X-Message-Number: 13050
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2000 17:05:50 -0500 (EST)
From: Charles Platt <>
Subject: Mr. Swayze's Response

Somehow I didn't expect Mr. Swayze to respond very readily if people
offered donations. I can't say WHY I didn't expect a response; perhaps
simply because in 10 years of cryonics, on and off, I have never known
ANYONE to follow up quickly on the prospect of access to cryopreservation.
(Of course there have been exceptions whom I have heard about through
other people. Generally speaking, however, people take time to sign,
regardless of the circumstances. And in the case of James Baglivo, the
Omni contest winner whom several people have mentioned, he almost had to
be threatened before he got around to accepting his free gift of a chance
at biological immortality, thus suggesting that people wouldn't sign up
for cryonics even if we were giving it away.)

What puzzles me in Mr. Swayze's case is the lack of a response, not only
to the seemingly increasing chances of his cryopreservation, but to
spontaneous pledges of several thousand dollars. I find it rather striking
that several people--at least one with a very low income--would donate
substantial cash to a total stranger. I can't help wondering how Mr.
Swayze feels about it.

Of course, he may be offline for purely practical reasons (e.g. vacation),
or his online access may be severely impaired by his physical problems. If
he can compose even a few words, however, that would seem
appropriate. I've always felt that spontaneous gestures of generosity are
so rare, they deserve to be acknowledged.

--CP

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