Former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein were both critically injured late Friday night in a plane crash that killed 4 other passengers, authorities are reporting.

“The Learjet 60 crashed on takeoff at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport at 11:53 p.m. Friday” and both Barker and Goldstein were transported to the Joseph Still Burn Center, in Augusta, Georgia, suffering “extensive burns”.

Although earlier reports feared musicians Gavin DeGraw and Perry Ferrell were on the plane as well, those facts have proven to be false at this time.

While it’s unclear what caused the crash, authorities say they saw sparks “coming off the runway” during take-off.

If we at CC find out anything more about this tragedy, we’ll let you know.  Check back for updates.

Update 1:24PM: The deceased have been identified as pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills, CA co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad, CA, Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City, CA, and Charles Still, 25 of Los Angeles, CA. Chris Baker was Travis’ assistant.

My mother is 100% Italian. My father, a 100% Irish. My brother got my mother’s olive skin tone: the two of them could sit outside for hours, lathering up in baby oil and bake to a beautiful golden brown. I was the fortunate one (insert sarcastic undertone here) who got my father’s Irish skin. The two of us can’t go to a windy afternoon baseball game without using SPF 45, unless of course, we want to find ourselves covered in sunburn and blisters.

Last summer, I thought I was invincible when it came to the sun. My friends can get tan with SPF 4 or 8, so why couldn’t I? On two various occasions, I felt the effects of not listening to the realistic side of my brain in terms of summer sunshine. I spent a week in June in San Antonio, Texas, where it was roughly 95 degrees every day. As this was a more family-oriented – go out to dinner, do family related things – sunbathing took a back seat, until the last dreaded day, when I thought it was appropriate to lay at the pool, for three solid hours, with nothing – and I mean, not a drop of sunscreen – on my body. Read More »

Like any good twenty-something, I’m on several random email lists, usually of the happy hour variety. When one of my favorite haunts in lower Manhattan emailed me about an open bar next Monday, I did a cartoon-style double-take.

Not because I’m that excited about an open bar, but because in the subject line, this one was exclusively for supporters of Barack Obama.

I opened said email instead of deleting immediately and read that the “suggested donation” was $25 per person, but more would be greatly appreciated, and that the proceeds would go directly to Obama’s campaign.

Maybe I should’ve been disgusted. Instead, I was intrigued. A politician’s supporters realize a great way to get the twenty-to-thirty demographic to donate… give them booze in exchange for the donation. Unlimited alcohol—and sushi!—for four hours, even.

Considering drinks are between $7 and $10 apiece in the city, and sushi will cost you at least $5 a roll-order… why, you’ve got dinner and a buzz in the name of being politically active. Read More »