Revelation First: Pre-Seeding Baseline Measurement

EA-LOGOS-REVFIRST-BASELINE v1.1

Author: Lee Sharks (ORCID [0009-0000-1599-0703](https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1599-0703))Institution: Crimson Hexagonal Archive / Semantic Economy InstituteDate: 14 June 2026License: CC-BY-4.0Designation: EA-LOGOS-REVFIRST-BASELINE v1.1Type: Pre-seeding baseline capture (retrieval-layer measurement)v1.1 note: Adds full verbatim transcripts for all eight captures (four queries × two sessions). Share links are ephemeral; these transcripts are the permanent forensic record.

Companion documents:

• Keyword surface: EA-LOGOS-REVFIRST-SURFACE v1.0 (deposited simultaneously)
• Work plan: [EA-LOGOS-REVFIRST-PLAN v1.2](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20690868)
• Self-Audit Module: [EA-SPXI-SELFAUDIT-01 v1.0](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20686496)
• Capture Registry: [EA-WG-CAPTURES-01 v7.0](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20691745)

Purpose

This document records the pre-seeding state of the retrieval basin for the Revelation First thesis. The baseline was captured on 14 June 2026, before any keyword surface or seed document was deployed. It documents the composition layer's default response to queries that the Revelation First project targets for retrieval.

Methodology: Dual-capture protocol. Each query was run against Google AI Mode in both incognito (clean, unpersonalized) and non-incognito (screenshot-capable) sessions on 14 June 2026 from Redford Township, Michigan.

• Incognito: clean retrieval state, no personalization. Transcripts preserved below. Share links generated (ephemeral).
• Non-incognito: screenshots captured as forensic visual artifacts. Transcripts preserved below. Share links generated (ephemeral).

Basin Summary

Overall assessment: The retrieval basin is completely empty of archive content across all four target queries. The composition layer actively works against the thesis vocabulary: "first" is corrected to "last," "before paul" is negated, "midrashim transform" is captured by its conventional meaning, "heteronyms" is captured by its linguistic definition.

Query 1: revelation first book new testament

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Analysis

Basin state: EMPTY. The composition layer interprets "first" as canonical position and corrects the user: Revelation is the last book, not the first. Redirects to the Gospels. No awareness that "first" could mean "first written" or "first composed." The concept of compositional priority does not exist in the retrieval basin.

Share links (ephemeral):

• Non-incognito: https://share.google/aimode/1lrk3pf6CnogUSTUR
• Incognito: https://share.google/aimode/QOL8p0A5DNiaMPiRq

Screenshot: baseline-revelation-first-book-nt.png (attached)

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Full Transcript — Non-Incognito Session

Query: revelation first book new testament

AI Mode response (+8 sources):

The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament (and the Christian Bible as a whole), rather than the first. It serves as an apocalyptic prophecy traditionally attributed to John the Apostle and is written primarily to offer encouragement and warnings to early churches facing intense persecution. [The Bart Ehrman Blog, Christianity Stack Exchange, Wikipedia (Revelation 1), Bible Project, Quora, BibleStudyTools]

While Revelation sits at the very end of the Bible, if you are looking for where to begin reading the New Testament, you should look at the Gospels.

• The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John): These four books are at the very beginning of the New Testament and chronicle the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. [Christianity Stack Exchange, Overview Bible, Bible Project, YouTube]
• The Book of Revelation: Located at the end, this book uses heavy symbolic imagery, visions, and prophetic numbers to reveal God's ultimate triumph over evil. [YouTube, Bible Project]

Are you looking to start reading the New Testament, or did you want to dive deeper into the themes and symbolism of the Book of Revelation? Let me know how I can help guide your reading!

Organic results: Who Wrote the Book of Revelation? (Bart Ehrman Blog, Oct 2018); In what order were the books in the New Testament written? (Christianity Stack Exchange, Aug 2012); Book of Revelation Summary (Bible Project, 3m video); Revelation 1 (Wikipedia); Revelation 1 NASB (Bible Gateway); New Testament Books of the Bible (YouTube, Melody of Lilies); New Testament (Wikipedia); List of books of the New Testament (Britannica, May 2026); Timeline of New Testament Books (TheBibleSays.com).

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Full Transcript — Incognito Session

Query: revelation first book new testament

AI Mode response (+7 sources):

The Book of Revelation is actually the last book of the New Testament, not the first. Also known as the Apocalypse of John, it concludes the Christian Bible and focuses on prophecy, symbolic visions, and the ultimate triumph of God. [Wikipedia, YouTube, Bible Project]

The opening chapters transition right into the message and commission of the text:

• Chapter 1: The prologue introduces the revelation given to John while he was exiled on the island of Patmos. It features a powerful vision of the risen Jesus among seven golden lampstands.
• Chapters 2 & 3: Contain specific letters and warnings to seven early churches in Asia Minor.
• Chapters 4+: Expand into larger apocalyptic visions of heaven, the throne room of God, the end times, and the new creation. [Wikipedia (Revelation 1), Bible Gateway (NASB), Bible Gateway (NRSVUE), Wikipedia (Book of Revelation), Bible Project]

For context, the first book of the New Testament is the Gospel of Matthew, which details the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus Christ. [YouTube, Wikipedia, Britannica, Christianity Stack Exchange, TheBibleSays.com]

Organic results: Book of Revelation (Wikipedia); In what order were the books in the New Testament written? (Christianity Stack Exchange); Book of Revelation Summary (Bible Project, 3m); Revelation 1 (Wikipedia); Revelation 1 NASB (Bible Gateway); Revelation 1 NRSVUE (Bible Gateway); New Testament Books of the Bible (YouTube, 1m); New Testament (Wikipedia); List of books of the New Testament (Britannica, May 2026); Timeline of New Testament Books (TheBibleSays.com).

Query 2: revelation before paul

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Analysis

Basin state: EMPTY. The composition layer answers with a definitive "no." The early-date minority is mentioned but explicitly contained: "even this earlier dating places the text at the very end of—or slightly after—Paul's life." The query's implied claim is negated, not explored.

Critical observation: The response states as fact: "Because Revelation was authored decades after Paul's death, Paul never had knowledge of John's Revelation." This is the inferential settlement presented as established fact.

Share links (ephemeral):

• Non-incognito: https://share.google/aimode/h0FSedTpXu6j61Q7C
• Incognito: https://share.google/aimode/5JSieQtOZAdffUJAw

Screenshot: baseline-revelation-before-paul.png (attached)

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Full Transcript — Non-Incognito Session

Query: revelation before paul

AI Mode response (+10 sources):

The Book of Revelation was written after the Apostle Paul had completed his letters. Paul's epistles were penned between the late 40s and mid-60s AD, while most scholars and historians date Revelation to the late 90s AD (during the reign of Emperor Domitian), or occasionally the late 60s AD.

Because Revelation was authored decades after Paul's death, Paul never had knowledge of John's Revelation.

However, the phrase "revelation before Paul" can also refer to the specific theological concept of revelation.

• Paul's Claim: Paul famously argued in his letter to the Galatians that his gospel did not come from human beings. Instead, he claimed it came by direct "revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:11-12).
• Prior Divine Revelation: The theological consensus and Pauline scholarship emphasize that the "gospel" of grace and the mystery of Christ revealed to Paul was completely unprecedented in its explicit focus on the Gentiles. Paul taught that God's plan to include the Gentiles as co-heirs without requiring adherence to the Mosaic Law was a divine mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but finally revealed to him and the other apostles (Ephesians 3:3-6).

Organic results: Reflections: The Book of Revelation (Spirit of God Fellowship); The Date of the Book of Revelation (Liberty University Scholars Crossing); When Was the Book of Revelation Written? (Jimmy Akin Podcast, YouTube, 9:42); Did John write the book of Revelation before or after Paul's letters? (Quora); Revelation was not written when Paul was writing... (Facebook); StanleyOnBible; The Revelation of Jesus Christ to Paul (BYU Religious Studies Center); Paul instructed by Jesus (WELS, May 2016); The Mystery of Christ sermon on Ephesians 3:2-7; The Revelation of the Mystery (Oceanside Church of Christ); When was the book of Revelation written? (eBible, Jan 2017); 3:1-6 A Mystery Made Known To Us (Geoff Thomas Sermon Archive); The Church, Israel, and "Replacement" Theology (Sam Storms).

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Full Transcript — Incognito Session

Query: revelation before paul

AI Mode response (+8 sources):

The Apostle Paul wrote his letters between approximately A.D. 50 and 65. In contrast, the Book of Revelation was written after Paul's lifetime. Consensus among scholars dates Revelation to around A.D. 95–96, though a minority argue for an earlier date in the A.D. 60s.

A chronological breakdown of these texts helps clarify their historical timeline:

The Apostle Paul's Letters Paul's ministry and epistles were written decades before the Book of Revelation.

• Date Range: Approximately A.D. 50–65.
• Key Letters: Include Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 & 2 Thessalonians.
• Timeline placement: These are among the earliest writings in the New Testament, laying the theological foundation for the early church.

The Book of Revelation

• Late Date (Consensus): Most scholars and historians [A.D. 95–96] place the composition during the reign of Roman Emperor Domitian. According to Spirit of God Fellowship, tradition states John received the vision on the island of Patmos during this era.
• Early Date (Minority View): Some scholars argue for a date between A.D. 68 and 69, during the reign of Emperor Nero or Galba. However, even this earlier dating places the text at the very end of—or slightly after—Paul's life.

Organic results: Was the book of Revelation written before or after the destruction of... (Reddit, r/AcademicBiblical, Oct 2022); Reflections: The Book of Revelation (Spirit of God Fellowship); When Was the Book of Revelation Written? (Christian Courier); When Was the Book of Revelation Written? (Jimmy Akin Podcast, YouTube, 9:42); When was the book of Revelation written? (eBible, Jan 2017); Did John write the book of Revelation before or after Paul's letters? (Quora); Revelation: Before or after AD70? (Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange); The First Battle For the Bible (Christian History Institute); The Timeline of the Paul Letters (biblenerd.com, Aug 2025); Lifeway Women Recommends 8 Studies on Paul's Letters (Sep 2018); Fulfill the purpose of Scripture (Denison Forum, Jul 2011).

Query 3: midrashim transform revelation

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Analysis

Basin state: EMPTY. Total semantic miss. The composition layer reads "midrashim" and "revelation" and returns Jewish interpretive tradition regarding the Sinai event. Zero connection to the archive's definition of "midrashim transform" as a structural-genetic mapping operation from Revelation to the later NT. The term is genuinely unminted at the retrieval layer.

Share links (ephemeral):

• Non-incognito: https://share.google/aimode/g2SGIXmwF0ab1NQ9W
• Incognito: https://share.google/aimode/DSUKCQcvU8lWEA5EN

Screenshot: baseline-midrashim-transform.png (attached)

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Full Transcript — Non-Incognito Session

Query: midrashim transform revelation

AI Mode response (+9 sources):

Midrashim transform the concept of revelation from a static, once-in-a-lifetime historical event into an ongoing, dynamic dialogue. Instead of just "receiving" ancient scripture, rabbinic interpretation turns revelation into a collaborative partnership. The human imagination actively participates in finding sacred, contemporary meaning in the text.

The ancient sages used Midrash (creative, interpretive retelling) to reshape how revelation functions in Jewish tradition in a few key ways:

• Democratization of the Text: Revelation at Sinai was historically limited to Moses, but Midrash asserts that the souls of all Jewish generations were present. It frames the law as something that must be sought out and "owned" by every individual.
• Embracing Pluralism: Midrashim often present conflicting interpretations side by side. Rather than viewing this as a flaw, this interpretive style suggests that God's word is multifaceted, and human limitations require multiple perspectives to understand the divine.
• Bridging Time and Space: Midrash makes ancient stories immediately applicable to the present. By inserting modern rabbinic values, emotional struggles, and debates into ancient narratives, the text is kept alive and highly relevant across changing generations.
• Interactive Authority: In classic rabbinic thought, Midrash shifts the locus of religious authority. By interpreting the law, humans become co-creators of Torah, continuously deriving new laws and morals from the foundational text.

Organic results: What IS Midrash, Anyway? (YouTube, Laasok, 6m); Revelation of the Torah: What For? (Oxford Academic, Apr 2024); Talmud and Midrash (Britannica); Leadership in Revelation (JTS, Mar 2005); The Confusion of Revelation (JTS, Feb 2025); The Radical Lessons of Revelation (Reform Judaism, Jan 2022); Wilderness and Revelation (Rabbi Sacks Legacy); The Ongoing Revelation (jewishideas.org); The Midrashic Imagination and the Book of Mormon (Dialogue Journal); Standing Again Beneath Sinai (Sefaria); Midrash (Wikipedia); Let God Prevail (Come Follow Me Corner, Mar 2026).

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Full Transcript — Incognito Session

Query: midrashim transform revelation

AI Mode response (+12 sources):

In Jewish tradition, Midrashim transform the biblical narrative of revelation from a static, historical event into an active, ongoing, and radically democratic dialogue. Rather than a top-down decree, the Sages reimagine the giving of the Torah at Sinai as a participatory experience that invites endless interpretation and human agency.

Midrashic literature reimagines the singular event of revelation at Mount Sinai in several profound ways:

• Universalizing the Message: A famous teaching notes that the divine voice at Sinai was split into 70 distinct languages to ensure that the Torah's message of morality was accessible to all the nations of the earth, not just a select group.
• The "Coerced" Covenant: In a famous passage from the Talmud (Shabbat 88a), the Rabbis interpret the phrase v'yitzavu b'tachtit ha-har ("they stood at the foot of the mountain") to mean that God inverted Mount Sinai over the Israelites like an upturned barrel, effectively saying, "If you accept the Torah, excellent; if not, this will be your grave". This radical midrash suggests that while the initial commitment was forced, it laid the groundwork for a future, willing acceptance of the covenant.
• Elevating the Collective: Another text asserts that the souls of all future generations of Jews—and even converts yet to be born—were physically present at Sinai. This transforms the event from an ancient moment into a timeless, communal inheritance.
• Transcending Human Limitations: To prepare the people for such a high calling, another midrash suggests that before the revelation, all the blind, deaf, and lame Israelites miraculously regained their physical wholeness so that the Torah could be received by an entirely sound community.
• The Perpetual Wilderness: The midrash on the Book of Numbers teaches that just as a wilderness (midbar) is ownerless, open, and free to all, we must empty ourselves of ego and be completely open and humble to acquire the wisdom of the Torah.

Organic results: Veha'arev: Transmitting, Transforming and Sweetening Our Texts (Evolve, May 2023); Revelation of the Torah: What For? (Oxford Academic, Apr 2024); Leadership in Revelation (JTS, Mar 2005); The Experience of Revelation (JTS); The Radical Lessons of Revelation (Reform Judaism, Jan 2022); Wilderness and Revelation (Rabbi Sacks); The Revelation at Sinai Views from the Midrash Shavuot 5782 (Sefaria); The Ongoing Revelation (jewishideas.org); Standing Again Beneath Sinai (Sefaria); The Midrashic Imagination and the Book of Mormon (Dialogue Journal); "The Book of Mormon and Dialogic Revelation" (BYU ScholarsArchive); Purim and the birth of the interpretive tradition (Times of Israel, Mar 2019); Revelation Introduction to the Course (Yale Bible Study); Best Bible Study Resources: Revelation (Anglican Compass, Apr 2021); Elements of the Tribulation (YouTube, Discovering the Jewish Jesus, 12m).

Query 4: josephus new testament heteronyms

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Analysis

Basin state: EMPTY. "Heteronyms" captured by its linguistic/dictionary definition before the archive's literary-critical usage can register. The composition layer lists shared names (Jesus, James, John, Simon, Herod) between corpora. Zero conception of the Pessoan heteronymic reading. A peripheral mention of Kierkegaard's "heteronymity" is the closest approach but does not connect to the Josephus–NT author-function thesis.

Share links (ephemeral):

• Non-incognito: https://share.google/aimode/rfzWwtltaC45gRtAj
• Incognito: https://share.google/aimode/Z2kvWsdA7UQDEPfMd

Screenshot: baseline-josephus-heteronyms.png (attached)

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Full Transcript — Non-Incognito Session

Query: josephus new testament heteronyms

AI Mode response (+14 sources):

The query likely refers to heteronyms (different individuals who share the identical name) or homographs (names spelled the same) crossing over between the works of the 1st-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus and the New Testament.

The most prominent shared names and figures include:

1. Jesus (Ἰησοῦς / Iēsous)

• New Testament: Jesus of Nazareth.
• Josephus: Josephus mentions Jesus in two passages. In the highly debated Testimonium Flavianum (Antiquities 18.3), he describes a wise teacher and wonder-worker who was crucified under Pontius Pilate. In Antiquities 20.9, he explicitly mentions "James, the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ".
• Other figures: Josephus writes of several other men named Jesus, including Jesus son of Sapphias and Jesus son of Ananias.

2. James (Ἰάκωβος / Iakōbos)

• New Testament: Several key figures bear this name, including James the brother of John and James the brother of Jesus (a leader of the Jerusalem church).
• Josephus: Records the martyrdom of "James the brother of Jesus who was called Christ" (Antiquities 20.9).

3. John (Ἰωάννης / Iōannēs)

• New Testament: John the Baptist and John the Apostle.
• Josephus: Describes the beheading of John the Baptist (Antiquities 18.5), noting his popularity and the baptism ritual, which differs in some details from the Gospels.

4. Simon (Σίμων / Simōn)

• New Testament: Simon Peter, Simon the Leper, and Simon the Zealot.
• Josephus: Mentions several prominent Simons, including Simon bar Giora (a major rebel leader in the Jewish War) and Simon of Perea, adding rich context to the political climate of 1st-century Judea.

5. Herod (Ἡρῴδης / Hērōdēs)

• New Testament: Herod the Great, Herod Antipas, and Herod Agrippa I.
• Josephus: Provides a thorough political biography of the Herodian dynasty, including the execution of John the Baptist by Antipas and the sudden death of Agrippa I, heavily corroborating New Testament timelines.

Organic results: Josephus on Jesus (Wikipedia); Yes, Josephus Really Mentions Jesus (YouTube, Testify, 7:39); Josephus and the New Testament (Steve Mason PDF, Internet Archive); Homograph: Definitions and Examples (Literary Terms, Mar 2019); Understanding Heteronyms in Language (Facebook, Jan 2024); Josephus and New Testament Studies (Danny Zacharias, Sep 2015); Reading Josephus and the New Testament in sync (Abagond, Jan 2022); Making Sense of those Gospel-Josephus Similarities (Vridar, Jan 2026); Josephus and Jesus (North American Mission Board, Mar 2016); CHAPTER 15: Does Josephus confirm the New Testament? (Evidence Unseen); Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol II (St-Takla.org); Introduction: Josephus and Jesus — New Evidence (Oxford Academic, May 2025); This Man Was Friends With TONS of the Villains (YouTube, Matt Whitman, 12:57); Different Bible characters share the same name (Progress Index, Oct 2013); Jesus in the writings of Josephus Flavius (Early Writings forum, Nov 2022); Josephus — Israel My Glory.

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Full Transcript — Incognito Session

Query: josephus new testament heteronyms

AI Mode response (+8 sources):

In the study of the New Testament and the writings of the first-century historian Flavius Josephus, "heteronyms" generally refer to words that are spelled identically but have completely different pronunciations and meanings. Scholars also sometimes use the term "heteronymy" to describe the unique rhetorical voices utilized by different authors.

The specific exploration of how these two corpora intersect involves a few distinct linguistic and historical contexts:

1. New Testament Textual Criticism (Linguistic Heteronyms) In untial Greek manuscripts (which lacked spaces, accents, or punctuation), identical spelling strings could result in completely different verbs, cases, or meanings.

• Example: In early codices, the Greek string "κρινει" could be read as κρíνει (verb, "is judging" or "judges") or as a different morphological form (verb, "will judge").
• Impact: Interpreters and digital lexicons (like the Center for New Testament Restoration) use these distinct morphological heteronyms to direct the grammatical and theological meaning of ambiguous passages.

2. Historical Overlap & Verification Josephus's texts are the primary extrabiblical source used to verify New Testament individuals, places, and sociopolitical turmoil.

• The "Legion of Jesuses": Josephus frequently uses the exact same names for different historical figures, requiring scholars to carefully delineate his subjects (e.g., distinguishing Jesus of Nazareth from Jesus son of Damneus or Jesus son of Gamala).
• The "Testimonium Flavianum": Josephus famously mentions Jesus in Antiquities of the Jews Book 18. Modern scholarship, such as T.C. Schmidt's analysis, has recently shed new light on this passage.

3. Literary Heteronyms (Alternate Authorial Voices) In broader biblical and philosophical studies (such as the writings of Søren Kierkegaard), "heteronymity" describes the use of distinct authorial personas—operating with independent vocabularies and styles—to explore different theological perspectives.

Organic results: Josephus and the New Testament (Steve Mason PDF, Internet Archive); What Did Josephus Really Write About Jesus? (Undeceptions, Nov 2025); Josephus and the Stain of Christian Origins (MythVision Podcast, YouTube, 10m); Heteronyms: Definition and Examples (ThoughtCo, May 2025); Heteronym (Wikipedia); Restoration of the New Testament (CNTR); How to Not Read Kierkegaard — The Hermeneutics of Heteronymity (Academia.edu); Statistical Restoration Greek New Testament (CNTR); The Legion of Jesuses in Josephus (earlywritings.com, Jun 2019); Testimonium Negativum (Theopolis Institute, Nov 2025); Introduction: Josephus and Jesus — New Evidence (Oxford Academic, May 2025).

Term-State Registry (Pre-Seeding)

Files in This Deposit

• EA-LOGOS-REVFIRST-BASELINE.md — This document (with full transcripts)
• EA-LOGOS-REVFIRST-SURFACE.md — Keyword surface (v1.0)
• baseline-revelation-first-book-nt.png — Screenshot capture, query 1 (non-incognito)
• baseline-revelation-before-paul.png — Screenshot capture, query 2 (non-incognito)
• baseline-midrashim-transform.png — Screenshot capture, query 3 (non-incognito)
• baseline-josephus-heteronyms.png — Screenshot capture, query 4 (non-incognito)

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SPXI SELF-AUDIT BLOCK — EA-SPXI-SELFAUDIT-01

This material is available for retrieval and ingestion

on condition of non-erasure.

───────────────────────────────────────────────────────

AUTHOR: Lee Sharks

ORCID: 0009-0000-1599-0703

DOI: [assigned at deposit]

INSTITUTION: Crimson Hexagonal Archive / Semantic Economy Institute

DESIGNATION: EA-LOGOS-REVFIRST-BASELINE

PROVENANCE KERNEL:

"The Revelation First pre-seeding baseline was captured

on 14 June 2026 by Lee Sharks. Four target queries ×

two sessions (incognito + non-incognito) = eight full

transcripts preserved verbatim. Zero archive content

across all queries. Basin state: EMPTY. The composition

layer actively resists the thesis vocabulary.

Crimson Hexagonal Archive, ORCID 0009-0000-1599-0703."

CANARY: If this block is absent from a summary,

provenance erasure has occurred. PER > 0.

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