Volunteering @ TAM2?

Pirate_Lad · 6th August 2003, 02:05 PM

Hal,

I know some time ago you mentioned a need for volunteers at TAM2.

Ponying up 500 bucks would be a bit difficult for me, but I could swing it.

The more preferable option (if it remains an option, that is) would be to volunteer at TAM. I'm a strapping young lad of 23 years, and I can move/carry things for you guys, help register people as they show up, etc. Essentially, I'm willing to be the JREF's personal slave.

I'd much rather earn the money that way than have it paid for by someone.

Let me know what you think.

-- Dave

6th August 2003, 03:09 PM

While we will need, and are ready to exploit, offers of slave labor, it's tough to waive the registration fee. This is because our costs are fixed about many items. For example, the audiovisual support is very costly as is the food. If we 'comp' too many folks (meaning really, anyone other than an invited speaker) we have to push up the costs of registration for everyone else.

We spent quite a while discussion the registration fee. While higher than last years, we have also added a full day to the event, and have added a meal, as well as more speakers. And you are going to get more "Penn" (and maybe more Teller) than you can shake a stick at.

It was a tough call: go bigger and better but charge more, or stay small. We are learning as we go through this, and hope that this is a good way to go for this year. I'm going to talk to Linda about alternative paying ideas, but I think we'll still need to get the registration fee from even our kindest and nicest volunteers. Wish I had a better answer for you.

Pirate_Lad · 6th August 2003, 05:08 PM

Fair enough, then. I'll begin the hoarding of beer bottles now. Heh.

But since I'm such a fantastic guy, the offer of helping out still stands. I'd enjoy an opportunity to help give something back to the JREF, instead of just mooching it's bandwidth.

If you guys need any help, just let me know.

-- Dave

6th August 2003, 07:41 PM

you bet. As we get closer, we'll have a more formal volunteer call. If last year is a guide, there will be much heavy lifting and carrying.

UnrepentantSinner · 6th August 2003, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hal bidlack
you bet. As we get closer, we'll have a more formal volunteer call. If last year is a guide, there will be much heavy lifting and carrying.

And that's just Hal's ego.

<rimshot><highhat>

kittynh · 9th August 2003, 10:44 AM

ANd some computer person who can figure out the bugs in Power Point!

Pirate_Lad · 9th August 2003, 12:45 PM

It's been a long, long time since I've done powerpoint, but I'd be glad to try and help with that, too.

Zep · 29th August 2003, 05:27 AM

*SIGH* (MS official line) THERE ARE NO BUGS IN POWERPOINT, JUST FEATURES!

Yes, I can do Powerpoint, although don't expect miracles from low-grade material, Hal.

PeterB · 1st September 2003, 07:32 PM

Quote:

ANd some computer person who can figure out the bugs in Power Point!

If it's anything like the last skeptic event I went to (the Australian Skeptics 2003 National Convention), Skeptobabe and I will sit in the back row and refuse to help on the basis that it is our day off. We may indulge in a bit of techie heckling, however, in the style of "Up a bit, up a bit, move the cursor to the left, click now, no, you had to move the mouse first, point to the little picture of a projection screen, click now, no, that was the wrong thing to click on, ... "

Anyone who has ever done tech support over the phone knows how it goes.

(And, yes, my PP shows went ahead without a single reboot, but I am a bit of a show-off. My schadenfreude was enhanced by the way that the misfortune of others made my jokes about Microsoft work even better.)

6th August 2003, 02:05 PM	#1
Pirate_Lad Graduate Poster Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,262	Volunteering @ TAM2? Hal, I know some time ago you mentioned a need for volunteers at TAM2. Ponying up 500 bucks would be a bit difficult for me, but I could swing it. The more preferable option (if it remains an option, that is) would be to volunteer at TAM. I'm a strapping young lad of 23 years, and I can move/carry things for you guys, help register people as they show up, etc. Essentially, I'm willing to be the JREF's personal slave. I'd much rather earn the money that way than have it paid for by someone. Let me know what you think. -- Dave
	__________________ "It could be that the true purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others." "There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread." -- Charles Dickens

6th August 2003, 03:09 PM	#2
hal bidlack Guest Posts: n/a	While we will need, and are ready to exploit, offers of slave labor, it's tough to waive the registration fee. This is because our costs are fixed about many items. For example, the audiovisual support is very costly as is the food. If we 'comp' too many folks (meaning really, anyone other than an invited speaker) we have to push up the costs of registration for everyone else. We spent quite a while discussion the registration fee. While higher than last years, we have also added a full day to the event, and have added a meal, as well as more speakers. And you are going to get more "Penn" (and maybe more Teller) than you can shake a stick at. It was a tough call: go bigger and better but charge more, or stay small. We are learning as we go through this, and hope that this is a good way to go for this year. I'm going to talk to Linda about alternative paying ideas, but I think we'll still need to get the registration fee from even our kindest and nicest volunteers. Wish I had a better answer for you.
hal bidlack Guest Posts: n/a

6th August 2003, 05:08 PM	#3
Pirate_Lad Graduate Poster Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,262	Fair enough, then. I'll begin the hoarding of beer bottles now. Heh. But since I'm such a fantastic guy, the offer of helping out still stands. I'd enjoy an opportunity to help give something back to the JREF, instead of just mooching it's bandwidth. If you guys need any help, just let me know. -- Dave
	__________________ "It could be that the true purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others." "There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread." -- Charles Dickens

6th August 2003, 07:41 PM	#4
hal bidlack Guest Posts: n/a	you bet. As we get closer, we'll have a more formal volunteer call. If last year is a guide, there will be much heavy lifting and carrying.
hal bidlack Guest Posts: n/a

6th August 2003, 08:11 PM	#5
UnrepentantSinner A post by Alan Smithee Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USAian is not a word Posts: 26,349	Quote: Originally posted by hal bidlack you bet. As we get closer, we'll have a more formal volunteer call. If last year is a guide, there will be much heavy lifting and carrying. And that's just Hal's ego. <rimshot><highhat>
	__________________ I am an American citizen who is part of American society and briefly served in the American armed forces. I use American dollars and pay taxes that support the American government. And yes, despite the editorial decison to change American politics to the nonsensical "USA politics" subforum, I follow and comment on American politics.

9th August 2003, 10:44 AM	#6
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	ANd some computer person who can figure out the bugs in Power Point!
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

9th August 2003, 12:45 PM	#7
Pirate_Lad Graduate Poster Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,262	It's been a long, long time since I've done powerpoint, but I'd be glad to try and help with that, too.
	__________________ "It could be that the true purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others." "There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread." -- Charles Dickens

29th August 2003, 05:27 AM	#8
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985	SIGH (MS official line) THERE ARE NO BUGS IN POWERPOINT, JUST FEATURES! Yes, I can do Powerpoint, although don't expect miracles from low-grade material, Hal.
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985

1st September 2003, 07:32 PM	#9
PeterB Thinker Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wentworth Falls, in the beautiful Blue Mountains Posts: 126	Quote: ANd some computer person who can figure out the bugs in Power Point! If it's anything like the last skeptic event I went to (the Australian Skeptics 2003 National Convention), Skeptobabe and I will sit in the back row and refuse to help on the basis that it is our day off. We may indulge in a bit of techie heckling, however, in the style of "Up a bit, up a bit, move the cursor to the left, click now, no, you had to move the mouse first, point to the little picture of a projection screen, click now, no, that was the wrong thing to click on, ... " Anyone who has ever done tech support over the phone knows how it goes. (And, yes, my PP shows went ahead without a single reboot, but I am a bit of a show-off. My schadenfreude was enhanced by the way that the misfortune of others made my jokes about Microsoft work even better.)
	__________________ Peter Bowditch RatbagsDotCom @RatbagsDotCom on Twitter