Hi, The Seattle branch of TA3M (Techno-Activism Third Mondays) starts this month! http://wiki.openitp.org/events:techno-activism_3rd_mondays "Techno-Activism Third Mondays (TA3M) is an informal meetup designed to connect software creators and activists who are interested in censorship, surveillance, and open technology." We've a series of training based on CryptoParty Handbook and a few other up-to-date documents planned. We're targeting novice computer users, especially activists and journalists, instead of those who already know enough to attend CryptoParties. :-) We have a series of guest speakers from local communities to showcase their opportunities for involvement, local projects. Learn to contribute to documentation, code, translation of related open source tools. Initial tentative/planned speakers include: Seattle Privacy Coalition, Tor Project, LibrePlanet Washington, FreeGeek Seattle, OpenStreetMap Seattle, and about a dozen others in the works. If you wish to help us, speak on a topic, demo something, help with a project, or a related group, please consider attending our August planning meeting. August's 3rd Monday is for local partners/co-organizers, and local groups and people with ideas to steer the direction of this new group. 6:30pm at Ada's Technical Bookstore in Capital Hill, Seattle. September's 3rd Monday is the first one for normal users/activists, with guest speakers and training. HELP! We need a hosting location in Seattle, with a max capacity greater than 50, with WiFi and projector. Please speak up if you know of something! In the next few days, the above wiki URL will be updated with more specifics as we have them. Until then, feel free to e-mail me with any questions. Thanks! Lee Fisher