Friday 16 November 2012

Scrabble is war

Scrabble is war. Almost.
 
Scrabble is a series of battles, waged across a landscape, where pieces of a whole are manoeuvered into position. Various provocations can and will inevitably occur. Calculations have to be made as to how and when to escalate the conflict. To strike into the double word scores and deal a grievous blow upon the enemy, knowing full well such an action would demand-no, necessitate a response? To combine high value letter with triple word score in an almost grotesque show of contempt for any sense of fair play?
 
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There is a bit of a joy with playing music out loud in a room. I've only just discovered the full novelty of it. The funny thing is, the quality is worse than that of my regular Ipod Shuffle to headphones due to the medium of sound delivery (enthusiatic but poor quality television speakers), but somehow it doesn't matter. Selecting a disc, and immersing oneself in the music, of however questionable quality, is quite marvellous. The music becomes a part of the room, rather than as with headphones it seeming just a soundtrack to reality.
 
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I have not had a monday morning feeling since I can remember. Monday is like Tuesday, Tuesday like Wednesday, and Wednesday like all the rest. I cant decide whether overall, I prefer the week to the weekend. During the week, for the most part, I have a clear focus on doing something productive (college), and I am constantly reminded that I am doing something productive, because its in front of my face all day.
 
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When the eff did I start becoming a bit cack at saying stuff? When I'm writing, as here, thoughts formed are so much more easily communicated than with the whole "saying stuff" thing. Take the phrase "thoughts formed". I dont think I'd even be able to think of such a way of phrasing my sentence. I would say something along the lines of "fings that I fink of".
 
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As it happens, writing is a bloody good way of not thinking. Avoiding the tetris stack up of thoughts. Hence this post dragging on as it did with such sparse material. 
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will

Tuesday 6 November 2012

The Epic skate video list

Done far too many heavy posts recently, and havent made it out to a hill for ages (and wont for a while longer). That and boredom means- heres a list i've compiled of the savagest skate videos I know of. These videos get me stoked to skate.

In no paticular order, a far from definitive list.

Dominik Kowalski

This video is simply titled with his name, but it should be called "skate all the things" or something similar. Dominik shreds it all, hills, cones, ramps. FREEride, not just soft wheel standup slides.

https://vimeo.com/21114579

I'll do a load from youtube so I can link them properly.

CULT KOP

Anyone that knows me would be able to tell it wouldn't be long before this turned up. Cult fucking Kop. Mr Connolly and Mr River, at warp speed +1. It's not often you watch a video with people skateboarding about doubly as fast as you have ever been. I'd shit myself, cry AND fall off my skateboard at the first roller.


Faltown-No Contribution

I would say it's the music, but it's not just that. I would say it's the flip tricks by the sea, but it's not just that. I would say it's people killing it, everywhere, on everything but... oh it is that actually. Turn it up, and look out for the run at 3.13.

 
 
 
Gravity Skateboards - All Terrains, No Limits
 
More people skating "all the things". Theres a theme going here. Fantastic terrain, cool music, cool filming. Wish you were there?
 

 
Gravity Skateboards- Sergio Yuppie's part in "Flow"

Another from Gravity, this time one man. Sergio Yuppie. The energy and speed of his sliding is mind blowing. His rotations are snappy, his laybacks go on for ever. And through fire. Watch it and want to go and buy some hard wheels.

 
The Matt Pearce, Nick Channon slide videos

These dudes know how to slide. Speedy rotations, nosey stuff, laybacks and much more. Some of the U.K's best technical sliding is below, with two very different, equally sick styles. Music and editing puts it all together nicely, although it could have been filmed with a calculator and uploaded with a paperclip and it would still kick ass.

 
 
Thanet Dogtown - Greenwich Park

People going to a hill in England and having a laugh. The video captures it perfectly, a brand of stoke that is like no other. Yet again the music completes this video. Highlights include Gavgnars beastly run on the classics and Jamie's bosh, bosh BOSH style of hard wheel killing.

 
 
River going fast.
 
I wanted to get into skating hills from watching amongst others, this dude. My first speedboard was an old Spooky I bought from him on the now deceased Lush Forums. Here is The peyragudes run, with most excellent commentary and most excellent (and fast) skateboarding. You should have seen it by now, and if you havent, watch it.
 

John Cardiel

I'd vaguely heard of this person. And then one day, I stumbled upon this video. "Oh my", thought I, as I watched the dude FLY.


Broadway Bomb 2011 Tech Slide Jam 

The bomb will "never be the same again". Apparently. Therefore, enjoy this celebration of going sideways on skateboards. Loads of people killing it, all in their own way.


SEBASTIAN HERTLER

This man came to Bopeep, and shredded it. Nobody does that. Lots of people can make it down, some can make it down fast, a few very fast. But nobody properly shreds it, apart from Seb Hertler. Watch as he effortlessly slices his way down a very long, very fast hill. He knows what he's doing, he saves pushing it to the max for a closed hill. But him "not pushing it too much" is most peoples idea of what they dream they could skate like.


Will Edgecombe-Scrumping

Killer music. Killer skating. Tech, hugeness, speed, style. This video came out, and everybody fell off their chairs.



So yeah, theres some of my favourites. Helps me not to implode whilst away from hills. Like I said, by NO MEANS a definitive list. Just some cool things to watch in the middle of the week.

Skate erryyfing.

Will