X-Message-Number: 15175 Date: Sun, 24 Dec 2000 12:34:15 -0800 (PST) From: Driven FromThePack <> Subject: Re: Platt posting Platt wrote: >>"To a relative outsider, this list appears to be the product of a special-interest group that has long since passed its prime and is now in a moribund phase. " Gotta somewhat agree there. This list is only peripherally about cryonics nowadays; of course, back in the days when it was about cryonics, it was full of acrimony, and we all know where that wound up. >>"Seemingly there is nothing newsworthy happening among them, since they have virtually no news to report (at least, not about their special interest)." Well, there was that message from Alcor saying they were offering vitrification. DOn't seem to recall much interest over it, though. >>"Hypothetical arguments are a favorite, punctuated by occasional pointless speculation (such as the recent thread about storing bodies in space, under the apparent delusion that this could solve more problems than it creates--something that anyone with any shred of commonsense would find ludicrous)." Ha ha. Ad infintum, ad nauseam. But I suppose that is better than nothing, or is it? OTOH, cryonics is really based on hypothetical arguments, although many of us may go overboard with all that. But I do see some new names cropping up occasionally here and on sci.cryonics. Maybe these new people can infuse cryonics with new vigor (21CM research notwithstanding). Perhaps they will be more collegial and work together better than the group that guided Alcor/Cryocare in the 90s. >>"To be fair, there has been reference to recent "research" financed by CI, but anyone who reads the relevant web site will find a paucity of fundamental data to evaluate the claims. While implicitly suggesting that professional cryobiologists are incompetent, the page shows an insulting disregard for the proper documentation of lab work--procedures which I learned in high school." CI, Ettinger, etc --- what can you say? A certain perspective there; I can't quite grasp it. >>"2. A Sample Omission: The Recent Alcor Case" <snip> I of course would be very interested in hearing more about this. But any shortcomings on Alcor's part must really fall in the laps of its members, the readers of this list. It's not as if Alcor is making some sort of profit. We are the only ones to blame. If Alcor's leaders cannot do the job, then we the readers of this list need to help. Things aren't that bad, Charles. There is after all the research, apparently still ongoing, if Alcor's vitrification announcement is any guide. Plus Alcor and CI are still solvent and both are making solid gains in membership. But there really isn't any cryonics "community", online or elsewhere. But maybe that's a good thing. If the past is any guide, we're not too good at building communities. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. http://shopping.yahoo.com/ Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=15175