Thursday, May 3, 2012

Be careful what you wish for

This is a repeat of an older post which, for a variety of reasons, seemed timely once again.
_________________________

Woe to you who long
for the day of the Lord!
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?
That day will be darkness, not light.

- Amos 5:18

Now that our family has gotten involved in Prepping, I’ve become aware of a certain subclass of Preppers who apparently long for the bleep to hit the fan.

Oh, not overtly of course. I doubt anyone will be so bold as to come out and say that. But you can hear the little cackle in their cyber voices as they talk about all the bad things that will happen and how they’ll live through it as a result of their brilliant preparations, tactical training, and munitions storage. These are the people with a “Nyah nyah nyah, I’m prepared and you’re not!” attitude or mentality.

I have to admit, this attitude makes me sick. The end of the world as we know it may indeed someday happen – and if it does we’ll all cope as best we can, or at least go down swinging – but by God don’t long for it.

The fools who actually wish for the bleep to hit the fan have a few things in common. They’re fairly advanced in their preparation efforts. They’re rural, possibly even off-grid. And they are understandably fed up with the moochers of our society – the entitlement class who believes the world owes them a living and that our wealth should be redistributed in their directions.

These “bring it on” preppers long for hard times because they’re tired of being taken advantage of. For whatever reason, they are so seriously disturbed by the direction our country is heading that they feel a cleansing purge is necessary to be rid of the vermin and scum (which, of course, never includes them.) They’re tired of supporting freeloaders and of being taxed to death. They are angry and fed up, and short-sighted enough to think that a major catastrophe will balance the pendulum. They’re feeling smug about their own preparations and think they can weather anything.

But these people don’t think things logically through to the end. They don’t think about what may happen to their grandmother in the nursing home or their best friend from college whose son is on diabetes medication. All they’re seeing is those selfish greedy people who have their hands perpetually out, wanting handouts and entitlements – and TEOTWAWKI will show them, by golly.

What this “bring it on” class of preppers won’t admit, of course, is that among the “vermin and scum” there will be many people whom they love deeply, but who just couldn’t or wouldn’t do any preparing of their own, and/or were unfortunate enough to be caught up in circumstances beyond their control.

For those who long for a general purge, remember this: When people die, knowledge dies with them. How many people actually know and can make penicillin? Who can build an internal combustion engine from scratch and without pre-made parts? What about the technology that makes cell phone communication possible?

TEOTWAWKI will not mean our country will be a nuclear wasteland with zombie-humans staggering around. (At least, I hope not.) Rather, it simply means things will change. The easy, moderate life we’ve always lived, and all the goods and services we’ve taken for granted, may no longer be possible. This change could be gradual (kind of like what we’re experiencing, now that I think about it) or it could be sudden.

But one thing I know for sure: No matter how prepared you think you are, you’re not going to like it when it happens. It ain’t gonna be pretty. There will a lot of innocent people caught up in something that could be ugly and beyond their control. Whether it’s a nuclear war or an economic collapse or any other natural or man-made catastrophe, it could potentially affect billions (that’s with a “b”) of blameless people. Do you really “long” for something so horrible just to prove you were smart enough to store some beans and rice?

These “bring it on” types of preppers have a twisted notion that TEOTWAWKI will be a sort of cleansing – painful at first, but ultimately beneficial and useful. And perhaps it will, a hundred years down the line. But do you really want to witness that cleansing? Do you really want to watch innocent (and clueless) people swept up in a tsunami of hardship, trouble, chaos, and death? Do you really want that?

Here’s the thing the “bring it on” types should remember: The world as you know it will alter, of course, but it may not alter the way you want it to. In fact, it may not be the wonderful “cleansing” of society’s ills that you so long for. What are you going to gloat about then?

I, myself, regard the future with fear and trembling for the people who may get hurt, the harsh decisions I may have to make, and for the everyday luxuries I take for granted which may not be available. Who would wish for that? No one sane…or at least, no one who has thought things through intelligently and logically.

That’s why I’m suggesting you improve your attitude and don’t wish hard times on anyone. While many are preparing for TEOTWAWKI, please, I beg you, don’t long for it.

35 comments:

  1. 100% correct, although you don't need me to tell you that or for that matter even agree with you.

    That subclass you mentioned makes me ill.

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  2. AMEN PATRICE! I have nightmares of what might happen. Things that I see on the T.V. trigger these thoughts. What does scare me if I am not prepared enough to protect my wife,my children and grandchildren. We have land to go to but do not have a home yet other than a small trailer. We pray every day that God taries so that we can be better prepared and that we will be able to help others. I hope that it will never happen in my lifetime but it doesn't look that far off anymore.Keep the faith Sis!

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    1. This is me!I am new to the page and just now have set up a profile.

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  3. They also think they are going to be able to weather any ills that come their way with the stockpile of antibiotics they have or the doctor down the road. What happens when your appendix bursts or you fall out of that tree you were hiding in and get a compound fracture? How about your child gathering firewood and is bitten by a rattler? The thought that chills me is to think I couldn't save all those starving children and the elderly that will be just left to rot. Unbelievable to wish for that kind of thing. God help us if it ever gets that bad. But, we have been duly warned that things are going to be ugly. Just remember, God wins, so be on His side.

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  4. It's sort of like asking the genie for your three wishes-you get what you ask for-not what you want. Societies may change, but people don't. So-called "cleansings" never really work-or at least, not for long.I have car insurance, that doesn't mean I want to get into a wreck. prepping is nothing more than labor-intensive insurance.

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  5. Exactly. Some of the prepping shows I have watched on TV (and were a waste of my time) seem to bring these people out of the woodwork. I prep to be prepared, not to wish for the worst. Those people just scare me. Thanks!

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  6. Just as some of the moochers, don't care about what happens to those they mooch from, I suspect that some of these people don't much care what happens to other people.

    In fictional catastrophe writing there is a whole class of writing that is like this: A cosy (British spelling of cozy). Since most readers presume identify with the survivors, the upbeat ending of a cleansed society is a hard to resist.

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  7. I think a lot of people believe that if we finally hit rock bottom, only then can we start to rebuild this country up again. IF that would be possible.
    I admit, there are days that I think about the Lord rapturing his believers out of this mess, especially when I'm missing my mom, my sister and my three best friends. But, it's our Father's schedule, not ours. All we can do is prepare, pray and wait.

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  8. there's definitely the liberal version of this subset of preppers as well. i've run into quite a few folks that are excited about shtf scenarios, because humans will finally "get theirs" and be punished for being terrible to the earth. some even believe it's the only chance the earth has to survive, seriously. i'm wondering if this malaise exists when a large segment of the population is miserable, or if it's just common, like a sort of depression with suicidal thoughts, except projected on society as a whole?

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    1. Sometimes I have to laugh at liberal-progressives with all their caterwauling about how man is destroying the planet and how we need to basically go back to living in caves, because THEY are the ones who are doing the most destruction to our planet! Our president talks about our huge carbon footprint and how we should pay what amounts to a huge fine or tax to the rest of the world. Then what does he do? He flies all around the world on diplomatic excursions, multiple and endless vacations and never-ending campaigning! His wasteful, irresponsible living knows no bounds. He's a perfect and terrible example of the hypocrisy of our liberal leaders.

      As for the "bring it on" class of preppers, we can show them the error of their ways. We can try to instill some sympathy and empathy in them for their fellow man, but like Patrice says, all they see are "moochers." We can pity their lack of consideration and love for others and point out how wrong they are, but it won't change them one bit. Most of them won't listen to us. Nevertheless, because of the possibility that a few here and there will, we must persevere. --Fred in AZ

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    2. I have never wished for TEOTWAWKI. That said, a case can made for the sooner we ‘bring it on’ the better.

      In just the last four months American citizens have lost tremendous constitutional protections including most of the Bill of Rights which our Founders died for. Poof. Gone with the stroke of a pen signing the NDAA. The Federal government can now place American citizens under military law, gather them up and incarcerated them. All of this can be done without warrant or due process. Citizens can be held indefinitely with no legal representation, no evidence of wrong doing, no charges and no trial. American citizens can be held in detention be subjected to interrogation, torture and even murder.

      Also since January 1, 2012 this time the Federal government has announced plans to unleash 30,000 drones on American citizens. I could go on and on but you get the idea.

      I can’t help but wonder if we are following in the footsteps of the ‘good Germans’ faced with Hitler’s tyranny. They never wished for TEOTWAWKI. And history recorded how effective they were.

      I have two questions for everyone who is against those who say ‘bring it on’. That position is fine, but please specify at what situation/event would you draw the proverbial ‘line in the sand’ and fight the federal government. And secondly, exactly what action would you take? This is not a rhetorical question. Let’s hear your answers.

      I realize that as of Jan. 1 anyone who answers those questions may now be subject to wrath of tyranny described in the 2nd paragraph. And that’s my point.
      Montana Guy

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  9. My opinion is that preppers are preoccupied with the survival aspect, getting food and guns to stave off the golden horde. What about the "rebuilding"? How are we to prevent another collapse, where there are the "moochers", and a tumorous government/monetary system? Why isn't there more discussion about rewriting the Constitution, taking away what we have learned about how it's been abused, about how society rearranged itself to work within the atrocity that came about?

    What about abolishing debt based money creation? Mandating children learn how to grow food,raise animals and build basic shelter? How about banning loans for consumption purposes? Banning Property taxes so that people might actually be free? Or instead of the false democratic system we have now(which is actually a republic) we have referendums for all the BS laws that congress wants to pass? There is much we can distill from our current dilemma.

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  10. You are very right in your post. There is the mentality that they want things to go bad... just to prove they were right all along. I have been accused of that in the past. But here is how I defend my postion. I don't want the world to end. I want our government to sit up and take a good, long hard look at why people are prepping.

    Why do our citizens feel they cannot trust us? What are we doing that is causing them to want this to end? How do we fix this? How do we balance our budget?

    I don't want people to die, I don't want people to hurt, but I also have 5 mouths to feed and don't want to take any chances either... and sadly people in masses cannot be trusted to think of the better good.

    Sin is an inherit nature that no one can advoid. It started in the garden and still perpetuates itself today.

    We have seen the signs. We know that someday, sin will be so bad, greed will be so prevelent that it will cause a mass collapse both morally and economicly.

    Pray. Stay focused on Christ. Plan for the worse but hope for the best is all we can do.

    Watch for the signs... CNN... Bloomberg...theintelhub.com....Infowars.com... and prayfully evaluate them.

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. As Matt said 100% correct. As much as I would like the Lord to return tomorrow, I have family members who haven't made that decision. Prepping is the same way, not ready. With limited resources I'm not close.
    The nyah, nyah's are probably those who won't encourage others along the way either. Just in your face.
    As with the Lord I pray He and the end tarries for many peoples sake.

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  13. All good points, Having served in combat I know what it is like to fight and survive but we knew our family was safe at home, not the case in TEOTWAWKI, everyone would loose family members and even some of the best prepared would not survive.
    I did a post on this a while back if anyone is interested.....stuff you might not think about.

    http://downrangereport.blogspot.com/2011/10/teotwawki.html

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  14. We worry about our daughter and her family who live in a suburban area near a city with huge documented problems. They are a thousand miles from us and can't do the kind of preparations that people in rural and semi-rural areas can. Water and fuel would be a problem even with food storage. We just pray that the worst never happens. If even half what pessimists predict, we are all in trouble.

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  15. BEWARE THE FLIPSIDE! Hello Patrice. Love the blog. I've chimed in a few times before, and only do when I can't resist. This is such a case.

    I hate to think of what is coming our way, and no matter how much we can stockpile, we're not going to be able to cover the bases no matter what. We live in the L.A. basin and unless we could afford a fortress, even then we would not be fully covered. Right now, I think the big event will be a complete or significant collapse of the Dollar that could eventually create civil unrest and a general collapse.

    The flipside I refer to is the socialists, anarchists, communists, and big government types that long for a collapse to launch their agenda, which is namely to disarm the public, suspend the Constitution, and our rights, and install a totalitarian government that will give us poor morons security, safety, full tummys, and free dental care in exchange for our freedom and our souls. Saul Alinsky wrote the current marching orders to the radicals, and they unfold before our eyes today. Namely, sign up as many as possible on welfare, and other benefits, demand increasing and broadened benefit programs. Organize the public sector to demand more and more, and make them a political force that politicians will placate rather than confront. Allow the financial elites to rape, rob and pillage the middle class, so that they will be easy prey when it all goes down. (Lenin hung a lot of bankers in Russia.) Once wide spread violence breaks out the total government solution will be the only answer (in their minds). One only has to look a the laws that both parties are signing onto, to see how much of an annoyance they think the Constitution is. Once the populus is disarmed, there is no path back to a free republic.

    I pray every day that we can take some short term pain, and pull back from the spot we are in as a nation. I doesn't feel like that's going to be the case. I like to work in my shop making furniture, I like to take my wife to a restruant and let sombody else cook for us, I like the movies, and I don't relish the idea of hunkering down for months eating boring rations and wondering what's next. It's no way to live.

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    1. Last weekend my wife and I went to a preparedness Expo. Doomsday Preppers was there and this young lady was persistent on signing me up for next season.Let me explain...I am 6'1" tall Native American with all my tribal tattoos. She immediately pegged me as a whacko for the show and asked if I would speak with her and and consider being on the show.
      She didn't get what she wanted because I proceeded to tell her that she was making targets out of the people on the show and that even one of them had been targeted by his Dr. and was tricked into saying something that he did not mean and was put on suicide watch.He has now lost his rights to firearm ownership because of a listed mental illness. This is what we face my friends. We must be very careful to protect our families from those who would strip us of our freedoms and our constitutional rights. What we do is for self preservation. As I said at the top, I have nightmares of how things will go down and if my extended family will survive. only our God knows and for his protection and grace I pray daily.I have really enjoyed your statements they are full of truth.

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    2. Wado!!

      It's all too clear the producers of the program you've named are working to marginalize and make all preppers look like whack jobs.

      Thanks for turning them down and for sounding the alarm about the growing dangers of talking doctors and nurses.

      It's time to just say no when they begin asking questions about feelings or firearms.


      A.McSp

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  16. Thinking about all this makes my head hurt. I'm going out to the garden.

    Just Me

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  17. teotwawki is already here, and the doo doo is already hitting the fan at a faster velocity lately...the thing is alot of other folks just don't know it yet. i am a prepper, but never nearly as well prepped as i probably should be...some things i just have to leave to God, and try to use good common sense with the rest.

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  18. Those that want TEOFTWAWKI need to find and read a copy of Mark Twains "The War Prayer".
    I personnally have seen war and anarchy. These are horrors I begrudge you the experience of.

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  19. I have several thoughts on this, coloured by being disabled on medication married to a man who is on permeanent medication and with an autistic son. ( we were both fit when we met!!!) Without our medication which we can not stock pile in the UK we would both become ill very quickly, possibly fatally so.
    Any amount of prepping may well be in vain if those who believe in the rapture are correct.
    I have friends who believe with all their hearts that prepping is wrong and non biblical.
    When the roman army and administration left the UK in 400AD did the general population realise they were entering 'the dark ages'? No amount of preparation could prepare any of them for the social chaos and upheavel comming. It seems we are in that situation now and the best any of us can do-assuming no imminent second comming- is to make sure our children have the skills to survive and rebuild. Not sure that being able to build or repair an engine is much good. Tanning and spining and weaving and thatching maybe life saving skills. Of course everything food wise stock piled to get over the initial difficult period is a bonus.There is basic survival and quality survival, no way do I want any sort of end of the world, although I do wonder if we are already half way down the slope and only history will see it.Again using the roman analogy I think we are in AD 397 with only a few years of comfy lifestyle left and those who can see are selling up and leaving. Trouble is leaving to where? Even the best preparations are not going to last forever and then what? So you have a hide away with solar panels etc. what happens when they wear out/break and you have to find other ways. If our society collapses it wont be a small collapse, it will be total I think.
    I love your blog by the way.

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  20. Those looking forward for TEOTWAWKI are thinking that they are going to be like the group James W. Rawles wrote in his (FICTION) book "Patriots". Excellent read. Lots of valuable information there. For a more realistic view from the rest of the world, I'd suggest "One Second After". Unfortunately I don't remember who wrote that one. Scary. Another good one is "Dies the Fire" by S.M. Stirling.
    We are not looking forward for TEOTWAWKI, but we are preparing as best as we can. Still got a long way to go. How can you ever say that you are ready!? Or that you are looking forward to it!?

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  21. "One Second After" is by William R. Forstchen. A native North Carolinian who wrote about the world after the effects of an EMP weapon. I have yet to read it but my wife has. TEOTWAWKI is something all of us need to consider (if rational beings) but to Dwell on it to the point of "Bring it on" mentality is in my opinion "sick" beyond measure. NO ONE WILL BE TOTALLY READY, even the Ultimate Preppers. As stated, So many innocents will suffer and what "rationale" is that evoking? I truly hope the Lord calls us home before this happens but there are NO guarantees. Only the Father knows when! Pretty ironic in that about 1 year ago the end was predicted. Guess what, we're still here folks! May God protect us until He does return!

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  22. I too have been prepping for a few years now, even tho I just thought buying a few extra canned goods on sale was just common sense. Because when I was growing up we had a pantry and my parents were always buying a little extra, we never thought of ourselves and preppers.
    But what bothers me the most is how unprepared a lot of the people were during Katrina, and the lack of response by our government. And what would happen if something happened nationwide. I just dont even want to think about it it is just too depressing.
    But, I too hope and pray things things dont get as bad the signs all point to, but like having insurance on your house you need some way of taking care of your family if the need arises.

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  23. First of all I do believe in the Rapture. But with
    that being said, my husband and I went out and bought
    2 gun clips for our 22 rifle. That is all that we
    have right now.I mean I haven't shot for 33 years and
    for some reason I want to learn again. O and by the
    way yes I do want something bigger and stronger, but
    cannot afford it at this time.
    Take care.

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    1. The question is, when will the rapture occure? I have read about all three versions, pre, mid, and post trib. The only real conclusion is that these three versions are like the competing versions of evolution. They prove only that the other two versions are wrong. Teotwawki will mean at least 2-3 BILLION people dying! A third of the world gets shuffeled off to judgment, a judgement that they don't want. I prep because I'm tired of junky food and the poor health that comes with it. I love gardening and I'm getting good at it. You can grow good food on a small plot of land. My site is Gardenforyourlife.blogspot.com. I do think we are in for a rough time and if your not prepared your ride will be rougher. I was in New Orleans the next day after katrina, and we spent a week there. It was there when I determined that expecting the government to save your life was a fatal plan. Most folks who plan for the teotwawki will survive most anything less. While I have no problem with the evil folks in this world meeting their maker I remember the rain falls on the good as well as the bad. All I can do is prepare as I'm called to do and pray for the best and accept what comes.

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  24. I couldn't agree more. One thing the LORD told the Hebrews when they were about to go into captivity was to prosper the land (Babylon) for as goes the nation so goes your lives. Loose translation.

    Also in a dream I had the other day God was saying not to complain. Make things better if you want to just don't complain. Remember what the Hebrews did in their exodus and how the LORD handled the situation. Complaining is another word for murmuring. Ouch.

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  25. I had been about to write to you to ask a related question, but it's appropriate here. This is not a challenge - I'm asking out of genuine interest: how are you preparing for the breakdown of all medical care? (and just as a wry aside having read some of the previous comments, I'm in the UK, where we have what is sometimes referred to in the US as 'socialist healthcare'. It doesn't feel in any way socialist to us!). But differences in healthcare systems apart, how do you prepare for things like appendicitis, dental care, eye problems like cataracts if the nation's health system has broken down?
    I have just watched the 1980s BBC docu-drama, 'Threads', about the effects of a massive Soviet nuclear strike on the UK. The timescale goes as far as 13 years after the strike, and it's absolutely chilling. Healthcare breaks down immediately. The main hospital scene and the two childbirth episodes are horrific. Ultimately human caring relationships and even language break down. Bear in mind that this was shown on the main TV channel in the UK - a courageous decision by the BBC. A similar earlier programme in 1965, The War Game, was banned for fear that it might bring down the government.

    Threads, in 12 episodes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQo0BQM3OlQ. If you want to skip the political build-up to the conflict go to episode 5.

    The War Game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58NmAzQzRjk

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    1. Most hospitals won't last more than a couple of days in a disaster. They don't have the supplies due to 'just in time' stocking and shipping. If the trucks are cut off they have no supplies in reserve. I used to work in an er as a paramedic. Many times during the weekend we would run dangerously low of critical and basic supplies. Hospitals will quickly become death wards.

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  26. I've given this some thought over the past 24 hours and would like to mention that the skills and knowledge to rebuild are dying off. My wife and I are in our mid 60s and are rural people who were raised by rural people. The farming, gardening, hunting and etc skills published in magazines and books now are on the most part urban fantasies that are only believed by those that have no experience with reality. If teotwawki does not occure soon, before the few of us left that have actually lived small scale production agriculture are gone, American civilization is gone.

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  27. It seems to me to be sort of like the allegory of the ant and the grasshopper. The grasshopper is having fun without a care in the world while the ant is toiling to prepare, and so the ant is understandably resentful, particularly since he anticipates the grasshopper knocking on his door when the snow starts to fall.

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  28. We're all raised with the truism that you reap what you sow. Preppers who have been sowing for a long time at great expense and effort naturally want to reap a benefit from their sacrifices. What an injustice it would be if all of the freeloaders lived out a happy existence without ever knowing the kind of dedication that preppers have endured to carry the future of humankind on their shoulders.

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