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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:blue'>Great resource for staying up with hybrid
and alternative car news …</span></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~
Hybrid Cars Newsletter: Issue No. 0046 ~~~</span></strong><b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Moderator: Bradley
Berman [brad@hybridcars.com]</span></strong><br>
<strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong></span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>IN
THIS ISSUE:</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Carmakers
Shift Hybrid Plans</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
They said they wouldn’t do it, but Honda and Nissan are now considering plug-in
hybrids; Mazda will build its first standard hybrid; and Toyota is thinking
about a hybrid RAV4.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Auto
Engineers See Slow Road to Green Car Future</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
Press releases and concept car unveilings for whiz-bang green cars are
exciting; however, deploying the technology takes time, according to auto
engineers gathered at their annual conference.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Hybrid
Policy: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back</span></strong><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
President Obama just bought 2,500 hybrid sedans with federal stimulus money.
But the biggest tax credits available to consumers these are days are for
hulking, low-volume, clean diesel or hybrid SUVs.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Garbage,
Fuel and Economics: An Interview with Arnold Klann</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
Arnold Klann, CEO and co-founder of BlueFire Ethanol, told us that the credit
crunch has significantly delayed progress on cellulosic ethanol projects.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Chinese
Scare: The EVs are Coming!</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The New York Times</span></em>
warns that electric cars from China pose a threat to Detroit. But maybe
existing hybrid and electric car players in Japan are more of a concern.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Hybrids
in Motorsports Shift into High Gear</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
Green developments in the world of motorsports, from NASCAR and Formula 1 to
Champ Car and Le Mans.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Greetings,
Hybrid Car Enthusiasts,<br>
The road toward sustainable mobility continues to wind and curve in
unpredictable ways. Car companies swear off a particular technology and design
one day, and embrace it the next. Federal policies designed for one set of
market conditions make no sense when the economy changes. Timelines for green
cars and green fuels can quickly shift by a few years, and nobody stops to
share the news with consumers. In this issue of our newsletter, we’ll make our
best effort to correct that situation. Enjoy.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Carmakers
Shift Hybrid Plans</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
In the decade since hybrid cars appeared on the scene, critics dismissed
gas-electric cars as cute science projects, then scoffed at them as fringe
products for tree huggers, and more recently characterized the hybrid as a
“bridge technology”—a euphemism for a second-rate technology that briefly
serves a purpose until it can be replaced with something better. But recent
statements from major auto executives could lead one to see that bridge look
more and more like the Golden Gate—very long with many lanes. Here’s a quick
sampling of news.<br>
<br>
<strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Honda and Nissan Change
Their Mind about Plug-in Hybrids</span></strong><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878484&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/news/honda-and-nissan-consider-plug-hybrids-25759.html</a><br>
Honda has been banking on a transition to fuel cell cars as the long-term
strategy for sustainable mobility. Nissan has been primarily moving toward pure
battery-electric vehicles. Executives from both now are suggesting that plug-in
hybrids might be a smart idea. Minoru Shinohara, Nissan corporate senior vice
president, said that plug-in hybrids will be an important transition solution
to the pure electric vehicle because they don't need an extensive public charging
infrastructure. In late 2007, Honda President Takeo Fukui told <em><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The Wall Street Journal</span></em>
that plug-in hybrids were “unnecessary.” Last month, he said Honda will be
ready with fuel cell cars for when the price of oil skyrockets. But until then,
he is “thinking about plug-in hybrids.” </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Mazda
Flip-Flops on Hybrids</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878485&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/news/flip-flop-mazda-commits-hybrids-25720.html</a><br>
In the March 30 issue of<em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>
Automotive News</span></em>, Yuji Hara, Mazda managing executive officer,
criticized hybrids as a fleeting “mood” of a “brand society.” A few weeks later
at the New York Auto Show, Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi committed to producing
hybrid gas-electric cars by 2015. But Yamanouchi’s view is not especially
gung-ho. He predicted that hybrids will represent no more than 10 percent of
worldwide auto sales by 2015, and said, “We're focusing on the 90
percent."</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Toyota
Hybrid Manager Hints at RAV4 Hybrid</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878486&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/vehicle/rav4-hybrid.html</a><br>
Toyota plans to produce a hybrid version of the RAV4 small sport utility
vehicle, according to Koei Saga, Toyota managing officer of hybrid system
development. Saga was quoted by <em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Dow
Jones</span></em> as calling for a RAV4 Hybrid to be offered in China “as soon
as possible.” Saga did not indicate specific intentions or dates to bring a
RAV4 Hybrid to the United States—but the US is by far the largest global market
for gas-electric vehicles.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Auto
Engineers See Slow Road to Green Car Future</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878487&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/news/auto-engineers-see-slow-road-green-car-future-25740.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The theme of
this year’s annual meeting of automotive engineers was “Racing to Green
Mobility.” The unlikely headliner of the event—the 2009 World Congress of the
Society of Automotive Engineers held from April 20 to 23—was California
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Hummer. The governor kicked off the
conference by pointing to shortcomings in federal energy policy, while
overlooking his role as the most famous promoter of the ultimate gas-guzzler.
“There is nothing wrong with the Hummer. It's a great vehicle," he told <em><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The Detroit News</span></em>. "We
should change the technology within those vehicles."</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>But in many
panels, presenters cast doubt on consumers’ willingness to pay for those green
technologies—while others questioned the viability of electric cars, the
technology du jour. “We’re all stampeding toward an electric vehicle future.
I’m not against that…but we don’t know where that could end up yet,” said MIT’s
John Heywood. “There are a lot of problems along the way. The primary one is
the cost of these vehicles, and there are some major infrastructure questions
as well...To assume this can take over and dominate, that’s a pretty naive
assumption at this point.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Read more:<br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878488&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/news/auto-engineers-see-slow-road-green-car-future-25740.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>On
Hybrid Incentives: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878489&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/incentives-laws/obama-orders-2500-hybrids-25704.html</a><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878490&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/incentives-laws/nonsensical-tax-credits-benefit-mercedes-diesel-suvs-25756.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>President
Barack Obama announced on April 9 that the U.S. General Services Administration
would order 17,600 fuel-efficient vehicles—including hybrids—from GM, Ford, and
Chrysler. The purchase goal is fuel economy that’s 10 percent higher than the
vehicle being replaced. The first step was an order of 2,500 hybrid sedans on
April 15. Qualifying cars include the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, the 2009
Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, and the 2009 Saturn Aura Hybrid. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The total
cost of $285 million would come from the $787 billion economic stimulus bill
passed by Congress last month. A statement from the White House said the entire
purchase will “reduce gasoline consumption by 1.3 million gallons per year and
prevent 26 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>While the
federal government is using stimulus money to buy its hybrids, individual
consumers won’t get a dime in their pockets for buying the most fuel-efficient
hybrids. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 had produced tax credits for the Toyota
Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and other gas-sippers—but that legislation set a
limit of 60,000 for any manufacturer, after which a phase-out period begins.
Toyota and Honda hybrids no longer receive any tax credit. Ford reached the
60,000-limit in fall 2008, so tax credits for Ford hybrids will be entirely
phased out by April 1, 2010.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>But the
Energy Policy Act awarded sizable credits for buyers of so-called “clean
diesel” vehicles. That has left the American consumer in the bizarre situation:
The 50-mpg Prius carries no tax credit, while $1,800 goes to buyers of the
Mercedes GL320 Bluetec, a $60,000-plus hulking diesel SUV that gets 17 mpg in
the city. Other pricey clean diesel and hybrid SUVs—with fuel efficiency
ratings in the teens and low-20s—are also still eligible for tax credits.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Get the
details:<br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878491&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/incentives-laws/obama-orders-2500-hybrids-25704.html</a><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878492&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/incentives-laws/nonsensical-tax-credits-benefit-mercedes-diesel-suvs-25756.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Garbage,
Fuel and Economics: An Interview with BlueFire Ethanol’s Arnold Klann</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878493&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/fuels/garbage-fuel-and-economics-interview-bluefire-ethanol-25721.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>In recent
years, the lofty promise of corn-based ethanol has come crashing down to earth.
Once considered a real option for reducing American dependence on foreign oil,
corn ethanol is now commonly criticized as a poor replacement for petro-based
vehicle fuels, and an environmental and energy washout. On the other hand,
so-called cellulosic ethanol—made from materials such as wood chips and
switchgrass—continues to be championed as the holy grail of biofuels. To get a
better understanding of the current state of the cellulosic ethanol industry,
we spoke with Arnold Klann, CEO and co-founder of BlueFire Ethanol. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>HybridCars.com:
What’s been the impact of the recession on cellulosic ethanol projects, and
specifically on BlueFire?</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Arnold
Klann: It’s been the lock-up in the credit markets. There is no money. Even
with the loan guarantees out there from (the U.S. Departments of Agriculture
and Energy), the banks are very reluctant to lend the money right now. I’m not
aware of any projects that have been financed since the first of the year. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>In
September 2006, BlueFire had a goal of constructing 20 biomass-to-ethanol
plants by 2012, and to produce 1.5 billion gallons and yield $2.7 billion in
gross revenue, all by 2012.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>It’s not
going to happen. When we did that projection, we felt that we could get
projects going in the ground in the beginning of 2007. Right now, we would move
that schedule out about five years.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>How
should the public think about cellulosic ethanol, considering that goals set
for 2012 look more like 2017?</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>We have a
very irrational market in many respects. On one hand, we’re worried about
energy security issues. We’re worried about carbon going into the atmosphere
because we believe that global warming is happening. But we’re not prepared to
finance those risks to build facilities to take care of those issues. As a
society, we want this, supposedly. But on the flip side, from a business
standpoint, the people that control the money don’t want to take the risks. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Read more:<br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878494&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/fuels/garbage-fuel-and-economics-interview-bluefire-ethanol-25721.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Chinese
Scare: The Electric Cars Are Coming!</span></strong><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878495&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/news/chinese-scare-electric-cars-are-coming-25701.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><em><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The New
York Times</span></em><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>
last month reported that China plans to boost its annual production of electric
and hybrid cars to 500,000 in the next two years from just 2,100 last year. The
report by Keith Bradsher suggests “Detroit’s Big Three, already struggling to
stay alive, will face even stiffer foreign competition on the next field of
automotive technology than they do today.” Before we could get too worked up
about the Chinese EV threat, consider:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<ul type=disc>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Chinese
cars are not yet safe enough for U.S. markets.<br>
Chinese cars continue to fail miserably on safety tests. The reputation
for quality is even worse for Chinese rechargeable lithium ion batteries,
which have to be proven safe and reliable before hitting mainstream
markets. In fact, <em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
Wall Street Journal</span></em> reported that SAIC Motor Corp., one of
China's biggest state-owned automakers, is turning to American technology suppliers
to engineer its hybrid. China could eventually solve its safety and
quality problems, but that could take a decade or more.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Chinese
electric cars are too expensive for domestic markets.<br>
The Tianjin-Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Company will begin offering its
all-electric Saibao midsize sedan this autumn—using a car body from a
gas-powered sedan that normally sells for $14,600. But the battery pack
and electric motor for the vehicle is expected to cost $14,000. At nearly
$30,000, the Saibao EV will be out of range for Chinese consumers, even
with generous government subsidies.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>China will
face safety and cost obstacles for many years. Meanwhile, Toyota, Honda, and
Nissan are more likely to become unstoppable forces in the hybrid and electric
car market. If U.S. automakers can compete against those hybrid giants, then
China will be of little concern.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Read more:<br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878496&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/news/chinese-scare-electric-cars-are-coming-25701.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Hybrids
in Motorsports Shift into High Gear</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878497&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/news/hybrids-motorsport-shift-high-gear-25758.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The past few
weeks have brought a number of green developments in the world of motorsports,
from NASCAR and Formula 1 to Champ Car and Le Mans.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>After more
than a year of effort, Toyota received approval from NASCAR to use its Camry
Hybrid as an official pace car. The Camry Hybrid will make its debut in next
month’s Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, N.C. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Corsa
Motorsports and the Zytek Group will unveil the Corsa Zytek hybrid at this
month’s Utah Grand Prix, part of the American Le Mans Series. The car is
powered by a 625-horsepower, ethanol-burning V8 with an electric motor—and has
a top speed is more than 200 miles per hour. Scott Atherton, chief executive of
American Le Mans, told The Wall Street Journal last year, “I think hybrid power
will soon be part of the automotive fabric across the board.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Champ Car
driver Nelson Philippe announced that he will enter the first carbon neutral
team to compete at the Indianapolis 500. Philippe is working with the National
Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees to offset the team’s carbon output—and he
will hold a series of events to educate people on how they can drive the cars
they currently own in a more efficient manner. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Researchers
at the University of Warwick in England are trying to build a Formula Three
race car entirely from sustainable products. Formula Three is like the farm
league of Formula 1 racing. The WorldFirst F3 prototype racer uses composite
materials traced back to carrots, potatoes, flax fiber, soybean oil and other
natural products. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Learn more:<br>
<a href="http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2878498&s=53284179">http://www.hybridcars.com/news/hybrids-motorsport-shift-high-gear-25758.html</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>WRAP-UP</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
As you can see, hybrids and other green cars continue to be a hot topic—despite
tough times in the auto industry and $2 a gallon gasoline. Just imagine what’s
going to happen if and when the economy picks up, oil prices lift, and car
companies deliver on at least some of their plans. We’ll be there when it
happens. Thanks for following along with these developments.<br>
Happy Driving,<br>
Bradley Berman<br>
<a href="mailto:brad@hybridcars.com">brad@hybridcars.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br>
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