X-Message-Number: 19064 From: Date: Mon, 13 May 2002 22:01:07 EDT Subject: Yet more on Sci-Fi and Science Authors, Sagan, Clarke , and Vinge --part1_142.e744300.2a11c9e3_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, Dear Cryoneters, I have been following the Sci-Fi Author thread with interest. Many long term lurkers and readers will recognize this as one of the many perineal "oldie but goody" themes on cryonet. My personal favorites for suspension are rather obvious, and perhaps shared by many on this list. My first choice is permanently and probably irretrievably dead. Carl Sagan arguably did more for acceptance of science, rationality, and skepticism than perhaps anyone. And, while filming the movie "Cosmos" (I believe, I could be wrong on time frame) he was dying of cancer. I do not know if he was ever approached with the cryonics option. But he was on a list I sent to Linda and Fred Chamberlain of people they (kinda, provisionally, and with a few weasel words) would have suspended for free for the publicity. Still alive and very active, and still writing books about cryonic suspension, is Arthur C. Clarke. (Question on spelling of last name...I think it has an e.) But this author of Childhood's End, 2001, 2010, and a lot of books with cryonics as an assumed technology is not signed up. Charles, may I ask what you know of Clarke? He remains influential and prolific, although he must be in his 80s. And how about Vernor Vinge? I just today finished, "A Deepness in the Sky." Absolutely fabulous book. Many of my extropian and cryonics buddies have told me how great Vinge's writing is, but this is my first book of his. He teaches at a California college. Does anybody on this list know him? We must continue our offering and "promotion" of cryonics to Sci-Fi and Science authors. Just because we have not "netted" a bunch at this point does not mean that this "market" is not penetrable. We all know there are many other reasons, rational and irrational, that people provide for signing or not signing for cryonics. I am talking with a good friend and client of mine about cryonics. A well read, erudite, atheistic, intellectual retired educator, Howard is 74. He may be uninsurable, but he could easily afford the cash for a 50,000 neuro or even a 120,000 whole body suspension. I will keep this list apprised of progress with Howard. Here is a man who believes in NO afterlife. He is adventuresome, creative, iconoclastic, semi-wealthy, has no family concerns that would be deal-killers. He knows me as a friend and fellow religious skeptic for perhaps ten years, and I still can't get him to look at cryonics seriously. Someday, we may look back on the slow signups with the easy answers of hindsight. We know all problems are hard before they are easy. (Sorry if I sound like George Smith here...he *does* occasionally make some good points.) Let's get some additional authors! Rudi Rudi Hoffman My website: rudihoffman.com Member Financial Planner's Association, Certified Planner Member ALCOR Life Extension Foundation alcor.org Member Libertarian Party libertarianparty.org Member National Rifle Association nra.org Member Extropy Institute extropy.org Senior Associate Foresight Institute foresight.org Board Member Port Orange Chamber of Commerce posd.com Board Member Daytona Salvation Army salvationarmy.org --part1_142.e744300.2a11c9e3_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" [ AUTOMATICALLY SKIPPING HTML ENCODING! ] Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=19064