[Noisebridge-discuss] 1. Re: Electricity usage at the space is up UP UP

Sun Jun 26 01:56:52 UTC 2011

Oops, meant to send this to the list.

On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 6:56 PM, Danny O'Brien <danny at spesh.com> wrote:

>
>
> On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 6:16 PM, aestetix aestetix <aestetix at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> A card or a flyer is a really good idea. Would it be useful to have a sign
>> and a bin full of flyers near the door so people who are new can pick one up
>> as they leave? If you're *at* Noisebridge you're probably overwhelmed with
>> all the stuff going on, but I think that if you pick up a flyer on your way
>> out, there's a much higher chance you'll read it and think about donating.
>
>
> Hilariously, if you look, there are tons of huge posters and things telling
> you stuff about Noisebridge in that area. The problem is the competition
> with all the other awesomeness. My guess (backed up with a bit of
> experimentation, but not much) is that adding another thing in there is just
> going to get buried in the noise.
>
> I'm really more interested in fixing another, narrower problem, which is
> how to approach people with easy info that they can act on to donate
> regularly. There's lots of people I'd love to chat about this, but I feel
> rude just asking them to donate. Also I get a lot of questions that might be
> answerable with a flyer.
>
> I think a side effect of this is that you could store those flyers there,
> but I don't think that's really what gets people to donate. It is, as you
> say, talking to people and explaining things.
>
> d.
>
>
>>
>> Keep in mind, it doesn't sound like there's a financial issue at hand, but
>> more just a communication issue that is easily resolved.
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 5:56 PM, Danny O'Brien <danny at spesh.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 4:38 PM, aestetix aestetix <aestetix at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Is the electrical usage a concern, or just an observation?
>>>>
>>>> If there have been an influx of new people, and you (the general you)
>>>> see someone around, why not ask them if they've considered putting in a
>>>> membership application? I wonder how many people come by and don't even know
>>>> they can become a member, and have no idea how to contribute towards the
>>>> space.
>>>>
>>>
>>> The answer is *lots*. And the biggest confusion is that *you don't need
>>> to become a full member to donate*. Lots of people don't want to become a
>>> full member, which can be a little long-winded, but still want to give
>>> something to Noisebridge and the community. You can set up a monthly
>>> donation for $10/mo<https://www.paypal.com/subscriptions/business=treasurer@noisebridge.net&item_name=Noisebridge%20Monthly%20Donation%20%28Affiliate%20Member%29&cy_code=USD&a3=10&p3=1&t3=M&src=1>
>>> $20/mo<https://www.paypal.com/subscriptions/business=treasurer@noisebridge.net&item_name=Noisebridge%20Monthly%20Donation%20%28Affiliate%20Member%29&cy_code=USD&a3=20&p3=1&t3=M&src=1>
>>> $40/mo<https://www.paypal.com/subscriptions/business=treasurer@noisebridge.net&item_name=Noisebridge%20Monthly%20Donation%20%28Affiliate%20Hacker%29&cy_code=USD&a3=40&p3=1&t3=M&src=1>
>>> $80/mo<https://www.paypal.com/subscriptions/business=treasurer@noisebridge.net&item_name=Noisebridge%20Monthly%20Donation%20%28Affiliate%29&cy_code=USD&a3=80&p3=1&t3=M&src=1>or any
>>> amount you like <https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Donate_or_Pay_Dues>.
>>>
>>> I was thinking about creating a little (physical) card explaining this,
>>> because I think the social awkwardness of asking people to donate is hard to
>>> overcome without a bit of help. Anyone a designer who would like to help
>>> with this?
>>>
>>> d.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 4:11 PM, Danny O'Brien <danny at spesh.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 10:24 AM, rachel lyra hospodar <
>>>>> rachelyra at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> If anything I would say overall use of the sewing machines has
>>>>>> declined over the last year; it used to be much harder to get time on the
>>>>>> single needle.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In the last year we have acquired some big hogs:
>>>>>> -vending machine
>>>>>> -second fridge
>>>>>> -lazor
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As well as, in my estimation, slightly increasing kitchen use and
>>>>>> steadily increasingly large numbers of people that are soldering on
>>>>>> mondays.  Also, just MORE users. If we are charging 20 more laptops every
>>>>>> week that could add up, no?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> IMNSHO all commendable uses of the space (well, except maybe the
>>>>>> vending machine, curious what the ROI is there when it's adjusted for power
>>>>>> consumption).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> The vending machine actually brings in a fair amount of money.
>>>>>
>>>>> Just to clarify, we're not really looking at a huge increase here: I
>>>>> don't think we have to change much at all to accommodate it.
>>>>>
>>>>> As you say, creating affordances for people to give us money is the
>>>>> most obvious one.
>>>>>
>>>>> d.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Maybe we can find a way to blame the hippies.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Maybe we can find a way to more prominently solicit donations.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> mediumreality.com
>>>>>> On Jun 24, 2011 6:27 PM, "Bruce Wolfe" <brucewolfe.sf at gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> > How about WiFi webcams with white LEDs pointing onto the meters?
>>>>>> Then you
>>>>>> > can walk around the space with a smartphone even, unplugging devices
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> > don't need the additional humans in the creepy basement.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > How many new servers were installed lately, too? Remember, that data
>>>>>> centers
>>>>>> > charge for rackspace based on power consumption.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > I have to say that kitchen appliances and anything that is AC
>>>>>> motorized will
>>>>>> > probably be the culprit. Sorry, fabric-hackers, maybe sewing
>>>>>> machines.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > Good luck.
>>>>>> > Bruce
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > On Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 4:22 PM, Danny O'Brien <danny at spesh.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >> We have mechanical meters, I think the smart meters are due in the
>>>>>> next
>>>>>> >> year or so.
>>>>>> >>
>>>>>> >>
>>>>>> >> On Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 3:11 PM, Bruce Wolfe <
>>>>>> brucewolfe.sf at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>> >>
>>>>>> >>> Additionally, are these PG$E mechanical or Smart meters?
>>>>>> >>>
>>>>>> >>> Bruce
>>>>>> >>>
>>>>>> >>> Sent from Android. Pardon spelling.
>>>>>> >>> On Jun 24, 2011 2:20 PM, "jim" <jim at well.com> wrote:
>>>>>> >>> >
>>>>>> >>> >
>>>>>> >>> > Good idea. A variant is to unplug the suspect device
>>>>>> >>> > and plug it into something that measures Amps (e.g. a
>>>>>> >>> > variac). What this will yield is a snapshot of amps.
>>>>>> >>> > What's additionally needed is to know the amount of use
>>>>>> >>> > during a billing period.
>>>>>> >>> > A gizmo such as Andy's suggestion (we have one buried
>>>>>> >>> > behind the refridge next to the vending machine) can show
>>>>>> >>> > power usage for a time period. (I saw it but didn't want
>>>>>> >>> > to move all the stuff necessary so's to retrieve it--if
>>>>>> >>> > someone does retrieve it, maybe it'd be good to have a
>>>>>> >>> > well-known storage place for it or the note someone would
>>>>>> >>> > write to indicate it's current working location.)
>>>>>> >>> > I suspect the cooking stuff as the primary sucker of
>>>>>> >>> > power and NB money: can cookers tell if there's been
>>>>>> >>> > greater use of that stuff in the last three months over
>>>>>> >>> > the previous quarter?
>>>>>> >>> >
>>>>>> >>> >
>>>>>> >>> >
>>>>>> >>> >
>>>>>> >>> > On Fri, 2011-06-24 at 12:10 -0700, Bruce Wolfe wrote:
>>>>>> >>> >> Go analog and start unplugging things one at a time while
>>>>>> someone is
>>>>>> >>> >> watching the meter spin (or numbers flip) while on
>>>>>> walkie-talkies, or
>>>>>> >>> >> a human chain to relay the message up and down or maybe just
>>>>>> plain old
>>>>>> >>> >> two cans and string.
>>>>>> >>> >>
>>>>>> >>> >> Bruce
>>>>>> >>> >>
>>>>>> >>> >>
>>>>>> >>> >> Sent from Android. Pardon spelling.
>>>>>> >>> >>
>>>>>> >>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> >>> >> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
>>>>>> >>> >> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
>>>>>> >>> >>
>>>>>> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
>>>>>> >>> >
>>>>>> >>> >
>>>>>> >>>
>>>>>> >>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> >>> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
>>>>>> >>> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
>>>>>> >>> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
>>>>>> >>>
>>>>>> >>>
>>>>>> >>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
>>>>>> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
>>>>> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
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