X-Message-Number: 1928
Date: 10 Mar 93 01:04:02 EST
From: Paul Wakfer <>
Subject: CRYONICS Re: The Ever Rising Curve ...

Steve lost this on his computer after sending it to Mike and asked that I
post it for him.  Paul Wakfer

-------- Forwarded Message --------

FROM:    STEPHEN BRIDGE, 72320,1642
TO:      Mike Darwin, 70023,3041
DATE:    08-Mar-93 at 19:51:17

To CryoNet
>From Steve Bridge
March 8, 1993
 
In reply to Mike Darwin's Message: #1909 - The Ever Rising Curve of
Expectations (March 7, 1993)
 
 
     It is always hard to answer a letter like this, and on Cryonet
the tendency is to flame back at the gratuitous insults and avoid the
substance.  The sad thing is that Mike has some substantial comments
and reasonable understandings in this letter-- mixed in with
advertising for his own possible future team, the unspoken assumption
that any team not as good as what Mike would supposedly form is
useless, and the observation that Alcor is "raping" its members.
 
     He also rails about Alcor not becoming a self-insurer, although
he has scolded many people (including me) in the past for suggesting
the same thing, because of the difficulty of Alcor qualifying under
state insurance laws and the immense amount of regulation that would
entail.  I have also never seen evidence that our small number of
members (350) is enough of a demographic base to protect Alcor if it
self-insured.  Unless we are talking about all members actually
paying their full suspensions in advance, I cannot see that we are
ready to develop the kind of capital needed to back an insurance
program.   It certainly would not have worked when Alcor only had 100
members five years ago, so Alcor could have "saved" all of this money
we "stupidly" allowed our members to pay to insurance companies.
 
     Mike has often had alternative ideas for how Alcor's money should
be spent.  I listen to them because he often has unique perspectives
and insights that lead to positive changes.  That doesn't mean that
whatever Mike says must necessarily be correct.  He has changed his
mind himself on these issues from time to time, arguing his changed
point of view as strongly as he did his first one, and railing against
those who did not immediately make the same switch the first moment
they heard it.
 
     Mike wants us to learn from him and wants us to cooperate with
him on various projects.  But he also wants the freedom to portray us
as evil, money grubbing incompetents who are financially raping their
members.  This is not likely to make us listen unbiased to his
suggestions for improvement or even to let us focus on the real issues
he brings up.  ("Hey, Alcor Directors, I have a great plan for
improving cooperative and improving suspension capabilities, and I'll
let you pay me for it; but you're still evil, raping, stupid
assholes.")   It certainly does not give the Alcor Directors
encouragement to work with him.  And all of this on the same day he
takes Michael Riskin to task for Mr. Riskin's inappropriate and
unprofessional remarks to Clarissa Wells.  Critic, heal thyself.
 
Steve Bridge

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