X-Message-Number: 970 Date: 08 Jul 92 16:20:16 EDT From: Michael Clive Price <> I was glad to read Steve Bridge's posting to 0014 a couple of days ago. Much as I enjoy watching a fight it was nice to see some positive suggestions. I too would like to see a clear plan laid out of Alcor/ Cryovita's research program(s) and a more general discussion of policies, plans etc. I refer to the two organisations collectively because I'm not sure of the overlap between the two at the moment. First, research programs and funding. Steve asked for some feedback so let me start the ball rolling by saying that I would like to see Suda's experiments with cats' brains reproduced under controlled and modern scientific conditions (i.e. the more sophisticated cryoprotectants, cool-down procedures etc available today). I have heard a number of lay people, cryonicists etc express cynicism as to the results (i.e. brains showing electrical activity after months and years of cryogenic storage). A positive result would increase the credibility of cryonics. A negative result would need investigation for our own peace of mind. Either way the experiment needs replicating under modern conditions. I understand that Cryovita was planning on doing this before Jerry Leaf's premature deanimation. A series of funds for specific individual research goals specifically might attract investment. People prefer to contribute to specific research programs rather than some amorphous aim like "immortality" or as Alcor deems fit. I would be prepared to contribute to such a research project, although my present financial commitments to the Alcor UK facility will make any such contribution rather modest. Second, discussion of Alcor's policies, mission statements etc. I suggest that they be discussed on a modified form of the 0014 thread. Specifically that some kind individual set up AlcorNet, run along the same lines as CryoNet, with the following differences: 1) Membership be restricted to Alcor Suspension members and no messages are posted *to* SCI.CRYONICS, so that the discussion can be fairly free and open. Note that this criterion would exclude Michael Paulle (who's not a suspension member) and anybody else in the future who became such a menance to Alcor that they had to be expelled. For inclusion on the list the member would have to quote their Alcor membership number and provide evidence (like their phone number) for verification. 2) All messages are to relate to Alcor specifically and not cryonics in general (which is the proper domain of CryoNet). So no messages are posted *from* SCI.CRYONICS. This would remove the frustration sometimes expressed on CryoNet that it is too Alcor-orientated. Something like a report on a suspension would still be postable to CryoNet. Kevin has already has set up a script to mailblast all interested parties in the 0014 thread. I think that the logical extension of this to create some form of AlcorNet. I would nominate Kevin Q Brown as moderator, except that I haven't asked him (yet) and he's probably got his hands full at the moment. What do think Kevin, and everybody else? I think that the benefits of a such a service would be: 1) The airing of grievances before they reach boiling point, as is currently happening. Most agrieved individuals seem able to access CryoNet either directly or via some friend. 2) A better informed Alcor membership of the direction Alcor is moving in. 3) A better informed Alcor management of the direction the members wish Alcor to move in. 4) Alcor remaining a single organisation without paralysis through internal mistrust, dissent etc and eventual fragmentation. Mike Price, A-1121 neuro-suspension member of Alcor member of Alcor UK but speaking entirely for himself [ Mike, some of the 0014 discussion, such as this message, has drifted from the hard-core Alcor Board Politics to something closer to general CryoNet material, so I am including it in the regular mailblast. It's not always an easy call, though. As you point out, a lot of the CryoNet messages are strictly Alcor-oriented. If you or someone else want to start up an AlcorNet, then you certainly are welcome to do it. Anyone can get into the mailing list business at any time. Furthermore, I think that it would be a good idea for several people to get practice doing that. When sci.cryonics comes on-line we may encounter a number of opportunities for breaking discussions out to small groups of interested individuals. (The 0014.* thread has been a useful experiment in that type of thing.) Who knows, we may even end up with competing sci.cryonics digests. - KQB ] Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=970