29 replies to this topic

[cryofan]

cold filter thread on the Jones-Chapman switch:
http://www.network54...hakeup at Alcor

Can anyone tell us something about chapman? Is she actually a signed up cryonicist?

What is she like?

[Mind]

I know at least a couple people had speculated that Tanya was about the only person worthy of the ED spot, but Jennifer has apparently been around the organization since 2000.

I have never met Jennifer nor do I know if she is signed up for cryonic suspension.

I have met Tanya a couple of times and interviewed her on the Sunday Evening Update. Always friendly. Seemed competent and devoted to cryonics.

I hope it wasn't a "bad break-up". Sometimes people speculate about those things just because something unexpected happened. There might have been very good reasons to hire Jennifer, and maybe Tanya wanted a break. You never know.

[Mind]

I'll see if I can get Jennifer on the Sunday Evening Update relatively soon.

[advancedatheist]

Does anyone else have the impression that Alcor has entered a downward spiral not unlike all the vulnerable American car makers, banks, brokerage houses and retail chains we've heard about in the news lately? I wonder now if I should have delayed paying my membership dues in full this month.

Edited by advancedatheist, 30 January 2009 - 04:01 PM.

[eternaltraveler]

They should have kept Tanya.

Got nothing against Jennifer Chapman, but I don't know her that well.

I worry about the future of alcor after Hugh Hixon and Mike Perry go on ice.

[xlifex]

Does anyone else have the impression that Alcor has entered a downward spiral not unlike all the vulnerable American car makers, banks, brokerage houses and retail chains we've heard about in the news lately? I wonder now if I should have delayed paying my membership dues in full this month.

No, Alcor has made substantial improvements over the last few months, many of them initiated by Regina Pancake.

The latest management shakeup is one of the best decisions that Alcor has made in a long while.

Jennifer has been a signed-up member of Alcor basically since she heard of the organization. As many people who know her can tell you, she is one of the most committed and hard working cryonicists around.

It is clear that Alcor should improve its communication to its members. If Alcor is making vast improvements in various areas, but some members have the feeling that things are going downhill there, Alcor is not doing a very good job in this regard.

[Shannon Vyff]

Yes Jennifer is a signed Alcor member, has been for years since I first met her in '01 at least. She knows the ins and outs of the business and has held about every role at Alcor. Tanya very well may want to move on to other things, and certainly is not "out" as specified in the announcement. There is nothing I've seen about Jennifer that would make me think she is incapable of filling the role. The entire board of Alcor had to approve her, there are many respected people on the board. Also, they may be waiting till they have a new CEO to publicize their new administration.

[advancedatheist]

I worry about the future of alcor after Hugh Hixon and Mike Perry go on ice.

Especially because Hugh has had some serious heart problems.

[Shannon Vyff]

Regina Pancake has been doing incredible things for Alcor.

[advancedatheist]

It is clear that Alcor should improve its communication to its members. If Alcor is making vast improvements in various areas, but some members have the feeling that things are going downhill there, Alcor is not doing a very good job in this regard.

In the past ten years we've seen the Chamberlains, Dr. Lemler, Joe Waynick, Steve van Sickle, Tanya and now Jennifer Chapman in the CEO position. Not only have several if not all of these individuals had to leave under the metaphorical cloud; but with every turnover we see resources directed towards new projects that wind up unfinished or abandoned when the next guy comes along. So excuse me if I don't feel very confident about Alcor's direction.

Edited by advancedatheist, 30 January 2009 - 05:00 PM.

[eternaltraveler]

Regina Pancake has been doing incredible things for Alcor.

she has indeed.

I wish all the other ducks would come in a row.

[xlifex]

In the past ten years we've seen the Chamberlains, Dr. Lemler, Joe Waynick, Steve van Sickle, Tanya and now Jennifer Chapman in the CEO position. Not only have several if not all of these individuals had to leave under the metaphorical cloud; but with every turnover we see resources directed towards new projects that wind up unfinished or abandoned when the next guy comes along. So excuse me if I don't feel very confident about Alcor's direction.

I understand your skepticism, but I think there is good reason to believe that this era is coming to an end. Just wait and see.

[cryofan]

Does anyone else have the impression that Alcor has entered a downward spiral not unlike all the vulnerable American car makers, banks, brokerage houses and retail chains we've heard about in the news lately? I wonder now if I should have delayed paying my membership dues in full this month.

I do not see any evidence for that, mark. Why on earth would you say that?
Just because Chapman is now boss?

Edited by cryofan, 30 January 2009 - 05:30 PM.

[advancedatheist]

I do not see any evidence for that, mark. Why on earth would say that?
Just because Chapman is now boss?

See my post above about the rapid turnover in weak or incompetent CEO's.

Jennifer's less than lucid report on Alcor's Patient Care Trust also raises questions about Alcor's real financial condition in other areas.

And, of course, we have the Larry Johnson bomb set to go off some time this year. I noticed that Amazon's web page now says that Johnson's book will come out in May instead of March.

[advancedatheist]

Of course, I have no intention of playing Rush Limbaugh. I want Jennifer or whoever winds up as Alcor's trophy CEO to succeed.

[cryofan]

well, I agree with the posts in the cold filter thread. She is probably the right person to be heading up Alcor, at least from what I can see of her.

[bgwowk]

Jennifer's less than lucid report on Alcor's Patient Care Trust also raises questions about Alcor's real financial condition in other areas.

The PCT report was posted to the blog by Jennifer, but written by the PCT board. Is there anything about the perceived lack of lucidity that you'd like clarified?

Alcor's most financially problematic area right now is Operations, which is facing an approximately $150K deficit this year. It would have been twice as large where it not for an unrestricted donation of $150K that came in late last year, with a commitment for another two years. Board and management are working on some measures to close this gap, including fund raising. CMS is presently overfunded, with almost $500,000 set aside to fund standbys. Projects have also not been coming in fast enough to fully utilize the LEF/Miller/Thorp readiness grant, which is leaving some excess funding there, although purposes for which it may be used are restricted. Patient care is financially secure in the short term, but I'm unhappy that there hasn't been a rigorous analysis of the long-term sustainability of PCT funding in many years.

[advancedatheist]

The PCT report was posted to the blog by Jennifer, but written by the PCT board. Is there anything about the perceived lack of lucidity that you'd like clarified?

Jennifer gives percentages, but not dollar amounts. Also she doesn't explain what the Trust has invested the money in, nor whether the problems of its investment firm Morgan Stanley have something to do with the fund's safety and performance. (I think Morgan Stanley's share price has fallen by about 2/3rds from its height.)

Alcor's most financially problematic area right now is Operations, which is facing an approximately $150K deficit this year. It would have been twice as large where it not for an unrestricted donation of $150K that came in late last year, with a commitment for another two years.

Well, so much for the claim that cryonics exists as a money-making "scam."

BTW, Brian, do you guys have any plans for damage control in case Larry Johnson's new book attracts some media attention? According to its Amazon page, it will come out for sale in May.

[cryofan]

I think we can just ignore johnsons book--as platt (i think it was him) pointed out, the book is being published by a very minor company, one that amounts to almost a vanity publisher.

So there will be basically NO publicity. And we don't want to give him any publicity, either.

Edited by cryofan, 30 January 2009 - 09:14 PM.

[advancedatheist]

I think we can just ignore johnsons book--as platt (i think it was him) pointed out, the book is being published by a very minor company, one that amounts to almost a vanity publisher.

So there will be basically NO publicity. And we don't want to give him any publicity, either.

Amazon gives the book publicity for free (number 4 on a search for the keyword cryonics):

http://www.amazon.co...s...amp;x=0&y=0

I have a bad feeling about Johnson. He's got a mad-on for me for some reason, and probably more so now because I've asked him if he holds neopagan white supremacist beliefs -- just a wild-ass guess on my part based on something he wrote about one of my YouTube videos mocking Asatru.

[fatboy]

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread, but what, pray tell, is an "advanced atheist"?

Edited by fatboy, 30 January 2009 - 10:07 PM.

[advancedatheist]

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread, but what, pray tell, is an "advanced atheist"?

I mentally entered the 21st Century in 1974, well ahead of the calendar.

[Prometheus]

just a bit out of left field admittedly, but i think imminst would make a great cryo org. there is so much ideology and passion here..

[Loot Perish]

I think the people who run alcor via the board have gotten a lot smarter in recent years, as shown by this pick of chapman to run things. Do I recall correctly that they got something like 16 candidate resumes for this job? Smart choice! We all get smarter and craftier as we get older. Maybe we don't take written tests as fast, but we do become more aware of how things really work.
----------------------

Randy Smith
Houston, TX

Edited by provider, 31 January 2009 - 08:44 AM.

[Loot Perish]

The latest management shakeup is one of the best decisions that Alcor has made in a long while.

I would not be surprised at all to see that be true, ultimately. Ms Chapman, by being able to remain at Alcor for so long, has shown that she has the social skills to work with other people. Those same social skills will help her deal with the media. And from the picture posted here:

http://www.accelerat...es_jchapman.jpg

she looks like quite "media-genic" to me.

It is clear that Alcor should improve its communication to its members. If Alcor is making vast improvements in various areas, but some members have the feeling that things are going downhill there, Alcor is not doing a very good job in this regard.

Regarding Alcor communicating to its members, sure, we would all like to have more info about what is going on. But remember that cryonics is an endeavor that has some enemies. People are watching what we do and say, people that do not like us. Recall that CI has been crippled by the govt and that there was an attempt to do the same to Alcor via the AZ legislature.

There is really no telling whether something said innocently by Alcor could someday come back to bite us in the behind. Better to keep one's own counsel, hold one's cards close to one's chest, etc. Don't give anyone any ammunition.



======

Randy Smith
Houston TX

Edited by provider, 31 January 2009 - 09:16 AM.

[advancedatheist]

Ms Chapman, by being able to remain at Alcor for so long, has shown that she has the social skills to work with other people. Those same social skills will help her deal with the media.

Or else Jennifer has demonstrated that she merely worked diligently while not alienating anyone on Alcor's Board or the staff. It doesn't follow from that ability that she knows how to run a business.

[xlifex]

Or else Jennifer has demonstrated that she merely worked diligently while not alienating anyone on Alcor's Board or the staff. It doesn't follow from that ability that she knows how to run a business.

Any sane businessman would sell Alcor's assets and invest it into something profitable.

A more important trait that is required in cryonics is to be productive *in the absence of market incentives*. This trait Jennifer seems to have in abundance.

[advancedatheist]

Any sane businessman would sell Alcor's assets and invest it into something profitable.

Profits don't do you any good if you die and disintegrate into background noise.

A more important trait that is required in cryonics is to be productive *in the absence of market incentives*. This trait Jennifer seems to have in abundance.

The market has consistently rejected cryonics -- the service itself, not the business models attempted to provide it -- as a waste of resources, hence the inability to turn cryonics into a for-profit "industry" despite well meaning but empty talk along those lines over the years. Cryonics resembles having to run the only supermarket in your town as expensive hobby so that you and a few of your friends can have your own food to eat, because nobody else outside of your circle eats food.

[bgwowk]

The PCT report was posted to the blog by Jennifer, but written by the PCT board. Is there anything about the perceived lack of lucidity that you'd like clarified?

Jennifer gives percentages, but not dollar amounts. Also she doesn't explain what the Trust has invested the money in, nor whether the problems of its investment firm Morgan Stanley have something to do with the fund's safety and performance. (I think Morgan Stanley's share price has fallen by about 2/3rds from its height.)

Once again, the report that you are referring to was generated by the PCT Board, not Jennifer. The PCT balances at the beginning of 2008 were as given on the website

http://www.alcor.org...etrustfund.html

As of January 31, 2008, the Alcor Patient Care Trust Fund has assets of 3.2 million dollars, invested as follows:

* The Patient Care Trust owns well over 50% of the shares in Cryonics Properties, LLC, the limited liability company that owns the Alcor building (all other shares are owned by Alcor members). The Trust also owns the mortgage on the building. Alcor pays rent to Cryonics Properties, LLC. Since Alcor does not occupy the entire building, there are additional tenants who also pay rent.

* The remaining Trust assets (about $1.7 million) are invested in a diversified portfolio professionally managed by the investment firm of Morgan Stanley.

During 2008 the value of the liquid trust asset portfolio declined from $1.7 million to $1.4 million. As reported on the blog, the investment loss was 23% (compared to 38% for the S&P500). The decline in the value of the portfolio was only 18% because of new money added to the PCT during 2008. The portfolio was a balance of cash, bonds, and diversified stocks.

Any problems with Morgan Stanley as a company should not concern the safety or performance of PCT funds. Funds invested with a brokerage firm are not funds invested in a brokerage firm.

Edited by bgwowk, 01 February 2009 - 06:49 AM.

[John Daniels]

She looks like she could be carl sagan's daughter.