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As my oncologist friends say, "A scan isn't worth much without a specialist who understands what he's looking for and a patient presenting symptoms to look for." In other words, they need to know what to look for and they need to be experienced at it. People are bad consumers of healthcare, but in large part thanks to marketing. If it makes you feel more comfortable, ask your doctor there what imaging he needs and then email your imaging from Thailand back to your doctor at home and see what he/she says. This is quite normal in international healthcare. Otherwise, yeah, the order goes: 1) Consultation 2) Imaging ->2A) Possible Futher Testing 3) Diagnostics 4) Post-Test Consultation Happy to help!
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Dec 31, 2014 16:14
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I have a fever and diarrhea, so I'm spending my NYE on the loo in the hotel.  Travelled 26 hours to Bangkok just for this.
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Dec 31, 2014 17:34
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Currently waiting for my girlfriend in the Chid lom McDonald's which is operating as a defacto public toilet for the huge crowd out of central
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Dec 31, 2014 18:44
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DanTheFryingPan posted:I have a fever and diarrhea, so I'm spending my NYE on the loo in the hotel. Negligent posted:Currently waiting for my girlfriend in the Chid lom McDonald's which is operating as a defacto public toilet for the huge crowd out of central
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Dec 31, 2014 18:53
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Finnair has a sale. Helsinki - BKK - Helsinki 599euros. God dammit. Happy new year SEA goons! I'll be back.
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Dec 31, 2014 19:07
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Chantilly Say posted:Hello, yes, please blast this general area of my body with radiation, here's $50, is that enough? An x-ray is such a small amount of radiation is not even worth taking about. With that said usually when the doctor says you don't need an x-ray he's right. In most countries where the doctors have the will to turn down a nonharmful patient request (like an x-ray), which is unusual as it's money for them or their buddies, if you really want it done all you have to do is go to another doctor and say "In here because I'm worried about XXX but my other doctor won't order an x-ray." The doctor you're seeing will then think a) that whatever you say next will probably leaf him to think the same thing but b) if they do the same as the other doctor their customer won't come back. Doctors have different styles though. Some are quite good but don't like to deal with what they see as petty discomforts -- my dad had a doctor who was refusing to adjust his medication which was causing some unpleasant side effects despite there being other medicines I knew were capable of doing the same thing that worked on different mechanisms and would be unlikely to cause those particular side effects (but could cause others). Eventually he went to a different doctor after a nurse on the first doctors staff was rude to him and the second guy was more willing to work on those sorts of things and he got his medication adjusted and no longer had to deal with the side effect that he didn't like. Does this mean the second doctor is better? Maybe. Maybe in the long run the softie doctor won't push where a push is needed and dad doesn't like the sound of it. Maybe the other doctor would have pushed too much. Maybe which doctor is best depends only on which event eventually incapacitates or kills the patient (or does not) which depends on things beyond our capacity to reliably predict, meaning they are effectively random, meaning in 40 of your incarnations doctor A the rear end in a top hat would have been better and in the other 60 doctor B the business man would have been better. And of course by 101 you'll be a monk and ready to move on to Nirvana. In general however, yes, Shibedogposterguy needs a diagnosis, not necessarily an x-ray. This isn't to say there's a diagnosis out there for everything, nor is it to say that there is a fix for every diagnosis. And the sinus issues might be unrelated to the other complaints (though after a year he probably knows whether they are or not). And an x-ray of that area may be almost useless when it comes to making a diagnosis on his issues (if this is the case it's generally easy for a doctor to tell you why it's not useful if they can be bothered). If I were in his shoes I'd probably go in to a hospital in Bangkok for a workup on it while I was there. Oh I should add though that while x-rays aren't a big deal as far as radiation does goes (many types/locations of x-rays will hit you with less extra radiation than you got on your flight to Thailand) there are other imaging types that have much higher doses and might be worth worrying about. 
raton fucked around with this message at 19:41 on Dec 31, 2014 |
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Dec 31, 2014 19:29
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Medical science in my SEA thread, dang.
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Dec 31, 2014 19:47
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Yeah that's honest truth, I was just making a dumb joke about someone going around ordering up X-rays on a hunch.
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Dec 31, 2014 22:07
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Any pointers on general travel around Bangkok? My brother is there right now and the tuktuks and taxis have been totally gouging him and his girlfriend. They haven't traveled abroad much so aren't immediately aware of when to bargain and when not to, I guess. What's the fair going rate for a tuktuk? Taxis are metered, right? And is that generally the way you should be getting around Bangkok? I don't know much about Skytrain but public transit in SEA cities was always dicey for me... They're at the H2 Hotel off the northern end of Soi Saint Louise 3 in Silom, if that means anything. Bangkok was never an area I delved into beyond one medevac visit, so I haven't been able to help him. CronoGamer fucked around with this message at 00:13 on Jan 1, 2015 |
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Jan 1, 2015 00:09
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You pay a tuktuk somewhat less than you'd pay a cab to go the same distance. If you don't know how much that is you'll get gouged whether you're Thai or not. I lived there for two years and have only ever been in a tuktuk twice -- if you're farang and especially a farang tourist the best thing to do is to flag a moving taxi and ask him to use the meter. If the driver won't or wants to bargain just get out and try again. You don't use the taxis that aren't moving because they pick spots to sit where there are suckers and therefore are grifters. Usually it's the bumpkins in the brand new moving cabs that have minimal Buddhist regalia attached that don't hassle you. If you can say "meter khap" or whatever instead of "oi matey switch on tha meter" you get less guff. At certain times and in bad weather it can be very hard to get a cab that will use the meter. This goes for Thais too. Then you just have to do your best bargaining. Get him to say the price first (find another one if he won't even do that) then offer about 1/4 of that and bargain to 1/2. You won't get the meter price in these conditions either. I always tip divers who use the meter without hassling me. Usually 10B, if the fare is 150+ maybe 20. They won't expect it. They also don't carry much change -- if you don't have exact change you'll sometimes end up overpaying at the destination because the driver won't have it either. Sometimes this is a strategy but usually it's just your usual Thai lack of preparedness. Please copypaste this to your brother and ask him if he has considered changing spouses. raton fucked around with this message at 03:42 on Jan 1, 2015 |
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Jan 1, 2015 03:37
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ReindeerF posted:Finally, some real Thailand experiences. I've been back in the US from Thailand for ~12 hours and just took my first solid bowel movement in at least a week  Also don't feel bad if you didn't go out, we are all super jetlagged so it's a nappin' NYC for us. We did walk by the Central World beer gardens in my first day of my trip, they looked pretty cool but yes loud as hell. We also brought a friend of my fiancée's back with us and it's really cute seeing her get excited by seeing her breath or a frozen pond  (it was - 12C in Chicago when we landed here, welcome to America!)
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Jan 1, 2015 04:06
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never drinking again
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Jan 1, 2015 05:52
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eviljelly posted:never drinking again Ha. What did you do last night? Let's have a beer in a few days. I'm out of here on the 9th.
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Jan 1, 2015 06:47
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Finch! posted:Ha. What did you do last night? We tried to delay beer o'clock as long as possible but people started buying bottles of whiskey at the dive shop and I have a hard time turning down drinks. HOOooo boy. Headed down to Lotus Bar and Fish Bowl and all that jazz.
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Jan 1, 2015 09:32
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Sheep-Goats posted:You pay a tuktuk somewhat less than you'd pay a cab to go the same distance. If you don't know how much that is you'll get gouged whether you're Thai or not. I lived there for two years and have only ever been in a tuktuk twice -- if you're farang and especially a farang tourist the best thing to do is to flag a moving taxi and ask him to use the meter. If the driver won't or wants to bargain just get out and try again. You don't use the taxis that aren't moving because they pick spots to sit where there are suckers and therefore are grifters. Usually it's the bumpkins in the brand new moving cabs that have minimal Buddhist regalia attached that don't hassle you. If you can say "meter khap" or whatever instead of "oi matey switch on tha meter" you get less guff. Dutifully done! He's a goon so may catch the reference, thought I'm not sure when he last checked this thread. Might have been back during pants-chat days.
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Jan 1, 2015 09:46
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Oh if your brother is a goon let me say this : he and his girlfriend are dumb. But happy new year
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Jan 1, 2015 09:54
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Seriously though, if a cab doesn't want to go by meter then just walk away and get another one. Everything is a matter of convenience/cost/time And get a sim card for your smart phone with maps and all so you have some idea where you are going. You don't need to travel abroad to know this. Or just get an uber Actually maybe he should buy a frommers guide or something like old people.
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Jan 1, 2015 09:57
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God I'm going to miss drinking in SEA. 1000 PHP for all you can drink on the roof of a luxury hostel(?) on New Years Eve. I'll get two beers for that back home.
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Jan 1, 2015 10:21
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Sassyham is back. What I tell tourists is that when you're in a tourist area (or in doubt), never talk to any person who talks to you first and never accept a taxi that is sitting roadside not moving and never take a taxi that rolls down the window when you hail it. If you're in a tourist-heavy area like Lower Sukhumvit or Khao San Road, just walk toward a large road (or, if on a large road, away from the tourists) until you get to a clearer area and hail passing taxis. I have to do this all the time when I'm in tourist areas, Thai language skill doesn't matter. One thing cabe is right about is the tourist SIM with 3G/4G, that's a must and very easy these days. Google Maps is killing it in directions here. An update early last year hosed up a lot of location addresses, but they've slowly sorted out. What it's amazing at now is transit and tracking walkable routes (in addition to having streets locked down perfectly). For the SIM card, go to any True store and refuse to leave until they install it and have it working. You can buy them at 7-11 these days too, but you might need to google around for the APN settings and then activate them by dialing in and pressing some buttons. Letting the store tech do it is easier when language can be an issue. Never take a tuk tuk, ever, in Bangkok.
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Jan 1, 2015 10:22
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Never drinking again. Still can't be vertical for more than a few seconds.
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Jan 1, 2015 10:39
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Half-life of this feeling in Thailand is approximately one day, so no worries, you'll be ready by the weekend!
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Jan 1, 2015 10:59
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eviljelly posted:never drinking again i think i'm gonna go down to the dive shop and have a beer
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Jan 1, 2015 11:12
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ReindeerF posted:Half-life of this feeling in Thailand is approximately one day, so no worries, you'll be ready by the weekend! Now that I have confirmation that I wasn't a complete rear end, I'll be back out by the end of the day.
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Jan 1, 2015 11:22
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eviljelly posted:i think i'm gonna go down to the dive shop and have a beer
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Jan 1, 2015 11:22
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Speaking of sketchy fuckers I remember Holly wood had a scam. Dudes walk up to you offering free CDs and then autographing it. They then try to charge you and guilt trip you into paying them. When a person said "well I already signed it" I just laughed and moved on.
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Jan 1, 2015 11:31
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^^^ The oldest scam in NYC I think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKbTn_J7zoE raton fucked around with this message at 13:39 on Jan 1, 2015 |
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Jan 1, 2015 12:09
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Dammit guys, I was not planning to have a drink tonight, but now I feel like it's my expatriotic duty. Anyone want to come to my birthday party saturday?
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Jan 1, 2015 13:53
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The guy in the back has his shirt ripped open and I hear an English accent in there - Tytan? http://nullrefer.com/?https://www.facebook.com/Khmer440/posts/937067709648327 Actually, sound quality sucks, but I would've guessed them for Eastern European/Russian or possible Middle Eastern-ish from the bits of accent and mode of dress on the two on the right (larger, being hit by the women), English for the two on the left. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 13:22 on Jan 2, 2015 |
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Jan 2, 2015 13:20
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CronoGamer posted:Dutifully done! He's a goon so may catch the reference, thought I'm not sure when he last checked this thread. Might have been back during pants-chat days. Great advice from sheep-goats. Also echoing Reindeer in that you should never take tuk-tuks in Bangkok ever. I never found that being able to speak some Thai phrases actually helps too much with bargaining. Especially in the bigger cities, but I guess it's the thought that counts. Anyway, in terms of travelling within Bangkok: For a couple, the Skytrain works out to be about the same cost as a taxi, sometimes cheaper. For bigger groups, a taxi would definitely be cheaper. The Skytrain is super convenient in that you don't have to deal with haggling or hoping a cab driver turns on the meter, it's also mostly faster. It was always my first choice if my destination was near a BTS station or something. The MRT system is pretty good too. The little black plastic token system they use is pretty cool. It was also a great way to get rid of the shitload of Thai coins I had before I had to fly back home.
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Jan 2, 2015 20:57
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I will be going to Cambodia (from Thailand) in a few days, largely because I learned that one could shoot a cow with an RPG for a modest fee. Has anyone here done it? or know where you can? General advice is cool too.
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Jan 3, 2015 07:23
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Sneaky Fast posted:I will be going to Cambodia (from Thailand) in a few days, largely because I learned that one could shoot a cow with an RPG for a modest fee. Has anyone here done it? or know where you can? General advice is cool too. You suck
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Jan 3, 2015 07:42
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eviljelly posted:You suck I find the idea of this hilarious but the reality is rather disturbing. Eugh. Just ask the first tuktuk driver who speaks English well. Alternatively, your hotel/guesthouse will probably have a fixer who won't judge. Heard of similar stuff in Vietnam, but Cambodia definitely is the place where rules just... explode if you hit em with an RPG of money. FWIW, I would think anyone who came home with a story of actually doing this, not just hearing about it, was a total sociopath. Pixelante fucked around with this message at 08:00 on Jan 3, 2015 |
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Jan 3, 2015 07:54
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I have no issues with killing the cow, they used to barbecue the tendons if possible, heh. It's no longer possible to shoot a cow with an RPG for obvious reasons, though. Actually, I'm sure it's *possible* since we're talking about Cambodia, but it would definitely be off the menu and you'd have to arrange it yourself and pay a lot more.
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Jan 3, 2015 08:10
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eviljelly posted:You suck Pixelante posted:I find the idea of this hilarious but the reality is rather disturbing. Eugh. Just ask the first tuktuk driver who speaks English well. Alternatively, your hotel/guesthouse will probably have a fixer who won't judge. Heard of similar stuff in Vietnam, but Cambodia definitely is the place where rules just... explode if you hit em with an RPG of money. You always have a winner when the question "strangest thing you have done" is asked. Having said that, duly noted.
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Jan 3, 2015 08:17
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I talked to a guy who shot an RPG at a goat. You get one RPG for the whatever you pay (200 bucks?) whether it's a dud or not and his happened to be a dud. So he shot it with an AK74. Some villagers were waiting around for him to do it and ate the goat afterward. He said he had planned to shoot a cow but the cow was too expensive. The Cambodian guy showed him how to use the RPG first by blowing up a fence post and demonstrating how the sight works but when he shot his RPG it just plowed into the dirt in front of the goat without going off. I thought it was a cool story at the time but these days I probably wouldn't. This was about ten years ago and it may very well be the case that you can't do it any more. There are better ways to spend your money, especially in Cambodia, where you whole cow/RPG fantasy will probably cost about 700 bucks, and where you could have just donated that money to some orphanage and made an actual difference in the lives of some people. Because I'm human garbage though I'll tell you that the way you used to do this was to hail a mototaxi driver in Phnom Phen and make shooting gestures and he'd drive you out to the Army run range.
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Jan 3, 2015 08:26
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Sneaky Fast posted:I will be going to Cambodia (from Thailand) in a few days, largely because I learned that one could shoot a cow with an RPG for a modest fee. Has anyone here done it? or know where you can? General advice is cool too. Urggghhh someone once told a story about an idiot foreigner who went to Cambodia, asking to play "boom boom" and was brought to a brothel and the social idiot wondered why the women kept removing their clothes. I could never remember the ending. Was it in this thread or somewhere else?
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Jan 3, 2015 08:27
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I meant to post in the thread earlier, but I've been off the grid in Halong Bay. NYE in Hanoi worked out great, was walking aimlessly looking for something to do and happened upon the Bia Saigon Countdown Party. Sander van Doorn djing and a dapper Vietnamese man MCing who I couldn't understand. Had a really great time, even dead sober due to poor planning. Toddlers raving on parents shoulders, communist imagery nearby, surreal. Halong Bay was really great. Can't recommend Indochina Junk enough. No crowds, no pollution, great food. Our guide had a heavy Australian accent but was totally Vietnamese, very funny. Excited to fly to Bangkok tomorrow afternoon, get some warmer weather.
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Jan 3, 2015 08:42
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The RPG always seems like a waste of money to me anyway. I had plenty fun with the assault rifles (shooting coconuts, not cows), but then that may be because I don't get to play with guns in my home country  ReindeerF posted:The guy in the back has his shirt ripped open and I hear an English accent in there - Tytan? Yeah you caught me, that's me in the blue dress.
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Jan 3, 2015 10:39
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Tytan posted:Yeah you caught me, that's me in the blue dress.
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Jan 3, 2015 10:53
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Tytan posted:The RPG always seems like a waste of money to me anyway. I had plenty fun with the assault rifles (shooting coconuts, not cows), but then that may be because I don't get to play with guns in my home country My brother has a .50 cal sniper rifle that we shoot sometimes when we're feeling like spending five bucks on a bullet. If you want you can shoot a car with it and it'll crack the engine block and kill the car. He walked into a gun store and paid them money and walked back out with it.   
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Jan 3, 2015 11:20
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