THE COMPLETE INTEGRATED SYSTEM

Sterling's Core Stoicism + Six Commitments + Enchiridion 1-5 + Five Steps

I. The Four Components

What We're Integrating

Sterling's Core Stoicism (Causal mechanism - theorems)
Sterling's Six Commitments (Metaphysical foundations)
Enchiridion Chapters 1-5 (Epictetus's foundational teaching)
Epictetus' Five Steps (Practice method)

Goal: Seamless integration for real-time use

II. Enchiridion Chapters 1-5: Core Content

Chapter 1: The Fundamental Distinction

"Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions."

Core Teaching:

In our control (eph' hēmin): Judgments, desires, aversions, our actions
Not in our control: Body, externals, outcomes, others' actions
The fundamental distinction upon which everything rests

Sterling's Core Stoicism Connection:

Th 6: "Only beliefs and will are in our control"
Epictetus Chapter 1 = Foundation for Th 6

Six Commitments Connection:

Dualism: Required for in/out distinction (prohairesis ≠ body/world)
Freedom: "In our control" requires libertarian freedom

Chapter 2: Desire and Aversion Properly Directed

"Remember that following desire promises the attainment of that of which you are desirous; and aversion promises the avoiding that to which you are averse. However, he who fails to obtain the object of his desire is disappointed, and he who incurs the object of his aversion is wretched. If, then, you confine your aversion to those objects only which are contrary to the natural use of your faculties, which you have in your own control, you will never incur anything to which you are averse. But if you are averse to sickness, or death, or poverty, you will be wretched."

Core Teaching:

Desire only what's in your control (virtue)
Avoid only what's in your control (vice)
Never desire/avoid externals (sets up failure/wretchedness)

Sterling's Core Stoicism Connection:

Th 7: "Desires are caused by beliefs about good and evil"
Th 3: "All unhappiness from having desire + frustration"
Th 10: "Only virtue is good, only vice is evil"
Epictetus Chapter 2 = Practical application of Th 3, 7, 10

The Causal Chain:

Desire external → External doesn't comply → Disappointment (Th 3)
Averse to external → External occurs → Wretchedness (Th 3)

Solution: Desire only virtue → Always achievable → No disappointment

Chapter 3: Everything Has a Price

"With regard to whatever objects give you delight, are useful, or are deeply loved, remember to tell yourself of what general nature they are, beginning from the most insignificant things. If, for example, you are fond of a specific ceramic cup, remind yourself that it is only ceramic cups in general of which you are fond. Then, if it breaks, you will not be disturbed. If you kiss your child, or your wife, say that you only kiss things which are human, and thus you will not be disturbed if either of them dies."

Core Teaching:

Everything external is fragile (can be lost)
Remind yourself constantly of nature of things
"Only a human" = external, mortal, not in my control
Preparation prevents pathē when loss occurs

Sterling's Core Stoicism Connection:

Th 12: "Things not in our control are never good or evil"
Externals = indifferent (even beloved ones)
Don't treat as genuinely good (though preferred)
Loss of indifferent ≠ loss of good (no real harm)

The Practice:

See thing/person → Remind: "This is external, can be lost"
→ Enjoy appropriately (preferred indifferent)
→ Don't treat as genuinely good
→ If lost: Not devastated (was always indifferent)

Chapter 4: About to Act - Remind Yourself

"When you are going about any action, remind yourself what nature the action is. If you are going to bathe, picture to yourself the things which usually happen in the bath: some people splash the water, some push, some use abusive language, and others steal. Thus you will more safely go about this action if you say to yourself, 'I will now go bathe, and keep my own mind in a state conformable to nature.' And so with regard to every other action. For thus, if any hindrance arises in bathing, you will have it ready to say, 'It was not only to bathe that I desired, but to keep my mind in a state conformable to nature; and I will not keep it if I am bothered at things that happen.'"

Core Teaching:

Before acting: Rehearse what might happen
Expect obstacles (people will be difficult, things will go wrong)
Real goal: Maintain virtue (not achieve external outcome)
When obstacle occurs: "I expected this, virtue maintained"

Sterling's Core Stoicism Connection:

Distinguish: Internal goal (virtue) vs. External goal (outcome)
External outcome: Not guaranteed (not in control)
Internal virtue: Guaranteed (in control)
Success = virtue maintained (regardless of outcome)

The Practice:

Before action:
1. Identify external goal ("bathe")
2. Identify internal goal ("maintain virtue")
3. Rehearse obstacles ("people will splash, push, steal")
4. Commit to internal goal (virtue regardless of obstacles)

During action:
- Obstacle occurs: "Expected this"
- Maintain virtue: "Real goal achieved"
- External fails: "Doesn't matter, virtue maintained"

Chapter 5: Disturbed by Things or Judgments?

"Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things. Death, for instance, is not terrible, else it would have appeared so to Socrates. But the terror consists in our notion of death that it is terrible. When therefore we are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others, but to ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed person will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon others. Someone just starting instruction will lay the fault on himself. Some who is perfectly instructed will place blame neither on others nor on himself."

Core Teaching:

NOT things that disturb, but judgments about things
Death not terrible (Socrates proved this)
Our judgment "death is terrible" = the problem
Blame progression: Others → Self → No one (perfectly instructed)

Sterling's Core Stoicism Connection:

Th 7: "Desires are caused by beliefs about good and evil"
THE CRANKSHAFT: Judgment → Desire/Aversion → Emotion
Change judgment → Change emotion
This is THE KEY MECHANISM

Five Steps Connection:

This is WHY we examine impressions
Impressions contain judgments
Judgments cause emotions
Examine and correct judgment → Emotion changes

The Causal Analysis:

EVENT: Death approaches
IMPRESSION: "Death is terrible" (judgment)
ASSENT: Accept this judgment
RESULT: Terror (pathē)

vs.

EVENT: Death approaches
IMPRESSION: "Death is terrible" (judgment)
EXAMINATION: "Is death evil? No, external = indifferent"
REFUSE: Don't assent to false judgment
RESULT: No terror (equanimity)

III. Integration Map: How Components Connect

The Complete Structure

SIX COMMITMENTS (Metaphysical Foundation)
    ↓ [enable]
ENCHIRIDION 1-5 (Fundamental Teachings)
    │
    ├─ Ch 1: Internal/External distinction
    ├─ Ch 2: Desire/Aversion properly directed
    ├─ Ch 3: Everything external is fragile
    ├─ Ch 4: Rehearse obstacles, maintain virtue
    └─ Ch 5: Judgments disturb, not things
    ↓ [systematized in]
CORE STOICISM (Theorems - Causal Mechanism)
    │
    ├─ Th 6: Only beliefs/will in control (Ch 1)
    ├─ Th 7: Judgments → Desires → Emotions (Ch 5)
    ├─ Th 3: Desire + Frustration = Unhappiness (Ch 2)
    ├─ Th 10: Only virtue good, only vice evil (Ch 2)
    └─ Th 12: Externals never good/evil (Ch 3)
    ↓ [guides]
FIVE STEPS (Practice Method)
    │
    ├─ Reception: Impression arrives
    ├─ Recognition: Three things distinct (Ch 1)
    ├─ Pause: Suspend assent
    ├─ Examination: Test judgment (Ch 5)
    └─ Decision: Refuse false, accept true
    ↓ [produces]
EUDAIMONIA (Complete happiness through virtue alone)

IV. Enchiridion Chapters 1-5 Mapped to Core Stoicism

Direct Correspondences

Enchiridion	Core Teaching	Sterling's Theorem	Integration
Chapter 1	Internal/External distinction	Th 6	Only prohairesis in control
Chapter 2	Desire only what's in control	Th 3, 7, 10	Wrong desires → frustration → pathē
Chapter 3	Externals are fragile/losable	Th 12	Externals = indifferent (even loved ones)
Chapter 4	Maintain virtue despite obstacles	Th 6, 10	Virtue always achievable (internal)
Chapter 5	Judgments disturb, not things	Th 7	THE CRANKSHAFT mechanism

V. Five Steps Integrated with Enchiridion 1-5

How Each Chapter Informs Each Step

STEP 1: RECEPTION

Enchiridion Support:

Ch 5: Impression arrives containing judgment
Notice: Impression claims something is good/evil/terrible
Not yet: Assent or refuse
Just: Awareness of mental event

STEP 2: RECOGNITION

Enchiridion Support:

Ch 1: Distinguish three things
1. External event (not in my control)
2. Impression about event (mental representation)
3. Prohairesis (me, the judge - in my control)

Application:

Event: Person insults me (external - Ch 1)
Impression: "I am harmed" (judgment about event)
Me: Rational faculty examining this (internal - Ch 1)

STEP 3: PAUSE

Enchiridion Support:

Ch 4: Before acting, remind yourself
Ch 5: Don't immediately blame/react
Suspend: Hold impression without assenting
Create space: Between impression and response

STEP 4: EXAMINATION

Enchiridion Support (ALL FIVE CHAPTERS):

Ch 1 Test: Internal or External?

Question: Is this in my control?
- My judgment: YES (internal)
- Event itself: NO (external)
- Apply: Th 6, 12

Ch 2 Test: Should I desire/avoid this?

Question: Is this virtue or vice?
- If virtue: Desire it (will achieve - Th 14)
- If vice: Avoid it (can avoid - in control)
- If external: Neither desire nor avoid (indifferent)

Ch 3 Test: Is this fragile/losable?

Question: Can I lose this?
- If yes: External (indifferent)
- If no: Internal (virtue - in my control)
- Apply: Th 12

Ch 4 Test: Can I maintain virtue regardless?

Question: Can I be virtuous even if external fails?
- If yes: External outcome indifferent
- Focus: Internal virtue
- Apply: Th 10

Ch 5 Test: Is thing or judgment the problem?

Question: What's disturbing me?
- Thing itself: NO (Ch 5 - things don't disturb)
- My judgment about thing: YES (this is source)
- Examine: Is judgment true? (Test against Th 10, 12)

STEP 5: DECISION

Enchiridion Support:

Ch 5: "Perfectly instructed" person blames neither others nor self
Refuse: False judgment
Accept: True judgment
Result: No disturbance (eudaimonia)

VI. Real-Time Integration Protocol

When Impression Arises

QUICK SEQUENCE (Enchiridion + Steps + Core Stoicism):

1. IMPRESSION ARRIVES
   "This is terrible/good/harmful"
   
2. ENCHIRIDION CH 5 RECOGNITION
   "Not thing disturbing, but my judgment"
   
3. ENCHIRIDION CH 1 DISTINCTION
   "Is this in my control or not?"
   
4. FIVE STEPS ENGAGE:
   
   Reception: Notice impression
   
   Recognition: Three things
   - Event (external - Ch 1)
   - Impression (judgment - Ch 5)
   - Me (prohairesis - Ch 1)
   
   Pause: Suspend (Ch 4 - before reacting)
   
   Examination: Test
   - Internal/External? (Ch 1)
   - Virtue/Vice/Indifferent? (Ch 2)
   - Fragile/Losable? (Ch 3)
   - Can maintain virtue regardless? (Ch 4)
   - Judgment or thing disturbing? (Ch 5)
   
   Decision:
   - If judgment false: Refuse (Th 12)
   - If judgment true: Accept
   
5. RESULT
   - False judgment refused → No pathē
   - Virtue maintained → Eudaimonia

VII. Worked Example: Complete Integration

SCENARIO: Job Loss

EVENT: Informed you're being laid off

ENCHIRIDION CH 1 APPLIED:

Question: Is job in my control?
Answer: NO (external)
- Job = property, reputation, command (Ch 1 list)
- NOT in my control
- Therefore: Can't guarantee keeping it

ENCHIRIDION CH 2 APPLIED:

Question: Should I have desired keeping job?
Answer: NO (desire for external)
- Desiring external → Sets up disappointment (Ch 2)
- Job = not in control → Don't desire
- Should desire only: Virtue (working well)

ENCHIRIDION CH 3 APPLIED:

Question: Was job fragile/losable?
Answer: YES (always was)
- Should have reminded self: "This is a job, can be lost"
- Like ceramic cup (Ch 3)
- Loss inevitable eventually (retirement/death if nothing else)

ENCHIRIDION CH 4 APPLIED:

Question: Can I maintain virtue despite job loss?
Answer: YES
- Real goal: Not "keep job" (external)
- Real goal: "Respond virtuously to whatever happens"
- Job loss = one of the obstacles to rehearse
- Virtue maintained even if job lost

ENCHIRIDION CH 5 APPLIED:

Question: What's disturbing me?
Answer: NOT job loss (thing) BUT judgment "job loss is terrible"
- Job loss itself: Just event
- "This is terrible": My judgment
- Terror comes from judgment, not event
- Change judgment → Change emotion

FIVE STEPS APPLIED:

STEP 1: RECEPTION

Impression: "I lost my job and this is terrible"

STEP 2: RECOGNITION

Event: Company laid me off (external)
Impression: "This is terrible" (judgment)
Me: Rational judge examining this

STEP 3: PAUSE

Suspend assent to "terrible"
Don't immediately panic/grieve
Hold for examination

STEP 4: EXAMINATION

Using all Enchiridion tests:

Ch 1: Job external? YES → Can lose it
Ch 2: Desired external? YES → Set up for disappointment
Ch 3: Job fragile? YES → Should have expected possible loss
Ch 4: Can maintain virtue? YES → Real goal achievable
Ch 5: Thing or judgment? JUDGMENT ("terrible") disturbs

Using Core Stoicism:

Th 6: Job in my control? NO (external)
Th 12: External good or evil? NEITHER (indifferent)
Th 10: What's genuinely good? VIRTUE ONLY
Test: Is "job loss is terrible" true?
Answer: NO (external ≠ evil)

STEP 5: DECISION

REFUSE: "Job loss is terrible"

ACCEPT: "I lost my job [true factual claim]
         AND this is neither good nor evil [true - Th 12]
         Job = external, preferred indifferent
         Can maintain virtue despite this
         Can find new job virtuously
         Eudaimonia not threatened"

RESULT:

No pathē (terror, despair, grief)
Appropriate feeling: Joy or, at least, proto-joy
Virtue maintained: Respond wisely, justly, courageously
Eudaimonia preserved: Guaranteed (Th 14)

VIII. Six Commitments Enabling Enchiridion Practice

Why Each Commitment Necessary

COMMITMENT 1: Dualism

Enables: Ch 1 internal/external distinction
Without: Can't separate prohairesis from world
Provides: Domain that's "in our control"

COMMITMENT 2: Libertarian Freedom

Enables: Ch 1 "in our control" to be genuine
Without: All determined (nothing really "in control")
Provides: Real pause, real choice

COMMITMENT 3: Correspondence

Enables: Ch 5 testing judgments for truth
Without: Can't determine if judgment matches reality
Provides: Objective testing criterion

COMMITMENT 4: Moral Realism

Enables: Ch 2 "only virtue is good" to be objective fact
Without: Just preference (Stoic vs. hedonist)
Provides: Binding standard

COMMITMENT 5: Foundationalism

Enables: Ch 2 "only virtue good" as foundational axiom
Without: Infinite regress ("why is virtue good?")
Provides: Stable testing ground

COMMITMENT 6: Intuitionism

Enables: Ch 1, 3 immediate recognition (internal/external, fragile)
Without: Must infer everything (too slow)
Provides: Practical real-time application

IX. Six Commitments Enabling the Five Steps

What Each Commitment Makes Possible at Each Step

The Five Steps aren't psychological techniques layered onto neutral experience. They're operations made possible only by specific metaphysical commitments:

STEP 1: RECEPTION (Impression Arrives)

Requires DUALISM:

Impressions arrive TO prohairesis (distinct from world)
Without dualism: No separate receiver (all one physical system)
Mental event ≠ physical event (two substances)
Creates: Space for impression to be received by non-physical mind

Requires CORRESPONDENCE:

Impressions make truth claims (can be true or false)
Without correspondence: Can't be "true" or "false" (just coherent/incoherent)
Impression claims to match reality
Creates: Something to test in examination

What breaks without these:

Physicalism: Impression = brain state, no separate receiver
No correspondence: Impression makes no truth claim, nothing to examine
Result: Reception step impossible

STEP 2: RECOGNITION (Three Things Distinct)

Requires DUALISM:

Three actually distinct things: World (physical), Impression (mental), Prohairesis (mental faculty)
Without dualism: All physical (one substance), can't separate prohairesis from brain/world
Internal domain (prohairesis) ≠ External domain (body + world)
Creates: Real distinction to recognize (Enchiridion Ch 1)

Requires CORRESPONDENCE:

Can distinguish: Reality (event) from representation (impression)
Without correspondence: Can't distinguish world from mental image of world
Event happened vs. impression claims something about event (two different things)
Creates: Ability to test impression against reality

What breaks without these:

Physicalism: Event, impression, prohairesis all physical states (no real distinction)
No correspondence: Can't separate "what happened" from "what I think about it"
Result: Recognition step collapses (everything fused together)

STEP 3: PAUSE (Suspend Assent)

Requires LIBERTARIAN FREEDOM:

Genuine suspension between real alternatives
Without libertarian freedom: "Pause" = waiting for determined outcome
Could actually assent OR refuse (not predetermined)
Creates: Real suspension (not theatrical delay)

Requires DUALISM:

Non-physical domain for suspension to occur
Without dualism: Brain state → next brain state (physical causation)
Prohairesis can "step back" from causal chain
Creates: Space between impression and response

What breaks without these:

Determinism: Outcome already fixed, just experiencing delay
Compatibilism: "Free pause" = acting on desires (desires determined)
Physicalism: Neural processing time (not genuine suspension)
Result: Pause is illusion (going through predetermined motions)

STEP 4: EXAMINATION (Test Against Standards)

Requires ALL SIX COMMITMENTS (Most complex step):

FOUNDATIONALISM:

Bedrock axioms to test against (Th 10: "Only virtue good", Th 12: "Externals indifferent")
Without foundationalism: Infinite regress ("Why is virtue good?" → "Because..." → "Why?" → endless)
Examination terminates in self-evident truths
Creates: Stable testing ground

MORAL REALISM:

Objective good/evil exist (not subjective preferences)
Without realism: "Virtue is good" = opinion (Stoic preference vs. hedonist preference)
Can test: Is this really good/evil? (objective answer)
Creates: Binding standard (not relative)

CORRESPONDENCE:

Can test: Does impression match reality?
Without correspondence: Only test coherence with other beliefs (circular)
Impression claims "X is good/evil" → Test against actual good/evil
Creates: Objective testing (not just internal consistency)

INTUITIONISM:

Direct rational grasp of categories (internal/external, good/evil/indifferent)
Without intuitionism: Must prove everything from sense data (too slow)
Immediate recognition: "This is external" (Enchiridion Ch 1, 3)
Creates: Practical real-time examination (not lengthy inference)

DUALISM:

Rational faculty (prohairesis) separate from object being examined
Without dualism: Brain examining brain states (circular)
Observer ≠ observed
Creates: Genuine examination (not system examining itself)

LIBERTARIAN FREEDOM:

Examination not predetermined (could discover impression true OR false)
Without freedom: Examination outcome already determined
Real testing (not theatrical going-through-motions)
Creates: Genuine discovery of truth

What breaks without these:

Without foundationalism: "Why is virtue good?" → Infinite regress → Paralysis
Without realism: "Virtue good" = preference → No binding force
Without correspondence: Test coherence only → Circular (Stoic system coherent, hedonist system coherent)
Without intuitionism: Must prove from observation → Too slow for practice
Without dualism: Circular (brain testing brain) → No objective examination
Without freedom: Result predetermined → Examination is theater
Result: Examination step impossible or meaningless

STEP 5: DECISION (Assent, Refuse, or Suspend)

Requires LIBERTARIAN FREEDOM:

Real choice between alternatives (could actually choose differently)
Without freedom: "Decision" = experiencing predetermined outcome
Genuine authorship of judgment
Creates: Real decision (not illusion)

Requires ALL SIX (Supporting examination that guides decision):

Decision based on examination results
Examination requires: Foundationalism, Realism, Correspondence, Intuitionism, Dualism
Decision actualizes what examination discovered
Creates: Informed choice (not arbitrary)

What breaks without these:

Without freedom: "Choose" refuse = experiencing determined refusal (not real choice)
Without examination support: No basis for decision (arbitrary or determined)
Result: Decision step is either predetermined or arbitrary

Summary: Why Each Step Requires Specific Commitments

Step	Primary Commitments Required	What Breaks Without Them
1. Reception	Dualism, Correspondence	No separate receiver, no truth claim to test
2. Recognition	Dualism, Correspondence	Can't distinguish three things (all physical/fused)
3. Pause	Libertarian Freedom, Dualism	Pause = illusion (just predetermined delay)
4. Examination	ALL SIX	Circular, infinite regress, too slow, or predetermined
5. Decision	Libertarian Freedom (+ all supporting examination)	Decision predetermined or arbitrary

The Integration: Why Modern Alternatives Fail

Modern Package (Physicalism + Determinism + Anti-realism + etc.):

Reception: Brain state (no separate receiver)
Recognition: Can't distinguish (all physical)
Pause: Neural delay (not genuine suspension)
Examination: Circular or infinite regress
Decision: Predetermined outcome
Result: Five steps incoherent/impossible

Classical Package (Six Commitments):

Reception: Impression to prohairesis (dualism)
Recognition: Three distinct things (dualism + correspondence)
Pause: Real suspension (freedom + dualism)
Examination: Test against objective standards (all six)
Decision: Genuine choice (freedom)
Result: Five steps coherent/possible → Eudaimonia

X. Quick Reference Cards

CARD 1: Enchiridion 1-5 Essentials

CH 1: Some things in control, others not
Focus on what's in control (prohairesis)

CH 2: Desire only what's in control (virtue)
Avoid only what's in control (vice)

CH 3: Everything external is fragile
Remind yourself: Can be lost

CH 4: Before acting, rehearse obstacles
Real goal: Maintain virtue

CH 5: Judgments disturb, not things
Change judgment → Change emotion

CARD 2: Core Stoicism + Enchiridion

Th 6 = Ch 1: Only beliefs/will in control

Th 7 = Ch 5: Judgments → Desires → Emotions

Th 3 = Ch 2: Wrong desire → Frustration → Pathē

Th 10 = Ch 2: Only virtue good, only vice evil

Th 12 = Ch 3: Externals never good/evil

Th 14 = Result: Value only virtue → Eudaimonia

CARD 3: Five Steps + Enchiridion Tests

1. RECEPTION: Impression arrives (Ch 5)

2. RECOGNITION: Three things (Ch 1)

Event (external)
Impression (judgment)
Me (prohairesis)

3. PAUSE: Suspend (Ch 4)

4. EXAMINATION: Test all five

Ch 1: Internal/External?
Ch 2: Virtue/Vice/Indifferent?
Ch 3: Fragile/Losable?
Ch 4: Can maintain virtue?
Ch 5: Judgment disturbing?

5. DECISION: Refuse false, accept true

XI. Daily Practice Integration

Morning

Review:

Enchiridion Ch 1: What's in/out of control today?
Enchiridion Ch 2: Desire only virtue today
Enchiridion Ch 3: What could I lose? (Prepare)
Enchiridion Ch 4: What obstacles likely? (Rehearse)
Enchiridion Ch 5: Remember - judgments disturb

Rehearse:

Five Steps sequence
Core Stoicism theorems
Integration: When X happens, apply Y

Throughout Day

When disturbed:

Ch 5 recognition: "My judgment disturbing, not thing"
Ch 1 distinction: "Internal or external?"
Five Steps: Reception → Recognition → Pause → Examination → Decision
Core Stoicism: Test against Th 10, 12
Enchiridion all five: Complete examination

Evening

Review:

What impressions arose?
Did I apply Five Steps?
Which Enchiridion chapters most relevant?
Where did I succeed? (Refused false judgment)
Where did I fail? (Assented to false judgment)
What to practice tomorrow?

XII. The Complete Integration Statement

One Coherent System

"Epictetus's Enchiridion Chapters 1-5 provide the fundamental Stoic teachings (internal/external distinction, proper desire/aversion, fragility of externals, obstacle rehearsal, judgments as cause of disturbance), which are systematized in G. Sterling's "Core Stoicism" theorems (Th 6, 7, 3, 10, 12, 14), applied through the Five Steps practice method (Reception, Recognition, Pause, Examination, Decision), all enabled by G. Sterling's six metaphysical commitments (Dualism, Freedom, Correspondence, Realism, Foundationalism, Intuitionism), producing eudaimonia when practiced correctly."

This integration makes the complete system ready at hand for real-time use.

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Friday, January 16, 2026