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Smithsonian says move on, get over it. (fwd)
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 18:29:14 -0500
Begin forwarded message: From: Carl Malamud <carl () media org> Date: November 18, 2006 9:07:10 AM EST To: dave () farber net Subject: [Smithson] Smithsonian says move on, get over it. (fwd) Hi Dave - For IP, if you wish. Regards, Carl From: Carl Malamud <carl () media org> Date: November 18, 2006 9:00:11 AM EST To: smithson () mappa mundi net Subject: [Smithson] Smithsonian says move on, get over it. Hi - The Smithsonian Institution has been telling Congress and the public to move on and get over it. This note summarizes the situation and contains a "call for action" in the form of a letter to Congress. Feel free to forward. Smithsonian lobbyists are trying to paper over their exclusive 30-year sellout to Showtime, saying that the contract has posed no problems and nobody seems to be upset about it anymore. This position is meant to convince Congress that they should rescind language in pending House bills, such as provisions that no contracts shall be issued that limit access by the public. The situation is timely since the House and Senate will soon be meeting to reconcile bills in conference. This situation just begs for a little sunshine, but that's the last thing the Smithsonian seems to want: o The contract is still secret and was even withheld at first from members of Congress. When they finally delivered the document to the oversight committee, large portions of the contract were redacted until they agreed to sign an NDA. The public *still* hasn't seen this contract. o The Smithsonian managed to get the hearing record pulled from the Government Printing Office web site, claiming it contained sensitive material, but I snagged a copy before it was pulled http://public.resource.org/smithsonian_hearing.pdf (3.4 mbyte pdf file) Appendix 3 contains a small excerpt from the contract, which is why that had it pulled. o The Government Accounting Office has delivered a draft reportof the contract to the Congress and Smithsonian officials maintain
the study should not be released for the public to see. If you don't want this situation simply brushed under the Smithsonian'srug, please read and consider signing this letter to members of Congress:
http://public.resource.org/smithsonian_congress.html I'll be taking signatures through Sunday, November 25 and will deliver the letter the following week. Your help would be much appreciated! Best Regards, Carl Malamud =================== Archival Materials: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2006/04/b1554385.html BoingBoing posts on this topic:- April 4, 2006: Smithsonian becomes Showtime's exclusive first- refusal archive
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/04/04/smithsonian_becomes_.html - April 5, 2006: Smithsonian's Showtime sellout needs FOIA sunshine http://www.boingboing.net/2006/04/05/smithsonians_showtim.html- April 7, 2006: Smithsonian's Showtime deal: critical attorneys shred it
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/04/07/smithsonians_showtim.html - April 17, 2006: Hundreds ask Smithsonian not to sell out to Showtime http://www.boingboing.net/2006/04/17/hundreds_ask_smithso.html - April 29, 2006: Smithsonian's sellout to Showtime slammed by Congress http://www.boingboing.net/2006/04/29/smithsonians_sellout.html - May 4, 2006: Lawmakers slap Smithsonian over Showtime sellout deal http://www.boingboing.net/2006/05/04/lawmakers_slap_smith.html _______________________________________________ Smithson mailing list Smithson () mappa mundi net ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- Smithsonian says move on, get over it. (fwd) David Farber (Nov 18)