HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jaya@eng.umd.edu (Jayanti S. Kanal)
Subject: Re: Professional Worlds
Organization: Project GLUE, University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 15:29:21 GMT


On the Prof Worlds/Landover thread: I agree with you, Mary, that Boitano
is by far the most consistent under pressure. And while Orser wasn't consistent
in the past, I don't think he sacrificed the jumps for interpretation's sake -
He wasn't on when it counted, but he was a threat with a triple axel back when
Hamilton was champ (another wonderful skater & performer, I think).

>The award Brian received was for many contributions to professional
>figure skating, one of which was the artistry he contributed through
>his 3 tours with what's her name. Did you see those shows?
No I did not seee them - but I believe much of the choreography was done
by Sandra Bezic, who did Boitano's Olympic programs. She is a  wonderful
choreographer, and it sounds like I missed a great show. 
>And he took a huge risk with
>those tours, because it was his name that was first. 
I think we are speaking of different types of risk, here. I do agree that
professionally and perhaps financially the show was a risk. I was referring
to risk on an individual level, i.e. trying different, sometimes uncharacter-
istic music and then "going for it" with the interpretation of that music. I 
feel that skaters such as Orser and Beillman (sp?) have, over the years, showed
greater variety in expression. I find Boitano a wonderful technical skater,
but I do find him a bit wooden when it comes to artistic expression. Earnest,
yes, but varied, no. When I think of men who affected the sport artistically,
John Curry, Toller Cranston and Robin Cousins pop into my head. When I look
at Boitano, I see a man who changed the face of technical expectations and
requirements. Not that that is any small feat, mind you.

>Don't think of this as a flame, it's just my subjective opinion that
>a majority of the skating world happens to share. 
Well, I haven't always been known to go with the majority, but I do know of
several skaters who feel similarly to me in the above sentiments. One summed
it up this way: Orser and Wylie skate from the heart, with heart and soul that
can reach the bird's eye seats. A dance teacher I have recently commented to
me that while he loves watching skating, he finds that most skaters don't have
that 'from the heart' feel to their performances. Well, it is sport, too, and
it's hard enough concentrating on triples much less delivering them with 
pizzaz to spare - I do know there are some performances I will never tire of
- I keep them on video enjoy them each time as if they were new. This is 
the quality I was harping on in my earlier post. I recognize your statements
and skating will always be subject to subjectivity. I also think that Orser,
among others, has been lost in the shuffle over the years where credit is
concerned. Bye now,
Jaya (jaya@src.umd.edu)  
Newsgroups: rec.skate
From: vs55212@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Venus Sinn )
Subject: Re: Ice Figure Skating - A Competitive Sport For Gay Men
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 23:04:12 GMT

icedance@carson.u.washington.edu (Ann Schmidt) writes:



>Another thought on the subject.

>Everyone talks about the number of skaters who have or have died from  AIDS
>Maybe if we could come up with figures on the percentage of AIDS victims in 
>the overall skating population, it would give people a better perspective of
>the situation.  I seem to recall hearing that the USFSA currently has
>100,000 members (which does not include professionals or ISIA members).
>  If 30% of them are male that gives you 30,000 people.  40 deaths (I don't
>recall the exact number) from this many people from any cause is a very small
>percentage.

> Any other thoughts on the current or more accurate statistics?



>>georgec@eng.umd.edu (George B. Clark) writes:
>>
>>
>>>A friend of mine told me this weekend that men participating in
>>>competitive ice figure skating are known to chase peter, and this
>>>has caused the sport to be plagued with AIDS, among other things.
>>
>>>Is there any truth to this? I recall there was at least one famous male
>>>ice skater who died of AIDS in recent years, but I don't recall the
>>>detail.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Venus
^^^^^^^

Please don't quote my name when I didn't write the above! 


Venus

Newsgroups: rec.skate
From: mdm@bnr.ca (Diane MacMartin)
Subject: Re: 1992 World Pro Championships from Landover, MD
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 13:08:28 GMT

In article <13DEC199222280444@pavo.concordia.ca> ts_rost@pavo.concordia.ca (*TsR) writes:
>In article <Bz87D9.4xs@world.std.com>, htr@world.std.com (Helena T Robinson) writes...
>> 
>>Well, there were some good reasons for some of the missing:
>>- Barbara Underhill is pregnant
>
>Again? She just had twins this October. She did a bit of commentary work for

Probably Helena meant "she's on maternity leave".

But didn't Underhill and Martini announce their retirement last spring?
Their performance at one of the televised pro competitions, I believe,
was supposed to be their last.  It was very emotional for them.

Have they changed their minds about returning?

P.S.  Thanks, Mary, for those excellent reviews of the competition.  I
      know that it's very difficult to remember all those impressions
      for later- you must have taken notes?

-- 
Diane MacMartin       Bell-Northern Research, Ltd     Ottawa, Canada
mdm@bnr.ca            Any opinions are my own and do not represent BNR.
=========>> If this is printed on paper, please recycle it <<==========

Newsgroups: rec.skate
From: sfysh@epas.utoronto.ca (Stephanie Moskal Fysh)
Subject: Tidbits from Kurt Browning interview
Organization: University of Toronto - EPAS
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 13:56:57 GMT

There's a small interview with Kurt Browning in this morning's Toronto
Globe & Mail.  Here are some highlights:

- Browning was not in pain at the Olympics.  He just wasn't all there.

- He thinks that Alexei Urmanov might be able to do a quintuple, but
he's not in a hurry to see them in competition, and certainly doesn't
plan to do one himself.

- He thinks there should be two sets of judges, one for technical and
one for artistic, "sort of like they do in professional skating."

- And he thinks that he and Paul Wylie should be running skating -
Paul to be diplomatic, and Kurt to make sure everyone has a good time!

-- 
Stephanie Moskal Fysh    |   "Today an eighteenth-century scholar may well
Dept. of English         |   be Jewish, female, or generally irreverent."
Univ. of Toronto         |                             - Lawrence Lipking
(sfysh@epas.utoronto.ca) |                            
Newsgroups: rec.skate
From: icedance@carson.u.washington.edu (Ann Schmidt)
Subject: Re: Ice Figure Skating - A Competitive Sport For Gay Men
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 16:11:57 GMT


Sorry, Venus, I deleted some of the message but neglected to delet your name

>
>
>>Another thought on the subject.
>
>>Everyone talks about the number of skaters who have or have died from  AIDS
>>Maybe if we could come up with figures on the percentage of AIDS victims in 
>>the overall skating population, it would give people a better perspective of
>>the situation.  I seem to recall hearing that the USFSA currently has
>>100,000 members (which does not include professionals or ISIA members).
>>  If 30% of them are male that gives you 30,000 people.  40 deaths (I don't
>>recall the exact number) from this many people from any cause is a very small
>>percentage.
>
>> Any other thoughts on the current or more accurate statistics?
>
>
>
>>>georgec@eng.umd.edu (George B. Clark) writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>>A friend of mine told me this weekend that men participating in
>>>>competitive ice figure skating are known to chase peter, and this
>>>>has caused the sport to be plagued with AIDS, among other things.
>>>
>>>>Is there any truth to this? I recall there was at least one famous male
>>>>ice skater who died of AIDS in recent years, but I don't recall the
>>>>detail.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Venus
>^^^^^^^
>
>Please don't quote my name when I didn't write the above! 
>
>
>Venus
>
From: toad@cellar.org (Tony Shepps)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Re: Rollerblade miles = ? Running miles
Date: 18 Dec 92 19:01:19 GMT
Organization: The Cellar BBS and public access system

kim@guppy.uucp (Isaac Kim) writes:

> Is there a more precise conversion, given these conditions, 
> between blading miles and running miles?

There isn't, I'm sure, and I'll tell you why.  There's a HUGE difference
between making that trip in new, high-quality bearings with large-diameter
wheels and making it in ancient, loud, ugly, low-quality bearings with
el-cheapo wheels that have been ground down to the hubs.  The sad part is
that you get more exercise with the lousy bearings... but it's not half as
much fun!

--
Tony Shepps toad@cellar.org
Preferred address: toad%cellar@tredysvr.tredydev.unisys.com
Public access and thoughtful conversation:  The Cellar BBS  +1 215 539 3043 
Newsgroups: rec.skate
From: vs55212@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Venus Sinn )
Subject: Yamaguchi's news.....continue--
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 04:30:24 GMT

Oops!  I have just forgotten to give credit to the person who wrote the
article!!


The article in Chicago Tribune December 13 1992:

Title:  Yamaguchi converting crown to cash

by Phil Hersh.









Posted by Venus Sinn from UIUC


Comments are welcomed!




Venus


Newsgroups: rec.skate
From: fc03@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (Frederick W. Chapman)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Re: Pro/Am, Mark Mitchell & Paul Wylie
Date: 12 Dec 92 00:26:35 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

In article <1992Dec10.180506.6459@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com>,
kevin@dipl.rdd.lmsc.lockheed.com (Kevin Anderson) writes:
>loosemore-sandra@cs.yale.edu (Sandra Loosemore) writes:
>
>> BTW, one problem I had with both Eldredge's and Wylie's routines was
>> that I generally feel kind of uncomfortable with attempts to play on
>> people's emotions by invoking themes of religion or patriotism or
>> whatever.
>
>I agree.  Except for the silly salute at the end of his program, Wylie
>had an otherwise great performance.  

I didn't think it was silly.  I thought it was clever and well-done,
giving an appropriate sense of closure to an outstanding program...
unlike Scott Hamilton's artistic program, which had no discernible
ending... it just sort of stopped.  (I think Scott was simply
overwhelmed with a great, and well-deserved sense of satisfaction at
what he had just accomplished... note the little "Oh yeah!" hand
gesture and head nod at the end.)

>Correct me if I'm wrong (I probably am and somebody probably will), but 
>this patriotic stuff seems to have gotten popularized last year at
>the professional championships when Scott Hamilton dedicated his program
>to some group of skaters that were killed in an accident in the 1960s
>and then he skated to some patriotic song.  He looked kind of like a 
>soldier on ice.  He got a bunch of 6.0s and came from behind to beat
>Petrenko.  Maybe that's why we're seing more of this kind of stuff this
>year.
>
>Kevin Anderson

Now THAT is one instance of emotional manipulation that I thought was
blatant.  At the beginning of Scott's program (Battle Hymn of the
Republic, I think), the network showed a picture of the plane wreckage
from the crash that killed the entire U.S. Olympic team and coaching
staff in 1961.  That turned me off right then and there.  I thought to
myself, "these people are trying to yank my emotional chain".  The
picture, the dedication, the choice of music and theme were, taken
together, excessive, in my opinion.  There were people who liked it
very much, though (e.g., judges :).  

That competition was a disgrace -- the same one where Katarina Witt
won for doing a program consisting almost entirely of slinking around
the ice and posing, with virtually no skating.  An all time low in
professional competitions, which I usually enjoy.  I think the whole
thing was overflowing with conflicts of interest.  If it ever happens
again, I'm going to take up hockey...  :-)

Fred Chapman
-- 
 
o ------------------------------------------------------------------------- o
|  Frederick W. Chapman, User Services, Computing Center, Lehigh University |
|    Campus Phone:  8-3218     Preferred E-mail Address:  fc03@Lehigh.Edu   | 
o ------------------------------------------------------------------------- o
| The day after the day after tomorrow is the last day before the rest of   |
| our country's future a week from the day before the day before yesterday! |
From: aboulang@bbn.com (Albert Boulanger)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Re: How to sharpen skates ??
Date: 12 Dec 92 12:36:26
Organization: BBN, Cambridge MA
	<jkaplenk.724092938@lucpul.it.luc.edu>
Reply-To: aboulanger@bbn.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: tiryns.bbn.com
In-reply-to: jkaplenk@lucpul.it.luc.edu's message of Fri, 11 Dec 1992 16:55:38 GMT

In article <jkaplenk.724092938@lucpul.it.luc.edu>
jkaplenk@lucpul.it.luc.edu (Joe Kaplenk) writes:

 {lots 'o stuff about skate sharpening}


Material for an Ice FAQ eh?

Regards,
Albert Boulanger
aboulanger@bbn.com
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
From: jaya@eng.umd.edu (Jayanti S. Kanal)
Subject: Re: Yamaguchi's and Boitano's boots and blades
Organization: Project GLUE, University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 03:06:47 GMT

>
>The Gold Blades are called Vantage.  They are some of the most expensive
>blades out there, and the besides the tapered edges, they also have a 
>giant toe pick--some jumpers like them and some don't.
It is to my understanding that Vantage blades do not have tapered edges,
and this is one reason that they are significantly less expensive than, say
the Gold Seal (mentioned in an earlier post of mine) or other comparable 
blade. It is also to my understanding that Vantage blades are 
easier (more efficient?) than some of the older blades, and this affects
their price. Tonya Harding did have gold Vantage blades, but they blades
are more often silver. Another blade, either Gold Star or Gold Test (I think
Gold Test is a figure blade) were available in a gold version,
and this may be the blade the original poster was referring to.
You can special order some blades in gold rather than silver.
-Jaya (jaya@src.umd.edu)
From: kim@guppy.uucp (Isaac Kim)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Re: Rollerblade miles = ? Running miles
Date: 18 Dec 1992 22:05:13 GMT
Organization: UC San Diego
NNTP-Posting-Host: guppy.ucsd.edu

In article <w1RZVB8w164w@cellar.org> toad@cellar.org (Tony Shepps) writes:
>kim@guppy.uucp (Isaac Kim) writes:
>
>> Is there a more precise conversion, given these conditions, 
>> between blading miles and running miles?
>
>There isn't, I'm sure, and I'll tell you why.  There's a HUGE difference
>between making that trip in new, high-quality bearings with large-diameter
>wheels and making it in ancient, loud, ugly, low-quality bearings with
>el-cheapo wheels that have been ground down to the hubs.  The sad part is
>that you get more exercise with the lousy bearings... but it's not half as
>much fun!
>

As I mentioned before, the bearings (ABEC1 Grade A) are pretty new and I 
had stock Lighting wheels (Kryptoninc 608 70mm).

>--
>Tony Shepps toad@cellar.org
>Preferred address: toad%cellar@tredysvr.tredydev.unisys.com
>Public access and thoughtful conversation:  The Cellar BBS  +1 215 539 3043 
Newsgroups: rec.skate
From: acourt@ncc.uky.edu (Allan Courtney)
Subject: Re: Yamaguchi's and Boitano's boots and blades
Reply-To: acourt@ncc.uky.edu
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 04:50:06 GMT

vs55212@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Venus Sinn) writes:

: 
: Hi!  Does anybody know what kind (brand-wise) of boots and blades Kristi
: Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano are using??  And, can anybody tell me if SP

Both use Harlick boots. They both have also appeared in Harlick
advertising.

Don't know what blades they use.

--
                      Allan Courtney  acourt@ncc.uky.edu 
    Due to current financial restraints, the light at the end of the tunnel
                  will be turned off until further notice... 
Newsgroups: rec.skate
From: wmc@photon.com (Bill Cornette)
Subject: Re: Ice Figure Skating - A Competitive Sport For Gay Men
Organization: Photon Research Associates, Inc.
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 02:30:29 GMT

George B. Clark (georgec@eng.umd.edu) wrote:
: A friend of mine told me this weekend that men participating in
: competitive ice figure skating are known to chase peter, and this
: has caused the sport to be plagued with AIDS, among other things.
: 
: Is there any truth to this? I recall there was at least one famous male
: ice skater who died of AIDS in recent years, but I don't recall the
: detail.

	I do not feel that the sexual preference of anyone, figure skater,
ballet dancer, longshoreman, is of consequence.  People are what is 
important -- and we are losing too many of them to all sorts of diseases -- 
AIDs being one that strikes across the board -- male and female, gay and 
hetero.  AIDs is a world-wide plague that does not discriminate by
sexual preference.  Don't generalize.
	However, to respond to your statements, there have been several 
articles in the local (San Diego Union) paper (I assume off the wire -- 
San Diego is the US's sixth largest city, but its paper doesn't cover 
non-local stuff except over the wire).  The latest article quoted the 
Calgary, Canada paper (I don't remember which one) that over 40 ice 
skaters and coaches have died of AIDs (no names have been mentioned).  
An earlier article refered to three Canadian skaters who have died of AIDs.
	I think you may be refering to the Canadian pairs skater Rob McCall 
who recently died of AIDs with a fair amount of publicity (tributes, 
fund-raisers in his name, etc.).  Most of the others aren't as well known 
internationally.  There have been some news items about a British Olympic 
gold medialist, John Curry, who has AIDs.  Also, remember that Nureyev 
(the famous Russian ballet dancer) is dying of AIDs. 
	The San Diego article also quoted the recently formed
International Gay Skating Union (or a similar name) as saying that 
approximately half of the male figure skaters are gay.  They obviously
have an axe to grind to inflate the precentages, but based upon my experiences,
(note weasel words here), the percentage of gay men is significantly higher
in figure skating (as it is in many of the arts, such as dancing, ballet).
than in the overall population.  I am sure that lots of scientific and 
pseudo-scientific articles have been written as to why this occurs.  I am 
simply commenting that I have observed it to be so.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
William M. Cornette         Photon Research Associates, Inc.
(619) 455-9741              9393 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 200
FAX (619) 455-0658          San Diego, California  92121
wmc@photon.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.L.
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Newsgroups: rec.skate

/ hpcupt3:rec.skate / togata@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Thomas V. Ogata) /  1:27 pm  Dec 10, 1992 /
Unless I can find
someone who can do I good job, I was thinking about sharpening my own.
I live in San Jose (Sharkland) if that helps.

Tom Ogata
togata@lmsc.lockheed.com
-

Hi Tom,

   Here are two *great* references for custom sharpenings in the 
San Jose area:

   *John Buckham*  near Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo
    (415)341-0479

   *Merrill Baxter* in Eastridge Ice Arena in the Eastridge Shopping
    Center, San Jose
    (408)238-0440

   That's John's home number, you can call him there any reasonable
hour of the day or evening.  If you decide to go with Merrill (he does
my skates), he normally comes in on Thursday & Saturday mornings to
sharpen skates.  Call in advance to confirm he'll be in.

   Both are excellent and have a huge list of credentials.

Happy skating,
Donna Fountain
From: fc03@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (Frederick W. Chapman)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Re: Ice Figure Skating - A Competitive Sport For Gay Men
Date: 16 Dec 92 01:04:28 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

In article <1992Dec14.185906.18880@eng.umd.edu>, georgec@eng.umd.edu
(George B. Clark) writes:

>A friend of mine told me this weekend that men participating in
>competitive ice figure skating are known to chase peter, and this
>has caused the sport to be plagued with AIDS, among other things.
>
>Is there any truth to this? I recall there was at least one famous male
>ice skater who died of AIDS in recent years, but I don't recall the
>detail.

Judging by the title of your post...  Do you mean to tell me that Katarina
Witt is a gay man?  All this time I simply had no idea!  *looks amazed*  And
to think I've seen her (er, I mean him) in SPANDEX!  *looks amazed again*

I have particapated in competitive figure skating, and *surprise* I am a
heterosexual male.  In light of your epoch-shattering revelation I see that
I must now either (A) give up skating or (B) change my sexual preference.

...........................................................................

The above reply is about all that is merited by your absurd and offensive
questions.  Take this kind of garbage somewhere else, or I will be forced
to post an article entitled, "USENET News -- A Distribution Channel for
Ignorant Bigots".

By the way, homosexuals have as much right as heterosexuals to participate
in the great and challenging sports of figure skating, speed skating,
hockey, and any other human activity.  And why is someone's sexual
preference any business of yours?  I'll gladly defend a homosexual's and/or
figure skater's right to live a peaceful life before I'll defend your right
to ask such inane questions in an international forum.

Fred "Hockey Players Don't Harass Me Any More" Chapman
-- 
 
o ------------------------------------------------------------------------- o
|  Frederick W. Chapman, User Services, Computing Center, Lehigh University |
|    Campus Phone:  8-3218     Preferred E-mail Address:  fc03@Lehigh.Edu   | 
o ------------------------------------------------------------------------- o
| The day after the day after tomorrow is the last day before the rest of   |
| our country's future a week from the day before the day before yesterday! |
From: Storm.Widow@f100.n514.z17.illusion.tpg.org (Storm Widow)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Braking system survey - f
Date: 13 Dec 92 13:14:00 GMT

-> Are their any other inline-skatej braking devices on the market
-> besides sacrificial rubber pads?

Howdy!  I just joined this newsgroup and figured I'd jump right in....

I use conventional skates, and the braking technique might be the same.
Try to use your wheels instead.  ie: drag one foot behind you at 90o
angle.  If you use this method, don't forget to rotate your wheels from
time to time.  :8)

Later!
                                   ______ _  _  _       . _  _
                                   === | (_)|=:|'|  |/\|||_)(_)|/\|
                                                  aka J.S. Morisset
FidoNet 1:167/281, MTLNet 17:514/100, InterNet jsm@illusion.tpg.org
Xref: sparky rec.skate:3505 ba.singles:2620 ba.general:5274
From: gtchen@speech.sri.com (George T. Chen)
Newsgroups: rec.skate,ba.singles,ba.general
Subject: Skating
Date: 15 Dec 92 00:18:44 GMT
Followup-To: rec.skate
Distribution: ba
Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA


Is there any interest in getting some BEGINNER rollerbladers together
for an outing?  Are there any clubs suitable for someone who's been
on skates for only a few weeks?  I'm looking for something akin to
bike clubs.  Thanks.

George T. Chen
gtchen@speech.sri.com
--
****************************************************************************
*   george t. chen
*   gtchen@speech.sri.com
****************************************************************************