Chat with Jason

Chat with Jason

Come chat with Jason Sorens, Free State Project Founder and Chairman of the Board this Wednesday (9/15) evening at 9:00 pm EST. This will be the first in a series of chats which will alternate between Q&A sessions with FSP leaders and activist training/brainstorming sessions. Upcoming training sessions will include:

• Starting a local group
• Effective communication techniques
• Effective meetings, and how to increase attendance
• Recruiting techniques for individuals: internet, Letters to the Editor, talk radio

Free State Chat
9:00 EST Wednesday, September 15th 2004
chat.freestateproject.org (go to "Training" chatroom)

Other chats

Here's a transcript of the chat that took place:

20:43:27 [erickson77] hello

20:43:42 [katdillon] Hi

20:43:54 [erickson77] how are you tonight?

20:44:12 [katdillon] Great! Glad you could make it

20:44:35 [erickson77] thanks, i just got off work. 10 hours as cashier heh

20:45:08 [katdillon] Ouch!

20:46:27 [erickson77] hi scott

20:46:38 [katdillon] Hi

20:46:43 [scottfree] hey, all

20:47:31 [katdillon] hi michael

20:48:01 [erickson77] alright

20:48:11 [erickson77] to stay in this chat or to call my girlfriend before it's too late, hah

20:48:16 [erickson77] hmm..

20:48:20 [M.Edelstei] Hi Kat, Dave, and Erickson!

20:48:30 [erickson77] hey there

20:49:41 [M.Edelstei] Excuse me, folks. I came early just to grab a seat. I'll be back in a few minutes.

20:50:02 [scottfree] Im looking forward to meeting some of my possible neibors

20:50:29 [scottfree] this early thing could be fun

20:50:53 [erickson77] hopefully

20:51:00 [erickson77] i wish there was more activism

20:51:20 [scottfree] anyone here near south carolina

20:51:26 [katdillon] So are you thinking about moving to NH?

20:51:28 [erickson77] Boston here

20:51:42 [scottfree] yes

20:51:47 [scottfree] me?

20:51:48 [erickson77] i'm moving, almost certainly, if we reach 20,000

20:51:49 [katdillon] Keene, NH

20:52:08 [erickson77] i'll be out of college by then

20:52:14 [erickson77] and i can start a career in NH

20:52:14 [scottfree] I think I might

20:52:45 [katdillon] Would love to hear your ideas on activism

20:52:46 [scottfree] I gave my word that i would

20:53:17 [erickson77] activism, i.e. outreach to get more members and more popularity!

20:53:38 [katdillon] Yes

20:53:53 [erickson77] i've started with a bumper sticker ;

20:54:03 [erickson77] : heh

20:54:13 [katdillon] Scott, I'd be interested in hearing what impediments you have to moving

20:54:18 [katdillon] Great!

20:54:25 [erickson77] meant to do a wink face, it didn't work out

20:55:02 [scottfree] Well, kat. I'll miss the south.

20:55:04 [katdillon] Saturday I'll be down in Boston for the NORML thing in Boston commons

20:55:16 [erickson77] yeah, i really want to catch that too, kat

20:55:16 [scottfree] Thats the main thing

20:55:23 [katdillon] I can understand that. I moved from Texas

20:55:35 [erickson77] i have a day off work on sat for that

20:55:55 [katdillon] We'll have a table set up. Do come by

20:56:08 [scottfree] my sis is in NY though

20:56:10 [erickson77] i heard volunteers were needed?

20:56:21 [katdillon] Always

20:56:29 [erickson77] well, for the rally in general, not for FSP

20:56:39 [erickson77] willing to help

20:56:49 [katdillon] That's great, Scott. Have you ever visited NH?

20:57:11 [katdillon] Cool

20:57:28 [erickson77] NH is absolutely beautiful

20:57:48 [katdillon] Oh yes!

20:57:51 [scottfree] nah Kat im looking forward to it though

20:58:33 [katdillon] I recommend attending the annual porcupine festival next year. It was awesome this year!

20:58:40 [scottfree] maybe next time we get together

20:58:58 [scottfree] freedom fest

20:59:34 [scottfree] ill be there

20:59:44 [katdillon] Great

21:00:02 [scottfree] im saving vacation time now

21:00:11 [katdillon] It was such an experience being around so many freedom lovers

21:00:44 [scottfree] Im embarased i missed it

21:00:59 [katdillon] Hi Tom

21:01:11 [scottfree] hey, parker

21:01:32 [tparker] Howdy

21:02:12 [M.Edelstei] Hi, Tom. It's great to finally meet you in person!

21:02:16 [katdillon] Hi doug

21:02:34 [katdillon] No need to be embarrassed, scott

21:02:35 [doug] Am I at the Free State Project?

21:03:23 [katdillon] Yep, you got the right place

21:03:28 [jsorens] howdy!

21:03:36 [katdillon] Hi jaskug

21:03:39 [katdillon] Hi Jason

21:03:45 [jaskug] greets

21:03:46 [doug] Who is our Fearless Leader, tonight?

21:03:55 [M.Edelstei] Hi Jason.

21:04:10 [jsorens] i guess im supposed to be, but im pretty cowardly

21:04:15 [katdillon] Jason Sorens

21:04:15 [jsorens]

21:04:26 [jsorens] hi michael

21:04:27 [katdillon] Hi Dave

21:04:34 [cneufer] Is this the FSP chat room?

21:04:42 [katdillon] Yep

21:04:43 [jsorens] you've got the right place

21:05:06 [DaveM] working?

21:05:06 [cneufer] Is there no audio?

21:05:06 [jsorens] so lets get started; let's do this as a q&a

21:05:28 [jsorens] why dont we start in the order of people on the right side? alpha order by username

21:05:33 [M.Edelstei] Hi Dave.

21:05:35 [katdillon] Sorry, no audio at this time. We're working on it

21:05:49 [jsorens] please let fly with any & all questions relating to the free state project, & ill answer as best i can

21:05:53 [cneufer] OK

21:06:08 [jsorens] (and i apologize for this annoying format - we do plan to upgrade, possibly get audio & a better interface)

21:06:33 [cneufer] You could use PalTalk like we do for our meetings

21:06:39 [doug] I don't have working speakers, so no audio is fine by me

21:06:41 [jsorens] so the first person up is cneufer

21:07:00 [katdillon] Thanks cneufer, I'll look into ti

21:07:02 [katdillon] it

21:07:04 [DaveM] hi Kat

21:07:17 [jsorens] ive used paltalk before, it's good

21:07:25 [cneufer] Hello-I am the President of North Ohio NORML and a member of FSP--hoping to move sometime in the future

21:07:25 [katdillon]

21:07:49 [DaveM] Hi Michael

21:07:51 [M.Edelstei] Jason, an issue came up whether the FSP should be focused in NH or just outside of NH. What are your thoughts?

21:08:14 [cneufer] PalTalk is OK even if you don't have speakers because you can still just type if you want to

21:08:51 [jsorens] well, i was thinking of sticking to alphabetical order by username for questions, but we can do this the anarchic way too

21:09:03 [jsorens] so ill take dr edelstein's question

21:09:06 [doug] I'd like to hear feedback on successful recruiting techniques for individuals. In fact, that's the key reason I joined this forum, tonight.

21:09:08 [scottfree] Im wondering were is everyoneHey mike

21:09:41 [jsorens] the fsp is obviously focused primarily on recruiting liberty-oriented individuals to move to nh

21:09:53 [jsorens] for that reason most of our activities will be focused on publicity outside nh

21:09:57 [jsorens] however,

21:09:57 [cneufer] We have information (printed) at our NORML store for people to take

21:10:19 [jsorens] it helps recruiting to be able to point to favorable developments & fsp successes within nh

21:10:36 [jsorens] so our role in nh is, as i see it, primarily informational

21:11:02 [jsorens] to get the word out about the interesting & exciting things free staters who have moved are already doing in their adopted state

21:11:24 [M.Edelstei] Please elaborate on the informational.

21:11:30 [jsorens] if you have any followups michael feel free to throw them in

21:11:34 [jsorens] ok

21:11:37 [timba2112] I'll take a shot at a question. I'm the Chicago/Milwaukee Coordinator. We've had a two well attended meetings, but my skills seem to be limited in regards to getting help from local members. Any "aggressive" ideas for encouraging involvement?

21:11:56 [katdillon] doug> Tonight was mostly a Q & A session. I'm not sure how indepth he can get into your question. You're welcome to email me about it if he isn't able to answer it thoroughly. bookish_lass@yahoo.com

21:12:20 [jsorens] one example is a new website touting the benefits of nh - this will be a graphically/visually oriented webpage with photos of families who've moved, their stories in their own words, etc.

21:12:26 [erickson77] Jason, i've got a question. prompt me when you're ready to take it

21:12:41 [jsorens] its a way of putting a human touch to the fsp & giving the 'soft sell,' particularly to people who are interested especially in quality of life issues

21:12:58 [jsorens] i think it would be great to bring some of the spirit of the porcupine freedom festival to our primary recruiting tool, the web

21:13:11 [jsorens] ill take timbas question next

21:13:50 [jsorens] the first part of setting up a local group is to contact every fsp member & friend in your area. you can do this first by sending emails, and then followup phone calls

21:14:07 [M.Edelstei] Does this mean that activist groups within NH should use monikers not containing "FSP" in them?

21:14:08 [jsorens] i recommend holding meetings at fun places & coordinating some kind of fun activity to go along w/ them

21:14:30 [jsorens] the southern california group has had great success in doing outreach at homeschooling events

21:14:47 [jsorens] successful activism gives people in the group good feelings, & theyre more likely to continue to participate

21:14:51 [amanda42] how to set up local groups - lots of info here: http://www.freestateproject.org/community/localgroups/guidelines.php

21:14:56 [jsorens] at the same time, one should expect that the group will start small

21:15:16 [jsorens] the key is to have a regular line of communication, regular meetings, & gradually people will show

21:15:29 [jsorens] certainly thats been the experience of the dallas-fw group & the mid-atlantic group

21:15:33 [jsorens] thx for the link amanda!

21:16:09 [jsorens] i think erickson77 is next - go for it!

21:16:17 [timba2112] The meetings have been "fun" dinners, but I've neglected the follow up calls....so that'll be next on the list.

21:16:21 [erickson77] I believe there should be some kind of systematic involvement within the 6,000+ FSP-members already dedicated to move. what can we do to get everyone more involved and active, spreading the word and such.

21:16:21 [erickson77] amandas link sorta answered my question, but here it is

21:16:45 [erickson77] instead of just passively sitting back

21:16:45 [FTL_Ian] Question on "new website"

21:17:12 [jsorens] thats a big question! activating the activists is key to our success, & weve tried a number of things

21:17:24 [jsorens] one of them is the activist activator that kat, who is here tonight, has set up

21:17:41 [jsorens] it allows volunteers to set up their own tasks & then have people sign up for the ones they wish to participate in

21:17:49 [jsorens] then volunteers give progress reports over time

21:18:07 [jsorens] i think this great tool can be improved in some ways - it can definitely be made more prominent for fsp members

21:18:26 [erickson77] thanks Jason!

21:18:29 [jsorens] and possibly an email alert going to everyone signed up on the AA when a new task is added would help

21:18:52 [jsorens] finally, the forum has an activist center that has worked reasonably, but it is (of course) limited to those whove decided to sign onto the forum

21:19:12 [jsorens] ill take michael edelstein's followup now

21:19:51 [jsorens] i think groups doing charitable activities or political action (ie, stuff not related to the fsp's core mission of recruiting people to move) should not use fsp in their name; at the same time,...

21:19:53 [M.Edelstei] Does this mean that activist groups within NH should use monikers not containing "FSP" in them?

21:20:17 [jsorens] we have groups in nh dedicated to welcoming fsp members & prospectives and showing them around the state - that is a core part of the fsp mission

21:20:51 [jsorens] yes, thats right - activist groups shouldnt use the fsp name, in nh or elsewhere - if someone started a 'free state project party' for example, that would be a problem

21:21:33 [jsorens] i should elaborate a bit on the reason for that

21:21:58 [jsorens] the fsp is an umbrella organization - we have people committed to a common political philosophy, but not necessarily a single political or cultural strategy

21:22:36 [jsorens] so any particular activist group pursuing a particular strategy shouldnt use the fsp name, as that would imply that all free staters *have* to endorse their strategy, but the fsp should be too loose for that

21:22:56 [M.Edelstei] "Elsewhere"? In San Francisco, we call ourselves the Northern California Local FSP Group. Should we change this?

21:23:24 [jsorens] absolutely not - youre not an activist group (in the sense im using the term - a political party or charity not related to the fsp mission)

21:23:59 [jsorens] activist groups dedicated solely to welcoming fspers, fsp publicity, etc, should certainly use the fsp name!

21:24:55 [jsorens] i dont want to imply, either, that we carefully watch this or anything, or that you have to get permission before forming a group, or whatever! my view is - do first, ask questions later

21:24:58 [M.Edelstei] This clarifies some issues raised on the Message Board. Perhaps these guidelines should be posted somewhere.

21:25:21 [doug] For those of us born yesterday: Is the "FSP" as it relates to NH kinda of like the "Republic of Texas" concept?

21:25:56 [jsorens] i would say that in most ways the fsp is very different from the republic of texas. here are my reasons...

21:26:26 [jsorens] first, the republic of texas is a political action group supporting secession - the fsp doesnt take a stand on secession, and different free staters have different views on that as well as other issues

21:27:06 [jsorens] second, the republic of texas has worked outside the law, trying to set up a separate, parallel government, & certain factions have even used violence. i think these strategies are extremely dangerous,

21:27:46 [jsorens] and the fsp actually expels anyone who publicly advocates organized violence as a solution to political change (fortunately, weve only had to use that once or twice that i can recall!)

21:28:05 [FTL_Ian] Not sure of the mechanics of this chat yet.. so here are the questions: Jason- Will this "new website" also have the updated 101 reasons? And do you want to reveal the URL?

21:29:13 [jsorens] its going to be part of the current fsp website; my suggestion was to replace the current nh info page with the new page, and link the old nh info page (which is mostly dry statistics and links) at the bottom of the new page

21:29:14 [doug] So what is FSP like?

21:29:21 [jsorens] but well have to see what adam comes up with

21:29:36 [jsorens] there will be some reorganization of the navigation as well, to make it a little more 'wieldy'

21:29:48 [jsorens] glad you asked, doug!

21:29:56 [amanda42] sorry, but i need tp jump in on the 101 reasons 'cause i'm working on some edits/changes - jason, let me know when you're ready to field that question

21:30:20 [jsorens] oh, actually i dont know about the 101 reasons so you can take that one amanda

21:30:25 [jsorens] ill continue to work on dougs answer

21:31:08 [cneufer] So, just because we are also a member of an activist group, I would think we should still be welcome to FSP. Most people, whether Libertarian or a drug reform group, etc. are the ones that are intersted in FSP. I understand that we do not use our organization as an FSP (can't think of what word to

21:31:37 [jsorens] the fsp is a movement of people who agree to the basic premise that the government should at most be concerned with punishing people who violate the rights of others, and fspers are committed to moving to nh to help build a freer society around that principle

21:31:39 [cneufer] use here, but many of these organizations have the type of people that would be interested.

21:32:02 [jsorens] essentially, we go by different names: 'libertarians,' 'voluntarists,' etc., but the idea is - small government, free markets, rule of law, individual liberty, toleration

21:32:20 [jsorens] once we get to nh, we pursue whatever strategies we individually think are best to promote those goals

21:32:44 [jsorens] some of us are libertarians, some are republicans, a few are constitutionalists, and there are even a few free-market greens

21:32:46 [cneufer] OK, so can we promote FSP within our organization?

21:32:59 [katdillon] Yes!

21:33:07 [jsorens] we dont require fsp'ers to join any party, just to indicate that they plan to move to nh within the next several years

21:33:15 [amanda42] 101 reasons is an awesome document, but with several grammar/style/content edits underway to perfect it. michelle d is working on the final touches. when it is done, we plan to promote the 101 reasons BIG TIME. it will be prominent on the web, we'll have a bunch of little booklets printed, etc.

21:33:29 [jsorens] we absolutely work with activist groups to help publicize the fsp

21:33:30 [doug] Wow: So New Hampshire is more open to these goals than other states?

21:33:47 [jsorens] we attended the norml convention, the libertarian party convention, the republican liberty caucus convention, etc

21:34:12 [jsorens] we've accepted & published endorsements from political parties, politicians, writers, professors, etc - so any help you are able to offer is certainly welcomed

21:34:42 [jsorens] doug - nh is certainly one of the most pro-liberty states in the country, if not the most pro-liberty state {more...}

21:35:15 [jsorens] the way we chose it was through an election by our first 5000 signups. we voted on 10 small-population states where we could make an immense difference by moving there and getting active,

21:35:17 [erickson77] *raises hand* (mind a philosophical question, hope it's not too unrelated)

21:35:18 [jsorens] and nh won

21:35:27 [jsorens] a few reasons why nh won...

21:35:31 [cneufer] We have your literature at our NORML store--so hopefully it will help get new members (or whatever you call it).

21:36:00 [jsorens] 1) smallest state & local government sector in the country,

2) no state income or sales tax, 3) legislators are paid just $100 a year, 4) the governor endorsed the fsp

21:36:12 [jsorens] and about 97 other reasons

21:36:40 [jsorens] i encourage you to check out the 'nh info' section of our website and see whether nh might be the right place for you, doug

21:36:56 [jsorens] thats great, cneufer, thanks so much

21:37:02 [cneufer] Is it kind of the same idea as the Mormons took over Utah?

21:37:12 [jsorens] allright, erickson, shoot w/ the philosophical question, this is open ended

21:37:24 [erickson77] The FSP is obviously a noble and practical goal. But what if it's too late for liberty? As goverment controls increase, at what point, theoretically, do you believe it would be apporopriate to use force to protect our rights?

21:38:11 [jsorens] well, theoretically, proportionate force is always justified in self-defense; the important question, in my view, is when it is practical to use self-defensive force against gov't

21:38:49 [erickson77] i guess different people would answer differently

21:39:01 [jsorens] i think classic kinds of insurgency would be very difficult in the current environment, given government's overwhelming advantages over citizens in terms of firepower - my research on insurgencies in other countries {more...}

21:39:13 [jsorens] ...also indicates that rebellion usually causes more tyranny, not less.

21:39:44 [jsorens] so if we ever got to an oppressive situation here in the u.s., i think strategies of 'dropping out,' becoming invisible, emigration, etc are more viable than organized rebellion

21:39:47 [M.Edelstei] *Raises hand* (a practical question)

21:39:59 [erickson77] thanks jason

21:40:14 [jsorens] let me go w/ cneufer's question, then mike's

21:40:27 [jennybaby] FTL_Ian> freak state

21:40:49 [jsorens] i think the fsp is rather parallel to the mormon migration, as well as to the pilgrim migration from britain/holland, and a much more recent movement that happened in the 70s...

21:41:20 [jsorens] ...when leftists and hippies moved to vermont in a semi-coordinated movement to control state politics (vt was the smallest population state at that time)

21:41:27 [jennybaby] FTL_Ian> freak

21:41:52 [jsorens] thousands of lefty-types moved in, & they changed vt's political culture dramatically - from the state of calvin coolidge to the state of bernie sanders and ben & jerrys

21:42:08 [jsorens] so that indicates that this strategy would work even better in nh, which is already very sympathetic to our goals

21:42:33 [jsorens] all right, dr edelstein - shoot w/ the practical question!

21:42:47 [M.Edelstei] I'm concerned with the low recruitment numbers. Toward this end, would it make sense for the powers that be to spend more time assisting and overseeing the local groups, while sacrificing some other activities?

21:43:18 [jsorens] recruitment has been lower this year than last year, for a variety of reasons...

21:43:39 [jsorens] ...the most notable of which has been a lack of big media attention. so there are different things we're thinking about to address that...

21:44:29 [jsorens] ...i believe local groups are a critical element of the strategy. i think we should give local groups all the tools they need to run w/ their ideas, not only to create a sense of community among future neighbors, but also to generate grassroots publicity in local areas around the country...

21:45:16 [jsorens] ...i also believe we'll need a more savvy media strategy, perhaps consult w/ someone who has expertise in this area, & figure out where our $ are best spent...

21:45:40 [jsorens] ...finally, i think things will pick up after the election - we are not anywhere near the hot political story of the year, whereas we were in 2003

21:46:25 [jsorens] (there are also some other ideas bouncing around, but i cant address them all right now probably - as they come to mind i may mention them )

21:46:25 [doug] What have people successfully done, to recruit local groups?

21:47:35 [jsorens] i personally have not led a successful local group actually. right now im leading the ct group, but we just dont have enough members left here...most of the activists have gone to nh. so i cant speak fully from personal experience. however, we will have a training session for local groups soon,

21:47:59 [jsorens] & i plan to be there & learn a few things myself; we have had some successful local groups, in wash dc-baltimore, houston, dallas, southern cal, etc

21:48:18 [M.Edelstei] You cited Vermont as a success in the 70's. What were their recruitment strategies?

21:48:48 [jsorens] they went to mass rallies & concerts that drew hippie & lefty types at that time, and passed out literature

21:49:08 [jsorens] to some extent we can use that strategy as well, at places such as masscann

21:49:34 [jsorens] however, there arent too many places where you can just count on thousands of libertarians coming together - other than the internet i guess

21:49:47 [cneufer] I know I shouldn't be saying this, but wouldn't it be great if Badnarik was President! By the way, that is what we do--go to rallies & festivals and pass out literature.

21:50:06 [jsorens] one of the particular challenges we face is the fact that our 'pool' of potential recruits is small & spread across the country

21:50:12 [doug] Anyone who has recruiting ideas they'd like to share, may contact me at: DougPelter@hotmail.com.

21:50:42 [doug] All wisdom is appreciated.

21:50:44 [jsorens] as we continue to grow, we'll need to starting reaching out to people who arent politically sophisticated

21:51:14 [jsorens] cneufer - its fine to say that here! just because the fsp doesnt officially do activism doesnt mean individuals in the fsp cant do & say whatever they want here

21:51:51 [jsorens] doug - our analyses do indicate that the biggest recruitment source is word of mouth. people often get their friends, family members, roommates, or coworkers to sign on

21:52:14 [katdillon] I hope you don't really mean that the FSP 'doesn't officially do activism'

21:52:20 [cneufer] We have a few hundred members that think this is a great idea--but getting people to want to move is the problem. Not sure how we can overcome this.

21:52:45 [jsorens] sorry kat, i mean 'political activism' - electing candidates and such

21:52:49 [jsorens]

21:53:26 [jsorens] i think emphasizing quality of life might be the way to go... show people how moving to nh is not an act of self-sacrifice, but something that will enrich their own lives

21:53:56 [jsorens] so we are planning to do a mailing showing massachusetts residents how much worse they have it across the border, & how much they could improve their lives by just moving a little ways north!

21:54:11 [russellk]

21:54:24 [jsorens] heh heh

21:55:02 [erickson77] thats me, moving one state up!

21:55:13 [M.Edelstei] (Aside) Time to get back to work. Great seeing you all! Bye.

21:55:13 [jsorens] certainly, we have now spread the meme that nh is either the freest state in the country now, or about to become, without doubt, the freest state in the country

21:55:23 [jsorens] over time, nh will be the first choice for libertarians thinking of relocating

21:55:33 [jsorens] thanks michael, bye!

21:55:47 [cneufer] Many people I talk to would love to do this, but do not want to leave family members. I think this is a big problem. Of course, it is a matter of priority.

21:56:10 [jsorens] one thing that will help in this quality of life campaign is to showcase testimonials of people whove moved

21:56:18 [KarlBeisel] Good evening Kat, all.

21:56:23 [jsorens] we have a bunch of great ones already, but they will be more prominent on the new webpage

21:56:46 [jsorens] ask them to bring their families along! (i know, thats a little tongue in cheek, but it might get them thinking)

21:56:49 [drmattbarn] Has anyone considered using Robert Cialdini's ethical influence work to help recruit (Arizona State U professor, owner of 'influenceatwork.com'

21:56:58 [jsorens] evening, karl!

21:57:38 [jsorens] im not familiar with that myself - id like to hear more though - can you elaborate on it here?

21:57:44 [scottfree] Im planning to attend politics in the park at the local campus and Ive seen a sighn for my local libertarian canadate for the senate, reb southerland. My ? is do u have a big sighn I can tote to the park in honor of the FSP.

21:57:45 [doug] Give us the short version of Ethical Influence work

21:58:09 [jgmaynard] Howdy, folks. :O)

21:58:21 [drmattbarn] Sure - he's a social psychologist, with 30+ years of research he has shown to practically increase the likelihood of influence - in ethical ways

21:58:25 [russellk] hey karl hey jim

21:58:30 [cneufer] Also, as one of our member is a major Libertarian, they feel that they need to stay where they are to promote it in their state.

21:58:35 [doug] drmatt??

21:58:50 [cneufer] I meant "members"

21:58:54 [drmattbarn] He has identified 6 factors that 'trigger' influence process, and others that 'amplify'

21:58:58 [jsorens] scottfree - the only big signs we have are 'porcupine crossing' signs that are more of an inside joke than anything - however, we have all the graphics youd need to make a sign - you can find some on our website & some are in the files sections of yahoo groups, you can post something on the forum f

21:59:04 [jsorens] ..for assistance

21:59:25 [drmattbarn] I'll volunteer to send a few copies of his book "Influence: Science and Practice" to Jason and/or Amanda, if you're interested

21:59:36 [scottfree] thanx jason

21:59:46 [jgmaynard] amanda42> Hey Amanda.. how have you been? Long time, no talk.........

21:59:54 [jsorens] that would be great, thank you

21:59:55 [amanda42] drmatt... i'm interested, thanks!

21:59:55 [jgmaynard] d'oh!

22:00:06 [doug] Drmatt: Please contact me at DougPelter@hotmail.com

22:00:11 [scottfree] sorry to have jumped in but ive gotta go

22:00:29 [amanda42] hi jim

22:00:48 [jsorens] cneufer - that argument you mention from the libertarian doesnt make complete sense to me, as he could accomplish much more with hundreds or thousands of other activists working by his side...

22:01:10 [russellk] agreed

22:01:16 [jsorens] ...at the same time, i understand the emotional investment that comes w/ putting a lot of work into things happening where you live.

22:01:29 [jsorens] thx for participating scottfree!

22:01:30 [DadaOrwell] hi kat! hi all . dont kno how to pm yet

22:02:03 [katdillon] Private messages: /to name

22:02:13 [jsorens] im not sure whether this does have a pm function, that would be a needed upgrade!

22:02:16 [DadaOrwell] yes amanda

22:02:20 [jsorens] oops thx kat

22:02:22 [cneufer] Love you all but gotta go--have to get up early. Peace & Activism--Cher

22:02:41 [russellk] bye

22:02:45 [FTL_Ian] atr was saying he was going to upgrade to IRC.. that will significantly improve this chat.

22:02:46 [jsorens] thanks for stopping by cher & for all you do!

22:02:51 [amanda42] private messages... you can also click on the person's name and it will fill in the /to thingie

22:03:11 [katdillon] thanks

22:29:05 [jgmaynard] Don Gorman tells a great story about mentioning at a school board meeting he was carrying a gun, and all the other school board members drawing themselves away from the table. lol

22:30:03 [SteveA] The sign up rate slowed after last year. I know the sign up process has been made a little tougher and we don't have the state vote anymore, but are there any major reasons why there's been such a slow down. We were seeing exponential growth for a while and it's dropped back down.

22:31:53 [jsorens] those are a couple of reasons you mention, steve, but i think the main reason is that the media isnt paying attention to us b/c of the election

22:32:13 [jsorens] i think we need to think of ways to profit from the post-election 'bumming out' that is going to afflict a lot of people

22:32:32 [SteveA] Yes, that's quite possible

22:32:40 [amanda42] we need media outside of nh!

22:32:53 [jsorens] thats it in a nutshell

22:32:54 [SteveA] Would it be good to have an interim target for 10K?

22:33:17 [jgmaynard] You're right, Amanda. That's why I was trying to think of how to get more non-NH media through our local groups.....

22:33:31 [jsorens] i think so. we first have to make our first interim target of 7k by the end of the year, which we set a few months ago

22:33:52 [KarlBeisel] Are we still running ads on Google?

22:34:06 [jgmaynard] Maybe if we had a nationwide local thing, like say, a nationwide garage sale or something. That could make additional coverage as well

22:34:22 [drmattbarn] Could we have an automated email 'care package' sent to all new members automatically with suggestions for recruiting FSP members in their local areas (suggestions that have worked in the past)?

22:34:26 [jsorens] i dont know the answer to that one karl... do you, amanda?

22:34:58 [jsorens] hm, interesting idea jim...

22:35:30 [jsorens] i think new members are getting welcome letters now, w/ some of that info, not sure exactly what it contains (its a fairly new program w/in the last few months)

22:35:46 [amanda42] reality tv show -- what happens when you put free staters in a house with nh natives.

22:35:55 [katdillon] lol

22:36:02 [jgmaynard] It's prob too late in the year for a garage sale, but something similar, which anyone can do, and if it helps raise funds for local groups too, all the better!

22:36:12 [SteveA] We need to recruit recruiters

22:36:53 [katdillon] We have 6000 recruiters

22:37:01 [russellk] Amanda I love that idea

22:37:06 [amanda42] i'm serious... when we get to 10,000, we'll vote on the reality tv show contestants

22:37:15 [katdillon] drmatt, we're doing that

22:37:26 [SteveA] Sounds like a fun idea Amanda

22:37:29 [jsorens] allright guys, i gotta go! bedtime for me here. enjoyed the chat! (and mary says hi...)

22:37:31 [drmattbarn] Jim - could this be an online 'garage sale' (ala ebay?)

22:37:33 [amanda42] it will be a big debate, just like which state?

22:37:55 [DadaOrwel] we do need horse races, amanda's 10,000 thing sounds good. also resuming elections for board members

22:37:58 [SteveA] Thanks for the chat Jason. Night man

22:38:04 [jsorens] good night all!

22:38:12 [KarlBeisel] Thanks, Jason. Good night!

22:38:13 [amanda42] g'night jason

22:38:28 [jgmaynard] Hmmmmmmmmm. It may not be a garage sale per se, but something along that idea... Could be fitness contests with prizes, penny sales, anything

22:38:50 [russellk] yea anything BIG

22:38:55 [katdillon] I think it's a great idea, Jim

22:38:57 [drmattbarn] good night all

22:39:19 [DadaOrwel] how could we make that reality tv show happen?

22:40:08 [DadaOrwel] actually the reality tv show should involve non freedom lovers so the NH residents can freak them out with guns and other stuff

22:40:15 [SteveA] We should emphasize the need for Friends and not just Members. Members in N.H. do help convince others to come but Friends ouside the state can still make a difference

22:40:28 [jgmaynard] I should get going, but watch for me on TV tomorrow. I just got a ticket to the Red Sox game tomorrow, and I'm supposed to be just to one side behind home plate.

22:40:29 [SteveA] LOL @ Dada

22:40:56 [amanda42] i have no idea how it could happen, but it would be fun to do. maybe i'll ask aaron russo what he thinks

22:40:56 [SteveA] Watch for flying balls Jim

22:41:08 [katdillon] Wear an FSP tshire, Jim

22:41:14 [katdillon] tshirt

22:41:18 [russellk] I guess all of us PST people will run the discussion at the end

22:41:40 [SteveA] Hiya Herself

22:41:50 [katdillon] it's herself herself

22:42:06 [herself] Greeetings. It sez here I should try to be nice. That's going to be a stretch but I'll try!

22:42:09 [DadaOrwel] another idea for the reality show would just be having porcs coming in from NY or CA or wherever revelling in the freedoms being shown to them by the locals

22:43:18 [DadaOrwel] imagine the show participants being taken to a school carrying a gun , riding w/o helmet, etc.

22:43:26 [herself] Heya, SteveA, Karl, other folks I recognize from the boards!

22:43:44 [amanda42] lots of cool reality tv situations

22:43:49 [russellk] exactly

22:44:05 [SteveA] Jason just left a minute before you got here, Herself

22:44:11 [herself] H'mmm, guns in school? Oh, the awfulness... (Those of us old enough & who went to school in smaller towns, remember it happening lots!)

22:44:19 [DadaOrwel] hi her!

22:44:21 [doug] porcs?????????????

22:44:46 [russellk] were you thinking members moving to NH or others?

22:44:51 [katdillon] porcupines...our mascot: gentle, but you shouldn't attack them

22:44:52 [amanda42] porcupines - our mascot

22:44:54 [herself] Steve: *the* Jason? Wooooo! Sorry I missed him.

22:45:38 [herself] Porcupines: pointy! (I'm moreof a hedgehog, myself: shy and sleepy!

22:45:45 [doug] based on the Animal Med tarot deck?

22:45:46 [amanda42] ok, guys... i have to run. i'm in on FST (free state time)

22:46:04 [jgmaynard] K... ciao, Amanda! )

22:46:08 [russellk] bye

22:46:27 [SteveA] Ok, Amanda. Well grab a hidden camera and make a comedy of how people react to seeing someone openly carying

22:46:29 [SteveA] Cya

22:46:49 [amanda42] 'nite!

22:47:03 [herself] H'mmm,,,see, the thingh is, by the time you can *do* FSTV, the media will have already been running pieces about those whacky New Hampshirian people and their quaint ways.

22:47:26 [russellk] so many good angles I love it!

22:48:02 [DadaOrwel] that sounds tru her

22:48:26 [herself] The hen produces her egg *before* she cackles about it, Russel!

22:48:50 [DadaOrwel] i like doing mostly what i can do alone. external forum posts, talk radio calls, LTEs

22:49:11 [herself] Doesn't mean it is a bad idea but it may be awhile off. (But I'm middlin' pessimistic abd would be happy to be proven wrong!)

22:49:24 [scottfree] hate to have missed the party, but if the government will allow him to drive it ,I think my bro's car will make it to work tomarrow

22:49:39 [SteveA] I think you do great Dada. Yes, posting on other forums is good. I don't want to detract from the activity on the FSP forum too much though

22:49:51 [scottfree] how did it go

22:49:52 [herself] Dissipate> People are in the Training room!

22:49:56 [DadaOrwel] talk radio is where you really see the beuaty of this project in NH....it's much easier to get on air there than in my other states i've been in

22:50:31 [katdillon] personal messages /to person

22:50:56 [herself] Good -- radio can be very effective. It's an intimate medium, more so than TV and newspapers.

22:50:57 [scottfree] the beuty of this project is that the people win.

22:51:03 [erickson77] goodnight!!!

22:51:12 [jgmaynard] I know I did a 15-20 min interview on talk radio here in Keene when Campagna was in town. :O)

22:51:19 [doug] SO - - - the porc mascot: Is it from the Animal Med tarot deck?

22:51:48 [herself] Scottfree, you have repaired an Actual Car?!

22:51:49 [DadaOrwel] from keene you can find a talk radio show to call in at at any time you want between 6am and 7pm with few ded spots. you have to listen on net some tho. and i cant get free to cover half of it

22:52:01 [katdillon] Thank you all for coming. I hope you'll attend the training sessions coming up

22:52:24 [DadaOrwel] thanks steve

22:52:31 [SteveA] FTL-Ian posted some info for his talk show

22:52:33 [katdillon] I need to go, but if someone could /save the chat session and send it to me, I'd appreciate it

22:52:43 [herself] Doug, you'd have to ask a Tarot person. Me, I'm far to simple a soul for such.

22:52:56 [scottfree] her, A car is easy. lets work on our gov.

22:53:07 [russellk] Sorry to have to go but I need dinner

22:53:13 [DadaOrwel] bie kat!

22:53:19 [doug] OK, you insider/old timers: Where'd U get your mascot from?

22:53:35 [russellk] goodnight all

22:53:40 [katdillon] send to bookish_lass@yahoo.com Thanks!

22:53:59 [scottfree] good night, russ

22:54:01 [SteveA] Goodnight Russel

22:54:16 [herself] Scott: can't, I don't have any large-cal longarms.... Seriously, the nature of my work is such that I'll not be movong to NH any time soon; but I vote up a storm here in the hinterlands.

22:54:18 [jgmaynard] Ciao, everyone! :O)

22:54:39 [herself] Seeya, Russ!

22:54:40 [scottfree] kat are you from around the south

22:54:45 [DadaOrwel] ya james mitchell was first one i called. i thought he was conservative tho...but i got on right away

22:54:50 [SteveA] Bye Jim

22:55:37 [SteveA] So we have a 7K target by the end of this year?

22:55:40 [DadaOrwel] ok i gtg too....see yall!

22:55:49 [herself] Doug, the actual notion is as previously stated: a porcupine is a critter that'll leave you alone if you leave it alone -- but mess with it and it'll getcha!

22:56:00 [SteveA] Hasta, Dada