X-Message-Number: 781 From: Subject: For Cryonet Date: Wed, 29 Apr 92 22:04:06 PDT From: Carlos Mondragon > Subject: Message #772 and other Michael Paulle ideas I was glad to see Steve Jackson's reasonable response to Mr. Paulle's suggestion that we promote cryonics gestapo-style. Mr. Jackson is relatively new to cryonics, but he nonetheless managed to successfully infer (or intuit) what has always been Alcor's policy regarding the right of self-determination and members' privacy. By way of reassurance, any official Alcor representative who willfully violates confidentiality obligations would find themselves in deep trouble. As for moving into the "Alavie" building, here's the scoop: That building is located six miles from the San Andreas Fault in an area rated 9 on the Rossi-Forel Intensity Scale of seismic activity. Our current facility in Riverside is about 45 miles from the San Andreas and 30 miles from the nearest known fault in an area that is rated 7. The rating scale I'm referring to predicts the consequences of earthquakes. For purposes of comparison, in the event of an 8.3 quake on the San Andreas, being in a "9" means "Extremely strong shock, partial or total destruction of some buildings"; while being in a "7" means "strong shock, overthrow of movable objects, falling of plaster, without damage to buildings." These are factors we investigated before moving into our current building, before the land in Perris was bought, and before we considered Arizona. Mr. Paulle is wrong when he states that moving to Sunnyvale "does nothing for the earthquake problem"; in fact, it would substantially increase our risks. Making any kind of business arrangement with ACS/Alavie/TransTime is highly problematical. TransTime's CEO recently announced that his company has no intention of moving into the Alavie building, and he has suggested liquidation of same. (I suggest that interested parties contact ACS or TT directly for information re. the latest machinations involving TT's board.) Given the fact that Alavie is obligated to make $10K monthly interest payments on this property starting in June, and as yet has no tenants and is just now beginning to prepare available space for the market, I am not optimistic concerning this enterprise. Also, from the pictures I've seen and what I've been told by people who've been there, I'm confident that we could find larger and better constructed buildings in Riverside County at about 80% of the price Alavie paid. As such, I don't see how Alavie could afford to rent any of their space at a rate that we would find "very cheap". Mr. Paulle says that his "most important consideration" is that "it helps TT upgrade its services to its patients by being so close to Alcor". I am clueless as to what in particular he has in mind. As to what he has in mind generally, that is revealed by this gem: "Hang the competition nonsense. We are trying to give ALL cryonics patients the best care possible no matter who they sign up with." Who, I wonder, does Mr. Paulle refer to as "We"? Maybe HE is determined to service all cryonicists everywhere, but we employees of Alcor have our hands full servicing ALCOR MEMBERS. I and some of my associates on Alcor's suspension team are willing to put our "lives, fortunes, and sacred honour" at risk when we do a suspension and for Alcor's patients in suspension. None of us that I know of is willing to do that for people not signed up with Alcor. There is no barrier to signing up with Alcor, in fact, it is our policy to waive our sign up fee for persons switching over from another organization (just like AT&T). Anyone can have the full benefit of our considerable efforts by simply becoming an Alcor member. All of us prosper or starve, live or die, by the judgments we make and the actions we take. There is no nobility in sacrificing oneself for the benefit of individuals whose decisions we had advised against. Regards, CM Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=781