Internet Governance Forum, Istanbul, Sept 2-5, ICANN Activities

ICANN activities at IGF 2014

Internet Governance Forum (IGF) | Internet Society: "The United Nations created the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to continue the work of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The IGF has brought together people from government, private sector, technical community and civil society to discuss Internet governance issues at a series of annual meetings since 2006."

The ninth Annual Meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), Istanbul, Turkey, September 2-5


IGF 2014 Schedule

Update: Enhancing ICANN Accountability and Governance Town Hall Meeting to take place at Internet Governance Forum in Istanbul - ICANN: "ICANN staff invites all interested stakeholders to a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the Enhancing ICANNAccountability and Governance Process during the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Istanbul, Turkey. The Town Hall Meeting will provide an opportunity for an open dialogue to address and clarify any remaining questions about the Enhancing ICANN Accountability and Governance Process."

Date/Time: Tuesday 2 September 2014 06:00-07:30 UTC (Time zone conversions can be found here) [2 AM EDT (US)]

Location: ICEC in the Topkapi A Room, Istanbul, Turkey

Remote Participation Information:
Online Meeting Room: https://intgovforum.webex.com/intgovforum/j.php?MTID=md43f4ed6d6fb2922239ea63ba730800f
Meeting Number: 959 336 622
Meeting Password: ICANN

Audio Conference Information:
Call-in toll number (UK): +44 203 478 5289
Global call-in numbers: https://intgovforum.webex.com/intgovforum/globalcallin.php?serviceType=MC&ED=312692962&tollFree=0
Access code: 959 336 622

Other ICANN related events:
No. 185: WS185: ICANN Globalization and the Affirmation of Commitments Wednesday, September 3 • 11:00am - 12:30pm

No. 191: ICANN Globalization in an Evolving IG Ecosystem Wednesday, September 3 • 2:30pm - 4:00pm

IGF 2014: Main/Focus Session: IANA Functions: NTIA...: Friday, September 5 • 9:30am - 11:00am Main/Focus Session: IANA Functions: NTIA's Stewardship Transition and ICANN's Accountability Process (Time Conversion)

Pre-Events

Side-Meetings

As underlined in the Tunis Agenda, the IGF is a multistakeholder, democratic and transparent forum which facilitates discussions on public policy issues related to key elements of Internet governance. Given its inclusive nature, the Forum welcomes the participation of all stakeholders in the Internet governance ecosystem, including all entities accredited by the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), as well as other institutions and individuals with proven expertise and experience in all matters related to Internet governance. The main theme of the ninth IGF is "Connecting Continents for Enhanced Multi-stakeholder Internet Governance" – a theme inspired by the location of the meeting itself and agreed upon after wide consultation among stakeholders. Discussions during the four-day meeting will address a wide range of Internet governance issues, grouped in the following sub-themes: Policies Enabling Access; Content Creation, Dissemination and Use; Internet as an Engine for Growth & Development; IGF & The Future of the Internet Ecosystem; Enhancing Digital Trust; Internet and Human Rights; Critical Internet Resources and Emerging issues. More than 100 different sessions are expected to be held, allowing for comprehensive debates reflecting the voices of various stakeholders from different parts of the world and building upon the discussions and outcomes of other Internet governance meetings, fora and organisations. The ninth IGF will also actively respond to the outcomes of the NETmundial by taking forward the issues discussed there in a variety of ways. The programme will also include orientation sessions and capacity building opportunities for those interested, as well as the possibility for national and regional IGF initiatives to share their respective work and experiences. (source: IGF)

More info on the IGF: Internet Governance Forum - Wikipedia

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WEF Netmundial Initiative Meeting Feedback Positive; Next ICG Meeting

The World Economic Forum’s Netmundial Initiative meeting yesterday, has received mostly positive feedback, example:

Truly open meetings really make a difference. What was positive about #WEF #NETMundial meeting is that everything was discussed in the open.
— Renata Avila (@avilarenata) August 28, 2014

Statement from U.S. Secretary Of Commerce Penny Pritzker on World Economic Forum’s Netmundial Initiative | Department of Commerce: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker issued the following statement on the launch of the NetMundial Initiative on Internet governance cooperation announced by the World Economic Forum in Geneva:

“I want to thank the World Economic Forum for taking on the important task of facilitating discussions for the global Internet community on how to apply the NetMundial Principles in practice. I hope the framework for these discussions is open and transparent and allows for the participation of all interested parties. These discussions also should consider how to build bridges between the NetMundial initiative and existing governance institutions and processes, including the Internet Governance Forum, taking care to complement and bolster them through its work. The U.S. Department of Commerce looks forward to working with all the stakeholders on this important effort.”

In addition, the video stream quality was excellent for all sessions. A handout at the meeting: The NETmundial Initiative Action Dialogues Overview (pdf); other information can be found here and here.

________

Reminder: Next Meeting of ICG to follow IGF in Istanbul next week: "The next face-to-face meeting of the IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group (ICG) will take place next Saturday, September 6, 2014, following next week's Ninth Annual IGF Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey. Similar to the London Meeting, the community will be able to follow the ICG's second meeting through a Virtual Meeting Room ...."

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NETmundial Initiative LIVE from the World Economic Forum

WEF/ICANN NETmundial Initiative meeting Thursday, August 28 to be streamed LIVE at expvc.com starting at 11 am (Geneva/CEST) / 5 am EDT (US) / event time converter




More info:
expVC | expvc.com | domain name news: World Economic Forum, ICANN, NETmundial Initiative, August 28:  Scheduled start time Thursday for the first session 11 am (Geneva/CEST) - 5 am EDT (US) - event time converter

NETmundial Initiative Brief (pdf)

Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)

Agenda (pdf)

Participants (pdf)

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After 3 year legal batte, Connectify.me gets Connectify.com for free

Interesting article at the link below (excerpt follows) that details a 3 year legal battle for connectify.me to acquire the domain name connectify.com after the seller defaulted on the sales agreement--

After years-long URL fight, Connectify just got Connectify.com — for free - Technical.ly Philly: ".... the company, which sells software that can turn any Windows computer into a WiFi hotspot, had been using Connectify.me as its main website. It had tried to acquire Connectify.com, but once Connectify put the money into escrow, Connectify.com’s owners backed out ... Then [after 3 year legal battle] ... Cisco’s lawyers sent Connectify’s lawyers a letter saying they would transfer the domain to them — for free. Turns out that the owners of Connectify.com — a Seattle-based company called Pure Networks, according to Cisco spokeswoman Robyn Blum — sold their company to Cisco in 2008, making Cisco the legal owners of the site...." (read more at link above)

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NOTE: The WEF/ICANN NETmundial Initiative meeting Thursday, August 28 to be streamed LIVE at expvc.com starting at 11 am (Geneva/CEST) / 5 am EDT (US) / event time converter

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Free Webinar: ICANN, New gTLDs, Accountability, IANA Transition

Free Webinar on ICANN, New gTLDs, WHOIS Reform, ICANN 51, Accountability, IANA:

On Thursday, August 28, 12 noon to 1:30 ET (US),  Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP (kattenlaw.com) is presenting a free webinar addressing ICANN topics including the state of the new gTLD program, a recap of ICANN 50 London and a preview of ICANN 51 Los Angeles, an update on WHOIS reform, ICANN accountability and next steps for the transition of IANA functions oversight.

Presenters:

Brian Winterfeldt (Head of Internet Practice, Katten Muchin Rosenman);

Elisa Cooper (Director of Product Marketing, MarkMonitor);

J. Scott Evans (Associate General Counsel - Trademarks, Copyright, Domains & Marketing, Adobe Systems Inc.);

Susan Kawaguchi (Domain Name Manager, Facebook Inc.);

Jennifer Standiford (Director of Policy, Web.com Group Inc.).

More information and registration link here.

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NOTE: The WEF/ICANN NETmundial Initiative meeting Thursday, August 28 to be streamed LIVE at expvc.com starting at 11 am (Geneva/CEST) / 5 am EDT (US) / event time converter

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IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group, Conference Call August 26

ICG Announces Third Conference Call - ICANN: The IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group (ICG) will hold its third conference call on Tuesday, 26 August 2014, from 12:00-13:00 UTC; 8am EDT (US), time zone conversions here.

"The community is welcome to attend by way of a listen-only mode Virtual Meeting Room through which audio of the call will be streamed. Translations will be available through relevant Adigo Bridge dial-in numbers and Conference ID codes."

Country dial-in numbers can be found here.

Language service Conference ID numbers are listed below:
Français – Conference ID: 75929475
Español – Conference ID: 68385764
Pусский – Conference ID: 345720
Português – Conference ID: 759752

More information about the Conference Call at the first link above.

For more information about the ICG and the IANA Stewardship Transition: NTIA IANAFunctions' Stewardship Transition Microsite.

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ICANN Enhancing Accountability Process, FAQs

Enhancing ICANN Accountability & Governance | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

• What is the purpose of the Enhancing ICANN Accountability Process?
• What is the structure of this process?
• What is the role of the advisors?
• Where do I find information on this process?
• How can I participate in the Cross Community Group?
• Do I have to be affiliated with an ICANN Supporting Organization or Advisory Committee (SO/AC) to participate in the Cross Community Group?
• What if my SO/AC/SG wants to make a group submission?
• Is there a limit to membership in the Cross Community Group?
• Is there a date by which I need to submit my name?
• How can I participate in the Coordination Group?
• How strong is the community participation on the Coordination Group?
• What are the areas of expertise that should be considered as identifying SO/AC and SG selection of stakeholder expert members to the Coordination Group?
• How will the Cross Community Group appoint representatives to the Coordination Group?
• What is the role of the SOs and ACs in selecting representatives to the Coordination Group?
• Does this process change the traditional role of the SOs and ACs?
• What are the expected working methods for these groups?
• Who develops the charters for the Cross Community Group and the Coordination Group?
• Will the Coordination Group make decisions by vote?
• What is the Board process concerning adoption of recommendations made by the Coordination Group?
• Will travel support be provided for face-to-face meetings?
• What are the key dates for the process so far? Ongoing: Stakeholders submit names for membership to the Cross Community Group. 15 September: Cross Community Group comes together for first meeting. 12-16 October: Coordination Group comes together for its first meeting at ICANN 51; Cross Community Group convenes (as available) for first face-to-face meeting (specific dates to be selected for each).

(read more at the links above)

glossary (place cursor over each acronym): SO/AC/SG

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World Economic Forum, ICANN, NETmundial Initiative, August 28

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is hosting a meeting of leaders from government, business, civil society and academia in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, August 28, to develop ways to help carry forward the spirit of NETmundial through further dialogue and concrete cooperation (Initiative description, FAQ and meeting documents below). All sessions and the press conference are to be Webcast live according to the WEF website, and in addition, there will be an active blog and discussion board established to facilitate a two-way flow of information with the public. Scheduled start time Thursday for the first session 11 am (Geneva/CEST) - 5 am EDT (US) - event time converter [streamed LIVE at expvc.com ]

NETmundial Initiative Brief (pdf)

Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)

Agenda (pdf)

Participants (pdf)

According to the WEF website, the "Initiative is being catalysed by the World Economic Forum in partnership with ICANN and a number of governments and non-state actors." The Initiative’s activities will begin with an initial series of dialogues in certain regions in 2014 and a global multistakeholder summit on Internet governance and cooperation during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters in January 2015. In addition, over the next six months a series of consultations with multiple stakeholders will be organized to inform and help shape the Initiative’s activities and ultimate organizational structure. These "open and inclusive discussions" will take place online and at Forum and other events around the world through the remainder of 2014. The Forum and its partners will work as a multistakeholder coalition to help guide and support the Initiative, supported by an interim steering committee during the initial phase of activities and consultations.

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Percentage of individuals using the Internet

Percentage of individuals using the Internet
Internet Users: Canada, United States, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Russia, Brazil, China, Mexico, India, North Korea,

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ICANN Webinar Friday on the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

ICANN has announced an "informal webinar" about ICANN's participation in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) on Friday, 22 August at 16:00 UTC --12 noon EDT (US)

"The webinar will provide a brief overview of the ICANN related sessions at the IGF in Istanbul from 1-5 September, and will provide an opportunity for members of the community and staff to discuss collaboration opportunities."

Agenda:
Introduction – Sally Costerton
Purpose of ICANN's participation in IGF – Tarek Kamel
Overview of ICANN related activities at the Istanbul IGF – Baher Esmat
Collaboration opportunities at the IGF
Q&A

Webinar Details:
Date: Friday, 22 August 2014
Time: 16:00 UTC (Time zone conversions can be found here: http://ow.ly/ArlQl)
Adobe Connect: https://icann.adobeconnect.com/gseadmin/
Adigo phone information:
US Access Number: 213 233 3193
US Toll Free Access Number: 800 550 6865
Conference ID: 298475
International Adigo phone numbers: http://adigo.com/icann/

source: ICANN

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IANA Functions, Revised ICANN Infographic, SSAC Report

The IANA Functions from ICANN (revised)

Update: The IANA Functions Infographic - ICANN: ICANN released a new IANA Functions Infographic (above) which explains how the core IANA functions allow users to access the Internet. According to ICANN the revised infographic incorporates feedback from the community.

Recommended reading: SAC067 Overview and History of  the IANA Functions (pdf)
An August 15, 2014, report from the ICANN Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC)

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Independent Review Panel "schools" ICANN in DotConnectAfrica Trust Case

The Independent Review Panel in the Dot Connect Africa case (see below) has issued a 33-page "Declaration on the IRP Procedure" (pdf) that should be required reading for every member of the ICANN Board of Directors, as well as every participant in the ongoing enhancing accountability and IANA transition processes. If nothing else, the Panel has shown it has read, understands, and takes seriously ICANN's articles of incorporation and by-laws, as well as appicable law. Beginning at page 8, the Panel reviews and reiterates the "Mission and Core Values" of ICANN, as well as ICANN's accountability to the "global internet community" noting, inter alia, that "ICANN is not an ordinary California non-profit organization. Rather, ICANN has a large international purpose and responsibility..." 

Money quote at page 9:

"32) In carrying out its mission, ICANN must be accountable to the global internet community for operating in a manner that is consistent with its Bylaws, and with due regard for its core values."

Below is an excerpt from the Declaration (p. 32) indicating next steps and that the Declaration and the future Declaration on the Merits of the case are binding on the parties (ICANN wanted this to be "advisory" not "binding"):

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Independent Review Panel
CASE # 50 2013 001083

DotConnectAfrica Trust (“Claimant” or “DCA Trust”) and

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) (“Respondent” or “ICANN”)

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ICG Next Conference Call August 19

ICG Announces Second Conference Call - ICANN: The IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group (ICG) will hold its next conference call on 19 August 2014, 12:00-14:00 UTC - 8AM-10AM EDT (US). For time zone conversions, please see here.

The community is welcome to attend by way of a listen-only mode Virtual Meeting Room through which audio of the call will be streamed. In addition, translations into the 5 UN languages plus Portuguese will be available through relevant Adigo Bridge dial-in numbers and Conference ID codes.

A list of country dial-in numbers can be found here. In the case that there is no appropriate dial-in number for an interested participant, ICANN will provide a dial-out service to that individual. Correspondingly, language service Conference ID numbers are listed below:
English – Conference ID: 68385764
Français – Conference ID: 75929475
Español – Conference ID: 68385764
中文 – Conference ID: 825702
Pусский – Conference ID: 345720
العربية – Conference ID: 82855066
Português – Conference ID: 759752

For more information about the ICG and the IANA Stewardship Transition: NTIA IANAFunctions' Stewardship Transition Microsite.

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Global Internet Report 2014, Users, Affordability, Speeds, Penetration

Global Internet Report 2014, Global Internet Penetration, Limits on Content (censorship), internet affordability, mobile internet penetration, download speed for fixed internet access,

New Internet numbers show continued growth | Internet Society: "Recently the ITU provided 2013 data, which we have used to update several of the maps. The numbers indicate some fascinating statistics about Internet usage in countries around the world for 2013:

• China has the largest number of Internet users at 634,589,474 
• Iceland has the highest Internet penetration at 96.55% 
• Papua New Guinea experienced the largest growth in Internet users, at 85.7%, from 3.5% penetration in 2012 to 6.5% in 2013"

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Websites Offline? Internet Global Routing Table Problem Looms

The Internet rests on two important directories: the Domain Name System, which tells packets of information where they should be going, and the global routing table, which tells them how to get there. When either system breaks down, some Internet addresses can get cut off from the rest of the Web. (source: Wall Street Journal)

“ICANN, in its IANA function, allocates a pool of IP address to the RIRs. RIRs in turn allocate the IP address blocks to the ISPs/Users. This results in non-contiguous allocation of IP addresses to a single SP/users/country leading to huge routing tables that consume precious resources in the Network elements leaving fewer resources for traffic. Internet is currently based on IPv4 but is moving towards use of IPv6 addresses.” Recommendations on Policy Development for introduction of new gTLDs (pdf) Rahul Goel and Ashutosh Mehta, New Delhi, India (January 2006)

"[A]s the Internet expanded, concern arose that the existing numbers would be exhausted and that the size of the global routing tables was in danger of growing faster than the capabilities of the underlying equipment. Given the huge volume increases in the size of the routing tables, concerns were raised that core routers would be forced to drop routes, and portions of the Internet would become unreachable." –OECD Report, October 1998 (pdf)

There’s no good exact opinion about the One True Size of the Internet — every provider we talk to has a slightly different guess. The peak of the distribution today (the consensus) is actually only about 502,000 routes, but recognizably valid answers can range from 497,000 to 511,000, and a few have straggled across the 512,000 line already. The number varies from minute to minute as well, and this close to 512K, any minor event, such as a deaggregation by a large provider (fragmenting a network route into smaller ones for traffic engineering purposes) could push the global collective past the critical point. (source: Renesys)

Internet dependent enterprises: beware. Outages looming as Internet crosses 1/2 million route boundary: http://t.co/TPUO4gsT6D

— Renesys Corporation (@renesys) August 13, 2014

Echoes of Y2K: a '512K' Internet Limit Approaches - WSJ: "....The fix is simple. Engineers can buy new gear or raise their routers' memory caps and reboot. But some Web companies need to reconfigure each device one at a time, and the fallout is hard to judge given the numbers involved. The work already caused some websites to go offline Tuesday. More links could suffer in the days ahead... Network engineers have been discussing the routing problem for years through mailing lists and highly technical conferences with names like the North American Network Operators' Group. Internet traffic handlers like Level 3 Communications Inc. said they bought new equipment with extra memory more than a year ago, heading off the problem before it affected users. The problem also draws attention to a real, if arcane, issue with the Internet's plumbing: the shrinking number of addresses available under the most popular routing system. That system, called IPv4, can handle only a few billion addresses. But there are already nearly 13 billion devices hooked up to the Internet, and the number is quickly growing, Cisco said. Version 6, or IPv6, can hold many orders of magnitude more addresses but has been slow to catch on. In the meantime, network engineers are using stopgap measures....(read more at links above)

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Internet, domain name, web, website, net, 1908-2008

"Internet, domain name, web, website, net," 1908-2008 (English) in Google Books Ngram Viewer below (when you enter phrases into the Google Books Ngram Viewer, it displays a graph showing how those phrases have occurred in a corpus of books over the selected years):



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Internet Users As Percentage of Population Worldwide

Internet Users As Percentage of Population Worldwide - Data from World Bank - Last updated: July 30, 2014

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Silicon Valley Dot COM Boom 2.0

2Q_14_VCchart.pdf

VC funding in the second quarter included dropbox.com, uber.com, lyft.com, pinterest.com, postmates.com, instacart.com, and many other dot COMs you have not heard of--yet.

"... the second quarter this year has been bigger and better for VCs and startups than any other quarter in about a decade...  entrepreneurs have dusted off business models for delivery service, social media and e-commerce companies, and venture capitalists have poured money into startups extrapolated from some of the most famous dot-com busts. But now, say analysts, the time is right -- mobile technology has advanced, consumers are more tech-savvy than they were in the '90s, money is abundant and the bull market just won't seem to quit..."Back then, the idea was right, the vision of the future was right," said Robert Ackerman, managing director and founder of Allegis Capital. "Now the environment is right. We've seen these good ideas that just won't die; they were just waiting for the right time...." read more: Silicon Valley VC investments, startups resemble dot-com boom - San Jose Mercury News

Game on--so get your dot COM domain name, get your VC funding--you're on your way!

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The ICANN Accountability Enhancement Process Mess

draft of ICANN Accountability Enhancement Process

A tale of two processes | IGP Blog: "....For the accountability process, it’s too early to pass judgement, but the signs are not good. In Singapore and London face to face meetings were held to discuss how to advance the situation.  In May, ICANN solicited comments from stakeholders which did not ask any questions related to actual process. Nonetheless, earlier this week [week of August 8], the ICANN staff and CEO Fadi Chehadé met with ICANN’s SO/AC leaders, and proposed an organizational structure [see graphic] for determining ICANN accountability enhancements... Chehadé urged all the SOs and AC chairs to move into alignment and support the proposal. However, several questions were raised and flaws noted by SO/AC leaders on the call and afterward. The registries were immediately accused by Chehadé of creating an environment of “mistrust” for simply expressing their viewpoint...." (read more at link above, emphasis added)

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Five Takeaways From ICANN 50 London

Five Key Takeaways From ICANN 50 in London | Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP - JDSupra:


Five Takeaways From ICANN 50 London

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US Trademark Registration Application Process

Summary Of The U.S. Trademark Application Process | Ladas & Parry LLP - JDSupra: To register a trademark or not? What is involved--




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The New Dot Com Business Boom, It REALLY Is Different This Time (video)

on video above from 3:38-12:11
The New Dot Com Business Boom, It REALLY Is Different This Time: Valuations based on real revenues--BoomBustRT's Erin Ade talks to StockTwits.com co-founder Howard Lindzon about what’s going on in the Dot Com business boom and technology space right now, including pre-IPO companies; priceline.com, booking.com, uber.com, airbnb.com, facebook.com, twitter.com -- Mobile, Social, Local, Global, Business Models, Brands, 100-year companies.

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Remember the Groupon $6 Billion Brushoff of Google

The legacy of groupon.com for all start-ups--avoid self-delusions--"Emerging from that process, it felt like a butterfly emerging from the cocoon.We went through a period of introspection and self-doubt, and then ultimately emerged in a state of supreme confidence. Like, OK, we're the best company in the world."--former Groupon CEO Andrew Mason (source)

Rubes, Inexperience, Hubris?--when you are a start-up, before you reject a multi-billion dollar offer from the likes of Google, it's time to put the egos down, and use your rational brains--

Behind Groupon's $6 Billion Brushoff of Google - WSJ: "...In the fall of 2010, search giant Google offered nearly $6 billion to buy Groupon [groupon.com]... the daily-deals site..." (read more at the foregoing link)

So where is Groupon today?

Groupon disappoints on weak Q2 revenue of $751.6M, investors quickly send it packing | VentureBeat | Business: "Before the bell, Groupon stock was slightly up by less than one percent. In after hours trading, the company is down a whopping 17 percent."

Total market cap today? Only $4.82 billion--about a billion dollars less than what Google would have paid in 2010!

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Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway Increase Stake in VeriSign Again

Legendary investor Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and related entities, have disclosed in an SEC filing that they now control 12,985,000 shares of common stock of VeriSign, being 10.4% of all outstanding shares of the domain name registry for .COM and .NET.

According to 247wallst.com, Buffett/Berkshire Hathaway's ownership in Verisign has been increasing:

• As of March 31, 2013, it was 8.174 million shares. 
• As of December 31, 2013, it was 10.96 million shares. 
• As of March 31, 2014, it was 11,685,654 shares.

Obviously the purchase of additional shares in July is a vote of confidence in VeriSign and its management--Buffett is known to add shares to his holdings when he thinks a stock is undervalued. Apparently Warren Buffett does not consider the new gTLDs much of a threat to VeriSign's .COM business either!

Both Verisign and Berkshire Hathaway closed up Monday (August 4, 2014):

VRSN $54.55  +$1.35 (2.54%)   VeriSign, Inc. - NASDAQ

BRK.A $194305.00  +$5026.00 (2.66%)  /  BRK.B  $129.73  +$3.90  (3.10%)

Berkshire Hathaway Inc - NYSE

According to 247wallst.com, VeriSign's total market value is $6.7 billion which puts the Warren Buffett/Berkshire Hathaway 10.4% stake worth almost $700 million. Berkshire Hathaway’s total market value is now more than $300 billion, its public equity holdings are in excess of $100 billion, and as of June 30, it was holding $55.5 billion in cash.

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US Senators Tell ICANN To Separate IANA, Functionally OR Structurally

Excerpt from Letter to ICANN from Senators Thune and Rubio

Full Letter (pdf)  -- In a letter dated July 31, 2014, to the Chairman of the ICANN Board of Directors, Dr. Stephen Crocker, US Senators John Thune and Marco Rubio, of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, commented, with specific recommendations, on the the IANA transition and ICANN accountability.

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Small Business Goes From Brick-and-Mortar Store To Entirely Online

Good read in the San Jose Mercury News about a small entrepreneur who moved from brick-and-mortar store to entirely online (link below, excerpts follow):

Taking a small business from a storefront to online: A look back one year later - San Jose Mercury News: " . . . A calmer routine: My store schedule was 24/7. Nine a.m. to 8 p.m. was my day at the store; I'd come home and make notes for the next day. Here, I just have a nicer routine. I include regular breaks from being hunched over something. I make time to meditate... I also work on lines and update the websites regularly. I have a big calendar with tasks laid out months in advance. I researched how to take photos that show off jewelry well. When I run into a problem, I ask Google... I discovered it's better to join an online platform with a force behind it, rather than create a site. So I created SageJewelryArts.com through Storenvy, a marketplace run through PayPal. OpenSky is another marketplace I use, too. The more of these you can be on, the more exposure you get. They're super-easy to create, and there's no HTML to worry about... Looking back a year later, gross revenue does not tell an honest picture. I was making a lot more gross revenue with brick and mortar. My net profit is more now. A lot of money coming in doesn't mean anything if the bottom line is not profit." (emphasis added, read more at link above)

referenced: http://www.storenvy.com/ and http://www.opensky.com/

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Network Solutions Answers the XYZ Question

The  Web.Com Group, Inc., which owns the domain name registrar Network Solutions, had its Q2 2014 Earnings Conference Call on July 31, 2014, beginning at 5:00 PM ET. Late into the call, THE QUESTION most of the domain name industry is interested in, was asked, and answered (sort of):

Question from Sameet Sinha - B. Riley Caris, Research Division: “… And my last question is around the .xyz domain. It seems like at least from media reports that you were giving it to your Network Solutions customers. Can you elaborate on what sort of promotion that is? Or what sort of any impact it could have? And what sort of benefit do you expect from it?”

Answer by David L. Brown - Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Web.com Group, Inc. (owner of Network Solutions): “… And then finally on the xyz, we have a long history of offering domain names at very low price in order to attract customers. And then after a year with us, if they choose to renew, we have some additional revenue. And we've been testing this process for years. It has worked for us and allowed us to be very competitive in an extremely competitive and marginalized business. And so xyz could have been an example of that.”

Well yes, “free” is a “very low price.” However, it remains to be seen whether “they [customers] choose to renew” and whether Network Solutions will “have some additional revenue.” The real answer, therefore, will be coming about a year from now. [Earlier in the call, Kevin M. Carney, CFO, had mentioned a financial impact from "investments in new domain extension promotions."]

One other memorable note from the conference call: Web.com/Network Solutions said it doesn't view the Google Registrar business (now in beta) as a "competitive threat." OK. Anyone remember AltaVista?

For more on how Wall Street views the Google "competitive threat" to Web.com and Network Solutions, read: Web.com - Google's Announcement Triggers An Unavoidable Sell-Off - Web.com Group, Inc (NASDAQ:WWWW) | Seeking Alpha.

For more info (and sources for above): Q2 2014 Earnings of Web.Com Group, Inc. and Seeking Alpha

--report submitted by contributing editor, John Poole, Domain Mondo

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