Where the Wild Things Ought to Be

Crailtap threw a little "Where the Wild Things Ought to Be" contest. Click here for the winner.

What don't you F@#%'n understand?

Yeah, I'm a bit in blog overload this morning. Some might call it procrastination. You've probably already seen this, but some people who read this blog don't even skate, so I thought I'd share. That is an awesome promo, thanks to Boil the Ocean for reminding me of it.

Pete Koff, Supercharged

Pete Koff introducing Supercharged, the Life and Time's of Tim Brauch at the San Jose Premiere, September 26th, 2009.

(Abby iphone photo)

Jazz Funeral

Great stuff from Chuck Perkins.

BART Tour 2009 ESPN Edit

Yep another BART Tour edit. This one is the two days COMBINED! WHAT?! Thanks to ESPN for picking it up. Click here for the ESPN blog entry. Click here for our original versions.

The Tenderloin Project

Cool video I found on bhlandscape.

It's Fly.

I can't get enough of Fly, a blog about design & fashion. The designer from Philly says:

"I have collected images, websites, and photos that continue to inspire me. Along the way I felt that I had to share these things with you hoping to create a train of inspiration."

And yes, her blog continues to provide me with inspiration every day. Check out two of her recent vids:





For more Fly videos YouTube.com/apippins.
To follow on Twitter: Twitter.com/flygirlblog.

MIA Funky in Frisco

...Two rad videos from MIA skate shop, with Ben Gore, Danny Fuenzalida, Brian De LaTorre, Steve McClintock, Yonnie Cruz, and Zack Gonzales destroying San Fran.

"Big Insurance: Sick of It": SF Protesters Rush Anthem Blue Cross Office

This whole video was shot with my iPhone. I edited in some text and a few photos I shot as well.


Yesterday during my lunch break I ventured across the street to participate in a rally called "Big Insurance: Sick of It." I'm pretty bad at estimating crowds, but if you know San Francisco, the protesters took up a good thick city block and then some. I could barely elbow my way through the crowd (a short persons' claustrophobic nightmare), which was filled with giant signs, megaphones, and camera crews. I had my iPhone on me and decided to take some pics and video. I put together this video montage of the events which included a group of people bum-rushing the Anthem Blue Cross offices above the protest. I tagged along (although I think it was suppose to be only "media")... Obviously, Angela Braly, CEO of Wellpoint, Blue Cross, the intended recipient of the "List of Demands," never actually surfaced, but it was a valiant effort on everyone's part. These protests took place across the country, and I hope they made a big dent in the fight against giant Health Industry corporations.

I believe the protests were put on by Health Care for America Now, and possibly MoveOn.org (they both had plenty of pamphlets to hand out).

In the video you'll see Billionaires for Wealthcare singing one of their songs. You can find the lyrics to that song here [you'll need to scroll down to the bottom of that page].

I also met some nice people from change.org and sfnewsfeed.us.

Supercharged this Saturday

Our friend Pete Koff just sent over the premiere dates for Supercharged: the Life and Times of Tim Brauch. If you've been reading the blog then you know that we've helped out a little on this film. In fact the video posted above is the open sequence that Jeremey cut a month or two ago. (It has an alpha channel, which is why it goes to black.)

We can't wait to see the finished project on the big screen. Be there.

SUPERCHARGED DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE DATES:

San Jose at Camera 12 Cinema
Saturday September 26,
First show @7pm(doors at 6:30) and 9pm(doors at 8:30)
201 South Second Street San Jose, CA 95113 (408)-998-3300

San Francisco at the Victoria Theater
Thurs Oct.1 at 7:30pm(doors at 7)
2961 16th Street San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 863-7576

Santa Cruz at the Rio Theatre
Thurs Oct. 15th at 8pm(doors at 7:30)
1205 Soquel Avenue Santa Cruz, Ca 95062 (831) 423-8209

Obama Why?

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

BART Tour 2009 Part 2 Video: SF Library Best Trick

Roughneck BART Tour 2009 Part 2 went off at the San Francisco Library, Sunday September 20th. Paul Trep took it with a switch double heelflip. Enjoy the footage. Thanks to Shane Andrews for running second angle, death lens. The music was provided by Plasma Raygun, via Jamendo.

SF Library Best Trick Screens

BART Tour Round 2 at the San Francisco Library gap is coming. I've been cutting all day... and waiting on slow renders. Not sure why my computer is acting lame. It should be up by tonight or tomorrow. (Edit: It's up... that was quick. Click here.) In the meantime, here's some screens.











You can also peep the 48 Blocks edit:



You can also watch our friend Hidehiko's edit here.


Edit: To watch our video click here.

Top Ten Reasons to Support a Public Option

I've become pretty political lately when it comes to Health Care Reform and the Public Option (you know my whole 'personal story' and all). So much so, that I started a Facebook page for like-minded people.
Anyhoo, one thing I've found (other than realizing why so many people don't get political: angry friends= not fun) is that a lot of people don't see the benefit to a Public Option. They think it will create higher taxes, that it will become "government run", and so on. So, I've put together my top ten reasons why we should have a Public Option. I've even included references/links. They might not be in the order you would put them in, but hey, we can't agree on everything.

Quick Edit: I'd like to add a quote from The Nation's article: What Obama Should Be Saying About a Public Option:

"Obama can still get a public option. But he needs to understand that the public option is, itself, a compromise. It falls short of the "Medicare for All" model favored by serious reformers. As such, the president cannot compromise the compromise."

Top Ten Reasons to Support a Public Option

10. We Love Other Public Options
Imagine what it would be like if we didn’t have these Public Options. If my house is burning down, I really don’t want to call 911 and have them make sure my fire station takes my HMO.

9. People Should Come Before Profits
The Health Industry spends over 6.2 million lobbying against the Public Option, and is known for rescinding insurance coverage of patients in order to get higher bonuses. That says a lot about where the private industry interests go when it comes to your health and wellbeing. Your health should not be someone else’s bottom line.

8. Help the Backbone of Our Economy
A Public Option would help small businesses by saving them thousands of dollars. It would also help contractors and freelancers, college students transitioning into the workplace, and those who recently lost their jobs (can anyone actually afford COBRA?).

7. It's American!
Having as many choices as possible as well as creating competition is “American,” isn’t it? Well, 76% of Americans are asking for a choice between a public and private option. And to those who say it's unfair competition, I hate to break it to you, but public universities have not killed private universities. Bring on the choices, bring on the competition!

6. Put the Breaks on Special Interests
A democratic government is supposed to be run “by the people, FOR the people”. Not “by the rich, for the private interests”. Get it together, Max Baucus. When you receive over 2 million from the health industry, it’s not hard to see why you’re on their side. Except you work for us—the public.

5. Put Our Money Where Our Families Are
This is NOT the issue to wave the "fiscally conservative" flag. Why can we spend near trillions of dollars on wars, but not even close to that on creating healthy American people? PLUS, Obama even says he won't sign a bill that adds to our deficit! AND just because you think you're being economically mindful (looking past the odd moment to be so), doesn’t mean that in the long run you’re actually making a fiscally conservative judgment (you’ll see at #2)

4. Longer, Healthier American Lives
The United States has a life expectancy below that of 41 other nations, and over 45,000 Americans die each year from lack of Health Insurance. A Public Option would give these people a fighting chance that would dramatically improve our ranking.

3. Move Into the 21st Century
Universal health care is available in all industrialized countries except ours. At the very LEAST we should have a Public Option!

2. Save our Economy
The majority of Americans who filed for bankruptcies in 2007 were due to medical costs... and of those people, 80% had Health Insurance. A Public Option will help bring down bankruptcies by lowering costs, creating competition, and in the long run save all Americans money (we won’t be paying for all those bankruptcies!).

And the Number 1 reason to support a Public Option...

1. It's the Right Thing To Do
It’s a moral issue. We, as humans, should not decide who does or does not get help when they need it. Every person deserves health care. Apologies to those who are not Christian, but to quote Susan Brooks’ article: “Jesus was not about debating whether we should or should not heal the sick; Jesus went ahead and delivered health care directly to people who didn't have any health care.”

(The Lord said) “'For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. ' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. '” (Matthew 25:42-45 NIV)

~~~~~~~~
If you're on the same page as me... come join No Compromise! Americans for the Public Option.

No Compromise! Americans for the Public Option

Extremely Sorry: Flip Premiere SF

Flip Extremely Sorry was awesome. Lance Mountain killed it. Thanks to Shrewgy for hooking TeamJaded up VIP style.

Barack Obama Responds to My Open Letter

Remember my Open Letter to Barack Obama? Well, he wrote me back. Seriously!
And although it's a totally canned email (doesn't the "Dear Friend" give it away?), and I'm sure thousands of other people receive the same one, I thought I'd share.

Dear Friend:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I have heard from countless Americans struggling to afford health insurance and health professionals striving to provide care. I appreciate your perspective.

There is broad consensus among the American people on the need for affordable, high-quality health care. The rising cost of health care is the most pressing financial challenge for families and for our Nation, and controlling this cost is essential to bringing down the Federal deficits we inherited. We must end unfair insurance practices that leave millions of Americans without coverage, denying them access to care, and exposing them to extraordinary burdens. And we should ensure that all small business employees have access to affordable, high-quality health plans so that we can make our economy--and our small businesses- -more competitive. Now is the time to move forward, and I am working to get health insurance reform done this year.

Since I took office, we have done more to improve health care than we have in the previous decade. In February, I signed H.R. 2 to provide coverage for millions of children through the Children's Health Insurance Program, and I signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to make key investments in computerized medical records and preventive services.

Still, more must be done to lower costs, expand coverage, and improve the quality of health care. My 2010 Budget makes a major down payment on health insurance reform by implementing efficiencies in government health care spending while improving the quality of care. To help fulfill the debt we owe to our service men and women, it includes the largest proposed single-year increase in veterans funding in 30 years. It expands health care coverage to an additional 500,000 veterans by 2013, implements technology that eases the transition from military care to veterans' care, and enhances screening and treatment services for those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Looking forward, there are tough choices to be made, and I will seek to bring employers and workers, health care providers and patients, and Democrats and Republicans together to create a system that delivers better care and puts the Nation on a sustainable, long-term fiscal path. To learn more about my agenda or to share a personal story, please join me online at: www.healthreform.gov. For further information on health care and assistance that may be available to you, you may call 1-800-FEDINFO or visit: www.usa.gov.

I share the sense of urgency that millions of Americans have voiced. I watched as my ailing mother struggled with stacks of insurance forms in the last moments of her life. This is not who we are as a Nation; together, we will fix it.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

To be a part of our agenda for change, join us at www.WhiteHouse.gov

Lost and Found

Just in case you thought we forgot about the Make It Happen Project think again. Scott and Liz from Lost Film Fest, stopped by our house Wednesday night (on a brief S.F. detour on their way back from Burning Man) ...and they hooked us up with a TON of awesome footage and stills for Make It Happen: Lost Film Fest. In fact, way more than we could ever use. Thanks guys, you're awesome.

Michael Moore Gives Out Free Lunch to Bankers in SF... and to me.

I stumbled upon Michael Moore today near the Ferry Building. To promote and discuss his new movie Captialism: A Love Story, he gave out free lunch to all bankers. Although I don't even balance my checkbook (do people still do that?), I was given a nice turkey sammich from Specialties. Yum... Thanks Mr. Moore!





Here's the trailer:

BART Tour 2009 Video

This is Roughneck BART Tour 2009 part one, as some of you know the second half of the day was rained out. The 48 Blocks Best Trick contest at the San Francisco Library Gap is happening this Sunday 9/20/09. $250 is on the line. Be there.

(Edit 9/23/09: Insert BART Tour Part 2 Video: SF Library Gap Best Trick)


(For info on Part 2 click here.)

Thanks to Tyler Moore for killing it on the death lens angle, (on Part 1, Shane Andrews on Part 2) I owe you man. And thanks to Abby for coming through with driving camera bags to spots, and providing liquid nourishment.

The music is all creative commons and provided by the Cartel (edit: in Part 1) via Jamendo:

Perfection and Smptee Kanx
"Hardcore"
Jamendo.com

G-Kid ft. Stack Bund
"Certified Hoodstars"
Jamendo.com

Tommy Mula
"Elevate"
Jamendo.com

(Edit: Part 2)
Plasma Raygun
"That Beat"
Jamendo.com

Jeff Mikut: Via Marina

Jeff is a homie, glad to see him coming up.

Hidehiko Style @ Crossroads and ASR

Our homie Hidehiko sent us this vid from the skate trade shows. Check it out.

Roughneck Rain Check

Be there.

RNCK BART Tour 2009 Screens

Here are some stills from yesterdays RNCK BART Tour 2009... which was going off until the rain started. The main event, which was going to be a $250 best trick contest at the Library Gap, got completely rained out. The good news is that Johnny is doing a Roughneck Rain Check, and the contest should go off again next Sunday the 20th. Look out for more info. Also expect a TeamJaded BART Tour vid of yesterdays events, either as a Part One, or combined with whatever goes down next weekend.





















Rained Out.

Roughneck Rain Check coming at ya.