I received a nice note from one of our fabulous Jackals, who shall remain nameless. Here’s the part you might be interested in:
I’m wondering what you’d think about maybe organizing a BJ meetup on Zoom? Or maybe several? I’m thinking lots of us are getting just a bit lonely these days … do you think this might be a good idea?
She asks an excellent question! These guys are all in, ready and waiting.
How about the rest of you? Anyone interested in a BJ Meetup on Zoom?
Would you be interested in participating? With video? Or audio only?
Assuming there is interest, what would be a good upper limit for a single meetup? (People, not drinks.)
Let us know in the comments!
Open Thread.
***
Update: Thanks to everyone who has chimed in so far, with yays or nays. It sounds to me like there is plenty of interest!
How about if I put on my thinking cap and get in touch with some of the folks who offered to host with a professional zoom account? Then we can have another thread to talk turkey on the details.
P.S. If you are someone who made that offer but you use a fake email on Balloon Juice, then please send me email.
Photo credit: Butch
Butch didn’t suggest the meetup, but his guys are in place and ready to go! Since we’re using his picture, it’s only fair to share the origin story, don’t you think?
Ryan
Balloon Juice may have been unfortunately named.
raven
I’m doing one with my California family tonite. I did this kind of stuff for years in my work so it should be no big deal. The problem with a lot of people is that some always forget to mute when they are not talking to the group and it can be a nightmare.
Poe Larity
it would be a civic service to attract all the zoom trolls away from real work meetings.
JMG
I am in a weekly Zoom group of eight and I think that’s a pretty good number.
zhena gogolia
Do we know what the security issues might be?
Old Dan and Little Ann
Cluster. Meet Fuck. : )
Matt Smith
My quick thoughts:
1) Group size – I like 6 to 8 people. I’ve done a lot of group facilitation, and IMHO that’s the sweet spot.
2) Assuming people like this idea, it would be nice to offer multiple group chats, enough for everyone interested to participate.
3) If anyone wants help to make this happen, I’d be happy to help.
Poe Larity
@zhena gogolia: pfft
https://citizenlab.ca/2020/04/move-fast-roll-your-own-crypto-a-quick-look-at-the-confidentiality-of-zoom-meetings/
laura
We skyped with friends for happy hour on Cesar Chavez Day and sheesh- have I got a face for radio.
Will pass on the zoom.
zhena gogolia
@Poe Larity:
Translation?
CaseyL
I like the idea. My knowledge of Zoom is very limited, but I do know how to open a link.
A Zoom meetup could have one advantage over the in-person kind: conversations will not be limited to the people seated immediately beside/across from you.
Major Major Major Major
@zhena gogolia: Zoom’s encryption is garbage and also the CCP has access to all their keys.
Darkrose
I’d be up for that.
Major Major Major Major
Zoom also has limits on the number of people who can join unless you have a professional account. Regardless of platform, would recommend no more than nine people.
This is a meetup I might actually attend one of!
satby
I’m not going to be doing any Zoom meetings, thanks. I also have a face for radio. But more than that, the security issues bother me.
Another Scott
You folks go ahead. Thanks. :-)
Meanwhile, Wonkette:
It’s a perpetual money machine!! Maybe M^4 and M^2 and The Other Chuck can get one of those set up here??!
Cheers,
Scott.
WaterGirl
@laura: I do Zoom on audio only, so that’s an option!
WaterGirl
@Major Major Major Major: Do we really care if the BJ zoom is encrypted?
Major Major Major Major
@WaterGirl: For me it would be more a principle-of-the-matter/we-should-be-boycotting-them thing.
WaterGirl
@Major Major Major Major: Well, I suppose we could use a different platform if people want to do this.
WaterGirl
@Matt Smith: If we do it, I’d take all the help I can get.
Jude
I’d do it. 6-8 might be a sweet spot, but more is fine too. I have a friend who ran a librarian’s Zoom with 60 and our local Dems had a successful one at 18. Yes, one person getting water was VERY LOUD. There were about 3 people who were too shy to allow for video or just used their phone and that was just fine too, but the connections happen better with faces. I’d show my face. :-)
I’ve always wanted to do an IRL meet up but live in WI.
Scuffletuffle
What a handsome crew, lucky Butch!
Nancy
I have Zoom for work that is considered to be safer that personal accounts. I’d define hosting a meeting as practice for my work requirements. And perhaps members would feel safer.
So if people want to give it a try, please reply with some days and times. Then we will figure out how to get an invitation to you.
Sloane Ranger
What a photogenic family!
I recently joined Zoom for AmDram rehearsals and U3A committee meetings during these interesting times.
As a Brit I’ve been envious of the US meet ups and am all in for a Zoom based one providing it’s at a civilised hour as far as the UK is concerned.
Jude
The Post just put these tips on an article from today.
Eural Joiner
I’d be interested – really learning A LOT about it in the past few weeks since my wife (elementary education) and I (high school) have been picking it up rather quickly. Plus, it’d be fun to connect some faces/voices with the names I see here all the time :)
narya
I’ve been on so! many! meetings! since we’ve been WFH. That said, I would actually like to do this–i’ve never met any of you in person, and, even though I comment only sporadically, it is one of my tiny number of go-to sites (as in multiple times/day), and the first thing on the web i look at in the morning.
gwangung
@Jude: Yup. Virtual backgrounds hides the mess in my house.
And I use production photos from all my shows….
Bobby Thomson
Phrasing.
CaseyL
@Jude: Those are good tips.
MisterForkbeard
I’d be down for this. Would be fun to see some jackals “in person”
Jo Jo las Orejas
¿Puedo traer mi juguete chirriante favorito? ¿Habrá golosinas? Me siento para el queso.
JPL
@WaterGirl: Audio with the front pagers would be interesting. imo
JPL
OT For the Atlanta area folks, the local NBC station does not carry trump’s bs they do provide highlights though.
PST
I would enjoy the meet-up. I’ve had a lot more time for BJ lately, like the rest of the world. One thing I’ve noticed is how many Chicagoans there are around here. I hope for the day when a face-to-face is possible. We love our patios in this town, so I hope that day comes while the weather is still nice. Speaking of nice weather, today has been astonishingly sunny and temperate here. It embarrasses me a little, given all the suffering others are experiencing, how much I enjoyed myself on this perfect day. I walked more than three miles, just exercising the dog, and biked another three or so running a couple of errands. The big bike errand was a booze run, which might seem like folly, but we all take a few small chances. Spent much of the afternoon sitting on the balcony with the dog, reading, eating tacos, drinking a Bell’s Hopslam, and watching the occasional jogger run down the empty street. It was indecently relaxing.
Wag
I would definitely join. Zoom works really well for our work meetings. If we’re doing smaller groups it could be cool to have a front pager join to moderate, I would love to be on a zoom with any of the FP people.
geg6
I’m in but not until I get my new modem, which Verizon tells me will be 1-2 days. So some time next week would be best for me. Yes, just as I’m finally getting a little bit of the hang of working from home, my modem craps out.
Been doing a lot of zoom for work and it’s really easy to use. And you don’t have to turn the camera on, just the mic. Though if the household animals are in camera range, I propose that it’s mandatory to show them to us.
I’ve been begging for a ‘Burgh meetup for years, so this would be a great substitute. The only Juicer I’ve ever met was Cole. Twice, once at my place when he brought us Lovey and once at his place.
dmsilev
Sure, that’d be fun.
I do have an edu “professional” Zoom account if the limits on the free tier are too …limiting.
Dorothy A. Winsor
My writing group has been meeting by Zoom and I find having pictures helps with turn taking when you talk. You can sort of wave your hand and also see when someone else is talking or even getting ready to.
eemom
Cole on Zoom. Want.
Wag
A timely article from the WaPo this afternoon
How to protect your Zoom calls
Martin
In case anyone was wondering.
So, strongly worded letter but not an order.
cain
Yeah, but it must involve drinks and pets.
The Dangerman
I’d do it. I just did one with 8 or 9 and it worked just fine.
I’m a bit concerned about the privacy thing, but, at this point, unless you live like the Unabomber in a cave someplace, privacy went out the barn door long ago. It’s not like I’m going to share the cool new design of my debit card or something. If the Chinese want to see all my pictures on the wall, they can have at it.
Roger Moore
@WaterGirl:
This is more or less what I thought. The biggest worry would be the risk of attracting Zoom trolls, but attracting trolls would be par for the course for Jackals.
narya
@PST: Sketchbook (in Evanston) will deliver within a certain area, if you purchase 4 growlers (some of which are on sale for $10 per) or (I think) a case.
cain
If you don’t want to do zoom, we can do jitsi which is open source… hell I might even pay for it since I rather not have zoom get too popular.
WereBear
I think this is a lovely idea :) Maybe do a signup for times, so people can join as fits their schedule, and when one reaches that 6-8 number it will be filled and then new ones if demand requires?
cliosfanboy
Only if Cole brings the pups.
mrmoshpotato
@Old Dan and Little Ann: Hahaha
The Dangerman
@WereBear:
Fine idea. The Balloon Juice After Dark room could be a winner. Curiously, the Duck Room might be popular, too.
Roger Moore
BTW, a zoom meetup sounds fun. The big question in my mind: if we’re going to be limited to about 8 people in a meetup, how do we assign people to their group?
piratedan
i think this is a spiffy idea, might even get a few lurkers to de-lurk… so to speak and in these days of social distancing and the uphill battle we still fight with the media, sharing thoughts and knowing that you’re not alone is pretty damn important for maintaining one’s sanity….
mrmoshpotato
@WaterGirl: Do we really care if our bodily fluids are sapped and impurities?
TheWesson
@Ryan: At first I assumed “Balloon Juice” referred to a used condom, but I was relieved to discover it merely means “Hot Air.”
Guess that’s my nasty, dirty, ugly mind!
Ruckus
I think it sounds like a good idea.
We will need a known time frame, I understand that some of you don’t wear pants all the time.
I think 8 is too small however the coordination of larger groups is not an easy problem to solve.
Now fortunately most of us seem to have just a touch of time on our hands currently.
mrmoshpotato
@JPL:
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Immanentize
I’ll do it
cain
I’m afraid Tamara will need to bring a duck to the meeting.
PST
@narya: I had high hopes for delivery of food and beverages, but near me, at least, it seems like the available “windows” are always filled or too far in the future. Curbside pickup, on the other hand, is working, as is delivery of food ready to eat. Curbside pickup means getting on the bike and limiting myself to a pannier full, but in this great weather that’s a feature, not a bug.
Elizabelle
@ Butch: I remember Woody’s origin story. Glad to hear he is surviving and thriving. What a wonderful set of pets.
Happy Friday, all.
James E Powell
I’m already zooming everything else: faculty meetings, department meetings, classes, professional development, family, friends. Why not here as well?
Is there an upper limit? Will there be singing?
JanieM
@Major Major Major Major:
@satby:
I’m with you two. Yes, privacy has gone the way of the horse and buggy, but I still stand on principle when I can.
M^4: Can you recommend some other platform? Not necessarily for BJ, but just in general.
Elizabelle
@mrmoshpotato: Speaking of bodily fluids:
AFI (the American Film Institute) is screening a classic movie a day (on various platforms). Today’s is … Dr. Strangelove.
And, just found a very early (the earliest?) Kubrick movie, from 1953, free on Amazon Prime. Do not recall the name, but it’s on the watchlist now.
Immanentize
Wear a friggin mask
Do Eeeet. CDC
Luciamia
I’d like to give it a go.
mrmoshpotato
@PST:
What were you reading? What was your dog reading?
Try the lakefront path. I hear it’s deserted. ?
lamh36
Aww shit… Chi-town, ya’ll Mayor went in on Kuchner and Chump.
Thank you Mayor Lightfoot for calling that shit out
PaulWartenberg
I would be amenable to a Zoom online gathering, but I still have to work – (city employee with the library) – so weekends would work best for me. How is this going to get done?
Suburban Mom
@piratedan: Me! I would totally de-lurk for this.
mrmoshpotato
@Martin:
Pricing eh? Dump wasn’t getting his orange face wet enough? GM refused to be shaken down by a Soviet shitpile mobster manchild?
Immanentize
There is not one here, I suspect, who has privacy issues related to Zoom. Unless I am misreading this crowd. If you are a super secret Motherfucking James Bond, don’t join the thread. Otherwise, no one gives a shit. Sad but true. Even if you remain worried, pick an alius. Y’alll need interventions.
Baud
No thanks. I had a bad experience on Omegle and don’t want to repeat that experience.
Sure Lurkalot
@WereBear: Great idea!
I think this would be fun even for the lurkers like moi. I haven’t used Zoom but hopefully it’s not too hard to figure out. My working partner uses it and Microsoft Teams.
WaterGirl
@JPL: Interesting idea!
Jude
The free version allows for 100 people. The negative is we’re limited to 40 minutes. A jackal above offered their pro version though. Thanks!
I’m hoping for a large group vs only tiny groups of 8, at least at the beginning. It would feel like a chaotic party.
mrmoshpotato
@Ruckus:
It’s the Baud! 2020! way!
mrmoshpotato
@cain: A duck and a Dane.
WaterGirl
@mrmoshpotato: This week? I say ‘no’, we don’t care.
JanieM
@Immanentize:
Look in the mirror, then toddle off to the pastry shelf.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@JPL:
With regards to anything Trump says, I’m not sure that’s the correct term.
mrmoshpotato
@Elizabelle: Fear and Desire is from ’53. Never heard of it before.
JPL
@Immanentize: ???
Sure Lurkalot
@PST: I put in a small Whole Foods order only to find no delivery times available. I kept checking my cart when I was online and all that happened were items removed because they were no longer available. But then I checked and it said there were delivery times available for tomorrow so I got stuff coming. This is my first rodeo on delivery. I have been going out for one grocery trip, to one store, per week and that’s the most I’d like to do. Good luck!
mrmoshpotato
@Immanentize:
1, 2, 3
JPL
@?BillinGlendaleCA: It is better than airing than entire propaganda bullshit. baby steps. just saying
Immanentize
@JanieM: I sentence you to eat my shit for six months.
NEXT?!
JanieM
@Immanentize: Eat your own shit. Or just fuck off.
WaterGirl
Thanks to everyone who has chimed in so far, with yays or nays. It sounds to me like there is plenty of interest!
How about if I put on my thinking cap and get in touch with some of the folks who offered to host with a professional zoom account? Then we can have another thread to talk turkey on the details.
P.S. If you are someone who made that offer but you use a fake email on Balloon Juice, then please send me email.
Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA)
I might be interested depending on when. It would be fun to introduce Iggy, Muppet and Chauncey. They’re telegenic as hell. Me, not so much.
mrmoshpotato
@lamh36: Go to 46:35
?BillinGlendaleCA
@WaterGirl:
Um, I don’t speak turkey.
Immanentize
@mrmoshpotato: so great! I have a sideways story. When I worked for Southern Poverty Law Center, we all went to Jake’s Fish Camp. When we got there, a tobasco drinking contest was going on. I
just came in and a guy at the smallish bar slammed down the big bottle of tabasco he just chugged and said, not making this up:
“T’wernt nothin.”
I love that Dude.
Immanentize
@JanieM: Ha ha haaaha. No.
ETA Secret Agent JaneM is actually Emma Peel! Hello you! Love the cat suit!
mrmoshpotato
@Immanentize:
Bwhahahahahahahahahha!!!!!!! Ugh.
Elizabelle
@mrmoshpotato: Yeah, me neither. But, we got the time.
WaterGirl
@Immanentize: I cannot tell whether you guys are having a fight or are having fun.
Immanentize
@mrmoshpotato: Tru dat. It was Alabama circa ’82.
Immanentize
@WaterGirl: Me??? Fun!
Another Scott
@Immanentize:
jwz disagrees. (Ooo! Retro!!)
That’s from a week ago, if it matters.
FWIW.
Cheers,
Scott.
Laura Too
I would really like that! It’s been a rather rough week. I miss people!
WaterGirl
@?BillinGlendaleCA: We’ll hold off until Wednesday. That should give you time to buy a turkey, build some sort of housing for it, and learn the language. :-)
piratedan
@Suburban Mom: hope to see you there, will allow others to do the coordination and then will participate as opportunity allows
mrmoshpotato
@Elizabelle: I have a date with a podcast tonight. :)
Especially now, I need to hear Driftglass and Bluegal call the Russthuglican party a, now even more murderous, goddamn fucking pile of shit.
Immanentize
@Another Scott: Dude, what will happen to you? Do think this platform is more secure? What do you want for your life?
The Feds used to bug walls near funeral homes to get conversations of mobsters. The current network of crawling info. Is so friggin ubiquitous that everything you have ever posted to this blog has been (or can be) tied to you. We are excellent at finding people after a crime. Almost perfect (Las Vegas? WTF?) But terrible at preventing crimes.
Zoom is a problem?
FelonyGovt
I would be interested. Sounds like fun. I had to get a Zoom Pro account for my work.
mrmoshpotato
@WaterGirl:
@?BillinGlendaleCA: And provide photographic evidence. (Naturally.)
raven
@Immanentize: Back in my small time dealin days I figured they were looking back at me through the TV!
mrmoshpotato
@raven: Your microwave is still spying on you, however.
And in Soviet Russia, corn pops you.
HumboldtBlue
@WaterGirl:
I downloaded the zoom app on Saturday and did a meet with family. On Sunday my computer was being used for someone to access xbox live. As I sat here four boxes appeared on my screen of someone’s xbox live account. I removed the zoom program and will never use it again.
WaterGirl
Love the interpreter for the Mayor on the click someone linked to above. It looks like he’s telling Jared to fuck off, which they pretty much were. Good job.
Immanentize
@raven: that was the stash talking. I am so glad you are back to get it.
WaterGirl
@HumboldtBlue: Yikes! One more reason to (hopefully) take folks up on their offer of the professional version they have for work.
raven
@mrmoshpotato: And I am so fucking legal it’s not funny!
WaterGirl
@mrmoshpotato:
When you double date, do you have to listen to two at once?
Immanentize
@HumboldtBlue: OK, do you have a good virus/intrusion blocker? Worth the small price.
Immanentize
@raven: Since when?
??
Mary G
Butch’s crew is adorable. The teen’s brother came over and I am not happy, as he works in a nursing home. Just threw him out, but feel bad about it.
Another Scott
@Immanentize: The Chinese probably have everything about me already, thanks. I don’t have any illusions.
But people should know what they’re getting into before signing up for something that’s “free”. E.g. FB having yet another outlet to hoover up everything from people who never signed up might give some people pause.
Yeah, the horse is out of the barn, the barn burned down, and a subdivision was built on top of it. But…
FWIW. :-)
Cheers,
Scott.
MazeDancer .
Bigger is better. 12-15. 12 is just 3 rows of 4 pics. Like all parties, there will be the talkers and monopolizers. And the listeners.
Actually, the most fun would be a Front Pager meet-up that we could watch like people watch others play video games on Twitch.
WaterGirl
@Mary G: Good for you.
He should feel bad for coming over! He’s taking all that back to the nursing home. I am shaking my fist at him from over here.
debbie
@Immanentize:
Just ordered one on etsy. Covered in pink flamingos. Everything else seemed garish.
Immanentize
@Another Scott: My University has an impossible guy who friggin blocks every possible solution unless it certifies a whole set of security protocols. I have no worry about my classes. Should I?
but you know the real with free — if it is free, you are the product.
So, Facebook, FaceTime , insragram, Twitter, etc. And people are worrying about a free version of friggin Zoom? Which maybe the .1% will use?
Redshift
I’d be up for it; I have some nice virtual backgrounds. :-)
For larger groups, I recall a friend talking about how there’s a type of zoom meeting (webinar, maybe) with “breakout rooms” that you can split people up into.
HumboldtBlue
@WaterGirl:
That’s what we used, my sister is Superintendent-level in SoCal and she created the meeting using her professional app. I made the mistake of downloading the program as well.
HumboldtBlue
@Immanentize:
I thought I did but it appears not and for me at this point in time everything is far too expensive.
Mary G
WaterGirl
@Mary G: This is particularly important information for the Baudettes if any particulate in a meetup.
Another Scott
@Immanentize:
FCW:
They seem to be making the (paid) product better in response to recent loud criticism (and fixing some of the issues with the public version). That’s good. People have to speak up if they want to keep stuff private…
Cheers,
Scott.
mrmoshpotato
@raven: Oh, your microwave knows. It knows. ?
mrmoshpotato
@WaterGirl: Hahaha listening to Bob Cesca’s After Party and the Professional Left at the same time could be interesting.
Lee
I’m in. My email is real.
Darkrose
@Jude: Good tips. I started using the waiting room feature when I was training after a student came back in with a different email address after being kicked from the meeting. It’s very handy, but if you have a large meeting, it’s good to have a co-host or two who can help manage admitting participants.
Zoom has some security issues that can and should be fixed, but I think it’s important to note that any collaboration tool that’s being widely used is going to be hard to lock down. The whole point is to make it easy for people to connect.
Lyrebird
Thank you, I really needed a laugh! And fwiw I’m a huge privacy fan and respect people’s concerns, I just love how you phrased that!
FWIW I would be interested and could host a small one. I don’t have a pro license but I have an account for work.
Lyrebird
@Mary G: How do you get the end-of-meeting transcript? I know I should Google it, but I haven’t found that yet & it would be handy… copy-pasting student responses (like to re-read them before next class) does not work in my version.
Plus thanks for one of the things you posted a night or two ago. I’ve forgotten, but it did me good at the time!
MoxieM
So here’s me popping in as a sour wet blanket: You all know the Amish are famous for the hideous conditions of their puppy mills, yeah? The absolute worst. Unless you know the family, and even then, I would never, ever, ever buy a dog from an Amish breeder. They basically torture the dogs — it’s factory farming of puppies. Some of them never come out of the wire crates. I fostered a mill dog and the trauma was just heart-breaking.
Info here
OK, back to regular plague news.
Darkrose
@Mary G: You can turn off the option to save chat transcripts in both the free and pro versions.
NotMax
@satby
Not hardly, based on when we met.
Now, this old fart has a face for semaphore.
;)
danielx
@WaterGirl: from what I understand it’s not the content, it’s all the stuff zoom grabs off your computer and puts on it
danielx
@eemom:
And gripe about the site redesign to see him go up in smoke and tell us all to take a long walk off a short pier
cain
40 minutes is plenty of time to have fun and enjoy each others company, pets and a beverage. I just did that with my friends earlier today.
Joy in FL
I like the idea of a Zoom gathering. I would probably lurk there also, although I don’t mind being on the camera. The thumbnails are small unless you’re the one talking : )
NotMax
As for me, no camera, no microphone (at least not any with the proper jack).
Melusine
Would definitely be interested, preferably audio-only.
JCNZ
Hell yes! If anyone’s interested in the view from New Zealand, please include me in.
jdcullinane(at)xtra.co.nz
Dan B
I’d be interested if there are options on time slots. And if we can get a non Zoom option for people who’ve had bad experiences with it.
Butch
I’m sorry I didn’t see this yesterday – had to leave for one of my jobs at noon and didn’t get back to a computer. Mischief and Mayhem (Scout and Ranger) can be a handful but they are wonderful dogs, and the kitties are good companions – lots of time lately sitting around the woodstove together.