What the hell is a 'thought leader'?  How does one distinguish a 'proven thought leader' from an 'unproven thought leader'?  This is exactly the sort of crap that annoys me to no end.  "If you are disrupting an existing industry by applying new Bitcoin technology..."  'disrupting' - the coolest overused buzzword of the year.  This crap is all warm-fuzzy-gooey hype.  It won't help attract brains.  Brains don't respond to that sort of nonsense.  Brains filter those silly cool buzzwords right out.  

However, as Terpin appears indeed to be close to bitcoin - and has a track record of similar hype projects, I guess he is well positioned to generate some good will.  I like the notion that in 3 months if the board does not consider the result productive they can bail.  Further, as JR has been won over by this proposal...  I, as the project's biggest PR skeptic would concede to this arrangement being approved.  If there is to be a committee to review the results - I'd like to be appointed to it.  Someone with a bit of critical eye should carefully consider what kind of response this activity is generating.