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David Martin (still has an underlying condition)

@geogdave.bsky.social
186 followers 173 following 156 posts

Alien from another platform. Emeritus Prof #Geography, www.southampton.ac.uk/people/5wyh9h… Trustee www.geograph.org.uk Mostly #Maps, #Photography, #Population, #Census, #Statistics, #BloodCancer, #Faith

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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
My regular September reminder that #Scotland's islands are stunning - Portnahaven, #Islay #PhotoHour
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Taha @datataha.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Read the full report from me and @jrf-uk.bsky.social www.jrf.org.uk/care/failing... 5/5
jrf.org.uk
Failing us all: England’s social care charging system is broken
England's social care charging system is unfair, expensive to use and does little to protect the economically insecure. New analysis shows why.
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Owen Winter @owenwntr.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Great case of "land doesn't vote, people do" in Sweden
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Cheryl in Nova Scotia 🇨🇦🍁🍁 @minibubbly.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Statistics Canada thanks Canadians for their exceptional participation in the 2026 Census--The overall response rate for the 2026 Census of population reached 98.4% nationally. #Canada www.canada.ca/en/statistic...
canada.ca
Statistics Canada thanks Canadians for their exceptional participation in the 2026 Census - Canada.ca
Thanks to outstanding participation across the country, the final response rate for the Canadian census is among the highest ever recorded.
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Charles Fourier @charlesfourier.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Bill Bryson’s words seem appropriate to post right now
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Owen Boswarva @owenboswarva.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
As I mentioned in a post yesterday, the UK has been without a permanent National Statistician since May 2025 Loranger is currently the Chief Statistician of Canada, where he was appointed in 2024 for a five-year mandate #opendata #diplomacy
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Emma Monk @monkemma.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Do you want to hazard a guess at what this “jaw-dropping” list of freebies included? What luxuries asylum seekers might be being given “for free” in Thetford? Xboxes? Plasma TVs? iPhones? Ferraris? Let's take a look👀 🧵 1/22
Express headline: The jaw-dropping list of everything asylum seekers in Thetford were 'given for free'.
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Historic Southampton @historicalsoton.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
The Floating Bridge service had been carrying people across the River Itchen since 1836. Its days are numbered in this photo as the Itchen Bridge is built alongside it. The Floating Bridge service came to an end when the Itchen Bridge opened in 1977.
Construction of Itchen Bridge alongside the Floating Bridge.
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Dr Liz Allen @drdemography.com · 20/07/2026
Why does Australia take a census? It’s our only national family photograph and it provides valuable evidence about who we are and how and where we live. My explainer from 2025. #Census2026au is 11 August - we all count! theconversation.com/australias-c...
theconversation.com
Australia’s census is getting a stress test – keeping it going is good for everyone
Census testing begins next month ahead of the 2026 official headcount. National census are under threat overseas, threatening the collection of quality data.
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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
‘Great Inventions, 1961’ Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope Artist: Robert Ayton
Illustration from the endpapers of the revised edition of the book showing a detailed illustration of the dish set against a striking dark pink ground
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Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
When the story of why humanity didn't stop climate change is written, it will feature front pages like this. Even as the skies blacken with climate change-induced wildfires, right wing media continue their relentless crusade against measures to tackle it.
The Times: Net zero risks blackouts. Below a photo of French wildfires.
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Peter Whitewood @pwhitewood.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Discouraging an activity with a benefit-to-cost ratio of nearly 10:1. A triumph of policymaking.
timeshighereducation.com
Fall in international student numbers ‘cost UK £2.9 billion’
Latest cost-benefit analysis finds overseas enrolments generate nearly 10 times more money for UK than they take away
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
To someone who has more than a passing interest in #census #estimation #methods this is quite a ride: all modern censuses involve statistical estimation and imputation: it's just not as simple as visiting everyone and publishing the number!
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Great to catch up with @jeremy-morley.bsky.social recently and talk about my involvement with UK #Census #Geography for this @geomob.bsky.social podcast: thegeomob.com/podcast/epis...
thegeomob.com
345. Geospatial origins: Prof. David Martin, the development of modern digital census geography in the UK
Professor David Martin about how the UK census evolved from paper maps and manually drawn boundaries to a fully digital
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Martin Lewis @martinlewis.moneysavingexpert.com · 29/06/2026
6th former: Martin, how do I know if an advert on my socials is real or fake? Part of the National Money Assembly filmed at St Charles 6th form college London and live streamed to over 300 schools and sixth forms by @youngenterprise.bsky.social
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Our solar panels are now in their 15th year. This is an exciting development, but I'm glad I didn't wait for it!
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Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
quoted in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung this weekend discussing Trump's latest attacks on science www.faz.net/aktuell/wiss...
faz.net
Trumps Generalangriff auf die Wissenschaft
Die US-Regierung plant, Forschungsinstitute politisch auf Linie zu bringen. Die Angriffe auf die Wissenschaft drohen global wichtige Datenschätze wie die aus den Meeren zu zerstören.
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Historic Southampton @historicalsoton.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
The same view from the top of Southampton’s medieval walls, circa 1903 compared to the modern day. 1/24
View from the walls, circa 1903. Tide right out, you can see across the bay.View in the modern day, with Westquay shopping centre dominating the view.
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Yes, it actually did look that colour at couple of hours ago! #PhotoHour #sunset #Shaldon #Devon
An orange-painted riverside house with towers, turrets and oriel windows. Seen in bright evening sunlight. In the right foreground a line of coloured boats are drawn up on a small beach. A pale blue sky is reflected in the river.
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Interesting (and distressing for those involved!) example of why geographical optimisation algorithms must be properly specified #Maps #geospatial #ZoneDesign www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
I took an algorithm to court in Sweden. The algorithm won | Charlotta Kronblad
Gothenburg promised to optimise school admissions with a piece of code. The resulting chaos showed how unaccountable systems are ruining lives, says Charlotta Kronblad of the University of Gothenburg
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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Quoted in @ketanjoshi.co's piece in @theguardian.com: a year ago Spain's grid collapsed. Solar was blamed, return to fossil predicted. Investigations found voltage failures. Then Hormuz closed. Spain was shielded as renewables cut wholesale prices by 40%. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
theguardian.com
One year after Spain’s blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on
Though solar was initially incorrectly blamed for crisis, renewables have helped insulate Spain from gas price rises caused by war in Middle East
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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
"There is a profound contradiction between implementing progressive proposals for collective bargaining in social care while making hundreds of thousands of the sector's existing workers more economically and socially insecure." @guardianheather.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
Britain is undermining the care workers it depends on | Heather Stewart
Labour’s immigration plans tear up the promise made to 300,000 people recruited for a sector in crisis
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Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) @rgs.org · 24/04/2026
A Level students 📢 Interested in studying geography at university? Join our free upcoming events to hear from tutors and current students about what it’s really like 🎓 🖥️ Webinars - 29 April and 7 July: bit.ly/4tpUloo 👋 In person - 22 July: bit.ly/48f1nE3
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Well, this is looking good for the weekend... Osmington Mills, #Dorset #PhotoHour
A grass campsite sloping down towards the sea. The rooftops of a small village are visible in the distance. Sunshine, blue sky, hedge along the right and tree in the centre.
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UK Data Service @ukdataservice.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Join us today at 10am for our Using QGIS to map 2021/22 census data from the UK Data Service workshop. Please follow the link to the livestream: www.youtube.com/live/HfKb317...
youtube.com
Using QGIS to map 2021/22 census data from the UK Data Service
YouTube video by UK DATA SERVICE
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Owen Boswarva @owenboswarva.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Sad to see that Open Addresses Limited is being dissolved find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/0917... (UK company register) Context web.archive.org/web/20170716... #opendata #openaddresses
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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
France 🇫🇷 doubles electrification support to €10bn/year through 2030 — EVs, heat pumps, industry. The reason? The Strait of Hormuz crisis making fossil fuel dependence impossible to ignore. Geopolitical shocks don’t just raise prices. They change what’s politically possible.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
Yesterday's favourite view: good blue sky above and #reservoir levels looking healthy. Underbank Reservoir, South #Yorkshire
View along a grass-covered reservoir dam under a blue sky with shallow water in the spillway in the foreground, reflecting the sky. Wooded valley side in the distance. Underbank Reservoir, South Yorkshire,  UK
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
One county including three cities and a National Park demonstrating why local government #redistricting is will be so painful... #Hampshire #NewForest #Southampton #Portsmouth #Winchester How the map of Hampshire's councils is changing after devolution - BBC News share.google/XxuYvCRGmPtT...
share.google
How the map of Hampshire's councils is changing after devolution
Four new local authorities are heading Hampshire's way, with the Isle of Wight staying as it is.
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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
Gas only sets Spain's electricity price 15% of the time. When gas costs spike it barely registers on the electricity bill. In countries like Italy and the UK gas sets the price 90% of the time. The difference is enormous. I spoke to @politico.com about this. www.politico.eu/article/spai...
politico.eu
What the EU can — and can’t — learn from Spain’s low energy bills
Madrid says a renewables boom is shielding its citizens from soaring fossil fuel costs. But that’s not the full story.
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
So I sent my guys to stir up that hornet's nests in your yard. Boy, are they ANGRY! And you're such a coward staying out of the way. Anyhow, we might go home soon, or use a bigger stick - I'm not sure.
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
"if Britain manages to stick to its net zero path, then by 2040 even a substantial Ukraine war-sized oil shock would raise energy bills by a barely noticeable 4%, compared with 59% in a high-carbon world." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Trump’s war is bringing economic calamity to the UK – and another shock to our politics | Gaby Hinsliff
Hard choices lie ahead for Downing Street if higher fuel prices spark resentment and trigger a renewed cost of living crisis, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 11/03/2026
Reaching net zero by 2050 ‘cheaper for UK than one fossil fuel crisis’
theguardian.com
Reaching net zero by 2050 ‘cheaper for UK than one fossil fuel crisis’
Climate change committee finds move to renewable energy would also bring health, economic and security benefits Achieving the UK’s net zero target by 2050 will cost less than a single oil shock and bring health and economic benefits while insulating the country against future costs, the government’s climate advisers have forecast. Eliminating the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels by adopting renewable energy and green technologies, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps, would be the best and most cost-effective option for the future economy, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) found. Continue reading...
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Dear Shabana, Let's clear some things up around migration and remember we're talking about people's lives.
Dear Shabana,
I notice today that you referred to me in your speech on immigration at the IPPR think tank.
You said: “A party leader should not be on the beaches of France encouraging people to
make a perilous crossing on small boats.”
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised especially after the hateful Labour campaign in Gorton
and Denton, but this is just the latest in a string of lies peddled by a discredited Government
who intentionally fan the flames of racism and division.
When I went to Calais, I was not there to encourage people to travel to the UK. I was there
to see at first hand the suffering your Government and successive Governments have done
in demonising migrants in a pathetic bid to pander to the base instincts of Reform and the
flawed strategy of Morgan McSweeney.
As you will know, if you even bothered to research my visit instead of taking Reform talking
points, I was there to witness the brutality of families living in tents in freezing temperatures. I
filled water tanks and picked up litter.
What that visit did do is confirm my belief that if we are to smash the boat gangs and stop
the boats, we need to offer safer and managed routes for migrants to come to this country.
Showing compassion as a politician is not a crime. In fact, we need to see much more of it.
It reminded me of a young MP who in October 2015 spent three days in Lesbos helping
migrants fleeing war-torn Syria. She posted videos on X, talked about handing out water and
croissants to refugees and food parcels.
When she returned to the UK, she wrote a very moving piece in the New Statesman. She
said “we have to work with our European partners and create new, safe, and legal routes for
refugees to get to Europe. We cannot abandon them to their fate, left as prey for smugglers
whilst risking death on the seas.”
She said “maybe we can make ourselves feel better by saying no-one is making them get on
the boats. And again, the Home Secretary is not entirely wrong when …
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
"Putting the foundations in place to make #Census 2031 a success" blog.ons.gov.uk/2026/03/04/p... #OfficeForNationalStatistics #Population
blog.ons.gov.uk
Putting the foundations in place to make Census 2031 a success
The start of a census programme is an exciting moment. Decisions made now will prepare Census 2031 for success and ultimately provide those high-quality census statistics that will underpin the sta
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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
"Ministers need to wake up." Indeed. Some shift away from the exceptional levels of overseas recruitment 21-24 was natural/desirable. But current "strategy" - no new visas and making life as unpleasant as possible for migrants already here - is madness. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
theguardian.com
Drop in overseas workers is ‘car crash’ for UK hospitals and care homes, say experts
Care roles hit particularly hard by UK’s lurch to the right on migration, according to analysis of Home Office data
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
How the Trump administration blew up the upcoming one-and-only field test of the 2030 census www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Controversial citizenship question added to upcoming census test
Researchers worry question plus other changes will reduce accuracy and boost costs of 2030 count
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
"You could say I'd lost my belief in our politicians They all seemed like game show hosts to me" (Sting, 1993) How apt
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Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
The campus here at @unisouthampton.bsky.social looking alright this afternoon.
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Having spent four decades involved in some way with #censuses (and teaching about them), it matters to me that politicians get the #statistics right - and it should matter to you... #population #migration
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Refocusing the ONS on its core statistics... blog.ons.gov.uk/2026/02/19/r... published today, with links to more detail #Statistics #OfficialStatistics
blog.ons.gov.uk
Refocusing the ONS on its core statistics
Permanent Secretary Darren Tierney sets out the next steps the ONS is taking to prioritise quality and strengthen core statistical outputs.
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Owen Boswarva @owenboswarva.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
ONS has paused production of ONSUD and NSUL indefinitely due to "inconsistencies in the geographies" assigned to UPRNs geoportal.statistics.gov.uk Most geographies can be matched to UPRNs in GIS using other products, but ONSUD and NSUL are the only #opendata source that links UPRNs to postcodes.
Important Customer Updates

16/02/2026: We have identified and are investigating some inconsistencies in the geographies assigned to Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) in the National Statistical UPRN Lookup (NSUL) and ONS UPRN Directory (ONSUD). We are pausing production of these and will keep users updated as we work to resolve this.
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Barack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Today, the Trump administration repealed the endangerment finding: the ruling that served as the basis for limits on tailpipe emissions and power plant rules. Without it, we’ll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change—all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money.
pbs.org
WATCH: Trump, EPA's Zeldin announce end of scientific basis for U.S. action on climate change
The Trump administration on Thursday revoked a scientific finding that long has been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change, the most aggressiv...
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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
A reminder: ICE vehicles waste a whopping 80% of energy in their fuel. EVs are propelled by entirely different mechanisms. Energy enters the vehicle as electricity, which directly powers the drivetrain making it 3-4x more efficient.
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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
“Heavy rains that often fall in February have flooded the low-lying meadows in the broad valley.” ‘What to Look for in Winter’, 1959 Artist: CF Tunnicliffe Writer: EL Grant Watson
Flooded fields under a leaden sky, a scene that could be the Somerset Levels
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
For decades as an academic I reviewed the #citations of my #publications and valiantly tried to correct them if incorrect (there are a lot of D Martins!) Automated systems now multiply misattribution errors to a completely overwhelming level. I am hereby officially admitting defeat.
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Levelling down? Running down universities has huge consequences for local communities, with implications far wider than Higher Education. Very sad at many levels...
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David Martin (still has an underlying condition) @geogdave.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
"The princples are always worth repeating..." A pity our representatives seem to find it so hard! #NolanPrinciples www.good-governance.org.uk/publications...
Screenshot showing partial text listing the Nolan principles of public life. Highlighted headings are: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, Leadership
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ESRC Centre for Population Change and Connecting Generations @cpc-cg.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
👀 Here's a quick preview of all the articles in the NEW Changing Populations - to read them, head to: sway.cloud.microsoft/WzAYgcw05ELX... @ukri.org @uossocstatdemo.bsky.social @cra-soton.bsky.social @standrewssgsd.bsky.social @oxforddemsci.bsky.social @ncrm.ac.uk @publicpolicyuos.bsky.social
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Hot off the press - a letter from the Exec Chair of @ukri.org explaining his plans and in particular the financial position of STFC. It notes curiosity driven research is protected and will make up around half of UKRI spend over the coming period www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
ukri.org
Open letter from Ian Chapman to research and innovation community
UKRI Chief Executive outlines changes to UKRI investment approach, addressing concerns about research funding and the financial position of STFC.
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