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After making the decision to take a pregnancy test I went to Tesco's to pick one up. You are greeted by hundreds of different brands at a range of different costs. My period was not due until the following day so I decided to go withe the reputable First Response. As it states on the pack it tells you first.. 6 days early.
I picked up two packs at a cost of about £12.00. Certainly not the cheapest. After following the instructions, I waited for the result. The first line came up instantly. After 3 minutes your result is ready. I had one very clear line and the faintest, barely visible line in the second. In my opinion most people would have chucked the test in the bin and believed they weren't pregnant. Only because I over analyse and check everything multiple times did I begin to doubt the negative result.
I took the second test and the same thing happened, the line was possibly even fainter on the second test.
If you want to know your pregnant do not get this test. It does not give you any answers.
Another trip to Tesco's and I purchased a digital test. This simply gives you the answer Pregnant or not pregnant. There is no way of misreading it! Clear Blue all the way. First Response.. Never Again.
After getting a very faint, very early result on a mega cheap, basic pregnancy test, I decided that rather than believe my eyes I would confirm the result on various other brands of pregnancy test. Among those other brands was this the First Response Early Response otherwise known as FRER, which is definitely amongst the most expensive available, coming in at approximately £8 for a single test when bought on the High Street or £7.49 for a twin pack when purchased from Amazon. Comparing this to what I paid for the basic strips that gave me the initial positive result, at their cheapest the FRER tests are nearly 50x the price (the cheap tests ended up costing under 10p each).
First Response advertise this particular test as being able to detect a pregnancy up to 6 days before a period is due. It is worth noting that they also produce another test that can only be used on the day a period is due and that the packaging for both types of test is nearly identical, so do make sure you've picked up the correct test. Within the box each test is wrapped in foil and there is a separate information leaflet, that is reasonably comprehensive. I do have to admit that the foil wrapping were quite difficult to open, there didn't seem to be any "tear here" indicator. Unlike the cheaper tests, the FRER are of the cartridge variety, with an absorbent tip hidden beneath a cap at one end and the results window approximately midway on the stick that you hold. These test are designed to peed on rather than dipped in urine and you should hold the absorbent end in a stream of urine for three seconds. I'm not sure why that specific amount of time, or what would happen if you left it there longer, but there must be a reason. Once you've peed on the stick, you simply need to replace the cap, place the test on a horizontal surface and wait for the results to appear.
The instructions state that a result should be visible within three minutes, but if not to wait another minute and look again. Results can take up to ten minutes to appear and if a positive result appears after this time-scale it should be ignored as evaporation lines (grey/colourless lines that look almost positive) can appear after this time. As with the majority of pregnancy tests available today, the FRER can give one of three results. If two lines appear then the hormone HCG (which is generally only secreted in pregnancy) has been detected and you are probably pregnant. If a single line appears in the control area (furthest from the wet end) then the hormone has not been detected and you are either most probably not pregnant, or simply not far enough along to be excreting enough HCG to trigger the test. If no lines appear or one line appears in the test area and none in the control then the test is invalid and you will need to retest.
While I cannot find exactly what level of HCG these tests will react to, I am assuming that it is 10mui, as they claim to give a result so early. While the manufacturer claims that these tests are 99% accurate on the day your period is due this does reduce significantly the earlier you take the test. At five days before your period is due, the tests are only able to pick up a pregnancy 62% of the time, at four days it is 78%, three 87% and two 98%, so if you are testing early then you may get a negative result and still indeed be pregnant. With these types of early pregnancy test it is also possible that they may pick up a very early pregnancy that is not viable and ends with a period at the normal time (chemical pregnancy).
I first used these tests several months ago when I was desperate to get pregnant after a miscarriage and was testing well before each period. Other than the fact that the packaging was difficult to open and it was quite a challenge to differentiate between these and the standard tests, I found them easy to use. With previous tests I always got a very obvious negative result with no evaporation lines, but I did notice that unlike most home pregnancy tests the lines are very thin. This month I had already had some very faint positives on very cheap tests and was looking for confirmation and was hoping that as these test are marketed as giving a positive result earlier than any other test on the market I would get a somewhat stronger line on them at four days before my period was due.
While for most people the best time of day to take a pregnancy test is first thing in the morning, for some reason I test better at lunchtime, so this is when I took the test. I checked a result after three minutes, fully expecting at least a very faint line to be visible without needing to squint, to be disappointed. After another minute, there was what could possibly have been interpreted as a positive result, only the line was so thin that it was hard to tell, and that is my major problem with these tests. I did indeed get a very faint positive four days before my period was due, but the line was so thin it was hard to see, if anything it was harder to see than the line on the 10p tests. As I had bought a twin pack of tests, I decided use the second test a couple of days later to see if the line had darkened any, which it had, but I still found that the thinness of the line made comparison difficult.
While these tests do indeed do what they say on the tin and detect early pregnancies, I can't really recommend them. For one thing there are other tests that will detect pregnancy just as early for far less money (the cheap ultra early one steps). Also with the pregnancy being confirmed so early there is a chance that it is not viable and will end in a regular period, which means that if you have already suffered losses you will have a few days extra stress and want to retest regularly to ensure the line is getting darker, and these are simply not economical for this. My final problem with these tests is that the actual test lines on them are simply too thin and make reading the results harder than it should be. I'm therefore giving the First Response Early Response pregnancy tests three stars out of five, as although they do work there are cheaper alternatives available that work just as well and are easier to read
As someone who has been trying to get pregnant for years and years, I know pretty much all the tests out there. This is one of the most reliable and sensitive tests I've used.
Ease of use
Just remove the cap, urinate on the end of the stick for 5 seconds or in a cup and dip it for 5 seconds. then replace the cap and wait.
Speed of results
Results can show immediatley with a strong positive, or take up to 3 minutes to show if there is not much HCG in the urine.
Reading the results
There will be 2 pink lines if you are pregnant and 1 if you are not.
I have used many a pregnancy test, over many years of desperately trying to get pregnant. And I have never seen a false positive or evaporation line on a First response test. When I actually did get pregnant back in 2010, at only 11 days past ovulation, this test showed a clear pink line in seconds, while other tests were either negative, or very very faint.
These tests claim to read about 25miu of hcg in the urine, but research into pregnancy tests have show much better sensitivity with these, as low as 6miu!! In my view, these are one of the most sensitive tests out there.
These tests are expensive. If you are constantly trying to get pregnant every month, it might be better to use cheaper internet tests and if you think you have a second line, use the more expensive test. A 2 pack is about £12 at boots or a single test for £10, or cheaper online. Of course if you are a normal person you could just test if your period is late.
Overall I really do like these tests. They are my "go to" test if I think I might actually be pregnant. I have never been let down by these tests, some tests have shown false lines and caused much pain and upset but not these. I love them.
First Response Pregnancy Test.
The First Response Pregnancy Test really does what it claims on the front and will give you a result within minutes a lot quicker than other pregnancy tests that are on the market. This is ideal for so many people as it is the waiting that is often the most difficult aspect in the first initial stage of pregnancy.
The one downside of the First Response Pregnancy Test kit has got to be the price. At a little over £10 for two tests it really is very expensive. What you are paying for however it the amount of plastic and packaging as well as the smaller amount of HCG hormone to activate the test when compared to some other cheaper test. Although eBay tend to have a fair few people who sell the tests that are used by professionals and these are just strips rather than chunky plastic kits but can still have a good performance rating.
This First Response Pregnancy Test is easy to use and just needs the sealed test kit being removed from the box of two, the outer silver foiling removing and then to be held in a stream of urine for 5 seconds or to be dipped in urine for 5 seconds. The results of the test can be read within 3 or so minutes and the results are easy to understand and not only given in a leaflet inside the box, on the box itself and then again on each individual plastic test so really misinterpreting the test would be pretty difficult.
If the test is negative there will be one top solid line that appears in the viewing window. If the test is positive there will be two lines in the test window. The second bottom line may well be fainter or not quite so noticeable as the first but more often than not if there are two lines the result is positive.
There is more chance of the test giving a false negative than there is of the test reading a false positive.
The First Response Kit is said to give a accurate result from 6 days before a missed period and will give a result at least 1 day sooner than any other pregnancy test on the market.
All in all this First Response Test Kit seems like an okay option. As far as buying pregnanacy tests from a pharmacy goes they are all pretty expensive and I found it easy to use and easy to read the results.
I think I can easily award this product a score of 4 out of 5 stars and a high recommendation with the minus mark purely being for the cost of the things!
I do hope that this has been of some help/interest to you
Many thanks for taking the time to read.
I had been trying for a baby for a few years, and each month was disappointed. One month, I had an overwhelming urge to do a pregnancy test. It was one day before my period was due, so kept telling myself to not waste my money and wait. However, by lunch time my urges got the better of me so I nipped to Boots and grabbed a pack of two First Response pregnancy tests. I paid £10.99.
The instructions are simple; hold the stick in your urine for a few seconds, wait for the window to fill pink and wait for the one (or two!!!) pink lines to appear. I waited until I was full to bursting and did my business in the loo and waited... and waited... and waited. Absolutely nothing appeared. The pink fog had clouded the window, but no pink lines. I put the test in my handbag feeling disheartened and irritated. I kept checking the test throughout the day, but it must have been faulty as still nothing. I did the other test when I got home and this time one pink line appeared; not pregnant. Throwing the tests in the bin with force, I went to bed miserable. That urge was still there, however, and I was feeling somewhat different. The next day, I sent the hubbie out to Tesco to grab one of their own kits. It was positive!
Whether or not I did something wrong, I don't know, but how difficult is it to do a pregnancy test? Maybe my hormones just weren't strong enough for the test to detect, but the manufacturers claim that it can give you an accurate result up to six days before your period is due. The day before your period is sue, it's meant to be 99% accurate. Perhaps I'm just one of those 1% of unlucky people?
From my personal experience, I wouldn't recommend this pregnancy test. One in the box was faulty, and the other one missed my pregnancy completely.
I have bought this test as i thought its more trustworthy, and it appears that cheap tests for 1 pound detect pregnancy 1 day before this one. It showed however faint line 2 days before missed period. Ladies, definitely not worth the price. Get on ebay 10uM once for much much cheaper and u will have earlier detection anyway.
I'd been ttc for 5 months and was constantly spending fortunes on a variety of pregnancy tests. I bought first response as it claims to be able to tell you results 6 days before missed period. I bought a twin pack for £10.50 from my local chemist. It came in a bright pink box and instructions were easy to follow. I took the test 5 days before my period as I was going out and didn't want to drink if I knew I was pregnant. The results were clearly negative. I decided to take the other the day before my period as it was driving me mad with waiting, again this was negative. Upset and deflated I resigned to the fact I had another 4 weeks of waiting. Sure enough my period didn't arrive, after the disappointment with first response I decided to buy the clear blue digital £10.40 for 2 at tesco. I took this test the day after my expected period and woooohooooo I'm pregnant. I will never use first response again. Good luck to everyone else ttc. X
I bought the first response pregnancy test when I was trying to conceive my third child. I went for this one specifically because I am a very impatient person and couldn't wait the dreaded two weeks even though it was the first month of trying!
In the bright pink box are two identically wrapped pregnancy tests, that are very easy to use, you simply unwrap, take off the lid and then wee on the stick then you replace the lid and wait for three minutes to see the results. If there is only one pink line you are not pregnant if there are two however you are pregnant, it really is as easy as that. But make sure you read the instructions carefully before you take the test.
I tested for pregnancy three days before my period was due and I got one very dark pink line and one very faint line after a three minute wait, so faint I was almost convinced that I was imagining it until I showed it to my husband, but just to make sure three days later I took the second test and there were two very dark pink lines appeared straight away , I was pregnant after all!
This is a brilliant product if you are as impatient as I am and can't wait to find out if there is another little bundle on the way, but be aware that the early testing doesn't work for every body it depends how many hormones you have produced.
Good luck.
I have used these First Response tests a few times, both when I was pregnant and when it turned out that I wasn't.
First Resonse tests can either be bought in single or twin packs. Personally I always prefer to buy the twin packs as no matter what the result is, you usually want to check it again the next day.
The tests come in a cardboard pack that is sealed with cellophane. The pack is primarily pink and has a picture of the test on the front.
The back of the pack has the basic user instructions and tells you that the test can detect the pregnancy hormone 5 days before the day of your expected period.
The tests themselves are made of white plastic. They are about 5 inches long, just over half an inch wide and about half an inch deep.
To use the tests you remove the pink cap at one end of the stick and hold the dipstick in your urine stream for a few seconds. Alternatively, you can wee in a container and then dip the stick in.
The results will appear within 3 minutes, although if the pregnancy hormone is strong, you will see almost instant results.
Two pink lines means that you are pregnant. If just one pink line appears, it means that the test has worked correctly, but you are not pregnant (or, it is too early for the pregnancy hormone to be registered.
With my 2nd child, these tests confirmed my pregnancy about 3 days before my period was due.
I have had no trouble with ghost lines with these tests (a colourless shadow where the 2nd line should be, which leads you to believe you might be pregnant, when you're actually not). I think these tests are very accurate and sensitive.
If you are only in the very early days of pregnancy, your 2nd line might be really faint. In this sense the tests are not as definitive as a digital, which gives you a definite pregnant or not pregnant. However, testing 24 - 48 hours later will give you confirmation.
Price wise I think these test are very reasonable. The last twin pack I bought cost me £9.99 and was also on BOGOF in Boots, so I got 4 tests for £10 - bargain!
If you want your suspicions confirmed, these are decent pregnancy tests that will give you a reliable result.
I've waited a while to write this review as I didn't want to tempt fate. Maybe I will be more positive about this test as it gave me the result I wanted! But having tried other tests, I do believe this is the best one on the market.
**Why are these special?***
The unique selling point of First Response tests are that they claim to give results up to 6 days early. The key words here are 'up to' and it really isn't advisable to test until your period is due as it can cause extra disappointment and upset, not to mention unnecessary expense on your pocket!
***Second opinion***
I had got some poundland cheapies (you get two in a pack) in for a quick test fix as it's quite addictive wanting to find out if you are pregnant or not. In March, I did a cheapie and could see a feint pg line so the next day I whipped out the First Response test that I'd had waiting for this very moment.
**Techniques of catching wee***
Always use the first wee of the day as it's more concentrated and will pick up if the all important HGC chemical is in your urine. The experts recommend a sample from the middle of the wee but sometimes that's easier said than done! With the cheaper tests, it's better to pee in a pot and dip the stick in or you can spoil the results, but with First Response, it's easy, you just pee on the absorbent tip for a few seconds and then recap the lid and set it down to wait three minutes before you read the results.
**Confirmation needed!***
Having had the feint test the previous day I was really optimistic that the test would show up positive. One line is the test line and the second line is the deciding factor. Sure enough it came up after a minute and that was me pregnant. It's very very rare to get a false positive result on a test but some people leave them too long to read and see an evaporation line which looks like a second line. I think this is more likely to happen on a cheapie stick than one of the more substantial plastic covered tests. The FR also uses pink dye which I've heard is more reliable than the blue dye ones but I'm not sure if that's true or not.
**Not a cheap buy***
I touched earlier that these tests aren't cheap, at Boots they are £8.49 for a single test and £10.49 for a twin pack. I bought mine on special offer and got the Boots points too of course.
**Why get a two pack?**
A few people wonder why you would ever need more than one test if you're late for your period... but it really is a different story when it's something you want and you want to confirm it again and again when it actually happens!
**Would recommend***
I do genuinely think these are the clearest, most reliable and no-nonsense tests to use although I wouldn't recommend using them earlier than your period is due.
***On another note...***
Good luck to all those reading this who are trying and don't forget to wave the wee-covered stick in your partner's face once you get your result!
When my husband and I decided to try for a baby last year we spent a lot of time thinking about our finances and planning when to get pregnant so with all that planning when the time came to find out if it had all been worth it we needed a reliable home pregnancy test (HPT).
As we were actively trying to conceive the first month I was prepared and purchased some HPT strips, not very clear but would give us a negative or positive result.
After doing the deed and waiting for the dreaded two weeks to see if we had been successful my period was late but the testing strips were not showing positive results after being 4 days late I was going mad I was having period pain cramps but no sign of a period so I made hubby dash out to purchase me a test that would give us a clear yes or no answer and this was what he returned with.
Priced at £6.97 in Asda for 2 tests I couldn't wait for the following morning to test, I just had to do it there and then.
The test is a bright pink box with white text and can predict your pregnancy very early. This however I do not feel is a set guarantee as some people have been pregnant and not gotten a positive reading from a test until around 14 weeks.
*~*Using the Test*~*
The test comes in a sealed box with protective wrapping, insire the box are two tests which are individually sealed.
A set of instructions are also included in the box.
The test states that it is accurate enough to do at anytime of the day, some times tests work better first thing in the morning as that is when the pregnancy hormone is at its strongest.
To use the test you must remove the lid from the end of the test where there is an absorbent tip which is what should be directed into the flow of your urine or if you prefer you can pee into a jar and dip it in for 10 seconds then replace the lid and leave for approximately 3 minutes.
I have to say as this was our first attempt at conceiving and both being totally nervous this was the longest 3 minutes of our life, we read the instructions over and over again and then returned to the bathroom to check the results of the test and it was positive!
Having taken 5 testing strips before and them all coming out negative I had set the result to also show negative so imaging my suprise when there it was a big fat positive!
This has to be one of the easiest tests to do but if you can bear the tension then I do recommend that you read the instructions at least twice or have your other half read them out to you if you prefer.
Thankfully I have not had to try any other tests as we all know how expensive they can be but if you get two lines then you are pregnant, only one line and it's a negative it really is as simple as that and if like me you were waiting to see if you are pregnant this test is ideal as it can detect the pregnancy hormone earlier than some other home pregnancy testing kits.
Since coming off the pill a few years ago, my periods had been erratic. My GP referred me for a Day 21 progesterone test to check whether I was ovulating and it came back negative so she asked me to make an appointment to see her. The night before the appointment I decided to take a pregancy test to rule that out as the cause of my lack of periods. I chose the First response early result pregnancy test. Imagine my shock when it came out positive! I was only 4 weeks pregnant by then and now have a beautiful baby boy.
Now we have decided to try for baby number two things haven't gone so well. I'm using ovulation tests to pinpoint my time of ovulation. It turns out I ovulate really late in my cycle, around day 24! Being quite an impatient person and expecting to get pregnant first month of trying again I bought another First response pregnancy test. It claims to give results as early as 6 days before your missed period.
It is very easy to use, just take the cap off, put the absorbent tip in your urine stream for a few seconds and read the result in 3 minutes. Two pink lines is a positive result, one line a negative. I decided to use it 4 days before my period was due, and was very disappointed when i got a negative. However my period became overdue by two days and I took another one and this time it came up positive! You could barely see the line though, so I took a clearblue digital test for confirmation and that came up positive too! I think it didn't work for me earlier because I ovulate late in my cycle.
So obviously the test does work so what's the downside? Finding out your pregnant that early on isn't always a good thing as after getting overjoyed, I went on to miscarry at 6 weeks. Due to this I've decided never to test early again.
From my local chemists a single first response test costs £5.99 or a double costs £7.99. I would recommend the double pack as it's so much better value for money.
I probably wont buy this test again as it is more expensive than ones you can use from the day your period is due and I don't plan on testing early again. For those of you that want to test early though, it does work but the faint line can be hard to see. I would recommend the clearblue digital instead.
I bought the twin pack First response all came up negative I bought a new pack 3days later and tested that day and the next day both negative...I tested again two days later STILL negative. Hours later I was doubled over in pain and went to the hospital I had a swollen tube(infection) and guess what? I WAS PREGNANT!!! Dont trust it at all! My HCG was well over 100 and it still said NEG!!Grrr
i personally tried first response i did not get a clear reading i got a dark not pregnant line with a faded your pregnant line. i took the second pregnancy test and got no responce. i have used other brands in the past and got great results. i have two children i took the pregnancy test just i was suppost to. i am very unsatisfied customer. Jenni mcmanus @ firstname.lastname@example.com
I used this test when i thought i was pregnant for the third time. Already having a little girl and a miscariage i new my way round the pregnacy test department. It is not the test i usually buy, i usually get Boots own make but there was none in so i picked up this one.
After discovering two pages stuck together in my diary i realised that my period was actually a full week past.
After using the test i thought that all was well as i couldnt see any line, but after closer examination by my freind she said that she thought she could see a very faint line in certain lights.
Unsure i had to go to superdrug and buy another kit which showed a big red dot clear as day.
Although this kit did give me the right reading i felt a little put off by the fact that had i not had my freind with me i would have not thought i was pregnant. The superdrug test worked fine yet despite being a week late on my period this kit which claims to be able to tell you before you miss a period didnt show up a good enough answer. The line was so faint that my partner couldnt see it at all and i had to show him the other one instead.
First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test claims to be the first and only home pregnancy test that can be used three days before their expected peRiod – that's four days earlier than any other at-home test / The test aims to help make it possible for you to receive quicker knowledge of your pregnancy so you can begin prenatal care even sooner, promoting an earlier healthy start to your baby's life


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Where is the Groove challenge for October
No announcement yet.
The groove
new posts
This was in September groove letter
So does this mean if you don't have facebook....like me and never will, because I don't want to have it that I wont see a newsletter anymore?
Why is everything so facebook oriented, drives me nuts it's like you can.t have a life without facebook....oh wait, hold on I DO have a life lol
*The Groove is moving to a new home!**
Beginning next month, your favorite scrapbooking newsletter is taking on a new and exciting format � on Facebook! You�ll still find all your favorite features: great scrapbooking tips and tricks, digital freebies, scrapbooking challenges, outstanding layouts by Scrapbook MAX! community members, spotlights on designers and scrappers, and more. But best of all, with our new Facebook format, instead of getting one monthly newsletter, you�ll be getting scrapbook inspiration and news posted several times a week for scrapbooking fun all month long!
Now, get even more �groove� right now on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/scrapbookmax � there�s already tons of content to explore. Be sure to �like� us in order to make sure you�re getting all the most recent updates � and don�t forget to tell your friends!
I agree, do not want my scrapbooking contacts on Facebook. Have Facebook and signed up just so that I could have an easy contact with family and close friends. All of a sudden, now it's like a free advertisement site for Scrapbooking since I was unconcious enough and clicked on "like" for a couple of designers. Am going to lock out most of the designers as I do not want to be looking at all that stuff on Facebook. I enjoy going to the blogs and sites and that's where I feel scrapbooking should stay.
My Buddies - pkdoll, Marion and CraftyScraps
Hmmmm really! I've been waiting on the Groove to come out myself. Hmmmm Let's protest. I thought they were doing both. Opps just reading the quote in Kaye Post. Seems I sort of overlooked that one. I do facebook but it's not the same as our newsletter.
We want the GROOVE BACK (pretty please)
We want the GROOVE BACK (pretty please)
We want the GROOVE BACK (pretty please)Kind wishes from Carena
Scrapbook Max Digital Designer
Visit me in the store Here also grab my blinkie if you wish.
I'm with everyone else I enjoy getting that email telling me the Groove is ready for viewing. It will be much missed, I do not like facebook much either.
I was thinking they were doing both too. Even if they were doing it on FB when is it supposed to come out? I liked when they were chosing a page to highlight on FB and some techniques,(just enough to perk interest). I thought the idea was to generate interest from FB to SBM, not to take away what was already here. If is wasn't broke why try to fix it?
Please bring the Groove back to SCRAPBOOK not FACEBOOK!!!
Hi Everyone!
I wanted to say how much I appreciated seeing this thread and hearing all the great things you had to say about The Groove. I've been helping to put it together every month since July 2006, so it's really rewarding to hear how much you've enjoyed it! We are SO appreciative of all the content that was volunteered over the years - from interviews, to tips and tricks, to the awesome layouts we showcased, and of course designer challenges and freebies from a core of dedicated, generous (but extremely busy!) designers.
We decided over the summer to go to a new format with our tips, showcased layouts, inspirational tips, challenge announcements and new release announcements - the items that you used to see in one monthly Groove newsletter. As we announced in our September 2012 issue of The Groove, instead of one monthly release on our site, we're going to be posting tips, tricks, showcased layouts, and more all month long on Facebook where we're reaching more scrappers than ever - and we'll also be figuring out ways to get that same information posted in the forums in a fun and coherent way as well (it may mean new forums sections, or new threads - we're still working out those details. Letha - I love that you loved our Tips and Layout of the Day and want to see more of that! That's great feedback and we're working on some ideas to make that kind of thing happen on the site...)
One of our biggest challenges with The Groove in its monthly format was gathering all sorts of content for The Groove from a relatively small number of volunteer members and designers (all talented but also super busy people!) for one single monthly deadline. The advantage of our Facebook page is that it lets us post news as it happens (much easier and timelier than working to a monthly deadline), allows more than one person to post Groove-y information at any time (our newsletter postings could only be administered by one person at one time). Plus it also allows readers to interact directly with the content - something we couldn't do with our monthly format.
I know that although we're reaching a lot of new scrappers on Facebook that it isn't for everyone - I truly get that! For those of you who enjoy the community on this site as your main place for scrapbooking inspiration, you are not forgotten!! As I said above, most of the content we post on Facebook is already shared on our site in various ways, and as the weeks go by, we'll be figuring out some fun ways to incorporate other featured content in the forums so no one is missing out.
This was a (really!!!) long note, but I wanted to give you some insight into our thinking. I hope this helps explain our decision to change our presentation.
Again - it really meant a lot to me personally to hear that the monthly Groove newlsetter was enjoyed and looked forward to. And - I'm not one to say 'never'!!!! - there might be an opportunity to revive the more familiar style of The Groove or do something similar on our site that helps spread the love of digi scrapping at some point in the future. For now, we're going to try out this format and see how it goes, hopefully growing our community along the way, which will let us do more and more exciting things in the world of digital scrapbooking.
Thanks for your interest, and thanks to everyone who contributed to, provided challenges and freebies for, was showcased in and who loyally 'tuned in' monthly to 'The Groove'!
KarinLast edited by The Groove; 10-04-2012, 03:52 PM.The Groove Avatar made with embellishments found in our various Expansion Packs for Scrapbook MAX! 2.0
Thanks Karin for that, I see what your problem is and I am sure you will give us any important news and we wont miss out.
I Just feel the whole world pressures us into facebook and I won't allow myself to be pressured. I have my own personal reasons for not joining, EVER, and I am sure there are many more like me.
Karin - Could we please have a tutorials section in the forum here that designers or anyone else could post tips and tutorials to. I'm sure some of our members that use SBM software everyday may well have great ideas they could share. I know I certainly have lots of ideas. Been posting them every so often in a challenge etc but a nice home for it would be good. Challenge post get lost after a few months. Not sure how everyone else feels on this? I know you have video tutorials about using the software - but there is plenty more than just using the software to learn. Just a thought.
The Groove is sometimes hard for designers to gather information together for when we have a deadline I agree but it seems also our readers are missing it.
Not sure how the statistic are comparing - how many viewed the groove - compared with visitors to Facebook. Really it's a totally different type of viewer. Facebook - yes might reach others we might not have reached before. Yes, it's good but many of our regulars are missing The Groove.Kind wishes from Carena
Scrapbook Max Digital Designer
Visit me in the store Here also grab my blinkie if you wish.

subset: commoncrawl


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Why The Voice Sucked Before It Even Got Going
[There was a video here]
Hey, did you know that NBC premiered a convoluted, Christina Aguilera-headlined singing competition called The Voice tonight? Because, you know, it's not like the network promoted the hell out of it for two months straight or anything. Anyway, as we predicted, the show kind of sucks, and here are two clips—from before the "blind auditions" even started—to illustrate the point.
The show's opening, which you'll find in the video above, featured a performance of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" by the four judges—Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton—that served no point except to remind us dumb viewers that, whoa, the panel has actual recording artists! And as if that wasn't bad enough, the spectacle was marred by Aguilera's trademark oversinging.
[There was a video here]
Then, immediately following the gimmicky performance came this even cheesier, B-roll heavy explanation that showcased little except for how unnecessarily convoluted the entire premise for the show is in the first place.
Did you know that the judges are considering the auditioning singers based solely on their voice? How about the fact that each of them is looking to be blown away by a performance unlike any they'd ever heard before? And can you believe that each aspiring artist has never wished for anything except for the opportunity to showcase their gift in front of a random quartet of B-list music stars whose backs are turned to them?
When tallying the number of times Aguilera makes a weird facial expression is the most entertaining thing about a heavily hyped new reality show, then that's a problem. Unfortunately, The Voice is chock-full of them.


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PATH trains resume 'limited service' tomorrow
Tomorrow, for the first time since New York-area transit shut down for Hurricane Sandy, PATH trains will begin running, the Port Authority has announced.
Service will be limited, and riders should expect "extended waits and potential service delays," but whatever happens tomorrow, it will be a big improvement over the previous week, when New Jersey residents watched enviously as their Manhattan counterparts got their subways back.
Story Continued Below
Here's the full release:
PATH will resume limited rail service on Tuesday, November 6, beginning at 5 a.m. Trains will run from Journal Square in Jersey City to 33rd Street in Manhattan and in the return direction until 10 p.m.Stops will include:
· Journal Square
· Grove Street
· Newport
· 14th Street
· 23rd Street
· 33rd Street
There will not be stops at Christopher and 9th streets in Manhattan. Disabled passengers will have access only to the platforms at Journal Square and 33rd Street.
Service remains suspended between Newark Penn Station and Journal Square, Hoboken, Exchange Place, and World Trade Center as recovery efforts are continuing.
The Port Authority cautions passengers to expect extended waits and potential service delays as PATH personnel and third-party contractors continue working around-the-clock to safely return the entire system to normal service. In an effort to minimize delays in operations, the Port Authority is waiving fares for Tuesday, November 6.
The PATH system suffered unprecedented and widespread flooding in the tunnels and at multiple stations, as well as power outages that shut down signals and switches. Crews continue to work to restore power and to pump water from some of the tunnels.
The PATH rail system reported nearly 77 million commuter trips in 2011. It is our goal to return the system to a status of fully operational as soon as conditions safely permit. We appreciate the patience of our loyal passengers during this difficult time and pledge our continued efforts to return other stations and lines back to safe operation. For up to date information please go to our website http://www.panynj.gov/path/ and follow us on Twitter @PATHTweet.


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...to the biggest blogger blind date of the year... BEA! BEA stands for Book Expo America and is the annual trade show for publishers and booksellers, where publishers debut their Fall lists and trot their authors around to meet booksellers, sign books and ARCs, and attend parties. Booksellers come from near and far to meet said authors and talk with publishers. But BEA of late has started to feel like it might not be worth all the time and expense that publishers put into it, and what booksellers pay to get there to attend it. Throw in our current economic climate and what I suppose will be a scaled-down BEA with lower than usual attendance, I really wasn't looking forward to this year.
But all that has changed over the past months as I have learned about more and more book bloggers who are attending BEA, many of them for the first time. This year, there is an entirely new contingent of people going to BEA who read, review and recommend books to ever-growing audiences of book buyers! I'm a big geek and it's really exciting to me.
I'm thrilled that I'll be in the company of six of my favorite book bloggers on Saturday May 30th on a panel where we'll explore the publisher-blogger-bookseller relationship and what we can do to make it better and maximize all of our efforts to help readers find books that they'll love. Julie of Booking Mama, Natasha of Maw Books, Stephanie of Stephanie's Written Word, Amy of My Friend Amy and Dawn of She is Too Fond of Books, Candace of Beth Fish Reads and I will examine how things work now and how they could work better. For those of you not able to attend, we'll broadcast the panel live via Book Club Girl on Air. Set your reminder for the live broadcast on May 20th at 2 pm EST here.
There will be other opportunities to meet bloggers during the weekend as well, stay tuned for a schedule of when bloggers themselves will be signing (though what we will sign, not too sure ;))
And, if you have questions for a book blogger, publsher or bookseller, that you'd like us to consider during our panel discussion, please feel free to post them here!


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JSerra Catholic High School students took a pledge Friday to stop using the word "retard(ed)," particularly in reference to those with autism.
JSerra student Nick Brady created a video before school started to help his classmates understand him and his autism. Once school began, he started an Autism Awareness club on campus, which sponsored last week's "Pledge to Stop the R-Word" event. Students who donated $1 received a wristband that read, "Spread the word to end the word."
Brady agreed to answer a few questions via email about the r-word campaign and his experiences at JSerra.
Q. What inspired you to create the video discussing autism prior to starting school?
A. Going to a new school is every autistic boy's greatest fear, where everyone will look at you and think you are dumb. The worry scared me, so I told it all in the video first.
Q. What kind of response has the video had?
A. It's had lots of views on YouTube (5,375), and it was even translated into Croatian. I hope that it helped people to understand autism better.
Q. Do you think the video changed your experience?
A. Yes. Students and even teachers found that I socialize differently … not the same as someone who talks because I use single-letter typing to communicate. My friends are patient with me when I type to them.
Q. How are you enjoying high school so far?
A. It is fabulous to hope for really great times and to hope for really great friends.
Q. I heard you began an Autism Awareness club on campus. Why did you want to start it at JSerra?
A. Starting the friends' club, Autism Awareness, was the most important and fun way to meet people. My friends in the club do not think of me as so different. I think my friends like me for me.
Q. Was the "Pledge to Stop the R-Word" event a success?
A. I kind of think we should keep it going so more people understand. Most people don't understand that the r-word is hurtful to someone with a disability. We did get lots of pledges, so that is a very hopeful start.
Q. What has been the best part of high school so far?
A. I liked meeting all the cheerleaders and going to the football games. I also like the great food in the bistro.
Q. What are your plans for the future?
A. I eventually want to go to college. I also have come to find that being self-sufficient is really important. So when you have good support in life that is my goal. It's hard to be dependent on others when you have severe autism. It frustrates me.
Q. What is one thing people may not know about you?
A. Will you think it's funny that I would like my mom and dad to help me write books about my life with autism?
Learn more about the r-word campaign at r-word.org.


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Moore's talent resulting in more playing time
By Mike Fiammetta and Jeff Seidel / MLB.com
Moore was a first baseman throughout his career before slowly seeing time in the outfield. He started Thursday's series finale against the Rays at first base after starting in left field on Tuesday.
The bottom line? The rookie is getting to play.
His bat is the biggest reason for that. Moore went into Thursday's finale batting .306. He said that getting into the lineup more is helping him.
"I feel great, being in a rhythm now and just getting pretty consistent at-bats," Moore said. "I'll do anything to help the team."
Moore has helped the team considerably since being recalled on June 7. He's gone 8-for-17 since then with two doubles, two homers, five RBIs, six runs scored and three steals.
Manager Davey Johnson has become a fan.
"He has a great stroke," Johnson said. "I love his stroke. He's short to the ball ... [and] uses the whole field."
Johnson liking Desmond's approach at the plate
WASHINGTON -- Though the Nationals rank just 23rd in pitches seen per plate appearance -- 3.77, below the league average of 3.82 -- manager Davey Johnson isn't concerned with his young team's approach.
"I call it being 'patiently aggressive,'" Johnson said. "We leave out the 'patiently' part. The more experience you get, the more you're going to realize that balls out of the strike zone are not balls that you constantly hit hard. Sometimes that takes a little while for a younger player. I would much rather a guy be overly aggressive starting out than not aggressive."
Perhaps no member of the Nationals personifies that mentality more than shortstop Ian Desmond. Though Desmond's 3.33 pitches per plate appearance are the fewest among Nats starters, the 26-year-old remains on his way to a career year. Hitting .265 with a .744 OPS, he has already set a career high in homers, with 11.
"He's going after it. He's not giving [opposing pitchers] any free rides on the first pitch through the last," Johnson said.
"Ian now knows who he is and knows what he has to do to stay playing at a good level. Defensively, he [improved] a lot last year. He was still searching offensively. I think he's more freed up, because it's who he is. Sometimes it takes younger players a while to realize who they are and what their potential is. I think he's right there."
Lombardozzi becoming a reliable outfielder
WASHINGTON -- Steve Lombardozzi's emergence into a capable leadoff hitter has been a pleasant surprise, but his transition into a reliable outfielder might have the largest role in the significant playing time he has been seeing as a rookie.
With two outs and the tying runner on second base in the sixth inning of Wednesday's 3-2 victory over the Rays, Lombardozzi preserved the lead with a diving catch of a shallow fly ball to left off the bat of Jose Molina. The play was highlight reel-worthy in its own right, but with the Nats having lost four straight, a win was critical.
Prior to this season, Lombardozzi had never played in the outfield. He came up through the Minors as an infielder and began the season in a utility role before shifting to left field.
"At first I took a step back, and I realized it was going to be short, so I was hauling my [tail] in, and I was able to come up with the catch," Lombardozzi said. "I kind of turned that play into a web gem myself by making it harder than it should have been."
Once his bat proved steady enough for the top of the lineup, Lombardozzi became the primary leadoff hitter against right-handed pitchers. The 23-year-old switch-hitter is batting .268/.329/.346 with 11 RBIs, though in 25 at-bats against lefties, he is hitting just .120/.214/.160.
Johnson glad he stuck with Strasburg
WASHINGTON -- Manager Davey Johnson thought about pulling Stephen Strasburg from Wednesday's game against the Rays but is glad he didn't.
The Nats had a one-run lead after six innings on a very hot evening. The game-time temperature was 94 degrees, with plenty of humidity, but Strasburg seemed to keep getting stronger.
"[He] didn't throw a whole lot of pitches last night," Johnson said. "He ended up with 99 after six. I liked him over the choices I had for that seventh inning. When he started throwing, like 98 [mph], I said, 'He's still got a little left.'"
Strasburg breezed through the seventh, needing just 12 pitches, and added the final two strikeouts of his 10-K performance.
Worth noting
Drew Storen remains on track for a return around the All-Star break. Storen, who underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow on April 11, is throwing at 85 percent to 90 percent effort in his bullpen sessions.
Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman entered Thursday's series finale needing just six hits to reach 1,000 for his career, but he was mired in a 4-for-36 slump.
Manager Davey Johnson said that Chien-Ming Wang, who was moved from the rotation to the bullpen on Wednesday, had a good throwing session on Thursday. The Nats are trying to work on some mechanical issues that are giving Wang problems with command and location.
Mike Fiammetta is an associate reporter for MLB.com. Jeff Seidel is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Cards don No. 42 in honor of Robinson
Team celebrates 60th anniversary of legend's big-league debut
By Matthew Leach / MLB.com
As part of a Major League Baseball initiative, players throughout baseball were invited to wear 42. As individual Cardinals were approached, one after another voiced a desire to participate. That led to the entire team's involvement.
"We passed it on down to Tony [La Russa, manager] and the staff to see who was interested, and I don't know how it got started, but every player was adamant about wearing it," said Cards general manager Walt Jocketty. "They wanted to show their support and their appreciation for what Jackie Robinson meant to the game today."
The celebration in St. Louis featured a number of prominent figures. Sonya Pankey, Robinson's granddaughter, attended, as did Beth Louis, the granddaughter of Branch Rickey, and Johnny Sain's widow, Mary Ann Sain. Rickey was the man who signed Robinson to play for the Dodgers, while Sain was the first man to throw a pitch to Robinson in the Majors.
Introduced in 2004, Jackie Robinson Day was created to honor the enduring impact of Jackie Robinson and his legacy as the first African-American player to break the Major League color barrier. Robinson played his first Major League game at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947, as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Robinson breaking the Major League color barrier in 1997, Robinson's uniform No. 42 was retired throughout the Major Leagues.
Robinson's memory lives on today in initiatives such as the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which was founded by Rachel Robinson in 1973 to provide education and leadership development opportunities for minority students with strong capabilities but limited financial resources, as well as Breaking Barriers, which utilizes baseball-themed activities to reinforce literacy skills, mathematics, science and social history while addressing critical issues of character development, such as conflict resolution and self-esteem.
"I see it as an honor to an American," Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen said. "I don't look at it in baseball terms, necessarily. I think it's a guy who, as a person, as an American, did something great for this country -- that's what I see. That to me is honorable, and I wanted to be a part of it."
Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Pittsfield man sentenced to five years for role in credit union heist
PITTSFIELD -- A 32-year-old city man who was set to go to trial in connection with a March credit union robbery took a plea deal at the last minute on Monday and was sentenced to up to five years in prison.
The deal allows Brandon C. Wood to receive a concurrent sentence for a similar crime committed in Boston, according to his lawyer.
On Monday in Berkshire Superior Court and before jury selection began, Wood appeared with his attorney, Robert D. Sullivan Jr., and pleaded guilty to a single count of unarmed robbery.
According to police and prosecutors, Brenda Santos, 23, of Whitman, walked into the Greylock Federal Credit Union office on Elm Street at 4:30 p.m. on March 30 and handed a teller a note that stated, "I know more about you than u think. No Dye Packs or tracers, wait 5 mins before Alerting Anyone!"
Santos and Wood, who met in rehab, arrived in Pittsfield on March 29, spent the night at Wood's mother's house, and returned to Boston the next day.
On the day of the robbery, Wood asked his grandfather to drive him and Santos to the bus station but asked him to first stop at the bank. Santos allegedly walked in to the bank wearing a hooded sweatshirt and dark sunglasses, handed the teller the note, and made off with $2,900, according to a police report.
Wood's grandfather was unaware of what had taken place, police said.
After the pair left Pittsfield, police said the duo was involved in a April 2 robbery in Boston.
In that robbery, Wood allegedly walked into the Eastern Bank on Dartmouth Street in the Back Bay neighborhood, passed the teller a note and made off with $2,000 in cash.
They were arrested, along with a third man, 27-year-old William Curtin, of Dedham, in Brookline after police learned of their plans to rob two banks there on April 4, according to a probable cause report.
In the Pittsfield case, Santos, who was set to take the stand against Wood at trial, is scheduled to plead guilty to her charges on Wednesday.
Judge John Agostini sentenced Wood to 3 1/2 to five years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction.
The investigation was conducted by members of the Pittsfield Police Department with assistance from the Boston Office of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force.
First Assistant Berkshire District Attorney Paul J. Caccaviello prosecuted the case.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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A suicide car bombing attack reported Sunday in Aleppo, Syria's largest city, caused deaths and injuries, reported the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. "The suicide car bomb took place in the district of Sulaymaniyah in Aleppo near a security office," said the NGO.
Yesterday a double bombing in Damascus, the Syrian capital, killed over 25 people.
The Syrian press Sunday accused Saudi Arabia and Qatar of being responsible for the attacks in Damascus. The official newspaper a-Thawra blamed Qatar, which has called repeatedly for the arming of rebels, and Saudi Arabia, which according to one diplomat, sends arms to Syria.
Syrian newspaper al-Baath daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling party, claimed the attacks "were committed by terrorists armed and financed by foreign forces." "These attacks are intended to punish the Syrian people for its patriotic stance, to parasitize the mission of(the international envoy Kofi) Annan and to foil (...) a political solution to the crisis," the newspaper said.
The private Al-Watan daily echoed these comments, "The Syrians have found the reason why the Gulf embassies in Damascus were closed...This may signal a new period for Syria, the bombings and terrorism sent by the emirs of the Gulf. They had threatened yesterday and they have implemented." The newspaper described them as "ruthless with any opposition, which demands intervention in Syria or an Arab solution."
[1] http://www.albawaba.com


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This is Mainly for The Forums When Ever i play a game, my mouse and keyboard randomly disconnect and then reconnect, WEIRD, and i know i didnt really get any proper footage of ingame but, my frames NORMALY drop reaptivly say 200-40-100-20-300,ect And considering i have GTX 285 graphics card AMD Phenom II x4 3.4ghz 4 GB RAM That is obviously not right if i get frames like that on a little custom map that is pretty much just a box and i get random fps drop like that. SO Please help as much as possible.
Posts Tagged ' didnt-really '
api computer repair details developers discontinue diy do it your self download dvd education efforts entertainment experiences extraction facebook fix functioning abnormally gaming howto & style how to fix interface-makes internet internet-download internet network problem laptop laptop repair manager marketing network problem product repair require science & technology seo seo tips slow working computer software problems term tutorial video windows wireless yahoo your-computer
Computer Problem [Problem has been fixed]
September 25, 2011
Tags: didnt-really, drop, drop-reaptivly, get-random, little-custom, mouse, mouse problem, problem, proper-footage, random
Posted in Mouse & Keyboard Problem | No Comments »
Web Design and Seo Tips
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- 7 Tips To Optimize Your Business For The HolidaysThe holidays are closing in and our marketing firm West LA is here to give you advice on how to be ready. Read on to see our tips for optimizing your business during the holidays: 1. Make Your Store Holiday-Friendly Decorate your store windows with the holiday spirit to attract more customers, and maybe give out The post 7 Tips To Optimize Your Business For


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WATCH: Amplify Dot – "Get Down" Music Video Premiere!
http://youtu.be/wayyoXug9P8 Amplify Dot has been a big player in the South London underground scene for a hot minute but with her latest release she is sure to bubble up to the surface! Try not to get down to this track! If you dig it, you can snag this track for free in exchange … Continue Reading ››


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Campus Organizations
Active Minds is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that encourages students on campuses and in communities to raise awareness around mental health. Active Minds at Doane University is one of over 450 chapters in the United States. The goal of this organization is to raise awareness on mental health issues that so commonly affect students on college campuses, such as depression, eating disorders, PTSD, etc. We aim to help remove the stigma associated with mental health through events and conversations.


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Sign Up
To encourage youth members to learn and become proficient in snorkeling skills and to snorkel safely.
Earned by Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Venturers, Sea Scouts, and Explorers, and adult leaders in these programs..
Purchase cloth patch from Scout shop with proof of completion.
Round patch, white background with red and white dive flag that says "Snorkeling BSA"; worn on left leg side of swimsuit.
Emblem, No. 248
Click here for more information.


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Consultants Be Damned, Interoffice Love Will Never Die at Conde Nast!
Despite the fact that The Bobs are coming to send many to the unemployment line, Conde Nasters still need to hook up, thus they post Missed Connections ads on Craigslist. Naturally, we'd love to help facilitate a coupling!
Here's the text of a Missed Connection ad currently on Craigslist:
I just saw you in the elevator of the Conde Nast building. You got on at the 12th floor and I was already in the elevator. We looked at each other and smiled. I think you are so pretty I just had to post this right away (I doubt you'll see it though). You have black hair, dark brown eyes (almost black), a black shirt, and a black and white skirt. If you see this, please write me.
The run-in happened yesterday morning, so surely some of you Conde Nasters out there must know something about the young lady (a Voguette possibly?) involved here. Help us, help you! Feel free to send any info/updates to us. Let's make this happen people!


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M.i.h Jeans
Originally founded under the name "Made in Heaven," the story of MiH denim starts in the swinging '60s with founder Tony O'Gorman and his wife, denim model Chekkie Londale. The pair instilled a profound appreciation for well-fitted jeans in their daughter Chloe, inspiring her to relaunch her parents' company in 2006. Today, the brand pays the same attention to high-quality blues as it did 50 years ago—while also offering a range of off-duty separates that includes relaxed oxford shirts, '70s-inspired suede skirts, oversized breton tops, and the signature MiH flare jeans.
41 items
view 40 | view all
view 40 | view all


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Transfering schools is a complicated process and we are here to help.
Get more information if you are unsure of the process of transfering.
If you're planning to attend more than one institution as
you earn your degree, relax! The iTransfer Web site will help you plan ahead
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It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Ford Escape Hybrid Battery Pack Questions
That is very interesting. Did you know that Ford is demo testing Escape Hybrids with an additional battery for plug-in operation? I did find that Flex fuel models have also been evaluated I think in California. Now if they could include operation with Natural Gas that would be great!
mseitz1 Posts: 1Did you ever get any resolution to this problem? I have an '06 Escape Hybrid and it is doing the same kind of thing you described. My local mechanic has punted and is passing the buck to a nearby Ford dealer. My local mechanic 'thinks its either the battery or the computer' but after reading all this on the Escape Hybrid I'm thinking it's the battery. My only hope at this point is that the mileage is only 96,000 and we're supposed to be under extended warranty. I don't want to think about Ford coping out and telling me I have an $8,000-$10,000 repair ahead.
How was your situation handled?
Please take a look at Wikipedia's article about nickel-metal-hydride batteries. It notes that virtually all the hybrid vehicles are using NMH batteries. I have not heard of any major problems with Toyota, Honda, etc.
As I suspected the article points out that the life of the battery is largely dependent on how it is charged and the handling of their temperature. Most of us probably thought that the job of the computer was to handle the balance between the electric and gasoline power sources. While it does do that, more importantly with regard to the batteries, it handles the recharging of the batteries and control of temperature. That said, there should be a method to check to see if the CPU is doing a correct job. There may even be a monitoring program with history that could be viewed.
I will spend some time to see what the IEEE publications report about this since I am a lifetime member.
escapeforever Posts: 4You might check a TSB for this (battery problem msg on dash display). I found out about one that fixes a false positive with a battery problem. It seems that something is wrong with the harness (they replace it for free up until August 09) and, if not repaired, can give the exact same symptoms that you describe even tho there is not really any problem. This TSB is not one that notifies owners -- you have to find out about it yourself.
Check it out.
ajspark Posts: 1This reply is re: alice612's post:
"according to FORD PR people - I am the first consumer to have a ford escape hybrid battery die on me- I have 120 thousand miles on my car. Its 4 years old. One day last week a triangle with an exclamation mark popped up and the message was- pull over safely- I turned off the car and when I turned it on again the message disappeared- this happened 4 more times for the next 50 miles till I got to my Ford dealer- 165 dollars and an hour later I was told the battery was going and it would cost $8,000.00 to replace."
I second both the last post and the one before it, regarding the recall for the HV battery harness and the necessity for temperature control.
I purchased a 2005 FEH with 37K this past December (becoming its 3rd owner) and it now has just over 40K. Within a month of buying it, I got the message "Stop Safely Now" on the display, and one morning it just plain wouldn't start. We replaced the regular battery (which is a special "low voltage" battery, available only from Ford dealers for over $100). That fixed the problem (but I sure I wish I'd known about the DC-to-DC downconverter that's covered by the 100K warranty - that may have been the problem, and will have it checked Monday to make sure it's working).
Anyway -- two days ago, while driving on (Thank God) a deserted 2-lane freeway with shoulders, 30 miles from my destination, the engine stalled with the aforementioned red triangle and exclamation mark. I coasted off to the shoulder, switched off the engine, sat for 10 seconds, turned the key, it started. 5 minutes later, same thing. Every five minutes, or even less, I was pulling off, turning off, turning on, continuing. SAME SYMPTOMS AS ALICE612.
I noticed that my HV battery charge was pretty low, however. So I decided to try just driving on the shoulder at a lower speed to charge the HV battery, but then the engine got too hot. So I let it cool, went back onto the freeway at normal speed. I made it to my destination after 6 or 8 pullovers, and called the local Ford dealership.
The Ford dealer immediately said, "Were you aware that THERE'S A RECALL for your FEH? STALLING ISSUES ALMOST ALWAYS INDICATE THAT THE RECALL WORK HASN'T BEEN DONE YET." They apparently notified the original owner (see link below), but he either didn't tell the 2nd owner, or 2nd owner failed to inform me.
I made arrangements to take it in the next day (i.e. yesterday), with the understanding that, if the recall work hadn't been done yet, it would take a half-day to do that (they need to pull out the HV battery to replace the harness). The diagnostics would cost about $150, and if my problem was JUST the harness, I wouldn't even have to pay that.
He called me a few hours after I took it in, with "good news and bad news". Good news, the recall work hadn't been done yet, but was done now. Bad news, that wasn't my only problem. I had 2 other issues: 1) the HV battery needs to be vented to keep the temperature down, and the pump wasn't working. 2) there's an "actuator" that senses the system's status and controls the various components, and it wasn't working, either.
So my problem was multi-faceted, maybe more complex than yours.
There's more info and good discussion here:
Bottom line: FIND A FORD DEALER THAT KNOWS HYBRIDS, and can give you a knowledgeable analysis of your $165 diagnostic readout. And make sure you get that recall work done ASAP. Good luck!
bow45 Posts: 21I recently found out that Ford Extended Service Plan (ESP), even with the most expensive plan (PremiumCARE), doesn't cover high-voltage battery :confuse: (it does cover other hybrid engine components though). So Ford ESP is useless in this regard. :sick:
Does anyone know the aftermarket extended warranties that cover high-voltage battery?
"I recently found out that Ford Extended Service Plan (ESP), even with the most expensive plan (PremiumCARE), doesn't cover high-voltage battery (it does cover other hybrid engine components though). So Ford ESP is useless in this regard.
Does anyone know the aftermarket extended warranties that cover high-voltage battery? "
The traction battery carries a federal warranty of a minimum of 8yr/100K, and 10 yr/150K in CARB states. That is longer than the ESP runs under most circumstances. So there is no point in having it covered under ESP.
mackattack Posts: 1>> After 1/2 hour or less of driving the vehicle will no longer go into EV mode.
I've had this same problem, twice. 2005 4WD 56K miles. The first time it was the air conditioning compressor, the second the rear AC line. The compressor was covered under ESP, but the rear AC line was an uncovered $750 repair.
The AC is required to keep the battery cool when outside temps get above 65 or so. When it overheats it goes into a 'limp-home' mode until it cools again. That's what you're seeing, but maybe not for the same reason.
I'm trying to convince Ford that if a part is vital to keep the hybrid operating, it should be covered under the hybrid warranty. Ford won't sell a hybrid without AC, for this very reason.
Wish me luck, I wish you the same.
wisill Posts: 9Your posted message indicates your electronic coolant pump (found on the passenger side of the engine compartment not far from the hood brackets and is black in color and a little bigger than a soda can) has failed--a known issue with these vehicles after 50,000 miles. The second issue is the blend door acutator failure. This is the device found on the driver's side of the rear cargo area that opens and closes the vent on the drivers side rear cargo window. This is a known issue also. The hybrid battery is designed to be maintained at a certain temperature and if it goes out of specification, the vehicle can go into limp mode.
Other owners have reported on these issues at other forums.
just got back from FOMOCO about the same problem, the vehicle shut down without notice, a stop vehicle safely, message came on. got it to dealer the cooling pump for the ev computer had burnt out (not covered) I asked how can this be, It got to hot was the answer I checked around in the manual to find out about a cooling unit for the pack in the rear. On the outside drivers side rear disguised as part of the rear window is a vent, this give fresh air to the battery what the fail to tell you is that there is a filter about 6x4" that fills with all sorts of stuff, it is located inside on drivers side upper quarter panel there are 2 covers to remove (snaps in/out) and there is at least some of the problem. It is refered to as a cabin filter. The dealer didnt even check it
Many hybrid owners seem to be having the same symptoms as I do. Not being able to find answers to what should be routine problems, after all the techs are trained to find all the problems -right.
Something that is overlooked often is a "cabin air filter" that is not really a cabin filter, it is for the fresh air to the bat pac. On the rear drivers side is a vent disguised as part of the window - that gets air to the actuator and to the bat pac There is a filter accessible inside the rear drivers side panel below the outside vent its about 4x6" and must be kept CLEAN this can also lead to the fan failing and also, Im told, the computer pump failing. Most service people ignore it or do not know about it. When you remove the 2 covers it is supposed to slide out, be prepared -be very prepared for what you may find in there. After getting a new one at a local parts store (about11.00) replace it and close up the covers, remove the rug and see if any thing is in the bottom, there is a plastic cover that has to be removed (easy) check its not clogged and replace.I hope this may help many out there from a costly repair Purolator Part number C25571
I just got my 2005 escape back from Ford garage after getting same message. I couldn't get it to run at all. They replaced the switch on the battery pack in the back($700) the coolant pump behind the bumper in the front ($300) the 12 volt battery ($115) and the harness on the rear batteries ($17). The harness also had a $300 labor charge, In total it was $1764 to get it back and took 2 weeks.
Sorry that should have been 2006 with 53,000 miles
I found this article that gives you some idea of the possible lifetime in miles that FEH can last.
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Ford Motor Company's year-to-date hybrid sales are 73 percent higher
than the same period in 2008, fueled by the introduction of hybrid
versions of the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan
More than 60 percent of the sales of Fusion Hybrid are by non-Ford
owners – with more than 52 percent of those customers coming from
import brands
Numbers of Ford Escape Hybrid taxis growing on streets of San
Francisco and New York where vehicles in service have exceeded 300,000
miles since their introduction
Ford hybrids help "green" federal government fleets
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 14, 2009 – Ford Motor Company's hybrid
vehicle sales have risen 73 percent this year in sharp contrast to a
14-percent decline in hybrid sales across the industry.
The fuel economy and durability of hybrid versions of Ford Fusion and
Escape, Mercury Milan and Mariner also are winning over large numbers
of conquest customers, many of whom are previous import owners.
Through September, Ford has sold 26,016 hybrid vehicles, up 73 percent
versus the same period in 2008, according to figures from Autodata Inc.
"Hybrid customers increasingly are considering Ford," said David
Finnegan, Ford hybrid marketing manager. "More than 60 percent of
Fusion Hybrid sales have been from non-Ford owners, and more than half
of those are customers coming from import brands, mostly from Toyota
and Honda."
Ford's strong 2009 hybrid sales have been fueled by the introduction
of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, the most fuel-efficient
midsize sedans on the road. Both vehicles deliver a certified 41 mpg
rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry
hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway.
Durable and fuel efficient
While the introduction of the Fusion Hybrid has spurred sales from non-
Ford owners, Ford's longest-running hybrid nameplate, the Escape
Hybrid, has proven particularly popular with Ford customers operating
taxi, lifeguard and government fleets due to the combination of fuel
efficiency and durability. The front-wheel-drive Escape Hybrid
delivers 34 mpg in city driving and 30 mpg on the highway, making the
most fuel-efficient SUV on the market.
In 2005, San Francisco became one of the first cities to adopt hybrids
into taxi service, with hybrids accounting for 14 percent of its
current fleet. Each of the original fleet of 15 Escape Hybrids
exceeded 300,000 miles per vehicle before being retired and replaced
with more Escape Hybrids. There are almost 200 Escape Hybrid taxis on
San Francisco's streets today.
New York has more hybrid taxis in service than any other city in North
America with 13,237, of which more than 2,000 are Escape Hybrids. The
Big Apple recently has begun retiring its original fleet of Escape
Hybrids put into service in the 2005 model year after accumulating
300,000 and 350,000 miles per vehicle.
"We're extremely pleased with the performance of the Escape Hybrid
in taxi service," said Gerry Koss, Ford's fleet marketing manager.
"Not only have they proven very reliable, they've also saved taxi
drivers money on gas and contributed to lower tailpipe and greenhouse
gas emissions in the cities that use them in taxi fleets."
"Greening" the federal government fleet
Government fleets also are seeking cleaner, more fuel-efficient
vehicles and hybrids are filling that need. In 2009, federal agencies
have purchased more than 3,000 hybrids from Ford, more than any other
automotive brand. Included in the sales were 1,900 vehicles acquired
through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the purpose of
improving the fuel economy of the federal fleet. The U.S. Army was
the single largest purchaser among the government fleets, acquiring
400 Fusion hybrids.
Saving lives and conserving fuel
In 2008, Ford began delivery of a fleet of 45 Escape Hybrids to the
Los Angeles County Lifeguards, a division of the Los Angeles County
Fire Department, for use on rescue patrol along 72 miles of Southern
California coastline. After the first 11 months of service,
lifeguards reported that Escape Hybrids had played a crucial part in
thousands of rescues and more than a million rescue preventions at
L.A. County beaches.
The Escape Hybrid fleet enabled L.A. lifeguards to reduce their entire
fleet's fuel usage by 25 percent – more than 5,000 gallons of gas
– during the first six months of service. That fuel cost savings has
helped L.A. County to maintain its critical front line staffing
despite the economic downturn.
unaccept1able_ Posts: 1My grandfather was a foreman at Ford dating back to the 1920's. I am a huge supporter of new technology and had no problem paying more for my 2006 Ford Escape to support Ford in its development of the hybrid vehicle. However, I was just informed today, after taking all maintenance recommendations of Ford dealers for 4 years regarding the hybrid battery that at 120k miles (with $10000 left of financing) that my hybrid battery needs to be replaced to the tune of $8000.00!!!!! t $8000.00 is significant and absolutely unacceptable for any auto repair or replacement at anytime!. I was supposed to close on a house on May 15th but my downpayment may be made to a Ford dealer instead! for repair so I can get to work! Unacceptable. Ford needs to step up and support it's early supporters of its new technology.
"However, I was just informed today, after taking all maintenance recommendations of Ford dealers for 4 years regarding the hybrid battery that at 120k miles (with $10000 left of financing) that my hybrid battery needs to be replaced to the tune of $8000.00!!!!! "
If you live in a CARB state, the battery has a 150K warranty. If you live in one of these states you are in luck.
Map of CARB states.
Does anyone know where the fan is that cools the rear battery my 2005 escape hybrid has a noise that sound like a clutch fan going bad and it does it when it hot out and i am thinking maybe it is the rear fan but i don't know where its at.
I have a 2005 ford escape hybrid and after reading some of the post on this site i have found out that there is a fan that cools the battery in the back.Every now and then in the summer months i hear a sound that sounds like a clutch slipping on an Ac compressor but the Ac up front is fine.I am now thinking it is the fan for the back battery but i don;t know where it is if anyone has an idea of where it is at please let me know.Also if you had the same problem and know of something else it could be please let me know, I also did not know there was a filter for this in the back but i did check it and it was dirty.Please email me with any information that will help.
researcher101 Posts: 1What is a CARB state and which states on the map you provided are carb states.
"What is a CARB state and which states on the map you provided are carb states. "
The CARB states are in color on the map. Those states have a longer hybrid system warranty (10 years / 150K miles).
highrev2 Posts: 2Sorry for the loss unaccept1able. It is unfortunate that you owe that much after four years.
Might I suggest closing on the house, then telling the car finance people to come get their car (as not to wreck your credit until you have the house).
Then you might have to get a bike to ride to work, much greener way of getting there.
aeromech1 Posts: 1The following is a "how to" on changing the battery fans in a 2005 FEH. The fans ARE NOT under the battery warranty at this time. The kit that was purchased from Ford is 5M6Z-10C659-A. The price is around $250 for both fans.
Here's the narrative:
My buddy Darrin owns a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. Recently, his wife experienced an error message while driving that ultimately lead to a fault with the battery cooling fans in the rear of the vehicle. These two fans actually live inside the large (220 pound) battery pack under the rear cargo floor. For this vehicle the fans are not under the battery warranty and the dealer wanted more than $800 to replace them. Darrin and I decided to give it a try ourselves. The fans cost Darrin around $250 from the dealership and the part number for the replacement kit is: 5M6Z-10C659-A. Inside the kit you get the two fans, some ty-raps, and a couple other small items. Detailed instructions are also included. We read the instructions but ultimately didn't follow them word for word.
We saw that the instructions called for removing the battery assy from the vehicle but we did find a way that the battery fans could be replaced without taking the whole assy out.
Notice the top of the battery. It has two separate top covers. The rear cover is above the two fans and can be removed with the battery in the vehicle. The first thing you will want to do is turn the orange switch to the off position which disables the battery power. Then you can lift straight up on the switch now and rotate it further CCW to the shipping position.
There is an exhaust duct on the aft left side of the battery that needs to be removed before the rear cover comes off.
Now you'll need to remove several self tapping screws from the top rear cover. They are T30 tamper resistant torx screws
Once you get the top rear cover off you'll find that it is attached by two grounding cables. Remove these so that you have better access.
Now you should see that two fans and their top cover. Remove the top cover from the fans.
The two fans are mounted the same on each side. You'll find 4 nuts holding them down. Remove the nuts with a 10mm socket. Looking at the forward part of the fan you'll see a thin top cover held down by two small self tapping screws. Remove this cover. Cut several ty-raps securing the wires and then disconnect the quick plug for the fan. Each fan also has a green ground wire you'll want to remove as well.
Now, here's the tricky part (it's not that bad). You're at the point where you want to pull the fans out but they won't come aft because in front of the fan exhaust is a 4 inch tall black plastic stanchion that supports the top lid. Simply grab the stanchion with some channel lock pliers and pull it loose to get it out of the way.
The fans should now come out of the battery assembly. Installation is the reverse. If you need help or have more questions you can email me at email@example.com
"The following is a "how to" on changing the battery fans in a 2005 FEH. The fans ARE NOT under the battery warranty at this time. "
The fans ARE covered under the hybrid warranty. Ford dealers were inputting the wrong codes for the repair, and it was coming up as unauthorized. In fact, Ford lists the fans as a part of the battery pack, and their manuals say to treat them as one item. When that is input into the Ford system, it comes up as a covered item. I believe that Ford has updated the information to dealers, but I have some doubts; they would rather have the customer pay than to cover the repair. Anyway, if the dealer input the battery pack (which includes the fan), then it was covered, if they just listed the fan assembly, it was not covered.
chartierpw Posts: 1Not sure if this message is read by many, but I used these instructions to replace the fans in my 2005 Escape Hybrid (with 276,000 miles on it) and they were 99.9% accurate! The only issue I found is the removal of the self taping screws on the fan shrouds. The instructions don't make it clear that you remove those screws AFTER you remove the fans out of the battery pack, other than that, great instructions! kudos to kratekin for the great detail! Thank you, my Escape is now operating at peak efficiency again!
wilcox Posts: 583Thanks to stevedebi for their great posting. Also to chartierpw.
FORD will give you a diagnostic saying your fans need work, but watch out.
We started a road trip and the STOP SAFELY message appeared. We'd wait a while and restart and drive like 20 miles and it would reappear. We turned around and limped back home...about ~20-30~ miles each time we let it rest for a while and restarted.
I slightly suspected maybe it was a water cooling/pumping problem...due to touching some rubber hoses under the hood. Anyhow, we got him home and morning of next day I drove it to Dealer (with no incident).
The gave me report that we needed water pump and fans needed replace.
The estimate was astounding! $1,400.00 I couldn't believe it. I took the vehicle home and did some internet research. Found in another hybrid forum discussions about this phenomena and made decision that the lack of coolant caused system to overheat, thus I think the computer listed cooling fans not working - replace.
Made several attempts to try and get the fans performed under warranty - no dice. Like above, the computer does not want to recognize the fans as Hybrid unique. (but they are really).
Well, I bought the water pump ($125) and installed it. It is an electric pump unit and bolts on to body under the radiator. A 12 yr. old could replace it with proper tools.
After replacing h2O pump everything has been okay. I hear the fans whirr and we have had no more STOP SAFELY messages for a year and a half since then. Everything seems to be okay, even in these hot summers.
Ford Service people should be reminded about the post above this. The fans are inside the Hybrid Component (battery pack) and are suppose to be covered, but it's like pulling teeth to convince a Service Dept. whose never come across how to look it up properly. They think the computer is always right.
david_ga Posts: 1Thanks aeromech1! That saved me a lot of $$ (about $800) on Ford labor. I've now replaced all the battery cooling componets I can think of. They include:
1) Electric coolant pump (by radiator)
2) The cooling fans (thanks for the pics)
3) The cooling door actuator (known as blend door actuator)
If anyone else needs to change the door actuator. Here are the steps (sorry forgot pics):
a) Pop off the lower rear hatch plastic (no screws, just pull up)
b) Pry the driver rear plastic towards the inside (no screws, just pull)
c) Use block to hold plastic covers back
You'll need a 7/32" or 5.5mm wrench to get to the small screw in the back (there are 3 altogether). The last one (top left, towards the exterior) is tricky, not really enough room to work.
Anyway, once screws are out, pull the actuator motor out (again, tight squeeze but it will come out). The white keyed plastic lever will fall out, this is OK. Now, here are the 2 "tricks" to get it back together.
1) Turn interior positioner fully counter-clockwise with screwdriver
2) Reposition the white lever in the down position (about 8 oclock) against the positioner. TRICK: Use a small piece of scotch tape to hold it
Now you'll be able to put it back together. Without the tape to temporarily hold it in place, it will never work.
pooch66 Posts: 1CARB stands for California Air Resources Board and is obviously only California.
fredfarquatz Posts: 1OK. I want to thank all of the posts here. It is now 2016 and I have a 2007 Escape Hybrid. 2 years ago I purchased this vehicle at a very discounted price because of the "wrench" trouble light. This was fixed for about $25 plus a couple hours of my labor to replace the blend door. A few months ago I started to notice reduced MPG and occasionally really sluggish response from a full stop. Using Scangauge II the DTC of P0A81 showed up. I replaced both fans in the HV Traction Battery compartment per aeromech1's instructions and everything is now great!! The replacement took me about 2 hours without removing the entire battery per aeromech1's instructions.
ncken828 Posts: 1My 2008 Hybrid battery is dying at 55,000 miles. I drove in L for a month to see if I could get it to charge better. These batteries are a bunch of cells in tubes. Some of the tubes fail. My advice DO NOT BUY A FORD HYBRID of any type. The batteries are sub standard and Ford will not stand behind them. Mine ran out on time. (8 years). Ford knows the batteries will fail and are ignoring the problem. Other hybrids are getting 10+ years and over 250,0009 miles on their batteries. If you have a Ford Hybrid you are a guinea pig for their battery experiments and on your own. Make sure you take your dog with you when you drive your FORD. That way you will have company when you have to walk home.


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I realize that no matter what I say this is probably going to come off as a "You should never say anything bad about Microsoft" post to some degree, but I just felt the need to say this regardless. I've been "lurking" on channel9 since early 2005. I even had an account back in the day (Kental) that I used to post on.
I gotta be honest though, even though I pretty much come around daily still, it's becoming harder and harder to do so. I'm almost guaranteed to either find a thread about how much Microsoft sucks or why Windows 8 is terrible or why there's absolutely no hope because Apple is doing so well, and so on. When I first started lurking here there was a lot of discussion ranging between a variety of topics, but now all the posts are either one person being super negative or replies to that person discussing the merits of topics typically blown far out of proportion. There are still a few of you I look forward to seeing topics from (Sven Groot, "Ian2", Dr Herbie, etc.), but it's just not the same anymore, unfortunately.
I probably sound like I have "old man" syndrome talking about how I wish things were like the "gold old days" right now, but I figured I'd post this to say my bit about it, regardless. I feel like I've been around long enough to warrant it.
Here's to another several years with C9 and I hope this "phase" that we've been in for at least the last year, maybe two years, will pass, and we can all try to find some positives to talk about instead of just talking about how bad things are.
tl;dr version: I miss the lively conversations we used to have Most of you guys are still pretty awesome, but I honestly feel like too many people have been scared off by the sheer volume of negativity and vitriol. It's sad


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Do you have a netbook? Do you want one? Well if you're on the market for a mini computer, you're going to need a sleeve for that baby. Mostly 'cause we all know that since you can fit it in your purse, it's gonna get thrashed in there with your wallet, keys, MP3 player, and whatever else you stuff in your bag. Although netbooks have been around for a while, stylish sleeves are just now making their debut. I've found six you wouldn't be shy to carry in- or outside your purse.
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