A Guide to Internet Safety for Kids

It would not be wrong to say that internet has conquered the world with its omnipresent tentacles. Invariably, everyone has access to internet and people are using this advanced technology for various reasons. The internet safety for kids has become a growing concern among parents. Yes, unlike the olden days, kids are now utilizing this web source for doing homework, researching for school projects, chatting with friends and indulge in other entertainment activities too. It also offers interactive games that will enhance their knowledge and sharpen their skills to a great extent. Though the internet is a boon to everyone, it also has its own set of cons that can negatively affect tender minds.

Internet helps in exploring different things by sitting comfortably at home. If you fail to take accurate measures and act prudently, then you may fall a prey to several online criminals. Kids always have the curiosity to explore World Wide Web more and more. If by chance they click on wrong, unsecured websites, the chances of being a victim will be higher. As internet knows how significant the safety of people is, it also provides security options to people. Nowadays, there are several software tools designed to keep young kids away from scammers and unwanted elements. Parents can browse through the internet security for kids guide and acquire better knowledge on this crucial subject.

With the number of online crimes increasing day by day, it becomes essential to take proper action before it is too late. Internet security for kids will be the best option to obtain the desired safety without much hassle. There are some successful programs that will help in filtering the websites. One can also block the adult content sites with the help of parent-control tool. This software will make sure that kids can browse only within limited safe websites. In simple words, it keeps them away from internet predators. Nowadays, a lot of scammers are trying to hack computers just to misuse the accounts for fraudulent activities. This can be easily prevented by installing certain beneficial software in the operating system. The exclusive software designed for internet security for kids will keep a track of what the child is browsing.

Internet security for kids is an extremely essential tool to shield children from any online crimes. Also, the parents can share the child's account so as to trace the messages exchanged over the virtual world. Being personally present with children while they are browsing the internet will prevent major damages. However, parents should make sure that such sensitive cases need to be handled prudently. Children should not consider this monitoring business as a threat to their privacy. There are several websites that gives exhaustive information on attaining internet safety for kids in the most efficient manner. However, it could also be quiet baffling to select a reliable website. This is the reason an apt research is must. One need not step out of the home to find the best help. The internet itself offers incredible solutions with the click of a button.

Dian A Meath is the author of this article on Internet Safety For Kids. Find more information, about Internet Safety For Kids here.

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Age: Measure of Maturity and Responsibility?

Ever since I became a mother at 18, I've noticed how judgmental society can be purely based on your age. It is of the consensus that the younger the parent, the less mature and less responsible they must be. Most do not believe that a "child" can raise another child, as they do not understand the selflessness that goes with it and the sacrifices that they must make in the process.

Let me take you on a walk down memory lane. When I was 14, people were planning birthday parties or talking about the boys that they had crushes on. I, on the other hand, knew what I wanted to study, where I wanted to study and was so ambitious that to me, high school was a bore. When I was 16, it was still all about the boys but now the make-up as well. By this stage, I was more interested in news stories like the drug bust of Schapelle Corby's and I remember losing interest in a boy because he could hardly sustain an intelligent conversation with me about it.

I always knew I was different, I had friends who were the same age but my maturity level was always way beyond their years. At the time, I thought it was a curse, I wondered why I couldn't just be like them - it would just be easier. But when I began University, I was befriended by people whose ages ranged from 17-55 and it made me realise that there was nothing wrong with being myself and that there were people who loved me for it.

So, back to the topic at hand: does age really determine how mature and responsible you really are? And if so, does it determine whether or not you can be a good parent?

No. I don't think so. Hubby and I took the kids to the park today, and even though a great day was had by all, I did notice something. I notice this everytime we take the kids to a playground, whether it be in an open space or in the middle of a shopping centre. I noticed that more often than not, it is the younger parents who will follow the kids around and join in on the fun. However, the older parents will be the ones who sit back with their friends and hardly even glance up at their child. Maybe these parents are simply enjoying a relaxing day with their friends, which of course they deserve; or maybe there could be a lot more to it.

A few months ago, when we were at an indoor playground, a bunch of ladies aged in their mid-30s were standing around chatting, unbeknown to them that their child had just smacked my youngest daughter in the face. I was absolutely disgusted that she was so engrossed in conversation with her friends that she did not even have the time to check that her child was playing nicely with others. I looked to my left and a man said to me: "At least one child is always hurt at these things. And there's always a group of women chatting away who never seem to be looking after their kids". He shook his head in disgust and you could tell he shared similar feelings to me.

And later on, the same group of ladies were still so engrossed in their conversation that their son had even managed to escape the playground without her knowledge. She was so busy chatting away that a bystander who was sitting down had to tell her that her son had gotten out from the gate. Imagine if nobody had told her... where would her son be now?

Let me make this clear - this is not a question of whether younger or older parents are "better" at being parents. I think it is neither. I think the answer doesn't lie within the age of a person, but more so within a person's character, their life experience and their view on life. These things determine their maturity and responsibility to be a good parent, not the biological age that they are.

I have known plenty of older parents who absolutely adore their child, and had waited until they felt they were ready enough to become a parent. But sometimes people are ready much earlier than others. And I always knew that I would get married early and have kids early.

I'm the sort of parent who will stay at home on a Saturday night to clean the bathroom vent because it's getting dusty, refuse to go out because my child is sick, and clean the house before I hop onto Facebook. I know where my priorities lie and even though I'm "only" 22 and married with 2 kids; I definitely do not act like I'm only 22.

And I think that's the important thing for people to remember, there is no right or wrong age to become a parent. If we were to follow society in making all our decisions, we would be doing ourselves a great disservice. Why? Well, because we'd be living our life according to what OTHERS did and not what we felt was right for US.

If I had waited until I was 30 to marry my husband, 35 to have kids, simply because that is what society considered "right" then I would be unhappy as of right now. Because that's not what I wanted for myself. I am not usually one to make rash decisions so when I look back on the reasons why I married my husband or why I had my kids; I know that I did the right thing. I know that I was ready. I may not be as "financially equipped" as a parent in their 30s, but I know I am equipped to love my child unconditionally and sacrifice anything I can to be a good parent to them. Some are 18 when they can promise to do that, some are 35.

So, before you judge a younger parent or even an older one, know that everybody is different and what works for some may not work for others. If a person is willing to do ANYTHING for their child, give up EVERYTHING and always put their child first, then that is SO MUCH MORE important than the years that they have been alive.

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Make Your Own Money - A Practical Guide for Teens

Being a teenager is a trying job in itself and, when it comes to asking for a little more money for your next outing with friends, life becomes really miserable. "You'll know when you'll have to earn" is a dialogue that almost all parents give, and - believe it or not - it holds some truth too. However, that shouldn't daunt you from trying your hand at earning some extra bucks.

Be it for the nice watch you're longing for or having a dignified existence, having your own money to spend is always good.

Here are some easy and practical things for you to try, so you can earn money and not be worried about the coming weekend. It can also be a practical experience for you in handling money which will save you thousands in future. So roll up your sleeves and prepare to start working.

Tuitions: Tuitions are an all-time hit with students and, if you are good at studies, then it is the best way to make some money. You can teach small kids (which requires less academics and more energy) or higher classes (including your classmates, if you're that good) depending on your talent and brains. Tuitions, apart from giving a financial advantage, help you keep in touch with your studies as well and studying becomes far easier than before.

Babysitting: One of the most popular jobs for teenagers is babysitting, which means taking care of someone else's baby when they are out, usually to afternoon meetings or late-night parties. There are some factors you should keep in mind while babysitting though, including: how big the baby is, how well you are at handling kids, how comfortable you are with kids when they go to the loo and, of course, if you know how to keep kids busy for a long time. You can take a friend along if you think you'll get bored and ask the kids parent/s to drop you home when your job is over.

A word of warning: babysit kids of people whom you know very well and always inform your parents before going and give them the phone number of the place as well.

Pet sitting: Blessed are those who can handle a child and for those of us who can't. Well, we have other options. How about trying your hand at pet sitting? Because not everyone wants tail wagging and face licking on their holidays, you can take their pets to your place and let them enjoy their holidays in peace. Pet sitting may include a full-time care (when you keep the pet at your home) or doing small things like giving them a bath, taking them out on a walk, etc. If you love animals, then this can be a rewarding experience both emotionally and financially.

Freelancing:As exciting as it sounds, freelancing can be a bit daunting while starting out, but if you look at it, it can be a great opportunity for the talented ones among you. If you can write well, take good photographs or make cards pretty neatly, the freelance market invites you with open arms. And these are just three things in the long list of things you can do. You can check out your city's local newspapers to start with, then go onto small magazines and, if everything goes well, to bigger ones. The freelance market is an exciting one and, if you are talented enough, rewards well. There is of course an initial struggle, but the sooner you do it, the better it is for your growth.

Party planning/playing host: Now, here is a job that requires backbreaking work and offers a fabulous result if you do it well. If you get all excited hearing the foot-tapping music, playing host to people at your home or simply love the fact of working with details to make your work stand out, the good news is that you can earn some money doing just that. As you know already, start small, hosting birthday parties in the neighborhood or your relatives place where a little blooper won't hurt anyone. Be ready to become a fireball, a multi-tasker, a planner, a motivator and - sometimes - a driver (yes, you read it right). Let people come and enjoy your work of art and, when all is said and done, party hard!

Fun classes: Okay, let's face it: we are not all good at studies or teaching, but that doesn't mean we can't invent some fabulous new ideas to earn some money. A very nice option comes with arranging fun classes for kids. These classes are not academic but involve many things including dancing, singing, painting, craft, poetry and anything that can be constructive and engage the kids. You can arrange these classes for longer periods during weekends because there is nothing parents want more than having some free time for themselves on Sundays. Use it to your advantage and have some jolly good time with the kids.

Catering service/cooking: This one is for the chef residing in you. If you like cooking, baking, creating new tastes through the magic of your sense of taste or making some utterly irresistible drinks (non-alcoholic of course), then you can use your talent to earn money as well. You can start offering your services to people in the neighborhood who need a helping hand, or community meetings where they need snacks and drinks. As always, start small and take help if necessary. If you are good, you can always expand your business.

These are some of the many great ideas out there which will make you able to have some money of your own in your pocket. Be creative, be bold and be ready to experiment with your talents. The most important thing is to be practical. These ideas will help you make it through the month though, not make you a millionaire. Don't neglect studies, but fit these little jobs into your free time. Have fun and enjoy those hard-earned coins!

Praveen is an entrepreneur who runs his SEO company and loves writing when not working.

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Bullying - Impact on Gay, Lesbian Children and Youth

Bullying is a real concern and increasingly a problem that most schools are addressing albeit, some more effectively than others. Bullying is affecting all levels of education, from public to private schools, from kindergarten to high school.

Children or youth who claim to be bullied say it's because they are overweight, underweight, are short, or are extremely shy, a large percentage claim it's because they are gay or lesbian or are perceived to be. Suicide rates among teens and even younger children are on the rise, much of the cause can be attributed to bullying related to the fear of homosexuality or simply, homophobia.

Children and youth who bully are not secure individuals, to bully they must feel insecure in some way. Some children put themselves down on a regular basis, emulating what they see adults doing. Often it is at home within their families that they feel most insecure. When parents tease their kids, put them down by calling them "stupid", or by saying "you can't do anything right", they are in fact putting that child down, and in a sense bullying their own children. They may take the position that they are the authority and therefore can use their power as they see fit. However, being a parent does not give anyone the right to mistreat a child. No one owns anyone else. Once a child is born, he or she becomes an autonomous individual, with a unique sense of self and self expression.

When children feel judged by their parents they feel a sense of great injustice. As many children have no healthy outlet to express those feelings of injustice, they become angry and often take that anger to the school yard; either leading them to become bullies or to become the bullied.

The teaching of morals and values in the home can have a serious impact on children and youth. If the family's values center around not accepting homosexuals, teasing overweight people, or talking negatively about people of different racial and cultural backgrounds, then in effect, that is educating the child, however prejudicially. Children are engrained with family values from a young age, they grow up and integrate these values into their psyche as if these are shared by everyone. When others don't reflect the same values, these children can become angry and resentful. Negative messages, even when normalized in the home resonate injustice in a profound way to the child. The signs can be withdrawal form school activities, extreme shyness, mild to severe depression, ADHD type symptoms, outbursts, fighting and bullying behaviour, either as victim or victimizer.

The question 'If mom and dad hate gays, do they hate me too,?" will inevitable arise in the child's mind.

Curbing negative talk, avoiding racial, homophobic and other types of slurs will definitely improve your child's mental health. In the long run, children will end up respecting their parents more when their parents show respect for themselves and others. Beginning a trend of positive reinforcement in the home that will bring back health and wellbeing is key.

Bullying can also be a direct result of your child's repressed homosexual nature. Parents are not always aware of what is really going on in their child's mind. The child could be feeling that he or she is gay or lesbian, but have no one to talk to about it. Repression of feelings can lead to depression or suicide, as well as to bulling. Read: Straight Parents, Gay Children: Keeping Families Together by Robert A. Bernstein. Talk about gays and lesbians directly, mention cases in the news, give your child a book about it, for example: It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living.

Steps to take to ensure your child doesn't become a bully or get bullied:

• Begin to improve your own level of self-confidence and sense of compassion. Start a journal and track your negative thinking. Begin to write daily affirmations that are positive and inspiring.

• Read up on the issues that most disturb you, if homosexuality is one, read up on it.

• Build your own self-respect, read The Monk Who Sold His Farari, or similar books on self-improvement.

• Stop yourself from making judgmental and offensive comments, especially in front of your children. If you do make them, apologize immediately and try not to say them again. It shows your child you have self-respect, even though you can make mistakes.

• Do not offend your child, if you do, apologize and rephrase the sentence to mean the exact opposite. For example, if you say "You can't do anything right", change to - "You do most everything well, next time you'll do this better too." Read the book "How to Talk so Kids Will Listen & Listen so Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

• Go to the library and choose books to read to your children that address inclusiveness and promote team spirit. Ask the librarian to help you. If you do not read to your children, begin now, it's never too late.
The Bully

If your child has been singled out as a bully, make sure there are consequences and that you implement them to the fullest. Consequences should not be based on punishment, rather they should have the intent to educate your child.

Here are some ideas:

• Have your child (if old enough) volunteer at a center for disadvantaged youth

- Volunteer at a local LGBT community centre

- Volunteer at a crisis phone hotline to give others support

• Write a letter on bullying and its harms. Then send it off to the injured child

• Write a story on the harmful effects on bullying, help them edit it and have it published in the school's newsletter

The Bullied

• Make time every night to talk to your child alone and ask him or her about their day

• Probe by asking what happened during the day, ask about their friends. If they don't have any, it's a cause for concern.

- Asking questions during your special time alone will help your child open up and show him or her that you care.

- Listen intently, without trying to resolve the problem, help them come up with their own solutions.

• Let your child express his or her pain, anger and frustration in a physical way. Punch a pillow, scream outside, let them release that tension somehow.

• Ask them to draw or write down what they are feeling (regarding a bullying incident) and how they could resolve it.

• Brain storm with your child how to resolve the problem, create a list and have it posted somewhere in your child's room

Many of the points mentioned in the Bullied and the Bully can be interchanged. If a child is bullying, he needs to talk about pent up anger and find an outlet for it. Be there to help your child through it.

Implementing some of these strategies will help you and your children become healthier and more secure. Bullying is not a private matter, it is one that affects children, schools and families. Help your children heal from whatever ails them. They will be grateful to you in the long run and you will feel proud of them and yourself.

Esmeralda Carvalho is a writer for Lesbian Mom Today, http://www.lesbianmomtoday.com/ a website for lesbian moms and their families to connect, talk about parenting, family, relationship, healthy living, films, travel and events.

She has an Honours BA in Sociology and Psychology, has founded a lesbian/gay association and has chaired various committees on lesbian/gay issues, parenting and health.

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4 Problems Teenagers Face and Ways to Help Control Them

The number of problems teenagers face is increasing not just generation to generation but rather day to day. With each passing day, the life of teenagers becomes more of a challenge. It's not just common problems that you may have dealt with in your days, teenage problems today are totally different and teens have to deal with drug abuse, violence, alcohol abuse as well as family issues. But, the sad part is that most parents have no clue regarding the difficulties faced by their children. The challenges are not faced by the teens alone; parents have a bigger challenge trying to deal with it.

Drug abuse and Alcohol abuse: Drug abuse and alcohol abuse is one of the major problems teenagers face today; it's evident from today's society that a large portion of our teenagers take to drugs and not a single party can go on without booze. People who begin using drugs at tender ages have a higher risk of getting addicted to it because a teenage brain isn't fully mature yet. There are various symptoms of drug abuse right from increased tolerance to complete intolerance, withdrawal from activities enjoyed earlier and various other challenges managing day to day activities. It's not just a teenage problem; if uncontrolled it will surely end up being a lifelong affair. Alcohol has devastating effects on teenagers and makes them more violent and they disrespect their parents as well.

Methods to tackle Drug abuse and alcohol abuse: You need to stop making up excuses and living in denial. Don't let your feelings come in the way of correcting your child. You may find it hard, but it would be harder to see your child suffer the rest of his/her life. Most parents let their kids return home late at night even though they're completely aware about what their kids are up to. Don't be so lenient. Put your foot down and prevent your child from getting entangled in this dangerous web. If this doesn't work, seek the help of a professional medical practitioner as soon as possible. Every moment is precious.

Alcohol abuse can easily be controlled if you and the parents of other kids get together and don't allow booze in parties. This way each family can see that there isn't any form of alcohol when parties are held at their home. You need to curtail the timings of your kids return home especially if you find them going to bars and night clubs as this is where they satisfy their thirst with alcohol.

Family issues: One of the major family issues in most of our homes is problematic marriages. Either the partners or just one of them is unhappy and causes plenty of problems at home which leads to heated arguments and in extreme cases divorce. This isn't a challenge that you as parents have to face, you'll are grown up and can handle it better. The problem arises when you have teenage kids at home, their young adults and not mature enough to accept these situations. It has a lifelong effect on their mentality. However, kids both boys and girls aren't affected as much; because, they can't understand what's going on. Amongst all the problems that teenagers face, family problems rank on top as being the most popular.

Controlling yourself - the best way to have a healthy child Both the partners need to control themselves and not have any form of heated arguments at home, especially when the children are around. Don't live like enemies under a single roof, instead talk to each other and the children as well. This won't just help your kids it will also benefit you and you'll notice that the entire family is happier.

Violence: Teenagers fight, that's natural and not a cause to worry. But, when they carry guns and knives along it could get pretty ugly. There have been and continue to be many cases wherein students carry guns to schools and exchange fire over petty arguments. This may even lead to death, if not long term injury. Violence isn't just a problem teenager's face, it's a catastrophe.

Curbing violence: The easiest way to curb violence in schools and colleges is to prevent your children from carrying guns and knives along. This could be pretty hard as teens always find ways around. Therefore, you need to sit along with your child and talk to them, counselling them about the ill effects of guns. Kids who carry guns often have many other problems that they don't share and this build up causes them to become aggressive. Therefore, maintain friendly relations with your kids and they'll speak up and lighten the burden on their minds.

For more information, help and tips on dealing with difficult teenagers please visit http://www.teenager-problems.net/.

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Teaching Your Teen to Build Self Confidence

The teenage years are some of the most emotionally-loaded stages of our lives, and it's your responsibility to make sure that your own teenage child gets through it unscathed. The more recent generations of teenagers have become more independent and seem to be growing up faster than previous generations, so that means you have to take extra care in guiding them down the right path.

Society is riddled with so many problems these days, that it's difficult to be a confident, happy teenager. Many teens these days suffer from low self esteem, and this can affect many aspects of their lives. As a parent, it's your responsibility to do what you can to help them become more confident and sure of themselves. Here are a few things you can do in order to help your teen build self confidence.

1. Listen to them. Helping your child build self-confidence starts with knowing what's going on with them. Encourage them to open up to you, and when they do, listen to what they have to say. Too many parents readily dismiss their teenagers' problems as childish, immature, or shallow, and that destroys their self esteem and makes them feel resentful toward you because you're making them seem trivial. Take what they say seriously, and pay careful attention to their feelings.

2. Treat them with respect. Even though you're the parent, you should also learn to respect your teen's opinions and suggestions when it comes to family matters. They're mature enough to offer up their own recommendations during family decision-making, so allow them to speak up and share their thoughts. This gives teens' self esteem a nice, healthy boost and helps build self-confidence. It shows them that you actually care about their thoughts and feelings and want to give them some control over their lives instead of nagging them to do things.

3. Teach them the value of walking away. Many teenagers these days tend to confront mean people head on, without realizing that sometimes this just tends to make things worse. This is not to say that you should teach your teen to be a quitter - that's ultimately detrimental to your efforts to help them build self-confidence. What this piece of advice means is that that you should teach them how to pick their fights. Sometimes just walking away from a volatile situation will help the other party cool down, and hopefully be more open to discuss a compromise later on.

4. Avoid praising them too much. It's always good to praise your teen for his or her achievements, but overdoing it will do nothing to keep their self esteem at the right levels. Praising your kid for nothing will only puff up their egos and make them arrogant, to the point that they won't really bother putting in much effort into doing their best because they know you'll praise them even if they didn't. To build self-confidence in your teen, you should provide them with a good balance of praise and criticism.

5. Learn to appreciate the things that they like. Sometimes parents make the mistake of criticizing what their children are passionate about. There have been parents who discouraged their sons from getting involved in musical theater, or have prevented their daughters from taking up sports like soccer or basketball just because they don't like those hobbies or feel that it makes the child (or them, the parents) look bad. What you need to understand is that if you want to build self-confidence in your teen, you have to support their passions. Don't force them to quit a hobby just because you don't like it yourself, and don't force them to take up something that they're not interested in!

As your teenager transitions from child to adult, you should always show them that you're there to support them and help them build confidence. With your help, they'll become promising young adults in the future, regardless of how bleak they think the future may be.

Rolando Cerrillo has devoted his life to inspiring people around the world, and helps them build self confidence by sharing his advice and life experiences.

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Solutions for Troubled Teens: Different Methods for Treating Behavioral Conditions

Teens undergo different changes that affect how they act and think. Juvenile delinquency is one of the common problems that society experiences due to teenage behavioral issues. Some of these may include massive drug, alcohol, and nicotine addiction. To treat teenagers who suffer from such dependencies, treatment centers and boarding schools for troubled teens have been established. These treatment centers have different programs that aim to alleviate behavioral issues such as rebellion, depression, and substance abuse.

Treatment centers use different methods to help troubled teens recover quickly, though the most common are via residential and clinical services. Counselors choose which method is appropriate to treat the behavioral condition of the patient. The methods include different programs that allow interaction, individual growth, and recovery from the condition. For instance, counseling and group discussion allow patients to get to know one another, their problems, and their experiences during their stay in the treatment center or boarding school.

One technique that may be used to treat teen difficulties and frustrations is the boundary structure. A product of extensive research and cognitive behavioral tests, the boundary structure examines a patient's ability to adapt to guidelines within a certain environment. This is done through interaction between the staff and patient. There are also times when family members are present during the discussions. The boundary structure helps troubled teens recognize their own boundaries, and respect those created by others. Through the boundary structure, positive values, attitudes, and behaviors are instilled.

Another method that schools for troubled youth may use to treat troubled teens is the residential framework. The residential framework differs from the boundary structure in approach and solutions. The residential framework method allows troubled teens to develop their own views by adhering to discipline and the responsibility of self-directed change. The patients' ability to adapt and take action in certain situations are enhanced in this method of recovery.

A boarding school for troubled youth must always look out for the welfare of their patients. Clinical services are available to meet this requirement. Some boarding schools and treatment centers for troubled teens have activities that encourage higher productivity, and instill morals and values. This education helps teens become more productive members of society. Clinical services also treat withdrawal syndromes and substance dependency.

For the quicker recovery of patients, residential treatment centers have a team of efficient and qualified staff. The staff can interact with the patients anytime, and are involved in the behavioral workshops and therapy sessions. Physicians and therapists are also available to monitor the improvement of their patients and provide counseling for anxiety, depression and rebellion.

If you have questions, please visit us at http://www.loganriver.com/ for complete details and answers.

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