Sunday, January 29, 2012

Arbitrary Flogging?

In response to Lashlover’s comment on Part 1 of Flogged on the March, I decided to write a post.  Lashlover makes an interesting point that the theme of punishments being meted out for committing no crime or doing nothing wring is persistent thorough literature and cinema—even on this blog.  Why would that theme be so pervasive? 

I think that, like Chris pointed out in a comment on our Poll: Strip it Off or Rip it Off, the image of a man bravely obedient to authority, even if that authority is used unjustly, is a strong one.   It says a great deal about the man submitting that he will brave his back because the law says he should do so.

But Lashlover also raises the question about how prevalent flogging for minor (or no) offense would have been in real life.  We know that punishments were ordered with such zeal in the British Army that the King of England eventually had to limit floggings to 1,000 lashes.  If that many can be awarded by a court-martial, disciplinary floggings in the normal course of duty must have been carried out with accepted regularity.  The governing principle for centuries in militaries throughout the world was that soldiers would only fight if they feared their own officers more than they feared enemy guns (this philosophy is still used to a great extent to instill military discipline in modern armies, but that isn’t really relevant for a flogging blog—although I wish it were). 

In order to maintain that effect, officers would have to constantly prove that they—and they alone—wielded violence.  The most effective way to do that is to keep punishment firmly planted in the forefront of their minds.  A soldier would always carefully consider his actions out of fear of harsh punishment, especially if he regularly witnessed floggings, and saw how indifferent the officers were to the screams of his comrades writing under the lash.

And officers who understood that no man would make a move to stop a flogging he ordered would have no incentive not to brutalize his men.  I am not suggesting that all officers acted this way, but like Major Sir Henry Simmerson in the Sharpe series, entitled aristocratic twits were widespread throughout the British office corps for centuries.  The character even remarks to another officer, “You have no understanding of the British soldier.  He is a brute in a red coat.  They need the lash!”  This was probably a very common opinion which was acted upon with fanaticism. 

Even American colonists, when tensions began to mount between Britain and the colonies, referred to British Army soldiers as “bloody backs”, which suggests that flogging was a common (probably the only) means of punishment employed against them.  Having served in a military (both as an enlisted soldier and as an officer) which does not have flogging as an option, I find it particularly hard to believe that crime would be so rampant in the ranks—of an army deployed for combat—that punishment would need to be so incessant as to make the civilian population remark upon it.

Which leads us to, I believe, an answer to Lashlover’s concern.  Intentional criminal acts were probably rare (although not as rare as you would find in a modern army), but the officers needed an excuse to keep the men fearful of their lawful authority to summarily strip them to the waist and flog skin off their backs.  Therefore, officers, either by natural inclination or by adherence to their duty, would find any minor fault—even so much as un-shined boots during a formal inspection—as reason to seize a man up. 

Given that 1,000 lashes eventually had to be placed as a limit, an award of 50 lashes for “failure to show proper respect for the uniform” would not have raised an eyebrow among either the men witnessing it or officers who later reviewed the Regimental record.

55 comments:

  1. Especially in times of peace and when in barracks, the need to maintain discipline lest things get lax would indicate that the regimental cats not be idle in their green baize bags and that likely lads in the company, those seen as exemplars of young, virile manhood, be regularly brought up to the halberts on any excuse to have their backs bared and flayed raw with at least 50 lashes with right and left cats as an example to all. The call to The Lash would be made without hesitation as instinctive and manly. Rig those halberts and well lay on....at will.

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  2. Well said, Anonymous on Jan 30. Hardbodied young soldiers and sailors baring their backs, bare chests pressed against the halberts or grating and feeling the flail of a rawhide or hemp whip tails laid on with power and muscle across their backs and shoulders only makes them harder and tougher men. Showing thewir comrades how they too can take and endure the sharp burn and sting of the whip. The lash teaches naked, brutal hardwon and hardearned masculinity.
    Mike

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    1. Really like the image of their bare chests pressed up hard against the warm, sweaty grating, heaving and writhing under the rythmic rise and fall of the hissing, knotted tails of the cat o' nines. For a young man, a great way to encourage the growth of virile chest hair and another reason for a man to have a hairy chest to matt against the grating when undergoing regular punishments. The grating is especially pleasing a restraint as the culprit is so tautly spread eagled to it as to have him "hug" it under the agony of the Lash, defining and stressing his back and shoulder muscles as he truly is made to feel the delicious cuts o' the tails when well laid on as they must be across a young man's bare back.

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    2. Always good to see the stripped body of a young man stretched taut while the sentence for Punishment is read out to the company of other young men...also stripped in the hot sun for the ceremony of the LASH. Every man knows the terrible pain of the stinging WHIP, the anguish of the stripes being painted onto the writhing flesh.....there is no escape from the completion of the scourging. The man to be WHIPPED has been spread-eagled so tautly that he cannot spoil the accuracy of his two WHIPMASTERS! They are chosen for their expertise and devotion to the art of the LASH.....They have also stripped, and their muscles flex on display as they bend to their task.....THE WHIPPING OF A MAN.....COMMENCE PUNISHMENT!

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    3. Having the men witnessing punishment also having to strip to their waists is hot, the urge to do so among the young lads seeing the spectacle of a formal flogging at the gratings or halbards, the culprit baring his back proudly and his physique beautifully displayed as he's stretched wide and taut to received the dozens of stripes, and the bare-chested musular whip masters preparing their beautiful cat o' the nines to "well lay on" would be irresistable. They would want to bare their own bodies to show their mate under punishment they are fully partaking in the magnificent manly spectacle of The Lash as if offering their own bare backs. So yes, "All Strip to Witness Punishment!"

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    4. We seem to agree on the spectacle and traditions of the LASH.....we should talk together.....

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    5. chat me up anytime about the ultimate pain endurance of the whip.

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    6. Like to hear from you MrMotocall!! up for a very relaxed and intense session of being introduced to my "best friend", Mike Murphy?? if youre a true whip fan you know who he is!! floggingman@gmail.com

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  3. Making the witnesses strip to the waist would toughen them up. They'll have felt more involved with the flogging and would know what their backs would endure when the time came.

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  4. All of the sailors or other warriors set down for flogging must be stripped to the waist ready for their turn. Standing side by side muscles tensed knowing whats ahead and manning up for agonizing lashes, tested like men. Mike

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  5. The way MEN unite with each other under the LASH......stripped and ready for the shared ordeal of the stinging stripes...and later....admiring the stripes on each other and sharing stories of past WHIPPINGS!!!! Some of the older men display their permanent LASH stripes proudly.....

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    1. crossed weals from left & right?? across shoulders?? floggingman @ gmail.c0m

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  6. We need a poll here for all men who have felt the whip in real shirtless sessions and what instruments have been used like cat o nine, hemp cat (one of my favorite whips) or bullwhip.

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    1. Hey Mike, Buddy et al,
      Do you have any idea what happened to Richie? He seemed to be your greatest fan!

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    2. Great idea! I'm going to post my best bullwhipping pics.
      Wolf

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    3. Whiphand, I don't know where he is. Always felt we were on the same wavelength when it came to the lash and shirtless stripped to the waist hardcorps masculine punishment. Wolf, let's see those bullwhip pics. A bullwhipping is the summa cum laude of the male flogging experience. Take that like a champ and you know you're a real man.

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    4. @Whiphand: You asked at March 10, 2012 8:34 PM: "Hey Mike, Buddy et al,Do you have any idea what happened to Richie? He seemed to be your greatest fan!"

      Richie has his own blog, http://http://richie--my-privateidaho.blogspot.com/

      I've been in touch and he's had a very busy spring, but he has posted a recent update there.

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  7. My best was 48 lashes of a cat made from leather straps, like a cut-down belt, but stiffer and heavier. That one had me pulling on the restraints. Second-best was 5 dozen (I think, it's been quite a while) with a cat-o-8 make from gas burner ignitor wires. The maker had thoughtfully pushed back the insulation and cut off 1/4 inch of wire to prevent cutting. It had heavy rubber insulation (think spark plug wire plus a bit more). I cant recall whether I had one flogging with that or two. I was flogged 2 or 3 times with a cat made from well-oiled bootlaces getting to 100 lashes. I also received an absolutely unmemorable lashing with a cat made from old sash cord.

    I'd really like a session with an authentic replica Naval or prison cat, and I deeply crave a severe whipping with a harsh bullwhip.

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    1. The authentic Naval hemp cat was made with the beef and brawn of the rugged tar's sun bronzed half-naked muscularity in mind. It was designed to be wielded by a brawny powerful bosun with strong gorilla arms. Each stroke knocks the breath out of you and slams your body against the grating. The hemp scrapes across your broad back and if the tails are soaked in sea water or your back is soaked and shining in with sweat its even more severe. It has to be laid on full force too. 40 lashes and you'll feel like you've gone 12 rounds with a Mayweather. Love to lead you out to the garage and lay it on you. Or take it mysel, nothing to say about it. Man-sized hairy chested agony.

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    2. Curious one - have you had a serious bullwhipping yet?? floggingman@gmail.com

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    3. Same question goes to you, floggingman: do you usually trade bullwhip lashes or are you strictly a flogger/never a floggee? My brothers/buddies and I always trade lashes until everyone was at the receiving end of the bullwhip at least once per session. So would you strip down to the waist to get a good flogging like everyone else, floggingman? That's the only way it's done in our neck of the woods, lol!

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  8. Great to read your entries in the WHIPPING Log here Mike and Curious One!!! To hear another man's excitement and pride in the LASH and its traditions is primal...true man-bonding on a naked and rugged level......"man-sized hairy chested agony"!!! You had me there!!!! All mates strip for the LASH!

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  9. Always interested to hear from men who CRAVE, DREAM, LIVE for the excruciating pain of the lash!!! bullwhipp @ gmail.com

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  10. nothing so extraordinary as taking the bullwhip. I M PROUD TO BE A GOOD WHIPMEAT AND LOVE TO BE TENDERIZED FIRST BY BELTIN, when the skin truning blue, it s time for bullwhip. SENSATION IS SO ACURATE than even a resistant maso as me prefer to be strictly tied to be able (no choice) nto receive much more i coulb bear normally, for the pleasure of the whipper

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    1. The bullwhip is the ultimate. Nirvana.

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    2. Beautiful, man.....stretched taut for the LASH...no escape once the punishment begins......the Whipmaster pleasures himself on your body with his LASH!!!!.....the incredible anguish and pleasure of the BULLWHIP on the NAKED BODY!...he applies his skill to painting the red stripes of suffering on your body.....

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    3. Annonymous march 17th - floggingman @ gmail . c0m

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    4. Hey anonymous, how many bullwhip lashes do you tolerate? My standard was 39 until a month ago when I was given 51 for the first time in a long time. Our buddy Kaloha from Hawaii finally advanced to 101 lashes and my brother Owen, our buddies Conner, Taylor and Kryschen, and I decided to go over the 100-mark next week. Anyone on this forum been beyond 100 lashes? How did it go? Any substancial difference between 86 (my former "record") and 101 lashes? One thing is for sure: we all will next time refrain from our two favorites while under the bullwhip: "Hit me harder!" and: "Hit me some more!", lol!

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  11. I have always fantasized about capture, kiddnapping, imprisonment, enslavement, etc... not just for sexual pleasure, but the pleasure of being man enough to take it. When I imagine myself chained shirtless ready for the torture of flogging and whipping, I get such a thrill at the idea of being exposed in an all male atmosphere, controlled by males, that I feel my chest swell with pride and excitment for being in that situation (along with extreme sexual arousal). I enjoy seeing men chained, struggling, crying out in pain, sweating, love the smell of sweaty pits, men put on display, etc... and always fantasize about me being in the multiple scenarios of restraint, imprisonment, enslavement, and exploitation. I have never experienced anything of the sort, but it is one of my highest interests. I get the same manly pride whenever I am shirtless and am shirtless as much as possible (about 95 percent of the time). I think male shirtlessness of fit males should be required. The a fit male body is not just sexy, but a marvel of capabilities. As a personal fitness trainer, I greatly appreciate the male body.

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    1. Master of Muscle, Personal Fitness Traners as a breed are natural born male to male sadists. You like to see us sweat and see our faces screwed up in pain with muscle burn and forece those extra reps. Like to have you string me up after a workout for a flogging, singletail and severe as hell. Arms stretched up. Make me work harder next time. CRACK! Aiiieeee! YES SUH!

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    2. Surely the best "personal trainers" then were the burly overseers in the galleys a la the scene in "Ben Hur" in their leather harnesses pacing the gangway between the rows of naked, sweaty muscled galley slaves and "laying on the lash" (those lovely huge "driving cats" with extra long tails tipped with lead to increase their throw) and striping those glistening bare backs. Nothing would be better than be one of those galley slaves rowing under the lash, the sweat, the stink, the sinewy manhood. And the lash.

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    3. Hey Master of Muscle....great description....would like to discuss the LASH with you....!

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    4. what about the LASH do you want to discuss lashem666?

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    5. MasterofMuscle, like to have you hold my bullwhip between your teeth as I stroke your back real soft in my skinttight leather cop gloves, youre in fronot of a mirror watching me in my SSasdist uniform, then I take the whip from your clenched teeth......@@!!!####{{{!!!!

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    6. Hey, M of M< I'll tell you about my first experiences with the LASH as a kid, and how it unfolded with my step dad who was a bodybuilder....changed my life forever! Lashem666@yahoo.com. Talk to you soon Lashmate!

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    7. @floggingman: "in my SSadist uniform ..."

      Sorry, floggingman, I think I rather bail out: that doesn't sound promising to this jewish kid; call me a coward if you wish, still: thanks but no thanks.

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    8. MasterofMuscle. I want to flog you hard strung up and spreadeagled by the wrists in my sweating hot Tucson garage, stripped to the waist taking oldfashioned proper masculine whipping. Taking that lash like a man, the ultimate experience of what it means to BE a man and nut up for a male to male virile flogging. Fuck the pain just showing what a man you are, sweat brawn muscle, whip me harder oohrah.

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  12. Another great setting for application of the whip! Galley slaves our bare backs and lats scarred with the lash as the sweat pours off our muscles, lats, shoulders and sinews. Feeling like beasts, chest hair matted down. Muscles growing the hard way. Man, THAT'a personal training, Anonymous! GRRR!

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    1. The ultimate labor workout...stripped down to a rag and stretching those broad rippling bodies at "full ramming speed"....under the STING OF THE LASH!!! Being wielded by a huge muscled man also stripped to a rag and swishing his long thin WHIP over every man within reach...no inhibitions!! Every part of their bodies wearing the fiery stripes!!! The smell of men and pain...

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  13. I am a good looking masculine guy. I want to find a Tough, Muscular, Masculine, Agressive, guy that will discipline me to toughen me up, givem me harsh discipline enemas, Castor Oil and forced exercise. Thanks, Lanny (enemadude) enemadude@hotmail.com

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  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  15. As this is my favorite time of year (summmer), when I'm training myself, running at parks, swimming, etc...I can't help but stare at the other fit shirtless guys I see sweating in the sun and heat. It should be a requirement for males who are physically fit and lean to be shirtless at all times (including restaurants, at work, etc...). Any male deemed fit enough to be required to be shirtless should be forced if found wearing any type of shirt. This would also help ensure those males are always in shape and take care of their bodies knowing everyone at any time can view their body. Healthy males should always be on display everywhere as a source of inspiration, masculinity, and of course desire. Desire for restraining and flogging/whipping those males. Desire to see the muscles struggling and straining against their restraints as each lash inflicts its pain, to hear their moans slowly turn to outcries of agony as they secretly enjoy their ordeal. I believe all males should experience it, but not to the point of scarring, you don't want to ruin a perfect male body. There are plenty of ways to get a man in pain without damaging him. So as a fitness trainer, I encourage all males to get fit. Not just for their health, but so they can feel confident enough to put their shirtless bodies on public display all the time and show the world what a real man looks like.

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    1. Pain is weakness leaving the body. Every guy should take proud in showing he can endure pain and in fact square his shoulders and stride toward it like approaching the whipping post and being stoic about it. Expand limits!
      I want you to be my personal trainer, Master of Muscle. You or someone with your attitude. Physical endurance challenges and even freakin body torture.

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    2. I agree completely...when I was a kid I used to watch stripped guys washing their cars in the driveway, playing skins and shirts sports, practicing wrestling and other sports, always stripped. And because of the gladiator/Western/British Naval/adventure movies on Saturday afternoons, I made the connection between the strength of the body and the LASH!

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    3. We agree 100%, MasterOfMuscle; my brothers/buddies and I are fortunate to live in Manhattan Beach and La Jolla (San Diego) where guys our age usually go shirtless most of the time from April to October and where bare feet are the norm for most of us (flip-flops for "special occasions" only, lol!). Still, after a flogging session we cover up for two days because we don't want others to freak out when they notice our "damaged" bodies. Then again, after all those floggings our bodies now absorb the lashes better than ever, and with a dark tan there's not much damage to be seen. So guys, be brave and leave your shirts at home, lol!

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  16. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25aDoXINm9E&feature=plcp

    Really good whipping here, an early Hard-master whipping of a German guy in Koln, hard to find guys who really DEMAND to be lashed like this!! where are they?? utakethelash@gmail.com

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  17. Wenn nur ich wusste dass Sie in KOln wohnen wenn ich in KOln war! (abur nur fUr manche Uhren zwischen Frankfurt und Amsterdam). Vielleicht das nAchtes Mal...

    cpnut99@aol.com

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  18. I HAVE TAKEN 370 LASHES AT ONCE WITH 2 DIFFERENT BULLWHIPS (OR SIGNAL WHIPS).

    CPNUT99@AOL.COM

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  19. My name is Chris and my email is cpnut99@aol.com. I am the one who took the 370 bullwhip lashes. I am eager to take more aand I am really into military scenes, uniforms, corporate attire (think of the Alerta! Alta tension! scene where we have a flogger wearing a shirt and tie). I am especially into shirt and tie scenes, cop scenes, military scenes, and even leather scenes. I am in the New York City area and would like to hear from like-minded men who are into giving a good whipping. I am also willing to switch (that is, to give and to get).

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    1. I'd wear a tie to clog you. Hard and tough. You stripped to the waist and strung up by the wrists.

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  20. I've also taken 200 lashes with a cat-o-nine tails. This, along with my other session with the bullwhip described above (370 lashes), may seem incredible or unbelievable but I guess I just have a high pain threshhold and very resilient Mediterranean skin as opposed to soft Nordic skin... or maybe I was just very highly motivated... or maybe one thing or the other... In any case, I'm not lying. Also, I was not cut up and bleeding or unconscious after the whippings. I'm sure the whips used were authentic enough but just not made to harm, damage or injure.

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  21. I recently took a mere 25 lashes from a signal whip laid on hard. Now, I've had some pretty severe floggings with cats, but from the first lash I knew I was playing in an entirely different league. After 6 I got a bit of a relief as the top changed sides, and he started frequently asking whether I wanted to proceed. After only a dozen I really wanted to quit, and had this been an open-ended whipping without a goal, I probably would have, but I signed up for 25, and I keep my agreements. At around 20, I could barely take another lash, but I knew I only had a few more left, so I kept on. I was really glad it was done after the 25th lash.

    While a flogging with a cat can be very severe, you haven't felt anything until you find yourself on the business end of a single tail. This was just a light, short signal whip. I can't imagine how much more intense a full-out bullwhip whipping would be, though I'd still like to give one a try.

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    1. Maybe that's why most military whips were multitailed cats. I have had a signalwhip used on me too but since I had been disciplined at home by my Pop's favorite old worn supple fanbelt I knew what lash pain was so it didn't seem as severe as your experience. But a signal is an excellent test of manhood. That singletail slices thru the air with virtually no resistance and cracks across your back with a burn like a branding iron .

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  22. where did you get that picture hot with regular folks watching what type of demo was that ...?

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