May 31, 1993
To: The Triple Nine Executive Committee
From: Kevin Langdon, P.O. Box 795, Berkeley, CA 94701; (510) 658-1792
Comments on the May 18 ExCom Memo
Cyd's Memo (points numbered according to Cyd's numbering)
1. I have voted to confirm all four appointments. I expect that all the appointees will do
an outstanding job for TNS. I've also mentioned to Cyd that officers confirmed by the
ExCom should not be designated ``Acting.'' I therefore move that the word ``Acting'' be
dropped in the cases of Pat Thomas as Regent and Larry Jess as Ombudsman.
2. I sympathize with the intent of Paul Maxim's resolution on the subject of Richard
Kapnick's despicable and malicious lawsuit against Ron Hoeflin, but I find John Kormes'
letter in response persuasive. Each member of TNS has a right to his or her own opinion on
matters such as this; it is not the place of the Executive Committee to take a position in
the name of the entire membership. Instead, I recommend a thorough airing of the
circumstances surrounding the Kapnick lawsuit in Vidya; this should be sufficient
to permit our members to draw their own conclusions as to the rights and wrongs of the
matter.
3. I would like to add my congratulations to Cyd's with regard to the fine quality of Vidya
under Clint Williams' editorship and withdraw all reservations about his suitability for
the job.
6. I feel that the word ``patrons'' is very unfortunate; it could very easily be taken to
imply that membership in the Triple Nine Society can be bought. I urge the Regent to write
to the Mensa Bulletin immediately, substituting the word ``subscribers.''
Pat Thomas' Memo
I agree with Pat that the ``disruption of continuity and dialogue'' of double issues is
more important than the minor savings (over single issues) in space and cost of
production.
John Kormes' Memo
It is certainly not realistic to expect cooperation from the ISPE in anything; their
leaders hate our guts. But that shouldn't deter us from joint projects with Ron Hoeflin's
One-in-a-Thousand Society, Prometheus, or Mega.
My Memo
Would someone please second my motion that seconds not be required?
As John Cooper has been in touch with Tim Hardy regarding his long-overdue report on TNS
finances and the Zaslove memo, I am willing to wait and give John some time to try to work
things out before floating the motion to censure Hardy, but I will definitely make such a
motion if Hardy does not give us the opinion which it was his fiduciary duty to render
years ago on whether Zaslove embezzled money from TNS.
John Cooper's Memo
As much as I like John and appreciate his contributions to TNS, I find his remarks in this
memo personally offensive.
John wrote:
As for [Hardy's] reporting on the Barry Zaslove affair, I:
1.) Vaguely remember something about [it] (largely in innuendo from persons who `allowed'
it to happen under their nose, and now have this tremendous `guilt trip' with which they
can't deal).
2.) Am almost as tired of hearing about it as in hearing how ISPE shouldn't be allowed to
exist.
I have been in the forefront of those who have demanded an accounting regarding the
Zaslove affair and also in criticizing the violations of the rights of ISPE members
perpetrated over two decades by the leadership of the ISPE.
Far from ``allowing'' the Zaslove affair and its aftermath to ``happen under my nose,'' I
opposed the faction which placed Zaslove in power from the beginning, called for an
immediate accounting as soon as I learned of the missing funds, and have been reminding
everyone ever since that we, the Executive Committee, have a fiduciary duty to account to
the membership for what happened to their money. If it had been up to me, Tim Hardy would
have been removed from office long ago for failing to resolve this matter.
When Ralph Waldo Emerson visited Henry David Thoreau, after Thoreau had been jailed for
refusing to pay the war tax for the Mexican War, he asked him, ``Why are you here?''
Thoreau answered, ``Why are you not?'' I don't feel any guilt about this, but some of you
should.
I don't recall seeing John Cooper's name among those expelled from the ISPE. I was
expelled, along with the other four founders of TNS, for founding the society in which
John now enjoys membership. Out of laziness or moral cowardice, too damn many people don't
stand up for what's right. I will continue to speak out against injustice in the high-I.Q.
societies as long as it exists. Anybody who doesn't like it can [self-censored].
`BB' Crawford's Memo
I would like to express my appreciation to BB for volunteering to take on the job of
Membership Officer. Although Bob Kopp has been nominated for this particular job, there is
always plenty of volunteer work need. I hope that BB will become active in some capacity.