X-Message-Number: 19759
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 2002 09:48:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: Charles Platt <>
Subject: Where?

Fair4us wrote, "Where is Charles Platt with at least a *version* of the
news, when we need him?  Some time back I believe he offered to do a
newsletter about everything cryonic (until somebody reminded him that he
might be challenged to print *all* the news).  Or does he only critique
Alcor and CI?"

Maybe I was waiting for a more polite invitation? Still I'll take this one
at face value.

In the limited time that I have generally allocated to cryonics, I played
the role of go-between, editor, and compiler of a long report making
recommendations regarding procedures at Alcor, earlier this year. The
principal authors of the report were scientists with experience relevant
to cryonics, and Alcor, to its great credit, not only commissioned them to
create a totally independent summary, but immediately set up a committee
to implement the recommendations. Largely because of this, I am in the
process of rejoining Alcor. (Paperwork signed and delivered; transfer of
insurance ownership has been initiated.)

Also I have participated in some cryonics cases this year. I wrote about
one of them in Alcor's quarterly magazine.

I regret that this interfered with production of Alcor Forum, and still
hope to restart that news source in the future.

I was listed briefly as a "consultant" to Suspended Animation Inc, the new
cryonics company which will be establishing a facility in Florida using
initial capital provided via Saul Kent and Bill Faloon, who are still the
only people willing to provide very large sums of money for speculative
ventures in cryonics.

I am familiar with all aspects of Mike Darwin's departure from Suspended
Animation, but didn't feel it was appropriate for me to jump in with a
"version" of events (thanks for the compliment to my journalistic skills,
fair4us; at least I usually write my "versions" under my own name).
Certainly it is true that SA has contacted some people warning them that
Mike Darwin has a noncompete clause in his contract with SA. But the
realworld effects of this clause remain to be tested. In my limited
experience, such clauses usually exist to prevent an employee, or
ex-employee, from disseminating knowledge or skills that the employee
acquired from the employer. The idea that a noncompete cause might apply
to an employee's *pre-existing* skills and knowledge seems unusual to me.
But I'm not a lawyer.

--CP

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