Usher, one of two men instrumental in paving Justin Bieber’s well-documented route to superstardom, has opened up about his incident-prone protege.

The 34-year-old guested on a taping for Tuesday’s The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

As well as revealing he would be returning as a coach on NBC’s The Voice, the singer answered frankly when the subject of Bieber came up.

Ellen, a longtime supporter and friend of the 19-year-old, approached the topic tentatively, saying:

“Can we talk about young Justin Bieber for a second?”

The 55-year-old host added: “Justin Bieber, who is you know, I love him, he’s been here many times. We had him on the show first.”

Usher interjected: “I brought him here first, right.”

Struggling slightly for tactful words, Ellen continued: “We’ve been with him the whole way. He seems to be um … he’s um … he’s um …”

Usher again interjected: “Keyword. You started with young.”

Somewhat frankly, he admitted: “And I think all of us in some way you know have humble beginnings that pan out to be incredible, and we hope that you know that in his transition — his friends and family who have helped him be who he is — that he’ll continue to just mature.”

Then, echoing a point Will, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and a number of commentators have made about new media’s affect on issues such as privacy and celebrity, the singer-producer added:

“In this days and age of social media, there is no privacy and that kind of trial and elimination period is kind of done in front of a camera. It’s been done and many many other celebrities are a product of it and some come out bad and some come out good.”

“I am hoping for the best,” Usher said. “I don’t look at as a negative though, I look at it as a teenager — he’s a teenager having to live his life in front of a camera. Imagine if you had to do that as a teenager.”

In a light moment, Ellen insisted she had been a comparatively well behaved teen, but said she understood his point.

Asked if he kept in contact with Bieber, the one-time mentor said: “As much as possible,” before adding, “obviously, when I can be of help, I do so. [I] reach out and stay connected.”

The timely interview comes as Bieber is being investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for another alleged reckless driving incident.

Two witnesses, one of which is former-NFL star Keyshawn Johnson, claim the pop star raced his white Ferrari at freeway speeds in the Calabasas, Los Angeles gated community where he and the singer live.

However, sources close to the situation say Bieber was not driving the Ferrari at the time of the alleged incident, and that 22-year-old rapper-producer Tyler, The Creator was behind the wheel.

Prosecutors are currently mulling a separate alleged battery claim against the teen star made by another Calabasas neighbor who says the singer spat on and threatened to kill him during a heated argument in March.

Bieber resumes his Believe world tour on June 22 in San Diego and is expected to announce additional dates in Australia, South America and Asia shortly.

Check out the blast from the past interview with Usher and a very young Bieber below.

[Image via Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com]

Usher Optimistic About Justin Bieber: ‘I Am Hoping For The Best’ [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nintendo is planning to promote the Wii U at Best Buy.

In an effort to let gamers in on what they may be missing, Nintendo is hosting a demo of the games that will be at E3 2013 at select Best Buy locations. The announcement, which was originally made at Nintendo’s Direct webcast, now has confirmed dates, times and locations for the pre-E3 2013 event.

The following locations will be hosting the demo, although individual stores have yet to be announced for cities with more than one:

• Alabama, in Birmingham and Huntsville
• Arkansas, in Fort Smith and North Little Rock
• Arizona, in Phoenix
• California, in Culver City, Elk Grove, Emeryville, San Jose, Tracy and Visalia
• Colorado, in Denver
• Connecticut, in Manchester
• Delaware, in Wilmington
• Florida, in Brandon, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Kissimmee, Miami and Pensacola
• Georgia, in Augusta, Duluth, Savannah and Smyrna
• Iowa, in Cedar Rapids and West Des Moines
• Illinois, in Bloomington and Schaumburg
• Indiana, in Greenwood
• Kansas, in Overland Park and Wichita
• Kentucky, in Florence, Lexington and Louisville
• Louisiana, in Harvey
• Massachusetts, in Cambridge, Dedham and Worcester
• Maryland, in Frederick, Glen Burnie and Wheaton
• Michigan, in Ann Arbor, Flint, Grand Rapids and Rochester Hills
• Minnesota, in Eden Prairie
• Missouri, in St. Louis
• North Carolina, in Cary, Fayetteville, Pineville and Winston-Salem
• New Jersey, in Iselin, West Paterson and Woodbury
• New York, including Albany, Amherst, Long Island City, Syracuse, Valley Stream and West Nyack
• Ohio, in Fairborn, North Olmsted, Reynoldsburg and Toledo
• Oklahoma, in Oklahoma City
• Oregon, in Portland
• Pennsylvania, in Erie, King of Prussia, Pittsburgh, Reading and Whitehall
• South Carolina, in Greenville and North Charleston
• Tennessee, in Brentwood, Knoxville and Memphis
• Texas, in Arlington, Austin, Houston, McAllen, The Woodlands and Tyler
• Utah, in Sandy
• Virginia, in Charlottesville, Glen Allen and Virginia Beach
• Vermont, in Williston
• Washington, in Lynnwood
• Wisconsin, in Greenfield

The demos will be available from 4-8pm local time on Wednesday, June 12 and 1-5pm local time on Saturday, June 15.

Will you be at one of these Best Buy locations for Nintendo‘s pre-E3 2013 Wii U promotion?

Nintendo To Promote Wii U Games At Best Buy is a post from: The Inquisitr

As a drone kills a top Pakistan militant, the Taliban is already denying the death of Waliur Rehman.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, before the drone killing a top Pakistani militant in the Taliban was reported, a  US drone strike killed seven people in Pakistan on Wednesday. It was the first apparent drone strike in the country since a May 11 election where the use of the unmanned aircraft was a major issue.

The death of Waliur Rehman by a US drone strike would be quite a blow to the Taliban. The United States has maintained a $5 million bounty on Waliur Rehman, who is accused of being responsible, or at least behind, hundreds of shootings and bombings, including the death of seven Americans in the CIA in a 2009 suicide attack.

There is an open question on whether the drone killed the top Pakistan militant. Pakistani officials claim they saw Waliur Rehman’s body in Miran Shah.

Ahsanullah Ahsan, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, denied the reports of a drone killing a top Pakistan militant in their organization:

“This appears to me to be false news. I don’t have any such information.”

The news that a drone killed a top Pakistan militant comes in the same week as a Texan drone bill that allows law enforcement to use unmanned drones for surveillance. The Rand Paul filibuster made the news months ago when the Senator argued that unmanned drones should not be used to target Americans. Meanwhile, the military is working on an unmanned fighter jet drone.

As a drone kills a top Pakistan militant, what do you think the United States policy on unmanned drones should be?

Drone Kills Top Pakistan Militant Waliur Rehman, But Taliban Denies Death is a post from: The Inquisitr

The New York Rangers have fired head coach John Tortorella after the team’s disappointing exit in the Eastern Conference semifinals on the weekend.

The Rangers were manhandled by the Boston Bruins 4-1 in the series and the team announced the dismissal of the brash 54 year old on Wednesday.

Tortorella spent five years behind the bench at Madison Square Garden, guiding his team into the playoffs on four different occasions.

The outspoken coach led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference finals in 2012 only to lose to the New Jersey Devils in six games.

The announcement may have come as a surprise to some but there were a few tell-tale signs that New York was coming apart at the seams.

Tortorella benched assistant captain Brad Richards for the last two games of the series against the Bruins.

And Richards recently revealed that his relationship with the coach that he’d won the Stanley Cup with in Tampa Bay was not what it used to be.

“Obviously it’s just another thing in a relationship that will never change now,” he said. “But I want to play hockey and that’s all I’m worried about. Relationships come and go.”

Tortorella was defiant after New York’s playoff exit four days ago, saying that the team had not regressed and didn’t view the year as a failure.

However, goalkeeper Henrik Lundqvist disagreed with his coach’s opinion and said that the team fell short of its goals.

“It’s a step back,” he admitted. “We were in the conference finals last year and we had high expectations of ourselves this season.

“It didn’t go our way so yeah, it was a step back.”

New York general manager Glen Sather has scheduled a conference call for later on Wednesday and it’s not yet known if a replacement will be named at that time.

The New York Rangers fired coach John Tortorella as they look to find the right man to lead them to their first Stanley Cup since 1994.

New York Rangers Fire John Tortorella is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee is changing parties, deciding to run for re-election as a Democrat.

Chafee, who has been registered as an Independent, has been publicly considering a party switch for some time. Two years ago when talking about running for re-election he signaled an openness to doing so as a Democrat.

Lincoln Chafee had been a Republican Senator from Rhode Island between 1999 and 2007, when he lost re-election to Sheldon Whitehouse. Even though the caucused with Republicans, Chafee often voted with Democrats and ranked as the most liberal Republican in the Senate.

He was one of only a handful of Senators — Democratic or otherwise — to vote against the Iraq War in 2003. He also endorsed Barack Obama for president in 2008 and 2012.

Chafee then ran for the governor’s office as an independent in 2010, winning the race.

As governor, Chafee has also endorsed liberal measures. He has been supportive of a bill to allow gay marriage, one that won the approval of the state legislature.

“This is a historic piece of legislation, one that literally has been in the works for more than 20 years,” said Senator Donna Nesselbush (D-Pawtucket) said of the gay marriage bill. “This is something that undoes centuries of discrimination against gay and lesbian couples.”

The party change will likely mean Lincoln Chafee faces competition for the Democratic line in his next run at the governor’s office. State Treasurer Gina Raimondo and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras have also reportedly considered running.

Polls suggest the race could be an uphill battle for Chafee. His approval ratings are low, pegged at 33 percent and 26 percent in separate polls. A January poll from the Democratic Public Policy Polling found that in a race for the Democratic nomination, Chafee would trail Raimondo by 13 percentage points and Taveras by 3 percentage points.

Political experts think Lincoln Chafee’s party change could ultimately help Democrats retain control of the governor’s office. Rather than a three-way race that could have split Democratic voters and led to a Republican victory, Chafee’s switch will now lead to a two-candidate race.

Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee Changes Parties, Will Run As Democrat is a post from: The Inquisitr

Authorities say New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Morgan was arrested over the weekend for allegedly driving while intoxicated in south eastern Louisiana.

According to KGET17 News, Morgan, 25, was detained around 6 am Saturday in Jefferson Parrish.

Police reports say officers found the athlete sleeping behind the wheel of his stationary vehicle on the Earhart Expressway near Causeway Boulevard.

Upon waking Morgan, the trooper said he noticed the wideout seemed visibly intoxicated. When asked to step out the vehicle, Morgan was swaying his feet and smelled of alcohol.

After failing a field sobriety test, Morgan submitted to a blood-alcohol test, which registered his BAC to be 0.218 — more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.

Louisiana State Police reports note Morgan was also charged with driving without a license.

He was released Saturday on $1,150 bond.

Signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2011, Morgan caught 10 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns last season. He also averaged 37.9 yards per catch and eight of his first nine catches went for 27 or more yards, including an 80-yard touchdown against Green Bay in Lambeau Field.

Prior to his DUI arrest, Morgan was competing against Nick Toon, Kenny Stills, and Preston Parker for the No. 3 wide receiver slot for the Saints in the upcoming 2013 season.

When reached by the Picayune on Tuesday, Saints spokesman Greg Bensel declined to comment on the Morgan’s arrest or how the incident would affect his job with the team.

More on Joe Morgan’s DUI arrest in the video below:

Joe Morgan Arrested: New Orleans Saints Receiver Busted For Drunk Driving [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Eric Roberts had reportedly joined the cast of The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence).

The star of numerous direct-to-video flicks has joined the final entry in director Tom Six’s controversial trilogy. However, details about the actor’s role in the horror movie are few and far between at the moment.

News about Eric Roberts’ involvement with The Human Centipede 3 comes from the folks at Entertainment Weekly. While it’s been confirmed that the Oscar-nominated actor has signed on for the project, it’s unknown if he will be a part of the centipede itself.

Roberts isn’t the first person to sign on for the third film, which began filming in Los Angeles last week. The Human Centipede star Dieter Laser and The Human Centipede 2′s Laurence R. Harvey have boarded the project as well. However, it’s being reported that they will not return as the same characters.

According to Cinema Blend, director Tom Six will also step in front of the camera for the sequel. While it’s clear that all of these people will appear in The Human Centipede 3, their roles are being kept a secret.

The Human Centipede caused quite a stir on the indie film circuit when it first debuted back in 2009. Even some hardcore horror fans had trouble stomaching the movie’s content. Although reviews were mixed at best, this didn’t stop Six from moving forward with an even nastier sequel in 2011.

The third installment has been in the works for a while. Unfortunately for fans, problems soon arose between the director and star Dieter Laser. Now that everything has been worked out, production on The Human Centipede 3 is apparently moving forward at a rapid pace. Depending on who you ask, that’s either a good or a bad thing.

It’s currently unknown when the next movie will arrive in theaters or home video.

Are you looking forward to The Human Centipede 3? What do you think about Oscar-nominated actor Eric Roberts joining the cast?

[Image via RoidRanger / Shutterstock.com]

‘Human Centipede 3′ Adds Eric Roberts is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Today host Katie Couric has finally confirmed what the rumor mill has been saying all along. She was indeed briefly, if not entirely seriously, contacted for a possible return to Today. In the short video clip I’ve posted below from HowardTV, you will see that Howard Stern pressured Couric (in a nice way) to say what she planned to do about the whole Today show controversy.

Today was the leading morning news program for 16 years. However, in the wake of Couric’s departure, the NBC program suffered a collapse in ratings, allowing it to be eclipsed by the new number one, ABC’s Good Morning America.

Today also experienced a wave of unfavorable publicity over the firing of Ann Curry — which became a public relations disaster when the details of the so-called Operation Bambi were revealed.

For the most part, Katie Couric has risen above the rumors swirling that she might be asked to return and fix the whole mess.

However, yesterday she confessed to Howard Stern that, yes, “Matt and I had talked about possibly teaming up and doing a show at some point. There were some cautious — I would say cautious — overtures to me to possibly come back to the Today show but then they sort of evaporated…”

How serious were the overtures in question? Watch the video for yourself, and make up your own mind. I’m not entirely confident that it wasn’t just a lot of talk that never had much chance of going anywhere.

“For me that was the best job,” she said when Stern pressed her to say whether or not she’d go back.

That sounds like an opening that the producers of the Today show might take notice of — if they were in the mood to pay her price.

Here’s the video clip in question:

She also said that she had a little crush on Matt Lauer back in his younger local TV days because he was “funny and quick.” That’s another comment I’m going to take to mean that it was a very little crush. Maybe so little that you couldn’t see it at all. Heh.

Do you think Katie Couric will be back on Today?

[Katie Couric photo by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com]

Katie Couric: ‘Today’ Wanted Her Back is a post from: The Inquisitr

An Everest base jump record was set using a Red Bull sponsored wingsuit.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Mount Everest has been in the news a lot lately. April saw a Mount Everest brawl between climbers and sherpas.

May fared much better, with an 80 year old man climbing Everest. A Saudi woman climbed Mount Everest, becoming the first woman from her country to do so.

The Everest base jump record set by Valery Rozov, a Russian daredevil, was intended to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest, the world’s most famous mountain. The Everest base jump record puts the mark at 7,220 meters above sea level. Rozov soared over Everest for a full minute at 125 mph before reaching a glacier at 5,950 meters.

Red Bull explain how difficult setting the Everest base jump record was on its website:

“Because the cliff at the top was not very high, the initial moments of the leap in the rarified high altitude air were the most critical phase. Rozov needed more time than usual in the thin air to transition from freefall to flying.”

Even though Rozov has completely over 10,000 base jumps, setting the Everest base jump record was still difficult. It took four sherpas helping him to make it up the mountain. Rozov remarks, ”Only when I got back home did I see how hard it was for me both physically and psychologically.”

With the Everest base jump record set, what do you think is the next big challenge in extreme sports?

Everest Base Jump Record Set With Red Bull Wingsuit [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The San Antonio Spurs are not flashy like the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s. They are not filled with star power like the Los Angeles Lakers teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s. They aren’t dominant like the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots.

But now that the team has swept the Memphis Grizzlies and advanced to the NBA Finals for the fifth time since 1999, the Spurs have a chance join those others and establish their legacy as one of the most dominant teams of their era.

The Spurs have won four championships since drafting Tim Duncan No. 1 overall, but somehow they have escaped conversations about the most dominant teams of all time. They could be overshadowed by other, more headline-grabbing teams like the Lakers, with the team’s tabloid-worthy drama between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. It could be that the Spurs play an unspectacular game, trading high-scoring for suffocating defense.

A lot of the reason likely lies with Tim Duncan, who along with Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett revolutionized the role of big men in the game. Duncan is dominant on the boards, has an array of post moves, and a 15-foot bank shot that’s unstoppable.

But with all his dominance, Duncan isn’t flashy, isn’t loud, doesn’t even have a nickname. In fact, he’s kind of boring, and so media shy that when reports emerged this week that he and wife Amy are divorcing, reporters weren’t even sure what year their oldest child was born.

While the Spurs might not be exciting for the casual fan, those in the know relish at the chance to watch them in action. Bill Polian, who had a hand in creating two NFL powerhouses with the Buffalo Bills in the early 1990s and Indianapolis Colts in the 2000s, compared the Spurs to the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers and Steinbrenner New York Yankees dynasties.

“That’s certainly not an accident,” Polian says. “They’re what I call team-centric. It’s about the team. Yes, professional sports are a business, and you have to have a good building that generates revenue. But ultimately those franchises are about the product on the field or on the ice or on the court. It’s about winning.”

The Spurs still have a bit longer to find out if their dynasty will include a fifth NBA Finals win. They await the winner of the Miami Heat/Indiana Pacers series.

San Antonio Spurs Have Chance To Cement Status As Dynasty With Finals Win is a post from: The Inquisitr

A report asking Congress to legalize spyware, malware, trojans, and ransomware, has been issued by a group of attorneys from the US entertainment industry calling themselves the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property.

In the 84-page document, the commission writes, “Additionally, software can be written that will allow only authorized users to open files containing valuable information. If an unauthorized person accesses the information, a range of actions might then occur. For example, the file could be rendered inaccessible and the unauthorized user’s computer could be locked down, with instructions on how to contact law enforcement to get the password needed to unlock the account. Such measures do not violate existing laws on the use of the Internet, yet they serve to blunt attacks and stabilize a cyber incident to provide both time and evidence for law enforcement to become involved.”

The recommendation to take control of one’s computer and hold it for ransom (ransomware) until one goes to police to confess their crimes comes in the second paragraph of page 81 and is officially titled “Support efforts by American private entities (or Hollywood if you want to get technical, ed.) both to identify and recover or render inoperable intellectual property stolen through cyber means.”

Sounds foolproof, which we’re sure it is. (Sarcasm.)

Hollywood and its supporters could never be accused of being anti-Big Brother, nor wholly rational when fighting piracy in the past.

If the folks in Tinseltown were to ever support the death penalty, we’re pretty sure it would be for pirates and not for murderers and rapists.

In August 2012, they got a man thrown in jail for linking to pirated sites, not providing the actual content himself. And then, of course, there was the massive support in 2011 for the poorly conceived Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) that would have probably killed the entire Internet.

But the request to legalize spyware and other cyber-criminal tools, smacks of home invasion and a massive invasion of privacy (from the same types of people who are anti-Patriot Act, by the way).

(Hat tip to BoingBoing’s Cory Doctorow for making us aware of this little bit of insanity.)

Do you think we should legalize spyware, malware, trojans, and/or ransomware, and if so, which movie studio do you work for?

[Image via ShutterStock]

Legalize Spyware, Malware, Trojans, And Ransomware, Hollywood Says is a post from: The Inquisitr

Have Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth split for good? That’s what a rumor making the rounds this afternoon suggests.

Of course, this isn’t the first time reports have stated that Cyrus and Hemsworth have decided to end their relationship. Break-up rumors surrounding the couple were a dime a dozen earlier this year. Until the wedding takes place, it’s doubtful the speculation will cease.

However, Us Weekly is reporting that multiple sources have confirmed the demise of their engagement. As always, don’t buy into anything until an official statement of some sort has been released by either Miley Cyrus or Liam Hemsworth. Fans have been down this path numerous times before.

“They are definitely over,” one insider told the publication. According to the website, even more sources are quoted in the recent issue of Us Weekly.

Miley Cyrus shot down similar break-up rumors earlier this month. The Huffington Post explains that the couple often spends a great deal of time apart since they have different schedules. The amount of time Cyrus and Hemsworth devote to defending their relationship has to be exhausting.

“I’m not home with my boyfriend all the time. We work! He gets up to work out at six and I come home around five from the studio. Every week it’s, ‘Are they broken up? Because we don’t see a photo of them.’ I don’t have time to go to Starbucks with my boyfriend every morning. I wish I did, but I don’t,” she told V magazine.

Even Billy Ray Cyrus got into the middle of the rumors last month. The man who helped make the Hannah Montana star couldn’t say for sure if the wedding would ever take place.

“I play it by ear. Whatever’s meant to be, that’s the way it’s going to happen,” the country music star explained to ABC News.

What do you think about the rumors that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have split? Is this just another baseless report?

[Image via s_bukley / Shutterstock.com]

Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth Have Split [Rumor] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Snapchat nudes are secretly sexting Facebook with naked photos of Snapchat users.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Snapchat nudes were used as spam in a general attack in the public section. Most of the spam involved nude pictures, and they didn’t appear to have any motive behind them other than to send naked pictures to total strangers.

It is now estimated that one in four smartphone users have dirty pics and videos like Snapchat nudes. The study found that 25 percent of mobile phone and tablet users have intimate photos or videos on their devices. Interestingly enough, 36 percent also would not trust their bank accounts to their smartphone, but still have no issue with Snapchat nudes and sexting.

What is more disturbing is that it’s possible to retrieve deleted Snapchat nude pictures and videos. While both apps promise to delete images, texts and videos immediately after they are received, they can not stop a user from taking a screenshot of those messages. iPhones also keeps a temporary image cache and users can connect to their computers to retrieve copies of the Snapchat nudes.

At one point a website called Snapchat Sluts received Snapchat nudes from the users themselves. But now websites like Snapchat Leaked are posting Snapchat nudes without user’s permission as a type of “revenge porn.” Many of these Snapchat nudes are being posted to Facebook as well.

Obviously, Facebook objected to this and closed the pages for Snapchat Leaked. Their website also appears to be down, but Snapchat Leaked says, ”Facebook has unpublished our page due to users using the page to ‘bully’ others. We are working with Facebook on this issue.”

How do you think Snapchat nudes and sexting should be dealt with?

Snapchat Nudes Secretly Sexting Facebook With Leaked Naked Photos is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rock star Jon Bon Jovi and his bandmates have waved their concert fee in Spain for the upcoming sold-out concert on June 27.

Tickets for the Bon Jovi show range from 18 euros ($23) to 39 euros ($50). Those prices were cut nearly in half after the band decided to ditch its typical concert payment in order to help out fans.

Madrid where the concert will take place is experiencing the major effects of Spain’s economic crisis.

Spain’s El Mundo newspaper reports that the band was originally worried about selling out the show because of cash-strapped fans.

Speaking to the press Bon Jovi said he loves Spain and ”I didn’t want to let fans down.”

By dropping their performance fee ticket prices were drastically lowered. The tickets were eventually sold at only the cost required to cover the staging of the concert. Ticket sales now cover the venue fee, paying staff members, and other basic necessities.

Despite years of touring the band continues to command millions of dollars in touring fees every single year.

Bon Jovi tells CNBC:

“When we started planning our tour for our album, ‘What about now’, we did a study and found that, due to the economic situation, Spain wouldn’t be on the roadmap.”

Bon Jovi then added:

“However, we didn’t want to ditch the fans of a country I love and has treated me so well for 30 years.”

Unemployment in Spain hit a record 27.2 percent in Q1 2013 while youth unemployment has hit an amazing 57 percent.

Do you think Bon Jovi waiving its concert fees shows a deep respect for fans of their music?

Bon Jovi Waives Spanish Concert Fee To Help Cash-Strapped Fans is a post from: The Inquisitr

Aerosmith and James Taylor are set to perform in a benefit concert for victims of April’s Boston Marathon bombings.

The musical acts joined several others as well as a handful of comedians who will perform for the sold-out crowd. The concert, scheduled for Thursday at the TD Garden, sold out within minutes of going on sale May 6.

Other acts joining Aerosmith and James Taylor include Jimmy Buffett, New Kids on the Block, Jason Aldean, Boston, Extreme, Godsmack, The J. Geils Band, and Carole King. Comedians Dane Cook and Steven Wright will also perform.

Many of the acts, including New Kids on the Block and Aerosmith, hail from Boston.

“I find myself searching for words today,” said Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids on the Block, the group that organized the event, in announcing the concert [on May 3]. “We all feel compelled to fight back, to step up” after the attacks. “As artists, this is our way to do it.”

“Hopefully this event will not only raise money, but spirits as well,” he added.

James Taylor has already played in a benefit concert for one of the victims, Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus police officer Sean Collier. He was killed in a shootout with the bombing suspect three days after the initial attack.

The makeshift bombs that detonated near the finish line of the race caused massive damage, leaving hundreds injured. Many of the injuries were traumatic, as the bombs placed on the ground tore off limbs of those nearby. Estimates have put the total medical recovery costs at more than $10 million.

Proceeds from the concert featuring Aerosmith and James Taylor will benefit One Fund Boston, a fund started by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. Money raised will help victims recovering from their injuries as well as the families of the three people killed in the bombings.

Aerosmith, James Taylor Headline Benefit Concert For Boston Bombing Victims is a post from: The Inquisitr

A new lasagna burger is the latest way to test your digestive system’s mettle.

The large deep-fried sandwich is the latest offering from Philadelphia-based restaurant PYT. The establishment is well know for some of its unusual culinary creations.

If you’re interested in giving the lasagna burger a try, then you’ll want to plan your trip to the restaurant as soon as possible. The menu item is only going to be available for a limited amount of time.

This is how the lasagna burger is described on restaurant’s official Facebook:

“Two thick slices of deep-fried mozzarella & ricotta lasagna are your bun. Meatball-seasoned juicy beef patty. Topped with provolone and house made marinara. Served with Italian-Parm fries. Yes, we went there.”

Instead of using bread for the bun, the burger is surrounded by deep-fried lasagna. To top it all off, the concoction is covered with provolone and marinara. As you can see from the picture above, the whole thing is pretty enormous.

“Deep-fried lasagna is better than any bun in the world,” PYT’s Tommy Up explained.

Should you decide to fork over $15 for the lasagna burger, Up warns the experience might leave you a little messy. Dressing for a potential disaster is strongly encouraged.

“If you can get it all up to your mouth in one piece, then you just need to start eating and keep on going — don’t stop or it’ll come down like a five-foot-tall house of cards. We’re recommending a knife and fork, but it’s all up to you and how serious you are about making it happen,” Up explained.

This isn’t the first unique menu item PYT has created this year. The restaurant unveiled its Bacon-Shell Burger Taco back in January. In addition to a shell made out of bacon, the creation also comes with seasoned beef, cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and a cilantro ranch sauce.

What do you think about PYT’s lasagna burger? Would you be willing to give it a shot?

[Image via PYT]

Lasagna Burger Will Put Your Stomach To The Test is a post from: The Inquisitr

Manuel Pellegrini has all but confirmed that he will become Manchester City’s new manager at some point over the next few weeks.

The Spaniard told a Spanish radio show that he has an arrangement with the club to take over from Roberto Mancini, which comes just a few days after he quit his position at Malaga.

Pellegrini told Al Primer Toque, “I have a verbal agreement with them and hopefully that can become official.”

The 59-year-old manager, who in the past has taken charge of Real Madrid, also added, “I have always liked challenges and I am very exited by this project. The idea is to build a project at all levels. The chance to construct an infrastructure is as important to me as simply turning up at a team that has a chance of winning things. For me, the objective is not just titles.”

Pellegrini also found time to lay out his planned footballing philosophies at the Etihad, noting, “You have to know where you are and how you are going to progress and develop the club.”

He then added, “I want to win titles and do it with a certain style of play. It is not just about winning, it is about image as well, helping build a club that has resources, stability, a long-term plan, that plays attractive football. I believe that the better football you play the better chance you have of winning. In that sense I am results-driven too, but it is deeper than just the egotism of wanting to turn up and win.”

Pellegrini also praised the squad that he will inherit, stating, “City have a great team, a great squad and they have people who are very clear about where they want to go and how the club should develop. [David] Silva is the kind of player that makes the difference. We will have a squad that can play very good football. I am sure we will play attractive football.”

Do you think that Manuel Pellegrini will be a success at Manchester City?

[Image via Maxisport/Shutterstock]

Manuel Pellegrini Has A Verbal Agreement To Become Manchester City Manager is a post from: The Inquisitr

Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, potassium, protein, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. What distinguishes Greek yogurt is its thicker, creamier texture. Greek yogurt also contains probiotic cultures, is lower in lactose (sugar) – for those who have a slight intolerance – and has twice the protein content of regular yogurts. There are low-fat, flavored, and enhanced varieties available on the market.

The density and sourness of this type of yogurt yields itself well to recipes as a healthier alternative to mayonnaise or sour cream and as an additive in both sweet and savory meals. In order to produce Greek yogurt’s unique texture, the liquid whey is strained out – an opaquely white, runny, sour, acidic by-product made up of water, lactose (sugar), protein, and cultures.

Unfortunately, as healthy as the yogurt is for us, the watery by-product is toxic to the environment and illegal to dump. Acid whey robs water of essential oxygen content, thus polluting the waterways by smothering out aquatic life, according to the Modern Farmer.

Cheese whey has been found to produce the same devastating results, killing thousands of fish after being inadvertently released into a creek.

According to a Fox News report, for every three to four ounces of milk used, Greek yogurt manufacturers can only make one ounce of thick Greek yogurt, the rest becoming acid whey – claiming 70 percent of the by-product is sold off to neighboring farmers as livestock feed.

The New York Post reports that in 2011, New York state alone produced nearly 66 million gallons of toxic acid whey. The Northeast region of the country generated more than 150 million gallons in 2012 – reflecting the growing popularity of this style of yogurt.

Whey disposal as livestock feed is flawed though as cows can only ingest so much before developing gastrointestinal problems or digestive upset. Additional options such as augmenting the acidic by-product into baby formula or supplements has been explored but not successfully executed.

Still, an inexpensive, reliable manner of disposal has become essential to yogurt manufacturers if they wish to continue making their delicious, creamy product – which has become a $2 billion business.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Greek Yogurt Poses Environmental Danger To Waterways is a post from: The Inquisitr

Efforts for a Sheriff Joe recall are nearing the deadline of 4 pm. Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio faces dismissal from his elected position, if 335,000 signatures are collected by today’s deadline.

Those seeking to remove Sheriff Joe contend that he has condoned the mistreatment of inmates, costing the county millions. Additionally, they accuse him of failing to properly investigate sex crimes and targeting Hispanic residents for unfair questioning.

As reported by Yahoo News, the Sheriff Joe recall effort has suffered several setbacks as they lack funding. Organizers of the petition have relied mainly on volunteers to spread the word and collect signatures.

Sheriff Joe began his sixth term as sheriff in January. Within weeks, the recall campaign began.

Last week, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office was found guilty of racial profiling in law enforcement. Specifically, Sheriff Joe and his deputies were found guilty of unfairly targeting Hispanics.

As reported by ABC News, the county plans to appeal the charges. Tim Casey, who represented the sheriff’s department, contends that race was never a factor:

“The MCSO’s position is that it has never used race and will never use race in making its law-enforcement decisions.”

Sheriff Joe recall organizers have stated that last week’s decision helped them gain numerous signatures. They acknowledge that the sheriff won the popular vote for reelection. However, they contend that as more information becomes available, many voters have changed their mind.

As the deadline nears, supporters of the recall have camped out on the courthouse steps hoping to collect the needed signatures. Five days ago it was reported that they were still over 100,000 signatures short.

The 80-year-old sheriff has been criticized nationwide for his unusual practices and harsh crime fighting techniques. Despite widespread criticism, he continues to win the popular vote in Maricopa County.

Sheriff Joe’s recall is nearing the deadline as organizers continue to seek support for their effort. They have not released an estimate of how many signatures are still required.

[Image via Wikimedia]

Sheriff Joe Recall Nears Deadline is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kindergarten student Sophia Moss is just 5-years-old, but that hasn’t stopped her from reading 875 library books in a single school year.

The young student at T.S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School in Lake Charles, Louisiana is a big fan of books, and her desire to consume as much material as possible can’t be understated.

Speaking to WAFB, the young girl proclaims: ”A lot of the days I read books. It’s just a couple days I don’t read,” Sophia said. “I just like reading!”

Little Sophia loves reading so much that, after finishing off the kindergarten section in the library, she moved right on to the first grade books.

Librarian Mary Lanier told the 5-year-old that she was going to have to order more books just to keep up with the book reading prodigy.

At the peak of her book reading, Sophia Moss was checking out 20 books each week.

According to her father Carl: ”She’d be reading instead of sleeping. She loves to read and she does it all the time.”

It’s hard to say “reading instead of sleeping” is an unhealthy obsession. After all, how can we fault a 5-year-old for wanting to consume nearly 3 books every single day of the year. Not to mention she finished her task during the school year, which is only approximately 9 months long.

Sophia even wrote “Sophia’s Pet” about a turtle with superpowers.

Are you impressed with the 5-year-old’s ability to read 875 library books in a single school year? How much did you read as a kid in kindergarten?

5-Year-Old Reads 875 Library Books In One Year, School Orders New Material is a post from: The Inquisitr