“You see, it’s like the old saying, ‘Everybody loves a cane.'”

A couple months ago, there was a dustup between Nike Skateboarding and Minor Threat over the former appropriating the image from the seminal Minor Threat album cover for their summer tour. I really want to go on a rant about this, but don’t have the time to. I think that Jason Kottke was right in calling it an homage.

I remember about 15 years ago that the rage in skateboarding graphics was copying a well known logo and transforming it into a skateboard manufacturer logo. The best was the NBA logo of red, white and blue lay up guy transformed into a skater doing a kickflip. These were all tweaking of the establishment. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

I remember about 20 years ago that my favorite pair of skate shoes were the black and red Air Jordans. Still the best after all these years. Nike was a part of skate culture a long way back. I can still recall a cover of Thrasher with Jesse Martinez kicking out a big judo air in a pair of Air Jordan’s.

“Don’t try to confuse me with the facts.”

I am saddened by the events befalling the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. I wish it would not have happened like this. I remember coming into South Florida after Hurricane Andrew. The place never looked so strange.

Yet, the devestation showing on TV is out of this world. Katrina was a Cat 4 and it would seem that it should not have wreaked as much destruction as the Cat 5 Andrew. Yet, here it is almost a week after it has hit and it looks as if the end of the world has arrived there. I can’t imagine facing this.

New Orleans is gone. She won’t recover for years if not decades.

My heart and thoughts go out to those affected by this.

Gas

Gas prices are high.

I was driving in to work and was at 320 miles since my last fill up last friday. I did a lot of driving the last few days running errands and picking people up that I burned gas quicker than normal. So last night I planned to get gas hopefully to avoid the cost adjustment because of Hurricane Katrina.

Well, as I drove in this morning I saw at one station in Chase, $3.18 for premium and $2.99 for regular. I decided then and there to not wait until after work but to fill up now. You see, when I usually wait, by the time I get to the gas station in the afternoon, the price has changed by 10 cents.

So, I stopped at my favorite cheap gas, the Exxon by work. Filled up 12.440 gallons of premium (damn turbo!) for about $35.00 at $2.89 a gallon. I think I saved a few dollars.

Leaving work in the afternoon, there was a line to get in to the Exxon, and it was $3.20 for premium.

Rediculous!