X-Message-Number: 6341
From: Brian Wowk <>
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 18:28:22 -0500
Subject: Cooperation

Dave Pizer writes:

>Some time has passed, we're all a little older, a little wiser, and a 
>little closer to the start of our own personal tank-time.  I hope we can 
>all forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater possible
>achievements of the future.

	I was really struck by the observation recently
made by Ralph Merkle: Back in the days when we were one big happy
family at Alcor, membership was growing at about 30%-50% annually.
The future was bright, there was no where to go but up, and
cryonics was (in a certain way) fun.  All that abruptly stopped in 1993.
Growth has languished, a surprising number of people have up and left
completely, and cryonics is no longer fun.  (Indeed, in the past
four years I've gone from eager anticipation in opening my email
to dread and resignation.)  Clearly a synergy of people has been
lost.  In my humble opinion, BOTH sides of the 1993 schism 
underestimated the value of the people that they were parting company
with.     

	Where do we go from here?  I think the most important goal
that can be mutually pursued to benefit of all cryonicists is
research to improve and perfect cryopreservation of the human brain.
All the arguments about what organizational structure is best,
whose cryonics team is better, who is better at PR, etc. etc. mean
NOTHING unless we have a technology that works, which currently we
do not in any verifiable way.  

	I think the scientific minds in cryonics need to put their
heads together to come up with a research plan (who, what, when,
where, etc.), and the people with business contacts need to put
their heads together about raising some money.  Then, once we have
a workable technology, we can resume our arguments about who
does it better! :)

Footnote: CryoCare just donated $2000 to 21st Century Medicine, Inc.
to continue their electron microscopy studies of cryopreserved brain
tissue.  Another $2000 is required for completion of the current
series of brains.  Donations may be sent care of CryoCare.  
        
***************************************************************************
Brian Wowk          CryoCare Foundation               1-800-TOP-CARE
President           Human Cryopreservation Services   
   http://www.cryocare.org/cryocare/

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