manipulate drop downs in jQuery

• Get the value from a drop down:
  var foo = $('#bar:selected').val();
   
• Get the public-facing value from a drop down:
  var foo = $('#bar:selected').text();
   
• Set a drop down's value:
  $('#bar').val("baz");
   
• Empty a drop down:
  $('#bar').empty();
   
• Append a new option to a drop down:
  $('#bar').append($('<option></option>').val("value").html("text"));
   
• Remove an item from a drop down:
  $('#bar').find("option[value='foo']").remove();
   
• Loop through the options in a list:
  var areaselect = $(formtablerows[24]).find('select:first');
  $(areaselect).each(function() {
     $('option', this).each(function () {
        alert($(this).text());
     });
  });

Addendum 4/22/2015: I think that all one has to do anymore is var foo = $('#bar').val(); for getting the value from a drop down.