Jason Mraz and Brett Dennen are AMAZING.

photo by Kyle "Montee" Lishok

Not only did Jason Mraz recently participate in the 4th Annual Surfrider Foundation's Celebrity Expression Session (Surf Jam), but ...

He recently announced an upcoming free show in San Diego, California on October 11 at the Cricket Wireless Amphitheater in Chula Vista, California. Tickets were 'sold' through the paperless ticket method which requires purchase with a credit card and were gone in a snap. The credit card must also be presented at the concert venue to gain admission.

The show starting at 6 pm will feature Brett Dennen as the opening act with Bushwalla as the host. Brett Dennen also supports the Surfrider Foundation.


Photo: Mike Childs (Surfrider DC Chapter), Nicole (Surfrider DC Chapter), Randy Schwartz (drums), Brett Dennen (vocals, guitar), Matt Montee (road manager), Jason (Surfrider DC Chapter), Steve Adams(bass)

Charities like the Surfrider Foundation, VH1 Save the Music and San Diego Youth Services will be on hand as well to accept donations from fans: "This has become a 'pay what you like' show in reality." Jason Mraz explains. "We'll give the show up to the fans for free, and ask them to drop in at the charity tables and give the non-profits the money that they think the show is worth. With no obligation to do so, of course, just a suggestion."

30 pairs of the best seated tickets will be auctioned off along with a meet and greet with Jason to benefit the Surfrider Foundation!!

CLICK HERE for the auction and to bid on Jason Mraz tickets to benefit Surfrider.

Carpooling is encouraged with carpools of three or more being allowed to park for free.

Surfrider Foundation to Honor Pearl Jam, Incubus & David Chokachi

YOU ARE INVITED! Join the Surfrider Foundation for a party in Los Angeles on Friday, October 9th to celebrate Surfrider Foundation's first 25 years!



Surfrider will be honoring Pearl Jam, Incubus and David Chokachi with a musical performance by Camp Freddy and special guests. Camp Freddy is Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction), Billy Morrison (The Cult), Matt Sorum (Guns N Roses/Velvet Revolver), and Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction/Alanis Morrisette).

Check out the live art auction with works by the absolutely AMAZING artists Shepard Fairey, Raymond Pettibon, Barry McGee, Billy Al Bengston, C.R. Stecyk III, Thomas Campbell and more.

Nibble on sustainable food and enjoy an open bar.

Tickets $200 General Admission, or $250 VIP. All proceeds benefit Surfrider Foundation and the beach you love.

To get your tickets and more go here.


photo: Los Angeles street artist Shepard Fairey with his Barack Obama Hope artwork in Los Angeles.


Jaws Wave, 2009. Shepard Fairey. Spray painted stencil & mixed media collage on 100% cotton rag. 72" x 52"

For more information about this Shepard Fairey piece, and Fairey's relationship to Surfrider, check this out.

Surfrider Beach Cleanups Gain Support from Musicians

photo: Stefan Lessard. By Donna Wolf.

On Friday, September 11, 2009, the San Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation hosted a special beach cleanup from 4-6pm at Veterans Park in Ocean Beach, San Diego. This cleanup was a part of the national day of service and remembrance that President Obama signed into law in April.

This cleanup was special because the Dave Matthews Band’s bass player, Stefan Lessard, participated in the cleanup and organized a contest - beach cleanup volunteers could enter to win tickets to the Dave Matthews Band concert happening the following day at Cricket Amphitheater.


photo by Bill Hickman.

"The Surfrider Foundation is excited to work with Stefan Lessard and to help raise awareness about the effects of beach litter. Over 80% of marine debris is land-based,” said Bill Hickman of the San Diego Surfrider Foundation. “So, if we can stop litter at the source we can help protect the oceans and all of the marine life that we love.”

According to Jon, one of the beach cleanup participants, "more than 150 volunteers showed up and picked up more than 150lbs of trash off our shore line (mostly cigarette butts and wrappers). I’ve never seen the cliffs and our beach so clean!"


photo by Bill Hickman.

Check out this awesome review of the day's events, prepared by Bill Hickman.

Surfrider Foundation Beach Cleanup with Stefan Lessard from Surfrider Foundation San Diego C on Vimeo.

* * *

A month prior to this, and on the opposite side of the country, Barefoot Wines presented a Beach Rescue Concert to benefit the Surfrider Foundation.

From 2-4pm on Saturday, August 29, 2009 in Asbury Park, NJ Sufrider and Barefoot Wines hosted a beach cleanup at three different locations near the Asbury Park boardwalk.

Beach cleanup volunteers received VIP privileges (entry to the VIP Lounge, complimentary food and beverage and priority views of the stage) to a free concert featuring Joss Stone, Gavin DeGraw, Cold War Kids and Mason Jennings that followed the cleanup at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. All wine sale proceeds from the concert were donated to Surfrider.

Fan outreach and on-site concert greening was handled by Reverb. Reverb is a non-profit that educates and engages musicians and their fans to take action toward a more sustainable future.

We Need a Public Option. PERIOD.

photo: Kimberly Young

As reported in today's Dayton Daily News, 22-yr old December 2008 Miami University (Ohio) graduate Kimerly Young died of viral pneumonia on Wednesday.

The Wayne, Ohio, native was still living off campus in Oxford (OH) after graduating in 2008 because she wasn’t able to find the right job. Dr. Jeanne Hey, director of international studies at Miami and mentor to Kimberly, said this past summer, Kimberly was debating pursuing a graduate degree or working for a nonprofit organization.

“She had an incredible commitment to social justice,” Hey said. “She was a person with a huge heart and a very free spirit as well. She really cared about people here and around the world.”

Kimberly traveled twice to Latin America to explore human rights issues, and helped organize the spring break trips as part of the Students for Peace and Justice, said Walt Vanderbush, club adviser and professor of political science and Latin American studies.

...

Her friends say that she suffered symptoms for several days but since she was working two jobs (4 years at Kofenya coffee shop, and nearly 3 years at Bagel & Deli near campus) but did not have health insurance, she took nothing more than fever reducers to combat her illness.

Brent Mowery, her friend and former roommate, said Kimberly eventually went to an urgent care facility in Hamilton where she was given pain medication and then sent home.

On Tuesday, Sept. 22, her condition suddenly worsened and her roommate drove her to McCullough Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford, where she was flown in critical condition to University Hospital in Cincinnati.

“That’s the most tragic part about it. If she had insurance, she would have gone to the doctor,” Mowery said.

...

Steve Cupp, the owner of Vertigo tattoo parlor that's located next door to the bagel shop where Kimberly worked, echoed what others have said, that Kimberly was reluctant to get care because she didn’t have insurance. He said her death has raised the alert level among students who come into his shop.

“I tell them, if you start feeling like you have (flu-like) symptoms, go get help. Call mom,” Cupp said.

Or ... we could have a public insurance option ...

ThinkProgress published a follow-up piece on this today, with this bit of info:

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 30 percent of 19-24 year olds are uninsured, more than any other group. Despite the conservative argument that young people are voluntarily refusing health coverage in favor of extra spending money, the reality is that high costs on the individual market put coverage out of reach. As Suzy Khimm notes at Campus Progress, young people “are far more likely to be working part-time or lower-paying jobs for employers who don’t offer coverage.”

In its 2008 study, the Commonwealth Fund found that 66 percent of young adults aged 19 to 29 who experienced a time without coverage in the past year said they had gone without it because of the cost.

Check out this video from MoveOn.org:

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

"Green The Block" National Launch Party Sept 26 in Washington, DC

photo: Wyclef Jean
The Green the Block campaign will officially kick off with Wyclef & Friends at the Green the Block Launch Party after the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference Gala, tomorrow (September 26th).

On August 4th, the Hip Hop Caucus and Green For All publically announced Green the Block from the White House.

Green the Block is a partnership between Green for All and the Hip Hop Caucus to educate and mobilize low-income, traditionally under-served communities to ensure they have the resources and platforms needed to access the benefits and opportunities of the growing clean energy economy.

On September 11, you all organized 94 Green the Block events in 24 states as a part of the first National Service and Remembrance Day.

This Saturday, we will be rolling out the red carpet and introducing Green the Block to the nation, with our gracious host Wyclef, Members of Congress, and friends from around the country.

If you are in or near Washington DC, join us. The Launch Party begins at 8pm and is at Lux Lounge (649 New York Ave). All the info is here.

If you can't join us check out the Green The Block website, get involved, and take action today.

For Future Generations,
Rev Yearwood
Hip Hop Caucus

Go Herd. (Substitute Your School's Name Here.)

CBS College Sports launched four print ads promoting its college football coverage. Each ad shows the lengths hard-core fans go to in an effort to support their favorite team. Created by Mother New York.