X-Message-Number: 782 Date: 29 Apr 92 23:13:25 EDT From: Bob Smart <> Subject: Worth the effort? Just in case you ever doubt the importance of CryoNet, or think the effort required to keep it going is unjustified, I'd like to tell you a story. I hope you've heard stories like it many times, and will hear many more: I've had vague awareness of cryonics for many years, but never quite known where to find real information, either about the science or about the details of signing up. I had heard occasional rumors that somewhere in California was a group of people who were doing this kind of thing, but you hear rumors about strange practices in California all the time. I hadn't heard any rumors at all for several years, and half-assumed that if there ever had been any actual cryonics going on, whoever was doing it must have run out of steam and quit. Then I happened to read a case history that got posted on Usenet, and attached to the minutae of the suspension was some actual contact information. I got myself onto the CryoNet mailing list, retrieved some back issues, read up, and eventually found the 800 number for Alcor. I called them, read their literature, and now I'm expecting my member sign-up kit to appear in the mail just any day now. When it does show up, you can bet your bottom dollar I'll follow through and join. I might have found them eventually, even without finding CryoNet first, but considering that I'd been interested in the issue for several years and not turned up any leads, this seems unlikely. CryoNet was the crucial first contact, that gave me the key to a shot at a second chance someday. If having our own Usenet newsgroup will generate more stories like this one, then I'm all for it. Regards, Bob Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=782