google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday, December 29, 2014 Jerry Edelstein

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Dec 29, 2014

Monday, December 29, 2014 Jerry Edelstein

Theme: Think Global - Rather succinct reveal today.

57. The third "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie (and where you might find the first part of 18-, 24-, 34-, 40- and 48-Across) : "AT WORLD'S END". Trailer(2:55)

18. Large-group legal proceeding : CLASS ACTION. World class.

24. Lens for a panorama : WIDE ANGLE. Worldwide.

34. Wooing period : COURTSHIP. World Court, formally The International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. Informally, being judged on a global basis.

40. Secure method of payment : BANK DRAFT. World Bank, like The World Court, is a United Nations international institution.

48. Craft with an outboard : POWERBOAT. World power. Yes, I tried motorboat first.

Argyle here. Jerry has had a good year, like his puzzle on Tuesday couple of weeks ago. You might say this is his year's end puzzle. Clearance on 3-letter entries (27).

Across:

1. "Big" fast-food sandwich : "MAC". "Two all-beef patties,...."

4. Ump's call with outstretched arms : "SAFE!"

8. Halloween sheet wearers : GHOSTS

14. Prez on a penny : ABE

15. Cuba, por ejemplo : ISLA

16. Abdul and Zahn : PAULAs. Entertainer and newscaster.

17. Philandering fellow : CAD

20. King toppers : ACEs. In cards.

22. Pulitzer winner James : AGEE. A posthumous Pulitzer Prize(1958) for " A Death in the Family"(1957).

23. Colo. neighbor : KANS. (Kansas)

26. Omelet need : EGG

27. Clock-setting std. : GMT. (Greenwich Mean Time)

28. Bomb trials, briefly : H TESTS

31. Iranian religion : BAHA'I

37. Waterfront org. : ILA. (International Longshoremen's Association)

38. Gems that come mostly from Australia : OPALS

39. Lab eggs : OVA

43. Conductor's wand : BATON

45. "Certainly!" : "INDEED!"

46. Elbow poke : JAB. wink, wink...nudge, nudge.

47. Baseball's Cobb and football's Law : TYs. Tajuan "Ty" Law.

54. Tip-top : A-ONE

55. Earnest request : PLEA

56. Wheel shaft : AXLE

60. Supermarket franchise initials : IGA. (Independent Grocers Alliance)

61. Attractive : PRETTY

62. Writer Ferber : EDNA

63. __ Moines : DES

64. "Honor Thy Father" author Gay : TALESE

65. Nikita's no : NYET

66. Palindromic "before" : ERE

Down:

1. Rain forest parrot : MACAW

2. Ancient calculators : ABACI

3. Handed over, as land : CEDED

4. Attack, to Fido : "SIC!"

5. Like italics : ASLANT

6. "Fried Green Tomatoes" co-screenwriter Fannie : FLAGG

7. Tripod for a canvas : EASEL

8. Transcript no. : GPA

9. Comic Buddy who played Costello in "Bud and Lou" : HACKETT

10. Power failures : OUTAGES

11. Weapon in the David and Goliath story : SLINGSHOT

12. New Mexico art hub : TAOS

13. Tax form ID : SSN

19. Catch sight of : SEE

21. Maker of the Genesis game system : SEGA

25. French pal : AMI

28. Day's 24: Abbr. : HRs

29. DVR brand : TIVO

30. Stretch across : SPAN

31. Netanyahu of Israel, familiarly : BIBI

32. Actor Alda : ALAN

33. Part of a hotel bathroom set : HANDTOWEL

34. Tax whiz, briefly : CPA

35. Clumsy type : OAF

36. Final: Abbr. : ULT. (ultimate)

38. Old California fort : ORD

41. Major speech, as at a convention : KEYNOTE

42. Arid expanses : DESERTS

43. Place for a cocktail : BAR

44. "Mamma Mia!" group : ABBA

46. __ d'Arc : JEANNE

48. Opposite of COD : PPD. Collect on delivery/postpaid

49. Jimmy of the Daily Planet : OLSEN

50. Like a neglected lawn : WEEDY. Can neglect till spring now.

51. Zinc __: sunblock ingredient : OXIDE

52. Rags-to-riches author Horatio : ALGER

53. Kid around with : TEASE

54. Gillette razor : ATRA

57. Fitting : APT

58. Caustic chemical : LYE

59. "Can't Help Lovin' __ Man" : DAT. This is from the 1993 Toronto cast recording.




Argyle


40 comments:

  1. When your dog can't sleep, neither can you. I don't aspire to be first here. I'd rather sleep, believe me, but...

    Sled run today, but not too awfully easy. Nice Monday puzzle. Nice writeup, Argyle, thanks.

    Some learning here and there. Didn't know how to spell BIBI. I did know Gay TALESE and will never forget one book he wrote... now what was the name of that one where... then the divorce came later.

    Last answer today was HANDTOWEL, crossing with BAHAI. Just wouldn't come to me.

    Did not know it was spelled JEANNE.

    Happy Monday, everyone. Back to bed, perhaps to sleep.

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  2. Nice puzzle by Jerry Edelstein, and amusing explanation and analysis by Argyle. Belated congratulations for yesterday's C.C. Sunday that was ESPecially fun, as described by Husker Gary.

    It has been a privilege and a pleasure getting to know several of you through this forum. As a way of wishing all the best of the holiday season, I want to share three year-end puzzles that you might want to look at if this week leaves you with some free time: Checkers' Mate! (Sunday-sized, constructed with Daniel Silversmith, about a historic anniversary), They've Got Class (by Tom Williams and Alex Vratsanos, about a nerdy anniversary), and Enigma Variations (constructed with Ralph Bunker and Michael Hanko to coincide with the nationwide opening of a major motion picture, and complete with several nifty prizes).

    In closing, please e-mail me at barany@umn.edu if you want to discuss cruciverbal matters, and thanks again so much to C.C. for her graciousness and friendship. Happy New Year to all!

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  3. Morning, all!

    This started out as your typical easy Monday speed run, but then things started to get a little weird...

    Surely David slew Goliath with a SLING and not a SLINGSHOT?

    I had SEEDY at first, then had to change it to TEEDY to make room for MOTOR BOAT. Which, of course, made no sense whatsoever. I finally made the change to WEEDY/POWER BOAT, but that left me with PPD at 48D, which meant precisely nothing to me. I eventually decided it must stand for prepaid , which it apparently doesn't, but at least it let me accept it as a valid answer and move on.

    Of course, I wanted JOAN of Arc. When that didn't fit (and I finally noticed it was "d'Arc"), I went with JOANNE. Oops. That was mostly because I still had MOTOR BOAT at that point. Fortunately, even on a Monday morning, I was able to realize that POWER isn't spelled POWOR...

    Seriously, though... SLINGSHOT? My dictionary only defines it as "a Y-shaped stick with an elastic strip between the prongs for shooting stones and other small missiles." Of course, the definition for "sling" includes an entry that it is synonymous with SLINGSHOT, but while SLING can be used to mean SLINGSHOT, I really don't think it works the other way around...

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  4. Good morning!

    I really liked the reveal of AT WORLD'S END, since I enjoy anything with Johnny Depp in it. But, I had the same problems as Barry in the SE. I had sEEDY at first for 59-D. I did have JEANNE in place, along with OLSEN. So I just could not make sense of *OSER BOAT. Loser? Poser? Oh, WEEDY!! POWER!!!! Ta-da!

    Have a great start to this last week of the year, everyone.

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  5. Good morning!

    This was a downhill dash toward the end of 2014. Thanks for 'splainin' the theme, Argyle. Once again, I didn't get it.

    Learning moment: Netanyahu spells it BIBI, not Bebe. Guess I was getting him confused with Lilith -- Bebe Neuwirth.

    I've gotta agree with Barry on that SLINGSHOT business. I also remember it as being a simple SLING in the O.T. myth.

    Fortunately 65a was already filled in when I read the clue. I was thinking it would be Nikita's jersey number -- probably a hockey player. D'oh!

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  6. Quick and easy today. I had MOTORBOAT first , but I was sure of WEEDY, which suggested POWERBOAT.
    For me SLING and SLINGSHOT are synonymous. No nit, or even a second thought when I entered this. If you look at SLINGSHOT in Wiki you will find the serious weapon with the long elastics, as well as the short Y shape Barry mentions. The words SLING or SLINGSHOT are in English, of course, and are not the word used in the OT.

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  7. Howdy everyone,

    Nice start to the week with a little bite making it something other then a Monday speed run.

    Never can remember if it's SEGA or sego. Today I guessed correctly.` Tomorrow, who knows. Hand up for Motorboat before POWERBOAT.

    I've no issue with SLINGSHOT at all. David "slung a rock and felled Goliath, hence a slingshot. At least it was in my church school.

    Same thought as D-O on BIBI.

    Been spending the days lately trying to organize my books for the Schedule C filing. Every year it's more of a maze. Guess I'll have to buy a case of Pinch and hire Tin.

    Have a good Monday.



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  8. Good day, Puzzlers!

    WEES on MOTOR/POWER but no nits on SLINGSHOT. To me it's all the same as what my brothers used as kids.

    One of my cousins was called BIBI but dropped it as he grew older.

    JEANNE was almost JOANNE but POWER kicked in to change it to the French.

    You all have a joyful Monday!

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  9. WEES re the puzzle & motorboat. PPD. can be prepaid or postpaid. COD can imply either payment for shipping or payment for shipping AND merchandise due to deliverer. Prepaid likewise can refer to either situation. PostPaid, though, just means postage is already paid. Otherwise it would be COD that's paid post-delivery.
    For the other nit, I'll descend to poetry.

    . ~ ~ .

    Rockets rumble from world to world;
    On parabolic paths they're hurled
    Through space-black ocean
    By laws of motion
    Around planets, like a slingshot curled!

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  10. OK. I tried my first post from my iPhone and Google blew it away.

    Let's try that again.

    Good morning, folks. Thank you Jerry Edelstein, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.

    Did this puzzle while sitting at the blood bank. They refused to take my blood due to a heart monitor I am wearing. My blood is fine and my heart is fine. Should have kept my mouth shut.

    The puzzle theme was fine even though I never heard of AT WORLD'S END.

    I also tried MOTORBOAT first.

    Didn't we just have the plural of ISLA yesterday?

    BAHAI came easily, having lived in Iran. They also have Zoroastrian religion. Fire worshippers.

    Buddy HACKETT was a great comedian.

    OK. Let me try to post this again.

    Abejo

    ()

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  11. Musings
    -I tried working this fun Monday puzzle by doing all the across clues first like some of you do but my OCD wouldn’t let me. I had to fill the NE corner first. Sigh…
    -This wrong SAFE call cost the pitcher (#58) a perfect game
    -Some sheet-wearing adults are scarier
    -We made omelets from these slightly different farm fresh EGGS from our neighbor’s grandson’s 4H chickens. Yeah, I know, where’s the ham?
    -BATON – does anyone here accentuate the first syllable?
    -Love may be what makes the world go round but revenge is the AXLE upon which it revolves - Charles Emerson Winchester spoken to Margaret Houlihan
    -Being PRETTY can be fleeting but good companionship lasts forever
    -ABACI is one of those odd words like “data” where the plural is shorter than the singular
    -We used a fence so as not to CEDE our garden to the rabbits
    -Why not put lines underground to reduce OUTAGES?
    -All 24 HRS as of now. Tin is currently 11 HRS ahead of us
    -Jimmy’s heritage must have been Danish and not Swedish
    -What 1980 movie (oft quoted here) had a slightly off-center character named TY Webb?

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  12. Hello all,

    I am back from my brief departure for marriage etc. I have reread the write ups (thank you C.C.) and all the comments and I want to wish all the birthday people a continued happy birthday and a great year. Thank you for the positive cvomments on the pictures which I sent to C.C.

    To answer the one question I recall, we did not meet on the internet, we went on a blind date arranged by a friend's wife who is also Thai and new Oo from working in restaurants.

    I have known her for more than 2 years and we are having a good time together.

    Not to get washed into the nit picking, Barry was correct about each nit, the Bible refers only to a sling and a stone, though I had no problem seeing slingshot when there were too many letters. PPD I always thought was Postponed, like a flight or baseball game, but prepaid, postpaid were easily inferred.

    Buddy Hackett was not only a very funny man (the first comedian that I saw perform in person at the Deuaville hotel in Miami Beach in 1958; my parents were a bit taken back by his language, but it was only words) was an avid solver of crosswords. I ran into him in the Eastern Airline club room waiting for a flight and we talked because we were both doing the Sunday NYT puzzle. He was quite gracious and witty. He also solved much faster than I.

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  13. Good Morning:

    I enjoyed this solve a lot. Hand up for motor boat and Joanne, otherwise, all went smoothly.

    Nice job, Jerry, and ditto, Argyle. Thanks for the Show Boat link, Argyle, that's one of my favorite musicals. I have the complete recording, 3 CD's, featuring Frederica Von Stade.

    Welcome back, Lemony. How do you pronounce your wife's name?

    Have a great day

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  14. How can you quote an English version of the Bible to ascertain whether the word is sling or slingshot? The Bible was not written in English. Both sling and slingshot can be synonyms so either could be a translation of the original word.
    I remember years ago when people declared it heresy that some churches used a modern version of the Lord's Prayer keeping the same meaning. How dare they change the words of our Lord!! Not!!

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  15. interesting discussion re: slingshot. It seems that many have forgotten their childhood. A slingshot is specific - that is a "Y" shaped handle with an elastic/rubber type band stretched between the arms of the "Y" by the other hand, aimed in front and released by the other hand. A sling is a piece of leather that is doubled back, uses one hand only, and is swung around to eventually release the rock. Only part of the name is the same. Bad clue!

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  16. YR, wow speaking of nit picking....I can quote an English version of the 'Bible' because this is an English speaking blog.

    I was not suggesting that it was a sling or slingshot used by David. I was quite deliberately using the most common Englsih version of the event which always says 'sling.' Notwithstanding that fact, I found the clue/fill fine and easy. I was merely relating to Barry's comment. The object of a crossword clue is not to be 100% accurate but to allow the solver a reasonable opportunity to solve. IMO. 9 letters I put in SLINGSHOT immediately.

    YR, I appreciate your passion for language if I had used the Aramaic word and quoted a scholar who said it meant sling, would that have mattered? The clue was easy.

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  17. "Slingshots depend on strong elastic materials, typically vulcanized natural rubber or the equivalent, and thus date back no further than the invention of vulcanized rubber by Charles Goodyear in 1839 (patented in 1844)."

    - From Wikipedia (so it must be true!)

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  18. What a relief to get a great Monday speedrun after that tough Saturday Silkie. Thank you, Jerry! Argyle, I too had MOTORBOAT at first, like many others. Lots of delightful clues, great fun.

    And a fun poem, Owen, thanks!

    Have a great week, everybody!

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  19. Wish the clue hadn't specified "weapon". The bullets from a sling would be sling shot, and the action of using a sling would be a slingshot (or sling shot). And then there's Ezra Bridger.

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  20. Good morning everybody, or good afternoon to you east coast folks. I enjoyed solving the puzzle though these kinds of themes leave me whelmed.

    I had no trouble with filling in slingshot though in retrospect I agree with Barry's viewpoint.

    Gary, I'd be happy with underground utility wires. There are some around here especially in areas where homeowners have an ocean view. (We don't unless I stand on the chimney and jump.) They are probably more reliable but more expensive to install and more expensive and time-consuming to repair when something goes wrong (as it always does).

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  21. Dudley, thanks for the information last night. I'm very familiar with Cruciverb since I use it nightly, but I am having trouble finding a Kindle app that will allow me to open it so I can print it.

    Does anyone here use a Kindle to access Cruciverb?

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  22. Thank you Argyle and Jerry.

    Nimble little Monday offering. And that's good, cause I still have yet to complete the SW corner from Saturday, and haven't even started the Sunday. I hear rumor that the Sunday was a C.C. so what am I waiting on!

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  23. Good morning everyone.

    Argyle, I did it, too. Motorboat before POWERBOAT. In our neck of the woods, they tend to be called motorboats. Good puzzle. PRETTY easy. No look-ups needed. Occasional pauses to get spelling assist from perps such as for BIBI and BAHA'I.
    COD clue. Replenishment flights from shore to aircraft carriers or to transfer personnel are called COD flights - Carrier Onboard Delivery.

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  24. RE: Underground electric cables. We've got 'em in my little town. Of course, there are overhead wires that bring the power into town, so in any Hurricane or even tropical storm, we're bound to lose power. That's why I installed a whole-house backup generator a few years back.

    It's interesting (at least to me) how they can locate an underground fault. They isolate the "leg" containing the fault and then charge that leg with high-voltage DC. Where it arcs it creates a bang that can easily be heard above ground. That locates the fault to within about 1 foot. Neat.

    Spitz, I knew it was called the COD, but never knew why. Thanks.

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  25. Pretty much Monday level for me in time and difficulty. I had PPD, Olsen and Weedy in place, so the motorBOAT never showed up for me. A few unknowns or vague answers, but perps were always solid. Took a second to understand the theme after the reveal, but I did get it.

    Whodathunk that a "shot" could arouse so much passion? But hey! At least the clue wasn't: Drink "Singapore ______".

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  26. I have a dim memory of watching POWERBOAT races on the Connecticut River in Turners Falls, MA.

    All powerboats are motorboats but not all motorboats are powerboats.

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  27. Aaaaaand, he's back. Slinging his weight around like he is the overlord of all things blog. No, and we are not exclusive. The fiend has also had to deal with his tutelage today. Such a philistine!

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  28. I didn't read Gary's comments on C.C.'s puzzle till 2AM this morning, but enjoyed both very much.

    This was a good Monday puzzle. I just filled in BOAT and waited on perps to finish POWER part.

    DH retired from the Post Office so PPD and COD were givens.

    Argyle, thanks for being there every Mon. and Tues. throughout this year. I watched "I Am Santa" on Netflix and thought of you.

    I was considered a part of a CLASS ACTION suit due to unSAFE drug I had taken. I received the settlement of 29 dollars and change last month.

    I will not have computer access for next few days so wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!

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  29. Blue Iris: How much did the lawyers get?

    Abejo

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  30. Well, that was embarrassing. I went to the supermarket. It was more crowded than usual and I had to look for a place to park, a bit farther away than is typical. When I came out, I walked to the aisle where I thought I had parked but no car. Not on a couple of adjacent aisles either. What to do? I remembered the red button on my remote. I pushed it and right away, I could hear my horn honking a few aisles away. It saved a lot of walking but I hereby apologize to the people who might have been close by and were scared/annoyed by 10 seconds of my horn honking.

    I enjoyed this video and I thought some of you might also. It's a skilled watchmaker taking apart and reassembling a sophisticated wristwatch. Rolex watch video

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  31. Abejo, I almost added a comment nearly identical to yours, but then I thought I wouldn't besmirch those "poor" lawyers just trying to make a living-LOL

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  32. Zipped through this puzzle quickly. I found it easy but fun. Hand up for entering mOtoRBOAT at first. I too misspelled BIBI as BeBe at first. Best wishes to you all.

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  33. Hello Puzzlers -

    Hand up for motorboat first, otherwise smooth sailing today. I don't know much about slingshots, but I've generally assumed that David would have used a gadget like that invented by clever Ayla in the Clan of the Cave Bear series. It would take a whole lot of practice to get the stone to go where you intended!

    Luxor - now I understand. From a quick Google search I gather it's not obvious whether a Kindle app exists. Sorry to be of no help!

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  34. Bill G 3:21 -

    Fascinating. I've seen watch repair before, but nothing at that level of intricacy.

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  35. Strangely enough, I would have said that David slew Goliath with a LUCKY SHOT. Thanks for the kind thoughts yesterday. DW is resting comfortably. I'm home to get a much needed good nights sleep. May chat tomorrow.

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  36. Bill G,
    Thanks for posting the Rolex video. Almost a lost art, horology.

    In 1962, when I was 20, I worked for Timex (U.S. Time Corp.) in TX as a Quality Control inspector, making the little model #23 movements which went into Hopalong Cassidy and Snow White watches.

    My wife worked there too... as an assembler. Her quota was 360 per 8-hour day !!! Tough factory job for both of us.

    Can't remember how many parts went into the 23 but probably about, um, 23? :O) Not quite as many as the Rolex and no jeweled movements except maybe one. Where did you find that vid?

    Ray

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  37. HG@9:28, isn't that movie "Caddyshack"? I seem to remember some character bragging/complaining about caddying for the Dalai Lama and getting stiffed, though he was promised Nirvana, I think.

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  38. Musings 2
    -Bluehen – Yes, the movie was Caddyshack but TY Webb was the rich space cadet played by Chevy Chase, not the goofy Carl the Groundskeeper played by Bill Murray.
    -Did Hamlet suffer the SLINGSHOTS and arrows of outrageous fortune? ☺

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  39. Manac, I like your POV regarding both.

    Ray, my son sent me the link, probably since I recently bought a Hamilton Railroad pocket watch. I think he found it on http://sploid.gizmodo.com/

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