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Date: 04 Dec 2007 06:01:27
From: [email protected]
Subject: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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VOICE OF DISSENT Our Struggle Against Tyranny I was treated reasonably well in jail this past week. But I didn't dare eat the food. BY GARRY KASPAROV Sunday, December 2, 2007 12:01 a.m. EST For years the governments of the U.S. and Europe have tried to accept Vladimir Putin's Russia as an equal. Western diplomats now acknowledge that there are differences between Russia and the West, but say these differences are minor, and--in the words of one European Union official--within an "acceptable range." For me and for a dozen of my associates last week, that "acceptable range" was 120 square feet. That's the size of the jail cell I occupied for five days as punishment for "disobeying the orders of a police officer" at an opposition rally in Moscow last Saturday. That's the charge a Moscow district court added after the fact, a charge not mentioned in the handwritten testimony of the arresting officers. This was the least conspicuous of the many curious aspects of my arrest and trial. After our rally of several thousand people, we attempted to meet up with another group led by well-known human rights leader Lev Ponoev. From there we intended to deliver a petition of protest to the office of the Central Election Committee. The police had blocked the underground pedestrian passageways, so we had to cross the broad street instead and were soon blocked by more police. When they moved in close, I spoke with commanding officer Maj. Gen. Vyacheslav Kozlov, whom I had met previously. He warned us to turn back, saying we would not be allowed to approach the CEC offices. I offered to send a small delegation of 20 people to present the petition. He again told us to turn back, which we did. Of course it is inaccurate to say that the police commander was the one in command. KGB officers in plain clothes were clearly in charge even at the police station, and the arrest itself was as choreographed as the trial to come. When the special security forces known as OMON pushed in past everyone else to arrest me, we could all hear "make sure you get Kasparov" on their walkie-talkies. From the moment of our detention, we were not allowed to see our lawyers, even when charged at the police station. Three hours into the trial, the judge said it would be adjourned to the following day. But the judge then left the bench and returned to say that we had misheard her, and that my trial would go forward. No doubt another example of what we call "telephone justice." As in the street and at the police station, the KGB and the OMON forces were in control. The defense was not allowed to call any witnesses or to present any materials, such as the videos and photos journalists had taken of the ch and the arrests. After the show trial was over, I was taken to the police jail at Petrovka 38 in Moscow, and here the procedural violations continued. Not with regard to my treatment, which was respectful and as hospitable as a small box with metal furnishings and a hole in the floor for a toilet can be. I wasn't allowed a phone call and all visitors were refused access. Even my lawyer Olga Mikhailova and Duma member Vladimir Ryzhkov were forbidden to visit me, despite having the legal right to do so. My world chess champion predecessor, Anatoly Karpov, for years my great rival, generously attempted to pay me a visit but was also turned away. My other concern was food, since it was out of the question to consume anything provided by the staff. (Nor do I fly Aeroflot. "Paranoia" long ago became an obsolete concept among those in opposition to the Putin regime.) On Sunday, thanks to growing external pressure, they allowed me to receive food packages from home. In a fitting conclusion, even my release was handled illegally. Instead of letting me out at the jail into the crowd of media and supporters, many of whom had themselves been arrested and harassed while picketing, I was secretly taken to the police station where I was first charged. From there I was taken in a colonel's automobile all the way to my home. This may sound like good service, but it was obvious the authorities wanted to avoid the festive scene that would have occurred outside the jail. When I was arrested last April and fined $40, some poked fun at the trivial amount. And five days in a Moscow jail is not the worst fate that can be imagined. Some commentators even suspected I wanted to provoke my own arrest for publicity, a chess player's far-sighted strategy. First off, the penalty is not the point; the principle is. Are we to have the rule of law in Russia or not? Second, I have no intention of becoming a tyr, or in leading an opposition movement from prison. I had no illusions and now I can confirm it is not a pleasant place to be. And this is not chess, with its cold-blooded calculations. This is about honor and morality. I cannot ask people to protest in the streets if I am not there with them. At the rally on Saturday, I said our slogan must be "We must overcome our fear," and I am obliged to stand by these words. It is also essential to point out that these arrests are only the tip of the iceberg. Such things are taking place all over Russia on a daily basis. Opposition activists--or just those who happen to be in the way of the administration--are harassed and arrested on false charges of drug possession, extremism, or the latest trend, for owning illegal software. There is little doubt today's parliamentary elections will be as fixed as my trial. The presidential elections on ch 2 will be a different sort of performance, more improvised, since even now Mr. Putin and his gang are not sure how to resolve their dilemma. The loss of power could mean the loss of fortune and freedom. Outright dictatorship would endanger their lucrative ties with the West. The campaign rhetoric of Mr. Putin and his supporters is genuinely frightening. Here we have an allegedly popular president who dominates the media, the parliament and the judiciary. He and his closest allies are in total control of the nation's wealth. And yet his recent speeches are hysterical rants about "enemies within" and "foreign antagonists" trying to weaken Russia--language characteristic of totalitarian states. So far this campaign has been largely ineffective, at least in my case. During my five days in jail I had the chance to speak to many of the ordinary consumers of Kremlin propaganda. They were generally sympathetic, and showed no signs of believing the many lies the Kremlin and the youth groups it sponsors have spread about the opposition. For them I was still the Soviet chess champion and the idea that I was an "American agent" sounded as ludicrous as it is. So why is Mr. Putin so scared if things are going so well? He is a rational and pragmatic person, not prone to melodrama. He knows the numbers, so why the heavy and heavy-handed campaigning if he knows he and United Russia are going to win? The answer is that he is very aware of how brittle his power structure has become. Instead of sounding like a Tsar, high above the crowd, he's beginning to sound like just another nervous autocrat. As George Bernard Shaw wrote, "The most anxious man in a prison is the governor." So demagoguery it is and demagoguery it will be. A violent pro-Putin youth group, Nashi, has already released a poster celebrating Mr. Putin's "crushing victory" on December 2. It also warns against the "enemies of the people of Russia," myself included, attempting to disqualify the results. These terms jibe nicely with Mr. Putin's own rhetoric of threats and fear. The ground is being prepared for greater oppression. The Other Russia will continue our activities because, simply, some things are worth fighting for and will not come without being fought for. All of the "minor differences" between Mr. Putin's Russia and the nations of the free world add up to one very large difference: that between democracy and tyranny. Mr. Kasparov, a leader of the Other Russia coalition, is a former world chess champion and a contributing editor of The Wall Street Journal.
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Date: 06 Dec 2007 19:02:09
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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OUR BOTSTER Greg Kennedy does not wish to sign himself as Greg Kennedy largely because of past ... well, he reappeared here a couple of years back under a new monicker "nomorechess." He had likely tried to read some books in the interim -- though like most would-be autodidacts he could not organize an efficient program. He began well enough for a half dozen or so postings. Then came the babbling, the bile, and the constant stream of errors. GM Larry Evans was the first to say, "That's good old Kennedy right enough." And so he was. We offered Greg several chances to reappear here under his old name, but he had already done the dirty on himself. And, too, he sometimes forgets about trying not to be our Greg, writing in effect under his true identity. Besides the prattling and the tell-tale mistakes, Greg could not stanch his hatred of his betters. We have read the spite he peddles about Bobby and Garry Kasparov. He seethes. And true enough, Greg believes that had he grown up near the shall or Manhattan chess clubs, he coulda been a coulda, coulda, coulda. Another hate is that factory where he works, of which he has spoken in the past. He hates Indiana. Above all else, to be sure, he also hates himself. Hence the name help bot even when most readers on this forum already know his real identity. Yours, Larry Parr [email protected] wrote: > A COWARD AND A LIAR > > <Mr. Helpless Bot added the word "loaded" to the orignal line, which > actually was written "Instead of answering the question truthfully". > This type of dishonesty is > typical of cowards.> -- Mike Petersen > > Mike, > > We all know about dingbats like help bot (aka Greg Kennedy) who failed > at mastering chess and enviy their betters -- an invincible > combination of malice and ignorance. > > My advice is just to sit back and watch him continue to shoot off his > mouth, as I have enjoyed doing for years. > > > > Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (Wlod) wrote: > > On Dec 5, 1:21 am, help bot <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On Dec 4, 9:01 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > Mr. Kasparov, a leader of the Other Russia coalition, is a former > > > > world chess champion and a contributing editor of The Wall Street > > > > Journal. > > > > > > A picture of GK appeared in Investors Business Daily, > > > December 4, 2007 as well. It is very strange to see him > > > grumble about honor and whatnot, as he never even > > > apologized for his shameless cheating against Ms. > > > Polgar -- as caught on videotape. Putin-bashing and > > > Chavez-bashing are all the rage in the media these > > > days, along with China-bashing, but if there is to be > > > any hint of believability in such articles, they will need > > > to find a more credible proponent of "democracy" than > > > Gary Kasparov. > > > > > > -- help bot > > > > You are pathetic > > -- no class, no imagination, no sensitivity, no compassion, no brain. > > > > Wlod
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Date: 06 Dec 2007 13:27:18
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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A COWARD AND A LIAR <Mr. Helpless Bot added the word "loaded" to the orignal line, which actually was written "Instead of answering the question truthfully". This type of dishonesty is typical of cowards. > -- Mike Petersen Mike, We all know about dingbats like help bot (aka Greg Kennedy) who failed at mastering chess and enviy their betters -- an invincible combination of malice and ignorance. My advice is just to sit back and watch him continue to shoot off his mouth, as I have enjoyed doing for years. Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (Wlod) wrote: > On Dec 5, 1:21 am, help bot <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Dec 4, 9:01 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Mr. Kasparov, a leader of the Other Russia coalition, is a former > > > world chess champion and a contributing editor of The Wall Street > > > Journal. > > > > A picture of GK appeared in Investors Business Daily, > > December 4, 2007 as well. It is very strange to see him > > grumble about honor and whatnot, as he never even > > apologized for his shameless cheating against Ms. > > Polgar -- as caught on videotape. Putin-bashing and > > Chavez-bashing are all the rage in the media these > > days, along with China-bashing, but if there is to be > > any hint of believability in such articles, they will need > > to find a more credible proponent of "democracy" than > > Gary Kasparov. > > > > -- help bot > > You are pathetic > -- no class, no imagination, no sensitivity, no compassion, no brain. > > Wlod
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Date: 06 Dec 2007 05:11:05
From: Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (Wlod)
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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On Dec 5, 1:21 am, help bot <[email protected] > wrote: > On Dec 4, 9:01 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Mr. Kasparov, a leader of the Other Russia coalition, is a former > > world chess champion and a contributing editor of The Wall Street > > Journal. > > A picture of GK appeared in Investors Business Daily, > December 4, 2007 as well. It is very strange to see him > grumble about honor and whatnot, as he never even > apologized for his shameless cheating against Ms. > Polgar -- as caught on videotape. Putin-bashing and > Chavez-bashing are all the rage in the media these > days, along with China-bashing, but if there is to be > any hint of believability in such articles, they will need > to find a more credible proponent of "democracy" than > Gary Kasparov. > > -- help bot You are pathetic -- no class, no imagination, no sensitivity, no compassion, no brain. Wlod
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Date: 06 Dec 2007 03:39:32
From:
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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On Dec 6, 4:47 am, help bot <[email protected] > wrote: > > > Instead of answering the loaded question truthfully, > Everyone, please note the above "quote". Mr. Helpless Bot added the word "loaded" to the orignal line, which actually was written "Instead of answering the question truthfully". This type of dishonesty is typical of cowards. He lists the rest of my quote accurately in the feeble hope that you won't notice the lie he perpetrates. I wonder how many other lies he's spreading? So, go ahead, Helpless, call me some more names. Spew more of your bullshit. It won't make any difference. You're like the cockroach: when the light turns on, you scurry back into the darkness. You will never be more than a nameless, cowardly, lying schmuck. How sad. - Mike Petersen
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Date: 06 Dec 2007 01:47:22
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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On Dec 5, 9:03 pm, [email protected] wrote: > > > Why are you afraid of using your real name? > > > Perhaps a better question might be: why are you > > concerned with my "real" name? In the past, the > > only people who have shown the slightest concern > > for names here are the ad hominists, who "need" > > personal information with which to "personalize" > > their ad hom. attacks. > > > Rather than mindlessly assuming a motive of > > fear, think of how much fun it must be to keep > > the poor ad hominists groping in the dark. :>D > Nice try, schmuck. Kiss this, fart breath! > You sound just like a politician. Mike Huckabee, I presume. (I warned them to watch out for that guy, but they wouldn't listen.) > Instead of answering the loaded question truthfully, > you spin and spin, rewording the question to meet your own > sophistry. You have it back-asswards, moron. The Sophists were the type to ad hominize, like you do. The tell- tale sign is the *loading of questions*, the mindless assumptions regarding the motives of others, and of course, sheer stupidity. LOL > I am not afraid to sign my own name. Wow. That's very impressive, kid. > Unlike you, I have nothing to be ashamed of. So you're blaming your problem on others? > Don't bother trying to spin another piece of bullshit. No one will be > listening. Bye bye kid. Tell Skip we miss him. -- help bot
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 18:03:18
From:
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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On Dec 5, 2:14 pm, help bot <[email protected] > wrote: > On Dec 5, 12:14 pm, [email protected] wrote: > > > Mr. Bot... > > > Why are you afraid of using your real name? > > Perhaps a better question might be: why are you > concerned with my "real" name? In the past, the > only people who have shown the slightest concern > for names here are the ad hominists, who "need" > personal information with which to "personalize" > their ad hom. attacks. > > Rather than mindlessly assuming a motive of > fear, think of how much fun it must be to keep > the poor ad hominists groping in the dark. :>D > > -- help bot Nice try, schmuck. You sound just like a politician. Instead of answering the question truthfully, you spin and spin, rewording the question to meet your own sophistry. I am not afraid to sign my own name. Unlike you, I have nothing to be ashamed of. Don't bother trying to spin another piece of bullshit. No one will be listening. - Mike Petersen
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 11:14:06
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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On Dec 5, 12:14 pm, [email protected] wrote: > Mr. Bot... > > Why are you afraid of using your real name? Perhaps a better question might be: why are you concerned with my "real" name? In the past, the only people who have shown the slightest concern for names here are the ad hominists, who "need" personal information with which to "personalize" their ad hom. attacks. Rather than mindlessly assuming a motive of fear, think of how much fun it must be to keep the poor ad hominists groping in the dark. : >D -- help bot
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 16:07:04
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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"help bot" <[email protected] > wrote in message news:[email protected]... > On Dec 5, 12:14 pm, [email protected] wrote: > >> Mr. Bot... >> >> Why are you afraid of using your real name? > > Perhaps a better question might be: why are you > concerned with my "real" name? In the past, the > only people who have shown the slightest concern > for names here are the ad hominists, who "need" > personal information with which to "personalize" > their ad hom. attacks. So tell us why, do not protest of others. It is true, these days, that employers will audit you, and this is an inhibition to candid comment in our time, except to we the self-employeed. I do not envy anyone in another situation. Still, and yet, why persecute others, if this is your own case? Should they be so different than you? > Rather than mindlessly assuming a motive of > fear, think of how much fun it must be to keep > the poor ad hominists groping in the dark. :>D A shadenfreude observation, for sure. Coward, some would say, I would! How much fun is it in the dark? Dammit, you are an American and are content with this? You sound like some samizdat desperado from the SU. Phil Innes > > -- help bot > > >
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 09:14:25
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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LOVIN' IT! <Perhaps a much better work was GK's original "Fighting Chess" -- written before the man's ego became quite so bloated, before he started his long career as liar and cheat extraordinaire.< -- help bot Watching a man who is afraid to sign his own name vent his spleen against his betters is an endless source of amusement.
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 09:14:22
From:
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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Mr. Bot... Why are you afraid of using your real name? - Mike Petersen
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 08:03:10
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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On Dec 5, 10:32 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected] > wrote: > "Kasparov did not take his hand off the knight, so he had a perfect > right to change his move," said the chief arbiter. "My conscience is > clear. I have the feeling my hand was still on it," added Kasparov. Other accounts claimed the arbiter did not see the cheating because he was purportedly standing directly behind GK, his view of the board obstructed. In my experience, no virtually TD has the guts required to intervene in this kind of situation, enforcing the rules *evenhandedly*. > Yet we all know the naked eye can be fooled. A camera crew was filming > the game and a replay revealed that Kasparov removed his hand for > exactly 1/4 of a second! Deliberate foul or did he try to change his > grip in order to reverse direction? Who can say for sure? For an old geezer who has no skill at blitz chess a quarter of a second might not seem like much, but to a skilled player like GK, it's plenty of time to know whether or not one has deliberately released a man. That's what makes such players great: their amazing quickness, relative to the rank and file. I expect that strong bullet-chess players like Skip Repa do this sort of thing routinely. > His enemies promptly called it cheating. It makes no difference who is friend or enemy, as the rules of chess decide the matter. According to the laws of chess, releasing his hand obligated GK to leave the man where he originally put it. The cheat move is not the important aspect here, as his original move was not a loser as it appeared at first blush; what is important is that GK first lied, and then later, upon being told of the video, /changed his lie/ to fit the new (to him) situation. This ready adaptation to circumvent the evidence is a smoking gun, if the videotape proof were not enough in itself. As many writers have pointed out, these inconsistencies are a hallk of GK. An article by Edward Winter, supposedly a book review, was devoted almost entirely to listing the multitudinous inconsistencies and have- it-both ways ploys which plague GK's works! Unfortunately, GK's close association with hack writer Ray Keene made it neigh well impossible for EW to take a more even- handed approach, telling readers the good points, along with the bad ones. If I recall correctly, that particular book was titled Child of Change, and it's still being sold at my local chess club. Perhaps a much better work was GK's original "Fighting Chess" -- written before the man's ego became quite so bloated, before he started his long career as liar and cheat extraordinaire. -- help bot
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 07:32:22
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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TOUCH MOVE! From THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS by GM Larry Evans (page 267) Since the rules specify that a protest must be lodged during play, nothing could be done after the game was over. "I didn't want to cause unpleasantness during my first invitation to such an important event," she [Judith Polgar] explained. "We were both in severe time pressure. I was also afraid I would be penalized on the clock if my protest was rejected." "Kasparov did not take his hand off the knight, so he had a perfect right to change his move," said the chief arbiter. "My conscience is clear. I have the feeling my hand was still on it," added Kasparov. Yet we all know the naked eye can be fooled. A camera crew was filming the game and a replay revealed that Kasparov removed his hand for exactly 1/4 of a second! Deliberate foul or did he try to change his grip in order to reverse direction? Who can say for sure? His enemies promptly called it cheating. But Robert Solso, a noted cognitive psychologist, said that a time span of 250 milliseconds might be too short to make such a conscious decision. Chess One wrote: > "help bot" <[email protected]> wrote in message > news:[email protected]... > > On Dec 5, 7:51 am, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> > A picture of GK appeared in Investors Business Daily, > >> > December 4, 2007 as well. It is very strange to see him > >> > grumble about honor and whatnot, as he never even > >> > apologized for his shameless cheating against Ms. > >> > Polgar -- as caught on videotape. > >> > >> What a nonsense - its my understanding that JP accepts his explanation to > >> her. > > > > You will no doubt understand if "your understanding" > > is not taken seriously here, due to your abysmal > > record. > > At least I AM someone, cowardy pants! If you can't write your own name, what > a massive hypocrite you are to obsess over those who can - always putting > them down! > > <..> > > > "Um, er, what I meant to say was that I, um, did > > not realize that my hand (the wicked dog!) had > > released the Knight. So you see, it was the hand, > > not I." > > invented dialog by corn-bot! enough of this subject! he doesn't want to hear > anything else so that he can continue to dislike a famous strong player... > whats new about that? > > > >> Garry Kasparov has been risking rather more than his opinion on usenet, > >> some > >> say risking his life. Certainly the US government are concerned about > >> coercion of votes, threats issued, and a goverment controlled media > >> auditing > >> the news. > > > > The question is, in what way is taking such risks > > beneficial to "democracy" in Russia? As far as I > > have seen, the result was a loss. It reminds me > > of the split with FIDE over money and power; in > > fact, GK specifically mentioned control over > > Russia's money in his rant, just as Sam Sloan > > does when complaining about the USCF. One > > has to wonder, what is the /real motive/ here? > > I expect you would have a clearer idea if you got to stand around in a > frozen square with the riot police looking on. What you wonder is not nearly > enough since you never lived in a country where the knock on the door comes > at 2am, and the rubber truncheons... Orwell wrote that in 1941 about just > such a defence of the West against dictators. > > You may not appreciate your freedom to express yourself, in which case at > the next election vote for English George, rather than President Washington, > since you won't appreciate his time in the wilderness either. > > > In the past, GK has expounded upon some > > democratic ideals in chess, but when the voters > > preferred Jan Timman, he showed his true colors > > via a cut-and-run, leaving the "democrats" to > > twist in the wind. Is that the sort of man you > > wish to lead Russia, instead of Mr. Putin? > > Laugh! Certainly! > > And because I am no True Believer, and would back anyone anyday who can > answer for themselves, saint or sinner, than prefer the product of the KGB > in a "100%" democracy > > >> Kasparov may not be the best proponent of democracy in Russia > > > > You got that right. > > > > > >> but he /is/ credible > > > > No, he's not. But like Sam Sloan, he does get > > a lot of attention out of this. > > Unlike Sam Sloan, he commits himself to considerable risk for something far > beyond his personal interest. > > >> and in consideration of who else represents the issue, he is the > >> leader of something now very important to something in the modern world - > >> not just in Russia, but in the USA too - at least the US President seems > >> to > >> think so. > > What follows seems to be on another topic, and is 'net-wisdom' rather like > urban legends, but here we see how the third estate would be if issued from > a cornfield:- > > > One day, Mr. Innes, you will perhaps learn to > > /think for yourself/, and not rely upon the likes of > > GB or LP to do it for you. A good start would be > > to reevaluate positions which are not supported > > by the facts. Here's a fact you might want to > > consider, once you make the decision to start > > /thinking for yourself/: Yuri Averbakh was used > > by LE in support of one of his rants, but when > > the book finally appeared, it turned out that LE > > was just blowing hot air: YA stated that Vassily > > Smyslov was the Kremlin's favorite, not GM > > Botvinnik! LOL As a chess player of nearly- > > an-IM strength, you surely can do simple > > pattern recognition? Try this on for size: in > > another article by LE, the dishonest kook used > > TK in support of his position, but it turned out > > that TK had reversed himself, and no longer > > supported LE. > > What a passion! > > > Now, this is not overly complex: > > what is the pattern here? That's right, bucko: > > the simple pattern is one of deception and lies > > emanating from Larry Evans. Food for thought. > > Corn-mush, in fact? > > And thereby rests the defence of free speech of the modern epoch - by > innocently quoting Averbakh, the agent who even Taylor Kingston knows may > not be entirely truthful about his own role in the secret world of Soviet > chess manipulations. > > Pravda, anyone? It reads pretty much the same, then and now. > > Phil Innes > > > > > -- help bot
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 05:28:53
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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On Dec 5, 7:51 am, "Chess One" <[email protected] > wrote: > > A picture of GK appeared in Investors Business Daily, > > December 4, 2007 as well. It is very strange to see him > > grumble about honor and whatnot, as he never even > > apologized for his shameless cheating against Ms. > > Polgar -- as caught on videotape. > > What a nonsense - its my understanding that JP accepts his explanation to > her. You will no doubt understand if "your understanding" is not taken seriously here, due to your abysmal record. This event was just one in a long line of dishonest actions by GK; luck would have it that it is also the one caught right on videotape. Now, die hard GK apologists can try to brush off the act as some fluke wardrobe malfunction, but reporters caught the scum in a baldfaced lie, whereupon GK changed his story. "I never released the Knight -- you are mistaken." "Mr. Kasparov, here is a videotape showing you in fact released the Knight; would you like to see yourself cheat a girl, frame by frame?" "Um, er, what I meant to say was that I, um, did not realize that my hand (the wicked dog!) had released the Knight. So you see, it was the hand, not I." "Okay, the videotape supports that excuse; the wicked hand indeed is the only one which released the Knight; the arm and body mainly acted as passive observers, and the mind of Gary Kasparov is above reproach?!?" > > Putin-bashing and > > Chavez-bashing are all the rage in the media these > > days, along with China-bashing, but if there is to be > > any hint of believability in such articles, they will need > > to find a more credible proponent of "democracy" than > > Gary Kasparov. > > Garry Kasparov has been risking rather more than his opinion on usenet, some > say risking his life. Certainly the US government are concerned about > coercion of votes, threats issued, and a goverment controlled media auditing > the news. The question is, in what way is taking such risks beneficial to "democracy" in Russia? As far as I have seen, the result was a loss. It reminds me of the split with FIDE over money and power; in fact, GK specifically mentioned control over Russia's money in his rant, just as Sam Sloan does when complaining about the USCF. One has to wonder, what is the /real motive/ here? In the past, GK has expounded upon some democratic ideals in chess, but when the voters preferred Jan Timman, he showed his true colors via a cut-and-run, leaving the "democrats" to twist in the wind. Is that the sort of man you wish to lead Russia, instead of Mr. Putin? > Kasparov may not be the best proponent of democracy in Russia You got that right. > but he /is/ credible No, he's not. But like Sam Sloan, he does get a lot of attention out of this. > and in consideration of who else represents the issue, he is the > leader of something now very important to something in the modern world - > not just in Russia, but in the USA too - at least the US President seems to > think so. One day, Mr. Innes, you will perhaps learn to /think for yourself/, and not rely upon the likes of GB or LP to do it for you. A good start would be to reevaluate positions which are not supported by the facts. Here's a fact you might want to consider, once you make the decision to start /thinking for yourself/: Yuri Averbakh was used by LE in support of one of his rants, but when the book finally appeared, it turned out that LE was just blowing hot air: YA stated that Vassily Smyslov was the Kremlin's favorite, not GM Botvinnik! LOL As a chess player of nearly- an-IM strength, you surely can do simple pattern recognition? Try this on for size: in another article by LE, the dishonest kook used TK in support of his position, but it turned out that TK had reversed himself, and no longer supported LE. Now, this is not overly complex: what is the pattern here? That's right, bucko: the simple pattern is one of deception and lies emanating from Larry Evans. Food for thought. -- help bot
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 10:02:39
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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"help bot" <[email protected] > wrote in message news:[email protected]... > On Dec 5, 7:51 am, "Chess One" <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > A picture of GK appeared in Investors Business Daily, >> > December 4, 2007 as well. It is very strange to see him >> > grumble about honor and whatnot, as he never even >> > apologized for his shameless cheating against Ms. >> > Polgar -- as caught on videotape. >> >> What a nonsense - its my understanding that JP accepts his explanation to >> her. > > You will no doubt understand if "your understanding" > is not taken seriously here, due to your abysmal > record. At least I AM someone, cowardy pants! If you can't write your own name, what a massive hypocrite you are to obsess over those who can - always putting them down! <.. > > "Um, er, what I meant to say was that I, um, did > not realize that my hand (the wicked dog!) had > released the Knight. So you see, it was the hand, > not I." invented dialog by corn-bot! enough of this subject! he doesn't want to hear anything else so that he can continue to dislike a famous strong player... whats new about that? >> Garry Kasparov has been risking rather more than his opinion on usenet, >> some >> say risking his life. Certainly the US government are concerned about >> coercion of votes, threats issued, and a goverment controlled media >> auditing >> the news. > > The question is, in what way is taking such risks > beneficial to "democracy" in Russia? As far as I > have seen, the result was a loss. It reminds me > of the split with FIDE over money and power; in > fact, GK specifically mentioned control over > Russia's money in his rant, just as Sam Sloan > does when complaining about the USCF. One > has to wonder, what is the /real motive/ here? I expect you would have a clearer idea if you got to stand around in a frozen square with the riot police looking on. What you wonder is not nearly enough since you never lived in a country where the knock on the door comes at 2am, and the rubber truncheons... Orwell wrote that in 1941 about just such a defence of the West against dictators. You may not appreciate your freedom to express yourself, in which case at the next election vote for English George, rather than President Washington, since you won't appreciate his time in the wilderness either. > In the past, GK has expounded upon some > democratic ideals in chess, but when the voters > preferred Jan Timman, he showed his true colors > via a cut-and-run, leaving the "democrats" to > twist in the wind. Is that the sort of man you > wish to lead Russia, instead of Mr. Putin? Laugh! Certainly! And because I am no True Believer, and would back anyone anyday who can answer for themselves, saint or sinner, than prefer the product of the KGB in a "100%" democracy >> Kasparov may not be the best proponent of democracy in Russia > > You got that right. > > >> but he /is/ credible > > No, he's not. But like Sam Sloan, he does get > a lot of attention out of this. Unlike Sam Sloan, he commits himself to considerable risk for something far beyond his personal interest. >> and in consideration of who else represents the issue, he is the >> leader of something now very important to something in the modern world - >> not just in Russia, but in the USA too - at least the US President seems >> to >> think so. What follows seems to be on another topic, and is 'net-wisdom' rather like urban legends, but here we see how the third estate would be if issued from a cornfield:- > One day, Mr. Innes, you will perhaps learn to > /think for yourself/, and not rely upon the likes of > GB or LP to do it for you. A good start would be > to reevaluate positions which are not supported > by the facts. Here's a fact you might want to > consider, once you make the decision to start > /thinking for yourself/: Yuri Averbakh was used > by LE in support of one of his rants, but when > the book finally appeared, it turned out that LE > was just blowing hot air: YA stated that Vassily > Smyslov was the Kremlin's favorite, not GM > Botvinnik! LOL As a chess player of nearly- > an-IM strength, you surely can do simple > pattern recognition? Try this on for size: in > another article by LE, the dishonest kook used > TK in support of his position, but it turned out > that TK had reversed himself, and no longer > supported LE. What a passion! > Now, this is not overly complex: > what is the pattern here? That's right, bucko: > the simple pattern is one of deception and lies > emanating from Larry Evans. Food for thought. Corn-mush, in fact? And thereby rests the defence of free speech of the modern epoch - by innocently quoting Averbakh, the agent who even Taylor Kingston knows may not be entirely truthful about his own role in the secret world of Soviet chess manipulations. Pravda, anyone? It reads pretty much the same, then and now. Phil Innes > > -- help bot
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 01:21:38
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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On Dec 4, 9:01 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected] > wrote: > Mr. Kasparov, a leader of the Other Russia coalition, is a former > world chess champion and a contributing editor of The Wall Street > Journal. A picture of GK appeared in Investors Business Daily, December 4, 2007 as well. It is very strange to see him grumble about honor and whatnot, as he never even apologized for his shameless cheating against Ms. Polgar -- as caught on videotape. Putin-bashing and Chavez-bashing are all the rage in the media these days, along with China-bashing, but if there is to be any hint of believability in such articles, they will need to find a more credible proponent of "democracy" than Gary Kasparov. -- help bot
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Date: 05 Dec 2007 07:51:00
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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"help bot" <[email protected] > wrote in message news:c394a816-338c-4565-b89b-023ff74cce13@d61g2000hsa.googlegroups.com... > On Dec 4, 9:01 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Mr. Kasparov, a leader of the Other Russia coalition, is a former >> world chess champion and a contributing editor of The Wall Street >> Journal. > > A picture of GK appeared in Investors Business Daily, > December 4, 2007 as well. It is very strange to see him > grumble about honor and whatnot, as he never even > apologized for his shameless cheating against Ms. > Polgar -- as caught on videotape. What a nonsense - its my understanding that JP accepts his explanation to her. > Putin-bashing and > Chavez-bashing are all the rage in the media these > days, along with China-bashing, but if there is to be > any hint of believability in such articles, they will need > to find a more credible proponent of "democracy" than > Gary Kasparov. Garry Kasparov has been risking rather more than his opinion on usenet, some say risking his life. Certainly the US government are concerned about coercion of votes, threats issued, and a goverment controlled media auditing the news. Kasparov may not be the best proponent of democracy in Russia, but he /is/ credible, and in consideration of who else represents the issue, he is the leader of something now very important to something in the modern world - not just in Russia, but in the USA too - at least the US President seems to think so. Phil Innes > > -- help bot > >
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Date: 04 Dec 2007 10:53:32
From:
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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On Dec 4, 8:01 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected] > wrote: > VOICE OF DISSENT > > Our Struggle Against Tyranny > > I was treated reasonably well in jail this past week. But I didn't > dare eat the food. > > BY GARRY KASPAROV > > Sunday, December 2, 2007 12:01 a.m. EST > > For years the governments of the U.S. and Europe have tried to accept > Vladimir Putin's Russia as an equal. Western diplomats now acknowledge > that there are differences between Russia and the West, but say these > differences are minor, and--in the words of one European Union > official--within an "acceptable range." For me and for a dozen of my > associates last week, that "acceptable range" was 120 square feet. > That's the size of the jail cell I occupied for five days as > punishment for "disobeying the orders of a police officer" at an > opposition rally in Moscow last Saturday. That's the charge a Moscow > district court added after the fact, a charge not mentioned in the > handwritten testimony of the arresting officers. > > This was the least conspicuous of the many curious aspects of my > arrest and trial. After our rally of several thousand people, we > attempted to meet up with another group led by well-known human rights > leader Lev Ponoev. From there we intended to deliver a petition of > protest to the office of the Central Election Committee. The police > had blocked the underground pedestrian passageways, so we had to cross > the broad street instead and were soon blocked by more police. When > they moved in close, I spoke with commanding officer Maj. Gen. > Vyacheslav Kozlov, whom I had met previously. He warned us to turn > back, saying we would not be allowed to approach the CEC offices. I > offered to send a small delegation of 20 people to present the > petition. He again told us to turn back, which we did. Of course it is > inaccurate to say that the police commander was the one in command. > KGB officers in plain clothes were clearly in charge even at the > police station, and the arrest itself was as choreographed as the > trial to come. When the special security forces known as OMON pushed > in past everyone else to arrest me, we could all hear "make sure you > get Kasparov" on their walkie-talkies. > > From the moment of our detention, we were not allowed to see our > lawyers, even when charged at the police station. Three hours into the > trial, the judge said it would be adjourned to the following day. But > the judge then left the bench and returned to say that we had misheard > her, and that my trial would go forward. No doubt another example of > what we call "telephone justice." > > As in the street and at the police station, the KGB and the OMON > forces were in control. The defense was not allowed to call any > witnesses or to present any materials, such as the videos and photos > journalists had taken of the ch and the arrests. After the show > trial was over, I was taken to the police jail at Petrovka 38 in > Moscow, and here the procedural violations continued. Not with regard > to my treatment, which was respectful and as hospitable as a small box > with metal furnishings and a hole in the floor for a toilet can be. I > wasn't allowed a phone call and all visitors were refused access. Even > my lawyer Olga Mikhailova and Duma member Vladimir Ryzhkov were > forbidden to visit me, despite having the legal right to do so. My > world chess champion predecessor, Anatoly Karpov, for years my great > rival, generously attempted to pay me a visit but was also turned > away. My other concern was food, since it was out of the question to > consume anything provided by the staff. (Nor do I fly Aeroflot. > "Paranoia" long ago became an obsolete concept among those in > opposition to the Putin regime.) > > On Sunday, thanks to growing external pressure, they allowed me to > receive food packages from home. In a fitting conclusion, even my > release was handled illegally. Instead of letting me out at the jail > into the crowd of media and supporters, many of whom had themselves > been arrested and harassed while picketing, I was secretly taken to > the police station where I was first charged. From there I was taken > in a colonel's automobile all the way to my home. This may sound like > good service, but it was obvious the authorities wanted to avoid the > festive scene that would have occurred outside the jail. When I was > arrested last April and fined $40, some poked fun at the trivial > amount. And five days in a Moscow jail is not the worst fate that can > be imagined. Some commentators even suspected I wanted to provoke my > own arrest for publicity, a chess player's far-sighted strategy. First > off, the penalty is not the point; the principle is. Are we to have > the rule of law in Russia or not? Second, I have no intention of > becoming a tyr, or in leading an opposition movement from prison. I > had no illusions and now I can confirm it is not a pleasant place to > be. > > And this is not chess, with its cold-blooded calculations. This is > about honor and morality. I cannot ask people to protest in the > streets if I am not there with them. At the rally on Saturday, I said > our slogan must be "We must overcome our fear," and I am obliged to > stand by these words. It is also essential to point out that these > arrests are only the tip of the iceberg. Such things are taking place > all over Russia on a daily basis. Opposition activists--or just those > who happen to be in the way of the administration--are harassed and > arrested on false charges of drug possession, extremism, or the latest > trend, for owning illegal software. There is little doubt today's > parliamentary elections will be as fixed as my trial. The presidential > elections on ch 2 will be a different sort of performance, more > improvised, since even now Mr. Putin and his gang are not sure how to > resolve their dilemma. The loss of power could mean the loss of > fortune and freedom. Outright dictatorship would endanger their > lucrative ties with the West. The campaign rhetoric of Mr. Putin and > his supporters is genuinely frightening. > > Here we have an allegedly popular president who dominates the media, > the parliament and the judiciary. He and his closest allies are in > total control of the nation's wealth. And yet his recent speeches are > hysterical rants about "enemies within" and "foreign antagonists" > trying to weaken Russia--language characteristic of totalitarian > states. So far this campaign has been largely ineffective, at least in > my case. During my five days in jail I had the chance to speak to many > of the ordinary consumers of Kremlin propaganda. They were generally > sympathetic, and showed no signs of believing the many lies the > Kremlin and the youth groups it sponsors have spread about the > opposition. For them I was still the Soviet chess champion and the > idea that I was an "American agent" sounded as ludicrous as it is. > > So why is Mr. Putin so scared if things are going so well? He is a > rational and pragmatic person, not prone to melodrama. He knows the > numbers, so why the heavy and heavy-handed campaigning if he knows he > and United Russia are going to win? The answer is that he is very > aware of how brittle his power structure has become. Instead of > sounding like a Tsar, high above the crowd, he's beginning to sound > like just another nervous autocrat. As George Bernard Shaw wrote, "The > most anxious man in a prison is the governor." > > So demagoguery it is and demagoguery it will be. A violent pro-Putin > youth group, Nashi, has already released a poster celebrating Mr. > Putin's "crushing victory" on December 2. It also warns against the > "enemies of the people of Russia," myself included, attempting to > disqualify the results. These terms jibe nicely with Mr. Putin's own > rhetoric of threats and fear. The ground is being prepared for greater > oppression. The Other Russia will continue our activities because, > simply, some things are worth fighting for and will not come without > being fought for. All of the "minor differences" between Mr. Putin's > Russia and the nations of the free world add up to one very large > difference: that between democracy and tyranny. > > Mr. Kasparov, a leader of the Other Russia coalition, is a former > world chess champion and a contributing editor of The Wall Street > Journal. Well, based on my troubles with FIDE, I understand Gary's position. It pretty much makes sense: we can't play in the World Chess Championship and Gary gets thrown in jail without a adquate legal protections, namely, a defense attorney. The Russians understand and respect only strength. I suspect Gary's days are numbered. cus Roberts Peramanent Delegate of St Kitts and Nevis to FIDE
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Date: 04 Dec 2007 09:46:25
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Kasparov in Wall Street Journal
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there is a good picture i found [too late for this week's column] of Kasparov and Karpov at a press conference after garry was released - they were both grinning karpov tried to see him in prison - but was turned away! phil innes <[email protected] > wrote in message news:5602088c-e3b4-4326-9e8c-fcab441218fd@b40g2000prf.googlegroups.com... > VOICE OF DISSENT > > Our Struggle Against Tyranny > > I was treated reasonably well in jail this past week. But I didn't > dare eat the food. > > BY GARRY KASPAROV > > Sunday, December 2, 2007 12:01 a.m. EST > > For years the governments of the U.S. and Europe have tried to accept > Vladimir Putin's Russia as an equal. Western diplomats now acknowledge > that there are differences between Russia and the West, but say these > differences are minor, and--in the words of one European Union > official--within an "acceptable range." For me and for a dozen of my > associates last week, that "acceptable range" was 120 square feet. > That's the size of the jail cell I occupied for five days as > punishment for "disobeying the orders of a police officer" at an > opposition rally in Moscow last Saturday. That's the charge a Moscow > district court added after the fact, a charge not mentioned in the > handwritten testimony of the arresting officers. > > This was the least conspicuous of the many curious aspects of my > arrest and trial. After our rally of several thousand people, we > attempted to meet up with another group led by well-known human rights > leader Lev Ponoev. From there we intended to deliver a petition of > protest to the office of the Central Election Committee. The police > had blocked the underground pedestrian passageways, so we had to cross > the broad street instead and were soon blocked by more police. When > they moved in close, I spoke with commanding officer Maj. Gen. > Vyacheslav Kozlov, whom I had met previously. He warned us to turn > back, saying we would not be allowed to approach the CEC offices. I > offered to send a small delegation of 20 people to present the > petition. He again told us to turn back, which we did. Of course it is > inaccurate to say that the police commander was the one in command. > KGB officers in plain clothes were clearly in charge even at the > police station, and the arrest itself was as choreographed as the > trial to come. When the special security forces known as OMON pushed > in past everyone else to arrest me, we could all hear "make sure you > get Kasparov" on their walkie-talkies. > > From the moment of our detention, we were not allowed to see our > lawyers, even when charged at the police station. Three hours into the > trial, the judge said it would be adjourned to the following day. But > the judge then left the bench and returned to say that we had misheard > her, and that my trial would go forward. No doubt another example of > what we call "telephone justice." > > As in the street and at the police station, the KGB and the OMON > forces were in control. The defense was not allowed to call any > witnesses or to present any materials, such as the videos and photos > journalists had taken of the ch and the arrests. After the show > trial was over, I was taken to the police jail at Petrovka 38 in > Moscow, and here the procedural violations continued. Not with regard > to my treatment, which was respectful and as hospitable as a small box > with metal furnishings and a hole in the floor for a toilet can be. I > wasn't allowed a phone call and all visitors were refused access. Even > my lawyer Olga Mikhailova and Duma member Vladimir Ryzhkov were > forbidden to visit me, despite having the legal right to do so. My > world chess champion predecessor, Anatoly Karpov, for years my great > rival, generously attempted to pay me a visit but was also turned > away. My other concern was food, since it was out of the question to > consume anything provided by the staff. (Nor do I fly Aeroflot. > "Paranoia" long ago became an obsolete concept among those in > opposition to the Putin regime.) > > On Sunday, thanks to growing external pressure, they allowed me to > receive food packages from home. In a fitting conclusion, even my > release was handled illegally. Instead of letting me out at the jail > into the crowd of media and supporters, many of whom had themselves > been arrested and harassed while picketing, I was secretly taken to > the police station where I was first charged. From there I was taken > in a colonel's automobile all the way to my home. This may sound like > good service, but it was obvious the authorities wanted to avoid the > festive scene that would have occurred outside the jail. When I was > arrested last April and fined $40, some poked fun at the trivial > amount. And five days in a Moscow jail is not the worst fate that can > be imagined. Some commentators even suspected I wanted to provoke my > own arrest for publicity, a chess player's far-sighted strategy. First > off, the penalty is not the point; the principle is. Are we to have > the rule of law in Russia or not? Second, I have no intention of > becoming a tyr, or in leading an opposition movement from prison. I > had no illusions and now I can confirm it is not a pleasant place to > be. > > And this is not chess, with its cold-blooded calculations. This is > about honor and morality. I cannot ask people to protest in the > streets if I am not there with them. At the rally on Saturday, I said > our slogan must be "We must overcome our fear," and I am obliged to > stand by these words. It is also essential to point out that these > arrests are only the tip of the iceberg. Such things are taking place > all over Russia on a daily basis. Opposition activists--or just those > who happen to be in the way of the administration--are harassed and > arrested on false charges of drug possession, extremism, or the latest > trend, for owning illegal software. There is little doubt today's > parliamentary elections will be as fixed as my trial. The presidential > elections on ch 2 will be a different sort of performance, more > improvised, since even now Mr. Putin and his gang are not sure how to > resolve their dilemma. The loss of power could mean the loss of > fortune and freedom. Outright dictatorship would endanger their > lucrative ties with the West. The campaign rhetoric of Mr. Putin and > his supporters is genuinely frightening. > > Here we have an allegedly popular president who dominates the media, > the parliament and the judiciary. He and his closest allies are in > total control of the nation's wealth. And yet his recent speeches are > hysterical rants about "enemies within" and "foreign antagonists" > trying to weaken Russia--language characteristic of totalitarian > states. So far this campaign has been largely ineffective, at least in > my case. During my five days in jail I had the chance to speak to many > of the ordinary consumers of Kremlin propaganda. They were generally > sympathetic, and showed no signs of believing the many lies the > Kremlin and the youth groups it sponsors have spread about the > opposition. For them I was still the Soviet chess champion and the > idea that I was an "American agent" sounded as ludicrous as it is. > > So why is Mr. Putin so scared if things are going so well? He is a > rational and pragmatic person, not prone to melodrama. He knows the > numbers, so why the heavy and heavy-handed campaigning if he knows he > and United Russia are going to win? The answer is that he is very > aware of how brittle his power structure has become. Instead of > sounding like a Tsar, high above the crowd, he's beginning to sound > like just another nervous autocrat. As George Bernard Shaw wrote, "The > most anxious man in a prison is the governor." > > So demagoguery it is and demagoguery it will be. A violent pro-Putin > youth group, Nashi, has already released a poster celebrating Mr. > Putin's "crushing victory" on December 2. It also warns against the > "enemies of the people of Russia," myself included, attempting to > disqualify the results. These terms jibe nicely with Mr. Putin's own > rhetoric of threats and fear. The ground is being prepared for greater > oppression. The Other Russia will continue our activities because, > simply, some things are worth fighting for and will not come without > being fought for. All of the "minor differences" between Mr. Putin's > Russia and the nations of the free world add up to one very large > difference: that between democracy and tyranny. > > Mr. Kasparov, a leader of the Other Russia coalition, is a former > world chess champion and a contributing editor of The Wall Street > Journal. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
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