Here’s a little Southeast Asian cultural treat for you.  People of this region occasionally enjoy a little snack called Balut.  Balut is actually quite a tasty treat and you should try it whenever the opportunity presents itself to you.  It’s a fertilized duck egg only a few days old.  When boiled to the right temperature, the shell is to be peeled off and with a little help of a tinge of salt and a squirt of vinegar, it’s a nice snack to munch on.  

Balut is such a treat I wanted my friends to try it (before I tried it of course).  Unfortunately, for my friends, I bought the eggs not knowing how to prepare it.  And without the crucial preparation of the boiling water, I pretty much gave it to them RAW.  Along with the beak, feathers, eyeballs, blood, echtoplasmic gelatinous, goo that squirted all over the place.  It’s pretty gnarly.  But if you can stomach all that, I suggest you try it too.  

The VOLCOM skate team too is saluting the mystical enigma that is balut with their tour of Manila, Philippines.  The first leg of their trip has been hampered by rains but has cleared up after a few days.  Check out the VOLCOM blog to follow their adventures through the PI and check out a cool video clip below. 

Press Space Bar To Play

You know what, Volcom is right.  Everyone does think that they are a photographer these days due to small handy digital cameras or cameras attached to cell phones.  But the truth is that photography is an art and just because you can point and shoot doesn’t mean you’re a photographer.  But don’t let these cruel words burst your bubble.  Go show the world your talent by posting 500 pictures on your Myspace. 

Better yet, look into Volcom’s “Everyone is a Photographer” contest, which is limited only to females.  Volcom Girls is holding a ‘Photo Tee’ contest where your actual photo will become a future tee in our Volcom Girls product line. The three chosen winners will also receive a years worth of Volcom Featured artists tees from the 2010 season (4 tees from each seasonal Featured Art collection). Get your camera out and get started!  Let this PHOTO inspire you! 

This contest will run thru February 28th, 2009. The winner’s artwork will be included in the Spring ’10 Girls Collection as a Volcom Featured Artist in stores December 1, 2009.

In addition, the winning entries and well as the runner ups will be showcased at one of our Southern California Volcom store galleries during the month of January 2010 (LA, San Diego or Santa Barbara) as part of our Spring 2010 Featured Art Collection.

Last week I told those of you who are cheap bastards like me that you should grab as much free crap as possible when the opportunity presents itself to you.  Plus it will be in time for the holidays so that you will have the best gifts without having to spend a dime. 

Well this giveaway is better than average.  Not as good as the Free Fish Giveaway at Long John Silver’s, but better than a Cracker Jack prize.  Geoff Rowley Screen Printing Action in the Parking Lot! Don’t miss out on this three-day Southern California tour! The first 100 kids will get a limited edition tee shirt hand screened by Geoff. Free BBQ and loads of other goodies! Check below for dates, locations and maps.

Friday, December 5th – 6:00 pm
Identity Boardshop – click here for map!
7886 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park, CA 90620
714-232-8020

Saturday, December 6th – 12:00 pm
Laguna Surf and Sport – click here for map!
26741 Aliso Creek Road
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
949-360-6495

Saturday, December 6th – 4:00 pm
Hanger 94 – click here for map!
5270 Jackson Drive
La Mesa, CA 91942
619-469-9494

Sunday, December 7th – 12:00 pm
Sunken City Skates – click here for map!
619 South Mesa
San Pedro, CA 90713
310-833-6678

Sunday, December 7th – 4:00 pm
Epidemic – click here for map!
68802 Ramon Road
Cathedral City, CA 92234
760-770-4177

Now check out some of the coverage brought to you by First Stoke.  At first while watching David Loy’s part, I thought his run was in fast motion.  Nah, he’s just a speed skater.  That or he drank too much Kool Aide before his run. 

FINAL RESULTS
1) David Loy
2) Cody Davis
3) Felipe Gustavo
4) Timmy Knuth
5) Kechaud Johnson
6) Louie Lopez
7) Shawn Hale
Rob Maatman
9) Kyle Walker
10) Tommy Fynn
11) Will Marshall
12) Donovan Piscopo

BEST TRICK
1) Daniel Espinoza – Front blunt kickflip fakie on the rail ($500)
2) Ryan Reyes – Smith grind kickflip out on the rail ($200)
3) Moose – Cab flip down the double set ($100)
4) Cody Davis – Front board kickflip out on the rail ($100)
5) Grant “Eggy” Muller – Switch dolphin flip down the double set ($100 WTF)

Those amateurs seem to be getting all the attention these days.  Who needs to be pro when there are so many amateur events going on?  And what other sport covers amateurs as much as skateboarding?  None and you know why?  Because watching those other sports are boring and there are a gazillion unknown fresh skaters all over this planet and events like this just give them the exposure they deserve.  Volcom is now getting into it (again) by hosting the Damn Am skate competition this weekend. 

The Damn Am events are some of the most widely covered and respected amateur skateboarding contests in the industry today. After events at 3rd Lair in Minnesota and Volcom’s Amsterdamn Am in Holland, this is the last Damn Am of the year – Damn Am at Volcom! Each of the Damn Am events have paths that can lead you to Tampa, the top 12 skaters at each event qualify for Tampa Am. The top two skaters at each event qualify for the Tampa Am Semi-Finals.

The three-day amateur skate event is one of the biggest contests of the year, so make sure you don’t miss out. The event is completely free to spectators, with free food, games, prizes and a $500 best trick. If you can’t make it out, you can watch the live webcast (Sunday only) from the comforts of your own home at volcom.com or skateboard.com. Check out last years Damn Am coverage from volcom.com or click on over to Damnam.com for more.

THURSDAY:
Street Open Practice: 12pm – 6pm (Damn Am skaters only)
Riders meeting and heats posted at 4pm

FRIDAY:
Street practice: 9am – 11am
Street Qualifiers: 11am – end

SATURDAY:
Street practice: 9am – 11am
Street Qualifiers: 11am – end

SUNDAY: (live webcast all day!)
Street practice: 9am – 12pm
Street Semi-Finals: 12pm – 1pm
Finals: 1pm – 2pm
Best Trick: 2pm – 3pm
Product Toss: 3pm – 4pm
Awards/The End: 4pm – 5pm

Austrian snowboarder Gigi Rüf has officially joined the Volcom family and will now be riding the company’s snowboards and outerwear in 2008-09 and beyond.  Yes, you heard right — Volcom snowboards — an as-of-yet-unseen abominable snowman in the sport.  The 27-year old has been tearing it up and though he’s not been focusing on contest riding, he’s still known throughout the snowboarding world for his smooth style.  Most recently he’s been featured in Absinthe’s “Ready” and Pirate’s “Overseas.”

This is what Volcom CEO Richard Woolcott had to say about Rüf

“Gigi has been a part of the Volcom family since the beginning and I’m really stoked to see him now 100% Volcom Snowboarding. This is a major plus for the company and very motivating as we plan for the future. Yea Gigi!”

Rüf’s board sponsor has been Burton, and there’s plenty of speculation as to why he left.  But the reasons don’t really matter since Rüf’s new (old) home should suit him just fine.

Volcom will once again be hosting the annual Damn Am at Volcom skate contest from October 23rd-26th. This is the last Damn Am of the year that is crucial in qualifying for the 2008 Tampa Am, and it’s also the only Damn Am held on the West Coast.

Besides some of the best amateur skating in the world, you can expect some wild antics, free food, metal bands, and all around fun for adults and kids of all ages. The event is free for all spectators, so make sure you don’t miss it; but if you can’t make it, you still can catch the live webcast on Volcom.com.

 As time goes by, we all must learn that the more we learn, the less we know about the world around us.  Who would have ever thought that a man would walk on the moon?  Or at least a Hollywood set to look like the moon?  Or who would have thought that an idiot with the I.Q. of a Chihuahua would ever become president of the United States?  After experiencing that, I know anything is possible.

Except for one thing.  I don’t even know if this will ever be pulled off but anyone who can land a kickflip on a surfboard while riding a wave will be a hero.  Not to me though, my only hero is Criss Angel.   I guess many have attempted and only a few have gotten close.

Volcom is offering $10,000 to the first person that can land a “proper” kickflip while surfing By proper they mean an “above the lip” kickflip where first you launch an air, use your front foot to flip the board, and then land on it and ride out cleanly. No backwash, no fingerflips, no grabs, no laybacks. Just a proper kickflip.

I suggest somebody talk to Simon Woodstock.

Official Rules And Regulations For Volcom Stone’s $10,000 Kickflip-Off Contest! Read Carefully!

Rules:
1. Your entry must be on video from the start of the trick through the ride out. No photos allowed.
2. This contest is open to everyone. The contest begins today November 21st, 2007, and will run until there’s a winner.
3. The kickflip must be a real air “above the lip” – No backwash, No chop hops, or anything in the flats or below the lip of the wave.
4. All waves must be self caught – You must paddle into the wave. This means NO tow-ats, step-offs, jetskis, boats, dinghys, winches, canoes, oars, helicopters, dolphins or assistance of any kind.
5. No grabs of any kind. Not before, not after, not during.
6. You must completely “ride out” of the kickflip. That means if you land on the back of the wave and fail to continue surfing the wave – it’s not a make!
7. No heelflips. Or else we’d have called it the Heelflip-Off.
8. No shoes. Who surfs in shoes anyway? Regular “made for surfing” booties are acceptable.
9. You must be riding a real surfboard with at least one fin. No boogie boards, softboards, wakeboards, wakeskates, skimboards, kiteboards, trays etc.

Entry form must be printed out and sent with footage to:
Volcom’s Kickflip-Off
1740 Monrovia Ave
Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Volcom has slowly been releasing what they call “Teasisodes” for their “All The Days Roll Into One” documentary featuring the Volcom Skate Team.  What is this skate movie about?  I guess it’s kind of like Volcom’s version of MTV’s “The Real World” but cool.  And less annoying.  And more fun.  And less dramatic.  And less desire to want to punch somebody on that show. 

So what took course over the month of May, the Volcom skate team roomied in an apartment in Brooklyn, NY with the sole purpose of skating epic New York spots. While out there they did a ton of filming, and since they had such a great crew and some amazing filmers, they decided to team up with the boys over at Fuel TV to bring you a 30-minute show on their trip.

I’m hoping we get to see some of the amazing culture that NYC has to share.  Maybe they went to see a Broadway show.  Hopefully MaMa Mia.  Or perhaps take a nice peaceful stroll into New Jersey.  We’ll see. 

The show is called, “All The Days Roll Into One” and will premiere on Fuel TV on October 20th at 8 pm – The last one is below. 

Press spacebar to play

Volcom in affiliation with the fine people at Fuel have come together to produce a nice 30-minute feature called “All The Days Rolled Into One”.  The boys at Volcom were given one mission: to live and skate in the best city in the world.  If you’re like me, you probably thought that city was Mordor.  Close but no.  Volcom went to New York City and hit up some of the best spots the city has to offer.  While living in a Brooklyn apartment, the Volcom team had the month of May to cause as much damage as possible with Fuel to document it all to be seen on Fuel TV on October 2nd for a 30 minute special. 

Volcom is slowly releasing teasers to build up the hype. 

Click your spacebar to play