X-Message-Number: 9420 Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:15:15 -0400 From: Saul Kent <> Subject: Priorities I agree with Perry Metzger that cryonics can be run as a business and that it can make money. I also agree with Perry that the money can be raised to run cryonics as a business. If Bill Faloon and I chose to invest our money in running cryonics as a business today, it could be run that way. In my opinion, however, it would extremely difficult to make money running cryonics as a business today because the product we're selling is not good enough. As I see it, the consequences of having a poor product are as follows: 1) Lack of Credibility -- With the scientific and medical communities, with the media, and with the public-at-large. 2) Selling Difficulties -- It's difficult to sell cryonics today, even with the best sales people because the product and the credibility of cryonics is so poor. The resistance that has to be overcome can be enormous, even for people who *want* to sign up. It's also inappropriate to use "high pressure" tactics to sign people up for a service that is not recognized by the authorities in any way, and that requires a fair amount of money. Because of all this, we have chosen to invest our money in research through 21st Century Medicine. Moreover, in the coming year I have decided to spend a good deal of my time seeking to raise money from others for research. Before the end of 1998, I expect to have a business plan and prospectus for 21 Century Medicine, which will be used in my efforts to obtain investors for the company. I believe that, when 21CM demonstrates significantly improved cryonics methods in research papers published in peer-reviewed science and medical journals, patents and videotapes, as well as a well-funded, long-term research program aimed at perfected suspended animation, it will much easier to sell cryonics to the world, to run cryonics as a business, and to make money doing it. ---Saul Kent, CEO 21st Century Medicine Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=9420