Oh, how do I love the eBay? let me count the ways. The real question is, will the “Hugs, not drugs” sticker detract or add to the value of this Nash Executioner?

The M.E.S.S. guys will tell you backyard contests are (were) what it’s all about. Are there any vert contests beside the televised marketing vehicles of the X-Games and the AST Dew Tour? Well, in the U.K. there is the, uhm, U.K. Independent Vert Series, that looks like it’s just an excuse for vert riders to get together and skate with other vert riders in different areas. There’s a point ranking and a paltry purse at the end of the year. The editor of Europeskate (Jonathan Young) says there’s a small but dedicated scene of vert riders, although he didn’t say whether or not they still make fun of freestylers. There’s some video from something called the Blackpool Seaside Session contest which was at some undisclosed date in 2008. Watch Sean Goff take some hard slams after the jump.

[Source: Europeskate]

I can’t believe I’m actually getting this one up in time, but this week’s Shot of the Week also marks the start of the second year of actually updating the shots once a week. Before that there was just the showcase gallery that would sometimes (OK, usually) stay unchanged for over a month.

This week’s Shot of the Week is a Xeno photo of Fritz Mead. I originally wanted to use a photo I found on the Saturday Skateboards web site, but Xeno pointed it out that it was pretty old and had already run in Focus. I don’t care about that so much, but I did like this photo a lot. It’s a 2008 shot from a place called Attleboro, which I’m guessing is in Massachusetts. This photo is actually a little misleading in terms of the scale of the skate structure. There’s a shot after the jump that will put it into perspective.

There are several organizations out there for giving skateboards to needy and/or at-risk youth. Some of them are in Africa, some are closer to home. The newest one, Board Rescue, seems to be the most organized option. They are a non-profit corporation with a (skate)board of directors that has some industry ties. I ‘m pretty sure the directors are all unpaid volunteers. Board Rescue’s Mission is “to provide free skateboards and safety equipment to children, targeting low-income and at-risk youth.” There’s also an informal group called United Skates Alliance that was started by Randy at Flood Kontrol. The United Skate Alliance’s mission is “To UNITE underprivileged kids with skateboards and supplies.” It looks like he is literally just taking old and new equipment and giving it to kids. So while they might not be able to provide the tax receipt, the gear probably gets disseminated quicker. It looks like both organizations accept new gear. Used, but still useful gear might find a better home at United Skate Alliance. Board Rescue also accepts monetary donations.

– Thanks to Judi Oyama and Chris Stephens for the tip.

After last week’s post on saucy skateboard ads from the ’70s (UK vs US), the editor of Vintage Skateboard Magazines was kind enough to send in some scans he hadn’t gotten around to publishing yet.

I’m not one for the unprovoked posting of a bunch of product releases as ‘news’ but the Riprider from Creature has got to be the coolest thing I’ve seen in forever and a day. It’s so simple, obvious… and beautiful. I’m gushing. Hey N.H.S., hook a brother up! Oh wait, I just blew my bargaining chips…

Yeah, we’ve got readers in Sweden, but we’ve also go them in Brazil (Excuse me, Brasil) too.

My name is Luciano and I’m one of the people who make skateboarding run here in south of brasil (porto alegre,RS) we maintain a 30 year old skate park named Swell Skate Camp, a skate park located in the very south of Brazil, its cold and it rains a LOT here! Build by skateboardes back in the seventies, in the middle of nowhere, in the heart of a forest, it contains a snake run ended in a gnarly hand made 12ft bowl. Also here a mini ramp, and last week our NEW LOVE has born, a BRAND NEW BOWL due to the help of 25 skateboarders with some cash and an idea. Also theres a mountain board course. Its like a farm, perfect to chill and skate, just 20 miles form the city…

Well, we’ll be hosting an old school to event to celebrate with a INAUGURAL session. The OPENING day will be held on May 31st and June 1st.the event is the Vans Old Is Cool 2008. It’s gonna be the first event on our new pool/bowl whatever u call it and we will celebrate 30 years anniversary of the snake run course.

Guys like Bruno Brown and Cesinha Chaves will participate amongst others… place will be packed with all the oldschool skateboardes who started the sport in brazil.

You can get all the details here, assuming you speak Portuguese. OK, we’re going to load up the SnA staff into my van and see if we can make it down there in time…

Well, I guess not. Here are two recent submissions from opposite ends of the earth and age spectrum. The youngster on the left (Jay Holmstrom) hails from Sweden, while the oldster on the right (Wrex Cook) was shot in Arizona by Old Man Army.

Straight from the comments to the front page. When you think “urban,” the first thing that comes to mind is a bunch of white guys and and Tiki beach culture, right? RIGHT??? If ever there was a company with an identity crisis, it’s got to be Urban Skates. The Skub Brothers make spinner wheels and longboards, although it appears they got their start in rollerskates. They’ve even got a signature model skateboard spinner wheels. Care to hazard a guess?

– thanks to Bailgun for the tip

Gotta love infotainment graphics. This one is from the Denver Post article on William Spencer. Reminds me of several things. I think a good fake job for a character in a book or movie would be dental animation specialist – or someone who makes a living modeling 3d computer graphics of mouths and teeth for toothpaste and mouthwash commercials. We’ve covered this guy before, but now there’s newer footage. Supposedly, Spencer stunt doubled Orlando Bloom in a Japanese hair care commercial.