[ExI] Alcor scandal

[BillK]

On 10/3/09, Damien Broderick wrote:
>  Of course it is. I'm amazed that apparently nobody commenting has bothered
> to google the Alcor site, where it's the top link, pointing to the garbage
> being spewed in 2003:
>

For all cryonics businesses, trust is the biggest factor for customers.

The customer (or their dependents) pay a lot of money to the company
and get almost nothing in return, except 'trust'.

They trust the company to process the body to the best of their
ability and to maintain the frozen storage for ever.

That's it.  The problem is that for the company people involved, there
is no outside 'Quality of Service' checkup. Once the goods are frozen
then they will never be inspected within the lifetime of these
employees. There could be anything in these stainless steel
containers, in any condition, and none of the present employees will
face any penalties for bad behavior.  Trust is essential.

The companies give no guarantees for the condition of the remains, as
their procedures are constantly changing, 'improving' as they say. No
guarantee either for developing the new science of revival and damage
repair or paying for the costs of revival or support of any
'revivees'.

A lot of trust is required and bad publicity could ruin the business.


BillK