While we were out… Seattle’s City Center skate park or SeaSk8 as it sometimes gets called, was demolished to make way for a new Bill Gates foundation complex. January 3 of 2007 marked the second time in recent years that the city of Seattle tore down a perfectly good skatepark to appease developers. Of course some might argue that the Seattle Center park was not exactly perfectly good. As with Ballard, more money was allocated to replacing the skatepark. Talk about inefficiency, why not just build two new parks and leave the old ones accessible? It’s clear that I don’t understand or appreciate eminent domain and the wheels of commerce. Pre/post demolition pics, links and more after the jump. [Credits: Demo Picture – Auggiedawg, Fascist Bill Gates – The Software War

I’m a little confused on this commercial for Capri Slims from 1995. We don’t allow cigarette commercials on TV in the U.S., but I don’t know what’s the norm in Canada. Lisa Whitaker was the stunt double for this commercial and she posted it. I contacted her for more info but it’s been over a week with no word yet. This commercial follows the typical “creative person amidst a sea of stuffed shirts finds an unusual way to take care of business.” Actually, it’s almost exactly like a Mentos commercial, except Capri Slims aren’t exactly a freshmaker. There’s nothing hotter than a barefoot career woman reeking of polyester, pantyhose, and cigarette smoke. Watch the commercial after the jump.

I get the whole deal with German engineering and all, but all I get from this commercial for the Audi TT is a sterile computer animation vibe. I barely noticed this when I saw it on TV. Catch the commercial and links to the other “Car as skateboard” posts after the jump.

Judi Oyama – Judi Oyama was born and raised in Santa Cruz, has been skateboarding for 33 years (currently ranked first in the World in slalom masters), and is an artist and graphic designer for Giro/Bell Sports. Judi worked with local skate artist Jimbo Phillips and concrete artist David Pettigrew to create a proposal for the park’s strongest visual element, the 18′ full pipe. A graphic grey-tone wave illustration will be transferred onto the full pipe using sandblasting and other concrete sculpting techniques. In addition to highlighting the wave form of the full pipe and addressing the park’s proximity to the ocean, the finished piece will also serve the functional need of discouraging park visitors from climbing on the wave form. I didn’t realize the public art aspect of the new Santa Cruz skatepark was done with the help of Jimbo Phillips. Judi herself sent in a link to some shots of the wave graphic preparation. Turns out it was sandblasted. Check it out. Also, check out the Santa Cruz Skate Park Blog.

Seven is an art exhibition of laser etched skateboards. Refill Magazine is the show’s sponsor. Their press states it’s a new technology but the Laser etching process predates pospsicle shaped skateboards. Right now the web site is mostly coming soon and only has a handful of examples. Since you have to sit through an animation and they don’t stand still for long, we’ve pulled a few off in static form after the jump. Legendary skateboard artist Jim Phillips is the only industry affiliated person on the contributors list so far. [Source: Freshness]

What’s the deal with naming it Nike SB? I mean, do we ride skate boards or skateboards? Even if you have a beef with Nike getting back into skateboarding, you have to admit they have always done their commercials right, starting with the famous “what if we treated all athletes they way we treat skateboarders” series. Actually, I should have posted those first, but this newer ad is almost equally as good. I’m including Nike SB in this series because Nike is primarily a company that is not skateboarding centric. Catch the commercial and a behind the scenes vid after the jump. [Source: Brettner.com]

You be the judge. Watch this reporter take a hard slam on a skateboard while interviewing a BMX guy for the Dew Tour. Perhaps she should have gotten skateboard advice from a skateboarder instead. This happened on a local Portland newscast and somehow we got scooped. Catch this video without annoying aftermarket sound effects or Ebaums’ World screen tattoo after the jump.

We’re sensitive. So what? [Source: Etnies Girl]

Yesterday we did Australia, so today we’re in Europe with Pierre Andre, the other, other freestyler. This is a commercial for a French yogurt drink called Yop. If it were English, it would have been appropriate to call it Fop, considering the fashion and demeanor of freestyle in the 80’s. The highlight of this commercial is the Primo slide, Primo being the other, other, other freestyler. More Pierre Andre love after the jump.

Short, sweet, and to the point. This is a commercial for the Sun Herald newspaper. Which one? Well, it’s not the one in Mississippi or Florida, so that leaves the one in Australia. Heck of a nice backside 180 ollie. Catch the commercial after the jump.