PimaLib_AmyK's Completed Shelf
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DilettanteDilettante, BookTrue Tales of Excess, Triumph, and Disaster
by Brown, DanaBook - 2022Book, 2022
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added May 23, 2022
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Jun 29, 2021
Lady in WaitingLady in Waiting, BookMy Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown
by Glenconner, AnneBook - 2020Book, 2020
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Jun 18, 2020
Comment:
I suspect the TV series “The Crown” is causing a lot of memoirs to be written. The latest case in point is “Lady In Waiting”, written by Anne Glenconner. She grew up as a childhood pal of the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, was a maid of honor at Elizabeth’s crowning as Queen and later became a lady in waiting to Princess Margaret. Reading this, I’m reminded of what women were expected to put up with back in the day; Glenconner’s husband was Colin Tennant, perhaps best known as the developer of the Caribbean island Mustique, made famous by Princess Margaret making it her island getaway. To say Tennant was a difficult husband is putting it mildly. In today’s times his behavior would be considered abusive, although it also seems that he struggled with mental health issues. Reading about Glenconner’s time with Princess Margaret was interesting; the princess comes off as much more human (and nice!) than the press made her out to be. Also of note is Glenconner’s tragedies involving her children, losing two sons and nearly losing a third. A good, quick read.I suspect the TV series “The Crown” is causing a lot of memoirs to be written. The latest case in point is “Lady In Waiting”, written by Anne Glenconner. She grew up as a childhood pal of the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, was a maid of honor at…
I Am EvidenceI Am Evidence, DVDMy Body Was A Crime Scene
DVD - 2019DVD, 2019
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Jan 14, 2020
Comment:
“I Am Evidence” grips you right from the start. Produced by Mariska Hargitay (the star of the long running “Law and Order: SVU”), who also appears several times in the film appearing before Congress, imploring for hundreds of thousands of rape kits nationwide to be tested. The film starts off in Detroit, where a prosecutor finds out about thousands and thousands of rape kits that were never tested and were being stored in an abandoned warehouse. She makes it her professional and personal mission to get the kits tested. The film also documents the same issues of ignored rape kits in Los Angeles and Cleveland. When the various police departments start to begin testing the kits, disturbing patterns emerge: serial rapists committing rapes in several different cities, for instance, and the knowledge that a number of rapes could have been prevented if the kits had been tested earlier. The film delves into why police departments push rape kits to the back burner; mostly it’s the usual “budget cuts”, but there’s also a disturbing line of thinking that rapes just don’t matter (with copies of police reports proving it.) The film follows several rape victims throughout their ordeals and ends on a hopeful note. An important film and a 2019 Emmy winner for best documentary.“I Am Evidence” grips you right from the start. Produced by Mariska Hargitay (the star of the long running “Law and Order: SVU”), who also appears several times in the film appearing before Congress, imploring for hundreds of thousands of rape kits…
Linda RonstadtLinda Ronstadt, DVDThe Sound of My Voice
DVD - 2019DVD, 2019
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Dec 16, 2019
Comment:
I saw “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice” when it opened at The Loft. I’m not what you would call a superfan; I own a couple of her greatest hits collections and of course “Canciones de Mi Padre” and a couple of others, but I don’t pretend to know about everything she’s ever done. This documentary certainly made me want to check out a couple of her other albums, though, especially the “new wave” one (“Mad Love”). Who knew she’d done a new wave album, although I shouldn’t be surprised considering she’s tackled just about everything under the sun: country rock, pop, opera, mariachi, American standards, and great and interesting covers of other artists (Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be The Day”, Tom Petty’s “The Waiting”, The Rolling Stones’ “Tumbling Dice”, Roy Orbison’s “Blue Bayou”, Warren Zevon’s “Poor Poor Pitiful Me”, and so many others.) The documentary does a great job of telling Linda’s story from childhood to the present day, including interviews with family members and fellow musicians (Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Don Henley, and JD Souther among them.) There are humorous moments throughout, including Linda talking about seeing The Doors in L.A. and thinking they would be such a great band if they would just get rid of their singer! What I find amazing (and sort of heartbreaking) is how hard Ronstadt is on herself; she’ll hear old records of hers and think about ways she could have done things better. Maybe that’s the mark of a great singer, though. After seeing this documentary and watching her induction as a Kennedy Center honoree, it’s clear that no one can hold a candle to that voice.I saw “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice” when it opened at The Loft. I’m not what you would call a superfan; I own a couple of her greatest hits collections and of course “Canciones de Mi Padre” and a couple of others, but I don’t pretend to…
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Dec 10, 2019
Comment:
This is a rather biased review, as I’ve been a Blondie/Debbie Harry fan since I was a kid. I never knew much about her personally, so reading this was interesting. She writes about her life from birth (adopted at the age of six months) to the present day, and of course writes about the formation, break-up and reunion of her band Blondie. There are a lot of names dropped along the way: David Bowie, Iggy Pop, the Ramones, Andy Warhol, Joan Jett, Jean Michel Basquiat, John Waters, etc. And when I say “dropped”, that’s what I mean. There’s not a lot of overly descriptive passages, or in some cases, emotion. (Her breakup with longtime partner and founding Blondie member Chris Stein is given about five sentences, I think, although she makes it clear throughout the book that they are still very much in each other’s lives.) There’s a “just the facts, ma’am” quality to the writing, which some might find disappointing, but kind of makes sense, because, you know, it’s Debbie Harry. One of my favorite parts of the book was the opening of a chapter that started with: “If you are a woman and you want to feel inadequate and anxious, then get yourself a copy of Vogue and start flipping through it. Works like a charm. It certainly worked that way for me.”
Another review I read expressed disappointment and frustration with the blasé attitude that Harry takes with the sexual harassment (and a couple of outright assaults) she experienced throughout her life. Knowing women who are the same age Harry is now (early 70’s), I think that, unfortunately, women back then just sort of took harassment for granted, and I think that’s the attitude Harry seems to have. On another note, a really fun part of the book is all of the fan art that’s included. Harry has apparently kept it all and it was cool to see it included in the book.This is a rather biased review, as I’ve been a Blondie/Debbie Harry fan since I was a kid. I never knew much about her personally, so reading this was interesting. She writes about her life from birth (adopted at the age of six months) to the…
Nobody's VictimNobody's Victim, BookFighting Psychos, Stalkers, Pervs, and Trolls
by Goldberg, CarrieBook - 2019Book, 2019
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Sep 07, 2019
Comment:
Is it possible to both enjoy a book and be pretty depressed by it? I say yes, after having read “Nobody’s Victim”. This book reads like a thriller as Goldberg, a lawyer, describes helping various clients fight back against “psychos, stalkers, pervs, and trolls”, most of whom commit or add to their crimes via the internet. As we all well know, the law has not kept up with technology and what people can do with it. For instance, if your ex-boyfriend took photos or videos of you, he owns the copyright and can do whatever he wants with them. Unfortunately, (but maybe not surprisingly) all of the offenders mentioned in the book are male, and most (but not all) of the victims are female. Goldberg devotes a section of the book to why this is—are men just more powerful and already corrupt or does power corrupt men? A warning that the stories in this book are awful, and don’t make for lighthearted reading, but there is (some) justice for the victims and you really end up rooting for Goldberg and the work she does.Is it possible to both enjoy a book and be pretty depressed by it? I say yes, after having read “Nobody’s Victim”. This book reads like a thriller as Goldberg, a lawyer, describes helping various clients fight back against “psychos, stalkers, pervs,…
Beyond BeautifulBeyond Beautiful, BookA Practical Guide to Being Happy, Confident, and You in A Looks-obsessed World
by Rees, AnuschkaBook - 2019Book, 2019
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added May 28, 2019
Comment:
“Beyond Beautiful” is a book that should be required reading for all women, young and old. This isn’t some piece of fluff that proclaims a good pedicure or the perfect shampoo is going to solve your problems; it’s a book that asks why women are told to begin with that a pedicure or a shampoo is going to solve their problems. As a mid-40’s woman who has inhabited the world both pre and post internet, it’s fascinating (and well, frustrating) to be clearly reminded that women have more beauty standards than ever, and that the whole “body positivity” and “love yourself as you are” mantras only go so far in the age of Instagram and endless celebrity selfies. Reading this book reminded me of an old episode of “Miami Vice” that I ran across on TV; when I saw Crockett’s girlfriend I instantly thought, “She would never pass muster today…she would be considered fat!” How awful is that? This book is written in a way that clearly states how we got here and what we can do to free ourselves from what another book calls “The Bikini Industrial Complex”. And hey, just because you like a good pedicure doesn’t mean you’re a sucker, you just shouldn’t feel like you *have* to have a pedicure to be considered “acceptable”.“Beyond Beautiful” is a book that should be required reading for all women, young and old. This isn’t some piece of fluff that proclaims a good pedicure or the perfect shampoo is going to solve your problems; it’s a book that asks why women are told…
Maybe You Should Talk to SomeoneMaybe You Should Talk to Someone, BookA Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
by Gottlieb, LoriBook - 2019Book, 2019
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added May 20, 2019
Comment:
What happens when a therapist needs to see a therapist? “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” tackles the subject. The author, herself a therapist, decides to see a therapist to do some “crisis management” after her boyfriend of two years announces that he doesn’t “want to live with someone who has a kid.” (He knew she had a child when they first started dating.) What Gottlieb thinks is going to be a quick bit of managing the pain of her breakup turns into something else. The chapters take turns with her visits to her therapist, the patients she’s treating (including a seemingly obnoxious Hollywood television writer, a young newlywed who is dying of cancer, and a several times divorced woman who seems to want to throw away her one chance at a good relationship) and how she came to be a therapist after working in Hollywood on shows such as “E.R.”. It’s interesting to know that therapists can sometimes doubt their abilities to help their patients and struggle with keeping their own judgments and biases in check. Gottlieb also writes about how modern health insurance has discouraged people from seeking therapy and encourages the use of drugs instead (which of course can also be helpful, but shouldn’t be someone’s only choice for the long term.) This book made me laugh, cry and really think about how therapy works, for both the patient and the therapist.What happens when a therapist needs to see a therapist? “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” tackles the subject. The author, herself a therapist, decides to see a therapist to do some “crisis management” after her boyfriend of two years announces…
Am I Dying?!Am I Dying?!, BookA Complete Guide to your Symptoms -- and What to Do Next
by Kelly, Christopher R.Book - 2019Book, 2019
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Apr 30, 2019
Comment:
The perfect book for all of us hypochondriacs out there (and those that have to live with us)! Got a weird pain in your head? A strange rash? An erratic heartbeat? There’s a chapter for just about any strange symptom you can think of that explains what the cause might be and when to chill out and when to head to the doctor (or the ER.) There are also some informative sidebars about whether some of those home remedies out there work or not (Probiotics? Maybe. Cranberry juice? Probably not.) The chapters are short and to the point and written with a sense of humor. I can think of one person I know that I’ll be passing this book along to.The perfect book for all of us hypochondriacs out there (and those that have to live with us)! Got a weird pain in your head? A strange rash? An erratic heartbeat? There’s a chapter for just about any strange symptom you can think of that explains…
The Perfect PredatorThe Perfect Predator, BookA Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband From A Deadly Superbug
by Strathdee, SteffanieBook - 2019Book, 2019
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Apr 15, 2019
Comment:
“Antibiotic resistance is an even bigger threat than climate change.” Did that get your attention? It should. This reads like a thriller but it’s also a huge warning for the general public, the medical establishment and the government. Written by a husband (an evolutionary sociobiologist) and wife (an infectious disease epidemiologist), the husband becomes ill during a trip to Egypt with what is assumed to be food poisoning. It is not. He is infected with the world’s deadliest bacteria (Acinetobacter baumannii), resistant to all antibiotics. This book details his perilous trip back to the United States for treatment (which took nearly nine months, and included many brushes with death) and his wife’s relentless search for a long forgotten treatment that would save his life…the origin of which comes from sewage. Phage therapy (as the treatment is known) sounds very promising and it needs funding. We should all be concerned about antibiotic resistance; I myself am aware of several people who have died from what were once considered treatable infections. A must read.“Antibiotic resistance is an even bigger threat than climate change.” Did that get your attention? It should. This reads like a thriller but it’s also a huge warning for the general public, the medical establishment and the government. Written by a…
InheritanceInheritance, BookA Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love
by Shapiro, DaniBook - 2019Book, 2019
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Apr 07, 2019
Comment:
With the current trend of researching one’s roots (Ancestry.com, “Finding Your Roots” on PBS, etc.), this is a timely book. Dani Shapiro has written a number of memoirs (I enjoyed “Slow Motion”), but this one may have the most shocking twist—or at least it seems that way. As a lark, Shapiro sends in a DNA sample to Ancestry.com and receives the shock of her life; the man she thought was her biological father turns out to not be her father, and almost as quickly, Shapiro finds out who her biological father is. This reads almost like a thriller, and also leaves the reader pondering the same questions Shapiro does: Just because someone isn’t your biological parent, does that make them “less than”? Is biology stronger than nurture? What I found most interesting is that many people in Shapiro’s life suspected she was not her father’s daughter, and even Shapiro herself writes that she suspected the same, albeit subconsciously. Hindsight is 20/20, right? This was a quick read, something I always appreciate.With the current trend of researching one’s roots (Ancestry.com, “Finding Your Roots” on PBS, etc.), this is a timely book. Dani Shapiro has written a number of memoirs (I enjoyed “Slow Motion”), but this one may have the most shocking twist—or at…
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Jan 17, 2019
Comment:
If you were a reader of Vogue magazine back in the 1980’s and 1990’s Carolyne Roehm’s name is probably familiar to you. If you lived in NYC back then you’re probably familiar with her as well. She’s probably best known as a “socialite”, a woman whose picture appeared in the society pages and was seen at all of the best parties. I remember seeing pictures of her back then in Vogue, along with Anne Bass, Blaine Trump (no relation-I think), Gayfryd Steinberg, Betsy Bloomingdale, and Annette de la Renta…you know, the usual “ladies who lunch” crowd. The cover of this book definitely got my attention as it’s just so beautiful and reminded me of what I aspired to back then. The inside is just as sumptuous; this is truly a coffee table book. What I found interesting, though, is that Roehm was not born rich and she worked hard. She grew up in Missouri, and as a child had dreams of going to New York City and working in fashion. She eventually made her way to the Big Apple and ended up working for Oscar de la Renta, truly a dream come true, I’m sure. Roehm eventually ended up with her own line of clothing, and I remember seeing the ads for it in Vogue and other high end fashion magazines. It’s fun to see the photos of large floral print dresses, poufy skirts (remember those?), and the over the top 1980’s glitz. This is a fun trip down memory lane.If you were a reader of Vogue magazine back in the 1980’s and 1990’s Carolyne Roehm’s name is probably familiar to you. If you lived in NYC back then you’re probably familiar with her as well. She’s probably best known as a “socialite”, a woman…
New WaveNew Wave, DVDDare to Be Different
DVD - 2018DVD, 2018
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Jan 07, 2019
Comment:
New Wave: Dare To Be Different is a documentary about a small radio station, WLIR, on Long Island, considered to be one of the most influential radio stations in the country during the 1980’s. WLIR was the first radio station in the US to play bands such as Duran Duran, U2, The Alarm, Blondie, and many others. The DJs sometimes went to great lengths to get listeners the newest music, meeting planes at JFK to pick up imported records, much to the annoyance of the record label executives who wanted new music put out on their timeline. This documentary has great interviews with both the DJs and program director of WLIR and many of the artists that the radio station championed, such as Joan Jett, Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Deborah Harry, Mike Peters of The Alarm (one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to, and that includes my many times seeing U2), and Paul McGuinness, U2’s longtime manager. WLIR came to its demise in 1987 due to some murky FCC licensing issues. If you grew up during the 1970’s and 1980’s it’s a hoot to remember how the radio and music industry used to work back in the day and how very important radio once was. WLIR is still so beloved amongst old listeners that there are several Facebook pages devoted to it…I just joined! That’s how much I liked this documentary.New Wave: Dare To Be Different is a documentary about a small radio station, WLIR, on Long Island, considered to be one of the most influential radio stations in the country during the 1980’s. WLIR was the first radio station in the US to play bands…
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Dec 27, 2018
Comment:
As a Tucson native, the book "Tucson Salvage" by Brian Jabas Smith is a pretty accurate description of the Tucson I know. I’m not sure if others would agree, especially those who aren’t from here or are winter visitors, or spend most of their time in certain zip codes. (I still remember the guy who said anything south of Orange Grove Road qualified as “South Tucson”. Really?) The book is a collection of columns Smith has written for the Tucson Weekly (although I think some of what’s in the book hasn’t appeared in the Weekly previously, but I’m not sure.) You’re not going to read about the U of A basketball stars, the car dealers, or the real estate developers; you’ll read about the customers spending New Year’s Eve at the Triple T Truckstop, a guy named Caution who flies his sign at Camino Seco and Old Spanish Trail, a smokeshop owner named Mohammed, some of the regulars at the Bambi Bar on Speedway and many others. These are the stories of people who have caught bad breaks, made bad choices, or are just struggling to make it in Tucson. I’ve spent a lot of time in different parts of Tucson, and the book strikes me as an accurate reflection.As a Tucson native, the book "Tucson Salvage" by Brian Jabas Smith is a pretty accurate description of the Tucson I know. I’m not sure if others would agree, especially those who aren’t from here or are winter visitors, or spend most of their time…
America the AnxiousAmerica the Anxious, BookHow Our Pursuit of Happiness Is Creating A Nation of Nervous Wrecks
by Whippman, RuthBook - 2016Book, 2016
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Sep 13, 2018
Comment:
Is personal happiness an individual responsibility? In America it seems so, and billions of dollars are being spent by consumers every year in the quest to be “happy”. Yoga classes, meditation, “mindfulness”, retreats, etc…but studies suggest that Americans are more anxious and unhappier than ever. This book is written by a British expat living in California, and she readily admits her outsider status probably makes her view things differently, but some of her observations of us Americans are painfully funny, laugh-out-loud so. I thought this book was a great read, and frankly, makes me feel less guilty now about my less-than-exuberant-all-the-time tendencies. I’ve always been rather suspicious of people who are happy ALL THE TIME, as surely that’s exhausting, isn’t it? I liked the author’s point that all of this individual pursuit of happiness might be better put towards spending time with PEOPLE, maybe sharing a beer, to stop mixing work with one’s personal life, spending less time on social media, and being comfortable with being unhappy sometimes. Stop trying so hard to be happy, and you might, you know, actually be happier.Is personal happiness an individual responsibility? In America it seems so, and billions of dollars are being spent by consumers every year in the quest to be “happy”. Yoga classes, meditation, “mindfulness”, retreats, etc…but studies suggest that…
The War on Normal PeopleThe War on Normal People, BookThe Truth About America's Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income Is Our Future
by Yang, AndrewBook - 2018Book, 2018
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Jun 04, 2018
Comment:
I hardly ever tell people “You have to read this book”, but that’s what I’m telling you. The War On Normal People is one of the most important and thought provoking books I’ve read in a long time. Automation is quickly changing the employment landscape and leaving many people just scraping by or unable to participate in the job market at all. The author makes it clear that retraining people for new jobs has not proven to be a viable alternative and he also feels that college is not the answer, especially as it has become prohibitively expensive (and there’s still no guarantee that one will get a decent paying job out of it.) One of the solutions that the author proposes is a Universal Basic Income, a government stipend of about $12,000 per year for every American. Sound like welfare? Well, the author makes the case that this stipend would actually eliminate most of the bureaucracy that administers welfare benefits and would make a huge difference in the lives of most Americans. (Did you know that Alaska has been doing something like this since the 1970’s?) He also discusses the changes that need to be made to education (hint: technology isn’t the answer, and going to college shouldn’t be about getting a good paying job afterwards.) There is also a chapter about how health care needs to be changed as well (nothing earth shattering here; health care shouldn’t be about profit.) This book totally sold me on Universal Basic Income, and makes me think about the old saying: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” It’s time to think outside the box. “The revolution will happen either before or after the breakdown of society. We must choose before.”I hardly ever tell people “You have to read this book”, but that’s what I’m telling you. The War On Normal People is one of the most important and thought provoking books I’ve read in a long time. Automation is quickly changing the employment…
Pretty IconicPretty Iconic, BookA Personal Look at the Beauty Products That Changed the World
by Hughes, SaliBook - 2016Book, 2016
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Mar 10, 2018
Comment:
This is a pretty cool book, a picture catalog of sorts of famous and/or infamous beauty products through the years. Revlon’s Cherries in the Snow nail polish, Estee Lauder’s Youth Dew, Sun-In, Charlie perfume, Hard Candy nail polish, Bonne Bell Lip Smackers and many others are listed. The author is in her 40’s, which I would have guessed anyway, because a fair number of the entries are products from the 1970’s and 1980’s. She is also British, and although most of the humor translates, some of the slang wasn’t anything I was familiar with (there are a few words I’ll have to look up!) Because of the British origin of the book, some obvious (I thought) items were missing, like Dep hair gel (!!), and I wasn’t familiar with some of the more European items. The author also includes a section of her predictions for future iconic beauty products, some of which are included not because they’re great, but because she thinks they’re not so great and have set a bad precedent. (Micellar water and make-up wipes are part of this list. Her thoughts on those two products have made me think twice about continuing to use them.) Anyway, this is an interesting book and a fun trip down memory lane.This is a pretty cool book, a picture catalog of sorts of famous and/or infamous beauty products through the years. Revlon’s Cherries in the Snow nail polish, Estee Lauder’s Youth Dew, Sun-In, Charlie perfume, Hard Candy nail polish, Bonne Bell Lip…
JackieJackie, DVD
DVD - 2016DVD, 2016
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added May 22, 2017
Comment:
I’m somewhat of a Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis-phile and this movie was disappointing. It felt like I had about 100 minutes of my life taken from me. I imagine it would be hard for any actress to portray the iconic First Lady, but Portman’s performance just didn’t do it for me. I also take issue with a number of details that the average person probably wouldn’t notice, but I did. The dress that Portman is wearing during the Pablo Casals performance isn’t even close to what Mrs. Kennedy actually wore, and certain conversations that take place didn’t occur during the scenes portrayed in the movie. Much of it felt like a made-for-TV movie, and how this film was nominated for an Oscar is beyond me. The director was interviewed in the bonus section of the dvd and mentioned how he intercut actual news footage of President Kennedy’s funeral into the film and that you couldn’t tell the difference; well, I certainly could tell! I will say that the soundtrack is interesting and deserves some credit, though.I’m somewhat of a Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis-phile and this movie was disappointing. It felt like I had about 100 minutes of my life taken from me. I imagine it would be hard for any actress to portray the iconic First Lady, but Portman’s…
Hillbilly ElegyHillbilly Elegy, BookA Memoir of A Family and Culture in Crisis
by Vance, J. D.Book - 2016Book, 2016
PimaLib_AmyK's rating:
Added Mar 21, 2017
Comment:
I liked this book...but I think it's a bit overrated. I will say that I was expecting more of a sociological/economical study, something with statistics, etc., that might explain why some social classes can't seem to get ahead in this country. This is not that book. Nonetheless, it's well written. I enjoyed reading it, but I don't feel I learned all that much about why "hillbillies" are the way they are and their cultural and economic struggles.I liked this book...but I think it's a bit overrated. I will say that I was expecting more of a sociological/economical study, something with statistics, etc., that might explain why some social classes can't seem to get ahead in this country. This…
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