X-Message-Number: 677
Date: 25 Mar 92 09:24:40 EST
From: "Russell E. Whitaker" <>
Subject: cryonetuk: Minutes of the March Alcor UK meeting

Minutes of the Sunday, 2 March 1992 meeting of Alcor UK Ltd at the
Alcor laboratory facility in Eastbourne, England

Meeting began 1117

Present were:
    Russell Earl Whitaker
    Alan Sinclair
    Dan O'Brien
    Steve Whitrow
    Patricia Cross
    Garret Smyth
    Michael Price
    Andrew Clifford
    Chris Benatar
    Steve Franklin
    Christopher Darvill  (a local high school teacher, on a
                          research assignment)

1.) Mike Price stated that he will send out list of the local membership,
to whom the newsletter and minutes will be sent, to Steve Whitrow and
Russell Whitaker, so that the mailing tasks can be rotated between at
least 3 of the active members.  Whoever sends out a mailing will notify
the Treasurer of expenses incurred, against possible future reimbursement.

2.) Russell Whitaker said his workload and travels had prevented him from
typing in the list of labels provided by Alcor US; he pledged to have the
task finished by the next meeting.

3.) Russell Whitaker mentioned he was still waiting for a purchase order
"from above" for his Apple laser printer; until then, the newsletter has
been put on hold.

4.) There has been no more news from Alcor Life Extension Foundation about
the issue of money claimed owed.  General agreement was that this matter
would not be pursued further, based on the presumption that several
attempts to elicit information had come up dry.

5.) It was agreed that the local organization will spend no more money on
print advertising.  We have had unexpected success attracting prospects
by the non-technique of self-selection: it seems that the "extropians"
Usenet electronic mail list, a special interest group, attracted
several interested people to make inquiries.  Dan O'Brien, present at
this meeting, had found out about us by this method.
  Most present agreed to continue actively cultivating the computer
network contacts thus gained, and to assist any information requests
made as quickly as possible.

6.) There was discussion on the press coverage being giving to our 
existence as a cryonics organization.  Russell Whitaker suggested some
guidelines for dealing with reporters: set time limits, disallow props,
and find out exactly what a particular news organization intends to do 
with the footage and/or other material gathered in an interview.  These
guidelines, among others discussed, are intended to minimize the time
eaten by reporters who routinely claim they only need a fraction of the
meeting day to conduct an interview: an ideal situation which never
prevails.  The day-long filming session of the "Scarfe on Death"
segment was given as an example.
   Alan Sinclair said the BBC had told him the "Scarfe" episode won't air
until summer or autumn.

7.) In the last month, we received a few information requests, which Alan
Sinclair fulfilled by mailing Alcor "Handbooks" to the inquirers.
   Russell Whitaker took the letters home with him, to add to a growing
prospect database.  He will fax copies of the locally-received letters
to Alcor in southern California.

8.) Russell Whitaker was requested to send email to Carlos Mondragon at
Alcor Life Extension Foundation, to determine if 75% of membership fees
paid by UK members to Alcor US will be refunded to the local operation.
If such occurs, it was determined that we will immediately pay bills out
of the refund.

9) This month's facility bills were passed around, and several of us 
picked up our "favorites" to pay out of pocket.  As usual, individual 
members were reminded to keep records, and report all expenditures to 
the Treasurer.

10.) Russell Whitaker received a draft copy of the proposed Alcor charter
for Alcor chapters, to show to other Alcor UK Ltd. officers.  Given the 
length of the document, he will send Alan Sinclair a fax copy of the 
proposal. He will also request of Tanya Jones, at Alcor US, that she send
an email copy to him, which he will then distribute to the other officers.

11.) It was remarked that several more of our local members have picked 
up electronic mail accounts.  Andrew Clifford, present, was in the 
process of signing up for CompuServe, and will soon join CryoNetUK and 
the cryonet list run by Kevin Q. Brown, in the United States.  It was 
also remarked that the presence of most of the Alcor UK officers on email
services is leading to a "virtual board meeting" on a perpetual basis,
where decisions are being made quickly, and outside inquiries are being
dealt with expeditiously.
  Both Garret Smyth and Alan Sinclair expressed interest in picking up
modems and CompuServe accounts in the near future, with Garret stating
he was "looking" already.

12.) Russell Whitaker said that March was the first month he was not
committed to travel abroad, and that he would pick up 2 pagers from either
Vodafone or London Pager, contingent upon Alan Sinclair's agreement to
the purchase or rental terms attached.

13.) A very unusual request from a Continental man was fielded in a
preceding week by Russell Whitaker and Mike Price.  The person was 
considered by both to be someone not worth dealing with, for various 
reasons privately discussed.  Discussion followed on how we might 
systematically handle similar unusual requests for information and/or 
services, and it was decided that the immediate first action would be 
to refer such persons directly to the President of Alcor, Carlos Mondragon.  
It was also agreed that any member who did this would notify Carlos 
immediately, and also notify as many of the other Alcor UK Ltd officers 
as possible, to discuss the situation.

14.) Mike Price recently received a call from a production company charged
with selection of guests for a local ITV talk show of humorous bent.  Mike
passed the production-company rep to Russell Whitaker.  The rep requested
an interview for a following week.  Russell expressed reservations, due
to the "eat 'em alive" reputation of the talk show host; Mike Price
suggested that Russell propose that the show take both Price and
Whitaker.  Russell will follow up on this.

15.) Russell Whitaker will call the person, a non-member, who collected
all the cryonics-related insurance information, and have him send a fax
copy.
                            
16.) Russell Whitaker committed to make a new Alcor UK Ltd letterhead,
based on information to be sent him by Mike Price.

17.) Alan Sinclair was given a cheque for 2000 pounds sterling from Steve
Whitrow, to increase his share in the laboratory; hearty cheers resounded,
and the meeting ended 1400.  Contribution was duly noted by Mike Price, 
in his role as Treasurer.

18.) Keys for the facility were distributed by Mike to:
     Russell Whitaker
     Steve Whitrow
     Andrew Clifford/Patrica Cross
with Alan Sinclair and Michael Price retaining their copies.  One copy to
be sent to Carlos Mondragon 

Respectfully submitted,

Russell Earl Whitaker
Recording secretary
[After comments and corrections added 22 March 1992 by Mike Price - REW]

Standard disclaimer: Alcor UK Ltd. is a legal entity incorporated in the
United Kingdom.  There exists no statutory or contractual tie between it
and the Alcor Life Extension Foundation of Riverside, California, United
States of America.

Distribution:
    CryoNetUK
    cryonet
    Alcor Life Extension Foundation, by electronic mail
    Alan Sinclair, by facsimile
    Local membership at large, by post

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