Olla Plant Watering System Saves Time & Water

Everyone gets thirsty during the hot summer months -- even your plants. An olla can help reduce your water usage and make gardening less time consuming. What is an olla? Simply stated, it is a ceramic pot. Ollas used for plant irrigation are unglazed.

This ancient form of plant irrigation uses seepage from buried pots to deliver a steady supply of water beneath the ground. The vessel is placed in a hole and covered with soil, leaving the opening above soil. The olla is then filled with water and covered with a lid. The permeable properties of the unglazed pot will then allow water to gradually seep through its sides into the surrounding ground. Plants are placed in the ground near the pot. As long as the olla is kept filled with water, the plant has water at its roots.

Four benefits of using olla irrigation pots are:

* The pots don't clog or lose water to evaporation as other systems can.

* Plants aren't overwatered as they only draw as much water as they need.

* Water usage is greatly reduced.

* Gardeners don't have to be on hand for frequent watering.

Ollas retail for around $27 for a large pot. However, you can make one yourself for about a third of that cost -- or FREE if you have the materials on hand!

You will need two unglazed terracotta flower pots that are the same size, one 4" pot, duct tape, Gorilla glue and silicone waterproof sealant.

Place duct tape over the drain hole of one of the larger pots. Use a caulking gun to fill the hole with silicone sealant. Wet the lip of one pot and apply the glue. Invert one pot on top of the other.

Moisten the bottom of the 4" pot with water and glue it on top of the pot with the OPEN drain hole, making SURE the holes are aligned.

Wrap these with duct tape for stability and allow to cure overnight. The glue will expand.

The next day, remove the tape and scrape any excess glue from the sides. Check the top drain holes and make sure they are still opened. If the glue has expanded to close the hole, you'll need to ream it back open using the narrow end of a file.

Your homemade olla now looks like a space capsule. Apply silicone sealant to the seams at the middle and where the 4" pot joins the top.

Let this cure overnight. The next day, check for leaks by filling the pot. You will notice a pleasant glugging sound as it fills.

If there are leaks, use a pencil to mark the spots, invert the pot, let it drain, dry and re-apply sealant. Test again for leaks after this application cures.

Watch your filled pot and you will notice the terracotta changes color as the water permeates through the sides.

Another alternative is to bury a tall pot and use a

dinner plate as a lid. Here's a video demonstrating that method:

To use your olla, bury it leaving the 4" pot elevated above the ground. I painted the 4" section white to make it watertight and prevent any seepage from the above ground terracotta. A small saucer or large flat stone can be used to cover the opening, discouraging mosquitoes and preventing water loss. Here's a video demonstrating how to incorporate an olla in your garden.

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Self-reliance Recession-proof Your Pantry

Complex food preservation instructions can be overwhelming. That's why I think Self-reliance Recession-Proof Your Pantry is wonderful. At less than 140 pages, it is precise and concise without wasting lots of ink. Jackie Clay is a prolific writer with Backwoods Home Magazine. Jeffrey Yugo, Sylvia Gist and Linda Gabris join Jackie in offering their words of wisdom on this topic.

One of the things I like most about this reference tool is that you needn't be planning to build a bomb shelter to implement these methods. Use as much as you'd like to stretch your own food budget. Whether you are wanting to set aside some overflow from the garden or if you are looking for a way to cut grocery expenses, you can use these methods to create an economic cushion and stretch your hard-earned dollar.

Learn the mechanics of rotating your storage, what you need for successful storage, how to can and what to can. A section in the book is also devoted to drying, smoking and pickling your foods. You'll learn what tools you need and what methods work best for people that have plenty of experience.

Jackie Clay has weathered the seasons and dealt with the challenges that have arisen as she has worked to make her 120-acre homestead successful. I get tired just reading about all that she has done! I've never been tempted to encourage her to slow down . . . I'd likely have to climb a ladder to chase her down. It wouldn't surprise me if she handed me chores to do while we talked!

If you're interested in reading a sample of Jackie's work, here's an article by her that you might find interesting: Jackie's Tips for Hard Core Homesteading

ABOUT BACK WOODS HOME MAGAZINE

Our family subscribes to Backwoods Home Magazine, and we enjoy it very much. They leave room in their editorials for divergent opinions. Occasionally, I find myself on opposite sides of an issue. However, Backwoods Home consistently offers valuable information for anyone looking for ways to become more self-sufficient and avoid being at the mercy of fluctuating markets. Having a subscription is like purchasing a tuition to a varied seminar delivered right to your home. For our family, it's money well spent.

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How to Make Your Own Facebook Banner

There are many applications that allow you to create banners on the new Facebook Profile. However, each application comes with limitations in your ability to customize or create. If you'd prefer to make your very own banner, it takes just a little time following a few guidelines.

The 'banners' that you see on people's profiles are actually images that are tagged with that person's name. The order that those images appear in are related to WHEN those tags were placed. The images appear in order from the most recently tagged to the 5th oldest one.

In order to create your own banner, you'll need to find an image that is horizontally oriented, or one that can be cropped to be oriented in this way. Once you have this image on your hard drive, you'll need to size it properly to begin creating your banner.



Using your picture editor, size your banner to 490 pixels wide by 68 pixels high. These overall dimensions can be divided into 5 equal segments that will fit together like puzzle pieces that create your banner. To divide your banner, select the upper left hand corner of your image and draw a box that is 98 by 68 pixels. Copy this selection and paste it as a new image and label it 'imageA'. Return to your original image and draw another box that is 98 x 68, position it's starting point at the 98th pixel from the left border of your image. Copy this section and paste it as a new imaged named 'imageB'. Return to the original image and repeat this process three more times.


Here are the starting pixel positions of each 98 x 68 segment of your 490 x 68 original:

98
196
294
and
392

Once you've created all five images, go to your social networking page and upload these five images. Place them in a folder together. Tag each photo in that folder with your own name moving from the last to the first. If the images are lettered A, B, C, D & E, then you will need to tag with your name in the order of E, D, C, B, and A. View your profile page or wall to see how the images look. If they are out of order, you may need to remove the tags and go through the process once more, saving after each tag. If you tag them without saving your work between each tag, the order can sometimes be mixed.


There you have it! You now have your own customized banner without having to share your information, current email address or friends list to acquire it.

If you'd like to use the banners I've made for my own Facebook page, feel free. Just add Kay Morrison to your friends list, browse through my photos and use any banners that you enjoy.

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GET RID OF TAB MARKS IN PASTED TEXT

I wanted to take the time to post a short note about something I found to really make my life a little easier. I enjoy sharing tools that make life easier!

If you've ever had to copy and paste text into a word processing application, you may find that there are numerous tabs scattered throughout your copy. Removing them can be tedious -- especially if you are working with a lengthy document!

I've found a handy way to solve that problem. Pull up your find/replace feature and type ^t into the 'find' text box. The “^” symbol is made by pressing the shift button while striking the 6 key on most keyboards. Follow this with a lower case letter “t”. In the 'replace' box hit the space bar. Activate the find/replace and the tab keystrokes will be replaced with a space.

After this, you may have too many spaces in your document. You can use the find/replace feature to correct this by placing two spaces in the find window and a single space in the replace window. Repeat find/replace until you no longer have a string of spaces making gaps in your document.

Easy Peasy!

ADDITIONAL HELPS:

Too many returns

To get rid of too many returns in your document, type ^p into your find box. Leave the replace box blank. Be sure you are using the replace option. For the first search click on the button 'Find Next.' If it finds one of the stray returns you wish to eliminate, click 'Replace.'

Continue to use the 'Replace' button throughout your text. In this instance, using the 'Replace All' button doesn't work well. You do have to move through the document and deal with each paragraph mark individually, but the search/find option makes it go a little quicker.

How can I tell where there are tabs and paragraph marks in my document?

There is a way to see what keystrokes have been made in your document. In order to see them, press the Ctrl key while you strike the * symbol. To get the *, you will have to hold the shift key and press the 8 key at the same time.

This is a toggle feature. That means that if you want to see the keystrokes in your document, you can press Ctrl+* and if you wish to turn the feature off, you simply hit Ctrl+* once more. I work with this feature on so that I can tell what is creating blank space in my document.

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CABBAGE LEAVES RELIEVE PAIN AND SWELLING

Cabbage isn’t just for slaw and sauerkraut – although those are wonderful uses! Cabbage leaves also have a proven history as a treatment for wounds and swellings.

An old Irish blessing reads, "May the leaves of your cabbage always be free from worms."

Ancient armies carried cabbage for use not only as a food, but as a wound dressing that fought infection. The explorers of the 17th and 18th centuries carried Vitamin C rich cabbage with them as a natural preventative of scurvy. On one of Captain Cook's voyages sailors injured in a storm had their wounds bound with cabbage to help prevent gangrene.

Cabbage leaves act as a diuretic, and they contain powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. Cabbage juice is rich in lactic acid, a known anti-bacterial. Applied to the skin, these compounds are remarkably effective at relieving swelling and the pain associated with it.

There’s not a simpler remedy for engorged and painful breasts than the application of raw cabbage leaves. Bruise a couple of cabbage leaves. Cap a leaf over the affected breast. Use a bra to hold the leaf in place next to the skin. Wear it for a few hours. Noticeable relief can be detected by the following day.

The leaf of the cabbage is an effective treatment for the pain of swellings due to sports injuries and strains. Apply ice and elevate the injured limb to curb initial swelling. Then apply the cabbage leaf compress two or three times daily until pain and swelling subside. You may want to hold it in place with a cloth bandage. If you’ve been slow to recover from a sprained ankle, this remedy is worth a try.

Arthritis sufferers can often reduce the amount of medication they must use or eliminate it completely with the application of a cabbage leaf dressing. The cabbage leaf helps eliminate waste products from the body.

Use leaves as a poultice on other skin conditions such as psoriasis, burns and ulcers. Flatten layers of cabbage leaves with a rolling pin. Wrap leaves around affected areas of skin until the leaves turn yellow. Change the leaves and repeat until the wounds heal. Between reapplications, clean and dry the wounds.

To apply a cabbage leaf dressing:
Use clean leaves and – if at all possible – ones that have been grown organically. Peel off the outer layers of cabbage and remove the hard stem. Bruise them slightly with a rolling pin or other hard cylinder. Use gauze or other cotton cloth to hold the leaves in place. An additional layer of plastic wrap can be applied, unless you are dressing a burn. Keep the cabbage wrap on the area for two to four hours. You may want to repeat the process, using new leaves. Some people apply the leaves at bedtime and keep the poultice on overnight.

If you are interested in reading more about how to use leaves as dressings, I highly recommend the book, COMFORT FOR THE BURNED AND WOUNDED by John W. Keim. At the time of publication, the author of this book had over 20 years of experience in treating wounds with natural dressings. In this small book, he details case histories and the results of various treatments. I have found his recommendations regarding the use of plantain leaf to be very valuable as a first aid application in various circumstances. He doesn’t claim to be a doctor, nor is he medically trained. However, this is a fascinating read whether or not you are in the medical field.

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THE EASY WAY TO COOK PERFECT BROWN RICE

Brown rice is a staple food which is rich in soluble fiber and can be combined with nutrient rich beans to create a complete protein. When money is tight and every calorie counts, knowing how to cook brown rice helps make sure you get enough nutrients to maintain your health.

Brown rice is less expensive when purchased in bulk. In addition to a lower price, you’ll also find that the overall quality of the rice is better. Bulk grains are often fresher. You will notice the difference in the intensity of the sweet smell when a large bag is opened. For storage, food grade buckets with tight lids are fine. My preference is to store it in a chest freezer. The cold keeps bugs away. A few bay leaves tossed into your grain bucket will help repel insects also.

For years, I had cooked brown rice using the absorption method. This involves placing rice into a pot of salted boiling water and cooking it for 45 to 50 minutes. Twice as much water as brown rice is used. This works well enough, but it is a bit of an art to get rice that isn’t too mushy because (as mentioned above) the moisture content of the grains can vary. Many people use rice cookers to automate this process, but the result is the same. Another drawback is that this process has the potential to create burnt rice if you lose track of the time or miscalculate the water to rice ratio.

There is a simpler way!

Because it is a grain, I soak brown rice. This isn’t as important with rice as with other grains, but I like the texture that soaking produces. To soak brown rice, measure double the amount of water as grain into a stainless steel or glass container. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar for every cup of grain you use. Let this sit overnight or 24 hours. In a pinch, this time can be reduced without hurting the final product.

Once I’m ready to cook the rice, I strain it using a large strainer set inside a larger bowl. I repeatedly rinse the grain until the water runs relatively clear. You may notice little flecks and bits floating to the surface. Throw those away. You may not want to examine them too closely.

Here is a demonstration on how to rinse rice.
The cloudy water that you pour off of it can be used to water your plants.
I would skip using the rice cooker!

Re-fill your pot with clean filtered water, using twice as much as the measurement of soaked rice. Season the water with sea salt and any other flavorings you prefer. I like to use chicken broth. Bring this to a rolling boil and then add the soaked rice to the pot, giving it a single stir. Boil this uncovered for about 20 minutes if the grains have been soaked, 30 minutes if they are dry. Remove the pot from the heat and strain the rice from the hot water. Let the rice drain for ten to fifteen seconds. Return the rice to your empty pot and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Let the rice sit, absorbing the water that remains on the grains for ten or 15 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and serve. The rice will be fully cooked without mushiness.

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DVD Review: MAKING HERBS SIMPLE VOLUME 2

This video is great by itself and even better as a compliment to volume 1. MAKING HERBS SIMPLE VOLUME 2 has all of the features I enjoyed in volume 1 and more.

Once again, Shoshanna takes you into the wooded areas around her home and introduces you to a variety of herbs in their natural habitat. Art projects, syrups, yummy teas, and healthful remedies are all part this video. Shoshanna teaches viewers how to make a healing salve. You'll learn about a herb that can be used as a laundry detergent and cleanser. Debi, a retired midwife, returns to discuss nutritive herbs that boost female reproductive health. Kristen testifies to the effectiveness of a home remedy for poison ivy.

You'll want to watch it from start to finish when it arrives. However, this isn't a DVD to be left sitting on a shelf. It's segmented into topical chapters and bonus features that are easily accessed from the menu, helping you review portions as needed. This video is highly entertaining, but also very educational! It would be a great compliment to a more indepth study of each of the herbs.

For added convenience, Bulk Herb Store has also included a handy pocket guidebook printed on heavy stock and in full color. This means that you will have images that help you identify the plants as well as printed recipes for the applications mentioned in the video. There's even a hardiness zone map with corresponding information on each featured herb. It's nice to see that Bulk Herb Store continues to look for ways to give more information to their customers.

MAKING HERBS SIMPLE VOLUME 2 would be a great gift for anyone that wants to find inexpensive ways to incorporate herbs into every day life. . . . That is, if you don't just decide to keep it for yourself!

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FOR A LIMITED TIME, Bulk Herb Store is making BOTH volumes 1 & 2 available for one low price. FOLLOW THIS LINK for more information.

Below, find an excerpt from the DVD MAKING HERBS SIMPLE, VOLUME 2

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DVD Review: MAKING HERBS SIMPLE VOLUME 1

MAKING HERBS SIMPLE takes the viewer into the woods of Eastern Tennessee. Shoshanna locates nine herbs in their natural habitat and gives the viewer tips on how to recognize them. Later, she joins her friend Kristen to demonstrate how to dry herbs for storage and how to use them to make poultices and simple tinctures. Along the way, you learn interesting tips and tidbits about the properties and uses of each plant.

If you've ever wondered about other ways to use the herbs growing around your home, you'll be glad you watched this. This video isn't just for wildcrafters. Hints for how to incorporate packaged dried herbs are discussed. It's nice to see what the plants look like growing wild, even if you normally use them dried.

That's not all! There's a segment featuring the herbalist's herbalist, Debi Pearl. Shoshanna and Debi discuss how to preserve herbs and create your own remedies to meet your family's unique needs.

I appreciated the way the DVD is segmented into topical chapters. If you need to review some information, just go to the menu and select the desired subject -- no need to fast forward through other footage! This feature is great for teachers who might want to reinforce botanical lessons with short video clips.

Bonus features include a demonstration of how to use Bulk Herb Store's BEAUTIFUL HAIR herbal blend. These scenes are humorous at points as you discover beauty can be a messy business! The DVD comes with a booklet that gives you summary information and full-color pictures of the featured herbs. The companion guidebook is sturdy and pocket-sized so that you can easily take it with you to help identify these plants in your own backyard or keep it handy as a quick reference for selecting just the right ingredients for cooking, teas and other uses.

MAKING HERBS SIMPLE makes a sometimes overwhelming subject fun. It's an encouragement to people on all levels of expertise to enjoy getting creative with preparations and applications. It's a reminder that herbs can be simply and joyfully incorporated into daily life.

Whether you are interested in natural medicine, herbs, or plant identification, MAKING HERBS SIMPLE is great to own or give as a gift.

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Available at Bulk Herb Store.

Click on the image to order.

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DVD Review: HOMESTEADING FOR BEGINNERS

HOMESTEADING FOR BEGINNERS is just the video for those who are considering the possibility of moving to the country. This video gives a delightful overview of life on a small family farm. Erin and Mark Harrison invite the viewer into their home to learn and laugh with them and their five children through the many adventures of homesteading.

You gain insight into all that it takes to get a REAL chicken dinner onto the table from the ground up – literally, from seed to supper. All of the scenes are filled with a beautiful rural setting and happy, healthy, helpful children keep popping up into almost every scene.

Learn how to make butter and cheese using kitchen tools you likely already have on hand. See how this family raises and harvests chickens and eggs. Get an introductory demonstration on wood splitting, building a simple chick pen, learn how to start seeds and tend a low-maintenance garden. Mama takes the time to show you how to freeze and can your produce and meat, gives you the recipes, and then shows you how to prepare the meal. Pamper your inner flower-child and learn how to make a wild-flower crown to adorn your head. If you watch carefully, you might spot Mike and Gabriel Pearl giving a knife-throwing demonstration.

The attentive viewer may even pick up some tips on how to incorporate child training and education throughout the busy day. Washing eggs becomes a math and chemistry lesson taught by a curly blond-headed little girl that needs a step-stool to reach her mama’s kitchen sink. It’s one of my favorite scenes in the film. A take-charge big brother is happy to demonstrate how to use scraps of wood to make signs for the garden. Listen carefully as Papa patiently explains how to milk a cow while little voices comment on the condition of the barn floor (you’ll have to rewind here as your laughter might drown him out).

Grandpa and Granny loved watching with us as little ones stole scene after scene. Grandpa said, “I can see now, if I wanted to homestead, I’d have to find some little helpers.”

HOMESTEADING FOR BEGINNERS should come with a warning label for parents that are used to children sitting peacefully in front of the television all day. After viewing this video, those children could be inspired to go enjoy the great outdoors more often. They might begin asking for some chickens or a cow of their own . . . possibly even some pigs to ride!

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Available at Bulk Herb Store.

Click on the image to order.

Review an excerpt from the video here:

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HOW TO CREATE EXTRA STORAGE

There are many techniques to finding the space to store needed items. Whether you are just downsizing or struggling to create a pantry in a house with no closets, here are a few ways to find a place to put your stuff.

USE SPACE BENEATH FURNITURE
Skirted Storage
A skirted table can hide a myriad of things in almost any room of your house. Secure a plywood top over a base such as a small bookcase, low filing cabinet or an upside down trash container. Drape a decorative cloth over the board that is long enough to reach the floor. Beneath the skirt there is storage space for books, boxes, craft supplies, television, etc.

Beds, Tables, Chairs
Storage can be created using plastic boxes or baskets. Place baskets under tables and in open cabinets for miscellaneous storage. These are great for shoes, out-of-season items, sports equipment, etc. Place a label on the end of the box, listing the contents. If your bed is too low, it can be made higher by "building" taller legs with plumbing pipes or ready-made bed risers.

REPURPOSE ITEMS
Doors
Storage can be found on the back of every door. Hanging shoe bags, shelves, or racks can be used for everything from toiletries, to office supplies.

Closets
Two-drawer filing cabinets easily fit into most closets, and the top can be used as a shelf. The space remaining above can be used to hang short clothing.

Lidded Furnishings
Choose a bench with a hinged lid for the end of a bed, under a window, or table seating. Lidded cubed ottomans can also provide extra storage as can a chest used in place of a coffee table. Use the space to store blankets, sheets, dishes, linens, out-of-season items, or toys.

REPURPOSE SPACE
Look Up
Few people utilize space higher than 5 feet. Consider installing shelves 12" to 18" below the ceiling. Mount shelves above the windows of the room. Use this to display things you don't use regularly but love to look at such as plants, hats, or photos. Use museum wax to anchor your collectibles in place.

Hooks
Hooks mounted on walls can be used to hold buckets and bags for everything from laundry to tools and toys.

Shelves
Make sure your shelves are spaced properly. If all the shelves are arranged at 18" but stored items are 8" high, you're missing out on about 10" of storage space. Reorganize this by adding shelf supports and new shelves.

Halls
Install shelves or hooks along one side of a wide hallway or above door height. If you have space at the end of the hall, use it to house a small desk and chair. Add shelves above the desk for supplies or books.

Unused Corners
Corner cabinets and shelves are great for unused space such as on a stair landing. A corner can also house a file cabinet. Since most file cabinets are also metal, take advantage of strong magnetic holders and hooks for storage on the exposed sides.

Beneath Stairs
An assortment of wooden nooks, hooks, cubbies, drawers and shelves can be custom fitted to suit your needs. This can be finished with cabinet doors or curtains.

Between Wall Studs
Shallow recessed shelving can be created between wall studs. In most homes, studs are spaced 16 inches apart. These shelves average about 3 ½ inches deep.

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Here are included a couple of short videos with additional tips on finding ways to create storage with limited space.

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WHY YOU SHOULD LEARN TO START A FIRE

If you are like most people who live with modern conveniences, you may never have considered learning how to start a fire. There are lots of articles written on the methods and tools that can be used to start a fire, but it is also important to know some reasons WHY you would want to take the time to learn this skill. It really is more than just a trick to show off to your buddies. Knowing how to start a fire can help you in several ways.

There is the psychological advantage to being able to start your own fire. The principal reason for that would be that this is a learned skill that few people in technologically advanced cultures possess. Plus others in your group will quickly realize that you are a valuable member to keep around – especially as night falls and you provide the single source of light.

Fire will help you avoid hypothermia by regulating your body temperature. Many will object that this isn't as important in warmer climates and seasons. Certainly that is a valid objection. However you will need to consider that fire can dry any wet clothing, which can contribute to a drop in core body temperature. Additionally night can bring cooler weather, even in warm regions. Cooler temperatures coupled with sweat-soaked clothing can bring on hypothermia, even in the summer season.

Smoke from a fire can be used for personal hygiene. This is valuable when water may be scarce, or if you are trying to avoid hypothermia by staying dry. Standing in the smoke of a fire can help neutralize body odor and rid the skin of harmful microbes. Additionally, smoke from a fire helps repel biting insects!

The smoke from a fire can be used as a signaling device, whether to make contact with others at a distance or to signal for rescue. Distant neighbors can know all is well when they see the smoke from your cook fire at the beginning of the day.

Of course, for cooking and disinfecting water, fire quickly establishes its value.

Naturally the time to learn this skill is BEFORE you find yourself without other means of needed heat. Even with matches or a lighter, experience is required to skillfully and efficiently start a fire. Not only that, it’s actually hard work! So, before you NEED it, NOW is the time to learn how to start a fire.

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