Latest Update: November 29, 2000

America Gets Exactly What It Deserves!

Quokka Lays of 90 People
The Luddites were right again. The site that purchased Moutainzone.com and developed the "dissappointing" NBC's Olympic website says the 90 workers were "made redundant by new technology and mergers." We want to put that on our resumes, "Redundant due to new technology." Kind of has a ring to it no?

San Diego Teen Shot For Skateboarding
In Lomita, CA witnesses say 44-year-old Ruben Tadepa walked out of his house and fired several shots from a rifle because some kids were skateboarding. Seventeen-year-old Raymond Lang-Huffman was shot and killed.

Surf Biz Expose-O-Meter Unleashed
TransWorld Surf Business has turned out a completely anal accounting of surfer coverage in the mags. To find out who the most "promoted" surfers in the world are check the chart (over 1000 surfers listed). The funniest thing is looking at last place: where else can Sonny Miller, Robert Duvall, Richard Woolcott, Pamela Anderson, and Ozzy Osborne tie for the same award.

Monster Skate Online
Swell.com's skateboarding site, Monster Skate came online sometime in the past week. It features a similar setup to Swell. It also includes a Tony Hawk story by Hawk biographer Shaun Mortimer.

Skateboard.com Relaunches
That site founded by Tod Swank has changed it's face again. Now it looks just like their print ads. As is usual in successful site evolution it is also getting more simple.

Crossrocket Get's New Excuse Page
Progress on Swell's snowboard site Crossrocket is not coming along as well as skate apparently. The new front sceen says, "Right now, Crossrocket is on the prowl. . . in anticipation of showing everyone what we've been working on for the past eight months." Cool. We didn't know anyone was wondering.

Layne Beachley Rox (y)
It will be no surprise when it happens, but Layne Beachley will probably win her fourth Quiksilver Roxy Pro this year. Something about big waves, huh? Who is her coach again?

Swell.com's Triple Crown Coverage
While Swell.com's front screen is becoming more and more like Surfermag.com's their live video coverage of the Triple Crown is probably pretty cool. Unfortunately, Swell is running their video in Windows Media Player and Sacklunch.com does not do Windows.

Random Quote
"The whole snide, sarcastic, caustic, cynical Dennis Miller thing is really tired." Famous travel journal writer Ben Marcus, in an AOL Instant Message.

UCI Has Big Problem with Skateboarders
Seems the powers that be at the University of California Irvine are getting a little fed up with extreme sports athletes using their "stairways, rails, concrete planters and fountains" as a training facility. And they're going to do something about it. And they mean in, really.

Artificial Reef Still No Olas
The Surfrider Foundation put in a artificial reef in El Segundo, CA in September and so far it's done absolutely nothing for the waves. In an amazing case of backpedaling the reef's designer David Skelly said, "Nobody ever promised the Banzai Pipeline." Dave, how about a breaking wave?

Hollywood Always Has Loved Jackasses
According to Mr. Showbiz, America's favorite Jackass has come to the attention of Sex in the City's Sarah Jessica Parker and will star in the offbeat romantic comedy Life Without Dick, written by Bix Skahill. In the film, Knoxville (a.k.a J.P. Clapp) will play a hitman hired to kill Parker's boyfriend. That starts shooting next month. He's also reportedly getting $1 million to star in The Tree, a comedy that starts shooting in February.
-Knoxville Gets A TV Pilot and Disney Movie Deal

Skatepark Site Home to Toxic Groundwater
From the "skateparks are always built on land no one else wants" file, the planned park in Berkeley, CA will cost even more because of toxic waste that was found in water being pumped out of the work site last week. Of course, the health department said there are no "immediate health risks." Yeah, okay.

Calvary Chapel Gets Green Valley Resort
The little LA resort that rarely opens, Big Air Green Valley was recently donated to Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. The pro-life Bible thumpers have renamed the resort Green Valley Winter Sports Park and are calling on all their members to pray for snow with joyful, willing hearts.

Nat Young Writes Book on Surf Rage
After getting a world class beat down, former world surfing champion Nat Young has channeled his energy into a new book titled, Surf Rage.

Consumer Critic Goes Shopping, Again
Seems like everywhere we turn Thomas Frank (editor of The Baffler) is going shopping with another journalist. Each time says exactly why being cool isn't really cool and that the true form of being cool is telling cool people they're not really cool, especially when they're buying products from cool retailers who aren't really cool either. For someone who talks so much shit about blind consumerism, Frank sure does like to shop. In fact, I think he's got a shopping fetish.
-Mr. Frank Goes To Old Navy with Salon.com
-Listen to Tom speak on the sorry state of shopping

Teen Trend Spotters Sellout Full Time
The LA Times Patrick Goldstein reports on the new teen trend spotting firm Look-Look founded by Sharon Lee and DeeDee Gordon. The site, which charges out-of-touch mega corps for a direct line into what is hip in teen culture hope to sell you out before you even know you're cool. Also employed at Look-Look is former "master cluster" member Mark "Lew" Lewman.
-The LReport does a similar thing.

Selling Sponsorships at Phatsaks.com
A company called Phatsaks.com is claiming to help action sports kids get sponsored. All they have to do is send a video of three landed tricks and $20 and then Brad Court (a former "sponsored" snowboarder) will "help" them get a real sponsorship from one of the 80 companies he has "contacts" with. Sounds like the top beneficiary will be Brad's pocket.

Skateboarding Dog Reunited with Owner
Thai, a dog who "enthralls onlookers with his ability to jump and turn on his skateboard" was stolen from Darren Munday when thieves broke into his van two days ago. Now, the dog is back on his wheels.

Taking A Blind, Obese Guy Sponging
Dan Harder's blind, 300 lbs friend asked to be taken bodyboarding and he wouldn't take no for an answer. Dan finally agreed and learned all over again, how cool riding waves can be. Here is his story from the SF Chronicle.

The Gayest Ski Site Ever
Think skiing is gay? Well this site tops them all. No, it's not Freezemag.com, it's the home page for SWING (Skiing With International Gays). That's right, if you ski and you're gay then make sure and visit SWING. It's especially designed for people who ski and are gay.

A New Yorker Reviews The Offspring
This has nothing to do with our topic, however, it's always fun to read The Village Voice writers talking about O.C. and California in general. This time David Wondrich spills California über alles in a review about The Offspring. And it's good.

Variflex Keeps Fighting
Variflex just spent $4.3 million defending a suit on their new pop-up tents only to settle out of court, and then were named and then dismissed in a lawsuit filed by Razor Scooter. But now, it appears that things are looking up in Mr. Losi's neighborhood.

Cold November Good for Resorts
Duh? According to Bob Roberts of the California Ski Industry Association it looks like things are adding up to a great year for California resorts. Then again, they always say this in November.

Holidays Time For Nor Cal Waves
Thanksgiving week is the perfect time to surf on the 25-mile stretch of coast between San Francisco and Half Moon bays, at least that's what it says in the San Francisco Chronicle. The article says, "Maverick's is the perfect place to start a surf-themed outing that will work northward through Pacifica and Ocean Beach and end at sunset at Fort Point in the Presidio." They meant watching surfers we think.

NYC Graffiti Writers Still Getting It Up
Skateboarding and graffiti have had similar histories. Both are art, both are illegal. No where has the battle gone harder than in New York City. While snowboarder/graffiti artist Tyler Lepore may say he doesn't bomb anymore, on the streets of NYC that's all there is. In this Village Voice story, Richard Goldstein brings home the joy of bombing East Side style.


Garcia Wins G-Shock Pro
This should have been up last week, but we lagged. You already know, but Sunny Garcia took first place in the G-Shock Hawaiian Pro. Now he just has two more to go.

Beware Exploding Tennis Balls
Okay, this was just plain weird. A man playing fetch with his neighbor's dog watches in horror as the dog's head explodes when Ivy the lab bit down on the tennis ball. Police say the ball was loaded with an explosive device.

The End of the Marcus Trail
DynoComm Buys the PSTA
Broadband Sports Acquires Action Sports Network
RSN Signs Conent Deal with AOL

Previous Bags o' Crapola:
-November 18, 2000
-November 9, 2000
-October 30, 2000
-October 25, 2000

Special thanks: to Jim Romenesko's MediaGossip.com.