X-Message-Number: 584
Date: 18 Dec 91 21:45:51 EST
From: "Russell E. Whitaker" <>
Subject: Alcor UK minutes: December

Meeting started 1100 8 Dec 1991, and was held at the Alcor
facility in Eastbourne.

Attending were:
  Russell E. Whitaker
  Michael Price
  Steve Whitrow
  Alan Sinclair
  Janet Blake
  Ralph Merkle
  Garret Smyth

[Andrew Clifford and Patricia Cross appeared later, during the
 BBC filming]

A 6-person film crew from the BBC, and 2 reporters from the Guardian
newspaper appeared and spoke with some members, concurrent with
the meeting.

Errata from previous month's minutes:
"Patricia Clifford" should be written as "Patricia Cross".
Item 1 on version of last minutes sent out to members: surplus copies
of *Cryonics* should be sent to Alan, not Mike, as previously
indicated.

1.) Ralph Merkle, of Xerox PARC in Palo Alto, California, concluded
 his week in the UK by attending the meeting.  He had been invited to
 London by a professional organization to speak on nanotechnology; the
 talks went well.

2.) First item was the issue of money owed/not owed by Alan Sinclair
 and/or Alcor UK, Ltd.  Russell will try to get an itemized bill
 from Alcor Life Extension Foundation on his January trip there.

3.) Mike Price noted that in re a recent telephone conversation with Carlos
 Mondragon, Alcor LEF is now offering the surplus A-9000 two-person
 whole-body dewar free of charge to Alcor UK, given that Alcor LEF
 is reimbursed for past expenses.  Alcor UK need only cover the
 costs of shipping.  Russell will have Alcor LEF give an estimate
 of shipping/handling.

4.) Garret Smyth, resident videographer, will put together some video
 footage of the facility and local members for the Alcor 20th anniversary
 banquet being held April 1992 in California.  He will do this over
 the Christmas/New Year holidays.

5.) *Cryonics* magazine will carry announcements of UK meetings in
 future issues.

6.) Local newsletters should be vetted by Mike Price. He will send out
 copies of the issues.  Russell Whitaker is producing the newsletters.

7.) As last month, the issue of the need to have a complete list of
 UK members arose.  Russell Whitaker had spoken a few days earlier
 to Ralph Whelan, membership administrator at Alcor LEF, and learned
 that some in the UK have expressed a desire for privacy.  It was
 noted in the discussion here that an effective local response
 coverage would depend upon prior knowledge of the names and locations
 of all the local [UK] members.
    It was agreed that, at the very least, a distributional map of
 membership was needed, showing how far afield a local transport team
 might need to venture, with or without the ambulance.
    Russell Whitaker will bring these points up in front of the
 Alcor LEF board in the January meeting in California.

8.) A Scottish membership prospect has been contacted by Russell
 Whitaker; this person has expressed an interest in active involvement
 in the technical aspects of Alcor's local operation.  Such
 involvement will depend upon actual membership, as Alcor LEF has
 had a long-standing policy of drawing officers, staff, and
 suspension team personnel strictly from the membership; the
 local [UK] group maintains the same policy.

9.) Brief discussion was held over the recent news of the resignation
 of Mike Darwin from his post at Alcor LEF.

10.) For reasons related to impending exams, Garret Smyth offered up
 his position as Vice President of Alcor UK Ltd.  It was suggested
 that this be offered to recently-approved member Andrew Clifford,
 who later accepted.  Janet Blake confirmed that the Alcor UK Ltd.
 corporate charter had been amended to reflect changes and additions
 to the roster of officers, using information generated in
 the November meeting.

11.) Some brief discussion of the fact that Alan Sinclair, Mike
 Price, Steve Whitrow, and Russell Whitaker had spent part of the
 previous day (Saturday) cleaning and arranging the facility.  Alan
 did maintenance and tune-up work on the ambulance.

11.) It was suggested that a solid, reliable citizen's band radio be
 purchased for the ambulance, along with a corresponding base station
 for the front office of the facility, similar to the setup at
 Alcor LEF.  This was suggested as a medium-term-only goal; a more
 pressing need for pagers was then discussed.  Russell Whitaker noted
 that he will be buying numeric-display units on his California trip.
 The units will be reprogrammed for UK-standard reception.

12.) Mike Price and Alan now have keys to the facililty; Alan will have
 more made, to distribute to those few who would need immediate access to
 the lab in event of emergency.  Alcor LEF will receive a copy, as will
 those on the transport team.

13.) Next meeting was agreed to be held at the facility, 5 January 1992.

Meeting ended at 1226.  Those present stayed on for a catered lunch,
and many stayed on for informal discussion.  Some were interviewed for
the BBC special on "attitudes toward dying", which will air early next
summer.

Respectfully submitted,

Russell Earl Whitaker
Recording Secretary


Distribution:
  Local membership, via post by Mike Price
  Alan Sinclair, fax
  Alcor Life Extension Foundation, Riverside CA, email
  Alcor North, email
  cryonet, email

Distribution:
  Alcor >INTERNET:
  cryonet >INTERNET:
  Alcor North >INTERNET:

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