X-Message-Number: 32433
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:22:40 -0700
From: Kitty Antonik Wakfer <>
Subject: Re: #32421: Re: CryoNet #32418 -  Kitty Antonik Wakfer's Post...
References: <>

This is a response to Melody's message having been retrieved from the 
archives, because Kevin's "rating" algorithm enables a few censorship 
supportive subscribers to deny all the others the convenience of its 
inclusion in the daily digest:


Melody Maxim wrote:
> I hope the Alcor Board of Directors will give the proper attention to 
> Paul Wakfer's suggestions, as outlined in Kitty's Antonik Wakfer's 
> recent post, as I feel it would be a step in the right direction. It 
> is time for Alcor to focus on
> the survival of the community, rather than on individuals who don't 
> take steps to protect themselves and ensure their wishes for 
> cryopreservation get carried out.

I agree and do most sincerely (I'm always sincere) hope that the Board
members give Paul's message - which he has now sent- very serious
consideration.

> In regard to Ms. Robbins, is this one person, who didn't move closer 
> to Alcor, (when she knew she was dying and Alcor suggested she do so), 
> and didn't take steps to make sure her family did not interfere, or 
> perhaps truly did change her mind in the "11th hour," (just as Timothy 
> Leary did), really worth the bad publicity involved?

These are reasonable questions to ask and not ones that I think any
cryonicist should find offensive.

> Alcor seems to be on a collision course with regulation, or 
> extinction...not just for themselves, but for the entire cryonics 
> community. 

I and Paul have similar concerns and this is what prompted him to add to
my CryoNet message and to send his suggestions with prefacing comments
to the Board.

> (And, yes, I am currently inclined to think that nothing short of 
> regulation will veer the cryo-orgs off an impending collision course 
> with public perception.)

Melody, here I will register strong disagreement with you to the idea
that "regulation" - interpreted to mean government involvement in the
mutually voluntary contractural agreement between parties - is what is
needed to "veer the cryo-orgs off an impending collision course with
public perception." What is needed in my estimation is clear public
meaningful standards of practice - something sorely missing in many
other of the vast types of activities engaged in by reasoning humans.
Imposed regulations by government under threat or actual use of physical
force is a perpetuation and enlargement of ruler/ruled mentality rather
than development of exchange to mutual benefit - the spirit that
underlies the best of human potential and promotes a truly free and
rational society.

Paul last raised the subject of a cryonics standards organization some 6
years (at least) ago to a few individuals who have/do held/hold
leadership positions in the two provider groups. Although we were
enthusiastic and even willing to work with people with whom we had some
serious disagreements in the past in order to create a viable true
standards organization, the others in our discussion were not similarly
inclined, either with us or with certain others. With only two cryonics
providers and with the preponderance of "us-them" thinking, it was not
surprising that turf-protection was also viewed as a serious drawback to
the formation of a truly independent standards organization.

Cryonics promotion groups, whether associated with one of the two
current providers (I am not counting SA since it does only field cool
down) are *not* equivalent to a cryonics standards organization.

Discussion of what is needed for such a standards organization, as a
minimum, could take place with involvement of those who are truly
interested - and I would certainly like to see this happen. I hesitate
to suggest that it take place on CryoNet since some readers may use the
rating system to filter out participants whose views they do not like. A
special Yahoo or Google group may be a possibility.


>
> Melody Maxim
>


**Kitty Antonik Wakfer

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