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Many moons ago, in March 2003, Secrets published one of the first reviews of Theta's then state-of-the-art two-channel DAC/preamp, the Generation VIII (aka Gen. VIII). Close to six years later, after umpteen advances in digital chip technology, Theta has released a significant, Series 2 upgrade to the original Gen. VIII. The upgrade, which can either be easily installed at home or purchased as part of a new unit, renders such significant improvements to the sound of the Gen. VIII as to demand a new review.
- Design: Two-channel DAC/Preamp with new 24/192 DAC chip
- Digital Inputs: 6 (2 RCA, 1 BNC, 1 AES/EBU, 1 Toslink, 1 Open for Optional AT&T)
- Analog Inputs: 2 Stereo Pairs, One RCA, One Balanced XLR
- Analog Outputs: 2 Balanced XLR (L/R) and 2RCA
- RS-232 External Control from Crestron®, AMX®
- D/A Conversion: 24-bit Ladder (8x Oversampling). 2 DACs per Channel (Differential Operation)
- Dynamic Range: 132 dB
- MFR: 20 Hz – 20 kHz,± 0.1 dB
- THD+N, Analog Input Section: Less than 0.0007% (Digital), 0.0005% (Analog) @ 1KHz, at 3V Output Level
- THD+N, Balanced Output: Less than 0.0007% (Digital), 0.0005% (Analog) @ 1KHz, at 3V Output Level
- THD+N, Single-ended Output: Less than 0.0015% (Digital and Analog) @ 1KHz, at 3V Output Level
- Dimensions: 5″ H x 17 5/8″ W x17 ¾" D
- Weight: 29 Pounds
- Price: $13,500 USA for the Generation VIII Series 2; $1,875 USA for Upgrade from the Gen VIII
- Theta
Much water has flowed under the proverbial bridge since the Gen. VIII first came on the scene. In Theta's case, the water almost took the bridge with it, as the company stopped issuing new products and let others sink from its roster while it slowly shifted hands from founder and digital design pioneer Neil Sinclair to new owner Morris Kessler of ATI.
Thankfully, Theta is in good hands. Dave Reich remains General Manager and Design Engineer, and Dave Kerstetter continues to develop and improve Theta's digital designs. After several years of treading water, the company is moving full steam ahead on several fronts. And thus we end our water analogies.
While this review will focus on the major improvements bestowed by the Gen. VIII Series 2 upgrade, it will also touch on exciting forthcoming upgrades to the Casablanca multi-channel processor, Dreadnaught amplifier, and other products. For most of my listening, I used Theta's top-of-the-line, now discontinued Carmen II transport. The photo that follows shows both the Carmen II and the Gen. VIII on my rack.
Installing the Upgrade
While I was able to install the Series 2 upgrade at home, guided by Theta's instructions and a little help on the phone, I had Theta's permission to do so. The upgrade must be performed either by the dealer or international rep; otherwise, the Gen. VIII must be returned to the factory to ensure proper installation and to maintain any warranty in effect.
Theta recommends 100 hours of break-in time. Since Gen. VIIIs do not sound their best until they are warmed up and played for 72 hours straight – I never leave the unit unplugged for more than 60 seconds when changing equipment around – break-in takes but one day longer than warm-up. Just turn off your amp(s), load your transport with a break-in CD, and run it on repeat for a little over four days. You can of course listen to music anytime during the break-in period, and monitor the improvements. Just remember that leaving the Gen. VIII Series 2 in standby mode is not the same thing as playing a break-in CD through it for four days straight with the volume turned way up.
Upgrade Specs and Improvement
The Gen. VIII Series 2 is a fully differential balanced DAC featuring custom-designed,
software-programmable digital filters feeding two digital-to-analog converters per channel, one for each phase. Theta claims that its linear power supplies ensure clean power resulting in ultra-low noise, and that its proprietary "Jitter Jail" technology eliminates most digital distortion. (I use the Jitter Jail during playback).
The Series 2's digital input section accepts 32KHz, 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz, and 96KHz signals. D/A conversion is 24-bit Ladder (8x oversampling). There are two DACs per channel for true differential operation. All DSP processing is 24bit with 56bit accumulator. Balanced output impedance is 25 Ohms, and single-ended output impedance is 12 ohms. The volume control is Theta's proprietary switched resistor network, and operates in the analog domain. The digital filter is an 8x oversampling Theta proprietary FIR filter running on Motorola 56362 DSP. Power requirements are 117 VAC, 50-60 Hz, 50 watts maximum, with all options installed. Fuse @ 100 & 110V = 630mA, Fuse @ 220V = 3/8A. Note that I use an after-market IsoClean audiophile grade fuse, which to these ears delivers a significant increase in musical detail for relatively low cost.
For help in understanding the many improvements to the Gen. VIII Series 2, I spoke with Dave Reich, Theta's General Manager and Design Engineer. Reich got his start in the high-end industry at Dayton-Wright Industries, a Toronto-based company that made electrostatic loudspeakers. He eventually founded Classé Audio in Toronto, where he focused on analog components. (The DR in old Classé models stands for Dave Reich).
After building up Classé for 10 years, Reich took some time off, then spent four years with McCormack Audio in San Diego. When McCormack was sold to Conrad-Johnson, Reich, in his own words, "very quickly got scooped up by Theta, because they wanted to add analog amplifiers to their line. It was a very good fit." As well as managing Theta, Reich has been the man responsible for Theta's Dreadnaught, Citadel, and Enterprise amplifiers.
Below are the improvements that Theta claims from the Series 2 upgrade. Dave's verbatim commentary is included in quotations marks:
1. New 24/192 DAC chip.
2. Up to 132 dB dynamic range (a 15 dB improvement over the Generation VIII).
3. Over 3X differential output current: "DACs are more than anything current devices rather than voltage devices. So current levels are very critical. There's now three times the amount of current available as it heads to the output of the DAC chip. I've always been big on current, whether it's at the amp or the chip level. I think it allows the device to convert the bits with greater accuracy and ease."
4. Stop-band attenuation of –130 dB (a 48 dB improvement over the
Generation VIII): "That's the built-in filter that shuts down the high-frequency bad stuff that we don't want getting in there. It's doing that much more efficiently, and probably generating less aliasing frequencies that might end up in the audio band generated from much higher frequencies. That translates into less noise, distortion, and hard digital edge."
5. Pass-band ripple +/- 0.00001 dB (a 200X improvement over the Generation
VIII): "That has to do with the rejection of noise on the supply, or even noise carried along on the digital signals. It's doing it a lot more cleanly."
6. Fully differential DAC follower op-amp with 150MHz bandwidth (a 70 MHz
improvement over the Generation VIII): "We're using a better op-amp following the DAC. It sounds better to us, and measures way better because it's so much faster. It works with more ease, and is able to handle more of what's coming along without generating any of its own spurious noise or distortion.
"An op-amp is an integrated circuit, made up of a lot of transistors, that allows you to do many, many things. It gives you good isolation at the input and reasonably low output impedance. Sometimes you can approach ideal specifications in them for input and output impedance and other factors. Op amps have come light years compared to where they were in the old days. There are more than a handful of them that sound so good that most designers want to be using them as opposed to discreet transistors.
"A DAC follower generally means an op amp that you'll put after the DAC to set the signal to go to the output without loading down the DAC. The main purpose is to not load down the DAC, so you want a fairly high impedance there that presents an easy load to the DAC and isolates what the DAC has to do, so that it keeps it constant no matter what you might be hooking up externally to the DAC."
7. Four new discrete analog digitally controlled volume cards with zero offset
nulling: "We now use the volume control card which we use in our other products – anywhere we need level control – be it in our Casablanca processor or our DACs. We came up with this card a long time ago. It's basically a set of discreet resistors that are controlled by digital switches. At any given time, the signal is only going through a pair of resistors. That's pretty much as good as you can get to control level.
"We did a new layout for the Gen. VIII, and added an adjustment to reduce any spurious DC that was floating around. It was always very low, but now we can make it even lower. That increases your symmetry and creates what we find greater realism in the soundstage."
Future Upgrades to the Gen. VIII and the Theta Line
In the dialogue that follows, Reich shares exciting information about new upgrades to the Theta line:
JVS: What about more upgrades to the Gen. VIII? Are we talking another year before they're issued?
DR: There could be future upgrades, because the technology is changing so quickly.
What prompted the Series 2 upgrade were the new and better DACs that came along. It wasn't that long after the initial Gen. VIII was released that Kerstetter began working on the Series 2 revision. He worked on many different versions, tweaking it constantly until finally we were able to release it earlier this year. Perhaps it could have come out somewhat sooner, but the original Gen. VIII was doing so well that we didn't feel the need to rush the new one to market.
There isn't anything in the works for the Gen. VIII that we're trying to achieve at this moment. Most of our efforts are being concentrated on upgrading the Casablanca. There are things we've talked about that we could perhaps do one day, but they're not on the priority list right now.
JVS: Can the Gen. VIII handle 24/176.4 and 24/192 files?
DR: No, only because it's limited by a receiver chip that's on its own little board. That's one of the things we're looking at changing, which would take it up to 176.4 and 192.
JVS: You're the company that pioneered separates, yet you no longer have a separate transport in your line to mate with the Gen. VIII.
DR: We're working with a few OEM manufacturers who themselves are working on blu-ray players. We've toyed a lot with possibly coming out with another DVD player to fill the hole that the Compli universal player left, or perhaps issuing a CD-only player. But our marketing research could not justify it
Target prices appear to be dropping in order to do significant sales. So for us, the next transport would be an all-around player with blu-ray. The ones we're waiting for are not quite ready. It would do blu-ray backwards to anything and everything else that DVD players have always done. That includes SACD.
JVS: But you don't have a DAC that enables you to do SACD.
DR: Correct. The player would provide an analog output that would go to a multi-channel preamp.
JVS: This suggests that Theta might eventually issue a universal player that could play SACDs. But given the price range, would that SACD player be able to compete with the sound quality you can currently get from bluebook CD through the Gen. VIII Series 2? That was the problem you had several years ago, when you were trying to develop an SACD upgrade for the original Gen. VIII. When you used the now-discontinued Compli as a transport, and connected it to the Gen. VIII via your proprietary megalinque, well-recorded bluebook CDs sounded so good that it was hard to get SACDs to sound significantly better.
DR: That's certainly an issue. Things are so market driven these days that it makes it difficult for the small manufacturer. I'll give you an example. There was one large company that deals with very high-tech stuff. We were going along with them, working on a blu-ray player platform until they asked how many tens of thousands of units we would take each month. So it's difficult, and getting harder. We have to keep up with the technology, but there aren't a lot of companies that are very accommodating these days to ones who want to push the edge of the art. But we're still trying.
Obviously, we don't want to just repackage a cheap player. It's not something we can do.
JVS: Would a new multi-format player offer a proprietary megalinque from your new transport to the Gen. VIII, as you once intended to provide via the discontinued Compli, so that you'd get better sound than would an aftermarket digital cable?
DR: I don't think so.
JVS: Do you have any way of installing a USB input on the Gen. VIII?
DR: It's one of the things we're looking at, but it's a ways away.
JVS: How about firewire and HDMI?
DR: We have no plans for either on the Gen. VIII. When the HDMI project is complete on the Casablanca, however, we will have a new digital output that will provide a solution for Gen. VIII owners. For Gen. VIII owners who want to go the whole way, they could use four digital outputs into four Gen. VIIIs for 7.1 high-def. The sound will be pretty spectacular.
JVS: I'm sure it will be. But poor slobs like me, with only a single Gen. VIII Series 2 to our name, still won't have a way to get two-channel sound from the new transport that would at least equal if not certainly surpass the sound you were able to get from the Compli/Gen. VIII combo connected via the megalinque.
How far along are you with the Casablanca upgrade?
DR: We're neck deep in it right now. I've been laying out new boards that our digital design team is coming up with one after the other. It's going to be packed full of new boards, and it will be pretty spectacular. I'm not exactly sure when it will be ready, but we're going full speed on it as our main focus.
At the same time, since for me working on amps is a pleasure, I have found some time to work on our amps. We will have the Dreadnaught III in production by or shortly after CES. It's very exciting. I've relayed out the audio card. I expect the technology we're putting into the Dreadnaught III will work its way into the other models.
We're using a new output device, which is really nice because semi-conductor companies don't focus very much on analog output devices these days. But Motorola has. They've taken an already great-sounding, existing output device, redone its die chip, and added a diode that allows you to track your bias incredibly accurately. It's enabled me to completely revise the bias circuit in the Dreadnaught. It actually simplifies the circuit so that your audio path is more straightforward and your bias tracking is spot on. It's sounding great.
The Dreadnaught is a modular amp that can be configured for anywhere from one to ten channels. It's rated at 225w with the single-channel module, has a basic price of $4,500 for a two-channel 225w model, and costs extra for each additional module. 225w times five is the most common basic configuration, and costs $8,875. There's also a lower power two-channel stereo model that's 1002 and costs $4,625. A popular 7.1 surround configuration includes three 225w modules and four 100w modules; it costs $9,375.
The Sound of the Gen. VIII Series 2
When I initially asked the folks at Theta what difference the Series 2 upgrade would make, they said something like, "It takes everything you like about the sound of the Gen. VIII and makes it a whole lot better." Having now lived with the upgrade for a good six months, I heartily concur.
The difference between before and after is striking. Shortly before the Series 2 upgrade was released, I hosted a Bay Area Audiophile Society (BAAS) demo at Casa Bellecci-Serinus of Reference Recordings' new high-resolution HRx discs. When Prof. Keith O. Johnson, Marcia Martin, Tim Marutani, and their RR entourage came to set up several days in advance, we had to decide which DAC to use. While I of course offered my original Gen. VIII, Keith brought along as an alternative the new Berkeley Audio Designs Alpha DAC (BADA DAC), which was designed by the same team he worked with at Pacific Microsonics.
When we compared the two machines, there was no question that the Alpha DAC produced more bass. This surprised me, because Theta has always been prized for the strength and quality of its bass.
"The Gen. VIII uses old technology," Johnson told me. "The BADA DAC has a much newer DAC chip."
Not long after I installed the Series 2 upgrade, BAAS hosted a four-DAC comparison session (aka "The Great DACD Shootout of 2008") at my place. The DACs were the Theta Gen. VIII Series 2, BADA DAC, Weiss Medea, and Bel Canto DAC-III. Most present thought that the bass of the Gen. VIII Series 2 at least equaled if not surpassed that from the BADA DAC. That's how much of an improvement in bass delivery the Series 2 upgrade has made.
But that's not the only improvement. Immediately after installing and breaking in the upgrade for 100 hours, I noticed increased depth, deeper colors, and a more realistic (lifelike) presentation. The soundstage was bigger, more involving, more alive, and certainly more dynamic. Not only did percussion have more weight, it also sounded louder on initial impact, with greater slam.
Again and again, I'd play familiar orchestral recordings, and delight in the fact that timpani thwacks that had previously sounded unduly submerged and compressed now emerged with for more realistic visceral and emotional impact. Whether listening to the Bobo Stenson jazz trio, mezzo Lorraine Hunt Lieberson sing Handel with orchestra, Brazilian vocalist Rosa Passos and bassist Ron Carter perform bossa nova, or a string quartet, I found myself far more deeply drawn into the music. The presentation sounded several major steps closer to the real thing.
One way to clarify the extent to which the upgrade has improved the sound of the Gen. VIII Series 2 is to return to the four-DAC comparison mentioned above, and reference comparison with the Bel Canto DAC-III ($2,500). The latter is a fine product. But whether playing the opening of Richard Strauss' Alpine Symphony (hybrid SACD, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons cond.), Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances (24/88.2 and 16/44 versions, Reference Recordings), Jane Selkye & Chris Kee: "Slow Day" (hybrid SACD, Blue Coast Collection), Dave Matthews Band: "All Along the Watchtower" (Live at Red Rocks), or Patricia Barber: "Alfie" (not yet published 24/88.2 remastering by Paul Stubblebine), the Theta Gen. VIII Series 2's sound was noticeably more transparent, colorful, and three-dimensional (especially on the high resolution tracks). It simply had more life to it.
To these ears, the Bel Canto sounded like an excellent hi-fi product. The new Theta went beyond hi-fi; it consistently drew me in and made music. With the Bel Canto, I observed. With the Theta, I became deeply involved. To me, that explains the large price difference between the two.
Of course, I have not heard all the DAC competition out there. Though far more costly products from dcs have sometimes left me cold when playing standard CD, I have yet to hear them in my reference system, let alone pit them against the Theta Gen. VIII Series 2. Nor have I tried players from Esoteric, the upgrade mods to same offered by Alex Peychev and others, Wadia, or the host of newer DACs and CD players that are receiving consistently excellent reviews.
I did hear the Weiss Medea as part of the DAC shootout, and preferred the Theta. As for the much-vaunted Benchmark DAC1 USB, which I own, the Theta bests it in every way, especially in the quality of their preamp sections. The Theta's preamp is far more transparent, colorful, and lifelike. I'm constantly astounded by reviews that suggest the Benchmark DAC1 USB is as good as it gets. While I derive great pleasure from it on my upstairs computer system – it is astoundingly good at its price point, and deserves its Class A ratings – the far more costly Theta Gen. VIII Series 2 is a superior product.
The DAC separate I have heard that most gives the Gen. VIII Series 2 a run for the money is the Berkeley Audio Designs Alpha DAC. In the brief head-to-head comparisons we conducted during the two DAC comparison sessions, I was mightily impressed with the width of the BADA DAC's soundstage, the warmth and smoothness of its highs, and the realism of its presentation. Whether its extra smoothness on high-pitched soundsis a sign of softness, or indication of less artificial digital edge, I cannot say for certain without listening again for an extended period of time on an even more revealing set of speakers. If I can again obtain a BADA DAC, I hope to perform the comparison after a new set of full-range speakers arrives at Casa Bellecci-Serinus for review.
Regardless, the BADA DAC is not a full-functioning preamp. It lacks the Theta's two sets of inputs (one coaxial, the other XLR) for tuners and other devices. It thus will not suit audiophiles who want to run other components through their DAC without investing in a separate outboard preamp and additional cables
In addition, inserting an additional component and cables into the chain often degrades sound and lessens transparency. The Theta enables you to entirely eliminate a separate preamp. With one less component in the chain, and one less set of interconnects and power cables and supports to purchase, you not only achieve greater transparency, but also save a lot of money. That helps justify the Theta's greater cost.
On the plus side, the BADA DAC does have its own volume control (as do the Theta and Benchmark), which allows you to eliminate an outboard preamp if there are no other components (e.g. a tuner or blu-ray player) that you wish to connect. It also decodes high-resolution 176.4 and 192 kbps files, which the Theta cannot do short of another upgrade that could be a year or more away. Until the Theta can process files up to 192 kbps, and is able to accept USB and/or firewire inputs, it will not be fully competitive with newer, high-quality DACs that are more computer-friendly.
Computer Interface Using the Bel Canto USB Link 24/96
More and more audiophiles are shifting from physical CDs and SACDs to digital media files stored on computers and media servers. Computer playback also allows you to download and play high-res 24/96 files currently available from HDTracks and a few other sites. One reason for the Benchmark DAC1 USB's popularity is its ability to playback 16/44.1 and 24/96 files stored on computers.
I use the Benchmark DAC1 USB in my upstairs system. Fed by my iMac via a Belkin USB 2.0 cable, and playing through AudioEngine 5 self-powered speakers, it makes mighty fine music. (It sure helps that I'm using a Nordost Valhalla power cable on the Benchmark, interconnects from Harmonic Technologies, and WireWorld Gold Eclipse speaker wire). My little computer system can't hold a candle to the main system downstairs, but it sounds a helluva lot better than most of the systems you encounter in people's homes these days.
Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the Gen. VIII and most other older DACs lack a USB or Firewire input. To address the problem, Bel Canto has recently released a convenient, lightweight USB Link 24/96 that allows users convert USB computer outputs to SPDIF. The link uses native drivers supplied with either Mac or Windows operating systems, and comes supplied with a Stereovox XV2 BNC cable and RCA adapter to connect to any DAC. It is also self-powered by the computer's USB output, and does not need a separate power source.
I've begun to experiment with connecting my Apple Powerbook G4 to the Gen. VIII Series 2 using the Bel Canto USB Link 24/96 and my standard Belkin USB 2.0 cable. Because I'm concerned that the BNC to RCA adapter supplied by Bel Canto will compromise sound, I'm doing straight BNC to the Theta, using either an old Nirvana 1.5 meter BNC digital cable or the supplied Stereovox XV2 BNC cable to connect to the Theta's BNC input. (I will also be trying a BNC cable from DH Labs in the near future). My goal is to see if I can get at least as good if not better sound from files I've burned onto my computer from well-recorded CDs as from playing the same CDs through Theta Carmen II transport and Nordost Valhalla AES/EBU digital cable.
As of this writing, I am still in the experimental stage. For example, I just learned that Spotlight search feature on Mac computers can compromise sound quality, and should be turned off. I have yet to try that and hear the difference. Before long, I will receive a WireWorld USB 2.0 A-B flat cable to try instead of the Belkin. Hence, my comments are preliminary, and should not be taken as my final word on the Bel Canto USB Link 24/96. Once I finish my experiments, I will update this review via the Comments section.
After listening to a number of tracks, including the first five minutes of Anne Sophie Mutter's sensational new recording of Sofia Gubaidulina's violin concerto In tempus praesens (DG), the superb Dialoghi piano/cello recital from Elinor Frey & David Fung (Yarlung Records), and baritone Matthias Goerne's most recent Schubert recital (Harmonia Mundi), I find myself happier with standard CD playback through the Theta Carmen II transport. Whether listening for air, glistening highs, richness of midrange, bass slam, or overtones, the CD playback supplies more information and sounds more musical.
Since this flies in the face of an abundant amount of literature that extols computer playback over CD playback, I can only speculate that one or more of the following is affecting sound quality: (a) the Spotlight search function is a major culprit; (b) iTunes itself is an imperfect media server, which comparison to the Amarra Server shown in select rooms at CES 2009 suggests is the case; (c) the USB and BNC cables I'm using with the Bel Canto link are not the equal of my Nordost Valhalla AES/EBU digital cable; (d) the fact that I use my Powerbook for writing, scanning, email, and other functions rather than exclusively for music playback has introduced various factors into the interface that compromise sound quality; and/or (e) the Bel Canto link is a less than ideal interface. Clearly, more experimentation is in order.
What I can't play through my transport are 24/96 files. In the coming weeks, I will be downloading a few of those from HDTracks.com, and using the Bel Canto link to play them back through the Gen. VIII Series 2. My hope is that they will sound at least as good if not better than the physical CDs in my library. Again, look for my comments down the road.
Theta's Series 2 upgrade to the Gen. VIII DAC/preamp elevates it to world-class status. Audiophiles hoping to achieve near-analog quality playback from redbook CDs and 24/96 files owe it to themselves to either upgrade an existing Gen. VIII, or audition a new Gen. VIII Series 2 at home. Just be sure to run the unit for 72 hours straight, or 100 hours if it is not fully broken-in, before engaging in critical listening. Mated with an excellent front end, quality cabling and power treatment, and amplification powerful enough to fully communicate the unit's wide dynamic range, the Theta Gen. VIII Series 2 is about as good as it gets.
Jason Victor Serinus System Information:
Main Reference System:
Digital Front End
Theta Carmen II CD/DVD transport
Theta Gen 8 Series 2 DAC/Preamp
(Benchmark DAC-1 USB when Apple G4 Titanium Powerbook is in use on the main system, plus a Bel Canto 24/96 USB link)
VTL 450W tube monoblock prototypes with KT-88 tubes
Jadis DA-7 Luxe with GE 5751 Jan and Jan Philips 5814A tubes and cable from Pierre Gabriel
Talon Khorus X speakers MK. IV (with latest upgrade and Bybee Quantum Noise Purifiers)
Four Bybee Golden Goddess Super Effect Speaker Bullets, two on each speaker
Nordost Odin single-ended and balanced interconnects
Nordost Valhalla AES/EBU digital interconnect
Nordost Odin bi-wired speaker cable
Nordost Odin power cable on the Thor Power Distribution System
Nordost Valhalla Power Cables on other components
Belkin USB 2.0 and Nirvana and Stereovox BNC cables for the Bel Canto 24/96 USB link
Nordost Thor Power Distribution System
IsoClean or other audiophile grade fuses in most components
Dedicated line for system
Clearaudio Emotion turntable with Satisfy arm
Soundsmith "The Voice" phono cartridge
Benz MC-Gold phono cartridge
Classe 6 phono preamp with better umbilical cord
Symposium Platform under turntable
Finite Elemente Cerapuc supports
Marigo Mystery Feet
Ganymede ball bearing supports
Michael Green brass Audiopoints
Audiophile grade fuses in all equipment.
Acoustic Resonators
Michael Green Deluxe Ultrarack, Basic Racks and Corner Tunes
Shakti stones on transport, DAC, amps, etc.
Four Shakti Hallographs
Echo Buster and Corner Busters
Bedini Quadra Beam and Dual Beam Ultraclarifiers
Marigo Signature 3-D Mat v2;
Ayre demagnetizing CD
Various CD sprays
Main System Room Dimensions
Living room is 24.5′ deep, 21.4′ wide in the listening area. It's big enough to accommodate 16 members of the Bay Area Audiophile Society, positioned in four rows of four seats each. The distance from the front door to the end of the dining room is 37′. Sound extends far to the left and right of the speakers thanks to an 8.33′ wide archway into the dining room opposite the right channel speaker. Ceilings are 9′ high with heavy wooden crossbeams, each 17″ in height. Heavy curtains cover windows behind the sound system. Floors are hardwood and carpet in front of the system, and hardwood elsewhere. Walls in the living room are a combination of plaster and wood, with a large granite fireplace in the rear. The dining room is all plaster. There is RoomTune and Echo buster treatment in corners, and either an Echo Buster or heavy tapestry at the two side wall first order reflection points.
Upstairs Second System:
Genesis I-60 Integrated amp
Von Schweikert VR-4jr. speakers bi-wired with Nordost Valhalla
Proton 26″ non-HD anything but flat decidedly undigital TV
Basic Pioneer DVD player
ExactPower EP15A equipped with outlets from Sound Applications and other mods
Nordost Valhalla bi-wired speaker cable
Assortment of WireWorld Gold Eclipse 5, Harmonic Tech Magic One, and Nordost Valhalla interconnects
Elrod EPS-2 Signature and AudioPrism SuperNatural S2 power cables
Ganymede ball bearing supports
Desktop Computer System
Apple iMac G5
Benchmark DAC-1 USB
Audio Engine 5 self-powered speakers
Nordost Valhalla and/or Elrod EPS-2 Signature power cabling
Harmonic Tech Magic One interconnect
WireWorld Gold Eclipse speaker cable
Ganymede Ball Bearing supports
Shakti stone


text:
The only type of hearing loss that can be treated by taking medication is hearing loss caused by an ear infection. Hearing loss occurs because fluid in the ear interferes with sound conduction. In this case, antibiotics are used to treat the infection. The hearing loss is corrected when the infection ends and fluid drains. Antibiotics can help eliminate the fluid or pus and restore the hearing. Nasal steroids and antihistamines may help if allergies are causing the fluid buildup or preventing the buildup from improving after an infection.
Earwax Removal
If hearing loss is caused by a buildup of earwax, removing the wax restores hearing. The wax is loosened by putting a few drops of a softener, such as mineral oil, baby oil, or glycerin, in your ear. Using a syringe, warm water is sent into the ear; the water comes out when you tilt your head. The doctor may need to do this process a few times before the wax comes out. Other ways of removing the wax after it is softened include scooping it with a special tool or using a suction device.
Treating Other Medical Illnesses
When hearing loss is caused by other medical conditions, it may be possible to improve hearing by treating those conditions. Examples include tumors and cardiovascular disease.
Discontinuing or Changing Medications for Other Conditions
If your hearing loss may be caused or worsened by a medication, talk with your doctor about stopping that medication or changing to one that does not affect hearing. The most common medications that cause hearing loss are:
- Streptomycin
- Gentamicin
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Diuretics
- Steroids
- Heart medications
- Anesthetics
- Quinine
- Aspirin-containing drugs
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD, FAAP
- Review Date: 09/2017 -
- Update Date: 09/17/2016 -

subset: commoncrawl


text:
23 November 2009 23:30
Turn your drawings and photos into online coloring pages
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The final ABC Super Soap Weekend was very bittersweet for soap fans that have converged at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida for the last thirteen years to get a glimpse, and up close and personal with their favorite actors and actresses from the ABC Daytime line-up. Many of those sentiments were echoed by the actors as well, who have enjoyed the tradition of the event.
"On-Air On-Soaps" special coverage of Super Soap Weekend features video interview clips with the stars and the fans, and behind-the-scenes footage. Check out the two-part feature on what your favorites had to say as well, in the special SSW Star Round Up. And don't miss the photo gallery below, with memorable moments from the final Super Soap.
Highlights of the weekend included The Casting Call, hosted by Cameron Mathison, where members of the audience audition with our host for a spot in the finale opposite another leading man from the soaps. In the edition we attended, "OLTL's" John-Paul Lavoisier, was the guest star who brought the ladies to their knees. Over at the Super Soap Talk Show, Bob Guiney, hosted cast talk shows and special group panels from, "Heartbreakers" to "Schemers". Throughout the day, motorcade processions, featuring the stars with Disney's most recognizable characters, drove down Hollywood Blvd to the Hat stage where they were interviewed for the outdoor crowd. Of course, all the autograph lines were hopping. Those who got in line in the wee hours of the morning scored a "Fast Pass" so they could collect lots of memories and signatures as quickly as they could.
The Colgate Total Triple Play Game Show, with host John-Paul Lavosier, tested actor's ability to play charades and soap trivia that always brought down the house. The event closed each night with the Street Jam, where stars performed musical numbers that wowed the packed crowd well into the night. From Ricky Paull Goldin's, Magic Carpet Ride, to Bobbie Eakes 60's revolution, and Susan Lucci's Tango, it was sad to have the final curtain come down closing the festivities for good.


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How To Cure Corned Beef (In Time for St. Patrick's Day)
St. Patrick's Day is coming up, and we've decided to take it (and Meat/Un-Meat Month) as inspiration for A Project. We've always been interested in curing our own meat, and corned beef seems like the perfect place to start. In fact, we've talked about home-curing corned beef a lot, but this year we're really doing it!
There's plenty of time between now and St. Patrick's to cure your own corned beef. Would you like to follow along with us? Here's what you'll need, if you decide to embark on this little project with us.
What is corned beef?
Corned beef is a cut of meat -- usually brisket -- that is cured, or pickled, with a dry rub or in a seasoned brine. This seasoned beef is usually then boiled or cooked over low heat for a long time, and the resulting meat should be very tender. It's served in a classic Reuben sandwich with rye bread, or in a classic St. Patrick's Day Irish dinner with boiled cabbage and potatoes. If you smoke a side of corned beef, instead of boiling it, you end up with pastrami.
Why is it called corned beef? Where's the corn?
The word "corned" refers to the large grains of salt traditionally used to preserve the meat.
How do you cure corned beef?
Curing beef is fairly simple: You rub the beef with spices and salt and let it sit in the fridge for a long time. Or you make a brine with salt and seasonings, and marinate the beef, also in the refrigerator. I chose the brine method for this particular episode of corned beef-curing. The salt and seasonings are straightforward: mustard, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper.
What's the catch?
There is one tricky part, though. See, beef preserved in this way will not retain its customary (and appetizing) red color all on its own. It will fade into a rather dingy gray. It will taste just like normal corned beef or preserved beef, but it will look gray. To prevent this, butchers and home meat-curers generally add a small amount of preservative to keep the red color. This has varied over the years: a long time ago, saltpetre was used (also an ingredient in gunpowder). This is also known as potassium nitrate. Now it's more customary to use sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrite also prevents the growth of botulism and other bacteria. But excessive consumption of nitrites has been linked to various health problems, including cancer, so it's best to really limit your intake of meats preserved in this way.
For this particular project, however, I was fine with using sodium nitrite/nitrate to preserve color and make traditional corned beef. We eat preserved meats and other processed foods very rarely in our household, so a homemade splurge didn't seem to be too much of a problem.
The problem, it turned out, was finding these preservatives for sale. I will skip the morning of calling butchers and chemists, and just tell you the best way to do this. Order this product from the web, or look for it in your local specialty grocer:
• Morton Tender Quick - A curing salt that includes sodium nitrate and nitrite, as well as salt. This product should be used INSTEAD of salt in any curing recipe you choose.
The Morton product seemed to be much more available than the other options we found. But, like I said earlier, it's fine to skip the preservative entirely. Just know that you'll end up with slightly gray beef.
Get started curing!
Once you've decided whether to use a preservative or not, and once you've secured it if you are going to use it, here's the easy part. Actually curing the beef.
The Meat
For the meat, only use the best, please. Most recipes call for at least four pounds of brisket. I used a three pound brisket from my local butcher shop. This shop raises their own lamb, beef, pork, and goat, and I feel very comfortable purchasing from them. In fact, they are the only place I buy beef.
The Recipe
Once you have your beef, it's time to make the brine! This is a recipe adapted from Alton Brown's corned beef recipe, with adjustments for the Morton product and my own tastes.
2 quarts water
2 cups Morton Tender Quick
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole cloves
15 whole juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Several trays of ice
3-5 pound beef brisket, cut into two pieces
Heat the water with the Tender Quick, sugar, and all the spices. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar and Tender Quick are dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. Place each brisket into a separate 1-gallon freezer bag and add the cooled brine, half to each bag. Seal and lay in a baking pan. Put away in the fridge. Each day, massage the bags and make sure the meat is covered with brine.
That's it! Very simple. My brisket is currently curing in the fridge and I'll bring you updates as it sits. Recipes vary as to curing time, but cutting the brisket into two pieces shortens the time it needs to cure. 7-10 days seems to be average, and I plan on cooking mine in about a week -- the night before St. Patrick's.
Want to follow along? You have time! Or, if you've cured your own corned beef, tell us how it went.
Related: Corned Beef Four Ways
(Images: Martha Stewart; Faith Durand)


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Whitney Signs:
Whitney Biennial 2012
SAT, Mar 10, 2012
3 pm
Whitney Signs is a free American Sign Language gallery tour with voice interpretation. Join us this month for a tour of Whitney Biennial 2012 at 4 pm, with a free pre-tour reception from 3–4 pm.
The Whitney Biennial is an exhibition held every two years in which the Museum gauges the current state of contemporary art in America. The Biennial comprises work—including paintings, sculptures, photographs, and installations—from both emerging and established artists. In addition to visual artists, the exhibition includes a select group of filmmakers, choreographers, musicians, and playwrights. These multidisciplinary arts will be presented in a large open space in the Museum's fourth floor galleries.
Please note: we regret that complimentary tickets will no longer be available for ASL students. Museum staff/interpreters will not be able to sign student assignments.
Admission to tour and reception is free. Registration is required; RSVP to email@example.com. Tickets may be picked up at the check-in location in the Museum lobby.
The Museum building is accessible and has elevator access to all floors. Service animals are welcome. Learn more about access services and amenities.


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Forty-five years ago, a new kind of evil was brought into this world. Osama bin Laden was born into a rich Saudi Arabian family, and he grew up to become a multimillionaire terrorist. He established at al-Qaeda, which is an Islamic terrorist organization. His actions and those of his followers have changed the world in a very frightening way.
On September 11,2001, members of his organization took action against our nation in the most unforgivable way imaginable. Although the events last year were against the United States, they will change the world for years to come. As a nation we have been scared, but we have also risen above it and pulled together. We are considered to be the strongest, most powerful and secure country in the world. But on that fateful day our sense of security was forever tarnished. It is tragic to think that any ignoramus who can learn how to crash a plane into a building could pose a potential threat to the world.
Osama bin Laden has implanted fear into the lives of all humankind, no longer do people feel safe getting onto an airplane or going in a restaurant or building that might be bombed or hit by another terrorist attack. If the most powerful country on earth is defenseless against this kind of strike, imagine how easily any small country could crumble and fall at the mercy of a lunatic like Osama. Continue reading Example essay on Osama bin Laden


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Home sites now available in Craftsman Reserve, a new residential development in Southwest Springfield conveniently located just off West Republic Road, southwest of the Chesterfield Family Center. Craftsman's Reserve offers a variety of single level, walk-out basement, 1 1/2 and 2-story floor plans to choose from all with authentic Craftsman designs. Reserve your home site today. All lot sales contingent upon a fully executed build contract with Dobbs and Stuhlsatz Custom Homes, the builder & developer of Craftsman Reserve. Call today for more information on the lots and homes.
From Republic Road, South on Cox Road, West on Vincent Street, North on Park Ave., West on Buena Vista, North on Warren, West on Camino Alto to home.
A real estate transaction is a multi-faceted process with many moving parts. That's why we offer a wide array of services to help you through the process. Whether you're buying your first condo or selling your third home.
Results from this calculator are designed for comparative purposes only, and accuracy is not guaranteed.
The data relating to real estate for sale on this web page comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) of the Southern Missouri Regional MLS, LLC , Inc. Real estate listings held by Brokerage firms other than Murney Associates, Realtors are marked with the IDX logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing Brokers. The information being provided is for consumers' personal, noncommercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. The information being provided is not guaranteed, and all information should be verified by the consumer. Any representation that a web site contains all listings shall only mean that the web site contain all listing available to the public through the IDX data feed. There may be other properties offered through a REALTOR® that have not been displayed on this site. © 2018 Southern Missouri Regional MLS, LLC All rights reserved.
Last Updated: November 30, 2018 2:30 AM
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Cop Tasers Handcuffed Girl In The Back.. Now Braindead!
"The Florida Highway Patrol have cleared 267-pound Trooper Daniel Cole of wrongdoing and have released a disturbing dash cam video that captured him tasing a 100 pound, 20 year old handcuffed girl in the back as she fled. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement determined Trooper Daniel Cole's "use of force" was justified when he tased the woman last September at the FHP Pinellas Park Substation and cleared him of wrongdoing. The fleeing woman, Danielle Maudsley, 20, suffered severe brain damage after hitting her head on the concrete and has been in a persistent vegetative state ever since."
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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You have
Below are some questions you may want to ask your doctor or nurse to help you take care of your heartburn and reflux.
Alternate Names
What to ask your doctor about heartburn and reflux; Reflux - what to ask your doctor; GERD - what to ask your doctor; Gastroesophageal reflux disease - what to ask your doctor
If I have heartburn, can I treat myself or do I need to see the doctor?
What foods will make my heartburn worse?
How can I change the way I eat to help my heartburn?
- How long should I wait after eating before lying down?
- How long should I wait after eating before exercising?
Will losing weight help my symptoms?
Do cigarettes, alcohol, and caffeine make my heartburn worse?
If I have heartburn at night, what changes should I make to my bed?
What medicines will help my heartburn?
- Will antacids help my heartburn?
- Will other medicines help my symptoms?
- Do I need a prescription to buy heartburn medicines?
- Do these drugs have side effects?
How do I know if I have a more serious problem?
- When should I call the doctor?
- What other tests or procedureswill I need if my heartburn does not go away?
- Can heartburn be a sign of cancer?
Are there surgeries that help with heartburn and reflux?
- How are the surgeries done? What are the risks?
- How well do the surgeries work?
- Will I still need to take medicine for my reflux after surgery?
- Will I ever need to have another surgery formy reflux?
Review Date:
Reviewed By:
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc., Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Bethanne Black, Stephanie Slon, and Nissi Wang.


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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement began an investigation Wednesday into alleged fraud involving a company hired by the state's Republican Party to register voters.
The agency said it received a complaint from the Florida Division of Elections about suspicious forms submitted in several counties and determined that Strategic Allied Consulting should be investigated. The agency said it wouldn't comment further until the investigation is complete.
"We fully support the investigation and we believe that anyone who files a falsified voter registration form should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," said state GOP spokesman Brian Burgess. "In fact, we asked for this investigation."
The state party fired the company after reports of several dozen suspicious forms being turned in. The company was paid at least $1.3 million for the work and also was hired by Republicans in other presidential battleground states. Since the Florida problems, state Republican Parties in North Carolina, Colorado and Virginia have also fired the company, which has stood by the quality of its work.
A spokesman for the company said it would cooperate with any investigation.
"It's very possible that here and there, sporadically, a couple of employees didn't follow the rules," said David Leibowitz. "It's a massive operation and some people in any massive operation are not going to follow the rules."
He said of 50,000 registration cards turned in by people hired by the company, only about 150 have been questioned.
The state Democratic Party said the Florida GOP also should be investigated.
"With almost 30 days until Election Day and six days before book closing, Florida voters, election administrators and law enforcement officials need to know the facts. The Florida GOP owes the people of this state a clear explanation. If they refuse to come clean it is incumbent on the Division of Elections to investigate" the state's Republican Party, said spokeswoman Brannon Jordan.
The state GOP said it hired the company at the suggestion of the Republican National Committee. An elections supervisor in Palm Beach County first noticed irregularities with more than 100 forms. Since then, problems have been reported in other counties.
In Florida, it is a third-degree felony to "willfully submit" any false voter registration information, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
In recent years, Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature _ citing suspicious voter registration forms turned in by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN _ has cracked down on groups holding voter registration drives.
Follow Brendan Farrington on Twitter at
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Gus Modern: Smart Style & Simple Materials
A showroom setting — usually jam-packed and overflowing with product — is rarely inspiring. Not the case for Toronto-based Gus Modern. Their showroom was exquisitely arranged to show off their latest product and smartly styled with simple (and low-cost) displays of artwork and collections.
One of my favorite displays in the Gus Modern booth was the collection of bicycle handlbars — all painted white and mounted artistically on a wall. It's a great example of how repitition of a single simple object can transcend into art.
• NEW Stanley Collection of tables — dining, accent and coffee — and benches
• NEW Richmond Bi-Sectional Sofa (All Gus Modern upholstery is made with FSC certified wood frames.)
MORE INFO: Gus Modern
Images: Aaron Able


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VIDEO: Joel Embiid suffered a right foot injury
The top of the NBA Draft -– and the future of Joel Embiid –- became more uncertain than ever Thursday with news that the Kansas center suffered a stress fracture in his right foot and was scheduled for surgery on Friday, six days before he could have been the No. 1 pick.
Embiid's agent, Arn Tellem, confirmed the diagnosis, saying Embiid would not attend the draft next Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Tellem said there would be no additional comment, including the all-important question of how long Embiid is expected to miss, until after the operation.
The foot injury this late in the process would have been concern enough for the Cavaliers with the first selection, the Bucks with the second and the 76ers with the third. The foot injury on top of the fractured back that prematurely ended Embiid's season at Kansas, though, makes a tumble out of the top three very likely and a free fall to the second half of the lottery possible.
It's the double risk that sets Embiid apart from others that have been picked near the top despite existing injury concerns, as recently as a year ago with Anthony Bennett going to Cleveland with the first choice, Alex Len to Phoenix with the fifth and Nerlens Noel to Philadelphia, after officially being selected by New Orleans as part of a trade, when it was known each would miss summer league. Taking Embiid in the top three now, when there are reasonable alternatives on the board for each franchise, would be an invitation to unimaginable heat if the health problems continue.
Exactly how far does he drop?
Teams will like-wise wait until more specifics are known from the surgery, and then examining medical records, before making any decision. But it's a very tough sell for several front offices just on existing circumstances.
Cleveland at No. 1. The Cavaliers are determined to make a playoff push after the implosion of 2013-14. That was wreckage everywhere. They simply cannot push all-in with a one-and-done 7-footer who now has an expanding injury history, at a time the Cavs may also lose free agent Luol Deng for nothing. They just can't.
Milwaukee at No. 2. The Bucks have new ownership. That generally doesn't come with the opening statement of "Let's take a step back and think 2015-16."
Philadelphia at No. 3. The 76ers would have been a logical solution, assuming the post-surgery report from doctors say Embiid will miss months but, with the proper care, be able to play for years. (Because that's what the post-surgery report will almost certainly say.) And Philly also has a cushion with the No. 10 pick, guaranteeing at least one highly regarded rookie will play. The Sixers, though, just spent an entire season waiting for Noel to get healthy after a knee operation. It's hard to imagine they want to play the waiting game again.
Orlando at No. 4. The Magic have Nikola Vucevic. They wouldn't have a need for Embiid at 100 percent.
Jazz at No. 5. They've been in the lottery three of the last four seasons. There has to be a concerted effort to make a big push now.
Celtics at No. 6. Not a terrible thought. As much as Boston obviously want the same forward progress as the others, if the team doctors agree with Embiid's doctors, and that's no guarantee, the Celtics could weigh the unexpected opportunity of getting a foundation center this late against the lesser talents on the board.
Lakers at No. 7. They did the Andrew Bynum knee(s) thing not too long ago. And they have zero for the bridge to the future, unlike the other teams picking ahead of them. This has to be a hit.
Kings at No. 8. This could have been a very good landing spot. Embiid is a very good fit next to DeMarcus Cousins, the kind of defensive presence inside Sacramento needs, a center who wouldn't take shots from Cousins at power forward. But the Kings have made it clear they're not looking forward to another season of a rookie learning curve. Drafting Embiid could essentially mean two seasons.
Hornets at No. 9. Al Jefferson is locked in. Charlotte could have internal conversations about two or three more years with Jefferson setting up the move to Embiid, but other needs are more pressing for a team that got a lottery pick despite making the playoffs and now has to continue the momentum.
Philadelphia at No. 10. At this point, with a second pick, the 76ers have to do it, right? Right?


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The New Bedford Museum of Glass will host a "Carol of the Bells" Holiday Gala and silent-auction fundraiser, from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.
The New Bedford Museum of Glass will host a "Carol of the Bells" Holiday Gala and silent-auction fundraiser, from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.
The festive evening will feature live music by pianist John Nicolaci, wine, light refreshments and admission to the museum galleries, located at 61 Wamsutta Street in a renovated factory building shared with the New Bedford Antiques Center. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $15 at the door, and the general public is invited.
The main event of the evening will be a silent auction of beautiful glass bells created and donated exclusively for the fundraiser by artists Michael Magyar, Christopher Belleau, Billy Mayer, Andrew Hicks, Spencer Larivere-Werner and Jack Loranger. Also featured in the auction will be collectible glass bells donated by museum member Al Trinidad, author of four important books on the subject.
Proceeds from the evening will help to support the glass museum and its educational programming. The bells are currently on view at the New Bedford Antiques Center.
The New Bedford Museum of Glass is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that opened to the public in September of 2010. It houses an astonishing collection of 7,000 items documenting more than 3,000 years of glassmaking history.
The collection covers many regions and periods, from the glass of ancient Rome and Egypt to artistic creations by the leading makers of today. Special emphasis is given to glass made in the city of New Bedford, where the famous Pairpoint, Mt. Washington and Gundersen companies operated between 1870 and 1957. Other highlights include beautiful paperweights, Victorian art glass, Tiffany, Sandwich glass, rich cut glass, Vaseline (Uranium!) glass, glassblowing tools and much more.
The museum library is the largest of its kind in New England (10,000 volumes), and the museum gift shop offers a wide variety of contemporary and collectible glass to suit every taste and price range.
For more information or to reserve tickets to the "Carol of the Bells" Holiday Gala, please visit the museum online at www.nbmog.org or call 508-984-1666.


text: I want to install Google Chrome on my Fedora18. Have tried installing through Web as well as through Terminal Command. It shows it progress fine untill end infact is appearing in Applications also, but is not running. I am getting the following Error Please start Google Chrome as a normal user. To run as root, you must specify an alternate --user-data-dir for storage of profile information. Someone please suggest how can I install it


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The presidential race has been turned upside down by a video "discovered" by the "journalists" at The Daily Caller, in which then-Senator Obama addresses a crowd in 2007 to speak about poverty in minority communities.
Mitt Romney, you have your game-change moment. After you disregarded nearly half the country as parasites on the rumps of the wealthy in a secretly recorded video, the right-wing press managed to "unearth" this public speech by Obama made in front of thousands of students at Hampton University that totally reveals the president trying to incite a race war. Just read what he said about Hurricane Katrina:
"People in Washington, they wake up, they're surprised: 'There's poverty in our midst! Folks are frustrated! Black people angry!' Then there's gonna be some panels, and hearings, and there are commissions and there are reports, and then there's some aid money, although we don't always know where it's going—it can't seem to get to the people who need it—and nothin' really changes, except the news coverage quiets down and Anderson Cooper is on to something else."
No wonder the Drudge Report led with the observation: "Obama describes a racist, zero-sum society."
This certainly couldn't be a pitiful, half-assed attempt to stoke some of the coals under the white resentment vote that Republican candidates have pinned their entire electoral hopes on as I described in this post on the demographic reality of the race. Just listen to this Black Nationalist talk about the homeless, Iraq veterans suffering from PTSD and foster children:
"[W]e can't expect them to have all the skills they need for work. They may need help with basic skills—how to show up for work on time, wear the right clothes and act appropriately in an office."
Can you believe we elected this radical the first time? How in good conscience can we re-elect someone who once purported to care about the struggling fringes of society when there is literally the juiciest $5 trillion tax cut for job creators just sitting out there in the Romney-Ryan platform?
Also, can you believe there are people out there who actually love this version of Obama? This Black Panther maniac who spoke bluntly about the insidious links that tether race and poverty, who called out the link between public policy and the systems that perpetuate inequality and despair? Can you believe there are crazy people who actually quite like this speech and think that in it Obama says some things they wish he'd talk about more?
No, for sure Sean Hannity got it right when he called the president on his "phony" accent—by which he means Obama was talking like a black! Hannity went on to helpfully explain that the left-wing press has spent the last five years attempting to hide the video in order to "protect" Barack Obama. I know I got my memo in 2008 after he won. It read, in part, "This explosive video of Obama speaking of the plight of the country's most embattled citizens, who've been left behind by a failing education system, de-industrialization, and endemic urban poverty, cannot under any circumstances be made public because it may reveal his larger conspiracy to tax the White Man and institute a system of reparations for young Crips and Bloods to buy better rims for their vehicles. Please help us keep this under wraps."
And I tried to get the word out, but Code Pink and the abortionists tapped my phone and wouldn't let me get the video onto the internet. Finally, however, five years later, just in time for election 2012 with the president breaking through in the polls, the brave reporters at the Daily Caller—a website largely financed by patriot-American billionaire Foster Friess—managed to dig it up and get the explosive material into the media just in time to deny Obama a second term and prevent him from helping any of those urban poor, homeless, Iraq veterans or foster children he said he wanted to help—that Afro-Marxist bastard.
If you aren't convinced just listen to this black man's crazy talk:
"These quiet riots that take place every day are born from the same place as the fires and destruction and the police decked out in riot gear … They happen when a sense of disconnect settles in and hope dissipates. Despair takes hold in young people all across the country [who] look at the way the world is and believe that things are never gonna get better."
Sure, you crazy black redistributionist Kenyan-born Muslim: keep pretending like there are deep, complex and intractable problems within America's impoverished communities that will require time, effort and serious reallocations of resources to begin to make a difference—when everyone knows if we just took away these leeches' food stamps, they'd educate themselves, start a business, and all be the next Steve Jobses.
I think I just wrote the next Romney-Ryan 2012 slogan.


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Go to the site now →
      You register on the site and open an account.
You start earning
You are watching how to grow your profits in bitcoins.
I ask my wife to pinch me every morning when I wake up and check my bank balance. I have never seen a number that big before in MY bank account. And it just continues to grow and grow some more...this is what I've been waiting for my entire life. Now that I have a taste of what it really feels like to be my own boss and make tens of thousands of dollars every week, I won't ever look back!
When I joined The Bitcoin Code 2 months ago, never could have I ever imagined the series of events that would unfold just days after locking in my free software. I was able to clear my $131,382 debt. There is no greater feeling than to be debt-free. Now, I'm in the process of buying my dream home. I still can't believe this is all really happening…I'm forever grateful to Steve.
I finally know what it's like to live the dream. I no longer feel like I'm on the outside looking in while everyone else has all the fun. The Bitcoin Code has allowed me to retire early and live the 1% lifestyle.


text:
Foodstuff Workers Industrial Union 460
All workers except agricultural and fishery workers, engaged in producing and processing food, beverages, and tobacco products.
Food and Retail Workers United:
Food and Retail Workers United (FRWU) is an amalgamation of workers strategically united across retail, food and service industries. As IWW members, we share in the vision of the One Big Union for all workers that will tie the working class together with unbeatable solidarity. As FRWU members, we find power together and organize to win real and lasting change in our industries and throughout society.
- Facebook - facebook.com/foodandretailworkersunited
- Phone - 708-792-FRWU (3798)
- Email - frwu [at] iww.org


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PPP-73 Telecommuting Policy Statement for Non-Faculty Employees
PPP-73 Telecommuting Policy Statement for Non-Faculty Employees
East Tennessee State University (ETSU) does not unilaterally endorse TBR Policy No. 5:01:01:20, Telecommuting, for implementation at ETSU. As TBR policy states, telecommuting is not a universal employee benefit or employee right. Policy permits each institution the flexibility to identify those positions eligible for telecommuting, and establish the parameters of telecommuting assignments.
Telecommuting is defined as a work agreement in which supervisors direct or permit employees to perform their usual job duties away from their central (campus) workplace. The agreement changes the core work area of the employee. Telecommuting is not to be confused with the work performed by administrative employees from home that is in addition to their 37.5 hour work week. As noted in TBR Policy No. 5:01:00:00, General Personnel Policy, full-time administrative personnel shall be required to devote sufficient time to complete their assigned duties and responsibilities.
Several issues have been identified that make a telecommuting policy difficult to endorse, monitor and support at ETSU:
- Workers' compensation liability;
- Health and safety issues of home offices;
- Monitoring of time worked in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA);
- Safeguarding of restricted-access information and materials.
Because of these important issues, the use of telecommuting by ETSU employees will only be permitted in a case-by-case basis for extraordinary circumstances, and/or under a university declared emergency. Vice-presidents will recommend any required telecommuting assignments in their respective areas to the University President for final approval. Following approval, a Telecommuting Work Agreement and a Safety Checklist will be completed (available in the Office of Human Resources).
Departments who are currently permitting employees to telecommute are required to stop those assignments and return the core work area of the employee to the campus. Please contact the Office of Human Resources at 423-439-5825 for further clarification. Thank you for your cooperation.
Source: Approved by President's Council, September 16, 2009.


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The purpose of this course is to provide a relatively in-depth survey of European politics. The study of European politics today (i.e., in the aftermath of the post-1989 collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, German unification, and the ascent of several East European nations to EU membership) is the exploration of politics "from the Atlantic to the Urals." That is, the scope of the course will reach from politics in the newly democratic nations of central and Eastern Europe to the developed democracies of Western Europe. However, some specialization is necessary: given the complexity of European politics, it is simply impossible to cover adequately all of Europe in one semester. Moreover, there are some substantial differences between West and East: some of the former communist systems of Eastern Europe are not yet fully democratic or capitalist; some belong to the "second" or even "third world" of economic development. Moreover, the legacies of Western and Eastern Europe differ substantially in several respects. Thus, these considerations (as well as the fact that additional courses on international and Eastern European politics exit), suggest that while we study broadly and engage in comparative analysis across West and East, we also concentrate to an extent on politics in the developed democracies of Western Europe.
The course is divided into five sections, each focusing on a major theme or area of European politics. The first section, "The Structure of the New Europe," will provide an overview of political development, the nation states of Europe, problems and conflicts in the new Europe, and European international organizations. The second section, "Case Studies: Major West European Democracies," will examine in some depth politics and variations in democratic institutions in a representative sample of advanced West European democracies: Britain, France, Germany, and Sweden. The third part of the course will consist of a detailed study of the central supranational institution, the European Union. The remainder of the course focuses on central elements of domestic politics and public policy. Section four examines systematically important aspects of socioeconomic conflicts; the representation of interests through organized groups, social movements, and political parties; and trends in political behavior (e.g., the rise of the new far right and new left or "green" parties). Section 5 examines key public policy issues in European politics, especially the development and contemporary crisis of the European welfare state.
A substantial portion of the courses reading assignments will come from three books. These are available for purchase at the Book Marq and Sweeneys:
M. Donald Hancock, et al, Politics in Europe, 3nd Edition (Chatham House, 2002).
Paul Heywood, Erik Jones, and Martin Rhodes, Developments in West European Politics, 2nd Ed. (Palgrave, 2002).
Mark Kleinman, A European Welfare State? European Union Social Policy in Context (Plagrave, 2002).
For those students who wish to establish a solid background in post-World War II history and social, economic and political development, I strongly recommend the following (this can be read in conjunction with required readings over the first few weeks of the class):
William I. Hitchcock, The Struggle for Europe: The Turbulent History of a Divided Continent 1945 to the Present. (Anchor, 2004).
Grades will be based on three exams ‑‑ two hourly exams and a final -- and a research paper. Each of the exams will consist of a series of essay questions covering required readings and class materials; you will be asked to select three questions for the hourly exams and for the final from a larger list of questions. The research paper will involve an analysis of a specific question about European politics. A well-developed paper prospectus describing the problem; outlining the research focus, time frame, and countries for the paper; and including a preliminary bibliography is due on March 18. The paper is due May 6. Class attendance is required, subject of course to excused absences (e.g., sickness, family commitments); students are expected to actively participate in class. The elements of the final grade are weighted as follows:
Hourly Exam I: 20 % Hourly Exam II: 20 %
Paper Prospectus: 10 % Final Paper 30 %
Final Exam: 20 %
Most readings are in the required books. An additional set of short articles and special materials will be handed out in class (Class HO). A small number of readings (required or recommended) are on reserve at the library; these are denoted by LibRes below. The schedule of reading assignments is outlined below. For many topics, I also provide an annotated bibliography for those that wish to read more extensively.
For recent scholarly research and writing about West European politics, a number of good (English language) social science journals exist, including:
West European Politics European Journal of Political Research
European Journal of Political Economy Scandinavian Political Studies
European Union Politics European Economic Review
Journal of Common Market Studies Journal of European Public Policy
Journal of European Social Policy Comparative European Politics
The following political science journals, among others, also have a fair portion of articles of interest to Europeanists and fellow travelers:
British Journal of Political Science World Politics
Political Studies Comparative Politics
Comparative Political Studies Politics and Society
Government and Opposition Electoral Studies
International Organization Acta Sociologia
Beyond these journals, I recommend that students who wish to develop expertise in a particular nation read at least two or three country-specific periodicals on a regular basis. For instance, the student interested in Sweden may stay apprized of economic performance and policy by reading OECD Economic Survey: Sweden. Swedish society and politics are well covered in, among others, Current Sweden. In addition, one might read the better country-specific political science and public affairs journals. For example, for France, regular reading of the journals French Politics, French Politics and Society, Revue française de science politique, Revue politique et parlementaire, and Revue de droit public et de science politique is advised; for Germany, German Politics, Das Parlament, and Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte.
Schedule of Readings
Part I: The Structure of the New Europe: Contemporary and Historical Perspectives
January 19: Course Introduction
- no assigned reading
January 21/24/26: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the New European Order
- Ch.1, "Security and Peace" in Ian Budge, et al, The Politics of the New Europe LibRes
- Ch. 3, "Reorganizing Security in Europe," in Heywood
- Ch. 4 in in Ian Budge, et al, The Politics of the New Europe LibRes
- (recommended) Ch. 3 in in Ian Budge, et al, The Politics of the New Europe LibRes
Recommended: A fascinating analysis of the historical development of European nations can be found in Charles Tilly, Coercion, Capital, and European States, AD 990-1990 (Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell, 1990). For a thorough analysis of the development of democratic institutions in Europe, see Chs. 1-4 in Dietrich Rueschemeyer, Evelyne Huber Stephens, and John Stephens, Capitalist Development and Democracy (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1992).
Part II: Country Studies: Major West European Democracies
January 28 & 31/Feb. 2 and 4: Power and Politics in Britain
- Part 1 in Hancock, et al, Politics in Western Europe
February 4/7/9/11: Power and Politics in France
- Part 2 in Hancock, et al, Politics in Western Europe
February 14/16/18/21: Power and Politics in Germany
- Part 3 in Hancock, et al, Politics in Western Europe
February 23: Hourly Exam I
February 25 & 28/ March 2 & 4: Sweden and the Nordic Model
- Part 5 in Hancock, et al, Politics in Western Europe
Recommended: For additional country studies and bibliography, see the excellent coverage in Mark Kesselman et al, European Politics in Transition, 5th Ed. (Houghton Mifflin, 2005); For excellent book-length treatments of politics in major European countries (e.g., David Conradts, The German Polity, 8th Ed.) see the Longman Publishers country series of books. Many presses have excellent series on European politics; for top-notch treatments of major topics in European politics, see the lists of Oxford University Press and Rutledge, among others.
Part III: The European Union
March 7/9/11/14/16: The Politics of European Integration
- Part 6 in Hancock, et al, Politics in Western Europe
- Ch. 1, Jones, "Europe at the Crossroads," in Heywood
- Ch. 11, Keating, " Territorial Politics...." in Heywood
Recommended: Excellent supplements to the above works are David Wood and Beril Yesilada, The Emerging European Union 2nd Ed. Longman, 2002. Helen Wallace and William Wallace, Policy-Making in the European Union, 4th Ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), and Kathleen McNamara, The Currency of Ideas: Monetary Politics in the European Union (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998).
March 18, research paper prospectus due
March 21 -25 and March 28: Spring and Easter Break
Part IV: Change and Continuity in the Representation of Interests in Europe
March 30/April 1/4/6/8
- Ch. 5, Broughton, "Participation and Voting " in Heywood
- Ch. 6, Webb, "Party Systems...." in Heywood
- Ch. 7, Mudde, "Extremist Movements"
- Ch. 9, Disintegration....Organized Interests in Europe" in Heywood
- Class HO Reading: "The Crisis of Neocorporatism"
- Ch. 4, Risse, "Nationalism and Collective Identities" in Heywood
Recommended: For more background on European interest groups, see Bruce Western, Between Class and Market (Princeton University Press 1999). Graham Wilson, Business and Politics: A Comparative Introduction, 3nd Ed (Chatham House, 2003). On the causes of change and continuity in European electoral and party systems, see Ronald Inglehart, Modernization and Postmodernization (Princeton University Press, 1997) and Herbert Kitschelt, The Transformation of European Social Democracy (Cambridge University Press, 1994) and The Far Right in Western Europe (University of Michigan Press, 1996).
April 11: Hourly Exam II
Part V: Public Policy: the Crisis of the European Welfare State, Environmental Politics, and Immigrations Politics
April 13/15: Development of the European Welfare State
- Class HO Reading: Development of the Modern Welfare State
- Chs. 1-2 in Kleinman, A European Welfare State?
April 18/20: Globalization and the Welfare State
- Ch.2, Rhodes, "Globalization, EMU, and Welfare State Futures" in Heywood
- Ch. 3 in Kleinman A European Welfare State?
April 22/25/27: The European Union and European Social Policy
- Chs. 4-9 in Kleinman A European Welfare State?
Recommended: analysis of the development and contemporary crisis of European welfare states can be found in Evelyne Huber and John Stephens, Crisis and Development of the Welfare Sate: Partisan Politics in the Global Economy (University of Chicago, 2001), Fritz Scharpf and Vivien Schmidt, Work and Welfare in the Open Economy (Oxford University Press, 20000, and Duane Swank, Global Capital, Political Institutions, an Policy Change in Developed Welfare States (Cambridge University Press, 2002).
April 27/May 2: Environmental Policy and Politics in Europe
- Ch. 12, Carter, "Environmental Challenges" in Heywood
May 4/6: Immigration Politics in Europe
- Ch. 14, "European Immigration Policies at the Crossroads" in Heywood
May 6: Research Papers Due
May 12 (Thursday 10:30-12:30 pm): Final Exam


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"Michael Buble's Christmas In Hollywood" holiday special will air December 10th at 8pm on NBC !
Musical guests include Celine Dion, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Tori Kelly. Blake Shelton, Jay Leno, William Shatner & more join the festivities in comedy segments at classic Hollywood locations.
This is Michael's 5th consecutive NBC television special. #BubleXMAS


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Society of American Archivists endorses practice recommended by OCLC Research for putting digitized collections of unpublished materials online
DUBLIN, Ohio, USA, 3 October 2011—The "Well-intentioned practice (WIP) for putting digitized collections of unpublished materials online," prepared by OCLC Research, has been endorsed as a standard by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) Council.
This practice provides the framework for an assertive approach to digitization of unpublished archival materials, such as photographs, letters, or the records of an organization's work, whose rights holders are often difficult to identify and contact. It promotes a practical approach to identifying and resolving rights issues that is in line with professional and ethical standards and emphasizes a collective approach to the management of the copyright responsibilities involved in large-scale digitization projects.
This approach is the output of a 2010 seminar in which OCLC Research convened a group of experts in archives, special collections and law to develop streamlined, community-accepted procedures for managing copyright in the digital age that would cut costs and boost confidence in libraries' and archives' ability to increase access to unpublished materials online.
The group acknowledged that, although there is risk in digitizing materials that may be in copyright, this risk should be balanced with the harm to scholarship and society inherent in not making collections fully accessible. Based on this premise, they identified a practical approach to selecting collections, making decisions, seeking permissions, recording outcomes, establishing policy and working with future donors, which was outlined in the "Well-intentioned practice" document. Since then, a community of practice has been forming around the WIP that will increase and significantly improve access to collections of unpublished materials for the purpose of furthering research and learning.
SAA's Intellectual Property Working Group (IPWG), which tracks intellectual property issues of concern to archivists and drafts responses or position papers as needed, provided a preface for SAA's endorsement of this practice. Both the preface and the endorsement are available on SAA's standards portal. The "Well-intentioned practice for putting digitized collections of unpublished materials online" document is available online.
"We're delighted that SAA and the archival community have embraced the document," said Merrilee Proffitt, Senior Program Officer with OCLC Research. "The practices described articulate a common-sense approach already resident within the community. The preface SAA has approved to accompany the document includes some excellent information and resources, and that's a definite plus. I think it will encourage others to take a look at the document and will hopefully lead to more materials being made accessible. That's what excites me."
"The IPWG was pleased with the document because it approaches copyright questions collectively and encourages movement away from a work-by-work analysis in some situations. In our preface, we emphasized that to be well-intentioned, archivists and their institutions first must be well-informed about the choices and the risks involved. Ultimately, to be valuable to the profession, the WIP and its preface need to be adopted and used by practitioners. SAA recognition as a standard will help to encourage these steps," said Heather Briston, Head of Public Services for UCLA Library Special Collections and IPWG Chair.
By endorsing WIP as a standard, SAA joins a distinguished group of organizations and individuals that support the practices outlined in the WIP. Other organizations that have joined the community of practice by endorsing these procedures include the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the American Library Association (ALA), the Joint National Committee on Archives, Libraries and Museums (CALM), and the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA).
About SAA
Founded in 1936, the Society of American Archivists is North America's oldest and largest national archival professional association. SAA's mission is to serve the educational and informational needs of more than 6,000 individual and institutional members and to provide leadership to ensure the identification, preservation, and use of records of historical value.
About OCLC
Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and reducing library costs. More than 72,000 libraries in 170 countries have used OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend, preserve and manage library materials. Researchers, students, faculty, scholars, professional librarians and other information seekers use OCLC services to obtain bibliographic, abstract and full-text information when and where they need it. OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the world's largest online database for discovery of library resources. Search WorldCat on the Web at www.worldcat.org.
OCLC Research is one of the world's leading centers devoted exclusively to the challenges facing libraries in a rapidly changing information technology environment. Its diverse staff of research scientists and program officers investigates trends in technology and library practice to identify technological advances that will enhance the value of library services and improve the productivity of librarians and library users. For more information, visit www.oclc.org.
OCLC, WorldCat and WorldCat.org are trademarks/service marks of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Third-party product, service and business names are trademarks/service marks of their respective owners.
Bob Murphy
Manager, Media Relations


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Top 20 midnight box-office records
The top 20 films of the past decade with the highest box-office earnings from midnight showings are all big-budget, fantasy flicks with established fan bases. Here's a look at the films, their midnight and opening-day earnings and total domestic gross. Sources: Times reporting, Hollywood.com, Box Office Mojo
Copyright © 2018, The Morning Call


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Hey, that's not what the main character of Assassin's Creed IV looks like!
And yet there it is, right on Best Buy's Canadian pre-order page for the game:
That sure looks like a rough photoshop job of (who else!) former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins.
For the record, this is what the actual boxart looks like:
Funny though it may be, this probably won't be up too long. Between this and yesterday's one-penny "sale" on Metro: Last Light, Best Buy's been on a roll lately, huh?
(Via C.J. Kershner)
Update: Aw, looks like they finally took the page down. It was fun while it lasted.