At first I thought this was typical media stereotyping of skateboarders, until I watched the video of the guy who actually said it. A skateboarder foiled one of the nutjobs who was going to burn the Quaran in a public park in Amarillo, Texas. I applaud the positive vibes, although I also recognize the nutjob’s First Amendment right to burn the Quaran, or any other book or national flag, provided he does so in a safe manner. Maybe you should get a permit to do that, like the Nazi’s did in Skokie. Speaking of fire, I was at the Smokejumper visitor center in Missoula, Montana recently. I highly recommend it, fascinating stuff, but the point is, during the tour I observed that some smokejumpers, aside from being gnarly dudes (and gals) doing burley, dangerous work, they are also into street skating, the Misfits, and of course, longboards. – Thanks to… everybody and their brother who sent this in. [Photo: Amarillo Citizens Against Repent Amarillo]

Spotted somewhere in eastern Oregon during the post inaugural voyage of Grover’s new video camera. I hear there’s a new GVK around the, uh, corner. Enlarge-o-rama. Oh yeah, for the sake of the search engines. This is a billboard with a skateboard, advertising U.S. Cellular 3G coverage. It looks like they were kind of going for a retro look withthe board style, white pants and blue boat shoes, but the effect is kind of ruined by the modern cars in the background. I apologize for the lame post title.

And I’m not talking about a D&D monster. After seeing last week’s algebra ramp, Greg Baller sent this link over at the Death Science blog. There is absolutely no further information available about this art piece except for the rumor that it was skated before it flipped over. I swear someone once sent me a picture of a Thrasher tail light made by the folks at Death Science, but I can’t find it. – Thanks to Greg Baller for the tip.

The recycled skateboard material arms race is heating up. People use them to make art, pens, wallets, stools, lamps, office dividers, shoes, and yes, jewelry. There isn’t much being done with used wheels. I believe someone is using manufacturing wheels with recycled post consumer urethane, I’ll have to hunt that down. In the meantime, here’s a video from Portland’s own Maple XO, featuring Lindsay Jo’s earrings made from recycled skateboard wheels.

I don’t know much about this possibly diamond encrusted Bart Simpson pedant found over at the DJ Mobeatz blog, except that it’s attached to a free download for a fabulous hip hop track by Gucci Mane. It’s so great I can’t stand to listen to it. – Thanks to Chris Gannon for the tip.

Tim Ravins spotted this truck from Idaho Milk Transport all the way in Portland. I wouldn’t have thought we would need to go all the way to Idaho to get milk,. Makes you think about your food supply chain. I think the guy on the board is Gene Brice, one of the owners, who does not actually skate. I asked these guys about the skateboard in the logo and it turns out it was just a gag that someone drew for fun.

Andrew Lewicki is at it again. In addition to gold plated grind rails and walnut launch ramps, he’s made a thing called y=x². The formula is approximated in the transition of the ramp, and you’ll notice the stairs to the deck can’t actually help you get anywhere. I admire his work conceptually, but I have to think he’s playing to an extremely limited subset of both the art world and the skateboarding world. Still, it tickles a part of my brain just knowing that someone goes through the trouble and expense to actually construct these items. Then again it tickles a different part of my brain thinking about the fact that all that wood has been wasted approximating a structure that can’t be skated. – Thanks to Kelly Robertson for the tip. [Source: MROD]

French Vogue, as spotted on Jezebel. Scantily clad models posing shots of roughing up dudes. In this case, Dewitt Cannon. I can’t see any of the accompanying text well enough to read what the point is. – Thanks to Eric Cherry for the tip.