Jackamore = Amazing Concert

So last night I went to Jack’s Mannequin and Paramore at the OC Fair and it was an amazing show.

Jack's Rockin out

For starters, the lead singer, Andrew McMahon, of Jack’s Mannequin can work the stage and the piano. He was all over, had 2 mics at the piano because he moves around all crazy. To top it off, his mom, dad and friends were all in the audience and he dedicated the track “La La Lie” to all the people there… hmmm… His mom was rocking out, like any mom would be at their son’s show. Go buy there songs on itunes!

Paramore came out and the audience went buck wild!!!! Girls were screaming “I love you”, guys were screaming “Marry me” and the girl in front of me bobbed in place. The lead singer, Hayley Williams, is great on stage she works every side, she gets the audience pumped up by talking to them and worst of all, she does a head shake to the beat and it gives me a head rush just watching her!

If you are looking for an amazing concert experience with a price tag that won’t break your piggy bank, then check out ticketmaster.com for all the tour dates! Our seats were amazing! Thank you Atlantic Records!

Happy weekend. I’m going up to San Luis Obispo ,

Tim

The Celeb political whirlwind is starting up

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have been getting a lot of press lately for Jennifer’s baby bump but this past weekend they put that aside and flew to Miami for an Obama Fundraiser. In addition, Matt and Luciana Damon were along for the ride to show their support for my candidate of choice.

Ben and Jen have both been Barack supporters for awhile now but they must have convinced Matt and Luciana to get ready to ‘Barack The Vote”

You Are (NOT) What You Drive

So here in L.A., as the saying goes “you are what you drive.” Getting on the 101 or the 405 is like getting on the runway at a fashion show. People are all around you, checkin’ your ride out from the hood to the rims, from the nav system to the numbers on your license plate. Your ride is a defining statement of who you are and what you’re all about. All that is about to change…I hope.

The L.A. scene needs to get with it. Cars are soooo last season. While Californians might still be filling the parking lots we insanely call freeways with Hummers and Range Rovers (and Priuses, of course!), our nation as a whole is putting cars on the road a lot less these days.

According to a special report conducted by the Federal Highway Administration, Americans drove 9.6 billion fewer miles in May compared with a year earlier. Um, last time I checked 9.6 billion miles was….a lot. That’s not a “dip” or a “slow-down”….that’s a “PLUMMET.” Since reporting on drive miles began 66 years ago, this was the largest drop for any May – a month that usually sees significant driving increase due to the Memorial Day holiday, the introduction of the summer season, and many college graduations. Three of those largest monthly declines have occurred since December, as unusually high fuel prices take a toll on drivers.

Something is happening across our nation, and it’s a BIG something.

Could it POSSIBLY be that our SUV-loving citizenry, our truck-obsessed populace, is FINALLY at a tipping point? Was the $4.30 you paid at the pump last week the straw that broke the camel’s back? Did it suddenly sink in that you’re paying in the 3-digits now to fill up that sexy H2? Yep, the 22″s and the navigation and the tinted windows and the DVD player and the 18 cup holders and the LOGO stuck to the bumper made it alright for all this time. You could live with mounting gas prices making it tougher to justify going out to dinner on Friday night….as long as you looked good through the suffering. But now even the bling is not shining a light bright enough to keep out the darkness and the pressure that mounting gas prices are putting in our lives.

Many commuters are ditching their cars for trains, buses and bikes, or they are working from home, using technology like www.go2meeting.com or www.go2mypc.com to make their workplace mobile. “It does seem that we are on track to beat last year’s record [public transportation] ridership,” she said, noting that the 2007 tally of 10.3 billion public transit trips was a 50-year high. “That can really only be explained by the large increase in gas prices,” said Miller.

Gasoline prices spiked in May, rising for 24 consecutive days in the month. May was a psychologically jarring month for many commuters, as gas prices not only rose steadily over the course of the month, but also broke the $4.00/gallon mark. The impact of these trends has been unmistakable.

It’s too bad L.A. has such a horrible public transportation system. Seems to be the “cool” thing to be doing now. Usage of public transportation across the U.S. jumped in the first three months of 2008 by 88 million trips from a year ago, for a total of 2.6 billion, according to the APTA.

We can look to Boston as an example for their superb public transportation. The Boston Globe reported Monday that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority broke a ridership record of 375 million passengers in fiscal year 2008, which is 21 million more than the prior year.

Some commuters, like Eric Creese, have taken the issue of gas prices to a whole new level – in an effort to save money, save the environment, improve his own health and live with a clear conscience, Eric has stopped driving to work and now uses only his own natural abilities – and his bike – to commute. He runs a Web site – www.GasFreeCommute.com – for bike commuters, with calculators to estimate calories burned and gasoline saved. His co-workers have logged their miles on his site, totaling 5,400 so far.

So listen up Angelinos! Your Range Rovers are OUT! Your Schwinn’s are IN! Don’t be braggin’ about your V8 Supercharged Chevy Tahoe….start jabberin’ about guzzling your V8 juice and walkin’ to work. Oh, and L.A. City Council, State Assembly, Senate, etc., get a CLUE! Paying for gas SUCKS, being dependent on oil BITES, and public transportation/alternative energy/better city planning for shorter commutes IS WHERE IT’S AT! ‘Nuff said.

The new party trend!

Who knew that celebs were into having a political themed party! This past Sunday, Kate Beckinsale was spotted setting up Hilary and Barack cut outs wearing lei’s and hula skirts.

Although she is British by birth, she still is American at heart.

3BA to Debut Tomorrow in Anaheim, California

More basketball???? Haven’t we had enough?! I’ve been an avid basketball fan and player for most of my life, but honestly. NBA, WNBA, NCAA Mens’, NCAA Womens’, Streetball, and now THIS?! We’ve already got problems with refs like Donaghy in the NBA and coaches in the NCAA like Bobby Knight. We went through the dress code thing. Then the new basketball thing. Then the brawls. The endless debates about if high school students should be allowed to be drafted or if they should stay in college. We’re already concerned about the NBA possibly having knowledge of games that were thrown and millions of dollars made through potentially illegal (or at the very least, unethical) gambling practices. Do we really need more basketball? Well, I guess SOMEBODY thinks we do.

3BA is the newest branch of the professional sports world and brings its fans full court 3-on-3 professional basketball.

The mission of the 3BA organization is:

to provide a fiscally and socially responsible professional sports organization and related environment, positive fan-player relationships and interaction, both on and off the court, working to bring communities together through passion, teamwork and the love of the game.

By making our game, our athletes and ourselves more accessible to the public, we will help bring communities together through the magic of athletics, and change the attitude and perception of professional sports today.”

3BA is set to debut in Anaheim this Saturday, July 26 at the Anaheim Convention Center at 7pm. Ticket prices range between $8 and $30. The Los Angeles Laker Girls are set to perform, and there will be festivities that include free giveaways and celebrity appearances. So what’s the difference between 3BA and traditional 5-on-5 basketball showcased by the NBA? Here are a few

• 3BA games are played on a full court measuring 72 ‘ long and 50’ wide.
• 3BA recognizes a 22’ three point line: All offensive players must be in the frontcourt for any three-point shot to be officially scored. If a three point shot is taken prior to all three offensive players in the frontcourt, if made it shall be counted as a two point goal, and/or if missed the ball shall be live.
• Backcourt violation: Once a team scores, the opposing team must inbound the ball in the backcourt. The ball must be touched in the backcourt before it can advance to the frontcourt. 5-second advancement to mid-court.
• Game is played over four eleven minute quarters.
• Game uses 18-second shot clocks.
• Six fouls per player

Not really sure what exactly will come out of the 3BA, whether it will flourish or whether it will fall by the wayside like so many other professional sports projects. The one saving grace of 3BA might be its emphasis on speed and high scoring games. With audiences demanding more and more action, 3BA may satiate their hunger for less dribbling and passing and more shooting and scoring. However, if it was up to me, I’d never say those three letters together again. I’m sorry AC Green – just because you’re obviously not good enough to coach a REAL NBA team doesn’t mean that a whole new league should be up and started so you can coach. Ugh.

You didn’t hear me say it, but the NBA regular season is too long. We need to start cutting basketball back, not adding more to this seemingly unending barrage of boring games with no import attached to them. Double ugh.

Why can no one take a lesson from the most successful professional sports franchise in the world – the NFL. Small number of games – maximum exposure and import – huge amounts of drama and passion – record jersey, sponsorship and ticket sales – legendary status. Same with college football – fewer games = more intensity = more focused fanbase.

It’s not a complicated formula for success. But somehow the basketball people want to go in the opposite direction. Fine. Be that way. Bore us to tears. And force basketball down our throats 24/7/365. And watch your ratings plummet and your profits dwindle. I, for one, am not amused.

Know before its big…

For all you music lovers we got some news for you! Nevershoutnever, a one man band that is new to the scene about about to make waves across the industry, will be calling into The Block FM on Monday morning! Picture a 17 year old kid, Chris, singing some mellow music on an acoustic guitar.

Check out Monday’s show at 9:00am PST to hear NeverShoutNever talk about everything from the new album, to his love life, to being a vegetarian. In the meantime, check Chris Drew of NeverShoutNever out on iTunes with his new mini-album release of The Yippee EP. You can also catch NeverShoutNever on MTV’s TRL next Wednesday!

Happy weekend!

Tim

Can’t Argue with the Facts

Barack Obama – A Statesman for Gen Y

Some say he’s become an icon. Others say he has pop star status. And although I’m not one who has drowned in the Barack Obama punch, and I’m not looking for an icon or a pop star to lead my county, I am becoming more and more convinced that this man is a statesman. And we need a President who is a statesman.

As Henry Kissinger once famously said, “The statesman’s duty is to bridge the gap between experience and vision.” Since the inception of his campaign, Barack Obama has attempted to show the nation (and the world) that he can be that bridge. Even as one whose political and ethical beliefs align strongly with the progressive agenda, I was not at first convinced. Maybe I just didn’t want to jump on the bandwagon. Maybe I’m too skeptical. Whatever it was, I had my doubts. But now I am beginning to fully appreciate Obama’s ability to be the bridge and fill the gap between experience and vision.

Yes, he fists bumps with his wife. Yes, he knows hip phrases like “Is Chicago in the house tonight?” and “how about the west side?” Yes, he can shoot hoops. Yes, he has over 1,000,000 facebook friends. I argue that these are all GOOD THINGS.

Finally, a leader that can actually relate to, inspire, and lead my generation. Finally, a leader who we feel we can talk to and emulate. Perhaps, if our citizens vote with their minds and their hearts, our young people can, in January 2009, look to their President with admiration, love, and a feeling of camaraderie and respect. Maybe we of Generation Y can stop looking to our hip hop icons and sports stars as our leaders, and maybe we can look instead to this self-made man who educated himself and has pushed himself to the heights of scholarship and service so that he can stand before us with dignity, honor, self-respect, experience, and…vision. Maybe we can move past the desperate pleas for leadership in our communities that moved us to “be like Mike” and instead we can aspire to “be like Barack.”

We are at a tipping point, as Malcolm Gladwell would say. Barack Obama will not be able to set us back on steady course by waiving a magic wand. There will be difficult times to come, even if he is elected. With a deficit of over $9 trillion, that alone will keep the next Administration scrambling.

But at this juncture, we as Americans must be wise enough and strong enough to choose a President who will be that bridge between experience and vision and who will be courageous enough to make difficult decisions that will benefit our citizenry in the long-run and not just spoon-feed us short-term quick fixes that will end up doing more harm than good.

We need a President who can inspire the masses again, who can light the fire in our hearts to make small changes that, when combined, will move mountains. We need a President who can make us all proud of our country, proud of our Constitution, proud of our Founders’ vision. We need a President who exudes and lives these ideals and who is willing to sacrifice for the common good.

The entire world is watching – in Italy, Germany, France and England, Barack Obama is the favored candidate with over 62% of the vote in polls recently taken. Barack Obama is currently on a tour of the war zones and was greeted by over 3,000 GIs at the US Embassy in Iraq yesterday. They are counting on us to join them in their enthusiasm and hope. The entire world is watching…waiting to see if Americans will choose a statesman, someone who can bring the countries of the world closer together with common visions.

In the 2008 election, we have a chance to elect a President who is a true statesman. After much agonizing contemplation, I have made my choice for President – my vote in November will be for Barack Obama.

-Posted by Cassie

Prediction: The Bolts Win Superbowl XLIII

It’s that time of year again! ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings have come out. Everyone is gearing up for another incredible football season. So now it’s time for predictions.

1. The SD Chargers will win the Superbowl. They have the most depth, the best talent, and the least amount of problems in the clubhouse of all the teams in the league. They also have a cake-walk conference in the AFC West. This is their season and I feel really strongly about the Bolts. As I was making my way through the tent at the ESPY’s after-party, I caught Shawn Merriman chattin’ it up with some other studs, and I just got this feeling…this feeling like I was looking at a future champ.

2. New England and Indianapolis will disappoint. I’m not saying they will have losing seasons or they won’t make the playoffs. But c’mon people, they’re getting old, worn out, beat up. They’re just not going to be able to keep pace with all the young, strong, fast talent. Sorry Boston and Indi. And thanks for the memories.

3. The Cowboys won’t win a playoff game this year…again. It’s been 12 years, and it might as well be 12 more because Tony Romo is overrated and doesn’t have what it takes to lead his team to a postseason victory.

4. Favre will play. The Packers are being stupid. They have a Hall of Fame QB like Favre who has played in 275 consecutive games, given all his energy, loyalty, and love to the game, and put Green Bay on the map (and almost took them to the SuperBowl last year). And yet they’re whining about the “psyche” of Aaron Rogers??? Somehow I think Aaron will survive if Favre comes back. The NFL is about WINNING. The only questions the back office of the Green Bay Packers needs to be asking itself is “who is going to win us more games and take us the distance?” And there is only one answer to that question: Brett Favre. Cut him slack. He’s EARNED it. Yeah, he flip flops….so do most guys who have been wearing cleats since they were five and are facing the end of a lifetime of work. Football is Favre’s life, and what a life it’s been! If he wants to play, clear the lane and get his uniform hangin’ in the locker room. End of story.

5. The ProBowl will be in Hawaii. No seriously. Mark my words. You think I’m kidding? Ok, fine, doubt me, but I’m telling you…read my lips, H-A-W-A-I-I. hehehehe.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALLL!??!?!?
-Posted by Cassie

NetRoots a gathering of the “Klan”?….reeeeeally O’Reilly?

Ok wow. Maybe it was a slow news day for Billy. Maybe he’s just running out of material. Maybe he’s gone the way of Limbaugh and started popping pills. I don’t know. O’Reilly has said insane things on his programs before, but this actually surprised me.

There I was listening to Radio Factor, because as they say – the best way to defeat your enemy is to know him. So I suffer through it. But my ears perk up as O’Reilly gets increasingly incensed about the NetRoots Nation Convention in Austin, TX July 17-20.

Now if you know about NetRoots, you know it’s a bunch of progressive bloggers, writers, speakers and activists – nerd types – like me – who strive to

“strengthen community, inspire action and serve as an incubator for progressive ideas that challenge the status quo and ultimately affect change in the public sphere.”

There were a bunch of informative seminars on how to get progressive political messages packaged and delivered via new and exciting press mediums. Blogs, Digg, Flickr, YouTube, Facebook, LiveJournal, rallies, town meetings, student organizations. Oh, and there were a bunch of high-profile progressives in attendance, including Nancy Pelosi and……Al Gore.

What did O’Reilly have to say about this?

O’REILLY: Ok, now he shows up on Saturday at the most hateful, there is not — and I’m including the Nazis and the Klan in here — there is not a more hateful group in the country than these Daily Kos people. Now, will they come to your house and hurt you? I don’t know, probably not. But, do they want to hurt you? Do they say terrible things about Tony Snow when he dies? All day long. Ok. Hateful hateful hateful. The rhetoric that they use and the rhetoric that the Klan and the Nazis use are the same rhetoric. It’s hate. Everyone knows that.

Now why would you go to a convention sponsored by these people when you know that currently on the Kos is stuff about Tony Snow, it’s good that he’s dead, he’s in hell, all of that. But Gore did, Gore went there. So did Nancy Pelosi. That disqualifies Gore from any serious consideration by me in the future. Al Gore now is done. He’s done. Ok. He is not a man of respect, he doesn’t have any judgment. The fact that he went to this thing is the same as if he stepped into the Klan gathering. It’s the same. No difference. None. K, he loses all credibility with me. All credibility.

Wow, Bill. Wow. Yes, the effort to mobilize grassroots efforts to reclaim democracy sounds really dangerous. Really hateful. Really Nazi-like. Really WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, BILL? Here’s some food for thought:

1. NetRoots Nation is the most hateful group in the country? Hmmm. Last time I checked, no one with NetRoots Nation affiliations has ever committed an act of violence because of their progressive beliefs, nor has any of its affiliates ever made hateful, racist, or violent remarks. Yes, these progressives are passionate. They may even have said or written some harsh things about their political adversaries. Why does that NOT sound like a hate group to me? Am I missing something?
2. Bill O’Reilly calling someone ELSE hateful??? Ok, that’s irony on six-hundred and eighty-two levels.
3. Wait, Bill, so now it’s an INSULT if you call someone a Nazi? I thought those were your buddies?
4. So now Al Gore has no credibility in O’Reilly’s eyes because he attended NetRoots. I’m trying to think back….think, think, think…..hmmmm….I’m drawing a blank….someone help me out here. The last time that Al Gore had any credibility with Bill O’Reilly was…………?????
5. I bet Gore has holed himself up in his bed and is sucking his thumb in agony and despair over this one. I mean, Nobel Peace Prize. Academy Award. Rock star status all over the world. This really puts a stick in Al’s groove. And since when did Bill O’Reilly’s opinion about ANYBODY matter?
6. Al Gore’s attendance at NetRoots was a lapse of judgment on his part and damaged his credibility? Really? So what would we call invading a sovereign nation that posed no threat to us? Or putting the Constitution of the United States in the shredder? Bill seriously, really? REALLY?
7. I firmly believe that this is a conspiracy by the right to provide more and more amazing material for us on the left to blog about so that we will sit comfortably in our chairs and type away while they rape, pillage and destroy our country.
8. My friends keep telling me that my blood pressure problem is a result of my attempt to reason with the unreasonable, to use logic with the illogical, to understand what is unable to be understood because it is so full of crap. I’m starting to believe them.
9. How cool is it that the right-wing lunatics, who have all the money and all the mainstream media outlets are so terrified of us poor little progressive bloggers? There’s my daily dose of inspiration to keep writing.
10. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly. I will try not to blog about Bill O’Reilly.

-Posted by Cassie

The Paramore Fan in us all

One of Tim and Cassie’s favorite bands, Paramore, is on kicking of there tour and are coming to The OC Fair on July 30th and Tim will be there. Listen on July 31st to hear all about it!

Not in Southern California? Check out their website!

-Posted by Tim

Jessica Simpson…The Country Singer?

Jessica Simpson made her country debut this week at Country Thunder in Wisconsin on Saturday night. According to reports, when she got on stage, half the audience started booing and the other half started cheering. One audience member said, “She’s an embarrassment to country music.” Another one said, “It’s crap. She doesn’t belong here.”

As much as Tim and Cassie love Jessica Simpson, maybe country isn’t her thing. Stick to shoes, paparazzi and your dog, Jess

-Posted by Tim

Social Security – a “disgrace”? reeeeeally…

REALLY John McCain? Social Security is a disgrace? REEEEALLLLY? Soooo sorry that not all of us peasants are married to billionaire heiresses. So sorry that the millions of hard-working blue collar workers who spent years in the mills and mines and industrial plants to help our country with the war effort during the 40s now rely on the pittance they get from the government (that they PAID INTO by the way) to survive in a world with skyrocketing prices and cost of living rates.

The only disgrace, Mr. McCain, is your quote from last week – “Americans have got to understand that we are paying present-day retirees with the taxes paid by young workers in America today, and that’s a disgrace, it’s an absolute disgrace, and it’s got to be fixed.”

As a young worker myself, I am PROUD to be paying taxes that help fund Social Security for my grandparents’ generation, the last noble, honorable generation this country has known. The struggles our seniors have faced through their lives – the Great Depression, WWII, Korea, the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam – pale in comparison to anything we have ever experienced. By giving our seniors back a small percentage of what they have given to us, we are honoring their legacy and preparing for our own.

HOWEVER, that being said, if the taxes we pay into Social Security were being handled correctly, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. The money that is put away for me is MINE and is not a gift to the government to be used how they see fit and should be there for me when and if I am ever able to retire. What is truly a disgrace is that this money that is put way for “me” is being spent by my government on things that are not me, not for me, and not chosen by me (war, bridges, weapons systems, $2000 hammers, Haliburton, etc.).

John McCain’s past statements about Social Security (although murky, vague, and serpentine – like most of his political stances) combined with this past week’s statements have caused seniors’ groups and labor unions, not to mention the Democratic Party, to mobilize a huge effort to protest McCain’s support for the privatization of Social Security (Although he won’t come out and explicitly say that he supports privatization, it’s pretty clear from his past statements).

There are many government programs that could be streamlined, overhauled, fine-tuned…but for the Republican Party to continually focus on programs like Social Security and suggest that our whole system would be better if Social Security were privatized really misses the mark. I mean, great, thanks, take away money from our Seniors. As the age of mortality rises in this country, we will have more and more seniors with less and less ability to care for themselves. Do I really need to discuss the slippery slope that will lead us down? Maybe if our government was just responsible and put our money away for us, like the program was originally set up to do, and stopped spending all our retirement money on invading and occupying sovereign nations or building bigger and better weapons delivery systems, maybe, just maybe, we’d be ok and our seniors could live their twilight years in peace and prosperity….as they deserve.

Just had to add this as a side note…McCain’s 2007 tax return shows Social Security benefits of $23,157 for the year, an average of $1,929.75 a month. He said he started receiving the payments “whenever I was eligible.” Un-frickin’-believable.

-Posted by Cassie

THE BLOCK FM AT THE ESPY’S 2008

Tim and Cassie spent an evening at the star-studded ESPY Award show last night with the likes of Brett Favre, Terrel Owens, the New York Football Giants, Venus Williams, Danicka Patrick, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, etc. Our finest athletes weren’t the only ones in attendance – the show also featured celebs like Samuel L. Jackson, Jet Li, Zach Efron, Kate Walsh, Ashanti, the Beckhams, Will Ferrel, and was hosted by self-proclaimed sports-junkie and international pop star, Justin Timberlake.

JT entertained his audience at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, California with his comical woes about his hometown favorite Memphis Tigers loss to the Kansas Jayhawks in overtime during this years NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. He also poked fun at Favre for his yearly flip-flops with regard to his retirement.

The evening was highlighted by an appearance by former Buffalo Bills tight end, Kevin Everett, who suffered a serious spinal chord injury that ended his career and threatened to leave him paralyzed from the neck down early last season. Everett has defied all odds, and after resolving never to give up and undergoing months of surgeries, physical therapy an indescribable emotional toll, he walked onto the stage at the ESPY’s to face a crowd standing to honor him, applauding his perseverance, and shedding awe-inspired tears at his miraculous recovery.

ESPN struck a wonderful balance last night by awarding tremendous athletic achievement while never forgetting to honor the true heart and soul of sports – the courage, the effort, and the camaraderie that touches the very core of fans and athletes around the world. ESPN brings us sports. Sports brings us all together, gives us a reason to smile and cheer, and inspires us to reach for our individual and collective bests. The power of sports to enlighten, to ignite, and to motivate us to greatness is immeasurable – the ESPY’s gave us a chance to look back on the greatness of this past year and rekindled in us the fire to create the greatness that is to come.