"YOU DANCE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO BRUNG YA"
I am convinced the only reason this poll is even close is because
Neil Brennen and his cohorts are voting early and often. This straw
vote is certainly not legitimate. The real reason the USCF won't
conduct a scientific poll is not lack of money, as Mike Nolan
suggested. It's because the leadership prefers to donate $50,000 to
one of its buddies without caring what members prefer to see printed in
Chess Life.
In a recent message to the (Chess Journalists of America) Paul
Hoffman wondered why a "mainstream journalist" like himself should join
the CJA. Then Mr. Hoffman scorned an offer to be interviewed by Larry
Evans after his chief supporter Neil Brennen advised him to ignore
questions coming from "hacks" like GM Evans and Larry Parr. GM Evans in
turn called Mr. Brennen "an equal opportunity hater." Subsuquently Mr.
Brennen asked to have his name removed from the email list.
CHESSTOURS TO HOFFMAN
Dear Mr. Hoffman,
Neil Brennen has been attacking Larry Evans and Larry Parr for
years on rec.games.chess.politics. His use of the word "hack" tells us
all that we need to know about Mr. Brennen.
GM Larry Evans asked us to relay an offer to interview you.
If you are interested, please let us know.
For your information, Chesstours is the syndicate that distributes
Larry Evans' newspaper column. Our staff handles e-mail.
Here are just a few sample questions:
1. Why was there no open bid for the 50,000 edesign?
2. Why were you given 10K up front without any written report?
3. On what basis did you make your recommendations? Did
you consult any past reader surveys of Chess Life readers?
4. Do you think you know more about chess or what is needed
in Chess Life than any of the three grandmasters you fired?
5. Since secrecy has plagued the USCF for decades, do you
think that your attitude helps dispel ugly chess politics?
As the old saying goes, "You dance with the people who brung ya."
NEIL BRENNEN TO CJA GROUP
In a message dated 5/13/2006 11:59:48 AM Pacific Standard Time,
writes:
Mr. Hoffman,
I suggest ignoring the emails from chesstours, AKA Larry Evans. He
forgot - if that is truly the word - to identify himself..
Best wishes to all except one [GM Evans].
HOFFMAN DECLINES TO BE INTERVIEWED
In a message dated 5/13/2006 10:41:40 AM Pacific Standard Time,
writes:
Thank you, Neil. I appreciate the heads-up. As a newbie to the nasty
world of chess poltics, I'm liable to fall for opening traps that
everyone else knows! At least if this correspondence is posted, it's
actually my own words, as opposed to all the false things that have
been attributed to me and "credentials" that have been posted that
aren't mine but other Hoffman's 
In any event, with due respect to all of you, I think it is time that I
bow out of this thread and return to the work the USCF has asked me to
do.
I have prepared no written reports. I am not going to discuss
personnel matters like who writes for the magazine and who doesn't
because that it not an appropriate subject for a public forum. I'm
trying to use my twenty-five-year experience in magazines to help the
USCF publish a more engaging magazine that will attract new members and
better retain existing ones. And I'm trying to avoid being embroiled
in the ugly petty politics of chess that have doomed many
well-intentioned efforts in the past. I'm just a consultant. I give
the USCF advice and implement ideas they want me to implement.
--Paul Hoffman
GM RAYMOND KEENE TO CJA GROUP
Dues money of USCF members in a non-profit are being used to pay for
this redesign. Are your non-answers more of what we can expect from you
and the board who have not responded to anything about this matter? --
Chesstours
No reply yet to Larry Evans' request to interview Paul Hoffman.
What do you expect?
This guy will never be able to convincingly explain how a magazine
can abolish one of its most popular reader-interacitve sections! This
kind of feature is what keeps my chess coverage in the Times of London
more popular than any other newspaper column in the UK.