X-Message-Number: 26173
From: 
Subject: Thank you Jonathan Despres!
Date: Fri, 13 May 2005 08:39:06 GMT

   Jonathan Despres wrote:

> I have removed Cryo Prize and CryoQuebec from the NanoAging Institute
> web site and I will no longer build/maintain those projects.

   Many cryonicists were incredibly surprised and delighted by this sudden
reversal on your part, Jon. It is not only a great relief, but it gives me
hope that you can make some substantial positive contributions to cryonics
and to the survival of us all. You do have many positive attributes and I 
did not enjoy attacking you. At times I felt like the parent giving a 
spanking who says, "This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you". But
I was concerned that you could do serious damage to cryonics -- all the
moreso because of your talents. 

    I was stunned by the list of notables you managed to accumulate on 
your Boards. I would never have been so audacious as to even think of asking
some of those people. Great things are often accomplished by the audacious
(as well as great disasters). I think it showed resourcefulness and persistance
on your part to ferret-out contact information for all those people and to
get them to agree. Aubrey de Grey told me that he agreed only after having
been asked by you numerous times. 

   I am also impressed by your unwavering focus on practical accomplishments.
Too many people do nothing but talk, talk, talk. I respect the importance of
philosophy as much as anyone, but we can easily be suffocated by so much hot
air. You often show a surprising awareness of important technical issues and
an appreciation for their importance not displayed by other, more "seasoned"
cryonicists. 

   As noted, I have been horrified by many of your hare-brained schemes which
have involved so much misrepresentation and which have had such potential for
disaster. To me you have been irresponsible and had terrible judgement to be
making such grandiose promises involving lives and money when you have so 
little capacity to deliver. It is also fraudulent to be promoting organizations
that are organizations in name only. 

   Nonetheless, many great projects begin with only an idea. Alcor began in
Fred Chamberlain's trailer. Christine Gaspar dreams of a cryonics facility in
Canada. If she succeeds, it will be a long time before it can deliver service
comparable to that of the American organizations. It will take people believing
the effort and risk is worthwhile to make this dream a reality. Similarly, I 
hope that you someday have the means to deliver on your dream of CryoQuebec. 

   It gives me hope to see that you have the capacity to admit to being wrong 
and to learn from your mistakes. Too many people will not admit to being wrong
and cannot learn. I make mistakes all the time and have had more than my share
of hare-brained ideas that I have had to discard. I respect you more and trust
you more for having dropped these ill-conceived and ill-fated projects. This is
by no means an endorsement of all your future schemes, but I believe that you
have the capacity to make significant contributions to cryonics. And I hope 
that there will be times and means for me to give you support. 

                         -- Ben Best

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