CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - New name. New uniforms. And, most importantly, newfound confidence.

The Charlotte Hornets are looking to build off a successful 2013-14 campaign - and second-year coach Steve Clifford believes the organization has the pieces in place to do just that this season.

Clifford said with the additions of free agents Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams the starting lineup is better than it was a year ago when Charlotte went 43-39 and made the playoffs before getting swept in the first round by the Miami Heat. He also believes the Hornets have more quality depth.

Were better. Were more talented, Clifford said. Now whether or not we play better or we get to the point to where we played as consistently as we did at the end of last year will have to play out. But the possibilities are exciting.

Much of that excitement surrounds the addition of Stephenson, who was Charlottes second choice after missing out on Utah Jazz restricted free agent Gordon Hayward. The Hornets signed Hayward to a four-year, $63 million offer sheet, but the Jazz didnt flinch and matched.

Stephenson does a little bit of everything - scoring, rebounding, passing and defense. He led the league in triple doubles last season. He also brings intensity and playoff experience to a team lacking in both areas.

With Stephenson, Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker, the Hornets believe they have their own, albeit lesser-known version of the big three.

LeBron (James) and them started that big three thing, Jefferson said. But (the Stephenson signing) was music to my ears. Lance has been to where were trying to go. Hes been deep into the playoffs the last two or three years.

Clifford sees plenty of untapped potential in Stephenson and views him as a potential NBA star.

Ive been around Kobe (Bryant), (Tracy) McGrady and (Latrell) Sprewell in their primes - and Lance isnt there yet, Clifford said. But hes talented and young. His efficiency has to get better in shooting the ball and he has to get his turnovers down. In order for us to talk about him as a legitimate All-Star player that you can play through, thats the jump he needs to make.

Continued here:
Hornets, Stephenson look to take the next step

By Michael IdatoOct. 22, 2014, 2:30 p.m.

The drama series Resurrection presents its audience with a provocative and challenging story.

The drama series Resurrection presents its audience with a provocative and challenging story: loved ones who return from the dead, seemingly unchanged from the day they died.

But it also presents the great conundrum of the modern TV mystery drama. That is, "the fear is that we don't know [why] and are stringing you along," says executive producer Michelle Fazekas.

"But there is an answer. The show is not only about the answer ... It's about these characters and how this affects them".

The challenge, then, is how quickly that mystery is unfurled, and what clues are given along the way.

To Resurrection's credit, it didn't over-promise or under-deliver.

Co-executive producer Aaron Zelman last year said audiences wouldn't get a "definitive answer" by the end of the show's first season. On that point, they delivered.

Zelman also foreshadowed a darker tone to the show's second season. "We won't open right at the end of season one, we come in about a week later," he said. "Things have happened in town ... that will take things in a darker direction for season two."

The author of the book on which the US series is based, Jason Mott, said he questioned many of his friends while he wrote the manuscript for the book, asking how they would react if loved ones who had died suddenly returned.

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Resurrection teases mysteries of life and death

Capsules for the NBAs Southeast Division, listed in predicted order of divisional finish by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds:

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SOUTHEAST DIVISION

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

LAST SEASON: 44-38, lost to Indiana Pacers 4-2 in second round.

STARTING FIVE: G John Wall (19.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 8.8 apg), G Bradley Beal (17.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.3 apg), F Paul Pierce (13.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.4 apg), F Nene (14.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.9 apg), C Marcin Gortat (13.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg).

KEY ADDITIONS: Pierce (free agent, Nets), F Kris Humphries (trade, Celtics), F DeJuan Blair (trade, Mavericks).

KEY LOSSES: F Trevor Ariza (trade, Rockets), F Trevor Booker (free agent, Jazz).

COACH: Randy Wittman, fourth season with Wizards (91-122), ninth season overall (191-329).

EYES ON: Beal. Wall is supposed to the brash one, but it was usually more reserved shooting guard who proclaimed on media day that the Wizards have definitely the best backcourt in the league. The process of backing it up was set back when Beal broke a bone in his wrist in preseason, which should sideline him about six weeks. Its hard to imagine the Wizards going far without his smooth shooting touch.

See more here:
Southeast Division team-by-team capsules

Capsules for the NBAs Pacific Division teams, listed in predicted order of divisional finish by AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski:

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PACIFIC DIVISION

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

LAST SEASON: 57-25, lost to Oklahoma City 4-2 in second round.

STARTING FIVE: G Chris Paul (19.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 10.7 apg), G J.J. Redick (15.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.2 apg), F Blake Griffin (24.1 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.9 apg), F Matt Barnes (9.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.0 apg), C DeAndre Jordan (10.4 pgg, 13.6 rpg, 2.5 bpg).

KEY ADDITIONS: G Jordan Farmar (free agent, Lakers), F/C Spencer Hawes (free agent, Cavaliers), G Jared Cunningham (free agent, Kings), G Chris Douglas-Roberts (free agent, Hornets).

KEY LOSSES: G Darren Collison (free agent, Kings), G/F Jared Dudley (trade, Bucks), F Danny Granger (free agent, Heat), G Willie Green (waivers, Magic), C Ryan Hollins (free agent, Kings).

COACH: Doc Rivers, second season.

EYES ON: Steve Ballmer. He could rival Mark Cuban of the Mavericks for most excitable owner in the NBA with his over-the-top enthusiasm. Hawes, a 7-footer, was a key addition to the frontcourt as a backup to Griffin and Jordan. Paul, Griffin and Jordan enter their fourth season together with expectations running high to win the franchises first NBA title.

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Pacific Division team-by-team capsules

By ANNE M. PETERSON - Associated Press - Tuesday, October 21, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Not a whole lot has changed for the Portland Trail Blazers.

The starting five - LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard, Robin Lopez, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews - are all returning to a team that won 54 games and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals last season.

Most of the Blazers bench is likewise back. The only two additions the team made in the offseason were center Chris Kaman and guard Steve Blake.

In other words, the Blazers arent fixing what isnt broken. Theyre just going to work on the details - which include convincing the rest of the NBA that theyre legit.

I think we can be good - we can be really, really good, Matthews said. I think we deserve to be talked (about) as contenders in the West. I really believe that.

It starts with Aldridge, who averaged career highs with 23.2 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in the regular season, joining just two other players to finish in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding. He upped his scoring output to 26.1 points per game in the playoffs.

Lillard averaged 20.7 points and 5.6 assists as he continued to skew the NBA growth curve after jumping from Weber State to Rookie of the Year to All-Star over two seasons. But the 6-foot-3 point guards profile really took off after his series-clinching 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left against Houston to propel the Blazers to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.

Adding Kaman to spell Lopez will help give the Blazers more interior scoring power, while Blake will provide veteran stability at the point when Lillard rests. The two additions should also help Portlands bench produce more points, something that has hurt the team the last two seasons.

The Blazers also need to continue to focus on their defense, which was ranked 16th in the league last season. That was up from 25th the season before, so coach Terry Stotts will be looking to build on the changes that made a difference.

Original post:
Blazers look to build on solid foundation

Capsules for the NBAs Northwest Division teams, listed in predicted order of divisional finish by AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski:

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NORTHWEST DIVISION

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

LAST SEASON: 59-23, lost to San Antonio 4-2 in Western Conference finals.

STARTING FIVE: G Russell Westbrook (21.8 ppg, 6.9 apg, 5.7 rpg), G Reggie Jackson (13.1 ppg, 4.1 apg, 3.5 rpg), F Kevin Durant (32.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 5.5 apg), F Serge Ibaka (15.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.7 bpg), C Steven Adams (3.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.7 bpg).

KEY ADDITIONS: G Anthony Morrow (free agent, Pelicans), F Mitch McGary (draft), G Sebastian Telfair (free agent, China).

KEY LOSSES: G Thabo Sefolosha (trade, Hawks), F Caron Butler (free agent, Pistons), C Hasheem Thabeet (free agent, 76ers), G Derek Fisher (retired).

COACH: Scott Brooks, eighth season.

EYES ON: Westbrook. With Kevin Durant out for the early part of the season with a Jones fracture in his right foot, Westbrook, a three-time All-Star with top-shelf athleticism and the confidence to match, will be relied upon to carry the load. While Westbrook sat out for two months last season recovering from knee surgery, Durant was a dominant scorer, yet, he kept his teammates involved and they flourished around him. Westbrook, generally considered a top-five talent, has an unexpected chance to prove he can do the same.

Continued here:
Northwest Division team-by-team capsules

A LONG map spans the wall in the former offices of Fairfield's on Govan Road pinpointing the more than 40 shipyards which once dotted the Upper Clyde.

This was the heyday of shipbuilding on the river in the early years of the 20th Century, when Glasgow was the 'second city of the Empire', the powerhouse of the nation, and entire communities depended on the industry to earn a living.

Fast forward to today and there are only three yards left.

"Not just the number of yards but fact that they were all driven by engineering is a surprise to most people," explains Pat Cassidy, managing director of Govan Workspace, as we walk around the recently refurbished offices.

"People think of this area as all about shipbuilding but these were the greatest engineers in the world."

The elegant, A-listed red sandstone building is a local landmark, with the imposing doorway managers and dignitaries walked through still flanked by carvings of Neptune and mermaids.

When it was built, it was arguably the most prestigious shipbuilding concern in the world.

This was where first class Cunard liners The Campania and the Luciana were built, where 10,000 men worked in its heyday and where Jimmy Reid led the legendary Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Work-In, when the Conservative Government of the time tried to pull the plug on the yard.

It has taken five years and nearly 6 million to restore the offices to their former glory, revealing trompe l'oeil, paintwork, teak and mahogany panelling, mosaic flooring and marble work.

Now, some of the space is available to rent to businesses, while the ground floor houses a heritage centre, celebrating 150 years of shipbuilding in Govan.

Read more from the original source:
Yard office is shipshape once again

Netflix Inc. (NFLX) operates as an Internet subscription service company that provides subscription service streaming movies and television episodes over the Internet. It majorly operates in three segments Domestic streaming, International streaming and Domestic DVD. The company reported its third quarter earnings on the October 15, and the results were not very impressive. The stock market also reacted to the announcement and resulted in about 20% drop in stock price in after-hours trading. So, why the third was quarter such a disappointing one that nearly sank Netflix in the stock market. Lets get into the quarter details to derive the answer.

A quick look at the number mix

Revenue stood at $1.41 billion, a 27.4% increase from that of last years similar quarter. The revenue was up 5.1% from that posted in the second quarter of the fiscal year. 25% of the revenue was earned through international sources, and the revenue generated through domestic sources went by 25.1% as compared to last years third quarter.

However, the revenue generated from the domestic DVD business line saw a dip of 16% on a year-over-year basis.

The contribution profit improved by 400 basis points, mainly due to the 50.7% increase in contribution profit from domestic sources. Net income also saw a lift from $32 million reported in third quarter of 2013 to $59.3 million in the same quarter of 2014. In terms of earnings, this translated to around $0.96 per share in the quarter.

Analysts were expecting earnings of $0.91 per share on revenue of $1.41 billion, and the top and bottom line met their expectations.

But there were certain signs which could move the earnings to the red, if not taken care of. Also, the guidance for the fourth quarter is dim from the management end. And there is competition coming up as well. Lets get to these points in the upcoming section.

The decline in subscriber additions

Read the original here:
The Key Takeaway From Netflix's Third Quarter

LOS ANGELES-

"Twin Peaks," the ABC series that was a forerunner of today's offbeat serialized cable dramas, is coming back to life with nine new episodes to air on Showtime in 2016.

Series creators David Lynch and Mark Frost are working away on the scripts, with Lynch planning to direct all nine episodes. The episodes are expected to bow in early 2016, which would coincide with the 25th anniversary of the show's demise after two seasons on ABC in 1990 and 1991.

The new segs will be set in the present day and continue storylines established in the second season. Frost emphasized that the new episodes will not be a remake or reboot but will reflect the passage of time since viewers last checked in with key characters. As part of the deal, Showtime will rerun episodes from the original series' first two seasons leading up to the 2016 premiere.

Frost would not elaborate on plot details or even the characters that will come into play. But the story threads that will picked up were "baked in to the last episode," Frost told Variety. He called it "the next chapter of the story" and said that the passage of 25 years will be an important element in the plot.

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"For those followers of the show who felt bereft when the show ended where it did all those years ago are going to like where it goes from here," Frost assured. "And we hope that a lot of people who haven't been to Twin Peaks yet are going to be equally interested in where the story goes from where we left off."

"Twin Peaks" was ahead of its time in its unusual, often surreal approach to telling the yarn of a murder mystery in a fictional small town in Washington state. The show bowed with a ton of buzz -- Lynch was red-hot as a feature helmer at the time -- but it had little in the way of a sustained audience by broadcast TV standards of the day.

The series has remained a cult favorite over the years and thus was a ripe candidate for revival amid the general mania in the TV biz for reinventing vintage film and TV titles.

Lynch and Frost have retained ownership of "Twin Peaks" all these years. CBS has distribution rights to the show through the deficit-financing pact that Lynch/Frost Prods. set back in the day with Aaron Spelling's Worldvision distribution arm, which CBS now controls.

Here is the original post:
'Twin Peaks' revival to air in 2016

Pat Listach spent one year as the Astros' third-base coach.

Listach spent one year on the Astros' staff under manager Bo Porter, who was dismissed before the end of the season. Houston selected A.J. Hinch as its new manager last month.

Tarrik Brock, the Astros' first-base coach, was told he would not be on Hinch's staff earlier this week.

The Astros announced Friday afternoon that they have made four additions to the Major League coaching staff -- Trey Hillman as bench coach, Dave Hudgens as hitting coach, Gary Pettis as third-base coach and outfield/baserunning instructor and Rich Dauer as first-base coach and infield instructor.

Pettis served as the Rangers third-base coach, and had been a part of Texas' staff since 2007.

Hinch will not completely clear the coaching staff, however, as pitching coach Brent Strom will return for a second year.

Jamal Collier is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Listach won't return as third-base coach