X-Message-Number: 6541
Date: 16 Jul 96 04:46:00 EDT
From: Paul Wakfer <>
Subject: Prometheus Pledge Milestone

     The milestone which I am noting here is not a particular pledge total,
but is something even more important if we are to reach our total of $1M per
year. That event is the first pledge which occurred yesterday by a person
completely unknown to me for *over* the $1000.00/yr minimum which I have set.
Here is his message to me:

     Hi Paul,
     
     Thanks for all your effort toward this project. I'd like to pledge 
     $2000 per year for the next 10 years. When I start to see more 
     convincing research results, I'll increase my pledge. So far I still 
     do not see how you can tie the return from the project with people's 
     pledge or investment. 
     
     I believe a lot of people will contribute more once they see some 
     positive research output. I'd like to see this project to take off 
     even if we cannot raise 1M the first year. 
     
     Thanks again,
     Ai Ling

and my reply:

Thank you enormously, Ai, for you pledge. You are the very first person,
whose name I have never heard, to pledge more than the minimum amount. May
there be many more like you!

Your question about return on pledge or investment leads me to believe that
some people, by concentrating on the pledges of donations to 501(c)3
organizations, have totally missed the fact that the Prometheus Project will
be executed by a for-profit corporation which will patent, and lease, sell
licenses, or charge royalties for all the technology which it produces.
Pledgers choose whether their pledge is for a donation to a 501(c)3
organization or is for a direct share purchase. Anyone own shares in the
corporation will reap monetary rewards from their investment by either share
appreciation or dividend income, just like a shareholders of any other
corporation.

Several people have suggested that the project should start its research even
before the $1M per year is raised. I am sorry but unless I fail to raise the
$1M in pledges within 2 years, this is unacceptable for at least 2 reasons:

1) The current pledges have all been made with the explicit understanding
that the whole $1M would be raised *before* they would be asked to give any
money. I cannot now change the project ground rules in this way except by
starting all over again. I have pledged my word on that.

2) The reason why the need for $1M/yr to start off with, was settled on in
the first place (and I agree that its not exact, but instead a nice round
rough estimate) is that the project scientists need to start off with the
whole of the equipment and team that they will need to do the job. The
vitrification research is far enough along that the beginning years of the
project need not be, and will not be a "feeling your way along", exploratory
affair. In fact, that is why I am as convinced that the research goal can be
accomplished as I am and why I started this project. To repeat:

The Prometheus Project is *not* about exploratory research in order to find a
way to proceed. It is about applying a method which is already 90% proven on
one organ type, to another organ type.

Again thanks for your support and for showing us how much you value your
life. Maybe after you read my reply above, you'll decide to increase your
pledge already. ;)


-- Paul --

!!!!! REVERSIBLE BRAIN CRYOPRESERVATION *CAN* BE ACHIEVED IN 10 YEARS !!!!!

Paul Wakfer  email:        Voice/Fax:     Pager:
US:     1220 E Washington St #24, Colton, CA 92324 909-481-4433 800-805-2870
Canada: 238 Davenport Rd #240, Toronto, ON M5R 1J6 416-968-6291 416-446-9461
(currently in Canada)


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