<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV>(No doubt I did something stoopid, but none of the e-mail I received yesterday was saved by my computer, so...)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Tara Cross wrote that work on the new interpretive exhibits has been undrway for months. Yes. Did I tell the tale about September-October 2002 (yes, that far back) a gentleman in New York City contacted me. He is a designer for a firm that has produced a great many interpretive displays for government agencies, including NPS. He had been invited to attend a meeting in YNP regarding the new OFVEC and, supposedly, would then be in a position to make a bid on the job (and wished for my "expert" input). The last I heard from him was a letter filled with disgust at Yellowstone inviting him, and prepresentatives of other design corporations, to a meeting in the park when, in fact, the contract has essentially already bee granted... He discussed a lawsuit, but I doubt that that ever happened.,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Well, so all that is in the past. The designs are well in-progress. But does that mean there can't be input, the opportunity to update, to modify, to correct? Evidently there will be no such opportunity. But therefore everybody had better believe: if I find new interpretive exhibits that have (for example) backwards photos (such as the existing photos at Grotto and Riverside), or a flat-out wrong photo (such as the photo of Opalescent Pool on the Biscuit Basin sign), or incorrect/scientifically invalid statements, or any such et cetera, you can be very certain that I will get as noisy as I possibly can. And it won't be confined to this list, nor to Wyoming.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Now, please, two follow-up items:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1. So now the Bush Administratioin is announcing its proposed budget for the next fiscal year, filled with huge cuts in some programs including, I'd almost be willing to bet, the NPS. If so, does this in any way affect the funding for the new OFVEC?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>2. Tara encourages people to write, saying "those letters are read and responded to." Responded to who? In the past two or three years, I have sent comments to the park Supterintendent using the official form that is available in the visitor centers. My understanding from when I worked in the park, and I would presume still, is that any such submission is supposed to receive a written reply (probably not from the Superintendent, but at least from somebody in Admin). I have not received any reply whatsoever, including no reply to my on-the-form complaint about not receiving replies!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Scott Bryan</DIV></BODY></HTML>