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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dear colleagues,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>So it appears that ICANN is once again entering into the
Theatre of the Absurd. First, Fadi states publicly in the post-Beijing
video that in a precedent-setting move, ICANN would put the GAC advice out to
public comment; then (perhaps recognizing the law of unintended consequences)
he does an about-face and notes the Public Comment will not include any public
comments… The public comment period that wasn’t?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>If you haven’t seen the announcement, it is here: <a
href="http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-18apr13-en">http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-18apr13-en</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The president and staff have to recognize that these flip
flopping, stutter-stepping, inconsistencies are unacceptable to the community
and to governments. Trying to make up processes on the fly to ensure that
the deadlines for new gTLDs are hit is not part of the bottom up,
consensus-driven institution many in the community devote so much volunteer time
in building.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>For my part, we need to send that message back to Fadi. Either
it is an open Public Comment forum; or there is no Public Comment at all, in my
view. He can’t have it both ways… In essence, what he is
trying to do now is solely give affected applicants a chance to say that
shouldn’t be on the list because of x, y, or z. What about the
parties affected by, or objectors to, those applications? Don’t
they deserve – at the very least – equal time?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I do hope that we can find consensus on this matter within
the BC. We REALLY need to pull together on this and singular/plural –
both of which are absurd. Can we look to our Ex Com to take the lead…?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Kind regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>RA<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Ronald N. Andruff</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><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>
<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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