samsloan wrote:
The problem with the Online Blog by Jennifer Shahade and the "Ask GM
Joel" online column by Joel Benjamin is not that they are poorly
written or anything like that, but that they are published on the
Internet and given away free of charge. Anybody anywhere in the world
can read them. USCF membership is not required. Thus, they bring in no
revenues and do not contribute to the bottom line.

I believe that readership of these columns is light. I have never
heard anybody make a comment about them good or bad.

It is interesting that Bill Goichberg, USCF President, states that he
does not know how much Joel Benjamin is being paid. Benjamin is not
known to work for free and rather is known for his exorbitant
financial demands.

But Goichberg does know how much the other person is being paid and it
is well into mid-five figures, so in other words about half of the
total contributer fees go to just one person.

My question is: Do you think it is a good idea to cut Chess Life and
eliminate Chess Life for Kids just so that we can keep these two
highly paid individuals, who do not write for either publication, on
the payroll?

Sam Sloan


Once again, you are asking a question based on false premises. Are you
admitting now that you _don't_ know how much Benjamin is being paid?
Are you claiming that you _do_ know what Shahade is getting but you
won't say? There is no line item in the budget for web site
contributor fees. (There was in last year's budget, but the amount was
zero.) Since Shahade a contract employee with a title, she's probably
under either "Payroll" or "Professional fees." So "about half of the
total contributer fees go to just one person" is either dishonest or
stupid. I suppose in your case they are not mutually exclusive.

You know, Sam, if you didn't exist, Bill Goichberg would have to
invent you. Nothing makes Bill's ideas look better than having a
nutter like you as his opponent.