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Cultural differences in the US?


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My brother lives up north now, and I had to pick him up from the airport recently to take him to our parents. I knew he was was probably hungry, so I asked if there was a particular place he wanted to pick up food real quick. He immediately asked for Chik Fil A. He told me that if we didn't have one, he would have asked for Zaxby's next.

Even within states there are noticeable differences. They were noticeable enough, that during both my undergraduate and graduate school years (at two different schools) I could pretty much tell what part of the state someone was from. There are people from the upstate, the midlands, coast (MB area or Charleston), piedmont etc... The way people dress, subtle things they say or the things they value can give you a hint of where they are from. And again, this is just in SC.

I know the same can be said about the different regions of VA as well (tidewater, Northern VA, Central VA, SW VA, etc...) From what I've been told, even a small state such as Maine has noticeable differences within the population.

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No, you guys set your table backwards. Fork on the the right and knife and spoon on the left. The rest of the word does it the other way around. A lot of American spies in WWII lost their lives when they had dinner in Germany during the war, they gave themselves away at the dinner table.

Speaking of that. There is a scene in "the big red one, reconstruction" where a belgian woman who is serving food to Lee Marvin and his group. She spots a german spy by exactly that method. I tried to find a clip on you tube but no luck.

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I find the American way a bit odd to be honest. Doesn't seems to be effective.

Judging by the girth of a lot of Americans, it apparantly gets the job done. ;)

Cheers,

Andre

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Judging by the girth of a lot of Americans, it apparantly gets the job done. ;)

:woot.gif: Awesome. Actually, the standard American way of eating these days is without silverware altogether, sitting in front of a TV screen, PC monitor, or steering wheel. That's an excellent strategy for gaining weight.

I admit, I do as well tend to think of Western Europe as a giant urban-suburban-garden landscape. In the U.S. we seem to be far more familiar with un- or underdeveloped landscapes.

As for the comment above concerning Western Pennsylvania being unsuitable for outdoorsy types, I disagree. Western Pennsylvanians are enthusiastic hunters, and either going Northeast or South from Pittsburgh brings you into some beautiful Appalachian landscapes. You just need to be unafraid of wet weather, that's all.

Edited by Fishwelding
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:woot.gif: Awesome. Actually, the standard American way of eating these days is without silverware altogether, sitting in front of a TV screen, PC monitor, or steering wheel. That's an excellent strategy for gaining weight.

From what I have seen and read, our friends across the Atlantic are also starting following our lead on poor nutrition / weight gain. Fast food is becoming as common over there as it is here.

Gotta run, need to get my Baconater fix for the day (supersized of course).

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I've found that Pennsylvania and New York have in common that, there is some tension between the east and west ends of the state. In Pittsburgh, as in the Niagara Frontier, people can sneer at the big eastern cities as troublesome tax burdens. Meanwhile, those in the eastern cities sneer at those west as basically illiterate, boorish bumpkins. Interestingly, however, it's a bit like sibling rivalry; close ranks where outsiders are concerned. If the Jets or Eagles are playing some team west of the Mississippi in playoffs, then you'll get some fan support from the western part of the state.

I'm interested to hear more about regional loyalties in the rest of the World. Anyone here from France? I've heard that there is tension between Paris and the rest of the country, i.e. "France is blessed by God, cursed with Paris."

Very similar dynamic in Washington State, though the Eastern side is so less populated that I don't think anyone outside of the Northwest would realize it (when I went to college in the Midwest, pretty much everyone assumed Seattle WAS Washington, and some were in fact flabbergasted to know you could dive 4 hours east from Seattle and still be in the same state). I know Idaho has a bit of a north/south divide (there's even been talk - never too terribly serious I reckon, of a new state starting at the Cascades, including Northern Idaho, and including Western Montana because those three regions have more in common with each other than the rest of their respective staes).

Now that I'm thinking about it though, I feel like the regionalism, such as it exists, trancends the international boundary. I've felt more at home in British Columbia than I ever did in the Midwest or Southeast. Hence the "Cascadia" reference under my avatar...

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As for New Yorker steriotypical worldview, We generally regard ourselves as "street smart" and "worldly" though I think we're arrogant and just as dumb as the rest of the general public, we see midwesterners as "Americans" and a bit niaeve, Southerners as cowboy hat wearing rubes (yeah I know- texans wear cowboy hats but in the New York mind, texas is confabulated with the rest of the south minus south florida, which is where you go on vacation in the winter), and people from the west coast as weird zen "Californians" who eat tofu and do yoga every morning. These people are effete. We also see Europeans (especially continental Euros) as effete and feminine, though culturally advanced. Not trying to **** anyone off, just telling you what people here generally think (in a tongue-in-cheek manner, of course).

:rofl: This seems like the beginnings of a stand-up routine! :D

It also reminds me of a New Yorker cover:

newyorker.jpg

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Also there is the whole pop vs. soda vs. coke thing.

http://www.grandtfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/pop_soda_coke.gif

While most Americans seem to regard themselves as Americans first, Texans seem to be a different sort of animal. I think part of it is marketing to a degree though. There is a Texas edition Chevy truck, King Ranch has their label also slapped on a truck. Part of it also comes from Texas being an independent country for about 10 years, which alot of the folks around here are proud of. They don't seem to remember that right after Texas broke away from Mexico in 1836 they started petitioning the US for annexation almost immediately. :P

Americans as a whole tend to offer gentle chiding of those from other regions. A friend of mine is from Maine, and when I talk to him I have to make fun of him for being a Yankee at least several times during the conversation. Since I'm originally from the South, he calls me a hillbilly. :)

John

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:rofl: This seems like the beginnings of a stand-up routine! :D

It also reminds me of a New Yorker cover:

newyorker.jpg

Yeah I've seen this before. Its just about right, though you'd be amazed re: the amount of New Yorkers who think this is a compliment rather than a critique of their self-centered, arrogant worldview.

I will say one thing for New York that does truly top the rest of the USA- you can get any form of food here, often as good as the best the origin country has to offer. If you've never had the pleasure of trying real pizza (i.e. the kind invented and made in Naples, Italy, theres this place on Christopher Street that is run by Neapolitans that is just as good as I've had at Da Michele in Naples. It almost makes the high taxes and awful traffic worth it), come here and live a little. You wont even be able to smell a Poppa Johns, Pizza Hut, or Dominos "pie" again without getting angry. If that doesnt float your boat, a great New York slice from Brooklyn will do the trick.

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Very similar dynamic in Washington State, though the Eastern side is so less populated that I don't think anyone outside of the Northwest would realize it (when I went to college in the Midwest, pretty much everyone assumed Seattle WAS Washington, and some were in fact flabbergasted to know you could dive 4 hours east from Seattle and still be in the same state). I know Idaho has a bit of a north/south divide (there's even been talk - never too terribly serious I reckon, of a new state starting at the Cascades, including Northern Idaho, and including Western Montana because those three regions have more in common with each other than the rest of their respective staes).

Now that I'm thinking about it though, I feel like the regionalism, such as it exists, trancends the international boundary. I've felt more at home in British Columbia than I ever did in the Midwest or Southeast. Hence the "Cascadia" reference under my avatar...

After declaring independence from the socialist west (the occupants, there, to be referred to as "moss-backs" and readily recognized by their pale, greenish, algae- and mildew-tinged complexions) and forming the State of Columbia, we fully intend to cut power from our hydroelectric dams to the west side and detonate the I-90 corridor at Snoqualmie Pass.

Personally, I'd rather find a way to lob a large asteroid into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, triggering the up-and-coming magnitude 10 earthquake and the simultaneous eruptions of Mts. Baker, Rainier, and St. Helens. With a little luck, the tsunami generated by the impact and quake will get to Seattle about the same time the lahars flow down from the mountains. I'm all in favor of urban renewal for the region. :woot.gif:

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Yeah I've seen this before. Its just about right, though you'd be amazed re: the amount of New Yorkers who think this is a compliment rather than a critique of their self-centered, arrogant worldview.

I will say one thing for New York that does truly top the rest of the USA- you can get any form of food here, often as good as the best the origin country has to offer. If you've never had the pleasure of trying real pizza (i.e. the kind invented and made in Naples, Italy, theres this place on Christopher Street that is run by Neapolitans that is just as good as I've had at Da Michele in Naples. It almost makes the high taxes and awful traffic worth it), come here and live a little. You wont even be able to smell a Poppa Johns, Pizza Hut, or Dominos "pie" again without getting angry. If that doesnt float your boat, a great New York slice from Brooklyn will do the trick.

I like Chicago style pizza "pan" better then Brooklyn style "flat".

Now clam chowder that is an interesting American story.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_clam_chowder#Manhattan_clam_chowder

I love Rhode Island red chowder or Manhattan clam chowder better then others.

New England clam chowder

Traditional New England clam chowder is thickened with sea biscuits or hardtack crackers, instead of flour.

New England clam chowder is a milk- or cream-based chowder, traditionally made with potatoes, onion, and clams. Adding tomatoes to clam chowder was shunned, to the point that a 1939 bill making tomatoes in clam chowder illegal was introduced in the Maine legislature.[3] It is occasionally referred to as Boston Clam Chowder in the Midwest. The traditional New England chowder is made by layering crackers such as Crown Pilot with the other ingredients.[4]

Manhattan clam chowder

Manhattan clam chowder has clear broth, plus tomato for red color and flavor. In the 1890s, this chowder was called "New York clam chowder" and "Fulton Fish Market clam chowder." Clam chowder, in its cream-based New England version, has been around since the mid-18th century, and no mention of any Manhattan chowder has been found that predates the 1930s. Many restaurants in northern Rhode Island sell both red and white chowders, while the southern coast favors clear and white chowders. Often they are served alongside clam cakes.

The addition of tomatoes in place of milk was initially the work of Portuguese immigrants in Rhode Island, as tomato-based stews were already a traditional part of Portuguese cuisine. Scornful New Englanders called this modified version "Manhattan-style" clam chowder because, in their view, calling someone a New Yorker is an insult.[5]

Rhode Island clam chowder

Traditional Rhode Island clam chowder has clear broth. Though less popular than cream and tomato-based chowders, clear chowders are still served, especially at long-established New England restaurants and hotels, such as those on Block Island, and on the south coast of the state, where tourists favor white chowders while natives prefer the clear. This traditional clear chowder generally contains quahogs, broth, potatoes, onions, and bacon.

In some parts of the state, a red chowder is served as Rhode Island clam chowder. This red chowder has a tomato broth base and potatoes; unlike Manhattan red chowder, it does not have chunks of tomato, and does not contain other vegetables (such as carrots or beans). This is the recipe served for decades with clamcakes at the memorable establishments like Rocky Point and Crescent Park.

Delaware clam chowder

This variety typically consisted of cubed salt pork that is pre-fried, salt water, potatoes, diced onions, quahogs, butter, salt and pepper. This variety was more common in the early and mid 20th century and likely shares most recent common ancestry with New England clam chowder.

Hatteras clam chowder

Served throughout North Carolina's Outer Banks region, this variation of clam chowder has clear broth, bacon, potatoes, onions, and flour as a thickening agent. It is usually seasoned with copious amounts of white and/or black pepper, but occasionally with chopped green onions or even hot pepper sauce.

Minorcan clam chowder

Minorcan clam chowder is a spicy traditional version found in Florida restaurants near St. Augustine and the northeast corner of the Sunshine State. It has a tomato broth base, with a "secret ingredient", Spanish datil pepper, an extremely hot chili comparable to the habanero. The datil pepper is believed to have been brought to St. Augustine by the Minorcan settlers in the 18th century, and tradition holds among Minorcan descendants that it will only thrive and grow in two places - Minorca, Spain and St. Augustine, Florida

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Compared to Europe, the differences between American states are minor. In fact, bordering on insignificant. I will split hairs though...

As a New Yorker in close proximity to New York City (not "upstate" as we like to call the people anywhere north of westchester county), I find the constant mention of college sports from my southern and midwestern compatriots as quite funny. Here in NY no one cares about college sports, and I think thats true for most of the northeastern seaboard.

Also, high school sports and NASCAR (stock car) racing is apparently huge elsewhere in the country. I have no idea why anyone would care about a high school game and I simply cant watch a car drive in a circle for 3 hours. I have certainly tried, but have failed miserably. No knock on anyone. I guess its my loss.

In New York it is a generality that people are closer to their immigrant roots. Here, I'm "Italian". In Italy, I'm "American". Regardless, my family still consider themselves Italian even though our immigration took place at various times between 1899 and 1920, with family members that have fought for the USA in every major war since WWI. You see this also with the Irish Americans in New York as well as the Jews and Puerto Ricans and nearly every other group. I think the same is true of Philly and Boston.

As for New Yorker steriotypical worldview, We generally regard ourselves as "street smart" and "worldly" though I think we're arrogant and just as dumb as the rest of the general public, we see midwesterners as "Americans" and a bit niaeve, Southerners as cowboy hat wearing rubes (yeah I know- texans wear cowboy hats but in the New York mind, texas is confabulated with the rest of the south minus south florida, which is where you go on vacation in the winter), and people from the west coast as weird zen "Californians" who eat tofu and do yoga every morning. These people are effete. We also see Europeans (especially continental Euros) as effete and feminine, though culturally advanced. Not trying to **** anyone off, just telling you what people here generally think (in a tongue-in-cheek manner, of course).

Oh and not everyone here is a liberal. Its just that theres more liberals than conservatives. Many big time conservatives (O'Reilly, Hannity) are New Yorkers.

That was brilliant! :thumbsup:

One thing I noticed was a new york news crew laughing at a Texan who killed some thieves trying to steal his stuff. It wasn't the murder that was funny, it was the comical idea that anyone would need a gun, when the police are there. Which if in a densely populated city like NY makes sense. But I have been in parts of Texas where you might as well be on the moon for how alone and far from help, police or otherwise there is. Forty minutes is a long time to wait, and thats being optimistic.

Not trying to get political but you can see difference in State gun Laws that are very jarring. In NY they are very tight, in other parts of the country they are not only loose, but the rules of engagement are much more in favor of the armed citizen (Castle law, No retreat, etc) Its interesting to go different places and see the different reactions for how culturally common or uncommon firearms are.

A Friend of mine who accumulated some very nice weapons was forced to leave a lot of them with his In-laws when he had to move from Arizona to California.

Edited by TaiidanTomcat
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Having lived in several uniquely different places in the United States (VA, WV, SC, FL, and WA) I would concur that we generally associate as American first. I've also found in my interactions with people from across the country that people also identify with regions. These areas could be as large as the Midwest or as localized as a city block in Brooklyn. It helps us identify ourselves and others. When we meet people, one of the early topics of conversation is usually "Where are you from?" Sometimes a vague answer suffices to build the picture you intend and sometimes you need to be specific. Observe the varying degree of answers to the "where are you from?" questioning I can provide:

"I'm from the East Coast." This is generally used to immdiately declassify you as Californian (or "effete" as stated earlier)or as a granola. None of which are bad, but it immediately paints a different picture.

"I'm from the South." Still a vague region as far as vastness of territory but you are now painting a more descriptive picture of your background, ideals, and values and maybe even an accent. The South seems to be less divisive than the North. Asking a New York native if they are from New Jersey or a Bostonian if they are from New York is borderline insulting if they have a strong regional identity.

"I'm from Virginia." Common answer.

"I'm from the Tidewater area." Generally the answer to the frequent follow on question of "whereabout?"

Part B of these observations is that there is usually some rival region from which someone feels the need to differentiate themselves from. West Virginia from Virginia, Eastern Kentucky from Western Kentucky, Eastern Washington from Western Washington (or just King County/Seattle), Up State New York from the City, Boston from NY, NY from New Jersey, Florida Panhandle (often referred to as Lower Alabama or LA) and South Florida, North California from SoCal etc. I haven't been to too many Midwestern places but I wouldn't be surprised if it exists there too. Sports tend to enhance this rivalry, as does geography, topography, ideology, and economy.

But we're all 'MERICAN!

Sincerely,

The East Coaster with better English than most West Virginian's but worse than most everywhere else, a hint of Southern accent but now living in Western Washington and marrying a Southern California girl who went to school in Colorado and is therefore slightly Granola.

PS. I assume tea is both iced and sweet(not sweetened), Mountain Dew and all other "soft drinks" are Pop and ya'll is proper and appropriate in civil speak.

Cheers,

SCAB

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After declaring independence from the socialist west (the occupants, there, to be referred to as "moss-backs" and readily recognized by their pale, greenish, algae- and mildew-tinged complexions) and forming the State of Columbia, we fully intend to cut power from our hydroelectric dams to the west side and detonate the I-90 corridor at Snoqualmie Pass.

Personally, I'd rather find a way to lob a large asteroid into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, triggering the up-and-coming magnitude 10 earthquake and the simultaneous eruptions of Mts. Baker, Rainier, and St. Helens. With a little luck, the tsunami generated by the impact and quake will get to Seattle about the same time the lahars flow down from the mountains. I'm all in favor of urban renewal for the region. :woot.gif:

Wait, not Baker. Good skiing there.

And really, my property value here is bad enough as it is, so I'd beg for some more refinement to your targeting. ;)

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One thing I noticed was a new york news crew laughing at a Texan who killed some thieves trying to steal his stuff. It wasn't the murder that was funny, it was the comical idea that anyone would need a gun, when the police are there. Which if in a densely populated city like NY makes sense. But I have been in parts of Texas where you might as well be on the moon for how alone and far from help, police or otherwise there is. Forty minutes is a long time to wait, and thats being optimistic.

o.jpg

Yee-haw!!!

B)

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Speaking as a southerner (born in Louisiana, recent Texas transplant) I will say there is quite a bit of regional pride. But in general, most of us claim to be Americans before anything else. I use to dislike the "Texan attitude" and felt they were a bit too brash, but once I've lived here a while I am starting to understand them a lot more. I respect the sense of personal independance and responsibility that seems common around here. You can say what you want about Texans/southerners being pro-gun meat eating simpleton hunters without much education (which is totally bogus) But when it comes down to it if anything ever happens and we have to survive on our own, I want my neighbors here rather than those that couldn't skin a rabbit or grow a tomato plant to literally save their lives (I'm one of those that can't).

Also, where I was born (and in much of Louisiana in general) people are quick to point out when they are NOT from New Orleans. The big joke around my home town was that New Orleans was simply extreme lower New York. It's a whole different attitude there. Not knocking it really, it's just most people wrongly equate La. with New Orleans. Great musical culture and food but it's not the same as the rest of the state.

In general I don't have much of a real negative attitute towards the people anywhere. I will say that I have most of my differences of opinions with people from states such as California. Too many rules regulations that make no sense to me. In that respect, I fit in with Texans much more. So ya'll come on down ya hear.

Bill

P.s. Also as a Louisiana native (thus LSU fan) I'm obligated to say I HATE "people" from Alabama! Sorry, nothing personal, it's just a state law for now.

Edited by niart17
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P.s. Also as a Louisiana native (thus LSU fan) I'm obligated to say I HATE "people" from Alabama! Sorry, nothing personal, it's just a state law for now.

LOL

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Also as a Louisiana native (thus LSU fan) I'm obligated to say I HATE "people" from Alabama! Sorry, nothing personal, it's just a state law for now.

Don't worry, Mandie's a native Alabaman, and they apparently have a reciprocal law, judging by the way she talks about Louisiana.

Here in Michigan, we have three states. The southeast corner of the Lower Peninsula contains the Detroit metro area and the bulk of the state's population. Since it is (or was) dominated by the auto industry it's big-time labor union country, and leans Democrat. The western Lower Peninsula leans more Republican, and tends to be more rural/agricultural. The northern third of the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula are referred to as "Up North," and is much more sparsely pupulated and rural. People from the U.P. are often called "Yoopers" and the culture is much more "outdoors oriented," and the economy much more geared to seasonal tourism. I remember when I was a kid there were periodic efforts in the U.P. to break away as a separate state entirely (called "Superior" after the lake) but nothing ever came of them.

Of course right next door we've got Canada (or America Light as I call it.) They've been slowly polluting our culture for decades..as evidenced by the fact that I much prefer Tim Horton's over Krispy Kreme. ;)

One thing I've noticed is that in many states with large cities, those cities and the rest of the state tend to be culturally separate, and each tend to regard themselves superior to the "city folk" or "country bumpkins."

SN

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  • 3 weeks later...

In general I don't have much of a real negative attitute towards the people anywhere. I will say that I have most of my differences of opinions with people from states such as California. Too many rules regulations that make no sense to me. In that respect, I fit in with Texans much more. So ya'll come on down ya hear.

Like Steve points out with Michigan, there are at least 3 Californias. There is Southern California (said with both pride or in a dismissive tone depending on which end of the state you are in), fuctionally often divided mid state (near the point the state turns east),but you will usually find those north of Pismo Beach consider themselves to be in Northern California. Then you have Northern California, San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Tahoe and parts north etc. Now this lower part of Northern California is actually still quite urban. Not quite a packed as the Los Angeles area, but pretty heavily populated.

The 3rd California starts about 60 miles north of San Francisco and continues to the Oregon border. This 1/3 of the state is rather sparsely populated and is what the locals really consider Northern California. Also a funny mix of the 1960s hippy dippy influence from SF and Berkeley, and the more traditional "redneck" outlook of loggers, ranchers, farmers etc, a term I heard for this mishmash of culture is Hippy-Billies. :lol: This is the part of California that has actually done more than talk about creating a new state. Twice there have been political movements for a new state of Jefferson, combining the far north of California with parts of Southern Oregon. The first attempt came in December 1941... well the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor kind of took the wind out of the sails that time. They tried again 60 years later, kicking off the new effort on Sept 10, 2001. :doh: At this point the movement seems to have settled for trying to seek recognition for the region as Up state California.

"Southern California" accounts for a good 2/3 of the states population with 20-22 million.

"Northern California (Pismo to Sacramento / SF)" accounts for most of the rest with around 10 million.

"Up State California" accounts for nearly 1/3 of the states land, but only has 1-2 million residents.

Anyway to get to the point, you would probably find a lot in common with those in the far north of the state, although compared to Texas most would probably fall into the freaking hippys category. ;)

Of course right next door we've got Canada (or America Light as I call it.) They've been slowly polluting our culture for decades..as evidenced by the fact that I much prefer Tim Horton's over Krispy Kreme. ;)

I've heard Canada described as the quiet neighbors who live above a really rowdy party. :P

Edited by Aaronw
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The first attempt came in December 1941... well the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor kind of took the wind out of the sails that time. They tried again 60 years later, kicking off the new effort on Sept 10, 2001. :doh: At this point the movement seems to have settled for trying to seek recognition for the region as Up state California.

better watch out for that third time...might be a doozie

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