# Maybe if they can find an 11th level Cleric

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-if-they-can-find-an-11th-level-cleric/539504>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 15, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-if-they-can-find-an-11th-level-cleric/539504 "2010-05-15T02:22:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-if-they-can-find-an-11th-level-cleric/539504/1 "2010-05-15T02:22:07Z")

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Orville Richardson died in February 2009 at the age of 81. Before dying, he had contracted with Alcor Life Extension Foundation to have his head crogenically preserved. But when Orville died, his family decided to go the more traditional route and had him buried with his head still attached.

Alcor said it had a contractual obligation to the late Mr Richardson and took the family to court to enforce it. The Iowa Court of Appeals ruled in Alcor’s favor this week and ordered Richardson’s body to be exhumed so Alcor could take possession of his head.

Let me repeat - Orville Richardson died in February of 2009. I’m thinking even the most optimistic proponent of cryogenic revival is going to call this one a lost cause at this point. [cite](http://www.wqad.com/news/sns-ap-ia--burlingtonbody-cryonics,0,651170.story)

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**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-if-they-can-find-an-11th-level-cleric/539504/2 "2010-05-15T02:31:28Z")

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I’ve always wondered whether ANYone actually offering that service believes it’s anything but Dead Body Storage.

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**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-if-they-can-find-an-11th-level-cleric/539504/3 "2010-05-15T17:06:02Z")

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If you don’t think Alcor is a scam, google [Ted Williams’ head](http://www.google.ca/search?q=ted+williams+head&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a).

I love that I still have a tab open to the Wikipedia entry for [percussive adjustment](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percussive_maintenance) left over from another thread.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-if-they-can-find-an-11th-level-cleric/539504/4 "2010-05-16T00:16:14Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> If you don’t think Alcor is a scam, google Ted Williams’ head.

I don’t think I’d call it a scam. They’re not claiming they’re going to revive you on a given schedule. All they’re offering is to freeze your head and store it - and as far as I can tell, they do that.

As for claims of damages, you’re a decapitated dead frozen head. The concept of personal injury claims seems kind of moot.