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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
Febrary 8, 2007 * Issue 7.06
PassPorter.com - http://www.passporter.com
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Welcome to PassPorter News, an online newsletter
about PassPorter travel guidebooks, the
Walt Disney World Resort, and Disney Cruise Line.
PassPorter News is available by free subscription
to all readers and friends of our labor of love --
PassPorter Travel Guidebooks.
Learn all about them:
http://www.passporter.com/aboutpassporter.htm
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In This Newsletter:
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From the Authors: Bells and Whistles
Resort Report: Contemporary Tidbits
Travel Feature: New Orleans
Disney Feature: Learning To Like Disney-MGM Studios
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Disneyland Dining, Train to Toontown, Re-making Memories
Captain's Corner: The Clock
Q&A: Where
is the best place to snorkel?
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FROM THE AUTHORS: Bells and
Whistles
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Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
We have a few bells and whistles (plus a couple
PassPorter deals) to announce:
Message Board Features: The upgraded message boards are zipping
along and members are settling into their new home. We're pleased to announce
that we've brought back our popular countdown timers to member signatures. To
create your countdown timer, simply login to our message board (or create a free account), click on My
Home, click on Edit Options, scroll to
the bottom of the window, and follow the directions to enable and create your
countdown. Visit our message boards at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums
We
also added a New Posts feature which
tells you how many new posts since your last visit, as well as the option to
find new posts in specific categories (i.e., just Walt Disney World, just
Disneyland, just Disney Cruise Line, etc.). Our members report that this
feature -- which you'll find in the menubar at the top of every message board page -- is very
convenient.
Older Cruise Guides With West Coast Info: Going on a
West Coast or Repositioning cruise in summer 2008? Get an older copy of our
cruise guidebook with tons of helpful information on the West Coast ports of
call and the Port of Los Angeles, including lodging near the World Cruise
Center terminal. Please note that quantities are limited -- when we're out,
we're out! Price is 65% off list, or just over $6 a copy. Order at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710226.aspx
Looking for the latest cruise guide? The new
edition of PassPorter's Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line is in our
warehouse, and all new orders are shipping on the next business day! This is
the biggest edition of our Disney Cruise Line guidebook ever, with more than 70
brand-new pages, most of them dedicated to this summer's Mediterranean
itineraries. To be among the first to get your copy, order now at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/dcl2007.aspx
Free Sidekick E-Book: Our new
e-book, PassPorter's Sidekick to the Walt Disney World Guidebook, is once
again available as a free download to all customers who purchase a copy of
PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007 through our online store at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/2007.aspx . This
special offer is available between February 8-15, 2007; it cannot be
retroactively applied to orders placed before or after this point. To learn
more about our popular new e-book, visit http://www.passporter.com/wdw/sidekick.asp
Tip: If you've already got this e-book
and downloaded it on or before Sunday, January 21, we've updated the e-book
with more interactive features! Log back into the store
check your order history, and download the e-book again to get the latest and
greatest version.
PassPorter Public Appearance Calendar
Here's an update on where you can see/hear/meet
PassPorter's authors in the upcoming months:
Coming soon:
Friday, February 9, 2007 at 9:00 am Central, Dave
will be appearing in the St. Louis, Missouri area, on Live Wire with Mike
Thomas, on KWRE, 720 AM.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007 at 7:30 am Eastern -
Dave will return for another appearance on Health Beat of America with Rochelle
Herman on WIBQ 1220 AM in Sarasota, Florida.
In this issue of the
newsletter, Heather Macdonald shares some of the delights of her hometown, New Orleans, and Cheryl
Pendry revises her assessment of Disney-MGM Studios. Enjoy!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Authors and Publishers
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RESORT REPORT: Contemporary
Tidbits
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We thought we'd share a couple of items about Walt
Disney World's Contemporary Resort that
potentially have some broader meaning for Walt Disney World vacationers.
First off, full-scale demolition is underway
at the resort's North Garden Wing (one of the two free-standing, low-rise guest
buildings adjoining the Tower), and the resort's adjoining tennis facility is
gone, too. Remember a while back, when folks were expecting that wing would be
demolished, to be replaced by a 13-to-15-story Disney Vacation Club (DVC)
resort? Well, DVC then announced it's next project would be at Animal Kingdom
Lodge (some units there available late this year, the rest coming on line in
2009)? Folks forgot about the Contemporary for a bit, but now anybody riding
the monorail can see something's up. Disney is mum on what's going down, but
dollars to donuts it's DVC going up.
The Contemporary is also adding a new amenity to
all it's guest rooms -- computers with free high speed Internet access. Yes, you may
be able to leave the laptops at home, and if you're someone who never logged-on
from your resort in the past... you may join the ranks of those who call down
to room service at 2:00am in need of more coffee. About 50% of the rooms have
been upgraded so far. If you'll be staying at the Contemporary sometime soon,
be sure to request a room with this feature if it's important to you.
Eventually, it won't be necessary to ask. Reports from the grapevine indicate
that all of Walt Disney World's Deluxe resorts will eventually get this
upgrade. No doubt the "added value" will make it easier for folks to
accept rate increases at those resorts, and will probably make the deluxe
convention hotels (Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Yacht Club, Beach Club, and
BoardWalk) even more attractive to convention organizers.
Finally, while it doesn't have a whole lot of
impact outside the Contemporary Resort, we hear there's a restaurant shuffle
going on at
the Contemporary. The ground floor space occupied by the Food and Fun Center
(the resort's counter-service restaurant) is being converted to a new
table-service restaurant. Rumors have it that the new establishment will be
Asian- or Fusion-themed and called "The Wave." When that opens the
Concourse Steak House will close, it's space to be divided between a new
counter-service restaurant and neighboring Chef Mickey's.
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TRAVEL FEATURE: New Orleans:
The City That Care Forgot
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by Heather Macdonald, Guest Contributor
Carefree New Orleans has long been a favorite
travel destination for college students, singles, and party seekers of all
kinds, especially at this time of year when Mardi Gras is in full swing. But
those who look beyond Bourbon Street to see what the rest of the city has to
offer are rewarded with an area rich in history and culture.
In the past year the city of New Orleans has
struggled to rebuild the areas that were devastated in 2005 by Hurricane
Katrina. We're making progress, but progress is slow. The good news is that the
French Quarter, the Central Business District, the Garden District and other
uptown areas are all ready and waiting for you to come and experience our
charming and diverse city.
One of the greatest parts of New Orleans is the
fantastic food and restaurants. With a culinary heritage that combines French,
Spanish, Creole, African, and Caribbean flavors, there is something for every
palate. The old-line Creole French restaurants like Arnaud's offer up some
classic old world food. If you go to Arnaud's you have to try the duck with
blueberry sauce and make sure to save room for dessert or at least a signature
coffee drink. Seafood is a big part of New Orleans cuisine and I love Acme
Oyster House for their red-checkered
table cloth atmosphere and great oyster po-boys (fried oysters dressed with
lettuce, tomato, and mayo and served on French bread). If you'd like something
a little classier . . . say with linen napkins, head over to GW Fins where they
fly their seafood in fresh daily from all over the world. Others to try are
Cuvee for classic French with a twist and Stella for a French and Asian fusion
meal. Expect to pull out the wallet at both of those locations and return it to
your pocket much thinner.
If you still have the energy to explore after
indulging in our wonderful food, consider a visit to Jackson Square. If dining
out isn't your cup of tea, but say, reading the tea leaves is, plan a visit to
the fortune tellers at Jackson Square. While you are there check out the
artwork of fantastic local artists who display their work daily on the fence.
There are more artists out on the weekends and when the weather is good. New
Orleans also has a number of shops selling "authentic" voodoo charms
and whatnot. My favorite is Voodoo
Authentica on Dumaine
St.
If the artists on Jackson Square have piqued your
interest you might want to stroll down Royal Street and pop into any of the
galleries there who are truly in need of business right now. I love the Rodrigue
Studio that features
the famous "Blue Dog" paintings. In addition, you can take a ride out
to City Park and visit the New Orleans Museum of Art, or to Lee Circle, which
houses the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. They have recently had some wonderful
exhibits showcasing storm photographs and art made from the rubble left by
Hurricane Katrina.
One of my favorite places to go is the National
World War II Museum. It was
originally known as the D-Day Museum, but it has expanded so much in recent
years that the Smithsonian has changed its name. You can explore the European
and Pacific fronts of the war and take a guided tour if you so choose. This
stop is especially popular with teenage boys!
Please come and see everything New Orleans has to
offer. We are a city on the rebound, but we're certainly not going to give up
and we look forward to welcoming you!
[Jennifer and Dave's Note: The phrase "The
City That Care Forgot" has long been a nickname of New Orleans -- if this
sobriquet puzzles you, it's supposed to refer to the easy-going, carefree
nature of many of New Orleans' residents.]
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Did you enjoy this article? Have questions? E-mail
us at news@passporter.com or visit http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss
your Disney travel plans. Also check out our Article Collection at http://www.passporter.com/articles for more
great information!
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DID YOU KNOW?
Great Cruise Rates are available at
MouseEarVacations.com!
Disney Cruise Line¨ Special Offer
Summer, 2007 - Land / Sea Itineraries
Save up to $1786* per cabin compared to
current Disney pricing.
To see
available dates, visit:
*Savings based on double occupancy. Ships'
Registry: The Bahamas CST2058090-40
http://www.MouseEarVacations.com 800-886-8601
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DISNEY FEATURE: Learning to
Like Disney-MGM Studios
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by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Message Board Guide
and Guest Contributor
So which is your favorite Walt Disney World theme
park?
It's a question that most of us could answer
immediately and, for the record, mine is Epcot. That question then naturally
leads on to another, "Which is your least favorite Disney theme
park?" I'm guessing that's something that we could probably answer as
well, although we might need to think about it a bit more.
For me, the park that somehow is the least
appealing is the Disney-MGM Studios. Why? Well, apart from Epcot being my
favorite, the Magic Kingdom is, well, just magic really! After all, it's based
on Disneyland, which is where it all started. As for Animal Kingdom, Animal
Kingdom is beautiful! To me, it's like escaping into a tropical wonderland,
filled with hundreds of animals that I could just sit and watch for hours. If
only they'd just stop those safari vehicles on the Kilimanjaro Safaris and
allow you to do that!
But for many years now, I've felt that there was no
such great theming at the Disney-MGM Studios. You walk in and yes, the idea is
that you're transported back to a golden era of Hollywood, but compared to the
other parks, it just looks remarkably normal. And as for the attractions,
they've never done much for me. Not being big thrill riders, the Sunset
Boulevard area was unfamiliar to us, even though it's the first stop on most
people's lists as they head for the Tower of Terror and the Rock 'n' Roller
Coaster.
Of course there's not only thrill rides at MGM, but
we've also found some of the other attractions less than appealing. Although
Who Wants to be a Millionaire? -- Play It! had many fans, we weren't amongst them.
It's very much geared to an American audience, which while perfectly
understandable. Being from England, it frustrated us immensely. And then
there's the Backlot Tour. The last time we'd taken this, it had been severely
reduced, as work was underway to create the new stunt show.
So what's happened to change my view? Well, on our
last visit to Walt Disney World, we really gave the Disney-MGM Studios another
chance and I started to learn to love this park.
The first thing that changed was some of the
attractions that had never appealed to us were either gone or much improved.
Who Wants to be a Millionaire -- Play It! disappeared in the summer to make way
for Toy Story Mania!, scheduled to open in 2008. And then there's the Backlot
Tour which is very much back to its former self, with its route restored now.
You really feel as if you're being given a good tour these days, unlike a
couple of years ago, when you came off wondering "was that it?"
And the Lights, Motors, Action! Stunt Show
Spectacular, the reason for all those changes to the Backlot tour, is proving
to be an excellent addition to the Studios. Some have said that two stunt shows
may be too much for one park, but for our money, they both showcase very
different stunts and there's room for both. If you haven't checked out this new
show yet, it's well worth a visit, as it's packed with talented drivers who
show off their skills.
We also finally found our way to the Sunset
Boulevard area, as I plucked up courage to try the Tower of Terror -- and wow,
what a great ride this is! I'm no thrill ride fan, but this was a lot of fun.
If you've never tried this, it's definitely worth giving it a go. I found the
drops amazingly smooth and far better than some of the ones I've experienced on
planes when we've run into turbulence!
Then there are the old favorites that we've always
known and loved at the Disney-MGM Studios. Who could fail to enjoy the Great
Movie Ride, as it takes you on a tour through the magic of Hollywood? Yes, your
enjoyment of this ride is likely to depend on whether you get a good guide or
not, but in our experience, they usually put 110% into their roles, as you'd
expect from any aspiring movie star!
One attraction that many people seem to skip,
unless they've got young Ariel fans in their party, is Voyage of the Little
Mermaid. It's something that always exceeds my expectations and somehow, I
never seem to remember just how good this production is. This live show is packed
with surprises, including some really imaginative use of falling water and
puppets. There's something magical about watching the story of the Little
Mermaid come to life in front of you.
The story of another Disney princess, Belle, also
comes to life at Beauty and the Beast -- Live on Stage, another not to be
missed attraction at the Studios. Sadly, it's one that we rarely seem to make
it to, perhaps because there was so much else to see on our last visit, but
we'll make sure we put that right when we're next there.
Perhaps the real hidden treasure at the Studios is
One Man's Dream, the story of Walt Disney and the magic he created throughout
his life. It's a fitting tribute to the man who started it all. Any Disney fan
could easily spend hours in there, browsing all the exhibits and learning more
about his life. It's another park attraction that many seem to pass by, no
doubt heading for high octane thrills elsewhere in the Studios, but if you take
the time to head inside, you won't be disappointed. I could linger for hours,
learning more about Walt's childhood and his dreams. My personal favorite is
the video of him talking about his Experimental Prototype Community of
Tomorrow, whose initials spell out EPCOT. While the reality of Epcot may be very
different from the vision he talked about in the video, watching it, you can
understand how much vision one man possessed.
The other thing that changed on our last trip to
the Disney-MGM Studios was that we rediscovered their afternoon parade. We made
a pledge that we would take in some of the park parades, as we hadn't seen them
for many years and of course, none of them disappointed. Somehow though, Disney
Stars and Motorcars was far and away my favorite. Maybe it was the fact that it
features characters you don't usually see in other parades, such as the
Muppets, Darth Vader and R2-D2 or maybe it was the fact that the cars work so
well. Instead of floats, there's naturally something for them to be traveling
in. Either way, it's well worth a look.
And the moral of this whole story? If you're not
convinced by one of the Disney parks, do go back and give it another go. You
may be surprised at what you find waiting for you.
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel,
particularly to America. Their last trip to Walt Disney World was over
Halloween and their next Disney adventure will be the Mediterranean cruise in
May.
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Did you enjoy this article? Have questions? E-mail
us at news@passporter.com or visit http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss
your holiday plans. Also check out our Article Collection at http://www.passporter.com/articles for more
great information!
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UPDATES: What's New
and Changed
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Here's a few relevant news items:
The newly designed Disney.com is up and
running. The site features video clips of upcoming movies, music videos, and
the ability to watch full length episodes of Disney Channel shows on the new Disney XD site. (The
Disney XD site is technically still in beta mode so not all features may be
available just yet.)
Following the severe thunderstorms and tornados that affected
Central Florida last week, The Walt Disney Company announced it will be
donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross to assist in relief efforts. At
least 20 people died as a result of these devastating storms.
A tentative concert schedule for the 2007 Flower
Power concert series has been
released. This series is a part of the Flower & Garden Festival that takes
place every spring. The list is subject to (and more than likely will) change:
April 5 - 9: Paul Revere and The Raiders
April 10 -14: Tony Orlando in Concert
April 15 - 18: The Buckinghams
April 19 - 21: The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie
April 22 - 24: The Box Tops featuring Alex Chilton
April 25 - 28: The Tokens
April 29 - May 1: Peter & Gordon
May 2 - 3: Jose Feliciano
May 4 - 5: Petula Clark
May 6 - 10: Nelson featuring the songs of Ricky
Nelson
May 11 - 15: Davy Jones
May 16 - 19: BJ Thomas
May 20 - 22: Grass Roots featuring Rob Grill
May 23 - 26: The Guess Who
May 27: The S.O.S. Band
May 28 - 30: Gary Puckett
May 31 - June 3: Herman's Hermits starring Peter
Noone
Our thanks to http://www.allears.net from which we
get some of our news leads.
>Things To Do: Hear some news? Send it to us at
news@passporter.com
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Our readers are a wealth of information! Here are
the winners in this month's tip contest:
DISNEYLAND DINING
"The best thing we did before going to Disneyland was to
make dining reservations by phone for restaurants at the park. While others
waited ages in line, we walked right up and were seated in minutes. Even at
Blue Bayou we managed to get a waterside table after waiting just 15 minutes.
So it really pays to call 714-781-DINE before you go, not only to reserve your
character meal (which you must do) but to make any other dining
reservations."
--
contributed by Wendy B.
TRAIN TO TOONTOWN
"I suggest arriving early in the day and taking the
train right to Toontown Fair and getting autographs and pictures taken. Most
people walk right down Main Street to get there. I think its much faster to
start from the back and work your way to the front for the parade and
fireworks!"
--
contributed by Tina B.
RE-MAKING MEMORIES
"Once every 2-3 years, my older sister and I
plan a trip to Walt Disney World for just the two of us - no husbands, no kids.
Growing up, the only vacation we ever took as a family (and it was only one
vacation) was to Walt Disney World when it was just the Magic Kingdom in 1976.
It was so memorable to us that we make sure we plan in to every trip all of the
things that we did as kids. So there's always a stop to look at the blown glass
figurines, she always gets a turkey leg, we always ride on the Tomorrowland
Transit Authority and on this last trip, while riding "It's a Small
World" we phoned our mom and let her listen to the song (it's her favorite
attraction from the 1964 World's Fair!). While most of these things are kind of
lame, it reminds us of being kids again and no matter how many times we go, we
still get a thrill walking down Main Street USA."
--
contributed by Stacey C.
>Notes: Send us your tips! You may see them in
this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/tipsandstories.htm
>>Want more Disney tips? For Walt Disney World
fans, we've collected 500 of the best tips submitted by readers over the past
six years. All have been edited for accuracy and categorized. For details,
visit the PassPorter Disney 500 info page at
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/disney500.asp
>>For Disney Cruise Line fans, we have an
e-book with 250 cruiser tips, as well as a special cruise line comparison
section and seven customized packing lists. For information, visit the Disney
Cruise Clues info page at http://www.passporter.com/dcl/cruiseclues.asp
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CAPTAIN'S CORNER: Treasure
Hunting Game
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Play our fun and quirky treasure hunting game,
hosted by Captain Jack Skatt from our book, "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts
at Walt Disney World."
The Captain makes a study of the delightful details
-- sometimes hidden, sometimes in plain sight but often overlooked -- at Walt
Disney World and aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Using notes from his journals,
he will lead you to this "treasure" at Disney with clues, questions,
photos, or riddles. Your challenge is to discover the answer by searching your
memory, visiting Disney, or even just looking really hard on the Internet. If
you think you've found the answer, e-mail it to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the
first person to correctly submit the FULL answer will receive a free PassPorter
enamel pin or PassPorter name badge pin.
Here is this weekÕs journal entry:
"The glockenspiel in the Germany
pavilion at Epcot has inspired me to take a closer look at clocks. If you look
closely while touring the World, you'll see clocks nearly everywhere. Some are
simple, some whimsical, some tell a story, and some spawn controversy and
theories. For example, not too far from the glockenspiel is a clock with roman
numerals -- but the number four, which is typically shown as 'IV' on other
clocks is shown as 'IIII' on this clock. I've heard some folks theorize that
this was done to prevent confusion when the clock is viewed from far away.
Another theory is that the 'IIII' looks more symmetrical in relation to the
other numerals on the clockface. But, as a student of history, I believe that
the use of 'IIII' instead of 'IV' is related to time, appropriately enough --
clocks made before the 18th century used 'IIII' primarily."
Where in Epcot will you find a clockface with
the roman numeral "IIII?"
Send your full answer to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the winner
will be notified by e-mail and announced in the next newsletter, along with the
correct answer!
If you enjoy treasure hunts, we've got an entire
book with over 100 distinct treasure hunts and over 1500 questions, complete
with clues and contributions from Captain Skatt. Get details on ÒPassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney
World" at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710269.aspx
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Mindibell CM asks: "My
husband and I are doing a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise for our
anniversary. I would like a tour/shopping/beach day and I would like to do some
great snorkeling. I have seriously looked at going to St. John to snorkel. What
do you recommend?"
Dave & Jennifer answer: "For
great snorkeling, St. John's is definitely your best bet. Snorkeling in St. Martin
isn't all that great.
Still, you'll have more shopping variety in St.
Thomas. If you're docked at Havensight you may be able to do all your shopping
at the pier before or after your St. John excursion. Otherwise, a
beach/shopping excursion (if available) on St. Martin is a good choice. I'm a
fan of keeping to the French side of the island for those activities."
Have a question? Check out our new "Ask
PassPorter" Q & A blog at http://ask.passporter.com . We're still
working on getting the blog ready for prime time, but we welcome your comments
and questions! You can also post questions at http://www.passporterboards.com/
-- and if you're lucky, you may find that folks have already asked and answered
the same question that's on your mind!
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PassPorter News is published weekly, and this means
we need more articles than ever! We're on the lookout for guest columnists who
want to contribute articles to this newsletter. No professional writing
experience necessary, just a desire to share your experience with others! Not
only is this a great way to give something back to the PassPorter community,
but you get to see your name in "print" and receive a $25 gift
certificate.
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PassPorter News is only sent to those who have
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If this newsletter was forwarded to you by a
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Copyright (c) 2007 - MediaMarx, Inc. / PassPorter
Travel Press, PO Box 3880, Ann Arbor, MI
48106
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