Hatrack River Forum: Gorbachev has come to this??

This is topic Gorbachev has come to this?? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

Okay - is it just me -- or does this seem like a long way down from his "peak" as the President of one of the largest nations in the world?

Mikhail Gorbachev is coming to Kansas to play chess at the little Bethany College in the small community of Lindsborg (their 125th anniversary celebration).

I mean -- I think this is great. I'm tempted to travel there (it isn't far from me) simply to see him, although I don't consider chess a 'spectator sport'.

But heck -- we can't even get our own President to visit our little state. I'm really surprised Gorbachev is doing this kind of tour now.....

FG

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

I think it's fabulous. Once you've been the leader of the bound world, there's no place to go but down. Traveling around the US playing games sounds wonderful.

Posted by human_2.0 (Member # 6006) on :

A lot of big wig people travel. I'm surprised it is for chess in this case... I remember hearing from many visiting people, Margaret Thatcher being the one I still remember well.

Perhaps the elevated elite are mingling with us lowlies more often... Kinda like when Card posts on this forum.

Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :

Maybe he enjoys it...

He's coming to my college (DePauw) to give a speech in a few weeks. But we tend to get really excellent speakers here - although Gorbachev is the most important one we've had in awhile.

Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :

[Cry]

I wanna see Gorbachev! There's so much I'ld want to talk to him about!

Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :

When is he coming to DePauw? I could probably make it there for that.

Posted by Yozhik (Member # 89) on :

I got Gorbachev's autograph at an election rally for students in Moscow in 1996. I even talked to him.

Of course, all I said was "Spasibo, Mikhail Sergeevich!" when I got the autograph. But I did make eye contact.

By the way, he didn't do very well in the election, getting less votes than "none of the above."

Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :

Another older disposed of great leader, Winston Churchill, traveled the college circuit in the 50's and 60's. He visited a small college in Missouri, called Westminster, right plum smack in the middle of Missouri farm country. The schools biggest previous claim to fame was it was close to the Missouri State Fair.

During his small speech in the middle of nowhere he said some amazing things that set the tone of the cold war for 40 years.

It was there he coined the phrase "Iron Curtain".

So big leaders in small town America is not the same as big leaders falling down.

Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :

He's coming October 27th, blacwolve.
Here's a link to DePauw's news article for more info.

Come up and see Raia and me. Then I can be real [Smile]

Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :

Yea, I looked it up earlier. I have a class at 3:30 on Thursdays. I could maybe ask the prof to let me skip, but we only have it once a week and the grade is entirely attendance based, so I'm not thinking it will work.

Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :

quote:
I mean -- I think this is great. I'm tempted to travel there (it isn't far from me) simply to see him, although I don't consider chess a 'spectator sport'.

Oh sure... Chess is a big deal in Russia too. Quite a few Grand Masters have come from there.

Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :

Aww, Jhai, you beat me. I was going to say, no, actually, Gorbachev has come to this!

[Wink]