Alberto E. Rodriguez / Dave Hogan, Getty Images

On Feb. 20, Rihanna‘s 24th Birthday, the world finally heard the infamous ‘Birthday Cake’ remix (featuring Chris Brown) that was talked about ALL weekend. We know what fans think of the two on the track (they even prefer it over the other RiRi/ Breezy collabo ‘Turn Up the Music’). But what does The-Dream, famed R&B artist and ‘Birthday Cake’ producer, think of the recent track reunion he helmed?

“Whatever my friend Rihanna wants to do,” he bluntly states to PopCrush. “100 percent — It’s whatever she wants to do.”

But it’s a bigger, philosophical discussion to The-Dream than just taking sides and pointing fingers. To him, this is all about finding empathy, forgiveness and understanding amongst all of us: “[To] forgive is a word that people need to rethink and actually figure out whether they can do that, or if they’re just saying that they can forgive and they actually can’t and don’t possess the power to do that. And [Rihanna] does, [and] I do, along with a lot of people I know do.”

He adds: “You know we’re all human at the end of the day. This isn’t ‘hey, [I'm] sticking up for this person, or whatever.’ It’s not about that. It’s really about what I was taught as a kid. This is how I thought the world was supposed to work, you know. We want forgiveness when it’s us, but we don’t want forgiveness when it’s somebody else. It’s like you’re in a glass house and and you’re casting rocks out … You’re just shattering your own house because the same willingness you have to not forgive someone else, you have to understand that one day you’re going to have a child and that child may do something that you don’t sincerely approve of. But you have to start to understand that we are human and this is how it is.”

This puts quite a different perspective on the whole issue, doesn’t it?

The-Dream, who is getting ready to drop his fourth studio album ‘Love IV,’ slated for Memorial Weekend, adds he always knew that the album version of ‘Birthday Cake’ would be rolled out into a song — or in this case, a remix. “We knew as soon as we released it [as a 'Talk that Talk' track] it would have to be a song.”

He even goes on to explain the reason behind the length (only one minute and 21 seconds) of the sexual laden anthem. “If you don’t get it by the first hook, there’s no need to finish it. So what I did was I rolled it up all the way to that point, and I stopped. So that’s all we had, but we ran out of time.” He continues, “But [Rihanna] felt like it was a great — that it had to be on the album.”

Listen to Rihanna, ‘Birthday Cake’ (Remix) Feat. Chris Brown

Source: PopCrush.com

“Nightline” reporter Bill Weir become one of the first journalists in the world to tour a Chinese factory that makes popular gadgets for companies like Dell, Nintendo, and Apple.  This opportunity came on the heels of Apple undergoing intense scrutiny regarding unfair working conditions in these factories.

There’s a preview of Weir’s story below.  You can watch the full report by clicking here.  I, for one, will never take my cool tech-toys for granted ever again!

[via HuffPost Tech]

City of Greeley Facebook Page

The council Tuesday evening gave the initial approval that would encompass the area between 8th and 9th Avenues and 7th and 10th Streets.

Greeley plans to capitalize on a new state law.

The next public hearing will be March 6th.

New sales start on Wednesdays and end on Tuesdays, with the exception of Sprouts and Sunflower Market which have a great overlap day on Wednesday, when you can score sales from both old and new ads.

GROCERY AD DEALS 2/22/12-2/28/12

Beano’s Favorite Deals This Week:

• Grapefruits are four for $1 and Avocados are three for $1 at Sunflower Market.
• Sprouts has asparagus and squash, both for 88-cents per pound.
• Broccoli crowns and cauliflower are 69-cents per pound at Safeway.
• King Soopers has the cauliflower for a bit more at 99-cents per pound but they also include broccoflower and they have Kroger cheese at two for $4 this week.
• Albertson’s wins my “most deals I like” award this week: chicken breast for $1.99/lb, three-pound bag of cuties for $2.99, and a half gallon of milk for $1.

Kama’s Favorite Deals This Week:

• Sunflower has most of mine including: Hass avocados 3 for $1, all-natural chicken sausage for $1.99/lb, Grapefruit 4 for $1 and organic strawberries 2 for $5.
• King Soopers has Breyers Ice Cream for just $3.19
• Sprouts has that killer deal on asparagus for .88cents/lb as well as red bell peppers 3 for $1!!!

Everyone shops different and eats different, but it sure feels nice to save a few bucks when you hit the grocery store. Find all the weekly grocery specials here:

• Albertson’s Market
• King Soopers
• Safeway
• Sunflower Market
• Sprouts
• Beaver’s Market
• Whole Foods

If you see an amazing sale we missed, let us know!

Mike Coppola, Getty Images

Even with ‘Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)’ commanding the charts as the No. 1 song in the country, Kelly Clarkson fans are eagerly looking forward to the next single from the original ‘American Idol‘ champion’s latest album, ‘Stronger.’ Clarkson hinted in a recent Z100 interview that it could be ‘Dark Side.’

“Maybe, yeah, that’s one we’re thinking about,” Clarkson said in response to a question about ‘Dark Side’ as the third single. “There’s only a couple slower songs on the record. It’s very much a cardio kind of album. I like ‘Dark Side’ cause it’s still got a beat to it, but it’s a sweet song. It’s a sweet-sounding song but it’s kind of a darker lyric, and I like that.”

So it sounds like nothing has been officially decided, but ‘Dark Side’ is the leading contender to be the next single. The song, which features Clarkson singing, “Everybody’s got a dark side / Do you love me / Can you love mine,” was produced by Greg Kurstin, who also co-wrote and produced the ‘Stronger’ track.

In the interview, Clarkson also revealed a near disaster before her performance of the national anthem at the Super Bowl when she boarded the plane to Indianapolis without her dress. “We were on the plane, and Ashley, my makeup artist, looks at me and goes, ‘Where’s your dress?’” Fortunately, they were flying via private charter, so just before takeoff, her tour manager stopped the plane and rushed back to get the outfit. Clarkson said, “I was like, ‘I don’t think Spanx alone is gonna be hot. I think I’m gonna need a dress!’”

Source: PopCrush.com

YouTube

Let your kids play with electricity and see inside the human body!  Over 300 hands-on experiments and seven interactive presentations will be part of the Colorado State University’s 21st annual Little Shop of Physics Open House on Saturday, Feb. 25th, at the CSU Campus in Fort Collins. The open house is free and open to  all ages, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Lory Student Center.  Nearly 7000 visitors attended last year!

“We want kids to see that the world is a larger and more amazing place than they may have suspected and that they can be part of the process of learning about it,” said Brian Jones, Colorado State physics instructor and director of Little Shop of Physics, which he created. “That’s our core message.”

Great overview video of the event

To visit with these featured pets or any other adoptable animal, stop by Larimer Humane Society at 6317 Kyle Avenue in Ft. Collins.  The shelter is open from 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more info, call (970) 226-3647 or visit www.larimerhumane.org. Calling all 3^rd through 5^th graders – online registration for our weeklong Critter Camps (held during the Poudre and Thompson School District Spring Breaks) is now open. For more info on dates, cost and how to register, visit the Education tab at larimerhumane.org.

Buster (A173635)

One visit with Buster and your heart will bust wide open with love. This nine-year-old neutered male Labrador Retriever has the perfect personality combination of mature and playful, never getting enough tennis ball fetch but always willing to mellow out at your feet when it’s time to snuggle. Classified as an orange “Goofball” in the Meet Your Match program, Buster is a jokester with an endless supply of playtime energy. Make Buster your loving companion for $75 today.

Emma (A329542)
If you are looking for the perfect furry companion as unique as you are, take home the amazing Emma. Though she might seem a little shy at first, this lovely eight-year-old spayed female Domestic Shorthair cat is full of silly surprises.  Classified as a purple “Secret Admirer” in the Meet Your Match Program, you will never have a dull moment again as Emma’s antics – including her affinity for drinking water from her paw – bring a smile to your face. Meet your next best friend and take home Emma today for $25.

Petunia (A379455)
Come smell the flowers with Petunia, a two-month-old female rat with a heart full of pizzazz. Requiring little more than a roomy enclosure and a lot of love, Petunia can’t wait to share her rose-colored view of the world with you. Petunia also has several rat brothers and sisters available for adoption as well. She can be yours for $5.

My Fox Atlanta

At Atlanta pizzeria is receiving both cheers — and jeers — for the notice it recently printed on its menus asking parents of noisy children to take their kids outside.

After Donnie Parmer, co-owner of Grant Central Pizza, got an abundance of complaints (both in person and on the review site Yelp) about screaming or unruly children in his restaurant, he added the following notice to the bottom of his menus:

Dear all present and future patrons: GCP is proud of its reputation as a family restaurant, a title that we will work to keep. Unfortunately a number of our diners have posted unpleasant experiences because of crying and unsupervised children. To ensure that all diners have an enjoyable lunch or dinner with us we respectfully ask that parents tend to their crying tots outside.”

Parmer says that while he likes kids and Grant Central Pizza is a family establishment, it’s not fair for little ones to disrupt the entire dining room. He cites an incident in which a child hit an adult patron in the head with a toy as the last straw that made him print the public notice.

While some parents are offended, saying “noise is just part of the experience in a family restaurant,” other customers applauded the gesture and said it’ll make them more likely to visit the restaurant.

[My Fox Atlanta]

Cora, my 11-year old Corgi.

Just a couple weeks ago I took my eldest dog, Cora, to the vet for a teeth cleaning. If you’ve ever looked into teeth cleaning you know it may look rather expensive. In fact, I was questioned by a friend or two about why I was ‘wasting so much money on a dog‘ when I did it.

First off, to me my dogs are a part of the family so I’m not going to skimp or their health care just because they don’t have opposable thumbs.

Secondly, paying to get your pets teeth cleaned and working to keep them clean can actually save to a lot of money and a lot of heartache in the long run. I had Cora’s teeth cleaned at The Vets Animal Hospital in Windsor (where I have been taking both of my dogs for 6+ years). They are celebrating National Pet Dental Health Month right now and have some great deals, including a 10% discount on dental cleanings and other dental services. (You can see more of their dental month deals on their Facebook page.)

Why should you clean your pet’s teeth? According to the American Veterinary Dental Society 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by the time they are three years old!

Periodontal disease can cause all sorts of problems for you and your pet. Swollen and tender gums, bleeding, pain, bad breath, broken teeth and even tooth loss. But those are just the tip of the iceberg because the inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease can actually damage organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys and lead to other very serious health problems.

You can read about how important your pet’s oral health is from The Vets, the American Veterinary Medial Foundation , the American Veterinary Dental Society and the American Animal Hospital Association. You won’t have to read much to see just how important veterinary professionals believe taking care of your pet’s teeth can be.

If your pet has bad breath, has changed their eating/chewing habits, or have been pawing at the mouth please take them in to get checked out by a vet ASAP. I thought Cora’s teeth were in pretty good shape (and they were), but The Vets still found a pretty decayed tooth that needed to be removed. That tooth could have caused her a lot of pain and forced us to pay to have it removed at a later date had we not gotten it taken care of now.

You know what else was great about Cora’s last cleaning at the Vets Animal Hospital? They sent me a photo text when Cora was waking up from anesthesia, and printed me out before and after pictures of her teeth so I could see exactly what they did.

The text from The Vets, and the before-and-after report.

Neat, huh?

Now Cora is a happy camper.

Cora

Just going to the vet for a teeth cleaning is not enough for your pets. You should do things like brush their teeth on a regular basis. If you need some help on that, check out this how-to video for teeth-brushing below. there are also a number of other things you can do to keep your pet’s mouth healthy, just ask your vet what’s right for your furry little friend.

The moral of the story? Pets need dental care too and February is National Pet Dental Health Month so get your pet’s teeth checked out!

The Vets Animal Hospital, 1295 Main St. #7, Windsor, CO. 970-484-8080

You can save 10% on dental services in February at the Vets Animal Hospital in Windsor.

[The Vets Animal Hospital website]
[The Vets Animal Hospital on Facebook]

Rich Anderson, Flickr

The wind is reeking havoc in the Colorado Mountains and all along the Front Range. A High Wind Warning is in effect until tomorrow morning. Highway 287 and Highway 85 were both closed last night, but have since been re-opened. I-25 from the Wyoming border to Cheyenne is restricted for high-profile vehicles or light trailers this morning. I-25 North of Cheyenne is closed due to winter conditions.

According to the National Weather Service, the High Wind Warning remains in effect until 5 a.m. Thursday. These are the areas that are affected by the Warning:

• Larimer County below 6000 feet
• Northwest Weld County
• Boulder and Jefferson Counties below 6000 feet
• West Broomfield County
• Including the cities of…Fort Collins, Hereford, Loveland, Nunn, Arvada, Boulder, Golden, Lakewood, Longmont

Periods of strong gusty winds will occur today and tonight. The strongest winds are expected to occur from later this morning into the early evening hours. Winds will then decrease late tonight as a cold front pushes across the area.

Wind gusts between 70 and 80 mph. The strong winds will be found close to the base of the foothills with lighter winds farther east toward I-25.

Strong winds will produce hazardous driving conditions for high profile vehicles near the base of the foothills…Especially along highway 93 between golden and boulder…U.S. 36between Broomfield and Lyons…As well as highway 287 from Broomfield through Fort Collins.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

• Remember…A high wind warning means that strong and potentially damaging winds are either occurring or highly likely. Travel in high profile vehicles is discouraged.

• Residents in the warning area are urged to bring indoors any loose items such as garbage cans and patio furniture that may be blown about by the strong winds.

Arete13, Flickr

What can transcend the intense hate between a white supremacist and a black, inner-city gang member? Making Meth, apparently.

In St. Louis a 38-year-old Aryan Nations member and a 22-year old documented black gang member were in cahoots and now face a slew of Meth-related drug charges.

According to STL Today the unlikely couple met at a halfway house and they were able to put their hate aside for a chance to make some cash.

“It was all about the money,” said Franklin County sheriff’s Cpl. Scott Briggs. “They put away their differences to get the job done.”

It’s not really the heartwarming story of overcoming racial prejudice I was hoping for, but I guess it’s a start.

These two yahoos now face federal charges for conspiracy to make meth, distribution of meth and other drug-related crimes.

[STL Today]

Photo by Arete13, Flickr.

See More Dumb Criminals Of The Day

Jason Smith, Getty Images

CBS

Conan O’Brien is pretty hard to miss, due to his 6’4 frame and bright orange pompadour. So if you happened to be watching ‘How I Met Your Mother’ last night and thought you spotted the late-night host for a brief moment in the background of the gang’s favorite bar, you certainly weren’t imagining things.

Before the show aired Monday, ‘HIMYM’ star Neil Patrick Harris gave his Twitter followers a hint that something like this was brewing.

“Watch the new episode of HIMYM tonight and try to spot the awesomest of dudes randomly hanging out at MacLaren’s. #dontblink,” Harris tweeted.

In fact, if you caught Harris’ appearance on ‘Conan’ last June, you would’ve known that an O’Brien cameo was coming. During their chat, the two revealed that Conan had won a walk-on role on ‘HIMYM’ in a charity auction they had both attended. When the show’s producers heard that it was Conan who out bid everybody for the prize, they wanted to expand the role from the cameo it had been offered as.

However, Conan told them he thought it would be funnier if it remained a brief un-credited walk on. So that’s the story behind Conan’s very short stint on ‘How I Met Your Mother.’ Check it out below, courtesy of HuffPo.

Source: TheFW.com

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

The 23rd season of ‘The Simpsons’ will go out with a bang, as that’s when the episode featuring Lady Gaga will air.

Gaga taped her ep late last summer and just like ‘SNL’ last May, she will appear on a season finale of a long-running comedy show. ‘The Simpsons’ remains the longest airing scripted show on prime time TV, while ‘SNL’ has been airing since 1975, so Gaga has a penchant for appearing on some of the most beloved shows on the small screen.

The Mother Monster’s episode is called ‘Lisa Goes Gaga’ and Gaga factors into the plot as someone who comes to Springfield in order to cheer up little Lisa, who is often the voice of reason on the show.

The Telegraph reports that Gaga has mused about her role on the show, saying, “I play a little bit of a slut. The apple doesn’t fall far from my artistic tree.”

Uh oh. Is Gaga going to be a bad influence on the sweet and wholesome Lisa Simpson? Will she teach her how to dance? Will she whip Bart into shape? Will she give Marge hair tips? Will she eat donuts with Homer? The possibilities are endless.

The exact air date of the season finale of ‘The Simpsons’ has not yet been confirmed, but it should air sometime in May. PopCrush will certainly recap the episode for you, dear reader!

Source: PopCrush.com

Steve Powell, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1819 – By the Adams-Onís Treaty, Spain sells Florida to the United States for $5 million (More info)

1879 – In Utica, New York, Frank Woolworth opens the first of many of five-and-dime Woolworth stores (More info)

1924 – President Calvin Coolidge becomes the first commander-in-chief to deliver a radio broadcast from the White House (More info)

1980 – In what would come to be called the Miracle on Ice, the US men’s hockey team beats the heavily-favored Soviet Union team 4-3 at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York (More info)

2006 – At least six men stage Britain’s largest robbery in history, stealing $92.5 million from a Securitas depot in Kent (More info)

Frazer Harrison / David Livingston, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

Jeri Ryan
Age: 44
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Playing the liberated (“de-assimilated”) Borg, Seven of Nine, on ‘Star Trek: Voyager,’ roles on other shows like ‘Leverage,’ ‘Boston Public,’ ‘Dark Skies’ and ‘Shark,’ and her current role as Dr. Kate Murphy on the ABC drama ‘Body of Proof’

Drew Barrymore
Age: 37
Occupation: Actress, Producer and Director
Known For: Her star-making childhood role in ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,’ two stays in rehab by the time she was 14, rebounding nicely with adult roles in ‘Boys on the Side,’ ‘The Wedding Singer,’ ’50 First Dates’ and the ‘Charlie’s Angels’ film franchise, co-founding the prolific Flower Films production company, her recent engagement to art consultant Will Kopelman, and just being all-around adorable

Kyle MacLachlan
Age: 53
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His roles in the cult films ‘Blue Velvet,’ ‘Showgirls,’ ‘Dune’ and ‘The Doors,’ work on the TV shows ‘Twin Peaks,’ ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘Desperate Housewives,’ and a lengthy relationship in the 1990s with supermodel Linda Evangelista

Rachel Dratch
Age: 46
Occupation: Actress and Comedienne
Known For: Being a cast member of ‘Saturday Night Live’ from 1999 to 2006, appearing in movies including ‘Down with Love,’ ‘Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star’ and ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry,’ and her enviably close friendship with Tina Fey

James Blunt
Age: 38
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: Singles including ‘You’re Beautiful’ and ‘Goodbye My Lover,’ being nominated for five Grammys, selling 18 million albums, and having a long string of model girlfriends

Derek, 99.9 The Point

How many times have you logged on to Facebook and noticed that someone tagged a picture of you that is unflattering, ridiculous, or maybe you as a nerdy kid? (I know I have my fair share.) What did you do? If you are a sane person you either untagged yourself, asked the friend or family member to untag or remove or you just left it. Well, Minneapolis resident Eric Olson went a different route. He sued his uncle.His uncle decided to post some childhood pictures of Eric, tag him and put a snarky (its a word, google it) comment on the photo and Eric was not too happy about them. He took his uncle to court saying it was harassment and needless to say he lost the case. The court stated,

comments that are mean and disrespectful, coupled with innocuous family photos, do not affect a person’s safety, security, or privacy… and therefore do not count as harassment.”

I can think of someone who is going to get unfriended.

I can’t believe this even went to court. I think that he took it a little far. What are your thoughts?

Beano, 99.9 The Point

The man was taken to a hospital, treated and  released with no problems. The charges and the cause of the altercation have yet to be released.

jurvetson, flickr

Last week, Nevada approved regulations for driverless cars on its roadways, to go along with Nevada’s official legalization of driverless cars last Summer.  Maybe the future isn’t as far away as I thought!

Nevada is the first state in the country to pass such legislation, according to Forbes.

Search giant Google has been lobbying for rules that would regulate its self-driving cars ever since unveiling its autonomous vehicle program in 2010. The cars have logged more than 160,000 miles without an accident, the company boasts.

[via Forbes.]

What an exciting concept!  Just tell your car where you want to go, and it drives you there; and safely, nonetheless!

Speaking of safety, Forbes reports that operators of driverless cars in Nevada are not breaking the law by texting or talking on the phone while driving.  However, driving while intoxicated is still illegal for all vehicle operators in the Silver State, whether they’re actually driving or not.

So don’t go planning any wild Vegas vacations without a designated driver just yet!

Here’s a video of Google’s driverless car in action.  Pretty incredible stuff!

Dave Hogan, Getty Images

Move over, M.I.A. You’re not the only one who can give a one-finger salute at a major music event. Fresh off the aforementioned rapper’s bird-flipping incident during the 2012 Super Bowl Halftime, British diva Adele did the same at the BRIT Awards this evening (Feb. 21.) But while M.I.A.’s gesture seemed immature, out of place and a foolish attempt to grab a headline, Adele was merely reacting to being cut off when making her acceptance speech.

The singer had just won the award for British Album of the Year for ’21′ and was making a genuine, from-the-deepest-recesses-of-her-heart speech, according to Spinner. She was saying, “Thank you very, very much. Nothing is better than coming home with six Grammies and winning Album of the Year. Nothing makes me prouder than to be British.”

That’s when host James Corden cut her off. Not only did he receive a chorus of boos from the crowd, but he got that one-digit salute from the beloved ‘Rolling in the Deep’ singer.

At a post-awards press conference, Adele commented on her reaction, saying, “I was cut off during my speech but I wanted to thank the British public for all their support. I was held up with my voice and troubles but the album kept walking without me. I flipped the bird for the suits at the BRITS who cut me off. Sorry if I offended anyone but it was for them, not for the fans.”

That explanation of her action should further deepen the love her fellow Brits have for her. Notice we said Brits, not BRITS! Adele is truly a pop star of the people, for the people and by the people.

The Album of the Year award was preceded by a win for British Female Solo Artist.

Giving the bird was not the sole reason people were talking about Adele’s fingers tonight. She also sported a large rock on her left hand, prompting talk of an engagement to her BF Simon Konecki. There’s obviously been no confirmation of that. Perhaps Adele bought herself a nice piece of jewelry to celebrate all those Grammys and BRITS?

Watch Adele Give the Finger

Source: PopCrush.com

Ian Gavan, Getty Images

After what seems like countless rounds on the rumor mill — and just as many denials — the worst-kept secret in pop music has finally been officially confirmed: Adam Lambert will perform with Queen this year.

“As many suspected, I can finally confirm: I have been invited by Queen to sing one very special concert!” tweeted Lambert. And he wasn’t kidding about that “special concert” part, either — he went on to reveal the location and date: “Sonisphere at Knebworth July 7th!”

“Sorry to be coy about the details the past few weeks, but I made a promise to keep it under wraps as best I could,” Lambert added. “Gonna be a surreal night!”

“Judging by my incoming mail, this decision will make a lot of people very happy,” said Queen guitarist Brian May in a press release. “It’s a worthy challenge for us, and I’m sure Adam would meet with Freddie’s approval! And what better place to revisit, and walk those emotional paths than Knebworth? It will be a rush.”

“I’m completely in awe of the Queen phenomenon. The thought of sharing the stage for a full set is so beautifully surreal,” added Lambert. “I’m honored to be able to pay my respects to Freddie’s memory. He’s a personal hero of mine and I am deeply grateful for the chance to sing such powerful music for fans of this legendary band. I know the evening will be a huge milestone for me, and with the support of Brian, Roger and the rest of the band I know magic will be on display.”

Source: PopCrush.com