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The Good, the Bad and
the Ugly
 Here
is a compilation of recent e-mails sent to me from readers
all over the world. Some offer praise,
others disagree with my point of view. Some are kind, others
are downright ugly. I have posted them without editing for
grammar or spelling. My comments, if any, appear at the end
in italics.
Hello Greg,
I read
your article in April 27th's Bergen Record.
Great article, Greg. You hit the nail right smack on
the head ! It's about time articles like this get
published in the media. I hope everyone got to read
it. Regarding Clinton's bashing President Bush's
speech that was delivered from the pulpit of a
prominent Manhattan church......I remember seeing tv
coverage of that, and thought as you wrote, how come
he can get away with that when our pastors are
intimidated by the government with violation of tax
laws. Our pastor had said from the pulpit as much as
he would like to voice his opinion, he was
prohibited from doing so because of tax violation.
What a double standard we have here, don't we. Even
the ACLU didn't and doesn't speak up about it.
(against it). Your comment about " Many outside the
tradition of evangelical Christianity still tend to
reduce evangelicals, and particularly prominent
leaders and televagelists, to a conveniently
dismissable stereotype: Bible-thunping, intolerant
know-nothings." was so timely for me to read and
I'll tell you why. I know a person on the west coast
who is a liberal left winger and this person has
written me the most degrading opinions about
prominent Christian evangelical leaders......won't
even capitalize the letter " C " in the word
Christian, this person uses a lower case " c ".
Speaks with such vile, anger and hatred about " you
christians" and God forbid any truth from the Bible.
Mabe some time you could write an article about the
vileness, anger and hate speech that liberal left
wing Democrats, Socialist/Communist, and atheists
fling at the Christians and Evangelical Christians.
Well, just wanted to send you Kudos about your
article............thanks from us
Greg,
Just read
your piece on Terry. Great. I think when the
courts and politicians do not know what to do and
the husband is not trustworthy there is one person
who should decide. Her mother, who brought her into
this world. I have more faith in a mother's sound
judgment than governments, politicians and religious
leaders.
Mr. Rummo,
All that weeping and wailing and all that prayin,
and God told them good
Christians to kiss his arm. Must have been her time.
We just witnesses something that happens to families
across this country thousands of times a week -
whether to withdraw or withhold life support for a
dying family member. And you can twist and spin it
all you want, but artificial feeding is life support
and is a surgical procedure.
Terry Schiavo was brain dead. It was time to
let her go. Bob and Mary weren't physically capable
of taking care of her 24/7, and her brother and
sister indicated that they would warehouse her if
they were given custody. If you omit the
inflammatory rhetoric and ask people if they would
want to
exist like Terry Schiavo, you get overwhelming
response that no one would
want to be kept alive like that. This is no culture
of death. What you saw played out on TV is life.
That's God's doing. All those pious people prayin
so earnestly, and God did nothing. The real tragedy
is that all those do-gooders don't spend their time
trying to clean-up nursing homes.
The letter writer
chose "God said KMA" (Kiss My A_ _) as his subject
line. My response to him was as follows: If
you are commenting on my column I think you may have
missed the point, which was that all life is
precious to God. My biggest gripe with the Terry
Schiavo case is that the government was (forced?) to
weigh in on what should have been a private, family
matter and it chose death over life. 4,000 abortions
a day in America is not a culture of death?
Dear Mr. Rummo,
I loved your
Heavenly Musings about Terry Schiavo. I really
think that God looks down on us and actually says
that. We humans really don't know how to leave in
the ways God had wanted for us to leave. we can
really screw up and In Terry Schiavo's dilemma what
a screw up! I hope God can forgive her husband, How
can he live with himself, How is he going to explain
to his children what he did in the name of money?
Dear Mr. Rummo
Thank you for your well written article [on
Terry Schiavo]. I pray that that day comes soon!
I know I am ready!
Hi Greg,
I read your
Schiavo piece. 2,000 die again in an instant in
Indonesia, and our general public couldn't give a
rat's a** My response to your final line is "Good,
the sooner the better. Time to do spring cleaning in
this world!"
Dear
Greg,
I often wonder what God thinks when he looks down at us.
When can certainly say he is merciful to withhold great
plagues and famines from this country when you look at the
kind of evils we commit. And you're right.
Terri Schiavo is just the tip of the iceberg. But I'd
rather people think about life issues than dwell on mindless
celebrity news or the Michael Jackson trial.
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If you enjoyed reading through these e-mails
from readers, don't you think you owe it to
yourself to find out what all the fuss is? You'll love Rummo's latest book! It's 536 pages
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Click here for more information.
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Unfortunately,
your article, [Bridging the Red-blue Divide] seems to be
burning the bridge; appearing to be divisive and bigoted.
You state that "blue-state elitists ... can only ridicule
what they do not understand. You suggest that only
red-state individuals (elitist or not) believe in the Bible
or can understand it. I know many active Christian church
members who voted for Senator Kerry. I am one of them. I
study the Bible on a daily basis, am active in my church,
and voted for Mr. Kerry (or more accurately against
President Bush) for that very reason. I feel that most of
those in the Bush administration, like the Pharisees (whom
Jesus called hypocrites), often talked of moral values, but
many of their positions and actions were not consistent with
Christian values (What would Jesus do?) Claiming to believe
in Christian values does not mean that one actually lives by
those values. (In the parable of the Good Samaritan, a
priest was one of those who "passed by on the other side"
without helping. Luke 10; 30-37) I believe there are good,
moral individuals (of many religions) in both political
parties. Neither party has an exclusive "ownership" of
them. Now for the apparent bigotry. You state that
traditional American morality and the Bible must be embraced
in order to be understood, and that the ONLY WAY (your
words, my caps) that it is possible is for individuals to
personally embrace Christianity's author, Jesus Christ.
While I do, and I believe you do; this implies that Jews
(and others) who do not embrace Jesus as the Messiah cannot
possibly understand or live in accordance with American
morality. (Shades of Archie Bunker! A man named Adolph
also expressed somewhat similar views, although accompanied
with much more vicious actions.) I might add that in a later
paragraph you refer to the Ten Commandments as a symbol of
Christianity. May I remind you that the Ten Commandments
are in the Old Testament of the Bible (part of the Jewish
heritage), and were written by Moses before Christianity
even existed. Yes, they are incorporated in the Christian
faiths, as are the Beatitudes (from Jesus), but the former
are not the exclusive domain of Christianity. You may wish
to keep the following Bible quote in mind when you write:
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity" (Ps. 133: 1)
Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the life. No man
comes to the father but by me." Wow..."No man..." I didn't
make that up. I am just the journalist here quoting someone
else's words. If anyone has a problem with Christianity's
exclusivity, he can take up his case with Jesus.
Mr. Rummo
Having had the displeasure of reading your Sunday Garbage
with regards to ones behavior and religious
background I felt compelled to write in order to give single
minded religious wimps like yourself the broader view. You
see it is very easy, as I am a perfect example of one who
was raised without the influence or direction of any
religion. On the contrary, I was raised with an inclusive
respect for all, regardless of religion, non judgmental,
come as you are mentality. Your article, [Bridging
the Red-blue Divide] as most of the trash you write
does, implies that religion and Christianity are the pillar
of sound behavior. Sir, Did you complete high school? Or
are you sleeping with George Bush? Your article is yet
another outlet of "Born Again Christians" to otherwise
pollute and pervert what a religion truly is. Yours is just
another political line of B. S. disguised as "what the
scripture says" that makes no case for understanding or
tolerance. Basically you and people like you are weak minded
bigots trying to shove your brand of junk religion down the
throats of others because your to stupid to use your own
minds.
Yes, I completed high school,
college, and I have two graduate degrees, an MS in chemistry
and an MBA in finance so it's not intelligence we're talking
about here. Last night when my wife kissed me good night,
I couldn't help but notice (even though the lights were out)
that she is still the Asian beauty that I married almost 18 years
ago and looks nothing like "W." As to the "broader view" the
writer wishes to give me, I can't find it in the e-mail. I
guess the writer's idea of a "broader view" is that it's OK
to personally attack those who express a different view as
"weak minded-bigots," an approach which seems to me to be
the antithesis of "understanding and tolerance." At least
the writer was kind enough to use upper case for "Sunday
Garbage."
To My Brother Patriot,
You write well Greg and I always
enjoy your wisdom gilded with the knowledge and perspective
of the bible. It is refreshing and encouraging to the people
of God. I like you may be am grieved to the point of fasting
and tears for this nation. Like the prophet Jeremiah I find
myself knowing that God is in control but that like the
early Israelites "the people (the USA) have perverted
themselves and turned away from God". We openly love what is
hated by Him and approve those things in others. There is
hope as I see Him raising up those who love Him and call on
His name. What breaks my heart is the ease that many are led
astray by a Satanic left media and the ignorance of the
value of the freedoms they enjoy that they in most cases
never earned and use against us.
We are in a real battle for the
soul of this country.
I look at my three young
children and wonder what open persecution they may have to
endure. Even if we "win" this election the ensuing fight
will be riotous and prayer will be needed more than ever. If
we lose this one I have every confidence He has spoken
judgment over us and the innocent will die with the guilty.
I thank God for whatever He has
done to shape you into the tool He has. You are a gift. May
He bless and protect you and yours, making His face to shine
upon you.
Sincerely, With great respect,
(Wow! I don't get many e-mails from readers like that one.)
Good job Greg!
There needs to be
many more articles like yours. The churches are the
one's failing us in America. I was in a Church this Sunday
(not my regular) and the Preacher was talking about Daniel
chp 9. Now you need to go read that if you haven't before.
It was about the Isrealite's turning away from God and
inviting disaster upon theirselves. Of course all the pastor
talked about was God being the same all the time "he is
consistant" never changing "never flip flopping" (reference
to John Kerry). That was cute and all but he missed a golden
opportunity to talk about The United States turning away
from god. But he chose the safe route. He didn't want to
upset anyone because then they wouldn't come to his church
and fill the offering plate. I live in Florida and not once
since these storms started has anyone come forward and
mentioned god and how he could be involved in the whole
thing. All I hear is "that's the price we pay to live in
paradise". The fact is the churches are dead! Nobody want's
hear anything negative. It's always about gods love and
never about his judgement. The same preacher actually said
"We obey god because we love him" That's true but god also
said we must fear him.
Everytime I hear this preacher he only tells half the story.
This is the fastest growing church in our city. That should
say alot about where America is headed. They are headed to
Siesta Beach to put there head in some nice soft white sand.
We only want to hear about how great we are. Im pro-American
all the way but we need to lead by example!!
Thank you for
comparison...
The
article on masked men murdering little children was a
wonderful work. Thank you - and I hope it reaches millions
of people.
Good article [on
the Iraqi soccer team]. The way I see the situation is this. One or
two Iraqi soccer players might be ungrateful idiots, but so what. The US
didn't sacrifice its young soldiers and enormous wealth in Iraq simply to
put together a soccer team for the Olympics. We did it to stop Saddam
Hussein from continuing his quest to develop and use chemical, biological
and nuclear weapons against America, Europe and the MidEast. We did it to
stop Hussein from providing sanctuary to the thousands of worldwide
terrorists who were using his country and oil money for Jihad. Two or three
disgruntled Iraqi players? Small potatoes. Although sometimes it would be
nice to take the media types who dwell on these guys and stick them in the
middle of Najif, or whatever that town is where Sadr is holed up.
Signed,
A thinking personA newspaper editor
that 'gets it' All hope is not lost!
Dear Mr. Rummo,
I just finished reading your article
"Global
Warming Fears Are A Lot Of Hot Air" and wanted to personally thank you for
your kind words to us at the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global
Change (CO2 Science Magazine). Your commentary was superb. Thank you for your
article and for your efforts in this great battle.
With kindest regards,
Craig Idso
Chairman, Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change
Regarding [your column]
"Those who
'get it'"
Nice shot, but I think you might want to very quickly edit your piece [after
reading
this article in Sports Illustrated.] You should be particularly concerned by
the closing paragraph, don't you think? Of course, you should probably be
concerned by your "analysis" of the Chinese team vs. the American team. Then
again, you must realize that a similar analysis primarily only holds up against
Asian nations. Do they "get it?" Or is all of Asia next? Time to atone for
Vietnam? The writer makes an excellent
point about the Iraqi soccer players (the bit about the Chinese team and Vietnam
was a silly addendum.) I addressed this in a
subsequent
column.
Mr. Rummo,
[Regarding your
column on Tolkien's King], So if you object to the war, you're a child
molestor? You're all for the right of free speech unless someone's opinion
conflicts with your own? You, sir, are a complete moron.
P.S. How the hell did you get your own column?
Hell has nothing to do with me getting my own
column. I have my own column because I write provocatively, often eliciting
inflammatory letters to the editor from people like you.
Editor:
I’m writing to thank Greg Rummo for his article on June 6 headlined:
Can
barbaric images sway public opinion? The article tells the truth about
partial-birth abortion and should be published across our country. Thanks as
well for a letter to the editor from Harold and Maria McGlew. Human life begins
at conception. Since 1973, 50 million pre-born human beings have been killed by
abortion. Euphemisms do not change the facts. Neither “pro choice” claims of
“conscience,” “personal decision,” “woman’s control over her body,” etc., can
ever justify the destruction of the pre-born human being. “Pro Life” and “Pro
Choice” people should work together to provide the spiritual, financial,
psychological humane care needed by pregnant women who are suffering. There is
help waiting. Abortion is not the answer.
One among 7,000 who hasn't bowed the knee to the
image of Baal. I am not a football fan, so I had never
heard of Pat Tillman until the widespread reporting of his death. Upon hearing
his story, my reaction was not so much surprise that anyone could walk away from
millions of dollars as it was awe and respect to think that this young man had
done this out of love for his fellow Americans. You are correct in your belief
that it is duty, honor, and love that drives young people to serve their
country. My son is a twenty-year old soldier currently deployed to Afghanistan,
so perhaps the Tillman story meant more to me than to some others. Although my
son is not a Ranger, the work he is doing is just as important, and he, too, is
a hero, but it was not a desire for heroics that lead him to enlist in the Army
following high school graduation. My son has always been given to putting a lot
of thought into his decisions, so he did not choose to join the military
lightly. He was deeply affected by the terrorist attacks of September 11, and
although he does not intend to make the Army his career, he enlisted because he
needed to do something for his country. Thank-you for
your thoughtful
analysis of a soldier's motivation. I just read on Townhall.com your column
about
Pat Tillman. You were of course totally correct
however no conservative columnist has gone beyond
the obvious. Why was Tillman the only professional
athlete, entertainer, actor, celebrity of one kind
or another, politician or any kind of media type to
do what he did? His actual death goes beyond that as
it was not expected and he had planned to get out of
service in May 2005 and go back to the Cardinals but
hardly anyone who is rich and famous has a
son fighting in this conflict. The only well known
people I am aware of with a son in this fight are
Doris Kearns Goodwin, author (one son) and G. Gordon
Liddy (two sons) and all three are officers and I
believe Liddy's sons are back in the USA. Why is
the President not urging his daughters to join the
military or his nephew, George P. Bush or Kerry his
daughters? After all, one is about to graduate from
medical school were she not a flaming feminazi could
she not become a military doctor? They are in short
supply. The answer of course is let the conservative
peasantry fight Bush's war. That is why I will not
vote for Bush or Kerry in the Fall.
Who says anyone is sent to fight? Don't most
join the military knowing what it entails and go willingly? I presume the writer
knows Bush's and Kerry's daughters personally.
Sir,
I just wanted to express my gratitude at your April 29th
article "Pat
Tillman’s sacrifice was just as costly as all the others".
I find the media frenzy surrounding his death to be
disingenous and gratuitous. This man deserves to be
praised for his dedication and service to this country
but no more so than any other. I think the media
outlets that have plastered his story everywhere have
done him a disservice. He and his brother for years
refused to grant any interviews because they felt that
their sacrifice and performance were no greater or
lesser than any of their peers in the armed forces and
as such did not want the added attention. The media
should provide such profiles and such coverage for every
man or woman who falls in the service of this country
and not simply elevate one individual because of his
social station and earning potential to a lonely
pedestal that he
himself did not want. As you said "The men and women of
the armed forces who are in Iraq and Afghanistan making
it possible for our lives to be pretty normal here at
home are heroes—all of them." Once again thank you for
expressing this perspective.
I just want to Thank you for
sharing that column [about
Noah's Ark] you posted in the Noah's Ark post. I
believe everyone who had written something negative
about God should go there They really need education on
the Holy Word. They need to read the Bible. Then they
wouldn't be so ignorant about Noah's Ark.
I just read your story [about
Noah's Ark] and was very moved. I got teary eyed at
the though of a 6-yr old boy asking this, it restores
hope in my heart that the world will get better before
the end comes. Thank you and god bless you for this
story.
Dear Greg:
I just wanted to thank you for the joy, truth and faith
you project in your syndicated column . Your words have come
to mean so much to me and I look forward to the days that
you are featured in the New Jersey Herald. I don’t have any
idea how wide your readership is but I really pray that you
are read all over the country. Everything I have read that
you have written seems to my heart to be pure gold and I
find myself throwing my fists in the air and shouting “Right
on!” Keep up the wonderful work and I will pray for you as
often as you come to mind.
Editor; Canyon News:
Re: Mr. Rummo’s diatribe against the morning-after pill, to
be honest I’ve
met plenty of people- myself among them a lot of the time-
who I wish
their parents had had the good sense to abort. Merely being
equipped to
make babies does not necessarily qualify one to be an
adequate parent,
either genetically or socially. And sometimes unfit parents
get hip to
themselves after the pregnancy has begun. I know that
logical arguments like this are not likely to cut it with
the likes of Mr. R. Their “profound concern” for the fetus
smacks of serious delusion so far as I am concerned. And
hey, if it’ll make them feel any better, they will, so far
as I’m concerned. I’ll do without sex before I’ll be forced
to breed like a cockroach.
At least the writer is no
hypocrite. He wishes his parents had aborted him.
Hi Gregg,
Was looking around the net and found your column. We're
on the same page, so to speak. Anyway, I liked what I
saw of your varied subjects and signed up for your
weekly column.
Thanks for being there. Wish there were more like you.
Greg:
A great article on Richard Clarke...... a person
which America will grow to despise. He even has that
'look' of smarm about him....Thanks for a great
article pointing out his credibility problem.....or
as we say in the midwest in a more direct
fashion.....he is a LIAR!
Mr. Rummo:
Loved your article
on the "double-minded" Richard Clarke. Also
your lengthy dissertation on how Clinton failed
to do anything about Osama Bin Laden. I am
certainly glad for an honest, God-fearing man
like Bush who, after 3 years and over 700
American lives--oh wait, HE didn't get Osama
either, did he? Gee.
And I guess your
comment about "character" cannot be directed at
Powell who supported Bush in public while
criticizing the policy in private. Also, the
fact that Bush is about the biggest liar to set
foot in this country in many a day doesn't seem
to bother you. He invokes God's name so that
makes it all right. I read your book---if you
were a tad more literate I might have been able
to line the bird case with your rhetoric. The
only "credibility problem" is with people like
you. I don't blame Bush--he is delusional
enough to believe his own "divine mission" to
"free people." People like you are the real
problem--unable to step back and say, "Wait,
maybe we need to rethink some things." Nope,
just blindly push a head. We got a surplus of
people, we can afford to lose a couple of
thousand if need be to "secure God's blessings"
to the rest of the world--whether they want them
or not!
Give up
your--choke--writing, and take up shoveling
maneuver on Bush's ranch. Good place for you!
Another deluded
reader who excuses Clinton, the perjurer, while
embracing hearsay that Bush is a liar. Guess I
should give up writing and instead, take up
"shoveling maneuver."
Mr. Rummo
The job of the 9/11 Commission is to determine
objectively the facts to educate the Public as to
how such a disaster could occur on American soil.
Your piece is hardly
objective and does not assist the Public's
understand as to how 9/11 occurred.. I understand
that this is not your job. However, I don't believe
that it is your job to be a schill for the
Republican Party. A determination as to why Clark
was less hard on the Clinton Administration than the
Bush Administrative is an issue that both the
Commission and the Public must determine. He may
merely desire to sell his book. Or, it may be a
backlash against the failure of the Bush
Administrative to make him the head of Homeland
Security. Whatever his motivation, his testimony
must be taken, and considered, seriously. I don't
believe the issue as to his character is within your
personal area of expertise.
Of
course my "piece is hardly objective." I write an
opinion column.
Mr. Rummo:
Having followed recent events and now this
latest piece of news. I note that you are full
of all the things you stand accusing others of.
Mainly that others are trying to dislodge GW
Bush from the White house. I also notice that
you throw so many flowers at GW I wonder whether
you are any different than those others you
personally take to task. As for Dick Clark I
believe he has served four Presidents of the
United States as security advisor. I would say
that shows his impartiality when it comes to
what branch of politics he follows. You may rant
and rave about the subject all you like. One
thing is for sure he resigned his post under GW
he was not fired from his position. He also
obviously believes very passionately in what he
has written. I find that if any body is guilty
of partiality then you sir wear the crown better
than most. For your information and not that it
matters, but never before in the History of the
US has any one man been so disrespected world
wide. That has to tell you something. The
republicans are by far the best at being and
playing dirty politics. Looking for weaknesses
in people such as the Clinton saga. People like
yourself tried every avenue they could to
discredit him. I would also remind you that J.E
Hoover held more power over the actions of more
presidents both democrat and republican through
his detailed files and records he had on them.
Through that fear organised crime was able to
grow to enormous heights thanks to the efforts
of J.E Hoover. Was it not the head of the
Gambini family who said that the worse thing to
ever happen to organised crime was the death of
J.E Hoover. I will remind you though, that GW
Bush has not got the respect that any of the
former presidents of the US before him. That
says a lot about him. After reading your article
I felt obliged to let you know how the rest of
the world feels about the President, that is
except Arial Sharon. Goodbye and God bless and
forgive you for such a load of trifle.
P.S most Americans I
speak to tell me exactly the same thing as I
have related to you. I sincerely hope that come
election time those people that never voted the
last time get out to vote and hopefully never
allow such a travesty occur again.
This guy is from the
UK. Lucky we didn't take this line of reasoning
during WWII or they'd all be speaking with
umlauts across the puddle.
Sir,
The awol "war president", ex public alcohol addict,
who despite daddy's
money was never able to learn a single foreign
language, was more than
questionable when going to an illegal war on lies
about WMDs and Saddam/Al
Quaida links. He certainly is not double-minded
which would require a single
one to begin with. As he says complacently the world
is obviously safer now, specially to Spaniards
(whose King was called Mr President by Jeb Bush, the
red neck brother !). This is no more questionable as
"Mission accomplished" and distateful recent jokes
about unfound WMDs. "Bring them on", he says : they
come by themselves. The show is ludicrous. Go on.
From a writer in
France who never let a fact ( or his spellchecker)
stand in the way of a good opinion. This is how I
responded: I think you mean the man who humbled
himself before Christ and gave up a bad habit in
favor of the Lord of the Universe controlling his
life? The man with the MBA? Who is fluent in
Spanish? The one who had the guts to make the
unfavorable political decision of waging a war
against a race of fanatical monsters who would think
nothing of detonating a nuclear device in America or
Spain, or France if given the opportunity? Yeah,
that's the one. Thanks for the thoughtful e-mail.
hi,
i am an orthodox
Jewish girl living in London, England. i just
read your article "love the Jews, back Israel".
it is so comforting to hear of people such as
yourself, who support the Jewish people and have
no intention of harming us.
My grandfather at a
young age was deported from his home, and
survived the toturous condtions of labour and
death camps (he was the only one out of a large
family who survived, he was on his own at the
age of 14), i had friends, and have heard of
plenty more people in Israel who were
just normal teenagers, yet killed in a pizza
shop. Sir, i do not know ONE of my friends who
hasn't had tormenting Holocaust nightmares, -we
are petrified that we, like our grandparents,
and friends in Israel will be tortured, just
because of our identity. please keep doing your
excellent job and spread love for the jewish
people! I don't think my fear will ever go
away...especially in todays day and age where so
many powerful people hate me as jew. But you
certainly restored my faith in humanity!
thanking you.
n
Greg Rummo is a
syndicated columnist. Read all of his columns on his homepage,
www.GregRummo.com. E-Mail Rummo at
[email protected]
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