Author: ARLnow.com Sponsor

Arts Focus: Rosslyn Jazz Fest returns with a globe full of soul — Saturday, September 9

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This column is sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

A soul-stirring lineup that will have you on your feet with grooves from New Orleans, Havana and U Street NW, the Rosslyn Jazz Fest returns on Saturday, September 9, featuring: the New Orleans-based quintet Galactic, featuring Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph; Cuban percussion icon Pedrito Martínez Group; D.C.’s own Oh He Dead, and DuPont Brass.

The Rosslyn BID and Arlington Arts invite you to the County’s most popular free outdoor music festival on Saturday, September 9, from 1 to 7 p.m. at Gateway Park (1300 Langston Blvd, Arlington, VA).

Join us at Gateway Park for an afternoon of music, food trucks, yard games, community table experiences, and more. Additionally, the Arlington Art Truck is on-site kicking off its new season with, Good Neighbors: Fences into Benches by Michael Verdon, an interactive activation that lets you be part of the creative process as you explore the nature of community.

Rosslyn Jazz Fest is FREE and registration is not required, but encouraged, to help us produce the best experience for all in attendance, as there are capacity limits at Gateway Park. Click Here for full details on the 2023 Rosslyn Jazz Fest!

Jazz Fest 2023 Lineup:

Galactic featuring vocalist Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph — 5:30 p.m.
Galactic is a proud New Orleans-based quintet that has been together for nearly three decades. They have released 10 albums, performed over 2,000 gigs, and garnered tens of millions of streams. They’ve performed with world-class bands and artists — including Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, Counting Crows, and The Allman Brothers Band — appeared on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, contributed to the blockbuster soundtrack for Now You See Me, and performed at Coachella, Bonnaroo, and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (a staggering 22 times). They are joined by vocal powerhouse Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph. Visit their website to learn more.

Pedrito Martinez Group — 3:45 p.m.
Cuban born and raised artist Pedro Pablo “Pedrito” Martínez began his musical career at the young age of 11, and is known as a consummate master of Afro-Cuban folkloric music and the batá drum. He has recorded or performed with world-class artists — including Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Matthews, Jackson Browne, Elton John, James Taylor, and Sting — and has contributed to well over 100 albums. Pedrito toured the world in the mid to late 90’s, and was nominated for a Grammy. Visit his website to learn more.

Oh He Dead — 2:20 p.m.
D.C.-based Oh He Dead was founded in 2015 by singer CJ “Bowlin” Johnson and singer/guitarist Andy Valenti. Eight years later, the now six-piece group is known for their energetic live shows and music that ranges from soul to pop to funk to rock. Critics call the lead singer’s voice “a combination of Stevie Nicks and Tracy Chapman” (Kojo Nnamdi), and compliment the band’s “sublime instrumentation” (NPR) and “infectious and soulful sound” (Washington Post). Oh He Dead’s second album, Pretty, will be out on September 15, right after this year’s Jazz Fest. Until then, they are releasing a new single every six weeks. Visit their website to learn more.

Dupont Brass — 1p.m.
Originally composed of five music majors from Howard University raising money for tuition at local Metro stations, D.C.-based DuPont Brass has since grown to a nine-piece ensemble consisting of brass, a rhythm section, and vocalists. Through their training in classical and contemporary styles, DuPont Brass has developed a sound they’ve coined “Eclectic Soul” that mixes varied genres of music, including jazz, hip-hop, and R&B. Visit their website to learn more.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

As of August 28, there are 127 detached homes, 27 townhouses and 154 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 18 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Arlington Realty, Inc.

Ask Eli: What is the MLS and Bright MLS?

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Video summaries of some articles can be found on YouTube on the Eli Residential channel. Enjoy!

Question: I often hear people reference the MLS or Bright when referring to properties for sale. Can you explain what these are?

Answer: If you’re buying or selling a home anywhere in the US, you may hear the term “MLS” and if you’re buying in the Mid-Atlantic “Bright” used a lot. The simplest way I describe it to people is that the MLS, short for Multiple Listing Service, is the real estate industry’s database(s) of record for property sales. There are hundreds of regional and local MLS’s across the country that act as the aggregator of properties for sale/rent.

Bright (MLS) is the name of our regional MLS and, with just over 110,000 participating agents, it is the second largest MLS in the country behind the California Regional MLS. Prior to 2017 it was called MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Systems), but in 2017 it was rebranded to Bright after a merger with 8 other regional MLS’s mostly from PA, NJ, and DE.

The map below shows the current Bright MLS footprint, meaning brokerages/agents in all of these areas input their listings into the same platform. It covers 40,000 square miles and 20M people.

What is the MLS (Multiple Listing Service)?

The MLS is a real estate information exchange platform and database created by cooperating residential real estate brokerages to improve the efficiency of their real estate market. As a privately created and managed organization, each MLS is primarily funded through the dues of the brokerages and agents within the market it serves. There are hundreds of MLS’s across the country and each operates under its own direction, and rules and regulations.

The information you find on consumer-facing websites like Zillow comes from various MLS’s and each MLS has the right to negotiate its own relationship (syndication agreements) with these sites and determine what information is made available.

Without the MLS concept, we would have an extremely fragmented industry that would make it difficult for buyers to ensure they are seeing most/all of what is for sale within their sub-market and it would be much more difficult for sellers to get top dollar because they would not have access to the entire buyer market. 

What is Bright MLS?

Bright is the MLS that serves the mid-atlantic region including all of, or most major markets in, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Delaware.

The Executive Committee and Board of Directors is made up of representatives from the region’s major brokerages and directs the business of Bright, which has developed into a full-blown software, services, and technology company. Bright has adopted a strict set of rules and regulations to provide data uniformity and ensure fair play such as restrictions on marketing properties for sale that are not entered into the MLS, as discussed in this article.

MLS is a Net Benefit to Consumers and Agents

Your interaction with Bright MLS is likely to come from listings that your real estate agent sends you directly from the system, but you are also indirectly interacting with Bright whenever you search a 3rd party real estate site like Zillow because their data is pulled from Bright (and other MLS systems across the country).

While at time frustrating for brokerages, agents, and consumers (personally, I think there’s so much more they can do with data and their consumer-facing tech), the MLS structure is a tremendous net benefit for the industry and consumers by combining home sale data into one database with a common set of requirements and rules of engagement. This allows the entire industry to function more efficiently than it did prior to the MLS concept, which has led to lower commission fees.

The biggest example for consumers (and I’d also argue to Realtors) is that since Zillow and other consumer-facing sites began aggregating listing information for public use, real estate agents are no longer the “gate-keepers” of listing information and consumers have direct access to practically everything that is on the market (entered in an MLS) in nearly real-time.

If you’d like to discuss buying, selling, investing, or renting, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column or to discuss buying, selling, renting, or investing, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Video summaries of some articles can be found on YouTube on the Eli Residential channel.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland with RLAH Real Estate, 4040 N Fairfax Dr #10C A

Neighborhood Spotlight: McEnearney Cares around Northern Virginia

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

So many of us take for granted that we have food, shelter, and stability in our daily lives. McEnearney Cares Week took place from August 14-18 and was spearheaded by the company’s Diversity Council to encourage our agents and staff to actively support organizations that help families and individuals who are struggling with housing-related issues.

McEnearney Associates | Middleburg Real Estate | Atoka Properties is a powerhouse, local independent brokerage with 15 offices in D.C., Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Realtors and staff from the Arlington office and across our other locations came out to help. 

In our professional careers, we spend many hours as Realtors preparing homes for the market. We see what a positive, emotional experience it is for people to walk into a beautiful, clean home that they can envision calling their own. We help make that transformation happen every day. So having the opportunity to help families and individuals who might not have had that experience is something we can whole-heartedly support. Rolling up our sleeves and getting a house ready, or guiding families through a transitional time is something we are good at and love to do.

Here are some of the organizations we worked with during the week. 

We started the week in Northwest D.C. at Community of Hope homeless shelter where we brought a surprise Chipotle lunch and ate with the residents. Community of Hope has 9 locations in D.C. providing healthcare resources and housing.

Our next stop was Community Lodgings in Alexandria. We had a blast painting a learning center a happy shade of blue for their youth education programs. Community Lodgings helps transition families from homelessness to independence through affordable housing and transitional housing.   

On Wednesday, we did some yard work and organization for a home in Arlington through New Hope Housing. Walking up to a well-manicured home gives anyone a sense of pride. Had you driven by, you could have caught our managing broker, Glenn Lewis mowing the lawn (in his suit!) and many of our Associates inside cleaning and tidying up. New Hope Housing has resources for housing programs and shelters.

We were back in D.C. on Thursday at N Street Village, which provides support for women experiencing homelessness. Being part of a community that respects all aspects of you and how you experience your day, is exemplified in the care they wanted us to take in their huge garden. McEnearney was there cleaning up the garden so that the women have something peaceful and beautiful to see when they arrive.  

Helping food pantries and clothing donation sites needs to happen all year round — not just during the holidays. Bread for the City can always use volunteers. McEnearney spent the day on Thursday organizing the food pantry. Bread for the City has many other programs including healthcare, social services, and diaper programs.

We wrapped up the week in Falls Church helping Home Stretch organize and add some decorating touches for a family who was in need of a little joy. Home Stretch helps families who are in crisis get out of situations that contribute to poverty and homelessness.

All of us deserve to land in a happy, safe environment. Please support these or any other organizations that lend a hand to those who may be struggling in our area. We all need each other.

For more information on how you can get involved, visit these links:

For 40 years, McEnearney Associates has been a premiere residential, commercial and property management firm with 11 offices located in the Washington metro region. With service excellence, hyper-local expertise, powerful data insights, innovative technology and cutting-edge marketing, McEnearney Associates have helped their clients make informed decisions on their most valuable real estate investments. There is an important difference at McEnearney: It’s not about us, it’s about you. To learn more, visit us at www.McEnearney.com.

The Nose That Knows: An Italian tasting

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Order from Arrowine’s expanding online store for curbside pickup or in-store shopping. Have a question? Email thenose@arrowine.com.

Looking for something fun to do this Sunday? How about tasting some Italian wine at Arrowine?

Join us at Arrowine (4508 Cherry Hill Road) this Sunday, August 27, from 1–4 p.m. — we’ll feature wines hand-picked from the award-winning portfolio of Cantiniere Imports!

You’ll be able to taste highlights from producers, including:

  • Castello Romitorio (Brunello Montalcino)
  • Schiavenza (Barolo)
  • D’Angelo (Aglianico del Vulture)
  • Ca’ Moranda (Barbaresco)
  • Monte Zova (Lugana)
  • Firriato (Etna, Sicily)
  • Ronco del Gelso (Friuli)
  • Casaloste (Chianti Classico)
  • Amastuolo (Puglia)

And more!

This tasting is by Reservation ONLY. Attendance is limited to ensure a great experience. All attendees must be 21 and possess a valid picture ID.

There is no charge for this tasting event and tasting discounts are on! Every wine you taste will be ON SALE during the event, at least 10% off the regular price. We’ll have wine available for purchase, and if you want more than we have available, discounts will apply to tasting wines you order during the event, too.

This event will be popular.

Please e-mail [email protected] to let us know you plan to attend. Please include the following information:

  • Name
  • E-mail and phone contact information
  • Number of people in your group
  • When you expect to arrive:
  • (a) 1-2 p.m., (b) 2-3 p.m., or (c) 3-4 p.m.

We will confirm all reservations by e-mail. If you attend, we will add you to our e-mail list that announces special events and sales.

Can’t wait to see you!
Doug Rosen

Wine corks sitting on a table (Photo by blackieshoot on Unsplash)

Featured Residence: Generous closing cost savings with NVHomes at Carlin Place

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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If today’s mortgage interest rates have you sitting on the sidelines, consider these facts:

Paying rent is effectively a 100% interest rate. You have no control over how much future rent payments will be. And you have little-to-no ability to personalize your home.

Instead, home ownership allows you to build equity, enjoy income-tax savings, and live comfortably in a home designed by you, for you.

If you’re ready to explore home ownership possibilities in Arlington, NVHomes has attractive financing incentives underway at Carlin Place. Now through September 4th, purchasers will receive $20,000 toward closing with NVR Mortgage to lock-and-lower their interest rates — or participate in a 2-1 buydown program which offers lower monthly payments in years 1 and 2.

NVHomes’ sales representatives are available Friday — Tuesday in their decorated model to provide complimentary financing consultations, as well as give tours of the community’s quick move-in home.

Starting at just $964,990, these homes include:

  • Four finished levels
  • Choice of 3, 4, or 5 bedrooms
  • 2-car garages
  • Two included outdoor living spaces
  • Designer finishes throughout
  • Walkable location off Columbia Pike near parks and trails
  • Selection of immediate move-in homes or to-be-built homes for Winter move-in

Interested buyers should schedule a visit to tour Carlin Place or call 202-931-5230 to make an appointment.

*Pricing, financing, and offers are subject to change without notice. Must use NVR Mortgage to receive incentives. Certain restrictions may apply. Speak to a loan officer for complete details.

Financing is available through NVR Mortgage Finance, Inc. NMLS ID# 1127. Brokers Warmly Welcomed.

Biz Talk: Preparing high school students for cyber careers

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This article was written by Sindy Yeh, Senior Business Ambassador for Arlington Economic Development.

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing industries in Arlington and Virginia. The Commonwealth has emerged as a national leader in cybersecurity and is at the forefront of talent development in the industry.

In 2018, Virginia established the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI), a statewide initiative focused on research, innovation, and workforce development at the intersection between cybersecurity, autonomous systems and intelligence.

CCI is divided into four regional nodes, each a network of highly connected organizations led by an institute of higher education. The Northern Virginia CCI node is comprised of Northern Virginia’s universities and colleges, nonprofits, federal agencies and companies, all sharing a commitment to build capacity in cybersecurity.

One of CCI’s workforce development initiatives is the High School Summer Internship program. It was created to expand the cybersecurity talent pipeline by reaching high school students who are 17 and above and interested in exploring cybersecurity as a possible career option.

2023 CCI High School Summer Interns Visiting Appian Headquarters

The internship includes professional skills training conducted by the Children Science Center followed by placement with Northern Virginia cyber-related organizations to prepare them to enter the cyber workforce of the future. The internship includes a program stipend at the successful completion of the 7-week program and is open to rising high school seniors and rising first-year college/university students.

SHIFT5, one of Arlington’s fastest growing cyber companies, is an industry partner this year. SHIFT5’s software and data platforms defend commercial and military fleets as well as weapons systems against operational failures and cybersecurity risks.

VP of Policy and Government Affairs, Jessica Carroll says, “Shift5 participated in the CCI summer high school internship program in order to support a critical STEM initiative in the Northern Virginia region: connecting highschoolers to tangible, accessible, real-world opportunities to foster curiosity and inspire learning in the pursuit of technology-forward field. We elected to go beyond the traditional coding aspect of such a CCI program and requested that the interns be ‘cyber-adjacent’ so they could work with and within the policy (and regulatory) environments governing the development, fielding, and programmatic implementation of unique emergent technologies such as those operational technology (OT) cyber capabilities unique to Shift5.”

Sara Ahmad, a rising senior at Washington-Liberty High School, was selected to work at SHIFT5 this summer.

“My time at Shift5 was an immensely valuable experience. The welcoming atmosphere fostered a sense of value and belonging right from the start. Despite my limited knowledge of policy and cybersecurity at the start of the internship, everyone at Shift5 made me feel appreciated and included… I also had the wonderful opportunity to meet Congressman Don Beyer, a moment that added tremendous value to my experience. Learning from his extensive expertise across a wide range of issues was truly invaluable.”

Programs like these, combined with Virginia’s $2 million investment in education, ensure Arlington companies will continue to have an impressive pipeline of talent from which to hire.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

As of August 21, there are 125 detached homes, 26 townhouses and 151 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 28 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Arlington Realty, Inc.

Join thousands of fun-lovers and explore the nation’s capital car-free!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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Coming up in just a couple of weeks, DC Bike Ride invites you to the region’s favorite social bike ride for riders of all ages and abilities and offers $20 off your Standard Registration now with promo code BIKEDC. 

Take over the District and enjoy 20 miles of live music, photo zones, and other fun surprises along the way.

No Bike? No Problem!

DC Bike Ride offers bike rentals during sign-up as well as FREE registration for kids and additional discounts for groups.

See you at the Start Line on Saturday, September 9!

Ask Eli: Predicting the upcoming 2023 real estate market

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Video summaries of some articles can be found on YouTube on the Eli Residential channel. Enjoy!

Question: Can you provide any additional data on what the market will do for the remainder of the year?

Answer: If you have enjoyed my real estate columns over the years, I would greatly appreciate your vote for Arlington Magazine’s Best Of Arlington, Real Estate Agent (in the Home section) and encourage you to support all of your favorite Arlington businesses with a meaningful vote!

Last week I published an article highlighting that the second half of the year is easier on buyers than the first half. This week we can explore some other predictable market trends to help buyers and sellers anticipate the upcoming market.

New Listings to Spike in Two Weeks, Then Fall Sharply

There will be a predictable spike in new listings after Labor Day, proceeded by a rapid decline through the end of the year.

  • Just 17% of total annual listing volume comes to market in Q4, with less than 7% of total listing volume over the last two months of the year
  • 46% of homes are listed for sale during 1/3 of the year from early March to late June
  • The market goes on summer break with everybody else from late June through August
  • Note: this chart is for Arlington but the same trends can be applied across the region

Our Q4 Lows Will be REALLY Low

Broken record time… we are experiencing historically low listing volume with sales down 25% from the historical average across the DC Metro. Total listing volume in Q2 (when we have the most inventory come to market) was on par with Q4 volume in previous years (least amount of inventory) so we will likely see just a trickle of homes hitting the market in Q4 this year.

Buyer Activity/Demand Will Also Jump Soon, Then Fall Around Holidays

Along with a pop in listing volume after Labor Day, there’s usually a coinciding jump in buyer showing and contract activity that lasts through mid/late October before nose-diving in November.

But Sellers Will Continue to Reduce Asking Prices

Courtesy of Altos Research, the chart below highlights the annual cycle of the percentage of homes reducing the asking price. The diamond and circular markers represent Aug. 13 of each year and show that we are just past the halfway point of a sharply increasing number of price reductions through the end of the year as sellers fight to attract buyers before the holidays.

If you’d like to discuss buying, selling, investing, or renting, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column or to discuss buying, selling, renting, or investing, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Video summaries of some articles can be found on YouTube on the Eli Residential channel.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland with RLAH Real Estate, 4040 N Fairfax Dr #10C A

School drop-off and pick-up line etiquette: A guide for parents

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

The school drop-off and pick-up line can be a chaotic place, where parents and guardians converge to ensure their children’s safe arrival and departure from school.

Mastering drop-off and pick-up line etiquette not only contributes to a more pleasant experience for everyone involved but also sets a positive example for kids observing these interactions.

While CarCare To Go is helping parents get their vehicles ready for the new school year routine, we’re also helping teachers as well! Enter to win a $500 VISA Gift Card for classroom supplies, and teachers can always save 10% with code THANKYOU10. The team also crowd-sourced some helpful tips below for those tackling the morning school commute for the first time.

Arrive Early, but Not Too Early

Arriving a few minutes before the designated drop-off or pick-up time helps avoid last-minute rushes and ensures you have ample time to complete the process. However, avoid arriving excessively early, as this could disrupt the flow of traffic or cause congestion around the school premises.

Follow the Designated Route

Schools typically have established traffic patterns for drop-off and pick-up lines. It’s crucial to follow these routes to maintain order and prevent traffic jams. Disregarding the designated route can lead to confusion and slow down the process for everyone.

Be Patient and Stay in Line

Patience is key during drop-off and pick-up times. Wait your turn in line without attempting to jump ahead or cut others off. Cutting in line not only disrupts the flow but also creates frustration among other parents who are waiting patiently.

Use Your Indicators

Using your vehicle’s turn signals or indicators helps communicate your intentions to other drivers. When pulling into the drop-off or pick-up line, use your turn signal to indicate your direction and intention, making it easier for other drivers to anticipate your movements.

Keep it Moving

Once you’ve safely stopped at the drop-off or pick-up point, move quickly and efficiently. Make sure your child is ready to exit or enter the vehicle promptly. Lingering unnecessarily can cause delays for others in line.

Stay Inside Your Vehicle

Unless there’s a specific need to exit your vehicle, such as assisting a young child or helping with special equipment, it’s generally best to stay inside your car. Exiting your vehicle in the middle of the line can slow down the process and disrupt the flow of traffic.

Follow & Respect Staff Instructions

School staff and volunteers often help facilitate the drop-off and pick-up process. Pay attention to their directions and follow their instructions. Their goal is to ensure the safety and efficiency of the operation.

Practice Kindness and Empathy

A little kindness goes a long way in creating a positive atmosphere during drop-off and pick-up times. Smile, wave, and show respect to other parents and staff members. A friendly attitude can have a ripple effect! Demonstrating proper etiquette in the drop-off and pick-up line not only ensures a smoother process but also teaches your children valuable lessons in patience, respect, and responsibility to carry for the rest of the day.

No one likes waiting in line; but we can all make the wait and process a little bit easier with some basic guidance. Arriving on time, following designated routes, and demonstrating patience and kindness are all key components of a successful drop-off and pick-up routine.

CarCare To Go can help you save time in your day by coming to your home and picking up your vehicle for service, then returning it back to you within the time frame that you need it.

Call 202-980-1480 to get an estimate of how much time your service or repair should take, or just leave a note when booking online to have your service experience tailored to your needs.

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