Meeting Notes 2012 07 24

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Agenda[edit]

The 226th Meeting of Noisebridge Note-taker: They call him Zephyr Moderator: Danny, though he reserves the right to quit.

Introduction and Names[edit]

The Hackpad is hackpad.com/OUvowt1VSy7

Danny is stressed about not being the note-taker.

We've decided to call this place Noisebridge. We have a longer name, unknown to the uninitiated.

Noisebridge is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides a space for creation, collaboration, and learning about technology and creative projects. Noisebridge provides space, power tools, and infrastructure to help the public learn new skills and create cool things. Noisebridge continues to exist through and depends entirely on membership fees and donations. Our code of conduct is 'Be excellent to each other'."

Danny is about to venture into the heart of darkness that is the consensus process.

"Doocracy", its about just doing things without permission. Really. Just do it.

Be excellent!

We don't embrace existing power control paradigms, we're something of ground grinders?

Danny is the voice of the people.

So who's here:

  • Danny is building a robot that IS hilarious. (Noisebridge Derby Upcoming?)
  • Leif is working on a threshold pledge system similar to kickstarter. Will post updates!
  • Claudia is just here to check out Noisebridge, reading about GA.
  • Carlos is here and is making a terrible mistake.
  • Tom is also doing dangerous things. (Kernel recompile)
  • Carl, got a new computer! Carl is also the lord of the timebank (or at least the developer).
  • Gorda? Working on Sewing.
  • Rachel, does a lot of different things. Designes wearable interfaces. CLothes hacker. Sewing machine maitainence. Obstinant (sp?)
  • Nick, compiling a compiler
  • Zephyr here
  • Isis is currently doing figuring out Zombie scan again(?) (for china).
  • Nadim, loves cats. Here coincidentally. Wrote cryptocat, not socat though. OTR for Gchat and FB cchat. Not sleeping much.
  • Za (not a hacker) also develops TahoeFS in some capacity (Just added S3 support)
  • Mike (not an omsbudsman) Technowanderer. Not a quartermaster either.
  • Austin is currently reading AI. Digital spelunker.
  • Yoav been to NB a couple times and is working on 10 different random projects that never end.
  • Liz hangs around NB, messes around on a computer, trying to hack scooter into "something interesting"
  • Zack, modifies scooters. (boss)
  • Eric, not saying anything
  • Geronimo - Food programs for the needy, Blown away by how cool we are (who isn't)
  • John is doing boring things with blinking lights.
  • Cliff is three weeks in from Chicago, professional sign maker, wants to meet Miloh. Heard about noisebridge at Occupy.
  • Daniella, freedom fighter and member of the community. French teacher. Free education!
  • Jacob, hacking on random projects. Interested in color vision, photography, and interfaces for adjusting color in photographs.
  • Jesse Z (J-Z) founding member, here to learn.

Short Announcements[edit]

Zack says that theres only one label maker at NB. Supplies needed!

Additionally, it would be awesome if we introduced projects during meetings. Show and tell is cool. He's also soliciting donations (that are pretty cool). Hack the hack shelves! Tons of hard drive enclosures from aforementioned donations.

Tom has all of your Chaos needs. (RNG). They are so thoroughly random, you have no idea. That's exactly what an NSA spy would say.

Daniella is changing her french class to 6:30 to 8:30 on Fridays. Thats PM.

New or Stale Events[edit]

None

Membership Binder[edit]

Being a member of Noisebridge is not like being a member of a gym or your local chess club. Anyone can come to Noisebridge to hack and learn: you don't need to be a member for that. At Noisebridge, membership is something different: it means taking responsibility and committing to help to maintain, improve, and govern Noisebridge. As a member of Noisebridge, you don't just come here to hack and learn, you actively work to improve what you see around you, help to deal with problems, and make this community better than it is today.

If you want to show your commitment to Noisebridge and the community here without becoming a capital-M-Member, consider being a Noisebridge associate. Associates pay their dues to the treasurer just like members, use the space just like members, and are valued participants in the community just like members. The difference is that associate membership doesn't involve consensus: there's no need to go through consensus to become an associate, but associates don't get to block consensus either.

Lots of members up in the queue, no new members

Financial Report[edit]

Treasurer's report, delivered after the fact: $17106.20, one $480 check yet to be cashed, going to pay rent soon.

Consensus items[edit]

That Snail be President of Noisebridge[edit]

I guess we're deferring this. We're trying to trick her into being president. Oh my. Let's queue up a discussion on personal autonomy. We're hoping for a watergate-esque scenario so she can have a convienent exit. Tom is secretly Spiro Agnew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leif is worried that we should announce it in a way such that she might actually find out we're trying to make her president. We don't usually sneak presidency on someone, it's just this once, we promise. Leif doesn't actually feel so strongly about the issue to motivate a discussion. Snail's president now. Deal with it.

It is the consensus of Noisebridge that Snail is president.

There will be a strait to video remake of our election process I'm sure.

Thiel Money[edit]

Previously discussed at meetings on June 26, July 3, July 10, July 17, and later on July 31.

Danny proposes signing the grant agreement as specified Grants/tf2012‎.

Danny O'Brien admits his conflict of interest talking about Peter Thiel.

Rachel just became moderator.

Designated "Chosen One"

Many moons ago, a man from a faraway land came, he called himself "Peter Thiel", claiming to have vast fortune won in the many nymwars in his home country, he offered a bounty for any hackerspace that was named "Noisebridge", offerring a.. surprisingly small amount of money (10k) so that this chosen hackerspace could... whatever, basically.

Peter Thiel is not just giving this money to Noisebridge.

We let him know we're serious.

Apparently he can't just give money away.

Zephyr can't find the text of this grant, he doesn't know very much about computers.

The words "coworking" were used, we had to talk to our people and have them talk to their people about getting that changed to "hacking" or whatever. They've been contacted again in response to the grant, they understand that we don't want their money (suspicious). She said "my manager will flip his shit if theres no contract", that's verbatim.

At least 4 people were mad about it last week so we decided to talk about it right now.

So here we are.

Reasons, rachel asks.

Leif tells us that he has two objections, first and foremost, we're rich and we don't need their money in general. Too complicated to actually use. Noisebridge is "lean" and "fit". Leif points out that this actully is a contrct. Peter Thiel is a mean jerk says Leif. Delete your facebook account, close your paypal, spoof DHCP at Defcon, Reject hacker class exploitation!

He also will want reports, and this is a hassle. Leif points out that we can't easily launder this money which means we'll have to document how we "wheel and deal" (as it were).

Danny explains that he actually thought of this and has it covered. He knows things.

No squabbling allowed.

Objection your honor, calls for speculation. (basically).

In all seriousness, we have to do what is in the contract which actually is something that people can enforce.

Explains that they pretty much don't care anyway and their cool with us doing whatever with it. Believe Danny. Wants to secretly go to court.

Rachel asks the terms of the contract to use our name. Dealings with the devil afoot?

Rachel is worried about us making Peter Thiel more legit.

They will use our name so we just have to deal with it.

Leif is guilt tripping us now.

Our prudent reserve needs to increase, if it's formal or otherwise the Thiel Foundation can claim support of Noisebridge irrespective of the legal framework of the agreement.

Erics requests us to "play hardball"

Are we about to take "tobacco money".

Cans of worms have been opened!!!!

Eric would rather sit out on the sidewalk than take money from that Peter Thiel guy.

We don't not make judgements about people giving us money, we're very accepting in that way.

We should put our checks up for blockability.

Thats what it says.

It's been revealed that Noisebridge is supported by drug deals.

Rachel points out that our membership has steadily increased. We're facing the challenge every mid-life rock band faces - Do we sell out or go big on a major label (or charitable foundation, as the case may be)

Leif is not unilaterally blocking but he's disappointed in us.

Maybe we should talk more.

Noisebridge cannot help Peter Thiel find religion, although "That would be awesome"

PHOENIX WRIGHT OUT OF LEFT FIELD, TOM DELIVERS HARD HITTING LEGAL COMMENTARY.

Tom finds no difference between the contract and the check.

Tom would like us to take the money and "stash it away" in a swiss bank/bitcoin wallet/copper pennies.

Tom refuses to withdraw!

Looks like we're going to talk about it some more.

Danny reasonably suspects that they're getting tired of our stuff.

Though sympathetic against the counterarguments, Danny thinks we should do this.

People might think that turning down money is kindof weird, even if it's from Peter Thiel and his army of demons.

FLASH FROM THE PAST: Remember when Mitch boycotted Maker Faire.

Danny works with Peter Thiel and thinks he's a cool guy. Has "a relationship with him". I'll just leave it at that.

Doesn't want to personally be in a situation where we make statues out of shit.

JZ says that he cares about Noisebridge and just wants us to do something cool. Quotes Kierkegaard.

Is Noisebridge a person? He's cashing checks but now he's entering a contract! Where will the madness end!

Leif stands aside.

Za stands inside.

Za explains that PT started a company to do some nasty stuff. Maybe we should have a bar? PT must repent for his sins before _______ (insert deity) !!!!! (by giving us 10k)

Objections being raised are about PT's personal record, could be irrelevant?

Noisebridge could become a laboratory for military computing. Do we want people to think this is a lab to hire hackers in??!??!? Certainly not. The contract is a trap.

Danny is getting impatient.

I'm just going to stop writing for a little while, this is embarrassing.

A man wiser than myself once said "Once many men are making a decision, it will soon be that noone will"

Conclusion: deferred until next week.

Proposals from last week[edit]

Proposals for next week[edit]

Danny seeking deposition of Snail. Allegations of impropriety as president.

Discussion Items[edit]

Jesse promises not to set foot in Noisebridge until the conclusion of the cases against him, except, once tomorrow, to collect his possessions.

End of Meeting[edit]