PM Tenore of RVCA meets with Obama at the White House March 30, 2009 05:43 AM
PM Tenore of RVCA at the White House earlier this month The Obama administration invited RVCA founder and CEO PM “Pat” Tenore and several other small business owners to the White House this month to hear the President discuss his plans to help small businesses. Pat answered some questions for me about the visit and what it was like to meet Obama.
Who contacted you to come to the White House? I was contacted by an executive member of President Obama’s staff. He called me, and at first I thought it was a joke. He then followed the phone call with an email. Once I saw the email with a .gov address I thought maybe this could be real. After I figured out it wasn’t a joke, I booked a flight and I was off to D.C.
What was the experience like to be there?
Obama gives you the feeling that everyone matters and has a voice. For a random person from Costa Mesa to get the opportunity to meet the President inside the White House, it made me feel like change is coming. It gives me a very positive outlook on the future.
What did you think of the president’s plan?
It seems like the administration is trying to implement a lot of initiatives to help small business. As a small business owner I appreciate that the administration is paying attention to small businesses and recognizing that everyone is important.
What was the President like in person?
The President seemed authentic and connected to the problems and concerns of everyone in the group. Ever since I was a kid I felt alienated from government and politics. The experience made me feel that Obama is genuinely in tune with everyone.
Was it hard to get into the White House – lots of security?
The security is probably exactly like someone would expect at the White House. A lot of military, police and secret service. Although is was a bit intimidating, the people were very friendly. There were two check points. … In a way, very similar to going through the security line at an airport.
Did you share any concerns, issues about this industry with the White House?
The format for the meeting really didn’t provide an opportunity to ask any questions or share concerns.
I had a few things that I wanted to accomplish during my visit to the White House. There is a painting there of President Obama that was painted by David Choe, and I really wanted to take a picture of it. I asked if I could, but was told that the painting was in a different Wing, and I didn’t have security access to go there.
I also wanted to get President Obama to throw a shaka and get a photo with him. When it was my turn to meet the President, I gave my camera to someone to take our picture. I now have an amazing picture of President Obama and my right arm – no shaka. The camera guy blew the picture. However, I was able to get some great interior photos of the White House.
Will you send the President some RVCA clothes?
The thought did cross my mind, but I was told not to bring any gifts. It would have loved to have brought him some trunks. I am sure he would have put them to good use body surfing at Sandy Beach.
Did you talk to him about surfing at all?
He asked me how Kelly Slater did in the Australia leg of the tour and I told him not so good but he is still the best ever and current world champion. No, I just shook his hand and told him it was a pleasure to meet him.
The President’s small business plan
After hearing back from Pat, I checked the White House blog for more details about the session he attended. RVCA was one of 67 small businesses and non-profits that attended.
A lot of details of the meeting got lost in the uproar that day over the $65 million in bonuses paid to some AIG executives, and President Obama spent the beginning of the meeting calling for the government to block the payments.
Here are some highlights of his small business relief acts and proposals:
Authorized the Small Business Administration to guarantee up to 90 percent of loans and elminate fees for borrowers and lenders.
Gave tax cuts for small business in the stimulus plan signed into law in mid-February.
Gave tax incentives for small business investments in the stimulus plan.
Authorized the Treasury Department to purchase up to $15 billion in SBA loans to free up the secondary credit market and increase liquidity at community banks.
Proposed in budget to reduce capital gains taxes on small business to zero.
Proposed tax credits for small businesses that offer health care coverage to employees.
In fact, none of their sites were up. Wonder what’s going down at Source Interlink? Aside from their ASG websites, we mean? We’d call them to see what’s up, but we’d kind of rather wait to see how long it takes them to figure it out.
Recently created by Archivirus Architecture and Design, the Ramp House is a response to the client’s request for a “skatable habitat”.
According to architect Athanasia Psaraki, the Ramp House is a project which tries to reconsider and redefine the living space. The result of the client’s request is a curved form interior, which “set the whole house as well as the inhabitant’s life, into motion”.
In the space, which is a roof addition to an existing three-storey building, she tries to achieve a balance between old and new. The dominant material was wood, so a wooden pergola and wooden horizontal louvers surround the new structure, connecting the old and new.
The architect wanted the ‘skateboarding’ element to be more than simply putting a mini ramp in the living room. Rather, the ramp, the bowl and all the interpretations of those terms would actually become the building elements for this space. It is intended to be a ‘ramp house’ and not a ‘house with a ramp’. Straight lines are curved and the flat surface becomes a ramp or a bowl. Basic house elements such as the fireplace and storage units are hidden inside the ramp forms.
The street aesthetics of the skate scene are combined with a home atmosphere by combining concrete and wood. Concrete walls mould into the floor and concrete turns into wood to create a ramp partition with the kitchen. In that way, says the architect, somebody can flow from one space to the other, skating or walking.
Architects: Archivirus Location: Athens, Greece Type Of Project: Private house Project Architect: Athanasia Psaraki Design Team: Athanasia Psaraki Client: Maria Zacharopoulou
For more than 40 years, Vans has helped to define laid back California style as a key influence in action sports, music, art and street culture. Now Vans Off the Wall tells the story of the community of action sports legends, musicians, artists and trendsetters that inspired it all – as well as the shoes threading it all together. This personal, insider account features stunning photography and oral histories from Vans Originals:
Untold stories from boardsports legends Tony Alva, Steve Caballero, John Cardiel, Shaun Palmer and Joel Tudor. Plus the legacy of 80s BMX and of course punk rock tales from the Vans Warped Tour.
Music and artist inspiration from bands including Descendents, KISS, AFI and Bad Brains and artists such as Mister Cartoon, Neckface and Robert Williams. Photographs by CR Stecyk, R. Grant Brittain, Bryce Kanights, Art Brewer and Trevor Graves have all contributed to the book. The birth of the waffle sole and a look at the largest and most complete Vans shoe collection ever assembled.
The filing tells how Active’s rapid expansion over the past few years required significantly more investment and financial resources – while revenues essentially stayed the same.
As result, Active is projected to record a $7.7 million loss for the fiscal year ending March 31. (Click here to read an interview with Active partner Shane Wallace about the bankruptcy filing and go-forward plan, which includes reorganizing and continuing to operate 21 stores).
Also of note is the list of Active’s 20 largest unsecured creditors, which reads like a Who’s Who of action sports brands. Active owes a total of $8.8 million to its 20 largest unsecured creditors.
Interestingly, only one brand is on the list of secured creditors – the Burton Corporation. Secured creditors get payment priority in a bankruptcy.
The Active warehouse in Mira Loma
Financials
According to the bankruptcy filing, Active’s revenues stayed approximately the same over the last few years while the number of stores essentially doubled in that same period.
Annual Revenues
3/31/07: $58.9 million
3/31/08: $61.8 million
3/31/09: $59.9 million (projected)
The filing says, “These losses have been caused primarily by the Debtor’s rapid over-expansion and market saturation, during which time the company’s same store sales were decreasing substantially.”
Bankers
Active owes approximately $4.2 million in principal, exclusive of interest and other charges, to Merrill Lynch, which is continuing to work with the company during its bankruptcy reorganization.
Leases and contracts
The company is moving to reject eight leases for the stores it has already closed in Irvine, San Diego (three), Simi Valley, Westwood, Lake Elsinore and Mission Viejo.
The filing also says it will reject contracts with several skateboarders, including Andrew Reynolds, Kenny Anderson, Billy Marks, Erik Ellington, Daewong Song and Jim Greco.
Life is a Tweet! WHAT! Yep, Twitter has taken over the world and yours truly Tweets with the best of them. You can follow SKATEBOARDS.COM on Twitter and stay up to date, win free stuff and waste more of your time. But when we are watching our Tweeps, we come across some cool sites that deserve mentioning that are not mainstream and actually made up of just normal everyday people carving out their own voice in a sea of crap. Below are a few of those sites to check out and offer up some creative flow that isn’t driven by the MAN. Hope you enjoy and make sure to follow us on Twitter SKATEBOARDS.COM .
Burning Down The Ramp
By The Editors March 23rd, 2009.
Lewis Smith, 45, of Orange City, Florida got so mad at the kids who were skateboarding on some ramps near his house that he burned them down, according to a story on WFTV.com.
The sheriff’s office says the man put the neighborhood near Orange City in danger and forced the county to divert firefighters already battling huge brush fires. The man admit he set the skateboard ramps on fire in the middle of this dirt road on 17th Street (see map), near Orange City, because he was fed up with kids playing on them so close to his home. . . Lewis Smith, 45, was booked into the Volusia County jail, but released Monday morning. He’s charged with criminal mischief, but Volusia County sheriff’s investigators said the minor damage he caused could’ve been far worse.
And we thought the Tampa Pro was the hottest skate event going on in Florida last weekend.
Here is a step by step instruction on how to assemble a complete skateboard. SKATEBOARDS.COM will have video around these steps shortly.
Instructions
Things You’ll Need:
Utility knife
Allen wrench
Phillips-head screwdriver
Flathead screwdriver
Skate tool
Grip tape
Deck
Truck assembly
Wheels
Bearings
Hole punch (optional)
Step 1:
Peel back a small portion (2 inches is usually just enough) of the backing on the grip tape. Center the tape over the nose of the board, leaving about a 1/2-inch of tape hanging over the nose. Smooth the grip tape down onto the board, starting with the nose. Work slowly and only expose 2 inches at a time, pressing firmly as you move down the board.
Step 2:
Roll one of the wheels over the grip tape after you have laid it all down to help remove any small air bubbles that may have formed.
Step 3:
Scrape off an outline of the edge of the board in the grip tape with a flathead screwdriver. Use the utility knife to cut around the board where you made an outline in the grip tape and remove the trim.
Step 4:
Place one bearing on the end of the skate key. Use uneven pressure to press the bearing into the wheel groove. Repeat until all the bearings are installed into the wheel groove of all four wheels.
Step 5:
Assemble the trucks by sliding on the first washer, then the wheels, then the second washer and finally the axle nut. Tighten the axle nut completely, then slowly loosen the nut again until the wheel spins freely.
Step 6:
Punch through the grip tape to expose the holes in the deck for the mounting hardware using either a hole punch or one of the bolts from the truck assembly. Slip the bolts through the holes from the top side through to the underside.
Step 7:
Slide the trucks onto the bolts with the bushings facing inward. Tighten the bolts on the truck with the Allen wrench.
Step 8:
Turn the skateboard upright and place on a flat surface to check that the wheels are all even. Slight unevenness can be expected and will adjust as the bearings settle. Extreme unevenness may require you to install risers between the trucks and the deck.
Tips & Warnings
You will eventually get a feel for how tight or loose you prefer the wheels while skateboarding. You can easily adjust the wheels by tightening or loosening the nuts even after you have been riding for awhile.
The film that coats the ball bearings is actually quite delicate, so you should handle the bearings with care while attempting to insert them into the wheel groove.
Roots…
Where does all of this crazy skating come from? How did it all get started? Many say its the Z Boys. I think these guys had the largest influence on modern skateboarding as we know it today. Yes, the Dogtown and Z Boys movies are now a few years old. But I thought I would start my Skateboards.com blogging with a little roots….
