President's PDA

Slowly but surely, we’re

building up our meeting

activity by rolling out

Special Interest Groups,

which allow members

interested in specific

topics to get together and

discuss them in detail.

The Party of the First Part
Normally, receiving a letter from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP, one of New York City’s largest law firms might be cause for concern. In our case however, the news is good. MetroMac has been taken on as a pro bono client, and Cadwalader will be preparing for us a Certificate of Incorporation (we’re currently an unincorporated association) as well as an application for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. As a result, you will, hopefully, be able to collect a tax deduction in future, for your financial support to the group.

To receive this rating however, we will need to document, and maintain, the provision of educational and informational services to our members and the community. We already do a good job through our meeting program, newsletter articles and information forums, but we’re always open to new ideas. If there’s something you think we should consider adding, please drop me a note.

Significant Changes
Slowly but surely, we’re building up our meeting activity by rolling out Special Interest Groups, which allow members interested in specific topics to get together and discuss them in detail. Already underway is a Freelancer’s SIG for independent professionals using their Macs for work-related activities; contact Michelle Dollinger (mdoll@macmoxie.com) for meeting times and locations. Starting this month, I’ll be hosting an Internet SIG for anyone interested in the intricacies of web surfing, email, online discussions and e-commerce. In formation are a Beginner’s SIG and a Web Development SIG, awaiting only the identification of meeting spaces. If you’ve got suggestions, or want to suggest another topic to organize, let me know.

Double your Pleasure, Double your Fun
Speaking of meetings, you should have received a notice by now that we’re holding a “make-up” meeting on Thursday, November 13, welcoming back Quark after the blackout out scuttled their presentation in August. We’ll have our regular meeting in December, and we’re looking at a January meeting coinciding with Macworld Expo San Francisco, possibly with a live iChat AV report from the show floor. Hopefully, we’re be able to keep doubling our bi-monthly schedule, but we’d like to hear your ideas for meeting topics and speakers.

The Time has Come, the Walrus Said, to Speak of Many Things
but if you were one of our original Supporting Members, the time has come to think about renewing your support for another year. While we make Herculean efforts to keep costs low, we do incur expenses; for example nearly $300 for information flyers at our booth at Macworld Expo (including an emergency printing when our original allotment ran out the first day). Your $20 helps cover these expenses, and provides a nest egg for the future. And all we ask is about what you’d pay for your dinner entrée at a Manhattan restaurant (potato and vegetables included)

President’s PDA

BY CHRIS BASTIAN

11.2003
Issue No.13