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Safety Tips: How to manage electric shocks and ways to avoid them.

Important information

Electricity is important in our daily lives but when used improperly can
be very dangerous. Here is critical information on what to do in
the event of an electric shocks.

This is what you must do if you think someone has had an electric shock

  1. Approach them cautiously. It’s not always clear if someone has had an electric shock, so take care.
  2. Do NOT touch them with your hands, or feet, or any other part of your body, as this can put you in you in danger too.
  3. If they have been using electrical equipment, turn this off by unplugging the appliance, or switching off the electricity supply at the fuse box (consumer unit).
  4. If you cannot do this, push the item away from the victim using a length of wood, or something that is insulated. Never use something metal or anything that conducts electricity.
  5. After following the guidelines above, if the person is unconscious and you know first aid, treat them, and call for medical help.
  6. Even if someone says they are OK, they may still need medical help.

To stop electric shocks from happening

  1. Make sure that the electrical equipment you are using is in good condition. Be very careful if any wires are exposed.
  2. If the electrical equipment you are using begins to spark, or smell, or smoke, stop using it immediately.
  3. Make sure that only someone who is competent and qualified carries out electrical repairs or installations.
  4. If you see someone tampering with, or vandalizing electrical equipment, please let us know as soon as possible, as they are putting themselves and others in danger by their actions.

Sources: PHED policy brochure

774 million daily subsidy: All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government is covering  huge fraud in Nigeria – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described the statement by the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Mainkanti Bello, that the NNPC spends 774 million daily on fuel subsidy as a work of fiction.

PDP described the figures and called the purported proliferation of fuel stations used as an alibi for the claimed sudden jump in subsidy pay-out, as fictitious and cleverly fabricated to retire the already exposed stealing of trillions of Naira by the alleged cabal and APC interests in secret oil deals.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Monday, said that it was duplicitous for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to claim a sudden surge in fuel purchase expenses at the same time that the nation faced the harshest fuel shortage across the country with Nigerians paying exorbitantly for the product.

The PDP said, “The APC-led Presidency is drawing its deceptive proclivity and concealment of fraud too far; and to think that such is hatched in a sector that is under the direct supervision of President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of Petroleum Affairs is most disheartening”.

The party wondered if this is the same presidency that claimed to have abolished fuel subsidy payments and even accused the immediate past administration of alleged corruption in its subsidy management.

“It is therefore strange that the same government can pull out unimaginable figures and claim it is the cost of subsidy enjoyed by Nigerians.”

The statement sought to know how come with such subsidy payments, Nigerians are still paying as high as 250 Naira to 300 Naira per liter on fuel in various parts of the country.

The PDP charged the Buhari-led presidency to come out clear with the truth on the administration of subsidy under its watch.

The statement said Nigerians need to know who in the presidency approved the spending of the said 774 million Naiar per day as fuel subsidy and who the benefiting companies are.

“Is the subsidy captured in any appropriation instrument of the National Assembly? What is the cost of landing imported fuel to the depots and at what exchange rate? Where are the details of the subsidy pay-out and the negotiating options and contracts?”

The statement further explained that in reeling out its figures, the Presidency has forgotten that Nigerians are still waiting for its explanations on the leaked memo showing alleged corrupt oil contract at the NNPC to the tune of nine trillion Naira (25 billion Dollars).

A GOOD JOB DOES NOT GIVE LIFE A MEANING

People would be a lot happier with the job they had if they were happier with themselves outside of their job. We have seen steady decline in job satisfaction, no matter if the employment rate is very high or very low, and even when most people have control over their time and their workload, they still report that they are unhappy in their jobs, according to the Harvard Business Review.

People do not like work because they don’t like their personal life. And the key to being happy at work is not so much finding the perfect career as it is finding yourself. The more self-knowledge you have the happier you will be. So stop looking at your job to solve your problems and instead look inside yourself. Make friends with yourself and with other people, and your job, whatever it is, might start looking better because you’re not asking so much from it.

If you are looking to your job for the meaning of life, forget it. Even people who feed starving children with the Peace Corps have crisis of meaning. (For example, What is the point of feeding one child when six will die?) The meaning of life is elusive and you must put in a lot of time and energy to find meaning in your life.

The job hunt is separate. The job is something you have to do to support yourself. Since you’re going to be doing it for a good portion of your life, you should look for some basics: People who respect you and your personal life. A company that is honest. A job that uses your skills and experience. A job that challenges your abilities without overwhelming you.

Work does not need to give your life a grand purpose in order to be a good experience. The most pleasurable work provides a perfect balance between too much and too little — in terms of both amount and difficulty, according to Diane Fassel, the chief executive of workplace survey firm Newmeasures and author of the book Working Ourselves to Death.

A career is like a mate. The relationship is limited by what you bring to the table. If you are not happy with yourself, you won’t be happy with the match-up. Here’s an analogy a friend once told me: You have to have the cake, and then the relationship is the icing. It doesn’t matter how good the icing is if there’s no cake to put it on. Who eats icing by itself? Gross.

The part about you is the most important. What do you do when you’re alone? How do you feel about yourself? What are your core values and do you lead your life according to them each day? Do you numb yourself with food or TV or alcohol? It’s very hard to be honest about this stuff. Yet amazingly, people spend lots of time on locating a job and a mate and very little time locating themselves.

“Employees should not demand that companies imbue their lives with meaning,” writes E.L. Kersten in the Harvard Business Review. “Employers and employees have something the other needs. One of the keys to a mutually beneficial relationship is a realistic understanding of what that something is.” A job is not a life.

In fact, online dating is not a bad model for evaluating a job. For one thing, you should never write that you want a mate to make you feel fulfilled — that’s asking much too much from a single person. Yet we complain all the time that our jobs are not fulfilling.

Dating services ask that you be as specific as possible in your desires. So try that for a job. Here’s what I would ask for in a job, and it’s the same thing I looked for in a spouse:

Fair

Fun

Mind-expanding

Interesting

Consistent with my values

Leaves space for the other parts of my life

And here’s another thing about those lists: You are probably going to have to be your list to get your list. That’s why interesting people are at interesting companies. So be who you want to be instead of looking for a mate or a company to make you who you wish you were

Tips to Help Us Make Those Ethical Changes We’re Struggling With

We want our lives to reflect our deepest values.

We know the harmful impacts of some of our choices. We fully acknowledge the benefits of certain actions, and yet we struggle.

We struggle to make new choices and to maintain the ethical habits we’ve developed.

While it’s important that we continue striving to narrow the gap between our values and our actions, it’s also important that we give ourselves the time and tools to be ready to embrace those changes, rather than to accept them grudgingly and then feel as if we’re being deprived.

Whatever ethical areas of our lives we’re struggling with, there’s a lot we can do to make progress. Here are just 4 tips:

1. Focus on taking tiny steps.
In his book, One Small Step Can Change Your Life, Robert Maurer talks about how we can use the strategy of kaizen to “trick” the “fight or flight” part of our brain that often trips us up. “Small, easily achievable goals … let you tiptoe right past the amygdala, keeping it asleep and unable to set off alarm bells. … Soon your resistance to change begins to weaken.”

And, he adds, if we frame that small step in the form of a question, that can help our brain be excited, curious, and creative about it.

2. Surround ourselves with success and support.
Making changes in our lives can be especially challenging if we’re alone. But we can surround ourselves with success stories of people engaging in the actions we want to take, so that we’re inspired, and so that we remember that there are others on this path.

Additionally, having loved ones support our efforts can give us an extra boost of confidence and determination when we’re struggling.

3. Keep learning about the issue.
When we learn about a new issue — such as the destructive impact of palm oil or child slavery or animal cruelty — our motivation level can catalyze an initial wave of change. We eagerly read labels or engage in action or create a new habit.

And then time passes, and the demands of daily life and inconvenience of operating counter to mainstream culture hampers the enthusiasm we once had. Continuing that change becomes a struggle.

One strategy for maintaining our motivation is to continue to learn about the issue — especially the reason behind our wanting to make the change.

If we remind ourselves about the realities of child slavery, for example, by regularly reading articles or watching videos or getting involved with an organization, it reinforces our commitment, and our passion to do the most good and least harm is much less likely to wane.

4. Make it easier to make the change.
We can set ourselves up for success by establishing systems and creating triggers that help us make those ethical choices that resonate with us.

For example, if I want to eat fewer animal products, I can stock my fridge and pantry with plant-based choices, take a cooking class to learn how to make tasty dishes that fit my busy schedule, and make batch meals that I can eat throughout the week. If I want to reduce my use of disposable plastics, I can search for alternative ideas and slowly accumulate plastic-free products.
We humans often don’t like change.

But if we create an environment and strategies that help nurture and support changes that more accurately reflect our values, we may find that all those struggles can be transformed into delightful and liberating opportunities and greater and greater successes.

How to prepare banga soup (Urhobo Style)

Banga, also known as Oghwo amiedi in Urhobo language and izuwo ibiedi in Isoko language, is a type of palm fruit soup from Southern Niger Delta Nigeria particularly the Urhobo ethnic group. This cuisine is quite different from “Ofe Akwu” which is a variant found in Igbo culture according to the wikipedia, and it looks like this

Ingredients

Palm kernel nuts
-1 Onions
-6 pieces Pepper or grinded red pepper
-Seasoning (Maggi, Rogojie, Obeletientien(dried bitter leaf) you should get it in any local market especially in the west and south)
-1 kg Beef meat/goat meat/fish( personally I prefer fresh fish
– Periwinkle( a handful)
-Banga soup spices

periwinkle or Isam.

Banga soup spices

OR

lets start( REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS PROPERLY BEFORE COOKING, AND ITS ALSO IMPORTANT YOU MAINTAIN A CLEAN COOKING ENVIRONMENT)

STEP 1: Rinse all the main ingredients, the periwinkle, the fish, if you have your beef or chicken, this is the perfect time to parboil them and set them aside, Rinse the palm nuts 2-3 times with water then place in a medium sized pot( henceforth it would be referred to as” banga”). Add clean water just enough to cover the banga in the pot and cook on the burner for 30 mins till it gets soft. you can check this by biting into one of the nuts. If it’s soft, then its ready to pound,

STEP TWO

Drain the water from the cooked banga, and pour the banga into a big bowl or a mortar,you can start pounding immediately while its very hot with a pestle(to help us extract enough juice out of our banga), you should see something like this

Add warm water to the mixture , mix it properly with your hand (it might be very hot, but you would get used to it, add a lilttle water if you desire to) till you get the desired quantity of water you desire( please make sure its not so watery). You can repeat this process twice to get enough banga juice. Then strain the palm oil into a bowl, you can use a filter or a sieve.

STEP 3:

Pour the clean banga juice into a pot and cook on the burner for 30-35 mins to allow it bowl properly,after that you can add your pepper,crayfish,blended onion,and allow to cook 10 more mins,

STEP FOUR

Add your washed fish and Periwinkle to the mixture

Cover properly to simmer for another 25-30mins to allow the fish cook properly.

By now you should have gotten a thick mixture, add your beef or chicken,banga soup spices, Rogojie, Obeletientien( a pinch of both would do, or 3/4 pf a teaspoon, this applies to the rogojie and obeletientien.). Add salt and your desired seasoning to taste, be careful while stirring , you might want to stir from the sides, to keep our fish intact.Leave to simmer for another 10- 15mins….. Waaaaaalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,Food is ready.

You can serve with Eba, starch, pounded yam, but its usually served with Eba or starch. Best eaten in a native black plate known as ‘Evwere’

Bon Appétit!!!!!!!!!!!

How to EAT your way to younger-looking skin: The best foods for banishing wrinkles

Leading London nutritionist Lily Soutter analyses the research

She finds there are links between eating certain foods and more youthful skin

Some help protect skin from sun damage, and others produce more collagen.

Anti-ageing skin creams promise to turn back time and give you younger-looking skin – but they can cost hundreds of Naira.

Now leading London nutritionist Lily Soutter has exclusively examined evidence for FEMAILE Food&Drink which suggests that eating the right foods can help banish the wrinkles too.

Lily has reviewed research that looks at claims that certain foods and drinks can help rejuvenate your appearance.

And she finds that there are links between some foods and a wrinkle-free, more youthful complexion.

From sweet potato to kiwi fruit, these are the food and drinks we should be eating more if to keep wrinkles at bay.

1. GREEN AND YELLOW VEG

‘It’s been estimated that three quarters of adults within the UK are failing to eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables each day and one study indicates that this may have a negative impact on aging skin,’ Lily told FEMAILE exclusively.

‘This cross-sectional study measured the skin hydration levels and elasticity of 716 Japanese women. It concluded that a higher intake of green and yellow vegetables (two or more servings per day) was associated with decreased wrinkling.

‘Further research needs to be conducted before we can confirm whether these vegetables can slow the ageing process, however few would disagree with the fact that we could all do with a little more greenery in our diet.’

Meal prep problems! Fitness fanatics share snaps of the unappetising results of their batch cooking (and they don’t even look healthy)

What raisin shortage? Lidl launches hot cross bun-flavoured ice cream (and fans are going WILD for the Easter treat)

2. KIWI FRUIT

Kiwi fruit has more vitamin C than oranges, a key nutrient required for the production of collagen which helps skin look more youthful

‘Kiwi fruit has almost double the amount of vitamin C per 100g in comparison to oranges and vitamin C is a critical nutrient required for collagen production.

‘If there is one thing that keeps skin looking youthful and supple, it’s collagen. Collagen is the structural component of skin and as we age production declines which can lead to wrinkle formation and sagging skin.

‘One interesting study using data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that a higher dietary intake of Vitamin C was associated with a lower likelihood of wrinkled appearance and senile dryness.

‘Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, with high concentrations being found within the skin. This nutrient can help to protect against environmental factors, which can speed up the aging process such as sun damage.

‘Whilst there is no clear evidence or consensus of the optimal dose of vitamin C in relation to its anti-ageing effects, regular consumption of Vitamin C rich foods such as kiwi fruit is essential for long-term health.’

3. WILD SALMON

Salmon is packed with astaxanthin which one study revealed can keep skin in tip-top condition

‘Astaxanthin is an antioxidant, which is responsible for wild salmons bright pink colour and is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties,’ said Lily.

‘One study found that women who were given a high dose of astaxanthin didn’t see any changes to their skin but those given a placebo or a lower dose saw their skin moisture content decrease and their skin condition worsen. The study concluded that astaxanthin supplementation might inhibit age-related skin deterioration.

‘Whilst this is certainly exciting preliminary research, it’s important to remember that as much as 250g wild sockeye salmon would need to be consumed daily just to reach levels found within this study which would exceed our weekly recommended intake of oily fish.’

4. SWEET POTATO

Eating lots of sweet potato could help protect your skin from sun damage which can cause wrinkles

‘The bright orange hue of sweet potato comes from an antioxidant called beta-carotene. Sun damage is one of the biggest causes of premature skin aging and research suggests that beta-carotene may play a role with protecting the skin against harmful free radicals found in UV sun radiation.

‘Whilst it certainly can’t compare to sunscreen, there is evidence that beta carotene may play a role with protecting against sunburn, which ultimately would lead to wrinkles.

‘Interestingly beta-carotene isn’t just found in sweet potato, it’s also found in other orange and green vegetable such as carrots, butternut squash and spinach. Since beta carotene is a fat soluble antioxidant, for optimal absorption it’s best consumed alongside healthy fats such as olive oil.’

5. OLIVE OIL

‘Olive oil is a rich source of healthy monounsaturated fats and research suggests that regular consumption is significantly associated with skin elasticity and firmness.

‘One large study of 1,264 women and 1,655 men aged 45-60 showed that dietary intakes of monounsaturated fats derived from olive oil were least likely to have sun damage.

‘There is a wealth of evidence supporting the benefits of replacing saturated fat within our diet with monounsaturated fat such as olive oil for all aspects of health.’

6. GREEN TEA

Green tea contains plenty of antioxidants and now some studies have shown it can help make your skin look more vibrant too

‘Green tea is packed with antioxidants and one study found that these antioxidants were able to protect against ageing UV sun radiation whilst helping to improve the skin quality of women,’ said Lily.

‘In the study, tea-drinking volunteers noted a 16 per cent reduction in skin roughness, a 25 per cent reduction in scaling, as well as improved skin elasticity and hydration.

‘But before we start glugging back the green tea, it would be great to see these results replicated in studies with a larger sample size.’

CAN FOOD AND DRINK REALLY HELP BANISH WRINKLES?

Lily said: ‘Whilst it’s tempting to get sucked into the idea that there is one miracle food which will turn back the clocks and leave us with smoother wrinkle-free skin, there is limited research linking specific foods with anti-aging properties.

‘However there is more research linking antioxidant nutrients to collagen production and protection against environmental factors such as sun damage, which ultimately slows the ageing process.

‘It appears that the key to aging gracefully could be as simple as incorporating a more healthy fats and a wider range of rainbow coloured fruit and vegetables within the diet.’

Harley Street nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert agreed and added: ‘It’s becoming increasingly clear that what you eat can significantly affect how healthy your skin is.

‘Fruit and vegetable consumption may represent the most healthy and safe method in order to maintain a balanced diet and youthful appearing skin. Research does not prove that diet causes skin conditions but rather influences it to some degree.’

Rhiannon, who has recently published her first book, Re-Nourish: A Simple Way To Eat Well (£18.99), continued: ‘Research studies have suggested that essential fats that are found in foods such as salmon, nuts and avocados are extremely important as it can help keep our skin supple and hydrated.

‘There is not some miracle food that will help your skin look younger. Instead we should look at our diet as a whole, and identify whether or not we are eating enough fruit and vegetables, and make sure we eating well balanced meals that include carbohydrates, protein and essential fats.

‘All these food groups work together in the body to help maintain optimal health as well as healthy skin.’

FORECASTING DEMAND FOR PMS IN RIVERS STATE.

FIGURE SHOWING EXPECTED POPULATION IN RIVERS STATE

According to the national bureau of statistics (NBS), data obtained showing the consumption of PMS (premium motor spirit) between 2015 and 2016 is being analyzed and used to forecast demand for PMS in 2018 subject to population growth.

After thorough observations and studies on the data given, the meaningful result was produced from it. The observation shows that the population of Rivers state kept increasing at an average rate of 3.20%. In 2015, the population was 6,902,610.95 inhabitants which increased to 7,586692.61 in 2018 at an annual growth rate of 3.20%.

On the same line, the demand for PMS in Rivers state was forecast as well with the given consumption of PMS by rivers state after a thorough analysis of past data. It was observed that, the PMS consumption /demand increases during festive periods.

During festivals period, October, November and December period, the demand and consumption of PMS are at the peak, as well as the May and June period during Easter holidays. During January, February, March, April the consumption drops/decreased gradually towards base demand.

It entails that PMS consumption is primarily used in Rivers state for transportation and generator users. It also shows that Rivers state residents are predominantly Christians who observe holidays traveling to various destinations to meet their families and loved ones as part of the celebration.

With the graphical representation of the demand for PMS, fluctuations of PMS demand during festivals and holiday periods and on the normal periods is clearly observed.

From the predictions, it is observed that increase in population has a direct relationship with demand for PMS, as this will lead to an increase in movement of people which implies an increase in demand for PMS.

Thus, increased in the population of Rivers state and the demand for PMS are directly related. The expected monthly demand for PMS in rivers state for the year 2018 is as follows;

Volume in liters.

DECEMBER 64615517.5
NOVEMBER 59451297.91
OCTOBER 66400332.85
SEPTEMBER 47842826.01
AUGUST 45074774.32
JULY 44867594.13
JUNE 55851796.9
MAY 53040093.07
APRIL 42956590.68
MARCH 49766808.91
FEBRUARY 45577902.3
JANUARY 59218942.7

Rivers state Government and relevant authorities can use the above statistics as a guide to make plans to avoid the menace of product scarcity which has a negative effect on the overall productivity of the state as this will cause down/loss time as such reduced productivity.

ASSUMPTIONS

Price of PMS is fixed at government price N145

Consumers behaviour is constant

GDP per capital for Rivers state is fixed.

Sources: Kegoz oil system limited

Rivers State House of Assembly votes against Local Government autonomy.

The Rivers State House of Assembly, on Monday, voted for the constitution alternation bill of 2017 which outlines the processes of amending the 1999 constitution.

The House of Assembly voted on 15 alterations of the Constitution (Fourth Alteration) Bill 2017 transmitted to it by the National Assembly.

The voting process was presided by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani.

The House approved Fourth Alteration Number 27 which provides for the reduction of age for qualification to contest the position of President, Governor, National and State Assembly Seats in order to accommodate youths in the electoral process.

It further voted to approve alteration number 8 which permits immunity for legislators during sitting and to strengthen the legislative process.

Also approved, was the alteration number 28, which specifies the period within which the President or State Governor must present an appropriation bill to the legislature for consideration.

The House voted to approve alteration number 4 which confers financial autonomy on State Assemblies.

Alteration number 2, which reduces the period that the President or State Governor can spend money before the passage of the next budget from 6 months to 3 months was also approved.

6. The House of Assembly, however, rejected alteration number 5, which seeks to abrogate the Local Government Joint Account and permit local government councils to operate separate accounts.

The House further rejected alteration number 9 which seeks to permit INEC sufficient time to conduct by-elections and de-register political parties.

It also rejected alteration number 14 which seeks to provide for independent candidates in the course of elections.

Don’t expect too much from Obasi- Parkinson

The coach of the English championship side Bolton Wanderer, Phil Parkinson, has told the club fans not to expect too much from their newly acquired striker, former Nigeria international Chinedu Obasi.

Former Schalke 04 forward agreed a short term deal with the Trotters over the weekend after a successful trials with the club.

The club gaffer made the comments in a press conference shortly after the contract was announced.

According to the coach ” I haven’t seen a great a deal of him in training because of the weather and now we given him a contract which is pay as you go,.

“He is not ready yet. But I thought for no cost we might as well tuck him in the U23s to see how he gets on and then if he gets to a level and can make a contribution, great.

“He has played at a good level in the Bundesliga etc but I don’t want the supporters t think he ‘all be out there making a difference in a week’s time because we had to make a decision on what we’d seen in the dome plating seven a side.

“It got to the point and no faults of his but he’d played in the U23s game and had one or two offers. He said I ‘ll back myself and cone on a pay as you play contract.

“To have another striker at no cost unless he makes an appearance is one we decided to take. He’s a good lad but he’s got work to do, he told the club website.

Obasi will joins another Nigerian Sammy Ameobi in the Trotters attack.

Healthcare Board to begin immunization program.

The Rivers State primary Health Care Management Board has appealed to parents, caregivers, religious organization, proprietors and head of schools to ensure that children between the ages 9 months to 5years are vaccinated in the forth coming nationwide measles vaccination.

Permanent secretary of the board, Dr. Agiriye Harry, disclosed this to newsmen during a one-day media orientation meeting on the importance of the campaign.

Dr. Agiriye, who was represented by the Director of Community Health services, Dr. Isaac Opurum, said that the rate of unimmunized
children in the country is alarming, adding that children from 5years and below are most vulnerable to the disease.

He noted that the vaccine is free, safe and is being carried out by the state government,

stressing that it is a moral obligation of all to ensure no child is left out
during the immunization.

“It’s important that every child should be immunized. Measles is a contagious disease. If a child is not immunized and that child falls ill with measles, it will spread and children not immunized will be affected greatly. Its dangerous. Every child must be immunized.

“We call on Rivers people, every mother, father, caregiver to ensure that every child is immunized within this period”

Also speaking, the state immunization officer, Dr. Rita Wilson, said that children not vaccinated
are at risk of coming down with health challenges.

“It is sad that some women will not get their children vaccinated. This children become vulnerable to situation of the virus itself, such as, blindness, deafness, inflammation of the brain, diarrhoea.

‘’Diarrhea can lead to death, because a child that passes so much fluid will collapse, so these are some of the effect of measles we don’t want our children to come down with”

She said that the measles immunization exercise will commence from 8th to 20th of March, 2018, stressing that parent should go to immunization temporary post and primary health facilities for their children to be vaccinated.

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