After a months-long hiatus, as of February 17, 2009, Austin Skate Notes is back with a higher definition digital signal thanks to the national change-over required by federal regulation. While we agree that the result of this switch is going to provide a better viewing experience for Austin Skate Notes readers, it is regrettable that skaters still depending on analog rabbit ear antennas will be left behind. In order to help those skaters receive premium ASN digital content, we have partnered with the FCC to provide these coupons that can be used to purchase digital signal conversion hardware to enable older browsers to work with the new system.
In anticipation of the national signal switch-over, ASN staffers have been hard at work behind the scenes upgrading the website to the new digital format. During this effort, we’ve been editing and reviewing content for the maiden digital broadcast and have selected some real gems to share as we step across this exciting threshold together.
A few weeks ago, Micah Shapiro of Grindline’s skatepark design staff visited with some friends from Seattle. Chris, Scott, and Micah ripped several concrete spots in the Austin area and were captured in these photos. After one session, we visited some drinking establishments downtown on a Saturday night. As we were ordering food at a roadside stand, a man ran away from the ordering window and Chris set off in pursuit. The rest of us had no clue what had transpired until Chris 
returned a few minutes later with the tip jar and all the money it contained. Chris chased the culprit only a dozen or so yards before he surrendered the loot to the leather-jacketted Seattle crime fighter.
We also hit up the Alien Pod where condo construction inspires everyone to skate like it might be the last session.
Sometime Austin resident, Quentin Tarantino, has completed principal photography of his ‘guys-on-a-mission-flick’: Inglourious Basterds. Here’s a trailer for the movie, which seems to draw more inspiration from the Last Rambo than the original Italian movie of the same name. (more…)
