X-Message-Number: 5979
Date:  Fri, 22 Mar 96 11:48:26 
From: Steve Bridge <>
Subject: Fred Pohl and cryonics

To CryoNet
>From Steve Bridge, Alcor
March 22, 1996

In reply to:  Message #5974
              From:  (Steven B. Harris/Virginia George
              Newsgroups: sci.cryonics
              Subject: Re: Larry Niven and Bryonics
              Date: 18 Mar

Actually, I am replying to the message before the message, as it were --
the reproduced sentence from John de Rivaz:

>> John de Rivaz <> writes:
>> "Age of the Pussyfoot" concerning cryonics, but he failed to accept the
>>offer of a free suspension when made by Alcor staff some years back and
>>is now annihilated.

     That needs some clarification.  The offer to Frederick Pohl was
actually made back in 1979 by the Institute for Advanced Biological
Studies (IABS).  IABS was an Indianapolis cryonics group founded by Mike
Darwin, Allen Lopp, and myself (along with others no longer in cryonics),
which later *merged* with Alcor.

     Also, "is now annihilated" would seem to suggest that Fred Pohl is
now dead, which is untrue (unless he died within the last week or two).
The last time I spoke with Pohl (in detail about three years ago, more
briefly a year and a half ago), he continued to maintain that he was "a
man of time" and that the "connections" of his life today were the most
important thing in his life.

     How sad, because Fred Pohl, almost uniquely among the SF writers of
his age, has continued to change and grow as a writer and as a person all
of his life.  In a sense he has always been a "man *ahead* of his time," a
fact he totally fails to appreciate.  Asimov's failing (from our point of
view, that is) was perhaps false ego; Pohl's may be false modesty.

And one more, from someone on sci.cryonics, answered by Steve Harris:

>> Anyone know if there are any SF writers (besides Charles Platt) who
>>have made suspension arrangements, and have gone public with the fact?
>>(I gather Arthur Clarke is sympathetic to the idea, but I don't know if
>> he'll do it.

>I don't.  I know one famous one who has done it in private, though.
>We'll have SF writers doing it in public soon enough.

     Like Steve, I know one famous one who is signed up privately
(probably the same one); but I also know of at least two other frequent
(but not famous) SF writers who are signed up.  And I know of at least
four other moderately well-known SF writers who are giving it strong
consideration.  I think cryonics will be breaking some new ground in SF
soon.

     Thoughtfully written cryonics novels such as Sterling Blake's
*Chiller* and Linda Nagata's *Tech Heaven* (both still available in
paperback from Alcor!) have helped, I think.



Stephen Bridge, President ()

Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Non-profit cryonic suspension services since 1972.
7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale AZ 85260-6916
Phone (602) 922-9013  (800) 367-2228   FAX (602) 922-9027
 for general requests
http://www.webcom.com/~alcor


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