ImmInst.Org
٭ Newsletter
August 2010
Message from the Chairman:
The 8th month of the year. Holiday time in many parts, but
certainly not at ImmInst. The forum redesign is slowly bedding in, but
still there are new features and design elements trialled on an almost
daily basis. While this work is underway, we are busy
planning ahead for the Autumn: the
Science
Fundraisers and most notably our annual conference
require a lot of work
and attention.
Other initiatives are furiously being worked at behind
the scenes: I was hoping to announce here the availability of the
ImmInst community supplement, and of an new members benefit, also in the
supplements area. Also in preparation is a referendum to finalise the
constitutional changes that we have been working to implement for a
while. These aren't quite ready yet - members should keep an eye
out on the internal forums, where these items will be brought back to
the table very soon.
To speed these and many other things up, we could *really* use some help. The
editors team is regrouping and it would be great if other
teams or initiatives could be similarly invigorated. Why not check out
the projects forum and see if you could join in?
Caliban
Conference registrations now OPEN
The 2010 ImmInst conference has opened its doors for registration: Whereas previously, European members met in conjunction with the SENS conferences, this will be the first 'ImmInst' event in Europe.
Confirmed speakers include Michael Rose, Aubrey de Grey, Stephen Spindler, Leonid Gavrilov, Steven Coles, Paul McGlothin, Stephen Spindler, Bart Braeckman.
The event will cover all bases - there will be a strong scientific emphasis on aging and regeneration research, but also a public debate, a consideration of cryonics arrangements in Europe, a brainstorming session about ImmInst objectives and activities and ample opportunity to network and socialise.
Places are limited to 200, so make sure you register
early.
http://www.imminst2010.com/registernow.html
Members can pick up their special discount code here:
http://www.imminst.org/forum/topic/42485-members-discount-for-imminst-2010-conference/
ImmInst Members are currently voting on a referendum to confirm the
science project funding strategy for 2010. We are aiming to launch at least
two matching fundraisers for small but effective and research projects.
Voting will close only a few days after this newsletter is send, so make
sure you get your vote in NOW (members only):
http://www.imminst.org/forum/topic/42774-imminst-science-funding-2010/
If the strategy is confirmed, we will begin fundraising for the first
selected project immediately. Make sure you revisit the site later this
month if you want to contribute to cutting-edge aging research.
http://www.imminst.org/Research2010
The updates and improvements to the forum software continue. Some of the recent changes were 'under the hood' some are more obvious:
- A videos system to share multimedia content
- A gallery page to showcase both private photos and useful graphics
- Improved science alerts for keywords and job adverts
- More RSS feeds directly into relevant forum sections
- Better navigability to non-forum pages through sidebars
We are also experimenting with a variant of the reputation system where users receive 'T' 'time' or 'thank you' points from others or for certain activities. There is great potential for this system to evolve into a gentle 'incentive economy' to reward high quality contributions.
--> http://www.imminst.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=42136
The editors (content management) team is regrouping and starting to improve and update content on the ImmInst website. Visit their team forum to share suggestions or maybe to join them in their efforts.
Chrono, himself a member of the team was also elected Moderator with a focus on Nootropics. This is a controversial area, and ImmInst wasn't always lucky with protagonists in that section, but we have every confidence that Chrono will help to keep things on track.
The June 2010 volunteer prize winners are
- b0gger-- a ImmInst member from
Russia has won the randomly drawn prize twice before -a lucky guy! Last time he redeemed his
gift token for "Timeship:
The Architecture of Immortality".
- Cyborgdreamer-- a registered user, most active in the 'Philosophy' section, but last month also active in the 'Internetworking Team'. She holds a BA in computer science.
The $25 prize is randomly drawn each month. We are currently thinking about an alternative 'point' based system. See this topic for all past volunteer prize winners.
Chapters: Would you like to meet people interested in life extension in your city? Why not register your interest on our regional forums? You could join, or even help organise a local chapter in your area. Check out: http://imminst.org/chapters
Call for Lead Officers: We are still looking for lead officers, to fill a range of paid positions. http://www.imminst.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=42008
If you have other ideas or suggestions regarding new initiatives, please visit the ACTION forum to share your thoughts.