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Astérix #23
Obelix and Co.
Julius Caesar sends Caius Preposterus, a bright young graduate of the Latin school of Economics, to corrupt the indomitable Gauls by introducing them to big business. Obelix's menhir trade is soon thriving, backed by a heavy advertising campaign - but does wealth bring happiness? And what will happen when the bottom falls out of the menhir market?
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
24 people are currently reading
993 people want to read
About the author
René Goscinny
2,039 books1,226 followersRené Goscinny (1926 - 1977) was a French author, editor and humorist, who is best known for the comic book
Asterix
, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris (considered the series' golden age).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
January 2, 2022
Obélix y compañía acaba de ser volver a la felicidad. Si pensabas que iba a decir volver a la infancia, estás equivocado. Tener al alcance los bocadillos de Goscinny y las ilustraciones de Uderzo es una auténtica maravilla que no entiende de edades.
Hace cuatro años que no leía las andanzas de estos galos y, desde luego, es toda una aventura adentrarse en sus páginas.
No me acordaba de la gran expresividad de los rostros de estos entrañables personajes ni del ingenio que encarnan los geniales nombres de Cayo Coyuntural, Linguistix, Trastiendix, Gambalaplanchix, Radiotelegráfix o Cocidomadrilenix, entre otros muchos.
Los menhires, los jabalíes, el sorbito de poción mágica, las excursiones al bosque, las trifulcas con los romanos o entre los propios vecinos del reducto galo... Ha sido una experiencia muy entrañable volver a recordar todas las genialidades de este mundo tan fantástico y completo que crearon Goscinny y Uderzo.
En el cómic que nos hace recordar tan buenos momentos de lectura, vemos cómo Obélix es "engañado" por un romano que pretende introducir el capitalismo en el pueblecito galo. La finalidad es acabar con la resistencia gala en el imperio poniéndoles al alcance de la mano el dinero y la avaricia. Los menhires se vuelven el objeto económico estrella del reducto de bárbaros y el sistema capitalista es duramente satirizado en las múltiples viñetas de estos genios del tebeo.
Si queréis reíros con la cantidad de puntazos que destilan las páginas de esta lectura, no tenéis más que ir al año 50 antes de Jesucristo. "Toda la Galia está ocupada por los romanos... ¿Toda? ¡No! Una aldea poblada por irreductibles galos resiste todavía y siempre al invasor. Y la vida no es fácil para las guarniciones de legionarios romanos en los reducidos campamentos de Babaórum, Acuárium, Laudánum y Petibónum..."
Hace cuatro años que no leía las andanzas de estos galos y, desde luego, es toda una aventura adentrarse en sus páginas.
No me acordaba de la gran expresividad de los rostros de estos entrañables personajes ni del ingenio que encarnan los geniales nombres de Cayo Coyuntural, Linguistix, Trastiendix, Gambalaplanchix, Radiotelegráfix o Cocidomadrilenix, entre otros muchos.
Los menhires, los jabalíes, el sorbito de poción mágica, las excursiones al bosque, las trifulcas con los romanos o entre los propios vecinos del reducto galo... Ha sido una experiencia muy entrañable volver a recordar todas las genialidades de este mundo tan fantástico y completo que crearon Goscinny y Uderzo.
En el cómic que nos hace recordar tan buenos momentos de lectura, vemos cómo Obélix es "engañado" por un romano que pretende introducir el capitalismo en el pueblecito galo. La finalidad es acabar con la resistencia gala en el imperio poniéndoles al alcance de la mano el dinero y la avaricia. Los menhires se vuelven el objeto económico estrella del reducto de bárbaros y el sistema capitalista es duramente satirizado en las múltiples viñetas de estos genios del tebeo.
Si queréis reíros con la cantidad de puntazos que destilan las páginas de esta lectura, no tenéis más que ir al año 50 antes de Jesucristo. "Toda la Galia está ocupada por los romanos... ¿Toda? ¡No! Una aldea poblada por irreductibles galos resiste todavía y siempre al invasor. Y la vida no es fácil para las guarniciones de legionarios romanos en los reducidos campamentos de Babaórum, Acuárium, Laudánum y Petibónum..."
November 8, 2023
As a child, this was my least favourite Asterix story - possibly the only Asterix story, period, that I disliked. I didn't understand capitalism then and the entire plot, as well as most of the jokes, flew right over my head.
But now as an adult it hits a whole other way. I get everything now, and the satire has perhaps never been as biting or as appropriate, and has only gotten more so in the half-century since it first came out. There's a few caricatures I recognize as well. And throughout all that, it's still precisely as funny and as heartfelt as any other comic in the series.
From the worst, to one of the best. Top five at the very least.
(Better yet, they've since figured out that the Celts never did menhirs in the first place! The blasted things were around already in the stone age. You'd think someone would have raised the question in-universe.)
But now as an adult it hits a whole other way. I get everything now, and the satire has perhaps never been as biting or as appropriate, and has only gotten more so in the half-century since it first came out. There's a few caricatures I recognize as well. And throughout all that, it's still precisely as funny and as heartfelt as any other comic in the series.
From the worst, to one of the best. Top five at the very least.
(Better yet, they've since figured out that the Celts never did menhirs in the first place! The blasted things were around already in the stone age. You'd think someone would have raised the question in-universe.)
April 10, 2023
Es gibt wenig, das Cäsar noch nicht versucht hat, um das unbeugsame gallische Dorf zu besiegen. Technoktratus, ein Neuling in Cäsars Beraterkreis, hat die zündende Idee: die Gallier in die Dekadenz treiben. Wer führt denn noch Kriege, wenn er stattdessen Geld verdienen kann?
Wird die Idee anfangs noch skeptisch beäugt, zeigt sie bald erste Erfolge: die das gallische Dorf umgebenden Römerlager bestellen Massen an Hinkelsteinen, sodass Obelix kaum noch mit der Produktion hinterherkommt. Und wer rund um die Uhr arbeitet, kommt schon nicht auf die Idee, Römer zu verprügeln. Schon bald ist Obelix der reichste Bewohner des Dorfes, was die anderen Gallier ermutigt, ebenfalls in die Hinkelsteinproduktion zu gehen.
Technoktratus' Plan läuft wie am Schnürchen - bis sich zeigt, dass die Nachfrage nach gallischen Hinkelsteinen in Rom nicht mit dem Überangebot mithalten kann. Und auch Obelix hinterfragt sich plötzlich: was ist Reichtum eigentlich wert, wenn man keine Zeit mehr für seine Freunde und die schönen Dinge des Lebens hat?
__________________
Gelungene Parodie auf moderne Ökonomie. Habs als Kind noch nicht so verstanden, ist auf jeden Fall einer dieser Bände, die man als Erwachsener nochmal anders rezipiert. Paar gute Witze waren dabei, insgesamt wieder ein sehr unterhaltsamer Band.
Wird die Idee anfangs noch skeptisch beäugt, zeigt sie bald erste Erfolge: die das gallische Dorf umgebenden Römerlager bestellen Massen an Hinkelsteinen, sodass Obelix kaum noch mit der Produktion hinterherkommt. Und wer rund um die Uhr arbeitet, kommt schon nicht auf die Idee, Römer zu verprügeln. Schon bald ist Obelix der reichste Bewohner des Dorfes, was die anderen Gallier ermutigt, ebenfalls in die Hinkelsteinproduktion zu gehen.
Technoktratus' Plan läuft wie am Schnürchen - bis sich zeigt, dass die Nachfrage nach gallischen Hinkelsteinen in Rom nicht mit dem Überangebot mithalten kann. Und auch Obelix hinterfragt sich plötzlich: was ist Reichtum eigentlich wert, wenn man keine Zeit mehr für seine Freunde und die schönen Dinge des Lebens hat?
__________________
Gelungene Parodie auf moderne Ökonomie. Habs als Kind noch nicht so verstanden, ist auf jeden Fall einer dieser Bände, die man als Erwachsener nochmal anders rezipiert. Paar gute Witze waren dabei, insgesamt wieder ein sehr unterhaltsamer Band.
January 31, 2016
Another one of my favourites. Financial whiz kid Caius Preposterus has the bright idea of subverting the Gauls through money. His plan is simple - buy up as many menhirs as the Gauls can make at exorbitant prices, so that they will not have the time or the inclination to bash Romans, and the rich lifestyle will make them decadent. Then make a demand for the utterly useless thing by appealing to the vanity of the people, and sell them off at a profit - thus making a killing both way.
Things work fine until more people get into the menhir-making bandwagon: then it all takes a startlingly familiar turn.
I loved the satire at the expense of global finance. Especially the panel where Caius Preposterus explains to Ceasar the method of marketing menhirs using a flip chart.
Things work fine until more people get into the menhir-making bandwagon: then it all takes a startlingly familiar turn.
I loved the satire at the expense of global finance. Especially the panel where Caius Preposterus explains to Ceasar the method of marketing menhirs using a flip chart.
October 16, 2015
One of the few missing from my dad's collection when I was a kid, I only had a few pages to go on.
Here is one of the few instances where there's actually a decent plan to take down the Gauls...this time, revolving around commerce, and the menhir.
A Roman economist tells JC (Julius Caesar) that they could keep the Gauls distracted from fighting by making them ruled by coin...ergo, the menhir trade takes off, Obelix becomes wealthy, everyone works for him or makes their own menhirs, which Asterix sees right through, and convinces Getafix he has it under control. The Romans think they're winning, but in the end, it devalues the Roman economy, and once again the Gauls have the last laugh.
It's nice to see Obelix get more focus, and he even has a birthday, where the village lets him thump all the Romans from one new camp all on his own.
March 24, 2020
Vandaag is Albert Uderzo overleden, de tekenaar van Asterix. Goscinny en Uderzo nemen samen een halve plank van mijn boekenkast in beslag en zijn daarin al sinds dat ik een klein kind was de enige stabiele bewoners van mijn kast.
Obelix & Co is een van de genialere albums van de serie. Een Romeinse salesmanager overtuigt Julius Caesar de Galliërs niet meer met wapenen te bevechten, maar hun sociale cohesie te verstoren door ze te laten concurreren in een kunstmatig gestimuleerde menhirhandel. Door hard menhirs aan te kopen van de Galliërs komen de Romeinen echter te zitten met een overschot, die ze vervolgens via een ingenieuze marketing strategie in Rome als luxe-producten aan de man brengen. Wanneer echter ook Romeinse ambachtslieden de vrije markt op komen, met economische en nationalistische argumenten tegen geïmporteerde waar, knapt de zeepbel en kan de kunstmatige menhirmarkt niet langer gefinancierd worden door de staatskas. De Romeinse economie sneuvelt onder deze speculatie op hun geïntegreerde Europese markt, de valuta devalueert en de Galliërs vallen terug in hun antiromeinse terrorisme.
Obelix & Co is een van de genialere albums van de serie. Een Romeinse salesmanager overtuigt Julius Caesar de Galliërs niet meer met wapenen te bevechten, maar hun sociale cohesie te verstoren door ze te laten concurreren in een kunstmatig gestimuleerde menhirhandel. Door hard menhirs aan te kopen van de Galliërs komen de Romeinen echter te zitten met een overschot, die ze vervolgens via een ingenieuze marketing strategie in Rome als luxe-producten aan de man brengen. Wanneer echter ook Romeinse ambachtslieden de vrije markt op komen, met economische en nationalistische argumenten tegen geïmporteerde waar, knapt de zeepbel en kan de kunstmatige menhirmarkt niet langer gefinancierd worden door de staatskas. De Romeinse economie sneuvelt onder deze speculatie op hun geïntegreerde Europese markt, de valuta devalueert en de Galliërs vallen terug in hun antiromeinse terrorisme.
September 1, 2023
Este álbum es considerado por muchos como el mejor o uno de los mejores de la serie. No sólo es muy divertido y la sátira es excelente (que es lo que se suele destacar) si no que, además, el dibujo de Uderzo brilla a gran altura. Además de que las páginas son magníficas, la narración es fluye de forma espectacular y la expresividad de los personajes destaca como nunca.
February 24, 2019
Apparently Preposterus in this album is a caricature of the French politician Jacques Chirac!
Twice in the Asterix series, Goscinny and Uderzo tackled economics, and in each case the result was one of the very best albums in the series (the other is, of course, ASTERIX AND THE CAULDRON). In this series, Caesar tries to corrupt the little village of Gaulish madmen using capitalism to make them decadent. The only problem is, the village's economy runs pretty much on menhirs and wild boar, and menhirs are not only useless, they also last forever.
What results is a breezy little satire in which, once Asterix catches on to the Romans' plan, he gleefully grasps what Caesar does not: the artificial government-sponsored menhir bubble can't last forever. Not only do the Gauls learn that a little with contentment is better than riches with strife, but they also exploit the Romans' mercantilist policies against them. It's an absolute delight.
Twice in the Asterix series, Goscinny and Uderzo tackled economics, and in each case the result was one of the very best albums in the series (the other is, of course, ASTERIX AND THE CAULDRON). In this series, Caesar tries to corrupt the little village of Gaulish madmen using capitalism to make them decadent. The only problem is, the village's economy runs pretty much on menhirs and wild boar, and menhirs are not only useless, they also last forever.
What results is a breezy little satire in which, once Asterix catches on to the Romans' plan, he gleefully grasps what Caesar does not: the artificial government-sponsored menhir bubble can't last forever. Not only do the Gauls learn that a little with contentment is better than riches with strife, but they also exploit the Romans' mercantilist policies against them. It's an absolute delight.
February 6, 2022
Un p'tit Astérix de temps en temps, ça ne peut pas faire de mal, vous en conviendrez. Dans le cas présent, ce sera "Obélix et compagnie", cuvée 1976, donc la France de Giscard, pays en pleine mutation - mais après tout, le pays est constamment en mutation. Bien sûr, c'est une satire de l'énarquie, incarné par le personnage de Saugrenus, technocrate fraîchement promu, mais dont les méthodes finalement naïves sont facilement déjouées par Astérix et le druide, et ce sera donc la Gaule traditionaliste que sort gagnante (les copains, la chasse au sanglier, la banquet final). Presque un demi-siècle plus tard, on peut se demander si les énarques n'ont pas fini par gagner. Quant aux villageois, la majorité d'entre eux voterait sans doute extrème-droite.
June 15, 2017
পাঁচ-তারা ছাড়া আর কোনো রেটিং কি গসিনী-উদেরজোর সম্মিলিত কোনো আস্তেরিক্সকে দেয়া যায়?
ময়লা একটা সংস্করণ কিনলাম, আজকেই, বাড়াবাড়ি রকমের স্বল্পমূল্যে।
এটা হচ্ছে আস্তেরিক্সের সেইসব বইয়ের একটা, যেখানে অবেলিক্স তার যোগ্য সম্মানটুকু পাইছে। এমন কী এই বইয়ের নামেও। গসিনী সাহেবের আর কোনো বইয়ের নামে কি অবেলিক্স ছিলো? মনে পড়ে না।
বাড়তি পাওনা ছিলো প্রাচীন রোমের বিলবোর্ডের ছবিগুলি। এই না হলে বিজ্ঞাপন!
পারলে নতুন কিনুন, না পারলে পুরনো। আস্তেরিক্স পড়ুন, গলদের ভালো বাসুন। এই ভালোবাসায় যেনো গলদ না থাকে, কারণ এই বইগুলির রসবোধে কোনো ফাঁকিবাজি নাই, এক্কেরে গিল্টি করা।
ময়লা একটা সংস্করণ কিনলাম, আজকেই, বাড়াবাড়ি রকমের স্বল্পমূল্যে।
এটা হচ্ছে আস্তেরিক্সের সেইসব বইয়ের একটা, যেখানে অবেলিক্স তার যোগ্য সম্মানটুকু পাইছে। এমন কী এই বইয়ের নামেও। গসিনী সাহেবের আর কোনো বইয়ের নামে কি অবেলিক্স ছিলো? মনে পড়ে না।
বাড়তি পাওনা ছিলো প্রাচীন রোমের বিলবোর্ডের ছবিগুলি। এই না হলে বিজ্ঞাপন!
পারলে নতুন কিনুন, না পারলে পুরনো। আস্তেরিক্স পড়ুন, গলদের ভালো বাসুন। এই ভালোবাসায় যেনো গলদ না থাকে, কারণ এই বইগুলির রসবোধে কোনো ফাঁকিবাজি নাই, এক্কেরে গিল্টি করা।
August 15, 2020
"ΔΟΚΙΜΑΣΑΤΕ ΤΟ ΑΙΓΥΠΤΙΑΚΟ ΜΕΝΙΡ;"
December 13, 2024
Kolejny raz Rzymianie zostają zdziesiątkowani przez Galów. Juliusz Cezar, pod wpływem młodego doradcy Kajusa Ekonomikusa, postanawia wcielić w życie plan pozbawienia chęci do walki mieszkańców wioski.
Jak zawsze lekko, przyjemnie oraz z humorem. Nic mi więcej do szczęścia nie potrzeba.
Jak zawsze lekko, przyjemnie oraz z humorem. Nic mi więcej do szczęścia nie potrzeba.
January 21, 2021
Hierdie storie is weer 'n tuisverhaal: Asterix reis nie, die drama speel in die dorpie self af. Die Romeinse figuur Caius Ferregaandus probeer die dorpenaars beheer deur hulle ryk en dekadent te maak - hy skep 'n fiktiewe mark vir menhirs. Die tegniek werk amper - maar Asterix en Kasterolix die druïde sien deur die skelmstreek en sorg dat die swaarkry met lekkerkry klaargekry word.
Die vertaling is weer in die kol met komieklike name, woordspelings en al - skitterende werk wat hopelik onder prysgewers se aandag sal kom. Die SA Akademie behoort sy vertaalprys aan hierdie enorme onderneming deur Sonya van Schalkwyk-Barrois toe te ken!
Die vertaling is weer in die kol met komieklike name, woordspelings en al - skitterende werk wat hopelik onder prysgewers se aandag sal kom. Die SA Akademie behoort sy vertaalprys aan hierdie enorme onderneming deur Sonya van Schalkwyk-Barrois toe te ken!
January 25, 2023
4/5
Divertida crítica del libre mercado en la que Obélix se convierte en un empresario de menhires de éxito gracias a una confabulación romana que, como de costumbre, se volverá en su contra. Se tratan las consecuencias de un capitalismo desmesurado y la capacidad de los empresarios por explotar su producto (incluso aparece el merchandising). Sin duda, es uno de los álbumes más inteligentes de la colección.
Divertida crítica del libre mercado en la que Obélix se convierte en un empresario de menhires de éxito gracias a una confabulación romana que, como de costumbre, se volverá en su contra. Se tratan las consecuencias de un capitalismo desmesurado y la capacidad de los empresarios por explotar su producto (incluso aparece el merchandising). Sin duda, es uno de los álbumes más inteligentes de la colección.
November 2, 2020
First published in French in 1976 as Obélix et Compagnie , Obelix and Co was first published in English in 1978. Julius Caesar launches his latest plot to destroy the resistance of the Gaullish village , through the skills of business whiz kid , Caius Preposterus. He will simply infect them with greed for money and therefore in effect buy them off .
Preposterus targets Menhir man Obelix with astonishing effects . It is left up to the cunning of Asterix and Druid Getafix to once again save the day.
A delightful comic full of fun and humour but also brilliant satire of how political freedom can be compromised by economic considerations , in this post Cold War age when we are often told how good economics is the antidote to bad politics
Preposterus targets Menhir man Obelix with astonishing effects . It is left up to the cunning of Asterix and Druid Getafix to once again save the day.
A delightful comic full of fun and humour but also brilliant satire of how political freedom can be compromised by economic considerations , in this post Cold War age when we are often told how good economics is the antidote to bad politics
November 15, 2023
- Je ne peux pas accepter une décision qui risque de priver de travail toute une catégorie de travailleurs.
- Mais ce sont des esclaves !
- Justement ! Le travail est le seul droit que possède l’esclave ; on ne peut pas lui enlever ce droit !
- Mais ce sont des esclaves !
- Justement ! Le travail est le seul droit que possède l’esclave ; on ne peut pas lui enlever ce droit !
March 21, 2018
I don't understand how I forgot to review this one here.
So far my absolute favorite! The genius of Goscinny is that he makes us believe that this stuff almost writes itself. The humor is so effortless and at the same time so earned by the characters and settings.
I'm really loving this.
So far my absolute favorite! The genius of Goscinny is that he makes us believe that this stuff almost writes itself. The humor is so effortless and at the same time so earned by the characters and settings.
I'm really loving this.
November 1, 2019
Kámoši! Toto je tak strašně inteligentně vtipné! Úplně mě od toho culení bolí pusa! Nechte se pozvat na dávku Římanů, omg.
March 3, 2024
For my menhir research i pulled asterix and obelix out again, shoutout to alicia for buying it for me
September 9, 2024
A fun satire on business schools and corporate culture.
June 12, 2022
Over time, Caesar has tried all manner to methods to try and subdue that one little pesky Magical potion chugging village of Gauls. When fists and spears don't work, it's time to use alternative means. That is what the dictator has resorted to this time around; commissioning the aptly named Caius Preposterous to reel the innocently naïve Gauls into the fold of Satan's playground; Capitalism.
Oh, and not that anyone's keeping count; It's Obelix's birthday!
So begins the long and elaborate yarn; involving Obelix's menhirs, a real life case study of when supply and demand goes haywire, and why no one should trust the modern day paradigm of creating fake value with a veneer of exclusivity.
Long story short Caesar ends up getting close to Bankruptcy, Rome ends up owning a whole bunch of menhirs for no reason, and the Gauls go back to how things were at the end; again.
The Puns for this chapter:
Scrofulus
Ignoramus
Caius Preposterus
Larcenus
Analgesix
Monosyllabalix
Polysyllabalix
Pacifix
Atlantix
Baltix
Adriatix
Meretricius
For all the chaotic absurdity, and perhaps reminded people that they don't really need the latest overpriced Iphone, I rate it 4 out of 5
Oh, and not that anyone's keeping count; It's Obelix's birthday!
So begins the long and elaborate yarn; involving Obelix's menhirs, a real life case study of when supply and demand goes haywire, and why no one should trust the modern day paradigm of creating fake value with a veneer of exclusivity.
Long story short Caesar ends up getting close to Bankruptcy, Rome ends up owning a whole bunch of menhirs for no reason, and the Gauls go back to how things were at the end; again.
The Puns for this chapter:
Scrofulus
Ignoramus
Caius Preposterus
Larcenus
Analgesix
Monosyllabalix
Polysyllabalix
Pacifix
Atlantix
Baltix
Adriatix
Meretricius
For all the chaotic absurdity, and perhaps reminded people that they don't really need the latest overpriced Iphone, I rate it 4 out of 5
October 5, 2021
Once again César comes up with a new plan to defeat the Gaule village.
This time the idea comes from a young man - Caius Saugrenus. He want to make the Gaul weak and distracted, so that they “forget about war and fighting the Roman army”.
The idea is simple, make them greedy for money and luxury as all of César’s councilmen have became.
For that Saugrenus travels to the camp of Babaorum and starts wooing Obelix and making him believe that he can become an incredibly rich and important man if he sells his menirs to him.
What happens next is pure joy and market speculation that we can see in the current day!
Loved this book!
This time the idea comes from a young man - Caius Saugrenus. He want to make the Gaul weak and distracted, so that they “forget about war and fighting the Roman army”.
The idea is simple, make them greedy for money and luxury as all of César’s councilmen have became.
For that Saugrenus travels to the camp of Babaorum and starts wooing Obelix and making him believe that he can become an incredibly rich and important man if he sells his menirs to him.
What happens next is pure joy and market speculation that we can see in the current day!
Loved this book!
June 29, 2020
Nice book, quite satirical and enjoyable to read!
August 6, 2021
L'ho finito ieri alle 9:51pm
Ps. Consigliato ai fan di Asterix e Obelix 👍
Ps. Consigliato ai fan di Asterix e Obelix 👍
March 30, 2023
Genijalno.
Iz današnje perspektive i iz perspektive mog svakodnevnog okruženja - preduhovito i pre-gađa-metu.
Iz današnje perspektive i iz perspektive mog svakodnevnog okruženja - preduhovito i pre-gađa-metu.
March 29, 2024
Mein fav bisher
August 27, 2024
Een van mijn favorieten! Zaken doen met Obelix. Heerlijk!!
September 9, 2024
Część z urodzinami Obelixa. Całkiem całkiem.
November 14, 2024
fun to read, I like the criticism of capitalism, dislike the sexism
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