FHWA > Policy > Office of Transportation Policy Studies > Value Pricing > Quarterly Reports
CALIFORNIA: Express Lanes on State Route 91 in Orange County
The State Route 91 (SR 91) express lanes opened in December 1995 as a four-lane toll facility in the median of a 10-mile section of one of the most heavily congested highways in the U.S. Toll revenues have been adequate to pay for construction and operating costs. The toll lanes are separated from the general purpose lanes by a painted buffer and plastic pylons. In the toll schedule effective August 1, 2003, tolls on the express lanes vary between $1.00 and $4.74, with the tolls set by time of day to reflect the level of congestion delay avoided in the adjacent free lanes, and to maintain free-flowing traffic conditions on the toll lanes. All vehicles must have a "FasTrak" transponder to travel on the express lanes. Beginning in May 2003, vehicles with three or more occupants travel free except when traveling Eastbound, Monday through Friday between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., when they pay 50 percent of the regular toll. This policy also applies to individuals on a motorcycle. Other toll discount offers are extended to zero-emission vehicles and vehicles with disabled person's license plates.
There were over 143,000 transponders in circulation at the end of Fiscal Year 03. During the six month period ending June 30th, the facility served almost 5 million vehicles, averaging over 27,000 vehicles per day, with approximately $13 million in gross potential revenue. The Express Lanes carry over 40 percent of the total SR-91 traffic during heavily congested periods, even though they comprise only one-third of the total freeway capacity. This amounts to a 33 percent higher throughout per Express Lane, relative to the general-purpose lanes. The higher throughput occurs because freeway vehicle throughput under free flow conditions is significantly higher than when it is congested.
July - September 2003 update: This successful VPPP project is still operating under the Orange County Transportation Agency, changing from private to public ownership in January 2003. OCTA adopted a progressive new toll policy in July 2003 that builds on the road's successful congestions-management pricing philosophy.
OCTA, Riverside County and Caltrans officials developed the SR-91 Implementation Plan to determine what projects would improve the commute for all 250,000 daily drivers along the 91 corridor in the shortest amount of time. Completed in June 2003, the plan mapped out a series of ambitious projects to open bottlenecks, fix chokepoints and improve interchanges and connectors for the 91 Freeway between the 55 Freeway and Interstate 15.
The plan's short-term projects will direct $90 million to help relieve major freeway bottlenecks during the next five years, including adding auxiliary lanes and improving transit options for commuters. Mid-term projects over the next decade include spending $20 million to add freeway lanes as well as create intermediate access to the 91 Express Lanes. At the same time, Riverside County has launched $498 million in planned improvements for the 91 Freeway in Riverside County. Both counties are funding a joint $3.3 million study of major long-term improvements, including such as a high speed rail line, elevated freeway lanes and an additional freeway.
For More Information Contact: Ellen Burton, OCTA, General Manager, 91 Express Lanes; Phone (714) 560-6282; e-mail email@example.com.
CALIFORNIA: HOT Lanes on I-680 in Alameda County
The Alameda County Congestion Management Agency is investigating design concepts and feasibility of new High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes on a 14-mile portion of I-680 connecting residential areas in the north and east to the job centers of Silicon Valley in the south. Currently, I-680 is a six-lane facility with three mixed-flow lanes in each direction. Traffic is highly congested southbound in the a.m. peak and northbound in the p.m. peak. Considerable growth in traffic demand is anticipated. A new southbound lane opened as an HOV lane in December 2002, and a new northbound lane is expected to open as an HOV lane in 2005. The study is reviewing various design concepts for HOT lanes. Major design options under consideration include: one HOT lane in each direction, two reversible HOT lanes in the peak direction, and an additional (ninth) lane in the median that would be reversible HOT.
July -- September 2003 update: The feasibility study is complete. It concluded that the proposal to utilize the planned high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on Interstate 680 as combined HOV and high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes is found to be financially, operationally, and physically feasible. The recommended separation treatment between the HOV/HOT lanes and the adjacent mixed-flow lanes is solid striping, with limited ingress/egress locations for HOV and HOT users. A combination of electronic toll collection, video surveillance, and enhanced highway patrol enforcement would assure an acceptably high level of compliance by HOV and HOT users. The HOV/HOT lane system components could be flexibly adjusted as changes in traffic and economic conditions warrant and could be implemented as a pilot project. Revenues generated from the system could be used for improvements on the corridor, including capital improvements and enhanced transit service. However, implementation faces several challenges, primarily institutional rather than technical. The final report will be available in November 2003. The Board of Directors for the CMA accepted the findings of the study and approved proceeding with a demonstration project.
For More Information Contact: Jean Hart, Deputy Director, Alameda County Congestion Management Agency; Phone (510) 836-2560, Fax (510) 836-2185, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.
CALIFORNIA: Extension of I-15 HOT Lanes in San Diego
The I-15 HOT lanes (described in the previous section on "Converting HOV Lanes to HOT Lanes") may be extended to create a 20-mile "Managed Lanes" facility in the median of Interstate 15 between State Route 163 and State Route 78. When completed, there will be a four-lane facility in the median with a moveable barrier, multiple access points from the regular highway lanes, and direct access ramps for buses from five transit centers. A high frequency Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system also will be operated in these managed lanes. Seven pricing alternatives were considered. All alternatives included either dynamic or time-of-day pricing fluctuation. A preferred pricing alternative has been approved. It involves a skewed per mile rate, which would vary the toll based on where the customer enters.
July - September 2003 update: SANDAG is working with FHWA regarding leftover monies to facilitate this project. Any remaining funds from the managed lanes study will be addressed. Any needed final reporting for Caltrans and FHWA will be prepared. Final report available.
For More Information Contact: Derek Toups, San Diego Association of Governments; Phone (619) 595-5300, e-mail email@example.com.
CALIFORNIA: HOT Lanes in Median of State Route 1 in Santa Cruz County
A five-mile section of State Route 1 is proposed for widening. The facility is currently a four-lane divided freeway. The segment operates under severe congestion during weekday peak hours and extended periods on summer weekends. Within the study corridor limits there are seven interchanges. Five HOT lane alternatives were studied in detail, including: (1) one lane in each direction with barrier separation, no intermediate access; (2) one lane in each direction, with buffer separation, no intermediate access; (3) one lane in each direction with striped separation, 1 or 2 intermediate access points; (4) one lane in each direction with striped separation, continuous access; and (5) one reversible lane with barrier separation, no intermediate access. The results of the study indicated that HOT lanes in the study corridor would be subject to a number of design and operation constraints, due to the short study corridor, multiple interchanges on the adjacent main lanes, and anticipated high levels of HOV traffic. In June 2002, the Regional Transportation Commission voted not to include a HOT lane alternative in further consideration, however it did select a carpool lane alternative with a footprint that would allow conversion to a HOT lane at a future date, should demand warrant it.
July - September 2003 update: Since Phase II will not be undertaken; some funds will be leftover in this study (around $68,000). As such, FHWA and Caltrans will work with SCCRTC to closeout the contract. The Final Report is available on the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission's website (http://www.sccrtc.org/highway.html#hot). There are no additional activities expected on this project.
For More Information Contact: Karena Pushnik, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission; Phone (831) 460-3210; e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.
COLORADO: HOT Lane on C-470 in Denver
A study was initiated to assess the design, operational, and financial feasibility, as well as expected public acceptance and use of HOT lanes as part of the potential widening of the 27-mile length of C-470 in the southwest quadrant of the Denver metro area, from US 6 to I-25. C-470 is a four-lane beltway with 18 interchanges, including the end points. Commuters are typically destined to the Denver Technological Center and adjacent offices, a regional employment hub with over 100,000 employees. The segments that do not currently experience severe congestion are all projected to experience such conditions by 2020. Future projected traffic volumes indicate that a phased implementation of added toll lanes may be viable. The study is an outgrowth of the recommendations of a recently completed regional feasibility study of "Value Express Lanes."
The project team executed a consultant contract on February 21, 2003 and issued the first task order on March 14, 2003. The task order covers approximately three months worth of work, which includes project initiation, public involvement services, data collection of existing conditions, completion of project management plan, and project schedule. The project team initiated Federal and local agency coordination and public outreach efforts. The data collection of existing conditions continues on schedule.
July - September 2003 update: Data collection of existing traffic condition is complete and a baseline focus group was conducted. The project team examined innovative financing techniques that might be employed to fund the project and researched other congestion pricing issues. Public education on the Express Lane concept continues on schedule.
For More Information Contact: Ron Buck, Colorado Department of Transportation; Phone (303) 972-9112, e-mail email@example.com.
FLORIDA: Priced Queue Jumps in Lee County
This project follows on a $309,280 grant provided in FY 2000 for a feasibility study of Queue Jumps in Lee County, Florida. The feasibility analysis indicated that while queue jumps did not appear to be a good candidate for traditional toll bond financing, they are nonetheless financially feasible. The analysis has shown favorable public acceptance. Lee County DOT and FDOT are experienced partners in efforts to introduce pricing. The final report and a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan are complete and available.
FY03 funds are for two separate Queue Jump projects: one at Summerlin Road and San Carlos Boulevard and one at Metro Parkway and Colonial Boulevard. Funds would pay for critical project development and design costs, as well as Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) and Visual Enforcement Systems. Costs for monitoring and evaluation efforts and outreach tasks are also included.
A Queue Jump is a facility that can be used to bypass points on the transportation network where congestion is particularly severe and occurs in a predictable pattern. Tolls would vary by time of day and would be levied electronically, and would be tied in with the County's existing ETC system. A significant characteristic of queue jumps is their ability to generate revenue for needed roadway improvements while simultaneously contributing to travel demand management.
Goals of this effort include traffic demand management using variable pricing; evaluation of various types of pricing programs; information on the impact of pricing at "point" locations; reduced emissions from reduced congestion; increased overall effectiveness of the County's existing variable pricing program; and fast-tracking of infrastructure improvements.
These funds would provide for the establishment of the first test of a value priced Queue Jump. Testing this concept and evaluating its effectiveness would provide very useful information for other areas considering priced Queue Jumps.
July - September 2003: The cooperative agreement for the current phase of the project has not been signed yet.
For More Information Contact: Chris Swenson, P.E., CRSPE, Inc.; Phone (239) 573-7960, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org; or Kris Cella, Cella & Associates, Inc.; Phone (239) 337-1071, e-mail email@example.com.
NORTH CAROLINA: HOT Lanes on I-40 in Raleigh/Piedmont
HOT lanes and other potential value pricing options are being explored on I-40 in North Carolina's Piedmont (Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem) and Research Triangle (Raleigh and Durham) areas. I-40 is the principal east-west corridor for the southern half of the U.S. The highway segments in the Research Triangle area are seriously over-capacity. Due to continued employment and residential growth, the segments in the Piedmont Triad are showing signs of similar affects during peak period congestion.
July - September 2003 update: Solicited and received data from NCDOT on average daily traffic, current use of the facility, and GIS maps of roadways and roadway attributes. In addition, the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) provided information on traffic forecasts for 2025 on the main roads in the area.
Received completed graduate study work including a literature review, ancillary data collection from the U.S. census to characterize the study area, and a report that displayed and examined information received from NCDOT and PART.
Team members had two meetings with other colleagues at NCA&T University and PART, as well as NCDOT. As a result of the meeting with NCDOT, the team performed additional calculations (V/C) and expanded the area of study to include another segment that NCDOT provided additional data for and that completed the analysis. A report including recommendations and three appendices regarding the concept lanes was provided to NCA&T.
For Additional Information Contact: Mrinmay Biswas, NCDOT; Phone (919) 715-2465, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.
OREGON: HOT Lanes on Highway 217 in Portland
The Highway 217 corridor, which connects I-5 to US 26, is the major north-south transportation route in the Washington County portion of the Portland metropolitan area. It runs through two major regional centers, connects the region's high tech centers, and serves one of the highest growth areas in the region. There is a need for additional capacity in the corridor. Value pricing options are being integrated into the mix of alternatives being evaluated and considered for implementation. A prior study, the Traffic Relief Options study, evaluated value pricing in the Portland metro area from a regional perspective and recommended that value pricing be considered whenever major new highway capacity is added. The current study will develop and evaluate several HOT lane and ramp meter bypass alternatives in this corridor, including consideration of FAIR lanes among other value pricing approaches at ramp meters.
July - September 2003 update: Consultants to assist with various work elements were selected in July. DKS will lead the traffic and civil engineering components with the support of URS and David Evans and Associates. ECONorthwest was selected to head up the financial and economic analysis. Zenn Associates will lead a team including Jeanne Lawson Associates. Zenn and Lawson have an excellent reputation for outreach on complex transportation projects in this region, from light rail to major highway capacity improvements, and have experience in and around the Highway 217 corridor. Final contracts were submitted to ODOT for approval in mid-September.
During this period, the study had its public kick off. The first Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting was held on September 4 and focused on background corridor work and issues. The PAC is comprised of 20 elected officials and business and community representatives. This high level group of individuals was selected by Metro and its partner jurisdictions to oversee the study and make recommendations to local, regional and state decision-makers. It will review major technical products and provide on-going guidance to public involvement activities. A second meeting was held in mid September to finalize study goals and objectives.
Study staffs from Metro and the jurisdictions have also completed a number of stakeholder interviews. A total of 40 interviews obtained input into study issues from various business and community perspectives within the region and corridor. Interviews provide information and solicit perspectives about the role managed lanes and value pricing can play in the corridor. Once the consultant contracts are executed, the first tasks include a technology review of value pricing and focus groups. These initial activities are expected to inform the development of initial transportation alternatives later this year.
For More Information Contact: Ms. Bridget Wieghart, Metro Project Manager, Phone (503) 797-1775; e-mail email@example.com.
TEXAS: Managed Lanes on the LBJ Freeway in Dallas
The LBJ Freeway (I-635) is the major circumferential roadway in the Dallas region. The total length of the corridor is 21 miles. Traffic on certain portions of the LBJ Freeway is heavily congested for many hours of each day. The major attractors in this portion of the Dallas/Fort Worth region include regional malls, thriving business districts, and adjacent residential communities. Currently, the West Section facility consists of eight general-purpose lanes and one HOV lane in each direction. The facility may be upgraded with up to six HOT lanes (three in each direction). The proposed lane configuration would vary - the West Section would have six HOT lanes, the East Section from US-75 would have four HOT lanes, and the rest of the facility would have two HOT lanes. The LBJ Managed Lanes project design uses variable tolling to provide free-flowing traffic conditions and connections to transit centers to support Bus Rapid Transit.
July - September 2003 update: The project team is moving forward with the possible implementation of the project as a Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA). The selection process for a Procurement Engineer is underway. The North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit have pledged additional funding for the project. This can be combined with City of Dallas Bond funds to continue to raise the amount of local funding for the project to $117 Million dollars. Project development is continuing in many areas of the project. This includes Geotechnical Investigation, Traffic and Revenue, Drainage, Early Frontage Roads, Skillman Intersection, Value Pricing Pilot Program, and many other areas. Additional project information can be found at the project web site: http://www.dot.state.tx.us/DAL/mis/ih635/LBJhome.htm.
For More Information Contact: Wes Beckham, North Central Texas Council of Governments; Phone (817) 695-9252, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.
TEXAS: Managed Lanes on the Katy Freeway in Houston
Katy Freeway (IH 10), in the western portion of Houston, is a heavily congested urban interstate facility. The existing freeway is 23 miles long and consists of six general-purpose main lanes (three in each direction), with two-lane continuous one-way frontage roads in each direction for most of its length. Additionally, the freeway has a one-lane reversible high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane between I-610 and State Highway 6, and one HOV lane in each direction between State Highway 6 and the Grand Parkway (State Highway 99). West Houston is one of the fastest growing areas in the Houston metropolitan region. Population and employment along the corridor is projected to increase by 40 percent in the near future, with population in certain portions of the corridor expected to grow by up to 130 percent. The freeway is proposed to be expanded to eight general-purpose lanes, four in each direction, with continuous three-lane frontage roads in each direction. In addition, in the center of the facility from I-610 west to State Highway 6, four HOT lanes are proposed, two in each direction. From State Highway 6 to the Grand Parkway, two HOT lanes are proposed, one in each direction. A re-evaluation of the FEIS was completed and made available to the public in January 2003. A press conference was held March 14 to formally sign a tri-party agreement.
July - September 2003 update: IH 10 has three sections under construction: IH 10 and IH 610 (West Loop), IH 10 from SH 6 to Peek Road, and IH 10 from Peek Road to the Fort Bend County Line. The next section to go for bid will be the section around Beltway 8, which is scheduled for July 2004. A final plan for fitting Value Pricing into the work schedule should be ready by mid-November.
For More Information Contact: David Fink, Texas Department of Transportation; Phone (713) 881-3063, e-mail email@example.com.
TEXAS: Pricing on I-35 in San Antonio
The San Antonio district of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is evaluating managed lane options for a 15-mile section of the Northeast Corridor (I-35). Public involvement has been a key in developing the I-35 project to date. Pre-project studies have provided some guidance in developing managed lanes, including incorporation of value pricing. Although TxDOT is an existing partner with value pricing projects in Dallas and Houston, this is San Antonio's first VPPP grant.
The purpose of the project is to evaluate potential operating strategies, including value pricing, which could be used as tools to manage travel demand on I-35. Alternative pricing scenarios can be utilized to allow certain user groups into the managed lanes at different stages over the facility's life. The I-35 Managed Lanes study is expected to show congestion-reducing benefits on a 15-mile stretch of the Northeast Corridor.
Implementation of managed lanes is highly likely, as it is already part of the planned freeway expansion project. Plans for additional public input (via public meetings and individual stakeholder meetings) are planned.
July - September update: The cooperative agreement was signed in September. The Draft Proposal previously submitted is now the final work plan. The San Antonio District will proceed with the study through a consulting firm. The study will assist in the development of the final project for I 35, Northeast Corridor.
For More Information Contact: Judy Friesenhan, Planning Engineer, Texas Department of Transportation; Phone (210) 615-5814; e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Consider the extra cost as a form of insurance. I once visited a seed company in the US that produces its bean seed in Idaho. This is a quarantine state; no bean seed is allowed to be planted there without first going into quarantine. Other stringent measures are also taken.
Attention to detail
The state takes this process extremely seriously, and the confidence derived from the regulation is of great economic importance to those who purchase seed produced there. I once wanted to send bean seed to Australia.
Despite the fact that it would be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate declaring it free of bacterial diseases, my recipient refused to accept it. They insisted that their imported seed had to come from Idaho!
On visiting the production lands in Idaho, I learnt that all irrigation had to be flood or drip irrigation. No overhead irrigation was allowed, as this provides an environment more favourable for the development of bacterial disease. (Idaho is a low-rainfall area.)
The lands are inspected by qualified inspectors, who search for any signs of bacterial diseases. They wear rubber waders similar to those used by trout fishermen and spray themselves with disinfectant before entering each land.
If an infected patch is found, the land is destroyed and the entire area subjected to more inspections to ensure that the disease has not spread. Insects, birds and any form of traffic through the land can be responsible for this.
When the crop is nearly ready for harvesting, daily moisture tests of the seed are taken until it is deemed to be sufficiently dry.
The seeds cannot be too dry, though, or else the seed coat is likely to crack, compromising germination.
Harvesting is done with special combines designed to limit damage to the beans.
At the factory, the seeds are cleaned, graded and sprayed with suitable protective treatments. All misshapen and discoloured seeds are separated, finely ground and added to water, which is sprayed onto laboratory plants known to be highly susceptible to bacterial diseases.
These plants are then monitored for any symptoms of disease. If none appear, the batch is finally declared disease-free and ready for the market.
Caring for the seed on your farm
Bags of bean seed should be handled with great care. In particular, they should not be thrown off a delivery vehicle. The impact of being dropped can damage many seeds in the packet.
Planters should also not be ‘rough’ on the seed. Bacterial diseases are not the only ones that are seed-borne, but they pose the greatest hazard. I shall discuss other seed-borne diseases at a later stage.
Bill Kerr is a vegetable specialist and a breeder of a range of vegetables.

domain: agronomy


On December 20, 2010 the Board of Island County Commissioners adopted the Clean Water Utility to address concerns related to water quantity and quality in Island County. Through the utility, the county will collect fees from property owners to fund specific surface water and ground water programs.
For more information on the utility, please contact the county:
From Camano call (360) 629-4522, extension 6069
From South Whidbey call (360) 321-5111, extension 6069
From Central & North Whidbey call (360) 678-5111, extension 6069
Programs - A table showing the programs that the utility will fund.
Adopted Documents - Ordinances, exhibits, whereases, and related documents generated during the adoption process.
Maps - Various visualizations used during the adoption process.
Check this page as programs get underway and additional information becomes available.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the utility, please contact Bill Oakes, Island County Engineer / Public Works Director, 360 679 7331.
Maps as of Yr 2000--Under Revision


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This is the tenth in a series of posts documenting my January 2019 trip around the world, which took me to Victoria Falls, Cape Town, Chiang Mai, and Hong Kong. You can read my last post, which covered my flight on Cathay Dragon from Hong Kong to Chiang Mai, here.
The city of Chiang Mai has a walled square-shaped historic center, which then sprawls out in all directions, including east to, and over, the Ping River. There are a lot of smaller hotels in the walled city itself, but most of the larger hotels are either just outside the walls, or farther out. I had wanted to stay at the Le Meridien Chiang Mai, which is just outside the walls and close to the Chiang Mai night market. Unfortunately, the cash rates were quite high, over $200 a night. There were standard rooms available, but there was no points availability. That clearly violated the program rules in place at the time, which stated “if there is a standard room available at a Participating Property for booking by any means, whether cash, credit or Points, then you can reserve the room using Points.” (The “no blackout date” policy has since been made much more opaque and confusing.) I contacted SPG/Marriott about this on November 4. It took seventeen days to get a response, which simply stated that there were no rooms available on points, and was completely non-responsive. After several follow-ups, the rep seemed to understand the issue, and said she would reach out to the property. I did not receive a response from the property for another week, alas, which did not really address the violation of the program rules, but offered to make a room available for me at the standard points rate of 35,000 points. In the interim, though, IHG was running a special for Black Friday/Cyber Monday, so I just booked the Holiday Inn rather than wait for the Le Meridien to get back to me.
The Holiday Inn did not have as good a location, as it was farther out of the city, both south and east on the other side of the Ping River. It was very cheap, though, coming to under $140 including all taxes for two nights. Given how jam-packed my time in Chiang Mai was, and the little amount of time I spent in the city itself, it worked out fine. There’s a tuk tuk queue outside the hotel, and it is about a 15-minute ride into the walled city. Rides into the city cost me between 100 and 200 baht ($3-6), though I really should have negotiated more. There’s a 7-11 across the street, and there are a lot of restaurants along the river closer by. The hotel also runs a free shuttle into the city and to the night market at set times throughout the day. You are supposed to make reservations for the outbound, but on my rides, many people did not. On the return from the night market, they seemed to just send a number of vehicles out for the last trip.
The hotel is only about three miles from the airport, but there was traffic, so the drive took fifteen minutes. The property is massive, and much larger than any other Holiday Inn I’ve ever been to. It was pretty dated, but it reminded me of the Intercontinental in Panama City I stayed at in 2014, or the Holiday Inn in Penang I stayed at in in 2013. There was a large lobby with a giant chandelier, a gift shop, and a large restaurant. The hotel hosts a ton of tour groups from all over, and seemed to have a lot of conferences as well.
When I got to the front doors, the bellman asked if I was an “IHG Member,” and when I said yes, he directed me to a separate check-in desk, that had seats as opposed to the standard counter – very un-Holiday Inn in my experience. The agent was very polite and solicitous, and thanked me for my loyalty. She told me I had been upgraded to an “executive” room, and presented with me with a welcome letter, listening a variety of benefits, including a discount on breakfast, other meals, and massage services. She also presented me with a shuttle schedule, and while we were chatting, another agent came over with a welcome drink—a juice of some kind. And even though it was only noon, my room was ready.
One complaint I did have about the hotel is the elevators were very slow, despite their being several – which was an issue since I was on the 24th floor. The height did mean, though, that my room had a great view of the Ping River looking towards the center of Chiang Mai.
The room was very large, though definitely dated. There was a (very soft) king-size bed, and then a full sitting area with a loveseat, coffee table and arm chair, and then a separate desk area. There were lots of universal power outlets throughout. There was a tea kettle with coffee/tea, as well as an empty mini-fridge – good for stuff from 7-11 across the street. The large bathroom seemed recently re-tiled.
In the room were two bottles of complimentary water, and as I was settling in, a bellman delivered a welcome amenity plate of fruit and cookies.
Because my time in Chiang Mai was jam-packed, I didn’t spend a lot of time at the hotel. I peeked into the fitness center just to see its offerings, and it was quite good.
There is also a rooftop pool on one of the lower levels, which technically has a bar. I didn’t see anyone at the bar around sunset, but the view was quite nice. The pool itself was pretty small and not that luxurious.
Every time I interacted with the staff, they were exceedingly pleasant. My late checkout request of 2:30pm was granted no problem. I’m not sure if it was a miscommunication, but when I asked the concierge if I needed to pre-arrange a taxi to the airport or could just get one when I was ready to go, they said they’d arrange it, and it ended up being the hotel’s own very fancy shuttle van. I would’ve been fine with one of the regular larger tuk-tuk taxis that other people seemed to have, but this was only about 100 baht more than the shared, less nice shuttle I took from the airport, and still only about $10 for a solo ride.
Overall, I don’t regret staying at the Holiday Inn. Given how busy my schedule was, and how little time I spent in Chiang Mai itself, being a little bit outside the center of the city wasn’t a big deal. Plus, the city itself is actually fairly sprawling, so there aren’t that many locations in walking distance to everything. That being said, if I had planned on spending more time in the city, I would consider staying somewhere closer in, given just how many hotels there are. For a major chain property, though, the Holiday Inn is the best value.
Next up, I’ll cover how I spent my 56ish hours in Chiang Mai.

domain: geography


High radiation levels detected in Hot Springs garbage truck
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) — Radiation that was detected in a Hot Springs garbage truck Tuesday morning was linked to medical waste, city and county emergency officials said.
The sanitation truck was headed to a landfill in Saline County when it was turned away because high levels of radiation were detected, Hot Springs police Cpl. Joey Williams said.
Multiple agencies responded, and the FBI eventually determined that medical waste inside the truck was the source of the radiation.
Williams told The Sentinel-Record that the truck’s driver was examined by medical personnel who determined that he was OK.
It’s not yet clear what exactly caused the radiation, but officials said the truck’s pickup route was in a residential area.


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domain: artistic


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Our Review ProcessOur reviews are based on extensive research and, when possible, hands-on testing. Each time you make a purchase through one of our independently-chosen links, we’ll receive a percentage of the proceeds. Read more about how we’re supported here.
Cat food made with avocados? This calls for an in-depth analysis. Get the facts in our Avoderm cat food review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Avoderm on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Avoderm and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of these six key areas.
- Species-Appropriateness – 7/10
- Ingredient Quality – 7/10
- Product Variety – 7/10
- Price – 8/10
- Customer Experience – 8/10
- Recall History – 5/10
Overall Score: 7/10
We give Avoderm cat food a 42 out of 60 rating or a B grade.
Breeder’s Choice has been in the pet food manufacturing business since 1947. In the 1980s, Breeder’s Choice learned that a local avocado farmer had surplus crops. According to Avoderm legend, the company’s extensive research revealed the nutritional benefits of avocado for pets and a partnership was born.
The result was Avoderm, a brand of pet food that includes avocado in every recipe.
Wait…avocados in pet food? If listicles and infographics are to be believed, avocados are up there with chocolate and raisins in terms of foods your cat shouldn’t eat.
Yet for over 30 years, avocados have remained a central part of the brand’s identity and all Avoderm recipes. The inclusion of this ingredient has earned Avoderm fans and controversy. In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Avoderm, including facts about the safety of avocados, where Avoderm is made, and where you can buy it.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Avoderm cat food is manufactured by Breeder’s Choice. This company operates one manufacturing facility located in Irwindale, California. Click here to learn more about the plant’s capabilities and standards.
Most of Avoderm’s primary ingredients come from North American suppliers, with some ingredients sourced from France, New Zealand, Thailand, and Peru.
Has Avoderm Cat Food Been Recalled?
Avoderm cat food has never been recalled, but their dog food has. In 2012, the FDA announced that Avoderm was recalling their Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Formula dry dog food due to potential salmonella contamination.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Avoderm Offer?
Avoderm’s cat food selection is varied. It includes dry and wet recipes. Some come in cans and some come in pouches.
Avoderm offers life stage-specific foods, including recipes for kittens, adults, and all life stages. You’ll also find a selection of health-oriented foods, including products for cats with hairballs, cats who need to lose weight, cats with food intolerances, and food intended to support skin and coat health.
And all of them contain at least a tiny bit of avocado.
The company gushes over this ingredient, claiming that it supports skin and coat health, provides vitamins A, C, E, and B6, and is rich in healthy fat.
But does it provide those benefits for cats? Not quite.
Cats are obligate carnivores. This doesn’t just mean they like to eat animals. It affects the way they digest and metabolize their food. As obligate carnivores, cats aren’t good at utilizing the nutrients in plant ingredients. This fact shows up in their inability to utilize those healthy fats present in avocado and their inability to utilize vitamin A from plants.
So there are a few problems with the idea of avocado as a superfood for cats. But while they’re not the nutritional powerhouses you might want them to be, avocados aren’t toxic, either.
While the pit, stem, and skin of an avocado may be unsafe, its fruit and oil—the components used in Avoderm foods—are generally considered safe for cats.
Avoderm Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
|Product Name||Food Type||Price||Our Grade|
|Avoderm Natural Grain-Free Tuna & Crab Entree in Gravy Canned Cat Food||Wet||$0.45 per oz||C+|
|Avoderm Natural Chicken Formula Canned Cat Food||Wet||$0.34 per oz||B+|
|Avoderm Natural Chicken & Herring Meal Formula Adult Dry Cat Food||Dry||$4.42 per lb||B|
#1 AvoDerm Natural Grain-Free Tuna & Crab Entree in Gravy Canned Cat Food Review
Tuna appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
This food features a mix of tuna, tuna broth, and crab as its primary protein sources. Fish shouldn’t be a fixture of your cat’s diet—there’s a good chance that it’ll be contaminated with heavy metals or toxins—but it’s a healthy addition to a rotational diet.
Instead of animal-sourced fats, which are inherently more nourishing for cats, the food contains sunflower oil and avocado oil as fat sources. Salmon oil or another animal-sourced fat would be more bioavailable to your carnivore’s body.
The stew is thickened and bound with a mix of tapioca starch, guar gum, and carrageenan. None of these ingredients are ideal inclusions in your cat’s food. Tapioca starch adds nothing but carbohydrates. Guar gum is a fiber source with little nutritional value. Carrageenan is, perhaps, the worst of the bunch—it’s a potential carcinogen and notorious for its potential to fan up inflammation. Note, however, that carrageenan keeps a low profile in this food. It’s the last ingredient on the list, coming after trace amounts of minerals and amino acids.
Overall, this food is high in protein, low in fat, and has moderately high carbohydrate content.
With 94% of customers saying they’d recommend it to a friend and most reviews gushing about how much their cats like the food, customer satisfaction is this product’s strong point.
But it has some serious flaws. It’s higher in carbohydrates than it should be, with about 20% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis. It’s relatively low in fat and most of that fat comes from plants—not ideal for your carnivore.
It’s a relatively low-calorie product with about 23 calories per ounce.
Tuna (Source Of Omega 3), Tuna Broth, Crab, Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil, Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Avocado Oil, Taurine, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate Monohydrate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate Monohydrate, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source Of Vitamin K Activity), Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Carrageenan.
Ingredients We Liked: Tuna, Crab
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Tapioca Starch, Sunflower Oil, Guar Gum, Avocado Oil, Carrageenan
Common Allergens: Fish
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
- Cats seem to love this food
- Features animal-sourced protein
- Doesn’t contain potentially-harmful artificial colors
- High in carbohydrates compared to other wet foods
- Relies on plant oils rather than animal-sourced fat
- Contains carrageenan
#2 AvoDerm Natural Chicken Formula Canned Cat Food Review
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
In contrast to the chunky stew consistency of the first food we reviewed, this food has a creamier paté texture.
Though only chicken makes it into the product’s name, the paté is a lot more than chicken. It also contains ocean fish, turkey, and quite a few additives. We’ll get into those later, but let’s unpack the first few ingredients first.
The ingredient list begins with chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver—the last of which is a particularly nutrient-dense ingredient and a good source of vitamin A—and ocean fish. Ocean fish is a term used to refer to any marine fish used in pet food, with tilefish being the most common species used. Tilefish and other ocean fish, again, may contain heavy metals and other toxins that you probably don’t want your cat to ingest.
Turkey is the food’s third and final animal protein source.
The ingredient list goes on to include oat bran and rice flour, both starchy ingredients that add to the food’s carbohydrate content. Like other Avoderm wet foods, the food contains avocado oil as a source of omega fatty acids.
The food is stabilized with a combination of guar gum and carrageenan. While neither of these ingredients is species-appropriate or intensely nourishing for cats, the latter is particularly noxious. Though it may be harmless, there is some evidence that the wrong type of carrageenan can cause or worsen inflammation.
Overall, this wet food has high protein content with moderate fat and low carbohydrate content.
In spite of its oat bran and rice flour, this food remains a low-carbohydrate, meat-rich food with a species-appropriate macronutrient distribution. Aside from the use of carrageenan, this appears to be one of the better foods you could give your cat.
This food has 33 calories per ounce, placing it on the higher-calorie end of the spectrum.
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Ocean Fish, Turkey, Oat Bran, Rice Flour, Avocado Oil, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Taurine, Carrageenan, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Copper Proteinate, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Potassium Iodide, Manganous Sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B Complex), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Biotin.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Turkey
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Ocean Fish, Oat Bran, Rice Flour, Avocado Oil, Guar Gum, Carrageenan
Common Allergens: Chicken, Fish
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
- Rich in animal-sourced protein
- Low carbohydrate content
- Free of artificial colors, flavors, and potentially-toxic preservatives
- One of the most economical wet foods in the Avoderm lineup
- Contains carrageenan
- Relies on plant-sourced oil rather than animal fat
#3 AvoDerm Natural Chicken & Herring Meal Formula Adult Dry Cat Food Review
Chicken meal appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
This dry food is among the most popular in the Avoderm lineup. It features nutrient-dense chicken meal as its primary protein source. Later on the ingredient list, the food also contains herring meal and dried egg product as additional protein sources.
Ground whole brown rice and white rice serve as kibble binders and carbohydrate sources. Dried tomato pomace adds fiber. In standard Avoderm fashion, the food contains avocado meal and avocado oil, adding omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids along with an array of other nutrients.
The food contains a mix of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that make it nutritionally complete for adult cats.
Overall, this food has moderate protein content with moderate fat and high carbohydrate content.
With an emphasis on clearly-named animal ingredients, animal fat, and no artificial colors or potentially-harmful preservatives, this food is a few steps ahead of a lot of dry foods. But you can’t ignore that this food contains two types of rice as primary ingredients, is high in carbohydrates, and doesn’t provide all the moisture cats need.
Chicken Meal, Ground Whole Brown Rice, Ground Whole White Rice, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Tomato Pomace, Herring Meal, Avocado Meal, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Dried Chicory Root, Salt, Whey, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, A -Tocopherol Acetate (Source of Vitamin E), Niacin, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Riboflavin Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Avocado Oil, Taurine, Calcium Carbonate, Parsley Flakes, Dried Kelp Meal, Dl-Methionine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Inositol.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken Meal, Chicken Fat, Herring Meal
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Ground Whole Brown Rice, Ground Whole White Rice, Avocado Meal
Common Allergens: Chicken, Fish, Eggs
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
- Features an animal protein source as the primary ingredient
- An affordable cat food
- Doesn’t contain any animal by-products or vaguely-named ingredients
- High carbohydrate content
- Doesn’t have adequate moisture
What Do Customers Think Of Avoderm Cat Food?
The brand’s most enthusiastic fans claim that the food’s use of avocado-based ingredients support skin and coat health. Others have a vague respect for the foods’ ingredient quality.
Still, there’s a group of people who refuse to feed Avoderm out of worry that the food will make their cats sick. Disappointed customers usually talk about inconsistent product quality, with more than one customer saying that their cats will eat some cans and not others.
“My long-haired cat Lorenzo had been eating a different brand of high quality food but over the past couple of months his coat was spiky and greasy looking and he had tons of dandruff. Since spiky fur can be a sign of illness, I took him to the vet for a check-up even though he was acting perfectly normal. All tests came back perfect. The vet found no sign of illness. We talked about trying different food and a friend recommended Avoderm. Lorenzo has been eating Avoderm for about a month now and it seems to have taken care of the problem. His coat is fluffy and shiny with no dandruff. It took him a couple of days to get used to the flavor but now he loves it, as do my other 2 cats.” – Chickpanda, reviewing Avoderm Natural Chicken & Herring Meal Dry Cat Food
“Jake, at Chewy, suggested three different foods that my finicky cat might like. I bought all three and the only one she absolutely loves is the AvoDerm. It is the first time in the ten years that I have had her that she has cleaned her plate completely upon eating the food. Usually, if there any liquid in the pate, she will lick it up and leave the food. But there is no liquid in this pate, which is soft and even smells good, and nevertheless, she gobbles it up. I’m in heaven. I had to donate the Miko and the American Journey, two other brands that were suggested, but I am thrilled to have found her something she will eat without having to starve herself into submission. Thanks, Jake!!” – Ebonylight, reviewing Avoderm Natural Chicken Formula Canned Cat Food
“I’ve been buying Avoderm Tuna and crab for at least 8 years and the last 2 years (and probably 3 or more years) there have been too many cans with bad/stinky/no good crab in each case of 24 (small cans). I didn’t say anything until 2019(August). I told Chewy and they immediately credited me. It kept happening and the next time I told Chewy they contacted the company (Breeder’s Choice) about my complaint. Someone from B.C. emailed me and gave me a “canned” explanation about how the food meets all their standards etc. I even started taking pictures of the opened cans with the crab that was no good/stinky that my cats won’t eat. The rest of the cans that are ok are very good and my cats love it, but I kept track and out of 10 recent cases (24 cans per case- small cans= 240 cans) there were 70 cans I had to throw out. Even if you take the bad crab out, the tuna has that horrible smell and the cats won’t eat the tuna either. I even sent pictures to the company Breeder’s choice and got the same type of standard email back saying that they had done inspections and the product meets all of their quality standards. Although Chewy will refund you for any cans with the bad crab I can’t imagine they’ll want to keep doing it. I’m so tired of opening cans and never knowing if it’s going to be good or bad and then having to throw it out, wash out the can for recycling AND have to keep track of how many cans had bad crab so I can get a refund that I finally decided to just stop buying it. It’s a real shame because our cats loved the product but I’m disgusted that a company thinks it’s acceptable for a customer to pay so much money for their product and it’s ok for them to put up with 70 bad cans (only crab is bad) out of 240 total (10 cases). It’s making the customer help them keep their costs down by making us pay for the crab that goes bad instead of them throwing it out. It’s bad business practice and for a loyal customer who’s been buying it for about 8 years so I don’t recommend it on this basis. If they’d stop putting the bad crab in I’d buy it again but they deny it and I’m tired of paying for the privilege of tracking it and throwing it out and trying to get my money back. Also, recently there are times I’ve pulled out up to 6 cans in a row out of the case that all had the bad crab. Here’s just 1 of the pictures of the clumps/globs of stinky bad crab” – Rboysmom, reviewing Avoderm Tuna & Crab Canned Cat Food
“After several presentations none of my five cats would have anything to do with it. A real waste of money.” – pickyconsumer22, reviewing Avoderm Natural Chicken Formula Canned Cat Food
How Much Does Avoderm Cat Food Cost?
Depending on which formulas you buy, Avoderm ranges from economical to expensive. For example, their wet food ranges from about $1.56 to $3.15 per day if you’re feeding a typical 10-lb cat. Their dry food is significantly cheaper, with daily feeding costs adding up to around $0.14 per day.
Overall, Is Avoderm A Good Choice?
Whether or not Avoderm is a good choice depends on which recipe you choose and what you’re looking for. If you pick the right formula—like the chicken formula canned food reviewed above—Avoderm might be an economical, species-appropriate choice.
Also Read: Best Cheap Cat Food: Top 5 Affordable (and Healthy!) Foods
If you’re interested in Avoderm as a solution for your cat’s skin and coat health, it’s probably not the best choice. You’d be better off exploring brands that feature anti-inflammatory, nourishing omega-3s from animal sources. Consider foods that contain salmon oil, menhaden fish oil, and green-lipped mussel. Many brands fit this description, with Feline Natural, Ziwi Peak, and Vital Essentials standing out as top-rated options.
Where To Buy Avoderm Cat Food?
You can buy Avoderm cat food in feed stores and pet specialty retailers. Click here to find a retailer near you. If you’d rather shop online, look for Avoderm on Amazon, Chewy, PetSmart, Petco, Walmart, Jet, PetFlow, or PetProducts.com.
I lost a precious pet to, what I know to be carrageenan, due to them developing cancer in a fairly short (approx 6 mths) period of time after beginning to feed a wet food made with the noxious component, so I find it hard to believe 1) that makers still insist it is safe, or they just don’t care to use a safe ingredient, and 2) people who supposedly love their pets, still feed a food with carrageenan in it.
I’ve been feeding my cat Avoderm nearly all is life. He had a skin problem at an early age. My vet recommended Avoderm and problem solved. He is currently 21 years and 4 months old. His appearance is remarkable which I attribute to the avocado. Not sure you guys know what you’re talking about.
Thank you for sharing your experience, David! All the best to you and your beautiful cat.

domain: food


New wildfire campaign sends strong message to rural and semi rural dwellers
We’ve launched phase one of our new wildfire campaign focused on readiness, so that rural and semi-rural communities know to prepare in case of a wildfire in their area.
Climate change modelling predicts that New Zealand will become hotter and drier in some areas, creating conditions that increase the frequency and severity of wildfire events.
Fire seasons are also expected to become longer in many areas of the country – starting earlier in spring and extending longer into autumn.
Examples that this may already be happening are the recent major wildfires in Deep Stream near Middlemarch in November 2019, and at Pukaki Downs in August 2020, and Lake Ōhau in October 2020, both in the Mackenzie Basin near Twizel.
More frequent and severe fire danger conditions for New Zealand could lead to the occurrence of a greater number or larger, more extreme wildfires, and to increased risks to people, property and the environment.
About the campaign
We’re encouraging people to take two key actions to help defend their home and property from wildfire. These are:
- Keep your grass short
- Keep gutters and areas around decks clear of dead leaves, debris and pine needles.
The key message of the campaign is, if you’re not ready, the risk is always extreme, and creatively uses a Fire Danger Index sign as the campaign imagery.
The launch of this campaign, coincides with the one-year anniversary of the devastating fire at Lake Ōhau, which became one of the most significant wildfire incidents in New Zealand’s recent history. It continued for nine days and with 5,043 hectares of land burnt and 48 homes and structures in the village destroyed.
The campaign will appear on social media from 4 October 2021, and from mid-October in print, online news sites, radio and online, and will run to the end of November.
This campaign will be supported by phase two, a mass wildfire prevention campaign that will begin in mid-December. From February, we will also encourage people to plant low flammability plants through winter to prepare for the next wildfire season.
What can I do?
This is the first national wildfire readiness campaign of its kind, to support the great work you’re already doing to engage with rural and semi-rural communities to help them prepare their homes and properties.
When you’re out talking to the public, friends and whanau, remember to reinforce our messages, and help share our campaign resources. You can direct people to checkitsalright.nz for more information, and remember, if you’re not ready, the risk is always extreme.
We’ve developed a social media post for you to share, with more resources to come. Check out our resources page on the Risk Reduction bookshelf.


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The DeLorean DMC (aka “DMC-12”) is one of the most iconic cars ever made. So what happened? Why didn’t the car sell?
The DMC was produced for only two years and only about 9,000 of them were made. There are several reasons the DMC did not take off or become a best-seller to launch the company into full-fledged automotive manufacturing.
The following two tabs change content below.
An automotive enthusiast for most of his adult life, Aaron has worked in and around the industry in many ways. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP), the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA), the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA), and freelances as a writer and journalist around the Web and in print. You can find his portfolio at AaronOnAutos.com.
Latest posts by Aaron Turpen (see all)
- Meyers Manx Dune Buggy With Airplane Engine - May 28, 2023
- Review: 2023 Ford Maverick Tremor - May 25, 2023

domain: automotive


Date of Award
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
The interface between a medical device and its surrounding tissue can be critical to biocompatibility, performance and therapeutic effectiveness. Careful choice and application of materials at this interface is therefore a key to the success of any medical device. This research employed a novel direct-write inkjet printing technique for polymeric surface modification of bioresorbable AZ31 Mg alloy towards corrosion control and tunable release of bioactive agents. In the first phase of this research, the direct-write inkjet printing technique was successfully used to fabricate thin films of different blends of poly (ester-urethane) urea embedded with taxol coatings on mechanically polished AZ31 Mg coupons. A corrosion study was performed using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. The polarization resistance values obtained using the equivalent circuit model were analyzed using the ECHEM analyst commercial software developed by GamryÂ®. The polarization resistances obtained indicated that the corrosion resistance of the polymeric materials increases in this order: uncoated AZ31 < PEUU-SB < PEUU-PC < PEUU-V.
Adarkwa, Eben, "Direct Writing Of Polymeric Coatings For Corrosion Control And Tunable Release Of Bioactive Materials" (2014). Dissertations. 84.


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The dog days of summer are here. Yeah, it's the first day of summer, and we are sure it is going to be a hot one.
In fact, in Phoenix Arizona, it is so hot that some dog owners are getting protecting their pups paws from the hot pavement.
“The cement and the asphalt can get very hot and can bun the pads of their feet,” Lauriston Crockett, III, told Newsfix.
Yeah, dog burns can get really bad and experts say protecting your pet during the summer heat is vital.
But it is also important to realize there are other summer hazards that could be problematic for your pet.
“Number one, please don't leave your dog in a hot car. It can turn into a death trap in a short period of time,” Crockett said. “Number two, make sure they have a lot of fresh water. Number three, make sure they have some shade to lay under. Let's make sure to take care of that.'
Lauriston Crockett knows a thing or two about dog health, he created health products for pets. But the number one priority for pet owners is making sure the dog days of summer do not bite.

domain: pet


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By Aloysious Kasoma
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), announced that it will start construction of a test cultivation complex for vegetable seed development for farmers’ income growth and to promote scientific farming in Uganda.
The project, named “Uganda Key Vegetable Crop Seed Value Chain Project,” is aimed at constructing Uganda’s first native vegetable seed development and testing cultivation complex and greenhouse.
Actual testing and cultivation of the vegetable seeds will begin on June 21, categorised by the entire process of “seed production-seed supply-sowing-cultivation-harvest-selling”, which can be achieved through the development of new seeds.
“Farmers sell half (49.3 %) of their crops personally and hand the rest over to local stores. Of these, only about 2.0% sold them properly through collection centres or cooperatives.
About 70.7% of the farmers that KOICA spoke to say they supplied seed varieties and prices to middlemen without properly negotiating with them. However, there is an improvement in productivity by more than 30%, with the developing of indigenous seeds and certification.
According to KOICA, farmers have experience using certified seeds but are having difficulty buying and using certified seeds on time. They know certified seeds are good, but it is expensive and difficult to get them.
Thus, most farmers repeatedly cultivate and sell seeds without knowing the type or variety they give or receive from middlemen.
KOICA has started the Uganda Key Vegetable Crop Seed Value Chain Project to develop Ugandan native seeds of five types of vegetable crops incusing; tomatoes, onions, cabbage, pepper, and nakati, through greenhouses, water tanks, government wells, and test-redistribution, which will be installed to each cultivation complex.
“The goal is to secure genetic resources of five types of vegetables currently spread in Uganda, analyse and breed them to develop more than one native Ugandan seed for each vegetable,” KOICA says.
This means that native seeds of major vegetable crops in Uganda will be developed for the first time, and systematic seed distribution and management will be possible in the future.
This also means that the country will experience independence from foreign seeds. In addition, the developed new seeds will be certified internationally through the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA).
“Through this process, Uganda’s agricultural products are likely to get to the international market and can function as a device to protect the genetic information of Uganda’s vegetable seeds.
In addition, the capabilities of seed-related institutions and workers, such as Uganda’s National Seed Inspection Centre (NSL), will be strengthened to a global level,” KOICA says.


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Uzbekistan: President in Pursuit of Big Deals in China During 5-Day Visit
The president of Uzbekistan’s travel itinerary has served as a useful shortcut guide to his emerging foreign policy priorities, so his visit to China now is offering yet more clues about where he sees the country heading.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev will be in China for a full five days, spending May 11-13 on a state visit and the remaining time attending an international conference in Beijing devoted to the Chinese-led One Belt One Road infrastructure and trade initiative.
Mirziyoyev’s program will take in meetings with representatives from leading Chinese companies. Uzbekistan is particularly eager to pique the interest of potential investors in the high-tech sector.
Presidential press spokesman Asad Hodjayev told reporter on May 10 that “during the three-day visit, Shavkat Mirziyoyev plans to sign around 100 deals worth a total of $20 billion.”
Bilateral trade turnover in 2016 hit $4.2 billion. Uzbek officials say that “in the past few years” China has invested $7.8 billion in the Uzbek economic, although they give no firmer timeframe.
To read the full story

domain: politics


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(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
ABU DHABI, 21st November, 2022 (WAM) -- Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone (ADAFZ) has welcomed a delegation of International investors to its premises to strengthen commercial bonds and explore collaboration opportunities.
Facilitated by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Finance Week, the delegation included representatives from 12 companies based in France, Germany, Israel and South Korea.
Located in close proximity to two International airports in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, ADAFZ offers companies the opportunity to do business with full airside and landside accessibility, achieving their objectives whilst supporting the growth of both the aviation sector and Abu Dhabi's economic diversification drive.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

domain: topicality


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BY NSAN NDOMA-NEJI, CALABAR
Following the emergence of the Chairman, Health Commissioners’ forum in Nigeria Dr. Betta Edu as the National Women Leader for ruling All Progressives Congress APC, after the just concluded party convention, Dr Edu has pledged to work in one accord with Barr. Mary Ekpere so as to raise the party to higher height in Cross and the nation at large..
Edu made the pledge in a telephone discussion that she had with our reporter in Calabar yesterday.
Edu who spoke shortly after the former DG, Women Development Centre Mary Ekpere played host to her after the convention, pledged to run an open door policy where every woman would be carried along nothwitstnding thier ages , ethic /religious background, and cultural affinity would be carried along.
Edu a former Commissioner for Health in Cross River State commended Mary Ekpere and other great Nigerian women leaders for finding her worthy for the job promising not to betray the confidence reposed on her.
Ofcourse to move the women wing of the party,you all know that a tree cannot make a forest, except other tres are available. Together we will take the party to it’s destination. Alone I go no where.
“Let me sincerely congratulate all the Nigeria women who stood by me to the extent that some stepped down to pave way for my emergence.
“I shall do everything within my reach to ensure that every woman is carried along. Edu maintained.
“Let me also thank another party stakeholder in Cross River State,High Chief Higgins Peters and other men of integrity for all the support.
Also Speaking, the former DG Women Development Centre, Mary Ekpere lauds Edu for the stride, promising to work with Edu towards the development of the party.
Ekpere who was a top contender for the position of APC National Women Leader at the national convention but withdrew from the race in the interest of the party said, “As a party person interest of the party is bigger than my person interest. We will work together, to take the party to greater heights.”.
According to a stalwart of the APC, Comrade Ebruku John Friday, who accompanied a major political stakeholder and chieftain of the APC in Cross River State, High Chief Higgins Peters to the get together party in Abuja while narrating the incident to our reporter in Calabar, stated, “After Dr Edu arrived the venue of the dinner in company of High Chief Higgins Peters, they met Barr Ekpere-Ita and held closed door session together where they discussed issues of mutual benefits geared towards strengthening their bonds and the unity of women in Cross River State in particular and Nigeria at large.
“Barr. Ekpere-Etta used the event to formally congratulate her sister, Dr Betta Edu over her victory as the APC National Women Leader”.He stated.
Shortly after Dr Edu arrived the venue of the dinner in company of High Chief Higgins Peters, they

domain: sociology


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Cassian Andor’s droid sidekick, K-2SO, may possibly make an appearance at some point in the upcoming spin-off. In a panel for Andor during the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour, creator and writer Tony Gilroy discussed how the character might appear.
“I would say, ‘Wait and see,'” Gilroy said. “It’s a story we can’t wait to tell. It’s hard to carry an Imperial droid around with you and not attract all kinds of attention. It’s hard baggage. When we do, we will dramatically as opposed to presenting it and ignoring it, or presenting it or hiding it, or the bad versions we would have been forced to do.”
Or, as star Diego Luna put it, “We’re five [until the story of Rogue One takes place]. If he knew K2 at the time, there would be no trip to take.”
The series begins in the early years of the Galactic Empire, even showing an empty Republic room that we saw in the Star Wars prequels. Geneviève O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller and Fiona Shaw will join Luna. Interestingly, O’Reilly will be reprising her role on the show as Mon Mothma, a role she took over from Caroline Blakiston from Revenge of the Sith 17 years ago.
Andor will arrive on Disney+ with a three-episode premiere on September 21, while the rest of the episodes will release weekly until November 23. At 12 episodes, this will be the longest first season of any Star Wars show on Disney+. A second season of Andor has already been confirmed.
A new trailer for Andor was released on August 1.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you purchase something featured on our site.

domain: entertainment


April 5, 2014
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden hosted yesterday the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and Greek-American community leaders at the White House on the occasion of Greek Independence Day. This was the 28th consecutive year that such a White House meeting has occurred.
Twenty-eight years ago, Manatos & Manatos created Congressional legislation and worked with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and others to establish the annual White House celebration of Greek Independence Day. Each year, from Ronald Reagan‘s presidency through Barack Obama’s, though times of war and crisis, extensive efforts must be taken to preserve this event for our community.
Greek-Americans (less than one half of one percent of the U.S. population) and Irish-Americans (the second largest nationality in America) are the only two ethnic groups to have an annual event with the President of the United States.


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domain: library


Faster drilling optimization process
- OSG PROVIDES SHIPS FOR FIRST U.S. FLAG GOM SHUTTLE TANKER SYSTEM FOR CASCADE AND CHINOOK. // Offshore;Apr2012, Vol. 72 Issue 4, Special section p75
The article offers information on the crude transportation project of Petrobras America Inc. through OSG Ship Management Inc. (OSG) at the Cascade and Chinook oil fields in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. It states that OSG will be using Overseas Cascade and Overseas Chinook shuttle tankers for the...
- PETROQUIP'S COMPLETE SERVICE/ACCESSORIES LINE LEADS TO AN ALL ENCOMPASING RESOURCE FOR TORQUE, MAKEUP AND TESTING, SHIPPING AND STORAGE. // Offshore;Apr2012, Vol. 72 Issue 4, Special section p76
The article reports that PetroQuip Energy Services (PetroQuip) has been employed by Petrobras America Inc. for the downhole flow control of its Cascade and Chinook oil fields in Gulf of Mexico. The tasks of PetroQuip include the fields' detailed design, quality control, and post fabrication...
- Engineering seafloor oil and gas processing benefits from simulation. // Offshore;May2012, Vol. 72 Issue 5, p123
The article focuses on the benefits of using simulation tools in engineering of seafloor oil and gas processes. It states that using computer simulation help in the design of offshore equipment to manage produced water within oil and gas reserves. It also mentions that engineering simulation...
- Products & services. // Offshore;Aug95, Vol. 55 Issue 8, p112
Presents equipment and supplies for the offshore oil industry. Includes Siderca's product brochure; Alan Cobham Engineering's PFD gas condensate filtration system; Baker CAC's remote terminal unit.
- 1996 OS literature review. // Offshore;Apr96, Vol. 56 Issue 4, p113
Presents several catalogs of equipment used for offshore explorations. Includes `The Complete Guide to Syntactic Buoyancy'; `Introducing the New Generation Intrinsically Safe Gas Detectors'; `Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Measurement Solutions.'
- Passive acoustic monitoring devices are sound and flexible performers. // Offshore;Sep96, Vol. 56 Issue 9, p145
Features monitoring devices for the offshore oil industry. Design by Clampon; Technical aspects.
- Desulphurising technology lessens flow of platform emissions. // Offshore;Sep96, Vol. 56 Issue 9, p148
Discusses the technical aspects of a system for disposing sulfur dioxide from offshore oil and gas platforms. Concept by ABB Environmental; Advantages of the system.
- Microwave altimeters prove potential in Ekofisk trials. // Offshore;Sep96, Vol. 56 Issue 9, p151
Features sensing wave radar systems for the offshore oil industry. Design from Miros; Technical aspects.
- Swedish technology round-up. // Offshore;Dec97, Vol. 57 Issue 12, p86
Presents several offshore oil industry equipment. Includes ABB Stal's industrial gas turbines; GVA Consultants' floating production vessels; Swedish Space Corporation's oil spill surveillance system.


Lake Stevens police officer David Carter has been working with the schools on the project for the better part of a year.
Carter is the resource officer assigned to Lake Stevens High School, North Lake Middle School and three elementary schools.
He started on the beat last fall. The job includes assessing each campus for emergency risks and preparedness.
Carter's interest goes beyond the job though: He lives in Lake Stevens, and his children attend schools in the district.
In this part of the world, an earthquake poses the biggest disaster threat for schools, Carter said. Other examples of large-scale emergencies affecting schools include major chemical spills, power outages and winter storms. Schools elsewhere in the country have had to house kids on campus for a couple of days.
“It's important that these kids, teachers and staff are prepared for the unforeseen circumstances of a disaster,” he said.
The kits include gloves, a flashlight and batteries, toilet paper, duct tape and pliers, among other items.
Carter worked with local businesses to get items donated to the schools or at least discounted.
For example, Haggen Foods gave 288 cases of water bottles, and sold another 504 cases at cost.
During the summer, the police department's two school resource officers usually are sent back to patrol. However, Chief Dan Lorentzen and Cmdr. Dennis Taylor made sure to give Carter time to finish the project, because it was important, Taylor said.
On Aug. 11, a volunteer work party put all the kits together. Each kit took 52 seconds to assemble, according to a police department memo. Each classroom received two cases of water.
Other donors for the project included the Marysville Walmart, Harbor Freight Tools, the Lake Stevens Dollar Tree, the Lake Stevens Ace Hardware and the Snohomish Home Depot.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; email@example.com.
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Gal Gadot Debuts First 'Wonder Woman' Movie Poster!
Gal Gadot has debuted the first poster for her upcoming movie Wonder Woman!
The 31-year-old actress is expected to make an appearance at 2016 Comic-Con this weekend to promote the film and the poster was debuted in advance of the panel.
“A dream come true! Happy to finally share this with you all 💥💪🏻⚔ #brandspakingnew #WonderWoman #WWxSDCC,” Gal tweeted.
Gal is also on the cover of Entertainment Weekly this week as her famous character!
“So honored to be on the cover ☺ ☺☺ @EW Thank you for all the love & support ❤,” Gal tweeted with the cover photo.
The Wonder Woman movie is set to debut on June 2, 2017 and Gal will also appear as the superhero in Justice League, in theaters November 2017.

domain: movie


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- 11 Pins
The Princess Bride
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The Princess Bride. A classic movie.
The Princess Bride (1987) Peter Falk, Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shaw, Andre the Giant - what more can you say?? Favorite movie of all time!
The Princess Bride (1987) - "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
The Princess Bride (1987) Scaling the Cliffs of Insanity, Battling Rodents of Unusual Size, Facing torture in the Pit of Despair. - True love has never been a snap.
The Princess Bride with Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin and Robin Wright. Great movie!!
North by Northwest
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North by Northwest, directed by Alfred Hitchcock
North by Northwest staring Cary Grant
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Movie Theater Coupons – Find Movie Coupons & Discounts » Jaws
JAWS . . . we all went to see it at the beach that it. Then didn't get in the ocean!.
Least favorite movie ever -- somehow I talked my dad into taking me to this movie - I was maybe 7 or 8 -- told him I would not be scared at all! -- I'm terrified to go into the ocean to this day!!!!
Jaws - If you forgot what terror was like...it's back.See it before you go swimming.Directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg, Jaws, the first of the summer blockbuster, set the standard for edge-of-your-seat suspense quickly becoming acultural phenomenon and forever changing the movie industry.When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town's chief of police (Scheider), a young marine biologist (Dreyfuss) and a grizzled shark hu…
Jaws - The original Shark Week
Classic Movie- Jaws
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Classic movie posters. #classic #film #poster #movies
Casablanca, probably the most romantic movie of all time!
Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains. This is probably my favorite movie of all time. And to read behind-the-scenes info? Fascinating!
"Casablanca" (1942) movie poster with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Dooley Wilson. Here's lookin' at you, kid.
Miracle on 34th Street
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Miracle on 34th Street- i watch the original every Christmas:)
The Philadelphia Story
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The Philadelphia Story. Classic
Love is blind, but marriage restores its sight. ~ Geog Christoph Lichenberg~ THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 1940 Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart & Katherine Hepburn
philadelphiastory - Google Search
The Philadelphia Story #carygrant #katharinehepburn #jimmystewart
One of my favorite movies! With a cast of the dreamy Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and the gorgeous Katharine Hepburn
Beauty and the Beast
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Beast & Belle (Beauty and the Beast) - Top Disney Couples
"Beauty and the Beast" Disney movie My favorite disney princess!
The Beauty and the Beast is one of the most loved Disney movies ever. Bring this movie to life at your wedding if you’re aiming for a super romantic fairy tale wedding. Click here to listen to the theme song for your first dance: "Tale as Old as Time -Beauty and the Beast"
Beauty and the Beast. One of my favorite movies. Belle is my favorite Disney Princess!
one of my favorite disney cartoon movies
Family Movie Night: Beauty and the Beast
The Wizard of Oz


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|Mariola Jaworska||Grace Huang||Malashri||Buddy Handleson||Jessica Fox||Alex Lawther|
|Anastasia Baranova||Katharine Ross||Pat Boone||Ellie Haddington||Shweta Tiwari||Ricardo Chavira|
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|Rob Moran||Alicia Josipovic||Alan Campbell||Sendhil Ramamurthy||Mike Evans||Jon Bernthal|
|Bullet Prakash||Caryn Richman||Priti Sapru||Morwenna Banks||Jonathan Crombie||Brendan Gleeson|
|Haywood Nelson||Shanna Forrestall||Olivia Alexander||Tim Meadows||Alice Connor||Cindy Crawford|
|Natina Reed||Dawna Lee Heising||Christopher Daniel Barnes||Jeremy Bulloch||David Spade||Jessica Alba|
|Samm Levine||Lindsay Pulsipher||Lisa Mende||Steve James||Sophie Ward||Charlie Sheen|
|Jo Yang||Naseeruddin Shah||Zach Helm||Katy Townsend||Bo Welch||Vanessa Giselle|
|Jason Nash||Janel Moloney||Taran Killam||Sophia Mitri Schloss||Texas Battle||Tina Casciani|
|Amy Bruni||George Stults||Honeysuckle Weeks||James Hetfield||Ken Foree||David Labrava|
|Joie Lee||Adrienne Janic||Joel Grey||Stanley Kamel||Daniella Kertesz||John Castle|
|Adrian Paul||Paul Michael Glaser||Michael Landon||Evan Todd||Eric Keenleyside||Lee Mack|
|Aya Sumika||Jennifer Elise Cox||Dennis Franz||Zeenat Aman||Hank Azaria||Deborah Rush|
|William Forsythe||Maria Dizzia||Ellen Wong||Colin Hanks||Emma Fitzpatrick||Celia Ireland|
|Judith Scott||Marc Alaimo||Andrew Davis||James Bachman||Allie Bertram||Paz Vega|
|Jeffrey Weissman||Nana Patekar||Phil McGraw||Kendra Leigh Timmins||Denis Lavant||Robert Elswit|
|Bob Clark||Sam Palladio||Stanley Kamel||Eva La Dare||James Bye||Alix Elizabeth Gitter|
|Samantha Ruth Prabhu||Lily Costner||Chyler Leigh||Errol Morris||Vijay Arora||Gates McFadden|
|Jeremy Kent Jackson||Fritz Weaver||Vanessa Marano||Carrie Finklea||Vaishali Desai||Jana Pallaske|
|Taylor Atelian||Brendan Robinson||Leon Ockenden||Mo Gaffney||Lily Loveless||Lindsey Kraft|
|Jordan Gavaris||Frankie Jonas||Art Garfunkel||Bear McCreary||JoAnn Willette||Brian Tarantina|
|Jonathan Ke Quan||Gillian Saker||Colm Meaney||Emily Hahn||James Frain||Emily Bergl|
|Lauren Tom||Jon Spaihts||Bridgette Cameron||Shawn Johnson||Steve Whitmire||Radhika Chaudhari|
There either is or is not, that’s the way things are. The colour of the day. The way it felt to be a child. The saltwater on your sunburnt legs. Sometimes the water is yellow, sometimes it’s red. But what colour it may be in memory, depends on the day. I’m not going to tell you the story the way it happened. I’m going to tell it the way I remember it.
The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is an innovative, original episodic video and social media series produced for the web. Adapting Pride and Prejudice to the modern era, Lizzie Bennet tells the classic Jane Austen tale from the point of view of an Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet who grew up in a world of cell phones, video cameras, and social media. The series was created by popular YouTube personality Hank Green and Streamy Award winning web video writer Bernie Su.
The holiday season is bringing more than cheer for actress Jessica Capshaw. The Grey’s Anatomy star announced on Monday that she and her husband, Honest Company co-founder Christopher Gavigan, are expecting their fourth child. “The holidays have certainly arrived … All of our lives are being added to by the lights, the music and cheer!!” she captioned a photo of her family at a Christmas tree farm on Instagram. “This year our family has reason to further broaden our smile … baby number four is on the way!! I am a lucky, lucky girl…”
The quickest way to tell whether an actor is serious about his or her career is to look at their “headshot”.Is it a professional photo? Or is it a snapshot taken on prom night? If you’re using a snapshot, it’s like showing up to race the Indy 500 in a VW Beetle. Nobody is going to take you seriously. I’m sorry, people… you can send me as much angry e-mail as you want about this, but it’s true! Don’t tell me you’re destined to be a major Hollywood star but you cannot scrape together the cash to get professional headshots.
The Grinch from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical stole the spotlight at the Empire State Building’s 86th Floor Observatory December 14, 2012, to promote the musical’s limited holiday engagement. Discover the magic of Dr. Seuss’ classic holiday tale as it comes to life on stage. Featuring the hit songs “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas,” The Grinch discovers there’s more to Christmas then he bargained for in this heart-warming holiday classic.
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