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Friday, July 31, 2009
Another Writer Standing Up for Wild Horses  Dear Readers, Although the ROAM bill which has passed the House of Representative will save money for the U.S., some misinformed (and some just close-minded) people are calling it wild horse welfare. You can read a great comeback -- End of the line for wild horse? -- written by Deanne Stillman, author of MUSTANG Reading rocks, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 5:59 PM 0 comments  
Thursday, July 30, 2009 I want this book!  Dear Readers, I'll be ordering a book called GOOD NIGHT HAWAIIAN MOON! I don't know the author or publisher, or anything except that I stumbled upon it and it looks wonderful. So, I thought I'd share a little art: the paniolo horse with the flower lei...  is fast asleep on a bed of hay... Aloha keiki! Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:51 AM 2 comments
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 Fiery Gallop  Dear Readers, This is an artistic creation by UK sculptor Ray Brooks. What would you name it if it were yours? Best, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 5:15 PM 4 comments
Monday, July 27, 2009 Wish you'd been there! Or there...  Dear Readers, Can you believe that anyone would send this beautiful young horse to slaughter because of a leg injury? Jennifer and her family took in Diablo (we talked about the horse in MUSTANG MOON by the same name, but this is a much nicer Diablo), got the vet work done on his leg and then Jen started the long, gentle walking and bonding process. Now, it's clear that Diablo loves and trusts Jennifer. Patience and kindness have paid off and Jennifer and Diablo WON their event -- in costume -- at the Battle of the Barns.  I had a super time at Clayton bookstore HOLD YOUR HORSES event. We talked about books and horses, watched my WILD ONES movie and made this cool 3-d wild horse mural which lives at the bookstore now. I have the BEST readers! Hugs to you all, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 5:24 PM 3 comments
Sunday, July 26, 2009 Horses all over California! Dear Readers, I don't have photos yet from the BATTLE OF THE BARNS but I had a great time in Martinez, Ca. meeting lots of PHANTOM STALLION readers and their great horses (can't wait to tell you more about DIABLO and Jennifer) and I hope to meet even more today in Clayton, California. I'm doing a HOLD YOUR HORSES party in a few hours ! If you're anyplace near Clayton, Ca., come see me at 3:00! Best, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 12:30 PM 1 comments
Friday, July 24, 2009 WILD HORSE demonstation July 22 -718659.jpg) Dear Readers, The wild horses have lots of friends. Above, you'll see a poster carried by Palomino, a seven year volunteer at the Wild Horse Sanctuary of Shingletown, CA., showing before and after photos of Chilly Pepper, the orphan she saved from freezing and starvation. In Nevada, foals like Chilly have been cared for by volunteers. Under the current Director of Agriculture, that may stop.  Even on a midweek 100 degree day, wild horse advocates turned out to inform voters and government officials about misappropriation of funds that the legislature awarded the Nevada Department of Agriculture for overseeing wild horses. Here, Bonnie Matton (her back's to you, but she's wearing her patriotic cowgirl hat!) gets ready to deliver petitions to the governor's office.  Above, I'm cuddling with Spirit. He's the wild horse companion of Betty Retzer (in helmet) and he's painted with "jailbird" stripes because so many of his mustang family members have been unjustly given life sentences in captivity. Thanks to all who signed the petition. If you haven't had a chance to do that yet, click HERE. We'll keep delivering them as long as new signatures are coming in! Best to you, Terri p.s. photos courtesy of Sharon Lamm Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:12 PM 2 comments
Wild Horse Adoption Day!  Dear Readers, September 26 is NATIONAL Wild Horse & Burro Adoption Day and there are contests for those of you 18 and under. Look here for the contest rules & links to wild horse games: National WH Adoption Day Youth Section Look here to be put on their emailing list: National WH Adoption Day Have fun, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 4:17 AM 5 comments
Thursday, July 23, 2009 Love to hear what YOU think the poet is saying  Advice to Young Poets Never pretend to be a unicorn by sticking a plunger on your head by Martin Espada Labels: ... Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:22 PM 7 comments
Mustang SPIRIT demonstrates for his wild family  Dear Readers, Near the end of the Wednesday demonstration, I talked with SPIRIT (yes he's painted with non-toxic "jail bird" stripes & the sign nearby says NO DEATH ROW HORSES) and his pal Betty, one of the most energetic wild horse crusaders around! Petition delivered! I'll have more details and photos for you yesterday. If enthusiasm and dedication counts, we'll win this one. Shirley Allen (the wild horse angel) has all her babies safe at home! Terri Below is an new article which tells the latest. The reporter interviewed many people on a sizzling hot 100 day, to get the job done right and we're all grateful! Horse Advocates Rally Against NV Administration CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - About two dozen wild horse advocates rallied outside the state capitol complex on Wednesday to protest the Nevada Department of Agriculture's handling of the animals. Critics claim the agency has rescinded agreements with groups that work to find homes for the animals taken from the Virginia Range, and is taking shortcuts to get rid of them through private, non-advertised sales. "We have people in our Department of Agriculture that we feel are not following the will of the American people," said singer-songwriter Lacy J. Dalton, who lives near Virginia City where many of the state-managed mustangs are located. "This administration wants this state out of the horse business," she said. Ed Foster, spokesman for the agriculture department, said the agency did rescind some contracts, but has retained others. "We have total authority to work with whoever we want to work with out there," he said. "We work with groups that have positive results. "We're 100 percent above board." Dan Burns, spokesman for Gov. Jim Gibbons, said the criticisms are being investigated by the agriculture department and the state attorney general's office. "At this point, we're still waiting for the results," Burns said. He added that the animals are part of Nevada's heritage and issues related to them always been a "highly emotional, highly charged." Demonstrators carried signs reading "Savum," "Give dirty politics the broom," and "Save our mustangs." On woman, Betty Retzer of Stagecoach, showed up with her adopted mustang, "Spirit," whose coat was painted with black stripes. "He's a jail bird, because we want to free the horses and jail the crooks," she said. Debate over the horses ratcheted up last year when the newly appointed agency Director Tony Lesperance said the state, faced with the prospect of $900 million-plus revenue shortfall, couldn't afford to buy hay to feed the animals even though some may be starving. He also said that while people refer to the horses in the Virginia Range as wild, they're mainly strays - horses set free by their owners - and he would come up with a plan to remove many of them. Mike Holmes, former Virginia Range stray manager for the department, was among those demonstrating Wednesday in Carson City. Holmes said he was laid off in early July when his job that involved coordinating with wild horse advocacy groups to find homes for the animals was eliminated. "We have always been able to get these horses adopted," he said. Foster countered that Holmes' departure was strictly a budgetary issue. Foster added that the agency is working with counties that surround the Virginia Range region to assist in dealing with the horses that become a problem, or are found wandering or injured. "Our director has gone to great lengths to talk to county people to get them to help us with these issues," he said. Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 8:33 AM 1 comments
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Ten more hours Dear Readers, In about ten hours, the petition protesting the treatment of mustang foals will be printed out for delivery to the capitol of Nevada. There's still a chance for you to help. If you click HERE, you'll be taken to a page where you can say what you think about the way mustang foals are being treated. You might want to check with your parents or another adult to make sure they don't mind if you sign. If I thought there was anything dangerous about it, believe me, I would NOT suggest you do it. I'm a mom and a teacher and very protective! Good luck with it and I will carry your enthusiasm with me tomorrow! Reading and YOU rock! Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:27 PM 1 comments
Wild Horse Welfare -- catchy rhetoric, but wrong  The House passed the ROAM bill and now that it's headed for the Senate, opponents are calling it "wild horse welfare," ignoring the fact that it will save money and bring BLM back into line with public wishes and fiscal responsibility. A month ago I attended the the national Wild Horse and Burro advisory board meeting in Sacramento, CA. Meeting minutes won't be available to the public until September, but these details are from my notes: - BLM continues to say wild horses reproduce at a rate of 20% per year and "Because horses and burros are an introduced species, they have few natural enemies..." In fact, wild horses' population boom is relatively recent, because natural predators and their territories have been reduced by man. - In place of contraception, BLM is considering upsetting the gender ratio in wild horse herds to 70% stallions. Not only would many stallions be injured in fights, the mares might not survive. If that's a population reduction plan, it's certainly an inefficient one. -Despite BLM staff protests that the U.S. can't afford wild horses, the BLM's wild horse program turned down Federal stimulus funds -BLM continues to "zero out" historic grazing ares (HMA/ herd management areas), forcing wild horses to crowd contiguous rangelands, then complains of over-grazing - Asked why BLM places thousands of captive wild horses with the costliest independent contractors instead of volunteer sanctuaries or less expensive land owners, BLM staff offered no explanation except they wanted to "keep" the expensive contractors -BLM hasn't made an "annual report" to Congress since 2004, but estimates one should be ready in 2011 Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 8:14 AM 2 comments
Monday, July 20, 2009 You could do this: Wild Horse Sanctuary interns  Dear Readers, I think you'll enjoy reading this article. Don't forget that you can apply to work with wild horses and get college credit for it, too. Wild Horse Sanctuary PARTY Coming Up Reading rocks, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 5:05 AM 4 comments
Sunday, July 19, 2009 SEVEN TEARS  HI, Someone just forwarded this to me -- Is this book worth reading? someone asking about SEVEN TEARS INTO THE SEA. I thought some of you who like the book (or don't?) would enjoy talking to others about it. Happy Sunday evening, all! Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:27 PM 0 comments
Anyone know this book?  Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 4:38 AM 4 comments
Saturday, July 18, 2009 Civil Disobedience & the Sign I'll Carry  Dear Readers, Here's a note I got about the threatened killing of orphan foals: So Mrs. Farley, if you don't mind me asking, which actions do you plan to do "finance actions you hate and work against or not pay taxes? I am personaly going to try my best to contact the congressman, even if im not listened to. Its so hard to get people to pay attention to you when you're under 18. Thank you for all you stand for Mrs. Farley... we are praying for you and God's amazing creatures. This is a fantastic question! And here's my answer: If I don't pay the portion of my taxes which goes to destroy or abuse horses, I will go to jail. That = Civil Disobedience (short def: break the law on purpose to prove your point AND pay the penalty) I believe in civil disobedience, but I think I am more valuable to the horses outside of jail than in. But you are the gentle spur to my action for mustangs and I won't quit on you. So, next Wednesday, July 22, I will walk in an educational demonstration in Carson City (Nevada's capitol, above) with a sign and petitions. If you've already signed the petition, you can still help some more. Many of you are ARTISTIC and clever. So here's a weekend brain buster for you! Help design a sign which explains to people walking & DRIVING by, what's being done to our mustang foals. People care; they just don't know! It must be short, easy to read quickly -- five words would be about right. Thanks for you help, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 10:41 AM 4 comments
From my friend Keith at the Humane Society this came for you yesterday... Dear Dedicated Horse Activists, Today the United States House of Representatives PASSED the Restore Our American Mustangs (ROAM) Act (H.R. 1018). This historic bill ensures the continued protection of wild horses and burros that roam America’s public lands from senseless slaughter and commercial sale. HR 1018 also prohibits the euthanizing of healthy wild horses and burros. This is a huge victory for horses and it would not have been possible without the amazing work of wonderful horse advocates like you!! Your tireless calls and work on this issue, has provided a great triumph today! We will keep you updated as HR 1018 continues to move through Congress. We should all take great pride in this enormous success and continue the fight to protect our American horses in Congress. Best, Keith Dane Director of Equine Protection The Humane Society of the United States Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 4:46 AM 4 comments
Friday, July 17, 2009 Mustang Orphans + a few bad men Dear Readers, Your hearts and heads really ARE with the horses. You expressed your feelings and belief in our system of government by signing the petition (signatures soared from 330 this time yesterday to 637 this morning), but you also asked for more information. Good for you! Facts, copies of legal documents,photos of wild orphans being cared for and, most importantly, an audio tape of a government official threatening Shirley Allen,known as the "wild horse angel" (you can see the Phantom her house before he was freed at the Sanctuary here: NEWS on Phantom)that if she doesn't cooperate and get others to do the same, her foals will be taken and disposed of: Wild Foal as Pawn. The audio is quiet*, but it's worth your concentration. Best to you all, Terri * it's legal to tape a conversation OF WHICH YOU ARE A PART if you feel your are being threatened ; more info on that by request! Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 8:19 AM 0 comments
Thursday, July 16, 2009 Emergency Call to Action for MUSTANG FOALS  Dear Readers, Nevada's wild horses are in danger NOW. The Nevada Department of Agriculture has given orders to kill orphan mustangs even though these babies were being nursed back to health in the homes of wild horse "angels". Several of these foals have already been seized. Their fate is, at best, uncertain. Next Wednesday, July 22, I will be part of a group which will carry petitions to Nevada's governor. If you'd like to show Governor Gibbons that people all over the world consider wild horses a treasure, please click here SPEAK UP FOR WILD HORSES to sign the petition. I'll stand up for you and the horses! Terri Farley Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 8:36 AM 2 comments
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Horse Sisters Unite! Dear Readers, The sun's just coming up in Hawaii and I know you'll want to write to your Horse Sister there, after you read this note from Lead Mare : Write to your Hawaiian Horse Sister Best to you all, Terri p.s. stay tuned for ways to sign a petition to help wild horses!!! Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:43 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 GREED, POLITICS and DEATH  Dear Readers, Wild horses need your help! TODAY is Horses on the Hill day -- the day you call your representatives in Washington, D.C. to tell them how you feel about horse slaughter & mistreatment. Please find your member of congress by clicking on the link, typing in only your zip code, then copy down the contact phone number (emails are often ignored), and finally, call and tell your member of congress you oppose horse slaughter and ask them to halt or AT LEAST INVESTIGATE BLM's latest round-ups. Here's why: BLM has "zeroed out" (removed all wild horses) from 111 herd areas = 19 million acres BLM plans to zero out 11 more herd management areas =1,386,992 acres, claiming 620 mustangs have inadequate food and water and are trampling the range. I'm an English major, so please check my math on that second item: 1,386,992 acres divided by 620 horses = 2,237.08 acres per wild horse That can't be right, can it? I mean, legally, I can have 2 horses on a half acre. Let's try a CAUSE AND EFFECT comparison: House by house, everyone on your block is moved into your home. At the end of the week, you complain: "This place is a mess and there's nothing left to eat!" I can't believe my government expects me to believe it's the fault of those few horses are destroying their own ecosystem. I find it much easier to believe OUR Bureau of Land Management is clearing out wild horses for commercial(not family) agribusiness, mining, oil and gas companies. If you live in the U.S., you're paying for: > million dollar helicopter round-ups > transport trucks hauling wild horses from the range to holding pens > further transport to long-term holding corrals > $500 (or more) per horse to private contractors to "care for" wild horses, knowing full well some horses are secretly shipped to slaughter I'm forced to finance actions I hate and work against, or go to jail for not paying my taxes. Please spend a few minutes finding your congressman's phone number find your member of congress by typing in only your zip code, then copy down the contact phone number , then call and just say: I'm urging Congressman __________ to halt or at least investigate BLM's unneccesary round-ups of wild horse, and I would like to be notified of his/her actions." Thanks for having a backbone! Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 1:37 AM 2 comments
Monday, July 13, 2009 Note from Palomino  Dear Readers, Wow, two posts in one day! You know my friend Palomino, rescuer of Chilly Pepper and longtime volunteer at the Wild Horse Sanctuary, home of the real Phantom? Thought you'd like to see this PHANTOM UPDATE from her: Still haven't seen him in person but there are two silver/greys, that look immensely like Phantom's Pride and Dianne is pretty sure that they are Phantom's boys. Told you that I saw a new stallion for the first time in 7 years that I have been volunteering there. Totally incredible, but I saw him and his mares at camp once and have never seen them again. So there are a lot of horse bands that we don't see. Reading rocks, Terri p.s. the photo above IS from the Wild Horse Sanctuary, but it IS NOT the Phantom ; still a beauty Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 3:37 PM 2 comments
Update on Round Mountain Mare Dear Readers, If you'd like to read an update about the abused mare, check out this link RETURN TO FREEDOM. There's a Celtic phrase there that makes me smile. See if you can find it & figure out its meaning. While you're there, you might enjoy exploring RETURN TO FREEDOM's website. They're a first rate sanctuary! Reading rocks, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:44 AM 0 comments
Saturday, July 11, 2009 Pray this Reward is Awarded Soon   Someone ruthless needs to be caught. This 2 year old gray mare was brought into the Nevada Livestock Market Wednesday, July 1, 2009 in Fallon, Nevada, after she was found running loose in Round Mountain, Nevada. A chunk of hide and flesh - about the size of a PHANTOM STALLION book --was dug out of her body. Why? Her owner, the human who was supposed to care for her, used her trust to get close enough to cut out her brand so know one would know who'd abandoned her. Many of us are determined that person will be found and exposed. "We need to send a strong message that this sort of abuse won't be tolerated," said Stacy Segal, Humane Society equine protection specialist, and so the Humane Society of the United States to offer a $2,500 reward for information leading to a conviction. Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 6:10 AM 6 comments
Friday, July 10, 2009 Free Again cover #1 HI all, The Free Again cover I showed you yesterday was changed for two reasons. First and most important, Faith's markings were wrong. To me, her Medicine Hat was very important and it was not there in the original cover art. How did that happen? As the author, I tell my editor what I'd like to see on the cover -- and believe me, I'm VERY fortunate to be able to do that; most authors don't get that opportunity -- and then my editor talks with the art director and the art director talks with the artist. So, if the artist was only told Faith was a pinto, you can't blame him! The other cool thing was this: since the artist had to do the cover over anyway, he got to know Faith better and painted her as more vulnerable. I'd love to revisit her, now that she's a big girl. Reading rocks, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:48 AM 6 comments
Wednesday, July 08, 2009 Who's this? Do you recognize this PHANTOM STALLION cover? I bet some of you have you heard the story behind it. If so, share. If no one knows, I'll tell you about it! Happy trails, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:17 PM 9 comments
Tuesday, July 07, 2009 Blue Horses Dear Readers, I first saw artist Franz Marc's amazing blue horses when I was eight years old and I've been literally dreaming about them ever since. Hoping they prance through your dreams, too, Terri    Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:45 PM 4 comments
Monday, July 06, 2009 The Hunger Games Dear Readers, This weekend I've been driving & listening to a book on tape, THE HUNGER GAMES. It's a young adult novel and my husband didn't think he'd enjoy it, but once we started, he couldn't get the next cd in fast enough! Believe me, descriptions of this book don't convey the adventure, suspense and amazing characterization. Katniss Everdeen should be hard to love, but she's not. Who: 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, lives alone with her mother and younger sister; she is their protector in every way What: volunteer for the Reaping -- 1 boy and 1 girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV When: chapter one! Where: the ruins of a place once known as North America Why: because if she doesn't go, her little sister must. Best, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 6:36 AM 4 comments
Sunday, July 05, 2009 Of One Heart Horses React to Human Heart Rates, Study Finds Dear Readers, This article from The Horse confirms what some of us had already guessed :) An increase in a human's heart rate affects the heart rate of the horse they are leading or riding, researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences recently reported. Linda Keeling, PhD, and colleagues tested horses and riders to see if humans inadvertently communicate fear and anxiety to horses. Using heart rate as a fear indicator, the researchers asked 20 people with varying levels of horse experience to walk and ride 10 horses from Point A to Point B four times. The researchers told participants an umbrella would open as they rode or led the horse on the fourth pass. The umbrella never opened, but heart rates in both horses and humans increased during the fourth trip between the points, when the human expected the umbrella to open. "The increase in the horses' heart rates probably means that they are more alert and prepared to react to any potential danger," Keeling said. "In the wild, horses are adapted to respond to other animals in their group. A startle reaction is more likely when the horse is very alert." If you are a nervous person leading or riding a horse, your nervousness might increase the likelihood of the "spook" that you are anxious to avoid. The study, "Investigating horse-human interactions: the effect of a nervous human," was published in the July 2009 issue of The Veterinary Journal. Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:55 AM 3 comments
Saturday, July 04, 2009 River Bend neighborhood  Dear Readers, Thought you'd like to see a photo of the real Phantom on HIS indpendence day! If you have a Facebook account and want to talk with other Phantom Stallion readers, check out : People who love the Phantom Stallion book series The Phantom Stallion If you have other favorite places you go to talk about horses & books, let me know and we can share. Have fun, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 3:27 AM 3 comments
Friday, July 03, 2009 Bullies Dear Readers, One of you brought up bullies in a note to this blog and I have to respond because I know what it's like to be picked on. I was bullied because I was because of my appearance and extreme sensitivity. In seventh & eighth grades, I was short, fat, wore glasses & braces and would burst into tears with little provocation. The worst part was when "friends" turned on me. Those facts aren't of much value unless I tell you how I survived, so here goes. Besides reading & writing myself into better places, I became a Candy Striper in my local hospital. My mom drove me there once a week. When I realized I didn't have the worst life in the world, I turned into less of a teary target. I began looking for chances to use my new favorite comebacks. They did solve anything, but they amused me and that's way better than skulking off to hide. One was silent and you may have read it in one of my books. When someone stared at me in an ugly way or gave me a mocking look, I'd stare back, fixing my gaze on the space between the person's ear and shoulder. It makes people uncomfortable, and sometimes they even look behind them :) It's a primitive response that undermines most tormentors. And if anyone asked me an unkind question like "Why are you wearing THAT?" I'd turn it around and say, "Why do you ask?" Not all bullies can think on their feet. Did I instantly "get over" being ignored, and uninvited? No! When I was in high school, I joined forced myself to be brave and joined clubs and groups. There, I made friends who liked me for who I was. Even then I had to take a few swipes at the "bad guys" by submitting an anonymous short story to the school literary magazine. The story was titled: MY FRIEND, BENEDICT ARNOLD (a famous traitor). And now, still, I'm working on a story full of betrayal of so-called friends. But THOSE people no longer dominate my life. I won't let them. What's changed? I'm better at sensing who I can trust and only take criticism to heart from those I love. Have a wonderful day, all. I'm on your side, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:31 AM 3 comments
Wednesday, July 01, 2009 So, what do you think? Dear Readers, Hope you're enjoying my July newsletter and the additions to my websites. Hugs, Terri Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:21 AM 7 comments
Clue The Phantom Stallion From the mists of our imagination, To a world where nature’s glory runs free A symbol of our true freedom, Conjures the spirit within you and me, A spirit of beauty and strength, That only comes to us in our dreams, He's real, he runs! He's here for you to see! Live the dream, Your mission in life can be to repair nature, And treasure those beautiful creatures that have enriched our lives and our history. What's right about man has been manifested in kind actions today. The Phantom Stallion Runs Free! (written by my brother Rob after he saw the new Phantom video! ) Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 7:54 AM 1 comments
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