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--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: CAST-IRON STOVES HAVE BEEN ADDING WARMTH TO PEOPLE'S LIVES
FOR MORE THAN THREE CENTURIES.
TODAY THERE ARE NEW REASONS TO COZY UP TO THIS INVENTION.
IT'S HAD A MAJOR UPDATE.
MODERN STOVES BURN WOOD MORE CLEANLY AND EFFICIENTLY,
PROVIDING HEAT
WITHOUT THE DIRTY FALLOUT FROM THE CHIMNEY.
MODERN CAST-IRON STOVES HARDLY RESEMBLE
THEIR SMOKE-BELCHING, SOOT-SPEWING PREDECESSORS.
THE DESIGN CREATES A HOTTER FIRE,
SO IT REQUIRES LESS FUEL AND RELEASES LITTLE SMOKE.
IT ALL STARTS WITH A PILE OF IRON SCRAP,
THINGS LIKE OLD STOVES, SINKS, BRAKE DRUMS, AND ROTORS.
A MAGNETIZED CRANE TRANSFERS THE SCRAP
TO A PROPANE-FIRED PREHEATER.
12 MINUTES SPENT IN THE PREHEATER
REMOVES MOISTURE FROM THE IRON SCRAP.
THE SCRAP IRON SPILLS INTO A HOPPER
THAT FUNNELS IT INTO AN ELECTRIC FURNACE.
THE TEMPERATURE IN THE FURNACE
IS A BLISTERING 2,700 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
AND THE IRON MELTS INTO A FIERY LIQUID.
THE FURNACE TILTS TO POUR THE MOLTEN IRON
INTO A LADLE FOR TRANSFER.
NEXT, THEY MAKE THE MOLDS OF THE STOVE PARTS,
USING A MIX OF SAND, CLAY, WATER, AND COAL.
THEY BLOW THE INGREDIENTS BETWEEN THE ALUMINUM PATTERNS.
A HYDRAULIC SYSTEM SQUEEZES THE PATTERNS TOGETHER.
THE SAND MIX COMPACTS AND TAKES THE SHAPE OF THE PATTERNS.
THEY NOW HAVE SAND MOLDS.
THE MOLTEN IRON ARRIVES
AND FLOWS INTO A CHANNEL LEADING TO THE MOLDS.
AS THE LIQUID METAL COOLS,
IT SOLIDIFIES INTO THE SHAPE OF THE MOLD.
A VIBRATING CONVEYOR SHAKES AND BREAKS THE SAND MOLDS
TO REVEAL THE CAST-IRON STOVE PARTS.
A WORKER KNOCKS OFF UNWANTED BITS,
AND THEN IT'S INTO A BLAST CLEANER.
INSIDE THE BLAST CLEANER,
STEEL GRIT BOMBARDS THE STOVE PARTS
TO REMOVE REMNANTS OF THE SAND MOLDS
AND EXPOSE THE METAL.
ESSENTIALLY IT BLASTS THE DIRT OFF, AND THEY COME OUT CLEAN.
AN EMPLOYEE GRINDS THE EDGES OF THE METAL STOVE PARTS.
HE BLENDS IN THE LINE CREATED
WHERE THE TWO PARTS OF THE MOLD CAME TOGETHER DURING CASTING.
IT TAKES 40 PARTS TO MAKE ONE WOODBURNING STOVE,
AND EACH ONE IS CAST IN A SAND MOLD MADE FROM A PATTERN.
NEXT, A WORKER DRILLS THREADS FOR THE BOLTS
THAT WILL HOLD ALL THE PARTS OF THE STOVE TOGETHER.
ONCE THE SURFACE OF THE PARTS HAS BEEN PREPPED,
THEY SPRAY AN ENAMEL COATING ONTO THEM AND BAKE IT ON.
A LASER THEN CUTS OUT A STEEL HEAT SHIELD
FOR THE BACK OF THE WOOD STOVE.
THE INTRICATE CUTS ARE COMPUTER DRIVEN.
AN EMPLOYEE BENDS THE HEAT SHIELD TO FIT THE STOVE.
NEXT, A WORKER PACKS A KIND OF MORTAR
INTO A SILICONE MOLD OF THE FIREBOX.
THE TABLE ITS ON VIBRATES TO SETTLE THE MATERIAL
AND ELIMINATE AIR POCKETS
SO THE FIREBOX WILL BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND HIGH TEMPERATURES.
THE SHAPE OF THE FIREBOX
IS CRUCIAL TO THE STOVE'S ENERGY EFFICIENCY,
AND SO ARE THE HOLES THAT HAVE BEEN MOLDED INTO IT.
THESE STRATEGICALLY LOCATED HOLES
WILL INTRODUCE FRESH AIR
TO BURN GASES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UP IN SMOKE,
PREVENTING ENERGY LOSS AND POLLUTION AT THE SAME TIME.
THE PARTS HAVE ALL BEEN FABRICATED,
AND THEY'RE READY TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER.
THEY ASSEMBLE THE STOVE FROM THE BOTTOM UP.
THEY BOLT THE PARTS AND SEAL THE JOINTS TO MAKE THEM AIRTIGHT.
THE ASSEMBLY TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR.
THIS CAST-IRON STOVE IS NOW READY
TO KEEP THESE FIRES BURNING FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
Narrator: AN ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT
IS A LIGHTWEIGHT, MOTORIZED FLYING MACHINE
THAT LOOKS LIKE A HANG GLIDER.
HANG GLIDING INSPIRED THE INVENTION OF ULTRALIGHTS
BACK IN THE LATE 1970s.
THE IDEA WAS TO CREATE
A SLOW BUT AFFORDABLE METHOD OF MOTORIZED FLIGHT
SUBJECT TO MINIMAL AEROSPACE REGULATIONS.
THEY'RE CALLED ULTRALIGHTS OR MICROLIGHTS.
THIS MADE-IN-FRANCE 2-SEATER MODEL WEIGHS ABOUT 485 POUNDS.
TO BE CLASSIFIED AS AN ULTRALIGHT
BY THE INTERNATIONAL AIR SPORTS FEDERATION,
TAKEOFF WEIGHT CAN'T EXCEED 990 POUNDS
AND MINIMUM SPEED CAN'T SURPASS 40 MILES PER HOUR.
THE WING SURFACE, CALLED THE SAIL,
IS MADE OF A STURDY POLYESTER-BASED MATERIAL
TREATED WITH A SPECIAL COATING
THAT PROTECTS IT FROM THE SUN'S ULTRAVIOLET RAYS.
THEY UNROLL DIFFERENT COLORS OF THIS FABRIC
ONTO A CUTTING TABLE MARKED WITH PATTERNS
FOR THE FOUR SEPARATE SAIL SECTIONS.
THEY STAPLE THE FABRICS TO THE TABLE
TO HOLD THEM STEADY WHILE TRACING THE PATTERNS.
ONCE THEY FINISH TRACING, THEY CUT OUT THE PIECES,
THEN CONNECT THEM WITH DOUBLE-SIDED ADHESIVE TAPE
TO POSITION THEM CORRECTLY FOR SEWING.
THEY REINFORCE SELECT AREAS
WITH ADHESIVE-BACKED POLYESTER MESH FABRIC.
THEN A SEWER STITCHES THE PIECES TOGETHER
WITH HIGH-STRENGTH, U.V.-RESISTANT THREAD.
IN THIS FIRST STAGE OF THE SEWING PROCESS,
THEY STITCH TOGETHER 1/4 OF THE SAIL AT A TIME.
IN THE SECOND STAGE OF SEWING,
THEY SEW TOGETHER THE TOP AND UNDERSURFACES OF EACH SIDE.
THEN, IN THE FINAL STAGE,
THEY STITCH THE RIGHT AND LEFT TOGETHER.
IN ANOTHER PART OF THE FACTORY,
THE BODY OF THE AIRCRAFT BEGINS TAKING SHAPE.
IT'S CALLED THE TRIKE BECAUSE IT SITS ON THREE WHEELS,
LIKE A TRICYCLE.
THEY BUILD IT IN SECTIONS,
WELDING TOGETHER SEVERAL STAINLESS-STEEL TUBES.
AFTER THE SECTIONS RECEIVE A BAKED-ON COAT OF PAINT,
WORKERS ASSEMBLE THEM TO EACH OTHER
AROUND THE FUEL TANK.
THE 17-GALLON TANK IS MADE OF LIGHTWEIGHT POLYPROPYLENE,
A TYPE OF PLASTIC THAT'S U.V. RESISTANT
AND IMPACT RESISTANT.
ONCE THE TRIKE IS FULLY ASSEMBLED,
THEY MOUNT THE THREE SMALL WHEELS,
SIMILAR TO THOSE ON MOTORIZED SCOOTERS.
NEXT, THEY BOLT A 100-HORSEPOWER GASOLINE ENGINE,
SIMILAR TO A FULL-SIZED MOTORCYCLE ENGINE,
TO THE BACK OF THE TRIKE.
ON THE FRONT OF THE TRIKE, THEY INSTALL PEDALS
FOR PROPELLING THE CRAFT ON THE GROUND...
AND A MOTORCYCLE-STYLE PLASTIC CONSOLE WITH WINDSHIELD.
THE CONSOLE HOUSES THE INSTRUMENTATION PANEL.
THEY MOUNT THE RADIATOR IN THE CENTER OF THE TRIKE,
COVER IT WITH FOAM AND FABRIC,
THEN INSTALL A PAIR OF UPHOLSTERED SEATS
FOR PILOT AND PASSENGER.
THEN THEY PROTECT THE ENGINE WITH A PLASTIC HOUSING.
THEY MOUNT AN ALUMINUM- AND-CARBON-FIBER PROPELLER
ON THE SHAFT OF THE GEARBOX CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE.
NOW FOR THE WING.
ITS MAIN STRUCTURE IS MADE UP OF HINGED ALUMINUM TUBES
WHICH FOLD FOR TRANSPORT.
ALUMINUM IS LIGHTWEIGHT AND RUSTPROOF,
WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR FLIGHT.
THEY SLIP THE SAIL OVER THE TUBING, THEN UNFOLD THE WING.
THIN ALUMINUM TUBES PROVIDE CROSSWISE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT.
A SYSTEM OF CABLES KEEPS THE WING IN THE OPEN POSITION.
ANOTHER SYSTEM OF CABLES, CALLED THE CORSET,
MANIPULATES THE BILLOWING OF THE SAIL.
THIS ENABLES THE PILOT TO ALTER THE AERODYNAMICS
TO INCREASE OR REDUCE SPEED.
UNDER THE WING, THEY INSTALL THE A-FRAME,
THE ULTRALIGHT'S STEERING MECHANISM.
THE PILOT MANIPULATES THE A-FRAME WITH A HORIZONTAL BAR,
CHANGING THE TRIKE'S BODY POSITION UNDER THE WING.
THE LAST STEP IS TO BOLT THE FRONT OF THE TRIKE TO THE WING
AND HOOK UP THE SAFETY BACKUP CABLES.
THE PILOT STEERS THE ULTRALIGHT
BY WEIGHT-SHIFTING WITH THE A-FRAME BAR,
TILTING THE TRIKE TOWARD THE FRONT TO DESCEND,
TO THE RIGHT TO VEER RIGHT, AND SO ON.
TYPICAL CRUISING SPEED IS AROUND 75 MILES PER HOUR.
WITH AN OPEN COCKPIT,
AIR TEMPERATURE AND OXYGEN LEVELS
LIMIT HOW HIGH AN ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT CAN FLY.
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE IS ABOUT 3,300 FEET,
HIGH ENOUGH FOR A THRILL RIDE
YET STILL LOW ENOUGH FOR A SPECTACULAR VIEW.
Narrator: AFTER A BUSY DAY OF SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING,
SKI SLOPES GET WORN DOWN
AND DEVELOP RUTS, BUMPS, ICE, AND BARE SPOTS.
SKI RESORTS TYPICALLY REFRESH THE SLOPES OVERNIGHT
BY GROOMING THE SNOW WITH SPECIALIZED TRACK MACHINES.
BY MORNING, THE RUNS ARE AS GOOD AS NEW.
A SNOW GROOMER IS LIKE A BULLDOZER ON TRACKS,
EXCEPT INSTEAD OF PUSHING DIRT, IT PUSHES SNOW.
IT USES GROOMING IMPLEMENTS MOUNTED TO THE FRONT AND BACK.
TO BUILD A SNOW GROOMER,
WORKERS BEGIN BY ALIGNING FRONT AND REAR FRAMES
WITH THE VEHICLE'S MAIN FRAME
WITH THE HELP OF POSITIONING JIGS.
THEN A WELDER GETS TO WORK.
FIRST, HE TACKS EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
THEN, WITH A MECHANICAL LIFT,
HE RAISES AND TILTS THE TACKED FRAME
TO GAIN ACCESS FROM VARIOUS ANGLES.
AFTER WELDING ON ADDITIONAL PARTS,
INCLUDING 10 AXLES,
THEY PRIME AND PAINT THE FRAME.
THEN A MECHANIC INSTALLS A HEAVY-DUTY SUSPENSION SYSTEM
DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY ADAPT
TO THE TYPE AND SHAPE OF TERRAIN,
MAXIMIZING TRACTION.
NEXT, HE GREASES THE 10 AXLES
AND INSTALLS A WHEEL HUB AND BEARINGS ON EACH ONE.
HE THEN MOUNTS THE WHEEL,
TIGHTENING THE BOLTS TO A SPECIFIED TORQUE
TO ENSURE OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE AND DURABILITY.
MEANWHILE, ANOTHER MECHANIC INSTALLS THE HYDRAULIC HOSES.
THESE CONTROL THE GROOMING IMPLEMENTS
AND THE SPROCKET ON WHICH EACH TRACK TURNS.
THEN HE CONNECTS THE HOSES TO THE MAIN HYDRAULIC VALVE.
AT ANOTHER WORKSTATION,
A MECHANIC ASSEMBLES THE DIESEL ENGINE,
THE TRANSMISSION, AND FOUR HYDRAULIC PUMPS.
TWO OF THESE PUMPS DRIVE OIL TO THE HYDRAULIC MOTORS,
WHICH PROPEL THE VEHICLE FORWARD AND BACKWARD.
THE TWO OTHERS PUMP HYDRAULIC FLUID
TO OPERATE THE IMPLEMENTS AND THE COOLING SYSTEM.
THEY LOWER THIS ASSEMBLED UNIT INTO THE FRAME
AND MAKE THE REQUIRED ELECTRICAL AND HYDRAULIC CONNECTIONS.
MEANWHILE, ANOTHER TEAM PREPARES THE NEXT UNIT,
STARTING WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM,
TWO POWERFUL FANS WHICH COOL THE ENGINE
AND HYDRAULIC FLUID.
NEXT, THEY INSTALL THE EXHAUST SYSTEM
AND TWO BATTERIES TO POWER THE ENGINE.
THEY MOUNT THIS ASSEMBLED UNIT ABOVE THE TRANSMISSION
AND MAKE ALL THE NECESSARY CONNECTIONS.
THEY LOWER THE CAB ONTO THE FRAME,
CONNECT MORE ELECTRICAL AND HYDRAULIC LINES,
AND FILL ALL SYSTEMS WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE FLUIDS.
THE VEHICLE NOW UNDERGOES EXTENSIVE TESTING
IN A DYNAMOMETER,
WHICH OPERATES THE ENGINE AND HYDRAULIC COMPONENTS
AT MAXIMUM CAPACITY.
IF ALL SYSTEMS PERFORM ACCORDING TO ENGINEERING SPECIFICATIONS,
THE VEHICLE GETS THE GO-AHEAD
TO RECEIVE THE SNOW-GROOMING IMPLEMENTS.
THE REAR IMPLEMENT IS A TILLER,
WHICH BREAKS UP THE SNOW INTO SMALL PARTICLES
AND SHAPES NARROWLY SPACED PARALLEL LINES
ON THE TRAIL SURFACE.
A POWERFUL, BUILT-IN HYDRAULIC MOTOR
SPINS THE STEEL-TOOTHED ROTORS AT SPEEDS
OF UP TO 1,350 REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE.
THIS ENSURES EVEN GROOMING THROUGHOUT.
THE GROOMER'S TRACKS ARE MADE OF ULTRA-DURABLE STEEL.
A MECHANIC GUIDES THE EDGE OF EACH TRACK
ONTO A HIGH-STRENGTH URETHANE SPROCKET
BOLTED TO THE REAR OF THE FRAME
WHILE ANOTHER MECHANIC SLOWLY DRIVES THE VEHICLE FORWARD
TO PULL THE TRACK OVER THE WHEELS.
THEN THEY CLAMP THE TWO ENDS TOGETHER
AND JOIN THEM WITH GIANT HINGES, CLOSING THE LOOP.
IT'S TIME TO MOUNT THE SNOW-GROOMING IMPLEMENTS.
THEY ATTACH THE TILLER TO THE REAR MECHANISM,
WHICH CARRIES THE HYDRAULIC CONNECTIONS
FOR THE IMPLEMENT'S ONBOARD MOTOR.
THEY ATTACH A BLADE TO THE IDENTICAL FRONT MECHANISM.
THE BLADE PLOWS SNOW
AND SCULPTS FEATURES SUCH AS HALF-PIPES,
THOSE GIANT, U-SHAPED BOWLS OF SNOW
IN WHICH FREESTYLE SKIERS AND DAREDEVIL SNOWBOARDERS RIDE.
FOR SAFETY, THE CABIN HAS A STEEL SKELETON
WITH ROLL-OVER PROTECTION FEATURES.
A SPECIALLY DESIGNED JOYSTICK
GIVES THE DRIVER PRECISION CONTROL
OVER THE BLADE AND TILLER.
THE STATE-OF-THE-ART ELECTRONICS INCLUDE THREE COMPUTERS,
WHICH ENABLE THE DRIVER
TO SELECT AND ADJUST DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS AND MODES,
ALL OF IT DISPLAYING ON A COLOR MONITOR.
THE VEHICLE NEVER SINKS INTO THE SNOW
BECAUSE ITS WEIGHT IS OPTIMALLY BALANCED ON THE TRACKS.
THIS 22,000-POUND SNOW GROOMER
ACTUALLY EXERTS LESS PRESSURE ON THE SNOW
THAN A SINGLE PERSON DOES ON FOOT.
Narrator: THE RUBBER BAND WAS INVENTED IN ENGLAND
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 19th CENTURY.
THE KEY TO ITS SUCCESS, OF COURSE, IS FLEXIBILITY.
A RUBBER BAND CAN BE STRETCHED
AROUND ITEMS OF VARIOUS SHAPES AND SIZES
TO HOLD THEM TOGETHER,
SO IN THE RUBBER-BAND INDUSTRY,
THE POSSIBILITIES FOR EXPANSION ARE NUMEROUS.
RUBBER BANDS COME IN HANDY FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS.
IF YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF ANYTHING,
A RUBBER BAND CAN KEEP IT TOGETHER.
PRODUCTION OF RUBBER BANDS STARTS WITH NATURAL RUBBER.
THESE SPONGY SLABS HAVE BEEN MADE
FROM THE SAP OF RUBBER TREES.
NATURAL RUBBER HAS GREATER ELASTICITY
THAN THE SYNTHETIC KIND,
MAKING IT A BETTER CHOICE FOR RUBBER BANDS.
A WORKER MEASURES AND POURS RUBBER PROCESSING OIL
INTO A KNEADER MACHINE.
HE ADDS POWDERED PIGMENT -- IN THIS CASE, YELLOW AND WHITE
FOR A PALE YELLOW SHADE.
HE FEEDS SEVERAL RUBBER SLABS
TO THE KNEADER'S SPIRAL-SHAPED JAWS.
THE SPIRALING BLADES INTERSECT TO BREAK UP THE RUBBER
AND BLEND IN THE OTHER INGREDIENTS.
THE KNEADING PROCESS GENERATES HEAT WHICH SOFTENS THE RUBBER,
MAKING IT EASIER TO FORM INTO DOUGH.
THE KNEADER SPITS OUT RUBBER-DOUGH CHUNKS.
NEXT, A GIANT ROLLING PIN TRANSFORMS THE DOUGH
INTO WIDE, THIN PIECES.
HE SLICES THE STRIPS AND BUNDLES THEM.
IN THIS FORM,
IT WILL BE EASIER TO CONTROL THE WEIGHT OF THE RUBBER
IN RELATION TO CHEMICALS THAT ARE ADDED NEXT.
THEY ROLL THE RUBBER
WITH A PRECISE AMOUNT OF SULFUR AND OTHER CHEMICALS
THAT STRENGTHEN THE RUBBER AND MAKE IT MORE ELASTIC.
THEY THEN ROLL THE RUBBER VERY THIN.
A WORKER TWISTS AND CUTS IT INTO SMALL BUNDLES
THAT FIT INTO THE OPENING OF AN EXTRUDING MACHINE.
IT FORCES THE STILL-WARM AND MALLEABLE RUBBER
THROUGH DIES TO SHAPE IT INTO LONG, HOLLOW TUBES.
THE EXTRUDER INJECTS AIR AND TALCUM POWDER INTO THE TUBES
TO KEEP THE WALLS FROM COLLAPSING
AND STICKING TOGETHER WHILE WARM.
THE TUBES COOL DOWN IN A TROUGH OF WATER,
AND THEY DEFLATE AS THE INJECTED AIR DISSIPATES.
NEXT, THESE ALUMINUM POLES WILL SERVE AS MOLDS
FOR THE TUBES DURING CURING,
GIVING THEM THE CORRECT SHAPE AND DIAMETER.
THE WORKER SLIDES THE TUBES ONTO THE MOLDS.
THE TALCUM POWDER INJECTED INTO THE TUBES DURING THEIR EXTRUSION
WILL ALSO ACT AS A RELEASE AGENT,
KEEPING THEM FROM STICKING TO THE MOLDS DURING CURING.
THEY LOAD THE TUBES INTO A STEAM OVEN,
AND THE INTENSE HEAT VULCANIZES THE RUBBER
TO BOOST ITS TENSILE STRENGTH AND ELASTICITY.
OUT OF THE OVEN,
WORKERS INJECT AIR BETWEEN THE TUBES AND THE MOLDS,
MAKING IT EASIER TO PEEL THE NOW-VULCANIZED TUBES OFF.
THEY RINSE THE RUBBER TUBES TO REMOVE TALCUM-POWDER RESIDUE.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT THE WATER TURNS MILKY WHITE.
THEY HANG THE RUBBER TUBES TO DRAIN AWAY SOME OF THE WATER.
BY THE TIME THEY'RE READY TO CUT, THEY'RE A BIT TOO DRY,
SO A WORKER SPLASHES WATER ONTO THEM.
WITH THE TUBES MOISTENED,
THE NEXT OPERATION WILL RUN MORE SMOOTHLY.
HE FEEDS SEVERAL TUBES AT ONCE TO A ROTATING BLADE
WHICH CARVES THEM.
THIS CREATES ELASTIC BANDS THAT ARE EXACTLY THE SAME WIDTH.
IN THIS CASE, THAT'S 1.5 MILLIMETERS,
AN AVERAGE THICKNESS FOR A RUBBER BAND.
WITH THIS SYSTEM, THEY CAN CUT 1/2 A MILLION RUBBER BANDS
IN AN HOUR.
IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE INVENTORY TO PILE UP.
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF RUBBER BANDS HERE.
A WORKER SCOOPS THEM UP AND EXAMINES EACH ONE FOR DEFECTS.
ONCE APPROVED, ALL THAT'S LEFT IS THE PACKAGING.
THE RUBBER BANDS RIDE A CONVEYOR
THAT RELEASES THEM IN INCREMENTS INTO PLASTIC BAGS.
IT HAS TAKEN ABOUT THREE HOURS
TO PRODUCE THIS BAG OF RUBBER BANDS.
ON A NORMAL DAY, THIS FACTORY GENERATES 40 MILLION ELASTICS.
THAT'S A LOT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
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