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<![CDATA[Lowell Sun Business]]>
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<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com]]>
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<description/>
<language>
<![CDATA[en]]>
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<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[News]]>
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<ttl>15</ttl>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Web sites cater to 'for sale by owner' clientele]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13840375?source=rss]]>
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<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13840375]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[LOS ANGELES -- Selling a home without a real estate agent can save thousands of dollars in commission fees, but it can also be a painstaking, confusing task.    Forgoing an agent, however, is easier these days thanks to Web sites that help homeowners advertise their properties on the hottest real estate portals and even walk them through figuring]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Alex Veiga, AP Real Estate Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:36:25 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Watchdog: White House rushed to tout job gains despite fuzzy math]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831949?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831949]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government watchdog overseeing economic stimulus spending said yesterday that, in its rush to take credit for saving hundreds of thousands of jobs, the Obama administration was overly confident in its job-counting and did not acknowledge significant errors in the figures.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:56 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Foreclosure crisis hits prime]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831891?source=rss]]>
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<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831891]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[WASHINGTON -- A rising proportion of fixed-rate home loans made to people with good credit are sinking into foreclosure, adding to concerns about the strength of the economic recovery.    Driven by rising unemployment, such loans accounted for nearly one-third of new foreclosures last quarter.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Alan Zibel, AP Real Estate Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:41:19 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Local entrepreneurs open new Wireless Zone store in Pelham]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831869?source=rss]]>
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<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831869]]>
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<![CDATA[PELHAM -- Local entrepreneur Dana Harris, in partnership with author William Shipley, recently opened his third Wireless Zone location at the former Bo-Lin Video storefront at 150 Bridge St., Unit E. "As an experienced entrepreneur, this is the community I want to connect with in growing this location and our brand," Harris said in a  statement.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:36:02 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[N.E. worker deaths hit a 17-year low]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831853?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831853]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[BOSTON (AP) -- A federal agency says 136 people died in New England from work-related injuries last year, 27 fewer than in the previous year and the lowest number since it began compiling the statistics in 1992.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:35:40 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[AOL offering buyouts to 2,500]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831845?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13831845]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[NEW YORK -- AOL LLC, an Internet company struggling to adapt to an advertising-driven economy, is looking to shed as much as 36 percent of its work force as it prepares to spin off from Time Warner Inc.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Andrew Vanacore, AP Business Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:35:26 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Business Briefs]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13822870?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13822870]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[J.C. Penney drops 'big book' catalogs    PLANO, Texas (AP) -- J.C. Penney will stop publishing its twice-yearly "big book" catalogs, now that customers increasingly shop online. Instead, J.C. Penney Co.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:23:03 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Recovery drags as home building drops]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13822973?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13822973]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[WASHINGTON -- The budding economic recovery is getting little help from the home-building industry, which normally creates jobs and boosts growth as a recession ends.    Construction of homes unexpectedly plunged last month to its lowest point since April, the Commerce Department said yesterday.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Alan Zibel and Martin Crutsinger, AP Business Writers)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:05:00 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Fast food for a long lunch: Manhattan McDonald's gets  hip makeover]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13822864?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13822864]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[By Karen Matthews    Associated Press Writer    NEW YORK -- Modern Danish furniture. Flat-screen TVs. Free Wi-Fi.    You want fries with that?    A McDonald's in downtown Manhattan became the first in the U.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:57:44 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Factory production drops as business, consumers hold the line on spending]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814205?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814205]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[WASHINGTON -- A decline in factory production in October signals that consumers and businesses remain cautious in their spending, with the economic recovery likely to be sluggish.    At the same time, the weak economy is taming inflation.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Martin Crutsinger and Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writers)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:29 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Foxwoods sinks further into debt]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814157?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814157]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- Foxwoods Resort Casino, one of the world's largest, has failed to make a full payment on its debt, leading to a default and another credit-rating downgrade as casinos around the country struggle amid the severe recession.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:41:50 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Business calendar]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814154?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814154]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[November    18 - "Women's Network After Hours." Presented by the Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce. Guest speaker: Marie Leonard of Marie's Home Improvement and a newly-published author. Takes place from 5:30-7:30 p.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:41:45 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Costco-Coke dispute symbolizes pressures of retail pricing]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814122?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814122]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[ATLANTA -- Costco customers may have to look elsewhere for Coca-Cola products now that the retailer has stopped carrying them because the pair are fighting over prices.    The public squabble between one of the nation's largest wholesale club operators and the world's largest soft drink maker is likely to fizzle quickly.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Emily Fredrix and Sarah Skidmore, AP Food Industry Writers)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:35:38 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Welfare workers in battle zone]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814121?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814121]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[By David Eggert    Associated Press Writer    LANSING, Mich. -- One frustrated client hurled a piece of concrete through the window of a welfare agency. Another threw her car keys at a welfare worker before being escorted away.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:35:37 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Ford tops list of safe new vehicles]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814119?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814119]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[By Ken Thomas    Associated Press    WASHINGTON -- Ford, Subaru and Volkswagen sit atop the insurance industry's annual list of the safest new vehicles, according to a closely watched assessment used by car companies to lure safety-conscious consumers to showrooms.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:35:29 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Fannie Mae program helps keep people in their homes]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814114?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13814114]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[Last week, Fannie Mae announced its new "Deed for Lease" program. The program, which apparently is the first of its kind, would allow homeowners to stay in their homes when faced with the threat of foreclosure.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:35:21 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Comcast's next conquest might be NBC]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13806236?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13806236]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[PHILADELPHIA -- Ralph Roberts knew he was onto something big when people ran after his cable TV trucks in Tupelo, Miss., asking for a visit to their homes.    It was 1963. Roberts had been looking for new ventures after selling his belt-and-suspenders company.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Deborah Yao, AP Business Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:12:30 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Business Briefs: Retail sales up ... GM loss ... Vonage settlement ... Mass. gas prices dip ... Time Warner spinning off AOL]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13806189?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13806189]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[Retail sales rise 1.4 percent in October    WASHINGTON (AP) -- Retail sales rose 1.4 percent, more than expected, in October due largely to a big rebound in auto sales. But broader consumer spending remains under pressure, raising questions about the durability of the recovery.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:45:59 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Comcast key dates]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13806187?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13806187]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[1963 -- Ralph Roberts buys American Cable Systems, a 1,200-subscriber cable TV operator in Tupelo, Miss., for $500,000.    1969 -- Renamed Comcast.    1997 -- Buys controlling interest in E! Entertainment.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:45:55 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Networking your home computers to receive Internet]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13806136?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13806136]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[Do you remember when there used to be just one television in a household? Computers have taken the same path. Today, most households have more than one computer.    A computer isn't much use unless you have an Internet connection.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:36:11 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Business Briefs]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13798496?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13798496]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[Airvana to receive Nortel payment CHELMSFORD (AP) -- Airvana Inc., which supplies products used by wireless operators, said it will get a $39.6 million payment for outstanding invoices related to products and services it sold to Nortel Networks Inc.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:17:13 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[If you plan to debit the malls, beware]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13794531?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13794531]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[NEW YORK -- Your new frugal lifestyle is about to get tested by the biggest consumer challenge of the year -- holiday shopping.    Even if you're among the thriftiest who have pared back spending and paid off debt this year, it's likely you'll open your wallet to decorate a bit and buy a few gifts in the weeks ahead.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Eileen AJ Connelly, AP Personal Finance Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:36:52 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Six tips for safer holiday shopping]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13794530?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13794530]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[1. Empty your wallet    Pickpocketing increases during the holidays. Make sure you aren't carrying any cards you don't need, and keep those at home in a secure location, like a locked desk drawer or home safe.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:36:51 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Lowell Coop Bank hires Guimond]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13794497?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13794497]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[Jeffrey R. Guimond of Lowell was recently named vice president of credit administration at Lowell Cooperative Bank.     His responsibilities include overseeing all commercial and retail credit operations, loan processing and collections.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:30:21 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Repeat buyers get tax credit up to $6,500]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13786208?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13786208]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[Q: Last week, the government offered repeat home buyers a tax credit of up to $6,500. What are the rules to apply for this credit? A: Apparently, the government really wants to spur home buying.  Not only was the current first-time buyer tax credit extended, a new credit is offered for repeat buyers.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:01:46 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Rule requires banks to get customer consent to overdraft fees]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779402?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779402]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[WASHINGTON -- Banks will have to secure their customers' consent before charging large overdraft fees on ATM and debit card transactions, according to a new rule announced yesterday by the Federal Reserve.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:19:46 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA['Call of Duty' breaks video-game sales records]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779344?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779344]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) -- First-day sales of Activision Blizzard Inc.'s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 broke records, raking in an estimated $310 million in North America and the United Kingdom alone.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:42:30 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[FHA: Reserves dangerously low]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779308?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779308]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Housing Administration says its financial cushion has dipped to a dangerously low level but should remain above zero under "most economic scenarios."    The agency, a major source of funds for first-time homebuyers, faces mounting concerns that it will eventually need a taxpayer bailout as losses grow from homeowners]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:35:56 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Unemployment claims drop a little more but  jobs still hard to come by]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779306?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779306]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[WASHINGTON -- Fewer people are claiming unemployment benefits -- but still too many to signal that the economy is close to gaining jobs.    First-time claims for jobless benefits dropped last week to a seasonally adjusted 502,000, the Labor Department said yesterday.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:35:55 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Wal-Mart profits up, revenues slip]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779304?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779304]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. posted a 3.2 percent increase in third-quarter profit, helped by cost-cutting measures and raised its full-year earnings outlook.    But sales at its U.S. namesake stores open at least a year slipped, and the company predicted that they could continue to fall through the critical fourth quarter, fueling more]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:35:17 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Kohl's profits jump 21 percent]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779303?source=rss]]>
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<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13779303]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- Kohl's Corp.'s sales of exclusive brands and tight inventory control helped its third-quarter profit rise 21 percent, the company said yesterday.    Profit for the three months ended Oct.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:35:16 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Business Briefs]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13770278?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13770278]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[H-P to acquire 3Com for $2.7 billion MARLBORO (AP) -- Networking provider 3Com Corp. has agreed to be acquired by tech giant Hewlett-Packard Co. for $2.7 billion, a move that combines two companies with significant presences in this I-495 community.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:22:33 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Hungry retailers welcome early-bird shoppers]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13770334?source=rss]]>
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<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13770334]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[Santa Claus has already come to town. He is making his list and checking it twice as early. Traditionally, jolly old St. Nick parked his sleigh at the local malls the day after Thanksgiving. But this year, "Ho, ho, ho" is already bellowing through the corridors of both Simon Mall locations in Burlington and Nashua.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Rachel R. Briere, rbriere@lowellsun.com)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:11:56 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Despite rising job losses, foreclosures are stabilizing]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13770286?source=rss]]>
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<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13770286]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- The number of homeowners on the brink of losing their homes dipped in October, the third straight monthly decline, as foreclosure prevention programs helped more borrowers.    But foreclosure filings are still up 19 percent from a year ago, RealtyTrac Inc.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:36:44 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Mortgage-relief program finally   in gear, government says]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761669?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761669]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[WASHINGTON (AP) -- After a slow start, the Obama administration's mortgage-relief program has reached one in five eligible homeowners, a government report says.    As of the end of October, more than 650,000 borrowers, or 20 percent of those eligible, have signed up for trials lasting up to five months, the Treasury Department said yesterday.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:41:55 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Westford shop owner gives back]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761664?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761664]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[WESTFORD -- Jeannie Morrissey says every ornament has a story.    At her shop, Let's Get Personal -- The Christmas Store in Westford,  there is a tree trimmer for everyone. And if you don't find exactly what you are looking for, Morrissey will make it her mission to locate it, like she did for an Ohio woman seeking a window-washer ornament    "It]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Rachel R. Briere, rbriere@lowellsun.com)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:38:37 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Ex-Mass. official says he's broke, ruined after 11-month fight to clear name]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761747?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761747]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[Of all the sinister things that Internet viruses do, this might be the worst: They can make you an unsuspecting collector of child pornography.    Heinous pictures and videos can be deposited on computers by viruses -- the malicious programs better known for swiping your credit card numbers.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Jordan Robertson, AP Technology Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:21:47 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[BUSINESS BRIEFS: Job openings close to record lows ... Madoff associate leaves bulk of fortune to charity ... Two ex-Bear Stearns fund managers acquitted]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761674?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761674]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[Job openings remain close to record-lows    WASHINGTON (AP) -- Job openings are at rock-bottom levels, according to government and private surveys released yesterday, a trend that could keep the unemployment rate high even as layoffs slow.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:35:58 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[FedEx sees busier busiest day this year]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761672?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761672]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- FedEx is predicting a little more holiday cheer this year.    The company, based in Memphis, Tenn., forecasts it will ship 13 million packages on Dec. 14, which it expects to be its busiest day this year.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:35:54 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[N.E. job losses expected to continue]]>
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<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761668?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13761668]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[By Bob Salsberg    Associated Press Writer    BOSTON -- The worst of the recession may be over, but a new economic forecast points to a "slow and weak recovery" in the New England states, with job losses likely to continue until the fourth quarter of 2010.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:35:46 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Common sense can help you troubleshoot your computer]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13752823?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13752823]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[Your computer is a lot like your television. The computer can be used to watch television programs, but that is not the reason for the comparison. Your television is of little use without cable or reliable reception, and a computer needs the Internet to be fully useful.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Norm Morin)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:13:57 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Retailers cool to hot toys]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13753404?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13753404]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[NEW YORK -- Robotic toy hamsters, the latest Barbie dolls and stylish boots are disappearing from store shelves as holiday shoppers start to get serious. But don't confuse this with the days of Tickle Me Elmo.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Anne D'Innocenzio, AP Retail Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:46:38 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[BUSINESS BRIEFS: Dow hits highest close in more than a year ... Mass. gas prices up a penny ...]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13753316?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13753316]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[Dow hits highest    level in over a year    NEW YORK (AP) -- The Dow Jones industrial average stormed to its highest level in more than a year yesterday as a falling dollar boosted prices for gold, oil and other commodities.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:36:04 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Google opens wallet again]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13753311?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13753311]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Google Inc. is buying mobile advertising network AdMob for $750 million, underscoring the Internet search leader's determination to ensure its marketing machine reaches the growing number of people surfing the Web on phones.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:36:00 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Fund fees getting a Supreme inspection]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742668?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742668]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[BOSTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court is taking a close look at a question individual investors have long asked about their mutual funds, but the courts have largely ignored: Why am I getting charged twice as much as big institutional clients?]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Mark Jewell, AP Personal Finance Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:51:11 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Clunkers for guzzlers?]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742761?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742761]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[WASHINGTON -- Billed as a way for the government to put more fuel-efficient vehicles on highways, the popular $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program mostly involved swaps of old Ford or Chevrolet pickups for new ones that got only marginally better gas mileage, according to an analysis of new federal data]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Ted Bridis, Associated Press Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:48:54 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[A sunny deal]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13746531?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13746531]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[WESTFORD -- Aspiring electricians, auto mechanics and plumbers at Nashoba Valley Technical High School know what energy efficiency means to their future. Learning about it is key to landing a good job, teachers tell them.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Hiroko Sato, hsato@lowellsun.com)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:43:26 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Beware of firms offering to help settle your debt]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742726?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742726]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[NEW YORK -- Reduce your debt by 60 percent! Stop collection calls! Be debt free in 12 months!    The siren song of debt settlement firms is getting harder to ignore these days, especially if your finances are out of control or creditors are knocking at the door.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (Candice Choi, AP Personal Finance Writer)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:42:22 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Goal-setting tips to help you plan for the new year]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742672?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742672]]>
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<description>
<![CDATA[With only a few weeks left in 2009, the new year is right around the corner, bringing with it the opportunity for a fresh start. Are you thinking ahead about next year?     In a recent survey conducted by Express, we asked how many people were setting goals for 2010.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:36:03 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Peter Caruso joins Devine Millimet]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742666?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742666]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[Peter J. Caruso Sr. of Andover has joined Devine Millimet, a full-service law firm, as a shareholder.     He brings extensive experience in the areas of family and business planning, real estate, asset protection, estate planning, as well as newspaper, privacy, defamation, advertising, media and Internet law, and copyright and publications law.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:35:33 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>
<![CDATA[Some vehicles]]>
</title>
<link>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742662?source=rss]]>
</link>
<guid>
<![CDATA[http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_13742662]]>
</guid>
<description>
<![CDATA[An analysis of government data related to Cash for Clinkers reveals:    n  In at least 145 cases, mostly involving trucks, the government reported consumers traded old vehicles that got better than or the same mileage as the new vehicle they purchased.]]>
</description>
<category domain="Media News Group">
<![CDATA[/business]]>
</category>
<author>
<![CDATA[editor@lowellsun.com (The Lowell Sun)]]>
</author>
<pubDate>
<![CDATA[Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:35:26 -0700]]>
</pubDate>
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</channel>
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