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Obama Reelection Insurrection Imminent An Interview with Doug Hagmann
by: sher zieve | published: 08 12, 2012
Recently, I read Doug Hagmann's column "The planned re-election of Obama, revolutionary style" in which Doug cited a "deep-throat" DHS source. The following interview is a continuation of that column and it is bone-chilling.
Douglas J. Hagmann is the founder and director of the Northeast Intelligence Network. Hagmann is a 26-year veteran private investigator who has worked as an operational asset for the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the New York and Pennsylvania State Police. He is the author of Tactical Surveillance, a textbook used for training surveillance operatives. He is the CEO of a multi-state licensed private investigative agency and a senior columnist for Canada Free Press. He's a frequent guest on nationally syndicated radio shows such as Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.
Joe Hagmann is the associate director of the Northeast Intelligence Network, a veteran researcher and investigator with an insatiable desire for truth.
The Interview
Sher: Doug, in your recent and extraordinary column "The Planned Re-Election of Obama, Revolutionary Style" you wrote about the coming plans of the Obama syndicate to install Martial Law in order to forcefully thwart and attack the American people, in order to maintain their jobs. Your source advises that various false flag attempts could be in the works by Obama's operatives, including perhaps an event to evoke sympathy for Obama that would also serve to foment racial chaos. Would you give us a little background on how your source believes the Obama syndicate might plan to bring this to fruition, perhaps resulting in suspending elections in November?
Doug: I've been in contact with my source since that column was published and we've had more discussions about this. In fact, our last contact was after the shooting at the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin, and I've obtained more information about this very issue.
First, it seems that people have an over-simplistic view of how things are being planned by the people who are most influential to Obama, or by those who are in the position to help Obama stay in office. Their playbook is full of asymmetrical tactics, but suitably transparent if one understands what's at stake.
According to my source, it is the very existence of our country and way of life is at stake. Many people who are currently in positions of power, whether elected or appointed, have the same ideological goals of Barack Hussein Obama. Like Obama, they want to transform the country, and will use every tactic possible to do so. They believe that under Obama, they finally have the perfect opportunity to implement the socialism-to-communism agenda in America. They hate, and I mean hate the democratic system of government and loathe capitalism. They are the "red diaper babies" of the 1960's who have gained power through the very process they seek to destroy.
They feel that they have lived their entire lives for this time in history, when they can change America on every level. They feel that they need more time, however, to fully achieve their objectives. My source told me that something(s) went "sideways" for Obama, which created the need for more time, or a second term.
According to my source, there were some internal problems within the Department of Homeland Security, and some external problems outside of that venue as well that slowed the process. My source stated that the delays caused a lot of anger among those at a higher level, and that anger or impatience trickled down through the ranks at DHS.
On the day of the shooting at the Sikh Temple, however, my source stated that there were many meetings and contacts between Obama's people, especially from Valerie Jarrett, that involved Janet Napolitano and the FBI director. According to my source, Jarrett and others within Obama's inner circle were actually coordinating how the information about the shooting was to be handled. Imagine that! Obama's closest advisor was actually involved with almost every aspect of a local shooting by first designating it as an act of domestic terrorism. As soon as they were made aware that the shooting took place at a Sikh Temple and had the identity of the shooter, they made sure that the federal agents took over the crime scene so the flow of information could be controlled. "There was a sickening sense of perverted excitement by Obama's closest advisors, based on what I heard at my level," said my source. "That twist approach to a terrible event, it actually p-ssed some [higher ranking DHS officials] off," he said to me. He also said that he heard one high ranking source within DHS tell someone else that "we can't let this one get away from us," a reference to the shooting.
So, they obviously prefer to exploit situations like the shooting in Wisconsin to attack our freedoms granted under the Constitution, but have no moral objection to creating their own crises, if necessary, to further their objectives. In part, that's where the "false-flag" scenario originated.
My source was very emphatic then and now that the planning that is being done is "fluid," or always being revised and updated to exploit whatever situations might arise.
Sher: It's hard to believe, Doug, but this is almost worse than I believed. For the last several years, Obama has ordered military drills, including the military's heavy artillery, in multiple US States and their major cities. A few of these include Los Angeles, New York City, Miami and Boston. I've been writing about these phenomena for the last several years.
Now, Infowars is reporting from Florida's Sun Sentinel that military exercises began again in Hollywood, Florida on 2 August and that unannounced military drills in the middle of that night frightened and awakened Worcester Massachusetts residents.
In a comment, Worcester resident Brian Goslow reported the essential "black helicopters" buzzed his house and others in Worcester, in the middle of the night, for over 2 ½ hours. Strongly sounds to me that these tactics are being used to intimidate and cast fear into the hearts of American citizens via our own military, what's your assessment of all of this?
Doug: Alex Jones has done a great job in exposing the government's role in conditioning the populace to an ever increasing paramilitary presence on the streets of America. You've done a great job as well. I've spoken to my source about this at length, including the latest urban military training exercise. His response was simply, "expect more."
Again, this is directly related to Obama needing yet another term to complete his objectives. The militarization of municipal law enforcement agencies within the U.S. has been expedited under the reign of Barack Hussein Obama, implemented by DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, and facilitated through bipartisan support of members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives. But, who is the enemy? If you are reading this, chances are good that you are.
It is important for every American to understand that we are witnessing the end game scenario of a takeover from within. The plan has been in place for a long time and transcends the fictitious right-left paradigm, but is coming to fruition under the reign of Barack Hussein Obama. The patriotic conservatives in tandem with the Progressives and communist elements within our own government have not only approved of it, they applauded it.
A listener to my nightly internet talk show, the Hagmann & Hagmann Report, sent me the following picture. <insert attached pic>
The above photograph is that of a military armored personnel carrier taken this week by a gentleman named Tom. The photograph was not taken in Afghanistan, Iraq or even on a military base in the U.S., but on a city street in Wausau, Wisconsin. The armored personnel carrier is the property of the Sheriff's Department, as is the result of the militarization of law enforcement agencies across America. It is the "new normal" under the Department of Homeland Security, and is just one of many such vehicles deployed across the United States. Along with the photograph Tom sent to me, he asks the legitimate question of why such a vehicle is needed in a community of about 39,000 residents, and how many other such vehicles exist across the country that we don't know about?
In addition to heavily armored street vehicles, the Department of Homeland Security is now using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones) within the United States for surveillance and interdiction purposes. Indeed, the continental United States (CONUS) has become a battlefield in preparation for... what?
We are facing a revolution, and the government is preparing for it. This supports everything my source has told me about what's coming.
Sher: The breadth and scope of all of these ongoing military "drills": are unprecedented in the United States of America and to many they smack of abject tyranny and Obama's plan to remain in power by whatever means necessary. In fact, in another totally unprecedented move, more and more Russian soldiers have been invited by Obama to US soil to engage in "joint military exercises" with US soldiers. Obama invited a foreign power (Russia) and pronounced enemy of the USA to send its troops to US soil, coupled this atrocity with his recent statement to Russian President Medvedev and was caught on video saying:
President Obama: "On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space."
President Medvedev: "Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you…"
President Obama: "This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility."
President Medvedev: "I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir."
Sounds to me as if Russia and the Putin KGB may be calling the shots and dictating the US' course of actions to Obama. What do you make of this?
Doug: It also sounds like Obama is confident of another four years, doesn't it?
Sher: Four more years of Obama will be the end of the country and of many of us. And as Congress has been ignoring Obama's patently unconstitutional and increasingly illegal activities and--with SCOTUS CJ John Roberts' ObamaCare decision (which the dissent actually called an illegal decision)--and the Supreme Court seemingly now following Obama's orders we are now firmly in the grip of an Oligarchic dictatorship. None of the branches of our federal government have listened to We-the-People for a very long time. Do you see any way to take our country back, other than a real active fighting and bloody second American Revolution?
Doug: There is something terribly wrong in America. People can feel it, they can sense it, and are now beginning to see "it." Some say that "it" began decades ago, with the establishment of the Federal Reserve and the fiat monetary system. Others suggest that "it" began when we, as a nation, removed God from our schools and legalized the wholesale killing of unborn babies.
Anyone with spiritual discernment knows that America is in deep trouble. We are bankrupt, not just financially, but morally and spiritually. Some say our nation is broken beyond repair, and that we've perverted our Republic to such an extent that it would not be recognizable to our founding fathers. That which was once unacceptable is not only permitted, but encouraged under the guise of tolerance.
I'd like to quote a good friend of mine in response to this question. Steve Quayle, a long time talk show host and frequent well-known guest on national talk shows has said, and I'm paraphrasing now, that "you cannot fix a spiritual problem with a political solution."
Our troubles run much deeper than politics, and it's going to take much more than political solutions to get it back. Make no mistake, though, the government is preparing for a revolution.
Sher: Doug, thanks so much for your time and input. Where can people read your work?
Doug: My website is www.HomelandSecurityUS.com and I am the senior co-host, with my son, of The Hagmann & Hagmann Report that is aired weeknights from 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET on the internet. People can listen or watch the program live via my website. I am also proud to be a senior columnist for Canada Free Press at www.canadafreePress.com.
The Planned Re-Election of Obama, Revolutionary Style:
Massachusetts Citizens Frightened by Midnight Military Exercises:
Rappelling over Hollywood is training exercise:
It's only a drill -- but urban terrain training choppers rattle parts of city (Mass):
President Obama Asks Medvedev for 'Space' on Missile Defense:
"After My Election I Have More Flexibility":
Sher Zieve
-News and Commentary-
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Mariano Fortuny
Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo was born in Granada, Spain in 1871 but spent his life in Venice, Italy. Often described as a latter-day "Renaissance Man", Fortuny was an innovator, and a thorough original. He was as well-versed in physics and chemistry as he was in art and design.
Although remembered primarily as a dress and fabric designer, Fortuny was also a painter, engraver, architect, photographer, set designer, lighting technician, inventor and impresario. As a painter, he was interested in the properties of light and its potential for drama.
In 1901 he patented an indirect theatrical lighting system, and constantly refined it thereafter. Perhaps Fortuny's most influential invention is the dimmer switch, first put into practice when he collaborated with Gabriele D'Annunzio on the stage production of the Ricardo Zandonai opera Francesca da Rimini. Fortuny was the first to make use of the opportunities electricity presented to the theater, and the techniques he invented helped to revolutionize stage lighting.
He began his research in his attic studio in Venice's Palazzo Marinengo. There, he observed rays of sunlight leaking into a darkened room. In his 1904 treatise Eclairage Scenique (Stage Lighting), he relates how he made the discovery that formed the basis of his indirect light technique. He concluded that "it is not the quantity, but the quality of light that makes things visible and allows the pupil of the eye to open properly." He further noted than that if instead of natural light an artificial light source is used, the result is the same, but with the advantage that the quantity of light can be controlled by moving the source. Also, "if the light were shone onto a surface which was multi-colored, and which could be moved up to or away from the light source, the reflected light would take on the same colors and also be controllable in its intensity."
This discovery meant that it was now possible to achieve infinite degrees of dimness and brightness, as well as a vast range of colors that could change from one to another. Fortuny's lamp designs embody his design principles as well as his personal enthusiasms. The Fortuny Modalamp is strikingly contemporary despite its 1903 patent. Intended for use as a stage lamp, it is an elegant illustration of his principle of reflecting diffuse light off of a concave surface. A similar technique is at work in a collection of silk lamps influenced by Arabic decorative motifs. Fortuny was widely celebrated during his life and was known by many contemporaries as the "Magician of Venice." Even while alive he was regarded as something of enigma, and undoubtedly many secrets died with him in 1949.


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Lindsay Lohan -- Stressful Arrest Caused Pain Beneath My Breasts
Lindsay Lohan Stressful Arrest Caused Pain Beneath My Breasts
Lindsay Lohan believes getting arrested is bad for her health ... 'cause she's telling friends the stress from her NYC bust aggravated her pre-existing pneumonia so badly, she had to be hospitalized.
We broke the story .. Lohan was rushed to the emergency room in NYC Sunday night with a lung infection ... but was released a short time later.
Now, Lindsay's telling friends the arrest caused her so much anxiety, it landed her in the hospital -- exacerbating the "walking pneumonia" she's been suffering from the last few weeks.
That's right, Lindsay is blaming stress for her damaged lungs ... Lindsay, the infamous chain smoker who blew through 49 packs of cigarettes in 47 days while she stayed at the Chateau Marmont this summer.
Makes total sense.


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MIA | Reference | Political Economy | John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes
Pure Induction, from Keynes' Treatise on Probability, 1920
Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren, 1930
The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, 1936
The struggle about money-wages primarily affects the distribution of the aggregate real wage between different labour-groups, and not its average amount per unit of employment, which depends, as we shall see, on a different set of forces. The effect of combination on the part of a group of workers is to protect their relative real wage. The general level of real wages depends on the other forces of the economic system. [General Theory, Chapter 2]


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Ice storm causes deaths, power outages, and traffic jams in the South
ATLANTA (AP) -- Small armies of utility workers labored to turn the lights - and the heat - back on for hundreds of thousands of Southerners as a winter storm that left them without power threatened major cities further up the East Coast.
The Deep South remained a world of ice-laden trees and driveways early Thursday after several unusual days of sleet and snow brought by a powerful system that could bring more than a foot of snow to such metropolises as Philadelphia, Washington and Boston.
At least 12 deaths across the South have been blamed on the stormy weather and nearly 3,300 flights nationwide were canceled with another day of complicated air and road travel ahead Thursday, particularly in the Northeast.
Drivers in and around Raleigh, N.C., became snarled Wednesday in huge traffic jams and abandoned cars in scenes reminiscent of motorist woes in Atlanta during a storm two weeks earlier. In Atlanta, many streets were eerily quiet this storm, with drivers heeding dire warnings to stay off the roads. State troopers say they worked more than 200 crashes in Georgia.
For some on slick, snow-covered interstates in North Carolina, commutes that should take minutes lasted hours after many got on the highways just as soon as snow and sleet began at midday.
And in South Carolina, more accustomed to occasional hurricanes, some could only relate the damage from ice-snapped tree limbs to that of bygone Hurricane Hugo. Even normally balmy Myrtle Beach, where millions of visitors cavort each summer, cars were coated in thick ice that also frosted palm trees and kiddie rides by the shore.
"I hate driving on this," grumbled South Carolina resident Mindy Taylor, 43, on her way for rock salt, kitty litter or anything else to melt the ice. "Hopefully it'll warm up by the weekend and it will all melt. I'm ready for Spring."
In Alabama, forecasters gleefully spoke of weekend temperatures reaching the 60s after inches of snow or sleet in its northern parts.
The snow, sleet and freezing rain that iced Southern highways also knocked out electricity to more than half a million homes and business as it advanced Thursday up the Interstate 95 corridor to the winter-weary Mid-Atlantic states.
Some Southerners who two weeks ago reveled in the so-called "snow jam" sounded tired this time of sleet and ice encasing highways, trees and even the tombstones of a cemetery replete with Confederate graves.
Bethany Lanier, 32, was walking in a mostly empty square in the Atlanta suburb of Decatur with Lindsay Futterman, a 30-year-old charter school teacher as they debated whether to get a drink at a pub.
If classes are canceled Friday, the charter school students will have missed nine days of school. To make up days, administrators have canceled a three-day break.
"Now, we're out because we have cabin fever," Lanier said as Futterman added: "It's kind of annoying now."
Many Southerners took to makeshift sleds on the ice and snow, with at least seven people hospitalized in sledding accidents just in Georgia. Four people were hurt sledding in a kayak that crashed into a pole, said Fire Chief Ricky Pruit in Cleveland, Ga. One victim suffered leg injuries, another was knocked unconscious and lost several teeth and the other two refused treatment, he said.
Ice combined with wind gusts up to 30 mph snapped tree limbs and power lines. More than 200,000 homes and businesses lost electricity in Georgia, South Carolina had about 245,000 outages, and North Carolina around 100,000. Some people could be in the dark for days.
As he did for parts of Georgia, President Barack Obama declared a disaster in South Carolina, opening the way for federal aid.
For the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, the heavy weather was the latest in an unending drumbeat of storms that have depleted cities' salt supplies and caused school systems to run out of snow days.
Washington, D.C., could see around 8 inches of snow, as could Boston. New York City could receive 6 inches. The Philadelphia area could get a foot or more, and Portland, Maine, may see 8 or 9 inches.
In Atlanta, which was caught badly unprepared by the last storm, area schools announced even before the first drop of sleet fell that they would be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Schools were also closed for Thursday. Many businesses in the corporate capital of the South shut down, too.
The scene was markedly different from the one Jan. 28, when thousands of children were stranded all night in schools by less than 3 inches of snow and countless drivers abandoned their cars after getting stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for hours and hours.
"I think some folks would even say they were a little trigger-happy to go ahead and cancel schools (Tuesday), as well as do all the preparation they did," said Matt Altmix, who was out walking his dog in Atlanta on Wednesday. "But it's justified."
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory urged people to charge their cellphones and find batteries for radios and flashlights because the storm could bring nearly a foot of snow in places such as Charlotte.
"Stay smart. Don't put your stupid hat on at this point in time. Protect yourself. Protect your family. Protect your neighbors," McCrory said.
In a warning issued early Wednesday, the National Weather Service called the storm across the South "catastrophic ... crippling ... paralyzing ... choose your adjective."
Meteorologist Eli Jacks noted that three-quarters of an inch of ice would be catastrophic anywhere.
However, the South is particularly vulnerable: Many trees are allowed to hang over power lines for the simple reason that people don't normally have to worry about ice and snow snapping off limbs.
Three people were killed when an ambulance careened off an icy West Texas road and caught fire. On Tuesday, four people died in weather-related traffic accidents in North Texas, including a Dallas firefighter who was knocked from an I-20 ramp and fell 50 feet. In Mississippi, two traffic deaths were reported as well as in North Carolina.
Also, a Georgia man apparently died of hypothermia after spending hours outside during the storm, a coroner said.
Associated Press writers Christina A. Cassidy, Ray Henry, Phillip Lucas, Jeff Martin and Peter Prengaman in Atlanta; Martha Waggoner, Michael Biesecker and Emery P. Dalesio in Raleigh, N.C.; Bruce Smith in Charleston, S.C.; Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Ala.; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Ga., contributed to this report.
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The art of parkour already has ample thrills for any athlete. You certainly don't need hordes of snarling ghouls nipping at your heels to make it any more exhilarating, but Dying Light blends the two together in a huge world devastated by the undead apocalypse. Designed by the same team that brought Dead Island to the gaming masses, Dying Light is a first-person survival game. It boasts a new combat system and tremendous player freedom in complex environments. It also, as you might expect, includes lots and lots of infected (and ways to kill them, too).
The developers at Techland brought Dying Light to the PS4 launch event here in New York City this week, demonstrating the broad array of tactical options players have to approach any situation in game. Both combat and movement are essential components to the experience — running away from danger is just about as much fun as running straight into it.
Dying Light is set inside the wrecked and ruined city of Harran, a fictional locale with an ancient history. Game Designer Maciej Binkowski likens it to Istanbul, Turkey, as he boots up Dying Light on PS4, passing me the DualShock 4 with an eager smile. There's a dark beauty to Harran, with buildings that rise and fall like waves, and roads caked with bodies and abandoned cars.
Players can explore huge sections of Harran from a first-person perspective — running, ducking, weaving, and jumping through the debris to find supplies and complete missions. The demo opens in a small street clearing, and Binkowski coaches me through the basics before I sprint towards a supply package that's just been dropped into Harran's quarantined limits. I'm warned that these supplies are rare, so other survivors will hungrily hunt them with just as much tenacity.
A scream pulls my attention away from the supply drop and over to an apartment a few stories up. Dying Light presents players with a number of optional events they can chase or ignore, dependant entirely on their preference. I run towards a nearby wall, leap up and over, and climb up to a ledge that gives access to the apartment. Peering inside, I see an infected pounding a closet, its moans mingled with the terrified pleas of the survivor inside.
For the sake of the demonstration, my character has been gifted with a few weapons to dispatch such obstacles, including a hatchet and several hammers of various size. I pull out the hatchet and creep up behind the infected, burying the blade atop its head with a satisfying crunch.
Opening the closet door, the survivor thanks me, then hands over a few items to repay the kindness. Binkowski urges me on, and invites me to try other weapons against the infected wandering the streets below.
Every weapon in Dying Light has a charge attack, and these differing attacks open up plenty of ways to navigate through combat. The larger hammer, for example, can be pulled back and swung in a massive arc which sends the unfortunate infected hit flying backwards. Critical impacts are noted by "x-ray" highlights, which reveal broken bones and splintered skulls caused by successful blows.
Turning a corner around a small house, I stumble upon an infected wearing what appears to be a hazmat suit. Binkowski chuckles, noting that I should try attacking the tank strapped to its back. I leap over a fence and circle around, coming up behind it and denting it with the hammer. Backing up, the infected's suit ruptures in a rather delightful, hissing explosion. I can't locate the remains.
Binkowski restarts the demo and takes control, rushing through the city with practiced expertise before making it up to an overpass choked with the undead. A group of human survivors guard the passage, so Binkowski lures them towards the edge and tosses them over. We watch as the body tumbles down to the ground below.
The demo promptly closes with the arrival of a Demolisher — a hulking mass of flesh and muscle. It hurls a wrecked car at Binkowski's character before the screen cuts to black.
Dying Light is coming to PS4 in 2014. It features four-player cooperative play, voice control (for shouting at infected to distract them), and witty uses of DualShock 4's light bar and motion sensor — like tilting the controller to the side to check your in-game watch.
Binkowski concludes our meeting with a reminder that the Share button is a huge boon for a sandbox game like Dying Light. Because when you detonate a gas canister and send huge groups of infected flying, well, that's the kind of moment you just need to share with the internet.


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Sony Corp's bid for revival as a consumer electronics maker this business year will hinge on the fortunes of its latest smartphones, as it struggles with shrinking sales of its TVs, digital cameras and game consoles.
With consumer spending converging on Apple Inc's iPads and Samsung Electronics Co's Galaxy phones, Sony on Thursday forecast smartphone sales to rise more than one-fourth to 42 million in the year to next March. It predicted sales of its digital cameras and Playstation consoles would contract at double-digit rates.
Its five-inch screen Xperia Z smartphone has exceeded the company's sales expectations since its launch in January, but it faces an uphill battle against Chinese rivals and Samsung and Apple.
"It (42 million) does not seem a lot. Its smartphones are high-spec and production costs should be hefty, so the company has to sell a lot to be profitable in the business," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager at Ichiyoshi Asset Management.
Boosted by a weaker yen that inflated the value of its euro-denominated sales, and by the expected elimination of losses in its diminished TV unit, Sony is betting on its new smartphone to help it secure an operating profit of 230 billion yen this business year. That compares with the average 210 billion yen profit estimated by 19 analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S before Thursday's earnings announcement.
GRAPHIC: Sony earnings http://link.reuters.com/dyx87t
VIDEO: Sony's 'make believe' profitability http://link.reuters
Sony's boss, Kazuo Hirai, in 2012 identified mobile products, gaming and digital imaging as the core of a rebound in consumer electronics after more than a decade of decline for the pioneer of personal music players and compact discs. Of those three, mobile has since emerged as the best near-term hope for Sony to turn around its electronics business.
Its goal is to fend off challenges from China's Huawei Technologies <002502.SZ> and ZTE Corp <000063.SZ> and Korea's LG Electronics <066570.KS> to secure the No. 3 slot in the global smartphone market, behind Samsung and Apple which between them account for more than half of all smartphones sold.
The Japanese company, however, will need to cement better ties with carriers in the United States to win market share there and may struggle against its Chinese rivals in their home market, analysts say.
"The Xperia range is selling well where available, but Sony's limited retail presence in major markets like the U.S. and China is restricting its growth," said Neil Mawston, executive director at market researcher Strategy Analytics. "Sony captured less than 1 percent of the valuable U.S. market in 2012."
Strategy Analytics expects the Japanese company to ship 41 million smartphones worldwide in 2013, giving it a 4 percent market share. Sony, which was ranked fourth globally by research firm IDC in the fourth quarter of last year with a 4.5 percent share, fell out of the top five in the January-March quarter.
Sony bounded back into the black last year with a profit of 230.1 billion yen that was bolstered by earnings from the sale of office buildings in Tokyo and New York, the revaluation of stock holdings and gains from the sale of businesses including a chemical unit.
"Selling assets wasn't just about helping our balance sheet. It is part of a strategy to revamp our business portfolio," Masaru Kato, Sony's chief financial officer, told a news briefing.
Financial services – mainly its insurance subsidiary – posted an operating profit of 146 billion yen, making it the consumer electronics company's most profitable business. Movies and music combined added a further 95 billion yen to profit.
This business year, the squeeze on Sony's traditional consumer electronics gadgets is set to continue. The maker of Bravia sets forecast sales of televisions to rise to 16 million this business year with the division seen returning to profit, after a sharp drop last year to 13.5 million. It had made 19.6 million TVs in the year to March 2012.
Digital camera sales are forecast at 13.5 million this year, a 20 percent drop, while its handheld game consoles, the PSP and PS Vita, are projected to fall nearly 30 percent to 5 million.
Since the start of the year, Sony's shares have gained 82 percent compared with a 37 percent rise in the benchmark Nikkei average. Its shares fell 1.4 percent on Thursday to close at 1,744 yen before it released its latest earnings results and forecasts.
(Additional reporting by Jonathan Gordon in Hong Kong and Ayai Tomisawa in Tokyo; Editing by Edmund Klamann)


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Sonic XSynopsisAfter yet another confrontation with Dr. Eggman, Sonic and his friends all end up on Earth as result of Chaos Control..and end up in the United States of all places. There Sonic befriends a twelve-year-old boy named Chris Thorndyke, who saves him after nearly drowning in his swimming pool (Sonic can't swim). But what happened to all of Sonic's friends? And where did Dr. Eggman go? Only time will tell. ReviewI'll admit, the idea of Sonic X sounded really cool back in early 2003 when it was first revealed. I've been a big fan of Sonic ever since his debut in 1991, and I even liked the corny weekday show made years ago (not so much the Satruday morning series or the OAV made in 1996). Still, I'll admit I was impressed by the first episode. It avoided all the mistakes of previous Sonic animated series (stupid new characters, bad animation, pitiful writing, an actual, ongoing plot now, etc.), and turns out to be an entertaining experience. It's all humorous: all the humans keep calling Sonic a mouse, there's lots of random English flown around, and at one point, Sonic even tells the viewers not to do one of his stunts (when he's looking at the window of a F-1 race car while on top of it, followed by teasing the rider). ...but then we meet Chris Thorndyke when Sonic drowns in his family's swimming pool. This obnoxious kid will be tagging alongside Sonic for his most of his adventures for the rest of the series, effectively replacing Tails for the most part. He is such a dull, boring, uninspired character that I can't even criticize him because he's that bland, as are his stereotypical Japanese butler and stereotypical black maid (who, of course, is fat. Can't have any attractive human females in this series, right?). He only serves to slow down the pace of the series and point the obvious to the audience. So what's the story about? Basically Eggman attacks with a robot, Sonic battles the robot, Sonic destroys the robot, and all the while stupid fluff with Chris occurs. Linse, rather, repeat until an important plot point occurs. The robot of the day formula, by the way, is extremely boring, mostly comprised of lame robots who were no doubt "inspired" by various mecha series and Sailor Moon. If these were revamped robots from old Sonic games, that would be okay, but they're just generic robots TMS threw together, looking completely out of place in the series. *sigh* Meanwhile, the second season (episodes 27-52) is mostly taken from the plots of the two Sonic Adventure games (as well as an obvious commercial plug for Sonic Heroes with the first animated appearance of the Chaotix characters from the ill-fated 32X game in episode 39), and the third season is set mostly in space. What really annoyed me about Sonic X was how they portrayed Sonic himself. Sonic only shows up at the beginning and ending of each episode for the most part, only showing himself for the most part when Eggman's robot of the day needs to be destroyed. Of course, Sonic always get a ring from Tails, always does a homing attack (why he needs the ring is beyond me), which is always the solution to any problem involving any of Eggman's robots. Yawn. What happened to the take-charge Sonic, instead of the pain-in-the-butt, "I'm gonna run around downtown until something exciting happens and use a stinking Ring to defeat my enemies" Sonic we have now? Man, even the Sonic from the American cartoons was more exciting and entertaining than this. What about Tails, Knuckles, and the other Sonic characters? Well, the show pretty much abandons Knuckles and Rogue for the most part, and Shadow only appears briefly in season 2. This leaves Tails, Amy, and Cream to be the tag-along characters (along with Chris) on Sonic's misadventures. Why one of the most annoying characters in all of Sonic lore (Amy) is given even a slight role is beyond me, because she's as obnoxious in animation as she is in the games. Oh yeah, and Big's in the series somewhere as well.. Art-wise, the Sonic characters mostly look like their Sonic Adventure-era designs for the most part, though not as well drawn. The backgrounds are typical kids anime fare, but are still nice to look at. The only problem I had was the blatant use of CG whenever Sonic used his Homing Attack. Couldn't they just animate it in 2D, or at least make it look like the Sonic Adventure games' Homing Attack? Oh well, it's pointless to complain, I guess. The (Japanese) music featured the same rock-style stuff used in the Dreamcast games, though they were times where pretty piano music was used too. It was all good, though. The opening is done by the "legendary" Kageyama Hironobu, and the ending theme is done by the Japanese band RUN&GUN, and they're both catchy. The Japanese voice cast is the same as in Sonic Adventures 1 and 2, so whether or not you liked the voices in those games will affect your liking to the voices in the anime. The 4Kids dub is..well, 4Kids. It's really annoying how all the recent Sonic games use these untalented actors/actresses in their dubs, because they make the original English voices sound like award-winning performers. I was really hoping for something in Sonic X, in all honesty. Instead I get an annoying human character tagged on to a show that masquerades as Sonic the Hedgehog, but eliminates pretty much everything I liked about his character and adds bad filler and mediocre art on top of that. I'm told the Japanese version picks up the further along you go, but honestly I don't care. Sonic X is a disappointment to the Sonic name, no better or worse than all the other crummy video game anime out there. A mediocre anime that would be totally looked over if it wasn't for the word "Sonic" in its title. — Tim Jones Recommended Audience: Animated slapstick, mostly. Kids and very forgiving Sonic fans might like it: everyone else can skip it. Version(s) Viewed: Japanese dialogue without subtitles; R1 release Review Status: Partial (17/78) Sonic X © 2003 Sonic Project / TV Tokyo / Sonic Team Ltd |
© 1996-2015 THEM Anime Reviews. All rights reserved. |


text:
This script is an update from the original earliest release date from discogs script written by yhsiugs. With his permission I have updated the script and started a new thread. Would like to thank Hagar and Cotto for their comments and testing in version 2.0, and to others for suggestions for the current version....
Would also like to thank crap_inhuman for his input into the PHP server side code
http://earliestrelease.com/ERDVersions/ ... 1.236.mmip
What's New:
Version 220.127.116.11 - August 15, 2018
- fix bug that could result in the script waiting for a very long time if user switched from MB to Discogs, and no way to end the script
- fix long standing bug where if a user made a new selection while the script was running, the dates would be added/changed on the new selection incorrectly
- API throttling was too aggressive resulting in long waits
- Fixed an error if Discogs returned an invalid master release
- Add support for DiscogsAuth
- Add support for debug logging
- Use response headers for rate limiting
- Other minor bug fixes
- Add option to clear Discogs Keys on main UI
- Add option to switch API service on Main Page
-switch searches changed API on previously selected/playing song
-options greyed out when both services have been checked - Minor UI Changes - don't hide choices just disabled
- Change rate limit for Discogs to 3/s
- Use only first artist if multi-artist
- Change Discogs API calls to HTTPS
- Changed Discogs Oauth date requirement to October 14, 2014
- Fix object required if oAuth process cancelled by user choice
- Fixed error in install.ini file
Version 18.104.22.168 - August 13, 2014
- removed from memory - built from wrong source
Version 188.8.131.52 - August 8, 2014
- Add support for oAuth and the search endpoint for Discogs
- Add checks for artist and track tags
- Changed installation directory constant to {gsf} to work around MM {lsf} bug and portable mode
- Moved location of MMIP file to a server that supports PHP
Version 18.104.22.168 - July 17, 2014
- Add option to exclude bracketed text in search
- Add checks for valid JSON, this included a fix to a logic error and increase in wait time for API responses
- Cleaned up the UI a bit more. Buttons now hidden instead of disabled if not applicable
- Force users to Musicbrainz on August 15th, 2014 due to Discogs requirement for oAuth for the database/search endpoint after that date
Version 220.127.116.11 - February 9, 2014
- Fix bug where web searches would fail if main panel in MM was not a music node (eg. web node)
- Updated option page
Version 18.104.22.168
- Fix bug due to malformed API calls with double quote in search string
Version 22.214.171.124 - January 13, 2014
- Uses JSON endpoints for all Discogs API calls
* Special thanks to eepman for supplying the working JSON parser for vbscript. His work based on http://demon.tw/my-work/vbs-json.html#code
- Fixed lookup fail for artists with trailing ", The"
- Add web search option for 45cat.com as per fizzjob
- Add options to apply the earliest date found album name to Original Title, or if one desires Album
- Cleaned up the UI and code some more....
- Back-up your database!
- Install Earliest Release Date
- Play A Song or Select Song(s) using MM
- Script will present a list of release dates for the currently playing song (user selectable up to 50)
- If panel is not visible after install click on View, then Earliest Date
Tools-->Options-->Library-->Earliest Date
- Search Earliest Date Using:
Self Explanatory. Can select either MusicBrainz or Discogs. Default on install is MusicBrainz.
- Maximum number of discogs masters to search
User selectable from 1 - 100 only if Discogs search enabled. Default on install is 15. The initial Discogs search searches for Master releases. For each master release the script will make another call to the API to search for the earliest date in the releases for that master. Each call to Discogs takes 1 second.
- Exclude Bracketed Text
Removes the brackets and any text in between to perform the seach for the earliest release date. Helps to find dates for those songs tag with (Live) (12") (Feat...) etc.
Regular parenthesis, square brackets, and curly braces are removed.
- Use 'Date' Field
Self explanatory. Script will update the "Date" Field instead of the "Original Date" field with the earliest date found from Discogs. (Default is OFF for 'Original Date')
- Include the Release Month/Day (if available)
If the month and/or day of the release is available from Discogs the script will display those values and use them for updates to the database. If this option is selected then a release date with a day and or month of release is more significant than one without. For example a release date of Dec 31, 2011 has priority over Dec 2011 and this has priority over a release date of 2011. (Default is ON)
- Search Discogs only if preferred date field is empty
Self Explanatory. Discogs search will only occur if the date field one chooses to use is empty. If this option is selected users can force a search by clicking on the results dialog that is presented in the panel. (Default is OFF)
- Search by selected song(s)
Allows user to search by selected songs in the main window. By turning this option on Automatic DB updates will be forced on too. (Default is OFF)
- Automatically update DB with earliest date found
If checked the database (and tags if the option is set) are updated automatically without user intervention. The script will pick the earliest date available for you. Automatic updates are forced if searching by selected songs.
- Automatically update only if preferred date found is earlier
If selected will only update DB if the preferred date found is earlier than any existing value. (Default is OFF)
- Use specified value for the preferred date if no results found
Allows user to select a value between 1000 and 9999 to use as a year if a search for the earliest date finds no results. Can be because there are no dates for that song, tags are incorrect, or internet connection is down. Default is OFF and "9999".
- Result Display Settings
Controls how the results are shown. Because the dates found are now automatically sorted from earliest to latest the number of radio buttons displayed can be kept to a minimum. User is allowed to select between 1 and 50 results displayed. Default is 5.
User is also allowed to choose what information is displayed. Default is Artist - Album - Song along with earliest date. Artist, Album and Song can be turned off if so desired. Minimum test displayed is the Earliest Date.


text:
TPF Noob!
- Joined
- May 15, 2003
- Messages
- 2,399
- Reaction score
- 5
- Location
- Brantford, Ontario
- Website
- www.darn.ca
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos NOT OK to edit
Hey folks,
First off we'd like to say thank you to Quik Pod for sponsoring the December Challenge. Please check out the website for more Quik Pod information, http:///www.quikpod.com/dslr.asp.
So here are 21 great photos. Take a look and vote for a favorite!
You may notice that in the gallery some files appear larger then 150KB, but every photo included was less then 150KB when uploaded to the gallery.
To ensure that voting remains fair only active participating members of the forum may cast a vote. New members may not be able to vote right away in a challenge due to restrictions that have been put in place. If you cannot vote, but believe that you should be able to, feel free to send a pm to myself or another TPF staff member.
Please keep in mind that we are trying to keep this challenge anonymous (and unbiased) when it comes to both the submitting and the voting. Please avoid sharing your opinions about any specific photos until after the voting has completed and the winner is announced.
Please read the titles carefully in order to avoid confusion before voting. The photos may not be sorted in the correct order so to ensure you view them in proper order scroll to the bottom of the page and where it says "Display Options" ensure you select Sorted By: "Image Name" Sort Order: "Ascending" and then click on the "Show Images" button.
After viewing the photos please take the opportunity to vote for your favorite. Good luck to all. If there are any questions please let us know.
The mods/admins of ThePhotoForum.com may decide the winner from the top five submitted photos. The winner of the photo challenge will be contacted by Private Message (PM) on the day that the winner is announced. If the winner does not respond to the PM within 30 days they will not receive their prize and it will be put towards a future challenge. If we are unable to ship the intended prize to the winner do to his/her location we will provide another prize of equal value.
The polls will be open for the next seven days.


text:
During the last 15 years or so the so called intellectuals of our society despite being well educated seem to be enamoured of Vaastushaastra- the ancient Indian 'science' of architecture. This ancient Shaastra seems to have disappeared for several centuries before it popped up in the late 80s. The progress of the society was not, however, hampered in any way during this period. On the contrary it is during this period that science has advanced by leaps and bounds bringing about great progress in the life of individual human beings and societies.
Man has made obvious progress through science without the help of Vaastu-shaastra. "Vaastushaastra" is now being propagated as our great ancestral tradition. It is made out to be scientific in every respect and claims that whoever makes use of it is sure to be successful, healthy, happy and rich'- and is spreading fast in our society.
Now this notion that 'this age old Shaastra is completely scientific' ought to be scrutinized. The key principle of science or scientific outlook is that real knowledge is possible only through the perception by sense organs. On this basis, Scientific Method progressed gradually through the processes of observation, investigation, experiment, inference and conclusion. This method gave us the most reliable means of acquiring knowledge.
Since all progress is made possible by this method, it follows that Vaastushaastra that is claimed to be scientific in all respects, should also be examined like any other scientific fact or construction, applying the criterion of cause-effect relationship. Accepting Vaastushaastra without such examination is inconsistent and dishonest. It means enjoying all the benefits made possible by science and yet adamantly denying science and scientific outlook. Accepting or denying Vaastushaastra is of course a personal matter; but calling it a science is certainly not.
Every one has the right to decide whether it really is a science. Today it is not possible for anyone to deny science, its benefits or its reliability. Being scientific is impressive and prestigious. That is why all these laborious attempts to present Vaastushaastra as a science. Just applying the law of cause effect to this Shaastra of antiquity will not be appropriate. What we need to do is to take into account the conditions in which it was conceived and initiated, viz., the social environment, the every day dealings and practices of the people and their means of livelihood. It would be instructive to apply scientific criteria to this Shaastra keeping its antiquity in mind and then study how it developed.
{slide=Shelter Building}
From the very beginning man has sensed the need for shelter. Not just man, even animals, birds, ants and insects need shelter. Birds build nests; animals choose caves for refuge; ants live in ant-hills; every creature chooses or builds a shelter according to its needs and as per the dictates of its instinctive and inbuilt neural mechanism. Man being a thinking animal however kept on making changes in his shelter in accordance with his changing needs.
The process of improvement in shelters commenced with the shelter building itself. Vaastushaastra-science of shelter building- is not a solely Indian phenomenon. Continuous progress in shelter building is universal and it proceeded in accordance with the needs of the various regions, its climate, its culture, the natural calamities it had to face and such other factors. What we need to keep in mind with reference to India's Vaastushaastra, is the reality of the Aryan invasion and destruction of the native Sandhog culture. Many an advanced culture has been destroyed by an aggressive boorish people in this manner while only a few survived.
{slide=Historical Aspects}
Vaastushaastra, it is said, is a 'science of nature'. And it is not surprising, as all sciences develop as man deliberates on natural events, good or bad that affect human life and hence are related to it. Vaastushaastra gives the utmost importance to the five natural elements, viz., sky, wind, fire and water. But it cannot be accepted as scientific unless it stands the tests of scientific criteria.
But before verifying whether it is a proper science it is necessary to consider the period when it originated and the effects of the events that occurred then. As per the advocates of this Shaastra, it originated during the Vedic period as a few references of it can be found in the Rig-Veda. The original Indus valley inhabitants had well constructed houses and buildings before the Aryan invasion. To dominate over these inhabitants and to establish their own rule the Aryans had to resort to many tactics. Vaastushaastra is one of them. Its foundation is the Yadnya tradition. The Shaastra was developed in the process of building the Yadnya Vedi- the structure built to contain the fire sacrifice. As the Yadnya Institution expanded, it reinforced the Chaturvarnya system and in this process, construction of dwellings became a religious undertaking. This was then associated with awesome mysterious powers that had to be,appeased through religious rituals. These powers were named as Gana, Guru, Sthapati, Agatya, Purush, etc. A few other concepts like Vastupurush Mandal and Vastoshpati were established. A number of other concepts like auspicious-inauspicious, ancestors, Vastupurush, Brahma, Ishwar, Swarga, Moksha, Atma, etc. were spawned by this shaastra.
Very well planned cities existed in the Indus valley prior to the Vedic period as has been proved by several excavations in this region. The period when Vaastushaastra was invented, the social structure of Chaturvarnya engendered by it and the present caste system based on it leads one to infer that Vaastushaastra was one of the devises that was used to firmly entrench the system of Chaturvarnya in society.
{slide=Vedic Knowledge}
The advocates of Vaastushaastra quote a few Sanskrit Shlokas by the Sage Bhrigu and maintain that excellent science of architecture (Vaastushaastra), broad well constructed roads, airplanes, and huge edifices existed during the Vedic Period. One researcher-writer once asked a very pertinent question in this connection. It is difficult to refrain from quoting it. He asks these staunch advocates, 'you claim that we did have in the past airplanes and sophisticated weapons.
Our Vedas had already discovered and invented all possible knowledge and technology. All the western discoveries and inventions are derived from Vedic wisdom. Granted, my friends; but did they invent a bicycle at that time?' The most important doubt that arises here is 'how is it that the excavations undertaken at places like Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Dholveera etc provide ample evidence of the advanced civilization that existed in the pre-Vedic period; while there is no evidence whatsoever of any scientific or technological advances made by Vedic Civilization after the pre-Vedic period?'
Attempts are made to fit this ancient Vaastushaastra into a scientific frame relating phenomena like wind direction, solar energy, gravity, etc., to the eight directions considered quite important to it. This relationship is then used to decide whether things and acts are auspicious or inauspicious; whether they will bring riches and happiness or ruin and worry and whether they will lead to success or failure. In reality, however, no scientific conclusions are in any way related to these concepts of auspiciousness or success and failure.
Since all the above concepts are related to even more incomprehensible concepts like God, Heaven and Hell, Liberation, etc., things are readily accepted forgoing scientific criteria completely. This mentality loses all sense of proportion and objectivity when it comes to admiring our ancient culture. A number of branches of science, like Ayurved, Arithmetic, Metallurgy, Chraksanhita (a book on medicine), Sushruta Sanhita (a book mainly on surgery), including Vaastushaastra were advanced in the ancient past. Those of them that stopped evolving became obsolete. But a few like Ayurveda not only survived for ages but are still making progress. Continuous research is being carried on in it. Vaastushaastra however was not even heard of till about 20 years back. The reason is not difficult to find. With the passage of time, people must have realized that the principles of Vaastushaastra are in no way scientific. The old Shaastra became obsolete and its advocates had to reinvent it within a 'Modern Vaastushaastra' framework.
{slide=Influence of Directions}
As mentioned earlier the influences of all directions are of immense importance in building houses according to Vaastushaastra. They help to assess the effect of climate and to utilize it appropriately. But modern Vaastushaastra that we are analysing seems to focus less on practical utility and more towards scare-mongering with its obscure concepts and the terrible consequences forecast if its prescriptions are not followed. On examining the original Vaastushaastra, the Mayamat, for example, the reader will agree with us. The Mayamata does not even mention earth's magnetic field or the power of the magnetic field to control anybody's future or progress. It only mildly cautions us about the ill effects of not observing the principles of Vaastushaastra in general. The present Vaastushaastra, on the contrary, sternly warns us of terrible consequences like death of sons, penury and total destruction that would follow if the Shaastra is not adhered to. Science cares little about caste or Varna of a person. And attributing different objective outcomes based on "Varnas" can hardly qualify Vaastushaastra as "scientific".
{slide=Bogus Arguments}
Pseudo-sciences like Vaastushaastra utilize scientific terminology to vindicate themselves and engender many fallacies in the minds of gullible people. Even educated intellectuals are fooled by pseudoscientific terminology and ignore the defective foundation on which the whole edifice of Vaastushaastra rests. The basis of this pseudo-science is the eight directions. Now these directions are not born of nature. They are man made.
How can they be auspicious or inauspicious, beneficial or harmful and so on? The earth rotates round itself on its axis from west to East, so that a person standing on the earth and looking towards the sky sees the stars moving from East to west. It is similar to a rotating giant wheel on which we take a ride. When the wheel starts moving we see all that is surrounding us moving in a circle, although every thing else
except us- the riders on the wheel- is stationary. Similarly we see the sun rising in the East and traveling all the way to the west. Where is the propriety, then, in attaching labels like auspicious and inauspicious to the directions and bestow on them virtues or vices? The funniest situation can be noticed in the arctic and Antarctic circles where day and night last for six months. One can see the sun in the dead of the night from 21st March to 23rd September. How can the principles of Vaastushaastra be applied there? What jugglery the poor Vastushastri would require to undertake to adapt its principles to building scientific Igloos there.


text:
Special to the Press Herald
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Streaking toward the basket, Boston Celtics draft pick Fab Melo reached up for teammate Shelvin Mack's pass and in a thundering movement, slammed the ball home for two points.
The statement basket helped carry the Red Claws to a 117-112 NBA Development League victory Sunday over Fort Wayne in a game packed full of Maine highlight moments.
For the first time in franchise history, the Red Claws are 2-0 entering their home opener Friday against the LA D-fenders, the development team of the Los Angeles Lakers, at the Portland Expo. The Red Claws will wear Celtics jerseys for that game.
Mack followed up Melo's slam with a 3-pointer. Then came a slam by Kris Joseph, followed by another basket by Melo. Just like that, the Red Claws were up by 15 points and an Allen County War Memorial Coliseum crowd of 2,229 was silenced.
"The best part is when you've got talented players that are playing together," said Red Claws coach Mike Taylor. "They're really unselfish and they're trying to help each other. They're making plays, they're moving the ball, they're taking good shots."
Among the best Sunday was Micah Downs, a 6-foot-8 forward from Gonzaga who scored a team-high 28 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, just two rebounds short of the franchise record. When the Mad Ants whittled a 16-point deficit to just three in the final minute, Downs hit all four free throws in consecutive possessions to ice the game.
"Micah has been outstanding for us as a player, as a leader," Taylor said. "He did a fantastic job with the Celtics in preseason (camp). He impressed and caught the eyes of all those guys. He came down here and we've had a big role for him playing from day one."
Downs credits his teammates. And one glance at the numbers shows you why. Downs led five starters who all reached double figures in scoring. Three of them scored more than 20: Kris Joseph, a Celtics draft pick from Syracuse, scored 23 and Shelvin Mack had 22. Both Mack and Downs had a game-leading six assists. Chris Wright, a guard, had 15 rebounds.
"We're having a lot of fun," Downs said. "We're moving the ball around, getting guys open, feeding the guy that is hot at the time.
"That's the identity of our team. We have a real unselfish team. We're going to work hard, especially our small, fast lineup out there. It's going to give teams problems. We're just really excited about this year."
In the third quarter alone, when Maine moved ahead by nine points, Downs scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting and had four rebounds.
"He's just playing with a lot of confidence," Taylor said. "He's playing both ends of the floor. He presents a real matchup problem for the opponent because of his athleticism and length and skills. He's had two great games to open up the season."
Joseph, who led the Red Claws with 28 points in their season-opening 123-115 win Friday at Canton, was on fire from the beginning in Fort Wayne. He scored 10 points in the opening quarter, and finished with four assists and two steals to go with his 23 points.
Fort Wayne's Orlando Johnson, a guard on assignment from the Indiana Pacers, scored a game-high 30 points and had a game-high four steals.
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text:
Network: NBC
Episodes: 38 (half-hour)
Seasons: Two
TV show dates: September 22, 2011 — March 27, 2013
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Whitney Cummings, Chris D'Elia, Zoe Lister-Jones, Maulik Pancholy, Rhea Seehorn, and Dan O'Brien.
TV show description:
This multi-camera revolves around Whitney (Whitney Cummings) and Alex (Chris D'Elia), a happily unmarried couple. She's a smart, free-thinking photographer and the product of a divorced home. He's an easygoing, smart guy who sold his Internet company. They've been together for three years but the pair are in no rush to tie the knot, a set-up that gets a mixed response from their friends.
Lily (Zoe Lister-Jones) is a romantic idealist who loves being in love and unapologetically wants to get married to her "perfect man," Neal (Maulik Pancholy). He's a real modern day Renaissance man — a sensitive and cool guy who knows a little bit about everything.
Roxanne (Rhea Seehorn) is a recent divorcee who is practical, cynical and dreading being single again. She's not afraid to speak her mind, but has not given up on love completely. Lily and Roxanne's opposing points of view only exacerbate Whitney's own complicated outlook on relationships.
Whitney and Alex's next-door neighbor, Mark (Dan O'Brien), is a police officer and total bachelor. He claims to be the ultimate player, but mostly likes to talk a good game.
At the end of the day, Whitney and Alex try to have a relationship on their own terms — in a world that expects a much more traditional approach.
Episode #38 — Cake, Cake, Cake
During a casual stroll in the park, Alex and Whitney stumble upon Whitney's therapist eating a full cake by herself. At the bar, Mark notices that RJ is in a great mood, and the gang soon discovers that RJ is dating someone who he really seems to like. RJ refuses to reveal the identity of his new girlfriend, but his offer to hook Mark up on a blind date makes Roxanne jealous.
The next day, Whitney meets with her therapist, Dr. Price, and admits that she saw her in the park eating cake. Dr. Price immediately becomes defensive and quits on the spot. Back at the bar, Mark brings his date to meet the gang. Roxanne's jealousy makes her bitter and rude to Mark's date, and Lily advises her to be nice.
Meanwhile, Whitney complains about her weird therapist and Alex assures her that she doesn't really have any problems anymore. Alex says that, from now on, he'll act as Whitney's therapist. Eventually, he convinces Whitney that she's actually happy now. Whitney decides to invite Dr. Price over to make friends and eat cake, and Whitney and Alex realize that they're incredibly happy.
Mark finally talks to Roxanne about her behavior in the bar. He tells Roxanne that he's only going on dates because Roxanne won't go out with him, and he's tired of wasting time waiting for her. The next day, Roxanne finds Mark in the park and confesses that she's afraid to be in a healthy relationship. Mark and Roxanne finally share a kiss, and she can't contain her excitement.
First aired: March 27, 2013
What do you think? Do you like the Whitney TV series? Are you sorry that it's been cancelled?
Image courtesy NBC.


text:
When I arrived at GRRM's panel on screenwriting today scheduled at 2 pm, I noticed a familiar face sitting next to him at the table. It was like…who the hell is this big guy? I've seen him somewhere before? He has got a beard, some sort of silver hair…maybe another hidden Targaryen? In the next second it was like: OMG It is Kristian Nairn. It is our Hodor! He has arrived at last!
And I can tell you. Kristian is very nice, friendly, a geek himself (as he stated) playing WoW for many years.
It was GRRM, obviously very pleased with Kristian's presence at Octocon, who posed many of the questions to him.
So, I am gonna relate as many answers as I was able to write down. Thankfully, SerMountainGoat from Westeros forums was filming all the session, and promised to upload it on youtube. Yes, I have some pics too. But I must find a way to upload it from the camera.
Well, here is what Kristian has to say about GOT:
First of all, he stated, the sets are unbelievable, he said he has not seen such a thing in his whole life. They shot most of his scenes in the Paint Hall and at Castle Ward so far. He would appear in 5 or 6 episodes, and yes they have been reshooting the pilot scenes with him.
He said he has read only the first book – and that it was amazing, at which point he became kind of red in the face, saying this in front of GRRM.
He pointed out that he was fascinated with kids and how they are bonding together as a real family. There is also a small, funny story involving Kristian, Isaac and Kristian's mobile..
He said Isaac is a fantastic kid – small and light. Then continued "hopefully he would stay that way" – to much laughter. He also described the basket he uses – it is made of leather and it is very well crafted.
He mentioned his Vimeo audition and that he was not very pleased with it himself. We got to that subject, because GRRM himself admitted he had been shocked by it. Positively.
He also described his costume as very simple but very warm, and he has some trouble wearing it under all those lights on set.
It was a very funny moment when somebody asked: Are you afraid of us fans? He answered: Not at all.
GRRM repeated many of the things he already mentioned at Worldcon. Pointed out once again the possibility of making ASOS into two seasons (if we get there) and making all the stuff of AFFC and ADWD all together, not separately.
He mentioned once again his concern with the butterfly effect. And the influence that the series eventually could produce on his writings, he mentioned one character he might change a bit due to that (I think it is Osha).
GRRM also stated that the composer has been picked up but not yet announced.


text:
By MIKEL TOOMBS
Bumper sticker recently spotted in Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood: "FLEE BALLARD." (That car hadn't gotten far.)
No matter how trendy it's become, the venerable once-city is still home to establishments that honor its principally Scandinavian heritage. And one reason to head back to Ballard is the Tractor Tavern, which in April moves beyond its typical Americana fare (oh, there'll be plenty of that) to showcase engagingly quirky (and at times Bjork-y) Icelandic singer Olof Arnalds (April 13). Return four nights later for a trio the club bills as "Swedish hiphop/swing," MOVITS! (whose No. 1 U.S. fan is Stephen Colbert). (You can stream their upcoming album, "Out of my head," at www.ColbertNation.com).
For ticket information about Arnalds' show, click here.
Also on the foreign front, if closer to home, the Tractor presents back-to-back nights of Canadiana with indie rockers The Rural Alberta Advantage April 10 (too bad the band isn't double-billed with The Wilderness of Manitoba) and Gord Downie on April 11.
Downie, frontman for The Tragically Hip, is described as a "lush and charming singer/songwriter," which seems a bit unfair. He may drink a bit, but — oh, I get it.
Getting back to the Tractor's own roots, and of more immediate interest, is the Tuesday date (April 5) for The Baseball Project, a diamond of a supergroup. (And how much more Americana than baseball can you get? None. None more Americana.)
Seattle legends Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck (their band, The Minus 5, is second-billed) are joined by Steve (Dream Syndicate) Wynn (he opens) and Linda (Golden Smog) Pitmon on "The Baseball Project, Volume 2: High and Inside."
The new album, which features guest turns by Craig Finn (The Hold Steady), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab), Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), Ira Kaplan (Yo La Tengo) and Chris Funk and John Moen of The Decemberists, includes titles such as "Chin Music" and "Buckner's Bolero," as well as tributes to the likes of Reggie Jackson ("The Straw That Stirs the Drink"), Mark "The Bird" Fidrych ("1976," his miracle season) and to another Seattle icon, on "Ichiro Goes to the Moon."
Check out this Baseball Project video of "Harvey Haddix."
Follow this link to Arnalds' Web site.
For the complete Tractor Tavern schedule, click here.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Mikel Toombs is a frequent contributor to GeneStout.com. Read his recent story on Lauren Pritchard here.)