When I see blatant fantasy juxtaposed to at least the appearance of reality in cryonics literature, for example, the brochure's illustration of "advanced nanorobots called respirocytes" next to a photo of someone sitting at a lab bench and allegedly doing "Whole-body perfusion research," that compromises the effort at communication and throws into question cryonicists' seriousness and reality-orientation, in my judgment:
The same goes for Stephen Valentine's presentation about the "Timeship," another distraction from cryonics' priorities that I hope no cryonicist has wasted money on:
Ironically the panel discussion about "Wealth Preservation For Revival, Rejuvenation and Reintegration Into Society," sounds more grounded to me now than I would have thought a few years ago. Stephen Girard's trust provides evidence that someone can leave a fortune in a trust for a stated purpose, and that trustees over the succeeding centuries will protect the trust's assets and carry out the trustor's wishes. Similar trusts from the 19th Century must still exist, though I don't where to find them off hand. Cryonics reanimation and wealth-storing trusts would have real precedents to build upon.
On the whole, however, this conference has more of the look of cryonics theater than I would like to see. Improvements in suspension procedures, and ways to protect your assets in revival trusts? Certainly, I'd like to hear about those. But nanorobots and the Timeship? Don't waste my time.
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