The use of the internet was definitely a beneficial asset for our project. Our group would use the group page as a common place to post our individual assignments. Each person could then access this page from any laptop or desktop. Additionally, this page made communication between one another extremely easy by using the “listserve” option. The only obstacle that our group encountered arose when we transferred documents from Windows to Mac. We were able to convert to a compatible mode and solve that problem!
However, one important side note to keep in mind is that knowing how to use the website is what determines its helpfulness. If a student doesn’t know how to navigate around BlackBoard or how to use the features, then the page is worthless to them! Technology only benefits the user when they know how to use it. Ignorance will lead to a waste of time and stressful situations.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Ethics
I learned a lot from the ethics lesson that we had in English class. I was shocked to read the “Just memo,” and how they could to refer to children as “merchandise” and “load.”
Discussing other ethical issues that are more current to our time period was also an eye-opener. These lapses reveal the capitalist mindset of many of those who work in a business setting. It’s scary to see what people will sacrifice – especially human lives – to get ahead in work.
For my future career within the medical field, my ethical principles will be a key component when making decisions. Because religion has always been a major focus within my life, I value all life – disregarding a person’s history or personal beliefs. As a nurse, I will meet a variety of individuals – some who will share my beliefs and some who won’t – and I’ll still need to give my best care to them. It is also important for me to know what my own values, beliefs, and principals are before entering the work setting and not look to judge other’s based on their beliefs.
Discussing other ethical issues that are more current to our time period was also an eye-opener. These lapses reveal the capitalist mindset of many of those who work in a business setting. It’s scary to see what people will sacrifice – especially human lives – to get ahead in work.
For my future career within the medical field, my ethical principles will be a key component when making decisions. Because religion has always been a major focus within my life, I value all life – disregarding a person’s history or personal beliefs. As a nurse, I will meet a variety of individuals – some who will share my beliefs and some who won’t – and I’ll still need to give my best care to them. It is also important for me to know what my own values, beliefs, and principals are before entering the work setting and not look to judge other’s based on their beliefs.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Miscommunication
This week, I'd like you to think about an experience you have witnessed in which information was miscommunicated in the work setting. If you have not yet had a job, you may also reflect on a miscommunication on a sports team or within any social organization. What happened to cause the miscommunication to occur? What was the aftermath? How might the miscommunication have been prevented?
During this past summer, I worked as a waitress at a Bubba Gump’s Restaurant in Downtown Charleston. Communication is an integral aspect while serving customers. I have messed up many a meal order because of miscommunication or carelessness.
During one such occasion, one of my co-worker’s (Suzy) customers asked me if I could tell Suzy to cancel his steak order because he had to leave dinner early. Because I was in the process of getting drinks for my table, I didn’t feel like finding Suzy and so told another co-worker (Mary) to relay the message to Suzy for me. Well – as the popular children’s “telephone” game goes – the message got mixed up during the transfer, and Suzy thought the request was to speed up the meal so that he could take it with him. The miscommunication was realized when the food (and check) was brought out to him. He, of course, refused to pay for the food; and a perfectly good steak went to waste. The fault was completely mine – if I had taken the message directly to Suzy myself, there wouldn’t have been a mix-up.
Thankfully this miscommunication only resulted in the loss of a cooked steak. And, this small mistake forced me to be more cautious in the future: as a prospective health-care provider, the importance of proper and accurate communication will only increase.
During this past summer, I worked as a waitress at a Bubba Gump’s Restaurant in Downtown Charleston. Communication is an integral aspect while serving customers. I have messed up many a meal order because of miscommunication or carelessness.
During one such occasion, one of my co-worker’s (Suzy) customers asked me if I could tell Suzy to cancel his steak order because he had to leave dinner early. Because I was in the process of getting drinks for my table, I didn’t feel like finding Suzy and so told another co-worker (Mary) to relay the message to Suzy for me. Well – as the popular children’s “telephone” game goes – the message got mixed up during the transfer, and Suzy thought the request was to speed up the meal so that he could take it with him. The miscommunication was realized when the food (and check) was brought out to him. He, of course, refused to pay for the food; and a perfectly good steak went to waste. The fault was completely mine – if I had taken the message directly to Suzy myself, there wouldn’t have been a mix-up.
Thankfully this miscommunication only resulted in the loss of a cooked steak. And, this small mistake forced me to be more cautious in the future: as a prospective health-care provider, the importance of proper and accurate communication will only increase.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Presentation & Portfolio
1. Blog about one more presentation: talk about what you liked about this presentation and why you chose it as your favorite of the last group of presentations.
I really enjoyed Brian’s presentation on autism. It effectively explained and gave examples of this prevalent disease. Also, because he works with kids who have autism, he was able to incorporate personal experiences within his presentation. Learning about the characteristics and treatments of this disease will also benefit me in the future as I work with children in my nursing career.
2. Blog about your past experiences with online portfolios.
What programs did you use?
I have only used the ePortfolio on blackboard.
Was it a good experience or a bad experience?
My experience was somewhat bad because it was frustrating to update and edit my portfolio using this program. We had to change all of our documents to an Acrobat format and then upload them individually. We also had to use the “html” of the page to change font, color, background, etc. Even after taking a class to learn the necessary procedures, the whole process was time-consuming and annoying.
What do you need to know in order to ensure that you are ready for the portfolio draft due on March 23?
To be ready for this due date, I need a refresher course on how to create and edit my portfolio – I’ve forgotten what they showed us last year in CU101. I will also need to have a peer review and critique my cover letter, as well as determine what to include in my follow-up letter. Finally, I need to know what format you want our meeting sheets to be in (Bulleted points? Paragraph form?) and what to include in our progress report/project draft.
I really enjoyed Brian’s presentation on autism. It effectively explained and gave examples of this prevalent disease. Also, because he works with kids who have autism, he was able to incorporate personal experiences within his presentation. Learning about the characteristics and treatments of this disease will also benefit me in the future as I work with children in my nursing career.
2. Blog about your past experiences with online portfolios.
What programs did you use?
I have only used the ePortfolio on blackboard.
Was it a good experience or a bad experience?
My experience was somewhat bad because it was frustrating to update and edit my portfolio using this program. We had to change all of our documents to an Acrobat format and then upload them individually. We also had to use the “html” of the page to change font, color, background, etc. Even after taking a class to learn the necessary procedures, the whole process was time-consuming and annoying.
What do you need to know in order to ensure that you are ready for the portfolio draft due on March 23?
To be ready for this due date, I need a refresher course on how to create and edit my portfolio – I’ve forgotten what they showed us last year in CU101. I will also need to have a peer review and critique my cover letter, as well as determine what to include in my follow-up letter. Finally, I need to know what format you want our meeting sheets to be in (Bulleted points? Paragraph form?) and what to include in our progress report/project draft.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
English Presentations
Select any three presentations that your classmates gave in the last few classes; base your selection on how much you enjoyed the presentation.
Presentation #1: “Giving Back to Locks of Love” by Stephanie Buffo
What made this presentation so enjoyable?
I always enjoy learning about non-profit organizations who work to help those in need. Locks of Love takes hair donations from any willing donator and constructs a prosthetic wig to give to a child-in-need for free! Each wig is individually fit to the child, benefitting both their physical appearance and their emotional confidence.
What did you learn?
I learned more about the non-profit organization of Locks of Love. I knew that this organization existed, but I didn’t know how many inches of hair was needed for a donation or how many donations is needed to make one wig.
What made this person an effective presenter?
Stephanie was an effective presenter because she had a personal connection with her topic. She had a close friend die from cancer in high school, which motivated her to start her hair donation. The fact that she was able to talk about her personal donations made her presentation more effective.
Presentation #2: “When the Shark and the Fish First Met” by Nate Kitt
What made this presentation so enjoyable?
This presentation focused on a current world event taking place in the Middle East. It was enjoyable because it discussed a current event and made me more globally aware of Gilad’s situation.
What did you learn?
I learned more about the current war going on between the Israelites and the Palestinians. I also learned about Gilad Shilat – a POW who has been held captive by Hamas since June 25, 2006. I also learned a pretty interesting story that was written by Gilad when he was only 11 years old!
What made this person an effective presenter?
Nate was an effective presenter because he had been to the Middle East to visit during the winter break. Therefore, he was able to discuss this topic from a personal view and from a knowledgeable view.
Presentation #3: “Boykin Spaniel” by Kenneth Cordray
What made this presentation so enjoyable?
He brought his puppy into class with him!
What did you learn?
I learned that the Boykin Spaniel is the state dog of South Carolina! I thought it would have been the Labrador retriever…oops! (And I’ve lived here my whole life.)
What made this person an effective presenter?
Kenneth was an effective presenter because he instantly captured my attention by bringing his puppy in to class. Also, once I learned that this breed was the state dog of South Carolina, I wanted to know more about it. He kept his presentation interesting with quick facts and cute pictures!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Cover Letter
Do you agree with all of the advice given here?
I agree with most of the advice given on this website. However, our guest speaker that came to our class on Friday placed a greater emphasis on the cover letter than this website does. He emphasized the importance of "selling yourself" in the cover letter. This website emphasizes focusing more on the company - and that your resume should be the area where you "sell yourself."
Are the points with which you disagree?
One suggestion on the website was to include a "post-script" on the cover letter that adds an additional accomplishment at the end. It even suggests handwriting it at the bottom. I am unsure at the effectiveness of this technique. I feel that adding a "p.s." would look unprofessional and not flow well with the rest of the structured letter.
Which section of this tutorial is the most useful to you?
The most useful section for me was the mock cover letter link and the cover letter checklist. It is always beneficial for me to see an actual example of what the website is discussing. I also always like to work from a checklist, so that I can make a quick run-through to ensure I've included all of the necessary (and important) aspects of the letter.
Is there anything of which you were not aware that you plan to use when you write your cover letter for your mock interview in this class?
When I write my mock cover letter, I am going to incorporate the structure of three focused paragraphs. I like this set-up and I feel that it will force me to remain focused on my purpose and remain concise in the letter.
I agree with most of the advice given on this website. However, our guest speaker that came to our class on Friday placed a greater emphasis on the cover letter than this website does. He emphasized the importance of "selling yourself" in the cover letter. This website emphasizes focusing more on the company - and that your resume should be the area where you "sell yourself."
Are the points with which you disagree?
One suggestion on the website was to include a "post-script" on the cover letter that adds an additional accomplishment at the end. It even suggests handwriting it at the bottom. I am unsure at the effectiveness of this technique. I feel that adding a "p.s." would look unprofessional and not flow well with the rest of the structured letter.
Which section of this tutorial is the most useful to you?
The most useful section for me was the mock cover letter link and the cover letter checklist. It is always beneficial for me to see an actual example of what the website is discussing. I also always like to work from a checklist, so that I can make a quick run-through to ensure I've included all of the necessary (and important) aspects of the letter.
Is there anything of which you were not aware that you plan to use when you write your cover letter for your mock interview in this class?
When I write my mock cover letter, I am going to incorporate the structure of three focused paragraphs. I like this set-up and I feel that it will force me to remain focused on my purpose and remain concise in the letter.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
"Healthy Campus Initiative"
On Monday, Jennifer Goree came to speak about the client project that our team will be working on for the remainder of the semester. I am not only excited about starting this project, but also in attaining her goal of creating a “Healthy Campus” using six dimensions of a lifestyle: physical, emotional, environmental, social, intellectual, and spiritual.
Our group has started discussing and collaborating on various ways to develop this “Healthy Campus Initiative.” One idea we have is to develop a FaceBook page that provides students with easy tips and/or links to web sites that focus on those six dimensions. Another idea we have is to write or film a short script that shows various campus activities promoting the six dimensions.
I’m interested in both of these ideas, but am a little nervous about their development. I’ve never created a FaceBook page or edited film on a computer – so I don’t know what work or skills are required! However, we might be able to collaborate with other classmates and teach each other.
As far as other questions, I don’t have any more at the moment. Our team’s next step is to start researching those six dimensions and find various ways to incorporate them within our lifestyle. While searching, it’ll be important to keep the purpose and audience in mind: promoting a healthy campus in a way that is attractive to the Clemson family.
Our group has started discussing and collaborating on various ways to develop this “Healthy Campus Initiative.” One idea we have is to develop a FaceBook page that provides students with easy tips and/or links to web sites that focus on those six dimensions. Another idea we have is to write or film a short script that shows various campus activities promoting the six dimensions.
I’m interested in both of these ideas, but am a little nervous about their development. I’ve never created a FaceBook page or edited film on a computer – so I don’t know what work or skills are required! However, we might be able to collaborate with other classmates and teach each other.
As far as other questions, I don’t have any more at the moment. Our team’s next step is to start researching those six dimensions and find various ways to incorporate them within our lifestyle. While searching, it’ll be important to keep the purpose and audience in mind: promoting a healthy campus in a way that is attractive to the Clemson family.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Job Interviews
Do you agree that these are the biggest mistakes that you could make in a job interview?
Yes, I think that this article touches on all of the major mistakes that one could make when interviewing for a job. The common advice tips that I have been told are to practice, to tell the truth, and to follow up after the interview.
Have you ever had a job interview?
I have had job interviews for my two waitressing jobs. However, I've never had a job interview with a larger business or more professional company.
Describe what it was like?
I was nervous when first I first met with the general manager, but once we started talking I calmed down a lot. The interview turned into a more casual conversation instead of a question and answer session - so I was able to relax.
What can a person do to be well prepared for a job interview?
I think the best thing someone can do is to practice! Have friends/family ask you questions, so you can get used to answering. The only thing I would be wary about is make sure your answers don't sound too rehearsed.
The second thing one can do is to realize that the interview is an opportunity for you to get a feel for the company! Take the time to discover if the job is a good fit for you – not just if you are a good fit for the job. Using this thought process may help you relax during the interview: yes, you may fit all of their qualifications, but do they fit your requirements as well?
Yes, I think that this article touches on all of the major mistakes that one could make when interviewing for a job. The common advice tips that I have been told are to practice, to tell the truth, and to follow up after the interview.
Have you ever had a job interview?
I have had job interviews for my two waitressing jobs. However, I've never had a job interview with a larger business or more professional company.
Describe what it was like?
I was nervous when first I first met with the general manager, but once we started talking I calmed down a lot. The interview turned into a more casual conversation instead of a question and answer session - so I was able to relax.
What can a person do to be well prepared for a job interview?
I think the best thing someone can do is to practice! Have friends/family ask you questions, so you can get used to answering. The only thing I would be wary about is make sure your answers don't sound too rehearsed.
The second thing one can do is to realize that the interview is an opportunity for you to get a feel for the company! Take the time to discover if the job is a good fit for you – not just if you are a good fit for the job. Using this thought process may help you relax during the interview: yes, you may fit all of their qualifications, but do they fit your requirements as well?
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Random Blog: "Crash"
The topic for this week was "random blog." I'm not very good at writing without direction, so I started to think about my past week to find a topic to blog about...
I decided to write about the movie Crash - I have seen this movie multiple times, but just recently watched it this past week. Personally, I think that it is one of the best movies to come from Hollywood in a while. It integrates a number of cultures and social classes to illustrate how their various interactions/conflicts impact other's lives.
This message always makes me reflect on my life. I start to think about how our actions can influence someone else's life - and how we often do so without even knowing.
Being in college is a great example. We interact with hundreds of students during our college years - many of whom we may never see again - but those brief interactions may stay with us for the rest of our lives. These exchanges involve simple conversations with other students, certain lectures that professors give, various projects we have to complete – the list goes on.
Additionally, while attending Clemson, I've participated in a number of volunteer activities such as Habitat for Humanity, visiting the elderly at nursing homes, and a program called "Christmas Commandos," which provides Christmas gifts to underprivileged kids. While those people may not remember me personally, I know that they will remember the house we provided them with or the time I spent with them playing bingo or the joy those kids felt on Christmas morning when they found a pile of gifts left anomalously on their front doorstep.
I’ve discovered that, for the most part, it's the feeling of knowing that someone else cares about you that makes the greatest impact. As humans, I think that one of our greatest needs is to be wanted by someone else - to know that someone else loves you and cares about you.
I could discuss this topic for another couple of paragraphs, but I think the best way to summarize both this movie and the main message I take from it is this quote from the movie: "It's the sense of touch...I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something" (Crash, 2004).
I decided to write about the movie Crash - I have seen this movie multiple times, but just recently watched it this past week. Personally, I think that it is one of the best movies to come from Hollywood in a while. It integrates a number of cultures and social classes to illustrate how their various interactions/conflicts impact other's lives.
This message always makes me reflect on my life. I start to think about how our actions can influence someone else's life - and how we often do so without even knowing.
Being in college is a great example. We interact with hundreds of students during our college years - many of whom we may never see again - but those brief interactions may stay with us for the rest of our lives. These exchanges involve simple conversations with other students, certain lectures that professors give, various projects we have to complete – the list goes on.
Additionally, while attending Clemson, I've participated in a number of volunteer activities such as Habitat for Humanity, visiting the elderly at nursing homes, and a program called "Christmas Commandos," which provides Christmas gifts to underprivileged kids. While those people may not remember me personally, I know that they will remember the house we provided them with or the time I spent with them playing bingo or the joy those kids felt on Christmas morning when they found a pile of gifts left anomalously on their front doorstep.
I’ve discovered that, for the most part, it's the feeling of knowing that someone else cares about you that makes the greatest impact. As humans, I think that one of our greatest needs is to be wanted by someone else - to know that someone else loves you and cares about you.
I could discuss this topic for another couple of paragraphs, but I think the best way to summarize both this movie and the main message I take from it is this quote from the movie: "It's the sense of touch...I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something" (Crash, 2004).
Thursday, January 22, 2009
10 years from now
This topic is always difficult for me to write about. Thinking about the future brings both feelings of excitement and uncertainty.
Oh well, here I go:
Personal Life:
In 1o years, I hope to be happily married to a brilliant, supportive, and loving husband. I hope to have at least one child - with more to come! During those 10 years, I hope to have the opportunity to travel the world. I desperately want to experience cultures/lifestyles other than that of America. Additionally, I hope to have a strong group of friends that I can count on. I know that I will remain close with my immediate family, because my family has always been a key component of my life. I also want to be an active member of a church, because my faith is also a major part of who I am.
Professional Life:
By this point in my professional life, I hope to be working toward opening my own practice. I am currently seeking a Nurse Practitioner degree, and hope to gain a lot of experience within this field directly out of college. My short term goals are to learn the medicine and develop my skills. My long term goal is to open my own practice.
"Home"
Currently, I have NO idea where I would like to live! I was born in raised in Charleston and, I admit, part of me will always be in love with that city. I could easily see myself living there; however, I will have the opportunity with my job to travel the country - and that's what I intend to do. I know that I want to remain in the south, because I detest the cold. I also know that I want to live near the coast - I'm drawn to the ocean.
Lifestyle
This area of my life causes me the greatest concern. While I hope to have all that I mentioned above, I also hope to have created a balance between all of those things. Currently now in college, I am having difficulties learning how to balance my school life, my personal life, and my social life - I tend to focus more on the schooling aspect and neglect the social part. Therefore, ten years from now, I hope to have a good balance between the amount of time I dedicate to my work, the time I dedicate to my family, and the time I dedicate to myself.
My main hope/prayer is "Lord, give me the courage to change what I can, the wisdom to accept that which I cannot change, and the knowledge to know the difference" -Humphrey
In other words, let me not only recognize that God is the one in command, but to trust Him in all that I do!
Oh well, here I go:
Personal Life:
In 1o years, I hope to be happily married to a brilliant, supportive, and loving husband. I hope to have at least one child - with more to come! During those 10 years, I hope to have the opportunity to travel the world. I desperately want to experience cultures/lifestyles other than that of America. Additionally, I hope to have a strong group of friends that I can count on. I know that I will remain close with my immediate family, because my family has always been a key component of my life. I also want to be an active member of a church, because my faith is also a major part of who I am.
Professional Life:
By this point in my professional life, I hope to be working toward opening my own practice. I am currently seeking a Nurse Practitioner degree, and hope to gain a lot of experience within this field directly out of college. My short term goals are to learn the medicine and develop my skills. My long term goal is to open my own practice.
"Home"
Currently, I have NO idea where I would like to live! I was born in raised in Charleston and, I admit, part of me will always be in love with that city. I could easily see myself living there; however, I will have the opportunity with my job to travel the country - and that's what I intend to do. I know that I want to remain in the south, because I detest the cold. I also know that I want to live near the coast - I'm drawn to the ocean.
Lifestyle
This area of my life causes me the greatest concern. While I hope to have all that I mentioned above, I also hope to have created a balance between all of those things. Currently now in college, I am having difficulties learning how to balance my school life, my personal life, and my social life - I tend to focus more on the schooling aspect and neglect the social part. Therefore, ten years from now, I hope to have a good balance between the amount of time I dedicate to my work, the time I dedicate to my family, and the time I dedicate to myself.
My main hope/prayer is "Lord, give me the courage to change what I can, the wisdom to accept that which I cannot change, and the knowledge to know the difference" -Humphrey
In other words, let me not only recognize that God is the one in command, but to trust Him in all that I do!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Web 2.0
I have to admit - videos like this tend to scare me a little bit... While the advancement and spreading of technology is fascinating, it is also overwhelming.
I think this video was titled "The Machine is Us/ing Us" to convey to the audience how technology is learning from its users. Just like the video showed - every time that we (as users) enter new information on the computer or create links between documents, we are teaching the computer that certain items are related to other items. It then recognizes these patterns in future applications. An example is that your web browser keeps a list of frequently visited web sites, so that you can navigate to them by simply selecting from a drop-down list. Therefore, the machine is "using us" - we are providing the computer with the information of which documents/website/information is related to other documents/websites/information.
Because of all the "knowledge" that the computers are acquiring, we must rethink how and the amount we create these links. For someone just entering the workforce, the internet can be his worst enemy. Anything that was ever linked to that person's name remains in cyberspace - simply removing the link from one computer does not remove it from every computer. These connections can be extremely detrimental when interviewing with a potential employer. Almost all companies now do an online search of possible employees prior to hiring them (often through a Facebook or Myspace) - so if questionable pictures/stories are linked with their name, they are not hired.
These searches may occur even after a client is hired. Anything sent or passed through cyberspace (email, websites, blogs, etc.) remains there forever, and can be retrieved quickly through a simple search. While it may be speculation to say that "an elephant never forgets," it is truthful to say that the internet never forgets. Be knowledgeable of this and remember the next time you tag yourself in a photo album, or negatively criticize a co-worker/boss through an email - it may come back to haunt you!
I think this video was titled "The Machine is Us/ing Us" to convey to the audience how technology is learning from its users. Just like the video showed - every time that we (as users) enter new information on the computer or create links between documents, we are teaching the computer that certain items are related to other items. It then recognizes these patterns in future applications. An example is that your web browser keeps a list of frequently visited web sites, so that you can navigate to them by simply selecting from a drop-down list. Therefore, the machine is "using us" - we are providing the computer with the information of which documents/website/information is related to other documents/websites/information.
Because of all the "knowledge" that the computers are acquiring, we must rethink how and the amount we create these links. For someone just entering the workforce, the internet can be his worst enemy. Anything that was ever linked to that person's name remains in cyberspace - simply removing the link from one computer does not remove it from every computer. These connections can be extremely detrimental when interviewing with a potential employer. Almost all companies now do an online search of possible employees prior to hiring them (often through a Facebook or Myspace) - so if questionable pictures/stories are linked with their name, they are not hired.
These searches may occur even after a client is hired. Anything sent or passed through cyberspace (email, websites, blogs, etc.) remains there forever, and can be retrieved quickly through a simple search. While it may be speculation to say that "an elephant never forgets," it is truthful to say that the internet never forgets. Be knowledgeable of this and remember the next time you tag yourself in a photo album, or negatively criticize a co-worker/boss through an email - it may come back to haunt you!
Friday, January 9, 2009
A little about me!
Hey everyone! My name is Erin Reifeis. I am currently a sophmore Nursing student here at Clemson University. I am also a member of the Chi Omega sorority.
I was born and raised in Charleston, S.C.; however, my parents are originally from Ohio. I have 3 brothers - 2 older and one younger - and 3 dogs. I've played soccer my whole life - and still do on intramural teams. Since I grew up with three brothers, I'm a very athletic person - I love being outdoors and doing anything that keeps me active (sports, swimming, hiking, etc). I've never traveled outside of the United States, but I really want to go backpacking across Europe.
That's about all I can think of right now to tell y'all!
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