IIRC, The only way that you can sell things in the vending machine for $2 is if the buyer uses only coins or one $1 bill plus coins. There is a limitation with that machine/bill collector where you can only insert one bill per purchase. We were going to sell the sodas for $2 donation each originally to continue the pricing of the original honor system in the fridge, but had to go with $1/each since needing to have $2 in coins to get a coke would be annoying.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Feb 21, 2012 at 2:19 AM, Josh Juran <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jjuran@gmail.com">jjuran@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div class="im">On Feb 20, 2012, at 6:47 PM, Jeff Tchang wrote:<br>
<br>
> Is it still working? Does it need to be stocked?<br>
<br>
</div>Early Sunday morning, I emptied and unplugged the soda machine, after<br>
consulting with three other Noisebridgers.<br>
<br>
Chris was opposed to selling sugared water (which as a side note I<br>
find amusing because it reminds me of Steve Jobs), and stated a<br>
preference for offering healthier fare like (plain) water and<br>
something else I've forgotten already (probably juice). He also<br>
waxed a little dramatic (or at least melodramatic), ranting slightly<br>
about poisoning members of the community.<br>
<br>
Lief rated the vending machine Off-Topic, since Noisebridge is not in<br>
the business of selling soft drinks, although providing drinks on a<br>
donation basis (as we've done with kombucha) is acceptable. Lief<br>
also questioned the financial benefits of running the machine. On<br>
January 16, Rob, Evan, and I spent $59 on 148 cans of soda, expecting<br>
a profit of $89. Lief suggests that it costs about $100 per month in<br>
electricity to run the vending machine. Even if we refill the<br>
machine promptly and take advantage of sale prices, we're more or<br>
less breaking even.<br>
<br>
That's assuming, of course, that money doesn't go missing from the<br>
machine.<br>
<br>
On Feb 19, I counted the money in the machine and there was a<br>
shortfall of about $90.[1] Rob reports that about a week ago, he<br>
noticed the vending machine key in the right area but the wrong spot,<br>
and Amber informed me on Thursday that she was aware that someone had<br>
taken money from the machine. After accounting for unsold cans and<br>
purchases in quarters, that leaves 120 cans bought with dollar<br>
bills. If $90 is missing, then the theft occurred about 3/4 of the<br>
way through the time period, which is consistent with the timing of<br>
Rob's observation.<br>
<br>
I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that the money was stolen<br>
by one of the undesirables recently in the space (and even more<br>
recently out of the space, thanks to the Rooster Brigade). In this<br>
scenario, the perp observed someone close the vending machine, walk<br>
into a small room, and immediately leave again -- thus revealing the<br>
location of the key. Lief offered the theory that perhaps someone<br>
hacked his/her way in without a key, and asserted that anyone who<br>
successfully steals money from a hackerspace is by definition a<br>
hacker and that such actions should be applauded. I stated that<br>
Noisebridge is not DefCon and accused Lief of trolling.<br>
<br>
Despite taking exception with Chris' and Lief's delivery, I agree<br>
with their basic positions and (some of) their supporting reasons.<br>
Rob, originally in favor of restocking the machine, also agreed with<br>
taking the machine out of service. I moved the five remaining cans<br>
(after consuming the last Sierra Mist) to the refrigerator, unplugged<br>
the vending machine, and emptied it of all cash, amounting to $123.<br>
I will either hand it over to Kelly or deposit it into Noisebridge's<br>
bank account.<br>
<br>
I'll be at the Tuesday meeting, in case anybody wants to discuss<br>
this. I for one would be in favor of stocking Hansen's canned<br>
smoothies. Get them shipped from Amazon for $1/can, ask for a<br>
donation of $2.<br>
<br>
Josh<br>
<br>
P.S.: If you want to talk about "poisoning" people or equate<br>
stealing with hacking, please add a "[drama]" tag.<br>
<br>
[1] Amounts are not exact because the machine keeps some coins<br>
slotted in the change dispenser, and these weren't counted on Jan 16.<br>
<div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
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