GOOD LINKS!
I'm going to be adding links to some of my favorite pet-related sites to this page. These are the ones I've added so far...stay tuned!
If you check out a link and get pop-ups....I apologize. I don't like them, either, and don't put them on my site!
If you come across a broken link, please let me know!
Feel free to suggest any links you might like me to check out...
Enjoy!
Some of the links on this page include:
Interesting, Fun & Useful Items 
DOGGIE CATCHER
This is where I got my fantastic seat belt (car restraint) for my baby Fox Mulder Rich! The belt was highly recommended in one of my favorite dog publications and I bought one over the 'net. The owner of the company worked with me extensively to made sure the belt was suitable (as my car has some unusual specifications) and the belt has saved my dog twice from hitting the dash when I had to "break it" hard. Here's the link to their home page:
and be sure to check out their "Customer Pics" page - you'll see my pup right on top, smiling away!
July 2007 note: it has saved Fox three times already!
PET TENT 
Mom bought a pet tent for Danny (kitty) to see if he'd like it. It came all tucked into itself, I mean this thing is totally portable in a carrying puch and also included spokes to put it in the ground if you're actually outside camping (or you can put in in a yard environment, whatever). It opened right up and kept its tension to turn into a tent...we're talking a real tent.
The quality of this item actually floored us, and it was only 10 bucks.
And Danny? Holy moley! All we had to do was tell him it was for him and he went right in and took ownership. Fox just sat back and knew this was for Danny and Danny alone. This was for The Kitty Of The House (although it's for dogs as well...just not in Aunt Julie's houehold hee hee!).
Danny loves it and knows it came from "Gramma" and shows himself with it off to her every time she comes over. He spends almost all his time in there when she's in the room and creates a variety of games such as knocking it over, putting it upright by himself (pretty good for a cat!), dragging it with his teeth across the room, batting at things inside of it, standing up on his hind legs and whapping the top underside with Ali boxer motions, and best of all, she'll put her foot near the side and he'll attack it, even taking her sandal off of her foot through the side of the tent (without ripping it) and capturing her sandal as a "kill". This thing incites all kinds of fun and merriment and mischief out of him. I can only hope it'll do the same for your kitty. I'm unsure the role it would play for a dog; it may just seem like another "crate" to them (if you crate or have crated your dog; I didn't with Fox so don't have any basis for comparison). On the other hand, Fox doesn't necessarily find it of interest until Danny's in it and then he enjoy watching Danny "flip out" while inside the tent. Heck, sometimes Mommy or Gramma will intentionally toss one of Fox's treats right by the tent and Fox will suck it up, grit his teeth, and bravely try to retreat it before the Big Scary Kitty punches at him with his kitty fist right through the tent's side. (It's hysterical!!). They love it. Your household will be your own environment...hopefully it'll yield just as much fun for someone!
Mom bought it rather on a whim from Carol Wright Gifts. I don't think they still carry it at this time but it's worth a web search to see who does. Try something like pet tent or what they had called it which was "Pop-Up Tent For Cats & Dogs". Here's an alternative and colorful one that I do not have but it looks good! It's from the Miles Kimball catalog. Another cute, more snob-bay type can be found here: http://www.pettents.com. Also try typing in pet tent pop-up in a search engine and you'll find some more unusual ones!
Finally! I found one suitable for my kitty that's also affordable. It feels sturdy to him and even has little brakes! These guys ( ABC Distributing) always have good prices on their stuff, anyway. Check this out / compare prices for similar items (which may be sturdier or something, I don't honestly know, but I'm happy with this one. Danny loves his little rides in it!).
I call it the Low Cost Pet Stroller because it was such a great price!
KITTY HARNESS and
KITTY WALKING JACKET
All the kitty harnesses (in the step-in style I like for my cat) were too small or if large enough, the width of the harness material itself were too wide (5/8") making it clunky for Danny, and when I found the "right" one, it didn't have the security feature of the two rings at the top. I finally found one which fits and has the top two-ring system for added security! PetSmart has it, in their physical stores and also online. Use this link to go there PetSmart and then type Comfort Wrap Step In Harness in their site's search engine. Here is the direct link, at least to the one for dogs. Contact them about one for your cat (measure your cat, etc.).
[The two-ring security refers to when you snap the two sides together on top, at his shoulder blade area, each harness side also has a single ring. You put the leash through each of those two rings and it "holds the harness together" (even if the sides unsnap.)]
The other great product I found was a kitty Walking Jacket. It wraps around Danny (his current weight 14 lbs) and is wide enough to cover enough girth to hold and guide him securely, but thin enough to not restrict him. This one you've got to try to believe ~ it's that good. I bought it off of eBay and when I asked the seller how folks could buy one outright because I wanted to promote it on my site, she asked that I put her email address here (she does animal rescue and this is an additional activity for her so there's no formal site specifically for the sales of this product). Her name is Missy Zane and her email address is missyz@earthlink.net.
FUN FOR KITTIES!
Danny very much enjoys Video Catnip, a video (DVD, in our case) of cat-oriented footage (such as birds) with the occasional bird noises. It's set up to "loop" (keeps going over and over without you having to re-start it). I keep it going 24/7 on the spare bedroom's tv. He wanders in there every so often, checks on his "birdies", writhes around, paws at the screen, watches them, then leaves, only to return later on to "supervise" his prey. Every once in a blue moon he'll come in to see me to tell me something about his "birdies" and then just walk away. UnREAL. You can buy this at VideoCatnip.com. Go there and click on the link for that product. There are a few related pages you can click on to read about it (such as Why cats go bonkers over Video Catnip).
There are other similar types of videos and DVDs on the net, I'm just mentioning that one.
Also ~
PANIC MOUSE - GREAT CAT TOY!
A good friend sent me a present for Daniel. UNREAL. It's the 360 version of the Panic Mouse cat toy (360 as in - it rotates all the way around). Here's one link about it. On the 'net there are tons of links for places to buy it. I only included this one as it has their video and so on. P.S. Danny went nuts. It's the ultimate babysitter. He also loves to drag the whole toy around the house, and/or remove the "mouse" and play with it separately. Once it's put back on to the toy, the chasing fun starts all over again. Hours of fun! Do a net search for it and its additional pole-with-balls.
SWEETHEART COLLARS for KITTIES or DOGS) 
Once in awhile an owner wants to get a special collar for their pet (or the kitty wants a particular one for adornment, a reward, their birthday, whatever). Often this is one with HEARTS on it. I came across one that just, well, caught my eye and looks so much like ones folks have mentioned wanting that I figured I should pass it along. It's Barker & Meowsky's Sweetheart collar, and here's the direct link.
SKAMPER RAMP - Helps prevent DROWNINGS! 
Yes! Isn't this a cool idea?
Many of my clients' dogs decide they want to do something like this: be a Canine Good Citizen, do agility, help sick kids, "show", whatever. I mention this as a contrast to those who do this already whether or not they want to, like it, are interested in it (or, any more), and so on - but that's a separate matter!
Anywho, I found this online from J-B Wholesale. It's probably available elsewhere. It's a great idea! and your dog'll probably love the idea of "home training", Mommy-time (Daddy-time), "homework", etc.
HYPER DOGGIE DRIVER ~ GOLF WITH YOUR DOG! (picture just below)
SitStay.com's got a great product, the Hyper Doggie Driver! Here's their description:
"Fore! Play fetch with the dog and practice your golf game at the same time. This 36" club swings like a typical golf club. Loading the ball is clean and easy; push the opening of the club against the ball. Take your grip, find your perfect stance, flex your knees, don't hit the dog, pivot and with a full and even follow through drive that 2.5 inch tennis ball for distances up to 100 yards! One tennis ball included. Order replacement balls and practice, practice, practice. Fun for the whole family. Adult supervision suggested."
SAFETY, SECURITY, INSURANCE
PET INSURANCE - for that safe & secure "just in case" feeling
This has come up countless times with clients where they're suddenly faced with a medical or health situation with a pet and the costs are coming in fast and furious. They then regret having put off buying pet insurance so do yourself a favor and check them out now before they're "needed".
NOTE They donated $25,000 to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Disaster Relief Fund right after Hurricane Katrina hit!
The Auto Club (Triple A) announced that they now offer Pet Insurance for their members; I don't know anything about it but figured I'd mention it.
 I just got an announcement from the ASPCA that they, too, now offer pet insurance. Here's their announcement:
As a responsible pet parent, you may have already felt the pain of rising veterinary costs—but that doesn’t have to stop you from getting veterinary care for your pets when they need it. Pet health insurance can help cover these costs, so you won’t have to face the tough choice of your pet’s well-being or your personal finances.
The ASPCA is proud to bring ASPCA Pet Health Insurance to our 1,000,000 members and pet parents all across North America. While the plans are structured to pass along savings to pet parents, a small portion of all premiums goes directly to support our critical work *—so while you take care of the four-legged members of your family, you’ll be helping us to take care of animals everywhere. For a free quote and more information on our plan options, please visit ASPCA online or call (866) 861-9092.
* Under the terms of an agreement with the Hartville Group, the ASPCA is guaranteed at least $1.6 million over the next 5 years. As part of this agreement, Hartville is contributing 10 percent of the first year’s premium for every Internet enrollment and 5 percent of the first year’s premium for every call center enrollment, as well as 2.5 percent of renewals.
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 There is also Pet First Healthcare's insurance.  I don't know anything about them but came across their site from a link in an e-newsletter I get from PetTags. You can check them out as well.
 Here's another one who contacted me about their services ~ here's what they have to say:
 Straight 80% Reimbursement after Deductible
 Choose Any Veterinarian or Specialist
 Fast Claims Payments
 Lifetime Continuous Coverage
 Better Benefits, Fewer Hassles
(Link takes you to some info on this page; return here when done if you'd like.)
MICROCHIPS
There is more than one type of microchip. At this point in time, the scanner for one will not read the information programmed into the other brand's chip, but the scanner WILL at least pick up that there is a chip in the animal and what type (according to what my vet told me).
My pets happen to be chipped with an Avid brand. My vet happens to use Home Again. That's fine, I just know that that's the way it is. IF my vet scanned an animal and discovered it had an Avid chip he would at least know the animal had a chip and could have it scanned elsewhere for the iD info.
Tip: When I take one of my pets in for their annual check-up, I have my vet scan them just to make sure their chip works and hasn't "traveled". He says that it's only the older brands of chips that "travel", but I have them checked anyway.
Different vets insert them in different places. Insertion is quick and easy and is said to cause no more discomfort than getting a shot. Chips can be inserted in the loose skin in an animal's neck or on the outer edge of the ear. The most common place I've pesonally heard of is in the loose neck skin area.
The chips contain a serial number which is registered in a database. The number links the animal to an owner's contact information, as well as several alternative contact numbers (vet, relative, etc.)
Companies that provide the service: The Humane Society (228-863-3354) and several national companies provide the service: American Veterinary ID Devices (AVID), www.avid.com, (800) 336-AVID; IDENTICHIP, www.identichip.com (800) 926-1313; Home Again, info@akc.org, (800) 926-1313; Companion Animal Recovery, www.akccar.org, (800) 252-7894; PetNet, (800) 738-6385.
Tip: Don't forget to get and keep your information up to date! When I got Danny from the Humane Society, they mentioned he was "already microchipped" (Avid) and "the information about that's in this folder" (the same folder with all the medical notes, the Welcome Packet of flyers and brochures, etc.). Caught up in the new kitten-ness of it all, I didn't think about the microchip until later. It occurred to me to wonder if they had my info! I thought little about that; it just gave me a feeling of security to know it had already been done. The papers were in with a bunch of other paperwork such as, coupons, flyers, adoption papers, etc., and having a new kitty, I was caught up in his adjustment, his vet visits and this and that, and didn't really look at the papers too closely right away. One day I did, and thought Hmm.....and called the Humane Society. They would microchip an animal and the information reflected just that - them. Nothing wrong with that, but once the animal was adopted out and was going to be kept by the new humans, these new owners needed to let the microchip register company know who they are! Now, this may be "duh" material to you or even to me, now, but at the time it just didn't occur to me. The Humane Society does not do register them! So if Danny had been scanned, "the Humane Society" would have been the "contact". I'm not too sure even with their record keeping that I would have ever seen him again.
I called Avid up to register him and further found out that I needed to pay the Registration fee to register my own information. That was fine! but I didn't know. I did so over the phone using my charge card and got all of the information registered.
Then I felt more secure.
Here are a couple of links I found when researching microchips for pets.
PUBLICATIONS
REFERENCE SITES:
A very informed, reputable and up-to-date resources.
Bugs 'R' Done
See this article in the NY Post Sunday, Nov 6, 2005 Spray Safely ~ Effective nontoxic insecticide is pet-safe by Julia Szabo. She raves about it and discusses how it works. NOTE this is not for getting rid of fleas with your pets, this is a pesticide you can use as you would any other (Raid, Black Flag) which is not toxic to your pets.
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LOOKING TO GET A CAT OR DOG?
Pet Finder! This renowned site will help you find a Cat or Dog right in your area. The petfinder.com site has also got a lot of other resources, posting areas, and so on.
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Misc
Pet ID Tags 
There are a lot of these types of companies out there; this is the one I've used for years. I love the Patriotic tag I got for Fox and when the color finally fades, I get another. I keep 2 or 3 on hand to swap out so he's never without his special "look"!. The flag tag is a large bone with a full color American flag on one side and the pet information on the other side. I also appreciate the high quality personalized collar for Danny my cat). These guys have great quality and fair prices. Go to www.PetTags.com.
Misc Pet amenities, travel accommodations, info exchange board, etc.: http://www.petswelcome.com (Note to travelers, the Auto Club also now offers a book of pet-friendly accommodations.)
Interesting Animal e-cards:
I discovered a wonderful seamstress who's made Fox some great neckwear for the Holidays! Jo owns Pet Parade and she is a seamstress extrodinaire. My dog Fox is an equal opportunity model and is shown on the left frame with his sparkly Star of David bandana. He's also got some Christmas neckwear (just not photographed yet) and other handome adornments. He's a bit picky about what goes on his body but I found that he likes Jo's work, wears it with pride and in fact loves to model the pieces for "Gwamma" (my mom).
You want
LINKS AND MORE LINKS!
A site which speaks for itself...and which is also a weath of resources including your state's Cruelty Laws (a new downloadable feature).
Poison
Pet Care, Travel, etc.
As of this writing, they've got a coupon area where you enter your name, address etc and you get "over $30 worth of coupons from leading petcare companies."
For information on pets, pet-friendly rental housing, animal shelters in your area and related topics, go to www.hsus.org/petsforhealth and look at the various links (such as at the bottom, under the article).
Hot Weather Fan for Pet Travel, Crate, Cage, Home ~ Battery operated!
Since I live in Florida and lost my power a couple of times last year, I decided to get smart this year and find a battery operated fan to cool Fox off with, as he can't abide muggy heat and gets ill. I found the "Metro Air force Cage/Crate Cooling Fan" from ActiveK9.com but right now those links don't work. I've seen this fan elsewhere but don't recall now where. It isn't a real hurricane blower but it helps! I don't crate my dog so also got another type for when our power's out that I can stand up on the bed and point right at Fox (supervised), but you may crate your pet(s) and/or need to in an emergency! The point is, it's a good thing to have so research it or one like it.There are free-standing battery-operated fans at places like Walgreens or on the net, but don't forget your pet's going to most likely stick a curious paw or their snout even by accident, or their tail by design, right into the whirling blades. Find one that's geared for pet use.
Health, Behavior and Breed Selection related: 
This is the link to read up on Penta Water: http://www.hydrateforlife.com/faq.shtml. It's a very pure, deeply hydrating water and I've personally found it to be head-and-shoulders above the others when it comes to hot weather, frequent panting, and the like.
PEEING ISSUES
I've got a separate section on this on another page. There are a write-up, some tips, and some related links.
Stress Relief for Pets 
Aunt Julie is VERY anti-mental drugs for animals and always has been and always will be.
You can read more about this here IF you'd like.
"Mellow Out" Pet Relief Supplement: "Seasonal storms packing frightening thunder are a serious problem for pets. Soothe your anxious pet with 'Mellow Out' Pet Relaxant, a safe, natural formula that helps reduce nervous tension and promote relaxation for pets — without side effects. Pet Relaxant is formulated to help calm excessive behavior without reducing alertness, using the gentle properties of herbs to deliver desired results. It helps alleviate stress associated with trips to the vet or groomer, traveling or being separated from owner." There are two versions, the regular and the one which also contains Essential Greens.
(Oxyfresh has other pet products as well. Here's the link to their page covering what they've got for pets.)
If you're not signed up with Oxyfresh as a Distributor, you can still buy as a Retail Customer right from the site but you'll have to buy using someone's Distributor number. Just use mine, which is 180609859 / Julie Rich. It's no great money thing, it's just so that you can purchase it!
Rescue Remedy
I've never had the need to try it on my dog but I'm passing it along because many swear by it (and it's not a drug). Here's one link to buy it (there are others, just type in Rescue Remedy in any search engine): http://www.bachflower.com/rescue_remedy.htm
Happy Traveler - For Dogs, Cats and Other Pets. Available from mothernature.com, here is the direct link. From Ark Naturals. Per the site, " What are the benefits and uses of Happy Traveler? Eases separation, travel anxiety, motion sickness and tension caused by changes in your pet's daily routine. Happy Traveler was designed by a nutrition and herbal scientist using premium, human-grade natural materials. Non habit-forming; no harmful side effects when used as directed."
Alternative Health Care for Pets 
A lot of folks are seeking alternative health and medical care and treatment for their pets. I don't know who to recommend, but the March 2006 issue of Dog Fancy did include list of organizations to contact when seeking this type of thing for your dog (perhaps they can assist with cat owners?).
If you know of any you'd like to pass along, let me know and I'll add them the above table. If any of the links or email links don't work or the phone numbers are wrong, let me know so I can update my site.
Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy
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AltVetMed Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine
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The American Academy of Veterinary Acupunture
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American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
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American Veterinary Chiropractic Association
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International Alliance for Animal Therapy and Healing
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International Veterinary Acupuncture Society
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Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association
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I saw someone's business card at a local health food store. She's a " Wholistic Vet" (holistic techniques such as homeopathy, acupuncture and herbal therapy, her card said). I went to her site to see what kind of resource she might be. I can't vouch for her one way or the other, but from browsing her site, I saw that she has a good Useful Links page which is a page of links to relevant sites (learning about and being able to order homeopathic products, related books about humans and about pets, etc.) Worth checking out.
They've got some great information links ("Disease Information" links which include not only the usual suspects such as Hip Dysplasia but also Thyroid, etc.
The Pet Center: A wealth of health info! "The Internet Animal Hospital is open 24 hours a day!" They've got links such as Waiting Room Exam Room, Surgery Room, Radiology...it's incredible. e http://www.thepetcenter.com
HUMANE SOCIETY POSTAGE STAMPS  "20% of the net sale for all Humane Society Postage Stamps goes to support the programs of The Humane Society of the United States." Please see this link on their site.
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FREE Gift Kits for Shelter Or Adoption Organizations!
Check the link out and once you see what it is and how it works, see if applies to you or anyone you know and spread the word!
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PayPal (themself) Links
Sign up with PayPal 
Sign up with PayPal as a Merchant here:
Personalized and Unique Pet Items 
D'YOU MISS BILLY CRYSTAL AT THE OSCARS? 
Didja see the 2006 Academy Awards?
Go to Armchair Expert's product page and see this item:
(there are other items as well at Armchair Expert's Shop... and the main page shows the logo at the top of the page at a much larger size)
Bringback Billy - the ultimate play on words! Your pet can help spread the word - now! UPDATE 2007, ok, we know Billy hasn't made it back yet for the Oscars. Maybe he will! In any case, you can still own a piece of history!
GREAT SITE FOR DOG LOVERS! Dog stuff abounding!!
Go to Doggone Good. They've got the widest variety of dog lovers's doo-dads you can imagine. You'll LOVE it! Click on pretty much any of their links on the left side and browse away!
DOG COSTUME I PARTICULARLY LIKED 
There are a lot of cute and creative pet costumes out there but for some reason I totally loved this one so just had to list it! I hate what it's called (Pimp Dog costume) but I love the way it looks! Just check it out....
JB Wholesale Catalog Unique Products including for Holidays!
Christmas pet costumes and products are easy to come by but not always so for other Holidays and occasions (Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Patriotic, etc.). I saw some great products in JB's snail mail catalog so went to their site to find the link so I could put it on my site. The Holiday page link doesn't exist (unto itself) all year around but is worth checking back for as the time grows nearer. Other catalogs and internet searchs will give you links to Holiday products as well, but I just wanted to mention these as I stumbled across them and liked them.
PET FRIENDLY ICE MELTER 
They've now got a pet-friendly granulated Ice Melter for all you cold weather regions! Here is one link for it (there are others).
PERSONALIZED PET ITEMS
Personal Creations:
Browse these search boxes for items of interest:
Offers handmade flyball, training, everyday wear dog collars, leads, and many other fine products.
This one's got some cool outdoor gear for your dog:
And these folks have some unique and hard-to-find products for all types of animals. Fun to browse!
Some Christmas items for your dog
The Miles Kimball catalog has some cute Christmas items for your pets. These items by the way aren't under "Pets" on their catalog but rather under "Christmas - Pets". Worth a peek. NOTE this is just one of many catalogs like this, most I know have something cute for your pet right about now! Here's the direct link to their page.
UNIQUE HANUKAH ITEM FOR CATS AND DOGS!
Irresistable!!!
Cat and Dog Yarmulke
Catalogs 
Here's a list of catalogs I usually have laying around. Many are online as well, and someI've already listed above for this or that specific product. The hard copies are good to browse through, especially when you don't need an item - yet. Then you know where to get that particular item once you need it, or it's lost, or when your friend asks about where to find it, etc.
 All Natural Dog Products
800-52-3212 410-771-8430
(not online as far as I can tell)
 Care-A-Lot Pet Supply
800-343-7680
 Dog.com Dog Supplies (Also ferret, horse)
800-367-3647
 Jeffers Pet
800-JEFFERS (533-3377)
 Great Companions (Bird supplies catalog)
800-829-2138
 Orvis Sporting Traditions
800-541-3541
 KV Vet Supply (Pet, Equine, Livestock)
800-423-8211
 Active K9.com
800-657-1014
 PetEdge
800-PET-EDGE (738-3343)
 PETsMART Catalog
800-872-3773
 Direct Pet Superstore (Pet, Equine, Livestock)
800-360-4838
 Doctors Foster & Smith
800-826-7206
 J-B Wholesale Pet Supplies
800-526-0388
 Revival Animal Health
800-786-4751
Misc Links to Browse 
This one changes periodically:
Link Exchanging Note 
On rare occasions, I'll "link exchange". I don't do it just for its own sake. That is, I appreciate that you want to put a link to my site on your site but I don't want to have a link to your real estate site on my Pet Communicator site. I love ya, I think you're great, I'd call you for help buying or selling real estate - but a link to your real estate site doesn't belong on my Pet Communicator site! FEEL FREE to ask, to refer me to sites (your own or others), whatever. Please don't be insulted if I choose to not list your site on mine, though. I'll look it over and email you back about it, adding it or not. I appreciate your adding mine to your site anyway - if this is what YOU wish to do; I have puh-LENTY of sites on mine which do not "reciprocate". They're there because I wish to disseminate them and what they do, not "because" I might "get something" in return (including linking). But linking is always very much appreciated! Your call. If you so wish, see this page for images and so on.
UNITED WE STAND.
All site contents Copyright (c) 2002, 2008 Julie Rich.
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