And we anxiously await you providing any contrary documentary proofs whatever, we only seem to see torrent upon torrent of verbiage . . .


A crusade can be valuable, when it has some “meat” behind it . . . Avon has produced a seminal work, with overwhelming documentation, including the history of cheating cover-ups; I suspect he would welcome alternative viewpoints and true debate, and IMHO, he is so well prepared that he would almost surely win any such debate as determined by trained debate officials.

Perhaps researching to find that evidence for yourself, and then publishing a number of such hands as counter-arguments, would be more productive than writing seeming novels, which do little but repeat your unsupported arguments over and over (and over yet again)?


NOTE: Comments such as this, asking for proofs, usually result in insulting retorts when there are no proofs to present :)

So Ron, effed in 1979, effed again in 1991 :(

Nic - can you access and report the vote and voters who last year to re-affirmed the Hawaii junket?

Kevin - you lost me when you said that a BoD Meeting in Memphis would cost $50K MORE than the one scheduled in Hawaii. Since I know you to be diligent, could you kindly lay out the numbers, thanks in advance.

Whipple sent the entire membership a letter dated October 17, 2018. I tried to copy it here, but apparently BW doesn't accept .jpeg's.

https://imgur.com/a/mOzN4KP

Thanks for the advice, below!

HOW ABOUT A LARGE MASTER POINT BONUS FOR BOOKING THE HOST HOTEL?


Come to think of it, the exchange of money for masterpoints is pretty much the current system . . .


(Next likely step - eliminate the middleman and send the cash directly to Horn Lake, to obtain instant masterpoints :))

Hi Jeff - despite the correct observation that the membership has many brilliant and experienced people, your considered comment has one unintended flaw:


**THE BoD IGNORES ALL RECOMMENDATIONS OF ANY AND ALL ELITE TASK FORCES**

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much". Luke 16:10.

Zealots are the very agents of illumination and change!


Zealots usually suffer chastening by the unwashed masses, particularly with the illogical and incorrect “bias” argument. What some fail to see, is that it is such very doubt, and quest **for the truth of the matter**, which motivates one to be zealous.


Some disbelieve any accusation whatever of cheating at bridge, whenever it happened, despite overwhelming evidence. They typically use ridicule as a mask for their violent opposition. The truth be d***ed.


“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” Arthur Schopenhauer.

Credentialed as a Certified Real Estate Appraiser, I used the approximate, revealed cost of a regular BoD Meeting (taken from ACBL IRS filings) for about 5 years, which averaged about $90K. Then conservatively, I boosted it only about 10% for the extravagant venue.


Finally, I determined (as a former BoD Member and BoG Chair), that non-junket meetings today could be handled electronically for literally pennies on the dollar.


Your points are very cogent and well taken, JoAnn; it's possible I over dramatized a bit to make a point, if so, I plead guilty :) However, I cite the maxim “when looking for the source of the problem, start within”. (In my MBA program, we were often presented with the hypothetical that a CEO hired us to find the problem(s) within a corporation, and were taught to ask the CEO how h/she would respond if it turned out that they were actually the problem!)

Become elected as a BoD Member :)

Two different Mr. Whipples, and two very different outcomes . . . :)

Hi Chris - your comments in support are heartfelt and commendable!


However, and without trying to detract from your comments, I have to agree to disagree with you on how “proactive” this post is for two reasons:


1. The membership has clearly informed the BoD of its displeasure about the problematic issues revolving around this Hawaii NABC, for a long time, and thus has been infinitely more “proactive” IMHO, than the BoD. We're six weeks out, which I don't believe is “proactive” but rather a sign of desperation, and the membership has been delivering its message to the BoD since its vote on the Hawaii BoD Meeting in 2017.


2. Many Members were violently opposed to the BoD meeting in Hawaii, at a cost of about $100,000, but in my opinion, the BoD (and thanks to the several dissidents who voted against) bullied forward with a transparently free, all-expenses paid vacation for themselves.


***The $100K savings can still be had by simply cancelling the BoD meeting right now!*** That is the easiest and fairest path to success IMHO.

“The ACBL Board and management are working toward a solution”, we're told.


IS THAT SOLUTION THE CANCELLATION OF THE BoD FREE $100,000 JUNKET TO PARADISE?!


Sorry, but I feel no responsibility to rescue a sinking ship. A beginning business student would have forseen this NABC to be a money pit.


Further, I feel less that zero responsibility to fatten the intake of commercial ventures which are in direct conflict with ACBL regulations. Shame for even posting this brazen begging for money from members to reduce the vast, easily predicted, financial disaster.

Hi Richard - unless you're a seasoned litigation attorney, perhaps you should consider giving up this ghost?


Essentially, the basis of your proposed legal actions seems to be: “I don't like this, please give me something”, which would have a very short survival time in a properly constituted Court of Law.


As one example, you suggest a cause of action for “Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress”, which requires multiple proofs, including that the other side purposefully targeted you, specifically, and that you were diagnosed by certified medical authorities, and then treated. You would have to specify that the other side was the proximate cause, and also detail precisely how this cost you actual money (as opposed to offending your personal sensibilities).


That said, though not an attorney, I've won 4 legal cases recently on my own, against a host of highly paid counsel, and am filing several more “slam dunks” in the next two months regarding corrupt judges and attorneys who have committed massive frauds on the courts by officers of the court.

Jan, thanks for coming on this site, and describing your heartfelt work and thoughts.


Perhaps the EBL should study the ACBL system as it was applied (badly, but applied) in the MP case.


Our most elite body, the Ethical Oversight Committee, found MP guilty of very serious infractions, and gave the minimum penalty based on the ACBL Code of Disciplinary Regulations.


MP then engaged in a massive publicity campaign, retain a verbose bridge lawyer, lobbied incessantly, shed many emotional tears here in BW, and was granted an automatic appeal to the ACBL's Appeals & Charges Committee.


This group is not “elite” by any stretch of the imagination, rather, it is comprised of about 7 ordinary bridge politicians. They were presented with a very detailed case report, running over 100 pages, against MP.


The result? MP was given the holidays off, and reinstated the first day before the first weekend in January when a major event was about to start in his District.


The caveat: we must structure ourselves so that any appeal is within our organization, not outside. As a recreational group, we make our own rules, which are accepted and agreed if one seeks membership and entry into bridge events. I have never heard of a “natural universal law of a right to appeal” in any legal context involving voluntary recreational organizations, and wish that someone would produce the legal basis for this.


As a side note, there was a demand for a committee at the ACBL's 1979 Spring Nationals. There was never a committee and the matter was then hidden in the bowels of the ACBL. Please tell me that the open demand for a committee is valid based on “natural universal rights” because that's something that was ignored at the time, and continues to be ignored.

Hi Rohit - it's the **love** of money is the root of all evil, taken from the source, which is often misquoted :)

Hi Avon - before the third bottle of Cointreau, you might want to adjust the bidding of Hand 4 on page 1 :) (Note: this same omission of a pass happens from time to time as a VuGraph Op).

:)