Has anyone tried these Freebord Boards yet? They look pretty damn fun! Check out www.Freebord.com for more info!

Artist:  Liftoff

Album:  Sunday Morning Airplay

Label: Fort Knox Recordings; 2012

Liftoff is a collaboration of Steven Albert, Steve and Johnna Raskin (of Speedy Consuela) and Thievery Corporation’s Rob Myers that takes you on a psychedelic, yet chill journey from start to finish. Their debut album Sunday Morning Airplay is a must buy.  Each track flows nicely from one to the other while still maintaining individuality, which is easier said than done.  Sunday Morning Airplay begins with the shoegazer “Autumn,” a sitar laden track with a fresh hip hop backbeat.  Steve and Johnna’s vocals lend a serene familiarity to the album, while the beats flesh out a groovy vibe that may make you want to get up and move around, or simply lie back and take it all in.  The entire album is worthwhile, but I would have to say “Nothing is Something” is one of my new obsessions – the mix of vocals and instrumentals are pure perfection.  Liftoff is new to the music scene as a group, but this is not the case for its components, they offer individual styles to each track and create a sound that is fresh and unique.  I have a feeling this won’t be the last time we have Liftoff!  - Kelsey Walsh

The Venus Project / Paradise or Oblivion

This documentary details the root causes of the systemic value disorders and detrimental symptoms caused by our current established system. This video presentation advocates a new socio-economic system, which is updated to present-day knowledge, featuring the life-long work of Social Engineer, Futurist, Inventor and Industrial Designer Jacque Fresco, which he calls a Resource-Based Economy.

The film details the need to outgrow the dated and inefficient methods of politics, law, business, or any other “establishment” notions of human affairs, and use the methods of science, combined with high technology, to provide for the needs of all the world’s people. It is not based on the opinions of the political and financial elite or on illusionary so-called democracies, but on maintaining a dynamic equilibrium with the planet that could ultimately provide abundance for all people.

Paradise or Oblivion, by The Venus Project, introduces the viewer to a more appropriate value system that would be required to enable this caring and holistic approach to benefit human civilization. This alternative surpasses the need for a monetary-based, controlled, and scarcity-oriented environment, which we find ourselves in today.

A Personal Interview With Jacque Fresco

Here’s a little background: Jacque Fresco is a self-educated structural designer, philosopher of science, concept artist, educator, and futurist. He is considered by many to be a modern-day Da Vinci. Peer to Einstein and Buckminster Fuller, Jacque is a self-taught futurist who describes himself most often as a “generalist” or multi-disciplinarian — a student of many inter-related fields. He is a prolific inventor, having spent his entire life (he is now 95 years old) conceiving of and devising inventions on various scales which entail the use of innovative technology. As a futurist, Jacque is not only a conceptualist and a theoretician, he is also an engineer and a designer.

His organization, The Venus Project works to provide a global vision of hope for the future of humankind in our technological age. The Venus Project reflects the culmination of Jacque’s life work: the integration of the best of science and technology into a comprehensive plan for a new society based on human and environmental concern. It is a global vision of hope for the future of humankind in our technological age.

A major documentary entitled, Future By Design, on the life, designs, and philosophy of Jacque Fresco is now available athttp://www.fbdthemovie.com. The film Zeitgeist Addendum featuring Mr. Fresco and The Venus Project produced by Peter Joseph was released in 2008. A sequel to this documentary Zeitgeist Moving Forward was released in 2011 featuring Mr. Fresco, his work, and direction for the future.

Was there something specific you experienced that made you first begin thinking about alternate forms of living, or was it more of a compilation of experiences?

Living through the 1929 Great Depression helped shape my social conscience. During this time, I realized the earth was still the same place, manufacturing plants were still intact, and resources were still there, but people didn’t have money to buy the products. I felt the rules of the game we play by were outmoded and damaging. This began a life-long quest resulting in the conclusions and designs presented in The Venus Project.

Conditions of misery, suffering, war, and war profiteering were the incentive and inspiration for my work. I was also motivated by the seeming incompetence of governments, the academic world, and a lack of solutions from scientists. Many fail as generalists because of their over-specialization on limited aspects of social problems. Scientists, politicians, and academicians see problems from inside the system they’re in, which is what’s responsible for the problems in the first place. I am disappointed with those who worry about terra-forming other planets while our own is still full of war, poverty, hunger, and environmental neglect.

Working with drug addicts, alcoholics, and so-called juvenile delinquents in New York City convinced me that instead of working with individuals, more effective methods would deal with the societal conditions that create dysfunctional behaviors in the first place.

Can you remember your very first design moment?

Yes. When I was about 13, one of my relatives stuck his hand into a metal fan while it was on. This led me to design a fan with rubber or fabric blades. I submitted the design to some companies, but they showed no interest. Shortly after that, the product came out on the market. This was my introduction to the market place.

Once when I was 10, I designed a special candle for a religious sect in New York City. They weren’t permitted to put out a candle on their holy days, so I designed one that would self extinguish at any hour they desired. I timed the burning of the candle for whatever amount of time was needed. Then I cut the wick at different points in the candle that correlated with different times and pulled the remaining wick out from the bottom of the candle.

Mr. Fresco, in noticing in your work a great faith on changes and a great positiveness towards things that seem impossible or, at least, possible in a distant future (like the sea colonisation forecast), what I’m asking myself is: where do you take this great trust in challenges from?

Working in the aircraft industry I learned a lot about planes that move in three dimensions and undergo a wide range of stresses. It was essential to consider many things that differ from static structures on the ground. There were challenges like simplifying design, eliminating conspicuous waste, and obtaining the greatest performance with a minimum expenditure of energy.

Another factor encouraging my positive attitude about problem solving was World War II when the U.S. spent billions of dollars for weapons of mass destruction in the Manhattan Project. Cost was no object and it was one of the largest and best-financed projects undertaken to that date. I realized the same energies that went into the Manhattan Project could be channeled to improve and update our way of life, and to achieve and maintain the optimal symbiotic relationship between nature and humankind. If we are willing to spend that amount of money, resources, and human lives in times of war, we must ask why we don’t commit equal resources to improving the lives of everyone and anticipating humane needs for the future in times of peace.

When scientists were called upon to solve problems of a military nature, the answers were immediately forthcoming. This demonstrated to me the ability of science and technology to solve problems when properly organized and funded, but it is shameful that these methods are not applied to solving social problems on a global scale.

It is also shameful when billions are spent on space projects for terra-forming uninhabited planets to make them habitable while our own planet is neglected, and the land, sea, and air are polluted.

In my work I am not attempting to predict the future. I am only pointing out what is possible with the intelligent application and humane use of science and technology. This does not call for scientists to manage society. What I suggest is applying the methods of science to the social system for the benefit of human kind and the environment.

A quick look at your resume shows that you are by far an ingenious person, having worked at various and different fields. When did you start engaging with Human Factors Engineering and elaborating on the perspectives of human capability?

I did it before it was a recognized profession. It began as an approach for making human procedures in technology more efficient. Soon, they started getting more production out of people in shorter times, and I realized the advantages served industry rather than people which made me uncomfortable.

What do you think the major changes will be in near or far future of the world?

We have the technology to build a global paradise on earth, and at the same time we have the power to end life as we know it. I am a futurist. I cannot predict the actual future–only what it can be if we manage the earth and its resources intelligently. Where I may differ from other futurists is that I work on actual blueprints and methodologies which can achieve a sustainable global society in which all will have a higher standard of living with greater freedom and opportunity. If we work toward this new global society, we can free the world from hunger, war, and poverty–a world humanity has failed to achieve throughout history. If civilization continues on its present course, we will simply repeat the same mistakes all over again.

You claim that we can overcome the world’s constant issues such as war, poverty and hunger. How is this possible? Are you working on any kind of solutions about these?

My entire life’s work and alternative social design are all about solutions to these problems. It is not just patch work to paper over the problems we face, but I have always worked on proposals to eliminate the conditions responsible for these problems in the first place. To properly answer this question would take volumes. I can only recommend my book The Best That Money Can’t Buy. Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

You’ve been compared with DaVinci. How does it feel? Does this make you feel pressured to meet these expectations?

I don’t think about this comparison at all. I am not pressured to meet any expectation except that which is available to me. If people support the project, then it will occur. If they fail to do so, we will continue with our current problems. It is not up to me. All I am able to do at this time is to present a possible alternative. The future of sustaining our species depends on the actions we take today.

I feel that I have advantages greater than Da Vinci’s such as access to more information, materials, and methods.

Are you optimist or pessimist about the future?

I am neither. It does not depend on me alone. I do all I can to help bring about a positive future which could overcome many of the problems the world faces today.

Anyone you’re dying to meet?

Any person, group, or nation that will help promote or sponsor The Venus Project.

Why self taught?

Instruction in academia did not emphasize what I thought of as essential points. I was interested in the broad range of interrelated connections within the physical sciences, but formal studies isolated each branch of science. I therefore took it upon myself to integrate the separate disciplines into a synergistic whole so as to apply science and technology to the solving of global problems.

Do you have any personal heroes?

I owe a great deal to people from many disciplines who contributed to this vision. People like Jules Verne, Edward Bellamy, Howard Scott, Thorstein Veblen, H. G. Wells, Sir Jagadis Chunder Bose, Alfred Korzybski, Walter B. Cannon, Stewart Chase, Clarence Darrow, Arthur C. Clarke, Mark Twain, Jacque Loeb, Carl Sagan and others too numerous to mention.

What´s been the highlights in your life so far?

The highlight is the interest shown to The Venus Project by people throughout the world through the Internet, magazines, books, documentaries, and more.

“Foresight” is not enough for the future, we need “vision”. What’s the difference between them?

Foresight to me is based on the hopes, desires, and aims of individuals, but without a practical blueprint, it is no more than science fiction. A constructive “vision” requires a methodology for achieving the desired goal of a sustainable future. The blueprint must include plans for education, health care, housing, city planning, transportation, clean sources of energy, etc.

Which projects get you excited or scare you about the future?

What gets me excited about the future are the fantastic achievements yet undreamed of, and the possibility of global unification. What scares me about the future is our inability to use our technology constructively and intelligently.

How does your design process look? How do you start working on something?

I first ask what do I hope to accomplish and what is the simplest approach to a given problem. By simplest approach, I mean given the tools and information available. If I were to design the least expensive airplane, using minimum materials with maximum strength, and a wide margin of safety, I would select a flying wing. The flying wing eliminates fuselage, tail, rudder, and stabilizer. The passengers are seated in the wing. I designed many variations on flying wings in the early 1930’s.

Social designs must be based on the carrying capacity of Earth’s resources, and not on the philosophy, desires, aesthetics, or advantages of particular people. For example, the circular design of cities is based upon a minimum expenditure of energy for maximum social gain. Architecture, when intelligently designed, will use the least amount of material for the safest and most efficient structure possible. As materials improve and change, so will architecture and the designs of cities. This will not limit advantages, but will expand amenities and the goods and services available to everyone.

Is there any one field of discipline you find most promising right now, as far as technological advancement? Architecture? Material science, perhaps?

The viewpoint of the generalist which incorporates all of the factors necessary to sustain a highly technical, advanced civilization.

How much did technology give you the opportunity to believe in the objectification of your visions and how, over your career, did you live (and continue living) the frenetic conceptual and formal evolution of this technology?

Technology provided the formulas and methods for solving problems in various areas of the social spectrum. I was always confronted with many different problems in industries like aircraft, medical, plastic, housing, energy development, motion picture, future studies, etc.

Your work is really wide-ranging and covers many fields like drawing, small-scale models, 3D graphic art, architecture, writing, cinematography, and engineering; I’d like to know, how do you live the properties of these instruments?

I apply all of these different disciplines to environmental design using the present means available for global social arrangements, but I don’t see my solutions and designs as final frontiers.

First of all, how can we describe the future and the designing of it?

We develop the probable direction that the future will take by extrapolating from present day developments, technology, and trends. We also include a new and humane approach to our proposed environmental and social arrangements.

Is imagining the most important “starting point” and enough for designing?

No, imagining is not the most important starting point. The most important thing is to be specific, and not just imagine, but instead, to base our design on today’s science and technology, and apply it to the well-being of all people and the protection of the environment. This is in contrast to mere wishes, aspirations, or philosophical notions.

How do you evaluate the robot conception in the future? As in the science fiction movies, everything is going to be done by robots. Is everything going to be different or will humans be the most effective factor?

SiFi movies are written by artists and writers who are seldom qualified to describe technological developments, particularly as applied to the social system. Many express a fear of technology, and lack a deeper understanding of the humane potential of technological development. Technologies are simply extensions of human attributes.

In technologically developed countries, industry and the military are assigning more and more decision-making to machine technology. Machines will not take over, but they will eventually be assigned the tasks. Today’s machines can handle one thousand trillion bits of information per second. No humans have this capability. In the near future, the operation of a global society will be far too complex for any sophisticated group of humans to manage.

That is why I urgently advocate that society utilize cybernetics not merely for tabulation and measurement, but also to process vital information and channel it for the benefit of all humankind. Only our most capable computers can store and sort through the data necessary to arrive at equitable and sustainable analyses and decisions about the development and distribution of resources on a global scale.

The most visionary writers and futurists of the twentieth century would have had difficulty accepting the possibility of robots replacing surgeons, engineers, top management, airline pilots, and other professionals. It is no longer unthinkable that machines may one day write novels or poems, compose music, and eventually surpass humans in government and in the management of world affairs.

This is not about the morality and ethics of human participation, but a straightforward description of future technological trends.

Do we use this information effectively?

No we are not yet wise enough to use our information intelligently. Unfortunately, today we misuse and abuse science and technology. We waste our most advanced minds and resources on weapons and other destructive devices.

Watching you giving an interview at 1974 (to Larry King back then), surely comes as a surprise in terms of predicting society’ s future and suggesting alternative ways of thinking. What was the feedback you got back in the ‘70’s and what is today’s feedback?

There was very little feedback at that time because the conditions were fairly stable. It was only when society became less prosperous for the majority of people that the interest increased. If the film Zeitgeist Addendum had been made 10 years ago, it would not have gotten as much interest. Social conditions, rather than the wishes of individuals, are mainly responsible for social change.

Have your ever pondered “why are we here?”

The question “why are we here?” is a philosophical question which has no reference. Attempts have been made by theologians to answer this. Our answer is that we are here as a by-product of evolution. The scientific response is not a question of “why are we here,” it is “what are the processes that generate different life forms.” We also go into this in the book The Best That Money Can’t Buy, by Jacque Fresco, above on page 19 in the chapter “From Superstition To Science.”

And then the last question Mr Fresco: In your opinion, what is the biggest revolution which can be realized today?

The Venus Project is a concept that could happen today but it is not up to me, it depends on what others do to help bring it about.

Finals day video, and a recap of photos below from the rest of our trip to Valdez for TGAK. // Photos: Reid Morth

Here’s some different perspective’s on this year’s Tailgate experience:

Our friend Jordan Ingmire-Stevens Pass local, first time Tailgater- throwing out some solid AK survival tips on the Frequency blog:
http://www.frqncy.com/news/2012/04/23/survival-tips-for-the-ak-enthusiast-2

Life is Good in AK- local Anchorage news coverage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71ek-tfqdEs

Finals Heli Day, World Freeride Championship
https://vimeo.com/40381254

Our friend Ben Gavelda writing on the contest aspect of Tailgate
http://snowboarding.transworld.net/1000176633/photos/flow-freeride-world-festival-finals/

What is TGAK?
http://snowboarding.transworld.net/1000176269/featuresobf/what-is-tailgate-alaska/

snowmobiling POV off Thompson Pass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=A-kK7XAwP0A

Grind TV
http://www.grindtv.com/snow/blog/33358/tailgate+alaska+2012+snowboarders+paradise/

Snowmachine paradise from Snowboard Mag
http://snowboardmag.com/stories/flow-tailgate-alaska-snowmachine-paradise

DAY NINE + TEN- Down Day and Qualifier. // April 9th-10th

Seems like it was a good move to wait for the reset on the traditional King of the Hill venue off of Thompson Pass. A bluebird day with plenty of new snow made for tons of pow slashes, sluffslides, and 3 or 4 50-60 ft soft slabs. A contest where riders are sending on a completely uncontrolled slope is a cool thing to watch. Finals are tomorrow 4/11,
supposedly on a first descent somewhere accessed by helicopters. Here’s the results from yesterday:

Women:
5: Sarka Pancochova
4: Cecelia Miller
3: Nathalie Zenklusen
2*: Yoko Nakamura
1*: Emily Weir

Men:
12: Danny Delozier
11: Mark Carter
10: Shin Biyama
9: Will Bromliesiek
8*: Micah Hoogaveen
7*: Sammy Leubke
6*: Donny Mills
5*: Mike Marohn
4*: Max Zipster
3*: Cody Beach
2*: Brandon Reid
1*: Scotty Lago

* – Qualified for Finals

DAY SIX, SEVEN and EIGHT. // April 6-8th 2012

Everyone expects weather days in Alaska, but I didn’t anticipate local Valdez bands to be ripping hard into the early morning. The other night some Mars Volta esque trio shredded it at a heli lodge on the pass and last night a spaced out electric metal group came on at midnight and played until 4 at the Pipeline bar. Crawling around ethereal ice caves and shredding pillows just above the Valdez harbor fill the down days just fine. Today we’re going to check out a pillow field called Turtles, near the Alaska Pipeline. Rumor has it that the oil guys’ security will give you an escort at gun point if you get to close to their scene, so we might have to tiptoe around…

DAY FIVE. // April 5th,2012. Thompson Pass, Valdez Alaska.

^ Nathalie Zenklusen probing it out and gettin’ extreme
This gaping hole opens up into a huge ice cave. Arob took us there at Tailgate a few years ago, and we were able to just walk right in it. Way more snow this year, the only way in was to rope up and slide down.

Flat light goggle change.Shayboarder, axe tossin’
^ Man Games and Monarch in-between runs.

^One of the highlights of this event is all the pow searchers just wandering around the backcountry. This guy Peter came all the way from the Netherlands. He cruised with us to the Worthington Glacier yesterday and was stoked.

…and another edit with rider, Micah Hoogeveen, who’s up shredding with the Bomb Snow Crew this year. Get some! Stay tuned for more fun as Tailgate 2012 continues, and remember to always promote positive propaganda! Bombs? NO. Peace!

All Photos: Reid Morth. Words: Murph and Morth.
TAILGATE ALASKA. 2012 / This is the starting point of Bomb Snow’s trek to the snow-caked mountains of our countries most bountiful powder capital. The majestic beauty of Thompson Pass in beautiful Valdez, Alaska.

Follow us as we embark on a mission of epic proportions to explore insurmountable goodness during the 2012 Tailgate Alaska World Freeride Festival.

Daily updates will be happening, so you can live vicariously through our photographer Reid Morth and rider/writer,  Nathaniel Murphy. Below are a couple teasers from the past Tailgate events.  Stay tuned as our updates will start April 1st, 2012 and run all the way through the end of the event…ENJOY! -T.O

Today kicks off the start of BombSnow’s two week mission to Tailgate and Arctic Man. Getting to Alaska is never easy. Staff photographer, Reid Morth, flew from the bombed out spring runoff of Bozeman into 140mph headwinds; shaken, stirred, and tumbled all the way to Anchorage. I opted for a last minute free ride along the ALCAN. Only went off the road once, at least those snowbanks are soft and deep! -Murph

Below: Reid making the most of his 7hr layover in Juneau- Mendenhall Glacier, a 6 mile walk from the airport.

Above: Rob sent it deep into a ditch late night. After 2 futile hours of shoveling under the northern lights, we decided to throw in the towel. Here we are, getting winched out that first morning in AK.

Opening day and familiar faces continue to roll up to milemarker 26 on Thompson Pass. Reid and I were greeted by Pam Robinson, and immediately taken in like family. Andy Bergin Sperry and Joe Bosler came out from Bellingham, looking
like the drive took its toll. Rob Kingwill has been coming to Thompson Pass for decades, and stashes his sled here year round. He flew in and spent the day shoveling, trying to find his sled. He finally probed it and shoveled it out from 12 feet of snow, bent the handle bars back into place and fired it up! The pass is in a nice cool, high pressure system right now and, wanting to save the brodown for the beer garden, we started sessioning some nearby cliffs and scouting bigger lines.

Above: Heli Flys over the back of Bro-Bowl
Murph and Micah scoping terrain^

Murph taking his last turns during our first afternoon on Thompson Pass^
View from Camp, April 1st 2012^

Mornings in Valdez Harbor are the best!^ Day Three- We hiked up the Berlin Wall all the way from Camp. Check out the Black and whites below, the scenery up here is unreal! Super windy bluebird day, meant lots of skinning and cold weather! Enjoy.

Good cooking thanks to Pam-Rob!^

Event organizer Mark Sullivan and the guides comprising the high angle rescue team met with competitors last night to go over the format, judging, and safety aspects of the competition. “The North Face Masters and Freeride World Tour are all lift accessed events. Here in Alaska, it is completely uncontrolled and real.” Because of the nature of the terrain, everyone has to wear a harness in addition to regular backcountry gear. The judging will be based on line choice, freestyle, and fluidity. “Basically, we are looking for video part worthy runs.” Sullivan went on to say that because of those high expectations, he is putting the start day on hold until the next low pressure system resets the venue. King of the Hill has traditionally been held on an area called BroBowl, where conditions were firm today, as evidenced by a Japanese rider who lost control and fractured his pelvis in the zone.

And despite $10,000 being on the line for first place, there really aren’t any competitive vibes. Just new and old friends shredding, barbequing, and getting inspired by these massive peaks. There was also a lot of Montana love in Alaska yesterday. The Fire of Life Party at the Alaska Rendezvous Guide’s heli base celebrated Doug Coombs and others that have fallen.

Undoubtedly, the most sorely missed presence is that of Aaron Robinson, who had been to this event since day one and become known to many Valdez locals as the “Mayor of Tailgate.” Aaron Robinson’s mother, Pam, spread his ashes on the Chugach under perfectly blue skis. An impressive crowd of close friends and shred buddies gathered in a zone called Nick’s, named after snowboard legend Nick Perata. One of the early pioneers of the Valdez snowboard scene, Perata was both a close friend and mentor to Aaron. The area has views of the more impressive lines in the area, like the Books and the Valley of the Tusk. The run back down to the Tailgate event rolls through a giant feature filled glacier canyon known as Nick’s Happy Valley.

A Hands on crevasse rescue class got snowboarders of varied experience levels roped in and practicing new systems. ^

-See you Manana- Reid and Murph

Here’s a little edit from our  reporter in the field Erik Morrison on Last years Tailgate experience. Stay tuned for more POV footage from this year coming up in days to come…peace.

When we were given the opportunity to choose a destination to take the INI Cooperative outerwear team somewhere to shoot our 2012/13-ad campaign our first and immediate choice was Mt. Baker.

Mt. Baker can be a major win or a major loss. If the conditions are good, there’s really no better place to be, however when the conditions are bad it’s almost impossible to get anything done. We figured we’d roll the dice because the pay off is so rewarding.

Some how, some way the powers that be let the sunshine come out and sure enough we got ourselves a few great days at Mt. Baker full of big jumps, big lines, and lots of fresh snow.

The line up for the trip was pro snowboarders Shaun McKay, Tyler Osland, and pro skier John Spriggs. All three shredders have mass amounts of experience in the back country so it was a treat watching them get technical on the many great features Mt. Baker has to offer.

It wasn’t all fun and games, as we had to work to make sure we have enough footage and photographs to get the necessary goods for a photos shoot. In order to do so we had to cross rivers, hike for hours on end, and build multiple jumps.

Tyler Osland getting Tailed.

Tyler Osland

Make sure to check out INI Cooperative on the web at: http://www.inicooperative.com/

It’s hard to believe that Seattle based Viper Creek Club is the invention of only one man: Mat Wisner.  And to give you just a small taste, check out the single “Because I Know” from their newest self released Hot Lights EP.  This track delivers a fist pumping beat over horns and synth lines that will set the night on fire.  Don’t miss Viper Creek Club when they come stomping through your city.  What are you waiting for?  Give it a spin.  -ParkerT

From the makers of the well-loved Rime Knits beanies come the Rime Knits facemask. Constructed out of a microfiber polyester, these facemasks are super breathable and won’t fog up your goggles. With a simple construction you can choose between a single layer for warmer days and fleece-lined for when you need it most.

Keeping with the Rime Knits carbon-neutral tradition, a tree is planted with each piece sold. Support the cause and keep your face happy!

Check out Rimeknits.com for more products.