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| Directed by | James Mangold |
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| Written by | Patrick O'Neill (other writing credits pending WGA arbitration) |
| Starring | Tom Cruise Cameron Diaz Maggie Grace Paul Dano Marc Blucas Viola Davis Olivier Martinez |
| Music by | John Powell |
| Cinematography | Phedon Papamichael |
| Studio | Regency Enterprises |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | August 6, 2010 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $95 million |
| Directed by | Dennis Dugan |
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| Produced by | Jack Giarraputo Adam Sandler Tim Herlihy Allen Covert Steve Koren Barry Bernardi |
| Written by | Adam Sandler Fred Wolf |
| Starring | Adam Sandler Kevin James Chris Rock Rob Schneider David Spade Salma Hayek Maria Bello Maya Rudolph |
| Music by | Rupert Gregson-Williams |
| Cinematography | Theo van de Sande |
| Editing by | Tom Costain |
| Studio | Relativity Media Mr. Madison 23 |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | June 25, 2010 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Directed by | Reed Cowan Steven Greenstreet |
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| Produced by | Bruce Bastian Steven Greenstreet Reed Cowan Chris Volz Emily Pearson |
| Written by | Reed Cowan |
| Narrated by | Dustin Lance Black |
| Distributed by | Red Flag Releasing |
| Release date(s) |  In select theaters June 18, 2010 |
| Running time | 80 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Directed by | Michael Winterbottom |
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| Produced by | Bradford L. Schlei |
| Written by | Jim Thompson (novel) Robert Weinbach Michael Winterbottom |
| Starring | Casey Affleck Jessica Alba Kate Hudson Bill Pullman |
| Music by | Melissa Parmenter |
| Cinematography | Marcel Zyskind |
| Editing by | Mags Arnold |
| Studio | Revolution Films Hero Entertainment Indion Entertainment Group |
| Release date(s) | 18 June 2010 (limited) |
| Running time | 109 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Directed by | Lee Unkrich |
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| Produced by | Darla K. Anderson John Lasseter (Executive) |
| Written by | Michael Arndt |
| Starring | Tom Hanks Tim Allen Joan Cusack John Ratzenberger Don Rickles Estelle Harris Wallace Shawn Blake Clark Jodi Benson Michael Keaton Ned Beatty John Morris |
| Music by | Randy Newman |
| Studio | Pixar Animation Studios |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Release date(s) | June 18, 2010 |
| Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | Toy Story 2 |
"VOA and RFE/RL are available now to US citizens who visit voanews.com and rferl.org. Those visitors can decide for themselves if the content is 'propaganda.' This availability will continue unless the broadcasters are required to observe the domestic dissemination provision of the Smith Mundt Act by forbidding access to computers with US IP addresses." Image fromUS Pavilion in Shanghai Fails to Do Its Job: "San Antonio Threw a ($500,000) Party and No One Came" - Bob Jacobson, Huffington Post
Soapbox Derby Revisited – Laura McGinnis, manIC: "Public diplomacy success
relies on strong cross-cultural communication. To that end, I believe the United States should increase efforts to engage with diasporic populations. According to the U.S. Census the 2007 U.S. population included 38.1 million foreign born—more than 12 percent of the total population. ... In terms of programming, the government should ensure that PD programs are well funded, strategically coordinated, and based on a foundation of mutual respect and collaborative partnership." Image from
If Elected, Can the Right Reverse The Narrative? - xMadMike, x-Political: "We should reorient our public diplomacy away from selling American consumerism and popular music and otherwise currying favor with foreign populations. Current polling abroad shows this doesn’t work anyway. Instead, we should remind the world that we are a nation of free people, who cherish free speech and individual conscience and oppose religious fanaticism and political violence. If other people hold other values, so be it."
The American government against the world public?: Theoretical and empirical analysis of public diplomacy on the Iraq war (Paperback) - www.reisen-bali.ch:
'Der Reiz dieser Studie liegt (..)sicherlich darin, dass sie nicht allein die hinlänglich bekannten inneramerikanischen Informationskampagnen und Medienmanipulationen einmal mehr aufrollt, sondern dass sie am Beispiel Deutschlands auch zeigt, wie es der Administration gelang, solche Staaten für die eigenen Zwecke zu dämonisieren und damit zusätzliche Untertützung in der Gesellschaft für ihr Handeln zu generieren. (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 24.06.2008) [Google translation:] The appeal of this study is (..) is certainly the fact that it not only the adequately known U.S. domestic information campaigns and media manipulation, once again rolling up, but at the example of Germany also shows how it managed the administration, such states for their own purposes demonize and thereby generate additional housing areas in society for their actions. (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 24.06.2008)" Image from
RFE/RL popular in Belarusian prison - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
A Well-thought Plan - Ari Bussel, Canada Free Press: "Bloomberg reports 'Israeli Forces Clash With Gaza-bound Ships; Reports of 10 Dead.' Al Jazeera in English: 'Israel attacks Gaza aid fleet, up to 16 people reportedly killed and dozens injured after troops board ships trying to break Gaza siege.' ...
This is how wars break. A ruse is used, which then leads to an avalanche. The cost, whether in human life or otherwise, is meaningless to the organizers of the convoy to Gaza. Their goal was to break the naval siege at all costs, or in the alternative to cause as much harm to Israel as possible, both on the international public diplomacy front and on the domestic resistance/fifth column of Israeli Arabs. In either case they are the victors." Image from
Do Not Attack Flotillas of Ships Containing the Following People: A Handy Reference for Good Public Diplomacy - Sublime Surprise: "So, you want to make sure that your nation has the hearts and minds of the world regarding (insert debacle here). The first thing you should do is not attack a humanitarian flotilla containing any of the following: 1. The first female Israeli-Arab delegate to your own nation’s parliament, no matter how infuriating her statements might be. It’s like shooting your own hand off. 2. A member of Sweden’s parliament. They’re neutral, and you don’t want to endanger your IKEA shipments, do you? 3. Members of the German Bundestag. 4. An archbishop of the Byzantine Right Catholic Church 5. A survivor of the USS Liberty fiasco. You already shot at the poor guy once. Honestly, what the hell was Bibi thinking?!"
#FreeHasbara - forecasthighs: "It is now painfully clear that Israel did not adequately prepare ahead of time for its battle at sea with the Free Gaza Flotilla. Not militarily, and not in the public diplomacy arena. While the intelligence failure led ill-equipped soldiers into an ambush from which they had to shoot their way out, the failure to prepare the ground for a PR offensive is an all-too-familiar occurrence in these parts. … It is becoming increasingly clear that money is not the only issue, and that the people charged with disseminating Israel’s message still don’t get IT. Setting aside the obvious issue of real diplomatic progress with the Palestinians and other Arab states, and the effect that would have on Israel’s image, the tiny, brainy and resourceful Jewish state is light years away from its adversaries on communicating its message. Money is not the answer: forward-looking and creative use of traditional and new media is of urgent importance. ... While Israel is justifiably known as the world’s 'Start-up Nation' for its technological dynamism and entrepreneurship, we are being beaten hands down on the PR uses of this new technology. We may be a start up nation, but we are bricks and mortar communicators. Our adversaries have cntrl-alt-deleted us."
Israel - Summary of editorials from the Hebrew press, 30 May 2010 - ISRIA: "Yisrael Hayom discusses the public diplomacy challenge facing Israel in the wake of the Gaza flotilla. 'The flotilla is being led by international organizations and various human rights warriors. In a war between them and a country, the country will always lose.' The author advocates that 'We must invest efforts in [the use of] soft force, paradoxically. We must be positive and creative.' He contends that 'The proper combination in order to succeed in the new war is that between soft and hard power in order to arrive at the desired level of wise power.'" More on flotilla attack below in "related items."
How Israeli hasbara works - Issandr El Amrani, The Arabist: "Hasbara is the Hebrew word for public diplomacy, i.e. the role people outside of government can have to spread pro-Israel messages and attack Israel's critics.
It is a tried and tested propaganda method long relayed not only by Israeli citizens, but also pro-Israel lobbies (e.g. AIPAC), pro-Israel Jewish community groups (e.g. CRIF) and pro-Israel think tanks (e.g. WINEP). With the advent of the web, pro-Israel groups working in tandem with Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has conducted an often successful and often intensive hasbara effort targeting bloggers.
This has included, for instance, efforts to leave comments in blog posts regarding Israel to defend the Israeli perspective." Images: World Facebook Hasbara Campaign - Brazilian Style from; Gaza White Phosphorus Victim, from Tikun Olam-תקון עולם: Make the World a Better Place: Essays on politics, culture and ideas about Israeli-Arab peace and world music
"Kenjiro Moji, chief of the Foreign Ministry's Public Diplomacy Department, said he wants to popularize sake as part of Japan's culture." See also. Image from
"In the Public Diplomacy studies the dominant voices come come from IR and communication. This creates a problem in that both tend to work at very different levels of analysis – IR with states and communications with individuals. This leads to a huge gap between the call for a more ‘strategic’ approach that you find in the policy literature and individuals who may or may not being influenced by PD activities. When IR people look to the communications literature for insights they tend to end up with individual level cognitive models of influence. Bridging these different levels of analysis is important. Filling in the gap between strategies and individuals tells you who you have to influence but also if and how they can be influenced. … Conceptualizing the public diplomacy problem purely as one of communication limits the theoretical (and practical) tools available and may actually make the problems look more difficult than they actually are." Image from
Also, Sterling Whitehead on Acquisition 2.0 and the upcoming BuyCamp." Nasar image from
American power is the world's best guarantor of freedom and prosperity.This isn't to deny the prevalence of anti-Americanism even in the Age of Obama. Nor is it to wish away the real threats to American power — from external challenges (Iran, China, Islamist terrorists) to, more worrying, internal weaknesses (rising debt levels, decreasing military spending as a percentage of the federal budget, a shrinking Navy). But if my cross-global jaunt taught me anything, it is that those countries that dismiss the prospects for continuing American leadership do so at their peril. Image from
Regardless of what neocons say, the Iranian nuclear program has not violated any IAEA safeguards and so the repeated descriptions of it being an “illicit program” are nothing more than calls for war by the same lairs who painted us into the corner in Iraq, another neocon propaganda success story. Image from
Israel's Government Press Office also responded to the activists' claim of hardship in Gaza by recommending the Roots Club in Gaza City. "We have been told the beef stroganoff and cream of spinach soup are highly recommended," the Press Office said in an email to reporters. This sort of kabuki PR contest seems sterile, but that doesn't stop Arab media from joining in the propaganda effort. The video clip from Al Jazeera included in entry shows how millions of people around the world are learning about the flotilla.' Image from: An Israeli commando points a gun at activists on the Turkish ship.
An article on Wikipedia, entitled, "Gaza Flotilla Clash" is a new hot spot of activity for the Jew hating, Israel hating, Islamic terrorist loving editors who reign supreme on the platform. As is always the case on Wikipedia, Israel and the Jewish people continue to take a beating, as extreme leftists, Hamas sympathizers, and anti-Israel advocates of all shapes and colors froth at the mouth and dominate the platform. The anti-Israel Wikipedia editors are working in full force, purposely finding and using the most damaging excerpts from the most biased, anti-Israel media sources (such as Al Jazeera and Ha'aretz). Typical to the platform, any overtly Jewish or remotely pro-Israel editors are shot down by a mob of group-thinking terror sympathizers and leftists, determined to put Israel and the Jewish people in the worst light possible. Image from
According to the Catholic Herald, the number of Catholics elected to the House of Commons has risen from 64 to 68. According to the Tablet the number has fallen from 85 to 70. The Herald says 17 of the 68 are newly elected, while the Tablet says that 20 of the newcomers are Catholic. But, significantly, both agree that religious hardliners have found it more difficult to gain selection as candidates.You would think, with today’s obsessive, anti-meriticratic, box-ticking bureaucracy, that establishing the professed religious adherence of MPs ought to be a fairly straightforward task. After all, they are supposed to be proportionally representative of the British population as a whole: there are quotas for women, Asian, black, gay and disabled parliamentary candidates, so you might think it quite logical that candidates are similarly sifted to ensure a representative religious plurality.
of anti-American propaganda. ... The State Department also needs to move faster to implement its public diplomacy plan for Pakistan. Officials need to think hard about how to make sure Pakistanis know that aid is coming from the United States — like the $51 million for upgrading three thermal power plants announced by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in October. It is a delicate issue, but the 'made in America' label has to be affixed. The State Department has committed to spend $107 million over two years to help Pakistanis better understand the United States. Plans include bringing 2,500 Pakistani academics and others on exchange visits and expanding after-school English classes in Pakistan. There also are proposals to bring more American academics to Pakistan and to reopen cultural centers. They should move ahead. An initiative to make more American officials available to speak directly to Pakistanis has shown promise. Changing Pakistani attitudes about the United States will take generations. The Shahzad case is one more reminder that there is no time to lose." Image from
"The State Department is firmly committed to promoting women’s empowerment and human rights around the world. The Department’s main office for coordinating its policy and programs on issues affecting women and girls is the Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI). ... In the multilateral sphere, S/GWI works with the U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN) to advance women’s rights, freedoms, and opportunities. Within the Department, S/GWI and USUN work with the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO), and Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP), as well as with the regional bureaus and the Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R)." Image from
"Judith McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs ... shared this in her May 23rd Commencement Address at Coker College: 'Let me suggest a moral imperative for the twenty-first century: that we must make the necessity to treat people and nations always first as potential partners and not as potential threats.' McHale's words, at least in this one short phrase, suggest a theory of public diplomacy ... [that] reflect a sentiment shared by historian Henry Steele Commager, who influenced Murrow's [Edward Murrow, Director of USIA – United States Information Agency during the Kennedy administration] own moral imperatives at USIA. Commager said that the United States had a special obligation to the community of nations because it was 'particularly dependent on and related to other peoples and other nations.'" Image from
The term strategic communication has been around for awhile, and gained traction around 2002. And it’s almost always been tied to the military and State Department in our roles of communicating issues related to national defense and public diplomacy. Then National Security Advisor Condelezza Rice even established a Strategic Communication Policy Coordinating Commitee in 2002 (word is they’re still out there somewhere, debating the definition of the term strategic communication)." Kyzer image from 
The Serbians were in the Santa Cruz area, living with American families and visiting various health facilities under the auspices of the USAID Community Connections Public Diplomacy Program, which provides technical training and cultural exchanges." Image from, with the following observation: "The Beauty Of Serbian Women Posted by Karl Haudbourg I really want to stop writing stories about people making statements about the beauty of Serbian women, but the latest is too good not to share. Last month, we wrote about an Indian guy who spent a week working in Serbia saying that Serbian women are the most beautiful on earth. Back in India, he’s still amazed with the beauty of Serbian women, and goes on to write another blog post about Serbian women. In fact, it’s an email that he has sent to his colleagues a few days after landing at Belgrade. The email is so good that I ended up including the whole thing, because it’s too good not to read — but check out Indiandream’s site directly."
closely unite the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Deng Xiaoping Theory and 'Three Represents' thinking, thoroughly implement the scientific concept of development, the courage to dare to play a glorious mission, the spirit of solidarity and cohesion to move forward from strength to exert the energy to complete a good spirited challenge for the win reform and opening up and socialist modernization The great victory of the new struggle! ... With Hong Kong, Macao compatriots to deepen exchanges and cooperation, the CPPCC to promote public diplomacy." CPPCC image fromThe Financial Armageddon with Dr. Igor Panarin Dr. John Brown and Edward Hodgman - Jose Luis Flores, global-information-network-society.com:
"Dr. Igor Panarin predicts the collapse of the United states just like as it happened to the Soviet Union ... [Entry has video of ] his ... Lecture, Debate and Discussion about Dr. Igor Panarin’s view that the Financial Crisis will lead to the collapse of the U.S. Main Participants: Dr. Igor Panarin (Former KGB Anal), Dr. John Brown (Professor Georgetown University) and Edward Hodgman (executive director of Understanding Government) Dr. Igor Panarin is former KGB analyst and currently professor at the Moscow State Diplomacy Academy under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Note: In February 2005, Panarin proposed the 'creation of a State Commission for Public Diplomacy of Russia (later renamed to a Council for Public Diplomacy).' The topic of Panarin’s discussion at the Center — billed as a Lecture-Debate — was his unique perspective on the future of the United States." Image from
The idea of Sovereignty in Public Diplomacy - Madhurjya Kotoky, The Public Diplomacy Blog: “'Global citizen diplomacy'” ... has the potential to dwarf government to government public diplomacy."
Moving At The Speed Of Change 2010: InterAction Annual Forum - press release, PR-USA.net: "InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations
focused on the world's poor and most vulnerable people, will be hosting its annual conference next week in Washington. Hundreds of leaders representing public, private and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will convene to discuss and examine a wide range of foreign policy issues, including: U.S. foreign assistance, the role of NGOs in public diplomacy, engaging men and boys in gender equality, the Millennium Development Goals, hunger as a development priority and Haiti." Image from
Summer Program - Our Neighbors - theeagle.com [scroll down link for item]: "Andrea Cohen, a junior at A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, has been awarded a full scholarship to the 2010 Telluride Association Summer Program at The University of Texas at Austin, 'Changing Minds, Winning Peace: Cultural and Public Diplomacy in Today's World.' This year, Telluride Association is co-sponsoring three programs, two with Cornell University and one with The University of Texas. These six-week-long educational programs involve college-level seminars for gifted and highly motivated high school juniors. This year's 50 participants were chosen from 1,001 applications from all parts of the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.tellurideassociation.org."
Multimedia - Audio: Jon Wilks on his UK public diplomacy role - arabmediasociety.com: "Recently posted at the British embassy in Dubai, Jon Wilks is no newcomer to the Middle East. Having served across the region over a number of years, the fluent Arabic speaker has been brought in to explain British government policy to the Arab World. Speaking to Arab Media & Society Managing Editor George Weyman, Wilks talks about his role, revealing his mixed views on Arab-channel interviews and how he avoids discussing conspiracy theories."
Deputy Director-General: Public Diplomacy - naombakazi.blogspot.com: "Reference: Ref. 66750/3Start Date: 23 May 2010 Expiry Date: 11 Jun 2010Company: The Department of International Relations and Cooperation Location: South Africa - Gauteng - Pretoria Industry: Government and Public Sector Salary Range: From 976317.00 to 0.00 ANNUALLY SPECIFIED Applicants must be in possession of an appropriate Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification and/or appropriate experience and at least five years' strategic management experience. Job Description Branch: Public DiplomacyDeputy Director-General: Public Diplomacy Total salary package: R976 317 per annum.
This all-inclusive remuneration package consists of a basic salary, the State’s contribution to the Government Employees Pension Fund and a flexible portion that may be structured in terms of the applicable rules. The successful candidate will be required to sign a performance contract (Ref. 66750/3) Requirements: Applicants must be in possession of an appropriate Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualificationand/or appropriate experience and at least five years' strategic management experience." Image from
RELATED ITEMS
Why Obama's image doesn't match his record - Al Neuharth, USA TODAY: Every president needs a press secretary who is adept not only at answering questions but also at anticipating them. Obama suffers because White House press spokesman Robert Gibbs is better at dealing with politicians than he is with the press.
Can Obama's team of rivals bring Afghan success? - David Ignatius, Washington Post:
Obama has also come to appreciate the value of ceremonial events in sending clear messages on foreign policy. The Karzai visit was a case in point. Image from
A Trillion Dollar Turning Point? - Rep. John Conyers, Huffington Post: As of 10:06 a.m., Sunday, May 30th, the United States will have spent $1 trillion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As we approach this milestone, Americans of all political stripes should take a moment to consider what war spending on this scale means, not just in dollars spent, but in terms of opportunities lost to strengthen, invest in, and improve our country. ... During my 44 years in Congress, I have personally witnessed the transformational change that is possible when the American people resolve to take back their democracy. As my friend and mentor, the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stated, "Those of us who love peace must organize as effectively as war hawks. As they spread the propaganda of war, we must spread the propaganda of peace." This Sunday, I hope that my fellow citizens will heed Dr. King's advice and ensure that this May 30th isn't remembered only as the day America crossed the $1 trillion threshold, but also as the day Americans took a united stand against more war
English as a Juggernaut Conquers the World With Glee and an OMG [Review of Globish: How the English Language Became the World’s Language By Robert McCrum] - Dwight Garner, New York Times:
One of Mr. McCrum’s predictions in “Globish” is that English is about to make a “declaration of independence from the linguistic past.” English is shedding many of its colonial and imperial connotations and is becoming what the anthropologist Benedict Anderson calls a type of “post-clerical Latin.” Image from
Israel goes PR through Propaganda - Sameh Habeeb, Palestine Telegraph: Israeli TVs and tens of other Israeli media outlets seem to be recruited by the government of Israel now. The propaganda portrayed in these media outlets will never succeed to changing the damaged image of Israel.
S Korean military puts anti-DPRK propaganda leaflet plan on hold - Lin Zhi, Xinhua:
South Korea's military has put off a plan to fly anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Yonhap news agency reported Sunday, citing a defense ministry official. "Leaflet distribution had been put off due to weather conditions so far, but we have now decided to put it on hold for the time being, considering the political situation," the ministry official said on condition of anonymity. Distributing propaganda leaflets is among a series of measures South Korea plans to take in retaliation for the alleged DPRK's sinking of a South Korean warship in March, which killed 46 sailors. Other steps include halting trade with DPRK and resuming loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border. Image from
MORE QUOTATIONS FOR THE DAY
"Public diplomacy is a message with truth.
Truth in advertising is a message with occasional truth.
Strategic communications: the message counts more than truth.
Propaganda is a message with truth, when truth fits the message.
Cultural diplomacy -- a message with culture, not always truth.
Cultural relations: messages, truth.
Education is truth with a message.
Art is truth without a message.
Truth has no message but truth."
--From; image from
AMERICANA
Meanwhile, In Arlington... - Princess Sparkle Pony's Photo Blog: I no longer keep track of Condoleezza's hairdo: Police are looking for a a 6′2″ transsexual who ran from a South Arlington beauty store with a pilfered wig, hopped into a car and sped off onto Columbia Pike. Usman Minayar, manager of the Crystal Beauty store on South Edgewood Street, said the suspect tried to stealthily put the $17 ten inch honey blond wig in a purse while her friend, a local stripper, distracted him. When Minayar saw what was going on, the suspect made a mad dash for the door.
He didn’t try to stop her.“I was a bit scared… [s]he’s a big guy… [s]he might knock me down, you know.”The suspect was wearing a black shirt, a bandana and “booty shorts” at the time of the theft, Minayar said. He said he’s confused by the theft because both the transsexual woman and the stripper, a biological female, have bought items at the store before. Image from article
IMAGE
--from: Cultural Tips for New Americans, 2009 ; livre en mousse, acrylique et encre, édition de 3. © DR, via Stanislas Bourgain (facebook entry)
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