X-Message-Number: 6531 Date: 15 Jul 96 04:31:49 EDT From: Paul Wakfer <> Subject: Prometheus Project - Policy Statement Cryonics Organizations Steve Bridge, Dave Pizer and Bob Ettinger are addressing the existence of the Prometheus Project almost entirely with their own organizations in mind. That is as it should be. They are the leaders of those organizations, they have assumed the duty of being responsible for those organizations, they have put years of work into them, and possibly they see their cryonics lives as meaningful largely through those organizations. However, while I am *not* saying anyone could have done any better, it is my contention that the cryonics organizations are all largely failures. They have failed to promote the cryonics idea well enough to obtain enough members and patients to reach viable financial and influential mass, and they have failed to arouse in those who they have attracted, sufficient passion to give of themselves until it hurts if necessary, to accomplish this Herculean task of ending the inevitability of Death. Five years ago, I went to Southern California with a background of experience and the intelligent ability to learn a new area and to succeed in it, *and* a fervent desire to spend all my money and all my time doing whatever was necessary to thrust cryonics into mainstream science and medicine, which in my judgement *must* be done for any of us to have a reasonable chance at living vastly extended lives. Frankly, cryonics organization people were like a wet blanket on my fire. Now, by *seeing* a clear path to accomplish what I know *must* be done, I have managed to rekindle the fires within me. I have started the Prometheus Project. And *my fire* (coupled with my experience, intelligence and rationality too) was what enabled me capture the imaginations of 15 people from a small group of 22 to pledge over $1,000,000.00 to the goal I have set. Yes, those people too are a visionary group of ardent cryonicists, but I believe that there are many more which we haven't heard from, and even more which haven't yet heard of the Prometheus Project. As I have stated before, I want the technology from this project to be easily available for all who want to use it. I want every *individual* to be impassioned by the project and to do all that *they* possibly can to make its earthshattering goal a reality. I want every cryonics newsletter or publication to publish information about the project. What I don't need or want is a lot of organizations who wouldn't and couldn't do anything like this themselves telling me how I should run my project, even *before* they have pledged a dime to its cause. I and others have stated that for several reasons, we believe that it would be in the best interests of the cryonics organizations to strongly support this project. I did not begin this project with the expectation nor requirement of strong support from the cryonics organizations. There are lots of 501(c)3 foundations which would accept directed donations for this project. If I need to I can easily start one myself for this sole purpose. 501(c)3 status is *not* hard to get, if the non-profit is *truly and only* a scientific research funding organization. And I believe that Steve Bridge is wrong about the IRS not allowing the holding of a proxy for the share by the donor of the money which buys those shares. I am currently seeking other legal opinions to strengthen the favorable one I already have, but the logic of this is two-fold: a) the IRS only cares that a tax exempt donation not generate for the donor any monetary gain; they don't care about an intangible like "control". And in point of fact, holding a proxy for the cryonics organization's share is going to *cost* the holder considerable time and effort while generating for the holder no tangible gain (to the IRS, that is, since *they* give no value whatsoever to that person's chances for extended life. Actually, they should value it highly since there will be that may more years during which he or she will be a tax payer :). b) all state corporate law grants the holder of shares the right to give proxy power over those shares to whomever they wish. If the IRS tried to limit this right they would be in violation of state law. I don't see any possible reason why a share holder, be it a 501(c)3 organization or not, should not be able to let whomever they wish be the proxy for those shares at shareholder's meetings. In addition, I am not at all certain that this project will be supported strongly enough by signed up cryonicists inside or outside of organizations to fully fund it. They have been notorious in the past at *not* supporting research projects, although I don't believe that they have ever had a project as grand in scope and scientifically accomplishable as the Prometheus Project. But we have at lot of unenrolled cryonics sympathizers now and even more life extensionists who truly do want to live much longer, but totally dismiss cryonics, with justification, for its extremely slim chances and its lack of effort to effect the fundamental research needed to prove itself. Already, from those on the Net I have received more in pledges from the unenrolled than from those signed up. So I believe that I *will* find enough support to fund the project when I include those not signed up and those outside the cryonics movement in the vastly larger group of life extensionists, in general. I have started among cryonicists because I knew the group best, it was the easiest place to begin and I *did* know that I would get *some* relatively quick and enthusiastic support. But I am here for the long haul. I don't expect to have the whole $1M per year until the end of 1997 at the earliest. I am prepared to go as far afield as necessary and work as long and hard as necessary in order to see this project funded and executed. Suggestions and Debate I did *not* begin this project to start another discussion and debate among the professional talkers which are dominant in this forum. Anyone reading this list or news-group will realize that *I* have not been a great contributor to the many largely vacuous discussions which are held here. So it will be my policy to mainly reply to questions and suggestions from those who pledge monetary support for the Prometheus Project. Of course, I will read and consider the reasonableness of *all* suggestions concerning the Prometheus Project and incorporate those which I find valuable from whatever source. It's just that unless they are from a pledger, they won't carry much weight with me and I probably won't take time to reply. I have no time for debates and I have little use for those who don't consider this Project and their lives valuable enough to pledge at least $1000.00 a year, especially when they will later have the full ability to argue modifications and to rescind their pledge if everything is not to their liking. What I am saying in effect is, "Put up or shut up!". Choice of Research Method If we had enough money for everything, then of course many different cryonics research projects with different goals and using different methods would be better than any one. Hell, we don't know for *certain* that reversible whole body suspended animation using *freeze-drying* is not possible. However, I believe that the scientific credentials and state of progress in vitrification make it far and away the method of choice for this project. Furthermore, the cryobiologists and other scientist who will be executing the project are not fools who will not be open to other avenues if solid walls appear to be in front of them. Many such solid walls have been scaled or gone around in the vitrification research to date. With the brain, it may be possible that a small amount of ice formation will be acceptable without doing damage. If that is the way to proceed to accomplish the Prometheus Project goal, they will find it. The cryonics organizations are all welcome to do whatever research they wish, but I believe that vitrification of the brain gives us our best chance for a gigantic boost in our chances for potential immortality and that's what this project is all about. I invite others to show that they also believe this, by making large pledges to the Prometheus Project. Project Funding Methods This project was not started by a "committee" and it will not be distorted into oblivion by a committee approach. If someone else wants to start his or her own project on his or her pet research, then fine go ahead and do so. Those who know me will verify that I am a good listener and give good consideration to the ideas and opinions of others. However, it is *my* project and *I* am going to make the decisions with regard to its pledge gathering operation. That is, up until either the full $1M per year of pledges is collected and the process of approval of the project scientific and business plans by the pledgers is begun, or *I* decide that I cannot make the funding goal necessary to start the project. -- Paul -- !!!!! REVERSIBLE BRAIN CRYOPRESERVATION *CAN* BE ACHIEVED IN 10 YEARS !!!!! Paul Wakfer email: Voice/Fax: Pager: US: 1220 E Washington St #24, Colton, CA 92324 909-481-4433 800-805-2870 Canada: 238 Davenport Rd #240, Toronto, ON M5R 1J6 416-968-6291 416-446-9461 (currently in Canada) Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6531