sound like a good idea. In fact it could be disastrous leading to
too much scrutiny and publicity. Security people are too nervous
about such places right now.
Remember we thrive on a lot of people NOT knowing about us. We want
people who are interested in the hobby and are discreet. We don't
want so much publicity that we would start getting vandalized or shut
out.
Scarab
--- In letterbox-usa@y..., "John Miller"
> "It should go without saying that suspicious behaviour in a federal
building will likely ruin your day..." I'm sure this will make me
seem like some old stick-in-the-mud, but I feel compelled to give a
much stronger warning to those who would undertake to letterbox in
places which are legitimate targets of terrorism. The security
personnel in these facilities are completely humorless, and are very
much on the lookout for people engaged in activities which could
easily be construed as nefarious by the casual observer, i.e.
surreptitiously secreting a 35mm mini on the underside of the water
fountain with Velcro in the Smithsonian Castle. If you were caught
doing so, you would certainly be held pending full verification of
your explanation, or worse. At the least, I intend to have Chief
Curator, Lynda Roscoe Hartigan's name at the ready just in case when
I go.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: leger de maine
> To: letterbox-usa@y...
> Sent: Friday, November 29, 2002 10:45 AM
> Subject: [LbNA] Smithsonian
>
>
> Recently, I was contacted by the Smithsonian. Seems that
they, too, have been made aware of our presence by the Washington
Post article, and were pretty interested in what their April '98
article had spawned. I believe that a follow up article, or blurb
anyway, is in the works. The most amazing thing is that the
correspondent I talked with knew of the first Kmartha prank, and was
more than a little amused by my remarks about it someday ending up in
the Institution's archives of Americana. She passed the joke on to
one of the curators at the American Art Museum, who specializes in
American Folk Art. She was also charmed, and contacted me, inquiring
about the piece!
>
> I had a really interesting discussion with her about folk
art, and my take on the whole letterboxing thing. While I'd be
tickled to have any of my work as part of the collection, I convinced
her that such a piece should be dynamic, interactive, and discreet...
a real letterbox placed within the Smithsonian, that people could
find, stamp in, collect the stamp, and be part of it... after a time,
it could be put on display or added to the archives for future
display.
> So there it is. Your chance to be a small part of history
and folk art in America, not to mention a highly collectible piece of
legerdemaine. It'll be in place until the beginning of April, and
then become part of the Smithsonian archives. I'd like to thank Chief
Curator, Lynda Roscoe Hartigan, for allowing me, and the community,
this once in a lifetime opportunity, and specifically for being
receptive to my suggestions regarding how this be put forth.
>
> The letterbox is located in the Smithsonian Castle. Use the
handicap entrance on the Washington Monument side of the front
entrance. Note the old Smithsonian lamppost letterbox on display
directly to the right of the doorway when you enter. The letterbox
is a 35mm mini. It is attached to the underside of the water
fountain to the left of the doorway with Velcro. It should go
without saying that suspicious behaviour in a federal building will
likely ruin your day, so be discreet, and take it to a remote spot
for stamping up, and return it later.
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
> the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE*
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> ADVERTISEMENT
>
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe: mailto:letterbox-usa-unsubscribe@e...
> List etiquette, info, etc: http://www.letterboxing.org/list.html
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
Service.