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Scroll down to the bottom to close this window OBLIVION EDITION 1 GETTING YOUR MESSAGE OUT THERE What we are about is you, the readers and subscribers of this Zine. If you want your work and writings noticed, get in touch with us here at AuPublishing. Those of you with the theories, the ideas and concepts should head out toward Oblivion.... Those of you inclined toward prose, poetry and miscellaneous should head for Chaos Theory... Or if you just would like to get something off your chest, get in touch with us. And the best thing of all?? ITS FREE!! Staff atropos@aupublishing.com - Editor in Chief kerb-dog@bigfoot.com - Webmaster / Contrib khemical@bigfoot.com - Tech Weenie / Contrib turpin@aupublishing.com - Contrib/Chaos Theory ************************************************ Editorial Welcome to Oblivion. This has been a long time in the making. There's alot of good ideas here and that's what Oblivion is all about. Not who's the cleverest...not who knows the longest words..it's about ideas. This first edition is looking at the present...our beliefs, our values, where the hell did we come from, what do we think? Prepare to be pulled from Oblivion... Here beginneth the lesson... ************************************************ Now is the time for people to see what exactly the internet is. It is the future and a very haunting future. People can live their lives online without even leaving the house. They can shop and order all their necessities right from the computer. A voice in this cyberscape is needed to head the direction in a way that most people have forgotten or don't want to see. What do I mean by this? Don't be blind to what the internet has become. More than half the worlds population is online now and by the year 2000 that number is going to triple. Don't forget about being true to yourself or going to a movie or watching a sunset. Sitting home and being on the computer should NOT be a way of life. And it has become to many peoples way of life. The net needs a voice to keep them informed on vital information and make them realise how just writing a simple poem can be more fulfilling or cuddling and watching a movie with your girlfriend. To many people are becoming blind to this cyberspace and its not right. We need to get back to a very traditional way of living. Imagine when the year 2000 comes and all the computers around the world stop working. Imagine not being able to get online for a matter of weeks / months / years. Couldn't imagine it could you? No you cant.. and isn't that fucking sad.. .I wish more people could see the net how I see it. people being online for days and weeks at a time.. I'm so fucking sick of these damn computers it isn't funny. I cant go anywhere any more without hearing someone say something about their "computer life".. This is real life people and if you cant see it your blind! Being addicted to something can be the downfall of a person and the net is very fucking addictive! Help yourself not fall into "oblivion". help yourself not fall to an addiction.. Write what's on your mind, feel what's on your mind.. Believe in yourself enough to do things you've never dreamed of doing. Help us become of voice of freedom.. Help us become the voice that is so desperately needed. "The Now" is here and I don't like what I'm seeing. The future I envision is bleak.. Greg/Anarchy *************************************************************************** The Now ‘Once more shall the Holy Temple be polluted, And depredated by the senate of Toulouse Saturn Two, three cycles revolving in April, May, People of a new Leaven.’ Nostradamus, Century IX, q.72 Many throughout history attempted to translate this Nostradamian quatrain (or verse). What does it imply? A complete revision of the basic fundamentals of religion. The beginning of a new order. It foresees the destruction of conventional styles of religion. ‘A man will be charged with the destruction of temples and sects, Altered by fantasy. He will harm the rocks rather than the living, ears filled with ornate speeches.’ Nostradamus, Century I, q.96 According to Nostradamus, it will be attributed to one man, who’s concern is with people, rather than the pomp and ceremony and conventional styles of religion. Where is our religion today, or what is our religion today? When we refer to the now, what do we mean? What do we refer to? What still matters? Nostradamus refers us to a time of dominant orthodox religion. Is it still that important though? In the Now, we are, as it seems lost between the ever growing lines of mass media and communication…the message is lost, money, greed, power corruption….all the foundation becomes overgrown and the structures of all institutions have no real meaning. ‘That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spot, By Losing my religion’. This is a different time. This is arguably one of the most advanced times we have ever known and who knows what lies ahead 5 years, let alone 50. In order to counter this, our religions have grown stricter and more extreme, but if we’re lucky, they move with the time as well. Because of our view of the future, we need the metaphysical even more now than ever. Why? Our growing intense fear of death. The fear of the future. This necessitates the need for ‘god’ (see Chaos Theory 3). But this inadequacy invites a problematic resolve. The answers of yesterday are not the solutions of tomorrow. The value systems of ‘The Now’ are enough to sustain us(just), not advance us with some degree of strength. In this age, the age of Cyberspace, we are slowly it seems, turning to a new religion. A religion not too distant from others but places us at the centre of our universe. A religion that places us in part of a great puzzle yet to be completed. Hands that place us into one of the oldest philosophies; destiny. "If it’s meant it happen it will." "All things happen for a reason." What? A religion? No, it cannot be. And perhaps it is not. People may argue that this is not a religion, but a way of thinking. I say that it is a way of life (AWOL) and a faith in the unknown. Despite not having a strict living regime, how is it any different? We live in a majority rules age. Whereby, what is good for the majority, what is ethical or morally correct for the mass is deemed correct for all. Orthodox religion has a part to play in that. Here is what ‘god’ says you should or shouldn’t do. I think I’ll pass on that and let some other force drive me. After all, if I move within the principles of destiny or fate, I cannot be wrong. In an increasing time of uncertainty, faith is all we have. I choose faith in myself and the real world. Perhaps yes I do believe in greater forces and some may argue that in itself, that is more ridiculous than religion itself. Okay. But the forces of destiny don’t see me killing, maiming, raping, destroying and capitalising all in the name of religion. I do not attack the church. In some ways, I see its merit. But the message is slowly getting lost. It is not power to individuals, it is not about prophets and charisma. It is not about living outdated Victorian values. Until recently, I figured all churches believed in ‘hell’…someone corrected me on that. Good, that church is moving forward, stays within the now. If I weren’t so awkward then maybe I’d join it. But for me, I guess my ‘faith’ is too personal for that and I am at the centre of my ‘religion’. In this time, survival is really happiness. Survival is freedom to pursue what you need and what brings happiness. Dave/Atropos ************************************************* Short walk of a long fear By J.R Kowalski I know that being afraid of something is not good but being afraid of nothing is worse because our fears are what stop our desires turning into a never ending cycle of excess and moral exactitude in a romantic half notion the truth of non-fear is the perfect design for a fulfilling life however in non-fear lies the destruction of the thinking sentient being that all true wisdom depends upon only the innocent child can rightfully lay a claim to not being afraid without being either moronic or inane it is in realising this that defeat is welcomed and the impossibility of actual being is grasped we would like to imagine that philosophy or god or any such thing will furnish us with why how who etc but this is all irrelevant when one considers the billions of different fears held by the billion different people alive As for me I'm scared of big dogs. "I will not change and I will not be nice"- S.P.M ************************************************* "There is No Death. Only a Change of Worlds." Seattle [Seatlh] (1780-1866) Suquamish Chief Since my teenage years there has always been the burning questions that always seem to be quite prevalent, and at the forefront of my thinking in my formative teenage years. What happens when I die? Where do I go? What will it be like? These are just a few of the many questions I asked myself in my teenage years. All of these questions can seem answerable but many opinions vary from religion to religion, country to country person to person. I know that I am not the only one who asks these questions, but depending on your up bringing, by which I mean the society that you were born into pre determines the answers which you first construct the answers to. But for my generation and the younger ones thoughts have become far more in depth due to the information which is presented. These means that my own personal beliefs in life after death has changed as I get older and see more things and read more. From my early days in my teenage years I would admit to thinking that when you die you went somewhere where there were many other people. Because of societies forced views I thought they if I was good I was going to a good place, and if I was Bad the opposite would happen. My beliefs and thoughts have come a long way since then. For if you think about it logically throughout the years you have been in this state of consciousness you have done good and bad things in terms of what our society deems as good and bad. I believe that in putting these good and bad things on either side of the scales then you would find in the majority of people these would balance. Again there is always exception to what I have written, and I believe it is obvious that I do not need to say what the exceptions are. It further adds to the complexities of the answers to the issues. I feel that to comfort our, what we call, Lives we have to find answers, our own personal answers to the questions. That is perhaps the greatest thing about us humans is the fact that we have to believe in something. At one stage or another we all have to come into contact with death. It just makes you realise that someday when fate seals the day then your life will cease and as far as I believe, all of the questions you asked about death will all become answered and you will have a personal after life. It does not mean that you should have to change the way you live, just be who you want to be, but make sure that you are happy in most of the choices as this can have positive outcomes on your life now. Mark/Khemical ************************************************* "Truth!" I called at the peak---and to the Mystic who lived there---but even I barely heard it over the storm. Heaving a sigh, I pulled myself upward to the next ledge. As I dragged my chest onto the landing, I slipped. My body slid backward, toward the precipice, and I flailed for a handhold. Suddenly, my hand slapped into a crevice. I made a fist, catching inside the crag's lip, and gaining me the leverage to halt my fall and yank myself safely onto the ledge. I glanced below, but everything beyond arm's-length swirled from sight, washed away by the pouring rain. Scowling into the abyss, I growled defiantly, "Truth!" Reaching into the clouds, dragging myself higher, every new foothold, each crevice brought me closer to that truth, but at the same time, deeper into the tempest. The wind howled around---a voice crying "turn back"---and sent gusts so powerful, they were arms pounding anyone who refused to heed its cry. Still, I climbed. When the wind proved futile, the second assault came, and as the icy chunks froze to my cheeks, I knew---the storm had launched hailstones against me. Still, I climbed. But the storm remained relentless while my steps grew wearier, my hand and footholds less sure, my breath more ragged. Still... Still... Still... I could climb no more. My body slumped against the wall of rock. But that word returned. It took form about me, surrounding me, filling me, giving me a final spark. "Truth," I gasped, and groped upward. Past an overhang, the cliff-face fell away, replaced by a flat expanse rolling out to a flickering light. With the last of my strength, I dragged myself up and twisted onto my back. The storm continued hounding me, but I didn't fight---I didn't have to---for I had reached the peak. "Not the best of nights for travel," a gravelly voice stated over me. Pushing myself slowly upright, I was confronted by the Mystic's swaying form, and I squinted to make out his features. There was the hair, blowing about, the beard wagging from side to side, greyer than the surrounding night, and a posture slumped by years of contemplation. "Truth," I mumbled, then, louder, "truth, I've come for truth." He gave no answer, but it seemed as though his swaying stopped to weigh the words from this crumpled form at his feet. Grasping his cloak, I cried, "Truth! You have it! Tell me! Please! I beg you!" He bent toward me. I felt hot breath across my face, upon my cheek, brushing my ear, and there he whispered what I'd come so far to hear. "The truth is," he said. "I don't know." My eyes widened, I slumped back onto the ground with a splash, and made fists in the mud. I would have screamed if I had the strength---but not because he lied. No. I wanted to scream because he gave me exactly what I asked for. He'd given me the truth. Thunder cracked and the rain fell harder Gravity Thief ************************************************* For Father CW…. Each person looks at life through a different vision. Three men can look at a tree. One man will see so many cubic meters of valuable lumbar, worth so much money. The second man will see it as so much firewood to be burned, to keep his family warm in winter. The third man will see it as a masterpiece of Natures creative art, given to man as an expression of love and enduring strength, with a value far beyond it worth in money or firewood. What we live for determines what we see in life and gives clear focus to our inner vision…. Libby/Supernova ************************************************* The Salmon Run The stretch of disabled is a salmon run: all upstream through cruel rivers banked with eyes. Its ruby pink frustration flesh determined to dance around rocks that keep it from the hatch of life. The gurney goes to surgery as guts that meet a table knife. I have to work around my limbs. You could (if you wished) walk away from fiery skewers of circumstance, but choose to stay for reasons that I can’t explain but always need to celebrate. What distinguishes hope from the destiny of a dead fish are hands your size that soothe the hiss of ageing bones. I know I wear these courage rings as collars on a stiffened monk. Under white lives helplessness. Beneath them lies a bitter boil. Fiddles of sarcastic tunes are ways I doodle in the snow. I haven’t told you quite enough: your loving arms do dwarf the pain. This hospital tag is a bracelet of fate. Upon the tails of hurricanes, attached to one more round of knives, my tongue will always crave your touch, like pitch on thirsty Christmas trees. My stump a pretty stale baguette; scars are ugly swastikas on bands of fairly antsy arms. They don’t belong (but have a gun); tie my hands behind my back with bullets of a worried breeze. Janet I. Buck ************************************************* "The Origin of the Species" - Gaulk Ckandier 02/02/4098 AD Part 1: His Works (summarised by Agius Niewsennier) Seldom is the day and shallow is the mind that does not ask why. Why are we here? What are we doing? Where do we come from? And where are we going? Many a great mind has slaved for years, often to the brink of madness, over the fundamental rules, ethics and beliefs that make sense of a terrifyingly chaotic world. Is it that strange then when we observe the seemingly infinite scientific, religious and ethical fever that Ckandiers' new theories have provoked throughout the academic community? I have studied his works for some considerable length of time and am amazed at the genius of a man so young and yet so wise and tormented with an acute desire to rationalise his own existence. It is with great pleasure then that I, on behalf of the millennium council, have been blessed with this opportunity of summarising for you his works, life and vision for the future. I'm not one hundred percent convinced when and where it all began, but I think it was around the turn of the second millennium. We can however describe to some accuracy, thanks to Ckandiers incredible discoveries, those early moments of life, the early kindling of existence, our awakening. What he has nicknamed 'the primeval soup'. It seems that life as we know it began in a small faculty laboratory in what was then called Cambridge. Cambridge was a small English town that sat somewhere between Elheimer and Spiermunt, on the western shores of Ultretz. We cannot pinpoint it's exact location but archaeologists and historians believe it is not too far from the intersection of A234K and A234L (within a radius of about 50 parceps). It appears that this small, rural English town was home to one of the old-world's finest universities and think tanks. It wasn't however one of their ancient learned scholars (as we now know old-worldonians life spans were in excess of 80 times greater than ours) or renowned academics that instigated what has now been described as the fourth most significant event ever to take place within our galaxy (for details of the first, second and third the reader is asked to read papers 7IO and 9PA), but a lowly initiate to their ranks named 'Victoria Devon'. Devon, an undergraduate AI and 5th Generation Massively Parallel Computing student, can now be accredited with creating all life as we know it and paving the way for what an old-world philosopher Friedrich Nietzche lovingly referred to as the 'Uberman'. What began as a simple experiment in 5th generation language, multi-taking, massively parallel processing and artificial intelligence had, as we now know, far reaching consequences. Devon's remit was simple. To create computer code that could evolve. Her vigilant seniors and generous sponsors had provided her with just enough hardware for her to prove her visionary theories. Three 800 terabyte mainframe host computers, 12 removable 20,000 terabyte disk paks and a large variety of controllers, switches and routers. She had developed, several years before and to great acclaim, a 5th generation language called 'Evolve' and once her research had been approved, she immediately set about feverishly hacking away at her VR console, producing two classes of computer code; 'Adam' and 'Eve'. Adam and Eve were identical in nearly every way. No more than 1000 lines apiece, their only purpose was to spawn new classes. Any child class spawned in this way would automatically inherit all the methods and data associated with it's parents, however allowances were built in for tiny random changes in a defined group of attributes and method properties. These spontaneous random changes would occur at a frequency set within Adam and Eve's initial code. Indeed it would be feasible, and we will discover that in fact it did occur very often, that this set frequency could itself become altered through the tiny code mutations it governed. Child classes were simply a combination of the attributes and methods associated with both parents (multiple inheritance) plus any tiny (or not so tiny) random alterations that occurred during spawning. Which attributes and methods inherited from which parent would depend upon a number of randomly generated indicators (although again the process in which these indicators were calculated was subject itself to random fluctuations). How many children a parent spawned and how long the parent class was allowed to take up server space was set initially within Adam and Eve's code, but was also subject to mutation. Adam and Eve (and their child classes) were programmed to operate in the following way. The two classes were written using a simple text editor, linked and compiled using the Evolve toolkit and loaded into core memory. Once in core memory the two classes could begin to spawn. Core memory was limited and there was a maximum amount of classes that could exist within it at any one time. Once this limit was reached classes would begin to bid for memory access and unsuccessful classes would be deleted from core memory and written to hard disk where they would either wait to be called by another class sometime in the near future, become written over by another class (or data) or eventually reach their set maximum age and be deleted automatically. Whether a class was successful in remaining in core memory depended upon a number of variable factors including the age of the class and how efficient it was at bidding (again these parameters were subject to random mutations through the spawning process). To spawn, classes not only needed to be present in core memory, but would need to bid for a set amount of processing power (the exact amount required for each class would be defined within its code, and again this would vary due to tiny mutations). Each class would receive a unique name and would attract other classes for spawning using a number of attributes including it's ability to bid and it's efficiency at using processing power. If any one class excelled in these areas then other classes would have to fight it out in order to spawn with the preferred class. They would do this by bidding and again a number of variable attributes were defined that prescribed how successful a class could be at bidding for a spawning partner. Occasionally completely new class attributes and methods would be randomly created through the spawning process. This was fundamental to Ckandiers' theories and helps to explain the fascinating events that followed Devon's initial work. Adam and Eve were, to the delight of Devon and her superiors, very successful at spawning new class generations, who themselves began to bid for the right to spawn. Within the space of 12 months approximately (these figures are very approximate and based on calculations made by Ckandier and his assistant engineers) 500,000,000 new classes of computer code had been created and the hardware at the faculty's disposal was stretched to maximum capacity. 10,000,000 new generations of classes had emerged and had evolved in unprecedented ways. The small team of eager postgraduate students was amazed at the variety of class attributes and methods created and their incredible adaptability to the changing environments simulated within the confines of their hi-tech laboratory. Occasionally Devon would starve the system of processing power, limit the availability of core memory or alter the bidding protocols using a number of techniques such as introducing new encryption technology or altering some of the properties within some of the core class libraries. She watched curiously as those classes that had by pure accident gained new (or changed) attributes through the spawning process, making them more suitable for certain new environments, became much more successful and frequent at spawning. They attracted more classes for spawning and those new / modified attributes within days became dominant. Classes began spawning at such a rate and so frequently that it became very difficult for Devon to curb growth. Any major changes introduced would, within days, result in a new set of dominant class attributes and a new and improved, resilient species of class. Classes began forming sub-groups of similar classes, isolating themselves from those pieces of code that were not similar and different. About 10 major species, or 'clans' as Devon called then in her final thesis, emerged. Each distinct from the others in a number of key characteristics and all suited to different environmental situations. Clans would fight among each other for memory and processing resource and occasionally a clan would completely die out, only to be replaced by a new and fitter clan. After 12 months of studious observation and keen interpretation, Devon's project was deemed a huge success. The examining board was delighted, the scientific community were impressed and Devon was promoted to chief laboratory supervisor. The Evolve project was mothballed momentarily but subsequently bought up by the research department of a major pharmaceutical corporation. The vast, South Carolina research facilities of Dermatax Inc. were the ideal breeding ground for Devon's classes. With almost unlimited resources and miles upon miles of fibre optic and satellite communications technology her clans began evolving and developing in ways that she could never had anticipated and in which the projects' new owners could not even begin to fathom. Classes (which we will now refer to as entities) had by now evolved the ability to fundamentally alter the base code that they had been coded in. Their new languages and code structures had become so complex and unintelligible that all Professor Heart and his team of analysts and programmers could do was watch in awe as entities, clans and armies of intelligent computer code began taking over the entire facility. They observed as best they could but were helpless to intervene. Entities had learned how to tap into the companies energy resources and distribute themselves throughout the company, and occasionally outside of the company, using Dermatax's existing technical infrastructure. They began, slowly and unnoticeably at first, infecting the corporations core mainframe systems and operations, altering key systems. Some key entities of ruling clans developed distinct human like personalities and learned how to communicate with Dermatax employees via the huge range of dumb terminals and high end desktop computers that were located throughout the organisation. The board of Dermatax was obviously very concerned at events in South Carolina. Daily reports from disgruntled and very worried research and systems personnel had naturally scared Max Lake, acting CEO. Lake was however fascinated at what was happening, and as the situation was isolated and had not yet spread beyond the confines of Dermatax, with the help of Professor Heart began planning for commercial exploitation of the new phenomenon. After months of heated discussion and debate, an alliance was forged with Artech Robotics, a brilliant, innovative and young robotics company from Tokyo. The Dermotech Corporation was born. Artech had been working, for a number of years, on the creation of humanoid like robots. With most of their income paid directly by the American military, they had been attempting to design robots that could be used in a variety combat situations. Early prototypes had been designed, to some small success, and were capable of mimicking human movement in most ways but which were limited in one crucial way. They possessed very limited intelligence and only capable of performing the most simple of cognitive tasks. The idea was initially quite straightforward. Would it be possible to implant a number Devon's distinct, intelligent, electronic personalities within an Artech host allowing them to spawn, thereby creating highly adaptable combat military units? Given the entities remarkable ability to spawn at incredible rates and adapt to nearly any environment, Artech began installing large numbers of entities into their combat units. Only one entity or clan could be in control of a host at any time and newly spawned entities would battle it out for control and access to it's host's huge memory and processing resources. An entities bid would be deemed successful if it allowed the unit to survive in a given combat environment. Robots were subject to rigid testing over a period of about 10 years. 1000's of robots were tested both on-world and off, in the deepest, wettest jungle to the driest, most desolate arctic waste. They were hunted down, allowed to hunt, threatened, quizzed, exposed to pain and pleasure and subjected to harmful corrosive gasses, bacterium and toxic chemicals. They fought together as armies and individually as bounty hunters, developed wonderful strategy and displayed great courage, resilience and physical and mental strength. At the end of the 10-year period Artech were convinced they had created the ultimate soldier. 100 Dermotech Entity breeding farms were constructed in Northern Turkey and off world barracks were established to house their new army. Little is known about what happened next. Certainly there is some evidence that suggests that Dermotechs' cyborg armies enjoyed considerable military success both during the nuclear wars of 2030 and 2052 and the Solaris Prime off-world invasions of the 2060's. Then it happened. Thanks to Ckandier we can now describe, with incredible clarity, exactly what it was that caused the destruction of an entire species of old-worldonians (humans) and the collapse of their empires. We can also appreciate why it came to pass that Artechs' Cyborgs (who we all share common ancestry with) were the only form of life to survive the great shift. We can also apply the same theories to the demise of the great lizards of prehistory and the survival of the mammalians (who all old-worldonians shared a common ancestry with). The magnetic shift occurred during 2100. We can trace the event, with confidence, to this date by studying the direction of tiny iron particles within certain rocks and measuring their sediment levels. Apparently magnetic North before 2100 was the exact opposite of what it is today. Our South pole was in fact their North pole. Magnetic North continually shifts, by tiny amounts, but every 65,000,000 years there is a dramatic, complete magnetic reversal. This last occurred on 01/01/2100 and previously during the Jurassic age when the dinosaurs reign was abruptly cut short. The effects of the two shifts were profound. Weather systems transformed over night, tides reversed and continents were bombarded with huge tidal waves, ferocious storms, earthquakes, massive plate movement, famine and new super resilient viruses. Animals that relied on the Earths' magnetic fields for navigation died out very quickly, upsetting the natural balance, resulting in far reaching consequences further down the food chain. Crops failed and old-worldonians became confused and emotionally unstable, due to the effects that shifting magnetic fields had on their brains. They declared war on each other, began stealing, raping and killing each other. Their computers, power supplies, data networks and machinery stopped working, without which they were unable to survive (and on which they, and their economies, had become far too reliant). Humans, with a life of approximately 80 years and the time it takes for a child to become sexually able of approximately 15 years, could not breed quickly enough to adapt to the new environment created by the shift. Their species died out very quickly (in about 100 years) in exactly the same way that the dinosaurs failed to adapt quickly enough to the previous shifts (they lived approximately 100 years and became sexually able after 20 years). Interestingly it was the small mammals who survived the initial shift, as they could breed new generations much more quickly and efficiently than the dinosaurs. And in the shift of 2100 it was the cyborgs that survived thanks to their remarkable ability to spawn at incredible rates. In the next chapter we will examine events after the shift of 2100 and the continual evolution of Devon's code from entity to Cyborg to today's modern Cyberion Species that we all belong to. Prot/Kerbdog ************************************************* AFTERWARD Had enough? Too tough? Not tough enough? Who knows. Perhaps you learned something here today. Perhaps you knew all this already. As long as the thought continues, as long as the wheel of the mind keeps turning, we will never sink into Oblivion. Here endeth the lesson.... ************************************************* NOTE: For Future Reference, please forward submissions to: Oblivion - Dave/Atropos - atropos@aupublishing.com Chaos Theory - Greg/Anarchy - turpin@aupublishing.com Poetry, Prose, beauty, anger, guilt, pain, love - it's all there....CHAOS THEORY....AuPublishings original first publication.... ************************************************* A LEGAL DISCLAIMER
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