For the first time in decades, the U.S. skating team has no clear-cut Olympic medal contender.
While that is painfully true in the ladies skating, there are other disciplines in figure skating, too. The US currently boasts the reigning world champion in men's figure skating (Evan Lysacek) and the reigning silver medalists in ice dancing (Belbin and Agosto). They've been performing well this season, too: all three just won Skate America in their respective fields. We'll see Ol' Glory hoisted over that icy podium yet. #horses
There's Kim Yu Na of South Korea, the woman who's a good bet to win the Olympic gold. She's skating to a medley of James Bond music for her short program. #horses
I wonder if all the male horses stand on the perimeter and complain to each other about how the female horses walk away with a sneer when they go up behind them and start grinding awkwardly. And then stare down the girl horses while trying to figure out why they can't get a date. #horses
@J.D.Regent: I don't have qualms with it because they are talking about serial abusers and men with allegations from several different women. It isn't as if a guy gets accused once and than put on the list. #horses
Rachael Flatt should definitely make the women's figure skating team. She was the only woman to skate a flawless program at Skate America, and even beat out Kim Yu-Na, who is the tops in the world. Honestly, the Olympic gold is Yu-Na's to lose, so whoever the U.S. sends they'll have to pull out something miraculous to get the gold. #horses
@rhymenoceros: She had a higher score in the long program than Kim Yu Na, but Yu Na still won by over 13 points (thanks to a huge lead in the short program), just to be clear.
And Yu Na is not the only major contender for gold, even if she's a pretty good bet. There's also Miki Ando (Japan), Joannie Rochette (Canada) and Mao Asada (Japan), all of whom regularly top the scoreboard with huge scores beyond what Rachael usually gets. They'd all need to have a meltdown for Rachael to have a chance. Rachael's main weakness is her terrible component scores. She lacks the flair, flow and flexibility of most top skaters. That's just not something that can be fixed in a hurry. #horses
@Kilotwat: I realize that Kim Yu-Na won the event, which is why I specified the long program versus overall.
And despite how excellent the ladies that you named are, Kim Yu-Na still holds the record in short, free, and combined scores. She's also won her Grand Prix competitions by double digits.
I also realize that Rachael has some big flaws...which is why I said she would have to pull off something miraculous to win the gold. Or medal, probably. #horses
I'm glad he's being released and I understand the overwhelming urge to hurl things at George Bush but the key is to not act on them - especially if the man is President at the time. Kthxbai.
@dummyfakeroller: Well if we understand the office of the presidency or various heads of state to be representative of whatever constituency voted them in, i suppose the logic of the above statement is no matter what our disagreeements, the decisions of fellow human beings should be respected by treating heads of state with a measure of decorum.
Except, when you live in a warzone, the very fabric of your society has been blown apart, lives and the very essence of social cohesion has been destroyed and there literally is a single individual responsible, this thesis holds less weight. Sure the Presidency might have a symbolic weight behind the office, but thats why the attack was appropriately symbolic: throwing a shoe. As opposed to a rock. or a bullet.
Really it just comes down to, attacking a President means attacking every citizen and individual who he represents. At the very least it's the constituents who voted him in and at the very most it's all Americans. I'm going to err on the side of his argument when he threw the shoe and condemned all of us for being responsible for the destruction of Iraqi society.
I walked into the Oval Office on our first day and could not find George. I heard muttering under the desk and arrived to find him crouching beneath it, muttering "Tend the rabbits, tend the rabbits... I'm gonna... live off the fat of the land."
Perfect. I had him sufficiently confused and terrified.
I like the deer. The doe, to be precise. I like to touch their soft ears -- soft, like a kitten's. I like to sink my fingertips into the white fur spot covering their bodies. And those cottontails! Bobbing through the woods, bobbing through my heart.
So when he saw me...saw me with the doe -- just my doe and me, celebrating our love, I did what I had to do.
"I saw the letter first. Normally, I wouldn't have checked on my boss' mail, but the mailbox was slightly ajar, and I couldn't help noticing the off-purple envelope addressed to W. It was a peculiar letter, taller than it was long, with no return address. I wondered if it was a love letter. Whatever it was, whoever had sent it had lousy taste in color. The off-purple envelope reminded me of spoiled meat."
11/16/09
For the first time in decades, the U.S. skating team has no clear-cut Olympic medal contender.
While that is painfully true in the ladies skating, there are other disciplines in figure skating, too. The US currently boasts the reigning world champion in men's figure skating (Evan Lysacek) and the reigning silver medalists in ice dancing (Belbin and Agosto). They've been performing well this season, too: all three just won Skate America in their respective fields. We'll see Ol' Glory hoisted over that icy podium yet. #horses
11/16/09
There's Kim Yu Na of South Korea, the woman who's a good bet to win the Olympic gold. She's skating to a medley of James Bond music for her short program. #horses
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
And Yu Na is not the only major contender for gold, even if she's a pretty good bet. There's also Miki Ando (Japan), Joannie Rochette (Canada) and Mao Asada (Japan), all of whom regularly top the scoreboard with huge scores beyond what Rachael usually gets. They'd all need to have a meltdown for Rachael to have a chance. Rachael's main weakness is her terrible component scores. She lacks the flair, flow and flexibility of most top skaters. That's just not something that can be fixed in a hurry. #horses
11/16/09
And despite how excellent the ladies that you named are, Kim Yu-Na still holds the record in short, free, and combined scores. She's also won her Grand Prix competitions by double digits.
I also realize that Rachael has some big flaws...which is why I said she would have to pull off something miraculous to win the gold. Or medal, probably. #horses
11/16/09
09/04/09
09/04/09
Except, when you live in a warzone, the very fabric of your society has been blown apart, lives and the very essence of social cohesion has been destroyed and there literally is a single individual responsible, this thesis holds less weight. Sure the Presidency might have a symbolic weight behind the office, but thats why the attack was appropriately symbolic: throwing a shoe. As opposed to a rock. or a bullet.
Really it just comes down to, attacking a President means attacking every citizen and individual who he represents. At the very least it's the constituents who voted him in and at the very most it's all Americans. I'm going to err on the side of his argument when he threw the shoe and condemned all of us for being responsible for the destruction of Iraqi society.
09/04/09
06/26/09
InnocentsInnocence06/26/09
InnocentsInnocencePerfect. I had him sufficiently confused and terrified.
06/26/09
InnocentsInnocenceI like the deer. The doe, to be precise. I like to touch their soft ears -- soft, like a kitten's. I like to sink my fingertips into the white fur spot covering their bodies. And those cottontails! Bobbing through the woods, bobbing through my heart.
So when he saw me...saw me with the doe -- just my doe and me, celebrating our love, I did what I had to do.
I fired.
06/26/09
InnocentsInnocence"I saw the letter first. Normally, I wouldn't have checked on my boss' mail, but the mailbox was slightly ajar, and I couldn't help noticing the off-purple envelope addressed to W. It was a peculiar letter, taller than it was long, with no return address. I wondered if it was a love letter. Whatever it was, whoever had sent it had lousy taste in color. The off-purple envelope reminded me of spoiled meat."
06/26/09
InnocentsInnocenceThe End.