[ALAC] Casino Owner donates $1M to charity, rather than buying gTLDs

[Evan Leibovitch]

I don't always agree with Lauren (Weinetstein, I mean, not my wife). And I
don't agree with the excesses of his conclusions. However, his take is an
interesting one worth understanding.

I have put forth the premise that the reason for the lack of African and
applicant support TLD applications has only a little to do with poor
communications. Rather, I suggest that non-speculators have determined they
have better uses for $185K (even after an Applicant Support discount is
applied) than for a TLD.

- Evan

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren at vortex.com>
Date: 25 June 2012 05:25
Subject: [ NNSquad ] Casino Owner donates $1M to charity, rather than
buying gTLDs
To: nnsquad at nnsquad.org



Casino Owner donates $1M to charity, rather than buying gTLDs

http://j.mp/LUsx5F  (Huffington)

  "An anonymous Las Vegas casino owner has struck again - this time with
   a $1 million donation to help needy people."

 - - -

The subject line I chose for this posting is purposely somewhat
deceptive.  There is no direct connection between this charity gift
and ICANN.  But it is still an *accurate* statement.  We have here an
example of someone who chose to use a million dollars to help the
needy, when he could have used it for anything else -- including
buying gTLDs from ICANN.

When I saw this story, I couldn't help but be reminded of the 100's of
millions of dollars -- approaching half a billion at least, that have
been funnelled to ICANN for gTLD submissions, which will mainly serve
primarily to enrich the domain-industrial complex -- and lots of
affiliated lawyers as well, of course.

How else might that vast amount of money have been spent in this time
of vast economic want, when so many people don't have basic
necessities.  Imagine if those funds had been donated to charity, or
for other truly community-positive purposes.

I don't really blame the corporations that have felt it necessary to
participate in the corrupt, conflict of interest ridden, ineptly
executed, and ethically vacuous gTLD process.  Since the process
exists, it could be argued that it would be negligent from a business
standpoint not to participate.

I do, however, accuse ICANN in its current state of being morally
bankrupt to a level that if not criminal, is at the very least
bobbling at that threshold.

They should be ashamed of themselves.  More than that, we should be
ashamed of *ourselves* for permitting this gTLD travesty to exist and
continue, while so many people need so much real help, and the Internet
itself is saddled with so many serious problems relating to control,
free speech, censorship, and so much else.

We are failing in our stewardship of the Net.  Miserably.

--Lauren--