GTA 5 release date, trailer, cheats, news & rumours ~ Fourtriangle

 GTA 5 release date, trailer, cheats, news and rumours all rolled up into one: What's in store for the upcoming Xbox 360, Sony PS3 & PC title?

Grand Theft Auto 5 news

Update: According to fresh rumours, we could be seeing a GTA 5 release date announcement at the Gamescom trade fair, which is held annually in Cologne, Germany.

The rumour mill went wild after a Gamescom 2012 promotional video, which was released online earlier this month, showed a brief clip of the game.

The game's publisher, Take-Two, is also included on the list of exhibitors, so the chances of a big announcement being made is extremely likely, although never gaurenteed.

Previously, developer Rockstar offered a tantalising insight into Grand Theft Auto 5 with a spokesperson for the company telling eager gamers more is to come "in a few months time."

That was a few months ago.

"Right now, we are very hard at work on the game and are excited as well to show and tell you more as development progresses," an unnamed representative for the company said.

"Expect that we'll be talking much more about GTAV starting at some point in a few months' time."

What we do know for certain is that GTA 5 will be arriving on the PS3 after Sony’s PlayStation 3 site put up an official GTA V web page.

Elsewhere the map for GTA V has been 'leaked' via a person claiming to be an employee of Rockstar who was leaving in two weeks, the map shows Los Santos along with desirable Vinewood area known for being a fictional interpretation of Hollywood.

GTA 5: Screenshots

Update: Earlier this month, Rockstar treated GTA fans to an early glimpse of its upcoming title with the release of two new screenshots.

The pics show a man sitting alone on a pier, admiring the beautiful scenery around him, while another is of a helicopter hovering above the city (San Andreas).

Games blogs went crazy over the snaps, with many fanboys taking to online forums to discuss the much-mooted title. Pics below. Enjoy.

Grand Theft Auto 5 release date

As yet there has been no official confirmation on a Grand Theft Auto 5 release date however analysts believe that Rockstar is following a 6 month schedule which will see an E3 2012 launch.

IndustryGamers spoke to financial analysts who believe this schedule will result in a release before the end of 2012.

"We believe Rockstar Games is modeling a 4 to 6 month marketing window for their upcoming GTA Vrelease, suggesting a Summer '12 launch period,"

If Zavvi is to be believed then the GTA 5 release date will be much later with the site stating an exact release date of 23 November which would put it in line to be Christmas no.1.

With the gaming world looking toward Rockstar for a confirmed GTA V UK release date, a developer on the title has suggested the game's release has been pushed back from a previously tipped October arrival to a new December launch.

Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer

 

Being the only official source of information the Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer was useful in establishing a number of facts including the location and the characters that would be featuring in the game.

Based on Los Angeles the main location of the game will be centred around the fictional city of Los Santos, first seen in Grand Theft Auto 4.

Los Santos will be situated within San Andreas and if the trailer is anything to go by you’ll be able to explore much of the surrounding countryside as well.

It’s believed that the game will feature many of the same driveable vehicles as has been prominent in all Grand Theft Auto games, again if the trailer is to be an indicator it would appear as though aircraft will also be featuring.

Grand Theft Auto 5 rumours

 

Probably the biggest GTA 5 rumour at the moment is that the game’s lead character will be played by actor Ned Luke after the game appeared on hisIMDB profile (it has since been removed).

It’s believed that he will be playing the lead character of the game whose name is rumoured to be Albert De Silva.

There had been reports that the character was Ray Liotta reprising his role as an older Tommy Vercetti, however fansites such as gtav.net have agreed in their prediction of Luke as the actor involved.

CVG believes that we’ll also see the return of CJ, the main protagonist from GTA: San Andreas.

Of course while there is a likeness between CJ and the character in the trailer it’s far from solid proof so we’ll have to wait for E3 until we know for sure.

Grand Theft Auto multiplayer

 

According to several fan sites the game will come with a multiplayer mode, of course what that will be specifically is unclear.

Some have suggested that the game will take on board the lessons learned through Red Dead Redemption so will include a number of mini-games and with the trailer showing jet ski's and golfing you could find yourself racing around the bay in online races.

 

Grand Theft Auto cheats

 

Of course it wouldn’t be a GTA game if it didn’t have insane cheats and while it’s unlikely that they’ll ever be able to top those that were available for Vice City we’ll certainly keep our eyes peeled for the best to hit the web.

Grand Theft Auto history

 

Coming in as the fifth incarnation of the Grand Theft Auto franchise GTA V will potentially be set in the modern day, making it the second game to focus perhaps on more realism.

In contrast Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was set during the 80’s in a fictional recreation of Miami and featured everything from assault helicopters to porn studios.








Source:http://www.t3.com/news/gta-5-news/

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release rumoured for August 30th ~ Fourtriangle

Further blurring the lines between smartphones and tablets, Samsung is rumoured to be preparing a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release for IFA 2012

Following the recent Samsung Galaxy S3 release, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumours have kicked into overdrive with latest reports suggesting Samsung's next oversized smartphone come tablet hybrid will be officially unveiled the day before IFA 2012.

Tipped to further stretch the boundaries of what can be classed as a smartphone, new reports have suggested the surprise success of 2011 will see Samsung increase the 5.3-inch form factor for the Galaxy Note follow on with new technologies to be brought in to give the handset’s expansive display a certain amount of flexibility.

Having previously been pencilled in for either a September of early October arrival, latest reports have suggested the Korean handset manufacturer will host another Mobile Unpacked event the day ahead of IFA 2012 with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date set to be announced on August 30th. The Berlin based show is set to run between August 31st and September 5th.

With the second-generation Galaxy Note set to steal the show, Samsung is expected to unveil a host of other mobile devices at the Unpacked event that is scheduled to kick off at 7pm.

Citing “undisclosed industry sources,” recent reports via MK Business News suggested “Samsung is in the midst of developing a large-screen smartphone model with displays exceeding five inches.” The reports went on to name the device as the “Samsung Galaxy Note 2.”

Adding new fuel to the fire that is the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumour mill, Samsung has teased the upcoming device via the official Samsung Mobile Arabia Twitter feed. Sparking a new round of excitement, the Arabian arm of the Korean tech giant lumped the second-generation Note in with a selection of already confirmed devices tweeting: "Which one of these are you excited about: #GalaxyBeam #GalaxyTab2 #GalaxyNote2 ? #Poll"

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Features

Whilst everything is still far from confirmed, the mooted Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is tipped to be the first handset to land boasting an unbreakable plane (UBP) display with the new, slimline screen acting “a precursor to the flexible display.” The oversized handset is said to be getting even bigger with the previous 5.3-inch screen being replaced by a new 5.5-inch model.

With the new streamlined screen allowing Samsung to shave precious millimetres from the handset’s form, it is expected the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will sport an all new form factor with Google’s newly confirmed Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system lining up alongside a possible S3 mimicking quad-core processor and a new 12 -megapixel camera giving the device some added grunt.

Samsung Galaxy Note Release Date

Again a long way from being confirmed, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumour mill has suggested that the Korean manufacturer could use the S3 sibling to detract with the widely expected autumn Apple iPhone 5 release. As such, an early October Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date was originally banded around before the latest September arrival speculation took the limelight.

Were you impressed enough by the Samsung Galaxy Note to desire a sequel? If so what would you like to see feature in such a handset? Let us know via the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Source:http://www.t3.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-2-release

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Addis Ababa’s Future National Stadium And Sports Village In Ethiopia ~ Fourtriangle

Entertainment is an essential part of our lives; without entertainment, sports or games, our lives would be like a barren land. For that matter, Addis Ababa’s new National Stadium and Sports Village project is a new and exciting place for people to visit from all over the world. This architectural wonder can house more than sixty thousand people.

Surrounded by spectacular buildings, churches, cisterns and other local attractions, this stadium is one of its kind. It is designed by LAVA in collaboration with DesignSport and JDAW, known as the local Ethopian firm.

The stadium is fully packed with solar powered umbrellas providing a sheet of shelter for the visitors, with fountains and water attractions, and urban parks that take you closer to nature. The design and architecture of this project was inspired by Massob, an Ethopian communal serving woven grass basket.

This awe-inspiring marvel in Ethopia’s heart is now under construction.

Source:http://2leep.com/bar.php?url=http://2leep.com/news/886691/0/more/

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Goal-line technology debate: How will it work ? ~ Fourtriangle

Sepp Blatter and the football governing bodies could be on the cusp of introducing goal-line technology. Here's how goal-line technology might well look...

It made the headlines at EURO 2012 (this time in England's favour) and it didn't take long for Mr Blatter to speak out about the necessity for goal-line techology. A decision on the introduction of goal-line tech could once and for all banish another year of “ghost” goals as agog fans up and down the country shout “That was in!” and debate how the ref should have gone to Specsavers.

We look at the goal line tech facts, identify the best solutions and ask why it’s taken the beautiful game so long to embrace the technology.

Goal-line technology solution 1: Hawk-Eye Innovations

The leading contender for the contract…

Already used in tennis, cricket and snooker, the Hawk-Eye system recorded a 100 per cent success rate during testing with the International Tennis Federation.…

How does it work?

Hawk-Eye uses vision processing to identify the exact centre of the ball within each frame of footage taken from a number of 500fps cams strategically positioned around the pitch. It uses the goal-line as a static point of reference to compensate for camera movement, then triangulates the info from each calibrated camera to provide a virtual 3D position of the ball accurate to 3.6mm. The same process is repeated for each frame of footage taken, stitching the individual 3D positions of the ball together to create a single virtual trajectory of its flight. If the ball has crossed the line, the referee on the pitch will be notified in less than half a second.

Goal-line technology solution 2: CAIROS

The goal line technology backed by Adidas…

Cairos Technologies AG has partnered with Adidas to present a goal-line technology system that will add electronic wizardry to the pitch and the ball itself. Trials performed in 2005 found it to be slow and lacking in accuracy, but Adidas is unlikely to stand for that…

How does it work?

No cameras here, instead a number of thin cables are laid under the turf of the penalty area and behind the goal-line, with electricity passed through the cables to create a magnetic field. Low range sensors fi tted within the ball measure these magnetic fields when inside the goal area and transmit information on the ball’s exact location to a number of receivers placed off the pitch, which then forward all of the data to a central computer system. The locational data is constantly tracked and an alert is sent out the instant a ball crosses the goal-line. When the alert is raised a radio signal is transmitted to the referee within “micro-seconds” of the goal being scored.

The standards goal-line tech must pass FIFA’s tests…

1/ The testing process will see all systems set three tasks. The first challenge involves tracking shots that are played across the pitch into an empty net. A 100 per cent accuracy rate is required here

2/ In this task a ball-shooting machine fires shots at up to 60mph at a static wall on the goal-line. The line will then be moved to test overall accuracy – 90 per cent success ensures a pass on this test

3/ Task three: balls are placed on a sled and moved across the line in slow motion, sometimes with the ball spinning, to see if the system can tell whether the full surface of the ball has crossed the line

4/ To ensure the pace of the game isn’t affected, all systems must offer instant response, transmitting a wireless signal to a wristwatch worn by the referee the instant the ball crosses the goal-line

The Experts:

Former Brazilian footballer Pele:

"If you use tech and still don’t get it right every time, it doesn’t increase fairness, so why implement it at all? Let’s not rush into goal-line tech, but take time to consider it"

England and Arsenal footballer Theo Walcott:

“My biggest concern is that you don’t want to kill the game by stopping it all the time, but I do think goal-line technology needs to be looked at. These decisions [like Lampard’s disallowed goal – Ed] happen so often now.”

Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter:

“I’ve yet to speak to any match official that wouldn’t fully endorse any goal-line tech that gave an instant decision. In the technological world, there must be a system that can show if a ball’s gone over five inches of white line.”

England and Saracens rugby player Chris Ashton:

“I don’t see why football isn’t using goal-line tech already; it can’t affect the game that much if the referee’s got someone to help. It has worked in rugby so I don’t see why it can’t work in football.”

Where do you stand on the goal-line technology debate? Let us know your thoughts via Facebook and Twitter.


Source:http://www.t3.com/features/goal-line-technology-debate-how-will-it-work

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Internet Doomsday, July 9 ? ~ Fourtriangle

Internet Doomsday!  DCWG! What’s all the fuss?  This week’s question comes from a retired high school principal who wants to know if DCWG is legit.  Yes it is and a very helpful site to help you determine if you are part of the DNS Changer Trojan infection that is in the news and headed toward a July 9 critical point.

You may remember a previous column where I described a worldwide botnet that was being run out of Estonia and controlling 4 million computers in over 100 countries all over the world.  In a huge operation involving the FBI and other worldwide police organizations, seven men were charged in 2011.  Since then the FBI has been working to clean up all the infected DNS servers and keep them from spreading.  They have announced that as of July 9 infected computers will not be able to access the internet in a move to clean up this huge mess.

As with a lot of these kinds of questions, one leads to another.  What is DNS?  From the FBI website: “ DNS (Domain Name System) is an Internet service that converts user-friendly domain names into the numerical Internet protocol (IP) addresses that computers use to talk to each other. When you enter a domain name, such as www.fbi.gov, in your web browser address bar, your computer contacts DNS servers to determine the IP address for the website. Your computer then uses this IP address to locate and connect to the website. DNS servers are operated by your Internet service provider (ISP) and are included in your computer’s network configuration. DNS and DNS Servers are a critical component of your computer’s operating environment—without them, you would not be able to access websites, send e-mail, or use any other Internet services.

Criminals have learned that if they can control a user’s DNS servers, they can control what sites the user connects to on the Internet. By controlling DNS, a criminal can get an unsuspecting user to connect to a fraudulent website or to interfere with that user’s online web browsing. One way criminals do this is by infecting computers with a class of malicious software (malware) called DNS Changer. In this scenario, the criminal uses the malware to change the user’s DNS server settings to replace the ISP’s good DNS servers with bad DNS servers operated by the criminal.”  In a nutshell, you type in an URL in your address bar and you surf to another site  run by a criminal enterprise.

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The New Xbox Rumored To Be Coming In 2013 ~ Fourtriangle

Microsoft has always been a great competent to provide the best of gaming, since after the remarkable success of Xbox 360 and beating all the records for gaming stations out there now Microsoft finally planing to show something new. As we reported from IGN we got to know that the Microsoft states that their new gaming console that is the successor of Xbox 360 will come in the end of 2013, probably in October or November.

Now the good part is that IGN also stated that they have been reported by Microsoft that the new gaming console will be six times more powerful in gaming and graphics then the current Xbox 360. It surely sounds like a huge challenge for Wii and Playstation. Since by now Wii is taking the dominance in the new gaming by their new Wii station which has a tablet like remote and is now Times best gaming station out there.

Microsoft is about to put a great challenge to its rival companies, even who knows they might get the chance to beat the Playstation 4 as well. Currently the Xbox is using ATI graphic chips to give the best quality of the graphics. The new Xbox is rumored to have AMD Radeon HD 6670 offering support for DirectX 11 and will be coming with Multi display output with 3D and 1080p HD output as well.

Moreover it is also confirmed by Microsoft that the new Xbox will be able to record you movies, TV shows and this time your gaming sessions as well.

Surely the fans boys can’t wait to see the new generation Xbox!

Source:http://realitypod.com/2012/01/the-new-xbox-rumored-to-be-coming-in-2013/

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date, specs & price rumours ~ Fourtriangle

Is it a phone? Is it a tablet? No, it’s the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, the next-gen ‘phablet’ by the Korean giant, expected to hit shelves later this year.

While most mobile phones have been shrunk to within an inch of their lives, others, particularly smartphones, are becoming bigger, wider and slimmer.

When it was released last year, the Galaxy Note changed the mobile landscape and took the 'is it a phone or tablet?' debate to new heights, with it's 5.3-inch screen causing confusion among industry heads and consumers alike.

Some referred to it as a slate, others said it was too small for a tablet status and should be marketed as a smartphone, while the rest simply didn't know what to make of it.

So what can we expect from the Note’s widely-anticipated successor and will it arrive to much fanfare or to further scrutiny? We’ve scoured the web for the latest news and rumours to find out…

Galaxy Note 2 release date

With news of a next-gen iPhone hogging headlines across the globe, rumour has it Samsung has pushed forward the Galaxy Note release date to September – it was first reported to launch in October – a move some believe was designed to take some heat off the launch of the new iPhone.

While the two won’t be in direct competition with each other (phablets are an acquired taste in today’s compact kit mad society), it will give Samsung the opportunity to flaunt the device ahead of the mooted next-gen iPhone’s launch.

As reported by T3 last month, the iPhone 5 is rumoured to land some time in either September or October, but enough about Apple’s next-gen blower.

This piece is all about Samsung (however, if you'd like to read more on the next iPhone, check out our iPhone 5 rumours roundup for all the latest gossip).

Bean there, done that!

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean will reportedly come pre-installed on the second-generation Note. Aside from a seriously funky name, the new OS, coupled with the Note 2's bold and beautiful screen, will make the user experience all the more pleasant, particularly where gameplay is concerned.

The new and improved smooth-running operating system by Google means users are able to use features such as Google Now and Android beam on the upcoming hybrid device.

A half decent screen

While most devices are proud of their slender frames, Samsung’s Galaxy Note is curvy and proud. So proud, in fact, that it’s about to get a whole lot bigger – albeit, only by 0.2 inches (but that’s a lot in smartphone land).

Sources say the upcoming handset will sport a 5.5-inch super AMOLED screen – a small boost from its predecessor’s 5.3-inch display – but as a compromise, the screen will actually be less wide, as the handset itself is reported to don a slimmer form factor.

OK, so it may not be championing the larger-than-life gadgets movement (we take back our comment above about the original Note being curvy and proud) – all Samsung is doing is relocating some of the fat to other areas of the blower-cum-tablet – but the increased length will make, say, browsing the web or reading emails a tad easier.

Sus-spec-ted specs

- Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

- New form factor

- 12-megapixel camera

- Quadcore processor

- 5.5-inch display (with 1680 x 1050 resolution)

- Super AMOLED display

A tweet mistake

While everyone more or less figured that Samsung will release a follow-up to its successful Galaxy Note phablet, it was never officially confirmed – well, not until an employee tweeted about it by ‘mistake’.

Last month, reports surfaced of a tweet sent by a Samsung Arabia employee, which more or less outted the upcoming device.

It read: "Which one of these are you excited about: #GalaxyBeam #GalaxyTab2 #GalaxyNote2 #Poll."

As one would expect, the tweet was removed not long afterwards but it is the first clear indication given by Samsung that a second Note is in the works (we'd start saving if we were you).

While making mistakes is all part of the job, the idea that an employee accidentally let slip the existence of an important handset is pretty, well, unbelievable.

The launch of a new Note isn’t something Samsung would want to let slip (unless it wanted to, of course), so it may well be that this is purely a PR stunt designed to boost publicity around the device prior to its official launch. If that’s the case, we’re happy they did it.

Flexible display? Yeah right!

Of all the Galaxy Note 2 rumours that have surfaced around the web, the craziest one we’ve heard so far is that the device will land with a flexible display.

Yes, one of those horrible screens that you can turn and twist. This is according to Korean newspaper MK Business News, which wrote:

“South Korea’s Samsung Electronics will be releasing a flexible display-equipped successor model to the Galaxy Note in October so as to compete against Apple’s iPhone 5.”

While we understand that rumours should be taken with a pinch of salt, we’re not convinced that Samsung will release a flexible display for the Galaxy Note 2 – we’d expect a screen such as this to land on a more prominent device, like the Samsung Galaxy S4.

*Warning, the latter sentence is not a Galaxy S4 rumour, and should not be treated as such.

Source:http://www.t3.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-2-release-date-specs-and-price-rumours/screen

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BlackBerry 10 OS delayed until 2013 ~ Fourtriangle

BlackBerry's smartphone woes continue as during a disappointing earnings call the company has delayed its BlackBerry 10 OS until 2013

As the company's share prices continue to plummet, Research in Motion has revealed that the first BlackBerry 10 OS handsets have been delayed until 2013.

Making the announcement during another poor quarterly showing, BlackBerry’s parent company backtracked on its previous pledge to have the first BlackBerry 10 packing handsets in consumer's hands before the end of the year, revealing the mobile operating system has taken longer to develop than anticipated and will face a new round of delays.

"RIM's development teams are relentlessly focussed on ensuring the quality and reliability of the platform and I will not compromise the product by delivering it before it is ready," RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said. "I am confident that the first BlackBerry 10 smartphones will provide a ground-breaking next generation smartphone user experience.

He added: "The reception of the BlackBerry 10 platform by our key carrier partners has been very positive and they are looking forward to going to market with BlackBerry 10 smartphones in the first quarter of calendar 2013."

Yet another blow for the flailing Canadian manufacturer, RIM’s announcement came as the company revealed that in the three months leading to June 2nd it made total losses of $518 million (£331.9m) with revenues down 42 per cent.

With handset sales dropping from 11.1 million in Q1 to just 7.8 million in Q2, RIM has confirmed that in an attempt to quell the decline it is to shed a further 5,000 jobs.

Have you been holding out for a new BlackBerry 10 handset? Do you think this could be the end of the BlackBerry brand under RIM? Let us know via the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Source:http://www.t3.com/news/first-blackberry-10-handset-release-delayed-until-2013-says-ceo

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D-Day: 68 years ago today | Fourtriangle

Sixty-eight years ago today the final push to liberate Europe and save the world from Nazi tyranny began:

On the morning of June 5, 1944, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history. On his orders, 6,000 landing craft, ships and other vessels carrying 176,000 troops began to leave England for the trip to France. That night, 822 aircraft filled with parachutists headed for drop zones in Normandy. An additional 13,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion.

By dawn on June 6, 18,000 parachutists were already on the ground; the land invasions began at 6:30 a.m. The British and Canadians overcame light opposition to capture Gold, Juno and Sword beaches; so did the Americans at Utah. The task was much tougher at Omaha beach, however, where 2,000 troops were lost and it was only through the tenacity and quick-wittedness of troops on the ground that the objective was achieved. By day’s end, 155,000 Allied troops–Americans, British and Canadians–had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches.

For their part, the Germans suffered from confusion in the ranks and the absence of celebrated commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, who was away on leave. At first, Hitler, believing that the invasion was a feint designed to distract the Germans from a coming attack north of the Seine River, refused to release nearby divisions to join the counterattack and reinforcements had to be called from further afield, causing delays. He also hesitated in calling for armored divisions to help in the defense. In addition, the Germans were hampered by effective Allied air support, which took out many key bridges and forced the Germans to take long detours, as well as efficient Allied naval support, which helped protect advancing Allied troops.

Though it did not go off exactly as planned, as later claimed by British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery–for example, the Allies were able to land only fractions of the supplies and vehicles they had intended in France–D-Day was a decided success. By the end of June, the Allies had 850,000 men and 150,000 vehicles in Normandy and were poised to continue their march across Europe.

A big salute to all our D-Day heroes, from living veterans to those who made the ultimate sacrifice on June 6th and subsequent days.

• Here are some other D-Day related items:
• Twitchy.com has a nice collection of tributes
• The National D-Day Memorial
• Ernie Pyle’s report from Normandy on D-Day plus two.
• A D-Day medic remembers “the boy on the beach.”
• Still no exact figure for D-Day dead
• National Geographic: Untold stories of D-Day
• The anniversary of D-Day should never be forgotten
• The crossword puzzle.
• A transcript of Sir Winston Churchill’s speech to the House of Commons on June 6

Source: http://michellemalkin.com/2012/06/06/d-day-68-years-ago-today/

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Scott Walker Recall Wisconsin Vote To Resonate In Presidential Race | Fourtriangle

* Recall vote for governor an early test of voter sentiment

* An early benchmark for the presidential race?

* If recall of Walker fails, Romney could get a boost

By John Whitesides

LA CROSSE, Wisconsin, June 2 (Reuters) - The battle over whether to recall Wisconsin's Republican governor, Scott Walker, has sharply divided the state and become a nationally watched test of his party's push to limit government, slash spending and challenge public-sector labor unions.

Tuesday's recall vote also has the attention of two very interested outsiders: Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, who are gearing up for their Nov. 6 showdown for the White House.

Whatever happens when Wisconsin voters decide whether Walker should be replaced by Democrat Tom Barrett, the repercussions promise to echo deep into the presidential campaign.

At a time when national polls show Obama and Romney in a virtual tie, both sides see the wrangling in Wisconsin as a chance to organize and gain early momentum in a politically divided state that could be crucial in determining who wins the presidency.

The recall battle has raged for months, sparked by Walker's elimination last year of most collective bargaining rights for public-sector unions. That led to huge street protests in Madison, the state capital, and to the recall effort that will culminate in Tuesday's vote.

Walker's national supporters see the recall as a referendum on his take-no-prisoners brand of fiscal conservatism, and both sides in the presidential race plan to scour Tuesday's results to gauge the mood of the electorate heading into November's bigger battles.

"The vote here will definitely be seen as a harbinger of things to come," said Wisconsin-based Republican consultant Mark Graul. "The winning side will have tremendous momentum, and there will be implications far beyond Wisconsin."

Wisconsin has not backed a Republican in a presidential election since it went for Ronald Reagan in 1984, but Republicans hope a recall win will demoralize Democrats and sharply boost Romney's hopes.

Most recent polls have shown Walker ahead of Barrett, who is the mayor of Milwaukee, by about 7 percentage points in the recall election. But in a reflection of how difficult it can be to read the political tea leaves in a "swing" state such as Wisconsin, polls have shown Obama ahead of Romney by 6 to 10 points.

Obama easily captured Wisconsin by 14 percentage points in the 2008 election, when he defeated Republican John McCain. Two years later, Republicans in Wisconsin roared back to elect Walker, defeat Democratic U.S. Senator Russ Feingold and take over the state legislature.

"If the governor is successful" in warding off a recall, "it will show the mood of voters is closer to where it was in 2010 than in 2008," Graul said. "And that could portend trouble for Obama here and in other similar states, like Ohio," another Midwestern state that will be perhaps the most significant battleground in the presidential race.

'ROCK STAR FOR THE RIGHT'

Walker's bulldozing approach to cutting state budgets has made him what Barrett derisively calls "a rock star for the far right."

Walker's rising status in the Republican Party has been evident as fellow Republican governors such as Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Chris Christie of New Jersey have appeared with him in Wisconsin.

Former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, campaigned in Milwaukee for Barrett on Friday, attacking Walker's "divide and conquer" approach to governing and warning that Walker's conservative allies will be emboldened if he wins.

The Wisconsin recall has offered another glimpse of how unfettered spending by partisan groups outside the campaigns can drive the conversation in elections - a poignant message as such groups have begun spending what they estimate will be hundreds of millions of dollars on the presidential race.

Conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity, funded by the billionaire conservative brothers Charles and David Koch, have poured millions of dollars into Wisconsin and plastered the state's airwaves with anti-Barrett ads. It is part of an effort to make a statement for their conservative cause - and set a tone for the presidential election.

Walker has raised $31 million to Barrett's $4.2 million, and by late April about two-thirds of Walker's 2012 donations had come from out-of-state donors, according to finance reports compiled by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which tracks money in state politics.

"If Governor Walker survives this, then national Republican and conservative leaders are going to see him as the spearhead for a movement," said Joe Heim, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Romney and Obama have avoided much involvement in the Wisconsin race, perhaps a sign that the presidential candidates are not willing to risk being tied too closely with either side.

When Romney was in Wisconsin to campaign in the state's April 3 presidential primary he called Walker a "hero." Obama endorsed Barrett in a brief statement after the May 8 Democratic primary but has said nothing publicly.

Even some Democrats think Barrett has run an ineffective, uninspiring campaign with his attack on the governor's leadership that moved beyond Walker's push for anti-union legislation.

Barrett has targeted Walker's record on creating jobs and raised questions about a criminal probe into whether Walker's aides when he was Milwaukee County executive did political fundraising on public time.

But after months of polarized battle over Walker's agenda, most Wisconsin voters seem to have made up their minds. A recent Marquette University law school poll said just 3 percent of voters remain undecided; a Democratic poll this week put the figure at 1 percent.

That makes voter turnout a potentially huge factor in the recall vote. Both sides have promised unprecedented get-out-the-vote operations.

"We've said all along this will be very close and will be decided by turnout, and we think we'll have the most effective turnout operation," Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate said.

While Democrats have a slight edge in voter registration in Wisconsin, Republicans seem to have at least a slight edge in enthusiasm. The Marquette poll found 91 percent of Republicans were "absolutely certain" to vote, compared with 83 percent of both Democrats and independents.

'A DRY RUN'

"When I make calls, I get Republicans who are really angry this is happening. The Democrats are mad too, but I don't think they are as passionate about it," said Chris Johnson, a retired teacher who volunteers at a Walker field office in La Crosse.

Walker has opened 22 offices around the state to direct his turnout operations, and he said volunteers have made more than 2 million calls to voters - more than during his entire 2010 race.

Volunteers made more than 200,000 contacts with voters on a recent weekend day, and other Midwestern state Republican parties are setting up their own phone banks for Walker.

Volunteers with the state Democratic Party knocked on 100,000 doors that same weekend day, and labor groups also have set up their own networks of more than two dozen field offices.

The turnout operations will serve as a test run for November's presidential contest. Tate said there was significant overlap, for example, between the state Democrats' field staff and Obama's campaign.

Some Wisconsin Democrats have grumbled about the lack of support from the national party.

The Republican Governors Association was one of the biggest spenders in the race, pumping in nearly $8 million, while the Democratic National Committee only sent out a late fund-raising appeal last week.

State officials are predicting a big turnout on Tuesday, and Democrats are targeting people who voted in 2008 but not 2010. They are hoping to get 150,000 to 200,000 recall voters to the polls who did not cast a ballot in 2010 - when Walker won by about 100,000 votes.

The risk is that the losers will be demoralized after the intensity of the recall fight, making it harder to get them back to work in the campaigns for November's presidential election.

"It's very easy to burn out the average political volunteer. I'm not sure how easy it will be to get people back through the door in September," said Brian Westrate, the Republican chairman in Wisconsin's Eau Claire County. "But it will be a lot easier if we win."

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/02/scott-walker-recall-wisconsin_n_1564963.html

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‘Snow White’ $55.8M Domestic Breaks Box Office Slump: $95.1M Global; ‘Prometheus’ On Fire In UK Ahead Of Domestic Opening; ‘Marvel’s The Avengers #3 Film Of All Time | Fourtriangle

SATURDAY AM, 5TH UPDATE: My sources now say Universal’s #1 film Snow White And The Huntsman (3,773 theaters) came in at $20.3M Friday and $55.8M for this domestic weekend. That result is better than expected for the 2D original fantasy actioner that cost $172M and didn’t have the benefit of a 3D premium or franchise recognition. Despite decent reviews, audiences gave the PG-13 movie a so-so ‘B’ CinemaScore which may affect word of mouth. Still, there’s a palpable sense of relief around Universal Pictures and even Hollywood now that the Charlize Theron-Kristen Stewart-Chris Hemsworth starrer directed by first-timer Rupert Sanders and produced by Joe Roth is showing promise at the domestic box office. Because it follows on the heels of May’s very disappointing domestic on Universal’s Battleship and April’s The Five Year Engagement  – two films specifically criticized by parent company Comcast chief Brian Roberts to Wall Street as big “misses” affecting earnings.

My sources say that overseas Snow White opened in 45 territories and was the #1 movie in 30 territories and especially strong in Latin America and Asia. It will gross $39.3M this weekend, which is on a par with The Hunger Games‘ $38M and better than Twilight‘s $30M, for a $95.1M worldwide cume. Highlights include Mexico $1M at 588 dates and 48% market share, ($900K at 393 dates and 51% market share), Germany ($1.5M at 618 dates in 2 days), UK ($1M at 476 dates and with previews total is $2.6M (where the movie was overwhelmed by Fox’s Prometheus. See below). ”The UK has two national holidays and school holidays next week and 5 weeks as counter-programming to the Euro Cup, so we expect the film to have a long run,” a Uni exec emailed me. Snow White has 18 territories including Australia, France, Italy, Japan and Russia to open over the next two months. It’s now safe to say that Snow White is breaking the post-Avengers early summer slump which has claimed 5 straight major studio releases so far because the Marvel mega-blockbuster was sucking all the air out of domestic box office. Insiders now expect the movie’s internationalcume to ultimately earn $250M-$275M all-in. “We’ll make money with the movie which we really care about. No one can rag us this week,” a Uni exec said to me this morning.

Snow White’s midnight screenings in 1,092 theaters bear that out: they grossed an encouraging $1.383M. That’s a far better per-screen average for the non-3D/non-sequel movie than last weekend’s slow-to-start Men In Black 3 which took in $1.550M midnights from 2,232 theaters even with the 3D premium and sequel marketing advantage. Universal had done an excellent job in lowering expectations for its big early summer tentpole. Tracking for weeks now had been underperforming and the studio kept telling everybody it expected only a $38M-$42M domestic opening weekend. That result would have been devastating to the studio and its execs. But tracking has been hinky for months and even a year now, as true sages of Hollywood box office know well. This morning Snow White‘s tracking took a dramatic uptick at the end of this week and finished strong. ”Given the way the tracking has been, it was very difficult to project the scope of any opening for any film in the marketplace this season: good, bad, or indifferent,” a Uni exec tells me today.

Fox’s Prometheus is having “a fantastic start” internationally 

this weekend before it opens in North America next Friday, according to the studio. The scifi film opened head-to-head with Snow White in the UK. Today Fox said Prometheus is 319% of the Snow White opening there, and 161% of both Snow White and holdover Men In Black 3. It’s also the biggest opening day for a Ridley Scott film ever in the UK. “We have had a superb start with Prometheus opening a clear No. 1 grossing £2.2m ($3.39M). This includes an estimated £200k ($306K) from special midnight screenings on Thursday.” A high 76% is from 3D, which includes 6.74% from IMAX. Most of the IMAX shows were only playing one evening performance on top of MIB3 because Sony had a 2-week agreement with IMAX digital. The two x70mm IMAX sites (Southbank in London and Manchester) played all day and reported every show including lates were sold out in advance. The foreign cume for Wednesday and Thursday in the eight markets released there was $5.5M. In addition to the UK, countries Turkey, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Latvia opened Friday.

Marvel’s The Avengers #3 Film Of All Time

Disney announced this morning that Marvel’s The Avengers became the third highest grossing film yesterday domestically passing The Dark Knight ($533M), and the third highest grossing film globally passing Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($1,328M). But these records are not adjusted for higher ticket prices, inflation, or 3D premiums. The Avengers‘ estimated cumulative performance to date as of Friday is international $793.2M and domestic $538.1M for a worldwide cume of $1,331.3M. It currently stands as the #5 film of all-time internationally (#4 is Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides with $803M). Domestically, it crossed $500M in just 23 days, setting a new speed record overtaking Avatar which took 32 days.

Other new movie grosses were Arc Entertainment’s For Greater Glory (575 theaters) with $580K Friday for an estimated $1.5M weekend. The Weinstein Co/Dimension’s  Piranha 3DD (86 theaters) opened with $69K Friday for a $179K weekend. And Brian & Barrett/Cinedigm’s Battlefield America (180 theaters) debuted with $40K Friday for a $118K weekend. As for overall moviegoing, the weekend is looking like $135M, down -13% from last year.

Here’s the Top 10 based on North America’s Friday estimates:

1. Snow White And The Huntsman (Universal) NEW [3,773 Theaters]

Friday $20.3M, Weekend $55.8M, International $39.3M

2. Men In Black 3 (Columbia/Sony) Week 2 [4,248 Theaters]

Friday $8.1M (-54%), Weekend $29M, Cume $112M

3. The Avengers (Marvels/Disney) Week 5 [3,670 Theaters]

Friday $5.6M, Weekend $19M, Cume $541.5M

4. What To Expect When… (Warner Bros) Week 3 [2,907 Theaters]

Friday $1.4M, Weekend $4.8M, Cume $31.1M

5. The Dictator (Paramount) Week 3 [2,649 Theaters]

Friday $1.4M, Weekend $5M, Cume $51.1M

6. Battleship (Universal) Week 3 [3,144 Theaters]

Friday $1.3M, Weekend $4.9M, Cume $55.2M

7. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Fox Searchlight) Week 5 [1,294 Theaters]

Friday $1.2M, Weekend $4.8M, Cume $25.7M

8. Dark Shadows (Warner Bros) Week 4 [3,002 Theaters]

Friday $1.0M, Weekend $3.6M, Cume $70.6M

9. Chernobyl Diaries (Alcon/Warner Bros) Week 2 [2,433 Theaters]

Friday $1.0M (-70%), Weekend $2.8M, Cume $14.2M

10. For Greater Glory (Arc Entertainment) NEW [575 Theaters]

Friday $585K, Weekend $1.5M

FRIDAY 4:30 PM,  2ND UPDATE: Universal just upped its North American box office estimates for Snow White And The Huntsman to $19M-$21M for today and $50M-$56M for this weekend.

FRIDAY 1 PM UPDATE: My sources are estimating that Friday’s opening looks like $17M to $19M, and the three-day weekend is shaping up as $48M to $52M. Snow White And The Hunstman‘s midnight screenings in 1,092 theaters bear that out: they grossed a promising $1.383M. That’s a far better per-screen average for the non-3D/non-sequel movie than last weekend’s slow-to-start Men In Black 3 which took in $1.550M midnights from 2,232 theaters even with the 3D premium and sequel marketing advantage.

Source: http://www.deadline.com/2012/06/snow-white-and-the-huntsman-opens-to-1-383m-midnights-from-1092-theaters-better-than-mib3/

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