Images speak louder than words ever could. This image of normalcy in war torn Afghanistan is so promising.



The above image was taken from the LA Times, who have a full slideshow showing kids skating and enjoying themselves despite the stress their country has endured.

Brad Simms at his best

The two go hand in hand. Soldiers in the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team “Greywolf”, 1st Cavalry Division at FOB Marez were treated to a visit from five ESPN X Games athletes earlier this month. Many serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are extreme sports fans, and it’s a real boost for them to be visited by the pros.

Jen O’Brien was the first female skater to ever participate in the X Games.

“I just think it’s important to come out and support the troops and let them know we appreciate what they’re doing out here,” said Jen O’Brien. “They’re away from their family and friends and they’re working hard to make sure we’re safe at home.”

Nate Holland has competed in multiple X Games snowboarding events and was even a member of the 2006 U.S. Olympic team.

Snowboarder Grete Eliassen has won back to back gold medals in the 2005 and 2006 X Games. She has also won three straight U.S. Open Skiing Slopestyle competitions.

Skier Sarah Burke won the gold medal in the 2009 X Games superpipe event and numerous gold medals prior to that. She is the first and only female to ever land a 1,080 degree spin during competition.

BMX freestyle rider Brad Simms has recently had a signature frame with Hoffman bikes come out with his nick name B-Rad on the side.

The athletes made several stops around Afghanistan, boosting troop morale and showing their moves.

I was on twitter (username @energyspray) when I saw a link about the Skateboard Film Fest in Seattle, WA, August 14-15.

From their website About page:

The Skateboard Film Festival is a collaborative effort by some of the industry’s most respected entrepreneurs, filmmakers, photographers, and skateboarders. It was brought about to promote independent film making in the skateboard community at large. It is open to the entire public by way of video submissions, and there will be several categories by which each film maker can submit his or her video short or full-length movie. Videos are carefully selected by a panel of judges and some 40-60 will be shown during the film festival weekend.

Films will be screened at the Siff Cinema in Seattle, and events will take place in local parks. Tickets are not yet on sale, but keep checking their website for details.

You can follow them (as I do) on Twitter.

The jury is still out on many energy drink products like Red Bull and 5-Hour Energy. The FDA rarely gets involved in these types of products (All-Day Energy Spray included) unless there is a hazard involved.

For example, the FDA got involved with HydroxyCut, the fat burning pill that was taken off the market earlier this year because of the potential for severe liver damage.

But when it comes to energy supplements, hard data isn’t easy to come by.

So what do we know about them? Well, like most things in life, everything should be consumed in moderation. There isn’t enough caffeine or B-vitamins in drinks like 5-Hour to do serious harm to anyone, when taken as directed. You suck down a dozen of them, and you’re dealing with something else altogether. But the makers are pretty clear about that on their website: they state that there’s a potential “niacin flush reaction” from Vitamin B3, but that’s very temporary.

The fact is drinks like Red Bull shouldn’t be taken in conjunction with 5-Hour Energy, which shouldn’t be capped off with All-Day Energy Spray, which shouldn’t be washed down with coffee!

All-Day Energy Spray and its Xytine formula are made from all natural ingredients that are designed to give you a boost of energy and clarity. It is not designed to keep you awake for days at a time! All-Day Energy Spray is made for people who like to play hard, but wrestlers, skaters and other extreme athletes know that taking care of their bodies with proper rest and nutrition are crucial to peak performance.

The maker of 5-Hour Energy said it best: “There is no law against stupidity and there is always that person out there that is going to push the envelope and consume too many…”

So don’t be stupid! Get plenty of rest, stay hydrated (especially important for heavy coffee drinkers and takers of diet pills, as they are very dehydrating by nature), and use energy products in moderation.

That fight rocked! I mean let’s face it - despite being totally buff, Coleman is old. And he pulled off an amazing fight! At the age of 44, he was beginning to lose energy, but came back with a surprise attack in the end, and a unanimous decision of 29-28 from the panel. I ought to send him a case of All-Day for future losses of energy!

Stephen Bonnar was the fan favorite going into the Vegas match, and Mark Coleman surprised everyone with his first win in 12 years. got on to Bonnar and stuck to him like glue until the fight was called.

The fight between Coleman and Bonnar was really the only surprise upset of the night. Everything else was pretty much expected.

George St. Pierre (I’m a fan, I admit it) held on to his title against Theago Alves of Brazil, but hurt his groin in the process. Alves would zig and GSP would zag, dancing like Muhammed Ali’s proverbial butterfly. No word on how long his injury recovery will be.

Here’s wishing Georges St. Pierre all the best, and huge congratulations to Mark Coleman for a match well fought.

June 21st saw Go Skateboarding Day in the Washington DC, when more than 600 kids descended on Freedom Plaza to shred away the day.

Yeah, it’s that time of the year again. Everyone’s done with school. We have tons of hours to spend honing our skills and enjoying the freedom.  Days are longer, curfews are later, the sun is hot.

Hellertown PA is talking about building a skatepark in the SW corner of Dimmick Park. Fergus Falls MN wants to move theirs from the parking lot of the middle school and into Roosevelt Park, but their holding off. Unlikely to happen this summer.

One of the benefits of a skate park versus just flying down the steps in front of the local shopping mall means sanctioned skating. You’re free to practice bold moves without hitting pedestrians or having the cops breathing down your neck all the time. Not every town has one, but a lot of town councils and municipal boards across the country have realized that giving skaters a place to shred is just as important as installing tennis courts or swimming pools.

So where do you go in your area? Do you even know?

We found this awesome comprehensive list of skateparks across the country - even Alaska and Hawaii! There are thousands - tens of thousands - all across America! So the next time you’re all sitting around a parking lot somewhere, boards in hand, wondering where to go, remember this list!

You never know… The All-Day Girls may show up at one of them near you!

Here’s the video you’ve all been waiting for: the first episode of the Adventures of Sloth Boy. Sloth Boy tries to get his claws on some Xytine, with disastrous results.