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This topic contains 920 replies, has 44 voices, and was last updated by  Anonymous 10 years, 7 months ago.

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  • #13353
    Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip

    Okay. So I’m going on Friday. Sorry not to meet up with all you guys, but maybe we can arrange something for Saturday evening?

     

    #13357
    ScaryB @scaryb

    Bluesqueakpip weeping angels?

     

    #13358
    Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip

    @scaryb – Yup. Weeping Angels

     

    #13359
    ScaryB @scaryb

    Yay! FINALLY. Fri ticket (Weeping Angels)

    PS if any mods (@craig…?) want to delete this tale of woe (and ultimate success 🙂 ) please feel free – not really Dr Who News, but it’s been a vital lifeline which has kept me going thro the darkness! Thanks @bluesqueakpip for encouragement! (And absolutely no problem re bank balance – I was getting (embarrassingly!) desperate!)

    #13360
    Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip

    @scaryb – phew!

    That was a bit epic. Last time I had that much difficulty getting tickets, it was to see David Tennant and Patrick Stewart in Hamlet.

    Though ironically, the extreme difficulty in getting them meant I had to go for my less preferred date there, as well – which turned out to be one of the performances before David Tennant’s back went and they had to cart him off on a stretcher. So in the end, not getting the date I wanted turned out to be the better deal.

    🙂

    #13362
    ScaryB @scaryb

    @bluesqueakpip Saturday’ll be mental anyway – might get room to breathe on Fri! And at least the hotel’s much cheaper when it doesn’t include a Sat night (Scottish soul reasserting itself!) (Thanks to the recently elusive @juniperfish for backup tech support also (I still don’t know why I couldn’t get the site to work properly))

    #13363
    Juniperfish @juniperfish

    Wow – glad to hear you both got through eventually!

    I think the website must just have been on the fritz due to the volume of hits @scaryb

    Sorry to hear you guys will be going on a different day, but happy for you both 🙂

    Tom Baker will be there on Saturday, apparently. Unlike @phaseshift I didn’t ever meet him as a child and if he’s wearing the hat and scarf I fear I might cry a little.

     

    #13365
    Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip

    @juniperfish – fortunately, ‘my’ Doctor is Sylvester McCoy, who’s doing all three days.

    But, erm, wow. Clearly they didn’t expect that many adults without children, but it’s equally clear that they did expect a pretty massive audience if they booked the Excel. But I wonder if they expected it to be quite that manic once sales opened?

    #13368
    Anonymous @

    @scaryb @bluesqueakpip @juniperfish

    Yay to all of you!  I was refreshing my screen like mad for 45 minutes at mid-day in the hopes that I could bag one or more tickets to give to you.  About 20 times, I got a ticket (one time, it was 3 tickets) for Saturday, clicked the Continue button, got the Tshirt page and clicked Continue again – only for it to tell me my cart was now empty because I’d taken too long to pay.   Grrrrr!!!

    I’ve just booked my hotel, arriving Friday and leaving Monday morning.  Because I’ll have The Airedales in tow, I won’t be going to the event, but I’m available all 3 nights for get-togethers.  (Dog-friendly pub please – or at least one with a back garden!)

    And congrats again on being successful!

    #13375
    ScaryB @scaryb

    @juniperfish @bluesqueakpip @Shazzbot (and bless you for trying)

    That was one of the most frustrating ticket-buying experiences I’ve ever had! I suspect they might’ve had an inkling how busy it might be given the dedicated twitter account had over 10k followers, for 1500 (?)/day capacity event. The ticket link is now working for me, haha.  Still some Friday tickets left if anyone’s still looking.

    Right – back to proper news – Anyone in Bradford? The National Media Museum there is looking for Who memorabilia…

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23226255

     

     

     

    #13376
    Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip

    @scaryb – the on-site auditorium there can take 4000 people at a time, so I suspect that we’re looking at 8,000 tickets per day. It could be more: after all, the people coming in are an entire TV production team. They managed to convert one of the halls into a 10,000 seater sports arena for the Olympics.

    I ended up doing Greenwich when I was being a Games Maker, but ExCel was one of my possible sites when I was training  – they’d certainly have no problem handling 10,000 people per day, they’ve done bigger crowds.

     

    #13377
    ScaryB @scaryb

    @bluesqueakpip Ooops – I’m from the provinces remember! So you’re saying opera glasses are probably advisable for the panel sessions? 😉

     

    #13378
    ScaryB @scaryb

    Reminder everyone re the TV Choice Awards – public voting. (I posted this further up, but it’s about 3 pages back now)

    http://www.tvchoicemagazine.co.uk/awards/2013

    #13379
    Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip

    @scaryb – more likely they’ll be relaying the panellists onto a big screen – or they might put big plasma screens around the auditorium.

    A 22 foot high Colin Baker. I may never recover. 😈

    #13381
    Craig @craig
    Emperor

    @scaryb @juniperfish @bluesqueakpip @Shazzbot

    I had to run off to work this morning so missed all your troubles. Sorry, if I’d known it was going to be that difficult for you I would have tried to get more tickets for you all. I’ll know next time. 🙁

    #13382
    Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip

     if I’d known it was going to be that difficult for you 

    @craig – to be fair, I don’t think any of us expected it to be that difficult. 😉

    #13383
    ScaryB @scaryb

    @bluesqueakpip Can prob’ly cope with a 22 foot Colin… so long as there isn’t an equivalent sized Mel beside him 🙂 And we get Sylvester 😀

    @craig Hey, no worries at all. I don’t hold it against you in the least that you got through on MY link and MY password 😉 (Enjoy milling about with all the ARSE fans, the kiddies and Ian Levines, hehe (of which we shall of course be completely free on the relatively calm Friday)). And if anyone deserves to benefit from being part of this forum, it’s definitely you!

    #13384
    Juniperfish @juniperfish

    @craig it was epic 🙂 Are you going on the Sat? Me too.

    @scaryb @bluesqueakpip @Shazzbot and @craig – perhaps we could all get together Friday evening for a wee dram.

    Who is going dressed as what? 🙂

    @jimthefish Sorry you and Mrs Fish missed out 🙁

    British summertime is actually in evidence – whatever next!?

     

     

    #13385
    Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip

    @juniperfish

    Who is going dressed as what?

    No cosplay for me. It feels way too much like work. 🙂

    I was also thinking that if @scaryb and I are coming back from the Friday session, and everyone else is travelling to London on the Friday evening, a Friday night meet up might be possible.

    #13387
    Anonymous @

    @bluesqueakpip @scaryb – yes, please, let’s sort something for Friday night.  Especially since The Prudent Scot ScaryB will be going home the next day.  ( ! )

    #13388
    Anonymous @

    @juniperfish

    Worry not. As I said before, I wasn’t 100% sold on going so it’s no biggie.

    Good to see you back with us, btw….

    #13391
    ScaryB @scaryb

    @juniperfish @bluesqueakpip @Shazzbot and @craig

    perhaps we could all get together Friday evening for a wee dram

    Excellent idea.

    (@Shazz – Prudent Scot, huh? After this I’ll be skint Scot, LOL)

    What to wear, hmm? Don’t usually do cosplay, but then again don’t usually go to conventions, so… <reaches for thinking fez while dismissing silver jumpsuit idea!>

    #13394
    chickenelly @chickenelly

    Here’s a call out for people who collected memorabilia: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23226255

    Time to dust off those home made Tardises and scarves…

     

     

    #13400
    wolfweed @wolfweed

    Fresh picture from Paris Comic-Con…
    paris con

    #13430
    wolfweed @wolfweed

    Here’s another…..
    x

    #13433
    wolfweed @wolfweed

    Waris Hussein (Sacha Dhawan) & Verity Lambert (Jessica Raine)…
    z
    Sydney Newman (Brian Cox)
    z

    #13548
    PhaseShift @phaseshift
    Time Lord

    A couple of things, one which has been mentioned, and another which may interest @htpbdet.

    Both deal with fandom and the 50th.

    As mentioned the Bradford Media Museum is hosting an event, but for anyone who missed the link, they are looking for items with links to the show (pictures, correspondence, home made stuff) with stories behind them. It’s about why people are fans as much as the show, which is nice. I have a couple of items I might contact them about, as I went to University there and know the museum well (although it was the Museum of Film, Photography and Television back then).

    Article (non – BBC) http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2013/07/national-media-museum-080713120008.html

    This may interest @htpbdet – A request for input for a collection of essays called “The Doctor and I”.

    We’re inviting you to submit your own essays (but they’re not really essays – essays are NOT cool!) which detail your personal introduction to the Doctor Who fandom. How did it all begin for you? What initially got you so hooked? How has your life been affected since? We are particularly looking for stories that are special, moving and, most importantly, unique to you.

    In a nutshell, we want to know what being a Doctor Who fan means to YOU – whether you’ve been following the Doctor since Day 1 or accidentally stumbled upon his recent adventures at 4 in the morning on Netflix, we want to hear from you, in essay/report/diary/story style.

    And here comes the really cool bit – the stories will be collated into a special commemorative book which will go on sale later this year. The book will serve as a celebration of the fandom that’s been 50 years in the making with – we hope – stories from fans worldwide young and old, as we come together to mark the Doctor’s 50th birthday. We also hope to include contributions from those who have worked on the series who will reflect on their own experiences with the Doctor, both on and off screen.

    Link to project homepage.http://whoviannet.co.uk/anniversary/thedoctorandi/

    #13554
    HTPBDET @htpbdet

    @phaseshift

    Thanks – I have actually contacted the BMM about a few things they may want. Still waiting to hear back.

    Do you know and recommend whoviannet.com? I have never heard of them?

    I don’t know – I feel awkward enough about writing about those things here where it feels safe. What did you think might be of interest to them?

    Curious, too, that they indicate that contributors will be able to buy the book containing their own contribution…

    Honestly, I think if anything I wrote was of interest for publication somewhere, I would rather it be to the benefit of this site rather than anything else.

    It is quite surprising, to me anyway, that the BBC has not done a documentary or series about the effect of the programme on people’s lives. But then, their reaction to the 50th year has been so remarkably dumb as to be breath-taking.

    #13557
    Anonymous @

    @htpbdet @phaseshift

    Actually, that’s rather my first thought – why should people contribute their intimate experiences with the programme, only to have to buy the book off Whoviannet to see their personal thoughts published?

    the BBC has not done a documentary or series about the effect of the programme on people’s lives

    Ohh, HTPBDET, the BBC has done zilch in promoting the show this year as we all know  🙁 .  Your idea of a documentary is wonderful, but that would have required pre-planning going back a couple of years:  the same kind of information-gathering that Bradford is now doing; contact with contributers they’d like to feature; organisation of talking-head video presentations; etc.  It’s not like the idea of 50 years of the programme snuck up on them in their sleep in January 2013 and they all startled awake thinking ‘oh gosh, we haven’t planned anything for this year!’

    It feels deliberate, this complete silence of celebrations, and it makes me think again of the conversations on @jimthefish‘s Media Mongers blog series.  It does appear that for some reason, the BBC is deliberately down-playing – one might say, trying to quash – any kind of celebration for their flagship programme.  It’s all so contradictory and confusing that I don’t know what to think.

    #13559
    HTPBDET @htpbdet

    @Shazzbot

    One thing is timeless:  the people at the top of creative ladders at the BBC hate programmes which they did not commission.

    I don’t think SM has that many supporters in the new administrative regime at the BBC – Danny Cohen wants to make the BBC central output his own.

    The only thing which causes drama to be recommissioned at the BBC is ratings. SM got the gig after RTD because the ratings were solid and the then Controller believed in SM.

    Much has changed since then.

    The BBC has officially confirmed Series 8 of AG Doctor Who. I imagine no actor would take the role without a contract for a few years – for it to be cancelled after his/her first year would be undesirable…unless, say, you were an actor in your twilight years, happy to do a year and then walk away…

    #13560
    Anonymous @

    @htpbdet – are you intimating, John Hurt?  (as loathe as I am to call him – or indeed anyone other than Nelson Mandela – in his ‘twilight years’).

    #13561
    PhaseShift @phaseshift
    Time Lord

    @htpbdet

    Ah. Ignore that link. I thought it would be a similar arrangement to a couple of other publications they’ve requested contributions for – free finished product and a small fee for selected entries. Looking more closely, this one is clearly more of a vanity publishing effort, cheeky buggers, with them reaping the reward. Many apologies.

    Good to hear you’re interested in the BMM event though. It concerns me that it’s highlighted for closure. I know it’s an important venue in a City which has always been neglected in comparison with neighbouring Leeds, and some of the events I’ve seen it organise have been well put together.

    #13562
    Anonymous @

    @htpbdet

    It is quite surprising, to me anyway, that the BBC has not done a documentary or series about the effect of the programme on people’s lives

    Agreed. I think such a docu is crying out to be made. But that would mean moving from the default position of sneering at fans as bedroom obsessives with long scarves and issues with social skills rather than actual people. But you’re right about the anniversary year, which so far seems to have been solely considered as jumbo-sized marketing opportunity to ‘sell more crap’.

    If EastEnders ever made it to 50 years, I guarantee it will be a different story. It’ll be on every day of the anniversary year. People will be asked to vote for their favourite ‘doof-doofs’ which will then be shown. There would be documentaries, reruns, special extended editions the lot.

    I don’t think SM has that many supporters in the new administrative regime at the BBC – Danny Cohen wants to make the BBC central output his own.

    Agreed again. And also a scary thought. So far, I haven’t seen a single creative decision from Cohen that I didn’t consider to be idiotic in the extreme (no, I’m not letting go of my Pulling rage anytime soon). And the rumours are that Moffat is, er, shall we say somewhat difficult to work with, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s made a few enemies along the way. But he’s also the man behind Sherlock so they won’t want to piss him off too much. Who’s future is perhaps safer while he’s involved than with anyone else as a showrunner. (What with the current short life expectancy of exec prods, the infighting during the JNT years and so on, there’s a book to be written, if one were salaciously inclined, about the ‘behind the scenes’ dramas on Who. Gallifrey Babylon, maybe?)

    Good point about the contract but there will be a pay-off clause in there, I’d imagine and if they really wanted rid of the show that it would just be a cost that they would have to wear.

    @phaseshift — didn’t realise that the future of the Museum of Film and TV was in question. I used to work on the T&A up there and positively haunted the museum. Many fond memories of it. Right next to what was then surely one of the best civic libraries in the country…

    #13569
    ScaryB @scaryb

    I noticed the WhovianNet book thing the other day but didn’t post for the reasons given.  Seems to be par for the course.

    I think the only thing that will make me think more kindly of the BBC re their attitude to Dr Who is if they’ve actually found those mythical lost 90 episodes and screen them every night for a month!  And a dedicated (free!) Dr Who channel. And the only reason they’ve delayed announcing is that they’re making sure the quality’s good throughout and want to give us a nice surprise! Hell, they know we’ll still buy them! Lost Hartnells and Troughtons- are you kidding?!

    <comes back out of cloud cuckoo land>

    Re book exposes – was Richard Marson’s earlier this year not in that category?

    @jimthefish If I was a library or a museum anywhere (maybe except London) I’d be worried at the moment (especially if I’d any spare store rooms 😈 )

    Re the Moff, I agree I don’t think diplomacy is one of his strongest skills!

    #13571
    overunder @jamesunderscore

    @jimthefish

    If EastEnders ever made it to 50 years, I guarantee it will be a different story. It’ll be on every day of the anniversary year. People will be asked to vote for their favourite ‘doof-doofs’ which will then be shown. There would be documentaries, reruns, special extended editions the lot.

    It’s already on every flipping day, isn’t it? Ugh. I really am starting to despair at the BBC’s attitude to DW now. They may be using the opportunity to sell more DVDs and action figures, and have put a bit of work in on the websites, but for the average punter who just watches DW on a Saturday and doesn’t really go online to find out more, they might not even know that it’s the 50th anniversary year – it’s completely invisible on the TV.

    It’s like the BBC don’t realise that it’s not just “fans” that watch Doctor Who – it pulls in about 8 million viewers – that’s a show with a broad, mass appeal watched by more than 10% of the country. It’s a big part of our national culture. To take an example, the Proms, worthy and excellent though they are, pull in an audience of about 1.5 to 2 million, and they are all over TV, Radio and online like a rash for months beforehand. And that’s in a normal year. I hate to think what the 75th will be like in 2017. Ugh. I could go on and on, but I think everyone feels pretty much the same as I do, so I shall let you finish this rant off in your own heads! 😀

    #13577
    Anonymous @

    @scaryb — the Marson book was just the stitch-up of JNT though, wasn’t it? (Though should emphasise I haven’t read it yet. It’s already gettting hard to get hold of, which makes me suspect that lawyers are getting involved somewhere along the line.) But I was thinking of something more along the lines of covering every era of Who and the production battles it’s faced at different times. But maybe it’s just as well such a thing doesn’t exist.

    With regards to the extreme crapness of the way the Beeb has handled the anniversary, I’ve had a bad feeling about it since the start of the year, but I am getting really quite irked now. Especially since each bit of ‘news’ of late has just been some new ‘great’ opportunity for the fans to spend money. Apart from the next Doctor stuff, which was a leak anyway. It’s pretty shoddy behaviour, I think…

    #13579
    ScaryB @scaryb

    @jimthefish (and @janetteb @whohar @bobbingbird @blenkinsopthebrave)

    I remember you saying this (shoddy anniverary) way back in January – around the time they announced the 50th would be in 3D. I said give them the benefit of the doubt. I was wrong. And sadly, I suspect you are on to something when you mention the embarrassment factor to certain of the BBC establishment that their longest running drama series is a “kids” show, and one which has had the temerity to be still successful 8 years after the reboot they probably only gave a year or 2, maybe 5 at most. The damn thing just won’t die (mega meta ref time)!

    Just for info – @janetteb (and apologies for being the cause of you overloading the bandwidth, but hey, it was Tennant! )  or any of our other colonial colleagues (who  are strangely quiet at the moment) – I remember seeing that Oz and NZ were planning regular broadcasts in the lead up to November – what’s the anniversary year coverage like where you are? @whohar @bobbingbird @blenkinsopthebrave

    Edit – JimtheFish And no, I haven’t read the Marson book either, life seems too short; interesting if it’s hard to get though (BBC bought up all the copies…? :green: )

    #13583
    Whisht @whisht

    just a note to @htpbdet as to why anyone would bother reading your thoughts on Who.

    [i’ve tried and failed to get the next sentence right – i used to draw not write and drawing wasn’t my strong point!]

    Because your ability to tell your story, brings people closer to feelings that affect them, reminds them of their own lives and losses, how lucky they are and how the future and past should both be appreciated when they can; and all this entwined with a connection to a show that they may have a fondness for.

    [crap sentence (far too long) and that illustrates why we prefer reading your thoughts].

    If its not the right time to share with others (and by god I’m glad you did with us) then give the option to your loved ones later.

    much, much much later if that be the case, but so they have your blessing.

    [christ i’m cack-handed with words – that was meant to be short. thanks for sharing with us]

    #13584
    PhaseShift @phaseshift
    Time Lord

    @jimthefish

    It escaped the spending review this time because of pressure (some organised by the T&A) since this was published, but it’s status is “under review”.


    http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2013/jun/10/national-media-museum-bradford-closure?INTCMP=SRCH

    Hopefully now there are plans for the Odeon building and the City is starting to recover after the Westfield fiasco, people might start going there again.

    #13587
    Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip

    To take an example, the Proms, worthy and excellent though they are, pull in an audience of about 1.5 to 2 million, and they are all over TV, Radio and online like a rash for months beforehand.

    The Proms are ‘cultural’. They involve ‘proper’ art. And also, frankly, the type of people who end up Controlling BBC1 and BBC TV often do go to classical concerts – or like people to think they do.

    And the type of people who end up commissioning drama have often done English Literature degrees at universities where science fiction and children’s literature are notable for their complete absence from the syllabus. Doctor Who is, therefore, doubly not ‘cultural’. It’s science fiction and it’s for kids.  Popular it may be, but there’s a little chorus running in the back of the head saying that it’s the sort of rubbish you’d only study at Liverpool John Moores. 🙂

    #13601
    janetteB @janetteb

    @scaryb. I currently don’t have a clue if anything is planned here for the anniversary or not. I will ask Pres’ of the local fan society next time I see him.

    In general, over the years, we have been served by our ABC in terms of Who. It used to be screened four nights a week and when the new series ended they would run repeats all winter. Rewatching Pertwee and Baker stories was just part of a winter school night. During the 80s they did get huffy about the series, one head of ABC informing protesting Uni Students that Dr Who would never again be shown on the ABC. (I hope he lived long enough to eat those words.) In the early 90s, while we were flatting, the Tom Baker stories were repeated late at night. Not being overly attentive to T.V guides back then we only stumbled upon the repeats by accident but then recorded them all, hence being able to introduce our children to the series at a young age. Back in 04 or 05 they repeated all of Dr Who from the beginning, excluding the Dalek stories because of a dispute between the BBC and the Nation estate. Given their previous record I would be surprised if the ABC does not have something planned.

    Cheers

    Janette

    #13609
    Nick @nick

    @bluesqueakpip @htpbdet @Shazzbot @phaseshift @jimthefish

    My only surprise here is that you’re all surprised. Bluesqueakpip describes the BBC’s attitude to the show spot on in my opinion (Children’s TV, Science Fiction ? ugh).

    The lack of any decent celebration ties in with just how the BBC has handled the show recently. Whatever the good reasons they have given publically, you don’t replace two 13 part series with one 13 part series shown over two years and have a break until August 2014 if you really believe this is one of your flagship programmes ? (while blowing 100 million on crap implementation of an IT project and paying 2 million to get rid of some troublesome senior employees).

    There are advantages and disadvantages of Who being made by the BBC afterall

    Nick

    #13612
    ScaryB @scaryb

    @nick Agree. Then again there’s pros and cons to everything, tho the cons (in all senses of the word) seem more pertinent to the BBC’s attitude to  Dr Who.

    Now… The Doctor as second hand car dealer – would you buy a used car from him? Matt Smith’s first car up for sale on ebay (proceeds to charity)   (includes his original gaffer tape repair to wing mirror!)  Currently £560, finishes 18 July if anyone needs a young actor’s second hand car 😉 All proceeds to charity.

    #13615
    PhaseShift @phaseshift
    Time Lord

    Just on the BBC 50th celebrations, can I suggest something?

    I’m aware of this conversation breaking out in quite a few of our own forums with different contributors wanting to have their say, and I think we should try to minimise that where possible.

    Does someone want to write a blogpost on their perspective for us to bounce off? I’m quite happy to do it myself at the weekend, if no-one else wants to. I just think turning the news, sofa, episode discussions and others into little conversations about the subject (which we all have feelings about) risks looking a bit “moany”.

    #13617
    wolfweed @wolfweed

    @phaseshift – I’m up for doing a blogpost on the 50th celebrations. Should be done by late tonight/early tomorrow (ie the early hours of the morning).
    x

    #13619
    PhaseShift @phaseshift
    Time Lord

    Many thanks @wolfweed, I look forward to reading it!

    #13662
    HTPBDET @htpbdet

    @whisht

    Bless you.

    You made me cry.

    Thanks.

    #13755
    wolfweed @wolfweed

    The Dr Who York Maze is one of the largest mazes in the world. It features an image of the world’s biggest Dalek at 1000ft long, and images of William Hartnell and Matt Smith . The Maize Maze is set in 18 acres and has 10 km of pathways cut  through over 1 million living maze plants.

    #13759
    PhaseShift @phaseshift
    Time Lord

    @wolfweed

    That looks rather spiffy from the air, doesn’t it? Delighted to see Yorkshire doing its bit to celebrate the man who gave us the Yorkshire Pudding (come on – advanced alien from an enlightened society? Where else was he going to go to create a signature dish). 🙂

    #13764
    Anonymous @

    @wolfweed @phaseshift – My impression of Colin Baker was that he is a smug, self-satisfied and overly ego’d twat.  And his bit at the beginning of that clip did nothing to dislodge that impression.

    But that aside, that Maize Maze is truly impressive.  Me ‘n The Airedales may have to make a day trip to York soon.  🙂

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