Support Public Knowledge

Passing along this fund-raising appeal from Public Knowledge, one of the most important voices in Washington defending the public's rights:

2006 was a busy year for Public Knowledge, and a good one for the
public.  Working with our friends in industry and the public
interest community, Public Knowledge played a critical role in
some of the most important copyright and communications law
issues of the year:

* Public Knowledge was the public interest leader in Washington
  in the thus-far successful fight against Government mandated
  DRM like the Broadcast Flag, Radio Flag, and efforts to close
  the Analog Hole.

* Public Knowledge worked tirelessly on the Hill, in the media,
  in public forums, and on the Internet to make "net neutrality"
  a critical part of the debate over telecommunications reform.
  We collaborated with our allies to ensure that 1) any proposed
  telecommunications reform law that did not include net
  neutrality was defeated and 2) the AT&T/Bell South merger was
  not approved absent an enforceable net neutrality requirement.

* Public Knowledge brought together industry and non-profit
  groups to put pressure on the U.S. delegation to change its
  position on the WIPO broadcast treaty, which proposed to give
  broadcasters a 50 year copyright-like rights in their signals.
  The effort was a success -- the treaty has been delayed with
  its future uncertain.

* Public Knowledge supported two pieces of legislation that would
  bring balance back to copyright 1) a solution to the "orphan
  works" problem (works for which a copyright owner cannot be
  found);  and 2) a requirement that taxpayer funded research be
  made available for free online.   Importantly, Public Knowledge
  gave independent filmmakers a voice on the orphan works issue.

Next year we will certainly be fighting some of these same
battles again, but we also want to do more.  We want to propose
comprehensive copyright law reform and we want to be the public's
voice in the debate over patent reform.  But to do all of this,
we need your support.

The easiest way to do this is to visit our website and choose the
"Support Public Knowledge" link at the top of the page, or go
straight to the following URL:
  <http://www.publicknowledge.org/support>

Here are a few ways you can lend a hand:

* Donate: One time or recurring, in any amount.  (As a 501(c)(3),
  a donation to Public Knowledge is a tax deductible to the
  extent the law allows.)

* Buy a T-Shirt: We have a collection of propaganda t-shirts to
  get out the word on important issues -- buy one or "subscribe"
  to all four.

* Buy a PK Ball Cap: PK logo on the front, URL on the back.