I was at a children’s birthday party (you know, looking for dates) that was outside. I noticed one of the skate stoppers was a little loose, so as I sat there and made polite small talk I just kept wiggling. After I got it home I rummaged through a pile of allen wrenches I had left over from assorted trips to Ikea. It turns out I had a handful of them that were the right size. I tried to rig up a drill to make a small hole in the tip to accommodate the nipple (Hee hee!) but I couldn’t get it to work. All my bits were already chewed up and I couldn’t make a purchase in the small end. Somewhere, someone i China is manufacturing theses modified allen wrenches. Finding them on the internet is like looking for a needle in a haystack . I may give it another go with a new drill bit. Until then, Enlarge-o-rama.

The City of Poway has temporarily closed the skatepark due to “turnstyle construction” which is a weasel’s way of getting around the fact that they are installing biometric fingerprint ID scans as way restrict park usage for certain age groups during select times and of course “cut down on vandalism.” The scanner has a price tag of $5,700, but who knows what it will cost in red tape and overhead in the future. And what is the human cost? WON’T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN. Oh my god, I think I’m going to be sick. We’ll sink with California, when it falls into the sea. See SIgn On San Diego for the full, sad tale. – Thanks to Tito for the tip.

This has been making the rounds in the past few days. The city of Sarasota Springs, New York filled in the bowl at their local skatepark, essentially because the coping was damaged and the bowl was covered in graffiti, and they couldn’t afford the upkeep, what with having to pay people to make sure the helmets were strapped. It’s just one big long list of lame excuses. Must not be much of a big scene there, if the locals let that happen. Read all about it in the Saratogian. Kevin Cann pointed me to some video of the bowl, he regularly made the journey there from the Great White North. Looks like it would have been fun.

Wow. I can’t believe this one flew under my radar for so long, but it was released a mere year after Thrashin’. I’m not sure what this movie is about, but it’s got two Playboy Playmates and a skateboarding goon (Hey! that’s Russ Howell?1) who meets a spectacular untimely demise. Is it because he’s doing handstands down the middle of a highway, or because he’s spinning 360’s with an inflatable doll? Both valid reasons, to be sure, but not there are other extenuating circumstances. Playmates are well known for their acting chops, so you know this clip is… not going to feature them. – Thanks to Skate D for the tip.

Three no skateboarding signs. Kathleen just sent me one and I’ve been hoarding the others.

Looks like the civil lawsuit against the Baltimore cop who has anger management issues when it comes to skateboarders (and RC car enthusiasts…) has been tossed out of court again. I thought the damages they were seeking were ridiculous, but I still think this guy doesn’t serve or protect the best interests of the citizens of Baltimore, even though he has been back on the job for several months. – Thanks to Doc Murdock for the tip.

Skate harassment at it’s best. Check it out after the jump.

Spotted outside the Rose Garden Arena in Portland. At least it doesn’t look as crappy as the metal ones.

Oops! St. Helena California Helena Police log reports increasing attendance at Grindline’s new St. Helena, California Skatepark. Wednesday, Aug. 12 1618 — Report of approximately nine kids skating without helmets at the unfinished Crane Park skatepark. Police responded and told the kids not to come back until the park opens. Friday, Aug. 14 2042 — A man on Main Street complained of a stomach ache. He said he’d been drinking all day and hadn’t had anything to eat since the morning. He was taken to St. Helena Hospital for evaluation.

I saw this little gem behind the outlet malls in Lincoln City, Oregon this weekend. Now I’m only disappointed in myself that I didn’t investigate how easy it would have been to add this to the permanent Kilwag collection. But then again, not the sort of thing you’d want to do with a sleeping toddler in the car. This might be my favorite no skateboarding sign of all times. You have to dig the no nonsense approach. Click to enlarge. UPDATE: just added another beauty of a sign from the same location, from reader John Drummond.