I’m posting this video from last week with hopes that at least a few more people see it.
The full transcript is here.

     The Boss and company were back in SoCal this past week at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. Extreme energy and strong messages were delivered in full force, similar to the last time I saw Bruce and the E Street Band at the LA Sports Arena. However, this time was slightly more in my face due to being in the first row behind stage!

Check out the pics

     The big March three-OH on which I hit the big three-OH has come and gone. Thank you to everyone that helped me ring in this super special birthday by wearing your most stylish mustache and exhibiting your jaw dropping Guitar Hero talents. The 90 West Lounge has never seen such plastic guitar-ticklin’ skills from such a hardcore bi(cycle)ke riding crew, and never will again.

Check out the pictures and promotional flyer.

     Midwest hip-hop dropped on West Hollywood Thursday night at the Troubadour. Brother Ali, representing Minneapolis, MN, showcased his brand of slick rhymes and deep beats.
     Apparently unlike the majority of fans in attendance, it was my first time seeing him live. Prior to this evening my impressions were founded on the sound of his voice and the flow of his lyrics. I have to admit, I wasn’t convinced Brother Ali was white until he walked out on stage in his custom Muhammad Ali jacket. It’s not every day that you see an albino white rapper who can spit fire like that. Don’t get me wrong; I think anyone is capable of mastering anything (including rap), no matter what your race, gender, eye color, height, weight, freckle count, toe count or background is. All are appreciated, accepted and are faced without prejudice in my eyes.
     The same open minded sentiment matched the vibe of good feelings filling the Troubadour’s atmosphere. At no point did I feel like people were posers, or accusing others of being a poser, or judging anyone on the depth of their hip-hop fidelity.
     Brother Ali floated around the stage effortlessly with a smooth flow, in sync with the crowd and perpetual turntables pacing the rhymes. Set list selections (at least the ones I recognized) spanned albums Shadows on the Sun and his most recent release, The Undisputed Truth. Brother Ali’s commentary on the current state of affairs in America are prevalent on tracks like Uncle Sam Goddamn and Freedom Ain’t Free. It’s critical, but not necessarily negative or hateful. He wants the people to listen and rise up to make a difference.
     Check him out live or on Rhymesayers Entertainment records.

     Today the citizens of California voted in the Presidential primary election. We represented one of 24 states that held primaries or caucuses on this Uber-Super-Magnus-WMD Tuesday. The Republicans have 1,023 delegates at stake in 21 contests and the Democrats have 1,681 at stake in 22, plus American Samoa.
     I was psyched to get out and vote, especially after Scarlett Johansson called me to encourage me to do so (twice). The oddity of the day was that my polling place was in a residence down the street. LAVote.net actually specified “Living Room” when I did my voting location query. At least the Democrats allowed people like myself, who are non-partisan / declined to state, to vote in their primary. The Republicans did not. What does that say about them?
     Today is the first step in fixing the mess that Governor George W. Bush and his administration have caused over the past seven years (Governor is the last election he legally won). Even Republican candidates have distanced themselves from him and in no way wish for his endorsement. But, if elected, those same candidates will perpetuate the downward spiral Dubya has dragged this country through. They want to continue the war indefinitely. The Right will spend and spend while maintaining or increasing tax cuts (especially for the wealthiest citizens). How can we spend more AND tax less? Who is paying for this? It’s time to be responsible here at home and abroad. Let’s get out of Iraq and finish the job in Afghanistan (where’s Bin Laden?). In dealing with our enemies, start with real diplomacy, not saber-rattling. Let’s start paying attention to the serious issues within our borders (poverty, economy, environment, corporate corruption, health care, torture).
     The best candidate to repair the damage, restore the Constitution and strengthen America’s future is John Edwards. However, since he dropped out, Justinline.com endorses Barack Obama.

• Phone call from Scarlett (MP3)
• Election results of California

I voted in somebody’s house. What’s up with that?

     Thankfully we have less than a year left to put up with the fear-mongering hypocritical Constitution-destroyer known as George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States. Last night the bumbling idiot gave the final State of the Union Address of his tenure. Like his previous seven such speeches, it was chock full of bullshit. No matter what your affiliation (Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green, etc.), you cannot deny that his message was misleading and out of touch. G-Dubya continued to promote a permanent tax cut that doesn’t do much for most Americans. He tried yet again to justify the unwarranted war in Iraq by exploiting 9/11 and our hardworking troops. 43 also alluded to protecting communications companies from prosecution for their part in the Department of Justice’s warrantless wiretapping program (see video below). Georgie went through the motions like the lamest of all lame duck presidents. It was a re-hash of past speeches, doing nothing to challenge Americans to improve our situation and showing no signs of hope.
     Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas, gave the Democratic response to the State of the Union Address. Her message was good, but the delivery was incredibly boring and drab. In continuing the tradition John Kerry laid out in the 2004 Presidential election, I think the messenger left people uninspired. Virginia Senator Jim Webb did a much better job last year.
     Hopefully the next President can inspire the country and bring people together, regardless of party, as well as restore America’s image around the world. We need an end to divisive and polarizing politics.

• State of the Union Address 2008
• Democratic response
• State of the Union Fact Check
• More from Wikipedia

     The UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) World Cup of track cycling was at the Home Depot Center in Carson last weekend, and I attended the first of 3 days of competition. I had never seen this sport live, and it was rather interesting (if not somewhat odd). These world class athletes rode on single-speed fixed gear track bikes at speeds up to 40 mph around the velodrome. Los Angeles represented the third of four UCI World Cup Classics racing meets. Events in Sydney, Australia and Bejing, China occurred before the new year, and the riders will get together again in Ballerup, Denmark in February.
     The events I witnessed varied from all out sprints to strategic games of cat and mouse. The one-on-one sprint started off resembling the latter. Neither rider wanted to be out in front, thus enabling drafting off the leader and saving energy for a burst down the final stretch. As the short race progressed, one rider would make a move and the sprint was on. Sometimes the strategy to trail paid off, but other times it didn’t and the leader would hold on to win. No matter what, it was always close, within hundredths of a second.
     The men’s point race was another event that required a degree of strategy. This race constituted 138 laps around the track (yes, it was long!). Periodically a particular lap was worth points, and the leading cyclists for that lap would get points. The winner was the one with the most points, not necessarily the first one to the finish line. World Cup leader Cameron Meyer defended his title and came away with the victory (pictured above).
     I particularly enjoyed the men’s individual pursuit races. I saw it as a more accurate measure of each rider’s capacity for speed. Two competitors would start at opposite ends of the track, thus eliminating drafting from the equation. 18-year-old American phenom Taylor Phinney took first place. It was the last race of the evening, and the crowd definitely got into it. We all cheered with each lap as he whizzed by at an average of 33+ mph over the 4000 km race (16 laps).
     Click for full results of the event.

Taylor Phinney


German Charlotte Becker (blond in red) won the 10 km women’s scratch race.