X-Message-Number: 16201 From: "Alan Sinclair" <> Subject: The UK siuation Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 10:36:00 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_001A_01C0D54F.2D58C960 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I do not normally get into these disagreements on a public basis but the way Charles Platt and Kryos have been treated and called a liar,s because they published a very small part of the way the Chamberlins have treated some UK members is out of order. I think most if not all people in cryonics work very hard and do what they think to be best for there members and I think the Chamberlins fit into this group. However I think they are misguided and for me to explain how Platt's message came about I must very briefly explain the past. I sent Platt A message I had sent to Linda message when he asked why we did not do more for storage only (he could not believe Alcor would not agree storage. (1) I set up Alcor UK with Mike Darwin, Jerry Leaf & Saul Kent in about 89. We worked with the US to our mutual benefit until a couple of years ago, we had Alcor name and support, Alcor had the benefit of having the only other fully equipped Cryonics unit outside the US. The cost to the US was minimal and in main paid for by the first twenty UK members. (2) A couple of years ago the Chamberlins decided we must go independent by 2002 (after so many assessments and mind changes you would not believe). (3) A few months later they then decides we should not use Alcor UK (the name which was agreed when we set up the UK branch) NOW CALL ME PARANOID BUT AT THIS POINT I WAS FEELING WE WERE NOT WANTED? (4) We were advised to sell the facility and go to a undertaker. Insurance's changes and policy changes were almost weekly but we kept on agreeing with there request. (5) As we proceeded to appease them they then said that only US insurance would be expectable (even though UK insurance is so secure that even if the company go broke they will pay out) . This desission meant that unless new members (and old members when there term insurance run out) could not join the UK. US insurers require they have a place to stay in the US, we would have to get over to supply doctors with all the test required etc. I know the reasons given are, that the US members have to have US insurance but surly if UK members were still welcome common sense kicks in. Some of the people waiting to sign up had been waiting two years by this time. (6) Plagued with people having decided to want cryonics but being told Alcor could not take them, I had a meeting to advise them what to do. To my way of thinking we they had two choices. (a) Stay with the independent group that Alcor wanted us to form and go to CI for storage. (b) Go to CI Many years ago the Alcor board had agreed that as we were the only cryonics unit in the UK, should any member from any group die we could suspend them, I assumed the Chamberlins would honour that agreement (as I had never heard to the country). I sent the letter below to Linda HOPING I COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER THE PEOPLE ALCOR US HAD ALREADY REJECTED AND STOP THE GROUP SPLITTING. This was a last ditch attempted and it was at this stage my idea but I believe a agreement along the lines suggested would have been acceptable to us should the Chamberlins had responded. Sylvia and I were the founding members of Alcor UK, Sylvia was the advice president, and yet we did not even have the courtesy of a reply. In all fairness the Chamblins did not ignore my request all together, They decided not to come over to do training and postponed the new agreement they made for members to fly over there (NONE OF WHICH WERE INVOLVED IN ANY WAY WITH ME) and lost at least one member $840 for his pre paid ticket. At this point I realised there was no point in continuing with Alcor and my pension fund, the $420000 plus it had cost to set up the UK, the twelve years I had given had all been a waste of time. Along with several other old Alcor members, and of cause the members waiting to join , we joined CI. The facility was lost, no more Alcor UK. Fred has emailed a couple of weeks after we split to say he thought the suggestion of storing was the worst of both worlds I am surpassed that Dave Pizer who I thought was still on the board was not aware of the situation . Sent: 18 March 2001 10:42 Subject: Insurance Dear Linda I hope you and Fred are well. I am so sorry you only seem to hear from us when something needs to be answered and I am sorry we will not see you in May but if you ever come for a holiday please feel free to stay, as you know we have moved to a better house at the cost of a smaller garden, hope to see you soon. Now to business. Is the UK insurance the real reason for not wanting new members outside the US or do you just not want the problems of non US members? I fully understand if it is the latter but if this is the case a answer would stop our members running around trying to overcome a problem that is not solvable. If being sure you will be paid is your only concern it would be quite simple to solve. (1) All agreements made with Alcor US for members of the UK could have the proviso that Alcor UK or the new company will be responsible for sending the money before the patient.(this would only require minimal alteration on the existing agreement and if this was not done your agreement would non & void). (2) We will have all insurance's made out to us.(and be covered for non payment). (3) In return we will set up a mechanism to pay you in dollars to be transferred at the time of death. i.e. Alcor UK members give a personal guarantee to the banks for a bridging loan to be in place when required, thus the funds would be released to you and we would wait for the insurance to pay us. It would be our responsibility to satisfy ourselves with the insurance agreements. (4) If you so wished we would set up a independent cryotransport to serve our members, in other words the patient would be delivered to you and Alcor US would only be responsible for storage. This is only a brief outline but would overcome any liability you feel you could have and enable us to stop the hemerage we have to CI. It seems such a shame that we have struggled to get new members for ten years and as soon as they come along Alcor changes its policy. Please let me have you comments as soon as possible as I have to give answers to many people wanting cryonics and I felt I should make one last effort to help them join the best. ------=_NextPart_000_001A_01C0D54F.2D58C960 Content-Type: text/html; [ AUTOMATICALLY SKIPPING HTML ENCODING! ] Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=16201