Provided by: U.S. Mint Austria was the big winner in the 2022 Coin of the Year Awards for coins dated 2020, winning three of ten categories. The U.S. Mint won the “Most Historically Significant” category with its Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Silver Dollar. One final
Canadian Coin Review Cook Islands’ “Meteorites: Chicxulub Crater” coin was named the Most Innovative Coin at the 2021 Coin of the Year (COTY) Awards. The coin, which pays homage to the famous Chicxulub crater, features a genuine meteorite insert. The Chicxulub crater is an impact
Treasure of Paris, the Eiffel Towner The Monnaie de Paris won the Best Crown Coin in the 2021 Coin of the Year (COTY) Awards with its Paris’ Treasures, City of Lights: Eiffel Tower coin. The award-winning coin, which is part of the “Tresors de Paris”
Italy won in the “Most Artistic” category and Coin of the Year for coins dated 2015 with the 10 Euro, silver, 70 Years of Peace, KM387. The obverse and reverse of the coin was designed by Maria Grazia Colaneri. Ms. Colaneri received the distinction of
The United States Mint won “Best Circulating Coin” for its America the Beautiful Program quarter honoring Kisatchie National Forest. The USA Kitsache 25 cent KM#598 was the Mint’s second win in the 2017 Krause Coin of the Year Awards. In 2010, the United States Mint
The Republic of Latvia’s 5 Euro silver “National Entrepreneur” was named the most artistic coin in the Krause Coin of the Year Awards for coins dated 2016. The multi-faceted coin features a QR code, highlighting that it is possible to combine the art of the
In a somewhat surprising selection, the Krause Coin of the Year judges selected France’s Joan of Arc coin as the “Most Historically Significant Coin.” The 200 Euro gold coin is the third issue in the multi-year Women of France series, which pays tribute to three
2016 and 2017 were years of seemingly endless controversy, but the international panel of Krause Coin of the Year judges preferred non-controversial commemorative topics to win the best contemporary event and most historical categories for coins dated 2016. Switzerland’s 20 Euro commemorative for the Gottardo
When the U.S. Mint makes a mistake, coin collectors often rejoice. Rare 1943 bronze cents are a stellar example, intriguing numismatists ever since 16-year-old Don Lutes Jr. found one in change from his school cafeteria in 1947. According to coin experts, there are 17 confirmed
Marijuana legalization is a controversial topic on both the state and federal level. While there is no shortage of opinions on the topic, there aren’t a lot of facts. Thankfully, that could soon change with the introduction of the Marijuana Data Collection Act. The federal
How could the same company that makes the Maestro M9 even consider releasing an amplifier to go with it as noisy as the Director D2800? After installing the 8 channel Director D2800 in my rack to deliver the music signal from the Maestro M9 to
Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Political Life by Robert Dallek opens a window into the President’s mind and psychological profile of this ambitious man who used his family name and privilege to its best advantage. There are many good biographies of FDR, but none portray him as much
As New Jersey begins to talk about marijuana legalization, the value of hemp should not be overlooked. Hemp and marijuana are both from the species cannabis. However, because hemp contains nearly no delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), it can’t be used as a psychoactive drug. Rather, it has
Apple recently unveiled iOS 12 at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2018. Now, the question is whether the new software version is truly revolutionary or whether Apple is becoming too complicated? Apple continues to unveil new versions of its iPad and iPhone software. While each
Geer Steyn became the fifty seventh recipient of the J. Sanford Saltus Award for excellence in medallic art at the biannual conference of the International Art Medal Federation (FIDEM) in Ottawa, Ontario on May 29, 2018. Donald Scarinci, Chairman of the Saltus Award Committee of
The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) is currently accepting applications for new members. The CCAC was created in 2003 by Congress under Public Law 108-15. Its role is to advise the Secretary of the Treasury on the themes and designs of all U.S. coins and medals. The
Notwithstanding the popularity of e-books and recorded books, the death of paperback and hardcover books has been greatly exaggerated. Many people prefer books for Kindle and iPad. Why not? You can carry your entire library with you and electronic books take no space in your
1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed, by Eric Cline, Princeton University Press 2014 What is the most important date in history? Eric Cline selects the date, 1177 B.C. and shows how civilization collapsed. He offers an intriguing look how the advances of civilization up to
While many of the country’s founding fathers practiced law, until the 20th Century, a law degree was not required to do so. Neither Alexander Hamilton or Franklin Delano Roosevelt had university law degree. Alexander Hamilton will finally get one — Albany Law School plans to
AXPONA continues to be the “go to” event for audiophiles. The largest high-end audio show in North America, was held April 13-15, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, Illinois. Every year, the show has expanded due to demand, and 2018 was the largest AXPONA
A rare 1787 New York Brasher Doubloon was recently sold for more than $5 million. The transaction, which was brokered by Heritage Auctions, sets one of the highest prices ever reported for an American coin. The Brasher Doubloon is one of the rarest and most historical of
There are new remasters of the Rolling Stones album collection, but no current remaster is as good as the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs box set released in 1984. If you want the best sounding stereo versions of the Rolling Stones hit albums, the Mobile Fidelity
David J. Ryder is now the new Director of the U.S. Mint after being confirmed by the Senate on March 21, 2018. The Mint has not had a permanent director since Edmund C. Moy left it in January 2011. Long-Standing Vacancy at U.S. Mint Ryder
President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt remains one of the most popular and influential politicians to ever hold the country’s highest office. While his life and political career are chronicled in countless books, Edmund Morris’s Theodore Roosevelt Trilogy, which includes “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt,” “Theodore Rex,”
Trip Advisor announced last week that Grace Bay in Turks & Caicos Islands is the Number One Best Beach in the world. The announcement came along with the release of the list of best beaches in the Trip Advisor annual Travelers’ Choice awards. According to TripAdvisor,
Don Everhart, retired Lead Sculptor at the United States Mint, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in Coin design at the World Money Fair in Berlin on Saturday, February 3, 2018. Everhart created more than 100 coins and medals for the United States during his
Germany won the 2018 Krause Coin of the Year Award for coins dated 2016. The winner is the 5 Euro silver “Planet Earth” coin with the new polymer ring technology. The coin was designed by Stefan Klein. An easy win in the Most Innovative category,
The Turks & Caicos Islands are open for winter tourists, rebounding quickly after being ravaged by two hurricanes last fall. The island chain’s resorts reported a strong holiday season of nearly 90 percent occupancy and strong first quarter bookings. This is great news given the
Last week, after years of prodding by members of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and the collector community, the United States Mint finally announced a medal program. Unfortunately, it is nothing more than a bullion sales program and is likely to do more to
The 2017 Brookgreen Medal was designed by Heidi Wastweet. Her unique design features the first square-shaped medal in the series. The prestigious Brookgreen Gardens medals collection is now one of only two series of American Art medals that exists. It follows the tradition of other
Sometimes Silicon Valley would rather push the boundaries of “coolness” than provide a more functional upgrade to an important every day product. That is what happened at Apple with the introduction of the iPhone X. Touted as “the future of the iPhone,” Apple’s attempt to
The U.S. Supreme Court returned to full strength in 2017 with the nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch. He was sworn in on April 10, 2017, despite a Democratic filibuster. As expected, Justice Gorsuch has voted very conservatively since joining the bench. The Trump Administration has
There are thousands of books about the U.S. Supreme Court, each trying to offer a different take on the country’s highest court. “Table for 9: Supreme Court Food Traditions & Recipes” is one of the few books that actually succeeds at doing so. In her
Tom Uram has been elected to the American Numismatic Association (ANA) Board of Governors for the 2017-19 election term. Uram is also a member of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and President of the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists (PAN). Uram was sworn-in to his new
Krause publications added Michael Chou to the group of nominators for the Krause Coin of the Year Award for coins dated 2016. Michael joined Cliff Mishler, George Cuhaj and myself to supplement Krause’s knowledgeable staff of prominent numismatists when the group gathered in Iola, Wisconson
There is a difference between a power strip and a surge protector. A power strip operates like an extension cord, while a surge protector protects your equipment from sudden spikes in the power coming from the street. If all you need is an extension cord,
Titles 1 through 22 are quarter leather editions. Titles 23 through 50 are full leather bound editions. Raised bands on spine with gilt lettering. Gilt page edges and cover design. Ribbon page marker. Marble design endpapers. Some titles may vary depending on availability at the
Donald Trump is not the first President to be involved in thorny constitutional issues. However, his Presidency may very well stem the tide or even reverse the trend toward the imperial presidency that began in the 19th Century and accelerated during the progressive era and
A contingent of state and federal officials recently gained entrance into the famed vaults at Fort Knox, prompting one politician to describe the experience as “seeing a leprechaun on a unicorn.” It was the first time that the United States Bullion Depository, which holds $186
Gryphon Editions publishes nicely bound library editions of important legal classics. The publisher offers a subscription that entitles the buyer to obtain one volume a month. Some of the titles in the series are books that every lawyer must read. Unfortunately, finding a complete list
Anyone who likes Jethro Tull or follows the remastering genius of Steven Wilson must listen to Stand Up: The Elevated Edition. Wilson has done it again with his amazing 5.1 mix of a music classic. Stand Up, first released in 1969, was Jethro Tull’s second
Richard Posner might well be one of the most important legal minds of our time even though his Theories of judicial interpretation have not been embrassed as widely as other theories like originalism. Jude Posner is a member of the United States Court of Appeals
Fifty years ago, the Beatles made music history with the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. To commemorate the groundbreaking album, the band recently released a four CD box set that features a brand new stereo mix and a 5.1 channel mix. At
The U.S. Supreme Court always save the best for last, and this term is no exception. While the vacancy on the Court dominated the headlines, the justices still considered several important cases. Issues still left to be decided in the coming weeks include the extraterritorial
Portable high resolution audio (HRA) players range in price from the Pono or the Questyle at under $600 to the flagship Astell & Kern at just under $5,000. Selecting the right player at the right price has been confusing to the point of creating consumer
The American Medallic Sculpture Association (AMSA) recently announced the winner of the American Medal of the Year Award. Susan Taylor, a Canadian artist, won for her Remembrance medal. It honors the heroic efforts of the Taylor’s grandfather, George Edie and his fellow comrades who fought in
While the medals displayed at the biennial FIDEM exhibit held in Belgium last year in September, 2016 tended to deflect attention from the anger and despair in the world that led to the rise of populism, the selections for the Whitney biennial this year embrace
The placement of legal citations is one of the most controversial legal writing topics. On one side of the debate, traditionalists maintain that case citations should remain in the text. On the other side, a growing number of lawyers and judges think citations should be
Featuring some of the world’s best artists and DJs, Miami’s Ultra Music Festival turns a city park into a massive dance floor. This year, the annual Ultra Music will be held on March 24, 25, 26 in Downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park. While the theme is
The U.S. Mint recently announced that the 2017 American Liberty 225th Anniversary Gold Coin design will feature Liberty as an African-American woman. The new $100 gold coin joins part of a series of coins depicting Lady Liberty in a new and modern way. “Lady Liberty,
Five Chiefs: A Supreme Court Memoir by John Paul Stevens John Paul Stevens is one of the longest serving justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. His book, Five Chiefs: A Supreme Court Memoir, provides a broad sweep of the history of the country’s highest court from
Bob Dylan fans who have been chasing bootlegs can now have the real deal. In November, Columbia/Legacy released a massive 36-disc box set that features every known recording from Dylan’s 1966 tour of the US, UK, Europe, and Australia. Bob Dylan is frequently described as
“Review: Theodore and Woodrow: How Two American Presidents Destroyed Constitutional Freedom by Andrew Napolitano, Thomas Nelson 2012″ Some people do not see history as isolated moments, but as a stream flowing in constant motion. Andrew Napolitano is one of those great minds whose grasp of
Even after the November election Sen. Ted Cruz vowed to continue to block the appointment of a replacement Supreme Court justice. The Republican senator maintains that the country’s highest court does not need nine members to operate and may even be better off with fewer
At some point they will run out of live King Crimson to remaster and re-issue, but for now there are still many performances to share and treasure. The newest deluxe box set, On (and off) the Road, features 19 discs and covers all of the
If you got a Canada Goose jacket for Christmas, you should consider returning it. While the jackets are very popular, a coyote suffered a long, agonizing death for you to have the fur on that coat. Concerns about ethical animal treatment have largely driven fur
“1849: The Philadelphia Mint Strikes Gold” won the 2016 Numismatic Literary Guild Award. Michael Moran and Jeff Garrett teamed up to write a book that chronicles how the discovery of gold in California impacted the U.S. Mint and the nation. “The arrival of Colonel Mason’s
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)’s new exhibit is completely digital. The exhibit, which is available via the museum’s website, extensively chronicles all of MoMA’s exhibitions from 1929 to the present. MoMA opened its doors in 1929, featuring its first major exhibition, “Cézanne, Gauguin, Seurat,
The American Numismatic Society is leading the way for numismatic ebooks. While the ebook has captured the commercial market for fiction and non-fiction books, numismatic booksellers like Whitman and Krause Publications have not been so quick to produce electronic versions of their reference books. The
The federal government recently won a decade-long legal battle over the ownership of rare Double Eagles coins. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s decision ordering a Philadelphia family to surrender ten 1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagles found in a safe deposit
People have started to figure out that the reason digital music does not sound as good as vinyl has less to do with the studio mix burned digitally as 1’s and 0’s, and more to do with the “timing” of the playback of those 1’s
Labunski, Richard; James Madison & the Struggle for the Bill of Rights, Oxford University Press, 2006 Broadwater, Jeff; James Madison: A Son of Virginia and a Founder of the Nation, University of North Carolina Press, 2012 Stewart, David; Madison’s gift: Five Partnerships That Built America,
A revolutionary new technology allows collectors to quickly identify or verify a coin’s provenance. The website, Ex-Numis, uses image recognition software to locate coins illustrated in auction catalogs. The new technology is the brainchild of Dr. Jonas Flueck, a professional numismatic dealer and an auctioneer
While the inner workings of the U.S. Supreme Court are largely shrouded in mystery, Jeffrey Toobin pulls back the veil in his book, “The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court.” Published in 2007, “The Nine” spent four months on the New York
The warm weather makes it a lot more enjoyable to explore New York City, including its prime tourist attractions like Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, High Line, and Central Park. During the summer, the city also offers many free activities, from Shakespeare in the
Are you looking to try something new this summer? Look no further, as the Whitney Museum of American Art offers an eclectic experience for all, regardless of their taste in art. The Whitney Museum of American Art is a glorious place to visit this summer,
The Teddy Bear and Theodore Roosevelt are a part of the childhood of every American. However, not everyone makes the connection between the cute stuffed bear and the straight talking, progressive era ex-President. In 1903, a Brooklyn candy store owner put two stuffed toy bears
Anyone who has had to return to their CD collection and rip it for a second or third time knows that CD’s are not dead. Hard drives are not forever. When they age they will inevitably become corrupted and the information on them may be
Kanye West is no stranger to hyperbole, but his latest antics could lead to significant legal liability. In February, West tweeted: “My album will never never never be on Apple. And it will never be for sale… You can only get it on Tidal.”Is Kayne
Will the Tesla Model 3 Live Up to the Hype? The Tesla Model 3 —still only a prototype — is generating a lot of excitement. Since its unveiling last month more than 400,000 potential buyers have placed pre-orders. It takes just $1,000 to make a
America’s Cup returned to New York City last weekend for the first time since 1920. The Hudson River provided the backdrop for the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series. New York is the fifth regatta leading into next year’s 35th America’s Cup, which will be held
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) are home to the third largest barrier reef in the world. In addition to providing some of the best snorkeling and diving opportunities on the planet, the barrier reef keeps the pristine waters of Grace Bay Beach so clear
After extensive public debate, Jacob Lew, Secretary of the Treasury, announced that Harriet Tubman will replace President Andrew Jackson on the front of the $20 bill and the reverses of the $5 and $10 will also be redesigned to include several other notable women in
AXPONA (Audio Expo North America), the high-end consumer audio show held last weekend at the Westin O’Hare in Rosemont, Il, is one of the best events of the year for audiophiles. While this is only one of about a dozen national high end audio shows,
Synergistic Research has become a market leader of innovative audiophile products. While teaks of all kinds find no shortage of skeptics, the Grounding Block from Synergistic Research is a tweak based on solid science and it works. It has always been known that a well-grounded
Laura Poitras has her first solo exhibition, Astro Noise at the Whitney Museum. The exhibit features immersive works of art that address the viewer with the scope of the mass surveillance by the National Security Agency using materials from Eric Snowden. The title of the
At its March meeting in Washington DC, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) considered the designs for a three coin set—gold $5, silver $1, and clad $1/2 dollar—to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of Boys Town. It was the first time that obverses and reverses
The Haitian mango is in season—early March until the end of May. Mango ice cream does not taste like the mangoes you buy in the grocery store. That’s because the mangoes sold all year in supermarkets come from Ecuador or Peru. The taste of Mango’s
DJM electronics has made the first Ethernet noise filter that might be helpful for an audio signal. It is called the GigaFOILv3 Ethernet Filter and it is currently priced at $1,000. It is commonly accepted that EMI causes Noise in power cables. When that
The whole world now knows what anyone who has ever been to Turks & Caicos has always known: Grace Bay beach on the island of Providenciales is the number one best beach in the world. While Grace Bay is regularly named one of Trip Advisor’s
“The Bill of Rights: The Fight to Secure America’s Liberties” by Carol Berkin, Simon & Schuster, 2015 If you read only one book about the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, read Carol Berkin’s The Bill of
Book Review: “The Conscience of the Constitution: The Declaration of Independence and the Right to Liberty” by Timothy Sandefur; Cato Institute (2014) Every now and then a person comes across a book, an idea or an event that so fundamentally affects them that they are
Even at Mr. Groupers in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) the local restauranteur is forced to serve frozen grouper. For the first time in history, the country has implemented a closed season for the Nassau Grouper. Pursuant to an order from the Turks and
One of the most popular vibration control tweaks, and probably the one that most audiophiles use in their systems is the Stillpoint Ultra SS. The Ultra’s are priced at about $300 each and you need at least three of them. Stillpoints have been around for
Vibration control is a good area for a tweak because not all components absorb vibration efficiently. Rather than add to the cost of the component, manufactures often ether ignore vibration or deal with it as cost effectively as they can to keep the component in
Steven Wilson has delivered a clean, very musical remix of this classic progressive rock album, which in a short time has become the “final word” on the album. There can be little doubt that this remix is far superior to anything that has been done
While an Apple product still does not exist, there are many excellent portable digital music players like the old Apple i-Pod that can deliver high resolution audio sound. So, yes, the digital music library of 24 bit music that you downloaded from HD Tracks and
With more than 1,000 art galleries, New York City is one of the greatest metropolitan areas for shopping around for art. From Chelsea to Brooklyn, each gallery offers a unique opportunity to discover new talent and find one-of-a-kind pieces that appeal to your particular tastes.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently entered its eleventh term with Chief Justice John Roberts at the helm at the Court’s seventeenth Chief Justice. During Robert’s tenure, the Court has been at the center of important and often controversial legal battles, from same sex marriage
For the first time in ten years the United States won top honors with the Baseball Hall of Fame clad half dollar coin as the Krause Coin of the Year for coins dated 2014. The United States won two awards at the first round of
Cameras aren’t allowed in the U.S. Supreme Court, which makes the work of court sketch artist Arthur Lien all the more valuable. His renderings of the justices, the lawyers, and the parties are often the only visual depictions of the high-profile proceedings that the American
John Marshall: The Chief Justice Who Saved the Nation, by Harlow Giles Unger; DaCapo Press (2014) John Marshall: Definer of a Nation, By Jean Edward Smith; Henry Holt & Co (1996) John Marshall, who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United
It is time to head to Miami Beach for the best international art show of the year. Galleries from all over the world display their best work at Art Basel Week in Miami Beach. This year’s event takes place from December 3-6, 2015. First launched
It is highly probable that the U.S. Mint will issue commemorative coins to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 in 2019. If so, Congress most probably will require a special joint committee for design review as they did for the World War 1 commemorative
When it comes to high-end power cables, Shunyata is the king. So every time Shunyata replaces their top of the line cable with a new model, “attention must be paid.” In 2009, the King Cobra CX by Shunyata was their flagship power cable. Priced at
“Making Sense of the Constitution: A Primer on the Supreme Court and its Struggle to Apply Our Fundamental Law,” Southern Illinois University Press, 2012 There are dozens of books written for the general public that summarize the things people need to know about the United
Liberty’s First Crisis, by Charles Slack, Atlantic Monthly Press, 2015 “The greatest enemy of liberty is fear…When [people] feel threatened, their tolerance shrinks.” Liberty and freedom in America have been threatened many times since the United States Constitution was drafted in 1787. People around the
A small ceremony was held at the United States Mint Headquarters in Washington DC on Thursday, October 8, 2015 to honor Gary Marks for his two terms of service on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). Marks served as a public member of the CCAC,
On October 8, 2015, after the vote on the 2016 Lions Club Commemorative coin, I grabbed Gary Marks by the hand. I looked him in the eye and thanked him for his service on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) on behalf of all Americans
It is difficult to believe that ten metal cylinders half the size of a fingernail tacked to the walls of a large listening space could have any effect on the acoustics. Synergistic Research calls them HFT-2—and they work. So it wasn’t much of a stretch
The Velvet Underground box set: The Verve/MGM Albums in Mono recreates the band’s 1960s sound, while adding a modern kick. Although some people debate whether the remaster detracts from the raw purity of the raw Warhol warehouse sound of the original mono issues, the albums
The Great Dissent: How Oliver Wendell Holmes Changed His Mind—and Changed the History of Free Speech in America by Thomas Healy, published by Picador (September 9, 2014). Every so often you find a book that you never suspect will be one that you just can’t
The Chord Hugo is simply the best portable amplifier/DAC on the market. Whether you use it with your computer or with a portable transport to carry when you are out and about, the Hugo has no equal. Perhaps the $2,500 retail price is steep for
Social Media Hashtags are becoming so popular that they have gained legal recognition as intellectual property. As their value to businesses grows, they are also becoming the subject of lawsuits involving trademark infringement and false advertising. Hashtags started on Twitter as a way to link
The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing recently announced the creation of a series of Hi-Res Audio Production Guidelines. The new guidelines are a key step to ensuring that real high-resolution music is produced and sold to the public. While the Recording Academy Producers &
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been awarded to 889 Nobel Laureates. Recipients receive a gold medal. Yet, even though 889 gold medals have been presented, very few have ever been offered for sale. In May, Leon Lederman auctioned his 1988 Nobel Prize in Physics,
To get closed back headphones better than the Masters & Dynamic MH40, retailing at $400, you would need to spend four times the price and buy either the Audeze LCD-XC or the Fostex TH900. Both of those retail for over $1,600. The Masters & Dynamic
After waiting more than two years since the last Mint Director officially resigned, the White House announced last week that Matthew Rhett Jeppson would be nominated as Director of the Mint. Jeppson currently serves as the Principal Deputy Director of the U.S. Mint. Once sworn
A verified statistic shows that lawyers suffer from depression at triple the rate of non-lawyers. Recently, research has also proven that the rigors of law school can be harmful to the health of students. In a recent law review article, entitled “Killing Them Softly: Neuroscience
Earlier this year, a 1792 Half Disme sold for a record $1.41 million dollars at Heritage Auctions’ U.S. Coin Florida United Numismatists (FUN) Signature Auction. The historic coin is generally recognized as the first circulating American coin struck under authority of the Mint Act of
There are almost as many choices for connecting cables and power cables as there are for components and speakers. Here are some thoughts about picking the right ones for your system. Let’s assume that you are currently using the stock cables that came with your
The Koss 330 Headphones are the best small headphone available at any price. The Koss 330 Headphones are just under $100, these headphones are one of the best values in high end audio headphones. One listen will make you look in the mirror to verify
The Harvard Law School Library won the Webby Award for the best legal website of 2015 by developing Perma.cc Perma.cc addresses a significant yet largely unknown issue in the legal industry known as “link rot.” The term refers to the condition of Internet links no
Law school enrollment dropped again, according to the latest statistics from the American Bar Association (ABA). In total, first-year enrolled has plummeted nearly 30 percent from its peak in 2010. According to the new ABA data, almost two-thirds of ABA accredited law schools experienced declines
Bob Dylan – The Original Mono Recordings (MONO-88697761051) recreates the first eight Dylan albums as they were intended to be heard. Even the album cover and labels look like the originals and recreate the feel of opening the album as it was the first time.
No review disputes that the PS Audio DirectStream DAC (DSD) is musical bliss. Some reviewers have called it the component of the year for 2014. Where reviewers get edgy on PS Audio is not about the fact that it so amazing but about the science
George Orwell’s 1984 depicted a spy society as a parody of communism gone global. Edward Snowden revealed the reality of George Orwell’s spy society in the most unlikely and unpredictable place– 21st Century America. The extent of the federal government’s spy network data surveillance activities
The 1792 Silver Center Cent was the first coin officially struck at the First United States Mint. It also remains one of most significant in U.S. history, despite not being as well-known as other rare coins. The Coinage Act of 1792 (also known as the
U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts is America’s top jurist, legal big dog, Number 1 custodian of the United States Constitution. Yet, earlier in April, he was simply known as American Citizen “Number 49.” Along with 50 other citizens of Montgomery County, Maryland, the Chief
The Whitney Museum of American Art has come home to Greenwich Village. The new Whitney Museum building is located at 99 Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District within walking distance from its original home at McDougal Alley. Founded in 1930 by sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney,
In order to make a noticeable improvement in sound quality with a power cord you should expect to pay not less than $500 for a 1 meter cord. Cords to consider at this price point are the Audioquest NRG 10, Audience PowerCord SE or a
It is not always the case that a high resolution 96kHz/24bit sounds better than a CD at 44mHz/16bit. More often than not, the remastering matters more than the bit rate. This is one of those times. The high resolution Blu-ray and, presumably, the digital download
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II continues to age gracefully both in life and in coin. The Royal Mint recently unveiled the fifth effigy of the monarch, who has spent more than 63 years on the throne. The new design will be used on British coinage as
Visitors to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia now have the opportunity to view three key pieces of American History all in one place. The National Constitution Center recently opened a new exhibit that includes one of the twelve surviving copies of the Bill of
LinkedIn™ is the world’s largest business social network and it continues to grow. Research shows that forty percent of LinkedIn™ users check their accounts daily, which makes it an important part of every lawyer’s marketing strategy. Here are a few tips: Keep your profile current. It is
Billed as the “Definitive Edition CD,” Steve Wilson’s remaster of Close to the Edge,” by Yes is exactly that. It is perfection—the final version of a classic album. Many people who were listening to music in the 1970s own more than one copy of Close
Those big books that list just about every major law firm in every state could be found in every law firm’s library. Martindale-Hubbell charged big money to buy them and even bigger money for law firms listed in them. Like everything else today, the only
Good writing is not enough to make a good lawyer. Law practice is a challenging business with thin profit and law students remain unprepared for it when they graduate. Some law schools are beginning to incorporate more business-oriented classes and seminars into their curriculum. As
Maria Carmela Colaneri of Italy’s Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato received the Krause Lifetime Achievement Award in Coin Design at the World Mint Director’s Conference held in Berlin on January 31. She accepted the award in Italian to great applause. Maria Carmela Colaneri is best
For Americans traveling to Turks & Caicos there is no need to worry about converting money or returning home from vacation with a pocket full of coins you will never use. The official currency is the U.S. dollar. Like 50 countries across the globe, he
Susan Gamble, an artist for the United States Mint, passed away in January at the age of 57-years-old. Her legacy to the United States of America is her art and through that art she will be remembered forever. In 2007 Susan Gamble designed the reverse
Even though the Beatle’s A Hard Days Night was produced before Help, the new 5-1 mix of the earlier film has the better surround mix. The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night was reissued on Blu-ray and DVD last summer. It marks the 50th anniversary of the
Four massive sculptures by renowned Chinese sculptor Sui Jianguo are currently on display at New York’s Doris C. Freedman Plaza. The monumental sculptures are part of Sui Jianguo’s “Blind Portraits” series. While the large bronze do not quite resemble portraits, they were created “blindly.” Sui
While the educational requirements of law school are certainly rigorous, practical skills training is lacking, according to many critics of the current model. In the United States, attorneys can practice after just three years of law school. By comparison, a surgeon must complete four years
New Year’s Eve might be especially noisy in New Jersey this year after a New Jersey court recently ruled that a Boonton teen can bang on his drums all he wants, much to the frustration of his neighbors. A Superior Court judge ruled that the
Dr. Seuss had it right when he said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” If you need to find a gift for the person who does not want anything, do
Austria took top honors winning the Krause Coin of the Year for coins dates 2013 with its 50 euro gold coin, KM-3218, depicting Gustav Klimt’s, “The Expectation.” It is the second coin in Austria’s five year series celebrating the painter’s work. [easingslider id=”4591″] It was
The Numismatic Literary Guild “Book of the Year” honor was recently awarded to a book about New Jersey colonial coins. New Jersey State Coppers: History, Description, Collecting by Roger S. Siboni, John L. Howes and A. Buell Ish won the guild’s top honor for specialized
The PS Audio DirectStream DAC (digital to analog converter) is a Stereophile Magazine product of the year for 2014. Many audiophiles who have compared it with other DAC’s have called it a “game changer.” For non-audiophiles, a DAC replaces the sound card in your computer
What do the U.S. Supreme Court and the National Football League have in common? Surprisingly enough, both have generated “fantasy leagues” in which participants try to successfully pick the winners and losers. The work of the country’s highest court is serious business. After all, the
Maya Lin, who is best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is set receive the art world’s top honor this week. The prestigious Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize is awarded annually to “a man or woman who has made an outstanding
![By Mikamote (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://donaldscarinci.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Master_p-02-600x400.jpg)
As the legal market grows more competitive, many law firms are marketing more aggressively and creatively. In an effort to stand out from the pack, a Kentucky law firm that specializes in personal injury recently retained rapper Master P to promote its services. If you
The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee CCAC recently approved the designs for the congressional gold medal honoring the Lake Superior Band of the Fond du Lac Chippewa Code Talkers. The medal is part of Code Talkers Recognition Congressional Medals Program, which recognizes the dedication and valor
Everything by Gentle Giant should be heard in 5.1 Surround Sound. Steven Wilson’s remix of The Power And The Glory in hi-resolution stereo and 5.1 Surround sound must make band members as happy as their fan cult. Dubbed “one of the most gifted and ambitious
The VPI Nomad may do as much to bring music listeners back to vinyl as the iPod did to bring listeners to the MP3 digital download. The Nomad is VPI’s new entry level turntable. It includes an Ortofon needle, a built in phono pre-amp and
Dr. Herman J. Viola, who specializes in the history of the American West, was sworn in at last week’s meeting of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) for a four-year term. The CCAC provides recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury on the themes and
Maybe it won’t be as big as the Beatles, but the Magna Carta is on its first U.S. Tour in 800 years. It’s the Beatles for government and history nerds! The original document was executed on a field in Runnymede in 1215. An assembly of
Lisa Gornick’s skills as an author and a psychoanalyst come together in her latest novel, Tinderbox. The gripping and often disturbing novel explores the inner-workings of a New York family dealing with more than one skeleton in the closet. Myra Mendelson, a psychotherapist living in
The Yes Album proves that music can sound better decades after its original release. The progressive band’s breakthrough album was recently released in 5.1 surround sound. The Yes Album was first released in the United Kingdom on February 19, 1971 (CAT# 2400 101) and eventually
BKS Iyengar, Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja, left his body on August 20, 2014, at the age of 95. Called Guru-ji by the hundreds of thousands who love him, and affectionately nicknamed “Biks” by some practitioners of Iyengar Yoga in America, B.K.S Iyengar is the foremost exponent
Recent rumors about the new Apple operating system appear to be true. Apple’s iOS 8 will allow for high definition audio playback (HRA). This certainly explains why Apple has acquired Beats Electronics to upgrade their in-ear earphones. Apple has announced that they will offer high-fidelity
In his notes on the 2014 remix, Steve Wilson said, “I think that A Passion Play is a historically underrated work of art that deserves to be reevaluated.” Thanks to his remix in 5.1 Surround Sound to celebrate the album’s 40th anniversary, Jethro Tull’s masterpiece
In the age of the “selfie,” painting a portrait may seem like a lost art. But it is very much alive at the National Portrait Gallery, which recently held the BP Portrait Awards. The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 to collect portraits of
Forty years after its initial release, the 5.1 Surround Sound Blue-ray audio re-master of The Who’s, Quadrophenia, may well be considered the definitive final version of this rock classic. After giving this disc a listen you will conclude that it is un-improvable. By the end
People who read a lot of written judicial opinions often rejoice when they come across one that is actually well written. So many of them are dry and confusing with overdone precision. However, some judges can go too far to keep their writing fresh and
In addition to a standard definition of high resolution audio (HRA), in June, 2014, the music industry also agreed on standard labels they will use so music lovers can identify the source of the high resolution digital recording they are buying. As previously reported in
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jim Dwyer’s latest book, False Conviction, provides a disturbing yet necessary look at the flaws of the U.S. criminal justice system. His book is a technological as well as a journalistic masterpiece and is only available as an iBook. False Conviction
The U.S. Mint will make history this week when it shows the world that it can produce the Shimon Peres Congressional Gold Medall from concept to finished product in just over one month. No private mint could have met the deadline set by Congress on
From records and reel-to-reel tapes to cassettes to eight-track tapes to CD’s to SACD and DVD-audio, the next generation of music delivery is digital. The standard for High Resolution Audio, the best quality digital sound available, has finally been set. After a long period of
The 2014 Whitney Biennial ended this week. It is the last to take place in the Whitney Museum of American Art’s building at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street. The Museum is moving downtown to its new location in the spring of 2015. The Museum’s
Not only does New York steal some good theater from London, but the Frieze Art Fair has now become a New York art show and part of the established New York art scene. Direct from London, the Frieze Art Fair landed on New York Randall’s
At a show dominated by the excitement of High Resolution (HR) audio and the delivery systems that are becoming available to play it, VPI introduced a high quality but affordable consumer turntable which might be considered the first of its kind in the post CD
While there are still a few holdouts who say that power cords and analog connector cables don’t make a difference with sound or video quality, they are now a minority. However, the debate remains active about digital cables. Digital cable Naysayers point out that the
Spilling a hot drink from Dunkin Donuts made a New Jersey resident a millionaire. New Jersey resident Jennifer Fragoso’s lawsuit comes 20 years after McDonald’s Restaurants was sued by a New Mexico woman who suffered third-degree burns after spilling a hot coffee in her lap.
Anyone who appreciates or collects the medals made at the United States Mint in the 19th Century knows Robert Julian and his magnum opus, Medals of the United States Mint the First Century 1792 to 1892 published by the Token & Medal Society, 1977. I
Three people were in a lifeboat after their ship sank. They were surrounded by sharks. One courageous person took charge of the situation, dove into the water and swam ashore. To the surprise of the survivors on the life boat, the sharks allowed the person
More than two weeks after Hurricane Sandy ravaged through New Jersey, the expansive wreckage is a sorrowful reminder of the thousands of people who lost their homes and belongings. The damage is more pronounced in some areas more than others, but I think we can
Flying to Ajaccio, Corsica takes some careful planning. It is a lot like getting to Martha’s Vineyard, and the timing of the flights needs to be right. We arrived in Nice, France and waited five hours for our flight to Ajaccio. Ajaccio is on the
One of my favorite parks in Bergen County, NJ is tucked away in a residential area of Wyckoff. I call it the bird museum but it is really called the James A. McFaul Environmental Center. It’s never crowded, and on a nice day, it is
Archbishop John J. Myers dedicated the newly constructed Catholic church of Our Lady of Divine Providence at Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) on February 5, 2012. Damian Roderic Todd, the Royal Governor of TCI and over 700 people filled the new Church in Turks