X-Message-Number: 704
From: M.Paulle
Subject: Re: Alcor Move to Arizona

I have appended below another fax message from Michael Paulle, in followup
to yesterday's message about this past weekend's decision re: moving Alcor
to a new facility in Scottsdale, AZ.
                                                - KQB
FYI: You can reply to him via email at either:
      or  
-----

Arrogance Is Bliss


  When the board of the organization decapitates itself from its body
membership, both head and body normally die.
  In the case of Alcor, however, cranial suicide may be an apter metaphor
for what the board is doing.  This body will grow a new head very quickly.
This head cannot grow a new body.
  You can take the membership records out of California but you can't take
California out of the membership.
  Few dispute the need for new quarters and logically they should be in a
less contentious State.  It's not the results, it's the attitude of
arrogance in the means, that is offensive.
  Leadership is building consensus so the life of the organization isn't
threatened by decisions.
  The Alcor board of directors has detached itself from the membership
and inevitably the membership will return the favor.
  Carlos Mondragon professed impatience with the process of selection
of moving sites.  There couldn't be a third alternative to "go" or "no go"
such as "investigate further" or "set up independent panel" to seek sites.
  Carlos went to the mountaintop with Dave Pizer and descended carrying
two tablets of stone.  Both tablet had a 4-color glossy picture of a
single building in Scottsdale, Arizona on it.  Under each picture was
the inscription "Thou shalt move here."
  Oligarchic rule is no more popular amongst the independent minded
cryonics membership than biblical parables.
  Carlos proclaimed, Atlas shrugged.
  Arrogance is bliss.  What if Kathy Leaf and Hugh Hixon decide not to move
Cryovita's equipment to Scottsdale?  What does Alcor have to offer new
members?  How do they retain old members?  Is 309 a large number now or a
small number in the future?
  What would Alcor become without Cryovita, the Scottsdale Airpark men's
shelter?
  If we do move to Arizona will we get to change the by-laws to "one member,
one vote" (the one issue most near and dear to my hard heart)?  Will we be
allowed to transport our filled dewars across State boundaries?  If Arizona
finds they don't want us, who will pay to move back?  Is $50,000 a fair
estimate for moving?  Do we have $100,000 in reserve for moving both ways,
if needed?  Where is the promised appraisal of the Scottsdale building?
  Finally, will the S.C.S.R.A. (Southern California Sheep Ranchers Association)
a.k.a. Alcor take its grazing privileges to Arizona or will the membership
stand up on its hind legs and bleat loud enough to be heard?

PS: My thanks to Ralph Whelan for his quick response to "The Bold Beat The
Cold."  I have many things to say about his letter, the primary one being,
if he wasn't in on this railroad job, how could he vote "yea" in absentia?

                                     Michael Paulle

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=704