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[A1CR]

The following article from 23 Dec 2005 was writen by MR, but posted by Khurram:

After the debacle over the rather vicious attack, in _ Technology Review _, on the man who history may ultimately remember as the key agitator and theoretician in the emergence of an ageless (post) humanity, Dr. Aubrey de Grey.

... the Editor actually became quite sympathetic to Aubrey, and has had more contact with the life extension world (though he continues to be somewhat wary of trans-humanism as a form of scientistic religion (why exactly this should be objectionable is another argument) -- in particular at SENS2 (where I met him), and then at the MPrize "300" dinner. This was a gala event for members of the MPrize "300," who make a substantial commitment to the Prize, which is a research prize for the development of novel anti-aging treatments in mice; it featured Aubrey de Grey and inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil as speakers, and was organized by AS.

Earlier that afternoon, AS also personally cooked a luncheon with Ray that was auctioned off to IIRC 4 folks; because she is an amazing CR cook and a delightful, outgoing conversationalist, it was an enormous success, and Jason doubtless heard much about this at the dinner, while also enjoying the pleasure of her company himself. Learning that she was on CR; seeing that she "doesn't look like she's on CR" (ie, is slim and beautiful, and does not look like a concentration camp victim or even Kate Moss) and full of energy, health, and joie-de-vivre; and hearing (I expect) rave reviews on her cuisine from Ray and the auction winners, seems to have gotten him curious about CR. He's experimenting with it himself, and also decided to do an article on what it's like to do Christmas, CR-style -- with us as his study cases.

The article is here:

http://www.technologyreview.com/BioTech-Genomics/wtr_16078,312,p1.html

... complete with photos of the dinner and of us prepping and getting
ready to enjoy it (which we certainly did):

http://www.technologyreview.com/player/05/12/web_food/2.aspx

There are a few goofs and standard, irritating lines, but it was overall pretty favorable. It also grossly overplayed the importance of SIR2 ("Today, a small number of people try to trigger the therapeutic benefits of SIR-2 by practicing caloric restriction with optimal nutrition, CRON, or more simply, CR") -- ironically, just as it's becoming increasingly unlikely that the enzyme plays a role in mammalian CR IAC.

Still, the overall tone was nice. I was even reasonably pleased with the ending: One Technology Review editor, reviewing the menu, remarked, "I'd rather die young than eat that for Christmas." Nonetheless, both AS and MR insist their meal was neither small nor evil-tasting. Certainly, the pictures the couple sent us suggest that their holiday "feast" was sufficient -- and happily prepared and consumed.

The editor is just wrong. It was bloody marvelous, and I am quite confident that anyone who enjoys a conventional Thanksgiving-type dinner would be as much, or *more* impressed with this one (try the Jack Daniel's pumpkin sometime!).

Merry Solstice all! May this new year bring you further along your journey to a long and healthy life.

-MR