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"Confirmed Dead" is the second episode of Season 4 of Lost and the seventy-fourth produced hour of the series as a whole. It was originally broadcast on February 7, 2008. The survivors begin to question the intentions of their supposed rescuers when four strangers arrive on the Island.

Synopsis[]

Previously on Lost[]

Flashbacks[]

Introduction[]

815crashsiteBali

Flight 815 wreck as seen by the ROV 02 camera.

Two remotely operated vehicles (ROV) probe the ocean floor. The vantage point is "ROV 01" which switches to "ROV 02." There is a dialogue between two technicians, one is Ron and the other is unnamed. The ROV display does not specify the boat or research team it is operated by, just the depth, signal strength, gauges for the battery, fuel, and resolution. The operators claim that the sonar is picking up something and the operator of ROV 02 says he is heading on a bearing of "about 137, from the coordinates we pulled off of our guy's map."

He also goes on to say that his magnetometer (which he mispronounces as "magnemometer") is picking up a lot of anomalies and suggests he needs to re-calibrate. The ROV comes across the wreckage of an Oceanic Airlines plane and the operator declares it is Flight 815. The wreckage viewed by the ROV shows the entire plane, broken into three (connected) pieces.

Daniel[]

4x02 Poor Dany

Daniel is shaken by the discovery of Flight 815.

A news report showing footage of a submerged plane explains that the remains of Flight 815 have been found by the Christiane I in the Sunda Trench, which is located off of the coast of Bali. The reporter says "Oceanic Flight 815 did, in fact, crash at sea," but says the discovery does not offer any sense of closure. All of the passengers are "confirmed dead." Daniel Faraday is watching the news report in Essex, Massachusetts. He weeps while absorbing the news and his caretaker asks him why he is so upset. He replies that he does not know.

Miles[]

4x02 KnockKnock

Miles arrives at Mrs. Gardner's house.

In Inglewood, California, a man drives up to a house while listening to a radio report about Flight 815. The reporter says that the plane is accounted for, a salvage mission is unlikely, and that "authorities are confirming all three hundred and twenty-four passengers dead."

The man gets a briefcase out of his trunk and goes to the door. He introduces himself to Mrs. Gardner as Miles Straume, and she invites him in. "Which room is it?" Miles asks. She points upstairs. He opens his briefcase and assembles a strange device from the contents, and says "no matter what you hear, don't come upstairs." He then says he's charging $200 instead of the original $100, explaining the increase is because he found out that her grandson was murdered from his friend in the police. She reluctantly agrees.

4x02 Where is it

Miles, invoking the spirit of Mrs. Gardner's grandson.

Miles goes upstairs to her grandson's room, sets his machine on the table, and turns it on. Sitting on the bed, he begins to speak to the empty room. He says that he isn't doing his grandma any good by staying; he is causing her pain. Miles adds that he wants to tell Mrs. Gardener that the occupant has left, but he can only tell her he has left when he tells where "it" is. Just then a noise attracts his attention to the bookcase. Moving it he discovers a bundle of cash and small yellow bag of powder concealed in an air vent. Miles keeps the cash, but puts the powder back, then tells the listener "you can go now." Miles tells Mrs. Gardner it worked and that “he's at peace now." He refunds half of his fee, saying that "it wasn't as tricky as I thought," then leaves.

Charlotte[]

4x02 The DHARMA is found

The Hydra collar is found.

In Medenine, Tunisia, a red-headed woman picks up a French language Tunisian newspaper that says that Flight 815 has been recovered. Her friend asks, "How many different languages do you have to read it in to believe it?" She quips, "How many different languages are there?" They bribe a man to gain access into an excavation site in the middle of the desert where they find the bones of a polar bear. Her associate wonders if it is some kind of dinosaur, but Charlotte says the bones are a few million years newer than that. Her associate then questions its authenticity, claiming that it must be a hoax. Charlotte, instead of studying the polar bear goes digging around it and quickly finds a collar that has a Hydra sign on it, associating the dead bear with the DHARMA Initiative. She smiles looking at it.

Frank[]

4x02 Frankphone

Frank, on the phone with the Oceanic hotline.

In Eleuthera, Bahamas, Frank Lapidus is watching television coverage of the discovery of Flight 815, which shows bodies in the undersea wreckage. One body is identified as Seth Norris, the pilot of the flight. Frank calls the Oceanic hotline that has been set up for families of the victims and demands to speak to a supervisor. He asserts that the man shown cannot be Seth Norris, because Seth Norris always wore his wedding ring, and the corpse had no ring. When the man on the other end of the line argues with him, Frank insists that he knew Seth well, and the body was not his. He reveals that he was originally supposed to be the pilot of Flight 815.

Naomi[]

4x02 Naomiabaddon

Naomi with Matthew Abaddon.

Naomi is in a bare large office space speaking with Matthew Abaddon regarding her mission. She emphasizes the level of danger in the Island Operation. She thinks Abaddon has chosen the wrong people for this mission as they lack military or field experience. She says it would be a disaster without protection. "You are their protection," Abaddon says. Naomi replies that it's a "high risk, covert operation in unstable territory, especially with four untrained operatives." She then describes the team one by one, calling Daniel a head case, Miles a ghostbuster, Charlotte an anthropologist and Frank a drunk. Abaddon says that to be fair, Frank is a competent pilot and that all of the team members were chosen for specific reasons. Naomi questions what to do if she finds survivors of Flight 815, but Abaddon is adamant that there were no survivors.

On the Island[]

4x02 Dancrash

Daniel, while the 'copter floundered.

Daniel Faraday and three other people are on a helicopter which is struggling to stay in the air. Miles Straume pushes a scared Faraday out of the chopper. Faraday then activates his parachute, and lands with a thud. He is still scared and disoriented. He hears people approaching and readies a handgun which he hides in his belt around his back. Jack and Kate arrive. Still disoriented he introduces himself and says he is there to rescue them. Dan's phone is lost so Jack offers his phone. Daniel calls George, who asks what happened, as the chopper's communications had gone dead. Daniel says he doesn't know; in the electrical storm, everything went dead and he jumped out. He then says he's speaking with some of the survivors. After George asks if he's on speaker, Daniel excuses himself. Kate tells Jack not to worry. "You sure about that?" Jack says, nodding his head toward the gun that is exposed. Daniel returns, telling them that the ship has no communication with anyone else. He doesn't know where the rest of his team are but they all have GPS units which allow their sat-phones to track them.

4x02 JulietSayid

Juliet and Sayid develop a plan.

Over at the beach, Sayid asks Juliet why, based on her experience with and knowledge of the Others, Ben would say the people from the freighter intend to harm them. Juliet says that Ben lies and the lie could be to create fear. The alternative, she says is that these people are here to harm them! She suggests that she and Sayid should arm up.

4x02 Quadrangle fight

Miles points his gun at Jack and Kate.

Soon Naomi's phone begins picking up Miles' location. Daniel, Jack, and Kate head towards the signal. They find a metal box. Kate asks if that's from his chopper. Daniel stutters about them dropping it to reduce weight. Jack finds gas masks and red bags with biohazard symbols in the box. He asks Daniel what the masks are for, Daniel looks nervously around and says he wasn't the one in charge of packing. Jack confronts him on why he has a gun and Daniel reveals that saving them is not their primary objective. They find Miles, apparently unconscious on a rocky outcrop by the shore. Jack approaches and removes Miles' helmet in order to examine him. Miles reacts and pulls a gun on Jack. Daniel tries to calm Miles down, but Miles will have none of it. He asks Kate where is "the woman she killed!" Miles then informs them that when Naomi asking after her sister it was a distress code to indicate she was under duress. Kate informs Miles that Naomi was killed by Locke, a rogue member of their group. Miles insists that they take him to Naomi's body, asserting that he'll know whether they're telling the truth or not.

4x02 Meditation

Miles, communing with dead Naomi.

When they take Miles to Naomi's body, he talks quietly over her. Shortly he informs Faraday that Jack and Kate are telling the truth. Just then they receive a signal from Charlotte's GPS. Miles orders everyone to follow him. Jack winks at Kate and insists that Miles and Faraday put away their guns. When Miles resists, Jack says that his own people are waiting in the jungle with rifles trained at their heads. Miles says he shouldn't be taken for an idiot, but two shots ring out as Juliet and Sayid come into the clearing, pointing guns at Faraday and Miles. Jack collects their guns and they head off to find Charlotte.

Exit Wounds

Locke shows Sawyer where the bullet exited his body.

As Locke's group continues their trek, Sawyer realizes that they aren't moving in the direction of the Barracks. Locke explains that they have to take a detour to a cabin. Hurley tells Locke that the cabin is in a different direction. Locke and Ben are both surprised to hear Hurley talk about the cabin, which prompts Hurley to awkwardly say he was referring to the plane's cabin. Locke explains to Sawyer that Walt has been guiding him, and told him he had "work to do" and that he had to "stop Naomi from bringing the rest of her people." Locke also tells Sawyer that Walt saved his life after Ben shot him. Locke proves to a doubtful Sawyer that he was shot by showing him his wound, saying that he probably would have died if he still had a kidney where the bullet passed clean through.

4x02 charlottedown

Charlotte hanging over a river under her parachute.

Later Ben tells Alex he needs to talk to her. When Karl hears this he stands in his way. Sawyer takes Karl away from Ben, saying Ben will just play with his mind. Ben asks Sawyer why he didn't go with Kate, in Jack's group. Sawyer remains cool and doesn't oblige, but Ben goes on to tell him he wouldn't stand a chance with Kate if she were to get back home, because off the Island, he is nothing in comparison to Jack. Sawyer gets upset and beats Ben, and then suggests they should kill him. Locke explains to him they need Ben alive because he has information about the Island. Sawyer reminds him that Ben is dangerous, and leaves Ben with Locke to lead along.

4x02 Good dog!

Vincent arrives with Charlotte's GPS.

Meanwhile, Charlotte wakes up, hanging upside-down in her parachute harness; the chute is caught in a tree overhanging a small river. She frees herself and plunges into the water. She looks around and seems ecstatic to be on the Island. Locke and his group arrive at the same place. Later, Charlotte expresses her amazement to find the survivors alive. She asks a lot of questions about them, and they exhibit various levels of trepidation and hostility. She explains that she has a transponder and the rest of her team will find them soon.

As Jack and the Others search for Charlotte, Sayid questions Miles about why the four of them are there. Sayid takes Miles' sat phone and tries to use it to call the freighter, but instead he sees Charlotte's signal. It's moving quickly towards them. The group runs toward the signal and see something moving toward them in the bushes - Vincent emerges with Charlotte's GPS tied around his neck. Jack says that Locke has Charlotte.

4x02 flare

Frank loads his flare gun.

Frank Lapidus pulls himself out of some bushes. He climbs over the lip of a hill. A cow observes him as he arrives. He tries to stand up, but his legs fail him. When he pulls out his sat phone he discovers that it is broken so he takes a flare gun from a pocket and fires a flare.

4x02 Carlotte Benned

Charlotte is shocked at Ben's knowledge of the identity of all her team members.

Charlotte sees the flare and declares her intention to go towards it. Locke tells her that he doesn't want her to do that, but Charlotte insists. Claire points out that the person that shot the flare might be hurt, and Locke reminds the group that Charlotte and her team didn't come to the Island to rescue them. While they argue, Ben takes Karl's gun and shoots Charlotte twice in the chest; she goes down. Sawyer attacks Ben and flogs him. When Locke goes to check on Charlotte he finds she is still alive -- she is wearing a bulletproof vest under her jacket.

Jack revives Frank and Daniel and Miles try to get his attention, but he seems dazed. They ask where the helicopter has crashed. Frank informs them that the helicopter was struck by lightning, but he landed it in a clearing. They find the intact helicopter nearby. Sayid inspects the helicopter and informs Jack that there is no serious damage. Jack asks Miles why they are really here. Miles agrees to tell him if Jack gives him the phone; he agrees. Miles tries to call Minkowski, but is informed by a woman that he is not able to answer the phone at this time. As Dan and Kate carry Naomi's body to the helicopter, Miles stops them, saying "that's not Naomi, it's just meat." Frank promises Dan he will take Naomi's body "on the next flight," because the helicopter is low on fuel and should not carry any unnecessary weight. Meanwhile, Juliet is treating Frank's head wound. When he asks her name and she tells him it is Juliet Burke, he realizes that she wasn't on the plane, he has memorized the entire Flight manifest. He calls Miles over and tells him that Juliet was not on the plane, and calls her "a native." Miles becomes aggressive and asks Juliet where "he" is. When Jack steps between them, Miles pulls out a picture of Ben standing by a woman near a computer, stating that they have come to the Island to find him.

4x02 benlinus snapshot

Ben in Miles' photo.

4x02 BenHasAnswers

"Because I have a man on their boat".

Meanwhile, Locke takes Sawyer's gun - intending to kill Ben despite the protests of Alex and Claire. Ben pleads for his life, he says he has information that Locke needs. So Locke demands to know what the Monster is - Ben says that he doesn't know, but he does know Charlotte's full name, family and educational information. He also names the other members of her team, and states that they were sent to the Island in search of him. When Locke asks how he knows all this Ben says he has a man on their boat.

Trivia[]

Dirt Spigot

Dirt Spigot.

  • The Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 Hotline Number 1-888-548-0034 is seen on Frank's television. Calling this number results in an automated message, not a human operator as seen on the show.
  • This is the third episode to have flashbacks centering around guest stars, featuring Frank and Naomi, and the first episode to feature flashbacks of characters that are main characters and guest star characters. It also features the first flashback from a dead character's perspective.
    • This is the only episode to have a flash from Frank's point of view.
      • Frank has a flashback in "Namaste", however, this episode has no centric character.
    • Charlotte also never had another centric episode, but her backstory was incorporated into the time-travel in Season 5.
  • The helicopter's marking, N842M, if interpreted as the registration number, would make it registered in the USA.
  • Ben's recitation of Charlotte's birth date as "July 2, 1979" was an error, according to producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. They have implied that Charlotte's birthdate should have been 1971.
    • The producers initially assigned partial blame for the error to actress Rebecca Mader, indicating Mader changed the date on set without the producers' permission. (Official Lost Podcast/March 19, 2009) Lindelof and Cuse later retracted the statement and apologized, admitting Mader's script had indeed shown 1979 as Charlotte's birth date. Despite the confusion, Lindelof and Cuse maintain that the 1979 date is incorrect.[1][2](Official Lost Podcast/March 26, 2009)
  • While Miles kneels over Naomi's dead body, whispers can be heard. When the audio on the scene has been reversed, slowed down slightly, and cleaned up, the phrase "You gotta see it through" can be heard.
  • This episode contains the only instance in which Miles communicates with someone without their body or ashes being nearby. In "Some Like It Hoth", Miles claims that he cannot communicate with the dead without something physical being present.
  • This episode is rated TV-14-V.


Production notes[]

  • Starting from this episode, Dominic Monaghan (Charlie) is not credited for every episode.
  • Actors from Tunisia did a looping/voice over session for this episode. [3]
  • In interviews prior to the Season 4 premiere, Lance Reddick consistently referred to his character as "a recruiter", as seen in this episode.
  • It was not until the enhanced second broadcast on ABC that the identity of the woman in Faraday's flashback was made clear: she is his caretaker.
  • A "Lost: On Location" bonus feature is available for this episode on the Season 4 DVD.
  • According to an early anonymous source, this episode was to be titled "324 Confirmed Dead".[4]
  • This is the first episode where at least one of the centric characters receiving a flashback are dead at the beginning of the episode (Naomi). The producers previously had a rule that there would be no flashback episode for dead characters. (Exposé audio commentary)

Bloopers and continuity errors[]

  • When Miles heads up the stairs to have his discussion with the ghost, the pictures on the wall are in wooden frames. When he comes back down the stairs, the frames of the pictures have changed to (synthetic) brass. Additionally, the picture the camera centers on is bigger in the second scene. It also appears that the photos, not only the frames, surrounding the focal point photo have also changed, most notably the photo to the left of the focal point photo: In the first scene, it shows a young man entering a car; in the other scene, it appears to be something completely different. On February 11, 2010, this discrepancy was confirmed to be a continuity error by script coordinator and writer Gregg Nations. [1] Among fans it had been debated if this was significant or an error.
  • In the beginning of this episode, after Daniel lands on the Island, Jack says, "Hey!" In the previous episode, Jack said nothing, and Daniel started to speak as he landed.
  • When Locke is showing Sawyer his gunshot wounds, Doug is seen to the right of Ben; in the next shot he is to his left.
  • When Frank is awakened by Daniel on the hill, there is a piece of grass stuck to his head wound. When the camera angle changes, it has disappeared.
  • Vincent disappears between shots, when Hurley is talking to Locke.

Analysis[]

Recurring themes[]


  • Daniel calls Jack and Kate "good people." (Good and bad people)
  • There are several references to the Numbers:
  • It is revealed that the people from the freighter are not on a search and rescue mission as Naomi had originally stated. (Deceptions and cons)
  • Sawyer calls Ben "Yoda," Locke "Johnny" and "Colonel Kurtz," and Walt "Taller Ghost Walt." Miles calls Jack "Handsome." (Nicknames)
  • Frank sees a cow on the Island. Charlotte investigates the remains of a polar bear in Tunisia. (Animals)
  • Locke is enjoying the rain during a stop. (Rain)
  • We learn about a previous connection between Naomi and Abaddon. (Character connections)
  • Before the helicopter crashes, Charlotte complains that she cannot find her vest. Miles gives her his, effectively saving her life, as without it she would have probably died from Ben's gunshot. (Fate versus free will)
  • Sawyer is prevented from killing Ben by Locke, who comments about killing him in front of his daughter. This seems to remind Sawyer of his childhood, where he witnessed his parents' deaths. (Parent issues)
  • Dan is from Essex, Massachusetts. Charlotte is from Essex, England. (Coincidences)
  • Locke explains he survived being shot because he no longer has a kidney in the spot where he was shot. (Missing body parts)  (Fate versus free will)
  • In the flashbacks, the fake wreckage of Oceanic 815 is found. (Secrets)
  • Locke's group find Charlotte and hold her against her will. (Imprisonment)


Cultural references[]

  • Staples Lewis: The name Charlotte Staples Lewis is a reference to Clive Staples Lewis (commonly referred to as C.S. Lewis), author of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Great Divorce. (Literary works)
  • Faraday: Michael Faraday was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the study of electromagnetism. From Wikipedia: "He established that magnetism could affect rays of light and that there was an underlying relationship between the two phenomena." In this episode, Daniel Faraday comments on abnormalities in the light rays on the Island and defines himself as a physicist. (Science)
  • Apocalypse Now: Sawyer calls Locke "Colonel Kurtz", after Marlon Brando's character in this 1979 movie. In the movie (but not in the original book Heart of Darkness), Colonel Kurtz is a great man who leads his followers out into the jungle where he subsequently goes insane. The reference is also to Locke's baldness: Brando was shaved bald in the film. (Movies and TV)
  • Star Wars: Sawyer calls Ben "Yoda." (Movies and TV)
  • Battle Royale: These words can be seen in the room in which Miles "works." This could be a reference to the Japanese novel and movie by this name, in which high school students are taken to an isolated island and forced to fight to the death as a part of what is called "The Program." (Literary works)
  • Ghostbusters: Naomi calls Miles a ghostbuster. (Movies and TV)
  • Essex: Daniel Faraday's flashback takes place in Essex, Massachusetts. Ben reveals that Charlotte Lewis was born in Essex, England. Essex is also a reference to a famous Whaling ship that was launched off the coast of Nantucket in 1819. The mission of the ship was to hunt sperm whales in the South Pacific. The ship sank and the crew ended up on an uninhabited island in the Pitcairn chain, where they fed on birds, fruits and vegetation, as well as water from a local freshwater spring, before resorting to cannibalism. The surviving members of the crew were rescued on Day 93. The story is the inspiration for Herman Melville's "Moby Dick." (Literary works)


Literary techniques[]

  • Faraday takes a long pause before recalling his name when asked. This foreshadows some type of memory loss as revealed in "Eggtown", when he can't remember the playing cards, and later in "The Variable" when it is revealed Daniel hoped to regain his memory by visiting the Island. (Foreshadowing)
  • Ben's life was saved by Charlotte, through her acknowledgement that his information about her is correct. He was saved by the woman he tried to kill. (Irony)
  • Locke muses that Ben's bullet would have killed him if he had a second kidney, because it would have pierced the kidney. That means that, in effect, his father who tried to kill him eventually saved his life. (Irony)
  • Naomi is instructed by Matthew Abaddon to get the team in and out safely and to make sure no one gets killed. Naomi, who according to her, is the only one with training, and who doubted the abilities of the other team members, ends up dead. (Irony)
  • Miles states that Naomi's words — Tell my sister I love her — was a code for danger since he reveals Naomi didn't have a sister, and while pointing a gun to Jack he uses the example that "like right now, Jack here would say tell my sister I love her." But Jack actually does have a sister, Claire. (Irony)
  • We finally get to see some of the circumstances in which the passengers of Oceanic flight 815 were all confirmed dead, and how the wreckage was found in deep waters. But we also saw the plane fall on the Island with many survivors. (Plot twist)
  • The miniature plane in the water tank is shown just as Frank Lapidus learns that the wreckage of Oceanic 815 was found in the Sunda Trench. (Juxtaposition)
  • In the beginning of the episode, Hurley warns Locke that if he stays out in the rain, he could be struck by lightning. Later on, we learn the helicopter was hit by lightning, causing the instability and the landing. (Foreshadowing)
  • Locke tells Sawyer that they need Ben because he has information they need and because, other than his mouth, he's harmless. Later, Ben manages to shoot Charlotte and then gives them the information about the Freighties. (Foreshadowing)
  • Locke admits that Sawyer was right to be wary of Ben after Ben shoots Charlotte. When Sawyer offers to "take care of it," Locke says "No, it's my mess. I'll clean it up." (Regularly Spoken Phrases)
  • This episode marks the return of the Flashback method of storytelling in Season 4, and all the flashbacks take place after the crash of Oceanic Flight 815. (Flashback)
  • Sayid wonders why Miles isn't surprised that there are survivors of Flight 815, when in the following scene Charlotte states that she can't believe there are survivors. (Juxtaposition)  (Irony)
  • Ben reveals he has "a man on their boat." (Plot twist)  (Cliffhanger)


Storyline analysis[]

  • The survivors search for Daniel's team. (A-Missions)
  • Locke leads his group in search of the cabin. (A-Missions)
  • The freighter crew begin their mission to find Ben on the Island. (F-Missions)


Find 815 references[]

Find815 3

Alternate Reality Game - Find 815.

Several references to the alternate reality game Find 815 occur in this episode.

  • Find 815 ended with an ROV discovery of Flight 815 on the ocean floor.
    • While there are no dates mentioned in Find 815, the wreckage is discovered on Sam and Sonya's 8 year anniversary. Sam references the anniversary in his first video journal (filmed after Oceanic called off the search) as being "in a couple of months." This would likely put the discovery in early December.
  • The salvage boat that made the discovery in Find 815, the Christiane I, is mentioned in the news report.
  • The location of the discovery, the Sunda Trench, is also mentioned in the news report.
  • The telephone number that Frank Lapidus calls was given as a clue in Chapter 1 of Find 815.
  • One of the Find 815 clues for Season 4 was "Tunisian Newspaper".
  • Daniel Faraday, Miles Straume, Charlotte Lewis, and Frank Lapidus were all clue words in Find 815.


Episode connections[]

Episode references[]

Episode allusions[]

  • After his arrival, Daniel tells Jack: "I'm here to rescue you." Jack heard these same words from Charlie, when they got trapped in the caves. ("The Moth")
  • Locke once again correctly predicts the weather. ("All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues")
  • Sawyer calls Locke "Colonel Kurtz". Charlie once called Hurley "Colonel-bloody-Kurtz". ("Numbers")
  • A poster for the fictional band Dirt Spigot can be seen in the room Miles works in. This is the band that the director of the Butties Diapers commercial wanted to hire instead of Drive Shaft. ("Fire + Water")
  • Frank encounters a cow with a bell atop the ridge. ("Enter 77")
  • Although not for the same reasons, Charlotte's reaction to being alive after her fall from the tree into the water mirrors Charlie's reaction after swimming into the Looking Glass. ("Greatest Hits")

Unanswered questions[]

Unanswered questions
  1. Do not answer the questions here.
  2. Keep the questions open-ended and neutral: do not suggest an answer.
For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Confirmed Dead/Theories
  • Why is Charlotte unconvinced that Flight 815 has been discovered?
  • When and where was the photo of Ben taken?

External links[]

  • ABC Medianet Press Release Bundle (01/18/08): PDF

References[]


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