These are movie posters from the 1992 movie Encino Man, or “California Man” as they called it in France. I’m not sure what the Thai translation is. I’m not sure if Brenden Frazier actually rides a skateboard in the movie, and I’m not about to go watch it and find out. A quick search for Pauly Shore on a skateboard turns up one animated gif that may be from the movie, who knows. Quality stuff right here on Skate and Annoy. I kid you not. – Thanks to Claude Queyrel for the tip.

You can now pay to have various levels of “celebrities” record personalized video messages for you. Amongst other personalities like Pee Wee Herman (!!), there are currently 52 skateboarders to chose from, some famous, some not-so-famous. The pay scale is sliding and serves as a barometer for how popular (or how bored) these personalities are. Bucky Lasek for only $15??? Even the Lizard King is up to $25. Guys like Jason Jesse are going for $25, while a puffy Bam Margera can be rented for $65. Was little surprised to see Richie Jackson on there at all, but I guess it’s a quick $50 for him that can come in handy at the local thrift store. Skate and Annoy really needs personalized video from Tony Hawk saying how much this site sucks. Now accepting donations…

It’s only been about 9 years since I first became aware of the Ski Skate, and now at long last, I can add a second post on this ancient relic. Check out this promotional flyer from the toy company that made it. I say toy company, but they seemed to split their product line into the categories of subpar sports-training and unofficial Star Wars glom-on products like the Force Beam and the Force Missile. One is essentially a light saber, and the other is a pneumatically launched rocket that looks vaguely like a TIE Fighter with “The Force” grafted onto the product name. If they love skiing, skateboarding and surfing, they’ll love the Ski Skate™! Trust them, they are from LA.

These stills are from a devastating gun violence in schools PSA from Sandy Hook Promise that starts out as a familiar “Back to School Essentials” commercial that takes a dark turn pretty quickly. Very timely in light of the season and recent tweets from that idiot Huckabee.

Stay in your own lane Mike Huckabee. Leave the skate-harassment of Beto to the professionals. This isn’t a laughing matter, but Dr. Schapiro sure made my day.

I think this web site is called WHATSUP. (WHATSUP???) Follow this link for pictures of a crazy concrete dragon built for skating in an art exhibit they may have something to do with Vans.

Check out my backside grind. Are they still doing poser of the month in photograffiti? “Last night we received a report of a collision at Walter E Hall park. Two individuals ran from the scene after they attempted to “drop in” at the skate park. They were not located.” Just run away, they’ll never find you! – Thanks to Bobcat for the tip. [Photo: Everett Washington Police]

Way back in the dark ages when I was a kid and not just a kid at heart, I was in love with Hot Wheels, Matchbox, and Johnny Lightning cars. And then I saw Darda cars. Pretty much the same scale, but they also had the added benefit of a friction motor with rubber treads. These things would fly, and you could navigate loops without the need for a gravity assist. Also unlike Hot Wheels, the tracks were multicolored, and they just looked cooler. The cars had a different aesthetic too, slightly chunkier, probably so that they could encase the motor. Some (if not all) models had a pressure switch on the back which could be used to store the kinetic energy until activated. Set 2 cars on the track and start the first one off, when it returned to the start it would hit the second car and activate it. Meanwhile, if you were fast enough, or had another pre-revved car available, you could keep the race alive. The downside? They were from Germany, and were only readily available in Europe, or the boutique toy stores. In 1984 they made a very strange looking skateboard set. Granted, the few…

A: Because they come from China and wholesale for less than $1 a piece. Seriously, would it kill them to make the seats a little deeper so that the tool doesn’t become useless if you’ve got really soft bushings or want to tighten things down for a mega ramp session? I get unsolicited emails from Chinese companies all the time, trying to sell me plastic skateboards, cheap decks, trucks, wheels, and even authentic (?) “Bones” bearings, all on the cheap. “Swiss” bearings imported from china, including packaging. Thanks Dwindle.

Or, as Lands’ End phrased it in a recent catalog, “Skate like a pro, dress like their agent.” Hopsack Blazers, available in “Big Boy” and “Little Boy” sizes. – Thanks to Tallboy Can for the scan.