X-Message-Number: 31727 Date: Sun, 7 Jun 2009 08:23:10 -0700 (PDT) From: david pizer <> Subject: We need to protect ourselves What may be the single most serious threat to YOU getting your suspension? Below are some clips from the recent post about the Alcor member who died and his relatives did not notify Alcor and seem (in my opinion) to be trying to keep his suspension from happening. (Then below the clip are my comments: " Orville Martin Richardson, who died in February at 81, wanted to donate his remains "not only in the hope of potential revival, but also to prove and perfect the process" of cryonic suspension. Richardson, according to the lawsuit paid Alcor more than $50,000 in 2004 for a membership and included money in his will. He is buried in Aspen Grove Cemetery. He also gave Alcor full custody on his remains "by whatever legal means may be available for the purposes of placing them into cryonic suspension." Still, Alcor attorneys contend the man's brother, David Richardson of Ohio and his sister Darlene Broeker of West Burlington -- co-admnistrators of the estate -- denied the foundation's request for their brother's remains. They also didn't let Alcor know their brother died." =================== David speaking again: Being a cryonicists myself since the early 80's, and hearing horor stories from even before that, and having been an Alcor Director and Officer for 11 years, I have come to the conclusion that the single most dangerous obstacle facing a cryonicist is that when they get old and senile and infirm there is the risk that their relatives (or others) will try to prevent their suspension. Most cryonicists seem to forget that just before they die they will be older and may be being managed by relatives or the government, both of whom may think cryonics is silly, stupid, a waste of good money, or even a rip off. It often isn't a sudden act that keeps a suspension from happening but as the cryonicist gets older his/her relatives (or others) move them away from the cryonics community. We cryonicists at present don't have a way of keeping track of our people on a daily basis. We don't have a way of protecting them from their relatives or others who don't want them suspended. We need a physical community where older cryonicists can come to live among other cryonicists - where we can take care of our own as we get older. Where we can protect our own. I was planning to help build such a community in Arizona and I was accumulating wealth to do so, however the recent economic worldwide financial reversal has slowed that down. Anyone interested in being involved a project like this can contact me. David Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=31727