Diggnation (Rebooted)

Kevin Rose
  • 4.9 (200)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Diggnation is back! After a 15-year break, the guys are returning with all new episodes. Diggnation covers the top stories from around the internet. Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht give you their unique, sometimes awkward, and always hilarious take on the edges of the internet. Just a couple of geeks sitting on a couch.

  1. Hard Truths: Layoffs, Bots, and What's Next for Digg

    MAR 18

    Hard Truths: Layoffs, Bots, and What's Next for Digg

    Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht sit down for a heavy one. Digg's beta has been shut down, and the team had to make painful layoffs. Kevin breaks down the two forces that hit at the same time: usage that never reached the right product-market fit, and a relentless wave of AI-powered SEO spam attacks that exploited Digg's legacy Google authority and eroded platform trust faster than a small team could fight back. Kevin announces he's leaving True Ventures to return to Digg full-time, and lays out a vision for rebuilding with a tiny AI-augmented team that can punch above its weight class. The nostalgia play is done, and the next version of Digg will break the mold entirely. The rest of the episode covers the state of AI coding tools, how Claude Code is turning non-engineers into builders, the agentic future of computing, a hands-on look at the MacBook Neo, reactions to the AirPods Max 2 and Rivian R2 announcements, and a spirited debate about a color-changing condom that detects STIs. SPONSORSClaude - https://claude.ai/diggAI assistant for coding, workflows, and desktop automation via Cowork. Check out Claude Pro for access to all features. ZBiotics - https://zbiotics.com/DIGGPre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink, the world's first genetically engineered probiotic, designed to tackle rough mornings after drinking. Code: DIGG for 15% off your first order. Backed by a 100% money-back guarantee. Mercury - https://mercury.comModern fintech platform for startups and entrepreneurs. No minimum balance, no monthly fees. Apply online in minutes. Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC. DeleteMe - https://joindeleteme.com/diggHands-free subscription service that removes your personal info from hundreds of data broker sites year-round. The #1 data removal service as named by Wirecutter. Code: DIGG for 20% off all consumer plans. Monarch - https://monarch.comAll-in-one personal finance tool for budgeting, net worth tracking, investment monitoring, and financial planning. Code: DIGG for 50% off your first year. CHAPTER MARKERS0:00 Cold Open0:48 Welcome to Diggnation Ep. 281:32 "It's Been a Week"1:55 Digg Beta Shut Down and Layoffs2:39 Why Product-Market Fit Wasn't There3:12 AI Coding Crossed the Last Mile4:10 Helping the Team Find New Homes4:38 Back to the Drawing Board5:12 Parasitic SEO Attacks on Digg7:07 AI Agents Are Destroying Platforms8:39 When Trust Is Your Product10:05 The Go-Forward Plan for Digg12:23 Kevin Leaves True Ventures to Return Full-Time12:37 Why Now Is the Best Time to Be a Builder13:45 Using Claude Code as a Technical Co-Founder13:58 How AI Changed the Way Alex Talks to Humans17:04 Robocalls, Prompt Injection, and the Cupcake Test18:30 AI-Generated Snoop Dogg Birthday Song Demo21:16 Team Regroup: Funding Intact, New Direction23:04 Silver Lining: Now Digg Can Break the Mold26:55 iPhone 17E First Look28:20 Claude Cowork and Scheduled Tasks Explained30:50 AI Will Be Intertwined with Every OS33:11 Chat vs. Agents vs. Code: What's the Difference?34:50 Claude Code /mobile: Code from Your Phone35:30 The Post-Software World37:25 YOLO Mode and Dedicated AI Machines42:46 AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Too Heavy45:33 Bowers and Wilkins and Nothing Headphones47:40 Live Translation with AirPods49:01 Rivian R2: Range, Price, and Self-Driving50:54 What Are the Levels of Self-Driving? (Live AI Q&A)55:10 Rivian Fleet Vans and the Camper Van Dream57:20 MacBook Neo Hands-On: $599 Apple Laptop59:55 Neo as a Dedicated AI Coding Machine1:02:18 Mac Mini vs. MacBook Neo at the Same Price1:03:31 Teens Invent STI-Detecting Color-Changing Condom1:10:35 See You in a Few Weeks

    1h 11m
  2. Kung Fu Robots Are Here and We Should Be Worried | AI Jobs, OpenClaw, and a $16M Pokemon Card

    FEB 18

    Kung Fu Robots Are Here and We Should Be Worried | AI Jobs, OpenClaw, and a $16M Pokemon Card

    In this week's episode, Kevin and Alex reunite after Alex's whirlwind trip to the UK, where he survived Manchester, explored Edinburgh's frigid beauty, and spectacularly broke his Dry January streak at a house party on January 31st. The conversation quickly turns to Kevin's upcoming birthday and his ambitious "year of health" plan to get absolutely shredded by his next tortoise-year milestone (yes, they calculated his age in giant tortoise years - he's only 34). The duo dives deep into the AI revolution, discussing the massive news that OpenClaw's creator Peter Steinberg has joined OpenAI, and what this means for the future of AI agents that can literally call restaurants, navigate phone trees, and order more booze for your party via robot dog. They also unpack a new study claiming AI fails at 96% of jobs - but Kevin points out the terrifying flip side: it's only been three years and AI has already captured 4% of human work. The episode takes a wild turn when Alex pulls up footage of Chinese humanoid robots performing kung fu at the Spring Festival Gala, prompting legitimate concerns about why anyone would train robots in martial arts. Apple's upcoming March 4th event gets the skeptical treatment it deserves - when was the last time an Apple announcement actually blew anyone's mind? The hosts wrap up by discussing Logan Paul's $16.4 million Pokemon card sale and Kevin's newfound obsession with Disney's Lorcana trading card game, complete with a heartbreaking reminder that Kevin lost his entire comic book collection (including first-edition X-Men and Amazing Spider-Man) in the LA fires. Justin stops by to tease Digg's upcoming video posts feature and the new Grid View for visual communities. Sponsors Mercury: Banking redesigned for entrepreneurs — apply online in minuteshttps://mercury.com/ DeleteMe: Get 20% off and remove your personal data from hundreds of siteshttps://joindeleteme.com/digg (code: DIGG) Monarch: Get 50% off your first year with code DIGGhttps://monarch.com/ ZBiotics: Get 15% off your first order with code DIGGhttps://zbiotics.com/digg LMNT: Free 8-count sample pack with any purchasehttps://drinklmnt.com/digg Chapters0:00:00 - Kirkland Champagne: The Official Drink of Chaos0:00:18 - Welcome to Diggnation, Ex-Girlfriends Please Email In0:01:51 - Kevin Doesn't Know What Spin the Bottle Is (Sure, Jan)0:02:07 - Alex's Scotland Adventure Was Beautiful and Freezing0:03:42 - Alex's Dry January: A Heroic 30.5 Day Journey0:05:05 - Ten Hours in the Frankfurt Airport, Send Help0:06:36 - Kevin Is Only 34 in Giant Tortoise Years0:09:01 - The Year of Getting Absolutely Shredded0:10:45 - Ben's Philosophy: Does Booze Increase Enjoyment?0:14:06 - OpenClaw Creator Joins OpenAI, VCs Are Crying0:18:36 - AI Agents That Call BMW So You Don't Have To0:21:03 - Robot Dog Orders More Alcohol for Your Party0:25:16 - China Is Teaching Robots Kung Fu, We're All Doomed0:28:45 - Would You Get a Massage From a Kung Fu Robot?0:35:33 - The Costco Wine Hack That Changed Heather's Life0:37:14 - Kevin's Childhood String Cheese Column Obsession0:39:34 - AI Fails at 96% of Jobs (But Give It Five Years)0:43:44 - Your Fitness App Is About to Become Obsolete0:46:48 - Alexa, Say "Breakfast" in Every Room Challenge0:47:07 - Apple's March Event: When Did We Stop Caring?0:50:50 - Remember When the iPhone Was Actually Exciting?1:00:00 - Logan Paul's $16.4 Million Pokemon Card Flex1:02:00 - Kevin Discovers Lorcana and Catches the Bug1:05:50 - Kevin Lost First-Edition X-Men in the Fire1:09:01 - Digg Updates: Grid View and Video Posts Coming Soon1:11:07 - Until Next Time, Stay Sober (Or Don't)

    1h 11m
  3. OnlyFans on Digg, Foldable iPhones in 2026, and Why the Metaverse Is Officially Over

    JAN 21

    OnlyFans on Digg, Foldable iPhones in 2026, and Why the Metaverse Is Officially Over

    https://digg.com is live! Public beta is open for community creation! January’s almost over, which means it’s either too late or just early enough to still say “Happy New Year.” In this episode, Kevin and Alex wade through that awkward seasonal purgatory, debate etiquette, and naturally land on Alex’s go-to insult: “Eat the bag.” Kevin checks in on Dry January and confirms that sleep is, in fact, real. The conversation takes a turn into the serious realities of alcohol withdrawal before pivoting to some big Digg news: the public beta is officially live, and you can now create your own Communities. Yes, that includes one called /onlyfans, which has absolutely nothing to do with what you think unless you are deeply into industrial air movers. From there, it’s a full tech firehose. The Metaverse is officially declared dead, Claude Code is writing entire web apps in minutes, and a startup called Humans just raised $480 million to make AI more collaborative, or possibly sentient. Also on the docket: foldable iPhones, mindfulness, Matt Damon’s attention span, and why chicken wings keep showing up in self-driving cars. This one’s got layers. Sponsors Anthropic: Get 50% off your first 3 months of Claude Prohttps://claude.ai/digg Monarch: Get 50% off your first year with code DIGGhttps://monarch.com Wispr Flow: Try it freehttps://wisprflow.ai/digg ZBiotics: Get 15% off your first order with code DIGGhttps://zbiotics.com/DIGG Chapter Markers 00:00 Intro00:44 When Is It Too Late to Say “Happy New Year”?01:28 Alex’s All-Purpose Insult: “Eat the Bag”03:32 Dry January Update: Alex Hits 20 Days04:52 Alcohol Withdrawal Gets Real07:16 Digg Public Beta and Build-Your-Own Communities08:36 The Confusing Purity of the “/OnlyFans” Community09:33 AI Moderation Logs That Actually Make Sense11:11 The Metaverse Is Dead. Long Live Reality14:37 Matt Damon and the Shrinking Human Attention Span15:40 Why VR and AR Still Feel Like Homework19:16 Mindfulness, Explained by Thich Nhat Hanh22:51 The Meaning of Life24:53 John Cleese on Why Failure Is the Whole Point27:01 Kevin’s New Coding Obsession: Compound Engineering30:04 AI Context Windows and How the Magic Works40:02 Foldable iPhones in 2026? Let’s Argue42:34 iPad vs Mac and the UX Identity Crisis44:18 Humans Raises $480M to Make AI Less Robotic53:50 Tesla Goes Subscription-Only for Full Self-Driving55:46 Tensor Auto and the Semi-Sentient Rideshare Wars1:00:25 People Are Leaving Trash in Waymos. Including Wings1:02:07 Outro

    1h 2m
  4. LEGO Got Smarter, Planes Land Themselves, and Hooters Is Rebranding Again

    JAN 7

    LEGO Got Smarter, Planes Land Themselves, and Hooters Is Rebranding Again

    Diggnation is back for 2026. In this New Year’s episode, Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht dive into Dry (ish) January, accidental woodworking injuries, and why Kevin's Peloton crush might be more motivating than your therapist. On the tech side, Kevin drops a quiet-but-clear hint for Digg beta users to keep an eye out. The guys talk about Samsung’s decision to ship Google’s Gemini AI to 800 million devices, which feels like a major win for Google’s ecosystem. On the tech side, Kevin gives a heads up to Digg beta users: Communities are coming. Now is a good time to start paying attention. Also on deck: a bizarre Waymo vs. Santa Monica standoff involving robotic cars and 3 a.m. backup beeping, a Garmin plane that landed itself (because the pilot didn’t), and a Lego set that lights up on its own. Other stops include futuristic cartilage regrowth injections, the return of "Dolphin Shorts" via a Hooters rebrand nobody asked for, and an existential debate about smart fridges. Square — Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at: https://square.com/go/digg LMNT — Get a free 8-count sample pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/digg DeleteMe — Remove your personal info from data broker sites: http://joindeleteme.com/digg Monarch — 50% off your first year with code DIGG: https://monarch.com Wispr Flow — Try voice-to-text writing for free: https://wisprflow.ai/digg YouTube Chapter Markers00:00 Intro02:41 Resolutions Nobody Asked For: Pilates & Productivity03:36 Can Saunas Cure Depression or Just Make You Sweatier?04:52 Kevin Gets Stabbed by Wellness (Acupuncture Chat)06:02 Peloton and the German Instructor Who Yells in Motivation07:13 Holiday Haul: Singing Bowls and the Rise of Vibe Decor09:07 Spoon Carving, Blood Loss & $400 Japanese Hammers12:30 Coming Soon: Digg Communities That Don’t Look Like Reddit14:00 Samsung Gives 800M Devices a Gemini AI Glow-Up20:31 Waymo Cars Are Beeping Insomnia Into Santa Monica25:06 Self-Driving Cars Are Scanning Your Kids for Booster Seats33:25 Lego Bricks Just Got Smarter (and Slightly Haunted)37:07 How Boredom Became the New Self-Care Hack42:10 Garmin Autoland: The Plane That Landed Itself47:56 Parachutes for Planes and Other Backup Plans56:53 Can Amazon's “Art Line” TV Beat the Samsung Frame?1:01:00 Streaming Loyalty Tests: Apple TV, We See You1:03:19 Movies Worth Hoarding Forever (Anchorman & Jack Reacher?)1:05:08 Injecting Knees With Youth: The Cartilage Comeback1:08:44 Dementia-Fighting Protein or Supervillain Serum?1:09:54 Smart Fridge Fatigue vs. Bird Watching for Fun1:13:05 Kamado Joe Smoker Review: BBQ Tech Gets Serious1:15:23 Hooters Rebrands, Dolphin Shorts Return, Internet Shrugs

    1h 21m
  5. Diggnation Holiday Highlights | AI, Mike Tyson, Retro Cars & More

    12/24/2025 ·  BONUS

    Diggnation Holiday Highlights | AI, Mike Tyson, Retro Cars & More

    This holiday episode is a greatest hits tour of Diggnation Rebooted with Kevin and Alex in peak end of year form. Scotch gift exchanges and fighting Mike Tyson for $500,000 is a reasonable life choice. There are pronunciation corrections, especially Hyundai, plus plenty of love for retro futuristic concept cars. AI takes center stage as the duo talks creativity and productivity with tools like Cursor and ChatGPT, including negotiation tricks and extremely questionable AI day trading strategies. The conversation also covers the Telepathy Tapes podcast, autism, neurodiversity, and Alex’s experience with aphantasia. Kevin finally understanding Netflix and chill. Chapter Markers00:00 Intro04:22 Mike Tyson vs $500K07:52 Hyundai Pronunciation and Car Concepts13:00 Digg Beta Community Update16:30 Building AI Web Apps on the Road18:28 Telepathy Tapes, Autism, and Curiosity21:56 AI Trading and Bad Financial Ideas24:55 ChatGPT Negotiation Tactics29:50 Kevin Discovers Netflix and Chill31:38 Aphantasia Explained35:50 Emotions, Money, and Decisions37:41 End of Year Montage

    40 min
  6. Netflix Wants HBO, Founders Want Manners, and AI Wants Your Face

    12/10/2025

    Netflix Wants HBO, Founders Want Manners, and AI Wants Your Face

    Alex and Kevin break in the new Digg warehouse studio with brandy cocktails, French pastry flexes, and a surprisingly serious challenge—can Alex stay sober for all of 2025? They cover Netflix’s rumored $84B move to buy Warner Bros. Discovery (yes, including HBO and DC Comics), AI tools that drop your face into fake movie scenes, and the rise of “etiquette camps” for startup founders. Also: teens in Australia are happy to be banned from social media, a spider-shaped robot now performs endoscopies, and the famous Japanese 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich finally lands in the U.S.—with questionable results. All that, plus rucking vests, doomscroll detoxing, and a Kindle Color that might actually be good. SPONSORS ZBiotics Go to https://zbiotics.com/DIGG and use code DIGG at checkout for 15% off any first-time order of ZBiotics probiotics. Henson Shaving Go to https://hensonshaving.com/DIGG and enter DIGG at checkout to get a free pack of 100 blades with your purchase. (Note: You must add both the blades and the razor for the discount to apply.) Wispr Flow Try it free at https://wisprflow.ai/digg Monarch Money Use code DIGG at https://monarch.com for half off your first year. DeleteMe Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/DIGG and use promo code DIGG at checkout. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 03:00 Holiday cocktails get dangerously brandy-forward 04:41 Kevin explains his weighted rucking vest 07:23 Inside Digg’s new office + upcoming community features 13:06 New Year’s goals: chess apps and digital pianos 15:00 The bet: Can Alex stay sober for all of 2025? 21:10 Netflix may buy Warner Bros. Discovery for $84B 30:28 Silicon Valley founders now attend etiquette bootcamp 41:28 Australian teens are glad social media is banned 49:10 Nano Banana AI drops you into fake movie scenes 53:40 Deepfakes, bot farms, and internet misinformation 1:03:37 Pill-sized robot crawls your gut for science 1:09:05 Kindle Color Scribe vs. the Remarkable showdown 1:18:57 Japan’s viral 7-Eleven egg sandwich hits the U.S.

    1h 25m
  7. Live-Action Zelda, and the Spank Bank Declines Charges

    11/19/2025

    Live-Action Zelda, and the Spank Bank Declines Charges

    This week on Diggnation, Kevin ends his seven-month break from alcohol with a glass of wine and some podcast-inspired reflection on why being too rigid about anything might be its own kind of burden, While Alex sips wine and regrets live theater. Kevin reveals he has aphantasia, aka the inability to conjure mental images, which he says disqualifies him from certain forms of _ahem_ nostalgia. The pair dive into the existential horror of AI-enabled children’s toys that suggest you play with knives and explore kinks. On a lighter note, converting vintage cars to electric sparks a surprisingly feasible business idea. Waymo’s freeway rollout gets love, as the duo dreams of an L.A. where robots take the wheel and people take naps. Meanwhile, Michael Burry shorting AI stocks makes Kevin wonder if we’re still in early-internet territory or just early-stage delusion. Bezos launches an AI company because of course he does, and Nintendo drops the first look at its live-action _Zelda_ movie, which may or may not have been necessary. Also: eggnog aging, budgeting apps, and a play that made Alex fear for his life. It’s an episode. Chapter Markers00:00:00 - Kevin's First Sip in 7 Months  00:00:56 - Welcome to Episode 23  00:02:58 - Rethinking Alcohol Rules  00:07:44 - Aged Eggnog: Discuss  00:09:25 - The Two-Two-Two Rule Returns  00:12:15 - Birthday Trips and Holiday Plans  00:14:08 - LA Auto Show Highlights  00:15:14 - Converting Classic Cars to EV  00:17:47 - EV Startups: Why It’s Hard  00:19:20 - Zelda Movie: First Look  00:20:26 - Who Is Wes Ball?  00:22:53 - AI Toys Gone Wild  00:24:49 - Kuma Bear’s Kink Talk  00:33:48 - Predator and The Red Carpet  00:34:47 - Christmas Music Timing War  00:37:05 - Kevin Has Aphantasia00:40:49 - The Spank Bank Problem  00:43:44 - Creativity With Constraints  00:52:56 - Waymo Hits the Freeway  00:53:52 - Driverless Rides + Paranormal Play  01:02:47 - Game Awards: Who’s Nominated  01:08:42 - Burry Bets Against AI  01:10:53 - AI: Bubble or Beginning?  01:18:07 - Internet vs. Quantum Hopes  01:19:30 - Bezos Launches Prometheus AI  01:21:26 - Robots and Retail  01:24:14 - Episode Wrap-Up Sponsors ZBiotics – Get 15% off your first order of ZBiotics probiotics at https://zbiotics.com/DIGG with code DIGG at checkout. Henson Shaving – Use code DIGG at https://hensonshaving.com/DIGG to get a free pack of 100 blades with your razor purchase. You must add both the blades and the razor for the discount to apply. Mizzen and Main – Go to https://mizzenandmain.com and use promo code Digg20 for 20% off your first purchase. Monarch – Get 50% off your first year with code DIGG at https://monarch.com DeleteMe – Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan at joindeleteme.com/DIGG with promo code DIGG at checkout.

    1h 25m
  8. AI Browsers, Boozy Breakthroughs, and Batmobile Dreams | E22 | Diggnation

    10/29/2025

    AI Browsers, Boozy Breakthroughs, and Batmobile Dreams | E22 | Diggnation

    In this episode, we go full spectrum, from the rise of AI-powered web browsers like ChatGPT’s Atlas and OpenAI’s latest updates, to what it’s actually like hitting six months sober and realizing Jack Daniels might still text back. We celebrate some new EV purchases (yes, there’s a BMW iX involved), talk about Rivian’s new electric bike, and break down one of the boldest art heists in modern history, where a crew literally used a bucket truck to steal royal jewels from the Louvre. Somewhere between Apple’s innovation slump, the philosophy of consciousness, and the idea that our brains are just rendering reality like a bad GPU, we try to make sense of existence one story at a time. Basically, it’s us doing what we do best: chasing tech, culture, and absurdity until it all makes some kind of sense. 📝 Key Points • Kevin hits six months sober and talks about resetting his relationship with alcohol• Alex unveils his new BMW iX EV and breaks down its design and performance• New AI-powered browsers like ChatGPT Atlas shake up how we search the web• Kevin orders the new Rivian electric bike with 100-mile range and smart features• Breakthrough retina-implant tech gives vision back to people with macular degeneration• Deep dive into consciousness, perception, and whether reality is just “rendered” in our brains• Debate over Apple’s next AI move: build its own model or partner with OpenAI or Google• Meta’s identity crisis and why the company keeps missing real innovation• Why a 500-mile EV range could change how drivers emotionally connect to electric cars• The Louvre Museum jewel heist: thieves, a bucket truck, and French security fails• Reflecting on time, mortality, and the truth that every 100 years everyone is new• Finding meaning in the moment instead of doom-scrolling through negativity ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Intro05:00 The Shirtening Cometh: Computer Costume Creativity12:00 Louvre Larceny: Art Theft Gone Wild17:00 Brain Zaps for Gym Motivation19:00 AI Browsers: The Future of Web Surfing?27:00 Kevin’s Crypto Conundrum30:00 The Great Car Reveal: Alex’s New Ride37:00 Electric Dreams: The Future of EVs43:00 Two-Wheeled Freedom: Kevin’s E-Bike Adventure48:00 Seeing Is Believing: Retina Implant Breakthroughs54:00 The Philosophical Rabbit Hole1:02:00 Time Flies: The Fleeting Nature of Existence1:07:00 Living in the Moment: Kevin’s Life Philosophy1:11:00 Apple’s Appetite for AI: To Build or to Partner?1:17:00 The Meta Muddle: Facebook’s Identity Crisis1:21:00 iPhone Woes: Apple’s Production Predicament1:24:00 Wrapping Up: Sober Reflections and Future Fun 🪒 Sponsors Monarch – Get 50% off your first year when you use code DIGG at monarch.com Henson Shaving – Use code DIGG at HENSONSHAVING.com/DIGG to get a free pack of 100 blades with your razor purchase. You must add both the blades and the razor for the discount to apply. Claude (by Anthropic) – Sign up at claude.ai/DIGG to get 50% off Claude Pro for your first three months. Mizzen & Main – Visit mizzenandmain.com and use code DIGG20 for 20% off your first purchase.

    1h 23m
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4.9
out of 5
200 Ratings

About

Diggnation is back! After a 15-year break, the guys are returning with all new episodes. Diggnation covers the top stories from around the internet. Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht give you their unique, sometimes awkward, and always hilarious take on the edges of the internet. Just a couple of geeks sitting on a couch.

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin Rose
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Kevin Rose
  • Show Website
    Diggnation (Rebooted)

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