This year has been difficult for my family financially. My income has dropped considerably compared to last year, which has made it difficult to pay the bills each month. August was no exception; it seems that the more days go by, the harder it is to earn money. In August, my husband was in charge of paying the rent and food (it is our biggest expense). Normally, we always pay half of everything, but things have gone so badly that I have not been able to contribute. This month, I was in charge of paying the monthly school fee (it is not much) and I only paid half of my daughter's soccer academy. Last night, we ran out of gas just as I was preparing dinner. I turned around and looked at my husband and told him that we no longer had gas, but neither he nor I had the money to buy a new gas cylinder (we do not have piped gas). What could we do? We had to hurry and buy new gas, otherwise I would not be able to cook and we could not buy prepared food because we did not have the money to order food to be delivered. The solution to all this: SN, I have earned some sats since I've been here and although I didn't want to spend those sats because I was collecting them for another purpose, it was our only salvation/solution. If 10 years ago someone had told me that I could earn sats for making posts and comments, I wouldn't have believed it and much less believed that it would save me from some trouble. Thanks stackers, thanks SN.
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264 sats \ 1 reply \ @BTCLNAT 4 Sep
That experience shows that Bitcoin is real money. First I hope that things get better for you there. Second, you're not the only person whose life SN saves.
I am a doctor by profession, my wife is a teacher and my son is an artist. Supposedly there should be no shortage in our home. Nothing could be further from the truth. What we earn here is barely enough. On one occasion, when I first started an SN, I participated in a 5000 SAT reward that was about Lightning wallets. Thank God and SN, I earned those 5000 SATs and I was going to use them to pay for a Nostr NIC05 that also gives me a Lightning Bolt12 address. But something happened, we didn't have rice. So I sold the 5k SATs for local fiat and was able to buy 2kg of rice to solve the problem. Only those of us who have lived that experience know how much SN has helped us in an economic sense. And also in teaching about different topics that nourish us as human beings.
Thanks to Stacker News, great team.
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64 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Thanks for sharing your experience. That's right, bitcoin is real money and there is no better asset than it. Thank God you were able to solve that situation, there is no doubt that SN is a great community and support. Some people who are not in SN or who are not even interested in bitcoin, could not understand the philosophy of V4V and how much each sat helps our lives.
Éxitos para ti y tu familia, un abrazo y mucha fortaleza
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150 sats \ 4 replies \ @Malachi17 4 Sep
I sometimes think the "stack sats" crowd forgets that there are people out there with more immediate needs. The truth is, with as much money as is often being thrown around on frivolous things, you shouldn't be in a position to be wanting for necessities. I'm glad there was a solution for you, but it says something about the current financial systems that you are where you are to start with.
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1229 sats \ 3 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Inequality is inevitable, it is not a headache for me. There are people who have too much wealth and others who lack it. It is true that the financial system is shit, sometimes it seems that no matter how hard you try, how early you get up, we will always be in an endless roulette of debts, the important thing here is to learn to break the wheel and that is what we are all here for. When I first emigrated from Venezuela, I saw the problems of others as stupid things, I came from seeing people go hungry, seeing them not being able to buy their medicines, I saw people suffer to get a kilo of rice, friends who dropped out of school and/or university because they could not pay for it or to be able to work to eat, among other things; I emigrated and I saw that other people's problems were: "I couldn't buy a pair of shoes", "I didn't go on vacation" and I thought: "what idiotic or dissatisfied people, they have health and food, what are they complaining about?"... Then after a few years I don't think like that anymore, everyone works and strives to get what they want, we don't all have the same priorities and needs, right now somewhere in the world there is a mother struggling to pay for her son's terminal illness, on the other side of the world there is a family working double shifts to pay for their children's college education and on the other side of the world there is a family traveling on a cruise through Europe.
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34 sats \ 2 replies \ @Malachi17 4 Sep
It will be inevitable so long as the values are contrived and fake. The bowl of rice is worth the whole cruise ship if you happen to be starving. When you place the value first on humanity, then the inequality in the sense of raw needs vs luxury is greatly checked. Usually, this is where charity is supposed to fill the gaps, but you also have rich lunatics running charities.
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74 sats \ 1 reply \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
You are not wrong about that, things have the value that we ourselves give them. In an apocalypse the only thing that has value is water and food and ironically the resources are wasted and the earth is destroyed in the end for nothing. I have a very unpopular opinion and it has even created debates between my husband and I, it is about gold, I understand the value of this in society, but I also think, is it worth destroying ecosystems, destroying the planet to get gold? If in the end gold does not quench thirst or hunger, what is the use of so much gold if we do not have a planet to inhabit? Perhaps with this I am going off topic, but it is one of the things I think about in silence.
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77 sats \ 0 replies \ @Malachi17 4 Sep
It is a valid question. I think Solomon had 666 talents of gold not coincidentally. The best use of it was for that period for the purposes of God. Beyond that, I'd say you are right.
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70 sats \ 1 reply \ @nout 4 Sep
What a story! It's great that sats helped and provided you with value.
How did you purchase the gas with sats? Do your local shops sell gas for sats?
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58 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
I'll be honest, I have to give credit to my husband: I told him I've earned some sats, we're going to sell them to pay for the gas and he took care of converting them to Fiat, I still have a lot to learn from him. In this country they don't accept payments in sats or any other crypto, in that area the country is not yet a bitcoiner community and they only accept traditional payments.
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90 sats \ 1 reply \ @Coinsreporter 4 Sep
You deserve every Sat you earned here. I'm glad you got a solution/salvation in your life with Sats earned for writing. I think, what you did should be held as the main purpose of Bitcoin. I'm holding my every sat for only 2 reasons. One for future and one for situations like when need them in trouble.
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71 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Thank you for your words. I agree with you, I have the same philosophy about sats, I keep them for our future, but if an emergency occurs and they are our solution/salvation there is no other option than to use them, then I will pile up more, as my mother says: "everything has a solution, except death"
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140 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined 4 Sep
I'm glad we could help. V4V demanded it of us, after you provided such great coverage of the situation in Venezuela,.
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156 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Thank you very much for the value you gave to my publications, I feel extremely grateful.
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90 sats \ 3 replies \ @grayruby 4 Sep
Your posts about what is happening in Venezuela have been very informative and enlightening so all the sats you earned were well deserved. Hope things will get better for your family. Keep posting great content and we will keep zapping.
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158 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Thank you for reading my posts, for supporting and giving them value. Amen, everything will be better.
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54 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 4 Sep
Well said. Those sats were earned
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129 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
I feel flattered, thank you very much
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90 sats \ 1 reply \ @TomK 4 Sep
I wish You and Your family all the luck You deserve. Stay strong, stay together and fight through this tough time as a team. You'll do it - after the rain follows sunshine. Always!
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125 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
I think the same, working as a team will be our greatest strength. Thank you very much for your support and good wishes.
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81 sats \ 1 reply \ @Carresan 4 Sep
One thing I like from SN is how community helps! I hope things get better!!
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114 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
I think the same, SN is a very close-knit community, at the same time I find it funny and cool how we can create bonds without needing to know each other's names.
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80 sats \ 1 reply \ @cryotosensei 4 Sep
Happy to help you top up some sats!
Keep writing n keep shining
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77 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Thank you very much for the support Sensei
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80 sats \ 1 reply \ @OgFOMK 4 Sep
Your job is to keep writing so keep writing.
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119 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
I will do it! Thank you very much
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69 sats \ 1 reply \ @DesertDave 4 Sep
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing and being vulnerable. I feel you. I am going through a time that is similar. I have found when I trust it will all work out, it does, one way or another. Keep the faith. Keep moving forward and since you are here and you are probably a bitcoiner it will definitely change for you eventually. Keep in the light, and know you have everything you need. Thank you💚
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86 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Thank you very much, sometimes I feel a little embarrassed to show myself vulnerable, but I wanted to thank the community. Thank you for your words and you are right, I have everything I need to keep moving forward, and to overcome adversities. I sincerely hope that your situation also improves, in virtual hug.
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80 sats \ 1 reply \ @BitcoinIsTheFuture 4 Sep
We are a community! God bless, hopefully things turn around!
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114 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Amen 💖 God bless your family too
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55 sats \ 1 reply \ @Golu 5 Sep
You've done the right thing! Right use of money. Everyone accepts Bitcoin is money so it should be used in buying things!
I wish you come overcome your hardships soooner
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71 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 5 Sep
Exactly
Bitcoin = Real money
Thanks for the support
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70 sats \ 3 replies \ @IamSINGLE 4 Sep
I'm happy that you could fulfil your needs with Bitcoin. I've also done it in the past. I'll tell you but before I wanna ask you, "Does your husband support you in Bitcoin journey? Now listen why I'm asking you.
I should tell it here. A few days ago, we had to buy a summersible and my father didn't have money at that time. Just as hee was going to get a loan from someone, I told him that "Papa, don't go, I have some money." He got surprised but just said, "Bahut Badhiya ab to Ghar me hi mil gaya udhar, bahar kyun jana!" ("Now, as I've a creditor in the house, why would I go outside!")
So, within just 5 minutes, I got money in my account and we, me and my father both went to market and bought a summersible.
However, when the work was finished, my father asked me about the source of income and I told him that I got these with the little money I had in my account. Now, my father gives me 5000 INR (around $60) every month to invest in Bitcoin.
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56 sats \ 2 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Good question! Yes, of course, my husband is the pillar in all this, he was the one who brought me to SN: he told me: I know you like to write and take photos, I know a place where you can make posts. At home he is the bitcoin expert and I am his apprentice. We have been on this journey with bitcoin for about 3 years, we have had ups and downs, gains and losses (due to inexperience and ignorance), we have been piling up as much as we can, but things have become complicated this year and it has become difficult to pile up, not even for $10 a month, that is why SN has been key in our lives. Thanks for your anecdote and I think it is the best thing in life that your father has decided to go over to the bitcoiner side. I tried to convince my parents but I have not been successful.
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54 sats \ 1 reply \ @IamSINGLE 4 Sep
"Those days were over, so these will also be over!"
Also, I remember that "Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought (a story)."
So, I wish you all the best wishes in your journey and will pray you overcome your difficulties very soon.
It's Amazing that Your husband is your guide!
Does he also stack on SN?
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49 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
What beautiful words and thank you for including me in your prayers. Yes, my husband is in SN too, just not as much as me.
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37 sats \ 1 reply \ @roadrunnah 4 Sep
I must say that you saved yourself. If you were spending your SATS left and right you will not have your rainy day funds available at your disposal. Your frugality saved you from a certain catastrophe. Thanks to Bitcoin network and your abilities everything went on very smoothly.
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77 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
I have never wanted to spend my sats, spending them makes me feel like the guy who paid for 2 pizzas with 10 thousand bitcoin. This was an unavoidable urgency and yes, thanks to the fact that I like to keep my sats and thanks to all the stackers I was able to solve that situation.
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34 sats \ 1 reply \ @redlight_pleb 4 Sep
This too shall pass
thanks for your honesty 🧡
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75 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Thank you very much 🤗
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34 sats \ 2 replies \ @ContraMundum 4 Sep
God bless the #Bitcoin community and Devs
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76 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Amen!!
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76 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Amen!!
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34 sats \ 1 reply \ @riberet19 4 Sep
It's good to know that SN is helping all kinds of people a little, especially those who are not having a good time, I'm so happy!
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72 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
SN is a great community, I also feel joy that many have been able to find a solution/salvation here.
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34 sats \ 0 replies \ @everysatscount 4 Sep
Take care 🫶
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34 sats \ 1 reply \ @Catcher 4 Sep
Hope you can make it all back with your posts ;)
https://m.stacker.news/49902
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73 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Thank you!!! I found the image very funny 🤗
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32 sats \ 1 reply \ @flat24 4 Sep
Thank you for sharing your story, it is very inspiring, it encourages us to keep going and understand that everywhere each person fights a personal battle, for some it is tougher and perhaps for others it is less heavy, but in the end we all fight, and the best of all is knowing that SN and Bitcoin were there to help you in your need, and not out of charity but it is the product and the result of the tireless work of Stacking small units of SATS in SN
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82 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
the importance of V4V and how it can save us from time to time. Thank you very much
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44 sats \ 1 reply \ @BitcoinAbhi 4 Sep
Thanks for sharing your experience. Good times will come soon. Keep writing
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51 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Thank you for your good wishes. Amen.
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21 sats \ 1 reply \ @rebel_nomad 5 Sep
What a story, I'll remember & relate this one in the years to come!
Under communism this is a big win, even though the value & item is seemingly mundane :-)
(We also have to contend with global, technocratic communism, will write about this later, I clearly see that your reality is different and more akin to "classic" communism)
How do we scale this economy, especially for content creators? This is what I keep chipping at every day, searching for any ideas that might work, and during this process I'll be doing my writing.
Actually while analyzing every single experience I've had in my ~5 decades alive before the 2020 psyop I realized that I had only been truly happy when there were no middlemen in my life. This kinda was the case when very young and working for cash under the tax limits, but soon I got dragged in of course...
Then in 99 after leaving a job of course the system failed me, and I was left with literally no cash at all, right when Christmas started.
After starving for a couple of days I then resorted to my last way out: I spent the silver coins I had gotten from drunkards and original, wild people a decade ago when working at a grocery shop.
That carried me over to the day when I could locate some cash, of course most of the real value was lost since no cashier would give me goods for more than the denomination, but I got to eat.
I had forgotten about this episode, but 2020 made it come back, and also made it clear to me that I should have bailed completely out of the whole scam waaay earlier!
At least I did that for the following year, using a loophole I billed customers directly, paying no taxes, fees or any other BS haha
That year was the best I had, until now I hope!
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135 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 5 Sep
Your story is really interesting, can you write your anecdotes in this cold working world? In this life we go through many situations, I like to read and know the experiences of other people
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21 sats \ 0 replies \ @stack_harder 5 Sep
times are hard now for me too, but keep stacking and fighting the good fight and all us hodlers will make it to the other side :)
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21 sats \ 1 reply \ @anon 6 Sep
Awesome story, thanks for sharing. Another place that has worked well for charities has been geyser.fund. Might be worth checking out
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11 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 6 Sep
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21 sats \ 2 replies \ @398ja 6 Sep
All the best to you and your family. I grew up in a third-world country and know these kinds of struggles very well, even though I personally almost never had to experience them as a child/teenager.
On a related note, In my twenties as a student in Europe, I once ran out of money, with nothing left in the fridge. I got so hungry at some point that I went to see the wife of our landlord, and begged for food. I only did it because I knew she liked me a lot, and indeed, she made me some of the most delicious sandwiches I had ever eaten. I will never forget.
Some other times when I had too much month at the end of money, I would just eat my flatmate's food. Initially, I'd tell him later that I've run out of food and would pay back later, but he didn't care, because he usually spent most of his weekends at home with his parents, and would come back Sunday evenings with additional food supplies.
We had a tacit agreement, I would eat his food when in need, and he'd not expect me to return it as well, because he also always had more than he actually needed. Most of the times I'd "borrow" a very cheap but filling tin can of ravioli in tomato sauce. I found it very delicious back then, but I doubt I would eat that stuff again today, lol.
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74 sats \ 1 reply \ @bief57 OP 6 Sep
Thank you for your kind words. Yes, living in the third world has its challenges and being an immigrant even more so. I am very happy to know that you found a good roommate, it was really nice and kind of him, it is very difficult to find and meet people like that, I am sure you are a very cool person too. Are you still in Europe? How is life treating you?
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11 sats \ 0 replies \ @398ja 6 Sep
I am yes, and very grateful to live here. It couldn't be better for me!
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16 sats \ 1 reply \ @oldkingdom 5 Sep
Stackers really poured everything on this discussion post. So far I haven't seen anything like this.
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16 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 5 Sep
This was a surprise to me, I even thought it would be a post that no one would see. I feel so grateful.
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13 sats \ 1 reply \ @Butterfinger 5 Sep
Indeed SN is amazing and it helps a lot stacking sats. Nostr also is great, I can't wait to see the whole internet using it everywhere, imagine when normies start coming to nostr...
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131 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 5 Sep
It would be good if more people joined, but it should be to generate valuable content and not nonsense like on TikTok and Instagram.
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13 sats \ 1 reply \ @Satoshi__Nakamoto 4 Sep
This is kinda sad story your family have been suffering with financial problems
Hearing that SN saves you is so good
I would like to boost your with some sn
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28 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
Yes, it has been a difficult season, between inflation, recession and all that stuff, income has decreased, the positive thing is that we have health, food and a place to live, it is not our best financial moment, but we are working and fighting to get ahead.
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80 sats \ 1 reply \ @Raphaell 4 Sep
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45 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 4 Sep
I'm with you in your situation. It's really hard, feeling like you're swimming and swimming and still not reaching the shore. Sometimes it's tiring, overwhelming and frustrating, but we must not give up. You can do it!
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