Nominations for October 2008 AGM??

[Sean Hewitt]

OK - So are there enough ECF delegates reading this who are prepared to do something about it? Given that John Philpott believes that the boards actions were ok (not a view I agree with) I am talking about calling an EGM to overturn this ridiculous (and probably illegal) decision?

If there are, either post here or PM me. I'm happy to co-ordinate the response.

[Greg Breed]

Although the link has disappeared from the ECF website, it deserves to be ‘advertised’ on as many other English chess websites as possible.

So the link has disappeared - why?

Yes it's no longer the ECF Official Forum but shouldn't it now be treated as any other Chess related weblink and therefore still be advertised on the ECF website like many others?

[Carl Hibbard]

Although the link has disappeared from the ECF website, it deserves to be ‘advertised’ on as many other English chess websites as possible.

So the link has disappeared - why?

Yes it's no longer the ECF Official Forum but shouldn't it now be treated as any other Chess related weblink and therefore still be advertised on the ECF website like many others?

The use of the "bcfservices" domain was felt as still being a link to the ECF as the live games and grading site are also there

I have moved to a new domain now although the grading site will stay where it is

I may remove the link from grading to forum later this evening as well

[Carl Hibbard]

It was rumoured in Cleveland that the ECF President once said he was one of the very few holders of the post who did not have an official title ie MBE OBE etc.

Maybe the ECF forum exposing all the problems within the organisation was an impediment to being so honoured.

Keep to the point please Ernie and make sure this does not turn into anything personal

[JustinHorton]

Exactly. My experience in various organisations has always been that those that communicate with their members tend to thrive, while those that don't usually fail.

Yeah. It's one reason why S&B have a blog - and before that, we had a monthly emailing, which doesn't sound so much now, but made a lot of difference to people when it was created, just because they felt they were being kept in touch.

I've no doubt that Board members didn't like a lot of what they read here. Some of it has been hostile, ill-informed and unnecessary. But much of it was just the opposite, and the Board should have engaged with its critics rather than running away.

Quite so.

[Carl Hibbard]

Nice to see you back Ernie but please just give a little thought before clicking that submit button - use preview!

I am also annoyed after putting in work here and there for the ECF just to see the forum chopped off but letting it get personal (regardless of my feelings...) just does not help the cause

[David Robertson]

I think you need to work on a distinction, Carl, when you talk about 'getting personal'. Any exchange between adults, on a forum or in real life, will involve frank differences of opinion from time to time - some of them not to the taste of the squeamish. Ideally hostile exchanges should be restrained rather than rancorous, but that can't always be managed this side of the monastery walls. And a bit of the rough stuff does add a little colour to our affairs

On the other hand, there's 'getting personal' in your terms when posters name and criticise ECF officers. I think this is far more excusable, although the need for restraint may be greater where the 'charges' are weightier. But if no one can 'get personal' in these terms by your judgement, how are we ever to call ECF officers to account where we believe they are letting us down?

David
Atticus CC

[Carl Hibbard]

No I just don't agree

In the first case I was backing up a poster who criticised one of your posts although you did edit it to some degree it appears?

The second case here was a very gentle warning to Ernie not to let his personal and perhaps long standing history with an individual interrupt any postings he wants to make

[David Robertson]

Oh really! I can't remember editing a post for content or choice of words; occasionally to tidy up typos maybe. Where/to what are you referring?

And (edited in, since I've just found your comment on another thread) the song lyrics are intended, for the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, both as a light-hearted comment and as a heart-felt round of applause at Andrew Martin's fabulous news that Charles W Wood has at long last resigned. I regard this as extremely good news for everyone concerned with chess in this country, and definitely a cue for a song - if not for an entire opera

David
Atticus CC

[Carl Hibbard]

Although the link has disappeared from the ECF website, it deserves to be ‘advertised’ on as many other English chess websites as possible.

So the link has disappeared - why?

Yes it's no longer the ECF Official Forum but shouldn't it now be treated as any other Chess related weblink and therefore still be advertised on the ECF website like many others?

The forum has now switched to it's new domain so please feel free to link in using the new url

It is not clear to me since the previous site is all over google what purpose this actually serves but there you go

[Simon Spivack]

No I just don't agree

In the first case I was backing up a poster who criticised one of your posts although you did edit it to some degree it appears?

David Robertson's views may be trenchant, but they are not ill-considered, nor, for that matter, are they ill-informed, no matter what others may believe. For the record, in one of his spats, my impression was that the ball was set into motion by one of his interlocutors who, possibly unwittingly, employed the noun "professor" in a derogatory manner. If one wanted to make a play about his learning, whilst expressing one's disagreement, one could have written something like: "that's so ugly, I'm reminded of Bessie Braddock!, thereby inviting David to join this game and retort along the lines of: "ugly? perhaps, soberly considered? definitely." This would also have had the advantage, or is it disadvantage? that many would have had to resort to Google to understand the sub-text.

I do not always concur with David's views; my impression is that he expects an arbiter to be present nearly all the time at an international tournament (my apologies if this is not so). I prefer to operate on the basis that there should always be at least two present from the control team, these two having read the Laws of Chess several times and having a copy of the Laws with them, coupled with a reasonable understanding of the Laws, they need not be arbiters (I could never become an arbiter as one desideratum is the facility to reset the clocks, for which it is necessary to see clearly). If there is a situation which they cannot handle then a frantic phone call should be made to the arbiter, either to rush back or to dictate instructions. If things really go pear-shaped, there is the possibility of an appeal, except unfortunately (unless the article has changed) when resolving a 10.2 dispute. Of course it is better if the arbiter is present at the beginning and end of the playing sessions, but one must be practical, one's got to eat, to say nothing of other commitments.

Some readers of this forum may recall that Edward Tandi and I maintained positions that were not in agreement 100%, we did so vigorously, yet without resorting to personal abuse, it is possible.

[David Robertson]

I do not always concur with David's views; my impression is that he expects an arbiter to be present nearly all the time at an international tournament (my apologies if this is not so)

Apologies not necessary, but accepted: I hold no such view. I do hold the view, as per the GB v China match in 2007, that an arbiter having assumed the role shouldn't then throw a hissy fit and flounce out, threatening to pull out 'his' (sic) team of officials, not over any matter, and certainly not over the matter that arose at the time. In general and in principle, the less I see of the arbiters, the happier I am

David

[JustinHorton]

I wonder if any of the officals involved may be of a different mind?

[David Robertson]

Let's hope so. You keep stirring; I'll keep pouring

David

[JustinHorton]

I was rather hoping for a change of Mother with that particular pot.