X-Message-Number: 164 From att!mtdca!pdn.paradyne.com!alan Fri Mar 30 10:34:00 1990 Return-Path: <att!mtdca!pdn.paradyne.com!alan> Received: from att.UUCP by whscad1.att.uucp (4.1/SMI-3.2) id AA04695; Fri, 30 Mar 90 10:33:59 EST Received: by pdn.paradyne.com (/\=-/\ Smail3.1.17.5 #17.30) id <>; Fri, 30 Mar 90 10:19 EST Received: by oz.paradyne.com (/\=-/\ Smail3.1.17.5 #17.36) id <>; Fri, 30 Mar 90 10:19 EST Message-Id: <> Date: Fri, 30 Mar 90 10:19 EST From: (Alan Lovejoy) To: Subject: Cryonics Publicity The local newspaper, the St. Petersburg Times, recently ran a front page article about cryonics. Also on the front page, right next to the article, was my picture. The reporter interviewed me for an hour and a half, about 4 days before the article appeared. The article included one sentence-long quote from that interview. The reporter also interviewed Bill Faloon for three hours. He got two sentences. The reporter visited Alcor for several days, and interviewed Carlos Mondragon. He got two paragraphs. The article boiled our arguments that it is reasonable to speculate that cryonics patients can be revived down to the two words "molecular engineering," with no further explanation of what those words mean. The article referred to cryonics as "an often-reviled pseudo-science." The article quoted two cryobiologists with negative comments about the chances for revival of cryonics patients, inluding Rowe's infamous "hamburger" quote. I wrote a letter to the editor explaining that cryonics is not a science, pseudo- or otherwise, that although Ph.D.'s in biochemistry/chemical engineering might know what "molecular engineering" is, it is doubtfull that most of their readers do, and that cryobioligists lack the expertise in neuroscience and molecular engineering required to qualify as authorities on the feasibility of reviving cryonics patients. However, most people to whom I have spoken with about the article seemed to have a favorable impression! Apparently, the average Joe doesn't judge these things by the same criteria that techies and cryonicists do. And, as a result of the article, I have been invited to take part in a TV talk show on cryonics. It's a local program called "Eye On Tampa Bay," which airs every weekday from 12:30pm to 1:00pm in the afternoon. The show is aired live, has a studio audience and one female interviewer. Questions are also accepted from the studio and home audience. They usually deal with serious subjects in a responsible manner: the Morton Downey Show it is not. One of Bill Faloon's employees, who is also a cryonicist, will also be a guest on the program. The station is paying for her airline fare here and back. The show on cryonics will air on Friday, April 6, on the local CBS affiliate in Tampa Bay (Channel 13). The show's producer, Cathy Good, got in touch with Alcor and ordered Alcor's video tape on cryonics, including footage of cryonic suspensions. Bill Faloon sent them a ton of literature, inluding material from the Foresight Institute. >From conversations with the producer, I get the impression that she and the interviewer are *personally* interested in the subject--they don't just see it as a ratings booster. We'll see how the show goes. Someday, somewhere, we're going to get really favorable treatment on TV. Perhaps this will be an example. It it is, it will be interesting to see how many suspension members will be generated as a result (if any). My own prediction is: not many. I don't think people will sign up in large numbers until people with high social status publicly reveal their cryonic suspension arrangements. Until then, most people won't be interested. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=164