Brad Domke on big wave
Brad Domke, whom you see here, is the second-best skimboarder in the world! But who be number one?

Meet: the best skimboarder in the world!

And it isn't Brad Domke!

Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass was one of my favorite books as a child and  Humpty Dumpty’s explanation  of The Jabberwocky my favorite part. It introduced me to the idea of portmanteau words and instilled in me a belief that writers get to shape language, not just employ it.

Thanks to this video I’ve got a few additions for the lexicon:

Hilarishame – the feeling when you’re disappointed in yourself for finding something funny.

Pathetirad – a spectacular disaster that is the inevitable result of encouraging an idiot’s terrible decisions.

 


Outside Magazine maligns a surf legend!

Outside Magazine, from Santa Fe, dreams of Olympic inclusion. Yuck!

Outside Magazine, from Santa Fe, New Mexico, loves to wade into the surf like all inland peoples do. They love the wash of saltwater on their sunburned skins! They love being beachy! They love feeling the sand between their toes and their Teva sandals! And today they published a treatise on why surfing should be included in the Olympics (read here).

The author argued, I think (I’m drunk!) that surfing should be in the Olympics because Samsung sponsors the WSL for some totally sham amount that Paul Speaker has made up (don’t forget that Kelly Slater earns lots more than 20 mil a year) and that Go-Pro’s kook founder Nick Woodman surfs and Go-Pro is worth billions but mostly because high quality artificial waves are a distinct possibility.

Have you ever seen one (an honest quality artificial wave not a Paul Speaker or Nick Woodman)? Me neither. But Outside‘s author ends his passionate bit by writing:

“Why not give the thousands of talented young surfers with Olympic dreams the chance to express their art form, be it in salt or chlorinated water?”

Viva Rick Kane! Viva New Mexico!

(PS. The maligned surf legend is none other than Matt Warshaw. I think. I’m drunk!)


In Defense: of the expensive t-shirt

Kelly Slater launches Outerknown and Instagram melts down.

Kelly Slater and team officially launched OuterKnown today and bravo to them and let us celebrate! Outerknown, according to the website:

… explores the relationship between function, style and sustainability. As designers, it challenges us to build better, more sustainable products. As producers, it asks us to lift the lid on our supply chain, bringing the consumer along on our journey to transparency. As storytellers, it enables perpetual evolution of our brand vision. As athletes and performers, it pushes us to formerly impossible levels. As global citizens, it offers the opportunity to observe this multi-cultural world we live in and bring together seemingly unconnected people and ideas for the purpose of discovering the next Outerknown.

Kelly announced via Instagram and the people went crazy with celebration!

“How can you sell something called the ‘Vagabond Cargo’ for $195? You know what vagabond means, right?”

“No one is going to buy a $120 shirt.”

“Way above my pay grade. Holy shit.”

“Nope. Keeping my dollars.”

“RIP OFF!!!!!!!! Good luck selling this overpriced crap.”

“I can use $100 to better someone’s life rather than blow it on a tshirt.”

“Outerknown? More like Outofmypricerange.”

And, come now, people. Why so sour? I will admit that to buy expensive just to look expensive is very very un-chic. The boys with designer scoop necked Ts at the bar are silly, they just don’t know it yet. “Updated Pauly Ds” as my wonderful friend calls them. Clothes, in fact, that say “look at me” are not good. But quality costs money. Fit costs money. Proper drape costs money. Sustainability costs money. Part of the reason this globe is sinking into a warmed abyss is because cheap consumer goods.

I really and truly hate defending the expensive t-shirt because it has become such a “thing” but you all made me do it.

So fuck you.

J/K

Come here to see Kelly’s shoot with Ben Watts, dressed in Ok, for GQ. 

Go here to shop.

 


Great white rescued after it got beached chasing seagulls at Chatham, Massachusetts.
Here's the seven-foot juvie white that had to be rescued after it got beached chasing seagulls at Chatham, Massachusetts.

Feel-Good: Humans Save Beached Great White

Overzealous juvie white chases seagulls, gets sand under his girth, faces slow death…

In a reverse of the usual situation where a human being enters the great white’s lair and is thus eaten alive or de-legged, and the world is thereupon lectured about the foolishness of anyone being in the ocean, a great white has ventured too far into the human’s domain and…what…

…we revive the animal and send him back into the drink!

Witnesses say the seven-foot juvenile white got stuck near South Beach in Chatham, Massachusetts, as the tide went out. The shark was tagged by a state shark scientist.

Watch the video…jab…jab…jab!

It’s the third white shark tagged off Chatham this year.

Is any further evidence of the ultra-evolved nature of man now necessary?

Baby white is sure lucky he didn’t bump into Tennessee gal Veronica-Pooh Nash Poleate whose homespun common sense electrified the world a few days ago (12 million views).

In response to a mess of shark attacks in North Carolina, straight talking Ronnie said, “The shark has the right to eat you up when you get in his house. Use some common sense if you are going to the beach. Go to the… beach. You watch the ocean from a distance.”

But what happens when the shark comes into the man’s house? We don’t “ate him up.”

We save our friend!


Be a famous surfer today!

A new TV show seeks to find the next international surfing star!

Do you look at Kelly Slater and say, “Pssssssht. I can do that.” Do you watch Brett Simpson paddle out for his heats and think, “What makes him so special?” Do you sit at home wondering why you are not sponsored by RVCA or at the very least Hurley?

Well, your questions are answered and your problems are solved!

“The award-winning producers of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ are casting the best surfers from around the world to compete for a grand prize on a brand new TV show on a major cable network.On this exciting new series, competitors will face thrilling challenges both on the water and off, tackling monster waves and surprise tests of skill, balance, strategy, innovation, commitment, speed and power – all for a chance to win a grand prize!It doesn’t matter if you’re a competitive or recreational surfer. As long as you’ve got what it takes to compete against the best and prove your skills on national television, then we want to hear from you.”

Yes. It is real. Send an email to [email protected] if you are totally deluded and/or like to be a laughingstock and/or have mild retardation and/or really have somehow fallen through the cracks like Chippa Wilson. Don’t delay, do it today!

P.S. It might not seem real because they have a gmail address but, ummm, yeah. It is.