X-Message-Number: 7131
Date: Sat, 9 Nov 1996 23:19:11 -0500
From: Garret Smyth <>
Subject: investments for assets whilst frozen

Hi!

For anyone who's missed missed me - please note my new address. For anyone
who hasn't missed me - well I've missed you all the same.

Investment strategies:

This is an old question which grumbles on and on. First remember that to
have anything at all upon revival you actually need to be revived - so get
signed up and support research. Yes, money spent now on getting you to a
point when you need to worry in the future is vastly more important.
But....

...I can't help noticing that there are those cryonicists (or "would be"
cryonicists) that can't help but dream about having lots of lolly without
working for it so here's my two penneth (compound interest not having been
taken into account)...

goods will generally be easy to copy, unless they have scarcity value, say
as antiques (but fakability may be a problem here), or because they use
rare elements such as gold. Gold may not be of much value because it may
have little use and there may be better ways of collecting it. Perhaps from
space, or from the sea. I hear that there is gold in solution in sea water.
A tiny amount per litre, but given the total volume of the seas, there is a
lot altogether.

A major problem with physical assets is the cost of storage. Who is going
to look after your gold ingots?

Intangible assets are hard to look after too. Laws against trusts in
perpetuity abound and the investor can only hope that the ever globalising
government doesn't press such a law on Lichtenstein. (Oh, the EU wouldn't
do that, woudln't it?)

Assuming that the intangible is going to be safe in the long run you will
need to leave instructions for investment strategy whilst you are in
suspension. Just picking one market sector for a hundred year gamble might
be unwise. It is understandable that cryonicists like "technology" but
don't forget that higher returns usually reflect higher risk and *you won't
be around to direct your broker*. Also, "technology" today is like saying
"industry" 150 years ago. An expanding sector indeed, but non the less
prone to crashes, and other sectors have done very well too.

Property is a good suggestion. Historically a very good sector in many
countries, but think of all those that had their property empires wiped out
in the last couple of hundred years. Britain and the US are unusual
countries in their continuity of government - but "land reform" has
affected both enormously. Again, don't forget taht you won't be there to
watch over your assets.

There is a simple answer though. Don't try to beat the market, for this is
hard enough to for the relativley unfrozen pro to do. Just try to ride with
it. Go for "tracker funds" - preferably global ones. No tricky instructions
need be given, dealing costs are very low, and they will follow every
sector, even if new ones are invented.

TTFN


Garret
PS Remember that it is better to be poor and alive than rich and dead.


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