Burton Snowboards Push Boundaries With Playboy Designs

Burton Snowboards -- and Burton in general -- are by far and away one of America's most popular choices for winter snow-related activities. They've found a home in Vermont for over 15 years and are considered a leader in their field.

But Burton's recent decision to push the envelope with a few different board styles has raised some eyebrows, particularly with their new Playboy model, "Line of Love".

"When you really think about it, it's a young man standing on top of a naked woman's body," said Zarrillo, 38, an office manager for a nonprofit based in Burlington, also home to Burton's headquarters. "I probably could have gotten past it, because I try to have an open mind, but seeing it like that, it's offensive."

The outcry hasn't made a dent in sales of the new lines, Burton cofounder Jake Carpenter told the Burlington newspaper Seven Days in November. The Playboy line, called Love, and a second line called Primo, which depicts mutilated hands, have "completely oversold by virtue of this exposure," he said.

Now, you might say this is a stretch to call this "travel related". I would say that you're stretching it to prove that I'm "enjoying myself without actually being on a ski slope this Monday morning."

And I would win ... unlike Burton, who may be facing just too much heat from parents, purchasers and the general public to continue on with the "Line of Love". Plus, won't someone just think of the children???

The iPod: Saving Lives Since 2008

iPods -- and all MP3 players -- are fantastic for a number of reasons. The primary being that they contain hours of music and can save travelers from a near death-like experience of having to actually converse with the person in next airplane seat.

Additionally, they're fantastic for skiers and snowboarders who like to jam out while cruising down the slopes. And a lost skier and snowboarder in Switzerland found a different use for their MP3 player this weekend: saving lives.

The two — a skier and snowboarder, both from France — had got lost late in the day Friday outside marked runs near the resort of Savognin in southeast Switzerland, said Gery Baumann, spokesman for mountain rescue service Rega.

“The two winter sports enthusiasts were found by the crew of the Rega helicopter shortly after midnight — thanks to the faint light of their MP3 player,” he said.

Yup, thanks to their MP3 player, the pair only suffered "mild hypothermia", which, while quite lame in and of itself, is vastly superior to the alternate: "death". The lesson as always? Go out, buy yourself an iPod (or whatever) and carry it with you at all times. Also: bring a battery pack.