Just in case you didn't know today was World AIDS Day, and the nice folks over at Crailtap (Girl, Chocolate, Fourstar, Skate Mental, Royal) once again showed their support with a complete site takeover by (RED), a charity that helps the AIDS epidemic in Africa. The Girl skatepark also was taken over by (RED), and literally, seen in the photo above. If you want to learn more about this organization, and how you can help. I did a story on it a month or so ago here.

I started my Wold AIDS Day off where I usually do; Starbucks. And if you bought an Americano today (a drink made of espresso shots and water) Starbucks would donate 5 cents to the World AIDS Fund, so I bought two with my (Starbucks) RED card, which also donates 5 cents per purchase. That's 20 cents, every bit counts, and if all the Starbucks drones I see there every morning in whatever town I happen to be in did the same, it would've added up.

Anyway, not to sound like some righteous asshole, I just think what the Crail guys are doing over there is rad; it's shedding light on a problem, and getting people involved. I found out about it through them, and do my best to pass it on. They also announced today that the (RED) skater this year is going to be Anthony Pappalardo, and for the first time the limited edition pro-model decks are not going to be Girl, but Chocolate. So, stay tuned for that, and more from me about the goings on, on World AIDS Day.

The Agenda trade show went down last week in Hurlington Beach, aka Nike Town. I'm calling Huntington that because at the same time the show was doing it's thing, the Hurley US Open of Surfing was in full swing down the street at the pier. It seemed Hurley/Nike took control of the town for a few days, there were hats everywhere that said, "HB," with the "H" a Hurley logo. Not that that's a bad thing, because the Hurley/Nike/Converse crew really saved that contest, which had been ruined by even bigger non-surf/skate/snow/BMX corporations over the years.

Anyway, back to Agenda. It's a show that is geared for the brands that don't really fit in at ASR and Surf Expo. The core-skate/art/fashion brands of the industry were all in attendance. They've been having this show simultaneously with ASR the past few years, offering limo rides right out in front of the ASR doors to their show down the street. Now, that they've picked their own date, which allowed the brands to completely focus on Agenda, the show was much bigger. Let's hope the ball keeps rolling.

Here's some MORINformed pics from Agenda:


The Death/Wish Shake Junt booth.


The floor you had to walk on to do some business.


Shake Junt Art.


Brigada was right next door.


They had party favors. Before I get an email from some irate mom, it's Parmesan cheese.


Three skateboard bosses who are also Brigada team riders: Reynolds, Thomas and Ellington.


Speaking or Jamie Thomas and Erik Ellington they were outside having a smoke.


Then it was off to NHS. Here's the Anti-Hero booty line.


Some more Anti-Hero decks.



The new Real line.


Diamond Boss, Nick Diamond, was hanging.


Speaking of bosses, The Man Behind the Stone, Volcom CEO, Wooly, was cruising.


Art being created.


Some girl wanted her picture with MORINformed's drunk ass.


Some of the new Girl line.


Chocolate decks and Fourstar hats.


This guy tried a little too hard to get to Agenda and became a PCH casualty.


Vans has a Sex Pistols line coming out.


RVCA's theme was "Uke's...


And Guns." Sounds like a Waianae party.


A view from the balcony of the Hyatt.


A closer view of the beach in Huntington during the US Open.


I'll leave you with the Skullcandy girls.

While on their way up to San Francisco for the Back to the Berg contest Rick Howard, Mike Carroll and others from the Crailtap camp ran out of gas, and they twittered about it. What makes this even funnier is they were driving a Prius. Do know how long you have to drive with the gas light on to run out of gas in Prius. I have a Civic that's not even a hybrid, and I made from Hollywood to Huntington Beach with the gas light on, and none of the electric gas meter bars displayed.

The Art Dump and Girl skateboards have teamed up to bring you the Make the Logo Bigger group art show. It will feature a collection of collaboratively, and individually created, wooden Girl logos by members of The Art Dump, which consists of: Andy Jenkins, Andy Mueller, Christian Morin, Chris Waycott, Eric Anthony, Jeremy Carnahan, Hershel Baltrotsky, Jordan Mitchell&Michael; Coleman.

The opening reception will be this Saturday the 25th at the Little Bird Gallery in LA. The show will run through April 29th. If you're in the area you should check it out, these are the guys that do most of the art work for Girl, Chocolate and anything Crail.