BIL 2012 FAQ


FAQ





1. BIL Basics

 

 


BIL 2012

An interdisciplinary un-conference designed to expand minds, share ideas and make friends.

 

March 3-4 2012* Long Beach, CA Queen Mary 


BIL returns for its fifth year, and its fourth year in Long Beach on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 3rd and 4th at the mystic Queen Mary, across Long Beach from the illustrious TED conference. BIL as an event is put together through a very loose-knit group of folks from around the world, known as BILders who have a passion for knowledge and a knack for doing things the unconventional way.

This year we are asking for a $50 micro-sponsorship to help pay for BIL during registration.

Speakers are not invited, but asked to step forward in advance and sign up on the wiki.  This year we are pulling some of these speakers and pre-curating a room.  Everyone else will have the opportunity on the day of the event to sign-up, speak and spread their ideas.  Keep your expectations for organization low, and your openness to experience high. 

BIL appreciates any amount you want to donate, but is run solely based on donations and volunteerism, no one is paid. Your options for attending BIL are as a speaker, a volunteer, sponsor, or a microsponsor.  For the cost of three TED tickets, we produce an entire BIL conference.  

If you plan on attending or speaking, register as a microsponsor here.
Once registered, please put your speaker bio up here, your attendee bio here, or your volunteer bio here.  
 
Are you the type of person who just likes to walk up without prepurchasing a ticket?  You can still get in as long as we have room and you are willing to be equally as awesom as the rest of our microsponsors. Microsponsorship starts at $50 and that gets you in all weekend!.
 
Wristbands will be presented for Volunteers, Speakers, and Paid Attendees. 
 
Tshirts - for sale at door $20 or $15 in advance.
 

* BIL is scheduled formaly for the 3rd and 4th, however, we start setting up and having fun on the 2nd! Setup starts at 4:00 on the Queen Mary. We will have a meet & greet, time 8 p.m., location TBA, stay tuned via Start Here or our Facebook fan page, or the Friday night public event.  

 

2. Venue 

 

Creative Commons: Sebastian George


BIL 2012 is being held at the Queen Mary.  


1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, CA 90802.  Google Map It


Tips on navigating the Queen Mary, independent of BIL, here.


 

2.1 BIL 2012 Parking

 

Parking at the Queen Mary costs $15.00 per 24 hours and special events.  Bring your parking ticket with you to pay at the kiosk before you leave.


Guests who are renting rooms on the Queen Mary may not incur parking charges.  "May" because we've heard two different things from QM.  Someone is working on negotiating it down. 


Other parking information here


 

 

2.2 BIL 2012 Public Transit


Long Beach Transit - Passport Bus 
Long Beach Transit  - AquaLink Water Taxi 
Metro Blue line (to downtown Long Beach, take Passport bus to Queen Mary)




Photo: Creative CommonsSebastian George

2.3 BIL 2012 Getting to Registration


This year we have 3 decks aboard the Queen Mary.  They are interconnected.


Exhibit Hall D: Entry level, top floor: registration tables, raffle, food stuffs, socializing areas, 

Exhibit Hall E: Middle Level: lecture spaces; 

Exhibit Hall F: Bottom Level: lecture spaces, including the Main Room; access to Boiler Room



3. Speaker Scheduling 



  1. Main Stage- 15 minute talks, curated by the Benevolent Dictatorship, you will be informed if you are a Main Stage Speaker some time before BIL. Exhibit Hall F.  

  2. Space Stage- 25 minute space industry talks, side stage, you can sign up for either day, the morning of. (Floor TBD)

  3. Side Stage-  25 minute talks, you can sign up the morning, of either day. (only got 15 minutes? share a slot!) Exhibit Hall E

  4. Side Stage- 25 minute talks, you can sign up the morning of, either day.  Exhibit Hall E

  5. The Masque Sex Geek Salon in the Boiler Room- Sex Geeks Unite! Curated talks by Reid Mihalko and workshops with speaker slots available on first come basis, the day of. 


3.1 BIL 2012 Main Room Saturday Schedule


10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. with lunch and breaks


3.2 BIL 2012 Main Room Sunday Schedule


10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. with lunch and breaks.  


4. Sharing Rooms and Rides

 

To sign up, log into, or sign up on the wiki, and look for the 'edit' button to add your name to either list. 



4.1 Room Sharing



There are several people willing to share rooms, find them here. Please feel free to add other hotel options and rooms available to share there. 



4.2 Ride Sharing


Find out more about Ride Sharing here.  

 

5. Speaking at BIL 2012

 



This year we are doing things a little bit differently. The Main Room will be pre-curated, one room will be Space themed, another sex themed and two other rooms will be unconference style.  


The Main Room is located on the bottom deck of the Queen Mary, Exhibit Hall F. The Main Room is 15 minute talks and is curated by BIL's own Benevolent Dictatorship. The Sex Positive Geek Suite is curated by Reid Mihalko and will be located in the Boiler Room


Curation this year is an effort to make BIL something for everyone, we are experimenting with content this year.  


True to BIL's roots, there are two pure uncfonerence rooms, and 1 themed unconference room.  


The Space themed room is an unconference room with a Space theme, location TBD. 


There will still be two pure unconference rooms-- these rooms are on the middle of the ship, Exhibit Hall E. They will be a 25 minute room, and a 25 minute room. If your talk is only 15 minutes, and you haven't been included on the Benevolent Dictator schedule, you are welcome to use the other rooms, and do not have to fill the full 25 minutes. However, be sure when you write in your time, that it is clear there is still time for others to step in.  


That said, give attendees a heads up about what you plan on speaking about-- add a bio/blurb/photo of you here.


If you are going to talk, here are some guidelines.  Other recommendations, watch Garr Reynolds talk on giving good talks.  A 10 minute talk by Garr Reynolds, author of Presentation Zen provides another good over view.  Nancy Duarte, author of Slide:ology, has some good tips in the video here. You don't have to follow everything they say, but they provide some good ideas .  . . like do not bombard your audience with too many words on your slide.  If they can read your slide, why do they need you? 

 

Once your speaking time has been selected, you need to be in the room 20 minutes before your talk. You may need to find the speaker wrangler or a/v tech assigned to your room (if someone has volunteered), and get to your room 30 minutes before your talk is scheduled. Make contact with the speaker wrangler for that room (eventually they will be pictured or shown on the morning stage) and give them your slide deck. They will cue you when to go up. 


Speaking of slides, probably many of you would like to know how you will show your slides. Bring your own slides, and an adapter that you know works with your computer. We will have more info on this soon.  


The sign up board pictured is for the 25 minute rooms.  



Creative Commons: Jeriaska

 

6. Internet, the most important question ever

 

Currently we don't have a sponsor for internet, so be a ROCKSTAR and find us a sponsor or it is every person for themselves (but good luck in the hull, it is made of metal).  Queen Mary explicitly said NO REPEATERS.  It will cost over 1k to just get enough internet for live webcasts . . ..


The Queen Mary has Internet access available via the front desk, for your hotel room for $9.95 every 24 hours for those staying at the hotel.  There is also a business room. 


If you find us a sponsor, or are the sponsor, you will be thanked publicly, BILders will love you forever because internet is like oxygen for some BILders.  Your logo will go on our pages.  And you can put a banner up at the event.


Most of all, remember you are on a big metal boat is partially submerged.  Signals are not strong.  If some rockstar does rig wifi, however limited, use it sparingly and don't complain about how it sucks.  Remember, if it sucks, it is because *you* didn't make it better. 

 

 

7. Volunteering

 

BIL happens because BILders make it happen.  Every single BIL has been run solely by volunteers.  We need your help, because you make BIL go.  Every year we need people to help with A/V, speaker wrangling (Ie, once the schedule is set, we need someone to cue up the speakers and help them with the technology to make their slides go), live-streaming/video, information spreading, and anything else you like to see at a conference - you want morning coffee?  Arrange it!  We believe in you.  


For example, if you are the type that likes pretty name tags at a conference, you make it happen by taking the attendee list and combining it with your favorite way to make names, with some blanks for the many people that show up the day of.  Don't forget to post what you are doing on the volunteer wiki, that way work isn't duplicated. 


Sign up on the Volunteer wiki:  here. Think of something we haven't added?  Add it.  Additionally if you want to help with media or sponsorship pre-conference contact Alexis (duneharman/yahoo) and he'll direct you to the people who can help you help BIL.  

Creative CommonsQuinn Norton


8. Before and After Conference Activities


You get to organize that here.  


Friday Night Meet & Greet Reception, time 8 p.m., location TBD, stay tuned via Start Here or our Facebook fan page, or the Friday night public event.  


Saturday night music provided by Ancient Lasers and Max Lugavere!    Location, The Red Room in the QM BIL 2012 Venue.

 

Saturday night Moonlight Promenade the Geek: 10-12:30 or so with Champagne sponsored by Le Grande Courtâge

 


9. Sponsoring BIL


This is probably one of the most important tasks at BIL.  In addition to the fact that no one is paid for putting over 500 hours of time, it is what keeps BIL affordable.   


We are requesting that many BILders include a ~$50 microsponsorship at registration this year.  


To read about our Sponsorship options ($250 - $10k), follow this link, to find out more, download our sponsor packet.  


Without sponsors, you are on your own for things like coffee, lunch, snacks etc.  Here is a break down of what the money is for:


Tangible Items -


Venue ($10,000 for The Queen Mary including 3 decks and the Boiler Room, plus deposits)

Tables ($250 for 12-20 tables)

Chairs ($1200 for 800 chairs plus delivery)

A/V equipment ($$$)

Security Personnel ($1200 for 2.5 days of conference and setup on the Queen Mary)



Optional Tangibles -


BIL T-Shirts ($2500 - $3500 depending on how many people show up)

BIL Stickers ($300)

BIL Pens ($400)

Sofas ($200 for 10 sofas)  (This is awesome in the lounge space, alternatively, bring your own!)

Pipe and Drap to cordon off each room and act as a sound barrier  ($800)

Internet ($1000 +)


Food - (IF YOU DON'T SPONSOR IT, IT WON'T HAPPEN)


Hosted Drinks for BIL Organizers and Volunteers on Friday Night  ($1500) (no sponsorship, everyone buys their own drinks)

Coffee for Saturday or Sunday ($350 either day)

Lunch for Saturday ($3500)

Lunch for Sunday ($3500)

Sponsoring a Food Truck to come out either day ($1500 Deposit)

Saturday 2 hour open BILder Bar meet n' greet on the Queen Mary  ($1500)



10. Kids at BIL


This year's BIL is not currently kid friendly.  However previous years at BIL have been kid friendly because BILder parents have chosen to make it so.  If you are up for the task of organizing a parent babysitting brigade, or figuring out a way to hire baby-sitters from a vetted organization that does background checks on all their hires, or even better-- organizing a team for kid friendly activties, you rock!  If it changes, a link to the PB wiki information will be posted here.  (If you don't see it, no one did it.)


BIL 2008 Creative CommonsQuinn Norton

 

11.  Social Media 


BIL has historically used Twitter as a communication channel during the conference, sometimes we luck out and someone donates the use of walkie talkies for the weekend.  For many people that like to live blog or tweet, this year's hashtag is #bil2012.  To see BIL's current twitter feed using hashtags you can search for #bil2012 or click here.  


For a look at Flickr photos from past BILs, you can search under "bilconference" or bil**, or bil20** where ** represents the last 2 digits of the year the photo was taken. 


You can do the same thing with youtube or vimeo videos.  For example you can watch Jonathan Sheffi (BILder and linchpin for BILpil) give a talk on The Promise and Peril of Personalized Medicine


You also have the option of joining the conversation in the Facebook event page. 


12.  How to edit PB Wiki


 

So as many of you may have noticed, the newsletter says to sign up to be a volunteer, add your name to ride or room share, organize a BIL event, all on the wiki.  Some of you already know how to do this and have an account with PBWiki.  Some of you don't.  


For those that don't know, go to a PB Wiki page that you wish to edit and do the following:


  1. Toward the upper right hand corner of most of the PB Wiki pages is a button that says "To join this workspace, create an account." press it.
  2. Fill in the information to create an account with PBworks and click the "Create Account" button.
  3. You should be taken to a page that indicates you have succeeded. 
  4. Click "Return to Login Page"
  5. Enter your username and password and sign in. 
  6. Then go to the "bilconference.com workspace" or go back to the page you wanted to edit.


Once you are logged in, how to edit the page you want to edit:


  1. Get to that page.
  2. Near the upper left corner is a tab that says "View" and another that says "Edit," click the one that says "Edit"
  3. Then use the WYSIWYG editor to add what you are signing up for or helping coordinate
  4. When you are done, at the bottom left is the "Save" button.  Click it. 
  5. Enjoy your changes.


13.  Can I smoke at BIL?


No.   If you have to smoke, do it in designated areas only.


The ship has "state of the art" particulate sensors.  Despite being 80 years old, US Coast Guard Regulations demand Smoke sensors that rival the Space Shuttles.   

Smoking outside of designated zones, (exterior balcony, landings, marked areas of open deck, etc) will set off smoke sensors that will create an *immediate* response by ships personnel.



14. Thank You!

 

Your commitment to helping our community is sincerely appreciated.  We would like to thank the many individuals that make BIL possible.  


We would like to give a special thanks to the Queen Mary,  we deeply appreciate how amazing the venue is, and the staff has been in making our event awesome!


We would also like to thank this year's sponsors:



We would really like to thank everyone that has sponsored us thus far…

Frame

Masque

Bricklayer

3scanThe Seasteading InstituteBeing Human
Being Human

Fixture

SensSpaceXSpaceXAlcorMoon Express

Food Sponsors

RND VodkaLe Grande Courtage

Media Sponsors

Tech CocktailTV Free MediaKPFK Radio

Foundation

 

BIL can't happen without the help of our amazing sponsors.

Sponsorship Package




Queen Mary (Venue), 3SCan (Sponsor), The Seasteading Institute (Supporting Organization), BeingHuman2012.org (Sponsor),

 Alcor (Sponsor), SpaceX (Sponsor), SENS (Sponsor) and Motorphilia (Sponsor)



 

Each year BIL continues to advance the open, self-organizing, emergent, arts, humanities, science, society and technology conferences.  

 

We hope to see you there!  


(to ask more questions you'd like to see in the FAQ send Alexis an email to her LexBright/gmail)

 

(special thanks to Renee Barrett for help editing the FAQ)