[ExI] Arthur C. Clarke dies

[Lee Corbin]

Eliezer writes

> Person:  "Oh, I've often thought about signing up for cryonics, but I 
> haven't gotten around to it yet."
> 
> Me:  "If you have an accident before you get around to it, it will be 
> death by stupidity."
> 
> Person (pauses):  "Good point."
> 
> I think that as long as not signing up for cryonics for stupid reasons 
> remains socially acceptable, people are going to go on not signing up 
> for cryonics for stupid reasons....

Yes.  Talk is cheap.  By the way, I wonder what proportion
of the people who've just posted in this thread are signed up,
or have even *tried* signing up?

"I'm too young and healthy."  (Nicely handled by Eli)
"I'm too old and poor".
"I live too far away from Michigan."
"I live in another country entirely---it's hopeless for me".
"It might work, but it might not."

Every one of those excuses has a decisive flaw. Take the last for example.

I actually had a friend who, in essence actually gave a version of that
last answer. He said that he had three reasons for not signing up.

       (1)  It might not work.
       (2)  Future people might not bring him back
       (3)  He might not like living there in the future if they did.

His reasons bothered me for several days---something about them
seemed somehow...... peculiar.  Then suddenly, I realized what it was!
I had known people who gave exactly the same three reasons *to* sign up:

       (1)  It might work.
       (2)  Future people might bring me back
       (3)  I might really like living there

Talk about my friend looking at the glass as half-empty!

Look, all you need is a life-insurance policy with the Cryonics
Institute made out as the beneficiary.  Take a look at the
Michigan based group's web site:  http://www.cryonics.org/
At least call them and find out just what they can offer today.

Then, after you've found out the bare minimum that is required to give
you a chance at beating death, start calling insurance agents. (Start 
with Rudi Hoffman first, of course, http://www.rudihoffman.com
 But you may be able to beat the price he can get you.)

For example, when I signed up in 1988, I asked my brother what he
thought.  It took him fifteen seconds or so to say, "What do I have
to lose?", and laugh.   And, but for the details, he was on-board.

We got him a very, very cheap policy out of a company in Oklahoma.
It was (and still is for him) less than $300 a year!  Why, practically
everyone spends more than that every day on food that isn't good for
him or her.  WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LESS THAN A DOLLAR
A DAY.  Of course, that was when the dollar was worth more, but
unless you've checked it out---you won't find out just how cheaply
you can get it done.

On with my story:   Well, that little life insurance company went 
bankrupt a few years later, but the State of Oklahoma stepped in
and took over, and before too long another little company was
reaping those monthly or yearly payments.  At no point was my
brother or Alcor in any danger of not being paid if Alan died.

That company was evidently more efficient (all hail the free market
system!) because they're still going.

So don't worry too much about *what* company you use. 

Just start making plans *today*.

Lee