13. SOURCES OF SCIENCE HUMOR ON AND OFF THE NET

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general

Index | Comments and Contributions | previous:12.3 accidents

I need more entries on this list. To qualify it must be at least 50% about science or scientists, and at least 30% humorous. So `Surely you are joking, Mr Feynman' qualifies, and a big tome about Einstein, with one anecdote does not. (You can send me the anecdote though). A webpage with humor does not qualify either, unless it is also specialized in science. A description of at least one line and at most ten is also appreciated.

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NAME: Science Jokes Collection (this list)
WWW: http://www.xs4all.nl/~jcdverha/scijokes/

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NAME: The Science humor netring
 DESCRIPTION: The Science humor netring is dedicated to humor about science
or scientists.  This includes all kind of sciences, physical or social.

MEDIUM: netring of WWW sites.  Home page:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~jcdverha/scihum/webring.html

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NAME: Science Jokes
 DESCRIPTION: eGroup mailing list for science jokes.  Every member can mail
to this list.
 MEDIUM: e-mail, subscribe with a mail to:
sciencejokes-subscribe#NoSpam.egroups.com or at the website:
http://www.egroups.com/subscribe/sciencejokes WWW archive:
http://www.egroups.com/group/sciencejokes

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Name: Science Jokes Wiki

DESCRIPTION:
Teaching science can be a very dry matter - but it shouldn't be. It is
well-known that understanding something is easier when you can connect it
with something memorable - such as a joke. 

For this reason, this wiki attempts to gather links to jokes and cartoons
where an understanding of science is required to get the punchline. These
jokes are listed by scientific field and topic. Furthermore, the punchline
is explained to aid teachers and those who wish to study these subjects by
themselves. 

http://science-jokes.wikidot.com/

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NAME: Annals of Improbable Research (AIR)

 DESCRIPTION: The journal of record for inflated research and personalities

[Some background: Before starting AIR two years ago we collectively started
and were the editorial staff (from 1955-1994) of the Journal of
Irreproducible Results. After running into major (and yes, bizarre)
problems with the people who bought that name, and not wanting to see the
magazine die, we left that publisher and started everythnig afresh. We are
the same folks who produce the annual Ig Nobel Prizes.]

I urge anyone reading this to write up your improbable research and submit
it to us for possible publication.

This is probably the best science humor source. - JV

MEDIA: 1 Journal: Email (for automatic information): info#NoSpam.improb.edu
Email (for editorial matters): marca#NoSpam.wilson.harvard.edu
           FAX: (617) 661-0927
           Mail: AIR, PO Box 380853, Cambridge, MA 02238 USA
           Phone: (617) 491-4437
           Price: $23 a year, overseas $??. (6 issues a year)

2 WWW: http://www.improb.com/ Clearly the web presence of non-web compagny.
You can subscribe to the journal from here.  There is some funny stuff.

3 Newsgroup: Weekly column of reports from AIR
news:clari.tw.columns.imprb_research

4 Mailing list (mini-air): Overflow tidbits from AIR To subscribe, send a
e-mail message to:
LISTPROC#NoSpam.AIR.HARVARD.EDU The body of your message should contain
ONLY the words
        SUBSCRIBE MINI-AIR MARIE CURIE (You may substitute your own name
for that of Madame Curie.)  Not very interesting and getting less during
the years, but sometimes they ask interesting question for the subscribers
to answer; the best results are published in mini-air - JV

5 BOOK: The Best of Annals of Improbable Research,
        Marc Abrahams, editor, W.H. Freeman, New York, 1997.
        ISBN: 0716730944 Message in mini-air: It is a commendable book --
200 or so pages long, constructed with genuine ink and paper, and
containing 100% mass (both inertial AND gravitational!)  Among the
subjects: "Failure of Electric Shock Treatment for Rattlesnake
Envenomation", "How Dead Is a Doornail?" "Furniture Airbags," and "The
Medical Effects of Kissing Boo-Boos."

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NAME: Journal of Irreproducible Results (JIR), the science humor magazine.

DESCRIPTION: Research that cannot or should not be reproduced.  (The staf
of this journal ran away to found the above mentioned AIR, but the journal
has been resurrected since.)  


MEDIUM: 1 Journal: (Anybody any data?)
2 WWW: http://www.jir.com/
          The webpage of the Journal. You can subscribe here.
        3 Books with articles from journal:

DESCRIPTION: From: millikan.ross#NoSpam.ssd.loral.com (Ross Millikan) There have
been two books of best of ... published.  Unfortunately I don't remember
the names.  The first is better, but both have a number of good articles.
One of my favorites postulated the law of conservation of statue arms and
showed that the missing arms on Greek/Roman statues was made up in India.

Book 2:"Sex as a heap of Malfunctioning Rubble" (and further
improbabilities; More of the best of the Journal of Irreproducable
Results)", by Marc Abrahams (Ed.), Workman Publishing Company; ISBN:
1563053128

From: gerry#NoSpam.mpce.mq.edu.au (Gerry Myerson)

Book 1: Stress Analysis of a Strapless Evening Gown,
 Prentice Hall Press, 1963 ISBN: 0-13-852608-7
 DESCRIPTION: Here you will find an amalgam of satiric science and
scientific satire.  A collection of humorous short stories on a scientific
theme.  A couple of my favorites are: "Mathmanship", by Nicholas Vanserg,
which finds humor in scientific papers, and "Terns", by F. E. Warburton,
which is one big, awful pun, which I am not above enjoying.

MEDIUM: Book

From: "David B. Arnold. PhD" <arnold#NoSpam.pop1.science.widener.edu>
 Selected Papers The Journal of Irreproducible Results; JIR Publishers,
Inc, Chicago 1976: Dr. George H. Scherr, P.O. Box 234, Chicago Heighths, Il
60411

Improbable Investigations & Unfounded Findings (The Best of the Journal of
Irreproducible Results) Ed By Dr. George H Scherr, Workman Publishing, 1983
ISBNo-89480-595-9

 Journal of Irreproducible Results II, George H. Scherr and Jim Glenn, editors. 214 pages. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1997. 0-7670-00428-8. Second printing 2000.

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NAME: R.L. Weber and E. Mendoza (ed.), "A Random Walk in Science", The
Institute of Physics, London, 1973.

DESCRIPTION: (from the blurb) A blend of amusing and serious contributions
written by and about scientists.  Contents include: When does Jam become
marmelade?, The transit of Venus, Heaven is hotter than Hell, A
contribution to the mathematical theory of big game hunting, Life on Earth
(by a Martian), A theory of ghosts.  
MEDIUM: Book

NAME: Robert .L. Weber, "More Random Walks In Science"

DESCRIPTION: Sequel to the above with subjects like: The use of small dogs
in physics teaching, Syllabus for a detective story written by a physics
professor, continental drip.  
MEDIUM: Book

NAME: Robert L. Weber, "Science with a Smile"

DESCRIPTION: (from the blurb) A collection of humorous stories, anecdotes,
verse and cartoons touching every science.  Contents include: Academic
life, Classroom foibles and follies, Conferences, "Mystery, magic and
medicine".  
MEDIUM: Book

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NAME: Anecdotage.com
DESCRIPTION: Famous People, Funny Stories, Anecdotes from Yeats to Gates.

The readers of this will probably be most interested in the following:
http://www.anecdotage.com/browse.php?term=science
http://www.anecdotage.com/browse.php?term=mathematics

MEDIUM: WWW

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From: gerry#NoSpam.mpce.mq.edu.au (Gerry Myerson)
NAME: Betsy Devine and Joel E. Cohen, Absolute Zero Gravity
, Fireside, 1992, ISBN 0-671-74060-1.

From: "Michelle M. Francl" <donnay#NoSpam.erols.com>

DESCRIPTION: A wonderful collection of science jokes and anecdotes - leans
heavily toward math.  Betsy Devine spent much time at the Institute for
Advanced Study and has had many opportunities to observe mathematicians in
their native habitat.

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From: "L. Paul Gilden" <lgilden#NoSpam.nova.umuc.edu>
 NAME Sidney Harris cartoons
 DESCRIPTION: Sidney Harris is probably the best known science cartoonist.
 MEDIUM: books

Some books follow: Einstein Simplified: Cartoons on Science 162 pages
(February 1989) Rutgers Univ Press; ISBN: 081351410X

Einstein Atomized : More Science Cartoons

From Personal Ads to Cloning Labs : More Science Cartoons from Sidney
Harris (1992 )

What's So Funny About Science? : Cartoons (1977 )

What's So Funny About Science? : Cartoons from American Scientist (1977 )

'You Want Proof? I'll Give You Proof!' : More Cartoons From Sidney Harris
(1990 )

The Five Biggest Ideas in Science Illustrated by S. Harris (1997) (While a
chemistry professor explains the periodic law and physics professor
diagrams the atom, S. Harris's cartoons help illuminate these ideas.)

Science Goes to the Dogs (1985)

Does anybody know more titles?

MEDIUM: book There is a collection in Dutch:

NAME: Sydney Harris, The ongeschreven geschiedenis van de
wetenschap. (Translation: the unwritten history of science), Natuur en
Techniek, Beek, 1996.  ISBN: 90-73035-51-1

Is this the translation of an english book.  Anybody?

MEDIUM: magazines / journals: Cartoons appear in The New Yorker, Playboy,
and Discover

MEDIUM: A travelling exhibit touring museums
 DESCRIPTION: S. Harris cartoons on science has been touring museums in the
U.S. and Canada since 1984, and has also appeared in several corporate
headquarters.  All the cartoons on view are original drawings which have
appeared in such leading periodicals as Discover, American Scientist, The
New Yorker, Natural History Magazine, and Playboy. All are offered for
sale, with a commission of 20% going to the museum.

NAME: Science Cartoons Plus -- The Cartoons of S. Harris
MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.sciencecartoonsplus.com/index.htm
 Webpage with a number of cartoons, a way to contact the travelling exhibit
and a link to the company that produces T-shirts with the cartoons, (COTTON
EXPRESSIONS), which is also in this list.

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From: paterson#NoSpam.mel.dbce.csiro.au (David Paterson)

NAME: The Inventions of Daedalus. (Bibliographic data anybody?)

DESCRIPTION: A collection of the best from the column that used to be on the last page of New Scientist.
MEDIUM: Book.

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NAME: The Evil Tutor's Guide to producing Scientific Graphs & Figures
DESCRIPTION: This guide has been created because many teachers are growing
tired of marking the same mistakes over and over again in practical
reports.  Here we show students how to fail properly and what to do to get
the lowest marks.

MEDIUM: WWW : http://www.psreporter.com/evil/eviltutor0.html

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NAME: Science jokes (Julian Trubin's website)

DESCRIPTION:  A collection of K-12 science jokes studded with science
links, pictures and stamps. The jokes are short, not complicated or abusive
and organized by topic.  The purpose of this site is to present another
science education tool through entertainment and curiosity.  It is also
nice for adults.

MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.juliantrubin.com/sciencejokes.html

physics
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NAME: Amateur Astronomy jokes
DESCRIPTION: Astronomy jokes from the news:sci.astro.amateur newsgroup.
MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.perseus.gr/Astro-Jokes.html

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NAME: The Journal of Extraneous Scientific Topics (JEST) DESCRIPTION: JEST
is a quasi-science publication edited by Rebecca Carlson and published by
her husband, Russel Carlson. JEST provides a forum for science students,
educators, and enthusiasts to share their humorous ideas.

A normal issue of JEST contains:, two or three articles, letters to the
editor, News Tidbits, "irrelevant science news", Ask Dr. Iva P. Aitchdee, a
question and answer column, a puzzle page, The Science is Poetry Page,
Quadrant NQ (a science fiction comic)


MEDIUM: 1 Journal:
  To subscribe to JEST for a year (6 issues) send $5.00 for photocopying
  and postage along with your name and address to:

  JEST Subscriptions:
  c/o Russel Carlson --This line is important!!
  Department of Mathematics
  University of Oregon
  Eugene, OR 97403

2 WWW: unknown

3 Book:
      We are now offering the "Best of JEST", a bound collection of the
      first ten issues of JEST. To order this, send $8.00 ($6 for copying,
      $2 for postage) to the above address along with your name, address,
      and a request for the "Best of JEST."

The first issue of JEST was published in June of 1993, and with a few
exceptions is published every other month. We now offer a collection of the
first ten issues is now bound and called the "Best of JEST."

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NAME: Eric Schulman's Science Humor
 DESCRIPTION: Schulmans' articles for AIR, like "How not the write a
scientific paper" and the famous "History of the universe in 200 words or
less".
  MEDIUM: WWW:
http://members.verizon.net/~vze3fs8i/air/

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NAME: The nerdity test

DESCRIPTION:
        Hello, and welcome to the nerdity test. This test is designed to
help you determine your nerdity quotient. In the past, someone may have
watched you, or listened to something you said and then exclaimed, "You
geek! What do you think you are doing?" Or maybe it's just us. In any
event, we here at the nerdity testing lab were prompted to ask "just what
is a nerd?" In response, we came up with this test.  (This is the
*interactive* and larger version of the test in the MISCELLANY section)

MEDIUM: WWW: http://home.rochester.rr.com/jbennett/nerd/n500test.html

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From: sbaker#NoSpam.oro.net (Steve Baker)

NAME: Ask Dr. Science

DESCRIPTION: Misinfotainment on science.

MEDIUM: Radio show MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.drscience.com

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NAME: A.L. Mackay, "A dictionary of scientific quotations"
 DESCRIPTION: (from the blurb) The second and expanded edition of "The
harvest of a Quiet Eye" A collection of many scientific quotations,
including graffiti, lines of song and proverbs.
  MEDIUM: book

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NAME: COTTON EXPRESSIONS

DESCRIPTION: Pictures on T-shirts.  Especially the science cartoons are
famous.

MEDIUM: T-shirt.  Order from:
                  Cotton Expressions, Ltd.
                  325 N. Bell Ave.
                  Chicago, IL 60612

MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.cottonexpressions.com
 Pictures of T-shirts and order form

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NAME: Donald Simanek's Pages
DESCRIPTION: Jokes and  parodies of science and pseudo-science 

MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/home.htm

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NAME: Donald E. Simanek and John C. Holden, Science Askew, a light-hearted
look at the scientific world.

DESCRIPTION: Science humor.  You can find part of the  material on.
Donald Simanek's webpage above, but a book is more portable.

MEDIUM: book, IOP publishing Ltd, ISBN 0 7503 0714 5

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NAME: The Notochords

DESCRIPTION: "The Notochords: Songs of Science" Dr. Chordate and the
Notorious Einsteinway perform a blend of humor and music that illustrates
the wonders of science Featuring: "A Parasitic Love Song", "Ain't Nothin'
but a Groundhog", "Star Wishes" and More!

MEDIUM: life appearance Dr. Chordate and/or The Notochords are also
available for to make presentations to schools and organizations at all
grade levels, from local to international. Charges are generally in the
$100 to $1000 per presentation range, plus the expenses of travel etc.

MEDIUM: book: Science Songs and Body Poetry Science Songs and Body Poetry
contains the words to over 30 songs and poems. Some of the songs are set to
recognizable melodies (for example, The Sounds of Science, Fifty Ways to
Love Your Liver (or Lever), Ain't Nothin' but a Groundhog). Most have
original melodies, which are not included in this book. But, who's going to
know if you sing one to your own melody? Anyway, they are great tools for
introducing science topics to those hard to reach students! Enjoy!

MEDIUM: Audio Tapes:

The Notochords: Songs of Science is an audio tape of 10 of the songs found
in the book above. And even if the recording does sound like a couple of
old geezers singing in a basement, it remains an excellent way of getting
the attention of students or anyone else interested in the funny side of
science.

Dr. Chordate: Parts Is Parts - More Songs of Science is an audio tape of 9
more original songs. The words to most can be found in the book above.
They are also an excellent way of getting the attention of students or
anyone else interested in the funny side of science. Remember: Music is the
interstate highway into the memory.

Audio Tapes are $10.00 plus $2.00 each for shipping and handling (February
1998)

Also available are T-shirts and tote bags with the Notochords logo. Copy
this form and use it to make your order.


MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.tranquility.net/~scimusic Page with information
about "Dr. Chordate and the Notochords".  The page also has the lyrics of
some science humor songs.

Order From: Dr. Jeff Moran The Master Word Works 2071 County Road 246
Fulton, MO 65251 (573) 642-9749 scimusic#NoSpam.tranquility.net

mathematics physics chemistry engineering biology computer science
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From: Ian Ellis <ian#NoSpam.iglou.com>
 NAME: Strange matter
 DESCRIPTION: Cartoons on science subjects.  The website also contains some
pseudo-scientific articles by Nick D. Kim.  The name Strange Matter was
first applied to these cartoons after it was determined that when viewed,
they are capable of inducing observable distortions in the local sections
of the Universe.  Such macroscopic perturbations to quantum reality are
indeed an unusual outcome to the act of cartoon observation, so it seemed
appropriate the name them in honour of one of the strangest substances
known to theoretical physics, Strange Matter. After ingestion, they should
be washed down with a shot of whisky.

MEDIUM: WWW: At the moment not available
 MEDIUM: Journal: The cartoon also appeared  in New Scientist

 MAILING LIST: Every week a cartoon.
             Subscribe at the webpage or by sending a blank e-mail to:
strange-matter-subscribe#NoSpam.yahoogroups.com


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NAME: Stories from Science
DESCRIPTION: short anecdotes about scientists
MEDIUM: WWW: http://people.cs.uchicago.edu/~dinoj/scstory1.htm

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NAME: Improved Methods for Transportation of Hunted Animals
ABSTRACT:
Modern hunting tools like spears and clubs provide a dramatic increase of
hunting efficiency. For even small tribes slaying fairly large beasts, like
mammuts, becomes possible. Since carrying home mammuts is one of the major
problems in modern hunting, we propose a new tool, called wheel, that
provides efficient transportation of mammuts. 

MEDIUM: WWW: http://ki.cs.tu-berlin.de/~scheffer/hunting/hunting.html

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NAME: Tomatotopic organization in the Soprano
 DESCRIPTION: A pseudo scientific article about the physicological basis of
the the fact that singers yell when thrown with tomatoes.  Very realistic.
(Do not skip the references section.)
MEDIUM: WWW: http://pauillac.inria.fr/~xleroy/stuff/tomato/tomato.html

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NAME: Songs of Geology and Chemistry and Other Science-Related Jokes and
Humor
MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.heptune.com/geosong.html

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NAME: Science and Technology jokes page
 DESCRIPTION: General Science Jokes
MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.math.psu.edu/tseng/STjokes.html

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NAME: CooperToons Science Cartoons
 DESCRIPTION: Professional single panel gag cartoons about science.
MEDIUM: WWW: http://members.aol.com/ChipCooper/science.html

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NAME: Scientific Quotes gathered on the Net DESCRIPTION: Funny scientific
quotes collected by Guillaume Dargaud
MEDIUM: WWW: http://sung3.ifsi.rm.cnr.it/~dargaud/Humor/QuotesScience.html

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NAME: Jupiter Scientific Science Jokes
 DESCRIPTION: List with jokes similar to mine (smaller of course), but with
links to explanations.  The  motive here seems to be to teach some science
to people.
MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.jupiterscientific.org/sciinfo/sciencejokes.html

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NAME: Science Joke of the Week
 DESCRIPTION: website with jokes similar to mine, but every week one
different joke; for people who like their science humor in  moderation.
MEDIUM: WWW http://www.marshall.edu/physics/jokeguy.htmlx

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NAME: The metric system sucks!
  DESCRIPTION: Why the metric system sucks, and why people should use the
pounds, feet, and gallons of the great English system.
MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.metricsucks.com

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From rickey#NoSpam.math.bgsu.edu (From his disappeared Bibliography of Humor in
Mathematics page)

 NAME: Weller, Tom, Science Made Stupid, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1985.
 DESCRIPTION: Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, there is no chapter
here on mathematics. But lots of nutty stuff. The evolution chapter is my
favorite.
  MEDIUM: Book.

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From: I.N. Galidakis <jgal#NoSpam.ath.forthnet.gr>
NAME: New Murphy's Laws & Meta-Laws
DESCRIPTION: Webpage with laws that say that can go wrong will go wrong.
MEDIUM: WWW: http://ioannis.virtualcomposer2000.com/writing/NewMurphysLaws.html


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NAME: Open Directory:Humor:Science
 DESCRIPTION: A list with Science Humor sites from the open directory
(moderated by volunteers)
MEDIUM: WWW: http://www.dmoz.org/Recreation/Humor/Science/

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NAME: Google Web Directory - Recreation -> Humor -> Science
 DESCRIPTION: A list with references to Science Humor sites from Google,
sorted with the number of links to a site.
MEDIUM: WWW: http://directory.google.com/Top/Recreation/Humor/Science/

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