CYCC entries

[John Coleman]

As the early-bird registration is reached, we are at 153 entrants (minus one probable withdrawal, = 152). The 10-year average is 150.

A major disappointment is the low number of entrants from northern Ontario, only 5 players. Usually, there are over 30 players from the north.

With 20 days to go till the tournament, we are still taking entries, but new entrants won't get the early-bird discount.

www.cycc.ca

[Bob Gillanders]

Congratulation John, that is good news. Getting over that magic 150 average, I wonder what is the all time high! or at least in recent years.

The kids will have a great time! :)

[John Coleman]

I have a spreadsheet showing attendance each year. Ottawa 2007 was the champ, almost 200 entries. A great city to visit, close to Quebec, good transportation links, and great organisers. The low was Kapuskasing 2004, in the middle of the SARS crisis.

Apart from those two, entries have been within 5% of 155, remarkable consistency, in view of the fact that players are age-ing thru the system, and the event rotates round the country.

BTW, the numbers each year should be archived somewhere "by the CFC". I painstakingly collected the data from several sources, including writing a program to determine residence for the participants. It's a pity if everything was lost, so the next organiser has to do it all over again.

JC

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi John:

Stijn is in charge of " office matters " and that includes the website. I've written to him when I wanted website updates.

Your information should be generally available and somehow on the CFC Website under " Information ".

I'd suggest you send your chart to him to have Gerry ( or David Cohen at the moment ) post it.

Bob

[Ken Craft]

Which member of the current executtive is responsible for timely communication with the Governors, Bob?

[Kerry Liles]

Which member of the current executtive is responsible for timely communication with the Governors, Bob?

I think it is "TBA"

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Ken:

Ask the President? Maybe he'll answer you in a timely manner??

Seems that Executive who want to communicate in a timely manner with the Governors can now do it by e-mail themselves - in the days of snail mail, I guess they had to forward communications to the Secretary, who would arrange to have it mailed out.

So I guess all Executive are responsible to get out communications that are time sensitive. In the final result though, it is, I expect, the President who is responsible for his cabinet operating properly.

Bob

[John Coleman]

I long ago gave up on the Prez, but I have emailed three of the top guys in the last week, and none have replied. No doubt they are formulating their responses.

[Ken Craft]

Are any of these people on Bob G's slate?

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi John:

There is a disconcerting phenomenon in the chess culture that I have never run into in any of the other areas of my endeavours - people simply never responding to e-mails.

In this way, information is guarded, and the person needing it cannot move ahead. Requests for input are ignored, even on committees, and the chair has to make decisions and move ahead on his own. Requests for people to volunteer are ignored, and the file sits while people are given extensions to reply, because their participation is desired. Decisions requested are not made and so subsequent action is stalled.

I have always thought it was simple courtesy to respond to an e-mail - even if it was " go jump in the lake" or " I don't care ". In the chess culture, this is a rarity.

Bob

[Kerry Liles]

Hi John:

There is a disconcerting phenomenon in the chess culture that I have never run into in any of the other areas of my endeavours - people simply never responding to e-mails.

In this way, information is guarded, and the person needing it cannot move ahead. Requests for input are ignored, even on committees, and the chair has to make decisions and move ahead on his own. Requests for people to volunteer are ignored, and the file sits while people are given extensions to reply, because their participation is desired. Decisions requested are not made and so subsequent action is stalled.

I have always thought it was simple courtesy to respond to an e-mail - even if it was " go jump in the lake" or " I don't care ". In the chess culture, this is a rarity.

Bob

Some email clients have an "auto responder" capability so that an automated response can be generated: "Your email is very important to me. Please wait with baited breath for my reply..." etc.

Some people have email, but they may only check it a couple of times a week (I realize people with Blackberries welded to their hips may find this concept a little hard to envision). I seldom resort to requesting a delivery and/or read receipt because that imparts a sense of urgency that is not usually warranted. Besides, the delivery/read receipt can be refused... and the very presence of such a thing might push the recipient into a snit.

In the case of Eric Van D, I think someone (perhaps it was Eric himself!?) that he did not have regular access to the Internet, so emails to him will obviously garner little attention and seldom in a timely manner.

What everyone seems to overlook so easily is that ALL of the positions in the CFC are volunteer positions and many of them are quite onerous in terms of time (and the need to replenish one's thick skin) and people get severely bent when they don't get a reply in seconds... such is the time we live in. It is ASTONISHING how much time can be taken by CFC matters and follow-up etc.

[John Coleman]

Very true, Kerry, but I'm organising a national championship in less than three weeks, and if I send a priority email to a member of the exec, (the Prez being a hopeless case), I think I should get a reply.

How long does it take to type FU and hit <enter>?

Maybe he just didn't want to put it in writing.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Kerry:

I agree that we need to respect the volunteer nature of CFC participation. So I always allow one week deadlines for people to respond. And usually, I'll then give another 1 week extension.

But I often still get NO REPLY AT ALL EVER. I can see someone maybe missing an e-mail in the in-box, if they have lots - but 2 e-mails? Never run into this before.

And even though volunteers, when someone takes on obligations, they are expected to carry them out, and that includes timely responses to e-mails dealing with their mandate.

Bob

[John Coleman]

The first requirement for a volunteer is willingness. If you ain't willing to do the job, why did you volunteer.

"Volunteer" is a pay category, not a job description, nor a license for laziness or incompetence.

Sigh. I gotta go take a nap.

[Bob Gillanders]

Very true, Kerry, but I'm organising a national championship in less than three weeks, and if I send a priority email to a member of the exec, (the Prez being a hopeless case), I think I should get a reply.

How long does it take to type FU and hit <enter>?

Maybe he just didn't want to put it in writing.

This continuing saga of poor communications is really grating on my nerves. Eric phoned me yesterday, we had a long chat about various CFC stuff. The executives generally answer my emails in a reasonable timeframe. So, I don't know?

John, I suppose there are 4 people at CFC that you could/should be dealing with regarding CYCC stuff. They would be Eric, Stijn, Michael, and Gerry. I would copy all of them on urgent matters and hope for the best.

If you want me to call any of them on your behalf, I would be happy to help. :)

[Kerry Liles]

Very true, Kerry, but I'm organising a national championship in less than three weeks, and if I send a priority email to a member of the exec, (the Prez being a hopeless case), I think I should get a reply.

How long does it take to type FU and hit <enter>?

Maybe he just didn't want to put it in writing.

Yes, I see your dilemma John. I was not implying that we should put up with complete incompetence. I don't know what the solution might be; perhaps trash the whole thing and start over with a lot fewer people but people who actually give a damn? First you have to find them and convince them. I would back Bob Gillanders unconditionally, but his slate contains a number of people from the former regime and I would have to think about that...

[Ken Craft]

I support Bob G. by I would certainly like to see him offering a revamped slate.

[Hal Bond]

Hi Ken;

I share some of your frustration. I wrote my last FIDE interim report expecting that you would have it by now. Since GL 5 will now be the last one of the year my report will be modified accordingly.

Better flow of discussion should be possible on the CFC Governor Board. The on line meeting was a great success and lesson.

[Ken Craft]

Could individual executive members have posted their reports on the Governors' website rather than waiting for the antiquated GL system to "work"?

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Ken:

Seems like a good idea, and it could have been made doable by presidential decision without Handbook amendment. I'd even suggest that rather than posting on the Governors' Discussion Board, they go onto this members' CFC Chess Foum, where all members can also view them.

But they still would have to go into the GL eventually. The reason is that the GL is our governors' way of communicating information to the membership - by GL's being posted on the CFC website. This is why some type of rudimentary GL is still required when we go to the On-line Meetings. We'll want the minutes put into the next GL for example, so they can be posted on the CFC WEbsite for all to see. I don't think that just posting on this discussion board is sufficient. Not all members check in here regularly, and then posts move down the page, and get lost, and are hard to find in future. The GL's however, on the CFC Website, are easily accessible ( especially with David's modest reorganization of the website, where the GL's are a " service " provided by the CFC.

Bob

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

But they still would have to go into the GL eventually. The reason is that the GL is our governors' way of communicating information to the membership - by GL's being posted on the CFC website.

The latest reports should be posted on the CFC website (not at forums and not only in GLs) as separate items.

[Bob Gillanders]

I support Bob G. by I would certainly like to see him offering a revamped slate.

You keep referring to my slate! :( I was going to correct that impression earlier, but before I got the chance, Fred and Bob A. had done it first. I will refer you back to their posts.

I find it quite ironic since I was careful not to use the word "slate" in my announcement. :) For clarity, I will say again that I am pleased that "my slate of candidates" have stepped forward to volunteer. They have all made important contributions to the CFC, and are most welcome on the team.

You cannot equate "my slate" to say a political party. There was no vetting process on policy. I know there exists significant differences of opinion within the team. Debate is healthy!

Choice is always good. So if there are any brave souls out there willing to be on the executive,
what are you waiting for?

[Christopher Mallon]

Nothing stops any executive member from just posting their report on the forum, or anywhere else for that matter.