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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Wikileaks and the Pavlov Dogs Saga

By Mwarang'ethe

In the last few months, the Wikileaks has “leaked” the so called secret cables originating from the American Embassies to the superiors in the USA. From these cables, Kenyans have gained access to what their leaders tell the Americans. In reaction to these messages, we have read a lot of commentaries. As an example, on this blog, we have had Luke, Taabu and of late, Chris, whose essay is entitled: Wikileaks and Desperate Kenyans . In the “main press,” the Daily Nation’s Gitau Warigi whose essay entitled: “WikiLeaks exposes our weaknesses when in the company of foreigners” can be cited.

Having taken time to read all these essays and the comments, all we have noticed is an understandable anger of Kenyans towards their so called leaders. However, with utmost due respect to all those who have written and commented, we are of the considered opinion that, this anger and frustration is totally misplaced. We hold this view because; we are of the considered opinion that, Kenyans have confused two things. These are KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING. In other words, all we have acquired is mere KNOWLEDGE as to how our so called leaders behave in dark corners. However, this is not interesting at all. It is boring stuff. What is interesting is an UNDERSTANDING as to WHY today’s leaders and even the so called YOUNG FUTURE leaders the USA is training SHALL behave in the same manner.

However, we understand why Kenyans have reacted with anger and dismay, but, with no understanding. It is this. It is very rarely do men define the problems they face in terms of historical change and institutional contradictions. As such, seldom are men aware of the intricate connection between the patterns of their own lives and the course of world history. As a result, rarely do ordinary and even big men realise how changes in world history has a bearing on what kind of men and women they become and the kind of history they make. In other words, rarely do men form a just estimate of themselves and of mankind. This is so because, many rarely locate their actions and of others within a larger social system that severely restricts and moulds them. In other words, to expect our leaders, present and the future ones to behave differently is an illusion for such cannot happen without significant reorientation of the global power structure that empowers them in the first place. In other words, the sense that, our leaders/we are men of free choice is an illusion when viewed against the deeper influences that are normally hidden. But, what are these forces? And, how can they be understood?

An understanding of one’s life and mind and what men represent in his age, requires one to be aware of mankind’s history. The appreciation of the mankind’s treacherous history affords one at least two things. These are amusement and instruction. You see, when one studies history he or she comes to know very intimately how the human mind worked in the past, how it is working now and how it shall work in the future. Upon this knowledge, one can base his expectations of the present and the future workings of the human mind. The only problem is that, with such an understanding, one is forced to withdraw from many popular movements and ideas (remember the wonderful new constitution?) because, he knows so well, just like the old movements and human thoughts, how everything will end up. As such, he can match everything he watches in the politics of the day and thoughts all the way, for instance to the politics and thoughts of Athens and Rome. As such, when we read the Wikileaks stuff, we see nothing to ferment about the revelations, for we have seen these stuff before which enables a clear understanding of the situation.

To understand ourselves, our leaders, today and tomorrow, in relation to Wikileaks, all we need is to recall the writings of a Roman historian, Tacitus, who wrote at the time of the Roman Empire. At the Danube where the “civilised” Romans bordered with “Barbarians”, i.e. the Germans, it was the Roman Empire’s interest to keep the barbarians divided and distracted as a means of defence and PLUNDER. It is from this perspective, Tacitus, perhaps, forgetting for the moment, his sacred duty as an historian, he summarised and exhorted Rome’s imperial policy towards the barbarians:

“The Bructeri were totally exterminated by the neighbouring tribes, provoked by their insolence, allured by the hopes of spoil, and perhaps inspired by the tutelar deities of the empire. Above sixty thousand barbarians were destroyed, not by the Roman arms, but in our SIGHT and for our ENTERTAINMENT. May the nations, enemies of Rome, ever preserve this enmity to each other! We have now attained the utmost verge of prosperity, and have nothing left to demand of fortune except the DISCORD of the barbarians.”

These words of an eminent historian express the imperial policy of Rome. As it was 2000 years ago, so, it is in 2011. In other words, the strategy is this, how do you destroy those you seek to destroy while appearing as a friend? The Romans deemed it a much safer expedient to divide than to combat the barbarians. We are further told that, the Romans used money and negotiations to insinuate themselves into the heart of Germany and every art of seduction was used with dignity to conciliate those nations whom their proximity to the Rhine or Danube might render the most useful friends as well as the most troublesome enemies.

More so, we know this. Chiefs (read tribal leaders) who were known and had power were flattered by the most trifling presents. These presents were given either as a mark of distinction or as the instruments of luxury. When there were any civil commotions in the Barbarian camp, the weak parties/faction endeavoured to strengthen its interests by entering into secret deals with the governors of the frontier provinces. It is from this we learn that, every quarrel among the Germans was fomented by the intrigues of Rome and every plan of union and public good was defeated by the stronger bias of private jealousy and interest. Doesn’t this sound familiar in the 21st Century as we watch Libya, Ivory Coast etc? As an example, can the Ivorians and the Libyans manufacture the guns they are using to kill each other? No. But, are they not armed by those who appear as their friends? Arm them to what purpose? Simple, for self destruction so as to allow pillage by their friends. Isn’t this special?

This brings us to the saga of the Pavlov dogs. Briefly, Dr. Ivan Pavlov in his studies found that, he could train dogs to associate the ringing of a bell with food so that they would start salivating - which gave the stomach the message to start the digestive process every time a bell would ring. By so doing, he gave us the conditioned reflexes that are learned as opposed to innate and natural.

Here is the point to take home. Now, what the psychologists do not make explicit is that, his and these kinds of experiments are a political game. The relationship between the experimenter, i.e. Pavlov and his dogs represents the relationship of POWER. More so, the dog is conditioned and changed because of the difference in power between the dog, rat etc and the experimenter. It is so because; the experimenter is in control of things that the dogs needs/needed. As such, when you let others control your food, manufacturers, money, weapons, clothes and even condoms, and you expect them not to condition and change your psychology, like the Pavlov dogs, you are very deluded. It is therefore, this conditioning which makes Pavlov dogs like the Kalonzo’s. Kosgey’s, Wako’s etc of this world to salivate (read sing) like parrots when they are invited to the residence of the American ambassador (Pavlov) for dinner.

In essence therefore, through the Wikileaks, you have been given an opportunity to see how Empires work so as to keep their periphery economically weak and politically disorganised for the benefit of Empire and its Allies. That's why the Ambassadors and their superiors are interested in every trivial issue going around the capitals of the world. It is through such trivial, they learn the minds of those who can be used to further the imperil interests at the expense of the people. And, since we depend on them for the most vital aspects of our lives, we are conditioned to sing like Pavlov dogs.

The question now is, so, what do we do? For one to know what to do, he or she must appreciate this fact. We are living in an imperial age. In this system, we have the New Rome, its Free Allies and the Provinces, i.e. 3rd world. There are two ways to end the system. One, we, i.e. those who live and die in the poor provinces, i.e. 3rd world, we end it. This was the sacred mandate of the COE, but, they never understood it. All they did was to create more Satraps as one would expect of those educated into ignorance by their Pavlov. The other option, which we have accepted, and if you want to see that acceptance, read the new Kenyan constitution, is to live with our poverty, wars, famine, lack of condoms etc as we wait for the New Rome to collapse on its own weight. However, this may take time, and even worse, rarely, do blood thirsty empires go without rivers of blood.

NB: Finally, remember this. They are what they are, because, we are what we are.

SEE: Kalonzo's long history of wanting people to step down for him

Kenyan Tribal Violence at Foreign Ivy League University










31 comments:

  1. This is great. You've raised the level of discourse in this blog, above the usual porojo that is forgotten almost as soon as it has been read.

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  2. I am suprised that Chris cannot make Mwarangethe a permanent blog administrator after all these years? What does Mwarangethe need to do to be given this privilege that has been given to morons like Taabu, hired Jaluo political hecklers of Jukwaa like Phil, and intellectual underweights like Luke??

    Isn't not an insult to our intelligence that such a brilliant piece from Mwarangethe has to be posted by lad phil??

    The oracle has spoken

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  3. * typo;
    not blog administrator but permanent blog contributor

    The oracle has spoken

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  4. Mwara, you have so much time on your hands! And a good measure of wisdom! Good article, best part was 'what do we do?' but it needs some expounding as that which you mentioned before. Keep it up. now watch as this degenerates into the usual tribal crap!

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  5. Persistent juvenile behaviour (PJB) in the presence of wazungu is a common trait that is not just a reserve for the political elite, but it's also very common among many of us from the continent, and one doesn't need Wikileaks to understand the obivious - how we have been ensalved by arrested development.
    Based on MTCO.

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  6. Brilliant piece!

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  7. Psychobabble at best, and sycophantic input should suffice as in 2:37am, 5:26am, 5:28am, 7:27am etc. Have a great weekend.

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  8. one of the many problems besieging us as Kenyans is intolerance towards divergent views of others

    We are so quick to spew vitriol against other opinions which do not support our own myopic perspectives. conversely we are also quick to sycophantly worship those who endorse our own opinions and this is what led in part to PEV

    the comments preceding are evidence enough of our need to change direction as a society

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  9. now this is the stuff we have been missing. yaani stuff for the kiongo....aka brain,

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  10. great stuff. we need more.

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  11. Anon 8:45 AM
    When all is said and done, where are your comments, views, reviews, or analytical perspective on various topics @Kumekucha, let alone the current one, "Wikileaks and the Pavlov Dogs Saga"?

    The author has done a good job so why don't you lend a fresh perspective or different angle to the topic? Or are you one of those anonymous people content with the daily sideshows as seen at the cesspool?

    With all due respect, I would be more interested in your analysis of the topic rather than your trying to referee none existing tussles.

    Why don't we allow the focus to remain on "Wikileaks and the Palvov Dogs Saga" and at the same time, keep things in perspective, due to the fact that the overall situation isn't really that bad.

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  12. I have been telling people the exact same thing,but the way you did it was super.They play a very simple game but very very dangerous.

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  13. I don't mean to steal some thunder from the current post, but the thought of watching one statesman engage in an unthinkable act of thieving in broad daylight couldn't contain the worst of my slippery (salivary) gland from flowing with a comment.

    Another episode in the ongoing saga of Pavlov Dogs brought a lot of shame, disgrace, and embarrasment to a whole nation when the president of that nation was caught on camera stealing a gold plated ceremonial pen.

    The pavloving presidential dog could have asked his country's ambassador to arrange for the ceremonial pen to be brought over to him as a souvenir at a later date or before his departure.

    Oh what a shame, when your president is caught on camera pocketing a simple item such as a stolen pen.

    And for the lords of impunity, his was a classsic case of unbridled greed galore.

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  14. this anger and frustration is totally misplaced.

    i) We are still a very deeply divided and totally disunited bunch of citizens.

    ii) We always seem to have a warped UNDERSTANDING of what's essential to the survival of our democracy, economy, environment, citizenry and nation in general.

    The current citizenry never seem to be brave enough to act on anything more important that's brought to their KNWOLEDGE or urgent attention, unless it involves standing idly by while politicians and tribal chiefs ply their trademarked time wasting irrelevant speeches at every open air gatherings.

    iii) Some braveheart person nailed it by calling a spade a spade, when s/he categorically reiterated that 'AFRICANS SOUTH OF THE SAHARA NEITHER HAVE THE STOMACH NOR THE ORGANISATION FOR REVOLUTION'.

    That includes yours truly, chest thumping Kenyans from all walks of life and from all corners of Kenya.

    Furthermore, the country's citizenry are still not more politically aware nor mature enough than they were in the past, and that's one of the reasons why demagogic politicians find it so easy to misinform, manipulate and use their tribal constituents to wreck political havoc, create tribal alliances, elevate tribal tensions, and draw large crowds or legions of tribal foot soldiers at a moment's notice when it suits them most.

    With all due respect to the few brave Kenyans who have learned to always put the country first, above and beyond tribal loyalty, tribal alligiance and tribal politics, the rest of us are just a bunch of toothless citizenry will always remain for decades at the beck and call of the seasonal demagogues and crude politicians who are ready to use us as political pawns, fodder in crude tribal skirmishes that happen every so often.

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  15. Good piece but I think Mwarangethe often overrates the influence of external forces in individual county’s development. My opinion is that what contributes more in shaping the direction of a particular country is its leadership abilities and not necessarily external forces.
    I hear, for example, the economic & social development of the small African country in the name of Botswana if relatively good compared to many other African countries. Are these people not within the grip of imperialists? And, it is possible to have in place structures that can minimize the influence of the so called imperialists?

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  16. I think Mwarangethe often overrates the influence of external forces in individual county’s development. I hear, for example, the economic & social development of the small African country in the name of Botswana if relatively good compared to many other African countries.

    xxxx

    In 1980, BK Temane, who became the Deputy Speaker of Botswana legislature told us this about land in Botswana.

    (a) Freehold land represented 6% of the total,
    (b) state land covered 23% of the land, and
    (c) 71% was TRIBAL LAND.

    Do you see the difference?

    Botswana retained the traditional ethic of sharing land - of collective property rights in the resources of nature/land, but, not of private property like cattle.

    This was done via Tribal Land Act of 1968. Also, their constitution protects Tribal Land.

    As such, land never became a contested asset for increased land values benefit ALL and not a few.

    In Kenya, under the influence of the WB, IMF, and the Ivy League of FOOLS, we declare in our new wonderful constitution, that, there is nothing like TRIBAL LAND.

    As a result, land has become a contested asset. The results are there for you to see where increased land values benefit a FEW.

    xxxx

    Secondly, Botswana was saved by a non satanic WB lawyer who rescued them from WB's predatory vision as we see in Congo, Liberia.

    Because of his non satanic ideas, the WB wrote a letter saying the lawyer was not speaking for the satanic WB. Botswana's reply was this:

    "That is precisely why we are listening to him."

    Now, check Kenya's relationship with the satanic WB and u will see how pervasive the external influence is.

    Just a few days, the WB gave Kenya kes 8.5 bn. to EXPAND slums.

    Why does Kenya need $$ for local materials and labour? Wake up and see invisible colonialism eating us.

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  17. The indictment against Avigdor Lieberman would have been tribalized and politicised at various public rallies around the country had he been a Pavlovian Kenyan politician from one of those larger tribal (oops! did I fail to use ethnic?) communities.

    Foreign Minister to Face Indictment.

    Israeli's attorney general announced Wednesday that he plans to indict the foreign minister on corruption charges but will first allow him a standard final hearing.

    If Avigdor Lieberman is indicted, it would likely force him to resign, badly shaking the coalition government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, possibly forcing an election and putting already stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts off for many months.

    The attorney general's statement said Lieberman would be indicted on charges of breach of trust, aggravated fraud, money laudering and harassing a witness, allegations that Lieberman denies. - AP


    So many Pavlovian politicians of Kenya and big dogs in the civil service have managed to get away with committing breach of trust, aggravated fraud, money laudering, looting government coffers, bribery of judicial officials, harassing of witnesses, tampering with investigations, inobstruction of justice, lying through their teeth, blaming their political opponents, etc in order to get their way out whatever charges that brought against them.

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  18. @Mwara,
    When you mention BK Temane of Botswana it amounts to one thing: LEADERSHIP, stupid. All else is cheap/lazy intellectualism. And BTW you don't have to hog and answer to all/any comments, ama?

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  19. Bostwana has been and still is involved in good trade as opposed to many other African nations like Kenya that are still involved in very bad trade.

    LOL!

    When will so many of us ever ask ourselves why are African countries are still prohibited from producing and exporting products that compete with the European Union and North American products?

    Why is Kenya still being given huge loans and some kind of subsidies with so many strings attaced to produce raw materials in 2011?

    Have we ever wondered why Bostwana owns and controls almost all of the country's mining industry, while Kenya only owns and controls 15% of its tourism industry, and the rest is still under the exclusive firm control of foreign companies and individuals from the United Kingdom, India, Germany, Italy, Canada, USA, France, Portugal, Spain, and now China?

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  20. Kenyans have always been the darlings of the invisible neocolonial hand that has fed them for the last fifty years. It will take aeons to reverse a national trend that is deeply ingrained in Kenyan society, let alone to relearn how to fed ourselves with our own hands.

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  21. His Majesty Hon. Mhm. Dr. Mutua, EBS, found it so hard to understand why his counterpart Jean-Jacques Bechio was being served from the carte blanche menu rather than from the a la carte menu by his generous and enthusiastic young hosts at the Golf Hotel in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

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  22. .....as fuel at the pump price hits Ksh 111/- per litre.....

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  23. 120something in mandera!

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  24. How about using some of the US$10 million that wagetumbe left in safe hands at JKIA to subsidize two months fuel imports from neighbour Mozambique, the same source where Tanzania gets some of its oil imports?

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  25. Raila Odinga is selling pork pies.

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  26. @ anon 5.25 well put, so we appear to be sinking in a pit latrine of debt that will never be paid off while the very very few enrich themselves via bad trade. True we are limited to exporting raw commodities to Europe and North Africa, oh, the last time I checked most of the Naivasha flower farms were owned by the same Europeans, talk of bad trade, so who is the 'we' that are exporting the flowers?
    Perhaps I will drown my sorrows or realization of dire situation we are in with some frothy patriotic Ruaraka drink i.e. Tusker? wait a minute, the last time I checked Diageo now owns 50.0 something percent of EABL! so what do Kenyans control? as Mwara put it succinctly, we do know, BUT, do we 'understand'?
    Ken Thumbi

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  27. Sunday December 30, 2007
    Major contenders to the throne:
    Mwai Kibaki ... Raila Odinga

    Crew vs Crew:
    Martha Karua ... Musalia Mudavadi
    Sam ongeri ... William Ruto
    Mutula Kilonzo ... Sally Kosgei
    Moses Wentang'ula ... James Orengo

    28th February, 2008
    Collateral Damage:
    Number of casualities, traumatized, displaced, injured, maimed for life, and death toll around teh country?

    Peering through the looking glass (political maze):
    Where will the likes of Martha Karua, Moses Mudavadi, Sam Ongeri, William Ruto, Mutula Kilonzo, Sally Kosgey, Moses Wetung'ula, and James Orengo, not to mention Say Toti Itoti be by 2017?

    And to what extent will they have positvely influenced Kenya's political landscape by 2017?

    What will the current rebel politicians as well as sychophantic politicians be doing by the time Kenya gets it fifth president?

    What will the PNU/ODM diehard politicians have really achieved for their constituencies and the country as a whole by the time their political parties will have been relegated to the oblivion tombs of the unknown, or worse ceased to exist like one time mighty KANU of old?

    Or let's say by the time each individual meets his/her maker in due time?

    Trivia:
    Marth Karua ... Sally Kosgey
    .
    Who among them can be characterized as a seasoned coattail rider, hanger-on, blind loyalist, and "an extra hand" kept around for her political muscle rather than for her known political intellect?

    What the does future hold for them in terms of their political prospects beyond the backyards of their respective constituencies and communities?

    Moses Weteng'ula ... Musalia Mudavadi.
    Who is more of a risk taker as well as a statesman than a flunky between Moses Wetang'ula nad Musalia Mudavadi when shove comes to push?

    Willian Ruto ... Kalonzo Musyoka
    Who among the two is more of a prototype from the 'KANU factories' that once forcefully produced anointed candidates for elected office?

    And who among the two is likely to survive and thrive once the Kibaki camp vs Odinga camp type of destructive politics are no longer a factor in future Kenyan politics?

    Regarding Uhuru Kenyatta Muingai.
    Will he ever manage to get away from under the huge shadow of his father's legacy and force himself to rise up above and beyond the usual destructive ethnic politics, Kenya style?

    Or will he continue to remain a Trujan mule in all things politics at the regional and national levels, as well as at the expense of real development in his constituency?

    What about Raila Amollo Odinga?
    Should he start planning for retirement from national politics because many are now beginning to feel that the country will experience very little change under his management style given the kind of people he likes to pick as close advisors, emissaries and gate keepers?

    Who among them should go and be gone for good?
    There is a growing segement of Kenya's population that has been saying since 2008 that "with all due respect the country will be better off without the Uhuru's, Ruto's, and Raila's brand of ethnic politics as well as widespred political parochialism that continues to be propagated by 90% of the parliamentarians".

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  28. Coincidence or mere statistics I think not because these types of maternal suicides by parents who have lost it are on the rise in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa.

    A Kenyan woman, Ms. Masengo, committed suicide by jumping into a deep water dam in Eldoret, Kenya, with her three young children, but her 8-year-old daughetr managed to escape from her mother's grasp of death.

    An American woman, Ms. Lashanda Armstrong, drove into the Hudson river in New York, USA, with her four children, luckly her 10-year-old son managed to escape from the sinking vehicle and swam his way out to safety.

    It's reported that both women had been involved in some kind of domestic desputes with their husbands and in-laws before taking their lives and that of their children.

    Many more women have jumped into the Danube, Ganges, Thames, Limpopo, Okavango, Nile, Amazon, Volga, Shanon, Garonne, Loire, Vistula, Seine, Kama, Elbe, Angara, Yana, Neva, Rhine, Yenisey, etc killing themselves and their children in the last eighteen months.

    What's going on that would drive a mother take her own life and that of her children as a way to exact revenge? Is there something that can be done to prevent more murder suicides of this nature from happening again?

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  29. Known as Maternal Filicide. "Fillicide is the third leading cause of death amongst American children between the ages of five and fourteen years old. Sometimes there is a combination of murder and suicide in fillicide cases." So many cases happen yearly in the USA without grabbing national headlines.

    Don't become a statistic!

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  30. Mwarang'ethe your posts have been enlightening because 'unatema cheche' spilling facts so thank you.

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  31. Ribadu or Buhari? I say Ribadu for president, and Buhari should return back to the where he came from, the dusty chapters of Nigerian history.

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