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Harrower posted:The Rent could be pretty much anything. The monetary value is low (probably because Harry is broke 99% of the time because he is too dumb to get payment in advance or ask for an expense account. Or because some one else covered the real bill) , but the quality of the work done for the money could be what matters. As for what he is, he probably isn't "true" Naagloshii, as in a fallen semi divine being born at the beginning of time. He is probably either descended from one, or is a skinwalker; a mortal taught Naagloshii ways. i'm guessing he's a scion of some kind, but that just brings up more interesting questions. also with all the resources of Winter at his disposal i'm really surprised Demonreach hasn't been setup with some really neat workshop type stuff yet
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May 31, 2014 14:57
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treeboy posted:i'm guessing he's a scion of some kind, but that just brings up more interesting questions. Mab stopping people from returning his calls is probably a part of it.
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May 31, 2014 15:37
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Silento posted:Mab stopping people from returning his calls is probably a part of it. i guess im just hoping he pimps it out a bit before the next book
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May 31, 2014 15:41
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Captain Capacitor posted:Holy poo poo the Dresden Files have been optioned again. Link?
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May 31, 2014 16:27
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Rygar201 posted:Link? It was mentioned in this recording of a recent Q/A. KellHound posted:So I just got back from Jim Butcher's signing in Portland. I recorded his Q&A if anyone wants to give a listen. Here is a link to download it.
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May 31, 2014 16:56
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So I'm about a hundred pages into Storm Front and I'm really enjoying it so far. The worldbuilding and magic elements are a whole lot of fun and I like how he throws in some detective tropes as well. However, I've got to say, Harry's lack of self-confidence around women is really kind of grating and plays into all the worst "nerd who is helpless around the fairer sex" stereotypes. Does this change as the series goes on?
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May 31, 2014 17:45
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Yes.
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May 31, 2014 17:52
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Your Sledgehammer posted:So I'm about a hundred pages into Storm Front and I'm really enjoying it so far. The worldbuilding and magic elements are a whole lot of fun and I like how he throws in some detective tropes as well. However, I've got to say, Harry's lack of self-confidence around women is really kind of grating and plays into all the worst "nerd who is helpless around the fairer sex" stereotypes. Does this change as the series goes on? Yes, he gets much better by book 3 or 4, although he still has some lingering issues long after. But they're different issues after that and they're much more tolerable.
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May 31, 2014 18:10
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Harrower posted:The Rent could be pretty much anything. The monetary value is low (probably because Harry is broke 99% of the time because he is too dumb to get payment in advance or ask for an expense account. Or because some one else covered the real bill) , but the quality of the work done for the money could be what matters. As for what he is, he probably isn't "true" Naagloshii, as in a fallen semi divine being born at the beginning of time. He is probably either descended from one, or is a skinwalker; a mortal taught Naagloshii ways. The Naagloshii were corrupted by betraying the power the holy people gave them. For Goodman it could something as simple as honoring a bargain. 'Rent' being fighting the good fight while keeping his word, staving off his naagloshii/skinwalker natur. Perhaps Goodman owed Vadderung a favor.
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May 31, 2014 18:43
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treeboy posted:i'm guessing he's a scion of some kind, but that just brings up more interesting questions. I'm more curious how he got food out there, given that he can't open a way from there and the lake was iced over so a boat couldn't get out to him
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May 31, 2014 19:24
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Fried Chicken posted:I'm more curious how he got food out there, given that he can't open a way from there and the lake was iced over so a boat couldn't get out to him I'm assuming canned stuff and the occasional deer from his complaints about food while recruiting Valmont, though I think the burgers he gets for himself, Murphy and Jordan on the way back from Michael's is the first Burger King he's had in two years, what with being dead and then stuck on an island. Poor guy. (unless I missed something in Cold Days)
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May 31, 2014 19:34
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Fried Chicken posted:Proven guilty he argues with the Merlin, Changes he talks identification of it early with Luccario This is from last page, but it's stuck in my head like a popcorn kernel under my tongue. I think you mean Luccio. Lucario is a Pokémon.
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May 31, 2014 19:36
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-Fish- posted:This is from last page, but it's stuck in my head like a popcorn kernel under my tongue. Hey, maybe he's writing fanfic about what would happen if the Corpsetaker switched Luccio into a Lucario's body.. dont fanficshame pls :o
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May 31, 2014 21:05
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Clearly the final trilogy is going to be a massive crossover with Alera, so Pokemon is entirely thematically appropriate. 
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Jun 1, 2014 02:13
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Bobulus posted:
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Jun 1, 2014 02:47
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I'm assuming we're spoilering Skin Games because it just came out. I really enjoyed the whole thing, and found it worked pretty well as a heist book. Quick thoughts/impressoins/speculations as follows: I did not see Ascher having taken up a coin, but I figured something like that was part of the payment for Grey/the troll thing whose name I can't think of. Didn't see it coming for Hannah though. Especially not Lasciel. Glad to see the thread was slightly subcerted with Harry being preggers instead of it just being Lash come back from the dead. Figured she'd end up in Bob's new skull Harry made. Now he's got two kids. Wowzers. Figured that the sword wasn't done with. Expected it to be picked up and be reforged, possibly still being used before then. Did not expect Waldo Butters, Essentially Literal Jedi Knight. Him and Sanya are going to make quite the goddamned pair. I didn't care for the layers upon layers of "Planned it from the start." at the end. I liked it with Harry and Grey, that was a decent Ocean's Eleven twist to be like "the team is hosed lol nope". I am super curious as to what power the relics are supposed to have/be used for, and I'm curious as to what Nicodemus is going to use the Grail for. Need a couple more last crusade references. Butcher knows how to tug on your heartstrings with Maggie and Mouse, but the Murphy/lash/sex dream thing was a big old nope.txt And I figure The Rent to be some sort of non-fiduciary thing, and probably more about Doing Things For Some Reason. I don't know if it's supposed to be inherently good things because it was implied the guy would've just been hired by Nicodeemus originally, if Harry hadn't beaten him to the paycheck. The Naagloshii were created by failing to fulfill their purpose, to selfish to relinquish their power When Their Work Was Done. Since it's implied he's the son/scion of a Naagloshii, in addition to natural shapeshifting powers, he maybe inherited that inherent need to be obligated. So maybe he maintains his own control over his darker side by giving it a purpose. So long as he's contracted out to someone, the skinwalker side of him is suppressed and he maintains control.
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Jun 1, 2014 07:53
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A few random thoughts after finishing skin game and catching up on this thread: The bit where Harry and Maggie meet was my favorite part. When she asks if hell be her dad, it was probably the most dramatic moment since Harry killed Susan. I've always cared more about the stuff going on in his personal life than what new way he was going to save the world, so I can understand why some of you would find that bit corny. I do feel like Jim dropped the ball as far as pacing went, this time around. The middle parts felt a little meandering and rudderless, like he was just filling up pages. I feel like we should've gotten to the vault faster and stayed there longer. Also could've gone for more characterization of Ascher before the vault, so her reasons for taking the coin/being a warlock were more fleshed out. Her death was the part that felt the most rushed, because her motivations were kept under wraps for as long as they were. Harry is a former warlock himself. When he's dealt with warlocks as part of official White Council duties, he's always had more compassion and empathy with the poor kids. We should've seen Harry try to get through to her more before the end. The rape bit does seem a bit lazy/forced, but they're more a symptom than a cause, imo. Who killed Harvey? What did Tessa mean when she told Harry why she was interfering with Nicodemus' plan? Also, most of what I know about biblical stuff is from movies. What powers does the grail have? Could it make Nicodemus fully invincible? I can't wait to find out more about Harry's daughter with Lash, and I'd been most intrigued by Molly's development into the Winter Lady before Skin Game came out, more so now that we got gently caress all about her in it. Grey will also be fun to get to know. Butcher does antiheroes very well, and I'm sure he'll be no different. I bet (hope) the next book will be better. I would be OK with waiting longer for a book with more character development and less action set pieces. Overall, B-.
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Jun 1, 2014 14:16
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Mooktastical posted:Also, most of what I know about biblical stuff is from movies. What powers does the grail have? Could it make Nicodemus fully invincible?
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Jun 1, 2014 14:34
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Mooktastical posted:Who killed Harvey? What did Tessa mean when she told Harry why she was interfering with Nicodemus' plan? I'm guessing she didn't want Nic to kill their daughter to get past the gate of blood but maybe Butcher was just setting some conflict up for future books.
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Jun 1, 2014 14:54
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Wachepti posted:I'm guessing she didn't want Nic to kill their daughter to get past the gate of blood but maybe Butcher was just setting some conflict up for future books. Speaking of Holy poo poo that bug swarm scene with Tessa was loving disturbing.
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Jun 1, 2014 15:15
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Wachepti posted:I'm guessing she didn't want Nic to kill their daughter to get past the gate of blood but maybe Butcher was just setting some conflict up for future books. I got the feeling that there was more to it. In the 2nd confrontation with Harry, she says, “I have not invested fifteen centuries to see it thrown away!” I guess she just saw the long con coming, so trying to keep him from 'succeeding' was her way of conserving their assets and saving their daughter.
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Jun 1, 2014 16:33
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Tornhelm posted:Thats the thing with faith based objects like the Grail. Because its powers are based on what people believe about it, then it very likely has all of the powers attributed to it in the more popular movies/books/etc. If that's true, then maybe part of Nic's plan requires him to be away from his coin for a while. That one Denarian-user from Dead Beat makes it seem like age starts catching up with them after they've been without their coin for a while, and Nic's been living so long that there's basically no way he'd survive without his Denarian... unless he had something that popular culture suggests can give life-eternal... Not many scenarios where he'd be better off without his super-spy-shadow, though.
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Jun 1, 2014 17:16
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Mooktastical posted:I got the feeling that there was more to it. In the 2nd confrontation with Harry, she says, “I have not invested fifteen centuries to see it thrown away!” I guess she just saw the long con coming, so trying to keep him from 'succeeding' was her way of conserving their assets and saving their daughter. That was my thought originally, but in reread I think she was just talking about her daughter. It was a human moment. Deirde must be 1500 years old
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Jun 1, 2014 17:28
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Bobulus posted:
Well even in this book you've seen one situation.
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Jun 1, 2014 19:08
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Bobulus posted:If that's true, then maybe part of Nic's plan requires him to be away from his coin for a while. That one Denarian-user from Dead Beat makes it seem like age starts catching up with them after they've been without their coin for a while, and Nic's been living so long that there's basically no way he'd survive without his Denarian... unless he had something that popular culture suggests can give life-eternal... I was thinking about this a little earlier. Way back in Death Masks, the Denarians were using the Shroud of Turin (or possibly the replica thereof), which traditionally has healing properties, to create a horrible death plague. What if a similar reversal is what Nicodemus has in mind for the Grail? Maybe he plans on using it to make immortal beings (or even Outsiders) vulnerable.
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Jun 1, 2014 19:59
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I marathoned the entire book in a single sitting. I always do this and I kick myself later for it for various reasons. Still, it was worth it. Enormous spoiler text incoming. I want to like this book, and in some cases I do, but it feels like the pacing of the book was messed up. Lots of time was spent developing characters (most notably Murphy) that felt wasted. All of that effort could have been condensed into a few chapters instead of half of the entire book. I want to like Murphy, but I'm unhappy with her being good people. Originally she was defined by her job and forays outside of that tended either not to do well, or didn't do anything. The sex scene made me laugh at the end though, but only because I was reading through it because I was being stubborn. Severely disappointed with Laschiel being a minor goon. Ursiel was made to be a goon, Lash is supposed to be the temptress and webweaver. Direct confrontation is a no no. I feel like the Dresdenverse has a few too many characters and giving them all face time is difficult. I feel like there are three or four major plotlines going on: The outsiders, fomor/paranet stuff, The Fae Courts/Molly's story and the Denarians. Butcher is loathe to kill his darlings so there's this glut of characters. Even Michael who is supposed to be retired is pulled to center stage in this book. I like him too, but his character could have been retired to make way and develop new ones. I wanted more earthbound angel time. Angel grace was a macguffin to get Michael back in and I didn't like it. I get that, but a suddenly human angel can be all sorts of entertaining. Butcher really needs to kill his darlings and Murphy is at the top of this list. She either needs a new role or she needs to move aside. Also I know that the white council is not in this arc, but I would have liked a check in from both the white council and Ebenezer. The white council so they can make that pained sucking through the teeth sound before the old bastards think about how they should best kill him and get away with it. Ebenezer because hit man grandpa is the best. It's hard to believe that the vast majority of them wouldn't have poked him in any way by now minus the gatekeeper. Please no more "this is why I'm betraying you" monologues. Don't infodump reasons like a sixties bond villain. Please. Don't. No more. Please. There were things I enjoyed about this book too. First, I enjoyed the talks. People talking to Dresden to get him up to speed or get his head on straight were excellent. I especially enjoy Michael's role as confidant and beer drinking buddy, but still have tension due to Molly's status. Second, I like Maggie's introduction. I feel like it worked well. I didn't tear up at all through the book, but her scene did hit me in the chest. I just wish I could have gotten more time with her and her new sister at the end of the book. Third, I was thrown slightly by the parasite not being Lash, but by Dresden being brain pregnant. I like the implications as Bob has been moved to a minor character, or at least he's being confined mostly to a single arc and this one was not it. Dresden is getting the family he wants, which is super cool and I heartily approve. Fourth, I like the idea of a heist book. It was a solid idea and I approve of the way that this forced Dresden to work with evil bastards. He's always working opposite of them, so their motivations are often shadowy and vague. I wish that there was more individual face time with each character in order to establish motivations and set up who was going to choose what side and betray who. I get that it was there, but past the introduction there was little character development. This is especially true with Hannah (infodumped at the end), Grey and Bigfoot as they were new characters. Fifth, Butters is the best. I cheered for him so hard and foresaw none of this. Butters and Bob need their own buddy cop short story. He's a polka playing Jewish Jedi MD who swings his sword in the name of good. He's a perverted, amoral spirit of intellect who lives inside of a skull. Together they're Skull and Bones. That's it. I think that this book is solid, but it could have been better. I know you can't have Changes happening all of the time, but I wish that his editor would have talked to him about taking out a character or two in order to spread out the development time. Ice Phisherman fucked around with this message at 20:51 on Jun 1, 2014 |
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Jun 1, 2014 20:45
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Ice Phisherman posted:Fifth, Butters is the best. I cheered for him so hard and foresaw none of this. Butters and Bob need their own buddy cop short story. He's a polka playing Jewish Jedi MD who swings his sword in the name of good. He's a perverted, amoral spirit of intellect who lives inside of a skull. Together they're Skull and Bones. Pfft, screw that, I wanna see a Butters and Sanya buddy cop story.
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Jun 1, 2014 20:56
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Why not both?  Ones the Pervert, Ones the Newbie and Ones the Russian, They fight Nickleheads!
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Jun 1, 2014 20:57
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Skull and Crossbones.
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Jun 1, 2014 20:58
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I think there was a real lost opportunity by not having Thomas appear in this book at all. I mean, really, you're going to a supernatural backstabbing party and you don't even contact the white court vampire? Having Murphy lampshade that fact doesn't help either.
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Jun 1, 2014 21:00
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FordPRefectLL posted:Skull and Crossbones. Yeah now I'm sold.
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Jun 1, 2014 21:04
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FordPRefectLL posted:Skull and Crossbones. I love that whenever I think of an idea someone on SA always improves it.  I am down for Skull and Crossbones.
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Jun 1, 2014 21:10
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treeboy posted:i'm guessing he's a scion of some kind, but that just brings up more interesting questions. "I didn't choose my father, either," Grey said. "And he was a piece of work, too." Grey was tough, and healed fast, but he was still near incapacited for whole minutes by a mere gunshot. He wasn't close to being on the same power-scale as the Naagloshii Harry faced before.
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Jun 1, 2014 22:50
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Re: michael in Skin games I was also disappointed with how the Angel Grace turned out. I was expecting Uriel or Michael to die, and if it was the former, for Michael to become an Archangel or some poo poo. That'd be pretty rad, actually. Would've liked some Uriel The Nanny moments too.
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Jun 1, 2014 22:51
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SpookyLizard posted:Re: michael in Skin games Yeah, I've got to believe that angels being able to give up their grace becomes a major plot point in a later book, otherwise that was seriously dumb. The only consequence of something that insane is Uriel gets a bloody nose? No way.
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Jun 1, 2014 22:53
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Hawkgirl posted:Yeah, I've got to believe that angels being able to give up their grace becomes a major plot point in a later book, otherwise that was seriously dumb. The only consequence of something that insane is Uriel gets a bloody nose? No way. I do think that it might be very significant that Uriel murdered a free-choosing mortal of his own angelic (albeit de-powered) will. The whole point of giving the grace to Michael is that Uriel's will needs to follow rules, so the power, if separated from it, does not. But Uriel's remnant also broke the rules...
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Jun 1, 2014 23:23
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I'm pretty sure that killing was justified. Michael woulda gotten away with it, which seems to be the metric that matters
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Jun 1, 2014 23:48
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Furthermore, it was just one man killing another, right? Uriel wasn't an angel in any sense of the word at the time, was he?
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Jun 1, 2014 23:55
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I'm curious what Dresden is going to be doing with the money he now has, it's got to be in the hundreds of thousands at least from the diamonds, even though he didn't get the 2 mil from nick. Maybe he will buy a place back in chicago now.
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Jun 1, 2014 23:55
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College fund.
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Jun 2, 2014 00:05
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