Texas Governor Perry expected to disclose political future

By Jim Forsyth

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - Texas Governor Rick Perry, the nation's longest-serving governor and a failed contender for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, planned to announce Monday whether he will seek re-election next year.

Perry, 63, is best known nationally for his poor performance as a Republican candidate for the White House. During a debate in November 2011, he famously forgot the government departments he would abolish if he were elected to the White House and dropped out of the race a few weeks later.

Perry has set a 1 p.m. news conference Monday in San Antonio to make what was billed as an important announcement.

Asked on "Fox News Sunday" whether a presidential run is in the cards, Perry said: "Well, certainly, that's an option out there, but, again, we got a lot of work to do in this building right behind me over the course of the next couple of weeks that have my focus substantially more than even 2014 or 2016."

The timing of his announcement comes shortly after he rehired his former presidential campaign communications director Mark Miner, and as Perry is locked in a heated battle with Texas Democrats over restrictions on abortion.

"In Texas, the road to the governor's office goes straight through the Republican primary electorate," said Mark P. Jones, a political scientist at Rice University in Houston. "Right now, Perry retains very strong support among Republican primary voters."

Perry is motivated to overcome his embarrassing national stumble, Jones said. Perry and his consultants later blamed the debate gaffe on pain from a recent back surgery.

"Pundits and liberals and Perry opponents care far more about the 'oops moment' than do voters in the Republican primary," Jones said. "As long as he does well on the campaign trail."

Perry took office in December 2000 after then-Texas Governor George W. Bush was declared winner of the disputed presidential election over Democrat Al Gore. Perry was elected to a full term in 2002, and re-elected 2006 and 2010.

If he runs for a fourth four-year term, Perry may face what is known around Texas as "Perry fatigue." Perry is already by far the longest serving governor in Texas history, and a recent poll by the Democratic-leaning PPP polling group indicated that 60 percent of Texans don't want him to run for governor again.

A poll by Rasmussen Reports last week showed Perry running sixth among Texas Republicans for president in 2016. The leader among Texas Republicans is Ted Cruz, Texas' junior U.S. senator.

Perry brushed aside those concerns on "Fox News Sunday."

"You know, polls are polls. As a matter of fact, I think it was four years ago that showed us 25 points down to a sitting U.S. senator," Perry said.

Perry defeated Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who was considered the most popular politician in Texas, by 22 points to win the Republican primary in the 2010 governor's race.

Perry also is embroiled in a battle over abortion restrictions that made State Senator Wendy Davis a national figure and likely Democratic candidate for governor in 2014.

Democratic Party consultant Jason Stanford said the uproar over Davis may sway the governor, who opposes abortion.

"Before Wendy Davis became a national star, people weren't giving Rick Perry good odds of running for re-election," Stanford said. "Everybody assumed he would go off into the sunset and get ready to run for president... Now it looks like he's spoiling for a fight."

(Reporting by Karen Brooks in Austin and Jim Forsyth in San Antonio; Editing by Greg McCune, Barbara Goldberg, Doina Chiacu)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/texas-governor-perry-expected-disclose-political-future-185449621.html

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iPhone Still Ranks Far Above Samsung Galaxy Line In Mobile Ads, Says Velti

A lot of headlines have focused on the new Galaxy S4 as a potential iPhone challenger in terms of hype and mindshare, but mobile ad firm Velti offers a different perspective in its February summary of global exchange data from its network. The company still sees iOS and iPhone dominating among mobile advertisers, despite the rising tide of Android devices.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/babHigJSs_E/

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Two Studies Find Promising News Ways To Detect Alzheimer?s Earlier

Sleep patterns and markers in spinal fluid may hint at the first signs of the neurodegenerative disorder.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 5 million Americans have Alzheimer?s disease, and while there are no effective treatments, experts believe that detecting the disease early can help patients to strengthen memory and cognitive functions and potentially slow down the buildup of brain plaques that are the hallmark of the condition. Two studies, both published in the?Journal of the American Medical Association?(JAMA), hint at potentially encouraging ways to identify those who might be at risk, at the earliest possible stages of disease.

(MORE: Study Shows Alzheimer?s Protein May Not Spread like a Virus)

In one study from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, ?researchers found that levels of the protein amyloid, which makes up these plaques, were correlated with poor sleep quality. Previous studies in animals showed that animals that slept less tended to develop more plaques, but it wasn?t clear whether poor sleep can contribute to the formation of amyloid plaques, or whether the build up of these deposits causes disturbances in sleep.

To study the connection further, the scientists asked 145 cognitively normal individuals aged 45 to 75 who were enrolled at the Alzheimer?s disease research center to keep a diary of their sleep patterns for two weeks. The volunteers recorded when they went to bed, when the woke up in the morning, how many naps they took and whether they felt sleepy during the day. The scientists had the advantage of already having samples of the participants? spinal fluid, so they could also match up the sleep records with the level of amyloid protein in the brain of in each patient.

All of the participants slept about the same amount, but there were stark differences in the quality of that sleep. Thirty two participants showed higher levels of amyloid build-up that was classified as pre-clinical Alzheimer?s disease, and also had worse sleep quality. These volunteers were less likely to spend time their time in bed in restful, deep sleep than those with lower levels of amyloid.

MORE: New Research on Understanding Alzheimer?s

Because none of the participants were experiencing any symptoms of Alzheimer?s, the researchers believe that such sleep disturbances may be among the earliest signs of the disease, and could help to identify those at risk of developing Alzheimer?s. It?s still possible that the link between poor sleep and?Alzheimer?s?disease works both ways, and that amyloid build-up could interfere with neurological sleep functions while at the same time restless sleep could also create conditions that promote the deposit of the amyloid protein.

Either way, the scientists believe that sleep disturbances could not only help to identify the most vulnerable populations but also help in testing of new treatments. Measuring the effect that novel drugs or therapies have in improving sleep quality and lowering amyloid levels could serve as a marker for their effectiveness. ?Sleep measures themselves could be used as markers of brain function, thereby?facilitating faster and easier clinical trials of promising?treatments in the preclinical and early clinical stages of Alzheimer?s Disease,? the authors write.

(MORE: Is Alzheimer?s Caused by Contagious Proteins?)

In the second study, researchers from the University of Minnesota focused more specifically on which markers of amyloid were the best representatives of the protein?s buildup in the brain. They studied spinal fluid from 107 adults, about half of whom showed signs of Alzheimer?s or cognitive impairment, and half of whom did not. They then compared their results to those of 10 younger and?cognitively?normal controls to ensure that they were zeroing in on the most reliable markers for Alzheimer?s.

MORE: Use it or Lose it: Keeping Brain Active May Help Ward Off Alzheimer?s

For years now, scientists have known that the amyloid protein that builds up in the neurodegenerative condition actually comes from a larger protein that is broken down into various fragments. So the Minnesota researchers concentrated on two of these, the beta-amyloid trimers and beta-amyloid*56. They found that levels of these fragments were elevated among the participants who already showed symptoms of Alzheimer?s, but were lower among those who didn?t have the symptoms and among the younger controls. Levels of these compounds also increased with age, suggesting that they serve as a viable target for new treatments as well, since eliminating or hampering their aggregation might hold off some of the symptoms of Alzheimer?s.

MORE: Scientists Identify Rare Gene Mutation that Protects Against Alzheimer?s

Both methods require additional confirmation, but as experts learn more about the processes that drive Alzheimer?s, they hope to find more interventions that can reduce the severity of the disease or, ultimately prevent it altogether.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/two-studies-promising-news-ways-detect-alzheimer-earlier-153031285.html

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US boosts aid to Syrian opposition, rebel fighters

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, talks to Syrian opposition coalition leader Mouaz al-Khatib, during an international conference on Syria at Villa Madama, Rome, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The United States is looking for more tangible ways to support Syria's rebels and bolster a fledgling political movement that is struggling to deliver basic services after nearly two years of civil war, Kerry said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, talks to Syrian opposition coalition leader Mouaz al-Khatib, during an international conference on Syria at Villa Madama, Rome, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The United States is looking for more tangible ways to support Syria's rebels and bolster a fledgling political movement that is struggling to deliver basic services after nearly two years of civil war, Kerry said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, sits between Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi, right, and British Foreign Secretary William Hague during meetings at Villa Madama in Rome on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. Rome is the fourth leg of Kerry's first official overseas trip, a hectic nine-day dash through Europe and the Middle East. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

Syrian National Coalition President Mouaz al-Khatib, second from left, arrives for meetings at Villa Madama in Rome on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

ROME (AP) ? The Obama administration said Thursday that it will provide the Syrian opposition with an additional $60 million in assistance and ? in a significant policy shift ? will for the first time provide nonlethal aid like food and medical supplies directly to rebels battling to oust President Bashar Assad.

The move was announced by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at an international conference on Syria in Rome, and several European nations are expected in the coming days to take similar steps in working with the military wing of the opposition in order to ramp up pressure on Assad to step down and pave the way for a democratic transition.

"We do this because we need to stand on the side of those in this fight who want to see Syria rise again and see democracy and human rights," Kerry said. "The stakes are really high, and we can't risk letting this country in the heart of the Middle East being destroyed by vicious autocrats or hijacked by the extremists."

"No nation, no people should live in fear of their so-called leaders," he said, adding that President Barack Obama's "decision to take further steps now is the result of the brutality of superior armed force propped up by foreign fighters from Iran and Hezbollah."

Kerry and senior officials from 11 countries most active in calling for Assad to leave said in a joint statement released by the Italian foreign ministry that they had agreed in Rome on "the need to change the balance of power on the ground." It said the countries represented "will coordinate their efforts closely so as to best empower the Syrian people and support the Supreme Military Command of the Free Syrian Army in its efforts to help them exercise self-defense."

Britain and France, two countries that Kerry visited before Italy on his first official trip as secretary of state, have signaled that they want to begin supplying the rebels with defensive military equipment such as combat body armor, armored vehicles, night vision goggles and training. They are expected to make decisions on those items in the near future in line with new guidance from the European Union, which still bars the provision of weapons and ammunition to anyone in Syria.

"We must go above and beyond the efforts we are making now," said Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi, who hosted the conference. "We can no longer allow this massacre to continue."

Appearing beside Terzi and Kerry, the leader of the Syrian opposition coalition, Mouaz al-Khatib, delivered a forceful and emotional demand for Assad to stop the brutality of his forces that have in recent days launched scud missile attacks on the city of Aleppo that have been roundly condemned by much of the Western and Arab worlds

"Bashar Assad, for once in your life, behave as a human being," Khatib said. "Bashar Assad, you have to make at least one wise decision in your life for the future of your country."

The opposition has been appealing for some time for the international community to boost its support and to provide its military wing with lethal assistance, and while al-Khatib did not mention those requests, he pointedly made no reference to the new assistance that Kerry announced. Instead, he urged outside nations to support the creation of protected humanitarian corridors inside Syria, which the foreign ministers said they had "positively considered" by made no decisions.

Kerry defended the limited U.S. assistance, saying it was just part of what was being offered and that other countries would fill in any gaps. He said he was confident that the "totality" of the aid should be enough to prod Assad to start changing his calculations on remaining in power.

"We're doing this, but other countries are doing other things," he replied, without going into specifics. "I am confident the totality of this effort is going to have an impact on the ability of the Syrian opposition to accomplish its goals." Kerry said Thursday's meeting in Rome marked the "beginning of a process that will in fact change his (Assad's) calculation."

Washington has already provided $385 million in humanitarian aid to Syria's war-weary population and $54 million in communications equipment, medical supplies and other nonlethal assistance to Syria's political opposition. The U.S. also has screened rebel groups for Turkey and American allies in the Arab world that have armed rebel fighters.

But until now, no U.S. dollars or provisions have gone directly to rebel fighters, reflecting concerns about forces that have allied themselves with more radical Islamic elements since Assad's initial crackdown on peaceful protesters in March 2011.

The $60 million in new aid to the political opposition is intended to help the opposition govern newly liberated areas of Syria by aiding in the delivery of services and improving rule of law and human rights as well as to blunt the influence of extremists who have made inroads in some places.

The rations and medical supplies for the fighters will be delivered to the military council for distribution only to carefully vetted members of the Free Syrian Army, U.S. officials said.

The U.S. will be sending technical advisers to the Syrian National Coalition offices in Cairo to oversee and help them spend the money for good governance and rule of law. The advisers will be from non-governmental organizations and other groups that do this kind of work.

The foreign ministers' presentation was disrupted by one protester who called on them to "stop supporting terrorists."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-28-US-Syria/id-6244239c6e1445edbb6ef126e7d3c98b

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Bombou.com Wants To Showcase Your African Business - TechMoran

• By?TechMoran
• February 21, 2013

Read 792 times!

Bumbou.com? was created two years ago by a young Senegalese based in the North of France. His site, open to global companies interested in the African market or targeting? the 54 African Countries.

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Martin Diatta told TechMoran he launched the site after graduating with Master 2? degree in Global E-Business at the University of Lille 1 France.

He began the development of bumbou website from his dorm room, but later took an office in a french HUB called ??Ruche du Nord??? to work and develop bumbou.com with his team.

TechMoran caught up with Martin and below are his plans for Africa and global companies interested in Africa.

?

What problem do you solve?

Bumbou.com is Pan-African and gives more visibility to African businesses both in the continent and in the world. I noticed that? more and more African are on? Internet as individual person but not many companies. According to internetworldstats.com the Internet Penetration in Africa was about 15.6%? in 2012 . There are some business directories specific to each country, but Pan-African as bumbou.com there very are few. And most of the existing b2b directories are static website.

Bumbou is really in the era of? the Web 2.0. as it gives companies the possibility to manage their own profiles in French, English, Portuguese, Chinese, and soon Spanish.

?

How does it work?

Bumbou.com? platform is? a business directory. Companies can register on, create their own page and their presentation form according to their sectors and country. They can post selling or buying products? ads. The website presents another new chapter of jobs and internships destinated to Africa for recruiting companies and job or internship? seekers. The goal is for every member to create its identity through the platform to be visible both in Africa and globally. In this sense Bumbou.com is also a website for sharing experiences and correspondence between the different companies registered on site.

?

Take us through your features.

For the directory part, the? basic listing is free and open to everyone registered to have access to the information available on the website. Every member can see the detailed records of other members, and contact them by sending email through a form.

However, after the basic listing we offer a Premium Membership for members to be more visible in advertisements and other services offered are the top list in their countries and their activities.

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The job part allows any registered member to see available job offers on the website and be able to apply directly from the platform. The candidates can also post their CV online. There is also a section that provides information on economic activity and investment facilities in African countries. Through Bumbou, we post news about fairs and exhibitions taking place on the African continent. We have a particular focus on issues like renewable energy, because it is an industry that can and should be a priority for any business that wants to expand in Africa.

?

How many merchants using the site so far?

There are currently more than 2,500 companies listed on www.bumbou.com. These companies are both African and global business interested in doing business in Africa.

?

What is your business model?

The business model is based on the premium account already mentioned that enables businesses subscribers to be more visible and post free ads. The second business model is based on the ads? purchase. The third is a banner ad that is directly? sold to businesses or organizations that wish to be more visible in Africa.

?

Any competition in any of the countries you are in?

Yes there are some b2b online directories in some African countries, but the strength of Bumbou.com is its Pan-africanism. If we combine the following set: functionality, simplicity, the numbers of users and languages, we can say that Bumbou.com is in the Top 3 of B2B online directories for Africa.

?

How unique are you from them?

- www.bumbou.com goes? the web 2.0? since the beginning because it allows companies themselves to manage their card, post their ads and make the necessary changes.

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- www.bumbou.com ergonomics is simple, clear and functional in 4 languages: French, English, Portuguese and Chinese, and soon Spanish.

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- www.bumbou.com gained notoriety on the web these last two years, we are very present in the social? professional networks. So, in a few years Bumbou.com? will be the reference in Africa in terms of online b2b.

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- www.bumbou.com is carried by a hard worker and passionate man, Martin Diatta, who designs and defines the strategy and development of the website with his team. It also communicates a lot to promote this tool in Africa and worldwide.

?

Bombou founder Martin talks to TechMoran

Any Funding yet? How much? From who?

The first development was funded by Martin Diatta. But Bumbou.com had to move a bank loan and also got some help from French agencies and the Northern France Department. The amount expended during the past two years is about 20,000 euros. We always have a need for funding to develop Bumbou.com and pay future development.

?

Challenges?

Yes to become the market leader in Africa in two years! We want to be the number one of African online b2b.

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?

Any upcoming developments, like this month, next month or in a few months?

Yes, we have a lot of ideas for future development specifically in the adaptation of payment system at the African members. For example, the possibility to pay on Bumbou.com via their mobile phone.

Read 792 times!

Source: http://techmoran.com/2013/02/21/bombou-com-wants-to-showcase-your-african-business-to-the-world/

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Bulgarian government resigns amid growing protests

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria's government resigned on Wednesday after mass protests against high power prices and falling living standards, joining a long list of European administrations felled by austerity during four years of debt crisis.

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, an ex-bodyguard who took power in 2009 on pledges to root out graft and raise incomes in the European Union's poorest member, faces a tough task of propping up eroding support ahead of an expected early election.

Wage and pension freezes and tax hikes have bitten deep in a country where earnings are less than half the EU average and tens of thousands of Bulgarians have rallied in protests that have turned violent, chanting "Mafia" and "Resign".

Moves by Borisov on Tuesday to blame foreign utility companies for the rise in the cost of heating homes was to no avail and an eleventh day of marches saw 15 people hospitalized and 25 arrested in clashes with police.

"My decision to resign will not be changed under any circumstances. I do not build roads so that blood is shed on them," said Borisov, who began his career guarding the Black Sea state's communist dictator Todor Zhivkov.

A karate black belt, Borisov has cultivated a Putin-like "can-do" image since he entered politics as Sofia mayor in 2005 and would connect with voters by showing up on the capital's rutted streets to oversee the repair of pot-holes.

But critics say he has often skirted due process, sometimes to the benefit of those close to him, and his swift policy U-turns have wounded the public's trust.

The spark for the protests was high electricity bills, after the government raised prices by 13 percent last July. But it quickly spilled over into wider frustration with Borisov and political elites with perceived links to shadowy businesses.

"He made my day," said student Borislav Hadzhiev in central Sofia, commenting on Borisov's resignation. "The truth is that we're living in an extremely poor country."

POLLS, PRICES

The prime minister's final desperate moves on Tuesday included cutting power prices and risking a diplomatic row with the Czech Republic by punishing companies including CEZ, moves which conflicted with EU norms on protection of investors and due process.

CEZ officials were hopeful on Wednesday that it would be able to avoid losing its distribution license after all and officials from the Bulgarian regulator said the company would not be punished if it dealt with breaches of procedure.

But shares in what is central Europe's largest publicly-listed company fell another 1 percent on Wednesday.

If pushed through, the fines for CEZ and two other foreign-owned firms will not encourage other investors in Bulgaria, who already have to navigate complicated bureaucracy and widespread corruption and organized crime to take advantage of Bulgaria's 10-percent flat tax rate.

Financial markets reacted negatively to the turbulence on Wednesday. The cost of insuring Bulgaria's debt rose to a three-month high and debt yields rose some 15 basis points, though the country's low deficit of 0.5 percent of gross domestic product means there is little risk to the lev currency's peg against the euro.

Borisov's interior minister indicated that elections originally planned for July would probably be pulled forward by saying that his rightist GERB party would not take part in talks to form a new government.

MILLIONS GONE

GERB's woes have echoes in another ex-communist EU member, Slovenia, where demonstrators have taken to the streets and added pressure to a crumbling conservative government.

A small crowd gathered in support of Borisov outside Sofia's parliament, which is expected to approve his resignation on Thursday, while bigger demonstrations against the premier were expected in the evening.

Unemployment in the country of 7.3 million is far from the highs hit in the decade after the end of communism but remains at 11.9 percent. Average salaries are stuck at around 800 levs ($550) a month and millions have emigrated, leaving swathes of the country depopulated and little hope for those who remain.

GERB's popularity has held up well and it still led in the latest polls before protests grew in size last weekend, but analysts say the opposition Socialists should draw strength from the demonstrations.

The leftists, successors to Bulgaria's communist party, have proposed tax cuts and wage hikes and are likely to raise questions about public finances if elected.

(Additional reporting by Angel Krasimirov; editing by Patrick Graham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bulgaria-government-resigns-national-protests-073220738.html

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When It's OK to ?Sell Low?

If there?s one tidbit of investing advice that everybody has heard, it?s that you want to buy low and sell high.

But I can?t count the number of times I?ve heard from people who are making poor investment decisions because of a misunderstanding of how and when to apply the ?buy low, sell high? maxim. In reality, there are a number of times when it makes perfect sense to ?sell low.?

Tax-Loss Harvesting

As a reminder, tax-loss harvesting is when you sell an investment in a taxable account for a loss (which you can then use, subject to a $3,000 annual limit, to offset your other taxable income) and simultaneously purchase another investment that can perform a similar role in your portfolio. (You?ll want to make sure, however, that the replacement investment is not ?substantially identical? to the first investment, so as to steer clear of the wash sale rule.)

When you tax-loss harvest, you are ?selling low.? But that?s not a problem, because, with regard to your replacement investment, you?re also ?buying low? at the same time. And you achieve some tax savings in the process.

Rebalancing Between Accounts

Imagine that you recently realized you could achieve substantial cost savings by:

• Selling your bond and international stock holdings within your 401(k) in order to switch to a less-expensive U.S. stock fund, while simultaneously
• Selling your U.S. stock fund in your IRA and buying more of your bond and international stock holdings in order to keep your overall asset allocation the same.

As with tax-loss harvesting, it would be perfectly OK to ?sell low? to implement the above plan, because no matter what it is you?re selling low, you?re going to be ?buying low? at the same time, in another account.

And, as with tax-loss harvesting, you achieve some savings in the process.

The Investment Doesn?t Belong In Your Portfolio In the First Place

If you have an investment that you?ve decided no longer deserves a place in your allocation (e.g., an individual stock or a mutual fund with unnecessarily high costs), the price of that investment being less than the price you purchased it for is not a reason to keep the investment while you wait for it to ?come back.?

The only reason that you would want to keep the investment in your portfolio is if you have a reason to think it will outperform whatever you plan to (eventually) replace it with. And in most cases, if you have already decided the investment is likely to underperform over the long haul, there?s little reason to think it will outperform over the short haul.

"A wonderful book that tells its readers, with simple logical explanations, our Boglehead Philosophy for successful investing." - Taylor Larimore, author of

Source: http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/when-its-ok-to-sell-low/

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