hannah Stearns their concerns with the SGO TREASURER college. I believe these are challenging times and believe we all must step up our efforts in making a difference in others’ lives. Student government is an important component that really can serve the student body in a positive way especially now. It’s important that we all consider our roles even during difficult times to do our part for the common good. I hope to make a difference in the role I may play to positively impact fellow CCC students. — Hannah Stearns, CCC student
PHOTO BY EMILY LANE
My name is Akira Huber and I am majoring in Education. My motivations to be a leader stems from wanting to continue that same positive student experience for others that I received my first semester here at CCC. During this difficult time, I am hoping to give students more opportunity to continue Akira Huber to engage with school SGO PRESIDENT activities safely. As I spent my first year here at Cayuga Community College, I became far more involved than I ever did in high school because of all the student activities and the feeling of being welcomed that’s presented by the college. I met a lot of great people that will be leaving this May; all I can think about is wanting to continue that same student experience for others that will be coming to our campus next year and the years to come. I would like to serve as the President of the Student Government at the Fulton campus because I believe I can make a positive impact on the students. With my responsibilities as a tutor, I can work with the students individually and get to know them more. I notice and have an understanding of what the students want or are looking for from Cayuga. I feel as though I can be more helpful for the students, not only as a peer tutor, but as their Student Government President, as a peer representative. I
Children enjoying the many activities offered at Cayuga Community College’s Childcare Center.
CAYUGA CUPBOARD STILL OPEN; DESPERATELY SEEKING DONATIONS As COVID-19 restrictions have forced changes in procedure for the entire campus, CCC’s own food pantry service, Cayuga Cupboard, continues to provide food for students and their families. “I want to remind you of how much your generosity is appreciated. Whether you know this or not, your donations and care helped students not only remain on the path to academic success, but truly helped out at a time when many were losing jobs and unable to provide for families in the COVID-19 transition,” said Cupboard coordinator and CCC Wellness and Intervention Coordinator Jerimy Blowers. “The items you donate, together with a partnership with CAP here in the city, provide much more than food. Your gifts show our students and the community that CCC really cares and what being in
the Cayuga family is all about. I wish that I could take you all on the deliveries that we made last year, so that you could truly see the impact that you all make.” If you would like to donate, there is a box in the faculty services office on the Auburn campus dedicated to that purpose (under the counter to the left). Donations may also be delivered to Blowers in M238. Blowers says your donations are immensely appreciated. “We run a small, yet productive serviced made entirely from volunteer service (students, faculty, and staff alike). Right now, any canned goods, pasta or any toiletries are certainly welcome (along with anything else). Thank you so much for making this work!” Please contact Blowers with questions: jblowers1@cayuga-cc.edu.
CAYUGA CHILD CARE CENTER EXPANDING AVAILABLE PROGRAMS To help local school districts and families, the Cayuga Community College Child Care Center is alleviating the ongoing child care shortage by opening a second location this fall. As area school districts and families adapt to their respective fall academic plans, the Center has opened an additional childcare location at Cayuga’s Auburn Campus. The Center was previously located on the Auburn Campus before the Child Care Center opened the Wall Street location in the fall of 2019. “We realize that childcare is a huge hurdle for working families when school is not in session every day, and we wanted to do everything we could to help families during this difficult time,” said Child Care Center Director Amanda Gould. “We have appropriate health measures in place to safely open the second location to more students and help meet the demand for child care in our area.” Both child care locations include extensive health and safety measures to protect children, families and staff. Temperature screenings are conducted prior to entering either facility, and only students with temperatures less than 100 degrees are allowed entry. No parents are allowed to enter either facility. Staff monitor students’ health, and will
contact the parents of any child exhibiting symptoms to request that parents pick-up their child from the facility. All employees and children 2 years of age or older must wear face masks. Cleaning measures have also increased. The Center on Wall Street will offer programming for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old, and has three infant classrooms, two toddler classrooms, two classrooms for 3-year-olds and two classrooms for Universal Pre-Kindergarten students. Hours of operation for the Wall Street location are 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The child care service located at Cayuga’s Auburn Campus has four classrooms for students ranging from kindergarten through 7th grade. Instructional components will be provided to help with students’ distance learning needs. Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Gould noted that the additional location is already close to maximum capacity, and urged parents and guardians to contact the Center soon about availability. Parents and guardians can also add children’s names to the waitlist. For more information about the Child Care Center or to contact them about enrolling your child, visit https://www.cayuga-cc. edu/students/childcare/index.html or call 315-294-8603.
GRAPHICS FROM PRESIDENT DURANT’S SPEECH TO CAMPUS
2 0 2 0 GRADUATE SIGHTINGS WHERE ARE THEY NOW? We want your help to find out how CCC 2020 graduates are doing and what they are doing! Please email photos and information to cayugacollegian@gmail.com
SERVING THE STUDENTS OF CAYUGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR MORE THAN 66 YEARS!
If you have any reaction or comments regarding the speech, please email them to cayugacollegian@gmail.com.
PAGE THREE
What are you afraid of ? What are you afraid of? Perhaps a bad grade on your mid-tem? The cop driving closely behind you? Your parents when you get home late? All valid things to be afraid of, but all tangible things—all things you can see coming.
Marc Baan CO-EDITOR FEATURE WRITER
SOMETHING FUNNY
Now think of the things you can’t see. Things that move in the comers of your eyes. Sounds that come from nowhere. The touch on your arm from the shadows ... HOW AFRAID ARE YOU NOW?
If you’re brave enough, read this weekly installment of OUR SHADOW WORLD. We will explore the myths and urban legends of our planet. From the creatures your grandparents told you they saw in the war, to the things found on an abandoned VHS tape on the side of the road. Nothing will be held back as we discover what people are afraid of in countries from all four corners of this world. Remember, all myths and legends start with some strand of the truth. Now let’s see if they stay are true or just turn out to be a good story!
OUR SHADOW WORLD In the past year, we have seen so many advances in space travel. Thanks to SpaceX’s successful return to the International Space Station and the recent Mars lander craft test, we all are that much closer to retuning to space exploration. But with the recent accomplishments, it is easy to forget that in the beginning of the “space race” there were many tragedies. And some say not all of those mishaps were made public. Russia has confirmed that they only lost four cosmonauts in their almost 60 years of human space exploration. But what Russia claims may not be the truth. In the 1960’s, there where two space superpowers,The United States of America and the Soviet Union (USSR/CCCP). In 1957, the Soviet Union starting everything off with the launch of the satellite Sputnik. Although a simple device by today’s standards, it sent a clear message to the rest of the world, Russia was not to be messed with in space. But despite this triumph of human ingenuity, there were many brave men and women who gave their lives for the glory of the Soviet Union and many of their names will never be known. In November 1963, two amateur radio operators in Italy came across a disturbing radio broadcast. The brothAchille and Giovanni ers, Achille and Battista Giovanni Battista, were using a converted Nazi bunker in Turin as their location for their hobby. It is here where they stumbled across a Soviet transmission. Under heavy static and distortion, they could make-out the faint but clearly worried reports from a cosmonaut in Earth’s orbit to her commanders in Russia. In the recording of what was broadcast, you can hear a bad situation keep getting worse. “ISN’T THIS DANGEROUS?” and “I CAN SEE A FLAME!” the concerned cosmonaut is heard saying amid the static. As the recoding continues, it becomes clear that her situation has become dire and she might Valentina Tereshkova not know that the First Woman in Space situation at hand is leading to her end. The haunting calmness of her last words will last and penetrate the even hardest of souls, “I FEEL HOT… I FEEL HOT…” After listening to the recording and reading the transcript, it becomes clear what is happening. During re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, the cosmonaut’s spacecraft had gone off course and was entering the atmosphere at a steeper angle than the craft’s heat shields could handle. She begins to list off numbers during the recording referring to the capsule’s location and angle of entry. Then finally, once the heat shields failed, it is clear she saw the flames and she could feel the heat. Many people believe this recording to be a fake. They point to the facts that Russia never declassified a woman’s name as a lost cosmonaut and that the brothers are the only source for the recording. There is a lot of doubt for the story’s provenance. And this might be the case, This whole thing might be just one giant space hoax. But if you start digging a little deeper and look into the geopolitics of the age,there might be more
truth behind the lost cosmonaut recording. In the 1960’s during the space race, the US and USSR where in the midst of the Cold War, a power struggle for global supremacy. Space was one of many contests that the two superpowers were competing for. You must get into the mindset of the leaders of the US and USSR. Any show of weakness in any competition means you have already lost. The death of one cosmonaut before a successful mission would scream to the world that Russia had already lost to the Americans. So, if there were deaths, it would be reasonable to think they would be hushed up. Many have noted that the sentence structure was not consistent with the sentence structure in the Russian language For this reason only, some believe this recording must be a fake. Well, this might be accurate but remember that the Soviet Union took 15 republics behind their ‘Iron Curtain.’ Just because someone lives in Russia does not mean they are Russian. Because we don’t know her name, we don’t know if she was from one of the republics or not. Russian may have been a second language for her. In a crisis situation, who among us would stay in the right of mind to remember how to communicate in a language that is not your native tongue? And what of the brothers? Yes, they were amateur radio operators, but that does not mean they didn’t know what they were doing. A bit more credence to their recording of the last cosmonaut can be found in their records. The recorded transmission of a woman who died in space was not the only recording they made. The brothers say there are eight other recordings. In one recording, you can hear a beeping noise slowly fade into the distance as if a soviet craft left Earth’s orbit and disappeared into the coldness of Space. And there is even a disturbing recording of a male cosmonaut suffocating to death as if his oxygen umbilical cord had become compromised. This is a strange Yuri Gagarin world were new dis- The First Man in Space coveries are made every day. Until Russia declassifies their early space missions, we may never know if there was ever a lost cosmonaut. But my advice to you is this, if you ever decide to listen the lost cosmonaut recordings, be prepared to have your blood run cold. Nothing can prepare you to hear the last words of a dying person. And if these recordings are real, please remember to show respect for the woman who gave her life so all of humanity could reach the stars someday.
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