Will there be a speedy primary will the powers that be select someone behind closed doors? Will they be able to make it on all the tickets?

Just heard it on the news. He will finish his term.

There's loads of qualified centrist D's who make a good choice. I think of my CO Senator Bennet for example. She probably wont go too far left in this political environment.

Evangelical Christians largely remain supportive of former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election as they did during the last two presidential election cycles, despite concerns regarding his ambivalent abortion stance that it is a "states rights" issue. The religious group that aided Trump in his 2016 presidential election victory is still supporting him this cycle, especially when the alternative is President Joe Biden. However, there is disagreement among evangelical Christians over the importance of regulating abortion, which is an issue upon which Trump is more moderate.
According to a March Pew Research Center poll, white evangelical Protestants were the religious group with the most positive view of Trump, as 67% viewed him favorably, including 30% who said “very favorably.” In a January opinion piece for Fox News, Hugh Hewitt, syndicated radio show host and law professor at Chapman University, explained that evangelical Christians are for Trump because of his support for religious freedom, his stance with parents against the progressive education system, and because they believe he’s being treated unjustly by the same political elites that view them unfavorably.

God rules the world yes…. but not as people imagine, that personally and directly by his "hand".... God will not come among people on earth to reward or rebuke them, because that is not possible,,. People reward or punish themselves on the basis of functioning God's Laws, or also cosmic laws and natural laws here on Earth. However, they are all one and the same. the same, only manifested in a different way up and down on Earth in natural laws. When people do not respect them and when they abuse them, they punish themselves. When they know them and live in accordance with God's laws, they do not punish themselves and live without punishment, without punishment , mood and so on... God does not care about the affairs of the people of this planet... He has self-acting Laws for this and that is how the world and the universe have always worked!

1. The law of retroactive action = karma for a person, what you sow is what you reap.. Everything that a person sends into space has energy, like an electric current that flows and cannot be seen... when you curse, you only get a curse in return and that amplified 10 times

2. The law of attraction of the same kind.. Only the same people and things are attracted and dissimilar people and things repel each other..

3. Law of weight .. light rises, heavy falls .. This Law is manifested especially after death, because a heavy soul, too dark people will fall down to the low planets of darkness .. light souls, good and not dragged by the dark will rise up to the light, where is beauty, splendor, lightness

To be born again, is a choice.
When the decision has been made,
2 choices lay await after
To be an eternal servant of God,
or to be a slave.

Choosing to be a servant is not choosing to be a slave.
For all eternity, the servant will be tempted with the choice of being a slave.
However, the choice will always be in choosing the chosen who chose Christ.
For he choose us out of the world of no choice.
for the world without Christ is choiceless.

In a big bang universe,
Which starts the same, (big bang)
And end the same (entropy)
Thinking there is any difference between the middle and in between,
IS ACTUALLY INSANE!

It's only through Christ that we get a choice!
For in God's eternal rock tumbler,
That which go in without Christ,
Go back out into the sands,
While that which go in with Christ, back into salt at the supper of the Lamb!

Therefore, Those without Christ have zero choice
They are program operated and are merely organic props.
Those with Christ have 2 choices,
To be an eternal servant, free will,
Or to be a slave, no will.

I am taking wagers here. This OP is NOT about whether some people will be resurrected to the Purgatory to be healed before entering paradise. I'm assuming you think some will. This post focuses on wagering on what you believe.

Let proposition P1 = Some people will be resurrected to the Purgatory to be healed before entering paradise.

P2 = not P1.

Between 0 and 10, how much weight do you put on each of the above propositions? The stronger your belief in a proposition, the higher the weight. Your weighting scheme will determine the betting odds.

What was it about the New Testament apostles that led people to treat them the way that they did? It was that they exemplified what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ and to surrender their lives to the Lord to do his will. They demonstrated to us what it means to give our lives up to follow Jesus Christ, to deny self, to die to sin daily, and to walk in obedience to our Lord in holy living. They were not absolutely perfect in every way but their hearts and minds and actions were committed to obedience to Christ to do his will.

And it was that they followed the example of Christ that he provided for them in how we ought to live, and in how we are to treat other people, and of the importance of getting out to the people the true message of the gospel of our salvation, and in how we need to be those who refute the lies of the enemy and who expose the fruitless deeds of darkness for what they are. For all this is for the salvation of human lives so that other people can know Jesus in truth and have salvation from sin and eternal life with God.

Therefore, just like Jesus was hated and persecuted and harassed and had people trying to trick him and to trip him up with his words, who were also falsely accusing him of wrong he did not commit, and who regularly criticized his ministry, the apostles experienced the same. And if we follow Jesus with our lives in the same respect, we will be treated likewise. We will be treated by some, even by people in positions of prominence in the gatherings of what are called “churches,” as though we are the scum of the world.

And that is because we live in a culture and a generation of people who are being taught that belief in Jesus Christ is a one-time decision they make in their lives to trust in Jesus to forgive them their sins so that when they die they get to go to heaven and not hell. And they are being taught that this secures heaven for them, and that it can’t be taken away from them, but regardless of how they live. For they are being taught that how they live does not matter for their salvation and for eternal life with God.

But that is not what Jesus taught. And it is not what his NT apostles taught, and that is why they were hated by the people. It is why they were persecuted and mistreated and falsely accused and abandoned and some (or many) of them were killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. For they taught that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. They taught, too, that if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to the Lord, that we would not be saved. We would not have eternal life.

And that is not a popular message. And it isn’t what most people want to hear. For it appears that the majority like hearing that they can profess faith in Jesus Christ once in their lives and now salvation and eternal life with God are theirs for eternity regardless of how they live. And many are being taught that God requires nothing of them other than a profession of faith, and that they don’t have to repent of (turn from) their sins, and that they don’t have to obey God, for they call that “works salvation.”

But Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience (paraphrased). For if we hold on to our old lives of living for self and in sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and walk (in conduct, in practice) in obedience to our Lord in holy living, then we have the hope of eternal life with God. For he said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God.

[Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 6:1-23; 1 John 3:4-10]

And if we are true followers of Christ who emulate him and who do and say the kinds of things he did and said, then we will be treated like he was. We will be treated like his NT apostles were treated, like we are the scum of the earth for people to just trample on. We will be treated as though what we do is not important or as though we are just wasting our time or as though we are some kind of religious fanatics who are to be ignored and avoided at all cost. And we will be treated as though we are the enemy.

But when we are mistreated, we are to do good to those who mistreat us. We are to pray for them and show them love, in return. We are not to retaliate. We are not to get even by doing evil back to them. But we are to forgive them. And we are to endure unjust treatment and suffering for the sake of the name of Jesus and for the sake of his gospel and for the sake of the genuine salvation of human souls from bondage to sin so that they can now live for Jesus and to do his will. And we are never to give up hope!

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 6:22-23; Lu 21:12-19; Jn 15:1-21; Jn 16:33; Jn 17:14; Ac 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Eph 6:10-20; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]

Here is Your God!

An Original Work / July 18, 2012
Based off Isaiah 40:9-31 NIV

You who bring good tidings to Zion,
Lift up your voice; raise with a shout,
And do not be afraid of the people.
Say, “Here is your God!”
See how the Lord God comes now with power.
His arm rules for Him; His reward with Him.
He tends His flock just like a shepherd,
His lambs in His arms.

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from beginning?
Our Lord sits enthroned above all things.
None to Him compare.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens.
Who made all of these? Who calls them by name?
Because of His great power and strength,
All accounted for.

Why do you say, “My way is hidden
From the Lord, and my cause forgotten”?
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord, He is your God.
He will not weary. He gives us power.
Those who trust in Him will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings just like eagles;
Walk and do faint not.

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On July 19th i had my last drink and have began a life of teetotalism and getting back into my faith. I was raised a catholic and after a long being away from my faith i have now myself praying twice a day and will go to church when time permits. Im usually a healthy guy and work very hard but too many bad mabits like drink and smoking so i have given up and will focus on weight training. I am a new man and god bless

I have a job interview on Monday so please pray that it goes well and that I can get the job, I really need one. Thank you.

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Discover the ten powerful signs that the Holy Spirit is active in your life through this detailed and inspiring video. Whether you're confirming your spiritual experiences or seeking to deepen your understanding of the Holy Spirit's role, this guide will provide invaluable insights.

Key Highlights:
1. **Confidence in Salvation**: Learn how true spiritual confidence is a direct result of the Holy Spirit's presence.
2. **Transformation in Character**: Witness the Holy Spirit's transformation in your life through the Fruits of the Spirit.
3. **Passion for Evangelism**: Explore how the Holy Spirit instills a powerful drive for sharing the gospel.
4. **Speaking in Tongues**: Understand the significance of this spiritual gift as a sign of deep communion with God.
5. **Deep Love for Jesus**: Experience how the Holy Spirit intensifies your love and devotion to Jesus.
6. **Knowledge of the Truth**: Discover how the Holy Spirit guides you into all truth, providing clarity and wisdom.
7. **Holiness**: See how the Holy Spirit leads you to live a holy life, turning away from sin.
8. **Spiritual Discernment**: Learn about the gift of discernment, which helps you make wise decisions aligned with God’s will.
9. **Comfort in Trials**: Recognize the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit in times of difficulty.
10. **Intercession in Prayer**: Appreciate how the Holy Spirit intercedes for you with groans that words cannot express.

If anything can rightly be said about St. Mary Magdalene, it is that she remains a mysterious and oftentimes elusive figure. Over the centuries, her identity has been debated and disputed endlessly, with the result that today many Catholics are left feeling very confused. What exactly do we know about her on the basis of the Gospels? And was she a reformed prostitute?

Thus we know that Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out of her (see Mk 16:9; Lk 8:2); she helped to fund Jesus’s ministry (see Lk 8:2); she remained with Him at the foot of the cross (see Mt 27:56; Mk 15:40; Lk 23:49; Jn 19:25); and was the first person He publicly appeared to following His Resurrection (see Jn 20:11-18). For the Eastern Fathers, this is all that we can know about Mary Magdalene.

In the West, a rather different understanding of the Magdalene began to emerge in the earliest days of the Church. Beginning with figures like Tertullian (c. 155 - 220) and gaining traction under St. Augustine (354 - 430), a near-unanimous consensus arose in Western Christianity which continued largely unchallenged right up until the twentieth century.

According to this Western perspective, “Magdalene” is simply another title for Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom today we tend to call Mary of Bethany. Strikingly, this Magdalene figure was also understood by the Western Church to be the sinful woman who comes to anoint the feet of the Lord in the seventh chapter of Luke’s Gospel. On this traditional Western Catholic understanding, therefore, three female New Testament characters are identified as one: Mary Magdalene, Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, and the anonymous sinful woman from Luke 7.

This may sound like a bold claim, but it was the position adopted by many of the Church’s greatest saints, mystics, and doctors. To name some examples, Gregory the Great, Bede the Venerable, Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, Thomas More, John Fisher, Teresa of Ávila, John of the Cross, Francis de Sales, Mary of Ágreda, Anne Catherine Emmerich, John Henry Newman, Thérèse of Lisieux, and Elizabeth of the Trinity all believed that Mary Magdalene is the same person as Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, and the same person as the anonymous sinful woman in Luke 7.

Continued below.

The apostle Paul, from the beginning of this letter, was addressing the issue of some of the people raising up some of the ministers of the gospel above others, sort of in a worshipful way or as to make idols of them and to make distinctions among them as to who was greater. They were becoming followers of man in place of followers of Christ and they were idolizing certain men over others who were all servants of the Lord Jesus. And this was causing divisions among the people.

In our day and age we have the same situation where certain men or women are being raised up to almost God-status to where the people appear to be worshiping the man (or woman) in place of God, or to where they are making idols of these people, but based on the wisdom of this age, which is not true wisdom, but is a false wisdom of man. And I will give you some examples of what I am talking about here and what I believe Paul is talking about here, for this is a critical issue in the church today.

If you have gone to Bible college or to seminary and so you have a degree from one of these places of learning, you are raised up above the rest of us who do not have such degrees. If you have accreditation through a particular church denomination or you have a religious title in front of your name, you are raised up to a status above the rest of us common people. If you are a pastor or an elder in a church, or you have the official title of missionary to a specific physical location, you are also idolized and raised above others.

But these could be people who are living worldly and fleshly lives, who are not really serving the Lord with their lives, whose lives are not surrendered to Christ, but who are still operating in the flesh. But because they have a degree or a title or an accreditation, then they are raised up above the rest of us to some special status that is above us common folk. And they could be called missionaries and pastors, but they may be teaching a false gospel to the people and using trickery to deceive the people under them.

But as soon as it is acknowledged that they have a title or some kind of official position within an official organization, they are automatically raised up above the rest of us. This should not be! And I am not saying that this happens in all cases, but from my observation over my 74 years of life and over 50 years of Christian ministry, I would say that this is more the norm than it is the exception. And so it puts this unnecessary separation between clergy and laity, and between “missionaries” and those not in official positions.

And this is what Paul was speaking against. For what does this also do? It lowers those who do not have these credentials as though they are less, or as though what they are doing is not as important as what someone is doing if he is called “pastor” or “missionary.” And that is just wrong! For someone not credentialed could be serving the Lord Jesus full-time in ministry without recognition and be leading people to faith in Jesus Christ and be treated as a nobody while the credentialed get acclamation for titles.

But all of us who believe in Jesus Christ with God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ are all to be his servants and witnesses. All of us are to be sharing the gospel and ministering to one another in the areas of giftedness and calling where God has gifted us and assigned us. And titles and diplomas mean nothing in the sight of God. What matters to God is that our lives are surrendered to him, that we are committed to his service, that we are walking in obedience to his commands, and sin is not our practice.

And it is that we are ministering to one another in the ways in which the Scriptures teach that all of us should be ministering to each other, and that we are faithful in being lights in the darkness for the truth of the gospel of our salvation, and that we are sharing the truth and not the lies, and that we are not ashamed of the gospel, and that we are not more concerned with people liking us than we are with obeying our Lord. The Lord is looking for those who will serve him with their lives, no titles required.

And if people judge us because of our service to the Lord because of their own preconceived religious notions as to how things must be done within institutional Christianity, but not according to the Scriptures, then we cannot let that determine who we are and what we do in love response to our Lord. But we are not to be prideful, but to give God all the glory for what he accomplishes in us and through us. And we are to have fair and honest evaluations of ourselves, too, and to not think too highly of ourselves.

We must recognize that all that we are and do in accord with the Lord and with his teachings are only because of God’s grace to us, and have nothing to do with our greatness in our own flesh. All that we are able to do in ministry and to accomplish in the name of the Lord are only possible because of God’s love for us and his callings upon our lives, and because of his guidance and direction and empowerment in our lives. And if this is not our approach or belief, then we are operating in the flesh.

So be careful in making judgments of other people that you don’t raise some people up too high and put others way too low who are serving the Lord with their lives. Be careful, too, that you don’t make judgments based on your own way of thinking or based on human philosophy and tradition or on religious cultures and practices which have been passed down from generation to generation but which are not biblical, but which are just the opinions of humans who are of the flesh who are not listening to God.

Pray to the Lord that he will give you the discernment and the knowledge to make wise and just decisions in how to view all people regardless of their status or titles or education level, etc.

Servant of the Lord

An Original Work / July 26, 2012
Based off Romans 1:1-17

Servant of the Lord;
For the gospel you’re set apart.
Promised through the prophets of old:
Jesus, Son of God.
Through Him, and for His name alone,
We receive His grace
To call people, Him to obey;
Coming from their faith.
Servant of the Lord,
For the gospel you’re set apart.
Promised through the prophets of old:
Jesus, Son of God.

You belong to Christ;
Loved by God, and called to be saints;
Serving God with whole heart and mind;
Preaching Jesus Christ;
Always praying for others’ needs;
Helping hand to lend;
Giving courage to others’ faith,
For the praise of God.
You belong to Christ;
Loved by God, and called to be saints;
Serving God with whole heart and mind;
Preaching Jesus Christ.

Servant of the Lord;
Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;
For salvation, power of God
To those who have faith.
In the gospel find righteousness:
Being right with God.
Turn from sin, and trust Jesus Christ.
By faith, live in Him.
Servant of the Lord;
Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;
For salvation, power of God
To those who have faith.

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Bhutan​

Pray for a Release International partner as he oversees the only theological seminary in Bhutan. His focus is to offer discipleship and biblical training in order to see a new generation of Christian leaders equipped to serve the church.
YES - I WILL PRAY

Bhutan​

Though small numbers of Bibles are allowed into the nation legally, the Government continues to restrict widespread distribution. Most copies must be smuggled in. Pray for successful Bible distributions.
YES - I WILL PRAY

Bhutan​

Converts to Christianity endure threats and pressures from local community leaders and Buddhist religious leaders. Christians have lost jobs or have been unable to find employment because of their faith. Ask the Lord to provide for them.
YES - I WILL PRAY

Bhutan​

It is extremely difficult for Christians to meet publicly in Bhutan and church buildings are illegal. Pray for Christians who are forced to practise their faith at home or in secret.
YES - I WILL PRAY

Bhutan​

Christians are often viewed as followers of a foreign, Western religion and can be subject to various forms of discrimination. Buddhists who become Christians can even lose their citizenship. Pray that Christians would be able to stand firm in their faith and multiply.
YES - I WILL PRAY

Bhutan​

Bhutan’s constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, in practice, evangelistic work that seeks the conversion of Buddhists is illegal. Pray that Bhutan would open its doors to a vibrant Christian witness.
YES - I WILL PRAY

Burkina Faso​

Pray for those being recruited into terrorist and criminal gangs; that God would call them out to a different life and provide them with honest ways to make a living.
YES - I WILL PRAY

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Children’s Prayer Sheet​

It’s not only adults who can pray for our persecuted family. Every month we produce a prayer sheet aimed specifically for children. Each sheet has specific activities and prayers which will help children learn more about how persecution affects children in other countries.
You can visit our Children’s Prayer Sheet page here.

He went down in medical history: the “Berlin Patient,” the first person in the world to be cured of HIV, following a stem cell transplant at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Now, a team from Charité has repeated this extremely rare medical achievement. The second Berlin patient has had no detectable virus for more than five years even though he is not taking antiviral medications. What makes this case special is that the team used a treatment method different from previous cases in which patients have been cured of HIV. It necessitates a new explanation of the mechanism by which the virus was cured.

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Done with Inkscape. Turns out I didn't need paint after all.

While passing out Gospel tracts at the Farmer's Market, I was reminded of what Jesus says in Matthew 24:40, "Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left." It always there will always be groups who don't want anyone else to get a Gospel tract but then usually one person in that group will take one. If one person spoke for everyone I used to just accept it and move on, but I realized that we can't let one person speak for the whole group. So, with this, I want to encourage you when passing out Gospel tracts if you go up to a group ask everyone in the group if they would like one, even if one of them tries to speak for the whole group by saying, "No!" You just never know how the Lord will use that one tract...

1Co 15:

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

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The imperishable bodies will be glorious and powerful. Paul was talking about believers.

54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

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Death does not have power over the imperishable bodies.
Re 20:

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

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Unbelievers will be resurrected to some kind of perishable body to suffer the second death.
When Jesus returns, will the dead, believers and unbelievers, be resurrected and receive imperishable bodies?
Believers will be resurrected to imperishable bodies; unbelievers, to perishable ones.
See also Does the Bible teach conscious torment over an infinite period of time?

I loved everything he did.

“If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave that they will support Vice President Harris, you would be mistaken,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “They’re not going to be fully honest, but I’m going to be honest for them.”

It is something that so many powerful Democrats who said Trump is a threat to democracy are willing to throw out their own democratically elected primary winner, Mr. Democracy himself, in order to promote others.

I am taking wagers here. This OP is NOT about whether by "all" in 2Co 5:10, Paul included both believers and unbelievers. I'm assuming you think Paul did. This post focuses on wagering on what you believe.

Let proposition P1 = By "all" in 2Co 5::10, Paul included both believers and unbelievers.

P2 = not P1.

Between 0 and 10, how much weight do you put on each of the above propositions? The stronger your belief in a proposition, the higher the weight. Your weighting scheme will determine the betting odds.

DEA laboratory testing indicates that 7 out of 10 counterfeit pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. Counterfeits made in the United States typically use pill press machines that can easily be purchased online and – depending on size and capacity – can manufacture anywhere from 1,800 pills to more than one million pills per hour. Many of the pill presses shipped to the United States come from China. The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on numerous Chinese entities for allegedly distributing pill presses and other equipment used to manufacture illicit fentanyl in the United States. Recently, under "Operation Artemis," CBP officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York seized 14 pill press machines in five separate shipments that arrived from China.
In the United States, pill press laws at the federal level are limited, and state laws are generally weak or nonexistent. Federal law currently prohibits the sale, possession, and use of unregistered pill presses. However, the registration process relies heavily on self-reporting, usually during the sale and transfer of machines. For instance, thousands of pill press machines have been sold through eBay, contributing to the current crisis. Current law also states that any person who possesses a pill press machine with the intent to sell shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than four years, a fine or both. We believe that the criminals who manufacture and traffic these deadly drugs should face clearer, harsher penalties.
For more than four years, we have led bipartisan legislation to make possession of a pill press mold with the intent to counterfeit schedule I or II substances a federal crime. Specifically, our Criminalizing Abused Substance Templates (CAST) Act would allow for criminals who possess a pill press and are planning to manufacture counterfeit pills – whether they have yet to do so or not – to be imprisoned for up to 20 years.

Renowned researchers David Chalmers and Anil Seth join Brian Greene to explore how far science and philosophy have gone toward explaining the greatest of all mysteries, consciousness--and whether artificially intelligent systems may one day possess it.

This program is part of the Big Ideas series, supported by the John Templeton Foundation.

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