An article form the Economist:

The new waterway is part of the biggest water-diversion scheme in the world: the second arm of what is known as the South-North Water Diversion Project. This is designed to solve an age-old imbalance. The north of China has only a fifth of the country’s naturally available fresh water but two-thirds of the farmland.

The article goes into detail about the gross mismanagement of China’s water supply for industrial and agricultural uses, and how this canal is not really going to do much for the country as a whole, especially long-term. All you care about is that it won’t be skateable after October 31st, because that’s when the water starts flowing.

– Thanks to Gene Sato for the tip.

You’re looking at a new Evergreen Skateparks skate spot that is included the brand new K^hunamokwst Park being built in the Cully neighborhood of NE Portland. What is a K^hunamokwst? It’s a Chniook wawa word that means “together.” It’s actually the first park in Portland’s system that has an indigenous name, and has a fairly routine pronunciation. The larger park is scheduled to open in Spring of 2015, and although the skate spot should be completed much sooner, it seems unlikely that the fences will come down to allow skating before the whole park is finished.

I’m so excited, I’m about to wet myself. Mom, can I go on it? CAN I, CAN I, CAN I, CAN I, CAN I???? This gently used “Huge Commercial Inflatable Skate Slide~Bouncer~Halfpipe~Skateboard Ollie Kid!!!!” can be yours at a buy it now price of $3,249.99. Now’s your chance to get the halfpipe you’ve always wanted Grover! Is that an early Street League logo on the side of the ramp? What kind maneuver is that anyway?

– Thanks to Josh at BPA for the tip.

Marissa Tomei on skateboard. Too bad we can’t see Marissa Tomei on a Marissa Tomei skateboard. This comes from Alltimers, although for the life of me I can’t find a web presence for them. Marissa appeared on the Conan O’Brien show, where his staff set the board up upside down so the trucks wouldn’t cover her face.

– Thanks to Matthijs for the tip.

In spite of Billy Bragg, Skateboarders, BMXers and artists have prevailed in their attempts to prevent historic the South Bank spot in London from being turned into a strip mall. The Save South Bank coalition also has a book for sale that looks pretty well conceived, but details like page size and count are non-existant.

[Source: Good Magazine] – Thanks to MC for the tip.

Funded and built by volunteers at SkatePal. The first one is in Zababdeh, and there are plans for two more. Get the details from Vice.com.

– Thanks to Orezona for the tip.

After exhaustive research of the very crowded field of contenders, Skate And Annoy is finally able to give you the definitive top 2 record covers featuring violinists playing while riding a skateboard. In the interest of fairness, I’m going to list them in chronological order. Drumroll please… First there was the country, rock, Cajun and calypso sounds of Steamin´ Freeman, a guy who once hailed from Bellingham, Washington. Who knows, maybe he can be found lurking at the Bellingham skatepark. Then in 1979, Rounder Records released Mark O’Connor’s “On the Rampage,” which he recorded at the ripe young age of 17! So it likely wasn’t the record company’s idea that he pose on a skateboard. According to this review, he was an excellent bluegrass player.

UPDATE: Added videos of Mark O’Connor concert performed on skateboards.

Upcycle, recycle, bicycle. Yet another Kickstarter for a skateboard project, this time to make skateboards out of used bourbon barrels. It seems moderately cool at first and I was kind of on board until I watched the video. I must have been in a bad mood, because listening to these guys made me want to punch them in the face. I’m not a violent person, and I’m sure they are nice people, so I apologize to the folks at Hepcat, which unfortunately has nothing to do with the excellent band Hepcat. The company is not primarily a skateboard brand, they just want to make lifestyle products out of upcycled material, an idea that has been recycled a lot lately. Yes, this is backlash. I am one sour (mash) old man today. Silly and overpriced, but I bet they smell good.

– Thanks to MC for the tip.

In 1991 McDonalds issued Happy Meal toys consisting of memvbers of the “Laf-Squad” riding motorized vehicles. The Laf Squad must have been the secret, paramilitary arm of the Laff-A-Lympics splinter group known as the Yogi Yahooeys. Of the four figures, only Boo Boo Bear had the privilege of riding the customary out of scale skateboard. Here he is, more stylish than your average bear. And yes, he is on actual pool coping.

When this came up for auction I made myself stop following it because I was trying to save money and my basement is already filled with all kinds of bullshit. Now I’m kicking myself because it sold for only $40, although I think shipping was something like $20 if I recall correctly. Still, for the money, this is the kind of bulshit I should have added to my collection. On the surface, the board is nothing special, but on closer inspection the truck and wheel combination is pretty interesting. It’s got 60’s style Chicago Trucks with the sheet metal baseplate, and yet it has 70’s era urethane wheels. Then there’s that awesome color sticker with a hotdog skateboard that says “Frankly the Best.” The icing on the cake is the 2 color screen printed graphic on the box. They were really giving this thing the hard sell.

– Thanks to David Maes for the tip.