Seasons Greetings, Black Style

Rubbout 2010 Promo

Seasons Greetings

Have as good a rubbery holiday season as this guy is having!

SPORT PROFILE: Men's Skeleton

Skeleton made its Olympic return in 2002 after a 54-year absence. Like luge, the sport involves racing a sled down an icy track. Unlike luge, skeleton sleds are ridden face first.

The sport got its name after its first participant crashed horribly and all that was recovered was his skeleton. Just kidding! Here's the real story: the sport was named when someone commented that a new metal sled, first used in 1892, resembled a skeleton.

The sport's first organized competition took place in the late 1800s in the Swiss village of St. Moritz. Riders raced down the frozen road from St. Moritz to Celerina on simple sleds, and the winner received a bottle of champagne.

It was at the 1928 St. Moritz Winter Games that skeleton made its Olympic debut. But the sport would not reappear until the 1948 Winter Games, which were also held in St. Moritz. Then — just as suddenly — skeleton went back in the closet again until its 2002 reemergence.

Previously a male-only endeavor at the Olympics, women's skeleton appeared for the first time in 2002 at Salt Lake City.

The format for Olympic skeleton involves two timed runs. The top men and women from the first run compete in the second run, which is held later that same day. The combined time of the two runs determines the final standings.

The sled can only be ridden in the prone position (face first, on the stomach), and although the rider can leave the sled to push or move it, he or she must cross the finish line on the sled in order for the run to be considered valid.

Warming the sled's metal runners or using any substance that improves sliding is prohibited. At the start of the race, the temperature of the runners must be within 4°C of the reference runner, which is exposed to the open air for one hour before the start of the competition.

Skeleton athletes experience forces up to, but not exceeding, 5Gs, a stipulation enforced by the FIBT. Given the speeds attained by sliders (up to 130 km/h (80 mph)), they are not allowed any steering or braking mechanisms. Rather, steering is managed by slight shifts of the athlete on the sled and by dragging the feet.

The sport is also promoted by skeleton officials as a gateway sport to, “train young, aspiring athletes…for their future career in bobsleigh.”

The major competitions of non-Olympic seasons include the World Championships and World Cups, held annually. The rankings and results from these competitions determine the starting positions for future races. The track becomes less smooth after each successive run; thus, the negative effect on run times makes earlier starts in the lineup more desirable. Based on the overall performance of a country, the FIBT determines which countries may participate in the Olympic games. For the male competition, the best 12 nations based on World Cup rankings may participate, whereas for ladies, the best 8 may do so.

Woof!

I see the German leatherdaddies gyrating already. This is by Unit-911. The remix CDM/WEB download contains, like, 14 remixes!

Penance

It is disturbing how this year (and decade) has been ending on such a sour note for so many people. My partner M was admitted into the hospital yesterday and will be spending Christmas there. I've been scrambling over the past 24 hours to make the appropriate changes and cancellations to our holiday plans. I left the hospital yesterday evening and was running to our apartments picking stuff up and dropping stuff off when I ran into our friends D and I.

I went out for a quick bit of sushi with them and gave them the update on what has been going on. They had several incredibly disturbing stories from the weekend they had to share as well. D is convinced that The Higher Power is kicking us all in the ass right now as penance for our excess, selfishness, and lack of stewardship over the past ten years. I can only hope that we will act more mature in the next ten and 2019 ends on a higher note.

If you are having a blue Christmas, stay positive and appreciate the wonderful things in you have in your life. They are fragile and precious; just realize how things can flip topsy-turvy on you in a moment and those things can be gone. Nothing is more important than family and friends. Let them know at this time how special and impactful they are on your life. Appreciate all that you've accomplished and the things you've been able to do and experience that so many other people in the world have never nor ever will have the opportunity to do, see and feel. We're so very blessed in the developed world and most of the time don't even stop to marvel at how bloody lucky we are that we were born to the right people at the right place at the right time.

Please say a prayer for my M. I love him so much and my only wish for Christmas is for him to get better soon and come home.

Skin It to Win It

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Skate Expectations - Bobsled Team Tryouts - Team Night Train
http://www.colbertnation.com/
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Economy

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Skate Expectations - Skeleton Team Tryouts - Zach Lund
http://www.colbertnation.com/
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Economy

Clips from The Colbert Report documenting Stephen's quest to qualify for the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team. He's such a freak!

Rubberstud of the Week #86

Mr. Leather Vancouver update

I am trying to arrange an interview with the winner of Mr. Leather Vancouver, Doug. We are planning a get together next Thursday (Christmas Eve). Stay tuned for the great interview with a great guy! :)

My type of PSA...