Laughlin Trusts Cryogenics: Freezing for the Afterlife

Cryogenics: The branches of physics and engineering that involve the study of very low temperatures, how to produce them, and how materials behave at those temperatures.

Cryonics: The emerging technology of cryo-preserving humans and animals with the intention of future revival.

Alcor, a Cryonics preservation facility is based in Scottsdale Arizona and is touted to be the largest in the world. ( It does seem ironic to me to have the coldest laboratory in one of the hottest regions of the world. Ah, but that's just me, I hate seeing the Polar bears in the Zoos in the southwest, too. It seems inappropriate and somehow abusive. Irony is good, though, it keeps us thinking about some of the strange and bizarre ways we live.)

John Dickerson wrote the "Frozen Assets" in the "Lovin' Life after Fifty," Sunday supplement. www.lovinlife.com
Don Laughlin of Laughlin Nevada, the legendary founder of the Riverside Resort and Casino has decided to Cryo-preserve his body at exactly minus 360 degrees, where it will remain until science has determined it is able to revive and cure the health problem he dies with. It seems a lofty dream but, there is more. Since Mr. Laughlin is a billionaire, he has planned to freeze his assets too. Well, not exactly, but at least to put them in a trust for himself! How about that! Just last month I was wondering how the rich would figure a way to keep their millions if the Swiss banks freeze out the American wealthy tycoons in the IRS search for tax evaders. But . . . that is another can of worms.

Cryonics is a question of wanting to live forever. I am guessing those with money are the ones that prefer this option. There was a man (two thousand years ago) who told everyone how to do exactly that but it is a tad difficult and takes daily discipline to achieve this life after death. He even said money won't get you there. That sounds really good to me. I don't have a chance at being rich so I'd better try the self discipline thing to see the afterlife program.

There are a lot of guys opting for the buy in program as Alcor has eight hundred living clients planning on preserving their bodies or their heads for the someday revival. (A famous baseball player is supposed to be there.) According to Dickerson's article, another multimillionaire plans on doing the big chill with his wife and three dogs. Multimillionaire David Pizer also feels he can circumvent the legal issues after death by naming himself as his future benefactor of the trust. Pizer also of Arizona has planned big as he has no heirs to contest his last wishes. He is quoted as saying "I'd like to come back and buy a big spaceship and travel to other planets. Who knows, if you could live for thousands of years, maybe you could even get out of this galaxy." (Hmm, sounds reasonable.)

Laughlin has thought ahead though as he has left, besides his trust fund a reward for the scientific agency who is responsible for his reawakening, according to an "Afterlife-financial planning expert"; these trusts are growing in popularity. (That sounds like a good job.)

Rudy Hoffman is a Certified financial planner in Cryonics estate planning and has arranged life insurance funding for about four hundred living Cryonicists. He suggests they have a second trust fund set up to diversify their afterlife funds as they may be vulnerable to the surviving relatives. (Imagine it! Waking up with no money!)

The extremely rich may have come up with a way to take it with them after all. The bible says it will be very difficult for a rich man to enter into eternal heaven. I imagine it is a difficult challenge to a man with everything. So, a betting man might think, if that is the case, why leave at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcor_Life_Extension_Foundation

http://www.alcor.org/