Exciting Developments

2007 was a strong year for LA-Tees, sales boomed (thank you to our fans and supporters!), two new divisions were successfully launched, namely Lousy T-shirt (a college student oriented store) and Turn Left (political and environmental store.) Both those new additions have received much praise and many sales, too, giving us confidence for the future of our company and its growth.

Exciting developments are underway, once again. We are to launch yet another line, registered under the domain www.T-shirtGhetto.com, whose appeal will be myriad Pop Culture niche subdivisions ranging from hip-hop music to blockbuster movie parody, and is intended as becoming the umbrella company for all our apparel lines and shops.

We are currently investigating and researching the best company to partner with in our plans for expansion. Since our initial launch, some 28 months ago, our commitment has been with the POD corporation CafePress - who process, print, ship our orders - and although we have a couple of smaller, test shops with other POD's, uncertainty abounds as to which company we want as our future partner. Or, perhaps we might break loose and go alone, setting up as a completely independent entity. As to date, we are looking at all the possibilities, pros and cons, while assuring you, our valued and appreciated customers, friends, and fans, that LA-Tees will continue to bring you the products you desire the most, and will continue to strive boldly under our mantra "Produced by Excellence".

Nigel Hamilton-Allan
LA-Tees

CELEBRITY (IN)JUSTICE

Okay, so you're not an heiress, a movie star, a sportsman, a television actor, or remotely rich and famous, that's fine ... or, rather, that's jail for you when you deviate from the rule of Law. Otherwise, be any of the foregoing pampered pets of celebdom and it's just fine for you when Joe Cop racks up yer rap sheet. Money buys a judicial sellout.

The latest, to date, chasm betwixt justice for the few and justice for the masses grew all the wider, deeper, and more malevolent when Los Angeles County Sheriff split from Los Angeles County Court in it's decision to loose Paris Hilton in the glare of a staring media just waiting for the ball to be dropped. Well, Sheriff Lee Baca, you served us a fumbled ball of the greatest magnitude. In breathtaking spite of the public's awareness of a broken system, it broke some more.

Overcrowding in L.A. County jails is a reality, but can never be an excuse -- nor a reason -- cited as a way to red carpet exit from incarceration a wealthy convict. Equally, nor can medical condition -- there are penal infirmaries, hospital wards, and psych units adequately securing less well heeled convicts with health issues. The Hilton case was a platinum opportunity for a fragment of faith in the system to be restored to the public. Who knew platinum could corrode so quickly, so easily, so publicly? Truth is, few of us are really surprised.

Perhaps the greatest lesson, the most tragic truth, in all of this Sheriff-dueling-Court is it had to happen in such an inconsequential case and nothing important like the myriad innocent prisoners convicted, or those wrongfully held on Death Row awaiting death-by-State by virtue of insufficient wealth to afford decent proactive representation. Now...

THAT'S HOT!

Nigel Hamilton-Allan / LA-Tees

PARIS HILTON SENTENCED

Destiny's curious dance dictates a stint in the pokey can damage not a celebrity's popularity in today's perverse pop culture. Oftentimes rendering the cell-celebrity a higher throne in show biz celestial stakes. Martha Stewart, as example. Paris Hilton? Why not?

Jail gives instant street cred. Sentencing removes the Coco Chanel gossamer veil that separates superstardom from Jane and Joe Average. Suddenly, reality can be as harsh an awakening for the super rich, as it has been for all us lesser earning mortals for aeons gone and aeons to come. It is always heartening to realize justice cannot always be bought, albeit a somewhat softer justice in favor of the celebrated and monied. In Jane and Joe Average's mocassins, Martha and Paris would surely have faced a swifter, sterner blow from their judges' gavels. But, that's a whole different story for some other blog.

Essentially, should her appeal against sentence fail, as it probably shall , Paris will emerge from her vacation at the Sheriff Hotel Desitination to a blizzard of high-paid job offers, reality television contracts, book deals, and an avalanche of freebie publicity. Business as usual, only more hectic, more profitable, and even more unwarranted.












Nigel Hamilton-Allan / LA-Tees.com

SHOW-BIZ & TEE-BIZ

In a world of hurt and a realm of joy, there exists little to split the difference between the production of movies and t-shirts … save for the costs and casts involved and - not forgetting – the glamorous locations, lest the t-shirt designer have some tropical island as his computer’s screensaver!

Whether film or tee be one’s chosen creative medium, and be the genre mainstream or niche, the focus is audience - ticket sales or t-shirt sales, it’s all one. Lose sight of the audience and lose out on sales.

There’s a contrary old thread running through this marketer’s touchstone that suggests one should creatively produce to one’s own tastes - film something you’re passionate about; design something you’d buy yourself. This mindset is ideal provided you’re willing to fill the cinema with self-purchased tickets, or buy out your store’s inventory with your own money, otherwise it makes more sense to keep your eyes on the prize - the audience / the buyers – should business / career / income be your watchword. Of course, the strictly amateur, dabbler or hobbyist needs not confine himself to the lofty pursuit of audience attraction.

Many are those aspiring filmmakers who have lost the shirts of their backs attempting to produce films for the public's consumption, as have myriad accomplished auteurs and producers, thanks to the fickle nature of said audience. The trick to successful film-making, as in t-shirt selling, is in how one adapts and adjusts to an ever-changing market, by accepting each so-called failure as merely a successful teaching aid, and going on to produce / design other projects until ticket / tee sales are made. And, then, go onto producing / designing more "failures" till the next seem of paydirt is yours! Essentially, it is all about becoming an actor - put on a brave face and explore the various challenges of your role as filmmaker or designer.

Nigel Hamilton-Allan / LA-Tees

ENTERTAINING WEIRD SCIENCE

A tough call - how to present science as, both, educational and entertaining, while watching viewer ratings?

Discovery Channel's groundbreaking "Mythbusters" television science show not only walks that fine line of edutainment, but also dances a rare jig along it.

Lead-hosted by TV's current odd couple, the effervescent red-haired Adam Savage and no-nonsense bald-headed Jaime Hyneman, both special effects experts, alongside their co-hosting team (Kari Byron, Grant Imahara, Tory Belleci, Scottie Chapman, Christine Chamberlaine) set out each week (Wednesday 9 p.m. ET/PT) to explore urban myths with a scientific bent, challenging them, via practical experimentation, to determine whether said myths are proved, plausible, or busted.

”That's right, they do more than explain how something may or may not be scientifically possible. Through trial and error they actually demonstrate it.” [source: Discovery Channel]

Nigel Hamilton-Allan / LA-Tees