• ICS
Volume 14(4) • April, 1993 ISSN 1054-4305 • $3.50
Alcor Suspension Members Worldwide
From 1993's "Membership Update" Derek Ryan, Membership Administrator -Plus- Two Reports on Alcor's Suspension of a Suicide Victim Ralph Whelan I Tanya Jones Cryonics is . .. Alcor is ... Cryonic suspension is the application of low-temperature The Alcor Life Extension Foundation is a non-profit tax preservation technology to today's terminal patients. The exempt scientific and educational organization. Alcor goal of cryonic suspension and the technology of cryonics is currently has 26 members in cryonic suspension, hundreds the transport of today's terminal patients to a time in the of Suspension Members--people who have arrangements to future when celVtissue repair technology is available, and be suspended-and hundreds more in the process of becom restoration to full function and health is possible--a time ing Suspension Members. Our Emergency Response when freezing damage is a fully reversible injury and cures capability includes equipment and trained technicians in exist for virtually all of today's diseases, including aging. New York, Canada, Indiana, North California, and As human knowledge and medical technology continue to England, and a cool-down and perfusion facility in Florida. expand in scope, people who would incorrectly be The Alcor facility, located in Southern California, considered dead by today's medicine will commonly be includes a full-time staff with employees present 24 hours a restored to life and health. This coming control over living day. The facility also has a fully equipped and operational systems should allow us to fabricate new organisms and research laboratory, an ambulance for local response, an sub-cell-sized devices for repair and resuscitation of patients operating room, and a patient storage facility consisting of waiting in cryonic suspension. several stainless steel, state-of-the-art storage vessels. Subscribe to Cryonics!!! Cryonics magazine explores and promotes the practical, scientific, and social aspects of ultra-low temperature preservation of humans. As the publication of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation-the world's largest and most advanced cryonics organization-Cryonics takes a realistic, real-world approach to the challenge of maintaining in a biologically unchanging state patients who have reached the limitations of modern medicine. Cryonics contains thoughtful, provocative discussions of cryonic suspensions performed by Alcor, related research, nanotechnology and molecular engineering, book reviews, the phy sical format of memory and personality, the nature of identity, and more. First-time subscribers get one entire year-- that's twelve issues-- for only $15. SUBSCRIBE!!!!
Want Detailed Information? Cryonics: Reaching For Tomorrow is truly the world's only "textbook" introduction to cryonics. Over one hundred pages long, C.R.F. T. is a fantastic and unique examination of the social, practical, and scientific arguments that support the continuing refinement of today's imperfect cryonic suspension techniques, with an eye toward eventual perfected suspended animation. C.R.F. T. is also a comprehensive introduction to the Alcor Foundation. This book is free with your $15 subscription to Cryonics magazine, or can be purchased separately for 7.95. t&~~~sf:~.be··l?•••tfJ:o?:ics•·•·~aga~i~~···~.~~t~~~!v~··~·· rt~~ ~?~.Yof~Sf!q~ics: }lea~~i~~~·r~Tfo;~n~~~~~~ o~••te 9r~;.~~~·.'C·.~······alone .·fo·r···~·1·9?, .• ~aJf.Il~~g .367-2~.2.~;·•••·>?r ~tite·····to ..· .. th~.··· ~~~o·~·· Fohnd~tibn at· l2327>D6betty Street/ Riverside' CA 92503~ > · Cryonics Feature Articles
Volume 14(4) An Update on Membership Growth April, 1993 Derek Ryan 9 Issue 153, ISSN 1054-4305
Details Make the Difference Stephen Bridge 14
Cryonics is the magazine of the Alcor Beginnings of Winter- Suicide and Cryonics Life Extension Foundation, Inc. Ralph Whelan 16 Editor: Ralph Whelan Production Editors: Eric Geislinger and Jane Talisman Transporting Patient A-1401 Tanya L Jones 19 Published monthly. Individual subscrip tions: $35 per year in the U.S.; $40 per year in Canada and Mexico; $45 per year Review: Mind, Machines, and all others. Back issues are $3.50 each in Human Consciousness the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; $4.50 each Thomas Donaldson 21 all others.
Please address all editorial correspon dence to ALCOR, 12327 Doherty Street, Columns Riverside, CA 92503 or phone (800) 367-2228 or (714) 736-1703. FAX#: (714) 736-6917. E-mail: [email protected] For the Record Mike Perry 3
Understanding Alcor: Notes from Contents copyright 1993 by the Alcor the President Life Extension Foundation, Inc., except Stephen Bridge 6 where otherwise noted. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Alcor Departments Life Extension Foundation or its Board of Directors or management. Up Front 2
Alcor Board of Directors Letters to the Editor 3 Steve Bridge, President Membership Status Ralph Whelan, Vice President 20 David Pizer, Treasurer Carlos Mondragon Business Meeting Report 22 Keith Henson Hugh Hixon Advertisements & Personals 23 Brenda Peters Mark Voelker Cryonics Forum 24 Allen Lopp Upcoming Events 29 1{ i E
I Issue to press: March 19, 1993. Cover: Derek Ryan reviews and previews Alcor' s membership growth i in this month's cover story. I I Up Front by Ralph Whelan
What Happened?!? bers yet.) And, much more importantly, Great News From Chicago the cost of increasing the press run from As regular readers will have already 2000 to 3000 is likely to be about $200. We recently received the following noted, we've changed our printing format. This means that the printing cost per issue report from Alcor Director Brenda Peters, Cryonics is now being printed on a "web will drop from $0.80 to $0.60, which will the undisputed cryonics grassroots cham press," (just like the big boys) a trade-off even more dramatically drop the min pion, with the note: of sorts that we've been considering for a imum-sell-through-for-profit, down to Please include this in the next issue of few weeks. At long last, we've run short of roughly 40%, which will encourage me to Cryonics. I'm hoping we can see a full reasons for not doing it, and the reasons send out many more issues for newsstand page of short reports by local groups for doing it keep piling up. The primary sales than I would at a minimum-sell around the world in each issue of Cry reason, which subsumes all the others, through-for-profit of 60% or even 50%. onics. It would be an important impetus to really, is cost. The net result of that scenario (i.e., a membership growth and involvement, in Our previous printing system was get print run of 3000) is pure savings of my opinion. ting quite high-priced for the volumes in roughly $3,600 per year (rather than We couldn't agree more, so Brenda's volved. Printing 2000 copies of 32-page $6,000 per year at 2000 copies per month), announcement appears immediately below. issues (that is, 28 pages of "content" and a plus a likely increase in newsstand revenue It's obvious that Brenda is well on her way 4-page, slick cover) was costing $2,100 of at least $5,000 per year. (Not to men to doing for Chicago what she has already per month, which breaks down to $1.05 tion subsidiary revenue from larger done for the New York City area. If the per copy. ("Printing costs" includes roll-over to subscribers and members.) other groups and chapters follow her lead, pre-press and shipping expenses.) Printing But is all of this just a wordy attempt we'll be more than happy to devote a page 2000 copies of 32-page issues using this to justify to members and subscribers a of each issue of Cryonics to local group web press system (that is, 32 pages of con "cheaper" production system? Not really. updates. tent including the cover, which is of the The samples I've seen of web press same stock as the internal pages) will productions have much darker and crisper "Alcor Chicago had a very pleasant probably cost in the neighborhood of print, which is a lot easier on the eyes, and first meeting on Saturday, February 20th at $1,600, which breaks down to $0.80 per photos can be "screened" to much higher the home of Board Member Brenda Peters copy. (I say "in the neighborhood of resolution for black-and-white reproduc and Courtney Smith on the 47th floor of $1,600" because this is the first such print tion, while being (like the text) darker and the Huron Plaza, overlooking beautiful job, and we haven't gotten the bill yet.) So crisper. (Unfortunately, there are no new Lake Michigan. Eleven people from four we'll realize an immediate savings of photos in this issue to demonstrate this.) states were in attendance. It was decided roughly $500 per month, or $6,000 per True, the cover will no longer be of a that there are sufficient numbers and local year. heavier stock than the interior, and this interest to hold monthly meetings in But there's more. As I reported last may contribute to more wrinkling and tear Chicago. month, Cryonics is now selling on the ing during shipping, but, like I said in the "The possibility of combining Alcor newsstands, and surprisingly well. Unfor opening paragraph, it's a trade-off. Our Indiana with Alcor Chicago was discussed, tunately, the high cost of our previous cash-flow situation right now is such that as was the possibility of some of the meet printing technique meant that at least 60% we simply cannot ignore potential savings ings being held in Indiana. We will be of the copies sent out for bookstore and of this scale, and with the other considera mailing to five states: Indiana, Illinois, newsstand distribution had to be sold tions listed above, we may well have Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio. There are (rather than returned unsold or destroyed) switched even if cost had not been such a an additional four dozen members and sub before we would break even on the cost of strong consideration. scribers (at least) in the five-state area who printing these issues, shipping them, will be encouraged to attend meetings and paying the newsstands, and paying the dis to get more involved with cryonics. tributors. It seemed that the total "sell "Other topics of discussion included a through" was in fact right in the neigh Financial Statement Delay newsletter, video testimonials as an addi borhood of 60%, or just below it, so we tional layer of protection, dues, emergency haven't so far made money on these sales. Historically (well, for the last two response equipment, additional training, But even at break-even (or a small loss), years anyway) we've devoted the April raising cryonics awareness in the Midwest, we couldn't resist the opportunity to sell issue of Cryonics to our annual financial and the possibility of Alcor having custom almost 500 copies of Cryonics each month statement and the Membership Ad designed Resusce-Anne type training units "on the stands," thereby infecting thou ministrator's update on membership to measure cooldown rates, etc., as sug sands of additional people with the cry growth. This year, for the first time ever, gested by a medical illustrator present. onics meme and the Alcor 800 number, Alcor's financial statement is being pre "A customized merchandizing biz of people who could turn into subscribers or pared- at great expense- by Stonefield cryonics, extropy, and life extension gift members. Josephson, a major regional accountancy items will be co-ordinated and run by Matt But with the web press savings, the corporation. The intense level of detail and Swanson. Also, a new cryonics P.R. flyer minimum-sell-though-for-profit drops research in their audit has delayed it some designed by Mr. Swanson was distributed below 60%, to somewhere in the neighbor what, and we will not be able to print it at the meeting. There was a sumptious lay hood of 50%. (I haven't crunched the num- until next month. out of food, and five hours of socializ-
2 • Cryonics • April 1993 ing/discussion. at (312) 587-7050, or at Huron Plaza, 30 Alcor membership (brokers welcomed) "The next meeting will be held on E. Huron, Suite 4709, Chicago, IL 60611." regarding possible sites, etc. Sunday, March 28th, with Brian Wowk The current members of the commit (co-author of Cryonics: Reaching For tee are: Judy Sharp, Chairperson (phone: Tomorrow), who will be coming in from Help Us Find A New Home! 310-574-1936), Marce and Walt Johnson Canada, as the special guest speaker. This (714-962-7898), and Maureen Genteman meeting promises to have people from at Alcor has formed a building commit (31 0-450-0394 )_Please direct any in least four states and two countries in atten tee to carry out the search for a new home quiries to the building committee, either dance. for Alcor. The goals of the committee are by phone or by writing to the committee in "If you are interested in attending to investigate all viable areas for the care of Maureen Genteman at 3435 Ocean Alcor Chicago meetings or in being on our relocation of Alcor. The committee wel Park Blvd #155, Santa Monica, CA 90405. mailing list, please contact Brenda Peters comes and encourages input from the Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor: these organizations have that large donor I would like to suggest a third: genetic. pool advantage that Alcor lacks. For those Every cell of the body (except red blood Large national organizations that solicit organizations I represent a vanishingly small cells) contains the complete genetic instruc donations have the advantage of a very large fraction of a fraction of a percent of their tions for the entire individual. It would be pool of possible donors to draw from. The potential donor pool. No so to Alcor. To very simple to store a few cells - they same can even be said of local organiza Alcor I am (sadly) one of the precious few. would not even have to be frozen - in a tions, like your local PBS station that an From this I conclude the following for fixation solution such as glutaraldehyde, noys you with those pledge weeks. Alcor my self, and ask other members to consider which would render the person's genetic has no such advantage. We Alcor members the same for themselves. The bulk of code readable for centuries at least and are essentially its pool of potential donors, whatever annual charitable giving I do probably much more. and that makes for a very tiny pool com should go to Alcor. Whenever I see one of I realize that none of the individual's pared to outfits like the Heart Association or those many requests for donations from memories would be preserved and so it is far any national social/political organization some other worthy organization, I remind inferior to our present methods, but I also you can name. myself that that organization has thousands realize it would be enormously cheaper and With that in mind I commend the fol of people who will donate to it, maybe easier. Think of it as a "Cryonics Starter lowing line of reasoning to my fellow mem hundreds of thousands. Alcor does not, and Kit." Contrary to popular opinion, survival bers. I have been in the habit of dribbling it's up to me, and "we happy few" Alcor is probably not an all or nothing matter, and out modest donations to assorted organiza members to make up for that fact. for those who cannot afford the present op tions during the year (many of whom seem tions, gene storage would be far better than to use my donation mostly to print and send Tom Shapard nothing. me more requests for donations). By the end San Diego, CA of the year this amounts to a few hundred John K. Clark dollars of donations. However on reflection, Dear Editor, Miami, FL the success of none of these organizations means nearly as much to me and my future At the present time we have two types as does that of Alcor. Further, nearly all of of suspension methods: neural and full body. For the Record
They Froze the First Man
Michael Perry
The idea for this For the Record who requested information about the first James H. Bedford in Jan. 1967- see my column came from a high-school student cryonic suspension (which was that of Dr. column in Cryonics, July 1991). She
Cryonics • April 1993 • 3 wanted to know about the "scientist" that fusion specialist. Dr. Able, who was 1976). He remains active in the movement carried it out (call it a "team" since several present when clinical death occurred (at today, one area of his research being to were involved), and in a later message approximately 1:15 p.m., Jan. 12, 1967) design better storage containers and said, "I need to know who was the in reportedly began cooling the patient with storage environments for cryonics patients. dividual who performed the suspension or ice while activating an iron heart to restore Nelson, from the high point of the Bedford came up with the idea and process for circulation.1 Heparin was administered to freezing (recounted in Nelson's book, We suspending a human being." A short ans prevent coagulation of the blood. Although Froze the First Man Dell, 1968), would wer can be given (and will) - but here I DMSO was used as a cryoprotectant, the begin a long decline culminating in the want to elaborate on certain aspects that I patient was not perfused (the procedure in notorious Chatsworth disaster in which a think will be of general interest; mainly, use today), but only injected (reportedly total of nine cryonics patients were thawed I'd like to take a closer look at the people by Nelson and Prehoda) 1 while blood cir and lost, and Nelson was ordered to pay who were involved in that first suspension, culation was continued with the iron heart. heavy damages in a suit brought by rela the "scientific team." As usual, this will be Eventually the patient was packed in dry tives. The stories of these two very dif no exhaustive study, but enough of an in ice, removed from the nursing home, and ferent activists are recounted elsewhere; troduction that I hope it will be worth stored in Prehoda's garage. A few days here I will mainly deal with Nelson's as while. later he was removed by relatives, taken to sistants in the first controlled freezing. First, the short ....------., Some of my information answer (much of which is from We Froze the will be familiar to many First Man and has to be readers, though not to taken with a possible everyone). The principal grain of salt since that founding father of the source isn't always trust cryonics movement was worthy; such opinions are Robert C.W. Ettinger, introduced as "reported who came up with the lyWFTFM ... " idea of freezing people Dr. Able, by ac for the purpose of even counts, was a man of tual reanimation, when means and flamboyance, developing technology driving a Rolls Royce and would prove equal to the living in a house reminis task. His ideas were cent of a Greek temple. published in a book, The ReportedlyWFTFM he was Prospect of Immortality irritated by the publicity (Doubleday, 1964). that attended the freezing, Meanwhile a small move in which he was treated as ment devoted to the idea a footnote person, while (which had privately others (Nelson in par circulated for a year or ticular) raked in the glory. two before Ettinger's Although a member of the book was published) was Bedford Foundation (set started by Evan Cooper. up according to Dr. Bed The principal aim was to ford's will for research actually freeze people, but into cryonic suspension this goal proved elusive, and possible resuscitation, and other groups were but quickly stifled in started, among them the Nelson simulating an injection into Dr. Bedford on the litigation), his interest in Cryonics Society of cryonics seems to have afternoon of 12 Jan 1967; Brunol (behind) holds face mask. California (CSC) headed been especially short by Robert F. Nelson. It IMMORTALITY 08-09/70 lived. Little is heard of was this latter organiza- him after the Bedford tion that, shortly after its incorporation in Phoenix, Arizona, and placed in liquid freezing. December 1966, found itself in position to nitrogen storage. After many years Dr. Robert Prehoda was more involved, perform the first human freezing under Bedford wound up at Alcor, where he although showing a frustrating mixture of controlled conditions - the first cryonic remains to this day. A 1991 examination indifference or even hostility toward suspension. The freezing took place in a showed he had remained frozen the entire cryonics proper and interest, nevertheless, nursing home in Glendale, Calif., a suburb time, cube ice placed around his body at in life extension in general. He did, of Los Angeles. Nelson's team included the time of death being intact. however, see in cryonics one possible ad himself (a TV repairman and popularizer So much for the short answer. Et vantage to his own approach to life exten of the cryonics idea); Dr. B. Renault Able tinger would author another book with an sion (which involved human hibernation), (M.D.), a local physician; Robert W. immortalist theme, Man into Superman which was that it might spur research in Prehoda, author and scientist; and Dr. (St. Martin's, 1972), and start his own needed areas. (This hope however, was Dante Brunol (M.D.), biophysicist and per- cryonics organization (Cryonics Institute, eventually abandoned.) He was on hand
4 • Cryonics • April 1993 for the Bedford freezing, and reported- contributions to both of these vitally im- ego. Ionization is produced by heat, lyWFrFM was even unscrupulous in attempt- portant branches of applied biomedicine." 3 electricity, ultraviolet light, and radiation. ing to make off with pictures taken of the We come now to Dante Brunol who, Thus, if we are cremated, we will suffer event. (Prehoda, in tum, accused Nelson of unlike Prehoda, did favor freezing now, horrible pain in the process. If we are an improper breach of confidentiality for though for reasons that, well, seem more buried our real ego will be destroyed. making the pictures available to Life than a little peculiar. Here is what he said "We can, however, escape this fate magazine and other information leaks.)2 in 1970: by having our b~dies frozen after death. Prehoda's own efforts in life extension "It is my belief that there is a feeling As long as we are kept in a dark, cold consisted mainly of writing books such as of great ecstasy whenever the real ego is place the DNA atoms of our real ego will Suspended Animation; Extended Youth, the free from electrical impulses - a constant radiate with happiness. This state of happi- Promise of Gerontology; and Designing experiencing of pleasure similar to the ness can be maintained on this planet until the Future, the Role of Technological height of sexual orgasm. During this time the sun explodes to produce billions of Forecasting. His scientific background we lose all sense of self- we do not years of ionized hell. We can only escape was mainly in rocket r------, this fate if we arrange to propulsion chemistry but have ourselves shipped with a strong second in in space to a far off the biological sciences. corner of the universe He was involved in why W€ must B€ 'Rozen beforethesunexplodes. experiments to induce 1- "The universe has hibernation in animals always existed, and so in that do not hibernate all probability many in- (partially successful) and telligent beings have es- in experiments to resus- caped from other planets citate mammals after to the far out corners of perfusion and freezing endless galaxies, where (unsuccessful). His cur- they are living in ar- ious ambivalence toward tificial worlds. During cryonics showed in a billions of years of evo- 1969 interview in which lution they have probab- he was asked about his ly attained the power of role in the Bedford Gods. We can attain this freezing: stature too if we act "I was present at the properly. request of Norman [son "How should this of Dr.] Bedford and theory affect our philo- served as his representa- sophy of life? We should tive on that occasion. realize that life is short However, I am still op- and we should not worry posed, as I was before about money or status, Dr. Bedford's death, to for they are not the freezing people at the means to happiness. present time because this "Our main task must money should be spent be to help each other es- on research. Any human cape the purgatory of freezing is premature 'death' and the hell of and without scientific the destruction of our basis until a mammal can DNA atoms. We must be be revived from the frozen so that we can frozen state." reach salvation." 4 In the same inter- As a postscript to all view he outlined some IMMORTALITY 08-09(70 of the foregoing, many future plans: years later (in October "My immediate 1991) I had the privilege plans include the continued refinement of know our name or what we were or what of spending an evening with Robert technological forecasting methodology and we will become. Many people take chemi- Prehoda. We met at a pre-arranged rendez- the writing of a series of future-oriented cals such as LSD in order to reach for a vous at UCLA, where I had an earlier ap- books on emerging branche; of applied similar state of consciousness. Eastern pointment. Bob had arrived by bus; we biology and the physical sciences. I will mystics practice exotic rituals in attempts then piled into my car. Under his direction continue to do everything I can to promote to reach this kind of sublime happiness. I made a lengthy and circuitous drive to a responsible research in gerontology and "This ecstatic state of being will last restaurant in Burbank where I was treated reduced metabolism, with particular atten- until electrical impulses or ionization to dinner, and Bob recounted his role in tion to my original conceptual research reaches the atoms of the DNA of our real the Bedford freezing and other matters. I
Cryonics • April 1993 • 5 noticed he ordered several glasses of wine. a Thomas Brothers' map closely to plot After the dinner he wanted to go to another my own homeward course. place, a bar it turned out, where I assumed What emerges from all this? Sure, we'd talk more about cryonics history, etc. those who took part in the first suspension As a non-drinker I was in a good position seem a little ridiculous, but it was the first. to observe what transpired, though it And, it continues to this day, though not didn't go quite as I'd hoped. After awhile, with the help of those who started it. They an employee of the place (in effect) sug in turn were a bit overwhelmed by the gested that the air outside would be of magnitude of what they were trying to do, benefit, and we proceeded in that direc and it remains for us to carry forward with tion. Mr. Prehoda found another establish our sharper insight and greater sense of ment a block or two away in which to responsibility. It is sometimes said that the continue his scotch-and-sodas; however landing on the moon in 1969 was man's they recognized him immediately and in greatest achievement. But a much less vited him back outside, whereupon he respected event in 1967, when a man was (with me tagging along as before) found a frozen by three or four flawed visionaries, third establishment where there was more may yet prove superior. It is up to us to tolerance. We talked a little more about make sure this happens, that Bedford and cryonics. He still thought other research others live again, that death becomes a should be done first, despite the promise thing of the past, that humanity becomes of nanotechnology, though noting serious more than human. Our success will be our ly (despite mellowness) that I didn't agree. reward. But after awhile I realized it was getting late and wished to wrap up the evening. With all the walking in a strange neighbor References: hood, I couldn't remember where I'd parked my car, and he couldn't remember 1. Cryonics Reports Jan. 1967 p. 1. either. It took half an hour to find it. I then 2. Prehoda, R. private communication, wished to drive him home, but he was Oct. 1991. vague about where that might be, and I left 3 Cryonics Reports Jan. 1969 pp. 8-10. him on a street corner instead, and studied Robert W. Prehoda 4. Immortality Aug-Sep. 1970 pp. 8-9.
Understanding Alcor: Notes from the President
Financial Changes
Stephen Bridge, President
In last month's column, I discussed company with only 26 "customers" must spread out its costs over a large num Alcor's financial set-up and talked about (patients in suspension) and 355 people ber of people. McDonalds doesn't attempt some of the cash-flow problems we have who might become "customers" someday. to pay off a new restaurant by charging the had. We have depended on large donations Meanwhile, we must have a large and first 30 customers thousands of dollars from various members in the past to pay complex structure in place to take care of each. Cryonics has some of the same con our bills and to let Alcor progress. That the few people who need our services each straints but spread out over decades rather need is likely to continue for a few years year. than months. Until we have thousands of yet. Never forget that- by any reasonable Mike Darwin has pointed out more living members and hundreds of patients criteria - we are still a new and small than once over the years that a business in suspension, we will n eed additional in-
6 • Cryonics • April 1993 come from members committed to making opinions ranging from "We aren't large cryonics work. While we are still receiving enough for an Endowment Fund, so we Budget For 1993 generous donations from some members, should spend this money for growth," to the total just isn't enough to balance our "An Endowment Fund should be not be expenses; so the Board of Directors is ex spent or borrowed against' under any cir INCOME amining other methods of income produc cumstances anytime!" Literature Sales $ 5,000 tion. Some beginning measures were In any case, we have bills to pay and Magazine Sales 11,000 passed at the March 7 Business Meeting. not enough ongoing income with which to E.R. Dues 96,000 (See the "Business Meeting Report" in this pay them. This situation is aggravated by "Sign-Up" Fees 10,000 issue.) several factors, including a lower level of Miscellaneous income 5,000 First, beginning with the third quarter member donations in the past year, and the Donations 70,000 billing period (July), Emergency Respon fact that we have performed no suspen Endowment income 22,000 sibility Fees (your "dues") will be in sions (with the difficult and nearly reve Suspension income 45,000 creased by $3.00 per month ($36.00 per nue-less exception discussed by Ralph year). We hate to do this, but we simply Whelan and Tanya Jones elsewhere in this Total projected income $266,000 need everyone to pay a higher proportion issue) in nine months. Most suspensions of the real costs of Alcor doing business (though not all) result in some funds left and staying prepared to perform suspen- , over after expenses and payments to the EXPENSES sions. Members who pay annually will not Patient Care Trust Fund. These funds help Auto 500 , experience this cost until their next annual with the cost of overhead, staff training, Advertising 500 payment; but I encourage them to donate new equipment, and the other essentials of Bank
9am-10:15am - Panel 1: What's The Best Model For A Cryonics Organization? Should cryonics organizations be all-purpose organizations? Or should there be separate organi zations and companies offering cryonic suspension, long-term patient care, and other cryonics services? 10:15am-10:45am - Mid-Morning Break 10:45am-12 noon - Panel 2: Legal Issues Facing Cryonics - How can we best protect cryonics organizations against legal attack? Should we seek legislation to regulate cryonics? Should cryonics patients be granted legal rights? Should pre-mortem cryonic suspension be legal? 12 noon-2pm - Lunch - Red Lion Hotel or local restaurants. 2pm-3:15pm - Panel 3: Financial Issues Facing Cryonics - H<;>w can we best provide for the long-term financial stability of cryonics organizations? How should cryonics or ganizations invest their money? Who should make the investment decisions? Is self-insurance desirable for a cryonics organization? 3:15pm-3:45pm - Mid-Afternoon Break 3:45pm-5:45pm- Panel 4: Advances In Cryonic Suspension - How well are we preserving cryonics patients today? What can be done to improve cryonic suspension? To improve long-term cryonics care? When will cryonic suspension be perfected? 5:45pm-7:30pm - Early-Evening Break - 7:30pm-9pm - Banquet 9pm-11pm - Panel 5: How Much Democracy Should There Be In Cryonics? Should members have any responsibility for governing cryonics organizations? What is the best management structure for a cryonics organization? How should the Board Of Directors be elected? Sunday. May 30
9am-10:15am - Panel 6: Patient Advocacy Issues - Should relatives have any control over suspension patients? Should members be able to designate personal advocates to represent them after they are suspended? Who should have the ultimate responsibility for patient care? 10:15am-10:45am - Mid-Morning Break 10:45am-12 noon - Panel 7: How Independent Should Local Cryonics Groups Be? - Is centralized control the best way of governing a national cryonics organization? Is it desirable to have a loose confederation of relatively independent local groups? Among the people who have agreed to participate in panel discussions are: Paul Genteman (Moderator), Fred and Linda Chamberlain, Saul Kent, William Faloon, Brenda Peters, Courtney Smith, Jim Yount, Dave Pizer, Mike Darwin, Steve Harris, M.D., Ralph Merkle, Ph.D., Bob Kreuger, Thomas Donaldson, Ph.D., Maureen Genteman, H. Jackson Zinn, Mark Voelker, Tanya Jones, Al Lopp, Steve Bridge, Ralph Whelan, Eric Klien, and Michael Riskin, Ph.D. There will be a special report on research and product development from The Cryonics Institute in Michigan. Rooms at the Red Lion Hotel are $69 per night (single or double). For reservations call 800-547-8010 (Say you're with the Cryonics Conference and tell them whether you want one or two beds). If you're driving, take the Vineyard Ave. exit off the 10 Freeway, about 4 miles west of the 15 Freeway. Go south on Vineyard towards the airport. The Red Lion Hotel is on the left. Registration is $25 ($30 at door) The banquet fee is $25. To register call: 800-841-5433. Or send your check or money order made out to: The Life Extension Foundation, 16280 Whispering Spur, Riverside, CA 92504. 8 • Cryonics • Aprill993 cloven hooves. (For those of you who do An Update on Membership Growth fit this description, please stay out of the Or: Why Mash, Not CB public eye!) In the past few years, however, cry onics has been the subject of an ever-in creasing body of articles, features and Derek Ryan, Membership Administrator news stories. More significantly, the infor mation contained in these features seems to be becoming more factually oriented, and less sensationalistic. The overall effect is that more and more people - indeed Question: How is Alcor going to A simple averaging of the growth most people, at least in the U.S.- have at solve the myriad obstacles it currently rates for each of these years yields a yearly least heard of cryonics, and a significant faces? That is, how are we going to gain rate of 29%. The average rate for the last 5 portion of them now think of cryonics as, more public acceptance? How are we years - which are arguably the most sig at worst, just another (benign) way of in going to insure that Alcor is financially nificant under consideration here- is al terring one's remains, and at best, a ration stable enough to survive long-term? How most exactly 33%. What does this tell us? al gamble that a growing number of people are we going to achieve economies of In and of itself, probably not that much. are taking. scale? How are we going to lure more There is some value in marking our The most obvious, numerically quan medical professionals into the field of progress and then extrapolating into the fu tifiable effect of this positive trend has cryonics, and how will we pay them once ture any trends we may notice. But since been a dramatic increase in information re we do? we can plainly see fluctuations (sometimes quests. Of the nearly 10,000 people in our wide fluctuations, as in 1985, 1988, 1991, database who have contacted us at one Answer: Growth. and 1992) in our growth curve, we will time or another to receive information, ap find significantly more value in under proximately 9000 of them have contacted I know, I know. Most of you reading standing what factors have influenced our us in the last five years. This makes sense this just winced. It's beginning to seem growth, so that we can not only better in light of the fact that Alcor's first sig that simple multiplication of Alcor's mem prepare ourselves for such fluctuations, but nificant coverage by the media came in bership will not guarantee our passage into also so that we can begin to more directly 1987 as a result of the Dora Kent saga. the future unscathed. Nonetheless, con influence our growth and thus maximize Since that time, we have received in tinued growth will be a very necessary our efforts. creasing amounts of publicity due to, facet of any plan which attempts to realis among other things, the controversial na tically address the many challenges before Publicity ture of our various legal battles. Dick us. Yes, we will also need intelligence, Clair, an Emmy-winning writer for the competence, planning, effort, and even a Up until recently, most new Alcor Carol Burnett Show, and creator of such little (a little?) luck. But these things, by members decided to sign up only after TV shows as Facts of Life and Mama's themselves, will only get us so far. We contact with some existing Alcor member. Family, was the first relatively famous will need concomitant growth. For this The reasons for this are fairly obvious. person frozen, and as such, the lawsuits reason, it is very important that we under Most people don't spend their days mull surrounding his suspension and his estate stand how Alcor has grown, and how (or ing over their mortality and wishing there in 1988 were of great interest to the media. even whether) we are likely to continue was some way to circumvent death. Those Thomas Donaldson sued for the right to growing. few who do mull and wish have generally premortem suspension in 1989, and his Historically, Alcor has averaged accepted prima facie that there is no subsequent appearance on the Donahue somewhere between 20% and 35% growth concrete solution to their dilemma, and show in 1990 generated about 900 infor per year. The following table lists the consequently are not searching for an or mation requests, the most from any one number of members at the beginning of ganization such as Alcor. Getting these source at the time. Charles Platt, a science each of the last 10 years, and then the people interested in the ideas of cryonics fiction author, wrote an article for Omni growth percentage-by the end of that year: will require not only convincing them that magazine in 1992 which shattered this there are people (us!) out there who also record by bringing in over 1200 requests Year Members Growth think this way, and who are doing some -and still counting! 83 29 13% thing about it, but also convincing them Most recently, Alcor has sponsored a 84 33 33% that those who are doing something about contest in conjunction with Omni entitled 85 44 61% it (us again!) aren't complete lunatics. It is "The Omni/Alcor Immortality Contest," 86 71 20% fairly easy for even the most rational in which so far has generated more than 500 87 85 18% dividual to relegate the idea of cryonic information requests. We can expect quite 88 100 14% suspension to that dead zone in the mind a few more, since the contest winner - 89 114 32% reserved for uncompelling pseudoscience who will receive a free cryonic suspension 90 150 28% such as ESP, UFO's, and astrology. Rid -won't be announced until June of this 91 192 57% ding people of this prejudice usually re year. Whether the contest will set a new 92 302 17% quires their meeting and interacting with record for information requests remains to 93 353 N/A cryonicists who don't have horns, fangs, or be seen, but the most important aspect of
Cryonics • April 1993 • 9 Total Alcor Suspension Members Linear Graph 400
-
350
-+-- Actual Suspension 300 lJ Members
250 t
200 ll ~l 150
100 ~ v ~ ~ jJ 50 r'~ ...... ~ ...... I lj Til I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I _l_Ll jjj I I I I I I I I I 0 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I J II I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 2 3 4 6 6
this contest lies not in the sheer vohune of members first contacted us a result of whom I have repeatedly conversed regard inquiries it is likely to yield, but instead in Charles Platt's article in the February '92 ing signing up. I know that a major portion the fact that this is the first time Alcor has issue of Omni. (There are an additional of these new inquirers are waiting to see if received a major amount of publicity four people still in the sign-up process they win the contest before they pursue directly as a result of its own public rela who contacted us as a result of this ar Alcor membership through conventional tions efforts, i.e., because we decided to do ticle.) channels. Time will tell. something simply for the purpose of The Omni/Alcor Immortality contest Measuring the effect of publicity on publicity. This would not have happened has brought us only one new member so our growth rate in this manner is probably so easily had it not been for our increased far, though it has also brought us four not ideal, however, in that the average exposure over the last five years. (And of other new sign-ups who just haven't com cryonicist doesn't decide to sign up the course, Charles Platt's unflagging efforts pleted all of their arrangements yet. I fully very first time he hears of us. Most poten made this opportunity into a reality.) expect this number to be much greater a tial cryonicists have many questions to be The question, then, is how has all of year from now, though, for a couple of answered, and even when they get these this publicity influenced our growth? A reasons. First, there should be another big answers, they usually require some period very simple method for answering this is wave of publicity surrounding the announ of "digestion." In fact, nearly all of our to tally how many current Alcor members cement of the contest winner. Second, I current suspension members decided to have been brought to Alcor as the result of have actually been contacted by at least sign up only after their interest had been any given bit of publicity. For example, twenty-five people who seem to be very piqued by hearing about us repeatedly - there are currently seven Alcor members serious about signing up with Alcor, i.e., on TV, in magazines and articles, and who first contacted us as a result of the people to whom I have sent our application through Alcor members that they met. Donahue show. Similarly, three Alcor and list of insurance agents, and with However, we can postulate that all of
10 • Cryonics • April 1993 Total Alcor Suspension Members Exponential Fit Graph (Semi-Log) 1000
_/ _... v ~ v / v ~
100 ~ ~ ..-:.;;- v .A• ~ ~ lA ~ ...... _...... , ~.? ~ ·""' ~ ~~ 10 v -+-Actual Suspension Members -- Projected Growth
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I_Ll i_l_l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 6 7 8 9 0 2 3 4 6 6 7 8 9 0 2 3 4 6 6
this exposure is having at least some effect which very convincingly outlines the doing this because the scientific basis for on our growth by comparing Alcor's his~ potential of nanotechnology, was pub cryonics is sound. torical growth rate (about 20% for our en lished in 1986. (Another nice correlation In fact, it would not be stretching the tire history, 29% for the last 10 years) with with our growth acceleration!) Though this truth to say that Engines of Creation our growth rate over the last five years book did not gain instant acceptance by revolutionized the field of cryonics. Prior (33%). This acceleration in growth corre mainstream scientists, its central ideas to the publication of this work, cryonicists lates very nicely with the deluge of media have proven to be more and more feasible had to more orless assume (read by some attention starting at the end of 1987. It will as our knowledge has progressed. An im as: have faith) that future technology be very interesting to continue monitoring mediate (or near-immediate) consequence would eventually be able to sort out the our growth over the next five years as we of the publication of Mr. Drexler's work damage done by the freezing process. The begin to exert more control over our was that a number of technophiles (by this, problem with this was that no one really publicity, and as we begin to market our I mean that group of people that includes had a well-defined idea of how this might services. computer programmers, hardware special be possible. This meant that the average ists, etc., mostly centered in Silicon Val cryonicist wasn't necessarily an extraordi Scientific Progress ley) suddenly found cryonics to be very nary scientist (although we certainly have palatable. The growing acceptance of this our share of those). Rather, the average Another factor which has contributed work seems to be gradually transforming cryonicistwas an extraordinary human greatly to our increasing acceptance, and Alcor from a group of people who were being, in that he loved life enough to take thus our growth, is the rapidly developing just crazy enough (i.e., from the layman's any chance available, even a poor chance, field of nanotechnology. In fact, Engines perspective) to take a gamble with un if that was the only possibility for staying of Creation, by K. Eric Drexler, a book known odds, to a group of people who are alive. Engines changed this by showing
Cryonics • Aprill993 • 11 • Suspension Members in tbe U S , Marcb 1, 1993 ,; --, ______,/ \) ) ,__ ( <, 5 / .., .... __ r-- - I ',
1-- - - - ) I 1_ , -r----..1, ' ~ 56r~~ 4 I ~-- \ I 3 ' ..... ' ' ,__ I - ---,--L 12
not just how revival of suspension patients dramatic decrease in our growth rate in get to test this idea in the near future. At might be possible, but how it might even '92. (More on this below.) It also in the March business meeting - synopsized be probable. This led to a new phenom fluenced some to enter the sign-up process elsewhere in this issue- Alcor's Board of enon in the advancement of cryonics: who weren't really sure about cryonics, Directors approved an increase of the cryonicists who get interested in the idea but who were hedging their bets nonethe neurosuspension minimum funding level as a tertiary consequence of scientific in less. Spend $300 (the application fee at the from $41,000 to $50,000. Since most quiry. This is a major breakthrough in our time) now ... and maybe save $6,000 or Alcor members sign up for neurosus advancement. $20,000 later. Not bad reasoning, actually. pension, this will affect many people. The Unfortunately, quite a few of these people increase will take effect on January 1, Minimum Funding Increases never got signed up. In most cases, this 1994, and as before, applicants who enter was not a win-win situation, in that we the sign-up process prior to that will be At the beginning of 1991 Alcor raised ended up wasting quite a bit of time and "grandfathered" in at the old rate of its cryonic suspension minimum funding effort assisting (or attempting to assist) $41,000. levels for the first time in ten years. The these individuals, all for naught. With If I am correct in thinking that we will catch was that anyone who entered the most of them, it wasn't immediately clear have an influx of new sign-ups after the sign-up process prior to January 1, 1991, why they were procrastinating. The good winner of the Omni contest is announced, would be "grandfathered" in at the old news is that this has taught us a very valu (and I'm pretty sure I am, especially given minimums. This resulted in 225 applicants able lesson: Put as much effort into sign that we plan to start marketing with the in the sign-up process in January of 1991, ing up a member as the member himself is people who have contacted us over the the most we'd ever had, and the most willing to put in. (For example, anyone course of the contest), we should see a we've had since. Needless to say, this real who has been in the sign-up process for a noticeable increase in new sign-ups prior ly affected our growth for '91. In fact, we year and still hasn't completed and sent in to the end of '93. increased our membership from 192 to 302 his initial application should receive less in one year. One Year! That's an amazing help than others.) A/cor Resources 57% growth rate. Having learned this lesson, we can The increase probably caused more expect this phenomenon to work in our The final variable in our growth rate than a few people to get signed up a bit (or favor in the future. (No matter the reason a which I will address is not necessarily ob a lot) sooner than they otherwise would member signs up sooner, sooner is always vious to those who don't spend most of have, which partially accounts for the better in terms of revenue.) Actually, we'll their time here at our facility. That vari-
12 • Cryonics • April 1993 Members in the Sign-Up Process, U S , March 1, 1993
4
2
... ,_oi
able is the amount of man-hours Alcor can had a full-time membership administrator, How quickly things devote to signing people up. By this, I and this fact, combined with the influx of change... mean the amount of time that our member new sign-ups as a result of the increase in ship administrator can spend actually con minimum funding levels, led to the 57% In January of this year, Steve Bridge tacting members in the sign-up process, increase in Alcor membership in 1991. replaced Carlos Mondreg6n as Alcor's helping them with their paperwork, But how quickly things change. At the CEO, the Omni contest was announced, reminding them to do their paperwork, end of 1991, Mike Darwin left. This meant and we started doing five to 10 radio inter reminding them to sign that insurance ap more work for Ralph in editing Cryonics, views per week. This led to a dramatic in plication and send it to their agent, and and a complete change of responsibility crease in information requests. At about generally prodding them into getting for Tanya, who took over as Suspension the same time, Alcor decided to commis signed up. (It's truly amazing how even Services Manager. Additionally, Ralph sion an audit of its finances. This meant the most intelligent, competent, enthusias was elected to Alcor's board of directors, that Joe Hovey, Alcor's bookkeeper and tic applicant can procrastinate!) Despite not an insignificant drain on his time. To Manager of Information Systems, had to that I am now Alcor's full-time member top all of this off, Alcor performed 4 stop handling our mailings to those who ship administrator, I have found that the suspensions in the months of June and contact us for information, (not to mention amount of discretionary time I have to July. (Another of Ralph's hats reads: orders for books, articles, reprints, gift devote to members in the sign-up process Suspension Team Perfusionist.) The items, and back issues of Cryonics) and has steadily dwindled over the course of result? Only 19 new members between start preparing our records for the audi my seven months at Alcor. January '92 and August '92. This led to tors. Can you guess who got to start han This is not without precedent, either. the necessity for a full-time membership dling the mailings? You got it, Numero When Ralph Whelan took over as member administrator. Uno-Low-Guy-On-Totem-Pole, a.k.a., me. ship administrator in late 1990, he started This is where I come in. From August This is probably as it should be, since out with a bang. Although he was also '92 through December '92 I was able to everyone who contacts us for information responsible for editing Cryonics, he sign up 31 people, which brought our is a potential Alcor member, and since my received some help with that from Mike growth rate up from 10% to 17% for the job is to bring more members to Alcor. But Darwin and Hugh Hixon, and he received year. This put me in a very optimistic still, sending out all of the brochures, an enormous amount of help as member frame of mind for '93, particularly with books, gift items, etc. takes time ... lots of ship administrator from Tanya Jones. Be the impending Omni contest. time. tween Tanya and Ralph, Alcor effectively The Omni contest has reduced my dis-
Cryonics • April 1993 • 13 cretionary time in another, unexpected Then we start to see more applicants in the raise in m1mmums in '91, he rightly manner. An unusually large percentage of sign-up process. Then we see more mem predicted a sharp deceleration in growth the individuals who have been calling us bers. During this period, the staff's overall rate. However, even his (seemingly) pes for information since January are very in workload gradually (and sometimes not so simistic assumption of only 25% growth terested in signing up for suspension. Each gradually) increases, and staff morale was optimistic. He predicted 378 by one who calls has numerous questions and gradually diminishes. Fortunately, the new January 1, 1993. We had 350. Of course, concerns. I'm the one who answers those members mean more revenue down the the fact that I took -'>Ver as membership ad questions. In the months of January and line, which opens the possibility for im ministrator during '92 relieved him of the February I very often spent between a proved services, including the addition of consequences (chopping block) of his quarter and half of each day on the phone staff. The new staff bring with them an air wrongness. just filling people in on all of the details of optimism and enthusiasm. Because Now it's my turn. Had I been asked at they were missing about cryonics. Alcor keeps growing, the new staff are the beginning of the year, I would have In short, my range of duties has dras soon as overworked as the rest of the staff, boldly predicted 450 by January 1, 1994. tically increased since the beginning of the and the cycle continues. I expect that this The Omni contest still loomed on the year. This has forced me to divide my is the way it will be as long as Alcor is horizon, my duties were still limited, and I responsibilities into two categories, Things still in its "start-up" phase. (This may puz was still naive. Now that I've got three I Can Put Off (TI Can PO), and Things I zle some of you, since Alcor has been months of 1993 under my belt (believe me, Can't Put Off (TI Can't PO.) Unfortunate around for 20 years. But even a member I've aged a lot in three months) I won't be ly, calling individuals in the sign-up ship of 350+ is a minuscule percentage of so bold. Drum roll please ... process for the third or fourth or eleventh the population. Until we have economies 425 by January 1, 1994, 535 by July time to remind them to send me their ap of scale, and until regular income from 1, 1994. plication or to call their insurance agent suspension members covers all of the costs 425 may turn out to be on the optimis has been more of a TI Can PO lately. of business, we will remain in "start-up" tic side, since I don't see much of my time I include the foregoing not necessarily phase. But I digress.) being freed up anytime soon. I am much to complain or plead for relief (though of more confident that we'll get 535 by the course, anyone who feels the urge to Our Future middle of next year. Why? Our growth donate the salaries for 12 Membership Ad seems to average out over time. The 57% ministration Assistants is always en Having analyzed many of the factors increase in '91 averaged with the 17% of couraged to do so), but rather, to give which affect our growth, it's now time for last year to almost exactly 33%. I don't ex some insight into our drastically varying the annual prediction, also known by in pect us to see the real returns from the short-term growth rates. I do realize that sider s - i.e., Ralph and myself, since Omni contest until after the winner is an all of the extra work the Omni contest has we're the only ones who have done it- as nounced and we start contacting and mar created will translate into increased growth the annual Watch How Your Membership keting the entrants. I expect the raise in somewhere down the line, probably even Administrator Sticks His Neck On The neurosuspension minimums to have an ef in the near future. But the immediate ef Chopping Block Festival, or the W.H.Y. fect. All of this leads me to believe that fect has simply been increased work for M.A.S.H. N.O.T. C.B. Fest. (Well, it al we'll once again see the curve turn up the staff, me in particular. most means something.) In the April, '91 ward. The really positive thing about this is edition of Cryonics, Ralph predicted 300 Besides, I've put these predictions in that it appears to be a cycle. First we members by January 1, 1992. He got 302. print (and my metaphorical neck on the receive some publicity which generates a Right on. In Cryonics of April, '92, aware chopping block!) How much more motiva dramatic increase in information requests. that our 57% was due in large part to the tion could I possibly need?
funding in place, and that every moment Details Make the Difference the member is not signed up brings more risk. For our long-time members, the Stephen Bridge, President paperwork is not over. We have extensive ly updated the legal forms over the past several years, providing more protection "For want of a nail, the war was lost."-Nursery rhyme for both the members and for Alcor itself. In the next few months we will be asking some of you (and me!) to fill out an entire ly new set of forms. And you're going to Cryonics is a detail-oriented business, frequently implore our members to update gripe and swear and procrastinate and tell as we discover with every member we sign their member information, to have critical us how picky we are. And we aren't going up and every suspension we perform. We forms in place like a Durable Power Attor to budge one bit. We'll probably get even often hear the wailings of new cryonicists ney for Health Care or the Certificate of pickier. The proof follows. as they wade through paperwork or as we Religious Belief (to prevent autopsy). And This is a brief summary of a much ask them to sign "just one more document, one of the biggest complaints is of how longer and more complex tale. We are still really." And in the pages of Cryonics we long it can take to get every little detail of getting reports from various people in-
14 • Cryonics • April 1993 volved and later we'll be able to tell this us a letter canceling his suspension mem sion, why we want to see the future, and story in detail and in better "storytelling" bership. Apparently he had also been per what these cryonicists are going to do fashion. But we need to make some points suaded that it was more important to pay when they stand by waiting for us to stop immediately. those hospital bills than to be suspended. breathing. Heck, it's hard enough to face While Tanya Jones and Hugh Hixon We were still puzzled about the such things ourselves, without having to were presenting a training exercise to a mother's attitude in this regard. She had explain cryonics from the bottom up to our group of Alcor members out-of-state, been extremely co-operative when Alcor families. But if yo.P are serious about stay another member in that area was suddenly members had met her in the past and in the ing alive, you had better work up a little I admitted to a hospital in critical condition. early stages of her son's hospitalizlj.tion. nerve and proceed. The young man had a combination of How could she now not want him to be I've even heard it said that, "I severe medical problems and was close to covered for suspension? After all, he still couldn't tell my family that I'm signed up death at least once over the next several had serious medical problems that could for cryonics. They would be too upset." days. Tanya, Hugh, and several local place him in a critical condition again. (Hidden thought: "they might reject me.") members stood by during that time, pre Several days later the mother and I Well, friends, they're going to be a lot pared to place the patient into suspension had a telephone conversation which more upset when a few strangers show up if necessary. opened my eyes. She was being coopera at the hospital with a lot of formidable The man's mother was his medical tive with Alcor because she loved her son, equipment and announce that they are surrogate, via a Durable Power of Attorney and "this is what he wanted." But she un hauling your body off to California to be for Health Care. This meant that when her derstood very little about cryonics. Ap frozen. And you probably think that WE son was unconscious or incompetent, she parently this woman saw cryonics only as should explain Neurosuspension to them made his health care decisions. Such a an expensive and (now) deeply incon also, right? ("And then we perform the document (which we recommend for all venient method of burial. Several times cephalic isolation." "The what?" "We cut Alcor members) can give the surrogate she said variations on, "I'll take care of the off little Freddie's head, ma'am." "AAA literally life and death powers in some burial now; you don't have to worry about CKK!") It is much better for you to do this situations. This became important when it." She had become angry at Alcor at least NOW, while you are still around to answer the previously friendly communication partly because she saw us as wanting her questions, to hug your family, and to send with the family broke down under the son to die. Someone had failed to com a few more years of Christmas cards. stress of the situation. municate to her that cryonics is life 3) As much as you may love your In addition, while Alcor's team was affirming and is more like extremely in family and as much as they love you, it is standing by, we discovered that the young tensive care than like burial. possibly a dangerous mistake to have a man's funding was not secure. When this Now Alcor is faced not just with the non-cryonicist as your medical surrogate member had signed up, he had a Certifi loss of a member but with the probable (MS). Unless the MS understands wl!at cate of Deposit for $35,000 in his name, in permanent loss of a man that many of us cryonics is for and has some knowledge of trust for his mother. He was supposed to liked and admired. It is too soon to what you want to have happen and why, change this to being in trust for Alcor. evaluate all of the questions which arose in some bad decisions could be made. How Unfortunately, he changed it to being this almost-suspension; but there are three can we even speak to a relative concerning co-owned by his mother and by him, in vital points that members should learn im the appropriate time for the member to go trust for Alcor. This meant that for Alcor mediately. into a hospice program, or the brain to receive this funding, both he and his 1) You must have your financial damage that might be occurring on a mother would have to die, or we would details in place and in such a form that respirator, if the relative merely thinks that have to persuade his mother to follow his even a well-meaning and loving relative we are expensive and nosy undertakers? wishes and give us the money after his cannot change them. A seriously ill patient Remind yourselves over and over suspension. True, the member had stated in is unlikely to be able to muster the energy again: Cryonics is NEW. Most people his will that his mother was to use this ac and information to argue against a mother don't understand it~ We are pioneers nego count for his cryonic suspension, but wills or a spouse who wants to change his sus tiating an ocean of bureaucracy, misunder are notoriously unreliable for such a funds pension arrangements. This is exactly the standing, and inadequate technology. We transfer and we DO NOT ACCEPT such case that all of those details and pickiness want our members to have the best suspen instructions as being adequate for proof of are meant to prevent. In this case, what if sions we can perform. This requires funding. The member had been informed we had suspended this member and the cooperation from you, your family, medi of this problem by telephone several mother then refused to release the funds? cal personnel, coroners and other local months before, and he had said he would Our choices would be to take legal action government officials, morticians, and air fix it. Unfortunately, no one checked to to recover the funds (which might cost line personnel. Details count. make sure he did. then found out, he had more than the funds we could gain, even if We are going to be even more careful not made the additional change. we won), to keep the patient frozen on in looking at Cryonic Suspension Agree As the man began his recovery, his charity (a sure way to bankruptcy if we ments from now on. We may become even mother realized that she would have huge did it very often), or to remove the patient more willing to delay approving some hospital bills to pay, and the only large from suspension. I certainly don't want members if the details aren't just right. source of money was that CD. We notified that kind of decision facing me. And we are in the process of reviewing the the man and his mother that his funding ar 2) We (that means YOU and ALCOR paperwork of current members. We may rangements were not adequate for us to both) need to spend more time informing have to call you to fix some "picky" continue to provide suspension coverage relatives about cryonics. Sure, it's hard for problem. Don't gripe. We're just trying to for him. A few days later, the member sent us to explain why we want cryonic suspen- save your life.
Cryonics • April 1993 • 15 Beginnings of Winter Suicide and Cryonics
Ralph Whelan
Week One work by Tanya (she held the various pages him. Additionally, though, Mr. Daly had of his Application up to a light) revealed $10,000 in trust for Alcor at a bank near In the middle of January of this year, enough for us to understand that Mr. Daly his home. This trust fund would eventually an Alcor member residing in Texas called had a long history of clinical depression turn out to be his saving grace. Alcor and informed staff member Mike which apparently had not responded to any The exchanges between Mr. Daly and Perry that he wished to commit suicide and of the many medications he had tried. I continued to deteriorate. There was no be cryonically suspended. A conference Over the course of several days, with hostility, that I could detect, on the part of call with myself and Carlos Mondragon many conversations each day, I did my either one of us. But the frustration level quickly ensued, during which the member, best to convince Mr. Daly that his situation would escalate in each phone call, with "Robert Daly," explained that he had was sufficiently unlike those of the other Mr. Daly losing patience with the Byzan pneumonia, but that he would not be seek Alcor members who had dehyrdated that it tine requirements his dying process would ing treatment, because he preferred to take was not advisable in his situation. Almost have to meet to facilitate his suspension, advantage of this opportunity to die an without fail, he responded by insisting that and with myself growing despondent at my anticipated death and be cryonically sus I answer this question: seeming inability to convey to him the pended. Mr. Daly was 48 years old. "Do you believe that I have this ail constraints on his position. The life in During the many conversations of that ment that prevents me from eating or surance situation was a source of great and subsequent days, Carlos and I ex drinking?" confusion and despair for Mr. Daly. He plained that the death by pneumonia of an "What I believe," (I would respond), would call me several times in one hour otherwise healthy individual is a sure "is not relevant, because it's clear that you with successively weirder and less defens recipe - in this day and age - for autop are dehyrdating yourself, whether by ible interpretations of the suicide exclusion sy. Though Mr. Daly was concerned about choice or otherwise. I just want to help clauses, hoping to convince me that the this, he was very determined to die. Unfor you understand what will happen to you insurance companies would in fact pay tunately, as the days ticked by and pneu once you lose consciousness and the medi Alcor if we suspended him. I eventually monia failed to claim Mr. Daly, he was cal establishment intervenes." derailed these advances by explaining that forced to share his conclusion that it was "So then you don't believe me?" even if we knew that the insurance com in fact merely a stomach flu, and no match "What I believe is not relevant. What pany would unwittingly pay us, we would for his immune system. is relevant is what will happen to you if not assist him in defaulting on his contract Not so easily daunted, though, Mr. your dehydration continues. If you are with them (i.e., we would not accept the Daly's stomach flu gradually mutuated hospitalized while still alive, the doctors money). into "a strange ailment that prevents me will rehydrate you. If you are found al As the first week of this came to a from eating or drinking," in his own ready dead, you will be autopsied." close, Carlos and I spent a great deal of words. Unsurprisingly, this development "But I have this ailment, you see. Do time discussing the ethics of the situation. arose shortly after Mr. Daly learned that you understand that I have this ailment?" Clearly, one of our members was in dire other Alcor patients - members with un "Forget about what I understand. Do need of help, of one sort or another. But derlying terminal conditions like cancer or you understand what happens in cases of how far could we go in helping him before AIDS - had intentionally dehydrated to unanticipated deaths? They get autopsied. our "help" led to encroachment of his per hasten "the end," usually to improve the You will be autopsied." sonal freedom? We considered calling a quality of their suspensions. Mr. Daly To make matters worse, it was clear Suicide Prevention Center, but discussions began insisting that he was not capable of to us (as soon as we determined that Mr. with knowledgeable members led us to ingesting any food or fluid, and that he Daly was in fact suicidal, and not suffering believe that most of these Centers would would need suspending within one or two from pneumonia or this "strange ailment") take action, if possible, to have Mr. Daly weeks. that Mr. Daly's life insurance was not restrained and sedated, should they be un By this time, we had learned some in going to pay if he killed himself. He'd had able to "talk him out of it." As rather teresting things about Mr. Daly by taking a the policies (two of them) for almost ex staunch libertarians, we found ourselves closer look at his Application For Cryonic actly one year, and they both had two-year squirming at the notion that one of our Suspension. After first providing various suicide exclusion clauses. This meant, of members might call us for help or advice, details of his medical and personal history, course, that death by suicide would void and soon find himself in a straight jacket Mr. Daly had used "wite-out" to conceal the policy, in which case Alcor would not and a rubber room. Clearly this was unac the things that he had apparently thought receive the Suspension Fund, and would ceptable. And yet, perhaps a qualified better of telling us. Some crack detective be unable to cover the costs of suspending psychiatrist could really help Mr. Daly.
16 • Cryonics • April 1993 I Was there any way we could facilitate this to kill himself and be uneventfully cryoni before 7 a.m. to report that he had stomach without risking his freedom? cally suspended.) cancer, and that he could not drive to the Feeling just a bit out of our element, Plus, I couldn't help suspecting that hospital, but that he was enrolled in the we (Carlos and I) decided to call JoAnn having short-term goals and working hospice program. Mike Perry paged Steve, Martin, a local Alcor member who runs the toward them is healthy and life-affirming, who had Mike page me, and both of us Riverside Manic Depressive and Depres even if the long-term goal is proclaimed to came in to talk to Mr. Daly. Mr. Daly gave sive Association. JoAnn explained to us be oblivion. As long as Mr. Daly was at us the emergency-(off-hours) phone num what we were already acquiring a visceral tempting to interact with and affect his en ber for the hospice company, and sug knowledge of: that at this point, Mr. Daly vironment, I thought, he could not evade gested that we call and talk with "Diane," would care about one thing and one thing some visceral understanding that things who was coordinating his case. Diane was only, and that was ending his pain. It was still mattered to him, that life still mattered not available, and we were informed that encouraging that he even cared about get to him. Perhaps the psychological rewards we could reach her first thing Monday ting a decent suspension, but it was clear for choosing and reaching some well morning. We were also informed, though, to us - and clearer still with each conver defmed goals would remind him of this. that Mr. Daly was not under their care. sation - that his interest in getting a good To this end, we informed Mr. Daly Soon thereafter we were in conference suspension was waning with every hour, as that even if he could find a way to make with Mr. Daly again, and he became mild it became harder and harder for him to his insurance pay, and even if we did ly agitated when I explained that while the avoid the grim fact that today, on planet decide to accept the money, he would be hospice company had a file on him, he was Earth, you just can't choose when you autopsied for sure if his death was unat not enrolled as a patient, and that things want to be suspended, unless you've only tended. The only way to avoid autopsy would not be "taken care of" if the "stom weeks to live anyway. would be to find a physician willing to ach cancer" claimed him. This distressed A few days prior, Carlos had asked sign a death certificate and indicate him sufficiently that he asked us not to call Mr. Daly if he could involve other Alcor "natural causes" (or some such) rather than the hospice company again until he called members in the situation, should we decide "suicide" as cause of death. And the only back to say that it was okay to do so. He that it would be "helpful." Mr. Daly had chance he had at having such an attending seemed to find it necessary to call back at agreed, and we decided that having JoAnn physician lay in enrolling himself in a least twice shortly thereafter to reiterate call him "just to chat" wasn't stretching home hospice program. that we should not contact them again until this permission too much, so Carlos asked ·I'm now convinced that the goal of he said to do so. Of course, I was of the JoAnn to call him. Mr. Daly was not inter hospice enrollment added several days to' opinion that he would be doing his best to ested in discussing his personal situation Mr. Daly's life. When I first explained the mislead the hospice company into believ with JoAnn, and was apparently a bit an hospice concept to him, he excused him ing that he was soon to die of stomach noyed at the call. This was about as far in self from the conversation practically cancer, in hopes that they would mistaken the direction of We Know What's Best For before I finished my sentence, assuring me ly attribute his death to "natural causes." I You as Carlos and I wanted to go; there that the hospice plan would be enacted by was also of the opinion - though admit would certainly be no calls to medical Monday (it was a Friday). Later that day tedly this was the purest speculation - authorities, or "the men in the white he called to pass on more information that he had already begun dehyrdating coats." (Carlos, Steve Bridge, and I wish about the hospice company with which he himself, and the discomfort it was causing to extend our heartfelt thanks to JoAnn for was negotiating. He seemed, on the one in him was prompting the call to us with offering her expertise and assistance in hand, to want us to call them, but then he the obviously indefensible assertion that this situation.) vacillated, and finally told us to do nothing he was a hospice patient. until we heard back from him. We ended Sunday's conversations by Complicating things significantly at promising to be "by the phone" by 8 a.m. Week Two this point was a change in management Monday morning, so that we could call here at Alcor. At 4 p.m. on that Friday Diane at the hospice company (after After a solid week of banging our afternoon Steve Bridge became C.E.O. of receiving the "go ahead" from him). Mon heads against his intransigence, Carlos and Alcor, replacing Carlos, who had been day morning at 8 a.m. sharp, he did in fact I began to catch on to a powerful mecha heavily involved in the proceedings with call, but he had not yet straightened things nism in Mr. Daly's psychology: he obses Mr. Daly. I briefed Steve on Friday, and out with the hospice folks (how could sively and relentlessly sought out told him we could expect at least a couple he?), and directed us to continue waiting resolutions to each obstacle of which he of dozen calls from Mr. Daly over the for his authorization to make that call. became aware. Admittedly, his insights weekend. Steve was unsettled by this because we were childlike in their simplicity and Saturday's calls from Mr. Daly were had told the hospice representative that we naivete, but could his determination be without substance, in the sense that he was would be calling that morning to reach made to work in our favor? Perhaps a back to hashing over insurance and suicide Diane, and he didn't want to leave them clear, detail-oriented, harmless objective exclusion issues. Mike Perry and Hugh hanging. On my insistence, though, we would consume his thoughts to the point Hixon kept me informed by phone, since I respected Mr. Daly's directive, for the that he would stop calling us with substan was unwilling to sacrifice my first day off most part because I didn't feel right about celess questions and comments. (It was be in some time fielding the same exasperat interfering with his deliberations, even if I coming clear that the phone calls, for the ing attempts to make something out of held the strong opinion that he was at most part, were a defense mechanism nothing. tempting to dupe them. designed to delay his own acceptance of Sunday, however, things got a little the harsh reality that he would not be able bit more serious. Mr. Daly called a little
Cryonics • April 1993 • 17 r-----
Week Three ly prevent him from making his own cal need to do so is not necessarily a sign decision about what do with his life. This of "craziness," and that it is not necessari We did not hear from Mr. Daly again left one course of action: to continue to ly always our place to "forceably care for" for five days. On Saturday, January 31, impress upon him the various deficiencies (i.e., confine) those who desire this and while I again was at home, he called and in his suspension arrangements, and want to coordinate with us in doing so. spoke to Mike Perry. He informed Mike answer any questions he had about how to It's sure to be obvious to readers of that he was "very dehydrated," that he was address those deficiencies. this article where /-stand on this by now. not taking any fluids but was eating food, Later that day (Saturday), Mr. Daly While I may emphatically believe that the and apparently he was becoming very un called Alcor again, and Mike informed present is a better time to be alive than is comfortable. Mike informed him that food him that for liability reasons we could not any moment in the past that I know of, it is contains moisture, and that dehydration for advise him on alternatives to dehydration. not necessarily better than the future, and the purpose of suicide requires starvation (Not that we really had any alternatives it's no guarantee that life won't just suck as well. Mr. Daly was sufficiently discom anyway: three Alcor members -with un for some people, no matter what, period. fited by this news that he asked Mike to derlying terminal conditions - have now Opting out of the present, even on a wing suggest alternative means of suicide that gone the ugly, painful road of dehydration and a prayer, .is an option I wouldn't want would not compromise his suspension, still for lack of a better route.) This was the last to be labeled insane for pursuing. This not accepting that various other factors call we received from him, and so far as doesn't mean I wouldn't thank someone (like the lack of insurance coverage, and we know the last time he spoke with who pumped my stomach if I succumbed the near certainty of autopsy) would al anybody. Three days later, at approximate to utter despair tomorrow and tried to end most surely preclude a viable suspension. ly 3:30p.m. on Tueday, February 2, Tanya it; but if I spend ten or twenty years seek Mike, understandably, was nervous answered a call from "J.R.," an employee ing therapy and treatment, and none of it about providing Mr. Daly with advice on in a Texas Medical Examiners Office, in works, and I continue to despair, there how to "safely" kill himself. He called me forming her that a man named Robert Daly would probably come a time when I'd had at home to explain the situation, and I had shot himself in the head with a .38 enough. (Other members, even other staff rather emphatically insisted that he not caliber pistol, and that he was wearing an members here, are sure to disagree with provide Mr. Daly with any such advice, Alcor Emergency Alert tag. (See Tanya's me on this issue.) based on my growing fear that a perceived article elsewhere in this issue for the I've heard some people assert, by way conflict of interest on Alcor's part in this details of Mr. Daly's transport and suspen of hindsight into this matter, that Mr. Daly situation could damage the organization. sion.) would "obviously" have been far better off Specifically, I could easily see such advice had we taken the liberty of "turning him from Mike (Alcor's Patient Caretaker) to Afterwards in." That since he is now dead, and autop Mr. Daly (a member with money in trust sied, and "straight-frozen" (rather than for Alcor) being construed by investigative In the weeks following Mr. Daly's perfused), it "obviously" was a mistake to "authorities" as veiled (or not-so-veiled) suspension, there was frequent discussion leave him to his own devices. encouragement. Any organization that on the topic of suicidal Alcor members. I Had this depressive episode been an stands to receive large chunks of cash am very thankful to Dr. Thomas Munson, isolated incident for Mr. Daly, I (and the whenever any of its members dies is beg Alcor Suspension Member, who took an rest of us here) probably would've felt ging for scrutiny from "officialdom." entire day to drive up from San Diego and morally secure in having him committed, When your members start calling you up counsel the staff on how to deal with and to receive proper psychiatric care. But he'd and asking for advice on how to hasten understand suicidal members. I'm also been down that road many times, and was this, you get nervous. grateful to Michael Riskin, Alcor Suspen now of the conclusion that there was noth Being an immortalist in the extreme, sion Member, a therapist who has offered ing left for him there. Who were we - a and one who views cryonic suspension as to deal with cases such as Mr. Daly's in group of cryonicists who'd never met or an important aspect of life extension, Mike the future, should we so desire. spoken with him (in any intimate sense) was uncomfortable with this restriction. I Of course, the key issue was (and still to decide that what he needed was a set of was probably almost as uncomfortable, is) the appropriate (i.e., the ethical) course restraints? When your sister Sally, who's and I know that Steve was unsettled by the of action to take in dealing with members happily married and basically a balanced situation as well. But how do you help who threaten suicide. Mr. Riskin's offer, person, suddenly chokes down a bottle of someone in a situation such as this, when for instance, is meeting with some resis sleeping pills because she "can't take it you don't even know what help is? Ob tance (at least on my part) because he is anymore," you intervene forcefully, be viously, Mr. Daly had been fairly consis very up front in stating that he would have cause you feel that she will thank you tently depressed for years. (A later had Mr. Daly committed, and that once we later. Would Mr. Daly ever have thanked conversation between Steve and Mr. turn a member such as Mr. Daly over to us for such a maneuver? I didn't think so Daly's mother confirmed that he had been him for treatment, he will (understandably) then, and I don't think so now. deeply depressed since his teen-age years.) proceed without consulting with us. It For some people, this position is im He stated specifically that "the doctors" seems at present that there are basically possible to understand. They look at the had run out of anti-depressants for him to two schools of thought on this issue: 1) end result- a suicide, an autopsy, and a try, and none of them touched his depres that any suicidal member without an un sub-standard, brain-only straight freeze sion. So, for liability reasons, we were un derlying terminal condition is mentally in and say that obviously a mistake was made willing to give Mr. Daly advice on the competent and should be restrained "for somewhere. If not, they assert, things logisitics of an effective suicide. For ethi his own good," and 2) that wanting to would've turned out better. Well I agree, a cal reasons, we were unwilling to forceab- enter cryonic suspension without a physi- mistake was certainly made somewhere,
18 • Cryonics • April1993 probably several mistakes, but that was professionally, competently, and ethically still go as well as possible. probably many, many years ago, possibly as they were able. Mr. Daly did realize his I encourage all Cryonics readers to before Alcor even existed, and there's no last, dearest wishes: he has ended his pain, write in with their opinions on this matter. telling now who made those mistakes or and he is in cryonic suspension, despite It's sure to be quite some time before there what they were (and which of them, for more obstacles than I even dare list. Who is a consensus here about how to deal with that matter, were present on a genetic can assert that his situation had any such situations, and, unlikely as it may level). The Alcor management inherited reasonable chance of ending better? Some seem, your life and future could someday those mistakes, and dealt with them as times things can go incredibly poorly, and hinge on the policy we adopt.
Transporting Patient A-1401
Tanya L. Jones
Our first suspension of the year began during the contestability period nearly some fast explaining of the reasons why with a call from a gentleman named J.R,' prevented us from being able to respond. we were requesting a deviation from their who was calling from Texas. I took the Luckily, Mr. Daly had also arranged an ir standard procedures, we were able to per call, and was dismayed to hear that J.R. revocable trust with Alcor as the bene suade them to remove the brain for exter worked in the County Medical Examiners ficiary. The sum in the trust was just above nal examination, take photographs as Office. No good news was to follow. A the minimum requirements for perpetual evidence, and complete their examination member from Texas had committed storage, with no safety margin. It was without sectioning his brain. The county suicide using a .38 caliber pistol and a shot deemed sufficient to cover the expenses of officials also graciously agreed to expedite to the head. It was nearly a day later that the transport, and still have the bare bones the autopsy, making it the first one of the he was found, and the medical examiner funding for the Patient Care Trust Fund. day. was called. All of this was determined before I If they hadn't agreed in advance to "Robert Daly," A-1401, had been an flew to Texas to arrange for the transport. I minimize the damage inflicted on the Alcor member for just over a year. He was met at the airport by Paul Garfield, the brain, I was prepared to request that I be believed his life a miserable existence, and only certified transport technician in the allowed to observe the autopsy. This was a despite the obvious detrimental effects on entire state. Paul had driven since the wee somewhat devious approach, where I his cryonic suspension, planted a bullet in small hours of the morning to come pick hoped to get sufficiently friendly with the his brain in an effort to end it. Mr. Daly me up. He was very excited about his op technicians that I might gasp in horror at had a history of depression and had been portunity to assist in this transport, despite whatever they did to Robert's brain and threatening to take his own life since he the fact that few of the transport pro perhaps dissuade them from some of the was a teenager. Conversations with his cedures that he learned in class would be sectioning with the excuse of a weak relatives painted a tragic picture. He was applied. Most of what is taught in the stomach and many assertions of how never seen to be in a good mood. His fami transport course concerns treating a very detrimental that would be for Mr. Daly's ly was, naturally, saddened to hear of recently deanirnated member. It was many cryonics arrangements. It wasn't until I Robert's actions, however, they were hear hours before Mr. Daly's body was even went into the lab to pack the brain for tened to be told of his cryonic suspension found after his suicide. Also, in all states, transport that I realized the magnitude of arrangements. They had heard Robert certain manners of death are autopsied, my good fortune (in being able to persuade mention his interest in cryonics some time and suicide is invariably one of those them to forego sectioning without my earlier, but were unaware that he had ac types. This understanding left us with a physical presence at the autopsy). tually pursued his sign-up. clear course to follow iiJ. pursuing this I'd never seen an autopsy victim Robert had completed his sign-up and transport. Mr. Daly was to be autopsied, before, except in training videos. I must was using life insurance as his primary and we had to get to the Medical Ex say that it was one of the more gruesome method of payment for cryonic suspen aminers (M.E.) Office before they began. sights of my life. And when I use the term sion. Unfortunately, his suicide occurred We did arrive before they began the "victim," I mean it. A more invasive pro during the contestability period for his autopsy, and Paul and I were able to speak cedure has never been developed. As with policy. (Two strikes against him: it was a to the Acting Chief Medical Investigator most sights, pictures don't do the reality suicide, and it was within the contes and the Chief Medical Examiner. As is the justice. tability period.) There is little doubt that case with all suicides, they intended to About two hours after I arrived at the Alcor will not be receiving the proceeds perform a complete autopsy. A complete M.E. offices, the autopsy was complete. from his life insurance policy. The autopsy includes the removal and section And the examiners had been true to their knowledge that his suicide took place ing of all organs, including the brain. With word: I received the brain nearly intact.
Cryonics • April 1993 • 19 The bullet had been retrieved and nothing further had been done to damage the brain (save ischemia and, of course, the removal from the head). I put Robert's brain on ice, How Many Are We? in a set-up very similar to the arrange ments used with Michael Friedman Alcor has 356 Suspension Members, 482 Associate Members (A-1171) last year. While I was waiting (includes I23 people in the process of becoming Suspension for the brain in the M.E. office, Paul had left to get dry ice for shipping, and he Members), and 26 members in suspensiOn. These numbers are returned within one hour of my obtaining broken down by country below. Mr. Daly's brain. Robert was a neurosuspension patient, and the rest of his body had to be dealt with. Preparations for the cremation of the remains were a little more difficult, as the M.E. and the funeral home insisted on having the next of kin authorize my making these arrangements, despite having paperwork signed by Mr. Daly already providing me with that authorization. We waited for a few hours for the release to arrive. It was faxed and signed by Mr. Daly's next of kin with less delay than we had expected. Mr. Daly's family was very ··.. \' cooperative and pleased that the disposi ~,- .... \ tion was being taken care of (and paid for) ... by Alcor. (By this time, I had spent nearly _. five hours in the Forensic Administrator's office, completely monopolizing his time.) i With a signed release, I went to a local funeral home and made arrangements Country Members Applicants Subscribers for the cremation of Mr. Daly's remains. The funeral home had refused to deal with Argentina 0 I I me without the release, but once it was in Australia 13 I 4 hand, proceeded to set things up very Austria I 0 I quickly. Arranging for the disposition of Canada IO 5 his remains was the last thing I had to 28 complete before returning to Riverside. Costa Rica 0 0 I Every part of this transport went bet Denmark 0 0 I ter and faster than anticipated, given the Estonia 0 0 I great cooperation we received. I was able to change my flight and return to Califor Finland 0 0 I nia a full three hours sooner than we had France 0 0 3 scheduled. Once I arrived back at the lab, I Germany I I 2 found that although the brain was at a Holland temperature below freezing, as evidenced 0 I I by frozen water-ice, it was not nearly as Italy 0 2 2 cold as I had expected after nearly six Japan 2 I 0 hours on dry ice. I had followed Hugh Lichtenstein 0 Hixon's recommendations on how to insu 0 I late the brain from the dry ice, and much Lithuania 0 0 2 to my (and Hugh's) surprise, the dry ice Russia 0 0 I maintained its solid state almost complete Spain 6 2 0 ly. We packed the dry ice a little too well, and it wasn't able to provide efficient heat Sri Lanka 0 0 I transference on the level we'd been ex Sweden 0 0 2 pecting. In the future, should we have U.K. 13 5 9 similar cases, we'll know not to insulate U.S.A. the dry ice with anything but the 3IO I04 297 newspaper it is wrapped in by the dis tributor. This should allow us to get a much steeper cooling curve.
20 • Cryonics • April 1993 Within a very short period of time have gotten lost in an unfamiliar city .... for Tomorrow or any of the literature I had after our arrival, we had the new neuro Also, the county officials and the brought.. cooler set up and Mr. Daly's descent to president of the funeral home were all very It's unfortunate that Robert Daly liquid nitrogen temperatures began. He supportive. Most especially, the Forensic elected to take his own life. He was aware will eventually be stored in the cephel Administrator, who "entertained" myself of the ramifications that a suicide would arium vaults with the only other isolated and Paul as we monopolized his office for have on his cryonic suspension, yet he brain we have in suspension. five hours awaiting the proper channels to proceeded. I sincerely hope that, despite Paul Garfield was a tremendous help clear the release of Mr. Daly. Although the long ischemiC episode, Mr. Daly's during the transport, and things would not there were a few skeptical chuckles from brain will one day be found to be suffi have gone nearly as smoothly without his one or two of the people we discussed cry ciently intact to enable reanimation, al assistance. He braved a foot still sore from onics with, the overwhelming atmosphere though there are no guarantees that this (or recent surgery, a constant downpour, and was one of excited interest. A new idea to any) will ever come about. Living life to ungodly hours of driving to help suspend rock a few world views. More than once I the fullest is what cryonics is all about, Mr. Daly. Thank you, Paul! Without your heard comments about how "I didn't know and from all accounts, Mr. Daly had few assistance, it would have taken many more that people were actually doing this for cherished moments in his life. It would be hours to arrange for Mr. Daly's transport. real." I left Texas with not a single busi nice if he had asecond chance, in a world There's no telling how many times I could ness card or copy of Cryonics: Reaching where deep depression can be cured.
evolution makes is that animals and plants Mind, Machines, and Human tend to survive and propagate to the degree that they are adapted to their environments Consciousness at the time. In that sense it's certainly true that claims that superior mindlike com Robert L. Nadeau,, Contemporary Books, Chicago Ill, 1991. puters must evolve has no foundation. (In fact, it's a very 19th century view of evo Reviewed by Thomas Donaldson lution.) The second problem comes directly from Roger Penrose's ideas about quantum mechanics and mind, complete with a sum Despite a certain degree of sympathy placement by a superior mindlike com mary by Nadeau of the quantum mech with its author, I found this book puter. However as a cryonicist, I have anics involved. This problem seems thoroughly disappointing. It's disap noticed, even among those cryonicists who completely fallacious to me; if creatures pointing because it fails to prove its thesis, accept the notion that we will someday can evolve using quantum mechanics in and I believe misses the central point of build a computer "superior" to ourselves, their thinking, then there is no reason why consciousness entirely. an important change of perspective on the we might not also build such creatures ... Nadeau's thesis is that the idea of second part of this idea, that such com not that there is any good case that we are making a "mindlike computer," as put out puters will replace us. No no, these cry such creatures in the first place. by computer scientists such as Hans onicists say: we will upload ourselves into My sympathy with Nadeau comes not Moravec and others, cannot be supported such computers, and therefore they will from any agreement with him about par by any appeals to scientific knowledge and not be our descendants but our Selves. ticulars, but from my own belief that prac stands morally bankrupt, in addition. Be Nadeau's book gives almost no discussion titioners of AI such as Moravec, whenever hind the notion of "mindlike computer" to "uploading." That is, it doesn't really they discuss the issue of computers with lies yet another important idea: that the give a full account of what is happening minds superior to our own, suffer from evolution of computers makes it inevitable among computer scientists interested in muddy thinking about their own subject. that they will come to replace human "mindlike machines." The very first issue is that of what beings. Moravec, naturally, believes that The scientific problems Nadeau sees "superiority" means, anyway. Many things this is a good thing and considers these for these ideas come down to two. The in the world have a clear superiority to me highly superior machines as our true des first, as far as it goes, is entirely valid. (or any other human being) by one cendants. Nadeau does not believe such a Nadeau points out that any belief that measure or another: elephants weigh more. replacement would be a good thing; one of "computers will inevitably evolve into Ants are more numerous. (And the total his major worries is that not only the pos beings superior to us" comes from a tonnage of beetles on the planet Earth, by sibility but the inevitability of machines misunderstanding of evolution. Any stu last entomological count, still exceeds the with minds far superior to humans has dent of evolution would say that it has no total tonnage of human beings.) Seals can spread throughout all of AI. That is, it is special direction at all. As much as we swim better. Horses are stronger. And yes, becoming one of the commonly accepted, humans like to pride ourselves on being at there are lots of computations and file unquestioned truths of AI itself. the "pinnacle" of evolution, our own operations that computers even now can do The "moral bankruptcy" of the notion evolution came about because of a series far faster and more accurately than I can. of mindlike machines comes directly from of accidents and there are no grounds even So far as that goes, the field of operations the ideas that they would replace us. And I for believing that evolution must inevitab which computers can do better than I has doubt that any reader of this journal would ly produce creatures with anything resem been expanding. In what way, though, do simply comply happily with outright re- bling a mind at all. The only point that these superiorities provide some more
Cryonics • Aprill993 • 21 general superiority? trol much easier. There is no real reason to though that improvement would measure The real issue comes not from "supe believe that we could not continue into the against our adaptation to our circumstan riority" but from control. And Nadeau's future, indefinitely, with more and more ces. And metamorphosis may be hard, not book sits in the same class as Moravec's elaborate and advanced computers and just scientifically but emotionally: think Mind Children in giving very little atten .other machines, all of whose direction and about immortality and what it would do to tion to that issue of control. In order for control comes (even through many ·stages) us - all of which we, as cryonicists, have control to occur, the controller must want ultimately from human beings. And even thought about for a long time and come to the controlled (machine, animal, or human now, with all the attention to security and accept. being) to do something, which means that fault-tolerance in computers, essentially And just as certainly, it's possible to the controller must have wants, desires, we work to design our computers so that create a computer with its own desires and lusts, wishes, ambitions. A true mind or we retain control. mind, and with both, its own conscious consciousness cannot exist without these. As an immortalist, I don't intend to ness. But careful, there: it's also possible And even on a crude level, that is impor stay indefinitely in the same faulty body I to create a Doomsday Bomb, or highly in tant both for any idea of uploading or any inhabit now. But I also know that even the fectious viruses to which 99% of the idea of independent action. Does this structure of my brain and my desires track human race will lack resistance, or many mindlike computer have balls? Or does it that body. Without major changes to my other destructive things. To make a have a female equivalent? Or even more desires themselves, any simple upload to mindlike computer and then imprison it, basically, can it feel pain and seek to avoid another creature ("machine" or not) would frustrating its desires, would be cruel; to it, or pleasure and seek to find it? It is result at best in farce, at worst in tragedy. make one that could control us would be characteristic of our machines, even of our (I have written about metamorphosis as an suicidal. In the end, we may never make most advanced computers, that we design alternative to uploading before, and will such a computer, or at least not one with them to lack any independent desires. And not repeat myself.) Certainly we will intelligence matching our own. again on a crude level, we often geld our metamorphose into creatures we would domestic animals. We do that to make con- consider improvements on ourselves,
Business Meeting Report by Ralph Whelan
The March, 1993 meeting of the Alcor facility, but we've not had to pay for it yet less than 1% of the P.C.T.F' s assets. (Unan Board of Directors began at 1:18pm. because there have been some complications imous) with the Building Inspector. (I.e., the Build Resolved: The February, 1993 minutes ing Inspector is not satisfied that the work There was a very lengthy discussion of are approved with one change: Courtney was done to code, and we are unwilling to the merits of moving Alcor, covering the Smith will be added to the list of "Others pay for it until he is so satisfied.) Steve also desirability of moving in general, and the re Present." (Unanimous) reported that Trip Hord (our city representa quirements related to location, building size tive) thinks that the prohibition against and form, etc. Carlos and others felt that the Resolved: The April meeting will be at animal research may be fairly easy to over fund-raising should be done prior to the the home of Gary Meade in Los Angeles; the turn, if the city attorney agrees that it is search, or at least concurrently. Dave Pizer May meeting will be at the A/cor facility; the without just cause. and others felt that soliciting donations for a June meeting will be at the Community Cen Steve reported that he spoke with attor hypothetical building would not be fruitful. ter in Wrightwood, CA. (Unanimous) ney Evan Stone about preparing such a document, and that Mr. Stone's law firm un Resolved: that A/cor is officially Tanya and Hugh reported that the derstands our requirements for such a docu searching for a new facility, and that man Florida facility is adequately prepared for a ment. Steve expects to have Mr. Stone's agement should create a building fund and "gravity flush" (washout without pumping) opinion on how to proceed by the Monday solicit donations and pledges (in written prior to transport of a patient. or Tuesday after this meeting. Steve asked form) for it while searching for a new Ralph announced that Alcor has been for opinions from directors about how much facility. (Unanimous) using Charles Platt as a P.R. Representative we should be willing to spend to accomplish -informally -for the past few weeks, and it. Carlos offered the figure of 1% of the A motion was made that we pursue the that this has saved a lot of time for the staff. P.C.T.F.'s assets as a ceiling figure, and no purchase of a building in Scottsdale, Ari Ralph will prepare a letter formally naming one objected. zona that appears to meet our basic require Charles Alcor's P.R. Representative, and Jackson Zinn pointed out that we ments. The role-call motion failed, largely will send the letter to the Board (prior to should take care to avoid creating a tax because some directors felt that we do not Charles), to which they should respond only liability as an accidental offshoot of the yet have proper plans in place for any build if they have a problem with it. document. Steve agreed to make such a pre ing purchase. Hugh reported that progress on con caution part of the directive to Mr. Stone. struction of a new "Bigfoot Dewar" has slowed slightly due to some technical dif Resolved: That Steve has the authority In Favor: Opposed: Abstain: ficulties, but that it may be done in two to to pursue a P.C.T.F. trust document through Hugh Allen Keith three months. Evan Stone given the constraints that Mr. Dave Carlos Steve reported that the required con Stone and his firm can deal with the tax Mark Brenda struction has been completed at the Alcor ramifications, and that they can perform for Ralph Steve
22 • Cryonics • April 1993 Steve reported that he has been too busy (Steve and Brenda voted against this king Cryonics readers (members and sub to make any progress on an Alcor Business motion because they felt that the issues scribers alike) if they are interested in alter Plan yet. should be dealt with piece by piece, rather native cryonic suspension service providers, Many suggestions on how to solve Al an as a package deal.) then went on for several pages advocating cor's cash flow problem have been circulat Ralph passed out a list of all Alcor the Biopreservation suspension team that ing for the past few months. Steve's members who are potential donors (i.e., not Mike Darwin is forming. "Finance Proposal for March 7, 1993" was minors, not full-time students) to the direc The consensus among board members used as a baseline for discussion, since it tors, so that each director could indicate was that this is not a survey, but instead a covered all of the points likely to be voted whom they might be best suited to contact marketing tool offering alternative services on at this meeting. for soliciting donations. Ralph will use these to Alcor members, and using Alcor's mail stated preferences to provide all of the direc ing list to do so. Whether or not such a use Resolved: That Steve's proposal, plus a tors with a list of names and numbers in the of the mailing list is appropriate, the Alcor waiver of the first quarter payback require near future. Board of Directors and management would ment for the Endowment Fund, minus any Ralph also explained that he and Steve be seen as condoning this alternative service guidelines for dividing up suspension in have created an appeal for donations to be if they allowed the Alcor mailing list to be come, minus the permanent reduction to the included in the next billing, and that similar used in presenting it, and it was not clear Endowment clause, and including a change appeals will go with all billings from now that the Board, or management, were pre in the dues increase down to 13.5%, be on. pared to do so. passed in its entirety. Assembly Bill No. 172- which may Resolved: That Steve send a message to In Favor: Opposed: come before the California legislature some Eric Klien that we decline to send out his Allen Steve time next year- attempts to provide hospi survey. (Unanimous) Carlos Brenda tals and physicians with the authority to per Hugh form perfusion on the recently deceased for Mike Darwin is interested in using one Dave up to 12 hours to preserve the organs for of Alcor's "Bigfoot" dewars to create a low Mark donation, without an Authorization of temperature environment which he will then Ralph Anatomical Donation and without approval enter and attempt to work in. Specifically, Keith of next-of-kin. This bill has the potential to he wishes to enter a -130 degrees Celsius work for or against us; for us if cryonics can environment, using protective clothing and This translates to: The cost of neuro be seen by the hospitals as organ donation gear, to see if cryonics patients stored in a suspension will raise from $41,000 to (and indeed all of our members execute an room at that temperature could be accessed $50,000 as of January 1, 1994. Authorization of Anatomical Donation), and meaningfully manipulated by workers. The amount that the C.E.O. can borrow against us if our we find that our members' Keith felt that it was unneccessary to from the Endowment will be $70,000. organs are being "harvested" prior to release expose Alcor to the potential liability of The requirement that money borrowed to Alcor. Mike's death or injury when such an en from the Endowment be repayed during the Steve explained that this bill is on the vironment might be accessed independent of first quarter of the year is dropped. "slow track," and won't even see prelimi Alcor. Steve and others were still receptive Beginning next quarter (July, 1993), nary discussion until this September. to the idea, but want a detailed proposal there will be a 13.5% increase in the Emer Two weeks ago, Steve received a pack from Mike to evaluate the risk factor and gency Response Fee for all members. age from Alcor member Eric Klien which safety precautions. The budget for 1993- as stated in contained a survey that Eric wished us to The meeting was adjourned at 6:54 Steve's memo- is approved. (See Steve's send to Alcor members and subscribers, at p.m. column elsewhere in this issue for details.) Eric's expense. The "survey" starts by as- Advertisements & Personals
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Cryonics • April1993 • 23 This section of Cryonics mag the end of the month there were azine is open to anyone who has ten or more letters daily, and opinions, suggestions, criticisms, angst was running high, catalyzed or questions about cryonics. Alcor by the strange tendency of the has a tradition of openness, and electronic medium to encourage many of us feel that the maga people to say things that they later zine's honesty is an important fac regret. (Only a couple of partici tor encouraging people to sign up. pants subsequently asked for their Cryonics Forum affirms Alcor's con Compiled by Charles Platt text to be included here. Perhaps tinuing belief that an organization print doesn't seem as important as which encourages free speech is stronger than one which at e-mail, or it may have an actively sobering effect.) tempts to suppress it. During February, topics of major concern included the mar These pages also serve as an outlet for cryonicists who are keting of Cryonics (triggered by a long message from Kevin strongly opinionated and tend to feel frustrated if the organiza Brown), Alcor finances, the ethics of excluding some people tion seems unresponsive to their points of view. from membership in Alcor, and an experiment which Mike Dar win wishes to carry out to test the feasibility of a walk-in, room Sources sized refrigeration unit where the temperature is -135 Celsius. All the material this month is reprinted from Cryonet, a com People also argued about the possibility that one participant on puter network that links many cryonics activists. However, Cryonet might be using a pseudonym. Cryonics Forum is open to everyone, not just computer users. More than 300 kilobytes of e-mail were exchanged. There is Please send in your opinions using any medium-disk, type room for less than 30 kilobytes here. I generally give information script, or handwritten pages. al messages higher priority than those which merely state an opinion, but I have not discriminated against any viewpoint, and This Month on the Net I will continue the policy of including any message here which I February started off very quietly on Cryonet, with only two am specifically asked to include, subject only to space limitations. or three messages per day. However, this lull was short-lived. By -Charles Platt
Rule against Perpetuities, and to elimi cannot cope with cryonics. Issues such Regulation of Cryonics nate other barriers to cryonics contracts, as privity of contract and the assessment From Graham Wilson: but I do not see why it is that such con and allocation of damages are inappro tracts couldn't simply be handled via or priate for our purposes. It was, there I have drafted a Cryonics Suspen dinary contract law. If the contract expli fore, necessary to propose changes to sion Act (1993) which is part of my final citly states the obligations of all the basic contractual principles if a cryonic LL.B. Law Degree project. parties, how can it be any worse than a contract were to be legally valid under The act essentially sets up a regula statute that explicitly states all the obli English law. Statute law would, in effect, tory body, and most of the controls on gations? And why do we assume that provide the judiciary with the basic cryonics contained within it are statutory regulatory agencies will do anything oth ground rules for cryonic contracts. It based. Some people will, no doubt, er than what all the other regulatory would then be up to individual judges argue that the act is too complex and agencies have done over the years, to apply the rules accordingly and de that cryonics institutions are petfectly ca namely become a burdensome threat to velop the principles and policies con pable of administering the interests of all concerned other than the bureau tained therein. patients. Unfortunately, from what I crats? I would agree that Regulatory Au have read and seen I cannot agree with thorities are not always, the most appro this statement. From Graham Wilson: priate organ to admist~r a system of Although I have been impressed I think the object of the act would rules and regulations/However, I cannot with the operation of Alcor and other be to protect the interests of potential see any other alternative. cryonics companies I believe that a suspendees and cryonic patients against At the moment, it could be argued, cryonic patient requires statutory protec abuse and dishonesty from any new that although cryonics it not specifically tion, rather than a reliance on some fraudulent would-be cryonics company. illegal under English law, there is noth one's "word" or through haphazard It would also protect the patient against ing to say that it is actually legal. If the judge-made law each time cryonics relatives who might not agree with judiciary refuses to acknowledge the comes before the courts. cryonic suspension. For example, in rights of the cryonic patient, then cryon I can be contacted at 71 Durrants English law there is nothing to stop your ics might as well be illegal by statute for Drive, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, relatives having you autopsied in order all the good it would do. WD3 3NY, England. to prevent your cryonic suspension. Sim Cryonics is therefore faced with a From Perry Metzger: ilarly, in England the powers of a Coro choice. It can wait until legal problems ner would appear to be absolute and I have difficulty understanding what start to crop up and then take each indi unchallengable. He too could arrange precisely it is that such an act might pro vidual issue before the courts. This for your autopsy. tect one against. I can understand pre would take considerable time which At the moment, current contract law haps modifying the laws to eliminate the would be of disadvantage to each cryon-
FORUM Page 1 ic patient. Similarly, would or (plus $2.00 each shipping and ganizations such as Alcor be handling) able to fund expensive and con Send checks to: Skeptics So tinuous legal litigation ? I would ciety, 2761 North Marengo Ave doubt it. nue, Altadena, CA 91001. Phone: The creation of the Cryonics (818) 794-3119. Request the talk Regulatory Authority would be by Mike Darwin, "Can Science based along similar lines to the Cheat Death?" current Embryological Research Authority which was created to control to the above letter, but his reply was and regulate research and experimenta rather long, so it had to be trimmed to AI cor Finances tion on fetal material. This organization fit here. When the edited version was has been effective and provided a practi sent to him for his approval, he found it Preamble: cal balanced approach to regulation. unsatisfactory in various ways. Unfortu Allen Lopp sent a message to Cryo nately, he didn't have enough time to net outlining Alcor's current cash short produce his own version before dead age and suggesting various possible Barring Ex-Members line. We hope he may contribute a reply remedies, one of which would be to in which can be included in next month's crease membership dues. From Clarissa Wells: Forum.) Tucked away in an obscure comer From Michael Riskin: of the February Cryonics magazine I From Brian Wowk: While many of you may object to a found mention that at a recent business The incidents which have motivated dues increase, the dues have in fact meeting, Keith Henson proposed that if the current furor over membership ex been kept at an artificially low level for a member gives up his/her suspension clusion arose because errors in judge the services provided, for many years. membership, the member would not be ment were made in entrustinig a new Major donations, and in particular, the allowed to re-join Alcor without being member with information that he should entire endowment fund donated by one approved by a majority of the board. not have had access to. This same kind member, have made up the difference Why would Mr. Henson propose this of error can be made whether a person for the insufficient fee structure. measure? Perhaps because Mike Darwin is a member or not. The problems It is time for the membership to pay resigned from Alcor, and made some which some Board members now think a more realistic yearly dues. We current harsh statements, and Mr. Henson can be solved be restricting membership ly have basically a subsidized/welfare would like to block him from re-joining can in reality only be solved by manage state type of services and dues structure, in the future? ment and membership exercising more one that I believe most of you would I am pleased to hear that this pro diligence in interacting with members find objectionable on moral, economic, posal was defeated by a vote among and non-members alike. and personal grounds. board members. However, according to There should never be a need to re the report, three directors of Alcor voted voke membership. As long as people From Charles Plan: For a few months last year, Alcor in favor of the proposal. It seems to me, want to continue paying dues, why not had a three-member financial advisory if you believe that cryonics has a chance accept them? Heck, it will help with le committee. The committee gave advice of working, and if you believe that Alcor gal fees for our suit against them. which was seldom acted upon prompt does better cryonic suspensions than Rejection of members for punitive, ly, and it made some rather loud com other groups (as I imagine those three political reasons is the hallmark of a plaints, some of which now tum out to board members do believe), to block cult. I, for one, do not want to see Alcor have been basically accurate. Unfortu someone from joining Alcor is like hand become a cult. That would be detrimen nately, the complaints were voiced so ing out a death sentence. I would like to tal to my survival. rudely, they caused offense, and as a re hear, from the three "gentlemen" who sult, they were ignored. The advisory voted in favor of this proposal, what committee disbanded itself in a fit of gives them the moral right to hand out Mike Darwin pique, and that was that. this kind of "justice" to anyone they hap All three ex-members of the finan pen to dislike. Videotape cial advisory committee have impressive How would you feel if there were credentials, which is to say, they've con only three hospitals in the world, and From Ralph Merkle: I've just seen the videotape of a talk sistently made a lot of money by invest you went to the best of them with mon ing it. So long as their advice remains ey in your hand to pay for treatment that Mike Darwin gave in March of 1992 unsolicited, a very important financial that you need to save your life, and the to the Skeptics Society. While I com pletely disagree with Mike's poor esti resource is being wasted, here. In view doctors voted not to save you because of Alcor's financial situation, this is ab they didn't like something you had said? mate of the probability of success of I would like to see it written in Alcor's cryonics, his talk is excellent. If you're surd. My private ballpark estimate, based constitution that Alcor will never refuse interested in cryonics and haven't al membership because someone exercises ready heard Mike Darwin talk, you'll en on figures from the financial advisory committee, is that reasonably cautious freedom of speech. joy this tape. Ordering information: Audio tapes, reinvestment could yield perhaps an ex From Keith Henson: $10.00 each (plus $1.00 each shipping tra $10,000 per year. Not enough to (Keith Henson replied on Cryonet and handling) Video tapes, $20.00 each close the budget gap; but it would be
FORUM Page 2 equivalent to increasing each fund. Once the operating fund member's dues by about $30 per profit is combined with the re year. As a result, if Alcor took search fund loss, there is still a the financial advisory commit net profit of $37,974.28. If we tee's advice, instead of raising discount the extraordinary non the membership dues by 25%, recurring item (as we should for they could be raised by "only" planning purposes) of income 15%. Since there seems to be ab from the Jones estate, $86,000, solutely no penalty for doing then we have a loss of $48,000. this (other than requiring some long ranee. But since extraordinary non-recurring standing board members to deal with One obvious area to consider scal items must be discounted, then we also people they don't get along with very ing back is the number of employees at eliminate the last $38,372 of legal fees well), I think it is worth pursuing. Alcor. As I understand it, this has been paid last year. This leaves a hypothetical If one or two of the three ex one of the largest areas of growth in the "loss" of only $9,654 when only "regular members of the financial advisory com budget in the last few years. I am also reliable" income and expenses are con mittee are no longer willing to serve, under the impression that we were told sidered. (Accounting changes could then let's ask the advice of the one(s) that increases in membership would double this figure.) who are still willing. I realize that one make up for short term deficits caused We had by year-end borrowed from person or another may have expressed by these new employees. the Jones Endowment Fund a net total himself obnoxiously in the past. Well, In closing I would like to share with of $30,121.10. For those of you not fa cryonicists are often obnoxious. I you that I am quite concerned with the miliar with accounting, the obvious should have thought we might accept future of Alcor. Mike Darwin was largely questions should be: If we were only that as part of the territory, and move responsible for my joining Alcor. His im about $10,000 in the red, why did we on; but if people aren't able to do so, passioned writings and meticulous re need to borrow $30,000? And how is it let's see if apologies can be obtained search and suspension reports con possible that we could both finish the from both sides. Let's have the rudest fi vinced me that Alcor was serious about year with a surplus (before discounting nancial advisor apologize for being a the science of cryonics. With his depar extraordinary items) and still finish the tactless smart-ass, and let's have the ture (and that of Jerry Leaf) I am no year owing so much to the Endowment? board apologize for ignoring the truth longer comfortable with Alcor's long Good questions. My best guess is that behind his epithets. term future. that $30,000 was a combination of capi While I hope I am wrong, my im tal acquisitions and the cash flow tight From Micheal B. O'Neal: pression is that suspension readiness is ness which began in December. We'll I have been a member of Alcor for not where it used to be. Thus, just as know for sure once the "Statement of over four years, now. Every year Alcor you are telling me that Alcor will require Changes in Financial Position" is pre membership has grown, and grown sub more from its members (in terms of pared. In the mean time, my analysis of stantially. This should mean that Alcor's dues, etc.) I feel I am getting less in re the preliminary balance sheet bears out revenues have increased substantially. It turn from Alcor. I have no plans to my guess: Fixed assets in the operating would seem, then, that expenses during switch to another organization because fund at year-end 1992 are $36,000 great this time must have grown faster than Alcor currently has no (real) competi er than they were at year end 1991. This income since (I believe, and correct me tion. But, I do not like the situation I all ties in nicely with the $28,000 in if I am wrong) Alcor wasn't in financial find us all in. crease in the combined net worth of the trouble when I came aboard. General and Research Funds (there's Why have expenses been allowed From Carlos Mondragon: $8,000 of the $10,000 "loss"). to grow so quickly? Going back five years (my tenure as Our growth produced income near Also, can you give me specific ex CEO), membership grew by 361% while ly equal to our spending, and far ahead amples of how Alcor's services are su administrative overhead grew 56010, and of projections I made in 1990. Even perior now to what they were four years assets grew nearly 1000%. The trend is more impressive is the fact that this was ago and specifics on how they will con clear; Alcor is growing into economies accomplished during a year that saw our tinue to improve? I want these specifics of scale. In mid-1989, we decided to use donation income drop by nearly half so that I can justify to myself why an in a huge influx of money from the Jones from where it was in 1991. crease in fees is required. estate for expansion, with the expecta What this leads me to conclude is One idea for increasing revenues, tion that the resulting growth would sur that we do indeed have SEVERE cash that has been discussed in the past, pass the greater fixed overhead within a flow problems. No news here; that is the would be to clearly separate member few years. Results are far ahead of the nature of the business. But "cash flow is ship dues (aka emergency response projections I made at the time. NOT the same as "Profit and Loss". We dues) and optional "remote" standby in The numbers (for '92) now availa do not have an overall "deficit" problem. surance. This "insurance" could cost ble are still raw data, i.e. there have I expect that in 1993, revenues will be more for members, such as myself, who been no adjusting entries by our ac higher than they were last year: we have live in remote areas. The advantage of countant, and there is no annotation. more members. And expenses will be this optional charge would be that peo Major adjustments might still have to be lower: we have no legal bills. Undoubt ple would feel they were getting some made. Nevertheless, some conclusions edly, there will be some unexpected ex thing in exchange for increased fees. I can be cautiously drawn. traordinary expenses. But then we can believe that if the costs were reasonable, We show a surplus (profit), on a expect that fundraising will succeed be most people would purchase the insu- corporate level and in the operating yond last year's pitifully dismal perfor-
FORUM Page 3 mance. Plainly, the direction of being handled by someone ded the curves indicates that even icated to it That went forward marginal growth will result in an for a while but slipped badly indisputable, across-the-board after the Dora Kent situation. It SURPLUS in 1993 even AFTER has improved markedly in the extraordinary income and ex past two years. penses get eliminated. Research and technological In any case, we should not development have indeed reduce the capital in the Endow- slowed during that time, a large ment fund by so much as one thin dime! From Steve Bridge: part due to the legal complications The issue of the Endowment was the Yes, Alcor could be doing better on which took staff time and energy. The major source trouble last year-and that its investments. While the Investment staff we have today is better organized was when we hadn't touched its capital! Committees have not been reconstituted, and we have many more trained Trans Donaldson made an excellent point on one should not think that I am doing port Team members around the country. this subject when he correctly predicted things here with no financial advice at We are probably better able to go out that if we invade the capital of this en all. At least two of the former committee and get a patient, especially in an emer dowment now, no one will ever believe members have independently given me gency, than we were in 1987; but we us if in the future we decide to establish suggestions and I expect more. are less ready to handle the unusual as another. Dave PiZer's argument that the It seems very likely that in the next pects and medical surprises of a suspen resulting loss of income would be un few months we will look into reforming sion. Jerry and Mike's hospital experi bearable given our already tight budget some kind of advisory group for invest ence are not duplicated in our current is also valid (but this is true only if capi ments, with a more carefully laid out un staff. tal taken from the Endowment is used to derstanding of responsibility and com I want to start making progress alleviate cash flow problems; it would munication than before. again, though. To do that we need a not be necessarily true if it were used in Operating Expenses for 1992, minus boost, so we can catch up on basic ex accordance with a plan to generate legal expense, costs of recovering from penses, and so we can look for medical, growth, i.e. invested in our own busi the separation with Cryovita, and higher technical, imaginative people to add to ness). One could argue that the endow Workman's Compensation fees than our mental and technological mix. Re ment was a mistake, but it's one we will were justified (we will be lower this search needs doing, here or funded by have to live with. Let's learn from it, not year) were about $208,000. us elsewhere. We need a new building make it worse. Operating Expenses for 1991, minus to have room for patients and to do that It would be reasonable to liberaliZe legal expenses (of $149,000!) and a bad research. We do not want to pull back Steve's ability to borrow from the En debt (of $10,000) were about 220,000. to being a bare minimum organization. dowment As we grow, such borrowing Operating Expenses for 1990 were That will not make progress toward get would become less necessary, and at $237,000. (Legal and Jones estate ex ting people suspended in increasingly the end of the day, the capital will be in penses were about $350,000.) better ways--or even as good a way as tact. I would at this time oppose any re Operating Expenses for 1989 were possible now. structuring of suspension minimums un 148,000, including 60,000 in salaries (4 Just using money from the Endow less we simultaneously solve the employees plus a part-time hourly). ment Fund or just increasing revenues in problem of inflation-proofing funding You get the picture. When our legal other obvious ways will not make any (see my article in the March, 1992 expenses were overwhelming, so were thing other than extremely slow •cryonics•). Operating expenses should contributions. Dick Jones's estate cost us progress. We need some other person be matched as closely as possible with a lot in expenses over a two year peri or combination of other people to make regular operating revenues. So I do sup od, but it eventually brought in more the financial and energy commitment port an increase in dues: we can justify than enough money to cover them. But that Saul Kent or Dick Jones did in earli 13.5% or about $36/year. That's about others contributed greatly, also. When er years and push for an organiZation $10,000 that can be counted on, as op income looked high in 1990, salaries that can really make this work. posed to suspensions we cannot count were increased to a decent level for the If our members really believe that on, and it happens to be at least half the first time ever and two more people cutting back on staff and other services amount of last year's actual "deficit after were hired. The staff has since taken se and just making sure that people got fro exclusion of extraordinary non-recurring vere pay restrictions. (We average less zen whatever way we could afford to do income and expenses". I oppose charg than 14,000 per staff member-before is good enough, then we haven't educat ing more to Patient Care Income. The taxes.) ed you all very welL current allocations are very nearly fair, Expenses have grown little if any, I'm concerned about suspension and we don't need it as much as some but donation income has dropped off. readiness. But we are not going to be day they hopefully wilL In most ways we are operating with come more ready by cutting staff, ignor We are clearly growing out of our the same level of expenses as four years ing research, failing to purchase equip financial problems, though cash flow ago. We are busier now so telephone ment, and failing to attract new minds to will continue to be irregular for the in and postage is higher. We have added our enterprise. Growth is important, not definite future. Let Steve (and Ralph) get some staff (low paid). We can now sign just because we need more people, but on with the business of fundraising. members up more quickly and handle because we need better people. Better Leave the Endowment intact, and hands problem responses more quickly. In than me, better than all of the staff, bet off the Patients' Trust Fund! 1987, we were for the first time organiz ter than Mike Darwin and Jerry Leaf. ing the sign-up process so that it was
FORUM Page 4 Order Form
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Histological Cryoprotection of Rabbit Cryonics Magazine Brain With 3M Glycerol $0.50 But What Will The Neighbors Think: The History Subscriptions: And Rationale of Neurosuspension $2.00 D United States: $35.00/year Histological Cryoprotection of Rat And Rabbit Brains $1.50 D Canada and Mexico: $40.00/year The Cephalarium Vault: A New System of D Outside North America: $45.00/year Protection For Alcor Neuropatients $1.25 Molecular Engineering: An Approach to The Development of General Capabilities For Cryonics back issues: Molecular Manipulation $1.00 U.S., Canada and Mexico: $2.50 each. Issues: ----- Cryonics and Orthodoxy $0.50 Outside North America: $3.50 each. Issues: ------Molecular Technology And Cell Repair Machines $2.00 Vitrification as an Approach to Cryopreservation $3.00 Nanotechnology $2.50 Membership 24th Century Medicine $2.00 Alcor Suspension Membership Packet $100.00 A Dream in His Pocket $2.00 D The Cost of Cryonics $3.00 Freezing of Uving Cells: Mechanisms and Implications $3.00 Books Will Cryonics Work? $4.00 Her Blue Eyes Will Sparkle $1.00 Cryonics -Reaching For Tomorrow $5.00 Cryonics and Space $0.50 Engines of Creation $10.95 The Death of Death in Cryonics $1.00 The Prospect of Immortality $11.00 Many Are Cold But Few Are Frozen: A Humanist Man Into Superman $14.00 Looks at Cryonics $2.00 Great Mambo Chicken & the Transhuman Condition $18.95 A Stunning Legal Victory $2.00 The 120-Year Diet $5.95 What You Can Do $9.00 The Tomorrow Makers $18.95 Reviving Cryonics Patients $7.00 Immortality, Scientifically, Now $11.95 Life Insurers at Risk? $2.00 Slide Presentation: Suspension Members $200. Brochures All Others $350. Alcor Life Extension Foundation $0.75 Why Cryonics Can Work $0.25 Gift Items
Alcor T -Shirt, Size: __ $12.00 Articles and Reprints Alcor Sweatshirt, Size: __ $17.00 AlcorMug $6.00 Why We Are Cryonicists Free AlcorPatch $5.00 Free Alcor: The Origin of Our Name Alcor Bumper Sticker $2.00 Technical Case Report: Neurosuspension Lapel Pin $5.00 of Alcor Patient $3.00 Tie Clasp $5.00 $2.00 The Journey Begins: Alcor Member Enters Biostasis Hat Pin/Broach/Stick Pin $5.00 The Scientific Validity of Cryonic Suspension: A Bibliography $3.00 Long-Time Alcor Member Enters Biostasis $2.00 Total The Cryobiological Case For Cryonics $2.00 Mathematical Analysis of Recirculating The literature above can be ordered by using this form, or by telephone Perfusion Systems, With Application with Mastercard or Visa by calling Alcor: 1-800-367-2228 (toll free). to Cryonic Suspension $2.50 Declarations by Scientists in Support of Name ______Kent vs. Carrillo $20.00 Admess ______Case Report: Two Consecutive Suspensions $3.00 Mathematical Models of Perfusion Processes $5.00 City------State __ Zip ___ Postmortem Examination of Three Cryonic Suspension Patients $3.00 Telephone:------Heat Flow in The Cryonic Suspension of Humans $2.50 Histological Study of a Temporarily Cryopreserved Human $3.00 Visa/Mastercard#:------Calcium Blockers Given After CPR May Expiration Date: ____ Save Brains Denied Blood up to 1 Hour $0.50 Viability of Long-Term Frozen Cat Brain $0.50 Signature:------Cell Repair Technology $2.00 How Cold is Cold Enough? $1.25 Please pay by check, money order, or credit card. Misadventure as a Cause of Death in Overseas orders require an additionallO% (of total) for shipping. an Immortal Population $1.25 ALCOR, 12327 Doherty Street, Riverside, CA 92503 Meetings & Announcements
Meeting Schedules Alcor business meetings are usually held on the first Sunday of the month The Alcor New York Group meets on the third Sunday of each month at (July, Aug., & Sept.: 2nd Sunday). Guests are welcome. Unless otherwise 2:00 PM. Ordinarily, the meeting is at 72nd Street Studios. The address is noted, meetings start at 1 PM. For meeting directions, or if you get lost, 131 West 72nd Street (New York), between Columbus and Broadway. Ask call Alcor at (714) 736-1703 and page the technician on call. for the Alcor group. Subway stop: 72nd Streer, on the 1, 2, or 3 trains. If you're in CT, NJ, or NY, call Gerard Arthus for details at (516) 689-6160, The SUN, APRIL 4 meeting will be at the home of: or Curtis Henderson, at (516) 589-4256. Gary Meade 2966 Passmore Dr., Los Angeles, CA Meeting dates: Aprll18, May 16, June 20, July 18.
Directions: Take the Hollywood Freeway (101) to Barham Blvd., just New York's members are working aggressively to build a solid emergency south of Universal City. Get off at Barham and west onto Cahuenga Blvd. response capability. We have full state-of-the-art rescue equipment, and (on the west side of the freeway) headed toward the San Fernando Valley. four Alcor Certified Techs and four State Certified EMTs. Tum left onto Oakshire and follow it up the hill bearing to the right. Tum left onto Passmore at the top of Oakshire and continue up the hill. 2966 is The Alcor New York Stabilization Training Sessions are on the second on the downhill side of the street. Parking is legal only on the downhill and fourth Sundays of every month, at 2:30 PM, at the home of Gerry Ar side of the street, so you will have to use a driveway to tum around. thus. The address is: 335 Horse Block Rd., Farmingville, L.I. For details call Curtis or Gerry at the above number. The SUN, MAY 2 meeting will be at: ALCOR 12327 Doherty St., Riverside, CA 92503 Alcor Chicago is in the process of starting up. For meeting information Directions: Take the Riverside Freeway (State Hwy 91) east toward and getting on the mailing list, contact Brenda Peters at (312) 587-7050, Riverside. Go through Corona, and get off at the McKinley St. exit. Go or; Huron Plaza; 30 E. Huron, Suite 4709; Chicago, IL 60611. right (south) on McKinley. Tum left (east) on Sampson (1st stop light). Go about 1 mile along Sampson to Granite. Go left on Granite to its end, and tum right on Doherty. Go about 200 yards on Doherty and tum left into the industrial park just short of "GREAT EASTERN FURNITURE". Alcor There is a cryonics discussion group in the Boston area meeting on the is the third building from the back, on the right. second Sunday each month. Further information may be obtained by con tacting Walter Vannini at (603) 889-7380 (home) or (617) 647-2291 (work). E-mail at 71043.'[email protected].
ALCOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MEETINGS: Potluck suppers to meet and socialize are held the second Sunday of the month beginning at 6:00 PM. All members and guests are welcome to attend. Alcor Nevada is in the Las Vegas area. Their meetings are normally on the second Sunday of each month at 1:00PM in the Riverside Casino in For those interested, there is a business meeting before the potluck at 4:00. Laughlin, Nevada. Free rooms are available at the Riverside Casino on Sunday night to people who call at least one week in advance. Directions: Once every three months there will be a party or gathering at a local eatery Take 95 south from Las Vegas, through Henderson, where it forks be and no business meeting. See details below. If you would like to organize tween 95 and 93. Bear right at the fork and stay on 95 past Searchlight a party, or have a suggestion about a place to eat contact the chapter until you reach the intersection with 163, a little before the border with secretary, Lola McCrary, 408-238-1318. California. Go left on 163 and stay on it until you see signs for Laughlin. You can't miss the Riverside Casino. For more information, call Eric We are also hoping to have speakers on various topics in the near future. Klien at (702) 255-1355.
The SUN, APRIL 11 meeting will be held at the home of: Ralph Merkle and Carol Shaw 1134 Pimento Ave., Sunnyvale, CA There is a an Alcor chapter in England, with a full suspension and Tel: 408-730-5224 laboratory facility south of London. Its members are working aggressively to build a solid emergency response, transport, and suspension capability. After the business meeting and potluck there will be an Introduction to Meetings are held on the first Sunday of the month at the Alcor UK Cryonics talk at 7 PM, followed by a question and answer period. facility, and may include classes and tours. The meeting commences at 11 :00 A.M., and ends late afternoon. Directions: Take US 85 through Sunnyvale and exit going East on Fremont to Mary. Go left on Mary to Ticonderoga. Go right on Meeting dates: April4, May 2, June 6, July 4. Ticonderoga to Pimento. Tum left on Pimento to 1134 Pimento Ave. The address of the facility is: Alcor UK, 18 Potts Marsh Estate, Westham, East Sussex The SUN, MAY 9 meeting will be held at the home of: Telephone: 0323-460257 Roger Gregory and Naomi Reynolds 2040 Columbia St., Palo Alto, CA Directions: From Victoria Station, catch a train for Pevensey West Ham Tel: (415) 493-7582 railway station. When you arrive at Pevensey West Ham tum left as you leave the station and the road crosses the railway track. Carry on down the Directions: Take the 280 north to Page Mill Road, and take Page Mill east road for a couple of hundred yards and Alcor UK is on the trading estate toward Stanford. Go down to the bottom of the hill to Hanover St. (5th on your right. Victoria Station has a regular train shuttle connection with light). Tum left on Hanover to California St. and make another left. Go Gatwick airport and can reached from Heathrow airport via the amazing two blocks to Columbia and tum right. The house is in the second block, London Underground tube or subway system. on the left. People coming for AUK meetings must phone ahead- or else you're on your own, the meeting may have been cancelled, moved, etc etc. For this information, call Alan Sinclair at 0323 488150. For those living in or Alcor's Southern California chapter meets every other month. If you are around metropolitan London, you can contact Garret Smyth at 081- not on our mailing list, please call Chapter president Billy Seidel at 789-1045, or Russell Whitaker at 071-702-0234. 310-836-1231. Alcor Life Extension Foundation Non-Profit Organization 12327 Doherty Street U.S. POSTAGE PAID Riverside, CA 92503 Permit No. 11 Portland, OR 97208 FORWARDING AND RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
Dr. R. Michael Perry, PhD. c/o ALCOR Foundation 12327 Doherty St. Riverside CA 92503 USA
For information on cryonics call Alcor: 1-800-367-2228 (toll-free, non-members only) or 1-714-736-1703 (members). E-mail: [email protected]