- NEWS FLASH - THE PROBLEM IS HERE. IT IS NOW AND IT IS REAL.

JUST GOT WORD THAT INTENZE INK, SKIN CANDY, STARBRIGHT, KUROSUMI, MOM'S MILLENIUM INKS - ALL ARE BEING SOLD IN SEARS...AS WELL AS TATTOO KITS GO TO SEARS.COM. AND THAT ANOTHER ART SUPPLY CHAIN IS SELLING SKIN CANDY TO THE PUBLIC. JUST WHAT WE'VE BELIEVED ALL THESE YEARS - THIS IS AN UNREGULATABLE INDUSTRY FULL OF EGO AND IGNORANCE. I REMEMBER BEING AT A CONVENTION IN HOUSTON...IT WAS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST EVER TATTOO CONVENTION. THE EGOS WERE ENORMOUS... THE ATTITUDES EVEN BIGGER. THIS OVER SHADOWED THE REAL REASON WE WERE ALL THERE.

OUR STANCE IS ONE OF EDUCATION, ONE OF BRINGING THE LEVEL OF TATTOOING UP, OF BRINGING EDUCATION TO ALL ARTISTS SO THAT WE CAN PURIFY THE INDUSTRY AND ELIMINATE COMPANIES WHO STEAL FROM US... SUPPLIERS WHO ARE IGNORANT... WHO DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO... OR ABOUT THE PRODUCTS THEY SELL.

WAKE UP. IT'S REAL. IT HAPPENS EVERYDAY. WE HAD GOTTEN MAILS FROM SETH CIFERRI BEING UP IN ARMS AT US FOR WRITING OUR BOOK - 'TATTOO MACHINES AND THEIR SECRETS' - STATING THAT WE WERE "LETTING THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG ". FUNNY... I DON'T THINK HE KNOWS THE BAG... THIS ATTITUDE IS WHAT KEEPS ARTISTS IGNORANT. THIS IGNORANCE IS WHAT ALLOWS AND INVITES SUBSTANDARD MEDIOCRITY. JUST BECAUSE A TATTOO SUPPLIER IS SELLING TATTOO SUPPLIES DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE WORTH A SHIT.

ETHICS HAVE BEEN THROWN OUT...AND GUESS WHAT, IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE LET THE FOREIGN SUPPLIERS IN. THROUGH NOT BOTHERING TO CARE YOU ALLOW SUPPLIERS WHO SELL CHINESE SHIT - NEEDLES, MACHINES, IMITATION COLORS, BOOTLEG FRAMES.. AND ALL THEIR SUBSTANDARD GARBAGE INTO OUR INDUSTRY. THROUGH YOUR NOT CARING OR TAKING ACTION, YOU HAVE ALLOWED THIS MILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY FALL INTO THE HANDS OF SUPPLIERS AND MANUFACTURERS WHO LEGITIMATELY DO NOT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT OUR TRADE.

MARIO BARTH... SELLING HIS INTENZE INK TO SEARS! HE WAS A TATTOOIST ONCE. MEDIOCRE AT BEST, HE NEEDED THE TRADE TO SURVIVE. NOW... HE HAS LIGHTED BILLBOARDS ALL OVER VEGAS... ON THE SIDES OF BILLION DOLLAR HOTELS, HE TOOTS HIS OWN HORN ABOUT BEING AN AWARD WINNER... AND NOW - HE HAS STABBED TATTOOING IN THE BACK. AND SO HAVE ALL OF THE OTHERS. WHO LET THIS HAPPEN?

THE INDUSTRY HAS DISCARDED IT'S OWN ETHICS. THE ARTISTS ARE SUPPORTING SUPPLIERS WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE ETHICS OF OUR TRADE. THESE SUPPLIERS SHOUD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SURVIVE, AND IF ANY OF YOU CARE ABOUT THIS, ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN.

ASK YOURSELVES - WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TODAY, AND EVERYDAY, TO DO MY PART TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

- DELETE ALL CHINA SPAM

- DO NOT BUY FROM SUPPLIERS WHO SELL IT

- EDUCATE YOURSELVES ON MACHINE FUNCTION

- GET RID OF YOUR EGOS

- TREAT CLIENTS WITH RESPECT - IT IS A CUSTOMER SERVICE JOB. THEY PAY YOUR BILLS.

- WRITE TO SEARS.COM AND STOP THIS INSULTING, AND DAMAGING CAMPAIGN.

- SPREAD THE WORD.

ACT OR DON'T. IF YOU DON'T THEN GET OUT OF OUR TRADE. WE DON'T NEED YOU.

COMPANIES DON'T SURVIVE IF YOU DON'T BUY THEIR MERCHANDISE.

THINK LONG AND HARD. STOP THINKING ABOUT YOUR TATTOO ARTIST COSTUMES, YOUR TATTOO ARTIST ROCK STAR STATUS & YOUR EGO... THIS IS MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT.

IF YOU DON'T BUY, THEY WON'T SUPPLY.