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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.495




3.5)  Where is Springfield?

  "Springfield" is a fictional location.  MG says he chose the name
    because it is one of the most common city names.  (Many people like to
    point out the irony that Springfield was the setting of the antithesis
    to the Simpsons, ``Father Knows Best''.)

   Further evidence points at the fictitious nature of Springfield:
       The state's capital is "Capital City";
       The state's flag is three horizontal stripes;
       The state's motto is "Not Just Another State";

   As far as we've found, no state in the USA has these properties.

  The employee information sheet in ``Simpson and Delilah'' had been
   incorrectly cited by many people giving Homer's place of birth as
   "NC".  Not until recently did someone notice the last letter was
   actually an epsilon-ish "E", designated to the fictitional "Any" state.

   Others talk about the zip code in ``Principal Charming'' (90701) as
    being in Artesia, California; some have suggested this is simply
    because MG lives in the area, and isn't a clue that the Simpsons live
    in CA.  (Sacramento looks nothing like Capital City, to begin with.)

   [Even-more-eagle-eyed viewers will notice that on the box for "sex",
    Homer checked "F", then erased it and marked "M".  And super-sharp-
    eagle-eyed viewers will notice that he filed the Employee Copy of the
    form!  What a Homer!]

   Although many people have enjoyed arguing that Springfield may be in
    close proximity to their own town/city/state/country, to rekindle the
    `Where is Springfield?' debate is an open invitation to be email-
    bombed by thousands of irate readers.

3.5a) What is the Simpsons' Home address?

  In ``Mr. Lisa goes to Washington''    59 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield, T.A
  In the Simpsons UFA            73 Walnut Lane, Springfield, U.S.A
  In ``Kamp Krusty''            430 Spalding Way, Springfield, U.S.A


3.6) What does the ``J'' stand for in Homer J. Simpson?

  Matt Groening says that Homer's middle initial is a token of admiration
   for Rocky and Bullwinkle (Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose),
   whose own J's were in honor of their creator, Jay Ward.

3.6a) How about Bartholomew J. Simpson?

  In the ``Simpsons Rainy Day Fun Book'', it states that Bart's middle
   initial stands for ``Jebediah'', and not ``JoJo'', as was previously
   reported by Sharon Crichton ([e-mail]).    Yet, her claim was
   backed up by the appearance of ``JoJo'' in a Simpsons periodical. One
   can only guess that some facts got lost when the Rainy Day Fun Book was
   made.


3.7)  Didn't I see/hear ... in ... ?

    Nancy Cartwright        Cheers, The Twilight Zone: The Movie, Yellow Pages,
                an endless list of Saturday morning cartoons
    Dan Castellaneta        Adventures of Dynamo Duck, Dream On, LA Law (twice),
                Married with Children, Sibs, The Tracey Ullman
                Show, War of the Roses, Working Trash
    Julie Kavner        Awakenings, Bad Medicine, Crimes and Misdemeanors,
                Hannah and Her Sisters, Katherine, New York Stories,
                No Other Love, Radio Days, Revenge of the Stepford
                Wives, Rhoda, Surrender, This Is My Life,
                            The Tracey Ullman Show
    Yeardley Smith        Brothers, City Slickers, Heaven Help Us (aka
                            Catholic Boys), Herman's Head (Louise),
                            The Legend of Billy Jean, Listen to Me,
                            Maximum Overdrive, Mom's on Strike, Murphy Brown,
                            The Real Thing (Broadway), 3 O'Clock High,
                            Silence Like Glass, She-Devil, Square One TV, Sydney
    Hank Azaria            Herman's Head (Jay)
    Harry Shearer        Animalympics, Hometown Boy Makes Good, Murphy Brown,
                Oscar, Plain Clothes, Pure Luck, Real Life,
                The Right Stuff, Saturday Night Live,
                This Is Spinal Tap! (Derek Smalls), a host
                of `Talk Live!'
    Tress MacNeille        Many cartoons (incl. Tiny Toon Adventures,
                Opus & Bill)


3.8)  What phone pranks has Bart used on Moe of Moe's Tavern?

    7G03:  Hey, everybody, I. P. Freeley!
    7G06:  Hey, everybody, I need a Jock Strap.
    7G01:  Is there an Al Coholic here?  ... and ...
           I wanna see Oliver Klose-off.
    7F11:  I wanna Seymour Butts.
    7F14:  C'mon, one o' you guys has gotta be Homer Sexual.
    7F22:  Hey, has anybody seen Mike Rotch lately?
    8F08:  Somebody check the men's room for a Hugh Jass!
    8F09:  Come on guys, do I have a Bea O'Problem here?
        9F06:  Where can I find Amanda Hugginkiss?  ... and ...
               Hey, everybody, put down your glasses.  Ivana Tinkle!

3.8a) Where did the idea for them come from?

  An album called ``The Tube Bar'' was recorded some time ago, comprised
   of nothing but real prank phone calls. (Like Al Coholic, etc.)


3.9)  Why isn't/aren't ... in this FAQ?

  lists of scripts    Since Twentieth-Century Fox explicitly forbids any
            retransmission or duplication of the scripts for
            the Simpsons show, it'd be totally illegal.  The
            line ``Deep Deep Trouble'' comes to mind.


3.10) Where do you get the episode titles from?

  Some newspapers print the episode titles.  For titles of episodes not
   yet aired, we are indebted to Brian Howard, who was able to get
   ``inside'' information.  (He's since married his source, and made her
   move out of L.A.  Such priorities!)    For information about the fourth
   season episodes, our thanks goes to David Mirsky.
  Two of the episodes (as noted in section 1.1, ``The Tell Tale Head'' and
   ``Bart Gets Hit By A Car'') actually included their titles; it is,
   however, rare to see them actually named when broadcast.


3.11) Which one's Itchy and which is Scratchy?

  As Lisa and Bart explained to Herb Powell:
      Lisa:  "The mouse's name is Itchy, and the cat's name is Scratchy."
      Bart:  "They *hate* each other."
      Lisa:  "And they're not shy about expressing it."


3.12) What are the three most important things to know in life?

  In ``One Fish, Two Fish ...'', Homer tells Bart that the three most
   important things he'll have to know in life are:
        - "Cover for me";
        - "Oooh, good idea, boss!"; and
        - "It was like that when I got here."


3.13) What's Simpsons Illustrated, and where can I get it?

  Simpsons Illustrated is a quarterly "fan" magazine for people who enjoy
   The Simpsons, and is currently available in North America and the
   Antipodes; it holds all sorts of tasty bits, including shots of the
   studio, trivia, and other information.  In addition to the four
   quarterly issues, a Simpsons Annual is also published.

   North Americans can subscribe to it by sending $10.50 to:
        Simpsons Illustrated
        P.O. Box 10195
        Des Moines, IA 50340
   For subscription enquires in Australia and New Zealand, write to:
        Simpsons Illustrated
        P.O. Box A276
        Sydney South, NSW 2000


3.14) Where can I get the music from ``The Simpsons'' ?

  The CDs for ``The Simpsons Sing the Blues'' and ``The Yellow Album'' are
   available in most music stores.  They do not, however, have the title
   music, which appears on Danny Elfman's CD, ``Music for a Darkened
   Theatre''.  A longer, guitar version is on Danny Gatton's disc
   ``88 Elmira Street''.  The Simpsons also have a maxi-single version of
   ``Deep, Deep Trouble'' and ``Sibling Rivalry''.  It includes the original
   version of both songs plus two remixes of ``Deep, Deep Trouble''.
   (Info courtesy of Phil Salomon <[e-mail]>.)


3.15) Are Burns/Smithers/Jacques/Karl gay or bisexual ?

  Everyone enjoys debating over whether or not certain characters are
   exhibiting sexual characteristics that fit into one group or another.
   For example, Karl, Homer's secretary in ``Simpson and Delilah'', was
   classified as homosexual because he was slightly effeminate and gave
   Homer a kiss.  Also, the relationship between Monty Burns and Smithers
   constantly swings between "old friends" and "lovers".  It's up to each
   individual viewer to decide for himself or herself how to interpret
   these kinds of situations.


3.16) When did everything happen?

      1955 1956      1974-1975 1979 _1980      1989
    |   |        |         |    |        |
 ...  --+---+-------+--------+--+-----------+------- ...
    |   |        |         |    +-Bart born +--Tenth Anniversary
    |   |        |         +--Married
    |   |        +--They graduate High School
    |   +--Marge born
    +--- Homer born


3.17) Is my local station cutting the episodes?

  Probably not, unless you're from Australia.  The abridgement of the
   title sequence is done by FOX.  Canadian viewers, who don't get the
   episodes through FOX, are usually granted the pleasure of a full title
   sequence each week.


3.18) What does "OFF" stand for?  (Frequently Used Acronyms)

   A few of the TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) in popular use in
    ATS (alt.tv.simpsons).

      OFF    "Our Favorite Family" -- The Simpsons, of course.
      DYN    "Didja (Did You) Notice"
      FF    "Freeze-Frame Fun"
      7G01, 8F21, ...
        The unique FOX production codes seen during the closing
        credits of each half-hour episode.

   A "FF" is typically a list that requires the pause of a VCR to discern,
    like `Things in the attic', or `degrees on Lionel Hutz's wall'.  The
    text of signs also counts (like `For the Obese or Gangly Gentleman' or
    `Diz-nee-land').  Otherwise, it's a DYN.  So green rats, mouse holes
    in the wall, and purple food glop count as `Didja notice's.
    (Courtesy of Raymond Chen.)


3.19) Is Matt Groening aware of Usenet?

  The more interesting contributions to the newsgroup do occasionally follow
   an indeterminate path to the creators of the show and magazine.  However,
   to answer the specific question ``Is MG provided with direct access, or
   is even personally aware of us beyond the `yet another group of devoted
   fans' level?''  The answer to that is, sadly, no.  (And for the good of
   the show, it's probably best it remains that way...)

  In the past many postings have claimed to have originated from Matt
   Groening and other identities.  One should immediately be skeptical of
   <any> messages that claim to have been sent by a notable personality;
   it is a trivial exercise to fake an article that appears to have come
   from another person.


3.20) Why isn't this rec.arts.tv.simpsons?

  The rec.arts.tv hierarchy is intended for television series that have
   "Staying" power (aka will be around 5 years from now).  As a result, a
   goodly number of people object to the creation of a Simpsons group in
   the higher-propagated rec hierarchy, because they feel it won't be
   around in a few years.  Tsk tsk!


===============================================================================

                  Thus endeth the FAQ.

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From: [e-mail] (Tony Chen)
Subject: rec.skate Frequently Asked Questions (Part 1 of 7)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Followup-To: rec.skate
Sender: [e-mail] (Tony Chen)
Supersedes: <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Tony Chen)
Organization: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1992 21:23:33 GMT
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Posted-By: auto-faq 1.23
Archive-name: rec-skate-faq/part1


REC.SKATE FAQ - PART 1: GENERAL Q&A

Frequently Asked Questions for rec.skate

Q: Who is this newsgroup for?

A: The charter for rec.skate is for all kinds of skating: traditional roller
   skating, in-line skating (although often called "rollerblading", Rollerblade
   is the trademarked name of a particular brand of in-line skates) figure
   skating, speed skating, and participants in hockey. Skating-related
   discussions not held in rec.skate include pro and college hockey (held in
   rec.sport.hockey) and skateboarding (held in alt.skate-board).
   Cross-country skating skiing may be discussed either here or in rec.skiing.

   Within the various disciplines of skating discussed here, most anything
   goes: discussions about equipment, maintenance, technique, competetions,
   access to skating areas, etc. are all welcome.

   At this point, the majority of the discussion in rec.skate (and virtually
   all of this FAQ) is about in-line skating (due to the currently fast growth
   of the in-line sport).  If you want to discuss something else, feel free to
   discuss it.


Q: I'm interested in getting a pair of in-lines for outdoor skating. I want to
   get decent stuff, but I'd rather not spend a lot of money. What do I need
   to get?

A: First off, your budget should include protection: knee pads, wrist guards,
   and a helmet. Elbow pads are optional. These "pads" should have a hard
   plastic shell -- they should slide on the asphalt when you fall. Good
   brands of protection are the Rollerblade TRS or the Dr. Bone Savers (DBS)
   set of accesories. For helmets, any well-fitting ANSI/Snell approved
   bicycle helmet should be fine.

   The in-line industry is a lot like the bicycle industry -- specialty shops
   generally sell and support more expensive functional skate brands and
   department stores generally sell inexpensive lines that will never work
   well. Also, there's usually a much greater chance of getting spare parts
   and service from a specialty shop than a department store.

   Rollerblade is the best-known brand of in-line skate; they make a whole
   family of different in-line skates. Any skate in Rollerblade's line at or
   above the Lightning skate should work well and last a long time. Other
   reputable manufacturers are Ultra Wheels, Riedell, and Bauer. The
   higher-end skates in the California Pro line are functional and relatively
   inexpensive. Performance Bike is introducing a line of skates at a low
   price; quality of these skates is unknown at this point.

   You may wish to rent a model of skates before buying. Some shops will
   discount part of the rental from purchase price if you buy skates later.

   Fit of skates should be comfortable but snug. Unlike hiking or running
   shoes, it's OK for your toes to be loosely in contact with the front of the
   boot.

   Unless you have a background of speed skating, beginning skaters should
   avoid the 5-wheel skates. The problem with isn't the inherent speed of the
   skates, but since manueverability and flexibility are sacrificed for the sake
   of racing performance, so turns and other maneuvers require more
   commitment.  The 5-wheelers are great fun, but master the fundamentals on a
   shorter wheelbase first.


Q: I want to get good in-lines, but I can only afford $150.

A: At this price point, you'll have to be pretty resourceful. First, note that
   the in-line "season" begins somewhere around the end of March. You'll
   probably find some good bargains in stores in the Jan-Mar time frame. Like
   many sports, the in-line market is style-oriented: you may find last year's
   style at a huge discount.

   Even at this price level, you should avoid "department store" skates
   (unless you want to buy skates that you won't use). You're far better off
   buying a pair of used Rollerblade Lightning skates.  If you don't see
   anyone selling your size, consider putting an ad advertising that you want
   to buy skates. The going rate for used Lightnings in good condition is
   around $80-100. If wheels and bearings are shot, cut that to about $40 --
   you'll need the other $50-60 or so to get new wheels and bearings.

   Use the other $50 to buy protection. Don't skimp on protection! A knee is a
   terrible thing to waste. Used protection in good condition is fine.


Q: HOW DO I STOP? (see also, the stopping file following this file, for more
                   details)

A: Good question. You've taken the most important step -- realizing that there
   is a need to be able to slow down. The rest is just practice.

   There are several general techniques for stopping while remaining on your
   skates: generating friction by dragging your brake pad, generating friction
   by sliding your wheels laterally against the ground, jumping onto grass and
   killing your speed by running out, and pushing against a slower-moving or
   stationary object with your hands. There's also falling, which is a valid
   last-ditch technique that's a good to learn.

   These techniques are described in a document, Speed Control on In-Line
   Skates.  That document will be posted periodically as a separate FAQ.
   Here's the section on using the brake:

   I finally learned how to brake well when someone described this image: your
   brake foot has just slipped on a banana peel. Whoops! Your brake foot will
   be about a foot in front of your body. The leg will have a slight bend. The
   rear wheel and the brake will be in contact with the ground.

   At first, your non-brake foot will be bearing almost all your weight. That
   leg will be directly under your body, and the knee will be bent. The amount
   of bend in your knee will determine how much braking force you can apply.

   Your feet should be very close to your centerline. This should help keep
   you going straight forward when braking (pretty important!).

   There should be a slight forward bend in the waist. It may also help to
   keep the hands at waist height or so. This keeps your center of gravity
   lower.  Try to keep your hands (and your whole upper body) loose; clenched
   fists do not make the brakes work any better! Relax.

   After you've tried a dozen or so stops, add one more refinement: drive your
   back knee into the back of the front knee while braking. This creates a
   triangle with your lower legs and the pavement between your skates. As all
   the Buckminster Fuller fans out there know, triangles provide structural
   stability. This triangle should enhance your braking power and ability to
   run smooth, straight, and true while stopping.

   As you master braking, begin to shift more of your weight to your front
   foot. The Masters of Speed Control can actually decelerate while standing
   only on their front foot. Good trick, that.


Q: I've learned how to slow down. How do I go faster?

A: First off, keep learning how to slow down! Learn new techniques; refine the
   ones you already know. Until you master slowing down, your mind will limit
   how fast it will let you go on skates.

   Watch good skaters. Notice that they rarely have both skates on the ground
   at the same time. This independent leg action is something you'll master
   over time; you can practice by seeing now long you can glide on a single
   skate. When you can glide on a single skate for more than 30 seconds (both
   left and right legs!), you're well on the way.

   Notice that almost all of the side-to-side motion is happening below the
   waist. Eliminate any twisting motion in your shoulders -- keep your
   shoulders square to your direction of travel. If you want to move your
   arms, move them forward and back -- crossing patterns may have you twist
   your shoulders. Relax the muscles in your lower back to allow your upper
   body to remain quiet.

   Watch your stride. Are you pushing more to the side or to the back? Shift
   your stride to be pushing almost exclusively to the side.

   Where do you set your skate down at the start of your stride? Shoulder
   width? Start setting your skate down on the centerline of your body. After
   you're comfortable with that, start setting your skate further in beyond
   your centerline.

   Do you flick your toe at the end of your stride? If so, stop. Instead,
   flick your heel -- drive your heel out at the end of the stroke. This will
   feel very strange for the first 10,000 or so times.

   Relax. Then relax some more. Discover levels with levels of relaxation.
   Travel fast while moving your skates slowly -- your body is swimming
   through air. Consider beginning to practice T'ai Chi Ch'aun postures daily.
   Relax some more.


Q: What sort of maintenance do I have to do?

A: Things that need maintaining are the wheels, bearings, and brakes.

   Rotate wheels every 50-100 miles. To rotate a set of wheels, remove the
   frontmost wheel, stash it away, move all the other wheels up one position,
   and place the front wheel in the rearmost position. Flip each wheel as
   you're rotating it, swapping the inside and outside edges.

   With each wheel off the skate, clean around the bearings. Spin the wheel to
   see if the bearings are in good shape. If bearings are bad, replace them.

   Replace the brake pad when it's worn out (there's a "wear-line" on the new
   brake pads if you don't intuit this).

   Practice preventative maintenance: avoid sand, dirt, and water as much as
   possible. These guys are what cause bearing failure. If you want bearings
   to last, vacuum in/around your runners with an upholstery accessory after
   every day. If you do want to skate in sand/dirt/water/mud, get a set of
   sealed bearings.

   Rotate your wheels often. It can be done in about 30 minutes tops.

   Buy a Rollerblade "Y" tool to remove bearings from spacers, or buy one of
   the aftermarket bearing spacer kits. These make bearing removal much
   easier.


Q: What other information is out there to help me with in-line skating?

A: There are two magazine that exist for in-line skating: In-line
   Magazine and the Speed Skating Times. In-line Subscriptions are
   available through In-Line Subscription Department, 1919 14th
   Street, Suite 421, Boulder, CO 80302.  Telephone number is (303)
   440-5111. Speed Skating Times is more race-oriented.

   "8 issues a year only $15". . ."first class delivery only $25"
   "make check/mo payable to speedskating times" Just put your name and
   address and phone on a piece of paper and send it to them.

   Speedskating Times, 2910 NE 11 Ave, Pompano Beach, FL  33064, [phone]

   There are several videos that are marginally good at training. One
   of these is the Rollerblade/Ski Magazine Skate to Ski video. Your
   local Rollerblade dealer should have training videos available for
   viewing in the store and/or rental.

Reading list:

_Blazing Bladers_ by Bill Gutman
ISBN 0-812-51939-6
A Tom Doherty Associates Book, 1992.
Cover price: $6.99 ($7.99 CAN)

_Wheel Excitement_ by Neil Feineman with Team Rollerblade(R)
ISBN 0-688-10814-8
Hearst Books, New York, 1991.
Cover price: $9.00

_The Complete Blader_ by Joel Rappelfeld
ISBN 0-312-06936-7
St. Martin's Press, NY, New York, 1992.
Cover price: $8.95

_Laura Stamm's Power Skating_ by Laura Stamm
ISBN 0-88011-331-6
Leisure Press, 1989
Cover price: $17.95


================================================================================


                      The In-line Stopping Techniques File
                      ------------------------------------
                            (written February 1992)
                          (lasted changed Aug 22, 1992)


[Copyright 1992 by Anthony D. Chen.  All rights reserved.
License is hereby granted to republish on electronic or other media
for which no fees are charged (except for the media used), so long
as the text of this copyright notice and license are attached intact to
any and all republished portion or portions.]


This document is written for rec.skate, one of the many hundreds of
newsgroups under USENET, the international electronic news
network which reaches millions of readers.  You will see "8-)" in use
throughout the text and if you look at it with your head tilted to the
left the intent should be obvious 8-)  (This sideways smilie face is
used to ensure that all computer terminals can display it properly.)

I am not the originator of any of these stops, except perhaps the
combination stops.  This file is the result of much discussion and
feedback from the rec.skate readership.

This list is arranged in order of increasing difficulty, but skaters
have all sorts of different backgrounds so your shredding may
vary.

Good luck, and skate smart.

-Tony Chen
 [e-mail]
(7 Heather Drive, Iowa City, IA 52245, [phone])


List of stops:
- runouts    - backward stepping stop
- wall stop    - forward stepping stop
- windbraking    - reverse stop (forwards snow-plow)
- the brake-pad    - backwards heel drag
- V-stop/snowplow    - toe-drag spinouts
- (regular) spinout/lunge stop    - heel-drag spinouts
- spread eagle spinout    - curb ramming
- crossover stop    - power stop/power slide
- slaloming/parallel turns    - chop-stop
- T-stop    - New York stop
- toe drag    - combination stops
- backwards T-stop

Related topics:
- falling
- collisions with stationary objects

While the basic repretoire of stopping techniques includes the
brake-pad, the T-stop,  spinouts, and the power stop, this file is
meant to go one step beyond merely teaching the basics.  The
basics are crucial, but once skaters progress beyond them, they
often need some guidance for further learning.  One cannot expect
each skater to discovery techniques on their own, hence this file.


BEGINNER LEVEL

The following set of stopping methods, most beginner skaters
should be able to handle.  They keep both feet on the ground
throughout the stop, and don't require as much independent leg
action as more advanced stops.

% RUNOUTS:  Assuming the path you're skating on has grass or
packed dirt (or some other hard-to-roll-on surface), you can just
skate off the path and reduce your speed by running onto the grass
(hop-hop-hop-hop-hop). In the worst case scenario, you can
tumble and hopefully you won't take any damage.


% WALL STOP:  This stop is simply to skate towards a wall (or any
reasonably stationary object, really) and use your arms to absorb
the impact.  At low speeds, this should be quite safe (make sure you
turn your head to the side so as not to smash your face).  You may
or may not bang your skates, depending on your speed and how
you hit.  The key is to use your arms as cushioning springs (like
doing a standing push-up.)  One way to practice this is to stand a
few feet from a wall (with your skates on).  Now fall on your hands
against the wall, and you should be able to bounce a little, while still
avoiding banging your head.  The faster your approach, the less
bounce will result.

A variation on the wall stop is the billiard ball stop.  Instead of
stopping against an object, use a fellow skater to push off and
transfer your momentum to them.  To be safe, warn the receiving
person about your approach.  It works well on flat surfaces and at
low to moderate speeds.  It's not recommended at high speeds and
especially on people you don't know 8-)

See the collision section for more extreme cases.


% WIND-BRAKING:  Wind-braking is more for speed-control than
to stop (although on windy days, this can stop you).  Just stand up,
spread your arms out and catch the air like a sail.  You'll probably
need to lean forwards slightly, to counter the force of the wind.


% THE BRAKE-PAD:

The brake-pad is subject to much debate amongst skaters.  Many
people with  ice skating and rollerskating backgrounds find the
brake in the way, in the wrong place, or simply ineffective.
However, used proficiently, the brake-pad becomes a very versatile
piece of equipment because:

1) you can use it to stop, even at very high speeds;
2) it allows you to keep both skates on the ground while
stopping (good for keeping your balance);
3) you can maintain a narrow profile (good for high traffic
areas where cars or bicycles might be passing you);
4) you can still steer yourself;
5) the sound of braking can often alert others to your presence;
6) the brake-pad is the most cost-effective technique there is so
far for in-lines.

To learn how to use the brake-pad, first coast with both skates
shoulder-width apart.  As you coast, scissor your feet back and
forth a few times to get used to the weight shift.  To apply the brake
then, scissor your skate so your braking skate is out front.  Lift the
toe of your brake skate and press with the heel too.  Your body
weight is centered and even slightly on your back skate when you're
just learning it.  The key is a straight back and bent knees.