Spit-Fire 101

SHOUT OUT TO:

The Rife family (bestEST contacts ever!)

B.A.D. A.S.S. "Must Stash"

J. Mavster

This is just the beginning... The High-Stakes, Frosted Flakes, Take the Cake, NO Mistakes, Greatest of Lakes Roadie team has MUCH more to come!

NEVER TALK TO THE POLICE!

in light of blaise's recent encounter. i've decided to deliver the following advice...
outside of telling them about invisible children, NEVER TALK TO THE POLICE!

here are a few good reasons why (these videos are long, but worth it. ask any lawyer!):


BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters


Don't Talk to Cops, Part 1


Don't Talk to Cops, Part 2


love you guys.
come home soon.
-mrp

Beast coast pulled over in DC!?! OH NO!!!

Yes its true. I, Blaise Ronald Vincz, was pulled over seconds after the question "have you ever been pulled over in the IC van?" was asked. Call it what you want but I call it complete sh-crap. 

Story time with cousin Blaise. 

Gulu Walk was held on a rainy windy day here in Washington DC (home of the Redskins, who knew?) After a few laughs with Michael Poffenberger from Resolve Uganda, burritos at Chipolte, and a ridiculous text conversation between Justin Wheeler and Lisa Dougan, the beast coasters decided to venture over to Justin's project The Option/LiNK to see the DC office. It turns out that the streets of DC can be very confusing, especially in the rain. On most streets it is illegal to turn left Monday thru Friday. Let me say that last half again - MONDAY THRU FRIDAY. Today its Saturday. Legally, I shouldn't be pulled over while turning left on a Saturday... So I did it. I turned left. 

Halfway through the intersection I hear a little chirp and a blue and red glare flashes across my mirror. 

Not one.

Not two.

But THREE cop cars line up behind our terrified little van. 

You know things aren't going to go well when the first thing out of the officer's mouth is "Did you not see the three big NO LEFT TURNS signs?!? NOW YOU GOT ME OUT HERE IN THE POURING RAIN!" After staring at me he then shouted, "HOW ABOUT THE 3 POLICE CARS BEHIND YOU?!? YOU DIDN'T SEE THOSE?!?"

I tried to explain that I was under the impression that I could turn left since it was Saturday but before I get that out I was pierced by the following question-

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DRIVING!?!"

How do you answer that? What does that even mean? I gave the best answer I could but I'd be a liar if I didn't want to punch this power tripping punk right in his eye. 

"Five years, Sir."

"Long enough to know what a NO LEFT TURNS sign means?"

"Sir, the sign says NO LEFT TURNS Monday Thur Friday." 

By this time there is a cop standing in front of our van scoping out the Cali plates, the first cop heads back to his car unsatisfied with my answers. The cop from in front of our van leans in to the window and smiles. "You guys aren't in here smoking anything illegal are you?" He giggles. I would assume he said this because of the mound of snacks in the space between the front seats. Maybe it was the peace sign on the side of the van, I'm not sure. He then sniffed my shoulder and said I smelled nice... 

I was confused.

Cynthia saves the day by giving the best 10 second rundown of IC ever told... even under pressure, that girl is M O N E Y. 

The nice cop seemed to be content, he patted me on the shoulder and told me to have a good day. 

That's it? No ticket? No apology? 

The nice cop decides he should check with the other jerk wad of a cop to see if we are free to go.

We are all clear. 

No ticket.

No need for an apology at this point. 

Off we go. 

...until next time.

-Beastly Blazzor of the Beast Coast. 

So yeah...

I had no idea about the gorilla. NONE.

Lily

in the last 24 hours lots happened. I reconsidered another tour in the spring (you should all too. Right? I mean...live together again in the Villa? DUH) , i blew out and shredded a front tire, we flooded the back of the van in a flash flood, we did 3 screenings, ate vegetarian pizza and hung out with some pretty incredible people tonight.
We had a screening....a house party actually with some people from Love bags. They bag up supplies for the homeless and 2 nights a week they go all over the city and talk with their friends. We showed some IC films, ate pizza, laughed and cried, and then went out in the city to show this love we keep talking so much about.

I met a Shawn, a Sean and a Lily....and here's the clincher: Lily is 2, lives with her family on the streets of Ft. Lauderdale, and reminds me SO MUCH of another preciously Lily I know all the way in Newberg Oregon. I told her I had another special friend named Lily and she said, "Really? Did you know I'm really strong?"

I wish she knew how strong she really was. It wasn't that she could unscrew the cap on her bottle of water on her own, or that she could show me her rippling 2-year-old biceps....it was that she could here her baby brother crying from across the park, and that she could walk up to strangers and sit in their laps, knowing they were probably safer than where she lives.

It was a good and hard moment for me: thinking that I am on a tour to end a war in a country 10,000 miles away. Every day I talk about kids I have never met, who need love, families, help. But tonight...right in front of me, was a little girl with pink sparkling shoes who needed some love, a "family" and some help. It came in the form of splashing in puddles, giggling together in the park and holding hands.

Love and help doesn't need to just be sent to Africa...there are places to give it away all around us.
I can only hope that tonight, Lily has a place to lay her head down.
And I hope you are all seeing the faces who need love all around you too. That's why we're on tour right?

If Lily had fit in our van, I would have taken her with me. :-)
Love to you all from Miami!

Love, Bethany

So-Cal's short tip on the best use for the merch shelf.

Yours Truly,

- Cal Vegas and Cal Pacific

If you're wondering if we had a marching band marching through the halls of Downingtown West... you'd be correct.

Ah Downingtown West! Finally we have arrived! 

The administration decided to cancel the pep-rally for the Downingtown East vs West game so that we could have assemblies for GO. I mean, I understand that this is the biggest game of the year and the students need to be hyped but I am glad that they see things with a "Global Perspective." With that said, let me remind you that this is the BIGGEST game of the year (and a great game it was: D'west 21- D'east 14)  and the was still need for a pep-rally. What would you have done?

D'west decided to have a pep-rally. 

Let me set the scene. 

(Sarah and Josh are at D'east.)

Blaise is a the merch table with a few club members outside of the auditorium where Cynthia is wrecking these students lives with facts of the war. In the distance we hear some chatter, maybe a snare drum being pounded upon or locker room doors being slammed. A few football players file into the lobby ...a second later the entire space is full of football players. Like magic they split and 2 rows marching band members begin marching through. All of the action pauses as the students wait for the que. (Cynthia later tells me this is all during the scene of GO where Tye and Papito are in the hut.) 

One. Two. Ah one, two, three, four!!!

The sound of snares, bass drums, trumpets, trombones, tubas, piccolos, xylophones, cymbals, flutes, and anything else you may find in a marching band crash down the previously deserted hallways that are now packed full of rowdy students.

The football players are chanting "Beat East! Beat East!" 

Their peers join them, "Beat East! BEAT EAST!!!" 

Let me remind you that Gloria is suffering. 

The sounds come and go as they mob flows up and down hallways. 10 minutes later they are back in the lobby where me and 15 customers are shouting:

"What size do you need?"

"Small."

"We are out of small, would a medium work?"

"I said small!"

"Sorry we're out. How about this shirt?"

"I said I need a small!!!"

("ARGH!!! I'M SO MAD RIGHT NOW!" is what Danny Lorigo would have said.) 

$3,200 dollars later I'm smiling at the "Roadie Party" where I stuffed my face full of humus, doritos, cucumbers, swiss cakes, and oreos. 

I liked D'west. It was a good day. 

By the way, Downingtown West is not spelled "Downington West" like it was in GO. Try explaining that to the administration. haha. Its all good. 

I SAID OVEREASY!!!!!!

Tragedy struck today....Big G (our van) was victim of a brutal act of vandalism involving a carton of eggs, a get away driver, and a car full of j*ck*ss*s..

We are staying with one of our contacts, Celeste. Her parents got back from the store and informed us that our beloved vehicle had been EGGED!!! WHO COULD HAVE DONE THIS? WE ARE TRYING TO END A WAR! HOW COULD SOMEONE HAVE THE NERVE TO DO THAT TO US?? So many questions were running through my head. I was sad. I was distraught. I was at a loss of words. I immediately took action, and Lauren and I headed to a local car wash to clean our precious off. Oh what an adventure this journey has become!!!

put your hood up

Wootay I'm tattooed and barred up
Medallion iced up, Rolex bezelled up
And my pinky ring is platinum plus
Earrings be trillion cut
And my grill be slugged up

Short but sweet. Actually, just plain stupid.

So some time yesterday, we drove by a Dick's Sporting Goods. I wouldn't have said anything normally, but seriously, this store was HUGE. Two stories high, super duper wide...it was quite large, indeed.

And so without thinking twice about what I was about to say, I uttered the following, only to realize after the fact that I had made a huge mistake:

"That's the biggest Dick's I've ever seen!"

D'oh.

Cal/Vegas just brought sexy back.

just hanging with our new pals

Hey guys, Cal Vegas here- just wanted to update you on our time here in Vegas. While rolling passed the Bellagio, watching fountains dance to the tune of Elvis jams while spotting the ‘King’ himself in the Walgreens down the street hanging with MJ we thought, ‘how could team Cal Vegas represent the heart of Vegas, exactly?’

We then received word of a certain superstar by the name of Justin (sexy-back) Timberlake speaking alongside super-babe girlfriend Jessica Biel at an Obama rally this morinng. We thought, ‘what better way to bring awareness than to ambush an Obama rally?’ So we headed out with no real plan but headed straight to the man himself, surrounded by throngs of screaming fans, (ahem, Obama supporters…)

Now the following should be left to your imagination, and credited entirely to the awesomeness that is Cal/Veg. We were escorted backstage, for a little meet and greet with J-Dog and Jess (aka- Daniel’s future wife) where they proceeded to shower us with praise of our noble journey. For those of you interested, it went down like this:

-       Justin asked us all our names, and where we were from

-       When Nada said her name, he then responded with an, “oh, cool name”

-       Justin referred to us as ‘renegades’ and promised he’d ‘totally watch the film tonight’

-       Justin touched Nada’s arm.

-       He also stood next to her.

-       Oh yeah, and Justin and Jessica are dating (for now)

-       They also want ideas on what to call their new show called ‘Globe Kids’ We thought they should call it, ‘Roadies: stories of the everyday hero’

-       Ask Nada for further details on the wisdom Justin imparted on her.

So when Justin releases his next single, ‘Un-Justified War’ we’ll be heading out on the world tour. So to recap, what happens in Vegas, gets posted on the IC blog for tour bragging rights.

I mean, Cindy Crawford is cool too I guess.

 

VOTE OBAMA –  the Canadian. 

out here grindin'

Yeah I run it with killas homie, so what?
What you want me to tell you, I sold a little dust?
Send your informant!
I bet he leave bust,
I ain't scared to go
I believe in Jesus

To Serve and Protect

Well - its been 5 weeks since our first run-in with "The Fuzz", and 3 encounters later Mt. West is still ticket free.

While all adventures with lawmen are worthy to share - one exchange definitely stood above the rest - so much so, that we felt it necessary to document as an example of how all Roadies should strive to interact with America's everyday heroes.

Textbook.

- Mt. West

Team Texas tell's Cindy Crawford to "GO"!!

Hey there staff & roadies,
oh you know.. nothing special. just a typical day in the life of Team Texas... hanging out with super models, hitting up local furniture stores, eating at Cici's! You see, now that we are celebrities in our own right.. nothing much phases any more.

As such, we get invited to all the cool parties and hit up the cool spots. Here's what our mate Glen Hansard from The Swell Season had to say about us the other night we hung out with him; "You guys are so legit!" "What your doing is amazing- spreading the word about what's happening in northern Uganda, saving stray dogs, delivering babies, and giving financial advise to the stock market brokers!!" "I love you guys..when I grow up I want to be just like you." We know Glen, thank for your kind words.

Anyways, back to ol' Cindy. She said that she wanted to apply to be a roadie for the spring and to take us to Bed, Bath & Beyond.. but she doesn't know if she will have enough time. So for now, we settled with giving her a love momento (aka our Rough Cut video).. and we had her sign the cover of GO!
As you can see it reads, "To Jason, Bobby & Laren Love, Cindy Crawford" So we shall be presenting it to the 3 original filmmakers upon return.So we gotta go cuz we have been invited to another party with Bill Gates, Shaq, Harry Dunn and Lloyd Christmas, that cute little kid that says "bluuuhhddd!", the Harry Potter kids, and everyone is spending the night at good old MJ's house.

Peace- Team Texas

posted by Kurtis "Rambis" Jackson and Roberto Juarez

A Brief Note of Rwanda's Genocide

We (Middle America Roadies) attended a screening at Webster University. While we were there, I (Pat), started talking with a Rwandan student named Olive and she told me her story. Later on, at the overnight in the quad, I saw her again and asked her if she'd like to write down what she told me. And THIS is what she wrote:

Hi Patrick,

It is really hard to start the story because one really never gets a phrase or a sentence to start it, but in short i tell you this:

I was a happy child before the Rwandan Genocide which left me a double orphan and hopeless. My whole family was killed in the genocide. I mean my grandparents, my parents, aunts and uncles, and of course my sweet brother, surely the list can be endless.

My birthday is July 3 and I was born in 1988. So the genocide happened while I was 5 years and only two months before my sixth birthday.

Based on history, hatred was created between the tutsi and hutus during the colonial period. As years went on, Rwanda's people who had earlier lived happily ended up divided: oppression, discrimination and other evil things you can imagine became the order of the day.

It was April 6th when darkness and evil powers filled people that the genocide started. However, genocide acts had started in 1990's and 1994 action was taken. Hutus turned against their Tutsi neighbors and killed them by burning, slaughtering them like animals, part by part, throwing them in pit latrines, burying them alive and many other evil acts.

After the president's plane had been shot down, massacres begun. On that day, I woke up and found my parents in a sad mood that I had never seen them in before. A few hours, killing started and we fled our home, and went to hid in the bush. Friends turned against us and could not hide us. Instead they called on, the militia to kill us. It was my first time to see my mom cry, after her friend offered to hide us but later chased us out of the house on seeing the killers. It was horrible.

My father died about four weeks after the genocide had started. My mother almost survived the slaughtering but she was killed later in the camp. In fact, I was close to her when she died. I thanks God I was able to make it up to now. I never understand how mom would die and leave me. I guess people (the killers) didn't see me. Oh it was God's love, so that I could maybe tell my story.

At a certain point my sister and i met a militia who almost shot us but he didn't not have bullets as he tried to shoot. Some of the young people like me or other survivors of the genocide found their refuge in the dead bodies. They covered themselves up and pretended to be dead.

At one point, I gave up hiding when i was left alone. I became hopeless when i saw many of my family members dead, and then friend were now enemies, and they became inhuman. During the genocide, animals were better than the killers. However not all Hutus were killers. Some Hutus were good and hid Tutsis but this was a huge risk because some Hutus were also killed as they tried to hide Tutsis.

A great number of Tutsis who hide in churches were also killed there and some religious leaders also participated in the killing.

I was so fortunate that my uncle whose ordination was on the day when his entire family was killed in church, found me. My uncle was in Uganda at the time but travelled to Rwanda yet the genocide was still going on to celebrate mass in his childhood church were his family had been killed.

He found my sister and my cousin brother alive and we made it to Uganda. He left us with his friends and he continued to be a missionary in Equador and Peru. Later he made friends who are helping my cousin brother and I in our education.

Back home in Rwanda, I have two sisters alive. We are really happy children, because we believe we have a nice future.

From this experience, I want you guys (whoever reads this) to know:
>Hope
>Love
>Forgiveness

If Rwandans really loved one another, we would not have had genocide.

Forgiveness is the way to build a new generation and a way to a happy life. We are trying to reconcile so that we can live together again like we used to before evil was "planted" in peoples minds.

We should have hope for the future. I am a blessed person, I have a family now (a mom and dad) who really love me like their other children. I'm so loved and hope for the future. I can now stand and strongly say, "NEVER AGAIN," any where in the world.

Forgiveness is the hardest thing to do, but in order to live peacefully and promote the never again theme, I am willing to forgive whoever asks forgiveness from me.

Every year in April, we have a memorial period for our beloved ones.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

REP YOUR HOOD

Birthday Wish from Ilea

Hey teams,
Our bro Will is hurting big time. Do you think we could ralley at least $28 per team? It's all about faces, and names and people we know, and it starts right here. A former roadie and a friend.
Hope everyone is well. Loves to you all from St. Simons Island, GA.
~deep south



An Extraordinary Birthday Wish
Today I turn 28. There is nothing extraordinary about this birthday, but I do have an extraordinary birthday wish. My dear friend Will Boyd is critically ill with a heart condition caused by Lupus. This October, my wish is that you, and others you know, would donate $28, in honor of my 28th birthday, to my friend Will Boyd. Will is a servant of this world, a revolutionary, and one of the most giving people you could ever meet. His life is extraordinary, and I want to celebrate him in an extraordinary way.

Medical Details
Will has been critically ill with Lupus since he was 18. He contracted pneumonia during this time and the doctors consequently directed most of their attention to his lungs. However, they failed to notice the amount of trauma to his heart due to the Lupus. The latest biopsy tests show that his heart is in such a weakened state that it would not be able to be revived if he has a massive heart attack. They say his heart could simply stop beating at any moment unless something changes.

The doctors have told him that there is nothing they can do to treat him, but his nutritionist says there is hope. Will is now on a very strict diet consuming lots of Kombucha, Voss, all natural foods, and supplements every day. He has to walk about an hour every day in order to rebuild the strength of his heart and lungs. His diet is extremely intense and has become almost a full time job for him and his fiancé, Elizabeth Rainey, who takes care of him 24/7.

Financial Details
Will has already racked up over $50,000 in medical debts and he does not have that kind of money. At this point, the doctors are denying him treatments due to his lack of funds. He has maxed out his insurance and can't get any more because he has pre-existing conditions (Lupus). His bank accounts have been frozen until he pays the hospitals back. Will is in a desperate financial position, and he needs our help.

What can we DO?
Will definitely needs our prayers. And Will needs us to act now. We are setting up a website that will help streamline all of the needs and make it easier for Elizabeth and Will to get food, messages and donations. But for now, we are asking you to make a donation. We are attempting to raise $100,000. The money raised will cover his current medical bills and help to create a fund for the bills to come. This is a large amount of money for one person, but I believe in community, and I believe that if everyone contributes a little bit, our community can raise this money.

Will has spent most of his life serving others selflessly. He continues to inspire thousands through Invisible Children and many other projects. And he’s just getting started. The projects he’s working on now are changing the world we live in. He needs more time and the world needs more Will. This is your opportunity to save an extraordinary life.

The world cannot afford to lose a Will Boyd. Can you afford to help save one?

TO DONATE CLICK:
Hyperlink to www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=4UVM8ZZUzDgQmqNEXFRnALmpUo5bv-S4eoFy9sc_HCd_2J8A7f-6UDdtHa4&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f38432c9462fe731381a7a80e09148cd4d65d984db31b77c2

If you want to do a Birthday Campaign for Will too, please just copy and paste this email, make it your own, and pass it on to all you know via email. And if you want to let us know, please email me ilea65@gmail.com .

Love,
Ilea