Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Michael Jackson’s posthumous movie rakes in more than $200 million in 2 weeks.



In two weeks that Michael Jackson’s movie “This is it” hit the theatres, the King of Pop’s film grossed more than $200 million ----$61 million in North America and $140 million in other parts of the world.

"Moviegoers and film critics everywhere have truly embraced this celebration of Michael Jackson and his music," Jeff Blake, Chairman of Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing and Distribution said.

Outside of North America, the film has performed best in Japan where it has earned $27.2 million, followed by Britain ($14.3 million), Germany ($12.1 million), France ($12.1 million) and Australia ($7.2 million).”----
AFP/ Inquirer (11/13/09)

“This is it” is the first film after the popular singer died unexpectedly on July 25, 2009 at age 50 from drug overdose of prescription medicines. Enjoyed by fans, Michael's celebrated movie shows behind-the-scene footages of Michael’s rehearsals as he prepared for a comeback in sold-out marathon concerts in London. (Photo Credit: Reuters/ Sony Pictures) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon "A gift of giving, a gift of music "



All Baao residents and friends are enjoined to watch a musical pesentation entitled "A GIFT OF GIVING, A GIFT OF MUSIC (A Benefit Concert)which features
the University of Santo Tomas Singers ( www.theustsingers.blogspot.com ) on
October 24, 2009, Saturday at 7:30 PM Villa Gaite La Medalla, Baao, Camarines Sur

A benefit concert to raise funds for the St. Bartholomew the Apostle Parish Church's restoration project.

Contact:
Rev. Fr. Wilfred V. Almoneda
Parish Priest
St. Bartholomew the Apostle Parish
Baao, 4432 Camarines Sur
st.bartholomew09@yahoo.com
Tel. (054)2663193

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PostHeaderIcon Susan Boyle & her "wonderful time with fame"



After coming second in a nerve-wracking talent show in British TV, Susan Boyle, the Scottish songbird with frumpy looks appeared as a guest in “Today’s Show” with Meredith Vieira.

In an interview, the beaming Susan who became world famous for her impeccable voice complementing her “incongruous” persona said she was having a good time wrestling with her unexpected popularity.

"I don't want it to end. It’s just incredible. It's indescribable, really," she remarked during the interview.

Much improved with her facial make-over since she first sang in “Britain’s Got Talent,” and visibly propped up wearing a purple dress, the middle-aged lady who suffered learning disability, thinks she has adjusted well with the help of people who show her a way to tune her life from obscurity to fame. (Photo Credit: Newslicious) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Reactions to Michael Jackson’s Passing



“For so great a talent, his death is too soon. He has been taxed all his life. The guy of great fame has been under extreme pressure to keep an extraordinary life going. A wonderful human being that generations all over the world will remember.”---AFM, UP Ibalon-Bicol (06/26/09)

"I am so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. I am heartbroken for his children, who I know were everything to him, and for his family. This is such a massive loss on so many levels. Words fail me."---Lisa Marie Presley, ex-wife of Michael Jackson. http://www.mtv.com (06/26/09, Vena, J)

"It's horrible news, so unexpected. The world has lost an icon and music has lost treasures. He wrote songs that generations of yesterday, today and tomorrow will all keep on singing. What he wrote was amazing."---Sophia Loren, Italian Actress. AP (06/26/09, Katz, J.)

"A friend of Michael's for the last 35 years, I call on people around the world to pray for him and his family in the hour. I have known Michael since we were both teens, worked with him, marched for him, hosted him at our House of Justice headquarters in New York, and we joined together to eulogize our mutual idol, James Brown. I have known him at his high moments and his low moments and I know he would want us to pray for his family."---Rev. Al Sharpton, http://www.wcbstv.com/ (06/26/09, Dow J.)



"It's so sad and shocking…I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones." ---Sir Paul McCartney, Former Beatles. Telegraph,co.uk (06/26/09, Swain, J; Moore, M.)

“My son is 8 years old, and… he’s listening to this song, brand new, from him. Like, I’m rediscovering Michael Jackson again. It feels like when Kennedy died, when Elvis Presley died.”---Celine Dion, recording artist. New York Times (06/26/09, Paredes, J; Sisario, B; Stelter, B; Barnes, B.)

“I can’t stop crying over the sad news…I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.”---Madonna, singer. US Post Today (06/26/09)

“I talked to him about it this morning. He said to me that obviously Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer and a music icon and I think everybody remembers hearing his songs and watching him moonwalk on television during Motown’s 25th anniversary. But the president also said aspects of his life were sad and tragic…His condolences went out to the Jackson family and to fans that mourned his loss.”---- White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs about Pres. Barack Obama’s reaction. The Christian Science Monitor (06/26/09, Orr. J.)

"Everyone’s sad... Malaki talaga si Michael Jackson sa programa namin. Kung ‘di dahil sa kantang ‘Thriller’ ‘di magkakaroon ng global recognition ang mga inmates ng Cebu." ---Byron Garcia, provincial security consultant of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) Philippines. GMANews.TV (06/27/09, Ubalde J. H.)

"My heart is overcome with sadness for the devastating loss of my true friend Michael."---Brooke Shields, actress. People (06/26/09, freeman, M.)



"Michael Jackson enriched our lives, made us happy. The accusations, the persecution caused him so much financial and mental anguish. He was vindicated in court, but the battle took his life. There is probably a lesson here for all of us."---Imelda Marcos, widow of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. AP/ GMANews TV (06/26/09)

“We lost a great entertainer and a pop icon. My thoughts and prayers go out to Michael Jackson's family, friends and fans.”--- Arnold Schwarzenegger. California Governor. TMZ (06/25/09)

“Michael Jackson will be remembered, most likely, as a shattered icon, a pop genius who wound up a mutant of fame. That's not who I will remember, however. His mixture of mystery, isolation, indulgence, overwhelming global fame, and personal loneliness was intimately known to me. For twenty years I observed every aspect, and as easy as it was to love Michael -- and to want to protect him -- his sudden death yesterday seemed almost fated.” ---Deepak Chopra, author. The Huffington Post (06/26/09) (Photo Credits:AP/ Getty Images; AP/ Lefteris Pitarakis; AP/ Michael Mariant; AP/ Ibrahim Usta)



RELATED BLOG: "King of Pop Michael Jackson is dead" Posted by mesiamd at 6/26/2009

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PostHeaderIcon Susan Boyle moves ahead in her bid to win in Britain’s Got Talent contest



The 47 year-old singing sensation who wowed the audience of Britain’s Got Talent last month has qualified for the next round in the talent contest. Susan Boyle whose stunning performance brought 60 million viewers to watch her sing in You Tube will compete on Sunday in a field of 40 contestants---- her bid to win in the final contest on May 30, 2009.

Boyle drew attention when she sang Les Miserables’ “I dreamed a dream” which charmed the TV judges and viewers alike. The plump middle-aged lady with a salt and pepper hair caught the attention of the incredulous audience because of the disparity between her appearance and her angelic voice.

"The youngest of nine children, Boyle grew up in Blackburn, a community of 4,750 people 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Edinburgh, in Scotland — a district blighted by unemployment and crime. Boyle had learning difficulties as a child and was bullied by other children. As an adult, she's struggled for work but had been a regular on her local karaoke circuit and performed in church choirs."---AP (05/23/09, Stringer D)

For the instant attention and phenomenal fame she received, Oprah Winfrey invited her to guest in her show. Boyle who enjoys global popularity had been a favorite to win the contest which is the counterpart of the American Idol in USA. (Photo Credit: Conceptmail.net) =0=

Boyle Advances to the Final Round

UPDATE: May 24, 2009---Susan Boyle once again electrified her fans with a spectacular rendition of "Memory." a song popularized in the musicale Cats. For her commanding performance she is chosen to move ahead to the finals among 8 contestants in the TV show "Britain Got Talent" on May 30. 2009.

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PostHeaderIcon Kris Allen wins the American Idol 2009 title



Kris Allen, 23, a married college student and church worship leader of Conway, Arkansas emerges as the winner of the American Idol 2009 eclipsing the talent of Adam Lambert, the flamboyant 27-year old musical artist from Los Angeles, CA in the recently concluded contest on Wednesday, May 20, 2009. (Photo Credit: Fox/ Frank Micelotta)=0=

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PostHeaderIcon April yard sale of Michael Jackson’s glitzy memorabilia in Beverly Hills faces lawsuit





Controversy has been sparked by forthcoming auction of some 2,000 items of Michael Jackson’s interesting memorabilia from his once-glorious 2,800 acre fantasy estate, the Neverland. The sale pieces which have been exhibited in the Newbridge Silverware Museum in Ireland drew crowds of Jackson's curious fans and admirers.

Set in April in Beverly Hills in California, Darren Julien, president of the the Julien Auctions said it is moving ahead with the 4-day sale slated on April 22 to 25, 2009, in spite of demands from Jackson’s representatives and lawyers to postpone the sale because of “danger” posed on the auctioneers. The company handling the sale hopes it will prevail over in a lawsuit in which Jackson asserted he did not give permission to sell many of his personal belongings.

Included in the sale are Jackson’s personal items, decorative arts, and fascinating antiques which are estimated to raise $10 to $20 million---- cash that the legendary King of Pop badly needs at this time of financial difficulty. Five percent of the sale will be allotted to charity. (Photo Credit: LA Times/ AFP/ Getty Images x 2; European Pressphoto Agency)=0=



RELATED BLOG: "Michael Jackson's white sequined glove for sale" Posted by mesiamd at 12/15/2008

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PostHeaderIcon Fiddler on the Roof''s "Do you love me?"



"Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century."---Mark Twain

On February 14, it's nice to recall the exchange between the ageing Teyve and Golde, the interesting Jewish couple in the old musicale "Fiddler on the Roof." Their lives seem to affirm what writer-humorist Mark Twain was trying to say about the mystery of the heart. From one of the most unforgettable Broadway shows, here is the sing-song conversation about love: www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_y9F5St4j0&feature=related

(Tevye)
"Golde, I have decided to give Perchik permission to become engaged to our daughter, Hodel."

(Golde)
"What??? He's poor! He has nothing, absolutely nothing!"

(Tevye)
"He's a good man, Golde.
I like him. And what's more important, Hodel likes him. Hodel loves him.
So what can we do?
It's a new world... A new world. Love. Golde..."

Do you love me?

(Golde)
Do I what?

(Tevye)
Do you love me?

(Golde)
Do I love you?
With our daughters getting married
And this trouble in the town
You're upset, you're worn out
Go inside, go lie down!
Maybe it's indigestion

(Tevye)
"Golde I'm asking you a question..."

Do you love me?

(Golde)
You're a fool

(Tevye)
"I know..."

But do you love me?

(Golde)
Do I love you?
For twenty-five years I've washed your clothes
Cooked your meals, cleaned your house
Given you children, milked the cow
After twenty-five years, why talk about love right now?

(Tevye)
Golde, The first time I met you
Was on our wedding day
I was scared

(Golde)
I was shy

(Tevye)
I was nervous

(Golde)
So was I

(Tevye)
But my father and my mother
Said we'd learn to love each other
And now I'm asking, Golde
Do you love me?

(Golde)
I'm your wife

(Tevye)
"I know..."
But do you love me?

(Golde)
Do I love him?
For twenty-five years I've lived with him
Fought him, starved with him
Twenty-five years my bed is his
If that's not love, what is?

(Tevye)
Then you love me?

(Golde)
I suppose I do

(Tevye)
And I suppose I love you too

(Both)
It doesn't change a thing
But even so
After twenty-five years
It's nice to know.

[Thanks to amcanclini@yahoo.com for lyrics] Source: www.stlyrics.com/f/fiddlerontheroof.htm (Photo Credits: sundaygirl; greypoint)



HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!


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PostHeaderIcon Michael Jackson's white sequined glove for sale



King of Pop Michael Jackson had known what economic downturn means early on. Before the money crunch of Wall Street hugged the news, Michael already met his own financial rut. Because of insolvency, Neverland, his fabled private 2,800-acre (1,100 hectares) amusement park in Los Olivos, California was a subject of foreclosure proceedings. Last month he had to settle out of court with a Bahraini prince on a lawsuit of a failed music deal. This is on top of a child molestation case he had ot endure a few years back.

The 50-year old reclusive music star is now about to tap cash from his personal effects. It was announced that the famous beaded white glove he used in the “Billie Jean” video will be put out for sale along with other items. To woo the highest bidder, the glittery glove and some 2,000 pieces of his memorabilia will be auctioned to realize cash, part of which will be used to support charities.

Jackson’s story continues to befuddle his fans. His life tells of a tragi-comic tale of a ride in a world that is often solicitous, but at times--- harsh and forbidding. Looking at the state of things, what is clear is money problem affects not only the poor but the super rich as well. (Photo Credit: www. Bongo News.com) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Mga magandang himig ng pasko



I. Ang Pasko ay Sumapit

Ang pasko ay sumapit
Tayo ay mangagsiawit
Ng magagandang himig
Dahil sa ang Diyos ay pagibig.

Ng si Kristoy’y isilang
May tatlong haring nagsidalaw
At and bawat’t isa ay nagsipaghandog
Ng tanging alay.

Bagong taon ay mag-bagong buhay
Nang lumigaya ang ating bayan
Tayo’’y magsikap upang makamtan natin
Ang kasaganaan,

Tayo’y mangagsiawit
Habang ang mundo’y tahimik,
Ang araw ay sumapit
Ng sanggol na dulot ng langit..

Tayo ay mag mahalan;
Ating sundin and gintong aral
At magbuhat ngayon
Kahit hindi pasko ay magbigayan.

II. Kami’y Namamasko



Sa may bahay an gaming bati:
Merry Christmas na maluwalhati.
Ang pag-ibig pag siyang naghari
Araw araw ay magiging paskong lagi.

Ang sanhi ng pagparito
Hihingi po ng agilnaldo.
Kung sakalit kami’y perhwisyo;
Pasensiya na kayo’t kami’y namamasko.






III. Pasko na Naman

Pasko na naman, o kay tulin ng araw;
Paskong nagdaan tila ba kung kaylan lang.
Ngayon ay pakso tayo ay magbigayan;
Ngayon ay pasko tayo ay magmahalan.

Pasko, pasko, pasko na naming muli;
Tanging araw nating mpinakmimithi;
Pasko, pasko,pasko na naming muli,
Ang Pag-ibig ay naghahari.



IV. Pasko sa Nayon: Noche Buena

Kay sigla ng gabi ang lahat ay kay saya;
Nagluto ang ate ng manok na tinola;
Sa bahay tahanan may handing iba’t iba.

Tayo ng giliw magsalo na tayo;
Meron na tayong tinapay at keso;
Di ba notche Buena sa gabing ito
At bukas ay araw ng pasko?

Nagsabit ang parol sa bintana
May awitan habang ginagawa;
Ang pamasko nilang ihahanda
Ang bawa’t isa’y natutuwa.

(Photo Credits: Santa Barbara Catholic School; MKella55; Paula Brandao; Santa Barbara Catholic School)



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PostHeaderIcon Matuninong na kinaban sa fiesta navidenya


"Tuninong na Kinaban"


Ang banggui tuninong,
Gabos mayong guirong
Maski an mga bitu'on, sa azul na langit

An malumoy na huyop-huyop may pagka-moot
Sa katuninongan kan kinaban.



Katuninongan nin panahon
Mensaje nin buhay
Biyaya kan Diyos para sa tao

Ang banggui tuninong,
Gabos mayong guirong
Maski an mga bitu'on sa azul na langit."
---
F. de Leon, L. San Pedro
(Bicol trans. by mesiamd)

Maogma an aldaw na Deciembre 8, 2008 ta habang kita naghahalat kan pagkamundag ni Jesus, an fiesta kan Immaculada Concepcion satuyang pigce-celebrar. Mas maogma ining pag-guiromdom kan banal na Ina. Pigtutubudan tang pinag-mundag siya na mayong dungis nin kasalan arog kan aki niyang si Jesus.

Ining tukdong ini kan Simbahan Catoliko lalong may kahulugan. Sa satuyang mga buhay kadakul kitang nano’dan. Padagos an pag-sustento kan satuyang pagtubod maski palibot kita nin pag-duda sagkod mga problema.

Ngonian na fiesta navidenya, nahiling ta an karahayan kan kinaban. Pero apektado na kita kan mga problema digdi sa satuyang rogaring. Apektado na kita nin secularismo. Liberalismo. Relatibismo. Lataw na an pagka-commercial kan satuyang celebrasyones. Padagos an pagkawara kan satuyang mga tradisyones religiosos. Nalilipat na kita kan kaogmahan pag Christmas ang pig-oolayan.

Totoong maribong na ang satuyang kinaban. Yaon diyan an iriwal---an pag-suporta sa aborsiyon, terorismo, an korupsiyon. Uya an pagprotesta laban sa pag-guibo nin Belen. An pagsayuma sa sampulong tugon. Pag-negar kan pag-karol, an paghabo sa Christmas tree sa publiko--- Gabos ini, maski kaogmahan kan satuyang mga ka-aki'an, jovenes, sagkod gurang.

Da'e ta manigaran si birheng Maria sagkod si Jesus---sinda ang nakatabang sa pagbilog kan satuyang mga ugali. An satong pagka-tao. An pag-tubod ta komo Christiano nag-taong dalan sa pag-buhay-buhay. Nakatabang sa pag-atubang kan mga sentir, kinakatakutan, pig-dudulagan.

Auotpa man lugod na ngonian na mga aldaw, maparani guiraray kita sa pagkamo'ot ni Jesu Kristo, Maria, sagkod ang satong Kagurangnan. Feliz Navidad habang kita naghahalat kan pag-abot kan satuyang paratubos! (Photo Credits: SymonmReynolds; Keith Maguire; Pianoforte)=0=



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PostHeaderIcon Davao jailbirds in an April 2009 concert

Fr. Hermes Sabud, the Catholic chaplain of the Archdiocese Commission on Prison Welfare (ACPW) has a good idea. He has a plan of transforming jailbirds into songbirds. He's readying to showcase the singing talents Davao Jail in a concert slated on April 4, 2009.

The remarkable show is to benefit the activities of the prison ministry. Just like the Cebu Provincial Jail dancers who entertained their audience with sometimes funny choreographed routines, the singers will do their job with music.

The unusual Davao concert is a timely invitation to all Filipinos to appreciate people’s talents. They can be found in seemingly unlikely places. In prison, a self-help fund-raising by those detained is commendable. Rather than staying idle in congested cells with little hope for social integration and improvement, the prisoners, in their incarceration, have a chance to harness their time and energy for a useful purpose. (Photo Credit: Andy Maluche: Melibinux)=0=

THE CEBU PRISON DANCERS





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PostHeaderIcon A Mozart tune that could again make Salieri red with envy

Rest in peace! Uncovered by dust
Eternity shall bloom for you.
Rest in peace! In eternal harmonies
Your spirit now is dissolved.
He expressed himself in enchanting notes,
Now he is floating to everlasting beauty.

- Joseph Weigl, paying tribute to Antonio Salieri, his mentor

For those who believe that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was poisoned by Antonio Salieri, who was rumored (but not proven) to have killed the musical genius out of professional envy, the discovery of a handwritten draft in a French library would incite more of the same treacherous emotion if Salieri were alive.


A forgotten page found and reported by a researcher in Nantes, France, the 18th century melody sketch whose tune is complete is among 10 of Mozart’s works discovered in the last 50 years. Though without orchestration, the valuable page, if sold in auction, may sell to about $100,000. It was examined and authenticated by a reputable autograph hunter-expert Aloys Fuchs in Vienna in August 18, 1839. Washingtonpost.com /AP (09/17/08) Photo Credit: AP/David Vincent)


Prodigious and highly talented, Mozart was the subject of the movie Amadeus in 1984 whose plot centered on his deadly collaboration with Salieri. The latter was mad with God for giving Mozart the musical virtuosity that rightfully was his own.

An undoubtedly respected composer of his own right Salieri who counted Schubert, Liszt, Beethoven, and Czerny as his students, deviously sought Mozart to compose Requiem, the song of the dead he intended for Mozart’s own passing. He thought he could own up on the authorship of the composition upon the great composer’s death in 1791. In the movie, Salieri was portrayed as a hapless deranged man anguished in an asylum confessing his crime. =0=

PostHeaderIcon "Couldn't you have given me a better face?"

According to family legend, when Sofiya discovered she was expecting another child, she wished to terminate the pregnancy. Elena Rostropovich, Sofiya’s granddaughter, explained the family was poor, and as both parents worked, one small child was enough to cope with.

A doctor friend prescribed various treatments, including some vigorous sporting activity, but they seemed to have the contrary effect. Indeed Sofiya Nikolayevna carried her child for a ten-month term and on 27 March 1927, she gave birth to a healthy boy.

Later her son Mstislav asked her, “You had an extra month, couldn’t you have given me a better face?” She answered philosophically, “My son I was more concerned with your hands….”
----Wilson E, Rostropovich: the Musical Life of the Great Cellist, Teacher and Legend, p.13-14, UK, Faber & Faber, 2008.

Mstislav Rostropovich, extraordinary Russian musician, freedom activist, accomplished conductor with a superb hand on the cello, is an example of a man whose musical gift, prodigious virtuosity, and incredible genius could have been lost due to abortion. We couldn’t have heard of him and his phenomenal talent. In his time, he might have missed great musicians like Britten, Casals, Khatchaturian, Bernstein, Prokokiev and a horde of music students whom he inspired. Had Rostropovich died in a planned abortion that his mom Sofiya desired when he was in utero, the world would have been poorer. The language of music emanating from the dexterity of his hands might have been silenced right before he was born.

The book about his life focuses on Rostropovich’s musicality and abortion is an inconsequential anecdote. It probably escapes the notice of the readers. Yet Rostropovich’s story is emblematic of what could have been for the millions of human beings mercilessly zapped from the womb of women. The world must be horrified by the mass deaths humanity inflict on the unborn.

My mom for a time thought of abortion too. Had she succeeded in her plan, I would not have been around (nor some of my elder brothers and sisters,) to write about it. Saddled by the burden of having to raise twelve children, she begged her doctor to do it. Fortunately, abortion was almost taboo 50 years ago. People believed it was morally wrong and the doctor refused to do it for her.

Today, in the Philippines, about half a million women undergo illegal unsafe abortions. Of this staggering number 79,000 had to be hospitalized to combat complications. About 800 of the women die. Of the half a million Filipino fetuses destroyed by abortion, how many could have helped make the world a richer place for us to live in? Your guess is as good as mine.

By estimates, there are 46 million abortions performed yearly all over the world, 20 million of which are considered unsafe, mostly in poor countries. The message from statisticians and abortion advocates make us feel that if abortion is made legal, it would eliminate health threats on women. But we know this is not necessarily true. Without improvement of medical care, legalization of abortion can only worsen women’s risks when they go for the procedure. =0=

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