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A business model pioneered by <A HREF="http://www.netflix.com">Netflix</A> during the dot-com era appears to be one that consumers love. An increasing number of retailers are adopting it, including movie-rental giant <A HREF="http://www.blockbuster.com">Blockbuster</A>, with its "<A HREF="http://www.filmcaddy.com/home-v1.asp">Filmcaddy</A>" service, and retail chain <A HREF="http://www.walmart.com">Wal-Mart</A>, which launched its nascent DVD rental program in late October.

Michael Fremer sets up the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?56">B&W CM Series surround speaker system</A> in his audio/video room and gives them a complete workout. MF comments, "What B&W chose to do with the CM Series is blend good looks, high build-quality, and typically rich 'British sound' into an affordable package."

At first sight, the corporate-designed, picture-perfect streets of Boulder, Colorado, silhouetted against the breathtakingly beautiful but dry purple-brown Rockies, reminded me of a mall with its lid ripped off. Then again, maybe it was the lack of oxygen. Ski? Me and my politically incorrect, gas-guzzling Lincoln Town Car rental (unlike the perfectly acceptable gas-guzzling SUVs everyone in Boulder drives) were in town for only a short visit, mainly on business unrelated to <I>SGHT</I>. But I had a day free for a little sightseeing and an interesting visit with Charlie Hansen, president and owner of Ayre Acoustics. I was scheduled to review Ayre's newest multichannel amplifier, and this gave me the chance to learn more about the product and the company.