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Mass Design Inc. Announces FabStream-for-Mass Design™
"Outlook is Bright for US Manufacturing" PCB Mass Design Says
PCB Magazine Cites Mass Design on Future of Home Use Medical Electronics
US PCB Maker Mass Design Names David Farmer to Business Development
The Future for "Made in America". A Q&A with Mass Design's Bill Gately.
PCB Industry Veteran Steven St. Pierre is New Quality Control Manager
Mass Design Awarded Medical Device Certification ISO 13485:2003
Mass Design, Inc. Selects SCHMOLL PCB Drilling System from Bürkle
James M. Mahoney is Flex, Rigid/Flex Applications Engineer
Mass Design's Tony Bourassa on the Future of the PCB Industry
Mass Design Inc. Announces FabStream-for-Mass Design™
Free SoloPCB Design software integrated with Mass Design's PCB manufacturing
Nashua, NH – April 20, 2013 – Mass Design, Inc. a manufacturer of high-reliability printed circuit boards (PCB) for critical applications, today announced the Beta Pilot launch of SoloPCB DesignTM software for Mass Design through the company's partnership with FabStream, a new business initiative created by DownStream Technologies, LLC.
FabStream is an integrated printed circuit board (PCB) design and manufacturing solution targeted at the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) electronics market that consists of small businesses, start-ups, engineers, inventors, hobbyists, and other electronic enthusiasts. The solution consists of free SoloPCB DesignTM software customized to each of FabStream's manufacturing partners.
With FabStream for Mass Design, customers can download the free SoloPCB Design software from Mass Design's website (www.massdesign.com) preloaded with all of Mass Design's manufacturing and pricing rules. The customer then creates PCB schematics and layouts. When finished, the PCB is automatically priced and ordered through an integrated e-commerce wizard. The wizard extracts all of the necessary manufacturing data into a secure and encrypted, industry standard IPC-2581 manufacturing file. The order information and manufacturing file are electronically routed to Mass Design's inside sales department for order processing and CAM engineering. Since the service is largely Internet-based, FabStream for Mass Design can be accessed globally 24/7/365 extending Mass Design's market potential.
With this addition, Mass Design expands its already innovative integrated manufacturing strategy by adding free PCB design tools tied into the company's manufacturing flow. The result is complete front-to- back support including design software, design services, bare board fabrication, and PCB assembly. Mass Design's customers can select any combination of these services.
"For our customers to be competitive in today's economy we have to think outside the box and offer more than just traditional manufacturing services," said Paul Boduch, VP of Operations at Mass Design. "Including FabStream as a Mass Design service was an obvious addition to align our customers engineering efforts more closely with our manufacturing flow and greatly increase their product success."
Mass Design has created a pricing model specifically for the DIY Engineer that offers extremely low pricing for PCBs based on pre-set construction configurations. This allows the company to group similar PCB orders and manufacture at a much lower cost. The savings is then passed on to the end-user.
William Gately, Mass Design's Director of Sales and Marketing explains, "FabStream helps us reach a market segment that is difficult to address with traditional sales and marketing channels. To support the DIY engineer we needed to keep prototype costs low but at the same time, provide expertise to users unfamiliar with PCB manufacturing. By pre-setting PCB construction configurations, such as material, copper, thickness, and finishes, the burden of understanding the nuances of PCB manufacturing have been eliminated and the manufacturability of the design is greatly improved. This reduces our tooling costs and creates savings through economies of scale that can be passed on to the customer."
At the start of the SoloPCB layout process, users select a pre-set PCB configuration in two, four or six layer options. All of Mass Design's manufacturing rules, materials and pricing associated with the configuration are used to drive the layout and ordering process. When more advanced PCB features are need, a "Full Feature" option is offered enabling up to 16 layer PCB designs with tighter design rules. Full feature also supports advanced design technologies such as blind and buried vias and controlled impedance. Changes introduced in the layout process can be quickly verified using an integrated Design Analyzer. The analyzer provides a quick pass/fail of changes to help keep the PCB layout in synch with Mass Design's constraints so customers can design without compromise but still build with confidence.
Mass Design is the first of FabStream's inaugural partners to release the service to their customer base. The companies have worked closely together over the past 12 months to define the service and customize FabStream to Mass Design's production flow.
"We are excited that Mass Design has chosen to license FabStream as part of its integrated approach to manufacturing," stated Rick Almeida, Founder of DownStream Technologies and Managing Director of FabStream. "They're expertise in PCB manufacturing combined with our knowledge of PCB software development delivers the best of both worlds. FabStream for Mass Design offers the layperson an intuitive solution to a complex part of electronic product development."
Availability and Pricing
Beginning today, FabStream for Mass Design, Inc. is now in Beta Pilot. SoloPCB Design Software for Mass Design can be downloaded at Mass Design's corporate website: www.massdesign.com. The SoloPCB Design Software for Mass Design is free and Mass Design's PCB pricing will apply.
About Mass Design
Mass Design, Inc. 72,000 square foot facility located just north of Boston's Route 128 Technology Highway has been designing and manufacturing high-reliability printed circuit boards (PCB) that can be manufactured cost-effectively by a diverse customer base that includes Fortune 500 companies, the Department of Defense, start-ups, OEMs and contract manufacturers. The company's integrated manufacturing approach removes communication obstacles between engineering and manufacturing to eliminate common pitfalls when introducing new products to market.
©2013 Mass Design, Inc. All rights reserved. FabStreamTM and SoloPCB DesignerTM are trademarks of DownStream Technologies, LLC and all other trademarks and registered trademarks contained within this document are the property of their respective owners.
"Outlook Bright for US Manufacturing in 2013" Mass Design Says
Though 2012 was marked with uncertainty, 2013 looks promising for US manufacturers – among them companies like Mass Design that are located in technology hubs where they draw on a highly educated workforce and serve niche customers nearby.
Mass Design (www.massdesign.com) produces high-reliability circuit boards used in military, medical, aerospace and instrumentation products as well as emerging sectors such as renewable energy.
For insight into the 2013 outlook, PCB Design 007 interviewed Bill Gately, Mass Design's sales manager. See a reprint of his interview, An American PCB Manufacturer's Tale: http://massdesign.com/sites/default/files/article.pdf
While we expect some consumer electronics manufacturing to return to the US in 2013, for the most part, circuit boards for smart phones, computers and toasters are manufactured in Asia where plants hire thousands of workers to assemble millions of boards.
In contrast, Mass Design has fewer than 100 employees who can take a new product from design through prototype to fabrication and assembly – all under one roof. Its Nashua, New Hampshire location is a stone's throw from Massachusetts' Route 128 Technology Highway and Boston and Cambridge. Defense contractors and medical products manufacturers such as Raytheon, Fresenius and GE are within driving distance. Area colleges and universities deliver top engineering, manufacturing and technical talent. Likewise, the East Coast's high-tech community promotes knowledge sharing and other intangible benefits.
Regarding past election uncertainty, Gately notes, "Since Paul Boduch and Tony Bourassa founded the company in l986, we've been through seven Presidential electoral cycles. We've heard arguments over which candidate would have been better for defense or healthcare – two technology-driven sectors in which Mass Design leads. Nonetheless, politics matter far less than how well we respond to technology, business and economic shifts in the US and worldwide."
The emphasis on medical outcomes, cost and home monitoring offers potential with Mass Design participating in developing diagnostic and treatment equipment for Siemens, Baxter, GE, Tyco and others.
Regarding the military, Gately says, "In 2010, the US Cyber Command was created to coordinate our cyberspace resources and defend our information security environment. This emphasis on computer defense is unprecedented."
Additionally, "Wind energy has shifted from 'alternate' to mainstream and we're working on next-generation wind turbines," says Gately. Mass Design manufactures multi-layer PCB boards large enough to handle massive amounts of current and power.
Bill Gately, Mass Design
"We also serve customers who insist on manufacturing in the US for quicker turnaround, product confidence and environmental and safety standard assurances," says Gately adding, "More broadly, outsourcing is turning around. Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced plans to manufacture one of its Mac lines in the US during an interview with NBC's Brian Williams." For more details please visit: Huffington Post.
December's Atlantic magazine echoes Gately's optimism. In The Insourcing Boom, Charles Fishman reports that GE is adding assembly lines at its Appliance Park in Louisville, KY noting, "U.S. labor productivity has continued its long march upward [and] …. You simply can't save much money chasing wages anymore."
PCB Magazine Cites Mass Design on the Future
of Home Use Medical Electronics
Healthcare reform and escalating Medicare and Medicaid costs are driving innovation in home-based medical electronics according to the September issue of the printed circuit board industry publication, The PCB Magazine.
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are at the heart of every modern electronic device, giving their manufacturers a unique ability to spot emerging trends. Home medical devices that monitor prescription medicine adherence or perform dialysis rely particularly on flexible printed circuit boards that combine both the circuit board function and wiring into a single unit that conforms to just about any shape, explains James Mahoney, applications engineer with Mass Design (www.massdesign.com). Based in Nashua, New Hampshire, Mass Design is a leader in high-reliability flexible PCBs for the medical and aerospace industry.
While an HIV vaccination or being able to forestall dementia, would have a huge cost impact, healthcare policymakers and the electronics industry are looking to keep people out of hospitals and long-term care facilities with medical monitoring and treatment at home.
In an interview with PCB Magazine, Mahoney observes, "Medical devices for home use are crammed with communication electronics, LEDs and video cameras – packing a lot of capability into a small space. They have to be tough, easy-to-use and virtually drop-proof as well as compact and attractively designed."
In addition to flexible circuit boards making these devices possible, researchers are looking into stretchable circuitry that can make prosthetic devices more lifelike. Says Mahoney, "True stretchability is still in its infancy. Stretching a circuit board, like an elastic band, changes the characteristics of the electrical vias by making them thinner and longer. We've turned to mechanical means to add stretchability more simply. Imagine a hairpin or spring, with the ends being pulled apart. It's a mechanical approach to stretchability without actually stretching the material."
Cost is a factor too. Mahoney points out, "The manufacturing cost has to be weighed in several ways with reliability being the byword. Consider downtime. In a hospital, where there may be multiple devices performing the same function, downtime is not as critical as when home health equipment fails in the middle of the night,"
The article titled, National Healthcare Policy Drives Flex Innovation to Meet Demand for Home Medical Electronics can be found in the September issue of PCB Magazine at: www.pcb007.
In the article, Mahoney offers six predictions for home healthcare electronics that will improve patient care and foster growth in electronics industry.
1. Printed circuit boards will have recessed components to squeeze more capability into thinner devices and to facilitate heat dissipation.
2. Faster circuits will emerge – especially for healthcare devices relying on radio frequency (RF), blue tooth and Wi-Fi to communicate between patient and caregiver.
3. Stretchable electronics will come into greater play with wearable circuitry –including prosthetic devices where the circuitry forms a subcutaneous layer around an extremity, perhaps adding sensitivity to the fingertips of a prosthetic hand.
4. There will be a far more systemic approach to prescription medicine adherence –electronically linking the hospital, doctor, nurse, pharmacy and caregivers to the patient.
5. Home medical devices will be incorporated into smartphones that can take your pulse, read glucose levels and measure activity. This will increase sales among an older population, as it may be cheaper to equip patients with smartphones loaded with medical applications than specialized devices manufactured in lower volume.
6. Expect reverse technology transfer. Mass Design manufactures PCBs for home healthcare devices that help to make their professional counterparts less costly and more universally available. This improves healthcare delivery and lowers cost for everyone. MD
David R. Farmer has recently joined Mass Design Incorporated as a Sales and New Business Development Representative. He will focus on this U.S. printed circuit board manufacturer's medical, defense and aerospace markets.
Announcing the appointment, William Gately, Sales Manager, (http://www.massdesign.com) said, "David is a customer-focused professional with a service-first philosophy. He has joined our team to capitalize on the demand we see for highly sophisticated rigid, flex and rigid/flex circuit boards and will be a valuable asset to our customers."
High Res Image at: http://bit.ly/DavidFarmerMassDesign
Farmer comes to Mass Design with nearly a decade of PCB customer-relations experience as an account executive with Dynamic Details, Inc. (DDI) in Milpitas, California and as a PCB manufacturers' representative with Elec & Eltek, Inc.
While with DDI, Farmer provided customers with engineering and manufacturing services ranging from design through PCB board fabrication and assembly as well as sheet metal fabrication, back plane assembly and system integration. As a manufacturer's representative with Elec & Eltek, Inc., he sourced products globally and built ongoing relationships with NASA, 3Com Corporation, Hughes Network Systems, llc and other technology innovators.
His expertise spans high-reliability flex and rigid/flex PCBs used in computer, RF, military, aerospace medical, auto and industrial products. "As a U.S. manufacturer, Mass Design occupies an important niche in industries where no acceptable failure rate exists. David will play an important role in furthering our position as the trusted leader in these industries," noted Tony Bourassa, president.
Farmer, a native New Englander, grew up in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, earned a bachelor's degree at Salem State College and now lives in nearby Haverhill, Mass.
Contact at: 603-886-6460 Extension 214, or at (c) 603-459-9286, email: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Mass Design is widely recognized for its ability to manufacture fewer than a half-dozen to over 2,500 printed circuit boards that meet extreme high reliability standards. The company's certifications include: ISO9001: 2008 Certified, ISO13485 (medical): 2003 Certified, UL796. Registered and ITAR DDTC Certified. ITAR (military) compliant, IPC – 6012 and 6013, Class2/3.
Much of Mass Design's reputation for quality and reliability stems from having every function housed under-one-roof in Nashua, New Hampshire where all departments can communicate in-person during every step of the design, prototype and manufacturing process.
Mass Design offers full-service design-and-build solutions in rigid, rigid/flex, flex-to-install, dynamic flex and other circuit board solutions, as well as design assistance, NPI quick-turn prototyping transferable into production, value-added assembly and final testing of all circuits and assemblies.
Among its customers are original equipment manufacturers including Draper Labs, Beaver Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Palomar Medical Technologies, Siemens, Nova Biomedical, GE Healthcare, Baxter and Tyco.
The Future for "Made in America". A Q&A with Mass Design's Bill Gately.
Mass Design's Bill Gately commented recently on bringing manufacturing back to the US – his observations on this timely subject.
Bill Gately's position as sales manager of Mass Design, Inc. in Nashua, New Hampshire - one of the leading US makers of printed circuit boards - gives him a unique perspective from which to comment on the future of the PCB industry in North America - particularly in the low-volume, high-reliability sector of the industry.
Gately works with a diverse customer base made up of R&D, startup and Fortune 500 Companies producing military, medical, aerospace and industrial products, as well as PCB contract manufacturers. He has increased sales at Mass Design by attracting and retaining customers who see working with a US-based company as a big benefit - especially when it comes to orders that are as few as 5-25 boards or as many 2,500 boards.
Q: We hear about outsourcing all the time. You're an American manufacturer with partners in Asia. What's the future of the Made in the USA label when it comes to PCBs?
Gately: I'm optimistic. Coming out of the worse part of the recession, we saw a big recovery in 2010 sales for US companies. According to IPC, rigid board sales were up 18 percent and flex boards showed an increase of 16 percent that year. Compared to 2010, the increase in PCB sales has not been as dramatic. Sales for 2011 are up about 4 percent for all electronic products including PCBs, however the economy is growing at 2.5 percent. I see PCB sales outstripping general economic growth as a very positive sign.
Year-to-year and month-to-month statistics only tell part of the story though. Long-term, the potential for growth in our industry is as immense as it is incomprehensible. Take a single simple item - hotel room keys. Keys have universally been replaced by card readers, all of which require electronic circuitry. That's just one small commonplace product.
The American auto industry is coming back too. Compare your five-year-old car to the 2012 models that routinely have rear video cameras, electronic braking systems, electronic tire pressure monitoring gauges and, of course, built in GPS, satellite radio and Blue Tooth - with many new features mandated by law.
Likewise, capital investment in US infrastructure isn't all about bulldozers and concrete. It's about improved signaling, automated toll collection, video surveillance, and improved fuel efficiency for locomotives - again increasing demand for printed circuit boards.
Q: Industry-wide that's terrific. But with the bulk of PCB boards outsourced to Asia, what's left for US and Canadian manufacturers?
Gately: There isn't much future on the mass-produced, consumer-products side of the equation - toasters, video games and cell phones. That business has gone offshore and margins are too slim for North American companies to compete.
Where there once were about 4,000 PCB manufacturers in North America now there are only about 200 with a smaller number of PCB manufacturers doing really well.
The success stories though are the US companies that have developed a hybrid-manufacturing strategy by offering complete capability in the US combined with the skill needed to negotiate with and manage reliable manufacturing partners overseas - particularly China and Taiwan.
US manufacturers outperform an Asian manufacturing rep with a phone and desk, because they offer complete preproduction capability in the States and can quickly turn around prototypes. It's something customers see as a huge benefit even if their manufacturing is eventually outsourced.
Mass Design's Integrated Manufacturing Faclity in Nashua, NH
Q: No matter what, aren't US production costs going to be higher?
Gately: I was just getting to that. For small quantities, in our high-reliability niche, the marginal savings from manufacturing in a foreign
country are outweighed by quicker turnaround times and convenience. Just as important, we are always investing in new technology to increase quality and automation as well as decrease delivery times - our new Schmoll Drilling Machine, for example, serves as both a drilling machine and router. It enables us to fabricate boards with 6 mil. holes, meet much tighter tolerances with both rigid and flex PCBs and do it faster.
For longer runs, we've had times when a delivery from Asia is delayed. We'll turn around the same product in-house in the USA and ship it within 24 to 48 hours to meet a customer's deadline. We've also had times when 3,000 boards are due to come in from Asia in a month or so and we'll produce 500 right away in Nashua so the customer can start production right away.
That's the kind of assurance and comfort level the successful US manufacturers are offering. It's a customer-focused way of thinking and it pays off.
Q: What about ITAR compliant manufacturing that has to take place in the US? Do cutbacks in defense spending worry you?
Gately: No. Just look at how electronics are replacing active-duty people and military infrastructure. Compare the manpower cost of maintaining a fighter squadron in a warzone or on an aircraft carrier to drones that are piloted from the US. Less manpower simply means more technology.
The same goes for missiles, satellite tracking, weapons controllers and command-and-control systems - it's all low-to-medium volume, high-reliability work and the five-year outlook is bright.
Q: ITAR keeps that work in the US. Can't high-reliability be outsourced when it comes to avionics and medical applications?
Gately: Medical devices are produced in small to medium volumes with solid markups. It's an industry where manufacturers want their boards released to them monthly or quarterly so overseas transit times and costs become a factor. These manufacturers won't chance a production delay by going overseas.
Medical devices present a big growth area for the PCB industry in the US. Physicians are using more handheld diagnostic tools and hospitals are sending patients home earlier with electronic monitoring equipment. For some patients, dialysis can now be performed at home. We are also seeing potential as the age-at-home population increases and relies on electronic pill monitoring and other systems. All of which means smaller, lighter, more rugged and foolproof equipment.
It's good news for our industry, especially in flex where you have to cram a lot more capability into smaller spaces and the equipment has to be drop proof. We saw 18% growth in flex sales at Mass Design last year and I'm sure we're not alone.
Q: Any other indicators?
Gately: Sure. Boeing's new 787 is being produced in the US and the volumes, in terms of avionic equipment, are so low and the reliability requirements so high that it just doesn't make sense to export that kind of work.
Going green is also becoming an incentive. We're hearing from customers who feel more comfortable buying in North America, because of our high wastewater treatment and worker safety standards - something they can't count on overseas.
Q: Is there anything else a US manufacturer can do to keep an edge?
Gately: Customers want to keep as much labor out of their shops as they possibly can. Value-added products and fulfillment, such as offering box-builds to streamline the costumer's operation is a winner. For example, one of our customers does box-builds for a producer of hand-held electronic trouble-shooting devices for auto service centers and ships about 50 boxes per day.
Q: Is there a four-minute mile barrier to thin and number of layers in a board?
Gately: Smart phones have led the way to thinner boards and increasing the number of layers. Copper is ¼ ounce with thicknesses from 5 mil to 3 mil. Standard part placement is 0201. And innerlayer leaves are thinner as well.
Standards on the consumer side are simply driving expectations in the high-reliability market.
Q: You seem optimistic. In a nutshell, who will be the US PCB success stories in five years?
Gately: The companies investing in well-educated talented people, capital equipment that automates testing and increases reliability and advanced CAD-CAM software. And of course, customer service.
PCB Industry Veteran Steven St. Pierre
is Mass Design's New Quality Control Manager
Steven St. Pierre has recently joined Mass Design Incorporated as Quality Control Manager where he oversees all product and process quality standards as well as administering the company's International Standards Organization (ISO) program. This includes administering the ISO audits necessary to maintain Mass Design's certification in medical, aerospace, defense and other industrial sectors.
Announcing the appointment, Tony Bourassa, president of Mass Design, said, "Steve has a pivotal position at Mass Design where we take pride in the fact that all our product releases to shipping are signed off by our quality control department rather than manufacturing department. This, along with the in-process systems Steve manages, offers assurance to our customers who count on us for high-reliability printed circuit boards."
Mass Design is widely recognized for its ability to manufacture fewer than a half-dozen to over 2,500 printed circuit boards that meet extreme high reliability standards. The company's certifications include: ISO9001: 2008 Certified, ISO13485 (medical): 2003 Certified, UL796 Registered and ITAR DDTC Certified. ITAR (military) compliant, IPC - 6012 and 6013, Class2/3.
"As a US manufacturer we occupy an important niche in industries where there is no acceptable failure rate." Steve said, "Much of our reputation for quality and reliability stems from having every function housed together in Nashua, New Hampshire. Everyone can easily communicate between departments during every step of the design, prototype and manufacturing process. We resolve problems before they occur."
Steve, who holds an AS degree in Computer Systems from Daniel Webster College, began his career in the PCB industry in 1978. Prior to joining Mass Design, he was with Setra Sensing Solutions, Boxborough, Massachusetts, a designer and manufacturer of sophisticated monitoring and measuring equipment used in medical, environmental, energy and meteorologicalapplications. His earlier positions include quality control and ISO management representative positions with Sanmina Corp. in Nashua, New Hampshire and other PCB manufacturers.
The International Standards Organization (ISO) is the world's largest developer and publisher of international standards for manufacturers across nearly every industrial sector. Representatives are based in 162 countries while a Central Secretariat, based in Geneva, Switzerland, coordinates the ISO system.
Mass Design offers full-service design-and-build solutions in rigid, flex-to-install, dynamic flex and other circuit board solutions. Mass Design offers design assistance, NPI quick-turn, prototyping transferable into production, value-added assembly and final testing of all circuits and assemblies. Among its customers are original equipment manufacturers including Draper Labs, Beaver Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Palomar Medical Technologies, Siemens, Nova Biomedical, GE Healthcare, Baxter and Tyco.
PCB Leader Mass Design Awarded Medical Device Manufacturing
Certification ISO 13485:2003
NASHUA, N.H., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Mass Design Incorporated has been awarded ISO 13485:2003 certification by the International Standards Organization (ISO), enhancing this printed circuit board manufacturer's competitive position as a supplier to medical device manufacturers worldwide.
ISO 13485:2003 is an internationally recognized accreditation that establishes protocols to assure the safety, quality and performance of medical devices – including components such as the PCBs that are at the heart of devices ranging from pacemakers to MRI machines.
"Gaining this latest ISO Certification is an affirmation of the quality we have been delivering to the medical device industry for over a decade," said Paul Boduch, vice president and cofounder of the company. Since its founding 25 years ago, Mass Design (http://www.massdesign.com) has built its reputation for high-reliability circuit boards among customers that include Siemens, Nova Biomedical, GE Healthcare, Baxter and Tyco.
ISO 13485:2003 specifies a quality management system and record-keeping standards needed to meet customer and regulatory requirements applicable to the manufacture medical devices and components. The recent certification is in addition to the quality processes and standards Mass Design adopted under the broader and more widely recognized ISO 9001:2008 manufacturing standard.
"Our people are to be commended for developing the internal audit system, spot check mechanisms, and communication protocols needed to meet ISO 13485 standards. The new medical certification adds value to our printed circuit board products and the Mass Design brand and serves to increase customer confidence globally," added Boduch.
In addition to ISO 13485, Mass Design is further establishing its position in the medical manufacturing sector with the addition of new technology and sophisticated equipment. For example, the company just added a Schmoll Drilling Machine and an additional MyData Machine to its 75,000 engineering and production facility just north of Boston.
Moreover, Mass Design has been leading the way with flexible circuit board technology that allows medical device manufacturers to cram more functionality into smaller spaces while enhancing reliability. Flexible circuit boards integrate circuitry and wiring into a single unit that can conform to just about any shape. For example, Mass Design produces flexible circuit boards for prosthetic limb manufacturers.
"ISO 13485 will play a key role in our sales growth, which increased 18% this year in the medical electronics sector – diagnostic and monitoring equipment, surgical tools and both implantable and non-implantable medical devices," said Bill Gately, Mass Design's sales manager.
Mass Design fabricates printed circuit boards (PCBs) for original equipment manufacturers as well as manufacturing fully assembled printed circuit boards with all components installed.
The International Standards Organization (ISO) is the world's largest developer and publisher of international standards for manufacturers across nearly every industrial sector. Representatives are based in 162 countries while a Central Secretariat, based in Geneva, Switzerland, coordinates the ISO system.
In addition to ISO 9001: 2008 Certified, ISO 13485: 2003 Certified, Mass Design Certifications include UL796 Registered and DDTC Certified.
Mass Design, Inc. Selects SCHMOLL PCB Drilling System
from Bürkle North America Alliance Partner
Garden Grove, CA, June 7, 2011 -- Bürkle North America's FabFour Group, today announced that Mass Design Inc. of Nashua, New Hampshire has placed an order for an advanced high-speed drilling system from Schmoll Maschinen to fabricate increasingly intricate and miniaturized printed circuit boards (PCBs). Schmoll Maschinen is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany. The Schmoll machine is scheduled for installation in June 2011.
In making the announcement, Dave Howard, Vice President and Business Unit Manager for Bürkle North America (www.burkleusa.com) said, "The model MX-1 DH CCD is a single-station drilling and routing system equipped with high-speed linear motors in the X, Y and Z axis. In addition, this particular unit is configured with dual heads; one used for drilling and one for routing as well as a CCD camera for both surface and inner-layer registration work." Burkle is a leading supplier of technology, equipment and manufacturing solutions to the PCB industry in North America.
Noted Bill Gately, Sales Manager at Mass Design (www.massdesign.com), "The addition of a Schmoll drilling and router system is significant when it comes to delivering PCBs that are increasingly complex and miniaturized for our medical technology, defense, aerospace and other customers who require high-reliability rigid, flex and rigid-flex PCBs."
Neil Chulada, Operations Manager added, "During the past two years Mass Design has been investing heavily in advanced manufacturing technology and machinery. With a tool like the Schmoll MX-1, we can improve both speed and accuracy and, as a result, become even more competitive in the market sector we serve."
The company offers design through prototype, testing, fabrication and assembly at its 75,000 square-foot technology and manufacturing center just north of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Mass Design customers include Siemens, GE Healthcare, Nova Biomedical, Baxter, Fresenius, Tyco, Boeing, Raytheon and Bose.
Schmoll, located near Frankfurt, Germany is part of Bürkle's FabFour Machinery Alliance consisting of Bürkle Lamination and Coating Systems, Bacher Registration and Exposure Systems and LHMT Scoring and Beveling equipment.
James M. Mahoney Joins PCB Maker Mass Design as Applications Engineer for Flex and Rigid/Flex Circuit Board Operations
NASHUA, N.H., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- James M. Mahoney has recently joined Mass Design Incorporated as application engineer with the company's Flex and Rigid/Flex Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design and manufacturing operation.
Mahoney joins Mass Design from Quick Turn Flex Circuits LLC, a full-service contract manufacturer he founded in 2003 in Franklin. He was previously with Amphenol Corporation's Advanced Circuit Technology, Inc., a manufacturer of flex circuits and value-added solutions for the electronics industry based in Nashua. Earlier, Mahoney was Manager of Teledyne Electronics' Rigid-Flex Circuit Quick-Turn Business Unit in Hudson.
Announcing the appointment, Tony Bourassa, Mass Design president (http://www.massdesign.com) said, "Our flex and rigid flex business has grown substantially during the past two years. With Jim's 20-plus years of engineering and
entrepreneurial experience we will strengthen our position in this sector of the PCB industry. Jim will take us to a new level of value-added service with his substantial knowledge of design for manufacturing, engineering and process developments."
Working aerospace, medical and military sectors, Mahoney has been an innovator in the development and manufacture of flex circuits. His expertise
includes design support for manufacturability to include advising on material selection, PCB board stack-up, electrical parameters and flexibility requirements such as flex-to install, dynamic flex and cost-effective solutions.
Flex circuits conform to just about any shape and eliminate wiring and solder joints that are bulky and can fail from shock and vibration. Flex circuits also streamline inventory.
Mass Design offers full-service design-and-build solutions. Mahoney noted, "Customers include Draper Labs, Beaver Aerospace, Lockheed Martin and Palomar Medical Technologies to name a few."
"Since January 2011 flexible circuit orders have been up sharply in every category – aerospace, defense, energy, general industrial and, especially, in the medical electronics sector," said Mahoney. "Hand-held instruments used by doctors and other healthcare professionals are becoming more widespread while the devices grow smaller and more sophisticated. Patients are also being sent home with medical monitoring equipment that has to be portable, sturdy and easy to use – all of which benefits from the miniaturization, reliability and durability of flexible circuitry."
"At the prototype level, it takes a lot of communication to get a printed circuit board up and running. Our ability to get everyone talking to each other - from engineering and design through testing - enables us to solve the problems before going into production."
Tony Bourassa and Paul Boduch cofounders of Mass Design
When Tony Bourassa and Paul Boduch founded Mass Design 25 years ago, they combined their expertise. Tony brought his knowledge of PCB design, Paul brought his knowledge of PCB fabrication processes. The two partners quickly found their niche - offering customers a rare blend of services: design, fabrication and assembly - all done in a single, 75,000 square-foot technology center in Nashua, New Hampshire, just north of Boston.
Tony was recently interviewed at the IPC APEX EXPO by Joe Fjelsten. To see a video of Tony's insights into the PCB industry and Mass Design's future please visit:
Real Time Interview with Mass Design Founder Tony Bourassa
"We are really connected - from the engineer through all levels of design, fabrication and assembly under one roof in Nashua, New Hampshire. We have the ability to design and build as few as five or 25 boards and as many as 2,500 or more."
"We try to stay on the technological edge in both fabrication and assembly. We're fabricating boards with 3-mil line width and up to 24 layers. When it comes to assembly, we're employing Mydata machines with full vision and we're able to place micro BGAs (ball grid arrays) and 0201 components"
"We've been manufacturing flexible circuit boards for the military and civilian industries and medical product companies like Siemens, Nova Biomedical, GE Healthcare, Baxter, Tyco and others for over a decade. Flex is a big part of where our industry is going and we're keeping our eye on the future."
Mass Design Adds Mirtec MV-3L Automatic Optical Inspection System
Nashua, NH: Mass Design, a leading integrated manufacturer, announces the addition of the Mirtec MV-3L Automatic Optical Inspection system to their integrated manufacturing production line. The MV-3L Series represents the leading edge in Optical Inspection Systems and is designed to automatically inspect for manufacturing defects in both pre and post reflow stages utilizing a two megapixel color camera and 5 direction inspection from top down and 4 additional side angles. The system provides superior fault coverage for both SMT and through hole assemblies and will detect defects such as component presence/absence, polarity, misalignment, insufficient solder, excessive solder, solder bridging, bent leads, lifted leads, solder balls etc. Utilizing SPC software functionality, the MV-3L promotes continuous process improvement by allowing Mass Design's process engineers to track and eliminate defects on inspected assemblies while in process. Paul Boduch, Vice President of Mass Design, stated: "The addition of the MV-3L AOI System gives us true multi axis inspection capability in real time. This allows us to provide our customers with fault-free assemblies and 100% manufacturing yield in the quickest possible time frame, and further strengthens our position as the leading provider of One-Stop Integrated Manufacturing"
Mass Design Announces High Frequency/High Speed Material Processing
Nashua, NH: Mass Design, a leading PCB provider and integrated manufacturer, has announced the addition of process enhancements and manufacturing optimizations to facilitate the manufacture and assembly of high frequency PCB materials such as Rogers Corp 3000/6000 Series based ceramic filled PTFE and 4000 Series hydrocarbon ceramic products, and similar materials from Taconic and Arlon These high performance PCB materials provide optimal performance in high frequency/high signal integrity applications such as precision instrumentation, telecommunications, and wireless devices, and as such, require a higher level of manufacturing precision and process engineering experience above that of conventional laminate and substrate materials to assure consistent quality and final yield. Mass Design's experienced process engineers can assist customers in achieving their specific performance criteria with these high performance materials and enable them to optimize their final products without expensive redesigns. The combined strengths of their design experience and multi-material process capabilities sets Mass Design apart from the competition.
Mass Design Achieves DDTC Registration / ITAR Compliance
Mass Design, a leading integrated manufacturer, has met the application, review, and registration requirements of the US Dept. of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) which regulates compliance to ITAR Part 122 and governs participation by companies in the manufacture or services related to United States Defense applications. Paul Boduch, Vice President of Mass Design, explains the significance of this registration: "By obtaining this key certification, Mass Design can now provide both commercial and defense related customers with fully ITAR-compliant integrated manufacturing services that are all located under one roof at our full service facility in Nashua, NH. This assures our customers requiring ITAR of timely and cost-effective product manufacturing that is fully monitored and compliant at all levels."
Lead Free Horizontal HAL Proccess Capability
Mass Design announces the addition of the Lead Free Horizontal Hot Air Leveling (LFH HAL) to its offerings of RoHS compliant lead free surface finishes. With this upgrade, the company joins a small but select group of manufactures with the ability to offer a low cost environmentally friendly, and highly reliable finish alternative to conventional and more costly immersion gold techniques. Mass Designs Horizontal HAL finish is compatible with all other solder types, lead free and leaded alike, and ensures solderability at the bare board stage. This translates to higher yields at assembly by creating a fast wetting joint that is free of contaminants such as silver or gold and offers extended shelf life. Horizontal HAL has long been proven to have superior performance over conventional vertical HAL processes. In addition, the reduced solder dwell times associated with the Horizontal HAL process produces less thermal shock compared to vertical process.


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I was having a good ol' chat with one of my friends about social media. Back in the day when we both went to school, social media wasn't even a twinkle in someone's eye. Gathering data was hard work — you had to physically go to the library to look-up information (gasp, shock, horror). If you wanted to wish someone a happy birthday you had to either pick up the phone or send them a card via snail mail. Now we have a whole new brave world where information is only a few clicks away. You can wish someone a happy birthday while waiting at the airport simply by writing on their FB wall via the app you downloaded for your phone. And you can read any and all papers in the IEEE library from the comfort of your home without even changing out of your pajamas. Social media outlets offer us a seemingly unending source of information to tap into. I don't even think twice about using social media to gather and share information and apparently I'm not alone. Did you know that if Facebook were a country, it would be the world's third largest?
What do you think of social media? Is it all hype or do you actually use it to make the quality of your life and work better? For me the answer is clear but I'm curious to know what you think. If you fancy taking part in a survey which we are sponsoring on the role of social media in the world of engineering, then please follow this link. It is absolutely anonymous and it takes less than 5 minutes to complete. And let me know if you'd like me to share the results of the survey with you by sending me an email.
Until next time,

subset: commoncrawl


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The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks
A new scholarly biography examines the life Rosa Parks – the icon America embraced yet never really knew.
Already designated "definitive political biography" on its back cover, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks by Brooklyn College political science professor Jeanne Theoharis will reside in my personal reading history as the most difficult book I've ever reviewed. Never before – and hopefully never again – have I faced such a vast divide between significant content and frustrating execution. As the most exhaustively researched biography thus far on Rosa Parks, Theoharis' new title is inarguably an essential addition to any library or classroom, and yet readers will need serious patience to sift through tedious repetition, fragmented chronology, and countless "might have/could have" assumptions to reach the final page.
Fable, myth, caricature are not words historically linked to Rosa Parks, who is publicly remembered as the quiet, tired seamstress whose refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus sparked the US civil rights movement. When she died at 92 in 2005, Parks became the first woman and second African American to have her body lie in state in the US Capitol Rotunda; 40,000 – including President and Mrs. George W. Bush – bore witness, with additional mourners paying tribute at overflowing memorials held in Montgomery, and Detroit, where Parks spent more than half of her life.
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Ukraine unrest: Abducted OSCE observers freed
Seven international military observers taken captive in eastern Ukraine a week ago have been released.
Five Ukrainian officers captured with the observers, who are linked to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, were also freed.
Pro-Russian separatists in the town of Sloviansk say they released the OSCE observers "without conditions".
Kiev has resumed military action against the separatists, with fighting reported in some areas.
In Kramatorsk, south of rebel-held Sloviansk, Ukrainian forces have recaptured the headquarters of the SBU security service from pro-Russian separatists, according to the interior ministry.
It said the building was now held by the national guard.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov earlier said the "active phase" of the military operation against pro-Russian rebels continued at dawn, with Ukrainian forces taking a television tower in Kramatorsk.
"We are not stopping," Mr Avakov wrote on his Facebook page.
BBC correspondent Sarah Rainsford says she spoke to residents of the area on Friday night and was told some in Kramatorsk had gone out to try to stop armoured personnel carriers from entering.
The defence ministry also reported "serious fighting" on Friday night in Andreevka, some 6km (4 miles) west of Sloviansk, with two Ukrainian soldiers killed.
Ten separatists were killed in Andreevka, a spokeswoman for the pro-Russian force in Sloviansk said.
A second day of military operations is under way to try to reassert central control here in eastern Ukraine and in particular in the city of Sloviansk, which has become the stronghold of pro-Russian groups.
Ukraine's interior minister has been saying "we will not stop" - suggesting that, unlike in the past when Ukrainian troops have moved in and then withdrawn, these operations will continue.
The interior ministry is also very angry that Moscow has been talking of Kiev carrying out "punitive actions" in the east and that it has been firing on civilians. The government in Ukraine is anxious that it does not give any pretext for Russia to send in its troops. That pretext would be that civilians - Russian-speaking citizens - were in danger and needed protection.
Pro-Russian groups have spoken again of needing peacekeeping troops. That would include Russians coming in to protect civilians - obviously something Kiev wants to avoid.
The military operations come a day after running battles between pro-Kiev groups and separatists in Odessa, which culminated in a deadly fire at the Trade Unions House.
At least 42 people were killed, most of them in the blaze.
'Guests'Both the OSCE and Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, a leader of the insurgency in the east, confirmed the release of the international monitors on Saturday.
"As I promised them, we celebrated my birthday yesterday and they left. As I said, they were my guests," Mr Ponomaryov said.
Russia had sent an envoy to negotiate the releases. Vladimir Lukin said he hoped the "voluntary act" by the separatists would be reciprocated by Kiev, adding: "I would very much like military actions to end."
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman in Moscow, Dmitry Peskov, said Moscow had no sway over the separatists: "From now on Russia essentially has lost its influence over these people because it will be impossible to convince them to lay down arms when there's a direct threat to their lives."
- City founded in 1794 by Empress Catherine the Great
- Population: 1m
- Ukraine's third largest city
- Hosts Ukrainian naval base
- Population: Ukrainian 62% ethnic Russian 29%
One of the observers, German Col Axel Schneider, said the team had been treated "as good as possible" in what was a "miserable situation".
Western leaders had condemned the abductions.
The observers - four Germans, a Dane, a Pole and a Czech - are not part of the main OSCE monitoring mission, which was agreed after long negotiations by Russia, Ukraine and the US.
Meanwhile, in southern Ukraine, flowers were placed outside the burned out trades union building in Odessa where at least 36 people had lost their lives the day before.
Reports suggest pro-Russian separatists had barricaded themselves inside the building and both sides were throwing petrol bombs.
The deaths sparked another war of words involving the West, Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine's secret service said groups from Russia and Moldova's breakaway region of Trans-Dniester were fomenting the unrest.
But Mr Peskov said: "Kiev and its Western sponsors are practically provoking the bloodshed and bear direct responsibility for it."
Local police chief Petro Lutsiuk told Reuters news agency that more than 130 people had been arrested following the violence in Odessa.W


text: TOP 10 Top 10 Better Man Top 10 Morning Rituals Back to Top ▲ Top 10 Morning Rituals 5 Add on deodorant and cologne Share on Facebook Share on Twitter 0 Shares Thinkstock After you're done washing off for the morning, keep yourself smelling fresh. Your scent is a personal choice, but there's a few things to keep in mind here. Wearing something that makes you smell good is the goal, but don't put on too much scent (if you somehow haven't heard by now, too much cologne can be even worse than smelling "au naturel"). Next Page TOP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Comments Show Comments More Like This Promoted Around the Web Special Features


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Private Alternative Loans
Private educational loans, often referred to as alternative loans, are an additional funding option to consider for students and families who are trying to meet the costs of college. Before considering a private loan, we recommend that students review their eligibility for Federal student loans, as these loans generally have better terms compared to private loans. Factors to consider when borrowing a private loan and a comparison chart can be viewed at Loan Options.
General Information for Private Educational Loans
- Typically have higher interest that accrues while the student is enrolled
- Require good credit history for student (or co-borrower) in order to be approved for the loan
- Most lenders require that you be enrolled at least half time in a degree-seeking program
- Must complete a Self-Certification Form to provide financial aid information to your lender. This can be accessed on the Accept Award Offer and Cost of Attendance Tabs of the student's myPurdue account.
- Due to requirements of the private lenders, we recommend that you apply at least three weeks prior to the date you need the funds and comply quickly to information requests from your lender.
Private Educational Loan Programs
The following is a list of private lenders that Purdue students have used over the past three years. Purdue University does not endorse a particular lender. Students can choose any lender that best fits their needs, including ones not listed below. Students can use our loan comparison tool to compare our top volume lenders.
Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union
Affinity Plus Private Education Loan
Alaska Supplemental Loan
Alliant Credit Union
Amer Heritage Federal Credit Union Private Ed
AmeriCu Credit Union
Apple Federal Credit Union
Bank of North Dakota
Baxter Credit Union
Boeing Employees Credit Union
Charter One Tru Fit / Citizens Bank TruFit Student Loan
Citizens Bank TruFit Student Loan
Citizens Equity First Credit Union
Clearview Federal Credit Union
Complete Ed Student Loan
Lake Trust Credit Union
CU Student Loans^
Custom Choice Loan funded by SunTrust
Digital Federal Credit Union
Discover Student Loans*
Eli Lilly Federal Credit Union
Erie Community Credit Union
Evansville Federal Credit Union
Fifth Third Bank
First Capital Federal Credit Union
Genisys Credit Union
Hawaii Federal Credit Union
Interra Credit Union
Kemba Financial Credit Union
Credit Union Student Choice
Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority
Members First Federal Credit Union
Mid Atlantic Federal Credit Union
Mississippi Valley Credit Union
Motorola Employee Federal Credit Union
NASA Federal Credit Union
New Jersey Class
Nothwest Federal Credit Union
Notre Dame Credit Union
Pentagon Federal Credit Union
Purdue Federal Credit Union
Quorum Federal Credit Union
Regions Bank
Rhode Islan Student Loan Authority
San Antonio Federal Credit Union
Sallie Mae*+
Seaport Credit Union
SoFi Alumni Based Student Loans^
Star 1 Credit Union
Sun Trust^
Three Rivers
Union Federal
University of Iowa Community Credit Union
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation Education Loan Finance Program
Wells Fargo*+^
Wright Patt Credit Union
Visions Federal Credit Union
* = top-volume lenders
+ = lenders who certify loans at less than half-time enrollment
^ = lenders who will do private loan consolidations


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36' gas Cooktop Recommendations??? *QUICK!*
We are doing a small kitchen update, new countertops, sink, faucet, backsplash etc. No changes in layout or cabinets. We needed a new dishwasher, ordering a Miele. (wanted one for years) We also decided to upgrade to a double wall oven (splurge..wanted for years too) We were able to get a store display that was never installed at a great price. Our fridge is just 3 yrs old and besides a couple of small dings from bumping the wall ovens, it looks like new. That leaves us with a relatively cheap 6-7 year old gas cooktop, GE Profile. It works ok. Nothing special, but no real issues with it, other than I don't like the way it ignites. Also, the former owners added some weird gummy adhesive around the edge where the counter meets the cooktop. It's extremely unsightly, but thought we could get it off with Goof Off when it's disconnected during countertop installation. If so, We thought we'd just keep it but people started telling us that once the new countertop and backsplash are in, and the other new appliances get installed, that the cooktop will really stand out as "old" ...also since it's several years old, it may crap out in another couple of years. So, before we get the hole cut in the granite we should really consider replacing it. But with what? We'd want something better than what we have but not break the bank. We hoped to find another display model "deal" . Salesman at the same appliance store said they have 3 displays for sale. The discounts are relatively small to the one we got on the oven though. Saving maybe 200 bucks... They are in stock and can be here quickly (demo of counters start Monday) Here is what they have, and of course there are others available at "regular pricing".... What do you think of these, or can you make other suggestions. We will likely go out and look this weekend, but then need to decide. HELP!
DCS CDU365N-U reg 1199.00 SALE: 950
Dacor RGC365SNG-U reg 1950.00 SALE: 1699
Viking VGSU1646BSS-U reg 2299.00 SALE: 1900 (Maybe 1700, see below)
I saw on another site that Viking had a rebate of 200.00 on cooktops. I asked him if we would get this too, he says yes. I didn't see an actual form for the rebate though, so it might be instant, in which case I will have to see if they fulfill. If so, makes the Viking 1700.00
Thanks! Are Bluestar open burners? I've read some of the debate, but for our needs, I would prefer the ease of cleaning with sealed burners. Also, it scares me when I don't see pricing listed. The Bluestars I've seen online, along with Wolf did not disclose the price.
Thanks Food.... ! I will ask about it when we are there tomorrow. Maybe they will have them in stock... ?? I was afraid to even ask about those or Wolf I didn't see a price on either when I looked. I have to have one soon, can't wait for an order but we;ll see what they say....doesnt hurt to look and add it to the list of considerations.
MSRP on the 36" Wolf rangetop is $3750, the cooktop is $2070.
Thanks Sophie, you're right, it's a great site. I actually used it to send Hubby links to different cooktops I thought we should look at while we were out. It is easy to filter and navigate and has lots of info on it.
So we went to look this AM.... Again,, the cooktop replacement was a last minute decision so I didn't have the luxury of endless looking, researching, etc and needed something in stock. Out granite will be installed this week and I need the cooktop onsite for that. I eliminated the DCS display special, we just didn't care for this model's styling. We saw 2 Dacor's. I didn't care for the look of one, the other wasn't igniting on all burners, which made me think service issues and decided against it. I liked what he had to say about it though and would have considered it more seriously if it was operating like it was supposed to.
I looked at the Bluestar, loved the look, but my hubby didn't want to deal with cleaning it. The salesman was neutral but did say that a lot of people say they wouldn't mind the clean up, but after the 10th spill, they change their tune. I figured for us, Hubby was probably right and moved on.
We looked at Bosch, Fulgor(?) Jenn-Air, Gagg, Thermador, Monogram and most had things we liked and disliked and in the end ruled them out.
Our final choices were the 6 burner Viking Pro and the Wolf. I was seriously having a really hard time deciding. I was literally one minute sure I wanted the Viking, then the next it was the Wolf...I went back and forth for quite awhile then I let Hubby make the ultimate decision. He picked the Viking.
He preferred the overall Pro look better. He liked the knobs on the Viking. He liked that the BTU was a little higher on the Viking. He thought the 6th burner was a plus, (I thought the larger space between the burners on the Wolf was better suited for our needs though) I also thought the Wolf might be better suited with the ovens we're getting. The Wolf was also a display model that had a discount attached. While I loved the Viking and am certainly not complaining (grateful to be able to get a new one, period) I still wasn't sure we made the right choice. I'm sure all the doubts will disappear when it's here and installed though. Plus, I know if I discover I made the wrong decision, I can call him next week and change it, no problem. We saved 500 bucks on it because it was a non installed display.
Of your original choices, I would have said DCS for those dual-stack burners. Of your last two, Wolf or Viking, Wolf would easily be my choice. Had planned one until I decided a rangetop suited my needs better. The looks of a cooktop only get you so far. The burner performance is what will determine your long-term happiness.
Without research or experience, going just on specs I'd probably choose the Wolf over the Viking. One less burner but as you noted, more space for each. Four burners that simmer lower than Viking's one lowest. Maybe it's a non-issue, but I'd definitely recommend seeing if you can find reviews that mention simmer. On the plus side for Viking is the slightly higher power burner and that it's got two more 12K burners available. Tough choice.
I also like the Wolf name better, but that's at least partly due to prejudices ingrained from reading this site for years.
I have to tell you I tossed and turned over this last night. I hadn't done much research on the Wolf before going in (thought it was a non-contender due to budget) but I looked over the Viking information and thought I had a good idea what they offered. On this forum it seems people either love the brand, or hate it. For every good review, you read a bad. Although I haven't found a lot of scathing reports on Viking's cooktops (maybe I just haven't dug deep enough) like foodonastump said, you at least partially prejudice the brand after being on these forums for years. Other Appliance websites had several 4* reviews on the Viking.
The salesman, who wasn't pushing anything in particular and who seems to have been straight up with me on his opinions, said structurally the Wolf, the Viking, and the DCS win out. For reliability and brand reputation for cooktops, He said Wolf and Viking were both "up there" and either one he thought we'd be happy with. He's been selling appliances for close to 30 years and had most (if not all) the information in his head regarding features,benefits, reputations etc.... He was big on reminding us how "MOST PEOPLE" use the appliances so we didn't get hung up on a feature that, for us, really didn't matter in the end. I am fully confident that if I told him I was a gourmet cook (or striving to be one) he could have/would have pointed me to appliances that served that purpose better.
I know looks only get you so far, but it is a driving force when you feel the tug of indecision. With the assumption that either cooktop would do the job, it became about 5 burners or 6, use of space, styling, knobs, BTU's, price, reliability, and how we felt when we looked at the thing.... I've heard the Gagg name spoken very highly of on this forum and when he lead us over to their cooktop, I was excited....then quickly disappointed... I HATED the look. It could have been the best cooktop in the world but It just wasn't for me. All the Stainless and brass clashed in my eyes.... I didn't think it would look right in my kitchen. So, I think you have to like the look, although I agree it shouldn't be the first or only thing you consider.
I think my husband, having never read anything negative or positive on either brand. made assumptions that we were comparing apples to apples. He saw a bigger, beefier (manly) pro look cooktop with an extra burner and picked the Viking. I accepted his decision until we were walking out the door, and I got a glimpse of our Icon Designer Wall Ovens. I thought immediately that the Wolf's styling would go better with them than the Viking Pro look. There began my fretting.... That lead to more reading, and re-reading the hate some have for Viking and fear that this will be us. After all these years of waiting, and all the time and money spent (we don't have lots of extra money, these are big splurges for us) I just didn't want a disappointment.
Last night I told him I was concerned about the choice. He told me he is ok if I decide to switch to the Wolf. I totally agree that the Wolf name is more appealing based on what I have read on this forum, but not based on personal experience with either brand.
I LOVE the look of the Viking, it's beautiful, I loved the knob position, plus they were smooth and the burners fired up quickly and reliably. grates were heavy and seemed to stay put. The higher 16k BTU sounds good, but not sure it really matters over Wolf's 15K.... I did not get to play with the Wolf, it was taken off display due to some remodeling. It was there, on a shelf to look at only.
Although I didn't go ga-ga over the look of the Wolf, I thought it was pretty with a nice mix of Pro & Designer looks that blended better with the Icons. I thought the simmer feature was a good to have. I wouldn't miss the 6th burner and would appreciate the added space the Wolf would give us. The brand reputation is a huge driving force for me. Wolf just has a better one. I think if any appliance has the potential of being a disappointment in terms of reliability and customer support, it would be the Viking...based on what I have read here. I just feel, all other things equal, the Wolf has less change of being a disappointment.
I've come to the conclusion that for me to make a real decision I can live with I need to see the Wolf in operation. I am going to a store that has a live display. Maybe they will also have a live Viking too so we can do some real comparison. Hopefully this will allow me to make a decision I can accept and stop fretting over. Either brand can have a lemon.
Wolf it is. After comparing and seeing the Wolf in action we've totally switched gears. We felt so much self inflicted pressure yesterday that we didnt take enough time to truly compare our 2 final choices. It helped immensely seeing the Wolfs high and low flame While the Vikings Pro look is impressive and hubby was drawn in by 16k btu and the extra burner, we realized the Wolf is the better choice for us. Now to just tell the salesman....


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This is a wonderful sunblock!! It is nice and light yet hydrating. Can even be used as a moisturizer/sunblock combo. Doesn't feel to greasy, and it works well under makeup.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No
I have been using this product for a few years. No breakouts or sensitvity from this product to speak of. Great texture light non-greasy but my skin does not feel dry. I am 40 with normal to dry sensitve skin. This mixes well with my make-up. Great find! I don't have much luck in finding products that work for me.
Nice texture, no white cast or greasiness, no breakouts (most important for me). I will try the 30 next time as I need more sun protection.
Love this sunscreen. I only need a TINY bit of this, rubbed between palms and apply all over face and neck, no white cast. My combo skin doesn't need a moisturizer when I use this.
I liked this stuff. A lot of sunscreens either give me zits or heat rash. I had no side effects with this one and my makeup went on over it really well.
Just like every other sunscreens that i've tried, not only did it dried out my skin, but it stings upon application. after a week of usage, my skin feels very rough with tiny blisters breakout on my socket area. happened a few times, must be allergic to something in the sunscreen. Will not purchase again, but i guess this is the most non-greasy sunscreen i've ever used though.
Our family physician keeps Skinceutical products in her office. I bought the SPF 30 moisturizing lotion but won't buy it again. It's too hard to spread, leaves my face shiny and tacky, and can't be used in the summer b/c of the greasiness factor. I'll stick to Neutragena Dry Block and Oil of Olay.
This sunscreen was recommended by my dermatologist 6 months ago to protect my sensitive skin while I'm using Differin. I'll use this sunscreen forever - no breakouts, no white cast, no greasiness - for me it's perfect! The price I think is a bit high, but it's worth it to have something I can rely on.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No
I've had really good luck with this product -- doesn't make me break out, doesn't make my face look shiny.
The best physical sunscreen I've ever used on my face and body. At first, it burns, but then when I get used to it, it's perfect for my slightly dry skin. It doesn't enlarge my pore, abit heavy for summer use, but perfect for winter. Normally I would just put on lotion then this without any facial cream etc. It's moisturing enough, and no white cast at all. I don't get much tanned in the summer and this truly did a great job! I am gonna try spf 30, hope it's not something thicker! (but I think higher spf means thicker and creamier)


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Dear Friend, You may not know me but I'm sure you are familiar with the work of the Alzheimer's Association, Central Illinois Chapter. I'm writing to you, a fellow Illinois resident, because I want you to know my story and how a gift fromyou will bring new hope to your neighbors and friends who may be suffering from or caring for someone with Alzheimer's. In 2006, I was working as a library director when I noticed my husband, Denny, was becoming forgetful. He began referring to the grandchildren with cute tags like, "here's Blondie" or "Oh, the baseball player is here." I did not realize he did not know their names. Denny was retired and began calling me several times a day asking the same questions and telling me he had, "just gotten up." In 2008, I made the decision to retire early because I knew something was terribly wrong. We visited a neurologist who put Denny on medication for Alzheimer's disease.
In 2011, the day after my mother died, I was making funeral arrangements with my dad when my niece noticed that our car was gone. Denny was missing and by the time the police found him he had driven 30 miles on unfamiliar country roads. I knew that it was time for him to give up driving, but he did not do so willingly. Each step of his disease has been hard for us. He had to give up his keys, stop carrying cash, and accept that he needed help with daily activities. He forgot how to use the computer and his cell phone and had trouble changing the TV channels. It was heartbreaking when he insisted that our home was not his home and that I was not his wife. Little things became difficult for him to accomplish. He fought against all the help yet he needed it. He needed me 24 hours a day. Exhausted and frightened by the changes occurring I finally contacted the Alzheimer's Association. How I wish I had done so earlier! I found out that there are in-home care respite services that would help me care for him, and I received information on the disease and on other community support services. I read and reread the books on Alzheimer's from their library and I began attending a support group at the Chapter office. Denny is now in a care facility and I feel so strongly about the Central Illinois Chapter's work that I now volunteer once a week at the office answering phones, helping with mailings, and staffing health fairs. Thank goodness for the Alzheimer's Association and their programs. Do not be like me. If you need the Alzheimer's Association CONTACT THEM TODAY. They CAN and WILL help you and your family. You are not alone—this year the Chapter received over 1,700 calls from people contacting them for the very first time! I urge you to make a donation to the Central Illinois Chapter today to help people like me. Sincerely, Becky Houghton, Peoria Area Donate securely on our PayPal page. Make a general donation, or a memorial or tribute to honor a friend or family member. Using our online form is fast, easy and secure. Your gift will make a difference in the lives of people living with Alzheimer's disease and support research to improve treatment, care and prevention. Donations are tax-deductible. To donate: send a check or money order to the addess below made out to: Alzheimer's Association, Central Illinois Chapter. Or call your local office to donate by phone.
You can also donate online! How your donation helps people |


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Explorations: Exhibition. EXPLORATIONS: Teaching, Design, Research COMMISSIONER Urs Staub, Head of Section Art and Design Federal Office of Culture, Berne CURATOR Reto Geiser STUDIOS Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Atelier de la conception de l'espace (ALICE) Professor Dieter Dietz Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Laboratoire de la production d'architecture (lapa) Professor Harry Gugger.
Pallet House. [Image: The Palettenpavillon by Matthias Loebermann, photographed/copyright by Mila Hacke, Berlin].
The Palettenpavillon by Matthias Loebermann is a structure made entirely from shipping pallets, ground anchors, and tie rods. Designed to be easily assembled and dismantled, and then entirely recycled at a later date, the resulting building is intended as a temporary meeting place. Gramazio & Kohler, Architektur und Digitale Fabrikation. On the Bri(n)ck at Graduate School of Design, Harvard University. Professor Ingeborg M.
Rocker of Rocker-Lange Architects and students at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA, have used a robot to build an undulating double-wall structure. The robot arm was programmed to place 4,100 wooden bricks to create complex double-curvature walls. The project, called On the Bri(n)ck, was a collaboration between the school's computer-aided design and computer-aided construction departments. The wall is on show at the school until 30 June. 0707.0093v1. Adventures in Stacking. New Scientist published an awesome little article this week about nothing more complex than stacking blocks of wood(subscriber-only)...
But, oh, how complex that task can be. It's the combinatorial architecture of the well-balanced stack. [Image: The diagrammatic mathematics of a structural experiment by Mike Paterson and Uri Zwick, as reported in New Scientist]. Computer scientists Mike Paterson and Uri Zwick have calculated new shapes and arrangements for the so-called "overhang problem," by which one attempts to stack blocks outward from the edge of a table so that the blocks "overhang" as far as possible (before the stack collapses, or before you and your friends go out for more beer).
Strategically speaking, it turns out to be a matter of well-placed gaps, pressures, and weights. Refuge, Five Cities on Cool Hunting. 0710.2357v1. Roads to Nowhere: Abandoned, Ruined and Unfinished Bridges. The function of form. Architectural Design in Steel.


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Aaron Harber family letters, 1862-1865
Click here to view the item (new window) | |
Type: | Text | Correspondence |
Creator: | Harber, Aaron |
Title: | Aaron Harber family letters, 1862-1865 |
Date: | 1862-1863 |
Description: | The collection consists of letters from Aaron Harber from Cleveland, Ohio; Lexington, Kentucky; Murfreesboro, Tennessee; and Trenton, Georgia. In his letters he describes being sent to Camp Dennison, Ohio and being put in the Invalid Corps after an arm injury. He writes about being sent to Carver [Barracks] Hospital and Rush [& Reynolds] Barracks in Washington, D.C. for guard duty. Most of his letters describe camp life, fellow soldiers, health, and attempts to get furloughs. Two of the letters (May 11,1864 and April 12, 1865) mention Abraham Lincoln. There are also several letters from friends to Mina and from Mina to her husband. Her letters describe the struggles to do housework and raise the children (Nicholas A. and James B.) alone. Aaron Harber was a Private in Company A, 105th Ohio Infantry during the Civil War. He wrote letters to his wife Nancy Almina "Mina" Harber in Brierhill, Ohio. America's Turning Point: Documenting the Civil War Experience in Georgia received support from a Digitizing Historical Records grant awarded to the Atlanta History Center, Georgia Historical Society, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and the Digital Library of Georgia by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. |
Subjects: | Harber, Aaron | Harber, Nancy Almina | Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 | Carver General Hospital (Washington, D.C.) | Rush Barracks (Washington, D.C.) | United States. Army. Invalid Corps | United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 105th (1862-1865). Company A | United States. Army | Army spouses--Ohio--Youngstown--Correspondence | Military spouses--Ohio--Youngstown--Correspondence | Camp Dennison (Ohio)--History--19th century | United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865 |
Contributors: | Hargrett Library |
Online Publisher: | [Athens, Ga.] : Digital Library of Georgia in association with the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, 2012 |
Original Material: | Aaron Harber family letters, MS 3431. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries. |
Rights and Usage: | Cite as: Aaron Harber family letters, MS 3431. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries., as presented in the Digital Library of Georgia. |
Persistent Link to Item: | http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/harg/turningpoint/id:harg3431-001-001 |
Related Institutions: | Digital Library of Georgia Georgia Historical Society Atlanta History Center Hargrett Library |
Collection Information: | America's Turning Point: Documenting the Civil War Experience in Georgia |


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Hank's Oyster Bar, Dupont Circle
1624 Q Street N.W.
Washington , D.C.
Tel: 202 462 4265
Washington , D.C.
Tel: 202 462 4265
Concierge.com's insider take:
Jamie Leeds made a name for herself at 15 ria (1515 Rhode Island Ave. N.W.; 202-742-0015; www.15ria.com), but she longed for her own place in her own neighborhood. In May 2005, she opened this seafood joint on Dupont Circle near her house and named it for her father, an avid fisherman. It's not perfect—the tables are close together, the noise level can get thunderous, and the kitchen is so small, there's no dessert, just a few chunks of chocolate with the check. Still, Hank's is a reliable, casual place to stop in for oysters and clams on the half shell, lobster rolls, popcorn shrimp and calamari, and crab cakes cooked on a griddle. Of course, that might just be your idea of perfect.
Dinner daily; lunch on weekends only.


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Carlos Condit won a close decision at UFC 143 on Feb. 4 in Las Vegas.
Carlos Condit, left, won on all three scorecards at UFC 143 in Las Vegas to beat Nick Diaz.
Carlos Condit, left, kept Nick Diaz at bay for much of their fight Saturday at UFC 143 in Las Vegas.
Diaz, left of referee Steve Mazzagatti, reacted with disbelief as the official result of a unanimous decision in favor of Condit was announced.
According to FightMetric, Diaz landed a greater number of significant strikes than Condit only in the second round of their five-round fight.
In UFC 143''s main event, Compustrike counted 104 kicks or knee strikes for Carlos Condit, left, compared to 19 for fellow welterweight Nick Diaz.
Although Werdum earned the nod from all three judges, he praised Nelson''s toughness after the bout.
Nelson''s nose bled badly enough for referee Josh Rosenthal, left, to halt the fight momentarily so the cut could be inspected by a cageside doctor.
Fabricio Werdum, right, battered heavyweight Roy Nelson with knee strikes in their co-main event bout.
Former baseball player and ex-manager Pete Rose attended UFC 143 in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Erstwhile contender Josh Koscheck, right, edged past welterweight underdog Mike Pierce.
Renan Barao, right, piled up points by counterpunching bantamweight ex-contender Scott Jorgensen for most of their three-round affair at UFC 143 in Las Vegas.
Middleweight veteran Ed Herman secured a rear-naked choke on Max Holloway, in front, in the second round.
Edwin Figueroa writhed in pain on the ground in the first and second rounds after absorbing strikes to the groin from featherweight opponent Alex Caceres, not pictured. Two points were deducted from Caceres after the second low blow, eventually leading to a split decision win for Figeuroa.
Matt Brown, left, dropped Chris Cope with a right hook-left hook combination and finished him off 79 seconds after their welterweight fight began.
Matthew Riddle, right, won a split decision against Henry Martinez. FightMetric saw Riddle landing more strikes than Martinez in rounds two and three.
Roy Nelson weighed in at 246 pounds for his Feb. 4 bout at UFC 143 in Las Vegas. It''s the lightest Nelson has ever been for a UFC fight.
Carlos Condit had a seven-month hiatus before his Feb. 4 bout at UFC 143 in Las Vegas.
Nick Diaz took an 11-fight winning streak to UFC 143 in Las Vegas.
Fabricio Werdum returned to the Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 143 in Las Vegas after an absence of more than three years.
Nick Diaz, left, and Carlos Condit are two of the top-rated welterweights in mixed martial arts.


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If you click here you can see my two previous entries for this challenge.
Cupcake heaven - I made vanilla scented cupcakes, topped with chocolate fudge icing, on to which I placed the mini-eggs. Curls of white Belgium chocolate and Green & Blacks Organic Dark Chocolate, were then scattered over the cupcakes.
To make 12 vanilla cupcakes you will need: 150g softened unsalted butter, 150g caster sugar, 175g self-raising flour, 3 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
1. Line a 12 hole muffin tray with paper cake cases. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat for 2 minutes. Divide the mixture among the cases.
2. Bake in a preheated oven, 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 for 18-20 minutes until they are risen and just firm to the touch. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool.
Chocolate Fudge Icing
You will need: 25g unsalted butter, 15g cocoa powder, 175g icing sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk.
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the cocoa powder and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the icing sugar and milk, mixing until smooth.
2. Return to the heat for 1 minute, stirring until it has a glossy pouring consistency. Quickly spread the icing over the cakes whilst it is still warm.
Note: Very quickly, the fudge icing cannot be spread, as it cools down. I popped the mixture into a basin and warmed it through in the microwave until it became a pouring consistency again, you may need to thin it down a little with some more milk.
Spread the chocolate fudge icing on top of the cupcakes, and top with mini eggs. Decorate with the chocolate curls.


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Degrassi: Chasing Pavements, pt. 2 - Let's Discuss.
Posted on 04/08/2011 by MaryTHERE ARE SPOILERS YONDER, 'NEATH FIONA'S FACE, but fear not, for you can watch all of Degrassi: In Too Deep - Chasing Pavements, pt. 2 online in HD right now by clicking on those words there. When yr done, let's talk:
Fiona on Degrassi: In Too Deep, Chasing Pavements pt. 21) Alli: "I don't know, how do you trick kids into studying?" Simpson: "You don't trick them! You just hope they're going to do it on their own accord. You always hope...." Haha poor Mr. Simpson. What are your true motivations for doing well in school? Your own personal growth? Not getting in trouble? Getting free tokens at Chuck E Cheese?
2) I know a lot of us were pulling for Fadam because, like @rediwings32 tweeted to us @teennick:
"I so want Adam to get the girl. He deserves it and Fiona deserves someone who will make her happy and treat her right."
I was totally with you on that, rediwings32. But now that we know what Fiona really wants is to be with a girl... I think things have turned out for the best. Adam wants someone who will like him not for "being stuck in a girl's body", but for being the funny, sensitive, loyal, and understanding guy that he is. He's really only begun the process of transitioning from F to M... and I have a lot of hope that someday, he'll find a girl who loves him for who he really is -- a guy. What do you guys think of how things turned out this week?Also, because I know there's some confusion out there (I saw some in the comments last week): Adam doesn't want a lesbian girlfriend (like Fiona), because Adam isn't a lesbian -- he's a guy. A straight guy. If he were gay, he'd be into other guys (as some transgender guys are). He was born in a girl's body, but that body feels, at the core of his being, completely wrong for him. So Adam is now living and will continue to live as a guy, and he wants to date a girl who's into guys, because that's what his gender identity is. He's a he.
3) Alli and Bianca giving each other a pound rather than a pounding... did you ever think you'd see the day?
4) OWEN! God! When Anya was lamenting to Chantay that maybe she was carrying a grudge about the way Owen treated Riley and Zane, all I could think was, "Uh... that's a valid grudge." I mean, he's never apologized for it and it offends Anya (and me) (not to mention offending and injuring Zane) (AND not to mention what he did to Adam) so... seems like a valid thing to hold against someone IMO!
So I guess I wasn't that surprised to see that Owen did not indeed "get it" that touching girls in a super-familiar way without their permission is gross, wrong, and gross. And wrong. Here's something I saw in the comments of last week's Degrassi Breakdown, from KayKay[:
"I had a similar yet more intense situation as Anya in 8th grade; I was too ashamed to tell my parents, much less any teacher. I got over it, but to this day, it's still something that haunts me. Girls who get sexually harassed shouldn't tolerate it, they should be straight up with the guy, and if he doesn't stop, then the girl should definitely tell a parent or teacher.We can't let creeps like them get away with it."5) "OK, why are there only two options for girls: either she likes you, or she's a bitch." - Anya MacPherson. YEAH ANYA! TELL HIM! How can someone -- girl or guy -- be like "I'm into you" and then if they're not interested be like, "Get over yourself"? I guess hurt feelings make people say nonsensical things sometimes.
Watch the First Scene of Friday's Degrassi
Posted on 04/07/2011 by MaryWhoa. Is this the beginning of Folly J?
Or is Fiona's subconscious trying to get her to wake up to her true feelings?
Actually... as I re-read the sentence I just wrote, I just want to add that having a dream about kissing your same-sex best friend doesn't automatically mean you're gay or lesbian. Fiona's true sexual orientation has less to do with this one dream and more to do with who she feels most attracted to -- emotionally, romantically and physically -- day in and day out while she's awake. Maybe Friday night we'll find out who that is for Fiona.
(More info on how people know they're gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is available at (The Trevor Project. )
Degrassi's Luke Bilyk Interview - Part 2
Posted on 04/06/2011 by MaryThe guy you know as Drew from Degrassi tells us what not to do with our chopsticks on a first date, and how Drew-like he is in real life:
Tell me, friends. If this face were sitting across from you on a first date and he let some chopsticks go airborne... what would be your reaction?
Luke Bilyk, aka Drew from DegrassiOverheard on Friday's Degrassi...
Posted on 04/05/2011 by Mary"If I don't hang out with him soon, he's gonna go emo on me." - ??? Hmm. Is that a profound lack of enthusiasm I'm sensing in this quote? Or am I reading too much into it? Oh, and, who do you think is in danger of heading into emo territory? Let's pretend we're psychic in the comments!
Degrassi Sneak Peek Pictures - Time for Fadam?
Posted on 04/04/2011 by Mary
Fiona and Adam on Degrassi: In Too DeepWith Fiona back from rehab and back at Degrassi, is it time for her and Adam to finally make things work?
Or... are we looking at a Folly J future?
I met Munro and Aislinn at the KCAs!
Posted on 04/03/2011 by LisaYesterday, I worked on the orange carpet writing updates for Nick.com during the Kids' Choice Awards, and I got to talk to Munro Chambers (Eli) and Aislinn Paul (Clare) from Degrassi.
Here's picture of us together:
I met up with them just before Train played the orange carpet pre-show, so it got really loud, and we only had a few minutes to talk. My first impression was that they both looked exactly like they do on Degrassi, only somehow even cuter, probably because they're both so friendly. Aislinn was excited to see Train live. Munro and I both thought Jimmy from Train was Howie Mandel when we first saw him on the orange carpet. They look so much alike!
I asked how they handle all the attention from their fans, and they said it was overwhelming at first, but they're starting to get used to it. Munro joked that he uses earplugs to drown out the fans' screams. :)
The funniest part of talking to Munro and Aislinn on the orange carpet was that Matt Shively (Ryan from True Jackson) saw them and ran over to introduce himself and say how much he loves them. He was just as excited to meet them as I was. From here on out, whenever I watch True Jackson, I'm going to be thinking "That guy's a Degrassi fan in real life!"
That reminds me, Munro and Aislinn gave me a message for all the Degrassi fans: They're both DYING for you to see the season finale on April 22nd. So whatever you do, DON'T MISS the next few episodes of Degrassi!
Here's an official picture of them as they walked the orange carpet!
p.s. If you missed the picture I tweeted during the show yesterday, that's right here.
Is Degrassi Much Crazier Than Your High School?
Posted on 04/03/2011 by Mary
How Degrassi-like is YOUR school?We see this topic debated on the message boards a lot... for instance here's a post about teen pregnancies at Degrassi; some people say they can't believe there are so many, others are like, "Um there's a day care at my school -- for the students."
Or here's one that's wondering "Why are there so many LGBT students at Degrassi?" I'm sure at some schools, it's really rare for there to multiple out students... and at other schools, the LGBT population might be huge, out and proud.
Here's an interesting tidbit... according to Degrassi's head writer, they think of Degrassi as being about 800 students. So based on what we've seen in the storylines there, would that make Degrassi more "controversial" than your high school, less, or about the same?
Answer these in the comments, if you like (and don't forget to protect your privacy by not telling us the name of your school please -- it's in the site rules!), and let's see how out-there a real-life Degrassi would be:
- How many students are at your school?
- Have you known about any pregnancies at your school, and if so how many?
- Are there any LGBT students at your school who are out, and if so how many?
- Have any students at your school died in the past four years that you know of?
Degrassi OMG: Tinsley to the Rescue
Posted on 04/03/2011 by MaryI did NOT see that coming with Tinsley... though looking back, of course she would have the same experience with Bobby that Fiona did. Why would Bobby have changed, when he had basically gotten away with his behavior before?
This kind of solidarity makes me SO happy. Even though they were supposedly "enemies", Tinsley and Fiona are hopefully saving who knows how many other girls from being abused by Bobby. Now that it's out in the open, he can get the help he needs.
Do you have any "enemies"? And if so... what do you actually have in common with them?
Gigantic OMG: Maggie Comes Clean
Posted on 04/02/2011 by MarySo... I can't quite get a handle on Maggie. On the one hand, she's done some pretty conniving things (this one kind of taking the cake). But on the other hand, she's bizarrely super honest about it when pressed. I guess it's that she truly believes that she HAS to do these things in order to succeed.
Telling Walt that she slept with him for the right reasons and the wrong ones was particularly forthcoming. It kind of makes you wonder -- is there anyone on earth who would sleep with Walt without having sooome little hint of the wrong reasons? Basically... probably only another child of an A-list star, or someone famous in their own right. But it can't be that those are the only people on the planet he could find love with... don't you think? Maybe sometimes, the wrong reasons are there in the beginning, but then they disappear? I don't know. In any case, I am reminded that I do not envy the scions of Hollywood royalty having to navigate that emotional landscape.
Click here to watch the whole episode of this week's Gigantic!
The KCAs are TOONIIIIIIGHT!
Posted on 04/02/2011 by LisaThe Kids' Choice Awards are HERE! The excitement starts with a live pre-show, including musical performances, at 7pm on Nick.com. All sorts of celebrities -- including Munro Chambers (Eli) and Aislinn Paul (Clare) from Degrassi -- will be walking the orange carpet.
The KCAs officially start at 8pm, and they're going to be CRRRZIZZY. (That's a word I use when I need to describe something that's too crazy to just be called "crazy.") I peeked in at a bit of rehearsal today, so I know what I'm talking about. Expect impressive choreography AND impressive amounts of slime.
Contest reminder: The fine folks at Philo want you to check in on their site as you watch the KCAs, and they're giving out prizes to people who do. Sign up for Philo and check in to the KCAs. The first 300 check ins at 8pm will win a free limited edition KCA water bottle, and you'll also have a chance to win a $1,000 iTunes Gift Card!
Know what this is? It's the view from the orange carpet, looking up! The Galen Center, where the KCAs take place, is covered in giant inflatable slime.


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