Meeting Notes 2012 07 31

Agenda

The XXXth Meeting of Noisebridge

Note-taker: User:Malaclyps Danny

Moderator: User:Zephry Zephyr

Introduction and Names

• Invite a knowledgeable volunteer to explain what Noisebridge is about:

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'."

• Invite a knowledgeable volunteer to give a brief primer on consensus process: We agree and so should you! Only paid-up members can block consensus.
• Introduce any new or unusual moderation techniques that you may be using during the meeting like: direct responses, limited speaking time, orderless stack, &c.
• Round of introductions (remember, announcements come later):
  • What's your name,
  • are you a member,
  • what do you do, and
  • if you are new: how did you hear about Noisebridge?
• Zephyr
• Eric -- makes 16mm films! Maybe teach a 16mm film collective! Workshops!
• Justin -- moved here about 5 months ago. I live in the mission!
• Carlos -- I'm working on libnotify
• Isis -- I'm still battling with the Great Firewall of China. Great firewalL WILL MAKE TOTAL DESTROY
• (The Man They Call) Za -- I'm interested in authority (the least amounts of it)
• Nick -- I'm using a javascript database.
• Liz -- I just made cute mintyboost charging kit. Helping Malaclyps with killer robot.
• Steffen (spook)-- I iOS program, and getting interested in Node.js. In and out of Noisebridge, I was curious about the radiation detector project. Everyone agrees that jake@spaz.org would know.
• Eric -- He is the guy who edits wikipedia. Also interested in non-English language Dr Seuss
• Snail -- I don't remember what I do. Always starting projects, sometimes going back to them.
• Steve -- BRAINZZZ computer interface. Rebuilding brain interface for MC Hawking.
• Alex -- makes Code Hero.
• Danny -- I'm a retired trial lawyer. Heard there was an electron microscope. Interested in joining a
• Danny -- I'm writing this sentence.
• Leif -- I'm interested in counterantidisintermediation.
• Andrew -- UI designer.
• Mike -- work with leif on deep hack, digital spelunking for the 21st century, getting down and dirty with the insides of computers. Also technowander, not a quartermaster, or ombudsman.
• Elyane -- a filmaker. Interested to do a workshop in film.
• Bruno -- from Vienna, doing startup with seven other people. Wants to talking about delegated voting.
• Evan -- says don't use ArchLinux, whatever you do. A CONTENTIOUS POINT OF DISCUSSION.

Short Announcements

Toorcamp! Toorcamp! Toorcamp! We are still collecting people for Toorcamp. There is a bus going to Toorcamp! It's a hacker thing in the woods. Some discussion ensues about the Magic Seatless Occubus that is going to Toorcamp. There will be ham radio.

Membership Binder

• Invite a knowledgeable volunteer to describe membership, and the application process.

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.

Financial Report

• Funds in bank: I think we're doing okay.
• Noisetor (See the bulletpoints at the bottom of http://noisetor.net/finances/#summary):
  • There are $1974.25 earmarked NoiseTor funds
  • Colo service has been paid through Jul 7, 2012
  • There are enough funds to pay for an additional 2 months of colo
  • This information was updated at Tue Jul 31 20:30:03 2012

Consensus items

You may wish to invite a knowledgeable volunteer to repeat a brief primer on the consensus process.

Proposals from last week

(Add any items which pass or are blocked to the Consensus Items History page.)

Malaclyps: I would be worried if we spent 10K on party + sent someone to singapore (like last time), I would feel guilty because I works w/ foundation. So I believe this 10 grand will go to our prudent reserve. So wouldn't want to spend it on specific projects, just two months' rent. The other objection that had been cited was that the Thiel foundation connected to Peter Thiel, and Peter Thiel connected to Palantir, which datamines for the state.

Leif: Not the problem that Palantir datamines for the state, but that it was mentioned in the Bank of America-connected attack on journalists reporting on Wikileaks. He is aalso not a fan of the source of Thiel's wealth: Paypal + Facebook. He agreed long ago at last meetings to stand aside but thinks we really, really shouldn't do this. It's not as no-straightforward as it's being made to sound. I understand we can pay a rent, but if they wanted to sue, which he doesn't think they do, they sue us over the contract. It's important to understand that we are entering into a contract that says this 10K is only for operating expenses. We can give them a receipt, but that doesn't make me feel any better about this.

Ben: Don't see a problem. That's that they *want* us to spend it on.

Leif: But we're ALREADY paying our rent.

Malaclyps: I've worked w/ Thiel fund a lot in past couple of years. I'm not sure he can speak to all the connections, but i can really say they would be totally happy spending this on operating expenses only, and, i'm totally happy being the person saying we spent it on just that. I have a continuing relationship with them so i would lose a lot more than just getting sued as a board member, so willing to put a lot more than that on the line for this.

Alex: Have had dealings with "Paypal mafia". Also had an incident at hackmeet a while ago. A friend of his "hazed" him for wearing "hack the future" shirt, which has a Palantir logo on it. Feels bad being associated with tear on the face of it, but the shirt is for an org called hack the furture and a bunch of ppl work at Palantir help with that, just hackers like us who happen to work for a shady company. Met the CEO of Palantir, asked him straight up, "How do you explain your won actions?" said they wanted to make this software to make sure no one would abuse software like it But there's also the thing this is about, which is the 20 under 20... speaking tomorrow at Hackademic camp. unschooling folks...was originally asked by Danielle about coming to Noisebridge. Hasn't seen contract till tonight but only has obligation of 1 501c3 to another. Thiel fellowship is just a bunch of smart kids under 20, and we should welcome them. I hope when someone says, "I heard about this from the Thiel fellowship," they we don't attack the n00bs. There's the utiopian positive arm of Thiel's work, and then there's the commercial arm, but utopians are awesome.

Lizzard: That touches on the other thing mentioned previously, as you mention your tshirt as example, people felt that the fact that you're wearing it "excuses them" because they are using alex' social capital to deflect from negative image.

Malaclyps: Just to be explicit, Thiel F is different from Palantir. And I also really don't think TF is particularly interested in riding off Noisebridge's social capital. They have plenty from other eccentric hacker projects.

Alex: When there's a drecte "this is going into bed with this group" but here it's enough places removed it shouldn't be an issue.

Mala: proposes putting up for consensus. Carlos asks what Leif would do if it passed consensus.

Leif: Would not block, but would stops paying nb dues for 1 yr. Will probably spend his personal surplus on nb projects

Md: proposals for next week...

Malaclyps: No, no, no! Consensus! You need to do the magic words.

Stand aside? Block?

As such, it is the consensus of Noisebridge that we are taking this money.

Malac: Yuck! Does everyone *really* feel okay with this? Is that consensus? I don't think it is.

Is anybody entusiastic about taking this money?

(Murmurs of assent)

Malac: We should formally noted what it is spent for in consensus.

Snail: So we don't have long discussions on what it's spent on

malc: Proposed new wording. Worried Leif + Carlos aren't happy. Carlos: Agrees with Lief.

Alex: Missed last discussion, doesn't want to rehash, but what in particular abt him?

Carlos: feels like it's another individual whos washing their money w/ a nonprofit. happens a lot in the bay. i cannot assure to you that peter does that, but don¿'t have time nor tinfo for that, but as individual wantys to defend himself w/ facts, what is really going on?

Malac: heard last meeting that it was a sort of $$ laundering tax dodge; this isn't how tax dodges work, he doesn't pay any less tax.

Leif: Foundations are very much a tax shelter. Not satying it's illegal. He's a wealthey libertarian. All billionaries have nonprofits + it's not because they're all really nice ppl. rul is they have to spent 5% of total vlalue + don't pay taxes on profit from investments so he can give away + invest in for-profit enterprisees.

Eric: Doesn't actually work that way. for instandce if i'm 501ce + you decide y0ou're going to invest in stuff, there's a lot of process.On a multi-generational level, on multigen level what leif says has merit but in single gen doesn't work that way.

Moderator: have we arrived at any new conclusions abt stance? Carlos: nothing against ... but Noisebridge really should believe it can survive independently.

alac: i do to.. iv'e been wavering on this too, and i think the thing that conveinced me is to push this more was that we get a fair bit of our money that we use on a regular basis from cheques of this size, maybe not quite this large, but 1 months aog we got one for 1000 bux from silicon valley charity, so it's my feeling that his money, aside from this contract that we have to sign is pretty much part of the ebb and flow of money that we get, and how we get moneys is to get donations like this. aArees we need to maintain independence, but our independence depends on the sporadic charity of individuals like this + doesn't really change how we work.

Alex: It's not a great outcome if everyone feels like this is dirty money and these are bad people. I don't think they're evil + I think if a bunch of ppl from 20 u 20 show up, it's a good source of new awesome hackers, and there's a bunch of people from Palantir who show up to Noisebridge, we should welcome them.

Lief: They are as welcome as anyone else -- and as welcome to pay dues.

Mala: Like to try to retry the consesnsus, reworded to say that we will spend it on rent (later operating expenses)

Leif: shoul write doewn how many ppl are standing aside: at least 2 + maybe more...

malac: Yes, because if there were 4 stand asides we should talk about it some more, as I did last time we had that many standasides. I'm only doing it this week because there was a strong consensus that he should do it one more wk but I'm not going to bring this up again. I should say TF is totally happy either way.

Standing aside: Leif, Carlos, El Presidente.

---

Wording of the consensus: It is consensus of Noisebridge that the grant be accepted, and the money be used exclusively for paying operating expenses.

---

Standing aside: Leif, Carlos, Snail.

Proposals for next week

(Add any new items for consensus to the Current Consensus Items page.) God forbid Does anyone think a fundraiser with a goal? Alex's roommates think a big giant cartoon thermometer is the way to go mo

Discussion Items

If an item of discussion drags on too long, further discussion may be postponed until after the meeting ends. During discussion, it is not necessary to write down exact what each person says. Record the topics of discussion, and any items of consensus or controversy here. Detailed descriptions of the conversation should go on the discuss page for this meeting.

Praveen proposed that Noisebridge fiscally sponsor the new Oakland hackerspace's fundraising activities. We deferred until Kelly the Treasurer had a chance to chip in with her opinion.

End of Meeting

• PGP Key Signing could happen now, check the list to see who wants in on the action.
• Return the membership binder to it's rightful location.
• Clean and tidy the meeting notes, then save them to the wiki.
• Send a summary of the meeting notes to the discussion list.
• Enjoy the company of your fellow hacker or robot.