UPDATE

Surfline responded, and took the video down.  The deal is that this video appeared in a’user moderated’ section of the site, so it wasn’t vetted in the usual way.  Very nice of them to act so quickly (not surprising they didn’t dig the Pismo Jetski antics once they reviewed it).
So, yay Surfline – check them out here!      [ And support the Central Coast Marine Sanctuary! ]

This normally useful website is promoting a ‘featured local video’ of guys just… riding jetskis.  On a totally paddle-able beachbreak.  Note that they’re not using the jetskis to tow-in, or travel somewhere.  They’re  just… screwing around in the surf-zone.   Where the actual surfers surf.  WTF?

Can you imagine paddling out and having these three jackasses wizzing around on their polluting, loud, unsafe gizmos when you’re trying to catch waves?  Sorry, JetSki guys, your right to ride around like a moron stops when you do it on densely-surfed, ridable waves, or degrade the beach experience of the entire rest of the world.

What’s next, Surfline celebrating the leaf-blower? The incredibly lame ATV scene? This is the LAST THING they should be promoting on a surf site.

I’m not linking to the actual video because I don’t want to reward this video with page-views and banner clicks, but here’s a screen-cap:

Send your feedback to SurfLine re  the “Central California User video on 11.21.09” to:

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Let’s encourage them to not celebrate the -needless- motorized degradation of the surf-zone.

– Karl

So, I zoomed down to the NAMM Show in Anaheim (like LA, but blander and more soul-less).  My visit was Synth-Tastic.

1)  I visited the Dave Smith booth – he’s the guy who started Sequential Circuits back in the day.  I had a Sequential Six-Trak, which was freaking awesome, and I’m sad I sold mine.   But they had this kick ass director’s chair with the SC logo on it…

Dave Smith had a bunch of great sounding new synthesizers, including the Morpho and the Evolver.  Very tempting.   Then, I’m standing there and Don Buchla walks in!  Buchla was one of the original synth pioneers, along with Moog, Don Buchla, Hugh Le Caine, Raymond Scott and Paul Ketoff.

Buchla build some of the biggest, wildest, most imaginative electronic instruments ever, so it was a synth-fanboi* treat to see him there.

(* I once built a Paia Proteus-1 synth from a kit over an entire summer, so yes, I have a serious serious problem with synth love),

2)  THE COOLEST THING AT NAMM, I SWEAR I WILL FIGHT YOU IF YOU DARE DISAGREE

This firm, Teenage Engineering, showed their RIDICULOUSLY cool ‘palm-top’ synth / sampler /production gizmo, the OP-1.  It’s a gorgeous

The Best Thing at the NAMM Show, the OP-1

piece of design, machined from a block of white-anodized aluminum, color coded keys and knobs, built-in speaker, built-in FM RADIO (for sampling), fantastically beautiful screen with brilliant brilliant amazing user interface, ability to filter external sounds, USB file transfer, oh my GOD!    Shipping ‘in a few months’.

If this thing turns out to be vaporware I will hang myself.

Their turntable design is also disgustingly awesome.