Blower Pow in Chile

We received the good word from Chile, and that word is BLOWER.  Blower Pow that is, as in powder skiing.  Aspen Ski Pro Greg Harms is summering down in Chile....and as always he's sending it.  Harms is the lead guide with Elevated Heli., a helicopter skiing operation in Chile and AK.   According to Harms, "you should be jealous" because a monster powder storm hit the Andes near Portillo and Valle Nevado followed by 5 days of crystal blue-bird skies.  Harms shared some photos with AspenSpin and reminded us that its not too late secure a coveted shred spot in the chopper for August. Summer powder skiing in Chile sounds pretty taaaastey. 

We started doing squats and lunges today. 

Click ELEVATED HELI to contact Harms and get in on the heli action.

Aspen local Matt Ross Charging it in the blower pow in Chile.

Lead Guide Greg Harms setting the pace in Chile. Click 2 contact him.

View from the chopper. Chile and the Andes looks sweet from the pilot's seat. Click here to get in on the action

Face Shots. Per Matt Ross "top 5 ski day of all time". Photo: Clark Clarkowitz

Comic-Con is Bizarro World

Click 4 Comic-Con pix. Bizarro SupermanDid you read comic books as a kid?  Are you familiar with  BIZARRO WORLD?  It's the fictional planet created by DC Comics in the 60's that is depicted as the polar opposite of Earth. Remember Bizarro Superman? Bizarro Lois Lane? etc. "Us hate beauty" is part of the Bizarro Code.

Comic-Con International in San Diego is Bizarro World for AspenSpin.  After nearly 5 years of documenting the "beautiful people" in Aspen, Colorado, AspenSpin stepped out of the comfort zone to cover COMIC-CON 2010.  Established in 1970, Comic-Con is a 4-day convention dedicated to Comics, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Collectibles, Video Games etc.,etc.  Comic-Con has morphed into San Diego's largest convention, America's Finest City welcomes about 130,000 attendees to the fest each summer.  The economic impact of Comic Con to SD is almost $200 million.  Its a multi-generational event as crowds ranged in age from tykes to seniors.  There were comic freaks, anime devotees, hard-core-gamers, collectible enthusiasts, role players, fetishists, cos-players and more.  Please note there were very few jocks and cheerleaders in attendance.The cast of Tron: Legacy CLICK 4 MORE Comic-Con Pix.

Elvira is back on TV.Comic-Con is the polar opposite of Aspen.  Attendees are not just fans...they're fanatics, who take their fandom to new levels.  About 50% of the "fan-boys and fan girls" dress in elaborate costumes which is known as "Cos-play" - a new term for us.  The commitment to cos-play is indescribable---hours of planning and creating the unbelievable get -ups.  Click COMIC-CON to see our photos. The attendees are extremely proud to be nerds.  They often wait in line overnight just to get a seat in the huge exhibition hall to view a litany of panel discussions about Tron, Big Bang Theory, World of Warcraft and countless others.   Generally the comic people are friendly and well behaved, the only violence reported during the con-- one fan-boy was stabbed in the eye with a pen in a dispute over a seat.  Several pass-holders had to check their real weapons (bow and arrows, spears, swords and others) at the door.

In the past 5 years or so, Hollywood has taken over Comic-Con.  The suits bring a few movie and TV stars down to SD to promote their "big studio" agendas.  Sly Stallone, Angelina Jolie, Wil Ferrell and (our favorite) Jeff Bridges were among the biggest names at Comic-Con 2010.  Comic-Con can make or break a project.  It's a way for studio execs to gauge the buzzzz for a particular story, game or character.  Its also a way to promote stuff like a mutha --as swag abounds.  The actors claim the main reason they attend Comic-Con is to relate to their audience and to get "in touch" with their fans, ....but in reality, security surrounding "the talent" is very, very tight.  The PR Spin during the panel discussions is palpable.  Every single movie has a fantastic script with a visceral story line, ground-breaking special effects and a stellar cast.  After a while, it all sounds like the same bull sh*t.  Nobody is going to confuse The Green hornet with Hemingway.  We'll say it again, in print; CONTENT is KING.

Hellboy, click 4 pixThe fanatics don't really get a chance to get close to the big stars, but they get to see them on the giant screens posted throughout the exhibition halls.  Some of the not-so-big stars do autograph sessions, but A-Spin chose not to wait on-line for 5 hours to interact for 3 seconds with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Seth Green, Elvira or LL Cool J.   We flashed our press credentials--but that meant nothing-- "get to the end of the line, son". Over 10,000 media credentials were approved for the Comic-Con.  We did get to attend a few big-time Hollywood press conferences, intimate affairs, with more than 500 photographers in a room meant for 50 people.

Comic-Con International in San Diego is always big fun.  The costumes are amazing, the dweeby devotion is incredible, the density of people is akin to China .... and the swag..... it's just sick.   Whether you're into comic books or not, Comic Con is a spectacle that should not be missed.  Next year may possibly be the last Comic-Con in San Diego.  Larger facilities in Anaheim and L.A. are vying to host future conferences.  Our vote---Stay in DAGO!!!

Click our pix.  Hit COMIC-CON.

Fat Batman embracing his inner nerd @ Comic-Con 2010

  Spidey and The Flash strike a pose.

Stan Lee; the KING OF COMICS. Click 4 pix.Spartacus; the seriesSilver Surfer at Comic-Con. Click 4 pix.After Party with Wonder Woman and Super Girl

Del Mar Opening Day

Click 4 pixHorses and Hats.  A record crowd  of 45,309 opened the 2010 Thoroughbred season at historic Del Mar Raceway.  Where the surf meets the turf.   Its a long way from the Kentucky  Derby but the Del Mar crowd likes to get after it on opening day.  Hats and booze were much more popular than the magnificent race horses.  Even the betting seemed like an afterthought as the high rollers from Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar and La Jolla mixed with the "boats and hos" crowd from East County and South County.

Grey skies and a traffic nightmare could not keep the Californicators from getting their drink on. 

AspenSpin had to "hoof it" for over a mile to avoid hours in a traffic jam. 25,000 cars feeding into one lane = no bueno.

Click our pix--hit DEL MAR

 

Over-the-Line, San Diego

As Ron Burgundy always says "STAY CLASSY, San Diego". Self proclaimed as "America's finest city", San Diego is like L.A.'s nicer and better looking younger sister. Known for sparkling weather, magnificent beaches and scrumptious fish tacos San Diego is home to another world famous tradition, OVER-the-LINE (OTL). The 57th Annual OTL World Championships, presented by the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (OMBAC) were played recently on Fiesta Island.  1346 teams competed in a variety of divisions and more than 50,000 spectators joined in the revelry.

Jucied. Click to enlarge.OTL is a modified form of softball played in the sand with 3 players per side with no base running.  The batting team provides its own pitcher. The object of OTL is to hit a pitched ball "over the line" without it being caught, the line is about 20 yards in front of the batters box.  Using just the right stroke, (a cross between a regular softball cut and a golf swing) hitters score a run for every 3 safe hits. The defensive team attempts to catch batted balls for outs.  Home runs can occur by clearing the deepest defender in the air.

OMBAC and OTL typlify the laid back So. Cal. lifestyle.  OMBAC's motto, "we never have any fun".  The OTL World Championship has morphed into one of the biggest beach party scenes in the world.  OTL is notoriously politically incorrect and the risque' team names and costumes are infamous.  Decorum prevents us from printing most of the team names and costume photos but here are a few of the less offensive examples; The Well Hungarians, Fireman in Heat, Phallus in Wonderland, Win or Lose...we booze.  You get the picture? Fun in the sun in San Diego. Stay Classy. Over-the-Line World Championships. Fiesta Island, San Diego California

 

OMBAC: One more Bacardi and Coke, or Old Men Behaving as Children.

These ladies are very proud of their OTL team name: He asked to put it in my butt... so i let him.

Softball bodies. OMBAC OTL World Championships

Sexploitation, Art and Crime in Aspen

Associated Press
07/15/10 1:30 PM PDT

The verdict is in. Click here.

ASPEN, COLO. — A trial is under way for a former Aspen police officer charged with placing a video camera in a shower used by his teenage stepdaughter.

Joe Holman is charged with attempted sexual exploitation of a child and attempted criminal invasion of privacy. He resigned in June 2009 after the allegation surfaced.

In opening statements Wednesday, defense attorney H. Lawson Wills said the camera didn't work and that Holman had put it in the shower on an impulse because he was angry at the girl and knew she would find it and become upset.

Prosecutor Jonathan Pototsky argued that Holman wanted to videotape the girl in the nude.

Holman is also charged with tampering with evidence. His lawyer has acknowledged Holman destroyed the camera after the girl found it.

Read More; click  Aspen Cop Sex Trial  and Aspen Cop part 2 

                                                                                                                                                                   

In an unrelated story, an alleged Art Forgery at Royal Street Gallery

Royal Street Art Investigation

No Charges Filed in Gallery Case

ASPEN, CO - 07/14/2010 - The Aspen Police Department has conducted a thorough investigation into complaints of possible fraud and forgery involving art sales at Royal Street Gallery, and has concluded that allegations against the owners of the gallery are unfounded. The original case was opened in October 2009.

The case is still currently open and active, while investigators intend to continue pursuing information related to the original complaint. The gallery and its owners are not suspect in the continuing aspect of the investigation.

Because of intense media scrutiny in this case, the Aspen Police Department is putting out this limited statement about the status of the case.

If anyone has more information regarding this case, please contact the Aspen Police at (970) 920-5400. For questions, contact Community Relations Specialist Stephanie Dasaro.

Read more; click  Crimes of Art