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Revision as of 20:18, 24 December 2010
, 20:18, 24 December 2010→Budget
==Wikimedia Foundation finances are suspect.==
==Wikimedia Foundation finances are suspect.==
===Censorship===
In fall 2010 Wikipedia repeatedly removed information from verified sources that NH Senator Kelly Ayotte believes she and the GOP may threaten to arrest reporters they don't like when they hold publicly-advertised rallies on commercial property that is subject to State and Local permitting and regulation. KingCast.net (websites owned and operated by a former reporter for the Indianapolis Star and other publications) sued Kelly Ayotte, the GOP and Nashua Police for Free Press and Racial Discrimination violations. When the poster jumped through all of the hoops, finally quoting directly from a secondary source that is the second-largest newspaper in New Hampshire -- according to Wiki no less -- they again removed the content and stated that there was no proof that Kelly Ayotte knew of the policy or the lawsuit and therefore it couldn't be attributed to her stance on the issue of Free Press.... DUH!
The newspaper article clearly notes that Christopher King "KingCast.net" was escorted out by the police at a GOP/Joe Arpaio rally after he attempted to speak to Kelly Ayotte:http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/887281-196/blogger-sues-ayotte-others-over-access.html
A short movie about this, with a related online journal link under the video for more information, is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS89irco-5s.
===Budget===
===Budget===
In 2010, the Wikimedia Foundation called for a budget of $10.4 million. However, industry analysts contend that Wikipedia and all its sister projects could probably [http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091221141604AAEUCsW operate on a budget] of $1.6 million (including salaries for several IT developers), because over 99% of the actual work being done is accomplished by unpaid volunteers. A [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/4/4f/FINAL_08_09From_KPMG.pdf KPMG audit] reported that in 2009, the Wikimedia Foundation spent only $822,405 on Internet hosting fees, plus $1,259,161 in "operating" costs (which includes many of the unnecessary staff who had been hired in just the previous two years). Even this KPMG expense summary would dictate that $2.1 million would be sufficient for the Wikimedia Foundation, so why the call for a budget nearly '''five times''' what's needed? And look out, Wikimedia director Sue Gardner is [http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/wikipedia-foundation-plans-expansion/ calling for] a twice-larger budget of $20 million for 2011! This will include a 12%+ pay raise for herself, even amidst a severe economic downturn.
In 2010, the Wikimedia Foundation called for a budget of $10.4 million. However, industry analysts contend that Wikipedia and all its sister projects could probably [http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091221141604AAEUCsW operate on a budget] of $1.6 million (including salaries for several IT developers), because over 99% of the actual work being done is accomplished by unpaid volunteers. A [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/4/4f/FINAL_08_09From_KPMG.pdf KPMG audit] reported that in 2009, the Wikimedia Foundation spent only $822,405 on Internet hosting fees, plus $1,259,161 in "operating" costs (which includes many of the unnecessary staff who had been hired in just the previous two years). Even this KPMG expense summary would dictate that $2.1 million would be sufficient for the Wikimedia Foundation, so why the call for a budget nearly '''five times''' what's needed? And look out, Wikimedia director Sue Gardner is [http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/wikipedia-foundation-plans-expansion/ calling for] a twice-larger budget of $20 million for 2011! This will include a 12%+ pay raise for herself, even amidst a severe economic downturn.
