[olug] [Fwd: [IPac] Your Senator Needs an iPod]

[Daniel Linder]

It looks like this idea could easily put a halt to the "Broadcast
Flag" -- now we just have to find an easy way show how DRM will
affect them, too...



Dan



---------------------------- Original Message
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Subject: [IPac] Your Senator Needs an iPod

From:    "Ren Bucholz, IPac" <info at ipaction.org>

Date:    Fri, February 3, 2006 16:43

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Dear Friends of IPac,



Happy belated new year!  This list has been quiet for awhile, but rest

assured that we have been busy behind the scenes.  Primary season

approaches, however, and we're excited to roll out a number of new

projects in the coming months.  And to kick off this important election

year, we bring you our latest campaign, "Your Senator Needs an
iPod":



http://www.ipaction.org/campaigns/ipod/



Earlier this week, we launched a modest campaign to educate Senators

about balanced copyright law and technology by buying them iPods loaded

with public domain and Creative Commons-licensed content. After just

three days, we've raised enough money to supply nine Senators with

iPods.  We've been blown away by the response.



You might be wondering why we'd bother getting iPods for people who can

already afford them. We believe that legislators learn best when they

have concrete examples of abstract issues, and recent events have

reinforced this view.



Last week, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and

Transportation held a hearing on the "Broadcast Flag" and
"Audio Flag,"

a set of proposals by the MPAA and RIAA that would stifle innovation by

giving content holders a veto over new technologies and existing user

rights.



But Senator Stevens, the 82-year old committee chairman from Alaska,

surprised the audience by announcing that his daughter had bought him an

iPod. Suddenly, Stevens had a much greater understanding of the many

ways innovative technology can create choice for consumers. Content

industry representatives at the hearing found themselves answering much

tougher questions than they typically receive.



That's why we think all Senators ought to join Stevens' esteemed company

as iPod owners. Rather than wait for every Senator's daughter, we're

taking matters into our own hands and buying a video iPod for the

campaigns of Senators who work on legislation affecting technology.

Plus, we're going to pre-load each one with examples of the cultural

richness made possible by sharing and collaboration - public domain

content, Creative Commons content, and audio messages about the

importance of balanced copyright policy. It will be engraved with the

words "listen to the people." And it will arrive at each
Senator's

campaign office with a letter of explanation and a list of all the

people who helped pay for it.



If you support this campaign, please consider making a donation, telling

your friends, or blogging about it:



http://www.ipaction.org/campaigns/ipod/



Thanks for your support, and we look forward to bringing you more

exciting campaigns in the coming months.  And if you think of a good

idea for a campaign, please let us know!



Sincerely,



The IPac Team





- - - -

"Wait for that wisest of all counselors, time." -- Pericles

"I do not fear computers, I fear the lack of them." -- Isaac
Asimov

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