Wednesday, July 31, 2002

The Skating Diva Speaks: The Olympic Figure Skating Events Were Fixed Friends, it's been a while since I've written about the skating world, as even Divas have to take a little time off. However this morning I heard the news the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District James Comey had finished their investigation of the Fixing Olympic Pairs and Dance Events Judging and had arrested Alimzan Tokhtakhounov in Italy on U.S. charges that he was directly involved in fixing the pairs and ice dancing figure skating competitions at the Salt Lake City Olympics. The U.S. Attorney has applied to extradite Tokhtakhounov. It appears that Alimzan Tokhtakhounov (left) who is directly connected to the Russian Mob was was pulling a quick "pro quo" in order to trade judging votes between the Russian Pairs Team of Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze for votes for the the French Dance of Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat, (formerly of Russia.) Alimzan Tokhtakhounov from what I'd been told is a real piece of work. He's been involved in gambling, drug deals, shakedowns and all sorts of various illegal activities on an international scale. We do not need or want this is the kind of person involved in the skating world. However I'm curious why he was hanging out in Italy? The only other major player in the figure skating world (not skating) from Italy is Speedy Cinquanta, ISU President. hmm? To say then skating world is in a tizzy at the moment would be an understatement. The ISU Boards are buzzing with the news, which is carefully monitored, of course. (So much for free speech when your BBS Board's in Europe.) The U.S. Attorney is saying there will be other arrests shortly. So the questions Du Jour are: How much deeper is this going to go? Are they going to arrest Gailhaguet and Le Gougne? Who else is in the sites of the U.S. Attorney? Coaches? National Officials? The entire concept that the skating world as gotten so dirty makes me sick! But Darn! This is going to read better than an entire season of Dynasty! ...more as it develops. 5:17:08 PM

Wednesday Coffee Talk Okay I think I'm back in the world of the living. Thanks to everyone for their notes expressing their concern and hang'in with me while I recovered. I think I'll live. However I have vowed never-ever to set foot in Denny's again. After pumping massive amounts of liquids down my throat to get the toxins out, the headaches from hell have finally gone. And now let's get back to work... While I was offline I did some serious thinking when I could think straight. I've decided to finally take my blog off radio and point toward my domain. I have several reasons I need to seperate from the mother-server, and the major reason is I need to divide my work from my opinions with it's own idenity. At the moment I'm looking for a designer to custom-up a theme for me. ANYONE need an evening's worth of work out there?? email me or hit the comments key. I promise to be a good client and not ask too much. Part II Bloggin' BarBQ: Roasting Congress Wrap-up: The Sunday BBQ in Berman Country was very enlightening. The people I spoke with are all completely appalled at Berman's utter lack of knowledge of what he's talking about. However a few things became clear. 1. Berman's sucking up to the studio types because he WANTS the money. Not because he really needs it. 2. Berman's people found that this honey pot of a deal to sponsor the bill is because he has nothing to lose. He's running unopposed. 3. Berman's clueless there at least as many technical types as talent type voters in his SF district. The best summary of came from a friend, who will be nameless so he can remain employed: "The talent-types in entertainment community are completely stupid about the effects of all these laws." ... "Talent is normally pretty brainless about how things *really* work."  [However]... "because they are the pretty faces who can get the camera time onair, they get heard before we techies get the time of day because we are normally BEHIND the damn camera." "I've heard talk that... It will be a pretty damn big wake up call if these laws go through-- and they can't get their cheap inde-productions done on a shoestring for an f'in tax big write-off during their next summer hiatus!" Many of the technies are saying if the law goes through-- they are leaving the business. They are tired of the Hatfield's and the McCoy's feuds being started by clueless money people and carried out by their sock-puppet representatives, who do not understand they are actually biting the hand that feeds them. Many of our friends have left the business in the past year due to stupid management from companies like Sony and Panasonic closing various U.S. operations groups or removing them so far out of California and New York, that they have laid off entire groups. 3:26:27 PM

© Copyright 2002 Mary Wehmeier. Last update: 8/1/02; 2:52:37 AM. Comments by: YACCS