As for the slow pace of awards so far, Kushlefsky said Birnbaum and her staff are not to blame.

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The live broadcast of the Tonys at the Beacon Theatre began with a performance from the cast of "The Book of Mormon" and reliably charming opener by host Neil Patrick Harris, who kept the show moving along at a pace from which the Academy Awards could learn.

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In the high-tech industry, monetary awards are a better way to ensure that the pace of technological progress does not slacken under a welter of questionable lawsuits.

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The Scosche myTREK, an International CES Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree, allows users track their pulse, calories burned, distance, speed, pace, store past workouts and much more.

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