Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Not all heroes wear capes.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

Happy indictment week to all who celebrate!

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

I was promised a recession.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

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Reader Interactions

217Comments

  3. 3.

    dj spellchecka

    ‎”finally got a chance to see tim tebow play for the first time last night. not at all sure why there’s a big buzz around this guy.” – god

  10. 10.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Right. Time for the Packers to crush the Giants and then annihilate the Ravens to reign supreme.

  14. 14.

    AnotherBruce

    OT, but I just saw this headline on the WaPo website:
    “Perry defends Marines urinating on corpses.”

    The Republican party presidential candidates are going to put the Onion out of business.

  15. 15.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    @JPL:

    I just don’t see San Fran getting lucky twice in a row. Great game – but the Saints really screwed up on defense in the fourth. Green Bay all the way to the Superbowl.

  16. 16.

    SFAW

    Right. Time for the Packers to crush the Giants …

    Yeah, same as they did four years ago. What was that, Farvervevvre’s 23rd ring or something? Kicked they [Giants] ass, they did.

  18. 18.

    SFAW

    Right. Time for the Packers to crush the Giants …

    Nice TD pass by Rodgers just now. The Jints can still come back, though.

  21. 21.

    jacy

    Mercifully, any team I had the slightest reason to care about is now out, so I can focus on what’s really important: HOCKEY.

  23. 23.

    Kurt Montandon

    As a Niners fan who is almost fully recovered from yesterday – with the help of some mid-day vodka – I’m finding myself in the distressing position of rooting for the Giants. Ah well, got to.

  24. 24.

    SFAW

    Nice ruling by the Ref on the “fumble”. I mean, the air above the ground is considered part of the ground, right? “Cause that’s the only way he was “down by contact”.

    Daddy, what does “bag job” mean?

  26. 26.

    SFAW

    I hate when the fncking announcers second guess the zebras on a ruling that’s probably too close to call,

    Me too, when it IS too close to call. This one – not so much …

  27. 27.

    AnotherBruce

    You know what I hate? When the referees don’t blow the whistle on an apparent fumble, and then decide the fumble didn’t happen. It was really a bullshit ruling.

  28. 28.

    patrick II

    My favorite commerical was just on. “Don’t wake up in a roadside ditch — get rid of cable”

  29. 29.

    Batocchio

    I agree with you overall, but I do think the Giants got robbed on the fumble call.

    Yeah, it was close, and I’m a Packers fan, but that seemed like a bad call, especially given the replay.

  32. 32.

    The Dangerman

    @SFAW:

    Daddy, what does “bag job” mean?

    Given how bad that call was, I can only assume that there was a Packer Cheerleader “under the hood” during that review. What a horrific call.

  33. 33.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    You know what I hate?

    When TBogg doesn’t put up his analysis of the Rapture of the Tebow of last night.

  38. 38.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    Observation here do the coaches Teach TACKLING in Green Bay? Better yet shouldn’t you know how to do it when you reach that level?

  43. 43.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    @Raven:

    You don’t find it surprising that so many players seem not to have mastered a basic aspect of their profession?

    Shall we rush heroically on to the field together?

  45. 45.

    AnotherBruce

    @efgoldman: Well, unless the Giants win, I know what the radio sports blabbers are going to be talking about tomorrow morning. Last year it was all Cutler all the time.

  47. 47.

    Schlemizel

    @MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson:
    Too many of them got there by “blowing people up”. The crowd eats it up & who cares if it hurts both players.

    I am sick of this in hockey too. You see some clown come off his skates (a penalty) bring his forearms up and slam into another player. The crown goes nuts, the announcers shriek about the ‘big hit’ and we get replays of it the rest of the night. Nobody knows how to check any more either.

  50. 50.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    @Raven:

    And just what are you sitting on? Newsflash: those athletes are highly paid to perform. It’s perfectly reasonable for the audience to discuss their performance and to criticize them when they screw up. The NFL ain’t North Korea.

  51. 51.

    Raven

    None of the guys know the first thing about playing football. I don’t even know why YOU watch it.

  53. 53.

    CaseyL

    I was particularly amused at how GB intercepted Manning right after the announcers agreed Manning was taking the GB defense apart.

    I’m enjoying the game, but I have to wonder if there are any professions more useless than game announcer.

  57. 57.

    patrick II

    My list of five most accurate passers (not necessarily best quarterbacks — but pretty close) in no particular order.

    Montana
    Young
    Rodgers
    Brady
    Warner

  61. 61.

    CaseyL

    @Raven: I said profession; as in, something someone pays you to do.

    “Blog participant: is not a profession, unless you’re referring to paid trolls; and I think those are an urban legend.

  63. 63.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    @Raven: But don’t you go nuts when you have a ball carrier in one guy’s arms or better yet 2 defensive guys with a ball carrier and the guy slithers out and runs for another 5-10 yards? Or your team seems to be pushed down the field time after time?

  64. 64.

    Suffern ACE

    @Raven:

    None of the guys know the first thing about playing football. I don’t even know why YOU watch it.

    You do realize that just by watching the game today, a person gets to use proper nouns in Scrabble all next week, or has no one ever bothered to fill you in on the more obscure parts of the game.

  67. 67.

    BruceFromOhio

    @CaseyL:

    I’m enjoying the game, but I have to wonder if there are any professions more useless than game announcer.

    Since I finally hooked up a decent sound system to the entertainment center, I listen to music while watching hand egg. Its fun to put a soundtrack down to the action. I’ll unmute and listen to the replay calls, or to those ferocious flag-throwing contests when the zebras have to break up a riot.

    Otherwise, its Natalie Merchant, Bob Marley and Vivaldi. Fuck you, yappy overpaid stuffed shirts full of hot air!

  69. 69.

    scav

    Quote the Raven: Do not discuss the quality of the actions of your betters. Not even in a quiet room. Seriously, I thought loud, slightly informed, definitive and arm-punctuated argumentation about obscure rules and dodgy plays was exactly the point of watching football (or sports), once you factor in the beer and snacks, of course. Uniforms, oh yes, they have to get in there somewhere as well as cover for burly guys to wear the most outrageous colors of mascara and facepaint.

  76. 76.

    Joel

    I know Flacco sucks and all, but it’s a bit alarming that everyone is picking the Patriots to breeze in the AFC championships.

  79. 79.

    Nellcote

    I don’t care about football so I would like to see Tebow vs SF Values in the SuperDooper Bowl featuting Madonna for the 1/2 time show.

  80. 80.

    AnotherBruce

    Did the announcer really say that Eli Manning “had enough arm strength to get it up?

    Hehe
    /preteen humor.

  83. 83.

    BruceFromOhio

    @Joel: It’ll be fun to see the Ravens D chewing on the Pats vaunted O. Much amusement to behold.

    ETA @CaseyL: … right behind annoying announcers is seeing the same. stupid. commerical. 50. jillion. times.

  85. 85.

    Linnaeus

    @patrick II:

    So, when are we going to see new youtubes of seattle drivers snowboarding their cars down hills?

    I’m hoping said drivers will not be doing that on the hills on which I will be driving in about 3 hours.

  86. 86.

    patrick II

    @p.a.:

    Peyton isn’t on my list, and neither are Breees, or Farve, or Elway or Marino. All great quarterbacks. But the guys I named, in my mind at least, were the guys who’s precision and accuracy was just remarkable. They guy who almost always hit the receiver right in stride so he could run for the extra yards.

  88. 88.

    JPL

    Who would you like to see in the Super Bowl? SanFran/Ravens,
    GreenBay/Patriots, Giants/Ravens..yadda, yadda, yadda…
    I wanted a Rodgers/Brady matchup because they are both great QB’s and would have a large audience. I could be wrong though. What do you think?

  90. 90.

    burnspbesq

    The Packers dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, they had a turnover erased on an obviously bad call … And they’re down by 10. Not promising.

  94. 94.

    Richard

    The passers with the highest completion percentages of all time:

    1. Chad Pennington 66.0%
    2. Drew Brees (32) 65.9%
    3. Kurt Warner 65.5%
    4. Aaron Rodgers (28) 65.4%
    5. Peyton Manning (35) 64.9%
    6. Tony Romo (31) 64.5%
    7. Matt Schaub (30) 64.3%
    8. Steve Young 64.3%
    9. Tom Brady (34) 63.8%
    10. Philip Rivers (30) 63.5%
    11. Joe Montana 63.2%

    The numbers in the brackets are the ages of the players who are currently active.

  99. 99.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    @JPL: I prefer GB/New England matchup. A Giants-Patriots won’t be too bad, but I would have to avoid ESPN for two weeks. 49ers in the Super Bowl would be cool, but under NO circumstances I want the Ravens in the SB!

  102. 102.

    Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason

    @JPL: San Fran / Baltimore. Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh. Except for the terrible announcing that this would bring about.

    Also too, then my team would have made it to the Super Bowl.

  104. 104.

    Joel

    Watching the Packers reminds me of the Patriots’ playoff loss to the Jets last year. Zero intensity, an elite quarterback with the jitters, an opponent that provides opportunities but steps up enough in critical spots to win it.

  105. 105.

    The Dangerman

    Packers may have been reading too many of those reviews calling them unbeatable. I have no dog in the hunt (though having the Super Bowl go through San Francisco would be fun), but the Packers are … not playing well.

  107. 107.

    DCLaw1

    I like Aaron Rodgers, but the slow motion shot of him looking over at his empty throwing hand as it came forward was comical.

  108. 108.

    Joel

    @Richard: Adjusted for era (in fairness to the players who operated under rules that were much less passer-friendly than the current ones), here’s pro-football-reference’s most accurate by indexed completion percentage (+ means completion percentage relative to average, times 100).

    Sammy Baugh 132+
    Steve Young 125+
    Len Dawson 124+
    Joe Montana 124+
    Otto Graham 123+
    Arnie Herber 123+
    Chad Pennington 121+
    Bart Starr 121+
    Kurt Warner 121+
    Drew Brees 119+

    Sammy Baugh was good.

  109. 109.

    JPL

    My nightmare in the SB would be giants/ravens.. That game might be interesting to east coast fans but not much else.
    When my sons were younger I’d make food according to the cities that were playing. Really what would be interesting about Giants/Ravens? I’m allergic to shell fish so crabs don’t work.

  110. 110.

    Sir Nose'D

    Dear Packers. A touchdown right about now would be nice. Thank you for your consideration.

  111. 111.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    The ads for 21 Jump Street, another movie based on a series. Yes I will avoid this piece of dreck.

  112. 112.

    Raven

    @scav: \”Seriously, I thought loud, slightly informed, definitive and arm-punctuated argumentation about obscure rules and dodgy plays was exactly the point of watching football”

    so what do you think I was doing?

  115. 115.

    patrick II

    @Richard:

    Once again, foiled by statistics over subjective judgement.
    Young and Montana played with different defensive rules. so I am keeping them on my list. I will add Brees, (who was the one I was on the bubble about anyway) but not Pennington. Really, he was only asked to throw the ball five yards at at time.

  117. 117.

    patrick II

    @Raven:
    Being from Chicago, that brings back horrible memories. They should add watching Bobby Douglas as a version of the “ending up in a roadside ditch” commercial.

  120. 120.

    Richard

    @patrick II:

    I’ll have to add somc criterion regarding being able to throw more than ten yards downfield.

    Pennington’s yards per completion average was 10.9 for his career. For comparison, Montana’s was 11.9, Young’s was 12.4, Rogers’ is 12.6, Brady’s is 11.8, Brees’ is 11.3 and Warner’s was 12.1 . All higher, but the difference isn’t as dramatic as you might expect.

    The leading active player with regards to this stat is Ben Roethlisberger, at 12.7 yards per completion. He’s #83.

  123. 123.

    burnspbesq

    @JPL:

    Really what would be interesting about Giants/Ravens? I’m allergic to shell fish so crabs don’t work.

    The native food of East Rutherford and Secaucus is the meatball hero.

  128. 128.

    AnotherBruce

    @Raven: Yes he could. I watched the youtube you linked to and that pass he threw into the end zone was a rocket.

    Pity he didn’t have Pennington’s accuracy. Maybe not even Tebow’s accuracy.

  129. 129.

    Raven

    @AnotherBruce: In five seasons from 1971–1975, Douglass played in 47 games and amassed 2,040 rushing yards. During that span, he averaged 43.4 rushing yards per game played—the second highest rushing yards per game average over a five-season span for a QB. Randall Cunningham ranks first with 43.5 yds/g over a five-season span from 1986–1990).

    However, Douglass had little success as a passer, going 507-for-1178 for 36 touchdowns and 64 interceptions with a quarterback passer rating of only 48.5 during his 11-season NFL career.

  133. 133.

    Mark B.

    The Packers D has been shaky all year, and the O looked a little rusty at e start of the game. Plus, the Giant got hot at he end of the year, just like in 2007. They could have a repeat of that run.

  139. 139.

    marv

    @patrick II:

    Interesting list. I’m an old baseball player and throwing (all kinds of ways – pitchers, quarterbacks, shortstops etc) was always really interesting to me. To me the best pure passers – the most fun to watch – were Namath, Marino, and Fouts. And then Elway for arm strength and just general excitement in the early days of his career – not the 4th quarter overhyped stuff, just the way he played.

  140. 140.

    burnspbesq

    Questionable decision by the Packers. The Giants only have to go 25 yards to get into Tynes’ range for a FG that would give them a two-score lead.

  145. 145.

    BruceFromOhio

    @Raven @burnspbesq: Tons of play left, but its the mental game working against Rodgers and his receivers corps. Too many drops, and the adrenaline is now from stress of fighting your own frustration, rather than fighting your opponent. All NY has to do is run the clock.

    ETA: … and NY receivers are *catching* what’s thrown. My cheese is m.e.l.t.i.n.g…

  149. 149.

    patrick II

    @Raven:
    Back from supper.
    The thing about Douglas was that he would have games like the one on your youtube video — and then not be able to hit a receiver for a month. On his good days he looked like the best quarterback in the world. His good days showed his “potential” that kept him around for ten years. but his bad days were like watching Tebow — but with a much stronger arm and without luck or God or whomever on his side.

  152. 152.

    Joel

    I didn’t really have a dog in this race, but I wanted to see some more [url=http://1.media.sportspickle.cvcdn.com/70/36/932c4c13f35ee0eb3242e5be5414a809.jpg]Manning face[/url].

  153. 153.

    The Dangerman

    On the list of signs it isn’t your day, that last fumble and return is close to the top of the list…

    …and TD. Packers are done.

  157. 157.

    patrick II

    @marv:

    The thing about both Mrino and Namath was they could throw the ball with such velocity with such short quick strokes. A little flick from behind the ear and the ball would be on a rope for 50 yards.

  159. 159.

    orygunian

    Go niners!. I think our defense is going to demolish either of these teams. We are just too fast to the outside, too strong on the pass rush, and too strong in the secondary. Alex may have found his self int the 4th quarter yesterday.

    So I think we have the best defense remaining in the NFC and defenses win play offs

  160. 160.

    Richard

    @patrick II:

    With regards to the mostly mediocre Douglass and comparisons to Tebow, I remember a few weeks ago ESPN showed a graphic featuring the most comeback wins by a rookie quarterback. Tebow was at the top the list, which they were making a big deal about. The funny thing was, from what I could gather, everyone else on the list they displayed ultimately went on to be washouts with short careers.

  161. 161.

    The Dangerman

    I’m far from a football expert (I figured it would be Saints and Packers next week), but Alex Smith against the Giants D may not be pretty.

  164. 164.

    patrick II

    Watching the “New Girl” commercial. Who else believes that Zooey Deschanel can’t get a date?

  166. 166.

    kindness

    I’m pretty shocked that there very well might be another playoff game at Candlestick this year. I expect the Packers to rule and look, the Giants are 10 points ahead still.

  168. 168.

    different-church-lady

    Football was more interesting when there were two goalposts right on the goal line.

  173. 173.

    MikeB

    This is why I prefer the European football (soccer) system for determining
    the champion. They play 38 regular season league games. Whoever
    has the best record at the end of the regular season is the champion, period,
    no bullshit “playoffs”. This makes every game in the regular season important,
    you can’t take a day off figuring all you have to do is win a couple more games
    and “make the playoffs”. It keeps some team with a lousy record from
    knocking out a more deserving team that happens to have a bad game
    on a given day. If two teams have identical records at the end of the season,
    scoring differential would determine the champ.

    The NFL could even have an “NFL Cup” knockout tournament for the also rans at the end of the season to determine runners up.

    Of course this will never happen, given the big bucks involved in the playoffs,
    but I think the European system is a much better measure of excellence for
    team sports. Randinho may agree with me on this…

    Don’t get me started on the NCAA hoops tournament…

  174. 174.

    different-church-lady

    @MikeB:

    Don’t get me started on the NCAA hoops tournament…

    What? You don’t like a 279 team tournament?

  176. 176.

    The Dangerman

    @kindness:

    I’m pretty shocked that there very well might be another playoff game at Candlestick this year.

    PG&E will have to double check all their transformers, gas lines, etc.

  180. 180.

    The prophet Nostradumbass

    @MikeB: There’s a very good reason something like that wouldn’t work for the NFL that has nothing to do with money. The teams would not be able to play enough games to use a regular season for that kind of championship, the players would all be beaten to a pulp.

  181. 181.

    Hill Dweller

    As if this loss isn’t bad enough, Wisconsin residents will wake up tomorrow morning, and Scott Walker will still be their Governor.

  183. 183.

    EriktheRed

    If having the Packers win the Super Bowl the nest 10 years were the price this Bears fan had to pay to see the cheesehead state recall Scott Walker, then I’d say “GO PACKERS!”. Since no such guarantee is possible, though, I’m saying “GO GIANTS”!

  184. 184.

    Bill D.

    @TPN

    1. Round robin for each conference to determine the conference champions.
    2. Three-game series of the conference champions for the league championship

    That would answer that objection.

  186. 186.

    The Dangerman

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    …but that matchup with Alex Smith gives me pause.

    The Giants have abused Matt Ryan and Rodgers (the refs gifted the Packers 2 TD’s); a pause would appear warranted.

  190. 190.

    Bill D.

    In both NFC playoff games this weekend the team with the glitzy offense lost due to turnovers.

  191. 191.

    Bill D.

    @TPN: Yeah, that’s the idea. Just a concept that’ll never happen again in pro sports in the US due to $$$$$

  193. 193.

    MikeB

    @The prophet Nostradumbass: I’m not sure why that would be the case. There are seldom
    two NFL teams atop the league at the end of the season with identical WL records.
    GB was tops this year, NE last year, why would more games be
    necessary if not for the added revenue? 16 games seems like
    plenty to determine the best team in the league. I get your
    point about the physical wear and tear of NFL football, and
    would not recommend a 38 game season for them :)

  195. 195.

    Richard

    @MikeB:

    If a “deserving” team can’t beat an “undeserving” one, well then, I’d say they aren’t deserving.

    I love the excitement of the playoffs. Declaring the league leading 15-1 Packers champions with no playoffs at all strikes me as being rather dull.

  197. 197.

    burnspbesq

    I believe I’ll go have a chat with my neighbor around the corner who has had a Packers flag flying all week.

  198. 198.

    Jamey

    @Joel: Not only good, but also throwing what essentially was a soccer ball with laces. One only imagines what QBs like Baugh, Luckman, and Arnie Herber would have done with a slimmer ball, possession receiver offensive schemes, and in-the-grasp/five yard bump-and-run rules…

  199. 199.

    Batocchio

    Ouch. The Packers played very poorly overall, their worst performance of the season, and the Giants played very well, and deserved their win.

  201. 201.

    Ron

    That game was just ugly. The Packers showed no desire and looked for most of the game like they were just phoning it in.

  202. 202.

    Bill D.

    @Jamey: Bet each second game would be an injury fest. You won’t like it when your favorite player’s career ends early as a result.

  203. 203.

    MikeB

    @Richard: The counter argument is that you’re being short changed during the regular season.
    How many fans sort of keep track of various sports teams
    during the season, but only become intensely interested at playoff time? I disagree that an excellent team should be considered
    “undeserving” because they have a bad day against a lesser team and lose. Sports are about ups and downs, and the team that consistently wins over time is superior IMHO, and should be recognized as such.

  204. 204.

    Elie

    @Ron:

    Of course, that is how one looks without a defense. Their “problem” was evident two weeks ago when they played the hapless Bears and it was noted that this could be a prolem toward advancement in the playoffs.

    Most importantly, there is just no auto playoff success. That is why each opportunity to be in the playoffs is so special… you may never have the stars line up again just right. The Packers were almost there for a repeat — but injuries, want-to and other factors affected the quality of their defense at just the wrong time..

    Being a Bears fan, this whole outcome was a pleasant surprise… We never give each other anything but grief so their losing tonight feels just fine. They would wish The Bears no less.

  205. 205.

    patrick II

    @Elie:
    I am also a Bears fan, but generally wish Green Bay success as long as that asshole Forrest Gregg isn’t still coaching.

  206. 206.

    Bruuuuce

    Coming in late, but huzzah! Giants!

    It was good to see the other guys dropping passes for once. And although I will miss the opportunity to knock the Saints down and out (a friend of mine was braggin’ on both his hometown team and his alma mater LSU a couple of weeks ago, and both have now been punted), it’s going to be fun watching the Giants tackle the latest in the increasingly difficult challenges that started with the Jets.

  208. 208.

    handy

    I’m a Niners fan and I figured the prospects of going into Lambeau in late January against Aaron Rodgers would have made things tough, but I am dreading facing the Giants. For two reasons:

    1) You lose to GB at their house on their way to a possible season for the ages, hey no shame. You lose to a 9-7 team at home–what a nightmare. Which leads to…

    2) I still have memories of the 1990 game: Leonard Marshall hit on Joe Montana effectively ending his 49er career, and that Roger Craig fumble.

  210. 210.

    marv

    @patrick II:

    Well, yeah, and I can hardly think you are playing with me, but you did use about three baseball terms in that last clause, intentionally or not, about how catchers throw, how pitchers throw sliders, and the basic reality of baseball – the “frozen rope”, “la lina” – the line drive.

  213. 213.

    SFAW

    I believe I’ll go have a chat with my neighbor around the corner who has had a Packers flag flying all week.

    Please give us an update after you do this. Should be good fun.

    And should the Jints beat the Pats, I think it will be even more good fun that Eli will have more rings than Peyton, in approx half the time.

  214. 214.

    FlipYrWhig

    @SFAW: Eli is built like a kicker. His success confuses me, like how a bee couldn’t possibly be aerodynamic enough to fly.

  216. 216.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    @burnspbesq:

    I just hope you didn’t take it too far. Me, I can handle it. This is nothing like the Tigers’ ALCS loss to the Twins in ’87, the Wings getting knocked out in the first round by rhe Sharks in ’98(?).

    But right now there are people out there like my sister, who’s very upset. If someone had turned up on her doorstep tonight with anything but the most sincere condolences- except, maybe, a sharp rebuke of Finley- she’d have decked ’em.

  217. 217.

    John Weiss

    I was suprised. The Giants smacked the Packers in their house! I would have never thought that! Good game: I didn’t have a dog in that hunt.

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