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Meta Cuts Costs and Employees But Raises Zuckerberg’s Security Budget

Mike Phalin
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0
Meta Cuts Costs and Employees But Raises Zuckerberg’s Security Budget

The embattled Meta is facing hardships at every turn. Mark Zuckerberg’s once-thriving empire needs to tighten the purse strings, thanks to lawsuits and slipping relevancy in the social media market. At the same time, the company must invest in emerging tech that will reinvigorate its virtual reality offerings. However, Meta thinks spending another $4 million on Zuckerberg’s personal security is a top priority.

Via PC Mag, Meta Platforms, Inc.’s SEC Form 8-K filing states that the committee granted Zuckerberg a $10M allowance in 2018 to be used exclusively for “his and his family’s personal security.” As of February 9th, 2023, this annual pre-tax allowance is going up an additional $4M.

While Meta does not state specifics as to why the founder of Facebook/Meta requires this level of security, the filing mentions the massive budget is “due to specific threats to his safety arising directly as a result of his position.” Although I do not doubt he and his immediate family receive threats since Meta has been caught in several scandals throughout the years. Recently, the company had to pay a $725M settlement because of a privacy lawsuit. In addition, last year, cost-cutting measures were announced along with hiring freezes.

Interestingly, the committee believed the security budget increase was a fair idea since Zuckerberg only takes in a $1M annual salary:

“On February 9, 2023, the Committee approved increasing this annual pre-tax allowance to $14 million, effective immediately. In approving this increase, the Committee considered Mr. Zuckerberg’s position and importance to Meta and the fact that Mr. Zuckerberg has requested to receive only $1 in annual salary and does not receive any bonus payments, equity awards, or other incentive compensation.”

I’d like to believe that the CEO of Meta indeed spends over ten million on personal security, but I’d like to see the receipts. Does this include security personnel? From personal experience, even the most expensive home security system, including cameras, access control, and intrusion detection, would only cost a fraction of that newly approved budget.

[Source: PC Mag]

Marvel Comics Announces New ‘Daredevil and Echo’ Comic Book Series

Jacob Airey
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Marvel Comics Announces New ‘Daredevil and Echo’ Comic Book Series

The Man Without Fear and the Woman with the White Hand are reuniting for a new comic book series from Marvel Entertainment. Written by Black Eyed Peas member Taboo and B. Earl, the comic promises to bring us to Hell’s Kitchen and into New York City.

“DAREDEVIL & ECHO #1 will bring Matt Murdock and Maya Lopez back together again. The upcoming miniseries, written by Black Eyed Peas artist Taboo and B. Earl with art by Phil Noto, will pit the pair of Super Heroes against an ancient evil that threatens New York City,” Marvel said on their website.

They added, “Something stirs beneath Hell’s Kitchen! For months, the bloodthirsty and demonic Demogoblin has been kidnapping children for reasons unknown. In this series, Daredevil and Echo discover why—as Demogoblin works to wake an ancient and powerful evil deep within the bowels of the city. Reunited at last with Echo, herself fresh from a brief time as the host of the Phoenix Force, it falls to Daredevil to stop Demagoblin and save not only the children, but everyone in New York!”

Marvel Comics revealed the cover of the first issue by Phil Noto:

Taboo expressed his enthusiasm for the project saying, “First off, Benny and I are blessed and thankful to be continuing our journey as Marvel writers.”

He continued, “It’s an honor to be rocking this new Daredevil project along with the amazing mighty matriarch Echo. We are about to have a blast bringing the heat to Hell’s Kitchen! Can’t wait for the world check out this crazy ride! One love!”

B. Earl echoed those sentiments, “My Marvel journey with Tab has been a privileged blessing, allowing us to explore so many characters, both new and old, as well as tell riskier stories which touch on untold narratives and perspectives.”

The comic book series will be available on May 24, 2023.

‘All-Star Superman’ Flies Into First Ever 4K DVD Release

Jacob Airey
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0
‘All-Star Superman’ Flies Into First Ever 4K DVD Release

The 2011 film directed by Sam Liu and released by Warner Bros. Animation, ‘All-Star Superman’ is coming to home video release again, but this time remastered in 4K. The animated feature, based on a comic book by writer Grant Morrison, is coming back to fans and collectors alike on April 18, 2023.

DC Films said in a press release that the “Eisner Award-winning vision of Superman’s heroic final days on Earth is brought to exquisite, animated life in All-Star Superman. The film begins as the Man of Steel rescues an ill-fated mission to the Sun (sabotaged by Lex Luthor) but, in the process, is oversaturated by radiation – which accelerates his cell degeneration. Sensing even he will be unable to cheat death, Superman ventures into new realms – finally revealing his secret to Lois, confronting Lex Luthor’s perspective of humanity, and attempting to ensure Earth’s safety before his own impending end with one final, selfless act.”

“Twelve years after its initial release, All-Star Superman holds a ‘Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was the 10th in the ongoing series of DC Universe Movies and DC Animated Movies that now number more than 50 films across 17 years,” DC added.

The comic book that the film was based on was drawn by Frank Quitely and digitally inked by Jamie Grant. It ran for twelve issues between 2005 and 2008.

You can watch the trailer below:

The movie stars James Denton (Good Witch, Desperate Housewives) as Superman, Christina Hendricks (Mad Men, Good Girls) as Lois Lane, Anthony LaPaglia (Without A Trace) as Lex Luthor, Ed Asner (Up, Elf, The Mary Tyler Moore Show) as Perry White, Golden Globe winner Frances Conroy (American Horror Story, Joker, Six Feet Under) as Ma Kent, Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds, Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise) as Jimmy Olsen and Linda Cardellini (Avengers: Endgame, Dead to Me, ER) as Nasty.

The animated movie was produced by Bruce Timm and written by Dwayne McDuffie.

Hot Toys To Re-Release 1:6 Scale 1989’s Batman and Batmobile!

Mike Phalin
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0
Hot Toys To Re-Release 1:6 Scale 1989’s Batman and Batmobile!

After a decade of waiting, Hot Toys is finally bringing back the 1:6 scale ’89 Batman and Batmobile! Sideshow Collectibles is now taking pre-orders for all three toys. The Collector Edition Batman is $279, while the Deluxe Bats is going for $345. Inflation has undoubtedly taken its toll here because the Batmobile is now $715. Both will be shipping between April and September of next year.

I had Batman and the Joker when they were first released, and these two became highly sought after. In fact, I was able to sell both to pay for a moving truck and part of a mortgage downpayment. Hopefully, Hot Toys will give us another shot at a Joker figure soon!

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

Photo Credit: Hot Toys

The standard version of 1989’s Batman will come with several of the same items from the previous release but with an updated head sculpt:

– One (1) newly developed Batman head with separate rolling eyeball function and three (3) interchangeable lower faces capturing Batman’s facial expressions
– Movie-accurate facial expression and skin texture
– Approximately 30 cm tall
– Specialized body with 30 points of articulation
– Eight (8) pieces of interchangeable gloved hands including:
– One (1) pair of fists
– One (1) pair of relaxed hands
– One (1) pair of weapon holding hands
– One (1) remote holding right hand
– One (1) open left hand
– Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted

Costume:
– One (1) Bat-suit with cape and Batman logo on chest
– One (1) utility belt
– One (1) pair of black boots

Weapons:
– One (1) grapple gun
– One (1) gauntlet with line launcher
– One (1) rope attached batarang
– Two (2) ninja wheels
– Three (3) smoke capsules

Accessories:
– One (1) white heel shoe
– One (1) Batmobile remote
– One (1) bomb timer
– One (1) punch gear

The Deluxe Version of Batman comes with all of the above plus the following exclusive item:

-A specially designed chapel roof diorama base (approximately L 27cm x W 24cm x H 44cm)

The Batmobile appears to be the same as the original model, which includes accessories seen in both Batman (1989) and Batman Returns:

– Authentically and detailed likeness of Batmobile in Batman (1989)
– Sleek black color paint application on the exterior design
– Approximately 100cm L x 40cm W x 25cm H
– LED light-up headlights, taillights, jet engine and dashboard panel (power operated)
– Canopy door allows sliding function
– Openable fuel tank door to review mechanical details
– Rotatable wheels
– Side-mounted batdisc launchers
– One (1) pair of moveable machine guns
– Two (2) seaters
– Sized to fit with 1/6 scale Batman Collectible Figure from collection series

Accessories:
– One (1) pair of shinbreakers
– One (1) pair of grappling hooks
– Eight (8) batdiscs
– One (1) rod for holding the canopy door
– Specially designed rotary base

[Source: Hot Toys]

HiDive Streams ‘Kinmoza’ Films

Jacob Airey
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0
HiDive Streams ‘Kinmoza’ Films

Sentai Filmworks has brought the TV movie ‘KINMOZA! Pretty Days’ and theatrical film ‘KINMOZA Thank You!!’ to the HiDive streaming service. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, fans of the slice-of-life anime will be able to enjoy both of the features.

Both films were developed by the Japanese animation company Studio Gokumi and AXsiZ. ‘Pretty Days’ was directed by Tensho and released in 2016. Munenori Nawa handled directorial duties for ‘Thank you,’ which was released in 2021.

You can watch the trailer for ‘KINMOZA! Pretty Days’ below:

HiDive describes the synopsis of ‘KINMOZA! Pretty Days’ as follows,

“Shinobu has to write a script and make costumes for a school play, and it’s a lot of work for one person. Fortunately for Shinobu’s theatrical future, Alice, Yoko, and Aya are glad to pitch in, and that allows for a chance to reflect on their experiences in the days before Alice arrived. Will everything be finished in time, or will the audience be in stitches because of the ones coming apart onstage? There’s no way to be sure until the last curtain call in KINMOZA! PRETTY DAYS!”

Check out the ‘Thank You’ trailer below:

‘KINMOZA Thank You!!’ is described as,

“Alice, Shinobu, Aya, and Yoko have truly become the best of friends, but since it’s their last year, they must split their time between preparing for the big senior trip to Nara and Kyoto and trying to make plans for whatever is to come next in their lives… and in Shinobu’s case, that may mean something so amazing that she’d never even dared to dream it! Hop on the tour bus for one last wonderful adventure in KINMOZA! THE MOVIE – THANK YOU!!”

The show ‘Kiniro Mosaic’ ran for two seasons of twenty-four episodes in 2013 and 2015. It is based on the slice-of-life manga written and illustrated by Yui Hara.

Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Pluto’ Anime Coming To Netflix

Jacob Airey
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0
Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Pluto’ Anime Coming To Netflix

Netflix is bringing the fan-favorite science fiction thriller manga ‘Pluto’ to life as an anime with Japanese animation companies Studio M2 and GENCO. The show will feature the voice talents of Shinshu Fuji, Yoko Hikasa, and Minori Suzuki.

“Praised by many as a masterpiece, the manga PLUTO is based on Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy ‘The Greatest Robot on Earth’ arc from 1964 and created by Naoki Urasawa (20th Century Boys, Yawara!, Master Keaton) and his long-time co-creator Takashi Nagasaki,” Netflix said in a statement.

Urasawa expressed his excitement, saying, “I applaud the courage of everyone that has taken on the challenge of making an anime based on PLUTO. I am excited about the birth of this new series to win over people’s hearts. I hope that now more than ever, Osamu Tezuka’s message reaches the world.”

Nagasaki echoed those sentiments, “PLUTO inherits the philosophy of Tezuka and does not merely convey a message of anti-war, but reminds us that there is suffering on both sides… but still, the only remaining answer is peace.”

You can watch the trailer below:

TV Tropes describes the synopsis as follows,

“In a world where humans and sentient robots co-exist, someone or something is targeting the seven most advanced robots, killing them off one by one. Even more disturbingly, the same killer seems to be murdering humans as well. Only a supremely powerful robot could be killing the other robots—but all robots are hardwired to be unable to kill humans, with one very important exception.

German robot detective Gesicht (German for ‘face’), who is so advanced as to be nearly indistinguishable from a normal human, investigates the killings in an effort to learn the secret link between the advanced robots and humans being murdered. This is an especially urgent matter for Gesicht, since he’s one of the scheduled murder victims…”

The original manga was published by Shogakukan from 2003 to 2009 and was serialized in their Big Comic Original magazine. Viz Media currently has the right to release the English version in the United States.

The anime is being made in cooperation with Tezuka Productions.

Follow The Lights To This Massive LotR Dead Marshes Statue

Mike Phalin
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0
Follow The Lights To This Massive LotR Dead Marshes Statue

What was once the site of the Battle of Dagorlad has become a sullen and swampy stretch of land. Everything in this is empty of life. The Dead Marshes are unwelcoming, but something below the swamp’s surface is beckoning to unsuspecting travelers.

WETA has created a large diorama based on Peter Jackson’s version of The Lord of the Rings. This $2,598.99 diorama recreated the scene where Frodo falls into the water, and the ghosts of those who fell during the War of the Last Alliance seek to claim the living.

The living and the dead are brought to life thanks to WETA’s skilled artisans and a few well-placed flickering green LEDs. The 1:6 scale diorama is massive. It’s over 16 lbs and measures 37 cm x 64 cm x 37 cm. Sadly, it has been pre-soldout at both WETA and Entertainment Earth. However, EE does allow customers to sign up for a waiting list just in case.

Lord of the Rings Dead Marshes Statue
Photo Credit: Entertainment Earth

Lord of the Rings Dead Marshes Statue
Photo Credit: Entertainment Earth

Lord of the Rings Dead Marshes Statue
Photo Credit: Entertainment Earth

Lord of the Rings Dead Marshes Statue
Photo Credit: Entertainment Earth

Lord of the Rings Dead Marshes Statue
Photo Credit: Entertainment Earth

Lord of the Rings Dead Marshes Statue
Photo Credit: Entertainment Earth

Lord of the Rings Dead Marshes Statue
Photo Credit: Entertainment Earth

Lord of the Rings Dead Marshes Statue
Photo Credit: Entertainment Earth

Lord of the Rings Dead Marshes Statue
Photo Credit: Entertainment Earth

Like with WETA’s other Lord of the Rings statues, the piece was crafted by artists with lots of experience in the franchise:

  • Made from high quality polystone;
  • Clay sculpted by Middle-earth veteran Brigitte Wuest, with support from Gary Hunt and Shaun Bolton;
  • Depicts both the natural and mystical sides of Middle-earth, as seen above and below the water;
  • Including five characters and three unique materials, within a dynamic environment;
  • Spirits of the dead can be seen beneath the water, tucked within the gnarled roots;
  • Unique lighting combined with expert paint application brings the underwater action to life;
  • LED powered, flickering flames and ambient underwater environment (universal power adaptor included).

 

[Source: Entertainment Earth]

[Source: WETA]

Trailer Drops For Justice League, RWBY Crossover

Jacob Airey
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0
Trailer Drops For Justice League, RWBY Crossover

Rooster Teeth, DC Films, and Warner Bros. Animation are bringing together the Justice League and RWBY for an epic crossover movie ‘Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One.’ The animated film is directed by Kerry Shawcross and written by Meghan Fitzmartin.

“The heroes of DC’s Justice League and Rooster Teeth Animation’s RWBY join forces to battle an evil entity attacking Remnant in Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One, available to purchase Digitally and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray on April 25, 2023,” DC Comics said. “The all-new, feature-length DC Animated Movie finds Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern and Vixen in new iterations – transformed into teenagers while in transport to RWBY’s world, and presented in Rooster Teeth’s anime-influenced animation – and partnering with the heroes of Remnant (Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang) to battle a mysterious, superpowered creature before it destroys everything they know.”

The movie stars Natalie Alyn Lind (Big Sky, The Goldbergs, Gotham) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince, Chandler Riggs (The Walking Dead, A Million Little Things) as Superman/Clark Kent and Nat Wolff (The Fault in Our Stars, The Stand) as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Lindsay Jones (Camp Camp) as Ruby, Kara Eberle (RWBY: Ice Queendom) as Weiss, Arryn Zech (The Detective is Already Dead) as Blake, and Barbara Dunkelman (Blood Fest) as Yang.

You can watch the trailer below:

DC Comics describes the synopsis as follows,

“Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One finds the Justice League facing off against a new horror: adolescence! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern and Vixen are surprised to find that not only have they materialized on a strange world called Remnant, but they’ve also been transformed into teenagers. Meanwhile, the heroes of Remnant – Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang – find their world has been mysteriously altered. Can the combined forces of the Justice League and Team RWBY return Remnant to normal before a superpowered Grimm destroys everything they know?”

The movie will include the ‘Justice League Unlimited’ episode “Kid Stuff” and ‘Justice League Action’ episode “Plastic Man Saves the World.”

The Avengers Are Assembling In The New Pull List

Jacob Airey
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0
The Avengers Are Assembling In The New Pull List

Black Panther, the X-Men, and the Avengers are all being highlighted in the new Marvel Comics pull list. It is not just Earth-616 getting some new issues titles, but the galaxy far, far away is also getting a few releases.

“AVENGERS ASSEMBLE rages on in Jason Aaron and James Towe’s AVENGERS FOREVER (2021) #14, where the mightiest heroes of the Multiverse, the protectors of the prehistoric Earth, and the mainstay Avengers of the present-day Marvel Universe all stand together in one place at last, united against a common foe. What enemy could dare stand against the greatest force ever assembled? Here comes Doom the Living Planet with the answer,” Marvel said on their website.

They released the titles as follows:

New Comics

  • AVENGERS FOREVER (2021) #14
  • AVENGERS: END TIMES – MARVEL TALES 1 (2023) #1
  • CAPTAIN MARVEL (2019) #46
  • FANTASTIC FOUR (2022) #4
  • HULK (2021) #12
  • IRON MAN (2022) #3
  • MARAUDERS (2022) #11
  • MARVEL’S VOICES: WAKANDA FOREVER 1 (2023) #1
  • MARY JANE & BLACK CAT (2022) #3
  • MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON (2022) #3
  • MURDERWORLD: MOON KNIGHT 1 (2023) #1
  • NIGHTCRAWLERS (2023) #1
  • SPIDER-MAN (2022) #5
  • SPIDER-MAN: THE LOST HUNT (2022) #4
  • STAR WARS (2020) #31
  • STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS (2020) #31
  • WASP (2023) #2
  • WOLVERINE (2020) #30
  • X-MEN (2021) #19
  • X-TREME X-MEN (2022) #3

New Collections

  • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN BY WELLS & ROMITA JR. VOL. 3: HOBGOBLIN TPB
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA BY NICK SPENCER OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC SAIZ COVER
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY VOL. 1 – REVOLUTION TPB
  • DAREDEVIL & ELEKTRA BY CHIP ZDARSKY VOL. 1: THE RED FIST SAGA TPB
  • DOCTOR STRANGE EPIC COLLECTION: NIGHTMARE ON BLEECKER STREET TPB
  • EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE TPB
  • GENIS-VELL: CAPTAIN MARVEL TPB
  • HULK: PLANET HULK OMNIBUS HC LADRONN PORTRAIT COVER [NEW PRINTING]
  • IRON MAN VOL. 4: SOURCE CONTROL TPB
  • MARVEL KNIGHTS: MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY TPB
  • MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN VOL. 16 HC
  • STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS VOL. 5 – THE RAID ON THE VERMILLION TPB
  • X-MEN: HELLFIRE GALA – IMMORTAL TPB

Marvel Unlimited

  • A.X.E.: JUDGMENT DAY OMEGA #1
  • AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #13
  • AVENGERS #62
  • BLACK PANTHER: UNCONQUERED #1
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY #6
  • DAMAGE CONTROL #4
  • FANTASTIC FOUR #1 ALEX ROSS COVER A
  • GHOST RIDER #8
  • LEGION OF X #7
  • MARAUDERS #8
  • MOON KNIGHT #17
  • SABRETOOTH & THE EXILES #1
  • SPIDER-MAN #2
  • SPIDER-MAN: THE LOST HUNT #1
  • STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC #2
  • VENOM #13
  • WOLVERINE #27
  • X-MEN LEGENDS #4

All of these titles will be available on February 15th, 2023.

Wonder Woman’s Sword Replica Returning Coming Soon

Mike Phalin
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0
Wonder Woman’s Sword Replica Returning Coming Soon

After selling out of the initial 1,500 “God Killer” sword replicas it made in 2018, Factor Entertainment has commissioned an upgraded “Elite Edition” of the prop. The recreation of Wonder Woman’s Ares-slaying weapon seen in the 2018 DCEU film is crafted from hand-forged H1 steel and comes with a custom wood wall-hanging plaque.

Only 750 Elite Edition God Killer swords will be made, and the expected ship date is June of this year.

What are the differences between the 2018 version and this one? The price, for one. The original sold for $299.99, while the Elite Edition goes for $499.99. Other than that, I’m not totally sure what is improved. It could be the type of stainless steel since the older version didn’t mention H1. It could also mean that the hilt is now made from a brass-alloy. Unfortunately, FE doesn’t do the best job relaying any of this vital info.

  • A hand-forged H1 stainless steel, mirror polished blade featuring acid-etched Amazonian runic script.
  • A seamless, sand-cast brass-alloy hilt.

Wonder Woman's "God Killer" Sword Replica
Photo Credit: Factory Entertainment

Wonder Woman's "God Killer" Sword Replica
Photo Credit: Factory Entertainment

Wonder Woman's "God Killer" Sword Replica
Photo Credit: Factory Entertainment

Wonder Woman's "God Killer" Sword Replica
Photo Credit: Factory Entertainment

Wonder Woman's "God Killer" Sword Replica
Photo Credit: Factory Entertainment

Wonder Woman's "God Killer" Sword Replica
Photo Credit: Factory Entertainment

“Wonder Woman ascended a high tower on Themyscira to acquire one of the many gifts the gods gave to the Amazons to use in her efforts to slay Ares the God of War. Any ordinary weapon wouldn’t stand a chance against such a powerful foe, so she obtained a sword fashioned by Zeus himself, the God Killer.”

Considering that Diana defeated Ares, the God of War, with the power of lightning and love rather than the sword, I’m not sure why this prop is considered iconic. At first glance, I’d confuse it for any other fantasy Norse-inspired blade.

If you’re looking for a review of the original replica, check out the video below:

[Source: Factory Entertainment]

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