X-Message-Number: 29015
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 21:32:54 -0600
From: 
Subject: Gareth Nelson and Cryonics Institute
References: <>

For those who read no other cryonics-related forum than CryoNet, 
three recent posts here might have been rather puzzling.  The first, 
28718, on 12/5/06 by Ben Best, mentions a disagreement Nelson had 
with CI over some Paypal payments for membership dues, that the 
problem was due to Nelson's actions and nothing CI did, and his 
apparently becoming unwelcome for future membership.  In the second, 
28759, on 12/22/06 by Gareth Nelson, he states he is banned from CI 
for reasons he considers unfair.  In the third, 28867, on 1/10/07 by 
Gareth Nelson, he states "I am glad to see that CI have at least 
learnt something from this, that any organisation can make simple 
mistakes ..." and "It's all as simple as that."

Unfortunately, it is not all that simple.  But I'll get down to that 
in a moment.  I should first explain that the reason that the only 
three CryoNet posts which cover this issue leave the reader with a 
lot of gaps in the story, is that it has been covered a length in at 
least two other forums.

It appears to have first been mentioned at www.imminst.org, also 
cluttered with Depres' CI issues:

http://www.imminst.org/forum/index.php?s=&act=ST&f=61&t=13456&st=0&#entry141781

Nelson brought it up there, and Best's post here came after 
that.  Also, the matter was thoroughly explored on Cold Filter:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/291677/message/1165391216/

In the Cold Filter thread, it is fully demonstrated that any errors 
in Paypal payments had to be Nelson's fault, as only he could have 
authorized any payments, correct or incorrect.  Despite this fact, 
Nelson still claims it is CI's fault.

Ben Best, CI President, posted several times to Cold Filter, and 
never admitted that CI did anything wrong or had anything to 
apologize for; in fact, maintained the opposite at all times, 
providing rationale for same.

In the following post in a separate thread there, he also clarifies 
that the "membership not welcome" issue was not a CI board decision 
and elsewhere he stated that it is possible he would be approved for 
membership if he were to reapply in the future:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/291677/message/1168364965/

Since Nelson's posts here leave readers with a mistaken impression 
that he is banned from CI membership and that CI made some "simple 
mistakes," I felt it important to point out the above.  If Ben Best 
or any other CI officials have made any changes to what was most 
recently stated on public forums that CI did nothing wrong and has 
nothing to apologize for, they have not come forward with that here 
or elsewhere.  It has now been 2 weeks since Nelson's last post 
claiming he is glad CI "learnt something," so I am assuming that CI's 
last stated position remains the same.

And rightly so, as demonstrated thorougly in the main Cold Filter thread.

This whole thing is important to me in that I believe we should have 
an accurate view of the integrity and reputation of the various 
cryonics organizations.  In this case, not mentioning the above would 
have left an unwarranted negative mark on CI.

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