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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>My, my… We are venturing into the
theatre of the absurd. One wonders who gave the “international
expert panel” their brief? This cannot stand or, indeed, Steve, the
damage will be vastly more far reaching than a poor reflection on ICANN.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Kind regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>RA<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Ronald N. Andruff</span></font><font
color=blue><span style='color:blue'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><a href="http://www.rnapartners.com">RNA
Partners, Inc.</a></span></font><span class=MsoHyperlink><u><font size=2
color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></u></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
owner-bc-gnso@icann.org [mailto:owner-bc-gnso@icann.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Steve DelBianco<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, March 01, 2013 6:50
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> bc - GNSO list<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [bc-gnso] Update:
Contention sets for new gTLDs</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>Wanted you all to see
this. I think it will reflect poorly on ICANN's expansion of TLDs. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>ICANN hired an international
expert panel to scour 1900 new TLD strings and determine which were confusingly
similar, so they could be combines in the same contention set. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>This is to ensure we
don't delegate 2 TLD strings that would confuse Internet users because they are
too similar. I expected, for example, that the applications received for
.hotel and .hotels would be in the same contention set, since it would be
confusing for users to have both TLDs out there. (It would increase the
cost of defensive registrations, too, since hotels would have to buy domains in
both TLDs. )<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>After several months
of careful study, ICANN's experts published their contention sets yesterday. (<a
href="http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-26feb13-en.htm">link</a>)
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<blockquote style='margin-left:30.0pt;margin-right:0in'>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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</blockquote>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>They
"identified" 230 "exact match contention sets" where
multiple applicants sought the exact same string.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>And they found just 2
"non-exact match contention sets" (unicom and unicorm; hoteis
and hotels )<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>Unbelievably, they did
not consider the singular and plural versions of key words to be confusingly
similar. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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</blockquote>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>This means we will get
new TLDs for both the singular and plural versions of keywords such as:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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</div>
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</span>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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</span>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>ACCOUNTANT<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>ACCOUNTANTS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>AUTO <span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>AUTOS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>CAR<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>CARS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>CAREER<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>CAREERS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>COUPON<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>COUPONS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>CRUISE<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>CRUISES<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>DEAL<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>DEALS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>FAN<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>FANS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>GAME<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>GAMES<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>GIFT<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>GIFTS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>HOME<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>HOMES<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>HOTEL<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>HOTELS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>HOTEL<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>HOTELES<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>KID<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>KIDS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>LOAN<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>LOANS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>MARKET<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>MARKETS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>NEW<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>NEWS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>PET<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>PETS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>PHOTO<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>PHOTOS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>REVIEW<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>REVIEWS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>SPORT<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>SPORTS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>TOUR<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">TOURS</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>WEB<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>WEBS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>WORK<span
class=apple-tab-span> </span>WORKS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>What are the
implications for applicants? Well, let's take an example. The 2
Applicants for .GIFT just got a huge gift from ICANN when they were not placed
in the same contention set as the 2 applicants for .GIFTS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"></span><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><u1:p></u1:p>
<div style='word-wrap: break-word;-webkit-nbsp-mode: space;-webkit-line-break: after-white-space'>
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<div style='word-wrap: break-word;-webkit-nbsp-mode: space;-webkit-line-break: after-white-space'>
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<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>One of the 2 .GIFT
guys must prevail in their "singular" contention set.
They can then proceed to delegation, as they planned. Or they can
negotiate to be bought-out by the winning applicant from the plural contention
set ( .GIFTS ).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><u1:p></u1:p><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>In other words, many
applicants dodged a bullet by escaping from contention with their
singular/plural form competitors. My guess is they want to explore
ways to monetize their good fortune. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<u1:p></u1:p><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><u1:p>
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<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'> </u1:p>--<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>Steve DelBianco<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>Executive Director<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>NetChoice<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>http://www.NetChoice.org
and http://blog.netchoice.org <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>+1.202.420.7482 <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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