[DRAFT] PNB Technology Committee Minutes 9/27/2004<br />
<br />
A regular meeting of the Pacifica National Board Technology Committee<br />
was held via teleconference on Monday, September 27, 2004, at 5:10 pm<br />
PST using the facilities of freeconference.com. Curt Schroell convened<br />
the meeting, which was web cast live on http://kpftx.org until<br />
executive session.  The public portion of the meeting audio will be<br />
archived online at http://www.kpftx.org/archive.htm#pnb.  Without<br />
objection, the minutes of the May 21, 2004 and June 20, 2004 meetings<br />
were approved after reading was waived.<br />
<br />
Eight Members present, constituting a quorum: Dave Adelson, Terry<br />
Goodman, Patty Heffley, Roger Manning, Curt Schroell, Wendy Schroell,<br />
Nile El Wardani, Zarinah Shakir<br />
<br />
Seven Members absent: Steve Conley, Mark Hernandez, Tracey Lewis,<br />
Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Cleveland Spears, Al Delaney, William Walker<br />
<br />
The meeting was called to order at approximately 5:10 pm Pacific time.<br />
The agenda was discussed and approved as amended.<br />
<br />
Upon advice that its resolution of May 21st requesting a report from<br />
the Executive Director had not gone to the PNB Coordinating Committee,<br />
the committee authorized Patty Heffley to send it to Ray Laforest and<br />
Roger Manning for tracking by WBAI members of that committee.  Adelson<br />
suggested that it be included in the committee's report to the PNB,<br />
and there was no objection.<br />
<br />
There was discussion of a proposal for Pacifica funding of a proposal<br />
from Radio for Peace International. Some committee members received a<br />
printed copy of the proposal via postal mail in advance of the<br />
meeting.  Additionally, the following URLs were sent to committee<br />
members by the Chair for reference in advance of the meeting:<br />
<br />
 Radio for Peace International Democracy Now Report: <br />
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/04/1556254<br />
<br />
 RFPI Responds to University for Peace press release of 11/3/03:<br />
http://www.rfpi.org/legal.html<br />
<br />
 Free Speech Is Frozen Out in Costa Rica:<br />
http://www.earthisland.org/project/newsPage2.cfm?newsID=539&pageID=177&subSiteID=44<br />
<br />
 RPI Online Journal, September 1, 2004:<br />
http://www.rfpi.org/vista_2004_Sept1.html<br />
<br />
 Scooter Interviews Tom Voorhees Off Air:<br />
http://acksisofevil.org/audio/voorhees.mp3 <br />
<br />
Also, the Secretary offered to research and provide additional<br />
information for inclusion in the minutes.<br />
<br />
  "The Lifeline is a self-powered radio designed specifically for<br />
  children living on their own, distance education or other<br />
  humanitarian projects. Robustly constructed to operate in the<br />
  harshest of conditions and climates, the Lifeline radio is rugged,<br />
  colourful, easy  to use and carry, receives excellent AM/FM/SW <br />
  and plays for many hours non-stop on wind-up energy or solar <br />
  power. It is available to aid and donor agencies for bona fide<br />
  humanitarian initiatives."<br />
<br />
http://www.freeplayfoundation.org/<br />
http://www.e-greenstar.com/worldsummit/freeplay.htm<br />
http://www.freeplayenergy.com<br />
<br />
  Portable FM Radio Stations: Broadcasting with the Sun<br />
  (The reach of FM is limited, but the discussion here is relevant)<br />
http://www.col.org/speeches/mindafviii_case2.htm<br />
    <br />
Adelson presented background and reported on a phone conversation<br />
regarding the proposal.  It was announced that RFPI will be making a<br />
presentation at the upcoming PNB meeting.<br />
<br />
Motion from Adelson, as amended<br />
<br />
RESOLVED, The committee reports that it finds that there is no other<br />
technology that we are aware of that will allow Pacifica to reach the<br />
worldwide audience available via shortwave and that the Radio for<br />
Peace International proposal is compatible with the Pacifica Mission<br />
and its message of peace.<br />
<br />
There was no vote on the resolution, but it was presumed adopted<br />
without objection.<br />
<br />
There was discussion regarding advances in MP3 player technology, the<br />
varieties of MP3 content distribution, and the key importance of<br />
interface design. Adelson agreed to send a written report to the<br />
committee, but warned that it might not be available prior to the PNB<br />
meeting.<br />
<br />
Motion from El-Wardani, as amended<br />
<br />
RESOLVED, That Dave Adelson present a report to the PNB on the latest<br />
MP3 technology.<br />
<br />
There was no vote on the resolution, but it was presumed adopted<br />
without objection.<br />
<br />
There was discussion about problems with digital radio, as reported by<br />
Jim Bennet and others at the Pacifica Tech Talk retreat after GRC9 in<br />
June, 2004.  The following URLs were sent to committee members by the<br />
Chair for reference in advance of the meeting:<br />
<br />
  Infytech homepage<br />
http://indytech.org<br />
<br />
  Making an informed decision on HD Radio<br />
http://www.indytech.org/docs/HDRadio.html<br />
<br />
  Your radios ... All turned to junk By Government edict ...<br />
http://www.digitaldisaster.org/<br />
<br />
Motion from Goodman, as amended<br />
<br />
RESOLVED, The PNB Technology Committee shares the skepticism expressed<br />
in the Bennet letter, "Making an Informed Decision on HD Radio."<br />
<br />
Motion to table from El-Wardani<br />
Motion to table PASSED by roll call vote<br />
3 YES (W. Schroell, Shakir, Manning)<br />
1 NO (Goodman)<br />
<br />
Pount of order from Adelson, a motion to table takes precedence.  <br />
Well taken.<br />
<br />
Motion from Heffley<br />
<br />
RESOLVED, That the PNB Technology Committee requests that the Pacifica<br />
Executive Director provide a written report to this committee of new<br />
technology projects being undertaken by the Foundation, including<br />
costs incurred and projected.<br />
<br />
Motion withdrawn prior to a second, as the meeting was required to end<br />
its public session to free the stream for another committee.<br />
<br />
Point of order from Manning, the motion was previously adopted.<br />
Not well taken.<br />
<br />
The committee entered executive session to discuss security problems<br />
discovered in connection with the Pacifica Internet Tuner.  Quorum was<br />
lost during this discussion, but a majority of a quorum was obtained<br />
when a resolution was prepared for committee consideration.<br />
<br />
Motion from Adelson, as amended<br />
<br />
WHEREAS, bugs and security holes are often found in initial releases<br />
of new software and interfaces,<br />
<br />
RESOLVED, That PNB technology committee recommends that prior to the<br />
public release by Pacifica of any new internet audio interface, it be<br />
provided to the PNB Technology Committeee for beta testing and<br />
security review.<br />
<br />
Motion PASSED by roll call vote<br />
5 YES (Adelson, Goodman, Manning, Heffley, W. Schroell)<br />
0 NO<br />
<br />
The meeting was adjourned at 7:02 pm PST.<br />
<br />
Terry L. Goodman<br />
Secretary, PNB Technology Committee<br />
<br />
-----<br />
APPENDIX A - Meeting Notice <br />
<br />
[Note: The 9/21/04 meeting failed quorum, so the meeting was<br />
rescheduled.]  <br />
<br />
From: Roger Manning, PNB Secretary<br />
To: Pacifica Nation Board, GM's, LSB Secretaries, & Others<br />
Subject: NOTICE - more PNB commmittee meetings - Sept 18, 21, 22<br />
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004<br />
<br />
PLEASE POST WIDELY (and announce on-air where possible)<br />
<br />
Meetings of the following committees of the Pacifica National Board<br />
are upcoming via <br />
<br />
teleconference:<br />
<br />
- Sat. Sept. 18,<br />
12:00pm Pacific, 1:00pm Mountain, 2:00pm Central, 3:00pm Eastern:<br />
PNB programming Committee<br />
<br />
- Tues. Sept. 21,<br />
12:30pm Pacific, 1:30pm Mountain, 2:30pm Central, 3:30pm Eastern:<br />
PNB Coordinating Committee<br />
<br />
- Tues. Sept. 21,<br />
5:00pm Pacific, 6:00pm Mountain, 7:00pm Central, 8:00pm Eastern:<br />
PNB Technology Committee [moved from 9-19-04]<br />
<br />
- Weds. Sept. 22,<br />
12:00pm Pacific, 1:00pm Mountain, 2:00pm Central, 3:00pm Eastern:<br />
Board/Staff Relations [exec session to address personnel issues - not<br />
webcast]<br />
<br />
<br />
Meetings will be webcast and archived at http://kpftx.org<br />
<br />
Pacifica: 510-849-2590 http://pacifica.org<br />
<br />
-----<br />
APPENDIX B - Amended Agenda<br />
<br />
I.   Coordination with Coordinating Committee<br />
II.  Pacifica's participation assisting the restart of RFPI<br />
III. KU Uplinks outside of Berkeley (tabled to next meeting)<br />
IV.  Bennet Paper on HD Radio<br />
V.   Advances in MP3 Technology<br />
VI.  Security Problems with the Pacifica Internet Tuner (closed<br />
session)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />