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Story highlights
- Contributors weigh in on how the candidates did in the third presidential debate
- Aaron Miller: Obama bested Romney on foreign policy, but economy looms as larger issue
- Timothy Stanley: Debate a draw; Obama won on substance; Romney was presidential
- Donna Brazile: Obama looked presidential; Romney seemed out of his depth
President Barack Obama met his challenger, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, on Monday night at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, for the third of three presidential debates. CNN contributors and analysts offered these assessments of the evening:
Alex Castellanos: Romney shrewdly channeled Clinton
President Obama has squeezed a lot of juice from Bill Clinton. Last night, at the third and final 2012 Presidential Debate, it was Mitt Romney who took a lesson from the talented Arkansas politician.
At the Democratic Convention, Barack Obama borrowed a boatload of political capital from the still popular former-president. Clinton painted Obama as a centrist and reformer who was moving the country forward. He graciously overlooked Obama's record as a big-spender who had revived "the era of big government" that Clinton himself had ended. Last night, however, it was Romney who benefited from Clinton's experience.
I was once among the Republicans who misspent two years trying to stop Bill Clinton from winning re-election. We called Clinton a flip-flopping shape-shifter, opportunistically triangulating towards the center. We expected voters to be horrified that Clinton was "stealing Republican ideas." David Broder called Clinton "a master at such publicly justifiable thievery."
What Republicans faulted as Clinton's inconstancy, however, voters saw as pragmatism. They prized the politician who was responsive. They liked Clinton more when we pointed out he wasn't an ideological extremist but a flexible leader moving toward the middle.
Our attacks conveyed the opposite of our intended message. We were unknowingly telling voters, "You can trust Clinton to do what you want. He's not a radical He's listening to you."
Last night, I heard similar cries of frustration from the Obama camp. "Romney is agreeing with Obama too much." "Romney almost endorsed Obama."
Good luck with that, my Democratic friends. Now you are saying that the guy you've spent millions labeling a zealot and clone of George Bush is too practical, pragmatic and centrist?
Obama won the final debate on points but Romney grew, too. He passed the Commander in Chief test. We saw a credible replacement for this President.
The fundamentals remain unchanged: This country believes it is on the wrong track. It wants a new direction. Mitt Romney has become an acceptable alternative. Last night his strategy was to make change safe. He did.
The Mitt Romney I know is a severely conservative man whose principles are grounded in his faith and his family. That core is surrounded by a practical, pragmatic businessman who fixes things others can't.
Live by the Clinton, die by the Clinton.
Alex Castellanos, a CNN contributor, is a Republican consultant and the co-founder of Purple Strategies. Follow him on Twitter: @alexcast
John Avlon: Romney on the ropes
Obama won the third and final debate with a strong and decisive performance that left Romney on the ropes. But clear victories in the second and third debates won't entirely undo the damage the president did himself in the first debate, which reignited this race.
Romney's debate orders seem to have been "do no harm" -- and so he tried hard not to offend, embracing the Obama administration on issues ranging from the Afghanistan surge and 2014 withdrawal date to the success of the Iran sanctions despite months of dire saber-rattling rhetoric. At the same time, Romney seemed careful to distance himself from the Bush administration's unilateral approach, leaving neocons frustrated and searching for specifics. This was Romney as a multilateral internationalist, looking to the United Nations in search of peace and distancing himself from pre-emptive action.
The problem, of course, is that this version Romney is sharply at odds with the Romney we've seen running for president over the past five years. He's hoping that detail won't distract from his appeal. There is no logical connection between the before and after policies except Romney's consistent ambition and willingness to say whatever is necessary at any given juncture to achieve the presidency. He seemed confused at times trying to explain the contradictions.
Obama, on the other hand, showed up feisty and ready to fight, turning his attention to Romney and drawing quick and clear contrasts -- precisely the moves that were missing in the first devastating debate.
Obama was almost hawkish in comparison to Romney, who was busy trying to secure his internationalist bona fides. Foreign policy has been an unexpected area of success for the president, and he consistently showed his assuredness, chiding Romney for a lack of consistency that he said would send mixed signals to our allies and enemies alike.
Romney's repeated agreement with Obama strategies when pressed for specifics only added credibility to the claims. Specific solutions are not Mitt's metier -- especially when asked excellent questions by moderator Bob Schieffer, such as how he intended to pay for his stated $2 trillion increase in military spending (which would erase all the deficit reduction details he has proposed).
Both candidates constantly tried to veer off topic in an attempt to talk about the economy and domestic policy whenever possible.
Obama's obviously coached returns to a call for "nation-building at home" must poll particularly well. But the absence of any defenders of the Bush doctrine just four years after it ruled the world spoke to something like a consensus -- those policies did not leave the country longing for a return.
And Obama's record in winding down two polarizing wars and ratcheting up the pressure on al Qaeda with deadly surgical strikes that killed bin Laden and others has proven both less costly and more effective. He made that case in clear, compelling and unflinching terms in the third and final debate. At least in terms of belated agreement from Romney, it is a policy debate Obama seems to have won on substance.
John Avlon is a CNN contributor and senior political columnist for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. He is co-editor of the book "Deadline Artists: America's Greatest Newspaper Columns." He is a regular contributor to "Erin Burnett OutFront" and is a member of the OutFront Political Strike Team.
Aaron David Miller: Will Obama's greater command move needle?
The president slept through the first debate, and Mitt Romney creamed him; Obama bested Romney in the second; and in the third, the president demonstrated a much greater command of the material and the stage.
But it's not entirely clear it's going to matter. Forget the meat of foreign policy. Romney did two things that will help his case. He offered the prospect of safe change if he is elected and was presidential enough on foreign policy, an issue that had played to the president's strength.
Appearance: Unlike in the first and even second debates, where Romney seemed confident and forceful, he seemed ill at ease, indeed somewhat nervous and out of sorts. The split screen is a killer, and the expression on the governor's face was somewhere between queasy and retiring -- it didn't suggest confidence and authority.
Obama by contrast was comfortable, forceful and commanding, at times aggressive. Still, if Romney was trying to soften his image and convince independents that he wasn't going to conduct a martial foreign policy, his less aggressive, retiring, lower-key manner may have helped
On the question of what Romney would have done differently than the president: This was potentially Romney's greatest source of strength and weakness. And it turned out to be the latter. Instead of identifying real areas of vulnerability, Romney failed to make the case that his policies on Syria, Iran, even Israel would be substantially different. Still, if the goal was to offer up moderate, centrist foreign policies to reassure independents, he may have scored a few points.
In the end, foreign policy doesn't matter: The chattering classes notwithstanding, this election will be decided not by Libya or Iran but by which candidate is perceived to be able to turn the economy around.
Obama won the debate hands down on substance, but it's not at all clear he won the politics. The next two weeks will tell.
Aaron David Miller, vice president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, was a Middle East negotiator in Democratic and Republican administrations. Follow him on Twitter.
Frida Ghitis: Romney echoed Obama policies
Those who specialize in measuring a debate's impact on voters will look for clues about who gained the most from the latest debate. For those of us looking for the foreign policy views of the candidates, the Boca Raton joust confirmed what we suspected for many months. The similarities greatly outweigh the differences. On foreign affairs, the election is not a Gore-Bush, or a Bush-Kerry contest, in which American policies would have experienced significantly different outcomes after the election.
The two candidates agree on most of the major issues facing the country in the world's hot spots. This reflects the fact that the choices are difficult, and they will be for whoever is sworn in next January, and America's interests and priorities will not change significantly after the election.
The major contrast is not in the specifics but in the way the two portray each other and, potentially, the way each would walk on the world stage. Romney says Obama has made America appear weak. But once in office he will find the same obstacles to American power.
Romney agreed with Obama's decision to abandon former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. He supported the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, and the candidates fought each other over which one is more supportive of Israel. On Iraq, Obama accused Romney of wanting to keep troops in Iraq, when, in fact, Obama also wanted to keep a residual force.
Obama got in some hashtag-worthy zingers, most notably when he mocked Romney's contention that the U.S. Navy has shrunk. The president shot back that "we also have fewer horses and bayonets. ... We have these things called aircraft carriers." Romney tried to get Obama on lack of "backbone," calling him out on his comment, caught on an open mic, that he would "have more flexibility" in dealing with Russia after the election.
It's no wonder the debate seemed to veer away from foreign policy, back to the familiar territory of economics, where the distinctions are sharp and the potential for harvesting more votes is greater.
Frida Ghitis is a world affairs columnist for The Miami Herald and World Politics Review. A former CNN producer and correspondent, she is the author of "The End of Revolution: A Changing World in the Age of Live Television." Follow her on Twitter: @FridaGColumns.
Shadi Hamid: Discussion of Middle East would leave Arabs confused
This debate, if nothing else, showed us that U.S. discourse on the Middle East has little relation to how Arabs see their own region. I joked on Twitter that if you had a split screen of randomly selected Arabs watching, they'd probably be beyond confusion. To begin with, Romney's foreign policy message crumbled under the weight of its own contradictions.
In his October 8 speech on the Middle East, he echoed the Bush "freedom agenda" in calling for a more proactive approach to democracy promotion. But his first response on the Arab Spring suggested an exclusively security-oriented approach, with a region reduced to violence, terrorism and "tumult." He cited the free election of an Islamist president in Egypt as an example of the "dramatic reversal in the kind of hopes we had."
Republicans and neoconservatives, to their credit, once prioritized democracy promotion. But the fact that Islamist parties tend to win free elections has rendered "neoconservatism" incoherent. It is simply impossible to support democracy, on one hand, and oppose the rise of Islamists on the other.
For his part, Obama was steady and in command for the entirety of the discussion. Perhaps this means he "won." However, no grand vision or fundamental rethinking of priorities and assumptions was offered. Of course, that's not necessarily what televised debates are for. But the almost unanimous bipartisan support for drone attacks -- with no mention of the cost in innocent lives or how they turn Arabs and Muslims against us -- is a sign of a constrained and shortsighted foreign policy discourse.
The discussions on Iran and Israel were predictable, with little of note being offered. There was no real discussion of how to make progress on Arab-Israeli peace, a long-term powder keg if there ever was one. Romney, meanwhile, attacked Obama for "apologizing" to the Muslim world. Obama vehemently denied this. In a different world, he would have said that there is, in principle, nothing wrong with apologizing, particularly if you have something to apologize for. In a different world, an admission of past failures -- and how to avoid them in the future -- would be a sign not of weakness but of strength. But that, for now at least, is not the world we live in.
Shadi Hamid is director of research at the Brookings Doha Center and a fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.
Will Cain: Romney lost the debate, but won the debates
Unwilling to disagree from the left, unable to find meaningful disagreement to the right, Mitt Romney chose to agree with President Barack Obama on Monday night. In the process he lost the debate, but not the debates.
Eighty percent of the available criticism of Obama's foreign policy existed to the left of the president. Romney, though, was not going to question Obama over the due process rights of American citizens targeted for assassination, such as Anwar al-Awlaki. Romney was not going to call Libya an illegal war by pointing out the lack of congressional approval for military intervention.
Interestingly, though, Romney did not try to fit himself into the 15-20 percent of available space to the right of Obama either. He didn't question Obama about the administration's explanations for the attacks in Benghazi. He didn't criticize the numerous national security leaks from Stuxnet to kill lists.
Instead, Romney chose to position himself alongside Obama. He chose agreement. I'm sure this was a calculated move. Romney traded aggressiveness for likeability. Understanding that aggressively criticizing the commander-in-chief on foreign policy can appear can appear unseemly, Romney chose to rest on the points he scored in the first debate and bracket that performance with likability in the final debate.
As a result, he lost Monday night. But he was the clear winner of the debate season.
We'll see if that translates into being the winner of the election season.
Will Cain is an analyst for The Blaze and a CNN contributor.
Timothy Stanley: A debate draw, but Romney looked presidential
Nobody won Monday night's contest on points. In fact, but for a couple of confrontations over aircraft carriers and apology tours, it was rather a dull debate. Both candidates felt well-to-over-prepared, and they actually agreed on a great deal. Given that Obama has abandoned his anti-war stance of the 2008 primaries, and Romney seems desperate to dump the GOP's neoconservative image, they met in the middle on drone strikes, when to leave Afghanistan, whether or not to defend Israel in the event of a war, etc.
It left this viewer imagining what other, more philosophically colorful candidates would have said in their place. Ron Paul vs. Obama would have been a real debate, whereas Michele Bachmann might have laid out a foreign policy manifesto based on the Book of Revelation. As for Newt Gingrich ... the moon would be militarized by May 2013.
If on substance it was a draw, on style it was a Romney victory. Foreign policy debates aren't about specifics -- they're about appearing statesmanlike. Obama already has that in his pocket because he's president. So Monday evening was Romney's turn to appear cool, rational and likely to make the right decisions. And he did.
By contrast, the president got a nasty case of the Bidens and smirked or twitched his way through many of Romney's answers. Everyone will be talking about the "horses and bayonets" moment in the morning because it was the most interesting point of the debate. But it wasn't the win that the president probably thought it was: Obama's slap-down came off on camera as patronizing and inappropriate. By contrast, Romney kept calm and looked like a president. In his closing statement, there was even a ghost of Reagan about him. Round three to the Republican.
Timothy Stanley is a historian at Oxford University and blogs for Britain's The Daily Telegraph. He is the author of "The Crusader: The Life and Times of Pat Buchanan."
Donna Brazile: With horses, bayonets and a record, Obama prevails
First, these debates need more women moderators, or men who learn from them. (Fact-checking should also be part of the resume.)
On all the substantive issues -- the Middle East, al Qaeda, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan -- Romney either agreed with the president (only louder), thus flipping from his "severely conservative" stage, or he repeated discredited bromides and platitudes.
Romney was -- and looked -- out of his element, sounding like he'd just crammed for a geography exam. Obama sounded -- presidential. He has the record, the command of foreign policy issues and a clear vision. And yes, the president got Osama bin Laden.
In sports, every game has one or two turning points. In this debate there were three.
When Romney claimed the Navy had fewer ships than at any time since 1916, Obama shot back, "We also have fewer horses and bayonets. ... The question is not a game of Battleship where we're counting ships. It's -- it's what are our capabilities."
"Horses and bayonets" may rival binders full of women on Twitter.
When Romney brought up the trade imbalance and jobs being shipped overseas, Obama responded, "Well, Gov. Romney's right, you are familiar with jobs being shipped overseas because you invested in companies that were shipping jobs overseas."
And when Romney brought up the "dog-whistle" apology tour nonsense, saying the president skipped Israel in his visit to the Middle East, Obama responded: "When I went to Israel as a candidate, I didn't attend fund-raisers. I went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum there, to remind myself (of) the nature of evil and why our bond with Israel will be unbreakable."
These weren't just zingers. These were the epigrams of the debate -- and the campaign.
Donna Brazile, a CNN contributor and a Democratic strategist, is vice chairwoman for voter registration and participation at the Democratic National Committee. She is a nationally syndicated columnist, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and author of "Cooking With Grease." She was manager for the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign in 2000.
Julian Zelizer: Partisanship in small differences
The debate was a challenge for both candidates as Romney and Obama had to highlight the differences between their foreign policy agendas, even though the gaps between them are not as great as their supporters suggest.
In many respects, both candidates live under the shadow of President George W. Bush and have embraced much of the broad outlines of his war on terrorism.
But, as the debate demonstrated, we should not underestimate how intense the partisan battles can be even when the actual policy differences are not grand.
In an odd reversal of the politics of post-9/11, Romney spent much of his time trying to turn the tables on the White House by saying that the United States can't kill its way out of "this mess" and that it needs to work on turning people away from Islamic extremism. He talked about investment, economic development, education, gender equality and creating civil societies, rather than about war.
In contrast, Obama focused on having decimated al Qaeda and bringing two wars to an end. More important, however, his goal was to make Romney look inexperienced and incapable of handling this role, raising questions about his competence by referring to statements such as the one he made over the threat of Russia. He also hammered away at another theme, clarity versus flip-flops, when he said, "You are all over the map," in hopes of contrasting his vision with, what he says, is Romney's muddle.
But perhaps the most revealing part of the night was how quickly both men turned away from foreign policy altogether. Understanding that Americans are worried about their pocketbooks, Romney and Obama took every opportunity possible to turn the discussion back to domestic issues, ranging from jobs to health care to education to the deficit. "Let me get back to foreign policy," said moderator Bob Schieffer in frustration.
Julian Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of "Jimmy Carter" and of the new book "Governing America."
Ruben Navarrette Jr.: Obama schools Romney on foreign policy
Romney forgot the first rule of presidential politics, and he paid dearly for it: "Don't try to argue foreign policy with a commander in chief." Chances are, he gets better briefings than you.
Especially when, up to this point, your diplomatic experience, as governor of the Bay State, is limited to having kept the peace between Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Score one for Obama, who took his Republican challenger to school -- foreign policy school -- during Monday's debate, the last matchup of the 2012 election.
Romney was right that "attacking me is not an agenda," but it sure was effective.
It's been clear for some time that Obama doesn't know that much about foreign affairs. But the good news for Democrats is that, as little as Obama knows about the world, Romney apparently knows less. He all but advertised that fact when he abruptly steered the conversation back to where he feels comfortable: the economy, jobs and the national debt.
Romney did a few things right, including inserting Latin America into the conversation. It's stunning that moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS -- who said he had come up with the questions himself and touched on Syria, Iran, Russia, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other corners of the globe -- couldn't come up with a single question about what is going on in our own backyard.
But Romney blew it by deferring too much to Obama and essentially adopting the president's foreign policy as his own.
Meanwhile, Obama was focused and on message. He kept drilling away at the charge that Romney was "all over the map" with his foreign policy views, and that this confused our allies and emboldened our enemies.
Being commander in chief isn't a job you can prepare for. You learn on the job. Ask George W. Bush, who grew into the role nicely after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Obama grew in office as well, and he used Monday's debate to show us all how much.
The knockout punch came with this devastating line, delivered by the president unto his challenger: "I know that you haven't been in a position to execute foreign policy, but every time you've offered a position, you've been wrong. ..."
Ouch. That's going to leave a mark.
Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a CNN contributor and a nationally syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group. Follow him on Twitter: @rubennavarrette.
LZ Granderson: Obama punches connected; Romney showed the stress
I feel bad for Sen. Rob Portman.
There he was, Romney's debate-prep sparring partner, being interviewed by CNN's John Acosta not long after the debate, trying to convince himself as much as the viewers that Romney had a good night.
Anyone who watched the final debate could see that Romney -- who at times was sweating under the pressure -- did not have a good night. By the time Obama said "horses," "bayonets" and "Battleship" it was over.
Romney looked inexperienced, naive and because he agreed so much with the president -- subservient to a degree. He looked like a challenger, not a president. Obama did a very good job of reminding voters of Romney's flip-flopping, the fact that he's been wrong on so many foreign policy issues as a candidate and the manner in which he turned his back on the auto industry.
That last part is important because of the importance of Michigan and Ohio in the race to 270. If any two states understand the importance of the auto bailouts and what Romney said about them, it's those two. Romney may be able to whitewash the history that is being read by the 48 other states, but those two remember.
Romney was born in Detroit but he's not a son of Detroit. Sons come home and visit family -- most of Romney's campaign stops in Michigan are in rich suburbs away from Detroit. Sons take care of family -- not write op-eds suggesting the city where they were born should be allowed to suffer. Sons do not struggle to find support at home -- Romney is not only trailing in Michigan, where he was born, but also in Massachusetts, where he was governor.
And speaking of Massachusetts, Obama reminded voters that the state was 48th in small business development when Romney -- the great job creator -- was governor. The president landed numerous factual jabs on Romney's jaw, and the counterpunches we expected to be thrown by Romney -- specifically Benghazi, Libya -- were never thrown.
Who knows?
But what is known is the president lost the first debate by a landslide and has won the last two debates comfortably. The impact on the race to the White House is still a mystery -- much like Romney's core beliefs.
LZ Granderson, who writes a weekly column for CNN.com, was named journalist of the year by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and is a 2011 Online Journalism Award finalist for commentary. He is a senior writer and columnist for ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter: @locs_n_laughs
Bob Greene: Now, on to the bumpy finish
"The clock is ticking."
With 38 minutes remaining in Monday night's debate, Obama spoke those words.
His context was Iran. But he might as well have been talking about those 38 minutes until, finally, the debates of the 2012 presidential campaign would be over.
There have been 24 of them, if you include the debates from the Republican primary (and 31, if you count the forums that weren't technically counted as debates). "We have come to the end," moderator Bob Schieffer said as he invited Obama and Romney to give their closing statements. You could almost see the relief in the candidates' eyes.
From now on, for the two weeks until Election Day, they won't have to answer many questions, certainly not in a formal setting. The two men won't even have to look at each other. ("Good to see you. Good to see you again," they had said at the beginning of Monday night's proceedings, as if they meant it.) They, and their commercials, will be able to make whatever points their campaigns feel will be most effective, without worrying about an instant rebuttal or interruption from the guy a few feet away.
That split screen that you saw -- Romney on one side, Obama on the other? These do not appear to be men who desire to share a screen, or a stage, with anyone. At its core, the next two weeks will be about each man trying to erase the line in the middle of the screen and take the entirety of it for himself.
"That brings an end to this year's debates," Schieffer said after the closing statements. The unspoken message to the audience, and the nation:
"Ladies and gentlemen, as we start our descent, please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position. Make sure your seat belt is securely fastened and all carry-on luggage is stowed underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. ..."
It's going to get a little bumpy. This campaign, at long last, is coming in for a landing.


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|2011-03-24, 06:34
|Link #202
Criminal Unrequitor
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jul 2010
But seriously 60, 000 pre orders... well that's just crazy. If it does happen I will clap.
|2011-03-24, 06:39
|Link #203
I kill you
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: In your brain
but Gainax couldn't
|2011-03-24, 07:16
|Link #205
Criminal Unrequitor
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jul 2010
Though there is the word "slight" since Bakemonogatari did earn a lot yet they're still understaffed. Or are they? I think SHAFT does prefer a small number of people. I doubt the scheduling issues will improve though.
|2011-03-25, 15:08
|Link #206
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Age: 26
My list from somewhere else:
STEINS;GATE - Being a Nitro+ title I'll be following this one with calculated anticipation. Here's hoping it doesn't go the way of its predecessor, which I frankly found shallow and pretentious even in its original form. I haven't read STEINS;GATE but the visuals of the game look appealing and it's nice to see they've been translated somewhat well into the anime.
AnoHana - A-1 has a good rep with me and the PV only reinforced my desire to watch this one. It looks like this will be my drama fix of the season.
Hanasaku Iroha - Screw Nichijou and A-channel, this is how I like my slice of lifes. Casual, believable and gorgeous.
C - Why the hell not? Not even Fractale's underwhelming run will dampen my enthusiasm for noitaminA.
Maria Holic and Denpa Onna - SHAFT comedy is hit and miss. All I know is that I didn't much like the first season of the former and the later has a premise that can only be extreme parody in the hands of SHAFT.
Moshidora - Will watch
Kampfer - Hell yes.
Hidan no Aria - Dear J.C. Staff: I've seen this one already. Making it half a dozen more times won't make it more interesting.
I'll definitely be watching more as my life semester ends and time allows.
|2011-03-25, 16:00
|Link #207
Part-time Warrior
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: First star to the left, you should go there sometime.
Really looking forward to:
Steins;Gate: Cuz I'm a sucker for sci fi
C: Not sure why, but the PVs convinced me it should be worth the watch.
AnoHana: Looks like it could be a really good drama & tear jerker.
Might check out:
Mashidora: I'm not really into sports series, but it looks like it could be a really inspiring show.
TWOGKII: Enjoyed the manga.
Sket Dance: Funny as heck, that's why.
Hidan No Aria: Tbh honest idk, but its so hard to ignore.
Dennpa Onna: Due to no trailers or PVs yet I can't say for sure, but a lot people think it should be good.
Last edited by Student no.0; 2011-03-28 at 15:02.
|2011-03-25, 16:55
|Link #208
Lets be reality
Join Date: May 2007
|2011-03-26, 04:08
|Link #209
I kill you
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: In your brain
^ That's why it is 'slight' possibility. u.u~~ Scheduling will never improve, I guess.
(but might get more staffs since they get mor money?... if you go to shaft, u work 24 hours a day)
|2011-03-26, 11:14
|Link #211
Prefectural Magical Girl
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Paris, France
|2011-03-27, 22:28
|Link #212
Che! Che! Che!
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Brazil
Age: 28
Next season is actually shaping up to be quite decent, at least in my book. Let's see, then, shall we?
Definitely watching:
Steins;Gate - Arguably, I did not enjoy the Chaos;HEAd novel, but I still think it had a lot of potential due to its setting. What killed it for me was just how boring and incredibly annoying Takumi was as a protagonist, and just that was enough to drag the whole experience down. I hear from two friends of mine that the characters in Steins;Gate are all much more interesting, and coupling that with the relatively solid staff and 2 cour running length, my expectations are very high. Plus, the whole time travel thing is always a theme I enjoy, so there's hardly anything to go wrong here. The trailer is looking really nice, as well, with Takeshi Abo's music fitting perfectly. Overall, my most anticipated series.
Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera - The sheer fact it's based on one of the best regarded Go Nagai's manga in Japan is enough of a catch already, but I'm just loving those character designs. They are a very good example of how to portray a classic style in a modern day series. The trailer also looked like loads of fun, and from those two minutes I got the impression I'll be loving the interactions between Enma and Yukiko, who seem to have a very nice chemistry going on. Last but not least, production seemed to be pretty good, and we're even getting a Masaaki Endoh OP song. Do I need to go on? Clearly not! Too many good things to list so far, haha.
C - I am still not completely sold on it, due to my overall dislike towards Trapeze. It wasn't a bad series, but I found that Nakamura went a bit too far with the visual gimmicks, and in the end it did more harm than good overall. Thankfully, it seems like C is back to being different yet good looking, and while the story hardly tells me anything by now aside from 'intriguing', Nakamura's involvement is enough of a reason to at least check it out. On an unrelated note, I hope Iwasaki drops the rap for this, because it was cool in Gurren-Lagann, but by now I'd like to hear some more classical Iwasaki pieces.
Blue Exorcist - I am a shounen junkie. Really. The problem is that only rarely do I find titles which seem interesting enough to hold my attention. So far, though, the promotional material for Exorcist is doing its job well enough, and the Nichigo + Okamura combo makes me curious to see what exactly will be coming out of here. A-1's involvement with a good staff makes me think that it will be a well animated series, too, and if the action is well handled that's halfway there for an enjoyable shounen battle show.
Checking out, probably will watch a few episodes at least:
Maria+Holic Alive - Yet another one of those SHAFT / Shinbo comedies. At this point I understand all the criticism that they get from people, but it doesn't mean I agree with it -- I still find shows such as Arakawa and M+H to pack enough funny jokes every once in a while and as such I see no reason to ignore them. No matter how repetitive it may be, in the end Maria is still one ofthe few comedy shows which make me laugh on a regular basis, so... count me in for more lesbian harassment and traps. And boy, somewhat unrelated but I am dying to check the new M+H OP. Here's hoping it turns out to be as good as the first season's, because the animation sequence is still one of my favourite OPs of all time. And Hanaji went well with it, to boot!
Deadman Wonderland - Been hearing a lot of buzz about this one in the last few weeks, and upon further inspection it seems awfully interesting. My only fear is that the unexperienced director along with manglobe might not be the perfect recipe for a good adaptation. That and the censorship, since I hear things can get pretty brutal in the manga.
Other things
TIGER & BUNNY - After reading the synopsis, I've concluded that this duo only reminds me of that movie, "Showtime", which featured two completely different cops (played by Robert de Niro and Eddie Murphy, iirc) trying to get along with each other in a way that wouldn't compromise their job. The chemistry between the two was great, and if TIGER & BUNNY can do something in that line, it could be pretty funny. The downside so far is the whole cheap 3D CGI look. Not really liking it.
Because I just have to:
Lotte no Omocha! - Seriously, I'm going to give this one episode simply because of the whole semen stuff. It must be Japan's best (worst?) attempt at shocking me, and after hearing that the Naoya guy is apparently well over his 20s, I just cannot wait to see how wrong a story about a 10 year old succubus who needs semen to live will be. I am an evil person.
Last edited by Blue-kun; 2011-03-30 at 13:37.
|2011-03-28, 20:54
|Link #213
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Age: 24
Don't know if any of you know, but 4kids has been streaming most of the CR anime, so it wouldn't come as a surprise if this Thurday, 4kids announces this all. Using CR is a great way to fans like us to watch our show the way we want, while also having the dub to fall back on.
This isn't confirmed yet though, but the PV is subbed.
|2011-03-28, 22:10
|Link #214
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Adelaide
Age: 30
There's only 11 spaces left on their lineup page yet their are 18+ pages for spring shows.
Last season people were able to work out the shows they had largely ahead of time so they're probably trying to take people off the scent.
|2011-03-28, 22:37
|Link #215
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Age: 24
A CR member doubts the whole 11 thing, and also says the decoy pages concept is probably not used this time around.
Personally, why would they go through all that? Especially with such an owned property such as Yugioh? To even have the PV up online, NAS would have their heads if they weren't doing it.
|2011-04-03, 17:46
|Link #217
The Voice of Reason
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: The Netherlands
Age: 41
My picks:
- Ao no Exorcist
- Lotte no Omocha
- Deadman Wonderland
- Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko
- Dog Days
- Hanasaku Iroha
- Hen Zemi
- Hidan no Aria
- Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi
- The World God Only Knows 2
- Moshidora
- MariaHolic;Alive
- Nichijou
- Steins;Gate
The SHAFT shows are the ones I'm most interested in (MH2 is guaranteed to be good, as the first season was awesome). I hope TWGOK2 gets better than S1, which failed to truly impress me. Nichijou, because it's KyoAni, Hidan no Aria because of lolis with guns (and Rie Kugimiya voicing one) and others I picked either out of curiosity or a cast with (somewhat) big names.
How many of these I'll still be watching after the first ep remains to be seen, though...
|2011-04-03, 18:25
|Link #218
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: United States of America
Age: 26
"Young animator training project" dished out two godly episodes thus far so I am freaking watching the rest. Why isn't there a thread for it btw?
As for the rest... will watch an episode or two of all and decide which ones to watch. For now, the expectations are quite high with Steins;Gate, Showa Monogatari, Ao No Exorcist, Nichijou, Dog days and Hana Saku Iroha. Fingers crossed.
|2011-04-04, 01:20
|Link #219
#1 Akashiya Moka Fan
I still have plenty of anime to burn through on my HD and external, so what I'll probably be obtaining and watching later:
Ao no Exorcist
Hyouge mono
Dog days
30 year old
normally, I'd also have Qwaser and Kaminomi on this as well but... I need to watch the first seasons of both
some that are possibilities, but aren't 100% sure about:
Deadman wonderland (need to read the manga first before I decide yay or nay)
Oretachi (for some reason, it's giving off a sad/tragic vibe, and outside some exceptions, I don't like that kind of stuff... but the art looks good)
Maria Holic (need to watch the first season)
sket dance
and I also confess that Sengoku otome almost had me, with the "assets" that it'll have... but ever since Ikki tousen, I find shows that replace the old warlords with cute females to be a huge turn-off, even with improvements like Koihime Musou. I think it's because it destroys what sounds like should be a GAR anime... hell, it seems like a like of anime is lacking the GAR factor these days(I personally blame the goddamned moe-taku that KyoAni helped to create)
|season, series
|Thread Tools

subset: commoncrawl


text:
LETTER- A simulacrum of a column
This week's "On The Block" column ["Wayland's Grant: At home in the faux '50s"] could more aptly be named "On The Chopping Block." Lynn Jo Jameson's disparaging attack of Wayland's Grant seems a personal sore point and is far from accurate.
As a resident of this truly wonderful and unique new subdivision, I would like to point out a few of Wayland's Grant's numerous strengths. We are a front porch community where impromptu or planned gatherings are frequent. Privacy is greatly respected, yet if people choose to make themselves available, they will find any socialization they desire. We are a diverse neighborhood that includes retirees, singles, DINKs [double-income, no kids] and families of various sizes and ages.
Wayland's Grant is home to teachers, doctors, nurses, UVA bigwigs, a senatorial candidate, a policeman, and at least five realtors and three builders (surely their perceived value cannot all be wrong). Residents are from around the world; some were raised in Crozet and the Charlottesville area.
To my knowledge, we have never had an instance of any type of crime. We have sidewalks and nature trails that offer easy access to other subdivisions and to Mint Springs. Should anyone need a cup of sugar, pet sitter, exercise partner, or ride to work, neighbors are more than happy to lend a hand; we do rely on and look out for each other. Play dates and babysitters abound; the older kids gather for flashlight tag after dusk and walk or ride their bikes to the library and Dairy Queen.
Your writer describes us as a faux '50's community. I disagree. Residents and guests alike frequently remark that we are an enviable community reminiscent of an era gone by. She indicates our New Urbanism should take its cues from Old Urbanism and be closer to Crozet. How that would be possible I cannot determine, yet in 50 years, I believe we will be as much a central part of the community as '50's homes are now.
No one enjoys the subdividing of America, but Jameson fails to acknowledge that '50s houses were once new construction too; this is not a new phenomenon or point of conflict. I'm proud of my neighborhood. It does not fail, as Jameson asserts.
Chris and Angie's house (of course I know the homeowners) deserved an unbiased review, and I feel they are entitled to an apology for the spiteful opinions and falsehoods. This column seems the wrong forum for battling suburban growth.
Jameson's opinions and writing are a simulacrum of professional journalism– to use her own condescending verbiage. What was she implying by connecting Wayland's Grant with Desperate Housewives and the tag line "All is not as it seems?" If a TV comparison was necessary, Cheers– "Where everybody knows your name"– is more appropriate.
And did she really think that your readers who know what simulacrum means are viewers of Desperate Housewives?
Ellen Wilson
Wayland's Grant


text:
Future Park I - Teach Me to Disappear
Future Park I - Teach Me to Disappear ,
Paul Elliman & Nicole Macdonald, Paul Elliman, Jozef van der Heijden,Project 29 Aug 2010-03 Oct 2010
Opening: Saturday 28 August 2010 17.00-21.00
Park Talk I - 'One evening for pleasure'* Saturday 28 Augustus
Lecture by Robin Boyle (18.00-19.00)
Guided tour to Utrecht parks (19.00-20.30)
Reading 'Detroit My Wilderness' with Paul Elliman**
12 September 14.00-16.00
Park Talk II - Sjanghaipark***
Saturday 25 September, 14.00-15.30
Park Talk III – Cryptoforests****
Sunday 3 October 15.00-17.00
Please RSVP to email@example.com if you would like to join a Park Talk.
Future Park is a two-part project involving a series of events that explore the instrumentality of urban parks in relation to social policy and the shifting economic, political and cultural structure to imagine a post-capitalist city. The first is a project titled 'Teach Me to Disappear' by Paul Elliman and Nicole Macdonald.
Paul Elliman is an inquisitive collector and researcher of the various unclaimed languages and signs that may unintentionally and consequently form from man-made industrial and post-industrial systems. This includes the transformation of found industrial debris – the 'ruins of empire' as Elliman refers to them – into an endless font of typographical characters; or the sounds of emergency vehicles and traffic horns recovered by the human voice in sudden blasts of operatic siren mimicry. If it is our common language that defines the current social relations, what we are, and the systems within which we operate (Ivan Illich), it seems to be Paul Elliman's work to seek another language to communicate with: a form of urban phenology, part 'natural' and part industrial, that almost requires us human beings to become another kind of species.
In the new project 'Teach Me to Disappear', Paul Elliman takes this enquiry further by focusing on Detroit in close collaboration with local artist and filmmaker Nicole Macdonald. Detroit is an archetypal post-industrial city with a crumbling infrastructure and dramatically decreasing population. Whilst many take a disquieting view of the city, Detroit urbanist Robin Boyle argues that it is a place 'where a model of open spaces or, to use a term that comes up a lot here in Detroit, the urban prairie, starts to come into play.' From a shared standpoint, Paul Elliman and Nicole Macdonald look into Detroit's abandoned Belle Isle Zoo, situated on the largest city island park in America, designed by the renowned NY Central Park-landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The closure of the zoo may be a typical symptom of the continued decline of Detroit through the loss of its public funds and amenities. However, Elliman and Macdonald entered the zoo not simply to witness the failure of a civilization in its state of ruin, but to encounter an abundant eco-system of flora and fauna that has since evolved there.
Populated with all sorts of animal families (like possums, shrews, snakes, voles, chipmunks, pipistrelles and other bats, red, grey and black squirrels, raccoons that swing through the trees, and a family of foxes that have made their home in the former lion's enclosure) as well as an impressive range of bird species (from elegant grey catbirds, indigo buntings, red cardinals and blue jays, orioles, goldfinches, chickadees, thrashers and nuthatches to a variety of thrushes, woodpeckers and warblers as well as red-tailed hawks and the endangered peregrine falcons), here is a section of Detroit thriving in the secret wilderness that has replaced the public pleasure park. Elliman and Macdonald have set out to document the various calls, gestures, signals and songs of the former zoo's current inhabitants, residing and resounding freely in the dense, jungle-like overgrowth of the city's collapsing infrastructure. These are to be presented at Casco in the form of audio and video recordings, alongside several other references to the location and its inhabitants. Casco sets out to become a field trip camp from where a new urban language can be experienced, and where a city of "neo-liberal frustration", in fact, provides many constructive examples from which to imagine the future of our own cities, intertwined as they inevitably are within dramatically changing economic and environmental conditions.
Paul Elliman (1961, UK) is a London-based artist and researcher whose practice often focuses on aspects of graphic design. He has exhibited widely in venues such as Tate Modern in London, the New Museum for Contemporary Art in New York, APAP in Anyang, South Korea, and Kunsthalle Basel and recently participated in the New York biennial Performa09. Elliman is also visiting critic at Yale University School of Art, New Haven, and a thesis supervisor at the Werkplaats Typografie in Arnhem, Netherlands
Nicole Macdonald (1980, USA) is an artist, activist and filmmaker from Detroit, Michigan. Her recent film 'A City to Yourself', completed in 2008, has won several awards including Best Michigan Filmmaker at the Ann Arbor Film Festival. Since 2006, Macdonald has been director of the Detroit Film Center. Working with the University of Michigan Ann Arbor Prison Creative Arts Project, Macdonald has lead art and media workshops for incarcerated youth at juvenile homes and adult prisons. She is also a qualified legal clerk specializing in bankruptcy law.
Robin Boyle (1952, UK) is an urbanist and researcher from Glasgow concerned with urban economic development, issues surrounding vacant land in central cities and national urban policy. Boyle is Professor and Chair of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the Wayne State University in Detroit. Active in professional organizations, he is chapter of the Urban Land Institute and serves on the board of the Michigan Suburbs Alliance. Since 2006, he is Chair of the Planning Board for Birmingham. Publications include 'Privatism and Urban Policy in Britain and the United States' (1989) and 'Empowerment Zones - Picking the Winners' (1995).
* The opening of 'Teach Me to Disappear' is also the occasion for the first Park Talk, a series of field trips to near parks with local experts and artists, taking place in the contexts of Future Park. The first Park Talk will begin with a lecture by Detroit urbanist Robin Boyle at Casco. After this lecture we will take off to walk along the parks in Utrecht, guided by botanist/artist Hans van Lunteren along with a loose gathering of local ornithologists, urbanists and (landscape)architects. Anyone who has got knowledge to share about subjects concering local parks, please feel free to contribute to this walk.
** During 'Detroit My Wilderness' we will discuss some of the propositions, thoughts, and methods evoked by Paul Elliman and Nicole Macdonald's project. A few major issues such as the potential of urban prairies (in Detroit), the equivocal concept of nature, and urban migration were addressed during the Park Talk on the day of the opening, accompanied by a lecture by Detroit Urbanist Robin Boyle, and require further investigation. This event will be such an occasion led by Elliman's own readings, a collection of referential texts now gathered at Casco as a kind phantom publication entitled 'Detroit My Wilderness', and that continue to inform the ongoing documentation of the abandoned city zoo. This event is Casco's contribution the Utrecht Uitfeest, the yearly festival for the opening of the cultural season in Utrecht.
*** The second Park Talk will be held at Sjanghaipark in Utrecht Overvecht this Saturday (the park's 40th anniversary!) from 14.00 to 15.30, guided by Hans van Lunteren, an artist who, together with several sympathizers, has initiated and cared for the park since 1970. The park is formed on a typical lawn and was transformed into a diverse green zone where natural wilderness and its control on human inhabitation are constantly negotiated. The participation from neighbours, both for its design and use, has been crucial for the thriving life of this park in ongoing change.
Sjanghaipark is located on the corner Hongkongdreef/Shanghaidreef (click here for directions). You can come directly to the park by 14.00, otherwise please come to Casco by 13.30 to take public transport to the location together. Each year a resident's working day is organised to keep the park well maintained. In celebration of Sjanghaipark's 40th anniversary, this talk will have a festive touch. You are welcome to join this activity, before Park Talk, between 10.00 and 13.00.
****The Third Park Talk takes place at a 'cryptoforest' in Utrecht Westraven on 3 October, the last day of 'Teach Me to Disappear', Casco's current project with Paul Elliman and Nicole Macdonald. This talk will be led by Wilfried Hou je Bek together –also joined by Hans van Lunteren– who has developed an ongoing research project entitled 'cryptoforest' to identify hidden urban places where 'nature' is left to nourish its surrounding seeds and waste, over time. Westraven was an industrial area until a few years ago with several gasholders spread over its terrain. After their removal, it was taken over by wild plants to form a little urban forest.
Park Talk III starts at 15.00 from tram stop 'P+R Westraven/Transferium Westraven' (click here for directions). You may also join us at Casco at 14.00 to take public transport to the location together. Please remember to wear comfortable shoes because, we will be walking in a forest.


text:
Published: 2013/01/30
Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers to Stream Sweetwater Shows
Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers will stream their sold-out Friday, February 1 gig at Mill Valley, CA's Sweetwater Music Hall. The evening will be webcast live online in HD, beginning at 10PM PST. Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers will perform at Sacramento, CA's Harlow's tomorrow. The group's recording of "Little Too Late" and the digital B-side "Ravenous" are now available for download through Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers' website.


text: Bold Floral II Framed Art Print Item #: 121570 $24.99 Qty: Sorry, this item is currently unavailable online. Ship to Home Style your home with the kaleidoscopic colors of our Bold Floral II Framed Art Print! With a pressed flower design, this stellar artwork is finished in an espresso and taupe frame. Artwork measures 23.5L x 23.5H in. Print encased in glass Kaleidoscopic floral print Finished with a 6 in. decorative espresso and taupe frame Features hues of blue, green, gold, tan, and white Comes ready for wall mount; no hanging hardware required This item is available at Kirklands.com only, not available in stores. Sorry, this item is currently unavailable online.


text:
Absolutely! Thank you again. Yeah I think this may be the last time I bring that subject up here on JUB though, in the past I have and every single time I'm always met with hostility and resentment. What none of them seem to get is that I'm fully aware that that stuff is 'natural' for humans to do, but that hardly means I have to find any of it 'funny' or a 'turn on' or simply just ignore it when engaging in sex.
Anyhow, thank you again. Much appreciated.
So nice to see someone here actually gets it! Thank you!


text:
I'm posting it in the PC Software forum, hope it's ok...
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I'm posting it in the PC Software forum, hope it's ok...
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I am proud to say I do not have a cell phone, and never even had. :cool:
Most people who own cell phones do not need them. For example, a person who works on Wallstreet and needs to inform others when the Microsoft stock is falling certainly needs one. But most people who have them use it to talk to their friends. I know because I see them. I see them in the streets. I see these people talking because they have an obsession. They just need to talk to somebody.
Ah, but not me. I am patient. I can wait when I get home. Come home and slowly use a regular phone.
So I am saying that your average cell phone user does not need one as badly as he thinks he does. I can do everything without one. I can plan meetings and all that stuff with no cell phones. Everything is perfectly arranged. So certainly they do not need it as badly as they think.
In fact, out of all the technology created in the last several years the only good one, is the computer. But everything else: cell phones, iPod's, MP3's, iPhones, .... Are basically useless. Yes, they seem like they are cool, but why? How about using a pencil and paper to write something down? Or better yet, try to memorize stuff.
Thus, I am saying, if this is difficult to follow, is that cell phones are not as useful as you think they are. They are certainly useful, but many people do not need them. Like myself.
I even want to get a rotary phone (the old version) for two reasons. One, is that you need to memorize phone numbers, instead of having you phone do all the work for you. Two, it teaches you patience, ... take it easy, relax, slowly dail the number.
I prefer things to happen fast, why do i want to memorise things the phone can? Why would i want to carry lots of notes instead of carrying one little device? A device which allows me to communicate, browse this forum from it, entertain me with music and videos and tv, a device which reminds me of all my meetings and appointments and friend's birthdays.
Try a good phone, you'll like it. ;)
I, too, do not own a cellphone. The main reason: I live in a rural area where there is no cellphone service. Yes, places like that exist. Therefore, it is futile for me to own one. I could use it when I go somewhere, but from home it's pointless. I would love to have high-speed internet, but all I am relegated to is the old, dinosaur dial-up. Same reason. I could get satellite service, but it's very, high-priced.
May i humbly suggest that we add a poll to this post, to see who owns a cellphone and who doesn't?
I would've gotten a cell phone a long time ago if my computer weren't on dial-up. But I'm with my Dad on this...they really need to come up with a cell plan for people who, like, want to call people. I mean really, you can surf the internet, download music, etc, etc. These aren't phones, they're computers. I own a computer. I don't need my "phone" to do it for me.
I want a cell plan and a simple phone that will let me call people. That would be nice. :)


text:
Volvo, the urban dweller stalwart, has refreshed their range of sedans – S60 and S80 – and two of their SUVs – XC60 and XC70 – to bring them out of the stone age.
It's been a while since we've seen a major update from Volvo hit our shores. The C30 is gone and we will not be welcoming its replacement to Canada (which is unfortunate, since it's a stunner!). Instead, Volvo has added some nice new tech to their range of sedans and SUVs to keep them relevant before undergoing more major work later.
The XC60, and S60 on which it's based, receive new tech: permanent high beams, Sensus Connected Touch system, heated windscreen, paddle shifters, and Adaptive Digital Display. A visual, though very subtle, refresh will accompany the new tech.
Further up the range, the S80 and XC70 get updated tech as well (many of the same options as stated above) and updated styling bits.
For a more in-depth look, both press releases have been posted below. But, be forewarned, this is the first major update to Volvo's bread and butter cars in quite a while, so the releases are long.
The new Volvo S60 and XC60: Major renewal boosts the dynamic appearance and appeal of the Volvo 60 cluster
- New design focusing on quality and attention to detail
- New, more comfortable sport seats
- Sensus Connected Touch system with unique on-line possibilities
- Permanent high beam with groundbreaking technology
"This is the most extensive development of existing models in our company's history. Each of the enhancements is designed around our customers' needs. We have focused on quality and attention to detail in order to give these dynamic models a major boost and sharpen their competitiveness," says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President, Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Car Group. He continues: "The S60 and XC60 are our best-selling models in several important markets. We have been listening very carefully to our customers in order to make improvements that ensure that we make these successful cars more attractive."
Emphasized attention to detail
Scandinavian design is exemplified by beautiful, simple shapes and surfaces with any unnecessary clutter removed. This is evident in the redesigned interior and exterior of the new 60 cars. Inside, the attention to detail, the authentic materials – such as wood and leather – and the easy-to-use controls contribute to the in-command driving experience.
Supportive yet comfortable seats that ensure a fresh and relaxed arrival after the longest of journeys have been a Volvo strength for decades. The buyer of a new S60 or XC60 can now specify a new sport seat that retains this traditional comfort and makes a perfect addition to the in-command feel of a true driver's car. "The new sport seat has great hugging side support all the way from the thighs to the shoulders, so the seat keeps the driver firmly in position when cornering fast. We've had nearly one hundred people of all shapes and sizes test this seat and we received a really enthusiastic response. We've also made adjustments to the seat back, so it provides more legroom for passengers in the rear," says Project Director Patrik Widerstrand.
There are several other examples of the attention to detail in the new 60 cluster cars. The previously visible washer nozzles have been relocated out of sight under the bonnet. The radar cover has been painted gloss black, which practically makes it disappear in the grille. The chrome frame around the grille has been removed and the new, bigger ironmark badge enhances the new cars' self-confident look.
The new integrated tailpipes, which can be specified with some engine variants, are the physical and visual link to the technically advanced engines. But it's not just about beautiful design: the designers have had to cope with the fact that at operating temperature, the tailpipes have to remain perfectly in place despite the exhaust system expanding in length by up to 25mm. This is another example of true Scandinavian precision engineering.
The new S60 and XC60 offer an extended wheel choice with a variety of designs that increase the personalisation possibilities for customers. "To enhance the visual appeal of the car, customers can now specify their S60 or V60 with expressive 19-inch wheels and keep the same profile height as 18-inch ones, so they don't lose any comfort," says Patrik Widerstrand. The XC60 is available with 20-inch wheels while keeping the same tire profile height and ride comfort as with 19-inch wheels.
The new Volvo S60 – more dynamic and elegant
The new dynamic S60 design, with its purposeful, dynamic appearance, accentuates the car's sporting nature.
"We've really increased the S60's road presence with a new front design. The more focused and determined-looking headlamps help create this new, expressive 'face'. We were thinking of a wolf's eyes when we designed them," explains Fedde Talsma, Design Director, Exterior. He adds: "We've emphasised the S60's horizontal lines at both the front and rear. Together with details such as a wider grille, daylight running lights and a new LED light guide on the tail lamps, they give the S60 a striking, squat presence. The car has a beauty that is rooted in the natural world. The clean surfaces and contours give it a very Scandinavian feel."
Inside, there are upgrades such as new upholstery colours, new wood inlays, a new headliner, and the silk metal frames around the air vents and light controls. "The overall effect is very warm and cosy, like being in a warm Swedish house on a cold night. The colour themes correspond beautifully with the backlit white controls in the dash and elsewhere in the car," adds Lena Jiseborn, Design Director, Colour and Trim. And under the skin, at the heart of the dynamic driving experience, is a wide choice of chassis settings, designed around the customer's personal requirements. The S60 buyer has a choice of four chassis types – Touring, Dynamic, Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) and Lower Sport Chassis, previously only available on the R-Design version.
The new Volvo XC60 – in-command capability with around-town style
On the exterior, Volvo's best-selling model, the XC60, gets a more urban twist. The redesigned front features a new hood shape that emphasises the wide, confident look. "We've taken away any black trim so the car is now all one body colour. The new headlamps look very focused and determined, and the horizontal lines on the grille with its chrome bars emphasise the car's width," says Fedde Talsma.
The XC60 also benefits from an interior upgrade. The new features include new wood inlays, a new headliner, textile B-pillars and the silk metal frames around the air vents and light controls. The refined XC60 has a commanding driving position supported by generous ground clearance and the class-leading chassis. The XC60 is designed to feel every bit as nimble and agile as a standard height road car.
Corner Traction Control now comes as standard. This torque vectoring system helps the driver avoid understeer by applying just the right amount of brake force to the inner wheels while powering the outer wheels when accelerating out of a corner. With All Wheel Drive, the XC60 becomes an extremely capable vehicle on any road, in any kind of weather. The optional Hill Descent Control boosts this capability by automatically controlling the car's speed when driving down steep slopes.
Enhancements across the new S60 and XC60 range
Sensus Connected Touch – connectivity on a new level
Sensus is the name Volvo uses for all its HMI (Human Machine Interface) functionality and the all-new Sensus Connected Touch is the latest addition. It enables connectivity and Internet in the car and turns the 7-inch display into a state-of-the-art infrared, beam-scanned touch screen that can be used even when wearing gloves – a world first in cars and handy in winter! Connection is made either via a car-mounted 3G/4G dongle or the driver's mobile phone.
The user has access to full Internet browsing (except when driving), Internet streaming of music, Internet radio (TuneIn and Orange Live Radio) with thousands of channels from all over the world, on-line (Google) Map and Search, Embedded Connected 3D navigation with online traffic info and dangerous zone warnings, Free Parking locator, weather information, a number of native and web applications, App Store for new functions and updates as well as a Volvo service locator. It is also possible to share a WiFi network with everyone in the car.
"You can find the track you want just by saying its name. The voice-activated system works on all music sources connected to the Sensus Connected Touch," explains Patrik Widerstrand. "TripInfo is another great feature that can read out Wikipedia information about interesting points along the route via the audio system."
Adaptive Digital Display
The Adaptive Digital Display, which debuted in the all-new V40, is now available in the new S60, V60 and XC60. This active TFT (Thin Film Transistor) crystal display takes the interaction between car and driver to a new dimension, always displaying the most important information in any given situation.
The driver can choose between three graphic themes:
The Elegance theme is the base mode with a traditional and calm aura.
The Eco theme features green background illumination, designed to create an environmentally inspired look. An Eco meter is displayed on the left. The current and accumulated fuel consumption figures are displayed – and the driver is rewarded with a green E light when eco-driving is optimal.
The Performance theme has red background illumination, creating a sporty atmosphere. In the centre, a rev counter scale replaces the speedometer displayed in the Elegance and Eco versions. Vehicle speed is shown digitally in the centre of the display. The right display includes a power meter – a gauge that informs the driver how much power is available and how much power is being used at any given moment in time.
The V60 Plug-in Hybrid also comes with an additional Hybrid Theme with blue illumination. It includes hybrid and battery information that supports energy-efficient use of the ingenious driveline.
Paddle shifters
The three-spoke steering wheels can now be accompanied with paddle shifters for cars specified with automatic transmission. They turn the automatic box into a manual with the benefit of shifting gear with both hands on the wheel. The paddle shifters give the enthusiastic driver an additional edge, particularly when powering round twisty roads. And for the added comfort of drivers in Sweden and other cold countries, the steering wheel can also be specified with heating for increased comfort on cold winter days.
Permanent high beam with groundbreaking technology
The new Active High Beam Control makes journeys in the dark safer and more comfortable.
The technology eliminates the need to switch between low and high beam. Instead, Active High Beam Control makes it possible keep the headlights on full beam continuously. When another car approaches from the opposite direction, the system helps to prevent dazzling of the oncoming driver by shading out only as much of the beam as necessary. This is done by an ingenious projector module mechanism integrated into the headlamp.
The same benefit applies to drivers in preceding cars.
Cornering Light for better visibility
Another innovative option for driving in the dark is the low-speed Cornering Light feature. As an extension of the current Active Bending Light system, it lights up the area the driver is steering towards for safer manoeuvring – for instance, when turning into a small road or driving through a narrow gateway at night.
Heated windscreen
Cars equipped with a rain sensor can now benefit from an electrically heated windscreen for rapid de-icing on cold winter days. The S60 and XC60 are also available with outer rear view mirrors with auto dim. Using chromatic glass, the mirrors automatically dim to avoid glare from other traffic, just like the inner rear view mirror.
IntelliSafe systems supporting the driver
IntelliSafe is Volvo's blanket name for all active safety systems, and Volvo's world-first City Safetytechnology plays an important part. Fitted as standard, this advanced safety system works at speeds of up to 50 km/h. All models can also get Pedestrian Detection with full auto brake, which watches out for people walking into the car's path.
The S60 and XC60 can also be specified with the enhanced Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), which is now radar-based. The technology can also monitor and alert the driver to rapidly approaching vehicles up to 70 m behind the car, while still informing the driver about vehicles in the blind spots on both sides of the car.
Cross Traffic Alert uses the radar sensors at the rear end of the car to alert the driver to crossing traffic from the sides when reversing out of a parking space. This is especially helpful in tight and crowded areas where the side view may be restricted.
Road Sign Information supports the driver by displaying road signs on the instrument display.
"As the leader in automotive safety, we have reduced the risk of being involved in an accident or being injured in one of our latest car models by abound 50 per cent since the year 2000. By continuously introducing new preventive and protective systems, we keep moving towards our safety vision that nobody should die or suffer serious injuries in a new Volvo car by the year 2020," says Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor at Volvo Car Group.
The new Volvo S80 and XC70: Exclusive sophistication on a new level
- Focus on elegant, sophisticated design and attention to detail
- New, intuitive Sensus Connected Touch system
- Enhanced IntelliSafe systems
- Active High Beam Control for more relaxed driving at night
"The new features in the new Volvo S80 and XC70 are based on our human-centric approach, which has been a Volvo hallmark for more than 85 years. They take the elegant sophistication of our largest models to a new level," says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President, Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Car Group. He continues: "We pave the way for our future model lineup by bringing the three models visually closer to each other. The renewal is one of the most extensive in our history, with the main focus on improved quality and attention to detail."
The new Volvo S80 – enhanced exclusive sophistication
A number of new exterior design cues reinforce the sophisticated contemporary presence of the new Volvo S80. The new front and rear bumpers create a 'stretched' effect to make it look wider and lower. New rectangular Daytime Running Lights at the front give the S80 nose a more contemporary look, while the rounded off classic Volvo lights at the rear visually pull the car down to the ground. The S80 can be fitted with expressive 19-inch wheels without loss of comfort. "The whole effect adds a sophisticated elegance to the car," explains Fedde Talsma, Design Director, Exterior. "We have created a wider proportion on the front grille and added more detail such as chrome exterior highlights to give the car an elegant and upmarket feel."
It is the attention to detail that gives the S80 its enhanced sophistication. The Executive interior package is the highest level of all-inclusive luxury, blending craftsmanship with technology, while the Inscription is a bespoke palette of options that gives the customer the opportunity to truly design the car to his or her personal taste.
"We are very proud of having Bridge of Weir in Scotland as a supplier of our quality leather seats. Their genuine cowhide has far less surface treatment than that in other premium cars, making it feel softer and more natural," says Lena Jiseborn, Design Director, Colour and Trim. "The quality of the seats and other materials used in the car give the car a true Scandinavian feel," she continues.
And under the skin, at the heart of the best driving experiences is a great chassis. The S80 buyer can choose from three chassis types – Comfort, Lowered Sport Chassis and Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept).
The new Volvo XC70 – rugged sophistication for all-terrain adventures
Volvo Cars paved the way for a totally new segment with the V70 Cross Country in 1997.
"Our main focus in the continuous development of the XC models has been to create a very comfortable on-road car with capable, off-road potential. The rugged and refined contemporary look reflects the XC70's underlying strength and capability. Think of it as an exclusive goose down jacket, designed around those who like their adventure with a true feeling of sophistication," says Lex Kerssemakers.
All-Wheel Drive and the optional Hill Descent Control are a further boost to the XC70's go-anywhere promise.
A number of new exterior design cues sharpen the XC70's contemporary road presence. These include a front grille with a bold, wider proportion, a new bigger ironmark, and details such as the Daytime Running Lights and added matte silver touches. The XC70 is available with wheels up to 19-inches in diameter.
"Our aim is to emphasise the luxurious feel with a more road-hugging stance. The XC70 should look perfectly at home in any environment, whether it's in the middle of the open country or a country club car park," says Fedde Talsma.
The XC70 also features improved off-road design cues such as skidplates that protect the car on really uneven surfaces. The protective black below the belt line now extends to surround the front fog lights giving them a purposeful, functional feel. The rear lights have also been redesigned.
As with the V70, the rear seats can be folded down in three 40/20/40 segments. Fold all of the rear seats flat and the load space grows from 575 litres to 1,600 litres. Another human-centric detail is the power-operated tailgate.
The rear seat can integrate double two-stage child seats – booster cushions that offer children from the age of three and upwards a comfortable and safe ride height.
Enhancements across the new XC70 and S80 range
Sensus Connected Touch – new connectivity possibilities
The HMI (Human Machine Interface) functionality Sensus is extended with the option to add intuitive all-new technology that enables connectivity and Internet in the car. The Sensus Connected Touch turns the 7-inch display into a state-of-the-art infrared, beam-scanned touch screen that can be used even when wearing gloves – a world first in cars.
The driver goes online either via a car-mounted 3G/4G dongle or a personal mobile phone and the features include:
- Internet streaming of music
- A global choice of Internet radio via TuneIn and Orange Live Radio
- Full Internet browsing (except when driving)
- On-line Google Map with Google Search
- Embedded Connected 3D navigation with online traffic info and dangerous zone warnings
- Free Parking locator
- TripInfo that reads out Wikipedia information about interesting points along the route
- Native and web applications and App Store for new functions and updates
- Weather information and forecasts
- A Volvo service locator
"The voice-activation system works on all music sources connected to the Connected Touch," says Project Director Patrik Widerstrand, adding: "It is also possible to share a WiFi network with everyone in the car."
Adaptive Digital Display
The Adaptive Digital Display, which debuted in the all-new V40, uses an active TFT (Thin Film Transistor) crystal display to bring the driver personalised information.
There are three themes to choose from: Elegance, Eco and Performance.
The default mode Elegance has a classic look and layout.
The Eco mode has a green colour theme and is designed to encourage and reward a fuel-efficient driving style. The Eco meter on the left displays current and accumulated fuel consumption – and optimal eco-driving is rewarded with a green E light.
Performance features red illumination, and a rev counter scale replaces the speedometer displayed in the Elegance and Eco versions, while the vehicle speed is shown digitally. On the right, a power meter shows how much engine power is available, which is a very useful tool for overtaking.
More relaxed driving in the dark
The Active High Beam Control helps the driver use high beam more efficiently. It also offers automatic switching between high and low beam at the right moment.
Inside, an all-new Ambient Light enhances driving at night. It illuminates key features such as cup holders, door releases, seat controls, and luggage and storage areas. Cars equipped with the automatic gearbox also feature a new gearshift knob with piano-black inlay.
Heated windscreen
Cars equipped with a rain sensor can now also get an electrically heated windscreen for rapid de-icing on cold winter days.
Heated steering wheel and paddle shifters
To give drivers in cold climate extra comfort, three-spoke steering wheels can now be specified with electric heating. Cars with automatic transmission can get paddle shifters that give the driver the opportunity to shift gear manually with both hands on the wheel.
IntelliSafe systems supporting the driver
IntelliSafe, Volvo's blanket name for all active safety systems, is an important part of the driver-centric approach in the S80 and XC70. The world-first City Safety technology is fitted as standard, and this advanced safety system now works at speeds of up to 50 km/h. All three models can also get Pedestrian Detection with full auto brake, which watches out for people walking into the car's path. Road Sign Information supports the driver by displaying road signs on the instrument display. "As the leader in automotive safety, we have reduced the risk of being involved in an accident or being injured in one of our latest car models by abound 50 per cent since the year 2000. By continuously introducing new preventive and protective systems, we keep moving towards our safety vision that nobody should die or suffer serious injuries in a new Volvo car by the year 2020," says Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor at Volvo Car Group.


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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Steven Spielberg's longtime cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski, already has won two Academy Awards for their collaborations on "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan," which are considered the director's masterpieces. Kaminski is nominated again this year for his work on Spielberg's "Lincoln," which features a signature look that they've captured together: a mystical sort of lighting, often streaking in from the outside and casting dramatic shafts.
Despite the hectic nature of awards season, with "Lincoln" up for a leading 12 Oscars at the Feb. 24 ceremony, the master cinematographer was nice enough to answer our question this week: What are five of the most beautifully photographed films you've ever seen? Here are his picks:
— "The Conformist" (1970): Bernardo Bertolucci's dramatically stylized commentary on 1930s fascism, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant of this year's best-picture nominee "Amour." Kaminski's reason for choosing it: "Use of color and light."
— "In Cold Blood" (1967): Based on Truman Capote's pioneering true-crime book about a vicious family murder that took place in a small Midwestern town. Kaminski praised its "visual metaphors."
— "Citizen Kane" (1941): Well it's ... it's "Citizen Kane." Kaminski chose it for its "angles and drama within the composition, also within the frame."
— "The French Connection" (1971): The classic crime thriller starring Gene Hackman as a detective on the trail of a major drug smuggling ring, it won five Oscars including best picture. Kaminski appreciated the film "for the action and realistic representation of New York."
— "Empire of the Sun" (1987): A Spielberg movie that Kaminski didn't shoot, actually. Allen Daviau, a previous collaborator of his in the mid-'80s, received an Oscar nomination for the visually lavish film, featuring a young Christian Bale. Kaminski enjoyed its "use of color and light."
What do you think are the most gorgeous films ever made? Share them with AP Movie Critic Christy Lemire through Twitter: http://twitter.com/christylemire .