X-Message-Number: 20
From: Kevin Q. Brown
Subject: cryonics tidbits
Date: 20 Sep 1988

Miscellaneous Cryonics Tidbits
------------------------------

I did not get any more information on plastination at the Sat. Oct. 17 meeting
of the Cryonic Society of New York (because the person with the information
was not able to come).  But I did gather a few interesting tidbits (in addition
to the Sun. Oct. 30 conference program which I recently sent).

The Aug. 1988 issue of Cryonics has a 30 (yes, thirty!) page set of articles
by Thomas Donaldson on memory.  (I will give more information later.)

The Sept. 1988 issue of OMNI has two small cryonics-related items.  The first
is in the interview of the statistician Edward Thorpe, the person who wrote the
book "Beat the Dealer" about how to win at the casinos and has recently been
running a big-time money machine on the stock market.  The interview mentioned
that he is signed up for cryonic suspension with a California cryonics
organization (but does not say whether it is ALCOR or ACS/Trans Time).
The second cryonics-related blurb is an advertisement on page 88.  In large
type it says "The Fountain of Youth Was Discovered 21 Years Ago ..." and then
explains that for $20. some fellow in Massachusetts will sell you information
about this "life extension process [which] costs a minimum of $35,000 per
patient, but may be covered by insurance."  Since the current cryonic
suspension rates are:
    ALCOR - $35,000 neuro, $100,000 whole body
    ACS/Trans Time - $50,000 neuro (which they discourage), $125,000 whole body
    Cryonics Institute - $28,000 whole body
it looks like somebody may be trying to make money by selling some of ALCOR's
literature.  If you write to ALCOR and you can get it free.

It is now public news that Timothy Leary has signed up as a suspension member
of ALCOR.

The March 1986 issue of Cryonics had an article by Mike Darwin titled:
"Summum: This one you're not going to believe".  Summum offers mummification,
Egyptian style, for $7,000 to $35,000, depending on how much luxury you want.
Now, over two years later, the Oct. 15, 1988 issue of Privileged Information 
(Boardroom Reports, Inc., 330 West 42 St., New York, NY 10036) has an article
on Summum.  They still exist, at the same address, and offer the same, good
old-fashioned mummification service for the same price.  (FYI: In the Egyptian

mummification process "body organs are removed and treated for preservation and,
depending on the client's preference, either returned to the body or placed in
canopic jars near the body.  The body itself is wrapped and treated with herbs
and spices.  The process take a minimum of several days and may be performed
after a traditional funeral.")  For more information (or laughs) write to
Summum, 707 Genesis Ave., Salt Lake City, Utah 84104 or call 801-355-0137
(714-836-6344 in California).

                                       - Kevin Q. Brown
                                       ...{att|clyde|cuae2}!ho4cad!kqb

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