Rev. Steve: 4/1/11

Friday, April 29, 2011

Royal Wedding or Royal Pain?

Prince William and Princess Katherine of Wales

Did you get up at 4am for the wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate? If you did, you're a better gay than I am.

I know, I'm a bad gay boy, but I really don't like weddings, even though I want to right to choose for myself whether or not to have one. A lot of my friends got up early this morning to watch, even though they have to work today. Are they out of their hi-lighted and perfectly coiffed heads?

I think a large portion of our national workforce will be suffering from sleep deprivation as they struggle to make it through their day. It's probably not a good day to be on the roads -- or in the air, for that matter. I'm really hoping our military guys and gals slept in this morning. I guess you could say that if we all watched the Royal Wedding, the terrorists win.

In fairness, Wills and Kate are an adorable couple who seem to truly love each other. She was absolutely beautiful, as was the dress. William was cute for about five minutes during his college years, but he cut a dashing figure in whatever the hell he was wearing this morning. I'm more of a Prince Harry fan anyway. There's something about a ginger.

I have no problem with William and Kate or the British royal family in general. I'm not British, so it doesn't bother me that an entire family that serves no practical purpose what-so-ever has been a huge drain on their nation's economy for several generations. You could feed the entire African continent on Elizabeth II's salary alone. Talk about a welfare queen.

It's been said that during tough economic times, huge, expensive over-the-top affairs like this help take people's minds off their troubles. There's nothing like a drunken conga line in the streets with thousands of strangers to help you forget the fact that your company is struggling, your boss has cut your hours and you're not sure if you can make your rent this month.

But the Brits don't seem to mind footing the bill for the Windsors' extravagances and from the reaction of the crowds in the streets of London, it looks like they feel they got their money's worth, although the royals could have at least sprung for an open bar.

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Prop H8ters Want Hearing to Disqualify Judge Walker, Overturn His Ruling

Last year Judge Vaughn Walker made the historic ruling that California's Proposition 8, the Mormon-financed voter initiative that banned same-sex marriage, violated the 14th amendment to the US constitution. Walker retired from the bench after the landmark case and came out publicly in an interview with Reuters earlier this month. Walker said it never occurred to him to remove himself from the case

Walker told the news service it would not be appropriate for any judge's sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin or gender to stop them from presiding over a case. "That's a very slippery slope," Walker said.

For many observers, Walker's sexual orientation was always considered an open secret. Although he has never before discussed his sexual orientation in the press, Walker disclosed to Reuters that he has been in a 10-year relationship with a physician.

The anti-equality forces have jumped all over this revelation, although they never raised the issue during the trial. Prop H8 proponents have been granted a hearing in June to look into whether Judge Vaughn Walker should have recused himself from the case, since he would directly benefit from overturning the anti-gay voter initiative.

The Associated Press reports:

Chief U.S. District Judge James Ware's order issued Wednesday said he was fast-tracking the motion involving his retired predecessor, former Chief Judge Vaughn Walker, with a June 13 hearing date.

Lawyers for the sponsors of the voter-approved gay marriage ban have asked Ware to vacate Walker's decision overturning Proposition 8 as a violation of gay Californian's civil rights.

Walker disclosed this month that he has a male partner of 10 years, but said he never considered removing himself from the case.

Judicial ethics experts say the bid to overturn the judge's ruling is unlikely to succeed.

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Eight horses dead in likely hate-crime arson in Ohio

Photo credit: Chris Crook / Zanesville Times

Reposted from San Diego Gay and Lesbian News

McCONNELSVILLE, Ohio – Eight horses, including a week-old foal and a pregnant mare, died in a blaze Sunday night in rural Ohio after an arsonist spray-painted “fags are freaks” and “burn in hell” on a barn and torching it.

The horrified property owner Brent Whitehouse tried desperately to rescue his horses, but the blaze was already out of control. He told authorities that he frantically tried to open the barn door, but the heat and flames were too intense.

“I couldn’t get the door open. I could still hear the horses kicking and I tried as hard as I could to get them out and I just couldn’t get them out in time,” Whitehouse told WHIZ News.

The flames were so hot that a tractor inside the barn melted, Whitehouse said. "It burned to the ground in a matter of minutes," he said.

The horses were valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars, authorities estimated.

"The barn I can rebuild, but the bond I had with those horses can't be replaced," he told the Zanesville Times Recorder. "I just don't understand someone wanting to kill innocent animals. It's like killing a child."

The State Fire Marshall’s Office investigated the scene and declared the fire was an arson. Because of the slurs spray-painting on the barn, authorities are also looking into the arson as a hate crime as well.

Bobbie Nelson, a friend of Whitehouse, told WHIZ News, “They obviously don’t know him very well, because he’s a sweet-hearted person and how he lives his lifestyle is nobody’s business but his own.”

A reward of up to $5,000 has offered for the capture and conviction of the arsonist.

To Bar A Gay-Straight Alliance, New Mexico School Board Nixes All Extra-Curricular Clubs

Via Change.org News Last night, the Clovis, New Mexico school board voted unanimously to ban all extra-curricular clubs during school hours on campus. Students at Clovis High School attended the school board meeting in support of starting a local Gay-Straight Alliance on campus.

Clovis High School student Steven De Los Santos spoke at the Clovis School Board Meeting last night about why a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) was needed, saying that the club is important for the community.

The ban now removes all non-extracurricular clubs during the school day and limits some clubs if approved by school administrators to meet only before or after school if space is available. This ban will affect clubs such as the Chess Club, Boy Scouts, DECA, Band and other groups that currently meet on campus.

Quack of the Week (4-27-11)

Visit QuackCity.com for more Quack Toons, featuring Buckminster Duck.
Posted with permission.

Obama releases birth certificate... AGAIN!

The dumbing down of America continues as the White House stooped to the lowest level yet to pacify a blow-hard, egomaniacal, douchebag with a horrendously bad comb-over and a Cheeto-colored spray tan. Trump lives to make people kiss his ass. Thanks for feeding this idiot's over inflated ego, Mr. President. Can we move on now?

New Wave Wednesday: "Puttin' on the Ritz", by Taco

In 1983 Reagan was living it up in the White House while scores homeless people were living about a mile away in the all but abandoned Union Station.

Joan Collins was scheming against Linda Evans on "Dynasty", AIDS was decimating our community as the rich got richer and the poor were left to fend for themselves.

It was against this backdrop that Dutch singer Taco released his rendition of the Depression-era song "Puttin' on the Ritz". Nearly three decades later, not much has changed.

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Church billboard proclaims 'Being Gay is a Gift From God'

Rev. Bill Barnard, left, & church members.THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT

Finally a church that gets it. The Central United Methodist Church in Toledo Ohio brags a membership of "a couple of dozen", according to the Toledo Blade. In an effort to increase their numbers, the church is going beyond simple tolerance of LGBT people and reaching out with love and affirmation.

“We’re expecting a vigorous conversation in this community in many forms,” said Dan Rutt, a member of Central United Methodist’s lead team.

The digital billboard at Monroe Street and Central Avenue, in Toledo’s Colony area, began displaying the slogan early Monday, and Central’s congregation — which averages “a couple dozen people” on Sunday mornings, Mr. Rutt said — has made a one-month commitment at a cost of $1,500. The billboard campaign will continue as long as funds are available, he said.

The Rev. Bill Barnard, Central’s part-time pastor, said the billboard message will be linked to a four-week sermon series, and the overall campaign goal is “to make a leap beyond tolerance.”

“Members of the congregation have experienced places and times where being lesbian or gay was tolerated — kind of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell, I know God forgives you,’” Barnard said. “We’re saying, ‘This is the way God created you. There’s nothing to forgive.’ “

As for me, I've always believed that being gay is a gift from God. It's good to see at least one mainstream church understands that.

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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

RIP Phoebe Snow (music video)

The Associated Press is reporting that singer Phoebe Snow has died.

NEW YORK — Phoebe Snow, a bluesy singer, guitarist and songwriter whose "Poetry Man" was a defining hit of the 1970s but who then largely dropped out of the spotlight to care for her disabled daughter, has died.

Snow, who was nominated for best new artist at the 1975 Grammys, died Tuesday morning in Edison, N.J., from complications of a brain hemorrhage she suffered in January 2010, said Rick Miramontez, her longtime friend and public relations representative. She was 58.

Snow's manager, Sue Cameron, said the singer endured bouts of blood clots, pneumonia and congestive heart failure since her stroke.

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Wedding card for Prince William & Kate

photo credit Equal Love

Advocates for Marriage Equality in Great Britain held a direct action event outside Buckingham Palace Monday morning to call attention to our cause. The following comes via Peter Tatchell of Equal Love.

Gay couples want the right to marry too.

London - 26 April 2011

Supporters of the Equal Love campaign presented a giant wedding card for Prince William and Kate Middleton outside the gates of Buckingham Palace yesterday, Monday 25 April.

As well as wishing the royal couple "congratulations" and "a happy life together", the campaigners highlighted the ban on gay civil marriage and urged Kate and William to support the right of same-sex couples to marry in a register office. Cupcakes with Equal Love logos were handed out to tourists and passers by. Dozens of people signed the card.

Free photos of the Buckingham Palace presentation here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/outrage/sets/72157626574683662
These photos are free to use, without charge, but please credit: Peter TatchellFoundation

The card read:
"Congratulations William and Kate on your Wedding Day. We wish you a happy life together. You can get married, gay people can't. We are banned by law. We ask you to support marriage equality. Equal=Love."

"As well as wishing the royal couple happiness, our card highlighted the fact that William and Kate can marry, but same-sex couples cannot. In democratic society, we should all be equal before the law. The ban on gay marriage is discrimination and should be repealed," said coordinator of Monday's 12 noon event, Peter Tatchell of the Equal Love campaign.

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Rachel Maddow says closeted news anchors should come out.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow recently gave an interview with UK newspaper The Guardian in which she encouraged closeted news anchors to come out. The story appeared in the Monday edition. Over the last 24 hours she has taken a lot of flack for one sentence in what was quite an extensive article.

Did Rachel Maddow out Anderson Cooper? Here is the offending paragraph:

Maddow is one of the very few gay news anchors in America – well, one of the very few openly gay news anchors. Does she feel frustration towards an equally well-known news presenter who is widely assumed to be gay but has never come out? For the first time, Maddow pauses: "I'm sure other people in the business have considered reasons why they're doing what they're doing, but I do think that if you're gay you have a responsibility to come out," she says carefully.

From what I see, interviewer Hadley Freeman worded the question in such a way as to imply that Cooper was the anchor in question, although neither she nor Maddow ever mentions him by name. Apparently that's not enough for the interwebs, where every newser, blogger and tweeter is claiming that she outed CNN's silver fox.

As I reported on this here blog thingy about a week and a half ago, Anderson Cooper was recognized for the second time on Out Magazine's Power 50 list as one of the most influential members of the LGBT community, which no one batted an eye about. Cooper ranked #3, Maddow, #4 and Fox's Shepard Smith came in at #6. Neither Smith or Cooper has ever publicly come out, but Maddow is the one who takes the heat. Sounds like blatant sexism to me.

In trying to clear up the matter, Maddow wrote on her blog last night:

"Regarding The Guardian interview that's getting a lot of pickup today: in that interview, I wasn't asked about Anderson Cooper, I didn't say anything about him, he literally was never discussed during the interview at all -- even implicitly."

"I don't tend to be shy when I criticize -- you wouldn't have to read between the lines if that's what I was trying to do."

Sometimes it's better just to leave it alone. Maddow did clarify her position when it comes to outing:

"I've long held three basic beliefs about the ethics of coming out:

Gay people -- generally speaking -- have a responsibility to our own community and to future generations of gay people to come out, if and when we feel that we can.

We should all get to decide for ourselves the "if and when we feel that we can" part of that.

Closeted people should reasonably expect to be outed by other gay people if (and only if) they prey on the gay community in public, but are secretly gay themselves.

I also believe that coming out makes for a happier life, but that's not a matter of ethics, that's just corny advice."

You might want to post that last part on your refrigerator or something.

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2 Arrests in Beating of Baltimore Trans Woman, Victim Speaks Out (video)

Teonna Monae Brown

On April 18, Chrissy Lee Polis stopped in to a Baltimore area McDonald's to use the rest room. Two young women accused Polis of using the wrong bathroom and attacked her in a vicious beating that was captured on video by a McDonald's employee.

The video of the attack was posted online and went viral over the last week. Only two people tried to intervene to stop the attack. Several others can be seen in the video looking on and and laughing. The employee has been fired.

On Friday Baltimore police arrested 18-year-old Teonna Monae Brown and charged her with one count of first degree assault and two counts of second degree assault. A 14-year-old girl has also been charged in in the attack. She is being held on a $150,000 bond.

The Baltimore Sun reports:

Scott Shellenberger, the state's attorney for Baltimore County, has said his office plans to gather additional evidence to determine whether the April 18 attack on Polis can be prosecuted as a hate crime.

Another woman filed assault charges against Brown in July, which prosecutors dropped three months later.

Sandy Rawls, founding director of Trans-United, a Baltimore-based group that fights discrimination against transgender people, said people hate what they do not understand.
"When people see us, they don't understand us. So it's an educational problem," said Rawls, a transsexual woman who lives about a mile from the McDonald's. She also blamed "a violent culture."

"'Love thy neighbor' is fading," she said.

A rally was held outside the McDonald's last night.

Polis told the Baltimore Sun in the following video the she wants to personally thank the older woman who tried to stop the attack. She also says she is afraid to go outside.

Just weeks ago legislation that would have offered the trans community protection in housing and employment died in the Maryland state senate. Protection in public accommodations (bathrooms) was taken out of the bill before it went to the full senate for a vote. Trans activists celebrated the bill's defeat and are hopeful public accommodations will be put back in the wording during the next legislative session.

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Monday, April 25, 2011

BREAKING: Clement Firm Backs Out of Boehner's DOMA Defense Case

This just in via Ben Smith at Politico.com:

In a real victory for supporters of same-sex marriage -- and marking what seems like real marginalization for its foes -- a major law firm has reversed course and will refuse to represent the House of Representatives in defending the Defense of Marriage Act.

King and Spalding Chairman Robert D. Hays, Jr., whose partner Paul Clement was to lead the defense, said in a statement through a spokesman, Les Zuke:

Today the firm filed a motion to withdraw from its engagement to represent the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the House of Representatives on the constitutional issues regarding Section III of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. Last week we worked diligently through the process required for withdrawal.
In reviewing this assignment further, I determined that the process used for vetting this engagement was inadequate. Ultimately I am responsible for any mistakes that occurred and apologize for the challenges this may have created.

The statement is silent on the reasons for the decision, but the firm faced protests at its Atlanta office and a national campaign against it. And now the House majority is looking for a new lawyer.

12:00 pm UPDATE:

Paul Clement

Metro Weekly is reporting that Paul Clement, the attorney hired by John Boehner to represent the U.S. Government in its defense of DOMA has resigned from the law firm of King & Spaulding as a result of the firm's decision to drop the case.

LGBT right activists were outraged at King & Spaulding for taking the case in light of the firm's employment diversity policy. Protests took place over the Easter weekend outside the law firm's offices.

Arrest in Ex-Gay Child Abduction Case Has Ties to Liberty University

It's been a while since we heard anything new about the child abduction case involving the daughter of Lisa Miller and Janet Jenkins. The couple were civilly unionized in Vermont in 2000, then split up in 2003, when Miller decided she wasn't a lesbian any more, moved to Bedford, Va. and joined the ex-gay movement in nearby Lynchburg.

Upon dissolving the union, a Vermont judge awarded joint custody of the women's daughter Isabella to Jenkins, which Miller refused to honor, resulting in the court awarding full custody to Jenkins. Miller fought the case in Virginia, where there is no legal recognition of same-sex relationships. The Vermont ruling was upheld by the Virginia court, which ordered Miller to surrender custody of the child to Jenkins on January 1st, 2010.

Miller was a no show at the custody exchange and went into hiding with the couple's daughter, prompting a federal kidnapping charge and an international search for the two.

MSNBC reported Friday via the AP on the arrest of a Tennessee pastor who allegedly helped the mother and daughter flee the country.

MONTPELIER, Vt. — A Tennessee pastor who allegedly helped a woman abscond to central America with her 9-year-old daughter has been charged with aiding a kidnapping, the latest twist in a long-running custody dispute between former lesbian partners.

Timothy David Miller, 34, of Crossville, Tenn., is accused of helping to arrange passage for Lisa Miller of Virginia and daughter Isabella Miller Jenkins, who have been on the run since 2009 and now are believed to be living in Nicaragua.

It doesn't appear that Timothy Miller is related to the mother. He works with an Ohio-based Christian ministry and people with links to Jerry Falwell's Liberty University may have provided a beach house where the two could live, according to an FBI affidavit.

"I know very little at this point, but I really hope that this means that Isabella is safe and well," said Lisa Miller's former partner, Janet Jenkins, of Fair Haven. "I am looking forward to having my daughter home safe with me very soon," she said in a statement released by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, which has provided legal help to her.

Parental kidnap aid alleged Timothy Miller, described by the FBI as a pastor in an Amish-Mennonite church, is charged with aiding in international parental kidnapping, which carries a potential three-year prison term. He's accused of providing Lisa Miller and the girl with travel assistance and a place to live outside the U.S.

Jim Burroway over at Box Turtle Bulletin expands on the Liberty University connection.

Page 9 of the complaint shows that at least part of the airline tickets were “approved by Timothy” and the cardholder was Elaine R. Cooper, of Brethren, Michigan. Cooper is the adoptive mother of Timothy Miller’s wife. They made travel arrangements through a Christian travel agency, Golden Rule Travel. The agent who made the arrangements was Linda Rose Miller. Lots of Millers in the mix, although the FBI’s affidavit notes that no biological relationship has been established between the travel agent and Lisa Miller, or between Lisa Miller and Timothy Miller.

But here is where the web gets interesting. On Page 15 of the complaint, Philip Zodhiates, a wealthy “Liberty Leader,” owns a beach house in Nicaragua where Lisa and Isabella had been staying. He had requested that his daughter, Victoria Hyden, “disseminate a request to get Lisa Miller supplies.”

And who is Victoria Hyden?

She’s an administrative assistant for Liberty University’s School of Law’s financial aid department.

To complete the web further, Mat Staver, head of Liberty Counsel, is also the dean of Liberty’s School of Law. Lisa Miller’s lawyer, Rena Lindevaldsen, Miller’s attorney at Liberty Counsel, is also an Associate Professor of Law at Liberty University.

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Viking Zombie Boyfriend, by Jeremy Rizza (4-25-10)

4/25/11: That’s right. As if he wasn’t cool enough already, Dill once dated a bear wizard named Bigmajestus.

I really should have Bigmajestus put in an appearance one of these days! My mind is already aswirl with ideas for his character design...

Permanent link to this week’s strip is here.

Check out Viking Zombie Boyfriend on FaceBook. It’s a great way to get site updates and background info on the week’s strips! And if you like the “3 Bears” image up top, you can get it on a t-shirt over at CafePress.

-- Jeremy Rizza

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Friday, April 22, 2011

Expectant Mom Says Ultrasound Reveals Face of Jesus

Ultrasound Jesus

Just in time for Easter, there are reports that Jesus has been spotted in some of the most unlikely places this year. A few weeks back a British woman made the news after she went for a routine ultrasound scan and saw what she believes to be the face of Jesus in the image. Personally, I don't see it.

The story reminded me that there have been other, more convincing, sightings of the carpenter from Galilee in recent years. Here are some of my favorites from my pick for Cool Site of the Week: Easter Edition, Smosh.com.

Potato Chip Jesus

Frying Pan Jesus

Cheeto Jesus

Banana Jesus

Dog Butt Jesus

Anti-Gay Montana Law Maker Outed!

On Thursday blogger Joe Jervis, over at Joe.My.God, posted that he had been contacted by a student group who plans on outing closeted Montana Rep. Kristin Hansen, who spearheaded legislation to ban all legal protection for her fellow LGBT Montanans.

In a related story, a Montana judge ruled against six couples seeking just some of the same rights as married couples. The AP reports:

District Judge Jeffrey Sherlock ruled Tuesday that an amendment to the Montana Constitution that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, has already settled the question.

He says the question of granting gay couples the benefits, without allowing them to get married, is best left to the legislative process.

The gay couples weren't asking for the right to marry in the lawsuit against the state. Rather they wanted be able to make burial, health care and other decisions, while enjoying such benefits as jointly filing taxes.

The attorney general's office countered that Montana can't extend spousal benefits to gay couples because those benefits are limited to married couples by definition.

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Coalition of News Agencies Wants Prop 8 Trial Tapes Released: Sign the Petition

I received the following e-mail this morning from The American Foundation for Equal Rights:

In the lead up to the Prop 8 trial last year, the opponents of Marriage Equality filed a motion to keep the video record of the preceding sealed. They were so afraid to let the public see them commit perjury that many of their key witnesses dropped out.

Click here to add your voice to the fight for Marriage Equality and full disclosure of the lies that are being told about us in open court. These are the same lies that NOM's Maggie Gallagher continues to tell in the halls of congress. The American people have the right to know that the lies beings used against our community have been discredited in federal court.

Sign the petition and share it with your friends, family, coworkers, church members and anyone else who believes in Marriage Equality and open justice.

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Thursday, April 21, 2011

MRI Scans Show Differences Between Liberal and Conservative Brains Video

CBS News interviewed researchers who conducted a study of 90 young adults who identified themselves as either liberal or conservative and found that liberals are better at processing conflicting information, whereas conservatives are better at being scared.

This would explain Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and the politics of fear that works so well for the GOP. It also accounts for fact that Democrats can understand that it's possible for the president to have a Muslim sounding name, but still be a Christian who was born in the U.S., while Donald trump is spending millions of dollars to prove some whacked out Birther conspiracy theory.

Maybe Lady GaGa needs to revise Born This Way to raise awareness of the plight of the poor conservatives whose brains just can't cope with all the conflicting information that's being thrown at them all day long. It's not their fault, they were born afraid.

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CNN Poll: Majority of American Now Support Marriage Equality

According to a new CNN poll released Wednesday, 51% of Americans are now in favor of same-sex marriage.

The New York Times reports:

This is the fourth credible poll in the past eight months to show an outright majority of Americans in favor of gay marriage. That represents quite a lot of progress for supporters of same-sex marriage. Prior to last year, there had been just one survey — a Washington Post poll conducted in April 2009 — to show support for gay marriage as the plurality position, and none had shown it with a majority.
As we noted last August, support for gay marriage seems to have been increasing at an accelerated pace over the past couple of years. Below is an update to the graph from last year’s article, which charts the trend from all available public polls on same-sex marriage going back to 1988.

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Friday, April 29, 2011

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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

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Monday, April 25, 2011

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Thursday, April 21, 2011

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