X-Message-Number: 32802
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:01:10 +0000 (UTC)
From: Melody Maxim <>
Subject: Free Speech and Alcor's Membership Dues


I recently wrote a blog entry, regarding Alcor's propensity for doing 
"last-minute" cases and/or "charity" cases, something I consider to be a slap in
the face to conscientious cryonicists who have diligently filled out Alcor's 
extensive paperwork, taken the trouble to make sure their legal affairs are in 
order for cryopreservation, and loyally paid their dues. (This all started when 
an Alcor member told me he had not been paying his dues, and drew my attention 
to an article in which Alcor had noted that a lot of members were behind on 
their dues.) In addition, I probably stated my opinion that I don't consider the
quality of Alcor's services to be deserving of such high price tags. I 
cross-posted to the Cold Filter (CF) cryonics forum, and all hell broke loose.


The anonymous CF regular, "FD," pretended to be offering me "friendly advice," 
regarding the possibility of legal action being taken against me, but I'm quite 
sure his post was a thinly-veiled threat. I think most people who have read my 
posts and blog entries know I am intelligent enough to be aware that I am 
accountable for my own words. In addition, I have publicly stated, many times, 
that I am willing to stand behind my words, in a court of law. When the 
moderator reminded everyone he was not going to tolerate threats of legal 
action, FD and Mathew Sullivan, (of Suspended Animation), threw childish 
temper-tantrums, maintaining that what FD had offered up was intended to be 
"friendly advice." Personally, I found that to be insulting to my intelligence, 
and I think the moderator did, too. I believe anyone who has followed the 
discussions on CF, should be able to see through, what I consider to have been, 
a charade designed to intimidate me.


Then, the moderator indicated HE had received threats of litigation, if he did 
not "remove certain posts," which I can only assume to be mine. Amazingly, 
Charles Platt then showed up with a post, which made it appear he was one of the
people, who had been threatening the CF moderator. 
http://www.network54.com/Forum/291677/message/1282961985/Having+it+Both+Ways I 
believe Mr. Platt has been asking the moderator to step on my right to "free 
speech." That's funny, because I thought Mr. Platt was a proponent of free 
speech. Unlike certain other people, who occasionally post on the Cold Filter 
cryonics forum, I'm not prone to doling out false information in attempts to 
discredit someone, and I am careful to only state facts and opinions which I 
feel I can support, and which I believe I am entitled to express. I don't see 
how anyone could even pretend there was something legally actionable, in this 
post: 
http://www.network54.com/Forum/291677/message/1282654706/Why+Pay+Alcor+Membersh
 ip+Dues-


Why are three people, who are not employed by Alcor, (as far as I know), 
responding to my post about Alcor's membership dues, with implied threats of 
litigation, directed at not only me, but the moderator of a cryonics-related 
forum? I don't believe any of their names were mentioned in my post. Isn't Alcor
capable of responding to criticisms of their organization, if they so desire? 
Don't they have a number of attorneys currently representing them, in at least 
three states? I think Alcor members should be concerned that, in response to 
criticisms of the self-proclaimed "pioneer" of cryopreservation, the only 
reaction comes from three persons outside that organization, (one of them 
anonymous, and one of them having already had to hire an attorney, who advised 
him to correct and apologize for false statements, which had been made about 
me!).


Read more, here, and form your own opinion: 
http://cryomedical.blogspot.com/2010/08/interesting-events-on-cold-filter.html


Note: I actually wrote this post a couple of days ago, but somehow both of my 
email addresses had been unsubscribed. (I have no idea what went wrong, but 
thanks to Kevin for resolving the problem, and for maintaining Cryonet.)

Melody Maxim

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