NY Vote

Tonight was the night that made history no matter what the outcome became.  Occuring in the Senate Chambers in Albany, New York, senators from the state gathered to vote on several bills, one in particular was the Gay Marriage bill which has been in much controversy for each state for years.  The NY assembly had approved that religious groups against gay marriage from discrimination lawsuits.  This left only the vote from the senate to decide the fate on same marriage in NY.

Around 5 this evening, tweets went around that the vote in the NY senate would be taking place tonight. I went ahead and tuned in, and started streaming the session on this site.  And I must say, I had no idea how long it took for a senate to gain all of the votes from the senators.  They all have their own story for why they are voting yay or nay.  So close to 5 hours later, the bill was finally introduced to the floor.  Before that moment, there were only 18,000 viewers viewed online.  But when it was introduced, the views jumped up above 32,000 views.

After the amendments were passed, applause could be heard throughout the chamber.  And then we begin to see the opposition in the debate.  Senator Ruben Diaz stirred the pot by continuing to talk and talk, and then refused to stop when the President advised him to come to a close.  And after two attempts, the President managed to subdue him.  But it is so funny, because Twitter went on fire with this guy, saying that he just made the biggest mistake with the actions he made LIVE on the internet and TV.

At this point, close to 50,000 people were watching this live stream.  With a few more senators that went way longer than the rules, and then a long recess for the President to meet with senetors, the results came.  At 10:30, the results were that the bill had been passed.  Thunderous applause came, taking the President a minute to return the chamber to order.  At one point I thought that he would just throw the gabble and just let them applaud.  But eventually he continued, and in between orders to shut the doors to remove the sound of screaming supporters, adjourned the session. 

I bet people around the world are celebrating this.  One of the most populated areas just agreed to equality in marriage.  While some states already have this in effect, I think that the NY vote was very important.  I think this will cause many other states to follow in NY's steps and make a better effort towards equality. 

So like I said, history was made tonight.  But the question still remains.  Is this debate on Same-Sex marriage over?  And do you think there will be any other states that will present a same bill within the upcoming months?

-Tyler

Andy Grammer

I will once again skip the "Smallville Cast Series," and move to another topic that I have been wanting to talk about.  Last week, a new album was released by Andy Grammer, a new artist that has made his way to the major leagues.  Music has been in his whole life, and now it is paying off.  And with support from big people such as Nick Jonas, many people are paying attention, and now buying his work. 

I first became aware of Andy when his single "Keep Your Head Up" appeared on the VH1 Top 20 Countdown.  I instantly was attracted to the song with it's up tempo and beat.  After listening to it, I was ready to buy it, and all of the songs that were to follow.  But when I found out that the album was going to be released soon, I waited.  And it turns out that it was all worth it. 

When the album was released last Tuesday, I instantly bought it, and it is just amazing.  All of the songs have a unique beat and theme.  Now was the best time to release it because of the summer feel it has with it. It has many catchy songs such as "Keep Your Head Up", "Lunatic", "Ladies", and "Miss Me."

If you found out about the album last week, you were able to get on of the songs from the album for free.  And it didn't matter which one it was, because they all were amazing!  But it was a chance for any potential fans to get a slight taste of his great work! 

So how has the album done so far?  Well, great!  On iTunes, it has been featured many times, including the Free Single.  It currently has a 5 star rating with 450 reviewers, and it is currently #30 on the pop charts!  Very good stats right now. 

Man, I hate it when I don't have alot more to say about a great album!  But sometimes, words cannot describe how good something is! 

Go ahead and follow Andy on Twitter.  I promise that you will love reading his tweets!  You can follow him here.  And make sure to buy his album!  You can do that here.  And I promise that you will not be disappointed!

And Andy, I wish you the best of luck!  And I hope to hear more music and news about your success soon!!

-Tyler

Pottermore

The Harry Potter legacy is one that will never be forgotten by this generation, and generations after it.  It has brought people, including yours truly, to become a fan of reading and being able to imagine an amazing tale of heroism and fantasy.  The books have come to a close, and the final chapter in the movie series is only weeks away.  So what could possibly come to help keep the legacy alive and well? 

Pottermore.  What else could it mean than the expansion of the wizarding universe.  When word of "Pottermore" came out, many thought it was a new book.  Rumor of a possible other Harry Potter novel was circulating the web.  But Rowling has denied these rumors, saying "I'm pretty sure I'm done on the novel front."  So what excactly will this pottermore site include?  Well before the exciting announcement made by Rowling, reports showed that it is to be an online Harry Potter game and global treasure hunt.

With Rowling's official announcement, she says that it is a "free, collaborative website that will offer readers an online reading experience with extensive new material about the world of Potter."  She also went to say "I’m thrilled to say I’m now in a position to give you something unique: an online reading experience unlike any other. It’s called Pottermore. Pottermore will be where fans of any age can share, participate in, and rediscover stories…. I’ll be joining in, too, because I’ll be sharing additional information I’ve been hoarding for years about the world of Harry Potter.”  You can watch the full announcement here. 

So this site is something that many fans have been looking for.  They have been looking for something to help them live the experience, a way to buy audiobooks and ebooks.  And this may very well be the encyclopedia of Harry Potter that we have been looking forward to since the release of "Deathly Hallows". 

Sorry guys, but the site won't be open until October.  But this gives you time to sign up by email and may get the chance to play the site early.  There is one clue that J.K. gave, and I think it is "Follow the Owl".  So make sure to keep your eyes open for anything new.  If you want to stay up to date with the site, you can always follow Pottermore on Twitter @pottermore. 

So what do you think about this news?  Are you excited?  Will you be a part of this new legacy about to become real?  Post your comments now!

-Tyler

See No More

Let's take a small break from our "Smallville Cast Series", and talk about some of the best music right now.  Now, some may be shocked that I am going to talk about this, but let's talk about Joe Jonas and his song "See No More".  Word of the song was spreading for months, and now this week, fans finally have a chance to buy it and listen to it.  And to the people who wasn't a fan of the Jonas Brothers trio, you will certainly have to take a listen at this song. 

We weren't suprised to hear that Joe would break away from the trio and attempt at his solo career.  We were even more shocked that he wasn't the first one, it was Nick that started the trend.  It sent Joe lovers screaming for release dates and cover arts.  They got what they wanted, finding out that the single would be released this week, and saw a simple cover of Joe with "See No More" in funky styles. 

I heard the song for the first time, and I was shocked by how much I liked it.  It was very different from the songs he performed with his brothers.  It is certainly a song that people would enjoy to dance to.  But the lyrics are powerful, and sends you visioning about what would happen in the song's situation. 

"I don't wanna wait for you

I don't wanna wake up thinkin, hopin

You'll get it right this time

'Cause you know that you’re so cold

I don't wanna see no more

And I can’t get away from you"

Fans went hot over the song when it hit radio, and they are even more hot for it now that the song has been released.  He took to Twitter and his 2.1 million followers to help advertise the song.  The song is in the top 20 in the pop iTunes charts and is close to reaching the top 50 overall.  

If you ask me about it, I would certainly tell you to buy it.  It is catchy, hot, powerful, and just something fun to listen to.  Joe certainly has a great group of writers with him for this album.  Which reminds me that the album will be out later this year, so stay tuned for that.  But for now, if you want to buy the single, you can do that here.  And if you are one of the few people that isn't following him, you can do that now by clicking here. 

So what do you think of the song?  Do you think this will be a good representation of the album to come?  And are you now a fan of Joe if you weren't a fan of the JB?  Post your answers and spread the word about this great song! 



Cassidy Freeman

Enjoyed the start to our "Smallville Cast Series?"  We have recieved alot of views from it, which means that people are dying to hear more about the cast from Smallville.  Well don't worry, I have more for you, and today we feature the lovely Cassidy Freeman. 

Cassidy is one of the few cast members on my list that I didn't know before watching the show.  And when the end of season 7 concluded, I wondered who would be taking the spot for Rosenbaum's character, Lex Luthor.  And when starting the beginning of season 8, I quickly knew that the character Tess Mercer was going to be a big favorite of mine. 

In the season, we see Mercer become the acting CEO of LuthorCorp after Lex's disappearance.  And throughout the season, we see her using all of her resources to find Lex, which only leads up to the big mystery of Clark.  That leads to her gathering a group of meteor-infected humans, and several illegal acts to find out that Clark is from Krypton, and known as Kal-El.  We also see that she was once romantically involved with Oliver Queen, known as Green Arrow.  Upon learning that Lex is still alive, the lovely Lana returns to warn her about her loyalty to Lex.  She exposes that Lex implanted a device into Mercer's optic nerve to observe everything she did.  His betrayel sent her over the edge and vowed to sell everything he owned.  And throughout the season 9, we see her become loyal to the Zod and help him build a solar tower.  That is as far I got into the season, so forgive me.  But I do know that she is the lost love child of Lionel Luthor.  And I have reason to believe that she later sides with Clark and his team.  I really hope so.  A good character like that can't always be bad. 

But I just love how the character is portrayed.  She is so confident, beautiful, and talented.  And this may not make sense, but she is dressed for power and success.  And she reminds me of  Selina Kyle with her Good Guy/Bad Guy personality.  And I love how she joins up with the Suicide Squade with the powerful Amanda Waller.  A great team!!

So what does she do beyond Smallville?  Well besides Smallville, she has degrees in Theatre and Spanish.  She starred in the film "YellowBrickRoad" and other shows such as CSI.  And her hobbies include hiking, quilting and singing.  And speaking of singing, she has an album out with her brother and Andy Mittion called "The Read D'Coy", which is really good.  I haven't bought it yet, but I think you all should.  You can buy it now here. 

So that is the beautiful Cassidy Freeman.  I look forward to watching her in more Smallville episodes, and possibly in any future shows that she is in.  I wish you the best of luck Cassidy!

Now, who will be my next cast member to talk about?  Hmm...let's see....no clue.  But you can find out tomorrow.  But until then, start talking about your favorite cast member, and see if they will make the cut!

-Tyler

Allison Mack

So this is something I wanted to talk about for awhile.  Since November, I have wanted to talk about Smallville.  Now, I'm sure some of you have watched it some time or another.  I just started it in November, and right now I am on season 9.  But instead of talking about every season and every little plot in the season, I wanted to take a different turn.  Instead, I want to talk about the cast that makes it all possible.  I call this my "Smallville Cast Series".  But I won't be including the obvious Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Kristin Kreuk or Erica Durance.  Instead, I will be talking about 4-5 of the cast members between seasons 1-10 that have really stood out to me, and their role in the series. 

So who should I start out with?  Well, no other than Allison Mack!

It turns out that I knew about Allison before I ever started watching Smallville.  After watching a few episodes of the first season, I finally recognized her from the role she played in "Honey We Shrunk Ourselves."  And then even later I found out that she played a role in 7th Heaven.  I have watched both so many times that I am suprised that I didn't recognize her sooner. 

Allison has been a part of the Smallville family from the beginning, and I couldn't see her out of the picture.  She became an instant favorite after watching the show.  We started watching her play the role of Chloe Sullivan, a teen journalist for the school.  And while she didn't know Clark's secret at the beginning, she played a vital role in his discoveries and completions of his missions. 

We then see Chloe finally knowing Clark's secret, and the burden it puts on her.  She must now cover for him when Lana is around, and she is put in situations that could danger her life.  I think this era was when we started seeing Chloe/Allison becoming a true part in the plots in each episode.  But I think it was the next era in the Chloe chapter that defines the character. 

At the end of season 7, we saw Rosenbaum and Kreuk leave the show, and Allison being bumped up to their spot, and her storyline evolving.  We got to see her play the Brainac role and then we got to see her finally have a love interest with Jimmy Olsen.  But at the end of Season 8, and the death of Jimmy, we see Chloe's role change dramatically, taking the lead and becoming the center of the Watch Tower and guide to all the heroes of Metropolis. 

And then with season 9 we see her go to new levels.  We see her taking up the responsibity to bringing the group back, trying to find Clark and to finding Lois.  And then when all is back to normal, it is her being on the front line to help Clark fight the terror in the city, as well as putting the rest of the team into very difficult situations to help them find themselves.  I haven't finished the rest of Season 9, so I don't know what her future is right now, but I am where Chloe and Oliver sort of have a spark.  So I am very excited to see what happens. 

But what has Allison been doing since the end of Smallville?  Well from her twitter, she likes to put out quotes, and mention her songs of the day.  And right now, she is in Shakespeare school.  Here is what she says:

"Day 1 of my Shakespeare school is done! It was amazing! Although I almost peed I was so nervous."  And then "day 2 and 3. my mind is being blown. my classmates are fantastic. i have never felt so loved in such a short period of time. instant family."  Glad you are having fun Allison. 

So let's just say that Chloe is possibly one of my favorite characters on the show, and Allison is possibly one of my most favorite cast members on the show.  Thank you Allison for making the show so enjoyable with you on it!!  So if you do not follow Allison right now, you should do so.  Go follow her @allisonmack.  I hope to hear from you soon Allison! 

And that is all for our first part into the "Smallville Cast Series."  Make sure to tune in next time for the next cast member.  Who will it be?  Post your thoughts now!!

-Tyler

McFadden's A-Side

Brian McFadden returns to the music industry with not just one, but two brand new songs.  Many were unsure of this year for Brian, with the breakup with Delta Goodrem, and the mixed reviews for his song "Just the Way You Are".  But nothing seems to get Brian down as we watch him push to the top with these new songs, his return to Australia's Got Talent, his new relationship, and the release of his new album!

The double A side with "Come Party" and "That's How Life Goes" was released a few weeks ago, and it has recieved positive reviews.  When asked why both songs were released, Brian says that the two are completely different, but together they work well together and contradict themselves. 

I would have to agree with that.  "Come Party" has the theme from "Wall of Soundz" while "That's How Life Goes" has the theme from "Set in Stone".  But I think it goes to show that this new album will be a mixture of all of Brian's previous experiences, plus new ones.  "Come Party" is fun to dance to.  It has a mixture of many different of styles in it, including a Hip-Hop/Rap style which we are not used to from Brian.  But the style suits him well.  And then "That's How Life Goes" takes a slower pace with more intimate lyrics including guitar and piano.  Both are really great songs!

A month or so ago, nobody could probably tell you how well Brian would be this year.  Many, not me, did not respond well to his first single "Just the Way You Are" and even went as far to call it the lyrics "Glorified Date Rape".  Brian responded, and I agreed by saying that the lyrics were taken out of context, and that it was just meant for fun. 

And then we saw the breakup between him and Delta, which was a big blow to fans.  And then when rumors were around that Delta was dating Nick Jonas, many wondered how he would react.  He reacted with "It's fine; you see it (the photo of Delta and Nick together) and accept it for what it is. It was positive. She looks happy. If she's happy, I don't mind" but warns Nick "If anyone hurts her they're dead...I wish her all the happiness in the world... We're still really good friends."

But it appears that he has broke through the expectations that the public had for him this year, and prevailed with his new music.  He also has shown him moving on by starting a relationship with Vogue Williams from Ireland.  We all look forward to see how his new relationship progresses. 

Now for the songs, how are they doing?  So far, they seem to be doing well.  The songs in iTunes have a 4 star rating, and they are #5 on Brian's page.  The only problem that I see people would have is because the two are on the same track.  I have a problem with this as well.  Different songs should be on different tracks.  I know in the past I have had problems with Delta's "You are My Rock/Nobody Listened" hidden track and then Leona Lewis's "Lost Then Found/Stone Hearts & Hand Grenades" combo.  But other than that, both songs are really great!

So that's why you should go ahead and buy it!  Australians can buy it here.  And any international fans will have to buy it on his website.  For me, I'll be waiting for the two to be released in the states or when the album comes out.  But I'll be supporting the songs every way I can!  Brian, you have done a really good job, and we look forward to your future releases!

-Tyler

Weiner

Our politics have once again disgraced us by their behavior this week.  We were just getting used to the scandal that John Edwards stirred up, and we are now watching his trial come together.  Then we see Anthony Weiner, an appropriate name for this situation, comes out with a confession of his own. 

Weiner, a very popular political figure on Twitter, probably had too much fun with the social network.  If you do not know, he sent a photo to a 21 year old college student now known as the "crotch shot seen around the world".  The photo was leaked to the web, and for days the speculation of if it was him was circulating.  But in interviews, he denied it.  But on June 6th, he admitted not only about the photo to the student, but also to inappropriate online relationships with other women. 

So how many unfaithful politicians does this make?  Too many to count, that is for sure.  But it is for certain that this scandal will be up with the ranks of Clinton's scandal and others.  It was so funny, because I was up helping my dad with a customer, and they were saying that this situation was an "exposed weiner."  I laughed, because it is true. 

And then the scandals keep on popping up.  Reports have come in from Liz Nelson from Zap 2 It, saying that porn star Ginger Lee has now been added to the story.  Sexually explicit emails were sent between the two, but when word broke out about the photo scandal, Weiner advised Lee to keep quiete.  This comes from the article and was sent by Weiner:

"The key is to have a short, thought out statement that tackles the top line questions and then refer people back to it. Have a couple of iterations of: 'This is silly. Like so many others, I follow Rep. Weiner on Twitter. I don't know him and have never met him. He briefly followed me and sent me a dm saying thank you for the follow. That's it.'"


And then later he returns with this email: "Do you need to talk to a professional PR type person to give u advice?  I can have someone on my team call."  And then he goes and prepares her a statement: ""I have nothing to do with the situation involving Rep Weiner.  I follow his twitter feed.  And for a brief time he followed me.  Much has been made of the fact that I have posted about my admiration for Rep Weiner and his politics.  All I can say about that is that I'm a fan of his.  Rep. Weiner sent me one short direct message thanking me for following him.  I have never met Rep. Weiner and he has never sent me anything innappopriate..."
 
And to top it off, today it was confirmed that is wife, Huma, former aide to Hillary Clinton, is pregnant.  Reports say that the birth is in the early stages, which adds more drama to this issue.  Since things have come out in the open, she has remained silent, and word is that they will not seperate. 
 
So what do you think?  Many have called for his resignation.  Do you agree?  I certainly do.  Our country is supposed to symbolize honor and honesty.  How can we keep that up with people like Weiner running the show?  If you ask me, they should recommend me to come over to the capital so I can whip the guys into shape.  Who all wants to come with me?
 
Post your comments, I wanna know what you have to say about this!
 
-Tyler
 

Black and White

Been saving your money for a good album to buy?  Well I found it for you!  I found the band Royal Tailor, and since then, I haven't been able to stop listening to them!  And even though they are a Christian band, I think they are what everyone has been waiting to hear!  So listen up as I tell you how great they are!

I just love iTunes, because they always give you a chance to get free songs by many different people.  I found some great bands such as Meese and VOTA because of it.  This week, I stumbled upon Royal Tailor's song "Black and White".  And let me tell you, I was blown away by it.  The piano at the beginning is just perfect.  And it wasn't like the average christian music that is labeled by people who don't really prefer the genre.  It is a mixture of pop and hip hop themes.  And the best thing is that it is filled with great messages and themes and it is all clean!!  The best thing about the song was that it was free, so of course I had to download it. 

I don't think it was even a day after that when I just had to download the whole album!  And it wasn't hard to buy it since it was prereleased for only $7.99!  And I have been listening to it since I bought it.  And there have been some great songs such as "Black and White", "Run To Love", "Freefall", "Death of Me", and "Gravity".  All have a great beat and actually wants you to put the songs on repeat. 

Many people have responded well to the band and their album.  iTunes posted this on Twitter to its million plus followers, "If you enjoyed the free Discovery Download from @royaltailor, get their album for $7.99 this week."  The album has been featured in the Christian/Gospel section, the album is #2 on the charts, and 200+ reviews have been posted, with a 5 star rating!  That's impressive!

I have to say that this album is probably one of the best albums I have bought for the 2011 year.  And I have bought alot this year so far.  And I think the song "Black and White" is in my top 10 songs for the year.  So I certainly recommend this band for you all.  And not sure if you want to buy their whole album yet?  Just download their single for free!  You can get it here.  And when you finally realize you want more to listen to, go and buy their full album for only $7.99.  You can buy it here. 

 And don't forget to start follow them!  I just started following them today, and I hope all of you will do the same.  You can follow them here: @royaltailor

So Royal Tailor, you guys have swept me off my feet, and I intend on listening to everything you release from now on.  You guys rock!  And I hope I help send a few potential fans your way!  Hope to hear from you soon!

-Tyler