DeKalb, Illinois’ Smalltown Skates shop owner Ariel Ries didn’t know what to do with all the broken skateboards that were piling up around her shop, according to a story in the Daily Chronicle. That’s when she says she thought of making jewelry out of it.
“I was really interested in the multicolored plies,” she said. “I thought, why am I not using this material?” Ries studied jewelry-making at Kishwaukee College, but there she used only metal materials. She started working with the wood from skateboard decks in April and has since accumulated about 200 pieces of jewelry. She said she’s spent at least 2,000 hours making jewelry since she started.
Sounds like it might be time to hire some third world laborers. . .
McSweeney’s Internet Tendency skateboarding columnist Joel Rice interviewed Wasserman Media Group Senior Vice President Circe Wallace to get a better understanding the wild, independent world of corporate skateboarding, and as usual she makes it all sound perfectly logical — especially the “sexy” part:
The characters are attractive! They have chiseled features and they dress flamboyantly! And, like, they’re sexy and they’re good looking kids! I mean Dylan Rieder… It doesn’t get much sexier than that! It’s like a boy band but better because they are actually doing something manly and it’s really aggressive, super-expressive and athletically intense!
Okay. We get the Dylan thing, but when she starts talking about drinking “Lucky Stripes” with Jake Phelps and Julien Stranger at 14 we kind of lost our way. But you should read the whole thing anyway.
When the Sacred Craft Consumer Surfboard Expo slides into the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California on October 8 – 9, 2011, Billabong will be sponsoring the fourth annual Art of Shaping Event with a nod to Los Angeles County shapers.
The list of confirmed participating shapers includes Scott Anderson, Joe Bark, Jose Barahona, Clyde Beatty, Matt Calvani, Lance Carson, Bing Copeland, Robbie Dick, Bruce Grant, Tyler Hatzikian, Brian Hilbers, Jeff Ho, Hap Jacobs, Dennis Jarvis, Don Kadowaki, Glen Kennedy, Greg Liddle, Casey McCrystal, Jed Noll, Pat Ryan, Mike Stavros, Jeff Stoner, Jerry O’Keefe and Michael Zippi.
Shaun White has a new flavor of gum according to a story in the New York Times, and sadly, it’s not called “tangy ginger sweat.”
Whitemint, a new flavor of chewing gum by Stride, the Kraft Foods brand, is named for the athlete and features his likeness on the package. White, who appeared briefly in a commercial for a Stride line called 2.0 that was first shown in June, stars in a new commercial for Whitemint scheduled to begin on Monday.
And as only a packaged good marketing person could say: “some consumers may derive “emotional benefits” from chewing gum affiliated with the popular athlete.” Is that even possible?
A 24-year-old skateboarder from Lethbridge, Alberta died Friday, September 16, 2011, from injuries he sustained while towing on his skateboard behind a Toyota 4-Runner, according to a story in the Calgary Herald.
The SUV was traveling northbound on Red Crow Blvd. West when one skateboarder lost his grip and hit the pavement, after 7 p.m. . . “The safest thing that could’ve been done was not to grab onto the vehicle while riding a skateboard,” Ballman said. “I think there still would’ve been injuries or possibly worse, even if the individual had been wearing safety equipment. “
Happens all the time, but skateboarders just don’t seem to care.
The Hurley Pro at Trestles isn’t getting the best waves and we’re kind of missing the surf we saw in New York (never thought we’d say that), but it’s not all bad. Today (September 19, 2011) Round 2 is set to get underway with Round 3 on hold for a possible afternoon start. We’re just hoping the waves hold up.
For the complete heat match-ups and yesterday’s results, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
A 22-year-old Swedish skateboarder who decided to surprise his friend by building a skate ramp out of wood from the friends deck is now spending two month in jail on charges of assault, harassement, vandalism, and stealing a car, according to a story in The Local.
The man ripped wooden planks from his friend’s patio and used metal pipes to construct the ramp. . . He discovered the needed tools in his friend’s car, which was locked. He smashed through the car’s side window and grabbed the tools that were there to carry out his work. . . When his friend returned home, he found a skateboard ramp in his backyard, a torn up patio and an ax thrust into the wall of his house.
Sounds like the homeowner isn’t down with visits from the skateramp fairy.
The National Park Service had initially told event planners that they would create an exception to a law banning such vessels from national parks as a safety precaution for surfers catching waves larger than 10 feet at the contest, which is slated for Nov. 1-11. . . But after further review, officials determined that the beach’s own personal watercraft-equipped lifeguards could provide adequate safety without bending the law.
Just one more reason this will be one of the more interesting events on the ASP Tour.
The ex-wife of former Billabong CEO Matthew Perrin’s will reportedly get to keep their mega-million dollar Gold Coast home after a Queensland Supreme Court found that Mr. Perrin forged his wife’s signature (and his brothers) when he put their home up as security for a $13.5 million loan, according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald.
The Queensland Supreme Court ruling means the Commonwealth Bank cannot enforce its mortgage over the couple’s Gold Coast mansion or enforce personal guarantees against Mr Perrin’s wife, Nicole Bricknell.
This morning (September 18, 2011) the 2011 Hurley Pro Trestles kicks off at 9 AM PDT with Round 1 action. Sadly, Jordy Smith will not be competing due to his Teahupo’o rib injury. As one would expect, Dane Reynolds has also pulled out of the competition.
DeKalb, Illinois’ Smalltown Skates shop owner Ariel Ries didn’t know what to do with all the broken skateboards that were piling up around her shop, according to a story in the Daily Chronicle. That’s when she says she thought of making jewelry out of it.
