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The Archbishop of Birmingham's latest political excursion has been a remarkable success, if, that is, you believe him, the Catholic Education Service, the secular press, and of course the now furious National Secular Society.
Feel free to agree with them all yourself, too. But from my point of view the upshot of it is this: at the moment, the average Catholic secondary is approximately 95% full of youngsters whose families have little or no interest in the Catholic faith but just so happen to have an Irish granny. Were it a brand new Catholic School, it would contain 70% of the above and 25% of children from 'other faith traditions or none'. Big deal.
This is neither a victory nor a defeat, merely a policy change in regard to where the English Catholic Church will source the little pagans whose education it is so happy to subsidise.
My concern, and the concern which I think our Bishops should share, is for the 5% or so who come from families who genuinely are committed to bringing their children up in the faith, and who want them to go to a school where their efforts will be not undermined, but supported, by sound christian teachers in a Catholic environment. This was the purpose for which the pennies of the poor and the ceaseless labours of many saintly religious built up our Catholic education system during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and we owe it to them to carry on that work.
Last week, Archbishop Nicholls protested in the Telegraph that the government's proposals were "A Trojan horse, bringing into Catholic schools not only those who reject its (sic) central vision, but oppose it." . The truth is that the Trojan horse got into Catholic education a long time ago and, like the original Trojans, we didn't need anyone to make us open the gates, we did it ourselves in our naivety.
This whole situation had, and has, little to do with any macchiavellian schemes on the part of the the Department for Education. No doubt they do want to control us; they're socialists after all and that is their instinct.
But the situation Catholic education is in is simply the result of there being fewer and fewer people who could be called 'Catholics' in any meaningful way, but still just as many (if not more) places in Catholic schools.
The result, of course, is this: the vast majority of Catholic schools, particularly the secondary schools, are now largely staffed by secularly minded teachers who indoctrinate the children of secularly minded parents with secularist ideas. All under the authority of the local bishop and 10% funded by the local Church.
And what this means is that parents who genuinely want a Catholic education for their children don't get it. They don't get it because the local Catholic school has it's own priorities. They do not think it important to celebrate major feast days; they would not know how to give sound catechesis (indeed they would think its content either silly or offensive); they do not introduce the children to the rich cultural heritage which is the patrimony of every Catholic. Finally, they seldom have teachers capable of being suitable role models for young Catholics.
Almost all of the boys I was at school with who came from good, Catholic homes have now lost their faith. To be more precise, they lost their faith when they were at school, between the ages of 13 and 18. I can't help feeling that if they'd gone to a school where being a churchgoer was the norm rather than unusual, where most of their friends were also from good, Catholic homes, and where there were teachers who set an example of living the christian life, they would have stood a much, much better chance of keeping their faith. Is there anyone who would disagree with that?


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(Will post pictures of me wearing the items soon, so you get a better idea of how they look.)
The vest pattern is from Crochet Today, called the Stripped Shrug. I thought it would look pretty as one color (plus I didn't want to have to carry the double yarn throughout). I choose the cream and I added the fun fur in hopes to make it look a classy, yet fun.
The tank....hmmm, not sure if I like how this turned out. Found here, called the Happy Days Halter. I am not very happy with how it lays on my tummy. I do not have a flat, ripped out abs, and this halter/tank hugs that area...maybe if I block the halter, it will look better. (or do more sit-ups)
The Hair Tube. Love it!!! Using a larger hook, and crochet yarn, it is very flexible. I don't have dreads, but do have lots of curly hair to tame. This thing looks great, is comfortable and was easy to make.
The blanket, not finished, but at least still getting worked on. Maybe not as fast as I would like, but at least I am picking it up every couple days and making progress. I have even figured out the layout of all the flowers.

subset: commoncrawl


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The first time that I heard this song I was sitting in my boyfriend's car and the song started playing. I am struggling with my memory on this one though, because it either was on the radio, or it was from a cassette tape ... Well, if it was playing on the radio, it was a pretty racy song for even the 70's era, and therefore, probably caused this song to lose air time, or it could have been totally censored from the radio.
With all that aside, I was dating a guy named Mike, who seemed cool at that time, because he was a friend of my cousin Pam's boyfriend Darren. They were not from the same town that we lived in because we actually preferred dating guys, who were from a different school, because we knew to much about the guys in our school. The school was so small and there was no mystery, in other words.
If your not familiar with this song it might be because unless you bought the album or cassette, you probably only heard J. Geils band's cleaner type songs, and there were not very many of them, as you know. I am almost positive that you will find this song to be one of the coolest songs written in the 70's.
Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about the J. Geils band or this song.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
x-rated song from the 70's
Posted by LISAKITTY'S HOT TOPICS at 12:44 PM No comments:
Labels: The J. Geils band
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LA-based band Redd Kross, led by brothers Steve and Jeff McDonald, has endured with various line-ups since they officially formed in 1980. After 15 years since their last studio album release (Show World), Redd Kross has brought forth a killer power pop album, Researching the Blues - a perfect inclusion in this summer's beach bag (along with the new King Tuff self-titled record), out on Merge Records. Reunited with guitarist Robert Hecker and including Muffs' drummer Roy McDonald. It's a record that's filled with varied-style pop nuggets. The McDonald Boys are back!!
Evil Lives (Ad Rock Mix)/ BOSCO DELREY ('11)
North American Scum/ LCD SOUNDSYSTEM ('07, Sound of Silver)
Metal/ GARY NUMAN ('79, The Pleasure Principle)
That's Not My Name/ THE TING TINGS ('08, We Started Nothing)
Big Fat Liar/ KINNY ('12, Tru Thoughts Recording Compilation)
Irresistible Bitch/ PRINCE ('82, B-side to "Let's Pretend We're Married)
Bitch/ THEESatisfaction ('12, awE natural)
Pusherman/ CURTIS MAYFIELD ('72, Superfly ST)
Egg Man/ BEASTIE BOYS ('89, Paul's Boutique)
B Side Wins Again/ PUBLIC ENEMY ('90, Fear of a Black Planet)
Me Myself and I (OBLAPOS MODE)/ DE LA SOUL ('89, 3 Feet High and Rising)
Gangsta/ tUnE-yArDs ('11, whokill)
Wicked Midnite/ THE MEKONS ('92, I ♥ Mekons)
52 Girls/ B-52'S ('79, self titled)
Everything Will Be Fine/ JC BROOKS & THE UPTOWN SOUND ('11, Want More)
Hollowpoint Blues/ CARY ANN HEARST & MICHAEL TRENT ('08, Shovels & Rope)
Shake Your Hips/ SLIM HARPO ('66)
Wolf Teeth/ JC McPHERSON ('12, Signs & Signifiers)*
Cage/ SALLIE FORD & THE SOUND OUTSIDE ('11, Dirty Radio)
Garbageman/ THE CRAMPS ('80, Songs the Lord Taught Us)
Bad Thing/ KING TUFF ('12, self titled)*
Choose to Play/ REDD KROSS ('12, Resarching the Blues)*
I Want You Around (Original Version)/ THE RAMONES ('78, Road to Ruin)
Date w/ Ikea/ PAVEMENT ('97, Brighten the Corners)
Keep It in Motion/ GUIDED BY VOICES ('12, Class Clown Spots a UFO)*
I Move Around/ LEE HAZELWOOD ('66)
I Move Around/ THE PURRS ('10, Tearing Down Paisley Garden EP)
Hall of Mirrors/ HELIO SEQUENCE ('12, Negotiations)*
Blodbuzz Ohio/ THE NATIONAL ('10, High Violet)
King of Silence/ CIBO MATTO ('99, Stereo Type A)
Look Around the Corner/ QUANTIC & ALICE RUSSELL ('12, Look Around the Corner)*
*new or recent release
Sunday, August 19, 2012
BW's PLAYLIST/ KHSU, 90.5/ SAT., 18 AUG. 2012
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I love spring -- everything about it -- even the rain that comes and makes everything grow at lightning speed. I am always in a hurry in spring, in a hurry for everything to bloom and for the color in my yard to explode. My dogwood tree is no exception. It is the one thing in my yard that I wait all year to watch bloom. The only difference is -- once it blooms, I want time to stop. I want those gorgeous pink blossoms to brighten my yard for the whole summer.
Products Used:
#1169 - Defining Prom
#1300 - Pigs
#1099 - Needing a Push
#1241 - Cross Country Game


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Now that Thanksgiving is officially over, I will start in on the Christmas train,
I love Christmas. Not for the gifts or the kill-yourself-for-a-five-dollar-toaster-after-thanksgiving-sale but for the spirit that is becoming lost. I like helping people, making people happy and enjoying time with family.
THe hubs and I have our silly winter traditions, that I CANT wait for!
On Christmas eve, we attend Christmas eve service, do gifts and dinner with my parents than we always watch A Christmas Story for the 24 Hour marathon, build a gingerbread house, go sledding and cuddle watching Christmas movies. Then we fall asleep to A Christmas Story on one tv and the ule log on the other!
What do you do?
I'm not above getting a present orrrr two.
So now let's talk presents.
I don't really NEED anything, accept a new car- we could use one of those. But outside of that, I have a few things I wouldn't mind the hub have waiting under the tree for me...
These boots were made for me...
They shimmer. I like sparkly.
A lot.
I've been looking for the perfect neutral colored riding style boot and these babies are the winner.
The hubs and I haven't ever really followed football. Until now.
Once we started talking about moving up there some football fanatics told us how good they thought the seahawks were. So we decided to take up watching and following them. They are very good and hot damn this season they are doing SMASHING!!!! Of course any fan needs the appropriate fan gear right?!
We have had the same bedding set since we started dating..its over three years old. Its comfy yes, but I want something new and that we picked out together.. Okay yeah he just said yeah that ones fine when I should him but thats better than an ICK thats fugly... This comforter set just looks so elegant and silky comfy.. I want to slither in it right meow.
Ive been looking into getting some sort of fitness tracker and I keep seeing the FitBit Flex pop up so naturally it has made its way to my list.. and its pink.
I told you I like Shiny!
I feel like my squats would be even better if my quads or better yet my entire but region shimmered with each drop!
Its performance, I swear, I KNOW my squats will improve with these!...
This awesome link up as always is brought to you by the always classy Darci at The Good Life Blog
Whats something on your list?
Have a great day, don't get trampled if you go out shopping!


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Hamburger, Inspired by Andy Warhol's "Hamburger"
If you like it, save it!
Save and organize all of the stuff you love in one place.Got it!
If you like something…
Click the heart, it's called favoriting. Favorite the stuff you like.Got it!
Author Notes: For a classic hamburger like this, I like to use 20-percent-fat beef. Grass-fed is great, but it just doesn't yield that retro burger taste. Also, you must use one of those super thin, sesame seed-studded potato buns to get the proper experience. Don't ask what's in them, just bite and rejoice. —Rebecca Firkser
Makes: 1 burger
handful ground 20-percent-fat beef
potato bun with sesame seeds
Ketchup, mustard, and/or mayo (to serve)
- Place a cast iron skillet over high heat, letting it get incredibly hot. Grab a big handful of beef and gingerly shape into a patty by transferring it from one hand to another, slapping it ever so slightly.
- Drop the burger onto the skillet and sear for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes, depending on how done you like your burgers to be. Dump onto the bun (toasted if you must, but I like that weird, pillowy bun texture) with desired condiments.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
More Great Recipes:
Beef|Meat|Entree|5 Ingredients or Fewer|Grill/Barbecue|Hamburger


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Paseo Gallery – Megamall
4th Level Building A
SM Megamall, EDSA Mandaluyong City
April 14- April 27
April 28- May 11
May 12- May 25
Paseo Gallery-Megamall presents fifteen freshie students from the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts in their exhibition entitled, "Pause: Modern, Young Artists Grapple with the Times." The exhibit is divided into three exhibitions, first part is entitled Rewind, the second part is Forward and the last part is Play. Their canvases show a valiant share of their own contextualising, interpreting and understanding post-modernism. Their critique in the perception of pomo trancend subjects, gender, and traditions are extracted in hues determining to explore the context that created endless debates, euphoria, jargon, hype, hysteria, absurdity, creativity ,revolution to a certain extent and new beginnings.
"Pause: Modern-Rewind",the first group posits the question of what constitutes art; they will explore post-modernism by examining the root and conventions in art. Their canvases will not give subjects to be looked at like objects and arrived at the expected meanings, but deep surfaces with questions to pause for. "Pause: modern, Rewind" opens on April 14 , participating artists includes Dodge Carpio, Isaac Sion, Tanya Umali, Joe Tanierla and PJ Jalandoni. "Rewind", an investigation of the movement and critique of the context is on view until April 27.
The second group- "Pause: modern, Forward", comprises another set of young artists: Ana Mata, Joseph Morong, Maridan Pedro, Ralph Barrientos & Jocel Yabes, it presents works that subverts traditional gender representations in the media and pop culture.The exhibit opens on April 28 and runs until May 11.
Opening on May 12 and running until May 25 is the third installment subtitled "Pause: modern, Play" which experiments with the processes of art. Participating artists are: Irene Baltazar, Dawani De Leon, Jazz Gabriel, Cara Gonzalez & Paulo Pascual.
All exhibitions will be mounted and on view at Paseo Gallery – Megamall. For enquiries please contact Paseo Gallery Offices: 4th Level , Building A, SM Megamall EDSA, Mandaluyong City , Philippines; 3rd Floor, Ayala Center Makati City,Philippines, Contact Numbers: Mobile +63917-526-8082 / +63922-887-2736 ; Landline 728-0168 & 7065514; Email : firstname.lastname@example.com
:) :) :)


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Pancretec Inc. reported a $338,000 net loss and $414,504 in revenues for the second quarter ended Dec. 31. Last year the company reported a $356,055 net loss and $20,139 in revenues.
Pancretec reported a $721,623 net loss and $878,000 in revenues for the first half compared to a net loss of $893,323 and revenues of $414,504 a year earlier.
"Ongoing cost-reduction efforts and an emphasis in sales and marketing efforts" led to the sales increase and reduced loss, according to Richard W. Turner, president and chief executive.
The San Diego-based company manufactures and markets devices which deliver a predetermined dosage of medication to patients under medical supervision.


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Might & Magic Duel of Champions (Free To Play) (STEAM) Activation details
Might & Magic Duel of Champions (Free To Play) (STEAM)
- Developer: Ubisoft
- Genres: Strategy, Free to Play
- Languages: EN, FR, RU, IT, DE, ES, PL
- Official website: http://www.duelofchampions.com
Enter the legendary universe of Might & Magic with this fantastic strategic online card game. With close to 600 cards, choose your hero, build an army with creatures, spells and fortunes and defeat cunning opponents in battles of epic proportions.
Experience the time-tested factions of the Might & Magic universe in a completely new format. Discover a wealth of beautifully illustrated game cards, featuring all the well-known characters, spells and heroes from the Might & Magic series of games.
Objective of the game:
- Defeat your opponent's hero by deploying creatures, casting spells and taking advantage of fortunes and events.
Choose a faction:
- There are 6 different factions with their own distinct history and play style: Haven, Inferno, Necropolis, Stronghold, Sanctuary and Academy. Discover them all and master their strategies.
Pick your hero:
- • There are over 40 heroes to choose from. The hero you pick will determine the faction your army hails from, your starting levels and life. Each hero also has access to certain schools of magic.
Build your army for battle:
- Use the deck builder to create and manage your decks; possibilities are endless and you can create as many of them as you want. Each deck consists of 1 hero card, 8 event cards, and a mix of 50 to 200 creature, spell and fortune cards.
Master the battleground:
- Bring your deck into battle! There are 16 positions on the battleground where your cards can be deployed and repositioned, presenting a wide array of approaches and possibilities for deep strategy.
Play different game modes:
- Battle various online opponents in ranked or unranked 1 on 1 duels. Take part in daily tournaments or create your own. Win rewards and unlock challenging achievements as you climb up the leaderboards.
- Chat with friends and opponents as playing, and visit the official forums to keep in touch with the Duel of Champions community
- Look for the latest news and updates by following Duel of Champions on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Twitch.
- Challenge your friends directly or let the matchmaking system find you a worthy opponent
- Participate in various online tournaments & leaderboards
- Play and level up to unlock free rewards including cards, decks, boosts, currency, tournament tickets, and Wildcards.
- Get exclusive cards for free by completing achievements and winning tournaments
- Visit Emilio's shop and take advantage of special offers to build your card collection
System Requirements
- OS: Windows XP SP3
- Processor: 2 GHz
- Memory: 512 MB RAM
- Graphics: 256 VRAM
- DirectX: Version 9.0c
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Hard Drive: 300 MB available space
1 Most useful customer reviews See all
Decent card game, but Hearthstone is miles better.


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George Eastman Visiting Professor 2019-20
University of Oxford - Medical Sciences Division or Humanities Division
Sorry, but the advert you were looking for has expired.
To see more employment opportunities with University of Oxford, please click here.
Perhaps you were looking for something totally different? In that case, it might be best start a new job search from our Home Page. You might also find our Site Map useful too.


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How about some reusing & reinventing-
So here is the item:Clothespin. Not only are these great for hanging your laundry to dry (previous post by Am), but you can use them to hang cuteness in your home. Cuteness, as in photos, post cards, fabrics....you name it.
Wanna have the coolest clothespin in your neighborhood? You know you do.
Paint them, collage the outside, add wallpaper on the edges....these little objects have the potential to look super cute. And this etsy user...well she knows! (StellaBean)-
These could make cute gifts don't you think?
Thursday, September 25, 2008
2 comments:
- goooooood girl said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- September 25, 2008 at 12:40 PM
- design for mankind. said...
- September 25, 2008 at 5:52 PM
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Uttermost (choose at will): Anarchy, Ataxia, Bedlam, Clutter, Chaos, Disarray, Discord, Disorder, Disorganization, Entropy, Free-for-all*, Holy mess*, Lawlessness, Misrule, Mix-up, Mobocracy, Muddle, Pandemonium, Randomness, Rat's nest*, Snarl, Tumult, Turmoil, Unruliness, Xaos, Socks, Frogs, whatever...
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thermically Warm
I was thinking about the state o continuous confusion and chaos inside my mind today, and I realized something... It is time to bring some harmony to my mind, and to do that there is only one way... I have to transpose the confusion and chaos inside my mind to the "real" world. I need some peace of mind, and the world needs more chaos. That is not a menacing thing, though... Chaos has many faces, and some of them are not really that bad!
If someone observe some very unpredictable facts happening somewhere, I might be around... or maybe it is just the consequences of some of my yet to take actions. With some luck, my actions might just trigger the next Ice Age to start this year!
Today one sleeps, tomorrow another awakes!
This post was finished while hearing: The Perennial Sophia - Therion
3 comments:
- HJW said...
Hi there - I have started researching Quantum Physics recently and am amazed at what I have discovered so far. (So a am a newbie to the world of physics.)
Are you saying that if you're feeling fatigued or overwhelmed that feeling is really a contrast between you and the level of energy/chaos external to you? I guess meaning at that time you would be a 'regulator'
Therefore an adrenaline rush would be the opposite?
So where as the above sounds chaotic and out of our control it's actually the opposite, we are very much in control of our equilibrium or imbalance of energy.
Am I on the right track?
I initially found your site as I was considering global warming could have a lot to do with entropy and googled that.. It was really interesting to read your theories.
Any info or advice would be fantastic. I still have a lot of fundamentals of physics to learn but its great to see other peoples thought process.
- December 14, 2009 at 10:26 AM
- Feérica "Psychedella" Fuzilêra said...
Comfortably Numb.
- December 17, 2010 at 3:02 AM
- Feérica "Psychedella" Fuzilêra said...
"Therefore an adrenaline rush would be the opposite?"
Muito bem!
- December 17, 2010 at 3:06 AM


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In late-fall/early winter, Together Yes plans to offer a free series of sewing workshops (3-5 of them), and will have sewing machines available for the workshops. It is hoped that smaller groups of people interested in a particular pursuit will continue meeting and talking with one another. It's about community, as always.
These workshops will show how to do basic sewing: using a machine, necessary hand sewing, repairs, mending, altering, etc. Just "how to." But they will also show ideas and techniques for turning clothing and other household fabrics (curtains, sheets, towels, etc.) into usable items. We are trying to avoid discarding and buying new as much as possible. Sustainable from an economic perspective, of course, but also sustainable in that we won't be buying so much that's been outsourced overseas and transported back to us at great cost (monetary & environmental). This aims also to show how fabrics can often replace plastics in many items of use. The notable absence of such textiles in our landfills is an obvious environmental plus.
Just by word of mouth so far, we are aware of people who'd like to take these workshops, including some men and high school students. This is not only sustainable for people, but financially important for those who have trouble buying new when something no longer fits, needs mending, or goes just "out of style."
We will naturally have one of the workshops focus on the use of smaller scraps that can be saved to quilt or appliqué.
If you are interested in helping plan/organize the Sewstainability workshop series, or would like to get your name on the list of participants early, please email us by clicking on the Contact button. We would also welcome ideas and suggestions!


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Oil on Canvas Board
No. 205 is the last of the Egan's Creek ones for a while. When I put the underpainting down on 203, I also did the underpainting for this one. Instead of a light, loose version I opted for a darker version of the exact color that would be eventually visible. So, instead of just seeing the Burnt Sienna through the broken color you can see a darker version of what is there. I think it works really well on the sky and helped to keep the light and shadows defined.
One other thing to note is that I've started putting these back on Etsy. You should see an "Available" button beneath the painting which that will take you over to my Etsy store. Since I was last posting the've added "options" as well, so I am now offering the paintings framed or unframed.


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Your patience is rewarded! Our thoughts on the Finale episode of Heroes Reborn and the series as a whole are all contained in this week's episode! This week, your intrepid hosts try to make sense of the events of the finale. As with much of this season, we each have something different to take away from the episode. We also chat about the official statements from NBC and Tim Kring regarding the possibility of there being "more to come" in the Heroes universe…To Be Continued?
Podcast: Download (41.7MB)
The penultimate episode! Only one episode left in what is now the series finale. That's the news this week: Heroes Reborn is not getting another season. This "mini-series event" will be the first and only installment of Heroes Reborn. Regardless, we are here with you until the end, and we recap and discuss this episode and get ourselves psyched up for the final episode coming this week titled, "Project Reborn". Enjoy!
Podcast: Download (36.3MB)
We're back! After more than six weeks on hiatus, the final three episodes of Heroes Reborn have begun to air. It's starting to feel like we're getting close to the end, this week packed in a ton of nice reveals. Where is Noah? Who has him? How exactly is Tommy going to save the world with Malina? Only two more episodes left to go until this whole thing is wrapped up, and your intrepid 10th Wonder Podcast hosts are here to try to make sense of it all. Enjoy!
Podcast: Download (24.4MB)
Your intrepid hosts are back to chat about the Heroes Reborn FALL FINALE! You heard that right, the show is officially on hiatus until January 7th 2016, and so this episode had to accomplish a lot of things, the least of which being that it has to hold us all over for several weeks until the show returns for the final three episodes. We share our reactions, observations, and predictions for when the show returns next year. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and enjoy!
Podcast: Download (37.8MB)
Only four more to go! But wait? Next week is a "Fall Finale?" We chat about when the show might return and we recap the episode that moves us ever-closer to the end of our mini-series. This week more of our storylines got consolidated, and while opinions were mixed among your podcast hosts, we're all looking forward to seeing how this ends! Enjoy!
Podcast: Download (38.9MB)
We're back to discuss the second installment of our two-part saga "June 13th, Part 2", with only five episodes left of our Heroes Reborn "Event Miniseries" we're now firmly in the home stretch, folks! This episode gave us a lot to work with. More than anything it showed us how things lined up in the past by connecting the dots and filling in the blanks, but it also hints that our future and present may have changed either slightly or not-so-slightly. We had a blast discussing this one. Enjoy!
Podcast: Download (46.0MB)
Are you ready for some lengthy discussions about Time Travel? This week's episode of Heroes Reborn was as exciting as it was at times hard to follow, but we feel pretty sure that we're picking up what Kring and Co. are putting down, and as Derek put so aptly last week: "It's bonkers, but we love it." This week we try to unpack what is happening and discuss far-reaching implications of the time-travel action that we are witnessing on the show. Enjoy!
Podcast: Download (49.6MB)
This week's episode sets us on the course for the rest of the season, we had some amazing reveals, solid confirmations, great character moments and even some darker developments. The bigger picture is starting to get much clearer now. This one was action-packed, drama-packed, and twist-packed. So naturally we couldn't help but chat at length about it with another super-sized episode. Subscribe, share, and send in your theories! We hope you enjoy!
Podcast: Download (49.8MB)
This week we discuss the info-packed fifth episode of Heroes Reborn: "The Lion's Den" Derek's back and quickly gives his thoughts on the previous episode. Lots to cover this week for all of our characters and storylines, including our first big peek into the endgame of the entire series. Keep up your amazing e-mails and tweets, and if you are enjoying the podcast tell your friends! Enjoy!
Podcast: Download (42.0MB)
After a brief delay we are back this week to discuss the latest episode of Heroes: Reborn, "The Needs of the Many", a very story-dense episode with lots of twists and reveals. Derek is away this week, but he'll be back next week with his thoughts on the episode as well. We also discuss many topics related to your questions via tweets and e-mails. Keep them coming!
Podcast: Download (44.3MB)


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I don't use a written recipe for this, so I'll guesstimate it for you, it's so easy.
2 lbs Skinless boneless chicken breasts, pounded thinly
2 eggs, beaten
1-2 Cups seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 TBL garlic powder
1/4 Cup olive oil
6-8 oz mozzarella, shredded
Shaker parmesan cheese
1 lb. pasta, cooked
2 Cups marinara
Combine seasonings with bread crumbs into a shallow dish. Place beaten eggs into another shallow dish. Dredge chicken breasts in eggs, allow excess to drip off. Then dip into bread crumbs to coat well. Pan fry in a little olive oil until just brown. Place chicken into a 9x13 pan and top with 2 Cups of marinara and shredded mozzarella. Bake for about 10 minutes until cheese melts. Serve over hot cooked pasta and spoon with additional sauce if needed and parmesan cheese.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Chicken Parmesan
2 Lovely Comments:
- Elle said...
That just made my stomach growl! Seriously, is there anyone that doesn't like chicken parm? I can't even imagine there is!
- June 9, 2008 at 1:25 PM
- Leslie said...
Sooo yum!
- February 15, 2011 at 10:27 AM
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text:
Alvarez dives right in
Lynn's first-year program well represented at DII Festival
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- It was no big deal, really, when Lynn University hired Niki Alvarez nearly a year ago. All she had to do was reinstate a women's cross-country program that had been dormant for 11 years. Never mind the fact that she'd never coached cross country before. What she did have was a background as a four-time USA Triathlon All-American.
Oh, but there's more. On top of that, she was also tasked with starting a women's swimming program from scratch. No problem, right? Let's just say that Niki Alvarez is a woman who likes -- no, loves -- a challenge.
"I did know what I was getting myself into," she said. "I knew that it was going to be a lot of work, but with the support staff here and the support that Lynn offers, I knew that it was going to be possible to successfully start both. I felt it was the right opportunity and the right place to be successful with both programs."
There have been plenty of challenges along the way. With a small roster of just seven swimmers -- two of whom are competing in the NCAA Division II Winter National Championships Festival -- the Fighting Knights regularly face teams with twice as many student-athletes.
That's not necessarily a completely bad thing.
"I didn't expect, honestly, to have such great groups of athletes, just as far as people go," Alvarez said. "The other teams I've coached, there's always been a little bit of drama. I honestly just got lucky here at Lynn, because I have really, really amazing athletes. That was a little bit less work than I expected. I expected maybe for there to be some headaches in that regard, and there hasn't been. That's been awesome."
Another issue has been trying to recruit swimmers and cross-country runners for programs that didn't exist prior to Alvarez's hiring. Who do the new kids ask about coaches and campus life? There's no record of achievement to boast, no banners hanging from the rafters, so to speak.
|Thalie Carmigniani
|Tours, France
|Morgan Glazer
|Tallahassee, Fla.
|Clairissa Myatt
|Naples, Fla.
|Julia Pedersen
|Enkoping, Sweden
|Tyne Potgieter
|Durban, South Africa
|Bold: qualified for DII national championship
Then again, there's something to be said for starting out together.
"Recruiting is definitely a challenge, but the group of athletes I got for both sports are such amazing women," said Alvarez, who was an assistant men's and women's swimming coach at Florida Atlantic before coming to Lynn. "I think part of that is maybe because they came here for my philosophy of coaching and training. They knew what they were getting themselves into there."
What, exactly, is Alvarez's philosophy of coaching?
"I think that's why Lynn is such a great fit for me," she said. "Lynn's philosophy and the Division II philosophy are really life in the balance. Lynn wants their student-athletes to have a good experience. I want that, too. I want them to leave Lynn feeling very positive about their college academically, but also athletically."
That would seem to be a given for any college coach, not just Alvarez. With her, however, there's a lot more to the story.
"I want them to have fun, but they also have to work hard," she said. "Running fast is fun and swimming fast is fun. They have to work hard to get there. That's what's going to get them a good experience, when they have success running and swimming.
"I stay on them pretty good. I think all my athletes would tell you that, but we have a good time as well. I think that's really my philosophy -- to be hard on them when I need to be, but also light-hearted and understanding."
Two Lynn swimmers qualified for the DII Festival -- Tyne Potgieter from South Africa and Thalie Carmigniani of France. When they first qualified, Alvarez was just happy for them to be going to Birmingham.
But after practicing? Who knows what might happen ...
"I knew both of these girls had a shot. ... I knew that, but I also knew that they were going to have to swim well at the conference meet," Alvarez said. "They both just had amazing meets. But then, you have a couple weeks of training and they're training really well. They start to rest again. You start to get focused and think, 'Wow. I think we could get in the top eight.' I think just making the finals would be the goal."


text:
He ruled the U.S. for 8 years;
the 1% was happy.
Is Halliburton hiring?
We noticed that on this side of the Pond. No one believed that your Mr. "Dubya" had the brainpower to govern anything.ReplyDelete
What has Mr. Chaney to do with this? He was just a sick old man.ReplyDelete
Chaney = the Brain! I love it! (Let us rule the World)ReplyDelete


text:
Many people are looking forward to summer weekends, but not quite in the same way I am. They are planning BBQs, get togethers with family and friends and fixing up the yard. I have nothing against these activities but my laser focus is one of the biggest yard sale weekends of the year. The anticipation is mounting! Is today Wednesday? Damn, its only Tuesday. The countdown begins!
Its important to have a yard sale buddy if you want to maintain the illusion that going to yard sales to collect more useless stuff makes the slightest bit of sense. In much the same way that having an exercise buddy or an AA buddy provides positive support, having a yard sale buddy does too. Most normal people would say "Why did you buy that? Are you nuts? You just HAD a yard sale to get rid of stuff!" A yard sale buddy says "That is so YOU! If you hadn't been there I would have bought that for you".


text:
When guitarist Mark Whitfield, the young Warner Bros. recording star, moved to New York City in 1987, his hopes for success were tempered by the realistic view that he might well wind up among the lost legion of talented but unheralded musicians scuffling to survive in the competitive jazz jungle of the Big Apple.
"After I got out of Berklee School of Music, I intended on moving to New York and playing jazz and trying to learn how to play and letting it go from there. I never thought I would get this far," Whitfield says in a telephone interview from his home in Baton Rouge, La.


text: Grand Traverse Resort and Spa's newest course and Gary Player's signature course in Michigan was designed to be flexible and playable with four sets of tees to accommodate golfers of all abilities. The course is enjoyable for high-handicappers yet can be set up to be a true test for professional tournaments. The Wolverine has distinctive nines. The front nine is woven through water and wetlands. The back nine is constructed on rolling highland terrain with hardwoods and views of East Grand Traverse Bay.


text: I always thought the winter caretaker position at Mt. LeConte would be a cool (ok cold but AWESOME) gig. Thanks to satellite broadband connections powered by solar panels this years caretaker is sharing his view. Doug McFalls has a blog Life on LeConte, here. You can also follow him on twitter, here. I intend to live on LeConte through Doug this winter.


text:
Some of us are still trying to get one last post in before the end of the semester. As it is finals week, there is not an assigned focus for these posts. Since it is my last post on the National Security Policy blog, and my last post on a Patterson school-related blog post, I decided to take it in a retrospective direction.
Many topics that were discussed on this blog earlier in the year are going to become much more interesting next fall. Some of my colleagues just starting their Patterson journey will be here to write on them, but I wanted to highlight a few that I think the next administration will change in a drastic way. One of our first topics was inaugurational addresses from presidents past, and in particular those of President Washington and President Eisenhower. The similarities in both were a fear of domestic politics being influenced by outside actors, the importance of a strong economy, and the prevention of another state having hegemony in the Western hemisphere. President Trump's first address to the people will only share one of these themes, a stronger economy. After all, he has been very dismissive recently when asked about the electoral influence that outside actors had, and whether or not any of that should be concerning. He also has it clear that America is no longer to be considered the leader in every issue worldwide, and wants to retrench and disengage from any issues that he considers not in the national interest. We talked about that term a lot, national interest, and what it means. It is a very subjective term, one that is open to a lot of interpretation after a new administration hits office. For the past two presidents, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, the decision on where that direction led was been made for them. President Bush's terms were defined a mere 6 months into his time in office by the 9/11 attacks. President Obama was given a little bit more forewarning during the election, as the financial crisis began making an impact and the economy headed into recession, but the fact that he was not able to make that choice remains the same. President Trump will be going in to office in a climate that has been dictated to the world by his own rhetoric. A strained relationship with China, while not his responsibility alone, will be on the agenda early. The multiple trade deals that were negotiated under his Democratic predecessors will be open to dismantlement or renegotiation. Geopolitical friction with Russia will be a continuing theme, whether he appeases Russian President Vladimir Putin by lifting focused sanctions on the Russian elite or not. There is certainly a credible forecast for continuing friction, as the diversionary Russian rhetoric on the "imperialistic" US gives way to the image of their favored candidate in the Oval Office. There will have to be a new geopolitical crisis in order to distract the Russian public from poor economic growth. At some point, this crisis will affect enough US interests for the President to be forced to step in. While this would be troubling for any leader, the statements that President-Elect Trump has made on the usage of nuclear weapons puts the world closer to cataclysmic conflict than any time since the end of the Cold War. While the logical leap should not be Trump=Armageddon, due to the bureaucratic nature of foreign policy decision making and action taking, there will be changes in this administration. I wish everyone writing for this blog in the future the best of luck as they decipher it.


text:
NASHVILLE - U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., said today he is voting for the Budget Control Act of 2011, Republican House Speaker John Boehner's answer to Democratic President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats on lifting the debt ceiling and cutting federal spending.
"While this bill is not perfect, it cuts spending by almost $1 trillion, does not raise taxes by one penny and requires both houses of Congress to take up a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution that will finally end our runaway spending," the freshman GOP lawmaker from Chattanooga said in a statement.
"I have said from the very beginning that in order for the debt ceiling to be raised there must be significant budget reforms and work toward a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. This bill provides for both; and, therefore, I will be casting a vote today that gets our fiscal house in order while defending the full faith and credit of the United States," he said.
The bill is scheduled to come up later this evening in the House.
But U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., said he is voting against it, noting "we need a comprehensive, bipartisan proposal that raises our debt ceiling and lowers the debt in the long-term, and we need one in the next five days.
"The Boehner bill doesn't meet any of these criteria and it won't have my support," Cooper said.
The Nashville congressman has has introduced legislation that would strip congressmen of their pay "if our country defaults on the national debt" and would prevent the pay to be reinstated retroactively when the debt ceiling is raised.
The House GOP's bill has been declared dead-on-arrival by Senate majority Democrats. Congress has until Aug. 2 to raise the debt ceiling, Obama says, until the nation defaults on its obligations.
"In my meetings with House leadership, and Speaker Boehner himself, I made it clear that we must work to get spending under control and work to put a Balanced Budget Amendment in place. I am pleased that changes have been made to this bill to bring it in line with what the American people want, and what our country needs moving forward," Fleischmann continued.
"Small business owners know they will go out of business if they spend more than they take in, and expect the government to operate by the same common-sense principle. Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. We at NFIB thank Congressman Fleischmann for helping make the cuts necessary to start us on a path to get our fiscal house in order without raising taxes on America's job-creators," said Dan Danner, president of the National Federation of Independent Business.


text:
I was happy my mom had some time off from her busy school schedule this week to hang out and go antiquing with me! We stopped by my favorite antique mall and had fun walking the aisles as my mom looked for a big gold frame for a project and I looked for hair combs and jewelry! We both left empty handed, but had fun none the less!
|Sweater: The Limited
Skirt: Made by me
Tights: Target
Shoes: Jessica Simpson
Bracelet: Vintage
Brooch: Vintage (etsy)
Sunglasses: Forever21


text:
|from Olympic Games, March 2010
You could hold your own Olympic games, such as shot put (a ball thrown from shoulder level), standing high jump, race-in-armor (piggy-back races substitute), pentathlon {consisting of discus (or Frisbee) throw, long jump, javelin (mop handle) throw, running and wrestling (sock wrestling).} The winners (all of them) can be treated to an awards ceremony where they are presented with "laurel" leaf crowns and a banquet.
|Lighting our Ice Cream Olympic Torch at Makes and Takes
Winter Olympics
|A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels: Winter Olympics is available now for only $4.99 at Hodgepodge
Since the winter games are going on now, we learned about some of the winter Olympic sports.
free Winter Games Homeschool Printables at Imagine Our Life
- Ice Hockey
|Ice Hockey on a Baking Sheet from Dabblingmomma
- Bob Sledding
|How to Draw a Bobsled at Art For Kids!
- Skiing
- Figure Skating
|Download Move Like a Figure Skater Game at Creative Family Fun
- Speed Skating
- Snowboarding
- Ski Jumping
- Luge
- Curling
|See the post on how to do this at Filth Wizardry
More inspiration can be found at:
- Potato Olympics Winter Games at No Doubt Learning
- Winter Games 2014 unit study by Amanda Bennett (Review at Hodgpodge), including free lapbook
- Discover and Explore The Olympic Games with Kids


text:
Being a janitor was not as hard as I thought it would be. In fact, if there was a least-exciting-job award given to the most menial, drudging job without being actually disgusting (which would make it exciting, really!), being a janitor for a single exhibit hall in a relatively small art museum was it.
Not that I'm complaining; it was boring, yes, but I didn't particularly have another option. So as I swept up the wrappers, dust, crumbs, paper-clips, pins, and other small jumble around the exhibit hall, I took to following the tour groups around.
To open the new exhibit, the artist himself agreed to come to Snowden House three times a week, to lead a special tour around the exhibit hall, describing and touting his artwork to the goggling public. Personally, I think they were more amazed at his appearance and his manner of speaking than his artwork. The man knew how to command attention.
"… And here we have a piece titled 'Enchanted Dreams.' Observe the intricate detail of the fingers, how they curl ever so gently inward, and of the body, how it seems to breathe with life…"
I shook my head at the elaborate descriptions Mr. Schlimme used. "Showboating", my dad would call it. I wandered away from his overly exuding voice, taking time off from sweeping to gaze with fascination at the many figures and portraits hanging on the walls. At least, they seemed like portraits.
But the longer I stared at them, the more I couldn't help wondering how Mr. Schlimme achieved such a degree of three-dimensional painting! The tiny figures seemed to pop out of the frame, or go deep into the wall, but these were narrow dividers and small frames, such a thing would be impossible.
I stopped before a display, titled "An Audience with the Queen." The figure gazed out of the frame, so piercingly it sent shivers down my spine. She verily looked like a queen, even in her expression; what kind of an artist could capture that? I shook my head and returned to my cart. Another tour guide had just led a second group to the same piece Mr. Schlimme had just left.
"… And here we have a piece entitled, 'Enchanted Dreams.' Observe the eerie realism, as the hand hangs over the bed, as if just about to drop…"
Wait, what?
I waited till the group left and stepped up to the display. That was weird; I could have sworn the portrait was of a girl sleeping in a bed on her back when I left, so one could see the "delicate features of her pale face," as Mr. Schlimme put it. But now she lay on her front, head turned slightly, hand nearly draped over the edge of her bed. Was it a different exhibit? No, it couldn't be. It was at the same place in the room, same title, everything. Then what…
Even my thoughts froze as my eyes caught a movement of the supposed picture! As I watched, the tiny hand, draped so cleverly over the corner of the bed, fell down the side of the mattress! Not like a piece of broken sculpture, but in the exact manner of living flesh!
My mind exploded. I ran around to the rest of the exhibits. No wonder the art seemed so dimensional! No wonder their eyes seemed to follow me as I cleaned the floors every day! They were alive! Did they exist in our world? Where did they come from? I'd never given much thought to fantasy creatures; to me, fantasy was a form of entertainment for little kids. To realize they actually exist, well, it just blew my mind!
I went back to the "Audience." Staring hard, I saw, behind the curtains hung around her throne, the glint of pearlescent wings. I walked to the left of it. Her eyes! Her body did not move, but her eyes did. They followed me. I walked to the right. They still looked straight at me. I bent underneath the frame then popped up quickly.
There! I was just in time to see her eyes snap from the bottom lid, back to center.
I had to fight to keep myself composed. I checked my watch. I had an hour before the next tour group. I had the sudden urge to go to the library and read about these 6-inch-high creatures so diabolically disguised and on display before ignorant people who assumed they were "art." The more I thought about it, the more I convinced myself that it really wasn't right for them to be in captivity. I frowned at this shoddy form of "capitalism" used by Krasimir Schlimme. This wasn't how one ought to treat strange creatures, locking them behind panes of glass like this! (Not that I was any expert on extraterrestrial etiquette, but still…)
They were so pitiful to see! Perhaps there was a way to somehow free them, if they were still alive. Perhaps Casey the Janitor would somehow become Casey, Champion of these fairies under glass….
I was a complete wreck all the next morning. I don't recall anything I learned in class, if I really did learn anything that day at all. My mind was filled with planning for how I would rescue the fairies.
Would just stealing one of them work? I saw myself walking into the museum, making sure no one was around, slyly picking up one of the elves, because they were mostly in actual papier-mache displays, not frames, tucking it into my pocket—and turning around to see Krasimir Schlimme right behind me. No, that wouldn't work. What about taking a whole display? Walk into the empty room, lift a frame off the wall—and the thing just keeps coming, until I have this large box in my hands. Putting it under my coat, I look like I just ate a cereal box. Dumb idea.
I was still thinking hard all the way to Snowden House. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. My conscience made me too jittery to be able to just sneak a little figure off a display. Deeply troubled, I went about my work.
Seeing the Audience with the Queen again, I was overcome with a longing to know about these creatures. I glanced around to make sure no one was near me. For the first time, I attempted to speak to the fairy.
"Are you real?" I asked in a very low whisper. I felt kind of stupid, like I was really talking to a painting, but something about the glint in her eyes told me she understood, even if she didn't move. Could she move if she wanted to? I wondered if they came to life during the night, when no one was around, like I'd read about in books and seen in movies. I tried again.
"How can I—" someone came around the corner and interrupted me. Abruptly, I grabbed my broom and tried to look like I'd been sweeping. Unfortunately, the handle had caught around the edge of my trash cart, so the sweeping movement of the broom brought the heavy cart rolling over my left foot and crashing into my stomach. I tripped over cart and broom, with the innocent patron gazing over me in pity.
Shakily, I regained my footing, disentangled the broom, and finished sweeping the floor in that area.
I sighed as I walked out of the Exhibit Hall. As much as I wanted to find out about the fairies, I hadn't the slightest idea how I would be able to do it!
A hand settled comfortingly on my shoulder. I turned straight into the steely gaze of Krasimir Schlimme himself. It was the first time I'd seen him.
His dark hair was buzzed short, his features were firmly chiseled, and his skin was a dark tan, like he had some Arab blood in him (small wonder, with a name like Krasimir!). In stark contrast to his heavy, dark brow were his brilliant grey eyes, like small round daggers in his face. Right now, those daggers were pointed directly at me. He smiled, but it was a cold smile; those eyes almost belied a ruthless nature, but I couldn't figure out why.
"So, you're the janitor, eh?" he said in a thick European accent.
A cold fear seemed to creep from his fingertips into my shoulder, right to my heart. "Y-yes, sir," I stammered with a squeak in my voice.
"Ah, so what do you think of my collection?" His tone was congenial, but his eyes confronted me and demanded an answer.
I fought to control my voice; what could this man possibly have against me? Why did I need to fear him? "Um, I've never seen anything like it, sir," I answered honestly.
Krasimir chuckled, "Nothing like it in all the world," he said, finally leaning away from me, directing his eyes back toward the exhibit hall. "I spent years collecting all those... pieces, and I want you to help me make sure nothing goes wrong with them."
My heart was still pounding. What exactly did he expect me to do? I was saved from having to ask as he continued, "If you see anything out of the ordinary, anything that doesn't look quite right, you'll tell me," the daggers turned on me again, "won't you?"
I gasped for breath before answering, "Sure." More than anything, I wanted to leave his grasp!
The hand slid down to my arm, and Krasimir Schlimme chuckled at me, "Good lad; I like to have someone I can trust."
With that cryptic remark, he turned and walked into the exhibit hall, leaving me in front of the Janitor's Closet.


text:
Colorado Chautauqua at the Foot of Boulder's Flatirons
|Email Colorado Chautauqua at the Foot of Boulder's Flatirons Directly
|Visit our Web site
Escape to the nation's only Chautauqua open year-round at the base of Boulder's Flatirons. Relax in our unique cottages and lodges and enjoy our cultural and educational programming. Your front door offers direct trail access.
Our 58 enchanting cottages and 20 historic lodge rooms range in size from efficiency, studio, one-, two- and three- bedroom to lodges. Each cottage features modern, fully-equipped kitchens and screened-in porches. 5 cottages - EPA Energy Star certified.
Pets are allowed in most cottages. There is a $10 charge per pet, per night.
ARTS, CULTURE, DINING: Concerts, lectures, activities, festivals. Dining Hall, open year-round. Summer General Store serves ice cream and snacks.
Founded in 1898 and named a National Historic Landmark in 2006, the Colorado Chautauqua offers beautiful gathering and lodging spaces on 26 acres at the foot of Boulder's Flatirons. We host a large variety of wedding ceremonies, receptions, family reunions, meetings and retreats.
Built in 1911, the Missions House Lodge is a wonderful spot for a small wedding or family reunion and features a full kitchen eight bedrooms with private baths and a screened-in front porch with lovely views.
The Grand Assembly of the Community House is our largest meeting space. Built in 1917, the Grand Assembly features a bay window, gas fireplace, wrap-around indoor balcony and a large covered porch. The space also includes a service kitchen and a buffet/dining area for your catering needs.
The Picnic Shelter is located just south of the Chautauqua Auditorium Featuring inspiring views of the Flatirons this is a great choice for a casual family gathering.
Additional venues available.
LOCATION: At foot of Boulder's Flatirons, adjoining Boulder Mountain Parks, at the foot of Flagstaff Mountain.
ADDRESS: 900 Baseline Road, Boulder CO 80302.
For Current Rates and Availability; To Make Your Reservations Call: 303-952-1611, mention the Colorado Vacation Directory.
- Lodging Open Dates: All Year
- Nightly Lodging Rates On-Season: Range from $100 to $303
- Monthly Rates Available: Yes, call for details.
- Off-season rates available, call for information.
- Multi-Night Stay Required: Always required, please call for details.
- About Smoking: All non-smoking units.
- Cabins/Cottages with Cooking Facilities: 58
- Lodge Rooms without Cooking Facilities: 8
- Motel/Hotel Rooms with Cooking Facilities: 12
- Units with King Beds: Some units.
- Units with Queen Beds: Some units.
- Units with a Washer and Dryer: 1
- Internet Access in Units: All units.
- Internet Access at No Additional Fee: Through Wi-Fi wireless.
- Elevation: 6000 feet above sea level.
- Region: Boulder - North Central, Colorado
- Location: Close to Town.
- Setting: Mountain views. Adjoins public lands. Country feel. Forested. Smoke-Free Environment (inside & out).
- Restaurant: On site.
- Meals Regularly Served: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
- On-Property in Central Area for Guests to Use: Gas OR Electric-Log Fireplace. Laundry Area (washers and dryers).
- Kid's Play Structure: On site.
- Credit Cards: Visa Card. MasterCard. Discover Card. American Express.
- Pets in Lodging: All Pets are allowed in private rental units. There may be a fee or a deposit.
- Kennel (sitting service for your pet) Available: 15 minutes drive.
- Pet Park (leash free zone): 15 minutes drive.
- Vet Services: 5 minutes drive.
- Phone: Public payphones.
- Fax Machine: Available with an additional fee.
- Internet Cafe: 5 minutes drive.
- PC with Internet Access: Available.
- Printer Connected to Computer: Available.
- WI-FI Wireless Internet: Available free.
- Groups Welcome: Club. Corporate. Reunion. Weddings. Youth group with adult leaders. Retreat.
- Group Meeting Area: Indoor room and outdoor area.
- Conference Center: Meeting room with tables and chairs can be set up class room style. Some A/V equipment available for seminars. Call for more details.
- Maximum # of Day-Use Guests in Indoor Meeting Room: 125
- Maximum # of Day-Use Guests in COVERED Outdoor Picnic Area: 50
- Maximum # of Day-Use Guests in Outdoor Open Picnic Area: 100
- Maximum # of Lodging Guests with a Group: 150
- Your Host will Cater or Arrange Meals with Advance Arrangements: Yes
- Your Host will Provide Wedding Planning Help: Yes
- National Park OR Monument: 30 minutes drive.
- State Parks: 15 minutes drive.
- Designated Historic District, Site or Plaza: On site.
- Designated Scenic/Historic Byway: 20 minutes drive to the scenic byway.
- Designated Hiking Trails: Trails start on site.
- Museum: 2 minutes drive.
- Hot Mineral Springs: 25 minutes drive.
- Public Rec Center: 10 minutes drive.
- Golf Course: 15 minutes drive.
- Hot Air Balloon Rides: 30 minutes drive.
- Movie Theater: 2 minutes drive.
- Art Gallery: 2 minutes drive.
- Outlet/Mall Shopping: 15 minutes drive.
- Restaurant(s): On site.
- Internet Cafe: 5 minutes drive.
- Wine Tours OR Tasting: 15 minutes drive.
- Casino Gambling: 50 minutes drive.
- Stocked Fishing Pond: 10 minutes drive.
- Fishing in River, Stream or Creek: 10 minutes drive.
- Fishing in Lake, Reservoir or Pond: 30 minutes drive.
- Fly Shop: 10 minutes drive.
- Boat Rentals: Canoe, Raft, Row, Paddle &/or Motor: 25 minutes drive.
- Paddle Shop: 10 minutes drive.
- Kayaking Rentals: 10 minutes drive.
- Designated Whitewater Park (Kayak, Canoe): 10 minutes drive.
- Horseback Trail Rides (Guided): 30 minutes drive.
- Jeep Trails: 10 minute drive. (off road, back country, 4WD, Jeep, or jeeping).
- 4-Wheel Drive Sales & Services: 10 minutes drive. (off road, back country, 4WD, Jeep, or jeeping).
- ATV (All Terrain Vehicles) and/or Dirt Bike Trails: 10 minute drive.
- ATV Sales & Services: 10 minutes drive.
- Tourist Train Rides: 60 minutes drive.
- Cave Tours: 30 minutes drive.
- Mine Tours: 30 minutes drive.
- Historic/Cultural Tours: On site.
- Mountain Bike Trails: Trails start on site.
- Bike Path: Path starts on site.
- Bicycle Shop: 10 minutes drive.
- Waterfall Trails: 20 minutes drive to trailhead.
- Performing Arts Theatre: On site.
- Amusement Rides: 25 minutes drive.
- Mini Golf: 25 minutes drive.
- Chairlift/Gondola/Tram Rides: 30 minutes drive.
- Downhill/Snowboarding Ski Area: 30 minutes drive.
- Cross Country Skiing Trails: Trails start on site.
- Snowshoe Trails: Trails on site.
- Ice Skating (outdoor) Skates Available: 2 minutes drive.
- Ice Skating (indoor) Skates Available: 25 minutes drive.


text:
In 2009, a young lassie, Sophia, from England came to Canada for a year to travel and work. Her first stop was Hike the Highlands Festival…About midway thru the festival she met a lad from PEI who was studing at University of British Columbia. JF was working at Cape Breton Highlands National Park as a park interpreter and during the hiking festival was one of the guides. They met and got to know each other on several hikes during the festival including Lone Shieling, Skyline, and Broad Cove as well at Thirsty Hiker Pub.
Their relationship continued and love blossomed over the next two years. JF was always proud to say he met Sophia at Hike the Highlands. Recently they were married at University of British Columbia. On behalf of Hike the Highlands team and fellow hikers, congratulations to both of you on your marriage and we wish you all the best. Hopefully someday you will come back for a visit and see us again at our hiking festival.
Below are some pics of Sophia and JF at Hike the Highlands Festival in 2009 when they met. Photo credits to Wally Hayes & Tom Wilson. Thanks Marieve for the title of the Post.


text:
A C- sex comedy with a near A-list cast--at least in terms of talent--"The Oh in Ohio" is one of those movies that promises much but doesn't deliver. Despite a lot of misplaced talent, this movie is as silly and forced as its title.
A pity. After all, there aren't that many independent American film comedies set in Cleveland revolving around the theme of sexual dysfunction--and we might have liked to see this one, by long time commercial director Billy Kent and writer Adam Wierzbianski, try to establish a higher mark. It doesn't.


text:
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One of the very
The audio signal has
The iDAC was good. It was very good and cultivated a very loyal following among customers and reviewers alike. The iDAC2 is the all-new 2015 version. It is a totally new design that has drawn upon the widespread praise garnered by the nano iDSD and micro iDSD.
What is it?
State-of-the-art DAC/headphone amplifier
For home, desktop or portable use.
Signal stays original: Burr-Brown True Native®
Starting with the EISA award-winning Nano iDSD, the Burr-Brown chipset has become an integral part of the iFi Audio DNA. That is True Native® playback on DSD and PCM. What does this mean? the iDAC2 (and all other iFi DACs) will keep the integrity of the file format unchanged all the way through. So DSD stays DSD and PCM stays PCM. From beginning to end. You hear it as the artist intended.
Quad-DSD256 and PCM384kHz. Future-proofed by iFi
iFi's unique approach to outstanding sonic performance and exceptional value for money is well-known. From 16/44 through to Quad-Speed DSD256, the iDAC2 is able to handle all these formats with consummate finesse.
This evokes a sonic 'rightness' about listening to music on the iDAC2 as there is no format conversion or re-sampling.
Class A on RCA
AMR/iFi's roots lie in single-ended valve amplification so it is no surprise that the iDAC2 operates in Class A.
The iDAC2's analogue stage has two special audio grade, Elna Japan Silmic II (the highest available grade and likely the best audio grade electrolytic capacitor money can buy). These are the same ones used in the 'uber' AMR machines.
The Analogue stage also uses a discrete, Class A buffer that combines an N-Channel J-Fet and a PNP bi-polar transistor that allows this buffer to handle loads of even 600 Ohms. This was originally designed for the upcoming Pro range so its pedigree is beyond reproach.
Have DAC A/V amplifier? Just connect
Drawing on the popularity of the nano iDSD and the micro iDSD, the iDAC2 also features an SPDIF output which means it is able to receive a USB signal and then convert it and output a digital SPDIF signal to another device such as Sonos streamer or an A/V amplifier (with an onboard DAC).
As your system changes over time, the iDAC2 will simply follow suit. Performance and flexibility in abundance.
Highest-quality components, the iDAC2 is no different
AMR/iFi prides itself on the very best component quality: from Japan Elna Silmic II, TDK C0G capacitors to Vishay MELF resistors, the iDAC2 has them all.
Take the DAC's power supply including our new 'Super Regulator®' a rather unique shunt noise filter which cleans the USB Power for the DAC. For the DAC there is a critical pin called reference. We always pay much attention to this pin, however the iDAC2 already benefits from trickle-down technology from the Pro range where we found a high-grade Panasonic Japan made Film Capacitor for surface mounting. This combined with a smaller value C0G capacitor provides the cleanest reference pin voltage yet. On the Audio Precision 2, the measurement graph is impressive indeed.
It is clear that behind its diminutive size beats the heart of digital and analogue circuitry that is of unrivalled design and execution (matched only by other iFi machines).
|USB3.0 (USB2.0 compatible)
|SPDIF RCA (only PCM up to 192KHz)
|Audio RCA
|3.5mm Headphone
|44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/384KHz PCM
|2.8/3.1/5.6/6.2/11.2/12.4MHz DSD
|353/384KHz DXD
|Bit-Perfect DSD & DXD DAC by Burr Brown (1-DAC Chip; 2-Channel; 4-Signals)
|Bit-Perfect/Minimum Phase/Standard, Digital filters selectable
|Extreme/Extended/Standard, Analogue filters selectable
|Bit-Perfect Processing, Fixed Analogue filter
|Line Section:
|2.1V (+/-0.05V) fixed
|< 39 Ohm
|> 114dB(A) @ 0dBFS
|< 0.0025% @ 0dBFS (100k Load)
|< 0.025% @ 0dBFS (600R Load)
|Headphone Section:
|> 350mW (2.40V) into 16R (<10% THD+N)
|> 34mW (3.20V) into 300R (< 0.1% THD+N)
|< 2 Ohm
|< 0.0025% (1V into 16 Ohm, 0dBFS)
|> 114dBA (3.2V into 16 Ohm, 0dBFS)
|Power consumption:
|265g(0.58 lbs)
The Master Switch reviews the Micro iDAC2.
"We recommend the iDAC2 as being worthy of purchase. It pairs particularly well with other iFi products – we love using it with the iCAN SE…"
* Delivers on audio quality
* Versatile and adaptable
* Comes with accessories that let you get going in minutes
Thank you The Master Switch for this awesome review.
"Pros: Transparent neutral/cold signature, good sound, good value, plenty of outputs, nice soundstage, USB bus powered so no power cable or brick to carry around."
Thank you Audio Primate for a fantastic review.
"iFi will be back to reclaim its throne as a DAC and iFi really has a product that goes beyond the DACs…I like the iDAC2, which gives a lot of bass to find the amplifier…The highlight of this DAC is the dynamic, dimensional and soundstage…I personally give iFi iDAC2 the best price in this category."
Thank you ProPlugin for your review.
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"…this iDAC2 is such a versatile device…First, a word on the iFi product line: I am impressed with a firm that makes intelligent engineering/design trade-offs and puts out an entire line fits together from a marketing planning (many complementary building blocks)…As a headphone amplifier, the iDAC2 is very good….iDAC2 up sampling differences: this is an area where the iDAC2's versatility shines..iDAC2 is versatile as hell…and the synergies with iFi power add-on products are extreme…iDAC2 – and for that matter, all iFi products – performance/price ratio is off-the-charts."
Thank you dburna for your thorough review.
"This review focuses on the iDAC2 used in a 2 channel speaker system and not as a headphone solution…The iDAC2 has a nice aluminium case with three LED lights that indicate power, resolution and I believe connection to the computer or USB lock…I like the simplicity of the iDAC2 and the fact that it is basically plug and play…have a very natural sound that is non-fatiguing….do a nice job of finding the sweet spot….the additional detail that the iDAC2 is able to retrieve from records. What stuck out most was the ability of the iDAC2 to retrieve more information on the leading edges of instruments and voices…the clarity, imaging and dynamics are better…"
Many thanks BRN for your excellent review.
Introduction: If you did not know already, "iFi Audio is a co-brand of AMR Audio that is known for its famous audio gears such as DP-777. They produce many different audio components – digital audio converters, amplifications, speakers, cables and active noise cancellation units."
Comments: "On the iDAC2, there are coax/USB digital inputs and RCA/3.5mm outputs…Overall build quality is quite satisfactory and the volume potentiometer works well; there is no unbalanced problem. In addition, as a DAC/Amp combo, iDAC2 supports all popular formats including DSD 256, PCM 384 and DXD."
Thank you Ates Berberoglu for your short review.
Late last year when we were at the Athens Audio Show, we met Mr Kyriakos Kougioumtzoglou – President of the ACA since 2016. Mr Kougioumtzoglou who also happens to be an EE, knows his onions, He has an ultra-fidelity system which is something to behold; including the Micro Seki RX-1500 and Tascam BR-20 Reel-to-Reel.
We were quite taken aback when Mr Kougioumtzoglou told us he bought an iDAC2 for digital duties fed by the Metronome C2A. It has stayed there ever since.
We are lost for words but thank you Mr Kougioumtzoglou for letting us know of your little iFi in your big system!
Here is the system:
Thank you ACA!
iDAC2: "Even on the first hour of playback, you will not regret what you paid. I'm sure many readers will not go into any search for a long time.
From detail level to real instrument tones, has big and good soundstage. Successful DAC in every areas. Must be in your shopping list."
Thank you Hakan Cezayirli and Dukkan HiFi (iFi:Turkey)!
Awarded 8.5 out of 10!
"If musicality with a pinch of warmth is your style, go grab the iDAC 2 immediately. This product meshes so well with my personal rig, that I've been consistently pelted with peer audiophiles insisting I bring it back to more audio gatherings…….Thankfully, iFi purposely designed a spot of musicality into their products and I love the hell out of them for it…..That iDAC 2 belongs right where it is and on top of my Heron 5. No doubting it. Sure, there are better sounding DAC's in terms of raw quality, but I just don't care. I like all the qualities combined of this DAC and it just hits the spot so well for me…I couldn't be happier."
Thanks Michael!
"Transparent neutral/cold signature, good sound, good value, plenty of outputs, nice soundstage, USB powered so no power cable or brick to carry around….. I enjoyed listening to it. I think that it is best paired with the iPurifier2, as it provided a marked improvement in transient response, and improved clarity, soundstage width and soundstage depth"
Thank you Glassmonkey!
The system configuration: MacBook–> Mercury–> iPurifier2–> micro iUSB3.0–>Gemini–>micro iDAC2–> 3.5mm analogue output
"The main and the most impressive part of the system is the iUSB3.0 that improves the sound quality dramatically good…..The reviewed system is not cheap but the total price is justified when we consider its general sound quality and competitive in the industry. The stronger unit in the system is the iUSB3.0 that significantly improves the sound. Surely, the other units are also good, but iUSB3.0 takes the lead……All in all the whole system sounds slightly warm, natural, dynamic and very satisfying."
Thanks Ates Berberoglu, headphone Guru and Dukkan HiFi, iFi:Turkey!
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Thank you HiFiknights and Dawid Grzyb!
Thank you Nick and TNT Audio!
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Thank you Stereosound and Ito RyuTsuyoshi!
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Thank you Kees Jan and Jeroen Boomstra!
Thank you PC Enthusiast!
Japanese viewers, do take a look!
Thanks Digi-Fi Magazine and Top Wing (iFi:Japan)!
Thanks David!
iDAC 2: "The iDAC2 skillfully rendered the various musical details in the arrangement that capture your attention for an instant before fading away like images in the periphery of vision as you drive down the road at pace. And my foot pumping an imaginary bass drum showed that the iFi indeed keeps excellent pace, rhythm, and timing."
iUSB3.0 Micro: "The iUSB3 installs before and USB DAC with an additional USB cable. The iUSB3.0 micro must be plugged into an AC power outlet with its dedicated noise reducing iPower 9v wall wart. Maximum benefit can be achieved by using iFi's Gemini USB cable, which splits the data transfer and power supply leads. The overall affect of the iUSB3 in the chain was a significant reduction of background noise, increased depth of perception, and vacuous silence between notes."
Cheers Victor Chavira and Positive-feedback.com!
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Thanks Matthieu, math89 and Elite Diffusion (iFi:France)!
Thanks HiFi +!
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Thanks Sandal Audio and Top Wing Corporation (iFi:Japan)!
"To play DSD files you need a few things, which you may already have. The first is a computer to play the files using music player software that will translate the DSF files and send it to your hi-fi system. The second is a DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) in your hi-fi system – a device which allows you to play music from your computer, usually via a USB cable. And, of course, you will need an amplifier and speakers or headphones, whatever you use to listen to music at home. If you are going to play DSD files for the first time, you may have to configure your software for that purpose. "
Thanks Tomasz Karasinski, StereoLife and Native DSD!
"As a reviewer, I'm not being paid nor am I endorsed in any way, shape, or form. All impressions are solely my own opinions……Here's a shout-out to @iFi Audio for generously providing me with the Micro iDSD and the iDAC2 for this review. I've received nothing short of stupendous customer service from Kate (Abbingdon Music Research U.K.) and Tyler F. (iFi USA)"
"iDSD micro: I found the iDSD a very interesting listen. Quite frankly, it's as close as you can get to reference for the price of $499……The iDSD also excelled at imaging and transient speed. Fast and difficult recordings were played back without a hitch with perfect instrumental placement. It is this particular trait, coupled with an "open" sound that allows the iDSD to be considered reference in my book…….Clarity, cohesion, openness, and accuracy. The Micro iDSD has all of them in spades. Conclusively, I highly recommend the iDSD for a long-term purchase that doesn't disappoint. Score: 8.9"
"iDAC2: Coming from the iDSD, I was not expecting anything particularly impressive from the iDAC2. It's safe to say I was wrong. This just goes to show that you shouldn't have preconceived notions, even when a manufacturer designates a product in a certain competing bracket…..Overall, the iDAC2 is an enchantress. It's highly musical, surprisingly with better dynamics and transients than the Micro iDSD. Every instrument and sound could be clearly distinguished in the background, with good tonality and timbre. Score: 8.4"
Thank you Sil3nce!
"Today I will talk about a similar product, namely about iDAC2 – a desktop DAC…..The first impression you leave IDAC two is that all is well placed in the field of ear, stereo image is very well rendered and I can walk easily through records of quality……The construction is solid, the design seems nice and simple…..The sound was pleasant surprise, detail, transparency and sound extra airy DAC sites with modulator Delta-Sigma is not a surprise, the surprise was naturalness, outline thick of the notes, bass fast and deep and real-world environments and tangible, so more rarely from Delta-Sigma designs, IFIs bravo!!
– Solid construction, highest quality
– Small size> easy to carry
– Device 3 in 1 (DAC dedicated transport digital headphone amplifier)
- Detail, high transparency, micro detail is easily discernible
– Natural sound full and rich tonal
– Bas played on several levels, impressive
– lack definitively distorted harmonics"
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Thanks Darku!
Thanks Philippe Daussin, Qobuz and Elite Diffusion
"The iDAC2 is easy to set up, just download the driver from the iFi website, plug in the iDAC2 and install. You can also download a tool to update the firmware, and iFi are brilliant, there are different firmwares for people using the iDAC2 in different systems. I am running the Vanilla firmware as I have no specific requirements for the iDAC2….. Well most DAC's nowadays strive for neutrality and clarity, the original iDAC was a great piece of kit, it was incredibly detailed and very crisp. But the iDAC2 is more pleasurable to listen to due to its more natural sound…..The iPurifier2 is a great little device too, it reduces a tiny bit of harshness, and in doing so does increase listening pleasure. A great little combo, which sounds great and has a few nifty features, excellent for at home and also on the go usage.
Sound Perfection Rating: 10/10 (for the price, I cannot find any negatives)"
Thanks Oscar!
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Thanks Kees Jan Lankhaar!
Thanks Steven & Enjoythemusic,com!
To maximise dynamic performance, especially with bass, the analogue stage is backed by audio-grade ELNA Silmic Capacitors dedicated only to the analogue stage and additional capacitors giving a total of 1,400uF, while the Headphone Amplifier uses by almost 2,000uF in local power supply capacitance, located within a few mm of the audio circuitry supplied.
All in all, of the iDAC 2 micro printed circuit board, nearly 50% is taken up with power supply circuitry while the rest is used for all other functions. By using such extreme and elaborate power supply circuitry, the iDAC2 micro achieves a new level of dynamic performance in USB powered DACs and a USB powered performance (objective & subjective) that previously required either battery or external mains power. As we always say, the proof is in the pudding.
iFi iDAC 2 Specifications:
Input: USB3.0 (USB2.0 compatible)
Output: SPDIF RCA (only PCM up to 192KHz)
Audio RCA
3.5mm Headphone
Formats: 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192/384KHz PCM up to 32 Bit
2.8/3.1/5.6/6.2/11.2/12.4MHz DSD
353/384KHz DXD
DAC: Bit-Perfect DSD & DXD DAC by Burr Brown (1-DAC; 2-Channel; 4-Signals)
Filters: -PCM: Bit-Perfect/Minimum Phase/Standard, Digital filters selectable
-DSD: Extreme/Extended/Standard, Analogue filters selectable
-DXD: Bit-Perfect Processing, Fixed Analogue filter
Line Section:
Output: 2.1V (+/-0.05V) fixed
Zout: < 39 Ohm SNR: > 114dB (A) @ 0dBFS
THD+N: < 0.0025% @ 0dBFS (100k Load) Headphone Section:
Output: > 350mW (2.40V) into 16R (<10% THD+N) > 34mW (3.20V) into 300R (< 0.1% THD+N) Zout: < 2 Ohm THD+N: < 0.0025% (1V into 16 Ohm, 0dBFS) SNR: > 114dBA (3.2V into 16 Ohm, 0dBFS)
Power consumption: <1.5W Dimensions: 158(l)x68(w)x28(h)mm
Weight: 265g(0.58 lbs)
Be sure to check his channel and review of the iDAC2.
Some comments; "this is a very good sounding D A converter given its price…"
Thank you Hans an Daluso (iFi:Netherlands)
Another new feature used is the Active Noise Cancellation® power supply conditioning. First seen here in the iDAC2 micro and specially developed for USB-powered devices. They are not 'Regulators' in the classic sense of the word, but instead they only work on noise on the power supply voltage, without actually 'regulating' the voltage.
The traditional approach (see first graphic) using filters and regulators sees DC voltage lost AND noise is not comprehensively eliminated, there is still a residual level.
However, in comparison to the iFi ANC system, there is no DC voltage lost AND the power is noise-free:
We all know that USB Power from common USB ports is very noisy (usually tens if not 100's of millivolts of noise). So normally, power supply regulation is required to remove this noise. Common regulators use regulation elements in series with the powerline and require at least several 100mV to several Volt to work. In a USB-powered device this loss is not acceptable as we need at least 5V to give sensible levels for line outputs and headphones.
The all-new Active Noise Cancellation® avoids the loss of power supply voltage, while achieving similar or better rejection of power line noise as classic regulators. No extra series elements are needed. The Active Noise Cancellation® circuit cleans up the incoming USB power before it is distributed inside the iDAC2. A further such Active Noise Cancellation® circuit is cascaded after the first before supplying the headphone amplifier and analogue stage with power. A third Active Noise Cancellation® circuit is cascaded after this to give the DAC Chip the cleanest possible power source.
This multi-stage cascade achieves a reduction of USB noise by over 60dB (1,000 times) at low frequencies for the headphone amplifier and analogue stage. At higher frequencies where switching noise from switched mode power supplies is found, the noise attenuation is even greater.
At the DAC Chip the noise is reduced by over 90dB (31,600 times) for low frequencies. So even very high noise levels of several 100mV are suppressed below the self-noise of the analogue circuitry and DAC Chip, giving the iDAC 2 micro a Signal/Noise ratio of > 114dB(A) or an equivalent number of bits of > 19 Bits. Many DACs with an extra 'zero' on the end of the retail price do not go this far.
iDAC2 – Spilling the Sauce (5 of 6)_ 17 Nov 2015
Next time, Power Supply – with great power come great responsibility (final, part 6)
Commonly, coupling capacitors are employed to ensure the output from the DAC is free from DC (Direct Current). As the signal directly passes through coupling capacitors compared to other components in the system, these have an uncommonly large impact on sound quality. There is an after-market in coupling-capacitors. Take these rather special audiophile capacitors (pictured is the Duelund CAST Copperfoil Capacitor – yours for a cool 2,700 USD EACH). They are huge in size and expensive, sound every bit as good as their price yet a simple straight copper or silver wire invariably 'impacts' the signal less.
In the iDAC2 the analogue stage is direct-coupled (read: no coupling capacitors). In the iDAC2 a DC Servo is employed to ensure the output is always DC-free, however the DC Servo is implemented such as to make it effectively 'invisible' sonically-speaking, by using the same type integrated amplifier as for the actual signal path to perform the DC servo duties (so the DC servo is of the same level of quality) and the influence of the Servo on the signal becomes 20 times less than that of the main audio path through the circuit design and so completely disappears from measurements as well from the subjective sound quality.
In the iDAC2 we use MELF resistors as well as C0G filter capacitors (these are at least as good as polystyrene and approach Teflon capacitors for performance) for the low-pass filter. Additionally, the filter is a mixed-mode type where a passive filter first removes the unwanted very high frequency noise from the DAC output, which would be detrimental to the integrated amplifier performance before an active filter implements the final roll-off.
Dual-Mono Headphone section
The headphone amplifier is a non-trivial section either. It is an all-new dual-mono design with 350mW output into 16 Ohm and a maximum of 3.3V output available to drive high impedance headphones (> 100 Ohm). Using Direct Drive® technology it too is fully direct-coupled and MELF resistors are used for the gain setting network.
From above….
From above….
With a well-respected pair of headphones such as the Fostex TL50-RPs, this reasonably-priced 'plug 'n play' combination really shines. It even surprises one or two far more expensive setups.
iDAC2 – Spilling the Sauce (4 of 6)_ 13 Nov 2015.pdf
Next time, Active Noise Cancellation® (part 5)
The analogue stage uses a Burr-Brown (by TI) Soundplus® J-Fet integrated amplifier with an added discrete Class A output buffer. The Class A buffer is a unique design combining J-Fets and bipolar transistors in a single-stage and allows the iDAC2 to handle even 600 Ohm Loads without breaking a sweat.
The 'Soundplus®' integrated amplifier selected for the iDAC2 easily goes up against the 'ultimate' audio integrated amplifiers from Burr-Brown (OPA627 and OPA827). Rather than relying on 'fashion' and selecting a 'fashionable' Op-Amp, we selected a specific Burr-Brown part because of its performance when combined with our unique Class A TubeState® output stage and in our mixed passive/active filter Analogue stage, it goes up right against the most expensive options (both in objective measurements and in listening).
We start from the datasheet specifications in the comparison table below itself which speaks for itself. Using industry benchmarks such as Input Noise and GBWP the BB Soundplus® compares well with both the BB OPA627B and OPA827….
1 Input Noise, a measure how much noise the Op-Amp produces, lower is better
2 Stands for Gain Bandwidth Product, a measure how 'fast' the Op-Amp is, higher is generally better
3 Stands for Total Harmonic Distortion & Noise, a measure how linear the Op-Amp is, lower is generally better
….BUT where we finish is by adding the extra discrete J-Fet + BJT Class A output stage to the iFi selected Burr-Brown, distortion performance is improved beyond that of the OPA627 and OPA827 from an already pretty good 0.00005% to a gobsmacking 0.000017%. This is another instance of where we go beyond the datasheet to wring a higher measured performance level.
The next question is, nice number but can one hear this in the real world?
Our answer would be a resounding 'yes' – we compared and we found audibly better dynamism with more difficult loads.
At the heart of AMR/iFI products including the iDAC2 micro is the same Burr-Brown 'True Native' chipset which we have explained before in the micro iDSD thread. This particular Burr-Brown chip offers two separate signal pathways for PCM and DSD. What this means is that one chip offers the 'best of both formats' as the signal quality remains native.
Choosing the right DAC topology significantly effects the final sound. We loved the dynamics and slam of the multi-bit topology (e.g. the legendary Philips TDA1541A), however when a High-Definition signal is used, the Multibit topology (actually no true multi-bit DAC chipset available yet) doesn't have the low-level linearity of the Delta-Sigma topology.
So to get the best of both worlds, we need:
· Multi-bit for dynamics and slam (the higher bits of the PCB data);
· Delta-Sigma for the low level linearity (the lower bits of the PCB data);
So the DAC chip we picked for the micro iDSD has the following topology:
· Top 6 bit: true multi-bit;
· Lower bits: Delta-Sigma.
As a result, the iDAC2 micro also supports DXD and DSD up to DSD256#. Three Digital Filters are included; Bit-Perfect (Non-Oversampling), Minimum Phase and Standard and three selectable analogue filters for DSD.
# DSD256 is available on Windows via ASIO DSD and with special firmware on OSX, Windows and Linux via DoP DSD
Running alongside the Burr-Brown 'True Native' chipset is the 8-Core XMOS. But with one essential difference – our own firmware. Such update to the XMOS Design and Firmware introduced by iFi include Star Clocking as first outlined in the iDSD micro.
The IDAC 2 implements Version 4 AMR XMOS Platform and uses the latest generation 8-Core 500MIPS XMOS1 transputer derived main processor. These processors are quite unique in their architecture and are based on a technology that once was considered to have revolutionized computing, the INMOS Transputer: which allows extremely high sample rates, supporting 384kHz/32Bit PCM and 11.2MHz single bit (DSD).
1INMOS transputing to XMOS
The 'Transputer' (Trans – Com – Puter) was a pioneering microprocessor architecture of the 1980's, intended for parallel (multi-core) computing. It was designed among others by David May and produced by Inmos, a semiconductor company based in Bristol, United Kingdom.
For some time in the late 1980's many considered the Transputer to be the next great design for the future of computing. While INMOS themselves ultimately faded from the scene, their pioneering parallel computing platform is echoed in every modern PC running Dual or Quad Core CPU's and in any Smartphone or Tablet featuring multi-core CPU's.
XMOS was started among others by David May and modernised the Transputer core architecture. XMOS 'Transputer' Chips have since found many applications where their unique architecture outperforms both traditional CPU's and FPGA systems, not the least in USB Audio.
While the digital section is very extensive and based on fairly unique items that stand out from the crowd, without a commensurate highly dedicated analogue section, the iDAC2 would not be half the DAC it is.
The iDAC2 – spilling the secret sauce (part 1)
The iDAC2's musicality has wooed – most recently the iDAC2 + iPurifier2 + Pro iCAN at the Fujiya AVIC Headphone Festival in Tokyo where the market is probably the most demanding on the planet.
Source: http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/10/ifi-retro-stereo-50-ipurifier2-at-fujiya-avic-2015/
The Pro iCAN was one of the show 'best sound winners' so the small but mighty iDAC2 + iPurifier 2 combo deserve some credit for producing the digital-to-analogue conversion to feed the Pro iCAN.
At the show, the quite technically proficient Japanese press asked us on more than one occasion why the recently-launched iDAC2 sounded so nice. And this is a press pack that has turntables in heavy rotation so they know their onions. This gave us the idea to put finger to keyboard.
Source: http://www.fujiya-avic.jp/blog/?p=21041
Bake-Off: the iFi recipe behind a really good DAC
The following are our thoughts only. The application of the parts budget as common industry practice is similar to what we did in the iFi iDSD nano which is more indicative of < US$1,000 DACs. Often a very large part of the budget is needed for the digital platform (after all, we need a DAC Chip that headlines and a good USB processor). Power supplies and analogue stages receive the remaining budget.
Hence, the three key cost areas in the electronics of a digital-to-analogue converter:
1)Digital section cost – is much the same across the board, chipsets/clocks vary but slightly and software is usually 'off the shelf' like the XMOS firmware and off the shelf DAC Chips of usually comparable cost. In a USB DAC the USB Processor is usually the biggest ticket item before the DAC. Clocks and their power supplies often cost as much as a DAC Chip.
2)Analogue section cost – from a simple double Op-Amp for 20 cent to things done much more extensively cost varies. The iDAC2 has BB Soundplus integrated amplifier and a discrete JFet and BJT Class A output stage. Further it employs C0G Capacitors and MELF Resistors for all signal positions, all this adds cost.
3)Power supply section cost – Often USB DACs have minimal power supply arrangements with generic 3-pin regulators. If done more extensively, then the cost is higher eg iDAC2 uses ELNA Silmic Capacitors and Active Noise Cancellation® to eliminate the USB power noise.
iDAC2 is no piece of cake
Things are different in the iDAC 2: we started with a larger budget, we could have spent it in a number of ways, like more DAC Chips or different 'fashionable' DAC Chips or fancy clocks. Instead we chose to put the extra budget where it impacts most, namely analogue stages and power supplies.
The iDAC2 has a similar cost digital section as with other DACs out there (and to our iDSD nano) but its analogue and power sections are more extensive hence its overall cost is greater so its pie chart area is larger.
Thank you Tomas Karasiński and StereoLife!
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Thank you Lupus_Kazee and enjoy your time on hifi-forum.de!
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Stay tuned!
Thank you Stereoikolorowo!
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Thank you Marcin Olszewski of audiostereo.pl!
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Thanks Kees Jan of Art's Excellence, Richard Kuipers and Daluso (iFi:Netherlands)
iDAC2: 'has it all'
"Micro-reaching although the first was good and had a lot of fans, this according to the manufacturer iDAC2 is noticeably better and was developed from the ground up as a completely new design…..There are no format conversion or resampling results correctness and regularity of music perception…..The degree analog has two capacitors Elna Silmic II, which are designed to ensure the highest sound quality – they are probably one of the the best capacitor available in the market…..AMR has a best components applied in their devices – from Japanese capacitors Elna Silmic II by TDK C0G, to Wishaya MELF resistors – iDAC2 has it all."
Margaret Karasińska!
Philippe of Hautefidelite reviews the iDAC2!
"The range of products iFi Audio has a constant: a stunning reproduction quality, we can not imagine at first, unless you have already tried these products…..This DAC iFi contains components audiophile-quality, such as, for example, a pair of electrochemical capacitors of Silmic series (radial models mounted flat, black and gold livery) incorporating silk as a dielectric mounted in the power supply circuit…..Musicality and versatility make this DAC entirely conceivable installation on a high fidelity sedentary chain. The different functions of the Micro iDAC2 and simplicity of operation are as many assets facilitating the choice of this device, as compact affordable."
Merci Philippe David and hautefidelite!
Karl of Audiophile.no covers the iDAC2!
"Ifi Audio launches a new improved version of their Micro IDAC. Micro IDAC2 is renewed on a number of areas….Micro IDAC2 is a further development of the Micro IDAC, and there are some drastic changes. The DAC chip has been changed, from an ESS SABRE to a chip from Burr-Brown. Thus, they have also given IDAC2 extended competence – it can play PCM with sample rate up to 384kHz as well as DSD128 and DSD256. IFi Audio emphasizes that the signal is kept in its original form all the way through DAC. That means DSD is never converted to PCM on its way to the analog signal. Micro IDAC2 has two sets of analogue outputs. We start with RCA outputs that are fixed level, and operating in Class A. However, this box also has a set of headphone outputs, of course with volume control. IDAC2 also has a SPDIF digital output, which makes it possible to use this box as a D/D converter, then in the form of USB to SPDIF. It enables integration with other DACs that lacks USB, or the amplifiers with digital inputs."
Cheers Karl Erik Sylthe!
Airy Fidelity of Youtube reviews the iDAC2!
A video covering the latest iFi product, iDAC2, which Airy Fidelity explains the new features from the previous original iDAC1 and also does a short comparison.
In short the iDAC2: More dynamic, energetic, close up vocals, improved soundstage, 3D sounding, musical instrumental details.
Many thanks for your review Airy Fidelity!
iFi USB Audio Driver Installation & Download
iDAC2 – Spilling the Sauce (1 of 6)_ 6 Nov 2015 iDAC2 – Spilling the Sauce (2 of 6)_ 9 Nov 2015
|micro iDAC2 main accessories
|• 3.5mm rubber feet
|• USB Cable
|• Caps for RCA sockets
|• RCA cable
|• user manual
|• Warranty Card
|• STS Card