44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

[JustinHorton]

You're raving, Nick, and unpleasantly so.

[Matt Mackenzie]

The UK media is almost incredibly bad (just see Dan Hodges today)

I haven't seen anything today, what did he say?

Just casually invoking the destruction of human civilisation to show that he is "hard".

[J T Melsom]

I've been following this thread and trying to understand some of the more nuanced points. I'm not sure that describing Nick Ivell as 'raving' sits well with the suggestion that we avoid commenting on the madness or otherwise of Putin. I may be missing something.

[JustinHorton]

Dan Hodges is basically a wind-up merchant who (not unusually for someone who gets well paid for it) has kind of internalised it so it's become his whole personality: saying provcative and stupid things. It's more concerning to me that more respctable voices are advocating, shall we say, nuclear-war-friendly policy options.

[JustinHorton]

I've been following this thread and trying to understand some of the more nuanced points. I'm not sure that describing Nick Ivell as 'raving' sits well with the suggestion that we avoid commenting on the madness or otherwise of Putin. I may be missing something.

It's not mental-health-related, Jonathan, it's a comment on its incoherence. I dont think unpleasantness is in itself evidence of mental instability.

[Gerard Killoran]

Ah, we just have to bring Israel into this again.

It's the itch that just has to be scratched.

I think you'll find that FIDE brought Israel into this. I'm sorry you find the plight of the Palestinians to be an irritant.

[J T Melsom]

I've been following this thread and trying to understand some of the more nuanced points. I'm not sure that describing Nick Ivell as 'raving' sits well with the suggestion that we avoid commenting on the madness or otherwise of Putin. I may be missing something.

It's not mental-health-related, Jonathan, it's a comment on its incoherence. I dont think unpleasantness is in itself evidence of mental instability.

Thanks - as raving is often coupled with mad, I just wanted to be sure of your intention.

[Joseph Conlon]

It's more concerning to me that more respctable voices are advocating, shall we say, nuclear-war-friendly policy options.

Totally agree on this. Find it difficult to believe those advocating a NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine understand what they are proposing.

More generally, I find it hard to view the likelihood of this accidentally ending in a short and hot nuclear war as less than 1%, so finding an exit ramp seems imperative whether or not the exit ramp looks morally pure or not.

I don't claim much insight here, but given the above (and returning to being at least vaguely on-topic) I don't understand the logic of banning individual chess players, not representing the Russian state but simply because they are Russian, from participating in events. If the intent is to back Putin into a corner by making Russians qua Russians persona not grata in all forms of sporting or cultural activity, then think about the chance that his response is instead just to eliminate all forms of sporting and cultural activity.

Frankly, I think in my lifetime right now is the most existentially dangerous time for humanity, and any doors which do not have to be closed (e.g. it would be impossible to hold an Olympiad in Moscow right now) should be kept open.

[NickFaulks]

I don't understand the logic of banning individual chess players, not representing the Russian state but simply because they are Russian, from participating in events.

I think it's a bit like throwing bricks at any Borzoi dogs seen on Knightsbridge. It would make many people, including some in this place, feel good about themselves.

Frankly, I think in my lifetime right now is the most existentially dangerous time for humanity.

I remember, at the time of the Cuban missile crisis, my parents saying that they thought it would fizzle out. I suppose they might have been wrong, but they weren't. Of course, they had lived throught 1940/1, when things really were rather bleak, so they may have been conditioned to show fortitude in such times.

[Martin Benjamin]

By posting for a second time, I am acting against my own self-imposed rule of not allowing myself to being dragged into pointless internet squabbling which solves nothing, but some of the responses seem to have missed the point. There is a huge difference between on the one hand casually calling someone "mad" or "insane" (I don't think Putin is either of these), and on the other, wondering to what extent their ability to think and act with sensible judgement has deteriorated (I think he has changed considerably in this regard in recent years). For those in positions of political leadership outside Russia (I envy them not one jot), it is an important consideration in the context of their own decision-making.

I'll try to resist the temptation to post further on this subject, whatever the responses. It does not make me feel any better about the current state of affairs.

[Roger Lancaster]

By posting for a second time, I am acting against my own self-imposed rule of not allowing myself to being dragged into pointless internet squabbling which solves nothing ...

Those last six words summarise this thread.

[Nick Ivell]

Justin: no hard feelings. Every forum needs its licensed jester.

Gerard: I have found your posts profoundly foolish. So much so, that I'm making a protest.

I'm off.

Jack, Carl: thank you for having me this past decade. Now, please remove me from this nest of vipers!

[David Sedgwick]

I'm off.

Wouldn't it be better just not to post for a while.

[John Moore]

Nick, I agree with David's post above. Have a rest and come back refreshed.

[Carl Hibbard]

So another thread has drifted off topic again, isn't this fun