X-Message-Number: 22573 Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 00:07:05 -0700 From: James Swayze <> Subject: I might have been lack of sleep halucinating but.... References: <> A week ago my local Fox News channel aired a short little story and a quite positive one, I might add, regarding cryonics. The hook was, "Could cryonics be for you?" They showed a laboratory and one of our friends of the cryo biologist persuasion, whom normally prefers to remain anonymous -- but this time very publicly stating support to the contrary of this oft preferred anonimity, exhibiting animal kidney slices while explaining his hopes for organ donation banking via cryogenic storage. He also added that the new breakthrough that this story was the crux thereof would lend more credence to the cryonic storage of whole bodies with the hope of future reanimation, or words to that effect. The narrator then added that cryonics was the controversial science that the recent Ted Williams controversy was involved with. I waited to share this hoping that I was not the only one to have seen this. Unfortunately I was not prepared in time to tape the segment. However, I'm sure that my local station could be persuaded to produce a tape. Anyway, if anyone is interested in contacting them for the segment the websites, addresses and phone numbers are as follows: http://www.kptv.com/ FOX 12/UPN 49 General Manager: Teresa Burgess 14975 NW Greenbrier Parkway Beaverton, OR 97006-5731 tel 503-906-1249 fax 503-548-6960 Of course, I have to wonder if such an important breakthrough has been made that our friend, normally secretive of public knowledge of his involvement in cryonics, finds it appropriate to announce in such a public way as to expose such involvement, then why have we not yet been informed here? Ok, I mentioned "Jake 2.0". I guess I should give a short review. It's not about cryonics but it is about nanotechnology and specifically about the Superhuman aspects some of us dream might be possible with nanotechnology. It is heartening to see some of these concepts being introduced to the masses that might otherwise not have come across such notions. Jake is a young technical support, self admitted computer "geek", that works for the NSA. He manages to be in the right place at the wrong time and luckily with quick thinking and excellent nerd skills foils a techno espionage incident that would have meant the theft of nanotechnology with the resultant sale of same to terrorists. Unfortunately, this aspect of the possible loss of such an overwhelming secret technology and the awful consequences thereof seem to be an unavoidable consequence of introducing the public the miracle of truly gee whiz tech. I would prefer it be otherwise but that seems not possible. I hope that the producers of the show will be responsible in their telling of tales and not needlessly misinform the public or blow dangers out of proportion. Unfortunately they already dropped the ball in the first episode with some obvious loss of continuity and illogical premise. During the foiling of the attempted theft Jake becomes accidentally infected with "nanites". Hollywood seems determined to make up their own words for what we call "nanobots". Suddenly he's transformed and has several new "upgrades" to his human abilities. While explaining these new abilities, his colleague, in an effort to apparently balance for sake of drama the "gee whiz" upside with some sort of downside, she explains that the effects are entirely unknown and that he may have bad side effects such as "paralysis", "brain damage", "blah blah blah" and even "death". Keep in mind the researcher had just explained that the ''nanites" would heal injuries and keep him from contracting illness, etc., etc. Excuse me! Are the writers and producers completely without brains!? How can their new superman get paralyzed if he can't get sick or injured? Duh! Somebody either ignored their technical advisor or never hired one and completely lost all sight of logic. This major gaff, fortunately, should be blatantly apparent even to a largely nanotech ignorant public. Then in the second episode they need another drama device so they have Jake being susceptible to electro-magnetic pulses and wouldn't you know it but he must confront a EMP bomb toting terrorist. Ugh! I suppose it's easiest for the public to think of nanites/nanobots as being made of metal rather than trying to grasp the subtitles of what other materials that might really be used like DNA, or polymers. Anyway, I recommend the show, at least for now. Maybe it will require some letters to the producers to keep them on a more believable path. Even so it may still prove to be an enjoyable treatment of future looking notions. Maybe they'll even have a cryonics based plot. For anyone that missed the pilot it repeats this Friday on UPN, here is the particulars: 9:00 PM Channel 13 KPDX Friday, 26 [your station and time may vary] Jake 2.0 The Tech (Pilot) 60 mins. Debut: You have to suspend disbelief a little to enjoy this techie adventure series, but the payoff is satisfyingly fun. Consider it a 21st-century cross between The Six Million Dollar Man and The Flash. Christopher Gorham shines as recent Georgetown grad Jake Foley, a computer geek working for the National Security Agency who becomes a computerized geek when he's exposed to an experimental biotech substance. Now just as much machine as human, Jake discovers he has some fantastic powers, and watching him experiment with them is a high-tech hoot. His unintentional upgrade also nabs him a brand new job description: secret agent. Cast: Christopher Gorham, Judith Scott, Keegan Connor Tracy, Marina Black, Matt Czuchry, Phillip Anthony-Rodriguez Release Year: 2003 VCR+ code Fri, 26 9:00 PM 13 KPDX 21794 James -- Cryonics Institute of Michigan Member! The Immortalist Society Member! The Society for Venturism Member! MY WEBSITE: http://www.geocities.com/~davidpascal/swayze/ Signature Memetic Virus--The worst enemy of those who now or will need medical care is the uninformed politician or moral fanatic who proscribe what doctors are allowed to prescribe and research, with the consent of their patients. Those who understand this are strongly encouraged to modify this to fit their personality, and add this to their signature file, and organize to recover our freedom from Big Brother. For those who wait until they are sick, it will be too late. Those who suffer from diseases which might have been cured by advanced medical research or schedule 1 drugs banned by Big Brother, have the right to hold accountable those who sat on their hands or worse, deferred their responsibility for personal and humanity's survival to unseen agents, while they remained ill and dying. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=22573