BOYCOTT O'NEILL!!!
WARDOG
Well, O'neill has the lead sponsorship role in the Punta San Carlos
"O'neill Baja Wave Classic" / PWA Euro wavesailing extravaganza/ fiasco
set to go over Easter Break.
Here is a dirty little secret that you won't read about in the
windsurfing rags............
O'neill was a sponsor of 1998 Aloha Classic......Actually it was called
"The Swatch Aloha Wave Classic by O'neill"..........a PWA event, that
illustrates the discrimination that exists in Professional Windsurfing.
At Ho'okipa Beach Park on Maui November 7-12,
27 Pro Women who paid equal PWA fees and expenses to travel all over the
world for competitions were kept on standby for all eight days of the
competition and were denied the opportunity to finish the tournament.
Kelly Moore states in an article in Wahine Magazine,Vol. 5 #1, that
incidents of sexual discrimination on the tour are countless. She states
"Just two minutes before finishing the last heat to decide the last
eight women, the judges abandon the heat and do not restart any more
competition. The wind totally dies and we are left sitting on the beach
in utter disbelief, as I see the World Title, and the $10K in prize
money and sponsorship bonuses, ripped out of my hands, a 7-year dream
smashed". She further states "The fact is ,women are being smothered
like a wet rashguard, and it seems until freestanding events can be
developed, the women will continue to take a back seat to the men's
competition".
I don't know about you, but I've seen these Pro women sail and they kick
butt!
I know I'm not alone in this view, so why in the hell are they being
excluded from the
"O'neill Baja Wave Classic" at San Carlos? What so "Hanz and Franz" can
waltz around in their marble sacks and have a chance at $50K in prize
money, while they ask for a light for their Silk Cut cigarrette (a major
sponsor of the PWA) and meanwhile the World's top female sailors are
denied an opportunity again to compete? Women like Kelly Moore, Jutta
Mueller, Jennifer Henderson, Iballa and Daida Ruano Moreno, Jane Seman,
Karin Jaggi, and Nina Heiberg plus others.............
To the men........what if these women were your wives,girlfriends, or
daughters?
To the women what if they were your sisters (well, they are!)?
These women are pushing the envelope of hot moves all over the
world........like many women before them, I say enough is enough!
DON'T BUY THE PWA "O'NEILL WAVE BAJA CLASSIC" VIDEO WHEN IT COMES OUT!!!
DON'T BUY AN O'NEILL WETSUIT!!!........(Try a Promotion or other brand)
Do pick up Wahine Magazine and read for yourself Kelly Moore's revealing
article.
Until pressure , financial or political, is brought to bare on the
powers that be, this same
crap will happen again and again and again.........ad nauseum.
p.s. Didn't Jack O'neill's daughter, Shawn, windsurf and compete at one
point in time?
I'm surprised O'neill would associate themselves with the PWA!
KarabaszJP
The women pro surfers had the same problem. Instead of whinning (calling for
boycotts). they went out and registared and competed in the mens event. These
girls could shred !! They (the top competitors) made a shambles of the trials
and main events in several major surf contest (a couple in Australia... talk
about sex discrimination). This did not effect the top surfers as (by luck)
they did not have to face (competitivly speaking) any of these women. But the
"middle of the pack" and lower HOWLED. The women representatives got an
audience with then Executive Director Ian Cairnes, and got significant
improvement in their situation.
Competivly speaking I don't doubt that the current women "Kick Ass" . Let's
look at their competive advantages.
Generally smaller: In wave contests the conditions are usually marginal so
earlier planing is an advantage.
At the same size women have a lower center of gravity thus a balance advantage.
The PWA world traveling women have the same experience level as the men they
are equal here as well as equipment.
THE REAL ADVANTAGES is they are hungrier for the competition. The women have a
cause bigger than themselves. These advantages plus surprise, and putting the
male competitors on their heels"you know that NO boy wants to lose to a GIRL."
Under the circumstances I as a competitor would not want to face an advisary
under these terms.
Men do seem to rule these two sports, and there are women who can give them a
run for their money. Any one in the windsurfing industry (which I am) knows
that growth in this sport is CRITICAL and excluding over 1/2 of the population
is a bad business decision. We put most of our marketing effort into the womens
clinics we run because we get the most return in this area. You guys must show
the industry that you have and can have a bigger following and that your icons
can compete against the men... just think how the mags will eat up that story.
Thus giving you a "soap box" to preach from, and if you preach in a
profeessional manner a clear and concise image.. your good to go.
So I say let'm play with the girls you'll be surprised who wins
JIM KARABASZ
Extreme Windsurfing
www.extremewindsurfing.com
Darryl Erlandson
The same inequality exists in all sports and at all levels of competition
and in all age groups.
The girls volleyball team at our local high school has to beg money in front
of local businesses to be able to buy uniforms. A T-shirt and shorts. The
boys football team spends tens of thousands annually on eguipment and
travel, all provided by the school for the benefit of a handful of jocks.
The girls are also forced to beg money to cover travel expenses to regional
competitions. Even the cheerleaders, (whose idiot parents allow them to be
the tools of this system) have to beg money for their uniforms. Nice
lesson, huh?
It is in the schools that the arrogance of high level male athletes is
nurtured. That is why we currently have such a fine crop of role models in
professional sports. After all, the would be rapists, wife beaters,
absentee fathers, drug abusers, and sociopaths of the world need somebody to
look up to.
That is a bit off the subject, but I am in the market for some neoprene for
myself and the rest of the family and I will avoid O'Neill after reading
your post. By the way, I am a 38 year old man. But I am not totally
altruistic. I've got two daughters, Audrey 6 and Anna 4. Look for them on
the circuit in about 12 years. Luke and Levi Seiver stand aside.
Tauras
the O'neill's lack of support to the windsurfing public and their lack of
regard for women windsurfers! Feel free to clip the animation and use it in
your site!
http://www.slonet.org/~tsulaiti/badguys.gif
Large swells here in CA to mast high but wind light, so time to go surfing
in my NEW RIP CURL Wetsuit!
Tauras
http://www.slonet.org/~tsulaiti/
Michael JS
outraged at the PWA's treatment of the women. I certainly lost any respect I
had for the PWA after seeing this fiasco. Pressure needs to be put on the
PWA as well as O'Neill to improve their treatment for women. Any ideas or
suggestions are welcome.
Berkeley Windsurf & Snowboard
controversial event as San Carlos. It pisses me off that they pulled
out of sponsoring some really cool local events here years ago, yet now
have decided to back something that is on it's face sexist and
destructive. Maybe they will wake up if this backfires on them.
Personally I'm not a big fan of their suits anyway, though I sell them
to people who are so brainwashed they won't look at anything else.
There are better suits out there for less money, beleive me. Best of
luck on a great idea, wardog!
--
Will Harper
mail to: bwa...@slip.net
http://www.slip.net/~bwands
**********************************************************************
Berkeley Windsurf and Snowboard Windsports
1601 University Ave. 1595 East Franciso Blvd
Berkeley, CA 94703 San Rafael, CA 94901
(510) 843-9283 (415) 459-1171
**********************************************************************
b...@spam_sync.com
If you want to make your opinion heard on an issue concerning
windsurfing I would suggest sending a letter or Email to the editor of
windsurfing magazine, and if you live in the North East also send one to
the New England Windsurfing Journal.
Ben
--
Ben Kaufman
antispam: To Email me, change domain from spam_sync to pobox.
- 03/21/99
WARDOG
Do you honestly think the windsurfing media is going to print "THE TRUTH"?
This NG is the most frightening thing to a "letters to the editor" editor
there is.
We are talking interACTIVE...........THEY CAN"T CONTROL OUR CONTENT!!!!
The days of the print media leading the proverbial "sheep" over the cliff
are over.
THEY CAN"T LIE TO US ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!
They can't squish our rebellion, our "Tiannamen Square" as it were.
No, I am not going to kowtow to an industry sponsored editor..........word
of mouth is way more effective and they know it!!! This is grassroots "gonzo
reporting".......
Hunter S. , Edward Abbey type stuff...........No, pal you got to vote with
your pocketbook......It took the Vatican hundreds of years and countless
"heretics" burned at the stake before they admitted that the Earth could be
round.......we don't have to wait any longer........THE EMPEROR SITTING ON
THE THRONE HAS NO CLOTHES ON, PEOPLE!!!
Lies, deception, half-truths, mis-information, non-imformation, misleading
product ads,
Madison Avenue psychologists employed to make you have to have it.......
Bottom line is people , you are smarter than they are!!!
The surfing industry woke up to the fact that women are half of the
population........
that they have equal purchasing power.........they are active participants
in watersport activities. They deserve R-E-S-P-E-C-T in our sport.
Question: Where have the windsurfing marketers been on this issue?
Answer:They have failed miserably!
Question: Will the results of the next contest influence your buying
decision?
Answer: You fill in the blank.......
The overt sexism in the PWA and European windsurfing industry stinks and
must come to an end. The judging and politics is subjective and pointless,
to the effect that they are not generating any new interest in the sport and
actually are detracting from it.
We may never know what motivated the powers that be to go ahead with a
contest at
such an environmentally sensitive and remote area such as PSC, after it was
shutdown last year by the vehement protestations of "Friends of San Carlos"
and others like you and me with shallow promises from Kevin Trejo that he is
interested in keeping San Carlos , San Carlos. Now what is the story? $50K
in prize money.......well over $100K spent overall
by the time the dust settles.........do the math, who do you think is
ultimately gonna pay for this?
Photo ops? Bjorn and cactus, Bjorn drinking a beer (probably not Mexican, I
can't read the label) , Pritchards not drinking a beer, Let's see what
else......the Maui Boyz on dirt bikes.......not lobster shots , they are out
of season.....Trejo's trailer for sure....but can we photoshop those tarps,
they are looking kind of tattered........what else....O'neill flags
fluttering just right, thanks to Solo Sports for helping us screw up the
Easter break for Baja road trekkers and picking up most of the
trash...........oh, yeah
First,second and third blah,blah,blah........yada,yada,yada........who
cares?
Hanz and Franz meet my American friends......Smith and Wesson......true
quote , not mine of course!
The information disseminated freely in this NG is more valuable and more
"spot on"
than most of the pablum printed between ads in any of the windsurfing rags.
Speaking of which....What's up with the pornography in the latest American
Windsurfer?
This mag has more sexist, homosexual, transvestite, kinky sexual content
than mainstream skin rags......I don't get it! The folks that make my
sails,told me they get sent this worthless rag for free and "round file" it
everytime ,before their son or daughter can get a chance to see the "crap"
in there. It's obvious that this magazine is not dependent on subscriptions
to stay afloat.
Anyway, Ben, to make a long story short ,I won't be writing to any of the
magazines any time soon........thanks for the suggestion though.
b...@spam_sync.com
> Bro.......
> Do you honestly think the windsurfing media is going to print "THE
> TRUTH"? This NG is the most frightening thing to a "letters to the
> editor" editor there is.
> We are talking interACTIVE...........THEY CAN"T CONTROL OUR
> CONTENT!!!! The days of the print media leading the proverbial "sheep"
> over the cliff are over.
> THEY CAN"T LIE TO US ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!
> They can't squish our rebellion, our "Tiannamen Square" as it were.
> No, I am not going to kowtow to an industry sponsored
> editor..........word of mouth is way more effective and they know
> it!!! This is grassroots "gonzo reporting".......
I never said don't discuss it here! However, before you condemn the
windsurfing press you have to give them a chance (or enough rope).
Anyone who writes to a publication or O'NEILL on this issue, please CC
this newsgroup.
Here is Windsurfing magazine's email address: wind...@worldzine.com
Put it under the subject DEAR WS EDITOR.
All you have to say is that you heard about how the PWA mistreated the
women, you don't like it and you hope the magazine reports on this.
Ben
--
Ben Kaufman
antispam: To Email me, change domain from spam_sync to pobox.
- 03/22/99
Berkeley Windsurf & Snowboard
Don't worry, Tom James and John Chao read this NG. Every time I blast
their mags I get immediate response.
Personally I would blame the sponsors much more than Trejo. He's just a
guy doing a job that was offered to him. I've never been to PSC, always
wanted to go, so I don't have standing to say who's right about what
down there, but it seems logical that if Trejo didn't do it, someone
else would, or worse someone with no connection or responsibility to the
place would. If you don't like it, go after the sponsors--go to the
money. It's what makes things happen (or not).
BTW--Wardog rips! He sent me pictures in his last e-mail and this guy
is no BS--a really solid wave sailor, way out of my league.
windi...@my-dejanews.com
moon...@gte.net wrote:
Moondawg... you sad puppy
Try sailing more and Stay off the full strength coffee.
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Elizabeth Simon
<19990321084951...@ng-fx1.aol.com>...
Excellent points.
I would encourage the women out there to do it. I remember that
separate women's divisions didn't exist locally untill some of us
started beating the guys on a regular basis (circa 1980). Maybe
it's time for the women to remind the guys why they're competing
separately :)
--
Elizabeth Simon
PS. It may be time for a new wetsuit and I know who I'm not
buying from.
Remove "nospam" from email address to reply.
WARDOG
Berkeley Windsurf & Snowboard wrote:
Don't worry, Tom James and John Chao read this NG. Every time I blast their mags I get immediate response.
Thanks Will, I was going to make that point, but I assumed that was a given.
This NG is the pulse of windsurfing ......Same goes for alt.surfing.
When I have blasted the media in the past and offered suggestions for articles,
it is funny how "on it" the editors can be, kind of shows you how
"bankrupt" their ideas vault is. The level of most writing in Windsurfing
Magazine, Surfing , and Surfer is embarrassing, even after extreme editing.
Surfers Journal and Clay's Windtracks Journal
(which is patterned after Surfers Journal) is a step in the right direction
by soliciting quality written word instead of the "mallspeak" (Dude, it
was goin' off and I was all like ,dude!...) that often encompasses the
"real estate" that exists between ads.
Personally I would blame the sponsors much more than Trejo. He's just a guy doing a job that was offered to him. I've never been to PSC, always wanted to go, so I don't have standing to say who's right about what down there, but it seems logical that if Trejo didn't do it, someone else would, or worse someone with no connection or responsibility to the place would. If you don't like it, go after the sponsors--go to the money. It's what makes things happen (or not).
You are right to some degree........I have pointed out that Kevin has done
some good,
and you are right it could be worse, but if you are going to play with
fire, you risk getting burned. I think Brian Caserio in a recent post nailed
Kevin much worse than I have.
My point is, the trickle down effect for the Ejido and Mexican locals
is not happening
yet, according to locals I talked with during a two week visit there
this Winter and I thought that was one of the conditions for Kevin getting
the lease.
What I don't care for is the trailer trash and broken down windsurf
vans on the point.
I'm not sure how the season pass is going to effect things......this
bring a trailer in and leave it crap is unacceptable......from an environmental
point as well as aesthetic.
Like I have said in recent posts, the outhouses are a necessary evil.
They look like tombstones against the mountain and bluff backdrop, but
better from a hygeine standpoint. I am all for the trend of the "eco-ejido"
that is happening all over the Baja.
Many people like yourself and others, who have not had the pleasure
or opportunity to visit PSC or the Baja, may not understand the intensity
of those like myself, that have had to, once again, come to the defense
of one of the rarest things on Earth...namely a quality desert camping
experience off the beaten track, next to steady sideoff wind and down the
line waves.......go there , experience it , then tell me it would make
the perfect site for a PWA $50K contest to be scheduled for essentially
the start of the season on the West
Coast over Easter break. Believe me, this thing has ruined quite a
few escape plans for folks that had been making preparations for a while.....the
thing that gets me is the covertness with which it was handled......if
word wasn't leaked to me and then passed on to you ,who knows what surprises
those people that made the 10-20-30 hour trek would have had in store......once
you get there you don't just turn around and leave.
What is in it for O'neill and the PWA? I don't get it.........They
know it's not right! Why exacerbate the demise of one of the truly wonderful
windsurfing/surfing experiences that is still available to those willing
to pay the dues of just getting there? As "Windians", all be it from
different tribes, PSC is a wavesailing "mecca", a holy land as it were,
and this extremely commercial event will by all accounts "soil the temple".
It's shameful and plain "not right".
WARDOG
to overhead down the line waves........right here in Santa Barbara no
less! Been surfing a major late season swell here on right hand point
breaks, fresh fish for dinner, refrigerator full of Sierra Nevada Ale, my
wife loves me, my two Chocolate Labs adore me........Spring is officially
here,La Nina is going to make the sailing this season rip, my cactus garden
is beautiful, cars are running great.........Thanks for your concern, but
I'm really not sad......life is quite good actually........BTW my wife does
buy those industrial strength beans from Peets, but I only have one cup in
the morning......"matters of the heart" do get me excited though......
I say what I mean and I mean what I say. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!
Brian Mckenzie
montages were great!
I think there is only one way to vote here, and that is with your
wallet. Take the biz elsewhere. If not for PSC, do it for the way the
PWA is treating the female pros, which I gather will not be going to
PSC.
Brian
hw...@worldnet.att.net
>...American Windsurfer?
> This mag has more sexist, homosexual, transvestite, kinky sexual
> content than mainstream skin rags......
What's this about?
...Pretty prejorative language here...
I thought this whole discussion, this thread, was about support for
people?!
Mark H.
MTVNewsGuy
embarrassing, even after extreme editing.>>
I actually prefer my own pieces before they've been edited. I'm not
embarrased, regardless. Where's the "yo dude" in the current issue btw?
But hey, I'm just a freelance contributor.
Michael
US5613
Robert
Men and Women are different and I really like that. Instead of mouthing
off and whining, do something constructive. I am a "victim" of legal
descrimination for some 41 years, simply because I am white and male. So
what, life is not fair. Perhaps a suggestion is to help support the
businesses that help females or do it yourself to what ever extent you
can. Trying to hammer a business into supporting your pet cause is not
going to really help and may hurt the sport as a whole. If anything,
windsurfing defies the patterns that are forced apon it by people.
Windsurfers started out by thumbing their noses at the yatching crowd.
So, here is a challenge: Prove to me that you will put your money
where your mouth is to help a female windsurfer and I will also. I wanted
a new sail, but will use that money to DIRECTLY assist a pro-female
windsurfer.
Let me know
Cookieman
Tauras
Robert Youdan wrote in message <36f79...@nexus.comcen.com.au>...
>I would urge everybody to be VERY careful before slandering any company in
a
>public forum.
>
>Rob
This indeed is a public forum and here in the US we have rights to express
our opinions. Boycott might be extreme to some but what other choice do we
have??? O'Neill by bankrolling the PWA who's overt exclusion of women at
many event and their lack of regard to the windsurfing industry in general
is a boycott target since the PWA has no money to stage their own events.
People are upset over the PSC contest for many reasons but the most
significant is that it is NOT good for the sport and only a benefit to some
selected pro sailors or the local tour operator that is looking to exploit
the local area for his own financial gain. I guess we should extent the
boycott to include Solo Sports, but Kevin is just doing what any business
owner in his position would do, take the cash and buy a new wheeled shack to
plant of that windy point in remote Baja.
If O'Neill wants to show some respect to the windsurfing community they can
pull out of the contest, which would restore our faith in that company, make
us all want to buy their products and end the fledgling boycott. If not
well, there will probably be a web site developed to highlight the issues
and several keyword searchable meta tags for potential on-line PSC video
customers showing the error in their ways. Why would anyone want to buy a
video used to promote the soiling of the last wild windsurfing Mecca on the
Pacific Coast? You guys from Oz have it made, loads of wind/waves and no
people, here in CA its an inverse relationship with only a few remote spots
where one can drive 12 hours to hope to get away from all the hype and
recharge one's spiritual batteries.
O'Neill was once a hardcore company bent on satisfying surfer/windsurfer
needs. Lets hope O'Neill has not turned a cheek to those passionate about
the sport they love by trying to defend a remotely located wavesailing
legacy that is being mainstreamed into kookdom by the elite few. All for the
sake of some currency to benefit the few sailors lucky enough to be in the
PWA's inner circle. Remember pro's don't buy anything, we the lowly sports
enthusiast do!
If I was running O'Neill I'd demand for the $50K the PWA to hold a contest
in an area that would give the products some exposure without generating
unnecessary controversy. On the year around cold east coast of the Pacific
Ocean where there are a LOT of sailors needing new rubber every couple/few
years, there are great spring sailing venues in both the LA and SF regions
that would result in strong ner NATIONAL exposure and potential sales of
their product. Instead they are hoping to market another hype video (read
product advertisement sailors buy for their VCR's, what a concept) that will
be lucky to sell 1,000 units. But then again at $19.95 per and a per unit
cost of under $5 to produce/send maybe O'Neill is now focusing on the video
biz since the profits seem to be there ;)
We are ALL still waiting to hear O'Neill's side of the story on the
newsgroup. How much of the $50K purse goes to the local residents to improve
their road or lifestyle? Or maybe O'Neill likes this controversy and is
just treating it as free advertising? Who knows.... ???
Dimitar Bojantchev
I have every intention to purchase an O'Neil suit if I need one.
MTVNewsGuy
"mallspeak"
and I quote : "I jumped at the absolute wrong time," Panebianco says,
"and I fell forever.
I was flapping my arms like,'Oh my God.'"
Sounds "all like" Monica speak to me.>>
That's not writing, that's a quote. That's what Jace Panebianco said. If you
don't care for how people speak, you'll need to take it up with the parents and
English teachers of our fair country. As for <<I mean I'm all like ,he was all
like, she was all like, he/she was all like ,Oh my God!>> that's you, not me or
Jace.
I regret that you didn't like the piece, but at least you're having a good time
whining about it. I'm sure you can find examples of numb English in past
copies of Wind Tracks (my beloved Windtracks!)...if not, I'll warn you that I
may be writing something for them soon. You may want to talk Clay out of
it...now's your chance!
Michael
US5613
William Vasquez
spreading the word....
More (wind) power to ya'
Robert Youdan
public forum.
Rob
Tauras wrote in message ...
WARDOG
I kind of liked his style until I read his writing) titled "The Accidental Tourist".
Essentially, a poorly edited diary, (hey, new word "diarrheary") that follows his escapades on the PWA tour. In the picture spread (literally) we have six of his tour
buddies including Josh Angulo, Scott Carvill, Rick Markham, Pete Volwater, Finian Maybard, and Eli Fuller sitting around a party table looking at "girly rags". You don't have to look to close to see a closeup centerfold of a woman's genitilia spread open from behind, as well as other spreads on the walls.
Question: What possessed them to pick that shot for publishing?
(At least they spared us the classifieds this time)
Now if you will allow me to quote from the text, in the context about life on the tour:
"I felt disturbed, in that things didn't feel right and had to figure out why. Just having to hang out can be pretty mind-bending sometimes.I tend to have difficulty seeing past the moment of just doing nothing. Everyone else is cruising around doing nothing as well, with the same mind-numbing conversations about nothing".
I mean it goes on and on......poor me......I hate losing.........the judges suck......I have to travel all over the world ,wavesailing and partying................. oh woe is me........
the wretched life of a Pro windsurfer. Good work when you can get it!!! Hey pal, try having a real job!!!
OK, so Windsurfing Magazine published a severely edited article by Kelly Moore about the sexism "unspoken politics and an agenda" that exists on the tour.....really coming across milquetoast compared to the scathing article in Wahine Magazine that she wrote. There is the truth, the edited truth, and the fully edited truth.
They did quote Jeff Henderson, whose wife, Jennifer is a Pro ripper, as saying about the Swatch Oneill PWA Aloha Classic "In all my years working in the windsurfing industry
and watching competitions, I've never seen a more blatant display of sexism.....
It was like we were in the dark ages".
Oh ,to answer your question
Where's the "yo dude" in the current issue btw?
I was flapping my arms like,'Oh my God.'"
I mean I'm all like ,he was all like, she was all like, he/she was all
like ,Oh my God!
Sounds "all like" Monica speak to me.
MTVNewsGuy wrote:
WarDog wrote<<The level of most writing in Windsurfing Magazine...is
embarrassing, even after extreme editing.>>
I actually prefer my own pieces before they've been edited. I'm not
WARDOG
I've tried to discuss the windsurfing industry's lack of support for women in general ,here in this NG before, but it didn't go far. Now, the mainstream media is talking about it ,
thanks to the overtness of the discrimination at the Aloha and the PWA O'neill contest at Punta San Carlos where the women have been excluded.
As far as putting my money where my mouth is.......I put my marriage on the line ,when I was teaching my wife how to sail, as anyone who has done this will attest.
Don't teach the person you sleep with!!! I am a core surfer and wavesailor, but I endured many trips to lakes and B&J locations getting her over the hump.
Now she is a competent ocean sailor in almost any conditions.
She participates in the Women's Clinic at Lake Isabella, where I guarantee you this year,
a "famous" windsurfing photographer, that puts on slide shows, will have more than one picture of a female sailor (last year's show got heckled by some women).
My wife is handling the logistics of bringing Susie Richards (Northwave, a big supporter of women sailors)and a handful of her friends from Hood River down to the event, the first week of May. I support Eva Hollemann, our resident board/boat repair guru,
Exk...@aol.com.......I produce windsurfing videos with , guess what?, yeah, women sailors get some footage. We actively help our friends get the right gear for teaching their kids , girlfriends, wives........My wife's best friend, Jessica Jibassier, has probably taught more women than anyone with the exception of Rhonda Smith and a few others.
My wife is a teacher at a local Santa Barbara secondary school and we support women athletics. She is one of the few women in the world that has sailed at Jalama......She has HER OWN state of the art gear.....not my hand me downs....yada,yada,yada........
If you call this "mouthing off and whining" then you obviously don't know me.
If anything, windsurfing defies the patterns that are forced apon it by people. Windsurfers started out by thumbing their noses at the yatching crowd.
Perhaps a suggestion is to help support the businesses that help females or do it yourself to what ever extent you can.
as well as countless others like Patagonia, Northwave Sails, Windsurfing Hawaii.........
Maybe someone can compile a list of companies to support and post it here.
money to DIRECTLY assist a pro-female windsurfer.
Let me know Cookieman
I've got to write a little check for the taxman here pretty soon, so
you let me know what you come up with.
WARDOG
Robert Youdan wrote:
> I would urge everybody to be VERY careful before slandering any company in a
> public forum.
Hey You (that is your name isn't it?),
Last time I checked I was still in the good 'ole U.S.of A.
I will keep pounding on these keys until the tanks roll up outside.......and
even then, they will have to peel my dead cold fingers off of the bloody
keyboard.
WARDOG
suit, it is unfortunate that it has come to this.
WARDOG
I regret that you didn't like the piece, but at least you're having a good time whining about it.
I did not say, that "I did not like the piece".......I thought it
was actually well written. Just trying to illustrate what happens when
the mags try to print verbiage from our sports heroes, you did ask me to
point out the "yo dude" stuff in that issue and it didn't take long to
find one.The recent article by Scott McKercher in American Windsurfer,
which I pointed out in my last post,is a better example of what I'm talking
about.(Interesting that he refers to the scene that surrounds the contest
circuit as a "circus", which is what has prompted the vehement protestations
of the PSC event.The surfing mags are particularly guilty of this and there
are some rather lively threads about this on alt.surfing right now.
If you don't care for how people speak, you'll need to take it up with the parents and English teachers of our fair country.
Bro, dude I'm all like, I don't have time right now, dude.....gotta go
slack........
you're having a good time whining about it.
I am , indeed.......thank you very much!
I'm sure you can find examples of numb English in past copies of Wind Tracks
And even some of .....gasp.....my posts!
I'll warn you that I may be writing something for them soon. You may want to talk Clay out of it...now's your chance!
You go ,Mike! Do us proud...........I think Clay is attempting to elevate
the level of journalism that has been acceptable in his past print format.
I'm sure it is a relief not to have all the advertisers calling him up
and threatening to pull their ads if they don't put
"Joe Hotpro" on his next cover. Now if we can only get our copy
(since we are paying subscribers) before the pros ,that waltz around looking
at pictures of themselves
in their free copies.My wife has already taken care of this (I think).
Robert Youdan
unfair in the different ways they treat guys and gals. And boycotts are fine
too. Just be careful with the words you use to stir up the boycott. Just as
you have freedom of speech, any commercial company has freedom of
sponsorship. I am on your side, but it is important to stop short of saying
"company A's products are shit" just because company A happens to pay
association B some of its advertising budget, when afterall, it is
association B that you have the gripe with.
Rob
Tauras wrote in message ...
>
>Robert Youdan wrote in message <36f79...@nexus.comcen.com.au>...
>>I would urge everybody to be VERY careful before slandering any company in
>a
>>public forum.
>>
Tauras
Robert Youdan wrote in message <36f87...@nexus.comcen.com.au>...
>Hey, don't get me wrong, I agree that many sporting associations are often
>unfair in the different ways they treat guys and gals. And boycotts are
fine
>too. Just be careful with the words you use to stir up the boycott. Just as
>you have freedom of speech, any commercial company has freedom of
>sponsorship. I am on your side, but it is important to stop short of saying
>"company A's products are shit" just because company A happens to pay
>association B some of its advertising budget, when afterall, it is
>association B that you have the gripe with.
>
>Rob
Sorry if my over imaginative candor comes across as slander to some, but
this contest has no need to happen on near holy grounds to many of us old
time Baja visitors. The fight we lead is meant to protect access to a spot
that is best kept wild for all to enjoy in their own personal journey of
adventure to a windy point that can refresh and counter point a life most of
us lead of comfort and risk aversion. A trip to any third world spot has its
rewards and cost on the mind and spirit... to see friendly people smiling
yet living in squalor, counterpoints our own ideals and lets our soul breath
the scope of the world wide human condition by letting us reflect on our own
being and place in this world. Having a contest here focused on a privileged
few so that a sponsor can hype their support for a sports activity has about
as much relevance as selling girl scout cookies in Kosovo today. Its not in
the best interest of the sport and only hurts those that have been visiting
the point for the past decades for reasons embodied in another corporate
marketing scheme.
I hope O'Neill see this and pulls out of the contest to instead reinvest the
$50K in growing the sport by sponsoring either high visibility contests in
populated areas or better yet invigorates the sport by sponsoring clinics to
teach and stoke the new generation to get hooked on the wind. Imagine $5K
for 10 separate clubs that are actively promoting the sport as a fun family
and individual activity free from the hype and subjective nature of
wavesailing contest for the privileged few. It would be to O'Neill's benefit
to grow the sport rather than polarize the sailing western USA/MX public by
holding contests on holy grounds, PSC. Reason to keep posting, hoping a last
minute change can happen.
Tauras
http://www.slonet.org/~tsulaiti/
The Dog
> Last time I checked I was still in the good 'ole U.S.of A.
> I will keep pounding on these keys until the tanks roll up outside.......and
> even then, they will have to peel my dead cold fingers off of the bloody
> keyboard.
Actually... I'll be busy taking the tank. ;-)
The Dog
--
Brian "The Dog" Cunningham
http://web2.airmail.net/bcunning