Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with board

Ye Olde Interwebs Discussion Board

cachondeo45 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:29:25 -0800

I need a community board or webblog similar to this one that can accommodate multiple threads and discussions for the non-technologically savvy folks in an organization. Basically, an organization for which I serve on the advisory board currently handles all of its affairs through email. We often have three or four points of discussion open at the same time, and the emails get tangled and disorganized. But after suggesting a board or something to that effect, several people objected saying that they wouldn't check it if it were password protected; they didn't want to have to log in and remember another password. I guess I'm looking for something that's really user-friendly where people can see the posts if they have the URL but don't have to log in unless they want to post something but by the same token, the content of these communications is confidential, so I don't really want it floating around there on the web. Suggestions? And we have a limited budget (non-profit ) - we would need something cheap or free.

Also, if you can point me to any examples already out there that would serve as an example, that would be great too.

Which officer role(s) should the founder of a small nonprofit take?

zagyzebra — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:03:22 -0800

I'm starting a small nonprofit. It is just myself at this point, though I have a very serious organization verbally committed to seed money and promotion. I have not yet solicited a board of directors or officers. What do most sole operators do? Do I double serve as executive director and board chair, at least initially? Or, do I take on the most labor-intensive offices of treasurer/secretary? I throw this out to the experts here, of whom there seem to be many, based on my perusal of nonprofit threads.

Let's go surfin' NOW!

silsurf — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:08:51 -0800

I recently started boogie boarding in LA Two weeks ago I started boogie boarding in Los Angeles and even though it has taken me 23 years to get started, I want to make the best of it.

I have been going at low tide to Santa Monica Beach and for the most part it has been fantastic. Yesterday I was the only person out there in my area and I could ride the waves all the way in. It was funny to watch the two closest surfers that barely got a wave while I was continually getting great rides, though I know I will someday want to graduate up to a big board, but for now this is perfect.

Questions:
1.
I have heard different things about high tide and low tide and even heard that it is location specific. Like, that Santa Monica Beach is better at high tide, but Sunset and PCH is better at low tide. As I stated above I am pretty happy with what I have been doing, but if I am missing out on something fundamental here I thought I should know.

2.
I sometimes go out with my seven year old boy. In these cases the low tide approach is a must, it is hard enough battling the currents on certain days and I want to make sure he can at least get a footing when he needs to. So, the question is, are there any amazing, hidden spots that I could take him to anywhere between LA and San Diego for an amazing, endless summer-like weekend? Bonus points if we can take the train and never bother with a car.

3. Any great boogie boarding websites I should know about?

4. Any hints on making the most out of my experience? I have been a lifelong body surfer and find the boogie board a wonderful adn easy extension of that type of surfing, but as you now know, I am a complete noob on the subject.

Thanks to all!

What did you wish you knew when you formed your condo association?

damn dirty ape — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:59:51 -0800

What did you wish you knew when you formed your condo association? It looks like we are accepting the condo association from the developer soon and I'd like to know some pointers on how to get this to work correctly as well as pointers on how to deal with people, money, etc in a condo association. Anecdotes, books, websites, etc all welcome.

If it helps this is a 6 unit building. Thanks.

Walk from Moscow to Istanbul?

sandraregina — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:52:15 -0800

I am trying to remember the name of a board game I played as a child. I got it free in the mail, and it was a travel/geography game. It was a game I got for free, probably from a government agency of some kind. I got the address from a book in the library, where you could write to different agencies and get things for free/very cheap.
It was a travel game that taught geography. The board was foam backed puzzle pieces, that you put together to form a map of the world. You then went from city to city, placing your pins as you went, and linking it with string (like embroidery floss). You travelled by walking, by car, a plane, or a train, depending on a dice roll or some similar randomization. There was also a little plastic ruler, for measuring out distances. There were cards that depicted different roles, and the cities you travelled to in the game were dependant on the role you picked (like international jewel theif, or diplomat, or archaeologist). You had to get to all your cities in the shortest distance possible. It came in a rather plain white box, and it took up a bit of room on the bookshelf at the foam puzzle map stacked up quite thick.
It was well made, at least for a free game, with a fun premise, decent rules, and pieces that stood up to some use. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called though. Does anyone else remember this game? Are there similar games out now?

What is the legality of making a site like www.instantboss.org or a movie sound board in the state of PA?

xdeliriumx — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:16:03 -0800

What is the legality of making a site like www.instantboss.org or a movie sound board in the state of PA? I am wondering whether it is actually legal to use sound clips, pictures, video clips, etc. From a TV show like SNL, movie, or otherwise to make something like a website or soundboard?

Are the makers just hoping no one will say anything? Are they protected in some way? Can they make a profit from their site/soundboard? Are they just counting on the fact that the big corporation will not come after them?

Is there a certain length of a clip or how the clip is used that CAN make it legal? Is their anything with fair-use that makes it okay? Do the clips have to be copyrighted? How can you tell if they are?

Sorry if this is a lot of questions but I am trying to figure out how so many people can make things like this and not fear the wrath of big corporate money and lawyers. Also, if the state where it is being made matters, I am specifically wondering about PA.

We don't need any more doom tokens!

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:18:25 -0800

(Where) can I buy *just* the board for the Arkham Horror boardgame? My boyfriend (occasional metafilterer, hence the anon) loves the boardgame Arkham Horror, made by Fantasy Flight games. This is one of those boardgames with a jillion decks of cards, lots of little cardboard pieces, etc. The board (but not any of the little pieces) got water damaged a few months ago, and while the game is still playable I'd love to get him a new board.

But how? Last resort is obviously to purchase an entirely new (or used) copy, but I'm curious if there's anywhere I can buy just the board. Surely people must lose all the little pieces and have boards sitting around that they want to sell? I haven't been able to identify useful ebay searches for this, so even hints on that would be helpful :)

Good place for a small group gathering for boisterous board game fun?

1024x768 — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:16:13 -0800

Good place for a small group gathering for boisterous board game fun? I have a small group I get together with on the weekends to play board games. We've recently swelled in number to 7 people and we're outgrowing our current meeting place (one of the players apartments). We're looking for a place to play that's open on Saturdays (and hopefully Sundays) and can tolerate at least 7 very boisterous and loud people playing games for several hours every other weekend or so. Cost is a big issue, it should be free or very cheap (as in a couple bucks a person or less). There needs to be a large enough seating area that all the players can sit down at the same table, room for the board, any papers/miscellanea for each player, etc.

None of us are affiliated with any churches or community organizations that would have meeting space. We're thinking we'd be a bit loud for the meeting rooms at the local library. None of us are in college so we can't meet in any empty classroom.

What places exist for this sort of gathering? General suggestions are greatly appreciated. Bonus points for any specific place suggestions that are in or easily accessible from Chicago.

Help Us Find Web-Based Project Management/White Board Software

jimmyjimjim — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:24:08 -0800

We're two people working on a complex project, and we're sending each other sixty emails per day, everything from brainstorming to future ideas to testing notes to expense tracking. We're burning out fast, and need to shift planning and discussion to project management software (web-based, please). We need:

Reasonably freeform and flexible.

Some vehicle for parallel categorized discussions, preferably threaded message board (though unthreaded would work).

Ability to assign and prioritize tasks within categories (no deadlines, calendars, alarms, etc).

A big white board for brainstorming (no drawing, this is all text stuff). In fact, all this would work well with a white board model....so long as we can have this:

Above all, a high level view of all new/unread messages, tasks, etc etc. We want to get out of email, but DON'T want stuff to get buried.....ever. Ideally, I'd surf in and conveniently see everything new, everything queued.

Uncluttered interface non-choked with features.

Reasonably trustworthy security (on server; we won't use public wifis, etc).

Finally, this is a tech project (with lots of non-tech aspects), but only one of us is a tech. He'll use Beanstalk plus a bug tracker. If the above could integrate with that, great. But we'd rather have greatness than integration.

Suggestions? We can afford to pay if necessary.

Recruiting Nonprofit Board Members who may disagree with certain aspects of the organization.

franklen — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:03:02 -0800

What happens when a prospective nonprofit Board Member disagrees with a major initiative? We are a newly formed 1-year old non-profit dedicated to sustainable urban development and the creation of an urban ecovillage. We are in the process of recruiting Board Members to replace those of us who started the organization and who wish to transfer over to paid staff positions. One person who we work closely with, and who has shown much interest and support in our organization, has been approached to be a Board Member. But he is unsure because he is not in agreement with our plans to development a community land trust (he is more private business/investor based in philosophy).

Does this mean we should not welcome him to the Board; or is it ok to have dissenting opinions on certain matters such as this to provide Board diversity of opinion? Cheers~frank

A Good Retail/Consumer Goods Conference?

coward — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:55:55 -0800

What are some good, high-level, invitation only conferences for someone on the board of a large-cap, publicly traded company in the retail/consumer goods industry? I've been asked to make suggestions of conferences to attend for a board member of a company in the retail industry (a large-cap, publicly traded company).

The board member is new to the company and looking to get acquainted over the next year with the big picture issues facing the industry.

I've done a lot of poking around online and come up short for the most part (I unfortunately just missed this: Retail Industry Leaders Conference). I've found plenty of low-level, broad spectrum trade shows and expos for the retail world as well as conferences for people at his level but that aren't retail-focused.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Coward

Private university governance principles and practices?

lunit — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:10:00 -0800

Are private universities non-profit institutions? What standards of transparency/accountability [to the student body and/or public] are they required to uphold? Examples of governance models? I'm interested in the governance of private universities. If private universities are non-profit institutions, are they subject to the same accessibility requirements as NGOs?

What minimum standards of transparency and accountability are their respective boards or "Corporations" required to uphold? [e.g. publicly posting contact information for trustees, agendas, public meetings, any rights to call "executive" or "closed" sessions, publicly posted budgets, annual reports, minutes, etc.]

What standards of transparency and accountability to the student body do private universities uphold in practice? Do you know of any universities whose highest governing bodies have particularly transparent or accessible governance policies? Particularly inaccessible? I'm interested in theory, but especially in concrete examples.

What are the standards or norms for how private universities' board trustees are selected and whom is selected? Are these selection processes subject to any sort of democratic decision-making? Are there any private universities with students that sit on university boards?

Thank you!

Corporate Connections Web App?

tomierna — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:55:15 -0800

I've searched high and low, on Google and MeFi, and I can't find the site that shows, graphically, connections of corporate board members, CEOs, and politicians. I promise to bookmark the darn thing if it can be re-discovered for me.

Best message board for Cooking Questions?

TigerCrane — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:55:19 -0800

Best message board for an aspiring cook? I'm looking for a message board that's a good place to ask newbie questions about cooking.

These would be food science type questions. A few examples:

Why does Alton Brown always use kosher salt?

Should you salt before or after sauteing? Whats the difference?

Why does Julia Child use wax paper when poaching?

If you leave meat in a brine too long, what happens?

Any suggestions?

Family time

jak68 — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:17:44 -0800

What are some great board games (if any) to play with a 3 year old? What have played with a 3 year old that the child really enjoyed?

Some of my favorite memories as a child have to do with playing board games with my grandmother, aunts and uncles, etc. When I was 6 I used to play connectfour with my grandma who hardly spoke any english but we totally bonded over hours and hours sitting together playing this silly game. I really developed feelings of affection for her that lasted well beyond those years because the game did provide a structured space for just the two of us to spend those hours simply with each other.

Similarly my uncle taught me to play chess when I was 8, and I've been playing ever since. Here again, quality hours with my uncle just one on one, with whom I otherwise may not have had really much to say to or any reason to spend time with - plus with a game like chess, I do believe there was a true educational component (analytic skills) that it taught me as well, I'm really glad to have learned it at a relatively early age because of him.

My neice is three. My sister (the child's mother) hates board games. She never used to join the rest of us when we played. I'm going to watch my niece grow up in a house that abhors board games, and the child will never have those experiences and benefits (as I see them). So I'm taking it upon myself to make sure she does (plus as her uncle I'll get to spend fun structured time with her). Only problem is I havent a clue what such games a 3 year old would like (I want to start early with her; not to mention a host of additional benefits: the TV will be off, attention spans increase, analytic skills develop, etc etc).

If you have any experience therefore, card games, board games, any kind of structured game (involving 2 or a few people) that you've had great success with, I'd love to hear some ideas. She's only three so keep that in mind, but I'd also like to hear about any ideas that I could use over the coming years as well. Thanks!

Those fancy markerboards on "ReGenesis"

gentle — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:40:19 -0800

On the TV show ReGenesis, the scientists constantly scribble with markers on big, transparent boards — here's a clip, and here's another. I am guessing that they are using fluorescent wet-erase markers, perhaps in combination with a black-light lamp to make the paint visible in such low light. Where can I buy a setup like this?

Can Nonprofit Founder Board Members Obtain Salaried Positions within Same Organization?

franklen — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:28:40 -0800

Board Members who founded non-profit want to obtain salaried positions within the same organization. How is this handled? A friend and myself recently started a non-profit organization. It is incorporated and has 501(c)3 status. We currently serve as two of the initial three required Board of Director members as per the application process.

The thing is that we want to be able to make a living from doing the work that we started this organization to do. We would like to have salaried positions within the organization, but we would also like to be able to have major input into the direction the organization takes as it is still young (9 months), and we are trying our hardest to get funding for salaries (among other things) within the next year.

What is the best mode of moving forward in this situation for us as individuals and for the vision of the organization that we created?

Boarded Up

jadepearl — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:39:30 -0800

Tricking out a 4' x 8' cork board in my office I need your ideas, inspiration, toy suggestions, tools to make this large cork board functional, fun and attractive.

Before you say upholster it I would say that the sucker is bolted to the wall so me creating an all over upholstered look is out. This also means no circular saw to "shape" the board can happen either. It has a wooden edge as well.

Where could I find an electromechanical sign?

jackofsaxons — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:44:46 -0800

So if I wanted to find an old school electro-mechanical signboard, where would I find such an animal? I seem to remember the stock exchange or train stations used to have something similar but I've google my brains out and can't seem find anything. I have the feeling that they're handbuilt, so has anyone seen any plans or schematics for one?

A sound board as an office desk toy?

GenTso — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:38:18 -0800

Have you seen the Staples big red button you can press and you get a loud "That was easy"? A co-worker has one and uses it sometimes. But what about a programmable maybe 4 X 4 or 5 X 5 button grid that you can put sound bites on and play at will? Could potentially make a great office toy, given the right type of office environment, and some tact. Hasn't anyone created something like this? I'd like to buy one. (Everything I search for, like "Sound board", bring up the popular flash-based sound boards.)

Where do you get your big dry erase boards?

4ster — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:02:56 -0800

Looking for suggestions for a good vendor for a large dry erase board in the US. I am looking for a large dry erase board for my office. I am thinking of something in the neighborhood of 8 feet wide and 4 feet tall, but I'm flexible on this.

Some other considerations:

- Something that erases easily, will last a long time, and doesen't leave a lot of "ghosting" marks would be nice, as would a white or wood frame instead of a metal one.

- Magnetic would be nice, but is not essential.

- I'm not really interested in making one myself or buying dry erase paint. I can see that idea turning into an expensive disaster.

- The cheaper the better, which includes shipping.

Thanks in advance.

How do I get a deadbeat client to pay their invoice?

zzztimbo — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:29:00 -0800

Company still hasn't paid my invoice, what recourse do I have? I worked for a small startup as a software engineer for about a month's time. One day they decide to tell all of its employees that they will shut down for a week because of financial difficulties.

The company is open again but with about a 75% reduction in head count. They are now not paying my invoice for the work that I did before the shut down.

What can I do? Some one told me to file a complaint with the labor board. How do I go about doing this? What is the best way get remunerated for my time and energy spent doing work for them?

Also, I'm assuming the reduction in workforce has left a lot of empty Aeron chairs and computers. Should I asked to be paid in chairs and computers instead? I could use a new Mac right about now.

Wordpress comments/message board plugin

Unsomnambulist — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:27:24 -0800

Looking for a Wordpress plug in that would combine posts and comments in with a message board. I'd like to find a seamless way to bridge blog comments with a message board. Hopefull, this exists and someone can just steer me to the utility or plug in, or maybe just tips on how to make it happen.

How it would (hopefully) work:

1. Author publishes a post just like normal.
2. The message board automatically pulls the post and creates a new thread with it, crediting author as the poster.
3. When blog readers click to comment, they'd automatically be brought to the message board.
4. The blog entry itself would display number of comments as number of replies on the message board thread.

I know there are plugins that give comments the look of message board hierarchy, but I'm hoping for something that will naturally draw traffic to a hosted message board.

MacBook with dead logic board: how to proceed?

sparrows — Wed, 28 May 2008 08:51:38 -0800

Logic board died on my friend's two-year-old MacBook (one year out of warranty). Should she pay for repair ($700 + labor), or sell the carcass for parts and buy, say, a used iBook? She's kept it in flawless condition and the screen is perfect (no bad pixels), so maybe she could get a decent amount selling it for parts? She does not have an eBay account and is not in an active Craigslist area.

I don't know the exact specs, but it's whatever was the least expensive new white MacBook in early summer 2006. (Its HD is 80GB, and I know she got the stock drive, if that helps.)

She does not have much money and this is her only computer (in fact this is her FIRST ever computer). The 700+labor quote is from an Apple Authorized Repair Center (she's a long drive from the nearest Apple Store).

Ugh. :(

Joomla or WordPress Forum Integration

eightball — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:54:06 -0800

Integrating a forum into either Joomla 1.5 or WordPress 2.5.1 I'm trying to add a message board to a site. I installed Joomla 1.5 with the thought that it would be easy to add a forum, with the user functionality in Joomla integrated with the user login in the forum. I installed the SMF Forum, and the bridge which is supposed to link it to Joomla. (I followed the instructions directly from a Joomla book). A few PHP errors later, I found this. Apparently the bridge no longer works for Joomla 1.5?

So I got to thinking that Joomla is really overkill for the kind of site I'm building anyway. WordPress will do the job fine for the main pages. But I still need a forum. After googling around, I find either outdated tutorials, or people asking my same questions on forums with no responses.

Questions:
- Am I missing something obvious about Joomla and forum installation, or is it really as difficult as I'm finding it?

- If I need to go the WordPress route, is there a clear, up to date tutorial out there?

- Which forums integrate best with WordPress (Vanilla, SMF, PHPBB, etc...)?

- Is it possible to find a theme/template that will span WordPress and the forum?

What I'm reeeeeally looking for is someone to come along and say "Yeah, I tried this and had these problems, here's how I fixed them, and here's a tutorial from this year that walks you through it."

But of course any advice/links will help I'm sure. Thanks.