Despite Kanye West's arguments for his girlfriend's importance in Hollywood, "Keeping up with the Kardashians" iconic lady, Kim Kardashian will not receive a star on the "Hollywood Walk of Fame."
During his interview on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," on Wednesday, October 9th, the rapper argued that his reality star girlfriend and baby mama should receive a star on the legendary sidewalk, saying, "I want to shout out to the stars on the Walk of Fame because they said something about they're not going to put my girl on the Walk of Fame because she's a reality star," he said. "People are so so dated and not modern. There's no way Kim Kardashian shouldn't have a star on the Walk of Fame."
However, sticking to their original stance, Ana Martinez, a spokeswoman for the Walk and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, told Yahoo's omg! "We don't have reality stars on the Walk of Fame. We don't have a category for it. We're happy to consider reality stars once they get nominated for, or win, an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar." She then concluded, "We'll consider them when they're legitimate actors or singers."
Recognizing she has heard Mr. West's argument, Martinez finished, "I know he loves her, and it's all very sweet, but she doesn't qualify. I hate to say it, but a lot of people just don't like her," adding, "No one has ever nominated her."
Mike Doyle has snagged the starring role in The Last Word, a paranormal thriller being directed by Simon Rumley (Red White & Blue).
Erin Cummings and Sean Patrick Flanery are also joining the project as leads.
A7SLE Films principals Peter Facinelli and Rob DeFranco, along with Eric Gores and Frank Mancuso Jr. of Boss Media, are producing the project, which began shooting in Shreveport, La., this week.
Based on true events, Word centers on the strange and tragic aftermath endured by the participants in the trial of a young man in Texas who was wrongly convicted and executed for the rape and murder of a nun.
In the BenKetai-written movie, a convicted man is executed for his crimes, but not before cursing those who sent him to his death. Soon enough, the people involved in the case, from witnesses to jurors, begin dying. When one juror's son's life in threatened, the man sets out to prove that the wrong person was convicted and reverse the curse.
Doyle will play the juror and father while Flanery will portray the district attorney. Cummings will play Doyle's wife.
Doyle, repped by Gersh and Untitled Entertainment, just days ago wrapped Clint Eastwood’s adaptation of Jersey Boys, in which he plays noted record producer Bob Crewe. He also has You’re Not You, with Emmy Rossum and Hilary Swank, in postproduction.
Cummings appeared in the TV series Spartacus: War of the Damned as well as cult movie Bitch Slap, and more recently appeared in The Iceman, the well-regarded drama starring Michael Shannon. She also has Cold Comes the Night, a thriller starring Bryan Cranston and Alice Eve, in the can. She is repped by Paradigm, Untitled and Del Shaw.
Flanery is coming off an extended gig on Dexter’s last season and is repped by APA, Inphenate and Morris Yorn.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A baggage handler has been arrested following a police investigation into two dry ice explosions at Los Angeles International Airport.
Dicarlo Bennett, a 28-year-old employee for the ground handling company Servisair, was booked Tuesday for possession of a destructive device near an aircraft. He is being held on $1 million bail.
Police had stepped up patrols and increased its checks on employees after the blasts took place Sunday night and then again Monday night.
Bennett took the dry ice from a plane and placed it in an employee restroom Sunday night and another device that was found on a tarmac outside the international terminal, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation who wasn't authorized to speak publicly.
Police had previously said they didn't believe the explosions were an act of terror because of the locations of the devices and because people weren't targeted.
No one was injured in either incident, although some flights were delayed Sunday.
The incidents could be the work of a disgruntled employee due to an internal labor dispute, said Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Downing, who heads the department's counter-terrorism and special operations bureau.
Swissport recently agreed to acquire Servisair and the transaction is expected to close by the end of the year. An afterhours message seeking comment from Servisair was not immediately returned.
It wasn't immediately known what Bennett's motives were, but he was riding in a van with several others, including a supervisor, when he decided to plant one of the dry ice bombs, the official told The Associated Press. Those in the van were aware of the dry ice, the official said, but no other arrests have been made.
The bombs were made by putting dry ice in 20-ounce plastic bottles and could have caused serious injury to anyone in close proximity, Downing said.
One device exploded in an employee men's room Sunday night in Terminal 2. Remnants of an exploded bottle also were found that night on the tarmac area near the Tom Bradley International Terminal, but an employee threw it away. The same employee found an unexploded bottle Monday evening and then reported what he found the previous day.
While there are cameras in some of these restricted-access areas, Downing said there isn't as much camera coverage as in the public-access areas and investigators had been reviewing available video.
Dry ice is widely used by vendors to keep food fresh.
Phiaton's headphones have always looked like a luxury version of the Beats by Dr. Dre lineup, despite typically being less expensive. At $179 (list), the Phiaton Fusion MS 430 is neither cheap nor overpriced, delivering audio quality that stands prominently in the crowded sub-$200 field that has such greats as the Editors' Choice Marshall Monitor. With a solid bass response that delivers deep lows and excellent high-mid and high frequency presence, it maintains a wonderful balance for just about every genre you can throw at it. This headphone pair could join some elite ranks, but over long listening periods it can get quite uncomfortable.
Design As usual, Phiaton uses leather and other luxurious (non-plastic) materials to create a stylish-looking, (initially) comfortable design. The Fusion MS 430 features leather earpads with carbon fiber panels on the earpieces. The dominant color here is black, though the removable cable (which can be plugged into either earcup) is bright red, adding some flair to the design.
Phiaton describes the Fusion MS 430 as an over-the-ear, circumaural pair, but it's on the cusp of being a large on-ear (supra-aural) pair. I didn't find that the earcups really fit around my ear to create a seal against my head like a typical circumaural pair does. Instead the pads pressed against my ears, with the tops and bottoms of my ears hanging outside of the circular earpads' borders.
Regardless of nomenclature, the earpads are comfortable and well-cushioned at first, but they exert enough pressure on the ear that wearing them can be quite fatiguing over time. The headband has a rubberized lining that isn't very plush and gets a bit uncomfortable over time, and seems to collect dust and pet hair with the effectiveness of a Swiffer. Though it is a handsome headphone pair, the Fusion MS 430 simply isn't very comfortable over long listening sessions, and if you wear glasses, it tends to press them into the side of your skull.
The cable features an inline remote control and microphone for mobile devices. A single button controls playback, track skipping, and answering incoming calls, depending on how many times you tap it and what you mode you're in (playing music versus receiving a call). Instead of buttons to control the volume, the remote uses a slider, which can sometimes be a bit more sensitive than you might want; it's harder to make minor volume adjustments than it is with buttons. The cable's detachability adds value to the Fusion MS 430, since cables often are the first thing to malfunction on a headphone pair and replacing them is easier than replacing the headphones themselves.
The Fusion MS 430 folds flat and fits into an included drawstring protective pouch, but there are no other accessories like adapters for different headphone jack sizes or extra cables to go with it. The pouch and the one cable are all it comes with.
Performance On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like the Knife's "Silent Shout," the Fusion MS 430 delivers a well-defined, powerful low frequency response that never distorts, even at top volumes. At reasonable listening levels, the bass response possesses richness and definition—things are boosted slightly but not ridiculously, and the presence of crisp high-mids and highs allows the overall sound signature to remain balanced.
Often with bass-boosted headphones, Bill Callahan's "Drover" gets a little muddy, with his voice receiving too much low-end and not enough high-mid clarity. This isn't the case with the Fusion MS 430, which gives his baritone vocal delivery a nice treble edge and favors the mids over the lows. This means the drumming stays pleasantly in the background instead of doing thunderous battle with Callahan's vocals for the spotlight.
The Fusion MS 430's balance is also apparent on Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild." The attack of the kick drum loop on this track gets a nice amount of high-mid grit to slice through the mix, while the sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with a healthy amount of power.
Classical tracks, like John Adams' "The Chairman Dances," sound balanced and flat through the Fusion MS 430. The bass boosting adds a bit of richness to the lower register strings and percussion without sounding over the top, and the higher register strings, brass, and percussion maintain a nice, bright forefront in the mix without ever sounding harsh. For fans of flat response (in the sense that flat response can also include deep bass, just not overwhelmingly-boosted gobs of it), the Fusion MS 430 is a solid option. It may have a bit more bass and treble sculpting than a truly flat response pair would have, but the balance maintained here, and the unwillingness to allow the bass to overtake the mix, makes for compelling listening.
At $179, the Phiaton Fusion MS 430 is a great pair of headphones with only one real downside: They become uncomfortable over long listening sessions. That's a pretty substantial downside for some listeners, and enough to keep us from giving it our Editors' Choice award. From a purely sonic standpoint, though, the Fusion MS 430 is a winner. In this price range, there are plenty of excellent options to consider. The Editors' Choice Marshall Monitor brings a clear mix to a stylish design, and the Harman Kardon CL with its refined sound signature is another solid option. If you're looking spend less but still want decent balance, the Editors' Choice Griffin WoodTones Over-the-Ear Headphones and Sennheiser HD 429s exceed expectations for their price range.
Contact: Alina Hirschmann alina.hirschmann@icfo.es 34-935-542-246 ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences
ICFO scientists have shown that a nano-size diamond at room temperature can act as an efficient optical switch controllable with light
A recent study led by researchers of the ICFO (Institute of Photonic Sciences) demonstrates that a single nano-diamond can be operated as an ultrafast single-emitter optical switch operating at room temperature. The scientific results of this study have been published in Nature Physics.
Electronic transistors have become a key component to modern electronics, drastically improving the speed of information processing of current technologies. An electronic transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals. The much sought after optical transistor (the photonic counterpart of the electronic transistor) is poised to become a central ingredient in the development of optical signal processing. The motivation for using photons rather than electrons not only comes from their faster dynamics but also from their weaker interaction with the environment, which enable a high degree of integration and the realization of quantum operations.
Prior studies have demonstrated that single dye molecules can be operated as optical transistors with the disadvantage that they worked exclusively at extremely low temperatures. Such restrictions on the temperature made these optical transistors cumbersome for application to quantum computing.
However in this recent ICFO study, scientists have shown that a nano-size diamond at room temperature can act as an efficient optical switch controllable with light. A Nano-diamond containing a nitrogen impurity behaves like an artificial atom although much more stable at room temperature than a real atom due to its encapsulation. The ICFO scientists discovered a novel physical mechanism that enables the control of the way the nano-diamond interacts with light. While excited to its ON state by a green laser, a suitable near infrared illumination was found to act as an efficient and fast way to switch it OFF. Based on this simple concept, they were able to modulate the optical nano-diamond ON and OFF at extremely high speeds, demonstrating its robustness and viability for very fast information processing and quantum computer operations.
Quidant remarks that "what is really attractive about our discovery is that our nano-switch combines very small dimensions (compatible with integrating a large number of them in a small area) with very fast response time (meaning lots of operations in a short time) and operation at room temperature".
This new technique will contribute to the development of future integrated optical circuits as well as quantum information processing for quantum computing.
###
This work is a collaborative effort between the research groups at ICFO led by ICREA Professors at ICFO Javier Garca de Abajo and Romain Quidant.
Ref: Michael Geiselmann, Renaud Marty, F. Javier Garca de Abajo & Romain Quidant, Fast optical modulation of the fluorescence from a single nitrogenvacancy centre, Nature Physics (2013), doi:10.1038/nphys2770
About ICFO:
ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences was created in 2002 by the government of Catalonia and the Technical University of Catalonia as a center of research excellence devoted to the science and technologies of light with a triple mission: to conduct frontier research, train the next generation of scientists and technologists, and provide knowledge and technology transfer. In recognition of research excellence, ICFO was granted the Severo Ochoa accreditation by the Ministry of Science and Innovation.
Research at ICFO targets the forefront of science and technology based on light with programs directed at applications in Health, Renewable Energies, Information Technologies, Security and Industrial processes, among others. The center currently hosts 300 professionals including researchers and PhD students, working in 60 laboratories. All research groups and facilities are located in a dedicated 14.000 m2 building situated in the Mediterranean Technology Park in the metropolitan area of Barcelona.
Researchers at ICFO publish in the most prestigious journals and collaborate with a wide range of companies around the world. The Client Liaison Program at ICFO, which includes members of a large number of local and international companies, aims to create synergies between ICFO and the industrial sector. The institute actively promotes the creation of spin-off companies by ICFO researchers. The institute participates in a large number of projects and international networks of excellence. Foundation Cellex finances the NEST program at ICFO which makes possible many ambitious frontier research projects.
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An optical switch based on a single nano-diamond
Public release date: 15-Oct-2013 [
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Contact: Alina Hirschmann alina.hirschmann@icfo.es 34-935-542-246 ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences
ICFO scientists have shown that a nano-size diamond at room temperature can act as an efficient optical switch controllable with light
A recent study led by researchers of the ICFO (Institute of Photonic Sciences) demonstrates that a single nano-diamond can be operated as an ultrafast single-emitter optical switch operating at room temperature. The scientific results of this study have been published in Nature Physics.
Electronic transistors have become a key component to modern electronics, drastically improving the speed of information processing of current technologies. An electronic transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals. The much sought after optical transistor (the photonic counterpart of the electronic transistor) is poised to become a central ingredient in the development of optical signal processing. The motivation for using photons rather than electrons not only comes from their faster dynamics but also from their weaker interaction with the environment, which enable a high degree of integration and the realization of quantum operations.
Prior studies have demonstrated that single dye molecules can be operated as optical transistors with the disadvantage that they worked exclusively at extremely low temperatures. Such restrictions on the temperature made these optical transistors cumbersome for application to quantum computing.
However in this recent ICFO study, scientists have shown that a nano-size diamond at room temperature can act as an efficient optical switch controllable with light. A Nano-diamond containing a nitrogen impurity behaves like an artificial atom although much more stable at room temperature than a real atom due to its encapsulation. The ICFO scientists discovered a novel physical mechanism that enables the control of the way the nano-diamond interacts with light. While excited to its ON state by a green laser, a suitable near infrared illumination was found to act as an efficient and fast way to switch it OFF. Based on this simple concept, they were able to modulate the optical nano-diamond ON and OFF at extremely high speeds, demonstrating its robustness and viability for very fast information processing and quantum computer operations.
Quidant remarks that "what is really attractive about our discovery is that our nano-switch combines very small dimensions (compatible with integrating a large number of them in a small area) with very fast response time (meaning lots of operations in a short time) and operation at room temperature".
This new technique will contribute to the development of future integrated optical circuits as well as quantum information processing for quantum computing.
###
This work is a collaborative effort between the research groups at ICFO led by ICREA Professors at ICFO Javier Garca de Abajo and Romain Quidant.
Ref: Michael Geiselmann, Renaud Marty, F. Javier Garca de Abajo & Romain Quidant, Fast optical modulation of the fluorescence from a single nitrogenvacancy centre, Nature Physics (2013), doi:10.1038/nphys2770
About ICFO:
ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences was created in 2002 by the government of Catalonia and the Technical University of Catalonia as a center of research excellence devoted to the science and technologies of light with a triple mission: to conduct frontier research, train the next generation of scientists and technologists, and provide knowledge and technology transfer. In recognition of research excellence, ICFO was granted the Severo Ochoa accreditation by the Ministry of Science and Innovation.
Research at ICFO targets the forefront of science and technology based on light with programs directed at applications in Health, Renewable Energies, Information Technologies, Security and Industrial processes, among others. The center currently hosts 300 professionals including researchers and PhD students, working in 60 laboratories. All research groups and facilities are located in a dedicated 14.000 m2 building situated in the Mediterranean Technology Park in the metropolitan area of Barcelona.
Researchers at ICFO publish in the most prestigious journals and collaborate with a wide range of companies around the world. The Client Liaison Program at ICFO, which includes members of a large number of local and international companies, aims to create synergies between ICFO and the industrial sector. The institute actively promotes the creation of spin-off companies by ICFO researchers. The institute participates in a large number of projects and international networks of excellence. Foundation Cellex finances the NEST program at ICFO which makes possible many ambitious frontier research projects.
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| E-mail
| Share
]
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The importance of John Hartford's musical influence is difficult to overstate: His presence is felt in the various styles that have grown out of traditional Appalachian, country and bluegrass music, and can be found threaded through the works of contemporary artists like Béla Fleck and The Avett Brothers.
Before his death in 2001, Hartford embraced and performed traditional tunes while simultaneously writing new songs that sounded old. He also wrote unusual hybrid songs — including one of the most popular hits of its time, "Gentle On My Mind," a two-time Grammy winner.
John Hartford was joined in this 1989 Mountain Stage set by his son Jamie on mandolin and vocals, and by upright bass player Mark Schatz. In addition to playing fiddle and banjo, Hartford sang and provided percussion with his feet. Host Larry Groce said of Hartford, "He had one foot rooted in the past, and the other always at least a few steps into the future. And both were dancing."
RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - North Carolina has become the first state to cut off welfare benefits to poor residents in the wake of the partial federal government shutdown, ordering a halt to processing November applications until a deal is reached to end the federal standstill.
More than 20,000 people - most of them children - receive monthly benefits aimed at helping them buy food and other basic supplies through North Carolina's welfare program, called Work First, which is fully funded by the federal government. Recipients must reapply each month.
The state's Department of Health and Human Services told its local offices in a letter dated October 10 not to process applications for November benefits until the federal government reaches a deal to restore normal operations.
"We are heavily dependent on federal dollars," said Julie Henry, spokeswoman for the state HHS department. "When these kinds of things happen at the federal level, it has an immediate impact."
Other North Carolina programs funded through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant also will be affected. That list includes childcare subsidies that cover more than 70,000 children and have already ceased being distributed in some parts of the state.
The federal agency that oversees TANF, the Office of the Administration for Children and Families, urged states to continue funding the program, saying in a letter that the states would be reimbursed unless Congress specifies otherwise.
Critics note that a state "rainy day fund" has $650 million for emergency use and say it's politics, not finances, that drives North Carolina's position on federal programs. The Work First program cost about $4.8 million for September in North Carolina.
"I would say this is an emergency," says Alexandra Sirota, director of the North Carolina Budget and Tax Center, which advocates for low-income citizens. "They're cutting off a lifeline for thousands of North Carolina families who have experienced significant hardships."
Last week, the same state department briefly planned to suspend WIC benefits, which supply baby formula and other staples to poor women with young children. That decision, also unique nationwide, was reversed a day later after the state budget director intervened to provide funds to keep it going.
Workers have been told to continue accepting the applications for November benefits but not to process them until the federal government shutdown ends.
The benefits are applied for and received on a rolling basis. There is no deadline for applying and no single day in which people receive the benefits. That said, anyone who applied for October before this week will receive their benefits.
The state of Arizona said earlier in October it would suspend TANF benefits, but reversed that decision. Governor Jan Brewer ordered that state funds be used to continue the program through October 31.
(Editing by Barbara Goldberg, David Bailey and Cynthia Osterman)
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