As disappointed as I am with his term, I was ready to believe this for half a heart beat. This video is fake, but pretty well done. Come on Obama, get some for cryin’ out loud…

– Spotted on Facebook via KC

This Friday April 6th is the opening for With Much Haste a show featuring work by skaters/artists from Portland as well as Mickeal Broth and Barf from Born Ugly out of Richmond, Virginia. Check it out at Commonwealth Skateboarding (1425 SE 20th Ave.) Opening reception Friday, April 6 from 6-9 p.m. The show runs through April at least.

Man it seems like it has never not been raining here in Portland. I tagged along on Grover’s spring-break road trip to California with Brad Krohn. I’m more and more of a homebody as I get older. I go on these things hoping to postpone the petrification. It can be challenging traveling with an eight year-old, a big baby and a perpetual teenager but we did eventually see the sun. I didn’t try very hard to document but you can see a few shots and read an old man’s thoughts and impressions of the trip over at Antigravity Press.

A few people have 900’s under their belts but the first kid to land a 1080 is 12 year old Tom Schaar (no relation to Steve Claar) who did the whole thing in front of a few people and not a televised sporting event packed with spectators. The asterisk comes from the fact that it was done on a megaramp specially modified just for the occasion. The feat is spectacular, amazing and Extreme!™ but it would seem harder to accomplish on a regular size ramp. Of course, your beloved author can’t even land a 360 on a regular ramp, much less attempt anything on a megaramp. Tom landed it on his fifth try!!! (!!!!!) Where did it happen? Woodward West, with a little help from Red Bull. I kind of feel bad for this kid, like he got robbed of his chance for a spectacle. He’ll never get a Pizza Pocket endorsement now. Tom needs a better agent. Video after the jump. WARNING: both videos autostart. I can’t turn it off.

– Thanks to Boy Ipoh for the tip.

I wouldn’t wish these Rector knee pads on my worst enemy, but it’s kind of tempting to have a brand new sweat-free pair on the wall. I remember being so stoked on these the day I replaced my soft padded volleyball-style kneepads for a fresh pair of Rectors. They came in a nice plastic bag with a hard handle that had locking tabs. $15 bucks is about what these are actually worth, with historical/nostalgia value making up the greater part of their worth. Get some at Marcs Board Shop.

Portland Parks and Recreation is out of money. The red tape has been more or less cleared for the rest of Portland’s planned 19 skateparks, but there just isn’t any funding. Somebody in Southeast Portland must be doing some real grass roots work for this meeting to even be on the table. Unless I’m mistaken, Portland communities don’t have to wait for the city. If they can raise money, they can get it built.

Powell Park was identified as a location for a skatespot. We are inviting you to hear more about the project timeline and a unique public/private partnership that will allow us to take steps toward implementing our Skatepark System Plan.

The open house will provide information on the project, proposed timeline, fundraising goals, and give the community a chance to make their interest, support, ideas, and concerns heard.

When: Thursday April 5, from 6-7:30 p.m.
Where: Cleveland High School, Library (3400 SE 26th Ave.)

Be there or fee free not to complain when it’s finished.

If you’re truly living the good life, you want your sandwiches to be fresh, right? What else could you ask for? Sandwhich saver? More like Life saver.

– Thanks to Brian for the photo.

A few pics from the Extreme Zone Shop in Legoland Florida. I think it’s less than a year old, and it shows a little. I don’t think it would be worth the cash if it was even moderately busy. For instance the “Factory” exhibit is the shoddiest fake animatronic display that looks like it was designed in one weekend to be temporarily set up in a mall. The park is geared towards little kids though, and mine had a blast. The Extreme Zone shop was just like any shop at the mall or airport. They didn’t give me any grief for moving a few displays out of the way to get the mini ramp in frame.

Ping has boxes of negatives from various sessions during the golden age of big pipe skating in various desert areas of the U.S. He’s slowly scanning and cleaning them up. You can check out the tip of the iceberg at Desert Pipes Galleries.