X-Message-Number: 15424
From: "john grigg" <>
Subject: where will this heated debate take us?
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001 22:43:46 

Hello everyone,

Jeff Grimes wrote:
When I first became interested in cryonics I assumed that in a small field, 
there would be some need for people to support each other. But it looks more 
like the Maoists vs the Trotskyites vs the Stalinists.
(end)

So, I suppose there are Ettingerites on one side and Chamberlainists on the 
other, with Plattists and Wakferites somewhere in the middle.  Or should I 
say Alcorites and Institutionists?  And are there ever purges and 
assassinations? lol  I hope at conferences and cryofeasts everyone is able 
to get along, or at least be civil.

Perhaps George Smith should be made a sergeant of arms here and in other 
cryonics gatherings!  With his counseling and martial arts skills he could 
mediate things.  But then again sometimes some conflict is a good thing to 
carve out the truth and achieve success.  And anyway, he is the friendly 
eternal optimist who tries to keep some kernels of hope alive for those who 
may be in danger of losing it here.

The arguments going back and forth are getting to be confusing to me.  
Robert Ettinger is certainly a fine debater and again I state that I see 
where his son must have inherited some of the skills necessary to become a 
successful attorney! lol  Though I have some problems with CI, it does 
bother me when people rudely remark about their founder.

I just think the best chance of success lies with Alcor's approach as time 
will probably reveal.  I realize we all want full disclosure on both sides 
when it comes to what has so far ACTUALLY been accomplished in terms of 
cryonics suspension technology.  Perhaps, given some more time we will see 
this happen.  I have faith that it will...

Robert Ettinger says a program of improvement is being carried out at the 
Cryonics Institute.  I think this is very laudable but wonder if it will be 
enough.  I suppose when Mr. Ettinger dies he will be suspended using the 
same techniques used on his wife which is only fair and proper.  He will be 
at that point proving his confidence in the CI way of doing things by 
betting his future chance of reanimation on it.  Perhaps, when Robert 
Ettinger is in cryostorage at CI we will see new blood take things in a 
different direction.

Fred Chamberlain probably has much more time till he goes the way of Alcor 
suspension methods, but then you never know...  I think by the time he and 
his wife will need it Alcor will have a protocol to please even the skeptics 
among us.  But, I am not necessarily saying fully reversible suspended 
animation will be here even twenty years from now.  Not to say that's all 
the time they have left...

best wishes to all,

John
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