tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post5123408449389840331..comments2024-02-22T13:53:00.516-05:00Comments on Elizabeth Spiegel's blog: Interview with Donna AlarieElizabeth Vicaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880561980096775673noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-58142543380663622442008-08-30T12:16:00.000-04:002008-08-30T12:16:00.000-04:00A Modest Proposal for USCF Solvency. The USCF com...A Modest Proposal for USCF Solvency. The USCF commissions a commemorative chess set through the Franklin Mint with miniature sculptures of Paul Truong and Susan Polgar as the White King and Queen versus Sam Sloan as the Black King with Brian Mottershead and Brian Lafferty as Black Rooks. Perhaps the lawyers in the currently pending lawsuits could be bishops for both sides. At the time I thought of this, I thought Donna Alarie might be the Black Queen, but perhaps she was not so much pro-Sloan as anti-EB. I gave up following the arguments and loyalties a long time ago, so I can't fill in all the characters. Some talented chess player/Broadway playwright could also turn this into Chess II: The Musical Rematch. Of course none of this would get past the first lawyer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-3552165887481908922008-08-26T20:41:00.000-04:002008-08-26T20:41:00.000-04:00Here's another Alarie interview with a better summ...Here's another Alarie interview with a better summary of the CC situation than the one I gave:<BR/><BR/>http://chessusa.blogspot.com/2008/08/q-with-former-uscf-finance-committee.html<BR/><BR/>Gadflies rub people the wrong way, and I do think Donna has a tendency to go overboard. But she, unlike Sloan, is an ethical gadfly. And jeez, what sane person wouldn't overreact?Bill Brockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14550157556545540714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-14971856970537840942008-08-26T20:08:00.000-04:002008-08-26T20:08:00.000-04:00Bill Brock wrote, "However, the deal with Chess Ca...Bill Brock wrote, <BR/><BR/>"However, the deal with Chess Café was negotiated in nonstandard (= USCF standard) fashion. Let us say that there was at least the appearance of self-dealing by one then-sitting Board member who was a business partner of Chess Café. (I don't mean this comment to reflect negatively on Chess Café itself.)"<BR/><BR/>That sounds pretty odious.<BR/><BR/>Anyway to make this 3rd party settle now for cents on the dollar just so the USCF recoups something? Or rig up a revenue recapture scheme so that if the 3rd party makes a few pennies the USCF can "lien" for a cent or two?<BR/><BR/>Is "Russell Enterprises" a going concern that can cough up a few iron men?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-19791344625613403472008-08-26T17:45:00.001-04:002008-08-26T17:45:00.001-04:00Dear Elizabeth,I would like to obtain permission f...Dear Elizabeth,<BR/><BR/>I would like to obtain permission from you to reprint this interview with Donna in the Western MA Chess Association's quarterly newsletter, "The Skittles Room". We have a submission date of 9/15/08 for the next issue. Please get back to me when you can.<BR/><BR/>Best wishes,<BR/>Frank Kolasinski<BR/>President<BR/>Western MassachusettsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-9906666803878359102008-08-26T17:45:00.000-04:002008-08-26T17:45:00.000-04:00Dear Elizabeth,I would like to obtain permission f...Dear Elizabeth,<BR/><BR/>I would like to obtain permission from you to reprint this interview with Donna in the Western MA Chess Association's quarterly newsletter, "The Skittles Room". We have a submission date of 9/15/08 for the next issue. Please get back to me when you can.<BR/><BR/>Best wishes,<BR/>Frank Kolasinski<BR/>President<BR/>Western MassachusettsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-55505384393642506172008-08-26T15:52:00.000-04:002008-08-26T15:52:00.000-04:00But only Mr. Lafferty is responsible for Mr. Laffe...But only Mr. Lafferty is responsible for Mr. Lafferty's repetition of Mr. Schutzman's words....Bill Brockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14550157556545540714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-26778596680111911712008-08-26T15:50:00.000-04:002008-08-26T15:50:00.000-04:00Great interview. I'm surprised there aren't more ...Great interview. I'm surprised there aren't more comments. Obviously, having a husband and wife on the same Board is bad governance (can you say "conflict of interest").<BR/><BR/>Undoubtably, the whole thing is completely depressing. Its also suprising that with all the undeniable brain power in the US chess scene, this is what its come to.<BR/><BR/>I'm a newbie to the scene, but the blame has to lie somewhere.<BR/><BR/>MartyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-31279096900014340192008-08-26T15:46:00.000-04:002008-08-26T15:46:00.000-04:00Mr. Brock, only Mr. Schutzman can explain why he c...Mr. Brock, only Mr. Schutzman can explain why he chose to speak with others outside his immediate family. <BR/><BR/>There is no present reason for me to address Mr. Sloan's character here or anywhere else. <BR/><BR/> While the general topic of child abuse and hot saucing was discussed on rgcp, as you know, to my knowledge there was never anything written that in any manner implicated or even suggested an implication of either Mr. Truong or Ms. Polgar in molestation as defined by the NY Criminal Code.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-52807387426186694772008-08-26T15:27:00.000-04:002008-08-26T15:27:00.000-04:00The well-being of the children is paramount, and t...The well-being of the children is paramount, and the court has a proper role in protecting their rights and the rights of the noncustodial spouse. <BR/><BR/>But why, Mr. Lafferty, should anyone discuss the details of private family matters with you? <BR/><BR/>Interesting contrast with the case of Mr. Sloan: courts have repeatedly & publicly taken steps to protect minors from him. Perhaps Mr. Lafferty could speak to Mr. Sloan's character in this space.<BR/><BR/>Our common goal should be to make USCF a better organization, not to destroy other people for sport.Bill Brockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14550157556545540714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-4643602235862479392008-08-26T13:53:00.000-04:002008-08-26T13:53:00.000-04:00You asked Donna the following question which conta...You asked Donna the following question which contains an apparent inaccurate assumption. The question stated:<BR/>"I read Susan thanked you on her site for objecting to a plan to accuse her of child molestation. Can you tell us anything about this: where it came from, who was behind it, anything like that?"<BR/><BR/>I am aware of no "plan" to accuse anyone of child molestation. Sam Sloan obtained from Ms. Polgar's ex-husband a copy of a NY Family Court Order of Protection addressed to Ms. Polgar and her then paramour, Mr. Truong. Mr. Sloan made that available on rgcp and it was discussed at length. I spoke with Mr. Shutzman who confirmed what Mr. Sloan had been told regarding how the order came to be issued. The subject of hot saucing children as a form of child abuse was discussed on rgcp in general and it was noted by some that in certain cultures here and abroad, it is considered an legitimate form of child discipline. <BR/><BR/>As to Ms. Polgar, I sent her the following email on 12/20/2007 to which she did not respond:<BR/><BR/>Ms. Polgar,<BR/><BR/>I have been made aware of two Queens County, New York Family Court Orders that present issues of concern for scholastic parents such as myself. Let me make clear that I did not go looking for the documents referenced below. As Donna Alarie noted in a post to the USCF Issues Forum last evening, the substance of this matter has been known to other USCF members, including Joe Lux, for several weeks. Let me emphasize that I draw NO final conclusion as to the truth of the allegations raised by these court orders. I have litigated matrimonial and custody disputes and I know how vicious parents can be in seeking an advantage in court. <BR/><BR/>However, in this instance I must lend some level of credence to certain allegation as they were apparently made by the children themselves, in private, to a guardian ad litem appointed by the court to represent their interests in the custody/visitation dispute before the Family Court.<BR/><BR/>I spoke via telephone yesterday, 12/19/07, with Mr. Shutzman who told me that his children, during a private interview with the guardian ad litem, told the guardian that they had been beaten by Paul Truong for the purpose of making them study chess.<BR/><BR/>As a parent of a scholastic chess player, I ask you to present your side of this matter. I have spoken with parents of other scholastic players who find this matter troubling in-as-much-as you are both deeply involved with scholastic chess and working with children.<BR/><BR/>To reiterate, I make NO final conclusion or judgment as to the facts underlying these court orders. I’d like to hear your side of the story.<BR/><BR/>A copy of the initial court order can be found at<BR/>http://www.shamema.com/polgar-op-1.pdf<BR/><BR/>A copy of the second page of a subsequent court order can be found at<BR/>http://www.shamema.com/polgar-op-2.pdf<BR/><BR/>I would appreciate the courtesy of your reply.<BR/><BR/>Very truly yours,<BR/>Brian Lafferty<BR/><BR/>Ms. Polgar and Mr. Truong repeat many unsupported allegations in the apparent hope that if you say it often enough it will become factually real when it is not. Thank you for letting me clarify this matter here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-89649613357290032472008-08-26T13:34:00.000-04:002008-08-26T13:34:00.000-04:00Do any of the readers have any knowledge of how th...<I>Do any of the readers have any knowledge of how the federations of other democratic societies fare? Anyone out there from Canada or Britain?</I><BR/><BR/>The situation in Britain, more precisely England at least, is just as disspiriting. The ECF is very like USCF, but without the litigation. <BR/><BR/>The ECF is run by a gerontocratic clique of weak players, remote from the membership, unaccountable and arguably incompetent. Chess in England is held together by a good number of unassuming, long-suffering and selflessly professional individuals (press columnists, graders, local organisers, webmasters etc) who receive no serious support from ECF. In fact pretty much all entrepreneurial activity in promoting the game takes place independently of ECF. No one with quality professional skills would dream of putting them at risk in the service of ECF. The accounts I read of USCF could be cut-and-pasted straight into most descriptions of ECF. Matters are less rancorous in the other national territories (Scotland etc). And of course, we don't do litigation as often - yet!<BR/><BR/>David<BR/>Liverpool, UKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-88688507571840982362008-08-25T23:11:00.000-04:002008-08-25T23:11:00.000-04:00I think I will form the American Chess Organizatio...I think I will form the American Chess Organization (ACO). I have business experience, publishing experience and my strongest attribute is good character. It would be hard to do a worse job of running an organization than what has gone on for years in the USCF.<BR/>dnmuscg is my ICC handle, which is where my chess energy is spent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-25922034507413442622008-08-25T19:24:00.000-04:002008-08-25T19:24:00.000-04:00Mark We played at 1974? Atlantic Open (Hans x 2: B...Mark <BR/><BR/>We played at 1974? Atlantic Open (Hans x 2: Berliner, Böhm) ...Modern Benoni, Rd. 2--I played BxNa6 and you were kind enough to explain why that was positionally sucky.<BR/><BR/>***<BR/><BR/>USCF's books & equipment operations fell on hard times (Amazon, economy, poor management: a killer combo). In this changed biz environment, outsourcing made sense. Selling books is hard enough if you know what you're doing: since the Lawrence years, USCF has been clueless.<BR/><BR/>see http://www.checkmate.us/report.htm for Goichberg's take at the time<BR/><BR/>However, the deal with Chess Café was negotiated in nonstandard (= USCF standard) fashion. Let us say that there was at least the appearance of self-dealing by one then-sitting Board member who was a business partner of Chess Café. (I don't mean this comment to reflect negatively on Chess Café itself.)<BR/><BR/>CC did very poorly at inception (far below expectations) fell far behind on $$ due USCF, asked for & got a major restructuring of deal in return for owner's personal guarantee going forward.<BR/><BR/>From the outside (where I've been for 2+ years as a former member), it would appear that USCF is not the ideal ptnr for a biz deal. Perhaps there was not a meeting of the minds and CC thinks that USCF is not holding up its end of the bargain in 2007-08.<BR/><BR/>Or perhaps CC is reneging on the (already once reworked--I have a copy of it somewhere) deal & USCF is failing to enforce the contract.<BR/><BR/>We really don't need fiduciaries to tell us more than they already have, do we? Best they work this out in private with CC or take it to court/arbiter if they can't.<BR/><BR/>But in either case, it would appear that USCF is screwing up.Bill Brockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14550157556545540714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-64282748711919680322008-08-25T18:48:00.000-04:002008-08-25T18:48:00.000-04:00"Starting in August, 2007, I wanted to know why US..."Starting in August, 2007, I wanted to know why USCF could not collect its accounts receivable from Chess Café."<BR/><BR/>I've looked at Chess Cafe and noted a melange of miscellaneous ersatz chess, but what's this about the USCF not being able to collect a debt from them ("Russell Enterprises"). Why would the USCF advance a private outfit a lot of money?<BR/><BR/>Does anyone know the story of "Russell Enterprise" and how/why the USCF is being, as it seems, ripped off?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-22003465757578217802008-08-25T18:36:00.000-04:002008-08-25T18:36:00.000-04:00Thank you for posting this article and the previou...Thank you for posting this article and the previous one - they were both enlightening and depressing. Once I did try to learn about things from Usenet, but stopped when many of the postings became vulgar and irrelevant to important chess issues like finances and the always interesting "follow the money."<BR/><BR/>It is probably naive to think there can be an easy solution. I still have faith in things which seem to be working - like the Denker and Susan Polgar tourneys for high school students.<BR/><BR/>Do any of the readers have any knowledge of how the federations of other democratic societies fare? (The lessons of the Kalmykian Chess Federation probably don't apply to the US) Anyone out there from Canada or Britain?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-27067320089708439852008-08-25T16:15:00.000-04:002008-08-25T16:15:00.000-04:00I don't have any opinion on anything Donna Alarie ...I don't have any opinion on anything Donna Alarie says. I don't have an opinion on anything a critic of Donna Alarie says.<BR/><BR/>Because the thing she says that is most spot-on is that there is no public information on any of this, either in statements from leadership or in CL or CLO. I have been a USCF member on and off for 30 years; I know that there are "factions" on the board who have their own "agendas" and "alliances." After 30 years, I could not tell you for the life of me what those factions, agendas or alliances actually are.<BR/><BR/>And if people rush in to answer this question and explain it to me, well, I won't know what to do with that information, because I won't know who they are, what their agendas are and what their alliances are.<BR/><BR/>Rick MassimoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-37000798027450743302008-08-25T16:04:00.000-04:002008-08-25T16:04:00.000-04:00Leroy Dubeck? The gentleman whose endorsement of ...Leroy Dubeck? The gentleman whose endorsement of Sloan in 2006 was a proximate cause of USCF's current woes? And who made the endorsement to embarrass Goichberg by making him serve with his quondam dirty trickster? It is good to be fiscally responsible; it is even better to have a moral compass. So I'd have to disagree with Donna on that one....<BR/><BR/>Having said that, it's obvious that she cares. And USCF desperately needs people who care about the organization.Bill Brockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14550157556545540714noreply@blogger.com