Transcript of Virtual Forum Birthday Party, 8/5/98

Edited Version of August 5, 1998 Transcript
EIIP Transcript of Special Chat Event

An Online Birthday Party!!
One Year Anniversary of the EIIP Virtual Forum

Special Message from Philippe L. Boullé
Director, IDNDR Secretariat
International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction

The following version of the transcript has been edited for easier reading and comprehension. Typos were corrected, date/time/names attributed by the software to each were deleted but content of discussion, questions, and responses are as stated by each participant. Answers from the presenter to questions by the audience are grouped beneath the appropriate question to facilitate meaning.

[Opening Remarks]

Avagene Moore: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Forum! This is a very exciting day for the Forum --- we are celebrating our first anniversary and each of you make the day even more memorable with your presence.

The year has gone extremely fast as we have constantly sought ways to expand the Virtual Forum to serve the emergency management community. We are in the information age and believe the Virtual Forum and the use of technology are vital to emergency professionals.

Your presence today and the support throughout the year are indeed appreciated. This effort would not have been possible without the time and effort of all our speakers and our audience.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention what a pleasure it has been to work with Amy Sebring, EIIP Technical Projects Coordinator; Amy, thank you for everything. We have been fortunate to find two interns to help us. Isabel McCurdy is the EIIP Librarian; Ashley Streetman serves as the EIIP Outreach Coordinator. Thank you, Isabel and Ashley.

The Virtual Forum has been a labor of love. However, it has been a fascinating challenge and will continue to be. Personally, it has been a wonderful experience.

And now to the business of celebrating the Forum's birthday. We will have a few words from Amy and other interested parties and then our special message from Philippe L. Boullé, Director, IDNDR Secretariat (International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction).

The IDNDR Director is unable to speak with us live due to a lack of technology in their Geneva facility. The address from Mr. Boullé comes to us from the States. Of interest to you, I was told in a phone call this morning that the UN is updating hardware and software in Geneva and hopes to do a live presentation with us on October 14 to celebrate World Disaster Reduction Day. We certainly look forward to that special occasion.

After recognizing the 105 speakers today, we will continue with the festivities to wish Happy Birthday to the Virtual Forum. Please enjoy! And now, Amy has a few words for us today.

Amy Sebring: It has been a great privilege to work with Avagene and all our participants this year. One of my many motivations for doing this was to find the personal satisfaction of meeting minds, others who are intelligent, creative, stay inspired and work in this business anyway!

I feel the job of a disaster professional can be compared to the lonely Maytag repairman at times. But remember, "They also serve who only stand and wait."

I will take a liberty on this occasion, and start what I hope will be a future tradition, a prediction for the future -- that in five years or less, this will be a widely accepted way of doing business and that those that take the time and trouble to do the kind of networking made possible, will have a distinct advantage over those who do not --- Perhaps, one day, the EIIP will be looked upon as a pioneer in this regard, I hope so. Whatever our future may bring, I take this opportunity to thank you all for making this a rewarding experience for me. Thank you all. Back to you, Ava.

Avagene Moore: Thanks Amy. We are pleased to have Chip Hines here today. Chip is our main link to FEMA and he and other FEMA staff have been very supportive and important to the EIIP. Chip.

Chip Hines: We, at FEMA, are proud to have been a part of the EIIP establishment and growth. We've seen a bare concept become well-defined and turned into a mature source of information for the entire emergency management community.

We are proud to have helped along the way. We've supported much of the work of the EIIP, and we've even had some of our most senior leaders conduct EIIP forums or make presentations. We think that the EIIP has helped us better understand the views of the community, and has helped us get our message out.

We are delighted to see how wide the community of EIIP partners has spread, and we've seen a great spirit of cooperation between government, educators, industry and volunteer organizations. Keep up the good work! For those of you who may not be members, please consider becoming part of the partnership. And we urge all participants to become more actively engaged in the work of the EIIP.

A special thanks to Avagene Moore and Amy Sebring who have made such enormous contributions to the success of the EIIP. Congratulations on a year of dynamic growth. Happy Birthday EIIP, and thanks for your work for a better emergency management partnership. Back to you, Avagene!

Avagene Moore: Thank you for your support and kind words, Chip.

We are having connection problems with Mr. Boullé's address. Please be patient. I think I will have to present the speech through my connection. Hope everyone understands. Technology is wonderful and yet is not a science.

From Mr. Philippe Boullé, Director, International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction Secretariat Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs United Nations at Geneva.

[Message from Philippe Boullé, IDNDR]

Philippe Boullé:

Ladies and Gentlemen --

It is an honour for me to be able to address the Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership Virtual Forum on the occasion of its first anniversary. On behalf of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, I should like to congratulate organizers and partners on your first successful year of existence.

For reasons of timing, I was, unfortunately, not able to converse with you on-line today. Therefore, I hope you will find the following paragraphs of interest, in which you will discover, for those of you who are not familiar with IDNDR, who we are, and what we are trying to achieve in the domain of natural disaster management. You will also learn about our experience with the usage of the Internet so far through our Internet Conferences.

While preparing to address the EIIP forum, I realized that our goals are very similar. While our focus is on the prevention of natural disasters, both EIIP and IDNDR's aims are to bridge the gaps between the various sectors concerned by emergency situations and disasters in the practical application of available scientific information. Through the various discussion fora of EIIP and through its 90 partners, organizations and individuals share information and experiences in order to ameliorate their day to day work facing emergency situations. Similarly, it is the aim of IDNDR, with the help of its conferences on the Internet and webpages, to better inform people and organizations of what can be done for sound natural disaster prevention. I, therefore, look forward to a fruitful partnership between EIIP and IDNDR and I wish EIIP a productive continued growth as an established forum for emergency professionals.

Internet at the Service of Global Disaster Reduction

From the current floods in China to the latest reports around the globe about the impact of El Niño, our world increasingly faces risks from disasters. We cannot afford to wait for disasters to come, for people and their assets to be hit and for enormous amounts of money and energy to be spent to compensate citizens for disaster losses. Budgets in the public and private sectors are increasingly tight, and communities can ill afford to spend millions or even billions of dollars on reconstruction in the aftermath of major disasters. An "ounce of prevention" can spare many "pounds of cure." We need to work together to build a "culture of prevention", in which all parts of society invest in the prevention and mitigation of disasters, in order to protect lives and assets.

That is why, in 1989, the United Nations General Assembly created the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR, 1990-2000). The objective of IDNDR is to reduce, through concerted international preventive action, the loss of life, property damage, and socio-economic disruption caused by natural disasters, especially in developing countries. The IDNDR Secretariat, located in Geneva and part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, is responsible for implementing IDNDR programmes.

Eighteen months remain until the Decade is over. During that period, organizations with an interest in disaster reduction are assessing progress of the 1990s, noting the remaining gaps, and determining how societies will address the issue of natural disasters beyond 2000. These organizations include UN programmes and specialized agencies, national and local governments, business coalitions, university networks, scientific associations, and more.

An IDNDR programme of action has been finalized. It was endorsed by the IDNDR Scientific and Technical Committee, a group of 25 experts from around the world.

IDNDR has established five key areas of concentration for the 1998-1999 programme. These include Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment; Early Warning Issues; Disasters and Sustainable Development; Political and Public Policy Commitment; and Shared Knowledge and Technology Transfer.

This process moves us towards the overriding aim of IDNDR: to institutionalize disaster reduction and prevention as an important economic and social discipline of government policy in all countries around the world.

It is only, we, ourselves, in our collective responsibilities, who can give life and meaning to disaster reduction. The value of protecting social assets that make up people's lives and countries' wealth has to be conveyed by commitments and the shared exchange of experience, from a wide range of professions and countries, in developed and developing countries alike.

The Role of the Internet in Disaster Reduction

The use of the Internet as a communication tool for the coordination of humanitarian assistance has grown tremendously over the past several years. Because of the suddenness of human loss and suffering, and the ensuing widespread social disruption, there is a tendency to look at disasters almost exclusively from a humanitarian angle. This approach is reflected on the Internet, on television, and in newspapers. The humanitarian element is indeed important; however, there is a need to go further: to focus on the prevention of disasters, i.e., to make people realize that, in many cases, we can indeed prevent the fatal impact of a disaster, provided that appropriate measures are taken.

There is great scope for Internet to play an important role in disaster reduction in this context. IDNDR works to bring professionals from all parts of society and all corners of the globe together to build partnerships, strengthen networks and exchange information to help societies manage risk successfully. In that sense, the Internet has great potential to serve as a communication tool.

The IDNDR Internet Conferences of the past two years are one example of how Internet can be applied to networking and partnership-building for disaster reduction (Solutions for Cities at Risk-1996" <http://www.quipu.net:1996/> and The Socio-Economic Impact of Water-related Disasters-1997"< http://www.quipu.net:1997/>. These virtual conferences were among many events that comprise the annual World Disaster Reduction Campaigns. A third Internet Conference will be held this year on Natural Disaster Prevention and the Media <http://www.quipu.net:1998/>.

I would like to note at this point that these conferences have been directly relevant to the 1998-1999 IDNDR Programme. These conferences are a step towards bringing people together, from all levels and professions in society, from all world regions, and work jointly to build a global culture of disaster prevention in our societies. These conferences are relevant for the substantive issues they raise, and for potential solutions. They are also relevant to assess the potential of this type of medium to exchange information, identify best practices and highlight issues for the future.

In 1997, nearly 700 participants joined the debate, from 60 different countries and from all professional sectors. These numbers are very encouraging and indicate the usefulness of Internet conferencing as a communications' tool for the exchange of expertise, and as a networking tool for all those directly or indirectly involved in natural disaster reduction.

The creation and successful use of Internet conferencing, within the framework of IDNDR, represents a major achievement in the realization of the objectives of IDNDR, in particular by facilitating information exchange and knowledge transfer between all parts of society in many places around the world.

IDNDR is committed to maintaining and enhancing the use of the Internet in its closing phase. An example of these efforts is the current setting up an IDNDR Website <http://www.idndr.org>. This site will contain information about the 1998-1999 Programme of Action and other important information about disaster reduction.

We sincerely hope that the variety of steps taken by the IDNDR Secretariat and its partner organizations in the field of Internet communication and the results obtained in promoting natural disaster reduction worldwide will contribute to bringing about efficient disaster reduction measures in the 21st century.

[Recognition of Participants]

Avagene Moore: Our thanks to Mr. Boullé. Again, I apologize for technical problems on this end. We will continue with our program now.

We are pleased to have some of the past presenters with us today. We want you to look at our Presenters Hall of Fame to see the entire list of speakers. Amy, please explain how our audience can see the Hall of Fame.

Amy Sebring: Click on any of the banners above.

Avagene Moore: We have a number of our speakers here today. I will not list them for fear of overlooking someone. However, we did send certificates of appreciation to each one with a special invitation to be here today.

We also have several special things lined up for you today. For example, here is a birthday card from Isabel McCurdy,

http://www.bluemountain.com/cards/box3533z/am557sgvdffibgi.htm#SELFopen

Isabel McCurdy: I just want to say THANK YOU to Avagene, Amy, Ashley for inviting me to be part of this wonderful team. Congratulations on your first birthday. Here's a "toast" to many more. CHEERS! EH!!!

Jan Zastrow: Here, here!! I second Isabel's sentiments! Congratulations and Happy Birthday to the Excellent EIIP!!!

Avagene Moore: Amy, would you like to give instructions for the Images? My connection is very slow at the moment.

[Virtual Party Celebrations]

Amy Sebring: Let the party begin. To use images, see instructions for each mode by clicking on banner above.

John Mills: Avagene, how good to see your name and read your words. We met at the International Disaster and Emergency Response Conference last year, I was one of the organisers, and you and Philippe Boullé were amongst our speakers. Happy birthday and congratulations. Hope to see you at our next IDER conference in The Hague, Netherlands, 12-14 October 1999. As a result of Mr. Boullé’s comments, it is now called the International Disaster and Emergency READYNESS Conference. Many, many congratulations.

Avagene Moore: If at all possible, I will be there, John. Yes, I remember you. Had a wonderful time at the IDER Conference.

Kevin Farrell: Ava and Amy, it's been a pleasure 'networking' with you!

Amy Sebring: We will also invite some additional toasts. Please be thinking of some appropriate toasts while we get the champagne ready. For inspiration see:

http://zinnia.umfacad.maine.edu/~donaghue/toasts.html

I think the champagne is about chilled and ready to open. We are not equipped with audio at the moment, so take your right index finger, place it in your left cheek and when we do the countdown, pop the cork.

Jan Zastrow: Beer-- Here's a toast to Avagene and Amy! OOps, guess I didn't get the image right! :>

Marilyn Barker: Congratulations! Keep on persevering -- technology can only improve!

Joe Fletcher: Congratulations, Ava and Amy. A lot of hard work, but many rewards. Way to go!

[Virtual Champagne]

Amy Sebring: THREE ... TWO ... ONE ... POP! fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Here is what you are drinking:

http://www.emforum.org/vforum/birthday/champagn.htm

David Hancock:

Kevin Farrell: Happy Birthday EIP !!!

John Mills: Congratulations!!!!! "Cheers" from England!

Mark Wood: Ahh!! There's nothing like a nice cup of tea, and unfortunately, this is nothing like a nice cup of tea, but cheers! anyway.

[Virtual Birthday Toast]

Amy Sebring: And may I offer an old Irish toast -- Go mbeire muid beo ar an am seo aris! -- "May we be alive at this time next year."--

Steve Austin: On behalf of the Congressional Fire Service Institute --- here's a heartfelt thanks and a wish for many more.

Marilyn Barker: Excellent champagne!

RH Scott: Cheers! and Happy Birthday

Mark Wood: "In the multitude of counselors, there is wisdom" - Proverbs.

Kevin Farrell: Good one, Amy!

Marilyn Barker: Amen.

Avagene Moore: Amen to that, Amy. Need everyone's support to make it happen!

Mary Ann Rollans: I am a new participant to the EIIP but I am most impressed with the quality and quantity of information and the ease of access. My congratulations to your first year, and as a new participant and partner, my wishes for your continued success in the world of virtual learning. Here is an Arkansas toast to EIIP!

Avagene Moore: Thank you, Mary Ann.

Dennis Hickethier: Great work on all the hours of

Avagene Moore: Good deal, Dennis!

Amy Sebring: I'll drink to that!!

Terry Storer: !!!!STANDING OVATION!!!! -- Great Job! Thanks for letting me be a part of EIIP.

Amy Sebring: This is for Mark

Mark Wood: Here's to "Successful Disasters". "Lest old disasters be forgot and never brought to mind"

Avagene Moore: Great words, Mark.

Amy Sebring: Are we ready for some cake?

Marilyn Barker: Yes!

Avagene Moore: Yes, cake all around!

Amy Sebring: First, we need to sing -- I have lit the only candle --

Avagene Moore: 1st class idea.

[Virtual 'Happy Birthday' Chorus]

Amy Sebring: Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Avagene Moore: Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday Virtual Forum

Amy Sebring: Happy birthday EIIP Virtual Forum

Happy birthday to you!

Avagene Moore: Happy Birthday to you! And many more!

Marilyn Barker: And many more.

Gil Gibbs: And many more, great way to celebrate in cyberspace!

[Virtual Birthday Cake]

Amy Sebring:

http://www.emforum.org/vforum/birthday/cake.htm

Click above for your very own slice of cake.

Mark Wood: Well, chat on the EIIP, for old lang syne.

Bob Fletcher: I am cybercited about all this partying. My electrodatamachinations are off the chart!

Avagene Moore: Delicious cake. Compliments to the chef!

Gil Gibbs:

JR Thomas: Avagene, thanks for giving me my first opportunity to participate in the forum. Best wishes to all.

Avagene Moore: Love the coined word, Bob. Can we use it?

Jan Zastrow: Me, too, Bob! (But I keep getting logged off...)

Avagene Moore: Bad Internet day, I would say. Naturally.

Marilyn Barker: Bob, that is too cute.

Mark Wood: The great thing is that you don't have to sweep electrons off the floor at the end of the party.

Dennis Hickethier: Looking at that champagne and cake is making me salivate!

Isabel McCurdy: What a wonderful party!

Gil Gibbs: Good job, Amy & Ava.

Avagene Moore: Great day for Partners!

Marilyn Barker: No drooling, please.

[Virtual Fireworks]

Amy Sebring: And to polish off our celebration, some fireworks (be singing something patriotic, please)

http://www.emforum.org/vforum/birthday/firework.htm

Jan Zastrow: Wow! Great fireworks! Never been to an online party before! Great!!!

[Virtual Party]

Amy Sebring: Especially thanks to those who have persevered in connecting today. The last couple of days have been tough for some reason.

Jan Zastrow: It's well worth it, Amy!

Avagene Moore: Can only get better folks! Love you all !

David Crews: Great party! Hello to all from the Iowa DFO.

Mary Ann Rollans: . Will we be sorry tomorrow???

Gil Gibbs: Here's a great Ginger Ale for all --

Avagene Moore: Mary Ann, these images are neat aren't they?

John Mills: Luv from IDER, hope to see you in Holland next year. Great party, thanks.

Mark Wood: I always tell jokes at parties, "did you hear about the photographer who saved all his burned out light bulbs, to use in his DARKroom". (Groan)

Avagene Moore: What a joke, Mark!

Jan Zastrow: Hey, Mary Ann, just think -- all this champagne and no hangover!

Marilyn Barker: Mary Ann, drop an aspirin in the champagne!

RH Scott: Amy and Ava, thanks for all your hard work. It has been a pleasure being part of this

Avagene Moore: Hey, Jan, what time is it in Honolulu?

Jan Zastrow: In Honolulu right now it's 6:56 AM -- a record for me!

Avagene Moore: You should get an award for being here at all, Jan.

Isabel McCurdy: What a super way to start your day, Jan!

Avagene Moore: For Jan

Jan Zastrow: Yep, a wonderful way to begin a day (thanks for the rose, Avagene!)!!

Mark Wood: Well, you should sleep under the car if you want to wake up 'oily'.

Avagene Moore: Oooh, Mark!

Jan Zastrow: Groan, Mark! ;> (too early for puns!!)

Avagene Moore: Is Janet Dilling online?

Jonathan Perry: This has been a great forum. I'm looking forward to many more.

Joe Fletcher: May the future be

John Mills: And there goes the myth about Champagne breakfasts only being served at weddings!

Gil Gibbs: And for the little "attachments" to our families --

Avagene Moore: Wonderful, we have several new people online today.

Mary Ann Rollans: I am not too sure that this virtual party does not come with a hangover--everything seems so "real" that I am really into this celebration!!

Dennis Hickethier: Well, you always have something new for us. Great job, looks like all systems are go!

Avagene Moore: You have gotten into the spirit of things, Gil.

Amy Sebring: Apparently we need to leave a space before the double slashes to get the correct images.

Mark Wood: Jan, I am coming to Hawaii tomorrow, to the Centre of Excellence to give a talk on disaster telecommunications.

Jan Zastrow: Wow, Mark, that's great!!! What time is it? I'll try to be there (am working from home until my last day Aug. 14).

Mark Wood: My orders are a little unclear, I think I am going to the Jefferson Hall at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, should take all day on Friday from 0830 to 1700.

Avagene Moore: Sounds like a fun trip, Mark

Jan Zastrow: Mark, that must be part of the telecom workshop?

Mark Wood: The course is information management and communications.

I don't know, as far as I know it is the telecom workshop.

Cindy Rice: Mark, you got any slides/handouts on that, that you want to pass to us since you are tantalizing us?

Mark Wood: It is only about the third time I have given this course though, it is in all electronic form as a power point presentation, so I can distribute it electronically as well as in person. Tell you what, if you want a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] and I will send a copy to you.

Gil Gibbs: Mark, I'm astounded with surface-mount technology - the Icom repair did the impossible with a resistor, and the part is almost microscopic.

MaryAnn Rollans: . These images are giving me fits!!

Amy Sebring: Try again Mary Ann. Leave a space before double slash.

Mary Ann Rollans: Thanks

Amy Sebring: You got it, Mary Ann.

Gil Gibbs: Despite all the other problems, it's good to be still walking, Ava -- great show!!!

Avagene Moore: Hope everyone noted the names of our past year participants scrolling by. We are so proud of them!

Amy Sebring: Please note you can use direct messaging, and set up private rooms to talk also.

Amy Sebring: Hi, David Crews, are you still there?

Kevin Farrell: Ya did good today Ava, technical difficulties and all. I got dropped once as well.

Avagene Moore: I had a terrible time; has been like this all morning.

Amy Sebring: Hello, Rita. Thanks for coming!

Jan Zastrow: OK, I'll try another image... kisses to Avagene and Amy! Oops...

Amy Sebring: Bob Scott, hello!

Gil Gibbs: Amy, I'm spoiled with a Bose Wave Radio, my new ham rig is back, and I'm about to get my cabin under control. Now let's hope the house repairs go smooth & antennas up!!

Amy Sebring: Greetings to Russell Coile!

Rita Ossolinski:

RH Scott: Hi there! This has been great, Thanks!

Rita Ossolinski: . It worked! I enjoyed being a "speaker". Keep up the good work.

Avagene Moore: Great, Rita. We are so glad you could join us.

John Mills: Must go now. Thanks for the great party. Believe it or not, its clear blue skies and hot sun in the South of England, just a few miles from Stonehenge. Here to the future many years of EIIP, Bye for now!

Avagene Moore: Thanks, John. Great to have you here.

Amy Sebring: Please come again John!

Avagene Moore: John, do I have your email address?

Bob Fletcher: I was dropped, oh say, 10 times, give or take. Anyhow, congrats Avagene and Amy. Looking forward to our new "behind the scenes" project. Chuckle.

Avagene Moore: OK, Bob. Glad you could make it.

Amy Sebring: Me too Bob. Thanks for coming.

Bob Fletcher: My pleasure and that cyberchampagne was outstanding!

Jan Zastrow: What "behind the scenes" project are you guys up to? Or can't you say, yet?

Avagene Moore: Jan, we are helping Bob with a project using the Partners room and the Virtual Forum chat capability. No secrets.

RH Scott: Amy, Ava, a mag called GIS World picked the paper I did for your forum and is doing a feature article later this year. I put a plug in for the EIIP. I'll get you details later.

Amy Sebring: Great Bob!

Avagene Moore: Great Bob. Thanks.

Terry Storer: Amy, sounds good for VFRE.

Cindy Rice: GIS World is a great magazine, free, to qualified, if you don't already get it.

Mark Wood: I think they hire midgets to do the work, or at least folks with very thin fingers.

Gil Gibbs: Before I forget - Amy, we might have Pam online one day, from Port A. City Hall.

Marilyn Barker: Good bye, thanks for the invite.

Lee Smith: Avagene says that I'm supposed to say "hi to all" and apologize for being late, again.

Avagene Moore: Lee follows instructions really well!

Lee Smith: I do try. This stuff is still fun. Looks like the party is winding down, but glad I got here. You've done great!

Avagene Moore: Your image didn't come through, Lee.

Lee Smith:

Avagene Moore: Thanks for the support and we appreciate your being here. Now you have it, Lee.

Mark Wood: Working on surface mount required placing the board in an oven, it is more cooking than electronics. Perhaps they hired Martha Stewart to do it.

RH Scott: Thanks for the invite. Gotta go

Gil Gibbs: Grapes, anyone. Taste good under the A/C.

Avagene Moore: Thanks for joining us, Bob.

Rita Ossolinski: Thanks for the cake, the champagne, the images, and the leadership. I hope to bring ICMA into the partnership. Logging off for now -- Rita Ossolinski

Amy Sebring: Thanks Bob. See ya. Thanks Rita.

Avagene Moore: Please do that, Rita. Thanks for everything.

Gil Gibbs: Ava & Amy - just for the grins.

Avagene Moore: We had a good audience today. I was trying to keep up with how many came in. Believe we ended up with close to 40, although some couldn't stay online. Best way to smoke, Gil.

Amy Sebring: . Am going to excuse myself and take it outside, can't smoke in the building.

Jan Zastrow: OK, here's my final attempt at images . to all of us in the coming year!

Amy Sebring: Jan, which are you using?

Jan Zastrow: Aargh! No imaging in HTML mode I guess! :)

Amy Sebring: If not using full Java, you have to manually enter the slashes and the image name.

Amy Sebring: like "//smiley" but don't use quotes

Kevin Farrell:

Amy Sebring:

Amy Sebring: Try again, Jan.

Lee Smith: Figured it out SMOKIN'

Cindy Rice: How's that?

Kevin Farrell: Beach anyone?

Isabel McCurdy: Here is my

Cindy Rice:

Amy Sebring: Try that again, Cindy. There you go.

Avagene Moore: How did everyone like using the images? or

Kevin Farrell:

Avagene Moore: or

Lee Smith:

Avagene Moore: Definitely better than the

Jan Zastrow: Definitely a , Avagene!

Avagene Moore: This is fun

Mark Wood:

Gil Gibbs: Howzabout a concert?

Isabel McCurdy: This is wonderful. Oops, got sand in my eyes.

Mark Wood: Hmmm, I am better looking on the graphics.

Kevin Farrell: Maybe we should make up some, just for us.

Avagene Moore: Good idea , Kevin.

Cindy Rice: Are these graphics public domain or restricted use?

Amy Sebring: Yes, Kevin I was going to sub the graphics, but couldn't figure out how to change the graphic names. So I left as is.

Avagene Moore: Saves and you get to meet such nice people.

Kevin Farrell: They seem to be clickable elements, so there must be a related library somewhere. 'Course, they could be imbedded in the applet too.

Amy Sebring: Yes, there are separate small .gif files used, but eShare arranges them.

Avagene Moore: Maybe we could get eShare to do some for the Emergency Mgmt /Emergency Services community

Gil Gibbs: Click on Images, then double-click on the graphic, Kevin.

Kevin Farrell:

Amy Sebring: Gil, Kevin and I are talking programming stuff

Amy Sebring: Ann, how's the research going?

Ann Willis: Amy, the research is going okay. I have received many good replies. The hard part is making sense of all of them, and producing a coherent paper.

Mark Wood: " Old Mc Donald had a site, EIEIP. On this site thay had some chats -- some of them with me -- with a blah blah, here a groan groan there...

Amy Sebring: GREAT Mark!!

Avagene Moore: Super, Mark. How about writing us a little original ?

Kevin Farrell:

Gil Gibbs: Good luck, Amy - I had to do RPG, BASIC, & COBOL, might finish up someday.

Cindy Rice: What no 3rd or 4th generation languages?!?!?

Gil Gibbs: Cindy, I'm still stuck in "C".

Amy Sebring: Good Luck to Jan in her new business venture!

Isabel McCurdy: New business venture, Jan?

Avagene Moore: Yes, please stay in touch and let us know if we can help you, Jan.

Jan Zastrow: Thanks! I finally decided on a name--HyperClick Online Services--and "Opening Day" is Aug. 15--hey, maybe -I- should have an online party?!

Amy Sebring: Well, the heck with Virtual Cake, leaves me a little hungry still. Gonna go get some REAL food!

Lee Smith: I have to leave now, something about "work." Taking one for the road And see you in the Net.

Amy Sebring: Thanks again, guys!

Avagene Moore: Yes, it is lunchtime for many of us. Maybe breakfast for Jan. Our diet wasn't the greatest for lunch.

Terry Storer: PARTY HEARTY! I've got meeting, Thanks Again for making this possible.

Avagene Moore: Thanks to all of you. Let others know you enjoyed this. Any closing comments?

Gil Gibbs: Business & work call. Best to y'all.

Avagene Moore: Thanks Terry, Amy, Lee.

Isabel McCurdy: Thank you!

Kevin Farrell: Me too, Amy. Congrats everyone! CYA! See you all online!

Avagene Moore: Thanks Gill, Kevin.

Isabel McCurdy: What a wonderful party!

Jan Zastrow: A big thank-you to Avagene and Amy for this great forum! Aloha from Honolulu!!!

Avagene Moore: Thanks to everyone for being here. It was fun. Thanks Jan. Thanks Isabel.

Isabel McCurdy: Aloha Jan.

Avagene Moore: Aloha, Jan. Hope to see you again soon. Are we ready to close it down for today? Thanks to Ann, also.

Isabel McCurdy: Let me grab my coffee first

Avagene Moore: Great, Isabel. This has made me smile many times today. We all needed a pleasant break. Hope it was fun for everyone.

Cindy Rice: Looks like it was a great party, got bumped when contractor downed my backup web server but what I've seen, it's great.

Avagene Moore: Thanks Cindy. Please join us for more serious chats next week. Look for notice of upcoming schedule next week.

Isabel McCurdy: Avagene, this has made my day.

Avagene Moore: Thanks, Isabel. It is the highlight of mine. A good year to say the least. Hope we can continue to grow and do even more.

Isabel McCurdy: You bet.

Cindy Rice: One quick question, how do you find the names of the images or can you do it in html?

Avagene Moore: Cindy, Amy is offline and I am not sure. Sorry. I think Amy said you have to manually type the names in but I don't know what you are looking at in html.

I am going to have to leave you folks. My mom is on her way from a Nashville hospital to a rehab center in my hometown. I have to meet her there.

Isabel McCurdy: Glad the operation went well, Avagene. Safe journey!

Cindy Rice: Thanks for response, Ava. Hope your mom and you enjoy time together.

Avagene Moore: She is doing pretty well. Well enough to move to a step-down facility. I am thankful. Gotta run. Thanks a million for everything this year. Couldn't have done it without each one of you! Bye.

Isabel McCurdy: Bye Avagene.

Mark Wood: Cherio! everyone, may your URL's never 404.

Isabel McCurdy: I am going to have another cup of coffee before I go. . Cherio, Mark. Any one else still here?

Mark Wood: Yes, me.

Isabel McCurdy: Are you having a drink?

Mark Wood: No. I am trying to send several faxes, make several phone calls and juggle whilst knitting a scarf saying 'home rule for Manchester'

Cindy Rice: I am here.

Isabel McCurdy: Hi Cindy. I am just having so much fun here today!

Cindy Rice: Hi, where did everyone find the names for the images?

Mark Wood: I never found that either.

Isabel McCurdy: Cindy, let me look at the banner.

Mark Wood: It may be because I can't use Java behind the firewall here, so I have to use html version.

Isabel McCurdy: Did you follow the directions as posted in the banner?

Cindy Rice: What directions? All I see is a happy anniversary banner with words and champagne.

Bill Feist: If you are talking about the images that appear in the chat text, look under the Images Button in JAVA or JAVA light. There will be a whole list of images with names. Just type //<image name> and the image appears. For instance, to send a heart , send and the heart appears. It doesn't work with html, though.

Cindy Rice: Ooops, happy birthday and cake. Oops, balloons.

Isabel McCurdy: Click on one of those banners.

Cindy Rice: . I'm using html.

Bill Feist: Oops. I guess it DOES work with html. Send // and the word heart to make appear.

Isabel McCurdy: Excellent!

Cindy Rice: Use slash slash and word heart to make heart appear, just don't know what all else is there. I saw these and saved them a gif to my pc here. But are these public domain or do I need to erase them off my pc?

Bill Feist: Cindy, check out the images button in the JAVA screen. There are at least twenty or thirty different images. The heart is the only one, I remember.

Isabel McCurdy: Isn't this fun? I think public domain. Have a beer Or maybe coffee

Bill Feist: Folks, this is my first time in this (or any other) chat room. I am assuming that most of you are involved with emergency management in some capacity. I am the Director for The Salvation Army Metro Emergency Disaster Services in Minneapolis-St. Paul. How about you folks (or don't we want to talk business)?

Isabel McCurdy: Welcome Bill. Boy, did you come on a wonderful day.

Cindy Rice: Ky Emergency Management (name changed from Disaster and Emergency Services recently) Check out the archives, a lot of great information and support tools.

Isabel McCurdy: I am the EIIP Librarian, amongst other talents.

Cindy Rice: Wow Isabel! What a great job and responsibility.

Isabel McCurdy: I'm from British Columbia, Canada. It is a great job and a wonderful opportunity.

Bill Feist: Yeah, my hat is off to anyone who can do that, Isabel.

Isabel McCurdy: Thank you, Bill. Bill, check out "transcripts" of our sessions. Great material!

Cindy Rice: I thought you were from the north, never been to Canada but maybe one day I can make, I just don't like the cold.

Isabel McCurdy: What cold?

Cindy Rice: You know, below 50 degrees cold when arthritis kicks in. As librarian, are there specific sites that you pull from for background info or do participants provide it to you or do you get what you can where you can?

Bill Feist: Cindy, if you don't like cold, don't visit where I just moved from! I moved to the Twin Cities this past January from Brrrrr! Minot, North Dakota. You haven't experienced cold until you've experienced -100 wind chills!

Cindy Rice: Hey, at 20 degrees I start freezing and stiffening up.

Mark Wood: One more joke before I go for a quick work break.

Isabel McCurdy: Go for it, Mark.

Mark Wood: Did you hear about the Absurdian Liberation Army terrorist, on his first day? The boss told him to blow up the UN ambassador’s limo but he burnt his mouth on the exhaust pipe.

Cindy Rice: Hey Mark, a twist on others I've heard but worth the retelling.

Isabel McCurdy:

Cindy Rice: Hey, I didn't log off. I never got all the way on under the other account.

Mark Wood: That was 'dolly' your clone.

Bill Feist: Do people check in here most days during lunch, or just on special days?

Isabel McCurdy: Bill, on specific days. Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays.

Cindy Rice: Don't forget time and such (EST or PST). Tuesday 1pm EST, Wednesday 12 EST pm and Thursday 8 EST pm.

Bill Feist: Thanks, Cindy and Isabel.

Isabel McCurdy: Thanks Cindy. You are welcome.

Cindy Rice: Hey, we're all in this together. Hey, I lucked into finding out by using 2 accounts.

Isabel McCurdy: Good Cindy. Today was our first anniversary, Bill.

Bill Feist: Yes, I gathered that from what I read earlier in the forum areas. Happy Birthday!

Isabel McCurdy: Great birthday party.

Cindy Rice: Hey, not to bother anyone, I have to post the image to save the image as a gif, so don't mind me.

Isabel McCurdy: Ok Cindy.

Cindy Rice: //winking //trash //watercooler //question //pushpin //phone //pinkslip //outbox //megafone //legalpad //inbox //gavel //file //first //briefcase

Bill Feist: Cindy, why am I beginning to worry about your knowing where to find all those images?

Cindy Rice: Hey, don't worry. I asked if they were restricted or if they were public domain. Someone said public domain. If they are not, I'll take them off my machine. Was I told wrong and they are not public domain? I look for all kinds of images for our web page to get the right ideas across .

Bill Feist: I am curious as to who some of the other people I see listed are. Care to introduce yourselves to the newcomer (me)?

Isabel McCurdy: David, are you here? I don't think Rick is here.

Mark Wood: Hello Bill, I am Mark Wood, I write and lecture on Disaster Telecommunications for the disaster relief communications foundation (UK). You can read my book "Disaster Communications", free from my webpage by going to <http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mark_a_wood>

Bill Feist: Mark, are you an Amateur Radio operator by any chance? I am WB8BZH (which probably won't mean anything to you if you are not a Ham).

Mark Wood: Yep! I am G4HLZ, I operate mostly CW on 40 and Pactor on 20.

Isabel McCurdy: Paul?

Paul Bourget: Sorry, I was pulled away - happy birthday, you guys! I'm with DoD working the GDIN initiative. I suggested to Vern Adler that we have little bios linked to our names so people can know who we are.

Cindy Rice: Paul, I'm trying find if there is a page for cats which works with Hazus and it comes from a McFarland Weapons Directorate, DOD, Virginia. Can you help me???

Paul Bourget: Well, I can look into it.

Cindy Rice: Boy, is html a lot slower than java. You also lose a lot of text that doesn't get posted.

Mark Wood: That's a good idea, I, too, am a new kid on the block and I have never met anyone face to face

Isabel McCurdy: Has everyone filled out their user profile?

Paul Bourget: Where IS everyone from?

Mark Wood: I tried but it is hard to draw my messy hair.

Isabel McCurdy: I'm from British Columbia, Canada, Paul.

Paul Bourget: Who are you with, Isabel?

Isabel McCurdy: I'm the EIIP librarian.

Mark Wood: I am an Englishman from London, but I live in San Francisco now.

Cindy Rice: Sorry Bill, I didn't see your question -- Cindy Rice, Ky USA Emergency Management CSEP Program, specifically automation.

Paul Bourget: Can we access the profiles, Isabel?

Isabel McCurdy: Yes, Paul. Click on a name, and then click on user profile. Try it.

Paul Bourget: Whatdya know?

Bill Feist: Oh. Thank you for the info about the user profiles. That is interesting.

Isabel McCurdy: Now, some have private to update.

Paul Bourget: Well, it's a start - and who spiked the punch?

Cindy Rice: Isabel, that doesn't work with html.

Isabel McCurdy: It was working a minute ago. Let me try again.

Paul Bourget: It works with mine.

Bill Feist: Cindy is right. I just tried it and got a box for sending a personal message.

Isabel McCurdy: Well, it is not working for me now. Maybe a time limit. I'll have to ask Amy or Avagene. But that option is available.

Bill Feist: Maybe that feature only works with JAVA?

Isabel McCurdy: No Bill, it works for all.

Bill Feist: Or maybe it only works for those who HAVE a personal profile (I don't remember making anything like that when I signed up).

Paul Bourget: Mine was generated automatically from the initial sign-on sheet.

Isabel McCurdy: No Bill, mine is not working now, either. It is generated automatically when you create a user account.

Cindy Rice: I did a profile when I created my user account.

Bill Feist: Well, folks, I have to get back to (dare I say it?) work. Nice meeting all of you. Until next time.

Mark Wood: Got your message, Bill, I have not done my profile yet but I will by the next time I get on.

Cindy Rice: Bill, if you're interested in where I work; our web server is <http://webserve.dma.state.ky.us>

Bill Feist: Thanks, Cindy.

Isabel McCurdy: Come back, Bill. Glad you made it today.

Paul Bourget: Have any of you been here throughout the year? This is my second time here

Isabel McCurdy: I have been here since February.

Paul Bourget: What's the interest level been, do you think?

Isabel McCurdy: Glad you came today, Paul. Excellent interest. Hi Rick. A great party today!

Rick Tobin: Hello, I'm glad to be back on. How many folks showed up?

Isabel McCurdy: 40+, I think. Just having coffee and chatting.

Paul Bourget: Forty sounds like a healthy number to me, too.

Isabel McCurdy: Rick; Cindy, Mark, Paul and I are the last of the party animals.

Rick Tobin: Must go again. Good to see you all. If David Crews sees this message. Take care.

Cindy Rice: Party on! I'm looking at the names at the bottom of the java login and where they're from. html doesn't do that. Interesting. Verrrry interrrrrrresting. Big wigs and us, little peons.

Paul Bourget: Anything good, down there?

Isabel McCurdy: Don't forget to click on the banners, there is a list too.

Cindy Rice: ? Isabel.

Isabel McCurdy: Yes, Cindy.

Cindy Rice: Will the upgrades that appear to be happening in browsers (vrml,xml and others affect EIIP's chat?)

Isabel McCurdy: So far, no, I don't think so, Cindy.

Paul Bourget: Is there a list of the 40 people?

Isabel McCurdy: I honestly don't know if Amy or Avagene have something like that, Paul.

Paul Bourget: I thought that was what Cindy was talking about.

Cindy Rice: No, profiles of current logon users was my topic.

Paul Bourget: Okay, I misunderstood.

David Crews: Hello to all. Must quit. I am working a hot project here in the Iowa DFO. Sorry I could not participate more. Cheers!

Isabel McCurdy: Cheers David.

Cindy Rice: Sorry, got bumped, too many windows doing too much at one time. Isabel, any idea of my question about vrml and xml?

Isabel McCurdy: I don't know, Cindy. Need to ask Amy. Amy is the computer pro. Hey, Mary Ann. Did not know if you were here. Where are you from, Mary Ann? Have to get another coffee. . Well, folks anything else? I need another cup, folks. . Closing comments?

Paul Bourget: Happy birthday, once again - and talk to you guys later.

Isabel McCurdy: Thanks Paul. Come back again. Enjoyed your presentation.

Cindy Rice: Bye Isabel.

Isabel McCurdy: Cheers everyone. I'm outta here too! Ciao.