Latest Update: October 25, 2001

Winkler and Cairns Buy Bluetorch?
Can someone please explain this to us: apparently the winners of the Bluetorch auction were Marvin Winkler and Ian Cairns. Sources say the duo bought the company for very little. Weren't they the guys who started Gotcha.com (Bluetorch's first incarnation) in the first place? Is this just a clever way to get out from under massive debt.

Bluetorch For Sale
According to Sacklunch sources Bluetorch was auctioned off on October 23, 2001 at a legal firm in LA. A $25,000 cashiers check was your ticket in and a minumum bid for complete company: $1,000,000. The rest was offered piece meal.

Spike Jonze Working For the Fed
Where does the US Army go when it wants to explore possible terrorist plots? It goes were we all go when we're feeling down: The movies. Govermnet ops have been secretly soliciting terrorist scenarios from top Hollywood filmmakers and writers. Including Girl Skateboards' Spike Jonze.

Huge Lag At Sacklunch
Okay, a lot has gone on lately that has nothing to do with skateboaridng, snowboarding, and surfing. Few writers have had the luxury to write about us lately. So we've been slacking. No apologies.

Newest Message From Bluetorch
It appears that Bluetorch has been calling former employees (many of whom they still owe money) asking them if they'd like to purchase the old computers that they worked on. Irony? Yes.

Ben Marcus Still On The Road
Unfortunately, the world's greatest surf writer has encountered some kind of virus that makes his missives unreadable by the faithful. Hopefully, he will figure it out. In the meantime, here is the latest from the one and only Ben Marcus.
-September 28, 2001
-September 27, 2001
-September 26, 2001

Action Girls In Maxim
Amy Cobb isn't the only girl to peel down to her nearly nothings. In the October 2001 issue of Maxim magazine Tara Dakides (left), Victoria Jealouse, Malia Jones, and Lana Papke join Amy in serving up a double dose of "damn, girl your rig is tight." Don't miss it.

Bluetorch Fires Remaining Workers
It was another Black Monday for Bluetorch workers on Monday September 24, 2001 as nearly everyone was asked to pack up their stuff and leave. Anyone know someone who wants to buy a couple Avid edit bays, some Macs, and a handful of three chip video cameras?

Hosoi Sentanced to Six Years
Former pro skater Christian Hosoi was sentanced to five years and 10 months last week for carrying nearly 1.5 pounds of crystal into Hawaii in January 2000.

Does Bluetorch Owe You Money?
If they do, you're probably not alone. According to a company memo reportedly sent out last Friday, expense checks and checks to independent contractors will not be honored. Ouch. UPDATE: Looks like the Torch is now up on the auction block. Know anyone who wants an afternoon action sports TV show? UPDATE 2: On Wednesday September 19 editors at the compnay were told to "go home because we can't pay you." If you have info, please click here.

Shop Owner Charged With Rape
Bartlett Snowboard Shop owner Theodore Foley, 37, of Madison, New Hampshire is being held without bail on rape and kidnapping charges. Not good.

Concrete Challenge Rolls Aspen
The Aspen Times sports writer Tim Mutrie may use a hokey lead, but at least he gets the facts down in pretty good order from the concrete skatepark contest.
-Denver Post story on the contest.

Surfers Get To Take A&F To Court
When George Downing, Paul Strauch, Rick Steele, Richard "Buffalo" Keaulana, Ben Aipa, Mike Doyle and Joey Cabell first tried to sue Abercrombie & Fitch for using their images in a catalog it was thrown out, now an appeal court says, "Go to trial."

Travels With Ike: DVD Recovery?
In the latest updates Ben Marcus has reason to believe his DVD's are on their way back, then he runs into trouble with the Nautilus Food Company, specifically a guy named Big Mike. And finally, the Attack on America.
-September 7
-September 8
-September 9
-September 10
-September 13
-September 15
-September 17

Mauro Gets Caught Inside
It's been floating around the net for a while now, but we just got our hands on a hilariously rewritten bit of surf literature poking fun at Surfer Magazine's Chris Mauro. And no, Ben Marcus did not write it.

Bodyboarding Going After TWSurf?
The front of the bright yellow t-shirts seen at the ASR show this weekend said, "Bodyboarding: The first mag, the last word" a tagline stolen from International Snowboard Magazine (which used the term ten years ago) on the back the shirt said this.

Skateboarder Hit By Lightning
John Miller a 15-year-old from Cincinnati was skateboarding along when it started raining. He went for cover under a tree and got struck.

Wahoo's No Longer a Minnow
In the next five year Wahoo's plans to open 40 new Wahoo's Fish Taco restaurants. Last year they made a nine percent profit on sales of $12.1 million dollars. Maybe that's what Wing was talking about the last time he called and said he had something "special" to share with us. And we thought it was Amway.

Tim Ostler Snowboard Auction
Last December pro snowboarder Tim Ostler broke his neck while riding, he's presently wheelchair bound. To help fund his rehab, some of his friends are offering up their signed 2002 pro models snowboards for auction. If you're paying for a snowboard this year, make it one of these.

Globe Going Worldwide
On Tuesday September 4, Melbourne-based Globe International reported a $9.87 million net profit for the year to June on revenue of $154.08 million. Damn, that's a lot of skate shoes for Peter and Stephen Hill.

Dogtown Enjoying Its Dog Days
Joe Donnelly, former Stick Magazine editor and man about action sports, pens a great Dogtown overview last week's LA Weekly. Take it from someone who still has a DogTown cross on the wall of his childhood room.

The Surfer Poll Awards On Surfermag.com
This may be a first: Surfer Magazine gets its own award show up on its own site before it's old news. Of course, the results are old news. It was another runner up season for Rob Machado, but that didn't keep the surf industry's finest from enjoying the festivities at Anaheim's Sun Theatre.

Hawk to Executive Produce New Film
According to the Hollywood Reporter, T-Hawk will executive produce a film with Revolution Films Mark Ciardi, Gordon Gray, Ed Decter and John Strauss. Tony will play himself.

Tony Hawk Superstar
Another writer tries to get to the bottom of who exactly Tony Hawk is and how he can continue to amaze the masses.

Bored To Death In Alaska
Ben Marcus is obsessing on his latest idea, the Red Bull/Inserts your surf company name here Midsummer longest day boardercrossover bore riding contest. He's done gutting fish and he's ready for a new adventure. He's also upset about all kinds of things. Here is the latest:
-September 5, 2001
-September 3, 2001
-September 2, 2001
-August 31, 2001
-August 30, 2001
-August 29, 2001

Quiksilver Hat is Only Clue
Colorado Police continue to search for a suspect in six sex assaults on Colorado State University coed in Fort Collins, CO since May. But all they have to go on is a DNA sample and a Black Quiksilver brand ball cap.

Surfer Drowned at Ocean Beach
A surfer was found drowned at Ocean Beach was identified as John Fisher, 43, of Foster City, according to San Francisco's medical examiner.

Sharks Quote Of the Week
"The hype about shark attacks could hurt tourism if the beach community doesn't create its own publicity about the rarity of such attacks." --Buz Plyler, president of the Gay Dolphin Gift Cove. Beach visitors are probably more terrified of Plyler's shop.

Quik's Alan Green Stayed True
It's another story about how staying true to your roots can really pay off. Maybe someday, if we continue to sit on our asses in front of this computer screen, our company will be worth a billion dollars.

On No, It's the Dirt Scooter
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the woods Rob Fruechtenicht's "Diggler" gets more press. Fruechtenicht calls it a cross between a snowboard and a mountain bike, but really it's just a big scooter for dorky adults.

Virginia Governor Creates Shark Force
Gov. Jim Gilmore on Wednesday did what all politicians do when faced with an emergency. He formed a task force of public officials and marine biology experts to assess the safety of coastal waters after two Virginians died in separate shark attacks over Labor Day weekend.

Shark Season is "Just Average"
Business people in Miami are reminding beach-goers of the following statistics: More people die every year from bee, wasp and snake bites than shark bites. Of course they do: Ninety-five percent of the people in the US never even go to the beach.

Sailor Gets Sharkbite
A shark bit a sailor Sunday as he was swimming near Mayport Naval Station. Apparently there's weren't any Gay Dophins to save him.

Dad Fought To Save Son
David Peltier's father punched the shark's mouth, poked its eye, finally wrestled the 10-year-old's leg from its jaws, but it was too late. Little David became the first person in Virginia history to die in a shark attack. And they say this isn't getting worse?

See Something that Belongs Here?
Send it in. If you have a story, or information that you think would fit here on the Sack, please click the headline and send it in. We won't pay you, but if it's good we'll post it.

Happy Birthday to Ben
Elan Smutboards?
Skateboarding Growing On Loners
Gotcha Glacier Beginning To Melt

Previous Bags o' Crapola:
-September 6, 2001
-August 20, 2001
-July 31, 2001
-July 5, 2001

Special thanks: to Jim Romenesko's MediaGossip.com