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Friday’s weather predictions

The nor'easter forecast to slam the state Friday is creating a perfect storm of expectations, fueled by increasingly dire weather reports and flurry of tweets relying on the reams of raw data available online. Based on different models used by the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center, there were 22 different forecasts of how much snow could be dropped on the region by Saturday, ranging from 3.44 inches to a little more than four feet. A look at the predictions is below, along with sizes of items for comparison.

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SOURCES: Ford, schon.com

David Filipov, Patrick Garvin/Globe Staff

What will be funny in the fall?

Globe TV critic Matthew Gilbert chatted with readers Friday on Boston.com. Here are excerpts.

Q. What about the new fall comedies? Anything you’re curious about?

A. I’m curious about “The Michael J. Fox Show.” Could be fun, if they don’t hammer the Parkinson’s jokes too much. He’s done that material on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and on “The Good Wife.” And he should do some on his own show. But it can’t be the only focus of the series, or it will get old. It’s on Thursdays on NBC, along with Sean Hayes’ show, “Sean Saves the World.”

I’m also curious about the CBS Robin Williams sitcom, “The Crazy Ones.” Will he be annoying? Cute? Hyper? Schmaltzy? I’m an Andy Samberg fan, so his “Brooklyn Nine-West” on Fox appeals

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‘Goodwin Games’: Dead show walking

“The Goodwin Games” isn’t awful, really, but it might have made a better light-hearted movie than a weekly series. The concept is so limited, it is very tiresome very fast. The idea is that three estranged, far-flung siblings are reunited in small-town New Hampshire after their father, Benjamin Goodwin (Beau Bridges), dies. At the reading of his will, they learn that he was a secret multimillionaire, to the tune of $23 million. They also learn that they’ll need to compete in various games every week, in order to determine which child will win all the money. In the first episode, they must play a game of family-themed Trivial Pursuit with a mysterious outsider named Elijah. By the end of the half-hour, I was already irritated by the whole “games” thing.

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Scientists finally clone human embryonic stem cells without fanfare or controversy

Less than a decade ago, the quest to clone human embryonic stem cells fueled a heated scientific race toward a technology that seemed to hold the promise of transforming medicine, by giving doctors the power to create replacement parts customized for individual patients.

Harvard University launched an effort to clone human cells in 2006. A major scandal erupted when a South Korean scientist fraudulently claimed he had successfully cloned embryonic stem cells. A biotech company founded by a fringe movement claimed in 2003 to have cloned such cells and used them for reproductive purposes.

On Wednesday, scientists from Oregon Health and Science University finally — and apparently legitimately — declared success. Yet their paper, published in the journal Cell, is generating little excitement.

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Revere man gets 10 years in theft

A Revere man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of breaking and entering while being a habitual offender, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan’s office. Patrick Wiswall, 41, was found guilty on Tuesday of breaking and entering in the daytime to commit a felony and larceny under $250, following a five-day trial at the Middlesex Superior Court, according to a statement from the district attorney’s office.

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Fisherman rescued from Megansett Harbor

A fisherman was rescued from Megansett Harbor in North Falmouth Sunday morning after he was found unresponsive in the water, Falmouth police wrote in a statement. The man’s fishing companion alerted area residents, who pulled him from the water. He was resuscitated and taken to Falmouth Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition Sunday night. The man was identified as a 69-year-old Somerville resident, though police have not released his name.

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Bruins defeat Rangers to take 2-0 series lead

Five Bruins scored as Boston extended its lead over the Rangers in their second-round playoff series.

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David Ortiz, Red Sox crush the Twins

The Red Sox DH drove in six with a pair of home runs to right field as the Red Sox beat the Twins, 12-5.

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19 picks for best summertime food in New England

From fried fish sandwiches to lobster rolls, from blueberry pie to ice cream, the Globe magazine highlight the must-try options in the region.

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Berkshires inns offer high quality, higher costs

Two of the state’s top inns, Blantyre and its nearby rival, Wheatleigh, are internationally ranked and exorbitantly priced.

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Leadership vacuum may be root cause of Obama’s scandals

It’s as if Barack Obama thinks of himself as the average, outraged citizen, not as the president with the power to set high standards of behavior for everyone who works for him.

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In praise of the less-popular pleasures of the big screen

Aside from a handful of box office hits, the old-fashioned theatrical film is under assault. Globe critic Ty Burr’s take on how the communal sense of wonder is falling by the wayside.

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Big Government is watching you

What the Benghazi-IRS-AP scandals suggest — and what victims of drone strikes and people such as Aaron Swartz might testify — is that protections like the Bill of Rights are inadequate.

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Rangers’ John Tortorella has always been intense

The 54-year-old Concord native and Rangers coach has matched his edgy personality with an insatiable appetite for practice and a relentless will.

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10 best amusement and theme parks in New England

From an adventure course in the trees to a mecca for train-loving children, we highlight the top destinations in the region.

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Turn on, tune in, design a great poster at Smith College

Full of movement and color, the works in Smith College’s “Summer of Love” show were produced by inventive designers in the Bay Area.

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