X-Message-Number: 3379
Date: 02 Nov 94 23:07:41 EST
From: Paul Wakfer <>
Subject: CRYONICS No Connection with Mike Darwin


In Ben Best's recent posting on high pressure cryopreservation, the
following statement was made:

>               In conversation, Paul Wakfer told me that he and Mike
>Darwin simply dismissed the idea as "impractical".

This statement implies that I have some special connection to Mike Darwin
and his views on various subjects.  LET ME STATE STRONGLY AND
UNEQUIVOCALLY, ONCE AND FOR ALL: I have no special understanding or
knowledge of Mike Darwin thoughts or motivations nor, frankly, am I
interested in trying to have such knowledge or understanding. We do not
work closely together; he does his thing in his own way, and I do mine in
my own way. I read what he posts on Cryonet, just like everybody else. I
know no more than that.

     I do not remember the exact words of our conversation, but every time
I go home to Toronto for a visit and speak to Ben (we our working together
to promote cryonics in Canada, especially in the Toronto area), he quizzes
me on all sorts of things to do with Mike Darwin and BioPreservation,
expecting me to have some special knowledge. I did say that "I" thought
that high pressure cryonics was impractical meaning that even if it worked
it would be extremely difficult and extremely expensive and that there are
currently much better approaches on which to spend the money that we don't
have anyway. I believe that I said, when pressed, that I guessed that Mike
Darwin thought much the same thing on this topic. However, I have also
stated repeatedly to Ben that I have invariably found in the past, that
whatever I thought might be true of Mike Darwin turned out to be wrong. For
some time now, for practical purposes, I have tried not to even hazard a
guess or to care.

     In addition, I wish to make clear that:
1) I have no connection with BioPreservation as a company.
2) While I will always be available to help with any cryopreservation, I am 
   not on the BioPreservation transport or cryopreservation team.
3) I am not part of the 21st Century hypothermia research work.
Consequently, my business and research dealings with Mike Darwin are very
limited, much less than that of many others in Southern California.

To Ben, I say: "If you EVER AGAIN ask me ANYTHING regarding Mike Darwin, I
will refuse to answer on the grounds that it might incriminate me." :-)

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