Wikimania 2008/Bids/Atlanta/Meeting 9/7/07

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[21:05] <Mike_H> ==Meeting started. Logging on.==
[21:05] <WM-Thunderhead> Hello everyone, welcome to the Wikimania Atlanta 2008 Bid Meeting
[21:06] <WM-Thunderhead> Is this the tenth meeting, Mike?
[21:06] <Mike_H> yes, this is #10.
[21:06] * Ceiling_Cat has joined #wikimania-atlanta
[21:06] <uberpenguin> hai2u
[21:06] * uberpenguin pauses metroid
[21:06] <WM-Thunderhead> 10 meetings, that's good :-)
[21:06] * enok|walker has joined #wikimania-atlanta
[21:07] <Mike_H> Andrew has probably the most interesting news tonight.
[21:07] <WM-Thunderhead> hmm?
[21:07] <WM-Thunderhead> Ah
[21:07] <Disavian_> I do?
[21:07] <Mike_H> You and Hillary.
[21:07] <Mike_H> Do tell.
[21:08] <Disavian_> ... that I stayed up late last night studying for a combinatorics test?
[21:08] <Mike_H> Oh my God.
[21:08] <Mike_H> I mean the CD.
[21:08] <Disavian_> ah, yes, that
[21:08] <Disavian_> Hillary did get a CD of some sort today
[21:09] <Disavian_> *pokes her*
[21:10] * Hello32020 has joined #wikimania-atlanta
[21:10] <WM-Thunderhead> Hello Hello32020
[21:11] <Hello32020> hello
[21:11] <Mike_H> Andrew, you put it up
[21:11] <Mike_H> didn't you look at it?
[21:11] <LaMenta3> I put it up
[21:11] <Mike_H> oh
[21:11] <Mike_H> Did you look at it?
[21:11] <LaMenta3> I didn't really look at it either
[21:11] <Mike_H> Well, I'll talk about it then
[21:12] <Mike_H> I'm looking at it now
[21:12] <Mike_H> and it's rather impressive
[21:12] <Mike_H> it's called the Atlanta Book of Lists
[21:12] <LaMenta3> I've been all over the place, so I put it up (which was quick) for your convenience
[21:12] <Mike_H> and it has numbers for every big business in Georgia
[21:12] <Mike_H> here are some names of businesses we haven't contacted
[21:12] <Mike_H> for our notes, to contact next week
[21:12] <Mike_H> The biggest business on this list we have not contacted yet is Aflac
[21:13] <Mike_H> they are based in Columbus.
[21:13] <WM-Thunderhead> Think they'll send us the talking duck? ;-)
[21:13] <Mike_H> :)
[21:13] <Mike_H> SunTrust is another one we have on our list but nobody has contacted.
[21:14] <Mike_H> Tonight I want everyone to pick new people to contact for next week.
[21:14] <LaMenta3> My mom actually knows the lady who belongs to the original AFLAC duck
[21:14] <Mike_H> heh
[21:15] <LaMenta3> If memory serves, the duck's name is Quackers...he's actually someone's pet :)
[21:15] <Mike_H> aw
[21:15] <Mike_H> so out of the Top 50, some big names we haven't contacted
[21:15] <Mike_H> Carter's
[21:15] <Mike_H> the company that makes baby clothing
[21:15] <Mike_H> ChoicePoint
[21:15] <Mike_H> database collection, and my former employer
[21:15] <Mike_H> Allied Holdings
[21:16] <Mike_H> big US trucking company
[21:16] <Mike_H> Haverty's
[21:16] <Mike_H> furniture store chain
[21:16] <Mike_H> Further down the list...
[21:16] <Mike_H> World Airways
[21:16] <Mike_H> Carmike Cinemas
[21:17] <Mike_H> Cox Radio (something we need to get on top of, we discussed it earlier this week)
[21:17] <Mike_H> Gray Television Stations
[21:17] <Mike_H> and Web.com
[21:17] <Mike_H> that company sells websites and web design.
[21:18] <Mike_H> that's in the Top 100.
[21:18] <Mike_H> Anyone want to contact any of these people for next week and add them to the sponsor list?
[21:18] <CraigSpurrier> added to the list
[21:19] <Mike_H> Okay.
[21:19] <Mike_H> And we also have a list of top Atlanta-based franchises
[21:19] <Mike_H> we haven't contacted any of them, even though some are on our list
[21:19] <CraigSpurrier> also added Kroger's since they are apparently rather big on supporting local events
[21:19] <Mike_H> Yes, they are.
[21:19] <Mike_H> Here are the Top 10 Atlanta-based franchises.
[21:19] <Mike_H> Arby's
[21:19] <Mike_H> Popeye's
[21:20] <Mike_H> Freshens Yogurt
[21:20] <Mike_H> Holiday Inn Express/Holiday Inn
[21:20] <Mike_H> Church's Chicken
[21:20] <Mike_H> Chick-fil-A
[21:20] <Mike_H> Aaron's Rent to Own
[21:20] <Mike_H> Waffle House
[21:20] <Mike_H> Cinnabon
[21:20] <Mike_H> Carvel Ice Cream
[21:21] <Mike_H> anyone want to contact these companies next week? I'd imagine they'd be easier to approach than others.
[21:21] <LaMenta3> Arby's and Cinnabon are based in Atlanta? I didn't know that
[21:21] <Mike_H> It says the Cinnabon offices are on Glenridge Point Parkway
[21:22] <Mike_H> and Arby's is on Perimeter Center
[21:22] <Mike_H> I personally did not know Holiday Inn was based in Atlanta
[21:22] <WM-Thunderhead> nor did I
[21:22] <Mike_H> they may provide free rooms or discounted rates as an alternative to dorms
[21:22] <Mike_H> if people wanted that.
[21:23] <Mike_H> Another interesting point, as I'm looking through the list
[21:23] <Mike_H> there are more recognizable names based in Atlanta
[21:23] <Mike_H> Huddle House
[21:23] <Mike_H> Moe's Southwest Grill
[21:23] <Mike_H> Microtel Inn and Suites
[21:23] <Mike_H> Crowne Plaza Resorts (which I believe is a subsidiary of Holiday Inn)
[21:24] <Mike_H> Atlanta Bread Company
[21:24] <Mike_H> Planet Smoothie
[21:24] <Mike_H> Scottish Inn
[21:24] <Mike_H> and those are the big names on that list.
[21:25] <Mike_H> I would like people to volunteer for certain businesses to contact in the chat tonight.
[21:25] <Mike_H> So we can all know who is doing what.
[21:26] <Mike_H> ...please let's not all talk at once...?
[21:27] <After-Midnight> Mike_H: Coca-Cola.....
[21:27] <CraigSpurrier> I added those to the list as well
[21:28] <Mike_H> After-Midnight: we have contacted Coca-Cola already
[21:28] <Mike_H> I'm listing companies we have not contacted.
[21:29] <After-Midnight> sorry - I'm new in this channel
[21:29] <Mike_H> it's okay
[21:29] <Mike_H> and should we consider asking Atlanta-area malls for donations
[21:29] <CraigSpurrier> After-Midnight: the full list of what we have done and whop is left is at http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2008/Bids/Atlanta/Sponsorships
[21:31] <Mike_H> Hillary, it says Cinnabon is based in Seattle, but in any case have a big office in Atlanta
[21:32] * After-Midnight has left #wikimania-atlanta
[21:32] <Mike_H> Please can other people start contributing to the meeting? I feel like I'm talking to myself here and it's getting ridiculous.
[21:33] <CraigSpurrier> :)
[21:33] -> [Disavian_] PING
[21:33] -> [LaMenta3] PING
[21:33] -> [uberpenguin] PING
[21:33] -> [superm401] PING
[21:33] -> [WM-Thunderhead] PING
[21:34] -> [JodyB] PING
[21:34] <WM-Thunderhead> :)
[21:34] <LaMenta3> ok, I thought they were in Seattle, that's why I was confused
[21:34] <uberpenguin> you're doing so well
[21:34] <LaMenta3> because I think they were just getting big when I lived up there
[21:35] <Mike_H> Okay, now we have a lot of new sponsors
[21:36] <CraigSpurrier> If we want them and have a place to put them, I think I can get one of the suppliers I use for work to give us several linux thick clients(lightweight linux internet terminals)
[21:36] <Mike_H> Please start taking some for next week.
[21:36] <Mike_H> I've personally contacted 11 sponsors. Other people have contacted far fewer so we need to pick up the pace.
[21:39] <Mike_H> If I don't hear people volunteering I'm just going to start assigning them to people.
[21:39] <Mike_H> Just because we've contacted more sponsors than other bids doesn't mean we should be complacent. We haven't really gotten a firm "yes" from anyone, just good interest at this point.
[21:40] <CraigSpurrier> I can do Web.com
[21:40] <Mike_H> Okay, sign up for that
[21:40] <Mike_H> can you pick...two more?
[21:40] <Mike_H> I'll go ahead and pick six for me
[21:41] <Mike_H> there
[21:41] <Mike_H> I picked eight
[21:42] <CraigSpurrier> I took three more
[21:43] <Mike_H> ChoicePoint, Cox Radio, Kroger, Arby's, Holiday Inn, Waffle House, Cinnabon and Moe's
[21:43] <Mike_H> I took all those
[21:43] <JodyB> I'm still in for UPS
[21:43] <JodyB> although that will be Tuesday at the earliest
[21:43] <Mike_H> While we're waiting on that, do you want to shoot e-mails at other businesses?
[21:44] <JodyB> Has anyone taken Delta? I see its on the list?
[21:44] <Mike_H> No.
[21:44] <JodyB> I can do some emails
[21:44] <Mike_H> Nobody has taken Delta.
[21:44] <JodyB> I'll take Delta
[21:44] <JodyB> maybe a special rate for airfares
[21:44] <JodyB> at the least
[21:44] <Mike_H> and "Atlanta sports teams" has not been taken on that list
[21:44] <Mike_H> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2008/Bids/Atlanta/Sponsorships
[21:44] <Mike_H> sign up for those spots so nobody contacts them twice
[21:45] <JodyB> sign up on the list itselg?
[21:45] <JodyB> *itself
[21:45] * enok|walker has left #wikimania-atlanta ("Leaving"�)
[21:45] <CraigSpurrier> yes
[21:45] <Mike_H> yes, so we know who has what
[21:45] <JodyB> ok
[21:46] <Mike_H> uberpenguin: please take three businesses to contact via e-mail for next week.
[21:46] <uberpenguin> I'll see what I can do
[21:46] <uberpenguin> going to be a bad week for me
[21:47] <Mike_H> You can always write those e-mails this weekend
[21:47] <Mike_H> send them off
[21:47] <Mike_H> and wait for the responses during the week
[21:47] <uberpenguin> bad weekend too
[21:47] <Mike_H> All of it?
[21:47] <uberpenguin> yeah
[21:47] <uberpenguin> I have to pick the parents up from the airport, attend a shower, and spend the rest of my free moments working furiously on QM, RF, and thermo homework
[21:48] <JodyB> add three for me
[21:48] <JodyB> I did
[21:48] <Mike_H> great
[21:51] <Mike_H> PLEASE CONTACT THIS BUSINESS AND ADD YOUR NAME IN THIS PLACE WHEN YOU HAVE
[21:51] <Mike_H> I'm adding that to each empty slot
[21:51] <Mike_H> for businesses
[21:51] <Mike_H> it looks ugly but maybe that will be an incentive for it to be done
[21:53] <Mike_H> There, that gets my point across.
[21:54] <Mike_H> Okay, so
[21:54] <Mike_H> this is the last meeting of the week
[21:54] <Mike_H> someone please bring up points on the bid we need to work on
[21:54] <Mike_H> so people know what to do for the weekend.
[21:55] <uberpenguin> do you have any guidelines or a form letter or just general points you want to be gotten across when contacting these companies?
[21:55] <CraigSpurrier> meeting times, do we want to schedule them to be later, since we are starting later anyways. maybe 8?
[21:56] <JodyB> I changed the header to User Contact. Otherwise it looks as if the contact has already been made.
[21:56] <Mike_H> uberpenguin: I have my own form letter that I use
[21:56] <Mike_H> I describe what Wikimedia Foundation is
[21:56] <Mike_H> that there is a yearly international conference
[21:56] <Mike_H> and that cities bid in Olympic fashion for the right to hold it.
[21:56] <JodyB> Can you post it somewhere?
[21:56] <Mike_H> It will be on the log.
[21:57] <Mike_H> You can re-read the log.
[21:58] <Mike_H> So I describe what WMF is, there is a yearly international conference, cities bid in Olympic fashion to hold it, and we're bidding for Atlanta. Atlanta is a fine city because ________ (read the bid letter and put reasons from there in your letter), and to be able to hold it here, we need local and national sponsors, which is where you come in.
[21:58] <Mike_H> And then this is where every letter from me deviates. I do one paragraph specifically related to their business.
[21:58] <Mike_H> Coca-Cola is so great because ________, and a partnership between our companies can be mutually beneficial because _________.
[21:58] <Mike_H> Then you link them to the actual bid
[21:59] <Mike_H> and thank them for their consideration, and if they have any questions
[21:59] <Mike_H> please have them contact you.
[21:59] <Mike_H> I've been listing my phone number and e-mail
[21:59] <Mike_H> if you don't want them calling you, say "E-mail is preferred."
[21:59] <Mike_H> In the case of the City of Atlanta, they contacted me by phone anyway.
[21:59] <Mike_H> end with
[21:59] <Mike_H> Regards,
[21:59] <Mike_H> ___________
[21:59] <Mike_H> Wikimania 2008 Atlanta Team
[21:59] <Mike_H> (phone number, e-mail)
[22:00] <Mike_H> Sound good?
[22:00] <WM-Thunderhead> Are we going to be able to get our hands on http://www.wikimania08.us
[22:00] <WM-Thunderhead> ?
[22:01] <Mike_H> Probably not right now.
[22:01] <Mike_H> From what I've gathered, only the winning city can get the website.
[22:02] <CraigSpurrier> plus may as well get the .com and .org when the time comes
[22:02] <Mike_H> I don't know if we'd have to deal with that.
[22:02] <Mike_H> That's something for the future.
[22:02] <WM-Thunderhead> Well, I'm saying that for the future, just throwing out the idea.
[22:02] <WM-Thunderhead> The WM Taiwan team registered http://www.wikimania.tw last yer
[22:03] <CraigSpurrier> I will take care of it on October seventh :)
[22:03] <Mike_H> I would register www.wikimania.com
[22:03] <Mike_H> or www.wikimania2008.com
[22:03] <Mike_H> and have it redirect.
[22:03] <CraigSpurrier> or WikimaniaAtlanta
[22:03] <Mike_H> that won't be too long?
[22:03] <WM-Thunderhead> See, we need a place to host our registration system
[22:04] <CraigSpurrier> I will take care of that when the time comes
[22:05] <CraigSpurrier> I need to get going, talk to you again monday
[22:05] * CraigSpurrier is now known as CraigSpurrier_aw
[22:06] <Mike_H> Okay, anything else that needs to be done to the bid this weekend?
[22:06] <Mike_H> Read over the bid quickly and tell me if there is anything else that needs to be done.
[22:07] <WM-Thunderhead> Alright, I believe that is it for tonights meeting.
[22:07] <WM-Thunderhead> Closing remarks?
[22:08] <Mike_H> NOBODY has any constructive work for the bid?
[22:08] <WM-Thunderhead> Giving me 'steward' would be constructive, but CraigSpurrier_aw won't do it unless I bribe him ;-)
[22:09] <Mike_H> Sigh. Fine.
[22:09] <WM-Thunderhead> ?
[22:09] <Mike_H> ==Meeting and logging over.==