Surfbrarian

I was there ...

2011-11-18T13:36:00.005-05:00

VOLS Sign

2011-11-15T12:58:00.006-05:00

One of the things I loved most about Neyland Stadium when I was a student at UT was the VOLS sign that anchored the south end zone overlooking the Tennessee River. According to Biddingforgood.com, which is auctioning the sign, "In 1976, when the southeast upperdeck was completed in Neyland Stadium, creating a horseshoe shape, the VOLS sign was installed... an orange background with white letters that soon became an icon for Tennesee fans. The letters remained there and were unchanged until 1998 when the jumbotron was first installed for the 1999 season." If I were flush I'd love to have them.

Wikipedia and the intellectual challenge

2011-10-13T12:32:00.003-04:00

I work in a university library and I've noticed on several occasions students using Wikipedia while in the library. Aside from some of the challenges over credibility caused by it being open to anyone to edit, I don't really have a problem with Wikipedia. I liken it to using a standard encyclopedia (e.g. World Book, Britannica). Wikipedia has potential value for background information but it really bothers me that college students may rely on it as their only source for information, especially because they're college students. The whole point of college is to learn to think more critically or analytically about things. It's about drilling down into a topic or issue and learning how to really pick it apart or understand it further. You just can't get that with a general encyclopedia. More importantly, if you as a college student are paying for access to higher learning why wouldn't you take advantage of it. You can get Wikipedia for free; you can't get a quality education for that! Additionally, a lot is made about getting healthy and living an active lifestyle. Some people take that as far as purchasing gym memberships or access to trainers. They're paying for a service that challenges them physically. So why if you're paying for a service that challenges you intellectually would you not take advantage of it!

For more reading:

"Wikipedia: Academic Use." Wikipedia. Web. 13 Oct. 2011.

Young, Jeffrey R. "Wikipedia Founder Discourages Academic Use of His Creation." The Chronicle Of Higher Education. 12 June 2006. Web. 13 Oct. 2011.

Are you kidding me??!!!

2011-09-15T10:25:00.001-04:00

High Resolution Nasal Passage Action

2011-09-14T16:46:00.000-04:00

SUMMER FUN - Sea Movies from http://vimeo.com/apeel on Vimeo.

Sign me up!

2011-08-31T16:30:00.002-04:00

Price of a wave

2011-08-29T10:39:00.003-04:00

I surfed yesterday morning at the L-shaped lot with a couple library buddies. Who would have thought that there'd be multiple surfing librarians in the same town! It was pretty rad if I say so myself. The waves had cleaned up quite a bit with Hurricane Irene moving up the coast but I'd say it was probably 3-4 feet on the good sets. Conditions were clean with slight offshores although with a new moon and a full tide around 8am I was a bit skeptical heading down to the beach. Meeting up Jimmy Half Step and Melvil Dewey in the parking lot I coughed up $4.0 for parking. It's a shame that parking is $2.0 per hour at WB now. I have more to say on that issue but that's for another day. This day was all about surfing with fellow librarians on what turned out to be really fun conditions. I had brought my trusty Allison "Bird Dog" w/me and I ended up catching more than my fair share of waves. After about 1.5 hours I decided I'd catch one in to the beach. The tide was starting to change and the sets were becoming more infrequent. However, one came up and I caught a beautiful right that was my longest of the morning. It seemed to go on for quite some time and keep popping up a beautiful glassy thigh-waist high wave as I cruised along. As I peeled down the line a few youngsters noticed me and smiled at me in way that suggested excitement and fear that I might plow them over. Unfortunately, the wave finally closed out and I turned with the water to shore. It was a great wave and a beautiful one to end my day surfing. And it was worth way more to me than $4.0 ever would.

Words to Live By

2011-08-26T12:34:00.003-04:00

"Don't work so much that you can't surf." - Mr. Robin Kegel. Courtesy of Korduroy.TV: Robin Kegel & Gato Harói

Ying and Yang

2011-08-26T10:29:00.003-04:00

The lovely wife and I, along with two of our dear friends, gathered for a night of trivia and good times at one of our favorite places, The Harp. Along with Guinness and Boddington's as you see below, they also serve up a fantastic Traditional Irish Breakfast. The Harp has quickly become the spot for my weekly constitutional. Slainte.

Earthquakes and Hurricanes

2011-08-25T16:40:00.003-04:00

Crazy weather we've been having this week. We felt tremors from an earthquake near Richmond, VA earlier this week and now we'll likely be experiencing some effects from Hurricane Irene as she treks up the eastern seaboard.

The Ripper: Part Duh

2011-08-19T16:18:00.008-04:00

I stumbled across this image of an old Powell Ripper skate deck on the InterWeb today. This was the board (I loved hot pink and still do!) I had as a young grom on the tough streets of Potomac (MD), Sweet Briar (VA) and Amherst (VA). Sadly, I think it ended up rotting under our front porch once we moved to the country. I posted an entry about it a fews ago.

Wish I could go

2011-08-17T12:10:00.008-04:00

A few artists that I really dig will be back in Honolulu highlighting some of their works. If you're in the area check it out.

There's no "P" in "Pool"

2011-08-09T15:40:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you but I love this sign!

Cigarettes and Sun Drop ...

2011-08-08T10:14:00.002-04:00

Sounds like a name for a new tune, perhaps a modification of the old "Cigarettes and Whiskey" song. This one would have a down home feel to it as well given the popularity of cigarettes and Sun Drop throughout the South.

Down Home in the Old North State

2011-08-05T12:19:00.013-04:00

Below are two pictures of my 6'4" quad, shaped by my friend, Will Allison. It's based on a 6'4" Dog Town inspired board he shaped back in 2006 for my buddy, Biz, but has been tweaked a little with new flavors. This is probably my favorite part of the shaping process because you can really see cleanliness of the lines and the elegance of the foam reflected in the shadows created by the interplay of light. I'm calling the board the "Down Home Flyer." It includes a phrase from the North Carolina State Toast as an homage to craftsmanship and all things still made in the USA, or better yet, North Carolina. In a few weeks it should be ready, just in time for hurricane season.

Information literarcy through education and experience

2011-08-04T14:13:00.003-04:00

I like the following article by Lotta Janson. It succinctly articulates that becoming information literate is a process based on education and experience. It reminds me of a great article by Annemaree Lloyd, "Learning to Put Out the Red Stuff: Becoming Information Literate through Discursive Practice."

Citations:
Janson, Lotta. "Students of Tommorrow Need Trusted Content." Library Connect Newsletter. 8(1) January 2010: 8. Web: http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/lcn/0801/lcn080109.html

Lloyd, Annemaree. "Learning to Put Out the Red Stuff: Becoming Information Literate through Discursive Practice." Library Quarterly 77(2) April 2007: 181-198.
Web: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/517844

Wave Cowboy

2011-08-02T11:52:00.002-04:00

This is a picture my mom would probably dig. The cowboy and his companion - horse and surfboard - home on the range, terrestial and aquatic.

Beach Nourishment Data: North Carolina

2011-07-20T10:43:00.004-04:00

A student needed help finding information on the number of beach nourishment projects that have occurred over the years. He also needed the cost associated with them. I found a number of books and articles discussing this but I found a nice report from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources that provides that a much more comprehensive view of this information:

Department of Environment and Natural Resources. North Carolina Beach and Inlet Management Plan. Final Report. April 2011.
Web: http://www.nccoastalmanagement.net/BIMP/BIMP%20Final%20Report.html

Appendix D of this report includes a beach nourishment database with this information.

Dude it's firing, I'm totally out there!

2011-06-28T08:01:00.001-04:00

Pay Attention

2011-01-13T17:00:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading a great book, Kook: What surfing taught me about love, life, and catching the perfect wave. It's about the author, Peter Heller, who in his late forties, decides he wants to learn how to surf. I'm not talking about your standard tourist who wants to take a surfing lesson and is satisfied just floating around in the ocean. This guy decides he wants to go from being a kook to riding a big hollow wave in a year or less. Many folks, myself included, can spend a lifetime aiming for this but he wants to do it in a year. As someone in his mid-30s obsessed with learning how to ride a shortboard later in life I found this story very inspiring. Further, I think anyone who is interested in truly learning how to surf will find this book interesting. Reading less like a "how to manual" and more like a story, Heller infuses a lot of information into the tale about what it takes to truly be a surfer. Perhaps the biggest message I took from the book is about paying attention to the things we care about. In the author's case, I think it's surfing, the planet, and the woman he loves.

Doggy Door

2011-01-12T10:22:00.002-05:00

I learned a new term that I like: Doggy door. It was being used by commentators during the recent Pipemasters surfing contest to describe the opening between two sections of a wave that is closing out and is the best place for the surfer to exit. Clever.

Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet

2010-12-16T15:14:00.003-05:00

The book, Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet: The New Geopolitics of Energy (2008), recently caught my eye. While I didn't read the whole thing, I did find what I read to be quite interesting. The author, Michael T. Klare, identifies several "rising powers" (i.e. China, India, Japan, Russia) and their growing presence at the global energy table. Klare describes the Middle East, the holy grail of oil and natural gas supplies (pg. 177-179) has long been an "American lake." Yet, with these rising powers, Klare argues the planet's carrying capacity is creating "interlocking challenges of resource competition, energy shortages, and climate change will be among the most difficult problems facing the human community" (pg. 261). He adds that global powers will need to move beyond competitive activities and transition to cooperative efforts in order to preserve humanity's future.

Plates

2010-10-21T17:52:00.004-04:00

Outer Banks: ORV Access and NPS Management Plan

2010-08-02T10:03:00.004-04:00

According to Audubon North Carolina (Spring/Summer 2009, pg.13), the "lack of an effective vehicle management plan at the Seashore contributed to an 84% decline in the number of colonial waterbirds nesting at the Seashore between 1997 and 2007."

This was an issue that I began following the summer of 2009 when the Biz and I went up to the Banks for an overnight surf trip. The tension regarding ORV management and nesting was palatable; signs on numerous businesses shared their displeasure with the NPS and Audubon. While this quote doesn't explicitly state that ORVs are responsible for the decline in nests, if accurate it does impress upon me the sensitivity of nests along the Banks. It would be interesting to see if there are figures indicating how many ORVs accessed the Banks during this period and how many were proven to be responsible for nest strikes.

Big Pixels, Little Pixels

2010-05-03T16:43:00.006-04:00

Big Pixels

Little Pixels

Know Your H2O

2010-04-27T15:04:00.004-04:00

Here's a really cool animated educational awareness video from Surfrider on understanding the water cycle and how we should be designing better systems for reducing, reusing, and recycling our water. Also check out: http://www.knowyourh2o.org/

The Cycle of Insanity: The Real Story of Water from Surfrider Foundation on Vimeo.

No brainer

2010-04-26T15:31:00.004-04:00

Some things in life don't require much explanation. I snapped this pick the other day at a fine little joint for local alcoholics.

Couldn't agree more ...

2010-04-09T15:31:00.003-04:00

Here's a quote from a longer blog post by Umair Haque from the Harvard Business Review, "Yet, most "social media" strategies have one or more of three goals: to "push product," "build buzz," or "engage consumers." None of these lives up to the Internet's promise of meaning. They're just slightly cleverer ways to sell more of the same old junk. But the great challenge of the 21st century is making stuff radically better in the first place — stuff that creates what I've been calling thicker value."

I couldn't agree more. I hate seeing corpo suits using Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter among other things to push their product. And you corpo lackeys, take Haque's advice, make better and longer-lasting stuff!

Culqui Art

2010-03-25T12:19:00.003-04:00

I discovered a new artist to obsess over, John Culqui. His art is so rad - it's like an artistic ménage à trois love child of Andy Davis, Thomas Campbell, and Yusuke Hanai. His painting below of the slider at Sano reminds me of my experiences there. He currently has a showing, "Doc Porto," at the Surfing Heritage Foundation in San Clemente, CA. I so wish I could go see it!

Digital Nation

2010-03-03T18:01:00.003-05:00

Digital Nation is an excellent PBS Frontline documentary exploring the impact of digital technologies on our lives. As a librarian, I and my fellow librarians have been both participants and observers to many of these changes. It appears that the larger world is taking notice as well. Check it out!

Tandem Surfing

2010-02-17T19:03:00.004-05:00

Now this is what tandem surfing should be! Yahoo!

Source: Surf-a-pig

Jazz the Glass premiere!

2010-02-16T17:50:00.003-05:00

I'm so stoked that we're showing Jazz the Glass. I've been itchin to see this film for quite some time. Get the groggggg ready!

When: Wed. Feb. 24th at 7:00pm
Where: Level 5 at City Stage, 21 N. Front St., downtown Wilmington
$5.00 at the door (all the treasure benefits WBLA outreach efforts and Paco Strickland).

Hooters

2010-01-06T20:20:00.003-05:00

I wonder if he got what he wanted for Christmas.

Fright Night on Rocky Top

2009-11-01T13:52:00.004-05:00

After watching the Vols drop a heartbreaker to #1 Alabama last week, my gal and I were pretty stoked watching the Vols beat the Gamecocks on old hallow's eve, 31-13. We were especially amped seeing the Vols wear black and orange jerseys, something they hadn't done since 1921. It was particularly wild because the team was wearing its traditional orange jerseys during the pre-game activities. As the band formed the T and the team charged onto the field the crowd went bananas seeing them clad in the black and orange. I like to believe that it had a particularly chilling effect on the Gamecocks because they turned the ball over their first two positions; each time the Vols scored too. Montario "the Nightmare from New Bern" had a particularly good night too scoring 2 TDs for the Vols.

Mase in your face

2009-10-15T16:35:00.004-04:00

One of the local beach newspapers published my editorial rant regarding surfers and Masonboro Island. A little background ... Masonboro is a not-so-secret barrier island off the southeastern NC mainland that is popular among many local surfers. Last week there was a meeting - which I attended - hosted by the NC Division of Coastal Management and North Carolina National Estuarine Reserve (NCNERR) to discuss future options for public access and management of the island. The island is part of the NCNERR system and has been preserved from development. While a priority of the island's management is focused on conservation along with research and education, part of its mission involves "compatible traditional use" (i.e. low impact recreation).

User groups concerned with preserving public access to the island were given the opportunity at the meeting to their mind. I felt that surfers, a significant user group of the island, were noticeably absent which I found disappointing and irritating. I'm sure you'll find my rant stimulating and a good slap to the face. Much like a slap that you'd get when you've been caught looking where you shouldn't be looking.

Cool Blue

2009-10-08T11:23:00.004-04:00

I stumbled across this cat's Flickr page containing stickers for PBR's beer guy, "Cool Blue." Surfing has gone retro in the last few years. I think the next rage will be wearing the digs "Cool Blue" is sporting. I can't wait.

If I remember correctly, PBR was the first beer I ever tasted. I was about 5 years old and my kick ass grandpa gave me a taste much to my mother's dismay. I still remember the image in my mind.

Fort Apache

2009-10-07T09:06:00.005-04:00

I just finished reading the CNN news article about the battle over the weekend at FOB Keating in Afghanistan. I'm certainly no military tactics expert; actually, I'm far from it. However, to the lay eye, it doesn't appear that military folks thought this one through. Or maybe they need to watch "Fort Apache." It's a classic John Ford flick starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda. Wayne plays the frontier-seasoned Capt. Kirby York who advises Fonda's character, Col. Owen Thursday not to lead a charge into a remote canyon because the Apache, under the leadership of the chief, Cochise, have the taken the high ground. It's basically, a suicide charge, a meat grinder, and the troops quickly find themselves pinned down with little room to maneuver and surrounded on all sides by the Apache who are sheltered above them in the canyon walls, nooks, and crannies. The battle over the weekend in which militants apparently nearly overran FOB Keating seems remarkably similar and eery.

Down to the sea

2009-10-05T16:02:00.002-04:00

"All loose things seem to drift down to the sea, and so did I." - Louis L’Amour

I found this quote on the Kurungabaa site recently and it resonates well with me. Just the other day, my gal and I drifted down to the sea with two friends and took a stroll on the beach at Shell Island. There was a little south wind blowing which carried us up to the inlet where we found the "kindred spirit mailbox." Someone anonymously placed the box here a few years ago and since then visitors have agreeably scrawled thoughts to the notepad found therein. I wanted to jot down the L'Amour quote but it escaped me at the time. I guess that can be expected when you tore up the town (and the bottle) the night before. Good times.

Shooting the waves at Vah Beach

2009-09-30T11:07:00.010-04:00

I've been meaning to post this for awhile but haven't for various reasons. A few years back, I came across an article by Tony Lillis in Eastern Surf Magazine mentioning an article from 1912 about "wave shooting" in Virginia Beach. It appears that Mr. Lillis had been doing some research on east coast surfing history and had several articles published on the topic. After utilizing an age-old yet still wonderful service called Interlibrary Loan, I was able to obtain the microfilm for the newspaper that published it and after some time going through it I finally found the article in question. It's a really fascinating article and represents the earliest article from an east coast publication (that I have found to date) that not only mentions surfing but also acknowledges that east coasters knew about surfing. The first sentence reads,

"The fame of the Hawaiian wave shooters has spread around the world and thousands of tourists who have visited the beautiful Pacific Islands have returned home with wonderful tales of the skill the natives show in riding a giant comber to shore on a plank."

Not to be outdone by the "natives," the article goes on, "There is something of the same sort of feat done here every summer day after day that is equally as thrilling to see and far more dangerous and difficult to perform but there is little heard about it. This is shooting the waves in dories and canoes by young men of the cottage colony at Virginia Beach." The article further describes some of the differences in these canoes which along with "wave shooting contests" to be held using these canoes at the beach. I've also read and seen other accounts describing canoe surfing and it seems like this was perhaps popular on the east coast around this time period. I'd certainly like to explore this more when I have the time.

I couldn't help but wonder if the author was writing this to help promote resorts and activities at the beach (why go to Hawaii when you can have all this fun and more much closer to home!) along with suggesting a little bit of neocolonial ideology that folks at home could do things equal to or better than the "natives" and that the skill required to surf a canoe is much more rigorous than riding a plank to shore. Anyway, that's all speculation on my part. If you're interested in reading the article here is the citation:

"Planning Regatta at the Va. Beach Casino; Dory and Canoe Races and Wave Shooting Contests to be on Program." Virginian-Pilot and the Norfolk Landmark. Friday, June 21, 1912, pg.4.

As an aside, for those of you interested in historical research you know the painful tediousness and patience required to stare at the microfilm machine for hours on end; looking for that little needle in a large haystack. The net generation or "Millenials" as they are often called, don't know how easy they have it being able to use databases and search engines to find what they're looking for with the click of a mouse. Of course, if they want to do this kind of research they'll have to roll their sleeves up and get dirty if they want to earn their research stripes.

Anyway, this was a very cool find. Cheers.

Touchdown Big Orange

2009-09-27T17:13:00.003-04:00

My gal and I watched the Ohio-UT game last night on PPV. It was pretty cool - the game was on the Vol Network and we were able to patch in through Time Warner Cable and ESPN GamePlan. Plus, the commentating had a special UT vibe with Randy Smith on play-by-play and two former Vols, QB Jeff Francis (1986-88) providing the color, and CB Terry Fair (1995-97) reporting from the sideline. The game itself was sketchy though and I was disappointed with the number of fans that turned out for the game. In my day at UT there would never have been seats available. These fairweather fans need to get off their butts and get to the stadium. While we won 34-23, the Vols never seemed to get on track and was inconsistent throughout. Montario Hardesty (I call him the "New Bern Nightmare" since he's from up the road in New Bern and has the ability to give defenses problems) looked good and the play calling appeared to allow J. Crompton to make easy short passes, but it would have been nice to see the o-line dominate the line of scrimmage. Defense looked good, but gave up a couple busted plays. Most seriously, it appears linebacker Nick Reveiz is out for the season with a blown knee. This guy is an incredible player; as a walk-on, he had earned a scholarship and became a starter at middle linebacker. The Vols start a three game homestand against 3 tough SEC opponents and then go on the road to Bama. We definitely to fill in the injuries and play more consistently. Most importantly, the fans better get their butts over to Neyland because we're gonna need it as much noise as possible during the homestand.

Early Surfing Contests in the Cape Fear

2009-09-24T17:58:00.007-04:00

A few years ago when I had one of the earliest versions of the Cape Fear Surfing Archive website online I had an annotated list of several contests that were held in Southeastern North Carolina from 1965-1968. When I redesigned the site I did not include these contests due primarily to the lack of time I could devote to the project at the time. Well, I've finally gotten them posted again on the website so if you're interested in learning more about early surfing contests in Southeastern North Carolina you'll now be able to find out more. If you know of any contests that I'm missing during this period or would like to share additional information about them please let me know. Cheers.

Citation: Fritzler, Peter. "Surfing Contests in Southeastern North Carolina, 1965–1968." 14 Feb. 2006. Web. 24 Sep. 2009 <http://library.uncw.edu/surf/contests/earlysurfingcontests.pdf>.

Soil Erosion in the Piedmont and Appalachians

2009-09-23T16:00:00.005-04:00

I recently found some soil erosion data which is based on an earlier post of mine, "Big Hugh and Soil Conservation in the Tarheel State." According to S.W. Trimble (1974), erosion in the Piedmont region was minimal prior to European settlement. His book is quite fascinating and describes erosive land use (ELU) along the Piedmont in NC as being 25-45% and that ELU distribution was similar to the distribution of cotton and tobacco production along with the distribution of slaves (page 58-59). He notes that ELU dramatically increased along the Piedmont from 1880-1920; particularly in an area he defined as Region IV (area covering parts of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina) that became “acute after 1900 because of rising cotton prices and culminating in the agricultural “war boom” during World War I” (page 85). On one map, he illustrates the relative change in ELU from 1860-1920 as increase from 21-120% (page 89). Apparently, erosion became so widespread on the upper Piedmont and Appalachian that the USGS facilitated an erosion study by L.C. Glenn in 1904-05 (Page 86). The overwhelming alarms sounded by scientists and other concerned parties ultimately led to the creation of the Soil Conservation Service, soil conservation districts, and played a role in the development of professional forestry programs and the creation of national parks; particularly in the Appalachian areas.

Trimble’s sources include L.C. Gray’s History of Agriculture in the Southern United States to 1860 (1933); A.R. Hall’s unpublished PhD dissertation from Duke University, Soil Erosion and Agriculture in the Southern Piedmont: A History (1948); Journal of Forestry and American Forestry articles from the early 20th century; various years of the Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils; USGS professional papers and circulars; personal papers of explorers (e.g. Colonel William Byrd II); USDA bulletins and miscellaneous publications; Soil Conservation Service reports; experiment station bulletins; atlases; and various state histories among others.

Source: Trimble, S.W. 1974. Man-induced soil erosion on the southern Piedmont, 1700-1970. Soil Conservation Society of America, Ankeny, Iowa, USA.

Two other good resources on this topic as it relates to the Southern Appalachians are:

Eller, R.D. 1982. Miners, millhands, and mountaineers: Industrialization of the Appalachian South 1880-1930. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
Harden, C.P. 2004. Fluvial responses to land-use change in the Southern Appalachian region: A century of investigation. Physical Geography 25:398-417.

General Neyland's Maxims

2009-09-22T17:26:00.002-04:00

Still incredibly valuable after all these years:

The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way - SCORE.
If at first the game - or the breaks - go against you, don't let up... put on more steam.
Protect our kickers, our QB, our lead and our ball game.
Ball, oskie, cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle... for this is the WINNING EDGE.
Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
Carry the fight to our opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes.

For more on one of the greatest footbal coaches of all time, check out this site: Robert Reese Neyland

Vols 13, Gators 23

2009-09-21T16:55:00.003-04:00

Okay, so the Vols lost the game against Florida down in Gainesville this past weekend and on the surface it's yet another loss to these knuckleheads. However, aside from an INT in the 3rd quarter and a critical missed opportunity to tackle Tebow when it was 3rd and a mile during the same quarter, the Vols played the Gators tough. I'm no expert, but I thought Tebow was the only real threat, and I thought Coach Kiffin did an excellent job preparing the team and that the coaching staff did a heck of a job developing schemes. Both Eric Berry and Montario Hardesty looked really good in particular. Overall, the team played the Gators tough in an extremely difficult environment. Hats off to an excellent performance. We'll get um next year in Knoxville. Go Vols!

Get tubed

2009-09-15T12:18:00.002-04:00

This is a cool piece of artwork a la Andy Davis for the 25th annual Surfrider Foundation auction:

Down and out on Rocky Top ... again

2009-09-14T21:09:00.003-04:00

Well, it's a brand new season, coaching staff, and culture in the UT football program, yet the Vol's loss to UCLA (19-15) on Saturday in Knoxville had the emotional gut-wretching feeling of the loss that befelled them against UCLA last season, and ultimately put them in their present state of newness. The team's win the previous weekend over WKU had the Big Orange nation hoping that our trip through the valley of death was nearly over and that the Big Orange light was beginning to again shine bright on Rocky Top. However, that hope dimmed sourly as we watched Orange crush become orange mush like we've done so many times recently over the years. Defensively, we were strong almost as if we never skipped a beat; yet offensively, it was horrible. Three interceptions and an inability to move the ball will likely cost you the game anytime. If we're have any helluva chance at The Swamp this weekend we're going to have to control the ball and make better decisions on offense. If not, it ain't gonna be pretty. Go Vols!

Big Hugh and Soil Conservation in the Tarheel State

2009-09-09T17:29:00.005-04:00

I recently had a student contact me regarding soil erosion data associated with logging for western North Carolina from 1910-1945. While I have yet to find specific data (I will - it's only a matter of time), I have learned quite about the history of soil conservation in North Carolina. In the course of searching JSTOR, a wonderful digital repository for journal articles, I came across several articles by a cat named H.H. Bennett warning about the "evils" of soil erosion and describing it as a "national menance." When I later examined Nothing Could be Finer: A Story of Soil and Water Conservation in North Carolina (1986), I learned that Bennett, or "Big Hugh" as he was called, is recognized as the father of soil conservation and that he was born and raised in NC. I also learned that NC is considered the "Cradle of Forestry" and that the Brown Creek Soil Conservation District in Anson County was the first soil conservation district established (August 1937) in the United States. Another related and interesting publication is the USDA report, The Southern Appalachians: A History of the Landscape (1998). This provides a good overview of the landuse of the Southern Appalachians.

Into the Checkerboard

2009-09-06T18:56:00.005-04:00

The Vols opened up the 2009 season under new head Coach, Lane Kiffin, and sounded impressive with a win over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 63-7. Unlike last season, when "offensive" seemed like a foreign word, the Vols were all business and I as listened to the Vol Network, I heard Bob Kesling repeatedly state, he's "into the checkerboard." It was a total team effort as the team rotated different players at all positions consistently throughout the game. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the season unfold. Go Vols!

Socialism

2009-09-06T16:53:00.008-04:00

Now, who said being a socialist was such a bad thing? Cheers!

Above image is courtesy of Yee-Haw Industries in Knoxville, TN. Next time in KnoxVegas I certainly plan on going here. Their work is sort of in the vein of Jeff Canham.

"Welcome to Wrightsville Beach ...

2009-09-04T13:17:00.006-04:00

"Welcome to Wrightsville Beach. Now Go Home"

So says a bumper sticker that made the rounds at Wrightsville Beach back in 1986. According to the Wilmington Morning Star article I found, two individuals came up with the idea out of "jest" and "to see what the reaction would be." Wrightsville Beach, like many tourist towns, experiences a surge in tourist and beachgoer use during the summer months. Tourists, or tourons as they're sometime labelled, usually bring wads of cash along with noise, trash, and sometimes unfavorable behaviors which may ruffle the feathers of some locals. Apparently, the issue drew quite an interest because the Wilmington Morning Star, the region's newspaper of record, included it on the cover of that day's issue. Several businesses and officials expressed dissatisfaction with the sticker's message saying that it serves "a fascist mentality" while others said, "It's a joke. That's all it is. ... if you don't have a sense of humor, what are you?"

Source:
Hatcher, Candy. "Only a joke says creater; Beach businesses not stuck on message." Wilmington Morning Star. Saturday, August 2, 1986, pg.1A, 13A.

Popup Tip

2009-09-04T10:49:00.005-04:00

Over the last couple years as I've tried transitioning from riding longboards to shorter boards, I've found that my popup is quite terrible. Recently, however, an acquaintance suggested that I leave my hands on the board's deck for a second longer while I get my feet under me. I tried it this morning and was really stoked on how much it helped me. This doesn't mean I'm now ready to surf Mavericks, but perhaps this will mark a turning point for me.

Around the corner from anywhere

2009-09-01T11:35:00.002-04:00

I snapped this pic in the Shell Island parking lot during the Hurricane Bill swell. It's one of the coolest customizations I've seen in awhile and it reminds me that surfers are some of the most ingenious cats around. In this case, the Coke bottle opener is attached to the rear-end of a 1983 aircooled VW Westfalia Camper. I found there is a Wikipedia entry for historical Coca-Cola slogans, of which a few are quite fitting here:

1927 - Around the corner from anywhere.
1948 - Where there's Coke there's hospitality.
1949 - Coca-Cola ... along the highway to anywhere.
1954 - For people on the go.

Nantucket surfrider, 1932 (Part 2)

2009-08-31T12:46:00.006-04:00

A professor in the history department (thanks Will!) informed me that the board being held by Constance Viola Greene Haroldson is similar to one described by Hi Sibley in the August 1935 issue of Popular Science. The Surfresearch.com.au site has reproduced the Sibley images for our viewing pleasure.

Sibley, Hi. "Better Ways to Build Surfboards." Popular Science. 127 (2) August 1935: pg.56-57, 91.

Nantucket surfrider, 1932

2009-08-27T17:07:00.008-04:00

I just stumbled across this photo posted on Flickr by the Nantucket Historical Association. Several things are immediately striking to me in this photo:

It was acceptable for women to participate
People were putting artwork on boards
The board's tail is pulled in perhaps in recognition of improved wave riding
The board has a fish-like tail. I know it's a stretch but it suggests that folks were catching on to the idea of the "fish" before Steve Lis. Or maybe the designer of this board just wanted it to look "fishy."
Check out the handle grips. This suggests perhaps an aid in carrying the board or that the rider may have used it to grip the board when riding in a prone position; which I imagine is probably how the board was mostly ridden. It's fun to imagine the possibilities though!

Description: Constance Viola Greene Haroldson (1906-1996?) posing with a surfboard on Siasconset beach. 1932. Image number: A72-4. Courtesy: Nantucket Historical Association.

The Thrill of Bill

2009-08-22T15:02:00.005-04:00

I do believe there may have been more of a swell from inland that from the sea this morning. I arrived at Access 2 about 6AM and no sooner had I pulled in was the lot full. I figured that people would be coming out of the woodwork with all of the hype over Hurricane Bill and I was dead on the mark. It was still before first light and the lot had a jacked up vibe with people anticipating getting their stoke on. Up and down the beach there were bodies bobbing in the water waiting anxiously for set waves to roll in. Unfortunately, I was unimpressed with the swell, but that may be b/c of the beach I was surfing at rather than the swell itself. It was unorganized and there were no clear lines offering a solid chance to go right or left. I didn't catch or see anyone catch any noteworthy waves. Perhaps the best wave was a left that Whitmore caught and worked his mojo on to connect sections nearly all the way to the beach.

After spending an hour and a half in the surf I caught a wave in and headed back to the car. After loading up, I headed down the beach closer to the pier. The waves looked pretty good; it definitely looked like the swell was tracking better here. It seemed liked there were more noticable peaks formed and that it was working off the middle-inside of the pier. I imagine this has to do with the angle of the beach. The paddle out looked a lot easier too. Unfortunately, I was tired and didn't have another go in me at the time. I think I need to learn how to identify the directional faces of the beach better so that in the future I'll have a better idea of where to go. At any rate, the forecast for swell is still in my window so maybe I'll catch a few nuggets before the weekend is over.

Bald Head Island Bibliography

2009-08-20T15:32:00.005-04:00

I recently had a student inquire about sources on the history of development of Bald Head Island, a private island that comprises the southernmost cape of the three capes along coastal North Carolina. Essentially, the State of North Carolina had an opportunity to buy the land but failed to do so and the land was sold in 1970. Interestingly, in preparing this bibliography I learned that shortly before his death in 1946, North Carolinian Senator Josiah W. Bailey had invited the United Nations to establish its permanent headquarters on Bald Head Island.

Attached is a list of selected references chronicling the island's development. I hope this is useful to current and future users. If so, please send me an email and let me know. If you also have references on the island's development that are not included here please let me know.

Waiting for Bill: Day 3

2009-08-20T12:25:00.003-04:00

I surfed this AM and caught a few waves. The swell lines appear to be starting to form. Waves this morning were about 2-4 feet although the 8AM high tide may have contributed to the lack of push.

This is the latest graphic from CORMP:

This is a particularly exciting news from the National Weather Service: "... LARGE AND POWERFUL SWELLS TO IMPACT THE COASTAL WATERS FROM DISTANT HURRICANE BILL LATE THIS WEEK ... ALTHOUGH MAJOR HURRICANE BILL IS EXPECTED TO PASS MORE THAN 600 MILES EAST OF THE COASTAL WATERS LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY...THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT LARGE AND POWERFUL LONG PERIOD SWELLS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE COASTAL WATERS FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. LATEST INDICATIONS SUGGEST THAT SWELLS WILL BUILD AS HIGH AS 4 TO 6 FEET FRIDAY NIGHT AND PERHAPS UP TO 7 TO 9 FEET SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE OFFSHORE WATERS. SWELL HEIGHT WILL SLOWLY COME DOWN SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS BILL PULLS FARTHER AWAY TO THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST." [1]

1. National Weather Service, Charleston, SC. "Marine Weather Statement." Posted: 4:09AM August 20, 2009. <http://www.srh.noaa.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=ilm&wwa=all> Last accessed 12:30PM August 20, 2009.

The Ripper

2009-08-19T20:40:00.002-04:00

Ah, The Ripper, I fell in love with this graphic the minute I saw it. I was all of about 10 years old and maybe 75 pounds sopping wet (circa '86/87), but there's a photo of me standing in front of my grandparents house with a hot pink and black striped Ripper skateboard. I'm also decked out in a flourescent Op tee shirt and I'm sporting my orange school bus guard badge and belt. I had the dubious pleasure of having this title at the time too. I'm sure my mom knows the whereabouts of this photo.

It's one of the few (it might actually be the only one) images that throughout time I have loved. There's just something innately badass and yet quirkishly funny about The Ripper. Years later, I learned it was designed by Vernon Courtlandt Johnson in 1978 for Powell-Peralta. For more info on The Ripper check out this site.

Waiting for Bill: Day 2

2009-08-19T13:34:00.003-04:00

According to the National Hurricane Center, "At 1100 am AST...1500 UTC...the eye of Hurricane Bill was located near latitude 18.7 north...longitude 56.3 west or about 380 miles...610 km...east-northeast of the Leeward Islands and about 1080 miles...1735 km...south-southeast of Bermuda." [1] Here's another cartoon from CORMP depicting buoy data from Station 41013 at Frying Pan Shoals.

1. National Hurricane Center. "Hurricane Bill Advisory Number 17." Posted: 11:00AM, August 19, 2009. <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/191444.shtml>. Last accessed: 1:36PM, August 19, 2009.

Waiting for Bill

2009-08-18T13:08:00.003-04:00

Many surfers are starting to get that nervous twitch waiting to see what Hurricane Bill is going to do. To give you a sense of the energy, I just talked with a professor here who is normally quite reserved. He just danced a jig of joy speculating what little tubular dandies might be coming our way.

Current projections from the National Hurricane Center having it making a course off the Atlantic coast bypassing the Carolinas. Hopefully, it will send goodies our way as it hooks up the coast. An encouraging note, the folks at the National Data Buoy Center have said that an "increasing long-period swell from Hurricane Bill will begin to impact the local coastal waters beginning late Thursday or early Friday." [1] Periodically, I like to use the Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program (CORMP) at UNCW to plot figures for surfing. I grabbed these from the Frying Pan Shoals buoy off of its site. I plan to grab figures each day unless I'm out surfing.

National Weather Service. "Coastal Waters Forecast, Surf City, NC to South Santee River, SC." <http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS52.KILM.html> Posted 12:00PM, August 18, 2009. Access August 18, 2009.

Welcome to a new academic year!

2009-08-18T11:56:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is the first day of class at UNCW and the campus is abuzz with both a new and renewed sense of energy. Thinking about the the incoming freshmen I am reminded that many, being 18 years old, were born in 1991. In 1991, I was only 15 years old and the world seemed so different, particularly along the lines of information technology. In 1991, I was in 9th and 10th grades and I remember having a computing class. I remember that computers were so foreign to me and I worryied that I might break the computer if I hit the wrong key. We used floppy disks that were about as big as my head - some of you may remember the old 5.5 inch disks from that period! Little did I know, but 1991 would also be the year that Tim Berners-Lee introduced the world to the WorldWideWeb browser. Since then, the world has become alot closer and computing technologies have revolutionized the ways that we communicate and share information.

As a librarian, I can't help but consider the impacts that this has had on my profession. Once the gold standard for accessing information, libraries in many ways now compete with both local and global audiences for attention and are continuously redefining themselves to meet the ever-evolving needs of patrons. The new freshmen that will begin college tomorrow will for the first time truly be considered "digital natives." They have never known the world to not have the Web. How will we respond to their information needs and adapt to their behaviors for accessing information? How will they adapt to our established foundations for accessing information? We shall certainly see.

The books of Thomas Jefferson

2009-08-17T12:28:00.003-04:00

This is a neat video from the Smithsonian on Thomas Jefferson and the foundations of the Library of Congress. I imagine if I could have a beer with someone from history TJ would be high on the list.

The LOC building is the largest library in the world and it's very beautiful. I had the opportunity to visit in 2007 during the 100th ALA annual convention. My wife scored a special invitation so we, along with a number of other librarians, were treated to a special evening with James Billington, the Librarian of Congress. We even got to go into the stacks which was so cool.

Aloha to good friends

2009-08-07T09:50:00.001-04:00

Well, this morning, my bud Bizzle and his chica Aimee, are headed south deeper into Dixie. I imagine right about now they're going hell bent for leather down I95. She's gonna get her Playa Hatin Degree (aka PhD) down at one of the Florida schools. It's been an awesome 5 years getting to know the Biz. Whether it was surfing or getting into other foolhardy stuff, it was quite a fun time. I can truly say that knowing Biz was an uplifting experience. I learned to surf better, expanded my reading interests, enjoyed better food (that's Aimee's influence), and became a more all around salty dog in the context of my friendship with him. I wish them both well down in FLA and I look forward to the days that we go surfing again. Since we can't drink with you we'll be drinkin' to you, matey!

Where do you get your science?

2009-08-05T16:09:00.000-04:00

This is an interesting podcast from the National Academies on the "increasing popularity of blogs, social networking sites, and twitter has created many new and interactive forums for people to communicate about science." In the cast, Phil Plait, author of the blog BAD ASTRONOMY and President of the James Randi Educational Foundation discusses these technologies and how they are being used be science. It was posted on July 1, but I'm a little behind here. Have a listen: Science 2.0: Communicating Science in a Web 2.0 World

You Scratched My Anchor / Jazz the Glass

2009-08-05T12:58:00.000-04:00

This trailers always make me laugh: http://vimeo.com/5311042 and http://www.stokefilms.com/jtg/ especially on boring days at work.

"It's easy to grin / When your ship comes in / And you've got the stock market beat. / But the man worthwhile, / Is the man who can smile, / When his shorts are too tight in the seat."

Hungry kook?

Sandwich Island Girl

2009-08-05T10:33:00.000-04:00

I recently discovered a magazine cover depicting a Hawaiian girl riding a wooden plank in New Jersey. While the surf history community has both known about and debated its historical accuracy [1, 2] for the past few years it was a new find for me. Known as the "Sandwich Island Girl," the image grazed the cover of the August 18, 1888 issue of The National Police Gazette, which while "devoted to matters of interest to the police, it was more often a tabloid-like publication." [3] Whether she actually surfed is of less importance to me than knowing that folks were being exposed to surfing-like imagery as early as 1888. Who knows what the image may have inspired in its readers - it's fun to imagine the possibilities!

References

1. Gault-Williams, Malcolm. "Sandwich Island Girl." Legendarysurfers.com. 23 March 2006 <http://legendarysurfers.com/blog/2006/03/sandwich-island-girl.html> Last accessed 5 August 2009.

2. Gault-Williams, Malcolm. "Sandwich Island Girl 2." Legendarysurfers.com. 22 April 2006 <http://legendarysurfers.com/blog/2006/04/sandwich-island-girl-2.html> Last accessed 5 August 2009.

3. "Police Gazette." Wikipedia.com. Last updated: 5 July 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_Gazette> Last accessed 5 August 2009.

Information Literacy: an alternative model and its relationship to surfing

2009-07-30T14:53:00.000-04:00

Wow, I'm on a roll here. I just finished another article, this one on information literacy. I'm a bit behind in my reading so while this paper has been out since 2007, I'm just now digesting it. It's a pretty interesting read and the author posits a model of information literacy with which I agree. To quote "Brad" from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, it basically goes something like this: "Learn it. Know it. Live it." More specifically, through her analysis of firefighters Lloyd (see full citation below) postulates that, "Information literacy is a way of knowing about an information landscape through embodiment within context. ... A wholistic approach to information literacy recognizes that an outcome of becoming information literate within a landscape is the transformation of the individual from "unknowing" to "knowing" that landscape, or from novice to expert. It recognizes that this does not happen in isolation but occurs through the networks, connections, and actions that exist among people working in consort. ... The process of becoming information literate is complex and requires engagement with a range of physical, social, and textual sources that are recognized and sanctioned as legitimate by experienced practitioners." [183] "Becoming information literate is the process of knowing and becoming embodied within the specific discourses that characterize context." [197] This engagement ensures "that novices are have access to the textual, social, and physical information that will inform practice and shape the development of their professional identity." [197]

Reading the paper, I couldn't help but see how this relates to my experiences surfing. When I first got interested in surfing I read as much surfing material as I could get my paws on, but that didn't make me a surfer. Riding my first and subsequent waves didn't make me a surfer either. However, with time, experience, more reading, and interaction with other surfers, I believe that I am evolving into a surfer. Perhaps where I am most lacking is my "surf sense." In the context of firefighting, Lloyd suggests that experienced firefighters develop a "fire sense," a corporeal modality that provides them with physical information for fighting fires. She elaborates by saying, "the body is used as a source of sensory information, which enables the development of a fire sense. ... Firefighters recognize that fire sense is constructed through bodily experiences on the "fire ground" (the site of the fire) and reinforced through the community of practice." [188] In other words, seeing, hearing, and feeling provide "sensory information that cannot be articulated through text." [188] Perhaps with more time and experience I will develop a surf sense and become one of the old sea dogs.

The cartoon below uses ven diagrams to illustrate the process of becoming information literate within a context. A much better version of the figure can be found in Lloyd's paper.

Lloyd, Annemaree. "Learning to put out the red stuff: Becoming information literate through discursive practice." Library Quarterly. 77(2):181-198.

Social vs. Communal Academic Libraries

2009-07-28T10:59:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading the article below discussing the future of academic libraries through the prism of social and communal activities and that while both serve to benefit the library and its users, they nonetheless can be in conflict with each other.

The author defines the social model of academic libraries as one in which "students and faculty collaborate and communicate with other in the creation of new knowledge. ... [it] is a group activity: it is sometimes studious, not always contemplative, and certainly not quiet." [60] The addition of "cafés, art galleries, group study facilities, and information commons creates spaces and models of behaviour that are open to conversation and cooperative work." [60] On the other hand, the communal model is "a solitary activity: it is studious, contemplative, and quiet." [60]

He posits that libraries - in an effort to address increased use of electronic resources outside the library, reduced circulation of print materials, and declining gate counts - are exploring alternative ways of bringing patrons back into the building. [61] In doing so, he suggests that this has created confusion or obscured the academic library's goal of supporting the research mission of the university. While noting that the addition of social spaces isn't inherently wrong, they can "detract from existing and meaningful ones." [64] He writes further that "because nonlibrary functions do not meaningfully increase library use, and beacuse the presence of of quality study spaces does, it would be more fruitful for academic libraries to devote their limited resources to improving and expanding communal space." [64]

Citing several studies, he submits that users what really want and what really brings them into the library are "communal spaces that encourage serious study" and that facilities not supporting this should be considered carefully. [64] He concludes that the communal characteristic of academic libraries is unique and perhaps its most valuable asset and that it can be endangered by efforts to increase the social function of libraries. He writes, "coffee and conversation, group study and garrulousness are valuable, but these activities can happen anywhere .... but such functions must not be allowed to undermine its fundamentally communal character. Intellectual conversation with library resources and conversation in the library are not necessarily the same thing." [64] The challenge for libraries he argues, will be encouraging the former whil mitigating the negative consequences of the latter. [64]

I found his article thoughtful and compelling and one that I hope others will be mindful of as well. Our library maintains a quote board and periodically, we like to post quotes from students on it. Usually, most quotes are off-the-wall, silly, or provoking in one way or another. I noticed one yesterday that read, "This library smells like procrastination." Ironically, I was reading this paper at the time and couldn't help but think that its author felt some of the same sentiments as this one.

Gayton, Jeffrey T. "Academic Libraries: "Social" or "Communal?" The Nature and Future of Academic Libraries." Journal of Academic Librarianship. 34(1) January 2008: 60-66.

Chocolate Lumps and Southpaw too

2009-07-25T10:52:00.001-04:00

The Biz and I paddled out at our favorite CB spot this morning. It was a classic CB morning. The water was chocolatey and the pretentiousness was less than minimal. Only a few guys out and it was pretty clean. The swell has definitely faded and today will likely be the last of it. After an hour or so the tide appeared to be on the rise and so I moved up the beach a bit. Biz was on a nice little peak so I decided to go and mooch of his spot. Doing that, I upped my wave count and ending up catching more waves there than I had earlier. I'm starting to feel more and more comfortable on the Flying Meeper.

Following our sesh, we stopped by a local CB java joint and enjoyed a warm cup o' joe. A thunderstorm popped up and the rain that followed made it even more relaxing. Biz took off for work and I followed shortly thereafter. Hitting the Junction, I was soon neck and neck with a bearded fellow going full throttle on his little moped with case of Southpaw cradled b/w his feet - and it was only 10:30 ... classic!

Morning Fun

2009-07-23T09:29:00.000-04:00

Surfed at Access 10 this AM and had fun. Despite the tide filling in, nice and clean waist-plus waves were rolling through. Joe W. was out on a little Hobie fish carving up waves like they were Thanksgiving turkeys. Good surfer. Three of the beach's original surfers were out too, one of whom was among the first handful of surfers here. Mercer's was his spot back in the day and he surfed it today like it still was. One wave in particular was a treat to watch him on as it was a nice outside boomer that he stroked into, made the turn and trimmed up nicely w/the curl. I didn't catch too many waves but I had my share including a nice little right that was probably my best ride to date on the Flying Meeper. I wish I could have surfed longer but had to be at work by 9.

Good Times

2009-07-22T13:22:00.001-04:00

Recently, members of the local longboard club took a fellow member out surfing. He had suffered a stroke earlier in the year. He had just been greenlighted by doctors to get back in the water and this was the first time he surfed. As one of my friends in the club noted about the experience, "It was a blast. Arms outstretched, head back, back arched, going down the line with a huge grin. Purest expression of joy I've witnessed in a long time." While I wasn't there, I do look forward to seeing Mike back in the lineup. Here's some footage from the session.

National Disgrace

2009-07-21T13:18:00.001-04:00

This past Sunday, Bizzle and I paddled over to Mase for a morning surf. I caught a few waves and was left feeling stoked afterwards. For a more complete review of the session, check out Bizzle's blog post. I haven't spent much time over there; in fact, I think this was probably the third or fourth time I've been over despite living here for seven years. Being over there reminded me of the value of nature, my connection to it, and the preciousness of having access to some places that are still wild and "undeveloped" by man.

Sadly, it also reminded me of the recent trashing the island received by my fellow sapiens on July 4. Ironically, "homo sapien" is taxonomically defined as a "wise man" but our behavior this day certainly didn't exemplify that characteristic. Perhaps echoing the words of President Teddy Roosevelt, Bob Simpson, the Town Manager of Wrightsville Beach, lamented "It's a national disgrace" after seeing pictures of its trash-littered shores. I couldn't agree more.

Found Captain Zero

2009-07-17T15:36:00.001-04:00

I just finished reading In Search of Captain Zero, a book that appears to have been read by most surfers if not more than once. I tried reading it a couple years ago after my buddy, Will, suggested I read it. Maybe the moon was out of unalignment or perhaps I was too waterlogged, but for whatever reason I just couldn't get into it. While catsitting recently, I noticed that my good buddy, Biz, had a copy on his bookshelf; well, he did have a copy until I jacked it for another run at reading it. This time around, I enjoyed the heck out of it. Between the surfing and other adventures that Allan Weisbecker weaves through it I found it hard-pressed to put down. I was truly surprised by the last part of the book as well; it was so unexpected. I could tell you what happens but then you wouldn't want to read it. Now, for those of the few of you surfers (or posers) out there who haven't read the book I highly encourage you to do so now. I imagine you'll like it alot too.

Defining the Surf Film

2009-07-15T15:55:00.000-04:00

As librarians, part of what we do is define, organize, and make accessible information in whatever medium or format it comes. As a surfbrarian, I like it more when it deals with the world of surfing. Jason Baffa, the auteur behind Single Fin Yellow and One California Day, recently stepped into the role of a surfbrarian by characterizing the surf film and further breaking it down into subsequent sub genres. In "Wisdom from Jason Baffa," he argues that these include the Hollywood surf film, corporate marketing movie, all action trick flick, documentary, and the independent experiential documentary.

Bailey, Christiaan. "Wisdom from Jason Baffa." Drift Surfing. July 10, 2009. <http://www.driftsurfing.eu/?p=615#more-615> Last accessed July 15, 2009.

Training for life in an Information Commons

2009-07-11T16:10:00.000-04:00

This is an interesting article describing the training regimen developed by the University of Arizona Library for staffing an information commons, and how that training has evolved since 2002. It also discusses some of the challenges associated with training along with developing and maintaining training modules; and provides a nicely written overview on the history of the "information commons" concept.

Sult, Leslie and Evangeliste, Mary. "We Are All Librarians: Training in the Ever Evolving Information Commons." The Reference Librarian. 50(3) 2009: 248-258.

Assuring Access: One Library’s Journey from Print to Electronic Only Subscriptions

2009-07-11T12:11:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading the article below. It was an interesting read on the decision-making processes and workflow established by the Libraries at Central Michigan University to convert the majority of its journal holdings to online only. The article also includes the policy the Libraries developed for migrating from print to online only. One of the major challenges discussed in the article concerns the ability of libraries to have perpetual access to back files of journals should they cancel the online subscriptions.

Zambare, A., et al. "Assuring Access: One Library’s Journey from Print to Electronic Only Subscriptions." Serials Review. 35(2) June 2009:70-74.

Tyranny of Small Decisions

2009-07-09T13:44:00.000-04:00

A biologist and I were recently discussing the Titan Cement controversy in Wilmington. Referring to W.E. Odum's "Tyranny of Small Decisions," he made a good point that much of Wilmington and the surrounding area has been adversely impacted by development. Decisions to pave and build were made piecemeal which cumulativly, has affected our environment and there has been little organized opposition to this. Yet, a decision to allow a controversial cement plant to operate has generated significant outcry. And so he asked, what's worse, allowing all of the small decisions to be made that have have significant cumulative impacts or opposing a single polluter that will create more problems? He didn't take a position and nor did I ask him to but it was interesting b/c by framing it in this sense I thought about all of the things we do thinking that there will be little or no consequence but ultimately there will be.

Support Public Access to Publicly-Funded Research

2009-07-02T14:46:00.000-04:00

Last week, Senators Lieberman (I-CT) and Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Federal Research Public Access Act (S.1373), a bill that would ensure free, timely, online access to the published results of research funded by eleven U.S. federal agencies. S.1373 would require those agencies with annual extramural research budgets of $100 million or more to provide the public with online access to research manuscripts stemming from such funding no later than six months after publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The bill gives individual agencies flexibility in choosing the location of the digital repository to house this content, as long as the repositories meet conditions for interoperability and public accessibility, and have provisions for long-term archiving.

The bill specifically covers unclassified research funded by agencies including: Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Science Foundation.

S. 1373 reflects the growing trend among funding agencies – and college and university campuses – to leverage their investment in the conduct of research by maximizing the dissemination of results. It follows the successful path forged by the NIH’s Public Access Policy, as well as by private funders like the Wellcome Trust, and universities such as Harvard and MIT.

Detailed information about the Federal Research Public Access Act is available at http://www.taxpayeraccess.org/frpaa.

All supporters of public access – universities and colleges, researchers, libraries, campus administrators, patient advocates, publishers, consumers, individuals, and others – are asked to ACT NOW to support this bill. Here’s how:

Contact Congress now to express your individual support for public
access to taxpayer-funded research and for this bill (http://www.taxpayeraccess.org/frpaa).
Send thanks to the Bill’s sponsors – Senators Lieberman and Cornyn –
also through the ATA Action Center at http://www.taxpayeraccess.org/frpaa
Share news about this bill with friends and colleagues.

Timeless

2009-07-01T23:37:00.000-04:00

"I make the pussy purr with the stroke of my hand ..." - good ol' Ted Nugent had it right.

OBX Surfing, Part Deux

2009-07-01T15:32:00.000-04:00

Early the next morning (see earlier post for part one of this story) we stowed our gear and beelined for the campground exit making sure to duck out without having to pay the man. We were successful and relished this small, yet highly satisfying effort to dodge paying for services rendered. Following this, we hit up Island Perks based on the recommendation of Robbie Johnson, a longtime surfer/photographer from down in CB. His mag, Surf Carolina Magazine, is solid and worth subscribing to fer sure. Hands down, the eats were tasty and the coffee is strong enough to make your ass pucker. After our feeding we hit the road, northbound on a quest for more waves.

After a short drive we saw several cars parked alongside the road and stopped to check if this was the legendary "S-Turns" that we had heard and read about. Climbing to the top of the dune, we saw a chica sunning herself in morning rays. Like a kook, I asked her, "Is this S-Turns?" Fortunately, she was sweet and affirmed that yes, indeed, we were at S-Turns. Satisfied that our surf snouts were in check we set our eyes upon the surf. To our right, the infamous "Nights in Rodanthe" house was leaning precariously seaward as if it were waiting for the ocean to swallow it whole. The surf was very clean and about waist-to-chest high. The waves weren't really suitable to logging but it looked to be a shortboarders delight. While I set about snapping a few pix, Bizzle fetched his Wendy's lunch tray planer and set about a near au naturale body surf go out. He scored some fun little waves and after about 30 minutes we loaded up and continued north. Arriving in Nags Head, we started hitting up every public beach access we could. The surf looked ridable but we couldn't find anything that really was drawing us in. Finally, we hit a spot we'll call "Admirals" and the surf, while small, was looking good. The temp was peaking so we lathered up in sun block, dawned our surfing hats, and hit the beach. And for the next two hours we surfed lazy little peelers. I was having a little trouble at first until Biz suggested the I dig my arms deeper while paddling. He said I looked like I wasn't digging deep enough. I dug in deep on the next wave and was off. I also took a page out his style book and kept myself crouched low as I came out of my pop up. Both of these worked and I was soon catching my share of waves. Thanks Biz! The last wave I caught was a special gem because I caught it, went right, trimmed up with the wave, cut back a little and trimmed up again, and rode it all the way to the beach, stepping off on the sand. This day and the day prior we surfed like admirals; hence, the name of the spot. Of course, it also helped that the name of the street is East Admiral. It was a fine end to our surfing adventure on the OBX.

After loading up, we hit up The Pit Surf Shop and Grill for some eats. I had the Killa Klub and Biz had the Cajun Man sandwiches; both of which were muy bueno. With out bellies now full and our surf crave satiated we hit the road for home. After several hours of goin' 17S through the scenic eastern NC countryside and being stuck behind four very large tractors (did I say large?!) we arrived home in Wilmiwood, tired, sunburned, and stoked about our trip. I'm already jazzed about going up again.

Cape Fear Kooks

2009-07-01T11:26:00.000-04:00

A new buddy of mine, Ryan Tatar (of Shakas and Singlefins fame), is doing a show up in Jersey called "Cape Fear Kooks" over the July 4th weekend. Check out the awesome poster for the showing. He might also have some tees from the event so contact him if you're interested in one.

Surf Carolina

2009-07-01T11:18:00.000-04:00

Check out Surf Carolina Magazine, a great local magazine featuring surf news, stories, and photos on the Carolinas. I don't always agree with its political viewpoints but it's nonetheless a wonderful magazine highlighting the vibrant surfing energy along the Carolinas. If you haven't seen this mag yet stop by any quality surf shop in the Carolinas and you'll find one. I don't normally subscribe to surf mags but this is one that I'd carry a script for anytime.

Goin Left

2009-06-28T21:48:00.000-04:00

My buddy, Bizzle, and I trekked up to Hatteras last Wed-Thursday for quite possibly our last surf trip before he heads off to Florida to begin a new chapter with his gal. We kicked off our friendship back in early 2005 with a surf sojourn to St. Augustine, FLA so it seemed fitting that we do a trip before he moves. We had farted around for a few years talking about doing a trip to Hatteras and for different reasons we never capitalized on it. It's too bad because we realized that we had been missing out on something wonderful.

Following a calm ride over on a ferry, we hit NC12 searching for surf. We stopped at Natural Art Surf Shop and checked out the surf sticks and got some info on the local breaks. The surf shop guys suggested we check out the lighthouse. A small SE swell was working so we hopped back in the truck and headed up the road. As we pulled up, we could tell the surf was up so we took a quick glance at my Wavefinder guidebook and noted that we should be wary of locals. This info in tow, we grabbed our sticks and paddled out. Usually, I'm a bit more timid when paddling out at a new break but suprisingly I didn't feel this way; I felt good. I was stoked to finally be surfing in a place I had only dreamed about. Noting the energy of the white foam ball waves breaking as I paddled out I finally made it outside. I sat up on my board and turned to shore to see the backs of waves breaking towards shore with the lighthouse silently watching from its removed location. It was an awesome sight. Of course, Bizzle was already paddling into the waves and it was a fantastic sight seeing him go down the line with the lighthouse in the distance.

I sat for awhile on the outside of the main wave sizing up the surf and the surfers in the lineup. Waves were a solid wait to head high and breaking pretty clean with light offshores. I was riding my Allison Bird Dog and felt that as a non-local riding a longboard I might be seen as a threat. However, after a period of waiting and watching I began making my way into the lineup closest to the jetty being careful to give people waves. I was really impressed by the skill level of many of the surfers. Local standout, Joey Crum, was sizzling in the lineup on a beautiful little 5'8" fish shaped by Scott Busbey at Natural Art Surf Shop. The board was a fantastic looking magenta resin tint with glassed on wooden fins. Crum was like mercury on that board, darting and sliding faster than anyone I've seen surfing in awhile. Longtime ESA competitor, David Sledge, was also in the lineup and it seemed like he was willing the waves to come to him. The guy is an amazing surfer; it was an honor to surf with him.

During the four hours we surfed, I caught my fair share of waves. All of which happened to be lefts. As a regular footer, going left is difficult for me so I was stoked to catch so many waves. I wiped out on a few and had a few close out on me before I could trim the board out. My last wave, however, was all time. I was in position and started paddling for a set wave coming my way. Another guy started paddling too but backed off and yelled at me to paddle. With this little boost, I caught the wave and bottom turned into the face. I could see the wall of water pushing up in front of me but I trimmed the board up and raced for the shoulder successfully making the wave and riding it out into the flats. It was such an amazing and exhilirating moment. It happened in such a flash but images of that wave will be sketched into my memory for a long long time.

Surfed out and the day winding down, we packed up and headed into town for grub. We hadn't really eaten all day (except for the ham biscuit at Ocracoke) and were ready to eat the ass out of a billy goat. Acting on advice from a fellow surf guy, we hit up Pop's Raw Bar in Buxton. It was about as local as you could get. The atmosphere was great and the burgers we devoured were especially good. I'm a big fan of Cubbie's in Wilmington and have yet to find a comparable burger but Pop's definitely is a challenger.

With our bellies full, we decided it was time to look for a spot to camp for the night. We hit up the national campground in Buxton and scored a sweet little spot with showers nearby. Hardly anyone was there and the weather was near perfect. After cleaning up and making some small talk we hit the hay and I was out in what seemed liked seconds. It had been nearly 25 years since I last camped so it was a real treat for me. I slept soundly almost all night except for waking up periodically to the lighthouse's light ducking into our tent as it stood guard throughout the night.

More later.

Stacks in Dixie

2009-06-14T23:45:00.000-04:00

My lovely Lovey and I had a craving for pancakes so we dropped by one of my favorite haunts, The Dixie Grill, a icon of eateries in Wilmiwood. It's so good it should be listed as a world heritage site. My favorite dish is the Skinny Pete, but as I said earlier I was craving pancakes. Nothing but a full stack would do; and it did. It was damn good. If you're ever in Wilmington, this librarian suggests you stop in for some of the best food in town.

Surftech ... eat your heart out

2009-06-07T22:33:00.000-04:00

Sure, it's arguable that Surftech and Tuflite surfboards have their place, but one thing that they can't compete with is good ol' human ingenuity. Check out Mike Sheldrake's incredible cardboard aquatic sliders. This may be one of the coolest designs in surfboard craftsmanship that I've seen in awhile.

Something I can relate to ...

2009-06-04T21:45:00.001-04:00

Here's a great piece on days that many of us can relate to. My buddy, Bizzle, and I have had many a days where we either surfed or hit up the Pierhouse restaurant for coffee and hots.

Mahony, Tom. "Spring at Dawn." Kurungabaa: A Journal of Literature, History and Ideas for Surfers. 30 May 2009 <http://kurungabaa.net/2009/05/30/spring-at-dawn-by-tom-mahony/> Last accessed 04 June 2009.

It's those little things

2009-06-04T16:30:00.001-04:00

After years of thinking that I could not fit my 9'6" Bird Dog into my ride (AKA Smurfie Lee) I finally decided to give it a try. Following a little bit of tinkering, shifting seats, and the board around I found the sweet spot. I have been kind of stale on longboarding for some time now, but recently I've felt a rekindling of that interest. This only fuels my renewed desire.

I've also been kind of stale on Smurfie Lee. It's an 88 Honda Wagovan and it's been everywhere, but lately I've been thinking about the next car. The primary needs of the "next car" is MPG, low emissions, and the ability to carry my longboard. However, this discovery today has also rejuvenated my love for Smurfie Lee; this car continues to amaze me. It totally makes my day.

Boringesque

2009-05-21T14:10:00.000-04:00

I checked out Mikey DeTemple's film, Picaresque, last night down at Level 5 along Wilmington's historic riverfront. Sadly, I was left bored by the film. Mrs. Surfbrarian, while not a surfer, has spent alot of time watching surf films with me and even she was left unjazzed. The film lacked narration, a link between the film's title and its content, and any explanation of the meaning behind the film's logo - a dude dressed in a white-black striped sweater smoking a cancer stick and carrying a shred stick. I think that if they had included a brief narration describing the film and its uniqueness that this would have framed it and given it more substance. Plus, technical difficulties plagued the film throughout the screening, which while not the fault of the filmmaker, only enhanced the poor experience. Perhaps a certain someone had too much 'maui wowie' setting up the film. Aside from these pitfalls, the surfing footage was pretty good. It's not often that you get to see a decent longboard film and this certainly had good longboarding action. Plus, it had some stylish footage of surf guys sliding the alaia board which has recently been thrust into the surfing mainstream. The music that accompanied the film was pretty good too so overall I give this 3 stars.

Rhyme of the not-so-ancient surfer

2009-05-21T14:03:00.000-04:00

Here's a favorite little poem of mine that's attributed to Brennan "Hevs" McClelland:

High in the crook of a hot little hook
Salt spray singeing my toes
I ought to be home with my nose to the stone
Instead of here where the tradewind blows.
For how can a man
Amount to a damn
Playing with these kids in the sea?
Where would it end?
I'll tell you my friend:
When the last line is writ
Who gives a shit?
Except when will the next wave be.

Flying Meeper

2009-05-20T16:22:00.000-04:00

Here's the image I created for my 7'0" quad that was shaped by Will Allison. It's the Flying Meeper and is a reference to out feline friend, Diego. Check out my Flickr account for pix of the board.

Tennessee Stud

2009-05-20T16:17:00.000-04:00

This is the image I created for my 8'6" single fin. It's a cherry board shaped and glassed by two legends in the Cape Fear, Will Allison and Greg Eavey. It's a tribute to my little buddy, Ricky. He's one radical little dude.

Clearing 200

2009-05-07T16:53:00.000-04:00

I weighed myself this AM and was stoked to learn that I've dropped below the 200 pound mark. I'm sitting right at 198.6 pounds. I've been hitting the WAC pretty regularly lately and I've made some slight adjustments to my diet. I've been using the elliptical machine alot and while I felt a bit uncoordinated at first, I'm really starting to like it.

The Present becomes the past

2009-05-05T16:39:00.000-04:00

The other night the Bizz and I checked out the Wilmington screening of Thomas Campbell's latest surf film, The Present. Campbell and the Mattson 2 are careening down the right coast showcasing the film and introducing us slack jawed suthun folk to finer aesthetic of the SoCal jazz experience.

The film was pretty good although I was left a little disappointed. Campbell's previous two films, The Seedling and Sprout, were instant classics for me and I was hoping for more of that magic. I definitely want to see the film again; I think that there was so much going on in the film that it was just too much to take in at once. The other thing that immediately stood out was the lack of bodyboarding. The sponge king, Mike Stewart, had a tubular camio but aside from his prone appearance the sponger presence was absent. Perhaps Campbell thought he could leave them out since he included them in Sprout and like any rigorous teacher, he doesn't believe in rehashing old material; when you attend Professor Campbell's class you need to know your shit. Then again, he did include loggers in The Present but maybe they have a special place in his heart.

Despite any misgivings I might have about the film Campbell's most important message to "ride anything and everything" shines through and reminds me that my surfing is limited mostly by my (in)ability. I look forward to more academic discussions about the film, particularly Joel Tudor's assessment of the four most influential surfers of all time.

Lastly, hats off to both Mr. Campbell and the Mattson 2 for leaving the left coast and sharing their unique perspectives on surfing, film, and music. The twins left a refreshed taste in my mouth for some good jazz. I hope that us folk were also able to impart some good vibes on them, and maybe some good BBQ too.

You can find the photos I took here. I give this experience 4 out of 5 shakas.

Prison Break

2009-05-01T15:36:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading this article in Parade Magazine by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) and was boggle-eyed at one of the statistics he reports. The United States constitutes "5% of the world's population [and] now houses nearly 25% of the world's reported prisoners." Here's the article if you're interested in reading it:

Why We Must Fix Our Prisons
http://www.parade.com/news/2009/03/why-we-must-fix-our-prisons.html

Fat Ass Challenge: Day 1

2009-04-27T20:22:00.000-04:00

Weighing in at a fantastic 206.8 pounds at the doc's office last week, I felt like a giant fucking calzone .. or more appropriately, an albino grimace. Yeah, the purple fat fucker from McDonald's. Today, I'm throwing down the gauntlet and focusing on losing weight. My ultimate goal is to begin living a health(ier) active lifestyle. Damn, they're so good but the ales will have to keep their bottle tops on and the cheese nips will remain on the shelves. I was at the WAC yesterday and could see my reflection in the mirror. God, I was so nonplussed realizing how much fat I've accumulated on my face. Today, the journey begins.

Second Surf of the Year

2009-04-21T14:17:00.001-04:00

Surfed this past Saturday with Bizzle. It was my second surf of the year. I caught one wave and stood up on it so I was pleased. It was a great time being out there with him. He caught his usual share of waves making it look easy on his single fin yellow, particularly this little left towards the end of our session. For a few seconds several quintessential variables came together - the calmness of the air, the sun beaming through the translucent greeness of backside of the wave, the trim of single fin yellow sliding along the face and shimmering of Bizzle's feet as he glided across its face.

Sadly, the bugger and his gal will be departing at summer's end to begin a new chapter in life. She'll be starting her PhD and he'll be looking to get ready for law school.

I guess that means we'll have to surf as much as possible together this summer. Sounds like a plan.

First surf of the year

2009-03-29T20:22:00.001-04:00

Ay, can you believe it? This past Friday was my first surf of 2009. I've been a bit of a puss getting in this year. The waves haven't been there and it's been colder than I typically like. But I finally got wet. It was a bit comical for sure. I took my 7'0" Allison quad (the "flying meeper") out. I didn't have too much trouble getting out; conditions were probably around waist-to-chest high and the tide was just starting to make its turn to high. Lots of black suits in the water but most were clustered next to Mercers so I didn't have to compete for waves at my spot. I only caught about 3 waves this session but it was fun to be out. The first wave was most memorable b/c I got to my feet and immediately felt all stiff. My body felt rusty and my legs locked into position as I rode down the line. I rode the entire wave but looked liked a stiffy - if you saw me you probably would have thought you were watching a "human erection" surfing. Of course it was cold so I couldn't feel a thing after surfing and so when I finally got all my nerves warmed up I realized that I must've tweaked the shit out of my neck or something. It's felt like a bitch since then. My wife treated my to one of her pain pills on Saturday to help - damn thing knocked me the fuck out and I've been groggy since ... and my neck is still fucked. Nevertheless, for tomorrow the buoys are reading WNW 12 to 16 knots and seas: S 3 feet at 8 sec. Maybe a surf will fix the ol' neck up ... and the Bizzle might go too. If all works out it should be a good time.

Milk

2009-03-19T11:12:00.000-04:00

Watched the Sean Penn flick, Milk, last evening with my lovely lovey. It was a good film. Lots of man action ... Penn and Franco - pretty amazing stuff for mainstream America. It's crazy to think that people can be so bigoted re race and sexual orientation but I guess that's life. Nonetheless, this country's come along way in its acceptance of difference.

Jazz the Glass

2009-02-27T15:16:00.000-05:00

Some of my best friends have fins

2009-02-26T17:31:00.000-05:00

Here's a little image I drew up based on the photo below. This could be a cool little bumper sticker.