by The Editors on September 22, 2008
We don’t normally pay much attention to things that roll (other than throwin’ bones), but this new collab between UNIV and Ellsworth bikes caught our attention because we need a new bike and frankly, we we’ve never been that down with the fashion fixie crowd. This thing can be shifted and it’s got six inches of travel.
UNIV brings a coastal influence and laid-back outlook to the project, making it a high tech mountain bike for the street. UNIV and Ellsworth worked together for months on the building of the bike and all specifications are to suit the limited collaboration project. The bike had been in discussion for a long time as both brands are located near each other in North San Diego County California. Only six of these bikes will be made and will retail for more than $5000.
Okay, so maybe we won’t be picking one up tomorrow, but that shouldn’t stop you from dropping $5k.
[Link: UNIV]
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by The Editors on September 22, 2008
The biggest Trestles toll road hearing yet is going on today at the O’Brien Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California.
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce scheduled the hearing to get public input on the controversial 241 Toll Road extension that will reportedly have a huge effect on one of the continental US best surf breaks. The issue has grown even larger since the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council jumped into the fracas.
While it’s too late to speak at the hearing, it’s never too late to show up to support the cause. The hearing runs today, September 22, 2008 from 10:30 AM until 8:30 PM. If you live in SoCal, there is still time.
[Link: Save Trestles]
by The Editors on September 19, 2008
After nearly 15 years of blogging it is so good to see the kids finally sparking up the torch and getting up on the web their own way. Here’s one we just added to the blogroll: it’s tagged The Dangerzone “A Dangerous Insight Into The Extremities of Tahoe Living.” Robbie Sell with a switchblade knife? That’s just the kind of danger we’re looking for.
Check it out and then you’ll know what’s going on at The Lake.
[Link: Tahoe Danger Zone via The Tackled Box]
by The Editors on September 19, 2008
Globe International Limited released their 2008 annual report today. And while the document contains loads of interesting information (like the fact that the company suffered a $24.6 million net loss in fiscal 2007/2008) we dove straight to the “Key Management Personnel And Top 5 Remunerated Executives” section (page 34), because we love knowing how well our friends are doing.
Here is the breakdown of salaries plus cash bonuses:
Matthew Hill $948,222
Chief Executive Officer
Matthew Wong $554,490
President – Europe
Gary Valentine $433,271
President – North America
Marc McKee $421,263
Graphic Designer
Bod Boyle $381,507
President – Dwindle
John Sherwood $344,879
Vice President – North American Sales
Steve Douglas $233,129
President – Australia
Jessica Hogan $213,129
Chief Financial Officer
Gerhard Correa $154,700
Company Secretary
And this “salary transparency” is just one of the reasons that it sucks to work for a publicly traded company. Though, it obviously doesn’t suck that much for many on this list.
[Link: Sydney Morning Herald]
by The Editors on September 19, 2008
We’ve always thought of US News & World Report as a magazine that explains the complexities of the world to the geriatric crowd, seems like every cover has the latest tips on health and retirement. This month, the newsweekly looks in on that “young, hip Vermont company” Burton Snowboards and breaks it down for grandma (including a photo of CEO Laurent Potdevin looking quite fit).
The king of this $487 million industry, Burton Snowboards, has the right idea. The privately held company makes boards, clothes, and snowboarding accessories, claiming 40 percent to 70 percent market share (depending on the category). An adaptive strategy ensures the near-constant debut of new board models and fashions, allowing Burton to keep pace with ever-changing trends and to grab a piece of the increasingly lucrative kids’ and women’s markets. And in a potentially savvy move, Burton recently made an epic jump from pure snowboarding company to year-round dealer of surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding gear.
The story goes on to discuss the history of the company, there entry into the surf and skateboard markets, and Burton’s “radically different corporate culture.” Looks like the PR department is doing their job.
[Link: US News & World Report]
by The Editors on September 19, 2008
Former professional snowboarder Peter Line is an genuine oddity in a way rarely seen in action sports. He is a true original who is completely and utterly on his own program.
To better share thoughts and images from his seriously skewed mind he is now blogging on his first-ever website Peetard.com. There you can get a peek into his thoughts and images and view bits of genius like this:
Today I drew a picture of Rachael Ray. But, I wanted the art to focus more on her tennis-ball boobs than on her bubbly personality. So I drew her head up-side-down and turned her smile into a frown.
Our point, exactly.
[Link: Peetard.com via Forum Snowboards]
by The Editors on September 19, 2008
Don’t think he could have timed this any better but apparently Richard Hayne, the chairman and president of Urban Outfitters sold 1.4 million shares in the company earlier this week and brought in a cool $50 million. He should be able to roll on that for awhile, huh?
[Link: Barrons]
by The Editors on September 19, 2008
Maverick’s surf photographer Don Montgomery has left his hometown of Pacifica and moved to the Sierra near the town of Placerville, but his friends wanted to give him a proper send off party.
His buddy and business partner Eric W. Nelson, a big wave documentarian and videographer who produces all of the Maverick’s video films (also the first person to shoot Maverick’s from the water on a surfboard), was behind the party. Eric told Montgomery in advance there was going to be just a little farewell get together. What Nelson did not tell his friend is that Mayor Jim Vreeland would be on hand to officially proclaim the day the “Don Montgomery Day.”
Montgomery’s early photographs of Maverick’s stunned the world when they were first published in Surfer magazine in 1987. In 2007 his photo of Shane Desmond at Maverick’s won the surfer the award for largest paddle-in wave. A lot of surfers are going to miss Don, especially when they’re throwing their asses on the line.
[Link: Pacifica Tribune]
by The Editors on September 19, 2008
Christian Moothart, the 17 year old who was driving the car that Joseph Madison was skateboarding behind when he died, has been sentenced to 60 hours of community service on reckless endangerment charges.
. . . 16-year-old Joseph Madison (pictured) was “skitching,” hanging onto the car on his skateboard. The car driven by Moothart hit a dip in the road when Madison lost his grip, fell and hit his head on the pavement. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
It sad on all side, but we’re glad Moothart didn’t have to go to jail.
[Link: NWCN.com]
by The Editors on September 19, 2008
Surfline.com has amazing photos from Greg Long and Mark Healey’s trip to China where they surfed a tidal bore on the Qiantang River for close to 12 miles.
Greg Long and Healey zigzagged and carved through our familiar zone. But once they shot Bridge #6 together, the river bent and the wind turned offshore. Rippable sections popped up all over the place. We were forced to forge ahead, much to the dismay of the Communist Government officials, because there was no way for the guide boat to punch through the eight-foot wall of whitewater. And this was our precise excuse for forging past our boundary during the final day.
Click the link for all the photos and the rest of the story.
[Link: Surfline.com]
