The Boston Bruins have pushed the New York Rangers to the brink of elimination, and John Tortorella’s team will be without one of their stars in Brad Richards in Game 4 as they look to stay alive. Richards has been scratched from the crucial game after struggling on the ice and dropping to the fourth line.

The 33-year-old signed a nine-year contract worth upwards of $60 million with the Rangers after becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2011. His first season in New York went quite well as he posted 66 points after appearing in all 82 games.

This year, in his second season with the Rangers, Richards began as a star player on the first line but he won’t be on the ice Thursday as the team looks to fend off elimination.

In the Rangers’ 10 playoff games this year, Richards has posted just one point off a goal in Game 4 against the Washington Capitals in the first round. He won’t have the chance to do it again when the Rangers face the Bruins on Thursday, as he’ll be wearing a suit and cheering on his teammates instead of joining them on the ice.

Tortorella’s decision may be the beginning of the end for Brad Richards with the Rangers, and Rick Carpiniello of the Rangers Report Blog believes a buyout is in the works after the playoffs come to an end.

“The Rangers will use their one remaining compliance buyout within the new CBA to end Richards’ relationship with the team this summer,” Carpiniello said in a blog post Thursday. “Richards, who received $12 million in 2011-12 and most of his $12 million for the lockout 2013 season, will get a $24 million going-away present this summer (spread out over twice the remaining seven years), removing his contract from the books and his salary from the decreasing salary cap.”

The Rangers haven’t addressed Richard’s overwhelming contract just yet as their focus remains on climbing back in the series.

Do you believe Brad Richards stay with the New York Rangers will end this offseason after he was scratched from Game 4 against the Bruins?

[Image via Creative Commons]

Rangers Scratch Brad Richards From Game 4, Bruins Look To End Series is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nick Carter is all set to release a memoir later this year.

Fans who want to know every last detail about the Backstreet Boy’s life will be able to pick up a copy of Facing the Music and Living to Talk About It this September.

According to The Associated Press, Carter is the first member of the group to release a book about his career. The folks at Bird Street Books have been charged with publishing the tell-all.

The memoir will touch on the ups and downs Nick Carter experience during his on the road and on-stage with the Backstreet Boys. The singer’s memoir will also discuss his problems with drugs and alcohol, and how he managed to get his life back on the right track.

Enstarz explains that Facing the Music and Living to Talk About It will also explore the tragedies his family has suffered following his success. Leslie Carter, Nick’s 25-year-old sister, died of a drug overdose last year. The book will likely discuss some of the issues Aaron Carter has faced over the years.

In addition to the upcoming memoir, Nick Carter will join the other Backstreet Boys for some shows later this year. A.J. McLean, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson, and Carter are set to release a new album just in time for the group’s 20th anniversary.

To support the album, the reunited Backstreet Boys will embark on a tour this summer. It’s believed that Pauly D and Jesse McCartney will open for the group during a handful of stops. Plenty of information about the tour and the scheduled dates can be found at Ticketmaster.

According to Perez Hilton, Carter also has a new reality show in the works. Spearheaded by Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment, the show will revolve around the singer’s upcoming wedding to fiance Lauren Kitt.

Nick Carter’s memoir Facing the Music and Living to Talk About It will hit retail shelves on June 24. Are you planning to pick up a copy of the singer’s book?

[Image via s_bukley / Shutterstock.com]

Nick Carter To Release Memoir Later This Year is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jose Canseco is opening up about the rape case against him, calling the accusations ridiculous and saying he doesn’t feel bad about publicly naming his accuser on Twitter.

Fresh off a stint as a player/coach for the Fort Worth Cats of the United Baseball League, Canseco opened up about the alleged rape, which is said to have taken place in Las Vegas last week.

“I don’t have to rape a woman. I think it’s ridiculous,” Canseco said. “It’s almost laughable for an individual to say I raped them and drugged them at the same time. People who know me know I’m a complete opposite. But my close friends, my ex-wives, my ex-girlfriends, will testify on my behalf. … Let’s wait for the truth. The truth will always come out.”

Canseco took his case to the world, tweeting the name and personal information about his alleged accuser.

A few days after the former MLB star first tweeted about what he believed was a false allegation of rape, Canseco said he would set up a polygraph test to prove his innocence. In tweets sent on Thursday morning, Canseco said he would take one for police and another for the media in a bid to prove his innocence.

The incident went public on Saturday when the former baseball star tweeted that a woman was falsely accusing him of rape. Using the woman’s full name and sharing a picture of her in a bikini, Canseco vehemently denied the allegation that he raped her.

Canseco tweeted: “Breaking news. This is a first folks. Las Vegas police was just at my house and I have been charged with rape by (a woman) from Las Vegas.”

In another tweet, Canseco said the woman was accusing him of drugging her. He would include her phone number and the location of her gym.

Canseco tweeted: “(She) told police that I drugged her and then raped her. Hmmmmm. Lets find out what really happened.”

The tweets led to an angry backlash. Atlantic Wire reporter Alexander Abad-Santos compared Canseco’s public shaming of his victim to the Steubenville rape case.

He wrote: “While Canseco might have violated the laws of human decency and broke new ground — in notoriety and absurdity — in taunting an alleged assault victim, he may have only broken a few of Twitter’s rules. Indeed, Twitter is as notoriously defensive of free speech as it is quick to suspend verified accounts with thousands of followers that, say, temporarily crash the stock market.”

Jose Canseco said he will fight the rape allegations, adding that he doesn’t regret the tweets.

Jose Canseco: I Won’t Hide From Rape Allegation is a post from: The Inquisitr

This weekend, Arrested Development fans will get to see new episodes of the show for the first time in seven years. And according to Jason Bateman, they’ll see a few more episodes in the near future.

Bateman, who stars as the straight man Michael Bluth on the cult hit, said that the cast wasn’t stepping away from the Bluth’s just yet. Bateman said that he isn’t sure if it will be another movie or more Netflix episodes but told fans that the story of the Bluth family would definitely continue.

Bateman said that creator Michael Hurwitz wants to wrap up the story of the Bluth family once and for all.

Bateman said: “[Creator] Mitch Hurwitz’s intention always was to do a movie and when he started to write the movie script, the story that he wanted to tell was too long and too big to fit in a standard movie script. So he decided to take the first act of that movie and put it in these episodes. Acts two or three will either be in a movie or a longer form on Netflix. Watching these [Netflix] episodes will be fully satisfying, and it all comes to a conclusion, but there are plenty of questions that are left unanswered…which we will finish at some other time.”

David Cross, who plays analrapist Tobias Funke on the show, didn’t confirm the news but he did say that he’d be on board to step into his jean shorts a few more times.

Cross said: “Things are naturally heading in that direction … I can’t say this about anything else I’ve been a part of. I would work with these people and do this role for the rest of my life.”

You can see some interviews with the Arrested Development cast at E! Online. All of the new episodes will be available on Netflix starting on Memorial Day. If you were planning on binge watching the new season, Hurwitz would like to have a word with you.

More ‘Arrested Development’ On The Way, Says Jason Bateman is a post from: The Inquisitr

A handful of familiar faces are leaving Saturday Night Live before next season, but veteran funnyman Jason Sudeikis is not sure whether or not he’ll join them.

Barbara Walters (who will retire herself next year) asked Sudeikis about the rumors of his split from SNL when he appeared on Thursday’s episode of The View.

“Yeah, well, I mean … You never leave the show,” said Sudeikis, who was on the show to promote his new animated film Epic.

“You never leave the show. I really believe that,” Sudeikis continued. “I think these last few weeks have shown that, with Kristen [Wiig] coming back to host, [Maya Rudolph has] been back.”

But Walters doubled-down on her grilling of Sudeikis, who still didn’t provide a clear answer.

“I feel honored to be getting hardballed by you!” he said. “I don’t know. I sincerely don’t know at this point.”

He ended with a joke, saying: “I’ll stay if you stay. How about that?”

Rumors of Sudeikis’ split started months ago, though the comic actor still hasn’t given a definitive answer as to whether or not he’ll stick around or depart to focus on his budding film career.

The buzz was reignited this week when castmate Jay Pharaoh sent him a “goodbye” tweet, which was quickly deleted afterwards.

Though Sudeikis is still on the fence, longtime SNL writer Seth Meyers and regulars Bill Hader and Fred Armisen have confirmed that they are not returning, leaving the future of SNL in some doubt.

Still, as Sudeikis rightly pointed out, many former cast members quickly return for hosting gigs, with even Kristen Wiig implying in a recent interview that leaving the NBC comedy sketch show may have been a mistake.

Are you a fan of Jason Sudeikis? Do you think he should stay with SNL?

[Image via: Photo Works / Shutterstock]

Jason Sudeikis ‘Undecided’ About Future With ‘SNL’ [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Are Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber on the outs again? The 20-year-old Spring Breakers star was spotted in London grabbing a bite to eat with Jaden Smith on Thursday, but reps assure that the two are just friends.

Gomez and 14-year-old Smith were seen smiling as they grabbed dinner at Hakkasan restaurant, sparking some concern that the “Come & Get It” singer was trying to make Bieber, Smith’s good friend, a little jealous.

The young actor, who shares the screen with dad Will in the upcoming sci-fi adventure After Earth, was in London promoting the film with his father, and was looking pretty slick in a long black coat as he escorted Gomez out. 

Gomez was also dressed up in a long black coat and a sheer black dress. She appeared jovial despite having tweeted Wednesday that she was feeling a bit ill.

“Sorry to everyone for having to cancel today. I am not sure if I am sick or ate some bad food but, I feel horrible,” Gomez tweeted. “I am going to take the rest of the day and try and get better for tomorrow. So Sorry Love you guys.”

Even though Gomez and boyfriend Justin Bieber are very on-again, off-again lately, the dinner with Smith appeared completely platonic. Age difference aside, Us Weekly reported in March that Smith is actually dating Kim Kardashian’s young sister Kylie Jenner, who is 15.

Gomez’s status with Biebs is now “on-again,” after the two broke up in January. They recently shard a kiss backstage at the Billboard Music Awards on May 19, which famously disgusted Gomez’s pal Taylor Swift.

The country singer was spotted sticking her tongue out when she saw Gomez go in for a kiss.

Are you a fan of Selena Gomez or Jaden Smith? You can check out a few pictures of their platonic dinner date here.

[Image via: Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock]

Selena Gomez And Jaden Smith Grab Dinner In London is a post from: The Inquisitr

A pizza delivery guy was filmed on elevator security video apparently chowing down on the toppings of a customer’s pie. See embed below.

Russia has a tradition of dash cam videos, but apparently elevator surveillance is also part of the mix.

The incident involving the hungry pizza guy helping himself to toppings on a customer’s pie happened in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Perhaps the delivery guy was so busy he had no time for a proper dinner break. Another theory is that the order was wrong, and he just engaging in some proactive customer service to correct it. Other explanations for the impromptu elevator snacking are also possible, but the result is the same. “In the video he walks in, all business, sets down the pizza bag, pulls out the pie and starts picking away, gobbling up bits of food at a rapid clip like he hasn’t eaten in days. He then closes up the box and puts the partially denuded pizza back in the bag, easy as you please.”

The pizza restaurant allegedly posted a comment under the video on YouTube. The English translation is reportedly as follows: “This video has been received by us. This unprecedented event for our company. We found this deliverer and punished to the full extent. This man no longer works in our company. We’re sorry.”

In virtually every family, there are disagreements about what toppings to get, so maybe this video makes a good argument for a straight-up cheese pizza.

Apart from ethics, considering that hygiene is involved here, would a video like this give you second thoughts about ordering pizza for delivery from your local parlor — or at least opening the box before the delivery guy takes off? Maybe takeout is a better option?

That being said, what do you think “to the full extent” means?

[Top image credit: Milad Mosapoor]

Pizza Delivery Guy Caught On Tape Eating Toppings Off Customer’s Pie [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Cockroaches have started to resist poison, but not in the typical sense, according to researchers at North Carolina State University.

Bugs become resistant to poisons all the time, but they rarely change their evolutionary behavior to avoid the substance that attracts them to deadly insecticides: glucose.

In a recent study reported by The New York Times, it was discovered that the pesky apartment-dwelling German cockroach, which had once been attracted to the substance, has started to recognize glucose as bitter instead of sweet.

The change in recognition makes the exterminator’s job a little more difficult moving forward and pretty much ensures the mighty bug scientists say have existed for more than 350 million years, will still be around long after we’re gone.

How are cockroaches using this to resist poison? Well, according to the research, they have hairs on their little bodies — I think I’m going to be sick — that send signals as to whether a substance is bitter or sweet. Typical pest control science has relied on glucose to attract the bug’s interest, thus getting it to bite on the hidden poison. But now, for reasons that are still a little baffling, the hair now sends a different signal for glucose than it once did.

North Carolina State researchers Ayako Wada-Katsumata, Jules Silverman, and Coby Schal, were the authors of the study. Silverman discovered the behavioral change, NYT reported, which made its first appearance in the early ’90s.

Silverman was able to show that the behavior was inherited rather than learned during the cockroach lifespan. Schal speculated that a mutation could have changed the molecules that detect bitter substances, or, he stated, a different mutation might have caused dedicated bitter neurons to have an abundance of standard glucose detectors that had not previously existed.

Gizmodo noted that Schal believes the discovery could help scientists understand why malaria-carrying mosquitoes changed their behaviors to avoid insecticide by resting on ceilings instead of on walls where poisons are typically used.

North Carolina State has been a hub for cockroach research recently. In a separate experiment, Alper Bozkurt, an electrical engineer at the university, theorized that cyborg cockroaches might one day be used to help in disaster response with individuals buried in rubble.

Rescue response, malaria protection. They’re not even as nasty as you might think:

While you may still not want one of these little guys to turn up in your McDonalds hashbrown, it looks like they really could be here to help us after all.

Are you disturbed by this evolutionary change of cockroaches to resist poison, or do you find the research helpful?

[Image via ShutterStock]

Cockroaches Resist Poison, Damn Evolution is a post from: The Inquisitr

Did you vote for President Obama? You should probably get punched in the face. That was the message that Fox News host Andrea Tantaros had for her audience today.

Tantaros, who hosts the show The Five, was speaking on her radio shows on Thursday when she told her listeners to go out and punch Obama voters in the face.

The Obama administration has received a lot of criticism recently for monitoring one of Fox News’ reporters. Tantaros was rightfully angry with the administration but she probably crossed a line when she urged her listeners to go out and harm Obama voters.

Tantaros said: “This is what is happening to our press! This is Obama’s America! It’s like the Soviet Union … He said he would change the country. He said it. And a lot of people voted for him. And if you see any of those people today, do me a favor, punch them in the face.”

Obama later tried to backpedal and assured her listeners that she was not threatening the president. Tantaros made it clear that she only wanted to punch Obama voters, and not Obama himself, in the face.

Tantaros said: “To be clear, I didn’t say punch Obama in the face … You’re going to get me arrested with this type of government. If someone voted for him! If anyone that you know who voted for President Obama, smack ‘em down.”

Go Punch Obama Voters In The Face, Urges Fox News Host Andrea Tantaros is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Xbox One rumors have been running rampant, and GameStop has inadvertently proven one of them true. Microsoft will indeed be collecting a fee on used games.

In yet another move that has gamers jumping ship, “retail sources” have confirmed the rumor about Microsoft’s next generation console that sparked a drop in GameStop’s stock price in just the span of one morning.

GameStop and other online game retailers have fallen victim to the rumor that Microsoft will indeed be charging a fee on the sales of used games for the Xbox One, which will cause the game retailers to add the fee themselves as a result. Investors are not happy, as it’s been noticed that the stock dropped by 13.36 percent within hours of the announcement.

Microsoft has not confirmed or denied what analysts have said concerning the statement about used Xbox One games, and of course nobody is surprised. We are taking it as a confirmation, as only Microsoft could possibly prove the rumor false at this point.

As already stated earlier in The Inquisitr, Microsoft seemed to change their mind about the national focus of their TV service, and once again confused everyone.

Can Microsoft just make up their minds already and give us solid answers? The rumors are killing them.

Used games will be allowed on the Xbox One, but Microsoft is keeping close tabs on where every single copy of every game is every time it’s played. This only adds to the growing realization that the Xbox One, or as it’s now dubbed, the “Xbone,” is the single most restrictive game console of all time. Is it any wonder that long-time Xbox gamers are abandoning Microsoft and buying the Wii U instead? At least Nintendo is trying to make customers want their consoles.

Until Microsoft starts realizing what their secrecy is doing to their fan base, it’s safe to assume that the Xbox One could suffer a quick death at the hands of the consumer.

What do you think of the Xbox One used games rumor causing GameStop‘s stocks to drop?

Xbox One: GameStop Proves Rumors Behind Used Games is a post from: The Inquisitr

A high school security guard was caught on video pushing a female student down a flight of stairs while a group of students look on and do nothing.

The male security guard then kicks the girl before someone finally comes to her aid. The student gets up off the ground and lunges at the guard, who then punches her back onto the floor. The short video, which first appeared on World Star HipHop, doesn’t show what happened prior to the guard pushing the student down the stairs. However, some students said the victim was about to fight another student, and the guard was trying to break it up.

The incident happened Tuesday at Dunbar Vocational Career Academy in Chicago, the alma mater of Jennifer Hudson. and the student was taken to the ER for treatment. The girl’s family quickly hired a group of lawyers.

“We are shocked by the unjustifiable assault committed by the CPS employee,” the family said in a statement provided by attorney Alex Abate. “The video and the egregious actions of the CPS employee speak for themselves.”

The unidentified victim’s lawyers said they are investigating whether the security guard has committed similar offenses in the past. Several parents said this wasn’t the first time the security guard has had altercations with students.

“I wanted to come up here and that wasn’t even my daughter,” Dunbar parent Phyllis Russell said. “I’ve had words with him and I think they take their job a little too serious.”

Chicago Public Schools officials haven’t identified the security guard  or said whether he works for the school district or a private firm.

“The safety of our students is our top priority,” CPS spokeswoman Becky Carroll said in a statement. “CPS takes matters of employee misconduct very seriously, especially when it involves the safety of our students. Once CPS was made aware of this incident, immediate action was taken to suspend this individual and an investigation is ongoing.”

The security guard has since been suspended.

High School Security Guard Pushes Female Student Down Stairs [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A man has been charged with stalking actress Jennifer Lawrence’s family in an attempt to get near the Hunger Games star so he could protect her. Doesn’t he know about her real-life bow skills?

Anyway, Yahoo! Canada reports that 23-year-old Vancouver native Zhao Han Cong was ordered to remain held on Friday until he could undergo a psychiatric examination. He was charged Monday with stalking and repeatedly placing harassing phone calls to Lawrence’s family members.

Cong’s target seemed to be the Oscar-winning actress’ brother Blaine Lawrence, whom he contacted by phone numerous times with calls and text messages. He called himself “Ted,” and left messages in the middle of the night.

Though Cong apparently used phones with California and Colorado area codes, officials eventually caught up to him and arrested him this week.

 He had asked Blaine to put him in contact with JLaw so that he could “protect” her, and made threatening references to the Boston bombings, according to the FBI. He said that “bad things” would happen to the Lawrence family if he didn’t get in touch with JLaw.

Cong seemingly gave up, but two weeks later started sending Blaine emails with strange Biblical references, calling JLaw “his Mary,” in reference to the Biblical Mary. He also called himself her “husband for life.”

He also told Blaine that he “wouldn’t kill anyone for sure,” but said he was willing to scare people with real things happening in their lives, promising that “all hell’s going to break loose.”

Cong finally flew to Lousiville and continued contacting Blaine.

“Either I find out, or you come and see me, okay?” FBI officials quoted Cong as saying. “You got me really upset. When I’m, when I’m upset, let’s see what happens, alright?”

Though in Lousiville, Cong seemed to realize that he had no idea where the Lawrences live, so he actually went to a police station to ask. They interviewed him for several hours, during which he called himself the second coming of Jesus. He was turned over to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation and arrested upon release.

Cong was arrested with $2,000 and a Bible, and entered a not guilty plea ahead of his trial. He was released on bond, but was told by the judge to make no contact with Lawrence or her family. ”No letters, no emails, no voice messages, no texts, no flowers,” the judge said.

Prior to his “journey,” Cong had posted on Facebook about Jennifer Lawrence, writing:

“Well didn’t J-Law fall down and bow before God’s presence and highness this year at the Oscars. I am sure y’all seen the movie Silver Linings Playbook.There’s a silver linings in every cloud. Trust me.”

She tripped, dude!

In any case, while we can sympathize with wanting to marry Jennifer Lawrence, Mr. Cong probably came on a bit too strong. He might have it backwards, too. I think he’d need protection from her!

Are you a fan of Jennifer Lawrence?

[Image via: Terry Straehley / Shutterstock]

Jennifer Lawrence Stalker Charged, Wanted To ‘Protect’ Her is a post from: The Inquisitr

Phil Jackson won six NBA championships with Michael Jordan, but the legendary coach said if he were putting together dream team he would take someone else first.

Jackson said he would take Celtics legend Bill Russell to lead his team, even over Mike.

“In my estimation, the guy that has to be there would be Bill Russell. He has won 11 championships as a player,” Jackson said in an interview with Time. “That’s really the idea of what excellence is, when you win championships.”

By many measures, Russell had an even better career than Jordan. He was the centerpiece of a Celtics team that won 11 titles in the 1950s and 1960s, winning NBA MVP five times and being named to the All-Star team in 12 of his 13 seasons. Russell also won two NCAA championships with San Francisco and won a gold medal in the 1956 Olympics.

Jordan was close — earning six NBA titles — and was named MVP five times. Jordan also won two Olympic gold medals with the Dream Team and hit the game-winning shot to lead North Carolina to an NCAA title.

In a new memoir, Phil Jackson seemed to endorse Michael Jordan over Kobe Bryant. Admitting that he had deep-seeded problems with Kobe after the Lakers star was accused of sexual assault (a charge that would later be dropped), Jackson said Kobe doesn’t match up to Jordan in the leadership department.

“One of the biggest differences between the two stars from my perspective was Michael’s superior skills as a leader,” Jackson said. “Though at times he could be hard on his teammates, Michael was masterful at controlling the emotional climate of the team with the power of his presence. Kobe had a long way to go before he could make that claim. He talked a good game, but he’d yet to experience the cold truth of leadership in his bones, as Michael had.”

Phil Jackson may not have Michael Jordan or Bill Russell to pick from, but he does seem to be aiming for a return to the NBA. Jackson has reportedly been interested in several job openings, but in a front-office capacity rather than as a coach.

Phil Jackson: I’d Pick Bill Russell Over Michael Jordan is a post from: The Inquisitr

Fast and Furious 6 is already off to a very strong start.

Director Justin Lin’s highly-anticipated installment in the popular franchise earned an impressive $6.5 million from late Thursday and midnight showings. Box office analysts believe the flick could go on to make around $80 million over the next four days.

According to Deadline, the film is already pulling ahead of Todd Phillips’ comedy The Hangover Part III. The website reports that Fast and Furious 6 is selling around 53 percent more tickets than the R-rated comedy. Lin’s effort will likely claim the top spot over the weekend.

The action flick opened very strong in 34 different markets overseas. As a result, the folks at Universal enjoyed their biggest opening to-date in the UK and Ireland. Since opening in debuting territories, the sequel has earned around $53.4 million at the box office.

Justin Lin’s Fast Five was also a hot item when it landed in theaters back in 2011. When all was said and done, the movie earned around $209 million in North America. The film’s foreign total was even more impressive; Lin’s high-octane sequel brought in $416 million. Globally, Fast Five earned a tidy $626 million.

HitFix is reported that Phillips’ The Hangover Part III is struggling a bit out of the gate. The movie has only earned $11.7 million since Wednesday night. This is a far cry from the $31.6 million The Hangover II made on its first day of release.

Despite the negative reviews the star-studded comedy has received, it’s still expected to make around $70 million over the holiday weekend. Depending on how well Star Trek Into Darkness performs, Phillips’ effort will likely land in second place when the final numbers are in.

Also vying for your entertainment dollar is the animated flick Epic. Although the movie will probably strike a chord with those looking for family-friendly alternatives to this weekend’s other offerings.

Are you planning to check out Fast and Furious 6 in theaters over the holiday? If so, be sure to check the review by the Inquisitr’s own Niki Cruz.

‘Fast And Furious 6′ Earns $6.5 Million On Thursday is a post from: The Inquisitr

A French cyclist pedaled his bicycle to an incredible record of 163 mph today. OK, so Francois Gissy didn’t exactly pedal. He slightly modified his bicycle (by adding a rocket to the back of it) in order to set a new land speed record.

According to the Daily Mail, Gissy’s bike is powered by a hydrogen-peroxide rocket. Gissy designed the bike while Exotic Thermo Engineering (ETE) and engineer Arnold Neracher designed the rocket.

According to Gizmodo, the rocket is considered a monopropellant rocket. It pumps concentrated liquid hydrogen peroxide into a secondary chamber that contains a catalyst. The chemical reaction breaks down the hydrogen peroxide into water, oxygen, and 650 degree steam. The steam is forced through the rocket nozzle and propels the bike forward. In this case, the rocket sent the bike flying to 163 mph.

The rocket bike made its record setting run at an old runway at the Munchhouse in North Eastern France. Gissy’s bike beat the previous world record of 150 mph which was set in 2002. Gissy almost broke the overall powered bike speed record of 166 mph set by the Slipstream in 1995.

Here’s a video of the rocket bike. It’s the blur on the screen that flies by a little blue car.

Rocket Bike Hits 163 MPH, Sets Land Speed Record [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Florida teen Kaitlyn Hunt is facing felony charges for a sexual relationship she had with a younger girl, and has turned down the plea deal offered by the state attorney.

With the plea deal, 18-year-old Hunt would have been placed on house arrest for two years, labeled a convicted felon, and be required to attend sex offender counseling.

By rejecting the plea deal, Hunt will now appear in court to face two charges of lewd and lascivious battery on a minor, which could put her in jail for 15 years as well as automatic registration as a sex offender.

“This is a situation of two teenagers who happen to be of the same sex involved in a relationship,” Hunt’s attorneys said in a statement. ”If this case involved a boy and girl, there would be no media attention to this case.”

But attorneys representing the minor and her family say that it’s merely a matter of the law.

“This is a violation of the law that’s based upon an adult having sexual relations with a minor,” Charles Sullivan said in an interview with TODAY. ”Gender, sexual orientation of the parties has absolutely nothing to do with the prosecution.”

Hunt’s arrest has caused critics, including her own parents, to argue that the state is only pursuing such harsh punishment on the teen because she was in a homosexual relationship. Her mother, Kelley Hunt Smith, also believes that the parents of her daughter’s former girlfriend, 15, have a bigoted agenda.

“They are out to destroy my daughter, because they feel like she ‘made’ their daughter gay. They see being gay as wrong and they blame my daughter. Of course, I see it 100% differently. I don’t see or label these girls as gay. They are teenagers in high school experimenting with their sexuality – with mutual consent. And even if their daughter is gay, who cares? She is still their daughter.”

Hunt’s case has seen a groundswell of support on social media, with a “Free Kate” Facebook page now boasting nearly 50,000 members.

It was previously thought that Kaitlyn Hunt began her relationship with the minor while she was 17-years-old. The state attorney says that the relationship began when she was 18.

What do you think of Kaitlyn Hunt’s case? Should she have accepted the plea deal, or does she have a chance to beat the case against her? Sound off!

Kaitlyn Hunt Rejects Plea Deal In Underage Same-Sex Case is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Yahoo Hulu bid was filed on Friday morning, according to sources familiar with the offer.

Several media outlets including The Huffington Post and Reuters were confirming the move, which if true, means that Yahoo is now one of seven competing bidders.

The others include Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, News Corp president Peter Chernin, and private equity firms Guggenheim Digital Media, KKR, and Silver Lake Partners.

Walt Disney Co., Comcast’s NBCUniversal, and News Corp, are the current owners of the television and film streaming service.

The Yahoo Hulu bid was (of course) not disclosed as of Friday afternoon, but this past Monday, the company made a successful all-cash bid for Tumblr, acquiring the blogging service for $1.1 billion.

HuffPo noted that Yahoo had only $1.2 billion in cash on its books at the time of the Tumblr deal, so acquiring Hulu in a cash transaction would be next to impossible, especially considering an earlier report that Chernin is bidding around $500 million excluding an extra sum to cover Hulu’s debt and programming.

Sources close to Reuters, however, believe Hulu could command as much as $2 billion.

One company no longer interested, sources say, is Amazon. Variety reports that the web retail giant (and now streaming provider) was interested but decided to bow out.

Neither Yahoo nor Amazon representatives have responded to requests for comment, so expect more updates from The Inquisitr until a final decision is reached.

Hulu’s advertising revenue is estimated at $695 million. Here’s a bit more on the reversal of fortune for the once-ignored service:

Personally, and I say this with the admission that I am not an economist, it would be hard to imagine the bid that Yahoo placed, if they in fact placed it, being lower than the Tumblr acquisition price. The content partnerships alone seem more worthwhile than the blogging service, but maybe that’s just me.

What do you think the Yahoo Hulu bid was for, and do you think Hulu is worth closer to Chernin’s $500 million offer or the $2 billion highball?

[Image via Flickr Creative Commons]

Yahoo Hulu Bid Filed Friday, Sources Say is a post from: The Inquisitr

A lunar eclipse is taking place Friday night, and the half of the world that won’t fall in the moon’s shadow can still watch the celestial event live online.

The lunar eclipse will be featured in a free webcast by the Slooh Space Camera, which uses remotely operated telescopes to capture video of the night sky. The camera, offered by Space.com, has also broadcast other celestial events including solar flares, meteor showers, and eclipses.

Anyone expecting a grand event might be disappointed, scientists say. The lunar eclipse taking place on Friday isn’t expected to be as impressive as other recent events because only a small sliver of the full moon will pass through the Earth’s shadow.

“It will thus be impossible to notice anything out of the ordinary concerning the moon’s overall appearance,” SPACE.com columnist Joe Rao wrote. “It will, in fact look like any other full moon.”

Friday’s lunar eclipse will be visible from the Americas and western Africa. It will begin at 11:53 pm EDT and end close to 12:27 am EDT on Saturday. It will peak at approximately 12:10 am EDT.

A lunar eclipse is caused when the moon moves to the opposite side of the Earth as the sun, usually during the full moon. A total lunar eclipse takes place when the moon is completely in the Earth’s shadow, and a partial eclipse happens when it passes through only part of the shadow.

There will be three lunar eclipses in 2013, though one was barely visible. A partial lunar eclipse on April 25 left a tiny portion of the moon — about 1 percent — covered by the Earth’s shadow. It was the second-shortest eclipse in the 21st century, lasting 27 minutes.

Another lunar eclipse in 2042 will cover just 0.3 percent of the moon and last 12 minutes.

The lunar eclipse can be seen live online starting at about 11:37 pm EDT.

Lunar Eclipse On Friday Night Can Be Viewed Live Online is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mark Teixeira expects to play in the minors next Wednesday after missing the start of the 2013 season. Teixeira was placed on the 60-day disabled list in spring training after hurting his right wrist in early March, just before he planned on joining Team USA for the World Baseball Classic.

The Yankees’ first baseman may be ready to rejoin his club in early June after manager Joe Girardi watched him play a simulated game at the Yankees minor-league complex with third baseman Kevin Youkilis on Friday.

Youkilis is out with a sore back and also plans on rehabbing in the minor leagues soon. Teixeira plans on suiting up for the Trenton Thunder, the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate, this coming week.

“If everything goes as planned, I’ll leave here Tuesday and play in Trenton Wednesday and Thursday,” Teixeira said on Friday, according to the Associated Press. “That’s the plan right now.”

The Yankees went into the 2013 season with over $80 million of their payroll on the disabled list, but it hasn’t affected their play on the field as they currently sit atop the American League East. Their rival, the Boston Red Sox, are only a game back as they enter play on Friday.

With a tight race in the AL East brewing, the Yankees have to be excited to have a few of their stars return to the lineup. Outfielder Curtis Granderson returned from injury last week and even came within a triple of the cycle this past Tuesday.

Mark Teixeira’s set for the minors to rehab before rejoining the team in June, barring any setback. Last season, Teixeira hit 24 home runs and drove in 84 runs with a .251 batting average.

His power will be a great addition to the Yankees’ lineup, though they’re already near the top of the league in home runs with 58 through their first 46 games.

Do you think Mark Teixeira is ready for a minors rehab stint to get back in the groove before he joins his teammates at Yankee Stadium?

[Image via Keith Allison]

Mark Teixeira Set For Rehab Stint In Minors Next Week is a post from: The Inquisitr

In an editorial for CNN, outspoken Boy Scouts of America (BSA) supporter John Stemberger has decided to pull his sons out of the organization following the overturn of their ban on gay participants this week.

Stemberger said that the May 23 announcement, which stated that being gay would no longer preclude prospective members from joining the BSA, will ultimately lead to “myriad bad consequences.”

“First, the new BSA policy is logically incoherent and morally and ethically inconsistent. The BSA had never discriminated against homosexuals,” he writes.

“The BSA membership application did not ask about sexual orientation, and there has never been a witch hunt in the BSA to find or remove its gay members.”

Stemberger, himself an Eagle Scout, called the Boy Scouts “one of the great jewels of American culture,” but argues that the BSA’s decision robs parents of their authority to talk to their kids about sexual issues.

“Most important, the new policy robs parents of Boy Scouts, like me, of the sole authority to raise issues of sex and sexuality with their kids.

“Parents should have the exclusive right to raise issues about sex and sexuality with their children in their own time and in their own way, in the privacy of their homes, not brought up by other older boys around a campfire. Allowing open homosexuality injects a sensitive and highly charged political issue into the heart of the BSA, against the wishes of the vast majority of parents.”

Brian Brown, of the National Organization of Marriage, said that the BSA’s decision to accept openly gay Boy Scouts risks “sexualizing the organization.”

“All of this is happening not because of a true grassroots demand of gay youth to be part of the organization but by an orchestrated political effort by gay activists who want to punish any group or organization that does not embrace homosexuality,” he wrote in a statement.

“It’s the beginning of the end for what once was one of America’s noblest organizations.”

You can read the rest of John Stemberger’s editorial here.

What do you think? Does the BSA’s reversal on this issue carry negative, unintended consequences?

[Image via: Anthony Berenyi / Shutterstock]

Longtime Boy Scouts Supporter Pulls Family Out Over Gay Ban Reversal is a post from: The Inquisitr