#true crime community | scienceofreasoning (2024)

Photograph of a replica of the Ramsey dining room table. Source: Internet.

The pineapples in the autopsy report and the bowl of pineapples found on the dining room table are two of the most baffling clues in the JonBenet Ramsey case.

Consumption of PineapplesExperts from the University of Colorado stated “that grapes, grape skins and cherries had been found with pineapple in JonBenet’s body. These foods are commonly included in most cans of fruit co*cktails.”[1] As “one doctor told Boulder Police Department Officials that the pineapple, grapes and cherries could have been eaten even the day before her body was found.”[2] One possible explanation is fruit co*cktail was in a recipe for a dessert that was served at the Whites’ dinner party, such as a cake.[3]

Former Detective Steve Thomas said, “Our experts studied the pineapple in the stomach and reported that it was fresh-cut pineapple, consistent down to the rind with what had been found in the bowl.”[4] Fresh-cut pineapples in the white bowl support that raw pineapples were in the Ramsey house on the night in question.In one of her interviews with Tom Haney and Trip DeMuth, Patsy Ramsey said, “Well, I didn't buy it (pineapples) terribly often. But when I did, I bought usually bought that fresh and serve it out in little portions.”[5]

Patsy did not think that Burke had got up in the night, prepared pineapples and fed JonBenet. As Patsy said, “I mean, I would have heard them. Burke would have gotten up and banged around getting cupboards open and getting stuff in the refrigerator.”[6] A DSS (Department of Social Services) evaluation of Burke reported, “From the interview [with Burke Ramsey] it is clear that Burke was not a witness to JonBenet’s death.”[7]

Trip DeMuth asks Patsy Ramsey, “Can you also understand that the only people that could have done it (fed JonBenet pineapples) is yourself or the Whites?”[8] Patsy answers, “Or whoever killed JonBenet; right? I mean, there was somebody in our home that night besides my husband, my son and my daughter and myself that killed our daughter, you know. Could they have fed JonBenet pineapple?”[9]

DinnerwareBoulder P.D. found awhite bowl of pineapples, spoon, tea bag and a clear drinking glass on the dining room table.

When and who placed the dinnerware on the dining room table? Patsy Ramsey suggests to Tom Haney, “Well, you know, there were a lot of people in that house that morning fixing stuff.”[10]

Tom Haney asked Patsy Ramsey, “When was the last time you recall that table being cleaned off?”[11] Patsy replied, “Well, we would have eaten pancakes together at that table on Christmas morning. And then I would have cleaned the table up.”[12] Tom Haney asked Patsy, “Would you have eaten there for lunch?”[13] Patsy replied, “No, because I think we ate a late breakfast, because of -- I'm not sure we had lunch that day because we probably, you know, do Christmas, and then we had a big pancake breakfast, and then we were going, you know, 4:00 or 5:00 to the White's [sic] for dinner, so we probably didn't even have lunch.”[14]Patsy went on to say, “She (JonBenet) would not have a bowl like this with a big huge spoon like that.”[15]

The clear drinking glass had fingerprints belonging to Burke.[16] No fingerprints of Patsy on the clear drinking glass.The white bowl had “one print belonging to Burke and the other to Patsy.”[17]No fingerprints of Burke or Patsy on the spoon.No information found in the public domain for fingerprints or genetic material of Ramsey housekeeper Linda Hoffman-Pugh found on the dinnerware.

Since no fingerprints of Patsy on the clear drinking glass or fingerprints of Burke and Patsy on the spoon, in my view, Burke and Patsy handled the dinnerware prior to the night of December 25th, 1996.

Photograph of a replica of the Ramsey dining room table with illustrations. Source: Internet.

A likely scenario, the white bowl, spoon and the clear drinking glass were washed and dried in a dishwasher or by hand. Burke passed the dried white bowl to his mother and Patsy put the bowl on the shelf in the cupboard leaving both his and Patsy’s fingerprints on the outside of the bowl. Fingerprints of Burke and Patsy were also likely left on the inside of the bowl while handling before the pineapples and milk. Burke put the dried clear drinking glass on the shelf in the cupboard leaving his fingerprints on the glass. The spoon was placed in the drawer with a dish towel handling the spoon leaving no fingerprints.

In an excerpt from a Boulder P.D. police report it stated, “The Ramsey’s [sic] returned home. JonBenet had fallen fast asleep. John carried her inside, took her upstairs, put her on her bed and then Patsy came in to her bedroom behind him.”[18]JonBenet was changed from the black pants worn to the Whites’ dinner party to the long-john pants. Patsy said she “tucked her in.”[19]

In the theory of the case as presented by Detective Lou Smit, “The Ramseys come home, they go to bed. After which, the intruder goes to JonBenet’s room, knocks her out with a stun gun, tapes her mouth, binds her hands and feet.”[20] No information found in the public domain for the bowl of pineapples in The Intruder Theory. If JonBenet consumed grapes, grape skins, and cherries with pineapple at the Whites’ dinner party, then the intruder wearing gloves, placed the dinnerware on the dining room table to serve him or herself before or after going to the bedroom of JonBenet.

Boulder P.D. collected trace evidence of “fibers from the rope used to strangle JonBenet were found on her bed.”[21] In this scenario, an intruder got JonBenet out of bed sometime after Patsy left the child’s bedroom. The intruder wearing gloves, placed the dinnerware on the dining room table.The spoon was too large for JonBenet to use. So she ate a few pieces of raw pineapple with her fingers.

JonBenet being fed raw pineapples would have occurred before the use of cord in the child’s bedroom. Thus, the intruder made two visits to the bedroom of JonBenet. If this is the case, JonBenet knew the intruder and felt comfortable with this unknown person inside the home without her parents being with her.As John Ramsey said in one of his Boulder County D.A. interviews, “There is no way of a strange intruder could have gotten her down there [to the dining room table] without her screaming, kicking and hollering and fed her pineapple. But you asked I think if what if it was someone she knew, and that’s conceivable.”[22]

Former F.B.I. profiler and criminal investigative analyst John Douglas believed an intruder entered the house “either through the basem*nt window well [sic] or with a key.”[23] In the aforesaid scenarios, the point of entry would have been with a key.

Forensic Analysis of the DinnerwarePatsy asked Tom Haney, “Did you fingerprint that (the white bowl)?”[24]Tom Haney replied, “Yes.”[25] Patsy asked Tom Haney, “Did it (the fingerprinting of the white bowl) show anything?”[26]In a few sentences later in the transcript, Tom Haney answers, “Those prints belong to one of the two of you. (John or Patsy)”[27] Patsy replies, “They do? You are sure? Well, I don't know. I did not put that [white bowl] there. No.”[28]

Patsy’s suggestion about people in the house that morning fixing stuff was a reasonable inference as there were “family friends [that] were still in attendance, continuing their attempt to console Patsy Ramsey and had used the kitchen to prepare food and snacks for the group.”[29] However, no fingerprints of the family friends were on the dinnerware.

The photograph appears to be a color cropped photograph of the James Kolar book photograph Number twenty-eight. Source: Internet.

The clear drinking glass was empty. Were there ever any fluids in the glass? Was there any water condensation under the bottom of the glass or on the table?No report of lip prints on the rim of the glass indicating that someone had drank from the glass.

Was the size of the spoon for use by a 6-year-old child? Any drops of pineapple juice and/or milk found on the table around the white bowl?

The white tag of the tea bag is visible on the outside of the glass. Any genetic material or fingerprints on thetag? Any genetic material on the tea bag string? Any genetic material on the bag?Was the tea bag moist, wet or dry?Wet tea bags take several hours to completely dry out. Any genetic material on the rim or side of the glass, spoon or bowl?No fingerprints of JonBenet on the dinnerware.No fingerprints on the dinnerware of the Victim Advocates that were at the Ramsey house that morning.

The right side of the tea bag has a charred appearance. The tea bag has a lite beige color around the charred appearance area. The bright white on the bottom left center area of the tea bag is believed to be a reflection of a camera flash.

Tea Bag ExperimentsFour experiments were conducted to replicate the condition of the tea bag in evidence.

With one bag of Bigelow brand Peppermint Tea, the tea leaves in the bag turned black when placed in a glass of water until soaked. The white color of the tea bag remained in the area above the tea leaves. The soaked tea leaves maintained their original size.

With one bag of Bigelow brand Peppermint Tea, the tea leaves in the bag turned black when placed under a running faucet of cold water until soaked. The white color of the tea bag remained in the area above the tea leaves. The soaked tea leaves maintained their original size.

After both tea bags completely dried out, the tea leaves were black and the tea bags had a lite beige color above the tea leaves.

Photograph of a tea bag and tag. Source: Internet.Bigelow brand Peppermint Tea bags look very much like the above tea bag.

With one bag of Bigelow brand Peppermint Tea, the tea bag was hot brewed in a tea cup of water at 195 degrees Fahrenheit.Tea that is hot brewed needs to steep for 15 minutes before drinking. After steeping the tea, the color of the tea leaves were black and the tea bag area above the tea leaves was white in color. The tea leaves were double or triple in size. Tea leaves that are hot brewed will double or triple in size as water is absorbed to brew the tea in a coffee or tea cup.

After the tea bag completely dried out, the tea leaves were black and the tea bag area above the tea leaves was lite beige in color. The brewed tea leaves were back to their original size.

With one bag of Bigelow brand Peppermint Tea, the bag was cold brewed in a refrigerator for 8 hours. When removed from the water, the tea leaves were blackand the tea bag area above the tea leaves was lite beige in color. The tea leaves were double or triple in size.

Tea leaves that are cold brewed will double or triple in size as water is absorbed to brew the tea in the refrigerator.After completely drying out, the brewed tea leaves were back to their original size.

As someone who cold brews Lipton Decaffeinated Iced Tea on a regular basis, a half-gallon is prepared, not an 8 oz. glass. Brewing takes eight or more hours in a refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The tea leaves turn dark brown to near black. When removing the tea bags from the water, the bags usually have a white color remaining above the area of the tea leaves. The tea leaves are double or triple in size.

Photograph of a thoroughly brewed tea bag. Source: Internet. After completely drying out,Lipton Decaffeinated Iced Tea bags resemble the above tea bag. The brewed tea leaves remain a little larger than their original size.

PineapplesThe pineapple skin appears to have been removed. The pieces of pineapple in the bowl appear to be uniformly cut into chunks. Would a 9-year old Burke or a 6-year old JonBenet cut a pineapple into uniform pieces? The rind of a pineapple is the core.[30] According to an article on ways to cut a pineapple, “pineapples have a notoriously tough rind and can be difficult to cut and prepare.”[31]

The photograph is of a pineapple where a pineapple corer was used that leaves the rind. Source: Internet.

In an excerpt from the autopsy report of JonBenet, “the proximal portion of the small intestine contains fragmented pieces of yellow to light green-tan apparent vegetable or fruit material which may represent fragments of pineapple.”[32] According to an academic paper on pineapples,the color of “the flesh ranges from nearly white to yellow.”[33] The color of the rind “may be dark-green, yellow, orange-yellow or reddish when the fruit is ripe.”[34] After the autopsy report, “scientific examination would later confirm his (Coroner Dr. John Meyer) preliminary opinion: JonBenet had consumed raw pineapple not long before her death.”[35] No reference found for the pineapple rind.

No information found in the public domain of pineapple skin or leaves found at the scene.

The photograph is of the pineapple skin and leaves. Source: Internet.

Fruit co*cktail Pineapples TheoreticalJonBenet consumed grapes, grape skins, and cherries with pineapple at the Whites’ dinner party. JonBenet was carried upstairs and put on her bed. John leaves the child’s bedroom, goes downstairs and helps Burke put together a toy. Patsy changes JonBenet from the black pants worn to the Whites’ dinner party to the long-john pants. JonBenet is tucked into bed. Patsy leaves the child’s bedroom and goes to finish packing for the trip to Michigan. John puts Burke to bed. John goes to bed. Before Patsy finishes packing, JonBenet woke up after soiling the printed rosebuds undergarment and thelong-john pants, got up and went looking for her mother. Patsy and JonBenet went to the child’s bedroom.The other events ensue including a nylon cord being tied over the sleeves of the wrists of the white shirt with a sequin star on the front.

After an unconscious JonBenet was carried to the wine cellar, Patsy got an airtight container of pineapples out of the refrigerator or a freezer-proof container of pineapples out of the freezer and prepared all of the pineapple chunks with some milk for staging an intruder served him or herself. Wearing gloves, Patsy placed the dinnerware on the dining room table.

Patsy asked Tom Haney about the fingerprinting results of the white bowl and she was surprisedthat the authorities had fingerprints on the bowl of John or Patsy when Patsy knew she had worn gloves while handling the white bowl.The one fingerprint of Burke and the one fingerprint of Patsy were on the white bowl before Patsy placed the bowl on the dining room table.

Fresh-Cut PineapplesTheoretical JonBenet was carried upstairs and put on her bed. John leaves the child’s bedroom, goes downstairs and helps Burke put together a toy. Patsy changes JonBenet from the black pants worn to the Whites’ dinner party to the long-john pants. JonBenet is tucked into bed. Patsy leaves the child’s bedroom and goes to finish packing for the trip to Michigan. John puts Burke to bed. John goes to bed. Before Patsy finishes packing, JonBenet woke up after soiling the printed rosebuds undergarment and the long-john pants, got up and went looking for her mother. JonBenet was hungry.Patsy got an airtight container of pineapples out of the refrigerator and served JonBenet a little portion of pineapple chunks using unknown dinnerware. After JonBenet finished her pineapple snack, Patsy and JonBenet went upstairs to the child’s bedroom.The other events ensue including a nylon cord being tied over the sleeves of the wrists of the white shirt with a sequin star on the front.

After an unconscious JonBenet was carried to the wine cellar, Patsy knew she had fed JonBenet pineapples after she tucked her into bed. The police will find the container of pineapples in the refrigerator.To point to an intruder serving JonBenet pineapples, wearing gloves Patsy emptied the remaining container of pineapples with some milk into a white bowl and placed the dinnerware on the dining room table.Patsy washed and dried the unknown dinnerware or the family friends that were at the house that morningwashed and dried the unknown dinnerware when cleaning up the kitchen.[36] Patsy says to Trip DeMuth that somebody was in the Ramsey house that night besides the immediate family that killed JonBenet and asked could they have fed her pineapple?

Patsy asked Tom Haney about the fingerprinting results of the white bowl and she was surprised that the authorities had fingerprints on the bowl of John or Patsy when Patsy knew she had worn gloves while handling the white bowl.The one fingerprint of Burke and the one fingerprint of Patsy were on the white bowl before Patsy placed the bowl on the dining room table.

The Pineapples in Context with other InformationNo reference found for raw pineapples with the rind from the experts from the University of Colorado or the doctor that gave a consultation to Boulder P.D. that author Paula Woodward wrote about.No reference found for grapes, grape skins, and cherries with pineapple from the experts that former Detective Steve Thomas wrote about or from scientific examination that former D.A. Investigator James Kolar wrote about.

In my view, theFruit co*cktail Pineapples Theoretical is more likely. A police report stating that Patsy came into the bedroom of JonBenet behind John.The amount of pineapples in the white bowl is more an adult serving than a 6-year-old or a 9-year-old child serving. No fingerprints of JonBenet on the dinnerware. No other dinnerware found that needed washing with fingerprints of JonBenet and Patsy.

FindingsConflicting expert opinions about whether the pineapples were from fruit co*cktail cans or fresh-cut and when pineapples were consumed.Information from research suggests the possibility that JonBenet consumed both fruit co*cktail and raw pineapples.

Unknown who fed JonBenet pineapples. JonBenet knew whoever fed her fruit co*cktail and/or fresh-cut pineapples. This is a significant clue in the case.

In the crime scene video,[37] the dinnerware was placed on the corner of the dining room table instead of on one of the nearby teal colored placemats.Any drops of pineapple juice or milk found on the placemats?

JonBenet using a spoon that was too large for her would be messy. Drops of pineapple juice and/or milk would have been likely found on the table around the white bowl. A caregiver would have wiped up the drops after taking the dinnerware to the kitchen for cleaning.

JonBenet using her fingers to eat pineapples would be messy.Drops of pineapple juice and/or milk would have been likely found on the table around the white bowl to the edge of the table.

No cloth or paper napkins were observed near the dinnerware.[38]No information found in the public domain for used napkins were collected from the dining room table.

A box of facial tissues was observed near the dinnerware.[39] No used facial tissues were observed.No information found in the public domain for used facial tissues were collected from the dining room table.

The dinnerware is presumed to have been fingerprinted after the crime scene video was recorded. No information found in the public domain that a CSI Technician examined or processed the dining room table. The CSI tech would have observed liquid stains on the table around the white bowl or the nearby teal colored placemats. Hopefully the Victim Advocates did notwipe off the table or the placemats[40] without the knowledge of the CSI Technician.

It is believed the crime scene video was recorded after the Victim Advocates had left the Ramsey house. If a CSI Technician began examining and processing the dinnerware and dining room table after the crime scene video was recorded, hopefully the Victim Advocates did not wipe off the table or the placemats before the crime scene video was recorded.

Hopefully the family friends that were at the Ramsey house that morning cleaning up the kitchen did not compromise the dining room table by wiping off the table or the placemats before a CSI Technician examined and processed the table.

In my view, the dinnerware was not compromised. If the teal colored placemats and the dining room table were not compromised, after the dinnerware was placed on the table, there was no further use of the dinnerware.

No information found in the public domain that the container of pineapples was collected. A DNA profile of Patsy Ramsey on the container does not prove or disprove Patsy handled the container on the night in question. Genetic material of Patsy Ramsey could have been transferred to the container when she prepared and placed the pineapple chunks in the container before the night in question. However, a DNA profile on the container of an unknown male consistent with the CODIS DNA contributor(s) would be significant.

No information found in the public domain that a pitcher of tea was found in the refrigerator.

The Ramseys arrived home around 10 p.m. on the evening of December 25th. Officer French arrived at the Ramsey house around 6 a.m. on the morning of December 26th. Most likely the person who prepared the tea did not have enough time to cold brew a glass of tea. The tea would have been ready for consumption at the same time as the arrival of Officer French.

Hot tea drinkers use a coffee or tea cup, not a drinking glass.

The condition of the tea bag in evidence is consistent with water having been in contact with the bag.

The tag of the tea bag may show the brand and flavor of tea. New tea bags can be compared to the tea bag in evidence and to conduct the same experiments.

Bigelow brand Peppermint Tea bags soaked in water, soaked under a running faucet,hot or cold brewed, mostly have the same appearance.

In the JonBenet case, with the brand and flavor of tea, comparing hot and cold brewed tea leaves under a microscope with tea leaves in a new tea bag may show a difference in texture.

Tea leaves placed in water until soaked, then examined under a microscope may show a different texture than tea leaves hot or cold brewed.

The results of the differences in texture can be compared to the tea leaves in the tea bag in evidence.

Forensic laboratory testing may be available to determine if the tea bag in evidence was soaked with water, hot or cold brewed.[41] If the tea bag was soaked with water under a running faucet, that would support staging since the tea bag was neither hot nor cold brewed.

To my knowledge, tea bags are mass-produced and packaged by machinery. If that is correct, we would not expect to find fingerprints or genetic material on the tea bags from the manufacturing process. Fingerprints or genetic material found on the tea bag in evidence, the authorities would first need to learn from the tea company about the manufacturing process (unless the fingerprints or genetic material match case reference samples) to see if a factory worker has any physical contact with the tea bags.

To illustrate, if factory workers wear sanitized gloves during the manufacturing process, and since tea bags are usually only handled when preparing tea, fingerprints or genetic material found on the bag, the white tag or the string of the bag would support that the tea bag in evidence was handled on the night in question.

Unknown if the tea bag in evidence was packaged individually or from several bags packed in a box.

An intruder wearing gloves could have placed the dinnerware on the dining room table with the fingerprints of Burke and Patsy already on the white bowl. This would support Patsy saying she did not put the white bowl on the dining room table and Burke did not handle the dinnerware on the night in question.

Highly likely Patsy Ramsey prepared the pineapple chunks and placed the white bowl of pineapples, spoon, tea bag and clear drinking glass on the dining room table.

Further ResearchAny pineapple juice or milk stains on the front of the white shirt with a sequin star on the front or the front of the long-john pants?

With JonBenet using the right size of spoon with unknown dinnerware and napkins, she may have been neat enough not to have any drops of pineapple juice on the front of the white shirt with the sequin star on the front or the front of the long-john pants. Unknown if JonBenet consumed milk in the fresh-cut pineapples theory.

At the other end of the dining room table, when and who placed a clear drinking glass and a butter knife on a white and teal colored placemat?[42] Was there any genetic material, lip prints or fingerprints on the glass or the knife?Any drops of pineapple juice or milk on the placemat?Patsy recalls the dining room table cleared off after the pancake breakfast.

Was the dinnerware on both ends of the dining room table left there from a previous meal and the white bowl was used again for the pineapples and milk? Did someone wipe off the spoon so not to leave any fingerprints?

If the container of pineapples was not found, was it overlooked?Did Patsy or the Ramsey family friends clean up the container and place it back in the cupboard? Why would an intruder clean up the container of pineapples and leave the bowl of pineapples on the dining room table?

Viewing a video on fruit co*cktail in cans[43] raises a question. After coming home from the Whites’ dinner party, did JonBenet consume a small serving of fruit co*cktail using the right size of spoon with unknown dinnerware and napkins?Any drops of fruit co*cktail found on the placemats or the dining room table?

Fruit co*cktail would make for a fast and easy snack to prepare for JonBenet before putting her back to bed.She may have been neat enough not to have any drops of fruit co*cktail juice on the front of the white shirt with the sequin star on the front or the front of the long-john pants. In this scenario, the dinnerware on the dining room table would have been staging.

No information found in the public domain that an open or empty can of fruit co*cktail was collected. An open or empty can of fruit co*cktail with genetic material or fingerprints of Patsy Ramsey does not prove or disprove Patsy opened the can on the night in question. The genetic material or fingerprints of Patsy could have been transferred when handling the can at the supermarket and putting the can in the cupboard.

Any fruit co*cktail stains on the front of the white shirt with a sequin star on the front or the front of the long-john pants? Fruit co*cktail may have been consumed in some other food leaving no stains on the clothing. As one doctor said JonBenet may have consumed fruit co*cktail a day before her body was found. JonBenet would have been wearing other clothing.

An open or empty can of fruit co*cktail would support that JonBenet consumed fruit co*cktail at the Ramsey house within two days of her passing.

JonBenet may have consumed fruit co*cktail or raw pineapples while sitting at the kitchen island on the night in question.

Examining the red turtleneck top and if collected, the black vest and black pants worn to the Whites’ dinner party for fruit co*cktail, pineapple and milk stains would be of interest.

A Quote“Think about science as a process as a way to get past disinformation and misinformation and opinion and opinion mongering and fear-mongering all that to it an actual method that gets you to a truth that everyone must agree on and there’s nothing else quite like it in human civilization except the scientific method and I believe in it.” – Film maker and citizen explorer James Cameron

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Endnotes

1. “We Have Your Daughter” by Paula Woodward. Kindle Edition, Location 3701

2. “We Have Your Daughter” by Paula Woodward. Kindle Edition, Location 3703

4.“JonBenet: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation” by Steve Thomas with Don Davis. Kindle Edition, Location 3177

7. “We Have Your Daughter” by Paula Woodward. Kindle Edition, Location 2600

16. “Foreign Faction: Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet?” by A. James Kolar. Kindle Edition, Location 4421

17. “Perfect Murder Perfect Town” by Lawrence Schiller. Kindle Edition, Location 3606

18. “We Have Your Daughter” by Paula Woodward. Kindle Edition, Location 1422

19.“The Killing of JonBenet: The Truth Uncovered” Mills Productions, Ltd. Time index 0:11:37

20. “Perfect Murder Perfect Town Director’s Cut” Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Inc. DVD. Time index 3:01:18

21. “We Have Your Daughter” by Paula Woodward. Kindle Edition, Location 3893

23. “The Cases That Haunt Us” by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker. Kindle Edition, Location 6250

29. “Foreign Faction: Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet?” by A. James Kolar. Kindle Edition, Location 598

32.“Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey?” by Cyril Wecht, M.D., J.D. and Charles Bosworth, Jr. Kindle Edition, Location 3922

35. “Foreign Faction: Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet?” by A. James Kolar. Kindle Edition, Location 840

40. “Foreign Faction: Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet?” by A. James Kolar. Kindle Edition, Location 551

Copyright (c) 2020 Phil Richard. All rights reserved.