To Josh Pollina's dismay, Shad's in Vancouver, so Tania and I had to do Litterbox. Our responses might seem kind of bitter, that's because we used to be in charge of Litterbox and we got burnt out on you. Shad will burn out eventually. Next month Shorty's employees and team riders are answering the letters, so look out for that. Send your letters to: Litterbox, c/o TransWorld Skate, 353 Airport Road, Oceanside, CA 92054. Our e-mail is still skatemag@twsnet.com.¿Joel
I LOVE SHAD I like the way Litterbox is going now. Shad answers letters seriously and is pretty funny. Before a kid would ask the difference between a frontside flip and a frontside 180 kickflip, and the response would be making fun of the kid for not knowing. Anyway, since you guys take kids seriously now, I have one. What kind of camera does Atiba Jefferson use (body, lens, flash, film, etc.)? What kind of camera does Ryan Gee use? Those guys are amazing and take awesome photos. Also, have you guys heard anything about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2? I've hear a lot of rumors, but I doubt a lot of them.¿Josh Pollina, Honesdale, Pennsylvania
Joshie, today is not your lucky day. You see, your boyfriend Shad is out of town, so Litterbox unfortunately fell into our "not so serious, not so funny" hands. And even though Atiba and Gee happen to be my good friends, I must say I have no desire to answer your question. Maybe if you write back later, Shad will be in town.¿Tania
JUSTICE I messed up bad in February of 1999. A couple of bros and me needed rent, so we decided on committing an armed robbery. Things went sour, and now we're in prison. I've learned a lot since my incarceration, and I hope to be out soon. Skating always provided a freedom I never felt anywhere else¿the freedom is incredible. I've developed a theory about prison. They make prison hell for skaters. Everything is concrete and everything is skateable. If only skateboards were allowed in prison, it'd be the perfect environment. I'm hoping to be released this month. Hopefully, I'll be raising (less) hell and skating with my bros soon. I hope you enjoy my poem.
My simple thoughtsexpressed heredo no justice for what I feel every daythe tears I fightwhen I read her lettersor when I callto hear her voiceand every seven minutes a recording interrupts that says:"this call originated from a Wisconsin Prison."Or the loneliness and isolation I feelas I lie awake at night in my bunkand the anger that boils my bloodeach morning when breakfast is calledand my dreams are sacrificed as I face my reality
Please let me goI promise I'll never come backplease let me goI miss her.
¿Phil Scharine
JUSTIN'S TWO CENTS I'm just writing to your dope magazine to apologize on behalf of all the homos who call themselves skateboarders and write in every week asking questions like "How can I learn backside tailslides on handrails?" or "Where do babies come from?" I'm embarrassed to think that this is what skateboarding is coming to ... a bunch of sixth graders who think they should get sponsored because their mommies take them to the Vans park and watch them go up and down on the mini ramp. I don't have much else to say, except I hope my favorite thing to do in life (skateboarding) can get its act together and start being something real before it gets taken over by corporate companies that just take money from it and don't give anything back. I also wanna say what's up to my dogs: Scott, A.J., Doug K., and Taylor.¿Justin L., Lake Forest, California
Hi Justin. I understand your dismay about corporate involvement in skateboarding, but you're just a tad late in hoping skateboarding won't fall victim to corporate buyouts. It's already gone down, and many of the companies you support are owned by guys in suits who wouldn't bat an eyelash at liquefying them if it would make a tidy profit. TransWorld is owned by a corporation so big it could be its own country, so I can't dive too much dper into my commiseration with you.Fortunately, none of the corporate types read our magazine¿to them it's only a tool to make more money to buy more companies to make more money. They don't understand that people have invested the best years of their lives into these companies they buy and sell like so much chattel. Outside of making us use a travel agency that's based in a lunatic asylum, and the occasional herd of suit-clad middle-agers who drop by to check the teeth of their prize-winning ponies, the corporation that owns us hasn't fooled with our program too much. They're letting us do what we do, so long as we're profitable.I don't really care much about the part of your letter where you call other skaters homos because they're learning how to skate, but I like the unique names you gave your dogs. What kind of dogs are they?¿Joel
DONATIONS My name is Tomas Ruiz. I'm in the eighth grade and I attend Winton Intermediate School. I'm writing this letter because every year the eighth grade students go on a trip to Washington D.C. and New York, and we have to earn our own money. At this time, I would like to ask for a donation to help me out to be able to go on the trip. The trip costs $1,300, and hopefully you can help me.¿Tomas RuizMy name is Tania. I'm 24 and I was driving down the street. I'm writing this letter because someone crashed into my car, and I have to earn money to pay for the damage. At this time, I would like to ask for a donation to help me pay for my car. The damage cost is $1,300, and hopefully you can help.¿Tania
TO THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE TRUCKS I just came up with this cool idea: You know when you go off a really big drop-off, and when you land it feels like you crushed your heel? Well, if you put shocks or springs in your trucks, it wouldn't feel as bad when you land.¿Cory Anderson, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Great idea, Cory! You got me thinking, and I came up with a great idea, too: We could put a giant spring on the front of every car on the road, so when they are involved in an accident, they'll just bounce off each other.¿Joel
I HATE POSEURS I have no problem with people learning to skate, but when they skate for two weeks and think they're better than you, I get pissed. My friends and I blame it on World Industries and Tech Decks. They do a 360 shuv-it on a World Industries Tech Deck and they think they can kickflip. All the losers at my school go out and spend shit loads of cash on crappy decks, backpacks, and Flameboy T-shirts. Then they walk around school looking all big and bad-acting, like my friend John (the best skater at school). Really it bugs the hell out of me.¿Todd Saunders, Springfield, Oregon
You get pissed because people can skate better than you after two weeks? Just admit it, you suck. You sit around all day in your Flameboy T-shirt, dwelling on what people wear and how they really "bug the hell out" of you. Boy, you have no idea what hell is. And then to blame it on World Industries? I'd rather blame it on people like you.¿Tania
P.B. DRAMA Hanging out at Hanger 18 (represent) down here in So-So Cal, my friend Ryan and I have tons of fun telling all the young'ns rumors of pros dying or losing limbs and watching their reactions. My favorite was Muska getting hit by a bus while skating in L.A. That one struck close to home in most kids' hearts and lasted for weeks ... ¿James Touhey, San Diego, California
I omitted the part of James' letter where he tells a story in which he insinuates that Muska tried to burn down the home of someone who asked him to leave a party in a San Diego suburb called P.B. I'd guess James made up that story, too. James sounds kinda pissed at Muska, like maybe because Chad made it and James didn't? Just a guess, I could be wrong.James, give Muska a break, man. Isn't it enough that the Internet contains hundreds of phony messages about his death? And for someone who really doesn't like the guy, you're certainly working diligently to perpetuate his myth.¿Joel
the guy, you're certainly working diligently to perpetuate his myth.¿Joel
