USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

Main

Date: 08 Jul 2008 03:00:54
From: samsloan
Subject: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

In one of her first acts after being elected to the USCF Executive
Board, Susan Polgar named Gregory Alexander as "Volunteer of the
Month".

However, Gregory Alexander does not even have a USCF rating nor has he
ever directed a USCF rated tournament. He only recently joined the
USCF.

http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?13474581

He is best known for ranting and raving on the USCF Issues Forum. He
has also been demanding that a hard link to his "College Chess League"
be placed prominently in the upper left-hand corner of the uschess.org
home page, even though his "league" has no teams and no players.

Because almost every one of his posts involves an attack on a USCF
member, he has been placed in the Moderated Q. As a result, he has
moved most of his attacks over to Susan's own chessdiscussion.com
where he is the webmaster.

His latest rant is about "Prior USCF political investigations against
a board member".

http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1299

It is obvious that Gregory Alexander should never have been made
"Volunteer of the Month". He has done no volunteer work for the USCF.
His only volunteer work has been of a personal nature for Susan Polgar
herself.

My question is: Should there not be some minimum standards for
"Volunteer of the Month"? Can a chess politician just name anybody as
"Volunteer of the Month" as a matter of political patronage?

Sam Sloan

Date: 12 Jul 2008 07:43:41
From: SBD
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 12, 9:16 am, "Chess One" <[email protected] > wrote:
> Sam Sloan raises the issue of Gregory Alexander not having a rating. I point
> out that the chief TD at USCF doesn't have a rating either.

The USCF has a chief TD? Is this a paid position?

Date: 11 Jul 2008 15:02:06
From: Gregory
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 11, 6:47=A0am, samsloan <[email protected] > wrote:
> On Jul 11, 9:17 am, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Sam Sloan ignores 5 years of commitment to chess in the USA, and furthe=
r
> > commitments, both as performed and as offered to USCF - and Sam Sloan's=
idea
> > is to then abuse that person's record in public, because he 'doesn't se=
e'.
>
> > Sam Sloan sees what he wants, methinks, and he only sees Susan Polgar, =
so if
> > Gregory Alexander had /not/ worked for Susan Polgar before the award, S=
am
> > Sloan must now find something else to cavil about.
>
> > Phil Innes
>
> Do you have any evidence, any evidence at all, that Gregory Alexander
> was in any way involved with chess or with the USCF prior to mid-2006?
>
> Can you in any way substantiate his claim that he has been a volunteer
> for 5 years?
>
> Records of the USCF show that Gregory Alexander first joined the USCF
> in mid-2006. There is no record at all of his existence prior to that
> date. If he was using another name (as I suspect) I would like to know
> what it was.
>
> Except for one posting in mid-2006, his first posting to this forum
> was in mid-2007 and was entitled "Forum Follies".
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess.politics/msg/8204c6671...
>
> It is well worth reading because, in it, Gregory Alexander complains
> about the same things that we are complaining about now.
>
> Sam Sloan

Sam Sloan is fabricating as usual.

The online collegiate games that I help organize are not rated, so
USCF cross-tables won't be found. I also work with other TD's that are
helping in a volunteer role. We have a great committee and team.

I played chess actively in scholatics and in the military. I believe
that some games were NW Chess rated. However, as a young lad I figured
out that I would never be a Master level player, so I gave up
competive chess.

I help organize and promote chess as I feel that it is a great hobby
for our kids.

Gregory

Date: 12 Jul 2008 15:06:26
From: Brian Lafferty
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

Gregory wrote:
> On Jul 11, 6:47 am, samsloan <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Jul 11, 9:17 am, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Sam Sloan ignores 5 years of commitment to chess in the USA, and further
>>> commitments, both as performed and as offered to USCF - and Sam Sloan's idea
>>> is to then abuse that person's record in public, because he 'doesn't see'.
>>> Sam Sloan sees what he wants, methinks, and he only sees Susan Polgar, so if
>>> Gregory Alexander had /not/ worked for Susan Polgar before the award, Sam
>>> Sloan must now find something else to cavil about.
>>> Phil Innes
>> Do you have any evidence, any evidence at all, that Gregory Alexander
>> was in any way involved with chess or with the USCF prior to mid-2006?
>>
>> Can you in any way substantiate his claim that he has been a volunteer
>> for 5 years?
>>
>> Records of the USCF show that Gregory Alexander first joined the USCF
>> in mid-2006. There is no record at all of his existence prior to that
>> date. If he was using another name (as I suspect) I would like to know
>> what it was.
>>
>> Except for one posting in mid-2006, his first posting to this forum
>> was in mid-2007 and was entitled "Forum Follies".
>>
>> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess.politics/msg/8204c6671...
>>
>> It is well worth reading because, in it, Gregory Alexander complains
>> about the same things that we are complaining about now.
>>
>> Sam Sloan
>
> Sam Sloan is fabricating as usual.
>
> The online collegiate games that I help organize are not rated, so
> USCF cross-tables won't be found. I also work with other TD's that are
> helping in a volunteer role. We have a great committee and team.
>
> I played chess actively in scholatics and in the military. I believe
> that some games were NW Chess rated. However, as a young lad I figured
> out that I would never be a Master level player, so I gave up
> competive chess.
>
> I help organize and promote chess as I feel that it is a great hobby
> for our kids.
>
> Gregory
>

Presumably, there is a crosstable for a tournament that you acted as TD
for, USCF or not. Can you provide a link to even one such tournament
crosstable that shows you as the TD? Thanks.

Date: 11 Jul 2008 06:47:03
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 11, 9:17 am, "Chess One" <[email protected] > wrote:

> Sam Sloan ignores 5 years of commitment to chess in the USA, and further
> commitments, both as performed and as offered to USCF - and Sam Sloan's idea
> is to then abuse that person's record in public, because he 'doesn't see'.
>
> Sam Sloan sees what he wants, methinks, and he only sees Susan Polgar, so if
> Gregory Alexander had /not/ worked for Susan Polgar before the award, Sam
> Sloan must now find something else to cavil about.
>
> Phil Innes

Do you have any evidence, any evidence at all, that Gregory Alexander
was in any way involved with chess or with the USCF prior to mid-2006?

Can you in any way substantiate his claim that he has been a volunteer
for 5 years?

Records of the USCF show that Gregory Alexander first joined the USCF
in mid-2006. There is no record at all of his existence prior to that
date. If he was using another name (as I suspect) I would like to know
what it was.

Except for one posting in mid-2006, his first posting to this forum
was in mid-2007 and was entitled "Forum Follies".

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess.politics/msg/8204c66713d1428a?dmode=source

It is well worth reading because, in it, Gregory Alexander complains
about the same things that we are complaining about now.

Sam Sloan

Date: 12 Jul 2008 09:32:02
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

"samsloan" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:d6255ecc-e823-4453-a804-e5afdec7372d@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 11, 9:17 am, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Sam Sloan ignores 5 years of commitment to chess in the USA, and further
>> commitments, both as performed and as offered to USCF - and Sam Sloan's
>> idea
>> is to then abuse that person's record in public, because he 'doesn't
>> see'.
>>
>> Sam Sloan sees what he wants, methinks, and he only sees Susan Polgar, so
>> if
>> Gregory Alexander had /not/ worked for Susan Polgar before the award, Sam
>> Sloan must now find something else to cavil about.
>>
>> Phil Innes
>
> Do you have any evidence, any evidence at all, that Gregory Alexander
> was in any way involved with chess or with the USCF prior to mid-2006?

Yes. In fact I know the West Coast organisers of the college league too - an
Oregon academic got things going there, and Chessville reported the
initiative; eventually several East coast entities joined in.

> Can you in any way substantiate his claim that he has been a volunteer
> for 5 years?

A volunteer of what and to whom?

> Records of the USCF show that Gregory Alexander first joined the USCF
> in mid-2006. There is no record at all of his existence prior to that
> date.

How would there be a record of him before he joined? And there are no
records pre-1990 in any case, since they were eliminated. The degree to
which records were actually digitised in the 1990s is as unknown as the
content of the USCF archive, which is not even indexed!

> If he was using another name (as I suspect) I would like to know
> what it was.
>
> Except for one posting in mid-2006, his first posting to this forum
> was in mid-2007 and was entitled "Forum Follies".
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess.politics/msg/8204c66713d1428a?dmode=source
>
> It is well worth reading because, in it, Gregory Alexander complains
> about the same things that we are complaining about now.

"We"? "The same things?"

I don't think "we" are complaining about the same things at all - in fact
its hard to tell from the writing of Sam Sloan if there are any 'things',
instead there are just the international villains, Polgar and Truong, plus
the domestic one, 'Wild Bill Goichberg'.

What some people want instead is an impersonal approach to what benefits
chess players, centered on the welfare of the game and its players, and not
based on personality likes and dislikes.

What still others care about is decency in public expression. Its absolutely
not a matter of 'freedom of speech' - free from what? Freedom from decency,
openness, USCF's own mission?

Instead of freedom it is instead worth clamoring about what inhibits a real
dialog about the future of chess in this country: Inhibitions which included
virtual stalking, compulsive egoic behavior coupled with very unhealthy
fixations on others, plus the secret machinations of the good ol' boys.

The net effect of this campaign of activity is designed to ensure that USCF
will not be touched by any resulting changes resulting from a true national
dialog - a situation which benefits long-term incumbents who try to freeze
out newcomers. Exactly the situation has arisen in England where those who
elected to arrest the decline of chess there, all resigned their positions
because of the intractable organisation who, we must assume, prefer decline
as we know it, to 'risking' greater popularity.

The chess community will support viable changes to USCF's failed programs
and methods as they emerge from other quarters of the chess scene, and since
there are now so many of those, it is merely a matter of several of them
coalescing to create a real alternate basis for chess which addressed the
needs of the C21st., not the yawning void of dithering around in the
post-Fischer last quarter century.

Phil Innes

> Sam Sloan

Date: 11 Jul 2008 06:39:28
From: The Historian
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 10, 5:23 pm, Javert <[email protected] > wrote:
> On Jul 10, 4:00 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > "SBD" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >news:12eb818a-c6e1-4c47-a43c-ecc72dc52c4a@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>
> > > On Jul 10, 12:52 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > >> > USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
> > >> > and has never directed a USCF tournament.
>
> > >> Don't records show that the top TD in the USA doesn't have a USCF rating?
> > >> [ROFL]
>
> > >> Of course, she has connections, instead.
>
> > > She's a damn good, proven TD as well.
>
> > But unrated? That is the point. Unrated for how many years?
>
> > Phil Innes
>
> I had thought you were just an amusing doofus and pr flack, quite
> possibly putting us on with over the top prose and illogical
> circumlocutions.
> Now I see that you are just a plain old bad person.

YES! YES! YES!

Another person sees the light!

Date: 11 Jul 2008 22:40:07
From: somebody
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

Javert wrote:
.
> > But unrated? That is the point. Unrated for how many years?
> >
> > Phil Innes
>
> I had thought you were just an amusing doofus and pr flack, quite
> possibly putting us on with over the top prose and illogical
> circumlocutions.
> Now I see that you are just a plain old bad person.

Aww waddah shame. The big meanie has shattered little Javert's illusions
- poor diddums..

somebody.

Date: 11 Jul 2008 02:48:23
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 11, 5:32 am, Gregory <[email protected] > wrote:
> On Jul 10, 3:00 pm, Brian Lafferty <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> > Could you provide links to cross tables for several of the college
> > events that you directed? Thanks.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Crosstables are atwww.collegechess.org.

Where? I do not see any crosstables of tournaments you directed.

If you are referring to the US Intercollegiate Championship, there is
no indication that you had anything to do with it.

Sam Sloan

Date: 11 Jul 2008 09:17:55
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

"samsloan" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Jul 11, 5:32 am, Gregory <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Jul 10, 3:00 pm, Brian Lafferty <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>> > Could you provide links to cross tables for several of the college
>> > events that you directed? Thanks.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> > - Show quoted text -
>>
>> Crosstables are atwww.collegechess.org.
>
> Where? I do not see any crosstables of tournaments you directed.

I found em in 20 seconds.

> If you are referring to the US Intercollegiate Championship, there is
> no indication that you had anything to do with it.

Laugh - what is this, an abuse the help thread?

Sam Sloan ignores 5 years of commitment to chess in the USA, and further
commitments, both as performed and as offered to USCF - and Sam Sloan's idea
is to then abuse that person's record in public, because he 'doesn't see'.

Sam Sloan sees what he wants, methinks, and he only sees Susan Polgar, so if
Gregory Alexander had /not/ worked for Susan Polgar before the award, Sam
Sloan must now find something else to cavil about.

Phil Innes

> Sam Sloan

Date: 11 Jul 2008 13:37:13
From: Brian Lafferty
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

Chess One wrote:
> "samsloan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> On Jul 11, 5:32 am, Gregory <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> On Jul 10, 3:00 pm, Brian Lafferty <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> Could you provide links to cross tables for several of the college
>>>> events that you directed? Thanks.- Hide quoted text -
>>>> - Show quoted text -
>>> Crosstables are atwww.collegechess.org.
>> Where? I do not see any crosstables of tournaments you directed.
>
> I found em in 20 seconds.

Give us the link to the crosstable(s) listing Gregory Alexander as the TD.

>
>> If you are referring to the US Intercollegiate Championship, there is
>> no indication that you had anything to do with it.
>
> Laugh - what is this, an abuse the help thread?
>
> Sam Sloan ignores 5 years of commitment to chess in the USA, and further
> commitments, both as performed and as offered to USCF - and Sam Sloan's idea
> is to then abuse that person's record in public, because he 'doesn't see'.
>
> Sam Sloan sees what he wants, methinks, and he only sees Susan Polgar, so if
> Gregory Alexander had /not/ worked for Susan Polgar before the award, Sam
> Sloan must now find something else to cavil about.
>
> Phil Innes
>
>
>
>> Sam Sloan
>
>

Date: 11 Jul 2008 02:32:52
From: Gregory
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 10, 3:00=A0pm, Brian Lafferty <[email protected] > wrote:
> Gregory wrote:
> > Note: Sam's wild lies have nothing to do with reality, but he thinks
> > that it is pay-back time. I am highlighting a serious breach of ethics
> > from David Quinn, his supporter and friend on the FOC. David leaked
> > the FOC deliberations and materials to Hal, as well as Sam, and it
> > caused an enourmous amount of harm to the moderation volunteers. See
> >http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3D4&t=3D1299
>
> > Regarding Sam's BS-- I will qoute my own post from the USCF forum
> > here.
>
> > Prior to being nominated as volunteer of the month, I did not help
> > Susan as a paid contractor nor as a volunteer. I volunteered to assist
> > her last October when she told me that she wanted to create a new
> > chess based forum. She nominated me due to being one of the most
> > active (if not the most active volunteer) in the college chess world.
>
> > During the election season; I was the most active moderator in the
> > USCF forums, and several times also volunteered to program software
> > for the USCF forums. I intended to create forums with chess based
> > viewers and a web applet-based chess server for the USCF, but decided
> > against it after my volunteer stint as I do not feel that the
> > President or ED supported us. I believe that I am close to working out
> > an applet based chess server for chessdiscussion, and it is too bad
> > that the political environment of the USCF scares me away from
> > volunteering to implement a web based chess server here.
>
> > For over 5 years, I have been actively organizing online chess events
> > for the college community, and also programmed and maintain the
> > college chess site athttp://www.collegechess.org. As a volunteer, I
> > work underneath Jim Stallings as a College Chess Associate Chair. I
> > have put in hundreds, if not thousands of hours as a volunteer in the
> > college chess world. I have not received any compensation other than a
> > one time payment of around $200 to cover a tiny fraction of hosting
> > costs that I have directly incurred.
>
> > I also volunteer to teach chess to elementary schools and have done so
> > actively for the last 5 years. I also volunteer to assist the
> > Univesity of Washington Chess Club, and for several years I spent
> > about 5 hours per-week as the faculty advisor. I have received no
> > financial compensation my volunteer work.
>
> > You can label me as being partisan all that you want-- but trying to
> > infer that I only received this award without merit as a hand me down
> > from Susan is offensive. I have worked very hard and have been very
> > dedicated to promote the game that we all share.
>
> > Regards,
>
> > G
>
> Could you provide links to cross tables for several of the college
> events that you directed? =A0Thanks.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Crosstables are at www.collegechess.org.

Date: 11 Jul 2008 13:21:35
From: Brian Lafferty
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

Gregory wrote:
> On Jul 10, 3:00 pm, Brian Lafferty <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Gregory wrote:
>>> Note: Sam's wild lies have nothing to do with reality, but he thinks
>>> that it is pay-back time. I am highlighting a serious breach of ethics
>>> from David Quinn, his supporter and friend on the FOC. David leaked
>>> the FOC deliberations and materials to Hal, as well as Sam, and it
>>> caused an enourmous amount of harm to the moderation volunteers. See
>>> http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1299
>>> Regarding Sam's BS-- I will qoute my own post from the USCF forum
>>> here.
>>> Prior to being nominated as volunteer of the month, I did not help
>>> Susan as a paid contractor nor as a volunteer. I volunteered to assist
>>> her last October when she told me that she wanted to create a new
>>> chess based forum. She nominated me due to being one of the most
>>> active (if not the most active volunteer) in the college chess world.
>>> During the election season; I was the most active moderator in the
>>> USCF forums, and several times also volunteered to program software
>>> for the USCF forums. I intended to create forums with chess based
>>> viewers and a web applet-based chess server for the USCF, but decided
>>> against it after my volunteer stint as I do not feel that the
>>> President or ED supported us. I believe that I am close to working out
>>> an applet based chess server for chessdiscussion, and it is too bad
>>> that the political environment of the USCF scares me away from
>>> volunteering to implement a web based chess server here.
>>> For over 5 years, I have been actively organizing online chess events
>>> for the college community, and also programmed and maintain the
>>> college chess site athttp://www.collegechess.org. As a volunteer, I
>>> work underneath Jim Stallings as a College Chess Associate Chair. I
>>> have put in hundreds, if not thousands of hours as a volunteer in the
>>> college chess world. I have not received any compensation other than a
>>> one time payment of around $200 to cover a tiny fraction of hosting
>>> costs that I have directly incurred.
>>> I also volunteer to teach chess to elementary schools and have done so
>>> actively for the last 5 years. I also volunteer to assist the
>>> Univesity of Washington Chess Club, and for several years I spent
>>> about 5 hours per-week as the faculty advisor. I have received no
>>> financial compensation my volunteer work.
>>> You can label me as being partisan all that you want-- but trying to
>>> infer that I only received this award without merit as a hand me down
>>> from Susan is offensive. I have worked very hard and have been very
>>> dedicated to promote the game that we all share.
>>> Regards,
>>> G
>> Could you provide links to cross tables for several of the college
>> events that you directed? Thanks.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Crosstables are at www.collegechess.org.

I was there before I posted the question to you. I see no cross tables
to any tournaments directed by you. Do you have a direct link to any
crosstable for a tournament in which you served as TD? Thanks.

Date: 10 Jul 2008 15:23:45
From: Javert
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 10, 4:00=A0pm, "Chess One" <[email protected] > wrote:
> "SBD" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:12eb818a-c6e1-4c47-a43c-ecc72dc52c4a@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>
> > On Jul 10, 12:52 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> > USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
> >> > and has never directed a USCF tournament.
>
> >> Don't records show that the top TD in the USA doesn't have a USCF rati=
ng?
> >> [ROFL]
>
> >> Of course, she has connections, instead.
>
> > She's a damn good, proven TD as well.
>
> But unrated? That is the point. Unrated for how many years?
>
> Phil Innes

I had thought you were just an amusing doofus and pr flack, quite
possibly putting us on with over the top prose and illogical
circumlocutions.
Now I see that you are just a plain old bad person.

Date: 10 Jul 2008 15:20:57
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

People familiar with the good works of Gregory Alexander have a
decidedly different recollection of the events he describes. His brief
stints as moderator and as FOC member were tumultuous. He got into
tremendous fights with the other moderators and FOC members. Often he
would pull a thread, the FOC would order it put back and then he would
pull it again. The FOC was on the verge of voting to sanction him and
he in turn appealed to the board to remove Quinn from the FOC. This
issue resulted in a lengthy discussion by the USCF Executive Board
during the meeting in Stillwater Oklahoma, May 17-18, 2007. Several
moderators and FOC members came to Stillwater to participate in this
debate during this meeting or participated online, including Mike
Aigner and Louis Blair. The room was filled when this debate came up
and there was standing room only.

The end result was that the Executive Board voted 6-0 against whatever
it was that Gregory Alexander wanted to do.

Shortly thereafter (or possibly just before) this board vote, Gregory
Alexander resigned. We were all relieved.

The fact that these rants and raves by Gregory Alexander influenced
the election is an issue involved in the legal proceedings now going
on.

Sam Sloan

Date: 10 Jul 2008 14:33:53
From: Gregory
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

Note: Sam's wild lies have nothing to do with reality, but he thinks
that it is pay-back time. I am highlighting a serious breach of ethics
from David Quinn, his supporter and friend on the FOC. David leaked
the FOC deliberations and materials to Hal, as well as Sam, and it
caused an enourmous amount of harm to the moderation volunteers. See
http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1299

Regarding Sam's BS-- I will qoute my own post from the USCF forum
here.

Prior to being nominated as volunteer of the month, I did not help
Susan as a paid contractor nor as a volunteer. I volunteered to assist
her last October when she told me that she wanted to create a new
chess based forum. She nominated me due to being one of the most
active (if not the most active volunteer) in the college chess world.

During the election season; I was the most active moderator in the
USCF forums, and several times also volunteered to program software
for the USCF forums. I intended to create forums with chess based
viewers and a web applet-based chess server for the USCF, but decided
against it after my volunteer stint as I do not feel that the
President or ED supported us. I believe that I am close to working out
an applet based chess server for chessdiscussion, and it is too bad
that the political environment of the USCF scares me away from
volunteering to implement a web based chess server here.

For over 5 years, I have been actively organizing online chess events
for the college community, and also programmed and maintain the
college chess site at http://www.collegechess.org. As a volunteer, I
work underneath Jim Stallings as a College Chess Associate Chair. I
have put in hundreds, if not thousands of hours as a volunteer in the
college chess world. I have not received any compensation other than a
one time payment of around $200 to cover a tiny fraction of hosting
costs that I have directly incurred.

I also volunteer to teach chess to elementary schools and have done so
actively for the last 5 years. I also volunteer to assist the
Univesity of Washington Chess Club, and for several years I spent
about 5 hours per-week as the faculty advisor. I have received no
financial compensation my volunteer work.

You can label me as being partisan all that you want-- but trying to
infer that I only received this award without merit as a hand me down
from Susan is offensive. I have worked very hard and have been very
dedicated to promote the game that we all share.

Regards,

G

Date: 10 Jul 2008 22:00:40
From: Brian Lafferty
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

Gregory wrote:
> Note: Sam's wild lies have nothing to do with reality, but he thinks
> that it is pay-back time. I am highlighting a serious breach of ethics
> from David Quinn, his supporter and friend on the FOC. David leaked
> the FOC deliberations and materials to Hal, as well as Sam, and it
> caused an enourmous amount of harm to the moderation volunteers. See
> http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1299
>
> Regarding Sam's BS-- I will qoute my own post from the USCF forum
> here.
>
> Prior to being nominated as volunteer of the month, I did not help
> Susan as a paid contractor nor as a volunteer. I volunteered to assist
> her last October when she told me that she wanted to create a new
> chess based forum. She nominated me due to being one of the most
> active (if not the most active volunteer) in the college chess world.
>
> During the election season; I was the most active moderator in the
> USCF forums, and several times also volunteered to program software
> for the USCF forums. I intended to create forums with chess based
> viewers and a web applet-based chess server for the USCF, but decided
> against it after my volunteer stint as I do not feel that the
> President or ED supported us. I believe that I am close to working out
> an applet based chess server for chessdiscussion, and it is too bad
> that the political environment of the USCF scares me away from
> volunteering to implement a web based chess server here.
>
> For over 5 years, I have been actively organizing online chess events
> for the college community, and also programmed and maintain the
> college chess site at http://www.collegechess.org. As a volunteer, I
> work underneath Jim Stallings as a College Chess Associate Chair. I
> have put in hundreds, if not thousands of hours as a volunteer in the
> college chess world. I have not received any compensation other than a
> one time payment of around $200 to cover a tiny fraction of hosting
> costs that I have directly incurred.
>
> I also volunteer to teach chess to elementary schools and have done so
> actively for the last 5 years. I also volunteer to assist the
> Univesity of Washington Chess Club, and for several years I spent
> about 5 hours per-week as the faculty advisor. I have received no
> financial compensation my volunteer work.
>
> You can label me as being partisan all that you want-- but trying to
> infer that I only received this award without merit as a hand me down
> from Susan is offensive. I have worked very hard and have been very
> dedicated to promote the game that we all share.
>
> Regards,
>
> G
Could you provide links to cross tables for several of the college
events that you directed? Thanks.

Date: 10 Jul 2008 13:29:42
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 10, 4:00 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected] > wrote:
> "SBD" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:12eb818a-c6e1-4c47-a43c-ecc72dc52c4a@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>
> > On Jul 10, 12:52 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> > USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
> >> > and has never directed a USCF tournament.
>
> >> Don't records show that the top TD in the USA doesn't have a USCF rating?
> >> [ROFL]
>
> >> Of course, she has connections, instead.
>
> > She's a damn good, proven TD as well.
>
> But unrated? That is the point. Unrated for how many years?
>
> Phil Innes

No. That is not the point.

Carol Jarecki has been the arbiter in World Chess Championship matches
and has been the Chief Arbiter in the World Chess Olympiads.

http://uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlTnmtDir.php?11457835.1

Her record as an arbiter is the longest there is. She also broke the
bank at Monte Carlo.

Gregory Alexander is somebody nobody ever heard of until about a year
ago. There has been no verification of the claims he makes about
himself. Nobody has ever reported to have played a single game of
chess in his "College Chess League" for example.

Sam Sloan

Date: 10 Jul 2008 17:10:26
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

"samsloan" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:6e3e382b-c0f9-42e9-a5a0-d71739a91936@e53g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 10, 4:00 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> "SBD" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> news:12eb818a-c6e1-4c47-a43c-ecc72dc52c4a@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> > On Jul 10, 12:52 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >> > USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
>> >> > and has never directed a USCF tournament.
>>
>> >> Don't records show that the top TD in the USA doesn't have a USCF
>> >> rating?
>> >> [ROFL]
>>
>> >> Of course, she has connections, instead.
>>
>> > She's a damn good, proven TD as well.
>>
>> But unrated? That is the point. Unrated for how many years?
>>
>> Phil Innes
>
> No. That is not the point.

It is not the point you yourself raised?

> Carol Jarecki has been the arbiter in World Chess Championship matches
> and has been the Chief Arbiter in the World Chess Olympiads.
>
> http://uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlTnmtDir.php?11457835.1
>
> Her record as an arbiter is the longest there is. She also broke the
> bank at Monte Carlo.

Thank you for these romances, but did she have a USCF chess rating while
being Chief and favored TD in USA? You raised it, Mr. Sloan, so in your
avoidance of direct answer is it that you prefer the favorite of Don Shultz
as a personality, rather than the activity of Mr. Alexander as a principal?

> Gregory Alexander is somebody nobody ever heard of until about a year
> ago.

You represent yourself as a 'nobody'. What absurd intellectual discourse you
provide me! Yours is hardly worth any continuation.

> There has been no verification of the claims he makes about
> himself.

Vague now? What claims or verifications are there to be had?

> Nobody has ever reported to have played a single game of
> chess in his "College Chess League" for example.

'Nobody' again?

This is not anything I care to win, since you are such a 'nobody', by your
own admission, and who would argue with that?

You made a great point of Gregory Alexander not having a USCF rating, and I
pointed out that Carol Jarecki, head TD in USA, and much favored [!] didn't
either.

That is the basis of your argument, Mr. Sloan, and it is a witless one as
usual, since you critise this guy for doing something for US collegiate
chess, which keeps people in the game during their college years, because
for 20, 30 and 40 years no one you cite did anything like that.

Your orientation is to the organisation. Mine, and I think the majority of
the country, including that of Gregory Alexander, which /would/ include the
USCF, is not to the organization, but to the PLAYERS of the game.

Phil Innes
> Sam Sloan

Date: 10 Jul 2008 11:47:41
From: SBD
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 10, 12:52 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected] > wrote:

> > USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
> > and has never directed a USCF tournament.
>
> Don't records show that the top TD in the USA doesn't have a USCF rating?
> [ROFL]
>
> Of course, she has connections, instead.

She's a damn good, proven TD as well.

Date: 10 Jul 2008 16:00:02
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

"SBD" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:12eb818a-c6e1-4c47-a43c-ecc72dc52c4a@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 10, 12:52 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> > USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
>> > and has never directed a USCF tournament.
>>
>> Don't records show that the top TD in the USA doesn't have a USCF rating?
>> [ROFL]
>>
>> Of course, she has connections, instead.
>
> She's a damn good, proven TD as well.

But unrated? That is the point. Unrated for how many years?

Phil Innes

Date: 10 Jul 2008 22:03:24
From: Brian Lafferty
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

Chess One wrote:
> "SBD" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:12eb818a-c6e1-4c47-a43c-ecc72dc52c4a@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>> On Jul 10, 12:52 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>> USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
>>>> and has never directed a USCF tournament.
>>> Don't records show that the top TD in the USA doesn't have a USCF rating?
>>> [ROFL]
>>>
>>> Of course, she has connections, instead.
>> She's a damn good, proven TD as well.
>
> But unrated? That is the point. Unrated for how many years?
>
> Phil Innes
>
>
It may be the "point" to you, but it's not the point.

Date: 12 Jul 2008 10:16:28
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

"Brian Lafferty" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:MGvdk.843$713.800@trnddc03...
> Chess One wrote:
>> "SBD" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:12eb818a-c6e1-4c47-a43c-ecc72dc52c4a@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>>> On Jul 10, 12:52 pm, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>>> USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
>>>>> and has never directed a USCF tournament.
>>>> Don't records show that the top TD in the USA doesn't have a USCF
>>>> rating?
>>>> [ROFL]
>>>>
>>>> Of course, she has connections, instead.
>>> She's a damn good, proven TD as well.
>>
>> But unrated? That is the point. Unrated for how many years?
>>
>> Phil Innes
> It may be the "point" to you, but it's not the point.

Laugh!!

Sam Sloan raises the issue of Gregory Alexander not having a rating. I point
out that the chief TD at USCF doesn't have a rating either. Brian Lafferty
says that is not the point. Others chip in to say that she is still a good
TD, someone glossing the issues that Gregory Alexander could still be a good
organiser, and how come if Sam Sloan can accuse a newcomer of not deserving
USCF's award because of no-rating, its okay for the senior TD in the country
to commit the same offence but not be mentioned?

Sam Sloan pretends to be something of a revolutionary and an outsider - but
here he is, acting in exactly the same way as the Good Ol' Boys, and of Us
and Them.

Now, I suppose you could get entangled in this whole affair by that sort of
continuation about a simple and direct issue, since what is /obviously/ the
topic - a factual matter of rating raised above - is not only ignored by a
subsequent writer Brian Lafferty, but the matter is stated to be something
else! But what else? Politics again?

The way these 'investigations' go, [might as well call them accusations] is
that there is no matter of principal involved at all - there is only Who is
accused. This corporate culture of personalities has succeeded in destroying
USCF - and Sam Sloan is not fundamentally different than those he accuses to
being insiders. He would by his writing here be an insider too if he could,
and act in the very same way as the departed villains.

Phil Innes

Date: 10 Jul 2008 02:43:04
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

[quote="marknibb"]Could we focus on the truth or untruth of Gregory's
posting. I've yet to see anyone deny that what Gregory posted is
true.
Is there anything in Gregory's post that anyone takes issue with.
http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1299#p7642

Back to this being troubling - does it bother folks that some seem to
have access to others private communications.

Mark Nibbelin [/quote]

Yes, I do, and it certainly bothers me that Gregory Alexander had
access to others private conversations.

USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
and has never directed a USCF tournament. Gregory Alexander only
joined the USCF last year.

http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?13474581

He should not have been named a moderator or an FOC member and he
should not have been named by Susan as "Volunteer of the Month".

Sam Sloan

Date: 10 Jul 2008 13:52:24
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

"samsloan" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:7d7db4d1-c47a-4f6b-b89e-d8992d2496b9@r66g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> [quote="marknibb"]Could we focus on the truth or untruth of Gregory's
> posting. I've yet to see anyone deny that what Gregory posted is
> true.
> Is there anything in Gregory's post that anyone takes issue with.
> http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1299#p7642
>
> Back to this being troubling - does it bother folks that some seem to
> have access to others private communications.
>
> Mark Nibbelin [/quote]
>
> Yes, I do, and it certainly bothers me that Gregory Alexander had
> access to others private conversations.
>
> USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
> and has never directed a USCF tournament.

Don't records show that the top TD in the USA doesn't have a USCF rating?
[ROFL]

Of course, she has connections, instead.

Phil Innes

> Gregory Alexander only
> joined the USCF last year.
>
> http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?13474581
>
> He should not have been named a moderator or an FOC member and he
> should not have been named by Susan as "Volunteer of the Month".
>
> Sam Sloan

Date: 10 Jul 2008 02:27:19
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

[quote="gregory"]For over 5 years, I have been actively organizing
online chess events for the college community.

You can label me as being partisan all that you want-- but trying to
infer that I only received this award without merit as a hand me down
from Susan is offensive. I have worked very hard and have been very
dedicated to promote the game that we all share.

Regards,

Gregory Alexander [/quote]

In what organization did you perform these great works?

USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
and has never directed a USCF tournament. Gregory Alexander only
joined the USCF last year.

http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?13474581

If you did all these great deeds it must have been in connection with
some other organization because it certainly was not in connection
with the USCF.

For a person to be named "USCF Volunteer of the Month" he should have
done some volunteer work in connection with the USCF. Naming a person
who has done no significant volunteer work for the USCF is an insult
to the hundreds of volunteers who have done volunteer work for the
USCF and for chess for 20, 30 or 40 years and have received no
recognition for their efforts.

Sam Sloan

Date: 10 Jul 2008 13:50:28
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

"samsloan" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [quote="gregory"]For over 5 years, I have been actively organizing
> online chess events for the college community.
>
> You can label me as being partisan all that you want-- but trying to
> infer that I only received this award without merit as a hand me down
> from Susan is offensive. I have worked very hard and have been very
> dedicated to promote the game that we all share.
>
> Regards,
>
> Gregory Alexander [/quote]
>
> In what organization did you perform these great works?

What does it matter what organization. It was pro-bono chess, and I even
asked in 'your' newsgroup if USCF wanted to support it - they didn't.

When it becomes a matter of organizational lethargy and active agents in
promoting the game, we see which way Sam Sloan swings!

> USCF records show that Gregory Alexander does not have a USCF rating
> and has never directed a USCF tournament. Gregory Alexander only
> joined the USCF last year.

Fischer wasn't a member either.

> http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?13474581
>
> If you did all these great deeds it must have been in connection with
> some other organization because it certainly was not in connection
> with the USCF.

Of course it was with another 'organization' the one he created to promote
collegiate chess - I wrote a bunch of people in it, gave them some
publicity - it included Westpoint eg - a quite enthusiastic group.

> For a person to be named "USCF Volunteer of the Month" he should have
> done some volunteer work in connection with the USCF.

So Sam Sloan argues that USCF awards are for those who promote the
organisation and not promote chess - he is indifferent to that, as indeed is
USCF. What's new?

> Naming a person
> who has done no significant volunteer work for the USCF is an insult
> to the hundreds of volunteers who have done volunteer work for the
> USCF and for chess for 20, 30 or 40 years and have received no
> recognition for their efforts.

An insult to them, how so? Gregory Alexander raised an entire network of
players and did more for a stated USCF goal [see my interview with Beatriz
Marinello in keeping players in the game] than did USCF itself?

Surely Sam Sloan is not arguing that people who have greater organizational
experience in promoting the game in some sphere than USCF has, and who joins
USCF, should /not/ be applauded?

But who knows what Sam Sloan thinks should receive an award, 20, 30, 40
years of association but achieved what exactly?

Is it actually better to take 30 years to do something than 5 years to do
something? That seems the only criterion presented here.

Phil Innes

> Sam Sloan

Date: 09 Jul 2008 18:07:13
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 9, 9:03 pm, Gregory <[email protected] > wrote:
> On Jul 8, 3:00 am, samsloan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > In one of her first acts after being elected to the USCF Executive
> > Board, Susan Polgar named Gregory Alexander as "Volunteer of the
> > Month".
>
> > However, Gregory Alexander does not even have a USCF rating nor has he
> > ever directed a USCF rated tournament. He only recently joined the
> > USCF.
>
> >http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?13474581
>
> > He is best known for ranting and raving on the USCF Issues Forum. He
> > has also been demanding that a hard link to his "College Chess League"
> > be placed prominently in the upper left-hand corner of the uschess.org
> > home page, even though his "league" has no teams and no players.
>
> > Because almost every one of his posts involves an attack on a USCF
> > member, he has been placed in the Moderated Q. As a result, he has
> > moved most of his attacks over to Susan's own chessdiscussion.com
> > where he is the webmaster.
>
> > His latest rant is about "Prior USCF political investigations against
> > a board member".
>
> >http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1299
>
> > It is obvious that Gregory Alexander should never have been made
> > "Volunteer of the Month". He has done no volunteer work for the USCF.
> > His only volunteer work has been of a personal nature for Susan Polgar
> > herself.
>
> > My question is: Should there not be some minimum standards for
> > "Volunteer of the Month"? Can a chess politician just name anybody as
> > "Volunteer of the Month" as a matter of political patronage?
>
> > Sam Sloan
>
> I have a hard time believing that this post is from Mr. Sloan. Even
> Sam Sloan can't be that stupid to write something this.

I see that you are the one and only infamous Gregory Alexander.

I am the Real Sam Sloan.

Why do not you respond, if you can?

Sam Sloan

Date: 09 Jul 2008 18:03:32
From: Gregory
Subject: Re: USCF "Volunteer of the Month"

On Jul 8, 3:00=A0am, samsloan <[email protected] > wrote:
> In one of her first acts after being elected to the USCF Executive
> Board, Susan Polgar named Gregory Alexander as "Volunteer of the
> Month".
>
> However, Gregory Alexander does not even have a USCF rating nor has he
> ever directed a USCF rated tournament. He only recently joined the
> USCF.
>
> http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?13474581
>
> He is best known for ranting and raving on the USCF Issues Forum. He
> has also been demanding that a hard link to his "College Chess League"
> be placed prominently in the upper left-hand corner of the uschess.org
> home page, even though his "league" has no teams and no players.
>
> Because almost every one of his posts involves an attack on a USCF
> member, he has been placed in the Moderated Q. As a result, he has
> moved most of his attacks over to Susan's own chessdiscussion.com
> where he is the webmaster.
>
> His latest rant is about "Prior USCF political investigations against
> a board member".
>
> http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3D4&t=3D1299
>
> It is obvious that Gregory Alexander should never have been made
> "Volunteer of the Month". He has done no volunteer work for the USCF.
> His only volunteer work has been of a personal nature for Susan Polgar
> herself.
>
> My question is: Should there not be some minimum standards for
> "Volunteer of the Month"? Can a chess politician just name anybody as
> "Volunteer of the Month" as a matter of political patronage?
>
> Sam Sloan

I have a hard time believing that this post is from Mr. Sloan. Even
Sam Sloan can't be that stupid to write something this.