13 replies to this topic

[bacopa]

Ok it looks like we all sent letters for June. Now it's time for July.



Criteria- We'll post this some place more official when we get it worked out, but here is the starter list.
-somebody we can get through to about the cause.
-preferably mid range VIP, because big ones are likely to be bombarded with mail and or be too busy or full of themselves, etc... to small of a VIP and it can start to defeat the purpose.
-preferably somebody that has mentioned something related to this cause before, and of course that doesnt have a negative opinion of it. Direct mentions of living forever, or cryonics or something are best, but things like, for example we sent a letter out to Mark Cuban in November because he mentioned his open mindedness to performance enhancing drugs.
-make sure they are not negatively controversial.
-preferably somebody with a high top fade.
-more potential criteria to be added as we go.

This is a loose guideline, but recommended:

First Week- Pick three contacts, look up contact info, and call right away to verify you can reach them through the contact info. I suggest taking suggestions with reasons why now, 5 to 10 of them, then widdle them down on the 6th and 7th. Use the criteria, and remember that the criteria is evolving. You can add to that and discuss that any time too.

Second Week- Craft the letters.

Third Week- Put the final touches on the letters and send them out. Optional: send out an email at this time too.

Fourth Week- This week is a buffer week, for waiting for responses, doing optional potential calls, making sure the books get sent out, preparing for the next month, you could throw in a bonus contact or two during this time if your feeling ambitious.

[David Styles]

FYI, I sent this today to Richard Dawkins by email, and will do so later today by snail mail.

Dear Dr. Dawkins,

I hope you are well.

I'd like to invite you to debate at an upcoming international conference. The conference is being held at the International Auditorium in Brussels, the weekend of the 9th and 10th of October.

The theme of the conference is the scientific conquest of death, and I was wondering if you would consider arguing the case against the desirability (or achievability, if you prefer) of radical life extension. I observe that in some of your writings you make a case for the brevity of life being what makes it so precious, contrasted with for example the Judeo-Christian view of an eternity in Heaven.

Your counterpart in this debate (arguing for the desirability / achievability of radical life extension) would be Dr. Aubrey de Grey, the biogerontologist from Cambridge who is the Chief Research Officer of the SENS Foundation (Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence).

As you are both figures widely respected by the rational, scientifically oriented, secular humanist demographic, you would both be very well received by our conference delegates, making the debate very interesting and remarkably fair.

The audience would be around 200 people at the venue plus viewers of the online video feed; those attending the conference would be a varied group ranging from eminent scientists to lay enthusiasts.

Naturally we would arrange your flights and hotel; do let me know if you'd have any other needs.

I understand that you are doubtlessly in high demand; if you can only come for one day (such as to participate in the debate on Saturday), that would be quite understandable too.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Warm regards,

Eternally,

David Styles

On behalf of the conference team

Immortality Institute International Conference
Saturday the 9th and Sunday the 10th of October
The International Auditorium, Brussels

http://www.imminst2010.com

[brokenportal]

Ill be writing Sergey Brin this month.

[David Styles]

By the way, I've been asked what my letters look like visually when I send them (letterheading, etc).

Here is an image:

 dawkinsletterimg.jpg   91.62KB   25 downloads

[chrwe]

I`m excusing myself during July and August because of my kids school summer vacation (very hard to get my normal work done already during that time)

[Agent]

By the way, I've been asked what my letters look like visually when I send them (letterheading, etc).

Here is an image:

 dawkinsletterimg.jpg   91.62KB   25 downloads

"You do not have permission to view this attachment."

 Error.gif   15.77KB   17 downloads

[Agent]

By the way, I've been asked what my letters look like visually when I send them (letterheading, etc).

Here is an image:

 dawkinsletterimg.jpg   91.62KB   25 downloads

Damn, yummy!

(Now it works; thanks, forum fixers!)

[bacopa]

I think that letter to Dawkins was great. We need to engage our critics and Dawkins is someone we tried to interest in the movement. I think inviting him to imminst's conference is something he might very well be interested in.

He might even reconsider once he learns more about it.

I'm in the process of trying to brainstorm low to mid level VIP's.

[Agent]

I think that letter to Dawkins was great. We need to engage our critics and Dawkins is someone we tried to interest in the movement. I think inviting him to imminst's conference is something he might very well be interested in.

He might even reconsider once he learns more about it.

This time it was a decent offer from the part of ImmInst.

What can ImmInst offer to those "lower" VIPs?

I am thinking of a Polish physicist living in the US. He may be not known in the US but writes articles for Polish magazines. Interested in science in general, history, psychology, popularization of science. Recently (February/May) touched the topic of robots, singularity, quoted Nick Bostrom, mentioned Ray Kurzweil, etc. His articles appear on a Polish portal where you can also find ones by Richard Dawkins.

What can ImmInst offer him?

Invite him to the conference?
An interview?
Writing articles for the portal?

Ideas?

[bacopa]

One member showed an article where singer Tom Jones expressed he wanted to live forever, so I am going to write him.

Another member made the point that perhaps we should ask our celebs if they want to anonymously support the cause for the obvious fear of the haters and religious right going against them could be an obvious problem, especially since celebs are in the public eye constantly of course.

Agent, for the physicist imminst has the Sunday Evening Update, and if it's ok with the Leadership we can perhaps try inviting him to imminst's conference, if it's not too late already, or other H + conferences in the future.

Focusing on lower clout VIP's is obviously going to get way more hits than the Tom Jone's.

[brokenportal]

Inviting people to the conference, lets remember to think that into our August and September picks. Try to make them people in similar fields in the area of Belgium.

Ill be sending this out tomorrow. Suggested adjustments please do make.

Hello Mr. Brinn,

I work with the Movement for Indefinite Life Extension. With the way the world is progressing these days, it should come as no surprise to you that research to end the aging process is underway. We are working, scrambling, marching, working as activists to do what we can to turn this into a world movement as soon as it can be, because a world that supports this makes it happen in our lifetimes. If you support this movement then call me and we’ll discuss how you might want to use your star power to help bolster this urgent, time sensitive cause. We’re sending you a free copy of our book the Scientific Conquest of Death. We are holding an international conference in Brussels Belgium in October of this year. You can find out more about that at imminst2010.com.

Very Best of Regards,
Eric Schulke
Director
Imminst
1-715-344-4054

[brokenportal]

Inviting people to the conference, lets remember to think that into our August and September picks. Try to make them people in similar fields in the area of Belgium.

Ill be sending this out tomorrow. Suggested adjustments please do make.

Hello Mr. Brinn,

I work with the Movement for Indefinite Life Extension. With the way the world is progressing these days, it should come as no surprise to you that research to end the aging process is underway. We are working, scrambling, marching, working as activists to do what we can to turn this into a world movement as soon as it can be, because a world that supports this makes it happen in our lifetimes. If you support this movement then call me and we’ll discuss how you might want to use your star power to help bolster this urgent, time sensitive cause. We’re sending you a free copy of our book the Scientific Conquest of Death. We are holding an international conference in Brussels Belgium in October of this year. You can find out more about that at imminst2010.com.

Very Best of Regards,
Eric Schulke
Director
Imminst
1-715-344-4054

This letter was sent. 1 other, 2 for the month, looking good, need a few more. On to the next month.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM1RChZk1EU

[bacopa]

Dear Mr. Jones,

My name is Devon Fowler, and I head the VIP Outreach project at imminst.org, short for the Immortality Institute; a non-profit longevity/anti-aging organization.

You stated in a brief interview recently your desire to want to keep on performing forever, and well, our organization would like to see that happen one day.

Our organization is focused on research and advocacy into increasing the human lifespan by actually defeating the aging process in humans. What most people don't realize is that there is burgeoning research into ways to slow down, halt, or even reverse the aging process in people. I know, it sounds futuristic, if not fantastic, but I can assure you it's being very much worked on.

You may be familiar with Dr. Aubrey De Grey. He is a bio-gerontologist out of England who has set up an organization called the SENS Foundation. He plans on combating, what he calls, the 7 causes of aging through an innovative engineering approach; he has even written a top selling book called “Ending Aging,” which discusses his unique vision.

There is much, much more going on currently in the anti-aging/longevity field, and my mission as VIP Outreach leader is to try to inform the world about what is going on.
The reasons for defeating the aging process are absurdly obvious; a longer life would allow us to do things not possible in the human life span currently. Imagine remaining youthful for longer; even indefinitely! Imagine not having to throw away your hopes and dreams so soon, or even for a very very long time!

I would love to chat with you further about this, as I don't have the time in this letter, so we cordially invite you to our online chat show called “Sunday Evening Update.” On this show we have talked with many other guests some famous in their fields about their opinions on life extension, and we would very much like to hear yours!

You can contact me at directly at fowlerdevon@gmail.com or on my cell at 617-905-3979.

Sincerely,
Devon Fowler

Portal if you think this is too long I can use your template if you don't mind.
VIP Project Manger

Edited by dfowler, 04 August 2010 - 06:27 AM.

[bacopa]

To Portal: I like that you said we are scrambling, working hard etc. to defeat aging, makes it sound as urgent as possible, I may borrow that line if that's ok.