For those who like vintage photos, here's a nice one of a graceful young skater whose name happens to be Vera Wang:
For those who like vintage photos, here's a nice one of a graceful young skater whose name happens to be Vera Wang
I'll see that and raise you this one:
http://figureskating.about.com/od/af...ers/f/rice.htm
Awesome, Doris.
Had never seen the great photo, and I learned a lot from the fascinating explanatory text. I had been only vaguely aware that the Secretary once was a skater, and all the details are so interesting. Thank you.
Although not about skating, this snippet was new to me too:
"At fifteen, she became a student at the university. She graduated from DU when she was only nineteen years old."
I don't always agree with Dr. Rice politically, but I admire her accomplishments. She is also a fine pianist and performed a few movements from different chamber works, including this challenging movement from a Brahms piano quintet. Brahms didn't compose any easy music. Every instrument works like crazy in his chamber music, and Rice more than holds her own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq6_nHyFSrc
I'm sure Michelle got invited to that White House luncheon with the Chinese president (president? can't remember) because Rice as a skating connoisseur was a fan. After all, there's no shortage of talented and distinguished Chinese-Americans. And that's the day that gave Michelle a new direction and eventually led Michelle to a meeting with Clay Pell.
If you get stuck, just ask yourself "President Hu?"Originally Posted by Olympia
By the way, Clay Pell is a big China guy himself. At one time he studied law in China and has been involved in joint Coast Guard exchanges with Chinese counterparts as part of military diplomacy programs. In the past he has been critical of the Chinese government on human rights issues. When the about-to-become new Chinese President Xi takes office, I bet Mr. and Mrs. Pell get invited to a lot of White Hpuse luncheons and such.
Nice dress!For those who like vintage photos, here's a nice one of a graceful young skater whose name happens to be Vera Wang
Last edited by Mathman; 02-01-2013 at 10:14 AM.
Off topic, but as long as we're talking about the intersection of national security and skating:
Tanith Belbin @TanithJLB
I'll always be grateful to Senator Hagel for being the first Member of Congress to sit down w/me while I was pursuing my citizenship.
7:54 PM - 31 Jan 13
LOL, unsurprising that a beautiful, overtly sexy woman can get a Senator to sit down.
^Hagel gave a terrible performance yesterday in Senate confirmation hearings over his appointment as Secretary of Defense. House Republicans raked him over the coals for being against the Iraq war.
The congressman who actually pushed Belbin's application for U.S. citizenship through the House was Michigan's Thaddeus McCotter. McCotter had to resign his seat last year because his staff submitted fraudulent nominating petitions for his re-election bid. Instead of circulating petitions they just Zeroxed some old signatures that they had laying around from previous elections and changed the dates.
But President Obama likes Meryl Davis the best.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3333/4...0ce1f2ab_z.jpg
Last edited by Mathman; 02-01-2013 at 06:02 AM.
Here's Russian President Vladimir Putin.
http://en.rian.ru/images/16883/06/168830617.jpg
President Hu! Thanks.If you get stuck, just ask yourself "President Hu?"
By the way, Clay Pell is a bug China guy himself. At one time he studied law in China and has been involved in joint Coast Guard exchanges with Chinese counterparts as part of military diplomacy programs. In the past he has been critical of the Chinese government on human rights issues. When the about-to-become new Chinese President Xi takes office, I bet Mr. and Mrs. Pell get invited to a lot of White Hpuse luncheons and such.
I had read that Clay Pell was fluent in Mandarin (and also I think Arabic and Spanish). All in all, he sounds like a man who does his utmost to earn his keep.
If we're talking about public officials who have helped skaters, Condoleezza Rice, who first gave Michelle a job (though unpaid) in Washington, would certainly be on the list. I know that Michelle would have come to the capital anyway after her M.A. from Tufts, but being already active in public affairs certainly gave her a leg up on the competition.
With those "5-feet 10-inch legs", some of Condi Rice's lines might have put Carolina Kostner to shame
Who was the tallest ladies singles medalist ever? (Olympics, Worlds, GPF, Euros and 4CCs and Nationals all included)
Any country's Nationals? If so, maybe Karen Venhuizen. Candice Didier is also quite tall for a skater; also Jennifer Robinson. The tallest female skater I can think of, in any discipline, is Oksana Domnina; it's quite noticeable in podium pics (note that Tanith Belbin is pretty tall for a skater, and even Isabelle Delobel isn't that short). The tallest female pairs skater I can think of is Vanessa James.
The tallest skaters I can think of are Lisa Marie Allen, about 5'8", who always came in second to Linda Fratianne nationally in the U.S., and Lucinda Ruh, 5'9", who was the Swiss champion.
Oh right, I'd forgotten that Ruh is so tall. She's taller than quite a few men's skaters.
Thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread.
I hope that Bo also had a chance to meet Davis when she visited the White House. Her family had included a Portuguese water dog well before the Obamas welcomed the First Puppy to theirs.
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