The Reagan Speech Preservation Society

Reagan Radio Commentaries of 1978

Modified: Tuesday, 13 July 2021 08:27 by admin - Categorized as: Reagan Radio
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Domestic Policy Discussions Foreign Policy DiscussionsPopular Culture/Current EventsPolitical Philosophy

Broadcast Name Batch Number Description
Salt II78-01        
Christmas78-01
American Farm School I78-01
American Farm School II78-01
Human Rights I78-01Again, Reagan is talking about the situation with Vietnam. This time, however, he's talking about the takeover of South Vietnam by North Vietnam. the North has violated its treaties by continuing its push into the South.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 53
Human Rights II78-01Reagan tells the story of an American ex-GI and his German wife who frequently cross the border into East Germany to help families who have been ostracized from society, like Rolf Mainz.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 150
Human Rights III78-01Reagan covers a bit of ground, discussing the Helsinki Accords and the Hungarian Crown of St. Stephen.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 152
Taxes78-01
Our Country78-01
Crime78-01
Miscellaneous78-01
Welfare78-01
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 394
Healthy Competition78-01
Pot78-01
Social Security78-01A Social Security tax bill has just been signed, changing the rate to 7% of all earnings up to $42,600. But will it do any good? Reagan reiterates the promises from the 1936 Security In Your Old Age brochure.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 372
Big Mo78-02
Panama78-02
St. Stephen's Crown78-02
Korea78-02A follow-up to a previous commentary (Korea 76-14) we learn that the State Department has finished an assessment of the situation on the Korean peninsula and found that General John Singlaub is correct in his assessment and troops should not be withdrawn. A North Korean military build-up leaves the south outgunned without United States help.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 68
Oil78-02
Independents vs IRS78-02
Regulation78-02
Welfare Reform78-02
Miscellaneous78-02
Looking Out a Window78-02The first of the broadcasts while listening to the audiobook, Reagan doesn't really have a story to tell, he simply waxes philosophic about what he sees out his hotel window while on the "Mashed Potato Circuit".
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 18
Jobs78-02
Miscellaneous78-02
Pity the Middle Class78-02
Miscellaneous78-02
Father and Son78-02
Panama Canal Debate78-03
Spaceships78-03A Russian satellite has crashed in Canada, giving off radiation. Turns out Kosmos 954 was a spy satellite with a powerful radar for locating enemy ships and submarines.
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Redwoods78-03
Swordfish78-03
Farm Day78-03
Tax Limitation Style78-03
Steel78-03
Labor78-03
Economy78-03
Neighborhoods78-03
Cuba78-03
Treaties78-03
Neutron Bomb78-03
Bakke78-03
Blind on the Left78-03They certainly are!
Freda Utley started off a Fabian Socialist in England, married a Communist from the Soviet Union, became disillusioned by Communism while living in Moscow, watched her husband get arrested and sent to a Gulag, escaped back to England, became an anti-communist and was largely ignored for her criticism. SHe had passed away about a month before Reagan would record this broadcast.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 136
Canal78-04
Treaties78-04Reagan again shares his thoughts on treaties and again he turns to Laurence Beilenson's "The Treaty Trap". This time, he's talking about the importance of language. A phrase may mean one thing in one language, while it means something very different in another.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 54
Salt Talks I78-04Reagan doesn't talk so much about the details of the upcoming SALT II Treaty as much as he speaks about other individuals who are also sounding the bell against the limitations of the treaty and that the Soviet Union cannot be trusted, even with a signed treaty.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 76
Salt Talks II78-04
Cubans and Russians78-04The Cubans and Russians have been involving themselves in Africa, but would it be much of a surprise to hear they're operating in Panama as well? Witnesses say Panamanian students are getting sent to Cuba for 6 months at a time. "What was it the Russians said about winning just one generation in a country and and having that country forever?"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 207
Salt II78-04Like his earlier broadcast, Reagan is talking about others who are against the SALT II treaty, specifically, a couple Democrat congressman, one being Rep. Wilson from California. A "Congressman Miller" is also mentioned, but no first name is included.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 77
Two Worlds (Foreign Aid, World Bank)78-04
War (Panama)78-04At a recent televised debate over the Panama Canal treaty between Reagan and William Buckley, one of the other involved individuals, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt (ret.) made some startling comments about the likelihood of war with the Soviet Union.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 99
Suicide Lobby78-04Is it possible that Communist organizations in the United States, under the direction of the Soviet Union are responsible for the groups working against nuclear power plant construction? That is the assertion of Jeffrey Hart, professor at Dratmouth (and future Reagan speechwriter).
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 139
Budget78-04
Mineral King78-04
Local Control I78-04
Local Control II78-04
A Gift (Indian headdress)78-04A tradition broken, an old man in pain. 11 consecutive presidents had accepted his gift, but the 12th refused it. had made ceremonial headdresses for more than 50 years. Illness kept him from presenting the headdress and he would pass away in June of 1978.
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 388
Items78-04
Canal78-05Reagan is angry... you wouldn't like him when he's angry. Reagan is angry because of a constant lie (he calls it a falsehood) being told about our "sins" against Panama. The United States has frequently renegotiated changes to the original canal treaty in Panama's favor.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 208
Tax Time78-05
Crime78-05
China78-05Reagan covers the report of a speech given in China by Foreign Minister Huang Hua about relations between Red China, Taiwan and the United States. Spoiler alert: We are a paper tiger and will not work to protect Taiwan when Red China seeks to "liberate" it.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 58
Bill Simon78-05
Missing Person78-05
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 411
Three Martini Lunch78-05
Government (Renegotiation)78-05
Spies78-05
No Pay, No Vote78-05The United States pays a significant amount of money around the world for United Nations projects and peacekeeping efforts, it also pays 25+% of the UN's budget. But other countries, like the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellites haven't paid anything, and owe upwards of $82 billion. They claim they don't have to pay because they don't approve of the actions of the UN. Reagan feels that, if they don't pay, they should lose their voting rights.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 171
B-1 Bomber78-05Carter canceled development and construction of the B-1 Bomber in favor of the possibilities of the Air-Launched Cruise Missile. Reagn disagrees and he tells us why.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 103
Farm78-05
Regulators78-05
Miscellaneous78-05
General James78-05
Desk-Cleaning78-05Reagan follows up on the domino theory (Vietnam fell to communism, now so have Laos and Cambodia), the Cuban soldiers in Angola and Soviet troops in Cuba and finally David Truong.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 141
Guinea78-06Equatorial Guinea, another country with a dictator being propped up by the likes of Russia, Cuba and China. We hear some stories about the horrible treatment of political prisoners in that country.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 170
Life and Death (7 yr old Eduardo, Leukemia)78-06The story of a 7-year-old boy who shows more courage and wisdom in the face of death than most adults would.
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Christmas78-06Reagan tells how the Soviet Union re-wrote Ukrainian Christmas carols to fit with the new worship...of the State.
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 415

On Youtube
Do Right78-06
School Days78-06Reagan highlights a recent essay by Solveig Eggerz entitled "Whatever Happened to the Public Schools and Why?" (Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph article about the essay) which argues that we are moving from the traditional education (reading, writing, arithmetic) towards molding children's attitudes and more niche subjects. Reagan shares a story of a high school Valedictorian rejected by George Washington University over his College board exams. The Dean of Admissions is quoted: "...he thinks he's a real scholar. His parents think he's a real scholar. He's been deluded into thinking he's gotten an education."
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 345
Government Security78-06
Sports78-06A column in Human Events by M. Stanton Evans brings a court case in Ohio to Reagan's attention. The court case find that girls may not be barred from playing on boys only school sports teams if they so choose. Evans fears this could lead to boys muscling into girl's teams if they can't cut it.
The OSU Lantern
New York Times
Fighting Cal Graham78-06
Greensville County Elections78-06
Snails and Signboards78-06
Nit Picking78-06
Communications I78-06Two Republican Congressman went to Youngstown, OH to talk to labor leaders about a plant closure that was putting 5000 people out of work. They found themselves much more in agreement than they thought as they were told it was policies coming out of Washington D.C. that caused the most trouble.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 300
Communications II78-06
Soviet Consumer78-06
Air Cargo Deregulation78-06
Japan I78-07
Japan II78-07Despite a high trade imbalance in favor of Japan, Japanese business leaders are concerned. They would prefer a free trade over protectionism that currently exists. They feel we are not being as aggressive in the market as we once were.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 287
Japan III78-07Reagan focuses on a dinner with government officials that includes a Q&A session in which the focus seems to be the perceived military withdrawal of the United States from the western Pacific.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 114
Taiwan I78-07Reagan first traveled to Taiwan in 1971 at the request of President Nixon. This broadcast follows his second trip. It acts as an overview of Taiwan as a country, discussing their history after World War 2 and comparing their level of freedom to that of red China.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 43
Hong Kong78-07While named Hong Kong, Reagan spends half his time talking about Iran as well. While visiting Asia, Hong Kong was supposed to be a simple stop-over between Taipei and Iran. However, the British governor at the time arranged for a helicopter tour of the city. In Iran, he observed the great strides in development being made. Rush-hour traffic jams that seem to run 24 hours per day. Home construction to the tune of 300,000 per year.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 113
Women78-07Reagan summarizes "The Dinner Party," a short story by Mona Gardner, to illustrate his frequent point that, "If weren't for the ladies, we men would still be carrying clubs."
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Education78-07
Alger Hiss78-07
Rhodesia78-07
The Pacific78-07The Asian countries are concerned about the western Pacific. The Soviet Union continues to grow its fleet, but the United States seems to be prepared to perform cuts to the already thinly-stretched 7th fleet.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 116
Seal Hunt78-07A recent article in the LA Times about the hunting of baby seals has set off some high emotions. How could anyone hunt a cute little baby harp seal? Well, the author of the article did his homework. First, the hunts are done to control the population, with the government of Canada setting quotas. The Harp Seal is the most abundant species of seal on Earth and in no danger of extinction. In fact, too much growth in the population would put our Atlantic fishing grounds at risk. In terms of the method used, numerous studies have been performed and found that clubbing is the most humane method.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 334
Dulles Airport78-07
Castro's Prisons78-07
Miscellaneous78-07
Health Care78-07
Taxes Again78-08A couple House members, Jack Kemp and William Steiger, are trying to get taxes lowered to encourage growth, but they face significant resistance from the White House, Treasury Department and the leadership of Congress. Reagan breaks down some of the numbers.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 277
National Security78-08
Hearst78-08
Spending78-08
Energy78-08
Oil78-08
Russia78-08
Planes78-08
Drugs78-08
Foolishness78-08
Money78-08
New Talk from a Labor Leader78-08
Salaries78-08
Davis-Bacon Act78-08
Education78-08
U.S. - China Relations78-09
Normalization78-09
District of Columbia78-09
Fraud78-09
SALT Talks78-09Does the Soviet Union care about MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction)? You might be surprised that, no, they might not. 100 million dead from a nuclear war is not something they are worried about. "Communists harbor no sentiments of hopelessness and pessimism."
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 79
Cities78-09
Stamps78-09
Asia78-09
Asia II78-09
Free Press78-09
Alex. Solzhenitsyn78-09
Alex. Solzhenitsyn II78-09
Inflation78-09
Malibu78-09The California Coastal Commission was founded to create a comprehensive plan for the development and zoning of land from the water's edge to 3000 feet inland. It seemed like a good idea, to prevent overdevelopment and preserve some of the beaches. What they created turned into a group of political appointees, public beaches with no attendance and violations of the Constitution, as the commission began preventing existing property owners from working on their own land unless they gave up some of their beach.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 331
Miscellaneous78-09
Government78-10
Mirages78-10
Lumber78-10
Freedom of Speech in Russia78-10Students from Western Europe are traveling to the Soviet Union and trying to distribute non-approved documents.

On Youtube
Stanley Yankus78-10The same Stanley Yankus he mentioned years before in his Business, Ballots and Bureaus speech.
Charity78-10
School Busing78-10
Wedding78-10Reagan gives us a feel-good story of 's wedding. Pete was in a car accident 2 years ago and not expected to live. He spent 3 months in a coma and Linda spent every day of it at his side.

On Youtube
South Africa78-10On the audiobook, this track is labeled "Diplomats without Portfolio." Reagan takes issue with people who make "diplomatic" decisions without considering the options. As an example, he cites the story of the leader of the American Peace Corps. She would not allow their volunteers to work in South Africa. Also, when two of her volunteers develop back problems, rather than take them to the nearest hospital in South Africa (in protest of its apartheid policy) she instead flies them to Germany for an exam, then returns them to Botswana. The kicker? The airline used was South African and it cost $3000.
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 188
Cuba78-10
Castro78-10In recent weeks, intelligence summaries have been released linking Soviets, East Germans and Cubans to military raids occurring across the Angolan border into Zaire. Castro, of course, calls these reports lies... or is Castro himself lying? Marx, interpreted by Lenin says any crime, including lying, is moral if it advances the cause of socialism.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 59
Walter Knott78-10
Trains78-10
Chiefs of Staff78-10Reagan takes his usual couple minutes to talk about the stepping down (Gen. George S. Brown) and replacement (Gen. David C. Jones) of a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 70
Proposition 1378-10
Salt Talks I78-11 More details, this time through Thomas C. Reed, former Secretary of the Air Force, on the Soviet Union and the SALT II Talks.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 82-85
Salt Talks II78-11
Employment78-11
Economics I78-11 In a two-part commentary, Reagan discusses some developments from a recent convention of the California AFL-CIO. In the first, he explains how raising taxes on businesses is nothing more than a tax on individuals because a business will simply pass those increased costs on to its consumers. In the second, he talks about the math involved in the progressive income tax.
Part 1 available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 258
Part 2 available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 259

On Youtube
Economics II78-11
Paperwork78-11
Religious Freedom78-11A leaked school survey about religion from behind the Iron Curtain provides the Western world with a glimpse of religious "freedom" under socialism/communism.
Miscellaneous78-11Another desk clearing day.
Rome78-11It seems that, in its waning days, Rome took some actions we in the United States would find quite familiar. It destroyed crops to control prices, deflated its currency and imprisoned anyone who tried to get around its rules.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 238
South Seas78-11Is it better for a society for its government to dump a bunch of money on it or for that society to learn the value of hard work? Vacationers see the result of both on a trip through the South Seas.
Prisoner Exchange78-11In March of 1977, Anatoly (later Natan) Sharansky was found guilty of treason and sentenced to 13 years in a forced labor camp. Some thought that the United States should trade Soviet spies for him, but a Russian defector had a better idea. Reagan brings up the death row inmate from "Free Press (78-09)".
Local Government Center78-11The Local Government Center is/was a organization which encouraged local governments to investigate reducing their cost-of-service by using private companies. Studies cited by Reagan stated that private ambulance companies can cost a city upwards of 70% less, and similar savings can be seen from private garbage collection. One specific example is the Scottsdale, Arizona fire and EMS department, which was for-profit run from 1952 to 2005.
Alternative Energy and Uncle Sam78-11Thanks to the oil crisis of the mid-1970s, entrepreneurs were spurred on to investigate and develop renewable sources of energy production, primarily wind and solar. A couple of them, however, don't want the government throwing money (i.e. taxpayers dollars) around.
A Refugee Success Story78-11Previously a high ranking government official in South Vietnam, Nguyen Huy Han fled after the end of the war and settled in Pontiac, MI. He opened a restaurant and experienced so much success, he created a rewards program for his most faithful customers, rewarding them with cash back at the end of the year.
Accidents78-11Taking a lighter tone, Reagan sets politics and policy aside for a day and shares some humorous auto insurance accident descriptions. You can hear the suppression of his own laughter in Reagan's voice.

On Youtube
Income Tax78-12
British Health Care78-12
History78-12
Brainwashing I78-12
Brainwashing II78-12
Tax Revolt78-12
Left and Right78-12
The Average Man78-12
Polls and Guns78-12
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 403
Guantanamo78-12The Panama Canal giveaway treaty is now ratified, but that's just the beginning. We showed weakness and now we've got plenty of new demands being made against us. Panama has demands, Cuba has demands. They want the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. Strike while the iron is hot, I guess.
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 209
Government Cost78-12
Pay Raise78-12
Miscellaneous (Prop. 13)78-12
Two Worlds78-12Reagan kept a variety of little pieces of information like statistics or quotations on 4 x 6 note cards. One day, as he tells, he was shuffling through these cards, reading the stark differences between quotes from the founding fathers of the United States and those of the Soviet Union.
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 13
Technology78-12There are those that believe technology has been bad for the Earth and for humanity... that technology has created pollution which will doom us all. But what about the good it does? Does the good outweigh the bad? Reagan believes it does.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 313
Mexico's Oil78-13
Olympics78-13Support is building to remove the 1980 Summer Olympics from Moscow over Human Rights (or lack there of) in the Soviet Union.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 147
Prop. 13 Fallout78-13
Terrorism78-13
Land78-13
Pot78-13
Nuclear Power78-13Anti-Nuclear advocacy groups again, protesting at power plant construction sites. You have to wonder if they actually realize the long-term ramifications of not increasing the electrical supply in the power grid. They claim they just want is safer. Up until 1978, at the time of this broadcast, they had a 100% safety record, what's better than that??
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 324
Needed: Better Use of National Forests78-13
Mail78-13
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 407
Africa78-13With all the talk about South Africa and Rhodesia (soon-to-be Zimbabwe), the press isn't exactly covering the political changes in Sierra Leone, where its president has outlawed all other political parties and declared only he may run for president, or in Equatorial Guinea, where that president has issued an edict that his picture hang above the altar in church.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 193
Utilities78-13
Bugs78-13Insects can be literal plagues. Locusts and grasshoppers, mosquitos, even fleas can cause significant problems for humanity. But we found ways to control the problems. India used to have a significant problem with mosquito-borne malaria, but we began to spray insecticides. Between 1952 and 1962, a 10-year period, malaria cases in India dropped from 100 million to only 60,000. But then, it came back. Why? Silent Spring, published in 1962, would lead to a ban on DDT and the creation of the EPA.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 333
Government Payroll78-13
Free Enterprise78-13
Miscellaneous78-13
District of Columbia78-14
Amtrak78-14
Bi-Lingual78-14

On Youtube
Federal Lands78-14Reagan had, in a previous broadcast, given some rough estimates about how much land is owned by the Federal government in some of the states. He returns with actually statistics and to ask, "why?" Some recent articles from the Arizona Daily Star state that 50% of known energy resources are on this Federal land, but only 10% are actually being put to use. Why? Why would be not use what we can to become less dependent on foreign sources for energy?
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 337
Ocean Mining78-14The United Nations wants control over the mining of raw materials from the ocean floors. The concern is that the 3rd world nations, having voting control of the UN general assembly, would choose to move ahead at the expense of the United States.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 173
Rostow I78-14 This set of broadcasts, lasting more than a week, discuss, in depth, the SALT II treaty being heavily debated at the time. They borrow heavily from a speech given by Eugene Rostow (hence the names of the broadcasts) which was called "SALT II: A Soft Bargain, A Hard Sell." A copy of this speech appears to be in the archives of the Hoover Institute as part of the "Committee on the Present Danger records" Box/Folder 63 : 14.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Pages 92-98
Rostow II78-14
Rostow III78-14
Rostow IV78-14
Rostow V78-14
Rostow VI78-14
End of (an) Emergency78-14
Argentina78-14
Environment78-14
Soviet Nuclear Power78-14
Letelier I78-15
Letelier II78-15
Intelligence and the Media78-15A House Select Committee is investigating the CIA over allegations it was trying to manipulate the media. Trouble is, they've got the wrong intelligence organization. Con. John Ashbrook wants into about the Soviet Union's manipulation of our media.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 127
Welfare78-15
The Escalator78-15
Nuclear Power I78-15
Nuclear Power II78-15
Crime78-15
Waste78-15
Nuclear Carrier78-15
Pensions78-15
Self-help in the Neighborhoods78-15
Chinese Libertarians78-15
Davis-Bacon Act78-15
Miscellaneous78-15
Private Schools78-16In the United States, we have the free choice to use public schooling or make use of a private school. Some are secular, some are religious. Government granted these private schools tax exempt status, but now there are attempts underway to cancel this exemption. Why? First, its not coming from Congress. IRS Commissioner Jermone Kurtz issued a regulation. He would cancel the exemption for any schools that failed to meet arbitrary quotas for enrollment and employment of minorities.
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 354
Toys78-16
Hope for Cities78-16
Guest: Peter Hannaford
Basketball78-16
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 378
Horse and Rider I78-16
Horse and Rider II78-16
China78-16
Salt II78-16"Please Pass The Salt" Reagan calls the efforts underway in Washington D.C. to encourage Senators to pass the upcoming SALT II Treaty. Reagan mentions a State Department pamphlet called "The Salt Process."
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 85
Jokes78-16
An Accurate Thermometer78-16
Miscellaneous78-16
Wood I78-16
Wood II78-16
Bilingualism78-16
Taxation78-16While Reagan starts off talking about the Kemp-Roth tax bill and its supposed death, he spends more time reading from Andrew Mellon's book "Taxation: The People's Business" and talking about historic tax decreases and their impact on the economy.
Available on "Reagan In His Own Voice"
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 279
Christmas Day78-17
Salt II78-17
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 86
Panama Canal78-17
Gambling on the Dollar78-17
The Checkoff Ripoff78-17
Gas78-17
Taxes78-17
Keep of the Grass78-17
Helsinki Pact (East Germany)78-17
Available in "Reagan In His Own Hand" Page 154
Bread78-17
Business Tax78-17
ERA78-17
Miscellaneous I78-17
Miscellaneous II78-17
Textbooks78-17

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