The man who has no evil

I received the following news from chrisomatic:

Our dear friends The Prids - David, Mistina, Joey and Maile - and two of their significant others - Kristin and Chris - were in a serious accident early Sunday evening while en route to Los Angeles on tour. A tire blew and they lost control of the van and it rolled several times. David was airlifted from the scene of the crash, he suffered a broken collar bone, broken ribs and has 6 staples in his head. Chris broke his arm in two places. Maile has a broken vertebra and toe and a severe cut with stitches on her knee. Joey broke ribs, Mistina suffered a concussion, and Kristin has a snapped joint in her collar bone.

As of late that night, everyone had been released from the hospital but David had to go back in the middle of the night and was released Monday afternoon. Maile is currently back in the emergency room.The rest are currently staying at a hotel in Fresno waiting to go home with their friends, Marshal and Kiisu, that drove down from Portland with a cooler full of vegan food donated by Food Fight (Portland).

A special paypal account has been set up to help out and donate directly to The Prids. They need help getting home and paying their hospital bills. If you can't help out monetarily, please repost this info on your blogs, etc. They could also use lots of vegan food and comfy cushions/pillows/bedding for their long ride home to Portland. Thanks!

You can learn more about the accident on Portland Independent Media Center. Please make a donation today, any amount helps.

If you have problems with the link, you can send a donation directly to donate@theprids.com.

A friend in NY told me I would never get my money back from 24 Hour Fitness. I received an e-mail from the club manager this afternoon:

James, I wanted to inform you that I have processed a full refund for the amount of $391.82, you see the refund on the card you paid your membership on within 10 business days. Sorry for the bad experience as our facilities are usually spotless. Thanks for being a member!

This was the last message I sent to the corporate website:

Your club manager Chad Warren has written to me regarding my request for a refund and claims that he is only able to credit my account $82.44 instead of the $391.82 I originally paid. His answer does not satisfy me, and again, I expect a full credit for my prepaid membership.

I have already retracted my original review of your facility on Yelp, in its place I've reprinted Chad's response to my original message.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/24-hour-fitness-seattle#hrid:Bw4y2HYs2EF6uRCGltsVSw

You cannot tell me that a club not having any liquid hand soap in the gym for two days can guarantee a hygienic environment. Having personally witnessed the unsanitary conditions of the locker room time and time again, it's not hard to see how lice can successfully breed.

I have no qualms posting similar reviews online until I receive a full credit on my prepaid membership, even if I have to contact every major television station in Seattle.

Fuck if I care that I no longer have a VIP membership with 24 Hour, I got my money back and I will never set foot in that godawful gym again.

Urban Outfitters’ Billionaire a Wingnut in Progressive Clothing

“Shopping in Urban makes you feel like you are somewhere radically Left-wing, an antidote to the corporate blandness of The Gap. But Hayne is a stanch conservative who donates money to Republican politicians, not least Rick Santorum, a now failed Senator whose views on homosexuality are both bizarre and old-fashioned. Hayne doesn’t give many interviews precisely because he’s afraid that college slackers who get to know him will suddenly realise that buying his clothes is like giving cash to George Bush.”

Now will everyone please stop supporting this company already? I mean honestly.

Directly copying another artist’s art is gonna get you in a mess of trouble.

Go to the market and buy:

• 1 small head of red cabbage
• 1 small head of green cabbage
• 2 large carrots
• 3 bell peppers
• 3 red peppers
• Green onions
• Fresh basil
• Fresh mint
• 1 tube (chunk?) of veg ham
• 1 can of coconut cream
• ¾ cup cashews
• 1 jar of jackfruit soaked in brine
• 2 packages of fried tofu
• 3 cucumbers

Shred it all using a food processor and rinse the vegetables until the water is clear. Find yourself with an ungodly amount of slaw. Prepare a simple dressing with vegenaise, mint extract, fresh mint chopped, and juice of one lemon. Watch one half of the slaw suck up the dressing like the receiving end of a fisting session. Whisk apple cider vinegar and wasabi paste together and pour over the slaw. Look at the other half of the slaw mixture and decide it needs a warm ginger-apple dressing. Remember that you still have to prepare the jackfruit curry, summer rolls and a simple veg ham dish or the groceries will go bad. And you need another cup of coffee.

I made. Who wants?

Ladies and gentlemen, God is dead:

Friends,

It is with deep sadness that we announce today that Nau, Inc. will immediately begin the process of winding down its business operations.

In the current highly risk-averse capital market, we simply could not raise the necessary funds to continue to move forward. We believe this is not so much a reflection of the viability of our business, but the result of an unfortunate confluence of events. Just as we could not have predicted the sudden groundswell of environmental consciousness that blossomed at the time we launched our business, we did not foresee the current crisis in the capital markets. At this time, investors are loath to invest in anything; especially, it appears, a company like Nau that has the audacity to challenge conventional paradigms of what a business should be.

We are, of course, eternally thankful to a large community of people, including the investors who got us this far—those who saw our potential and gave their support when the risk was greatest. We would also like to express our most sincere gratitude to our customers, our partner non-profit organizations, our business associates, our friends in the media and the countless others who have cheered us and challenged us along the way. It has been an honor working with and serving all of you. Your unflagging support and enthusiasm has inspired us to work diligently on your behalf and we regret we will not be able to serve you in the future.

In the end, we are proud of what we have accomplished as a company. After less than one year of business, we donated over $223,000 through our customer-directed giving program, Partners for Change. We feel this model, were it widely adopted, could have staggering potential to influence the common good. We are thrilled to have watched the growth of the community of individuals who have strongly identified with Nau’s mission and who have shared their thoughts and feelings with us online and in person, in our local markets and around the globe. We also salute the larger community of artists, athletes and activists whose passions have inspired us to do what we do and who have welcomed us as a part of a much greater movement devoted to positive change.

Nau set out to show the world that business can be a force for positive social and environmental change. Although our current financial obstacles have proven to be insurmountable, it does not mean that our fundamental goal is unattainable. Nau was merely one attempt to express a larger idea that was around before us and will survive long after. It remains as urgent as ever for businesses to take the lead in creating a sustainable future for humans and the planet. We, as individuals and as members of a grander collective of the change-minded, look forward to continuing that journey.

Many of you have supported me and this company in ways that are too numerous to recount. Thank you for believing in what we were doing.

Thanks,

Bob Speltz

Ever since I went to dinner with my friend Chieu and fell in love with her jacket, I became a believer in all things Nau: clothing made from organic cotton, recycled synthetics, and sustainable materials. I said good-bye to Mark Ecko, Desigual – even Diesel – and opened my home and wardrobe closet to Nau. I only wish they had made belts before closing their doors.

Until end of day tomorrow, you can buy whatever clothes are available in Nau stores for 50% off. The website will also continue to sell clothing at 50% off until everything is gone—or so I was told on the phone this afternoon. The site was having problems keeping up with traffic so you may need to phone in your orders. Yes, orders. Support this company with all your might and wallet.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord—Prada.

Nicolas Caesar’s Zombies
Originally uploaded by skymotel

nicolascaesar made the cutest zombies ever, I had to buy them all! Well, the first batch anyway. The zombies arrived two days later and I stayed up late last night to hang them all in my hallway. Now every time I come home I am not only greeted by a happy dog but a multitude of happy zombies. Love!

I finished my muxtape yesterday, check it out. I chose to include the song “Situation” by Ex-Boyfriends and not just because my friend chrisomatic is in the band. The song is fun with just enough pop to make your feet all your body parts move! Here is the video for “Situation”:

I’ve had fantasies like this, only now it’s been set to music.

In other – depressing – news, I overslept and missed my chance to buy a 3-day pass to All Tomorrow’s Parties. Whatev’z, I suppose I’ll just pay bills or something. Granted, I can still attend the festival but I would need to order a pass and a 6-berth room stay. Any five people up for attending the show? Anyone have an extra 3-day pass? Don’t be shy, now.

Leave Britney Alone! is an awesome little ditty composed by none other than edshepp. Okay, so I suppose Seth Green’s take on the whole debacle is also enjoyable, but most of you are only saying that because you’re a fun of Buffy.

A year ago, I met with two associates over coffee about forming a company. Countless e-mails and early morning meetings later, The 6th Republic is now a reality. The homepage is temporary until we are able to launch our web site with all the bells and whistles, we needed an HTML version of our one-sheet for partners and potential clients. We are all very excited with the client work and future of our company—moving from a sole proprietorship into a corporation, I am truly working for myself and it feels great.

Now I just need to find time to transition my web site. Hell, I just need an assistant.

From the MySpace profile:

Trans/formed is a feature film documentary that looks into the lives of the male and female transgender community living in Los Angeles; how they survive cultural upheaval and challenges from the social norm.

The film follows the lives of four transgender women of different ethnicities and backgrounds, creating an unfolding eclectic family album assembled without judgment. With a subtle sense of appreciation of human imperfection and courage, through statistics and visual imagery, we show an ever increasing appreciation of the unique transgender form.

TRANS/FORMED intends to expose the truths, challenges, revelations and faces of the transgender world. Through unfiltered eyes and a variety of testimonies we will reveal past horrors, present taboos, and future dreams. From silicon injection partiies, prostitution, the growing trangender porn industry, weekend yoga retreats and stand up comedy, TRANS/FORMED explores the many facets of this fascinating world, leaving us Trans/Formed.

Hell. Yeah.

Calling all Seattle residents*: my friend Drew’s movie Inlaws & Outlaws is having its theatrical premiere at the Cinerama this coming Thursday at 8pm. Then it plays for two full weeks at Uptown Cinemas in Queen Anne. If you’ve never seen this movie, it’s an awesome take on our society’s take on relationships from all walks of life.

* Every single Seattle resident should be reading this blog. Did I say Seattle? I mean everyone.

snooks just pointed me to National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive, a press release from The White House dated May 9, 2007.

If everyone could take a moment to read the press release, like now for instance, we could then form a plan of action that goes beyond a weightless letter-writing campaign. We need YouTube exposure, only without the kooky conspiracy theorist vibe.

Happy Mother’s Day from Me and Mr. T:

Disturbing? Absolutely.

I know many people look to me for answers. Perhaps that is why many of you are here. You want answers? We’re living in pigshit and it’s up to each one of us to figure out how to get out of it. You must know that by now. Crystal meth is not an answer. You must know that by now. And quite frankly statistically it is only happening to so few of us that it is hard to get anyone worked up about that problem. Just as it hard to get worked up about a middle-aged man with brains who sero-converts. You want to kill yourself. Go kill yourself. I’m sorry. It takes hard work to behave like an adult. It takes discipline. You want it to be simple. It isn’t simple. Yes it is. Grow up. Behave responsibly. Fight for your rights. Take care of yourself and each other. These are the answers. It takes courage to live. Are you living? Not so I can see it. Gay people are all but invisible to me now. I wish you weren’t. But you are. And I look real hard.

The AIDS service organizations are all about to collapse. No money. And the problem is too big to handle anymore. We have not slowed this thing down at all. $100 billion we’re spending on Iraq. This is a conscious choice by our “leaders” and by a large portion of the population of this country. They have in their infinite and never-ending cruelty decided this was the most effective thing to do with 100 billion dollars that might also end AIDS, and a few other things like worldwide hunger. But the cabal doesn’t care about these. People say: well we can’t take care of the rest of the world. That is so stupid. The rest of the world is us. We are so intertwined geopolitically that we cannot separate ourselves off into parts, into sections. Those days are over. If they ever were here. We have everything required to save the world except the will to do it. In a recent New Yorker piece Michael Specter writes that because of AIDS Russia is on its way to disappearing. Disappearing. Imagine that.

The Tragedy of Today’s Gays (excerpt) by Larry Kramer

An unlikely religious ruling has made Tehran the sex-change capital of the world. Caroline Mangez went to meet the brave souls who have swapped gender in this rigidly conservative city, where women wear the chador and homosexuality is punishable by death

This LJ is for friends only, so you will need to leave a comment here requesting your addition to the flock.

From Go-Quiz.com

Thanks, gwenzilla!