The authorities in Lansing just figured out, after only a little over a quarter of a century, that there's a cryonics facility in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Now, of course, they've decided that they have to regulate it, but they don't know how. They think that it's a combination mortuary and cemetery (which, for some unexplained reason, can't both legally be done in the same place). Of course, it's neither, but they can't suspend any new patients until it gets sorted out.

[via Howard Lovy]

This is BAD. I'm signed up with them. I'll post what I find out, I'm calling right now to see what the hell is going on.

Janessa Ravenwood

Thank you, Janessa. We'll be looking forward to a first-hand report...

Okay, my "first hand report" is...nothing. I've left messages yesterday and today, no response. Maybe they're hunkering down and trying to ride out the storm. If so, I'm not really sure if I agree that's a good strategy for PR. Or they could just be busy up their eyeballs. I'll let you know when I finally get through to a real person, for now the machine is manning the lines.

They're hunkered down and sorting out the response; you can find some (sparse, understandably) details in the cryonet archives.

Okay, I managed to get ahold of Andy Zawacki, facility manager of CI. They're definitely on top of this and in the interim are insuring that no one is left in the lurch, possibly through subcontracting through Suspended Animation in Florida. Within a week or so a public response should be available on their website after they take whatever action they decide to take.

Andy's story: For the past year or so, some bureaucrat flunky has called them every other month or so and asked a question or two, then they don't hear from him for a while. All of a sudden, out of the blue, they get calls from the press asking them about a 'Cease and Desist Order' that they were served with. What C&D Order? Oh, that arrived a bit later in the day. Nice to know the press was notified about this little power play BEFORE CI was. Is someone bucking for election somewhere?

Fortunately for me, Alcor's my primary and CI's just my backup, but still I worry and I'm royally pissed off at the Michigan state govt.