Hey y'all,
I know I'm long overdue for an update, and I was planning on writing something up tonight. But my folks just called an told me my best friend of almost 15 years -- my cocker spaniel -- had to be put to sleep yesterday. So, I'm sorry -- but I just don't have an update in me tonight.
Soon, though, very soon, I'll have some fresh content.
Have a great night...
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
What a wild week...
Let's be honest -- it's a struggle that all reporters face: there are some days (and even weeks) when finding stories is a tough task. Trying to find news items in the Carteret County area that appeal to WNCT's very broad viewing audience is sometimes an added challenge.
This week, however, was not one of those weeks. Monday morning all the way through Friday night, I was busy -- and I offer apologies for not keeping the blog updated a little more often.
For me, the week started out on a somewhat disturbing note -- a Jacksonville pediatrician was arrested and accused of sexually abusing two children. The ordeal began when the police got a call from Social Services on Friday, saying that they'd heard from the parents of one of the alleged victims. The police conducted a quick investigation, and by Friday night, Dr. Gustavo Rios was under arrest. By Monday, he'd lost his job at the Jacksonville Children's Clinic and his privileges had been revoked at Onslow Memorial Hospital.
Thankfully, Tuesday brought brighter news. I was able to tell y'all about the multi-million dollar improvements that the Carteret County School system is making at 15 of its 17 schools. I get the impression that Carteret County administrators are very serious about giving kids here a great environment in which to learn. That's good news, as Eastern North Carolina often gets a bad rap for the quality of its education system.
Wednesday brought more sad news -- Camp Lejeune told us late in the day that a Marine died from injuries sustained in a training exercise. They wouldn't tell us much more than that, until Friday when we learned the identity of the Marine. The base still won't tell us what type of training exercise was going on when PFC Joshua A. Bailey died. His family says he was killed when a vehicle rolled over him as he was sleeping. Makes me wonder exactly what was going on -- and leads me to encourage Camp Lejeune to go ahead and come forward with the details.
Thursday came early, as I awoken by a call from our Newsroom that the public information officer from Carteret County Schools had told us classes at Broad Creek Middle School had been called off for the day due to vandalism. As I bolted out the door, I called the PIO, and tried to get more information. At that point, she wasn't sure of the extent of the damage. Thankfully, there wasn't a great deal. Someone broke a few windows on a couple of buses, bashed in a big window on the front of the school and made a mess in the halls. The school's principal, Cathy Tomon, was shocked that someone would vandalize a place of learning -- but maintained a great attitude throughout the day and made it very easy for me to bring you as much information as possible about the situation. At last check, the Carteret County Sheriff's office hasn't made an arrest in the case -- but I hope to bring you an update on Monday.
Just down the road in Morehead City, police say that in an unrelated event, a 15-year-old student at the Bridges Alternative School called in a bomb threat to the building that houses that school and the Cape Lookout Charter High School. That 15-year-old was charged with a felony and taken to a juvenile detention center in Wilmington.
Friday began early as well, with another call from the Newsroom. Earlier that morning, Storm Team 9 meteorologist Gannon Medwick (who does a phenomenal job, if you ask me) spotted an odd sight on our Vipir radar over Carteret County. With no rain in sight, Gannon speculated that the reflection off the radar could be smoke. I called the North Carolina Forest Service, and they told me that there indeed was a fire on Piney Island -- a Cherry Point MCAS bombing range. Between 300-500 acres were on fire, but Cherry Point and the Forest Service said the blaze was under control. Even from Onslow County, I could see smoke this morning. A couple of other wildfires popped up late in the day in Carteret County, but they were very quickly put out.
I've spent the day today trying to catch my breath from such a crazy week -- but I'm very thankful for it -- and I hope next week will be just as busy.
And I hope you have a great rest-of-the-weekend, too!
This week, however, was not one of those weeks. Monday morning all the way through Friday night, I was busy -- and I offer apologies for not keeping the blog updated a little more often.
For me, the week started out on a somewhat disturbing note -- a Jacksonville pediatrician was arrested and accused of sexually abusing two children. The ordeal began when the police got a call from Social Services on Friday, saying that they'd heard from the parents of one of the alleged victims. The police conducted a quick investigation, and by Friday night, Dr. Gustavo Rios was under arrest. By Monday, he'd lost his job at the Jacksonville Children's Clinic and his privileges had been revoked at Onslow Memorial Hospital.
Thankfully, Tuesday brought brighter news. I was able to tell y'all about the multi-million dollar improvements that the Carteret County School system is making at 15 of its 17 schools. I get the impression that Carteret County administrators are very serious about giving kids here a great environment in which to learn. That's good news, as Eastern North Carolina often gets a bad rap for the quality of its education system.
Wednesday brought more sad news -- Camp Lejeune told us late in the day that a Marine died from injuries sustained in a training exercise. They wouldn't tell us much more than that, until Friday when we learned the identity of the Marine. The base still won't tell us what type of training exercise was going on when PFC Joshua A. Bailey died. His family says he was killed when a vehicle rolled over him as he was sleeping. Makes me wonder exactly what was going on -- and leads me to encourage Camp Lejeune to go ahead and come forward with the details.
Thursday came early, as I awoken by a call from our Newsroom that the public information officer from Carteret County Schools had told us classes at Broad Creek Middle School had been called off for the day due to vandalism. As I bolted out the door, I called the PIO, and tried to get more information. At that point, she wasn't sure of the extent of the damage. Thankfully, there wasn't a great deal. Someone broke a few windows on a couple of buses, bashed in a big window on the front of the school and made a mess in the halls. The school's principal, Cathy Tomon, was shocked that someone would vandalize a place of learning -- but maintained a great attitude throughout the day and made it very easy for me to bring you as much information as possible about the situation. At last check, the Carteret County Sheriff's office hasn't made an arrest in the case -- but I hope to bring you an update on Monday.
Just down the road in Morehead City, police say that in an unrelated event, a 15-year-old student at the Bridges Alternative School called in a bomb threat to the building that houses that school and the Cape Lookout Charter High School. That 15-year-old was charged with a felony and taken to a juvenile detention center in Wilmington.
Friday began early as well, with another call from the Newsroom. Earlier that morning, Storm Team 9 meteorologist Gannon Medwick (who does a phenomenal job, if you ask me) spotted an odd sight on our Vipir radar over Carteret County. With no rain in sight, Gannon speculated that the reflection off the radar could be smoke. I called the North Carolina Forest Service, and they told me that there indeed was a fire on Piney Island -- a Cherry Point MCAS bombing range. Between 300-500 acres were on fire, but Cherry Point and the Forest Service said the blaze was under control. Even from Onslow County, I could see smoke this morning. A couple of other wildfires popped up late in the day in Carteret County, but they were very quickly put out.I've spent the day today trying to catch my breath from such a crazy week -- but I'm very thankful for it -- and I hope next week will be just as busy.
And I hope you have a great rest-of-the-weekend, too!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
I just don't get it...
Some things are hard to understand (insert joke here about how there are a lot of things I don't understand). But the unfortunate news that I had to cover yesterday just doesn't make much sense to me.In case you haven't heard, a Jacksonville pediatrician (Dr. Gustavo Rios) was arrested and charged Friday for six felony charges of first degree sexual offense with a child. It's troubling when anyone is accused of committing such crimes -- but especially when it's a pediatrician. I don't have kids, but I do realize that pediatricians are among the most respected and revered doctors. They play such a huge role in keeping kids healthy and really can have a big impact on children.
While Jacksonville police say none of the alleged acts occured while Dr. Rios was at work, it still makes you scratch your head. And sure, people are allowed their private lives away from work, but I feel like someone in such a position is held to a higher standard -- although it's detestable for anyone to commit an act like this.
I talked to several parents in the Jacksonville area yesterday, none of whom whose children were patients of Dr. Rios. But they were still mortified and upset. Rightfully so, I believe. Now, I'm not convicting Dr. Rios here, because he is innocent until proven guilty. But he has been let go from his job at Jacksonville Children's Clinic and he's lost his privileges at Onslow Memorial Hospital.
It was one of those stories that I didn't really enjoy covering -- and one that will probably make you think twice the next time you leave your child alone with someone else.
I took a few psychology classes while at UNC, and if I ever go back to grad school, it will be to further my studies in psychology. I understand that some people do indeed have disorders that lead them to do unbelieveable and sometimes deplorable things. If that is indeed the case here (again, nothing has been proven yet), then I hope Dr. Rios gets the psychological help he needs. If convicted, that doesn't mean he should escape justice for the crimes he's accused of -- but psychological treatment could keep something like this from happening again.
Whether the allegations are true or not, I just hope I don't have to cover many more sad stories like that one.
What do you think? Feel free to hit the "Comments" button below and have your say!
Sunday, February 18, 2007
My Super Bowl...
So one thing that most folks don't know about me is that I am a HUGE NASCAR fan -- and on top of that, I'm a HUGE Kevin Harvick fan. [With some of you, I just lost a lot of respect -- I'm sure I gained some respect from others :-) ]In case you didn't know, the Daytona 500 was run today -- and for me, that's bigger than the Super Bowl. Well, it was one of the wildest ones ever -- and Harvick pulled out the win! So I've been jumping up and down and screaming for the better part of an hour now. I may not have much of a voice tomorrow, but that's the price I'll have to pay for being super-excited.
I hope each of you has had a great weekend, too!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Housing Headaches, Part Two
From "useless" to eye-opening -- the feedback on our Housing Headaches special report has been varied. But I'm glad to hear every bit of feedback, be it positive or negative.
Speaking of eye-opening, one thing I found very interesting while we were putting this report together was the discussion about home warranties. Greenville Realtor Ida Lynn Stox and Greenville home inspector Jimmy Hughes -- who both served as incredible resources -- suggested that home buyers purchase a home warranty. On the surface, these warranties sound like a great deal. They can provide protection to home buyers should they experience problems with their appliances -- and some even provide protection against structural defects. Even state Attorney General Roy Cooper says there are some great home warranties out there -- but he says consumers have to be very careful when it comes to choosing the right warranty (if they buy a warranty at all).
So here are some things he recommends:
*Make sure you understand exactly what would and would not be covered under the warranty. Many warranties define "major structural defects" more narrowly that you might expect.
*Find out exactly what conditions must be met before the home warranty company will pay for a repair. Many contracts state that they will replace your equipment, but only with a specific brand -- or will cover the work only if you use the company's contractor.
*If you are working with a small contractor who offers his or her own warranty, you may be able to negotiate more favorable terms.
*Before you sign of accept a home warranty contract, have your attorney review it carefully.
*Never let the offer of a home warranty stop you from having the house and its appliances thoroughly checked out by a licensed home inspector well before the closing.
*Home warranty contracts often include a provision that requires you to use the company's private arbitration process to settle disputes and to give up your right to take the company to court. If your home turns out to have serious defects, your legal rights to recover compensation might be greater if you don't have a home warranty.
I hope these tips help! If you have any further questions, click the "Comments" button, or visit the Attorney General's website.
Speaking of eye-opening, one thing I found very interesting while we were putting this report together was the discussion about home warranties. Greenville Realtor Ida Lynn Stox and Greenville home inspector Jimmy Hughes -- who both served as incredible resources -- suggested that home buyers purchase a home warranty. On the surface, these warranties sound like a great deal. They can provide protection to home buyers should they experience problems with their appliances -- and some even provide protection against structural defects. Even state Attorney General Roy Cooper says there are some great home warranties out there -- but he says consumers have to be very careful when it comes to choosing the right warranty (if they buy a warranty at all).
So here are some things he recommends:
*Make sure you understand exactly what would and would not be covered under the warranty. Many warranties define "major structural defects" more narrowly that you might expect.
*Find out exactly what conditions must be met before the home warranty company will pay for a repair. Many contracts state that they will replace your equipment, but only with a specific brand -- or will cover the work only if you use the company's contractor.
*If you are working with a small contractor who offers his or her own warranty, you may be able to negotiate more favorable terms.
*Before you sign of accept a home warranty contract, have your attorney review it carefully.
*Never let the offer of a home warranty stop you from having the house and its appliances thoroughly checked out by a licensed home inspector well before the closing.
*Home warranty contracts often include a provision that requires you to use the company's private arbitration process to settle disputes and to give up your right to take the company to court. If your home turns out to have serious defects, your legal rights to recover compensation might be greater if you don't have a home warranty.
I hope these tips help! If you have any further questions, click the "Comments" button, or visit the Attorney General's website.
Housing Headaches...
Hey y'all -- I hope you got a chance to check out my special report on our 6:00 news -- it is called "Housing Headaches." In case you missed it, you can click this link and check it out.
Many thanks go out to the folks who helped put it together -- from WNCT photographer Kenneth Roundtree to the Realtors and home inspectors who provided us with valuable information.
Check back later on tonight and I'll have more on this story -- including what Attorney General Roy Cooper says you should know about home warranties.
See you back here in a bit!
Many thanks go out to the folks who helped put it together -- from WNCT photographer Kenneth Roundtree to the Realtors and home inspectors who provided us with valuable information.
Check back later on tonight and I'll have more on this story -- including what Attorney General Roy Cooper says you should know about home warranties.
See you back here in a bit!
Lesson learned
So it's 2:08 a.m. and I'm just getting home from work. I learned a valuable lesson today -- don't make promises you can't keep. In my most recent post, I told you I'd have fresh content posted for you by Wednesday evening. As you can see, that didn't happen.
While it may be no big deal, it serves as a good lesson -- one that all of us, especially journalists, need to heed: don't promise something unless you're going to follow through. After a 17.5-hour work day, that's about as philosophical as I can get.
But whatever the case may be, when you make a promise, make sure you'll step up to the plate and deliver. My apologies for not delivering.
If you'd like to see why in the world I worked so late tonight, tune in to Eyewitness News Nine at 6:00 on Thursday -- you'll see a special report full of things you need to know before you make your next "big" purchase. Sorry, that's all I can tease you with! :-)
Have a great night, y'all!
While it may be no big deal, it serves as a good lesson -- one that all of us, especially journalists, need to heed: don't promise something unless you're going to follow through. After a 17.5-hour work day, that's about as philosophical as I can get.
But whatever the case may be, when you make a promise, make sure you'll step up to the plate and deliver. My apologies for not delivering.
If you'd like to see why in the world I worked so late tonight, tune in to Eyewitness News Nine at 6:00 on Thursday -- you'll see a special report full of things you need to know before you make your next "big" purchase. Sorry, that's all I can tease you with! :-)
Have a great night, y'all!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Happy Valentine's Day
Hey everybody -- apologies for my lack of posts so far this week. Monday and Tuesday have been very long days -- but I will have some new content up for your reading pleasure later this evening.
In the meantime, click the "Comments" button below and tell me your favorite Valentine's Day memory. [I'm not big on Valentine's Day, but I thought this would be a neat opportunity for you to sound off and share your thoughts!]
Have a good Wednesday!
In the meantime, click the "Comments" button below and tell me your favorite Valentine's Day memory. [I'm not big on Valentine's Day, but I thought this would be a neat opportunity for you to sound off and share your thoughts!]
Have a good Wednesday!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
No Boundaries
Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck based his entire campaign on cleaning up the county's major drug problem. Although it began before he took office, today his and a handful of other law enforcement agencies showed they are serious about cracking down on drugs.
They're calling it "Operation No Boundaries" -- it was a massive drug sweep that spanned Carteret, Jones and
Detectives from six agencies (Jacksonville PD, Morehead City PD, Beaufort PD, Carteret Co. Sheriff's Office, Jones Co. Sheriff's Office and NCIS) announced this afternoon a round-up that's put more than 50 people behind bars on drug charges in the last three days.
Officers from
As of 11 a.m. Saturday, they'd arrested 51 of them.
Sheriff Buck says drug dealers Down East need to start looking over their shoulder.
"The people in this county realize that the drugs are a serious problem," Buck says. "We're going to be putting the resources toward working hard against drugs. And like I said, if we didn't catch them in this one, we're liable to catch them in the next one."
During the sweep, officers seized nearly 500 grams of marijuana, about 125 grams of cocaine, $16,000 in cash and at least three cars.
They say more multi-agency sweeps like this one are in the works.
Hopefully that gives you some confidence that officials here in the East know there is a problem -- and they seem to be working to do something about it.
What do you think about all this? Click the "Comments" button below and let me hear from you!
Just for fun...
So in my posts about the Carolina/Dook game, you heard me rant a little bit about how much I cannot stand Billy Packer. I was afraid he'd be on the sidelines for today's UNC/Wake Forest game, seeing that he's a Demon Deacon grad. Fortunately, as I tuned in to watch my Heels absolutely trounce the Deacs, Packer was nowhere to be seen -- and even better, he was nowhere to be heard. But I did some digging online, and have found a couple of examples of other folks who don't like Packer. This is all in good fun, but I hope you enjoy!
Check back later on, and I'll have more on a MAJOR drug-related announcement out of Carteret County this afternoon!
Check back later on, and I'll have more on a MAJOR drug-related announcement out of Carteret County this afternoon!
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
WOO HOO! YEAH HEELS!
Wow -- that was an exhausting game to watch. Great job overcoming double-digit leads by my Heels. What they say is true -- rankings simply don't matter when these two teams play.
I am so STOKED right now -- I'm really at a loss for what to say. I am watching WRAL's live coverage of Franklin Street right now (online) and it is KILLING me not to be there. But I sent my friends plenty of text messages to make sure they live it up for me. The mob scene on Franklin Street is so beautiful to behold -- and hey, I think I just saw my best friend on WRAL's coverage! Crazy. Man, there's just something mystical about Chapel Hill that makes you miss it so much!
Again -- I'm kind of at a loss for what to say. I still am not a fan of Billy Packer, still not a fan of Tim Brando -- and definitely still hate dook. But I'm in a lot better mood than I was at halftime.
OK -- I'll try to have more perspective tomorrow. For now, I'm going to do a little celebrating!
Feel free to hit the "Comments" button below and add your thoughts about the game!
Thanks to the AP/CBS Sports for that picture -- Tyler Hansbrough is a BEAST!
I ... HATE ... dook
OK -- so I'm seething after the first half. I can't stand losing -- especially to dook. And Billy Packer and Tim Brando are only making it worse.
Billy Packer is officially the WORST commentator of all time. I'd rather hear Dick Vitale -- and that's huge coming from a Tar Heel. But Packer is just awful. And I used to like Tim Brando -- but tonight he's killing me. And he needs to learn how to say Alex Stepheson's name. Tim, it's Stepheson, with no "n" -- not StepheNson. You messed it up last week -- and you're butchering it again. Just quit talking.
All these things probably wouldn't be annoying me as much if we were winning -- but right now every little thing is getting on my nerves. If I say how I'm really feeling, I might lose a few readers! So I'll leave it at this for now.
OK -- time for the second half. LET'S PICK IT UP HEELS!
Billy Packer is officially the WORST commentator of all time. I'd rather hear Dick Vitale -- and that's huge coming from a Tar Heel. But Packer is just awful. And I used to like Tim Brando -- but tonight he's killing me. And he needs to learn how to say Alex Stepheson's name. Tim, it's Stepheson, with no "n" -- not StepheNson. You messed it up last week -- and you're butchering it again. Just quit talking.
All these things probably wouldn't be annoying me as much if we were winning -- but right now every little thing is getting on my nerves. If I say how I'm really feeling, I might lose a few readers! So I'll leave it at this for now.
OK -- time for the second half. LET'S PICK IT UP HEELS!
Just a couple of minutes until the first big game of the year!
OK -- so I'm the world's BIGGEST Tar Heel fan. A lot people say that, but for me, it's not much of a stretch! My blood is Carolina Blue through and through.
It's just a couple of minutes until the first big match-up of the season -- UNC vs. Dook. I'm feeling pretty confident about my Heels' chances tonight. I nearly drove up to Chapel Hill to watch the game with my friends and join them in storming Franklin Street after we win. But being a responsible adult eventually won out. It was definitely a tough decision, though.
So here's my plan -- I'm gonna post before the game (now), during the game (at halftime) and after the game (after we win, that is). I'll try and give you a sneak peek into the emotional roller coaster that is being a UNC basketball fan. Hope you enjoy!
LET'S GO HEELS!
It's just a couple of minutes until the first big match-up of the season -- UNC vs. Dook. I'm feeling pretty confident about my Heels' chances tonight. I nearly drove up to Chapel Hill to watch the game with my friends and join them in storming Franklin Street after we win. But being a responsible adult eventually won out. It was definitely a tough decision, though.
So here's my plan -- I'm gonna post before the game (now), during the game (at halftime) and after the game (after we win, that is). I'll try and give you a sneak peek into the emotional roller coaster that is being a UNC basketball fan. Hope you enjoy!
LET'S GO HEELS!
Monday, February 5, 2007
What's your favorite Super Bowl ad?
I think this Budweiser "spot" is my favorite ad from this year's Super Bowl. I'm a sucker for dogs.
I missed the first half of the game, and subsequently, the first half of commercials. But I found a website where you can go and watch all the national commercials. Check out http://sports.aol.com/nfl/superbowlads?video=16
You'll have to cut and paste that link, by the way.
The commercials are arranged by quarter, so they're pretty easy to find. Take a look, and then click the "Comments" button below and let me know which one was your favorite!
PS -- I'm happy Peyton finally got a Super Bowl win. Feel free to chime in with what you think about last night's game!
Hope you're all doing well!
Thursday, February 1, 2007
All about PowerText
Hey everybody! If you were fortunate enough to see some snow today, I hope you enjoyed it! If you're like me, you saw only rain. Either way, I hope you stayed safe and warm!
I'm toeing the company line with today's blog post -- it's all about PowerText. It's a new service we're rolling out to help keep you in touch and informed. If you want to stay on top of breaking news, the latest weather and all your sports scores, give it a shot -- it's free.
Nearly all of us have cell phones, and a lot of us are now riding the text messaging wave. It's a great way to stay in touch with friends and family -- and by signing up for WNCT's new "PowerText," you'll be able to stay in touch with us here at Nine On Your Side.
With PowerText, you'll also be able to save money, express your opinion and let us know what you want us to cover. So how do you sign up? Well, you're just a few clicks away.
All you need to do to sign up is just head to our website. Once you get there, click on the "PowerText" tab. When you see the PowerText logo, click on "Join the Revolution."
Doing that will open up a new window where you can register. Once you get to that website, click on the yellow link to fill out the registration form. Fill in your name, and choose a username and password that are easy for you to remember.
Then complete the online registration form. Click save -- and you'll instantly get your first text ... an activation code.
Now you're almost done with registration! Just take the number that comes in that text message and plug it into the web page. Once you click "confirm" -- you're done! But feel free to explore that website so you can personalize powertext -- and get the content you want.
If you've got questions, there's a tutorial video under the "PowerText" tab. If that still doesn't do it for you, click the link about PowerText in my "BlogLinks." That'll take you to another blog where you can ask all your questions -- and we'll be sure to get an answer to you ASAP!
It's a pretty neat service -- so, give it a shot!
Otherwise -- does anyone else have any good ideas for some of your area's "best kept secrets?" Keep passing them along -- just click the "Comments" button below!
I'm toeing the company line with today's blog post -- it's all about PowerText. It's a new service we're rolling out to help keep you in touch and informed. If you want to stay on top of breaking news, the latest weather and all your sports scores, give it a shot -- it's free.
Nearly all of us have cell phones, and a lot of us are now riding the text messaging wave. It's a great way to stay in touch with friends and family -- and by signing up for WNCT's new "PowerText," you'll be able to stay in touch with us here at Nine On Your Side.
With PowerText, you'll also be able to save money, express your opinion and let us know what you want us to cover. So how do you sign up? Well, you're just a few clicks away.
All you need to do to sign up is just head to our website. Once you get there, click on the "PowerText" tab. When you see the PowerText logo, click on "Join the Revolution."
Doing that will open up a new window where you can register. Once you get to that website, click on the yellow link to fill out the registration form. Fill in your name, and choose a username and password that are easy for you to remember.
Then complete the online registration form. Click save -- and you'll instantly get your first text ... an activation code.
Now you're almost done with registration! Just take the number that comes in that text message and plug it into the web page. Once you click "confirm" -- you're done! But feel free to explore that website so you can personalize powertext -- and get the content you want.
If you've got questions, there's a tutorial video under the "PowerText" tab. If that still doesn't do it for you, click the link about PowerText in my "BlogLinks." That'll take you to another blog where you can ask all your questions -- and we'll be sure to get an answer to you ASAP!
It's a pretty neat service -- so, give it a shot!
Otherwise -- does anyone else have any good ideas for some of your area's "best kept secrets?" Keep passing them along -- just click the "Comments" button below!
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