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A Thomas Jefferson Education??


cakemom
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I read the book and am not a fan. "A Thomas Jefferson Education" reflects neither the education Thomas Jefferson received nor the type of education he advocated.

 

Here's a review that I recommend to people that are interested in it:

http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2008/05/a-thomas-jefferson-education/

 

Well...I'd hardly call that a fair review of the book, more ad hominem than objective.

 

I have read TJE as well as the companion book and, though I gleaned some good information, TJE is, in essence, just another child self-directed approach, leaning towards unschooling.

 

I do remember thinking that including Covey in his list of classics was a little odd, but none of the other books singled out in the "review" are even listed in the actual TJE book. I haven't checked the website, though, and the article does say the list came off the website.

 

I thought the reason for the name Thomas Jefferson Education was because TJ was life long self-learner who studied directly under mentors for the bulk of his formal education. To me, that's the gist of the book.

 

Meh, I didn't really feel greatly inspired or enlightened after reading the book...I like Charlotte Mason's stuff, better.

 

No mention of a One World Government, either. :)

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Has anyone read about or tried this homeschooling approach?

 

I wanted to get others opinions on it and find out the gist of how it works

 

Thanks much! ;)

 

I would exercise serious caution. Everything I've read about Oliver DeMille suggests he has seriously misrepresented his academic credentials (claimed "degrees" from known diploma mills) and perpetuated the same with his own "university."

 

And that is just the start of it.

 

Bill

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Has anyone read about or tried this homeschooling approach?

 

I wanted to get others opinions on it and find out the gist of how it works

 

Thanks much! ;)

 

I was heavily involved with TJEd (on the board of one of the organizations). I tried it with my kids. It failed. Utterly. I know lots of people who have tried to use it. One in ten or so can make it work reasonably well. I have not been at all impressed by some of the older kids I've encountered who have had the "education" suggested by Oliver DeMille, which is nothing like the education Thomas Jefferson had as a child. Thomas Jefferson had an education much more like what is outlined in The Well-Trained Mind (structured, systematic, rigorous, etc.). TJEd tries to be classical unschooling, but most TJEd moms (I was one) feel completely lost on how to give a classical education without any list of topics and resources.

 

What really scares me about TJEd is that people treat it like a religion. I was renouncing a faith when I started doing "school at home". Few are open to a discussion of the weaknesses of TJEd. If you have criticisms, TJEd supporters will say that you are obviously still "on the conveyor belt" and are going to be sorry when your kids are mindless drones. I don't think I'm going to be the sorry one. My kids can read, write, spell, use proper grammar, and do math. They will be equipped with the basic skills needed to gather, interpret, and discuss ideas. I've met an alarming number of TJEd children who have little to no math skills or can't read at 9 or 10 years old (no LDs) because the philosophy of TJEd leans against direct instruction. Supposedly your child will learn how to read by seeing you read and having you read to him/her. That might work for a small percentage of children. Most children will only read well if they have direct phonics instruction. Still read to and inspire your kid, but also give direct and systematic instruction.

 

I love these two blogs and the comments reveal the religious devotion of some TJEd followers:

 

http://whyidontdotjed.blogspot.com/

http://themakingofauniversity.blogspot.com/

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This thread is akin to the one that SWB had to delete recently about public schools vs. homeschools. I don't think we need to be "wary" of Oliver Demille, more than any other author of homeschool philosophy books. It's like anything else...you read it and decide if it has any merit with you. He's not trying to fool anyone or trick anyone. Read it and decide if you like it. I don't get the people who are so harsh about it. I will agree that there are some snobby TJEDers out there. They become kind of "clicky". But the ideas are sound and can work for some people. And I think the "clicky" can happen with any homeschool group who thinks their way is the best way. Don't judge it by how others act or don't act, judge it by whether the book has sound ideas to you or not. I have met the DeMilles and listened to them and several people speak about TJED. Some I find inspiring, some I don't... but I find the same thing in listening to SWB's audios and reading her books. I will say that the TJED book is not nearly as good as the Leadership Phases books, and TJED at our Home books. Some of his audio downloads are good too. The original TJED book isn't super useful in learning how to use TJED. It's more the philosophy. The other books lay it out better on how to use it.

And as a previous poster mentioned that she had met students who learned the TJED way and she didn't want her kids to be like them (or something along those lines) but again it's in the people carrying it out, not the ideas themselves. I know several families who teach through the TJED philosphy and they are thriving. I'm just saying, we don't need to bash it, just cause it doesn't work for us. :001_smile:

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This thread is akin to the one that SWB had to delete recently about public schools vs. homeschools. I don't think we need to be "wary" of Oliver Demille, more than any other author of homeschool philosophy books. It's like anything else...you read it and decide if it has any merit with you. He's not trying to fool anyone or trick anyone. Read it and decide if you like it. I don't get the people who are so harsh about it. I will agree that there are some snobby TJEDers out there. They become kind of "clicky". But the ideas are sound and can work for some people. And I think the "clicky" can happen with any homeschool group who thinks their way is the best way. Don't judge it by how others act or don't act, judge it by whether the book has sound ideas to you or not. I have met the DeMilles and listened to them and several people speak about TJED. Some I find inspiring, some I don't... but I find the same thing in listening to SWB's audios and reading her books. I will say that the TJED book is not nearly as good as the Leadership Phases books, and TJED at our Home books. Some of his audio downloads are good too. The original TJED book isn't super useful in learning how to use TJED. It's more the philosophy. The other books lay it out better on how to use it.

And as a previous poster mentioned that she had met students who learned the TJED way and she didn't want her kids to be like them (or something along those lines) but again it's in the people carrying it out, not the ideas themselves. I know several families who teach through the TJED philosphy and they are thriving. I'm just saying, we don't need to bash it, just cause it doesn't work for us. :001_smile:

 

The DeMilles are nice people. Everyone I've met with TJEd is nice. It is the method and the ideas that I think are terribly lacking. The whyidonttjed blog critiques the ideas themselves. I had much more of a problem with the ideas, which didn't work, than anything to do with DeMille or his educational background. I agree that it's the ideas that are more important. I did not find the ideas to be sound, proven, or effective.

 

I stopped doing TJEd because it didn't work and it often didn't make sense. You can't read a classic to learn math. No one without a math and science background is going to be able to read Newton in order to learn basic physics. Reading Don Quixote in its original, archaic Spanish in order to learn Spanish is probably not going to work out well. You can't read a classic written by Joan of Arc because she never wrote one. Etc.

 

Some families may be able to successfully incorporate some of the TJEd ideas into their homeschool, but there is a great danger to try to implement it in the extreme and ineffective way outlined in the book. Families that try this (mine did) either give up or give a poor education to their children. I am so very glad I quit before I had done too much damage. I am still sorry for the wasted years. This is my experience, but it is shared by many others. Exercise caution. :)

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Guest Dulcimeramy
This thread is akin to the one that SWB had to delete recently about public schools vs. homeschools. I don't think we need to be "wary" of Oliver Demille, more than any other author of homeschool philosophy books. It's like anything else...you read it and decide if it has any merit with you. He's not trying to fool anyone or trick anyone. Read it and decide if you like it. I don't get the people who are so harsh about it. I will agree that there are some snobby TJEDers out there. They become kind of "clicky". But the ideas are sound and can work for some people. And I think the "clicky" can happen with any homeschool group who thinks their way is the best way. Don't judge it by how others act or don't act, judge it by whether the book has sound ideas to you or not. I have met the DeMilles and listened to them and several people speak about TJED. Some I find inspiring, some I don't... but I find the same thing in listening to SWB's audios and reading her books. I will say that the TJED book is not nearly as good as the Leadership Phases books, and TJED at our Home books. Some of his audio downloads are good too. The original TJED book isn't super useful in learning how to use TJED. It's more the philosophy. The other books lay it out better on how to use it.

And as a previous poster mentioned that she had met students who learned the TJED way and she didn't want her kids to be like them (or something along those lines) but again it's in the people carrying it out, not the ideas themselves. I know several families who teach through the TJED philosphy and they are thriving. I'm just saying, we don't need to bash it, just cause it doesn't work for us. :001_smile:

 

What does "clicky" mean?

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Hasn't Andrew Pudewa recommended the TJEd books? I thought he did, in one of his talks.

 

I read the first one and was not impressed. The big ideas sounded good at first. . But yeah, learning math by reading math literature and discussing it, basically learning anything and everything by reading a book about it and discussing it, isn't going to build basic skills. It does seem to veer over into unschooling.

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Hasn't Andrew Pudewa recommended the TJEd books? I thought he did, in one of his talks.

 

I read the first one and was not impressed. The big ideas sounded good at first. . But yeah, learning math by reading math literature and discussing it, basically learning anything and everything by reading a book about it and discussing it, isn't going to build basic skills. It does seem to veer over into unschooling.

 

I was so, so disappointed when Andrew started recommending TJEd. :( I still like IEW, though.

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Hasn't Andrew Pudewa recommended the TJEd books? I thought he did, in one of his talks.

 

I read the first one and was not impressed. The big ideas sounded good at first. . But yeah, learning math by reading math literature and discussing it, basically learning anything and everything by reading a book about it and discussing it, isn't going to build basic skills. It does seem to veer over into unschooling.

 

But Saxon math is listed as a "classic" in their classics list. As far as other topics, I don't see it as much different than a "living books" approach, like living math, sonlight, TOG, MFW, or unit studies, etc. The only time that it looks like "unschooling" is in the early years. They say a high school student should be studying 8 hrs a day... and usually because they love it.

 

My point is that we can differ on our ideas without the bashing. For some reason TJED is really a love/hate kind of thing.

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To me "clicky" means a group of people who aren't accepting of others because they don't like the same things or aren't as cool.:001_smile:

 

Oh, I think you are talking about cliques. Sorry, that should have been obvious to me! Not enough sleep last night...

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But Saxon math is listed as a "classic" in their classics list. As far as other topics, I don't see it as much different than a "living books" approach, like living math, sonlight, TOG, MFW, or unit studies, etc. The only time that it looks like "unschooling" is in the early years. They say a high school student should be studying 8 hrs a day... and usually because they love it.

 

My point is that we can differ on our ideas without the bashing. For some reason TJED is really a love/hate kind of thing.

 

I don't see it as bashing. I see it as informing and critiquing some rather radical ideas. I very much wish I had had the information I shared before I wasted so much time (and money--so many products to help you "do" TJED, ugh!). :) I've attended many, many lectures and read many, many books and articles from a TJEd perspective. I live in a hotbed of TJEd activity. I know a lot of TJEd families. TJEd has a few good ideas sprinkled in here and there, but it is unlikely to produce the statesmen and scholars it advertises. A child who cannot read or write well will not be able to study 8 hours a day. :tongue_smilie:

 

I've heard DeMille say, many times, that it is fine for a child to spend all of his 8 hours reading about motorcycles (or whatever he is interested in) because (DeMille claims) it would be impossible to read all day about motorcycles and not learn a bit of math, science, and history. That may be true (I doubt it), but "a bit" is hardly going to be a sufficient foundation for success in life and higher education. :001_huh:

 

So, again, exercise extreme caution. :)

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My sister actually lives just down the road from Oliver DeMille. There are many families in her neighborhood who are TJEd homeschoolers. The one thing she told me was how shocked she was at the number of 8 year olds she's met around there who don't know how to read a single word.

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It's like anything, take what works for you, use a bit of common sense, and toss the rest. It's good to learn about a variety of view points and come up with your own mix. I can't imagine I'm the only one who enjoyed the 55 Ingredients, they promote a homeschool lifestyle and the art if inspiratation is helpful for those who don't try to create public school at home and encourage their kids to follow their passions and strengths.

 

:iagree:

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I don't see it as bashing. I see it as informing and critiquing some rather radical ideas.

 

Haha, I'm just not a confrontational person, so didn't mean to call it bashing. Everything feels like that to me. :D

 

I've heard DeMille say, many times, that it is fine for a child to spend all of his 8 hours reading about motorcycles (or whatever he is interested in) because (DeMille claims) it would be impossible to read all day about motorcycles and not learn a bit of math, science, and history. That may be true (I doubt it), but "a bit" is hardly going to be a sufficient foundation for success in life and higher education. :001_huh:

:iagree: I agree with you here. That's why we can take what works for us, and throw the rest away. The TJED recipes have been a blessing in our home! :D

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  • 3 months later...

I just bought the first book. It doesn't have a picture of Jefferson on it, so maybe this is the first edition? Anyway, I was wondering if there is something like AO or a book like WTM but for TJEd. I want to see what the suggestions are for a fifth grade education. Is there a resource like that out there?

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I was wondering if there is something like AO or a book like WTM but for TJEd. I want to see what the suggestions are for a fifth grade education. Is there a resource like that out there?

 

That would be the Leadership book. Their suggestions for 5 grade age is basically let them do what they want. Try to inspired them to want to learn something of their own choosing. When they show interested, help them run with it. But don't force them to do any kind of work that they don't want to do because that will squash their love of learning.

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I just bought the first book. It doesn't have a picture of Jefferson on it, so maybe this is the first edition? Anyway, I was wondering if there is something like AO or a book like WTM but for TJEd. I want to see what the suggestions are for a fifth grade education. Is there a resource like that out there?

 

I ditched TJEd in favor of TWTM in part because it was so difficult to find a how-to manual. The longer I've been away from TJEd, the gladder I am that I moved away from it. Despite dire warnings about instilling a hate of learning by having academic requirements :rolleyes:, my children love to learn. :)

 

My oldest just finished 5th grade. I know we would not have covered a tenth of this past year's content if I had left things entirely up to her. I value her input in how we implement her studies, but she is not mature enough to know what skills and information she needs to know. I had to prod her along at times, but by the end of the year she was more knowledgeable, had improved her skills, and gained confidence in her academic capabilities. Math was her worst and least favorite subject this past fall. Now she loves it and is good at it. We had an intense math year of remediating and accelerating. It took daily effort and it paid off. Even though she didn't always feel like doing it (I didn't always either ;)), she is glad that she did.

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That would be the Leadership book. Their suggestions for 5 grade age is basically let them do what they want. Try to inspired them to want to learn something of their own choosing. When they show interested, help them run with it. But don't force them to do any kind of work that they don't want to do because that will squash their love of learning.

 

 

Hmm... that's not what I got out of the book. I think because there isn't a real "how-to" book about it, that TJED gets shrugged off as doing nothing or unschooling. It's basically a set of principles that you use to mentor and inspire learning. Because it's a set of principles, they don't have a book about what curriculum to use or a step by step guide on how to do it.

 

I agree with the ideas presented in the book (I like his other books better than the original Thomas Jefferson Education) but it's like anything else, some people take it WAY too far in my opinion and others think it's just another book on how to unschool.

 

I would say our TJEDish homeschool is a lot student driven, but I also have things that I want them to do and they do. I talk to my kids a lot though about what they like about school, what they would change, why I think certain subjects are valuable, how would they like to best approach a subject, etc. Then I allow them to pursue their interests, but we make sure to get the subjects done that I feel are important too. I try to do them in a way that my kids learn best and enjoy.

 

But because TJED is about principles, not curriculum, it's a very individualized approach to homeschool. I don't agree with everything they say, but I think they have some good foundational ideas on how children learn and how to help inspire our children. Many of you here do it naturally though. I'm amazed at the sometimes negative comments about TJED, when a lot of us here are really applying the principles in our homes. Things like Classics not Textbooks (living math, living science, living history). Mentors not Professors. Aren't most of us here trying to encourage our children to love to learn instead of feeding them what we think they should know (or the school system thinks they should know)? Quality Not Conformity. Isn't that why we homeschool? We don't want our children to be taught to the test, we want them to learn to do the job well, not just regurgitate facts.

 

Anywho, down off my box now. Just trying to shed a little more light on TJED.

 

ETA: I am so not picking a fight here though, so please don't take offense.

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  • 2 years later...

I realize this thread has gone dead and this is way late, but here is some important information for anyone who is considering Oliver DeMille's "A Thomas Jefferson Education":

 

Please be aware that Oliver DeMille and Shanon Brooks have invalid academic credentials and thus are improperly appropriating the title of "Dr.", which neither of them has earned.  This usage is misleading at best.  The Board of Trustees of George Wythe University no longer refers to either of them as "Dr."  Both were forced to resign from George Wythe University for mismanagement and financial malfeasance.  The position of "Chancellor," which DeMille had created for himself so as to move Brooks into the President position, has been eliminated.  In a serious breach of ethics, DeMille awarded doctorates to individuals who completed no coursework at George Wythe College, while misrepresenting his own academic background, which included at least one bought doctorate from a diploma mill.  This is all a matter of public record; here is a statement released by the George Wythe University Board of Trustees with the details: http://news.gw.edu/?p=393
 
Brooks received his academic credentials from George Wythe College (now University) during his employ there, while he was teaching classes to other students.  George Wythe College was never accredited, and George Wythe University remains unaccredited.  George Wythe University is seeking accreditation for its undergraduate program; if secured, this accreditation will only be valid for its BA degrees, and will not be retroactively applied to previous degrees distributed by George Wythe College or George Wythe University.  Because of DeMille's and Brooks' financial mismanagement, George Wythe University was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and on the brink of closure by the time their misdeeds were discovered.  Legal charges may be filed against Shanon Brooks in the future over his egregious misconduct and misuse of funds.  The Utah Division of Consumer Protection stipulated, in fact, that, as part of GWU's licensing requirements, Shanon Brooks must be permanently banished from any position at GWU that handles funds - the GWU Board of Trustees signed off on this requirement without reservation.  Brooks' claimed 'PhD in Constitutional Law' is from George Wythe College; it is not a law degree, though it deceptively sounds like one.  Because of this confusion, GWU has renamed the degree "Constitutional Studies."  Brooks continues to misrepresent himself as "Dr." and cites his misleadingly-named "PhD in Constitutional Law" on the Monticello College website, but I have not been able to find his curriculum vitae (cv), which is a document that is normally posted publicly by higher education professionals at reputable institutions of higher learning to show the dates and locations where they completed their degree(s).  
 
These are the same people responsible for creating "Thomas Jefferson Education" (TJEd), the "Face to Face With Greatness" seminars, and all the other money-making ventures marketed to the Christian homeschool community.
 
Caveat emptor.
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"Try to inspired them to want to learn something of their own choosing. When they show interested, help them run with it. But don't force them to do any kind of work that they don't want to do because that will squash their love of learning."

 

In a "Face to Face With Greatness" seminar, which is just one of a great many, expensive little add-ons that are said to be "essential" if you're going to "do" Thomas Jefferson Education "effectively", "Dr." Shanon Brooks told everyone that, if the children did not spontaneously begin spending several hours a day on something that qualified as "learning", they should be forced to do housework for that same number of hours.  When I raised my hand and said that my children had no interest in the books being recommended, he said, "You must have the cleanest house in town."  In other words, punish them until they begin to "love learning".  Because it really doesn't work - here is MY favorite quote:

 

That said, anyone who thinks that the best method of math instruction for elementary-aged children is for mom to sit on the couch reading Euclid and muttering “that sure is interesting†until the child is so inspired by her example that s/he decides to begin to study math . . . wow . . . I just don’t have the words. - Julie M. Smith http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2008/05/a-thomas-jefferson-education/

 

Thomas Jefferson Education, or TJEd, is a cult of personality surrounding Oliver DeMille and Shanon Brooks, primarily - both present themselves as "Dr" though they hold invalid, unaccredited certificates.  What it promotes is a fascist, right-wing, conservative perspective that is conducive to Tea Party leanings.  You know how there are places where fundamentalist Christians are trying to get science education replaced with Christian creation mythology?  This is similar - they want to indoctrinate everyone's children into a very right-wing, Christian Dominionist worldview, where the only real solution to society's problems is a Bible-based Christian theocracy.  If the Mormons had the numbers, they'd make it a Book of Mormon-based Christian theocracy, of course, but they're having trouble even keeping their numbers up.

 

Funny story - when Oliver DeMille was having some health problems (which he cited as his reason for resigning to save face because they were going to fire his...self because of his mismanagement, fiscal malfeasance, and complete lack of ethics), one of the local TJEd leaders sent out a spammy email to everyone in the group, exhorting us to "pray and fast" that he would recover.  I'm sorry, but I just don't see how my NOT eating a cheeseburger is going to help some old fart with his health issues!

 

In one "Face to Face With Greatness" seminar, Shanon Brooks actually said that the reason Chuck Yeager was the first to fly faster than the speed of sound was because all the other pilots were afraid that, if they tried it, their hair would fall out.  He SAID that.  The TJEd people are also fond of the urban-legendy Tytler "Cycle of Civilizations", which basically says that civilizations crumble unless they get a whole lot more religion.  Of course, we're on the brink of disaster, and the only thing that will save us is more Jesus.  I brought this information to his attention so that he could present accurate information instead of misinformation: http://www.lorencollins.net/tytler.html

 

Brooks told me that he didn't care - people *liked* thinking it was from an older, more reputable, more respect-worthy source, so he wasn't going to change a thing. 

 

And Dr. Andrew Groft, former President of George Wythe University, was convicted of soliciting prostitutes in broad daylight shortly after leaving GWU, but he himself said it had been going on for quite a while.  Just look him up - his mug shot and all the information is online.  His wife had recently delivered their 6th child.

 

That's the sort of thing you'll get from TJEd, all wrapped up pretty in an American flag and blessed by God.

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I think this Blache person maybe a spammer/slammer. She/he posted the same response on the TJed thread on the General Education board.

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Regardless, we need to be respectful of other people's choices of educational philosophy. What benefit is gained here? Do you think you are saving people from unwittingly falling sway to a "cult of personality"? You expect little more of them if you believe an appeal to emotion like this is helpful. And what skin off your nose is it if they do follow that educational philosophy? Please chose another tone (or better yet, another forum) to *discuss* your ideas.

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  • 3 years later...

So, I read the TJed book and thought some of the big ideas sounded nice, but not practical. The math, in particular, did not seem like it would work.

Anyway, I mostly forgot about it until I moved to Utah, less than an hour from where the DeMilles live. After living here I finally understood the strong objections and emotional posts I would see on here. I won't go into it, but it has made our personal lives difficult here.

 

Besides a couple rare kids, I have not been impressed with the kids being homeschooled this way. It may just be their way of doing it, not the method at fault, but the results are not good. I have met many 8-10 year olds who can't read, older kids who can't do basic math, and overall difficult behavior from the children.

 

One friend, who I met during her couple years of not doing TJed, has boys who are significantly behind. She went back to TJed at one point, but put her kids in school this year. The oldest boy is in hours of private tutoring. All boys were placed a year behind in school.

 

Your results may vary, but overall I would be careful.

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