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☆ 33-year-old once worked 100-hour weeks to save $40,000 for his robotics startup—now it's worth $633 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Such a company would be a major longshot: Loosararian had very little work experience or seed money, and no tech industry connections. After graduating college in 2013, Loosararian co-founded Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics. He worked 100-hour weeks to save "$30,000 or $40,000" and fund his startup's first few years of existence, he says. Today, Gecko Robotics is a fast-growing robotics company with $220 million in funding, including a $100 million fundraising round last year that valued Gecko at $633 million. CNBC Make It: Did you immediately believe you had a major tech startup on your hands after building a successful robot in college?

Persons: Jake Loosararian's, might've, he'd, Loosararian, There's, I'm, Aw Organizations: CNBC, Pennsylvania's, Pennsylvania's Grove City College, Robotics Locations: Pennsylvania's Grove, Pittsburgh

☆ These key 401(k) plan changes are coming in 2025. Here's what savers need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Enacted by Congress in 2022, "Secure 2.0" ushered in sweeping changes to the U.S. retirement system, including several updates to 401(k) plans. 'Exciting change' for catch-up contributionsFor 2025, employees can defer $23,500 into 401(k) plans, up from $23,000 in 2024. Shorter wait for part-time workersSecure 2.0 has also boosted access to 401(k) and 403(b) plans for certain part-time workers. Starting in 2024, employers were required to extend plan access to part-time employees who worked at least 500 hours annually for three consecutive years. "That's a very good thing for long-term part-time workers" who may have struggled to qualify for 401(k) eligibility, said Stinnett.

Persons: Tang Ming Tung, Dave Stinnett, Jamie Bosse, Dave Stinnett Vanguard's, Alicia Munnell Organizations: Getty, CNBC, Workers, CGN Advisors, America, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, Center for Retirement Research, Boston College Locations: Manhattan , Kansas, That's

☆ I wanted to have kids but my wife didn't. I chose my relationship over becoming a mom.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Brooke Havrilla | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementWhen we started dating eight years ago, my now-wife said she didn't want kids. I wanted to have kids, but I chose to put my focus on our relationship and it paid off. When starting a relationship, the topic of kids will come up at some point. I wanted to have a child, but she didn't. It was then up to me to decide if I wanted a child more than I wanted to continue loving her.

Persons: they've, That's

☆ Elon Musk teases potential MSNBC offer: 'How much does it cost?'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementElon Musk teased the idea of buying the TV network MSNBC. Elon Musk has teased the idea of buying the liberal TV network MSNBC. Musk floated the idea on social media, responding to a post on X shared by Donald Trump Jr. that said Comcast was putting the network up for sale. AdvertisementWhile there's no formal indication that Musk intends to go ahead with an offer for MSNBC, the idea has already sparked some concerns. President-elect Donald Trump.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Donald Trump Jr, Trump, Elon, Thomas Whalen, Whalen, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Chip Somodevilla, Donald J Organizations: MSNBC, Comcast, TV, Twitter, Boston University, Telegraph, Getty, Radical Left Democrats, Trump, Business Locations: Russia

☆ Trump's pick for Treasury secretary shows there's a limit to Elon Musk's influence
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Musk recently said his choice for the influential Treasury secretary role would be Howard Lutnick. As President-elect Donald Trump assembles the key players to drive his new administration's agenda, Elon Musk is rarely far away. Trump tapped hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, the founder and chief executive of Key Square Group, to be his next Treasury secretary on Friday. Bessent, a Wall Street veteran and a top economic advisor to Trump, emerged as a favorite of the president-elect while on the campaign trail this year. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump sought advice from Wall Street leaders for the Treasury spot, and his advisors told him that analysts would view Bessent as a stabilizing figure.

Persons: Elon, Donald Trump's, Musk, Howard Lutnick, Trump, Scott Bessent, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Bessent, Cantor Fitzgerald, — Organizations: Mar, UFC, of Government Efficiency, Trump, Key Square, Wall Street, Senate, Street Journal, Treasury, Business Locations: Lago, Florida, New York, Trump's, United States

☆ Meet Casey Means, the surgeon turned health influencer behind RFK Jr.'s MAHA movement
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Julia Pugachevsky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

AdvertisementDr. Casey Means and her brother Calley are helping shape RFK Jr's new approach to America's health. In a best-selling book "Good Energy," she makes a case that modern diseases are rooted in metabolic health. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a fan of Casey Means' work and views in the wellness space. Her mantra is that a healthy metabolism can reverse many health conditionsMeans' book promotes the pursuit of Good Energy, which she defined as great metabolic health. AdvertisementShe espouses popular advice around diet, exercise, and sleepThroughout the book, Means promotes widely agreed-upon health advice.

Persons: Casey Means, Calley, Dr, Marc Andreessen, Means, John McCain's, Donald Trump, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, MAHA —, Rebecca Noble, Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan's, I've, Brad Stulberg, Christy Harrison, they've, Calley Means, Matt Harbicht, Andrew Huberman, Peter Attia, Harrison, Meredith Schneider Organizations: RFK, Stanford, Department of Health, Human Services, Wall Street Journal, Good Energy, University of Michigan, pharma, Tandem Diabetes Locations: Spain

☆ I'm an engineer who left Silicon Valley for Philadelphia. I was worried about leaving the tech hub, but I love Philly's lower cost of living.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I found that I was clashing with the culture of Silicon Valley. I attributed that attitude to the Silicon Valley atmosphere. In Silicon Valley, you have a lot of Google people, a lot of Meta people, and, at the time I was there, a lot of Tesla people. An aerial view of Silicon Valley. The sustainability hub is in Silicon Valley, and moving to the other side of the country felt like I was separating myself from that.

Persons: Adam Fletcher, Fletcher, NerdWallet, unravels ChatGPT, I've, They're, we're, It's, There's, Philadelphia Jon Lovette, Philly Organizations: San, Philadelphia, Stanford, Applied Materials, East, Carbon, Carbon Reform, Eagles, Phillies, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University Locations: San Francisco, East, San Francisco , California, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, Philly, Philadelphia, Bay, Santa Clara, California, Silicon Valley, Silicon, East Coast, Rittenhouse, New York, DC

☆ The cult of the ‘Spoons’: Inside the spartan, cavernous pubs that divide Britain
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Will Noble | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Wetherspoon pubs are an institution in the UK. More than 800 Wetherspoon chain pubs freckle the country — from The Muckle Cross in Scotland to The Tremenheere in Cornwall. The Moon Under WaterA Wetherspoon pub (now closed) featuring the face of chain founder Tim Martin on its sign. Recalling a well-meaning yet beleaguered teacher from his childhood, Martin renamed the pub “Wetherspoon.” (The “J D” was a nod to J.D. “The thing about Wetherspoons pubs which differentiates them from many is that they have a very wide cross-section of customers.

Persons: London CNN — Utter, ”, George Orwell, ” Orwell, Orwell, Francophile foodies, Oxford marmalade, Biscuits, boozer, cobbling, Tim Martin, Alex Davidson, Wetherspoons don’t, Alexander Graham Bell, Sir John Borlase Warren, Tim Martin’s, Martin —, New Zealand —, “, serendipitously, Martin, Boss ” Hogg, “ The Dukes, Hazzard, George Orwell’s, ” Martin, Mortimer, ‘ ahh, I’ve, George Orwell ’, Stout, Waters, Gareth Fuller, questing, Angus, you’re, Maureen McLean, “ Mate, Wetherspoons ”, ‘, ’ ”, Thomas Frost, Orwell’s, drunks, ” Tim Martin, benedict, tipple —, Ale, Whatever’s, it’s, Boris Johnson, Henry Nicholls, Nigel Farage Organizations: CNN, London CNN, “, Oxford, Stroud, Crosse, Royal Victoria, rowdies, London's, Airport, PAL, YouTube, European Union, Getty Locations: London, Britain, Scotland, Cornwall, “, Yorkshire, England, Swansea, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Muswell Hill, North London, Norwich, New Zealand, Stroud Green, Watford, Ramsgate, City of London, Kent, Scottish, ”, Wetherspoons, Liverpool, Gatwick, South London, AFP, British, Clacton, Poland, Ireland, America

☆ I used to drink diet soda daily but cut down to avoid ultra-processed foods. Here are 3 things I learned, and what I drink now.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Rachel Hosie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementUltra-processed foods such as artificially sweetened diet sodas are linked to health problems. AdvertisementThough diet drinks are marketed as a healthier alternative, she said, "they are far from being a health drink (water is always best!)" AdvertisementI craved sweet treats lessI'd always suspected that diet sodas might lead me to crave sugary foods, but had never been sure. Artificial sweeteners in diet sodas, like aspartame or sucralose, are thought to make some people crave more sweet-tasting foods Ludlam-Raine said. AdvertisementLudlam-Raine also warned against trying to suppress hunger with diet sodas, which can lead to binge eating later in the day.

Persons: Coke, Ludlam, Raine, Pepsi Max, It's, Barry Smith, Rachel Hosie, Coke cravings Organizations: Pepsi, University of London's, Coke, Cawston Press

☆ I spent 10 years and $800,000 renovating an Arkansas missile silo. It's my greatest accomplishment, but I don't recommend others try it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

AdvertisementArkansas resident GT Hill purchased a missile silo, decommissioned in the 1980s, for $90,000 in 2010. He bought a $90,000 decommissioned missile silo and turned it into an Airbnb. If it's a Walking-Dead-style apocalypse, you don't want to be in a missile silo because then you're trapped inside. Lastly, I was interested in owning a missile silo because it's just kick ass. Courtesy of GT HillI found my missile silo, called Titan II, online.

Persons: Hill, I'm, It's, we're, We've, We'd, we've, Kara, Nate, Lynne Peeples, everybody's, it's Organizations: GT Hill, GT, Air Force, US, Titan Locations: Arkansas, Vilonia , Arkansas, Oregon, Searcy , Arkansas, Russia

☆ Bill Nighy says that his 'pay quintupled' after he starred in 'Love Actually'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Palmer Haasch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementBill Nighy's career surged after starring in the 2003 film "Love Actually." Acclaimed actor Bill Nighy says that his moderately successful career blew up — in a good way — after he starred in the 2003 Christmas film "Love Actually." Nighy starred in the Richard Curtis film as Billy Mack, a legendary rock and roll artist trying to get a No. "Love Actually" was a smash hit, and though Nighy was over 30 years into his acting career, the film revitalized it. And while the success of "Love Actually" changed his working prospects, Nighy says that it hasn't drastically disrupted his day-to-day life.

Persons: Bill Nighy's, Nighy, Bill Nighy, Richard Curtis, Billy Mack, Louise Brown, Patrick Steptoe, I'm, Hugh Grant, Tom Cruise Organizations: Netflix, British, Centre

☆ A 95-year-old who plays golf and volunteers shares her tips for health and happiness
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Serafina Kenny | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sally Froelich has been talking about aging for a long time. Froelich presented "The Sally Froelich Show" on television for 21 years. Do some exercise every dayFroelich started playing golf when she was 24 and now plays three times a week. Experts agree that exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do for healthy aging, especially strength training. She plays canasta and bridge, talks with friends on the phone, and volunteers.

Persons: Sally Froelich, Froelich, there's, Rose Anne Kenny, she's, Sally Froelich Nathan K, LeBrasseur, Robert, Arlene Kogod Organizations: New Yorker, Trinity College Dublin, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Aging, Mayo Clinic, American Cancer Society, Hope, Neuroscience Locations: New, New York City

☆ I chose not to have kids. I need to make a bigger effort to stay friends with those who did.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( April Zimmerman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sometimes, I wonder if I'd fit better in society if I had just chosen to have kids. I didn't always know I didn't want kidsI didn't always know that I didn't want kids. Then, a month before a wedding that never happened, during a final argument with my ex, he blurted out, "You don't even like kids!" Whenever I tell people my partner and I don't want kids, I often hear, "You might change your mind." With my mom friends, I'm grateful for the mutual support and happiness we share, knowing we're each living the life we've chosen.

Persons: Christa, we'd, I'd, it's, meltdowns, —, She's, We're, she's, I'm Locations: Annapolis, London

☆ A historian says the naval battle in 'Gladiator II' only got one thing wrong
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Olivia Singh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The scene is rooted in real-life naval battles that began during Julius Caesar's reign in Rome. Ridley Scott's "Gladiator II" takes a few creative liberties and diverges from history to up the ante for audiences. "Gladiator II" is set 15 years after Russell Crowe's Maximus Decimus Meridius died in the Colosseum in the 2000 movie "Gladiator." Staged naval battles really did happen in RomeA naval battle taking place at the Colosseum in "Gladiator II." AdvertisementThe sharks featured in "Gladiator II" are most likely an addition from Scott, who tends to include animals in his movies.

Persons: Julius Caesar's, Ridley Scott's, Russell Crowe's Maximus Decimus Meridius, Geta, Joseph Quinn, Caracalla, Fred Hechinger, Paul Mescal, Maximus, Connie Nielsen, Lucius, Neil Corbould, Alison Futrell, Futrell, Emperor Claudius, Scott Organizations: Paramount, National Geographic, University of Arizona Locations: Rome, Denver , Colorado

☆ Bitcoin vs. gold: State Street worries the crypto rally's allure is distracting precious metal investors
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Krysta Escobar | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The bitcoin rally is generating a false sense of security among investors, according to the strategist behind the so-called granddaddy of gold exchange-traded funds. State Street Global Advisors' George Milling-Stanley warns cryptocurrency plays don't offer the stability of gold. Milling-Stanley's comments came as his firm's SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD) celebrated its 20-year anniversary this week. It is the world's largest physically backed gold ETF, and it's up more than 30% in 2024. "But they called it mining because they wanted to seem like gold — maybe take some of the aura away from the gold."

Persons: George Milling, Stanley, cryptocurrency, It's Organizations: Street Global Advisors

☆ Insider Today: Vacation-rental red flags
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Joi-Marie Mckenzie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementThis post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter. BI's movie reviewer said that "Wicked," starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, is worth the two hours and 41 minutes. This week's dispatchGMVozd/ Getty ImagesHow to win ThanksgivingNo matter how you try to slice it, hosting Thanksgiving dinner is a task. Vacation-rental red flagsMartin Puddy/Getty ImagesAs a full-time traveler, it's fair to say Tammy Barr knows what she's doing when it comes to finding a good vacation rental. AdvertisementMore of this week's top reads:The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City.

Persons: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, It'll, she's, Ozempic Michael M, Chelsea Jia Feng, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Big, Martin Puddy, Tammy Barr, Barr, Harold Cunningham, Rebecca Zisser, Philippe, Reid, Craig Karger, Olga Rolenko, Willink, it's, Chad Michael Murray, Jamie, Claire Fraser, Dan DeFrancesco, Grace Lett, Lisa Ryan, Amanda Yen Organizations: Business, US Naval Academy, Costco, RFK, Getty, Department of Health, Human Services, Big Pharma, nab, BI, Retired Navy, Hulu, Starz Locations: New York City, New York

☆ 5 shoe trends that are in right now and 4 that are out, according to stylists
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Casey Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

AdvertisementBusiness Insider asked stylists about which shoe trends are in and out this winter. They said Mary Janes and shoes with funky prints are here to stay. On the flipside, furry boots and stilettos will likely be phased out for the season. With the seasons changing, it's time to clear off the shoe rack and swap in some fresh pairs. Business Insider asked stylists which shoe trends are in and out this winter.

Persons: Mary Janes Organizations: Business

☆ Nutritionist from Japan: The food I love eating every day—and that robust 90-year-olds in my life swear by
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Michiko Tomioka | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

I'm a nutritionist from Nara, Japan, and seaweed is one of the most nostalgic foods for me. The most lively and robust elders in my life, my 99-year-old aunt (she will be 100 in January!) and my in-laws who are 95 and 88, swear by a daily bowl of miso soup with wakame seaweed. Bonus points if I can get some red tosaka seaweed. Seaweed is a food that I will happily eat throughout my life.

Locations: Japan, Nara

☆ I got an in-store Apple Intelligence demo. Here are some useful features I hadn't spotted.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementI visited an Apple store to get a rundown of all that Apple Intelligence is offering. I visited an Apple store on Thursday morning for an Apple Intelligence tutorial. Jordan Hart/BII was impressed by Math Notes when Apple first demonstrated it at WWDC, but it was unclear which phase of Apple Intelligence it would be included in. There's also the Tips appIf you can't make it to an Apple store for a rundown, there's always the Tips app with a section on Apple Intelligence. I went through it while first exploring Apple Intelligence, but the hands-on demo in a store gave me some more details.

Persons: I've, aren't, Max isn't, you've, might've, Jordan Hart, There's, there's Organizations: Apple, Apple Intelligence, Worldwide, Conference

☆ Data centers powering artificial intelligence could use more electricity than entire cities
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The power needs of artificial intelligence and cloud computing are growing so large that individual data center campuses could soon use more electricity than some cities, and even entire U.S. states, according to companies developing the facilities. Now, with the advent of artificial intelligence, data centers are growing so large that finding enough power to drive them and enough suitable land to house them will become increasingly difficult, the developers say. Technology companies are in a "race of a lifetime to global dominance" in artificial intelligence, said Ali Fenn, president of Lancium, a company that secures land and power for data centers in Texas. Beyond VirginiaAs land and power grow more limited, data centers are expanding into new markets outside the long-established global hub in northern Virginia, Sahlstrom said. The privately-held company is working with utilities to secure up to 1.8 gigawatts of power for the site to support as many as 40 individual data centers.

Persons: Ali Fenn, Nat Sahlstrom, Sahlstrom, Phoenix — Organizations: Technology, Phoenix, CNBC, Department of Energy, Bureau Locations: U.S, Pittsburgh, Texas, Denver, Virginia, Maricopa County , Arizona, Storey County , Nevada, Reno, Buckeye , Arizona

☆ Dozens of stores you once loved that don't exist anymore
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Joey Hadden | Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

AdvertisementDeclining foot traffic and rising e-commerce have led thousands of stores to permanently close. Former household names like Borders, Circuit City, and Blockbuster are now just retail history. BI rounded up dozens of once-beloved stores that no longer have a meaningful brick-and-mortar presence. AdvertisementThe only constant is change, especially as emerging trends, shopping patterns, and e-commerce players take larger pieces of the pie. Here's a look back at some of the retail brands whose stores once greeted thousands of people each day, but are now consigned to retail's history books — or exist only online or as a tiny fraction of what they once were.

Organizations: Circuit, Blockbuster Locations: Circuit City

☆ The US is finally going to make a key explosive at home, and that's good news for the military
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But a new US Army contract for a TNT production facility in Kentucky will change that. The US intends to start making TNT at home again. The US Army plans to build a domestic production facility for the explosive compound, which the Pentagon has long been forced to obtain from overseas. Restarting domestic TNT production is an investment in the country's industrial base, she said. The new TNT production facility is expected to help strengthen the US military's preparation for large-scale conflict.

Persons: It's, John T, Kevin Sterling Payne, Bradley Martin, Oleg Petrasiuk, Cynthia Cook, Cook, Reim Organizations: TNT, US Army, Pentagon, Factory, Army, USA, Defense, Armaments and, US, Russia, 24th Mechanised Brigade, AP, Industrial, Group, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Operation Locations: Kentucky, Russia, China, Ukraine, Army's, Germany, Navy, Kyiv, South Korea, Poland

AdvertisementPresident-elect Donald Trump has started making picks for key cabinet positions and other White House jobs. He started by naming Susie Wiles his chief of staff, making her the first woman to hold the role. Here's a running list of those Trump has tapped for his administration. Now that President-elect Donald Trump has secured another four years in the White House, he's beginning to staff his administration. AdvertisementHere's a running list of Trump's staff picks, who will determine everything from his daily schedule to the ins and outs of finance, defense, and education.

Persons: Donald Trump, Susie Wiles, Here's, Trump, Trump's, Matt Gaetz Organizations: White Locations: Florida

Move over Jimmy Kimmel, there's a new late-night talker in town — in Philadelphia, that is. Former Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce announced that he will host "They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce" on ESPN during an appearance on Thursday's episode of ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" The Super Bowl champion said the hour-long show will be filmed in front of a live audience from Union Transfer in Philadelphia. Its filming location also pays homage to the film, as NFL Films originated in Philadelphia, according to ESPN. Kelce and his brother, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce, host the hit “New Heights” podcast that recently scored a $100 million deal with Amazon's Wondry.

Persons: Jimmy Kimmel, there's, Jason Kelce, It'll, I’ve, Conan O’Brien, Kelce, Travis Kelce, Amazon's Wondry Organizations: Former Philadelphia Eagles, ESPN, NFL Films, ESPN2, YouTube, Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs Locations: —, Philadelphia

Gaetz cannot return to Congress this yearWhen Gaetz submitted his resignation, that ended his official role in the current 118th Congress. Could he be sworn in for the 119th Congress? When Gaetz resigned, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Fla., expressed hope that a special election could be held in time to fill his seat quickly. So if Gaetz is able to take his seat in the 119th Congress, the panel could extend its investigation and still release its report. Prior to Gaetz withdrawing his name from consideration for attorney general, Johnson signaled he did not want the Ethics Committee to release its report.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump's, Gaetz, “, ”, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Michael Guest, Guest, Sean Casten Organizations: Congress, Florida Gov, Congressional, 119th Locations: Florida

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