Top 10 Worst Computer Viruses
Written by admin on April 6th, 2011
Computer viruses are simply a nightmare. There are some with hacking skills capable of stealing personal information, while others are simply obstructive, capable of wiping out information and deleting files from the hard drive. Further, viruses can also completely block applications from running and prevent the computer from accessing any file. What is even worse is that many computer viruses are designed to replicate themselves and they can spread out to other computer systems through the internet or mailing systems. For those who are wondering why people are extremely worried about such, the fuss is all worth it. It is estimated that in 2008 alone, around $8.5 billion was lost due to computer infections. While viruses are just one type of online threat, they are the most prominent. The following list provides some of the most prolific virus to hit the computer market.
1.The CIH Virus (1998). The CIH virus was introduced back in 1998 and was said to have affected numerous computer systems. Vast amounts of computer data were destroyed and the estimated damage was around $80 million from all over the world. The virus came from Taiwan and was released around June. The CIH virus had been very detrimental due to its ability to overwrite data. Further, it can also overwrite the host’s BIOS which prevent booting procedures to push through.
2. Melissa (1999). Melissa, allegedly named after an exotic Floridian dancer, is considered one of the most damaging viruses to date. The estimated damage it caused to computer systems and corporations was around $1 billion. The virus specifically targeted computer systems using Microsoft Word versions 1997 and 2000. The virus stated as a mass e-mail process which spread over the first 50 contacts available in a person’s email address.
3. ILOVEYOU (2000). The I Love You virus was the brainchild of two students from the Philippines. Masquerading as a love letter from a secret admirer, It is one of the most famous viruses to be ever after it attacked millions of computers. Nearly 10% of computers using the internet were affected and damages were valued at $5.5 to $8.7 billion. The virus specifically targeted computer systems using Microsoft OS.
4. Code Red (2001). Code Red virus came in two forms Code Red and Code Red II. Both are classified as worms and damage caused is valued at $2 billion. The virus effectively created a back door to computers, allowing remote users to assume control. From the time it was released, the virus was said to leave in its wake an estimated damage rate of $200 million per day. Code Red was released in July 2001 and had detrimental self replicating abilities.
5. SQL Slammer (2003). The SQL Slammer brought the Korean online community to its knees and prevented online access for 12 hours. The virus was able to double its number of victims every few seconds, affecting 500,000 serves in total. Take note that the virus was able to infect not just computers but the servers themselves. It is a very small virus, a 376-byte worm, but its effects were exponentially damaging.
6. MSBlast (2003). This virus caused around $2 to $10 billion in damage, infecting more than one hundred thousand computers in different parts of the world. Following Microsoft’s announcement of certain vulnerabilities in its operating system, the virus was released. Six months after the virus was introduced, more than 25 million hosts were still affected. The MSBlast virus contained the mocking message, “Billy Gates, why do you make this possible? Stop making money and fix your software!”
7. Sobig (2003). More than 500,000 computer units have been affected by Sobig when it was released in 2003. Consumer losses were computed at $1 billion. The virus spread like wildfire as an e-mail attachment and began infecting once it was downloaded and opened.
8. Sasser (2004). Sasser reportedly caused tens of millions of dollars in damage and was even able to bring down satellite communications systems in various news agencies in France. Flights were affected and cancelled while companies from different parts of the world worked to shutdown their systems to prevent further damage.
9. MyDoom (2004). MyDoom affected around 10% of internet users and slowed internet programs and functions by as much as 50%. The virus spread throughout the online community as an e-mail. Once the attachment in the email was clicked, computer systems the infection began.
10. Bagle (2004). The Bagle was also reported to cause around more than ten million dollars worth of damage. Just like the rest of the viruses mentioned, the Bagle was able to infect computers through an e-mail attachment. It also had self-replicating capabilities, making it nigh impossible to remove.
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The Top 10 Most Successful Internet Entrepreneurs
Written by admin on April 6th, 2011
The internet is a major platform for people all over the world, and we are all to some extent dependent on the services it provides. From social networking sites to online shops to search engines, the internet has played host to the lucrative ventures of a number of pioneers. While most of us find the internet to be a very useful tool, some people are making big bucks from it. Here are the top 10 most successful internet entrepreneurs to date.
1. Larry Page and Sergey Brin – Google. Larry Page and Sergey Brin are the brains behind the most successful search engine and website to date: Google. With their creation recognized as the most visited website in the internet, Brin ranks as the 26th richest person in the world, and his billionaire colleague Page is among the top 10 richest in the United States. Sad to think we were probably still on the Gameboy while this revolution was taking place!
2. Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook. Harvard drop-out Mark Zuckerberg shot to fame when he launched the ubiquitous social networking site Facebook. With more than 500 million users to date, Facebook’s value is estimated to be $10 billion while Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in the world. Getting people connected has never been this lucrative.
3. Evan Williams – Blogger and Twitter. Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan were the brains behind Pyra Labs, a company that focuses on project management software. Williams spawned a new era of information exchange when he created “Blogger”. Since then, almost every internet user has created his or her own web blog. Twitter, Williams’ other creation, is a micro-blogging platform. Twitter gets 55 million visits per month and is estimated to be worth around $1.7 billion.
4. Craig Newmark – Craigslist. Born as Craig Alexander Newmark, this internet innovator carved his name in the internet business with his San Francisco-based website Craigslist. During its humble beginnings, the website only featured local events in San Francisco. Nonetheless, it soon exploded when merchant services, job ads and similar announcements started to feature on the site. To date, Craigslist covers around 50 countries and 570 cities.
5. Jeff Bezos – Amazon.com. Anyone trying some online shopping should look no further than Amazon.com, thanks to Jeffrey Preston Bezos. Since going live in 1994, Amazon.com has become a major online shopping destination for people all over the world. Bezos was named Person of the Year back in the 1999 issue of Time Magazine. U.S. News & World Report also included Bezos in the list of America’s Best Leaders back in 2008.
6. Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner – Broadcast.com. Todd R. Wagner and Mark Cuban are the much-loved founders of Broadcast.com, one of the first providers of streaming live sports events online. The pair is also known for its affiliations with 2929 Entertainment, Dallas Mavericks, Chairs HDNet, and an HDTV cable network. In the year 1999, the two decided to sell their website to Yahoo priced at $5.7 billion. Wagner and Cuban become billionaires overnight.
7. Bob Parsons – Go Daddy. Bob Parsons is the founder and CEO of The Go Daddy Group, Inc., a domain name registry service. Valued at $250 million, Go Daddy establishes Parsons as one of the most successful online entrepreneurs.
8. Kevin Rose – Digg. Kevin Rose is known for his social-bookmarking website Digg. He is also one of the founders of WeFollow, Pownce and Revision 3. With an initial investment of $60,000, Digg’s worth has now climbed at $200 million.
9. Sky Dayton – EarthLink. Sky Dylan Dayton is the mastermind behind EarthLink, one of the founders of eCompanies and also the chairman of Boingo, a worldwide WiFi provider. Earthlink is now one of the biggest internet service providers in the United States with over two million subscribers. The company takes in over $1 billion annually in profits.
10. Joshua Schachter – Del.icio.us. Joshua Schachter is the creator of Del.icio.us, a bookmarking site where users can keep tabs on their favourite pages, and see what’s currently hot in cyberspace. Schachter is also the founder of geoURL, a site which connects URLs to their global locations, and one of the creators of Memepool, a show-and-tell page for hilarious internet finds. Schachter is one of the pioneers of tagging and social bookmarking functions. When Yahoo obtained Delicious, Schachter was reported to have received around $30 million.
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Top 10 Most Viewed YouTube Videos
Written by admin on April 6th, 2011
Before the arrival of the internet, any aspiring celebrity would have had to use the right resources, know the right people, and generally have a lot of good luck. Budding stars had to audition and wait in grueling lines just to get a shot at fame. Moreover, wanting to share information on a large scale would have had to get in touch with a person or a company influential enough to get them the necessary publicity. While all of these may still hold true for some, the advent of the internet and the introduction of YouTube, has sent the world of fame and fortune in a completely different direction. By simply posting a video on YouTube, it’s more than likely that you’ll get the necessary attention and spotlight you want. Here we count down the top 10 most viewed videos of YouTube. These videos may only last a few minutes, but they have succeeded in turning their artists’ worlds upside down.
1. Justin Beiber ft. Ludracris – Baby (476,504,704 views). By the time you are reading this Justin Bieber’s Baby music video may have surpassed the half billion mark. Considered as one of the biggest teenage sensations to date, Justin Bieber’s hit single received massive reception, not only in the United States but all over the world. Now a slightly premature global teenage heartthrob, young Mr. Bieber has YouTube to thank for his international stardom. Music industry executive Scooter Braun stumbled upon a home video Bieber had posted on YouTube and instantly recognized the potential of this star in the making.
2. Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (351,620,853 views). Known for her unique antics and a barrage of bizarre yet interesting performances, Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance currently ranks as the second most viewed YouTube video. With her striking blonde hair and a plethora of accessories and definitely distinctive scenarios, many have been hooked to Gaga’s Bad Romance.
3. Shakira – Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) (309,961,284 views). Colombian singer Shakira managed to stay ahead of the pack despite joining the music scene almost two decades ago. With her song chosen to be the theme for the world’s biggest football eventl, FIFA, Waka Waka became an instant hit. Combined with Shakira’s distinctive voice, this 2010 World Cup stint has been a sure win in views.
4. Eminem ft. Rihanna – Love the Way You Lie (296,974,332 views). What happens when you team up one of the most popular and best selling rappers of all time with one of the biggest names in pop? You get nearly 300 million views. This latest offering from Eminem and Rihanna not only peaked in various charts but also managed to become one of the most highly viewed videos on YouTube. As if that weren’t enough, the video also features the appearance of one Megan Fox.
5. Charlie bit my finger – again! (286,339,624 views). Adorable babies and kids always manage to get the spotlight, and this video is no exception. Two kids, one toddler and baby, are featured in this funny 1 minute video. What happens when a baby bites the finger of a toddler? Watch the video and you’ll see. Surprisingly, more than 200 million people found this little ditty absolutely fascinating.
6. Justin Bieber – One Time (222,161,184 views). Well he’s not a teenage superstar for nothing. Another Justin Bieber music video managed to get into the top ten of YouTube’s most viewed videos. With his trademark swooshy hair and voice of a pubescent angel, more than 200 million people logged onto to YouTube just to watch this youngster do his thing.
7. Eminem – Not Afraid (206,729,645 views). Grammy award winning rapper Eminem secured his superstar status by managing to get two videos with more than 200 million views each in YouTube’s most viewed videos. Matching the millions of albums he sold, after all these years, Eminem is still a force to be reckoned with.
8. Miley Cyrus – Party in the USA (198,227,782 views). A Disney child star turned actual pop star, Miley Cyrus is one of the most popular teenage sensations to date. Whether people wanted to a see a more mature version of Hannah Montana or simply the smiley Miley, the video is a clear testimony of her influence in the entertainment industry.
9. Pitbull – I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) (167,844,208 views). Pitbull’s Calle Ocho snagged the hearts and ears of many party lovers. His video for I Know You Want Me has more than 100 million views at present.
10. Evolution of Dance – (166,110,666 views). People never miss out a good talent or a funny performance on the internet, and this is no exception. Comedian Judson Laipply took it upon himself to explain the last 60 years through the medium of dance, with hilarious consequences. Seamless and cringingly accurate, Laipply has created an internet sensation. Check the video and see why more than a hundred million people tuned in to watch.
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Top 10 Milestones in the Age of the Internet
Written by admin on April 6th, 2011
People today can’t seem to function without the Internet. It’s as if everything is connected to the world wide web, and our lives are rapidly evolving around it. Regardless of whether we are at home, school, or work, the internet has a constant presence in our daily lives. Furthermore, most devices like cell phones are now connected to the internet, meaning that it virtually governs every aspect of one’s life. While accessing the internet is very common nowadays, it hasn’t always been like this. There have been considerable changes and advancements made throughout history in order to produce a platform of this scale and accessibility. The following sections outline some of the most important changes and happenings in the history of the internet. While they may seem to be a thing of the past, knowing these things helps us to appreciate the internet more. The internet is not an overnight sensation. On the contrary, it took a long time to get where it is today.
1957
During this year, the USSR developed and launched the first artificial satellite called Sputnik. In response to this venture, the United States created the Advanced Research Projects Agency or ARPA under the Department of Defense (DoD). The purpose of the ARPA is to help the United States gain a lead in terms of science and technology. This initial launch was a catalyst, spawning many more science and technology ventures, and opening a gateway into the world of networks and eventually the internet.
1962
Rand Paul Baran was hired by the U.S. Air Force to embark on a research focusing on how to maintain command and control over the country’s bombers and missiles following nuclear attack. Baran was working with RAND Corporation and was commissioned to do a study on developing a military research network that can withstand or persist following a nuclear strike. Further, the military also requested that the network be decentralized so that in the event that locations in the United States were attacked, they would still be able to access control to their nuclear arms and embark on a possible counter-attack. Baran’s research recommended different ways to make this network and connection work. The final proposal from his study discussed a packed switched network. Basically, this refers to the separation of data into different packets, or datagrams, with labels to note their origin and destination. These packets can be forwarded from one computer to another.
1968
The acoustics consulting team of Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN) won the ARPANET contract to build the first decentralized network for ARPA. During this time, the actual physical network was built, providing a connection to four nodes. These nodes included University of California at Santa Barbara, University of California at Los Angeles, University of Utah, and SRI in Stanford. The physical network was linked using 50 Kbps (Kilobytes per second)circuits.
1972
Ray Tomlinson, working under BBN, invented and organized the first e-mail program. During this time, the ARPANET made use of the Network Control Protocol or NCP during this time to be able to transmit data. This allowed communication to push through between hosts under the same network.
1973
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) embarked on the development of the TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and the IP (Internet Provider). The protocol was very important in letting different computers communicate with each other despite coming from different networks.
1981
National Science Foundation developed a backbone referred to as the CSNET (Computer Science Network). This is a 56 Kbps network which will allow different institutions to connect to networks even without access to ARPANET.
1983
The Internet Activities Board (IAB) was created during this time. Machines using the ARPANET were completely replaced and the TCP/IP became the Internet’s central protocol. The use of domain names and IP numbers also began during this period.
1990
The Advanced Network & Services was formed. This was a non-profit organization aimed at conducting studies focused on high speed networking. A new backbone was introduced, the 45 Mbps line. The original lines used for ARPANET were taken out.
1991
CSNET was no longer used and new network was established: the National Research and Education Network, or the NREN. This network specifically supports the huge amount of data transfer in the internet.
2000′s
The early 2000’s saw the era of dot-com sites. The internet extended to millions of users and capitalists began taking an interest in this platform.
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Top 10 Accounts Everyone Needs
Written by admin on April 6th, 2011
Online accounts are handy in this internet age. With newsworthy events typically unfolding before our very eyes on the web, it’s reassuring to know that we have multiple channels to help us stay connected to the whole world even if we’re only behind our desks. Here’s our choice of the top ten online accounts and why they are so gosh-darn useful.
1. Gmail. Gmail is the email service from the search engine giant Google. That in itself spells a whole lot of benefits as having a Gmail account automatically enables you to access other Google services. Furthermore, Gmail is perhaps the only email service provider out there to have such a gigantic memory capacity – and all of this for free! So store all the digital data you want on your Gmail and never again see the words “inbox” and “full” together.
2. LinkedIn. LinkedIn specializes in professional networking. So, if you need to establish connections with people who may prove to be beneficial to your career, then get yourself a LinkedIn account and start adding these people up in your network.
3. Facebook. With LinkedIn taking care of all the serious business, Facebook is definitely the frontrunner for the most widely-used and accessible social networking website. Do you ever wonder what your classmates in kindergarten are doing now? With Facebook, you may just be able to find out! And we’re not just talking about the possibility of touching base with acquaintances from the past, as you can readily establish bonds with people from all corners of the globe.
4. Twitter. Feel the need to constantly update friends on your comings and goings? Surely you can always ring them, but that takes time and not to mention money. With a Twitter account, you can do this as often as you like, as a single “tweet” gets sent to all of your followers. Talk about convenience, value, and efficiency!
5. WordPress. The Internet is instrumental in paving the way for self publication. Anyone can now get their written pieces distributed to as many readers as possible without ever signing a book deal. And if you’re into this kind of stuff, then you’re surely aware of the many available applications for self publication. Of course, none is as efficient and as easy to use as WordPress. In fact, this program has become the most preferred website architecture and template system! So if you feel the need to write down (well, online, actually) your thoughts, then perhaps you can do so using a WordPress account.
6. YouTube. Everyone has a video camera now, thanks to these gadgets becoming more and more affordable everyday. Of course, what good are those artsy shots of your cat wearing a tutu if they won’t be seen by anyone? With a YouTube account, this is of course possible. Having an account gives you access to use its video-sharing applications. Of course, you can upload as many videos as you want to entice followers to your channel, granted that you’ll follow the site’s posting dos and don’ts.
7. Tumblr. Tumblr is another self-publishing application, but with a little bit of a difference. While it too is a microblogging platform, unlike Twitter, it doesn’t impose a 140-character cap on its users. So, if you like to microblog but do so with more flexibility, then this might just be the application for you.
8. Del.icio.us. This is a social bookmarking website which allows you to manage favorite websites with ease. Furthermore, having a Delicious account gives one access to what other users are bookmarking, making searching for related themes a whole lot easier.
9. Flickr. Flickr is another self-publishing application where users can upload and share photographs. While creating captions for personal photographs is allowed, Flickr is used mainly by others as a repository for images. Running a blog and worrying about photographs taking up too much space? Then get yourself a Flickr which can serve as an extension to your blog!
10. Project Gutenberg. If you’re a certified bookworm, then you’ll surely find Project Gutenberg a gem! This is a website that features free downloadable digital and audio public domain books. Membership is not compulsory and you can go directly to the site to download chosen titles. However, if you would like to help in the effort of digitizing written public domain works, then signing up to become a volunteer will be required.
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Avatars and Second Life: How Are They Really Affecting Our Generation?
Written by admin on April 6th, 2011
In the last couple of years, the digital age has spread considerably, and its influences can be seen almost everywhere. Just as man-operated machines have propagated all over the world, so has virtual interaction. Café meetings, strolls in the park, an hour of board games with friends and even weekend trips have become less common in recent years. Many of today’s generation have become dependent upon using various virtual platforms such as online networking sites (MySpace, Facebook, etc.) along with other role-playing game (RPG) networks the world over. People are now investing more time in the virtual world than actively participating in the real or active world.
Moreover, the trend of social networking has encouraged the development of virtual relationships between Internet friends. These people may have never meet in real life but their level of attachment and relationship can already rival those of people who know each other personally. Nonetheless, despite the obvious advantage of meeting many people regardless of global location, there are several concerns regarding the effects of the virtual world, the relationships it forms and the interactions that propagate it. The following sections will provide an insight on both the benefits and negative effects of the second life or, simply put, the virtual world.
Positive Effects
The virtual world is, in effect, like our second life, thus providing the necessary utilities to live one’s life and connect with others without actually having to physically do so. The virtual world allows someone to stay connected to everyone else while also doing other things. It’s more convenient than having to drive around to hang out or pick up the phone to chat. Simply sending an email to friends, colleagues and other acquaintances or having them join an online conference would suffice in connecting to them.
Further, the virtual world also provides a cheaper means to contact people from other countries. Instead of having to save up to buy airline tickets or pay for telephone bills, simply logging on to a social networking site and chatting with friends can eliminate any obstacles presented by geographical distances. Similarly, there are clear environmental benefits, as virtual communication replaces the need for paper snail-mail. As mentioned earlier, modern computer devices and virtual platforms allow people to multitask in a much easier way. You can easily chat with more than ten friends, send email, shop online and type a report all at the same time. Keeping up to date with people and contacting them regardless of time and location are much easier to do in the virtual world than in real life. It’s easier to talk to each other at 1:00am in the morning through a computer than to meet each other. Further, the virtual world also allows people to find people who share the same interests and intellect as they do.
Negative Effects
However, regardless of the many benefits that the virtual world offers, there is much at risk when it comes to assuming life online. First and foremost, you can never be too sure about the safety and security of the personal information you post online. Further, the risk of “running into a stranger” is higher on the internet because a lot of people can access profiles and information conveniently.
More importantly, there’s a chance that people you connect with online are assuming a completely different character once they are online. People can simply become anyone they choose in the virtual world. Since there is no physical interaction, a person’s online character is based on the kind of information they provide. This information may easily be false. Dependence on the online world for social interaction often causes users to suffer disconnection from the real world. For instance, spending excessive amounts of time playing RPG can lead to lack of productivity and social depression. This isolates the user from interacting face to face with people, which is vital in social development and personal growth. In more ways than one, it is safe to say that people should only participate in the virtual world in a moderate manner.
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NetSpeak: Guide to the Latest Internet Slang
Written by admin on April 6th, 2011
With this fast changing virtual beast that is the Internet, it’s a little challenging to keep abreast of the latest coined computer terminology. Of course, if you’re the traditional type, you’re likely to steer clear of this cyber jargon. But it can’t be denied that knowledge of these words certainly has its advantages. Here’s a list of these expressions and their meanings.
Google. Yes, yes, we all know Google is a search engine. However, it has found its way into daily conversations too. In fact, both Merriam Webster and Oxford Dictionaries now list this “word”. As a noun it of course refers to the well-known web-based search engine. And as a verb, it refers to the act of using the search engine to find out anything and everything about something on the Internet. So, now if you are ever told to “Just Google it!”, at least you won’t be left standing there like a lemon.
Facebook. Yup, you probably already know that Facebook is a social networking site, but the combination of words is more than that actually, if you consider how it has come to be used in everyday language. Much like Google, Facebook too is used to search for data, but unlike Google, it is mostly employed to find details about people. Information such as a person’s relationship status, school, and even address or phone number are just some of the gems you may discover if you “facebook” someone.
Tweet. This word of course denotes the chirping sounds birds make. However, it now also refers to both the act of posting and the postings itself on the micro-blogging site Twitter. So when you want to make something known by your Twitter followers, say, a joke or a rumor, you then “tweet” them a “tweet” from your mobile phone. And this word has evolved, thanks to avid Twitter users who just loves to use less and less keystrokes. Now there’s “retweet,” which is oftentimes abbreviated as “RT,” and simply means copying a tweet for purposes of sending to one’s own Twitter followers. There’s MRT as well, which stands for “modified retweet,” or in layman’s terms, simply means an editing to a tweet.
LOL. This is an Internet short-hand which means “laugh out loud.” Many abbreviations have sprung up and most of these are simply variations. There’s “ROFL” meaning “rolling on the floor laughing,” or LMAO which translates to “laughing my ass off.” Sometimes, these two short-hand terms are combined to become ROFLMAO and used to imply extreme amusement over someone or something.
GTG. This is sometimes typed as G2G, and is a short-hand for the statement “got to go.” GTG is often used when one party needs to leave an online chat session.
AFK. A short-hand meaning “away from keyboard.” It is often used during chat sessions or as a status message on one’s instant messenger. It serves to inform online contacts that one won’t be able to respond immediately since one isn’t currently in front of the PC.
BRB. This chat-speak means “be right back.” This is more commonly used as a status message on one’s instant messenger. Much like “AFK” it functions as a notification to online contacts that one is not in front of the computer but will be back in a short while.
POS. A little ditty meaning “parent over shoulder.” It is commonly used by teenagers to both inform and warn online contacts that mom or dad is looking over. A variation of this is MOS which stands for “mom over shoulder.” CD9, a short-hand for Code 9, PAW for “parents are watching,” and PIR for “parent in room” are also common variations denoting that parents are currently in close proximity.
NTS. An abbreviation meaning “note to self.” May be used as the subject of an email to one’s self to serve as a personal reminder of what needs to be done.
@. The “at” sign is primarily used by “tweeters”. It is typed in front of a Twitter username to signal that a particular tweet is meant for the person specified. Use of this sign is considered crucial as it helps eliminate confusion, and inevitably misunderstandings, over tweets that might be deemed vague.
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