Greetings from Las Vegas! What a day! I was on a Continental flight from NY to Vegas. First of all, the flight was late. Then when finally after everyone boarded, the pilot said sorry but there seems to be a hole underneath the plane. But don’t worry, it is not serious. The next announcement was sorry but the plane cannot take off unless technicians can patch the hole but don’t worry, it won’t take more than 30 minutes. Sure 🙂 3 hours later, we finally got off the ground and on the way to Las Vegas.
The traffic on the strip at 11:00 PM is worse than NY city in rush hour. But I managed to get to the tournament site nearly an hour later for a 5 mile trip. I wonder if it would have been faster to walk 🙂
Finally, I got to the Riviera to check in. It was nearly midnight and my kids were tired. I was minding my own business and I wanted to check in fast so my kids can get to bed.
Just my luck, a chess politician who has been in the USCF political system for perhaps 4 decades or more was right behind me. He decided to be completely obnoxious and gave me an earful. This is the same person who 6-7 months ago said that I was the best thing for American chess since Bobby Fischer.
Right after I made my announcement to run for the executive board against the people he supports, the same man publicly said that I am the biggest detriment for American chess and decided to insult, attack and demean me online and in person. What a wonderful ending to a long day! It was hard but I bit my lips and allowed him to publicly insult me in front of people. He is not the only chess politician that has done this to me and others.
It is amazing that some people just cannot say two sentences without foam coming out of their mouths. They just cannot control themselves and their emotions. This is why sponsors do not want to talk to them and they rather walk away. Welcome to the USCF! These people want the USCF to be the way it is for decades to come if they can help it. And if anyone tries to improve the professionalism, respectability, efficiency and integrity of this federation, they will be attacked, insulted, demeaned and destroyed.
I hope your sons were not with you when that earful incident happened
I think he was just trying to get a public rise out of you – something to be used against you. Sounds like you handled it with tact. I just don’t understand why they feel so threatened.
My focus is on getting scholastic chess program(s) started here in the rural areas of my state. It would be fantastic to hear your seminar. Is there any way that someone could record it, convert it to mp3 or some format that could be distributed through one of you websites? That would be terrific.
A hole in the plane? That’s comforting…Rich
Thank God they were with my husband in the car. But it was a shocking experience.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
I like your spirits Susan.
You make it sound so natural and simple……I love it. Keep those spirits high
Abie
Whatever political type activity one is talking about, the idea is to change the political discourse to a dignified place.
The voting public should desire this in order for it to happen.
>A hole in the plane? That’s >comforting
Said with sarcasm, of course. The disturbing thing is that it sounds like they debated whether or not the repair should be made! Yeesh! (as my grandma would say)…Rich
Supporters of Susan and Paul,
For those of you who missed my post (6th one) on the topic: Free Chess Marketing, Promotion and PR Seminar, please read it and remember to stay focused on getting out the votes.
Arriva Susan y Paul !!
And now we’re getting news from a certain chess politician that all of the attacks against Susan are being made up. In fact, he claims, the anonymous racist & sexist comments posted on this blog were written by Susan herself in order to gain sympathy from us poor gullible voters. Give me a break. If I saw one day of Susan’s inbox I’d probably faint from all the nastiness. I had my doubts against voting for Paul, but I may just switch from Berry to Truong just out of spite.
If you were in a LasVegas Hotel I would be willing to bet you that this was all recorded on video tape somewhere.
Susan you have been the greatest thing to happen to American chess since Bobby Fischer! You deserve Americans respect! I wish I could have been there right by your side, as I would have spent the night in jail after I gave that insulting coward a punch in the mouth! I know you are against violent ways and insulting trash talk. You have more class than that. But 1 of these days these bully’s and evil cowards like Sam Sloane will get a lesson in manners!
Jerry Hanken is a full time jerk!!! He insulted me at the 1978 US Open (Phoenix)too!! His Chess Life articles are awful!!!
It is fairly obvious who this person is. Only one person fits that description.
Having said that, anybody who runs for election has to expect to encounter this. Look at what Bush, Clinton and every other US President has had to encounter on a daily basis. Look at what even I have to encounter on a daily basis. I told Donna that if she runs for election she has to be prepared to be attacked and attacked viciously. She now understands that I understated the situation.
I wonder what Susan is thinking. Does she think that once she is elected everything will be peace and harmony and nobody will attack her any more? Does not she realize that once she is elected things will be worse, not better?
Sam Sloan
Can this posting be true about Jerry Hanken?
Why I have never known Hanken to ever make one insult to a person.
I can say that truthfully.
He usually makes three or four insults at a time.
J.Williams