Website Wars
		21 November 2014

This website exposed the Board’s action against Perry. I inserted my brief article of outrage (“Susan Doesn’t Work Here Anymore”) into the link for game scores. I was sufficiently angered and fed up to report this abuse of power and point it out to our players. This was on Halloween.

I think most players were grateful to know what was happening. A few hated this use of the website, including Nancy Hagerty, president of the Board. Darned inconvenient to have dirty deeds exposed. Secrecy is so much more peaceful.

Susan Rowley’s resignation made it clear that something was wrong.

Ms. Hagerty contacted me, insisting that the web page behave. I published letters and more editorials. Thoughtful people expressed solidarity with the tone of the website.

On November 8th, the link to this website was removed from bridge center computers. Directors could no longer post game results from the club. For most of them, that is the only way they know to post games. The Board wanted to reduce this site’s popularity and turn off its “destructive propaganda.”

Was this done to improve the OMBC playing experience? Was it popular with players, making them happier? Not at all. It was a Board ashamed of its behavior attempting to throttle criticism.

Perry and Rick wanted to continue to post on this site. After all, their players liked using it. They called me. I helped them. They posted. Rick is now on vacation. Perry continues to post his game.

Meanwhile, the Board was courted by an opportunistic player who offered to make them a new, clean website. A website which would behave and never say anything bad, no matter what they did. A website owned by the Board, and not the players.

They paid this player $1000 of OMBC’s cash, and bought canned software to display the results. The site was up and running in one week.

Early this week, the edict came from the Board “You WILL Post Your Games on OUR Website.” The posting method is harder for the directors and less useful to the players, but, they remembered Perry’s fate. They all did as they were told.

Except Perry. He posted last Tuesday’s game on this website. This prompted a scolding and a warning from Nancy Hagerty not to post here.

The Board needs to remember that they do not own the game results. This information is controlled by the game director, who can display it any way they want.

This Board does not care about OMBC’s players. They are expending money we’ve paid to buy a web site that we don’t like, then forcing us to use it.   This is insufferable arrogance.

All of this simply to hide and protect themselves from public exposure and criticism.

John Christman