X-Message-Number: 18517
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 15:04:19 -0700
From: Jessica  Lemler Sikes <>
Subject: This Week at Alcor

The following can also be viewed on our website at: 
<http://www.alcor.org/>http://www.alcor.org

Week of February 3 through 9, 2002

Jennifer Chapman, Membership Administrator 
DATABASE UPGRADES 
The primary upgrade the new database system will afford me in my capacity as
Membership Administrator is automation of various aspects of the application
process. First, the system will enable our clients to complete and submit an
application online. Thereafter, the necessary membership contracts will be
automatically generated. My principal responsibility at Alcor is to boost
membership growth, such as by initiating follow-up correspondence with the
applicants to offer my assistance. To streamline this, the new system will
send
email notices to the applicants and supply me with daily reports explaining
the
status of each applicant. In preparation for these upcoming developments an
 applicant work flow  was composed for the project manager. This composition
overviewed all of the membership requirements that must be satisfied and the
current schedule for initiating follow-up correspondence. It is anticipated
that the new and improved database will be operational within the next few
months. 
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS 
Several international life insurance policies were sent to Alcor s attorney
for
review. Although these policies are being considered on a case-by-case basis,
the long-term objective of Alcor is to establish multiple funding mechanisms
that international applicants can obtain easily while requiring minimal
research efforts on the part of Alcor. 
Dr. Jerry Lemler, President, CEO 
What a week this has been for me at Alcor! I've been trying to tidy up as many
issues as possible, prior to my departure Saturday for eight days of
cryotransport-filled meetings and gatherings in Florida. I'll be staying the
first couple of nights in the Daytona area thanks to my most accommodating
host, the irrepressible Rudi Hoffman. Rudi is great fun to be with, especially
when he's on a roll with his many life-extension activities. I haven't seen
him
since the San Jose Extro-5 Conference back in May, but I know he's been busy
processing policies for Lemler family additions. My younger (and only)
brother,
Rick, officially became an Alcor member last week thanks in no small
measure to
Rudi's help, and my new son-in-law, James Sikes, is currently in the sign-up
process. 
I'll be attending the inaugural Florida Cryofeast in the Orlando area on
Sunday, and drive down to Ft. Lauderdale the following day. I've been invited
by our great Alcor member and benefactor Bill Faloon to participate in the
formation of his new enterprise designed to provide advanced cryosuspension
capabilities to the Sunshine State (and perhaps beyond). Alcor is delighted
and
proud to be a part of this initiative, and I look forward to seeing Mike
Darwin
and Saul Kent again, as well as greeting perhaps dozens of Florida cryonicists
at the Saturday the 16th meeting. 
Alcor Treasurer and Board member Michael Riskin will be joining me midweek in
south Florida. We're also anticipating an overdue casual dinner meeting with
Edgar Swank and Jim Yount of ACS. There's plenty going on in the larger world
of cryonics for us to discuss, including the upcoming CryoSummit this
summer in
Michigan. 
It should be an exciting, event-filled week, though I am packing a bathing
suit. If, as they claim, Delta is ready, I declare, I am too! 
Mike Perry, PhD., Patient Care Assistant 
This week it was time to create a new patient logbook, something that comes up
every few months as the old one fills up with daily entries. Work then
continued
on the For the Record column about Prehoda and suspended animation. This
week we
also had a pet suspension (cat, neuro), starting with a dry ice straight
freeze
brought in by someone who is just signing up. The part we did (mainly Hugh's
effort with assistance from me on the cooldown program) was the cooling
from dry
ice to LN2 temp, which took about 27 hours. We have a blind member who wants a
plain text e-copy of ALEFI and also issues of the magazine; I gave a little
attention to that problem, with more expected soon. I am also involved in a
fundraising project for a charitable purpose. 
Paula Lemler, Volunteer 
I had lots of checks to write, which I spent all day Monday doing. I came in
Wednesday to start helping with marketing, and am in the middle of a mass
mailing. In between these duties I am writing thank you letters to members and
supporters who have made donations to Alcor. Our contributors are very
important to us, and we appreciate them tremendously! This is a good time to
thank the volunteers, too, who play such an essential role in the operation of
this organization. Thank you all.
Jessica Lemler Sikes, Administrative Associate/Webmaster 
This week I worked on the minutes from Sunday's Board meeting. I have also had
some problems with my computer, so I spent some time with Norton's, running
virus scans and file clean-ups. No viruses were found, so those of you who
have
received files from me are not at risk for infection. (Yes, I'm clean!) I also
worked on making a few modifications to the website, (content only), and
helped
with a letter promoting the Maximum Life Foundation's Longevity Bootcamp in
April. The main goal for today is to help Dr. Lemler prepare for his trip to
Florida. 
Hugh Hixon, Facilities Engineer 
Friday, administrative stuff. Order some parts for the neuroperfusion
project. 
Sunday, Board meeting. 
Monday, write an answer to a question attached to an information request.
Get a
technician on a security system problem. Get a lecture on the new OR data
collection system, written instructions to follow. Talk with suspenion review
committee member. Show a visiting member around. 
Tuesday, staff meeting. Admin stuff. Another tech on the security video
system;
works OK again. Check out neuro cooldown system for a pet. Budget dreams. Look
through a computer search of scientific papers. 
Wednesday, get ready for pet job. Wait. Purchasing run. Pet arrived on dry
ice.
Neuroed and continued with controlled cooldown. Took samples. Clean up. 
Thursday, catalog work, admin. Pet neuro cooldown complete. 
Mathew Sullivan, Facility Operations Manager 
Cryotransport: 
I'm currently working with our new LabView consultant who is now in the early
stages of a review. I had to track down various programs and consolidate them
onto a zip disk so the consultant could take it home for analysis. We will
need
to recalibrate the refractometer hardware back to my original settings from
last
spring before we can proceed. Before we begin, I plan to build a lock box
for a
portion of the hardware to reduce the likelihood that someone might
uncalibrate
the hardware again. 
Spent a couple hours on the phone with an outside consultant who is reviewing
Alcor's cryotransport protocol. Once the review is complete the committee will
make recommendation for improving our procedures. 
Made a Heparin and Streptokinase kit. 
Facility Operations: 
I completed my facility Operations Report, stocking of ALEFI, and finished the
network upgrades and patches. 
I purchased some additional cell phone supplies, and dry ice for a pet
suspension, and ordered a replacement pressure sensor for LabView. 
Resolved a variety of minor computer issues. Backed up my computer files. I
was
also interviewed by Jennifer in an effort to establish a basic computer
maintenance guideline to reduce the amount of time I spend helping resolve
computer problems. 
Assisted Karla with a tour for representatives from a local heart hospital.
I'm
also helping Karla determine the number of hits we are getting on our website.
Before we moved over to XO it was very easy to get the desired information,
but
now it appears to be more complicated. My current plan is to give XO a call
and
ask them about the software I just downloaded in the hopes of resolving a
number
of issues. 
I've had a few email distractions this week, mainly from individuals wanting a
variety of information. 
Patient Care:
The 2001 patient care logbook is largely complete. Once Mike verifies the
index
and makes sure my changes are correct, I'll take it to Kinko's to have all
three
copies bound. 
I've planned and made up the necessary paperwork for some patient and sample
transfers. Our neuro vault dewars are full and we hope to transfer a number of
patients into Bigfoot number six next week. 
Joe Hovey, Accounting Manager 
Attended the Board meeting on Sunday. I also finished the billing for February
this week Along with Dr. Lemler I attended a meeting with attorneys regarding
ownership of insurance policies, where we heard some good news. Have been
battling with my computer for quite some time now, and am very pleased to
announce I have a new computer, if we can ever get it up and running.

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