Rodney Mullen on Getting back up

I was first introduced to Rodney Mullen at 12 years old as the guy who invented the kickflip. Ever since  I saw one of his ads, and then his video parts, I was completely impressed by how complicated his tricks are. He does things that no one else can do. Plain and simple. Not only has Rodney pioneered many of the staple tricks that skateboarders use today, but he could definitely still impress even the most talented dudes with his technical skill.











As skateboarders, we look at the world through a different lens than most people, and that's what I love about skaters. Even if you are completely different in background, style, culture, or whatever, you can find friends at the skatepark, or a smile or advice on the street.



One of the main things we all have in common as skateboarders, and as human beings I think, is that we have all fallen down at one point and felt like we couldn't get up. Dilligence is where the average person can gain from the skaters example. . . We know how to fall down so hard your ears are ringing from the impact with the concrete, and still get right back up and try again. Persistence and fearlessness are two characteristics of skaters that are clearly transferable to any situation, and occur also in many of the most prominent humans on the planet today.

The lesson in all this? If the military industrial complex and its army of corporations has got you down . . .

Never give up. Get your ass back up, and try again . . .

Nike Skateboarding vs Consolidated 

Nike Executives on Skate Decks

The mega-conglomerate Nike recently entered the skateboard industry, and has quickly climbed to the top of the food chain, as they have done in other industries. This rise to the top is a direct result of  cunning business practices the corporation employs including sweatshops, environmental degradation, off-shore bank accounts, and calculated marketing tactics. However, thousands of kids love their fresh new Nike SBs, and the company is throwing down cash to its pros, and even offering healthcare packages. So is it such a negative thing that Nike has entered skateboarding? The answer is definitively yes.

Don't think so? Just ask Nike's business executives . . .

Consolidated Skateboards has since the time before Nike even got into skateboarding advocated against corporate skateboard anything. And for good reason. The Skateboard industry began with skateboarders who started small businesses and local skate shops, and has evolved into the multi-billion dollar industry it has today. Corporations destroy small businesses, and therefore it is much better if we keep them out of skateboarding completely, and keep the money in the hands of skateboarders, right? Damn yeah!

That's why when I first learned about consolidated skateboards, and their anti-corporate agenda, even as a little kid I already loved it. They came up with this awesome campaign to spread awareness about keeping corporations out of skateboarding called 'DONT DO IT.' The slogan basically meant just that, Don't fucking buy corporate skateboard stuff, don't ride for corporate sponsors, don't fucking ruin skateboarding. Great idea right? You know you sold out and bought a pair of Nikes. . . don't act like you didn't.

Anyway, recently Consolidated created a line of decks to showcase the CEO's of Nike SB, to give them the credit they deserve for successfully ruining skateboarding. 

Nike Execs truly earned their pro models

President of SB, Mark Parker

V.P., Sandy Bodecker

and Chairman, Phil Knight

The really funny thing is that this shit is out in the open. The Wall Street Journal even ran an article mentioning the decks, right after praising Parker for his company strategies. How's that? So good strategy is put all small companies and local shops out of business, and centralize the industry to a point where only corporate sell-out skateboarders are able to make a living off of skating? Fuckin right.

The journal writes,

'Nike's response was characteristically in-your-face. Global design head Sandy Bodecker -- shown on one of the boards with a sales projection chart and a brown nose -- purchased them on eBay and recently displayed them proudly in a prototype for a Nike retail concept store. "I personally was very pleased to be in such august company" he says.'

It's like corporations are proud of the way they dominate the supposedly 'free' market, and monopolize every profitable industry down to . . . skateboarding? Seriously ? These people should be shot.

The decks are cool, but not the first attempt at a consolidated product geared toward drawing attention to and spreading awareness about this cancer that has attached itself to skateboarding. Consolidated released a Nike look a like shoe, with a banana on the side several years back, when Nike was first beginning to plan it's takeover. . .

Why is Tanner Puking all over his brand new kicks? Well he got fucking wasted that's why . . . and when he woke up, there were what appeared to be corporate shits adorning his precious feet. But those aren't actually Nikes, those kicks were designed, produced, and sold by skaters, for skaters. Tanner is feeling a lot better . . .

The moral of this story is that basically, They Don't Give a Fuck About Us! Who's they? Why corporations of course. Who are we? The masses sucka. In reality, we have the power. Not them. . . 

So let's stick it to em . . . Stop buying their shit, and they will straight go away. I promise. Actually, Nike tried several times to enter into the skateboard industry under the disguise of other brands. Remember Savier? We ran that company into the ground once skaters learned the Nike was behind this dastardly attempt at breaking into skating. Fuck them. Where were they for the last 25+ years when skaters were struggling just to get our sport legalized? 

Need some more reasons not to purchase Nikes?

So inform your friends kids. . . Nike is bad for skateboarding!

Oh, and if you see this guy, punch him in the teeth.

Sandy Boducker

Took my Skateboard to India . . .

Chennai, India

Had to do a spot of skateboarding in Kathmandu. This place is so amazing. We found some of the best hash, traveled to dozens of sacred sites, including Bodhinath, one of the world's biggest stupas, and several monasteries. Definitely go to Kathmandu if you can.


There is a hostel called the Kathmandu guest house, and it is cheap and really nice, with a view of Mount Everest from the roof, where you can sit and have breakfast. They also had herb growing in pots all over the place.

The entire surrounding countryside is littered with cannabis plants. They just grow along the ditches there. Many of the locals make hand made hash, opium, and it is even possible to find some nice sinsemilla flowers. It seems like most of India doesn't understand the whole, don't let the males pollinate the females thing.



Thoroughly enjoying ourselves . . .

Boddhinath Stupa, Nepal