X-Message-Number: 13461 Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 22:39:42 -0400 From: gary tripp <> Subject: charitable funding of suspensions In Message #13455 Joanna J. Epstein writes: >.... >I need to know different approaches to funding one's suspension. I was diagnosed with a progressive neurological condition, and I can't find any way to insure myself, or find any alternatives that would allow me to have the financial ability to have myself suspended. My doctors tell me that I have about 8-10 years before this option would be needed. Dear Joanna, I have ruminated on this problem and have come to the conclusion that seeking donations toward ones suspension simply does not work unless it is carried out through the aegis of a charitable organization that can invest its money in a technology fund with a sufficient time horizon. The problem is that future suspension technology may be much more expensive than any current procedure. Also, in eight to ten years, research may become available to show convincingly that our current procedures do not work and that only the new procedures offer any hope. Personally, I have serious doubts about current procedures. Time is the critical factor. A charity would be a good way to solve this problem. Such an organization could invest and accumulate money in a tax free environmnet and so fund research into cryonic suspension technology in addition to the occasional suspension. A worthy additional project that the charity might fund would consist of a wearable vital signs monitoring device that can send telemetry as well as positioning info to a base station. This is an application that would have wide use in medical circles outside of our application in cryonics. In the same manner that the fund invests in technology stocks it could also make direct investments in a startup that seeks to commercialize the technology. If it gets going the fund might be able put an end to the problem that you and others face once and for all. There are myriad other possibilities too! On a different note, there may be supplements that one might take to increase life expectancy. The life-extension foundation has a website with tons of useful info. Also Tom Matthews appears to know a heck of a lot about such things and you might try contacting him at Comments anyone? /gary Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=13461