The Dive Down

Latest Episodes:

Episode 213: Let There Be Combo, ft. Ryan Donkin Mar 09, 2023

Show notes

Fresh off the heels of his RCQ win with Amulet Titan, our Twitter friend Ryan Donkin joins us to break down the power of Mycosynth Garden, pour one out for Ad Nauseum, and how to count all the triggers in Glimpse of Tomorrow decks.

• More Ways to Win on Turn 2
• Glimpse the Ad Nauseum and Other Unthinkable Brews
• Tinker, Brewer, Pilot, Consumer

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
3:33 - Housekeeping (including notes about a TDD Discord Modern Tournament)
6:06 - Getting Into Ryan's Brain: A Peek Inside the Grinder's Studio
11:20 - Putting Cards Together in Ways That Win
11:40 - Amulet Titan
22:52 - Ad Nauseum
32:05 - Ad Break: Barrister & Mann
35:15 - The Spark that Lit a Love of Combo
41:04 - The Secret Third Cascade: Glimpse
53:14 - When to Play Glimpse
56:41 - What Kind of Main Are You?
1:03:27 - Cards Ryan is Brewing With Now
1:06:10 - What Ryan is Trying in Pioneer: Lotus Field + More
1:09:49 - Stan Cracks a Pack: Peak Consumer Main Content
1:12:45 - Closing Out

Links from this week's episode:
https://twitter.com/GR_DONKIN

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 212: Modern's Back & So is Stanislav! Mar 02, 2023

Show notes

Well, here it is. The week you've all been waiting for — the Rhino Boyz finally get back their Rhino format. It's time for a check in on what's going on in Modern since Phyrexia: All Will Be One launched. We take a look at the Top 32 metas of all the MTGO Challenges from 2/10 – 2/24 and throw in some data on the Manatraders February final to boot. Oh yeah — and Stanislav finally rejoins the pod from his new home in the UK. Hear what we sound like during a daytime recording (for the first time ever) and also hear what we sound like in British accents (hopefully for the last time ever). What surprising decks are surging in Modern once again? What cards from ONE have made any impact? What terrible UK slang with each of us try to pepper our speech with? Find out on this week's ep!

• Too Many English Accents
• February Modern Challenge(s) Roundup
• We Catch Up and Crack a Pack

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
6:15 - Housekeeping
11:48 - The Break Down: What's going on in Modern?
44:53 - The Manatraders Modern top8 and what are we learning?
52:40 - Smuggling some bergamot
55:35 - Shane plays some Devoted Druid with Tyvar
1:09:30 - Cool Decks, Inc.
1:12:15 - Stan is back, and opens a pack!
1:21:40 - Wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
Devoted Druid with Tyvar by Bean17h: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/5431806#paper
Devoted Druid with Tyvar by MickeyPlaysMagic: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/5422748#paper

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 211: 8 Takes from PT Phyrexia, ft. d00mwake Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

With Shane and Stan both gone this week, Dave called in returning guest host Devon O'Donnell, aka d00mwake, to talk about his hot Pro Tour Phyrexia takes. Is d00m buying what Dave's selling? That's to be determined. Buying or not, Dave and Devon first go over the expected and unexpected decks from the return of the Pro Tour, then chat about some of the early previews from March of the Machines.

The Break Down: The Metagame Everyone Saw Coming
The Dive Down: A Winner No One Saw Coming
The Wind Down: The Team-Ups No One Knew They Needed

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
4:05 - Housekeeping
6:30 - Pro Tour Phyrexia - Is Devon buying what Dave's selling?
12:50 - Take 1: The meta was what we expected
18:07 - Take 2: The top of the meta didn't perform well
25:24 - Take 3: We should be playing the less popular decks
37:30 - Take 4: The rogues broke the format a bit
54:15 - Shane's secretly here
59:28 - Take 5: More metagame calls paid off
1:02:50 - Take 6: Fable of the Mirror Breaker is the best card in the format
1:07:50 - Take 7: The meta is unlikely to change
1:15:15 - Take 8: The top 8 was impressive and our predictions stunk
1:19:50 - March of the Machines early previews!
1:34:02 - Where to find d00mwake and wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
The PT decks: https://mtgmelee.com/Tournament/View/14111
March of the Machines spoilers: https://scryfall.com/sets/mom
Devon's Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/d00mwake

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 210: Pro Tour Philly Preview, ft. d00mwake Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

This week Dave and Shane invite Devon O'Donnell (aka d00mwake) over to help us prepare for the return of the Pro Tour! We go deep on Pioneer as we take a look at the recent meta and last weekend's MTGO Challenges (or whatever they're called), go over where established decks are picking up new tech from ONE, and lastly run through a bunch of sleeper decks and their potential for a PT break through — one deck d00mwake likes may even surprise you. We likely don't talk about Atraxa enough. But we do talk about the angel... some? Tune in for all this and to see what each of us chose as a top 4 for the tournament.

• As Much Pioneer as You Could Ever Want
• Atraxa Unifies the Rogue Meta
• One Deck That Oozes Potential

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
5:00 - Housekeeping
7:57 - The Pioneer Pro Tour
15:10 - The current Pioneer meta
27:45 - What can happen at the Pioneer PT?
30:02 - The Saturday Pioneer Challenge
43:48 - Saturday's cool decks
57:09 - Sunday's Pioneer Showcase Challenge
1:10:05 - Sunday's cool decks
1:20:28 - What do we know about Pioneer?
1:24:58 - Some sleeper decks of the new Pioneer
1:42:35 - Calling our top 4 decks of the Pro Tour
1:44:50 - Where to find d00mwake

Links from this week's episode:
Devon's Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/d00mwake
Frank Karsten's Metagame Mentor: https://magic.gg/news/metagame-mentor-10-surprising-pioneer-decks-that-can-win-pro-tour-phyrexia
2/11 Pioneer Challenge: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/tournament/pioneer-challenge-2023-02-11#paper
2/12 Pioneer Showcase: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/tournament/pioneer-showcase-challenge-2023-02-12#paper
d00mwake's Video on New ONE Decks for Pioneer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qLghY2tsI4

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 209: ONE Weekend of New Decks & Techs Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

This week Shane and Dave dive into results from the first weekend of Magic after ONE. It looks like the set has had more impact on Modern and Pioneer than we thought possible with upgrades coming to several decks and even a couple of new brews emerging. Are THE Mycosynth Gardens ready for Prime Time? Is Venerated Rotpriest the card that will make Infect ripe again? Is Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler the real deal in Druid... or... anywhere else? Shane and Dave go through the results from the Modern $5k and $10ks from SCGCON Indy and look at some speculative brews for Pioneer from Frank Karsten's most recent Metagame Mentor.

• The Mycosynth Gardens Are So Nice This Time of Year
• Rotpriest or Rockpriest?
• Tyvar, Jubilant Brewer

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
4:55 - Housekeeping
8:40 - The SCGCon Indy Friday Modern $5k RCQ
23:44 - The SCGCon Indy Sunday Modern $10k RCQ
51:16 - New Modern oddities and ephemera
1:02:09 - Frank Karsten's Pioneer potentials in ONE
1:12:37 - New Pioneer oddities and ephemera
1:14:58 - Wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
SCGCon Indy Friday modern 5k RCQ: https://mtgmelee.com/Tournament/View/13258
SCGCon Indy Sunday Modern 10k: https://mtgmelee.com/Tournament/View/13259
Modern Devoted Druid Combo in 2023: https://themanabase.com/modern-devoted-druid-combo-in-2023/
Frank Karsten's Metagame Mentor: https://magic.gg/news/metagame-mentor-10-surprising-pioneer-decks-that-can-win-pro-tour-phyrexia

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

Support The Dive Down

Episode 208: Phyrexia: All Will Be One Spoilers, Part 2, ft. DarthJacen Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

Here it is — Part 2 of our tour through Phyrexia: All Will Be One. But this week we've called in some reinforcements in the form of Sky Mason, aka DarthJacen on Playing Pioneer, Twitch, and Twitter. While Shane engages in another flight of fancy about a Green 7 drop and Dave speculates about edicts or bolts or something, Sky helps us get through cards that have real potential in Pioneer and Modern from this second half of the set. And then, at the end, as a treat, we all go over our top 5(-ish) cards from the set.

• It's Always 51 in Providence
• Napping in Skrelv's Hive
• [Everyone Had Almost the Same] Top 5 Cards

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
3:35 - Housekeeping
6:38 - Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines
9:21 - The Eternal Wanderer
13:29 - Phyrexian Vindicator
16:21 - Skrelv's Hive
20:07 - Distorted Curiosity/Bring the Ending
25:14 - Prologue to Phyresis
28:37 - Mindsplice Apparatus
36:45 - Annihilating Glare
40:50 - Archfiend of the Dross
42:51 - Phrexian Obliterator
45:03 - Sheoldred's Edict
48:18 - Rebel Salvo
51:08 - Furnace Punisher
52:47 - All Will Be One
54:15 - Cankerbloom
55:36 - Nissa, Ascended Animist
1:00:24 - Migloz, Maze Crusher
1:05:50 - DarthJacen's top cards
1:21:35 - Shane's top cards
1:27:30 - Dave's top cards
1:31:35 - Where to find Darthjacen online

Links from this week's episode:
Check out Sky on Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/darthjacen) and Playing Pioneer (https://playingmtg.com/pioneer/)

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

Support The Dive Down

Episode 207: Phyrexia: All Will Be One Spoilers, Part 1 Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

This week Shane and Dave dive into the weirdness that is Phyrexia: All Will Be One. What card will be our number one for hype this spoiler season? What card that we think will see very little play counters spells with mv one? What Phyrexian Mite is a 1/1 for 1 with Toxic 1 and is number one in our hearts? How many more ones can I fit in this description? At least one. At least one. Join us this week as we go through the cards we love, the cards we hate, and the cards we're just plain Perplexia'd by.

• These Cenobites Are Making Me Thirsty
• Skrelv Wars, Nothing But Skrelv Wars
• So I Dub Thee Unforgiving

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
3:43 - Housekeeping
6:07 - All Will Be One
7:38 - The mechanics of ONE
17:13 - The spoilers begin! Allied Fast lands
20:04 - The Mycosynth Gardens
23:58 - Minor Misstep
29:45 - Venerated Rotpriest
37:27 - Gleeful Demolition
40:36 - Skrelv, Defector Mite
43:21 - Vat of Rebirth
47:29 - Kemba, Kha Enduring
51:29 - Ossification/Soulless Jailer
54:14 - The Filigree Sylex
56:18 - Blade of Shared Souls/Sword of Forge and Frontier
1:00:50 - Glissa Sunslayer/Malcator, Purity Overseer
1:03:42 - Mirran Safehouse
1:05:32 - Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler
1:09:07 - Unctus, Grand Metatect
1:10:54 - Ichormoon Gauntlet
1:13:54 - Jace, the Perfected Mind
1:16:24 - Nahiri, the Unforgiving
1:21:16 - Mondrak, Glory Dominus
1:24:06 - Capricious Hellraiser
1:27:04 - Tyvar's Stand
1:30:00 - Wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
Scryfall: https://scryfall.com/sets/one?as=grid&order=spoiled

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 206: Modern Domain Zoo & NRG Champs Jan 19, 2023

Show notes

This week Dave and Shane work on becoming Masters of their Domain with a quick dive into a deck that has been a bit of surprise in modern lately — Modern Domain Zoo. We debate which two drops are the best in this deck, wonder why this deck even has one drops, and finally, most domainedly, talk about killing opponents from the low teens with gameplans that include double Tribal Flames. But before all that, we talk about the exciting end of the 2022 NRG Championship Series, break down the decks from Modern and Pioneer, and marvel about the tiny tech choices people can make in a field of 16 players.

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN15 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
4:13 - Housekeeping
6:24 - The Break Down: The NRG Championship
8:58 - The Modern meta & decklists
28:24 - The Pioneer meta & decklists
41:53 - The tournament results
47:55 - Spring is here
50:42 - The Dive Down: Masters of our Domain (Zoo)
52:37 - What Domain is all about
54:55 - The Domain creatures
1:05:48 - The Domain spells
1:14:06 - The manabase and mana strategy
1:21:14 - Some thoughts about Domain Zoo
1:26:08 - Wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
NRG Champs Decklists:
https://articles.nerdragegaming.com/decklists-archive/modern-2022-nrg-championship-january-14-15-2023/
https://articles.nerdragegaming.com/decklists-archive/pioneer-2022-nrg-championship-january-14-15-2023/
Sample Domain Zoo List: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/5339959#paper

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 205: 2023 Magic Kickoff: Modern & Pioneer Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

Dave and Shane kickoff 2023 in Magic in our first Stan-less episode of his hiatus. We take a quick tour around the formats we love: we first spend time on a tour of Modern via recent MTGO events, then through Pioneer via Frank Karsten's most recent assessment of the combined RC meta. But first we talk about this weekend's NRG Championship Series Finals. And then before that we also cry some because we miss Stan.

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN15 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
4:43 - Housekeeping
11:50 - The Dive Down begins - the NRG Championship preview
23:05 - The current state of Modern
48:19 - The current state of Pioneer
1:04:20 - Cool Decks, Inc.
1:20:05 - What we aren't talking about
1:22:30 - Closing out

Links from this week's episode:
NRG Championship Series Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/nrgseries
2022 NRG Series Championship Structure: https://articles.nerdragegaming.com/2022-nrg-series-championship-structure/
ManaTraders Modern $30k: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/tournament/2022-manatraders-series-30-000-invitational#paper
MTGO Modern Super Qualifier: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/tournament/modern-super-qualifier-2022-12-26#paper
Frank Karsten's Pioneer RC Metagame Mentor: https://www.magic.gg/news/metagame-mentor-the-top-15-pioneer-decks-from-regional-championships

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 204: Our 2023 Goals & an Intro to Heavy Play Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

Surprise! We got one more episode out of Stan before he heads off to the UK — and it's a good one. It's time for our annual chat about our 2023 goals as Magic players, podcasters, friends, and frenemies. We touch on some ideas we have for expanding the show, expanding our planewalking skills, and on how we all feel like we need to fight to stay engaged and curious in life as old age creeps in. No big deal.

But before all that, we're excited to bring you a fun discussion we had with Randy Chiang, CEO and Founder of [Heavy Play](heavyplay.com) — a brand new, player-centric take on deck boxes, playmats, and sleeves. We talk with Randy about what inspired him to chase his dream to design this line of accessories that aim to help make gameday easier for Magic players of all kinds. Heavy Play is currently working on a Kickstarter launch campaign — go check it out before it closes on January 15th!

The Break Down: The Last Playmat You'll Ever Need
The Dive Down: 2023 Goals

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown

Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use code THEDIVEDOWN15 for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.

Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use code THEDIVEDOWN10

And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code "DIVE8" at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
3:08 - Housekeeping
4:06 - Talking with Randy from Heavy Play
41:10 - Cheshire Stan
43:50 - Some 2023 goals
47:01 - Show goals
55:59 - Magic goals
1:17:33 - Personal goals
1:23:53 - Wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
Heavy Play Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/heavyplay/heavy-play-equipmag-system-and-curv-sleeves
Heavy Play website: http://heavyplay.com

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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