X-Message-Number: 618 Date: 27 Jan 92 11:16:55 EST From: "Russell E. Whitaker" <> Subject: Prospect privacy and the "big fix" mentality 27 Jan 372 pno Message: #616 - Muhammed Ali To Sign Up With ACS Date: 24 Jan 92 23:27:21 EST From: Hank Lederer <> Message-Subject: Re: cryonics: #594 - #595 On another subject: A friend sent a clipping from the Sunday, Jan. 12, '92 issue of the Seattle Times entitled "Close-up Frozen for the Future" Subheading: Scientist works to make cryonics a believable idea. It states that Muhammad Ali is going to sign up with ACS.." 'It's only a matter of time before Ali, who is fascinated by this emerging science of cryonics, will sign up himself for the procedure,' said (Avi) Ben-Abraham of Los Altos Hills, Calif." It's not a bad article and takes up half of page 3 in the "A" section. It also features a photo of Eileen Segall playing with Miles, the beagle and photos of Ali and Walt Disney. Thanks for all your good work! Hank Lederer This is offensive. *If* this were true, why would any cryonics organization which respected its members - or potential members - _ever_ make such a statement? I would never have involved myself in cryonics, had an _Alcor_ officer made such a statement. Did Ben-Abraham have Ali's permission to make this assertion? And even if this were true, and Ali had given his permission, so what? Where are the accounts of ACS research? Emergency response capability? I have news for those who don't know this: ACS/Trans Time have _no_ emergency response capability, as a matter of policy. Ask them about that, sometime. I signed on with Alcor, knowing well the nascent state of the art, and accepting that things aren't ideal with the organization. The practice is barely out of its infancy, and I accept this. Alcor people have _earned_ my loyalty repeatedly, by admitting both strengths _and_ weaknesses. Any other policy is disaster, in the long run. Emphasis should be on advancing the state of the art, and providing services to the membership. I agree with Michael Clive Price, who commented to me that ACS/Trans Time are publicity-driven, while Alcor is technology-driven. Russell E. Whitaker Director, Research and Training, Alcor UK -- and -- Communications Editor EXTROPY: The Journal of Transhumanist Thought Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=618