NATIONALS THOUGHTS

Mirai Nagasu: Aw...

Kimmie Meissner: Ow...

Evan Lysacek: Yay!

Belbin & Agosto: Eh...

John Baldwin's Proposal: Ew...

CARE LESS

I am frequently accused of not caring. And it’s true, there are a large number of things I don’t care about. Brittany Spears, Scientology, the latest fashions, football, baseball, volleyball, tetherball, and whether or not my husband looks at other women on the subway, the street or the Internet.

But then I am accused of not caring about other people. It’s true. I don’t care about other people. Rather, I don’t care what other people do. And I will tell you why this is a good thing. For other people.

Show me a person who cares, and I will show you a person who is trying to legislate (i.e. mandate or ban): abortion, books, cigarettes, drugs, euthanasia, fats, guns, homosexuals, immigrants, judicial review, Kyoto protocol, labor, morality, nuclear weapons, opinions, pledge of allegiance, quotas, research, stem cells, taxes, universal (health care, pre-K, Studios), vaccinations, wages, xenophobia, your personal taste, and Zionism (Protocols of the Elders of).

Whatever sliver of the political spectrum you’re on, there is someone else on another sliver that believes they have the right to tell you what to do. Because they know what’s best for you better than you know what’s best for you. Because they know what’s best for your kids better than you know what’s best for your kids. Because they care.

I don’t care what anyone else does, as long as it doesn’t hurt another person in the process. I believe everyone is smart enough to make their own decisions and to run their own lives.

So, go ahead. Do whatever you want.

I don’t care.

Lucky you.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT

My latest article for InterfaithFamily.com. Wherein I take on the Disney empire and their idea of diversity.

Let me know what you think!

SHARON CARZ ON CHRISTOPHER BOWMAN

We were friends through the bright times and the dark times – at times I would wonder “What is going on upstairs?” with some of the decisions he would make.

All I can say for certain is that whatever he decided to do, he enjoyed doing it!

There were some tough training weeks during those times and when Saturday morning practice came along – and none of us really wanted to be there to train - Christopher ALWAYS put a smile back in my face.

Whenever I think of him – the Frank Sinatra song plays in my head loud and clear: “My Way."

Although I will miss him, I am sure he is somewhere over the rainbow, enjoying himself, meanwhile, STILL making me laugh.

* * *

Sharon Carz was a U.S. World Team member in Pairs. She was the body double for Moira Kelly in The Cutting Edge.

HOMEFRONT CUTENESS

My four year old just named the model dinosaur he built "Barak O'Bomber."

CRAIG HEATH ON CHRISTOPHER BOWMAN

Chris was so incredibly charismatic and funny. We trained together everyday for about five years. Three of those years were at Pickwick Ice Arena in Burbank, Ca. The other two were in Lake Arrowhead, Ca. I have many fond memories of Chris. He was an inspiration to me for the fact that he could turn on a crowd (any crowd) in a matter of seconds. He was always the center of attention in any situation.

I moved to LA when I was 17 and I lived by myself in an apartment in Hollywood. I was a very driven and hardworking young man. I was also very shy. Chis had the charisma and showmanship that I always wanted. I studied him like a hawk.
Chris, Patrick Brault and myself were all the same age and we all trained together. We were like the three stooges. I was the 'good' boy. Chris was the rebel and Patrick was in the middle. I needed a little more rebel in me so Chris was the perfect balance. We would all sit together at the rink. Chris would always be getting in trouble for something and that made the training days always colorful and interesting.

I remember that he would not like to train. He was a natural talent and I think he was able to do anything Frank asked him to do. He thrived on doing things that nobody thought he could do. Including his daily program run-thrus. He would goof around all morning, but then Frank would make him do his program and he would do it perfectly almost every time. I don't know how he did that.

He was so quick with his humor. Often times I would not figure out he was pulling a prank on me for hours or even days. Chris would come over to my apartment with our friend Patrick Brault. He would order Pizza delivery and then never be around to pay for it when it arrived so Patrick or I would have to pay for it. Sneaky boy.

Chris was always entertaining. Either in a good way or a bad way. He was full of life and had a huge aura around him. He was a star.

I was driving Chris around one night and we were behind a car that was going really slow. Chris yelled out, "snake 'em dude"! Not knowing what that meant, I put on my blinker and politely went around the car. We laughed about that for years. He's probably still laughing about it.

I will miss him but will always think fondly of him.

* * *

Craig Heath is the 1998 World Professional Bronze Medalist. He is currently performing and teaching in Hong Kong.

JUDY BLUMBERG ON CHRISTOPHER BOWMAN

"Christopher Bowman's death took us all by surprise. He was an engaging and charming guy on the outside, and great fun to work with. Unfortunately, the battle with his inner demons must have gotten the best of him. He was a very unique talent and I do hope that he will be remembered in years to come, for his showmanship and love of performing. He will certainly be missed."

U.S. National Dance Champion (1981-1985) and World Bronze Medalist (1983-1985) Judy Blumberg worked as an on-air commentator with Christopher Bowman for ESPN.

CHRISTOPHER BOWMAN DEAD

I've written about Chris here, here, and here.

Details about his death, here.

Damn.

I worked with Chris as a researcher when he and Judy Blumberg did commentary for ESPN in 1999. We spent a couple of days together locked in a small room (I was pregnant at the time, so the room felt really, really small).

He was charming and personable and uncontrolable. Exactly the same way he was on the ice.

I'd give him research, he'd nod, pretend to read it, then toss it aside and say whatever the heck he wanted. Sometimes it was great. Sometimes it made no sense.

Exactly the same way he was on the ice.

A THOUGHT

Those who can, do.

Those who can't, blog about how those who can, suck.

THE HYPOCRISY OF JON STEWART

I stopped watching Jon Stewart several years ago, due to his first hypocrisy. He claimed to be delivering "fake news," then invited real news makers on, interviewed them about real issues, and when criticized under the same standards that people use for real newsmen, ran and hid behind the "fake news" label. I didn't think he could have it both ways.

I still feel that way in regards to his stance during the writer's strike (I admit, I tuned in again just to see how he would handle it). Jon Stewart returned to work on "The Daily Show" without writers and allegedly without a script.

How can he claim he is working without a script when his show goes like this: Stewart says something, a clip rolls to compliment what he said, then Stewart says something coming out of the clip. Just because he isn't reading his comments off a teleprompter, how can he assert that these bits aren't written? Are the producers just rolling in random clips at random moments, regardless of what Stewart is saying? A sequence of planned events -- that's a script. Scripts are written by writers. Someone is writing these scripts. So either Stewart is scabbing, or he's hired someone to do it for him (producers, production assistants, "consultants"). This is his version of supporting the WGA strike? (For the record, if Stewart had been honest and simply said he is ignoring the strike and writing his own material, I would have had more respect for him than this, rather typical, having it both ways hypocrisy.)

And then there is the way his show is being directed. Stewart would like us to believe that the entire show is just being made up on the fly, ala live television. I've worked in live television for over a decade. First on an E! talk show called "Pure Soap," and then for ABC Sports and the Daytime Emmys. Even live shows are meticulously planned out beforehand (to read what Doug Wilson has to say about his method for covering live figure skating, click here). And they are always planned out using some sort of a script, even if it's just a rundown of skater names and the duration of their programs.

If "The Daily Show" is all being improvised on the fly, it's amazing how the directors can anticipate exactly how long each bit will last before changing cameras, rolling in a clip, putting up a graphic or cutting to commercial. These guys must be from The Psychic Network!

Writing doesn't just mean typing words to be said out loud. It means deciding whether to lead with the Obama joke or the story about Ron Paul. It's deciding how much time to give to coverage of the primaries versus the interview segment versus the field reports. It's picking the theme of the day and which clips should be used to support it. Writing is the skeleton that directors, cameramen, soundmen, lighting guys and technical directors base their work on. A show simply can not be put on with a script.

No matter what Jon Stewart says.

HEAT ON ICE

Men in Russia are dreaming of Navka.

Translation of an article by a correspondent of Russian language newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda Dmitry Nadezhdin printed on December 26, 2007

It is a tradition that at the beginning of a new year the readers of the newspaper are selecting the sexiest sportspeople of the past year.

The title of the most sexy sports woman for the second year in a row is awarded to the Olympic Champion in ice dancing in Turin – Tatiana Navka. She is very popular since she is participating in the show "Ice Period." She won that title by performing in that show last year as well. Her fans, mostly men, are watching her every Saturday on their TVs and they gave her 43% of votes; almost every second person voted for her and gave their heart to the ice queen.

Irina Slutskaya, who was in the top ten last year and who became a mother this year, was forced off the list.

CRIME TIME

The reviews are in for Skate Crime, my fifth and final skating mystery, out now!

The author does bring that world to life, and peoples it with interesting - if not always admirable - people.... The writing is quite good and the mystery itself is fairly cleverly done. (dondammassa.com)

The point of view changes from chapter to chapter, each one dedicated to a specific character as they relate their feelings and relationships to the victim. It is a good technique in Alina Adams' capable hands as the audience sees why there are so many suspects with so many different motives. (The Best Reviews)

The unique way in which this novel is constructed, coupled with the obvious insider knowledge that author Alina Adams brings to the table, makes this one a standout in an always-entertaining series. (ca-reviews)

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER NAVKA ARTICLE

Cheaters: Alexander Zhulin and Tatiana Navka continue to create the illusion of their ideal family life.

Translation of an article by Sergey Relicov, a correspondent of Russian language publication Tvoy Den printed on December 22, 2007.

This time they tried to do it on the show, "Ice Period." At the taping of the final episode of the show, unexpected to the spectators, appeared a strange quartet – Averbuch and Lobacheva and Zhulin and Navka. The couples decided to show the contrast between their lives and skated a number, full with feelings of love.

The content of the number was such that Ilja and Irina openly showed to the world that they finished their relations and at the end of the performance they skated away in opposite directions. On the other hand, Tatiana and Alexander were showing that there was no cooling off in their relations and that they were still madly in love with each other. There was even planned a passionate kiss at the end of their performance, but it did not happen, probably due to their tiredness. They just ended the number, silently dropped their hands and also skated in different directions.

Off camera, Alexander and Tatiana rarely cross each other’s path, they meet only at work. The most close and bright relations between them appear when they are in the company of their daughter. Then one could say that they are really happy.

The end of the love story in the Averbuch’s family is known to everyone now. Exactly a year ago they also projected a happy family and no one could even think that they would ever split. But even then their relations were far from ideal and they completely broke up toward the end of this year: at the end of December they were divorced.