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  • Silvertree

    Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

    By Silvertree

    Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101  Thanks!
    • 5 comments
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Review Round-up!
 

Chaos Theory IV - 339

CCCXCIX - 339   In the bottle: Fizzy grapefruit and...lilac?   On wet: Grapefruit or lemongrass, but it's almost powdery - reminds me of the pith. No other notes are coming through at this stage - it's like citrus SN!   Drydown: Oh wow, this is gorgeous. The grapefruit has backed off a bit, and is mingling with something so delicate and watery (not aquatic, just a cool, green, moistness) - I'm guessing it's aloe. I still think there's some lilac in here, too - it's soft and gentle, but riding the edge of the scent, giving it just enough creamy sweetness to round things out. That powdery vibe (which is almost gone now) has me wondering if an orchid snuck into the mix somewhere along the line...   Overall: This is a fantastic blend - very reminiscent of Whitechapel (which I )! I will definitely be keeping *and* wearing this scent - it's perfect for me!
furygrrl

furygrrl

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Femme_Fatale's Blog
 

Ladon

At first this is a very sweet, soft apple. As it dries, something slightly spicy and just a teeny bit sharp (dragons blood?) comes out. As it dries further it is very pretty, though a bit top close to a hair product I used to use (that smelled wonderful btw)., then my skin just eats it up. Very pleasant, if not really me.
femmefatale

femmefatale

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Review Round-up!
 

Faeu Boulanger

In the imp: Sweet, misty violets...and something almost minty?   On wet: I hate saying this but...household cleaner! A *good* cleaner, mind - like method or one of the other enviro-friendly brands that makes pretty smelling stuff - but still, not what I was looking for. ::crosses fingers for a morph on the drydown::   Drydown: I'm still getting cleaner in the background (but I'm willing to admit that this may be because I'm actually sniffing around for lingering traces of it). On top is an almost effervescent perfumey-ness - very bright, very sweet, and almost kind of delicate. The words "sparkly" and "fresh" come to mind. The violets are alive and kicking, I'm still able to detect a whisper of mint, and nothing even remotely "boggy" has crashed the party yet.   Overall: Not as strongly violet as I'd hoped for, and a bit too aquatic/sweet for my taste, but definitely a nice scent. A good choice for warm weather, going to work, or hanging with friends - very wearable. 3/5
furygrrl

furygrrl

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Review Round-up!
 

Marianne

In the imp: Mmm...smells very similar to Mme. Moriarty! Sweet and musky and fruity.   On wet: A much higher-pitched sweetness than Moriarty - due to a lotus-y culprit, methinks.   Drydown: Sweet-sweet-sweeeeet! And kinda perfumey, too. The musky, fruity aspects of the blend are great - and even the usually-awful-orchid is behaving - but this uber sweetness (lotus *and* mimosa? Not familiar with the latter to know) just isn't working for me.   Overall: With only a scant few exceptions, BPAL's mega sweet stuff doesn't seem to jive with my chemistry, my nose, or my health (headaches! tummy aches! toothaches - seriously!). Marianne isn't making me queasy, thankfully, but I think wearing it in full force for most of the day, rather than just the wee test spot I've got going on right now, definitely would - it's just that heady and sweet. For anyone who wanted a kick of candy in their Moriarty, this scent's for you! 3/5
furygrrl

furygrrl

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Femme_Fatale's Blog
 

Plunder

OMG, I have no words. This is the perfect spicy blend for me. I have always looooved clove and cinnamon. On me this has an almost clove cig. scent, but without so much of the tobacco. It has a touch of sweetness w/out being foody. I am absolutely in love!   It does tend to stay fairly close to skin, so I think I'll wear it on my skin and in my locket. It's also great to layer with when you have a scent that needs some extra spice. I have a feeling this will be my regular autumn scent.
femmefatale

femmefatale

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meeow712's Blog
 

The Contract of Theophilus of Adana

The Contract of Theophilus of Adana: Parchment, Siamese benzoin, infernal incense, red musk, brimstone, and daemonorops.   In the imp: a clean scent? I can't really pinpoint anything.   On me: I'm usually a sucker for incense, but this just didn't go incensey on me like I was hoping. I smell like old crumbling parchment that has been locked up in a dusty library with some very stale incense traces. It's not awful, but not something I enjoy smelling like either. I usually love red musk, where is it hiding?
meeow712

meeow712

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Femme_Fatale's Blog
 

Satyr

Ok, so I knew this wouldn't be for me so I had hubby try it.   It smells like leather, cinnamon, clove. rotted hay, and butt. Seriously. It smells like someone is tryint to cover up a funk with something really nice. Hubby said it reminds him of the horses at Busch Gardens. It was almost good.
femmefatale

femmefatale

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Femme_Fatale's Blog
 

Priala, The Human Phoenix

Oh wow. wow wow wow wow wow wow wow   I doubt I would've tried this, but luckily I got a frimp from a super sweet someone. At first it is warm with a light insense feel to it, but then it starts to sweeten and the spice comes up. It's smokey and spicy and sweet and sexy all in one. I love that it has a touch of sweetness without being foody. And thankfully, my wonky skin chemstry keeps this beautiful and it doesn't go all wrong on me. I can't wait to try it in my locket and I will most defnitely be getting multiple bottles of this one!
femmefatale

femmefatale

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Cam's Blog
 

Why?

I ordered a bottle each of SGA, Schwarzer Mond & Lune Noir on 7/28, a few minutes after they went live.   So why are people getting C'n'S for orders they placed on 7/31, and I still don't have mine? It's not fair!   Okay, /whine.   It seems like PayPal orders are processed more slowly than CCNow orders. At least, the orders I've placed through PayPal so far have not been shipped nearly as quickly as my CCNow orders (particularly this one).  
cam

cam

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Cam's Blog
 

Crossroads & Fruitcake

CROSSROADSThe forks of the road: an in-between place, sacred and tangibly magickal in innumerable cultures and faiths. This scent is dark with mystery, taut with power. A chill twilit garden of blooms over dry earth and mosses, heavily laden with incense and offertory herbs. In the bottle, this smells so lovely. Florals, but not in the super-sweet way that I don't like, herbs and incense. Yay! Unfortunately, on me it just turns to soap and a perfume-y smell that's not very nice. Oh, well.   FRUITCAKEUnreleased gift-with-purchase, December 2007. Received this as a frimp with a swap. In the imp and on wet, it smells exactly like fruitcake. On wet, the alcoholic note of fruitcake is particularly strong. As it dries, that softens up a bit and it's this lovely, boozey-fruity scent. I like it.
cam

cam

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meeow712's Blog
 

The Illustrated Woman

The Illustrated Woman: Skin musk, smoky vanilla, pine pitch, patchouli, Indian resins, golden honey, and tobacco.   In the imp: Honey pine? Not sure about this one...I tend to turn pine into Pine-Sol!   On me: Oh this works!!!! The skin musk and honey pop on my skin and blend so beautifully!! The vanilla is right under them, with some resins to keep it company and give the honey a bit of spicey kick. The pine fades away, although I do occasionally get a whiff of a teeny bit of pine, no Pine-Sol though - thankfully. This is an absolutely lovely blend and I most definitely need a bottle.
meeow712

meeow712

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meeow712's Blog
 

Ashlultum

Ashlultum: Babylonian musk, vanilla tea, tonka, tobacco, coconut, hyssop, and lilac.   In the imp: light and pretty   On me: Not my usualy type of scent but it's gooooood! The musk, vanilla, and coconut are absolutely gorgeous together!! Toss in some herbiness from the hyssop and a little floral softness and I was smelling myself all day. There also seemed to be some honey in this, to my nose anyway. I like!
meeow712

meeow712

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meeow712's Blog
 

The Blockhead

The Blockhead: Rusted metal, leather, and a pop of pink bubblegum.   In the imp: Bubblegum!!!   On me: This ended up smelling a lot like Jailbait on me. A whole lot of bubblegum and a bit of a metallic quality that makes it smell like the soda: Materva. It had a very light throw and my skin swallowed it up, so for this kind of scent I'll stick with Jailbait.
meeow712

meeow712

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meeow712's Blog
 

L 'Heure Verte

L 'Heure Verte: Spilled absinthe, scorched sugar cubes, opium smoke, lilac blossoms, and rose water.   In the imp: Not sure about this one, it smells a bit like licorice.   On me: I still get some licorice, but it gets rounded some out by the opium and lilac. An interesting scent, but not memorable or extraordinary.
meeow712

meeow712

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meeow712's Blog
 

Knucklebones

Knucklebones: Black musk, bay rum, lime fougere, orange blossom water, gin, and tobacco.   In the imp: light and fresh? Huh? Good for hangovers, I think.   On me: Oh this is lovely!! Bay rum works so well with my skin chemistry!! Citrus usually ends up sour on me, but not this one. I get a lovely bay rum/lime mix and a bit of musk in there too. This is not at all what I expected this scent to be, but I am loving it!! It's also got a pretty good throw and awesome staying power. I've had it on all day and have not needed to reapply.
meeow712

meeow712

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Forspecial Plate's Blog
 

wishy wishy!

Bold type just means I have a particular interest, or higher priority for that scent. Colored text indicates added after first post. I try to update this pretty often....   possible bottles Baron Samedi Dragon's Blood Fearful Pleasure Great Sword Of War The Mad Hatter Satan and Death With Sin Intervening Three Gorgons   On the Fence, at the Carnaval!! (not sure if I want whole bottles of these or not) Carnaval Diabolique Isaac, the Living Skeleton Priala, the Human Phoenix The Chapel Theodosius, the Legerdemain Wulric, the Wolfman   GC imps that I want Aelopile Baghdad Bathsheba Black Hellebore Brisingamen Bruised Violet Compound The Caterpillar Danube Death Cap Deep In Earth The Dormouse Dragon's Reverie Eclipse Fascinum Frumious Bandersnatch Hamadryad Hanging Gardens Hecate Hymn To Proserpine Imp Inferno Intrigue Jersey Devil Kill-Devil Kubla Khan Kumari Kandam Lampades Libertine Love's Torments Lyonesse Mad Hatter Mandrake Mary Read Medea Mouse's Long and Sad Tale Nero Niflheim No. 93 Engine Nostrum Remedium Othello Penthus The Phantom Wooer Phoenix Steamworks Plunder Port Royal Queen of Sheba Rome Salome Santo Domingo Scales Of Deprivation Schrodinger's Cat Shanghai Shango Strangler Fig Sundew Sybaris To A Woman Tombstone Tushnamatay Unicorn Verdandi Voodoo   'Set Only' imps/unimpables I would like (imps or decants) And There Was A Great Cry In Egypt The Ecstacy of St. Theresa Famine Fox Fires on New Year's Eve at the Garment Nettle Tree at Oji Haloes The House Judith Victorious La Vague Lucretia Madonna Mama-Ji Parsifal Rozpustnica Silence Three Brides   Decant Me (partial decants? half decants? droplets? all are acceptable, I just want to try these) The Bloody Sword Boo Bam Cagliostro The Chapel The Contract Of Theophilus Of Adana The Cracked Bell Damnation Dia De Los Muertos Fire Eater Isaac, the Living Skeleton Ivanushka Knucklebones Long Night Moon Moana Opuhi Pumpkin Patch III (2007) Shill Tiki Queen Tupapau Upa Upa Yule   Single Notes dream list (decants) Ambergris, Black Cherry, Black Musk, Black Poppy, Cherry, Licorice Bark, Light Myrrh, Oakmoss, Red Musk, Red Mysore Sandalwood, Redwood, Siberian Musk, Tonka Bean, White Sandalwood   The following are basically for my own reference....it helps me to keep this all in one place, and the update onslaught is just about killing me! But I do love trying all the new stuff.   Czech and Speake Cuba Frankincense and Myrrh   Possets Aiden Crickets Eve Nigel Rhode Island Vermont   CB I Hate Perfume Wild Hunt
forspecial_plate

forspecial_plate

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Review Round-up!
 

L'Autunno

In the bottle: Mmm...sweet, sweet apple cider. It's that same Golden Delicious apple note I get from Harvest Moon 06 (even though it's red apple listed in both blends - to me, it's very golden).   On wet: Instant spice, a dash of wood, the smokiness of myrrh, peppery-creamy carnation, and something that makes me think of (oddly enough) fresh, cool water lingering around the edges.   Drydown: Spice - including that fantastic peppered cream of the carnation - is still the most prominent aspect of this blend. The subtle, sweet earthiness of fig is detectable, though, as are the occasional whiffs of those sparkling golden apples. The wood, myrrh, smoke, musk, and patch are all sticking close to my skin, and, depending on where my nose is at any given time, I get bits and bites of each to varying degrees - really lovely. No toasted almond to be found. I'm thinking it got buried under all the other smoky/woody stuff.   Overall: Another delightful autumn scent to add to my collection - like the love child of spicy-woody-smoky-dry Chrysanthemum Moon, and the spiced apple-patchouli goodness of Samhain (with a dash of happy-apple influence from cousin Harvest Moon 06). I'd have preferred a *wee* bit more fruit to contrast with all that spiced smoke, but that's a small thing against everything else I enjoyed about this blend. And who knows what will come with some age? I'm betting it'll be even more incredible next year! 4/5
furygrrl

furygrrl

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Review Round-up!
 

Samhain 2005

Samhain 2005   In the bottle: Deliciously dark apples, spices, and an almost medicinal smokiness.   On wet: A mish-mash of notes trying to sort themselves out - though the damp, smoky forest and spices are definitely taking center stage at the moment.   Drydown: Spiced patchouli and a hint of warm apple one minute, a sliver of pine trees and distant bonfire the next. Not too foody, not too dark, not too spicy - it's simply the most perfect autumn evening, bottled for your pleasure.   Overall: Samhain 05 has the distinction of being my first - first bottle purchase in my first Lab order, and the first blend I ever fell in love with. It's aged beautifully, and is still one of the most evocative, glorious scents I've ever experienced in my life (next to my other memory-stirring beloved, Sleepy Moon). Whenever I need a bit of autumn-come-early, or I'm feeling down, a little dab of this makes me feel like all's right with the world - especially since it's connected to the many incredible autumnal memories I've made over the past couple of years (like my October wedding and the anniversaries that followed).   An easy 5/5, with extra gold stars for good measure. Absolute perfection.
furygrrl

furygrrl

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Review Round-up!
 

October

In the bottle: Sharply green - like fresh cut green peppers - and an undercurrent of faintly sweet, masculine cologne.   On wet: Sweet green peppers and light cologne at first, but pressing my nose in close reveals that almost bitter smell that comes from newly fallen, turned - but not crunchy - autumn leaves.   Drydown: Very traditional cologne on me. There's a lightly sweet, aquatic-like freshness on top of an equally sweet, glowing base, and every now and then, I get that bitter leaf smell riding in between the two.   Overall: This scent wasn't much of a morpher on me, and didn't really deviate from the cologne-y vibe that carried on throughout. I really enjoyed the initial green pepper stage - it was *so* realistic to my nose, so crisp and juicy! - but it got lost towards the end. If that green freshness had stuck around, this puppy might've been something for me to wear regularly (I have no fear of "masculine" blends), but it didn't, and it works better on the Husband anyway, so I'll leave my favourite month's namesake to him. 3/5
furygrrl

furygrrl

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Cam's Blog
 

Notes we like

Looking over reviews, trying to make a little sense of the notes we like/don't like, for future ordering reference.   Likes Apple (especially apple cider-type notes) Musk Tobacco Vanilla/Tonka Amber Leather Chocolate Almond/Buttercream Rum Spices Fig Pepper Honeysuckle Vetiver Sandalwood Ginger Clove   Dislikes Gardenia Violet Lavender (if strong) Rose (if strong; my skin tends to amp rose so it kills every other note) Almost anything super floral   Sometimes Work, Sometimes Don't Myrrh Jasmine
cam

cam

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Cam's Blog
 

Reviews of a few recent swaps & frimps

LUPERCIPiss off, Saint Valentine! Lupercalia is an ancient Roman celebration, held on February 15th, that kicked in the advent of Spring with a very, very festive purification, fertility and sexuality ritual. The ritual began near the cave of Lupercal on the Palatine, an area sacred to Faunus, as well as Ruminia, Romulus and Remus. During Lupercalia, Vestal Virgins first made offerings of sacred cakes to the fig tree under which the she-wolf suckled the Sacred Twins. A dog and two goats were then offered in sacrifice to Faunus. The blood of the sacrifice was smeared onto two naked patrician youths, who were assisted by the Virgins, and the blood was wiped clean with sacred wool dipped in milk. The youths donned the skins of the sacrificial goats, wielding whips made from the goat skins, and then led the priests and the Virgins around the pomarium, and around the base hills of Rome. This was a ceremony of great happiness and merriment, and was of particular interest to young women: being touched by the goat-whips young men that led the procession ensured their fertility in the coming year. It is believed that, after the initial rite, male participants would draw the name of an available maiden, with whom he spent the rest of the night. This scent is for the Luperci, the Chosen of Faunus, the Brothers of the Wolf: raw, down and dirty patchouli, Gurjam balsam, and essence of Sampson Root sweetened with the heightened sexuality of beeswax, virile juniper, oakmoss, ambrette seed over honey and East African musk. In the bottle, this is a very green scent. Sort of pine-y, but not Pine Sol. Must be the juniper. I get a tiny bit of the beeswax, a little musk. It's earthy and complex. A little hard to describe.   On wet, the musk is more apparent. The earthiness remains, and the juniper is more subtle. As it dries, this becomes quite subtle. Ben says it's very complementary/similar to my natural scent. It doesn't disappear, though. This is a good one. Subtle and natural.   PHANTASMThis delicate, spectral perfume gives rise to an eerie distortion of of the senses. It bestows an ephemeral, ghostly, and truly haunting quality to your presence. Green tea, lemon verbena, jasmine and neroli. This is very true to the Lab's description. Green tea, lemon verbena and jasmine all the way. It's quite pretty. It also stays quite true on, but wet and dry. When dry, the lemon verbena is definitely the top note. I like it.   THE BOW AND CROWN OF CONQUESTAnd I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.   Nobility and haughtiness befitting the Antichrist: sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather. You definitely get the cedar and vanilla from this, with a touch of leather. A little cinnamon too; there's some spiciness. On Ben, this is a bit too generic-men's-cologne. Like, "Oh, it's men's cologne. That's nice." On me, it's spicy and interesting at first, but then it kind of disappears.   PENNY DREADFULAlso called Gallows Literature. A dime novel rife with melodrama, horror, madness and cruelty; a ten cent analogy of vice and virtue in conflict. Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam. Caramel corn and tobacco. Earthy, with a very subtle floral note of the kind I like — not too sweet. On, the tobacco is stronger at first, but balances out after a couple minutes. The floral is even more subtle, but still present. Stays pretty true to bottle scent. I like this one a lot.   TAVERN OF HELLSometimes I would venture from my sepulchre to the jazz of night Paris, where having gathered the colours, I would think them over in front of the fire. I could be seen walking through a funeral corridor of my house and descending down a black spiral of steep stairs; rushing underground to Montmartre, all impatience to see the fiery rubies of the Moulin Rouge cross. I wondered thereabouts, then bought a ticket to watch frenzied delirium of feathers, vulgar painted lips and eyelashes of black and blue. Naked feet, and thighs, and arms, and breasts were being flung on me from bloody-red foam of translucent clothes. The tuxedoed goatees and crooked noses in white vests and toppers would line the hall, with their hands posed on canes. Then I found myself in a pub, where the liqueurs were served on a coffin (not a table) by the nickering devil: "Drink it, you wretched!" Having drunk, I returned under the black sky split by the flaming vanes, which the radiant needles of my eyelashes cross-hatched. In front of my nose a stream of bowler hats and black veils was still pulsing, foamy with bluish green and warm orange of feathers worn by the night beauties: to me they were all one, as I had to narrow my eyes for insupportable radiance of electric lamps, whose hectic fires would be dancing beneath my nervous eyelids for many a night to come. White gardenia, ambergris bouquet, lavender fougere, orange blossom, melissa, tobacco flower, coriander, ebony wood, ylang ylang, absinthe and aged whiskey. In the bottle, flowers, smoke, and maybe a hint of the absinthe. It's complex and interesting. On wet, it's immediately over-the-top floral (and not in a good way). This does not improve when dry. Sadly, just doesn't work on me.   CTHULUIf I say that my somewhat extravagant imagination yielded simultaneous pictures of an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature, I shall not be unfaithful to the spirit of the thing. A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings... It represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind. This thing, which seemed instinct with a fearsome and unnatural malignancy, was of a somewhat bloated corpulence... A creeping, wet, slithering scent, dripping with seaweed, oceanic plants and dark, unfathomable waters. This scent is really hard to describe. It's definitely a "wet" scent, and I get the water plants. Maybe a hint of citrus. It's kind of seaweedy, but not in a beachy way. On, it's pretty much the same. Not really for me.
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OCM & Me
 

Still Getting Results

August 15, 2008   I increased the castor oil and increased my massage time to eight minutes. The pores on my nose are a lot better and I've had more plugs come loose, but a few small bumps came up on my jaw line. Those were gone in a day or so, though. I’m assuming the bumps may have appeared due to some OCM "purging period" I've heard about. Whatever the reason I hope the bumps are only a temporary side-effect and not a precursor to something worse.
Archaic Smile

Archaic Smile

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OCM & Me
 

Gotta Love Those Hormones

August 8, 2008   On Monday I developed a couple of premenstrual zits that were gone by Wednesday. I’m reluctant to attribute it to OCM, but it is unusual for me to get rid of hormonal breakouts so quickly - especially big and painful ones. My only other issue this week may be a small stubborn area of blocked pores on my nose. Tonight I’m planning on adding a teaspoon of castor oil to my OCM mix to see if that might help the problem. Hopefully it will be a small enough amount not to dry my skin out, but big enough to have an effect on the blocked pores.   Otherwise...   The oil is still in check and my pores still look smaller than they did before I started OCM.
Archaic Smile

Archaic Smile

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