X-Message-Number: 1260 Subject: CRYONICS American Cryonics News August 92 From: (Edgar W. Swank) Date: Fri, 02 Oct 92 07:18:55 PDT AMERICAN CRYONICS NEWS [Reprinted from the August 92 Immortalist] Commemorative Dinner by Jerry White On July 9, I hosted a dinner to thank and honor those volunteers--Jim Yount, John Day, and Carmen Brewer--who helped me implement the encephalo-cryonic suspension of my mother (as described in the February and April 1992 issues of The Immortal ist). Going around the table from left are: Marcus Tingle (my mother's grandson, my nephew), Annie Yount, John Day, Jerry White, Carmen Brewer, Alex Greene (school chum of Marcus's), Pay-Yin Day, and Jim Yount. Banquet at Rue de Paris by Annie Yount It was a Thursday evening in July, and crisp air with gentle zephyrs filled the Silicon Valley; the sky revealed a cloudless blue haze attributed to smog. My husband Jim and I jumped from the car, walked across North Market Street to the French restaurant--Rue de Paris. The time was around seven as we entered the dimly lit bar room. Sitting at the semicircular bar was Jerry White clad in a royal-green velvet dinner jacket, striped shirt, tie, dark trousers, shiny shoes, looking regal, and sipping tonic. "Greetings," Jerry uttered formally, "step up and order a drink." after his nephew Marcus Tingle and Alex Greene, a college comrade of Marcus were introduced. The barmaid stood ready to take orders. Jim sat at the bar to see the variety of wines and to inquire which one would please him most. I moved across the room to a small table to obtain a panoramic view of the setting. Immediately, the barmaid appeared and requested my order which was a carbonated beverage with a trace of lime. Jim finally requested to the bartender, "A glass of Port--your 1983, please." Later, I discovered that Jim had uncovered fascinating tidbits about the restaurant and its wines. The Rue de Paris carries the largest Port wine list in Northern California. Their oldest Port is of the year 1896--a piece of history. The Day couple, John and Pay-yin, entered and more beverage was ordered as we awaited the arrival of the last guest, Carmen Brewer. After a while, we were seated at the long table. Shortly, Carmen made her entrance, taking a seat at one end of the table that had been saved for her--Jerry was at the other. In her French accent Carmen asked, since she did not encounter a waiter who spoke her first language, "Does anyone at the restaurant speak French?" The group surmised that the cooks must. Banquet? Yes! The banquet had the flavor of France and all its verdure and atmosphere in the heart of San Jose, California. The host of this first-of-its-kind banquet was non other than Jerome White, better known as Jerry. Decorously, Jerry stood to get the attention of the entire group, and described the purpose of the gathering: to honor the people of ACS who generously and unwearyingly assisted him during the death and suspension of his beloved mother. He introduced the recognized guests: "...Carmen Brewer, who housed the suspension of my mother's brain until provisions could be arranged with Trans Time for long-term storage. "...John Day, who provided the engineering technology for storage and preservation. "...especially, Jim Yount who was on the scene with me during the most critical moments to procure necessary equipment, to contact authorities and surgeon, and to assist with all of the suspension activities." At the end of Jerry's speech, a "toast" was made to long life, advocacy of cryonics, and more banquets. Ting, ting--wine glasses made high-pitched cadences as out-stretched arms caused them to touch. The Maitr d' and other waiters burst in with appetizers: Sevruga caviar of the Caspian Sea, escargots in garlic butter sauce, pate with toast and petite pickles, truffles, and more. The four-course meal was truly underway with lots of verve and flair. After the main course, once again Jerry, asked for the group's attention. He talked of the various paraphernalia used to encapsulate his mother, a classic beauty who could match the ones on the Hollywood screens and even rival that of Scarlet O'Hara played by Vivian Leigh in Gone With the Wind. Drawing out of an attache case a sculpture of the bust of his mother carved by his grandmother, he told about the artistic abilities of both. The sculpture did bear the resemblance of his mom. One could truly discern that Jerry esteemed his dearly beloved mother. The evening changed from sunset to dusk and to night. Souffles: raspberry, chocolate, and hazelnut comprised our last course. All was quiet--the only two other couples in the restaurant soon departed. No one remained now but the party of eight at the long banquet table. What commenced at seven ended around eleven. Could this be the first of many commemorative banquets? A paradigm has been set. It takes a warm, big-hearted, considerate, and perceptive personality like Jerry, to salute his colleagues and friends in such a royal manner. Do you know the way to San Jose? Yes! We had a banquet there--at the Rue de Paris in the heart of San Jose. Try it! Storage of Tissue Samples A number of our members have requested storage of their tissue samples taken at as young an age as possible. Small biopsy samples of skin or white blood cells (leukocytes) would be taken at a clinic near the member's home and sent to us or our contractors for processing and storage in liquid nitrogen. We are now prepared to offer this service to ACS and CI members or to any cryonicist or immortalist. Leukocyte and skin samples are to be cultured before freezing so a viable cell line is assured. Samples will be stored at two separate sites as a safeguard against accidents at any one site. Records will be kept at the ACS office with backup copies elsewhere to help assure that samples are not neglected. We will also retain nonfrozen samples preserved chemically. These ambient-temperature samples will be kept at an ACS storage site whose location will not be generallpublicized. We anticipate a once-only charge of about $300 per tissue type for this service. The $300 would be a once-onlcharge. If you are interested in this service, write or phone the American Cryonics Society: P.O. Box 1509 Cupertino, CA 95015 BUS: 408 734-4200 FAX: 408 734-4441 Storage of Tissue Samples from Dogs and Cats Cryonicists may wish to preserve and store small tissue samples from their animals for possible future cloning or genetic studies. These samples could be taken by a veterinarian or in some cases by the pet owner. We can't presently offer tissue storage at liquid nitrogen temperature for cell lines from domestic animals at a price commensurate with such service for humans. For those willing to pay a substantial premium, however, liquid-nitrogen storage of animal tissue is available. Write us if you wish details. We can immediately offer long-term storage for chemically-preserved animal tissue samples at an anticipated once-only charge of about $150 per tissue type. A Little Bit May Be Enough! It may not take very much of a tissue sample to allow future scientist to determine the unique genetic code for an individual human or animal. A bit of flaked off skin such as dandruff or even a bathtub ring may well be enough. Two techniques for obtaining samples are: 1. Scrape the roof of the mouth with a (flat) toothpick; and 2. Press a piece of scotch tape on the skin and then removing it together with dry skin and body hair which adhere to the tape. When a hair is pulled out by the roots, the hair follicle usually contains a nice collection of cells. Animal hair, even that which is naturally shed by the animal may also provide the minimum sample to enable future cloning to be possible. ACS Notification Service ACS members previously received Medic Alert bracelets which directed doctors or hospital personnel to call Trans Time. Presently, ACS members may be suspended and stored either at the Trans Time facility in Oakland, California or at the Cryonics Institute facilities in Detroit, Michigan. There is a strong possibility that additional suspension and/or long-term storage facilities will be available to ACS members within a year. We are now offering an ACS emergency notification service independent of Trans Time's Life Line notification service. We believe our ACS notification service will better serve our members who have selected service providers other than Trans Time or who wish ACS to make the decision on which service provider to use based upon circumstances of death. During at least an introductory period, the ACS emergency notification service will be offered at no charge to ACS members who are participating in our suspension program. There is, however, a fee for the medic alert necklace or bracelet. Costs for the necklace or bracelet ran from $35 to $50 depending upon choice of metal (stainless steel, sterling silver, or gold filled). When we receive a call on our emergency number we give "cryonics first-aid" instructions to people on site. We contact any service providers which are appropriate and help coordinate their efforts. We call on any ACS members in the area who may be able to lend assistance and, if circumstances warrant, send an ACS representative. Bracelets are available in two sizes; the smaller may better suit a child or an adult with a small wrist. Necklaces are also available. Even if you now subscribe to the Trans Time Life Line service, we urge you to consider the benefits of subscribing to the ACS Notification Service as well. There will be a $50 per year charge for subscribers who are not full members of the American Cryonics Society. Longer Office Hours For about a month now the ACS office in Sunnyvale has been maintaining longer office hours. You now will find someone in the office Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Feel free to phone on any questions or concerns you might have about your membership, cryonics or just call to say Hi. -- (Edgar W. Swank) SPECTROX SYSTEMS +1.408.252.1005 Silicon Valley, Ca Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=1260