star news: February 2013

Monday, February 18, 2013

Willis' new 'Die Hard' scores with $25M debut

FILE - This publicity film image released by 20th Century Fox shows Bruce Willis as John McClane, left, Jai Courtney as his son Jack, center and Sebastian Koch as Komarov in a scene from "A Good Day to Die Hard." (AP Photo/20th Century Fox, Frank Masi, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Bruce Willis remains a die-hard at the box office.

Willis' action sequel "A Good Day to Die Hard" debuted as the weekend's top draw with a $25 million debut from Friday to Sunday. The 20th Century Fox release raised its domestic total to $33.2 million since opening Thursday for Valentine's Day to get a jump on the long President's Day weekend.

The movie comes 25 years after the original "Die Hard" and six years after "Live Free or Die Hard," the hit that resurrected the franchise centered on Willis' relentless New York City cop John McClane.

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, Universal's comedy "Identity Thief" starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy, was a close second with $23.4 million to lift its haul to $70.7 million.

Debuting at No. 3 with $21.4 million was Relativity Media's romance "Safe Haven," starring Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel in an adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel about a woman who flees her abusive husband and takes up with a sensitive widower. Since opening on Valentine's Day, "Safe Haven" has taken in $30.3 million.

The Weinstein Co. animated tale "Escape from Planet Earth" opened at No. 4 with $16.1 million. With a voice cast that includes Brendan Fraser, Jessica Alba, Sarah Jessica Parker and Rob Corddry, the movie follows the adventures of aliens captured by the U.S. military.

Making a weak debut at No. 6 was the Warner Bros. teen fantasy "Beautiful Creatures," which pulled in $7.5 million for the weekend and $10 million since opening Thursday. The movie is based on the first in the best-selling series about a Southern misfit (Alden Ehrenreich) who falls under the spell of a teen witch (Alice Englert).

"A Good Day to Die Hard" did solid business despite bad reviews for the latest installment, which sends Willis' McClane to Moscow in search of his estranged son, an undercover spy who winds up teaming with the old man against Russian bad guys.

The movie's success follows notable flops from two other holdovers of the 1980s action scene, Sylvester Stallone with "Bullet to the Head" and Arnold Schwarzenegger with "The Last Stand."

"There's still life left in the 'Die Hard' franchise. Given the fact that pretty much every other R-rated action movie that's come out this year has completely fallen flat, this is a pretty good showing," said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. Willis is "one of the old-guard action stars who still has a solid career going, whereas a lot of these aging action heroes, unless they're in an ensemble cast, they're not able to draw audiences the way they used to."

Overall Hollywood business remained slow, with revenues off for the fourth-straight weekend compared to the same period last year. Domestic business from Friday to Sunday totaled $141 million, down 9.4 percent from the same weekend a year ago, when "Safe House" and "The Vow" led the way with about $23 million each.

A bright spot this year has been strong business for top Academy Awards contenders leading up to next Sunday's Oscars. The weekend's top-20 films included eight of the nine best-picture nominees, seven of which have either topped $100 million domestically or are close.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are included. Final domestic figures will be released Tuesday.

1. "A Good Day to Die Hard," $25 million ($61.5 million international).

2. "Identity Thief," $23.4 million ($180,000 international).

3. "Safe Haven," $21.4 million ($2.6 million international).

4. "Escape from Planet Earth," $16.1 million.

5. "Warm Bodies," $9 million ($4.9 million international).

6. "Beautiful Creatures," $7.5 million ($5.4 million international).

7. "Side Effects," $6.3 million.

8. "Silver Linings Playbook," $6.1 million ($6.5 million international).

9. "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters," $3.5 million ($9.5 million international).

10. "Zero Dark Thirty," $3.1 million ($2.9 million international).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "A Good Day to Die Hard," $61.5 million.

2. "Django Unchained," $13.7 million.

3. "Wreck-It Ralph," $11.5 million.

4. "Les Miserables," $10 million.

5. "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters," $9.5 million.

6. "Miracle in Cell. No. 7," $8.8 million.

7. "Flight," $7 million.

8. "Lincoln," $6.6 million.

9. "Silver Linings Playbook," $6.5 million.

10. "Jack Reacher," $5.7 million.

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-02-17-Box%20Office/id-c17ce95491a54d2fbbd9b2f523452865

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Future races canceled in wake of Pistorius charge

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2012 file photo, South Africa's Oscar Pistorius starts in the men's 400-meter semifinal during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Paralympic superstar Oscar Pistorius was charged Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, with the murder of his girlfriend who was shot inside his home in South Africa, a stunning development in the life of a national hero known as the Blade Runner for his high-tech artificial legs. Reeva Steenkamp, a model who spoke out on Twitter against rape and abuse of women, was shot four times in the predawn hours in the home, in a gated community in the capital, Pretoria, police said. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File)

FILE - This is a Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012 file photo of South Africa's Oscar Pistorius as he reacts after finishing first in a men's 400-meter heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London Paralympic superstar Oscar Pistorius was charged Thursday Feb. 14. 2013 with the murder of his girlfriend who was shot inside his home in South Africa, a stunning development in the life of a national hero known as the Blade Runner for his high-tech artificial legs. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

Peet van Zyl, managing agent for Olympian athlete Oscar Pistorius, talks to the press outside the Brooklyn police station in Pretoria, South Africa, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, after visiting Pistorius. Oscar Pistorius faces a bail hearing Tuesday and Wednesday, in which prosecutors will have to offer a great explanation about why they?ve charged the Olympian with murder over the Valentine?s Day shooting death of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius hasn?t entered a plea in the case, though his family has said they strongly deny the 26-year-old double-amputee runner committed murder. They have not, however, denied outright that Pistorius shot Steenkamp, a 29-year-old law school graduate now being featured in a South African reality television show. (AP Photo)

Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius leaves the Boschkop police station, east of Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 en route to appear in court charged with murder. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was taken into custody and was expected to appear in court Thursday after a 30-year-old woman who was believed to be his girlfriend was shot dead at his home in South Africa's capital, Pretoria. (AP Photo/Chris Collingridge) SOUTH AFRICA OUT

Arnold Pistorius, right, uncle of Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, comforts his niece after making a statement to selected press in Pretoria, South Africa, Feb. 16, 2013. Pistorius said that Oscar is numb with shock, as well as grief after the shooting death of his model girlfriend at his home in South Africa, Thursday. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? Oscar Pistorius' agent has canceled all future track races so the double-amputee Olympian can focus on the murder charge against him, underscoring the possibility the disabled sports icon might never again run competitively on his famous carbon fiber blades.

Pistorius is defending himself against allegations he murdered his model girlfriend by shooting her several times in his upscale house on Valentine's Day morning.

Reeva Steenkamp died from gunshot wounds suffered inside Pistorius' home in the predawn hours of Thursday. Pistorius was arrested and charged with her murder the same day. His family denies he murdered her.

"I have decided that following these tragic events that we have no option but to cancel all future races that Oscar Pistorius had been contracted to compete in," agent Peet van Zyl said in a written statement late Sunday night.

A few hours earlier, Van Zyl had visited his athlete at a police station in the South African capital, Pretoria, where he is being held in custody in a red-bricked, one-story building with green metal fencing.

Pistorius has been there since Friday following the shocking developments at his villa in a gated community in Pretoria's eastern suburbs where Steenkamp was shot dead.

Her death and Pistorius' arrest stunned South Africans, who revered Pistorius for his humble nature and success at overcoming adversity to become an international star, despite having his lower legs amputated as a baby.

Pistorius still had "overwhelming support" from his fans, Van Zyl said as he left Brooklyn police station, but the agent steered away from a question from a reporter on what Pistorius' emotional state was now like following the death of his girlfriend and a possible realization that his entire career was in ruins.

Pistorius' sponsors ? including big-name brands Nike and eyewear manufacturer Oakley ? were also sticking by him, Van Zyl said. But that could depend on the outcome of a possibly lengthy murder trial.

"Regarding sponsors and partners, I can confirm that at this point in time, all parties are supportive and their contractual commitments are maintained," Van Zyl's In Site Athlete Management company said. "They have said they are happy to let the legal process takes its course before making any change in their position."

The Beaverton, Ore-based Nike Inc. and Foothill Ranch, Calif.-based Oakley Inc. did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Pistorius was quickly arrested and charged with murder Thursday, with prosecutors saying at his first court appearance a day later that they would pursue a more serious premeditated murder charge, which carries a life sentence.

Pistorius broke down and wept in the court, with his face in his hands. His family later denied he murdered Steenkamp and said the state's own evidence "strongly refutes" any possibility of a murder.

"I am not going to comment on anything except that (what) is related to his athletics career at this point in time," Van Zyl told reporters outside the police station after being asked how Pistorius was coping. "Obviously from a management side and also as a friend, it's a tragic circumstance and events that have unfolded and we can only give Oscar our support at this point in time."

Family members and his lawyers also visited Pistorius on Sunday, but declined comment both when they arrived and when they left the city center police station.

The family of Steenkamp, a model, law graduate and budding reality TV star, told The Associated Press that her body had been released by police after an autopsy and was back in their hometown of Port Elizabeth on South Africa's southern coast.

"Reeva is back home," the late model's brother, Adam Steenkamp, told the AP by phone. He had flown back from Britain, where he now lives, to be with the family.

They also said Steenkamp's funeral would be held Tuesday and would be a private ceremony for family at a local crematorium. Media would not be allowed in.

The main purpose for Van Zyl's visit to Brooklyn police station Sunday afternoon was to discuss Pistorius' running career, but "also to visit him as a friend and give him my moral support," the agent said. "On a personal level I wanted to offer my support to Oscar, who I have known and worked with for the last seven years and consider a friend and a great professional athlete."

Following the meeting, Van Zyl announced publicly that the five races that Pistorius had confirmed for in 2013 were canceled: two in Australia in March, exhibition races against fellow Paralympic champions Alan Oliveira of Brazil and Jonnie Peacock of Britain, and an appearance at the U.S. Drake Relays in Iowa.

Van Zyl's decision to cancel those races was first reported by the AP on Saturday. All others that were still in negotiation were also now called off, Van Zyl said on Sunday.

The high-profile rematch with Oliveira, who beat Pistorius in the 200 meters at the London Paralympics last year, was to be a straight line 200 race on Copacabana beach to promote the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics.

The runner's main goal for 2013 was to qualify for the worlds in Moscow in August, which is now almost certainly not going to happen.

Pistorius was the first amputee athlete to run at the world championships in 2011, then made history when he competed at last year's Olympics in London.

He and his coach have both said that they aimed to retire from track after the Rio Games, but one of the world's most famous athletes, who fought for years to be allowed to run against able-bodied competitors, is now facing the possibility he will never go to any major meet again.

___

Follow Gerald Imray at http://twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-18-OLY-Pistorius-Shooting/id-e1d580181ca343989e46d40930904424

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Former WSU coach Raveling to receive HOF lifetime achievement award

by TRAVIS PITTMAN / KING 5 News

KING5.com

Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:23 PM

Updated Friday, Feb 15 at 5:32 PM

Former Washington State University men?s basketball coach George Raveling was named the recipient of the 2013 John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday.

The award is considered the most prestigious honor the Hall can bestow, outside of enshrinement. The award honors those who have made outstanding accomplishments to impact the game of basketball.

?George was a trailblazer in the college coaching profession, he took so much pride in educating his players not only about basketball, but also about life,? said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Hall of Fame board.

Raveling was an assistant for the Maryland Terrapins when they posted an undefeated season and a No. 1 national ranking in 1971.

In 1972, he moved to Pullman to coach the Cougars, back when the Pac-12 was still the Pac-8. In 11 seasons, he led the Cougs to a 167-136 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances. He also was the conference?s first African-American basketball coach.

Raveling would also coach at Iowa and USC, and he served as an assistant on the 1984 and 1988 U.S. Olympic teams.

Raveling retired in 1994 following a car crash that hospitalized him for several weeks with severe injuries. He became a color commentator for Fox Sports and CBS. He?s currently the Director of International Basketball for Nike.

Information compiled from the Naismith Memorial Basketball?Hall of Fame website.

Source: http://www.king5.com/sports/college/cougars/Former-WSU-coach-Raveling-to-receive-HOF-lifetime-achievement-award-191444461.html

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White House defends immigration reform proposal | The Raw Story

By Agence France-Presse
Sunday, February 17, 2013 12:31 EST

The White House defended its behind-the-scenes work on immigration reform Sunday after a plan leaked to the US media was panned by a key Republican as ?half-baked and seriously flawed.?

USA Today said the plan being drafted by administration and which is already circulating among various government agencies would allow illegal immigrants to become legal permanent US residents within eight years.

Republicans immediately attacked the plan and sharply criticized the White House for developing it without consulting them.

Senator Marco Rubio, who is leading Republican efforts on immigration legislation after his party?s poor performance with Latino voters in November elections, said the president?s plan would be ?dead on arrival? in Congress.

?This legislation is half-baked and seriously flawed,? he said, adding, ?It would actually make our immigration problems worse.?

In his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Obama urged Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform ?in the next few months.?

And eight senators ? four of Obama?s Democratic allies and four Republicans ? unveiled a joint plan last month aiming to provide a legal status to illegal immigrants living on US soil.

White House chief of staff Denis McDonough insisted on Sunday that the administration was working intensely with the so-called ?gang of eight,? including Rubio.

?And we?re going to continue to work with Senator Rubio and others on this,? McDonough said, in an interview with ABC News.

?But he says it?s dead on arrival if it?s proposed. Well, let?s make sure that it doesn?t have to be proposed.

?Let?s make sure that that group up there, the gang of eight, makes good progress on these efforts, as much as they say they want to.?

Obama has warned that he will present his own immigration bill if Congress cannot soon come to an agreement, and the draft plan appeared to be the administration?s answer if the senators? efforts fall short.

The USA Today report said that under the administration?s draft the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States could apply for a ?Lawful Prospective Immigrant? visa.

Visa applicants would need to pass a criminal background check, file biometric information and pay fees.

But once approved, they would be allowed to reside in the United States legally, to work and to leave the country for short visits without losing their status.

A new identification card would prove their legal residence in the country.

And, within eight years, the immigrants could apply for a green card to obtain legal permanent residence if they learn English and ?the history and government of the United States.? They would also have to pay back taxes.

With green card in hand, the immigrants would then be on a path to apply for US citizenship.

The plan would also allocate additional security funds and require business owners to check the immigration status of any new hires within four years.

Rubio said Obama?s bill was not tough enough on securing the long border the United States shares with Mexico, and it ?puts those who broke our immigration laws at an advantage over those who chose to do things the right way and come here legally.?

The National Immigration Forum, which advocates for immigration reform, said the White House proposal seemed ?very moderate,? but should have gone further in overhauling the immigration system beyond citizenship and enforcement.

It also warned that a large increase in border patrol agents and immigration judges, as advocated in the president?s plan, ?would be better used at ports of entry and reducing the backlog for legal immigrants.?

The burst of activity on Capitol Hill marks the best chance in years to craft legislation to tighten border security, improve employment verification and bring the huge illegal immigrant population out of legal limbo.

A 2007 effort spearheaded by then-president George W. Bush failed.

Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/17/white-house-defends-immigration-reform-proposal/

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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Kyrie Irving claims NBA's 3-point shootout title: All-Star Insider

HOUSTON -- Kyrie Irving identified himself as the dark-horse candidate in the Three-Point Shootout, but he rode off with the trophy.

"I just want go out and prove a point that I was one of the premier shooters out there with all these guys," said Irving, who beat San Antonio's Matt Bonner in the final round, 23-20. "Steve Novak and Matt Bonner, I never thought I'd beat those guys."

In the first round, Irving had 18 points, while New York's Novak had 17 and Indiana's Paul George 10 among the entrants representing the Eastern Conference.

Irving's winning total was two points off the record of 25 set by Craig Hodges in 1986 and tied by ex-Cav Jason Kapono, who was with Toronto when he won in 2008. Mark Price is the only other Cavalier to win the contest, and he did it twice -- in 1993 and 1994.

Price, of course, was lauded for his shooting. Irving admits people don't give him enough credit for his 3-point accuracy.

"I feel like I'm a better off-the-dribble shooter than a spot-up shooter," he said. "I'm not sure how many threes I have on the year [82], but not as many as the guys I was shooting against out there. I try to be as efficient as possible."

Irving missed just five of 25 shots in the final round and hit three of five moneyballs. With LeBron James up and cheering from his front-row seat, Irving hit all five shots from the left corner and the top.

On Friday, Irving scored 32 points in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, and on Sunday he'll make his All-Star debut.

"This weekend was just basically about earning everybody's respect and people getting a chance to see me that don't usually see me," Irving said. "We're not nationally televised. This weekend is to show my face to the fans and get everybody acclimated to my face in the league.

"Every award and everything that I do, the All-Star Weekend is dedicated to the Cavaliers organization, trying to be a great representative for our team."

Cleveland All-Star? NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver said the league would consider returning to Cleveland for the All-Star Game, last held in Northeast Ohio in 1997, when the NBA's 50 greatest players were honored.

"I was in Cleveland last Friday, had extensive discussions with [owner] Dan [Gilbert] and members of his organization and we've encouraged them to bid for a subsequent All-Star Game," Silver said. "We had a great experience when we were there back in '97, and one of the great moments, I think ... was the presentation of the 50 greatest on the floor."

Added NBA commissioner David Stern, "To get those 49 guys -- and we knew it was the last time we were ever going to get them together like that -- and to put them in effect a uniform, through a jacket of the team that they represented, that was a big thrill."

Next year's All-Star Game is in New Orleans, and Stern revealed that the 2015 game will be either in Madison Square Garden or the new Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. The next All-Star Weekend open for bidding is in 2016.

Saturday results: Team Bosh, featuring Miami's Chris Bosh, Atlanta legend Dominique Wilkins and Chicago's Swin Cash of the WNBA, won the Shooting Stars competition. ... Likely NBA Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard of Portland claimed the Skills Challenge, and Toronto's Terrence Ross won a lackluster slam dunk competition.

Cleveland ties: Forward Arinze Onuaku of the Canton Charge had 14 points as the Prospects beat the Futures, 139-125, in the NBA DLeague All-Star Game. "These are guys that we battle against every day," Onuaku said, "Just to come out here and play with them, it's a good little experience and, you know, get a little time off from the regular season."

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2013/02/kyrie_irving_claims_nbas_3-poi.html

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Festival of Light Parade tonight in Fort Myers

Tonight is the largest nighttime parade in the Southeast- the 75th Annual Edison Festival of Light Parade starts at 7 p.m.

Last night, crews put the finishing touches on everything from the floats to the road closures. The parade wraps up a month-long festival honoring Thomas Edison.

The parade route starts at Fort Myers High School at 7 p.m. and ends in the downtown River District.

Don't forget to bring a sweater, jacket or blanket with you for night time, temperatures are supposed to drop and will get cooler out as the sun sets.

Road closures will begin at 5 p.m.

Police encourage those who want to attend the parade to arrive downtown prior to 5 p.m.

All parking garages will be open before the parade starts but access to the downtown area will be very limited to vehicles entering and exiting during the parade.

Anyone not attending the parade is asked to avoid the area.

Alternate routes: the Edison Bridge, Fowler Street and Veronica Shoemaker Boulevard.

For more information click here: Edison Festival of Light

Road Closures:

Cleveland Avenue between Hanson and Main streets

Edwards Drive (closed from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.)

Bay Street between Heitman and Jackson streets

First Street between Fowler and Jackson streets

Main Street between Cleveland Avenue and Hendry Street

Monroe Street between Main Street and Edwards Drive (closed at 7 a.m.)

Heitman Street from Bay Street to Edwards Drive (closed at 7 a.m.)

Broadway Avenue between Second and Bay streets

Hendry Street between Main Street and Edwards Drive (closed from 6 a.m. - 12 p.m.)

Jackson Street between Edwards Drive and Edison Avenue

Cortez Avenue between Del Rio and Llewellyn drives

Llewellyn Drive between Cortez and Cleveland avenues

Hoople Street between Jackson Street and Central Avenue

Crawford Street between Jackson Street and Central Avenue

Lafayette Street between Jackson Street and Central Avenue

Royal Palm Avenue between Bay Street and Thompson

Lee Street between Edwards Drive and Thompson/Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Fowler and Heitman streets

The downtown boat ramp

The ramp off of the Caloosahatchee Bridge into downtown Fort Myers and the southbound lanes of traffic will be diverted onto McGregor Boulevard.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/50830062/ns/local_news-fort_myers_fl/

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Worst pitch of the month: Plantronics and the mass employee wedding

Journalists receive tons of story and product pitches each day via e-mail, phone, snail mail and sometimes even a delivered cupcake. (That last one is true, although it never got to me because the sender wrote the wrong address.)

Sometimes the pitches are clever, timely, or at least newsworthy -- even if a bit dry. However, a vast portion of them are usually way off base.

Then, once in a while we're treated to little gems that are just so mind boggling that they demand to be shared with the world.

Thus, we're starting a little column here on ZDNet in which I'll offer the worst pitch(es) I've received that month, along with a little commentary about why it just doesn't work.

We're starting a little early this month, but given the event date etched in electronic ink on this first one, here are a few to tide you over until March.

Hi Rachel,

Would you be interested in speaking with Plantronics this week about its mass employee wedding happening this Friday, Friday 15? More details below.
What do weddings, Bluetooth headsets, 500 couples, Tijuana and California have in common?
For the past 12 years, Plantronics, the world?s leading Bluetooth and headset manufacturer headquartered in California, has hosted an annual mass wedding for the employees of its Plamex manufacturing plant in Tijuana, helping marry over 500 employees. On Friday, February 15, just one day after Valentine?s Day, Plantronics will toast approximately 28 couples who will marry at Plamex.
Why throw a wedding? It?s smart business, and more importantly, it?s part of the amazing workplace culture that helps get Plamex ranked the best place to work in Mexico. While this benefit may seem quirky, it?s one of the reasons Plamex has amazing retention (some employees are the 3rd generation from same family to work at Plamex), and part of the reason why Plantronics has some of the best audio innovations in the world.
Best,
[REDACTED]

I'm not sure where to begin, but as my colleague Adrian Kingsley-Hughes wrote to me in response as to what any of those items might have in common, he summed up simply, "Nothing. Nothing at all."

This pitch from Plantronics follows in a long line of pitches since the beginning of January attempting (and failing) to weave some sort of very weak thread between technology and Valentine's Day. Here's another example:

Hey Rachel,

Okta decided to have a little fun with Valentines Day this year and published a blog post on the top reasons valentines are like passwords: http://www.okta.com/blog/2013/02/top-10-reasons-valentines-are-like-passwords/. (My personal fave: "(8) They expire every year. Now they?re just some passwords that I used to know."
Thought it'd be of interest ? and might make for a fun piece on BTL today.
Thanks,

[REDACTED]

It's sort of sweet -- but in an overly?saccharine way that makes me slightly sick.

This last one just makes me question what kind of mailing lists I must be on and what kind of data they have about me:

Online Dating sites and Apps are exploding everywhere but how do users know another?s STD status and protect themselves while actively dating? Qpid.me is a free, simple way to obtain, securely store and privately share your verified STD results. You may be tempted to further your relationship with the guy/girl you met online BUT experts are warning people that incidents of STD?s are continuing to grow. For example, Gonorrhea in the U.S has risen for the first time in decades and is now resistant to most antibiotics. At www.Qpid.me, signing up online is a 3 minute process that allows people to receive STD results quickly, and for FREE. The founder has been tested forty times in 12 months to verify how clinics are testing and how long it typically takes for one to receive their results.

Five key questions for consumers who are dating and sexually active with partners are:
1.????? Have you been tested lately?
2.????? If not, do you know where in your area to go? Qpid.me can tell you the locations all over the U.S. to get tested.
3.????? NO news is NOT good news? ? do you know that some states report they will get your medical records to you in ?any reasonable time frame.?? Qpid.me will get your results quicker.
4.????? How do you share this info with your partner?? How does Qpid.me work?
5.????? What if you are positive ? how does Qpid.me work with you?
Would you like to speak to the CEO/Creator of Qpid.me ? Ramin Bastani.

[REDACTED]

The biggest problem with these pitches is that they have nothing to do with business technology -- which is what ZDNet is all about -- so the senders don't understand their audience.

Some better attempts at this theme that I've received include the special-edition garnet red Samsung Galaxy Tab and the top online dating scams from ThreatMetrix.

But in actuality, most of them are just trying too hard. Please stop.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/zdnet/thebigquestion/~3/Zocr1F3EV_o/

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Harrison Ford Set to Return to Play Han Solo in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII?

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In November, we reported that Harrison Ford was open to returning for Star Wars: Episode VII.? Today, we?ve learned that the scruffy nerdherder Han Solo will likely appear in the upcoming, long-awaited sequel.? This casting clues us in to at least a few details about the script.? First, at some point we have to see what takes place about 35 years after Return of the Jedi.? It doesn?t mean the film will begin or take place during that time, and Han Solo?s appearance may be a flashback, but if I recall correctly, there wasn?t a single flashback in any of the previous Star Wars films.? The most you got was a recording of events that had already happened.

Hit the jump for more.? Ford will be seen later this year in the Jackie Robinson biopic 42, the thriller Paranoia, and the adaptation of Ender?s Game.

han_solo_harrison_ford_01 Latino Review is reporting that Ford is set to return, and I trust them because they have a good track record when it comes to scoops. As we previously reported, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher spoke with George Lucas last summer to discuss returning for the next Star Wars movie.? If all three will return (and I find it baffling that they would only bring back Han Solo, and Ford seems the hardest to get of the original trilogy lead actors), then I find it even harder to believe that the next film would only show them in a flashback.? Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope are connected by baby Luke and Leia, so it?s tough to imagine going to Episode VII, and discovering Luke, Leia, and Han are DEAD.? What a triumphant way to start off your new movie.? That should be in the opening crawl.

Click here?to catch up on all of our?Star Wars?coverage, or peruse the recent links below:

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Source: http://collider.com/star-wars-episode-7-han-solo-harrison-ford/

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Saturday, February 16, 2013

Arm Teachers or Ban Video Games? Students Debate in Google Hangout

By: Leah Clapman

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., has made many schools rethink their safety procedures. It has also sparked emotional debates about the roots of violence.

To find out how the tragedy has affected young people, we brought together high school students from around the country into a Google Hangout to talk about new rules since the Dec. 17 massacre, their opinion about proposals to let teachers carry guns and ideas about how to stop the next mass shooting. The students are participants in the NewsHour's Student Reporting Labs, which provides video journalism curricula and mentoring to classrooms and after-school programs.

Attitudes toward guns differed dramatically from major cities where illegal weapons kill hundreds every year, to rural towns, where many residents hunt and own guns.

In the first Hangout (you can watch it above), Ellie Batchiyska, who attends Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Los Angeles said that she's hearing a lot of debate about whether guns kill people or people with guns kill people. She disagreed with recent proposals to encourage teachers to carry guns, arguing that they are supposed to teach students how to avoid violence. "I know it's a difficult definitely in L.A. because it's such a huge city and our police department -- it's hard for them just to be able to monitor every school and the officers can't stay with us all day so that's complicated... It's just dangerous."

But Spencer Baldwin from Shenandoah, Iowa, said that many of his teachers are gun owners with concealed carry permits. "They've been trained to do that kind of thing and I think that having one in every classroom wouldn't necessarily be a danger to the students."

"Shenandoah is a pretty rural community, you know. We have a lot of farmers and a lot hunters and it's just a small town atmosphere ... and a lot of people have guns and a lot of people are afraid for their rights."

In another Google Hangout (below), students admitted that video games and a violent media culture can numb kids to the brutality around them, but argued that the real problem has much more to do with home environments, mental health and bullying.

"We've had violent video games forever," argues Ben Hudson from Magnolia High School in Magnolia, Texas. "When they see in video games they are killing people or if they see on a movie it kind of makes the whole violence thing -- even hearing it on the news -- like it's not real, it doesn't hit home as much... but I don't think it would affect someone enough to pick up a gun and kill someone just because they played a video game of it."

But Patrick Avignon of Los Angeles disagreed. "If you were raised on a game like 'Grand Theft Auto' -- like you played it when you were six years old and now you are playing something like 'Call of Duty' now -- you are a lot more comfortable with the idea of a weapon or a gun, especially if you don't have parents or you don't have someone telling you that this is the wrong thing."

Avignon and the other students said it's up to parents to help students understand how to separate fantasy from reality. "Growing up my mom didn't let me even use water guns because the neighborhood I grew up in ... there was a lot of gang activity and she didn't want me to fall into anything like that so I was never comfortable with the idea of violence or weapons at all because of that reason. Now I play games like 'Grand Theft Auto' because I know that it's just a game and it's not OK to do but a lot of kids don't have that."

"Other countries have the exact same video games, they have the exact same movies, exact same cartoons that children and teenagers and adults are watching and those," argued Jacqueline Mears of Magnolia, Texas. "Other countries don't have the same violence as we do and I feel like it's basically just the fear ingrained in Americans' minds that you need that gun to protect yourself when in reality it's kind of putting you out to be a victim of crime."

Students participated from Richwood High School in W.V., Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, Daniel Pearl Magnet School in Los Angeles, Sentinel High School in Missoula, Mont., Magnolia High School in Texas, and Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School in Nashville, Tenn.

PBS NewsHour has been following the discussion about gun violence and gun control policy as it unfolds across the nation and in Washington. Follow all of the stories on our special reports page, The Gun Debate.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/02/arm-teachers-or-ban-video-games-students-debate-on-google.html

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San Rafael students treated to traditional Chinese lion dance

Click photo to enlarge

Students sprang up to catch the candy tossed by the Oakland Police Wushu Team chinese lions in honor of Chinese New Year for the children of Laurel Dell Elementary School in San Rafael, Calif. on Friday, February 15, 2012. The team, headed by Robert Lee, who plays the drum, does performances by invitation only, was at Laurel Dell in honor of two students known to Lee. The 30 minute performance began with eight men doing acrobatic stretches including cresecent kick, step punch, cartwheels with no hands, and other martial arts moves. Laurel Dell is a Kindergarten through 5th grade school with 210 students. (Special to the IJ/Jocelyn Knight) Jocelyn Knight

The Oakland Asian Youth Services Committee Lion Dance Team treated San Rafael students at Laurel Dell Elementary School to a traditional Chinese lion dance Friday in celebration of the Chinese New Year. The dance team was established 16 years ago in partnership with the Oakland Police Department as a way to decrease gang violence by teaching youth to work together.

Photos special to the IJ/Jocelyn Knight

Send us your news: We want more news items from Marin's cities and towns. Email them to our City Desk at localnews@marinij.com, mail them to City Desk, Marin Independent Journal, 4000 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903, or fax them to 415-382-7209. For more information about towns in Marin, visit the IJ's website at marinij.com.

Source: http://www.marinij.com/sanrafael/ci_22601871/san-rafael-students-treated-traditional-chinese-lion-dance?source=rss

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On Twitter, men, women, red and blue states heard different Obama speech

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World's most sensitive plasmon resonance sensor inspired by ancient Roman cup

Feb. 14, 2013 ? Utilizing optical characteristics first demonstrated by the ancient Romans, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have created a novel, ultra-sensitive tool for chemical, DNA, and protein analysis.

"With this device, the nanoplasmonic spectroscopy sensing, for the first time, becomes colorimetric sensing, requiring only naked eyes or ordinary visible color photography," explained Logan Liu, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering at Illinois. "It can be used for chemical imaging, biomolecular imaging, and integration to portable microfluidics devices for lab-on-chip-applications. His research team's results were featured in the cover article of the inaugural edition of Advanced Optical Materials (AOM, optical section of Advanced Materials).

The Lycurgus cup was created by the Romans in 400 A.D. Made of a dichroic glass, the famous cup exhibits different colors depending on whether or not light is passing through it; red when lit from behind and green when lit from in front. It is also the origin of inspiration for all contemporary nanoplasmonics research -- the study of optical phenomena in the nanoscale vicinity of metal surfaces.

"This dichroic effect was achieved by including tiny proportions of minutely ground gold and silver dust in the glass," Liu added. "In our research, we have created a large-area high density array of a nanoscale Lycurgus cup using a transparent plastic substrate to achieve colorimetric sensing. The sensor consists of about one billion nano cups in an array with sub-wavelength opening and decorated with metal nanoparticles on side walls, having similar shape and properties as the Lycurgus cups displayed in a British museum. Liu and his team were particularly excited by the extraordinary characteristics of the material, yielding 100 times better sensitivity than any other reported nanoplasmonic device.

Colorimetric techniques are mainly attractive because of their low cost, use of inexpensive equipment, requirement of fewer signal transduction hardware, and above all, providing simple-to-understand results. Colorimetric sensor can be used for both qualitative analytic identification as well as quantitative analysis. The current design will also enable new technology development in the field of DNA/protein microarray.

"Our label-free colorimetric sensor eliminates the need of problematic fluorescence tagging of DNA/ protein molecules, and the hybridization of probe and target molecule is detected from the color change of the sensor," stated Manas Gartia, first author of the article, "Colorimetrics: Colorimetric Plasmon Resonance Imaging Using Nano Lycurgus Cup Arrays." "Our current sensor requires just a light source and a camera to complete the DNA sensing process. This opens the possibility for developing affordable, simple and sensitive mobile phone-based DNA microarray detector in near future. Due to its low cost, simplicity in design, and high sensitivity, we envisage the extensive use of the device for DNA microarrays, therapeutic antibody screening for drug discovery, and pathogen detection in resource poor setting."

Gartia explained that light-matter interaction using sub-wavelength hole arrays gives rise to interesting optical phenomena such as surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) mediated enhanced optical transmission (EOT). In case of EOT, more than expected amount of light can be transmitted through nanoholes on otherwise opaque metal thin films. Since the thin metal film has special optical property called surface plasmon resonance (SPR) which is affected by tiny amount surrounding materials, such device has been used as biosensing applications.

According to the researchers, most of the previous studies have mainly focused on manipulating in-plane two-dimensional (2D) EOT structures such as tuning the hole diameter, shape, or distance between the holes. In addition, most of the previous studies are concerned with straight holes only. Here, the EOT is mediated mainly by SPPs, which limits the sensitivity and figure of merits obtainable from such devices.

"Our current design employs 3D sub-wavelength tapered periodic hole array plasmonic structure. In contrast to the SPP mediated EOT, the proposed structure relies on Localized Surface Plasmon (LSP) mediated EOT," Gartia said. "The advantage of LSPs is that the enhanced transmission at different wavelengths and with different dispersion properties can be tuned by controlling the size, shape, and materials of the 3D holes. The tapered geometry will funnel and adiabatically focus the photons on to the sub-wavelength plasmonic structure at the bottom, leading to large local electric field and enhancement of EOT.

"Secondly the localized resonance supported by 3D plasmonic structure will enable broadband tuning of optical transmission through controlling the shape, size, and period of holes as well as the shape, size, and period of metallic particles decorated at the side walls. In other words, we will have more controllability over tuning the resonance wavelengths of the sensor."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Illinois College of Engineering.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Manas Ranjan Gartia, Austin Hsiao, Anusha Pokhriyal, Sujin Seo, Gulsim Kulsharova, Brian T. Cunningham, Tiziana C. Bond, Gang Logan Liu. Colorimetric Plasmon Resonance Imaging Using Nano Lycurgus Cup Arrays. Advanced Optical Materials, 2013; 1 (1): 68 DOI: 10.1002/adom.201200040

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/biochemistry/~3/09VaFcV_khs/130214111612.htm

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Thursday, February 14, 2013

Scout security system monitors your pad without compromising your feng shui (video)

While home security systems are definitely making strides towards modernization, we haven't seen many that look the part. However, Sandbox Industries' Scout might be the first home protection option that manages to gel with even the most swanky digs. Available in three stylish trims (black, white and wood), this wireless setup uses a base receiver that communicates with its security sensor panels by way of your home's network. Like most home protection systems, Scout offers remote control and monitoring via computer or mobile device, but the big draw here is its aesthetically pleasing equipment and simplified installation process.

Set to ship in August, packages start at $120 with additional à la carte purchase options depending on your household's needs. For those of you looking to further secure your bunker, Scout's hardware packs backup batteries in the event of a power outage as well as an optional 3G-powered monitoring service with plans starting at $10 per month. Of course, if you're not feeling such a high-tech setup, you could always place toy cars and Christmas ornaments beneath your doorways and window seals. Hey, it worked for Kevin McCallister.

Filed under: Household, Wireless