October 24th, 2017 IRC Meeting

Decisions/Endorsements

Next meeting is on Halloween. Will turn out be low? Move to another day?

Projects

Planning for 2018 Elections & Organizing

Training schedule:

• 11/18, Milford Training
• 12/9 or 12/10: Holyoke (finalizing date and location with local organizer)
• January: Boston
• February: Worcester

Once we set dates for the trainings we will put up a poll asking about our 2018 conference and whether to change it into several regional conferences.

In 2018, towns decide when their elections are held, but most are held in the first half of the year. State & county elections are in November. What offices are up in 2018 is listed here. We have been asked to hold a town election training in Milford this year.

Nomination papers for federal/state/county elections are available in mid-February. State/county candidates have until the end of May to gather all of their signatures, while federal candidates have until the end of July. The number of signatures needed vary from 150 for State Rep. to 2000 for US House of Representatives.

The electronic election for our officers went well in 2017, and we should consider doing it again. Such a change would allow us to decentralize our yearly conference and hold multiple regional conferences in different parts of the state. We could schedule monthly conferences starting in March or April. We could limit them to about 4-5 hours long, with the first half being training and the second half being discussion. If we want to go this route, we should ask our members soon and see who wants to organize their regional conference.

Digital Right of Repair

Details. Making calls to volunteers and members.

Other To Dos

S.1241 - Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Counterfeiting Act of 2017

Approved our opposition to S.1241. Need statement (Joe)

FOSS Tutorials

Worcester farm group is interested in having some FOSS tutorials. Perhaps:

• how to do basic labels in GIMP,
• work through a few sample spreadsheets related to seed cost and
• similarly applicable real-world situations, depending on the needs of the group

Basically how to do graph design & product management with open source tools. Malt will put together a one paragraph description of what we need and we can mail it out to ask pirates to help.

Tech/Outreach

• Review regular IRC meeting day. Poll sent to email list - Sent (jokeefe)
• email Loomio invite to supporters (jokeefe)
• set up torrents for PirateCon videos (creynolds)
• post remaining audio for PirateCon talks (srevilak)
• finish setup of myBB (jokeefe)
• install mattermost as slack alternative (jokeefe)

Mayfirst is looking at setting up a Discourse instance we could use.

Upcoming Events

• 10/25, 6-9pm, Somerville Cryptoparty, The Sprouts, 339R Summer Street, Somerville
• 11/4, 11am-2pm, South Boston Cryptoparty, South Boston BPL Branch, 646 East Broadway
• 11/8, City Election Day
• 11/11-12, Boston Anarchist Bookfair, Boston University George Sherman Union
• 11/18, 1pm-4pm, Town Government Workshop, Milford Public Library, 80 Spruce Street, Milford
• 11/29, 6-9pm, Somerville Cryptoparty, The Sprouts, 339R Summer Street, Somerville
• 12/17, Chelsea Manning's Birthday
• 12/27, 6-9pm, Somerville Cryptoparty, The Sprouts, 339R Summer Street, Somerville

See: 2017 calendar

Participants

Observers

• davidd
• igel_
• papegaai

Minutes

 


[9:03pm] jokeefe: Agenda: https://masspirates.org/wiki/October_24th,_2017_IRC_Meeting
[9:03pm] jokeefe: ids
[9:03pm] jokeefe: James O’Keefe, Somerville
[9:03pm] hvxgr: Tom Rodman - Milwaukee
[9:04pm] Malt: samuel capradae, worcester
[9:04pm] Joe: Joseph Onoroski, Lowell
[9:05pm] jokeefe: Anything to add?
[9:06pm] Joe: Nay
[9:06pm] hvxgr: no
[9:07pm] jokeefe: Anything to review?
[9:07pm] Malt: some progress on booking space in worcester
[9:08pm] Joe: Can we open a pirate pad for the bill. I have my quick notes but have some kind of mental block in order to get it started
[9:08pm] jokeefe: which bill?
[9:08pm] Joe: S1241
[9:09pm] Joe: The one I have been slacking on for weeks, I want to attack it tonight after the meeting
[9:09pm] jokeefe: ok
[9:10pm] jokeefe: lets discuss under projects
[9:10pm] jokeefe: Decisions/Endorsements
[9:10pm] jokeefe: next meeting is on halloween, move to another day?
[9:11pm] Malt: agreed!
[9:11pm] Malt: thursday works for me
[9:11pm] Joe: Not for me though
[9:11pm] Joe: but I agree in moving it as well
[9:11pm] Malt: i host an event on weds which ends at 9 exactly, i might be late on weds
[9:11pm] jokeefe: Wednesday?
[9:12pm] Joe: How about Monday?
[9:12pm] jokeefe: I have a community meeting that may go late
[9:12pm] Malt: i usually read at an open mic
[9:12pm] Malt: i could attend on my phone but i wouldn't be able to contribute much
[9:12pm] jokeefe: Sunday night?
[9:12pm] Malt: assuming i had anything to contribute?
[9:13pm] Malt: sunday works
[9:13pm] jokeefe: or move later to Wednesday, 9:30pm or 10pm?
[9:13pm] Joe: Either works for me
[9:14pm] Moses joined the chat room.
[9:14pm] jokeefe: ahoy Moses
[9:14pm] Joe: Ahoy
[9:15pm] Malt: i could do 930 weds
[9:15pm] Moses: ahoy
[9:15pm] jokeefe: Moses, We are deciding when to move the next meeting since it is on Halloween
[9:15pm] Moses: oooo right
[9:16pm] Moses: what are the options?
[9:16pm] jokeefe: choices seem to be Sunday night or Wednesday night, but starting at 9:30 or 10pm
[9:16pm] jokeefe: I can do either, but Wednesday night would be better
[9:17pm] jokeefe: preferences?
[9:17pm] Joe: Lets do Wednesday but later
[9:18pm] Malt: wednesday it is i guess
[9:18pm] jokeefe: Moses?
[9:18pm] Joe: That way we can meet up for that stuff on Sunday
[9:18pm] jokeefe:
[9:18pm] Moses: yea wed 9!
[9:19pm] jokeefe: Wed 9:30-10:30pm, ok?
[9:19pm] Malt: ok!
[9:19pm] Joe: I second
[9:19pm] Joe: <3
[9:20pm] jokeefe: all in favor?
[9:20pm] Joe: Aye
[9:20pm] Moses: i!
[9:20pm] Malt: aye
[9:20pm] jokeefe: ok, it is done then
[9:21pm] jokeefe: Projects
[9:21pm] jokeefe: Fundraiser - Joe, you had some ideas?
[9:21pm] Joe: Yes
[9:22pm] Joe: I think that the dinner is the most plausible solution to come up with the money. Charge $100 per plate and have a catered event at either a lodge or hotel conference.
[9:23pm] Moses left the chat room. (Quit: https://webchat.pirateirc.net/)
[9:24pm] Joe: The reason I would promote the dinner at such a place is that it would encourage open discussion as it did at your house while still being in a professional setting.
[9:25pm] Malt: what about a pay what you can brakelight repair event? i don't think we
[9:25pm] Malt: 're going to attract a lot of folk at $100 a plate
[9:25pm] jokeefe: So we would need to find a place to host / cater it and people to organize it
[9:26pm] Joe: If we did it at a lodge, we could swing 50 a plate and still make money on the event
[9:27pm] Joe: https://www.uniquevenues.com/non-profit
[9:27pm] Malt: i think if we had a more established base, like a bigger party, it would work
[9:27pm] Moses joined the chat room.
[9:28pm] Malt: but I don't think we've got something people would be willing to spend $50 to hear
[9:28pm] Joe: If we have food, they will come.
[9:28pm] Malt: well yes, but they might not have $50
[9:29pm] Moses: sorry i got disconnected - $50 to hear what?
[9:29pm] Malt: us talk about the pirate party
[9:29pm] jokeefe: fundraiser
[9:30pm] Joe: Some will, some won't. The point is that if we made it a yearly event, then each year would be something we would be looking forward to. Esp if we plan for this far enough in advance
[9:30pm] jokeefe: I think it would be good if we got together with Aaron and review the fundraising he did
[9:30pm] Malt: local democrats can swing big plates because they've got celebrities folks want to meet
[9:31pm] hvxgr: At last years semi-annual state GP meeting a celeb - David Cobb "shook us down for money", like an auctioneer.  It was a bit uncomfortable, but it worked.
[9:31pm] jokeefe: yup
[9:31pm] Malt: we could expand on the crypto cafe idea
[9:31pm] Malt: antivirus/antimalware cafe. open source geek squad, basically
[9:31pm] jokeefe: those tend to be free, though
[9:31pm] Joe: Sell baked goods at the crypto party?
[9:31pm] Malt: yeah
[9:31pm] Moses: can someone rebreif me?
[9:32pm] Malt: sell baked goods, ask for donations, sell repair tools
[9:32pm] Joe: We are discussing ways to fundraise for the party
[9:33pm] Malt: if people are waiting 45 minutes for a laptop scan to finish, they'll want a snack
[9:33pm] Joe: If we hold the meeting anywhere in Boston, it's going to be costly
[9:33pm] jokeefe: put the transcript so far up at https://masspirates.org/wiki/October_24th,_2017_IRC_Meeting
[9:33pm] Malt: we can test the cafe-as-fundraiser model at our Worcester meeting in Feb
[9:33pm] Moses: thank you @jokeefe
[9:33pm] Malt: I know someone we can partner with for snacks
[9:33pm] Joe: That's works for me
[9:34pm] jokeefe: as long as it isn’t in a government building, sure, we can ask for money
[9:34pm] Malt: it's not!
[9:34pm] Joe: https://www.elks.org/lodges/contactus.cfm?lodge=87
[9:36pm] Malt: hey, since I mentioned Worcester, I was wrong about how far out you have to book library space, turns out the window is two weeks to three months in advance
[9:36pm] Malt: http://mywpl.org/meeting-rooms
[9:36pm] jokeefe: cool
[9:37pm] Malt: if i understand correctly, there's only a fee if custodians have to stay later than normal
[9:37pm] Malt: they've got a projector and screen and audio setup
[9:37pm] jokeefe: great
[9:37pm] Joe: Well, the elks lodge is my major point to the fundraising, either that or something similar.
[9:37pm] Malt: it might be useful to partner with them on a mutual goal
[9:38pm] Malt: to establish a relationship first
[9:38pm] Joe: They tend to be low cost in comparison, so we may be able to swing it.
[9:38pm] Joe: I know a few people already at my local one, so that should not be a problem.  The challenge would be selling tickets to go.
[9:39pm] Malt: right, exactly. we need to offer something folk want to pay for.
[9:40pm] Joe: Guest speakers I think would be the way to go.
[9:40pm] jokeefe: suggest we take this discussion to the activist list and get some more perspectives and volunteers. does that work?
[9:40pm] Malt: aye
[9:40pm] Joe: Sounds good
[9:40pm] Joe: Do you want me to reach out to the lodge?
[9:40pm] jokeefe: sure, always good to get #s
[9:41pm] Joe: k, it will be done tomorrow.
[9:41pm] jokeefe: thanks
[9:41pm] jokeefe: Monthly Video Magazine
[9:41pm] Malt: i can do audio editing
[9:42pm] jokeefe: cool
[9:42pm] jokeefe: steve has mics and knows how to use them
[9:43pm] Joe: I have video editing locked down as well.
[9:44pm] Malt: is there a local TV station we could record at?
[9:44pm] Malt: simulcasting online might be complicated but if the infrastructure exists we ought to make use of it
[9:45pm] jokeefe: we have used somerville community access tv in the past. I believe they charge $100/yr
[9:45pm] Joe: In Lowell there is, and I know the producers but we can do it far cheaper if we just get the camera
[9:45pm] jokeefe: I have a video camera
[9:45pm] Joe: It's about the same in lowell
[9:45pm] Joe: I have my heavy duty mic as well
[9:46pm] Malt: it's not just the camera, it's also that it's also broadcast into area homes
[9:46pm] Malt: if we use a local tv network
[9:46pm] jokeefe: anyone can give community tv a dvd to play, plus youtube
[9:47pm] Malt: same with terrestrial radio, the reach is local and immediate
[9:47pm] Malt: we'd be advantaged tying our online presence to community based work
[9:47pm] jokeefe: agreed
[9:48pm] Joe: I have been interested in starting a radio station at some point but first step is to start online where there are almost no cost in production
[9:48pm] jokeefe: so we need to set a date to get together and record
[9:48pm] Malt: we don't need to start our own, just find space on a community station
[9:48pm] Joe: I think Sunday nights are the best time for myself if we are going to do a recording.
[9:48pm] Malt: yeah same
[9:49pm] Malt: places with parking make the commute remarkably simpler, just saying
[9:49pm] Joe: We could come together every Sunday working on the script and on the last Sunday of the month put it up online?
[9:49pm] jokeefe: in the same place or remotely?
[9:49pm] Malt: ohhhhh
[9:49pm] Malt: yeah remotely works
[9:50pm] Joe: Well, for recording the actual video I suggest we meet in person
[9:51pm] jokeefe: google hang out for planning, meet in person once a month for the recording?
[9:51pm] Joe: If we met every week in person it would make things a bit easier since we would be in the habit but that could be costly as well.
[9:52pm] Malt: i've seen some web based talk shows that tab between multiple webcams
[9:52pm] Malt: never touched the software, mind you
[9:52pm] Joe: Yes, but they often they have multiple labs to shoot
[9:53pm] Joe: The expense part is setting things up properly
[9:53pm] Joe: I can do that for us but I don't want to do it everywhere
[9:53pm] Joe: One location will be just fine.
[9:54pm] Joe: Plus I a very familiar with the software and how to stream/record only. I also have the high-end editing software for it as well.
[9:54pm] jokeefe: would you send me info on the mic you use, Joe?
[9:54pm] Joe: The mic is nothing special, any wide mouth mic will do in fact.
[9:55pm] Malt: http://www.bluemic.com/products/yeti/
[9:55pm] Joe: It's more the equipment around it
[9:55pm] Malt: got one of these bad boys
[9:56pm] Joe: I think I only paid 80 for the mic, but then got a few key items for it
[9:56pm] jokeefe: thanks
[9:56pm] Joe: I would be happy to loan the MAPP my equipment for free, so we can 'test the waters' and not have a big impact
[9:57pm] Malt: anyway, i think recording over the internet makes fine radio, but if we wanted a videocast recording in person would be much more compelling
[9:57pm] jokeefe: Joe, are you willing to try google hangouts for the planning, and then meet in person to do the final video?
[9:57pm] Joe: I have no objection
[9:58pm] jokeefe: so this Sunday as the first planning meeting, then? when?
[9:58pm] Joe: Are we planning to connect this Sunday evening? If so, would it make sense to start on this project in early November?
[9:59pm] Joe: I would prefer a little earlier if that works for everyone. 7 - 7:30 start?
[10:00pm] Malt: think that's okay by me
[10:00pm] jokeefe: early november start is fine with me
[10:00pm] jokeefe: 7-7:30pm start is fine
[10:02pm] jokeefe: So, Nov. 5th then, with aim to have the video recorded on the 26th?
[10:02pm] Joe: Sounds good
[10:04pm] jokeefe: ok then
[10:04pm] Malt: anything else?
[10:04pm] jokeefe: I setup https://piratenpad.de/p/MAPP_S1241_Statement for the S.1241 statement
[10:05pm] jokeefe: discuss on activists list?
[10:05pm] Joe: thank you!
[10:05pm] Malt: ok by me
[10:05pm] Joe: We will need topics, can we put that to the list as well?
[10:05pm] jokeefe: of course
[10:06pm] jokeefe: we are over time. Malt did you have any further update on the location for the training session?
[10:06pm] Joe: We have a lot going to the list, but their help will be key in making the big changes for a better tomorrow.
[10:07pm] jokeefe: that is its purpose
[10:08pm] Malt: nope
[10:09pm] jokeefe: still working on the other locations
[10:09pm] jokeefe: Boston-area and WMass
[10:10pm] jokeefe: shall we adjourn then?
[10:10pm] Joe: If the elks lodge works out, I'll try and start a chapter there.
[10:10pm] Joe: I second
[10:10pm] Malt: www.gazettenet.com/Ben-Gagnon-brings-the-fight-against-manufacturers--built-in-obsolescence-to-the-Pioneer-Valley-9191147
[10:10pm] Malt: i know this dude
[10:10pm] Malt: could partner for a wmass event
[10:10pm] Malt: 3rded
[10:11pm] hvxgr: Good night all.
[10:11pm] jokeefe: cool
[10:11pm] Malt: good night!
[10:11pm] jokeefe: thanks all. have a good night
[10:11pm] Joe: good night