X-Message-Number: 17610 From: Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 21:05:04 EDT Subject: The Funeral Director Concept is Brilliant I read the post yesterday titled: "L'Affaire Rosewater , or, The Problem with Undertakers" by DrivenFromThePack. Absurd analysis. Sorry for the bluntness, DrivenFromThePack. If I had more time I could probably be more tactful. Your interest in a standby team makes good sense. For much the same reason "undertakers" make excellent sense for those who cannot be assured they will properly and exactly time their deaths (for the most part, that is all of us), because local funeral directors will get there sooner and have the facilities (common sense as well as being supported by the record) and they can cut through the BS much quicker. (*TIME* IS the most important thing--also keeping the body cool/cold--otherwise plan to spend a few more decades or centuries in biostasis). The BS includes a lot of bureaucracy to be appeased, including the local coroner, EMT personnel, and a distraught family and much more. The funeral director knows the ropes (and others know him/her) in the given town/city; he/she has the "political pull"--outsiders generally don't. Period. Much more to say, but it is basically simple as that. The funeral director concept is brilliant. There are no reasonable or responsible arguments otherwise. Funeral directors are not buffoons. The stereotyping by some is thorough BS. I met quite a few all over Western, NC as a marketing representative (i.e., sales rep) for Xerox in the early Eighties. As a commercial real estate appraiser over the last decade, I have spoken with several funeral home owners; they tend to be "very real" as individuals. I have found that many are more open minded than the typical citizen and also they are often intrigued by the idea being in the "life extension business" a bit for a change. (Yes, over the last 18 months, I bring up the subject each and every time I meet a funeral director.) That is just the way it is. Or, you could move to the city of your cryonics provider. Short of that, the funeral director concept is brilliant. You can go meet the "undertaker" if you like. Give it some more thought, Driven. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=17610