LongeCity Newsletter
December
2013
Looking back...
For a while now, a guy called Caliban has send you these newsletters about what LongeCity is up to, but I haven’t said much about myself. This is an exception. I was born in Germany but left that country when I started working seriously in science law and bioethics I found the 'German attitude' to scientific progress frustrating and stifling. I now spend much of my time in the UK, but last week I visited the US west coast. I attended a stem cell meeting in San Diego, visited the Buck Institute, companies -startup and established- and the SENS foundation labs and offices. I met, among others, Aubrey deGrey, Ben Best, Kevin Perott, Mondey, John Schloendorn, Justin Rebo – all advisors or former leaders at LongeCity. I also made new connections within the vibrant Californian life extension ‘scene’ and I hope a few will check out LongeCity.
Looking back at my trip I am reminded of the power of locational dynamics: I left my home country and also was interested in LongeCity for the same reason: we all need productive dialogue to develop and grow. Bringing people together in a space where they find it easy to connect and communicate generates huge benefits. We hope and believe that this space can also be a virtual one. One of the arguments for choosing the name ‘LongeCity’ in our rebranding a few years ago was to highlight our aim of a virtual ‘city’ for life extension where like-minded people can find a 'neighborhood' for making connections.
Looking back at this year I am happy that this idea still works: people from very different walks of life and parts of the world have come together at LongeCity and shared their thoughts, information and ideas. The community has come together to pool resources where it mattered:
- in our annual research fundraiser, have raised an unprecedented amount to help the mito-SENS project,
-we also raised funds to explore the potential life-extending effects of ‘buckyballs’ in olive oil,
-we game together for the cryonics hardship fund for an ALS sufferer,
-we supported local gatherings like the Lifespan Society of British Columbia and the radical life extension meeting in Washington, DC.
Meanwhile dialogue continued in the regular interview podcast, with columnists and bloggers, around videos and quizzes, in picture contests, on facebook, and of course on our ever-vibrant open forums about nutrition, cognitive enhancement, policy, culture and many other topics, while new initiatives are also being planned in the members area.
Looking back at that very Members corner -the 'Immortality Institute', I have to wonder, always, if we could have done more. We started the year with a series of surveys and members were asked many times since to chime in on current issues, but whether the response is quick or sluggish we can't stop doing this. To this end, there we are re-launching our members survey and the call for volunteers.
Doing that, we are not just looking back, but also look forward to the new year and many years beyond!
MONTHLY FORUM FEATURE:
On a seasonal shopping spree? Did you know that at no extra cost, to you, your purchases on amazon.com can support life extension advocacy and research at LongeCity?
MONTHLY COLUMN:
Franco Cortese argues that advocating life extension is as important as contributing funding or conducting research.
SENS YEAR-END FUNDRAISER
Fight Aging!, Jason Hope, and Methuselah Foundation will each match the next $15,000 donated to the SENS Research Foundation before 2013 ends!
Caliban
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