In connection with the AOS membership decline mentioned by Andy as being below
19,000. Wow, what a drop.
I checked some " total paid and requested copies of the AOS Bulletin figures;"
for 1999 it was 28,746. This is
probably a close enough reflection of the AOS membership at the time. Correct
me if I am wrong.
Simon, you make a good point. Remember, you can't draw water from a dry well,
thus one always considers the sources
of "good thinking."
As far as George Norris and Manuel Arias Silva, indicted, found guilty and
sentenced, it all happened in US courts. It is well documented and
can be found in the archives. I agree with Bill that George was screwed, not
by the US Justice System, but by his best friend, Manuel Arias Silva.
For Bill to paint Manuel Arias as a Saint is laughable, just ask the Moores and
other Peruvians who have known the subject for many more years
than an occasionally visiting orchid collector.
Jailed as he stepped off a plane in Miami, Manuel's passport was confiscated by
US authorities. George Norris, excellent friend that he proved to be, put up $
175,000 bail, (his home, ) and got Manuel out of jail. Manuel would stay in the
USA, in the care of George, to appear in a Court of Law several months later.
When Arias traveled from George's Texas home to Florida, after his court
hearing and before he was sentenced in absentia, he escaped to Peru with a
second passport issued him by Peruvian authorities. He took two weeks before
telling George that he had escaped back to Peru.
George, as communicated to me, still considers Manuel his friend. Such is hard
for me to understand.
While George is out of $ 175,000 and serving his sentence, Manuel Arias, is
living in freedom and through Peruflora, managed by his son, is selling legal
Pk seedlings, to US customers. Go figure.
Peter
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