Chess politics - Crossing Crossville

Author

Crossing Crossville

Parrthenon

2004-12-15, 5:47 pm

The following post attempts to list the issues that require to be addressed re
the move to Crossville. Much of what follows came from a reader of this forum
who asked me to pass on the thoughts.

It appears we now have multiple issues to address:

About Crossville

1. There are those that disagree with the idea of moving the USCF to Crossville
and would like to continue to delay the move or get the delegates to reverse
direction.

2. Some still find the reasons presented by the Executive Board for not
extending the bid receipt deadline two more weeks for the Liberty site
unconvincing or unsatisfactory.

3. In the name of transparency many members would like an overview of the
process used to select a new USCF site as well as the main provisions of the
successful proposal.

Building Sale

4. It is alleged the USCF building was sold in violation of the USCF bylaws or
New York code.

Revenue Shortfalls

5. There was controversy over the B&E contract that was negotiated and it is
now projected by some that the $350,000 of B&E revenue that is in the USCF
budget may fall short by some $100,000.

Inappropriate Behavior

6. There are ongoing conflict of interest concerns with the actions of the
Executive Director as well as members of the Executive Board.

7. There continues to be a focus on personalities rather than issues resulting
in personal attacks and unsupported allegations. There is a higher standard of
conduct expected from our members and particularly our elected and appointed
officials.

By attack I mean to subject somebody to strong or vehement
criticism/speculation/innuendo or attempting to overthrow or bring into
disrepute by criticism or satire as well as verbal abuse especially as a
substitute for reasoned argument in a dispute. By personal I mean by name or
title.

The Board of Delegates should be ultimately accountable to the membership for
these issues. On their behalf one can argue the Executive Board is responsible
for not handling these issues in a more professional fashion. The Executive
Director was responsible for the sale of the building and the negotiation and
execution of the B&E contract on behalf of the organization. Personal attacks
are completely unacceptable by USCF officials and leaders as well as
inappropriate by the membership, all of whom should accept responsibility for
their behavior.

________________________________________________________________
"FIDE has made its decision. Players who refuse to be drug tested will not be
able to play chess." -- Dr. Press, co-founder of the FIDE Medical Commission.

Rob Mitchell

2004-12-16, 12:46 am

I agree. I wish I had said it.
Rob

Tom Klem

2004-12-16, 12:46 am

Larry,

The delegates ruled on this last summer.

The tactic of those who disagree with this or that, is to question it to
death.

Well, what else would we do here on r.g.c.p. if we didn't?

--
Tom Klem

"For as this appalling ocean surrounds the verdant land, so in the soul of
man there lies one insular Tahiti, full of peace and joy, but encompassed by
all the horrors of the half known life. God keep thee! Push not off from
that isle, thou canst never return!"
---Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Ch. 58

"Parrthenon" <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:20041213101231.08032.00002107@mb-m07.news.cs.com...

quote:

> The following post attempts to list the issues that require to be

addressed re

quote:

> the move to Crossville. Much of what follows came from a reader of this

forum

quote:

> who asked me to pass on the thoughts.
>
> It appears we now have multiple issues to address:
>
> About Crossville
>
> 1. There are those that disagree with the idea of moving the USCF to

Crossville

quote:

> and would like to continue to delay the move or get the delegates to

reverse

quote:

> direction.
>
> 2. Some still find the reasons presented by the Executive Board for not
> extending the bid receipt deadline two more weeks for the Liberty site
> unconvincing or unsatisfactory.
>
> 3. In the name of transparency many members would like an overview of the
> process used to select a new USCF site as well as the main provisions of

the

quote:

> successful proposal.
>
> Building Sale
>
> 4. It is alleged the USCF building was sold in violation of the USCF

bylaws or

quote:

> New York code.
>
> Revenue Shortfalls
>
> 5. There was controversy over the B&E contract that was negotiated and it

quote:

> now projected by some that the $350,000 of B&E revenue that is in the USCF
> budget may fall short by some $100,000.
>
> Inappropriate Behavior
>
> 6. There are ongoing conflict of interest concerns with the actions of the
> Executive Director as well as members of the Executive Board.
>
> 7. There continues to be a focus on personalities rather than issues

resulting

quote:

> in personal attacks and unsupported allegations. There is a higher

standard of

quote:

> conduct expected from our members and particularly our elected and

appointed

quote:

> officials.
>
> By attack I mean to subject somebody to strong or vehement
> criticism/speculation/innuendo or attempting to overthrow or bring into
> disrepute by criticism or satire as well as verbal abuse especially as a
> substitute for reasoned argument in a dispute. By personal I mean by name

quote:

> title.
>
> The Board of Delegates should be ultimately accountable to the membership

for

quote:

> these issues. On their behalf one can argue the Executive Board is

responsible

quote:

> for not handling these issues in a more professional fashion. The

Executive

quote:

> Director was responsible for the sale of the building and the negotiation

and

quote:

> execution of the B&E contract on behalf of the organization. Personal

attacks

quote:

> are completely unacceptable by USCF officials and leaders as well as
> inappropriate by the membership, all of whom should accept responsibility

for

quote:

> their behavior.
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> "FIDE has made its decision. Players who refuse to be drug tested will not

quote:

> able to play chess." -- Dr. Press, co-founder of the FIDE Medical

Commission.

Sam Sloan

2004-12-17, 6:45 am

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 17:14:23 -0800, "Tom Klem" <thewiz@wizville.es>
wrote:

quote:

>Larry,
>
>The delegates ruled on this last summer.

When did the delegates rule on this? Where?

quote:

>The tactic of those who disagree with this or that, is to question it to
>death.
>
>Well, what else would we do here on r.g.c.p. if we didn't?
>
>
>--
>Tom Klem
>
>"For as this appalling ocean surrounds the verdant land, so in the soul of
>man there lies one insular Tahiti, full of peace and joy, but encompassed by
>all the horrors of the half known life. God keep thee! Push not off from
>that isle, thou canst never return!"
>---Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Ch. 58

It happens that I am reading Moby Dich right now. I downloaded it as a
free ebook from
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/ebooks/Mlist.html

Wonderful.

I am trying to learn how to publish my own ebooks. The books have
already been written. Does anybody know how?

Sam Sloan

WPraeder

2004-12-18, 12:45 am

>Larry,

quote:

>
>The delegates ruled on this last summer.
>
>The tactic of those who disagree with this or that, is to question it to
>death.
>
>Well, what else would we do here on r.g.c.p. if we didn't?
>
>
>--
>Tom Klem

Tom,

I believe the relevant text is:

http://www.uschess.org/org/govern/m...ualmeeting.html

Next to be considered was the ratification of the actions of the Executive
Board (EB) since the last Delegates’ Meeting. Minutes of a conference call
held on June 9 were handed out to the Delegates and were added to the actions
to be ratified by Harold Winston. President John McCrary read the motions as
well. He and Harry Sabine presented information about the planned move to
Crossville, TN. Brochures about Crossville and Cumberland County were available
to everyone. President McCrary noted that neither the sale of the building in
New Windsor nor the move have been finalized as yet. Ralph Bowman and Larry
Cohen participated in the discussion after which the motion passed.

DM03-07 - ADM 03-07 (Harold Winston, IL): The delegates ratify all actions of
the Executive Board appearing in Minutes published in Executive Board
Newsletters and the Delegates’ Call, since the conclusion of the 2002
Delegates’ Meeting and the minutes of the Executive Board conference call of
June 9, 2003 that have been distributed to the USCF Delegates at this meeting.
PASSED

http://www.uschess.org/org/govern/June03ebconfcall.html

EB 03-27 (McCrary): The Executive Board authorizes the move of the USCF office
to Crossville, Tennessee. The Executive Director is authorized to execute the
necessary arrangements.

PASSED 5-1-1; Brady opposed and Wagner abstaining.

Regards,
Wayne Praeder

Sam Sloan

2004-12-18, 6:45 am

On 18 Dec 2004 01:02:28 GMT, wpraeder@aol.com (WPraeder) wrote:

quote:

>
>Tom,
>
>I believe the relevant text is:
>
>http://www.uschess.org/org/govern/m...ualmeeting.html
>
>Next to be considered was the ratification of the actions of the Executive
>Board (EB) since the last Delegates’ Meeting. Minutes of a conference call
>held on June 9 were handed out to the Delegates and were added to the actions
>to be ratified by Harold Winston. President John McCrary read the motions as
>well. He and Harry Sabine presented information about the planned move to
>Crossville, TN. Brochures about Crossville and Cumberland County were available
>to everyone. President McCrary noted that neither the sale of the building in
>New Windsor nor the move have been finalized as yet. Ralph Bowman and Larry
>Cohen participated in the discussion after which the motion passed.
>
>DM03-07 - ADM 03-07 (Harold Winston, IL): The delegates ratify all actions of
>the Executive Board appearing in Minutes published in Executive Board
>Newsletters and the Delegates’ Call, since the conclusion of the 2002
>Delegates’ Meeting and the minutes of the Executive Board conference call of
>June 9, 2003 that have been distributed to the USCF Delegates at this meeting.
>PASSED
>
>http://www.uschess.org/org/govern/June03ebconfcall.html
>
>EB 03-27 (McCrary): The Executive Board authorizes the move of the USCF office
>to Crossville, Tennessee. The Executive Director is authorized to execute the
>necessary arrangements.
>
>PASSED 5-1-1; Brady opposed and Wagner abstaining.
>
>Regards,
>Wayne Praeder
>

Thank you for pointing this out.

But there was no such motion at the August 2004 meeting, at which time
everybody believed that the Crossville deal was dead.

Sam Sloan

Mike Nolan

2004-12-18, 6:45 am

sloan@ishipress.com (Sam Sloan) writes:

quote:

>But there was no such motion at the August 2004 meeting, at which time
>everybody believed that the Crossville deal was dead.

How would you know what everybody believed at the August meeting?

You weren't there.
--
Mike Nolan

Tom Klem

2004-12-18, 6:45 am

Assumptions can get you into big trouble. Just look at how you spelled
assume, for example.

On strictly business principles, it is my opinion considering only the set
of facts here in evidence, Crossville is a winner.

Get the board back to 4 times a year, let the ED run things as he/she sees
fit, and lets all the rest of us get on with the business of being
enthusiasts of the game, and promoters of Chess, not bigotry and hatred.

There are just too many worms eating the wood in the big metropolitan areas.
Once the dust settles, the ED can still garner support for the American
Chess scene in the best way possible: from a position of fiscal strength and
smart management, honest brokering of differences.

In light of that, I would strongly suggest a two term limit on committee
chairs and members so that the shuffle is cut properly and no one gets too
enamored of his "private" position.

And Sam, why do they call you slobbering sam anyway?

--
Tom Klem

"A lie gets half-way round the world before the truth get's its pants on!"
---Winston Churchill

"Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
news:41c3d0a8.199294000@ca.news.verio.net...

quote:

> On 18 Dec 2004 01:02:28 GMT, wpraeder@aol.com (WPraeder) wrote:
>
Executive[vbcol=seagreen]
call[vbcol=seagreen]
actions[vbcol=seagreen]
as[vbcol=seagreen]
available[vbcol=seagreen]
building in[vbcol=seagreen]
Larry[vbcol=seagreen]
actions of[vbcol=seagreen]
call of[vbcol=seagreen]
meeting.[vbcol=seagreen]
office[vbcol=seagreen]
the[vbcol=seagreen]
> Thank you for pointing this out.
>
> But there was no such motion at the August 2004 meeting, at which time
> everybody believed that the Crossville deal was dead.
>
> Sam Sloan

Fifiela

2004-12-18, 6:45 am

<<<How would you know what everybody believed at the August meeting?>>>

Sam always knows what everybody believes. It's uncanny.

Rob

2004-12-18, 9:45 am

Tom,
I agree. We must be sharing thoughts. Please visit the USCF-Chess news
group. Your cross-posting there would be most helpful and appreciated.
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/USCF-Chess
Respectfully,
Rob Mitchell

Tom Klem wrote:

quote:

> Assumptions can get you into big trouble. Just look at how you

spelled

quote:

> assume, for example.
>
> On strictly business principles, it is my opinion considering only

the set

quote:

> of facts here in evidence, Crossville is a winner.
>
> Get the board back to 4 times a year, let the ED run things as he/she

sees

quote:

> fit, and lets all the rest of us get on with the business of being
> enthusiasts of the game, and promoters of Chess, not bigotry and

hatred.

quote:

>
> There are just too many worms eating the wood in the big metropolitan

areas.

quote:

> Once the dust settles, the ED can still garner support for the

American

quote:

> Chess scene in the best way possible: from a position of fiscal

strength and

quote:

> smart management, honest brokering of differences.
>
> In light of that, I would strongly suggest a two term limit on

committee

quote:

> chairs and members so that the shuffle is cut properly and no one

gets too

quote:

> enamored of his "private" position.
>
> And Sam, why do they call you slobbering sam anyway?
>
>
> --
> Tom Klem
>
> "A lie gets half-way round the world before the truth get's its pants

on!"[vbcol=seagreen]
> ---Winston Churchill
>
>
> "Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
> news:41c3d0a8.199294000@ca.news.verio.net...
question it to[vbcol=seagreen]
> Executive
conference[vbcol=seagreen]
> call
the[vbcol=seagreen]
> actions
motions[vbcol=seagreen]
> as
move to[vbcol=seagreen]
were[vbcol=seagreen]
> available
> building in
and[vbcol=seagreen]
> Larry
passed.[vbcol=seagreen]
> actions of
Board[vbcol=seagreen]
the 2002[vbcol=seagreen]
conference[vbcol=seagreen]
> call of
this[vbcol=seagreen]
> meeting.
USCF[vbcol=seagreen]
> office
execute[vbcol=seagreen]
> the
time[vbcol=seagreen]

WPraeder

2004-12-20, 5:46 pm

>Larry,

quote:

>
>The delegates ruled on this last summer.
>
>The tactic of those who disagree with this or that, is to question it to
>death.
>
>Well, what else would we do here on r.g.c.p. if we didn't?
>
>
>--
>Tom Klem

Mike Nolan

2004-12-20, 5:46 pm

sloan@ishipress.com (Sam Sloan) writes:

quote:

>But there was no such motion at the August 2004 meeting, at which time
>everybody believed that the Crossville deal was dead.

How would you know what everybody believed at the August meeting?

You weren't there.
--
Mike Nolan

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-17, 3:47 am

We still have no idea what the move will cost. Honest Randy Bauer
calls for flexibility, by which he means to make up the budget as you
go along, rather than doing the costing work ahead of time and then
making the necessary changes.

Beatriz Marinello will receive about $30,000 in "expense" money for a
job lasting perhaps six months to supervise the move. That's $60,000
bucks a year in "expenses." In short, a sitting USCF president has been
hired to work in the office. Bill Goichberg got paid $25,000 though he
was brought in under the aegis of "no pay."

I wish very much Bill would return that money. There is such a stench
behind an Executive Board passing a public resolution calling for "no
pay" even while privately discussing ways to "pay" if possible.

Randy Bauer's argument that Bill deserved something and provided at
least that much value and probably a good deal more is beside the
point. And what is the point?

It is both moral and practical. The moral point is that deception is
such old USCF hat; the practical point is that this deception and lying
to the chess public has, in large part, been responsible for the
decline of the Federation because the deception is almost always rooted
in conflicts of interest and political agendas related to those
conflicts.

This whole business is doubly vexing for me because I am in nearly
total agreement with Bill Goichberg in everything he advocates. But I
can't get myself past the deception at the root of that $25,000. I
doubt that it's legal fraud; but to my mind it's certainly moral fraud.

-- Larry Parr

Louis Blair

2005-02-17, 5:50 pm

_
"If there is any blame that attaches
to the board because of this $25,000
bonus for Bill's 'volunteer' service,
I wish to 'volunteer' for most of that
blame." - Timothy Hanke (Sun, 02 Jan
2005 19:36:37 GMT)

Randy Bauer

2005-02-18, 5:50 pm

<parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:1108617062.617318.176840@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...

quote:

> We still have no idea what the move will cost. Honest Randy Bauer
> calls for flexibility, by which he means to make up the budget as you
> go along, rather than doing the costing work ahead of time and then
> making the necessary changes.

First, having your honesty highlighted by the likes of Larry Parr is akin to
having your health called into question by Typhoid Mary. Second, a
perfectly reasonable estimate of the cashflow costs of the move has been
made by Beatriz Marinello, and, contrary to Parr's earlier opinion, it isn't
breaking the USCF financially. Nor has the Sloan lawsuit tied up the
Federation's funds and left us cash-starved, another Parr prediction.

Parr must not do much budgeting, because every nimble organization engages
in practices that "make up the budget as you go along." Parr should stick
to subjects he knows something about, but that would probably quiet him down
more than his ego can stand

Randy Bauer

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-18, 5:50 pm

WHERE'S THE BEEF?

<Second, a perfectly reasonable estimate of the cashflow costs of the
move has been made by Beatriz Marinello, and, contrary to Parr's
earlier opinion, it isn't breaking the USCF financially.> -- Randy
Bauer

Notice that Mr. Bauer carefully avoids posting any figures.

Where can we find a line by line breakdown estimating the cost of the
move to Crossville, including Ms. Marinello's "expenses" so that it can
be compared with the actual cost when all is said and done?

George John

2005-02-18, 5:50 pm

Larry,

I would be interested in seeing a posted copy of the Crossville move
capital budget which was approved by the 2003 Board of Delegates.

I recognize circumstances may have changed since that budget was
approved, but it could be a useful starting point for a more
substantive discussion of the costs associated with the move.

Best regards,

George John

Louis Blair

2005-02-18, 5:50 pm

Larry Parr wrote (18 Feb 2005
06:19:42 -0800):

quote:

> Notice that Mr. Bauer carefully avoids
> posting any figures.
>_
> Where can we find a line by line
> breakdown estimating the cost of the
> move to Crossville, including Ms.
> Marinello's "expenses" so that it can
> be compared with the actual cost when
> all is said and done?

_
It seems to me that Larry Parr is
addressing the wrong person. After
all, it was Timothy Hanke who wrote:
_
_
"the board members ... have been
given a detailed itemization of
the major moving costs to be
expected, with an estimated total.
The office is continuing to work
on fine-tuning the numbers."
- Timothy Hanke (Tue, 25 Jan 2005
19:01:11 -0500)
_
_
"I have no problem posting the
information I have, but I think it
should be a board decision, not
mine alone. Particularly because I
know the numbers are constantly
being worked on.
_
So I will email the board members
as a group and ask them what they
think. Fair enough?" - Timothy
Hanke (Wed, 26 Jan 2005
09:39:07 -0500)
_
_
Has there been any word from Timothy
Hanke on the result of his emails?

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-18, 5:50 pm

Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (wlod)

2005-02-18, 9:48 pm

Randy Bauer:

quote:

> Parr must not do much budgeting, because
> every nimble organization engages in practices
> that "make up the budget as you go along."
> Parr should stick to subjects he knows something
> about, but that would probably quiet him down
> more than his ego can stand

Demagogy.

USCF is NOT any FBI or CIA. The USCF officers
have the obligation to continuously inform the
chess public, and especially the USCF membership
about the USCF affairs.

While it takes work, time and skill to arrive
at a sound budget, the resulting statement
should be immediately posted for the public.
One thing is to achieve a sound budgfet, another
to understand a well written statement.
Do not confuse the two! Your mudding the waters
and viewing the rgcp participants as brain
disadvantaged is not nice, to put it mildly.

You make up for it by posting the USCF budget.
As I said, it should not be any secret unless
certain USCF officers are highly dishonest.

Regards,

Wlod

Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (wlod)

2005-02-18, 9:48 pm

I missed one word:

quote:

> You make up for it by posting the USCF budget.

It should read:

"You can make up for it by posting the USCF budget."

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-19, 5:49 pm

"You can make up for it by posting the USCF budget." -- Wlod to USCF
board member Randy Bauer, who suddenly clammed up.

Obviously elected USCF officials don't believe that sunshine is the
best disinfectant. This is one of the most secretive boards in USCF
history.

Mr. Bauer assures us that all is well, but what reason is there to
believe it unless he posts the estimate he claims Beatriz Marinello
prepared? Does it include her "expenses" and legal fees associated with
the move to Crossville?

Meanwhile camp follower CPA Stan Booz has also clammed up instead of
retracting his false and defamatory charges against Erik Anderson and
AF4C which raised a record $277,000 for the recent U.S. Championship.

And so it goes.

StanB

2005-02-20, 5:47 pm

"Randy Bauer" <randybauer2300@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:vLlRd.8374$4D6.3495@attbi_s51...

quote:

>
> <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
> news:1108617062.617318.176840@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>
> First, having your honesty highlighted by the likes of Larry Parr is akin
> to having your health called into question by Typhoid Mary. Second, a
> perfectly reasonable estimate of the cashflow costs of the move has been
> made by Beatriz Marinello, and, contrary to Parr's earlier opinion, it
> isn't breaking the USCF financially. Nor has the Sloan lawsuit tied up
> the Federation's funds and left us cash-starved, another Parr prediction.

We are still awaiting proof from Larry that Harry Sabine gets kickbacks.
Likewise his accusation that Beatriz is being paid 30,000 in the guise of an
expense reimbursement. The silence is deafening.

StanB

2005-02-20, 5:47 pm

<parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:1108750156.213794.162600@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

quote:

> Thank you for reminding us, Mr. Blair. Maybe someday this dysfunctional
> board will get their story straight.
>
> Team player Randy Bauer assures us that all is well.

Us? Are you a member now?

StanB

2005-02-20, 5:47 pm

<parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:1108820700.265328.160360@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...

..> Meanwhile camp follower CPA Stan Booz has also clammed up instead of

quote:

> retracting his false and defamatory charges against Erik Anderson and
> AF4C which raised a record $277,000 for the recent U.S. Championship.

Nonsense, I responded numerous times to your clap trap. My question to you
is, do you still beat your wife? Anything other than a yes or no answer will
be considered an admission of guilt.

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-20, 9:47 pm

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-21, 5:49 pm

"I have no problem posting the
information I have, but I think it
should be a board decision, not
mine alone. Particularly because I
know the numbers are constantly
being worked on.
_
So I will email the board members
as a group and ask them what they
think. Fair enough?" - Timothy
Hanke (Wed, 26 Jan 2005
09:39:07 -0500)

<USCF is NOT any FBI or CIA. The USCF officers
have the obligation to continuously inform the
chess public, and especially the USCF membership
about the USCF affairs.> -- Wlod

<The silence is deafening.> -- Stan Booz

Agreed.

We are still waiting for the board to release these figures so that
it can be determined how much "expense" money USCF president Beatriz
Marinello will receive to supervise this move. And so we can compare
the actual cost of the move with an "estimate" that the board
resolutely refuses to release.

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-21, 5:49 pm

Randy Bauer

2005-02-21, 5:49 pm

<parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:1108820700.265328.160360@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...

quote:

> "You can make up for it by posting the USCF budget." -- Wlod to USCF
> board member Randy Bauer, who suddenly clammed up.
>
> Obviously elected USCF officials don't believe that sunshine is the
> best disinfectant. This is one of the most secretive boards in USCF
> history.

By that Larry means that he has no board majority mole wishing to provide
dirt for his RGCP garden.

This weekend, 6 of the 7 members of the USCF Executive Board were at the
U.S. Amateur Team East in New Jersey. I believe that Elisabeth was playing
in the West version.

It was announced to all the players before the start of the Saturday evening
round that there would be a budget workshop on Sunday morning. Many players
chose to attend, as well as Board members Marinello, Hanke, and Bauer. We
shared with them the summary income statements (actual to budget) for the
first seven months of the fiscal year (ending December 31, 2004). Several
of those in attendance do, indeed, know how to read such a statement and
reach some reasonable conclusions about the financial health of the USCF.
Meanwhile, Parr wants us to post inchoate, yesterday's news documents rather
than those that reflect actual performance. Bizarre.

I know that Steve Schutt did not attend because he was supervising about 20
of his students who were playing in the tournament. However, I'm kind of
surprised that neither Don Schultz or Frank Brady chose to attend; I know
Don knew about it. Since they have raised issues about the finances
surrounding the move, wouldn't this have been a good time to raise those?

By the way, if anybody out there has never been to the U.S. Amateur Team
East, you are missing a great chess experience. Somewhere around 1,200
players, young and old, professional and patzer alike playing for little
more than the fun of it. Steve Doyle and his staff do a bang up job, and it
reminded me that chess is supposed to be, above all else, a fun activity. I
promise to be back next year, but this time I'm going to play!

Randy Bauer

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-21, 9:47 pm

DIRT IN THE USCF GARDEN

quote:

>Obviously elected USCF officials don't believe that sunshine is the

best disinfectant. This is one of the most secretive boards in USCF
history.>

<By that Larry means that he has no board majority mole wishing to
provide dirt for his RGCP garden.> -- Randy Bauer

Another non-answer answer.

Mr. Bauer suggests there is dirt connected with this move. Otherwise
why not just post Ms. Marinello's cost estimate including her "expense
money"?

Randy Bauer

2005-02-21, 9:47 pm

<parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:1109026445.286872.318760@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...

quote:

> DIRT IN THE USCF GARDEN
>
> best disinfectant. This is one of the most secretive boards in USCF
> history.>
>
> <By that Larry means that he has no board majority mole wishing to
> provide dirt for his RGCP garden.> -- Randy Bauer
>
> Another non-answer answer.

Larry Parr is a dirt farmer. There's no need to carry out financial
"discussions" with him; as Stan Booz aptly suggests, they end up with all
the value of a "when did you stop beating your wife?" line of questioning.

quote:

>
> Mr. Bauer suggests there is dirt connected with this move. Otherwise
> why not just post Ms. Marinello's cost estimate including her "expense
> money"?
>

Absolutely not! Larry Parr is a dirt farmer, and that is all I suggest.

Further, I point out that the Board provided an opportunity for Parr, Wlod,
Innes, and assorted countless other non-members to ask questions about the
organization's finances at the largest U.S. tournament of the year, the U.S.
Amateur Team East. Many took us up on that, and we spent over 2 hours
engaged in the sort of useful discussion that Parr would not understand.

Randy Bauer

StanB

2005-02-21, 9:47 pm

<parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:1108997495.952373.193450@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...

quote:

> We are still waiting for the board to release these figures so that
> it can be determined how much "expense" money USCF president Beatriz
> Marinello will receive to supervise this move.

Zero to supervise the move.

StanB

2005-02-21, 9:47 pm

"Randy Bauer" <randybauer2300@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:YUpSd.38677$4q6.20725@attbi_s01...

quote:

> I know that Steve Schutt did not attend because he was supervising about
> 20 of his students who were playing in the tournament. However, I'm kind
> of surprised that neither Don Schultz or Frank Brady chose to attend; I
> know Don knew about it. Since they have raised issues about the finances
> surrounding the move, wouldn't this have been a good time to raise those?

Don and Frank wouldn't know how to interpret a financial statement even if
the answer came up and bit them on the XXX.

Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (wlod)

2005-02-21, 9:47 pm

Further, I point out that the Board provided an opportunity for Parr,
Wlod,
Randy Bauer:

quote:

> Innes, and assorted countless other non-members to ask
> questions about the organization's finances at the largest
> U.S. tournament of the year, the U.S. Amateur Team East.
> Many took us up on that, and we spent over 2 hours
> engaged in the sort of useful discussion that Parr would not
> understand.

This answer is pathetic.

Wlod

Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (wlod)

2005-02-21, 9:47 pm

I have broken accidentally the quote.
Let me fix it:

************
Randy Bauer:

.... Further, I point out that the Board
.... provided an opportunity for Parr, Wlod,
.... Innes, and assorted countless other non-members to ask
.... questions about the organization's finances at the largest
.... U.S. tournament of the year, the U.S. Amateur Team East.
.... Many took us up on that, and we spent over 2 hours
.... engaged in the sort of useful discussion that Parr would
.... not understand.

To which my response is:

This answer is pathetic.

Wlod

emark@poconorecord.com

2005-02-22, 3:48 am

Randy Bauer wrote:

quote:

> <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
> news:1108820700.265328.160360@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
USCF[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> By that Larry means that he has no board majority mole wishing to

provide

quote:

> dirt for his RGCP garden.
>
> This weekend, 6 of the 7 members of the USCF Executive Board were at

the

quote:

> U.S. Amateur Team East in New Jersey. I believe that Elisabeth was

playing

quote:

> in the West version.
>
> It was announced to all the players before the start of the Saturday

evening

quote:

> round that there would be a budget workshop on Sunday morning. Many

players

quote:

> chose to attend, as well as Board members Marinello, Hanke, and

Bauer. We

quote:

> shared with them the summary income statements (actual to budget) for

the

quote:

> first seven months of the fiscal year (ending December 31, 2004).

Several

quote:

> of those in attendance do, indeed, know how to read such a statement

and

quote:

> reach some reasonable conclusions about the financial health of the

USCF.

It was an interesting meeting, pleasantly informal but informative. I'm
sorry I did not introduce myself, Randy: I left to get coffee and when
I got back the meeting had just ended and round 3 was about to start. I
was the big ugly 40-year-old white guy in the black polo shirt.

The meeting probably would have drawn more people had it not been
announced as starting at 8:30 a.m.---a ghoulish hour for most
chessplayers, including me, to be up and about on a Sunday. Also some
players have developed an immunity to hearing anything Steve screams
into the microphone just before a round starts, as a way to keep their
playing composure intact. I've given up on ever regaining my full
concentration at the board, so it sunk in with me when he announced the
meeting.

Of course, scheduling anything at the USATE is tough because of the
tournament schedule and the noise issue once you get close to the start
of a round. I got to the meeting a few minutes after 9. Beatriz arrived
a few minutes after I did. I was glad to see that she looked pretty
good; much better than at last year's USATE, the last time I saw her.

Randy did not mention that Leroy Dubeck co-chaired the meeting with the
EB members. This was the third time I saw Dr. Dubeck in action; he was
much kinder and gentler this time, maybe because no one from the
Goichberg wing showed up.

It's probably stretching it a bit to say "many" people attended. Maybe
two dozen or so came and went. Quite a few of the ones who stayed for
more than a few minutes hail from PA, I was proud to see.

The discussion centered more around the future direction of USCF and
how to pay for it and make it happen than it did around pure
number-crunching.

The biggest news to me was that the Crossville office opened last week,
I believe on Feb. 14. The New Windsor office is still open; for the
next month or six weeks, both offices will be open as the Crossville
staff is hired and trained and the various functions are transferred
out of New Windsor. No one mentioned any hard costs, anticipated or
actual, in re the move that I recalled.

Seven office employees will transfer to Crossville, Beatriz said. She
also noted that the few employees hired so far in Crossville are off to
a good start, and that at least one is a chessplayer.

Tim Hanke spoke in favor of reducing adult dues, and everyone there
agreed the dues structure has to be simplified. One woman organizer in
the audience said she has given up trying to explain all the various
membership options; said she can't fit them on the flyers she sends out
advertising her events.

She also did not like that an affiliate discount is available for the
$19 w/Chess Life Scholastic membership, while there's no commission on
the $13 economy Scholastic membership. That confused me, because I was
at Cherry Hill in 2002 and remember that Economy Scholastic got a $1
affiliate commission---$13/$12---but I guess that was one of the
changes made last year in L.A.

Once the hard numbers were discussed---Dubeck took great relish in
pointing out that the six-month actual numbers backed up his more
conservative $1.8 million projected figure for membership revenue
rather than Bill G.'s more ambitious figure of $2.1 million---the
discussion kept coming back to the need to improve customer service.

quote:

>From the way Beatriz and Tim described it, the new workflow system in

Crossville will allow employees to answer phone questions on a variety
of topics, rather than transferring callers around the depths of voice
mail hell. Also, one got the impression that employees will be expected
to know the answers to questions on a variety of subjects, which has
apparently not been the case in the past.

Another example of how FUBAR things were at the New Windsor office:
Beatriz mentioned that the backlog of tournaments waiting to be rated
because of problems with the TRF or somesuch is about three years. The
TDs of some of these events were never contacted about the problems,
she said. It took a while for that one to sink in.

Randy mentioned that several qualified candidates have applied for the
ED position.

The only down side occurred near the end of the meeting, when young
children started to pass out flyers supporting the
Bauer/Shaughnessy/John/Shutt slate, and Dubeck started lobbying for the
same slate in his last few remarks.

Still it was much less political than the last "finance meeting" I
attended in the same room, at the 1999 USATE. That time, campaign
speeches, veiled and otherwise, abounded. Schultz did not attend that
meeting either, BTW, Randy.

I echo Randy's sentiments below about the team tournament. I keep going
back every year to see old chess friends, some of whom I never see
anywhere else. One of the guys in the audience made a good point: the
USATE by itself probably accounts for several hundred membership
renewals, both from players who literally never play any other events,
and also because some players got juiced up to play in the team
tournament, and thus play other tournaments to prepare for it.

Tim Hanke left the meeting early; I hope he is feeling OK. His team was
supposed to play my team this morning, but they wound up forfeiting the
match 4-0 after, from what the TDs told us, 3 of their players suddenly
took ill and could not play.

Also, Sam Sloan is not dead. He showed up today along with his young
daughter. I did not approach him, either. We've met twice briefly, but
he never recognizes me when we pass in the halls, and I'd like to keep
it that way.

Regards,

Eric M

quote:

> Meanwhile, Parr wants us to post inchoate, yesterday's news documents

rather

quote:

> than those that reflect actual performance. Bizarre.
>
> I know that Steve Schutt did not attend because he was supervising

about 20

quote:

> of his students who were playing in the tournament. However, I'm

kind of

quote:

> surprised that neither Don Schultz or Frank Brady chose to attend; I

know

quote:

> Don knew about it. Since they have raised issues about the finances
> surrounding the move, wouldn't this have been a good time to raise

those?

quote:

> By the way, if anybody out there has never been to the U.S. Amateur

Team

quote:

> East, you are missing a great chess experience. Somewhere around

1,200

quote:

> players, young and old, professional and patzer alike playing for

little

quote:

> more than the fun of it. Steve Doyle and his staff do a bang up job,

and it

quote:

> reminded me that chess is supposed to be, above all else, a fun

activity. I

quote:

> promise to be back next year, but this time I'm going to play!
>
> Randy Bauer

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-22, 3:48 am

ANOTHER NON-ANSWER ANSWER

<Larry Parr is a dirt farmer. There's no need to carry out financial
"discussions" with him; as Stan Booz aptly suggests, they end up with
all the value of a "when did you stop beating your wife?" line of
questioning.> -- Randy Bauer

<Your answer is pathetic.> -- Wlod

What a game!

We have been told that there are these up-to-date, detailed estimates
of the costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear, but nobody except board
members can see them.

Now, then, the reason why ALL OF YOU cannot see them is an interesting
one.

In time-honored chess politico fashion, Randy Bauer evades. He says
there was a workshop at the Amateur Team, and he heaps praise on E.
Steven Doyle and his staff. He does not tell us what was said at the
workshop or whether the estimates of the move to Cross-to-Bear were
relayed to whomever showed up.

We are told the numbers cannot be released because the Board majority
has to decide to do so. Everyone seems to want to release the numbers,
but they cannot manage to find the time to undertake this major
operation. Something like that.

Instead, Mr. Bauer tells us that informing ALL OF YOU out there cannot
be done because this writer and some other critics do not deserve to
know because we were not at this workshop in New Jersey, though he does
not tell us whether the costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear were
actually divulged there!

The Board that defined "no pay" to mean "pay" and that defines a
"volunteer" as someone receiving $30,000 in "expenses" at an annualized
rate of at least $60,000 and perhaps more -- this Board also cannot
tell us what the cost of the move to Cross-to-Bear will be because ...

.... this writer will find out and dish the dirt. Now, then, if it were
just ALL OF YOU out there who wished to know, then presumably Mr.
Bauer's reasons for stonewalling would disappear.

Could, then, a Larry Tapper or another of you ask, in an ever so
respectful tone,of course, for the cost estimates provided by Ms.
Marinello of the move to Cross-to Bear? You are permitted to use the
name, Crossville.

To paraphrase Alfred Doolittle, that common dustman, the most original
moralist in England, Mr. Bauer is wantin' to tell ya, willin' to tell
ya, waitin' to tell ya.

But Mr. Bauer just can't tell ya because this writer is a dirt farmer.
But mind ya, our Randy Bauer is wantin', willin' and waitin' to tell
ya.

-- Larry Parr

George John

2005-02-22, 3:48 am

<emark@poconorecord.com> wrote in message
news:1109050133.854036.121810@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

[Snipped a good report]

quote:

> [SNIP] flyers supporting the
> Bauer/Shaughnessy/John/Shutt slate [SNIP]

For those curious to see what those fliers contained (minus three pictures)
please visit http://USChessSuccess.com

Note: over the next few months this Website should have much more content
added to it. What is there today is just a bare minimum start. In addition
to the flier information, I have included my 150 word campaign article and
picture which will appear in the April issue of Chess Life. I expect
contributions from the other three candidates in the near future.

Best regards,

George John

Chess One

2005-02-22, 5:52 pm

<parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:1109052987.496941.86200@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...

quote:

> ANOTHER NON-ANSWER ANSWER
>
> <Larry Parr is a dirt farmer. There's no need to carry out financial
> "discussions" with him; as Stan Booz aptly suggests, they end up with
> all the value of a "when did you stop beating your wife?" line of
> questioning.> -- Randy Bauer
>
> <Your answer is pathetic.> -- Wlod
>
> What a game!
>
> We have been told that there are these up-to-date, detailed estimates
> of the costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear, but nobody except board
> members can see them.

FOREIGN FARMERS PLOUGH AHEAD

Dear Farmer Person,

What subject do you think is 'detailed' and what subject 'estimated'?

Are 'details' list of things that have to be done, and 'estimates' guesses
of how much they will cost?

quote:

> Now, then, the reason why ALL OF YOU cannot see them is an interesting
> one.
>
> In time-honored chess politico fashion, Randy Bauer evades. He says
> there was a workshop at the Amateur Team, and he heaps praise on E.
> Steven Doyle and his staff. He does not tell us what was said at the
> workshop or whether the estimates of the move to Cross-to-Bear were
> relayed to whomever showed up.

I read Eric Marks' report and didn't notice any report qua-report there, nor
any agenda as such, nor do I suppose there would have been minutes available
if there had been.

quote:

> We are told the numbers cannot be released because the Board majority
> has to decide to do so. Everyone seems to want to release the numbers,
> but they cannot manage to find the time to undertake this major
> operation. Something like that.
>
> Instead, Mr. Bauer tells us that informing ALL OF YOU out there cannot
> be done because this writer and some other critics do not deserve to
> know because we were not at this workshop in New Jersey, though he does
> not tell us whether the costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear were
> actually divulged there!

My understanding is that it is because the 'critics' all appear to be
currently non-USCF members. No USCF members have made any inquiries at all
since of course, the vast majority of members do not know there is even a
move taking place, since no announcement or other information has been made
to members in their own news magazine ChessLife.

How should a delegate represent their constituency in this issue if the
membership does not know anything?

You and I are personally not entitled to receive answers because we have
both opted, for, (as I understand your position also), not to associate with
an organisation which receives money from Fide - for ethical reasons.

We ethicists have no role to play in US Chess affairs, nor any entitlement
to know what the ethically-undeclared board members will declare.

Cordially, Another Farmer

quote:

> The Board that defined "no pay" to mean "pay" and that defines a
> "volunteer" as someone receiving $30,000 in "expenses" at an annualized
> rate of at least $60,000 and perhaps more -- this Board also cannot
> tell us what the cost of the move to Cross-to-Bear will be because ...
>
> ... this writer will find out and dish the dirt. Now, then, if it were
> just ALL OF YOU out there who wished to know, then presumably Mr.
> Bauer's reasons for stonewalling would disappear.
>
> Could, then, a Larry Tapper or another of you ask, in an ever so
> respectful tone,of course, for the cost estimates provided by Ms.
> Marinello of the move to Cross-to Bear? You are permitted to use the
> name, Crossville.
>
> To paraphrase Alfred Doolittle, that common dustman, the most original
> moralist in England, Mr. Bauer is wantin' to tell ya, willin' to tell
> ya, waitin' to tell ya.
>
> But Mr. Bauer just can't tell ya because this writer is a dirt farmer.
> But mind ya, our Randy Bauer is wantin', willin' and waitin' to tell
> ya.
>
> -- Larry Parr
>

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-22, 5:53 pm

DON'T WORRY, THEY WOULDA TOLD YA

<The biggest news to me was that the Crossville office opened last
week, I believe on Feb. 14. The New Windsor office is still open; for
the
next month or six weeks, both offices will be open as the Crossville
staff is hired and trained and the various functions are transferred
out of New Windsor. No one mentioned any hard costs, anticipated or
actual, in re the move that I recalled.> -- Eric Mark

In a previous message, Randy Bauer said that we could have learned
about the detailed estimated costs of moving to Cross-to-Bear by
attending the 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning meeting in Parsippany, New
Jersey. All I had to do was hop a plane there from Kuala Lumpur.

Eric Mark says that subject did not, somehow or other, come up. Little
of that ol' number-crunching, don't you see.

Perhaps if we had been there and asked, we could then have learned
about the detailed estimated costs provided by Ms. Marinello of the
move to Cross-to-Bear?

The official reason offered by Randy Bauer for not being able to
divulge these detailed estimated costs to ALL OF YOU is that this
writer is a dirt farmer. I will ask nasty questions.

So, then, all is above board. All is honest. But as for the estimated
costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear ALL OF YOU cannot know them because
of this dirt lil' ol' me. IIt has nothing to do with costs soaring
beyond what anyone on the board imagined.

That is the new official line of the Board majority that defines "no
pay" as "pay" and touts as a "volunteer" the USCF president who is
being paid annualized "expenses" of $60,000 or possibly more.

I mean to say: ALL OF YOU could know that all is pure as the
wind-driven snow, and those detailed estimated costs of the move to
Cross-to-Bear could be bared were it not for this dirt farmer.

Everything is creamy and peachy. You could all know that for
yourselves. But here I am. Then there is Phil Innes, Wlod and a few
others. If we did not exist, then our Board would make public the
detailed estimated costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear. The Board could
explain that the architect who was going to charge $60,000 for building
a structure worth $300,000 to $350,000 is just as honest as County
Commissioner Harry Sabine. The Board could tell all of you whether the
two men are friends. The Board could explain how the architect, Honest
Elmore, agreed to a change in his fee after the larger fee was reported
here by this writer. The Board could explain how it was GOING TO TELL
ALL OF YOU ABOUT THAT if I had not brought up the subject first. It was
simply too busy during the intervening months to do so. But it woulda
told ya.

So, then, the detailed estimated costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear
would certainly be told to ALL OF YOU but for those who will ask
questions of the when-did-you-stop-beating-your-wife variety.

The Board is wantin' to tell ya, willing to tell ya and waitin' to tell
ya. But I am a dirt farmer. So it ain't telling ya.

I mean to say: It woulda told ya all about Elmore the Architect and His
Fee. It was wantin' to tell ya, willin' to tell ya, waitin' to tell ya.
It was just that this dirt farmer -- yours truly -- told ya first.

But don't worry, they woulda told ya.

-- Larry Parr

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-22, 5:53 pm

ON A WING AND A PRAYER

<Parr must not do much budgeting, because every nimble
organization engages in practices that "make up the budget as you go
along." Parr should stick to subjects he knows something about, but
that would probably quiet him down more than his ego can stand.> --
Randy Bauer who can't stick to the facts facts and release Beatriz
Marinello's estimated cost of the move to Cross-to-Bear.

Randy Bauer offers us his typical ploy: create a strawman. I
write that budgets are indeed altered as a project proceeds, if
costings have proven inaccurate. One notes, however, that costings in
private enterprise are seldom as wildly inaccurate as Randy Bauer's
public sector.

There is a reason for that: the government of Iowa or some
other state seldom goes out of business. There is no profit
discipline, and competition is called rebellion or terrorism. Coercive
taxation, printing money and/or passing off debt to future generations
are the three methods to keep paychecks flowing for government
employees such as Mr. Bauer.

So, then, the normal way to run a private company is to cost
out what you intend to do and then, indeed, improvise when necessary.

The precise distinction between this method and that of Mr.
Bauer is this: the costing was not done to begin with. We are flying
by a wing and a prayer.

-- Larry Parr

Randy Bauer

2005-02-22, 5:53 pm

In article <1109079716.267092.149940@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
parrthenon@cs.com says...

quote:

>
>DON'T WORRY, THEY WOULDA TOLD YA
>

(snip Parr droning on and on and on and on)

In the 7 months I've been on the USCF EB I've learned a few useful lessons:

(1) There is an inverse relationship between the number of words that Larry Parr
writes and their value

(2) There is a similar relationship between the number of words that Phil Innes
writes and their coherance

(3) There is no point discussing specifics with either because they don't listen
to them anyway.

I appreciated Eric Mark's comments about the meeting at the USATE. I may be
mistaken, but I think we had more specific budget numbers discussion before he
arrived -- we did hand out the cash statement, budget to actuals, through
December 31, 2004, and did answer questions about how the numbers look for the
fiscal year. The short answer is we're in postion to, once again, operate in the
black. After 8 successive years of budget deficits, 2 years in the black sounds
pretty good to me. I'm sure Farmer Parr will write plenty of words to justify
an opposite conclusion.

Randy Bauer

StanB

2005-02-23, 3:49 am

<parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:1109052987.496941.86200@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...

quote:

> We have been told that there are these up-to-date, detailed estimates
> of the costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear, but nobody except board
> members can see them.

I saw them.

chessdon@aol.com

2005-02-23, 3:49 am

Randy Bauer wrote:

quote:

>
> I know that Steve Schutt did not attend because he was supervising

about 20

quote:

> of his students who were playing in the tournament. However, I'm

kind of

quote:

> surprised that neither Don Schultz or Frank Brady chose to attend; I

know

quote:

> Don knew about it. Since they have raised issues about the finances
> surrounding the move, wouldn't this have been a good time to raise

those?

quote:

>
> Randy Bauer

The meeting at New Jersey as far as I know was scheduled on short
notice. I was playing in the tournamment - 6 games in three days. My
wife was with me. My daughter and three grandsons who live in Northern
New Jersey drove down to visit with me between games that day. I also
had scheduled a Cramer Awards committee meeting that day and because I
had too little time I had to cancel a visit with my brother-in-law and
his family who live near by. So my advice to those that are surprised
to not see me at meeting they scheduled on short notice is for them to
schedule it well ahead of time because like Shutt who didn't play in
the tournament I too have other obligations and priorities.
Don Schultz

emark@poconorecord.com

2005-02-23, 3:49 am

George John wrote:

quote:

> <emark@poconorecord.com> wrote in message
> news:1109050133.854036.121810@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>
> [Snipped a good report]
>
>
> For those curious to see what those fliers contained (minus three

pictures)

quote:

> please visit http://USChessSuccess.com
>
> Note: over the next few months this Website should have much more

content

quote:

> added to it. What is there today is just a bare minimum start. In

addition

quote:

> to the flier information, I have included my 150 word campaign

article and

quote:

> picture which will appear in the April issue of Chess Life. I expect

quote:

> contributions from the other three candidates in the near future.
>
> Best regards,
>
> George John

George,

What do you think of the concept of party or slate politics in USCF,
which is now open and obvious?

It worked out well this year: there are 4 open board seats and eight
serious candidates, so a 4 against 4 matchup seemed destined. The
lineups are interesting. I'm way out of the loop, especially the
scholastic loop, but it seems strange to me that Tanner is in the group
opposing Shutt and Shaughnessy.

Who took the first step in forming your slate? It's an interesting mix.

It will be interesting the first election in which we have, say, 11
candidates of widely varied tastes and opinions most of whom hate each
other.

ERM

Randy Bauer

2005-02-23, 3:49 am

<emark@poconorecord.com> wrote in message
news:1109132145.346252.70330@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

quote:

>
> George John wrote:
> pictures)
> content
> addition
> article and
>
>
>
> George,
>
> What do you think of the concept of party or slate politics in USCF,
> which is now open and obvious?

I think it is more a product of a particular set of circumstances. Three of
the four people "running together" have served on the most recent Board.
That Board has been the first in a decade to balance the budget, has made
hard choices about how to control costs, how to make a move of chess HQ from
a high cost to a lower cost area, and how to rightsize our workforce to both
reduce costs and provide better services. It's not surprising that we would
wish to work together to maintain that momentum.

The USCF has suffered from a lack of direction and continuity. When, for
the first time in a long time, we have attained financial stability, what is
the point in changing that direction? I am confident that Steve Schutt,
Elisabeth Shaughnessey, and I, as the incumbants, with the addition of
George John's expertise in information technology, can keep the USCF moving
in the right direction. That is the reason we are seeking to run as a team.

quote:

>
> It worked out well this year: there are 4 open board seats and eight
> serious candidates, so a 4 against 4 matchup seemed destined. The
> lineups are interesting. I'm way out of the loop, especially the
> scholastic loop, but it seems strange to me that Tanner is in the group
> opposing Shutt and Shaughnessy.

Again, I don't think this is a "scholastics versus non-scholastics"
match-up. One of the things that I like about the
Bauer-John-Schutt-Shaughnessey "team" is the diversity of our chess and
non-chess experience. First, you have wide geographic diversity
(Pennsylvania-Texas-Iowa-California), scholastic and adult chess focus,
experience in budget, teaching, and information technology, and Board
experience that allows us to hit the ground running -- no on the job
training is necessary. Given the many changes that the USCF is undertaking,
this is extremely important. This team can maintain and sustain the
positive momentum on finances and services.

quote:

>
> Who took the first step in forming your slate? It's an interesting mix.
>
> It will be interesting the first election in which we have, say, 11
> candidates of widely varied tastes and opinions most of whom hate each
> other.

I respectfully disagree. I met Joel Channing for the first time last week
at the US Amateur East touranment, and from what I have learned, he is a
fine person who wants the same things I want for US chess and the USCF.
I've posted my support for positions espoused by Bill Goichberg on many
occasions. I'm not as familiar with the other candidates, but I doubt the
word hate would be my choice for a description of any of the candidates. At
the same time, there are justifiable reasons for supporting certain
candidates when there are many acceptable candidates.

One of my goals as a member of the Board, and it continues both in my
current Board service and in my candidacy, is to make USCF Executive Board
less of a love and hate relationship between the members. I have served on
other Boards where this sort of rancor doesn't exist, and I do not believe
it serves the long term interests of the USCF. We need to move the USCF
Executive Board into more of a "steering" function for the organization, in
establishing goals and objectives, and leaving detailed, day to day policy,
to the hired professional staff.

This past weekend, at the US Amateur Team East, several Board members
(Marinello, Schultz, Brady, Bauer) were able to get together and compare
notes for a process to hire a new Executive Director. It was a productive
meeting where all could agree on the overriding principles of that process.
Even though we've often been on "opposing sides" of issues, it was the sort
of even handed discussion that serves the organization's best interests. I
am hopeful that our ultimate choice for ED will be conducted in this same
fashion. That is what the USCF EB should aspire to be, and I think that
maintaining continuity on the EB will help accomplish that. >

quote:

> ERM
>

Randy Bauer

parrthenon@cs.com

2005-02-23, 3:49 am

<We have been told that there are these up-to-date, detailed estimates
of the costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear, but nobody except board
members can see them.> -- Larry Parr

<I saw them.> -- CPA Stan Booz, camp follower of the board majority

Dear Phil Innes,

Vermont Gentleman Farmer and Widely Hated Rural Toff,

Dirt farmer Parr, here.

The Board majority appears unable to release the cost estimates, which
are filled with all of these purported details, of the move to
Cross-to-Bear because I am a dirt farmer.

Presumably, every USCF member here at rgcp and other USCF members, too,
would be told about the estimated costs if I did not farm dirt. But I
do farm dirt, and the honest Board majority cannot tell the Federation
membership about the cost estimates or, as of this date, even that
there is a planned move to Cross-to-Bear.

Randy Bauer is wantin', willin', waitin' to tell the USCF members, but
he needs the permission of other Board members, who themselves cannot
speak without receiving permission from still other Board members, who
themselves are pledged to secrecy because of other Board members. One
eventually comes full circle back to Mr. Bauer, who is still wantin',
willin', waitin' to answer questions, but I'm a dirt farmer.

So, we still cannot be told what are the the detailed cost estimates of
the move to Cross-to-Bear.

Now, then, why can't we see the contract between Phil Elmore,
Cross-to-Bear architect, and the USCF? First, I am a dirt farmer.
Secondly, you exist, along with several others. Thirdly, we don't need
to know whether Mr. Elmore is a friend of Harry Sabine or why he was to
receive $60,000 for designing a building worth $300,000 to $350,000, or
what the new deal happens to be.

But don't get me wrong, you ancient feudal relic of the squirearchy.
Randy Bauer is willin' to tell ALL OF YOU, wantin' to tell ALL OF YOU,
waitin' to tell ALL OF YOU. The trouble is that I am a dirt farmer, so
he cannot.

Here is the one point Mr. Bauer and other members of the Board majority
want ALL OF YOU to understand: although they cannot speak because I am
a dirt farmer, they were willin', wantin' and waitin' to tell all of
you about the 60,000 sweet ones to Honest Elmore except that I told you
first. They accidentally failed to mention the matter for many months
because of other pressing duties.

But they woulda told you and you and you -- except for the pressing
duties and my being a dirt farmer.

I mean to say: Randy Bauer is wantin', willin', waitin'.

I mean to say: Mr. Bauer wants, wills, waits. As for the $60,000 or
more in annualized expenses for USCF President Beatriz Marinello, he
hankers to provide a breakdown of this spending. But he needs the
permission of other Board members, who have to consult with other Board
members, who in turn must converse with still other Board members. The
circle comes full to Mr. Bauer.

The man veritably bursts at the seams to provide the members numbers,
but I am a dirt farmer.

-- Larry Parr

Randy Bauer

2005-02-23, 3:49 am

<parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
news:1109135323.207181.232960@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...

quote:

> <We have been told that there are these up-to-date, detailed estimates
> of the costs of the move to Cross-to-Bear, but nobody except board
> members can see them.> -- Larry Parr
>
>
> <I saw them.> -- CPA Stan Booz, camp follower of the board majority
>
> Dear Phil Innes,
>
> Vermont Gentleman Farmer and Widely Hated Rural Toff,
>
> Dirt farmer Parr, here.
>
> The Board majority appears unable to release the cost estimates, which
> are filled with all of these purported details, of the move to
> Cross-to-Bear because I am a dirt farmer.
>

emark@poconorecord.com

2005-02-23, 3:49 am

Chess One wrote:

quote:

> <parrthenon@cs.com> wrote in message
> news:1109052987.496941.86200@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
financial[vbcol=seagreen]
with[vbcol=seagreen]
estimates[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> FOREIGN FARMERS PLOUGH AHEAD
>
> Dear Farmer Person,
>
> What subject do you think is 'detailed' and what subject 'estimated'?
>
> Are 'details' list of things that have to be done, and 'estimates'

guesses

quote:

> of how much they will cost?
>
interesting[vbcol=seagreen]
the[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> I read Eric Marks' report and didn't notice any report qua-report

there, nor

quote:

> any agenda as such, nor do I suppose there would have been minutes

available

quote:

> if there had been.

What is a qua-report, please?

In re the cost to move to Crossville: Beatriz and Dr. Dubeck both said
the single biggest expense would be staffing both offices, for as long
as it takes to close the shop in New Windsor and set up shop in
Tennessee.

When does the lease expire in New Windsor? The obvious danger here is
that the move will take longer than anticipated, the Fed will have to
pay "double-staff" wages for longer than planned, and suddenly the
overall cost of the move will shoot up.

I suppose the Board could argue that releasing cost estimates of the
move is one baby step too close to revealing the salaries/wages of rank
and file staffers. It would make life easier if someone just posted
that info here. I cannot imagine why it should be controversial to
anyone who does not have a pre-existing grudge against the move.

BTW, I was not a big supporter of the Crossville deal when I heard it
was sealed, but now that it's just about happened, there's no point
fighting over moving budgets and like. That is, barring any outright
dipping into the till for personal gain, which does not seem likely
here, if only because the potential costs would outweigh the benefits.

(SNIP)

Regards,

Eric M

George John

2005-02-23, 3:49 am

<emark@poconorecord.com> wrote in message
news:1109132145.346252.70330@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

Eric,

[SNIP]

quote:

> What do you think of the concept of party or slate politics in USCF,
> which is now open and obvious?

What I like best about the concept is having a team which is pulling
together toward common goals and values. IMO, a major weakness of USCF
leadership in the past is how fractured and uncoordinated it has seemed to
be.

quote:

> It worked out well this year: there are 4 open board seats and eight
> serious candidates, so a 4 against 4 matchup seemed destined.

It is interesting how this has worked out, isn't it.

quote:

> The
> lineups are interesting. I'm way out of the loop, especially the
> scholastic loop, but it seems strange to me that Tanner is in the group
> opposing Shutt and Shaughnessy.

Yes, that seems odd to me, too.

quote:

> Who took the first step in forming your slate? It's an interesting mix.

I don't know who took the first step. And, yes, it is an interesting mix.
I like the three incumbents are running together on a slate. That speaks
well for long term cohesiveness and consistency in policy. In the past USCF
leadership has seemed to me to be a boat without a rudder with all too many
abrupt changes in direction as the political currents shifted back and
forth.

There was no fourth incumbent to run for the fourth position. I find it
interesting I was recruited, since I still feel much more like an
independent than part of any 'party'. Maybe they thought Texas might
produce another winner with a first name of George and a four letter last
name. ;-)

quote:

> It will be interesting the first election in which we have, say, 11
> candidates of widely varied tastes and opinions most of whom hate each
> other.

?

Did you accidentally leave out a "won't"?

For example: It will be interesting, the first election in which we *won't*
have, say, 11 candidates of widely varied tastes and opinions most of whom
hate each other.

I'm hoping for a civil discussion. It is okay to disagree, so long as we
are never disagreeable. But, the campaign can't be all "happy talk" either.
One example, conflict of interest issues need to be discussed out in the
open. There are of course many other issues which should be discussed as
well. I hope to see a substantive discussion. Hopefully, the outcome of
this election will be much more than a popularity contest, and the USCF
voting members will make reasonably well informed votes. I truly hope
http://www.USChessSuccess.com will quickly grow into something which will
help achieve that goal.

Best regards,

George John

chessdon@aol.com

2005-02-23, 6:50 am

George John said:

I'm hoping for a civil discussion. It is okay to disagree, so long as
we
are never disagreeable. But, the campaign can't be all "happy talk"
either.

One example, conflict of interest issues needs to be discussed out in
the
open. There are of course many other issues which should be discussed
as
well. I hope to see a substantive discussion. Hopefully, the outcome
of
this election will be much more than a popularity contest, and the USCF

voting members will make reasonably well informed votes. I truly hope

http://www.USChessSuccess.com will quickly grow into something which
will
help achieve that goal.

I agree with George, personal attacks are unwarranted and will, IMO, be
counter productive.

I also agree with George that "Conflict of Interest" is fair game
though in the case I believe George may be referring, it will, after
discussion, become a non-issue.

I believe the voting record of the incumbents is also fair game.
Whether or not that goes away after discussion could be a major factor
in deciding the election.

Don Schultz

Chess One

2005-02-23, 6:50 am

<>> I read Eric Marks' report and didn't notice any report qua-report

quote:

> there, nor
> available
>
>
> What is a qua-report, please?

Dear Eric,

A qua-report is the noise that we farmers say that ducks make. In the Big
Town it sometimes means "as-such". You know, like when an answer is a
question, and a 'report' does not report anything.

Presumably, if we were to ask Randy "what time is it?" he would answer, "do
you mean now?"

Do you see how complicated it all is?

quote:

> In re the cost to move to Crossville: Beatriz and Dr. Dubeck both said
> the single biggest expense would be staffing both offices, for as long
> as it takes to close the shop in New Windsor and set up shop in
> Tennessee.

What a surprise! But it immediately prompts questions like how long is "as
long as it takes" for example, otherwise who would need to actually go to
the meeting to learn that it is expensive to run two offices for as long as
it takes?

I have a different orientation on Cross-to-Bauer than Lawrence "Hen-Coop"
Parr. He doesn't think USCF should move there at all, because it would
remove USCF outside an orbit of influence which keeps it barely alive. To
whatever degree this is true, I understand this to be a primary concern.

My "Turnip-Headeded" perspective is that USCF is moving without a plan,
neither a strategic plan nor any real comparison of costs and timelines
which would have been gained by initially making a real comparsion of moving
costs.

Randy Bauer thinks that statement is so complex it cannot be answered! It
cannot even be understood!

quote:

> When does the lease expire in New Windsor? The obvious danger here is
> that the move will take longer than anticipated, the Fed will have to
> pay "double-staff" wages for longer than planned, and suddenly the
> overall cost of the move will shoot up.

Of course it will. It will shoot up from some figure to some larger figure.

You may think that statement is pretty vague, but should you ask anyone who
knows, then they will merely ASSURE you in print that it is true. This is
the level of 'informed debate' that one can experience here.

quote:

> I suppose the Board could argue that releasing cost estimates of the
> move is one baby step too close to revealing the salaries/wages of rank
> and file staffers.

Good god! Whatever next? Vile Democracy?

I have asked the heretical question, "what are key functions of USCF to its
members?" and it seems that all agree that it is the ratings service.

When I asked how many people comprise the ratings office, there is silence -
except of course there are statements from the President that some
tournament ratings are 'years behind' [isn't that a recent statement from
New Jersey?].

quote:

> It would make life easier if someone just posted
> that info here. I cannot imagine why it should be controversial to
> anyone who does not have a pre-existing grudge against the move.

Sure. It is not a political item, and a fixed cost to USCF, whoever is
ruining the show. Well... ratings services are essential that's clear, but
it is unknown what 30 people do overall.

quote:

> BTW, I was not a big supporter of the Crossville deal when I heard it
> was sealed, but now that it's just about happened, there's no point
> fighting over moving budgets and like.

Who's fighting? - we farmers are asking if there is a budget buried in there
somewhere, since nothing is showing above the dirt. And if there is, what
possible motive could there be for not saying what it is?

quote:

> That is, barring any outright
> dipping into the till for personal gain, which does not seem likely
> here, if only because the potential costs would outweigh the benefits.

You mean like including for example $30,000 to move one person during an
unspecified amount of time? Or perhaps no-pay = pay-later baord-talkee?
You're right, it couldn't happen here.

And if it has happened it's only members money anyhow, and they are used to
not getting much for it. Excuse me, I have to go milk the chickens.

Phil Innes

quote:

> (SNIP)
>
> Regards,
>
> Eric M
>

George John

2005-02-23, 5:56 pm

chessdon@aol.com wrote:

Don,

quote:

> I agree with George, personal attacks are unwarranted and will, IMO,

quote:

> counter productive.

Furthermore, this election should ALWAYS be about what is best for
chess, and the USCF members. It should not be about one side winning
over another regardless of the costs to chess, the organization, and
the members. Any uncivil behavior, including personal attacks, in my
estimation hurts the USCF and hurts chess. It is to be avoided EVEN if
thought to be 'productive'.

quote:

> I also agree with George that "Conflict of Interest" is fair game
> though in the case I believe George may be referring, it will, after
> discussion, become a non-issue.

The prevailing option is the USCF has had past problems with Conflict
of Interest (COI) issues, either real and/or the appearance of COI.
This is perhaps one reason why the USCF Executive Board "Standards of
Conduct" (http://uschess.org/org/govern/conduct.html) deals at length
with COI.

Fairly or unfairly, one candidate in particular has an alleged history
of problems with COI, either real or the appearance thereof.

The bottom line is any candidate who stands to gain financially from
his or her service on the USCF Executive Board should be closely
examined for COI issues. Anyone whose livelihood is largely based on
chess income, for example for-profit, full-time chess organizers,
should be even more closely examined. And, one with an alleged history
of problems in this area should be VERY closely examined.

I will of course read what is said on this topic. But, I am currently
very skeptical about one candidate's ability to set aside personal
interests. He may in his heart think that he has done so, and will
continue to do so, but I have VERY serious concerns that he has always
done so, and can continue to do so. Therefore, while there is much to
recommend about this candidate, in my estimation he is most likely
unacceptable for USCF Executive Board service for reasons of COI alone.
Personally speaking, I just don't want to take this risk.

quote:

>
> I believe the voting record of the incumbents is also fair game.
> Whether or not that goes away after discussion could be a major

factor

quote:

> in deciding the election.

I absolutely agree that voting records are fair game. I hope any
discussion will be fair, and those who have voted will be given an
opportunity to defend their votes should they be questioned.

Best regards,

George John

George John

2005-02-23, 5:56 pm

George John wrote:

Eric,

quote:

> There was no fourth incumbent to run for the fourth position. I find

quote:

> interesting I was recruited, since I still feel much more like an
> independent than part of any 'party'. Maybe they thought Texas might

quote:

> produce another winner with a first name of George and a four letter

last

quote:

> name. ;-)

Sorry, I omitted my serious answer which I had planned to follow my
attempt at humor.

I think my team may have recognized how important it is for the USCF
Executive Board to have at least one member who has a strong
information technology background (IT). I have over 25 years of
full-time experience as a software developer, MIS manager, and IT
support professional (the majority of time has been in software
development).

The USCF's day-to-day business is largely information which can be well
served by effective use of IT. While I do not intend to insist the
USCF do anything the way I would do it, recognizing fully there is more
than one way to get the job done well, I do intend to strongly advocate
in favor of the continued use of cost-effective IT. I will serve as a
watchdog to assure the office is getting the key IT functions done
well, and any future EB policies will continue to support this most
critical part of our organization.

Best regards,

George John

http://www.USChessSuccess.com

StanB

2005-02-23, 9:49 pm

"Randy Bauer" <randybauer2300@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:X%TSd.44798$4q6.42652@attbi_s01...

quote:

> The USCF has suffered from a lack of direction and continuity. When, for
> the first time in a long time, we have attained financial stability, what
> is the point in changing that direction?

Schultz and Goichberg ruined the USCF when they took charge back in the mid
to late 90s. Its good to see it finally heading in a positive direction.

StanB

2005-02-23, 9:49 pm

"George John" <george@neosoft.com> wrote in message
news:1109180952.784369.88550@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

quote:

> chessdon@aol.com wrote:

quote:

> be
>
> Furthermore, this election should ALWAYS be about what is best for
> chess, and the USCF members. It should not be about one side winning
> over another regardless of the costs to chess, the organization, and
> the members. Any uncivil behavior, including personal attacks, in my
> estimation hurts the USCF and hurts chess. It is to be avoided EVEN if
> thought to be 'productive'.

In Don's mind, mentioning any fact where Don or Bill screwed up again is a
personal attack. A gentleman always leaks negative news to Sam Sloan so that
one may maintain plausible deniabilty.

Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (wlod)

2005-02-24, 3:50 am

emark@poconorecord.com wrote:

quote:

> I suppose the Board could argue that releasing
> cost estimates of the move is one baby step too
> close to revealing the salaries/wages of rank
> and file staffers.

All USCF salaries should be known to the public.
This kind of information should be always easily
available. (Employees should know about it at the
time of being hired).

The years long secrecy of the USCF rulers
is a single, most important reason for
USCF deep problems. All official information
like budget, any decisions, resolutions,
meeting discusions... should be in open,
should be immediately available to the public.

Why, even the US Congress and similar democratic
institutions of other countries act way more
openly than USCF secrecy breeds corruption and
other improper characteristics. I used to be USCF
member but no more--I don't want to be a part
of of an organization ran as USCF.

Regards,

Wlod

Rob

2005-02-24, 3:50 am

Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (wlod) wrote:

quote:

> emark@poconorecord.com wrote:
>
>
> All USCF salaries should be known to the public.
> This kind of information should be always easily
> available. (Employees should know about it at the
> time of being hired).
>
> The years long secrecy of the USCF rulers
> is a single, most important reason for
> USCF deep problems. All official information
> like budget, any decisions, resolutions,
> meeting discusions... should be in open,
> should be immediately available to the public.
>
> Why, even the US Congress and similar democratic
> institutions of other countries act way more
> openly than USCF secrecy breeds corruption and
> other improper characteristics. I used to be USCF
> member but no more--I don't want to be a part
> of of an organization ran as USCF.
>
> Regards,
>
> Wlod

Look under guidestar, usually you can find that information there.

parrthe