crab, I don't like using the coriolis term here either. I think it adds to the confusion and contributes little to no understanding. However, I do think it is accurate. The skater bringing arms in decreases the moment of inertia and thus increases angular velocity. The blade spinning around and starting to move up and inwards is analagous to water in your sink trying to move northwards to the drain. It took a lot to convince me that coriolis was an appropriate term, but I agree with you that conservation of angular momentum is a better way of describing it.