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Production for the 2009/2010 snowboard lines have started. We are super stoked about the way our boards look this year and our new riding technologies are amazing.

Bamboo/Urethane sidewalls give the ultimate ride on any surface.
Seamless edge technology gives a true full wrap edges.
Our custom epoxy resin keeps structural integrity longer.
Through R&D we bring you the best decks and a killer 2 year warranty.

Check out our facebook page to see some pictures of how we put the graphics on our boards. http://tinyurl.com/kk7odd

Published On: 7/8/2009
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We've started to sort through and post up our SIA footage... check it out:

Video: Gnu Girls with Barrett Christy:
http://www.shredbetties.com/gear/story/gnu_girls_2010/


Ride Bandita - Women's version of the ride contra:
http://www.shredbetties.com/gear/story/gear_advancements_ride_bandita/


Video: Omatic 2010 and BS Technology:
http://www.shredbetties.com/gear/story/omatic_2010/

2010 Gear - SIA quick recap:
http://www.shredbetties.com/gear/story/sia_2010_gear_recap1/



Published On: 2/6/2009
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Ski or Snowboard Rentals – Whistler


Renting skis used to be a dreaded experience, long line ups for poorly maintained out of date equipment provided by ski bums who didn’t care. Changes have swept across this industry with new companies competing in every resort worldwide.

With airlines charging extra for ski baggage, the inconvenience of carrying heavy equipment and an increased environmental awareness the number of skiers renting equipment has risen.

If you look at ski technology and ski branding a two year old ski can often look outdated, therefore before you leave home do a quick calculation of “how many days a year do you ski?” multiplied by the cost of renting against the cost of new skis. The average cost of renting top end gear is around $50 CDN for two days. If you average 10 days per year that works out at $250 per year. New skis with bindings range from $500 to $1100.


Factor in the cost of tuning, inconvenience, baggage fees and your environmental consciences and renting comes out the winner.


My family decided to test this theory with a visit to Whistler in January, we looked online and booked with a company called Affinity Sports. (www.affinityrentals.com)

After breezing through the airport and traveling the sea to sky highway we checked into our hotel around 9pm. Surprisingly the rental shop was still open so despite our jet lag we headed in to pick up our gear. The staff greeted us on the way in the door and our reservation was ready. We tried on the boots and with skis hanging on every wall I picked out a new Pair of Volkl AC50. The binding was adjusted and the staff answered all our tourist questions while helping us feel welcome in Whistler. The kids tried snowboarding had to choose from a selection kids gear.


On the third day the weather moved in so we took a rest day, I dropped the skis back at the store and was surprised to learn I would be credited back the days I didn’t use. I then took advantage of the best reason to rent, trying different equipment. The trend in skis is to have more specialized equipment to suit the conditions so I changed for a K2 Coomba, a powder ski. Each time I dropped into see the staff at Affinity they accommodated my every request without hesitation. The equipment was tuned, it was the latest model and the service was excellent.


Two weeks later back at my desk I thought about the old rent vs. buy argument. I will be renting skis, snowboards and maybe even snow blades every time I go. The image of ski rentals is changing and being driven by companies like Affinity, I hope to go back to Whistler for the Olympics and will be renting everytime.



Published On: 1/19/2009
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Whistler Blackcomb news - Peak 2 Peak update
 

The completion of the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola ropework and the arrival of 28 Sky Cabins set the stage for what will be the biggest construction milestone of the lift installation – the first Sky Cabin to cross the record-breaking 3 kilometre/1.88 mile, unsupported span between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.

“With the haul rope spliced and all 28 Sky Cabins transported to the Blackcomb terminal, our next objective will be to get the cabins on the line and to send 12 across the span to Whistler,” says Rick Temple, PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola Construction Manager. “We are aiming to send them over by mid to late September, and are on track for the upcoming December grand opening.”
The Sky Cabins were shipped across the Atlantic from Olten, Switzerland where they were manufactured by CWA, global leader in design and construction of cableway vehicles. The Sky Cabins were then loaded onto ten trucks for the journey through Canada. Two cabins feature glass floors, enclosed by a railing, for a bird’s eye view of the Fitzsimmon’s Valley 436 metres/1,430 feet below.

Another significant milestone was the splicing of the haul rope to create a continuous loop, which took place August 29 and 30. The splice was 68 metres/220 feet long, and took a crew of 14 people over 15 hours to complete. Norm Duke, a FATZER AG certified splicer from Wyoming, lead the team of seven Whistler Blackcomb employees and six Doppelmayr/Garaventa employees to complete the job. Duke has spliced many of Whistler Blackcomb’s FATZER AG ropes and spliced the Symphony Express rope in 2006. The splice was achieved by untwining strands from each end of the steel cable and then re-braiding them together to ensure a perfect bind that maintains the haul rope’s diameter of 46mm.

Doppelmayr’s unique 3S gondola technology has each cabin traveling along two 56mm track ropes which bear the weight of the Sky Cabins, with the haul rope pulling in the middle of the two tracks. The haul rope was the only splice needed for the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola since the track ropes are stationary and do not loop from Blackcomb to Whistler.

The terminal buildings are nearing completion with cladding installation in the final stages and station set-up taking place. Construction progress of the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola is captured daily via webcams, and weekly via photography and construction blogs on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola microsite at www.whistlerblackcomb.com. The PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola will open in December.



Published On: 9/10/2008
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Noticias - Snowboard.com Chile: Bataleon en Chile!
By: Chile_Crew






Ha llegado Bataleon Snowboards a Chile.
Tablas de ultima generacion con su revolucionario Triple Base Technology
Si quieres ver mas sobre estas tablas visita Bataleon Chile



Llega a Chile la marca que esta revolucinando en Europa  y Estados Unidos, con solo decirles que gano el" Brakeout Brand of the year 2007 "  avaluado por la Snowboard Magazine.
Inovando por sobretodas las otras marcas con su base de 3 dimenciones, que segun los riders y expertos, influencia radicalmente en el mejor manejo de la tabla, lo que ayuda notablemente a la eveolucion de un rider, ya sea en el pipe, saltos y notoriamente en la nieve polvo.
 
 
VENTAJAS DE LA BASE TRIDIMENCIONAL
• EN GIROS : En las tablas de base plana convencional, los cantos de la punta y la cola reciben toda la presion, carveando y enterrandose demaciado profundo. Esto resulta en que la tabla se frene y vibre. La tecnologia tbt aumenta el agarre del canto en la parte media y lo disminuye en los extremos resultando en mayor velocidad y agarre de canto optimo ( osea te da mas del canto que necesitas y le quita presion donde no es necesario ).
Otra ventaja que tienen estas tablas es que a la hora de cambiar de canto a canto, lo hace con mucha facilidad y agilidad, esto se debe a que al iniciar una curva la parte del canto que utiliza esta tabla es el de la seccion media y esta misma es la parte mas delgada de la tabla, o sea que el trayecto que se recorre al cambiar de canto es mas corto dando un sentimiento de estar andando una tabla mas delgada.
• AVANZANDO EN LINEA RECTA : La fuerza centrifuga es 0 y la necesidad de canto es minima. Una tabla convencional, simpre que vallas recto , tiene tendencia a enterrarce y arrastrar nieve en sus puntos mas anchos, esto causa que tengas que alternan tu peso entre tus dedos y tus talones para mantener el control. Con la 3db, debido a que los cantos de la punta y la cola estan levantados, no va a haber enganche de cantos sorpresivos. Y por tener menor superficie de contacto con la nieve va a permitir mayor velocidad. Recuerda que solo 3 grados de inclinacion de tu tabla te da un completo contacto del canto cuando lo necesitas.
Estas 2 grandes ventajad producen beneficios en:
MEJORES SALTOS : Al mejorar la estabilidad de la tabla en linea recta y eliminar las posibilidad de un enganche de cantos sorpresivos, ya que en las tablas tbt solamente los cantos paralelos estan en contacto con la nieve, aumenta la probabilidad de despegar y aterrizar mejor dirijido.
MEJORES TRANSICIONES EN EL PIPE : Debido a sus cantos levantados hece que la entrada o salida de una muralla sea mucho mas suave y por ende con mayor velocidad
MAS VELOCIDAD EN EL POWDER : Una base curva signfica menos superficiede contacto con la nieve, en la punta y la cola, dando una mejor flotacion en el powder.
MAS AGILIDAD EN EL PARK: Estas tablas por todo lo que hemos dicho tienen un agilidad y control superior a las tablas convencionales, lo que resulta en menos caidas y mucho mas perdon de la tabla a la hora de caer torcido de un salto, baranda, wallride y cualquier otro extrano obstaculo que se pueda encontrar en un park.


Published On: 7/23/2008
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The Superman Mythos

by Thyroros

The term superman first entered into modern usage through the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche. This late nineteenth-century German philosopher was vehemently anti-Christian and never tired of condemning the faith as weak, absurd, even detrimental to human development. While Hitler admired him, and the Nazis are said to have made use of some of his ideas, Nietzsche did not actually share their racist and anti-Semitic views. (1) Thus it is not entirely incongruous that two young Jewish men from Cleveland, Ohio would have adopted the term for their own use. While many assume Superman is merely a work of science fiction, I do not believe this to be the case. I too grew up amid all the movies (the first film starring Christopher Reeve came out the year after I was born), cartoons, and TV shows, believing the Man of Steel to be nothing more than a slightly stale and out-dated comic book hero. However, after watching various episodes of Smallville, a very different interpretation of the American icon began to impress itself upon me.

As nonsensical or offensive as some people might think this to be, the tale of Superman represents an allegory of another well-known supernatural, extra-terrestrial being: Satan.

Before delving into some of the more specific correlations, and often glaring similarities, between these two legendary immortals, there is an important point which needs to be made regarding the nature of angels. Angels are extra-dimensional and other-worldly travellers who make infrequent appearances throughout the Bible and other related texts. They usually do not have wings, and they almost always appear just like men. The Seraphim and Cherubim are the only two celestial orders consistently described in the Bible which bear wings. While most angeaologies consider both orders to be angels, the highest orders in fact, neither the Old nor New Testaments refer to them as such. But this is really just a semantic argument that needn't be fully addressed here. Anyway, the English word angel is derived from the Greek angelos which simply means messenger, as does the Hebrew mal'ach, which is used in the Torah, the prophets, and other Hebrew writings. (2) These terms can be used to indicate human or divine beings. Many times the humans with whom angels communicate are not even aware of it until the supernatural visitors perform some act obviously beyond the capability of mere mortals. After closely examining all the Biblical references, I was forced to conclude that there is no overwhelming distinction between angels and what modern mythology refers to as aliens. Both are extra-terrestrial, and both seem to exhibit powers and/or technology beyond what might traditionally be considered human. Now, Satan, if standard Christian doctrine is correct, is a fallen angel, while Kal-El, or Superman, is a stranded, immigrant alien.

Objections may arise as angels are said to dwell in heaven while aliens inhabit the supposedly innumerable worlds located in the vast reaches of space. But again, the only difference between the concepts of heaven and space lie in the minds of people who refuse to acknowledge the simple facts. Both exist above and outside the earth, and both are impossible to visit for the majority of living human beings on this planet. Even now, after thirty-some years of manned space-flight, it still requires the pinnacle of human technology, and the availability of monumental resources, to even consider such undertakings. We haven't been to the moon in over thirty years according to official sources. Moreover, space remains extremely dangerous. It is a notoriously hostile environment; the slightest mistake or malfunction can bring about instantaneous death for even the most well-trained astronaut. So, heavenly realms and intergalactic space, not that different, right? Okay then, hopefully that matter is settled, and we can move on to Krypton.

As most of us know, Kal-El's homeworld, Krypton, was completely obliterated due to a nuclear reaction at its core, which resulted in the infant Kryptonian's emergency flight to earth. Now, some theorize that the asteroid belt in our solar system was created when a large, terrestrial planet located between Mars and Jupiter (often referred to as Astera/Astara) exploded some time in the past. (3) It's possible that this same cataclysm was also responsible for the destruction of the Red Planet's atmosphere and its civilization. Satan may also be connected with Mars and Astera, depending on one's interpretation of certain Old Testament books such as Ezekiel. Ezekiel states in chapter 28, verse 14 that the former anointed cherub, Satan, "walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire". It's not a very far stretch of the imagination to connect "the stones of fire" with planets. Please examine the following verses for more details:

Ezekiel 28:15-17 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground (Hebrew 'eretz is also often translated as land or earth), I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

So Satan may have ruled a physical civilization spanning Mars, Astara, and perhaps several moons as well. But he rebelled against his God and King, and was cast to the earth along with a third of the Heavenly Host (See Revelation 12:4).

The aforementioned information thus allows us to have a much clearer understanding of the scenario presented in Smallville 1961. While I don't disagree with Chloe about the possibility of genetic memory being stored in the DNA, I don't accept that this was necessarily true in Clark’s case. I believe it to be more likely that Jor-El and Kal-El are one person, not father and son. Here's how it works:

I. Jor-El is Satan. II. The father who exiled Jor-El/Satan to earth is actually the Father, as in Yahweh, the God of the Bible. III. Jor-El/Satan returns to space to continue the "War in Heaven" (See Revelation 12:7).. IV. In order to eventually assume the role of Anti-Christ, Satan devises a seemingly foolproof plan. Just as Yahweh/God limited himself in power when He assumed the form of Jesus/the Christ, Satan formulates a a similar device. He clones himself and denies this clone access to certain segments of his memory and powers. This way he will more easily deceive humans into believing that he is a righteous savior rather than evil incarnate. But he makes messages and recordings beforehand which will remind him of certain things at planned intervals. This will enable him to develop in the most ideal way in order to fit the role of the Christ more perfectly. V. Satan and his angels are defeated in the heavenly realms, Mars and Astera/Krypton is destroyed as a result. Satan transfers his consciousness/spirit from Jor-El to the infant clone, Kal-El and rockets off toward earth.

As additional support for this concept, let us explore the meanings of the principal character's names belonging to the Superman mythos:

Clark - Old English - Clergyman or learned man (4)

Kent - Welsh - Bright white, white or bright (5). Another interesting possible derivation of this name is from the Biblical Kenites (first mentioned in Genesis 15:19 as enemies of Israel), who may have been descended from Cain (for in Hebrew Cain is more accurately transliterated as Qayin, and Kenites as Qayini. Adding an "i" to the end of a name in Hebrew indicates the people or descendants of that personage. Israel/Israeli, Qayin/Qayini. See the pattern?) (6)

Kal-El - Can be translated as destruction or completion of God in Hebrew (or possibly 'all that is God/totality of God'). (7) El is the Hebrew word for God.*

Jor-El - J is actually pronounced Y (the letter Yod) in Hebrew. Possible translations are: Yare'-el - fear of God, Yarah-El - God teaches, taught of God, Yeru-El - God is a foundation, Yeri-El - founded of God; God will see. (8)

Krypton/Kryptonite - From the Greek words krypto - To hide; kryptos - hidden unseen, secret; krypte - hidden place (9)

Lex - Latin for law (Just in case 'Lex' is actually short for Alexander, Alexander is Greek for leader of men, alex (leader) + ander (men).10

Luthor (Luther) - Teutonic- famous warrior/ famous in war

Old German - Warring ones

German - warrior/famous people?. Martin Luther was a Catholic monk and theologian turned Protestant reformer (1483-1546). (11)

*If one is inclined to doubt that Kal-El and Jor-El may actually be Hebrew names, allow me to you remind you that both Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the original creators of Superman, were Jewish. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's highly unlikely they would give their characters Hebrew-sounding names by pure chance. (12)

There are just a few more items of interest which may possibly be connections between Kal-El and the Red Dragon/Satan. Since Superman derives his powers from the sun, that would make him a kind of 'sun god'. Satan has sometimes been compared with the sun gods of ancient mythology such as the Egyptian Ra, the Greek/Roman Apollo and the Persian Mithra. The 'infinity serpent' burned onto Clark's chest in the second season finale of Smallville is another fascinating correlation, as Satan is often recognized as being or controlling the serpent in the Garden of Eden (Genesis chapter 3), and one of his titles in Revelation (12:9) is that "that old serpent". Finally, it would be quite simple to draw a pentagram inside the five-pointed shield emblazoned on Superman's costume. Pentagrams are used in ceremonial magic and Satanism the world over. Not that such a detail is conclusive, but I just thought I'd include it for the sake of being thorough.

So what does all of this mean? The reader, of course, is free to draw his or her own conclusions But here's what I believe; Superman comics, movies, and TV shows (and everything else in between) are Satanic Propaganda. Superman is the Anti-Christ/Satan and Lex Luthor, representing Christianity, is desperately trying to defend the earth against him. As the story is told from Satan's perspective, Lex is falsely demonized and portrayed as an insane criminal. In the words of Friedrich Nietzsche from Thus Spake Zarathustra, "God is dead. I teach you the superman." This is the lie that the father of lies is eager for us all to swallow down between mouthfuls of French fries and jelly-filled breakfast pastries.

- Thyroros, December 2, 2003, Redlands, CA.

Endnotes:

1. See Friedrich Nietzsche's Biography.com
2. Information gathered by using the King James Bible (1611 Authorized Version) and The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. James Strong, L.L.D., S.T.D. Fully Revised and Corrected by John R. Kohlenberger III and James A. Swanson. Grand Rapids Michigan. Zondervan. 2001
3. Click here for the standard line on the Asteroid Belt formation. Go here for more information on the possible link between Mars, Astara, and Satan, maybe even Venus?
4. Name definition for Clark (Any standard name/baby-name book should provide this information.)
5. Name meanings & Name origins (Any standard name/baby-name book should provide this information.)
6. See footnote 2. Most Biblical scholars don't make the connection between Cain and the Kenites. This is probably due to the long-held view that the Flood of Noah/The Great Deluge (as related in Genesis chapters 6-8) was worldwide and no one survived except Noah and his family. However, a gr owing number dispute that the Flood was regional rather than global (which is possible based on certain interpretations of the passages in Genesis), and therefore, Cain's progeny could have survived.
7. From the Strong's Concordance Hebrew Dictionary (contained within the same volume), Reference numbers 3605-3607, 3615-3617
8. From the Strong's Concordance Hebrew Dictionary (contained within the same volume), Reference numbers 3372, 3384, 3385, 3400. Incidentally, yerah is the Hebrew word for moon, ref. 3391.
9. From the Strong's Concordance Greek Dictionary (contained within the same volume), Reference numbers 2926-2928 10. (Any competent Latin-English and Greek-English dictionaries can be used to find these definitions. Also standard name/baby-name book should provide this information.) Here's a couple of websites just in case you want them. For Alexander. For Lex & another for Lex. Just for fun, here's website containing excerpts of Plutarch's Alexander the Great (who was not a good guy) bio.
11. "Luthor/Luther" name meaning.
12. "Jews are the true comic book heroes", article from the Chicago Sun Times and here's a History of Superman article from Superman.com.ar in case your interested.

End the words of Thyroros.

This article can be found at: http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/comics.php?topic=articles/superman-satan



Published On: 4/29/2008
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My Journal: top 100 songs 2007
By: O-Henry


here are my favorite songs from 2007

SilverchairStraight Lines
the ShinsAustralia
Of Montrealthe Past is a Grotesque Animal
the Hivestick tick boom
Foo Fightersthe Pretender
LCD SoundsystemNorth American Scum
Modest MouseFlorida
KlaxonsGolden Skans
the White StripesIcky Thump
Cold War KidsHang Me Up to Dry
Architecture in HelsinkiDebbie
Tegan and Sarathe Con
the Operation M.D.Sayonara
Calvin HarrisAcceptable in the 80s
Immaculate MachineJarhand
The BraveryBelieve
Kanye WestStronger
the BeesListening Man
the Apples in StereoEnergy
Arctic MonkeysBrainstorm
the BicyclesBBBicyles
the New PornographersMyriad Harbour
Tokyo Police ClubYour English is Good
Against MeAmericans Abroad
MetricGrow Up and Blow Away
Queens of the Stone Age3s and 7s
Of MontrealSuffer for Fashion
the ShinsPhantom Limb
Rilo KileySilver Lining
Arcade FireIntervention
Tilly and the WallBad Education
1990sYou Made Me Like It
Kaiser ChiefsHeat Dies Down
Kylie MinogueTwo Hearts
Panda BearComfy in Nautica
John Butler TrioFunky Tonight
Bloc PartyI Still Remember
the WeakerthansPlea From a Cat Named Virtue
Bedouin SoundclashSt. Andrews
Scry Childrn Scring ChldrenMy Darkest Hour
Imperial TeenRoom With a View
the KillersSam's Town
the BicyclesAustralia
the Cat EmpireWon't Be Afraid
Junior SeniorWe R the Handclaps
the ShinsTurn on Me
Modest MouseDashboard
Motion City SoundtrackThis is for Real
Kanye WestCan't Tell Me Nothing
FeistI Feel it All
RhiannaUmbrella
Kings of LeonOn Call
Kaiser ChiefsRuby
the Go! TeamGrip Like a Vice
the FlatlinersKHTDR
Silversun PickupsLazy Eye
KisschasyStrings and Drums
Maximo ParkOur Velocity
Against MeStop
Yeah Yeah YeahsDown Boy
Queens of the Stone AgeSick Sick Sick
Of MontrealSentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger
StarsTake Me to the Riot
PowderfingerLost and Running
Eskimo JoeNew York
Arcade FireWindowsill
Nine Inch NailsSurvivalism
Jay ZNo Hook
Architecture in HelsinkiHeart It Races
Junior SeniorCan I Get Get
TimbalandHello
LCD SoundsystemTime to Get Away
the White StripesConquest
The BraveryAngelina
Ben LeeWhat Would Jay Z Do
Flight of the ConchordsHumans Are Dead
Hot Hot HeatLet Me In
the WombatsPatricia the Stripper
SpoonYou Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
AlexisonfireRough Hands
the CopsOut of the Fridge / Into the Fire
the Mess HallKeep Walking
the Pigeon DetectivesDon't Know How to Say Goodbye
Chris LilleyNaughty Girl
Le HuskyMourir Comme un Chien
the New PornographersAll the Old Showstoppers
Peter Bjorn and JohnUp Against the Wall
Tegan and SaraHop A Plane
Jump, Little ChildrenEducation
the BicyclesParis Be Mine
Sum 41So Long Goodbye
the Chemical Brothersthe Salmon Dance
50 CentAyo Technology
Paul McCartneyDance Tonight
MikaGrace Kelly
Seeing ScarletBumblebee
Tricot MachineL'ours
Giant DragMy Dick Sux
CSSMusic is My Hot Hot Sex
the RaptureGet Myself Into It


Published On: 12/24/2007
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The winter is upon us once again, and this year it looks like its hitting the east-coast with a purpose. My home mountain (foothill) opened a whole two and a half weeks earlier than usual making me a happy snowboarder. Of course with me, existentialism and snowboarding go hand in hand, I seem to have a lot of thinking time in between my daily activities (on solo chairlift rides for example). Whether this is a good or a bad thing has yet to be determined. In the meantime, however, you all have to suffer from the ideas that originate from my mental meanderings about angels and my place in this world.

Recently someone dear to me has had to deal with the loss of a loved one. This is never an easy thing, however, sometimes it is more difficult than others and this has steered my usual thinking process in different and new directions, namely the metaphysical meaning of loss. Through a long and convoluted process of ideas, models and refinements, I came up with some understanding of life and after-life based on quantum theory. I don't want to get into all the details of what this means (this blog would never end), so a quick explanation using digital images will have to do; this is probably sufficient to understand the principle anyway.

In quantum theory, it is said that the more accurately you try to measure something, the less accurate your measurement becomes. This is the Heisenberg uncertainty principle which emerges from the fact that when trying to measure something smaller than the instrument your using, you can never be certain of that measurement. This can be illustrated by using digital photography as an example. These days, almost everyone has a digital camera of some sort (be it DSLR, quick snap or cell phone). I'm sure most people have noticed, especially those using a cell phone, that sometimes details in images become blurred or pixelised when they are really small or far away. This is the same principle, you are trying to represent something smaller than a pixel using a pixel. In the end your digital image becomes a microcosm of the real world. If you existed only in the digital image, you would know that something should be in that pixel, but you would have no idea of the nature of that something.

The same principle applies to our own existence. The real world is made up of fundamental particles such as atoms which are in turn made up of protons, neutrons and electrons and so on. Currently the technology exists to measure things in terms of electrons (very small), however, anything smaller suffers from the same pixel effect described previously. So we know there is something there but we cannot understand the nature of that something because we lack the tools and senses to rationalize it. So our own existence is again a microcosm of something much bigger and more accurate than anything we know and understand; much like the relationship between the digital image and the scene being photographed.

Given that our known universe is a microcosm of a much greater and more complex reality, one must wonder what sort of influence these unknown forces can have on what we see. Or alternatively what kind of beings live outside of this plane. Going back to the example of the digital image, there may be a pixel representation of a snowboarder, for example, but snowboarders do not exist in a digital image. They do exist in the world that was photographed, however, and perhaps this is analogous to the place where our loved ones are when their manifestations in this world cease to exist. Although we cannot even fathom the full nature of their existence, they are there. Similarly, much like a snowboarder is aware that he is pictured in a digital photograph, or any other snowboarders busting out rad tricks or kicking up monster rooster tails for that matter, our loved ones must be also be aware of us and that is something that I find comforting.

There is still the question, however, of what influence these unknown forces can have on our reality. I propose the Tamagotchi model. Much like the digital photo in my previous discussion, the Tamagotchi is a microcosm of our reality. It is not directly aware of our existence in spite of the fact that we can influence its existence. So what if we ourselves are part of a much bigger Tamagotchi? Are the fates pressing buttons that influence our day to day life? When we sleep or more importantly when we shred? The implications of this are profound. Although I refuse to believe that some metaphysical toddler is pressing buttons that mandate how I laugh and more importantly how I love (I'm much too stubborn to allow anyone but myself to tell me that), I don't find it unreasonable to think that the circumstances surrounding those things might be guided by a higher purpose. What the intentions of that higher purpose are, however, are probably quite beyond the realm of our own understanding.

So assuming that our universe is some sort of cosmic Tamagotchi device, it's important to remember a few things:

  • Always love. The people around you may some day end-up pressing your buttons and you wanna hope they press the shred button frequently.
  • If you do love with a pure heart, take comfort in the fact that those you love are pressing the buttons and, if they aren't looking out for you, they will at least not be dropping the house on you.
  • There's a french saying that goes "sans rancune" or without rancor. Ill will and enmity are self perpetuating so don't hold them.

Well I think that's enough deep thinking for me or soon I will be unemployed. It's probably time for me, and maybe other lift-chair philosophers, to shut up and ...

Keep Shreddin' the GNAR!



Published On: 12/11/2007
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....FOR FREEDOM!!!

 

 “In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act. –George Orwell

 

The year is 1913, Woodrow Wilson is president, and powerful banking interests, who have been trying for year, finally achieved their long term goal, of silently taking control of the American government.

     The first thing the did to accomplish their take over was convince secretary of state, Flan Denox, to lie to the American people, and tell them that the 16th amendment [Income Tax Amendment] had been legally ratified by the states when it was not. The bankers knew that this tax would ultimately end up in their pockets.

     Because of this fraud the American people were led to believe there was a tax on their labor. Congress and the President ARE completely aware of this fraud and it was cited in a recent court case:

 

“If you… examined [the 16th amendment] carefully, you would find that a sufficient number of states ratified that amendment.” -U.S. District Court Judge, James C. Fox, 2003

 

That very same year [1913] the bankers committed their second, and by far most diabolical fraud ever perpetrated on the American people, by bribing senators to pass the Federal Reserve Act, without the required Constitutional amendment. They did this during Christmas vacation, when many senators where home celebrating Christmas with their families.

     And that is how the unconstitutional Federal Reserve Act came into being. They were very clever, and understood that who ever issued the money for America controlled the government.

 

“Give me control of a nations money supply, and I care not who makes its laws.” -Mayer Rothschild, Private Banker

 

President Wilson, who signed the Federal Reserve Act later said in regret:

“I’m a most unhappy man; I have unwittingly ruined my country a great industrial nation is now controlled by a system of credit. We are no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinions and duress of a small group of dominant men.” -Woodrow Wilson, 1919

 

How did America transform from being a truly free country with a servant government where our individual rights are protected by our Constitution, to being a country that talked about being free but really wasn’t?

     The change started when the Federal Reserve came into existence, and America adopted one of the major planks of the Communist Manifesto by creating for America this central bank.

     The very same people that back the Federal Reserve System also back the graduated income tax, a second plank from the Communist Manifesto.

     And now our Congress so dominated by the banks, is helping them entrap people even further by passing new Bankruptcy Laws making it more difficult for the people to declare bankruptcy and get a fresh start.

 

“Who controls money controls the world.” -Henry Kissinger, Council of Foreign Relations

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

*President Bush has signed executive orders give him sole authority to impose martial law and suspending Habeas Corpus. This gives him dictatorial power over the people without any checks or balances.

 

*The government can jail you for life without charges, without trial, and without a lawyer.

 

*Because of globalization the U.S. must accept other nations’ laws. Under the CAFTA treaty the sale of vitamins and supplements will be illegal.

 

*Executive Order# 10999: Allows the government to take over all modes of transportation.

 

*Executive Order# 11000: Allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.

 

* Executive Order# 11921: Provides that the president can declare a state of emergency that is not defined and Congress cannot review the action for six months.

 

*Senate Bill# 1873: Allows the government to vaccinate you with untested vaccines against your will.

 

*The FDA says: Americans do not have a right to know which foods are genetically modified.

 

*Congressman Sensenbrenner’s Bill (HR1528): Requires you to spy on you neighbors including wearing a wire. Refusal would be punishable by a mandatory prison sentence of at least two years.

 

*The government claims the power to seize all financial interments: gold, silver, and everything else if they deem an emergence exists. –treasury department letter, Aug. 12, 2005

 

*There are 190 countries in the world; American has bases in 130 them.

 

The Patriot Act permits:

*Secret FBI and police searches of your home and office.

*Secret government wiretaps on you phone, computer and/or internet activity.

*Secret investigations of your bank record, credit cards and other financial records.

*Secret investigations of your library and book activities.

*Secret examinations of your metical, travel and business records.

*The freezing of funds and assets without prior notice or appeal.

*The creation of secret watch lists that ban those named from air and other travel.

 

“The Constitution is just a goddamn piece of paper.” -George W. Bush, Nov. 2005, Capitol Hill Blue

 

During the 1990’s President Clinton monitored millions of private phone calls placed by U.S. citizens. He did this under a secret program code named: Echelon. The wide spread use of wire tapping Americans during the Clinton administration proves that this practice was not started because of 9/11 but is standard procedure.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The new legislation for the national ID card is in and takes three to for pages to describe. It will be connected to our driver’s licenses and Social security numbers. A physical ID such as finger prints or retinal print will be on it.

This law known as the Real ID Act takes effect in May 2008. Anyone with out a card will not be permitted to board an air plain, Amtrak train, open a bank account, or enter a federal building.

The bill mandates that all drivers’ licenses contain “common readable technology. A radio frequency identification (RFID) chip will be used.

 

 

“It is time to wake up America. Those ID cards are NOT about defeating terrorism, they are all about controlling the American people.” -Aaron Russo

 

The latest technology for identifying people when they make purchases is the implantable chip that can be directly imbedded into human flesh. Its tiny glass capsule is about the size if a grain if rice. It contains an RFID computer chip with a coiled antenna.

Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and others have expressed great interest in being able to more closely monitor the American people. And one way to do that would be to determine who buys what and where they take these things.

     Radio frequency can travel through walls, wood, the things we normally rely on to protect our privacy. For example your backpack, your pocket, anything you’re wearing or carrying.

     They were talking about having reader devices in every airport, on every bus, every train, on every port and every dock.

     One of the most worrisome applications of RFID is proposals to put in cash. Meaning that you’d be able to track every bank note, where it has been, who it has been issued to, and create an essence an audit trail that would essentially take away the anonymity of cash, that we enjoy today.

     The ATM machine itself, as the money came through the roller device, would be reading each number. And it would know who you are; of course you identify yourself at banks or ATMs. And the ATM would tag the number, and transfer the possession name from, say Bank of America to Joe Jones.

     Once every thing you do is tied down to a single number, and there is no longer the option to pay with cash, then all it takes to render you a non citizen is to simply turn you chip off. Then you won’t be able to participate in ant function in society, including buy food.  

     Through the implementation of the Federal Reserve System, the American citizen has gone from being a private individual who had real money, and gold in possession that was private, to a citizen who has no privacy because all money is now being digitized. They can deduct however amount of money they want out of your digits when ever they want, and they can trace you when ever they want. You’ll be at there mercy. God forbid we allow this to happen in America

    

“This is outrageous! I mean your talking about the government looking over your shoulder at absolutely everything you do, every purchase you make, every place you go, every company you interact with, would be recorded back to potentially the government.” -Katherine Albrecht, author of “Spy Chips”

 

Have we become so controlled and ignorant about our rights, that big institution and big governments can do whatever they want with us even with out our approval?

I know for certain that our founding fathers would resist to the death what is happening in America today. And I for one will not accept a national ID card. And if nobody accepts a national ID card, and nobody can board a plain without one, then let the airlines go bankrupt. And if you can’t open an account in a big national bank, then open one in a small local bank. And if we can’t walk into a federal building, I’d personally consider that a blessing.

Don’t allow these institutions to dictate to us how we conduct our lives. This is America, and we have free choice! We the people have the power not the government. The government gets its power from us, not the other way around.

Think of all the men and women that died in all our wars fighting for freedom, not Federal Reserve bankers. Do you think they sacrificed their lives so America could get chipped like a dog, so we can all have homing devices inside us? NO! This ID card is the last step before they implant us, and that is precisely the reason no one should accept one.

And you know what they’re going to do? They’re going to call in the propaganda machine, the media, and try to sell this RFID chip as if it was in everybody’s best interest.

 

“We shall have a world government whether or not we like it. The only question is whether the world government will be achieved by conquest or consent.” -Paul Warburg, architect of the Federal Reserve System, 1950

 

The central bankers of the world are working together to create a one world government. A global police sinister was the only thing George Orwell ever wrote about. Where every person on the planet Earth will have an RFID chip implant, where the bankers and the governments have access to every transaction you make.

A chip in every in everybody would be the universal monitory system, because there would be no escape from it.

Most people don’t have a clue that these unelected private bankers, actually control the governments of the world. They have actually financed and profited from ever war since World War I, without concern for humanity. The war in Iraq is an attempt by the Federal Reserve and their partner the Bank of England to control the middle east, and make it part of the new world order.

 

“Military men are just dumb stupid animals, to be used as pawn in foreign policies.” -Henry Kissinger

 

     The war on terrorism is the war on your freedom.

 

“The bankers own take it away from them but leave them the power to create money, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough money to buy it back again. However, take away the power to create money, and all great fortunes like mine will disappear and ought to disappear, for this would be a happier and better world to live in.

But if you wish to remain slaves of the bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, let them continue to create money.” - Sir Josiah Stamp, former director of the Bank of England

 

“We are grateful to the Washington Post, the New York Times, Time Magazine, and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost 40 years.

     It would have been impossible for us to develop our plans for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But now the world is more sophisticated and prepared to march toward a world government. The supra national sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto determination, practiced in past centuries.” 

-David Rockefeller, private banker, council on foreign relations, June 1991

 

“The real rulers in Washington are invisible and exercise power from behind the scenes.” -Felix Frankfuter, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

 

“It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.” -Henry Ford

 

     Now that you do understand what happened in 1913, and how it is leading to world government, the future depends on you. Will you choose freedom or slavery? Stop living in fear of your government. Government is the servant. We are the masters.

So what are you going to do about it? Join together in civil disobedience. Be willing to take part in nationwide strikes, boycotts, and marches on Washington. Force Congress to use their power to shut down the Federal Reserve. Government has authority to issue money, without paying interest to the bankers. This will take away the power to control our government from the bankers. Only vote for candidates who have signed an affidavit to shut down the Federal Reserve System and stop world government.

If you are in the military or law enforcement, remember you swore an oath to defend the American Constitution. You didn’t swear an oath to promote world government. Honor your Oath.

DONOT accept the national ID card, even if it’s your drivers’ license. We must demand that the American peoples gold be audited, and make certain that it has not been stolen. This asset must be returned to the American people.

Abolish computer voting in the state where you live. Stop being a good Democrat, stop being a good Republican, start being good Americans.

And when the media starts telling you that the country will fall apart if this is done, don’t be fooled. This is just the Federal Reserve trying to save itself. Squash it!

 

“I like the old idea, where you could do what you thought you could do and what you wanted to do as long as you didn’t hurt anyone.”

 -Ron Paul

 

If you believe in civil disobedience and wish to organize with millions of Americans in this battle for liberty, please sign up at freedomtofascism.com, and if you choose not to help, report to Central Services immediately and we will have you fitted for an RFID chip… for you own safety, of course.

 

”We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
-Benjamin Franklin, at the signing of the Declaration of
Independence, July 4, 1776

 Uninted we stand, Divided we fall.

www.ronpaul2008.com

 

www.wethepeoplefoundation.org

 Source:

America: from freedom to fascism (DVD)
 
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173

 



Published On: 11/10/2007
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Full Name: Carlo Jose Wein
Location: North Vancouver
Favourite Quote: "It's go time"
 
Your first Alterna snowboard movie came out in 2000, The Struggle.  Is it still a struggle today?

It’s always a struggle but we always find ways to overcome our challenges.
Creating snowboard films is definitely not the easiest of tasks, you have so many variables that need to come together for a film to be successful. Good light, snow conditions, crews that mesh well and solid sponsorship are only some of the various elements that need to work well in order to create a solid film.


What is a typical year like for you?

We pretty much film and travel from when the snow hits until around May of the following year. I guess that also depends on the type of snow year we are faced with, when we filmed Shrediquette a few years back we had the challenge of having hardly any snow, we were forced to go to Argentina in July to make up for lack of footage.

This year we traveled to Norway in July to get some "on the road" footy because we pretty much spent the whole season in Whistler.  Look out for the save of the century which took place on this trip care of JF FORTIN in the beginning of his segment.

As far as going to Vegas for the asr trade show we have been more successful gaining sponsorship outside of the show it seems its more of a good time than a time to do business.

Summers are now spent at our new office on the North Shore of Vancouver editing and going out fishing and boating as much as possible which is not that much. 
 
 
One of my favourite video parts is Travis Williams in Breaking Ground.  Do you have any favourite parts or sections that really stick out for you in your past 8 projects?
   
I guess the parts that stick out the most right off the top of my head are Mike Page's Struggle segment, the Poland section in IN TRANSIT, Trav's Breaking Ground segment, JF's Reflection segment, Beardmore's Fast Food segment this year the new faces like Takaharu Nakai and Matt Belzile stood out.

 
Do you think the internet is killing the video star?

I know that more people are watching our films because of the internet and less people are buying them. When I was in Finland last year all the up and coming finnish groms all had burned copies of almost every snowboard film. Europe is always a step ahead with this technology and North America will follow.  We are hoping that added value to our packaging like the insertion of an Apples & Oranges bandana this year will encourage people to buy the DVD.
 

What do you see for the future of snowboard films?

In my opinion, online distribution is definitely the future of snowboard flicks. People want to see movies right away and if you have your computer connected to your TV like most will in the future buying and viewing your favourite film will be one click away.


The latest project coming out of Alterna is Apples & Oranges.  What can we expect?

We shot the film in true HD so that is also a new element. Expect a 20 plus video layered intro that will have you re-watching it for sure. This year in some of the segments especially in Matt Belzile's part we miked Matt for his entire part.  Apples & Oranges also has the most cable cams and dolly shots that we have ever employed in any of our productions.

 
How large is the crew that put it all together this year?

During the winter there are seven production people together and we also contract out additional help during the winter for certain sessions. Myself and Bryant Bell are full time in the office on the North Shore.


I noticed that you popped the question if people would prefer Blue-ray vs. HD-DVD.  What are you thinking of going with?

It looks like Blue Ray for North America and HD DVD for Europe. 720p Downloads were also a big request. We will be releasing an HD downloadable version of Apples & Oranges closer to Christmas.


What would you like people to take away from watching Apples & Oranges?

Hopefully after watching Apples & Oranges you get stoked to go out and shred for yourself.
 

Where and when can people come out to the premieres?

All premieres will be listed on our website www.alternaactionfilms.com


Any shout outs?

Big Shout out to all the riders, production crew and sponsors involved in supporting the creation of past Alterna films and our latest release Apples & Oranges.



Published On: 9/27/2007
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Full Name: Carlo Jose Wein
Location: North Vancouver
Favourite Quote: "It's go time"
 
Your first Alterna snowboard movie came out in 2000, The Struggle.  Is it still a struggle today?

It’s always a struggle but we always find ways to overcome our challenges.
Creating snowboard films is definitely not the easiest of tasks, you have so many variables that need to come together for a film to be successful. Good light, snow conditions, crews that mesh well and solid sponsorship are only some of the various elements that need to work well in order to create a solid film.
 

What is a typical year like for you?

We pretty much film and travel from when the snow hits until around May of the following year. I guess that also depends on the type of snow year we are faced with, when we filmed Shrediquette a few years back we had the challenge of having hardly any snow, we were forced to go to Argentina in July to make up for lack of footage.

This year we traveled to Norway in July to get some "on the road" footy because we pretty much spent the whole season in Whistler.  Look out for the save of the century which took place on this trip care of JF FORTIN in the beginning of his segment.

As far as going to Vegas for the asr trade show we have been more successful gaining sponsorship outside of the show it seems its more of a good time than a time to do business.

Summers are now spent at our new office on the North Shore of Vancouver editing and going out fishing and boating as much as possible which is not that much. 

One of my favourite video parts is Travis Williams in Breaking Ground.  Do you have any favourite parts or sections that really stick out for you in your past 8 projects?
   
I guess the parts that stick out the most right off the top of my head are Mike Page's Struggle segment, the Poland section in IN TRANSIT, Trav's Breaking Ground segment, JF's Reflection segment, Beardmore's Fast Food segment this year the new faces like Takaharu Nakai and Matt Belzile stood out.

Do you think the internet is killing the video star?

I know that more people are watching our films because of the internet and less people are buying them. When I was in Finland last year all the up and coming finnish groms all had burned copies of almost every snowboard film. Europe is always a step ahead with this technology and North America will follow.  We are hoping that added value to our packaging like the insertion of an Apples & Oranges bandana this year will encourage people to buy the DVD.
 

What do you see for the future of snowboard films?

In my opinion, online distribution is definitely the future of snowboard flicks. People want to see movies right away and if you have your computer connected to your TV like most will in the future buying and viewing your favourite film will be one click away.


The latest project coming out of Alterna is Apples & Oranges.  What can we expect?

We shot the film in true HD so that is also a new element. Expect a 20 plus video layered intro that will have you re-watching it for sure. This year in some of the segments especially in Matt Belzile's part we miked Matt for his entire part.  Apples & Oranges also has the most cable cams and dolly shots that we have ever employed in any of our productions.

 
How large is the crew that put it all together this year?

During the winter there are seven production people together and we also contract out additional help during the winter for certain sessions. Myself and Bryant Bell are full time in the office on the North Shore.


I noticed that you popped the question if people would prefer Blue-ray vs. HD-DVD.  What are you thinking of going with?

It looks like Blue Ray for North America and HD DVD for Europe. 720p Downloads were also a big request. We will be releasing an HD downloadable version of Apples & Oranges closer to Christmas.


What would you like people to take away from watching Apples & Oranges?

Hopefully after watching Apples & Oranges you get stoked to go out and shred for yourself.
 

Where and when can people come out to the premieres?

All premieres will be listed on our website www.alternaactionfilms.com


Any shout outs?

Big Shout out to all the riders, production crew and sponsors involved in supporting the creation of past Alterna films and our latest release Apples & Oranges.

 


Published On: 9/27/2007
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Wave power tipped as 'holy grail' for Australia

AFP, 17 May 2007 - New technology harnessing wave energy could be the "holy grail" for providing electricity and drinking water to Australia's major cities, Industry Minister Ian MacFarlane said Thursday.

The technology, developed with the help of more than 770 million dollars (636 million US) in seed funding from the government, works through fields of submerged buoys tethered to seabed pumps.

The buoys move in harmony with the motion of the passing waves, pumping pressurised seawater to shore to run turbines and pass through a desalination plant.

"The constancy of the waves even when the surface is dead calm means .... READ MORE ABOUT WHEN THE "WAVE FARMS" ARE TO BE CONSTRUCTED... Click HERE: http://www.wbcsd.org/plugins/DocSearch/details.asp?type=DocDet&ObjectId=MjQ2NTg
 
See a SCHEMATIC of the system, VISIT the Carnegie Corporation at: http://www.carnegiecorp.com.au/tech/wave-energy/what-is-ceto.php
 


Published On: 5/22/2007
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BATALEON SNOWBOARDS elected Breakthrough Brand of the Year at the Annual European Snowboard Industry Forum. A solid recognition of the brands revolutionary innovation, TRIPLE BASE TECHNOLOGY, and a sales and marketing strategy based on dedication, enthusiasm and love of snowboarding.

“The Breakthrough Brand of the Year Award presented by SOURCE will recognize the activities and efforts of a small/new brand that has been seen by retailers to have progressed the most in the year.” Clive Ripley – publisher Boardsport SOURCE

Retailers voted Bataleon their favored brand. European industry platform SOURCE took the initiative and CEO of the TTR World Tour Drew Stevenson presented the award during this 3-day event in Chamonix, France.

“The fact that the retailers voted for Bataleon gives us a huge boost in confidence. It’s awesome that retailers acknowledge our Triple Base Technology, appreciate our marketing strategies and value our customer service. They have found a solid and trustworthy partner in Bataleon Snowboards. I am stoked to see that our momentum in Europe is reaching overseas and increased interest is shown by the US and Japanese retailers. We will put a lot of effort in continuing to build our brand in these markets.” – Dennis Dusseldorp, International sales manager

“This award is extra valuable coming out of a winter like we had. It’s been a hard season for the industry and we did all we could to support our retailers. Without our retailers we would not have been where we are right now and we are looking forward to catering them with the best service possible in the future” – Fred van Haren, General manager

Bataleon Snowboards would like to thank all retailers, distributors, reps, magazines and riders who supported us since day one.

Learn more about Bataleon Snowboards and check out the teaser that was shown during the award ceremony on www.bataleon.com.

Photo By MUCCA

 




Published On: 5/18/2007
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Nearly 1,000 diplomats from around the world are meeting in Bonn Germany this week to draft a new global treaty to control greenhouse gases to replace the Kyoto Protocal which expires in 2012. The conference began on Monday, just days after the U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its third major report on global warming. Earlier this year the panel declared that the warming of the earth's climate system in unequivocal and attributable to human activities. On Friday the group of 2,000 scientists said the means and technology to prevent global warming exist but that citizens of the world and governments must quickly take action.

LISTEN TO or READ more from Democracy Now's radio show broadcast:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/05/09/1513200

Democracy Now! is a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program airing on over 450 stations in North America. Pioneering the largest public media collaboration in the U.S., Democracy Now! is broadcast on Pacifica, NPR, community, and college radio stations; on public access, PBS, satellite television (DISH network: Free Speech TV ch. 9415 and Link TV ch. 9410; DIRECTV: Link TV ch. 375); as a "podcast," and on the internet.


Published On: 5/9/2007
View Comments Add/View Comments (1)


There has never been a greater need for inquisitive and determined young minds to develop the solutions needed for the 21st Century
 
 
"My message to any young person today mulling over their future career path is this: there has never been a better time to consider a future in scientific discovery; or in engineering to bring innovative technologies to real world application."

The environmental problems facing the world in the 21st Century are the legacy of human activities, argues Sir David King. But he says, in this week's Green Room, we also hold the key to solving these problems by attracting the brightest young minds into the world of science.

Woman covering her mouth in polluted street (Image: AFP)
It is easy in our day-to-day lives to believe we are detached from the wider environment, but that is an illusion

Mankind has never had a greater need for science, and for the spark of human ingenuity to apply this to tackling today's great global challenges.

Built on centuries of tradition and endeavour, the UK is second to none in the diversity and excellence of its scientific heritage.

Our nation punches well above its weight in the quality and number of academic papers and citations, above Germany, France and Japan, and trailing only the far bigger economy of the US.

It is vital therefore that we pay equal regard to ensuring that the UK's outstanding scientific outputs flow through to enhance the quality of life and prosperity for people in the UK, and beyond.

The challenges facing science, and humanity, as we move through the 21st Century are manifold. I would place none higher than the test we face in our stewardship of planet Earth.

Even with our best efforts, we must be prepared for further global temperature rise as a result of past emissions

It is a stern test, as demonstrated by a few stark facts. From around three billion people on the planet in 1950, global population has risen to over six billion today. By the middle of this century, it will exceed nine billion.

Most future population growth will be in the developing world, where people quite reasonably aspire to the living standards enjoyed today by "western societies", such as our own.

Yet it is estimated that, even with today's population, we would need the resources of three planets for people across the world to imitate western lifestyles.

Climate signals

I do not advocate a hairshirt future, but clearly we need to find new ways to develop both our lifestyles and the planet we share.

A flooded road (Image: AFP)
Negative impacts will dominate in all regions, says Sir David

It is easy in our day-to-day lives to believe we are detached from the wider environment, but that is an illusion.

Climate change presents us with a particular stringent test, which unmitigated will magnify many of the existing scourges of mankind: famine, drought, flood, disease and conflict.

The scientific evidence is compelling beyond any reasonable doubt that unless we very radically transform our economies to reduce greenhouse emissions to a fraction of current levels then future generations will reap a heavy price.

Indeed, the signals are already with us of the sort of changes that we can expect to continue and accelerate, as land ice melts, sea levels rise and extreme weather events become more severe.

Even with our best efforts, we must be prepared for further global temperature rise as a result of past emissions, and the climate impacts associated with this. The outcome will initially be mixed, with positive and negative effects depending where in the world you live and on other factors.

But in time the negative impacts will dominate in all regions, and will fall earliest and heaviest on the poorest countries, which are least able to adapt and which have contributed least to the problem.

Car exhaust pipe (Image: PA)
Carbon levels in the atmosphere continue to rise

It will take an unprecedented international effort if we are to avoid the most dangerous climate changes that are predicted, and for individual countries to adapt to those impacts it is already too late for us to avoid.

From climate change I move to another linked challenge - energy. Since the industrial revolution, fossil fuels have powered our economies and brought new levels of prosperity.

But by releasing into the atmosphere carbon, as carbon dioxide, that has been naturally sequestered underground over tens to hundreds of millions of years, we have raised concentration levels in the atmosphere in just 150 years beyond anything seen for at least one million years, and probably far longer.

At the same time, world energy demand is expected to rise by half as much again by 2030.

Even with a major push on energy efficiency, there is a critical need for step changes in the pace at which we deploy current low-carbon technologies in developed and developing countries alike; and we must quickly advance the more innovative technologies such as carbon capture and storage, wave and tidal power, and solar photovoltaics.

No quick fix

There are no simple solutions and there is certainly no single "silver bullet" technological fix. The pathway for advancing new energy technologies to technical and economic viability at scale is complex, difficult and inevitably takes time, even with major efforts to accelerate progress.

The £1bn public/private Energy Technology Institute, launched by the UK Government, is an important new initiative in this area, providing good starting levels of investment, focus and ambition, and I hope in time will develop as part of a global network of similar centres of excellence.

Students in a laboratory (Image: Science Photo Library)
There has never been a greater need for inquisitive and determined young minds to develop the solutions needed for the 21st Century

Nor can we tackle the problem by focusing on one sector alone. It is not a question of whether we should reduce emissions from our vehicles, or our houses, or industry, or in aviation or shipping, or through curbing deforestation.

The scale of the challenge is such that we must do all of these things, whilst using our actions as a stimulus to galvanise the wider international response.

And we must continue to prosper, not just for our own sakes but because those we seek to influence will not follow our lead if they perceive that environmental sustainability means economic decline.

It is a powerful demonstration that in the UK we have been able to grow our economy in real terms by around half since 1990, whilst greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 15%. Action is affordable and is the pro-growth strategy. It is inaction that we cannot afford.

Returning to where I began, science and technological innovation must be at the heart of the UK's approach as we tackle these and other of the great national and global challenges we face in the century ahead. But science does need to be redirected to meet these challenges.

Sir David King is the UK Government's chief scientific adviser and author of this opinion piece running in THE GREEN ROOM, a BBC News website.
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6596427.stm


Published On: 5/3/2007
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 New York Times Columnist Thomas L. Friedman's The Power of Green article published this week sent chills out to me tippy toes......He writes:
 
One thing that always struck me about the term “green” was the degree to which, for so many years, it was defined by its opponents — by the people who wanted to disparage it. And they defined it as “liberal,” “tree-hugging,” “sissy,” “girlie-man,” “unpatriotic,” “vaguely French.” 
Well, I want to rename “green.” I want to rename it geostrategic, geoeconomic, capitalistic and patriotic. I want to do that because I think that living, working, designing, manufacturing and projecting America in a green way can be the basis of a new unifying political movement for the 21st century.  
WATCH Friedman's Documentary:
"Green: The New Red, White and Blue," a documentary featuring Thomas L. Friedman¹s reporting on green technology, premiers on the Discovery Channel on Saturday, April 21 at 9 p.m.  Description below:

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman travels the globe to unravel the tangled web of where we get our energy, and what we can do about the carbon footprint producing and consuming that energy. He visits the front lines of a revolution taking shape.
 



Published On: 4/20/2007
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With safety as a top priority at the camps, PRO-TEC has joined the Core Camp family as our newest gear sponsor. All campers will have free use of a wide range of PRO-TEC protective equipment while shredding at the camps.
  With the most recognizable style of helmets, PRO-TEC designs have often been imitated, but never duplicated ... you cannot fake authenticity or manufacture heritage. Today, PRO-TEC provides innovative technology while still maintaining thier classic style and providing the very best in protective equipment for skating, biking, snowboarding and wakeboarding.
  PRO-TEC is the original action sports protective gear company and continues to support and protect riders around the world so they can keep innovating, expressing and progressing.
Check them out at www.pro-tec.net
Ride on.




Published On: 3/25/2007
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Friends of poor winter!
There's heavy snowfall outside. Finally, after three months of beach holiday in Europe, there's so much snow you don't even want to leave home. But that's not necessary for us, as half of the Isen-team is injured right now - timing is everything! The good thing about it: we finally had time to intensify our knowledge about modern video technology and so - after three days of rendering - we can publish our first monthly clip of this season, just in time and in HD quality!
Like last year, this first output presents you our team for 2007, all packed in the dry mood we enjoyed the past couple of months. Together with a new gallery of the highlights of January, you can find the video on our website www.isenseven.de as usual - you can choose between HD or the oldschool crap.
Or you just watch the clip here on Snowboard.com

-------------------

We just got back home from our first rail trip. We came to enjoy beautiful Dresden, a city in Eastern Germany where snowboarding isn't usual at all. Overall, we managed to get some good shots, met friendly peole and discovered interessting facts about our own country. Unfortunately, our two riders, Michi and Basti, both broke their arms on the fourth day. Now that it has snow, we just sit and wait.



The weeks before weren't any better. While Alex sits in Colorado and shreds nice parks with Marco and Daniel, we tried our best to get some rail stuff done with snow shaved from the ice rings, sometimes succesful, sometimes rediculous.
It's a good time to have some drinks without feeling bad about the hangovers. There's nothing better to have a nice hangover in such a winter.



Right now, I see the water dripping down in front of my window. After 3 days of heavy snowfall, everything's melting again. Welcome spring!

See all of you at the ISPO next week, be sure to drop by at the Pleasure booth!




Published On: 1/28/2007
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I AM SELLING MY BRAND NEW SNOWBOARD. I HAVE NEVER, EVER USED IT IN MY LIFE!

FULL DETAILS BELOW:
snowboard is excellent for intermediate to pro riders
size 63 (163cm)
supercap technology core
medium flexibility
INCLUDES BINDINGS AND CARRY BAG

FOR MORE INFO. PLEASE CONTACT:
amanda_aversa88@hotmail.com OR Frank at getting4ever@hotmail.com


*shipment may be done by fed EX. extra charges may apply




Published On: 1/10/2007
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Did you already here about the blue print technology that elan snowboards has launched?
That is a really cool thing! You can send in your own board design and they will produce the board for you!


Published On: 1/4/2007
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