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This page last updated March
12 2007
2002-1214 - Dominion
Post - A bastion of objectivity
by
Peter Agnew - But the public cannot revoke or amend a judgment handed down by
our courts. Such judgments can be appealed only and as the history of the
Peter Ellis case so clearly demonstrates, our Court of Appeal tends to put
the reputation of its judicial colleagues ahead of doing justice.
2002-1208 - Sunday Star Times -
ACC Bonus?
by Mel Tapp - I have followed with great interest your articles on ACC and its
meanness to some "stock". Can you tell me is this the same ACC that
at the time of the Peter Ellis case in Christchurch went around handing out
claim forms and advising people how to claim $10,000 for alleged sexual
abuse?
2002-1123 - NZ Listener - Abuser
and abused - Letter by Lynley Hood
Added March 2007
Lynley Hood sets the record straight regarding
statistics from the Otago Women's health
survey. Apart from a minority of the most severely abused group, all the
other women who reported childhood sexual abuse were no different in terms of
adult mental health from those who reported no childhood sexual abuse. The
minority who had mental health problems - most had experienced some
combination of physical, emotional or sexual abuse - but it was impossible to
separate out the relative significance of the different forms of abuse:
John Read’s glib use (Letters, November 16) of a “New Zealand survey
published in the Lancet and the British Journal of Psychiatry” demands closer
scrutiny. The survey data was collected by the notoriously unreliable method
of retrospective self-reporting…………….. No clear relationship was found
between the type of abuse suffered and the symptoms displayed. The
researchers concluded: “The message for therapists is that when evaluating
the relevance of childhood abuse to beware of exclusive, or potentially
exaggerated focus on the traumas of sexual abuse which may obscure both the
relevance of other forms of abuse and the unfolding of other damaging
developmental influences.
2002-1116 - NZ
Listener - Letters to the Editor - John Read
Lynley
Hood's only response (Letters,
November 2) to my disagreeing with her personal opinions about child abuse is
to hurl nasty adjectives such as "grotesque",
"irresponsible" and "vindictive". However, two
correspondents point out that I may have misunderstood one of Hood's
assertions. .... If I was wrong, I apologise to Lynley Hood.
2002-1103 - Sunday Star
Times - Creche Case
by
Richard Christie - Phil Goff recently responded to many who have written to
him with concerns in the wake of Lynley Hood's award-winning book on the
Christchurch creche case. Goff’s spin
is that International experts found the convictions safe. The experts did not reach the conclusion
that the convictions were safe
2002-1102 - NZ
Listener - Letters to the Editor - Lynley Hood
John
Read's grotesque misrepresentation of my comments on sex abuse hysteria
graphically illustrates the problems faced by anyone who calls for rational
discussion of the issue.
2002-1102 - NZ
Listener - Letters to the Editor - Kerr Inkson
Dr
John Read’s one-eyed excoriation of Lynley Hood is a good demonstration of
the process of demonising more and more "witches". Sexual abuse is
a major problem that we all need to do everything in our power to oppose.
This opposition is not assisted by those who continue, in the interests of
"increasing our awareness" to defend the pillorying of the innocent
along with the guilty. Hood's meticulously researched book shows clearly that
there is no real evidence that Peter Ellis is a child abuser. Her case is, so
far, unanswered and appears unanswerable. It shows serious inadequacies in
the legal processes through which Ellis was convicted. Witch-hunters would do
us a better service if they could show us any flaws in Hood's research.
2002-1102
- NZ Listener - Letters to the Editor - Alan Wilkinson
Lynley
Hood said nothing about school teachers who have sex with students ~~
John Read also claimed ~~~ Nobody wishes to see child abuse protected
or overlooked. But false accusations (and bureaucratic and professional
incompetence) must be relentlessly exposed to preserve liberty, justice and a
free society.
2002-1102
- NZ Listener - Letters to the Editor - David Shapcott
Reading
Lynley Hood's "How to stop a witch-hunt" (New Writing, October
19) and then her book A City Possessed is rather like ploughing
through a Marxist text. Once the style has been picked up, anyone could run
the subsequent examples and recommendations through her theory and rhetoric
and pour out the writings for her.
2002-1025 - NZ
Listener - Letters to the Editor - John Read
by John Read - Lynley Hood has finally revealed (New Writing, October 19) the extreme
bias that is usually so well concealed behind her public persona of
objective, scholarly investigator. In trying to convince us that what she
(objectively?) calls "the sexual abuse hysteria" is still ongoing
today, she cites some intriguing examples.
She continues her unending calls for yet another inquiry into the one
sexual abuse case from which she generates her woefully prejudiced attacks on
those New Zealanders who try to increase our awareness of the problem or
assist the thousands who have been abused.
2002-1025
- NZ Listener - Letters to the Editor - Randall McDonnell
by Randall McDonnell - I find it difficult to understand how Ellis could
have forced himself on so many victims but never left any evidence. Were
samples taken? If not, why not? If nothing was found, then surely forensic
science indicates that it is extremely unlikely that abuse happened and the just
and logical conclusion is that the allegations arose out of hysteria.
2002-1019 - NZ
Listener - How to stop a witchhunt
by Lynley Hood - In this abridged version of her address to this year's Skeptics
Conference, author Lynley Hood makes the case for not allowing the Peter
Ellis story to die. - I've just received my first bad review for A City
Possessed. It was written by Val Sim, Chief Legal Counsel for the Ministry of
Justice, on the instructions of Phil Goff. When he released the review, Goff
said he had read “significant parts” of A City Possessed and had found
it well argued and researched, and quite compelling. “Anyone who looked at
the case, and the circumstances of the case, would not be objective if they
did not feel unease about the atmosphere that existed and some aspects of the
case,” he said. But he added that questions of guilt or innocence are not for
authors or politicians to decide
2002-0930 - Critic (Otago
Students Assn) - Peter's Black Penis
A City Possessed puts the Ellis case against a
tumultuous backdrop: Christchurch, a city infected by a witch-hunt fever;
local police officers obsessed with uncovering the (most probably mythical)
Great Christchurch Child Pornography Ring; and, a nationwide sexual abuse and
counseling industry hijacked by feminists of the “all men are rapists”
variety. To add to that, Hood chronicles the changes in sexual abuse
legislation during the 1980s that led to the elevation of child abuse to the
status of crimen exceptum – “a crime distinct from all others”. The
background information, some of which readers will find debatable – one
Critic reader who came into the office last week called Lynley Hood New Zealand’s Camille Paglia - is a welcome contextual
primer for the evidence to come. And it’s that evidence (much of which was
presented during the original court appearance of Ellis and the Crèche women),
and the accompanying analysis which makes A City Possessed so
compelling.
2002-0914 - Press
- Author sets sights on justice dept
by Martin Van Beynen -
Author Lynley Hood will deliver a stinging attack today on the way the
Ministry of Justice has dealt with her book on the Christchurch Civic Creche
case. Her award-winning book A City
Possessed, published last October, has sparked a flurry of calls for Justice
Minister Phil Goff to further review the case and to pardon former creche
worker Peter Ellis. In an address to the Skeptics Conference today, Ms Hood
is expected to attack a report by the Justice Ministry's senior counsel Val
Sim which dismissed her book as containing nothing new.
2002-0914 -
Skeptics Conference - How to stop a witch hunt
by Lynley Hood - Three weeks ago I received my first bad review of A City Possessed.
It was written by Val Sim, Chief Legal Counsel for the Ministry of Justice,
on the instructions of Phil Goff. I thought, ‘Well, we can all have a good
laugh about this at the Skeptics Conference.’
2002-0906 - The Press - A
City Possessed
by D Hudson - Colin Eades' belief (August 28), that Lynley Hood interviewed only
those who would give the answers she wanted puts him in a similar arena, that
many people have faced, when police will interview and use only witnesses
that give them the answers they want for prosecution. ….Lynley Hood has
gathered all the evidence that was available from both sides of the
controversy, impartially. If the jury had been given such an impartial
compilation of evidence it may have delivered a totally different verdict. In
fact, it may have been decided that there was not even a case to try.
2002-0905 -
Dominion Post - No help from Ellis for police
by
Richard Trow - Peter Ellis does not trust police to conduct a fair inquiry
into new claims of child abuse and refuses to cooperate, his lawyer says
2002-0905 - Otago
Daily Times - Ellis No To Interview
by
Gail Goodger, Peter Ellis will not
voluntarily be interviewed by police about the latest allegation of historic
child abuse, because co-operating previously had left him "with no
confidence in the process", his Dunedin lawyer says
2002-0905 -
Press - Ellis Refuses To Cooperate With Police
Police are getting little help from Peter Ellis as they investigate another
complaint against him.
2002-0902 - Dominion Post
- Seeking consensus
by Lynley Hood - Contrary to the impression given by your article Author
steps up call for Ellis pardon (August 26) I am not an advocate for Peter
Ellis or anyone else involved in the Christchurch Civic Creche case. Nor am I conducting
a political campaign. All I am doing is inviting people to read A City
Possessed and make up their own minds about the issues raised.
2002-0828 - The Press - A
City Possessed
Letter by Colin Eade: I was a member
of the team that investigated Peter Ellis. I met Lynley Hood, author of A City Possessed, just after his
trial. She had already taken a position that Ellis was innocent, as had most
of the media. Hood went on to produce a book where anything done by the
victims and families were suspicious, while everything done by Ellis could
easily be explained
Reply by Lynley Hood: An account of
my repeated attempts to interview the complainant parents, and of my meeting
Colin Eade, can be found in chapter one of A City Possessed. Readers are invited to draw their own
conclusions
2002-0826 - Waikato Times
- Ellis speaks out
NZPA - Peter Ellis says the Justice Ministry's dismissal of Lynley Hood's
book on the Christchurch City Creche sex-abuse case is "a slap in the
face to the people of New Zealand".
2002-0826
- Otago Daily Times - Dismissal of book a `slap in the face': Ellis
NZPA - Peter Ellis says the Ministry of Justice's dismissal of Lynley Hood's
book on the Christchurch City Creche sex-abuse case is "a slap in the
face to the people of New
Zealand". The ministry's
chief legal counsel, Val Sim, was asked to assess whether the award-winning
book, A City Possessed , might indicate a need to reopen the case of the
convicted sex offender. Ms Sim said the book presented "very little new
information", and all points raised had been considered by previous
courts and inquiries.
2002-0826
- Dominion Post - Author steps up call for Ellis pardon
by
David McLoughlin - Dunedin author Lynley Hood is seeking
cross-party parliamentary support for her call for Justice Minister Phil Goff
to hold a royal commission of inquiry into the Christchurch Civic Creche
child abuse case. Hood said yesterday
she was heartened by Mr Goff's description of her award-winning book on the
case as "compelling" despite Justice Ministry lawyer Val Sim
dismissing it as containing little new information
2002-0826
- Press - Ellis slams refusal to act on prize-winning book
Peter
Ellis says the Ministry of Justice's dismissal of Lynley Hood's book on the
Christchurch Civic Creche sex-abuse case is "a slap in the face to the
people of New Zealand". The ministry's chief legal counsel, Val Sim, was
asked to assess whether the award-winning book, A City Possessed, might
indicate a need to reopen the case of convicted sex offender Peter Ellis. Ms
Sim said the book presented "very little new information", and all
points raised had been considered by previous courts and inquiries. But Mr
Ellis, 44, last night told The Press the review was a case of "the
powers-that-be looking after themselves".
2002-0824 - The Press -
Creche book dismissed
by
Martin Van Beynen - Glittering prizes and academic praise have failed to sway
the Ministry of Justice's top lawyer about Lynley Hood's book on the
Christchurch City Creche case. The Ministry's chief legal counsel, Val Sim,
was asked by Justice Minister Phil Goff to report on whether A City Possessed
disclosed any new information which might point to the need for further
inquiry into "the Peter Ellis case".
2002-0824
- Otago Daily Times - Ellis book rejected by officials
NZPA
- Public approval, glittering prizes and academic praise have failed to sway
the Ministry of Justice's top lawyers about Lynley Hood's book on the
Christchurch City Creche case. The ministry's chief legal counsel, Val Sim,
was asked by Justice Minister Phil Goff to report on whether A City Possessed
disclosed any new information which might point to the need for further
inquiry into "the Peter Ellis case". Ms Sim's report, released
under the Official Information Act yesterday, finds nothing in the book to
upset an inquiry by Sir Thomas Eichelbaum in 2000 which confirmed the
reliability of the evidence against Ellis.
2002-0824
- Dominion Post - Justice report rejects book on Ellis case
by David McLoughlin - Justice Minister Phil Goff says he is keeping an
open mind on whether former childcare worker Peter Ellis is guilty of child
abuse despite a Justice Ministry report dismissing Lynley Hood's
award-winning book on the case. Mr Goff said yesterday that nothing was worse
than sending an innocent person to jail. But nothing in Hood's book, A City
Possessed, gave him grounds to overturn the findings of the High Court, the
Court of Appeal and former chief justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum that Ellis was
guilty of abusing children at the Christchurch Civic Creche. Mr Goff was
commenting on a review of the book done for him by Justice Ministry chief
legal counsel Val Sim
2002-0810 - The Press -
Parallels In Cases
British
author who was instrumental in clearing the name of two English creche
workers accused of abuse is not the least surprised about parallels with the Christchurch creche
case. Richard Webster combined with investigative journalist Bob Woffinden in
1998 to help Newcastle
creche workers Dawn Reed and Chris Lillie fight a 1998 council report which
found them guilty of child abuse. A British court last week found the two
were the victims of a shocking miscarriage of justice. Mr Webster the case
had all the hallmarks of abuse scares overseas including the Peter Ellis case
in Christchurch
2002-0805
-Dominion Post - New allegations still to be put to creche pair
by David McLoughlin - Christchurch police are yet to speak to former Civic
Creche worker Peter Ellis and former creche supervisor Gaye Davidson about
"new" allegations of child abuse believed to date from a decade ago. Ellis said
yesterday that one of the detectives who asked him more than a fortnight ago
to visit the police station with his lawyer had now gone overseas for three
weeks, but wanted to see him on his return.
2002-0804
- Sunday Star Times - Creche case New Zealand's shame
by Gordon Waugh - Frank Haden didn't go nearly far enough (July 28) -
Christchurch's shame over the creche case is New Zealand's shame. Worse, it
is parliament's shame. The evidence in Lynley Hood's book is compelling,
but politicians seemingly lack the moral courage to rectify this dreadful
miscarriage of justice.
2002-0804 - Sunday
Star Times - Creche Bandwagon
by Gregory Mutch - Frank Haden's column on the creche case is most
compelling. He has, no doubt, also reflected on the populist bandwagonners
who once melodramatically ridiculed Peter Ellis.
2002-0802 - The
Press - Creche Case
by
Elizabeth Smyth - The front-page story
(July 22) regarding the allegations by Peter Ellis, Gaye Davidson, and Lynley
Hood that the creche inquiry has reopened smacks somewhat of the hysteria that
they have doggedly criticised
2002-0802 - The Press - Creche
Case
by
Richard Christie - Lynley Hood's seminal work A City Possessed has deservedly
been given a prize in the Montana Book Awards. Immediately before publication
and again on the eve of the book taking first prize, allegations against
Peter Ellis and creche workers reappeared in the media. The timing of these
reports raises speculation as to whether this is a coincidence or is
indicative of a strategy to divert attention away from the issues the book
raises.
Response by Police - ….Police investigations must be impartial and
independent of external factors if they are to be and seen to be fair and
honest. It is sometimes a difficult path we tread
2002-0729 -
Otago Daily Times - First task for Prime Minister
by
Ian Morgan - Assuming that Labour is re-elected, the first task for Helen
Clark is to replace a non-performing Minister of Justice. I have written
several times to both Phil Goff and the Prime Minister setting out my
concerns at the injustice to Peter Ellis and giving the reasons why Ellis is
completely innocent, and this well before A City Possessed was published
2002-0725 -
Press - Fresh Ellis trial not likely, expert says
by Martin Van Beynen - A fresh prosecution against convicted creche
worker Peter Ellis is highly unlikely, a criminal law expert says. Christchurch detectives are again trying to interview
Peter Ellis and former creche workers about a new allegation of abuse at the Christchurch civic
creche which closed in 1992. It is
understood the allegations come from a person in his late teens who attended
the creche while Ellis worked there between 1986 and 1991 and who has since
been in therapy.
2002-0724 - Southland
Times - Book on Ellis case
by A J Lemm - Congratulations must go to Lynley Hood on being the overall
winner of the Montana
book award with A City Possessed, which covers the conviction of Peter Ellis
in the Christchurch Civic Creche case. This book details how this fiasco came
about and gives an insight into those involved
2002-0723 -
Southland Times - A case worth revisiting
Peter
Ellis is either one of the most prolific serial child sex offenders in New
Zealand history or one of its most unfortunate scapegoats, a victim of a
Salem-style witch-hunt. Either way his case warrants a Royal Commission
investigation. Only a full public hearing conducted with authority and
expertise can lay to rest a continuing level of public unease about the
fairness of the trial he received and the sentence he has already served.
2002-0723
- Otago Daily Times - Ellis and other former creche workers questioned by
police
NZPA
- Christchurch:
Award-winning author Lynley Hood says she is suspicious of police
"harassing and intimidating" former Christchurch Civic Creche
worker Peter Ellis. Ellis said police knocked on his door last
Wednesday night regarding an historic abuse allegation. He said yesterday he
felt harassed and intimidated
2002-0722
- Otago Daily Times - Award win backs Ellis inquiry call, author says
by
Joanna Norris and NZPA - Recognition
at New Zealand's premier book awards shows a ground-swell of support for an
inquiry into the conviction of Peter Ellis, triumphant Dunedin author Lynley
Hood said last night. Hood, author of A
City Possessed , won the Montana
non-fiction book award worth $10,000 at a ceremony in Auckland on Saturday.
2002-0722 -
Dominion Post - Creche 'nightmare' returns
by
David McLoughlin - Former Christchurch
Civic Creche supervisor Gaye Davidson says the reopening of the child abuse
case a decade on is a nightmare that she can barely believe. Police want to
talk to Ms Davidson as well as childcare worker Peter Ellis about fresh
allegations of abuse dating from the time Ellis worked at the creche from
1986 till 1991.
2002-0722
- Dominion Post - Civic creche case book wins top Montana award
NZPA
- A City Possessed, a controversial
book about the Christchurch Civic Creche case, has won New Zealand's premier literary
award. Dunedin author Lynley Hood won the Montana non-fiction
book award worth $10,000 for the work. The 600-page book gives an account of
the controversial Christchurch Civic Creche case, which led to the jailing of
creche worker Peter Ellis in 1993 on child abuse charges. Hood has called for
a royal commission into the case.
2002-0722
- The Press - Books award adds fuel to creche case inquiry
The
triumph of A City Possessed in the
Montana New Zealand Book Awards adds fuel to calls for a Royal Commission of
inquiry into the Christchurch Civic Creche child abuse case. So says Dunedin author Lynley Hood,
whose 600-page account of the controversial case won the premier literary
award at the weekend. A City Possessed headed both the Montana non-fiction
and history categories, worth a total of $15,000.
2002-0722
- Stuff - Ellis appeals to Clark, Goff to read Hood's book
Prime
Minister Helen Clark and Justice Minister Phil Goff should read Lynley Hood's
prize-winning book A City Possessed, former Christchurch Civic Creche worker
Peter Ellis said today.
2002-0722 -
Waikato Times - Police in firing line over Ellis
NZPA - Award-winning author Lynley Hood says she is suspicious of police
"harassing and intimidating" former Christchurch Civic Creche
worker Peter Ellis. Ellis said police knocked on his door last Wednesday
night about an historic abuse allegation. He said today he felt harassed and
intimidated. Ellis, who has always protested his innocence, was paroled from
prison in February 2000 after serving 6 1/2 years for abusing seven children
in his care at the creche
2002-0722 -
Waikato Times - Ellis case: ex-colleague hits back
NZPA - A former supervisor of the Christchurch Civic Creche is terrified of
being implicated in another child abuse scandal -- but says she has nothing
to hide. Gaye Davidson has been asked to contact police probing new
allegations of historic sexual abuse at the creche. Business cards from two Christchurch detectives
were last week left at her front door. The same detectives have also visited
former creche worker Peter Ellis to request an interview over an abuse
allegation dating back more than 10 years.
2002-0722
- Stuff - Hood suspicious of police 'harassing' Ellis
Award-winning
author Lynley Hood says she is suspicious of police "harassing and
intimidating" former Christchurch Civic Creche worker Peter Ellis. Ellis
said police knocked on his door last Wednesday night regarding an historic
abuse allegation. He said today he felt harassed and intimidated. Ellis, who
has always protested his innocence, was paroled from prison in February 2000
after serving 6½ years for abusing seven children in his care at the creche.
A book about the creche case -- A City Possessed -- won the Montana New
Zealand Book Award's top prize in Auckland
on Saturday night.
2002-0722 - Press - Creche
inquiry reopens
by Matt Conway - A former supervisor of the Christchurch Civic Creche is
terrified of being implicated in another child abuse scandal -- but says she
has nothing to hide. Gaye Davidson has been asked to contact police
probing new allegations of historic sexual abuse at the creche. Business cards from two Christchurch detectives were last week left
at her front door.
2002-0722 - Newstalk ZB -
Ellis outrage at silence over book
Peter
Ellis amazed and outrage at silent response to a book about his case.
Convicted child-abuser Peter Ellis says the silence surrounding a book about
his case is outrageous
2002-0721 - Newstalk ZB -
Creche case book wins
Controversial
book takes big prize at Montana Awards- book on Peter Ellis case wins
non-fiction category for author Lynley Hood. A controversial book has taken
out one of the big prizes at this year's Montana Book Awards in Auckland. Dunedin author Lynley Hood's book A City Possessed, on
the Christchurch Civic Creche case, has won the Montana medal for non-fiction.
2002-0721
- Sunday Star Times - Just sort it out, Ellis tells sex case cops
by Kim Knight, and Deidre Mussen - Peter Ellis
says renewed police investigations into historic allegations of sex abuse at
the Christchurch Civic Creche have made him feel like he's on a bungy rope.
Ellis, 44, said police would not give him details of the allegation or who
laid it, only that it was an historical allegation.
2002-0721 - One News -
Author writes off Ellis allegations
The
author of an award-winning book about the Christchurch Civic Creche child
abuse case says she believes fresh allegations against Peter Ellis are just
recycled claims. Ellis spent seven years in jail for abusing children while
he worked at the creche. Police have visited the convicted sex offender's
home to inform him of new allegations. Lynley Hood - whose book, "A City
Possessed", is critical of the case against Ellis - says police raise
similar claims every time questions about the former creche worker's guilt
resurface in the public arena.
2002-0720 - One News - Ellis
faces sex allegation probe
Police
want to question convicted sex offender Peter Ellis over another allegation.
Ellis has already spent seven years in jail for abusing children while he
worked at a Christchurch
creche. A visit by police to Ellis' home this week has raised the prospect of
a further allegation. Ellis said police would not give him many details
2002-0720 - One News - Ellis
faces fresh questioning
The
police want to talk to convicted sex abuser Peter Ellis about new allegations
against him. Two police officers called at his home on Wednesday and asked
that he make a time with his lawyer to go the police station to answer
questions.
2002-0720
- Herald - Hoods Civic Creche book wins top Montana Award
A City Possessed, a controversial book about the
Christchurch Civic Creche case, has won New Zealand's premier literary
award. Dunedin author Lynley Hood won the Montana non-fiction
book award worth $10,000 for the work.
2002-0720 -
Dominion Post - Fresh creche abuse claims
by David McLoughlin - Police want to talk to Peter Ellis about fresh
allegations of sexual abuse of children dating from the time he worked at the
Christchurch Civic Creche more than a decade ago. Two detectives visited
Ellis at his Christchurch
home on Wednesday evening to ask him to arrange a time for him and lawyer
Judith Ablett-Kerr, QC, to see them at the police station. It is understood
the allegations come from a person in their late teens who attended the
creche while Ellis worked there between 1986 and 1991 and who has since been
in therapy. The police move comes on the eve of Dunedin
writer Lynley Hood's book on the case, A
City Possessed, being a prime contender for a Montana
book awards prize at a ceremony in Auckland
tonight.
2002-0719 - NBR - Hager they come, Hager they
fall
by
Deborah Hill-Cone - When Lynley Hood was researching her acclaimed book A City Possessed, I hear from sources,
she asked Nicky Hager for suggestions on how to get hold of confidential
government reports...........Hager cautioned Hood against rocking the boat,
saying questioning the reliability of abuse memories would be extremely
upsetting for the victims.
2002-0706 - The Press -
Crucifying Peter Ellis
by D J Round - Fresh from crucifying Peter Ellis, we now embark on another
witch-hunt,
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