Wikipedia

CSICon

CSICon or CSIConference is an annual skeptical conference typically held in the United States. CSICon is hosted by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), which is a program of the Center for Inquiry (CFI). CSI publishes the magazine Skeptical Inquirer.[2]

CSICon
CSI Executive Director Barry Karr speaking at CSICon 2011
StatusActive
Genrescience and skepticism
Location(s)Las Vegas since 2016
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated2011 (1983)
Attendance500 in 2015[1]
Organized byCommittee for Skeptical Inquiry
Websitecsiconference.org

History

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1983–2005: CSICOP conferences

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Banquet at the 1983 CSICOP Conference in Buffalo, New York

CSICon's current format stems from 2011, but similar conferences by CSI (until 2006 known as CSICOP, the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal) go back as far as 1983, when the first was held at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY).[3] The second international CSICOP conference, themed "Paranormal Beliefs: Scientific Facts and Fictions", was held at Stanford University in 1984. The third, the first European CSICOP conference, was held at University College London in Britain, themed "Investigation and Belief".[4]

Throughout the 1980s, the European readership of the Skeptical Inquirer was increasing, while CSICOP members James Randi and Paul Kurtz were visiting several European countries to help found national skeptical organizations with their own magazines. In 1989, the second European CSICOP conference occurred in Bad Tölz, Germany, co-organized by the GWUP and also known as the 1st European Skeptics Congress. It was followed by the formation of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations in 1994, that would henceforth host international skeptical conferences in Europe.[5]

Subsequent CSICOP conferences were always held inside the United States. These included the First World Skeptics Congress at SUNY Buffalo (1996), "That’s Entertainment! Hollywood, the Media, and the Supernatural" with the Council for Media Integrity in Los Angeles (1998), "Science Meets 'Alternative Medicine'" in Philadelphia (1999) and others.[4]

2005–2011: hiatus

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Around 2005, the CSICOP conferences that were on average held every year and a half, usually at a major American university in conjunction with the relevant faculties such as physics, psychology and philosophy, went into a seven-year hiatus. According to Kendrick Frazier, the organization struggled with its leadership, focus and future perspective, prompting amongst other things the 2006 renaming from CSICOP to CSI, the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. In the meantime, the annual skeptical conference in Las Vegas, The Amaz!ng Meeting run by the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF), started to fill the gap and grew larger every year.[6]

2011–present: CSICon

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Bill Nye received the "In Praise of Reason" Award at CSICon 2011.
 
CSI, CFI and CSH gathered at the joint CFI Summit in Tacoma, Washington in 2013.
 
2016 CSICon logo

2011

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When CSI stabilized in 2011, it held its first newly styled CSICon in New Orleans, Louisiana.[6] At this first CSICon, Planetary Society president Bill Nye was presented with the "In Praise of Reason" Award for his efforts in science communication with shows such as "Bill Nye the Science Guy" and later series and lectures.[7] Bill Nye is a frequent speaker at the conference, with speaking slots in 2011 and 2013. He also attended the conference in a non speaker role in 2018.[8]

2012

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CSICon 2 took place in Nashville, Tennessee, in October 2012.[9][10][11]

2013

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In October 2013, CSICon 3 was held as part of a larger CFI conference, including the Council for Secular Humanism (CSH), called the CFI Summit in Tacoma, Washington.[6] This combined congress was an experiment, as some people like Ray Hyman and Daniel Loxton feared or argued the goals and focus of skepticism and humanism differed too much from each other to be discussed at a single conference.

On the other hand, Ronald A. Lindsay and Eddie Tabash defended the decision of a joint conference, and Susan Gerbic wrote afterwards she was "completely impressed" by how well the two camps overlapped (citing the creation–evolution controversy as the most important common ground), and "have to work together".[12][13] In June 2015, again a joint CFI conference was organized under the banner "Reason for Change", with almost 500 people attending. Frazier opined that "[s]cientific skepticism and secularism/humanism blended fairly seamlessly" in Amherst, New York, the headquarters of CFI.[1]

2016

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After the last installment of The Amaz!ng Meeting in 2015, Las Vegas was chosen as the location for CSICon 2016 to fill the void.[14][15]

There are active efforts to bring more students to CSICon, such as by Oregonians for Science and Reason (O4SR) which in 2016 [16] and 2017 [17] gave three scholarships that included conference fees, travel, hotel and food costs.

2017

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At The Amaz!ng Meeting in 2011 (TAM 9) the Independent Investigations Group (IIG) organised a tribute to James Randi. The group gathered together with other attendees, put on fake white beards, and posed for a large group photo with Randi. At CSICon 2017, in absence of Randi, the IIG organised another group photo with leftover beards from the 2011 photo. After Randi was sent the photo, he replied, "I’m always very touched by any such expression. This is certainly no exception. You have my sincere gratitude. I suspect, however that a couple of those beards were fake. But I’m in a forgiving mood at the moment. I’m frankly very touched. I’ll see you at the next CSICon. Thank you all."[18]

2018

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Hundreds of new attendees to CSICon from the 650 person audience. CEO Robyn Blumner "There were impactful and thoughtful talks but also plenty of humor". According to Barry Karr the highlight for him was watching James Randi in conversation with Ray Hyman, James Alcock and Ken Frazier "discussing the founding of CSICOP (now CSI) and the dawning of the skeptic's movement. I am not sure how you can top a line-up like the one we had,... we certainly going to try next year!"[19]

One Skeptical Inquirer article covering the 2018 conference profiled volunteer Scott Romanowski, who also volunteered at TAM,[20] while another noted a large number of first-time attendees, and included interviews with several of these people from around the world to gain perspective on what they experienced.[8]

2019

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For the 2019 conference an effort was made to lower barriers for younger people to experience CSICon to encourage skeptical inquiry amongst a demographic largely absent from skeptical conferences.[16] Susan Gerbic, Mark Edward, Kenny Biddle, John Anglin, Ron Lee and Stuart Vyse visited the Coral Academy of Science to talk to students shortly before and during the conference. The Skeptic community rallied around the cause and more than $4,000 was donated which paid for 16 students and 2 teachers to attend.[21]

2020

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The cancellation of the conference in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to an online series of lectures entitled Skeptical Inquirer Presents. These sessions included presentations by well known figures in the skeptical community and opportunities for viewers to ask questions.[22]

Conference details

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Dates Location Name Speakers Themes and notes
October 27–30, 2011 New Orleans, Louisiana CSICon Bill Nye, Phil Plait, Barbara Forrest, Lawrence Krauss, Harriet Hall, Steven Novella, William B. Davis, Chris Mooney, Karen Stollznow, James Underdown and The Heathens, Joe Nickell, James Randi, Ray Hyman, Massimo Polidoro, D. J. Grothe, Indre Viskontas, Ben Radford, Margaret Downey, PZ Myers, Sandra Blakeslee, Michelle Blackley, Richard Saunders, Kendrick Frazier, Robert Sheaffer, and others. Theme: "The Conference Dedicated To Scientific Inquiry And Critical Thinking"[3][23][24]
October 25–28, 2012 Nashville, Tennessee CSICon 2 Ronald A. Lindsay, Kendrick Frazier, The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe (Steven, Bob, and Jay Novella, Rebecca Watson, and Evan Bernstein), George Hrab, PZ Myers, James Alcock, Elizabeth Loftus, Indre Viskontas, Massimo Polidoro, Richard Wiseman, Jon Ronson, Sara Mayhew, Eugenie Scott, Dan Kahan, David Morrison, Sharon A. Hill, Scott Lilienfeld, Anthony Pratkanis, David Gorski, Harriet Hall, Kimball Atwood, Richard Lippa, Carol Tavris, and others. Theme: "The Conference Dedicated To Science And Skeptical Inquiry"[10]
October 24–27, 2013 Tacoma, Washington CSICon 3 (part of the CFI Summit) Ronald A. Lindsay, Ray Hyman, Daniel Loxton, Edward Tabash, Susan Gerbic, Barry Kosmin, Michael De Dora, Ophelia Benson, Mark Hatcher, Bill Cooke, Zack Kopplin, Bill Nye, Ben Radford, James Underdown, Joe Nickell, Leonard Mlodinow, Lindsay Beyerstein, Josh Zepps, and others. Co-organized with the Center for Inquiry as part of the "CFI Summit: A meeting of minds — a call to collaborative action"[12]
June 11–15, 2015 Amherst, New York Reason for Change[note 1] Ronald A. Lindsay, James Underdown, Kendrick Frazier, Tom Flynn, Michael Specter, Eugenie Scott, Harriet Hall, Steven Novella, David Gorski, Leonard Tramiel, Rebecca Goldstein, Stephen Law, Mark Boslough, Scott Mandia, Jan Dash, Joshua Rosenau, Dave Thomas, Ray Hyman, Scott Lilienfeld, Amardeo Sarma, Barry Karr, and others. Co-organized with the Center for Inquiry as "A CFI Conference"[1]
October 27–30, 2016 Las Vegas, Nevada Excalibur Hotel CSICon Las Vegas James Alcock, Banachek, Julia Belluz, Lindsay Beyerstein, Robyn Blumner, Richard Dawkins, Katie Dyer, Sanal Edamaruku, Mark Edward, Kevin Folta, Kendrick Frazier, Susan Gerbic, Stephanie Guttormson, Harriet Hall, Ray Hall, David Helfand, George Hrab, Ray Hyman, Maria Konnikova, Lawrence Krauss, Ronald Lindsay, Elizabeth Loftus, Michael Mann, Joe Nickell, Paul Offit, Massimo Polidoro, Anthony Pratkanis, James Randi, Joe Schwarcz, Eugenie Scott, Kavin Senapathy, Jamy Ian Swiss, Jill Tarter, Carol Tavris, James Underdown, Bertha Vazquez, and Tamar Wilner.[26] Theme: "Celebrate Science and Reason"[15]
October 26–29, 2017 Las Vegas, Nevada Excalibur Hotel CSICon 2017 James Alcock, Teresa Giménez Barbat, Evan Bernstein, Lindsay Beyerstein, Kenny Biddle, Robyn Blumner, Rob Brotherton, Richard Dawkins, Rachael Dunlop, Katie Dyer, Taner Edis, Mark Edward, Kevin M. Folta, Kendrick Frazier, Susan Gerbic, David H. Gorski, MD, Harriet Hall, MD, Raymond Edward Hall, Sheldon W. Helms, Britt Hermes, George Hrab, Ray Hyman, Maria Konnikova, Lawrence Krauss, Michael E. Mann, Natalie Newell, Joe Nickell, Bob Novella, Jay Novella, Steven Novella, MD, Loren Pankratz, PhD, Massimo Polidoro, Ross Blocher[27] (replaced Carrie Poppy), James “The Amazing” Randi – withdrawn (health),[28] Cara Santa Maria, Richard Saunders, Eugenie C. Scott, Kavin Senapathy, Jim Underdown, Richard Wiseman[29] Your alternative to alternative facts.[29]

Science Moms had its American premiere.[30]
October 18–21, 2018 Las Vegas, Nevada Westgate Hotel CSICon 2018 James Alcock, Banachek, Kenny Biddle, Susan Blackmore, Mark Boslough, Tim Callahan, Troy Campbell, Timothy Caulfield, Adam Conover, John Cook, Richard Dawkins, Yvette d'Entremont, Craig Foster, Stephen Fry, Susan Gerbic, Jen Gunter, Abby Hafer, Ray Hall, George Hrab, Deborah Hyde, William M. London, Stephen Macknik, Susana Martinez-Conde, Joe Nickell, Paul Offit, Steven Pinker, Massimo Polidoro, James “The Amazing” Randi, Kavin Senapathy, Joseph Uscinski, Bertha Vazquez, Mick West, Carl Zimmer Bigger venue. Bigger stars. Bigger ideas. Bigger fun.[31] Attendance 650.[32]
October 16–20, 2019 Las Vegas, Nevada Flamingo Hotel CSICon 2019 Brian Greene, Julia Sweeney, Richard Dawkins, Britt Marie Hermes, Banachek, James Alcock, Kurt Andersen, Jann Bellamy, Kenny Biddle, Janyce L. Boynton, Troy Campbell, John de Lancie, Chip Denman, Grace Denman, Mark Edward, Susan Gerbic, Jen Gunter, Ray Hall, Bailey Harris, Jeff Hawkins, Ray Hyman, Jonathan Jarry, Nathan Lents, Nick Little, Elizabeth Loftus, Leighann Lord, Michael Mann, David Mikkelson, Loren Pankratz, Gordon Pennycook, Piff the Magic Dragon, Seth Shostak, Jim Underdown, Kavin Senapathy, Joe Schwarcz[33] Let's seize the moment![33] Attendance 646[19]
October 15–18, 2020 Las Vegas, Nevada Westgate Hotel CSICon 2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19
October 21–24, 2021 Las Vegas, Nevada Flamingo Hotel CSICon 2021 Cancelled due to uncertainty of COVID-19 safety
October 2022 Las Vegas, Nevada Flamingo Hotel CSICon 2022 Kenny Biddle, Timothy Caulfield, Richard Dawkins, Susan Gerbic, David Robert Grimes, Lee McIntyre, Nathan Lents, Nick Little, Naomi Oreskes, Penn Jillette, John Petrocelli, Julia Sweeney, Eddie Tabash, Nick Tiller, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Joseph Uscinski, Odaelys Walwyn-Pollard, Richard Wiseman, Seema Yasmin
October 2023 Las Vegas, Nevada Flamingo Hotel CSICon 2023 Kenny Biddle, Robyn Blumner, Laura Davis, Richard Dawkins, Dustin Dean, Kathleen Dyer, Erika Engelhaupt, Dave Farina, Paul Fidalgo, Craig Foster, Tjardus Greidanus, Raymond Edward Hall, George Hrab, Stephen Hupp, Glenn Kessler, Leighann Lord, Paul Offit, Naomi Oreskes, Natalia Pasternak, Penn & Teller, Massimo Polidoro, Rina Raphael, Eugenie Scott, Eddie Tabash, Melanie Trecek-King, Jim Underdown, Bertha Vazquez, Stuart Vyse, Mick West, Richard Wiseman, Seema Yasmin
October 24–27, 2024 Las Vegas, Nevada Horseshoe Las Vegas CSICon 2024 Neil deGrasse Tyson, Brian Cox (physicist), Banachek, Michael Mann, David McRaney, Jerry Coyne, Natalia Pasternak, Massimo Pigliucci, Rina Raphael, Richard Saunders, Daniel Simons, Eddie Tabash, Nick Tiller, Melanie Trecek-King, Jim Underdown, Forrest Valkai
June 11-14 2026 Buffalo, New York, Buffalo Convention Center CSICon 2026

Sunday Morning Papers Session

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From 2016 onward, following the end of The Amaz!ng Skeptic conferences where they first took place, CSI started having its own Sunday Morning Papers Session: fifteen-minutes presentations pertaining to a wide range of topics that are typically not otherwise discussed. They are self-described as "an opportunity for anyone with specific expertise to lend their skills to the [skeptical] movement", provided the proposals pass vetting, which requires them to be well researched. For this, they should "contain citations, introduce new data and analysis and discuss successes in media outreach", and all assertion must be rooted in evidence. Grassroots skeptics's credentials are furthermore checked to see that they match the content of their paper proposal.[15][34]

Skeptical Inquirer columnist Rob Palmer wrote an article titled, "So, You Want To Speak At CSICon?" which describes his experience of applying for and being accepted as a speaker for the 2018 Sunday Morning Papers Session. The article is aimed at those who are "considering submitting a proposal for the chance to address the conference – or are even just curious as to what the application experience is like."[35]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Frazier, Kendrick (September 2015). "'Reason for Change': Quacks and Cranks, GMOs and Climate, Science and Philosophy". Skeptical Inquirer. 39 (5). CSI. Archived from the original on July 17, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  2. ^ "The Conference Dedicated to Science and Skeptical Inquiry". CSIConference.org. CSI. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Adam Isaac (October 5, 2011). "CSICon – The Conference Dedicated To Scientific Inquiry And Critical Thinking". Point of Inquiry. CFI. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Frazier, Kendrick (June 2001). "CSICOP Timeline". Skeptical Inquirer. 25 (3). CSI. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  5. ^ Gábor Hraskó. "Earlier European skeptic events". Hungarian Skeptic Society. Archived from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Frazier, Kendrick (March 2015). "Organized Skepticism: Four Decades ... and Today". Skeptical Inquirer. 39 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  7. ^ "Bill Nye Wins In Praise of Reason Award". CSI website. CSI. January 20, 2012. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Palmer, Rob (27 November 2018). "CSICon 2018: Meet the First-Timers". CSI. CFI. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  9. ^ Bob Smietana (October 26, 2012). "Skeptics, atheists share their doubts at conference". The Tennessean. Gannett Company.
  10. ^ a b c Frazier, Kendrick (March 2013). "Ideas and Insights, Inquiries and Investigations". Skeptical Inquirer. 37 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  11. ^ Kyle Hill (November 14, 2012). "How Long Will a Lie Last? New Study Finds That False Memories Linger for Years". Scientific American Blog Network. Scientific American. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  12. ^ a b Frazier, Kendrick (March 2014). "CFI Summit: Highlights. Skeptics, Humanists Come Together in Tacoma in First Joint Conference: Skepticism, Humanism, or Both?". Skeptical Inquirer. 38 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  13. ^ Gerbic, Susan (March 2014). "CFI Summit: Impressions. Conference Report". Skeptical Inquirer. 38 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  14. ^ Brian Dunning (March 19, 2016). "Are you frustrated that TAM & the JREF are no more, and the skeptical community has disintegrated?". Skeptoid blog. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  15. ^ a b c Susan Gerbic (September 22, 2016). "From TAM to CSICon: An Interview with Ray Hall and Katie Dyer". CSI website. CSI. Archived from the original on October 25, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  16. ^ a b Gerbic, Susan (21 December 2016). "Let's Bring More Students to CSICon - CSI". www.csicop.org. Archived from the original on 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  17. ^ Gerbic, Susan (25 April 2018). "2017 O4SR Scholarship Winners for CSICon - CSI". www.csicop.org. Archived from the original on 2018-04-25. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
  18. ^ Gerbic, Susan (5 December 2017). "CSICon Photo Tribute to James Randi". www.csicop.org. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  19. ^ a b Frazier, Kendrick (2020). "From Fantasyland America to the Fabric of Space and Time". Skeptical Inquirer. 44 (2). Committee for Skeptical Inquirer: 8–17.
  20. ^ Gerbic, Susan (21 August 2018). "King Of Volunteers – An Interview With Scott Romanowski". Skeptical Inquirer. Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  21. ^ Gerbic, Susan (18 November 2019). "A Cunning Plan – Bringing Students to CSICon". Skeptical Inquirer. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  22. ^ "CSICon 2020 Conference Postponed for a Year; Online Lecture Series Replaces It". Skeptical Inquirer. Amherst, New York: Center for Inquiry. September–October 2020.
  23. ^ Lavarnway, Julia (March 2012). "CSICon New Orleans 2011 – Where Meeting Awesome Skeptics Is As Easy As Saying 'Hello'". Skeptical Inquirer. 36 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  24. ^ Lee Speigel (November 1, 2011). "UFO At NFL Game: TV Camera Captures Strange Object In Flight During Broadcast". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  25. ^ Barry Karr. "CSICon ad final". CSIConference.org. CSI. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  26. ^ "CSICon Las Vegas: Speakers". CSIConference.org. CSI. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  27. ^ "Ross Blocher at CSICon 2017". centerforinquiry.org. CFI. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  28. ^ Randi, James. "Video message to CSICon attendees". Facebook. CSICon – Skeptical Inquirer Conference. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  29. ^ a b "CSICon Las Vegas 2017". CSICon Las Vegas 2017. Archived from the original on 6 May 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  30. ^ Hupp, Stephen. "SIUE's Hupp Produces Skeptical Film Premiering this Weekend". SIUE.edu. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  31. ^ "CSICon 2018: Speakers". csiconference.org. CFI. Archived from the original on 27 September 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  32. ^ Frazier, Kendrick (2019). "Superstars, Timely Insights, Fun: Latest CSICon Was Biggest (and Best?)". Skeptical Inquirer. 43 (2): 12–21.
  33. ^ a b "CSICon 2019". CSIconference.org. CFI. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  34. ^ Gerbic, Susan. "Fifteen Minutes of Skepticism: The Sunday Papers, An Interview with Jay Diamond – CSICon Las Vegas". CSIConference.org. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  35. ^ Palmer, Rob (20 May 2019). "So, You Want To Speak At CSICon?". Skeptical Inquirer. Archived from the original on 21 November 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.

Notes

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  1. ^ Unlike the 2013 CFI Summit that incorporated CSICon 3,[10] "Reason for Change" was not officially named a "CSICon", although CSI again co-organized it.[6] Instead, it was dubbed "A CFI Conference", while the 2016 CSICon in Las Vegas has been ranked the "4th".[25]
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