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.



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