Dear [NOAD: adjective, “expensive”] ICANN, 1. I have been using the Internet for 35 years, and have been registering domains for our own use continuously since the monopoly days of NSI (Network Solutions, Inc.). That monopoly got pulled because of the company’s arrogance towards its customers. When it became possible to switch to other registrars, I attempted to do so exactly per the regulations. This was declined, and nobody I could reach at NSI had the slightest interest in resolving it. Their thinking seemed to be, “We are still a monopoly, and you are our prisoner for life!” I had to write a half page letter on letterhead and fax it to the company in-house legal counsel. In this fax, I outlined the exact steps I would take if they didn’t release our domain registration. Twenty minutes later, NSI’s legal counsel called me personally to apologize and say that the transfer had been handled immediately. I heard that after this, their legal counsel had to read the CEO chapter and verse of the applicable regulations, and that was the end of that. 2. I never thought that I would have to go through this again, but the way ICANN has been acting in secret multiple times recently, I suspect I may have to call in my global connections. You are overplaying your hand, and that never ends well. Monopolies are burned down and replaced with something completely new where the first qualification for hiring is having no connection with the old monopoly. The proposed agreement with Verisign, where they would pay you $20M to spend on anything you feel like without accountability, in return for letting them extract more money from domain registration wholesalers, would generate a lot of energy to replace ICANN with a completely new structure. You have already seen movement on this, but this agreement with unjustified rate changes would really pour gasoline on the fire. If you want ICANN to continue its existence, you need to a) become more open about what you are doing, and b) avoid blatant conflict-of-interest arrangements that would immediately be classified as corruption. Yours sincerely, B.J. Ahlen Business Owner Co-Founder of two public companies 2118 Wilshire Blvd. #987 Santa Monica, CA 90403