[Robotgroup] State of the union ...

[Def Egge]

Folks,

We have a bit of a crisis on our hands.  The time is right for 
members to begin thinking about how they might step forward to help 
The Robot Group.

We have made some great strides over the past couple of years ... 
First Night Austin 2006 and 2007, Maker Faire Austin 2007, and a host 
of smaller events.  Money for projects has been pouring in (relative 
to some lean times in the not-too-distant past) for 
projects.  Therepings, RoboSpinArt machines, Ponginator, the PingPong 
Printer have been a few of the big hits over the past couple of 
years.

1) ***** Vern has already indicated at a meeting (two weeks ago) that 
he will not be seeking a third term in the president's chair.  Those 
will be tough shoes to fill but they will need to be filled.  The 
call has gone out but who will answer? *****

Vern and Kym are still in the throes of moving from deep south Austin 
westward to Dripping Springs.  That will eat up a lot more of their 
time before the task is complete.  Holding a job that keeps him on 
the hook for as many hours as his does, pumping out a magazine 
article per month for Nuts & Volts and Servo eats further into Vern's 
free time.  Where he finds the time for family is beyond me.  He is 
beginning to show the signs of the weary lame duck officer.

2) ***** We need someone to spearhead the contacts with First Night 
Austin. *****

Will the projects be funded?
To what degree?
When?
Where should we be looking for letters of rejection, notices of 
funded projects, offers to negotiate what will be delivered for a 
given level of funding?  Who is listed as the primary contact - 
physical mailing address, email address, phone number - for each of 
the submitted proposals.
We need someone to act as the primary source of contact.

3) ***** We need someone to spearhead the contacts with the folks 
from O'Reilly / Make magazine for the upcoming Maker Faire Austin 
2008. *****

Do  they really want us there?
What do they expect from us?
What logistical arrangements are being made? [Obviously, with their 
version of battling robots taking over the arena, we will be 
elsewhere ... no, not the air-conditioned space where the Maker Store 
is located nor, in all likelihood, in the livestock arena / barn 
area.  A more likely arrangement is that we will end up in a tent 
outdoors somewhere.]
Note: there are only 7 short weeks until that event goes off, with us 
or without us.  If Make is looking for new stuff, there is very 
little time in which to generate ideas, develop the new exhibits, and 
get them built, tested and ready for prime time.


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All the best....

Mike