Not exactly brilliant, but more so than stupid. The newspaper article is linked and while the piece starts with this tongue-in-cheek expression it is actually a informed and interesting text.
Best part: Skateboards are “scientifically-tuned instruments”.
There’s actually evidence that this phenomenon happened as early as 1955.
None of the articles mention the reason WHY skateboards saw a great resurgence in the mid 70s: polyurethane wheels. All of a sudden there was enough grip to the road surface that you could do things that were heretofore impossible.
Call me stupid, but I didn’t see anything wrong with those descriptions. Skateboards are boards with rollerskate wheels on them. That is not incorrect.
I guess the point is that that falls short of describing what can be done with them? Sure. For example, one might not understand from that description that the wheels can pivot, but it’s still not wrong.
I also think that a surf board is a boyant board that can be used to ride waves, and a balloon is a bag of light gasses that can be used to lift things. The fact that there is a whole bunch of nuance that can be expanded on these descriptions to make them more complete don’t make them stupid.
Maybe there is an invisible “just” being prepended to the descriptions that make them seem stupid, but that’s not fair without more context.
I kind of see the reasoning: Out of context the sentence could be read as “stupid kids, nailin rollerskates on surfboards durp durp”. But with context it’s a nice introduction in the then new(ish) world of skateboards, something I tried to illustrate in my post.
Fuckin’ Skateboards, how do they work?
With SCIENCE!
For me? By making face plants even easier.
Farah Fawcett…Now I’m remembering the poster that was in every male teenager’s bedroom at the time…
Skateboards: That thing that sounds like people sloppily and angrily stacking planks of wood while you’re trying to daydream in the park…
*shakes fist at kids on lawn*
I thought in-line skates and snowboards would be a flash in the pan.
Conclusion: I am a newspaper.
Take two skateboards - strap them to your feet -
ROLLERBOARDS !
#FTFY
Well, if you are going to be that pedantic, a balloon is still a balloon even when it is empty. And it can be filled with liquids.
I was referring to it in the context of a mode of transportation.
And you did it well, I was agreeing with you.
ha, sorry (yesterday I the same kind of discussion, except I was agreeing to another post and the author didn’t get it at first ;))
The quotes are cute. Too bad about the irrelevant photos from a different decade.
I feel old when I say it - but yeah. I like the concept of skateboards, I’m impressed by the skills some people have with them, and I think they’re a neat form of transportation. But damn, that sound outside my apartment window when trying to sleep is a mite annoying.
I’m reminded of this:
