Have you done your share yet on saving this planet?  Element and its Power to the Planet Movement are bringing on the heat by making a stop in Florida at the MIA Skate Shop.  The Power to the Planet movement was started to create environmental awareness to those who might feel apathetic towards the issue.  I’ve seen you kids leave your Pop Tart wrappers on the waxed curb.  Disgusting I tell you, disgusting!  One day that Pop Tart wrapper will come back to haunt you. 

Element and MIA will be holding a skate contest for the youngins themed around Elemental Awareness.  They will be accepting canned food goods to prepare for a holiday that has seen a drastic drop in donations.  I said a few days ago that the Salvation Army has seen a 300% decline in donations.  That’s really sad.  So go raid your mom’s pantry and take a few of those canned goods you probably won’t even eat. 

Check out the flyer for all the info. 

This past November 4th saw two very important landmark elections.  The first election of that very exciting Tuesday went to Element Skateboard’s “Flow Footy Contest”, which put six of the sickest, relatively unknown skaters and their videos up against each other to award the undisputed winner with a once in a lifetime opportunity.  A skate tour with the Element team.  Imagine the kind of exposure he or she would get from this. 

The second big election of November 4th I’m sure needs no introduction.  The Jonas Brothers getting the number one slot on MTV’s TOTAL REQUEST LIVE.  How amazing was that for them?  They sure do deserve it after all the hard work and time they put in (to their hair). 

But back to the Flow Footy Contest.  Voting continued on until yesterday and after all of the votes have been tabulated, Nick Garcia won with 22%.  What an exciting time for Nick, and the Jonas Brothers for their wonderful achievements.  You can watch the Jonas Brothers here, and Nick’s winning re-edited Flow Footy video below.  Congrats! 

Oops, I forgot.  There were actually 3 important elections that day.  Congrats to everybody. 

Every young man at some point in his life comes to a crossroads where he must ask himself, “Shall I go right?  Or should I go left?  Maybe I should continue to go straight?”  As you can see, life presents you with a quandary that will reflect your inner manhood.

A few of my friends had the decision made for them when they entered manhood following their Bar mitzvah.  It was probably the easiest decision of their lives.  A few of my other friends who lived in Pennsylvania were real life Amish folk.  They made their decision at the age of 18.  Obviously they decided to live a life of a commoner or else I wouldn’t know them. 

Well everyone’s favorite little dread locked brother Nyjah Huston came to his crossroads just recently.  Element sadly announced today that Nyjah and the Element team have parted ways.  Nobody is exactly sure where Nyjah is going but I’m certain it had to be one of the biggest decisions in his young life.  Having to make such a grown up decision at this point of his life has definitely catapulted him into manhood.  I’m willing to bet his voice has gotten deeper too. 

Did you know that for every ton of office paper, book reports, or love letters you recycle could save approximately 380 gallons of oil?  Or are you aware that about 50-100 species of plants and animals become extinct due to the destruction of their natural habitat?  Wrap your mind around this one – your urine has multiple beneficial uses.  Like peeing on your t-shirt then wrapping it around your head when you can’t escape the heat is a good way to keeping you cool.  Not just slang cool, but your temperature cool as well.   That one doesn’t really apply to saving the planet but I thought you should just know that fact.  

I’ve done my part.  Now it’s your turn to spread the wealth of knowledge.  The Element Team have definitely given their share of environmental awareness.  Their brand new “Power To The Planet” campaign gathered over 60 Element family members to share with you the viewer, why it’s important to save our planet and how essential it is to start now.  And you essentially don’t have to do that much.  Change your light bulbs to power saving bulbs.  Ride your board once a week instead of using your LIFTED CHEVY.  Maybe hang out with NUDIST.

Check out this VIDEO starring some of Element’s biggest names:  Mike Vallely, Chad Muska, Bucky Lasek.  Even some old faces like Jeremy Wray and Ray Barbee are part of the movement.  And listen to what they have to say.  Except for the go vegetarian part.  That would mean I would have to give up PIG KNUCKLES. MMmmm

But this Element Harvest Festival seems pretty nice.  Like a peaceful afternoon I can take my grandmother to.  The Element Harvest Festival is an Elemental Awareness celebration that includes an all hands on afternoon.  The festival also includes an Element team demo, team signing, amateur skate contest, organic food giveaways, live rare animals, prizes and more.  Check out the flyer for all the details. 

Imagine being a very creative person with no outlet to showcase your work.  Like millions and possibly zillions of other rollerbladers like myself, we have no way to spotlight our art in a major forum.  Instead we are laughed at and picked on.  Myself for example, my forte is beach wood sculpting.  For many years now since the tender age of seven, I would wonder the beaches of Redondo Beach gathering pieces of wood.  And out of that wood, I would sculpt imaginative things like squirrels or pipes. 

As I got older and more into rollerblading, my sculpting subjects were geared to things like bindings and Arlo Eisenberg’s face.  I know that I have a major talent and even though I have sent my submissions to dozens of art contests, I have never received one response.  Actually there was one time when someone sent back my piece with a turd smeared on it. 

Lucky for skateboarders, snowboarders, surfers and the rest of you all, people within your organization organize proper functions where your art can be shared with the rest of the world.  As for us “bladders”, we still pray for that day. 

Earlier this month, Element saw a wide array of artistic talent through their first Annual Element Audio Visual Awards.  This is a new Element contest that saw skilled artist ranging in mediums from photography, to skate deck graphics, to film.  With a rapidly growing demographic of artists (like us bladders) out there with no means to showcase their work, Element created this competition to give the spotlight to those artist deserving of the attention. 

After the tough decisions were made, the winners have surfaced.  Me being a sculptor was disappointed to not see any beach wood-sculpting category but I did particularly like the trailer for the winner of the Best Full Length category “Indonesia Anagram Tour”.  Go over to the Element site to check out all the winners and their work.  Then after doing that, maybe write to Element pleading with them to create a beach-wood sculpting category for next year. 

Just in time too because I think I can speak for most of the world when I say, we’re getting tired of reruns of Jackass on MTV 2. Time for new material. Anyway, the video will make its premiere on the Element Skateboards site on October 1st. The film also comes free with the purchase of any Bam’s Or Bust pro decks. Check out the trailer here.

Anyway if you can make it to either of them, I’m sure Element will appreciate your support.  Check out the flyers below for more details. 

So that you’re skateboard videos no longer have to look like this, you should maybe think about investing some time and money into a crash course in shooting and editing.  Especially if you want to take it seriously.  Element is partnering up with Digital Media to teach a week long course up at the University of San Diego campus at the end of this month taught by Scott Taylor.

It reminds me of those billboards counting the rising national debt or how many people have died of smoking, etc. Kind of interesting for a few seconds, then your eyes sort of hurt.

The tour kicks off May 31 in Seattle with the Lakai team and runs through June 30 in Minneapolis with the Enjoi team. At the 10 stops in between stops will feature the Flip, C1RCA, Volcom, Element and Baker teams.  Each stop also features music from the likes of Alkaline Trio and Year-Long Disaster.

Check out the site for more info if you can handle it!