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jgl
Love my little boys!!!
Member since 8/07 7060 total posts
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g
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Im more amazed that people have that much confidence in a place, other kids, other parents near their kid that they arent even watching them. Ive never been there and this is extreme but couldnt someone walk away with your kid? I dont think the staff knows what kid belongs ti what parent.
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Posted 3/22/11 8:58 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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itsbabytime
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 9644 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I don't know this place in particular but, these kind of situations really irk me. I remember I once went to Orly's treehous and my then 18 mo old was rammed down - literally shoved backwards for NO reason at all by a psychotic child that looked to be at least twice his age. As soon as it happened four other parents were around screaming about where this child's mother was since he has already similarly brutalalized their kids for no reason either. Turns out his mother was downstairs getting a manicure while the employees were supposed to watching him. Well, when she came to pick him up she was like "oh, honey, why are you crying? This is why i hate to leave you here alone." yeah, she hates so much that she just HAD to go get that manicure while she leashed her out of control agressive maniac on all the other kids. I really think some parents are so into themselves they do not care at all about their kids hurting others.
I stay away from these places now b/c if it were me and one of those kids was injuring my DS, DD or others I would not be able to keep my mouth shut.
As for the kids starving for attention, my heart breaks for them. There are so many kids like this at the park every day while the nanny's all sit on the bench and chat it up. They are dying to play with whatever real parents are around. They are always asking to play with us and always feigning problems so we run over to help. It is SO sad. I wonder if their parents have any idea how ignored they are all day long  But, when it is your own child - that is just ridiculous.
Message edited 3/22/2011 9:07:53 PM.
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| Posted 3/22/11 9:06 PM |
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Diana1215
Living on a prayer!!!
Member since 10/05 29450 total posts
Name:
Diana
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Posted by jgl
Im more amazed that people have that much confidence in a place, other kids, other parents near their kid that they arent even watching them. Ive never been there and this is extreme but couldnt someone walk away with your kid? I dont think the staff knows what kid belongs ti what parent.
The place is very small and the gate is where the moms table (and you have to pass them to get to the front door.) It is impossible for that to happen - but at bigger places - absolutely.
Thanks to everyone for your responses - I agree with so much of what everyone has written - I'm just bad at quoting more than one person 
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| Posted 3/22/11 10:13 PM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Posted by JenBenMen
I could see that the place is "designed" to give the moms a break. They can chat while their kids play.
I do think...and i would....at least every once in a while make sure things are status quo and that my kids werent hurting anyone else or hurt themselves
I understand the concept but who is watching the kids then?
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| Posted 3/23/11 12:58 AM |
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LoriH
There's no place like home
Member since 8/07 4110 total posts
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Lori
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Posted by haveaquestion
Isn't that what Le Play Cafe is meant for? They advertise it as a place to have coffee or use your laptop while your kid plays.
That is what they advertise and people seem to really take advantage of it. The way I see it if a parent is not watching their kid and something they do affects me, I am going to say something to the child. If it happens a second time I find the parent, the third I tell the management.
If the parent has an issue with it they should be watching their kid, so a stranger doesn't have to discipline their child.
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| Posted 3/23/11 7:41 AM |
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saraH
happy birthday sweet kate!
Member since 5/05 16555 total posts
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I know that God exsists, I held her in my arms...
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I think that's the beauty and the curse of that place. It's nice to sit and chat, but you still need to watch your kids. It's not a babysitting service, KWIM?
Amelia does good there, I think. But, like Kara said, I am always listening for her and definitely peek every few minutes.
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| Posted 3/23/11 7:46 AM |
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Posted by LoriH
Posted by haveaquestion
Isn't that what Le Play Cafe is meant for? They advertise it as a place to have coffee or use your laptop while your kid plays.
That is what they advertise and people seem to really take advantage of it. The way I see it if a parent is not watching their kid and something they do affects me, I am going to say something to the child. If it happens a second time I find the parent, the third I tell the management.
If the parent has an issue with it they should be watching their kid, so a stranger doesn't have to discipline their child.
I think everyone should check on their kids but the moms are not wrong or irresponsible because they are not in the play area with their kids.
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:02 AM |
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Sassyz75
Turning a new page
Member since 5/05 9731 total posts
Name:
Dina
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
that annoys me...
but I think LePlay Cafe sort of sells itself as the place where you can have coffee and someone else watches your kid- it says it on their home page....
so either they need to remind the parents that they have to be with their kids and cannot sit and have coffee OR they need to hire more people.
it is so hard to reprimand other people's kids.. sometimes at parties I do we get a few kids that dont' want to follow direction and we have to try and gently push them without being overbearing- and the parents are around often times and don't even help!
If I were you, I'd bring it up to the management. I've never been to Le Play Cafe but I checked out the website and it really is all about their staff monitoring your kids while you have coffee.
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:19 AM |
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Diana1215
Living on a prayer!!!
Member since 10/05 29450 total posts
Name:
Diana
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Posted by haveaquestion
Posted by LoriH
Posted by haveaquestion
Isn't that what Le Play Cafe is meant for? They advertise it as a place to have coffee or use your laptop while your kid plays.
That is what they advertise and people seem to really take advantage of it. The way I see it if a parent is not watching their kid and something they do affects me, I am going to say something to the child. If it happens a second time I find the parent, the third I tell the management.
If the parent has an issue with it they should be watching their kid, so a stranger doesn't have to discipline their child.
I think everyone should check on their kids but the moms are not wrong or irresponsible because they are not in the play area with their kids.
I don't think they need to be in the play area with their kids at all. Like I said, if I just had Jack who is 3.5 and I would be standing on the outside looking in (while still talking to my friend)
These women did not even glance at their children once in three hours. They did not get out of their seats to peer over the wall ever (actually only one time when my friend was loudly saying "Keep that boy away from my kids" )
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:26 AM |
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LoriH
There's no place like home
Member since 8/07 4110 total posts
Name:
Lori
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Posted by haveaquestion
Posted by LoriH
Posted by haveaquestion
Isn't that what Le Play Cafe is meant for? They advertise it as a place to have coffee or use your laptop while your kid plays.
That is what they advertise and people seem to really take advantage of it. The way I see it if a parent is not watching their kid and something they do affects me, I am going to say something to the child. If it happens a second time I find the parent, the third I tell the management.
If the parent has an issue with it they should be watching their kid, so a stranger doesn't have to discipline their child.
I think everyone should check on their kids but the moms are not wrong or irresponsible because they are not in the play area with their kids.
The point of the place is for the child over two to go in alone. However you are still responsible for checking in on your kid and listening for any issues. If your child does something that affects me, I am going to nicely redirect them. It happens again I am going to find you and nicely tell you what is happening. If it happens a third time, I am going to say something to management because you have been made aware of the problem and should now be paying attention.
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:48 AM |
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sleepie76
enjoying every minute
Member since 12/07 3881 total posts
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I only went once, but had the same experience.
a little blonde girl (probably 4-5) was blocking my daugther 18 months from every toy, not letting her in the castle. MY daughter gave her this sad look, couldnt understand why the girl wouldnt let her play.
I threw the mom a dirty look one time and she got up and came in and did a pathetic attempt at correcting her daughters behavior.
It turned me off to the place.
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:51 AM |
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I would have called the kid out on the spot - Its not nice to push, please say you are sorry. Then told the manager.
I have done it before. I got tired of some little unsupervised brat pushing my kid out of his way. If the parents don't like it, let them watch their kid.
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:53 AM |
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computergirl
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 3118 total posts
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I never went to Le Play Cafe, but I used to go to go to Orly's Treehouse frequently for a while before it closed-- they had a similar model of "we'll watch your kids while you relax elsewhere in the building". What a disaster that place was.
I used to go to the indoor playground with my kids, and frequently I was the only parent/caregiver there. The teenage employees that were supposed to be supervising were huddled in a corner gossiping, oblivious to what was going on in the playground. Some kids were clearly "regulars" there and seemed to be there no matter what day/time I went. A few of these were so beastly I would have dumped them there every day too if they were mine, lol! There were always 1 or 2 attention starved ones who were always coming up to me with something they needed, something to show me, etc.
For me, the biggest turnoff was when I witnessed a very young child (maybe 13-15 months, a new walker) climb up a few stairs of the treehouse, fall backwards and hit their head BADLY. Badly enough that as the parent, I would want to know what happened so I could monitor the kid for the rest of the day. I was on the other side of the playground when this happened, as was the rest of the staff-- who didn't even see it happen till they heard the screams. When the mom came back from the gym or salon, I hear the staff totally LYING about the incident, saying they tried to break the kid's fall but were just too far out of reach, that the fall was very minor, etc. I could not take it anymore at this point and told the mother the truth about the supervision there, and reported the incident to the mgmt too.
Needless to say, I am not a fan of open play places, lol!
ETA: I have NO PROBLEM intervening on my kid's behalf if they're getting pushed, etc by a totally unsupervised child. If mommy doesn't like that I spoke to her kid, then she should try doing her job herself.
Message edited 3/23/2011 9:16:54 AM.
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| Posted 3/23/11 9:15 AM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Posted by JenBenMen
I could see that the place is "designed" to give the moms a break. They can chat while their kids play.
I do think...and i would....at least every once in a while make sure things are status quo and that my kids werent hurting anyone else or hurt themselves
if that is the case though, the employee should be referree/reprimanding the kids.
SOMEONE has to be making sure that they dont' get out of control.
personally, it is not my style to let the children I bring to a play place run amok, whether it's my own kid or the other kids in my life. and I have before, and probably will again, tell any kid who is getting physical with another child to calm it down. to me, it's PREVENTING an issue. and if the parent or caregiver has a problem with that, then they need to step it up.
no matter what the "theme' of the place is.
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| Posted 3/23/11 9:42 AM |
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Reese1106
Family of 4! :o)
Member since 8/06 6655 total posts
Name:
Theresa
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Posted by JennZ
Hate that. I hate that at the park too. This wilderbeast mother let her animal children loose at the park last week. They were animals. She sat down and picked up a book, while they screamed, and ran all over the damn place.
LMAO!! We must have been at the same park last week because we witnessed the same thing.
To Diana, I would find the Manager and have them address the Mom's. It's an open play place, not a daycare where someone is watching their kids. That is why the MOM's are there! It drives me crazy when I see that as well.
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| Posted 3/23/11 11:55 AM |
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bicosi
life is a carousel
Member since 7/07 14956 total posts
Name:
M
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Anytime I've been to any open play places, it's been like that.. I cannot tell you how exhausted I AM when I get home from places like that.. I am usually the one watching 93874298347 kids and assisting them in one way or another while their parent is bsing and hanging out..
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| Posted 3/23/11 12:13 PM |
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DeniseMarie
<3
Member since 8/07 10682 total posts
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I feel exactly the same way you do.
I was at an open play at once upon a treetop not too long ago and my cousin and I were on top of ours kids, making sure they were behaving. Yet there were so many kids hitting, pushing, not waiting their turn, etc and I was wondering where the parents were. I was so annoyed.
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| Posted 3/23/11 12:55 PM |
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CookiePuss
Cake from Outer Space!
Member since 5/05 14021 total posts
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I didn't read the responses yet and I would probably get flamed for this but I would absolutely reprimand another child who is misbehaving in a way that is upsetting or potentially hurting my child if the parent wasn't not there. I have no problem saying, "You don't push other children, it's not acceptable" or something to that effect. I also have no problem redirecting children to their parents to ask for something like playing.
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| Posted 3/23/11 12:56 PM |
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bensmom
LIF Zygote
Member since 12/09 3 total posts
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I've been to Le play cafe on numerous occasions (though never on a tuesday) and have found the staff to be extremely responsive to the kids. They do play with them and guide them and soothe them when they are upset. I've also seen the owner and other staff correcting children when they are throwing or putting other kids in danger. That being said, it is the PARENT's responsibility to watch, and correct their kids, not the management.....
and as for the mommys, before we condem, maybe we should remind ourselves that you don't know what's going on for them. We all have bad parenting days. A kind word and a helping hand go alot farther then recriminations and the stink eye....
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:41 PM |
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Michelle1123
Baby #5 on the way!
Member since 9/05 7919 total posts
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
This is why I DESPISE places like this, as well as parks and playgrounds.
I cannot believe how many lazy and irrresponsibly mothers there are out there.
We caved the other day and took Billy and Charlie to the park. I HATE going to the park, but our play area in the backyard is a mess from the horrendous winter we had. This boy kept running behind Billy & Charlie on the swings and we had to keep catching them so he wouldnt get it. Meanwhile, his mom was only about 10 feet away, sitting at a picnic table with about 5 other moms (none of whom were watching their kids) chain smoking and not even looking at him.
I had enough of it and we were getting ready to leave when she started screaming bc he was hanging off the highest part of the playground.
I hope she's a poster on here so she knows how annoying it is that I had to watch her kid. Oh, and when he fell in the mud, I also wiped his hands clean for him as well. 
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:45 PM |
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mommyIam
Member since 7/09 9209 total posts
Name:
Shana
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I'm probably the most hands off mom on this forum. I usually stand a few feet away from DS (12m) when he is playing and let him figure out his own thing, and encourage him to get himself out of trouble.
but with that said
I don't care who's around, my eyes are glued to my child, and the minute I loose sight I panic. I don't think that's going to change for a long time. I honestly don't understand parents that aren't at least checking up on their kids from time to time. I've only been to play places in Brooklyn and I guess we are more weary of strangers here. Parents are so on top of their kids here, I never ran into anything like that. I think it would really shock me if I saw it.
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:48 PM |
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Janice
Sweet Jessie Quinn
Member since 5/05 27567 total posts
Name:
Janice
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
I live at open play places.
atleast 3 a week.
I am on top of my kids the whole time.
I have no problem at all telling a kid that if he wants to stand near me he better be nice.
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| Posted 3/23/11 8:48 PM |
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EllenZ
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Member since 3/11 10 total posts
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
That is absolutely the point of this place. To pay to put your child or children in a safe gated close by space so you can sit ALONE and have a cup of coffee or chat with your friends etc. There is a worker in there who is supposed to get you if your child is not behaving correctly or needs your help. This is how they advertise this type of play place. My thought is that if you are so annoyed at the Moms who are using the space as advertised then perhaps it's not the right play place for you and your children.
Having said that I can tell you EVERY place I go with my children where the parents are supposed to be supervising you can ALWAYS find at least one parent who is totally oblivious to anything that is going on with their own child/children. So of course this is going to happen more so in Le Play Cafe where parents are given "permission" by the management to do the same.
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| Posted 3/24/11 2:06 PM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
Posted by EllenZ
That is absolutely the point of this place. To pay to put your child or children in a safe gated close by space so you can sit ALONE and have a cup of coffee or chat with your friends etc. There is a worker in there who is supposed to get you if your child is not behaving correctly or needs your help. This is how they advertise this type of play place. My thought is that if you are so annoyed at the Moms who are using the space as advertised then perhaps it's not the right play place for you and your children.
Having said that I can tell you EVERY place I go with my children where the parents are supposed to be supervising you can ALWAYS find at least one parent who is totally oblivious to anything that is going on with their own child/children. So of course this is going to happen more so in Le Play Cafe where parents are given "permission" by the management to do the same.
Hi Ellen. welcome to the boards. 
so if she should not be annoyed at the moms, I would think there is a HUGE issue with the supervision going on at Le Play. if this type of behavior is not sighted and corrected by the employees, and it's in an environment where the moms are acutally EXPECTED to not have to deal, something is even more wrong than I thought. 
thank you for clarifying and shedding light. Clearly Le Play Cafe is dropping the ball here.
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| Posted 3/24/11 2:11 PM |
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EllenZ
LIF Zygote
Member since 3/11 10 total posts
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Re: What is your take on this - Open Play Related
My point exactly!
I actually am annoyed with that place that they charge $12 for a 6 month old to sit on a floor and drool LOL They need to rethink a few things in there.
Thanks for the welcome
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| Posted 3/24/11 2:17 PM |
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