X-Message-Number: 809
Subject: CRYONICS Re: Irony and Sunnyvale
From:  (Edgar W. Swank)
Date: Tue, 05 May 92 12:24:18 PDT

> Subject2: Good Fences make Good Neighbors.
 
I'd like to respond to the various comments by Alcor members about
my posting of Alavie's invitation for Alcor to lease space in the
new Sunnyvale building.  First I'd like to thank Michael Paulle for
the conciliatory note of his messages.
 
In response to Russell Whitaker, no-one is suggesting that ACS and
Alcor "should be one big, happy, share-all family".  All we're
suggesting is sharing is the same building.  Re Thomas Donaldson's
comment, this does not require a lot of mutual trust.  Both Alcor and
Alavie would be protected by the terms of the lease, which would have
to be mutually agreed to.  The space(s) leased by Alcor would be
separated by stout partitions from the space(s) leased to ACS, TT,
Bio-Time, and other lessees.  If Alcor is worried that ACS/TT will
burglarize their space, I would suggest investing a few hundred
dollars in a good safe for storing any especially sensitive material.
If Alcor has other security concerns I suggest they discuss them with
Alavie. If Radio Shack and Good Guys (home electronics retailers),
Penny's and Macy's can share the same shopping malls, I don't see
why Alcor can't share the same building with ACS and TT.
 
As far as further cooperation between Alcor and ACS/TT, sharing a
building would at least offer a *possibility* of same if some
arrangement *mutually* advantageous to both organizations could be
found.  I tend to agree with Thomas that the basis of trust needs some
reinforcement (from both ends!) before that happens.
 
In response to Carlos' remarks, I regard the difference in the
"Rossi-Forel" seismic intensity scale as a valid concern, but not a
decisive one. This is a fairly new building, built, I'm sure, in
compliance with local construction codes and quite earthquake
resistant. I'm sure Alavie can provide you with more details. Surely a
little extra bracing, some steel frames around the suspension capsules
to protect them from falling debris will go a long way to answering
your concerns about earthquakes.
 
It's true that Art Quaife has had some second thoughts about moving TT
into the new building. Hopefully he will reconsider. Perhaps he
already has. I heard he was coming to the new building to do a TV
interview on 5/4. In any case, you all saw his message admitting to
having signed a 10-year lease. It will be expensive for TT if he wants
to break it.
 
This should not be a concern to Alcor. Even if Alavie sells out, any
leases already signed will be binding on the new owner.
 
In any case, ACS has already vacated its old Cupertino office and has
moved into the new building. The office is staffed after 11:00am most
weekdays. The new address and phone is:
 
165 Gibraltar Ct.
Sunnyvale
(408)734-4111
 
Approximate directions (better phone to be safe):
from 101 Exit East, take immediate right
turn right onto Moffet Park Dr.
turn left onto Boriegas,
left into Gibraltar Court.
 
For the time being the old Cupertino phone number is call-forwarded
to Sunnyvale.
 
Carlos also alleges "I'm confident that we could find larger and better
constructed buildings in Riverside County at about 80% of the price Alavie
paid."  If that's true, it's strange that Alcor was considering buying
"bargain" Arizona real estate at a significantly higher price per
square foot. I would suggest you at least contact Alavie to get a
ball-park figure for your needs.  If you then can find a better value
elsewhere, by all means go for it.
 
Finally, if Alcor is as confident as it says it is that its services
are so superior to those offered by ACS and TT, it should welcome the
opportunity to confront ACS and TT on their home turf. Certainly any
potential customers who come to tour the ACS and TT facilities are
likely to visit Alcor also, since it wouldn't take them far out of
their way!
 
Such visible competition is likely to force both organizations to
address whatever deficiencies they have relative to the other. The
sure winner is all cryonics consumers.

--
 (Edgar W. Swank)
SPECTROX SYSTEMS +1.408.252.1005  Silicon Valley, Ca

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