X-Message-Number: 23079
From: 
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 12:32:32 EST
Subject: Cryonics costs, THE BIG LIE EXPOSED

In a message dated 12/11/2003 5:01:28 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
 writes:
Randy Wicker writes:

Cryonics, like diamonds and limousines, is not something for the common man.
In fact, I suspect those mocking Alcor would be astounded that its members
put this kind of money on the line.  You don't do that unless you are very
very serious.

While I agree with some of your other observations, Randy, I must take issue 
with this one.  

In fact, you have stumbled onto one of my MAJOR rants and passions. 

The BIG LIE that cryonics is not affordable by most people you and I know.  

This one pisses me off in a big time way!  So much that I must take the 
time-- of which I have limited amounts of today-- to respond in a rational, 
forceful, and compelling way.  

Because of the magic leverage of life insurance, cryonic suspension is 

affordable for the VAST majority of people living in the developed western 
world.  

Since I respect the epistemology endorsed on this site of "proof, not faith," 
let me further demonstrate this with some real world, accurate, "hard data" 
information.  While this *IS my passion, my belief system is based on an 
epistemology of EVIDENCE, not assumption, emotion, or faith.  

We need to create an IMMEDiATE and SURE amount of money to place and keep an 
individual (not merely his DNA, but hopefully his brain pattern and 
"soul/sense of self/personhood") in suspension.  

The potential here is for YOU to be reanimated, not merely your genetic twin. 
 This is distinction the size of the Grand Canyon between DNA storage and the 
concept of cryonics.  And to do this we need money.  Let's say we want to 
have $150,000 for an ALCOR open option plan. 

 (BTW, Randy, this is not to say DNA storage is not a good idea.  In fact, I 
signed and paid with ALCOR for the DNA storage, although this ball was dropped 
by them due, I guess, to Cells for Life boggle.)

I will reach across my desk to one of my 29 ACTIVE in process cryonics files, 
who live in red files on my rather large but still cluttered desk.  I am 

pulling the file of a typical cryonics client.  While I will not use his real 
name 
here without permission, his initials are GJ.  

Mr. J. is a 40 year old college professor, a nonsmoker in reasonably good 
health.  

There are at least two options for creating this $150,000 of life insurance 
coverage.  We could give Mr. G a TWENTY year level renewable term coverage for 
about $20 bucks a month.  Or a THIRTY year level term for 34 bucks a month.  
Both of these are UPGRADABLE to a PERMANENT cash value policy with NO evidence 
of insurability required, at the then attained age in the future.  

Or, an alternative preferable for both the client AND the cryonics 

organizations, we can provide Mr. J with a PERMANENT cash value building, 
limited pay 
UNIVERSAL LIFE policy.  This will cost Mr. J. right at $91 bucks a month. 

This will still create the immediate $150,000, but will also accumulate cash 
value on a creditorproof, tax free, ultra safe and guaranteed rate of 5.5% per 
year.  What this means on a practical basis is that the policy is 

accumulating money available as a LIVING benefit, which can be accessed in the 
future.  
And allows the policy to become PAID UP, with NO further premiums required, in 
perhaps 10 or 15 years, depending on future interest rates.  

Stand by while I go to the computer printout to see how the cash value and 
"death benefit" (also called face amount) accumulate...

In twenty years, GJ will have put exactly $21,920 into this policy at 
$1,096.56 per year.  But even if the prevailing interest rates STAY at their 

currently low levels, he will be able to get $27,279 OUT of the policy tax free!
He 
actually MAKES $5,379 on the policy AND he has had an immediate death benefit 
to maybe save his life.  

So, the true cost to this insurance is theoretically a NEGATIVE cost. 

The actual and fair cost must consider the "time value of money" and the 
"opportunity cost" of not investing elsewhere.  

But let's set aside for a moment the FACT that you will over time get more 
cash value OUT of a universal life policy than you put into it.

Let's just assume the $91 bucks a month is gone, invested in a cryonics life 
insurance policy.

GJ is going to spend about 3 bucks a day to be a potential immortal!

Is your life worth the cost of cup of coffee at Starbucks?   The medium size 
cup.  The frozen Mochas I crave cost me $4.47 cents.  

People spend 90 bucks on a reasonably good dinner out for their families.  I 
watch people at my local convenience store spend $3.00 on a pack of 

cigarettes, a lotto ticket, or a few candy bars.  These aren't the "diamonds and
limousines" crowd, Randy!  

Yes, dammit.  These people COULD afford to fund their cryonics arrangements.  
It is a big LIE to say they could not! 

They just DO NOT KNOW, or DO NOT CARE about this option. 

So, I must conclude this post so I can get the REAL work of actually serving 
and underwriting the 29 sincere and semi-sincere cryonics clients on my desk.  

I would be happy to rant about this topic all day long, as it is something 
very close to my heart.  I KNOW most people do not really understand the 
remarkable and uniquely affordable options available to them regarding cryonic 
suspension.  My life's work is helping more people understand this.

Warmly and Professionally Yours, Hopefully for Centuries,

Rudi Hoffman CFP


 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"

[ AUTOMATICALLY SKIPPING HTML ENCODING! ] 

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=23079