Does anyone know of an apartment like this?

I'm looking for an apartment in Istanbul that has all of the following qualities:

*3-year lease

*Within 10-15 minutes walking distance to Taksim (Gümüşsuyu is probably ideal)

*Unfurnished, or little furniture

*Properly reinforced for earthquakes, soil and foundation report must be available, and the landlord must be willing to show them to me. ABSOLUTELY NON-NEGOTIABLE.

*Landlord friendly to cats.

*About 100 sq m.

*Very light, not claustrophobic, feeling of space

*Quiet: No construction nearby or planned--also non-negotiable.

*Sea view--I work at home, and I want to see something beautiful when I look out the window.

*A balcony that's structurally such that I could enclose it with mesh or wire, making it a place my cats can go without falling off and killing themselves

*There must be doors that close on the kitchen and at least one of the rooms that could serve as a study for me--open plan isn't suitable. I need to be able to keep the cats away from computer cords and gas stoves when I can't supervise them.

*Landlord has no prior history of major disputes with tenants or failure to do reasonable repairs in a timely fashion (in other words: NO CRAZY LANDLORDS.)

*Ready to move in immediately--no major renovations or repairs required

*Bathtub--not just a shower

*Safe neighborhood that would feel okay to walk in by myself at night, with appropriate building security (e.g., bars on ground floor windows, if any)

The above are non-negotiable, "nice to have" would include:

*no emlak, direct from landlord

*more than one balcony (one for the cats, one for the plants)

*elevator if it's on a high floor

*lots of closets and storage space

I'm willing to pay someone a reasonable fee to help me find this quickly. Get in touch with me or leave a comment if you know of something suitable.

The main consideration here is that I need to move very quickly, and can't take time off of work. So I don't want to see apartments that don't meet the criteria above.

Thanks!

4/23/2010 Skype Meeting Transcript

Jor El believes in transparency. Here's what we talk about when you're not around.



[4/23/2010 11:55:41 AM] *** Ayse Sumer added Claire Berlinski, ivan10000, Knut Milbredt, Okan Altiparmak, Asli Suner ***
[4/23/2010 11:55:49 AM] Ayse Sumer: Hello all
[4/23/2010 11:56:13 AM] Ayse Sumer: Are we ready to start the conversation?
[4/23/2010 11:56:20 AM] Suha Ülgen: Hello.
[4/23/2010 11:56:50 AM] Ayse Sumer: it looks like its just 4 of us - Claire is having trouble with her connection and will go in and out
[4/23/2010 11:57:00 AM] Ayse Sumer: Viktor are you there?
[4/23/2010 11:57:04 AM] ivan10000: Im here.. listening..
[4/23/2010 11:57:25 AM] Ayse Sumer: great did you all read the latest postings on the discussion board re ngo status?
[4/23/2010 11:57:41 AM] Suha Ülgen: No. I didn't.
[4/23/2010 11:57:58 AM] Ayse Sumer: The Turkish lawyer and the US lawyer gave their recommendations......I suggest that you look at it while we are talking
[4/23/2010 11:58:13 AM] Suha Ülgen: Thanks. I'll look at it.
[4/23/2010 11:59:03 AM] Ayse Sumer: My conversation with the US lawyer was interesting - there are some details that we need to iron out on both sides but the essence is that he recommends that we become a US charitable organization
[4/23/2010 11:59:18 AM] Ayse Sumer: that will give us a tax exempt status rather than be an ngo
[4/23/2010 11:59:47 AM] Ayse Sumer: we can receive donations and the donors can use that for tax purposes
[4/23/2010 12:00:22 PM] Ayse Sumer: I need to find someone who knows the tax exempt status application which apparently is the difficult process
[4/23/2010 12:01:50 PM] Ayse Sumer: In the meantime Asli is communicating with the lawyer in Turkey. While those discussions are going I have started looking and talking to some potential celebrity endorsers
[4/23/2010 12:02:05 PM] Ayse Sumer: Viktor how is your fund raising concert coming along?
[4/23/2010 12:02:16 PM] ivan10000: oh
[4/23/2010 12:02:20 PM] ivan10000: that' sjust a litle party
[4/23/2010 12:02:27 PM] ivan10000: there is going to be a big concert
[4/23/2010 12:02:38 PM] ivan10000: in june.. not announced yet
[4/23/2010 12:02:45 PM] ivan10000: this is the warm up
[4/23/2010 12:02:47 PM] Ayse Sumer: I seriously would like to try and organize one for Jor EL
[4/23/2010 12:03:03 PM] Ayse Sumer: where and who is helping you?
[4/23/2010 12:03:37 PM] ivan10000: a concert promoter who approached us and volunteer to do this because he loves dogs.. this is what I tried
[4/23/2010 12:03:42 PM] ivan10000: to bring the other day into the pic
[4/23/2010 12:03:48 PM] ivan10000: the larger your community
[4/23/2010 12:03:54 PM] ivan10000: the bigger possibilities it creates
[4/23/2010 12:04:04 PM] ivan10000: if we had to pay for ANYTHING there would be no LEt's Adopt
[4/23/2010 12:04:36 PM] ivan10000: on the other hand as fund raising events dont really work..
[4/23/2010 12:04:36 PM] Ayse Sumer: that is great the concert and celebrity endorser I'm reaching out to might actually do one for jor el if we approach it right
[4/23/2010 12:05:00 PM] ivan10000: Ill email you a study prepared by a consultancy on fund raising matters (confidential.. someone paid top $$$ for it)
[4/23/2010 12:06:31 PM] Ayse Sumer: sure - when I say fundraising I'm talking about a concert organized with donors for all the necessary equipment, space, and charging tickets to attendees - that would be the monies coming to the organization
[4/23/2010 12:06:44 PM] Ayse Sumer: anyhow what do you all think about theUS entity?
[4/23/2010 12:08:13 PM] ivan10000: Hierarchies are there just to slow down progress..
you need an organization as flat as possible...
I may sound like the hippy-anarchist here but I dont really see the point of any sort of registration at this stage yet..
anyway. that is just me.. I'm usually wrong.
[4/23/2010 12:09:09 PM] Suha Ülgen: Do we know everything we need to know about it to decide? Browsing the discussion I get the impression that we don't.
[4/23/2010 12:09:40 PM] Ayse Sumer: Its not a matter of wrong or right idea - just what works the best for us - consensus - also any form of an entity is min 6 months but we need to think about it and after deciding start the process
[4/23/2010 12:10:29 PM] Ayse Sumer: I will have further information next week - talking to another lawyer/tax consultant and the NGO based out of US that works in turkey experience will be interesting
[4/23/2010 12:10:31 PM] ivan10000: I just finished reading a book by Richard Branson.. it's called Screw it, Let's Do it!
The guy specifically advises start up and NGO's to forget about any sort of paperwork until it is really unavoidable.
He says many great ideas dont leave the idea stage because people start flying around like butterflies around a lamp and in the end they burn out.
[4/23/2010 12:11:36 PM] Ayse Sumer: I've read a bit about that as well - and am not disputing it at all - but if and when we start it would be good to be prepared and ready to go -
[4/23/2010 12:11:38 PM] Suha Ülgen: Can someone summarize how the exercise went? I don't have a good sense of what was accomplished. Let's assess the experience to build on what worked.
[4/23/2010 12:11:44 PM] Claire Berlinski: OK, I'm here.
[4/23/2010 12:11:54 PM] Claire Berlinski: I can go across the street to the Internet cafe ...
[4/23/2010 12:11:58 PM] Ayse Sumer: I'll let Victor and Claire tell that
[4/23/2010 12:12:07 PM] Claire Berlinski: but I may be stable for now.
[4/23/2010 12:12:26 PM] ivan10000: I wasn't part of it but I read this blog post
[4/23/2010 12:12:29 PM] ivan10000: http://www.journalistinturkey.com/blogs/party-lots-of-drunken-guests_1285/
[4/23/2010 12:12:35 PM] ivan10000: describes is pretty well I guess
[4/23/2010 12:13:00 PM] Claire Berlinski: OK ... the main problem was that we didn't have enough volunteers to input the data.
[4/23/2010 12:13:06 PM] Suha Ülgen: Thanks.
[4/23/2010 12:13:25 PM] Claire Berlinski: People did a great job with the Tweets, but it's hard to assess how usable the software was, because not enough people tried to use it.
[4/23/2010 12:14:05 PM] Claire Berlinski: What we need to do in the next exercise is go to the universities and get a class of students who will commit to doing that, maybe for extra-credit in a class.
[4/23/2010 12:14:12 PM] Ayse Sumer: Claire is having a hard time joining in - from what I read it was a good start but the problems seems to be on mapping and entering data
[4/23/2010 12:14:37 PM] Claire Berlinski: I asked people for feedback about why they didn't input -- was it confusing, were there problems ---
[4/23/2010 12:14:42 PM] Claire Berlinski: but the feedback was limited.
[4/23/2010 12:14:51 PM] Suha Ülgen: I am working on a project that addresses that issue.
[4/23/2010 12:15:04 PM] Claire Berlinski: Basically, I suspect people were comfortable doing what they already knew how to do --using Twitter --
[4/23/2010 12:15:12 PM] Claire Berlinski: but didn't want to learn to do something new.
[4/23/2010 12:15:29 PM] Claire Berlinski: Not surprising.
[4/23/2010 12:15:55 PM] Claire Berlinski: Yes, Ayse ... I'm here, can you see this?
[4/23/2010 12:16:23 PM] Claire Berlinski: Which issue exactly ...
[4/23/2010 12:16:57 PM] *** Ayse Sumer added Liam Hardy ***
[4/23/2010 12:17:21 PM] Ayse Sumer: how do you feel about the whole exercise?
[4/23/2010 12:17:34 PM] Ayse Sumer: yes
[4/23/2010 12:17:56 PM] Ayse Sumer: we started talking about the ngo status and moved on to the dry-run
[4/23/2010 12:18:27 PM] Claire Berlinski: I think the exercise was very successful given that it was the first time we tried the system.
[4/23/2010 12:18:43 PM] Claire Berlinski: Now we know what we need to do to make it work the next time.
[4/23/2010 12:19:05 PM] Suha Ülgen: Patrick Meier of CrisisMappersNet is putting together a University Network of Crisis Commons. I offered to help him get Bogazici University Kandilli Rasathanesi and Earthquake Research Institute on the network which he was very pleased to hear. BU/KOERI may very well be the university node we are looking for in Turkey.
[4/23/2010 12:19:08 PM] Ayse Sumer: Suha suggested that before we move on with any status declaration we shoud review the dry run
[4/23/2010 12:19:36 PM] Claire Berlinski: Great.
[4/23/2010 12:20:03 PM] Ayse Sumer: Look one other idea we did mention but did not dwell on is being part of a University - private - which would give us an interesting status
[4/23/2010 12:20:03 PM] Claire Berlinski: I spoke to Crisis Commons people in London and the US last week -- they know what we're doing and want to support it in any way they can.
[4/23/2010 12:20:18 PM] Liam Hardy: hello everyone. sorry for joining late.
[4/23/2010 12:20:30 PM] Suha Ülgen: Who is providing technical support for the Turkish instance of USHAHIDI?
[4/23/2010 12:20:37 PM] Claire Berlinski: Ayse, here's one of my -- hi Liam -- biggest concerns.
[4/23/2010 12:20:53 PM] Claire Berlinski: Knut Milbrecht, for now.
[4/23/2010 12:21:10 PM] Claire Berlinski: We have many people who can in principle help, but he's doing the heavy lifting.
[4/23/2010 12:21:39 PM] Claire Berlinski: OK, as status goes, here's my biggest concern.
[4/23/2010 12:21:44 PM] ivan10000: Claire.. that is ok.. there is always someone to do the heavy lifting
[4/23/2010 12:21:44 PM] Suha Ülgen: OK. I'll follow up with him separately on the technical issues. I notice that the site is rater sluggish in response.
[4/23/2010 12:22:30 PM] Claire Berlinski: We all know that the main problem, the biggest problem, is construction standards. That improving emergency preparation is critical, urgent,
[4/23/2010 12:22:49 PM] Claire Berlinski: but that the biggest problem by far is that so many buildings will collapse.
[4/23/2010 12:23:11 PM] Claire Berlinski: We also know -- as does anyone who lives in Turkey and has the slightest real experience with the country --
[4/23/2010 12:23:29 PM] Claire Berlinski: that the obstacles to solving this are corruption, bureaucracy, and political incompetence.
[4/23/2010 12:23:39 PM] Claire Berlinski: If we do not say this frankly,
[4/23/2010 12:23:57 PM] Claire Berlinski: we are not really addressing the heart of the problem. We're putting band aids on it.
[4/23/2010 12:24:24 PM] Claire Berlinski: When I spoke to the Crisis COmmons people on the conference call and said this, there was sort of a stunned silence,
[4/23/2010 12:24:40 PM] Claire Berlinski: and then I was quickly told that they "didn't want to talk about things like that, because they want to be non-political."
[4/23/2010 12:24:47 PM] Ayse Sumer: in that case we really need to reach out to architects and construction companies whom we can identify as responsible and knowledged people to work with us on the building codings to start with
[4/23/2010 12:25:02 PM] Claire Berlinski: OK, I get that ... but that's like saying, "We don't want to talk about the fact that you have cancer, so let's treat your acne."
[4/23/2010 12:25:32 PM] Claire Berlinski: I am worried about getting under an umbrella -- whether it's an NGO or a private university or whatever --
[4/23/2010 12:25:42 PM] Ayse Sumer: unfortunately there is no way we can get away from those dreaded things so we work with and around it and start a process
[4/23/2010 12:25:49 PM] Claire Berlinski: that says to us, "We can't say that because people will be offended."
[4/23/2010 12:26:17 PM] Claire Berlinski: Me, I'm offended by the idea of tens of thousands of kids being crushed to death because no one will say these things.
[4/23/2010 12:26:19 PM] Ayse Sumer: that is why I suggested that we become our own entity - boss
[4/23/2010 12:26:23 PM] ivan10000: Well... I have a little experience dealing with construction companie . Consruction has improved radically since the last earthquake.. everythin gthat is newly built
[4/23/2010 12:26:53 PM] ivan10000: is built up to very stringent specs... the problem are the mutahit and the gecekondu constructions
[4/23/2010 12:26:59 PM] Claire Berlinski: Ivan, it has to an extent -- but remember I have some experience with them too.
[4/23/2010 12:27:05 PM] Claire Berlinski: Some really bad experience.
[4/23/2010 12:27:15 PM] Claire Berlinski: Some of the companies are great and very responsible,
[4/23/2010 12:27:21 PM] Ayse Sumer: at least internally if we have strength and consensus we can show a good force to the outside
[4/23/2010 12:27:28 PM] Claire Berlinski: others are murderers, and they get away with it.
[4/23/2010 12:27:45 PM] Claire Berlinski: But my point is ... we have to be able to say the truth, or we're wasting our time.
[4/23/2010 12:28:34 PM] Ayse Sumer: look we all know the problems so lets get going and see where it leads us - lets start and I for one am not interesting in telling people what they want to hear - in other words lie and cheat
[4/23/2010 12:28:35 PM] Claire Berlinski: Whatever formal status we adopt, that's my main concern: Not putting ourselves in a situation where people can say to us, "You shouldn't say that because we're funded by X, or sponsored by the government," or "We're afraid people will get upset with us."
[4/23/2010 12:29:10 PM] Ayse Sumer: that is why we become our own entity
[4/23/2010 12:29:24 PM] Claire Berlinski: So ... I'm raising this issue as one that we need to really be aware of before getting under the umbrella, say, of a private university.
[4/23/2010 12:29:41 PM] Ayse Sumer: I understand that Claire
[4/23/2010 12:30:04 PM] Claire Berlinski: Because as people who really live in Turkey know (as opposed to people who think they know about Turkey), a lot of those universities are part of the crony system.
[4/23/2010 12:30:11 PM] Ayse Sumer: we have to put all options on the table and feel confident that we've not left anything out
[4/23/2010 12:31:04 PM] Ayse Sumer: Liam how come we dont see any of the things you are writing?
[4/23/2010 12:31:11 PM] Claire Berlinski: So the problems as I see it are: 1) how do we legally raise funds; 2) how do we minimize the bureaucratic hassle, and 3) how do we do this in the fastest, most efficient way possible.
[4/23/2010 12:31:24 PM] Liam Hardy: I'm just gonna jump in even though I don't know all that was previously discussed. I commute across the city for work from Beşiktaş to İkitele and see how terrible the situation is. I don't know if this is the vision you have for Jor El, but I see there needs to be some kind of system in place targeting and seeking out the opportunities to buy and demolish some of these buildings.
[4/23/2010 12:31:50 PM] Claire Berlinski: Ivan's answer -- no need for a formal organization at all -- won't work, because we cannot legally accept funds without one.
[4/23/2010 12:32:00 PM] Liam Hardy: is Jor El going to totally response oriented or prevention or both? just curious
[4/23/2010 12:32:30 PM] Claire Berlinski: Liam, that's a good point, but I think it would be good if you read in on the discussion boards -- a lot of this has been discussed.
[4/23/2010 12:32:57 PM] Ayse Sumer: so the question is do we want to be a US or TR entity? And then go from there
[4/23/2010 12:33:16 PM] Liam Hardy: ok - ill go back after the conversation and see what's been said
[4/23/2010 12:34:03 PM] Claire Berlinski: Ayse, from what I understand, we still don't have the information we need to make that decision, because from what I understood from Asli, the attorney with whom she spoke didn't feel she had enough information to advise us about that.
[4/23/2010 12:34:52 PM] Ayse Sumer: She does not have the US details, which I am complete by Monday and she can review it there
[4/23/2010 12:35:08 PM] Claire Berlinski: My gut strongly says a US entity, for a lot of reasons -- ease of establishment, independence, the possibility of making Jor El something broader than just an Istanbul-based organization. (I've already found people in Santo Domingo who are interested, for example.)
[4/23/2010 12:35:14 PM] Ayse Sumer: great grammer - I meant I will complete the info
[4/23/2010 12:35:34 PM] Claire Berlinski: I understood.
[4/23/2010 12:35:53 PM] Ayse Sumer: I agree that is what I had in mind expanding it to more than Istanbul
[4/23/2010 12:36:35 PM] Claire Berlinski: Ayse, did you get the draft mission statement?
[4/23/2010 12:36:44 PM] Ayse Sumer: no when did you send it?
[4/23/2010 12:36:59 PM] Ayse Sumer: I will work with the lawyer on that info
[4/23/2010 12:36:59 PM] Claire Berlinski: This morning.
[4/23/2010 12:37:04 PM] Ayse Sumer: to where?
[4/23/2010 12:37:19 PM] Claire Berlinski: It's too long,
[4/23/2010 12:37:36 PM] Claire Berlinski: but with a little cutting it should do the job -- to your e-mail address.
[4/23/2010 12:37:49 PM] Ayse Sumer: dont have it just checked not here - aysses@yahoo.com
[4/23/2010 12:38:30 PM] Claire Berlinski: I'll re-send it when the Internet's less buggy.
[4/23/2010 12:38:41 PM] Ayse Sumer: okey please do
[4/23/2010 12:38:48 PM] Claire Berlinski: I don't want to take the chance of getting disconnected now.
[4/23/2010 12:39:16 PM] Suha Ülgen: A bit late in responding but - I agree with Claire. We have to say the truth. But also we must find ways to empower the people to help themselves. My suggestion for getting BU/KOERI involved was to get them to facilitate the deployment of a Crisis Commons node to respond to an emergency. Nothing more at the moment. We would hope that the emergency occurs somewhere else in the world before it happens in Turkey so that we have some practice under our belt.
[4/23/2010 12:39:44 PM] Claire Berlinski: Yes, that's a great idea, Suha.
[4/23/2010 12:40:09 PM] Claire Berlinski: In fact, I couldn't agree more that working on a project like this when there's a real emergency is the only way to completely understand it ...
[4/23/2010 12:40:17 PM] Ayse Sumer: So I'm thinking that we all review everything by next week and then touch base - all please read posts as we post all info there
[4/23/2010 12:40:18 PM] Claire Berlinski: that, unfortunately, was how I learned.
[4/23/2010 12:40:43 PM] Ayse Sumer: yes its the fastest teacher
[4/23/2010 12:41:16 PM] Claire Berlinski: And if BU/KOERI people were working on something like this in real time, as it was deployed, they'd be really in good shape if they had to use it in Istanbul.
[4/23/2010 12:41:37 PM] Ayse Sumer: my friend who was working for a week in Haiti as a nurse just returned back and she still cant put into words what happened there
[4/23/2010 12:41:38 PM] Claire Berlinski: Not that, God forbid, I am wishing for an emergency anywhere in the world.
[4/23/2010 12:42:14 PM] Ayse Sumer: did you hear about the earthquake in Chile today?
[4/23/2010 12:42:28 PM] Claire Berlinski: This is why I go nuts when people tell me -- yes, I did, but it seems there were no reports of casualties.
[4/23/2010 12:42:54 PM] Claire Berlinski: it's why I go nuts when people tell me that we can't discuss the real issues because it's too "political."
[4/23/2010 12:43:03 PM] Suha Ülgen: That's interesting. GDACS did not send an alert message!
[4/23/2010 12:43:17 PM] Claire Berlinski: Children in Haiti having their limbs amputated WITHOUT ANESTHESIA.
[4/23/2010 12:43:17 PM] Ayse Sumer: it was 6.1
[4/23/2010 12:43:36 PM] Claire Berlinski: That's what happens when buildings collapse and there are no preparations for dealing with the aftermath.
[4/23/2010 12:44:04 PM] Claire Berlinski: Twitter, Suha --
[4/23/2010 12:44:19 PM] Claire Berlinski: it's far more reliable and fast than any other source of news.
[4/23/2010 12:44:59 PM] Ayse Sumer: yes Suha get on board please!
[4/23/2010 12:45:04 PM] Claire Berlinski: Follow my earthquake list and you'll be the first to know about any shaking, anywhere in the world.
[4/23/2010 12:46:00 PM] ivan10000: Well.. two nights ago our bed started shaking incontrolably.. Fulya was freaking out .. it turned out it was Chak Chak, our orange tabby scratching!
[4/23/2010 12:46:06 PM] Suha Ülgen: I should set my alert threshold lower AND get on twitter.
[4/23/2010 12:46:13 PM] Ayse Sumer: there was an article today I have yet to post on fb will send to you about the movement on and in earth
[4/23/2010 12:46:36 PM] Ayse Sumer: naughty Chak Chak~
[4/23/2010 12:46:53 PM] Claire Berlinski: I need to go soon to enjoy the family that is still alive, thank God ...
[4/23/2010 12:47:07 PM] Ayse Sumer: okey what is the next plan?
[4/23/2010 12:47:27 PM] Claire Berlinski: 1) Read the mission statement, which I'll resend in a moment.
[4/23/2010 12:47:32 PM] Claire Berlinski: 2) Send back suggestions,
[4/23/2010 12:47:39 PM] Claire Berlinski: 3) I'll post for group feedback.
[4/23/2010 12:47:59 PM] Ayse Sumer: we all get the necessary info - and then touch base next week
[4/23/2010 12:48:04 PM] Claire Berlinski: 4) Take this to lawyer in US and ask about getting a status there that would allow us to receive funds with minimum hassle.
[4/23/2010 12:48:11 PM] Claire Berlinski: 5) If we can find one, we do it.
[4/23/2010 12:48:13 PM] Ayse Sumer: tamam
[4/23/2010 12:48:18 PM] Claire Berlinski: 6) Start raising funds.
[4/23/2010 12:48:29 PM] Suha Ülgen: Good plan!
[4/23/2010 12:48:36 PM] Claire Berlinski: 7) Suha will get his university contacts involved in the project;
[4/23/2010 12:48:50 PM] Suha Ülgen: Agreed.
[4/23/2010 12:49:35 PM] Claire Berlinski: 9) I don't think my Internet connection is good enough for me to post these notes right now, but I will.
[4/23/2010 12:49:53 PM] Liam Hardy: good plan. this looks like a great project and hope i can contribute somehow later on
[4/23/2010 12:50:02 PM] Claire Berlinski: is everyone comfortable with having everything else posted?
[4/23/2010 12:50:11 PM] Claire Berlinski: Liam, we will totally put you to work.
[4/23/2010 12:50:21 PM] Claire Berlinski: We will give you as much work as you can handle.
[4/23/2010 12:50:22 PM] Liam Hardy: fine by me
[4/23/2010 12:50:34 PM] Suha Ülgen: Yes.
[4/23/2010 12:50:38 PM] Ayse Sumer: yes you being in Turkey helps
[4/23/2010 12:50:51 PM] Suha Ülgen: Who is in Turkey?
[4/23/2010 12:50:55 PM] Claire Berlinski: Liam, could you send me your regular e-mail address?
[4/23/2010 12:51:04 PM] Suha Ülgen: Oh. I get it.
[4/23/2010 12:51:16 PM] Claire Berlinski: I'll send these notes to this group first before posting. I usually am.
[4/23/2010 12:51:30 PM] Claire Berlinski: Right now I'm in the Dominican Republic.
[4/23/2010 12:51:36 PM] Liam Hardy: sure
[4/23/2010 12:51:49 PM] Ayse Sumer: Liam is
[4/23/2010 12:51:54 PM] Claire Berlinski: (I don't have a fetish for seismic zones, I'm just visiting my family.)
[4/23/2010 12:51:59 PM] Suha Ülgen: Claire, when are you going back to Turkey?
[4/23/2010 12:52:10 PM] Claire Berlinski: I have everyone else's e-mail address, right?
[4/23/2010 12:52:37 PM] Liam Hardy: I'm here until the end of July.
[4/23/2010 12:52:55 PM] Ayse Sumer: I'm there the whole month of June so I would love to take this opportunity and meet with you guys to go over things
[4/23/2010 12:52:59 PM] Claire Berlinski: Uh oh ... I think I've been cut off again. Anyone there?
[4/23/2010 12:53:49 PM] Claire Berlinski: Wow, this is like post-quake communication ... Facebook ok, e-mail out, Skype down, Twitter on and off.
[4/23/2010 12:53:56 PM] Ayse Sumer: for our marketing whether it be fund raising, bring awareness advertising etc..
[4/23/2010 12:54:17 PM] Ayse Sumer: it'll be like our cart visit
[4/23/2010 12:54:42 PM] Liam Hardy: ok- looking forward to catching up
[4/23/2010 12:54:53 PM] Claire Berlinski: May 10.
[4/23/2010 12:54:55 PM] ivan10000: ok guys.. a few months ago an amateur film maker made a short movie
[4/23/2010 12:54:57 PM] ivan10000: 5 minutes
[4/23/2010 12:55:00 PM] Ayse Sumer: will talk later Liam
[4/23/2010 12:55:15 PM] ivan10000: it showed he alien destruction of Montevideo
[4/23/2010 12:55:21 PM] ivan10000: the cost was 300 USD
[4/23/2010 12:55:25 PM] ivan10000: three hundred
[4/23/2010 12:55:28 PM] Ayse Sumer: wow that is good
[4/23/2010 12:55:32 PM] ivan10000: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dadPWhEhVk
[4/23/2010 12:55:38 PM] Ayse Sumer: do you know him?
[4/23/2010 12:55:42 PM] ivan10000: watch his... it goes to prove one point
[4/23/2010 12:55:51 PM] ivan10000: what is needed here is talent
[4/23/2010 12:55:56 PM] Ayse Sumer: I will
[4/23/2010 12:55:57 PM] ivan10000: not money
[4/23/2010 12:56:05 PM] ivan10000: check that link...
[4/23/2010 12:56:38 PM] ivan10000: Im just very concerned that the search for funds will slow down everything
[4/23/2010 12:56:43 PM] Ayse Sumer: yes but as you noted a video has to be made which requires funding whether it be 10 or 1000
[4/23/2010 12:56:43 PM] Liam Hardy: wish I could. youtube still blocked here.
[4/23/2010 12:56:49 PM] ivan10000: well
[4/23/2010 12:56:50 PM] Claire Berlinski: Right ... I'm going to sign off, if I haven't already been cut off,
[4/23/2010 12:57:00 PM] ivan10000: if it is 300 bucks Im happy to pay for it.. :)
[4/23/2010 12:57:01 PM] Claire Berlinski: because I'm not seeing any messages from you.
[4/23/2010 12:57:09 PM] Ayse Sumer: searching for funds should not stop us from doing other work
[4/23/2010 12:57:10 PM] Claire Berlinski: We'll schedule the next call by Doodle again, okay?
[4/23/2010 12:57:16 PM] Ayse Sumer: not at all I dont believe that
[4/23/2010 12:57:28 PM] Ayse Sumer: multitasking Victor on all fronts
[4/23/2010 12:57:36 PM] Ayse Sumer: then things will fall in to place
[4/23/2010 12:57:58 PM] Ayse Sumer: same thing with the status we need to continue the work as we learn of issues and opportunities
[4/23/2010 12:59:45 PM] Ayse Sumer: okey guys it seems that Claire is disconnected again - so lets plan on catching up by midweek - we'll post info on a followup skype call until then continue the hard work and have a wonderful weekend.........

Message for Jor El members

Hi everyone (a translation volunteer for this message would be great),

1) I'm with my family and their gorgeous but very active 13-month-old baby here in Santo Domingo. I've got only intermittent Internet access, so it's tricky to keep on top of everything. I'm still very much alive, though, and fascinated by all the new comments on the Facebook Wall, so keep them coming.

A few reminders:

1) Would everyone please remember to give the new website a test-drive and let Hilary Chan know how that went for you?

2) We'd like more feedback on the results of our USHAHIDI trial run last week. Was the system clear? Easy to use? Why do people think so few volunteers did the mapping -- was it too complicated? How would you suggest it be improved?

3) Don't forget to check the discussion tabs on fundraising videos and our legal status, where we're debating the merits of becoming an NGO or some other kind of formal organization. We'd like your suggestions and thoughts.

4) New members: Please introduce yourselves on the Wall and let us know what skills you might be able to contribute -- are you an architect, a translator, a structural engineer, a crisis-mapping specialist, just someone with an interest in this issue? The better we know you, the better we can put your skills to good use. Remember, this is a working group, not just a "show your support by joining" group, and we need everyone's participation to make this work. Right now, about 10 people are the really active members who are making things happen. I'd love to see this number double by the end of the week.

Want to become a member of the Jor El elite? Start by introducing yourself, then just dive in: If you see something that needs doing, don't bother to ask; we're not hierarchical or formal here, just jump in and do it. Don't worry, no one will get upset if you do it wrong -- you can't screw anything up. (I do recommend reading through the Wall, though, to get a sense of what's been done and what still needs doing.)

5) If you haven't secured your heavy items to your walls, arranged your furniture so that things won't fall on your bed if there's shaking, filled your apartment with food, water, flashlights, batteries and whatever medication you'd need in an emergency, and made an emergency contact plan with your family, do it today. And spread the word on your Facebook page. Remind another family to do it. Don't wait even another day. We need to be a group that walks the walk as well as we talk the talk. It keeps coming up that many of us know how important this is but still haven't done it. What use is Jor El if it's leadership is decapitated in an earthquake? Go on, do it today.

All my best from sunny, humid, tropical and slow-moving Santo Domingo,

Claire

Skype Conference Transcript

[15.04.10 17:56:04] Claire Berlinski: Hey everyone, I think we're here.
[15.04.10 17:56:17] Claire Berlinski: Ayse can't talk at the office, but can chat.
[15.04.10 17:56:22] Claire Berlinski: Is that okay?
[15.04.10 17:56:36] Ayse Sumer: hey all
[15.04.10 17:57:28] Claire Berlinski: Asli?
[15.04.10 17:57:37] Claire Berlinski: Hilal's not here yet.
[15.04.10 17:58:08] Claire Berlinski: Well, who'd like some tea?
[15.04.10 17:58:20] Claire Berlinski: Families well?
[15.04.10 17:58:28] Claire Berlinski: Glad we got the small talk out of the way.
[15.04.10 18:01:07] Hilal Ozcan: hi guys
[15.04.10 18:01:13] Ayse Sumer: and the cats
[15.04.10 18:01:18] Claire Berlinski: I love punctual people.
[15.04.10 18:01:22] Claire Berlinski: OK, let's start.
[15.04.10 18:01:42] Claire Berlinski: Ayse, would you please re-post what you said to me before?
[15.04.10 18:01:53] Ayse Sumer: okey
[15.04.10 18:02:05] Claire Berlinski: Meanwhile,
[15.04.10 18:02:17] Claire Berlinski: I've asked Mission 4636 for their budget figures,
[15.04.10 18:02:35] Ayse Sumer: [11:19:08 AM] Ayse Sumer: Go for the NGO status it has to be as the corporations and other entities fm the US and other countries cant really give
monies to a person.  It'll be good to legitimize, if for no other reason than to get the tax writeoff.  I believe the Rotary is one of the great sources to tap
in to - Turkish or international, I'm looking in to Govt funds from here such as USAID and State to see where we can tap in to.  There is a couple of
funds specifically geared for women such as the global fund for women and FINCA - it might be worth going there.  I'm looking at some of our
corporations who are our members as well and will proceed from there.
[15.04.10 18:02:35] Claire Berlinski: which should give us a good sense of what realistically is needed to run 4636 Istanbul -- working name.
[15.04.10 18:03:08] Claire Berlinski: I have contacts with Rotary here, actually.
[15.04.10 18:03:49] Ayse Sumer: The other idea was to find a couple of celebrity endorsers from the art/music world, sports and the media/academia which would grab peoples attention
[15.04.10 18:03:56] Ayse Sumer: have them in the video
[15.04.10 18:04:01] Claire Berlinski: Yes.
[15.04.10 18:04:16] Ayse Sumer: do a musical fundraising event open to the public
[15.04.10 18:04:32] Ayse Sumer: I can help with some of the people to talk to from here and am sure so can all of you
[15.04.10 18:04:47] Claire Berlinski: Let's specifically set up a plan for fundraising, though. How long does it take to get NGO status?
[15.04.10 18:04:49] Ayse Sumer: check out the young artists for Haiti they are good
[15.04.10 18:04:59] Ayse Sumer: anyone a lawyer among you
[15.04.10 18:05:12] Claire Berlinski: No, but I bet we can find one on that list.
[15.04.10 18:05:26] Claire Berlinski: Ivan?
[15.04.10 18:05:33] Ayse Sumer: I know tons here and there
[15.04.10 18:05:51] Ayse Sumer: I can check around and see which one has the gratis work they need to fulfill
[15.04.10 18:06:07] Claire Berlinski: Yes, that's what we need.
[15.04.10 18:06:17] ivan10000: what is a lawyer needed for?
[15.04.10 18:06:27] Ayse Sumer: to setup an ngo
[15.04.10 18:06:33] Claire Berlinski: To shepherd the process of applying for NGO status.
[15.04.10 18:06:36] Ayse Sumer: its best to use one
[15.04.10 18:06:48] Ayse Sumer: Asli are you there or not
[15.04.10 18:06:50] ivan10000: why?
[15.04.10 18:06:56] ivan10000: why do you need an NGO status?
[15.04.10 18:07:15] Ayse Sumer: Ivan especially with funding and legitimizing its better
[15.04.10 18:07:24] Claire Berlinski: "|t has to be as the corporations and other entities fm the US and other countries cant really give monies to a person."
[15.04.10 18:07:29] Claire Berlinski: That's the argument for.
[15.04.10 18:07:41] Claire Berlinski: The argument against is that NGOs are bureaucratic money-holes.
[15.04.10 18:07:41] ivan10000: well..
[15.04.10 18:07:50] ivan10000: allow me to disagree.. let me explain
[15.04.10 18:07:54] Claire Berlinski: And there are ... yes, please.
[15.04.10 18:08:03] ivan10000: a corporation is not goin to give money to anybody just because it is an NGO
[15.04.10 18:08:11] ivan10000: corporations are run by people
[15.04.10 18:08:14] ivan10000: and people trust people
[15.04.10 18:08:25] ivan10000: which is why investment banks
[15.04.10 18:08:47] ivan10000: seek star employees that come withah portfolio of investors
[15.04.10 18:08:51] ivan10000: of their own
[15.04.10 18:08:59] ivan10000: it's abotu people..
[15.04.10 18:09:10] ivan10000: legitimacy comes with the work you do
[15.04.10 18:09:13] ivan10000: not with your legal status..
[15.04.10 18:09:26] Claire Berlinski: What are the legal/tax obstacles to accepting money for this project?
[15.04.10 18:09:41] Ayse Sumer: with all due respect Ivan especially in Turkey right now where people do not trust people and there is so much speculation going on to create
from the beginning the image of a legitimate serious organization working for the people is better - yes this is a group run by the people
[15.04.10 18:09:42] Claire Berlinski: I mean, will anyone just sign a check to Jor El Istanbul?
[15.04.10 18:10:14] ivan10000: no
[15.04.10 18:10:16] Ayse Sumer: under what name are you going to accept - what bank account - who is going to be responsible and reliable
[15.04.10 18:10:28] ivan10000: but even if you call it Jor-El Dernek nobody is going to sign a check anyway
[15.04.10 18:10:34] ivan10000: unless they trust YOU
[15.04.10 18:10:37] Claire Berlinski: Sure.
[15.04.10 18:10:38] ivan10000: that's my point
[15.04.10 18:10:45] Claire Berlinski: But is there a DISADVANTAGE to being an NGO?
[15.04.10 18:11:01] Claire Berlinski: Or is it all benefit, apart from the paperwork?
[15.04.10 18:11:04] ivan10000: it has pros and cons
[15.04.10 18:11:11] Claire Berlinski: What are the cons?
[15.04.10 18:11:18] ivan10000: I personally see no benefit at an early stage
[15.04.10 18:11:26] ivan10000: is like going to a race wearing a sky jacket
[15.04.10 18:11:37] ivan10000: marathon wearing a sky jacket
[15.04.10 18:11:41] ivan10000: too heavy
[15.04.10 18:11:42] ivan10000: too hot
[15.04.10 18:11:46] ivan10000: too much stuff to carry around
[15.04.10 18:11:59] ivan10000: but again.. it may serve your purpose
[15.04.10 18:12:11] Claire Berlinski: But the key question is this:  Suppose we get funding -- to whom do they write the check?
[15.04.10 18:12:14] ivan10000: you may find soeone willin to put up some money right away
[15.04.10 18:12:22] Ayse Sumer: every status has its pros and cons that is why you shoul talk to a lawyer at least and see your options.
I've worked with ngo's local and international and if marketing and product placement is done well it should be to your benefit
[15.04.10 18:12:25] ivan10000: but I dont think that is how it realistically works
[15.04.10 18:12:52] Ayse Sumer: what is not how it realistically works
[15.04.10 18:13:07] Claire Berlinski: Knut? Hilal?
[15.04.10 18:13:22] Hilal Ozcan: i'm listening
[15.04.10 18:13:28] Knut Milbredt: me too
[15.04.10 18:13:48] Claire Berlinski: Ivan, what's the hot-heavy part of becoming an NGO?
[15.04.10 18:13:54] Claire Berlinski: Why is it so cumbersome?
[15.04.10 18:14:00] ivan10000: cumbersome?
[15.04.10 18:14:05] ivan10000: here is why
[15.04.10 18:14:06] Claire Berlinski: Marathon, etc.
[15.04.10 18:14:07] ivan10000: you need
[15.04.10 18:14:10] ivan10000: 1. a Lawyer
[15.04.10 18:14:13] ivan10000: 2. an accountant
[15.04.10 18:14:25] ivan10000: 3 monthly visits to the derneklar masali
[15.04.10 18:14:26] Claire Berlinski: Yes. And both would be working gratis, and thus slowly.
[15.04.10 18:14:40] Knut Milbredt: what si derneklar masali
[15.04.10 18:14:41] ivan10000: 4. Bi annual meetings
[15.04.10 18:14:48] Ayse Sumer: You need someone to do your accounting whether you are an ngo or not
[15.04.10 18:14:49] ivan10000: the board of associations
[15.04.10 18:14:54] ivan10000: Ayse.. yes
[15.04.10 18:14:56] ivan10000: that is true
[15.04.10 18:15:00] ivan10000: but not at this stage
[15.04.10 18:15:08] ivan10000: what accounting are you going to do when you have no money?
[15.04.10 18:15:10] ivan10000: :-)
[15.04.10 18:15:19] ivan10000: if you look at history
[15.04.10 18:15:23] ivan10000: and specially now
[15.04.10 18:15:26] Ayse Sumer: its too much of a chicken egg
[15.04.10 18:15:30] ivan10000: registration comes much later
[15.04.10 18:15:36] ivan10000: GreenPeace dinot register
[15.04.10 18:15:39] ivan10000: right away
[15.04.10 18:15:50] ivan10000: they did so years after starting operations
[15.04.10 18:16:03] Ayse Sumer: Greenpeace was not in Turkey Ivan
[15.04.10 18:16:14] ivan10000: oh.. burasi turkiye
[15.04.10 18:16:17] ivan10000: you are right..
[15.04.10 18:16:38] Ayse Sumer: find out what you can do as is - where do we all see ourselves
[15.04.10 18:16:43] Ayse Sumer: business plan stages
[15.04.10 18:17:15] Knut Milbredt: first you need a business plan for every kind of corporation you are
[15.04.10 18:17:17] Ayse Sumer: what exactly was that comment?  Burasi Turkiye?
[15.04.10 18:17:24] ivan10000: yes...
[15.04.10 18:17:39] ivan10000: you mentioned hat Greenpeace did not start
[15.04.10 18:17:40] ivan10000: in Turkey
[15.04.10 18:17:48] ivan10000: and I said ok... here it may be differnt
[15.04.10 18:17:50] Knut Milbredt: you can't hire sponsors w/o a BP
[15.04.10 18:17:52] ivan10000: or it may not
[15.04.10 18:18:12] ivan10000: Knut.. you can't hire sponsors.. period
[15.04.10 18:18:18] ivan10000: you must charm sponsors
[15.04.10 18:18:23] Ayse Sumer: true enough I've tried to find a student for you all to work with who can put toghether a business plan
[15.04.10 18:18:24] ivan10000: that your ideas and plans are great
[15.04.10 18:18:37] ivan10000: but people dont byy business plans
[15.04.10 18:18:38] Ayse Sumer: that is essetial - our mission/vision/plan a plan b
[15.04.10 18:18:40] Claire Berlinski: OK. Let's say we charm a sponsor.
[15.04.10 18:18:47] ivan10000: For example
[15.04.10 18:18:55] Knut Milbredt: but this doesn't change anything ... first there is a plan
[15.04.10 18:19:06] Claire Berlinski: Can said sponsor legally give Jor El, an undefined entity, money?
[15.04.10 18:19:14] ivan10000: no
[15.04.10 18:19:18] ivan10000: he can'
[15.04.10 18:19:18] Claire Berlinski: Will we have a different tax status as an NGO?
[15.04.10 18:19:23] ivan10000: he can't
[15.04.10 18:19:37] Ayse Sumer: we are not going to necessarily sell the business plan but the concept the plan is for us to give direction as a start up
[15.04.10 18:20:00] Ayse Sumer: so we are back to square one - no monnies without a status that they can identify
[15.04.10 18:20:36] ivan10000: Ayse.. this is like a business
[15.04.10 18:20:45] ivan10000: I tell you how venture capitalists work
[15.04.10 18:20:53] ivan10000: those are people who invest on bsiness
[15.04.10 18:20:57] ivan10000: instead of a bank
[15.04.10 18:21:06] Ayse Sumer: I suppose if one of the companies owned by members could take the money on Jor-El's behalf but this will create
a huge issue with their own tax and accounting
[15.04.10 18:21:12] ivan10000: because no bank invest in a business unless there is a collateral
[15.04.10 18:21:18] ivan10000: so look at it as venture capital
[15.04.10 18:21:26] Claire Berlinski: Hold on, Asli's here ... I think ... Asli?
[15.04.10 18:21:45] ivan10000: when a venture capitalists considers investing on a project he doesn't look at the business plan as much as he looks at the person
[15.04.10 18:21:53] ivan10000: same for hedge funds
[15.04.10 18:21:57] Ayse Sumer: who said anything about a bank investing - if you get people to give monies the companies will give it as part of their
annual social responsibility budget
[15.04.10 18:22:02] ivan10000: is an example...
[15.04.10 18:22:04] Ayse Sumer: others from their own interest and heart
[15.04.10 18:22:07] ivan10000: ok
[15.04.10 18:22:18] ivan10000: sorry.. didn't manage to explain myself.. apologies.
[15.04.10 18:23:15] Ayse Sumer: and then there was silence :)
[15.04.10 18:23:50] Claire Berlinski: Sorry, trying to add Asli.
[15.04.10 18:24:15] Ayse Sumer: she has a block in her status needs to change that in order to participate
[15.04.10 18:24:54] Knut Milbredt: welcome hilal
[15.04.10 18:25:04] Hilal Ozcan: hi there
[15.04.10 18:25:15] Claire Berlinski: Yeah, I just told her that ...
[15.04.10 18:26:47] Ayse Sumer: Look I suggest talking to a lawyer who is not going to take you for your dowry - I'll find one and proceed from there. 
Find out your options of different possible statuses available
[15.04.10 18:26:58] Ayse Sumer: and then proceed from there
[15.04.10 18:27:29] Ayse Sumer: in the meantime we should be going out and marketing and looking for sponsors and finding out what kind of options
there are both government and private
[15.04.10 18:28:14] Ayse Sumer: do the video - find a couple of celebrity endorsers these could get moving all at the same time.....have to multitask
[15.04.10 18:29:27] Ayse Sumer: I cant talk on the phone guys - dont have the equipment at home sorryyy
[15.04.10 18:30:06] Ayse Sumer: I meant at the office
[15.04.10 18:31:01] Asli Suner: I am here
[15.04.10 18:31:02] Ayse Sumer: okey we are but shall we use the other window just sent a bunch of things there
[15.04.10 18:31:18] Ayse Sumer: I can fm both windows
[15.04.10 18:31:59] Ayse Sumer: I cant talk fm the office dont have the equipment sorry
[15.04.10 18:32:56] Ayse Sumer: [12:20:52 PM] Ayse Sumer: Look I suggest talking to a lawyer who is not going to take you for your dowry -
I'll find one and proceed from there.  Find out your options of different possible statuses available
and then proceed from there
in the meantime we should be going out and marketing and looking for sponsors
and finding out what kind of options there are both government and private
do the video - find a couple of celebrity endorsers these could get moving all at the same time.....have to multitask
I cant talk on the phone guys - dont have the equipment at home sorryyy
[15.04.10 18:33:17] Ayse Sumer: If you are all talking I'll but out and you can let me know later what you plan to do
[15.04.10 18:33:19] Claire Berlinski: Are we all on chat now?
[15.04.10 18:33:41] Asli Suner: I am here
[15.04.10 18:33:49] Ayse Sumer: yep
[15.04.10 18:34:02] Claire Berlinski: OK. We're all here.
[15.04.10 18:34:17] Claire Berlinski: So. Asli, we're debating the pros and cons of getting NGO status.
[15.04.10 18:34:23] Asli Suner: OK
[15.04.10 18:34:33] Claire Berlinski: My sense is that unless there's some obvious drawback to getting it,
[15.04.10 18:34:45] Claire Berlinski: beyond having to spend some time hassling with the bureaucracy,
[15.04.10 18:34:56] Claire Berlinski: we either should go that route,
[15.04.10 18:35:02] Hilal Ozcan: i'm here
[15.04.10 18:35:08] Asli Suner: that'd be the only drawback, as I understand it, the bureaucracy
[15.04.10 18:35:26] Claire Berlinski: or figure out some other way to institutionalize in a way that allows us to receive funds.
[15.04.10 18:35:49] Claire Berlinski: Any other ideas for that?
[15.04.10 18:35:51] Asli Suner: One way we had discussed before was joining an existing NGO as a subbranch
[15.04.10 18:35:59] Ayse Sumer: yes again talk to someone who can give you that advise
[15.04.10 18:36:09] Ayse Sumer: and which one would that be?
[15.04.10 18:36:12] Asli Suner: MAY perhaps?
[15.04.10 18:36:15] Ayse Sumer: how about an association
[15.04.10 18:36:22] Ayse Sumer: rather than an ngo?
[15.04.10 18:36:28] ivan10000: SOME time :-) Bureaucracy never takes SOME time, it takes  A LOT of time. Ok, another drawback here, independence.
At some point Jor El will have ot point fingers at the government's inability to handle some issues. A drawback is.. they will try to shot you down.
[15.04.10 18:36:39] Claire Berlinski: My concern about that is that if any of those NGOs were doing such a great, efficient job, why would they need us?
[15.04.10 18:36:45] Asli Suner: I was hoping to get together wth Architecture fr Humanity Istanbul chapter here, but they are not yet an NGO
either and they weren't as resposnive as I hoped
[15.04.10 18:37:12] Claire Berlinski: The problem is that none of these NGOs are doing things fast enough, or efficiently enough.
[15.04.10 18:37:20] Claire Berlinski: And most NGOs don't, honestly.
[15.04.10 18:37:20] Ayse Sumer: I really think an association status might work
[15.04.10 18:37:35] Claire Berlinski: What is the difference between that and NGO status?
[15.04.10 18:37:35] Asli Suner: true, that's partially because of the bureaucracy
[15.04.10 18:37:41] Ayse Sumer: dont know what the different legal application is but
[15.04.10 18:37:55] Asli Suner: what's turkish equivalent of ' association' Ayse?
[15.04.10 18:37:55] Ayse Sumer: it works better - you'd have the business angle
[15.04.10 18:38:00] ivan10000: An association is an NGO
[15.04.10 18:38:06] ivan10000: in Turkey you have two kinds
[15.04.10 18:38:10] ivan10000: of legal sructures
[15.04.10 18:38:12] ivan10000: Dernek
[15.04.10 18:38:14] ivan10000: and Vakif
[15.04.10 18:38:20] Claire Berlinski: Right, got it.
[15.04.10 18:38:21] ivan10000: Dernek = Association
[15.04.10 18:38:27] Ayse Sumer: yes but there are trade ngo's now Vakif is way too differnt
[15.04.10 18:38:30] ivan10000: Vakif = foundation
[15.04.10 18:38:48] Ayse Sumer: as the name states that is another ball game all together
[15.04.10 18:38:51] Ayse Sumer: it could worlk
[15.04.10 18:38:57] Asli Suner: What we were looking into was a 'dernek'
[15.04.10 18:39:08] Claire Berlinski: Hi Suha.
[15.04.10 18:39:18] Suha Ülgen: Hi there.
[15.04.10 18:39:24] Claire Berlinski: I assume you're here for the conference call.
[15.04.10 18:39:38] Suha Ülgen: Yes, are you going to patch me in?
[15.04.10 18:39:42] Claire Berlinski: You're in.
[15.04.10 18:39:45] Claire Berlinski: We're using chat.
[15.04.10 18:39:51] Suha Ülgen: OK.
[15.04.10 18:39:57] Claire Berlinski: Everyone, please meet Suha ..
[15.04.10 18:40:02] Ayse Sumer: Dernekler and Vakiflar kanunlari differ in financial terms
[15.04.10 18:40:04] Ayse Sumer: hi suha
[15.04.10 18:40:07] Suha Ülgen: Hi everyone.
[15.04.10 18:40:12] Asli Suner: Hi Suha
[15.04.10 18:40:24] Ayse Sumer: but I'm not an expert on the differences
[15.04.10 18:40:26] Suha Ülgen: Sorry I am late.
[15.04.10 18:40:27] Claire Berlinski: Suha, perhaps you could introduce yourself.
[15.04.10 18:41:35] Claire Berlinski: Briefly, we're discussing the options for institutionalizing Jor El ... as an NGO, the various legal structures.
[15.04.10 18:42:15] Ayse Sumer: wow that is one long introduction
[15.04.10 18:42:39] Suha Ülgen: I am chatting from Geneva. I work for the UN. I have extensive experience in disaster preparednes and response.
I used to be the Technical Coordinator with OCHA responsible for setting up Humanitarian Information Centers (HIC).
Now I work for the Asisstant Secretary General and Chief Information Communication Technology Officer of the UN Secretariat.
Marla Petal is my wife. That's all for now.
[15.04.10 18:43:09] Ayse Sumer: Hello fm one UN person to another
[15.04.10 18:43:24] Claire Berlinski: Thanks! OK ... perhaps you could weigh in on the debate.
[15.04.10 18:43:43] Claire Berlinski: Is there a compelling reason to choose one form of legal structure for Jor El over another?
[15.04.10 18:44:13] Suha Ülgen: I am not an expert on legal matters especially if you are talking about the Turkish context.
[15.04.10 18:44:37] Hilal Ozcan: same reason i'm silent.
[15.04.10 18:44:38] Claire Berlinski: We're discussing fundraising, and starting with the question -- what does Jor El need to be, to raise funds.
[15.04.10 18:45:21] Asli Suner: I don't think VAKIF would be the way to go.
[15.04.10 18:45:30] Knut Milbredt: suha, if you omit the turkish context, what will be your proposal?
[15.04.10 18:46:06] Suha Ülgen: An NGO of course. Or work under an existing NGO. Marla may be able to help.
[15.04.10 18:46:14] Knut Milbredt: ok
[15.04.10 18:46:48] Claire Berlinski: You say of course ... Ivan is arguing that the cost of doing this, in terms of bureaucracy and time-wasting, is quite high.
[15.04.10 18:47:12] Claire Berlinski: As for working under an existing NGO:  Do any come to mind?
[15.04.10 18:47:19] Suha Ülgen: I understand it is very difficult and expensive to establish a Vakif in Turkey. Although there are a couple of exiisting ones
which would look favorably to the idea.
[15.04.10 18:47:28] ivan10000: Suha, Ivan here, you know me as Viktor Larkhill, the crazy dog rescuer.. Dont you think that at this stage the focus of the group
should be on creating a cohesive group AND building a community around it? there is always tiem to register..
[15.04.10 18:47:51] Knut Milbredt: @claire I think whatever you do it will be associated with terms of bureaucracy and time-wasting
[15.04.10 18:48:05] Suha Ülgen: Hi Victor. It is a small world indeed.
[15.04.10 18:48:32] Ayse Sumer: how about establishing it in the US?  and having it be the arm?  Is that going to be politically incorrect?
[15.04.10 18:48:49] Claire Berlinski: Ayse -- politically incorrect or no,
[15.04.10 18:48:56] Ayse Sumer: its cheaper and easier here
[15.04.10 18:49:10] Claire Berlinski: it's a fact that the energy behind this is largely coming from the Turkish diaspora and Americans.
[15.04.10 18:49:19] Claire Berlinski: So that idea is interesting.
[15.04.10 18:49:53] Ayse Sumer: and sometimes selling this entity can be more "sexy" in Turkey
[15.04.10 18:49:56] Suha Ülgen: I agreed, the first thing is to build the base to support a sustainable program.
[15.04.10 18:49:58] Claire Berlinski: Anyone see a downside to it beyond the obvious,
[15.04.10 18:50:11] Claire Berlinski: which of course will be the charge that this is an imperialist plot?
[15.04.10 18:50:35] Asli Suner: That'll be the case for sure
[15.04.10 18:50:44] Claire Berlinski: It will be the case no matter what.
[15.04.10 18:50:50] Hilal Ozcan: what are other examples of US-based NGOs functioning for Turkish problems?
[15.04.10 18:50:56] Claire Berlinski: We may as well have the benefits.
[15.04.10 18:51:19] Ayse Sumer: We have ATAA, Turkish Cultural Foundation, Turkish Coalition of America we are not turkish but work for the cause
[15.04.10 18:51:22] Claire Berlinski: I can't think of any, but that doesn't mean there aren't any, or that it's a bad idea.
[15.04.10 18:51:33] ivan10000: Guys.. build the base to support a sustainable program.. in other words.. people, team, ideas, concept, drive... none of this comes with legal status
[15.04.10 18:51:35] Claire Berlinski: I'm liking this idea.
[15.04.10 18:51:38] Hilal Ozcan: i think it's a great idea.
[15.04.10 18:51:49] Claire Berlinski: No one's saying we shouldn't do that, Ivan.
[15.04.10 18:51:55] Claire Berlinski: Just that we need to do both.
[15.04.10 18:52:11] Ayse Sumer: Ivan its a package and we need to multitask at the same time
[15.04.10 18:52:26] Claire Berlinski: I agree.
[15.04.10 18:52:39] Claire Berlinski: OK. What is the next step we need to take to do it this way?
[15.04.10 18:52:44] Claire Berlinski: Because I like the idea.
[15.04.10 18:52:52] Asli Suner: To make things clear - why we are after becoming an NGO is so that we can get some funding, is that right?
[15.04.10 18:53:03] Ayse Sumer: I will talk to our General Counsel and ask what we should do
[15.04.10 18:53:10] Suha Ülgen: I know ATAA was interested in helping Turkey prepare for a disaster. We have good friends leading ATAA we can talk to get their input.
[15.04.10 18:53:11] Claire Berlinski: So that if we get funding, it goes to something that can legally receive it,
[15.04.10 18:53:23] Claire Berlinski: as opposed to Claire Berlinski's bank account,
[15.04.10 18:53:30] ivan10000: ok
[15.04.10 18:53:33] Claire Berlinski: which would suit me fine, but cause some PR problems.
[15.04.10 18:53:35] Ayse Sumer: Suha I am in the thick of things with ATAA and their management here in Washignton
[15.04.10 18:53:36] Claire Berlinski: And tax issues.
[15.04.10 18:53:45] ivan10000: let me make a point and I willshut up on this issue...
[15.04.10 18:53:52] ivan10000: ok, maybe in the old times it was like that.. today the internet has changed everything.
Everyhing is much faster and agile. Most of you know me as the founder of Let's Adopt!... the organization started
with two people and turned into this:  http://www.myletsadopt.com/
[15.04.10 18:53:56] Claire Berlinski: You don't have to shut up ...
[15.04.10 18:54:14] ivan10000: We are rescuing in so mnany countries withso many people involved without registration..
[15.04.10 18:54:18] ivan10000: its the IDEA
[15.04.10 18:54:35] ivan10000: find a way to spread the IDEA and you will win people and the fight.
[15.04.10 18:54:51] Claire Berlinski: How's that incompatible with what we're saying?
[15.04.10 18:54:57] Asli Suner: I actually like that
[15.04.10 18:54:59] Hilal Ozcan: so how did you spread the idea then?
[15.04.10 18:55:06] ivan10000: Ideas are incompatible with bureacracy at an early stage
[15.04.10 18:55:40] Ayse Sumer: you are a hopeless romantic Ivan, we should not shut out any idea!  and use every avenue - the realistic and the social
[15.04.10 18:56:00] Ayse Sumer: you cant push aside life's beaurocracies
[15.04.10 18:56:09] Claire Berlinski: It's true, he is.
[15.04.10 18:56:13] Claire Berlinski: Here's the thing.
[15.04.10 18:56:15] Asli Suner: Practically we could have a paypal account righ now on the blog
[15.04.10 18:56:17] Claire Berlinski: We need money.
[15.04.10 18:56:39] Ayse Sumer: Opps maybe should not bringin philosophies in to this discussion
[15.04.10 18:56:44] Claire Berlinski: I can't continue doing this without some money. It's a full-time job.
[15.04.10 18:57:00] Ayse Sumer: yes we are back to square one
[15.04.10 18:57:08] Claire Berlinski: We need money for things like television commercials,
[15.04.10 18:57:11] Claire Berlinski: posters,
[15.04.10 18:57:18] Claire Berlinski: photocopies,
[15.04.10 18:57:25] Claire Berlinski: Internet connections,
[15.04.10 18:57:30] Asli Suner: or sponsors
[15.04.10 18:57:44] Hilal Ozcan: can we start creating a budget? that will also help with grant application.
[15.04.10 18:57:47] Claire Berlinski: If we have sponsors,
[15.04.10 18:57:59] Claire Berlinski: Yes -- as I said before, I asked Mission 4636 for their budget figures,
[15.04.10 18:58:05] Claire Berlinski: which we can start with as a model.
[15.04.10 18:58:13] Ayse Sumer: Yes a budget per project is needed
[15.04.10 18:58:20] Hilal Ozcan: what is mission 4636?
[15.04.10 18:58:37] Claire Berlinski: We are going to need programmers, Knut is not enough manpower, however talented he is.
[15.04.10 18:58:38] Asli Suner: but even for sponsors we will need a budget proposal
[15.04.10 18:58:52] Claire Berlinski: Mission 4636 is the USHAHIDI platform in Haiti.
[15.04.10 18:59:11] Claire Berlinski: Staffed with a VERY large number of programmers, coordinators, etc.
[15.04.10 18:59:28] Ayse Sumer: it does not need to be a complicated budget
[15.04.10 18:59:46] Hilal Ozcan: so they came up with the budget after the earthquake.
[15.04.10 19:00:03] Suha Ülgen: Let's look for a sponsor for the short term and prepare a full-fledged proposal for the longer term. All while we are building the idea as Viktor puts it.
[15.04.10 19:00:24] ivan10000: Sorry Im back!... TV Commercials!!!! Why!!!!
[15.04.10 19:00:25] Knut Milbredt: That sounds good
[15.04.10 19:00:31] Ayse Sumer: exactly short term, long term, medium term and proposals per project
[15.04.10 19:00:48] ivan10000: Claire.. do you konw the ROI of a TV commercial?
[15.04.10 19:00:52] Claire Berlinski: OK. Because Ivan, that will be the single most effective way of getting the information to people who need it most.
[15.04.10 19:00:58] ivan10000: 80% of the cases is negative..
[15.04.10 19:01:06] Suha Ülgen: We also have a division of labor among ourselves. Claire cannot do everything.
[15.04.10 19:01:45] Ayse Sumer: I agree - lets put a plan together now and divide the jobs
[15.04.10 19:02:02] Ayse Sumer: 1.  Status research - in the US I shall check with counsel
[15.04.10 19:02:08] Claire Berlinski: Let's debate the TV commercials later ... for now, let me keep on Francesca to get me 4636's figures.
[15.04.10 19:02:17] Asli Suner: Commercials are highly competetively priced - unless digiturk perhaps sponsors us !
[15.04.10 19:02:20] Ayse Sumer: 2. In Turkey Asli if I give you the name of a lawyer would you talk to them
[15.04.10 19:02:34] Asli Suner: Sure
[15.04.10 19:02:54] Ayse Sumer: 3. what is the most important on the agenda? Sponsor?
[15.04.10 19:03:16] Claire Berlinski: Let's figure out exactly what would be required legally to become 1) an NGO based here; 2) one that's US-based, or 3) another kind of entity.
[15.04.10 19:03:25] Ayse Sumer: Let everyone take a couple of the options mentioned and contact them, Rotary,
[15.04.10 19:03:38] Claire Berlinski: Sponsor, be it corporate or funding from, say, the USG.
[15.04.10 19:03:45] Ayse Sumer: I will look in to USG and other local entitities for grants and funds
[15.04.10 19:04:04] Claire Berlinski: Hilal, why don't you cover the NSF.
[15.04.10 19:04:10] Ayse Sumer: I cant reach out to my corporates yet until after June
[15.04.10 19:04:16] Claire Berlinski: I've already made contact with PDI.
[15.04.10 19:04:21] Asli Suner: I can contact Lions also, my aunt works with them
[15.04.10 19:04:42] Hilal Ozcan: NSF and alternate sources, I will cover.
[15.04.10 19:04:46] Asli Suner: But for oall of this, we wnned a proposal document, don't we?
[15.04.10 19:05:10] Ayse Sumer: yes we do!
[15.04.10 19:05:13] Claire Berlinski: Yes we do!
[15.04.10 19:05:26] Asli Suner: I think, that's n0.1 in the agenda then
[15.04.10 19:05:30] Claire Berlinski: Yep.
[15.04.10 19:05:32] Ayse Sumer: My tasks:I will talk to ATAA and other TR related entities here, General Counsel, USG funding
[15.04.10 19:05:43] Claire Berlinski: I'll get sample budget figures,
[15.04.10 19:05:50] Ayse Sumer: Even if it is a short precise marketing tool
[15.04.10 19:05:55] Claire Berlinski: and work on a general proposal text.
[15.04.10 19:06:36] Claire Berlinski: Our budget will be a bit different from 4636's, because we have a very different kind of PR challenge.
[15.04.10 19:06:56] Hilal Ozcan: we may need to come with an outline of the items for the grant, just to be ready in advance before deadlines approach.
[15.04.10 19:07:22] Hilal Ozcan: i can put together the outline.
[15.04.10 19:07:34] Ayse Sumer: Claire I can give you the name of a good PR firm whom you can talk and danismak with they'll help and wont ask for money immediately
[15.04.10 19:07:55] Claire Berlinski: Now, don't forget -- I'm leaving for the DR and Haiti on Sunday.
[15.04.10 19:07:55] Suha Ülgen: I will look into aligning with an existing NGO or Vakif and explore potential "angels" to pitch in for the short-term.
[15.04.10 19:08:03] Hilal Ozcan: we would need teamwork to progress with the draft proposal.
[15.04.10 19:08:07] Claire Berlinski: I'll be back on May 10,
[15.04.10 19:08:17] Claire Berlinski: and should have Internet coverage most of that time,
[15.04.10 19:08:28] Claire Berlinski: but obviously I can't meet anyone in person.
[15.04.10 19:08:41] Asli Suner: That shouldn't be a problem
[15.04.10 19:08:51] Ayse Sumer: And I'll leave for TR around the 20th of May so maybe when I'm there we can have a major powwow
[15.04.10 19:09:22] Asli Suner: Ayse - you said you knew of a lawyer whom I can talk to?
[15.04.10 19:09:44] Ayse Sumer: I'll try and get some answers for you by then and yes Asli I will send you her contact info separately
[15.04.10 19:09:56] Asli Suner: She is in istanbul?
[15.04.10 19:09:59] Claire Berlinski: Could you all send me your e-mail addresses?
[15.04.10 19:10:07] Ayse Sumer: yep infact maybe we can do a conference call sometime
[15.04.10 19:10:08] Asli Suner: xxxxxxxxxx
[15.04.10 19:10:11] Claire Berlinski: We should create a small working group for this.
[15.04.10 19:10:11] Knut Milbredt: kxxxxxxxxxx
[15.04.10 19:10:11] Hilal Ozcan: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[15.04.10 19:10:16] Claire Berlinski: Thanks.
[15.04.10 19:10:18] Ayse Sumer: axxxxxxxxxxxx
[15.04.10 19:11:17] Ayse Sumer: So shall we say that we try and meet again via skype next weekend and go over our findings?
[15.04.10 19:11:18] Claire Berlinski: Suha? Could I get your address, too?
[15.04.10 19:11:20] Suha Ülgen: xxxxxxxxxxx
[15.04.10 19:11:21] Hilal Ozcan: what about regular calls, same timee ach week?
[15.04.10 19:11:36] Ayse Sumer: that's an idea too
[15.04.10 19:11:37] Claire Berlinski: Sounds good to me.
[15.04.10 19:11:39] Asli Suner: we can try
[15.04.10 19:11:52] Claire Berlinski: Does anyone object if I post this chat as the meeting minutes?
[15.04.10 19:12:00] Suha Ülgen: Try to announce the conference call a bit earlier please.
[15.04.10 19:12:06] Claire Berlinski: I did!
[15.04.10 19:12:19] Suha Ülgen: I missed it. sorry.
[15.04.10 19:12:22] Claire Berlinski: It was posted several days ago, I think.
[15.04.10 19:12:24] Ayse Sumer: No - I'm in NY the last weekend but 24 is good
[15.04.10 19:12:42] Claire Berlinski: It's okay ... things are getting missed a lot. It will be better when Hilary's got the site up and running.
[15.04.10 19:12:59] Ayse Sumer: we can actually talk over the weekend
[15.04.10 19:13:22] Claire Berlinski: We have a conference call with Crisis Camps on Saturday, tentatively.
[15.04.10 19:13:32] Claire Berlinski: I'm leaving on Sunday ...
[15.04.10 19:13:38] Suha Ülgen: NY is calling. I'll try to get back as soon as I can.
[15.04.10 19:13:44] Ayse Sumer: oopps forgot
[15.04.10 19:13:48] Claire Berlinski: Say hi for us ...
[15.04.10 19:13:55] Ayse Sumer: :0
[15.04.10 19:14:17] Claire Berlinski: OK. So let's chat at this time next week.
[15.04.10 19:14:32] Claire Berlinski: Has anyone said anything they want me to keep out of the minutes?
[15.04.10 19:14:35] Claire Berlinski: Ivan?
[15.04.10 19:14:36] Asli Suner: Sounds good
[15.04.10 19:14:36] Claire Berlinski: Knut?
[15.04.10 19:14:40] Claire Berlinski: Ayse?
[15.04.10 19:14:41] Claire Berlinski: Hilal?
[15.04.10 19:14:43] Asli Suner: I am good
[15.04.10 19:14:48] Claire Berlinski: Asli?
[15.04.10 19:14:51] Knut Milbredt: yes
[15.04.10 19:14:53] Asli Suner: No problem posting for me
[15.04.10 19:14:55] Ayse Sumer: How about the 22nd its also earth day!
[15.04.10 19:14:57] Claire Berlinski: OK.
[15.04.10 19:15:13] ivan10000: yes
[15.04.10 19:15:14] Hilal Ozcan: i would say 12.30pm would work better for me, if we do it every Thursday.
[15.04.10 19:15:13] Claire Berlinski: That's fine by me too.
[15.04.10 19:15:27] Hilal Ozcan: is it too late for you guys?
[15.04.10 19:15:38] Ayse Sumer: yes since its work time here noon is good lunch break
[15.04.10 19:15:45] Claire Berlinski: What time is that in the DR ... 11:30?
[15.04.10 19:15:49] Claire Berlinski: No, 1:30.
[15.04.10 19:15:53] Claire Berlinski: Right?
[15.04.10 19:15:58] Ayse Sumer: I think its only one hour fm East coast
[15.04.10 19:16:07] Ayse Sumer: 11:30?
[15.04.10 19:16:13] Ayse Sumer: texas time
[15.04.10 19:16:14] Claire Berlinski: Well, let's standardize to Istanbul time.
[15.04.10 19:16:22] Knut Milbredt: UTC?
[15.04.10 19:16:22] Hilal Ozcan: 12.30 texas time?
[15.04.10 19:16:22] Asli Suner: Ayse and Hilal - are you both in the east coast?
[15.04.10 19:16:23] Claire Berlinski: 7:30 Istanbul time.
[15.04.10 19:16:31] Claire Berlinski: Hilal's in Texas.
[15.04.10 19:16:33] Hilal Ozcan: i'm central time.
[15.04.10 19:16:36] Asli Suner: Fine by me
[15.04.10 19:16:43] Ayse Sumer: Im eastcoast
[15.04.10 19:16:57] Claire Berlinski: OK. We're good, I think.
[15.04.10 19:16:58] Hilal Ozcan: ayse, would it work for you 1.30pm your time?
[15.04.10 19:16:59] Suha Ülgen: I am in Geneva
[15.04.10 19:16:59] Ayse Sumer: its 12:30 my time and its fine
[15.04.10 19:17:24] Ayse Sumer: 7:30 Istanbul is 12:30 here
[15.04.10 19:17:34] Claire Berlinski: Indeed it is.
[15.04.10 19:17:46] Claire Berlinski: Let's say 7:30 Istanbul, Earth Day?
[15.04.10 19:17:50] Claire Berlinski: The 22nd?
[15.04.10 19:18:03] Asli Suner: it's a date
[15.04.10 19:18:04] Ayse Sumer: got it 22 April - 7:30 Istanbul time we meet
[15.04.10 19:18:14] Suha Ülgen: Confirmed.
[15.04.10 19:18:21] Claire Berlinski: OK. We'll all report back on our tasks.
[15.04.10 19:18:23] Knut Milbredt: 22nd 7:30pm IST time - ok
[15.04.10 19:18:27] Hilal Ozcan: i have a commitment thursday mornings, i can try next week but in the long term i would need to shift the mtg time for an hour.
[15.04.10 19:18:36] Ayse Sumer: Operation Earth Day has officially begun
[15.04.10 19:18:41] Claire Berlinski: OK. We'll deal with that when it happens.
[15.04.10 19:18:51] Claire Berlinski: Meanwhile,
[15.04.10 19:19:00] Claire Berlinski: has everyone nailed his or her furniture to their walls?
[15.04.10 19:19:08] Claire Berlinski: Stocked up on water?
[15.04.10 19:19:14] Claire Berlinski: Flashlights by the bed?
[15.04.10 19:19:23] Claire Berlinski: Asli -- did you have that done?
[15.04.10 19:19:27] Ayse Sumer: we actually have to do that for the hurricane season
[15.04.10 19:19:53] Claire Berlinski: I hear the sound of an embarassd Asli.
[15.04.10 19:20:04] Asli Suner: that's right
[15.04.10 19:20:17] Suha Ülgen: How about an out-of-town phone number and contact for the family to agree on?
[15.04.10 19:20:28] Claire Berlinski: Check!
[15.04.10 19:20:53] Claire Berlinski: As well as a meeting point here in Istanbul.
[15.04.10 19:21:12] Claire Berlinski: Cagri and I agreed that we'd meet at the base of Tunel, if all systems failed.
[15.04.10 19:21:32] Ayse Sumer: YOu know the safest point in Istanbul is Gumussuyu!
[15.04.10 19:21:46] Asli Suner: How do you know that?
[15.04.10 19:21:50] Claire Berlinski: Sabiha Airport looks pretty good ...
[15.04.10 19:21:56] Ayse Sumer: its one of the most stable locations - learned that at the last earquake I lived there
[15.04.10 19:22:00] Asli Suner: too far too reach
[15.04.10 19:22:09] Claire Berlinski: Hey, Ivan, you still there?
[15.04.10 19:22:16] Asli Suner: Well I am in Cihangir, not too far from Gumussuyu
[15.04.10 19:22:19] Ayse Sumer: is everyone on the Asian side
[15.04.10 19:22:27] Claire Berlinski: No, I'm in Beyoglu.
[15.04.10 19:22:32] Ayse Sumer: probably on the right rock point
[15.04.10 19:22:39] Suha Ülgen: I have to go. If your share this chat in its totality. I can follow it later. Thanks to you all.
[15.04.10 19:22:40] Claire Berlinski: Ayse, I'm not going to post your cell number to the board.
[15.04.10 19:22:46] Claire Berlinski: OK!
[15.04.10 19:22:58] Ayse Sumer: thanks just for you guys
[15.04.10 19:22:58] Claire Berlinski: I should go too.
[15.04.10 19:23:02] Asli Suner: Same here
[15.04.10 19:23:02] Asli Suner: Same here
[15.04.10 19:23:05] Claire Berlinski: Asli, call Cemal.
[15.04.10 19:23:09] Ayse Sumer: ciao and good luck to all
[15.04.10 19:23:13] Asli Suner: I will !! Thanks ..;)
[15.04.10 19:23:24] Claire Berlinski: Good night guys ...
[15.04.10 19:23:29] Asli Suner: Talk soon - Good Night!
[15.04.10 19:23:28] Hilal Ozcan: taker care guys!
[15.04.10 19:23:32] Knut Milbredt: bye to all
[15.04.10 19:23:41] Asli Suner: bye
[15.04.10 19:23:49] Ayse Sumer: hasta la vista

#BuBirTatbikattir Twitter'de/Twitter Dry Run Rules

Welcome to the new members of the group. Thanks for joining. Some of you may not quite realize what you've joined. Jor El isn't a Facebook group per se, but a working group that is for now using Facebook to communicate. You're very welcome to be part of the group, but we're assuming that everyone who has joined is a volunteer. So we're going to ask you to help.

Gruba yeni uyeleri hosgeldiniz, bizlere katildiginiz icin tesekkur ederiz. Bir kisminiz tam olarak ne yaptigimizi anlamamis olabilirsiniz. Jor El sadece genel Facebook gurubundan cok Facebook iletisim kurmak icin kullanan bir calisma gurub. Guruba katilmaniz bizi memnun eder ama bilmenizi isterizki her katilanin bir gonullu oldugunu dusunerek sizlerden calismalarimiza yardimci olmanizi isteyecegiz.

Right now, we're chiefly working to establish a USHAHIDI platform in Istanbul as a seismic risk mitigation tool. If that doesn't make sense, please read this:

Ilk is olarak Istanbulda uygulamak uzere sismik risk azaltma araci olarak USHAHIDI platformunun benzerinin hazirliklari icersindeyiz. Konuyu irdeleyen ve detayli bilgileri iceren asagidaki linklere gozatabilirsiniz.

http://learningtofight.blogspot.com/2010/02/applying-ushahidis-model-to-disaster.html

http://learningtofight.blogspot.com/2010/02/istabulda-depremden-korunmak-icin_04.html

We've scheduled our first test of the USHAHIDI Istanbul system for next Monday, April 19. (This is subject to change if the system isn't completely debugged and translated by then). Here's what's going to happen, and here's what we need you to do.

Ilk USHAHID Istanbul sistem uygulamasini gelecek hafta Pazartesi, 19 Nisan'da tatbik edecegiz. (Sistemin tam olarak arindirilip tercume edilmesine bagli olarak degisebilir) Uygulanacak olan program ve sizden yapmanizi istedigimiz etaplar asagidaki gibidir.

1) Could everyone who is already on Twitter please follow ClaireBerlinski and ISTANBULTWSTVL.

Lutfen twitter'i kullanan herkes ClaireBerlinski'yi ISTANBULTWSTVL uzerinden takip etsin.

2) Could everyone who is not on Twitter please get on Twitter. (If you're living in a seismic zone, trust me, you want to know how Twitter works.)

Twitter'e uye olmayan lutfen kayit olsun, ozellikle sismik hareketlerin oldugu bolgede yasayanlar Twitter'in nasil calistigini kesinlikle ogrenmek isteyecektir.

3) We need volunteers to input incoming Tweets. You'll need some knowledge of Istanbul geography to do this. If you think you can do it, have a look at http://www.depremak.org/, and see if you can figure it out from the instructions. If you can't, the instructions need to be clearer, so let us know what you don't understand. Please let us know if you can volunteer.

Gelen Tweet'leri kaydedecek gonullulere ihtiyacimiz olucak. Istanbul'un cografyasini bilmek gerekiyor. Yapabilecegini dusunen herkes lutfenhttp://www.depremak,org sitesini incelesin ve talimatlari dikkatle inceleyin. Yapamazsaniz, talimatlarin daha net ve acik olmasi gerekir, lutfen bu konuda bizleri bilgilendirin. Gonullu olmak isteyenler lutfen bize bildirin.

Here's what's going to happen. At 10:00 am Istanbul time, we're going to pretend that there's been a massive earthquake in Istanbul. For the sake of the exercise, we're going to assume that phones are down, but some people have access to Twitter. (This is not fanciful: It's exactly what happened in Haiti.) People participating in the exercise -- that's you -- will Tweet about it. Use your imaginations. Report collapsed buildings, fires, injuries.

Do it just the way you would if it had really happened and you were really panicking, emotional, and not thinking straight, EXCEPT,

WE MUST MAKE SURE THESE TWEETS DO NOT PANIC PEOPLE. So, we're going to use code.

Uygulanacak olan kurgu asagidaki gibi gerceklesek. Istanbul saati ile sabah 10'de buyuk olcekli bir depremin olduguna dair haber gondericegiz, hareketin gecerliligi acisinda telefon sisteminin tamamen cokmus oldugu varsayacagiz ve sadece bir kisimin kisilerin twitter kullanma imkani oldugunu var sayacagiz. (bu bir hayali dusunce degil - Haiti de aynen bu olmustu.) Bu uygulamaya katilanlar - yani sizler - derhal tweet gondermeye basliyacaksiniz. Hayal gucunuzu kullanin, cokmus binalar, yanginlar, yaralilar gibi durumlari bildireceksiniz. Boyle bir seyin oldugu zaman nasil hareket ederseniz oyle hareket etmeniz gerekir, yani panik, duygusallik, dogru dusunememek AMA EN ONEMLI NOKTA BU TWEETLERIN ETRAFA VE DURUMUN ICINDE OLMIYANLARA PANIK YARATMAMAK....O yuzdendirki kod sistemi kullanacagiz....

The rules:
Kurallar:

a. All Tweets must be prefaced #BuBirTatbikattir.
Tum Tweet'lerin basina #BuBirTatbikattir ibaresi kullanilacak.

b. Use the word PARTY for EARTHQUAKE
Deprem icin PARTY kelimesini kullanin

c. Use the word LIGHT for FIRE
Yangin icin LIGHT kelimesini kullanin

d. Use the word GUESTS for INJURED
Yaralilar icin GUESTS kelimesini kullanin

e. Use the word CLUB for COLLAPSED BUILDINGS
Cokmus binalar icin CLUB kelimesini kullanin

So, e.g., "#BuBirTatbikattir. RT #party at Galatasaray 50 guests in club by post office."

Orne "#BuBirTatbikattir. RT #Party Galatasarayda 50 GUEST posta ofisinin yanidaki CLUB'da

We'd like you to keep Tweeting until midnight. The volunteers are going to see if they can find all the relevant Tweets and input them into the system. We should be able to see pretty quickly whether it works. If it does, we're going to do it again with AKUT, who are going to practice getting real rescuers to the sites that are reported.

Tweet'ler gece yarisina kadar devam edecek. Gonulluler ilgili tum tweetleri kaydetmeye calisacaklar. Bu calismanin basarili olup olmadigini kisa zamanda belirliyebilecegiz. Eger uygulama iyi olursa bu tatbikati AKUT ile uygulayacagiz, ve onlar gercek ekiplerle bildirilen yerlere gidicekler.

Notes from yesterday's crisis-mapping meeting

The good stuff is all on the Facebook group now, and soon we'll have a dedicated Jor El website. I'm just posting this here so that we have a non FB backup for now.

Here's the plan from the crisis-mapping meeting yesterday (April 2) with Aysegul Duygu Saylam (of Istanbul Twestival), Asli Suner, and Bayram Yildizoglu. Knut Milbrendt phoned in from Germany.

1) No point waiting for help setting up the platform. I'm going to see if it's really that simple to download and customize the USHAHIDI platform, using my PC as a local host.

http://flowingmotion.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/step-1-get-ushahidi-going-in-your-community-turn-your-pc-into-a-localhost/

ADS has a friend who can help me with this if it all goes pear-shaped. I seem to have committed myself to doing this over the first genuinely glorious spring weekend of the year. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

If all goes well, this will be up and running by Monday. Then we can start playing with it.

Obviously, this isn't a long-term solution, not least because all systems we'd need in an earthquake need multiple backups, but it will give us a demo and allow us to experiment with the platform.

We don't expect to be using Twitter as the primary source of input data: That will come from SMS messages. But until we've made arrangements with the cellphone companies, we'll be testing it with Twitter, and certainly Twitter will be an extremely important source of information, if Haiti and Chile are anything to go by.

We're then going to test it in three phases:

1) We're going to do a Twitter test run next week, or as soon as the platform is reasonably bug-free. ADS will publicize it on Twitter. I'm asking Ali Orcun Guner to get us as many student volunteers as he can from Bahcesehir University to geolocate and input the mock-Tweets. Obviously, the Tweets need a very clear code to indicate it's a test, not a real emergency.

2) If this goes well, we're going to show it to AKUT, which has expressed great interest in this idea. Then we'll schedule a second-phase test, again using Twitter, in which AKUT will use the system and send real rescuers to the sites. They'll let us know if the system seems valuable to them and what could be done to improve it.

3) We'll then have something concrete to take to cellphone companies and people who can help us to publicize the system. The goal is to make this system extremely well-known PRIOR to an earthquake, and to have a large cadre of volunteers trained in using it, so that it can go into action immediately and smoothly the moment it's needed.

To that end -- again -- it's essential that there be a well-publicized SMS shortcode that everyone in Turkey knows to use in an emergency. It does a lot less good to publicize this number afterwards than before. People also need to know how important it is, when using this number, to be very specific about where they are and what they need. This was one of the key lessons of Mission 4636 in Haiti. Far too many heartbreaking SMS messages didn't include the information rescuers needed to help the people who sent them.

The platform will be used to two ways:

First, to direct emergency local and international rescuers after a quake, in what we know will be a highly chaotic situation.

Second, it will be used to map hazards prior to the quake and give people practical information about how to prepare. The SMS shortcode will allow people to phone in issues of concern: (eg, "I'm worried about the school my kids are in, what should I do?") and will direct them, via an automated message system, to practical advice and resources. This will give us a better picture of which areas are really problematic -- one independent of government estimates.

Using this data, we can predict where emergency assistance will be needed (and obviously shorten the time required to get it there.)

It will also be a way to let people know about the practical steps they can take prior to an earthquake to increase their chances of surviving it. This information is right now not well-understood here at all.

A few more points came up:

BY is concerned that Jor El needs some kind of official status, as a destek or NGO. He's worried that the people whose support we most need will ask, "And who the hell are you?" Likewise, there are a lot of legal requirements we'll need to meet if we're to do fundraising.

AS mentioned that we could possibly simply attach ourselves to MAY, but BY pointed out that MAY's connections to the CHP might result in the appearance that Jor El is partisan. This is a real concern, and gave us all pause.

I'm extremely leery of the hassle and paperwork involved in becoming some kind of official destek or NGO -- I like to think, in my boundlessly optimistic American way, that the answer to the question "Who the hell are you" should be, "We're a bunch of people who met on Facebook, but look at these superb ideas we have and what we've done. Aren't you thrilled? Now work with us." But I do realize that sometimes things aren't that straightforward in Turkey.

We could use some good advice about this problem. We need to get Duygu Erten to join the conversation -- this is her field of expertise. Ayse Sumer, maybe you have suggestions as well.

Finally -- NB Hilary Chan -- Knut mentioned that Jen Friel, who runs the blog "Talk Nerdy to me, Lover," has devised as system for mirroring and backing up posts and comments to Facebook. If we could back up our Facebook site this way, it would obviate one of our big concerns -- that all of this will disappear in a Facebook glitch. HC, perhaps you could investigate?

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR JOR EL

All the action for now is here, on Facebook. Soon we'll have a new, searchable Jor El website and blog, thanks to Hilary Chan.

If you're looking for action, or more specifically, letters to Penthouse, I think you have to go to their website and pay for that. Contrary to rumors, I'm not really an expert about how to find those.

However, since I have your attention, let me ask you a question. Do you live in a seismically active area? Have you considered stocking up on food, water and any medication you might need after an earthquake? Have you bolted heavy furniture to your walls and moved anything that could fall on you away from your bed? Does your apartment or house conform to modern seismic safety codes? If not, you've got bigger worries than finding letters to Penthouse.

What works?

A consistent theme -- both on the Jor El wall and in the e-mail people send me -- is that Istanbul's earthquake risk mitigation problem is impossible to solve because too many of the institutions that should be involved in solving it are corrupt or dysfunctional.

I completely agree that the problem is extremely difficult to solve. I also agree that many of Turkey's institutions don't work well. But I'm not sure that every relevant system is so dysfunctional that no scheme for risk mitigation could possibly succeed.

Turkey isn't a failed state. Many things here do work. If you're in Istanbul, look out your window: You don't see anyone shooting anyone, starving to death, or dying of epidemic disease. The grocery stores are full of food. Levels of street crime are low. You're looking at a vibrant city with a fairly advanced infrastructure. Problems, yes. A basket case, no.

I think it's reasonable to notice all the obstacles to putting our ideas into action -- of course it is -- but I wonder if we shouldn't spend a bit of time thinking about why Istanbul is doing so well, given all the institutional obstacles to getting anything done. Some systems and institutions here obviously do work. Which ones are they?

Wouldn't it make more sense to focus on working with systems that are already working, rather than against the ones that don't? We're not, after all, realistically going to be able to reform the constitution, the legal system, the Turkish press, or the bureaucracy.

What's already working well in Istanbul, and how can these groups and systems help us to solve this problem?