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About Tesla
Palo Alto, California-based, Tesla Motors uses proprietary technology, world-class design, and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes to create a new generation of highway capable electric vehicles. We utilize an innovative distribution model based on Company-owned sales and service centers. This approach allows us to maintain the highest levels of customer experience and benefit from short customer feedback loops to ensure our customer needs are fulfilled. We believe our operational infrastructure provides us with a competitive advantage compared to traditional automobile manufacturers.
The Role
Tesla Motors is looking for an experienced Project Developer to drive all phases of Tesla's Supercharger installations, including site diligence, approvals, construction and closeout. The ideal candidate will work tirelessly to find solutions, have impeccable interpersonal skills, easily adapt to external factors and internal guidance, managing up to 10 projects at a given time.
The responsibilities of this position may change over time-- this role requires flexibility and the ability to adapt to the evolving needs of the project and the organization. There will be opportunities for career growth based on performance and interest.
Tesla Motors is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, age, sex, ancestry, marital status, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, medical condition, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information or any other classification protected by state or federal law.
United States
|Web Site:
|1050 Bing Street
San Carlos, CA 94070
United States
|Cleantech / Energy
Support Tesla Motors with Social Media services
Find more Project Developer jobs


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You can do everything right as a company… design, develop and launch killer products, refashion your go-to-market strategy to seize growth opportunities, and acquire other companies to drive inorganic growth. But there's a gap between all of these great strategies and your prospects and customers actually agreeing to buy from you. Your salespeople, with their lips moving, are attempting to bridge that gap, translating your 30,000 foot brand-level message into their three-foot customer conversations. According to Aberdeen Research, best-in-class companies like yours see improving those conversations as their #1 priority for increasing growth in a tough economy.
Attend this Executive Insights session to learn how companies like ADP, GE, Motorola, UPS and DuPont are enabling their salespeople to deliver remarkable and compelling sales conversations. Tim Riesterer, co-author of Conversations that Win the Complex Sale and Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer for Corporate Visions, will discuss how to…
Nov. 21
10 AM to 12 PM, with deeper dive lunch until 1 PM
Embassy Suites Cleveland-Independence at Rockside
5800 Rockside Woods Blvd
Independence, OH 44131
View Map

subset: commoncrawl


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Butterfly People
by Robin Lim
[2009, Pasig City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing, Inc., 202 pages, paperback.]
[Review first published in Midwifery Today Issue 99, Autumn 2011, © 2011, Midwifery Today, Inc. Review by Toni Rakestraw.]
While we may know Robin Lim as a midwife, in this work of biographical fiction, she brings to life six generations of family as she explores the human condition and what it means to live with bigotry, war and love.
Butterfly People is, quite literally, one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read. It follows the Lim family from the late 1800s through today. Getting to peek at the life of a family like this, in the Philippines in their everyday existence, is a gift.
By no means is the Lim family perfect. One kills her abusive husband and later becomes the village midwife, one works the streets, another wants to be a nun. Through it all, however, is woven love, family and tradition. Lim's writing makes you want to take a closer look at your own life and see the simple joys that are there in abundance.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about families. The narrative is fun and heartwarming. Some chapters of this book brought tears to my eyes, while others made me laugh. Life in the Philippines may be different than here in the US, but there is a lot that is the same. Readers will be able to find many characters and qualities to identify with as they read this charming story.
Reviewer Toni Rakestraw worked as a doula before the demands of her children required her to stay home. Now, she spends her time writing and editing book manuscripts in between interruptions.


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SALISBURY, N.C. Food Lion, Bloom, Bottom Dollar Food and Reid's announced the launch of the "Hunger Has a Cure" Spring Funds Drive to support Feeding America's local food bank members. The campaign, which allows customers to donate in $1 or $3 increments, runs through May 11.
"As a grocer, we want to help our neighbors who are struggling to feed their families," said Chris Blumenthal, manager of community affairs for Food Lion family of banners and Bottom Dollar Food. "The need for food assistance is at an all-time high and we are proud to work with Feeding America to help eliminate hunger in our communities."
When purchasing goods, customers can add a $1 or $3 donation to their total grocery bill. These funds will then be donated Feeding America which is able to provide approximately seven meals per every $1 donated. The donations will be available at the registers of all Food Lion, Bloom, Bottom Dollar Food and Reid's stores.


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Topic: TO MY DEAR FRIENDS
I received a sad, but most beautiful letter this morning from one of our member caretakers to include in the letters for the Oprah Show. I now have a different outlook on these letters. Why would I or anyone wait to send these in???? Loose more time resulting in lost loved ones? What ever letters Sophie and I have will be sent in next week! I am going to prevail on Stacie/Board Members to write us a cover letter so that the Board can get in what ever they deem necessary to say about our plight. So, please, if you have not sent your letter, please send it over this weekend. Remember 1 page and Caretakers send to me and Patients send to Sophie. We have no time to sit back and wait for others.


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Effects of Earplugs on Sleep and Sleep Apnea
This study has been completed.
University of Michigan
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Ronald D. Chervin, M.D., M.S., University of Michigan
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: February 3, 2010
Last updated: December 3, 2016
Last verified: December 2016
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The main goal of this study is to assess whether use of earplugs has any effect on sleep, sleep apnea, and daytime sleepiness in individuals who snore.
|Sleep Disordered Breathing
|Other: Soft earplugs are worn during sleep study
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
|Official Title:
|Effects of Earplugs on Sleep and Sleep Apnea
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: Sleep ApneaU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by Ronald D. Chervin, M.D., M.S., University of Michigan:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Sleep measures (rates of apneas and hypopneas, oxygen desaturation, arousals, sleep stages, respiratory cycle-related EEG changes [RCREC]) [ Time Frame: up to 2 years after the sleep study ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Subjective sleepiness measures (Stanford Sleepiness Scale) [ Time Frame: on awakening after the sleep study ]
|Study Start Date:
|November 2008
|Study Completion Date:
|August 2012
|Primary Completion Date:
|August 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Earplugs
Subjects randomized to this arm of the study will wear earplugs during their baseline sleep study (polysomnogram).
Other: Soft earplugs are worn during sleep study
Subjects are asked to wear earplugs when possible for 3-5 nights prior to their baseline sleep study. On the night of their sleep study they are randomized to either "wears earplugs" or "no earplugs" groups.
Other Name: Howard Leight (Sperian) Max-1/3303361 uncorded earplugs, NRR33, SNR 37dB
No Intervention: Comparison group
Subjects randomized to the comparison arm will not wear earplugs during their baseline sleep study.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults, ages 18 or older
- Scheduled at the University of Michigan Sleep Disorders Center for a diagnostic polysomnogram to evaluate for sleep-disordered breathing
Exclusion Criteria:
- Medical, psychiatric or other conditions that would interfere with interpretation of the results of the sleep studies or the subject's ability to complete the Stanford Sleepiness Scale
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01062854
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01062854
|United States, Michigan
|University of Michigan Sleep Disorders Center
|Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of Michigan
|Principal Investigator:
|Ronald D Chervin, MD, MS
|University of Michigan
More Information
Keywords provided by Ronald D. Chervin, M.D., M.S., University of Michigan:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|Ronald D. Chervin, M.D., M.S., Michael S Aldrich Collegiate Professor of Sleep Medicine and Professor of Neurology, University of Michigan
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01062854 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|February 3, 2010
|Last Updated:
|December 3, 2016
Keywords provided by Ronald D. Chervin, M.D., M.S., University of Michigan:
snoring, sleep disordered breathing, polysomnography, sleep fragmentation
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Respiratory Aspiration
Respiration Disorders
Respiratory Tract Diseases
Pathologic Processes
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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The AllergyCare Organic 100% Cotton Dust Mite & Allergy Mattress Encasing California King provides 100% complete protection against dust mites and other allergens in the most natural and comfortable fabric available. The preshrunk organic all-cotton fabric is soft and comfortable - as close in feel to soft cotton sheets as possible in an allergy barrier fabric. Certified organic cotton is completely natural and free of all chemicals, dyes, additives, resins, finishes, and bleaches - ideal for those with chemical sensitivities or sensitive skin.
The AllergyCare Organic 100% Cotton Advantage:
The revolutionary patented technology in this 100% Organic Cotton fabric is so tightly woven that it does not require a membrane to be highly effective against dust, dust mites, pet dander and other allergen particles. This allows for total breathability with the feel of soft cotton linens and keeps the fabric cool and comfortable while you sleep.
Features and Benefits:
California King Organic 100% Cotton 72"x84" is Available in 4 Depths:
The 9" deep encasings will cover a mattress up to 9" deep. For mattresses that are between 9" and 12", select the 12" Depth. Mattresses that are between 12" and 16" will need the 16" Depth. Mattresses that are between 16" and 18" will need the 18" Depth. If you are unsure which depth mattress cover you need, it is always best to get the deeper encasing, as you can always tuck in any extra material underneath the mattress. Please carefully measure the depth of your mattress to determine which depth encasing you should order.
Organic 100% Cotton Mattress Encasing California King 9" (72"x84"x9")
Organic 100% Cotton Mattress Encasing California King 12" (72"x84"x12")
Organic 100% Cotton Mattress Encasing California King 16" (72"x84"x16")
Organic 100% Cotton Mattress Encasing California King 18" (72"x84"x18")
Product Specifications:
Care Instructions:
Machine wash warm, up to 140° F. Cold rinse.
Tumble dry low, up to 140° F. Can also be hung dry. Cover must be completely dried before use.


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August 08, 2011
Illinois Public Media News
In-depth reporting from WILL, NPR, the Associated Press, and other sources
Contact WILL News at email@example.com
Page 12 of 15 pages ‹ First < 10 11 12 13 14 > Last ›
WILL Newscast audio
NPR News
Days After Police Shooting, 3 Arrested Amid Violence At Georgia Tech Vigil
Fraternity Members' Defamation Case Against 'Rolling Stone' Can Proceed, Court Says
Some Russians Fired Up Over New Kalashnikov Monument
Dylann Roof Asks To Fire Legal Team Of 'Biological Enemies'
Top Stories: Hurricane Maria Update; Suu Kyi On Myanmar Crisis
'Potentially Catastrophic' Hurricane Maria Devastates Dominica, Heads For Puerto Rico
Ahead Of The Holiday Season, Toys R Us Files For Bankruptcy Protection
Pelosi Is Confronted By Protesters Angry About Her Immigration Talks With Trump
Around The World In Not Quite 80 Days, Cyclist Smashes Record
'Grave Fears' After Iraq Moves More Than 1,300 Wives, Children Of ISIS Suspects
More NPR News
WILL Highlights
Mid-American Gardener
Our panel of experts answer questions about lawn and garden care.
Classic Mornings
Get more out of your classical music experience and check out Vic Di Geronimo's blog.
The 21st
21st century radio for the 21st state. Weekdays at 11 am on WILL-AM 580.


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For those of you who have keenly embraced Twitter, you may be interested in knowing that there's a website that will give you a free Twitter personality test — might sound kinda creepy but it's actually spot on. Just enter your Twitter username and Twanalyst will reveal all sorts of things about your Twitter profile — from the amount of tweets you send per day and how many followers you have to what your Twitter style is; it's all there.
Got a useful website you'd like to share? To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group,
I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.
- First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
- Click the pink "Share" menu on the top left side of the page.
- Choose "Blog" and "Regular Post."
- Give your story a "Title."
- Fill in the "Body" with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
- Click "Next."
- Choose the audience for your story to "Website of the Day" in the dropdown menu.
- Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Website of the Day").
- Change channel to "Technology and Gadgets."
- Fill in tag field with relevant tags.
- Click "I'm done" to submit content.
So join the Website of the Day group and share information about all your favorite sites! Yours just might end up on the geeksugar homepage!


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Slash Postpones Los Angeles Show Due to Ailing Singer Myles Kennedy
Slash's Los Angeles date will have to wait as singer Myles Kennedy has come down ill. As a result, the group has postponed tonight's (Oct. 3) show at the Wiltern until Dec. 2.
"We want to be 100% for this gig and we're just not at this moment," said the guitarist. "We'll be back Dec. 2 in fighting form. See you then."
Kennedy added, "My apologies to everyone who was planning on coming out to the show tonight. I promise to make it up to you when we return in a few months."
The Los Angeles show would have been a special one for Slash as it would have been a homecoming performance. Earlier this year, the guitar great was saluted with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he's previously been honored at the Sunset Strip Music Festival as well for his contributions to the Los Angeles music scene.
There has been no confirmation of any change in Slash's plans to appear on Conan tomorrow night (Oct. 4), but with Kennedy ailing, it's worth monitoring.
Meanwhile, Slash recently released an animated video for the group's latest single, 'Bad Rain.' The legendary guitarist has also been working on the score to the horror film 'Nothing to Fear.' He


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Book might hinder other terrorists
Yes, I think the book written by a former Navy SEAL about the killing of Osama bin Laden should be published. There are two reasons for this.
The first is that the book, "No Easy Day," paraphrased from the Navy SEAL philosophy that the only easy day was yesterday, is written under a pen name of Mark Owen, and all material contained in the book is derived from unclassified publications and sources.
According to the author's notes, efforts were made to protect tactics, techniques and procedures in the operations. So what's this hubbub all about?
The second reason is that by revealing such clandestine operations as the killing of bin Laden, any potential future bin Ladens might be discouraged from attempting similar terrorist activities.
John Hom
Walnut Creek
SEAL failed to honor commitment to U.S.
Every SEAL must honor a commitment to his country and owes his fellow SEALs a similar commitment, for the sake of their safety, to keep silent on such matters.
The training the SEAL received, at great expense to the U.S. government and his fellow Americans, was not intended to provide personal gain or to draw personal attention.
Even if the money from the book sales is given to charity, the loss to American security far exceeds the monetary value. There is nothing gained by the publication of this book and its revelations, just damage.
The SEALs, and particularly SEAL Team 6 that includes the book's author, are held in high esteem by Americans for skill, training and cool professionalism. In addition, many others provide solid backup support. It is a team effort.
One SEAL member should not try to garner the glory by his revelations. The opposite will happen, in that this action by this SEAL will be deplored.
Richard Jesse
Must not muzzle the truth-tellers
I think the book written by a former Navy SEAL about the killing of Osama bin Laden should be published.
I am not sure we have heard the truth about what happened and we have not seen any photo or video evidence related to the event. I do not believe a former SEAL would reveal any information detrimental to the SEALs or the United States and he would not reveal any secrets.
This can't be said about the administration. It has told our enemies way too much about the operation, blown the cover of human assets, and given Hollywood privileged access to facilities and information about the raid with the hope of getting a favorable Hollywood version of the event.
The administration shows disrespect for our fallen SEAL heroes when it sends form letters to their survivors and wants to court martial SEALs whose captives complain about their treatment.
Let's not add muzzling those who speak the truth to the list of offenses to the military.
Gregg Manning
Suspicion that Rove had a hand in book
Properly redacted for national security concerns, there is no reason why "No Easy Day," the book authored by a former SEAL, shouldn't be published.
But there's a much larger question: Why is a book that criticizes a laudable decision by President Barack Obama surfacing two months before the election?
If Osama bin Laden had been killed during President George W. Bush's tenure, Republicans would still be throwing lavish parties to commemorate the event. Has anyone forgotten the humiliating display of incompetence when Bush admitted, "I haven't lost any sleep wondering where he (bin Laden) is"?
Using the president's covert operation to stimulate partisan fervor is unconscionable by any reasonable standard of patriotism. If Bush's initiative had eliminated the targeted terrorist, I'd have been disgusted if Democrats hadn't been profuse in their praise.
Anyone familiar with Republican operative Karl Rove's sinister method of operation understands there's nothing he won't attempt to secure a political advantage. The timing of the book's release and its content have the foul smell of Rove's corrupt influence.
Ronald Entwistle
San Pablo
Publishing could harm many others
Many jobs require that sensitive information remain a secret so that others are not harmed.
If the publishing of this book releases sensitive information, the public might be harmed, and for this reason, the book should not be published.
Lawrence Ching
South San Francisco
Book should be held under lock and key
"No Easy Day," by a former Navy SEAL, might be riveting and insightful, but it should not be published.
It is the tale of a daring mission, ordered by the highest officials in our country and executed by a courageous and capable Navy SEAL team, to bring down the No. 1 enemy of the United States in a swift, powerful blow.
Though it is a narrative that provides information the American people deserve to know, a book about the killing of Osama bin Laden would undermine national security. It is our right to know how our government operates, but not in this situation.
A publication detailing the Navy SEALs' procedure in removing a global threat could prevent them from doing so again in the future, if necessary. This book would tantalize people's minds, at the most, while giving up secrets that must be kept safe.
The potential costs far outweigh the benefits. The book should not be published, but be held securely under lock and key.
Andrew Rasiah
San Ramon
Apparently no secrets were revealed
Despite threats of legal action by the Pentagon, no secret information, apparently, is in the book "No Easy Day," written by a former Navy SEAL about the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Interestingly, the moving up of the publication date to Sept. 4 from Sept. 11 put it at the beginning, rather than the end of the Democratic National Convention.
The public's trust of elected national officials of either major party, and members of the military-industrial complex, are at all-time lows.
Ralph Hoffmann
Walnut Creek


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Segments Sponsored by
Convenience and portability are easily two of the greatest features of beauty wipe products. Thrown into a purse, duffel bag, carry-on and so on, the nonwoven cloth products can offer a cleansing, refreshing touch nearly anywhere. And as these products grow in popularity, their uses—from makeup removers and baby wipes to sunscreen and anti-aging applications—are set to take off.
"You don't have to be a beauty industry expert or skin care specialist to understand the appeal of wipes," says Sarah Plimpton Liebowitz, global marketing and public relations manager for Inolex. "These cleansing cloths are aimed at making your life easier in many ways. I know since I had babies, I realized that I like to have the baby wipes around to clean my hands or face when I was feeling tired or dirty without having to get out of my chair. I also like them when I am on a long flight. It's a way to refresh yourself and your skin quickly. When traveling or without easy access to a sink, you can just delve into your purse for a pack of disposable cleansing cloths to freshen up."
As on-the-go, time-crunched lifestyles continue to be modus operandi in today's society, the ease of beauty wipes ensures their success. Moto Okawa, marketing manager with Diamond Wipes International, Inc., comments, "The demand for wet wipes in skin and neck care category is strong and continues to grow. We see the convenience and ease of use being factors in these wipes winning a place in consumers' skin care regimens. Of course, the performance is also part of the equation for the consumer to continue using the wipes. The combination of performance, convenience and ease of use are the primary benefits for consumers."
Additionally, wipes help beauty brands focus consumers on key offerings and benefits. "Beauty brands rely on image building for their growth and sustainability. Being able to deliver on what the brand stands for is at the core of their existence," says Shervin Zade, CEO of U.S. Nonwovens Corp.
And, as Okawa notes, "When we work with beauty brand owners and marketers, we often find that the wipe products are being developed as a line extension to an existing product portfolio." Thus, beauty wipe products, which most often feature cleansing and application uses, need to help clarify and emphasize a core beauty focus for consumers.
To have beauty wipes reinforce the beauty message of a brand, however, they need to be effective. In order to be effective, they need to be developed and made properly. As Zade notes, "Each wipe has its own reason for existence. If a wipe doesn't deliver on its premise, it becomes a general wipe. That is bad for the SKU and then for the brand."
To make a beauty wipe, you need to start with the base—the nonwoven cloth. "Kimberly-Clark Professional Partnership Products markets nonwoven roll goods to branded wipe product manufacturers, as well as to converters who perform secondary processing of the roll goods for wipes manufacturers," says Michele Neher, business development manager for Kimberly-Clark Professional Partnership Products. "We call this business 'Delivery Systems' because our nonwoven materials are used to deliver chemicals and other formulations to the surface upon which they are applied."
She continues, "Our nonwoven roll goods are used in a variety of personal care wet-wipes applications, including hand hygiene wipes, makeup remover wipes, nail care wipes, insect repellent wipes and sunscreen wipes. With the right nonwoven material, a wipe manufacturer can deliver just the right amount of chemistry needed for the job, which eliminates the waste that can occur if you're using a cotton ball or durable wipe to deliver the chemistry to the skin."
"Since you are marrying the applicator that are wipes and the functioning formulas inside the same packaging, establishing the compatibility and stability of the finished products is a very critical process during any R&D exercise," explains Okawa.
Even the type of nonwoven cloth needs to be considered. For example, "When portability comes into play, i.e. with single-use packs, you want a thinner wipe. But for makeup remover wipes, consumers want a thicker, loftier, more premium feel," Neher says. The formulas in wipes, in order to be effective, also need to have quality preservatives. However, with recent attacks on some preservative ingredients, this can be more challenging. As Plimpton Liebowitz says of Inolex's decision to create preservatives specifically designed for wipes, "It was clear that developing formulations for wipes would be an added benefit to the consumer, as there has been much controversy about the chemicals used to fight bacteria and mold in recent news. In developing the Spectrastat L-series, Inolex consulted with leading experts in the nonwovens and wet wipes industries. The research took into account the unique production and formulation requirements, along with factors associated with the nonwoven substrates. The resulting products, Spectrastat OL and Spectrastat OEL, are liquids that are easy-to-use in high throughput wipe production, and they pass stringent microbial challenge tests on a variety of substrates."
More and more ingredient suppliers are, in fact, also offering products targeted to and for wipes. For example, schülke recently debuted Sensiva PA 40, an antimicrobial stabilizer blend suited to leave-on, wet wipe and sensitive formulas that combines natural, nature-identical and gentle synthetic materials to produce an additive designed to meet the changing preservation needs of the industry. And Clariant's new Nipaguard Zero line of preservative blends contain no parabens, yet deliver a comparable performance, and can be used for wet wipe formulations as well. Marrying the formula and nonwoven cloth requires specific ingredients and techniques. While Inolex has primarily worked in the baby wipes market, as the preservation systems used there have recently been under attack from NGOs, the creation of a cohesive system for all wipe products needs to be paramount.
So, in noting challenges in development, Plimpton Liebowitz says that, due to the structure of the nonwovens and the interaction of fibers and the liquid formulation, manufacturers need to have an expertise. "The edges, surfaces and individual fibers within a stack of wet wipes each represent physical environments, and each must be preserved effectively. If any of these areas become susceptible to microbial growth, the entire product is compromised," she explains.
In a wipe product that is done right, however, the appeal is evident. "The compounded cleansing or treatment formula in a liquid form is evenly dispersed on a wipe. A consumer can practically use every square inch of the wipe to get their cleansing regimen done," Okawa notes.
But it is clear different considerations need to be made when developing a beauty wipe product. "How wipes are manufactured and the economics of their production are important considerations," says Plimpton Liebowitz. "It is an industry that relies on high throughput and efficient manufacturing. New ingredients and formulation concepts must fit these economics."
Focused development also has made wipes a bigger part of the beauty industry. "The makeup remover category, which often encompasses gentler cleansing wipes, is by far the most popular wipe product type in the beauty market. We are also seeing the growth in the acne treatment wipes—not conventional pads, but wipes," says Okawa.


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"Invasion of the Red Sword" launches fall 2011...
For a great selection of action figures and collectibles, check out BigBadToyStore.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, SmallJoes.com, PastGenerationToys.com, ZoloWorld.com, MonkeyDepot.com, HobbyLinkJapan.com, and Sekaido.com.
For a great selection of pop culture t-shirts and apparel, check out TShirtGurus.com and 80sTees.com.
Ardden Entertainment announces the launch of FLASH GORDON: INVASION OF THE RED SWORD for an Autumn 2011 release.
Coming off the heels of Ardden's Flash Gordon: The Mercy Wars mini-series, Ardden plans on continuing an expansion of the characters and situations created in the first story arc, which was directly inspired by Alex Raymond's groundbreaking comic strips.
Flash Gordon: Invasion of the Red Sword chronicles the invasion of Mongo by a splinter group of the CIA, as first introduced in Flash Gordon: The Mercy Wars #1. The group's name, "The Red Sword," was first created by Alex Raymond.
"When preparing to write the first four six-issue arcs we have planned for Flash Gordon," says Flash Gordon writer and Ardden Co-Publisher Brendan Deneen, "I re-read every single one of Alex Raymond's original comic strips. There was a treasure trove of material in there, including an arc where Flash, Dale and Zarkov end up back on Earth. While there, they battle a mysterious group called 'the Red Sword.' I thought that was the perfect name for the invading force in our second arc."
"Like everyone else," Deneen added, "I've heard about Dynamite's plans to launch their own Flash Gordon series (read our story from yesterday HERE). I look forward to some healthy competition. I hope they're ready, too."
Source: Edited Ardden PR


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PS 57 Hubert H. Humphrey School was recognized today with the Green Flag by National Wildlife Federation's Eco-Schools USA program for exceptional achievement in conserving natural resources and integrating environmental education into the curriculum. PS 57 is the first school in New York City, and only the 10th in the country, to achieve "Green Flag" status.
The Green Flag is the highest sustainability award a school can achieve through NWF's Eco-Schools USA program. To win the Green Flag, PS 57's students and faculty tackled a host of sustainability initiatives, including auditing facility energy efficiency and creating composting, gardening, ecology and recycling programs. These efforts have kept more than 10,000 pounds of paper and milk cartons out of landfills.
In addition:
Teachers, students and representatives from the NYC Department of Education (DOE) Sustainability Initiative, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, Green Schools Alliance, and the National Wildlife Federation celebrated these accomplishments with an award ceremony at the school. The NYC DOE Sustainability Initiative presented PS 57 with a $25K grant as a reward for their achievements and the U.S. EPA, Region 2 presented teacher Patricia Lockhart with a bronze plaque for the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators.
"Our entire PS 57 family is proud of the outstanding work Ms. Patricia Lockhart has done to implement sustainability initiatives within our school and the Park Hill community," said PS 57's Principal Sandra Harrell. "We are honored to be the first NYC school to receive Eco-Schools USA's Green Flag award, and will continue to use the program's comprehensive framework to weave environmental education into our curriculum."
"The EPA is very happy to award Patricia Lockhart the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators, which recognizes her outstanding contribution to environmental education," said Judith A. Enck, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator. "Ms. Lockhart has successfully integrated environmental studies into the school curriculum and worked with her students to create a garden that serves as a valuable teaching tool and provides habitat for wildlife."
About NYC Eco-Schools:
The NYC Eco-Schools program was launched in 2012 and has grown from 8 to over 100 schools in less than one year. NWF Eco-Schools staff have introduced the Eco-Schools program to over 1,000 NYC school Sustainability Coordinators, and trained over 250 to implement the Cool School Challenge, a program to reduce energy use at school. NWF Eco-Schools has also provided small grants to 23 of its schools to complete the Waste and Consumption or Energy Pathways. A survey of NYC Eco-Schools conducted at the end of 2012 found that 60.6% said they have increased recycling in their schools since implementing the Eco-Schools program; 57.6% have completed an environmental audit; 51.5% have created an outdoor classroom; 42.4% have reduced energy use, and 42.4% reported better student engagement. In 2012, Eco-Schools across the U.S. saved an average of 20% on their energy bills over 2010 usage levels. This added up to a reduction of 53 million pounds of CO2 and $50 million in saved energy costs for the year - enough to pay for 700 to 800 more full-time educators. To learn more about Eco-Schools USA, visit: www.nwf.org/ecoschools.
About NYC DOE:
The New York City Department of Education is the largest system of public schools in the United States, serving about 1.1 million students in over 1,700 schools.


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Artist continues to do "what's right for the toy"...
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With Toy Fair only a few days away, we caught up with Mattels very own Frank Varela regarding his career as a packaging designer for some of the most sought-after toys in the market today. Most popular for his amazing and one-of-a-kind SDCC exclusive package designs, there is a lot more to the man than you would expect. If you think you know Frank, you are sorely mistaken.
FIGURES.COM: First of all, we would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to participate in this interview. We are all huge Mattel fans and always look forward to your one-of-a-kind and innovative Comic-Con Exclusive designs.
FRANK VARELA: Your welcome, and thank you for giving me an opportunity to talk about my work at Mattel.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got involved in the toy industry?
I'm a first generation Cuban American, and I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I was a design major and graduated from UCLA. Prior to working at Mattel, my design career was primarily designing collateral for home entertainment (VHS boxes, brochures, posters, point of purchase standees and some DVD) at several design studios around the Los Angeles area. At that time, one of the projects I was most proud of was when I designed and art directed the very first home video campaign for the X-Files. Later, when I started working for studios like Warner Bros. and Disney, I designed a lot of marketing press kits, ads, and other collateral that was distributed within the respective companies. However, throughout my entire career, I always designed and created logos for small companies and friends, and many of those designs were published in magazines such as PRINT or books such as the LogoLounge.
By the time I applied for a job at Mattel, I was in the entertainment design industry for 15 years. At that time, I was freelancing, and I was tired of the constant hustle for paying projects. I remember that I was definitely ready to work for a company again, and I saw the job position Mattel was offering for a packaging designer via HOW Magazines' help wanted section online. To be honest, at first, I was a little intimidated by the job description. I wasn't sure if I had all the right experience to do the job, but despite my feelings of intimidation, I was equally inspired and willing to take a chance. Until that point, I had not done anything like toy packaging, and I couldn't think of anything cooler than designing something for toys. So, I applied, but I didn't hear anything for almost month. When I did get the call from Human Resources asking me to send examples of my work, I was very excited if not a little shocked. Soon after my submitting PDFs of my portfolios, I was asked to come in and give an interview.
Initially, my interview was divided up into four separate interviews: one with the VP of boys packaging and then individually with department directors for Hot Wheels, Matchbox, and the Boys Entertainment Packaging Group. The VP made it clear to me to let him know which department felt like the best fit for me. So, when I interviewed with the director for the Boys Entertainment Packaging Group, she said if interested in her department I would be designing packaging for Batman. Like many of you, I'm a HUGE fan of Batman, and I spent most of my life reading and collecting comics in general. So, my decision was easy: I went with Batman.
I made that decision six years ago, and I've been designing packaging for Batman and his friends ever since. However, initially, since I really didn't have any packaging experience - despite the fact that my portfolio and experience was varied and extensive, many people were not entirely convinced I could do the job. Yet, in the time I've been at Mattel, I believe that I've not only proven I can design a package for a toy, but I can come up with concepts for toy packaging that no one has ever even seen before. That's a great source of pride for me, and I'm very grateful to Mattel for giving me the opportunity to prove myself and to grow and expand as a creative professional.
Where do you draw inspiration from when you're in the planning stages of designing the package for a particular toy?
Is most of your work done on a computer or do you prefer the more traditional free-hand approach?It depends on the property I'm working on. If I'm working on a DCU project, I rely a lot on my comic book knowledge and what feels right conceptually for the character's) and brand. If it's a property like Ghostbusters or Masters of The Universe, I think of things that for me resonate as the most iconic aspect or theme of that property. For Ghostbusters, the devil dogs, Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, and the Gozer building stand out the most. For MOTU, Castle Grayskull is the most iconic aspect of that property. So, I guess you can say that a lot of my inspiration comes from distilling a property down to it's most iconic form and then elaborating on top of that. Also, since I'm a bit of a fanboy myself, I try to tap into a sort of "fanboy collective unconscious" and ask myself what fans might like to see in a package. In addition, I'm very concerned with creating packaging that enhances the fan's buying experience. So, with that being said, my criteria and additional inspiration is to always create something that is visually very compelling, looks cool, and is meshed with as many nuances that can fit onto one package that a fan could find and appreciate.
When I was very young, I did a lot of work in black pen, acrylic, and pastels. However, after the advent of the Macintosh, I do pretty much everything on the computer. Occasionally, I sketch out a really quick and rough thumbnail to show co-workers approximately what's on my mind, but usually, I prefer to work from head to screen.
The work you did for the Wonder Twins SDCC packaging is one of my all time favorites. Do you have a personal favorite design?
Aside from DC Universe Classics, what other Mattel toy brands have you worked on?I'm glad you like the Wonder Twins. A lot of hard work went into that package. Well, a lot of hard work goes into all the packages, but to say which is my favorite? I don't know. Your question reminds me of a time when I was eight or nine. Through contacts of my mom, I was very lucky to be able to attend a celebrity tennis benefit. One of the celebrities attending was none other than Jack "The King" Kirby. I wasn't much into tennis, but I was definitely into Jack Kirby's work - even at that age. I remember nervously approaching him to ask for an autograph.
His back was towards me, and I tapped his elbow. Mr. Kirby turned around, and with an arched hairy eyebrow, he look down at me and my dog-eared copy of "The Silver Surfer." "Hello." He said, and I just sort of smiled sheepishly as I raised my comic with pen in hand. With a smile of his own, he grabbed my copy and started signing it. After a couple of beats, I summoned enough courage to speak, "so... Mr. Kirby, of all the characters you created, which one is your favorite?" He finished his signature, looked at me with that same hairy eyebrow, and said, "All of them, my boy, all of them." I remember tilting my head kind of like a dog does when it doesn't understand a command.
At that time, I just couldn't understand how he couldn't have a favorite. I certainly had mine. But now, as an adult, I understand. I look at each one of my SDCC packages as if they're my children. I know that sounds corny, but like children, I love them all for the great things they offer as well as their imperfections. Each SDCC package is a combination of challenges, memories, and a marker for setting the bar higher each time. However, just because Wonder Twins is technically a more involved package than let's say Catwoman - that fact doesn't make me love Catwoman any less. There are some things about the Catwoman package that will always make me smile. Yet, I do have to say that working with Kevin Conroy on Starro The Conqueror does make that package slightly stand out amongst the rest. Again, I'm a Batman fan, and to have had an opportunity to work with the man who has been "the voice of Batman" for the last 20 years or so is something really special to me.
In chronological order: Batman Begins, The Batman Animated Series, Justice League Unlimited, DC Super Heroes, DC Super Friends, Kung Fu Panda, DCU JLU, Infinite Heroes, Masters Of The Universe, Superman Batman Public Enemies, Ghostbusters, Green Lantern Movie Masters, and DCU Young Justice. Most of the properties mentioned, I initiated the original design and look. Also, I worked on many of these brands at the same time. For example, I worked on all of DCU (Classics, JLU, and Infinite Heroes), and Ghostbusters, and Public Enemies on and off within a 4 to 5 month time frame.
The new 2011 DC 6" package design looks great as it offers a fresh new look to the line. What strategy led to this significant change and were you influential in that decision?
A frustrating reality for artists in the toy industry is in regard to creative liberties and all the modifications the final product goes through for licensing approvals and costing purposes. Have you ever had a design that was drastically changed to a point where the final result looked nothing like you had originally envisioned it?Well, to talk about the most recent DCU look, Ill have to talk a little about 2010. The 2011 line look was originally an early design round created for 2010 - which as you already know was DCs 75th Anniversary. However, despite the fact that both DC and Warner Bros. liked the design a lot, DCs licensing creative director felt it was not commemorative enough for an anniversary year. Hence, from that presentation came the idea for the Alex Ross stacking of heroes for 2010. So, when I wrapped up everything for 2010, it came time to create a look for 2011, and I was faced with the problem of creating a packaging line look in a non-anniversary year. So, instead of reinventing the wheel, I went back to that one well received design and presented it to the licensor once again. They thought it was a great idea, and thats how the look for 2011 came to be.
However, In order to keep certain cues and not create a total departure from 2010, the color palette remained the same, and the triangular area of the front insert incorporated a characters symbol rather than the 75 YEARS OF SUPER POWER. For all of you who have been wondering why the CLASSIC packaging became taller, the reason is we were asked to adhere to specific package sizes by our retail buyers. So, I apologize to the hard core collectors that this years package is a bit of a departure from our previous packages in terms of size, but I actually prefer it. Also, the rays emanating from the blister is my attempt to have the characters break free from being confined to a comic book panel as was the case for 2008 and 09 or in rows for 2010. On the current blister card, our A-list of DC heroes (Green Lantern, Superman, Aquaman, Batman, and The Flash) are in full color, alive, and coming at you. Consequently, this years line look is definitely an evolution of what we did in years past with a bit of a bang, and Im pretty happy with that.
No, not really. I would say for almost every package concept Ive come up with - the core idea for that package has always remained pretty much intact. I think the reason for that is that Ive been successful at building a level of trust with the licensors and coworkers. For the most part, everyone trusts that Im not going to come up with something thats totally off base, and I think that trust comes from people knowing over time that Im intimately familiar and have a lot of knowledge regarding the properties I work on.
Also, everyone understands that Im always very concerned about doing whats right for the toy. There are always going to be changes that come from the licensor, upper management, my own team or all of the above. But, thats ok. Sometimes the best design does not always come from a YES but rather a NO. At times, resistance towards an idea forces more creativity to be placed upon that concept, and with all that extra attention, the best idea or design comes from the push and pull of keeping the core of the idea intact - but at the same time evolving the idea to fit the needs of the toy.
At the end of the day, the very nature of design is not art. The creative process can be the same, but unfortunately, much to even my chagrin at times. Im not here to express myself but to express the needs of my client. In this case, the client is the toy. At Mattel, we always have to ask ourselves, What is best for the toy? What is the best way to communicate what the toy does, or What is the best way to grab the consumers attention? But, Ive been fortunate to be designing packages for collectors, who when it comes to action figures, are much more in tune with the property than mom casually strolling down the action figure aisle.
Have you ever been involved in any other aspect of toy design in the past?
Can you tell us about what new projects you are currently working on for 2011-2012?Directly? No. My primary responsibility is packaging. However, in team meetings, Ill express my opinions or concerns in regards to a particular toy, and that my team members do the same in regards to packaging. Sometimes, Ill have what I think is a great idea for a toy or action figure, and Ill go to Bill Benecke or Scott Neitlich to relay my idea to them. Sometimes, the idea is well received, other times, I find out that we came up with the same idea independently of each other, and then, there are times when my idea is good but the timing is off. Thats about as far as I go into product design. However, I have had a few forays into the product side of things. The skull pull tab for the Solomon Grundy SDCC package was my design, and packaging for both Wonder Twins and Starro were so technical, someone could definitely argue that those designs reside more on the product side of development than just on packaging.
Unfortunately, no. However, I will say that Im personally overseeing the design and creation of at least two of the exclusives for SDCC 2011. I cant ruin the surprise, but maybe, when theyre released to the public, I hope youll see my personal stamp on them and guess which ones they are.
Special thanks to Mattel for allowing us the opportunity to interview Frank Varela. Keep up the awesome work!
Interview by: Jorge Pelaez and Jeff Saylor


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Washington, D.C. – A senior official of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) testified today about the agency's efforts in promoting and adopting the use of health information technology in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, and on the progress OPM has made in promoting health information technology to help achieve greater flexibility and consumer choice. With more than eight million participants, FEHB represents one of the largest health insurance programs in the United States.
Daniel A. Green, Deputy Associate Director of the Center for Employee and Family Support, testified today before the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization – part of the House Committee on Government Reform.
"We strongly encourage carriers to take steps to expand and improve on their health information technology efforts…most are focusing their efforts on providing claims-based information through their web sites, linking disease management programs to health information technology initiatives, and providing e-Prescribing incentives," said Green.
Green said OPM also was asking FEHB carriers to enhance consumer education efforts to make customers more aware of how health information technology can improve efficiency, make personal claims data available to enrollees, and expand their efforts to increase transparency by making pricing information easily accessible.
Green said the OPM website would be upgraded to allow prospective enrollees to learn which plans offered the greatest health information technology capabilities so they could make more informed decisions on the right health plan for themselves and their families.
"From calculating the cost of drugs, to accessing vital health information, health information technology offers ready electronic access to enrollees so they can make the right decisions regarding their health care," said Green. "We are committed to not only expanding, but easing, the process by which access to health information can be obtained and understood by the consumer."
Green also spoke briefly on the proposed Federal Family Health Information Technology Act of 2006 and the ways it could impact FEHB enrollees.
Our mission is to Recruit, Retain and Honor a World-Class Workforce to Serve the American People. OPM supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.


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Marketing Information
Citrix WANScaler accelerates application performance for branch office users, delivering LAN-like performance over any wide area network (WAN). By improving the performance of enterprise applications such as Windows file sharing by up to 30x or more, WANScaler enhances user productivity, defers expensive bandwidth upgrades, and enables the consolidation of application resources into datacenters.
General Information
|Product Type
|Application Acceleration Appliance
|Manufacturer Part Number
|Manufacturer Website Address
|Citrix Systems, Inc
|Product Model
|Product Name
|WANScaler 8820 Application Acceleration Appliance
|Product Line
|Brand Name
|2 x RJ-45 10/100/1000Base-T Network LAN
|1 x Serial Management
Media & Performance
|Data Transfer Rate
|10 Mbps Ethernet
|100 Mbps Fast Ethernet
|1 Gbps Gigabit Ethernet
|Connectivity Media
|10/100/1000Base-T Twisted Pair
|155 Mbps Throughput
Physical Characteristics
|3.4" Height x 17.6" Width x 29.8" Depth
|Weight (Approximate)
|59.00 lb
|Form Factor
This product is shipped only within Canada and Warranty valid for Canada only.
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HOUSTON - Hundreds gathered outside The Arms Room in League City for Houston Day of Resistance. They said they're fighting to keep their second-amendment right to bear arms.
The rally came more than a month after President Barack Obama announced his plan to reduce gun violence. The president issued 23 executive actions in addition to laws he wants congress to pass.
Some at Saturday's rally said they feel their second-amendment rights are being threatened.
"I think that the last time they tried that the crime didn't go down," said Tommy Horner.
"I really think he's trying to take away our weapons away from us, and we're here to uphold the second amendment," said Kay Shifflet.
Obama's 23 executive actions include launching a safe and responsible gun ownership campaign, provide incentives for schools to hire more resource officers and to maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.
Some League City residents said more gun laws are OK as long as they don't infringe on the second amendment.
"It's got it's pros and cons. Everything will have it's ups and downs," said Josh Weed. "I agree with the stricter regulations and everything, psych screenings and everything like that. That's great."
"I think it will help to a certain extent as far as doing mental checks and stuff like that, I think that would be good," said Kathleen Weed.
Recently, League City, which has a high number of concealed handgun licenses, approved a resolution not to comply with any new gun laws from the federal government.
The Houston Day of Resistance rally is one of many peaceful gatherings happening across the nation.
Copyright 2013 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Career Planning
- Evaluating an early retirement offer
Is that offer to retire early as good as it looks? Make sure that you review the offer carefully before you accept or reject it. Is the severance package enough to carry you into the next phase of your life? If you accept, what will happen to your retirement benefits, and will your pension be smaller? Is adequate medical coverage included? What happens to the other benefits you were getting, such as life insurance? You'll want to map out your complete financial picture before making a final decision.


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Plays & Players Present Philly Premiere of BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON, 1/17-2/3
Andrew Jackson was a rock and roll GOD. He rode his outsider bad-boy image and his populist movement into office with promises to reform and representing the "other" America. What happened next was broken promises and a Trail of Tears. The multiple Tony nominee and Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle winning high-octane rock musical will explode on Plays & Players' mainstage January 17-February 3 in a Philadelphia premiere production. Performances run Wednesday and Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm (except Jan. 19), and Sundays at 3pm.
Featuring songs such as "Populism, Yea, Yea!," "I'm So That Guy" and "Rock Star," Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson compares Andrew Jackson's frontier and manifest destiny fueled rise to power as the seventh president of the United States, and the first not born in Virginia or Massachusetts, to contemporary rock and roll American patriotic excess. A laugh-out-loud "South Park" style social critique mixes with a Brechtian self-awareness resulting in brazen satire that leaves no current political movement, from George W. Bush to the Tea Party to Obama's "Yes We Can," unscathed. In fact, the New York Times raved of the original production, "There is no show in town that more astutely reflects the state of this nation than Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson."
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson features music and lyrics written by Michael Friedman and a book by Alex Timbers. It was nominated for the 2011 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, and won the 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Off-Broadway Musical and the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical. The Philadelphia premiere will be directed by Plays & Players' Producing Artistic Director Daniel Student, whose critically acclaimed productions in recent seasons include Joe Turner's Come and Gone, A New Brain, and Take Me Out.
The performance stars Joe Sabatino as Andrew Jackson, who previously appeared in Plays & Players' hit 2011 musical production, A New Brain. He is also an accomplished comedic performer who has performed with various specialty comedy groups, Philly Improv Theater and is a regular with ComedySportz Philadelphia. The performance also sees a return to the Plays & Players' stage of Brendan Norton, the leading actor of A New Brain, and Kristen Norine (Cecily) and Tim Rinehart (Henry Carr) in the 2012 production of Travesties. A cast of new and emerging talent bursting onto the Philadelphia professional theater scene rounds out the rest of the ensemble, including University of the Arts graduates Allison Caw, Jamison Foreman, Sam Nagel, Corey Regensburg, Shannon Remley, and Meggie Siegrist, as well as Max Cove, Billy Kametz, and Josh Totora.
All performances at Plays & Players Theatre, at 1714 Delancey Place. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door for general admission. Discounted group rates of $15 for groups of 10 or more and student rates of $20 are also available.* Tickets may be purchased online at www.playsandplayers.org or by phone at 800-595-4849.
January 17 at 7pm*
January 18 at 8pm*
January 19 at 8pm**
January 20 at 3pm
January 23 at 10:30am***
January 23 at 7pm
January 24 at 7pm
January 25 at 8pm
January 26 at 2pm
January 26 at 8pm
January 27 at 3pm
January 30 at 7pm
January 31 at 7pm
February 1 at 8pm
February 2 at 2pm
February 2 at 8pm
February 3 at 3pm
*Tickets to January 17 & 18 previews of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson are $5 off all price points.
**Opening Night. Reception to follow.
***Student matinee. Interested school groups call 215-735-0630 for more information.
Over 100 years old, Plays & Players was reborn in 2009 as a professional theater under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Daniel Student. Returning to its roots, Plays & Players seeks to invest in the talents of local emerging theater artists by providing a gathering place
for practitioners to contribute to professional productions, expand their artistry through
training, and connect and collaborate at the historic Plays & Players Theatre. The 2012-
13 Season is dedicated to The American Presidency and debuted in November with a series of events titled An American Presidency: A Theatrical Response, including the popular Voices of a People's History, starring Michael J. Boryla and Guy Davis, and a presentation of Forearmed Productions' controversial Republican Theater Festival. The season will will culminate with The America Play and Other American Cousins, pairing Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Suzan Lori-Parks' seminal work about an African-American man who looks just like Abraham Lincoln with World Premiere short plays named for the play Lincoln was watching when he was assassinated, running April 4-21.


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I was diagnosed last October and have had a difficult time with many aspects of my life. I have been sympatamatic for about two years. Just this three weeks I had to put one of my dogs to sleep, have had a horrible cold and lost my job. The stress and virus of course caused a flare and I am home without 45K income any longer. Even though my Lupus is not in the organs, the joint inflamation and fatigue are unforgiving. I also have had digestive problems, skin rashes, reynauds and anxiety which I have been taking meds for. I am just now starting other meds, I was trying to combat this on my own. I guess I just dont want to believe that this is the new challange in my life. I am thankful that I have the most loving husband who doesnt care if we are poor as long as I am well. The people at my job did not care if I was sick, they were always so stressful and the bosses were not very nice men. I already feel better being away from them but now have to get another job in the near future. It has helped me to be able to read about others, I am not alone in this fight. Now I can talk to you all and that is great.
Looking forward to chatting - Ms. Noah


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The last six years of budget cuts have left Chula Vista in dire need of help monitoring its 52 city parks and 88 athletic fields.
To meet that need, the city recently introduced a volunteer park ranger program, inviting residents to pitch in and help keep the parks clean, orderly and safe.
The city used to have a full-blown park ranger program with a supervisor, two full-time senior rangers and 14 hourly employees, until the entire program was cut in 2010 to respond to dipping revenues.
"I think the worst part about it is that the cuts came when people had less money and less work and were using the parks more," said Enemias Rocha, a part-time ranger who began working for the city in 2006. "It's free entertainment, so the use of the parks went up at the same time the economy was going down and our resources to take care of them was, too."
Now it has been partially restored so that there are three part-time rangers to open the gates and restrooms at the parks, three to close them in the evenings.
But by the time they do that, they don't have time to clean up, pick up trash or do much of anything else, said Parks Manager Agnes Bernardo.
"We've gotten part of the program back, which is a really good thing," Parks Manager Agnes Bernardo said but explained that the city still needs help patrolling fields to keep them clean and make sure sports teams playing on the fields are actually authorized to be there.
The city's expansive network of parks, while an asset, can also be a liability if there is nobody making sure they're used properly. At best, families may never get an opportunity to use the public spaces for their own recreation. At worst, conflicts could break out among sports teams vying to play on the same field.
"One of the things we're very proud of is that we have a really good park system that's very attractive to people," Bernardo explained. "We're also proud of the fact that we have a lot of really good athletes and a lot of great volunteers and a lot of great leagues that do a really good job, but it's hard to have enough places for them all to be at if that's not managed correctly."
That's why the city has a reservation system for its fields, gazebos and other park amenities — and the system processes thousands of reservations every year.
But the next step is having people to make the rounds at the parks on a daily basis to ensure people are respecting the reservations. Rocha said he has helped out with daily patrols before, and they require both alertness and diplomacy. Rangers, whether volunteer or paid, need to be willing to ask soccer teams to stop playing on the fields when it rains, for example, so their cleats don't destroy turf that the city can't afford to replace. They may also need to remind groups to clean up after themselves, or ensure that they are not using facilities during someone else's reserved time.
"We don't have enough hours to staff the need that's out there, so we're trying to augment our program with volunteers," said Assistant Director of Public Works Iracsema Quilantan.
She said the city is open to volunteers of all kinds and commitment levels, though. Every little bit would help.
"We're pretty open," Quilantan said. "There's enough work for quite a few volunteers, and because some people may have a day job or they're interested in only certain time periods, we can accommodate their schedules and they can do something that will accommodate us."
People interested in volunteering as park rangers may visit
chulavistaca.gov/goto/volunteer. Those wishing to make reservations for park facilities should visit chulavistaca.gov/City_Services/Community_Services/Public_Works_Operations/Parks/default.asp, and those wishing to reserve athletic fields may call (619) 409-5892.


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A local self-publishing author has opened a business in Chico to help first-time authors get their books published and successfully marketed.
Dan O'Brien, CEO of Amalgam Consulting, has been writing books since he was 16, and has successfully published 17 of his own books. He said that each of his books sells about 10-15,000 copies a year.
Being an author means that readership numbers are not always the highest with the book that you are the proudest of, he said. His book "Bitten" is by far the most popular among his audience, which is about murders and werewolves.
"'Bitten' kind of fit something that was genre specific that people were buying," he said. "The one I like the most is a book called 'The Journey,' and it is a little book of narrative poetry and it is really philosophical."
In March, O'Brien decided to open his consulting company as a way to help first-time writers get their books published. He feels it is easier today to get published than it has ever been in history.
"It used to be you had to own a printing press or have access to some sort of a printer to be able (to publish a book)," he said. "I think it is easier than ever, and that is both a good and a bad thing, since there are 130-something thousand new titles every year, so you are always kind of invisible because everyone thinks they can publish."
He agreed that everyone has a story to tell, but "something like 98 percent of books aren't marketed." To him that is what separates the successful authors from the ones who fall through the cracks.
"No reader is ever going to come to an author, and no one is going to find your book unless you tell them about it," he said. "They just aren't going to find it in a sea of nothingness, you have to go out and let people know you have a book out."
Some simple ways to market is through social media. Opening a Twitter account, starting a Facebook page and having a blog will help book lovers know who you are.
Another issue that first-time authors may run into is trying to figure out how much money to spend on getting their book published. O'Brien has published an 80-page book, "Publish Your Dreams," that helps authors find out how to get their books published without hiring anyone.
"It is pretty simple, a lot of it is just don't pay upfront for anything that isn't editing or design," he said. "There are a lot of vanity publishers out there that hide in plain sight. They want you to pay $2,000 for a publishing package and they will put it together for you, but you can do it in Word for nothing."
CreateSpace and Lightning Source are both print-on-demand companies. "When you print through them it goes directly through other channels, so it goes into Baker and Taylor, Ingram and through Amazon," he noted.
"Publishing has changed enough to where anyone can have a book right next to Stephen King, provided that you use the channels that are out there for you," O'Brien said.
O'Brien also copyedits books for $2 to $5 a page, depending on the number of errors there are in the book, but noted that he has never had to charge someone $5 a page and can also work within a person's budget.
Thus far, O'Brien has helped in publishing 50 books, both as a freelancer and through Amalgam Consulting.
O'Brien's professional blog is at http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com/p/the-goods.html, and the Amalgam Consulting website is http://www.amalgamconsulting.com/.
Nicole can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Connect with her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nbgerspacher.


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swel304 wrote:kern9787 wrote:The difference to add the height is just another axis of rotation for your torso on your throw. Just like you tilt to the angle of your hyzer/anhyzer, your reach back/pull through relative to your lower body rotates. For hyzers, its a clockwise rotation, for anhyzers, its counterclockwise, looking top down.
I am not sure I am understanding this. Some visual explanation would be awesome! lol
Let me try again. I'll try to describe the way I throw a hyzer with height, RHBH. I'm going to refer to the directions of the tee pad in reference to a clock, front being 12, back is 6, left is 9 (the side the disc passes your body on), right is 3.
If you are throwing a flat, your shoulders and disc all stay in, approximately the same plane (or parallel planes depending on how low your pull through is). This should stay consistent at all times. Now if I'm throwing hyzer, that plane rotates so that it is lower at 9 o'clock and higher at 3 o'clock. 12 and 6 should still be approximately the same height and the axis your torso rotates on (i.e. your spine) is perpendicular to this plane. To add height to my hyzer, I am rotating my torso on this tilted axis so that, at my full reach back, instead of being at 6 with the disc, its back to around 6:30 or 7.
Now if you are keeping in the same plane, this moved the disc both towards the left side of the tee pad and down, so that if your pull through is the same, the disc is coming slightly up and slightly to the right. If you were to look at the relationship between just the disc and your torso, it is 100% the same as throwing flat.
Maybe this makes more sense? Anhyzer works very similar. If it doesn't, I'll see if I can get something visual. And yes, I know this seems like a very... technical... explanation. Best I know how.
Like zj said too though, throwing far isn't about aiming really high. You are still aiming more out than up. The way I throw with this is the same way I throw steeper hyzers and anhyzers too.


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2011 Ligonier National Conference - Session 11 (John Piper)
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2011 Ligonier National Conference - Session 10 (R.C. Sproul & John Piper)
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A SEARCH operation at a remote pond in Ramsbury has been scaled back as one murder victim's mum hopes detectives have made the breakthrough she's been waiting for.
A flurry of activity at the end of last week saw police pull two boots Sian O'Callaghan was wearing the night she died in March 2011, and a single-barrelled shotgun from a tiny pond a few miles outside the small village, near Marlborough. It came as the man who led the initial investigation was revealed to have quit Wiltshire Police.
A team of 25 to 30 officers, including divers from Avon and Somerset Police and cadaver dogs from South Wales Police, were dispatched to the scene after lead investigator Detective Chief Inspector Sean Memory made the find along with a colleague last week.
But the Adver understands the divers were set to conclude their work yesterday without making any further finds, although officers and dogs continued to scour the woodland along Hilldrop Lane for any traces of human remains.
A police spokesman yesterday confirmed forensic tests on the shotgun recovered from the pond would now take place, while any serial number on the rusted weapon would be run through the police database of licensed gunholders.
She said: "The shotgun will have to be sent away for analysis and if it has serial numbers, we will be checking on our database. We are keeping an open mind as to whether it is connected to the enquiry.
"Nothing else has been recovered since Friday. The searches will continue, although the divers were due to finish their work yesterday."
The developments come after former Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher resigned from his position at the force. It followed disciplinary proceedings that found him guilty of misconduct for ignoring force orders and breaching the Police and Criminal Evidence Act when questioning Sian's killer Christopher Halliwell, of Nythe.
His actions meant a second charge of murder against the mini-cab driver, 50, for the killing of Becky Godden-Edwards was withdrawn after a judge ruled vital evidence inadmissible.
Her mum Karen Edwards, 52, said she now hoped the latest twist in the long-running investigation into her daughter's death could be light at the end of the tunnel.
She said: "I'm shocked – everything seemed to have moved so fast. I don't know what to make of what's going on in Ramsbury, and this shotgun.
"Sean has picked up where Steve left off and is doing the things Steve never got a chance to do because he was suspended. I'm hoping this might be the final chapter."
Anyone with any information that could be of interest to the enquiry should contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously.


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The Pioneer BDP-51FD is currently the only non-Elite Blu-ray player that Pioneer offers, but it is far from a budget model. Pioneer has a well deserved reputation for offering high quality DVD players in the past and is certainly trying to continue that tradition with their Blu-ray lineup, even if it means that their lowest end player is priced above that of other manufacturer's models. However, since the release of the BDP-51FD, complaints about its performance has led to multiple firmware updates being released as Pioneer tries to maintain its position as a purveyor of high end electronics. This review examines the player with the latest firmware update applied.
- Design: Blu-ray Player
- Supported Formats: BD-Rom, DVD-ROM, DVD-R DVD+R, CD, CD-R/RW.
- Supported Audio: Internal Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD Decoding, Bitstream Support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio
- Supported Video Resolutions from HDMI: 480i, 480p, 1080i, 1080p60, 1080p24
- Dimensions: 4.9″ H x 16.5†W x 14.18†D
- Weight: 12.8 Pounds
- Pioneer
One aspect of the player that Pioneer did not have to address with a firmware upgrade was the build quality of the player. Compared to the Oppo DVD player I have been using for the last few years, or even the A2 HD-DVD player from Toshiba, the Pioneer BDP-51FD is in a totally different build class. Much larger than those units, the Pioneer features a glossy black front panel that looks very impressive sitting in my AV rack, and was much more impressive than the Oppo player that was previously in its place.
The back panel featured the common assortment of jacks that we are now used to on a Blu-ray player: HDMI, Component Video, coaxial and optical audio outputs (for legacy receivers that can't take the new audio formats over HDMI), and a full 7.1 analog output for receivers that feature 5.1 or 7.1 audio inputs, but no HDMI inputs, so they are able to accept the newer audio formats that the Pioneer can decode internally (Fig-3).
One jack that was noticeably absent was an Ethernet jack. This means that the Pioneer 51FD is only Profile 1.1 compatible and not Profile 2.0, which requires an internet connection to download content for discs from the web, or to enable other special features that might be made available later on certain titles.
The machine also only contains 256 MB of storage, not the minimum of 1 GB that would be required for Profile 2.0. Additionally, this means that you cannot download new firmware automatically, a feature that I really liked on the Toshiba HD-DVD players as it saved me from having to burn the firmware to a CD for a single use, and then throwing away that disc after the upgrade.
While the features offered by Profile 2.0 might not be important to you (you can still watch the movie or the special features contained on the disc with Profile 1.1 just fine), it's important to know that the future upgrade path of the Pioneer 51FD is limited by the lack of an internet connection. The Pioneer website also lists these jacks as being gold plated, but that is only the case on the Elite BDP-05FD model and not on the BDP-51FD, as someone probably copied the same page of specifications for both players.
Also present on the back panel was a reasonably sized fan and exhaust, which I worried would start to spin and add some audible noise during playback of titles, but from the time I installed the player until I took it back out of my rack, I forgot that the fan was there, so I feel comfortable saying that either the fan doesn't spin up often, or if it does, it's quiet enough that you won't notice any sound coming from it.
Feature Set
With its updated firmware (version 1.21 upon evaluation), the Pioneer 51FD has full support for many features available on Blu-ray today. While I already touched on the lack of Profile 2.0 support due to the absence of an Ethernet jack, the Pioneer supports bitstreaming of all the new audio codecs (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD, and DTS Master Audio).
Additionally, the player can decode Dolby TrueHD internally and then pass that signal over the 7.1 analog outputs, or as PCM over HDMI so receivers with analog inputs or HDMI revision 1.2 and below can still get the full quality of lossless PCM and TrueHD tracks without needing to upgrade to a receiver with HDMI 1.3 support. Pioneer has indicated that decoding support for DTS Master Audio internally will be added in a later firmware revision (with an estimated release in February-March of 2009), much as this was added far later to the PlayStation3 than TrueHD decoding was.
Support for both internal decoding and bitstreaming of the audio codecs (compared to, for example, the Playstation3 which can only internally decode and pass as PCM) is a wonderful feature for many reasons. For people looking to purchase a Blu-ray player that have receivers with either multichannel analog inputs or only HDMI 1.2 support, it allows them to obtain the full benefit of the new audio codecs without needing to upgrade a receiver that might otherwise work perfectly in their setup.
Additionally, while my receiver is HDMI 1.3 compatible, I also makes use of the Audyssey EQ on it to help correct for issues with my room and provide a larger sweet spot for people watching movies or television. However, the processor in the receiver is unable to both process high resolution PCM (anything with a sampling rate above 48 KHz) and apply the Audyssey EQ at the same time, but it can process the bitstream of a high resolution source and apply the EQ to it.
Having the flexibility to support both of these setups is a big benefit for the Pioneer.
The Pioneer also features a Source Direct mode that will pass the contents of the disc inside directly without any scaling to a different resolution. This is a very nice feature if you have a display that can support 1080p24, or an external scaler, as it will allow you the best possible image quality available from the disc. My display does not support 24p but when I enabled Source Direct, I could tell that it was passing a 24p signal as my TV let me know that the format was not supported. Watching a DVD it would pass a 480i signal perfectly as well when Source Direct was enabled.
What surprised me was that when I put on the Neil Young – Live at Massey Hall DVD (which contains a 24/96 PCM audio track) and turned on Source Direct mode, the Pioneer both passed along a 480i DVD signal, and passed the high resolution audio track to my receiver. With every other DVD or Blu-ray player I have used, I have had to set the output of the player to at least 720p or above to get the player to allow high resolution audio over HDMI, so this was a nice surprise.
The Pioneer can also play compressed audio off of a CD if it is in mp3 or WMA format, but it cannot play any files that use lossless compression (FLAC, Apple Lossless), and due to the lack of USB or Ethernet ports, all files have to be burned to a CD to be played.
The Pioneer also features Deep Color support, but there are currently no titles available that support this feature, and my display also does not contain support for 36-bit color, but it would ensure that if titles are released in the future, you would have full support for that feature.
When I opened up the case of the Pioneer, I found that the analog audio circuitry was kept separate from the video circuitry, which should help to prevent any interference with the signal and allow for higher quality playback than other players.
Standard DVD Benchmark Performance
The Pioneer BDP-51D was tested from HDMI outputs as well as component video outputs and varying results were observed from the different outputs. From the HDMI outpus the BDP-51D passed most of the Secrets benchmarks applying correct processing to 3-2 and 2-2 cadence material. The only real hicups the player experienced was with material with choppy edits or with incorrect progressive flags. The BDP-51d showed itself to be motion adaptive.
From the component video outputs the player exibited different results and was unable to correctly display any of the 3-2 cadence material or switch between video and film modes. HDMI would be the preferred choice of outputs with this player.
The BDP-51D did not exhibit any issues with any of Secret's chroma upsampling error tests from either HDMI or component outputs.
HD Video Benchmark Performance
The HD performance of the BDP-51FD was respectable. On the upside, the player was able to properly convert 1080i material with both 3-2 and 2-2 cadences, there were no problems with pixel cropping, and it applies significant diagonal filtering. On the downside, the BDP-51D didn't show enough of an amount of digital noise reduction to pass the noise reduction test. Click on the chart below to enlarge it.
The BDP-51D exhibited poor performance with sluggish operation and a very slow layer change that was greater than two seconds.
Core Video Performance
Measurements were taken at 1080i from the analog outputs using our Tektronix oscilloscope. The Pioneer BDP-51FD exhibited good performance in the core tests with a white level measured at 101 IRE, no problems with pixel cropping, and the ability to display blacker than black content. The BDP-51FD's frequency response had a gradual rise up to the highest frequencies which translates to displaying a minor amount of ringing in fine detail.
In Use
Apparently the Secrets writers have similar taste in movies, as one of the first titles that I fired up on the Pioneer was Disc 1 of the recent Blu-ray release of Band of Brothers. Being the only person I knew that still had not seen the miniseries, I had high hopes for both the movie, and the Pioneer player, and neither disappointed me. As soon as the disc loaded, I saw the DTS Master Audio light on my receiver kick on for the first time, letting me know that the Pioneer was bitstreaming the audio from the disc correctly.
The Pioneer did detect my display as 1080i for some reason (as everything went through my receiver, it could be that the Pioneer was getting incorrect information about what video formats it supported) but I switched it to 1080p60 and had no issues after that.
Watching the movie, I was completely engrossed as it went on. The Pioneer fed my display with a perfect image and no artifacts that I could detect, and the sound was absolutely fantastic. To give the player another test, I used the recently released Dark Knight BluRay, which featured a Dolby TrueHD track that should allow me to change between bitstreaming the audio, and decoding it internally to PCM and then feeding that to my receiver. One minor annoyance on the Dark Knight disc was that the default audio track was Dolby Digital instead of TrueHD, which required me to switch it with either the remote for the Pioneer, or in the movie's menus. I do wish that the Pioneer would have an option to detect the audio tracks and automatically select a lossless track if it was available, but the Playstation3 has the same behavior, so this is more a wish from my end and not a fault of the player.
The Dark Knight disc provided a wonderful home viewing experience, with the aspect ratio opening up to full 16×9 during action sequences that were shot in IMAX (the rest of the film is in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio), and a powerful soundtrack to go along with the images on-screen. Switching between a bitstreamed TrueHD track, and an internally decoded PCM track, I could not detect a difference, nor did I expect to be able to. The Pioneer just played back the material I gave it perfectly and never provided any distraction from what was onscreen.
To test the upconversion of standard DVD's, I went back to an old favorite and watched Amelie for the first time in a few years. With a bright color palette and some wonderful cinematography, as well as a fantastic story, it is always an enjoyable movie to go back and watch again. I switched back between Source Direct (feeding my display a 480i signal) and the 1080p60 output of the Pioneer many times. The 1080p conversion from the Pioneer seemed to offer a sharper, more detailed picture than the conversion being done by my TV internally. On a couple of scenes I could notice some jagged edges caused by poor 3:2 pull-down on the 480i image that were not present on the 1080p image. While it cannot make a regular DVD look like a Blu-ray disc, it did make my DVD's look better than either my Oppo 970 or my Playstation 3 did on my 1080p display.
However, there were two main things about the Pioneer that I did not like in my use of it. First, there was the remote. A long, skinny remote with lots of buttons, they all seemed to have labels that were too similar to describe what they were doing (buttons labeled video select, secondary video, and video adjust, as well as audio and secondary audio, where it's not clear what the difference is). Additionally, the playback control buttons are at the bottom of the remote and smaller than far less commonly used buttons. It seems that Pioneer could have grouped the buttons on the remote intoa more logical arrangement, and made the more commonly used buttons larger and easier to locate on the remote in the dark, since it is not backlit either. For most people, this might not be an issue as you would have a universal remote to use the player normally.
The main drawback to the Pioneer player, however, was the speed. Going from powered off to opening the disc tray took around 40 seconds in my testing. Starting up a movie took over a minute most of the time, and so if you were to power on the player with a disc already in there, and then needed to swap that disc for another one you planned to watch, it could easily take 3+ minutes to get the movie playing. My wife never really took to the HD-DVD player I purchased as it took quite a while to turn on and start playing movies, and she hasn't taken to Blu-ray yet because the only player in the house was a Playstation 3, and she doesn't want to bother with a video game console to watch a movie, for which I can't really blame her. My hope was that testing out the Pioneer player would get her to come over to the side of Blu-ray (and I bought her a John Mayer concert Blu-ray in my attempt to convince her). However, as soon as she had to wait for over three minutes to start watching The Dark Knight, she gave up on Blu-ray and went back to watching movies on her 26†LCD in her office. If she was going to sit down and watch a 2 hour movie, she would put up with the loading times, but for watching a TV episode on DVD, it was too much for her.
The Pioneer BDP-51FD has the cosmetics of a high end Blu-ray player, and has respectable HD and SD performance from the HDMI outputs. With its ability to bitstream all the next generation audio codecs, and promised support for internal decoding of dtsMaster Audio coming soon, it can feed your AV system with a quality image and a great soundtrack. However, when compared to other current Blu-ray players, its lack of Profile 2.0 support means you may start to miss out on special features that are available via download only. Additionally, with no internet connection or USB ports, features that players are starting to offer such as Netflix streaming, support will not be possible. Aside from that, its sluggish responsiveness is its only other major negative trait. With that being said, if you just want to watch the movie and BD-Live features don't concern you then its a worthy player to consider.


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