Re: [ga] Option A -- "Divestiture'

[Kent Crispin <kent@songbird.com>]

On Fri, Mar 23, 2001 at 05:05:29PM +1200, DPF wrote:
[...]
> 
> >Whatever your extensive experience with proper staff functions, the 
> >analysis provided by ICANN staff is actually quite professional.  It labels 
> >opinions as opinions.  It analyses contract language and describes specific 
> >obligations and lack of obligations, in terms of common expectation about 
> >Verisign.
> 
> The analysis is extremely slanted, ignores many negative attributes,
> glosses over others and puts the most unfavourable interpretation on
> the existing contract.

That is, it doesn't favor your interpretation.

> Also who asked for the staff to do this lobbying?  Did the Board ask
> the staff to do this?

Wouldn't be at all surprised.  Vint Cerf, Chairman of the Board,
obviously has supported these agreements, in case you haven't noticed.  
If you were a staff member, and the chair of the board asked you to do 
something, would you do it?

> >Staff are not expected to be machines; professional analysis had better 
> >include professional opinions.
> 
> Conclusions such as that Verisign would be unbeatable to retain the
> registries under the existing contract are highly inappropriate for
> staff to make.

The "staff" includes Louis Touton, General Counsel for the corporation. 
Contrary to your assertion, it is his *job* to offer his best opinion as
to the meaning of the various clauses in the contract.  That is
precisely why people hire lawyers, after all.  This goes for other staff
members -- Andrew is a policy analyst; it is his job to give his
opinion, as well.

You are unhappy that the staff analysis doesn't support your point of 
view -- that's understandable.  But you have descended into personal 
attacks, and that's not so good.

-- 
Kent Crispin                               "Be good, and you will be
kent@songbird.com                           lonesome." -- Mark Twain
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