August 2019
Working
toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government
represents all of us.
The Violence of Nuclear Energy by Co-chair Alan Smith, Green Party of
Pennsylvania
I awaken, head to the bathroom and
look out the window. A column of steam greets my eyes as it rises from
a nuclear power plant. I turn to look in the mirror and put on a peace
sign necklace, taking a moment to meditate. The peace symbol, first
used in 1958, was derived from international semaphore code which uses
flag positions to symbolize letters. The letters used are
N and D representing nuclear
disarmament. In order to bring about peace we must rid this planet of
the use of nuclear energy.
J. Robert Oppenheimer split the
atom in 1942 as part of the Manhattan Project. Upon seeing the first
atom bomb explosion in 1945, he said, "Oh, I have become the destroyer
of worlds." The scientists responsible for the atom splitting
experiment were only 80% sure in their calculations that they would
not set off a chain reaction and destroy the whole universe. This is
an example of the rich, and powerful getting to determine the fate of
billions of lives. This should not be the case. The concentration of
wealth and power into the hands of the few is dangerous.
This month we
commemorate one notable example of this danger, the destruction of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on August 6, and 9,1945 with the extinguishing
of hundreds of thousands of lives, and the devastation of the
environment. Some would argue that the use of nuclear power for energy
by the Japanese is a redemptive move, and that the world needs the
"efficiency" of nuclear power. Yet, as we saw with the earthquake and
tsunami that hit Japan in 2011 destroying the Daiichi nuclear power
plant in Fukushima, nuclear energy is ALWAYS a disaster waiting to
happen. In addition to daily venting by power plants that release
radioactivity into the air, the process inside all reactors creates
waste that is toxic for thousands of years.
"I don't think it's efficient to
generate a radioactive byproduct," says GPPA's own Tom Bailey of
Westmoreland County, who sits on the GPUSA International Committee and
has a lifetime of activism against nuclear energy. He was an evacuee
during the Three Mile Island meltdown in 1979 here in Pennsylvania. It
was then that his passion for halting the use of nuclear energy
blossomed. He recently returned from Japan after meeting Greens there
and exploring the area devastated by the meltdown of three of the four
Daiichi reactors. He is pushing for the 2020 Olympics to be moved from
Japan and for the Japanese government to properly stop and clean up
from the continuing disaster, as 300 tons of radioactive waste seeps
into the Pacific Ocean every day.
With all our creativity and
ingenuity, humans should develop things that are in harmony with the
planet. Building/inventing environmentally destructive things is
suicidal. Nuclear used for energy or weapons is violence. Peaceful
conflict resolution and care for this planet must be our top priority.
Concerns about companies’ bottom lines are artificial and must take a
back seat to our planet's survival, so that we do not continue to be
destroyers of THIS world. Let's disarm this planet of nuclear energy.
Peace.
GPPA
News Highlights
edited by Chris Robinson
GPPA Delegates Hold Virtual
Meeting, 7/14
Eighteen elected
delegates (and 5 observers) from PA county Green parties held a
virtual meeting on July 14th. Our Team Leaders and National Committee
members presented updates on their work and accomplishments since the
previous meeting. Campaign updates were provided for our candidates in
Allegheny, Adams, and Montgomery Counties and Philadelphia City. A
plan to hold county Presidential Caucuses during April 2020, developed
in a joint effort by GreenWave and Core Teams, was approved by
Consensus. Although specific 2020 meeting dates were not selected,
the group agreed to hold three virtual meetings and two in-person
meetings in 2020, including a January Virtual Meeting for Party
elections, a March Convention, a probable in-person meeting in
September, and the remaining virtual meetings to be determined. Many
other topics also generated discussion including the importance of
running state-wide candidates to maintain ballot access and getting an
early start on those campaigns.
PA Libertarian and Green Parties agree that SB 300 must be
struck down, 7/9
The idea
of “open primaries” sounds awesome, but the language in the open
primary bill (SB 300) is anything but that, redefining an unenrolled
elector to be: “A person who is registered to vote within an election
district having selected “NONE” or “NO AFFILIATION” in regard to a
political party”
Co-chair Sheri
Miller, of the Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA), said, “This bill
will NOT open the primaries to people who have registered as
Independent, or as a member of any party other than Republican or
Democratic. This bill will NOT allow other parties to utilize the
primary system to select their own candidates. If SB 300 becomes law,
a voter will have to unregister from their party, and then -- once
unregistered -- that voter will be allowed to vote only for a
candidate from the Republican or Democratic Party.” Chair Steve
Scheetz, of the Libertarian Party of PA (LPPA), explained, “People
will be unable to see or to hear any ideas other than those of the old
parties. In addition, nearly half a million people will be taxed to
pay for a process in which they cannot participate.” (show all)
PA Greens Demand 100 Percent Renewable Energy,
7/3
Hundreds
of Pennsylvanians from Erie to Philadelphia, and everywhere in
between, converged on the capitol building in Harrisburg on June 19
for PA's largest Environmental Lobby Day. Chair Doug Mason, Centre
County Green Party, said, “Citizens attending the Lobby Day came from
more than 35 counties to call for a transition to 100 percent
renewable energy on a timeline called for by the scientific community.
Throughout the day, constituents visited more than 160 legislative
offices, to discuss how this transition could tackle the climate
emergency, save consumers money, and create clean-energy jobs.”
The attendees
were advocating for House Bill (HB) 1425 and Senate Bill (SB) 630,
awaiting action in the PA General Assembly, which would require the
Commonwealth to achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. Mason
added, “The legislation has bipartisan support from 20 PA Senators and
70 PA Representatives. Dedicated lobbying at Environmental Lobby Day,
sponsored by PennEnvironment, prompted five additional State Reps and
one additional State Senator to sign on as co-sponsors of the bills.”
(show all)
GREENS BEING GREEN:
GPPA Co-chair at Climate Change Rally,
7/18
This photo shows Co-Chair Sheri Miller of GPPA at the
Climate Crisis Awareness Rally at the Lincoln Square in Gettysburg,
PA. Sheri attended with her niece, Dannee Schoepfer, hidden by the
poster.
Led by local
Green Jim McHenry, Climate Crisis Awareness rallies are held in
Gettysburg every Friday from 11:30-12:30 in solidarity with Greta
Thunburg's movement, which has gained support all over the world. (show all)
PennLive Letters, June 22, 2019 By Randall Hayes
Esteemed
Representative Kim,
I am a resident
of Harrisburg City in the 103rd Legislative District, which you have
represented since 2013. I would like to publicly commend you for your
recent support and Sponsorship of HB 1291, The Commonsense Gift Ban.
This bill would prohibit gifts of cash, meals, drinks, and travel to
public officials. (Unlike the Governor’s gift ban, exceptions are made
for items of nominal value.)
HB 1291 is an
important step towards rebuilding public trust in the Legislative
process in PA. We are one of only eight states that does not have a
limit on the amount of gifts that legislators can receive. These gifts
come from individuals with an agenda and who wish to curry favor with
our representatives and senators in Harrisburg. There is a particular
word reserved for when gifts are given to public officials in order to
influence their behavior: bribery.
With your
support, this bill now has a total of 28 co-sponsors in the House,
including Speaker Mike Turzai. Thank you for taking a stand for
getting money out of PA politics.
Randall
Hayes is a Green Party member from Dauphin County. (show all)
PennLive Letters, June 18, 2019 By Timothy Runkle,
Elizabethtown Borough
The
Governor’s RestorePA plan overlooks the necessities of the
Commonwealth in order to grab short-term gains. RestorePA is a
twenty-year guarantee to the natural gas industry, sold to us with a
four-year severance tax slush fund. The plan would bring benefits to
PA like that of more petrochemical infrastructure and an increase in
consumer base access for natural gas suppliers. To pay off the
required debt Gov. Wolf is ready to welcome 20,000 new shale gas
wells.
Scientific
consensus explains that we have less than 12 years to avoid the
catastrophic effects of altering our global climate. In reaction, the
governor has joined the U.S. Climate Alliance and has released his
Climate Action Plan, which intends to reduce the amount of greenhouse
gas emissions of the Commonwealth. However, one must ask if this is a
serious endeavor given his long-term commitment to the oil and gas
industry proposed by the RestorePA severance tax.
It is time that
we plan for a sustainable future. Deliberate and difficult actions are
required today in order to ensure that our future is not one riddled
with climate emergencies. We need an economy that respects the labor
of the workers who produce a benefit to all in our society. Not one
that benefits only a corporate class which is savvy enough to
legislate their advantage.
There is a better
way to restore Pennsylvania than the detrimental arrangement of
RestorePA. Our legislature should be encouraged to hold the
necessities of our communities above short-term gratifications.
Timothy Runkle,
Elizabethtown Borough
Tim Runkle,
from Lancaster County, is Treasurer of the Green Party of PA. (show all)
Campaign Updates
edited by Chris Robinson
Nicholas Prete for School
Board Methacton School
District, Eagleville, Montgomery County Nick tells GREEN
STAR that he turned in 220 nomination signatures to the board of
elections on 7/15. He was two weeks early and only needed 80
signatures. You may find Nick’s campaign on Facebook. Facebook.com/nickformethacton
Mike Farley for Supervisor
and Auditor Latimore
Township, Adams County Mike tells GREEN STAR that he
filed with the Board of Elections with 13 signatures on his nomination
paper (3 more than he needs to qualify for the ballot).
Riley Mahon for School
Board Upper St. Clair
Township, Allegheny County Riley, a high school senior,
tells GREEN STAR that he successfully filed with the Board of
Elections with enough signatures to appear on the ballot.
Olivia Faison for City
Council Philadelphia
Olivia tells GREEN STAR that she had an interview with
PhillyCAM, which you may watch HERE. However, she was unable to
harvest sufficient signatures on her nomination papers by the deadline
and therefore, did not file to be on the ballot.
Candidates for County-Wide
Office Allegheny
County Chair Jay Walker, Green Party of Allegheny County,
tells GREEN STAR that they were unable to harvest sufficient
signatures on their nomination papers. Therefore, Green Party
candidates for county-wide office have not filed to be on the
ballot.
Team
Updates
Finance Team
by Tim Runkle
Would you like to help
promote a more peaceful, sustainable, and equitable future through
grassroots democracy? Then become a SUSTAINING MEMBER of the Green Party
of Pennsylvania today! Our Memberships provide you access to a variety
of news, discounts, and Green Party merchandise. We offer several
levels of membership engagement from a no-cost Green Follower level to
monthly sustaining donations which allow you to decide what level of
support is best for you. Head to our JOIN_US page to find your membership
level and sign up today!.
Communications
Team by Chris Robinson
Your Communication
Team is on a roll. So far this year, we have published more news
releases than in all of 2018. This has been made possible by GPPA
members and officers who have submitted drafts for our review.
Therefore, we would like to thank Tom Bailey (Westmoreland County),
Jocolyn Bowser-Bostick (Delaware County), Emily Cook and Neal Gale
(Montgomery County), Doug Mason (Centre County), Tim Runkle (Lancaster
County), and Jay Sweeney (Wyoming County) for their help. If you have
a suggestion for a future news release, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TEZnhxk8gSVNrnpV7 If you
would like to join our team, please volunteer HERE
GreenWave
Team by Jenny Isaacs
Congratulations to local Green
candidates Nick Prete, Mike Farley, and Riley Mahon, who have reported
filing their ballot access signatures with their respective Boards of
Elections in Montgomery, Adams, and Allegheny Counties! The Green Wave
Team met jointly with the Core Team in late June to begin discussing
scheduling and process for PA Greens to participate in the 2020
Presidential Caucuses; at our July meeting we completed a draft
proposal for this process, which was subsequently reviewed and adopted
at the State meeting July 14.
If you would like to join GreenWave
and help with campaigns and outreach, sign up HERE
edited by Dave
Ochmanowicz
Salute' Bruce Dixon
The Green Party of the United States (GPUS) National Black
Caucus salutes the life and legacy of Bruce Dixon. We are mindful and
grateful for the amazing work that Dixon did in his lifetime. He was a
stalwart vigilant advocate and warrior for Black Liberation and
Justice, seeking to raise black voices and consciousness in the U.S.A.
and around the world and particularly within the ranks of the GPUS.
We will remember
Bruce's work for his challenges and passionate demands for unity. At
one time Bruce was an active part of the Caucus. What we take away
from our many exchanges is a commitment to march forward and continue
the work in the struggle against racism, classism, and other forms of
bigotry that plague our nation and the world.
We send our
condolences to his family, friends and the people whose lives he
touched in so many ways through his work in the Green Party of
Georgia, The Black Agenda Report and in countless encounters in the
struggle.
Bruce Dixon, we
will remember you; you will not be forgotten.
Rest in Peace
& Love.
On behalf of the
GPUS National Black Caucus: Darryl! LC Moch, Co-chair Robin
Harris, Co-chair Philena Farley, Secretary/ Treasurer Trahern
Crews, Delegate Monica James, Delegate James Lane, Alternate
Delegate (Read more about Bruce Dixon)
To the editor: Nuclear is worst option
Nuclear
power is the most expensive, dangerous, and dirtiest form of energy
ever devised. The fact that it’s expensive has been demonstrated by
House Bill 6, which would bail out Ohio’s nuclear plants that can’t
compete against cheaper, cleaner energy sources in a competitive
market. The danger of nuclear power was made clear by Davis-Besse’s
“hole in the head” accident, which nearly resulted in a meltdown that
would have wiped Toledo off the map. JOSEPH DeMARE The writer is
co-chair of the Wood County Green Party. (show all)
Community members protest immigration policies, white
supremacy
Jane Wilson, a mental health therapist and member of the Coles County,
IL, Green Party, said people were also protesting white supremacy. She
said early in July, white supremacist messages bearing swastikas and
the words “White Power” were distributed in plastic bags tied down by
rocks at Charleston areas. This is one of the chief reasons the group
came out Thursday to protest, Wilson said. The mere fact that one or
more persons would scatter the hate-filled messages was shameful
enough, but what Wilson said concerned her more was the positive
reception she saw on social media. Wilson’s sign said “now is the time
to be vocally anti racist.” She said her sign presents an important
fact: People need to start taking action right now to combat racism.
(show all)
Public Bank Advocate Jumps in San Jose’s City Council Race
Green Party
candidate Jake Tonkel, who joined Andrew Boone in challenging
incumbent Dev Davis for the San Jose’s District 6 City Council seat,
aims to make public banking a part of his platform in the 2020
election. As a member of South Bay Progressive Alliance’s public
banking action team, Tonkel, a 28-year-old biomedical engineer, is a
vocal proponent to establish a city-run financial institution to
mitigate the housing crisis, spur investment in clean energy and
support small private lenders. “Credit unions or nonprofit community
banks are more likely to provide safe investment opportunities,”
Tonkel says. (show all)
Green Party of New York demands justice for Eric Garner
"For five years, justice has been denied to the family of
Eric Garner," said GPNY Co-chair Gloria Mattera. "For five years,
officer Daniel Pantaleo has remained on the NYPD payroll, despite
video evidence and conclusions by the city's medical examiner, an
independent autopsy, and an NYPD internal affairs inquiry that
Pantaleo used a chokehold. We call on Mayor Bill de Blasio to exercise
his influence with Police Commissioner James O'Neill to do the right
thing and fire officer Pantaleo," said Mattera. (show all)
Green Party of Pima County, AZ, victorious in ballot access
lawsuit against city of Tucson -
The Green Party of Pima County (GPPC) had filed a lawsuit
against the City of Tucson for depriving the party of ballot status in
the upcoming city elections. On July 3, the court order ruling was
made from the Pima County Superior Court. The judge overseeing the
case, Hon. D. Douglas Metcalf, stated: “IT IS ORDERED that the Green
Party’s petition for special action is GRANTED. The City of Tucson and
its clerk abused their discretion and acted arbitrarily and
capriciously by not including the Green Party as a political party
qualified for the August 27, 2019 primary election ballot.” (show all)
Indiana Green Party: Record Number of Candidates in 2019!
“"Thanks to everyone on the State Coordinating Committee
and all of the local organizations who have helped our state field an
excellent and exciting group of candidates," INGP Chair Monica James
stated. Six Indiana Green Party candidates have achieved ballot access
in 2019, a first for our party. "We are making history together, but
we still have a lot of hard work ahead of us.” (show all)
edited by David
Ochmanowicz
Greens are the new hope for Europe’s Center. For the Far
Right, they’re Enemy #1
For now,
the jobs in polluting industries like cars and coal are among the most
unionized and best protected. In the renewables sector, however,
unions are still rare and companies often pay little more than minimum
wage. “This is a real issue,” said Ralph Obermauer, a longtime Green
member who used to work for the party and now works for IG Metall, one
of Germany’s most important labor unions. (show all)
Don’t let nationalism win – we can create a better Europe from
within By: Magid Magid, a Green Party Member of
Parliament
“Yet for
too long, we – progressives, liberals, committed Europeans – have been
passive in the face of inequality, climate catastrophe and the
dangerous narratives of the far right that blame the hope of desperate
migrants rather than the greed of the top 1% for Europe’s most
pressing ills.” (show all)
Climate fears lift Greens’ chances of running Germany
Hitting
27-29% in opinion polls in June, the Greens became Germany’s strongest
party, spawning headlines about popular co-leader Robert Habeck
becoming the chancellor. A pro-European party that welcomed refugees
in the 2015 migrant crisis, it wants a total switch to renewable
energy, an end to the combustion engine and higher taxes on SUVs. The
chances of a snap election before 2021 have increased since the
European vote when the Greens pushed the SPD into third place. In
turmoil, with ratings near all-time lows, the SPD may quit its
loveless coalition with Merkel by the end of the year. Polls suggest
the Greens would be big winners in an election. (show all)
May says Greens will work with any party that has a serious
plan for the climate
With three
months until Canadians vote in the next federal election, Green party
leader Elizabeth May says her big hope for the final result is a
minority government over which she can exert some influence. (show all)
Pamela Anderson adds star power to B.C. Green Party town hall
Anderson
said she doesn’t attend many town halls, but said it’s nice to be home
after travelling all over the world talking about green issues and the
green new deal. “You have to count on the Greens to get to the
environmental issues and not being concerned about what all the
politics [are],” she said at the meeting. “So I’m just happy to help
in any way. Keep working hard.” (show all)
150 UK MPs and peers condemn Trump's 'outright racist and
dangerous' attacks and tell Ilhan Omar: 'We are with
you'
Politicians from Labour, the Conservatives, the SNP, the Liberal
Democrats, Change UK and the Green Party condemned the U.S.
president's attack on Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar and other
women of colour in the House of Representatives. They said Mr Trump's
“outright racist and dangerous” comments were "abhorrent" and claimed
that his "fascist tendencies...have been silently accepted" for too
long. (show all)
We are planting trees everywhere: Q&A with Madagascar’s
environment minister--
Alexandre
Georget, a founder of Madagascar’s first Green Party in 2008, is the
country’s new environment minister. “The environment touches
everything. Some of the problems in Madagascar exist everywhere in the
world, so it is a transnational problem. For us, protection of
biodiversity, forests and flora and fauna are priorities. We plan to
plant trees at a very vast scale.” (show all)
edited by Chris
Robinson
LOOK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT STATEWIDE
AND LOCAL EVENTS.
August 6, noon Hiroshima Day Remembrance
& Nonviolent
Resistance Lockheed Martin
(world’s #1 war profiteer, U.S.' #1 nuclear weapons contractor) behind
King of Prussia Mall, Mall and Goddard Blvds in King of Prussia,
PA. Sponsored by Brandywine Peace Community. Endorsed by the Green
Party of Philadelphia. http://www.brandywinepeace.com/event/hiroshima-day-solemn-peace-observance-at-lockheed-martin-king-of-prussia-pa-and-nonviolent-action-supporting-the-un-treaty-to-eliminate-nuclear-weapons/
August 6, 6:00
pm Green Party of Allegheny County General
Assembly Panera Bread, 3401
Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA More information from: [email protected]
August 7 thru 28 Stop Killing Us (SKU) March
to Washington, DC Hosted by Jamal
Johnson SKU. Endorsed by Poor People’s Economic Human Rights
Campaign EXTRA INFO ROW https://www.facebook.com/events/329380817680904/
August 8, 7:00
pm Green Party of Chester County
Meeting Interested parties should contact [email protected] for
more information.
August 9, 4:00
pm Nagasaki Day 'Reach-Out' to Abolish Nuclear
Weapons West side of Philadelphia
City Hall, 15th and Market Streets. Sponsored by Brandywine Peace
Community. Endorsed by the Green Party of Philadelphia. http://www.brandywinepeace.com/event/nagasaki-day-observance-for-peace-to-support-the-un-treaty-on-the-prohibition-of-nuclear-weapons/
August 9, August 16 & August 23 at 11:30 am-12:30 pm
Climate Crisis Awareness Rally
Lincoln Square in Gettysburg
(York Street crossing) Every Friday in solidarity with Greta
Thunburg's worldwide climate awareness movement.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2206600726129147/
August 10, 10:00
am Breakfast of
Champions Poor People’s Economic
Human Rights Campaign, 1505 West Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia
PA. https://www.facebook.com/events/689124081530294
August 12, 7:00
pm Lackawanna County Green Party
Meeting 2043 North Maine Avenue,
Scranton, PA. More information from [email protected]
August 12 to 18 International Anti-Nuclear
Summer Camp In Döbeln, Middle
Saxony, Germany. Organized by the Nuclear Heritage Network. http://www.nuclear-heritage.net/index.php/International_Anti-nuclear_Summer_Camp_2019
August 18, 4:00
pm Green Party of Erie County Virtual
Meeting Please contact [email protected]
for more information.
August 19, 7:00
pm Back to Basics: Bike Camping for
Beginners Philly Bicycle Coalition
will meet at Sedgley Porter House, 3250 Sedgley Drive, Philadelphia,
PA. http://bicyclecoalition.nonprofitsoapbox.com/component/events/event/487
August 22, 7:00
pm Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP) Membership
Meeting Shissler Recreation
Center, 1800 Blair Street, Fishtown, Philadelphia, PA. More
information from [email protected]
August 26, 7:00
pm Green Party of Bucks County
Meeting El Changarro, 2333 Street
Road, Bensalem, PA More information from [email protected]
August 31, noon Protest at Drone War
Command Hosted by Brandywine Peace
Community with Bucks County Green Party, Montgomery County Green
Party, and Green Party of Philadelphia,[email protected] Air Guard
Station, Easton Road (#611) at County Line Road, Horsham, PA. http://www.brandywinepeace.com/events/
GPPA Meeting Dates for
2019/2020:
- Fall Meeting
(TBD): Saturday/Sunday, September 14th-15th
- November Virtual Meeting: Sunday, November 17th, 12pm-4pm
- January
2020 Virtual Meeting/Web Conference: Date to be
determined.
- March 2020
Delegate Convention (including a Presidential Forum or Debate): Date
and location to be determined.
Web Conferences are online - RSVP to get
connection information. The locations for in-person conferences are
to be determined. In-person conferences can be hosted by counties,
county groups or regions. These events are fundraisers. When hosted
locally, the host group receives back half of the revenue after
expenses. To apply for hosting, submit your info to our Application for Local Hosting of GPPA State Meetings
or GPPA-Sponsored Events. We strive for geographic diversity in reviewing
applications, however, all submissions are considered.
Green Party
of Pennsylvania Communications Team & Media
Committee
Issue
Credits:
EDITORS:
Chris Robinson & David Ochmanowicz Jr. CONTRIBUTORS: Alan Smith, Timothy Runkle,
Jenny Isaacs, Chris Robinson, & Randall Hayes LAYOUT: Sheri Miller & Kevin
Richardson GRAPHIC ARTS:
Kevin Richardson & Alan Smith
Everything we do is based on our Four Pillars and Ten Key
Values. If you find
that you share these ideals, come and join the movement.
You can
support the Green Party in many ways; however, a
monthly sustaining donation helps to fund a solid infrastructure to
help local chapters coordinate candidates and provide resources to
make their campaigns successful. As little as $3 per month can have a significant
impact!
Sustaining Donation
Single Donation Purchase Green Merchandise
Join
us and help bring about a future where people and
planet are valued over profits. We have a new, tiered membership
structure that allows you to determine your level of commitment and
support. And if you want to get more directly involved,
consider joining an action
team. Work with
other committed progressives and activists in activities such as
planning events, developing media content, or helping with
campaigns. Let's join together to make 2019 the year of
progressives!
The Green Star is an official publication of the
Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team * 2019
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