• San Francisco

    SF Labor Protests for Construction Jobs

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Featured, News Articles, San Francisco, Special Interests Articles

    Sheet Metal workers led a protest Wednesday at BRE’s Annual Shareholder’s Meeting in downtown San Francisco.

    Members of Sheet Metal Workers’ Local Union 104 and other construction trades unions joined forces this week with environmentalists, transit advocates, and community leaders in a day of action at BRE’s Annual Shareholder’s Meeting to protest use of out-of-area workers at “substandard wages in developments around the Bay Area. “It is critical that the...

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    Find Jobs, Careers at East Bay HIREvent

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Events, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Filing tax forms was a fresh reminder to many that both their income and employment status are in need of a boost. Whether that means rejoining the workforce, finding a better job or going in a different career direction, the East Bay’s HIREvent in Emeryville offers an ideal venue to explore a broad array...

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    Felony Disenfranchisement, A Jim Crow Era Holdover

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, Politics and Government, San Francisco

    Benjamin Todd Jealous

    By Last week, the Delaware State legislature approved a constitutional amendment to all but remove the last Jim Crow-era voter suppression law from its books. The amendment, passed at the urging of the Delaware NAACP, allows people with nonviolent felony convictions to vote after their release from prison. This is a major victory for...

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    Floyd Mayweather Takes on Northern California’s Robert “Ghost” Guerrero

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, San Francisco, Special Interests Articles

    Floyd Mayweather

    By Lee Hubbard The weekend of Cinco de Mayo will be the place to be in Las Vegas, Nevada, as current Welterweight World Boxing Champion Floyd Mayweather will return to the ring to fight Robert Guerrero in “May Day: Mayweather vs. Guerrero.” The championship bout will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM...

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    The Celebration of Babatunde Olatunji An Invocation of the Spirit of the Drum

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Babatunde Olatunji, the greatest African drummer. Photo by John Werner.

    By Babatunde Harrison His name was Michael Babatunde Olatunji, and he is considered to be the greatest African drummer ever to step on the shores of the United States of America. During his 50-year stay in the U.S. Babatunde Olatunji established himself as the leading cultural ambassador of the continent of Africa in America....

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    Kamala Harris Backs Upgrade of Prescription Drug Monitoring

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Attorney General Kamala Harris this week praised the passage of a bill she is sponsoring to upgrade and expand California’s prescription drug monitoring program as an important step in combating a serious public health and law enforcement issue. The bill passed out of the Senate Business and Professions Committee on a 7 to 2...

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    The Secret Is Healthy Living, Says Olympics Boxing Trainer Virgil Hunter

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    By H. Geoffrey Watson, MD Local boxing trainer Virgil Hunter’s advice to young men on living a healthy lifestyle are recommendations that pack a punch. He began training champion boxer Andre Ward when he was nine years old and has influenced pro-fighters from around world who come to him for advice and training. “Starting...

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    Lee Opposes Social Security Cuts

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Barbara Lee

    Congresswoman Barbara Lee is opposing cuts to Social Security, called the chained CPI, that are included in the president’s 2014 budget proposal. The chained CPI is a cost index which helps to calculate the cost of living adjustments for benefit levels. The result is a lower measure of the impact of inflation on the...

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    George Receives Tennis Entrepreneurship Award

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    George & Arif

    Arif Khatib (right), the founder of the Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame,  ‘Jack London’ George Rowan, Jr. (center) and India Alston who was Mistress of Ceremonies, celebrated at the 13th Annual Multi Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame held at the Claremont Hotel & Resort on March 22. George received the Tennis Entrepreneurship Award. The...

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    Sheree Murphy is a Bay Area Champion for Change, Her Motto: Health is Wealth

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Sheree Murphy was honored as a Champion for Change and role model for her family and community by the Network for a Healthy California (Network)-Bay Area Region African American Campaign. Murphy knows “you are what you eat.” This is why she makes sure that she and her 10-year-old daughter Nia eat healthy every day....

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    Scepter Club Holds “Inspiring Women and Men” Scholarship Luncheon

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    The Scepter Club’s Regina Chapter #67, Order of the Eastern Star Prince Hall Rite of Adoption State of California, is presenting an “Inspiring Women and Men to Look and Feel Healthy and Beautiful” luncheon on Saturday, April 27, noon to 3 pm. at the at the Oakland Masonic Center, 3903 Broadway in Oakland. This...

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    Oakland’s Hebrew Day School Celebrates 65th Anniversary of Israel’s Independence

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Tal Kravitz (center, kneeling), Israeli musician, is surrounded by students of Oakland’s Hebrew Day School. He performed for children at the school to mark the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Israel’s Independence. This year, the Israeli Consulate decided that the best way to celebrate Israel’s Independence would be to embody the truth that...

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    Maudelle Shirek, 101, “Godmother” of East Bay Politics

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Maudelle Shirek

    Maudelle Shirek, who served 20 years as an elected  Berkeley leader and a lifetime as an advocate for justice, died last Thursday in a hospice in Vallejo.  She was 101. “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Maudelle Shirek, and my thoughts and prayers go out to her friends and family,” said Congresswoman...

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    Oakland Rotary Sponsors Zoo Trip for 250 Kindergarteners

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Linda Pitts, Transitiional Kindergarten teacher at Garfiled Elementary School, chaperones some of the 250 children who spent the day at the Oakland Zoo.

    250 students from Oakland School’s 11 Transitional Kindergartens spent Friday, April 12 at the Oakland Zoo, sponsored by the Oakland Rotary Club. Thirty-five Rotarians led the field trip, which focused on art and biology. This year, Oakland Rotarians and other partners provided $22,000 for classroom learning tools and supplies,  $15,000 worth of books, $11,000...

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    Drew Debro Awarded for Public Speaking

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Drew Debro

    Public speaker Drew Debro, 17, was recently presented with the Oakland Unified School District’s Distinguished Participation Award for “Demonstrating the importance of literacy and his eloquence of speaking in the style of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” A senior at Oakland Technical High School, Debro started his career in public speaking at the age...

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    Rowena Tatmon Wins “The Price is Right”

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    drew carey and rowena

    Rowena Tatmon, of Oakland, (pictured with show host Drew Carey) recently won over $11,000 in cash and prizes on “The Price is Right” game show, which aired Friday, April 5. A business partner of IVM1 Entertainment, her prizes included a hammock, outside grill, and designer sunglasses. Photo by Blake Kerentan.

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    The 2.3 million people behind bars in the U.S. are incarcerated for nothing more than a non-violent drug offense.

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Featured, Government, Injustice, Justice Department, News Articles, Open Government, Policy, Politics and Government, Public Safety, San Francisco

    By Benjamin Todd Jealous The United States has five percent of the world’s people but 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. For the sake of our families and future we must do better. Our nation leads the world in the incarceration of our own citizens, both on a per capita basis and in terms...

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    Boston Ballet Dance Soloist John Lam Visits “Performing Stars,” Where He Got His Start

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Entertainment, Entertainment, Marin County News, News Articles, San Francisco, SECTIONS

    John Lam. Photograph by Gene Schiavone.

    By Godfrey Lee John Lam, a dance soloist with the Boston Ballet, returned home to San Rafael to dance in the Marin Ballet 50th Anniversary Reunion Performance Saturday, April 13. Lam trained at the Marin Ballet for more than 10 years before going on to complete his training at the Canada’s National Ballet School....

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    Second-Grader Receives Perfect Score on STAR Test

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Children, News Articles, San Francisco, Special Interests Articles

    John Isaiah Norwood

    John Isaiah Norwood, an eight-year-old third-grader at John Sinnott Elementary School  in the Milpitas School District and recent Greene Scholar Science Fair award recipient, accomplished an extremely rare feat for his school, school district, and even the state of California. When he took the STAR test for the first time as a second grader,...

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    Singer Leah Tysse to Perform at Fundraiser for Homeless

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, San Francisco, Special Interests Articles

    Leah Tysse

    Proceeds from the concert will support the Glide Foundation, which provides meals and other services for the homeless in the Bay Area Soul/Indy-Rock Recording Artist Leah Tysse and her 8-piece band will perform Sunday, April 21 at a concert to support the Glide Foundation, which provides meals and other services for the homeless in...

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    Albertine Thomas

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Obituaries, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Albertine Thomas

    By Vanessa Le Blanc Albertine Thomas passed away at the age of 83, and was the only child of Alberta and Joseph Wilson of New Orleans, Louisiana. While growing up in the South, she attended segregated schools. However, the injustice and bigotry of segregation did not diminish her dreams. As integration transformed society, Albertine...

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    Winter Noel, 9, Miss Oakland Congeniality

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Winter Noel of Oakland was crowned Miss Congeniality in the 2013 Miss Teen Oakland pageant competition on Saturday, April 6. Judged on personality and modeling routines of casual and formal wear, Noel participated in the Junior Pre-Teen division, one of four divisions in which young ladies ages 7 to 19 competed. Winter says she...

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    Dr. Gayle Speaks on HIV/AIDS, Health Issue at Parks Chapel AME

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Dr.-Helene Gayle

    Dr. Helene Gayle, a leading world public health expert, will discuss the declining state of health in America, as part of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, Saturday, April 20 at 7 p.m. at Parks Chapel A.M.E. Church 476 34th St. in Oakland. Dr. Gayle is president and CEO of CARE USA,...

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    Scientists Close in on AIDS Vaccine

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, HIV, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Barton Haynes

    Published in the Wall Street Journal Researchers are saying they have mapped an “arms race” in the human body between the AIDS virus and powerful antibodies that fight it off—the latest of several recent scientific advances accelerating the pursuit of a vaccine. In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers showed how a...

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    LaFleur Library Dedicated

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Teacher Ronald James LeFleur (left) with Rudsdale Principal Willie Thompson.

    By Tanya Dennis Rudsdale High School in Oakland will rename its school library on April 26 for Ronald James “Joe Black” LaFleur, who dedicated his life to his students at the school. LaFleur, who died last year on April 16,  was well known for his humor and  charming personality, but more importantly, remembered for...

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    Dr. Nathan Hare, Father of Black Studies, Turns 80

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Dr. Nathan Hare

    The Bay Area is invited to celebrate the 80th birthday of Dr. Nathan Hare, the father of Black Studies in the United States, Saturday, April 13, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, 410 14th St. in Oakland. A sociologist and clinical psychologist, Dr. Hare, who was born on April 9, 1933,...

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    Elephants Journey to Pay Respect to a Human They Loved

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Africa, News Articles, San Francisco

    Lawrence Anthony

    Lawrence Anthony, a legend in South Africa and author of three books including the bestseller, “The Elephant Whisperer,” bravely rescued wildlife and rehabilitated elephants all over the globe from human atrocities, including the courageous rescue of Baghdad Zoo animals during US invasion in 2003. On March 7, 2012 Lawrence Anthony died. He is remembered...

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    Third Baptist Hosts Crab Feed

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, San Francisco

    Third Baptist Church will hold s crab feed for church outreach and church ministries Saturday, April 20 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Nelson Fellowship Hall at 1399 McAlister St. in San Francisco. Tickets for the event cost $40 for adults and $20 for children ages 2-12.  Pick up orders will also...

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    Sharron Faye Jacobs, 63

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Obituaries, Obituary, San Francisco

    Sharron Faye Jacobs

    Sharron Faye Jacobs, an active member of Bethel AME Church in San Francisco since 1975, passed away on March 26 at the age of 63. She was born to Tommy and Clytie Mae Walsh Jacobs in Fordyce, Arkansas in 1950. A member of Bethel AME, she served as secretary and administrative assistant for over...

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    Obama Meets with First-Ever Ethiopian Crowned Miss Israel

    by  • April 6, 2013 • Barak Obama, Berkeley, News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Titi, Israel’s first Black beauty queen meets President Barack Obama.

    Israel put its best face forward for President Obama, and what better face to put forward for than Israel’s first Black beauty queen? Titi is her name, short for Yityish Aynaw, is newly crowned Miss Israel, an Ethiopian Jewish immigrant to Israel. She joined Obama Thursday for the official state dinner in Jerusalem. Ethiopian...

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    SXSW 2013 Spring Music & Film Festival

    by  • April 6, 2013 • Entertainment, Entertainment, Featured Events, Richmond News, San Francisco, SECTIONS, Socialmedia, Special Interests Articles

    Fundamental Strategic Marketing by JT Tha Bigga Figga. Photo by Damon Jamal .

    By Shaveela Raniga The South by Southwest (SXSW) 2013 Spring Music & Film Festivals, an “Artistry Battle” that takes place annually in Austin, Texas, this year featured artists and musicians from the Bay Area and around the world. One attention grabber was JT Tha Bigga Figga from San Francisco, who found a unique way...

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    CubaCaribe Dance Festival in Oakland and SF

    by  • April 6, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Entertainment, Entertainment, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, Socialmedia, Special Interests Articles

    CubaCaribe Dancers in a recent performance. Photo by Andy Mogg.

    The 9th Annual CubaCaribe Dance Festival will present performances, workshops, demonstrations and lectures by master and emerging Caribbean and Latino musicians and choreographers, April 12 through April 28 in San Francisco and Oakland. The theme of this year’s festival is “Tributes to our Teachers.” Among the groups that will perform are the modern dance...

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    City Announces $2 Million Funding for GoSolarSF Program

    by  • April 5, 2013 • Business Development, City Government, Daily Posts, Environment, Labor, San Francisco, Technology

    Mayor Ed Lee.

    The city’s successful solar initiative GoSolarSF will receive an additional $2 million in funding for the fiscal year 2013-2014, according to Mayor Ed Lee. The additional allocation will increase the total funds available for GoSolarSF financial incentives starting July 1 to $4 million. GoSolarSF funds will be available for all incentive categories, which include...

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    Velma Ewing, 88, Widow of Tuskegee Airman

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Obituaries, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles, Vallejo News

    Velma Ewing on Mother’s Day last year..

    By Janice Ewing and Lateefa Ali The Tuskegee Airmen earned their place in history as they bravely defied convention and fought for what they loved.  We remember these men. But we seem to forget their wives who have also earned their place in history, defying convention and fighting for what, and who they loved....

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    Africans In America

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Africans in America, Bay Area, Berkeley, Featured, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles, Vallejo News

    AIA 2

    Part 3 Propitiation honoring Ancestors According to the Odu Osa Meji, in the Yoruba belief system, Odu (female oracle) established all the sacred groves (places) and maintained secrets of the sacred shrines of the Orisas (belief of the Yoruba, divine system) after descent. Women were not excluded from performing rituals at any sacred grove....

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    “Daddy Date” Offers Fun for Young Fathers and Their Children

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Article Archives, Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Andre Fikes and daughter Autumn (left) and Dante Toomer and daughter Kennedy .

    By Kia Croom, Contributing Writer Local extent organizer Dante Toomer recently held “Daddy Day,” an afternoon of activities for fathers to share with their children. The event, held on the afternoon of March 16 at Marina Park, took place in conjunction with a carnival sponsored by the City of Emeryville. Fathers and their children...

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    Tax Preparer Robin Swarn: “Whatever Is Going On, We Can Fix It”

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Robin Swarn

    By David Scott You don’t have to be rich or a movie star to find good help to do your taxes, according to Robin Swarn, a tax preparer with Jackson Hewitt. “We have news for everyday people seeking a tax refund or needing help with tax issues,” she said.  ‘’Whatever is going on, we...

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    Oakland’s James Meeks in NFL Draft

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Education, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    James Meeks, Jr. (center), with his parents James Meeks, Sr. (left) and Nina Meeks (right) at his graduation from Central Washington University.

    By Ashley Chambers Oakland native James Meeks  Jr. will get the chance to live out his dream, taking the opportunity of a lifetime in the NFL Draft next month. Towering at 6’5”, he will compete in the regional combine on March 23 with the Seattle Seahawks in Washington. A graduate of Central Washington University...

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    Breast Cancer and African Americans Bay Area Conference

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Health, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    The Stanford Cancer Institute’s Community Partnership Program is hosting the second annual conference, Breast Cancer and African Americans, on Saturday, May 4, 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 South Airport Boulevard, S. San Francisco. The purpose of this event is provide culturally tailored breast health and cancer...

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    Sickle Cell Advisory Council Offers Scholarships

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Education, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    The Sickle Cell Community Advisory Council of Northern California  is offering the Samuel Wallace Scholarship Award to high school seniors and college students living with the Sickle Cell disease. The advisory council was started in 1999 as a collaboration between patients of the former Alta Bates Sickle Cell program, administrators at Children’s Hospital of...

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