Log
Board Meeting
Jan 22, 2006

Session Start: Sun Jan 22 17:42:57 2006
(Roger) I hereby call this meeting of the Board of Directors of Troubled Times, Inc. to order on this Sunday, January 22, 2006.
(Roger) Welcome everyone, the first order of business is to discuss/approve the minutes of the last meeting.
(Mary) I have no questions
(Nancy) None here either.
(Gerard) Me neither
(Roger) Then the minutes stand as correct and approved.
(Roger) Next we have the project reports.
(Roger) The first project is the CD/Booklet project.
(Roger) After a great deal of excitement (average of 4 orders per week) for the previous few months, we had a sudden drop off in December. Just this week, I have received 3 orders (the first for the new year).
(Nancy) We may get an increase in orders, as I was on TV recently, actually will show on various US and European channels between Jan 15 and the end of January. I plugged the nonprofits at-cost offerings during the hour.
(Gerard) Any idea why this drop off occurred, Roger?
(Nancy) Holiday busy time, I would guess. In fact, the message boards get empty and quiet during the holidays too.
(Roger) My guess is the holidays have affected peoples tendencies to look toward future events.
(Roger) Folks tend to focus on the home and the family, etc.
(Nancy) May be from the TV promotion, as this first aired on some stations Sunday night, a week ago.
(Gerard) That could be it yes, as it was rather quiet online also
(Roger) Nancy, you had a request for information about bulk orders...
(Nancy) OutthereTV.com web site, if you want to see all the TV stations, Canada and the Caribbean too.
(Nancy) Also, we got an inquiry on pricing for bulk orders, 10 or 100, what the difference in price would be. Inquiry from Canada. Roger priced it for them.
(Nancy) This was from someone who had JUST discovered the web site information, and was taking it that seriously. We should be aware that as the weather and volcanic uptick continue, many people start to get concerned.
(Roger) The address given was a US address and I found a minor amount of savings for them. The 10 count would reduce their cost by about $10. The 100 count was not much better at about $130 savings.
(Nancy) I always felt this time would come.
(Nancy) I stand corrected, it was New Mexico, yes.
(Roger) The stock is holding well (as before) and if we get such a large bulk order, we would do well to seek bids on printing and burning again.
(Nancy) Agreed.
(Roger) Are there any questions or comments?
(Nancy) None here.
(Gerard) None
(Roger) Mary?
(Mary) I move Roger collect bids on the printing and burning again, for future orders.
(Nancy) I second that motion.
(Roger) I can certainly do so now, but my stock is holding well and at the highest rate of 8 orders per week, I have enough to fill orders for 3 months. Most bids are good only for 30 days.
(Nancy) But if we get bulk orders?
(Roger) The turn around time on printing and CD burning was 2 weeks or less.
(Nancy) You have good arguments for waiting.
(Roger) If we get a bulk order, then I should (and would) seek bids right away.
(Mary) If there is enough money, why wait? If, as Nancy suspects, things are going to heat up, why not put more in stock.
(Nancy) If you put the vote to a vote, I will vote 'no'.
(Roger) I have a motion and a second, but as Pres. I can use discretion and table the motion rather than put it to a vote. This way we can revisit next meeting, or by email. Of course we could modify the motion with the bulk order caveat.
(Mary) OK, table the motion. Perhaps by next meeting we'll have a clearer idea of the need.
(Nancy) I suspect that printing and burning would be possible even if the New Madrid ripped the US open, etc. And there would still be time to get the booklets and CD's out to people in 2-3 weeks. So, if Roger feels it is premature to get the quotes, I'd be willing to go along with that.
(Nancy) I'm happy with it being tabled.
(Roger) You have a good idea Mary, but my storage space is limited and it might be better to wait a month or two and see if I need to allocate more space for another 1000 booklets and CDs.
(Nancy) We're just all sensing that it will be soon, things are changing, the weather so very erratic.
(Roger) Okay, the motion is table for action at a later time.

(Roger) The next report is from the Seed team project.
(Roger) As this is winter and my activities (or lack) are documented, I leave this report to Nancy.
(Nancy) At present, my plans are to continue to grow out seed each year in my small garden so as to have fresh seed on hand.
(Nancy) One note on the Daikon raddish that we have in hand because Ichi brought that seed from Japan.
(Nancy) It turns out that it is an excellent product, called 'winter raddish' because like apples or pumpkin or whatever it can be stored for months in a cool place.
(Nancy) And is high in Potassium, and get this, Vitamin C!
(Roger) I didn't know that. How does it taste?
(Nancy) So because of the minor stroke I had with having to take blood lipid busting meds, I am eating a lot of this because a Sushi chef told me it is also a clot buster.
(Nancy) So I have all these sprouts that I have in water for an early start this year, getting a lot of seed hopefully from this.
(Nancy) Raddish is prolific seed producer.
(Nancy) End of my report.
(Gerard) Let's hope this will work out, with the Raddish
(Roger) How does the Daikon taste?
(Nancy) Daikon is not a sharp raddish, mild, and thus very popular in Asia. Part of Korean Kimchi dish, etc.
(Nancy) I also got some Sheep Sorrel based on Roger's report that it is a low light salad plant and high in Vitamin C. Will be adding this to the garden, for a permanent spot.
(Roger) Hmm, I see. I am allergic to regular raddish, I wonder if I can tolerate Daikon... If you have some extra seed, can you send some my way?
(Nancy) I'll pop some in the mail, 4-5 years old but it grew out last year OK in the garden, so is viable.
(Roger) Are there any other questions or comments on this project?
(Nancy) End of my rant on Daikon.
(Gerard) No questions or comments
(Nancy) None here.
(Mary) none here.

(Roger) The next report is on the Server Project.
(Roger) I had some great successes with changing the operating system to Windows 2000 and installing FTP server applications.
(Nancy) Congrads!
(Gerard) Did you find the right ftp server software, Roger?
(Roger) I tried four different vendors and have a couple more I can try. So far, my recommendation is to go with ServU. Their server platform is easy to manage and can handle multiple connections well. Gerard was able to access it and download (comments Gerard?).
(Gerard) It worked, and the first time with the other software it didn't ... I was able to look at the directories, but i didn't download a file
(Roger) MikeL was also able to access it and we discussed the disks he has made to add to our CD library. It also seems that he has a couple of DVDs with data that could be shared this way.
(Nancy) Sounds like this is still in the debugging and research stage!
(Gerard) And what is the speed of this server, cable, or dsl?
(Roger) Unfortunately, we may need to buy a bigger hard drive to store the DVDs and all the other material.
(Gerard) Yes
(Nancy) Hard drives are not all that expensive.
(Roger) Hmm, I'm not sure about the speed. I have enhanced DSL from SBC.
(Nancy) I move we allow Roger to purchase a new hard drive for the server, as need be.
(Nancy) By that I mean, if you need it, you have the approval, if not, no need.
(Roger) The cost of the hard drive would be less than $100.
(Nancy) Yes, recently had to replace one in my PC.
(Roger) Right now I have an old drive of mine installed (to separate the OS disk from the ftp disk), but it is only 30 Gigs.
(Roger) We need more like 80 to cover all the stuff Mike and I were discussing.
(Gerard) Yes, 80 sounds better then yes.
(Nancy) Lean to the high side, then no need to replace it later.
(Roger) Also, I can upgrade my DSL service if the speed becomes an issue, but I'm not sure about the cost.
(Nancy) Unless there is high demand for downloads, this should not become a problem. At least, not at the start. The idea is that downloads would be to clients who intent to replicate the CD's or booklets, so these would be few, I would think.
(Roger) At the moment, the speed I have is sufficient, slow but sufficient. When we get multiple downloads going...
(Gerard) Then it would be another issue ... it also depends on how many folks would start to use the server. But then again I think that the server software also has some settings on how many folks can download at the same time right?
(Nancy) And are we not going to control this by giving only certain people the password? That way the general public will not suddenly begin an onslaught.
(Gerard) No anonymous access or just for some dirs?
(Roger) ServU Standard costs $50 per year and supports up to 25 concurrent connections, 100 user accounts, and supports directory mapping and links (can be accessed using a web browser).
(Roger) It allows anonymous access which can be limited to some or all directories.
(Nancy) Sounds comprehensive, and more than adequate.
(Roger) It is the best value for the money that I've found thus far. When the license expires, we can reevaluate our needs and see what else has come out on the market. (I'm sure that is why they sell annual licenses.)
(Nancy) Sounds good.
(Gerard) Yes
(Roger) If the Board agrees to the purchase of ServU's Standard edition and a bigger hard drive, I can make those purchase and have the server running by the end of February (probably sooner).
(Nancy) I move we authorize Roger to make the purchase of a ServU Standard edition and a large gig hard drive, as needed.
(Mary) I second the motion.
(Roger) I have a motion and a second to approve the purchase of a large Gig hard drive for the TT Inc server and site license of ServU Standard Edition. All in favor "say" yes, opposed say "no".
(Gerard) Yes
(Mary) yes
(Nancy) Yes
(Roger) These are my recommendations, so my vote is obvious, but for the record, I will abstain from voting.
(Roger) The motion carries.
(Roger) Any other questions or comments about the Server project?
(Mary) None here.
(Gerard) Not at the current time
(Nancy) None here.

(Roger) The next report is for the BLOG project. Nancy?
(Nancy) I have a weekly spot, and when it involves survival subjects, I put in a blurb for the nonprofit CD and booklet, Roger's voice, etc.
(Nancy) For instance, Jan 11 was an hour on Scrounging, how to make things from junk.
(Nancy) The Blog is seeking to be on regular radio, AM/FM and TV, but so far no such arrangements have been made.
(Nancy) I was the first radio show there, and have always been the big draw, hundreds each week and no telling how much the archives are hit, compared to dozens at best for others.
(Nancy) Gerard advertises on the Usenets every week, and elsewhere as appropriate.
(Nancy) This continues to be a means of getting the word out.
(Nancy) End of my report.
(Roger) Any questions or comments about this report?
(Mary) None here.
(Gerard) None here
(Roger) How did our session on gardening turn out? I have been too busy to really check it out thoroughly.
(Nancy) Don has been so busy, moving to California end of this month, and for some time he was switching servers and could NOT get statistics from his old arrangement as the log was simply too large to query.
(Nancy) Thus, last I asked him, he could NOT get the statistics, but I am quoting from the first few months of the Blog operations when we were watching the statistics closely.
(Nancy) Now, one can hardly get ahold of him, as they are packing and moving his family, 4 kids, to Mt Shasta area.
(Nancy) But long story short, the garden hour I'm sure is popular! People continue to get serious about the Earth changes, frankly scared, and wanting to know what steps to take!
(Nancy) End of my report.

(Roger) Well, that is the end of our agenda. Is there any other business for discussion? It seems the nominations for this year are nearly wrapped up and a formal election won't be necessary.
(Mary) I move we adjourn.
(Gerard) I second the motion
(Roger) I look forward to "seeing" you all here next meeting :-)
(Nancy) No other issues here, and yes, it appears that election will not be necessary this year either, as there are no contests.
(Roger) We have a motion and a second to adjourn this meeting. Let this meeting be hereby adjourned.
Session Close: Sun Jan 22 19:00:38 2006