X-Message-Number: 14858 Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2000 06:47:07 -0500 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: answer to Dave Pizer Hi everyone! Yes, I agree that Dave Pizer is not behind what may be Alcor's present policy. I still do not think that Pizer has adequately answered what I had to say in my last message. First, I would agree that foreign members, if they can, would do best to go to Scottsdale if they find that they suffer from a condition likely to kill them in the near future. I would also agree that often this turns out to be difficult or impossible. However the real issue here is that of just what is meant by an adequate insurance policy. If someone doesn't live in the US, they're likely to have lots of trouble getting a US insurance policy. If Alcor insists that they do so, Alcor is basically imposing (what I consider an unnecessary and powerful) condition on just what a person may do to support their suspension by Alcor. In essence, they are forbidding foreign members ... though they could easily claim the opposite. The essential point here is that if you live overseas it can become quite difficult to get a US life insurance policy, even though it is (roughly) the same problem to get a life insurance policy in the nation in which you live... no harder than living in the US and getting a US policy. Naturally those living far away from Alcor Central must expect that sending a team to deal with them will cost more than someone living in Scottsdale, but that is far less of a burden than a demand that they get an AMERICAN life insurance policy to be considered for Alcor membership. (And incidentally, it remains expensive if you live in Hawaii or Alaska, or any US possession, and need a team to come to you). Certainly Alcor may ask various things of a candidate member who wants them to accept a foreign life insurance policy. The most important would be that of proof that the company offering it is a good company which will deliver the money ASAP. This should not be basically difficult: even though different countries have different ways of assuring that their insurance companies are reliable, such an insurance is certain to serve the purpose of Alcor. We do not find ourselves in Darkest Africa merely because we step outside US borders. That's all for now. And I would hope that Dave Pizer will have something substantive to say about the policy of Alcor re foreign life insurance policies, rather than going off into other issues. Best and long long life for all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=14858