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Could mass produced tiny houses help solve Ireland's housing crisis?

Co Meath company MK Engineering is working towards being able to factory produce the units.

R13 The interior of the tiny house. Picasa Picasa

WITH HOUSE PRICES still rising across the country, things are not looking any rosier for people trying to get onto the property ladder. 

A trend that has been around for a few years internationally is downsizing into much smaller, transportable housing units as part of the ‘Tiny House Movement‘.

However, the only way to get your hands on one of these in Ireland currently is either to import one or build one yourself.

A Co Meath-based company is aiming to change that by producing the units on a larger scale.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Darragh McKiernan from MK Engineering, said, “When we can standardise it, with everything being the same size and well quantified, then we would be able to build it so that it clicks together, rather than a typical site-built unit where there would be builders and carpenters.”

We want to try and get this all into a factory so that we can control the process. To make it the most efficient way of building possible. That is kind of what we are aiming for.

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The company has produced a prototype model of the house that they want to produce on a larger scale.

When they gain the capability to do this the company envision being able to sell the units for around €20,000 each.

For McKiernan, the properties are an option to those unable to take conventional steps onto the property ladder.

R6_REV1 Picasa Picasa

“The company I am working for have been making a few log cabins, and they were finding that there were people who didn’t want to commit to the big long mortgage,” he said.

It was found that even the log cabins were coming in a little bit expensive. A decent-sized one was around €50,000. People couldn’t come up with the funding for it, for that kind of structure. It would be difficult to finance them through a mortgage because it isn’t a traditional sort of build.

It is envisaged that when completed, the units could be positioned in someone’s back garden or near a source of electricity, as a blue plug from the back of the structure allows it to connect to the mains in the same fashion as a caravan.

“We wouldn’t be trying to sell these to green field building sites, because it isn’t going to work in that sense. But for someone who might have a cousin with a bit of spare land, it takes up 160 sq. ft., there are greenhouses bigger than it,” McKiernan said.

Read: Michael Jackson’s iconic Neverland Ranch up for grabs (for $100m, if you have it)

Also: What else could I get for… the €12 million pricetag on one of the most expensive homes in the country

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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:56 PM

    Gay prods marrying Gay Catholics, Paisley just turned in his grave .

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    Mute Brian Farren
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:24 PM

    Peter Robinson will have another heart attack

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:45 PM

    Eating too much cake?

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    Mute Gavin Carton
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 8:05 PM

    Mrs. Robinson playing away again?!!?

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    Mute George Hogan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:19 PM

    Well done, Belfast!

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    Mute Were [redacted]
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:27 PM

    Good for them. Having a situation where your marriage can be legal in one part of the country and not in another part is lunacy.

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 2:50 PM

    It can be beneficial for Northern Ireland to plough its own furrow at times, compared to the rest of the UK. Not in this case though.

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    Mute Carmo Vanderval
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:49 PM

    Orange is the new pink.

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    Mute Galloper Thompson
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:38 PM

    Should be noted that it was 2 members of the SDLP that abstained, a third of their Councillors…

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    Mute cold war kid
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:58 PM

    SDLP is divided to the core on this issue.

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    Mute Mick Hannigan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:27 PM

    start of many countries following Ireland

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:39 PM

    The disputed territory “Northern Ireland” isn’t a country

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    Mute Carmo Vanderval
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:57 PM

    Eh, sorry john but Northern Ireland is a country, regardless of the perceived political status prescribed by you. It’s not an independent sovereign state but Mick didn’t say it was.

    So return those green thumbs to their owners post haste; eh, you can probably keep the red ones.

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    Mute Carmo Vanderval
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:17 PM

    My understanding of language is that it functions using objectively verifiable rules of semantics that are entirely independent from the number of green or red thumbs a post receives on the journal.

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:19 PM

    “England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are not themselves listed in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) list of countries. However the ISO list of the subdivisions of the UK, compiled by British Standards and the UK’s Office for National Statistics, uses “country” to describe England, Scotland and Wales.[3] Northern Ireland, in contrast, is described as a “PROVINCE” in the same lists”

    http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_3166-2_newsletter_ii-3_2011-12-13.pdf

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    Mute Carmo Vanderval
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:36 PM

    But it’s not really a province though is it? Ulster is a province. Otherwise we need to give them back Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan. I do accept that it’s typical for people to call it a province, a country and a region and that ambiguity is understandable given it’s unique status.

    I know it’s complex mate, language is quiet difficult and can confuse mere mortals, but given it’s distinct geography, political status and the everyday use of this term to describe it, Northern Ireland is a country more than it is a “disputed territory”; I didn’t sign the good friday agreement but I know that much.

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 3:03 PM

    Carmo, your post was inaccurate. Just accept that you were wrong and move on. Northern Ireland is not a country.

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    Mute Anne Marie Devlin
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 3:30 PM

    @carmo. Northern Ireland is not a country. You cannot get an ni passport. It doesn’t offer consular services. Residents have a choice of passports – Irish or British

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    Mute Carmo Vanderval
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 4:37 PM

    What is it then?

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    Mute Leadog
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 5:03 PM

    Give them back cavan, donegal and monaghan? Its more a case of us getting back the six counties.

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    Mute In The Name Of....
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 6:01 PM

    They can have Cavan.

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    Mute Traolach Ó Dubhda
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 6:13 PM

    Monaghan too.
    We’ll keep Donegal though.

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    Mute Robbie Curran
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:36 PM

    Oh no, the Westboro Baptist Church are going to kick off again.

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    Mute Egg Head
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:17 PM

    We were promised that if we voted yes this would stop. For the love of god will it ever end?!

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    Mute TheDoctor
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:43 PM

    Careful now, your stupidity is shining through.

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    Mute Shocklodge
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 3:14 PM

    The beatings will continue until gay rights improve.

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    Mute James Joseph Superior Power
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 5:46 PM

    For the love of God would people who are not interested in gay related articles please stop reading them or you will be forced to right a complaint about it in the comments.

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    Mute don lavery
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:50 PM

    Where is the Save Ulster from Sodomy campaign?
    It attracted some fine Christians like Big Ian.
    Oh, right.
    It went the way of the Dinosaurs.

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    Mute Kevin M Smyth
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 2:56 PM

    Ah here! It’s unfair to lump the dinosaurs in with the bigots.

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    Mute Paddy Obrien
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 7:14 PM

    But where’s big roaring Ian now? Slowly but surely turning to dust

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:20 PM

    Nonsense click bait headline, everyone knows popolous seeking Sinn Fein and left wing alliance control Belfast city council (hence the flag fiasco) , it will be defeated in Stormont.
    Not everyone wants to implement neo-liberal idealology

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    Mute George Hogan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:23 PM

    You view equality as neo-liberalism?!? Yeah, you probably do, actually!

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    Mute Were [redacted]
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:26 PM

    John, neoliberalism revolves around economics and regulation of business and the like. It has nothing got to do with dragging Ireland out of the 1950s with its views to gay people.

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:32 PM

    @Were. SSM is only available to 2% of the worlds population, are 98% of the world in your view stuck in the 1950s? How self righteous of you.
    SSM was manufactured by left wing liberalists, the notion of it was unheard of a decade ago.

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    Mute George Hogan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:33 PM

    The ancient Romans had SSM.

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:37 PM

    Nonsense. Prove it! The romans also practiced slavery, put people to death by lions in front of large audiences and practiced pedastry since you’re looking to the ancients for how to enligten our society.

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    Mute John Everyman
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:41 PM

    The Netherlands has had marriage equality since 2001.

    But sure don’t let that inconvenient fact get in the way of your myth that it was “unheard of a decade ago”.

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    Mute George Hogan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:43 PM

    @John
    Cool yer jets! You said the SSM wasn’t thought of more than ten years ago. I responded that there was SSM inAncient Rome, no need to undermine the whole of antiquity because a couple of blokes could get married 2,000 years ago. Oh, you have a computer, check it out for yourself!

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    Mute TheoWolfe
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:44 PM

    True, neo-liberalism is a economic philosophy couched in Marxist language but the definition has broadened in recent times. A better description would be pseudo liberals or illiberal liberals.

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    Mute George Hogan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:48 PM

    Actually, this is a really interesting historical perspective on the history of same-sex marriage from the Guardian…
    -
    http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/23/-sp-secret-history-same-sex-marriage

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    Mute TheoWolfe
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:53 PM

    Well The Guardian is the prayer book of choice of the pseudo liberals.

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    Mute George Hogan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:57 PM

    Says the pseudo-intellectual.

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    Mute TheoWolfe
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:59 PM

    If an ability to see through the flak of pseudo liberalism and remain sceptical of the latest fad I will plead guilty to that attempt at an insult.

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    Mute Carmo Vanderval
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:01 PM

    Holy smoke theo and John, your arguments and phrasing across this comment section is wholly inconsistent, I’m not sure but I’m guessing it’s troll logic.

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    Mute George Hogan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:03 PM

    It tells that the demand for homosexual couplings to be recognized was constant, has been substantiated legally before hand and is not a “modern”, decadent “choice”.

    28
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    Mute Paul O'Keeffe
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:12 PM

    @John, you are confusing liberalism in the social sense with liberalism in the economic sense. Completely different things mate.

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    Mute Ian Phillip Creaner
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    Jun 4th 2015, 11:04 AM

    Yeah John. But we won. Oh yes baby. And middle Ireland told freaks like you that you now are in the minority.

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    Mute Ken McCarthy
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:43 PM

    I’m still undecided. There still hasn’t been enough debate.

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    Mute RonanM
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:50 PM

    The gays are just as bad as girls seeking equality…….who cares what a couple people vote on in Belfast as it means feck all as its not law!

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    Mute Carmo Vanderval
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:10 PM

    Women seeking equality now are they? Well that will never happen.
    Now what time is the next diplodocus to Bedrock? I have to return my wholly mammoth vacuum cleaner for re-bristling.

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    Mute Antrim/Kurdistan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:14 PM

    Kinda like the time SF held a united Ireland referendum in, wait for it……………South Armagh, a resounding yes vote too by the way, who’d have thought.

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 3:05 PM

    Yeah we know – the majority of unionist politicians are bigots, and wish to block two consenting adults from getting married.

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    Mute Antrim/Kurdistan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 3:09 PM

    Yeah and the fact SF agree with same sex marriage just excuses the 30 years of murder and maiming they were involved in doesn’t it. Never seen a bigger shower of populist hypocrites in all my life.

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    Mute In The Name Of....
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 6:03 PM

    You haven’t met the aaa yet so..

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    Mute Cllr Malachy Quinn
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 5:48 PM

    Well done to my Party Colleagues, progressive politics at its best!

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    Mute Seán MakeGráthelaw O'Sullivan
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 4:37 PM

    Orange you glad they’re on the way

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    Mute Big Yellow Crane
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 10:37 PM

    I’m not an Ulster Unionist but it’s only fair to say that Jeff Dudgeon also spoke in favour of gay marriage. All you equal rights champions will remember that it was Jeff’s case in Europe that led to decriminalisation of homosexuality in Northern Ireland.

    The article doesn’t mention any Ulster unionist speaking in favour but Jeff Dudgeon is an Ulster Unionist councillor. And Jeff’s case was ten years before David Norris had to do the same in the south. So the decriminalisation of homosexuality across Ireland was achieved by a unionist and someone who until some time last month was dismissed as a West Brit revisionist by republicans.

    And while everyone’s slagging the ghost of Ian Paisley clerics in the republic are attacking yes voters in their congregations.

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    Mute Fionnan Mcswiney
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    Jun 3rd 2015, 11:24 PM

    More like belslow Amirite

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