Good news on the Fischer front. Iceland has granted Fischer a special passport, which might allow him to leave detention in Japan. At the very least this should force the Japanese and American governments to show their cards. Do they really want him or not? Japan is starting to run out of excuses based on obscure protocol. Kudos to the Icelandic group for doing some real work.
This special "foreigner's passport" would let Fischer travel freely in Western Europe. He's been in Asia for quite a while, where he can live in relative obscurity (and not run into too many Jews). It will be harder to stay out of the limelight in Europe, if that's even what he wants. I don't know what the chess community would do if Fischer started getting 50% of the already sparse chess press. And yes, there IS such a thing as bad publicity.
"I don't know what the chess community would do if Fischer started getting 50% of the already sparse chess press. And yes, there IS such a thing as bad publicity."
It is sure that Fischer will start getting 50% (or even more) of european chess press but we can hope this will increment chess articles with new ones and not use part of the poor actual ones.
Yes bad publicity, that is better than no publicity at all. And it is even better of good pubblicity too...
U say nothing about chess and nobody knows what real chess is.
U say "Go and play chess, it is really a beautiful game" and nobody come and see.
U say "Do not go and see playing chess there, it is full of crazy drunk maniac people" and next Linares will need to be organized in the Santiago Bernabeu Football Stadium with police to avoid violence actions between Kasparov's and Kramnik's drunk hooligan supporters.
For the time being, "violence between Kasparov's and Kramnik's drunk hooligan supporters" seems to be restricted to websites and blogs...
But it would be a lot more fun in the Bernabeu, I agree...
I don't know what the chess community would do if Fischer started getting 50% of the already sparse chess press.
"Make the pie higher!"
as an Icelander I really hope Japan will not allow him to Iceland.. it would be a disaster from day one, sigh.
You'd rather he rot in prison? The man's in his sixties. It would be pitiable if he couldn't just live the rest of his life out in relative peace. People would stop putting microphones in front of him after a few months.
I continue to believe that he will go quietly and the interest of the fickle press will last only an eyeblink if he is not on trial or jailed. Let him go!
Well, I'mm all for sticking him in jail and throwing away the key, but that's just because he's an antisemitic nutcase, and I figure we should lock nutcases up.
Besides, it isn't like he plays chess any more. I'm not sure why anyone cares. He hasn't been a serious player in three decades, and even as World Champion he ran scared from Karpov.
V
Vlagos: "[...] we should lock nutcases up"
Do you really mean that? Even harmless nutcases?
You are aware that some of those we see as geniuses today where considered nutcases in their own time?
i'd be wary of calling someone most probably many times more intelligent than myself a nutcase just because i didn't find his views likeable/understandable/politically correct.
Whatever you may think of his personality, Fischer is a genius and as such deserves a modicum of respect. But hey, we all know what societies ran by the rubble do to their geniuses.
sacateca
You have to wonder if Fischer still hates FIDE. They seem made for each other now. Hell, perhaps Fischer can replace Ilyumzhinov when he retires/gets indicted. Fischer hasn't killed anyone, yet, so it's not like having a psycho/Jew hater is a step down in the morality department for FIDE. Besides, Fischer should be just the man to continue the FIDE World Championship tradition (3rd world countries, dictators, shady money deals, no Jews allowed, etc.). It seems a perfect career move for Fischer. And now that he'll have plenty of free time in Iceland....
Ever heard of the 1st Amendement? I dispise his antisemitic ideas but they are no reason to lock him up in a truly democratic society like the United States our foundinng fathers bequested us.
Fischer "moved into solitary confinement", his lawyer prevented from seeing him, what is going on there??
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20050304p2a00m0dm008000c.html
Have read that he can't even use the telephone anymore! Maybe he is very physically ill? The folks in charge of the detension center said "Due to security reasons" he won't be able to have visitors? Something very strange is going on. Can't the Red Cross be called in to make sure everything's on the level?....Damn even Saddam gets the Red Cross to visit!! Bruce
An article has been posted at www.chesscafe.com called "The Real Endgame" by Rene Chun. "Chess people may recognize his byline from the Atlantic Monthly article titled: “Bobby Fischer’s Pathetic Endgame” (December 2002 issue)." Chun suggests that Fischer's real problems are with the IRS, for not paying taxes on income for many years. Big trouble, if true!
Interesting timing, now that Fischer would get an Icelandic passport. I think that Mig will have to revise his "theory that the US just wants Fischer to disappear".
Bobby Fischer's U.S. tax time bomb set to explode
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20050305p2a00m0dm012000c.html
Yah, read that and Chun's article. To be fair to my predictions, I wasn't including the IRS in them!
Not sure if I agree with Rene Chun's assertion that Fischer can be tried in absentia or that his millions would disappear through cyberspace transfers. IANAL but isn't a trial in absentia an extraordinary event reserved for war criminals and the like? I have never heard of small fry being tried in absentia and I would put Fischer in that category. I have never heard of funds being seized through cyberspace either. If possible, what would be the point of banking in the Cayman Islands or in Switzerland?
Also, I would like to point out that Fischer became anti-American after the Whitehouse raked him over the 1992 Match, and became anti-semitic after a number of Jews wronged him. He did what a very large minority would also have done, become prejudiced against an entire race or an entire people when one of its members crossed him. He is guilty of what many is also guilty of, the inability to separate the actions of an individual(s) from the individual's membership in a group. For example, if a black man burnt down a house some may blame the whole race rather than recognize it was the actions of one individual. Still wrong, but it doesn't mean Fischer is evil to the bone. Fischer was once pro-Jewish and proud American.
Returning to topic, I believe if Fischer makes it to Iceland the IRS won't be able to touch him. I also believe, but IANAL, that the IRS doesn't have a legitimate claim because when the Whitehouse and the Grand Jury indicted him over breaking sanctions Fischer didn't have a whole lot of choice but to stay out of the US. Silly analogy, but it is a little like getting a parking violation when the cop pulled you over for something else. I wonder if there are any US citizens behind bars overseas being charged for not paying taxes. Also, didn't US soldiers in Iraq get a grace period for filing taxes when they missed the April 30 deadline because of duty?
BS alert. Please don't just make things up around here. That's what the Usenet is for. Fischer's anti-Semitism goes back to his youth and is documented in both private and public statements. It has only gotten louder and more virulent with the rest of his personality as his paranoia progressed.
You DO need to be a lawyer to know these things and it appears Chun has talked to at least one. The IRS goes after the money of American citizens abroad all the time. They may not be able to imprison him if he makes it to Iceland, but they can definitely go after his money. Saying the IRS would leave him alone because he "couldn't" be in the US because he was wanted for a crime is ridiculous.
What is more, Iceland has an extradition treaty with the USA. Unless they go all the way and grant him citizenship, they would be obliged to hand Fischer over if the US can present a worthy case.
"BS alert. Please don't just make things up around here. That's what the Usenet is for. Fischer's anti-Semitism goes back to his youth and is documented in both private and public statements. It has only gotten louder and more virulent with the rest of his personality as his paranoia progressed." [MIG]
That is news to me. Wasn't it also well-documented that Fischer refused to play on the Sabbath? That he was drawn towards the World Church of God in part because it celebrated many holidays which were holy to Jews? I also read Frank Brady's book and I don't recall any mention of anti-semitism during Fischer's youth. I may be wrong about Fischer being pro-Jewish once, but that is the impression I got.
Have a look at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Fischer
It's wikipedia. Anybody can edit it but it is a convenient starting place for research.
"You DO need to be a lawyer to know these things and it appears Chun has talked to at least one. The IRS goes after the money of American citizens abroad all the time. They may not be able to imprison him if he makes it to Iceland, but they can definitely go after his money." [MIG]
Again, IANAL, so I'm just asking questions. Wouldn't the IRS need to try and convict Fischer for tax evasion first before seizing his money? I know the IRS goes after tax cheats all the time, even citizens abroad, but doing so in absentia?
"Saying the IRS would leave him alone because he "couldn't" be in the US because he was wanted for a crime is ridiculous." [MIG]
My point was, if you are held in a foreign country against your will and for a long time and consequently failed to file taxes, it seems ridiculous to be charged for tax evasion. Now Fischer wasn't being held against his will anywhere except recently, but when the US indicted him over the 1992 Match which many saw as politically motivated and in a climate where the political situation was unclear (the Balkans was falling apart and which side was the right side was confusing - there were even indications Israel sided with the Serbs), what was Fischer susposed to do, return to the US and be imprisoned? Was he supposed to still file taxes during this time? I suppose he could but it would take an extraodinary individual to still file for taxes after being indicted by the Grand Jury. Doesn't change facts though, and the fact that he still carried, and renewed, his passport further weakens his case. I guess I'm just bitter my childhood idol is getting the shaft.
On the Iceland point, I trust they would extend full citizenship to Fischer. Afterall, they took extraordinary measures to get Fischer an Icelandic passport.
I don't know why Icelanders would bother with that nut. There beautiful country can certainly do without Bobby Fischer. I think the best place for him and everyone would be in a mental home so the guy can get the help he needs, or just let him die peacefully in an old-age prison or something like that.