wrote in message
oups.com...
NOLANLAND

The zookeeper of the USCF Forum will require a
different skill set than those suggested by Phil's
historical allusions. Nikitenko, Bakunin? No way.
Pobedonostsev (though far too humane and mild, given
later standards) Zhdanov, Kaganovich are the ticket.

Nikitenko reported that the issue that broke the mold and was simply
uncontainable had to come from outside - and the raging argument was about
education. Whether to persist in a narrow and non-European classism, or
adopt Realschule German method.

The entire literati banged on this one for 15 years, with Realschule being
seen as superior to current needs, yet resentment being expressed that yet
another imported culture will not last and suit the character of the people.

It is with wry amusement, actually also with considerable sadness that this
is still the issue in the Russias 150 years later - and the dissastrous
effect of not being themselves to themselves caused an almost infinite amout
of pain in that society. Even communism was imported on the German model.

Milan Kundera wrote well this week in the New Yorker on being Czech, and
like Hungary and Poland [as Poland would like for itself] and the Balkans,
insisting that their tradition was along the lines of Western European
classism, and quite distinct from any Russian model. He said that he was
amazed and is continuously bemuzed when his country is assumed by Western
agents to be Russian, rather than Western.

I also recommend (it is surely available by now)
a copy of the Soviet "Talmud," an authoritative book
employed by Soviet censors explaining what could not
be reported.

Ay. What impossible ironies we see here, as if to affirm that all things
would turn into their opposites. While communism did not suit the Russian
people [politicians loved it!] neither does any cult of secrets fit us in
the West. We die of our secrets in an information age, where the real value
of information is that it circulates.

That was the winning argument too in Realschule adoption - which did not
last! No, that was crushed and beaten to bloody death in the snow as like a
picture of those baby seals. What Russia and indeed USCF must do is to find
their own nature, which I think cannot come out of books or ideologies
alone, and the very last inhibition that should be tolerated are attemtps to
supress the very Selves which we are all here to explore.

Gawd! I do go on! But to find some concinnity in all that - if we can't do
something decent legal honest and truthful in chess - don't we really kid
ourselves about greater challenges and prospects?

Cordially, Phil Innes


Chess One wrote:
From the USCF Forum:

"Tim Redman gets my vote for brilliant idea of the day. He has suggested
that the USCF should recognize that the Forums are (now) essentially a
political arena and make the job of Moderator that of the USCF's chief
political officer, ie the USCF President." // Mike Nolan.

Having joked this week about Pravda-in-Connecticut, at least USCF are
admitting Redman's point, that the forum is effectively a political one:
which is to say that it is at best a discussion group of chess managers,
and
at worst a propaganda machine Pravda-in-Crossville.

The Candidate for political officer will need the skills of an Aleksandr
Nikitenko combined with Bakunin. I suggest they call the new forum,
Constitution, Autocracy and the Zemstvos.

or simply; The [18] '62.

Comrade Nolan, who also wrote "At this point I don't honestly care what
the
Board decides to do, as long as I don't have to have anything more to do
with it. Not surprisingly, the Board is trying to kick this issue back to
the ED rather than dealing with it themselves, " might look into
Nikitenko,
who did indeed have to walk this talk, twixt the devil [people, citizens,
writers] and the deep white taiiga, and its severe and beautiful
perfection - the quality of vast emptiness.

Comrade Zhivago