Posts Tagged ‘Charity’

Dubstep Cures Cancer

By Sean Philips • May 11th, 2011 • Category: ModBlog

Actually, the title might be a bit misleading, I don’t think dubstep actually cures cancer but  a member of our community who has been on modblog several times before, Cory Victorious, is using this popular musical genre as an outreach to help raise funds for  cancer research.

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Anytime a member of our little community goes out of their way to help society outside of our little community it reflects well upon all of us and gives our collective group some much needed positive publicity. So, take a moment to appreciate all of the hard work Cory’s put into this project and if it’s something your into, please contribute. If not, look at it as inspiration to come up with your own projects to help the world out a bit.  Here’s the info on this group and what they do:

DubstepCuresCancer is a non-profit started by Cory Schneider and Matthew Quinones in South Florida. Based around the EDM genre ‘dubstep’, known for its hard hitting basslines and crazy wobbles. What started as a youtube channel to feature dubstep songs has now expanded to an inventory of glow in the dark silicone bracelets, T-shirts and girls boy shorts. Half of the profit will be donated to cancer research foundations (with the other half being re-invested in the company to expand inventory) The first of which is “The Breast Cancer Research Foundation”, chosen for its high percentage of direct funds to research. We have booked merchant booths at many local events and has applied to be vendors at events such as Electric Daisy Carnival and Starscape festival. Even for people who don’t know what dubstep is, it is a cause that touches all and is one of the first of its kind in EDM music. Check us out on our facebook (www.facebook.com/dubstepcurescancer) and big cartel site (only the t-shirt link is active at the moment). We hope to expand to a website with store features, and sections including interviews with dubstep dj’s who are involved in charities, pretty soon.



Art of the Dead

By Rob • Oct 13th, 2010 • Category: Events, ModBlog

A few months ago I posted about a show taking place in October that was looking for art from tattoo artists to put up for auction.  The purpose of the auction is to raise money for a local Toronto charity that provides free and accessible art programs to children.  Well, a large number of artist heeded the call, and I was able to get a few pictures to share with you of some of the artwork that will be on display this weekend.

The show itself is being put on by the boys from Seven Crowns Tattoo in Toronto, so if you’re in town this weekend, you should swing on by.  The show is one night only, and admission is free.

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You can get the rest of the details about the show by going here.

Now, of course, if you’re going to be bidding on some art, it helps if you know what it is you’re bidding on.  Well just click the read more button to see a few samples from the many talented artists from Canada and around the world.

Read more…



Who knew saving the rainforest could be fun

By Rob • Aug 17th, 2010 • Category: ModBlog

So picture this:  You’re sitting at home, thinking to yourself, “Self, I think I want to save some animals today”.  Now you’re stuck because it’s not like you can just run outside and physically protect an endangered animal, especially if the animal is one of those cute fuzzy ones that can rip your throat out in a heartbeat.  So what can you possibly do?

Well, donating money is definitely a great way to help out, and heck, for most donations you get a tax write-off.  So you should probably do that.  But what if that doesn’t satisfy you?  There must be something you can do that wouldn’t take you to a far away country living in the wilderness.

Well what about getting a tattoo?  I’m sure one or two ModBlog readers have some of those.  Actually I’d hope so, or else all the tattoo pictures I’ve posted are going to waste.

Back to the helping animals thing.  It turns out two separate organizations on opposite sides of the globe have found a way to turn getting a tattoo into something that can help the planet.

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First, there’s TATZOO, an eco-contest that promises free tattoos in exchange for help protecting endangered species! Fifteen finalists were selected on Aug. 5 based on their ideas for raising awareness about the leatherback turtle, California condor, or other endangered species local to the Bay area. Those tattoo-loving finalists now need to engage at least 100 people with their idea — for which they’ll be rewarded with a free tattoo of their endangered species, inked by locally famous tattoo artists.

And farther away in Melbourne, a three-day tattoo convention called Rites of Passage Festival calls all tattoo-loving environmentalists to enjoy art and music along with environmental education (via The Green Life). According to the website, the festival will showcase eco-friendly tattoo supplies — and raise funds for rain forests

In the case of the Rites of Passage Festival (not to be confused with the lovely boys and girls in the suspension crew), 100% of their proceeds go towards the charity.  So if you happen to be in or around Melbourne at the end of January, head on over.  You never know, you could save a spider monkey from being run over by clear cutting operation.

Personally, I’ve donated money to a couple of charities over the years.  I know the WWF has a program where you can buy a stuffed animal with the money going to save the real version of the animal.  I hope George “The Animal” Steele got the money ok.  That green tongue of his won’t change color on its own.  Do any of you have a favorite charity you help out when you can?  Is there a reason why you chose that one in particular?



Can get by with a little help from my friends

By Rob • Aug 12th, 2010 • Category: ModBlog

My favorite Aussie newsfeed submitter Botexty sent me in this story of a community pulling together to help someone close to them.

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Mrs Hearnden suffered terrible injuries when she fell from a cliff in Dubrovnik, breaking both her arms, her jaw, hip and rupturing internal organs.  Her kidney and spleen were removed and she faces many more operations.  She and her husband, Gareth, were just a month into a five-month world tour when she fell 14m on to rocks last Monday.

This Friday, Tanya’s cousin and tattoo studio manager, Stacey Todd, has asked tattoo artists at 100 tattoo studios throughout the country to ask clients to donate the cost of a tattoo.  She has asked tattoo artists to contribute designs to a book, the online sale of which will help pay the family’s expenses.

I know, I’m a sucker for stories like this.  It’s a mix of knowing people are out there willing to help others, especially in today’s world, and seeing positive press about the modified community.  There are just way too many stories printed with a blatant bias towards modded people that it’s refreshing to see a story that doesn’t demonize us.

So help me out ModBlog readers.  Tell me a story of how you’ve seen good in the world stem from someone’s mods.  Or at least a story where you personally weren’t treated like crap because you choose to alter your body the way you see fit.



El Arte de la Muerta

By Rob • Aug 9th, 2010 • Category: Events, ModBlog

As many ModBlog readers know, I like to showcase events that contribute to a charity in some form or another.  It also helps if they are related to the mod community in some fashion.  I received the following in my inbox over the weekend and I thought it would be good to share.

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We are excited to inform you of our upcoming art show, El Arte de la Muerta (Art of the Dead). Held in the growing community of midtown Toronto, this show will be a gathering of some of the most talented tattoo artists Canada wide and tattoo enthusiasts in the nation. While celebrating the rich culture and vibrancy of the Day of the Dead, we also challenge the tattoo community at large in an effort to raise money for Art City St. James, a program dedicated to bringing art into the lives of underprivileged and troubled youth.

I know that when these guys host an art show, it’s not something to be missed.  As it stands, they’re still looking for donations of artworks, so if you’re a tattoo artist interested in creating something to help out a good cause, get in touch with George at Seven Crowns Tattoo in Toronto (416 - 322 - 7696).



Help Matt Brawley and CoRE

By Jordan Ginsberg • Jul 1st, 2009 • Category: ModBlog


Six weeks ago, the home/office of Matt Brawley, a member of suspension performance crew CoRE was devastated by a massive fire, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage both to Matt’s belongings as well as CoRE’s supplies. Steve Joyner and Patricia Cram have written the following piece detailing what happened and how you can help.

When Matt Brawley got the call from his landlord that told him his living/work space in downtown Los Angeles was on fire, he assumed, as many of us would, that the call was a joke. But his landlord abruptly hung up the phone and didn’t answer when Matt tried to call him back. Questions hammered at his head as he rushed out of the nightclub and raced home. What met his eyes, just after 3 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, eliminated all hope of it being a prank. The building in which he lived was, indeed, on fire.

The moments that followed were riddled with chaos as well as that silent reverence that comes from watching things burn and being helpless in the face of it all. He learned that the fire had started in his space, and that firefighters were working to contain it before it ravaged the homes of his neighbors (one of whom was a sound artist with a full recording studio, even). All production schedules and ideas for breakfast and plans for photo shoots and longing for sleep came to a screeching halt for Matt, the Director of the Los Angeles chapter of our performance art troupe, CoRE.

Read more…



BME News and Notes

By Jordan Ginsberg • Feb 10th, 2009 • Category: ModBlog


[National MS Society] On March 1, 2009, the National MS Society is hosting its inaugural Climb to the Top fundraiser in New York City, in which participants will climb the several million 66 floors of the Rockefeller Center in order to benefit the National MS Society’s NYC chapter. Oh, and it just so happens that local roustabouts Kevin and (world-renowned artist) Cere will be among the 1,000 people taking part, representing TEAM BME! Between the two of them, they’ve already raised an incredible $1,320. It’s a great cause, and give if you can.

Click here to donate to TEAM BME for the National MS Society’s Climb to the Top.

[Venus by Maria Tash] Rachel mentioned it yesterday, but don’t forget that tomorrow is BME Day at Venus by Maria Tash! BME will be on location all day, shooting video of you getting pierced for BME’s new video section (coming soon!) and giving away BME swag with every piercing. Fun? Fun.

[BME Scholarship] Don’t forget: deadlines for the 2009 BME Scholarship are fast approaching! Essays and entry materials are due May 1, 2009, with the winner slotted to be announced July 1. This is one of the projects that really sets the BME community apart from many others: Having been dutifully run by Darrin Fowler for years, and now in the good care of Mark Anstrom, the BME Scholarship has gone to help some of the community’s students of higher learning pursue their academic goals since 2005. This, also, is a fantastic cause, and students, get your submissions in! As well, keep an eye on BME News for an interview with a former scholarship winner, coming soon …



BME Bling for Charity!

By Rachel • Dec 29th, 2008 • Category: ModBlog

Gregory was kind enough to make these 1 1/2″ Stainless Steel Single Flare TeamBME Bling eyelets while he was making the TeamBME Logo Plugs and Eyelets as well as the Dr. BME Plugs and Eyelets. I’ve decided to auction them off and donate the proceeds to charity. The bidding will run via the comment forum below and the winner will be contacted via email with a link to buy them through the shop. These are one of a kind and will not be made again!

Places your bids in the comments below, make sure to enter in your correct email address so that I can contact you January 1st when the bidding ends! Hope you’re all having a great holiday! I’m off to work on the year end awards!



Full Coverage: Links From All Over (Dec. 17, 2008)

By Jordan Ginsberg • Dec 17th, 2008 • Category: ModBlog

Jud Winters (Photo source: MySpace.com)

[About.com] Sad story here, folks. Last week, Jud Winters, a 21-year-old tattoo artist in Nampa, Idaho, was severely burned after trying to light a bonfire, sustaining second- and third-degree burns on 90 per cent of his body. He’s undergone two surgeries already, just to remove burned tissue, and doctors are only putting his chances of survival at 30 per cent. The Garrity Tattoo Shop in Nampa is holding a raffle to raise money for Winters’s family, the statement for which can be read below:

Jud Winters, a 21 yr. old Nampa tattoo artist, was recently involved in a horrific burning incident which resulted in the loss of 90% of his skin. He is clinging to life at the SLC Burn Center, with a 30% chance of survival, and his family by his side. On Behalf of Jud Winters’ family, Garrity Tattoo will be hosting a raffle of donated items to help benefit them, and help assure that their basic needs (food, clothing, shelter) are met during this time. We are currently asking for donations of every type, and plan to raffle the items with a drawing and appreciation BBQ scheduled for Saturday December 20th at 12:30. This young victim’s life will be forever changed, as will the lives of all who knew and loved him. During this time, where we are so powerless to help Jud directly, we must not forget the ever growing needs of his family, and do our part to assure that his family knows that their community is here for them. As the month progresses, and the donations are made, we will keep an updated listing of raffle items available in our MySpace blog. Please tell everyone you know that for the price of a $2 raffle ticket, they could win some great stuff, and support a great family with firm ties to our community. Come by the shop at 3116 Garrity Blvd (18) today to donate your items and buy your tickets! If you have any questions, please call 461-3181

The shop has received tons of donations already — gift certificates from other tattoo shops, rare albums, sporting goods — and really, this is about as good a cause to support as any. If you’re in the Nampa area, try to pay the shop a visit.

This link features video of a news broadcast about the story.

[feelunique.com] Ha ha, now this is a great idea. If this terrible recession has left you jobless and hopeless and hungry, how about you, I don’t know, get some temporary tattoos on your eyelids? For money? Sure, why not.

With the credit crunch continuing to bite why not try an alternative way of making money by renting out your eyelids as advertising space.

feelunique.com is offering people the chance to earn 10 pence per wink in return for displaying the company’s logo on their eyelid space. People who sign up to star in the campaign will have the feelunique.com logo temporarily transferred onto their eyelid and will be paid on a Pay Per Wink (PPW) basis - up to a total of £100 per model.

Amy Rebours of feelunique.com says:

“We all take notice when we’re being winked at so what better way to advertise feelunique.com than on people’s eyelids. It’s a genuine marketing first, which encourages people to spread a feel-good winking moment and earn some much-needed extra income in the process.”

A “marketing first” indeed! I can’t believe nobody has never thought of paying people to, huh, blink? Really? I’m kind of surprised that these marketing geniuses behind this one didn’t get “Pay Per Wink” trademarked, as this is clearly the new frontier.

[Ananova.com] Here’s a good one: Some donkey gets pulled over for some reason, tries to give the cops a fake name, but, whoops, he had his name tattooed on his neck:

Darnell Frazier, 25, and a friend were pulled up by a police officer in St. Paul, Minnesota, reports the Star Tribune.

Frazier told the officer he had never had a photo ID and claimed his name was Darnell Lewis.

The officer, however, noticed that the man had “Frazier” tattooed in large letters on the side of his neck.

Police spokesman Peter Panos said Frazier was arrested on four misdemeanour warrants, including driving while disqualified and no proof of insurance.

Frazier then tried to flirt with the officer, batting his eyelashes repeatedly, but forgot that he had his initials temporarily imprinted on his eyelids, thereby giving up the game even further. He did, however, make a cool 60 pence, which is something, I guess.

[BMEzine.com] Rachel posted this last night, but here it is again for good measure — her words follow:

Canvas Los Angeles, the boutique and gallery of the tattooer arts, was robbed on December 12th. Thankfully, none of the gallery’s staff were injured, but sadly, two pieces of artwork were stolen. The two pieces stolen were by Alex Garcia and Guy Aitchison.

This was a truly despicable act. It’s a violation, pure and simple, without any justification whatsoever, and it’s an insult to both the art and tattoo communities. Theft of any sort is inexcusable, but when you steal work from an artist, you steal the thing they produce, and you rob them of their livelihood.

What we want more than anything else is simply for these pieces to be returned. If those responsible for this theft bring the paintings back, or if they are otherwise returned unharmed, Canvas LA will not press charges. All we want is for the pieces to be returned to the gallery — this is really just a matter of supporting our community, plain and simple.

“Minty Fresh Death” is oil on masonite while “AutoMech #2″ is acrylic on canvas. Both paintings are approximately 8×10 and were framed at the time they were stolen. Please keep an eye out on eBay and anywhere else you may see art for sale or displayed, and report anything you see to info@canvasla.com. Thank you all for your help and support.



Full Coverage: Links From All Over (Dec. 5, 2008)

By Jordan Ginsberg • Dec 5th, 2008 • Category: ModBlog



Photo source: http://www.capohedz.com/typebrighter/

[Adam Riff] Jon over at Adam Riff, operating, as always, at full slaying power, has been following this “hot dog tattoo” trend for a little over a week now, with sexy delicious results:

A link to a tattoo of a hot dog in a leather jacket led to a tattoo of a hot dog squirting condiments on her breasts and free records for anyone who gets a tattoo of a hot dog and a comment from someone who claims to have seen a tattoo of the Black Flag logo with hot dogs in place of the bars.

So, um … anyone got some awesome hot dog tattoos to share? Or had one in mind for ages? Now’s the time, friends.

[ABC Local] Quick one here: Do you live in the Toledo, Ohio, area and have an old musical instrument kicking around? Well, bring it on by to Juki’s Tattoo and Body Piercing, who will be donating these instruments to the Imagine Madison Avenue School of Arts, and you’ll get yourself a free tattoo out of the deal. If you bring in a new, unwrapped toy, those will be donated to children in local homeless shelters, and you’ll receive half-off a new tattoo. Get to it, Toledo.

[Daily Camera] So, here’s something: Aimee Heckel over at the Daily Camera has long suffered from debilitating anxiety and panic attacks, but, a few months ago, got a cleavage surface piercing, and the anxiety ceased. She theorizes:

Several weeks later, I was at my acupuncturist. I told him about my piecing. I asked him if the rod through my chest could affect the flow of my energy, or “chi” in Eastern medicine. If sticking tiny acupuncture needles into your body can transform you, what about a more permanent puncture?

He looked at where I was pierced and smiled.

“You pieced two exact acupuncture points,” he said. “The anxiety points.”

Acupuncturists place needles there to reduce panic attacks, insomnia and anxiety. The increased blood flow and changed direction of the energy there often eliminates panic attacks, he said. I had never talked to him about my struggles with anxiety.

Which is when I realized I have not had an attack since I got the piercing.

Still haven’t.

It’s interesting, to say the very least — especially considering Heckel didn’t get the piercing with the intention of addressing her anxiety, and that that as just an after-effect that it took her a while to notice. Her article then goes on to discuss something called Ear Stapling, which is basically just a tragus piercing, I guess? But the woman who does it claims it does all sorts of magical things:

Ear stapling has been around for over 20 years and is fast becoming one of the most sought after innovative alternative methods to stop smoking, and to lose weight. A small surgical stainless steel device is strategically placed in the inner cartilage of the ear to target certain reflex points in the ear. The staples work by applying pressure to the ear reflex points, which send signals to the brain, causing endorphins to release, and communicate with your body.

[BBC] I’ve been forgetting to post this, but the BBC recently put together a documentary slideshow about tattoo culture within South African prisons, with some really stunning photography of many former inmates. This is absolutely worth your time.

[Removable Parts] Are you in Toronto? Do you like musicals? Having a lingering fascination with voluntary amputation? Well hot holy damn, Serendipity wants to give you a thundering high-five, because Removable Parts, a musical about voluntary amputation (seriously) is rolling into The Music Gallery in Toronto tomorrow night, with tickets on sale for $15. (More ticket info can be found on their Facebook page HERE.)

But what does a song about voluntary amputation sound like, you ask? Well, take a peek over at the Songs page and you can listen to .mp3s of “Fingers,” “Hands” and “Castration.” Some sample lyrics:

I understand your frustration
But for me castration
Well, it’s an evolutionary decision
I want to be more than just a breeder
I want to be a leader
And sometimes you just have to know when to quit

Why would I pass along these defective genes
They’ve caused me nothing but trouble
There comes a point when survival by any means
Is just not worth the struggle

You’ve always said that my erection
Could use a vivisection
But no one will castrate the rank and file
So I’ll have to become a pedophile
For the treatment I deserve

Sometimes, I feel like the human race will do just fine.