In a continued effort to support the community and fundraising for just causes, hoodiepeople.com wants to let its community know about the MyPart organization (www.mypart.me).  MyPart is a brand that resonates with all in doing their part for a variety of fundraising initiatives through the country. MyPart assists organizations and individuals in their fundraising efforts using text-to-give as the fundamental method.  The world witnessed the power of text-to-give when millions of dollars were raised for the survivors of Haiti, specifically an amazing $5 million in just over two days.  People across America donated between $5 to $10 because they believed in the cause and wanted to contribute by doing their part. Each year organizations use a variety of fundraising initiatives to generate revenue for specific causes.  However, the future of fundraising will focus on and use technology more than ever before.  Nearly 90% of Americans own mobile phones (CITA Wireless Quick Facts, 2009).  Additionally, text messaging has become an all but ubiquitous part of American life.  As a result of mobile phones being the one device that most people keep handy at all times, text messaging offers non-profit organizations a powerful technology resource for fundraising, recruitment, and engagement (The Chronicle, Philanthropy 2010).

MyPart believes in social responsibility and considers it a top priority.  Their commitment to social responsibility is evident by its professional activities, as well as the contribution it makes to the many communities where it conducts business.  It was developed to ensure individuals and organizations have a low cost method of fundraising available, and that clients can easily access the service at all times by providing an easy to remember four-digit number along with a simple key word developed toward your cause.

MyPart seeks opportunities to assist organizations and support its partner’s commitment to giving back to their communities.  MyPart offers organizations a suite of solutions that enable organizations to connect with their existing, new and younger supporters via instant messaging.

If you work for an organization or know anyone that could benefit from this service, please contact the MyPart team at info@mypart.me or call 415.671.6343.

Two weeks ago on May 17th, a 7 year old girl was accidentally shot and killed when Police raided her home while looking for a murder suspect. This horrific tragedy is yet another on a long list fatal altercations between the police and the African American community. What further complicates matters in this instance is that the officers involved in the raid were being filmed for the A&E reality show “First 48″. Apparently the officers were excited to be on television and might have been a little overzealous in their actions when raiding the home. When I initially read the details concerning this incident I was exasperated and outraged. A little girl had lost her life, a mother lost a daughter, and our community suffered another loss at the hands of the careless police. I watched the news and searched for somewhere to direct my anger when I noticed Al Sharpton approach a podium to read the eulogy for fallen Aiyana Jones. Normally I don’t listen too much to what Al Sharpton has to say, but this time he said something that struck me. “I’d rather tell you to start looking at the man in the Mirror, we’ve all done something to contribute to this.” I thought about that for a moment while trying to understand how this tragic event could have been avoided. By no means do I want to shift the blame from the officers involved in the shooting; they have to pay for their flawed attempt to detain a suspect that ultimately lead to the death of a innocent little girl. But we do need to look at what lead to them searching the home in the first place.

Firstly, they were searching for someone who murdered a 17 year old, yet another life that was lost. This man apparently choose to hide at a home where there were innocent people and children. The fact that this is where he decided to hide is the true tragedy; he brought chaos to his own friends and family when they had nothing to do with his actions that led to him running from the police in the first place. This is a time for to reflect on ourselves and accept responsibility for our actions. Far too often we see innocent people suffer for the ill advised actions of others, and in some way, shape or form we contribute to these incidents as well. We often glorify these individuals who are out destroying our communities and taking the lives of our children. I’ve had plenty of unwarranted conflicts with police officers, my trust in those who are sworn to serve and protect us has wilted significantly after countless incidents have proved otherwise. But there comes a time where we have to look beyond the surface and figure out the root of the problem. There are plenty of questions that we need to ask ourselves. Who are we letting into our homes? How often are we interacting with people that are involved in unlawful activity? Are we paying attention to what our children are doing or who they associate with? What can WE do to avoid unnecessary loss of life in the future?

This was a terrible tragedy that will alter the lives of Aiyana’s family and those that were close to her forever. This was something that could’ve been avoided and all parties involved need to be held accountable. We have to be willing to stand up and do what we can to stop something like this from happening again. I’m tired of mourning and seeing images of young people whose lives were cut short; let’s look in that mirror and figure out how we can stop this atrocious history from repeating itself.

Last week’s episode of Lost centered around the most intriguing character in the show—John Locke/Smokie. The “flashes sideways” focused on Locke’s life in the parallel universe and displayed a much less turbulent reality than what Locke had faced before originally landing on the island. Although Locke seems just as angry and frustrated with the world as he was previously, there are some good things present in this universe that weren’t around previously. Locke’s relationship with Helen Norwood is the most noticeable difference between the original time and this new one; he seems a lot happier in this situation than he was before. Back on the island, Smokie, who is now made itself in Locke’s image, leads Sawyer to an unknown place on the island claiming he has answers to to all of Sawyer’s questions, including why he was brought to the island. Once the two arrive at the scene of the cave, one of the island mysteries is uncovered and we learn a little more why everyone was brought to the mysterious destination.

The cave that Sawyer is lead to indeed contains some serious answers. Within it, the names of all the inhabitants that have been on the island are written all over the walls; some are crossed out to represent those that have died while others are aligned next to “The Numbers” that have been so prevalent in the show. These are the same numbers that Hurley used to win the lottery, were on the door of the “Hatch’, entered in the computer at the “Swan” and were supposedly created as an equation to prevent the end of the world. The reappearance of the numbers,  4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, mark a pivotal moment in the series. In the cave, which Smokie claims belongs to Jacob, reveals that Jacob in fact assigned 6 names to the numbers: 4- Locke, 8 – Reyes, 15 – Ford, 16 – Jarrah, 23 – Shephard, 42- Kwon. An episode earlier in the series shows that Jacob touched those 6 individuals at different moments in their life times. These characters now are in place to play a very important roles leading up to the conclusion of the series. Smokie explains to Sawyer that Jacob had made a list of these names as recruits  to stay and protect the island and urges Sawyer to leave. He then goes on to convince Sawyer that the island doesn’t need protecting, but is he telling the truth? On the way to the cave Sawyer encounters Richard who is terrified for his life. He warns Sawyer not to trust the new Locke and that he trying to kill him and everyone on the island. If we are to believe what Richard is saying and we know the capabilities of Smokie, why are we to believe that Smokie is telling Sawyer the truth?

Its unclear if the cave truly belongs to Jacob, it very well could belong to Smokie and he is using it lure Sawyer to his side. The whole existence of the numbers are still shrouded in mystery, we still don’t know how Jacob uses the numbers and if he is aware of all their other uses. If Jacob is trying  to recruit protectors of the island, then it might be tied in with the fate of the world. As it stands now, it looks as if these six names might be the saviors of the island and maybe humanity.

M. Motif

Now that we have settled into 2010, it feels like a good time to let everyone know what we have been up to at hoodiepoeple.com.  Here is a quick background to get you caught up, we launched hoodiepeople.com in Nov 2008, our team has grown to four (+3 contractors), there are 44 great brands from all different style categories on the site.  hp is based the San Francisco Bay Area and have a small office in Petaluma and a photo studio in Pt. Richmond.  Since day one all the people you see on hoodiepeople.com modeling hoodies are friends and FoF, and the team grew up together in Marin County and later worked together in software sales, where the idea for the biz was born.

The company is 100% independently owned, we started with less than $5,000 of inventory and five brands and have only taken a few small investments from friends and family.  In 2010 we are going to be out raising some money for the company and hopefully will be able to tap into the new SBA loan programs and connect with a great angel investor.  While 2009 was an extremely challenging year for any business and especially rough on retail, we were small enough to weather the slim months (Feb-July) and aggressive enough to keep building our selection of brands and styles, and firmly establish the website in key search results on google to really blow out the 4th quarter and end the year with great growth.  Overall 2009 was an amazing first year for the company and we are extremely excited about really crushing it in 2010 and beyond.

Tomorrow we are heading the the huge Magic Apparel trade show in Las Vegas, which will be the 4th time we have gone.  This year marks a big change as we are mainly meeting with current brands to do our big fall buy. We will def be walking the floor to scout out fresh new brands, but in years past our main mission was to get out and meet lots of new brands.  Fall 2010 will be our biggest ever with major new brands, new categories, and an amazing exclusive launch Hitting the trade shows is a great way to see the whole macro industry and all the cool niches in one place.

I’ll be doing a few more of these posts to look at a few of the main areas of the business, what we are up to, and how we do it at hp.  Let me know in the comments or email me at hasan@hoodiepeople.com if you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions.

Tags: company news, hoodie company, hoodie people update, hoodiepeople, hoodiepeople.com, startup, startup company

There weren’t too many new developments in last weeks’ episode of Lost. Akin to the earlier episodes of the series, one primary character was chosen as the focal point of the plot. Kate’s story within the dual realities was in the spotlight while Sayid’s bewildering resurrection functioned as the back story. The interesting aspect of the parallel universe created by the hydrogen bomb explosion is in connections between the characters that seemed to survive the shift in the different realities. The current turmoil on the island as a result of Jacob’s death is still shrouded in mystery, but some details emerged to shed some light. This episode weaved Sayid’s reawakening, Claire’s whereabouts and Kate’s search for her together while exhibiting how everything is all related.

Kate and Claire became extremely close after Kate was present during the birth of Aaron on the island; the same bond is persistent when their paths cross for the first time off the island. Claire doesn’t actually end up giving birth this time around, but Kate is there for her when she is going into labor and offers her advice for the important decision Claire is wrestling with over giving the baby up for adoption. There are other elements from the alternate reality that appear to still show a conjunction between the two worlds. In the first episode it was the appearance and quick disappearance of Desmond and the vanishing of Jack’s father, this episode the connection was conjured when Claire frantically yelled Aaron’s name and explained later she didn’t know where the name came from. Back on the island Kate admits to Sawyer her true reasons for returning—-to find Claire. The episode displayed the surviving bond between the two women that crossed over in during “flashes sideways” and brought it back to Kate’s mission on the island as well as a connection to Sayid’s reawakening.

While Jin and Kate are away from the temple, Jack is still trying to figure out Dogen and Lennon’s true intentions in regards to Sayid. I posed the question in my last post about Sayid’s identity once resurrected, that suspicion was shared by Dogen and Lennon as they subjected Sayid to a series of torturous ‘tests’ and later attempted to poison him. Jack questions the contents of a pill emant for Sayid and swallows it in an effort to force an explanation. When Dogen removes the Pill from Jack’s mouth, he reveals the it as poison and clarifies his reasons for trying to kill Sayid. Dogen claims that the darkness that he believes possessed Sayid is the same that has taken over Jack’s sister. The “darkness” that Dogen speaks of can only be the power of the Smoke Monster. That would explain why Claire has appeared as an apparition to Kate and others on the island since the Smoke Monster is able to take on the forms of others. In the typical cliff hanger fashion that has become synonymous with Lost, Claire returns at the very end of the episode to rescue Jin from some of the temple guards. The links between Claire’s disappearance and Sayid’s return to the world of the living are prevalent, but what remains to be seen is if Claire or Sayid are truly vessels of the Smoke Monster.

Mansa Motif

Tags: lost, lost update, love final season

Mavaricks 2010

check out the official Mavaricks Gear Shop (some awesome hoodies)

good luck and happy returns to all the brave surfers riding the big waves today.

Tags: mavaricks 2010, mavaricks surf competition, surf hooides

The hit show that captivated viewers when a commercial jet crashed on a mysterious island is back for its final season. “Lost” has definitely left fans in a state of disarray trying to figure out the strange and esoteric occurrences on the island. The show started with a fairly standard premise: a group of people crash on an island and need to figure out how to get off, but as the series played out, the show turned out to be anything but typical. Time travel, smoke monsters, ghosts, and destiny have all been interwoven in the make up of “Lost” to create a intricate puzzle that seemingly takes a genius to solve. There are many open ended questions coming into the final season with ample theories all over the web and media attempting to provide answers. Over the course of the shows’ impending end, I will add my insight and conjectures over the enigma what we’ve come to know as “Lost”.  Beware, spoiler warning, if you missed the first episode of the season, don’t read any further.

Season 5 of “Lost” ended dramatically when John Locke’s possessed body encouraged Ben to murder Jacob in the present, and Juliette set of the hydrogen bomb in the 70s with the intention that the lives of those trapped on the island could return to normal. The looming question coming into season 6 was rather the explosion worked or not. What the explosion did was rip the fabric of time and create a parallel universe where on one hand, the survivors were still on the island in the present while on the other hand they were back on their plane unknowingly passing over the island buried deep beneath the sea. So what does it all mean?

Parallel Realities

The first thing to pay attention to are the subtle changes in the lives of the characters without ever landing on the island. Boone does not come back from Sydney with his sister, John Locke does indeed go on his long awaited walkabout, and Hurley actually has good luck after winning the lottery. Seemingly Jack’s plan to return to “life before the island” actually worked, but it’s not all positive. Jin and Sun’s relationship returned to its tumultuous beginnings, Charlie is arrested for attempting to commit suicide on the plane, and Kate is still in custody and will seemingly continue to be on the run. This new double reality allows a comparative analysis of the effects of the island for the oceanic passengers. It is another representation of the constant duality exhibited in all aspects of the show. The first few seasons gave insight to the characters through flashbacks, then flash-forwards displayed the affects of the island once the “Oceanic Six” made it off; now the back and forth between the different realities will provide closure for each character in an alternate setting. Jack and Kate can end up together on the island, and maybe Sawyer and Kate off the island, the possibilities are endless. There are also forces connecting the two realities as seen with the disappearance of Desmond, and Jack’s father from the plane.

Jacob and the Smoke Monster

Jacob and the nameless entity that takes possession of Locke’s body are classic models for the duality of good and evil. Jacob is seen as a well intentioned character who believes that humans are inherently good while his antagonist seems to think that all interactions between visitors to the island will end in chaos. No one really knows the extent of their power, but after revealing the nameless being as the smoke monster, there is more clarity in what the two might be capable of. With a better understanding of the supernatural abilities of the smoke monster, it can be assumed that the ghosts seen on the island are just incarnations conjured by this character. The smoke monster can only take the form of the bodies of the dead on the island. That’s why Jack’s father has been such a pivotal figure along with Claire, Boone, and later Charlie; the smoke monster was able to take the shape of those killed to manipulate the course of events on the island. So far Jacob has not shown the ability to shape shift, so one has to wonder if that was truly Jacob who advised Hurly to take Sayid to the temple to be revived. The process of healing was thought to be a failure with Sayid when he was submerged in the purification pool where it was assumed he drowned. When Sayid awoke at the very end of the episode the question remained—- was that was really Sayid, Jacob, or the smoke monster? More to come after episode two airs tomorrow.

Mansa Motif

Haiti Earthquake Relief T Shirts from Jedidiah

50% of the proceeds go directly to Compassion International and their efforts to provide assistance to families and children devastated by the earthquake.

Order yours today, help people in need and get a fresh t-shirt too. order at hoodiepeople.com

In 2004, Jedidiah created the Hope Collection line of apparel to help raise awareness and money for various social  and humanitarian and has raised over $328,963 as of September 30, 2009. 

Many thanks to Jedidiah for stepping up and producing these amazing t-shirts and setting everything up. You guys are true to the cause and wave the flag of compassion and hope high!

By far the dopest hoodie video of all time.

I got my 501 jeans on!
Wit my hoodie on!
All white V-Neck clean!
Wit my hoodie on!
Fresh out the box! So boss!
Wit my hoodie on!
I drop my steez on!
Wit my hoodie on!

I’m gettin’ money all day! Everyday!
Wit my hoodie on!
Baby lookin’ good over there!
Wit my hoodie on!
Hustlers! Gangstas! Bustas! Ridas!
Wit my hoodie on!

full lyrics

Tags: Hoodie Official Video, hoodie video, Hoodie Video - Omarion Feat Jay Rock, Omarion Feat Jay Rock

check out all the great hoodie pics on flickr

all images remain the exclusive property of the original artists, all rights reserved, check the Creative Commons licences on each image for more info.

Tags: flickr, hoodie art, hoodies, pictures