Board Meeting, Sunday, 14 July, 2002.
(Brent) The meeting is officially called to order.
(Brent) Item 1 Minutes of the last meeting. Comments or Questions?
(Nancy) None here.
(Stan) Non here either
(Jan) I have tried to download the minutes & log, but they are unavailable. Only the agenda & the FTP log is available, therefor I have not read the minutes
(Gerard) none here
(Mary) none here
(Nancy) Jan, not on http://www.troubled-times.org? This is where they are kept.
(Nancy) I'll check on that right after this meeting.
(Jan) Zetatalk.com/nonprofit links to non-existing doc http://www.troubled-times.org/jun2002m.htm
(Nancy) Oops!
(Brent) Well, should we ratify the minutes, or wait?
(Nancy) Call a vote?
(Brent) Do I have a motion?
(Nancy) I move we ratify the Minutes even though Jan is unsure.
(Jan) Have you guys read the minutes? How can they be ratified if noot available on the web?
(Nancy) They were present, and I did them up according to what Shirley sent me.
(Nancy) They matched the log.
(Nancy) Jan, you and I were the only ones NOT present last.
(Brent) Shirly 2nd the motion
(Nancy) Else, hold this and ratify BOTH months next month.
(Jan) If you guys have read them then I think you should vote to accept them. SInce I haven't seen the minutes I'll have to abstain
(Nancy) There was only discussion, no votes, etc.
(Brent) Vote to ratify the minutes.Vote yes or no, please
(Nancy) Yes.
(Mary) yes
(Stan) Yes
(Gerard) yes
(Brent) Brent: yes Shirley: yes
(Jan) Abstain
(Brent) The motion carries, the minutes are ratified as correct.
(Brent) Item 2 Treasurers 2Q Report, as linked off the Agenda.
(Brent) Comment or Questions?
(Nancy) I have not yet taken the 2Q transations to Wegner to have them done up, but mocked up a Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss from the 1Q form Wegner and the 2Q transactions.
(Nancy) Should be very close.
(Nancy) Note that we are DOWN in available cash between $2-3,000
(Mary) Are we broke?
(Jan) Looks OK. I am a little concerned that we are running low on cash. the USD 5 per booklet should hopefully stabalize the situation
(Nancy) However, this is enough to carry through as we are now charging $5/ booklet, and the DSL line charges are only $100/mo, (800) not exorbitant.
(Jan) stabalize = stabilize
(Nancy) I also have an annoucement to make re the "PrePaid Room & Board" being carried on the books since the Darby/Clipper/Ichi days.
(Brent) Great!
(Nancy) My brother is purchasing the cottage and land, for what I put into it and paid for it, and this should allow me to REPAY the nonprofit the $1,000 plus that I owe it.
(Nancy) I think it is either $1,020 or at least under $1,100.
(Nancy) This is not in hand yet, but appears to be running to the finish line, so next month I may be able to confirm and actualize this, making a deposit.
(Nancy) Does this need to be accepted or some such by the board? I would think not...
(Jan) Sounds good, Nancy. How long has this item been in the books now?
(Jan) I do not think the board needs to get involved in this transaction except for the information already given, Nancy
(Nancy) I think since 2000, when there was a change of plans re the place here.
(Brent) I don't think so Nancy....you should just announce when the payment is made, for the record.
(Nancy) It was being considered a NONPROFIT property, Clipper inviting all nonprofit members to visit, etc. and not my personal residence which it of course IS.
(Nancy) Thus, because of these problems, and their interference with my primary work which is of course ZetaTalk message, I changed the rules to NO visitors unless I personally invite them.
(Nancy) At the time, the nonprofit had paid for some improvements on the property here, so this was converted to prepaid room and board.
(Jan) Given the relatively small amount, I would not be overly concerned if this for some reason is not resolved as expected. However, getting it out of the books would be good.
(Nancy) Then investors, such as the guy from Julia Dula Foundation, came, and the like, but visitors were few and far between.
(Nancy) So in essence, this carried, and I don't consider this correct so want to repay.
(Nancy) Jan, I agree, as it is the high-integrity thing to do!
(Nancy) I also expect that we WILL get donations aplenty as the year progresses, allowing us to put the booklet out in spades.
(Nancy) I am for instance on several interviews this month - Montreal, Colorado, TV in Nevada, and just wait until the Fall sightings!
(Nancy) So, the PlanetX Video is being played in TV Nevada too, planned, and this ends with a pitch for the TT nonprofit :-).
(Jan) Given the close follow-up some people do on Nancy & TT (and mix the two), it would be a good signal of integrity if this does come through.
(Nancy) Robert even shows the nonprofit home page in his video, and he is getting LOTS or orders.
(Nancy) Jan, I agree. I am moving from having checks bouncing monthly, and NO savings, to having a small pool of funds to keep the bread on the table.
(Brent) This is excellent news, and the mention of the nonprofit won't hurt a bit!
(Nancy) Also, may at any time lose my job as all of use may, and few options to prevent bankruptcy otherwise.
(Nancy) So that I'm paying this BACK is a sign that I consider the nonprofit highly valuable, and not a cow to be milked, etc.
(Nancy) Done with the Nancy spiel.
(Mary) (-;
(Brent) Yes, sends the proper message....we are strong and viable! :-)
(Jan) Nancy, is there anything else to report considering Q2? If not, I motion we accept the Balance Sheet & Profit & Loss as posted on the web.
(Brent) Thank you, Nancy, and good to have you her today!
(Brent) Any more comments on the 2Q report?
(Mary) none here. Thanks Nancy.
(Stan) Not from me
(Gerard) not from me
(Jan) No further comments
(Brent) OK, on to Item 3: Booklet discussion.
(Mary) Sent the booklets to Roger on July 3rd. Haven't heard if he received them. Orders are down. Only 5 so far from Nancy.
(Brent) Mary, have you received the booklets from Roger? (The bad ones)
(Mary) NONE
(Stan) Roger didn't leave me with any more info on the booklets, so unfortunately I have nothing to add
(Mary) Still have the requests you sent to me, not sent out.
(Brent) Hmmm.......have you had any email contact with Roger?
(Mary) Not me. And I sent him my new e-mail addy.
(Mary) Stan?
(Brent) Thats right, you have a new addy now...
(Stan) I beleive he left town last Sunday
(Mary) Yes, but all mail can go to mary@troubled times.org
(Nancy) Mary, I have had a couple order this past week, so if you haven't gotten them, I will do a double check with ALL received since Art Bell and my problems with lightning.
(Mary) No, I haven't recieved them. Can'
(Brent) He sent them out on July 3rd....thats 11 days ago. mabe they are still coming...slow boat?
(Mary) Can't send any books out, I have none.
(Nancy) I had indications that my lieder@baraboo.com mail queue did not ALL go outbound. I will do a comprehensive check with you ...
(Mary) ALL the booklets had errors.
(Mary) I am surprised we only had a few complaints.
(Mary) NO, you misunderstand. I sent the bad books back to him.
(Brent) ALL had errors!? Roger has to have a serious talk with Kinko's!
(Mary) 1/2 had only pages to 86.
(Mary) 1/2 half missed the last 4 pages.
(Brent) Mary: yes, sorry I caught that after I sent.....they still may be on the way to him.
(Mary) I am so sorry I didn't look at them more closely. I do appologize for that.
(Mary) My schedule was so busy. Slower now... sort of.
(Jan) Nancy, you reported PC problems last week's ZT chat. Have you lost inbound e-mail w/ booklet orders?
(Brent) So, Mary, you have NO booklets to send out now?
(Mary) Brent. correct.
(Nancy) Jan, the booklet orders come via snail mail, pO Box 249, Baraboo.
(Mary) all orders must have $5 so it must be sent vial snail mail to the po box.
(Mary) (-: great minds run in the same channels.
(Nancy) I AM getting inbound via this mail queue, just losing outbound at least over the July 4th weekend.
(Brent) How many orders are backed up with no booklets to send?
(Jan) Mary, nothing to be sorry about. Such things do happen. The error was with Kinko, not with you.
(Mary) I only have 5 to date. Nancy may have more.
(Nancy) I will do a comprehensive check, sending you the N&A list, so we can be sure ...
(Mary) Thanks Jan, but still...
(Nancy) Probably is OK. I got your last message re sending the booket that came BACK for a guy in Cal, which I did so.
(Mary) I think I will send a small note to those waiting explaining the problem.
(Jan) Good thinking, Mary
(Brent) So, Mary...all the bad booklets are from the latest batch we had printed?
(Mary) yes.
(Brent) WE need to get you more soon! Does any one know when Roger will be back?
(Brent) Stan? :)
(Stan) Wait a moment, I will check
(Nancy) I was thinking that for those with just the last 4 pages missing, that Mary could create those 4 page, staple and include them, and USE those booklets.
(Nancy) Can you have Roger send back a dozen, right after he shows them to Kindo? Or paybe the half that are that way.
(Mary) I had thought of that, but, Roger wanted all of them so he could scold Kinkos.
(Nancy) This way, Kinko would be off the hook, but feeling guilty, and Mary would be armed with booklets to mail.
(Mary) I would be happy to insert the missing pages, I still have my masters.
(Mary) The owner here has a copy machine I can use for small projects.
(Jan) But isn't the copier down?
(Brent) This is a good idea....and Roger will still have some bad booklets to show Kinko's.
(Mary) OUR copier is in storage 800 miles away.
(Nancy) Right, but after he scolds, can he get them back? After Kinko's sees what they do.
(Stan) An e-mail he sent to me earlier said he would be back this past Fri (12th), but I haven't heard from him
(Brent) Plus it's broke...
(Mary) true.
(Brent) Hopefully he will be able to handle this problem next week.
(Jan) Before starting to fix the booklets, we have to know ehen Kinko can provide new, error-free booklets. That we originally were low-prio should not matter when the booklets are in error, so the re-print should be higher priority
(Nancy) Go get-um Jan :-)
(Brent) Mary, will keep trying to contact him? and Stan, if you hear from him first, have him get ahold of Mary pronto!
(Nancy) Mary, the nonprofit copier is 800 miles away?
(Stan) Will do
(Mary) 752 to be exact.
(Brent) We'll have to carry on this discussion via email in the following weeks, to make sure Roger & Kinko's are on track.
(Mary) agreed. I will e-mail roger today with an SOS.
(Brent) Moving on th Item 4: Ongoing Projects. Stan, your report?
(Stan) Hot dry and windy
(Stan) trying to keep up with watering, the plants are ok just suffering from the heat, bugs are under control
(Brent) How are the water tanks working out?
(Nancy) We have a small seed garden here, doing well but also being watered at present.
(Stan) Still have to build a stand for them to allow some pressure for the soaker hoses will work on it later today
(Nancy) I'm dividing seed stock into 150 boxes, called Restart Your Garden boxes, which I plan to send out to folks indicating a groups, and serious intent, as indicated by the booklet requests.
(Brent) Good, I'm glad they are going to work out....
(Nancy) No more no this at present, but have discussed with Roger and Brent and Mary.
(Nancy) My garden is ALL from see I/we saved in 1999 or on, so proof it is good seed.
(Nancy) The herb gardens runs out of control, they are VERY healthy plants.
(Nancy) Well, I control them, but it ain't easy.
(Stan) No need to pay back the money spent on them. Consider it a donation to the effort, better spent on the booklets
(Brent) Thanks Stan....and Nancy for the acerage updates.
(Nancy) In 2003, considering that the Troy-Bilt and all will be in such a highly traffic'd area, and Stan and Roger such good resources. ALL the funds and nonprofit assets will be put into use helping others, as it ought, my thinking.
(Brent) Shirley's Short Wave Project....comments?
(Gerard) No comments from me
(Brent) Jan: any input on the short wave project?
(Stan) Non here
(Jan) No comments from my side. Both Shirley & I are set up, but no activity from my side currently. For the fall, I will prioritize getting up to speed on astrophoto
(Jan) However, I have contact with a guy on vertical antennas (remember your flagpole comment, Nancy?) and may be able to upgrade my antennas later this year
(Brent) Jan: have you and Shirley been able to talk via short wave?
(Nancy) By the by, short wave gets mentioned on almost ALL my live radio etc sessions.
(Jan) Brent, no, no contact. We do not have sufficient antennas to get in touch
(Nancy) The Montana interiew had the guy determined to switch to short wave by the shift, so he could continue his DJ activities.
(Nancy) And the one in Arkansas (Little Rock, etc) said the same thing!
(Nancy) I think a lot of DJ's are pre-informed and pre-volunteering for such!
(Nancy) So, I would look to MORE and LATE activity here.
(Nancy) Just be ready!
(Nancy) (Shirley, that means lots of cough drops, etc.)
(Brent) Shirley: gotcha! :)
(Nancy) Jan, a more simple plan is ALWAYs the best ...
(Jan) I think the most important mission Shirley and I may have with respect to Ham radio is to be part of the gang, and tell people to save their gear when the time comes
(Brent) Great! lets anticipate more activity as the year progresses
(Brent) Jan: yes, good idea!
(Gerard) indeed
(Brent) OK, shall we move on to Servr Donation? Gerard?
(Gerard) okay about the server donation:
(Gerard) I talked with Sirgrim about it, and he still wants to offer it for what i understand. Then he brings it to the postoffice and then "we" should take care of the other part.
(Gerard) July 12:
(Gerard) Sirgrim said "yea, that's about right, they schedule somewhere in .... for me to drop it off and they do the rest, and it's theirs"
(Nancy) So where is it being sent? To Jurian, at his former address?
(Brent) Are you talking about shipping costs, gerard? and to where?
(Nancy) Can we set it up in ..., by any chance? It is going to Jurian's employer, in ... ?
(Gerard) For what i understand yes... That's the answer that i got from him when i asked about it
(Nancy) I'm confused as to the trail, here. By the way, Sirgrim is a honey!, and really knows his stuff!
(Gerard) And i think it should be send to another adress, as Jurian is not the system admin anymore
(Jan) With Jurian jumping off the board & now, who can set up & run the server?
(Brent) Is it a good idea to send it to Jurian still?
(Gerard) That's also an issue, Brent.. And i am not sure if Jurian wants to install it
(Brent) hehehehe...all on the same page!
(Nancy) Well LORD, has he sent it yet? We need to have a FIRM address. I think Jurian should be in charge of this, as he has NOT washed his hands by any means.
(Nancy) Geard, has Jurian been in the loop on this?
(Brent) But, Jurian has resigned from the nonprofit!
(Nancy) He's also a mega-genius on these matters.
(Gerard) But he is not the system administrator anymore. And i am realy not sure if he wants to install it
(Nancy) I take it Jurian wants to house it with his employer, as this is the BEST way to get it online for the next several months.
(Brent) Is Jurian still willing to handle the server at his new location?
(Jan) Nancy, do we know that Jurian is willing to run the server??
(Gerard) Brent: for now i have my doubts.
(Brent) I'm not sure that he is still willing.....
(Nancy) Um, has anyone considered having Sirgirm BE the sys admin, and keeping it in ... ?
(Nancy) This guy is astonishing!
(Brent) Shirley: My impression was his washing his hands of the whole thing.
(Gerard) That might be an idea to, we could ask him, Sirgrim that is
(Nancy) Chashed Open Minded out of the IRC chat by tracing him throught proxies all the way from IL to NY to DC to GA to FL and thense into NASA lairs, I think.
(Brent) Hmmm...hadn't thought of that! good idea Nancy!
(Jan) Gerard, are you as goos as Jurian with Unix servers?
(Gerard) no Jan, i don't know about unix or linux
(Nancy) Jan, Gerard is good, but not a Jurian or Sirgrim.
(Nancy) Nor am I.
(Nancy) This would save shipping charges, allow Sirgirm to have his hands on it, and is in a SAFE location, relatively!
(Mary) Why not have someone approach Sirgrim about it?
(Nancy) Colocating out of Colorado!
(Gerard) okay what should i ask him, as he is on the troubled times channel currently
(Brent) This is a great idea! Who would be best to approach him?
(Gerard) Brent maybe you could talk to him at this time
(Jan) I think we should check with Sirgrim. If he is unable or unwilling to do it, but still willing to donate the server, we may look closer at the possibilities for running it in ...
(Nancy) What is his email addy?
(Gerard) just use ...
(Gerard) He is on IRC at this time
(Nancy) :-) Oooh.
(Nancy) Too cool.
(Nancy) Does he want to NOT ship it, put it into co-locating with nonprofit funds, and be the sys op.
(Nancy) Please please DO it, Sirgrim, as it is your DESTINY!!!
(Gerard) As English is not my native language perhaps one of you could talk to hime right now ?
(Brent) I think that's what Nancy is doing, gerard....
(Gerard) Nancy are you talking with Sirgrim right now?
(Nancy) I've just done a /query to him, stating the following:
(Nancy) He accepts, I'm having a problem getting the full message copied here.
(Brent) excellent!
(Nancy) He says "sure" and "it would be no problem" and I'll report as we go on co-locating sites
(Nancy) I stated that the nonprofit would contract and PAY the co-location.
(Gerard) He would be good one i think
(Nancy) Sirgrim says " but I would more than love to do it"
(Stan) Boy that worked itself out nicely
(Nancy) Sirgirm says "yea, you should check out mile high online, i got a link from wagd.com's link section, it's the ISP i use they seem very professional and actually not going under"
(Nancy) Sirgirm says "http://www.mho.com/service/colocation.asp"
(Brent) Wow! this is working out very well indeed!
(Jan) Nancy, this is good news.
(Nancy) I just asked Sirgirm.
(Nancy) Is it time for my motion?
(Brent) Yes, Nancy....we are through the agenda now.
(Nancy) I move that we have a mid-year election, due to open board seats, as our Bylaws allow.
(Jan) I second
(Mary) how many seats are available?
(Nancy) We are in the month 6 months opposite January, when nominations occur, so appropriate.
(Brent) All in favor of midyear elections vote yes or no now
(Mary) yes
(Brent) Brent: Yes
(Gerard) yes
(Stan) Yes
(Brent) Shirley: yes
(Nancy) yes
(Jan) Yes
(Brent) Mary: 4 seats available. total of 12, we have 8 now.
(Brent) Motion carries, on with the midyear elections!
(Brent) I will call the election via email right after the meeting... Shirley will oversee.
(Brent) If there are no objections, i pronounce this meeting adjourned!