X-Message-Number: 15368
From: "Mark Plus" <>
Subject: Re: "Scientists Bet Half-A-Billion On 150-Year Lifespan"
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2001 12:29:18 -0800

Yesterday I posted:

>Message #15359
>From: "Mark Plus" <>
>Subject: "Scientists Bet Half-A-Billion On 150-Year Lifespan"
>Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 18:35:44 -0800
>
>From:
>
>http://unisci.com/stories/20011/0112016.htm
>
>Scientists Bet Half-A-Billion On 150-Year Lifespan
>
>Researchers S. Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois at Chicago 
> >School
>of Public Health and Steven Austad of the University of Idaho have a >$500
>million bet riding on who has the most accurate scientific view of >aging.
>Their debate about aging led to the half-billion-dollar wager, which is
>payable in 2150. Austad believes someone already born will provide the 
> >proof
>of the wager. Their bet reflects the estimated proceeds of a trust fund 
> >they
>created this year.
>
>Austad bet that someone will live to be 150 years old by 2150. >Olshansky 
>bet
>that 130 years is the top end of the human lifespan.

Although Austad seems to have figured out part of the right idea, in general 
reading this makes me wonder whether scientific education can induce a 
certain kind of stupidity.  Instead of setting up a posthumous trust fund, 
why not try to raise $500 million TODAY to conquer aging and death?

Perhaps we need a new term to describe a totally bone-headed nonsolution to 
a real problem.  How does "antilateral thinking" sound?



Trans-millennially yours,

Mark Plus, Expansionary
"Working to make death obsolescent in the 21st Century."


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