Magic New Zealand® E-zine

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* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd (New Zealand)
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Issue Number: #1660
Date: Sunday 20th March 2022
Editor: Alan Watson QSM
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com
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Hi here is the latest news
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1. Editor's Message
2. FISM Update - Quebec City
3. Registration For FISM Go To
4. Steve Spill's My New Book Assassin
5. The Magic Word Podcast
6. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #52
7. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
8. News From The Academy Of Illusions
9. Pin Up! - John Carey #154
10. Around The Lounge By Jeff Bibik
11. The Orchante Saga - Beginnings
12. E-zine Archives
13. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice

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1. Editor's Message
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If you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in HTML format
go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2022-Jan-to-Dec2022/1660-Mar20-2022.html

If you would like to write a regular column for Magic New Zealand or have some magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com

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2. FISM Update - Quebec City
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Message by Joan Caesar (Canada)

Excursions from Quebec City: Montmorency Falls, boat trip and whale watching from Tadoussac.
This is my favorite blog. When I travel to watch magic, it's important for me to visit some of the surrounding country before or after the convention. I mustn't mention the group I use because there are several, but I'm sure you can find a company that suits your needs and will become your go-to company.

Montmorency Falls

Copied from a tour website: Half-day trip to Montmorency Falls and Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré: Enjoy the beautiful countryside around Québec City on this half-day adventure to Montmorency Falls and the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Choose from a morning or afternoon tour experience, then explore the spectacular landscape just outside Québec City. Along the way, visit popular Beaupré Coast tourist attractions such as the Chocolaterie de l'Ile d'Orléans and the Cuivres D'Art Albert Gilles (copper art museum with professional bilingual guides.

If you're up to it, there is another way of going to the Falls: Explore the Canadian countryside on a 4-hour electric bike tour to Montmorency Falls from Quebec City. Spin along cycle tracks through the Domaine de Maizerets with your guide. Pedal along the St. Lawrence River, and gain insight into the region's rich history and diverse geography. On arrival at Montmorency Falls, take the cable car skywards for panoramic views over the tumbling torrent. Cross the footbridge and marvel at the falls' power. Then head upstream to relax on the banks of the Montmorency River. Take a cable car for views over Montmorency Falls. Cross the footbridge, and snap pictures of the falls. Take a break at the Montmorency River See Manoir Montmorency, the former summer home of the Duke of Kent.

From a tour website: Enjoy the view of Québec City and the surrounding countryside from the water on this sightseeing cruise along the Saint-Lawrence River. Set sail from Cap Diamant (Cape Diamond) to Montmorency Falls, the perfect combination of nature and culture. Enjoy the stunning view from three distinctive exterior terraces, with commentary from a costumed guide dressed as the French-Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet. See the Québec City skyline and cruise beneath the famous Le Château Frontenac hotel. A variety of beverages and snacks are available for purchase on board the boat. See Quebec's skyline and river from a breathtaking point of view. Enjoy the pastoral charm of Ile d'Orleans. View the surging Montmorency Falls, the highest waterfalls in Quebec. Cruise beneath the historic and much-photographed Le Château Frontenac Hotel.

Whale watching in Tadoussac (3 hrs/ 336km/200 mi from Quebec City)

I love Tadoussac. The abundance of whales that you can see from shore is breathtaking.
The most common species in the St. Lawrence Estuary are minke whales, fin whales, humpback whales, blue whales, beluga whales, harbour porpoises, and grey seals.

From Québec City, you have a choice of three different excursions to see the whales in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park:

Passport of 3 attractions: with this package, you will get a 3-course dinner cruise, a whale watching cruise, a trip along the shores of the St. Lawrence River aboard the Train de Charlevoix and an access to visit the Saint-Gilles paper mill.

With the Bus-Whale Express Zodiac Package you'll enjoy the stunning landscapes of Charlevoix by coach before setting off for an exciting encounter with these giants of the sea aboard a Zodiac boat..

The Bus-Whale Express Package offers the same experience, but this time you'll set sail aboard one of the best whale watching ships in Canada.

The Helicopter Whale Watching Adventure is your ticket to a full day of high-flying adventure. It all starts when you hop on a helicopter in Québec City for a spectacular bird's eye view of all the breathtaking scenery from Québec City to Charlevoix and the marine park. Once you touch down, it's time for a cruise aboard the AML Levant. You'll have an unbelievable view of the whales from the comfort of the VIP Lounge. Starting at $899.99 per person, this is a bit steep for

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3. Registration For FISM Go To
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Quebec City, Canada, July 25-30, 2022

The most important magic competition in the world

150 competitors

More than 3000 magicians present from more than 50 countries.

100 handpicked merchants

6 days of unforgettable magic

1 banquet

Exchanges between magicians (jam sessions)

And more.

For Registration for FISM go to:
https://en.fismquebec2021.com/inscriptions

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4. Steve Spill's My New Book Assassin
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Message by Steve Spill (US)

If you've followed my career, been to my shows, or read my previous books, I wrote ASSASSIN just for you.

It's a 260 page turner hardcover that can advance your career, both artistically and lucratively, either to take you to the next level or to get you back on track. Whatever the case, over the last five decades I've been there, and in terms of what I know, no stone has been left unturned. Some think, "Only a few special people can make it". There are only a handful of Penn & Tellers and Copperfields in this world, but there are moderately successful magicians who live amazing lives. You can be one of them.

If you are a competent performer and need a full calendar of gigs, a residency, or want to own your own theater - be like me and get those things… my step-by-step guide, from real-life experience instead of theory, encompasses one-third of this book. Some readers will only be interested in audience-tested material they can do to bring laughs and surprises. For more information go to stevespill.com

Hardcover book available for pre-order now. Shipping in May. Order Here - stevespill.com

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5. The Magic Word Podcast
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Message by Scott Wells, M.I.M.C. with Gold Star

Pete McCabe and Mark Byrne on The Magic Word Podcast

Last week we had an informative chat with Pete McCabe, author of the two volume set, "Scripting Magic." This episode included a lot of talk about his background, but more importantly, some tips and ideas that all variety artists should consider: writing scripts for your shows. I know you will learn something from that episode which you can find here: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/668-pete-mccabe Of course, you can listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts.

And while we are on the topic of learning, this week's episode with Mark Byrne is a graduate course in the history, care and feeding of balloon sculpting. Mark is a Florida-based magician who has been twisting balloons for decades and made quite a comfortable living doing so. In this week's episode, Mark gives us some of the secrets to his success which you might replicate in your local area. The background that he goes into also gives us a better understanding of how this area of our art has developed and transitioned. I know you will learn and love this episode.

You can listen wherever you get your podcasts. But for more information, videos, photos and more, please visit:
https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/669-mark-byrne

And while you are at the website, please join the thousands of other magicians who have subscribed to our podletter. Keep up to date with each episode, plus get suggestions from the archives on episodes you should hear again or might have missed.

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6. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #52
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Message by Paul Stone (US)

For anyone who reads my articles on a regular basis you may remember that few weeks ago I mentioned that I was downsizing and that I had decided to sell some of the items that I have accumulated over the past 40 years in magic.

These include a few very unique signed posters, show programs and framed photographs. So, whether you are a magic collector, or just want something special to put up in your magic den, you can find out more by emailing me at qualityevents@aol.com

I arrived back in Las Vegas from UK a couple of days ago, and as most of you will already know, whilst I was away, we received the sad news about the Amazing Johnathan's passing.

During the last few months I was able to enjoy his company over lunch on a few occasions with Bill Smith, Fielding West, Lupe Neilsen and Charlie & Sherry Frye and he was always great fun to chat with.

I have one particular memory of AJ. It was in 2012 when I produced the INNOVENTION Convention at the Suncoast Hotel & Casino here in Las Vegas.

The Convention was dedicated to my old friend Peter Reveen, and AJ was keen to perform a spot in one of the convention shows to support Peter. Apparently when AJ first arrived in Las Vegas, Peter had gone out of his way to help him, and he never forgot his kindness.

AJ did a 30 minute spot that was simply hilarious. He literally tore the room apart. He was a comedy genius.

Before I left England, I went to a meeting of what for many years was my local magic club, the Liverpool Mahatma Magic Circle, proudly still going strong after 108 years. On this occasion, the guest lecturer was Andi Gladwin, best known for his ownership with Joshua Jay of Vanishing Inc.

Andi is an excellent and accomplished magician, and his lecture was superbly presented and very commercial. There were many nuances and clever touches that only come from someone who has worked extensively. These days my attention span isn't what it used to be, but the time flew by, and I was thoroughly entertained.

The next big magic event to take place here in Las Vegas is of course Stan Allen's 'Magic Live' in May. I know a lot of people who are flying in from around the world for this eagerly awaited Convention. Stan always has a great line-up and plenty of surprises up his sleeve.

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7. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
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Message by Connie Boyd (USA)

Rare Vintage Magical Women Debbie Henning/Doug Henning & Debbie McGee/Paul Daniels

Enjoy this rare solo performance footage of Debbie Henning, wife & partner of Doug Henning and Debbie McGee, wife and partner to Paul Daniels. March is #WomensHistoryMonth and @Magical Women with Connie Boyd are thrilled to celebrate vintage video and women inspiration video on our Blast from the Past series.

Magical-Women# We are thrilled to provide two important magical Debbie's who are female success stories & women in magic who supported their partners, but also were strong performers and female magician entertainers themselves. Debbie Henning Performance broadcast from "Kelly & Company".

https://youtu.be/8ejbCzRj1rk

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8. News From The Academy Of Illusions
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Message by Jay Scott Berry (Australia)

It's been another amazing week, celebrating the new normal. With ever increasing virtual shows and interviews, individual mentoring, group masterclasses and hybrid events, it has become clear that we have emerged from the collective lockdowns, stronger and more resilient than ever. In fact, our experience at the Academy continues to demonstrate that, by adding virtual technology, it only expands the opportunities to share and teach this most ancient of Arts.

Our Top Story this week is the perfect example. On May 15th, Frank's Magic Bar in Key West, Florida, will celebrate its 25th anniversary. As such, this off-the -beaten-path venue is one of the great success stories in modern Bar Magic. Over the years, Frank Everhart, a second generation magician, has performed for tens of thousands of tourists and locals, and is still going strong. So, I've gathered an all-star cast of Masters and Grandmasters to celebrate this momentous occasion, for the first annual Key West Hybrid Konvention! These include Michael Ammar, Doc Eason, Frank Everhart, Geno DeVille, Greg Otto and John Johnson, with more to be announced soon. Registration is just $50 USD and includes the exclusive recordings of all the lectures and shows. Tickets are limited and now available from www.DeVilleMagic.net

Launched today, the Official Announcement reads: "Come One, Come All to the 1st Annual Key West Hybrid Konvention! Join us as we Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Frank's Magic Bar. This groundbreaking event will include Live and Virtual Shows, Lectures and more, by an All-Star Cast of Master and Grandmaster Magicians. Special Events include a Bar Magic Gala plus the first ever "Sam the Bellhop'' Show and Group Lecture! What's more? It also just happens to be Frank Everhart's birthday. So cast off the bowlines and set sail for the new normal, May 14 & 15, Whether ye be pirates or landlubbers, all are welcome. Webcast on Zoom!"

This week's Spotlight On featured Grandmaster Magician and Illusionist, Greg Gleason. He is, without a doubt, one of the greatest all-rounders in the business. In his 40 years as a pro, he's performed well over 10,000 shows in Las Vegas, thousands of Cruise Ship shows, dozens of TV shows, including the Masters of Illusion, and numerous tours across China. He is equally adept at Cards, Close-up, Stage, Mentalism and, of course, Grand Illusions. And, perhaps most noteworthy is the fact that he's not resting on his laurels. Greg recently won the OMC with his mind-blowing rendition of "Matrix", and continues to create and perform groundbreaking new effects. As promised last week, I am loading all of the past and current Spotlight On Shows up to my YouTube channel. Next week's Episode features another Grandmaster, Michael Ammar.

I am so happy that Geno DeVille is back, and the 21st episode of GenoMania was, yet another, hilarious romp. I must admit, these weekly shows are a welcome break from my otherwise serious schedule. We have settled into a solid format of entertaining and educational discussion, which streams live across Facebook. This week, we launched the Key West Hybrid Konvention, talked about the perils and limitations of learning from random YouTube instructors. We also took a look at Tom Mullica's legendary cigarette routine, then topped it all off with another rollicking "What gets your Goat?"

And finally, the second week of ZoomStorming Masterclasses focused on Sponge and Silk Magic. As always, in these intensive 2 hour sessions, I emphasize building a solid foundation of sleight-of-hand skills and practical knowledge. With that in mind, I taught dozens of effects with different styles and sizes of sponges as well as a full spectrum of silk magic. On Saturday the 19th, we will dive into Ring and Ribbon. A few Tickets, at $20 each, are still available from DeVille Magic and include the recording of the Session.

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9. Pin Up! - John Carey #154
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Message by John Carey (UK)
http://www.johncareymagic.co.uk/

PIN revelations and unlocks are extremely popular with mentalists and magicians these days. Pretty much everyone carries a smart phone meaning the myriad methods out there can be used very regularly in front of an audience. The version I'm sharing in a moment was worked out for a fellow magician who wanted something easy and strong. You will need five business cards. Secretly mark one of them for secret tracking later during your routine. Place this business card on top of your stack.

Bring up the subject of numbers and security and suggest an experiment. Ask a participant to visualize their four digit phone PIN code. Bring out your business cards and hand the top marked card to them and have them write their PIN down, sight-unseen from you and the audience. Have them table that card writing side down. "In order to make this interesting and at the same time even more challenging, please write different random PINs on each of these other cards."

Once they've done that, have them mix up the five business cards and hand them to you. Turn and deal them into a tabled row, covertly spotting your marked card and therefore secretly accessing their pin. We will now throw a little bit of theatrical smoke out. "They often say that the inflections in a person's voice can sometimes give their true thoughts away. Five different pins, only one of which is yours. I will ask your PIN at a time if it's yours and you must say yes every time!"

This is naturally fun, but also gives us more than enough time to remember their PIN. Act a little perplexed and then scoop up the cards and put them away. "To be honest, your voice didn't give me much in the way of tells. Let's try this the hard way. May I borrow your phone please? I want you to mentally send me your PIN, one digit at a time."

Hold their phone with the screen out of their and the audience's line of sight and slowly start typing in the first three digits of their PIN, hesitating between each input, looking at your participant and really acting the moment out. Lower the screen so it's in full view. "One digit to go!" Pause and then dramatically press the last digit you remembered and boom, you've unlocked their phone!

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10. Around The Lounge By Jeff Bibik
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Message by Jeff Bibik (US)
www.Bibik.com
www.ChicagoMagicLounge.com

Meet Jan Rose

Visitors to our weekend Signature shows at the Chicago Magic Lounge are greeted by our resident MC, Jan Rose. She kicks off our show with a quick history lesson about Bar Magic in Chicago, starting with the granddaddy of them all, Schulien's. Then it's forward thru the years, mentioning Bit O Magic, Johnny Paul's, the New York Lounge and several others. She relates how those establishments have forged a path for us today at the Chicago Magic Lounge. Then it's show time, and she introduces our acts for the evening.

Jan has been performing as an actress and model for many years. With a background in theater and dance she has also been a magician's assistant for some time. More about that in a moment.
After the first performer Jan once again takes the stage for her announcements, and this is where she herself becomes amazing. When you come into our cabaret room for an evening of entertainment, the first hour features walk around magic and cocktails.

During this time Jan goes through the entire room table by table and asks about any special occasions the guests may be celebrating. She makes some notes and moves on. Between acts she acknowledges every special occasion from the stage, completely by memory! These can be birthdays, anniversaries, company parties, weddings (and a few divorces!), everything she picked up before the show. She never uses any notes or cue sheets, she learns them thru intense effort and concentration, and she never misses any! At this year's CML holiday party she was awarded "Best Memory", a recognition righty deserved. It is amazing and must be seen.

As mention earlier she has done work as a magician's assistant, but mainly for 1 local guy, Danny Orleans. You may have heard of him. Of course Danny is a well-known performer in our industry. He's performed in almost every type of venue. Back in the late 80's Danny was auditioning assistants for some school and theater tours. He met and hired Jan, and suddenly, as if by magic, they have now been married for over 30 years!

Along the way they developed an incredible 2 person code act and Jan is really the star. This is how a strong code act should be, the comments of the 'sender' should be forgettable, while the person 'revealing' draws the attention. Their act is one of the best, and they have played here at CML several times. It is a great deal of work that very few are willing to commit to. Jan and Danny have put in the years of experience, and that shows in every performance.

They are also the proud parents of Leah Rose Orleans. With 2 show people for parents it may not surprise you to learn Leah is an accomplished performer as well. She is an actor, in both theater and film. I don't have a page on IMDB.com, do you? Leah does!! She is a very talented circus performer as well, and has travelled the world with her skills. In all, quite the family! Make sure to see Jan and say hello when you visit. I guarantee she'll remember!

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11. The Orchante Saga - Beginnings
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Written by the late Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)

I managed to sidetrack myself (you may have noticed that I have a tendency to do this at times), re our cockatoos. I thought that I might ruffle the feathers again, and try to wrap it up - the story that is.

If you remember, we had the sulphur-crested cockatoo, 'B B B' - 'Big Bastard Bird', then there was 'Little Bird', more commonly known as a Little, or Short Billed Corella. Then 'Beauregarde'
joined our family. He was a 'Long Billed' Corella, also known as the 'Slender Billed' cockatoo and the 'Dampier' cockatoo. In the wild, Long Billed corellas have a 'sentinel' warning system like that of the Sulphur-crested cockatoos. While the main flock is feeding on the ground, a few birds remain in the trees above, on the lookout for danger. Now that is intelligence!

This wacky looking cockatoo (because of their long curving beak), makes a wonderful pet, being docile, intelligent, and amusing, and is perhaps the best talker among Australian parrots. It has
one exasperating fault, as we quickly discovered - they are extremely destructive to woodwork. Most parrots and cockatoos are, but this particular species, including the 'Short Billed'
cockatoo, are bloody demons; I was forever patching and rebuilding windowsills that had been chewed to pieces! I must have spent a small fortune on wood putty etc. Aaaah, the things we put up with for the love of our 'kids', which, I suppose, they were.

Somewhere along the line, we 'acquired' another Sulphur Crested cockatoo, whose name escapes me now; then along came 'Jackie'; he was a 'Galah' - also known as the 'Roseate' or 'Rose-breasted' cockatoo. As with 'Little Bird', Jackie was just a baby - a tiny bundle of fluff when we bought him. Veronica played 'mother' and hand fed him, with a specially formulated mushy mix for very young birds. It was, by necessity, a dedicated job - feeding time around every three hours! I have some wonderful video footage of Veronica feeding Jackie, taken with my semi-professional Betamax video camera. (Stolen - because of a burglary, another story I will relate sometime).

Apart from budgerigars, Galahs are probably the most common bird seen in the Australian wilds. They are very distinctive with their back, wings, rump, face, and under tail-feathers grey,
contrasting strongly with their cheeks, throat, breast, and all of the under-parts - which are a gorgeous, deep rose-red. When you see a huge flock of them flying, as we often did while travelling to various gigs out in the country, it was quite a dazzling sight, watching as they twisted and turned - performing their aerial acrobatics. Unfortunately, farmers consider them a
pest, trapping and shooting them in the thousands - protecting their crops, which the birds delight in feeding on.

I can understand the farmer's dilemma, but it was still heartbreaking to watch, whenever the TV news broadcast it during the season. Galahs are fun-loving birds, and get up to some crazy antics,
both in the wild and as pets. One of their favourite 'tricks' is to sit on power and telephone lines and, while gripping the line with their claws, rapidly turn continuous summersaults. Power
lines, are a particularly dangerous spot to 'play' this amusing game. It often results in an electrifying and shocking finale! Australians have a common saying when referring to somebody who has done something stupid or silly: ".Bloody stupid Galah"! 'Tutu' was our next acquisition. He was a 'Peach Face', African Love Bird. Although not an Australian species, they are a very popular bird/pet in that country. He also, was handfed. Although only a tiny bird, Tutu feared nothing, no matter the size, and he had one hell of a powerful bite!

They have the shocking habit of biting the feet off other birds! And they rarely miss! Tutu would take on anything that came near him, including the dogs. We had a toy poodle, 'Misky', and 'Shannon' a standard poodle; she was huge. That didn't stop Tutu from taking swipes at her as she walked past. In fact, Shannon would deliberately take pretend bites at Tutu, just for fun; if she'd
wanted, she could have swallowed Tutu down in a flash, and the bird would not have touched the sides on the way down. Did that stop him, did it hell! As far as Tutu was concerned, the bigger
they were, the harder he would bite, and the harder they'd fall! Then we had two Siamese cats, well one to start with - 'Sheba', then much later on, her son 'Spook-Easy' joined the family.

Must tell you how Sheba came into our lives. Back in 'The Good Old Days' one of my best mates was Robert Gennari. As you have no doubt guessed from his surname, Robert is Italian, and he became one of New Zealand's most popular singers. (Oh No, is this another diversion coming up? I'm afraid so.)

To be continued.
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12. E-zine Archives
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Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e- zine go to:
www.magicnewzealand.com

Click on the red button centre right "Archives"

When you enter the archive the e- zines are in issue order in folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999)

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13. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice
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